MXPA00003306A - Strapping tool and method - Google Patents

Abstract

A strap guide and method therefor in a tensioning tool having a base plate (20), a wall portion (40) disposed at least partially along and extending above a strap support surface (22) of the base plate (20), a strap guiding member (50) having a pivot end portion pivotally coupled to the tool along the strap support surface (22) generally opposite the wall portion (40), and a biasing member (60) coupled to the strap guiding member (50) to pivotally bias a guide end portion of the strap guiding member (50) above at least a portion of the strap support surface (22). Strap (23) disposed on the strap support surface of the base plate is guided between the wall portion (40) and the strap guiding member (50) during tensioning, and is released therefrom upon withdrawal of the base plate (20) from between a load and tensioned strap.

Description

-? STRAPPING TOOL WITH ENHANCED BELT GUIDE AND THE METHOD FOR THIS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally to 5 strapping tools and more particularly to the tools for tensioning the belt with improved belt guides and the methods for this. They are generally known to apply tensioned steel or plastic belts around a load with a belt tensioning tool held by hand and operated with energy or manually. Some tools also include elements to hold overlapping portions of the belt after tensioning them, while other tools require a tool holder separately for this purpose. In plastic belt tensioning tools, for example, it is known to include a vibrating jaw that frictionally fuses, or welds, the lapped portions of the belt. And in the Steel Belt Tensioning Tools It is known that a die assembly is included for seamlessly joining the overlapping belt portions. Other tools for tensioning steel belts only tighten the belt while a sealing member for Separate is bent around the overlapping belt portions through a tool for sealing by blanking. Belt tensioning tools generally operate through gripping a portion of the end of the belt while a portion of overlapped belt disposed around the load is tensioned with a feed wheel. During tension, the portions of the overlapped belt and particularly the portions of the tensioned belt must be kept in alignment with the feed wheel. It is generally known that they provide a belt guide, usually countercurrent to the feed wheel, to keep the belt in alignment with this during tension. Some known belt guides have an actuating mechanism for releasing the belt hooked thereto after tensioning and sealing, for example, by moving a lever connected thereto, so that the tool, usually for a portion of a leg thereof, can be separated from the tensioned belt. However, the operators of the tool are not receptive to tools that have belt guides operable since labor is required to unhook the belt from the guide. The drive mechanism also complicates the tool and increases the cost of it. Other known belt guides are relatively simple and do not include an actuator mechanism to release the tensioned belt from a belt guide. In the prior art, in Figure 5 of the present application, for example, it is an end view of a belt guide of a known tensioning tool 11 which is generally defined by extending downwardly the side portions of the wall 12 and 14 between which portions of the belt that overlap are disposed there during tension. However, while the belt is tensioned, it finally pulls down between the portions of the wall guiding the belt 12 and 14, towards the base plate 16 of the tool, as illustrated in the prior art in Figure 6. of the present application. This prior technology of the belt guide has the disadvantage that the belt is removed from between the belt guide before the tension ends, with which it may be misaligned of the feed wheel during tension. The invention is generally directed towards advances in the technology of belt tensioning tools, and more particularly to belt tensioning tools with improved belt guides and methods for this. An object of the present invention is to provide innovative belt tensioning tools having improved belt guides and methods for this in order to overcome the problems in the technology. Another object of the invention is to provide innovative belt tensioning tools having improved belt guides and methods of this to guide the belt until tension is reached. A further object of the invention is to provide innovative tensioning tools for belts that have belt guides and methods for this that do not require the user to operate release mechanisms to release the belt from the belt guide to remove the tool from the belt. between a load and the belt tensioned around it after the tension. A further object of the invention is to provide innovative tools for tensioning belts having belt guides with a member for guiding the belt having a pivoting movement to release the belt upon removal from the tool between a load and a belt. Belt strained around it. A more particular object of the invention is to provide an innovative belt guide in a tensioning tool and the methods for this generally comprising a base plate, a wall portion disposed at least partially along and extending around the support surface of the base plate belt, a member for guiding the belt having a pivot end portion coupled with pivoting movement to the tool along the belt supporting surface generally opposite the portion of the wall, a biasing member coupled to the member for guiding the belt to polarize with pivoting movement a portion of the end of the member guide to guide of the belt on at least a portion of the belt supporting surface, wherein the belt that is disposed on the belt supporting surface of the base plate is guided between the portion of the wall and the member to guide the belt. belt during tension and is removed from there when removed from the base plate between the load and the tensioned belt. These and other objects, aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully apparent upon careful consideration of the following Detailed Description of the Invention and the accompanying Drawings, which may be disproportionate for ease of understanding, where Similar structures and steps are usually marked with corresponding numbers and indicators. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a partial side view of a belt tensioning tool having a belt guide according to an exemplified embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a partial end view of the overlapped belt portions retained by an exemplary belt guide. Figure 3a is a detailed partial view of a belt guide member in a first belt guide portion. Figure 3b is a detailed partial view of a member for guiding the belt in a second position to allow release of the belt. Figure 4a is a partial top view of a belt retained by a belt guide. Figure 4b is a partial top view of a belt that is released from a belt guide. Figure 5 is a partial view of the end of a belt guide of the prior art. Figure 6 is a partial side view of a belt guide of the prior art. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 is a belt tensioning tool 10 comprising an improved belt guide according to an exemplified embodiment of the invention. The belt tensioning tool 10 generally comprises a leg or base plate 20, a feed wheel 30, sealing elements for the belt for friction welding or otherwise sealing the overlapping portions of the belt after tension, as is known usually. However, the belt guide of the present invention can also be used on tension tools for steel belts, and tension tools with sealing elements without tension tools. Figure 1 illustrates the base plate 20 having a belt support surface 22 on which the belt 2 runs through the feed wheel 30 during tension. In the exemplified embodiment, the belt 2 runs on a hidden belt portion 3, where the two belt portions 2 and 3 are supported through the belt support surface 22 of the base plate. Figure 1 illustrates the support surface of the belt 22 of the base plate 20 which generally has an intermediate portion 24, and portions of the guide and drag ends 25 and 26 on the opposite ends of the intermediate portion 24. Figure 2 illustrates the belt supporting surface 22 having inner and outer portions 27 and 28 extending lengthwise from the guide end portion 25 towards the driving end portion 26. In the exemplified embodiment, the portions of the guide end and the trailing end 25 and 26 preferably have a generally downward slope away from the intermediate portion 24, as illustrated in Figure 1, to reduce the looseness formed in the tensioned belt around the load upon removal from the base plate 20 between the overlapped portions of the tensioned belt 2 and 3 and the load. In the exemplified embodiment, the feed wheel 30 is generally aligned with the belt support surface 22 and is located adjacent the drive end portion 26 of the belt support surface 22 opposite the portion of the belt. guide end 25 of this, where the belt tensioned through the feed wheel 30 runs on the belt support surface 22 and is held in alignment there through the belt guide as will be discussed more fully below. In Figures 1,2,4a and 4b, the belt guide includes a wall portion 40 disposed at least partially along the interior portion 27 of the belt support surface 22 and extends therearound for guiding the belt resting on the surface of the belt support 22 during tension. The portion of the wall 40 may be part of the tool case as in the exemplified embodiment, or alternatively it may be a guide rail or some other structure disposed at least partially along the interior portion 27 of the support of belt 22 and extends around a portion thereof for guiding the belt along the inner portion 27 of the belt supporting surface 22.

In Figures 1 and 2, the belt guide also includes a member for guiding the belt 50 coupled with pivoting movement to the tool 10 and disposed at least partially along the outer portion 28 of the supporting surface of the tool. the strap 22, generally opposite the portion of the wall 40, although not necessarily directly transversely. The guide member of the belt 50 includes a pivot end portion 52 which engages pivoting movement to the base plate 20, for example through a pivot member 51. The member for guiding the belt 50 also includes a portion of the guide end 54 extending around the belt supporting surface 22. The end portion of the pivot 52 of the guide member for the belt 50 is preferably coupled with pivoting movement to the base plate 20 toward the portion of the guide end 25 of the belt support surface 22, as illustrated in Figure 1. The belt guide member 50 engages the base plate 20 so that the guide end portion 54 extends up there from, along and above at least a portion of the support surface of the belt 22 to ensure that the overlapping belt portions 2 and 3 remain confined or retained and guided by the belt guide until the tension is over. According to the invention, generally, the belt supported and run on the support surface of the belt 22 through the feed wheel is guided through the portion of the wall 40 on one side of the belt and through of the wall portion 57 of the end portion of the guide 54 on the opposite side of the belt, wherein the belt resting on the belt supporting surface is retained and guided between the portion of the wall 40 and the portion of the guide end 54 of the guide member of the belt 50 until the tension ends. A polarization member is generally coupled to the belt guide member 50 to polarize with pivoting movement the guide end portion 54 thereof at the top of at least a portion of the belt support surface 22 and along the length of the belt. side of the outer portion 28 thereof, as best illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. In Figure 3a, the belt guide member 50 includes a flattened protruding portion 55 that can be engaged with a portion of the base plate. 20 or some other structure to limit the upward travel of the member to guide the belt 50 caused by polarizing the member. In Figure 2, the overlapping belt portions 2 and 3 disposed on the belt supporting surface 22 are confined and guided between the portion of the wall 40 and the wall portion 57 of the polarized guide end portion. upwardly 54 of the member to guide the belt 50 during belt tension. In the present invention, as the tension of the belt increases, the overlapping belt portions 2 and 3 remain confined by the portion of the wall 40 and the member for guiding the polarized belt upwards 50. This is how the portions of Belts 2 and 3 in the present invention are not removed from the belt guide during tension as in the anterior belt guides extending downward from above the support surface as discussed above and illustrated in the Figures 5 and 6 of the previous technology. In Figure 3a, the polarizing member is preferably a compression spring 60 disposed between the base plate 20 and the member for guiding the belt 50. A first portion of the end 62 of the compression spring 60 acts against the base plate, and a second end portion 64 of the compression spring 60 acts against the member to guide the belt 50. Generally, at least a portion, or possibly both, end portions of the compression spring 60 are disposed at the corresponding recess in either or both between the base plate 20 or the member for guiding the belt 50 to retain the spring 60. In Figure 3b, the base plate 20 has a recess 23 and the belt guiding member 50 has a recess 53 to correspondingly accommodate the end portions of the compression spring 60. In another alternative embodiment, a torsional spring, not shown, can be used to bias the portion of the guide end 54 of the member to guide the belt 50 above the belt supporting surface 22 along the side of the outer portion thereof. The torsional spring, for example, may be disposed about the axis of the pivot 51 so that a first portion of the arm of the torsional spring engages the base plate and a second portion of the arm thereof is engaged with the member to guide the belt 50 to polarizing the portion of the guide end 54 upwards thereof. In Figures 2, 3a and 3b, the polarizing member is biased with pivoting movement of the member to guide the belt 50 so that the end portion of the guide 54 thereof extends above the intermediate portion 24 of the surface of the belt. belt support 22. The pivoting movement of the member for guiding the belt 50 is limited by the protruding portions 55 thereof by engaging the base plate 20, as discussed above. In Figure 3b, the belt guiding member 50 is pivoted down against the polarization of the polarizing member so that an upper portion 56 thereof does not extend around the intermediate portion 24 of the belt supporting surface 22 , thus allowing the removal or removal of the base plate 20 between the load and the tensioned belt around it without the interference of the member to guide the belt 50, as discussed more fully below. In Figures 2, 3a and 3b, the guide member 50 preferably includes a beveled portion 70 in the upper portion and in the outer portion thereof. The beveled portion 70 can be hooked through the portion of the belt to pivot down the belt support member 50 and more particularly the end portion of the guide 54 thereof against the polarization of the polarizing member to facilitate the insertion of the belt into the belt guide and onto the belt support surface 22 of the base plate 20. However, the belt guide member 50 moves with downward pivoting in the absence of the bevelled portion 70, and in some embodiments the beveled portion 70 is not included. In Figures 1 and 3a, the member for guiding the belt 50 engages with pivoting movement to the base plate so that the portion of the guide end 54 of the member for guiding the belt extends away from the feed wheel 30. The portion The upper portion 56 of the guide member for the belt 50 is disposed at an angle relative to the support surface of the strap 22 of the base plate 20 when the portion that engages the belt is biased to extend above the support surface of the belt. belt. In the exemplified embodiment, the upper portion 56 of the guiding member of the belt 50 is at an angle relative to the intermediate portion 24 of the support surface 22. The upper portion 56 of the guiding member of the belt 50 can be attached to through the portions of the tensioned belt overlapped to pivot down the member to guide the belt 50 while the tool and more particularly the leg 20 is removed from between the load and the tensioned belt around it, as will be discussed more fully further . In Figure 4a, the belt 2 is disposed between the portion of the wall 40 and is guided by the wall portion 40 and the guide end portion 54 of the member for guiding the belt 50 during tension. Upon termination of the tension, the base plate 20 of the tool is removed from between the tensioned belt and the load through the pivoting action of the tool, since it is a common practice to separate the tension tools from the belt stressed In Figure 4b, the drag end portion 28 of the base plate 2O is first removed from between the tensioned overlap belt and the load by pivoting the tool in the direction of the arrow P. While the tool and the base plate 20 move with pivoting in relation to the tensioned belt, the belt is hooked to the upper portion 56 of the member for guiding the belt 50, which is oriented at an angle relative to the support surface of the belt 22 and generally directed away from the travel wheel. feeding, as discussed above. This is how the tensioned belt pivots the member to guide the belt 50 down against the polarization of the polarizing member, as illustrated in Figure 3b, whereby the base plate 20 and more particularly the portion of the guide end 27 of the The belt support surface 22 thereof can be completely removed from between the load and the tensioned belt. Although the above written description of the invention allows a person ordinarily qualified to make and use what is presently considered to be the best modality thereof, those who are ordinarily qualified will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations and equivalents of the forms of specific embodiments exemplified herein. Therefore, this invention should not be limited by the embodiments exemplified herein, but by all embodiments within the scope and spirit of the appended claims

Claims (12)

1. CLAIMS 1. A tool for tensioning a belt comprising: a base plate having a support surface for a belt, the support surface for a belt having an inner portion, an outer portion and a guide end portion; a wall portion that extends above the support surface for a belt and is disposed at least partially along the interior portion thereof; a member for guiding the belt having a pivot end portion and a guide end portion, the pivot end portion engages with pivoting movement to the tool along the outer portion of the supporting surface of the pivot end. the strap generally opposite the portion of the wall; a polarizing member coupled to the member for guiding the belt to polarize with pivoting movement the guide end portion of the belt guiding member above at least a portion of the belt supporting surface, wherein the belt disposed on the support surface for a belt of the base plate is guided between the portion of the wall and the member to guide the belt during tension.
2. 2. The tool of Claim 1, in which the belt support surface of the base plate has an intermediate portion, the polarizing member polarizes with pivoting movement the member to guide the belt so that the end portion of The guide rail extends above the intermediate portion of the belt support surface.
3. The tool of Claim 2, wherein the strap guiding member has an upper portion, wherein the strap guiding member is downwardly pivoted against the polarization of the polarizing member such that the upper portion of the member to guide the belt does not extend above the intermediate portion of the belt supporting surface.
4. The tool of Claim 2, wherein the guide end portion of the belt support surface slopes downwardly away from the intermediate portion thereof.
5. 5. The tool of Claim 1 further comprises a feed wheel aligned with the supporting surface of the base plate, wherein the belt guiding member is coupled with pivoting movement to the base plate so that the end portion of the member guide to guide the belt extend away from the feed wheel.
6. The tool of Claim 5, wherein the strap guiding member has a beveled portion on the upper portion and the outer portion thereof.
7. The tool of Claim 5, wherein the pivot end portion of the belt guiding member engages with pivoting movement to the base plate toward the guide end portion of the belt supporting surface.
8. The tool of Claim 5, wherein the upper portion of the belt guide member is at an angle relative to the belt support surface of the base plate when the member end portion of the member for guiding the belt is polarized to extend above at least a portion of the belt supporting surface.
9. The tool of Claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the belt guiding member is at an angle relative to the belt support surface of the base plate when the guiding end of the belt guiding member is polarizes to extend above at least a portion of the support surface.
10. 10. The tool of Claim 1 further comprises a feed wheel aligned with the belt support surface of the base plate, in which the feed wheel located generally opposite the guide end of the support surface portion. of the belt, where the belt tensioned by the feed wheel runs on the belt supporting surface between the portion of the wall and the member to guide the belt.
11. 11. The tool of Claim 1, in which the polarizing member is a compression spring disposed between the base plate and the member for guiding the belt.
12. 12. A method for guiding the belt in a tensioning tool, comprising: running the tensioned belt with a feed wheel on a belt support surface of a base plate: running the belt guided on the belt support surface on one side of the belt with a portion of the wall extending above the belt supporting surface and disposed at least partially along the inner portion of the belt supporting surface; biasing a member to guide the belt coupled with pivoting movement to the base plate so that the end portion of the guide member of the belt guiding member extends above at least a portion of the belt support surface as far as possible. Along an outer portion of the belt supporting surface generally opposite the portion of the wall, run the belt guided on the supporting surface on the other side of the belt with the portion of the guide end on the guide member the strap when the portion of the guide end is biased to extend above at least a portion of the belt support surface, where the strap is held between the wall portion and the member to guide the strap until it is finished the tension.