Patent ID: 12258155

In the different Figures, identical or functionally identical features have the same reference signs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure relates to an automatic bundling tool device (ATD) for bundling a bundling good by means of a one-piece-tie (OPT), with automatically tightening the OPT by the ATD. In particular, the automatic bundling tool device is configured for bundling a bundling good by means of a cable tie, as a special case of OPT, with automatically tightening the cable tie by the ATD. The ATD includes a tightening mechanism with a tightening gear unit with a tightening gear, and a tightening roller unit with two tightening rollers, which forms a gap in between tightening gear and tightening rollers. The gap is configured to hold a strap of a respective OPT processed by the ATD. The tightening gear of the tightening gear unit includes teeth which are configured to fit into a serration of the OPT's strap.

FIG.1shows an example embodiment of an automatic bundling tool device1(ATD1), for bundling a bundling good2by means of a one-piece-tie14(OPT14) (FIG.2). Therein, two claws3a,3bare configured to grab around the bundling good2and guide said one-piece-tie around the bundling good2before it is pulled back into a housing4of the ATD1by a tightening mechanism10(FIG.2). The claws may also be referred to as jaws. In the present example, the ATD1is also connected with a control unit5that provides control signals to the ATD and the tightening mechanism10.

FIG.2shows an example embodiment of a tightening mechanism10with a tightening gear unit11that comprises a tightening gear11a, and with a tightening roller unit12with two tightening rollers12a,12b, forming a gap13between tightening gear11aand tightening rollers12a,12b. The gap13is configured to hold a strap14aof the OPT14that is to be processed by the ATD1. The tightening gear11acomprises teeth11bwhich are configured to fit in a serration14bof the OPT strap14a.

The tightening roller unit12comprises a lever12cwith the two tightening rollers12a,12bbeing arranged on the lever12cin a first end section12′ of the lever12c, a turning point12din a middle section12″ of the lever12c, and an adjustment element12ebeing in mechanical contact to a second end section12′″ of the lever12c. The second end section12′″ is arranged oppositely to the first end section12′ along a main extension direction of the lever12c. The adjustment element12eis configured to adjust a width w of the gap13.

In the present example, this adjustment of the width w of the gap13is achieved by an excentric shaft12e* as part of the adjustment element12ewhich is in mechanical contact with the second end section12′″ of the lever12c, where, in the present example, a minimal distance of the tightening rollers12a,12bto the tightening gear11acan be adjusted by a rotation of the excentric shaft12e* around a rotation axis E of the excentric shaft12e*.

Furthermore, in the present example, the turning point12dis aligned with the rotation axes R1, R2of the two tightening rollers12a,12b. Therein, a first distance d1between the two tightening rollers12a,12band the turning point12dis smaller than a second distance d2between the turning point12dand a point of mechanical contact C of the adjustment element12eand the second end section12′″.

In the shown example, the tightening mechanism also comprises a first stopper15aand a second stopper15bthat respectively predetermine a fixed lower and fixed upper limit, respectively, for the width w of the gap13. In addition, in the present example, the tightening mechanism10comprises a spring element16which is in mechanical contact with the second end section12′″ of the lever12cand is configured to exert a spring force on the second end section12′″ for holding the tightening rollers12a,12bclose to the tightening gear11a, in the present example as close to the tightening gear11aas the adjusting element12eallows.

FIG.3shows the tightening mechanism10ofFIG.2with the gap13adjusted for a different, smaller width w than inFIG.2. Note that, as compared toFIG.2, the excentric shaft12e* of the adjustment element12eis rotated in order to turn the lever12caround the turning point12dand thus move the tightening rollers12a,12bcloser to the tightening gear11athan shown inFIG.2, in particular, allow the spring element16to push the tightening rollers12a,12bfurther towards the tightening gear11a. Note that, in the present example, the turning point12dis aligned with the rotation axes R1, R2of the two tightening rollers12a,12b, as they are all on the same line1(line l). Furthermore, in an orthogonal projection of the rotation axis T of the tightening gear11aon said line1, the rotation axis T is projected onto a middle point M on the line1in the middle between the rotation axes R1, R2on the line l. Thus, said middle point M and the rotation axis T approximately lie on a circle with a given radius and centre as turning point12d.

Unless context dictates otherwise, use herein of the word “or” may be considered use of an “inclusive or,” or a term that permits inclusion or application of one or more items that are linked by the word “or” (e.g., a phrase “A or B” may be interpreted as permitting just “A,” as permitting just “B,” or as permitting both “A” and “B”). Also, as used herein, a phrase referring to “at least one of” a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including single members. For instance, “at least one of a, b, or c” can cover a, b, c, a-b, a-c, b-c, and a-b-c, as well as any combination with multiples of the same element (e.g., a-a, a-a-a, a-a-b, a-a-c, a-b-b, a-c-c, b-b, b-b-b, b-b-c, c-c, c-c-c, or any other ordering of a, b, and c). Further, items represented in the accompanying figures and terms discussed herein may be indicative of one or more items or terms, and thus reference may be made interchangeably to single or plural forms of the items and terms in this written description.

Although implementations of automatic bundling tool devices have been described in language specific to certain features and/or methods, the subject of the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or methods described. Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed as example implementations of automatic bundling tool devices.