HAND WRAPPER
The various aspects disclosed herein relate to a handwrapper assembly that provides a braking assembly to limit or prevent rotation of a roll of material when a pallet or skid is wrapped for shipment. The braking assembly may comprise a slidable stopper that engages one or more arms to force the one or more arms to rotate outwardly to engage the roll of material to stop rotation. The handwrapper assembly may also comprise a trigger mechanism to selectively activate the braking assembly such that the amount of friction between the roll of material and the one or more arms is adjustable.
This application claims the benefit U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/494,553 filed Apr. 6, 2023, the contents of this application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis disclosure generally relates to a handwrapper assembly and method of using the same. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a handwrapper assembly having a brake assembly that is used in wrapping goods for shipping, such as a pallet or skid of a product.
Handwrapper assemblies (or simply, handwrappers) are known in the art and are conventionally used to wrap shipments of products with cellophane that have been loaded onto a pallet or skid before shipping to prevent the products from falling off the pallet and becoming damaged. While wrapping, it is important to maintain tension of the cellophane, or other wrapping material, as a corner of the loaded skid or pallet is wrapped. If tension is not maintained, a fault may be formed in the wrap where products can become dislodged compromising that portion of the wrapped skid as well as all the products on the skid that can become unsecured due to the fault. Failures can cause a cascade of failure resulting in massive loss in product and the potential for injury or loss of life such as that associated when skids are in transport and dislodged products cause unpredictable shifts in the transported load, as well as in instances where large products are dislodged, or even small products are dislodged from up high like those present in a warehouse or from an extended forklift.
To address these issues, a variety of handwrappers have been developed to provide additional control of a roll of wrapping material as a new roll of material can be relatively heavy and difficult to handle. This is especially true given that wrapping takes place quickly and therefore the rotation of the roll of material is high. While advantageous, many disadvantages still exist.
Current handwrappers allow for too much rotation when a corner of a skid is being wrapped due to a lack of tension between the spindle of the handwrapper and the internal hollow roll of the roll of material. Accordingly, dips form around corners causing the problems discussed. While some handwrappers provide for tension between the spindle and the roll of material such devices only permit a static amount of tension, which leads to similar problems arising. Moreover, these devices are known to fail resulting in all tension being lost. The rate at which handwrappers fail causes reduced rate on return as the handwrapper must be replaced and the skids that were wrapped using the failing handwrapper are more likely to be unsecured resulting in damaged product during transport.
Thus it is a primary aspect of this disclosure to provide a handwrapper assembly that improves upon the art.
Another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a handwrapper assembly that provides adjustable and/or dynamic tension of a roll of material.
Yet another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a handwrapper assembly that maintains tension around a corner of a skid.
Another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a handwrapper assembly that dispenses material in a uniform and smooth pattern.
Yet another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a handwrapper assembly that increases stability.
Another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a handwrapper assembly that dispenses material in a fast and consistent manner.
Yet another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a handwrapper assembly that is cost effective.
Another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a handwrapper assembly that is durable.
Yet another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a handwrapper assembly that is easy to use.
Another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a handwrapper assembly that has increased control and smooth release.
These and other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the specification and claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONDiscussed herein are various handwrapper assemblies and methods.
In Example 1, a handwrapper assembly comprises a spool assembly that has a spindle and a trigger of a trigger assembly connected to the spool assembly. Example 1 also comprises a braking assembly that has a stopper that is operatively connected to the trigger assembly. The braking assembly adjustably limits the rotation of a roll of material that is received on the spool assembly.
Example 2 relates to the handwrapper assembly according to Example 1, further comprising a cable of the trigger assembly extending through a hollow interior of the spindle and connecting to a rod, wherein the rod is received through a pair of channels formed in and along a length of the spindle and the rod is received in the stopper of the braking assembly.
Example 3 relates to the handwrapper assembly according to Example 1, further comprising an arm rotatably mounted to the spindle such that upon activation of the trigger assembly the stopper of the braking assembly forces the arm to rotate outwardly away from the spindle.
Example 4 relates to the handwrapper assembly according to Example 3, further comprising a portion of the arm having a rubber material.
Example 5 relates to the handwrapper assembly according to Example 3, further comprising an interior side of the arm having a taper from the connection to the spindle at a first end of the arm to a second end of the arm.
Example 6 relates to the handwrapper assembly according to Example 1, wherein the stopper is conically shaped such that the stopper tapers from a first end of the stopper to a second end of the stopper.
Example 7 relates to the handwrapper assembly according to Example 1, further comprising at least a pair of springs connected to the spindle at a first end and the stopper at a second end, wherein at least the pair of springs are biased towards retraction.
Example 8 relates to the handwrapper assembly according to Example 7, wherein at least the pair of springs are equidistantly positioned about a circumference of the spindle.
Example 9 relates to the handwrapper assembly according to Example 1, further comprising the trigger assembly having a tension adjuster configured to increase and decrease a tension between the trigger and a cable connected to the braking assembly.
Example 10 relates to the handwrapper assembly according to Example 1, further comprising a first rim rotatably connected to the spindle, and the first rim having a first bearing fixedly connected to the spindle, and fixedly and rotatably connected to the first rim.
Example 11 relates to the handwrapper assembly according to Example 10, wherein the first rim is conically shaped such that the first rim tapers inwardly in a direction away from the trigger.
Example 12 relates to the handwrapper assembly according to Example 10, further comprising a second rim rotatably and removably connected to the spindle, wherein the second rim is conically shaped such that the first rim tapers inwardly in a direction towards the trigger.
Example 13 relates to the handwrapper assembly according to Example 12, further comprising the second rim having a relief, wherein the relief is configured to allow compression of the second rim.
Example 14 relates to the handwrapper assembly according to Example 1, further comprising the roll of material received over the spool assembly and the braking assembly.
In Example 15, a handwrapper assembly comprises a spool assembly that has a spindle with a first rim on one side of the spindle and a second rim on the other side. A braking assembly connects to the spindle between the first rim and the second rim. The braking assembly has a stopper that is rotatably connected to the spindle and an arm that is rotatably connected to the spindle. A trigger assembly is also operatively connected to the spool assembly such that a trigger of the spool assembly slides the stopper along a length of the spindle to engage the arm causing it to rotate away from the spindle.
Example 16 relates to the handwrapper assembly according to Example 15, wherein the first rim, the second rim, and the stopper are conically formed such that the first rim and the second rim taper towards one another towards the arm.
This has outlined, rather broadly, the features, advantages, solutions, and benefits of the disclosure in order that the description that follows may be better understood. Additional features, advantages, solutions, and benefits of the disclosure will be described in the following. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this disclosure may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures and related operations for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions and related operation do not depart from the teachings of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features, together with further objects and advantages, will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying Figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the Figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present disclosure.
The disclosure described herein is directed to different aspects of a handwrapper assembly and method of using the same. The detailed description set forth below, in connection with the appended drawings, is intended as a description of various configurations and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described herein may be practiced. These descriptions include specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the various concepts. It will be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and components are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring such concepts. As described herein, the use of the term “and/or” is intended to represent an “inclusive OR”, and the use of the term “or” is intended to represent an “exclusive OR”.
The disclosure is described herein with reference to certain aspects, iterations, embodiments, and examples but it is understood that the disclosure can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the aspects set forth herein.
Although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements or components, these elements or components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element or component from another. Hence, a first element discussed herein could be termed a second element without departing from the teachings of the present application. It is understood that actual systems or fixtures embodying the disclosure can be arranged in many different ways with many more features and elements beyond what is shown in the drawings. For the same or similar elements or features, the same reference numbers may be used throughout the disclosure.
It is to be understood that when an element or component is referred to as being “on” another element or component, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. Furthermore, relative terms such as “between”, “within”, “below”, and similar terms, may be used herein to describe a relationship of one element or component to another. It is understood that these terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the disclosure in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures.
Aspects of the disclosure may be described herein with reference to illustrations that are schematic illustrations. As such, the actual thickness of elements can be different, and variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances are expected. Thus, the elements illustrated in the figures are schematic in nature and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the precise shape of a region of a device and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.
For the same or similar elements or features, the same reference numbers may be used throughout the disclosure.
With reference to the
The spool assembly 12 may comprise a spindle 24 with a hollow interior 26 that extends at least a length of the spindle 24 if not the entirety of the spindle 24. In some aspects, the spindle 24 has a diameter of 0.75 inches or approximately 0.75 inches, which is less than the conventional size of the internal hollow roll 20.
As seen in
The first adjustable section 28 may extend to and between a first terminal end 32 and a second terminal end 34. A handle portion 36 of the spindle 24 extends from the first terminal end 32 to a shaft portion 38 that extends from the handle portion 36 to the second terminal end 34. The handle portion 36 and the shaft portion 38 in some embodiments are arranged in an L-shape wherein the handle portion 36 extends perpendicularly to or substantially perpendicularly to the shaft portion 38, which facilitates natural and ergonomic operation of the trigger assembly 14 as describe further herein. The handle portion 36 may also comprise a handle grip 39.
The shaft portion 38 is connected to a first rim 40. In one aspect of the disclosure, the first rim 40 has an axial aperture 42 that extends from a top or first terminal end 44 to a bottom or second terminal end 46 of the first rim 40 through which the shaft portion 38 is received. The first rim 40, in some arrangements, comprises a first bearing 48, which in certain embodiments is inset into the first rim 40 abutting the top end 44 such that the first bearing 48 is flush or substantially flush with the top end 44 with the rest of the first bearing 48 being within the first rim 40. In this way, the axial aperture 42, in some configurations, is not blocked or otherwise obstructed by the first bearing 48 in the axial direction of the axial aperture 42. In yet other aspects, the first bearing 48 is fixedly connected to the spindle 24, and fixedly and operatively connected to the first rim 40, such that the position of the first rim 40 is fixed while still being capable of rotation about the axis of the spindle 24.
In some aspects, the first rim 40 has a conical shape such that the first rim 40 narrows in diameter from the top end 44 to the bottom end 46. In an exemplary embodiment, the top end 44 has a diameter of 3.50 or approximately 3.50 inches to accommodate the roll of material 18 having the internal hollow roll 20 with a large internal diameter. Likewise, the bottom end 46 in certain embodiments has a diameter of 2.50 or approximately 2.50 inches to accommodate the roll of material 18 having the internal hollow roll 20 with a small interior diameter. Hence, the conical shape provides the unique advantage of accommodating various sizes of the roll of material 18. As described further herein, the internal hollow roll 20 frictionally engages the first rim 40 whereby the internal hollow roll 20 is held in place at or substantially at the point of contact with the first rim 40 and rotation is accomplished by rotation of the first rim 40 about the first bearing 48, which provides for a smoother unrolling of the roll of material 18 compared to conventional methods while reducing wear on the handwrapper assembly 10.
In one aspect, the second adjustable section 30 may extend from a first terminal end 50 to a second terminal end 52. The second adjustable section 30 in some embodiments is comprised of a shaft portion 54 that extends in alignment or substantial alignment with the first adjustable section 28. In other aspects, the second adjustable section 30 may have alternative shapes to facilitate various applications, situations, and materials.
In some configurations, a section of the shaft portion 38 of the first adjustable section 28 abutting the second terminal end 34 is threaded to threadably and adjustably connect to a section of the second adjustable section 30 that is threaded abutting the first terminal end 50. The length of the spindle 24 is adjusted by reducing or increasing the threaded connection between the first adjustable section 28 and the second adjustable section 30. In other aspects, similar operation is contemplated such as by way of a plurality of holes and a releasable protrusion, however, such operations do not allow for small modifications in length as is permitted by a threaded connection and further have a higher risk of failing or other breaking. As discussed, in other aspects the spindle 24 in some embodiments is a single body that extends from the first terminal end 32 to the second terminal end 52 as seen in
The shaft portion 54 of the second adjustable section 30 may be connected to a second rim 56. In some aspects, the second rim 56 has an axial aperture 58 that extends from a top or first terminal end 60 to a bottom or second terminal end 62 of the second rim 56 through which the spindle 24 is received. With reference to
A cap 66 may pass through the second bearing 64 and is fastened to the second terminal end 52 of the spindle 24 such that the second bearing 64 abuts the spindle 24 at the second terminal end 52 while rotating about an axis extending through the cap 66 in the axial direction with the shaft portion 54 of the spindle 24. In some embodiments, the cap 66 is in the form of a bolt that is threadably received within the hollow interior 26 of the spindle 24 adjacent the second terminal end 52 of which a portion is threaded. In other aspects, the cap 66 is replaced by a handle 68 (not shown but contemplated as having a similar structure as that of the handle portion 36 and/or the handle grip 39) that facilitates use of the handwrapper assembly 10 as it provides an additional place to hold the handwrapper assembly 10. In still other aspects, the cap 66 or the handle 68 are removably attached to the spindle 24 by other methods such as snap fit or friction-fit engagement.
In other aspects, the second rim 56, and/or the first rim 40, has a relief 69 extending between the top end 60 and the bottom end 62 that allows for the second rim 56 to compress when the roll of material 18. The natural resistance of the second rim 56 to such compression increase the hold the second rim 56 has with the roll of material 18 while facilitating the quick load and reload of the roll of material 18.
In some aspects, the second rim 56 has a conical shape such that the second rim 56 expands in diameter from the top end 60 to the bottom end 62 in an inverse fashion of the first rim 40. In exemplary embodiments, the top end 60 has a diameter of 2.50 or approximately 2.50 inches to accommodate the roll of material 18 with the internal hollow roll 20 having a small internal diameter. Likewise, the bottom end 62 in certain embodiments has a diameter of 3.50 or approximately 3.50 inches to accommodate the roll of material 18 having the internal hollow roll 20 having a large internal diameter. As with the first rim 40, the internal hollow roll 20 frictionally engages the second rim 56 whereby the internal hollow roll 20 is held in place at or substantially at the point of contact with the second rim 56 and rotation is accomplished by rotation of the second rim 56 about the second bearing 64, which provides for a smoother unrolling of the roll of material 18 compared to conventional methods while reducing wear on the handwrapper assembly 10.
The trigger assembly 14 may comprise a mount 70, a trigger or trigger lever 72, and a cable 74. The mount 70 is configured to attach the trigger assembly 14 to the spool assembly 12, which may be about the handle portion 36 above the handle grip 39. In some aspects, the mount 70 has a circular configuration that receives the spindle 24 and in particular embodiments, the handle portion 36 of the spindle 24. Some embodiments comprise the mount 70 being releasable such that removal of the trigger assembly 14 is possible in case of breakage. In other aspects, the mount 70 is fixedly and attached or integrated with the spindle 24 such as monolithic design. The trigger lever 72 is pivotally connected to the mount 70 and operatively connected to the cable 74 as discussed further herein. Other forms of activation of the handwrapper assembly 10 are contemplated beyond a trigger or trigger lever; however, the use of the trigger lever 72 is ergonomic and facilitates use as the variation in tension, described herein, is more readily achieved.
In some arrangements, the spindle 24 has an opening 75 that the cable 74 passes through and into the hollow interior 26 of the spindle 24. The opening 75, in certain embodiments, is positioned adjacent the transition from the handle portion 36 to the shaft portion 38 such that the cable 74 has a natural extension from the trigger lever 72 such that the cable 74 undergoes a single bend between the connection with the trigger lever 72 and extension into the spindle 24, which in turn simplifies operation and reduces the potential of the cable 74 tangling.
The cable 74 is connected to a rod 76. In some aspects, the cable 74 wraps around the rod 76 with a portion of the cable 74 that overlaps with itself held in place by a crimp 78 thereby forming a loop 80 around the rod 76. The rod 76 extends from a first terminal end 81 to a second terminal end 84 (not shown) and perpendicularly to or substantially perpendicularly to the direction along which the shaft portion 38 extends. The rod 76, in some aspects, is received through a pair of aligned channels or elongated openings 82 that extend along the length of the shaft portion 38 of the spindle 24 such that a portion of the rod 76 protrudes outside of the spindle 24 on opposing sides of the shaft portion 38.
In some configurations, the operative connection between the cable 74 and the trigger lever 72 is such that when the trigger lever 72 is operated, such as by compressing or squeezing the trigger lever 72 towards the handle portion 36, the cable 74 is withdrawn or retracted. As a result of the operative connection between the cable 74 and the rod 76, the rod 76 is lifted or raised upwards as the cable 74 is withdrawn. Due to the position of the rod 76 within the pair of channels 86, the rod 76 is guided along the pair of channels 86. In some embodiments, the trigger assembly 14 further comprises a tension adjuster 88 that is configured to increase and decrease the tension of the cable 74 between the trigger lever 72 and the rod 76.
With reference to
In some aspects, the stopper 90 has a conical shape such that the stopper 90 expands in diameter from the top end 100 to the bottom end 102 as shown in
In some aspects, a pair of springs 92 are fixedly attached at a top or first terminal end 104 to the bottom end 102 of stopper 90 at equidistant points. A bottom or second terminal end 106 is fixedly attached to the spindle 24 below the stopper 90 at equidistant points about the circumference of the spindle 24. In certain aspects, the pair of springs 92 align with a length of the pair of channels 86 or are positioned equidistantly between the channels 86 in order to provide additional stability to the handwrapper assembly 10 during operation and to avoid twisting of the cable 74 and/or the pair of springs 92.
The pair of springs 92 are biased towards retraction and as such are configured to resist the retraction of the cable 74 of the trigger assembly 14 that likewise resists the rod 76 and the stopper to which the rod 76 is inserted from raising. As a result, the pair of springs 92 pull the stopper 90 away from the handle portion 36 of the spindle 24 when the trigger lever 72 is not compressed or squeezed. The use of the pair of springs 92 provides the benefit of applying a balanced retraction force between equidistant points of the stopper 90. While the pair of springs 92 are discussed, additional or fewer springs are contemplated. The length of the pair of channels 86 prevents the rod 76 from extending beyond a predefined distance, which in turn prevents the pair of springs 92 from being deformed permanently.
In some aspects, a plurality of arm mounts 94, having one of a plurality of arms rotatably attached thereto, extend from the spindle 24 above the stopper 90. While the exemplary embodiments of the figures depict three arm mounts and three arms, fewer or greater numbers are contemplated.
In as much as the structure and operation of the plurality of arm mounts 94 and the plurality of arms 96 are substantially structurally and operatively similar in some aspects, only singular reference to the arm mount 94 and the single arm 96 will be made. The arm mount 94 extends out radially from the spindle 24 and comprises a body 108 with an aperture 110 extending therethrough. The arm 96 extends from a first terminal end 112 to a second terminal end 114. Adjacent the first terminal end 112 is an aperture 116 that extends through the arm 96. A retaining member 118, such as a retaining pin or similarly configured component, is received through the aperture 110 of the arm mount 94 and the aperture 116 of the arm 96 in such a fashion that the arm 96 freely rotates about the axis of the retaining member 118. Thereby, the plurality of arms 96 are rotatably connected to the spindle 24.
An interior side 120 of the arm 96, i.e., that closest to the spindle 24, may be tapered such that the arm 96 narrows from the first terminal end 112 to the second terminal end 114. A portion of the arm 96 adjacent the second terminal end 114, in some embodiments, overlaps the top end 100 of the stopper 90 such that when the trigger assembly 14 is not activated, the arm 96 rests against the stopper 90 as seen in
When a roll of material 18 is loaded onto the spindle 24 the activation of the trigger assembly 14 and consequently the brake assembly 16 causes the arm 96 to extend thereby engaging the internal hollow roll 20. The physical engagement of the arm 96 with the internal hollow roll 20 restricts or prevents the rotation of the internal hollow roll 20. This restriction may be facilitated by first rim 40 and first bearing 48 and the second rim 56 and second bearing 64 as the limited friction provided in the respective rotation of these components may be cumulative in effect with that of the brake assembly 16. In some configurations, the arm 96 is made of rubber or has a pad 122, which may be made of rubber to increase the friction between the arm 96 and the internal hollow roll 20. Other suitable materials are hereby contemplated that will extend the life of the arm 96 and/or increase the friction provided to reduce the manual application of force upon the trigger lever 72 required for operation of the brake assembly 16. In particular aspects, the stopper 90 is made of rubber or other suitable material to reduce wear between the arm 96 and the stopper 90.
In some embodiments where the stopper 90 is conically shaped, the operation of the brake assembly 16 requires less retraction by the trigger assembly 14. The conical shape of the stopper 90 reduces the distance the trigger lever 72 must be squeezed as the increasing diameter of the stopper 90 increases the rate at which the arm 96 is extended as compared with a stopper 90 having a cylindrical or similarly shaped configuration that does not increase in diameter between a top end 100 to a bottom end 102. This in turn reduces the wear on the cable 74 and the springs 92 as operative movement is limited. In certain embodiments operation of the brake assembly 16 the arm is extended outwardly 0.25 or approximately 0.25 inches from a relaxed position whereby the brake assembly 16 has an overall diameter of 2.50 or approximately 2.50 inches to a maximum extension with a diameter of 3.50 or approximately 3.50 inches thereby maintain operational engagement with an internal hollow roll 20 of varying sizes.
To simplify the use of the handwrapper assembly 10, in some embodiments with a first adjustable section 28 and a second adjustable section 30, the trigger assembly 14 and the brake assembly 16 are all positioned on the first adjustable section 28 to allow extension or reduction of the length of the spindle 24 without disassembly of the trigger assembly 14 or the brake assembly 16.
In an exemplary operation of the disclosure, the cap 66 is removed from the spindle 24 along with the second rim 56. The spindle 24 is inserted through the roll of material 18 such that the material 22 is positioned over the brake assembly 16 and in engagement with the first rim 40. Thereafter, the second rim 56 and cap 66 are reconnected so that the second rim 56 is also in engagement with the internal hollow roll 20. As the roll of material 18 is dispensed, the first bearing 48 and second bearing 64 provide for a smooth and consistent unrolling of the material 22. As a corner of a skid or pallet is approached, the trigger lever 72 is squeezed and the stopper 90 is raised extending the plurality of arms 96 against the internal hollow roll 20, which causes the rotation of the roll of material 18 to slow thereby allowing tension to be created in the material 22 as the handwrapper assembly 10 can be pulled, tightening the material 22 that is no longer being dispensed or being dispensed at a reduced rate. When the corner is wrapped, the trigger lever 72 is released and the stopper 90 is retracted by the pair of springs 92, which in turn allows the arms 96 to pivot inwardly towards the spindle 24 removing contact with the internal hollow roll 20. The frictional engagement between of the internal hollow roll 20 and the first rim 40 and the second rim 56 prevents the roll of material 18 from jostling about the spindle 24 during use of the handwrapper assembly 10.
The tension adjuster 88 may also be used to apply a static but adjustable level of friction during operation. In such situations, the tension adjuster 88 is used to tighten the tension in the cable 74 such that the stopper 90 is raised even where the trigger lever 72 is not squeezed or otherwise interfaced with. This results in the brake assembly 16 being partially active or fully active such that the roll of material 18 has restricted rotation or rotation is prevented.
Therefore, a handwrapper assembly 10 has been provided that provides adjustable tension of a roll of material, maintains tension around a corner of a skid, dispenses material in a uniform pattern, increases stability, dispenses material in a fast and consistent manner, is cost effective, is durable, is easy to use, increases control, and improves upon the art.
From the above discussion and accompanying figures and claims it will be appreciated that the handwrapper assembly 10 offers many advantages over the prior art. Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, modifications, and alterations can be made herein without departing from the technology of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. The scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular configurations of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification only expressly stated otherwise. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding configurations described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
The previous description of the disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
Claims
1. A handwrapper assembly comprising:
- a spool assembly having a spindle;
- a trigger assembly having a trigger connected to the spool assembly; and
- a braking assembly having a stopper operatively connected to the trigger assembly;
- wherein the braking assembly is configured to adjustably limit a rotation of a roll of material received over the spool assembly and the braking assembly.
2. The handwrapper assembly of claim 1 further comprising a cable of the trigger assembly extending through a hollow interior of the spindle and connecting to a rod, wherein the rod is received through a pair of channels formed in and along a length of the spindle and the rod is received in the stopper of the braking assembly.
3. The handwrapper assembly of claim 1 further comprising an arm rotatably mounted to the spindle such that upon activation of the trigger assembly the stopper of the braking assembly forces the arm to rotate outwardly away from the spindle.
4. The handwrapper assembly of claim 3 further comprising a portion of the arm having a rubber material.
5. The handwrapper assembly of claim 3 further comprising an interior side of the arm having a taper from the connection to the spindle at a first end of the arm to a second end of the arm.
6. The handwrapper assembly of claim 1 wherein the stopper is conically shaped such that the stopper tapers from a first end of the stopper to a second end of the stopper.
7. The handwrapper assembly of claim 1 further comprising at least a pair of springs connected to the spindle at a first end and the stopper at a second end, wherein at least the pair of springs are biased towards retraction.
8. The handwrapper assembly of claim 7 wherein at least the pair of springs are equidistantly positioned about a circumference of the spindle.
9. The handwrapper assembly of claim 1 further comprising the trigger assembly having a tension adjuster configured to increase and decrease a tension between the trigger and a cable connected to the braking assembly.
10. The handwrapper assembly of claim 1 further comprising a first rim rotatably connected to the spindle, and the first rim having a first bearing fixedly connected to the spindle, and fixedly and rotatably connected to the first rim.
11. The handwrapper assembly of claim 10 wherein the first rim is conically shaped such that the first rim tapers inwardly in a direction away from the trigger.
12. The handwrapper assembly of claim 10 further comprising a second rim rotatably and removably connected to the spindle, wherein the second rim is conically shaped such that the first rim tapers inwardly in a direction towards the trigger.
13. The handwrapper assembly of claim 12 further comprising the second rim having a relief, wherein the relief is configured to allow compression of the second rim.
14. The handwrapper assembly of claim 1 further comprising the roll of material received over the spool assembly and the braking assembly.
15. A handwrapper assembly comprising:
- a spool assembly having a spindle;
- a first rim and a second rim connected to the spindle;
- a braking assembly connected to the spindle between the first rim and the second rim;
- the braking assembly having a stopper slidably connected to the spindle;
- the braking assembly having an arm rotatably connected to the spindle;
- a trigger assembly having a trigger operatively connected to the spool assembly; and
- the trigger assembly operatively connected to slide the stopper along a length of the spindle such that the stopper engages the arm to rotate the arm outwardly away from the spindle.
16. The handwrapper assembly of claim 15 wherein the first rim, the second rim, and the stopper are conically formed such that the first rim and the second rim taper towards one another towards the arm.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 5, 2024
Publication Date: Oct 10, 2024
Inventor: Mark Mast (Cedar Rapids, IA)
Application Number: 18/627,788
