Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02983309 2017-10-18
Attorney Reference Number: 6160-WO
BANDING DEVICE
Cross-Reference to Related Application
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent
Application
No. 62/154395 filed April 29, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference
in its entirety.
Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the retail industry and,
more
particularly, to devices for securing an article of commerce to its respective
packaging.
Background of the Invention
[0003] In the retail industry, an article of commerce is commonly secured to
packaging
in order to, inter alia, protect the article during transport, minimize the
risk of article theft or
tampering, and display the article at the point-of-sale. Packaging used in the
retail industry is
often constructed out of a thick, paper-based material, such as paperboard,
chipboard,
cardboard or the like. Various techniques are known in the art for securing an
article of
commerce to a paper-based packaging material.
[0004] For instance, plastic fasteners are often used to secure an article to
its
respective packaging. In U.S. Patent No. 4,039,078 to A.R. Bone, the
disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference, there are disclosed several different types
of plastic fasteners.
Each plastic fastener described in the '078 patent is manufactured in a
generally H-shaped
configuration, with two shortened parallel cross-bars, or T-bars, being
interconnected at their
appropriate midpoints by a single, thin, flexible filament which extends
orthogonally there
between.
Pagel
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[0005] Plastic fasteners of the type described above are commonly fabricated
as part of
a continuously connected supply of fastener stock, which is also commonly
referred to in the art
simply as ladder stock due to its ladder-like appearance. One type of ladder
stock that well
known in the art is presently manufactured and sold by Avery Dennison Retail
Information
Services LLC, through its Fastener Division in Fitchburg, MA under the PLASTIC
STAPLE and
ELASTIC STAPLE lines of plastic fasteners. This brand of ladder stock is
produced from one or
more flexible plastic materials, such as nylon, polypropylene and the like,
and includes a pair of
elongated and continuous side members, or rails, which are interconnected by a
plurality of
equidistantly spaced cross-links.
[0006] Automated plastic fastener dispensing devices, or machines, are well
known in
the art and are commonly used to dispense individual plastic fasteners from a
reel of ladder-
type fastener stock by severing the side rails at the approximate midpoint
between successive
cross-links. For example, in U.S. Patent No. 8,413,866 to W.J. Cooper et al.,
the disclosure of
which is incorporated herein by reference, there is disclosed one well known
type of plastic
fastener dispensing device that is presently manufactured and sold by Avery
Dennison Retail
Information Services LLC, through its Fastener Division located in Fitchburg,
MA known as the
ST9500 fastener system.
[0007] In use, a fastener dispensing device of the type as described above can
be used
to secure an article to its corresponding packaging. Specifically, with the
article disposed against
the packaging, a pair of parallel, hollow needles on the fastener dispensing
device is linearly
driven through the packaging on opposite sides of the item (i.e., with the
item positioned
between the needles). A feed mechanism then advances each rail of the supply
ladder stock
into axial alignment behind the longitudinal bore defined by a corresponding
hollow needle.
With each rail disposed as such, a severing mechanism severs each rail at the
approximate
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midpoint between the two lowermost cross-links, thereby separating an
individual fastener
from the remainder of the ladder stock. Having separated an individual
fastener from the
ladder stock, an ejection mechanism ejects the cross-bars of the separated
fastener through the
bores of the pair of hollowed needles and, in turn, through the packaging
previously penetrated
by the needles.
[0008] During the fastener ejection process, each cross-bar is twisted into a
substantially parallel relationship relative to the outer portions of the
filament in order to allow
for its penetration through the relatively small hole formed in the packaging
by its
corresponding needle. Once each cross-bar passes through the hole in the
packaging, the
resilient construction of the plastic fastener causes each cross-bar to return
to its original
perpendicular orientation relative to the filament. Accordingly, upon
completion of the fastener
dispensing process, the inner surface of each generally cylindrical cross-bar
lies flat against one
surface of the packaging along a generally linear region of contact. At the
same time, the
majority of the stretchable filament extends tightly across the item on the
opposite side of the
packaging, thereby retaining the item to the packaging in a relatively secure
fashion.
[0009] The use of plastic fasteners to secure an article of commerce to its
respective
packaging has been found to suffer from a notable shortcoming. Specifically,
as referenced
above, plastic fasteners have relatively high elongation properties.
Accordingly, each plastic
fastener will increase in length, or strain, upon the application of a tensile
force thereto. As a
result, the elasticity of plastic fasteners can compromise article security.
Most notably, an
unscrupulous consumer can stretch the fastener to the extent necessary that
the article can be
separated from its associated packaging.
[0010] In response thereto, fastening devices with relatively low elongation
properties
have been increasingly utilized in packaging applications, particularly when
article security is of
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critical importance. For
instance, cable ties, also commonly known as bundling ties and
harnessing devices, are commonly utilized in packaging applications to secure
an article of
commerce to its respective packaging. Once reliably secured to its associated
packaging, the
article is typically rendered less susceptible to theft or other forms of
tampering than packaging
that relies upon the use of elastic fasteners.
[0011] One type of cable tie which is well known and commonly used in the art
comprises an elongated strap that is secured, at one of its ends, to an
apertured head. The free
end of the elongated strap is typically shaped to define a tail of narrowed
width to facilitate
insertion through the apertured head. A plurality of serrations, or teeth, is
formed along one
surface of the elongated strap along the majority of its length. Additionally,
an internal pawl, or
locking tang, is disposed within the apertured head and is adapted to
sequentially engage the
serrations on the strap.
[0012] A cable tie of the type as described above is commonly used in the
following
manner to secure an article of commerce (e.g. a handheld tool or toy) to its
associated
packaging (e.g. a generally planar display card). Specifically, the article is
disposed in its desired
position against the front surface of the desired packaging. A pair of narrow
slots, each having
the approximate dimensions of the strap in transverse cross-section, is
preferably preformed or
subsequently punched into the packaging on opposite sides of the article in
close proximity
thereto. With the head of the cable tie positioned behind the rear surface of
packaging, the free
end of the strap is inserted forward through one of the slots, wrapped
transversely across the
article, and inserted rearward through the other of the slots.
[0013] The cable tie is then formed into a closed loop by inserting the free
end of the
serrated strap through the apertured head. With the cable tie formed into a
closed loop, the
free end of the serrated strap is advanced through the apertured head until
the strap cinches
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tightly across the article, the internal pawl lockably engaging the serrations
of the strap to
prevent withdrawal, or backing out, of the strap from the apertured head. In
this manner, the
engagement of the internal pawl onto the serrated strap secures the cinched
cable tie in its
closed loop configuration and thereby retains the article firmly against the
front surface of the
packaging.
[0014] Although useful and reliable in securing an article of commerce to its
packaging,
the use of cable ties in packaging applications has been found to suffer from
a notable
drawback. Specifically, securing an article to its packaging using cable ties
is typically
accomplished in a manual fashion, by forming each tie, by hand, into a closed
loop. Additionally,
any excess strap (i.e. the portion of the strap which does not form the closed
loop) is often
manually trimmed for aesthetic purposes and/or to ensure that the loose, free
end of the strap
does not cause any inadvertent damage to the article or its packaging. As can
be appreciated,
the aforementioned manual steps render the overall packaging process time-
consuming, labor-
intensive, and expensive to implement, which is highly undesirable.
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Summary of the Invention
[0015] It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved
band for
securing an article of commerce to its corresponding packaging.
[0016] It is another object of the present invention to provide a band as
described
above that has relatively low elongation properties and is therefore less
susceptible to
tam pering.
[0017] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a band
that is clear
and visually unobtrusive.
[0018] It is another object of the present invention to provide a band that
contains
graphics conveying specific information such as brand logos, trademarks, trade
dress.
[0019] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a band
that contains
radio frequency identification (RFID) technology.
[0020] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and
improved
banding device for applying the band as described above to the article and its
corresponding
packaging.
[0021] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a
banding device as
described above that applies the band to the article and its corresponding
packaging in a simple,
effective and largely automated fashion.
[0022] It is yet still another object of the present invention to provide a
banding device
as described above that has a limited number of parts, is easy to use and is
inexpensive to
manufacture.
[0023] Accordingly, as a feature of the present invention, there is provided a
banding
device for securing together first and second objects with a band derived from
a continuous
plastic film, the band having first and second ends, the device comprising (a)
a feed mechanism
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for extracting the band from the continuous plastic film and at least
partially directing the band
around the first and second objects, (b) a sensor for detecting machine
readable features in the
plastic film, (c) a clamping mechanism for retaining the first end of the band
in an overlapping
relationship, (d) a tensioning mode that controls the amount of loop tension
in the band around
the first and second objects, and (e) a bonding mechanism for bonding the
first and second ends
together to secure the band in a closed loop configuration.
[0024] As another feature of the present invention, there is provided a method
for
securing together first and second objects with a band derived from a
continuous plastic film,
the band having first and second ends, at least one of the first and second
objects having a pair
of holes, the method comprising the steps of (a) extracting the band from the
continuous plastic
film and at least partially directing the band through the pair of holes and
around the first and
second objects, (b) sensing machine readable features in the plastic film to
detect plastic film
positioning, (c) retaining the first end of the band in an overlapping
relationship, (d) tensioning
the band around the first and second objects, and (e) bonding the first and
second ends
together to secure the band in a closed loop configuration.
[0025] Various other features and advantages will appear from the description
to
follow. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings
which form a part
thereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration, an embodiment for
practicing the
invention. The embodiment will be described in sufficient detail to enable
those skilled in the
art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other
embodiments may be utilized
and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of
the invention.
The following detailed description is therefore, not to be taken in a limiting
sense, and the scope
of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.
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Brief Description of the Drawings
[0026] In the drawings wherein like reference numerals represent like parts:
[0027] Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of a banding device constructed
according to the
teachings of the present invention, the banding device being shown in relation
to an article and
its associated packaging which are to be secured together;
[0028] Fig. 2 is a side view of the article secured to its packaging by a band
applied from
the banding device shown in Fig. 1; and
[0029] Figs. 3(a)-(i) are simplified section views of selected components of
the banding
device shown in Fig. 1, taken along lines A-A, at various stages during the
process of banding the
article to its associated packaging.
[0030] Figs. 4(a)-(e) are various shapes, patterns or geometries that can
assist in
directing heat from a heat stake head to overlapping ends of a closed loop
band.
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Detailed Description of the Invention
Construction of Banding Device 11
[0031] Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a banding device constructed
according
to the teachings of the present invention, the banding device being identified
generally by
reference numeral 11. As will be explained in detail below, banding device 11
is specifically
designed to apply a non-elastic plastic band securely around an article of
commerce and its
corresponding packaging in a simple, effective and largely automated fashion.
[0032] In the description that follows, device 11 is shown securing an article
of
commerce 12 to its associated packaging 13. As defined herein, article of
commerce 12
represents any product that is typically secured to packaging as part of its
transport and/or
display for sale. For instance, article 12 may be in the form of a
conventional retail article, such
as a handheld tool, toy or the like.
[0033] Packaging 13 is represented herein as a display, or line card
constructed out of,
but not limited to, a thick, paper-based material, such as paperboard,
chipboard, cardboard or
the like. As can be seen, packaging 13 has a generally planar construction
with a substantially
flat top surface 14 and a substantially flat bottom surface 15. Additionally,
packaging 13 is
shaped to define a pair of pre-punched slots 16-1 and 16-2, the function of
which will become
apparent below.
[0034] It should be noted that device 11 is not limited for use with card-type
packaging
13. Rather, it is to be understood that device 11 could be used with
alternative forms of
packaging (e.g. a cardboard box or plastic clam shell) without departing from
the spirit of the
present invention. Accordingly, as defined herein, packaging 13 represents any
item of any
shape, style or material to which an article of commerce can be secured.
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[0035] Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, banding device 11 is constructed as a
compact
and unitary machine that is designed to apply a non-elastic plastic band
securely around article
12 and packaging 13 in a simple, effective and largely automated fashion. As
will be described in
detail below, banding device 11 is adapted to receive a continuous supply of a
non-elastic plastic
film 18, wrap a separable segment, or band, 17 of film 18 around commercial
article 12 and
packaging 13, apply tension with film 18, and weld together the free ends of
band 17 to form a
closed-loop. Due to its low elongation properties and welded form of
connection, band 17
serves to retain article 12 to packaging 13 in a secure and reliable fashion,
which is highly
desirable.
[0036] Film 18 is preferably in the form of any thin film plastic material
with relatively
low elongation properties. As referenced briefly above, film 18 is preferably
provided as a
continuous web which is wound onto an enlarged rotatable reel, or spool, 19
for ease of storage
and subsequent usage by device 11.
[0037] The particular design and construction of film 18 is preferably
dependent upon
the designated packaging application. As an example, film 18 may be clear or
colored to provide
a particular aesthetical effect. Additionally, film 18 may be branded or
otherwise visibly marked
(e.g. with a corporate logo) for marketing purposes. Lastly, film 18 may be
provided with a
security device (e.g. an embedded radio frequency identification (RFID) chip
or the like) to deter
theft of article 12.
[0038] Referring to Fig. 3(a), device 11 includes an outer housing 20 adapted
to receive
packaging 13 and article 12, a feed mechanism 21 for advancing a segment of
film 18, a sensor
42 for detecting that film 18 is in place to begin the banding sequence, a
clamping mechanism
22 for retaining the overlapping portion of band 17 in place, a tensioning
mode in mechanism 21
for controlling the loop tension in band 17, a bonding mechanism 23 for
securing together the
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overlapping portion of band 17, and a severing mechanism 24 for separating
band 17 from the
remainder of film 18. As a product of the operation of device 11, a single
band 17 wraps article
12 securely to packaging 13 through slots 16-1 and 16-2 of packaging 13, as
shown in Fig. 2.
[0039] As seen in Fig. 1, housing 20 is represented herein as a rectangular,
box-shaped
enclosure that includes a front panel 25, a rear panel 26, a left side panel
27, a right side panel
28, a top panel 29 and a bottom panel 30 that together define a substantially
enclosed interior
cavity 31 into which the majority of the components of device 11 are disposed.
As can be seen,
top panel 29 is shaped to define a narrow lateral slot 44 which provides
access to interior cavity
31.
[0040] It should be noted that reel 19 of film 18 may be disposed outside of
housing 20
and fed into interior cavity 31 for banding through a corresponding opening
(e.g. in side panel
28), as represented in Fig. 1. Alternatively, housing 20 may be dimensioned to
receive reel 19 of
film 18 within interior cavity 31.
[0041] As seen most clearly in Fig. 3(a), device 11 includes a feed mechanism
21
disposed within interior cavity 31 of housing 20 that advances a segment of
film. Feed
mechanism 21 includes a series of rollers 32-1 thru 32-4 that feed film 18
along a specified path.
Film guide 33-2 directs film 18 through slot 16-2 of packaging 13. Film 18 is
placed around
article 12 and directed through slot 16-1 of packaging 13 via film guide 33-1.
A stepper motor
(not shown) is used for regulating the tautness of film 18 during the
tensioning mode of feed
mechanism 21.
[0042] Feed mechanism 21 includes both active, or drive, rollers and passive,
or pinch,
rollers 32-1 thru 32-4. Active rollers are directly or indirectly driven by a
stepper motor (not
shown), the operation of which is regulated by an electronic controller (not
shown). In turn,
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activation of the device motor is achieved through control panel 46 provided
on the exterior of
housing 20.
[0043] Specifically, as seen most clearly in Fig. 1, an externally accessible,
depressible
lighted power toggle switch coupled with a power input receptacle 43 is
provided on side panel
28 of housing 20 and serves to deliver power to the electronic controller for
device 11 when a
powered input cord (not shown) is attached. The lighted power toggle switch
coupled with a
power input receptacle 43 on side panel 28 of housing 20, when lit, indicates
that power is being
delivered to the controller for device 11.
[0044] Additionally, an externally accessible, depressible film advance button
34 is
provided in control panel 46 and is in electrical connection with the
electronic controller for
device 11. Upon depression of button 34, the electronic controller delivers
power to the motor,
which in turn activates feed mechanism 21 to the extent that a defined length
of film 18 is
automatically delivered for use in securing article 12 to packaging 13, as
will be explained
further below.
[0045] Film guides 33-1 and 33-2 are a pair of opposing arcuate chutes that
serve to
facilitate directing film 18 around packaging 13 and article 12. Each guide 33
is generally arc
shaped in transverse cross-section and is dimensioned to fittingly receive and
direct band 17
along the appropriate path.
[0046] Each guide 33 is positioned within interior cavity 31 such that its
distal end
projects partially through slot 44 in housing 20. Accordingly, as will be
explained further below,
the distal end of each guide 33 is dimensioned to fittingly project through a
corresponding slot
16 in packaging 13. In this manner, guides 33 serve to not only hold packaging
13 in position on
device 11 but also assist in feeding film 18 through slots 16 in packaging 13.
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[0047] Preferably, film guide 33-1 is a fixed, or stationary, chute that is
located at one
end of slot 31. By contrast, film guide 33-2 is a movable chute that is
adapted to slide linearly
within slot 44 in both directions relative to fixed film guide 33-1. In this
manner, the spacing
between film guides 33 can be adjusted to compensate for variances in the
spacing between the
pair of pre-punched slots 16 in packaging 13 (i.e. to accommodate a wide range
of possible
packaging applications).
[0048] As referenced above, activation of button 34 extracts a defined length
of film 18
for use in securing article 12 to packaging 13. Note that activation includes
but is not limited to
button 34. (i.e a foot pedal or other switching device may be used). The
ability to extract a
section of film 18 to a defined length is achieved using a stepper motor (not
shown) coupled
with the controller (not shown) for device 11. Accordingly, the controller for
device 11, which is
electrically connected to the stepper motor, can calculate the proper length
of film 18 to be
extracted (e.g. by counting the number of steps the stepper motor has moved
radially).
[0049] The length of the extracted portion of film 18 (i.e. the portion of
film 18 to
ultimately serve as band 17) can be varied by the user through manual
adjustment of a numeric
length indicator 35 provided in control panel 46 of housing 20. As can be
appreciated, the
numeric length indicator 35 is coupled to the controller for device 11 and can
thereby modify
the measured length (e.g. adjusting the panel to read 200 indicates a defined
length of extracted
film 18) and activate the feed mechanism 21 accordingly. The ability to modify
the length of
film 18 is useful since different packaging applications will typically have
different banding
requirements. In particular, the length of film 18 is often largely dictated
by the shape of article
12 with which it is used.
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[0050] As referenced briefly above, feed mechanism 21 extracts a defined
length of
film 18 (i.e. band 17) that is, in turn, wrapped around article 12 and
packaging 13 in a partially
overlapping fashion. To maintain film 18 tightly wrapped around article 12 and
packaging 13, a
clamping mechanism 22 located within interior cavity 31 selectively applies a
retaining force
onto film 18 when initiated by sensor 42. Specifically, sensor 42 is designed
to detect machine-
readable features incorporated into film 18 at defined intervals. For
instance, the entire length
of film 18 may include markings, such as a sequence of equally-spaced printed
lines, which are
not detectable by the human eye (e.g. using ultraviolet dyes or inks) but are
detectable by
sensor 42. Sensor 42 can utilize markings on film 18 to calculate the proper
overlap length of
film 18 required for band 17, as it is inserted into film guide 33-1, to
initiate the banding
sequence.
[0051] As seen most clearly in Fig. 3(a), clamping mechanism 22 includes,
inter alia, a
backing anvil 37, a tail clamp head 38 and a holding clamp head 39 that apply
forces on film 18
to the extent necessary to retain film 18 in its properly wrapped
configuration. Anvil 37 is a
planar member that is slidably mounted within interior cavity 31. As will be
described further
below, anvil 37 is disposed to selectively project between bottom surface 15
of packaging 13
and film 18 (band 17).
[0052] Tail clamp head 38 is a block-type member that is slidably mounted
within
interior cavity 31. Tail clamp head 38 is disposed to selectively protrude
towards the underside
of backing anvil 37 with film 18 disposed there between. As such, backing
anvil 37 and tail
clamp head 38 apply pressure onto opposite sides of the tail portion of film
18 so as to define
the overlap portion of band 17.
[0053] The non-secured end of the film 18 passes through a cutout portion of
tail
clamp head 38. The feed mechanism 21 has a tensioning mode as the device motor
rotates the
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active rollers in a direction opposite of the extracted film 18. This
operation enables film 18 to
achieve a predetermined loop tension. Accordingly, through the adjustment of
an external
tension control knob 36, which is provided in control panel 46 the tension of
film 18 can be
modified to suit the needs of the intended packaging application. Accordingly,
the controller for
device 11, which is electrically connected to the stepper motor, can calculate
the proper tension
to be applied and then deactivate feed mechanism 21. Holding clamp head 39 is
a block-type
member that is slidably mounted within interior cavity 31. Similar to tail
clamp head 38, holding
clamp head 39 is disposed to selectively protrude towards the underside of
backing anvil 37 with
film 18 disposed there between. As such, backing anvil 37 and holding clamp
head 39 apply
pressure onto opposite sides of the tail portion of film 18 so as to secure
its shape in a closed
loop configuration.
[0054] Severing mechanism 24 includes a movable knife blade 41 that is located
in
interior cavity 31 and regulated by the device controller. The present
invention also
contemplates that a shearing mechanism may be used instead of knife blade 41.
As will be
explained further below, knife blade 41 is disposed between heat stake head
40, tail clamp head
38 and holding clamp head 39, and is adapted to be selectively driven into
contact with film 18.
Based on its location, knife blade 41 severs the enclosed band 17 from the
remainder of film 18.
[0055] With band 17 retained in a closed-loop configuration by clamping
mechanism
22, bonding mechanism 23 secures together the overlapping portion (i.e. the
free ends) of band
17. Bonding mechanism 23 comprises a movable heat stake head 40 that is
located in interior
cavity 31 and regulated by the device controller. As will be explained further
below, heat stake
head 40 is driven into contact against the overlapping portion of band 17,
with backing anvil 37
providing support for the opposite surface of the overlapping portion. The
heat applied from
head 40 is of a sufficient temperature to weld together the overlapping
segments of band 17,
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thereby permanently securing band 17 in its closed loop configuration. Backing
anvil 37 then
retracts to free the band from the banding device, thereby resulting in the
securely packaged
product shown in Fig. 2
[0056] It should be noted that bonding mechanism 23 is not limited to the use
of heat
to bond together the overlapping segments of film 18 to form band 17. Rather,
it is to be
understood that bonding mechanism 23 could bond the overlapping segments of
film 18 to form
band 17 by alternative means (e.g. through ultrasonic welding) without
departing from the spirit
of the present invention.
Operation of Banding Device 11
[0057] Referring now to Figs. 3(a)-(i), banding device 11 can be used in the
following
manner to apply non-elastic plastic band 17 securely around article of
commerce 12 and
packaging 13 in a simple, effective, and largely automated fashion. To
commence the banding
process, packaging 13 is disposed on housing 20 such that arcuate guides 33-1
and 33-2 fittingly
protrude through corresponding slots 16-1 and 16-2, respectively, as shown in
Fig. 3(a). If
necessary, movable guide 33-2 can be displaced within slot 44 to accommodate
the particular
width between slots 16-1 and 16-2. Once properly mounted, bottom surface 15 of
packaging 13
lies generally flat against top panel 29 of housing 20. The fitted
relationship between guides 33
and slots 16 retain packaging 13 fixedly in place on housing 20.
[0058] With packaging 13 mounted on housing 20 in the manner set forth above,
article 12 is disposed on top surface 14 of packaging 13 between slots 16-1
and 16-2. Any fine
adjustment of the position of article 12 relative to packaging 13 is then
undertaken until the
items are disposed in their desired relationship for packaging.
[0059] The operator then activates device 11 by depressing run button 34, with
indication of operability being provided by an indicator light which is
illuminated on run button
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34. Prior to commencing the band delivery operation, the operator sets the
desired length and
tension of film 18 via controls 35 and 36, respectively. As can be
appreciated, the length and
tension of resultant band 17 is largely dependent upon the particular
packaging application.
[0060] To commence the band delivery process, the operator depresses button 34
which delivers a signal to the device controller. In response thereto, the
device controller
activates device motor, which rotably drives active rollers in feed mechanism
21. Accordingly,
rollers 32-1 thru 32-4 extract a section of film 18 at the desired length, as
specified above. It is
to be understood that the proper length of the extracted section of film 18 is
determined by a
stepper motor (not shown), which counts the number of radial steps and the
controller of
device 11 calculates the proper length of film 18 to extract.
[0061] As seen in Fig. 3(b), the free end 18-1 of the extracted section of
film 18 is
directed by guide 33-2 upward through slot 16-2 in packaging 13 and is thereby
externally
accessible. The operator then pulls a portion of the extracted section across
article 12 and, in
turn, manually inserts free end 18-1 through slot 16-1 using guide 33-1, as
shown in Fig. 3(c).
[0062] Device 11 detects the insertion of free end 18-1 back into interior
cavity 31 by
sensor 42. Sensor 42 is designed to detect machine-readable features
incorporated into film 18
at defined intervals. Film 18 includes markings, such as a sequence of equally-
spaced printed
lines (e.g. spacing may range, between 0.5 mm and 50.0 mm), which are not
detectable by the
human eye (e.g. using ultraviolet dyes or inks) but are detectable by sensor
42. Sensor 42 can
utilize markings on film 18 to calculate the proper overlap length of film 18
required, as it is
inserted into film guide 33-1. When the proper overlap length of film 18 is
detected by sensor
42, the banding sequence is initiated. As seen in Fig. 3(d), tail clamp head
38 of clamping
mechanism 22 is displaced inward by the device motor upon activation and urges
free end 18-1
of film 18 against the underside of backing anvil 37. In this capacity, the
extracted section (i.e.
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CA 02983309 2017-10-18
film 18) is formed into a generally closed loop, with tail clamp head 38
directing free end 18-1
inside the trailing segment of film 18 in an overlapping fashion. Once the
tail clamp head 38
engages the free end 18-1 of film 18 against backing anvil 37, the device
motor rotates the
active rollers in feed mechanism 21 in a direction opposite of the extracted
film 18 operation
enabling film 18 to achieve a predetermined loop tension as set by tension
control knob 36.
[0063] With film 18 at a predetermined loop tension as set by tension control
knob 36,
holding clamp head 39 is displaced, commencing formation of band 17. Holding
clamp head 39
of clamping mechanism 22 urges trailing end 17-2 of band 17 against tail end
17-1 and presses
both the overlapping trailing end 17-2 and the tail end 17-1 against the
underside of backing
anvil 37, as seen in Fig. 3(e). In this capacity, a band 17 is formed.
[0064] Upon completion of the holding clamp sequence, knife blade 41 of
severing
mechanism 24 is driven upward by the device motor sliding along tail clamp
head 38 with
suitable force to sever band 17 from the remainder of film 18, as represented
in Fig. 3(f). With
knife blade 41 positioned to sever film 17 in the manner set forth above, it
is to be understood
that no excess or unused film 18 (i.e. scrap) is produced by device 11,
thereby maximizing the
overall efficiency and cost-effectiveness of device 11.
[0065] Thereafter, heat stake head 40 of heat stake mechanism 23 is driven
upward by
the device motor towards backing anvil 37, as represented in Fig. 3(g). The
heat applied from
heat stake head 40 is imparted onto the overlapping portion of band 17 and is
of a sufficient
temperature to permanently weld together the two overlapping segments. The
heat stake head
40 may contain one of various patterns or combinations thereof, but is not
limited to, the
patterns seen in Fig. 4a-e to direct heat to band 17.
[0066] As shown in Fig 3(h), immediately after the aforementioned film
severing step,
knife blade 41, holding clamp head 39, tail clamp head 38 and heat stake head
40 retract back
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CA 02983309 2017-10-18
toward bottom panel 30 to its original starting position. During this motion,
as shown in Fig 3(i),
anvil 37 retracts toward front panel 25, allowing commercial article 12,
packaging 13 and band
17 to release from device 11. After releasing commercial article 12, packaging
13 and band 17
from device 11, anvil 37 returns to the starting position. In this manner,
device 11 is prepared to
repeat the above-described banding process as often as needed.
[0067] As a result of the aforementioned banding process, an individual, non-
elastic
band 17 is permanently retained in a closed loop configuration around article
12 and packaging
13, as shown in Fig. 2. As can be seen, ends 17-1 and 17-2 overlap one another
and are
permanently bonded together to securely retain band 17 in its closed loop
configuration. Once
banded together, article 12 and packaging 13 can be simply lifted off of
housing 20.
[0068] As a feature of the present invention, the non-elastic nature of band
17 serves
to retain article 12 securely to packaging 13 with greater force than a
traditional elastic-type
fastener. Additionally, the largely automated operation of device 11 renders
the application of
band 17 around article 12 and packaging 13 easier to implement than
traditional cable ties or
other similar types of harnessing devices that are typically installed by
hand. Lastly, device 11 is
able to direct band 17 through preformed slots 16 in packaging 13, rather than
envelope the
entire display card, thereby resulting in a packaged article that is
aesthetically pleasing and less
susceptible to damage (e.g. bowing or tearing of packaging 15).
[0069] The embodiment shown above is intended to be merely exemplary and those
skilled in the art shall be able to make numerous variations and modifications
to it without
departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such variations and
modifications are
intended to be within the scope of the present invention as defined in the
appended claims.
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