Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CLAMP ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR OPE=RATING THE SAME
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a clamp assembly that is added to a low
profile semi automatic machine, so that, once the clamp assembly is installed
on
the machine, it converts it to an automatic machine.
Background of the invention
The way a semi automatic machine works is simple.
a- An operator places a product to be wrappE;d onto the rotary table.
b- The operator attaches the leading end of the film to the product to be
wrapped.
c- He presses start on the machine and waits for the wrap cycle to be
done.
d- He cuts the film web between the producir being wrapped and the film
delivering device (carriage).
e- He removes the wrapped product from the table.
To wrap the next product, the operator has to repeat all these steps, which
is disadvantageous for obvious reasons well known in the art, such as lack of
efficiency and productivity for example.
Summary of the invention
The object of the present invention is to provide a device which satisfies
some of the above-mentioned needs and which is thus an improvement over the
above-discussed prior art.
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In accordance with the invention, the above object is achieved by a clamp
assembly for use with a rope of a film-wrapping machine, said assembly
comprising:
a clamp for clamping the rope;
a cutter for cutting the rope; and
a trigger for actuating said clamp and said cutter.
Also according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a method for operating the above-mentioned clamp assembly, said method
comprising the steps of:
a) triggering a clamp for clamping a rope of a film-wrapping machine;
and
b) triggering a cutter for cutting said rope.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a roping device for use with a web of a film-wrapping machine, the roping
device
comprising a movable arm and a conveying belt connected to the arm, the arm
being movable between a retracted position and .a roping position where the
conveying belt cooperates with the web and forms a rope therefrom.
The invention and its advantages will be better understood by reading the
following non-restrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof, made
with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Brief description of the drawings
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a film-wrapping machine comprising a
clamp assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the film-wrapping machine shown in Figure 1,
said machine being shown with its roping arm at home position and a product to
be wrapped placed on its rotary table.
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Figure 3 is another fop plan view of the film-wrapping machine shown in
Figure 2, said machine being shown in an intermediate configuration as the
product is being wrapped.
Figure 4 is another top plan view of the film-wrapping machine shown in
Figure 2, said machine being shown with its roping arm in its roping position
and
the clamp approaching the trigger.
Figure 5 is another top plan view of the film-wrapping machine shown in
Figure 2, said machine being shown when the movable clamp is being triggered
as it passes over the trigger.
Figure 6 is another top plan view of the film-wrapping machine shown in
Figure 2, said machine being shown when the cutter has cut the roped film web
between the product and the clamp.
Figure 7 is another top plan view of the film-wrapping machine shown in
Figure 2, said machine being shown ready for another product to be wrapped,
the
roped film web being already secured in the clamp.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the roping arm assembly shown in Figure
1.
Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the roping arm assembly shown in
Figure 8 cooperating with a film web according to a preferred embodiment of
the
invention, the roping arm assembly being shown in a roping position (before
the
rope is made).
Figure 10 is a side elevational plan view of the roping arm assembly shown
in Figure 9, said roping arm assembly being shown in the roping position
(after
the rope is made).
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Figure 11 is a perspective view of the clamp approaching the trigger
according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.,
Figure 12 is another perspective view of the clamp and trigger shown in
Figure 11, the clamp being shown being triggered to open as it passes over the
trigger.
Figure 13 is a side elevational view of what is shown in Figure 12, the
clamp and the trigger being shown in relation to the rotary table.
Figure 14 is a side elevational view of what is shown in Figure 11, the
clamp and the trigger being shown in relation to the rotary table.
Description of the preferred embodiments
In the following description, the same numerical references refer to similar
elements. The embodiments shown in the figures are; preferred.
Moreover, although the present invention was primarily designed for use
with a film-wrapping machine for wrapping purpose:>, it could be used with
other
types of objects of different fields for other purp~~ses, such as with winding
applications for example, as apparent to a person skilled in the art. For this
reason, expressions such as "wrapping" andlor "roping" and any other
references
and/or other expressions equivalent thereto should not be taken as to limit
the
scope of the present invention and include all other objects with which the
present invention could be used and may be useful.
In addition, although the preferred embodiment of the film-wrapping
machine as shown comprises various components such as a rotary table, a
machine base, a roping arm assembly, a carriage, etc., not all of these
components are essential to the invention and thus should not be taken in
their
CA 02343703 2001-04-11
restrictive sense, i.e. should not be taken as to limit the scope of the
present
invention. It is to be understood, as also apparent to a person skilled in the
art,
that other suitable components and cooperations thereinbetween may be used
for the film-wrapping machine and clamp assembly used therewith according to
5 the present invention, as will be explained hereinafter, without departing
from the
scope of the invention.
Moreover, expressions such as "film" and "rope", as well as any equivalent
expressions andlor compound words thereof, may be used interchangeably in the
context of the present description. The same applies for any other mutually
equivalent expressions, such as "web" and "rope" for example, as also apparent
to a person skilled in the art.
Furthermore, it is to be understood that the expression "film" as used in the
context of the present description refers to various different objects which
may be
used with the present invention, as also apparent to a person skilled in the
art.
The clamp assembly according to the prE~ferred embodiment of the
invention as shown in the accompanying drawings is a clamp assembly for use
with a rope of a film-wrapping machine. The assembly comprises a clamp for
clamping the rope, a cutter for cutting the rope, an:d a trigger for actuating
the
rope and the cutter, as better shown in Figures 11 to 14.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the process is even
simpler than that of the prior art in that:
a- An operator places a product to be wrapped onto the rotary table.
b- The operator attaches the leading end of the film to the product to be
wrapped. This operation has to be done oinly for the first cycle.
f- He presses start on the machine and wait for the wrap cycle to be
done.
c- He removes the wrapped product from the table.
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To wrap the next product, the operator simply repeats step A, F and C
only. Step B is done automatically by the clamp assembly according to the
present invention as explained herein.
Basically, an operator just needs to bring a load, press start and remove
the load once it is wrapped.
The process is to automatically clamp and cut the film web at the end of
the wrapping cycle:
- Place a product on the rotary table (1).
- Attach the film web (17) to the product (8) (only for the first cycle).
- Press start fio wrap the product (8).
- During the last 118 of a turn:
- A roping arm (4) is brought into roping position (10).
- A conveying belt (15} inactivated to rope down (18) the film web
(17).
- A trigger (7) is moved to its triggering position (22).
- A movable clamp jaw (20) is triggerE:d to open as it passes over
the trigger (7).
- The roped film web (18) is caught into the clamp (3).
- As the clamp (3) is passed over they trigger (7), its movable jaw
(20) closes to hold the roped film web (18).
- The roped film web (18) is simultaneously cut with the cutter (21 )
between the product (8) and the clamp (3).
- The trigger (7) is brought back to resin position (23).
- The rotary table (1 ) is stopped at home position.
- The roping arm is brought back to home position (4}.
- The cycle is done and waiting for the product (8) to be removed from
the rotary table {1).
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When a new cycle is restarted, the roped filrn web (18) is already in the
clamp (3) so the operator does not need to attach it to the product.
One table revolution is made to secure the film web around the product
before activating the trigger (7).
The clamp (3) is triggered in order to release tlhe initial roped film web
(18).
The product (8) is wrapped.
During the last 118 of a turn the roping, clamp and cut sequences are done
as described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
1- Rotary table
2- Machine base
3- Clamp assembly
4- Roping arm assembly
5- Carriage
6- Machine tower
7- Trigger
8- Product to be wrapped
9- Film roll
10- Roping arm (4) at rope position
11- Arm
12- Arm gear motor
13- Arm mounting base
14- Belt gear motor
15- Conveying belt
16- Roping up right
17- Film web
18- Roped film
19- Clamp base
20- Clamp movable jaw
21- Cutter
22- Trigger (7) at trig position
23- Trigger (7) at rest position
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24- Roping arm (4) at home position
Of course, numerous modifications could be made to the above-described
embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as apparent to a
person skilled in the art.
