Web trim collection system

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6588056
  • Patent Number
    6,588,056
  • Date Filed
    Friday, October 5, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, July 8, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
A web trim collection system having an air pressure system to move web trim. A divert bin operable in a first position to allow the web trim to be deposited in a collection bin. The divert bin is also operable in a second position to intercept the web trim, so as to allow the collection bin to be removed from the collection system while the collection system continues to collect trim.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention is related generally to web handling apparatus and more particularly, to the collecting and removing of web trim.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Some printers and document handling systems use one or more tractor feeders to move a continuous paper web. In the tractor feeders, sprockets are generally use to drive strips at the outer edges of a paper web. The strips are often trimmed or stripped away in a post-processing step. These paper strips, or web trim, are thrown out or recycled. In the stripping processing, paper dust is usually generated as the strips are trimmed. The web trim and paper dust must be somehow collected and discarded.




U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,232 (Freeman et al.) discloses a trim removal system, wherein the trim is collected in a receiving funnel and moved into a collection drum by vacuum fans. The web trim is wound into a bale and paper dust is trapped in a dust trap for disposal. While the bale could simplify the disposal of the web trim, the remove system must be equipped with a rewinding mechanism for winding the bale. This increases the complexity of the design and the manufacturing and maintenance costs. Furthermore, when the bale is removed from the trim removal system, the rewinding mechanism must be stopped.




Thus, it is advantageous and desirable to provide a trim removal system with a simplified design, wherein the collected trim can be removed from the system while the system continues the trim collection operation.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a web trim collection system, wherein the trim can be collected without interruption even when the collected trim is removed from the system for disposal. This object can be achieved by using a collection bin to collect the trim under normal operation, and a divert bin to receive the trim when the collection bin is removed from the collection system for changeovers of the collection bin.




According to the first aspect of the present invention, a web trim collection system connected to a trim receiver which receives web trim, said system comprising:




a channel having a first end and a second end, the first end communicating with the trim receiver;




a divert bin having an inlet in communication with the second end of the channel, wherein the divert bin further has a collection region, an aperture, and means for operating the divert bin between a first position and a second position,




a collection bin having an inlet communicable with the aperture of the divert bin when the divert bin is operated in a first position so as to allow the web trim to pass through the divert bin and to be deposited into the collection bin, and when the divert bin is operated in the second position, the collection region of the divert bin collects the web trim received through the receiving end of the divert bin, thereby preventing the web trim from being deposited into the collection bin and allowing the collection bin to be removed from said web trim collection system for changeovers of the collection bin while said collection system continues to collect web trim; and




a trim moving mechanism for moving the web trim from the trim receiver into the divert bin or further into the collection bin.




Preferably, when the divert bin is operated in the first position, the collection region is so positioned that the web trim collected in the collection region can be deposited into the inlet of the collection bin through the aperture of the divert bin.




Preferably, the trim moving mechanism comprises an air pressure system for creating an air flow from the trim receiver through the channel, wherein the air pressure system can be one or more blowing fans or vacuum/motor units.




Preferably, the web collection system comprises a sensing mechanism to sense the level of the web trim deposited in the collection bin when the divert bin is operated in the first position, and the system further comprises a warning device which is turned on when the sensing mechanism senses that the level of the web trim deposited in the collection bin has reached a predetermined level. Preferably, the sensing mechanism is capable of causing the system to shut down when the collection bin is filled.




According to the present invention, the web trim collection system comprises one or more air outlets for discharging air brought in by the air flow from the trim collection system into an area surrounding the web trim collection system through one or more air filters.




According to the present invention, the web trim collection system comprises one or more flapper doors communicable with the air outlets and the collection bin for allowing the air in the collection bin to be discharged from the air outlet through the trapper doors when the divert bin is operated in the first position, wherein the trapper doors are closed when the divert bin is operated in the second position so as to prevent the air in the collection bin from entering the air outlets.




According to the present invention, the collection system can be manually turned on or off using a control switch on the collection system or remotely turned on or off by an external device or console through an interface.




According to the present invention, the collection system comprises a platform having a seal, wherein the platform can be operated in a first platform position in contact with the collection bin so as to provide an air seal to the collection bin with the seal when the divert bin is operated in the first position, and the platform can be operated in a second platform position separate from the collection bin so as to allow the collection bin to be removed from the web trim collection system. The collection system further comprises a sensing mechanism to sense the position of the divert bin so as to prevent the platform to be operated in the second platform position when the divert bin is operated in the first position.




According to the present invention, a control lever is used for manually changing the operating position of the divert bin.




The present invention will become apparent upon reading the description taken in conjunction with

FIGS. 1

to


5


.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view showing the web trim collection system, according to the present invention.





FIG. 2



a


is a diagrammatic representation illustrating the operation of the web trim collection system, according to the present invention, when the trim is deposited into a collection bin.





FIG. 2



b


is a diagrammatic representation illustrating the operation of the web trim collection system, according to the present invention, when the trim is temporarily deposited into a divert bin.





FIG. 2



c


is a diagrammatic representation illustrating the removal of the collection bin from the web trim collection system, while the trim collection system continues to collect trim.





FIG. 3

is a diagrammatic representation illustrating the preferred embodiment of the divert bin, according to the present invention.





FIG. 4



a


is a diagrammatic representation illustrating the divert bin operated at a first position to allow the trim to be deposited into the collection bin and air in the collection bin to move out into the environment as clean air.





FIG. 4



b


is a diagrammatic representation illustrating the divert bin operated at a second position to allow the trim to be deposited into the collection region of the divert bin.





FIG. 5

is a rear view showing the back panel of the web trim collection system, according to the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




As shown in

FIG. 1

, the web trim collection system


10


, according to the present invention, has a main body


12


, operatively connected to a platform


30


which is positioned on top of a collection bin


40


. The platform


30


, under the control of a control switch


32


, can be lowered to make contact with the collection bin


40


in a normal trim-collecting operation, and raised to allow the collection bin


40


to be removed from the collection system


10


for changeovers of the collection bin


40


. Preferably, the platform


30


has a tamping door/window


34


to allow visual monitoring of the scrap level. The tamping door


34


can be opened using a door handle


36


for tamping the scrap inside the collection bin


40


, if necessary or so desired. As shown in

FIG. 1

, the platform


30


has a divert bin housing


48


, which houses a divert bin


50


(see

FIGS. 2



a


-


4




b


), and a control lever


58


for controlling the position of the divert bin


50


. The platform


30


also has two side-compartments


150


to allow air to flow therethrough (see

FIGS. 4



a


-


4




b


). Preferably, the collection system


10


has a warning device, such as a warning light


100


or an audible device


102


to indicate that level of the scrap in the collection bin


10


has reached a predetermined level and that the scrap should be tamped or the collection bin


40


emptied. A manual control switch


112


can be used to manually turn on or turn off the collection system


10


.





FIG. 2



a


illustrates the normal operation of the web trim collection system, when the trim is deposited into the collection bin


40


. As shown, the collection system


10


is connected to a trim receiver


210


, which receives web trim


200


from a web handling system (not shown). The web handling system is not part of the invention. The collection system


10


has a channel


70


to channel the web trim


200


from an inlet


72


to an outlet


74


for discharging the web trim into a receiving end


52


of the divert bin


50


. As shown, the collection system


10


has an air pressure system


60


to create a pressure difference between the trim receiver


210


and the channel


70


for moving the trim


200


from the trim receiver


210


to the outlet


74


. Under normal operations, the divert bin


50


is operated at a first position (see

FIG. 4



a


) so as to allow the web trim


200


to be deposited into the collection bin


40


through an aperture


54


of the divert bin


50


. The movement of the trim


200


is symbolically represented by arrow


202


. Preferably, the air pressure system


60


includes a blowing fan or vacuum/motor unit


62


to cause the web trim


200


to pass through the divert bin


50


and to be deposited into the collection bin


40


. It is preferable to connect the vacuum/motor unit


62


to a muffler


64


to reduce the noise generated by the vacuum/motor unit


62


. As shown in

FIG. 2



a,


the collection system


10


has a lifting mechanism


90


operatively connection to an actuator


92


, which is controlled by a control switch


32


(FIG.


1


). When the actuator


92


is actuated, the lifting mechanism


90


can lower the platform


30


to make contact with the collection bin


40


for providing an air seal to the collection bin


40


through a seal


44


. Also shown in

FIG. 2



a


is a filtration chamber


80


having one or more air filters


82


to remove paper dust from the air so that the air moves out into the environment as clean air. As shown, the air moves from the collection bin


40


through one or more exhausts


84


to one or more air outlets


22


in a rear panel


20


. The passageway of the air is symbolically represented by arrow


220


.





FIG. 2



b


illustrates the operation of the web trim collection system, when the divert bin


50


is operated in a second position. As shown, the web trim is collected in the collection region


56


(as seen in

FIG. 3

) of the divert bin


50


, instead of the collection bin


40


. The air within the collection system


10


is moved from the divert bin


50


through an upper screen


160


. The air is filtered by the air filters


82


before being discharged from the rear panel


20


. When the divert bin


50


is operated in the second position, the collection bin


40


can be removed from the collection system


10


(as indicated by arrow


300


in

FIG. 2C

) for changeovers of the collection bin


40


, while the collection system


10


continues to collect the trim. However, the platform


30


must be raised by the lifting mechanism


90


so as to separate the platform


30


from the collection bin


40


, as shown in

FIG. 2



c.


Furthermore, it is preferable to have a collection bin sensor


116


to sense the presence of the collection bin


40


such that when the collection bin


40


is not properly placed under the platform


30


or when the platform


30


is not lowered to provide an air seal to the collection bin


40


, the collection bin sensor


116


discontinues the trim collection operation if the divert bin


50


is operated in the first position.





FIG. 3

illustrates the preferred embodiment of the divert bin


50


, according to the present invention. As shown, the divert bin


50


is made of a cylindrical drum having a section of the drum section cut out to provide the aperture


54


. The remaining part of the drum serves as the collection region


56


. On one end of the divert bin


50


, one or more cutout regions are used as the receiving end


52


for receiving the web trim from the outlet


74


of the channel


70


. The other end of the divert bin


50


is operatively connected to the control lever


58


so that the divert bin can be rotated to the first or second position. It is preferred that a divert position sensor


114


is used to sense the position of the divert bin


50


so that the platform


30


can be raised to separate the platform


30


from the collection bin


40


only when the divert bin


50


is operated in the second position. The divert position sensor


114


can be an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, a contact switch or the like.





FIG. 4



a


illustrates the divert bin


50


being operated at the first position to allow the web trim


200


to be deposited into the collection bin


40


. As shown in

FIG. 4



a,


the housing


48


has a center compartment


140


defined by the partitioning walls


152


, the divert bin


50


and two side-compartments


150


of the platform


30


(see FIG.


1


). In each side-compartment


150


, a lower screen


164


is provided to allow air from the collection bin


40


to enter the respective side-compartment


150


, and a flapper door


166


is provided to allow the air in the respective side compartment


150


to enter the center compartment


140


. When the divert bin


50


is operated in the first position, as shown, the air pressure system


60


moves the air, along with the web trim


200


into the collection bin


40


. Thus, the air pressure in the collection bin


40


is higher than that in the center compartment


140


. The air in the collection bin


40


is drawn through the lower screen


164


and flapper door


166


in each side-compartment


150


to the exhausts


84


. When the divert bin


50


is operated in the second position, as shown in

FIG. 4



b,


the air and the web trim


200


moved by the air pressure system


60


are prevented from reaching the collection bin


40


by the collection region


56


of the divert bin


50


. While the trim


200


remains in the collection region


56


, the air is drawn through the upper screen


160


to the exhausts


84


. Because the air pressure in the center compartment


140


is higher than that in the side-compartments


150


, the flapper doors


166


are closed. As such, the platform


30


, along with the housing


48


, can be separated from the collection bin


40


, while the collection system


10


continues to collect the trim


200


.




It should be noted that the web trim


200


collected in the collection region


56


when the divert bin


50


is operated in the second position will be drawn by gravity into the collection bin


40


when the divert bin


50


is rotated to the first position. Moreover, it is preferable to have a level sensor


110


positioned under the platform


30


, as shown in

FIG. 4



a,


to monitor the scrap level in the collection bin


40


when the divert bin


50


is operated in the first position for normal trim-collecting operation. When the scrap level reaches a predetermined level, the level sensor turns on the warning light


100


and/or the warning siren


102


. However, when the collection bin


40


is filled, it is preferred that the level sensor causes the collection system


10


to shut down.





FIG. 5

shows the rear panel


20


of the web trim collection system


10


. As shown, the rear panel


20


has a door


24


, which can be opened when it is necessary to change the air filters


82


behind the air outlets


22


. An electrical socket


120


is provided for supplying the power to the collection system


10


. Furthermore, an electrical connector


122


is provided as an interface to a web handling system or an external console so that the collection system


10


can be activated locally using the manual control switch


112


or remotely from the web handling system or the external console.




The present invention is disclosed in conjunction with the preferred embodiment thereof. According to the preferred embodiment, a vacuum/motor unit (a forced-air system) is located between the trim receiver and the divert bin to cause the trim to be moved through the divert bin. However, it is also possible to use a vacuum/motor unit located in the filtration chamber to achieve the same. Furthermore, a mechanical system such as a conveyor belt can be used to move the trim from the trim receiver, instead of an air pressure system.




Thus, although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and various other changes, omissions and deviations in the form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.



Claims
  • 1. A web trim collection system connected to a trim receiver which receives web trim, said system comprising:a channel having a first end and a second end, the first end communicating with the trim receiver; a divert bin in communication with the second end of the channel, wherein the divert bin has a means for operating the divert bin between a first position and a second position; a collection bin communicable with the second end of the channel through the divert bin when the divert bin is operated in a first position so as to allow the web trim to pass through the divert bin and to be deposited into the collection bin, and when the divert bin is operated in the second position, the divert bin interposes between the second end of the channel and the collection bin and collects the web trim, thereby preventing the web trim from being deposited into the collection bin and allowing the collection bin to be removed from said web trim collection system for changeovers of the collection bin while said collection system continues to collect web trim; and a trim moving mechanism for moving the web trim from the trim receiver into the divert bin or further into the collection bin.
  • 2. The web trim collection system of claim 1, wherein when the divert bin is moved from the second position to the first position, the divert bin is so positioned that the web trim collected while in the second position can be deposited into the collection bin.
  • 3. The web collection system of claim 2, wherein the means for operating the divert bin between the first position and the second position includes a pivoting axis on which the divert bin is mounted and a handle attached to the divert bin for rotating the divert bin on the axis.
  • 4. The web collection system of claim 3, wherein the first position of the divert bin is a rotation around the axis whereby the divert bin is substantially upside down, and the second position of the divert bin is a rotation around the axis whereby the divert bin is substantial rightside up while it is interposed between the second end of the channel and the collection bin.
  • 5. The web trim collection system of claim 1, wherein the trim moving mechanism comprises an air pressure system for creating an air flow from the trim receiver through the channel.
  • 6. The web trim collection system of claim 5, wherein the air pressure system comprises one or more blowing fans.
  • 7. The web trim collection system of claim 5, wherein the air pressure system comprises one or more vacuum/motor units.
  • 8. The web trim collection system of claim 5, further comprises one or more air outlets for discharging air brought in by the air flow from the trim collection system into an area surrounding the web trim collection system.
  • 9. The web trim collection system of claim 8, further comprising one or more air filters installed in the one or more air outlets for filtering the air prior to the air being discharged into the surrounding area.
  • 10. The web trim collection system of claim 8, further comprising one or more flapper doors communicable with the one or more air outlets and the collection bin for allowing the air in the collection bin to be discharged from the one or more air outlets through the one or more flapper doors when the divert bin is operated in the first position.
  • 11. The web trim collection system of claim 10, wherein the one or more flapper doors are closed when the divert bin is operated in the second position so as to prevent the air in the collection bin from entering the air outlets.
  • 12. The web trim collection system of claim 1, further comprising a sensing mechanism to sense the level of the web trim deposited in the collection bin when the divert bin is operated in the first position.
  • 13. The web trim collection system of claim 12, further comprising a warning light which is turned on when the sensing mechanism senses that the level of the web trim deposited in the collection bin has reached a predetermined level.
  • 14. The web trim collection system of claim 12, further comprising an audible device which is turned on when the sensing mechanism senses that the level of the web trim deposited in the collection bin has reached a predetermined level.
  • 15. The web trim collection system of claim 12, wherein the sensing mechanism is capable of causing the web trim collection system to shut down when the level of the web trim deposited in the collection bin has reached a predetermined level.
  • 16. The web trim collection system of claim 1, further comprises a control switch for manually turning the web trim collection system on or off.
  • 17. The web trim collection system of claim 1, further comprises an interface to an external console for allowing the external console to turn the web trim collection system on or off in a remote manner.
  • 18. The web trim collection system of claim 1, further comprising a platform having a seal, wherein the platform can be operated in a first platform position in contact with the collection bin so as to provide an air seal to the collection bin with the seal when the divert bin is operated in the first position.
  • 19. The web trim collection system of claim 18, wherein the platform can be operated in a second platform position separating from the collection bin so as to allow the collection bin to be removed from the web trim collection system.
  • 20. The web trim collection system of claim 19, further comprising a sensing mechanism to sense the position of the divert bin so as to prevent the platform from being operated in the second platform position when the divert bin is operated in the first position.
  • 21. The web trim collection system of claim 1, further comprising a control mechanism for manually changing the position of the divert bin.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Number Name Date Kind
2878508 Sedgwick et al. Mar 1959 A
3141705 Valentine Jul 1964 A
3175668 Stoltzfus Mar 1965 A
3257150 Walsh Jun 1966 A
3486309 Wild Dec 1969 A
5083704 Rounthwaite Jan 1992 A
5226213 Lewis et al. Jul 1993 A
5284388 Volk et al. Feb 1994 A
5322232 Freeman et al. Jun 1994 A
5423170 Dammann et al. Jun 1995 A
6154919 Hetko Dec 2000 A