Gripper
AssigneeSignode Industrial Group LLC
InventorsPer Lachenmeier, Karl Magnus Rasztar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention concerns a device and method for reefing a portion of tubular film, the reefing device having at least one reefing finger and at least one drive unit. The drive unit has advancing means, which, for reefing the portion of tubular film, is brought into operative connection with the reefing finger at least at the height of a point of engagement, while enclosing the portion of tubular film, and moves the portion of tubular film in relation to the reefing finger. The device according to the invention and the method according to the invention are distinguished in particular in that the position of the at least one point of engagement can be changed along the reefing finger as reefing progresses or the position of the point of engagement on the reefing finger is changed.
Claims20
A method for reefing a portion of tubular film onto a reefing finger, the method comprising:
- engaging the portion of tubular film with an advancing device such that the advancing device and the reefing finger hold the portion of tubular film therebetween at a first engagement point;
- driving the advancing device to begin reefing the portion of tubular film onto the reefing finger;
- eliminating the first engagement point between the advancing device and the reefing finger;
- and
- after or contemporaneously with eliminating the first engagement point between the advancing device and the reefing finger, stopping the driving of the advancing device to stop reefing the portion of tubular film onto the reefing finger.
A reefing device for reefing a portion of tubular film, the reefing device comprising:
- a reefing finger;
- an advancing device movable into operative connection with the reefing finger at a first engagement point and a second engagement point;
- a motor drivingly engaged to the advancing device and configured to drive the advancing device to begin reefing the portion of tubular film onto the reefing finger and thereafter stop driving the advancing device to stop reefing the portion of tubular film onto the reefing finger;
- and an actuator configured to move a component of one of the reefing finger and the advancing device to eliminate the first engagement point but not the second engagement point after the motor drives the advancing device to begin reefing the portion of tubular film onto the reefing finger and before or at the same time as the motor stops driving the advancing device to stop reefing the portion of tubular film onto the reefing finger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.