Abstract:
A commercial tape applicator capable of folding at least one side edge of a tape as it is fed to the applicator to provide an easily a gripped edge on the tape after it has been applied to the case. The invention provides a folding station on a dancer platform mounted on a dancer arm that has a nip roll at its free end and the arm is biased so that the nip roll is in contact with the periphery of a tape roll forming the source of tape and is usable to align the tape path through the folding station with the tape leaving the tape roll and accommodate deformation of the roll. A latch and cooperating cog wheel may be used to control the off feeding of the tape for the supply roll.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a tape applicator for applying closure tapes to cartons wherein the tape is folded upon itself to provide a gripping area along at least one side edge. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The concept of folding over a side edge of an adhesive coated tape that will later be applied for example to seal or close a carton or the like and provide a not stuck edge that may be gripped to facilitate opening of the carton is well known. Many hand or manually operated tape applicators have been designed and patented that fold over onto itself at least one side edge of a tape coated on one side with adhesive before it is to be applied. Examples of such devices are U.S. Pat. No. 7,334,620 issued Feb. 26, 2008 to Imazeki; U.S. Pat. No. 7357,285 issued Apr. 15, 2008 Namekawa et al.; and UP patent Applications 2001/0000096 published Apr. 5, 2001 inventor Tolerico et al.; and 2006/0175017 published Aug. 10, 2006 to Namekawa et al. Japanese PCT publication WO2006/032175 illustrates another such device. None of these devices are adapted for commercial machines that automatically apply withdraw such tape from a supply roll at a relatively high speed and apply same to a case as it is moved thereby. 
     It is not uncommon to provide a nip roll that is biased into engagement with the periphery of the supply roll of tape and functions to improve the smoothness with which tape is withdrawn from the roll in the taping operation. 
     Tape rolls do not always retain their shape and are sometimes deformed or warped; thus a system for steering or aligning the tape as it is removed from the roll into a tape path would improve the functioning of the machine by better insuring the tape is properly fed from the roll. This is particularly important when folding occurs along the feed path in a commercial machine as taught by the present invention. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a commercial tape applicator for folding a side edge of a tape and then applying the tape to the case or other object to which the tape is applied Broadly the present invention relates to a tape applicator comprising a front applicator for applying a leading end of a tape to a case being taped and a rear applicator for pressing a trailing end of said tape to said case, a connector interconnecting said front and rear applicators for interaction, a tape roll providing a source of said tape, said tape having an adhesive side and a non-adhesive side, a path of said tape from said tape roll to said front applicator, the improvement comprising; a dancer arm mounting a dancer platform that is positioned along said a path of said tape between said tape roll and said front applicator and adjacent to said tape roll, a nip roll rotatably mounted on a free end of said dancer arm adjacent to said tape roll, means biasing said dancer arm to press said nip roll onto a periphery of said tape roll and against said non adhesive side of said tape, a tape folding station mounted on said dancer platform and through which said tape on said tape path passes to fold at least one side edge of said tape onto an adjacent adhesive side of said tape to form a folded edge on said tape as said tape travels through said folding station on said path. 
     Preferably, said dancer arm at its end remote from said nip roll is mounted on a dancer arm pivotal mounting that allows relative side and rotational movement of said dancer arm. 
     Preferably, guide means are provided to sense the position of said periphery of said tape roll and align said dancer platform with said tape as said tape is drawn from said roll. 
     Preferably, said guide means comprises at least one flange on said nip roll that remains engaged an adjacent side face of said roll to move said nip roll and thereby said dancer platform depending on the position of said adjacent side face of said roll. 
     Preferably, said guide means comprises a pair of flanges one adjacent to each end of said nip roll and spaced to snugly receive side faces of said roll adjacent to said periphery of said roll to move said nip roll and thereby said dancer platform depending on the position of said side faces of said roll. 
     Preferably, said pivot shaft is mounted to an adjustment bar which in turn is mounted for movement perpendicular to said tape path to laterally adjust the position of said tape. 
     Preferably, said dancer platform is pivotably mounted on said dancer arm on a dancer platform axel and a spring biases said dancer platform to rotate on said axel in one direction 
     Preferably, said nip roll has a cog wheel at one end and wherein a latch that cooperates with said cog wheel is fixed to said platform and moves into engagement with said cog to stop movement of said nip roller when said platform is rotated in said one direction. 
     Preferably, a leading edge of said dancer platform includes a tape expanding surface positioned in said tape path and over which said tape is passed as it leaves said folding station. 
     Preferably, said folding station further includes a center guide positioned to extend along the length of said edge folding station, said center guide having a triangular cross section with an apex of said triangular section extending along said path of said tape. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further features, objects and advantages will be evident from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which; 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a tape applicator incorporating the present invention with parts omitted for clarity. 
         FIG. 2  shows a typical taped carton with a tape applied using one form of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric schematic illustration of the folding station of the present invention 
         FIG. 3   a  is a section across the tape at point  3   a  in  FIG. 3  prior to the tape being folded. 
         FIG. 3   b  is a section across the folding station tape at point  3   b  in  FIG. 3  showing the first stage of the folding operation. 
         FIG. 3   c  is a section across the tape at point  3   c  in  FIG. 3  showing the next stage of the folding operation. 
         FIG. 3   d  is a section across the tape at point  3   d  in  FIG. 3  showing the final stage of the folding operation. 
         FIG. 3   e  is a section across the tape at point  3   e  in  FIG. 3  showing the folded tape with both side edges folded. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of the pivotal mounting that permits rotational and lateral movement of the dancer arm that supports the dancer platform that mounts the folding station. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic plan view illustrating the lateral movement of the dancer platform and thus the folding station to maintain alignment of the folding station with the tape. 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  are side elevations of the dancer platform illustrating the operation of the nip roll and the movement of the dancer arm and platform to operate the latching mechanism and to maintain the nip pressure between the nip roll and the tape roll 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A shown in  FIG. 1  the applicator  10  of the present invention is applied to an essentially well known tape applicator mechanism only parts of which have been illustrated and which is composed of a main frame  12  and a front frame  14  between which the operating parts are positioned. These operating parts include as is well know a front applicator  16  and a rear applicator  18 . The front applicator  16  is pivotably mounted on the main frame  12  and functions in well known manner and is coupled for interaction with the rear applicator  18  pivotably mounted on the main frame  12  as indicated at  22  by connecting link  24 . The front and rear applicators  16  and  18  each have the known wipers or applicators shown in the form of rolls  26  and  28  which as is known apply the tape  30  to the case being taped and wipe the tape against the surface of the case to ensure proper application of the tape  30  to the case  32  (see  FIG. 2 ). The normal cut-off knife and the biasing spring of the applicator mechanism are indicated at  34  and  36  respectively. 
     The tape  30  which has an adhesive surface  31  and a non-adhesive surface  33  is fed from a tape roll  38  through a folding station  40  which will be described in detail herein below and then over suitable guide roll  41  (mounted on the dancer arm  58  described below) and rolls  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48  and  50  (mounted in known manner to the frame  12  or applicator  16 ) to the applicator roll  26  of the front applicator  16  which applies the leading end  52  of the tape  30  to the case to be taped (not shown in  FIG. 1 ). The roll  41  is configured with undulations as is known to tend to keep the tape on course. The present invention improves the conventional commercial applicator illustrated at  10  by adding a folding station  40  between the tape supply roll  38  and the first guide roll  42  on the tape path  54  (As defined by the path  54  of the tape  30  from the roll  38  to the applicator  26 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  a dancer platform  56  on which the folding station  40  is positioned is pivotably mounted on a dancer arm  58  via a platform axel  57  (the function of which will be described below) which axel  57  extends as a cantilever from the arm  58 . The dancer platform  56  is biased to rotate in a clockwise direction (see  FIGS. 6 and 7 ) via the spring  59  one end of which is mounted on a holder  61  pivotably mounted on the arm  58  vial pivot pin  63  which is substantially parallel to axel  57  and the opposite end bears against the adjacent (bottom) surface  65  of the platform  56 . The arm  58  is in turn pivotably mounted on a mounting and alignment adjustment bar  60  on dancer arm pivotal pivot  62  which is substantially parallel to the pivot pins  57  and  63  (which in turn are substantially parallel to the axis  68  of the mounting hub for the tape roll  38 ) and as will be described below provides a mounting that permits relative side and rotational movement of the arm  58  and platform  56 . 
     The bar  60  is slidably mounted on the shafts  64  and  66  which extend between and are supported by the frames  12  and  14 . The bar  60  is thus moveable essentially in a direction parallel to the axis  68  of rotation of the mounting hub  70  for the roll  38  i.e. substantially parallel to the plane of the tape  30  withdrawn from the roll  38 . The position of the bar  60  on the shafts  64  and  66  is adjustable by the screw mechanism schematically indicated at  72  so that the path  54  of the tape  30  may be accurately aligned with the location to be taped. The axial length of the guide rolls  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48  and  50  and of the applicators  26  and  28  are significantly longer than the width of tape  30  to accommodate lateral adjustment of the tape path  54  obtained by lateral adjustment of the bar  60  to position the tape path as desired relative to the carton or case being taped. 
     Also mounted on the bar  60  is the support frame  74  for mounting roll hub  70  for roll  38  to tend to keep the tape path  54  through the folding station  40  and the tape roll in alignment. 
     A suitable spring  80  has one end mounted on a pin  82  on the support frame  74  and its opposite end on pin  84  fixed to the arm  58  so that the nip roll  88  mounted at the free end  86  of the arm  58  i.e. end remote from the pivotal axis  66  is biased against the periphery  98  of the tape roll  38 . 
     The nip roll  88  has a slip resistant cover  92  and the rotation of this roll  88  is controlled by means of the latch type clutch  90  formed by a cog wheel  94  attached to rotate with the roll  88  and a cooperating latch  96  fixed to the platform  56  adjacent to the roll  88  (see also  FIGS. 6 and 7 ). As above described the spring  80  forces the roll  88  into engagement with the outer periphery  98  of the tape roll  38  and the slip resistant cover  92  engages the tape so there is little if any slippage between the nip roll  88  and the tape  30  and backward rotation of the roll  38  of tape is prevented (by the operation of the cog wheel  94  and latch  96 ) and latch when tape is not being withdrawn for the taping operation as will be described below. 
     The tape  30  is withdrawn from the tape roll  38  over the nip roll  88  with its non-adhesive surface  33  engaging the slip resistant cover  92  of the roll  88  and passes through the folding station  40  where in the illustrated arrangement both side edges  100  and  102  of the tape  30  are folded over as shown in  FIGS. 3 to 3   e  inclusive by the side folding assemblies or guides  101 A and  101 B. 
     The tape  30  moves as indicated by the arrow  104  in  FIG. 3  through the folding station  40  and each edge is folded onto the tape in the sequence of  FIGS. 3   a  to  3   e . In the first stage the areas adjacent to each of the edges  100  and  102  are fold as indicated at  106  and  108  to be substantially perpendicular to the plane of the remainder of the tape  30  by contact with the faces  110  of the folding blocks  112  (one at each side of the tape  30 ) as shown in  FIG. 3   b . The tape  30  continues its travel through the station  40  edge portions  106  and  108  and encounters plough portions  114  of the folding blocks  112  each provided with an inclined surface  116  which act to further fold the portions  106  and  108  toward the adhesive side  31  of tape  30  and moves these portions  106  and  108  against their respective adjacent portions of the tape  30  in the conventional manner as indicated in  FIG. 3   d  and then into intimate contact as indicated in  FIG. 3   e  to provide the two layer side edges  120  at each side of the tape  30 . The so folded tape  30  then passes over the edge  300  of the platform  56  described below and onto the guide roll  41  and to the applicator  26  for application to the case in the conventional manner. 
     Preferably the folding station  40  will include a center guide  122  in the form of a triangular cross section plate  122  extending up from the platform base  124  of the dancer platform  56  and centered between the folding blocks  112  with the apex  123  of the triangular cross section between the contact surfaces  125  and  127  so centered and in line with the direction of travel  104  of the tape through the station  40  so that the plate  122  deforms the tape  30  which stabilizes and better insures that the tape  30  follows its intended path  54  of travel through the station  40 . The lead end  124  of plate  122  is positioned up stream of the folding blocks  12  and the downstream end  126  positioned between the blocks  112  in the area of the surfaces  116 . 
     The nip roll  88  is preferably provided with a pair of flanges  200  one at each axial end of the roll  88  and spaced apart so that the inside surfaces  202  and  204  are as illustrated tapered towards each other as they approach the shaft of the roll  88  and at their ends adjacent to the roll  88  are immediately adjacent to their adjacent side faces  136  and  138  of the roll  38  immediately adjacent to the periphery  98  of the roll  38 . This intimate contact between the flange surfaces  202  and  204  and their respective adjacent side faces  136  an  138  of the roll  38  adjacent to the coated surface  92  cause the roll  88  to be shifted axially which causes the platform  56  and folding station  40  to shift laterally as indicated by the dimension D when the position of the roll contacting teh surface  92  moves laterally (axially relative to axis  68 ) and thereby maintain alignment of the tape path  54  with the folding station  40  (see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). The flange  200 A is in effect formed by the cog wheel  94  by providing the tapered surface  204  on the face of the cog wheel  94  adjacent to the tape  30 . 
     To accommodate the required lateral movement of the dancer arm  58  and platform  56  the pivot  62  which provides the pivotal mounting that accommodates relative side and rotational movement of teh dancer arm  58  and platform  56  is formed with free space or play between the bore  210  and the shaft  212  so that the arm  58  may move as indicated by the arrow  214  (see  FIG. 4 ) and rotate around the haft  212 . 
     The downstream end of the platform  56  provides a tape expanding surface  300  that has a central portion  302  substantially perpendicular to the tape path  54  (parallel to axis  68 ) and a pair of guide surfaces  304  and  306  symmetrically positioned on opposite sides of the central portion  302 . Forcing the tape  30  against these surfaces  302 ,  304  and  306  (as obtained by so directing the tape path  54 ) bends the tape  30  around the surfaces  302 ,  304  and  306  which allows the folded tape edges to tend to expand or spread laterally. The length of the central portion  302  measured parallel to the axis  68  is less than the spacing between the side folding guides. 
     The operation of the cog wheel  92  and latch  94  is as follows: When tape  30  is not being withdrawn for application to a case being taped there is little or no tension in the tape  30  and the spring  59  pivots the platform  56  clockwise around the pivot  57  (See  FIGS. 6  and &amp;  7 ) which moves the latch  94  into engagement with the cog wheel  92  and prevents rotation of the nip roll  88 . When tape  230  is being withdrawn by movement of the case being taped (as is well known) tension is applied to the tape  30  which moves the platform  56  counterclockwise around axel  57  (as shown in  FIG. 7 ) to move the latch  94  from the cog wheel  92  and permit the roll  88  to rotate and the tape  30  to be withdrawn. This stopping and releasing of the roll  88  aids significantly in obtaining proper operation of the machine. 
     Turning to  FIG. 2  it can be seen how the folded edges  120  extend along each side of the tape  30  used to close the box or case  270  and provide areas that are not adhered to the case so that they may be grasped to help open the case  270  and strengthened areas long each side of the tape. 
     While the description has dealt with forming a tape  30  with fold edges  120  at each side of the tape it will be apparent that only one side need be folded. Similarly the guiding mechanism formed by the flanges  200  could also be obtained using only one flange  200  at one end of the roll and biasing the one flange  200  against the adjacent side face of the roll  38 . 
     Having described the invention, modifications will be evident to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.