Converting machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9969142-B2
Application number	US-201214357190-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2012
Priority date	Nov 10, 2011
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A system that converts sheet material into packaging templates includes a converting assembly that performs conversion functions, such as cutting, creasing, and scoring, on the sheet material as the sheet material moves through the converting machine in a first direction. The converting assembly may be mounted on a frame such that the converting assembly is elevated above a support surface. One or more longhead converting tools performs conversion functions on the sheet material in a first direction and a crosshead converting tool performs conversion functions on the sheet material in a second direction in order to create packaging templates.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A converting machine used to convert sheet material into packaging templates for assembly into boxes, the converting machine comprising:
a converting assembly configured to perform one or more transverse conversion functions and one or more longitudinal conversion functions on the sheet material, the one or more transverse conversion functions and the one or more longitudinal conversion functions being selected from the group consisting of creasing, bending, folding, perforating, cutting, and scoring, said converting assembly comprising:
a track extending along at least a portion of a width of the converting assembly;
one or more longheads movably mounted on the track, the one or more longheads comprising a body and one or more cutting wheels or one or more creasing wheels that perform the one or more longitudinal conversion functions on the sheet material, the one or more cutting wheels or the one or more creasing wheels being connected to the body such that a vertical position of the one or more cutting wheels or one or more creasing wheels relative to the track remains constant, at least one of said one or more longheads being selectively repositioned along the track along at least a portion of the width of said converting assembly to make the one or more longitudinal conversion functions at different positions along a width of the sheet material; and
a crosshead having one or more cutting wheels or one or more creasing wheels that perform the one or more transverse conversion functions on the sheet material, said crosshead being selectively movable relative to the sheet material and along at least a portion of the width of said converting assembly to perform the one or more transverse conversion functions on the sheet material, said crosshead selectively engages and repositions said at least one of said one or more longheads along the width of said converting assembly.

2. The converting machine of claim 1 , wherein said one or more cutting wheels of said crosshead are selectively movable between a raised position and a lowered position, said one or more cutting wheels of said crosshead being selectively movable to said lowered position by an actuator, said actuator comprising one or more solenoids, the converting machine further comprising a pulse-width modulation circuit board in electrical communication with said one or more solenoids, said pulse-width modulation circuit board selectively regulating currents within said one or more solenoids.

3. The converting machine of claim 2 , wherein said pulse-width modulation circuit board generates:
a first current within said one or more solenoids such that said one or more solenoids are able to move said one or more cutting wheels of said crosshead to said lowered position with sufficient force to penetrate the sheet material; and
a second current within said one or more solenoids such that the one or more solenoids apply a force to said one or more cutting wheels of said crosshead to maintain said one or more cutting wheels of said crosshead in said lowered position, wherein the second current is lower than the first current.

4. The converting machine of claim 3 , wherein the first current causes said one or more solenoids to create a force that increases as said one or more solenoids move said one or more cutting wheels of said crosshead to said lowered position, and wherein the second current causes said one or more solenoids to create a reduced force that is sufficient to maintain said one or more cutting wheels of said crosshead in said lowered position while continuing to cut the sheet material, but without overheating said one or more solenoids, wherein the reduced force is lower than the force created as said one or more solenoids move said one or more cutting wheels of said crosshead to said lowered position.

5. The converting machine of claim 2 , wherein said one or more cutting wheels of said crosshead may be selectively moved between a raised position and a lowered position, wherein said one or more cutting wheels of said crosshead may be selectively moved to said lowered position by an actuator, wherein said one or more cutting wheels of said crosshead build up kinetic energy as said one or more cutting wheels of said crosshead move from said raised position to said lowered position, wherein said kinetic energy facilitates penetration of said one or more cutting wheels of said crosshead through the sheet material when the amount of force from said actuator alone is insufficient to cause said one or more cutting wheels of said crosshead to penetrate the sheet material.

6. The converting machine of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said one or more longheads does not have any electrical or pneumatic actuators and is not connected to a cable chain that transfers signals or energy to the at least one of said one or more longheads.

7. The converting machine of claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said one or more longheads comprises a brake pivot arm that selectively pivots between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein said brake pivot arm engages a brake belt when said brake pivot arm is in said locked position, wherein engagement of said brake pivot arm with said brake belt prevents said at least one of said one or more longheads from being repositioned along at least a portion of the width of said converting assembly.

8. The converting machine of claim 7 , wherein said brake pivot arm comprises an engagement member that engages said brake belt when said brake pivot arm is in said locked position.

9. The converting machine of claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said one or more longheads comprises a brake pivot arm that selectively pivots between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein said at least one of said one or more longheads comprises a longhead body to which said brake pivot arm is pivotally connected, wherein a spring is connected between said longhead body and said brake pivot arm to bias said brake pivot arm toward said locked position, wherein said crosshead selectively engages said brake pivot arm to pivot said brake pivot arm from said locked position to said unlocked position.

10. The converting machine of claim 9 , wherein said crosshead comprises an actuator that selectively engages said brake pivot arm to selectively pivot said brake pivot arm from said locked position to said unlocked position.

11. The converting machine of claim 10 , wherein said actuator comprises a solenoid or another electrical actuator.

12. The converting machine of claim 10 , wherein said actuator comprises a plunger that moves to selectively engage said brake pivot arm.

13. The converting machine of claim 12 , wherein said actuator builds up kinetic energy as said plunger moves toward said brake pivot arm, wherein said kinetic energy facilitates pivoting of said brake pivot arm when the amount of force from said actuator alone is insufficient to pivot said brake pivot arm.

14. The converting machine of claim 13 , wherein said brake pivot arm builds up kinetic energy as said brake pivot arm pivots from said locked position to said unlocked position, wherein said kinetic energy facilitates engagement between said brake pivot arm and said crosshead.

15. The converting machine of claim 10 , wherein a biasing force provided by said spring has a first component and a second component, wherein said actuator applies a force in a first direction to pivot said brake pivot arm from said locked position to said unlocked position, and wherein said first direction is parallel to said first component of said biasing force.

Assignees

• Packsize Llc

Inventors

• Pettersson Niklas
• Osterhout Ryan

Classifications

• B26D3/08

  Making a superficial cut in the surface of the work without removal of material, e.g. scoring, incising · CPC title

• B26D1/18 Primary

  mounted on a movable carriage · CPC title

• B31B50/256

  using tools mounted on a drum · CPC title

• B26D9/00

  Cutting apparatus combined with punching or perforating apparatus or with dissimilar cutting apparatus · CPC title

• B65H29/52

  Stationary guides or smoothers · CPC title