Patent Grant
8413866
The present invention relates generally to plastic fasteners and more particularly to devices used in the dispensing of plastic fasteners.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,039,078 to A. R. Bone, which is incorporated herein by reference, there are disclosed several different types of plastic fasteners (also commonly referred to in the art as plastic attachments). Each plastic fastener described in the patent is manufactured in an H-shaped configuration, with two shortened parallel cross-bars, or T-bars, being interconnected at their approximate midpoints by a thin, flexible filament which extends orthogonally therebetween. Each type of plastic fastener represented in the patent is shown as being fabricated as part of continuously connected ladder stock. In each instance, the ladder stock is formed from two elongated and continuous plastic side members, or rails, which are coupled together by a plurality of plastic cross-links, or filaments, the cross-links preferably being equidistantly spaced. The stock may be produced from flexible plastics material including nylon, polypropylene and other similar materials using conventional molding or stamping techniques. Ladder stock of the type described above is presently manufactured and sold by Avery Dennison™ Corporation of Pasadena, Calif. under the Plastic Staple® and Elastic Staple™ lines of plastic fasteners.
Ladder stock of the type described above is commonly wound onto a reel, or spool, which is sized and shaped to hold a supply of ladder stock that includes approximately 25,000 fasteners. In this manner, the reel can be used by a machine to continuously dispense a large quantity of individual fasteners, as will be described in detail below.
Either manually or with the aid of specifically designed devices, individual fasteners may be severed and dispensed from a supply of ladder stock to couple buttons to fabric, merchandising tags to articles of commerce, or, in general, any two desired articles.
Specifically designed devices for dispensing plastic fasteners are well known in the art. One well-known device for dispensing individual plastic fasteners from a reel of ladder-type fastener stock includes a pair of hollow needles which are adapted to penetrate through a particular item, a feed mechanism for advancing each rail of the supply of ladder stock into axial alignment behind the longitudinal bore defined by a corresponding hollow needle, a severing mechanism for severing a fastener to be dispensed through the pair of hollowed needles from the remainder of the ladder stock, and an ejection mechanism for ejecting the cross-bars of the severed fastener through the bores of the pair of hollowed needles and, in turn, through the particular item which is penetrated by the needles.
For example, in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,366, which is incorporated herein by reference, there is disclosed a device for dispensing plastic attachments of the type which are formed as part of a roll of continuously connected ladder stock. In one embodiment, the device includes a pair of hollow slotted needles each having a tip, a rear end and a longitudinal axis. A feed wheel, placed proximate to the rear ends of the pair of needles, is used to feed individual attachments of a roll of ladder stock into the pair of needles through their respective rear ends at angles relative to the longitudinal axes thereof. Once inserted into the needles, an attachment is severed from the remainder of the ladder stock by a knife and is then expelled from the needles by a pair of ejector rods movable along the longitudinal axes of the pair of needles. Because attachments are fed into the pair of needles at angles relative to their longitudinal axes, no shuttling of the needles between an attachment feeding position and an attachment ejecting position is required. The pair of needles, the feed wheel, the knife, and the pair of ejector rods are all mounted on a vertically movable head member. An induction motor is used to move the head member between an attachment dispensing position and a withdrawal position. The vertical movement of the head member drives the operation of the feed wheel, the knife and the ejector rods.
Examples of some plastic fastener dispensing devices which are presently available in commerce are manufactured and sold by Avery Dennison™ Corporation of Pasadena, Calif. under the following names: the ST9000™, the Elastic Staple™ Single Needle System (SNS), the Elastic Staple™ Variable Needle System (VNS) and the Elastic Staple™ Single Needle System (SNS) Module.
As noted above, devices for dispensing plastic fasteners of the type described above are designed to cut the opposing rails of a supply of ladder stock at equidistant intervals to generate a plurality of individual plastic fasteners. The specific fixed distance, or spacing, between successive cuts in the rails of the ladder stock (i.e., the length of the cross-bar of each dispensed plastic fastener) is commonly referred to in the art as the pitch in which the device operates. As can be appreciated, each fastener dispensing device is typically designed to sever and eject plastic fasteners from a supply of ladder stock at a fixed pitch of 0.25 inches.
Although well known in the art, it has been found that fastener dispensing devices of the type described above suffer from some notable shortcomings.
As a first shortcoming, fastener dispensing devices of the type described above traditionally operate as a single stroke machine. Stated another way, activation of the device (e.g., through the depression of an actuation pedal) results in the ejection of a single plastic fastener. However, it has been found that certain applications require that a plurality of fasteners be dispensed in a rapid fire manner (e.g., whiskering applications in the jeans industry). Due to the inherent limitations associated with a single stroke machine, the plurality of fasteners can only be dispensed by repeatedly actuating the machine, which is a time-consuming and labor intensive process.
As a second shortcoming, fastener dispensing machines of the type described above operate at a fixed stroke speed of approximately 0.50 seconds/stroke. However, this stroke speed has been found to be unnecessarily slow when the device is used to dispense plastic fasteners through relatively thin materials. As a result, the productivity that is achieved using such a machine is limited.
As a third shortcoming, fastener dispensing machines of the type described above are not energy efficient. Specifically, the induction motor for the device requires a continuous supply of AC power which in turn renders the machine inefficient from a power consumption standpoint.
As a fourth shortcoming, fastener dispensing machines of the type described above are designed to receive a specified input voltage. Because electrical outlets in different countries provide different output voltages, each fastener dispensing machine is only available for use in selected locations, thereby limiting its usage.
As a fifth shortcoming, fastener dispensing machines of the type described above are stand alone devices (i.e., not linked with a computer). As a result, no computerized means are afforded to track and analyze historical information relating to usage of the device (e.g., quantity of fasteners dispensed, actuation rate per hour, etc.).
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved device for dispensing a plastic fastener from a supply of fastener stock, the fastener stock being shaped to include an elongated and continuous side rail to which are coupled a plurality of equidistantly spaced filaments.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device as described above which is adapted to dispense a plurality of plastic fasteners from the supply of fastener stock using a single actuation step.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a device as described above wherein the rate in which each fastener is dispensed can be varied according to the particular application.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a device as described above which is energy efficient yet designed to maximize productivity.
It is yet still another object of the present invention to provide a device as described above which allows for the monitoring of historical information relating to its usage.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device as described above which can receive power from different voltage power sources.
It is yet still another object of the present invention to provide a system as described above which has a limited number of parts, which is easy to use and which is inexpensive to manufacture.
Accordingly, as one feature of the present invention, there is provided a device for dispensing an individual plastic fastener from a supply of fastener stock, the fastener stock being shaped to include a pair of continuous side rails to which are coupled a plurality of equidistantly spaced cross-links, the individual fastener comprising a pair of shortened cross-bars that are interconnected by a flexible filament, the device comprising (a) a head assembly adapted to receive the supply of fastener stock, sever an individual fastener from the supply fastener stock and eject the individual fastener during a single stroke of its actuation cycle, (b) a stepper motor for driving the head assembly through its actuation cycle, and (c) an electronic controller for regulating the operation of the stepper motor.
As another feature of the present invention, there is provided a fastener comprising (a) a first cross-bar, (b) a second cross-bar, and a flexible filament extending transversely between the first and second cross-bars, the flexible filament comprising a first end formed onto the first cross-bar and a second end formed onto the second cross-bar, (d) wherein the first end of the filament is branched.
Various other features and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration, various embodiments for practicing the invention. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.
In the drawings wherein like reference numerals represent like parts:
a) and (b) are front and rear perspective views, respectively, of an article being secured to a display card using the double fastener shown in
Referring now to
As noted above, device 10 is designed to dispense individual plastic fasteners from various types of continuously connected ladder stock. For example, the supply of ladder stock (also referred to herein as fastener stock) may be of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,039,078 to A. R. Bone or of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,816 to C. L. Deschenes et al., both of said patents being incorporated herein by reference.
Referring now to
An individual plastic fastener 18 is obtained from ladder stock 11 by severing side members 13 and 15 at the approximate midpoint between successive cross-links 17. Fastener 18 comprises a pair of cross-bars 19 and 21 which are interconnected by a thin, flexible filament 23, cross-bars 19 and 21 comprising sections of side members 13 and 15, respectively, and filament 23 comprising a cross-link 17.
It should be noted that the pitch for ladder stock 11 is commonly defined as the distance between successive cuts in each of side members 13 and 15 which is required to create plastic fastener 18 (i.e., the length of each of cross-bars 19 and 21). In the same manner, it is to be understood the pitch for ladder stock 11 can be determined by measuring the distance between successive cross-links 17.
It should be noted that, by severing side members 13 and 15 at the approximate midpoint between successive cross-links 17, fastener 18 is provided with an H-shaped configuration, wherein opposing ends of filament 23 bisect corresponding cross-bars 19 and 21. As can be appreciated, it is typically preferred that fastener 18 have an H-type configuration when used in its conventional application of coupling together two or more items.
As seen most clearly in FIGS. 1 and 3-5, device 10 comprises a substantially rectangular base 31 which serves as the support, or foundation, for device 10. Base 31 may be provided with means to facilitate securing device 10 to a workstation or other similar platform, such as circular bores 32 formed at particular locations along its periphery through which screws can be driven.
A block-shaped neck 33 is integrally formed onto the top surface of base 31. An enlarged, rectangular frame 34 is formed on top of neck 33. As will become apparent below, frame 34 serves as the support, or floor, on which various mechanical and electrical components for device 10 are mounted.
An elongated support arm 35 extends out from both base 31 and neck 33 in an forward and upward manner, support arm 35 being spaced substantially away from the underside of frame 34. A reactor plate 37 is mounted on the free end of support arm 35 and functions, among other things, to support the articles to be coupled by one or more fasteners 18 using device 10.
A protective housing 39 extends upwardly from the free end of frame 34 and includes left and right side casings 40-1 and 40-2 that are secured together by screws. Housing 39 is preferably constructed of a rigid, durable and impact-resistant material, such as plastic, and serves to protect the majority of the electrical and mechanical components for device 10 that are mounted on frame 34.
As can be seen, a substantial arcuate recess 41 is formed in the top surface of housing 39. Furthermore, a cylindrical reel holder 46 is mounted on right side casing 40-2 and extends transversely through recess 41. Holder 46 is sized and shaped to axially pass through a longitudinal bore formed in a reel 42 of ladder stock 11 that is positioned within recess 41. Accordingly, holder 46 serves to support reel 42 in such a manner that reel 42 is capable of freely rotating (i.e., spinning) thereon, thereby affording device 10 with the capability to continuously dispense plastic fasteners 18 in an automated fashion. As will be described in greater detail below, the majority of reel 42 is preferably retained within recess 41, thereby rendering the combination of reel 42 and device 10 relatively streamlined and compact in nature, which is highly desirable.
A door 43 encloses the front end of housing 39 and is pivotally connected to right side casing 40-2 by hinges 44 to provide access to the head assembly for device 10. A narrow slot 45 is defined between door 43 and housing 39 through which a supply of ladder stock 11 may be fed. Preferably, the dimensions of slot 45 are minimally greater than the lateral cross-section of ladder stock 11 so as to limit the extent by which undesirable contaminants (e.g., dust) can enter into the interior cavity defined by housing 39.
A user interface 47 is provided in the front of pivotally mounted door 43 and preferably includes a digital display panel 49 (e.g., an LCD screen) and one or more control buttons 51-1 through 51-4. As will be described further in detail below, user interface 47 provides an operator with means to both monitor relevant historical data relating to usage of device 10 and regulate certain operational characteristics of device 10, which is highly desirable.
As seen most clearly in
Head assembly 53 comprises a vertically extending mount 55 that is fixedly retained in place on frame 34, mount 55 being generally U-shaped in lateral cross-section. A motor-driven, vertically displaceable head 57 is slidably coupled to mount 55, the function of head 57 to become apparent below.
As seen most clearly in
Each needle 59 is conventional in its construction and includes an elongated longitudinal bore 67 and a narrow longitudinal slot 69 in communication with bore 67. Needles 59 are coupled to motor-driven head 57. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the downward displacement of head 57 in turn causes needles 59 to similarly travel downward so as to penetrate through any articles supported on reactor plate 37.
It should be noted that needles 59-1 and 59-2 are removably mounted onto corresponding needle holders 71-1 and 71-2, respectively. As seen most clearly in
As seen most clearly in
As briefly noted above, feed mechanism 61 is responsible for continuously advancing the free end of ladder stock 11 into alignment behind needles 59 for subsequent ejection therethrough. As seen most clearly in
As seen most clearly in
A mechanical switch 86 in the form of a pin is mounted on mount 55 and is capable of being laterally displaced (as represented by arrows A in
In operation, the completion of a single stroke cycle for head assembly 53 causes a feed pawl 84 to rotate feed ratchet 83 in the clockwise direction, the degree of rotation being dependent upon the particular setting of switch 86. The rotation of feed ratchet 83 serves to similarly rotate feed wheel 77 in the clockwise direction which, in turn, advances ladder stock 11 in the forward direction into device 10. In the same manner, it is to be understood that rotation of feed ratchet 83 in the counterclockwise direction would serve to rotate feed wheel 77 in the opposite direction (i.e., such that ladder stock 11 is withdrawn, or backed out, from device 10). However, it has been found that, during the automated feeding process for device 10, any slight rearward withdrawal of ladder stock 11 can cause ladder stock 11 to become jammed within device 10, which is highly undesirable. Accordingly, feed mechanism 61 is provided with a one-way mechanical clutch 88 that is responsible for, among other things, precluding feed ratchet 83 from inadvertently rotating in the counterclockwise direction in such a manner so as to cause ladder stock 11 to jam within device 10.
As noted briefly above, a severing mechanism 63 is responsible for severing the lowermost fastener 18 from the loaded fastener stock 11 after the fastener stock has been advanced to its stop position by feed mechanism 61. As seen most clearly in
Spring assembly 91 includes a mechanical cutting lever 92 which is coupled to head 57 and which extends down through a corresponding hole formed in knife blade 89, an enlarged stop 93 formed on the free end of lever 92 and a spring 95 axially mounted on lever 91. In this manner, it should be noted that spring 95 serves to continuously urge knife blade 89 upward within the track formed in the underside of base 90.
In operation, once head 57 reaches a particular location during its downward stroke, knife lever 92 slides knife blade 89 forward within the track in base 90 (as represented by arrow B). The forward displacement of knife blade 89 ultimately causes its sharpened cutting edge 97 to slice through side rails 13 and 15 of ladder stock 11, thereby separating a single fastener 18 therefrom. Upon completion of the severing process, lever 92 rearwardly displaces knife blade 89 back to its original position.
It is to be understood that spring 95 serves to hold knife blade 89 firmly against the underside of base 90 but without compromising the ability of knife blade 89 to travel in either the forward or rearward direction during the severing process. As a result, the inclusion of spring assembly 91 serves to ensure that the location of cutting edge 97 behind needles 59 stays fixed, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the process by which rails 13 and 15 are cut. In this manner, each fastener 18 severed from ladder stock 11 consistently has an H-shaped configuration, which is highly desirable.
As noted briefly above, ejection mechanism 65 is responsible for dispensing the cross-bars 19 and 21 of a severed fastener 18 out through needles 59 and, in turn, through the desired items to be coupled together. Ejection mechanism 65 preferably includes a motor-driven slide plate 99, which is adapted to slide vertically relative to head 57, and first and second ejector rods (not shown) that are fixedly coupled to slide plate 99. As can be appreciated, the pair of ejector rods extend down from slide plate 99 in alignment with longitudinal bores 67-1 and 67-2, respectively.
Referring back to
A programmable electronic controller 105 is located within the interior cavity defined by housing 39 and is electrically connected to stepper motor 103. Controller 105 preferably includes a main printed circuit board and an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) microprocessor. As will be described in detail below, controller 105 is responsible for, among other things, compiling historical data relating to the use of device 10 and adjusting certain characteristics relating to the operation of head assembly 53 (e.g., stroke speed, cycle type, etc.), as will be described further in detail below.
It should be noted that controller 105 is electrically connected to user interface 47. In this manner, an operator is able regulate certain characteristics relating to the operation of device 10 using control buttons 51, as can be seen most clearly in
As an example, controller 105 is able to regulate the duration of time that power is applied to step motor 103 upon activation. In this manner, it is to be understood that an operator can regulate the number of strokes executed by device 10 for each actuation cycle, this feature being referred to herein as the stroke mode for device 10. As defined herein, the term actuation cycle relates to the entire period of time during which an actuation mechanism for device 10 (e.g., a pedal or trigger) is activated (e.g., the period of time when an actuation pedal is depressed without being released).
More specifically, through repeated depression of control button 51-3, the operator can regulate whether device 10 operates under either a single stroke mode, a multiple stroke mode (e.g., 2-10 strokes for each actuation cycle) or a continuous stroke mode setting, the particular stoke mode selected by the user being preferably provided on display 49 for the benefit of the operator (e.g., a 3 stroke mode setting is shown on display 49 on
It is to be understood that with device 10 configured in its single stroke mode setting, activation of device 10 (e.g., by stepping on an actuation pedal that is connected to pedal port 106) causes controller 105 to supply head assembly 53 with only enough power from step motor 103 to complete a single stroke (i.e., to dispense only one single-shot or double-shot fastener from fastener stock 11). In order to dispense a second fastener with device 10 configured in its single stroke mode setting, the user is required to then activate device 10 a second time (e.g., by releasing the actuation pedal and stepping on the pedal a second time). The activation process is then repeated as deemed necessary to dispense the requisite number of fasteners. As can be appreciated, traditional fastener dispensing devices are designed to operate using only a single stroke mode.
However, as can be appreciated, certain applications require the dispensing of a large quantity of fasteners in rapid succession. Accordingly, by using interface 47 to configure device 10 to operate using either multiple stroke cycle or a continuous stroke cycle, power can be supplied to step motor 71 in such a manner so that a plurality of fasteners is dispensed from device 10 through a single actuation process (e.g., by maintaining the actuation pedal in a depressed condition), which is highly desirable.
As another example, controller 105 is designed to regulate the stroke speed for device 10. Specifically, through repeated depression of control button 51-1, an operator can modify the stroke speed for device 10, the intended range of stroke speeds preferably being 0.10 seconds to 1.00 seconds with 0.05 second intervals between successive settings. The stroke speed setting for device 10 is preferably provided on display 49 for the benefit of the operator (e.g., a 0.25 second stroke speed is shown on display 49 in
Preferably, the actuation stroke for device 10 is relatively constant in speed (i.e., includes no significant levels of acceleration or deceleration). However, it is to be understood that one could modify stroke speed for device 10 by adjusting a portion of the operation cycle without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For instance, the stroke speed could be modified by accelerating or decelerating one or more of the following: (i) the rate of the downward travel for head 57 (i.e., the speed in which needles 59 are penetrated through the intended articles), (ii) the rate of the fastener ejection process (i.e., the speed in which a fastener 18 is passed through the intended articles), and/or (iii) the rate of the upward travel for head 57 (i.e., the speed in which needles 59 retract from the intended articles).
As another example, controller 105 is designed to allow for the inclusion of a controllable delay between successive strokes when device 10 is configured in either its multiple stroke mode or its continuous stroke mode setting. Specifically, through repeated depression of control button 51-2, an operator can modify delay between successive strokes, the intended range of stroke speeds preferably being 0.1 seconds to 1.0 seconds with 0.1 second intervals between successive settings. The delay is preferably provided on display 49 for the benefit of the operator (e.g., a 0.1 second delay is shown on display 49 in
As another example, controller 105 is designed to count the number of strokes undertaken by device 10 during a particular period of time which, in turn, can be used to count the number of fasteners 18 dispensed. The historical data collected is then preferably provided on display 49 for the benefit of the operator (e.g., the count 935592 is shown on display 49 in
It is also to be understood that one or more control buttons 51 could be used to provide additional operational features without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, device 10 could be designed to require the input of a particular password prior to operation, the password being input using control buttons 51.
As seen most clearly in
As seen most clearly in
As seen most clearly in
As seen most clearly in
It should also be noted that head assembly 53 is specifically calibrated to dispense individual fasteners 18 from ladder stock 11 which has a pitch of 0.1875 inches. To the contrary, traditional fastener dispensing machines are calibrated to dispense individual fasteners from ladder stock which has a pitch of 0.25 inches. As can be appreciated, significant benefits are derived from calibrating device 10 to dispense plastic fasteners from ladder stock having a 0.1875 inch pitch and, as such, will be described in detail below.
It should further be noted that device 10 is designed to allow for greater clearance around reactor plate 37, thereby rendering it easier for an operator to move larger, more bulky articles (e.g., clothing) along reactor plate 37.
For instance, as seen most clearly in
Furthermore, the spacing between frame 34 and support arm 35 is maximized so as to facilitate the movement of larger articles along reactor plate 37. Referring now to
The notable design features for device 10 set forth in detail above introduce a number of significant performance advantages, which are listed below.
(1) Calibration of Device 10 for 0.1875 Inch Ladder Stock—As noted above, device 10 is specifically calibrated to dispense individual fasteners 18 from a supply of ladder stock 11 which has a pitch of 0.1875 inches, the pitch of ladder stock 11 being defined as the distance, or spacing, between successive filaments 17. It has been found that the use of 3/16 inch pitch fastener stock 11 with fastener dispensing device 10 introduces a few notable advantages over the use of fastener stock having a greater pitch (e.g., ¼ inch).
As a first advantage, the reduced pitch allows for a greater number of fasteners 18 to be wound onto each fastener spool 42. Specifically, ladder stock with a ¼ inch pitch can retain approximately 25,000 fasteners per reel whereas ladder stock with 3/16 inch pitch can retain approximately 40,000 fasteners per reel. The substantial increase in the number of fasteners per reel afforded by reducing the fastener pitch minimizes the frequency of spool replacements. Because fastener spool reloading is a relatively time-consuming process, any reduction in the number of fastener spool replacements increases productivity, which is highly desirable.
As a second advantage, the reduced pitch reduces the amount of plastic required to manufacture fastener stock 11, thereby reducing waste, which is highly desirable.
As a third advantage, the reduced pitch reduces the stroke length of the actuation cycle for the fastener dispensing machine. As a result, reduced pitch fasteners can be dispensed at a considerably faster rate which, in turn, increases productivity, which is highly desirable.
(2) Stroke Mode Adjustability—As noted above, an operator can configure device 10 via user interface 47 to operate using either (i) a single stroke mode, (ii) a multiple stroke mode, or (iii) a continuous stroke mode for each depression of its actuation pedal. As can be appreciated, it has been found that a single stroke mode would be preferred in certain applications which require a single fastener 18 to be dispensed (e.g., in an article pairing application), a multiple stroke mode would be preferred in certain applications which require a few fasteners 18 to be dispensed in rapid succession (e.g., a heavy duty article pairing application), and a continuous stroke mode would be preferred in certain applications which require a continuous stream of fasteners 18 to be dispensed in rapid succession (e.g., whiskering applications in the jeans industry). In this manner, it is to be understood that device 10 can be adjusted to suit the particular needs of the consumer, which is highly desirable.
(3) Stroke Speed Regulation—Fastener dispensing machines which are well-known in the art typically operate at a fixed stroke speed (approximately 0.50 seconds/stroke). However, it has been found that the stroke speed of traditional machines is often inadequate in particular applications.
Accordingly, controller 105 is programmed to allow an operator to adjust the speed of stepper motor 103 via user interface 47 which in turn enables the speed of the stroke for head assembly 53 to be correspondingly adjusted. In particular, device 10 is designed to allow the speed of the stroke for head assembly 53 to be regulated between 0.10 seconds/stroke and 1.00 seconds/stroke. In this manner, the stroke speed can be adjusted based on the intended application.
For example, a slow stroke rate (e.g., 1.00 seconds/strokes) is often preferred when device 10 is used to dispense plastic fasteners 18 through a thicker material (i.e., a heavy-duty application) in order to prevent each fastener 18 from breaking during ejection.
As another example, a fast stroke rate (e.g., 0.10 seconds/stroke) is often preferred when device 10 is used to dispense plastic fasteners 18 through a thinner material in order to maximize productivity (i.e., the number of fasteners dispensed per hour).
(4) Increased Power Efficiency—Traditional fastener dispensing machines utilize an induction motor which requires a continuous supply of AC power. In use, actuation of the device electrically activates a switching device (e.g., a solenoid) which, in turn, mechanically disengages a motor clutch. With the clutch disengaged, the induction motor cycles which in turn causes the device to dispense a fastener. As can be appreciated, it has been found that the continuous application of AC power to an induction motor renders this type of fastener dispensing machine highly inefficient from a power consumption standpoint, which is highly undesirable.
Accordingly, it should be noted that device 10 utilizes a stepper motor which, by definition, does not require a continuous supply of power. Rather, in use, power is only supplied to stepper motor 103 when device 10 is actuated. Upon actuation (e.g., by depressing the actuation pedal), controller 105 ensures that the necessary supply of power is applied to stepper motor 103 to complete the designated actuation cycle for head assembly 53 (i.e., such that device 10 fires one or more fasteners 18). Otherwise, when idle, the only power consumed by device 10 is by its cooling fans (not shown). As a result, device 10 is considerably more energy efficient than traditional fastener dispensing machines, which is highly desirable.
(5) Variable Input Power Capability—Traditional fastener dispensing machines utilize an induction motor that is designed to be powered by an electrical outlet of a particular voltage (e.g., 110 volts, 220 volts, etc.). As a result, traditional machines are only designed for use in selected countries, thereby limiting potential usage, which is highly undesirable.
To the contrary, it should be noted that switching power supply 107 provides device 10 with the capability to be powered by a wide range of different voltage outlets (notably, in the range between 90 volts and 250 volts). Specifically, switching power supply 107 is designed to convert the input AC voltage supplied to device 10 from any electrical outlet to the requisite DC voltage level required by stepper motor 71. As a result, device 10 can be used in a broader range of markets, which is highly desirable.
(6) System Monitoring Capabilities—Traditional fastener dispensing machines operate as stand-alone units. To the contrary, device 10 is provided with an ethernet data port 110 which is connected to controller 105. Data port 110 is designed for connection to a communication network (e.g., the internet) and, as such, provides device 10 with the capability to support a unique internet protocol (IP) address. In this manner, device 10 is rendered remotely accessible through the communication network, which is highly desirable.
As can be appreciated, pertinent data collected by controller 103 (e.g., historical fastener dispensing information stored in the counter) can be accessed by a remote compute device. As a result, a centralized monitoring station can be provided to track, monitor and/or analyze pertinent historical data relating to one or more devices 10 (e.g., the number of fasteners dispensed during a particular time period). This information can be used, among other things, to improve the productivity and/or efficiency of device 10 (e.g., by making cycle speed adjustments to a particular device 10 from the centralized monitoring station), which is highly desirable.
(7) Increased Retentive Strength of Dispensed Fastener—Traditional fastener dispensing machines include a pair of spaced apart needles, each needle having a longitudinal slot that is orientated at an acute angle away from the opposing needle). As a result, with the cross-bars 19 and 21 of a fastener 18 disposed through the pair of needles, the thin filament 23 tends to arc, or bow, in a generally C-shaped configuration.
To the contrary, device 10 includes needles 59 with slots 69 disposed in-line with one another (i.e., directly facing one another), as seen most clearly in
(8) Improved Accuracy of Fastener Severing Process—Traditional fastener dispensing machines include a pair of flattened knife blades, each knife blade being sandwiched between a pair of fixed block-shaped members. In order to ensure that each knife blade will move properly during the severing process, traditional machines often space the pair of block-shaped members apart from one another with added clearance. As can be appreciated, this added clearance causes the knife blades to move vertically between the members which, in turn, has been found to compromise the ability of traditional machines to consistently and accurately cut rails 13 and 15 of ladder stock 11 at the exact midpoint between successive cross-links 17.
To the contrary, the inclusion of spring assembly 91 in device 10 serves to retain knife blade 89 firmly against the underside of base 90 (as seen in
(9) More Compact and Streamlined Design—As noted above, housing 39 of device 10 includes a semi-circular recess 41 that is sized and shaped to support and receive at least a portion of a reel 42 of ladder stock 11. In this manner, a reel 42 of ladder stock 11 can be effectively integrated into the overall design of device 10. As a result, device 10 is provided with a more streamlined and compact design than conventional fastener dispensing machines, thereby rendering device 10 highly desirable in environments with limited workspace (e.g., assembly lines).
It should also be noted that semi-circular recess 41 is preferably approximately 6.5 inches in diameter and, as such, is sized and shaped to receive reels 42 of fastener stock 11 that are less than 6.5 inches in diameter. In this manner, device 10 is effectively designed to receive only selected types of manufactured ladder stock 11 (i.e., compatible reels 42 distributed by the manufacturer of device 10).
(10) Environmentally Sealed Housing—As noted above, slot 45, through which ladder stock 11 is fed into head assembly 53, is only slightly larger in lateral cross-section than the lateral cross-section of fastener stock 11. As a result, the degree by which harmful particles, such as dust, dirt and the like, can enter into the interior cavity of the device 10 is minimized, which is highly desirable.
(11) Greater Clearance around Reactor Plate—As noted above, device 10 includes a number of design modifications (e.g., a narrower needle guard 115) which together increase the amount of clearance, or spacing, around reactor plate 37. As a result, an operator can more easily manipulate larger articles (e.g., jeans) along reactor plate 37 prior to the fastener dispensing process, which is highly desirable.
(12) Ability to Incorporate an Adjustable Delay into Dispensing Process—As noted above, controller 105 is preferably programmed to allow for an adjustable delay to be introduced between successive strokes when device 10 is configured in either its multiple stroke mode or its continuous stroke mode setting. As a result, an operator who is dispensing a large quantity of fasteners in a rapid-fire manner is afforded a brief delay (approximately 0.1-1.0 seconds) prior to the ejection of each successive fastener 18 to reposition the article on reactor plate 37, which is highly desirable.
(13) Ability to Dispense a Double Fastener from Ladder Stock—Switch 86 can be configured so that device 10 dispenses a double fastener (also referred to herein as a double-shot fastener) from ladder stock 11. Specifically, referring now to
As described in detail above, disposing switch 86 in its double-shot position causes feed pawl 84 to engage every second tooth on feed ratchet 83 during successive strokes of device 10. As a result, for each stroke of device 10, a pair of cross-links 17 is indexed behind needles 59 prior to the severing process. In this manner, device 10 serves to sever rails 13 and 15 at the approximate midpoint between every other cross-link 17 so as to yield a plurality of double-shot fasteners 118.
A double-shot fastener 118 obtained from ladder stock 11 includes a pair of parallel cross-bars 119 and 121, each of cross bars 119 and 121 being approximately 0.22 inches in length (i.e., two times the length of cross-bars 19 and 21). Cross-bars 119 and 121 are interconnected by a pair of thin, flexible, transverse filaments 123-1 and 123-2 which are disposed in parallel relative to one another and spaced apart approximately 0.1875 inches.
Referring now to
As seen most clearly in
As seen most clearly in
In the first tampering method, unscrupulous consumers often separate items coupled together with an H-type fastener 18 by pulling on an end of filament 23 with such force that either of straightened cross-bars 19 and 21 buckles into a Y-shaped configuration (this tampering process often being referred to simply as “Y-ing” in the art). Once buckled in this manner, the damaged cross-bar can be pulled back through the hole in article through which it originally passed, thereby enabling the articles to be separated, which is highly undesirable.
As can be appreciated, the dual filament design of fastener 118 renders it unsusceptible to this type of tampering. Specifically, because each of cross-bars 119 and 121 already has a curved, horseshoe-shape when dispensed through an article, it can not be buckled into a Y-shaped configuration by pulling on filaments 123.
In the second tampering method, unscrupulous consumers often separate items coupled together with an H-type fastener 18 by first twisting (i.e., pivoting) either of straightened cross-bars 19 and 21 into a substantially parallel relationship relative to filament 23 and then axially inserting the twisted cross-bar back through the hole in the article through which it originally passed, thereby enabling the articles to be separated, which is highly undesirable.
As can be appreciated, the dual filament design of fastener 118 renders it unsusceptible to this type of tampering. Specifically, because each of cross-bars 119 and 121 has a curved, horseshoe shape when dispensed through an article, it can not be axially inserted back through a hole in the article.
Referring now to
Specifically, fastener stock 211 is preferably made of plastic through a continuous molding process and comprises a pair of elongated and continuous side members, or rails, 213 and 215 which are interconnected by a plurality of equidistantly spaced cross-links 217, the spacing between the midpoint of successive cross-links preferably being approximately 0.1875 inches. As part of its fastener dispensing process, device 10 preferably severs rails 213 and 215 at the approximate midpoint between successive cross-links 217 so as to yield individual fasteners 218.
As seen most clearly in
Cross-bars 219 and 221 are interconnected by a thin, flexible filament 223 which extends transversely therebetween, filament 223 having a first end 223-1 which is formed onto cross bar 219 and a second end 223-2 which is formed onto cross bar 221. As can be seen, first end 223-1 branches into a generally V-shaped configuration and connects to cross bar 219 at two separate points of contact. Similarly, second end 223-2 branches into a generally V-shaped configuration and connects to cross bar 221 at two separate points of contact.
As can be appreciated, because each end of filament 223 is formed onto its corresponding cross-barthrough two separate points of contact, fastener 218 experiences similar anti-tampering qualities as double-shot fastener 118 and, as a consequence, is highly desirable. Specifically, due to its bifurcated design, each of first and second ends 223-1 and 223-2 bends into a horseshoe-style shape when dispensed through an article, thereby rendering each end less susceptible to fastener tampering by means of the methods described in detail above.
It should be noted that fastener 218 is not limited to having a two-prong (i.e., bifurcated) design at first and second ends 223-1 and 223-2. Rather, it is to be understood that each of first and second ends 223-1 and 223-2 could branch into more than two points of contact with its corresponding cross bar (i.e., a three-prong design) without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
It should also be noted that fastener 218 is not limited to a branched design at both ends of filament 223. Rather, it is to be understood that filament 223 may be limited to a branched design at only one of its ends without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
The embodiments shown in the present invention are intended to be merely exemplary and those skilled in the art shall be able to make numerous variations and modifications to it without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such variations and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.
The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/593,452, filed Nov. 6, 2006 now abandoned, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 11593452 | Nov 2006 | US |
| Child | 11978892 | US |
