Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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EDGE TAPE CASSETTE FOR EDGE TAPES
Technical field
The invention relates to an edge tape cassette for edge
tapes.
When manufacturing plate-shaped workpieces, in particular
from wood or wood substitute materials, such as fiber
boards, chipboard, HDF boards, MDF boards, laminates or
the like, it is usually the case that the narrow sides
thereof are provided with strip-shaped lamination
materials, so-called edge tapes, when processing the
plate-shaped workpieces. Since such plate-shaped
workpieces are used in particular in regions in which the
visual appearance plays a major role, such as especially
in the construction of furniture, but also in doors,
interior cladding of buildings and the like, there are a
large number of different edge tapes, in order to allow
different decorative and/or functional configurations of
the resulting plate-shaped workpieces and of the products
that may be manufactured therefrom.
The edge tapes must be made available at the respective
production facilities, whereby a large number of
different edge tapes must be kept available, depending on
the planned production. Due to the fact that the narrow
sides to be laminated span the entire workpiece, a
relatively large length portion is required per
workpiece, i.e. large quantities of the edge tapes are
processed in the context of modern and efficient
production.
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The edge tape manufacturers provide the edge tapes for
containers that are usually wound-up as spirals. The edge
tapes are then regularly secured with aids such as tapes
that hold the windings of the spiral-shaped containers
together and are delivered in standard packaging such as
boxes or crates, or on pallets. It is also possible for
the edge tapes to be wound-up onto - usually ring-shaped
- winding cores. These give the container additional
stability, which is particularly advantageous in the case
of thin edge tapes and/or edge tapes made of paper.
In practice, it is now necessary to permanently equip the
production facilities with new edge tapes during
operation. In practice, the spiral windings represent a
not inconsiderable problem with regard to their handling.
If these are unpacked from the boxes or the fixing tapes,
which may hold the winding together, are loosened, it
regularly happens that the edge tapes unwind. These then
have to be rewound manually and regularly under time
pressure and fed to the production facility. In practice,
this results in a not inconsiderable amount of personnel,
in the worst case there is even an interruption in
operation if an accidentally unwound edge tape cannot be
replaced or rewound quickly enough with one that is still
unwound.
Prior Art
For this reason, considerations have already been made in
the past to simplify or automate the handling of the edge
tapes. For example, fully automated and/or cassette-based
systems have been developed. Such systems are disclosed,
for example, in EP 1 860 593 Bl or EP 1 860 596 Bl.
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A disadvantage of the previously known systems is that,
on the one hand, they are comparatively complex and
therefore expensive. On the other hand, the problem of
loading is only shifted, i.e. the handling problems no
longer occur directly at the loading apparatus, but for
example when filling the corresponding cassettes.
The invention
The invention is therefore based on the object of
providing an edge tape cassette which allows for a
solution to the handling problem described above for
processing the edge tapes.
The object is achieved by an edge tape cassette with the
features of claim 1. The features of the dependent claims
relate to advantageous embodiments.
The edge tape cassette according to the invention for
receiving edge tapes has a cassette housing in which a
winding core is arranged, which fixedly holds an edge
tape. The edge tape itself is existent as a container or
wrap in the form of a wound-up roll. According to the
invention, in addition to the winding core, the edge tape
cassette has a receiving element which is rotatably
mounted in the edge tape cassette and to which the
winding core is attached, in particular in a detachable
manner.
By attaching the winding core to the receiving element,
it is very easy to equip the receiving element with the
edge tape. Optionally, the edge tapes that are already
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,
wound-up on the winding core can then be attached to the
receiving element on one side by a simple measure. In
addition, the receiving element can serve as an
additional swing body which is set in rotation during
rotation (i.e. when winding or unwinding the edge tape).
It is preferably provided for this purpose that the
winding core is attached only to one side of the
receiving element. In this way, a simple assembly of the
receiving element or the edge tape cassette is possible.
In addition, the receiving element only needs to be
supported on one side on the housing of the edge tape
cassette.
It is particularly preferably provided that the receiving
element has a base body, which is preferably at least
essentially rotationally symmetrical and at least
essentially disk-shaped. This base body is rotatably
mounted in the cassette housing and can then serve as a
flywheel when rotating. In addition, the disk-shaped
configuration has the advantage that it can also be
rotated by additional drive means, for example drive
wheels or drive disks. These drive means then do not have
to act on the axis of rotation, but can, for example, be
arranged so as to act tangentially in relation to the
receiving element.
In a preferred variant it is provided that the winding
core is connected to the receiving element in a
rotationally fixed manner. At least a part of the
receiving element can extend raly beyond the radial
extent of the winding core from its axis of rotation.
This extending part can preferably be used for the
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container to at least partially rest on the receiving
element. In this way, for example, when rewinding the
edge tape, a system can be created which helps to ensure
that the tape cannot slip sideways during the winding.
According to a further embodiment of the present
invention, the winding core can be designed as an
internal clamping device for fixing the wound-up edge
tape. The inner clamping device is designed to exert
outward forces on an inward-facing surface of the
container. This inward-facing surface of the container
can be formed by the innermost winding of the edge tape,
but it can also be an inward-facing surface of a winding
core on which the edge tape is wound.
It has been shown that it is possible to securely fix a
wound-up edge tape to the receiving element with such an
internal clamping device. The inner clamping device is
particularly characterized in that it can exert outward
forces on an inward surface of the container.
Furthermore, such an internal clamping device can be
implemented as a preferably purely mechanical device in a
simple and inexpensive manner. This makes it possible to
provide a large number of receiving elements. The edge
tapes, which are delivered in a wound-up form, can then
be fixed to the receiving elements by means of the
internal clamping devices upon a certain lead time before
they are used. It is then possible to provide the fixed
edge tapes with the receiving elements together at the
production facilities at the moment when they are
actually needed. By securely fixing the edge tape to the
receiving element, this critical step in the handling of
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the edge tape is simplified on the one hand and, on the
other hand, it is designed securely with regard to
unwanted unwinding of the edge tape.
It is also advantageous here if the receiving element has
an at least substantially disk-shaped base body. The
disk-shaped base body makes it easier to equip the
receiving element with the edge tape. The receiving
element can then be placed at a suitable workstation,
preferably with the base body pointing downward and the
inner clamping device pointing upward. The edge tape
delivered in wound-up form can be placed on the base body
around the inner clamping device. Any packaging materials
and fixing tapes can then be removed without the risk of
unwanted unwinding of the edge tape resting on the base
body. The edge tape resting on the base body is then
fixed by means of the inner clamping device. The
composite formed in this way from the edge tape and the
receiving element can then be safely handled and can be
fed directly to a production facility or temporarily
stored until it is used.
The base body is preferably at least essentially
rotationally symmetrical. The rotationally symmetrical
design of the base body - and in particular of the
receiving element - makes it easier to accommodate the
receiving element rotatably in the edge tape cassette.
The rotatable reception is advantageous because the
unhindered rotation of the receiving element facilitates
the unwinding of the edge tape during production.
The receiving element advantageously has a corresponding
bearing element for its rotatable mounting on the housing
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of the edge tape cassette. This can be, for example, an
axis, which is preferably arranged centrally on the
receiving element. For safe, rotatable mounting of the
receiving element, it is particularly advantageous if it
has two bearing elements on sides of the receiving
element facing away from one another.
The inner clamping device of the receiving element
preferably has a plurality of clamping elements. These
can be clamped to fix the wound-up edge tape against the
inward-facing surface of the container of the edge tape.
It can be advantageous to design the clamping elements to
be interchangeable. In this way, different inner
diameters of the container of the wound-up edge tape can
be taken into account by selecting appropriate clamping
elements. It is also possible to use suitable clamping
elements for different widths of the edge tape. The
clamping elements preferably act in the manner of
clamping jaws on the container of the wound-up edge tape.
The clamping elements are preferably guided displaceably
on the base body along a clamping direction in order to
fix the edge tape. The clamping direction has at least
one radial component in relation to the disk-shaped
extension of the base body. This makes it possible to
move the clamping elements towards the inwardly facing
surface of the edge tape container in order to fix said
edge tape. The clamping direction is preferably oriented
at least in the radial direction in relation to the disk-
shaped extension of the base body. Such an at least
essentially radial orientation moves the clamping
elements in the direct direction towards the inwardly
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facing surface when the container of the edge tape is
fixed with the inner clamping device.
The inner clamping device particularly preferably has a
rotatable rotary element for fixing the container of the
edge tape. In this context, the inner clamping device is
designed in such a way that rotation of the rotary
element relative to the base body causes the edge tape to
be fixed. The rotary element is preferably arranged
centrally on the disk-shaped base body. Through this
central arrangement, the rotary element can develop its
outward clamping effect evenly distributed over its
circumference. According to a preferred embodiment, the
clamping elements are displaced along their respective
clamping direction by the rotation of the rotary element.
This can be accomplished, for example, by the fact that
the rotary element slides on sliding surfaces on the
clamping elements that are preferably designed as
spirals, when said rotary element rotates, wherein said
clamping elements are displaced outwards, and thus
against the inwardly facing surface of the container, due
to the, in particular spiral, design of the sliding
surfaces.
The disk-shaped base body preferably has a first
connecting element. The rotary element also preferably
has a second connecting element. The first and the second
connecting element are used to connect a tool for fixing
the edge tape to the receiving element. As a result, no
control elements, which may interfere with the handling
of the edge tape, have to be provided on the receiving
element. To actuate the inner clamping device, it is
sufficient to temporarily connect a tool to the receiving
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element, in particular to bring about the rotation of the
rotary element. As a result, the tool can have
appropriate dimensions, such as, for example, a
corresponding lever length, in order to ensure secure
clamping using sufficient clamping forces. The lever
lengths which are advantageously used for this purpose in
order to generate sufficient forces may require a size of
the tool, which would be a hindrance if the edge tape
were firmly connected to the receiving element when the
edge tape was applied to the inner clamping device.
Connecting elements for temporary attachment of the tool
thus make handling much easier.
The receiving element preferably has a fixing element for
fixing the rotary element relative to the base body. Such
a fixing element makes it possible to effectively secure
the container of the edge tape against inadvertent
loosening by means of the inner clamping device. The
fixing element can advantageously be designed in such a
way that it brings about a non-positive prevention of
rotation of the rotary element relative to the base body.
This can be done, for example, with a screw that creates
a frictional connection between the rotary element and
the base body for fixing the rotary element.
According to a preferred embodiment it is provided that
the edge tape cassette has a braking device for braking a
rotation of the receiving element and/or a locking device
for blocking the rotation of the receiving element and/or
an acceleration device for accelerating a rotation of the
receiving element, which engages preferably in the region
of the outer edge of the base body on the base body.
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A braking device has the advantage that it can be used to
tighten the edge tape. On the one hand, this stabilizes
the fixation of the edge tape on the winding core, and on
the other hand, the tightening of the edge tape has an
advantageous effect on the further manufacturing or
processing of the edge tape. The particular advantage of
such a braking device in connection with the receiving
elements according to the invention is that the braking
device can act directly on the receiving element. Due to
the differences in the mechanical properties of the edge
tape, braking devices that act directly on an edge tape
are comparatively problematic. In contrast, in an edge
tape cassette according to the invention, the braking
device can advantageously act on the receiving element
and thus indirectly on the edge tape. For example, the
braking device can be designed in the manner of a disc
brake and can engage the base body. This makes it
possible to implement a reliable and at the same time
simple braking device.
Likewise, the same device or an additional device can
also be provided for fastening or fixing the receiving
element in the edge tape cassette. This is particularly
suitable when the edge tape cassette is to be transported
such that the edge tape cannot unintentionally unwind.
It is also advantageous if the edge tape cassette has an
acceleration device for accelerating a rotation of the
receiving element. Such an acceleration device can be
implemented, for example, by a friction roller acting on
the outer edge of the receiving element or its base body.
In this way, the forces required for acceleration can be
transmitted as frictional forces. Alternatively, however,
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it is also possible to provide a toothing between the
receiving element or the base body and the acceleration
device.
In order to ensure an unintentional detachment of the
edge tape from the winding core when the roll has already
been largely unwound, it is provided according to an
advantageous embodiment of the present invention that the
end of the edge tape lying on the winding core is
connected to the winding core, in particular is clamped
or glued.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the
present invention, the edge tape cassette according to
the invention has an exit point at which the free end of
the edge tape can be withdrawn from the cassette. Further
devices can be provided around this exit point. For
example, there may be a lateral guide such that the edge
tape is guided laterally in the region of its narrow
sides at the exit point. In this way, it is ensured that
slipping sideways when pulling the edge tape out of the
edge tape cassette is avoided.
Furthermore, the edge tape cassette according to the
invention can have a clamping apparatus for clamping the
free end of the edge tape. This prevents the edge tape
from accidentally sliding back into the cassette before
it can be processed. It can preferably be provided here
that the clamping action with respect to the edge tape
can be canceled again, such that the further operation or
the retraction of the edge tape into an edge processing
apparatus is not impaired.
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In particular, it can be provided that the clamping
device, preferably on the inside of the cassette housing,
is arranged in the region of the exit of the edge tape
from the cassette housing, in particular adjacent to the
abovementioned exit point.
An information device can also be provided on the edge
tape cassette according to the invention, which contains,
for example, information about which type of edge tape is
contained inside the cassette; such information can
include, for example, the edge height, edge width, edge
color, existing linear meters of the edge, or the like.
Mode(s) for carrying out the invention
The invention is explained in more detail below with
reference to Figs. 1 to 6.
Fig. 1 shows a side view of an edge tape cassette
according to the invention.
Fig. 2 shows a sectional view along the line A-A through
the edge tape cassette according to the invention,
according to Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of an exemplary receiving
element according to the invention having an edge tape
received thereon.
Fig. 4 shows a schematic illustration of the inner
clamping device of the receiving element from Fig. 1 from
the side normally facing the base body in the released
state.
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Fig. 5 shows a schematic illustration of the internal
clamping device shown in Fig. 2 in the clamped state.
Fig. 6 shows a schematic perspective illustration of the
inner region of the base body of the receiving element
shown in Fig. 1 by way of example.
The edge tape cassette shown in Figs. 1 and 2 has a
cassette housing 18 in which the receiving element 1
according to the invention is accommodated. A winding
core 3, which rotates with the receiving element 1, is
preferably detachably attached to the receiving element.
An edge tape 2 is wound-up on the winding core 3. The
free end 2a of the edge tape 2 can be removed from the
cassette housing 18 at an exit point. The winding core 3
is in particular connected to the receiving element 1 in
a rotationally fixed manner. The rotation of the
receiving element 1 thus causes a rotation of the winding
core 3 and thus, depending on the direction of rotation,
a winding or unwinding of the edge tape 2. In the edge
tape cassette according to the invention, there are
several options for how the edge tape can be wound or
unwound. For this purpose, optional drives 19, 20, 22 can
be provided at various points. The edge tape cassette is
usually inserted into a slot in a cassette supply. A
first option for the drive would then be, for example,
the drive wheel 19, which can be driven, for example, via
a switchable drive belt in the cassette shaft (not
shown). A further possibility would be, for example, a
drive roller 20 on an external tool (for example, a
robot), said drive roller being delivered to the
receiving element 1 at a specific position 21 on the
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upper side (or another narrow side) of the cassette. The
frictional connection between the drive roller 20 and the
receiving element 1 can cause the receiving element 1 to
rotate and thus the edge tape roller 2 to rotate. A
further option consists, for example, of detecting and
conveying the edge tape end 2a directly at the outlet
opening of the edge tape cassette by means of a pulley
22. All of these drives can be provided optionally, but
can also be present in any combination.
Furthermore, a device 24 can be provided which is capable
of either braking the edge tape roll 2 or the receiving
element 1 or even fixing it completely, so that rotation
is no longer possible. The latter can be used for
transport purposes, for example.
Finally, the edge tape cassette can have a clamping
device 23 in the region of the outlet opening, which is
designed to clamp the pulled-out edge tape end 2a in the
region of the outlet opening such that it does not
accidentally slip into the edge housing 18. It can also
be provided that the clamping effect of the clamping
device 23 can be canceled such that the edge tape can be
guided out of the cassette housing 18 without any
problems and without hindrance. At the same time, this
clamping device can also be designed as an edge guide,
and in particular toward the narrow sides, guide elements
can be present which prevent the edge tape 2a from
slipping sideways.
The receiving element 1 according to the invention, which
is now to be explained on the basis of a preferred
embodiment with reference to Figs. 3 to 6, has a winding
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core for fixing the wound-up edge tape 2. This winding
core can preferably have an internal clamping device 3,
as will be described below. However, the invention works
with any type of winding core, an inner clamping device 3
described below is therefore only to be understood as an
option.
The inner clamping device 3 is designed to exert outward
forces on the inward surface 17 of the container of the
wound-up edge tape 2.
The exemplary receiving element I advantageously has a
disk-shaped base body 4. The base body 4 is
advantageously at least essentially rotationally
symmetrical.
The inner clamping device 3 advantageously has a
plurality - in the example shown, three - clamping
elements 5. These can be clamped to fix the wound-up edge
tape 2 against the inwardly directed surface 17 of the
container of the wound-up edge tape 2. The clamping
elements 5 thus advantageously act in the manner of
clamping jaws.
The clamping elements 5 are each slidably guided along
the clamping direction X on the base body 4 for fixing
the edge tape 2. In the example shown, the clamping
direction X advantageously points in the radial direction
in relation to the disk-shaped extension of the base body
4. The base body 4 has guiding elements 6 in order to
allow the guiding of the clamping elements 5 along their
respective clamping direction X. The guide elements 6 can
be seen in Fig. 4. They engage in complementary grooves 7
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into the clamping elements 5, which can be seen in Figs.
2 and 3, and thus guide the movement of the tensioning
elements 5.
Furthermore, the receiving element 1 according to the
invention advantageously has a rotary element 8. The
rotary element 8 is advantageously arranged centrally on
the base body 4. The rotary element 8 is rotatable for
fixing the edge tape 2. In the example shown, the
rotatability is advantageously brought about by a
rotatable mounting of the rotary element 8 on the base
body 4. For this purpose, the rotary element has a
central circular recess 9, into which a guide element 10
engages, which is received on the base body 4 and
advantageously also has a circular design.
When the rotary element 8 rotates, contact surfaces 11 of
the rotary element 8 slide, preferably in a spiral shape,
on corresponding contact surfaces 12 of the clamping
elements 5. The clamping elements 5 are thereby pressed
outwards and against the inward surface 17 of the
container of the edge tape 2. The mode of operation is
evident from the comparison of Figs. 2 and 3. Starting
from Fig. 2, rotation of the rotary element 8 causes the
contact surfaces 11 and 12 to slide against one another,
such that the clamping jaws 5 are pressed outward in the
radial direction until they reach a position shown in
Fig. 3 by way of example, in which the edge tape 2 is
fixed.
In order to ensure a better connection of the inner
clamping device 3, the rotary element 8 and the clamping
elements 5 have interlocking grooves 13 in the region of
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their contact surfaces 11 and 12. The interlocking
grooves 13 are preferably also designed as spirals.
Likewise advantageously, the disk-shaped base body 4 has
a first connecting element 14 for connecting a tool for
fixing the edge tape 2 to the receiving element 1. This
first connecting element 14 is advantageously designed
such that it can additionally serve as a bearing element
for the rotatable mounting of the receiving element 1.
Furthermore, the inner clamping device 3 advantageously
has a second connecting element 15, which in the example
shown is arranged on the rotary element 8, for connecting
the tool to the receiving element 1. The tool can thus be
attached to the first connecting element 14 and - using
the first connecting element 14 as a fulcrum - cause the
rotary movement of the rotary element 8 via the second
connecting element 15.
Finally, the exemplary receiving element 1 according to
the invention preferably has a fixing element 16. This
can be, for example, a screw which presses the rotary
element 8 against the base body 4 and thus generates a
frictional connection to prevent the rotary movement of
the rotary element 8 relative to the base body 4. In this
way, a secure fixation of the inner clamping device 3 can
be ensured. In the example shown, the interlocking
grooves 13 advantageously provide for a positive locking
of the clamping elements 5 on the base body 4 when the
rotary element 8 is fixed on the base body 4 by the
fixing element 16.
