Exhibit C

Case 2:24-cv-00080-JRG Document 20-3 Filed 05/15/24 Page 1 of 25 PageID #: 210
c12) United States Patent 

Finzo et al. 

(54) STRAPPING DEVICE HAVING A 

PIVOTABLE ROCKER 

(71) Applicant: Signode Industrial Group LLC, 

Tampa, FL (US) 

(72) Inventors: Flavio Finzo, Wurenlos (CH); Mirco 

Neeser, Ehrendingen (CH); Dimitrios 

Takidis, Dubendorf (CH) 

(73) Assignee: Signode Industrial Group LLC, 

Tampa, FL (US) 

( *) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis 

patent is extended or adjusted under 35 

U.S.C. 154(b) by O days. 

(21) Appl. No.: 18/306,547 

(22) Filed: Apr. 25, 2023 

(65) Prior Publication Data 

US 2023/0264842 Al Aug. 24, 2023 

Related U.S. Application Data 

(60) Continuation of application No. 18/149,827, filed on 

Jan. 4, 2023, now Pat. No. 11,667,417, which is a 

(Continued) 

(30) Foreign Application Priority Data 

Sep. 24, 2012 

Sep. 24, 2012 

(51) Int. Cl. 

B65B 13122 

B65B 13102 

(52) U.S. Cl. 

(CH) ....................................... 1723/12 

(CH) ....................................... 1724/12 

(2006.01) 

(2006.01) 

(Continued) 

CPC .............. B65B 13122 (2013.01); B65B 13102 

(2013.01); B65B 131025 (2013.01); 

(Continued) 

20 

8a 

I 1111111111111111 1111111111 lllll lllll lllll 111111111111111 111111111111111111 

USO 11932430B2 

(IO) Patent No.: 

(45) Date of Patent: 

US 11,932,430 B2 

Mar.19,2024 

(58) Field of Classification Search 

CPC ..... B65B 13/02; B65B 13/025; B65B 13/185; 

B65B 13/187; B65B 13/22; B65B 13/32; 

B65B 13/322 

(Continued) 

(56) References Cited 

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CA 

CH 

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(Continued) 

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 

2432353 Al 12/2003 

705745 A2 5/2013 

(Continued) 

OTHER PUBLICATIONS 

D8/44 

"CB130 Operating Instructions-Hand Tool", Cyklop, available 

before the priority date of the present application. 

(Continued) 

Primary Examiner - Jimmy T Nguyen 

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm - Neal, Gerber & 

Eisenberg LLP 

(57) ABSTRACT 

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a 

mobile strapping device for strapping packaged products 

using a loop of wrapping strap. The strapping device 

includes a tensioning device for applying tension to the strap 

and a connecting device for connecting two overlapping 

portions of the strap. The tensioning device includes a 

rotatable tensioning wheel and a tensioning plate. The 

tensioning wheel is supported by a rocker that is pivotable 

to change a distance separating the tensioning wheel and the 

tensioning plate. The mobile strapping device includes a 

motor that is operably connectable to the rocker or the 

tensioning wheel such that the motor causes pivoting of the 

(Continued) 

39 

Case 2:24-cv-00080-JRG Document 20-3 Filed 05/15/24 Page 2 of 25 PageID #: 211
US 11,932,430 B2 

Page 2 

rocker or rotation of the tensioning wheel when operating in 5,831,404 A 11/1998 Ishii 

a first direction of rotation. In various embodiments, gear- 5,853,524 A 12/1998 Nix 

5,881,855 A 3/1999 Putney et al. ing, including a plurality of planetary gear sets, is use~ to 5,916,108 A 6/1999 Drietz et al. 

operatively connect the motor to the rocker and the tens10n- 5,947,166 A 9/1999 Doyle et al. 

ing wheel. 5,954,899 A 9/1999 Figiel et al. 

6,003,578 A 12/1999 Chang 

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6,079,457 A 6/2000 Crittenden 

6,109,325 A 8/2000 Chang 

6,173,747 Bl 1/2001 Angarola et al. 

6,260,337 Bl 7/2001 Cheung 

Related U.S. Application Data 6,308,745 Bl 10/2001 Angarola et al. 

6,308,760 Bl 10/2001 Finzo et al. 

continuation of application No. 17/653,581, filed on 6,328,087 Bl 12/2001 Finzo et al. 

Mar. 4, 2022, now Pat. No. 11,560,245, which is a 6,332,306 Bl 12/2001 Finzo et al. 

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continuation of application No. 15/910,346, filed on 6,415,712 Bl 7/2002 Helland et al. 

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6,516,715 Bl 2/2003 Reiche division of application No. 14/430,163, filed as ap- 6,533,013 Bl 3/2003 Nix plication No. PCT/IB2013/002116 on Sep. 24, 2013, 6,554,030 B2 4/2003 Cheung et al. now Pat. No. 9,938,029. 6,568,158 B2 5/2003 Shibazaki et al. 

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B65B 6,606,766 B2 8/2003 Ko 13/18 (2006.01) 6,640,838 B2 11/2003 Finzo B65B 13132 (2006.01) 6,644,713 B2 11/2003 Del et al. 

(52) U.S. Cl. 6,698,460 B2 3/2004 Marsche 

CPC ............ B65B 13/187 (2013.01); B65B 13132 6,715,375 B2 4/2004 Nestler 

(2013.01); B65B 131322 (2013.01) 6,729,357 B2 5/2004 Marsche 

6,732,638 Bl 5/2004 Rometty et al. (58) Field of Classification Search 6,772,798 B2 8/2004 Cheung USPC ...................................................... 100/29, 32 6,817,159 B2 11/2004 Sakaki et al . 

See application file for complete search history. 6,907,717 B2 6/2005 Nix 

6,911,799 B2 6/2005 Jensen 

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OTHER PUBLICATIONS 

B65B 13/187 

"Description of the Operating Sequence of the Cyklop CB 130 

Tool", The Cyklop CB 130 Tool was publicly available before the 

priority date of the present application. 

"Docket Report", in U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, 

Case No. 1 :22-cv-00519, Signode Industrial Group LLCv. Polychem, 

LLC, Aug. 26, 2022. 

"International Search Report and Written Opinion", for International Application No. PCT/IB2013/002116 (8 pages), dated Jun. 

30, 2014. 

"ORT-200 Manual Battery-hand Tool for Plastic Strapping", Orgapack, 

available before the priority date of the present application. 

"ORT-250 Manual Battery-operated Hand Tool for Plastic Strapping", Orgapack, available before the priority date of the present 

application. 

"Polychem, LLC's Answer to Complaint for Patent Infringement, 

Affirmative Defenses and Counterclaims", in U.S. District Court for 

the District of Delaware, Case No. l:22-cv-00519, Signode Industrial Group LLC v. Polychem, LLC, Jun. 24, 2022. 

"Signode Industrial Group LLC' s Complaint for Patent Infringement", U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, Case No. 

l:22-cv-00519, Signode Industrial Group LLC v. Polychem, LLC, 

Apr. 22, 2022. 

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(3 pages), Jul. 31, 2006. 

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No. 201380061441.6 (9 pages), dated Feb. 1, 2016. 

Emandi, Ali, "Brushless DC Motor Drives", Energy-Efficient Electrical Motors, 3rd ed., Para. 270-272, CRC Press & Marcel Dekker 

(3 pages), Aug. 1, 2004. 

* cited by examiner 

Case 2:24-cv-00080-JRG Document 20-3 Filed 05/15/24 Page 4 of 25 PageID #: 213
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US 11,932,430 B2 

1 

STRAPPING DEVICE HAVING A 

PIVOTABLE ROCKER 

PRIORITY CLAIM 

This application is a continuation application of, claims 

priority to and the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 

18/149,827, filed on Jan. 4, 2023, which is a continuation 

application of, claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. 

patent application Ser. No. 17/653,581, filed on Mar. 4, 

2022, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,560,245, granted on Jan. 24, 

2023, which is a continuation application of, claims priority 

to and the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 

16/448,167, filed on Jun. 21, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 

11,267,596, granted on Mar. 8, 2022, which is a continuation 

application of, claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. 

patent application Ser. No. 15/910,346, filed on Mar. 2, 

2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,370,132, granted on Aug. 6, 

2019, which is a divisional application of, claims priority to 

and the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/430, 

163, filed on Mar. 20, 2015 as a 371(c) Application of 

PCT/IB2013/002116, filed on Sep. 24, 2013, now U.S. Pat. 

No. 9,938,029, granted Apr. 10, 2018, which claims priority 

to and the benefit of Switzerland Patent Application No. 

1723/12, filed on Sep. 24, 2012, and Switzerland Patent 

Application No. 1724/12, filed on Sep. 24, 2012, the entire 

contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference. 

The present disclosure concerns a strapping device, such 

as a mobile strapping device, for strapping packaged goods 

by way of a strap, which has a tensioning apparatus for 

applying a strap tension to a loop of a strap, wherein the 

tensioning apparatus is provided with a tensioning wheel 

which can be rotationally driven about a tensioning axis in 

a motorized manner, being configured to engage with the 

strap, the tensioning apparatus furthermore having a tensioning plate, wherein it is provided during a strapping 

process performed by the tensioning apparatus that a one or 

two-ply segment of strap is located between the tensioning 

wheel and the tensioning plate and makes contact with both 

the tensioning wheel and the tensioning plate, and moreover 

the tensioning wheel and/or the tensioning plate is arranged 

on a rocker which can pivot in a motorized manner about a 

rocker axis in order to either increase or decrease a distance 

between the tensioning wheel and the tensioning plate by 

way of a pivoting motion, as well as a connecting device to 

produce a permanent connection, especially a welded connection, at two superimposed regions of the loop of strap by 

way of a connecting element, such as a welded element, 

which is provided for the local heating of the strap 

2 

only be loosened with great force. After this, or roughly at 

the same time, the loop is separated from the supply roll. The 

particular packaged goods have now been strapped. 

Such strapping devices are intended for mobile use, 

5 during which the device is taken by the user to the particular 

place of use, where one should not be dependent on the use 

of energy supplied from the outside. The energy required for 

the intended use of such strapping devices in order to tension 

a strap about any given packaged goods and produce a 

10 closure is generally provided by an electric storage battery 

or by pressurized air in the case of known strapping devices. 

This energy produces the strap tension applied by way of the 

tensioning apparatus to the strap and a closure on the strap. 

Furthermore, such strapping devices are configured to join 

15 together only weldable plastic straps. 

For mobile devices, a low weight is of special importance, 

in order to physically burden the user of the strapping device 

as little as possible when using the device. Likewise, for 

ergonomic reasons, the weight should be distributed as 

20 uniformly as possible over the entire strapping device, 

especially in order to avoid a concentration of weight in the 

head region of the strapping device. Such a concentration 

results in difficult handling of the device. Furthermore, the 

most ergonomical and user-friendly handling of the strap25 ping device is always desired. In particular, the possibility of 

wrong operation and malfunction should be kept as low as 

possible. 

In strapping devices of this kind, moreover, it should be 

ensured as a further aspect of functional safety that even 

30 after achieving rather high strap tensions little or no slip 

occurs between the tensioning wheel and the strap. Slip, on 

the one hand, can prevent the achieving of the possible strap 

tension values. But slip can also cause a longer time for the 

tensioning process and thus the overall strapping process. 

35 Moreover, due to the longer time of use of the particular 

strapping device per strapping operation and thus also the 

amount of energy needed per strapping operation, slip can 

also reduce the number of strapping operations for a single 

charge of the storage battery. Finally, slip also means that the 

40 desired strap tension value might not be achieved and thus 

the strap is not sufficiently taut, which can constitute a safety 

risk. In order to avoid slip as much as possible or at least 

reduce it, the tensioning wheel is usually provided with teeth 

and pressed by a force against the tensioning plate. The 

45 pressing force for this in known solutions can result from a 

spring by which the rocker with the tensioning wheel 

arranged on it is pressed against the strap and the tensioning 

plate located underneath. However, these solutions cannot 

be satisfactory, especially when higher strap tensions need to 

50 be generated, since (as has been discovered) slip cannot be 

Such strapping devices are used for the strapping of sufficiently reliably prevented in this way during the tenpackaged goods by way of a plastic strap. For this, a loop of 

the particular plastic strap is placed about the packaged 

goods. As a rule, the plastic strap is pulled off from a supply 

roll. After the loop has been placed completely about the 55 

packaged goods, the end region of the strap overlaps with a 

segment of the loop of strap. The strapping device is now 

placed at this two-ply region of the strap, the strap being 

clamped in the strapping device, a strap tension is applied to 

the loop of strap by way of the tensioning apparatus, and a 60 

closure is produced between the two layers of strap by 

frictional welding on the loop. In this process, pressure is 

applied to the strap with a frictional shoe oscillating in the 

region of the two ends of the loop of strap. The pressure and 

the heat created by the motion melt the generally plastic 65 

strap locally within a short time. This produces a lasting 

connection between the two layers of strap, one which can 

sioning process. 

Therefore, the problem which the present disclosure is 

supposed to solve is to create a mobile strapping device of 

the mentioned kind with high functional safety, in which the 

intended strap tensions can be applied to the strap in a save 

manner with as little slip as is possible. 

This problem is solved by the present disclosure in a 

strapping device of the mentioned kind in that during the 

transmission of the motorized driving motion to the tensioning wheel, preferably for as long as the tensioning wheel is 

engaging with the strap, by way of at least one transmitting 

device of the strapping device, a driving motion is transmitted to the rocker, which can be pivoted at least sometime 

during the course of the tensioning process, wherein the 

driving motion is intended to apply a torque to the rocker. 

According to the present disclosure, the torque applied to the 

Case 2:24-cv-00080-JRG Document 20-3 Filed 05/15/24 Page 15 of 25 PageID #: 224
US 11,932,430 B2 

3 

rocker can be used to increase the pressing force of the 

tensioning apparatus against the strap. In one simple-design 

solution, the torque exerted on the rocker by transmitting 

device can come from a motor, whose driving moment 

increases the pressing force of the rocker against the strap in 5 

the course of the tensioning process. It is preferable for the 

motorized increasing of torque to occur especially during or 

after an increasing of the strap tension 

Advantageously, a motor is used for the generating of the 

motorized torque for the rocker that also performs other 10 

driving motions. Especially favorably, one utilizes the motor 

and its driving motion with which the tensioning wheel is 

also driven. On the one hand, this can make an additional 

motor unnecessary, while still performing the function 

according to the present disclosure. On the other hand, the 15 

motor torque which usually also increases with increasing 

strap tension can be utilized to increase the pressing force. 

This enables an especially simple design for variable pressing of the rocker against the strap, independent of the 

tension. The latter can be done proportionately to the par- 20 

ticular existing strap tension. 

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, 

which is also of independent significance, a torque can also 

be applied to the rocker and transmitted that is based on a 

force exerted on the tensioning apparatus by the strap at a 25 

point of engagement of the strap with the tensioning apparatus. This force, which is a reaction of the tensioning force 

applied by the driven tensioning wheel to the strap, can be 

tapped from a suitable place and be transmitted to the rocker 

by transmitting device. For the least possible structural 30 

expense, the strap tension force at the tensioning wheel itself 

which is acting on the tensioning wheel can also be utilized. 

In particular, this can be used as torque acting on the 

tensioning wheel at any given time, which is taken from the 

tensioning wheel to the transmitting device of the tensioning 35 

apparatus and transmitted by them to the rocker. 

Thus, according to the present disclosure, it is provided in 

advantageous fashion that the motorized driving movement 

for the tensioning apparatus is also used at least indirectly as 

a reaction, making use of the rotational movement driven by 40 

the motor of the tensioning wheel as well as a pivoting 

capability of the rocker during the tensioning process, to 

transfer a torque tapped by the tensioning wheel in engagement with the strap by way of the transmitting device to the 

rocker in order to increase a pressing force of the tensioning 45 

apparatus against the strap. 

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a gearing of 

the tensioning apparatus by which a motorized driving 

movement for the tensioning wheel can be stepped up or 

down, can be part of or the entire transmitting device with 50 

which the force acting on the tensioning wheel and resulting 

from the strap tension is transmitted from the strap to the 

rocker. 

4 

slippage of the tensioning wheel during the tensioning 

process. Thus, as the strap tension increases, so too does the 

pressing force of the tensioning wheel against the strap and 

the tensioning plate. The present disclosure in such embodiments thus makes it possible to exert a high pressing force 

on the strap when the strap tension is already high and thus 

the danger of slippage between the tensioning wheel and the 

strap is likewise especially high if it is attempted to further 

increase the strap tension. Thanks to the likewise increasing 

pressing force in automated marmer, i.e., without manual 

intervention, one can counteract the increasing danger of 

slippage and thus ensure the functional safety as well as a 

rapid strapping process even with high strap tension. Since 

the reaction of the strap to the action, namely, the strap 

tension introduced, as well as transmitting devices are used 

for this, which are derived from the tensioning apparatus, 

especially the tensioning wheel, and transmitted to the 

rocker, no intervention by the user is needed to achieve the 

action of the present disclosure, which is advantageously 

accomplished automatically in the strapping device. 

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the transmitting device, which advantageously constitute an operative connection between the tensioning wheel and the 

rocker, comprise a pivoting mounting of the rocker at least 

during the tensioning process and a rotary or rotationally 

mounted gearing element, which stands in an operative 

connection with the tensioning wheel during the tensioning 

process. The force of reaction of the strap is utilized as a 

torque and transferred to the rotary or rotational gearing 

element, such as a planet carrier of a planetary gearing. The 

rotary or rotational gearing element should be propped 

against a support element to resist the turning or rotating 

movement. The force of reaction of the tensioning wheel can 

then be transferred to the rocker through or by virtue of the 

support, so that an additional torque will act on the rocker, 

which can be utilized to increase the pressing force of the 

rocker against the strap. The transmitting device can advantageously be part of or the entire tensioning gearing by 

which a motorized driving movement or one coming from 

another energy supply source is directed with suitable rotational speed toward the tensioning wheel. 

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, which also 

has independent significance, motorized driving movements 

can be utilized with identical directions of rotation of the 

only one motor not only to drive the tensioning wheel during 

the tensioning of the strap but also for a lifting of the rocker. 

In addition to this, the same driving movement can also be 

used for the variable pressing of the tensioning wheel 

against the strap being tensioned, in dependence on the strap 

tension. The dependency is organized in this case such that, 

with increasing strap tension, the pressing force exerted by 

the tensioning wheel on the strap also increases. Since with 

increasing strap tension the danger also increases of a 

According to another aspect, the present disclosure can slippage occurring between the tensioning wheel and the 

also be seen in that devices are provided for the variable 

pressing of the tensioning wheel or the tensioning plate 

against the strap, depending on the strap tension. Thus, the 

present disclosure calls for a variable pressing of the tensioning apparatus against the strap, depending on the strap 

tension. 

55 strap, one can counteract the danger of slippage by providing 

an increasing pressing force. In this embodiment the same 

direction of turning of the motor as for the tensioning is 

used. The motorized driving movement during the tensioning of the strap can be utilized such that, during the 

60 tensioning process of the strap by way of the tensioning 

wheel engaging with the strap and rotating against a strap 

tension, a counterforce acting from the strap to the tensioning wheel is utilized to increase the pressing force of the 

In especially advantageous embodiments of the present 

disclosure, the strap tension created by the tensioning process is thus used advantageously to increase as well the 

pressing force of the tensioning wheel and/or the tensioning 

plate on the strap as the strap tension increases steadily, 65 

thereby working against the constantly increasing danger, as 

the strap tension likewise increases, of a "slip-through" or 

tensioning wheel in the direction of the tensioning plate. 

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, it 

should be made possible with little design expense and easy 

operating capacity to maintain and release a force resulting 

Case 2:24-cv-00080-JRG Document 20-3 Filed 05/15/24 Page 16 of 25 PageID #: 225
US 11,932,430 B2 

5 

from the strap tension and operating reactively on a gearing 

in order to transfer a driving movement to the tensioning 

wheel. The present disclosure thus concerns a locking device 

for use in a strapping device, with which a rotatable wheel 

can be clamped, which is provided for transmission of a 5 

driving movement, especially a gearing wheel of a tensioning apparatus of the strapping device. The locking device 

according to the present disclosure should have at least one 

clamping body which can pivot about an axis and is arranged 

at a distance from the wheel, which can be pivoted from a 10 

release position into a locking position in which it bears-by 

a portion of an arc-shaped contact surface-against an 

essentially planar peripheral clamping surface of the wheel, 

i.e., one which is free of form-fitting elements, wherein the 15 

clamping body has a pivot radius which is greater than a 

distance from the pivot axis of the clamping body to the 

peripheral clamping surface of the wheel, and the rotating of 

the clamping body about the pivot axis during the movement 

from the release position to a clamping position occurs in the 20 

opposite direction of turning to that of the wheel being 

clamped. 

With such a locking device, one can accomplish very 

functionally secure locking of rotating gear wheels in a 

simple designed manner. The locking in the direction of 25 

turning of the wheel can be maintained with little force 

expenditure. The clamping force of the clamping body even 

increases automatically if one should try to turn the wheel 

further by increasing the torque. 

The locking mechanism according to the present disclo- 30 

sure can be used with advantage especially for the releasable 

locking of a wheel of a gearing which belongs to a gearing 

by which a driving movement is supposed to be transmitted 

to a tensioning wheel of the tensioning apparatus of a 

strapping device. In this context, it can be provided espe- 35 

cially for the clamping of a wheel of a planetary gearing by 

which the driving movement is to be transmitted to the 

tensioning wheel. With or at least assisted by a clamping of 

the wheel being clamped, one can define one of at least two 

takeoff directions of the gearing, in particular a takeoff 40 

direction of the gearing toward the tensioning wheel, so that 

the strap can be tensioned. 

Moreover, it can be advantageous with a loosening of the 

clamping to also remove at least partly, or entirely, the strap 

tension acting on the tensioning wheel and the gearing. 45 

Since with such locking mechanisms relatively low release 

forces are needed to remove the clamping, even for high 

strap tension values, the present disclosure produces especially functionally safe and easy to operate strapping 

devices. The low operating and activating forces make it 50 

possible to do without a rocker handle, with which large 

torques have been produced heretofore in known strapping 

devices for lifting the rocker from the taut strap. Instead of 

6 

FIG. 4 another perspective representation of the tensioning and closure mechanism of the strapping device from 

FIG. 1; 

FIG. 5 an exploded representation of another sample 

embodiment of the tensioning apparatus of the strapping 

device from FIG. 1 together with the motor; 

FIG. 6 a perspective representation of the tensioning and 

closure mechanism of the strapping device from FIG. 1; 

FIG. 7 another perspective representation of the tensioning and closure mechanism of the strapping device from 

FIG. 1; 

FIG. 8 a side view of the tensioning apparatus from FIG. 

5, in which a rocker is located in a first pivot end position; 

FIG. 9 a side view of the tensioning apparatus of FIG. 5, 

in which the rocker is located in a second pivot end position; 

FIG. 10 a side view of the tensioning apparatus of FIG. 2, 

in which the rocker is located in a position with large 

pressing force against a tensioning plate; 

FIG. 11 a side view of the tensioning apparatus of FIG. 2, 

in which the rocker is located in a position with less pressing 

force against a tensioning plate as compared to FIG. 10; 

FIG. 12 a partial perspective representation of the tensioning and closure mechanism; 

FIG. 13 a sectional representation of the tensioning and 

closure mechanism; 

FIG. 14 a schematic diagram of the geometrical relations 

of a strapping device. 

The strapping device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, being 

exclusively manually operated, has a housing 2, which 

encloses the mechanism of the strapping device and on 

which a handle 3 is fashioned for handling the device. The 

strapping device, moreover, is provided with a base plate 4, 

whose bottom side is provided for being placed on an object 

being packaged. All the functional units of the strapping 

device 1 are fastened to the base plate 4 and to the carrier 

connected to the base plate, not otherwise depicted. 

With the strapping device 1, one can tension a loop of 

plastic strap B, not otherwise shown in FIG. 1, for example, 

one made of polypropylene (PP) or polyester (PET), which 

has previously been placed around the object being packaged, by way of a tensioning apparatus 6 of the strapping 

device. For this, the tensioning apparatus has a tensioning 

wheel 7, with which the strap B can be grasped for a 

tensioning process. The tensioning wheel 7 is arranged on a 

pivoting rocker 8, which can swivel about a rocker pivot axis 

Sa. The tensioning wheel 7, arranged with its axis of rotation 

at a distance from the rocker pivot axis Sa, can be moved by 

a pivoting motion of the rocker 8 about the rocker pivot axis 

Sa from one end position with a distance from a curved 

tensioning plate 9 arranged on the base plate 4 to a second 

end position in which the tensioning wheel 7 is pressed 

against the tensioning plate 9. By a corresponding motordriven movement in the reverse direction of rotation about 

a long rocker handle, one can now use a button or switch the rocker pivot axis Sa, the tensioning wheel 7 can be 

with which the tension releasing process occurs. 

Other embodiments of the present disclosure will emerge 

from the claims, the specification, and the drawing. 

The present disclosure shall be explained more closely 

with the help of sample embodiments represented schematically in the figures. There are shown: 

55 removed from the tensioning plate 9 and swiveled back to its 

starting position, such that the strap located between the 

tensioning wheel 7 and the tensioning plate 9 is released for 

removal. 

FIG. 1 a strapping device according to the present disclosure in a perspective representation; 

FIG. 2 an exploded representation of the tensioning 

apparatus of the strapping device from FIG. 1 with the 

motor; 

FIG. 3 a perspective representation of the tensioning and 

closure mechanism of the strapping device from FIG. 1; 

During use of the indicated embodiment of tensioning 

60 device, two layers of the strap are situated between the 

tensioning wheel 7 and the tensioning plate and are pressed 

by the tensioning wheel 7 against the tensioning plate. By 

rotation of the tensioning wheel 7, it is then possible to 

provide a sufficiently large strap tension to the strap loop for 

65 packaging purposes. The tensioning process and the tensioning device and rocker 8 advantageously designed for 

this shall be explained more closely below. 

Case 2:24-cv-00080-JRG Document 20-3 Filed 05/15/24 Page 17 of 25 PageID #: 226
US 11,932,430 B2 

7 

After this, a welding of the two layers can be done in 

familiar fashion at a location of the strap where the two 

layers of the strap loop are superimposed on each other, by 

way of the friction welding device 12 of the strapping 

device. In this way, the strap loop can be permanently 5 

closed. In the sample embodiment shown here, the friction 

welding and separating mechanism 12 is actuated by the 

same only one motor M of the strapping device with which 

all other motor-driven movements are also performed. For 

this, in familiar manner, there is provided a not otherwise 10 

depicted freewheeling in the direction of transmission from 

the motor M to the places where the motorized driving 

movement occurs, which has the effect that the driving 

movement is transmitted in the particular desired rotary 

driving direction to the corresponding functional unit of the 15 

strapping device and no transmission occurs in the other 

particular rotary driving direction of the motor. 

The friction welding device 12 for this is provided with a 

welding shoe 13, shown only highly schematized, which is 

moved by way of a transmission mechanism 14 from a 20 

position of rest at a distance from the strap to a welding 

position in which the welding shoe is pressed against the 

strap. The welding shoe pressed by mechanical pressure 

against the strap in this way and the simultaneously occurring oscillating movement of the welding shoe with a 25 

predetermined frequency melts the two layers of the strap. 

The locally plasticized or melted regions of the strap B flow 

into one another and after a cooldown of the strap B there is 

produced a connection between the two strap layers. Insofar 

as is necessary, the strap loop can then be separated from the 30 

supply roll of strap by way of a cutting device of the 

strapping devices 1, not otherwise depicted. 

The infeed of the tensioning wheel 7 in the direction of the 

tensioning plate 9, the rotary driving of the tensioning wheel 

7 about the tensioning axis 6a, the lifting of the tensioning 35 

wheel from the tensioning plate, the infeed of the friction 

welding device 12 by way of the transmission mechanism 14 

of the friction welding device 12 as well as the use of the 

friction welding device 12 in itself and the activating of the 

cutting device occur by use of only a single common electric 40 

motor M, which provides each time a driving movement for 

these components of the strapping device. For the power 

supply of the motor M, a replaceable storage battery 15 is 

arranged on the strapping device, especially one which can 

be removed for recharging, which serves to store up elec- 45 

trical energy. A supply of other external auxiliary energy 

such as pressurized air or other electricity can be provided, 

but does not occur in the case of the strapping device per 

FIGS. 1 and 2. 

8 

transm1ss10n of the motorized driving movement. Such 

freewheeling in connection with a strapping device is 

already known, and so it shall not be further discussed here. 

As is likewise shown in FIG. 4, the motorized transmission of the driving movement to the friction welding device 

12 and transmission mechanism 14 occurs by any suitable 

manner. This might be, for example, a toothed belt drive 

with a toothed belt closed into a ring. One of the two gears 

is arranged on the drive shaft of the electric motor M, the 

other one belongs to a gearing of the friction welding device 

12, by which the motorized driving movement moves both 

the transmission mechanism 14 and the welding shoe 13 of 

the friction welding device 12. In this way, the welding shoe 

pressed against two overlapping layers of the strap can be 

placed in an oscillatory movement with predetermined frequency and amplitude, by which the two strap layers are 

locally melted in the region of the welding shoe and welded 

together by the subsequent cool down. 

On the drive shaft of the motor, situated behind the 

toothed belt drive for the welding mechanism as seen from 

the motor M, there is a bevel gear 19, which belongs to a 

bevel gearing of the tensioning apparatus, as does a second 

bevel gear 20 meshing with it. On the same shaft where the 

second bevel gear 20 is arranged there is also located a first 

gear 21 of another toothed belt drive 22, which is furthermore led across a second gear 23. The first gear 21 of the 

toothed belt drive 22 is arranged on the shaft 24 firmly 

against rotation. 

On the other end of the shaft 24 is mounted the rocker 8 

of the strapping device, being part of the tensioning apparatus 6 and also carrying an upstream gearing from the 

tensioning wheel 7, in the present case a planetary gearing 

26, for which suitable bearing sites can be provided on the 

rocker 8. The rocker 8 is shoved onto the shaft 24 such that 

the rocker 8 is arranged and supported so that the rocker 8 

can pivot about the longitudinal axis of the shaft 8. The 

longitudinal axis of the shaft 24 is thus at the same time the 

rocker pivot axis Sa, about which the rocker 8 can swivel. 

The planetary gearing 26 can be configured as a single or 

multiple-stage planetary gearing, in particular, a two or 

three-stage planetary gearing. From an end face of the gear 

23 facing the tensioning wheel 7, there sticks out an externally toothed input sun gear 30 belonging to the planetary 

gearing 26, whose axis of rotation is identical to the axis of 

rotation 6a of the input gear 23. On a shaft of the gear 23 on 

which the sun gear 30 is also configured in the sample 

embodiment, a freewheeling 45 is provided, which only 

enables one rotary direction of the sun gears 30, namely, the 

As shown in FIG. 4, the strapping device according to the 

present disclosure provides for a tapping of the driving 

movement of the motor M at two places of its drive axis, 

either for the tensioning apparatus 6 or for the friction 

welding device 12. For this, the motor M can be operated in 

either of the two rotary directions. The shifting of the 

transmission of the driving movement to the tensioning 

apparatus 6 or to the friction welding device 12 is done 

automatically by a freewheeling arranged on the drive shaft 

50 rotary direction which is provided for the driving of the 

tensioning wheel. The sun gear 30 is led through a ring gear 

27 and through a central recess of a planet carrier 25, which 

are likewise part of the planetary gearing 26. Looking from 

the input side of the planet gear, the planet carrier 25 is 

of the motor M (and not otherwise shown) in dependence on 

the rotary direction of the drive shaft of the motor. In one 

rotary direction of the drive shaft, the driving movement is 

transmitted to the tensioning apparatus 6. Thanks to the 

freewheeling, the friction welding device 12 experiences no 

driving movement in this case. In the other rotary direction, 

the tensioning apparatus 6 has no driving movement and the 

friction welding device 12 is driven. No manual shifting is 

required in this embodiment for changing the direction of 

55 arranged behind the ring gear 27 on the axle of the planetary 

gearing 26 corresponding to the tensioning axis 6a. The 

planet carrier could also be configured as a clamping, 

coupling or spur gear. 

The ring gear 27 has at its outer circumference a cam 27c, 

60 which engages with an abutment 46 secured to the base plate 

4 of the strapping device. The internally toothed ring gear 27 

is supported in this way so that the cam 27c can execute 

slight relative movements within its engagement with the 

abutment 46, for example, in a recess 46a of the abutment. 

65 Furthermore, the ring gear 27 has a ring-shaped shoulder 

27a, on which a roller bearing 28 is arranged for the 

mounting of the planetary gearing 26. 

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US 11,932,430 B2 

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The planet carrier 25, whose axis is aligned with the 

tensioning axis 6a, engages by its three planet gears 25b 

with an internal toothing of the input ring gear 27 of the 

planetary gearing 26. The planet gears 25b of the planet 

carrier 25 furthermore engage with the sun gear 30, from 

which they can obtain a driving movement and transmit it, 

appropriately stepped down, to the ring gear 27. Thus, given 

a rotationally fixed arrangement of the planet carrier 25, a 

rotational movement of the sun gear 30 can be converted 

into a rotational movement of the ring gear 27. In the sample 

embodiment, a first clamp 29 of a locking mechanism is 

configured as a pivoting cam, which can be brought into 

contact with a clamping surface 25a on the outer circumference of the planet carrier 25 or pivoted away from the 

clamping surface 25a with a spacing. The cam is arranged so 

that, upon contact of the cam with the clamping surface 25a 

by a rotation of the input planet carrier 25 in the rotary 

direction provided for the planet carrier 25, the clamping 

action is further intensified. By an infeeding of the cam onto 

the clamping surface 25a by a corresponding shifting movement, the planet carrier 25 can be blocked against rotation. 

By another shifting movement, the cam 29 can be moved 

away from the clamping surface 25a, thereby releasing the 

planet carrier 25 for rotational movements. The shifting 

movement can trigger a pivoting motion of the clamp 29 

about a shift axis 143, which is produced by activating a 

button 44. 

The sun gear 30 is furthermore arranged in the region of 

the axis of rotation 31 of a ring gear 32, whose nontoothed 

external surface 32a is coordinated with a second clamp 33. 

The axis of rotation 31 is identical to or aligned with the 

tensioning axis 6a. The clamp 33 interacting with the outer 

surface 32a can essentially be configured in the same way as 

the first clamp 29 as a shifting cam, which can move 

between two end positions, whereby in the one position the 

ring gear 32 is blocked against rotation and in the other 

position the ring gear 32 is released for rotational movements. Moreover, an internal toothing of the ring gear 32 

engages with three planet gears 34, which are mounted at the 

end face of the following planet carrier 35, facing the ring 

gear 32. The planet gears 34 of the planet carrier 35 

furthermore engage with the sun gear 30 of the input gear 23, 

which protrudes into the ring gear 32. 

The locking device in the embodiment being described is 

configured so that always only one of the gears 25, 32 is 

clamped against rotation and the other gear 25, 32 is free for 

rotational movements. Thus, depending on the positions of 

the locking devices 29, 33, it is possible for a rotational 

movement of the gear 23 and the sun gear 30 to result in 

either a rotation of the planet carrier 35 about the tensioning 

axis 6a and axis of rotation 31 by virtue of a movement of 

the planet gears 34 in the internal toothing of the ring gear 

32. Or the rotation of the sun gear 30 depending on the 

positions of the locking device results in a rotation of the 

ring gear 32. If the planet carrier 25 is not clamped by the 

locking mechanism, the rotating sun gear entrains the planet 

gears 25b so that the planet carrier 25 rotates and the ring 

gear 27 remains stationary. On the other hand, if the ring 

gear 32 is not clamped, a rotation of the sun gear 30 results 

in an entrainment of the planet gears 34, which in turn set the 

ring gear 32 in a rotational movement. Since the resistance 

to rotation in the further course of the planetary gearing 26 

is greater toward the tensioning wheel 7 than the torque 

needing to be overcome in order to set the ring gear 32 in 

rotation, the ring gear 32 will primarily rotate in this case 

and the tensioning wheel 7 at least for the most part will not 

rotate. 

10 

At the other end face of the planet carrier 35, turned 

toward the tensioning wheel 7, there is arranged rotationally 

firm on the planet carrier 35 another sun gear 36, which 

meshes with planet gears 41 of another planet carrier 42. A 

5 further sun gear 43 directed toward the tensioning wheel 7 

and connected rotationally firm to the planet carrier 42 is led 

through a recess of the additional planet carrier 37, configured as a ring gear. The sun gear 43 stands in meshing 

engagement with planet gears 38 of the additional planet 

10 carrier 37, facing the tensioning wheel 7 The planet gears 38 

of the second planet carrier 37 mesh in tum with an internal 

toothing of the tensioning wheel 7 and drive the latter in its 

rotational movement about the tensioning axis 6a. This 

rotational movement of the tensioning wheel 7, provided 

15 with a fine toothing on its external circumferential surface, 

is utilized to grasp the strap B with the circumferential 

surface and pull back the strap of the strap loop, thereby 

increasing a strap tension in the strap loop. 

The third planet carrier 37 has a shoulder 37a on its outer 

20 surface, which can be brought into contact against a stop 

element 39 by a rotational movement. The stop element 39 

itself is fixed not to the rocker, but to the base plate 4 or some 

other carrier, which does not participate in the pivoting 

motion of the rocker 8. Thus, the stop element 39 is 

25 stationary in regard to the shoulder 37a. 

In use when strapping packaged goods, the strapping 

device 1 behaves as follows: after a loop of a customary 

plastic strap has been placed around the particular packaged 

goods, this is placed inside the strapping device in the region 

30 of the end of the strap where the strap loop is double-ply for 

a certain length, and the end of the strap is secured in the 

strapping device by a strap clamp, not otherwise depicted. A 

section of the strap B immediately next to the strap loop is 

placed in double layer on top of the tensioning plate 9 of the 

35 tensioning apparatus 6. The rocker 8 with the tensioning 

wheel 7 and the upstream gearing 26 is situated in its upper 

end position, in which the tensioning wheel 7 is arranged at 

a spacing (by its greatest design spacing) from the tensioning plate 9, so that the largest possible opening gap is 

40 produced, enabling an easy, comfortable and thus also rapid 

placement of the strap in the tensioning apparatus. After this, 

the rocker is lowered onto a tensioning plate 9 opposite the 

tensioning wheel 7 and pressed against the strap arranged 

between the tensioning plate 9 and the tensioning wheel 7. 

45 Both this transfer movement of the tensioning wheel and the 

magnitude of the pressing force exerted on the strap by the 

tensioning wheel at the start of the tensioning process can be 

produced in the described embodiment of the present disclosure by one or more prestressed spring elements 44 (not 

50 shown). By activating a button 10, the spring element can be 

released and the entire strapping process triggered with its 

consecutive steps of "tensioning", "closing", "cutting", 

releasing the tension of the strap in the region of the 

tensioning apparatus, and "lifting of the rocker", for which 

55 no further intervention by the user of the strapping device 

need occur. 

After the tensioning wheel 7 is moved automatically from 

the open position to its tensioning position (see the tensioning position in FIG. 10 and the open position in FIG. 11), 

60 where the tensioning wheel 7 lies on the strap B and presses 

across the strap on the tensioning plate 9, the motorized 

driving movement is transmitted to the tensioning wheel 7. 

Now the second clamp 33 is moved into its position in which 

the second clamp 33 presses against the ring gear 32. The 

65 ring gear 32 is thereby arrested from rotational movements 

and locked. The first clamp 29, on the other hand, continues 

to be positioned at a spacing from the input planet carrier 25 

Case 2:24-cv-00080-JRG Document 20-3 Filed 05/15/24 Page 19 of 25 PageID #: 228
US 11,932,430 B2 

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and releases the ring gear 27 for rotational movements. The 

motorized driving movement, which thanks to the particular 

designated rotary direction of the motor Mis transmitted via 

the bevel gearing 19, 20, 21 to the second toothed belt drive 

22 and thus to the gear 23, goes from here in the sequence 

of the following mentioned gearing elements via the input 

gear 23, the sun gear 30, the planet gears 34, the sun gear 36, 

the planet gears 41, the sun gear 43 and via the planet gears 

38 to the tensioning wheel 7. The tensioning wheel 7 can be 

driven by the multistage planetary gearing in greatly 

stepped-down rotational movement of the motor-and thus 

when necessary with correspondingly high torque-in the 

predetermined rotary direction. 

In the just described "tensioning" operating state of the 

strapping device, the driven tensioning wheel 7 in engagement with the strap produces a corresponding, oppositely 

directed counterforce on the tensioning wheel 7, depending 

on the resistance resulting from the strap tension and acting 

on the tensioning wheel 7. This counterforce acts in the 

reverse direction of transmission of the motorized driving 

movement on all gearing elements of the multistage planetary gearing that are involved in the transmission of the 

driving movement. If a different type of gearing from a 

single or multiple-stage planetary gearing is used, the counterforce resulting from the already applied strap tension and 

put into the respective gearing via the contact with the 

tensioning wheel is also available for use in accordance with 

the present disclosure. According to the present disclosure, 

this counterforce can be used to improve the conditions of 

the process, especially the functional safety even when the 

applied strap tension is high. Thus, in order to use this 

counterforce for the following described purpose, it would 

be possible in theory to use each of these gear elements for 

this, in particular, to pick off and employ the mentioned 

counterforce at each of these gear elements. 

In the sample embodiment, the planet carrier 37 is used 

for this. The planet carrier 37 is buttressed in this case via the 

stop element 39 against the base plate 4, so that the entire 

tensioning apparatus 6 is pressed about the rocker axis Sa 

against the strap in proportion to the force of resistance 

(strap tension). The tensioning wheel 7 is thus pressed 

against the strap B proportionally to the strap tension. The 

strap tension generated by the tensioning process is utilized 

in advantageous manner to increase the pressing force of the 

tensioning wheel 7 on the strap B as the strap tension 

increases steadily, so that the danger of a "slip-through" or 

a slippage of the tensioning wheel 7 during the tensioning 

process, which also increases with increasing strap tension, 

can be counteracted. 

For this, the planet carrier is configured with the engaging 

element 37a, which interacts with the stationary stop element 39. The engaging element, configured as a cam and 

arranged on the outer circumference of the planet carrier and 

projecting essentially radially from it, is buttressed against 

the stop element 39. As can be seen from FIG. 3, for this 

purpose the stationary stop element 39 is located in the 

region of the head end of the strapping devices. The stop 

element 39 in the sample embodiment shown is situated on 

one side, namely, the head end, of the tensioning axis 6a and 

the rocker pivot axis Sa running essentially parallel to it is 

on the other side of the tensioning axis 6a. The rocker 8, on 

which the planet carrier 37 is arranged via a roller bearing 

and able to rotate about the tensioning axis 6a, is also able 

to swivel at least during the tensioning process, i.e., it is not 

blocked against pivoting motions but instead released for 

these. Furthermore, the planet carrier 37 is able to rotate 

during the tensioning process about the tensioning axis 6a. 

12 

The strap tension created in the strap B as a reaction to the 

tensioning process brings about a force on the tensioning 

wheel 7 which is opposite the rotary direction of the tensioning wheel provided during the tensioning process. This 

5 reaction force acts from the tensioning wheel via the planet 

carrier 37 on the rocker 8 as a torque directed about the 

rocker pivot axis Sa, by which the planet carrier 37 is 

pressed with increased force against the strap in the direction 

of the tensioning plate 9. The higher the strap tension already 

10 produced in the strap, the higher the torque resulting from 

this and from the motorized driving movement continuing to 

act on the tensioning wheel 7. This torque, arising as a 

reaction, is in tum proportional to the resulting pressing 

force acting from the tensioning wheel 7 on the strap B, with 

15 which the strap B is pressed by the tensioning wheel 7 

against the tensioning plate 9. Therefore, in the present 

disclosure, an increasing strap tension from the motorized 

driving movement on the tensioning wheel 7 goes hand in 

hand with an increasing pressing force of the tensioning 

20 apparatus on the strap. 

After the ending of the tensioning process and the following welding process to form the closure and also after a 

motorized driven cutting process by a cutting device, not 

otherwise depicted, integrated in the strapping device, a 

25 quick and uncomplicated removal of the strap from the 

strapping device should be possible. To accomplish this, 

there is provided a motorized lifting movement of the 

tensioning wheel 7 from the clamping position. For this, the 

button is activated and for as long as the button 10 is 

30 activated the rocker also remains in the open position, in 

which a sufficient spacing is created between the tensioning 

plate 9 and the tensioning wheel 7. By releasing the button 

10, the rocker is closed, for example, by spring force. 

In the sample embodiment, to accomplish this at first the 

35 operative connection between the electric motor M and the 

tensioning wheel 7 is released and an operative connection 

is created between the electric motor M and the rocker 8. 

This is accomplished by switching the clamps 29, 33. The 

previously existing clamping of the ring gear 32 is lifted in 

40 that the second clamp 33 is removed from the outer surface 

32a of the ring gear 32 and in this way the ring gear 32 is 

released for rotational movements. Basically at the same 

time or shortly thereafter, the first clamp 29 is lowered onto 

the clamping surface 25a of the planet carrier 25 and brought 

45 to bear against it in clamping fashion. In this way, the input 

planet carrier 25 is fixed and locked against a rotational 

movement about the tensioning axis 6a, along which the 

entire planetary gearing is situated. 

In this way, the tensioning wheel 7 can tum freely without 

50 being driven and no longer has an operative connection to 

the electric motor M or the sun gear 30, such as might 

transmit a driving movement. A driving movement of the 

electric motor M with the same rotary direction as during the 

tensioning process is now utilized, thanks to the locking of 

55 the input planet carrier 25 of the planetary gearing, so that 

the planet gears 25b of the spur gear 25 entrain the input ring 

gear 27 in their rotational movement. The input ring gear 27 

thus executes a rotational movement by virtue of the rotating 

planet gears 25b. The bearing and abutment of the ring gear 

60 27 on the abutment element 46 leads to a pivoting motion of 

the ring gear 27 about the rocker axis Sa. The input ring gear 

27, which is also connected rotationally firm to the rocker 8 

thanks to the clamping, entrains the rocker 8 during this 

movement. This results in a lifting of the rocker 8 and the 

65 tensioning apparatus 6 secured to it, including the tensioning 

wheel 7. The rotational movement of the rocker 8 can be 

limited by an end stop or an end position sensor, which shuts 

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US 11,932,430 B2 

13 

off the motor M after reaching an end position in the opened 

position of the rocker 8 and triggers an arresting of the 

rocker. Thanks to the motorized lifting movement of the 

rocker 8 against the direction of action of the spring element 

44, the spring element 44 also is once more provided with 

a greater prestressing force. The strap B can now be removed 

from the strapping device 1. 

The strapping device is now ready for a new strapping 

process, which can occur in the same way as the previously 

described strapping process. In order to lower the rocker 8 

after introducing a new piece of strap B in the strapping 

device 1, the spring element 44 must be released again, 

which can be done for example via an operator button on the 

strapping device. In the sample embodiment, the previously 

actuated button 10 is released for this. The spring force then 

swivels the rocker, now in the opposite direction, against the 

tensioning plate and clamps the strap for the next tensioning 

process with an initial pressing force between the tensioning 

wheel 7 and the tensioning plate 9. The variable pressing 

force in the rest of the tensioning process increases in the 

manner described. 

In FIGS. 5 to 9 is shown another sample embodiment of 

14 

operative connection with the motor M. Optionally, strap 

tension still acting on the tensioning wheel 87 from the strap 

B from the previous tensioning process is released in this 

way by the tensioning wheel 87 and the gearing 106 

5 upstream from the tensioning wheel. With the clamp 29, the 

spur gear configured as a planet carrier 105 is locked, and its 

axis of rotation is aligned with the tensioning axis 86a, i.e., 

the axis of rotation of the tensioning wheel 87. The motorized driving movement transmitted from the bevel gear 100 

10 to the input sun gear 110, thanks to the removable rotary 

arresting of the planet carrier 105 performed by way of the 

clamp 29, does not lead to a rotation of the planet carriers 

105 but instead to rotational movements of the planet gears 

105b of the planet carrier 105. The internal toothing of the 

15 ring gear 109 which engages with these planet gears 105b 

places the latter in rotational movement. As is especially 

seen in FIG. 7, an external toothing 109c of the ring gear 109 

engages with an external toothing 150c of a circular arc 

segment 150, which is disposed stationary on one end of a 

20 connection shaft 151. The connection axis 151a of the 

connection shaft 151 runs parallel to the stationary tensioning axis 86a of this sample embodiment. Instead of the two 

external toothings 109c, 150c, the ring gear 109 could also 

be braced by a cam against an abutment element, in which 

case either the cam or the abutment element is neither 

fastened to the ring gear 109 nor movable in design and the 

other of the two elements should be disposed on the ring 

gear 109. 

The rotational movement of the ring gear 109 and the 

engagement of the ring gear 109 with the circular arc 

segment 150 results in a rotational movement of the connection shaft 151 about the connection axis 151a. A spur 

gear 152 arranged at the other end of the connection shaft 

151 engages with an external toothing 117c of the planet 

a strapping device according to the present disclosure. In 

regard to its external appearance, this can also correspond to 

the representation of FIG. 1. The basic layout of this 25 

embodiment of the strapping device can also correspond to 

that of the previously discussed embodiment of the present 

disclosure. Accordingly, in this embodiment as well, only a 

single motor M is used, which is provided to drive the 

welding mechanism 12 and separating mechanism (not 30 

shown in FIG. 5) in one of the two directions of rotation of 

the motor on the one hand and the tensioning apparatus 6 on 

the other hand in the other direction of rotation of the motor. 

The optional driving of either the welding mechanism and 

separating mechanism on the one hand or the tensioning 

apparatus 6 on the other hand is done via a freewheeling and 

different directions of rotation of the motor M. 

35 carrier 117 and in this way transmits the rotational movement about the connection axis 151a to the planet carrier 

117. In relation to the tensioning axis 86a, the connection 

axis 151a is situated on one side and the rocker pivot axis 

80a on the other side of the tensioning axis 86a, the rocker 

The embodiment likewise shows a pivoting rocker 80 of 

the tensioning apparatus 86, driven by motor about a rocker 

pivot axis 80a. In contrast with the previously explained 

sample embodiment, here it is not the tensioning wheel 87 

but instead the tensioning plate 89 which is arranged on the 

pivoting rocker 80, whose rocker pivot axis 80a runs parallel 

40 pivot axis 80a being located on the side of the head end of 

the strapping device. 

The planet carrier 117 belongs to the drive train provided 

for the driving movement of the tensioning wheel 87. The 

operative connection of this drive train to the motor M is 

45 momentarily broken thanks to the above described shifting 

process of the locking mechanism. Thus, at the abovedescribed moment in the process there is no operative 

connection of the motor M with the tensioning wheel 87 to 

drive the latter. As a result of the rotary movement transto the tensioning axis 86a. The motorized driving movement 

with the direction of rotation which is used for rotational 

movements about the tensioning axis 86a is also used in this 

sample embodiment for the pivoting motion of the rocker 

80. The rocker pivot axis 80a in this embodiment as well 

runs essentially parallel to the tensioning axis 86a, about 

which the tensioning wheel can rotate. The rotational movement of the motor is transmitted, behind a point at which the 

motorized driving movement is utilized for the welding 

mechanism, across a bevel gear pair 99, 100 to a planetary 

gearing 106 and from this it goes further to the tensioning 

wheel 87. A freewheeling 125 arranged on the shaft of an 55 

input sun gear 110 ensures that the input side of the planetary 

gearing 106 can only turn in one rotary direction. The 

planetary gearing 106 is provided with gear elements which 

can be optionally arrested by way of a locking mechanism 

having two clamps 29, 33, as in the previously described 

sample embodiment, so that the driving movement can be 

transmitted either to the tensioning wheel 87 or to the rocker 

80. 

In order to open the tensioning apparatus 86, the ring gear 

107 is released via the locking device, i.e., the clamp 33 is 

not in clamping engagement with the ring gear 107. The 

tensioning wheel 87 can in this way tum freely without an 

50 mitted to the planet carrier 117, the planet carrier 117 rotates 

about the tensioning axis 86a and entrains a dog 80c of the 

rocker 80 by a cam 117 a arranged on its outer circumferential surface. As a result, the rocker 80, appearing as an arc 

in plan view, is rotated and opened. 

The rocker 80, able to turn about the rocker axis 80a and 

having the approximate shape of an arc segment, is arranged 

with its lower free end underneath the tensioning wheel 87, 

so that the tensioning plate 89 arranged in the region of the 

free end of the rocker 80 can likewise be arranged directly 

60 beneath the tensioning wheel 87. In order to arrange the 

tensioning plate 89 with a spacing from the tensioning wheel 

87, the previously described motorized driven movement of 

the rocker 80 is used in the rotary direction along arrow 112 

(FIG. 6), by which the rocker 80 is opened as described and 

65 a spacing between the tensioning wheel 87 and the tensioning plate 89 is increased. The opening movement can be 

limited by an end stop. The motor-opened rocker 80 now 

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US 11,932,430 B2 

15 

enables a removal of the tensioned and closed packaging 

strap from the strapping device. After the finished strapping 

16 

on the tensioning wheel 87. As long as an increasing of the 

strap tension is occurring by the tensioning process, so too 

will the resistance force increase and thus the pressing force 

resulting from it. 

In FIGS. 8 and 9 are shown the end positions of the rocker 

80 which are possible on account of the swiveling ability of 

the rocker to open and close on the one hand and to increased 

the pressing force on the strap on the other hand. As shown 

in FIG. 8, in one of the two end positions the tensioning plate 

is removed, the end of a new strapping loop for the next 

tensioning process can be introduced between the tensioning 

plate and the tensioning wheel. The rocker 80 can be brought 5 

back once again to the tensioning wheel by the restoring 

force of the spring element 124 previously stretched during 

the opening movement and press the strap against the 

tensioning wheel with an initial pressing force for the 

tensioning process. In order to utilize the spring force and 

thereby move the rocker 80 in a rotary direction along arrow 

113 in the direction of the tensioning wheel 87, an activation 

10 89 by virtue of a contacting of the cam 117b of the planet 

carrier 117 with a contour of the dog 80b and a clockwise 

rotational direction of the planet carrier (in relation to the 

representation shown in FIG. 8) rotates the rocker counterclockwise about its rocker pivot axis. The dog 80b and the of a button or some other activating element can be provided, by which the spring force is released to act on the 

rocker. This can also involve a releasing of the button 10. 

In order to tension the strap B arranged between the 

tensioning wheel 87 and the tensioning plate 89, the ring 

gear 107 is clamped on its outer circumferential surface by 

way of the clamp 33 to prevent rotational movements. The 

planet carrier 105 is not clamped, and so it can tum, as can 

the connection shaft 8. The motorized driving movement 

from the sun gear 30 in the planetary gearing 106 arranged 

on the tensioning axis 86a is transmitted through the planet 

carrier 105 and the ring gear 107 to the planet gears 114 of 

the second planet carrier 115 and sets the latter in rotation. 

A sun gear, not recognizable in the representation of FIG. 5, 

drives the planet gears 121 of an additional downstream 

stage of the planetary gearing 106. The planet carrier 122 of 

this stage also rotates. The sun gear 123 of the last-mentioned stage is further led through the additional planet 

carrier 117 and drives the planet gears 118 of this additional 

stage, which in turn are in engagement with an internal 

toothing of the tensioning wheel 87. The tensioning wheel 

87 is thus driven in the tensioning direction across the single 

or multiple-stage planetary gearing 106 and the inserted 

strap B is tensioned. 

In the previously described operating mode of "tensioning", in which the tensioning wheel 87 engages with the 

strap B, a force of resistance in the form of a restoring 

moment acting from the strap B on the rotating tensioning 

wheel 87 is produced by virtue of the strap tension. Its 

magnitude is variable and proportional to the magnitude of 

the applied strap tension. This force of resistance works 

opposite the motorized driving moment which arises in the 

gear elements participating in the transmission of the driving 

movement. In the sample embodiment, the planet carrier 117 

15 cam 117b in this case act like a lever, which produces a 

counterclockwise torque about the rocker pivot axis 80a. 

FIG. 9 shows the end position of the opened rocker. Here, 

the planet carrier 117 turns in the opposite rotary direction 

as compared to FIG. 8 and thereby comes to bear against the 

20 dog 80c of the rocker 80. The dog 80c is situated in regard 

to the rocker pivot axis 80a and the other dog 80b on the 

other side of the rocker pivot axis 80a. In the position of use 

of the strapping device with a horizontal orientation of the 

base plate, the dog 80b is situated above and the dog 80c 

25 below the rocker pivot axis 80a. In this way, the rocker 

swivels clockwise in the representation of FIG. 9 and 

thereby creates a spacing from the tensioning wheel 87. 

FIG. 12 shows a partial perspective view of the tensioning 

apparatus of the second sample embodiment, in which only 

30 one of the two clamps is depicted. Here, the clamp 33 is 

brought to bear against the flat circumferential surface 107b 

of the ring gear 107, which is essentially round in cross 

section. FIG. 13 shows a sectional representation through 

the ring gear 107 and the clamp 33. By way of the clamp 33 

35 of the locking mechanism, the ring gear can be optionally 

clamped against rotational movements or released again. 

Each of the clampings provided in the strapping devices of 

FIG. 2-11 can be configured according to the locking mechanism described here, however traditional locking mecha40 nisms are also possible. In the clamping according to the 

present disclosure, an at least approximately planar circular 

or circular arc-shaped circumferential surface of the gear 

interacts with a pivoting clamping element or clamping 

body. The circumferential surface 107b of the sample 

45 embodiment shown, functioning as a clamping surface, has 

no detent elements with which a clamping is provided that 

is based on a form-fitting engagement of a clamping element 

with a detent element or a detent recess. 

is braced by a cam 117b, having the function of an end stop, 

against the rocker 80. The planet carrier 117 rotating by the 

motorized driving movement in a suitable rotary direction 

lies by its cam 117b against a dog 80b of the rocker and 50 

thereby turns it in a motion according to arrow 113 (FIG. 6) 

about the rocker axis 80a against the tensioning wheel. 

Optionally, a noticeable rotary movement about the rocker 

axis 80a will not actually be executed here, but essentially 

only the torque about the rocker axis 80a is increased. In 55 

either case, however, the pressing force by which the rocker 

The clamping element 33 is mounted so that it can pivot 

about the shifting and pivoting axis 143, where the shifting 

axis 143 of the clamping element 33 runs parallel to the axis 

of rotation of the gear 107 being clamped. The shifting axis 

143 runs in the region of one end of the camlike clamping 

element 33. In the region of the other end of the clamping 

element there is provided an arc-shaped contact surface 33a, 

which is provided for a contact with the clamping surface 

80 presses the tensioning plate 89 or the strap against the 

tensioning wheel 87 is increased. This increase generally 

does not occur in a single step. The increasing of the 

pressing force of the rocker against the strap, ultimately 60 

stemming from the motorized driving movement and the 

already existing strap tension and occurring by engaging 

with the tensioning gearing 106, occurs proportionally to the 

resistance and restoring force present in the strap and acting 

as a resistance force against a maintaining and a further 65 

increasing of the strap tension at the point of engagement 

with the strap, from the strap to the tensioning plate 89 and 

107 b of the gear being clamped. Due to the circular shape of 

the clamping surface 109b as well as the arc shape of the 

contact surface 33a in side view, an essentially linear contact 

comes into being when the clamping element 33 contacts the 

circumferential surface 107b, and this line of contact runs 

perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIG. 13. 

As emerges from FIG. 13, the clamping element 33 is 

arranged in relation to the gear 107 being clamped such that 

the line of contact of the contact surface 33a has a distance 

155 from its pivot axis 143 which is greater than the distance 

of the pivot axis 143 from the clamping surface 107b. As a 

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US 11,932,430 B2 

17 

result, during a pivoting motion of the clamping element 33 

from its release position to a clamping position it already 

comes into contact with the clamping surface 107 bat a point 

which lies before a line of connection 156 of the axis of 

rotation of the gear 107 to the pivot axis 143 of the clamping 5 

element. In relation to the intended rotary direction 157 of 

the gear 107 being clamped, the line of contact occurs before 

the (imaginary) line of connection 156. The rotation of the 

gear 107 is braked and can at most still move just a little. 

Thanks to a further rotation against the increasing clamping 10 action, the clamping action is further intensified and an 

increasing wedging of the clamping element 33 against the 

gear 107 is intensified. Thanks to these geometrical relations, the clamp 33 cannot pass the line of connection 156 

in rotary direction of the gear, its pivoting motion halts 

before the line of connection 156 and presses against the 15 

clamping surface 107b. In an end position essentially corresponding already to the position of first contact with the 

clamping element 33, the gear 107 is clamped against the 

camlike clamping element 33. No further movement is 

possible, regardless of how high the torque is. 20 

FIG. 14 shows the geometrical relations of the clamping. 

Here as well, the connection between the axis of rotation 86a 

of the gear 107 and the pivot axis 143 is designated as 156. 

The contact surface (circumference) of the gear could be 

smooth or structured. The radius of the gear at the contact 25 

site with the cam is designated as 158 and the pivot radius 

of the clamping element 33 at the contact site is 155. The 

pivot radius 155 at the contact site subtends an angle a with 

the line of connection 156, and the radius 158 of the gear 107 

an angle y with the swivel radius 155 ( each time at the 30 

contact site). In the sample embodiment, the geometrical 

relations are such that in the clamping position, in which the 

gear 107 is blocked against rotational movements in the 

intended rotary direction, the angle y is at least approximately 155°. In experiments it was also possible to achieve 35 

good results when using an angle from the range of 130° to 

170°, especially from 148° to 163°. The angle a should 

advantageously be greater than or equal to 7°. In the sample 

embodiment, it is 9°. In other embodiments, it can also be 

chosen from a range of 7° to 40°. 40 

In the sample embodiment of the present disclosure 

discussed here, it is not absolutely necessary, if the wedge 

effect is strong enough, to maintain the position of the cam 

in its clamping position by outside measures. This already 

occurs simply due to the fact that the gear 107 can only turn 45 

in one rotary direction and this is in fact blocked in removable fashion by the clamp 33. In sample embodiments of the 

present disclosure, the camlike clamping element is held in 

position by the spring force of a spring element 159. For this, 

the spring element 159 lies against the clamping element 50 

above the shifting axis 143 and turns or holds the clamping 

element 29 in its clamping position. In order to remove the 

clamping element from its clamping position, the spring 

force must be overcome with a switch 160. Using the switch 

160, both clamps 29 and 33 can be activated at the same 55 

time. Depending on the arrangement of the switch/button, a 

pulling or pressing of the switch can overcome the spring 

force and release the ring gear 107 from the clamp 33 and 

lock the planet carrier 105. In the other movement of the 

switch/button, the clamp 29 and the planet carrier 105 are 60 

again released via the spring force, while the clamp 33 locks 

the ring gear 107. 

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 

65 

1 strapping device 

2 housing 

3 handle 

4 base plate 

6 tensioning apparatus 

6a tensioning axis 

7 tensioning wheel 

8 rocker 

Sa rocker pivot axis 

9 tensioning plate 

10 button 

18 

12 friction welding mechanism 

13 welding shoe 

14 transmitting mechanism 

15 storage battery 

19 bevel gear 

20 bevel gear 

21 gear 

22 toothed belt drive 

23 gear 

24 shaft 

25 planet carrier 

25a clamping surface 

25b planet gears 

26 gearing 

27 ring gear 

27a shoulder 

27c cam 

28 roller bearing 

29 first clamp 

29a arc-shaped contact surface 

30 sun gear 

31 axis of rotation of gearing and tensioning wheel 

32 ring gear 

32a outer surface 

33 second clamp 

34 planet gear 

35 planet carrier 

36 sun gear 

37 planet carrier 

37a shoulder 

38 planet gear 

39 stop element 

40 arrow 

41 planet gear 

42 planet carrier 

43 sun gear 

44 spring element (restoring spring) 

45 freewheeling 

46 abutment 

46a recess 

80 pivoting rocker 

80a rocker pivot axis 

80b dog 

80c dog 

86 tensioning apparatus 

86a tensioning axis 

87 tensioning wheel 

89 tensioning plate 

99 bevel gear 

100 bevel gear 

105 spur gear (planet carrier) 

105b planet gear 

106 gearing 

107 ring gear 

107b circumferential surface 

109 ring gear 

109b circumferential surface 

109c external toothing 

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US 11,932,430 B2 

110 sun gear 

112 arrow 

113 arrow 

114 planet gears 

115 planet carrier 

117 planet carrier 

117 b toothing 

117a cam 

117b cam 

117 c toothing 

118 planet gear 

121 planet gear 

122 planet carrier 

123 sun gear 

124 spring element 

125 freewheeling 

143 shifting axis 

150 circular arc segment 

150c toothing 

151 connection shaft 

151a connection axis 

19 

155 distance/swivel radius 

156 connection line 

157 rotary direction 

158 radius 

159 spring element 

160 switch 

B strap 

M motor 

The invention is claimed as follows: 

1. A strapping device comprising: 

a base comprising a tensioning plate; 

a rocker pivotable between a first rocker position and a 

second rocker position; 

a rotatable tensioning wheel that is pivotable with the 

rocker such that movement of the rocker from the first 

rocker position to the second rocker position moves the 

tensioning wheel away from the tensioning plate and 

movement of the rocker from the second rocker position to the first rocker position moves the tensioning 

wheel toward the tensioning plate; 

a friction-welding device movable between a release 

position and a welding position; 

a motor comprising a drive shaft rotatable in a first 

rotational direction to cause the rocker to pivot from the 

first rocker position to the second rocker position and in 

a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational 

direction to cause the friction welding device to move 

from the release position to the welding position; and 

20 

5. The strapping device of claim 4, wherein the frictionwelding device comprises a weld shoe. 

6. The strapping device of claim 5, further comprising a 

first gearing operably connecting the drive shaft to the 

5 rocker, wherein the transmission mechanism comprises a 

second gearing operably connecting the drive shaft to the 

friction-welding device. 

7. The strapping device of claim 5, wherein the drive shaft 

is operably connected to the tensioning wheel to rotate the 10 tensioning wheel and is operably connected to the weld shoe 

to oscillate the weld shoe. 

8. The strapping device of claim 1, further comprising a 

gearing operably connecting the drive shaft to the rocker, 

15 wherein the drive shaft is operably connected to the tensioning wheel via the gearing to rotate the tensioning wheel. 

9. The strapping device of claim 8, further comprising one 

or more clamping elements movable from a first configuration to a second configuration to switch the gearing from a 

20 first state in which the gearing operably connects the drive 

shaft to the tensioning wheel so rotation of the drive shaft in 

the first rotational direction causes the tensioning wheel to 

rotate to a second state in which the gearing operably 

connects the drive shaft to the rocker so rotation of the drive 

25 shaft in the first rotational direction causes the rocker to 

pivot from the first rocker position to the second rocker 

position. 

10. The strapping device of claim 9, wherein the gearing 

comprises a first gear component and a second gear com30 ponent, wherein when the gearing is in the first state the first 

gear component is rotatable and at least one of the one or 

more clamping elements prevents the second gear component from rotating, and wherein when the gearing is in the 

second state at least one of the one or more clamping 

35 elements prevents the first gear component from rotating and 

the second gear component is rotatable. 

11. The strapping device of claim 10, wherein the one or 

more clamping elements comprise a first clamping element 

and a second clamping element, wherein the first clamping 

40 element is movable from a disengaged position in which the 

first clamping element does not prevent the first gear component from rotating to an engaged position in which the 

first clamping element prevents the first gear component 

from rotating, wherein the second clamping element is 

45 movable from a disengaged position in which the second 

clamping element does not prevent the second gear component from rotating to an engaged position in which the 

second clamping element prevents the second gear component from rotating. 

12. The strapping device of claim 11, wherein the first 

gear component operably connects the drive shaft to the 

tensioning wheel, and wherein the second gear component 

operably connects the drive shaft to the rocker. 

a transmission mechanism operably connecting the drive 50 

shaft of the motor to the friction-welding device such 

that rotation of the drive shaft in the second rotational 

direction actuates the transmission mechanism to move 

the friction-welding device from the release position to 

the welding position. 

13. The strapping device of claim 1, wherein the rocker is 

55 pivotably mounted to the base. 

2. The strapping device of claim 1, further comprising a 

spring imparting a spring force to the rocker that biases the 

rocker to the first rocker position. 

14. The strapping device of claim 13, wherein the rocker 

is pivotably mounted to the base so a torque is applied to the 

rocker during a tensioning process that causes one of the 

3. The strapping device of claim 2, further comprising an tensioning wheel and the tensioning plate to exert a force on 

input device movable from a release position to an activated 

position to activate the motor to rotate the drive shaft in the 

first rotational direction to cause the rocker to pivot from the 

first rocker position to the second rocker position. 

60 the other of the tensioning wheel and the tensioning plate. 

4. The strapping device of claim 3, wherein the spring 

forces the rocker from the second rocker position toward the 65 

first rocker position responsive to the input device being 

released from the activated position. 

15. The strapping device of claim 1, further comprising a 

lifting element operably connecting the drive shaft to the 

rocker such that rotation of the drive shaft in the first 

rotational direction causes the lifting element to rotate to 

impart a lifting force on the rocker to cause the rocker to 

pivot from the first rocker position to the second rocker 

position. 

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US 11,932,430 B2 

21 

16. The strapping device of claim 15, wherein the lifting 

element is rotatable such that rotation of the drive shaft in 

the first rotational direction causes the lifting element to 

rotate to impart the lifting force on the rocker. 

17. The strapping device of claim 16, wherein the lifting 5 

element comprises a ring gear. 

* * * * * 

22 

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