Abstract:
A tool for tightening and melt-adhering a strap, which is light in weight, can be operated by one hand, performs a series of operations, i.e., tightening, pressurizing and frictionally melt-adhering the strap by utilizing power (fluid pressure) instead of manual operation, and which enables the time for frictional melt-adhesion to be adjusted over a wide range and highly precisely with ease, enabling the worker to continue the operation maintaining high efficiency with less fatigue. The tool for tightening and melt-adhering the strap comprises a means for pressing a tightening roller which includes a reversible motor, a means for pressing a vibrator for friction, and a timing mechanism capable of adjusting the time for driving the vibrator over a wide range and finely, which are compactly arranged as a unitary structure.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a tool for tightening and melt-adhering a strap. More particularly, the invention relates to a tool for tightening and melt-adhering a strap, which is light in weight, markedly improves the operation efficiency as a result of omitting manual operation, and is equipped with a timing mechanism which can be easily adjusted to determine an expected friction time for establishing a suitable melt-adhering condition for the strap. 
     2. Prior Art 
     There have heretofore been proposed a variety kinds of tools with which a strap made of a thermoplastic material such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyamide resin is wound round a package thereby to form a loose strap which is then tightened by a knurled roller to form a tight strap, and the overlapped portion of the strap is rubbed under the application of a pressure, and these tools have already been placed in the market. Among them, the newest model has been disclosed in, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 29644/1995 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,480) filed by Signode Corporation. In order to reduce the weight, this tool has only one hydraulic pressure motor which is used for tightening a loose strap and for driving a vibrator for rubbing the overlapped portion of the strap, by mechanically changing over the hydraulic pressure motor by using a manual lever, a cam and a clutch. 
     According to this tool, however, the pressure of the knurled roller or the vibrator is exerted on the overlapped portion of the strap and the unnecessary part of the strap is cut by hand using the manual lever. Therefore, the tool must be operated by both hands, causing the operation efficiency to become poor, causing the worker to be tired with, and making it difficult to continue the operation for extended periods of time. 
     The above-mentioned Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 29644/1995 incorporates a fluid (pneumatic)-type timing mechanism for limiting the rubbing time disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publications (Kokoku) Nos. 45360/1969 and 46880/1974, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,654,033 previously filed by the applicant of the present application, and seems to be achieving the effects correspondingly involving, however, such problems as narrow range for controlling the friction time and difficulty in the control operation due to the structure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to improve these problems, therefore, the present inventors have forwarded the study concerning a cylinder for pressurizing a tightening roller and for turning the tightening roller back and forth, and have further employed a fluid pressure motor exclusively for a vibrator and improved the timing mechanism while paying effort so will not to increase the weight, and have arrived at a tool which is very easy to handle as contemplated by the present invention. 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a tool for tightening and melt-adhering a strap, which is light in weight, easy to operate, causes the worker to be less tired with, and enables the operation to be continued for extended periods of time. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a tool for tightening and melt-adhering a strap, which cuts the unnecessary part of the strap after it has been tightened, and frictionally melt-adheres the overlapped portion of the strap with the application of pressure relying on the fluid pressure operation minimizing the manual operation, and further enables the tool to be easily separated from the strap after it has been tightened. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a tool for tightening and melt-adhering a strap, equipped with a timing mechanism which makes it easy to adjust the time for rubbing the overlapped portion of the strap over a wide range. 
     According to the present invention, there are provided: 
     A tool for tightening and melt-adhering a strap, with which a loose strap wound round a package is tightened by a tightening roller arranged at the overlapped portion of the strap to form a tight strap, an extra strap is cut and removed by a cutter, and a frictional force is imparted to the overlapped portion of the strap to melt-adhere the strap, wherein provision is made of a hydraulic pressure cylinder for pressurizing the tightening roller, a first fluid pressure motor for turning said roller forward and reverse, a fluid pressure cylinder for pressurizing a vibrator that gives a frictional force to the overlapped portion of the strap, and a second fluid pressure motor for driving said vibrator (claim 1); 
     A tool for tightening and melt-adhering a strap according to claim 1, wherein provision is made of a timing mechanism capable of adjusting the time for feeding a pressurized fluid to the second fluid pressure motor (claim 2); 
     A tool for tightening and melt-adhering a strap according to claim 2, wherein the timing mechanism works based on a fluid pressure (claim 3); 
     A tool for tightening and melt-adhering a strap according to claim 3, wherein the fluid pressure timing mechanism is the one of a variable back pressure type, the one of a variable volume type, or the one of a variable back pressure/volume type based on the combination of the two (claim 4); 
     A tool for tightening and melt-adhering a strap according to claim 4, wherein the fluid pressure timing mechanism is the one of the variable back pressure type in which at least one of the fluid accumulation chambers branched from a main pressurized fluid circuit has a variable back pressure valve for releasing the fluid back pressure, said fluid pressure timing mechanism being further equipped with a shut-off valve which shuts off the main pressurized fluid circuit to the second fluid pressure motor relying upon a fluid pressure stored in the fluid accumulation chamber (claim 5); and 
     A tool for tightening and melt-adhering a strap according to claim 4, wherein the fluid pressure timing mechanism is the one of the variable volume type in which at least one of the fluid accumulation chambers branched from a main pressurized fluid circuit is of the variable volume type being constituted by a piston that can be moved by a screw directly driven from the external side and a cylindrical fluid accumulation chamber, said fluid pressure timing mechanism being further equipped with a shut-off valve which shuts off the main pressurized fluid circuit to the second fluid pressure motor relying upon a fluid pressure stored in the fluid accumulation chamber (claim 6). 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a view illustrating the right side of an embodiment; 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the embodiment; 
     FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the left side of the embodiment; 
     FIG. 4 is a front view illustrating the embodiment; 
     FIG. 5 is a view schematically illustrating a tight strap; 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a first pneumatic motor and a mechanism for driving a tightening rotor; 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view along the line D—D in FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional view along the line E—E in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 9 is a sectional view along the line A—A in FIG. 2 of before being pressurized; 
     FIG. 10 is a sectional view along the line A—A in FIG. 2 of after being pressurized; 
     FIG. 11 is a sectional view along the line B—B in FIG. 2 of before being pressurized; 
     FIG. 12 is a sectional view along the line B—B in FIG. 2 of after being pressurized; 
     FIG. 13 is a sectional view along the line C—C in FIG. 2 (embodiment 1); 
     FIG. 14 is a circuit diagram of FIG. 13 (embodiment 1); 
     FIG. 15 is a sectional view along the line C—C in FIG. 2 (embodiment 2); 
     FIG. 16 is a circuit diagram of FIG. 2 (embodiment 2); 
     FIG. 17 is a sectional view along the line C—C in FIG. 2 (embodiment 3); 
     FIG. 18 is a circuit diagram of FIG. 17 (embodiment 3); and 
     FIG. 19 is a diagram of a general basic circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention will now be described in detail by way of embodiments. 
     FIG. 1 is a view illustrating the right side of an embodiment, FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the embodiment, FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the left side of the embodiment, FIG. 4 is a front view illustrating the embodiment, FIG. 5 is a view schematically illustrating a tight strap, FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a first pneumatic motor and a mechanism for driving a tightening rotor, FIG. 7 is a sectional view along the line D—D in FIG. 6, FIG. 8 is a sectional view along the line E—E in FIG. 3, FIG. 9 is a sectional view along the line A—A in FIG. 2 of before being pressurized, FIG. 10 is a sectional view along the line A—A in FIG. 2 of after being pressurized, FIG. 11 is a sectional view along the line B—B in FIG. 2 of before being pressurized, FIG. 12 is a sectional view along the line B—B in FIG. 2 of after being pressurized, FIG. 13 is a sectional view,along the line C—C in FIG. 2 (embodiment 1), FIG. 14 is a circuit diagram of FIG. 13 (embodiment 1), FIG. 15 is a sectional view along the line C—C in FIG. 2 (embodiment 2), FIG. 16 is a circuit diagram of FIG. 2 (embodiment 2), FIG. 17 is a sectional view along the line C—C in FIG. 2 (embodiment 3), FIG. 18 is a circuit diagram of FIG. 17 (embodiment 3), and FIG. 19 is a diagram of a general basic circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     In FIGS. 1 to  19 , reference numeral  1  denotes an embodiment,  2  denotes a tightening roller,  2 A denotes a tightening roller drive shaft,  2 B denotes a ball bearing,  2 C denotes a spiroid driven gear,  3  denotes a first pneumatic motor that rotates forward and reverse (for tightening or releasing the strap),  3 A denotes a rotor,  3 B denotes vanes,  3 C denotes a perforated cylinder,  3 D denotes a ball bearing,  3 E denotes a needle roller bearing,  3 F denotes a planetary reduction gear,  3 G denotes a spiroid pinion gear,  3 H denotes a pinion shaft,  4  denotes a vibrator,  4 A denotes a vertically elongated hole,  4 B denotes a horizontally elongated hole,  4 C denotes a lower knurled surface of the vibrator,  5  denotes a second pneumatic motor (for driving the vibrator),  5 A denotes a rotor,  5 B denotes vanes,  5 C denotes an eccentric output shaft of the second pneumatic motor,  5 D denotes a ball bearing,  5 E denotes an exhaust port,  6  denotes a casing,  7  denotes a base plate (bearing holder),  7 A and  7 B denote steps,  8  denotes a pneumatic cylinder for pressurizing the vibrator and the cutter,  8 A denotes a piston,  8 B denotes a return spring,  8 C denotes an O-ring,  9  denotes a vibration valve,  9 A denotes a vibration valve lever,  9 B denotes a nylon ball,  9 C denotes a valve seat,  9 D denotes a coil spring,  9 E denotes an air inlet port,  9 F denotes an air feed pipe A,  9 G denotes an air feed pipe B,  9 H denotes an air feed pipe C,  9 I denotes an air pipe among the pneumatic chambers,  9 J denotes an air passage,  10  denotes a pneumatic cylinder for pressurizing the tightening roller,  10 A denotes a piston,  10 B denotes a piston rod,  10 C denotes an O-ring,  11  denotes a valve for tightening,  11 A denotes a valve lever for tightening,  12  denotes a hunger (swing arm),  12 A denotes a hunger pin,  12 C denotes a coil spring,  13  denotes a cutter pin,  13 A denotes a cutter,  13 B denotes a ball bearing,  13 C denotes a stationary cutter,  14  denotes a pivot pin,  14 A denotes a needle roller bearing,  15  denotes a gear box,  16  denotes a release valve,  16 A denotes a release pin,  21  denotes a reversing valve,  21 A denotes a reversing lever,  22  and  23  denote hoses,  22 A and  22 B denote air flow paths,  24  denotes an exhaust air path,  26  denotes a throttle valve,  30  denotes a grip,  70  denotes a source of pneumatic pressure,  100  denotes a timing mechanism (variable back pressure type),  101  denotes an orifice,  101 A denotes an orifice screw,  102  denotes an air accumulation chamber,  103  denotes a needle valve,  103 A denotes an exhaust port,  104  denotes a cylinder for driving a shut-off valve,  105  denotes a return spring,  106  denotes a shut-off valve,  106 A denotes a shut-off valve seat,  200  denotes a timing device (variable volume type),  201  denotes a needle valve (for adjusting the orifice),  202  denotes an air accumulation chamber,  203  denotes an air accumulation chamber of the variable volume type,  203 A denotes a screwed-in piston (for varying the volume),  204  denotes a cylinder for driving a shut-off valve,  205  denotes a return spring,  206  denotes a shut-off valve,  206 A denotes a shut-off valve seat,  300  denotes a timing device (variable back pressure/volume type),  301  denotes an orifice,  302  denotes an air accumulation chamber,  302 A denotes an exhaust needle valve (for varying back pressure),  302 B denotes an exhaust port,  303  denotes an air accumulation chamber of the variable volume type,  303 A denotes a screwed-in piston (for varying the volume),  304  denotes a cylinder for driving a shut-off valve,  305  denotes a return spring,  306  denotes a shut-off valve,  306 A denotes a shut-off valve seat, and  500  denotes a package. 
     Referring, first, to FIGS. 1 to  4 , the embodiment is roughly constituted by a strap tightening/releasing mechanism NO.  1  and a strap pressurizing/melt-adhering mechanism NO.  2  which are pivoted together by a hunger pin  12 A in a laterally laid V-shape in cross section. The mechanism NO.  1  is constituted chiefly by a first pneumatic motor  3 , reduction gears  3 F and  15 , and a tightening roller  2 . The mechanism NO.  2  is constituted chiefly by a second pneumatic motor  5 , a vibrator  4 , a base plate  7 , a pneumatic cylinder  8 , a timing mechanism  100 / 200 / 300 , a grip  30  and a plurality of valves linked together by a casing  6 . 
     A coil spring  12 C is fitted to a hunger pin  12 A which is a horizontal shaft extending in a direction of the width to pivotally attach the mechanisms NO.  1  and NO.  2 , whereby the two mechanisms are lightly urged toward a direction of increasing the angle with the hunger pin  12 A as an axis. It is desired that a large urging force is produced by the coil spring toward the direction of decreasing the angle from the standpoint of initial tightening. When a strap is to be inserted, however, a large force of hand is required to increase the angle against the urging force, and making the assembling difficult, too. From the standpoint of operation, therefore, it is desired that a small urging force is produced. To compensate this, therefore, a pneumatic cylinder  10  for pressurizing the tightening roller is disposed (see FIG. 19) so as to work simultaneously based on a pneumatic pressure for the first pneumatic motor. 
     In a vertical wall intersecting at right angles with a working surface of the base plate  7  at an end, an elongated hole  12 B of a partly arcuate shape (see FIG. 1) is perforated with a hunger pin  12 A as a center to permit the motion of the drive shaft  2 A of the tightening roller  2 , thereby to permit the approach and separation between the tightening roller  2  and the base plate  7 . 
     The overlapped portion of the strap is inserted between the base plate  7  and the tightening roller  2  by manually enlarging the angle of the two mechanisms NOs.  1  and  2  aided by the rotational moment produced by the weight of the mechanism NO.  1 . When the worker releases his hand, the upper strap ST is pressed on its upper surface by the knurled tightening roller  2  and is brought into engagement. At the same time, the lower strap SB is pressed on its lower surface by the knurled step  7 A and is brought into engagement (see FIG.  5 ). Here, the coefficient of friction between the strap ST and the strap SB is smaller than the coefficient of friction between the straps and the knurled surfaces of the tightening roller  2  and the step  7 A. Therefore, the initial tightening is accomplished by the pressed engagement. 
     The tightening roller  2  and the hunger  12  pivotally supporting the tightening roller  2  are forming a wedge-like swing arm as shown in the left upper part in FIG.  19 . When the hunger  12  is inclined by θ up to a vertical position, there is established the following relationship between the reactive torque T of the tightening roller  2  and the total pressing force W, i.e., T/W=tan θ, or W=T/tan θ. 
     Next, described below is the mechanism NO.  1 . 
     The air is supplied from a source of pneumatic pressure  70  to an inlet port  71 , and is guided to a tightening valve  11  and to a vibration valve. First, as the tightening valve lever  11 A is depressed to start the operation, the air is fed to a first motor  3  through hose  22 , and air paths  22 A and  22 B, so that a rotor  3 A rotates in the direction of an arrow T (tightening direction, which is in the clockwise direction) as shown in FIG.  7 . The rotational force is transmitted to a spiroid gear pinion  3 G through a planetary reduction gear  3 F, whereby a spiroid driven gear  2  in mesh therewith is driven in the direction T (counterclockwise direction) in FIG. 6, so that the tightening roller  2  pressing the upper strap ST is driven in the direction T (see FIG. 5) as described above. At the same time, the air from the tightening valve  11  through an air path is fed to a cylinder  10  for pressurizing the tightening roller to thereby compensate for the pressurizing force of the tightening roller  2  as described above. The amount of the air supplied to the first pneumatic motor  3  is adjusted through the throttle valve  26  to thereby increase or decrease the tightening force. The first pneumatic motor  3  rotates in the direction T to impart a required tightening force to the strap ST and, then, comes into a stall. This state is maintained until the completion of the melt-adhering operation by friction that will be described below. 
     The mechanism NO.  2  will now be described. 
     The mechanism for cutting the strap and for melt-adhering the strap by friction has been known already. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to  12 . 
     According to the present invention, a feature resides in that a vibrator element  4  is linked, via a pivot pin  14 , to a vibrator and to a pneumatic cylinder  8  for pressurizing the cutter, and unnecessary part of the strap ST is cut and the straps ST, SB are frictionally melt-adhered together under optimum pressure and friction time conditions by using the power (compressed air) instead of moving a hand lever by hand that was done so far. 
     First, the casing  6  is fastened to the base plate  7  at the lower end by using a plurality of bolts. The pneumatic cylinder  8  is arranged at an upper end of the casing  6 , and a timing mechanism is arranged adjacent thereto. A vibration mechanism such as vibrator is arranged at a lower part of the pneumatic cylinder  8 , and a second pneumatic motor  5  for vibration is arranged at a lower part of the timing mechanism. 
     When the lever  11 A is depressed, the tightening roller  2  still remains at rest. Then, as the lever  9 A is maintained depressed, the air drives the pressurizing cylinder  8  and the second pneumatic motor  5  for vibrator, and further flows into the air accumulation chambers in the timing mechanism  100 / 200 / 300  and is accumulated therein. FIGS. 9 and 11 illustrate a state of before the valve  9  is being opened and where the piston  8  and the vibrator  4  are at a top dead center being urged by a return spring  8 B. 
     Next, FIGS. 10 and 12 illustrate a state where the valve  9  is opened, the air flows into the pneumatic cylinder  8  to pressurize the piston  8  from the upper side and to push the piston  8  down overcoming the resilient force of the return spring  8 B. The vibrator  4  descends as the piston  8  descends, whereby a cutter  13 A engaged with a cutter pin  13  descends, the cutter pin  13  being inserted in the horizontal elongated hole  4 B of the vibrator  4 . The blade of the cutter  13 A comes in contact with the strap ST that has been placed on a stationary cutter  13 C thereby to cut the strap ST. Furthermore, a lower knurled surface  4 C of the vibrator  4  pushes down the left side portion of the strap ST that is cut, so that it is overlapped and pressed onto the strap SB that has been placed on the step  7 B. 
     An extra strap ST (right side in FIG. 10) that is cut remains on the stationary cutter  13 C and can be easily removed. The second pneumatic motor  5  starts rotating just in advance of this position, and the vibrator  4  vibrates right and left due to an eccentric shaft  5 C of the second pneumatic motor fitted into the vertically elongated hole  4 A of the vibrator  4  and the ball bearing  5 F. Accordingly, the strap ST vibrates at a high speed in the direction of width of the strap on the strap SB fastened by the step  7 B, and the frictional motion in the right-and-left direction as viewed in FIG. 12 is continued between the straps ST and SB for a period of time determined by the timing mechanism  100 / 200 / 300 . 
     The timing mechanism will now be described in detail. 
     FIGS. 13 and 14 are a sectional view illustrating a major portion of the timing mechanism  100  according to an embodiment 1 (variable back pressure type) and a circuit diagram thereof. 
     In the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, when a nylon ball  9 C is depressed accompanying a depression of the lever  9 A, a gap is formed relative to a valve seat  9 B, whereby the air pressure in the air inlet port  9 E passes through the air feed pipe  9 F to push a shut-off valve  106 . Usually, the shut-off valve  106  is urged leftward by a weak return spring  105  so as to remain opened. Therefore, the air passes through an air feed pipe  9 H to drive the second pneumatic motor  5 , and escapes into exhaust ports  5 E. Part of the air being fed flows through an orifice  101  and accumulates in an air accumulation chamber  102 . When a predetermined pressure is reached, the air passes through an air path  9 J and flows into the opposite side of the shut-off valve  106  to close the shut-off valve. The shut-off valve  106  remains closed due to the air pressure continuously fed through the orifice  101 , until the operation of the next time begins. During this period, the back pressure in the air accumulation chamber  102  is adjusted by releasing part of the back pressure through an exhaust port  103 A being adjusted by a needle valve  103 , in order to finely adjust the time for driving the second pneumatic motor  5 . That is, the timing mechanism  100  works as a mechanism for adjusting the friction/melt-adhesion time for the straps ST, SB. 
     FIG. 15 is a sectional view illustrating a major portion of an embodiment 2 (variable volume type) and FIG. 16 is a circuit diagram thereof. In this case, a needle valve  201  forms the fixed orifice like in the embodiment 1. The lever  9 A is depressed to open the circuit, the air is fed into the second pneumatic motor  5  and is accumulated in the air accumulation chambers  202  and  203  arranged in parallel while the melt-adhesion by friction is being effected for the straps ST, SB. Here, the left end of one air accumulation chamber  203  is formed of a screwed-in piston (threaded closure) so that the volume can be varied. 
     Therefore, this embodiment makes it possible to adjust the amount of the air that flows in and/or the amount of the air that accumulates by turning the needle valve  201  and/or the screwed-in piston from the external side. Here, the screwed-in piston may be constituted by a screw and a piston fitted to the screw and spline-fitted to the inner wall of the cylinder. 
     Described below is an embodiment 3 (variable back pressure/volume type). 
     FIG. 17 is a sectional view illustrating a major portion of the embodiment, and FIG. 18 is a circuit diagram thereof. In this embodiment shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, an air accumulation chamber  302  of the variable back pressure type and an air accumulation chamber  303  of the variable volume type are arranged in parallel, and are coupled together in series through an air pipe  9 I. This makes it possible to adjust the time for driving the second pneumatic motor  5  over a wider range. Upon employing a needle valve as the fixed orifice  301  as in the embodiment 2, furthermore, the range of adjustment can be more increased. 
     FIG. 19 is a diagram of a general basic circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     After the second pneumatic motor  5  has automatically come into a halt and after a period of time (1 to 3 seconds) has passed so that the straps melted due to the heat of friction are completely adhered together, the worker lightly grips the right end of the first pneumatic motor  3  and depresses the lever  21 A of the reversing valve  21  by his small finger (FIG.  1 ). Then, the air is fed from an elongated air feed hole  23 B for reverse turn in the perforated cylinder  3 C of the first pneumatic motor  3  shown in FIG. 7, and the rotor  3 A of the first pneumatic motor  3  rotates reverse (direction R). At the same time, no air is fed into the air feed pipe  24 , and no pressure is exerted on the piston  10 A in the pneumatic cylinder  10  for pressurizing the tightening roller. 
     As a result, a hunger  15  turns counterclockwise in FIG. 10, a hunger  12  inclines and returns causing the tightening roller  2  to be separated away from the base plate  7 . As the hunger  12  rises, a release pin  16 A is pushed up so that a release valve  16  is opened. Therefore, the vibrator  4  rises being urged by the return spring  8 B, and the straps ST, SB are liberated. Therefore, the strap that is melt-adhered can be easily taken out. Thus, a series of operations ends. 
     The above-mentioned objects are all accomplished by the embodiment of the present invention. 
     That is, there is provided a tool for fastening and melt-adhering a strap, which makes it possible to adjust the time for frictionally melt-adhering the strap over a wide range and highly precisely compared with the prior art, the tool being so light in weight that it can be operated by one hand to carry out the operation highly efficiently and for extended periods of time.