Supported strap twist device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9238516-B2
Application number	US-201414250952-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2014
Priority date	Apr 16, 2013
Publication date	Jan 19, 2016
Grant date	Jan 19, 2016

Abstract

A supported strap twist device reorients a strap along a strap path. The device includes an inlet, an outlet and a reorienting section. The reorienting section includes a body having entrance and exit ends and a transition section therebetween. The transition section has a through-bore having a varying cross-sectional shape defining a race. The race has, at a first end, an opposed inwardly pinched circular profile defining a gap. The circular profile thins along the race toward an hourglass profile, and has, at a second end, an elongated shape. The gap has a substantially constant width along the race. The strap enters the first end at an angle relative to the second end and is reoriented to a desired orientation at the second end. The strap is supported by the race as it traverses therethrough.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A supported strap twist device, comprising:
an inlet;
an outlet; and
a reorienting section having a body having an entrance end, an exit end and a transition section therebetween, the transition section having a through-bore having a varying cross-sectional shape defining a race, the race having, at a first end thereof, an opposed inwardly pinched circular profile, in which diametrically opposed lobes are pinched toward one another to define a gap, top and bottom portions of the circular profile thinning out along the race toward an hourglass shape, and top and bottom portions of the hourglass shape further thin toward an elongated shape at a second end thereof, the gap having a substantially constant width along the race,
wherein strap enters the first end at an angle relative to the second end, and wherein the strap is reoriented to a desired orientation at the second end, the strap being supported by the race as it traverses therethrough.

2. The supported strap twist device of claim 1 wherein the second end has a near-rectangular shape.

3. The supported strap twist device of claim 1 wherein the inlet includes an entrance end and an exit end and has a substantially straight through-bore between the entrance end and the exit end, and wherein the inlet is mounted to the reorienting section.

4. The supported strap twist device of claim 3 wherein walls that define the substantially straight through-bore between the entrance end and the exit end have an inward taper from the entrance end to the exit end.

5. The supported strap twist device of claim 3 wherein the inlet and the reorienting section include mating mounting elements, the mating mounting elements configured for mounting the inlet and the reorienting section to one another at an angle of up to about 30 degrees.

6. The supported strap twist device of claim 5 wherein the mating mounting elements include at least one elongated circumferential notch and at least one circumferential boss, wherein the boss is positioned within the notch and is radially movable therein.

7. The supported strap twist device of claim 6 wherein the at least one circumferential notch comprises a pair of elongated circumferential notches and wherein the at least one circumferential boss comprises a pair of circumferential bosses.

8. The supported strap twist device of claim 1 wherein the outlet includes an entrance end and an exit end and has a substantially straight through-bore between the entrance end and the exit end, and wherein the outlet is mounted to the reorienting section.

9. The supported strap twist device of claim 8 wherein the outlet and the reorienting section include mating mounting elements, the mating mounting elements configured for mounting the outlet and the reorienting section to one another at a predetermined angle.

10. The supported strap twist device of claim 1 including a second reorienting section mounted between the inlet and the outlet, the reorienting sections mounted to one another such that the second ends of the reorienting sections are at an angle to one another.

11. The supported strap twist device of claim 10 wherein the reorienting sections include mating mounting elements and wherein the mating mounting elements include an elongated circumferential notch and a circumferential boss, wherein the boss is positioned within the notch and is radially movable therein.

12. The supported strap twist device of claim 11 wherein the inlet includes a mating mounting element configured for mounting the reorienting sections to one another at an angle of up to about 30 degrees and wherein the outlet includes a mating mounting element configured for mounting the outlet and the reorienting section to one another at a fixed radial orientation.

13. The supported strap twist device of claim 12 wherein the inlet mating mounting element and the reorienting sections mating mounting elements include an elongated circumferential notch and a circumferential boss, wherein the boss is positioned within the notch and is radially movable therein, and wherein the outlet mating mounting element and its respective reorienting section mating mounting element include a circumferential notch and a mating circumferential boss configured for mounting the outlet and its respective reorienting section to one another at a predetermined angle.

14. A strap dispenser comprising:
a support structure;
a feed head mounted to the support structure; and
a supported strap twist device operably mounted to a discharge of the feed head, the supported strap twist device having an inlet, an outlet and a reorienting section having a body having an entrance end, an exit end and a transition section therebetween, the transition section having a through-bore having a varying cross-sectional shape defining a race, the race having, at a first end thereof, an opposed inwardly pinched circular profile in which diametrically opposed lobes are pinched toward one another to define a gap, top and bottom portions of the circular profile thinning out along the race toward an hourglass shape, and top and bottom portions of the hourglass shape further thin toward an elongated shape at a second end thereof, the gap having a substantially constant width along the race,
wherein strap enters the first end at an angle relative to the second end, and wherein the strap is reoriented to a desired orientation at the second end, the strap being supported by the race as it traverses therethrough.

15. The strap dispenser of claim 14 including a second reorienting section mounted between the inlet and the outlet, the reorienting sections mounted to one another such that the second ends of the first and second reorienting sections are at an angle to one another.

16. The strap dispenser of claim 15 wherein the reorienting sections include mating mounting elements and wherein the mating mounting elements include an elongated circumferential notch and a circumferential boss, wherein the boss is positioned within the notch and is radially movable therein.

17. The strap dispenser of claim 14 wherein the second end has a near-rectangular shape.

Assignees

• Premark Packaging Llc
• Signode Ind Group Llc

Inventors

• Termanas Jeffrey D

Classifications

• B65B13/18

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

• B65B13/06 Primary

  Stationary ducts or channels · CPC title