Package making – Partial cover application – Band or tube
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-10
2001-06-19
Gerrity, Stephen F. (Department: 3721)
Package making
Partial cover application
Band or tube
C053S176000, C053S210000, C053S399000, C053S441000, C053S556000, C053S586000, C100S027000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247294
ABSTRACT:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a wrapping apparatus.
In prior art, a wrapping apparatus for winding a web of wrapping foil around an object is known which comprises a ring guideway forming an endless ring-like track with variable radius and differing from a circular track. The ring guideway comprises an inner rolling surface facing towards the inside of the ring, an outer rolling surface facing outward in a direction opposite to the facing direction of the inner surface, and a lateral rolling surface extending between the inner and outer rolling surfaces.
Moreover, this prior-art wrapping apparatus comprises a foil dispenser, which comprises a frame provided with supporting elements for supporting a foil roll on the frame. On either side of the frame, the foil dispenser has two idler assemblies, disposed at a distance from each other and supporting the foil dispenser as it moves, guided by the ring guideway. The idler assembly comprises an inner idler mounted with a bearing on the frame of the foil dispenser and leaning by its circumference on the inner rolling surface of the guideway. The idler assembly further comprises a first outer idler supported with a bearing on the frame of the foil dispenser on the other side of the guideway in relation to the location of the inner idler. The axis of rotation of the first outer idler is parallel to the axis of rotation of the inner idler, and it leans by its circumference on the outer rolling surface of the guideway. Furthermore, the idler assembly comprises a lateral idler, which is also supported by a bearing on the frame of the foil dispenser and whose axis of rotation is substantially perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the inner and outer idlers. The lateral idler leans by its circumference on the lateral rolling surface of the guideway. Thus, the idler assembly supports the foil dispenser in a direction perpendicular to the guideway, in other words, in all directions except the direction of advance defined by the guideway.
A problem with this prior-art wrapping apparatus is that the lateral idlers tend to wear out fast, so their service life is short. This is because the lateral idlers are mounted on axles fixedly attached to the frame of the foil dispenser so that they are always rolling in a given unchanged direction without adaptation to the changing curvature of the lateral rolling surface. In other words, the plane of rotation of the lateral idler forms a drift angle with the lateral rolling surface, causing wear of the lateral idler.
The object of the invention is to eliminate the drawbacks referred to above.
A specific object of the invention is to disclose an arrangement designed to obviate the problems resulting from the wear of the lateral idler and prolong it service life.
According to the invention, the idler assembly comprises a second outer idler whose axis of rotation is parallel to the axis of rotation of a first outer idler, said second outer idler leaning by its circumference on an outer rolling surface at a distance from the first outer idler. Furthermore the idler assembly comprises a pivoted frame mounted with a bearing on the frame so as to permit it to turn about a swing axis coincident with the axis of rotation of the inner idler, the first outer idler, the second outer idler and the lateral idler being supported with bearings on said pivoted frame.
The advantage provided by the arrangement of the invention is that, as the foil dispenser, guided by a ring guideway, is moving along a track with variable curvature, the axis of rotation of the lateral idler turns substantially in the direction of the radius of the track at every point of the track. The rolling direction of the lateral idler thus follows the direction of a tangent to the curvature of the lateral rolling surface, without forming a drift angle with the lateral rolling surface, with the result that the durability of the lateral idler is improved.
In an embodiment of the wrapping apparatus, the ring guideway comprises two flange parts extending in opposite directions, a first flange part and a second flange part, whose free edge zones form the afore-said rolling surfaces while the lateral rolling surfaces of the flange parts face in directions opposite to each other. For each guide roller assembly engaging the first flange part, the foil dispenser comprises a corresponding similar mirror-image-like guide roller assembly aligned directly oppositely, engaging the second flange part on the opposite side of the ring guideway.
In an embodiment of the wrapping apparatus, the idler assemblies comprise a first idler assembly, which is a leading idler assembly relative to the direction of motion of the foil dispenser, and a second idler assembly, which is a trailing idler assembly running behind the first idler assembly. The first idler assembly is provided with a pivoted frame as mentioned above, the first outer idler, the second outer idler and the lateral idler being supported with bearings on the pivoted frame.
In an embodiment of the wrapping apparatus, the second idler assembly is provided with a pivoted frame as mentioned above, the outer idler, the second outer idler and the lateral idler being supported with bearings on the pivoted frame.
In an embodiment of the wrapping apparatus, the foil dispenser comprises a draw-spring fitted to act between the first idler assembly and the second idler assembly so as to turn them towards each other.
In an embodiment of the wrapping apparatus, the track formed by the ring guideway is disposed in a substantially vertical plane.
In an embodiment of the wrapping apparatus, the object to be wrapped is a cylindrical body provided with a central hole, such as a roll of band or the like. The ring guideway forms a ring-like track of oval shape comprising a straight track portion that passes through the hole in the object to be wrapped and a curved track portion that bends around the object between the ends of the straight track portion.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4676048 (1987-06-01), Lancaster et al.
patent: 4712354 (1987-12-01), Lancaster et al.
patent: 5012631 (1991-05-01), Hostetler et al.
patent: 5282347 (1994-02-01), Cleine et al.
patent: 5311725 (1994-05-01), Martin et al.
patent: 5850726 (1998-12-01), Degrasse et al.
patent: 5873214 (1999-02-01), Moore et al.
Desai Hemant M.
Gerrity Stephen F.
Lowe Hauptman & Gilman & Berner LLP
Oy M. Haloila Ab
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