Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi – Bending – Folding
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-06
2004-10-19
Gerrity, Stephen F. (Department: 3721)
Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi
Bending
Folding
C493S961000, C493S357000, C493S416000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06805661
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method for folding a textile strip length, in particular a strip length for a label and to an installation for carrying out the method.
PRIOR ART
Methods and installations of the type mentioned at the beginning are known, for example from IT-1 268 836 B. In the method described there and the installation for carrying it out, a strip length is first held firmly close to an auxiliary folding edge which is to be formed and whose direction is parallel to the definitive folding edge. The part of the strip which projects reaches over a gap formed by two clamping elements, the clamping surfaces of which being aligned perpendicular to the plane of the strip lengths. A flat blade pushes this part of the strip into the gap, forming a fold, and then has to be withdrawn again before the fold formed can be smoothed and fixed by pressing the clamping surfaces against each other. Here, the problem arises that when the blade is pulled out, the fold formed is easily changed or even destroyed. Even when the fold is smoothed and fixed properly, there is the further disadvantage that this fold around the auxiliary folding edge is aligned perpendicular to the plane of the strip. By means of the smoothing and fixing operation, this auxiliary fold is also firstly fixed, so that in the finally folded strip length the folded parts of the strip project at right angles to the plane of the strip lengths, which is undesired and as a rule makes post-processing of the folded strip lengths necessary.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,148,874 A discloses another method and another installation for folding a textile strip length, the strip length firstly being held firmly by means of an L-shaped holding element beside a folding edge to be formed. The projecting part of the strip is firstly folded by means of a folding element at right angles to the plane of the strip length and then turned over a holding foot of the L-shaped holding element, parallel to the plane of the strip length. The holding foot of the L-shaped holding element then has to be withdrawn again before the fold formed is smoothed and fixed by pressing clamping surfaces, which are aligned parallel to the strip length, against each other. Although the fold formed already lies in the plane of the strip length, the problem also results here that when the holding foot is withdrawn, the fold formed can easily be changed or even destroyed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the invention to improve a method and an installation for folding a textile strip length, in particular a strip length for a label, in such a way that the aforementioned disadvantages no longer occur.
a) a method as claimed in claim
1
; and
b) an installation for carrying it out as claimed in claim
2
.
Pursuant to this object, and others which will become apparent hereafter, one aspect of the present invention resides in a method for folding a textile strip length by first holding the strip length firmly close to an auxiliary folding edge whose direction is parallel to a definitive folding edge, folding a part of the strip around the auxiliary folding edge substantially perpendicular to the plane of the strip length to form a definitive fold, gripping an end of the part of the strip folded around the auxiliary folding edge, compressing the part of the strip against a clamping surface arranged substantially co-planar with the plane of the strip length and belonging to a clamping element forming the definitive fold, and smoothing and fixing the folded part of the strip line substantially in the plane of the strip length between the clamping surfaces arranged substantially in the plane of a strip length.
The fact that the strip part angled over around an auxiliary folding edge is gripped and compressed and therefore folded against a clamping surface which is aligned substantially coplanar with the plane of the strip section results in two critical advantages. Since, during the compression, the compression tool does not engage in the fold or a gap between the clamping elements, it can remain in use until the clamping surfaces have gripped and fixed the folds, so that exact alignment and shaping of the folds is always provided, and slipping is undoubtedly prevented. Furthermore, the clamping surfaces rise substantially in the plane of the strip length, so that the folded, smoothed and fixed folds of the strip length likewise lie in the plane of the strip length and the auxiliary folded edge is eliminated, so that a satisfactory, flat, folded strip length is produced and post-treatment is no longer necessary.
In order to carry out the method, various installations are conceivable. For example, it is possible for support elements, on which strip sections rest for processing, to be arranged at rest and for folding and clamping tools to be moved against the resting support die. A particularly advantageous installation for folding the textile strip length includes a support element for the strip length to be folded, which support element has a support surface aligned parallel to the strip length and an auxiliary folding edge aligned parallel to a folding edge to be created. The installation further has a holding element arranged to cooperate with the support surface of the support element for the strip length. A folding element is provided for forming a fold of the strip length between clamping surfaces of two clamping elements for smoothing and fixing the fold. The clamping surfaces of the clamping elements are aligned substantially co-planar with a plane of the strip length to be folded. The auxiliary folding edge has a supporting surface aligned substantially perpendicular to the support surface of the support element. The folding element has a compression edge arranged to cooperate with the supporting surface of the auxiliary folding edge so as to grip an end of the part of the strip to be turned over against the supporting surface into a compressed part of the strip against the clamping surface of one of the clamping elements to form the definitive fold.
For the folding of the part of the strip projecting beyond the support surface of the support element, various possibilities result. For example, the support element can be arranged at rest and the holding element, which can be biased, can be biased against the support surface. An appropriate folding element can then be moved along the support element in order to turn over the projecting part of the strip against the supporting surface. By contrast, in a particularly preferred solution the support element together with the holding element that can biased against the support surface are movable into and out of a holding position for the strip length.
In addition, diverse possibilities result for the configurations of the folding element. For example, a spatula can be moved over the auxiliary folding edge of the support element and along the supporting surface in order to turn the projecting part of the strip over against the supporting surface. However, in a particularly advantageous embodiment the folding element has an oblique run-on surface which, during a relative movement between support element and folding element, turns over a part of the strip which projects beyond the support surface around the auxiliary folding edge and against the supporting surface. In order to permit reliable turnover, the support element and the folding element are biased toward each other.
It is particularly expedient if the folding element is also designed as a clamping element, against which the other clamping element is biased. This biasing can be produced by various means, for example by electromagnetic or fluid-actuated means. However, biasing by means of a spring is particularly advantageous. This also makes it easier to raise the clamping element by means of the support element, which can be moved in relation thereto.
The holding element can be biased against the support element by a bias spring and can be moved by the support element into an initial position in which the holding element is latched
Gerrity Stephen F.
Lopez Michelle
Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen, LLP
Textilma AG
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