Patent Publication Number: US-6901985-B2

Title: Taping device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a taping device for taping an elongated object with tape from a spool of tape. 
   For protection against mechanical and thermal stress, as EMC protection and/or for reducing vibration noises, cable harnesses in bicycles, passenger cars, trucks, buses, airplanes, and sometimes in machines are sheathed with tape wound helically around the cords. This tape can be adhesive or nonadhesive. This process is predominantly done today by hand without tools, or with either stationary or semistationary taping devices with an additional drive mechanism. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The object of the invention is to create a device of this same generic type that without a motor-type drive mechanism makes simple, ergonomic, fast, uniform taping of elongated objects possible and is compact and can be produced economically. 
   According to the invention the device for taping an elongated object with tape from a spool of tape comprises 
   a radial bearing ring provided with a radially extending cutout of sufficient size so that the elongated object can pass into it; 
   an inner part rotatably mounted in the radial bearing ring, which is provided with a radial recess corresponding to the cutout; 
   an approximately centrally disposed tape holder for the spool of tape, which is mounted across from the recess; 
   a pendulum bearing connecting the approximately centrally disposed tape holder with the rotatable inner part; and 
   either a handle rigidly attached to the bearing ring so that the device is hand-held or a stationary stand rigidly attached to the bearing ring. 
   In preferred embodiments of the taping device a tape-severing device is arranged in the vicinity of the cutout, preferably attached to the radial bearing ring at the edge of the cutout. 
   In various embodiments of the invention the rotatable inner part has an outer peripheral edge and comprises a plurality of bearing rollers distributed uniformly around the outer peripheral edge and the inner part is rotatably mounted in the radial bearing ring by means of these bearing rollers. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The objects, features and advantages of the invention will now be described in more detail with the aid of the following description of the preferred embodiments, with reference to the accompanying figures in which: 
       FIG. 1  is vertical cross-sectional view through a first embodiment of a hand-operated taping device according to the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a transverse cross-sectional view through the taping device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view showing the taping device of  FIG. 1  in operation; 
       FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6  are successive perspective action views showing the taping device of  FIG. 1  in operation; and 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  are successive perspective action views showing a second embodiment of the taping device according to the invention in operation. 
   

     FIG. 1 , in a side view, shows a device  1  for taping elongated objects  2  by means of a tape  3  from a spool of tape  4 . The device  1  has a radial bearing ring  5 , in which a rotatable inner part  6  is supported. The radial bearing ring  5  is provided with a cutout  7 , and the inner part  6  is provided with a radial recess  8 . The inner part  6 , on one side, has an approximately centrally disposed tape holder  9 , which is connected transversely to the recess  8  to a pendulum bearing  10 . The inner part  6  is provided with radially disposed bearing rollers  16  at equal intervals, and as a result free rotation can be done, including via the cutout  7  of the radial bearing ring  5 . The radial bearing ring  5  is connected selectively to a handle  11  and/or a stationary stand  12 . 
     FIG. 2 , in a section taken along the line II—II in  FIG. 1 , shows the device  1 , and in this view the disposition of the pendulum bearing  10  is especially clearly shown. 
   A plan view on the device  1  of  FIG. 1  is shown in  FIG. 3 ; here, the device  1  is shown in a working position of a taping operation. 
   A corresponding recess  8  is made in the inner part  6 , and the cable harness  2  is introduced into this recess via the cutout  7  of the radial bearing ring  5  and connected to a leading end of an adhesive side of the tape  3  (FIG.  4 ). 
   By means of the device  1 , the spool of tape  4  is now passed around the elongated objects  2 , or around a cable harness or other elongated product. The motion of the spool of tape  4  is attained by providing that a user guides the device  1  in a circular motion using a handle  11 . The circular motion is executed without interruption outside the cable harness  2 . With the handle, the circular radial bearing ring  5  secured to it is moved, in which the rotatable inner part  6  is supported in such a way as to move smoothly and is thereby set into rotation by the cable harness  2  located in the recess  8  (FIGS.  4 - 6 ). 
   A bandage  13  is created by the fact that the inner part  6  rotates about the cable harness  2  as a result of the circular motion of the radial bearing ring  5 , and thus the spool of tape  4  is passed along a circular arc about the cable harness  2 . Once the tape  3  is firmly secured to the cable harness at the beginning of the bandage  13 , the tape  3  peels off from the spool of tape  4  upon motion of the device  1  and simultaneously attaches to the cable harness  2 . If in this motion the user also executes a longitudinal motion along the cable  2  (FIGS.  5  and  6 ), a bandage  13  on the cable harness  2  is created. The speed and the slope of the bandage  13  are determined by the user. 
   So that the tape  3  will be wound into the bandage on the cables  2  without creases, the tape  3  is placed on a tape holder  9  that is pivotably supported by means of the pendulum bearing  10 . As a result of the unrolling or drawing-off tension of the tape  3 , the tape  3  automatically positions itself obliquely in the slope direction and thus makes it possible to adapt the tape travel direction with the desired slope. 
   For cutting the tape  3  after the taping operation is ended, a tape severing device  14  is mounted on the outside of the radial bearing ring  5  (FIG.  5 ). By means of a suitable motion of the device  1 , the tape  3  can be severed immediately next to the cable harness  2  quickly and simply at the end of the bandage  13 . At the same time, the tape  3  is again in an optimal starting position ( FIG. 4 ) in which it is ready for the beginning of the next winding operation. 
   Because of the modular design of the device  1 , the individual components, such as the handle  11 , inner part  6 , tape severing device  14  and spool of tape  4 , can be mounted in any required position, so that the device  1  can be used universally by both left-handed and right-handed people and for a bandage direction from right to left and vice versa. 
   In a second exemplary embodiment, it is provided that the device  1 . 1  is operated in stationary fashion, by means of a stand  12  on a table  15  or the like (FIG.  8 ). Then, the circular motion with the objects  2  to be wrapped should be executed by the user with a longitudinal motion (axial motion). In a special application, for instance for insulating a certain area from electrical connections, the stationary device  1 . 1 , with a tape that is for instance 30 to 50 mm wide, can be used without an axial motion of the cable harness  2 . High electrical voltage strength is achieved by means of a two- to four-layer wrapping with adhesive tape  3 . 
   Compared to a manual bandage without tools, the device  1 ,  1 . 1  is more ergonomic, faster, and more uniform. It effectively prevents well-known occupational diseases of users and increases their output. At the same time, the surface quality of the bandage  13  is improved, and it is easier for the user to maintain the required slope or overlap. 
   List of Reference Numerals 
   
       
         1 ,  1 . 1  Device 
         2  Objects 
         3  Tape 
         4  Spool of tape 
         5  Radial bearing ring 
         6  Inner part 
         7  Cutout 
         8  Recess 
         9  Tape holder 
         10  Pendulum bearing 
         11  Handle 
         12  Stand 
         13  Bandage 
         14  Tape severing device 
         15  Table 
         16  Bearing roller