An apparatus for processing a line of material is disclosed. More particularly, an apparatus for assisting a user in tearing the line of material at a desired point therealong is disclosed.
In the context of paper-based protective packaging, rolls of paper sheet are crumpled to produce the dunnage. Most commonly, this type of dunnage is created by running a generally continuous strip of paper into a dunnage conversion machine that converts a compact supply of stock material, such as a roll or stack of paper, into a lower density dunnage material. The continuous strip of crumpled sheet material may be cut into desired lengths to effectively fill void space within a container holding a product. The dunnage material may be produced on an as needed basis for a packer. Examples of cushioning product machines that feed a paper sheet from an innermost location of a roll are described in U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2008/0076653 and 2008/0261794. Another example of a cushioning product machine is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0026306.
At a selected point along the processed line of material, a user may wish to sever the line so as to separate the line into two or more portions. Existing processing systems require the user to pull the line against a cutting member in order to sever a portion therefrom. Such pulling requires the user to exert a force against the line.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,407,471 discloses a device with two restraining members that close on a strip of dunnage to grip the strip while the a feeding assembly operates in reverse to tear the strip.
It would therefore be desirable to employ a line processing apparatus and system with a tear-assist apparatus. In particular, it would be desirable to employ an apparatus that lessens the force required of a user to sever a processed line of material at a desired point.
In some embodiments, a material dispenser can comprise a dispensing member configured to dispense a line of the material along a path in a downstream direction and a cutting member. The cutting member can have a cutting edge extending generally downstream with respect to the path and can have a convex shape across the path such that the cutting edge engages and sequentially initiates cuts through the line of material when the line of material is pulled against the cutting member, thereby reducing cutting forces. The cutting member can further comprise cutting elements on the cutting edge extending generally downstream with respect to the path and can be arranged with respect to each other along the convex cutting edge. The cutting member can comprise a blade that can have a blade flat that extends generally downstream along the path and terminating on a downstream side thereof at the cutting elements. The blade flat can have a substantially flat surface. In some embodiments, the convex shape is an arc.
In some embodiments, the cutting edge can be serrated and the cutting elements can comprise tips of the serrations.
In some embodiment, the blade can be pivotable about a blade axis that extends generally transverse to the path such that the pulling of the line of material against the cutting elements displaces the blade about the blade axis. The material dispenser can further comprise a tear-assist unit that can be operable to pull the line of material against the cutting member to initiate the cuts and a sensing unit that can be configured to detect the displacement of the blade about the blade axis and associated with the tear-assist unit to trigger the tear-assist unit to drive the line of material in a reverse direction along the path against the cutting member to initiate a tear in the line of material.
The material dispenser, in some embodiments, can further comprise a tear-assist unit can be that operable to pull the line of material against the cutting member to initiate the cuts. In some embodiments, the tear-assist unit can be operable to pull the line of material upstream with respect to the path against the cutting member to initiate the cuts. The tear-assist unit can comprise a dispensing member and can be operable in reverse to pull the material upstream. The dispensing member can comprise a converting station that can be operable to convert supply material into the line of material as low-density dunnage. the tear-assist unit, dispensing member, and converting station comprise a drum that is operable for dispensing a line of material, converting a line of material into low-density dunnage, and pulling the line of material upstream with respect to the path against the cutting member to initiate cuts.
Some embodiments can further comprise a sensing unit that can be configured to detect a pulling of the line of material by a user in a predetermined direction. The sensing unit can be associated with the tear-assist unit such that upon detection of the pulling of the line of material by the user against the cutting member, the sensing unit triggers the tear-assist unit to drive the line of material in a reverse direction along the path against the cutting member to initiate a tear in the line of material. The sensing unit can comprise a switch sensitive the displacement of the cutting unit indicative of a user pulling on the material against the cutting unit. In some embodiments, the sensing unit can be configured to detect the movement of the drum in the forward direction by the pulling of the line of material by the user, and upon detection, triggers the tear-assist unit to drive the line of material in a reverse direction along the path against the cutting member to initiate a tear in the line of material.
In some embodiments, the line of material can comprise of a line of dunnage.
The dispensing member, in some embodiments, can comprise a converting station that can be operable to convert supply material into the line of material as low-density dunnage, and the line of material is ribbon of paper sheet material. In some embodiments, the converting station can be configured for longitudinally creasing the supply material to convert the supply material into the dunnage. The tear-assist unit can be operable in a reverse direction for pulling the dunnage against the cutting member to cause the cutting member to cut the dunnage when the dunnage is pulled against the cutting member.
The blade in some configurations can comprise teeth having tips spaced from each other and positioned along the convex shape to sequentially engage the material pulled thereagainst. The cutting elements can be spaced from each other so that when a user grips and pulls the line of material against the cutting member, the line of material initially contacts an initial group of the number of cutting elements that face the material, and contacts additional ones of the cutting elements once the initial group has initiated cutting the material.
In some embodiments, a dunnage apparatus can comprise a converting station that can converts a line of material into dunnage and dispenses the dunnage along a path in a downstream direction, and a tear-assist apparatus that can comprise a cutting member having cutting elements extending generally downstream with respect to the path and arranged with respect to each other along a convex shape across the path, such that the cutting edge engages and sequentially initiates cuts through the line of material when the line of material is pulled against the cutting member, thereby reducing cutting forces, the tear-assist apparatus configured to operably pull the line of material upstream against the cutting members to initiate the cuts. The tear-assist unit and converting station can comprise a drum that is operable for dispensing a line of material, converting a line of material into low-density dunnage, and pulling the line of material upstream with respect to the path against the cutting member to initiate the cuts.
The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord with the present concepts, by way of example only, not by way of limitations. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements.
An apparatus for processing a line of material is disclosed. More particularly, an apparatus for assisting a user in tearing or otherwise breaking off or detaching a portion from the line of material at a desired point therealong is disclosed. The present disclosure is generally applicable to systems and apparatus where supply material, preferably being a line of material, is processed. In an example system, the line of material originates from a source repository, where the line of material is stored in a roll (whether drawn from inside or outside the roll), a wind, a fan-folded source, or another suitable form. In one embodiment, the line of material can be perforated. The line of material is then processed, which can include driving the line of material in an output direction, such as a dispensing direction. In one example system, the line of material is fed from the repository through a drive roller in a dispensing direction, which is further discussed below, so as to dispense the line of material in said direction. The supply material can also be other types of protective packaging including other dunnage and void fill materials, and inflatable packaging pillows. A particular application of the apparatus described herein is the processing of dunnage material for packaging. Other applications can also be used, including lines of other paper or fiber-based materials in sheet form, lines of wound fiber material such as ropes or thread, and lines of thermoplastic materials such as a web of plastic material usable to form pillow packaging material.
Referring to
In one configuration, the infeed member 78 can include an optional inlet guide 12 for guiding the sheet material into the system 10. In the embodiment of
Preferably, the system 10 also includes an actuator for driving the line of material 19. The actuator, in some embodiments, can be part of or associated with the converting station 102. In the preferred embodiment, the actuator is an electric motor 11 or other motive device. The motor 11 is connected to a power source, such as an outlet via a power cord, and may be arranged and configured for driving the system 10. The system 10 can include a transmission portion for transferring power from the motor 11. Alternatively, a direct drive may be used. The motor 11 may be arranged in a housing and may be secured to a first side of the central housing. In some configurations, the line of material 19 can be driven by manually and without power.
During operation of the preferred embodiment, the dispensing member 74 dispenses the line of material 19 by driving it in a downstream, dispensing direction, depicted as arrows “A” in
As shown in
Preferably, the roller 14 has an approximately 2 inch diameter and an approximately 2 inch width. Preferably, the drum 17 has an about 4 to 5 inch diameter. In other configurations, the drum 17 can have a diameter that is up to about 10 to 12 inches, and other embodiments, the drum 17 can have a diameter that is more or less than 10 to 12 inches. Preferably, the drum 17 has a width that is about 4 inches. In other configurations, the drum 17 can have a width that is up to about 10 to 12 inches, and other embodiments the drum 17 can have a width that is more or less than 10 to 12 inches. Other diameters of the rollers may also be provided. The roller diameter may be sufficiently large to control the incoming line of material 19 stream. That is, for example, when the high speed incoming line of material 19 stream diverges from the dispensing direction “A”, portions of the line of material 19 can contact an exposed surface of the rollers 14, which can pull the diverging portion down onto the drum 17 and help crush and crease the resulting bunching material. In the preferred embodiment, the motor 11 is connected to a cylindrical driving drum 17, which is caused to rotate by the motor 11. This embodiment can also include one or more drum guides 16 arranged on axial ends thereof in a lateral position relative to the feed direction “H”. The drum guides 16 may help to guide the line of material 19 toward the center of the drum 17. The drum guide 16 may be operably connected to the drum 17 to rotate freely with or without the drum 17. As such, the drum guide 16 may be supported off of the drive shaft 84 of the drum 17 via a bearing or other isolating element for allowing the drum guide 16 to rotate relative to the drum 17. In addition, the drum guide 16 may be isolated from the axial side of the drum 17 by an additional space, bearing, or other isolation element for minimizing the transfer of rotational motion from the drum 17 to the guide 16. In other embodiments, the outer drum guide 16 may be supported via a bearing off of the outer axial side of the drum 17 rather than off of the drive shaft 82, for example. While a drum 17 connected with motor 11 is disclosed in this embodiment as part of the dispensing member 84 for driving the line of material 19 in the dispensing direction “A”, it will be appreciated that driving mechanisms and means of powering them are possible.
Referring to
In the example shown, the pressing portion 13, which can include a pressing member such as rollers 14, can be disposed about a pivot axis such that, ignoring gravitational force, the pressing portion 13 is substantially free to pivot in a direction tending to separating the rollers 14 from the drum 17 about the pivot point. To resist this substantially free rotation, the rollers 14 can be secured in position by a position control system configured to maintain the rollers 14 in tangential contact with the drum 17, unless or until a sufficient separation force is applied, and hold the rollers 14 in a released position, once released. As such, when the material 19 passes between the drum 17 and the roller 14, the position control system can resist separation between the pressing portion 13 and the drum 17 thereby pressing the stream of sheet material and converting it into a low-density dunnage. When the rollers 14 are released due to a jam or other release causing force, the position control system can hold the rollers 14 in a released position allowing the jam to be cleared and preventing damage to the machine, jammed material, or human extremities, for example.
The position control system can include one or more biasing elements arranged and configured to maintain the position of the pressing portion 13 unless or until a separation force is applied. In the exemplary embodiment, the one or more biasing element can include a magnetic biasing element 196, as disclosed in U.S. Publication 2012/0165172. The magnetic biasing element 196, shown in
Once the pressing portion 13 is released, the magnets in the release hold element can function to hold the pressing portion 13 in the released condition. In one configuration, the force it takes to release the pressing portion 13 can be greater than the force required to place the pressing portion 13 back into an engaged position. This releasing mechanism can be advantageous to situations in which the user incorrectly positions the sticker on the supply unit, for example, and the supply units and sticker causes the converting station 102 to jam. In such situation, once the release force is reached due to the jam, the pressing portion 13 can release to a release position allowing for the user to easily remove the jam and preventing damage to the converting station 102. While in the embodiment shown, the pressing member are rollers 14, it is appreciated that the pressing member can be a single roller, belt, fixed slide, or other suitable element that biases the material 19 against the drum 17.
The system can further include a tear-assist apparatus 76 to facilitate cutting the line of material 19. The tear-assist apparatus 76 can include a tear-assist unit 86 operable for driving the line of material 19 against the cutting edge 20. In the preferred embodiment, the tear-assist unit 86 pulls the line of material 19 against the cutting member 15, preferably from a distal side of the cutting edge 20 opposite from where a user would pull against the free end of the line of material 19, when activated. Preferably, the tear-assist unit 86 pulls the line of material upstream in a direction opposite the dispensing direction “A” and back towards the converting station 102 and supply side 60, i.e. in the reverse direction. In the embodiment shown, tear-assist unit 86 includes the drum 17. It is appreciated, however, that in other embodiments, the tear-assist unit 86 can include a separate drum or mechanism for driving the line of material 19 in reverse. As shown in
To initiate the tear-assist apparatus of the embodiment shown, a user pulls on the line of material 19 in a pulling direction (depicted as direction “D” in
The tear-assist apparatus can include a cutting member to facilitate cutting the line of material 19. In the embodiment shown, cutting member includes a blade 15 and the pulling of the line of material 19 against the blade 15 cuts the line of material 19. The blade 15 is disposed on a single lateral side of or downstream of the material path “B”. Preferably, the blade 15 is disposed adjacent and below the drum 17, and substantially downstream along the material path “B”. It is appreciated that in other configurations, the blade 15 can be arranged in other suitable positions with respect to the converting station 102. Preferably, the tear-assist apparatus include a single cutting member or blade 15 that relies on the user holding the material against the blade to cut the material 19 and not a second mechanical member.
The cutting member can include a forward portion 23, and a back portion 25. In the embodiment shown, the back portion 25 and forward portion 23 are angled with respect of each other. The back portion 25 includes a finger guard 22 (further described below) to prevent the line of material 19, user appendages, and other debris from falling back behind the drum 17. In other configurations, the forward portion 23 and back portion 25 can extend along the same plane. For example, extend along the dispensing direction “A” or curved along the material path “B” downstream the dispensing direction “A”. It is appreciated, however, that in some configurations the cutting member does not include the back portion 25.
The forward portion 23 in the embodiment shown comprises the blade 15. The blade 15 has a blade flat 26 that extends from the cutting edge 20 to the back portion 25. A blade flat 26 is a term of art known to mean the portion of an extensive surface leading back from the cutting edge. Preferably, the blade flat 26 is generally flat and extends generally downstream along the blade 15 and terminates on at the cutting edge 20. It is appreciated, however, that in other configurations the blade flat 26 can have an arcuate shape, bowed, or curved. The blade flat 26 can act as a guide for the dispensing line of material 19 such that it guides or deflects the line of material 19 away from the converting station 102 in the dispensing direction “A”.
The blade 15 can include a cutting portion, such as a cutting edge 20, at the leading end thereof, which is oriented away from the converting station 102. The cutting edge 20 can be disposed at the leading end of the blade 15 and downstream the dispensing direction “A”. The cutting edge 20 is preferably configured to sufficiently engage the line of material 19 when the line of material 19 is pulled against the cutting edge 20 or drawn in reverse, as described below.
Preferably, the blade 15 extends downstream from the converting station 102 in the dispensing direction “A”. Preferably, the blade 15 is positioned such that it extends along a plane substantially tangent the drum 17. In the embodiment shown, the blade 15 extends generally in the dispensing direction “A” along a horizontal plane. It is appreciated that in other embodiments, other positions of the blade 15 can also be used, for example, the blade 15 can be positioned such that the cutting edge 20 extends generally perpendicular to the dispensing direction “A” such that the line of material 19 passes over the cutting edge 20 and the cutting edge 20 guides the line of material 19 as it is dispensed.
As shown in
Alternatively, in some configurations, the cutting edge 20 can comprise of a series of straight segments that together form a generally arcuate or convex shape. Each segment can include several cutting elements arranged in a straight line, or can be continuous, curved arc, or can include other arrangements that collectively define the convex arc so to reduce the number of cutting elements that initially engage and/or cut the material at any particular time as the material is pulled against the blade 15. In yet other configurations, the cutting edge 20 can have other configurations, for example, the cutting edge 20 can be a straight, blunt or sharp edge in which the straight edge is transverse the dispensing direction “A”. Alternatively, the cutting edge 20 can have an arcuate shape in which the cutting edge 20 arcs upward toward the line of material 19 such that it (and optionally the blade flat) forms a U-shape and the top portion of the U-shape extends upward toward the line of material 19, or in other configurations, the legs of the U-shape can extend toward the line of material 19 with the U-portion extending downward.
The cutting edge 20 can include contact elements, such as cutting elements, which are configured to engage the line of material 19 to facilitate initiating a tear or partially or fully tearing through the material 19. The cutting elements can be spaced along the cutting edge 20 sufficiently such that when the line of material 19 is being pulled in reverse or when the user is pulling the line of material 19 against the cutting edge 20, the cutting elements catch on the line of material 19. The cutting elements catching on the line of material 19 creates resistance or force against the reverse direction and cuts the line of material 19.
As shown in
Preferably, the teeth 21 include a tip 32 at the leading edge. Preferably, the tip 32 has a blunted edge so that it is less prone to puncturing all the way through the line of material 19 creating large puncture holes. The tip 32 of the teeth 21 can have a transverse width 34 of about 0.05 mm to about 1 or 5 mm or more in some embodiments, and can be blunted or sharp.
The teeth 21 are preferably spaced from each other at a sufficient distance such that when the line of material 19 is pulled in a pulling direction “D” against the cutting edge 20, the pressure of the line of material 19 against the teeth 21 is concentrated on a fraction of the number of teeth 21 along the cutting edge 20 and thereby minimizing tearing forces. For example, the teeth 21 can be spaced from each other at a suitable pitch 36 depending on the material processed through the system, with pitch 36 typically being of about at least 5 mm, and more typically at least 1 cm or 2 cm, up to typically about 6 cm, and more typically up to about 5 cm or 4 cm. In one embodiment the teeth pitch 36 is around 3 cm with the width 38 being about 15 cm. In the preferred embodiment, as shown in
The cutting member can also include a finger guard 22, as shown in
In operation, the user feeds a desired length of the line 19 at the supply side 60 of the converting station 102 which is then moved in a dispensing direction “A” by the operation of the motor 11 and dispensed at the outfeed side 61, such as out the dispensing member. The drum 17 turns in coordination therewith, and the line 19 is fed out of the machine along a material path “B”. The material path “B” can be broken up into separate segments: feed path, outfeed path, and severable path. In the embodiment shown in
The drum 17 continues dispensing the line of material 19 until a desired length has been reached. At this point, the operator or user stops the motor 11, and the dispensing movement of the line 19 stops. The user then pulls the line of material 19 at the severable portion 24 in a pulling direction “D”. As discussed above, because of the convex or arc shape of the blade 15, the line of material 19 can sufficiently engage the blade 15, such as at the teeth 21, when pulled in a downward direction that is generally transverse and angled with respect to the dispensing direction “A”, for example, to the left or right of the dispensing direction “A”.
Upon pulling the line of material 19 by the user, the tear-assist unit causes the drum 17 to drive the line of material 19 in a reverse direction. In one embodiment, as the drum 17 rotates in reverse, a portion of the converted line of material 19 can be reversed back under the pressing members.
In the preferred embodiment, the cutting edge 20 has a transverse width 38 that extends across the material path “A” (as shown in
The initial contact area 88 is a portion of the entire cutting edge 20, and has a transverse width 90 that is less than the transverse width 38 of the cutting edge 20. The contact area 88 has a transvers width 90 that is preferably up to about ¾ the transverse width 38, more preferably up to about ½ the transverse width 38, and most preferably, up to about ⅓ the transverse width 38. The contact area 88 has a transverse width that is preferably at least about ⅛ the transverse width 38, more preferably about at least ¼ the transverse width 38, most preferably about at least ⅓ the transverse width 38.
The transverse width 38 is preferably at least about the width of the line of material 19 being dispensed from the dispensing member 74. In some embodiments, the transverse width 38 is about at least 2 inches to about at most 20 inches, or about at least 3 inches to about at most 10 inches. In some embodiments, the transverse width 38 is about 5 inches. Preferably, as shown in
In one embodiment, a line processing unit includes and functions as all of the tear-assist unit 86, the dispensing member 84, and the converting station 102 and also includes a drum and pressing portion. In such embodiment, for example, the tear-assist unit 86, the dispensing member 84, and the converting station 102 all include the drum 17. As such, the tear assist unit 86 can include all or part of the dispensing member 84 and/or the converting station 102. In alternative embodiments, however, one or more of these systems can include separate elements that manipulate the material. In the present embodiment, drum 17 drives the line of material 19 in the dispensing member 84 in both the dispensing direction and reverse direction. In one embodiment, the reverse movement is by a power source other than the motor 11.
In some embodiments, the reverse rotation is a pulse of the drum 17 initiated by the tear-assist unit 86 can be about less than a millisecond in duration, or about less than 10 milliseconds in duration, or about less than 100 seconds in duration, although other types of movement can be used. In some embodiments, the line 19 may be pulled along the material path “B” opposite the dispensing direction “A” toward the supply side 60 of the converting station 102 by at least about 0.25 inches, 0.5 inches, 1 inch, 2 inches, or 5 inches, or more during the cutting operation. In the preferred embodiment, the line 19 is pulled into the opposite direction toward the supply side at a sufficient distance, preferably about ½ inch to an inch, such that the converted line of material 19 is not pulled so far toward the supply side 60 that it disengages with the converting station 102, and thus requiring the material 19 to be reloaded onto the converting station 102.
In the preferred embodiment, the reverse movement of the line of material 19 and the pull of the line 19 in the pulling direction “D” cooperatively cuts the line of material 19. Preferably, the cutting edge 20 sufficiently catches the line of material 19, for example caused at the cutting elements, such that the force of the reverse movement and the resistance caused by the cutting edge 20 causes the line of material 19 to cut. For example, preferably, the teeth 21 at the cutting edge 20 catches or engages the line of material 19 by partially piercing through the material 19 at the tip 32 of the teeth. In one embodiment, the reverse movement pulls a slight distance such that the line 19 creates a weakened area or a partial tear.
As illustrated in
In other embodiments of the cutting member, the member can be a bar or a wire that sufficiently engages the line of material 19 such that both the force of the user pulling in one direction and the force of the tear-assist unit 86 pulling the line of material 19 in a reverse direction cooperatively partially or fully tears the line of material 19.
The tear-assist apparatus 76 can further comprise a sensing unit 42 that senses the movement of the line of material 19 as it is pulled in the pulling direction “D” or, in some configurations, a downward direction. The sensing unit 42 is associated with the tear-assist unit 86 such that when the line of material 19 is pulled in the pulling direction “D” or downward direction, the sensing unit 42 activates or triggers the tear-assist unit 86.
Upon the user pulling on the line of material 19 in a trigger direction “D”, the blade 15 pivots about the pivoting shaft member 60 moving the blade 15 and mounting plate 56 in a generally downward direction. Preferably the forward shaft member 44 remains fixed such that as the mounting plate 56 and blade 15 move downward, the forward shaft member 44 is released from the switch plunger 54 because the movement of the mounting plate 56 closes the gap 50, which is initially above the forward shaft member 44 in the rest position.
In some embodiments, the force required to displace the blade 15 is about at least ½ lb., about at least 1 lb., or about at least 2 lbs. In some embodiments, the force is about at most about 10 lbs., and more preferably the triggering force is about at most about 5 lbs, at most about 4 lbs, or at most about 2 lbs. Other triggering forces can be selected.
In alternative embodiments, the sensing unit is configured to detect parameters indicative of the user pulling the severable portion 24 of the dunnage out from the device and against the cutting member. For example, in one embodiment, the sensor is configured to detect the displacement other than in rotation, of the cutting member with respect to the converting station. Upon detecting the minimum displacement of the cutting member, which reflects that a user is pulling by hand on the material, the motor can be activated causing reverse movement on the line of material 19, or another mechanism can pull the material against the cutting member.
In one embodiment of the sensor, the sensor is configured to detect the current induced in the motor 11 by the dunnage pulling the motor 11 in a forward direction. Upon detecting the minimum current, which is reflective of the minimum speed and/or distance of the dunnage being pulled out of the machine that is commenced of a user pulling by hand, the motor is activated to reverse.
In another alternative embodiment of the sensing unit, the sensing unit is configured to detect parameters reflective of a pulling initiated only by the user, and not from another part of the device or due to residual motion of the converting station 102. Thus, while the converting station 102 is in operation, the motion of the dispensing member 74, dispensing of the line of material 19, or other motions will not cause the sensing unit to trigger the tear assist apparatus.
In one embodiment of the sensing unit, when the appropriate trigger force is applied to the line of material 19, the sensing unit sends a signal to the tear-assist unit 86 to initiate a short rotational movement of the drum 17 in the direction opposite the dispensing direction “A”, thereby causing the line 19 to be pulled in a reverse direction. As discussed above, this reverse motion and the pulling by the user cooperatively engages the line of material 19 with the cutter 15 causing the line of material 19 to partially or fully tear or sever. The tear-assist thereby assists the user in tearing the line. In one embodiment, this short reverse impulse causes the line 19 to engage more directly with the cutting edge 20 of the blade 15, and as such assists the user in tearing or severing the line 19. The cutting edge 20 sufficiently catches the line of material 19 such that the reverse pull caused by the drum 17 provides a tear-assist force, and decreases the force required by the user pull in order to sever the line 19.
In another embodiment, the sensing unit detects the pulling motion by the sensing of electric current or voltage in the motor 11 while not in operation. For example, as the user pulls the line 19, the drum 17 is caused to rotate, which in turn causes the motor to rotate. This rotation of the motor 11 induces an electric current therein, which may be detected by the sensing unit. At this point, the sensing unit causes the motor to operate, as discussed above, in the direction opposite the dispensing direction. In an alternate embodiment, pull motion is detected by the sensing unit using mechanical members, for example a switch or button or like member is engaged and caused to be moved when the line 19 is pulled, such movement being detectible by the sensing unit.
As discussed above, in the preferred embodiment, the supply material is a line of material 19, such as preferably a line of sheet material. The sheet material preferably has a basis weight of about at least 20 lbs to about at most 100 lbs. Preferably, the line of material 19 comprises paper stock stored in a high-density configuration having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, which is later converted into a low-density configuration. In the preferred embodiment, the line of material 19 is a ribbon of sheet material that is stored as coreless rolls, as shown in
The sheet of material may be made of a single ply or multiple plies of material. Where multi-ply material is used, a layer can include multiple plies. It is also appreciated that other types of material can be used, such as pulp-based virgin and recycled papers, newsprint, cellulose and starch compositions, and poly or synthetic material, of suitable thickness, weight, and dimensions.
In one embodiment, as shown in
Preferably, as the material 19 is being fed into the converting station 102 as a coiled stream. It is appreciated, however, that the material may not be oriented as a coil, but in alternative embodiments, could be folded, crumpled, flat without any coil, fold, or crumple, or could have other similar configurations. The preferred width of the material being fed through the converting station 102 is about at least 1″, more preferably about at least 2″, and most preferably about at least 4″. The preferred width 30 of the material being fed through the converting station 102 is about up to 30″, and more preferably about up to 10″.
Preferably, the line of material 19 being dispensed from the dispensing member 74 has a width that is less than the width of the drum 17. Preferably, the line of material 19 being dispensed from the dispensing member 17 has a width of about 3 inches. In other embodiments, the line of material 19 being dispensed from the dispensing member has a width that is up to about 10 to 12 inches, and in other embodiments, the width can be more or less than 10 to 12 inches. When the user grabs the line of material 19 at the severable portion 24, the width of the line of material 19 at the cutting location 40 is less than the width of the line of material 19 dispensed from the dispensing member 74. Preferably, the of the line of material at the cutting location 40 when the severable portion 24 is grabbed by the user is about 3 inches.
An illustrative flowchart of a method for operating the tear-assist application is depicted in
With respect to any of the embodiments above, as shown in
The controller 1000 may also include a computer-accessible medium (e.g., as described herein above, a storage device such as a hard disk, floppy disk, memory stick, CD-ROM, RAM, ROM, etc., or a collection thereof) can be provided (e.g., in communication with a processing arrangement). The computer-accessible medium can contain executable instructions thereon. In addition or alternatively, a storage arrangement can be provided separately from the computer-accessible medium, which can provide the instructions to the processing arrangement so as to configure the processing arrangement to execute certain exemplary procedures, processes and methods, as described herein above, for example.
Any and all references specifically identified in the specification of the present application are expressly incorporated herein in their entirety by reference thereto. The term “about,” as used herein, should generally be understood to refer to both the corresponding number and a range of numbers. Moreover, all numerical ranges herein should be understood to include each whole integer within the range.
While illustrative embodiments of the invention are disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that numerous modifications and other embodiments may be devised by those skilled in the art. For example, the features for the various embodiments can be used in other embodiments. Therefore, it will be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and embodiments that come within the spirit and scope of the present invention.