Patent ID: 12258234

The drawing figures do not limit the present invention to the specific embodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Turning toFIG.1, a system10for unwinding a roll of material11is depicted. The roll of material11may comprise paper, plastic, or the like. The system10comprises a track12, a cradle assembly14movably secured to the track12and configured to cradle the roll of material11, an actuator16configured to shift the cradle assembly14along the track12, a web tensioner assembly18configured to pull material13from the roll of material11, a sensor20configured to detect a metric associated with the roll of material11, and a controller22(depicted inFIG.3) configured to receive signals from the sensor20and control the cradle assembly14, the actuator16, and the web tensioner18.

The track12may comprise one or more surfaces on which the cradle assembly14is movably secured, such as a rail or the like. The track12extends in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the roll of material11and/or the axes of the rollers of the cradle assembly14(discussed in further detail below), as depicted inFIG.2. This enables the cradle assembly14to readily align the roll of material11with a production line.

Turning back toFIG.1, the cradle assembly14is movably secured to the track12and is configured to cradle the roll of material11. In one or more embodiments, the cradle assembly14is configured to support all the weight of the roll of material11. In other words, the cradle assembly14is configured to support the roll of material11without the help of a core chucks, arbor shafts, or the like engaging the core of the roll of material11. The cradle assembly14comprises a platform24, one or more linear bearing26, one or more idle roller28, one or more unwinding roller30, and one or more motor32. The platform24supports the rollers28,30and is movably secured to the track12via the linear bearings26.

The idle roller28and the unwinding roller30are spaced apart so that the roll of material11can be supported thereon. Specifically, the rollers28,30engage outer surfaces of the roll of material11so that the roll11is cradled between the rollers28,30. The distance between the rollers28,30may be wide enough to support large rolls of material yet narrow enough to prevent completely unwound or substantially unwound rolls from falling or binding between the rollers28,30. The rollers28,30are rotatably secured to the platform24via bearings or the like. While the rollers28,30are each depicted as single cylindrical rollers, the rollers28,30may have any number of shapes or configurations without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the rollers28,30one or more of the rollers28,30may instead comprise a set of roller and belt assemblies, arrays of cylindrical or spherical bearings, or the like.

The motor32is in mechanical communication with the unwinding roller30and configured to cause the unwinding roller30to rotate axially. The motor32may be controlled by the controller22and/or an internal motor controller operable to maintain the motor32at a speed so that the material moves off the roll at a constant linear speed. As the unwinding roller30rotates due to the mechanical force provided by the motor32, the roll of material11rotates about its axis. In one or more embodiments, the motor32is configured to cause the roll of material11to rotate without the help of any force applied to the central core of the roll of material11or central channel defined by the by roll of material11by, for example, a core chuck, an arbor shaft, or the like. The idle roller28is operable to freely rotate, thereby supporting the roll of material11and rotating with the roll of material11as it rotates.

WhileFIG.1depicts the rollers28,30being in a certain configuration relative to the unwinding motion of the roll11indicated by the arrow, the rollers28,30may be configured any number of ways without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the rollers28,30may be swapped. Further, the system10may include any number of unwinding rollers and/or idle rollers without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The actuator16is configured to shift the cradle assembly14along the track. In one or more embodiments, the actuator16is a linear actuator, such as a pneumatic cylinder. However, the actuator16may be any type of actuator without departing from the scope of the present invention, such as a hydraulic actuator, a motor (such as a servomotor), or the like. In one or more embodiments, the actuator16is mounted at an end of the track12and the actuating end34(depicted inFIG.2) is attached to the platform24. However, the actuator16may be in any configuration without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the actuator16may alternatively be secured to the cradle assembly14and engage the track12in an embodiment where the actuator16is a motor. Alternatively, the actuator16may be mounted to the cradle assembly14with its actuating end34secured to a wall or object mounted to the floor. The actuator16may be controlled by the controller22to move the cradle assembly14along the track12. Alternatively, the actuator16may be manually operated by a switch or the like.

The web tensioner assembly18is configured to pull material from the roll of material11. The web tensioner assembly18comprises one or more series of rollers, pulleys, and/or belts that are used to pull material from the roll of material. The web tensioner assembly18may be controlled by the controller22to adjust the amount of tension applied to the material. In one or more embodiments, the web tensioner assembly18comprises a pull roller36, motor38, a pinch roller40, and a biasing element42. The pull roller36is operable to rotate to pull material13from the roll of material11. The motor38is in mechanical communication with the pull roller36and is configured to cause the pull roller36to rotate. In one or more embodiments, the motor38is operable to maintain a desired torque on the material13pulled from the roll11. The pinch roller40is operable to rotate with the pull roller, and the biasing element42is configured to maintain pressure between the pinch roller40and the pull roller36so that the web of material13is gripped and pulled. In one or more embodiments, the biasing element42comprises a spring, a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or the like. WhileFIG.1depicts the biasing element42pushing the pinch roller40toward the pull roller36, the biasing element42may be configured any number of ways without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the biasing element42may be attached to the pull roller36and configured to pull the pinch roller40toward the pull roller36.

The sensor20is configured to detect a metric associated with the roll of material11. The metric may include or be associated with a dimension of the roll of material, the amount of material remaining on the roll, a weight of the roll of material, or a tension applied to the material. In one or more embodiments, the sensor20is a laser distance measuring sensor that measures a distance between the outer surface of the roll of material11and the sensor20, which allows the controller22to determine a remaining amount of material on the roll11. The sensor20may detect any number of metrics associated with the roll of material11without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the sensor20may comprise a transducer, such as a strain gauge or a pressure sensor, that is mounted to the cradle assembly14, or the like.

Turning toFIG.3, the controller22is configured to receive signals from the sensor20and control the cradle assembly14, the actuator16, and the web tensioner assembly18. The controller22comprises one or more processing element44, such as a microcontroller, and one or more memory element46. The controller22is configured to adjust the position of the cradle assembly14by sending one or more control signals to the actuator16. The controller22is also configured to receive one or more signals from the sensor20representative of the metric associated with the roll of material11, and based at least in part on that signal and/or metric, send one or more control signals to the motor32to adjust the speed of the motor32and send one or more control signals to the motor38to adjust the torque of the motor38and thereby adjust the tension applied by the web tensioner assembly18accordingly. In one or more embodiments, the controller22is configured to cause the motors32,38to operate so that the material13being pulled from the roll moves at a constant linear speed. The controller22may also be configured to process the signal and/or the metric to determine a derivative or related metric. For example, the sensor20may provide a signal representative of a distance between the sensor20and the out surface of the roll11. The controller22may be configured to determine a remaining amount of material on the roll11, a weight of the roll11, a rotational speed of the roll11, a linear speed of the material13leaving the roll11, or the like based at least in part on the distance.

The flow chart ofFIG.4depicts steps of an exemplary method100of moving thermoformed products. The method100is described below, for ease of reference, as being executed by exemplary devices and components introduced with the embodiments illustrated inFIGS.1-3. The steps of the method100may be performed by the controller22through the utilization of processors, transceivers, hardware, software, firmware, or combinations thereof. However, some of such actions may be distributed differently among such devices or other devices without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Control of the system may also be partially implemented with computer programs stored on one or more computer-readable medium(s). The computer-readable medium(s) may include one or more executable programs stored thereon, wherein the program(s) instruct one or more processing elements to perform all or certain of the steps outlined herein. The program(s) stored on the computer-readable medium(s) may instruct processing element(s) to perform additional, fewer, or alternative actions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

Referring to step101, the cradle assembly is shifted along the track to align the roll of material with the production line. The idle roller and unwinding roller may be shifted in directions parallel to their respective axes. In one or more embodiments, the cradle assembly is adjusted via the linear actuator. In such embodiments, this step may include directing or sending control signals, via the controller, to the actuator.

Referring to step102, the motor of the cradle assembly and the motor of the web tensioner assembly are activated to cause the web material to be pulled from the roll of material. In one or more embodiments, this step may include directing, via the controller, the motor of the cradle assembly to operate at a predetermined speed so that the motor causes the unwinding roller to rotate axially. The speed of the motor may be adjusted to maintain the web material extending from the roll at a generally constant linear speed. In one or more embodiments, this step may also include directing, via the controller, the motor of the web tensioner assembly to maintain the web material at that generally constant linear speed. For example, this step may include directing, via the controller, the web tensioner assembly motor to operate to maintain a generally constant torque to pull the material from the roll while preventing bunching, tearing, or damaging the material.

Referring to step103, a metric associated with the roll of material is detected via the sensor. In one or more embodiments, the metric is representative of a remainder of the material on the roll of material. For example, the metric is a distance between the sensor and an outer edge or surface of the roll of material.

Referring to step104, the motor of the cradle assembly and/or the motor of the web tensioner assembly are adjusted based at least in part on the detected metric. In one or more embodiments, this step includes receiving, via the controller, a signal representative of the metric. This step may further include determining, via the controller, a remaining amount of material on the roll based at least in part on the metric. Additionally or alternatively, this step may include determining, via the controller, a linear speed of the material unwinding from the roll.

The method100may include additional, less, or alternate steps and/or device(s), including those discussed elsewhere herein. For example, the step of measuring a metric associated with the roll of material may be performed prior to and/or during the step of activating the motors of the cradle and web tensioner assemblies.

Additional Considerations

In this description, references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “embodiments” mean that the feature or features being referred to are included in at least one embodiment of the technology. Separate references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “embodiments” in this description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment and are also not mutually exclusive unless so stated and/or except as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. For example, a feature, structure, act, etc. described in one embodiment may also be included in other embodiments but is not necessarily included. Thus, the current technology can include a variety of combinations and/or integrations of the embodiments described herein.

Although the present application sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the legal scope of the description is defined by the words of the claims set forth in any subsequent regular utility patent application. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical. Numerous alternative embodiments may be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims.

Throughout this specification, plural instances may implement components, operations, or structures described as a single instance. Although individual operations of one or more methods are illustrated and described as separate operations, one or more of the individual operations may be performed concurrently, and nothing requires that the operations be performed in the order illustrated. Structures and functionality presented as separate components in example configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of the subject matter herein.

Certain embodiments are described herein as including logic or a number of routines, subroutines, applications, or instructions. These may constitute either software (e.g., code embodied on a machine-readable medium or in a transmission signal) or hardware. In hardware, the routines, etc., are tangible units capable of performing certain operations and may be configured or arranged in a certain manner. In example embodiments, one or more computer systems (e.g., a standalone, client or server computer system) or one or more hardware modules of a computer system (e.g., a processor or a group of processors) may be configured by software (e.g., an application or application portion) as computer hardware that operates to perform certain operations as described herein.

In various embodiments, computer hardware, such as a processing element, may be implemented as special purpose or as general purpose. For example, the processing element may comprise dedicated circuitry or logic that is permanently configured, such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or indefinitely configured, such as an FPGA, to perform certain operations. The processing element may also comprise programmable logic or circuitry (e.g., as encompassed within a general-purpose processor or other programmable processor) that is temporarily configured by software to perform certain operations. It will be appreciated that the decision to implement the processing element as special purpose, in dedicated and permanently configured circuitry, or as general purpose (e.g., configured by software) may be driven by cost and time considerations.

Accordingly, the term “processing element” of the controller22or equivalents should be understood to encompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that is physically constructed, permanently configured (e.g., hardwired), or temporarily configured (e.g., programmed) to operate in a certain manner or to perform certain operations described herein. Considering embodiments in which the processing element is temporarily configured (e.g., programmed), each of the processing elements need not be configured or instantiated at any one instance in time. For example, where the processing element comprises a general-purpose processor configured using software, the general-purpose processor may be configured as respective different processing elements at different times. Software may accordingly configure the processing element to constitute a particular hardware configuration at one instance of time and to constitute a different hardware configuration at a different instance of time.

Computer hardware components, such as communication elements, memory elements, processing elements, and the like, may provide information to, and receive information from, other computer hardware components. Accordingly, the described computer hardware components may be regarded as being communicatively coupled. Where multiple of such computer hardware components exist contemporaneously, communications may be achieved through signal transmission (e.g., over appropriate circuits and buses) that connect the computer hardware components. In embodiments in which multiple computer hardware components are configured or instantiated at different times, communications between such computer hardware components may be achieved, for example, through the storage and retrieval of information in memory structures to which the multiple computer hardware components have access. For example, one computer hardware component may perform an operation and store the output of that operation in a memory device to which it is communicatively coupled. A further computer hardware component may then, at a later time, access the memory device to retrieve and process the stored output. Computer hardware components may also initiate communications with input or output devices, and may operate on a resource (e.g., a collection of information).

The various operations of example methods described herein may be performed, at least partially, by one or more processing elements that are temporarily configured (e.g., by software) or permanently configured to perform the relevant operations. Whether temporarily or permanently configured, such processing elements may constitute processing element-implemented modules that operate to perform one or more operations or functions. The modules referred to herein may, in some example embodiments, comprise processing element-implemented modules.

Similarly, the methods or routines described herein may be at least partially processing element-implemented. For example, at least some of the operations of a method may be performed by one or more processing elements or processing element-implemented hardware modules. The performance of certain of the operations may be distributed among the one or more processing elements, not only residing within a single machine, but deployed across a number of machines. In some example embodiments, the processing elements may be located in a single location (e.g., within a home environment, an office environment or as a server farm), while in other embodiments the processing elements may be distributed across a number of locations.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, discussions herein using words such as “processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” “presenting,” “displaying,” or the like may refer to actions or processes of a machine (e.g., a computer with a processing element and other computer hardware components) that manipulates or transforms data represented as physical (e.g., electronic, magnetic, or optical) quantities within one or more memories (e.g., volatile memory, non-volatile memory, or a combination thereof), registers, or other machine components that receive, store, transmit, or display information.

As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

The patent claims at the end of this patent application are not intended to be construed under 35 U.S.C. § 112 (f) unless traditional means-plus-function language is expressly recited, such as “means for” or “step for” language being explicitly recited in the claim(s).

Although the invention has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the attached drawing figures, it is noted that equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims.