Coating apparatus for flimsy members with alignment means

Abstract

A coating apparatus for batches of elongate flimsy members includes batch handling portion and a coating portion. The batch handling portion having an array support portion and an array alignment portion. The array support portion secures and vertically moves an array of elongate flimsy members to be lowered into an array of inlets of the coating portion, the inlets aligned in an array. The array alignment portion provides removable discrete position locating of the individual flimsy members by a guide portion that moves from an upwardly position downwardly to position each member of the array in alignment with the array of inlets. The support portion then lowers the flimsy members into the coating portion through the array.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a coating apparatus according to the invention.

FIG. 1B is an elevational view of a coating tube suitable for the invention herein.

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a securing plate for an array of elongate flimsy members.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of an array of elongate flimsy members in an idealized straight hanging configuration.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of an array of elongate flimsy members in an idealized straight hanging configuration.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an array of elongate flimsy members in an idealized straight hanging configuration.

FIG. 5 is a detail of the ends of an array illustrating idealized positioning needed for insertion into coating tubes.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a securing plate for an array of elongate flimsy members illustrating intertwinement.

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the array of elongate flimsy members illustrating some intertwinement and disorganization of the distal ends.

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the array of elongate flimsy members illustrating some intertwinement and disorganization of the distal ends.

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the array of elongate flimsy members of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the array of elongate flimsy members of FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is an elevational view of the batch handling portion with the comb in a lowered and retracted position.

FIG. 12 is an end elevational view of the batch handling portion of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the batch handling portion of FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is an elevational view of the batch handling portion with the comb in a raised and retracted position.

FIG. 15 is an end elevational view of the batch handling portion of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the batch handling portion of FIG. 14.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the batch handling portion with the comb in a raised and preinsertion position.

FIG. 18 is a detailed perspective view of the circled portion of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the batch handling portion with the comb in a raised and inserted position.

FIG. 20 is a detailed perspective view of the circled portion of FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is an elevational view of the batch handling portion with the comb in a lowered and inserted position.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the batch handling portion with the comb in a lowered and inserted position.

FIG. 23 is a detailed perspective view of the circled portion of FIG. 22 with the comb in a lowered and inserted position.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the batch handling portion and coating portion with the comb in a lowered and inserted position and with the securing plate being lowered whereby the ends of the elongate flimsy members are being inserted into the inlets.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the batch handling portion and coating portion with the comb in a lowered and inserted position and with the securing plate being lowered whereby the ends of the elongate flimsy members are being lowered for insertion into the inlets.

FIG. 26 is a detailed perspective view of the circled portion of FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 is perspective view of the batch handling portion and coating portion with the comb in a lowered and retracted.

FIG. 28 is a detailed perspective view of the circled portion of FIG. 27.

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the batch handling portion and coating portion with the securing plate has been lowered thereby inserting the flimsy elongate members fully into the funnel tubes.

FIG. 30 is a detailed perspective view of the circled portion of FIG. 29.

Claims

1. An apparatus for coating a plurality of elongate flimsy members, the elongate flimsy members each having a first end, an intermediate portion, and a second end, the apparatus comprising a batch handling portion and a coating portion, the coating portion comprising an array of upwardly oriented inlet portions for receiving elongate flimsy members, each inlet portion for receiving one elongate flimsy member at a time, the batch handling portion comprising: a vertical array support and drive,an array carriage connected to the support and vertically movable thereon by the drive,a flimsy member securement portion for securing the plurality of elongate flimsy members at the first ends of the flimsy members in an array with the second members hanging downwardly, the flimsy member securement portion removably attachable to the carriage,a guide portion positionable on the plurality of elongate flimsy members proximate to and below the flimsy member securement portion, the guide portion providing a plurality of discrete flimsy member locating positions corresponding to the array of upwardly oriented inlets of the coating portion, anda vertical support and drive connecting to the guide portion for moving the guide portion downwardly from proximate the flimsy member securement portion towards the second ends of flimsy members secured on the flimsy member securement portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further wherein the guide portion comprises an opposing pair of cooperating members insertable from opposite sides of an array of flimsy members secured by the flimsy member securement portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the pair of cooperating members are configured as a pair of combs, each with a plurality of elongate fingers.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the opposing guide portions are each pivotal about separate horizontal axes and are insertable to position the individual flimsy members by rotation about said separate horizontal axes.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flimsy member securement portion is configured as a clamping plate, the clamping plate having a plurality of individual flimsy member clamping portions.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in combination with a plurality of removable clamping plates, each clamping plate securing an array of elongate flimsy members.

7. A method of coating a plurality of elongate members utilizing the apparatus of claim 1 and comprising the steps of: sequentially coating a plurality of arrays of elongate flexible members, each array secured to a separate flimsy member securement portion.

8. A method of sequentially coating a plurality of batches of elongate flimsy members, each batch comprising an array of elongate flimsy members secured to a separate flimsy member securement portion, each flimsy member having an attached end and a dangling end, the method comprising the steps of: a) attaching a batch to a batch handling portion whereby the dangling ends of the elongate flimsy members are in an unorganized arrangement,b) positioning a guide portion proximate the flimsy member securement portion that discretely positions each elongate flimsy member of the batch,c) lowering the guide portion along the array of flimsy members whereby the dangling ends of the elongate flimsy members are brought into an organized arrangement,d) inserting the array of elongate flimsy members into a coating portion,e) removing the array from the coating portion and conveying the batch from the batch handling portion,f) repeating the above steps sequentially with additional batches of elongate flimsy members.

9. The method of claim 8 whereby the step b occurs after step a and step b comprises insertion of the guide portion laterally into the array of flimsy members.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the guide portion comprises opposing cooperating members and the insertion of the guide portion occurs from opposing sides of the array of flimsy members.

11. A method of coating a batch of elongate flimsy members, the batch comprising a plurality of elongate flimsy members, each having a proximal end, an intermediate portion, and a distal end, the method comprising the steps of: securing each of the elongage flimsy members at the proximal end of each flimsy member in an array such that the distal ends of the elongate flimsy members are dangling downward in an unaligned manner;securing the array to a vertically movable carriage whereby the array may be moved collectively downward;positioning an array alignment portion to the batch proximate the carriage such that each of the elongate flimsy members is positionally constrained therein;lowering the array alignment portion downwardly with respect to the batch whereby the distal ends of the elongate flimsy members are aligned and positioned for insertion into inlets.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of lowering the batch downwardly with the distal ends aligned such that the distal ends are inserted into the inlets and the elongate flimsy members are coated.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the array alignment portion comprises a comb member and the method further comprises the step of moving the comb member from a non-constraining position to a constraining position before lowering the array alignment portion, the constraining position where each of the elongate flimsy members is positionally constrained therein.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of moving the array alignment portion to a non-constraining position before the elongate flimsy members are coated.

15. A method of coating an array of elongate flimsy members, the array comprising a plurality of elongate flimsy members, each elongate flimsy member having a proximal end, an intermediate portion, and a distal end, the method comprising the steps of: supporting the array on a support in a batch handling portion whereby the elongate flimsy members are dangling downwardly with the distal ends unaligned, moving an array guide portion from proximate the support downwardly with respect to the array whereby the distal ends of the elongate flimsy members are put into alignment with an array of inlets of a coating portion, and lowering the array of elongate flimsy members into the coating portion.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the array guide portion comprises a plurality of comb members and the method further comprising the step of moving the plurality of comb members from a non-alignment position to an alignment position before lowering the array guide portion from proximate the support downwardly.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of moving the plurality of comb members by rotating said comb members about a plurality of horizontal axis.

18. A coating apparatus for batches of elongate flimsy members, the apparatus comprising a batch handling portion and a coating portion, the coating portion comprising an array of inlets, the batch handling portion having an array support portion and an array alignment portion, the array support portion configured to secure and vertically translate an array of elongate flimsy members downwardly into the array of inlets of the coating portion, the array alignment portion comprising a guide portion configured to provide removable discrete position locating of the individual flimsy members, the guide portion movable downwardly along an array of the supported elongate flimsy members for positioning each member of the array in alignment with the array of inlets.