Automated method and system for producing an inflatable product
AssigneeIntex Industries Xiamen Co. Ltd.
InventorsZhi Xiong Huang, Hong Wen Li, Yaw Yuan Hsu
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Abstract
An automated system and method are disclosed for producing an inflatable product having a first sheet, a second sheet, and a plurality of tensioning structures between the first and second sheets. The system includes an upstream tensioning structure production subsystem that produces the tensioning structures and a downstream preassembly production subsystem that couples the tensioning structures to the first and second sheets. The subsystems may operate simultaneously to produce the inflatable product in an automated, efficient, and repeatable manner.
Claims20
A method for producing an inflatable product including a first sheet and a second sheet, the method comprising:
- aligning a leading end of a first tensioning structure with a first welder and the first sheet;
- aligning a trailing end of the first tensioning structure with a second welder and the second sheet;
- and
- simultaneously welding the leading end of the first tensioning structure to the first sheet and the trailing end of the first tensioning structure to the second sheet by simultaneously operating the first and second welders.
A system for producing an inflatable product including a first sheet and a second sheet, the system comprising:
- a conveyor;
- a first mold coupled to the conveyor and configured to support a leading end of a first tensioning structure;
- a second mold coupled to the conveyor and configured to support a trailing end of the first tensioning structure and a leading end of a second tensioning structure;
- a third mold coupled to the conveyor and configured to support a trailing end of the second tensioning structure;
- a first welder configured to weld the first sheet to the leading end of the first tensioning structure when the first mold is aligned with the first welder and to the leading end of the second tensioning structure when the second mold is aligned with the first welder;
- and
- a second welder configured to weld the second sheet to the trailing end of the first tensioning structure when the second mold is aligned with the second welder and to the trailing end of the second tensioning structure when the third mold is aligned with the second welder.
A system for producing an inflatable product including a first sheet and a second sheet, the system comprising:
- a tensioning structure production subsystem configured to produce at least a first tensioning structure having a leading end and a trailing end and a second tensioning structure having a leading end and a trailing end, the tensioning structure production subsystem including a first blade configured to separate the trailing end of the first tensioning structure from the leading end of the second tensioning structure;
- and
- a preassembly production subsystem in communication with the tensioning structure production subsystem and configured to couple the leading ends of the first and second tensioning structures to the first sheet and the trailing ends of the first and second tensioning structures to the second sheet, the preassembly production subsystem including a second blade configured to cut the first and second sheets after the first and second tensioning structures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.