SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COILING AND SEALING AN ELONGATE FLEXIBLE COMPONENT
A system and method for coiling and sealing an elongate, flexible component includes a coiler and a sealer positioned beneath the coiler. The coiler includes a rotatable central core and a feeding tube for guiding and transferring a free end of the flexible component onto the central core to form a coil. The coil is then dropped in a generally vertical downward direction from the coiler into a partially-sealed and partially-opened container positioned beneath the coiler and disposed within the sealer. The sealer seals the remaining one or more open sides of the container and then drops the coil encased within the sealed container in a generally vertical downward direction onto a conveyor. The container may be made of a heat-shrinkable material and the conveyor may transport the sealed container into a heat-shrink oven to heat shrink the container around the coil.
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This non-provisional patent application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/699,924 filed on Sep. 12, 2012.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to systems and methods for coiling an elongate, flexible component in the form of a coil and for subsequently sealing the coil within a protective container. More particularly, the invention is a combination coiler for winding a length of an elongate, flexible component into a coil and sealer for sealing the wound coil within a sealed container. In the exemplary embodiments herein, the invention is a combination coiler and sealer, and an associated method for coiling a length of elongate, flexible cable, wire, tubing or the like, and for subsequently encasing the wound coil within a sealed, plastic bag.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIt is common practice for lengths of an elongate, flexible component, such as cable, wire, tubing or the like to be wound into a coil. Oftentimes, the wound coil is packaged within a protective container, such as a bag or box. In certain instances, it is advantageous to encase the wound coil within a sealed, plastic bag for shipping and handling.
Coiling machines, or “coilers,” are known for winding an elongate length of a flexible cable, wire, tubing or the like into a coil. Sealing machines, or “sealers,” are separately known for sealing a wound coil of cable, wire, tubing or the like with a plastic wrap or within a sealed, plastic bag. Typically, the coiler forms the coil and the wound coil is removed from the coiler to a strapper or binder to secure the free end of the flexible component. The wound and secured coil is then moved to a sealer where the coil is first passed through a vertical sheet of plastic to wrap the coil within the plastic sheet and the plastic sheet is then sealed to encase the coil. If desired, the coil and sealed plastic sheet are then transported to an oven to shrink-wrap the plastic sheet around the coil. Coilers are also known that wind a length of an elongate, flexible component, such as cable, wire, tubing or the like, into a coil and automatically move the wound coil from the coiler into a relatively rigid container, for example an open cardboard carton.
The known coilers and sealers require a two-step coiling and sealing process, and in certain instances, require a three-step coiling, wrapping and sealing process, to coil a length of flexible cable, wire, tubing or the like and to encase the wound coil within a sealed plastic wrap or bag. Accordingly, the known systems and method for coiling and sealing require significant capital expense in multiple items of equipment and a substantial dedication of floor space. At the same time, the production rate of the known systems and methods is generally insufficient for cost efficient operations. Thus, a system and method for coiling a length of an elongate, flexible component to form a wound coil is needed that automatically moves the coil directly into a sealer to encase the coil within a sealed container. More particularly, a combination coiler and sealer is needed that forms a coil and subsequently automatically moves the wound coil into the sealer without reliance upon any mechanical means, such as moving arms, pushers or conveying devices. More particularly, a coiler for coiling a length of an elongate, flexible cable, wire, tubing or the like is needed that includes a sealer for receiving the wound coil and for encasing the coil of the elongate, flexible component in a closed container, such as a sealed, plastic bag.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is a combination coiler for coiling a length of an elongate, flexible component into a coil and sealer for encasing the coil within a sealed, plastic bag. The coiler includes a feeding tube for guiding and transferring a free end of the length of the flexible component onto a central core of the coiler. The central core is rotatable to wind the flexible component about the central core in the form of a coil having a predetermined configuration. Once the coil is formed, the opposite end of the length of the flexible component is cut adjacent the feeding tube. The central core is then opened to release the coil from the central core and the wound coil is dropped from the coiler into a partially-sealed and partially-opened bag positioned beneath the coiler and disposed within the sealer. Contemporaneously, the feeding tube is moved to the central core of the coiler and the free end of the length of the flexible component is again guided onto the central core. Any open sides of the partially-sealed and partially-opened bag disposed within the sealer are then sealed to encase the coil within a sealed, plastic bag. At the same time, the central core of the coiler is rotated to form another coil of the flexible component. The sealed plastic bag containing the previously wound coil is next released from the sealer onto a conveyor positioned beneath the sealer. The conveyor may transport the encased coil into a shrink oven for shrink-wrapping the sealed plastic bag around the coil.
Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters in the various drawing figures refer to the same or similar parts, a system for coiling a length of an elongate, flexible component into a coil and for encasing the coil within a sealed container is shown and illustrated. The system, indicated generally by reference character 10 and also referred to herein as a combination coiler and sealer 10, comprises a coiler portion, indicated generally by reference character 20 and also referred to herein as coiler 20, and a sealer portion, indicated generally by reference character 40 and also referred to herein as sealer 40. In the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein, the coiler portion 20 and the sealer portion 40 are operatively coupled together into a single, combination coiler and sealer system 10. However, as will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, the coiler 20 and the sealer 40 may be provided independently of one another and operatively coupled together in a coiling and sealing production environment. Regardless, the coiler 20 and the sealer 40 are configured for use with an elongate, flexible component, for example cable, wire, tubing or the like, to form a coil of the flexible component and to subsequently encase the coil within a sealed container. Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily understand and appreciate that the coiler 20 and the sealer 40 may be used in combination with one another in various other applications without departing from the otherwise broad intended scope of the invention. By way of example only and without limitation, the coiler 20 and the sealer 40 are shown and described herein configured for coiling and sealing a length of an elongate, flexible electrical cable 50 of the type commonly utilized in electrical and communications applications. As such, cable 50 comprises at least one electrical or optical conductor disposed within a protective outer sheath.
In general, the coiler portion 20 of the combination coiler and sealer 10 comprises a central core 22 concentrically mounted about a shaft 24 (
In general, the sealer portion 40 of the combination coiler and sealer 10 shown in greater detail in
For example, the cable 50 may be cut once the coil 55 has a desired longitudinal length along the central core 22 and a desired diameter about the central core. For a given cable 50, the predetermined configuration of the coil 55 typically corresponds to a desired length of the cable delivered by the feeding tube 26 onto the central core 22 of the coiler 20. The cable 50 is cut by a conventional cutting means (not shown) in any suitable manner to produce the free end 52 of the cable adjacent the feeding tube 26 and a cut end 54 of the cable wound onto the central core 22 of the coiler 20 to form the coil 55 having the predetermined configuration with an inner diameter 56 and an outer diameter 58. The central core 22 of the coiler 20 is then opened to release the coil 55 from the central core. As used herein, the term “opened” refers generically to any operation or mechanical means that permits the coil 55 to be removed, detached, separated, or the like from the central core 22. By way of example only and without limitation, the central core 22 may be reduced in diameter concentrically and withdrawn from within the coil 55 so that the coil can be moved in a desired direction under the influence of a mechanical force, or alternatively, will drop in a downward vertical direction under the influence of gravity, as described herein.
The foregoing detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures has described one or more exemplary embodiments of a system and method for coiling a length of an elongate, flexible component in the form of a coil, and for subsequently encasing the coil within a sealed container. In an exemplary embodiment, the system and method includes a combination coiler and sealer comprising a central core, a feeding tube for guiding a length of the flexible component onto the central core, and a drive means for rotating the central core to wind the length of the flexible component onto the central core and thereby form the coil. The wound coil is then released from the central core of the coiler and received within a partially-sealed and partially-opened container positioned beneath the coiler and disposed within the sealer. The container has at least two pre-sealed sides and the sealer is configured to seal each of the remaining one or more open sides to thereby encase the coil within the fully sealed container. The elongate, flexible component is preferably selected from the group consisting of cable, wire, tubing and the like. The container is preferably a plastic bag formed from a roll of heat-sealable and heat-shrinkable sheet material.
Claims
1. A system for coiling a length of an elongate, flexible component into a coil and subsequently encasing the coil within a sealed container, comprising:
- a coiler comprising: a rotatable central core; and a feeding tube for guiding the length of the flexible component onto the central core as the central core is rotated to thereby wind the length of the flexible component onto the central core to form the coil; and
- a sealer operatively coupled to the coiler to receive the coil in a partially-sealed and partially-opened container positioned beneath the coiler and disposed within the sealer, the container having at least two pre-sealed sides and one or more open sides, the sealer operable to subsequently seal the one or more open sides of the container.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the elongate, flexible component is selected from the group consisting of cable, wire, tubing and the like.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the container is made of a heat-sealable material.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein a free end of the flexible component is secured to the central core.
5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a drive means for rotating the central core to wind the length of the flexible component onto the central core.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the length of the flexible component is cut between the feeding tube and the coil when the coil has a predetermined configuration.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the coil is dropped from the coiler in a generally vertical downward direction under the influence of gravity and received in the container positioned beneath the coiler and disposed within the sealer.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the sealer comprises at least a pair of sealing bars for sealing the one or more open sides of the container to encase and seal coil in the container.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the coil encased and sealed in the container is dropped from the sealer in a generally vertical downward direction under the influence of gravity onto a conveying surface of a conveyor.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the conveying surface is inclined relative to the generally vertical downward direction so that the coil and container is automatically oriented parallel to the conveying surface when the coil encased within the container is dropped onto the conveying surface.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the container is made of a heat-shrinkable material and the conveyor transports the coil encased and sealed in the container to a heat shrink oven to shrink the heat-shrinkable material of the container around the coil.
12. A combination coiler and sealer for coiling a length of an elongate, flexible component in the form of a coil, and for subsequently sealing the coil within a sealed container, the combination coiler and sealer comprising:
- a central core for receiving the length of flexible component thereon;
- a feeding tube for guiding and transferring the length of flexible component onto the central core;
- a partially-sealed and partially opened container having one or more open sides positioned beneath the central core for receiving the coil within the container when the coil is dropped from the central core in a generally vertical downward direction;
- sealing means for sealing the one or more open sides of the container so that the coil is encased and sealed in the container; and
- a conveyor positioned beneath the sealing means and having a conveying surface for receiving the sealed container when the sealed container is dropped in a generally vertical downward direction from the sealing means onto the conveying surface.
13. The combination coiler and sealer of claim 12, wherein the elongate, flexible component is selected from the group consisting of cable, wire, tubing and the like, and wherein the container is a plastic bag made of a heat-sealable material.
14. The combination coiler and sealer of claim 12, wherein the coil is dropped from the central core under the influence of gravity, and wherein the sealed container is dropped from the sealing means under the influence of gravity.
15. The combination coiler and sealer of claim 12, wherein the conveying surface is inclined relative to the generally vertical downward direction so that the sealed container tips over under the influence of gravity and is oriented parallel to the conveying surface.
16. The combination coiler and sealer of claim 12, wherein the container is made of a heat-shrinkable material, and wherein the conveying surface of the conveyor transports the sealed container into a heat shrink oven to shrink the heat-shrinkable material of the container around the coil.
17. A method for coiling a length of an elongate, flexible component to form a coil, and for subsequently encasing the coil within a sealed container, the method comprising:
- providing a coiler comprising a rotatable central core and a feeding tube for guiding and transferring the length of the flexible component onto the central core;
- rotating the central core to wind the length of the flexible component onto the central core and thereby form the coil;
- releasing the coil from the central core of the coiler in a generally vertical downward direction;
- receiving the coil from the coiler in a container positioned beneath the coiler and disposed within a sealer, the container having one or more open sides; and
- sealing the one or more open sides of the container to thereby encase the coil within the sealed container.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the elongate, flexible component is selected from the group consisting of cable, wire, tubing and the like and wherein the container is made of a heat-sealable material.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising dropping the sealed container from the sealer in a generally vertical downward direction onto a conveying surface of a conveyor.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the container is made of a heat-shrinkable material, and wherein the conveying surface of the conveyor transports the sealed container into a heat shrink oven to shrink the heat-shrinkable material of the container around the coil.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 12, 2013
Publication Date: Mar 13, 2014
Applicant: WINDAK INC. (Hickory, NC)
Inventors: Daniel L. Shelander (Hickory, NC), Margus Niinepuu (Harju maakond)
Application Number: 14/025,549
International Classification: B65B 63/04 (20060101); B65B 53/02 (20060101); B65H 54/02 (20060101);