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US 12,291,420 B2Granted
Spool unloading device
AssigneeInnovative Automation, Inc.
InventorsMichael Lalonde, Zac Cutt, Michael Sutton, Robert Dorion
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A spool unloading device comprising: a spindle; a first bulk spool of material is mounted on the spindle, wherein the spindle is rotatably controlled to dispense the material; a series of pulleys for receiving the unspooled material such that a variable length of the material is stored within the device before exiting the device to an upstream equipment; and a drive mechanism for indexing the unspooled material exiting the spool unloading machine at a controlled rate.
Claims12
A spool unloading device comprising:
- a spindle;
- a first bulk spool of material is mounted on the spindle, wherein the spindle is rotatably controlled to dispense the material;
- a series of pulleys for receiving the unspooled material such that a variable length of the material is stored within the device before exiting the device to a material receiving equipment;
- wherein at least one of the series of pulleys comprises a pulley arm having an independent pulley axis that floats linearly such that the pulley arm is actuated downwards by means of gravity, wherein the at least one of the series of pulleys moves linearly as material is required;
- a position sensor for determining a position of the floating pulley axis, wherein the unspooled material is received by the series of pulleys based the position of the floating pulley axis as determined by the position sensor;
- and
- a drive mechanism for indexing the unspooled material exiting the spool unloading machine at a controlled rate.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.