Folding method and apparatus
OwnerDaniel H. Klinginventor
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for forming patterns on sheet material are disclosed. The method comprises a continuous lateral stretch process for producing zero- or near zero-curvature structures. In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises pre-gathering the sheet material in the lateral direction to form longitudinal corrugated folds and then feeding the corrugated material through one or more sets of oscillating formers, preferably articulating discs, to impart folding in the lateral direction. Optionally, the sheet material may be fed through one or more sets of patterned rollers.
Claims12
A device for patterning a sheet material to form a folded structure having a predetermined lateral dimension, the device comprising:
- means for longitudinally corrugating the sheet material to decrease a lateral dimension of the sheet material so that the lateral dimension of the sheet material is substantially equal to the predetermined lateral dimension of the folded structure;
- and
- a first rack and a second rack disposed to accept the longitudinally corrugated sheet material such that the longitudinally corrugated sheet material passes between the first rack and the second rack in a longitudinal direction of corrugated sheet material, each rack comprising a plurality of rotating discs, the discs of the first and second racks being configured to oscillate in parallel, and in a direction perpendicular to the flow of the sheet material through the first rack and the second rack while each of the discs of the first rack and a corresponding one of the discs on the second rack remain in contact with the sheet material as the sheet material flows through the first rack and the second rack so as to impart folding of the sheet material in the transverse direction and contraction of the sheet material in the longitudinal direction without substantially stretching the sheet material in the longitudinal direction, and form a substantially wave-shaped, sinusoidally-varying fold pattern in the sheet material.
A method of manufacturing a folded structure from flat sheet material, the folded structure having a predetermined lateral dimension, said method comprising:
- pre-gathering the sheet material laterally to produce longitudinal corrugations in the sheet material and thereby decrease a lateral dimension of the sheet material so that the lateral dimension of the sheet material is substantially equal to the predetermined lateral dimension of the folded structure;
- and
- feeding the pre-gathered sheet material in a longitudinal direction of the sheet material between a first and a second rack each comprising a plurality of oscillating formers, said formers oscillating in parallel, and along a direction substantially parallel to a plane of the sheet material through the oscillating formers and transverse to the direction of motion of the sheet material through the oscillating formers while each of the oscillating formers of the first rack and a corresponding one of the oscillating formers on the second rack remain in contact with the sheet material so as to impart folding of the sheet material in the transverse direction and contraction of the sheet material in the longitudinal direction without substantially stretching the sheet material in the longitudinal direction, and thereby form a substantially wave-shaped, sinusoidally-varying fold pattern in the sheet material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.