Winding apparatus for a strip of cushioning material

Abstract

A winding device (1) for winding a cushioning material strip (2) into a roll (13) is disclosed. The winding device (1) includes a work plate (8), at least two winding bolts (7), and a drive mechanism (10). The work plate (8) has a working surface, a rotation axis, and at least two holes (15) away from the rotation axis. The at least two winding bolts (7) are configured to pass through the at least two holes (15) respectively and extend out of the working surface when winding the strip. The drive mechanism (10) is configured to rotate the work plate (8), wherein the at least two winding bolts (7) are retractable from the work plate (8) through the at least two holes (15) respectively.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a coiler device, and more particularly to a coiler device capable of coiling a three-dimensional strip of padding or cushioning material supplied from a cushioning dispenser.

[0002] background

[0003] Cushioning material can be formed or pre-folded into a three-dimensional strip for use. In typical practice, the padding or cushioning material strip is wound in a controlled manner to form a roll of cushioning material of a predetermined diameter or length. A cushioning distributor can cut or separate the padding or cushioning material strip at the end of the preset diameter or length. The winding device or winding device can rotate until the padding or cushioning material strip is pulled out or released from the outlet or channel of the cushioning distributor, which can be a spring-loaded, driven hinged outlet or channel with a guide plate, capable of guiding or adapting to the roll diameter during material winding.

[0004] After the wound material is removed from the winding equipment, a new cycle of a preset diameter or length can begin, known as manual mode or take-out mode. The wound cushioning material may include the open end of a padding or cushioning material strip. The wound cushioning material is cut or separated and needs to be manually or automatically held to remove the roll from the equipment in order to prevent the wound cushioning material strip from opening from its winding shape.

[0005] When the wound cushioning material closes at its cut or separating end, the roll is in a loop shape, which allows the wound cushioning material to be removed or released from the winding device without changing its wound shape. Therefore, there is a need for automatic release of the formed roll without manual operation. Additionally, safety issues may arise when the roll winding auger or winding device begins to rotate, or before the padding or cushioning material strip supplied from the cushioning distributor outlet or channel reaches and winds onto the roll winding auger or winding device.

[0006] Overview

[0007] According to one aspect of the invention, a winding apparatus for winding a cushioning material strip into a roll is provided. The winding apparatus includes a work plate, at least two winding bolts, and a drive mechanism. The work plate has a working surface, a rotation axis, and at least two holes exiting the rotation axis. The at least two winding bolts are configured to pass through the at least two holes respectively and extend out of the working surface during winding. The drive mechanism is configured to rotate the work plate, wherein the at least two winding bolts are retractable from the work plate through the at least two holes respectively.

[0008] According to another aspect of the invention, a winding device is provided for winding a strip of cushioning material into a roll. The winding device includes a work plate and at least two winding bolts. The work plate has a working surface and a rotation axis. The at least two winding bolts are configured to extend away from the rotation axis and protrude from the working surface respectively during winding, and at least one of the at least two winding bolts is flexible.

[0009] According to another aspect of the invention, a winding device is provided for winding a strip of cushioning material into a roll. The winding device includes: a body; a work plate having a working surface and a rotation axis; at least two winding bolts extending out of the working surface during winding of the strip; and a drive mechanism configured to rotate the work plate relative to the rotation axis. The work plate may include at least one hole exiting the rotation axis, and at least one of the two winding bolts is disposed through the at least one hole to be retracted into the body through the at least one hole. Brief description of the attached diagram

[0011] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing a winding device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the winding device being configured to wind a three-dimensional strip of cushioning material supplied by a cushioning distributor;

[0012] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing a drive mechanism viewed from the rear of the work plate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0013] Figure 2a This is a schematic diagram showing the drive mechanism as viewed from the rear of the work plate according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the formation of a cushioning material roll according to another embodiment of the invention and its release from the front side of the work plate;

[0015] Figures 4-5 This is a partial cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a linear motion device that is connected to a frame and guides the frame in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation;

[0016] Figure 6 It is a cross-sectional view showing the winding bolts set in the holes of the work plate;

[0017] Figure 7 It shows an exploded view of some components connected to the frame;

[0018] Figures 8-14 This is a schematic diagram showing a winding device according to some embodiments of the present invention, the winding device being configured to wind a strip of cushioning material supplied by a cushioning distributor and release the formed roll of cushioning material;

[0019] Figure 15This is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the winding device according to the present invention;

[0020] Figure 16 and Figure 17 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the spiral brace is shown;

[0021] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the winding device according to the present invention;

[0022] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram showing a winding device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the winding device being configured to wind a strip of cushioning material supplied by a cushioning distributor and release the formed roll of cushioning material;

[0023] Figure 20 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the internal mechanism for driving the work plate and frame according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0024] Figure 21 yes Figure 20 A magnified view of a portion of the image shows more details of the mechanisms that cause the linear motion of the frame and the rotational motion of the work plate.

[0025] Detailed description

[0026] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the following embodiments. It should be noted that the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention is given for purposes of illustration and description only; they are not exhaustive or limited to the precise forms disclosed.

[0027] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 A winding device 1 is shown, configured to wind a three-dimensional strip 2 of padding or cushioning material supplied by a buffer distributor 3 through an outlet or channel 4. In some embodiments, the stock 5 converted by the buffer distributor 3 is a paper-based sheet roll, a chain sheet bundle, a pre-configured chain sheet bundle, a pre-folded chain sheet, and / or an endless pallet of chain sheets. These sheets 6 can be single-layer or multi-layered.

[0028] The diameter of the wound cushioning material roll can vary between 300 mm and 1200 mm, but can be smaller or larger depending on the actual material and / or density of the padding or cushioning material strip used, as the cushioning dispenser can also dispense expanded cushioning materials, such as paper-based void fillers, plastic-based or biodegradable storage materials, or bubble wrap or air bladders.

[0029] Combination Figures 1-3The winding device 1 is provided with at least two roll winding bolts 7. In some embodiments, at least one bolt 7 is made of a flexible material (such as a tension spring or rubber) or may be made of a rigid material that can be hinged at its central pivot point. These bolts 7 may be fixedly mounted on a driven rotating center plate 8 or mounted to a separate frame 9 attached to a drive member 10, whereby the bolt 7 is positioned through a hole 15 in a floating center rotating plate or gear member 11 driven by the bolt 7 or the bolt 7 is fixedly mounted to a rotating center plate 11a that enables the bolt 7 to rotate about the roll axis to wind the padding or cushioning material strip 2 into a wound cushioning material 13. The driven rotating center plate 8 includes a working surface 8a facing the cushioning distributor 3.

[0030] exist Figure 2 and Figure 2a In the middle, the outer edge of which may be a V-shaped floating center rotating plate 11 can be kept axially and radially positioned by one or more carriers or V-shaped carrier track wheels (12). Before one or more bolts begin to bend or pivot, the required force is at least equal to or greater than the force required to wind the padding or cushioning material strip 2, and the force needs to be at least small enough to bend one or more bolts before injuring a person who may come into contact with one or more winding device bolts 7.

[0031] Figures 4-5 An embodiment of a linear motion device is shown, which is coupled to a frame 9 and guides the frame 9 along a direction 17 parallel to the axis of rotation 14. Using this invention, one or more of the winding bolts 7, which can be flexible or articulated as described in the first invention, can automatically retract into the body 1a of the winding device 1 in the direction along the axis of rotation 14, enabling the wound cushioning material 13 to be automatically released from the winding bolts 7 after the padding or cushioning material strip 2 has been wound. Figure 1 and Figure 8 The winding device 1 can be positioned vertically or horizontally, and the winding bolt 7 points upward or downward.

[0032] Bolt 7 can be attached to a separate frame 9, which extends through a hole 15 in the floating center rotating plate or gear component 11, and this frame 9 is attached to the driven component 16. Bolt 7 can be positioned to retract by linear motion 17. Figure 5 ) and extend ( Figure 4 Positioning the coiled component to retract also allows for a smaller transport package for the winding device 1. The linear driven member 16 can be based on a trapezoidal screw 18 or an actuator (not shown). The trapezoidal screw 18 can be driven using a transmission device 19 and guided by at least one linear guide member 20 (such as a linear bearing).

[0033] The trapezoidal lead screw 18 may be provided with at least one bearing 22 to support the rotational movement of the floating center plate or gear component 11. The rotational movement of the floating center plate 11 or frame 9, including the winding bolt 7, may need to be a separate movement in addition to linear movement, through which the bolt 7 retracts or extends. The first process may be driven by the drive component 10 ( Figure 2 and Figure 2a The rotational motion is performed, thus requiring the bolt 7 to remain in the extended position. After the rotation process is completed, the bolt 7 can be retracted into the working surface 8a of the main body 1a of the winding device 1, the rotating center plate 8, or the gear component 11 via the driven member 16. It is worth noting that when retracting or extending, the rotational motion may not occur or may not be activated due to this linear motion.

[0034] See Figure 6 The hole 15 through which the winding bolt 7 is guided may be provided with an inclined ramp 21 to ensure that the winding bolt 7 is linearly guided when retracting or extending. After the buffer material strip 2 is wound, the bolt 7 may be slightly bent. In some embodiments, the hole 15 may also be provided with a linear bearing or a low-friction material to ensure low friction when the bolt moves linearly through the hole 15 of the floating center rotating plate or gear component 11.

[0035] See Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is an exploded view showing some of the components connected to frame 9. A centrally located roller bearing 23 can be used, which can be mounted in the outer bearing sleeve 24 and the inner bearing sleeve 25 through which the actuator shaft is guided, or a trapezoidal threaded spindle nut 26 can be centrally located, which enables independent rotational movement of the floating center plate or gear component 11 and / or linear movement of the bolt 7.

[0036] In other embodiments, only a portion of the winding bolts are designed to retract into the body of the winding device, or to retract from the floating center plate or gear assembly; for example, one of two winding bolts is retractable, or two of three winding bolts are retractable. Additionally, the number of holes in the floating center plate or gear assembly may correspond to the number of winding bolts designed to retract into the body of the winding device, each passing through a hole.

[0037] Figures 8-14 Some embodiments of a winding device 1 are shown, which is configured to wind a cushioning material strip 2 supplied by a cushioning distributor 3 and release the formed cushioning material roll 13. Using this invention, the winding device 1 can be horizontally positioned 27 ( Figure 8 Or it can be positioned at a certain angle 28 ( Figure 11Thus, the winding bolt 29 faces upward. In addition, the buffer distributor 30 or its outlet or channel 31 can be positioned such that the padding or cushioning material strip 32 is aligned with the horizontally or inclined winding device 1.

[0038] The horizontally or angled working surface 27 of the winding device 1 can be at the same height or aligned with the worktable / conveyor line 34, or in the collection box 58. Figure 19 Above. Using this invention, the winding anchor can retract 35 into the main body 1a of the winding device 1, thereby releasing the wound cushioning material 36, which can be in an open or closed configuration, and allowing it to move freely on the working surface 37 of the winding device 1. The wound cushioning material 36 can be manually pushed, automatically pushed 38, pulled, or slid 39 onto the packaging workbench, conveyor line 34, or collection device / box 58. Figure 13 In this process, the rolled-up cushioning material 36 can be automatically picked up and positioned into the final packaging 42 of the product 43 by a robotic device or a suction device 44. Figure 14 In this process, the wound cushioning material 36 can be manually picked up and positioned into the final packaging 42 of the product 43.

[0039] Figures 15-17 Some embodiments of a winding device with two winding bolts 47 are shown. When the centrally driven rotating plate 45 is rotating, there is a risk of injury to a human arm 46 or an object from the two winding bolts 47. Therefore, in Figure 16 In this configuration, at least one of the winding bolts 48 is formed by a flexible portion 48 (such as a spring-like rod). Figure 17 In the case of the winding bolt 47, at least one of the winding bolts includes a rigid arm 49 connected by a hinge 50.

[0040] In such Figure 18 In the embodiment of the winding device shown, several detection elements 51, 52 (such as sensors) are provided on the working surface. Detection element 51 is used to determine whether the padding or cushioning material strip 2 has reached the winding anchor 7 after a set time. If it is not detected within the set time, the center winding plate with the anchor will not begin to rotate to reduce unnecessary movement. Detection element 52 is used to determine whether the padding or cushioning material strip 2 is in the winding process. If it is not detected within the set time, the center winding plate with the anchor will stop rotating to reduce unnecessary movement. A visible scale 53 for the diameter of the winding material is used to determine the required diameter for new packaging. In this way, the user does not need to use a separate measuring tool that can indicate the required diameter to measure the wound padding or cushioning material strip 2. The increase in the scale mark per millimeter or centimeter depends on the purpose of the padding or cushioning strip or the required accuracy. In addition, the winding device also includes a mounting base and lifting handle 54 for positioning on a support, workbench, or various integrated solutions.

[0041] See Figure 19 This allows the rolled-up cushioning material 57 to be collected in a box 58 for transport to multiple packaging areas.

[0042] Also refer to Figure 20 and Figure 21 The coil winding bolt 60 is disposed on the rotation center plate and / or gear component 59 and can only rotate in one direction. This can be clockwise 61 or counterclockwise 62. When the drive component 63 begins to rotate, a centrally located roller bearing 64, possibly fixed in the inner and outer bearing units / sleeves 65, begins to drive one of its bearing rings, which can be the outer ring 66 of the centrally located roller bearing. Those skilled in the art will understand that the inner bearing ring, which can be positioned on the actuator shaft or trapezoidal guide nut 67, will be prevented from rotating by the holding torque of the brake or drive component / gearbox 68. The driven rotation center plate can be a centrally driven or floating component 59, which prevents axial and radial movement by at least one carrier or track guide component 70, which can be guided by a U-shaped or V-shaped profile 71 at the outer edge of the centrally driven or floating component 59. The shape of the outer edge of at least one carrier or track guide component 70 can be complementary to the shape of the outer edge of the centrally driven or floating component 59 (i.e., the U-shaped or V-shaped profile 71).

[0043] When the wound cushioning material reaches the set length or diameter, the drive member 63 can stop rotating. The winding bolt 60 can then retract into the winding device. The winding bolt 60 can be connected to an actuator (not shown) via a frame member 72, or possibly to a driven trapezoidal screw 73. When the drive member 68 connected to the winding bolt frame member 72 begins to pull or rotate 74, the winding bolt is guided back 75 into the winding device 1 on the inner ring 76 of the centrally located roller bearing. The outer bearing ring 66 will be prevented from rotating by a brake or the holding torque of the drive member / gearbox 63. Rotation of the actuator shaft or trapezoidal guide nut is prevented by at least one linear guide member 77. After releasing the wound cushioning material from the winding bolt 60, the winding bolt / frame member 72 can be reverse-driven 78 back to the extended position 79. A new cycle may then begin.

[0044] Through embodiments of the present invention, at least one of the following objectives can be achieved: (1) no winding equipment housing, safety cage, or high-end drive and / or monitoring safety torque device is required, which needs to control or monitor the safety of the winding bolt of the rigid rotating winding equipment to ensure user safety; (2) additional moving, driving, and / or articulating parts or devices are required to remove the generated winding cushioning material from the winding bolt. Therefore, roll push-pull equipment: housing, safety cage, or high-end drive and / or monitoring safety torque device is not required, which needs to control or monitor the safety of moving parts to remove the winding cushioning material from the winding bolt of the winding equipment to ensure user safety; (3) the winding equipment can be positioned in a vertical, inclined, or horizontal position to release the winding cushioning material from the surface of the winding equipment, the ready-made winding cushioning material can be used in ordinary and simple packaging areas or roll transport solutions, and the winding cushioning stockpile can be pre-produced in volumes / quantities from small to large.

[0045] The embodiments of the present invention can produce at least one of the following effects: (1) The automatic winding and unwinding equipment is low-cost because it does not require additional external moving parts, safety cages, or high-end electronic safety monitoring equipment to ensure the safety of moving parts. The estimated manufacturing cost is reduced by up to 40-50% compared to existing solutions / systems without sacrificing any performance and / or functionality; (2) The automatic winding and unwinding equipment has a smaller footprint because it does not require additional external moving parts or safety cages; (3) It is a stand-alone winding device that can be integrated / combined with the most common padding tape or cushioning tape distributors when the winding device needs to communicate / connect with an external distributor; (4) The automatic winding and unwinding equipment has lower maintenance costs due to the limited number of parts and the absence of high-end electronic safety monitoring equipment; (5) The automatic winding and unwinding equipment is lightweight compared to existing systems due to the limited number of parts required. The winding device can be lifted by two people or by ordinary lifting equipment [≤50kg] to be mounted on a bracket or integrated solution; (6) As it is a small-footprint and lightweight equipment solution, two complete winding devices can be packaged and stacked on a common EU pallet (height ≤1.2m), which reduces transportation and storage space.

[0046] Although the invention has been described based on embodiments that are now considered to be the most practical and preferred, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments.

[0047] Industrial applicability

[0048] Through the above embodiments, the winding equipment can be positioned vertically, inclined, or horizontally, thereby releasing the wound cushioning material from the surface of the winding equipment. This allows readily available wound cushioning material to be used in general and simple packaging areas or roll transport solutions, and enables the pre-production of wound cushioning stock in small to large volumes / quantities. Therefore, the present invention has good industrial applicability.

Claims

1. A winding device for winding a cushioning material strip into a roll, comprising: A work plate having a working surface, a rotation axis, and at least two holes away from the rotation axis; At least two spiral bracing bolts are provided, each of which passes through the at least two holes and extends from the working surface when the cushioning material strip is wound. A drive mechanism configured to rotate the work plate to automatically wind the cushioning material strip into a roll; A linear motion device, the linear motion device being connected to the at least two winding bolts; and A drive member configured to drive the linear motion device and cause the at least two winding bolts to retract automatically from the work plate through the at least two holes to release the roll material.

2. The winding device according to claim 1, further comprising: A frame having the same axis of rotation as the working plate, wherein the at least two winding bolts are disposed on the frame, and the linear motion device is connected to the frame.

3. The winding device according to claim 2, wherein, The frame is positioned close to the side of the work plate opposite to the work surface.

4. The winding device according to claim 2, wherein, The drive component includes a trapezoidal lead screw or actuator shaft arranged along the rotation axis, and the frame is rotatable about the trapezoidal lead screw or actuator shaft.

5. The winding device according to claim 4, wherein, A bearing is provided between the frame and the trapezoidal lead screw.

6. The winding device according to claim 1, wherein, The drive component is connected to the transmission device.

7. The winding device according to claim 1, wherein, The working board is facing upwards.

8. The winding device according to claim 7, wherein, There is a predetermined angle between the work plate and the horizontal plane.

9. The winding device according to claim 1, wherein, At least one of the at least two spiral bracing bolts is flexible.

10. The winding device according to claim 1, wherein, The at least two winding bolts are made of flexible material or have hinged portions that extend out of the working surface, respectively.

11. The winding device according to claim 1, wherein, A second detection sensor is disposed on the working surface and is configured to detect whether the buffer material strip is in the process of winding.

12. A winding device for winding a cushioning material strip into a roll, comprising: main body; A work plate having a working surface and a rotation axis; At least two spiral bracing bolts extend beyond the working surface when the cushioning material strip is wound; A drive mechanism configured to rotate the work plate relative to the axis of rotation to wind the cushioning material strip into a roll; A linear motion device, the linear motion device being connected to the at least two winding bolts; and A drive member configured to drive the linear motion device and cause at least one of the at least two winding bolts to automatically retract into the body to release the roll.

13. The winding apparatus according to claim 12, wherein: The working plate includes at least one hole exiting the axis of rotation; and At least one of the at least two winding bolts is configured to pass through the at least one hole, thereby being able to retract into the body through the at least one hole.

14. The winding device according to claim 12, wherein, The working plate does not rotate when at least one of the at least two winding bolts retracts into the body.

15. The winding apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a visible scale disposed on the working surface for indicating the diameter of the wound cushioning material, wherein, When the wound cushioning material reaches a set diameter, the drive mechanism stops rotating the work plate.

16. The winding device according to claim 12, further comprising at least one carrier or track guide member, wherein: The work plate has a U-shaped or V-shaped profile at its outer edge; and The at least one support member or track guide member is guided by the U-shaped or V-shaped profile, thereby preventing radial and axial movement of the work plate.

17. A winding device for winding a cushioning material strip into a roll, comprising: A work plate having a working surface and a rotation axis; as well as At least two winding bolts are provided, the at least two winding bolts being positioned away from the axis of rotation and extending out of the working surface when the cushioning material strip is wound, wherein at least one of the at least two winding bolts is made of a flexible material or has a hinged portion extending out of the working surface to allow bending or pivoting movement of at least one of the at least two winding bolts.

18. The winding apparatus according to claim 17, wherein, At least one of the at least two spiral braces is formed by a spring-like rod.

19. The winding apparatus according to claim 17, wherein, The working plate includes two holes away from the axis of rotation, and the at least two winding bolts are configured to pass through the at least two holes respectively and extend out of the working surface when the cushioning material strip is wound.

20. The winding apparatus according to claim 19, wherein, The at least two winding bolts are disposed on the frame, which has the same axis of rotation as the working plate.

21. The winding apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a linear motion device coupled to the frame to guide the frame in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation.

Images