Strap-feeding assembly with strap-size-adjustment features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12240645-B2
Application number	US-202118253139-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2021
Priority date	Nov 17, 2020
Publication date	Mar 4, 2025
Grant date	Mar 4, 2025

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a strapping machine strap-feeding assembly with features that enable adjustment of the strap-feeding assembly to accommodate different strap sizes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A strap-feeding assembly comprising:
a strap-feeding-assembly frame;
a strap-driving assembly supported by the strap-feeding-assembly frame and comprising a feed wheel and an actuator operably connected to the feed wheel to drive the feed wheel;
a first strap-guiding assembly supported by the strap-feeding-assembly frame and including one or more guide members partially defining a strap channel; and
a second strap-guiding assembly supported by the strap-feeding-assembly frame and comprising:
a housing; and
a counter-roller assembly comprising:
a support mounted to the housing and defining a bore;
a counter roller mounted to the support and rotatable relative to the support; and
a height adjuster comprising a head and a cylindrical body that extends from the head and is received in the bore defined in the support, wherein the height adjuster is operably connected to the counter roller and configured such that rotation of the height adjuster relative to the support causes the counter roller to move from a first position in which a first distance separates the counter roller and the feed wheel to a second position in which a second distance separates the counter roller and the feed wheel, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance, wherein the height adjuster is movable along a first longitudinal axis from a locked position in which the height adjuster is not rotatable from its first position to its second position to an unlocked position in which the height adjuster is rotatable from its first position to its second position.

2. The strap-feeding assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second strap-guiding assembly further comprises a biasing assembly biasing the counter roller toward the feed wheel.

3. The strap-feeding assembly of claim 2 , wherein the biasing assembly comprises a spring biasing the counter roller toward the feed wheel.

4. The strap-feeding assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support is mounted to the housing via a mounting pin such that the support is rotatable about the mounting pin and relative to the housing.

5. The strap-feeding assembly of claim 4 , wherein the height adjuster defines a mounting-pin-receiving bore therethrough, wherein the mounting pin is received in and extends through the mounting-pin-receiving bore to mount the support to the housing.

6. The strap-feeding assembly of claim 5 , wherein the height adjuster defines the first longitudinal axis, wherein the mounting-pin-receiving bore defines a second longitudinal axis, wherein the first and second longitudinal axes are offset from and parallel to one another.

7. The strap-feeding assembly of claim 6 , wherein the counter-roller assembly further comprises a spring biasing the height adjuster to its locked position.

8. The strap-feeding assembly of claim 6 , wherein the head of the height adjuster defines first and second locking-pin-receiving bores, wherein the counter-roller assembly further comprises a locking pin supported by the support, wherein the locking pin is positioned such that: (1) the locking pin is received in the first locking-pin-receiving bore when the height adjuster is in its locked position and its first rotational position; and (2) the locking pin is received in the second locking-pin-receiving bore when the height adjuster is in its locked position and its second rotational position.

9. The strap-feeding assembly of claim 8 , wherein the head of the height adjuster defines a curved groove that intersects the first and second locking-pin-receiving bores, wherein the locking pin and the groove are sized such that the locking pin is received in the groove when the height adjuster is in its unlocked position and when the height adjuster is in its locked position.

10. The strap-feeding assembly of claim 9 , wherein the second strap-guiding assembly further comprises a biasing assembly biasing the counter roller toward the feed wheel.

11. The strap-feeding assembly of claim 10 , wherein the biasing assembly comprises a spring biasing the counter roller toward the feed wheel.

12. The strap-feeding assembly of claim 11 , wherein the second strap-guiding assembly further comprises a strap-channel cover mounted to the housing, wherein the second strap-guiding assembly is mounted to the strap-feeding-assembly frame and pivotable relative to the strap-feeding-assembly frame, the strap-driving assembly, and the strap-guiding assembly between a closed position in which the strap-channel cover covers the first strap-guiding assembly and partially defines the strap channel and an open position in which the strap-channel cover does not cover the first strap-guiding assembly.

13. The strap-feeding assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second strap-guiding assembly further comprises a strap-channel cover mounted to the housing, wherein the second strap-guiding assembly is mounted to the strap-feeding-assembly frame and pivotable relative to the strap-feeding-assembly frame, the strap-driving assembly, and the strap-guiding assembly between a closed position in which the strap-channel cover covers the first strap-guiding assembly and partially defines the strap channel and an open position in which the strap-channel cover does not cover the first strap-guiding assembly.

14. The strap-feeding assembly of claim 13 , wherein the strap-channel cover is movable relative to the housing to change a height of the strap channel.

15. The strap-feeding assembly of claim 14 , wherein the strap-channel cover is mounted to the housing via an eccentric mounting pin, wherein the eccentric mounting pin in shaped such that rotation of the eccentric mounting pin relative to the housing changes a distance between the strap-channel cover and the first strap-guiding assembly and changes the height of the strap channel.

16. A strap-feeding assembly comprising:
a strap-feeding-assembly frame;
a strap-driving assembly supported by the strap-feeding-assembly frame and comprising a feed wheel and an actuator operably connected to the feed wheel to drive the feed wheel;
a first strap-guiding assembly supported by the strap-feeding-assembly frame and including one or more guide members partially defining a strap channel; and
a second strap-guiding assembly supported by the strap-feeding-assembly frame and comprising:
a housing; and
a counter-roller assembly comprising:
a support defining a bore, wherein the support is mounted to the housing via a mounting pin such that the support is rotatable about the mounting pin and relative to the housing;
a counter roller mounted to the support and rotatable relative to the support; and
a height adjuster comprising a head and a cylindrical body that extends from the head and is received in the bore defined in the support, wherein the height adjuster is operably connected to the counter roller and configured such that rotation of the height adjuster relative to the support causes the counter roller to move from a first position in which a first distance separates the counter roller and the feed wheel to a second position in which a second distance separates the counter roller and the feed wheel, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

17. The strap-feeding assembly of claim 16 , wherein the height adjuster is movable along a first longitudinal axis from a locked position in which the height adjuster is not rotatable from its first position to its second position to an unlocked position in which the height adjuster is rotatable from its first position to its second position.

18. A strap-

Assignees

• Signode Ind Group Llc

Inventors

• Takidis Dimitrios
• Buser Philipp
• Benz Christian
• Meng Michael

Classifications

• B65B13/18

  Details of, or auxiliary devices used in, bundling machines {or bundling tools} · CPC title

• B65B59/04

  Machines constructed with readily-detachable units or assemblies, e.g. to facilitate maintenance · CPC title

• B65B13/06 Primary

  Stationary ducts or channels · CPC title

• B65B59/005

  Adjustable conveying means · CPC title

• B65B59/003 Primary

  Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the packaging material · CPC title