By Rotary Member Patents (Class 493/454)
  • Publication number: 20120184426
    Abstract: The present invention supplies practical procedures, functions or techniques for folding tessellations. Several tessellation crease pattern techniques, and the three-dimensional folded configuration are given. Additionally several new forming processes, including mathematical methods for describing the material flow are disclosed doubly-periodic folding of materials that name the doubly-periodic folded (DPF) surface, including vertices, edges, and facets, at any stage of the folding. This information is necessary for designing tooling and forming equipment, for analyzing strength and deflections of the DPFs under a variety of conditions, for modeling the physical properties of DPF laminations and composite structures, for understanding the acoustic or other wave absorption/diffusion/reflection characteristics, and for analyzing and optimizing the structure of DPFs in any other physical situation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventor: Daniel H. Kling
  • Publication number: 20120178609
    Abstract: A web conveying apparatus configured to convey a pair of webs folded in the cross direction CD with reference to a folding line. The web conveying apparatus includes a crotch hold bar configured to hold an intermediate web in a conveyable manner with the folded intermediate web stretched in a direction in which the crotch portions get away from the waistline portions; and a conveying mechanism configured to convey the intermediate web and hands over the intermediate web to a joint apparatus and a cutting apparatus, while the crotch portions are being held by the crotch hold bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroki Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20120178608
    Abstract: A folding machine includes a conveyance roll configured to come into contact with both a first region and the second region being flush with each other; a web guide mechanism configured to cause the first region and the second region to face each other with reference to the folding line so that an angle between the first region and the second region becomes smaller toward downstream; a press mechanism configured to press at least any one of the first region and the second region. The press mechanism changes a pressing strength on the web to change at least either a track length (first track length) in which one side edge provided on a downstream of a conveyance roll is conveyed or a track length (second track length) in which other side edge is conveyed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroki Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20120071311
    Abstract: The device for driving folding arms of comb-like folding means along a closed operating path is used on an interfolding machine 100 for production of interfolded packs of sheets of tissue paper or another material and is mounted on a frame 10a situated in the lower part of the machine 100. A connecting rod-crank transmission assembly 13 is mounted on the frame 10a and connected to the comb-like 2, to drive the latter along the closed operating path. The driving device 10 comprises also a main motor 51, aimed at supplying at least a part of mechanical power necessary to drive the comb-like 2, and a supplementary motor 55, running at a controllable rotation speed, aimed at cooperating with the main motor 11, in driving the comb-like 2. An epicycloidal type differential 20, connected mechanically to the main and supplementary motors 51 and 55, and to the transmission assembly 13 as the combination of the power received at the intakes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: TISSUEWELL S.R.L.
    Inventors: Simona Ricci, Andrea Bernacchi
  • Publication number: 20120065046
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes a fold unit to fold a center of a sheet bundle to form a fold line, a reinforce roller which reciprocates along a direction of the fold line while nipping and pressing the fold line and reinforces the fold line of the sheet bundle, and a control section to changeably set the number of times of reciprocating movement of the reinforce roller according to a thickness of a sheet contained in the sheet bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicants: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Shoichi DOBASHI, Hiroyuki Taguchi
  • Publication number: 20120028779
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus includes a reinforce roller to further reinforce the fold of a sheet which has been folded by a fold roller pair, a support portion to move the reinforce roller from a home position in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction, a motor to drive the support portion, a sensor to sense a position of the support portion, and a control unit which, in case that the sensor senses a position where the support portion abnormally stops, controls the support portion to move from the abnormally stopped position to a second position which is different from a first position that is a home position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yoshiaki SUGIZAKI
  • Publication number: 20120028781
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes: a saddle-stitching unit configured to stitch a center of a sheet bundle; a folding unit configured to fold the sheet bundle at the center to form a fold; a loading base onto which the sheet bundle conveyed from the folding unit is loaded; a nipping plate configured to be pressed to and separated from the loading base in parallel to the loading base and to nip the sheet bundle loaded onto the loading base; and first and second rollers that move along a direction of the fold while nipping and pressing the fold of the sheet bundle nipped by the nipping plate to reinforce the fold. Here, a surface, which faces the loading base, of the nipping plate is provided with an elastic member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Takahiro Kawaguchi
  • Publication number: 20120028780
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus includes a reinforce roller to further reinforce the fold of a sheet which has been folded by a fold roller pair, a support portion to move the reinforce roller in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction, a motor to drive the support portion, and a control unit to control the motor so that the support portion moves at a faster moving speed at the time of a homeward route than a moving speed at the time of an outward route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hideaki SUGIYAMA, Shinichiro Mano
  • Publication number: 20120021887
    Abstract: The device includes a feed path for the products, along which the products move forward, divided into single packs with the interposition of at least one separator finger between one pack and the next; an oscillating support to receive packs of products and tip them onto a conveyor below; a front retaining element, which can be inserted and removed with respect to the feed path of the products to frontally retain the pile of products while the oscillating support performs an oscillation movement and deposits a pack on the conveyor below. The front retaining element is inserted in a space formed between the first and the second pack of the pile. The space is obtained by oscillating the support downwards. The oscillating support moves downwards by a first downwards angular movement and a second angular movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: Fabio Perini S.p.A.
    Inventors: Mauro Gelli, Alessandro Morelli
  • Publication number: 20120015792
    Abstract: An apparatus for folding articles advancing in a machine direction including a rotatable roll having a roll surface, at least one protrusion that defines an outermost surface of the roll and at least one pocket that defines an innermost surface of the roll. The apparatus also includes a first and second vacuum conveyor assembly, each comprising two vacuum conveyors. The roll and the vacuum conveyor assemblies are cooperatively configured to fold an article. A method for folding articles by accelerating a portion of the article to create slack in the article, as may be practiced using an apparatus as described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventor: Yoichiro Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20120004086
    Abstract: To enable a sheet to be folded in an accurate position with a simplified folding mechanism in performing folding processing on the sheet with a pair of folding rollers, a second transport path is disposed in a direction for crossing a first transport path for guiding a sheet from a carry-in portion to a carrying-out portion, and in the cross portion are disposed a folding roller pair for performing folding processing on a sheet, and a folding deflecting member for inserting a fold of the sheet in the nip portion. Then, the folding deflecting member is comprised of a driven roller that comes into press-contact with a roller periphery of the folding roller pair, and a shift member for shifting the driven roller from a waiting position to an actuation position, and by the operation of shifting the driven roller from the waiting position outside the path to the actuation position, the sheet front end portion is fed to the nip portion from an upstream-side guide path formed in the second transport path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: NISCA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mizuho SHIRAKURA, Hiroki IMAZU, Shinichi ITO, Toshiaki KAGAMI, Mitsunori TOMONO, Yuichi KUBOTA
  • Publication number: 20110306484
    Abstract: A folding device (100) for folding a paper web (102) in the longitudinal direction includes a first rolling device (104) adapted to receiving the paper web from a supplying device (110). A fold-creating means (106) is adapted to create at least one fold along the paper web. A fold-pressing means (108) is adapted to press together portions of the paper web which are separated by the fold. A second rolling device (109) is adapted to receive and guide the folded paper web out from the folding device to a receiving device (112). At least a first and a second motor (114, 116) are connected to a control unit and are adapted to drive the paper web through the folding device and to maintain a predetermined tension in the paper web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: LASERMAX ROLL SYSTEMS AB
    Inventors: Peter Benjaminsson, Hans Eliasson, Anders Persson
  • Publication number: 20110294639
    Abstract: In a sheet folding apparatus, to enable a jammed sheet to be removed with ease when a jam occurs, a casing having a carry-in entrance and a carrying-out exit is divided into an upper unit and a lower unit via a first transport path for carrying a sheet from the carry-in entrance to the carrying-out exit, a second transport path for performing folding processing on a sheet is disposed in the direction for crossing the first transport path, and in the upper unit are disposed a sheet front end switchback path for reversing and carrying the sheet toward a folding roller pair and sheet deflecting means for guiding the sheet to the folding roller pair. Then, the upper unit is coupled to the lower unit to be openable and closable by a hinge shaft rotating around one side end portion orthogonal to the sheet transport direction of the first transport path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: NISCA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Imazu, Shinichi Ito, Toshiaki Kagami, Koji Kanda, Mizuho Shirakura
  • Publication number: 20110281709
    Abstract: Sheet pressing means (59) is provided that assists the formation of a bend in a sheet (S) and that guides the bend in the sheet (S) into the nip portion between a second roller (54) and a third roller (55). The sheet pressing means (59) is formed with a cylindrical sheet member (591) and a bar-shaped member (592) that is inserted into the cylindrical sheet member (591). The top portion of the sheet member (591) is attached to a base member (593), and thus the bar-shaped member (592) is supported by the sheet member (591) such that the longitudinal direction of the bar-shaped member (592) is held substantially in a horizontal state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kenji KAWATSU, Hisao HOSOYA
  • Publication number: 20110280625
    Abstract: A roller separating mechanism rotates an upper roller-moving cam and a lower roller-moving cam at the same time, and swings the upper roller arm plate and the lower roller arm plate such that a pair of folding rollers separate from each other. When the pair of folding rollers are to be abutted against each other, the upper roller arm plate and the lower roller arm plate are swung with different timing in a direction in which the pair of folding rollers abut against each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideki Kushida, Akito Sekigawa
  • Publication number: 20110281710
    Abstract: Sheet pressing means (59) is provided that assists the formation of a bend in a sheet (S) and that freely swings to guide the bend into the nip portion of a second folding roller pair (a second roller (54) and a third roller (55)). The pivot point (594) of the sheet pressing mean (59) is arranged on the side of the nip portion of a first folding roller pair with respect to a common tangent (L1) of the first folding roller pair (a first roller (53) and the second roller (54)) on the downstream side in a sheet transport direction, and is arranged to be lower than a line (L3) that is parallel to a common tangent (L2) of the second folding roller pair on the upstream side in the sheet transport direction and that passes through the center (O) of the first roller (53). Thus, it is possible to reliably perform processing for folding the sheet in a predetermined position regardless of the material quality, the thickness and the like of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Mizubata, Hisao Hosoya, Satoru Shimizu, Zen Kayaba
  • Publication number: 20110255946
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for separating a stack of folded sheets by inserting a first, second, third and fourth count fingers into four successive openings in the stack, and separating the stack between the second and third count fingers. Where separation is carried out after a desired number of folded sheets have passed the third count finger, a completed pack having the desired number of sheets may be formed downstream from the third count finger. The count fingers may be operatively mounted in count finger cassettes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: C.G. Bretting Manufacturing Co. Inc.
    Inventor: James Andrew Walsh
  • Patent number: 8029429
    Abstract: In a mechanism and method for bonding two paper sheets on an interfolding machine, pre-compressing mechanisms are provided on each of two folding rollers to produce compress-to-bond areas on overlapped portions of two thick or air-impermeable paper sheets transferred to the two folding rollers, so that all plies of the two paper sheets at the compress-to-bond areas are compressed to bond together. Thereby, when the interfolding machine operates at a high speed, a plurality of the locally compressed and bonded paper sheets may still be smoothly folded to form a stack of interfolded paper sheets, such as a tissue paper stack or a paper towel stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Chan Li Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tung-I Tsai
  • Publication number: 20110237416
    Abstract: A first folding portion includes: a first folding roller pair consisting of a common roller and a first roller; and a blade member that feeds a sheet to a first nip, thereby forming a first fold on the sheet in the first nip. A second folding portion includes a second folding roller pair consisting of the common roller and a second roller, thereby forming a second fold on the sheet in a second nip. The common roller and the first roller are parallel in a conveying direction in a case where the sheet is guided toward the first folding portion. The blade member moves in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to a conveyance surface. The common roller is disposed on an upstream side of the first roller in the sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: KYOCERA MITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sachio Izumichi, Masahiko Miyazaki, Yasunori Ueno
  • Publication number: 20110218090
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, a sheet folding device includes a pair of folding rollers which nips a sheet between the folding rollers and thus folds the sheet, a folding blade which pushes the sheet in between the pair of folding rollers, and a folding blade control unit which controls the folding blade to fold a first sheet with the pair of folding rollers, then push a second sheet into the fold of the first sheet, and fold the second sheet with the pair of folding rollers over the first sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki SUGIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20110218091
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, there is provided a sheet finishing apparatus including a folding roller that nips the middle of bundle of sheets and forms a fold line, a fold reinforcing roller that reinforces the fold line by moving along the fold line while applying a pressure to the fold line, a stack tray that stacks the bundle and a control unit that sets the number of times of fold reinforcing performed by the fold reinforcing roller as a first number when it is determined that a quantity of stacked bundle on the stack tray is less than a predetermined standard quantity which is set to be less than a maximum stack quantity and sets the number of times of the fold reinforcing as a second number greater than the first number when it is determined that a quantity of the stacked bundle is greater than the predetermined standard quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki TAGUCHI, Katsuya Sasahara, Shinichiro Mano
  • Publication number: 20110212818
    Abstract: A method for producing a wearing article of the present invention includes the steps of: supplying an elastic member; stretching the elastic member; placing the stretched elastic member so that the elastic member spreads across a plurality of first webs divided in a transport direction; making a part of a second web loose in the transport direction while transporting the second web, thereby forming a loose portion; placing the first webs, on which the elastic member is disposed, on non-loose portions before and after the loose portion of the second web; and cutting the elastic member between adjacent first webs of the plurality of first webs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Applicant: ZUIKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki Nakakado, Yuzo Ichiura, Satoshi Tanaka, Ikuo Tachibana
  • Patent number: 8002310
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) helps to protect an occupant (28) of a vehicle (12) that has a side structure (16) and a roof (18). The apparatus (10) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) that has a stored condition for being positioned along the vehicle roof (18). The protection device (14) is inflatable away from the vehicle roof (18) to a deployed condition positioned between the side structure (16) and a vehicle occupant (28). The protection device (14) further comprises a portion (38) for receiving an elongated member (94) for helping to place the protection device in the stored condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety System Inc.
    Inventors: Thanh H. Quach, Mike P. Pionk, Ali Emam Bakhsh, Serena M. Lynch
  • Patent number: 7981018
    Abstract: A folding superstructure and to a method for operating a folding superstructure of a web-fed rotary printing press with at least one former by which one or more paper webs fed through this former are provided with a longitudinal fold. The longitudinally folded paper web is guided to folding cylinders. The folding cylinders further process the uncut paper web to form cut sheets. The still uncut paper web is actively transported by at least one transporting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: manroland AG
    Inventor: Peter Himmelstoss
  • Publication number: 20110172074
    Abstract: A method adapted for a chopper folder, including a pair of parallel folding rollers defining between them an interstice, a mobile folding blade to force a flat product in the interstice, a means for adjusting the gap between the two folding rollers and a device for controlling the adjustment device. According to the method of the invention, at the beginning of a new production, the controller implements a production beginning mode, wherein it controls the means for adjusting the gap for the adjustment of the gap at a determined reference value, then a production mode, wherein it controls the means for adjusting for a gap adapted to the new production at a steady state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: GOSS INTERNATIONAL MONTATAIRE SA
    Inventors: Thierry Vauchelle, Franck Chagnon, Jerome Peres, Eric Pierda
  • Patent number: 7972257
    Abstract: A device for processing sheets, rolls or the like, preferably sheets or rolls of corrugated paper, into useful articles. More specifically, the invention relates to a paper wrapping device that can convert a sheet or strip of paper into a useful article comprising a plurality of wrapped paper layers, suitable for use as a support member or a pallet stringer. Also the invention provides a device that contains a conveying unit which transfers a material, such as paper, to a forming unit which produces a core layer and further wraps additional layers in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction around said core in one or more layers to form a support member having a solid wrap of continuous layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: St. Marys Box Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald W. Pistner
  • Publication number: 20110129633
    Abstract: A stack includes one or more web-shaped materials, at least one of the web-shaped materials having a visual pattern, wherein a similar pattern is seen as an edge pattern on a face side of the stack. There is also provided a method to produce such a stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: SCA HYGIENE PRODUCTS AB
    Inventor: Anders Andersson
  • Publication number: 20110103866
    Abstract: To provide a folding mechanism for folding a sheet with a simplified structure having no fear of causing a deviation from the fold position, wrinkle and the like, provided are a transport path 33 for transporting a sheet, and folding processing means 48 disposed in the transport path to fold the sheet. Then, the folding processing means is comprised of folding roll pairs (41b, 49, 50) coming into press-contact with one another to rotate in the opposite directions, and folding deflecting members (53, 54) for guiding the fold of the sheet to the nip portions (Np1, Np2) of the folding roll pairs. Then, the folding deflecting members are provided with driven rollers (53a, 54a) in contact press-contact with the roll periphery of one of the folding roll pair, and curved guides (53a, 54a) along the roll periphery of the other one.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: NISCA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Imazu, Shinichi Ito, Mizuho Shirakura
  • Publication number: 20110092352
    Abstract: A rolling boot is porposed that has a first fastening region and a fold region with at least a first fold having a first fold peak region and a first fold flank near the first fastening region and, opposite this first fold flank, a second fold flank which is adjoined by a fold trough, wherein a transition region having a base surface is arranged between the first fastening region and fold region, and an angle a having a range from approximately 90° to approximately 140° is formed between the base surface and an outer side of the first fold flank, and the fold trough has a depth T which is, at most, approximately 65 percent of a height H of the first fold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Lukas Hoets, Markus Deisinger, Ralf Schumacher
  • Patent number: 7926799
    Abstract: In a sheet post-processing apparatus that folds a sheet bundle, a folding roller drive motor that drives folding rollers is PWM driven such that its speed is varied in each control during the period until a blade contacts the sheet bundle, during the period when the sheet bundle is conveyed to a discharge port, during discharge operation, and during return of the motor to its home position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ken Iguchi
  • Publication number: 20110065561
    Abstract: A leaflet is produced from a pre-printed sheet of material by folding the sheet with at least one crease-line along the line of advancement of the sheet but preferably with two or more such crease-lines so that the sheet is fan-folded. The crease-lines are squeezed by a roller nip and then the sheet is fed into a diametral slot in a mandrel of elliptical cross-section. The leading edge of the sheet is gripped within the slot and then the mandrel is rotated to wind the sheet around the outer surface thereof. The wound sheet is then removed from the mandrel and is squeezed through a roller nip so as to form a substantially flat folded leaflet. The leaflet may be converted to a booklet by joining together the overlying sheets along one folded edge of the compressed leaflet and slitting open the other folded edge of the compressed leaflet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicants: DIGI LEAFLET TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED, VACUUMATIC LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael John Cooper, Geoffrey Alan Giles, Edward William Colvill, Peter William Sevenoaks
  • Publication number: 20110057375
    Abstract: A sheet finisher of the invention includes a saddle stitch unit configured to stitch a center of a sheet bundle in which printed sheets are bundled, a fold unit configured to fold the center stitched by the saddle stitch unit and to form a fold line, and a fold reinforcing unit configured to reinforce the fold line formed by the fold unit, the fold reinforcing unit includes a roller unit that includes a reinforce roller with a structure for preventing an occurrence of a wrinkle, and moves along a direction of the fold line while applying pressure by the reinforce roller to the fold line of the sheet bundle transported from the fold unit, and a drive unit configured to move the roller unit along the direction of the fold line from a standby position located at a position separate from an end of the sheet bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Katsuya Sasahara, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Taguchi, Katsuhiko Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 7887474
    Abstract: A device for processing sheets, rolls or the like, preferably sheets or rolls of corrugated paper, into useful articles. More specifically, the invention relates to a paper wrapping device that can convert a sheet or strip of paper into a useful article comprising a plurality of wrapped paper layers, suitable for use as a support member or a pallet stringer. Also the invention provides a device that contains a conveying unit which transfers a material, such as paper, to a forming unit which produces a core layer and further wraps additional layers in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction around said core in one or more layers to form a support member having a solid wrap of continuous layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: St. Marys Box Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald W. Pistner
  • Patent number: 7883455
    Abstract: A folding device includes a folding blade cylinder and a cooperating folding jaw cylinder, each of which has several circumferentially arranged holding devices. These holding devices can be moved between a disengaged position, where the leading end of a product can be inserted or released, and a holding position in which the product leading edge is held in the holding device. The folding blade cylinder and the folding jaw cylinder each have a number of holding devices equal to the respective number of folding blades and folding jaws. Each of the folding blades presses a product to be folded, and which is held by one of the holding devices on the folding blade cylinder, into a cooperating folding jaw on the folding jaw cylinder. This is accomplished during the passage of the product through a transfer slot between the folding blade cylinder and the folding jaw cylinder. An offset between each folding blade and its associated holding device is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Held, Sebastian Alois Prüm
  • Publication number: 20100323869
    Abstract: A paper folding apparatus includes a ruling unit that rules a line on each of sheets, a pushing unit that pushes the sheets on which the lines are ruled by the ruling unit, and a pair of folding rollers that comes into contact under pressure with the sheets pushed by the pushing unit and discharges the sheets. The ruling unit includes a plurality of pressing blades for ruling a line on each of the sheets, a swinging unit that swings the pressing blades from a pressing position where the pressing blade presses the sheets to a retracted position where the pressing blades are retracted from the sheets, and a moving unit that moves the pressing blades and the swinging unit along the sheets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Akira TSUNODA
  • Patent number: 7850588
    Abstract: A folder includes a first signature conveyor conveying first signatures along a first signature path; a second signature conveyor conveying second signatures along a second signature path; and a chopper located between the first and second signature paths imparting a fold on both the first and second signatures. A chopper and method are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Goss International Americas, Inc
    Inventors: Joseph Adrian St. Ours, Mark Anthony Wingate, David Elliot Whitten
  • Publication number: 20100119276
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes a fold unit which folds a center of a sheet bundle to form a fold line, and a reinforce roller which moves along the fold line while applying pressure to the fold line to reinforce the fold line. The reinforce roller includes plural sub-rollers which are concentrically coupled to each other in a rotation axis direction, and the respective sub-rollers apply different pressures to the fold line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuya Sasahara, Shinichiro Mano
  • Patent number: 7699300
    Abstract: In a sheet post-processing apparatus that folds a sheet bundle, a folding roller drive motor that drives folding rollers is PWM driven such that its speed is varied in each control during the period until a blade contacts the sheet bundle, during the period when the sheet bundle is conveyed to a discharge port, during discharge operation, and during return of the motor to its home position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ken Iguchi
  • Publication number: 20100022376
    Abstract: A folding machine for folding sheets of paper, board and the like, includes at least one knife-shaft unit for cutting, perforating, scoring or crimping the sheets. The knife-shaft unit has at least one pair of driven knife shafts. Knife-retaining units for retaining knives are fitted in a rotationally fixed manner on the knife shafts. The knife-retaining units have a split construction and are formed by a plurality of partial shells. A knife holder for a knife shaft of a folding machine, is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Herbert Ackermann, Jürgen Kübler
  • Publication number: 20100009830
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes a fold unit to fold a center of a sheet bundle to form a fold line, a reinforce roller which reciprocates along a direction of the fold line while nipping and pressing the fold line and reinforces the fold line of the sheet bundle, and a control section to changeably set the number of times of reciprocating movement of the reinforce roller according to a thickness of a sheet contained in the sheet bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shoichi DOBASHI, Hiroyuki TAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20090318275
    Abstract: A folding device includes a folding blade cylinder and a cooperating folding jaw cylinder, each of which has several circumferentially arranged holding devices. These holding devices can be moved between a disengaged position, where the leading end of a product can be inserted or released, and a holding position in which the product leading edge is held in the holding device. The folding blade cylinder and the folding jaw cylinder each have a number of holding devices equal to the respective number of folding blades and folding jaws. Each of the folding blades presses a product to be folded, and which is held by one of the holding devices on the folding blade cylinder, into a cooperating folding jaw on the folding jaw cylinder. This is accomplished during the passage of the product through a transfer slot between the folding blade cylinder and the folding jaw cylinder. An offset between each folding blade and its associated holding device is adjustable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Inventors: Michael Held, Sebastian Alois Prüm
  • Patent number: 7537558
    Abstract: An assembly to crease a paper set in a booklet maker is provided. A booklet is formed in a booklet marker when a crease blade strikes the middle of the stack and pushes it toward a set of nipped crease rolls. The assembly engages spring-loaded idlers against the crease rolls after the crease blade initiates the buckle of the stack and prior to creasing. The spring loaded idlers apply a drive force to the stack that assists the formation of the crease. With the assistance of this extra drive force, the crease blade tip can be stopped in time to avoid jamming while reducing the chance of getting a cover, or more sheets tearing off the booklet. This design is compact in size and therefore may also be retrofitted into existing designs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Sandro Vono, Raymond Matthew Ruthenberg, Joao Carlos Morais
  • Publication number: 20090062100
    Abstract: Plural conveying paths including guide plates are arranged on both sides of a sheet in its thickness direction, being linked from an upstream side to a downstream side in a conveying direction of the sheet. A stopper is arranged in at least one of the conveying paths to make contact with a leading edge of the sheet conveyed through the conveying paths thereby stopping the sheet and forming a bending portion at the sheet. A pair of folding rollers is arranged between the conveying paths to nip the bending portion of the sheet to form a folding line at the sheet. An adjusting member is provided on the guide plates to adjust a space between the guide plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Kenichi Takekawa, Yasuki Matsuura, Masanobu Kimata, Isao Yasuda
  • Publication number: 20080227614
    Abstract: Outserts having printed information thereon are disclosed and are formed in accordance with a method in which a plurality of parallel folds are made in a sheet of paper in a first fold direction using a plurality of pairs of folding rollers and stop members to form an intermediate folded item and in which a plurality of cross-folds are made in the intermediate folded item to form the outsert. The cross-folds may be made to divide the length of the intermediate folded item into ten panels, fourteen panels, or eighteen panels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: VIJUK EQUIPMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Roger Mattila, William C. Neubauer
  • Patent number: 7404790
    Abstract: In an airbag folding method, an airbag is folded so as to provide a rolled-up shape thereon using a core member including air suction holes from which air can be sucked in. Firstly, the core member is disposed on part of the spread airbag that is to be rolled up at a location which corresponds to a center of a rolled-up shape when formed, and following this, the core member is rotated so as to wind up the airbag around the core member to thereby form a spiral shape while air is being sucked in from the air suction holes so that the airbag is drawn to be secured to an outer circumferential surface of the core member. Thereafter, a rolled-up shape is formed on the airbag by removing the core member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Sugaya, Yoshitaka Kashitani, Katsuhiko Kato, Takashi Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 7309307
    Abstract: A device for folding flaps of box blanks having crease lines transverse to the travel direction of the blanks, for use in a folder-gluer. A rotary member is rotatable around a transverse axis and provided with at least one folding arm. A removable linking device linking to a support secured to a frame of the folder-gluer. An adjusting device adjusts the position of the folding arm with respect to the support. A motor drives the rotary member. A synchronization device of the motor comprises an encoder in desmodromic connection with a drive mechanism for driving the box blanks in the drive direction and a detector of the passage past a reference position of the box blanks on the folder-gluer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Bobst S.A.
    Inventors: Michel Baenninger, Pierre Regazzoni
  • Patent number: 7303522
    Abstract: A parallel folding device includes: a folding cylinder which transfers a signature; a first jaw cylinder having gripper boards; an upper second jaw cylinder in contact with the first jaw cylinder and having grippers; a lower second jaw cylinder in contact with and the first jaw cylinder and having grippers; and a cam mechanism, which switches delivery channels between a channel in which the signature is transferred from the gripper boards of the first jaw cylinder to only the grippers of any one of the upper and lower second jaw cylinders, and in which the signature is transferred to the grippers of the upper second jaw cylinder and the grippers of the lower second jaw cylinder; and a channel which concurrently performs the changing of phases for causing the respective gripper boards to operate, from the first jaw cylinder to the upper second jaw cylinder and/or the lower jaw cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Komori Corporation
    Inventor: Takao Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7097607
    Abstract: An interfolding machine, having first and second folding counter rotating rollers, a substantially cylindrical body and a plurality of folding means for engaging at a contact line (15) for making a stack of folded and/or interfolded sheets in a folding area. Each folding roller (1) is held by at least one support (10) arranged substantially opposite to the contact line in order to not impede folding operations in the folding area. Between the support and the folding roller, a bearing (20) is mounted that allows free rotation. The support holds the folding roller at an angular portion circumferentially unoccupied by folding elements or mechanical clamps and inclined at an angle with respect to a plane containing the axes of the two rollers. The support does not interfere with the adjusting operation of the folding roller and allows processing of the sheet or web of paper without interrupting continuity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: MTC—Macchine Trasformazione Carta S.r.l.
    Inventor: Alessandro De Matteis
  • Patent number: 6994664
    Abstract: An air bag is unfolded on a planar surface and is inflated with air. The air bag is loosely sandwiched between the upper and lower blades that are arranged in a radial configuration. Movable blocks progress toward the center to fold the upper and lower panels of the air bag against the central part of the air bag. The resulting central folded part of the air bag has a wave-like configuration, and the upper and lower panels are separated from each other. The ear-like portions of the air bag are wound around the central folded part of the air bag that is folded in a wave-like configuration. Then, the central part of the air bag is pressed downward to complete the folding process. Gas can be supplied smoothly from the inlet port to the periphery when the air bag is reinflated. The method for folding the air bag is simple, and the air bag can be inflated quickly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Nihon Plast Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Nishijima, Tetsuji Endo, Kazuhiro Kaneko, Toshiyuki Sugiyama, Mikio Ochiai, Yoshinori Goto, Masaki Ueno, Masahito Ishizuka
  • Patent number: 6932755
    Abstract: The folding machine with a collect run mode of this invention comprises folding cylinder fixed cam means for carrying out a straight run at pins, folding cylinder rotating cam means provided with covering section so as to enable rotation of the covering sections for covering a cam shape for carrying out the straight run, jaw cylinder fixed cam means for carrying out a straight run at jaw mechanisms, jaw cylinder rotating cam means provided with covering sections to enable rotation of the covering sections covering a cam shape for carrying out a straight run, drive transmission means for ensuring that the covering sections of the folding cylinder rotating cam means rotate at a predetermined rotational speed ratio with respect to rotation of the folding cylinder and that the covering sections of the jaw cylinder rotating cam means rotate at a predetermined rotational speed ratio with respect to rotation of the jaw cylinder, and switching means for switching over driving between the folding cylinder rotating cam
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho
    Inventors: Tsunetoshi Teshima, Hiroyuki Fujinuma