The present invention relates generally to the field of protective covers. More particularly, the present invention relates to the design and construction of a folding bellows.
Folding bellows are used to protect many items that move and need to be protected throughout a range of movement. Bellows are typically used to prevent items from getting into an area that needs to be protected. Some examples of the use of bellows are to protect machinery from industrial hazards such as metal chips or other debris, to protect outdoor equipment from environmental hazards such as rain or snow, or to provide a transport route for air or powder. Bellows are also frequently used to prevent people from accessing the interior of equipment that may cause harm such as a scissors type lifting device.
There are many methods of manufacturing such bellows but it has been standard in the industry to have the bellows produced in such a manner as to create panels and hinges in some manner such that the entire bellows can allow for extending to an open position or retracting to a closed position and be able to repeat this movement while maintaining the original shape. The shape is defined by the manner in which the panels fold together.
One method of producing a bellows is to use flexible fabric and alternately stitch together the inside and outside edges thus creating hinges at the inside and outside and allowing the fabric portion between the stitched edges to act as the panel. This construction may be enhanced by stitching in plastic or metallic rods at either of, or both of, the material edges. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,045.
Another method of producing a bellows is to laminate many plies of materials and material strips together while leaving a small gap between the material strips. When the laminated sheet is folded, the gaps act as the hinges and the strips act as the panels. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,021,271; 4,745,848; and 4,638,722. A similar method of producing a bellows is to produce a sheet that utilizes a rigid plastic panel that alternates with a flexible plastic hinge to create the folding mechanism. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,662,734 and 6,986,938.
Yet another method of producing a bellows is to create a plastic or metallic frame to which flexible material is attached. The material then folds itself between frame members. The frame members are typically located at the exterior of the bellows shape. Each of these methods of manufacturing a folding bellows are costly to produce due to the assembly method needed to create the folding panel and hinge structure, the amount of material that is needed to produce the folding structure, or the time that is needed to produce the folding structure.
As such, there is a need for a method of manufacturing a folding bellows that will provide a similar function as other folding bellows but designed in such a manner as to reduce the cost by simplifying the method of manufacturing and reducing the amount and type of material used.
The present invention relates to a bellows having a covering panel formed into a continuous generally tube shape by securing an end thereof to another end thereof. The bellows includes a plurality of U-shaped channel frames having jaws for receiving and securing portions of the covering panel. The U-shaped channel frames are located inside the tube shape and are secured to two opposing sides of the covering panel to create a formed folding shape leaving two sides adjacent the formed folding shape sides as floating sides.
In an alternative embodiment, the bellows includes a plurality of outer frames that are secured to the outer surface of the tube shape. Frame stiffeners are inserted into each channel frame on the floating sides and connect the channel frames to the outer frames thereby trapping the tube shape inside the outer frames.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that one or more aspects of this invention can meet certain objectives, while one or more other aspects can lead to certain other objectives. Other objects, features, benefits and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in this summary and descriptions of the disclosed embodiment, and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such objects, features, benefits and advantages will be apparent from the above as taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures and all reasonable inferences to be drawn therefrom.
Turning now to
The forming frames 104 that are used in this design have a U-shaped cross section, and have a jaw 106 that can receive the flexible material 102 from which the tube is made.
The forming frames 104 are fixed to the flexible material 102 on just two opposing sides which will be referred to as the formed sides 108. The forming frames 104 help create a formed folding shape on the formed sides 108 because the forming frames are fixed to the flexible material 102 on these two sides. The two sides adjacent to the formed sides 108 do not have any connection means between the flexible material 102 and the forming frames 104. These will be referred to as the floating sides 110. The flexible material 102 on the floating sides 110 takes its shape from the adjacent sides, the corner folding method, and from the length of flexible material on the floating sides being longer than the available length of flexible material on the formed side in the extension axis.
One method of manufacturing folding bellows 100, 200 in accordance with the invention is to identify locations on a tube of flexible material 102, 208 where the forming frames 104, 206 will connect to the flexible material. The connection method between the forming frames 104, 206 and the flexible material 102, 208 is then performed resulting in a series of forming frames that are connected to the flexible material in set positions in the perimeter of the tube and in an equal spaced means from one tube end to the other tube end. The set positions may be determined by any suitable means, including but not limited to marking, pleating, slitting, or sealing. A folding method is then used to create the folds of the folding bellows 100, 200. The folds alternate from one side to the adjacent side. The folds which protrude inward on the formed side 108, 214 will protrude outward on the adjacent floating side 110, 214 and vice versa.
The use of a folding bellows 100, 200 in accordance with the invention may commonly be used on a scissors type lift which utilizes the folding bellows to cover the scissors mechanism and to prevent people from getting injured by accidently placing a body part into the mechanism.
Although the invention has been herein described in what is perceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments set forth above. Rather, it is recognized that modifications may be made by one of skill in the art of the invention without departing from the spirit or intent of the invention and, therefore, the invention is to be taken as including all reasonable equivalents to the subject matter of the appended claims and the description of the invention herein.
This application is based on and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/664,275 filed on Jun. 26, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61664275 | Jun 2012 | US |