Vacuum wheel fanfold stacker and methods for use thereof
AssigneePacksize LLC
InventorNiklas Pettersson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for folding and stacking fanfold corrugated board material. A system may include a rotatable member (e.g., a wheel) having a number of head pieces disposed thereon. Each head piece has a vacuum setting that can be used to pick up a portion of a length of fanfold and hold it while the rotatable member rotates around its axis and a second blower setting that blows the portion of the length of fanfold that was picked up and rotated around the rotatable member down onto a stack of fanfold. Such a system is capable of forming regular and consistent stacks of fanfold material efficiently and cost effectively without the need for significant human intervention.
Claims20
A system for folding and stacking fanfold material, comprising:
- a rotatable member;
- and
- at least two head pieces disposed on the rotatable member, the at least two head pieces being circumferentially offset from one another on the rotatable member, the at least two head pieces comprising a first head piece and a second head piece, the first head piece and the second head piece each having a first vacuum setting configured to engage a portion of a length of the fanfold material so as to rotate the fanfold material about the rotatable member to change a direction of movement of the fanfold material, and the first head piece and the second head piece each having a second blower setting configured to blow the portion of the length of the fanfold material away from the rotatable member, wherein:
- the first vacuum setting of the first head piece is activated during a first portion of a travel path around the rotatable member until the first head piece is rotated to a first predetermined position of the first head piece about the rotatable member;
- the second blower setting of the first head piece is activated during a second portion of the travel path around rotatable member until the first head piece is rotated to a second predetermined position of the first head piece about the rotatable member;
- the first vacuum setting of the second head piece is activated during a first portion of a travel path around the rotatable member until the second head piece is rotated to a first predetermined position of the second head piece about the rotatable member;
- the second blower setting of the second head piece is activated during a second portion of the travel path around rotatable member until the second head piece is rotated to a second predetermined position of the second head piece about the rotatable member;
- and
- the second portion of the travel path of the first head piece being circumferentially offset from the second portion of the travel path of the second head piece.
A method for folding and stacking fanfold material, the method comprising:
- rotating a rotatable member about an axis, the rotatable member having a first head piece and a second head piece disposed thereon and that are circumferentially offset from one another about the rotatable member;
- delivering fanfold material to the rotatable member;
- cycling the first head piece through a first vacuum setting and a second blower setting as the first head piece moves about the axis, such that the first head piece (i) creates a vacuum engagement with the fanfold material during a first portion of a travel path around the axis, and (ii) blows the fanfold material away from the rotatable member during a second portion of the travel path around the axis;
- and
- cycling the second head piece through a first vacuum setting and a second blower setting as the second head piece moves about the axis, such that the second head piece (i) creates a vacuum engagement with the fanfold material during a first portion of the travel path around the axis, and (ii) blows the fanfold material away from the rotatable member during a second portion of the travel path around the axis,
- wherein the second portion of the travel path of the second head piece is circumferentially offset from the second portion of the travel path of the first head piece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.