Method and apparatus for providing securement for toy balloons
AssigneeM & D Balloons, Inc.
InventorRichard John Kurtz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mechanism is provided for unwinding ribbon from a supply spool, for rolling the ribbon to form a wound roll, and for cutting the roll free of the supply. The rolled ribbon segments resulting from this operation are transported to a conveyor for assembly with a toy balloon.
Claims30
Apparatus for supplying segments of a ribbon having opposed major surfaces of preselected width, comprising:
- a spool carrying a supply of the ribbon to be dispensed, the ribbon having a free end;
- gripper means for gripping the free end;
- a workstation at which the ribbon is wound to form a roll;
- conveyor means for conveying the gripper means to the workstation;
- winding means at the workstation for engaging the ribbon adjacent its free end, for winding a segment of the ribbon to form a roll, and for supporting the roll after winding;
- cutting means between the winding means and the spool for cutting the ribbon to form a second free end of the ribbon segment wound on the roll;
- adhesive means for applying adhesive to the ribbon adjacent the second free end to secure the second free end to the roll;
- and
- release means for releasing the roll from the winding means.
A method of making rolled ribbon segments, comprising:
- providing a supply of ribbon having a free end;
- providing cutting means for cutting the ribbon to separate a ribbon segment from the supply;
- providing a winding means for winding the ribbon into the form of a roll;
- moving the ribbon free end past the winding means;
- engaging the ribbon, adjacent its free end with the winding means;
- winding the ribbon into the form of a roll;
- cutting the ribbon to form first and second cut ends, with the first cut end forming a new free end of the supply and the second cut end forming a free end of the ribbon roll;
- securing the ribbon free end to the ribbon roll;
- and
- removing the roll from the winding means.
A ribbon dispensing apparatus for providing a segment of ribbon having opposed major surfaces of preselected width for rapid withdrawal, comprising:
- a spool carrying a supply of ribbon to be dispensed the spool having a width at least several times greater than the preselected width;
- an elongated vacuum chamber having an opening at one end and an opposed other end from which a vacuum is drawn, the chamber having a cross section sized to receive an open loop of ribbon, and the opening having opposed, spaced-apart sides of width approximately equal to said preselected width;
- and
- a funnel-shaped receiver divergingly extending from the opening, guiding a major surface of the ribbon segment to at least partially block the opening, so that, with a vacuum applied to the chamber, the ribbon segment is drawn into the chamber, toward the other end thereof to form an open loop within the chamber.
A ribbon accumulator for retaining a portion of ribbon having opposed major surfaces of preselected width for rapid withdrawal, comprising:
- an elongated vacuum chamber having an opening at one end and an opposed other end from which a vacuum is drawn, the chamber having a cross section sized to receive an open loop of ribbon;
- and a funnel-shaped receiver divergingly extending from the opening, guiding a major surface of the ribbon segment to at least partially block the opening, so that, with a vacuum applied to the chamber, the ribbon segment is drawn into the chamber, toward the other end thereof to form an open loop within the chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.