One-piece molded strap

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6209174
  • Patent Number
    6,209,174
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, January 6, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, April 3, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Sakran; Victor N.
    Agents
    • Fox, Esq.; Steven N.
Abstract
The present invention is a one-piece molded strap used to secure a printing plate to a drum of a high speed roller machine. The one-piece molded strap comprises a one-piece molded body comprising an elastomeric portion, a rigid latch portion, and a rigid elongated body portion. The rigid latch portion is integrally formed with and chemically bonded to one end of the elastomeric portion. The rigid elongated body portion is integrally formed with and chemically bonded to the other end of the elastomeric portion. The one-piece molded strap is formed by an injection molding process wherein the material composition of the rigid latch portion and the rigid elongated body portion are compatible with the material composition of the elastomeric portion.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to devices used to secure a printing plate to a high speed roller machine.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




High speed roller machines are used to imprint a desired pattern on a variety of commercial articles. Typically, a printing plate having a desired pattern to be imprinted upon the article is attached to a drum of the high speed roller machine. Conventional high speed roller machines have used a multiple-piece strap to secure the printing plate to the drum. Such conventional multiple-piece straps consist of a rigid latch member connected to a rigid body member by a preformed elastomeric interconnect member. The rigid latch member and the rigid body member are each secured to the elastomeric member by an adhesive material. Such conventional multiple-piece straps have several drawbacks. By way of example only, exposure of such conventional multiple-piece straps to high rotational speeds over a short period of time causes the adhesive to degrade which results in the rigid latch members and/or the rigid body member becoming disengaged from the elastomeric interconnect member and ultimately the failure of the strap to secure the printing plates to the drum of the high speed roller machine.




The principal object of the present invention is to develop a strap for securing printing plates to a high speed roller machine which is significantly stronger and more durable then conventional straps thereby increasing the life of the strap and a process for manufacturing the same.




Another object of the present invention is to develop a strap for securing printing plates to a high speed roller machine which is less expensive to produce then conventional straps and a process for manufacturing the same.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention is a one-piece molded strap used to secure a printing plate to a drum of a high speed roller machine. The one-piece molded strap comprises a rigid latch portion, a rigid elongated body portion and an elastomeric portion. The rigid latch portion is integrally formed with and chemically bonded to one end of the elastomeric portion. The rigid elongated body portion is integrally formed with and chemically bonded to the other end of the elastomeric portion. The one-piece molded strap is formed by an injection molding process whereby the material composition of the rigid latch portion and the rigid elongated body portion are compatible with the material composition of the elastomeric portion.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The following description of the invention will be better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:





FIG. 1

is a bottom plan view of the one-piece strap of the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a side view of the one-piece strap of the present invention;





FIG. 3

is a section view taken along line


3





3


of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 4

is a section view taken along line


4





4


of

FIG. 1

; and





FIG. 5

is a flow chart showing one embodiment of a process for forming the one piece strap of the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




The present invention is a one-piece strap for quickly securing one or more printing plates to a drum or cylinder of a high speed roller machine. Referring to

FIGS. 1-4

, wherein a first embodiment of the one-piece molded strap


10


of the present invention is shown generally comprising a latch or grip member


12


connected to an elongated body member


14


by an elastic interconnect member


16


.




The latch member


12


generally comprises a substantially planar median portion


18


, a substantially planar first end portion


20


which is engaged with the interconnect member


16


(to be described) and a second end portion


22


which is secured to the drum and/or cylinder of a high speed roller machine (not shown). The second end portion


22


is bent upward to form a clip or gripping area


24


which is secured to the drum by a variety of means including slots and/or flanges (not shown) provided in the drum. The latch member


12


is preferably made from a rigid and high strength material such as nylon or polyproplyene and is preferably manufactured by an injection molding process.




The elongated member


14


may take a variety of different lengths depending upon the size of the roller and generally comprises a substantially planar median portion


26


, a substantially planar end portion


27


and a substantially planar end portion


28


. The end portion


28


is securely engaged with the interconnect member


16


(to be described) and the end portion


27


is secured to the roller by a variety of means including being folded within slots (not shown) provided in the roller. The elongated member


14


is preferably made from a rigid and high strength material such as nylon or polypropelene and is manufactured by an injection molding process.




The interconnect member


16


generally comprises a median portion


30


and first and second end portions


32


and


34


. The first end portion


32


is securely engaged with the second end portion


20


of the latch member


12


. The second end portion


34


is securely engaged with the end portion


28


of the elongated member


14


. The interconnect member


16


is preferably made from a highly elastic material containing a chemical bonding agent such as thermo plastic rubber (TPR) or TPO. The elasticity of the interconnect member


16


allows the latch member


12


and the elongated member


14


to be pulled apart or stretched as desired and to securely hold the printing plate upon the drum under tension and during high speed printing operations. The material composition of the interconnect member


16


is compatible with the material composition of the latch member


12


and the elongated body member


14


. The interconnect member


16


is preferably molded with and about the second end portion


20


of the latch member


12


and the end portion


28


of the elongated member


14


and chemically bonded thereto to form a one-piece molded structure. The one-piece molded strap


10


is significantly stronger and more durable than conventional multiple-piece straps. Unlike conventional multiple-piece straps, the latch member


12


and/or the elongated member


14


will not become disengaged from the interconnect member


16


when exposed to high rotational speeds thereby providing secure and reliable engagement of the printing plates to the drum of the high speed roller machine.




Referring to

FIG. 5

, wherein a process for manufacturing the one-piece molded strap


10


of the present invention is described. As shown by block


50


, the process comprises the step of opening a hollow cavity mold. As shown by block


52


, the process comprises the step of placing said first end of said rigid latch portion and said first end of said rigid elongated body portion into the hollow cavity mold. As shown by block


54


, the process comprises the step of closing the hollow cavity mold. As shown by block


56


, the process comprises the step of injecting a thermoplastic material into the hollow cavity mold under heat and pressure. The thermoplastic material has a material composition which is compatible with the material composition of the rigid latch portion and the rigid elongated body portion. As shown by block


58


, the process comprises the step of cooling the hollow cavity mold. As shown by block


60


, the process comprises the step of opening the hollow cavity mold. As shown by block


62


, the process comprises the step of removing the resulting one-piece strap from the hollow cavity mold.




The foregoing description is intended primarily for purposes of illustration. This invention may be embodied in other forms or carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Modifications and variations still falling within the spirit or the scope of the invention will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art.



Claims
  • 1. A strap secured to a printing plate to a drum of a high speed roller machine, the strap comprising a one piece molded body comprising an elastomeric portion having first and second ends; a rigid latch portion having first and second ends; a rigid elongated body portion having first and second ends; said first end of said rigid latch portion being integrally formed to said first end of said elastomeric portion; and said first end of said rigid body portion being integrally formed to said first end of said elastomeric portion, said elastomeric portion being made from a thermoplastic material, said rigid latch portion and said rigid body portion being made from a polymer material which can chemically bond with said elastomeric material such that said first end of said rigid latch portion is chemical bonded only to said first end of said elastomeric portion and said first end of said rigid elongated body portion is chemical bonded only to said second end of said elastomeric portion.
  • 2. The strap of claim 1 wherein said rigid elongated body portion is substantially flat.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Number Name Date Kind
2059825 Talbott Nov 1936
2500561 Norton Mar 1950
2861311 Kurland Nov 1958
2931085 Benlian Apr 1960
3934509 Saunders et al. Jan 1976
4559677 Tracy Dec 1985
5088408 Philpot Feb 1992
5168605 Bartlett Dec 1992
5638584 De Anfrasio Jun 1997
5797167 Schwab Aug 1998
5970585 Scholey Oct 1999