Ribbon curling and shredding device

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6228015
  • Patent Number
    6,228,015
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, January 13, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, May 8, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
A device for curling polypropylene ribbon comprises means (12) for delivering a supply of curlable ribbon, curling means (17) for the ribbon, and drive means (31-33) for drawing the ribbon across said curling means. The device may include guide means to control the approach angle of ribbon to the curling means, drag means to impose drag on said ribbon, and shredding means to shred said ribbon subsequent to curling.
Description




TECHNICAL FIELD




This invention relates to a ribbon curling and shredding device, and particularly to a device suitable for curling and for shredding polypropylene ribbon at a rapid rate and for mass production.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




Hand-held ribbon curling and shredding devices are known and are used for curling the ends of polypropylene ribbon ties. Typically such ribbon is used for tying up a gift parcel and, after making the final knot, the free ends of the ribbon are curled. Such curling makes an attractive flower like addition and has the advantage of hiding the ribbon knot.




In use the devices imposes a permanent shear stress on one side of the ribbon, the amount of stress determining whether the curls are loose or tight.




A disadvantage of prior devices is that if the user is inexperienced or makes a mistake, the ribbon may be imprecisely curled or accidentally stressed on both sides. This often results in having to tie the parcel again in order to obtain two fresh ends with which to apply the curling device.




Optionally such curling devices may include one or more shredding blades which slice the ribbon lengthwise. The shredding blades increase the number of curly ends and are usually applied to the ribbon after it has been drawn across a curling edge.




To overcome the aforementioned problems the present invention provides means for curling and/or shredding continuous lengths of polypropylene ribbon, the treated ribbon being pulled tight for wrapping and tying parcels and the free ends automatically adopting a curled form without any additional operation. Alternatively, plain uncurled ribbon could be used to tie a parcel, and curled ribbon be tucked under the knot to provide an attractive feature which hides the knot; two or more colours may be used.




According to the invention there is provided a ribbon curling device comprising in sequence means for delivering a supply of unstressed curlable ribbon, curling means for said ribbon, and drive means for drawing said ribbon across said curling means. Preferably the device includes shredding means downstream of said curling means.




Such a device is capable of curling and shredding ribbon at rates which are suitable for mass production. Curled and shredded ribbon produced in this way may be used in individual strands for parcel tying and the like, or used in place of shredded tissue as a stuffing material for boxes or bags. A mass of curled and shredded ribbon may also be used for rapid balloon decoration, thereby avoiding the rather tedious curling and shredding of individual ribbon strands.




Alternatively the device may be used as a table top attachment in shops to provide a readily supply of curled and shredded ribbon.




Preferably said drive means comprises a train of wheels, the wheels imposing a tractive effort on said ribbon. In a preferred embodiment the train comprises three wheels, the ribbon being guided between said first and second wheels, around said second wheel and between said second and third wheels. In this preferred embodiment said second wheel is driven by a motor, and said first and third wheels are idlers. Alternatively the tractive device may comprise adjacent belts or wheels in pressing contact and between which the ribbon is squeezed.




The drive means are typically driven by electric motor so that in a shop installation the assistant may produce the required amount of curled ribbon, with or without shredding, at the touch of a button. Such drive means may be driven in response to a coin-operated device or other money payment system.




The device may include drive wheels having adjacent tracks for different ribbon colours and selectively engageable by clutch means to a tractive device such as an electric motor.




The size of the curling and shredding device is determined by the volume and speed of ribbon to be curled and shredded. It is envisaged that an in-store device might measure for example 400 mm×150 mm×150 mm. Larger machines for continuous mass production of curled and shredded ribbon are also envisaged.




Preferably the device includes means to vary the approach angle of said ribbon to a blade constituting said curling means. Typically an abutment may be provided to guide the ribbon to the curling blade; the abutment must be radiused in order to prevent undue stressing of the ribbon. Alternatively a roller may be provided. The abutment is preferably adjustable in order that the approach angle may be varied to suit the quality of ribbon used and the desired degree of curl tightness.




In an alternative embodiment the device includes drag means for ensuring a substantially constant drag force on ribbon approaching the curling blade. In one embodiment the ribbon is squeezed between two members acting as a ribbon brake. Where a guide roller is provided, drag may be by way of a roller brake. In another embodiment the drag force may be generated by a fixed surface over which the ribbon rubs; in this case it may be necessary to vary the position of the drag surface to compensate for the varying departure angle of the ribbon as the spool unwinds. It is essential that such drag means are sufficiently radiused to avoid any curling stress being imparted to the ribbon; thus the path from the drag means to the curling edge should be generally straight and unobstructed. Sharp edges, other than at the curling edge, should be avoided at all costs if a consistent curl is to be produced.




Where the approach angle is less than about 20°, and depending on ribbon quality, no drag means are necessary; sufficient drag is generated by the approach angle, and the apparatus may include drag free guide means to vary the approach angle accordingly. Drag may alternatively be provided by a ribbon reel brake.




The unstressed ribbon may be mounted on a spool, or may comprise a ball, or may be supplied directly from ribbon making apparatus.




Preferably the device further includes blade means to separate said ribbon from said drive means. The blade means may include a stripping edge or air blowing means.




In a preferred embodiment the device may include shredding means downstream of said curling means and operable to shred said ribbon lengthwise. Means may be provided to move said shredding means into and out of operative contact with said ribbon. Means may further be provided to move said shredding means intermittently into contact with said ribbon thereby to produce lengths of shredded ribbon connected by webs of unshredded ribbon.




Where the device includes three wheels, the shredding means may be located between the second and third wheels.




In an alternative embodiment said shredding means may be between the curling means and drive means. Preferably the device includes an arcuate ribbon guide downstream of said curling means and for guiding said ribbon to said drive means, said shredding means being upstanding from said guide on the convex surface thereof. The convex surface of the ribbon guide is preferably in the opposite direction to that in which the ribbon tends to curl on exit from the curling blade, and will tend to press the shredding means against the ribbon as it curves around the guide.




The use of an arcuate guide between the curling means and the drive wheels also results in the ribbon approaching the drive wheels at other than the shortest distance between the curling arm and drive wheels. Such a guide may thus advantageously be used to increase the contact area between the ribbon and the first drive wheel.




The device may alternatively include guide apparatus to guide the ribbon from said second wheel to said shredding means; the guide apparatus may comprise a support extending transversely to the ribbon, or a wheel. Such apparatus is useful in preventing the ribbon wandering and thus ensuring shredded strips of consistent width.




In a further embodiment the drive means may have shredding blades mounted directly thereon for continuous or intermittent but continual shredding.




In the preferred embodiment the ribbon is driven by being squeezed between adjacent wheels of the train; the outermost wheels of the train may be flanged to guide the ribbon therebetween. Preferably the wheel width between flanges should be substantially the same as the ribbon width in order to ensure accurate guidance without wandering of the ribbon between flanges. The device may permit wheels of alternative width to be fitted to suit ribbons of different width. Such drive wheels may be fitted with a high grip material to increase tractive effort on the ribbon.











Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and alternatives shown by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:




BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a schematic elevation of a device constructed in accordance with the invention;





FIG. 2

is an enlarged elevation of a curling blade illustrated in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

is another enlarged elevation of a curling blade illustrated in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 4

shows an alternative support for the curling blade of the device;





FIG. 5

shows another alternative support for the curling blade of the device;





FIG. 6

shows apparatus for adjusting the approach angle of ribbon to the curling blade of the device;





FIG. 7

is a plan view of a train of three drive wheels;





FIG. 8

is a partial plan view of an adjustable curling arm illustrated in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 9

is an alternative adjustable curling arm;





FIG. 10

is yet another adjustable curling arm;





FIG. 11

illustrates an arcuate ribbon guide downstream of the curling blade, and





FIG. 12

is a plan view of a train of three drive wheels for a more than one ribbon.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




With reference to the drawings,

FIG. 1

illustrates a base


10


on which is mounted a support


11


for a reel


12


of polypropylene ribbon


13


. The support may comprise upstanding end plates (which may be triangular as illustrated) having a spindle


14


therebetween and about which the reel


12


is free to rotate in use. Suitable means, not shown, permit the spindle


14


, to be released so allowing an empty reel to be replaced. The reel may have a brake to impose a drag force on the ribbon.




A generally triangular frame


15


upstanding from the base has an aperture


16


at the apex approximately over the centre line of the spindle


14


; in the embodiment illustrated the aperture is in a top plate of the frame and of sufficient width and depth to suit the maximum and minimum reel diameters, and the length of the reel.




On one side of the aperture


16


is an upwardly directed curling blade


17


whose function will be described below. A curling arm


18


supported by any suitable means controls the approach angle of the ribbon to the blade


17


.




The curling arm


18


is supported for movement orthogonal to the ribbon in the direction illustrated by arrow


19


. The position of the arm


18


may be altered by means of an adjuster screw


20


threaded in an upstanding extension


21


of the frame


15


.





FIG. 2

illustrates the inner downwardly extending limb of the curling arm


18


, and the curling blade


17


; the arm causes the ribbon to adopt a desired approach angle to the blade and thus ensure consistent curling of the ribbon as the reel


12


unwinds. The adjuster screw


20


enables the approach angle


22


to be varied depending on the tightness of the desired ribbon curl and the range of effective spool radius. The ribbon may alternatively be taken around a fixed abutment


25


to ensure that the ribbon


13




a


approaches from a fixed point regardless of the effective radius of the spool


12


.




A series of three wheels


31


,


32


,


33


supported by any suitable means on the base


10


are arranged in contact with one another as illustrated. The wheels are of approximately the same diameter, the centre most


32


being motor driven. The outermost wheels


31


,


33


are idlers, the direction of rotation of each wheel being shown by arrows.




The outermost wheels


31


,


33


may include edge flanges (not shown) to prevent the ribbon wandering sideways off the wheels; the guide flanges are preferably set apart by slightly more than the actual ribbon width. The wheels may be interchangeable with others to suit different ribbon widths.




Ribbon


13


from the spool


12


passes upwardly through the aperture


16


, over the curling blade


17


, around and underneath wheel


31


, over wheel


32


and between wheels


32


and


33


as illustrated. The ribbon is driven by motor driven wheel


32


on both sides thereof.




Above and between wheels


32


and


33


is a guide wheel or rod


34


around which the ribbon passes before being driven between wheels


32


and


33


. Downstream of the guide wheel is a ribbon shredding device


35


having a plurality of shredder blades aligned with the direction of ribbon movement.




An air blower


36


downstream of wheel


33


ensures that shredded ribbon does not cling to wheel


32


and thus snag or jam the machine.




Shredded ribbon may be transported by a conveyer


37


, as illustrated, to a packing or storage location. The conveyer may be used in place of or in addition to the blower


36


.




In use the curling edge


17


imposes a permanent shear stress on one side of the ribbon


13


causing it to adopt a curled form in the free state. The ribbon


13


is pulled through the train of wheels


31


,


32


,


33


under light tension which holds the ribbon straight notwithstanding the tendency to curl. On exit from the train of wheels the ribbon immediately adopts a curled state and in that form is transported for storage or packing.




The tightness of curl is a function of ribbon tension over the blade, and the precise approach angle chosen.





FIG. 3

illustrates the effect of means, not shown, which permit variation of the approach angle to blade


17




a,


by varying the height of the curling blade


17




a


above the spool, the curling arm


18


being fixed. Movement of curling blade


17




a


may be in response to a screw-threaded adjuster and in the direction indicated by arrow


23


. Alternatively the curling arm


18


may be moved vertically with respect to a fixed blade as indicated by arrow


24


.




The diameter of the wheels


31


-


33


should not be such as to stress the “wrong” side of the ribbon thereby causing permanent shear stresses to be imposed in opposition to the stresses applied by the curling edge


17


.




The idler wheel


34


is optional but provides a convenient way of guiding the ribbon to the shredding device


35


. In the preferred embodiment the shredding device is mounted on means, not shown, which permit the shredding blades to be engaged and disengaged from the ribbon as desired. In place of the blower


36


a fence or other means of stripping the ribbon from wheel


32


could be provided. In some embodiments and with suitable attention to wheel design, the blower may be optional.




The train of wheels


31


-


33


may include additional members, or each wheel may be replaced by a spoked ‘ferris wheel’ arrangement in which spaced arms contact the ribbon at spaced locations. The ribbon could alternatively be pulled over the curling blade


17


by a conveyer belt working against a fixed roller or another belt.




The invention has been described with the intermediate wheel


32


motor driven. Alternatively the wheel


32


could be driven by hand. In other embodiments, the first or last wheel in the train, or any other wheel, could be driven with the same effect by virtue of the driving connection between the adjacent wheels.




The ribbon spool


12


may be positively driven by contact with wheel


31


or by chain or belt drive.




Alternatively spool


12


may be independently driven at a speed governed to suit the effective spool diameter (which changes as the ribbon unwinds) or arranged to impose a drag force on the ribbon in opposition to the tractive effort imposed by the train of wheels


31


-


33


.




A drag force could be imposed on the spool


12


by a separate brake means to adjust the braking effect—for example a screw down friction brake or a pulley tension system.




An alternative apparatus for adjusting approach angle is illustrated in FIG.


4


. The frame


15


has a fixed leg


41


on which the blade


17


is mounted, and a movable leg


42


connected to the base


10


by a hinge


43


. A stay


44


hinged to arm


41


at


45


supports leg


42


at any desired spacing by virtue of slot


46


through which passes a clamping screw


47


. The upper end of leg


42


is rounded and is adapted to contact ribbon


13


to impart a predetermined approach angle to the blade


17


. The angle of leg


42


is varied by releasing screw


47


thereby varying the approach angle of the ribbon to the drag means which is constituted by the end of the leg


42


in contact with the ribbon


13


moving leg


42


to a desired position, and reclamping screw


47


.




Yet another arrangement is illustrated in FIG.


5


. In this apparatus the legs of frame


15


are fixed in relation to the blade


17


. Mounted on the leg


51


adjacent the unwinding ribbon is a curved support


52


which imparts a precise approach angle to the ribbon


13


. The approach angle may be varied by moving support


52


vertically or horizontally, or by moving the axis of spool


12


. Suitable threaded adjusters may be provided to effect adjustment; the support


52


may for example be mounted on a carriage slidable with respect to the frame


15


. The support


52


may carry a friction material to exert greater drag on the ribbon


13


.




In the embodiments of

FIGS. 4 and 5

, the ribbon drag force imposed by the leg


42


or support


52


may vary as the spool unwinds. Accordingly it is preferable to include means to impose a constant drag force as noted above.




Furthermore it may be necessary to adjust the drag force, or provide additional drag from for example a ribbon reel brake, where the guide is a long way from the curling blade.





FIG. 6

illustrates yet another arrangement, in which ribbon is guided from a spool


12


to a guide


61


mounted on a stand


62


and thence to a curling blade


63


mounted on another stand


64


. The approach angle to the blade may be varied by adjusting the relative distance between stand


62


and stand


64


, or by adjusting the height of the guide


61


on the stand relative to the height of the curling blade


63


.




The drag force in this embodiment may be held constant for example by squeezing the ribbon between the guide


61


and the stand


62


. The drag force may be varied by constructing guide


61


as a screw-down friction brake.





FIG. 7

illustrates nested wheels in which the ribbon is guided by shoulders


39


of the outermost wheels


31


,


33


, the illustrated gap between the wheels being intended to be slightly less than ribbon thickness.





FIG. 8

is a view of the curling arm from above and showing the upstanding extension


21


.





FIG. 9

illustrates an alternative curling arm assembly and having a stepped arm


71


mounted on an upstanding extension


21




a


of the frame


15


. A screw threaded adjuster


72


moves the curling arm laterally along the extension


21




a


to bring an appropriate step of the arm


71


into contact with the ribbon thereby to alter the angle at which the ribbon approaches the blade


17


. Alternatively the arm


71


may be mounted for movement between fixed positions determined by e.g. one or more pegs


73


and a plurality of slots


74


as illustrated in FIG.


10


. The arm


71




a


may be guided on the frame


21




a


by any convenient means.





FIG. 11

illustrates an arcuate guide


81


under which the ribbon


13


passes from curling blade


17


to drive wheel


82


which may be the first in a train of wheels. The guide


81


may have one or more downwardly extending shredding blades


83


and/or downwardly extending shoulders to prevent lateral movement of the ribbon. The guide


81


comprises a ribbon guide forming a convex guide surface which controls the approach angle of ribbon to said drive wheels


31


,


32


, and


33


.





FIG. 12

illustrate in a plan an alternative to the arrangement of

FIG. 7

, in which the train of drive wheels


31




a,




32




a


and


33




a


have a plurality of tracks, each for engagement with a different ribbon.




As illustrated the use of the guide both ensures that the ribbon is drawn against the guide underside, and increases the peripheral contact area of the drive wheel


82


, as compared with the contact area where no guide is present.




The drawings accompanying this specification are schematic and illustrative. Accordingly many parts are shown in suitable relation to one another but with clearances and dimensions exaggerated or reduced in order to properly illustrate the embodiments described. Many of the embodiments may be modified to suit particular circumstances and to include features disclosed in relation to other embodiments.



Claims
  • 1. The method of producing a curled ribbon from a continuous supply of non-curled ribbon to ensure a continuous uninterrupted production of the curled ribbon comprising the steps ofi) providing a continuous supply of non-curled ribbon; ii) providing a curling device; iii) providing drawing apparatus downstream of the supply relative to the continuous operation of obtaining curled ribbon; iv) drawing the curled ribbon from the supply of non-curled ribbon so as to be in contact with the curling device so that the non-curled ribbon is imparted with a curl by virtue of being in engagement with the curling device; and v) separating the curled ribbon from the drawing apparatus subsequent to being drawn from the curling device to travel in a predetermined path so as to prevent entanglement of the curled ribbon with the drawing apparatus whereby the curled ribbon is mass produced.
  • 2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the material of the ribbon is taken from the group consisting essentially of polypropolene.
  • 3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the supply of ribbon is of sufficient width to produce strands of ribbon, shredding the ribbon into a multiple of stands, wherein in the step of drawing each of the non-curled ribbon the ribbon is placed in engagement with the curling device so as to mass produce a multiple of strands of ribbon without entanglement of any of the multiple stands in the drawing apparatus.
  • 4. The method of producing multiple strands of curled ribbon from a continuous supply of multiple strands of non-curled ribbon to ensure a continuous uninterrupted production of the curled ribbon comprising the steps ofi) providing a continuous supply of multiple strands of non-curled ribbon; ii) providing a curling device; iii) providing drawing apparatus downstream of the supply relative to the continuous operation of obtaining multiple strands of curled ribbon; iv) drawing each of the curled ribbon of the multiple strands from the supply of the multiple strands of non-curled ribbon so that each of the strands from the multiple strands of the non-curled ribbon is placed in contact with the curling device so that each strand of the non-curled ribbon is imparted with a curl by virtue of being in engagement with the curling device; and v) separating each strand of the multiple curled ribbon from the drawing apparatus subsequent to being drawn from the curling device to define a given flow path so as to prevent entanglement of any of the curled ribbon with the drawing apparatus whereby the strands of curled ribbon are mass produced.
  • 5. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the drawing includes a roller and each of the multiple ribbons is located adjacent to each other on the roller.
  • 6. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the multiple ribbons include at least two different colors.
  • 7. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the material of the ribbon is taken from the group consisting essentially of polypropolene.
  • 8. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the ribbon is made from at least two different materials.
  • 9. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the separation includes an air pressure device for producing either a positive or negative pressure force on the ribbons to keep the ribbons from contacting the drawing apparatus after the initial contacting thereof.
Priority Claims (2)
Number Date Country Kind
9124249 Nov 1991 GB
PCT/EP92/02636 Nov 1992 WO
Parent Case Info

This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/215,730, filed Dec. 18, 1998 whose status is allowed, which is a continuation of U.S. Patent of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/902,538, which is now U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,087 filed Jul. 29, 1997, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/650,493, filed May 20, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,752, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/244,022 filed May 13, 1994 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,492.

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Continuations (3)
Number Date Country
Parent 09/215730 Dec 1998 US
Child 09/482703 US
Parent 08/650493 May 1996 US
Child 09/215730 US
Parent 08/244022 May 1994 US
Child 08/650493 US