Tensioning apparatus
AssigneeEdge Technology
InventorsErnest D. Scott, Donald L. Tedder, Gregory Scott
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic system for controlling the operation of a hand-held pull strap closure unit. The system includes a central processing unit which controls peripheral circuitry for directing commands to a motor within the hand-held unit. The system further includes a circuit for monitoring motor torque and a hand-held unit identification circuit for identifying each unit with an individualized code. The CPU may be accessed via an external communications port to store user-selected operational parameters in a memory circuit. These parameters may include time of day, calendar, and motor torque limits for each device.
Claims22
An apparatus for tensioning an elongated bundling strap, comprising:
- means for releasably holding opposed facing surfaces of said strap in frictional engagement;
- motorized means for carrying said means for holding between a first, pre-tensioned, position and a second, tensioned, position and then back to said first, pre-tensioned, position;
- said strap being frictionally engaged in said holding means between said first, pre-tensioned, position, through said second, tensioned, position and back to said first, pre-tensioned, position;
- and
- electronic means for driving said motorized means for carrying in a direction parallel to said strap between said first and second positions, said electronic means for driving providing a variable tensioning force which is communicated to said means for holding through said means for carrying;
- wherein said apparatus can tension said bundling strap to a variable predetermined tension without severing said strap.
An apparatus for tensioning an elongated bundling strap, comprising:
- means for releasably holding opposed facing surfaces of said strap in frictional engagement;
- means for carrying adapted to move said means for holding in a first direction between a first, pre-tensioned, strap position and a second, tensioned, strap position, and then in a second direction back to said first, pre-tensioned, strap position;
- said strap being frictionally engaged by said means for holding during transmission of said means for carrying in said first direction and in said second direction;
- and
- means for reversing said means for carrying from said first direction to said second direction responsive to a predetermined tension value being applied to said strap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.