Slit Sheet Tensioning Device
AssigneeHexcelPack, LLC
InventorDavid Paul Goodrich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An expansion device includes an unexpanded slit sheet roll that is wound on a paper core that is longer than the width of the slit sheet paper roll. The paper core is placed onto a rod member. An adjustable downward pressure is exerted on the paper core and the paper core exerts pressure on the rod member. As the paper is pulled, the downward pressure creates the friction required to enable the unexpanded slit sheet to be unwind and fed while simultaneously expanding.
Claims14
1- A device for dispensing expandable slit sheet paper, comprising:
- a roll of expandable slit sheet paper,
- an interior core member,
- wherein said roll of expandable slit sheet paper is wound on said interior core member,
- said interior core member having an axial length that is greater than the width of the slit sheet paper that is wound on said interior core member and having an interior core member end region that extends beyond said roll of expandable slit sheet paper,
- a rod member,
- wherein said interior core member is mounted on said rod member,
- said rod member having a rod member end region,
- a support member,
- first means for securing said rod member end region to said support member, second means for pressing a core end region against said rod member end region and variably applying a frictional resistance to the rotation of said core member.
2- The device of claim 1, further comprising said rod member having four right angle corners.
3- The device of claim 1, wherein said second means for variably applying a frictional resistance to the rotation of said core member comprises:
- an elongated member hingedly coupled to said support member, a spring, said elongated member having a threaded insert, and a screw passing through said spring, and being rotatable to vary the frictional resistance applied by said elongated member to a core member end region.
4- The device of claim 2, wherein said second means for variably applying a frictional resistance to the rotation of said core member comprises:
- an elongated member hingedly coupled to said support member,
- a spring, said elongated member having a threaded insert, and a screw passing through said spring, and being rotatable to vary the frictional resistance applied by said elongated member to a core member end region.
5- The device of claim 4, wherein said rod member having four right angle corners and received within an opening in said support member, said opening being rectangular and dimensioned to receive said rod member, and having a threaded member for releasably fasting said rod member to said support member.
6- The device of claim 4, further comprising a threaded member for releasably fasting said rod member to said support member.
7- The device of claim 4, further comprising third means fasting said rod member to said support member.
8- The device of claim 1, further comprising each end region of said interior core member extending beyond the width of said roll of slit sheet paper, an amount of at least one inch from said roll of slit sheet paper.
9- The device of claim 2, further comprising each end region of said interior core member extending beyond the width of said roll of slit sheet paper, an amount of at least one inch from said roll of slit sheet paper.
10- The device of claim 3, further comprising each end region of said interior core member extending beyond the width of said roll of slit sheet paper, an amount of at least one inch from said roll of slit sheet paper.
11- The manual expander of claim 10, further comprising each end region of said interior core member that extends beyond the width of said roll of slit sheet paper, extending at least about one and one half inches from said roll of slit sheet paper.
12- A method of dispensing and expanding expandable slit sheet paper from a device comprising
- a roll of expandable slit sheet paper wound on an interior core member, said core member having an axial length that is greater than the width of the slit sheet paper that is wound on said interior core member and having a core member end region that extends beyond said roll of expandable slit sheet paper,
- a rod member,
- said interior core member being mounted on said rod member,
- said rod member having a rod member end region,
- a support member,
- first means for securing said rod member end region to said support member,
- second means for pressing a core end region against said rod member end region and variably applying a frictional resistance to the rotation of said core member, comprising the steps of:
- positioning said core member on said rod member,
- setting the frictional resistance to the rotation of said core member on said rod member, and
- drawing an end of said roll of expandable slit sheet paper against said frictional resistance and expanding said slit sheet paper.
13- The method of claim 12, comprising an elongated member hingedly coupled to said support member and a spring, said elongated member having a threaded insert and a screw passing through said spring and into said threaded insert thereby spring loading said elongated member, and further comprising the step of variably setting said frictional resistance to the rotation of said core member by rotating said spring loaded screw and thereby varying the frictional resistance applied by an elongated member to a core member end region.
14- The method of claim 13, said rod member having four right angle corners and received within a correspondingly dimensioned opening in said support member, said first means for securing said rod member end region to said support member securing being a threaded member releasably fasting said rod member to said support member, further comprising the steps of positioning said slit sheet paper wound on an interior core member on said rod member, rotating said threaded member in a first direction to rigidly fix said rod member to said support member, dispensing said slit sheet paper, rotating said threaded member in a second direction to release said rod member from said support member, and removing said interior core member from said rod member.