Power transfer unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9762017-B2
Application number	US-201214127594-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 11, 2012
Priority date	Oct 13, 2011
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a power-transfer unit for a sealing unit of a packaging machine comprising a support, intended to be attached to a sealing unit, a power bar comprising a contact-initiation section, a contact-termination section, and an intermediate section therebetween, the power bar being resiliently suspended in the support and being movable along a first direction being normal to a contact surface of the intermediate section. The power bar is suspended in the support by a first leaf spring.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power-transfer unit for a sealing unit of a packaging machine comprising
a support, intended to be attached to a sealing unit,
a power bar comprising a contact-initiation section, a contact-termination section, and an intermediate section therebetween, said power bar being resiliently suspended in the support and being moveable along, a first direction being normal to a contact surface of said intermediate section,
wherein the power bar is suspended in the support by means of a first leaf spring.

2. The power-transfer unit of claim 1 , wherein the first leaf spring extends along a rectilinear path between the support and the power bar.

3. The power-transfer unit of claim 1 , wherein the power bar is suspended in the support by means of an additional second leaf spring.

4. The power-transfer unit of claim 3 , wherein the second leaf spring has substantially the same length as the first leaf spring, and is arranged in parallel with the first leaf spring, but separated a distance in the first direction, such as to prevent rotation of the power bar in a plane defined by a central axis of the first leaf spring and a central axis of the second leaf spring.

5. The power-transfer unit of claim 1 , wherein a coil spring is arranged between the support and the power bar to provide a biasing force in said first direction.

6. The power-transfer unit of claim 5 , wherein the coil spring provides a positive expansion force, and comprises a spring guide extending along a central axis of the coil spring.

7. The power-transfer unit of claim 5 , wherein the coil spring is arranged at an angle to said first direction.

8. The power-transfer unit of claim 7 , wherein the coil spring is arranged to increase its angle to said first direction when the power bar is depressed.

9. The power-transfer unit of claim 1 , wherein separate conductors are arranged for transfer of electrical power.

10. The power transfer unit of claim 9 , wherein two braids are used for transfer of current to and from the power bar, respectively.

11. The power transfer unit of claim 10 , wherein the two braids are arranged in parallel, facing each other.

12. The power-transfer unit of claim 1 , wherein either one of the leaf springs are used for transfer of electrical power.

13. The power-transfer unit of claim 1 , wherein the contact-initiation section and the contact-termination section are provided by a ramp sloping with and reverse to said first direction, respectively.

14. The power-transfer unit of claim 1 , wherein the total length of the contact-initiation section and the contact termination section exceeds half the length of the intermediate section.

15. The power transfer unit of claim 1 , wherein each support comprises two, individually suspended power bars.

16. A power bar adapted for arrangement in a power transfer unit according to claim 4 , said power bar comprising
attachment points for two leaf-springs and for a coil spring, and
a contact-initiation section, a contact-termination section, and an intermediate section therebetween.

17. A power-transfer unit for a sealing unit of a packaging machine that seals packaging material, the power-transfer unit comprising:
a support configured to be attached to a sealing unit;
a power bar configured to contact a brush of a sealing jaw, the power bar including a conductor part made of conductive material and comprising a contact-initiation section in which contact pressure between the power bar and the brush increases, a contact-termination section in which contact pressure between the power bar and the brush decreases, and an intermediate section positioned between the contact-initiation section and the contact-termination section in which contact pressure between the power bar and the brush remains constant, the intermediate section possessing a contact surface configured to contact the brush;
the power bar being resiliently suspended in the support and being moveable along a first direction normal to the contact surface of the intermediate section; and
the power bar being suspended in the support by a first leaf spring interconnecting the support and the power bar.

18. The power-transfer unit of claim 17 , further comprising a second leaf spring by which the power bar is suspended in the support.

19. The power-transfer unit of claim 18 , wherein the first and second leaf springs are parallel to one another, are spaced apart from one another and possesses substantially the same length.

20. The power-transfer unit of claim 17 , further comprising a coil spring between the support and the power bar to apply a biasing force to the power bar in the first direction.

Assignees

• Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance

Inventors

• Baker Nick
• Ståhl Jonas

Classifications

• B29C66/1122 Primary

  Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence) · CPC title

• B29C66/72321

  consisting of metals or their alloys · CPC title

• H01R39/64

  Devices for uninterrupted current collection · CPC title

• H01R41/00 Primary

  Non-rotary current collectors for maintaining contact between moving and stationary parts of an electric circuit (end pieces terminating in a hook or the like H01R11/12; current collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00) · CPC title

• B65B51/26

  Devices specially adapted for producing transverse or longitudinal seams in webs or tubes · CPC title