US 12,492,026 B2
Strap-tensioning assembly with self-energizing transitioning wheel, and strap-size-adjustment features
Dimitrios Takidis, Dübendorf (CH); Philipp Buser, Erlinsbach (CH); Christian Benz, Zürich (CH); and Michael Meng, Gipf-Oberfrick (CH)
Assigned to SIGNODE INDUSTRIAL GROUP LLC, Tampa, FL (US)
Appl. No. 18/257,453
Filed by Signode Industrial Group LLC, Tampa, FL (US)
PCT Filed Nov. 1, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/072148
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 14, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/140713, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 30, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/187,026, filed on May 11, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/129,724, filed on Dec. 23, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0367832 A1, Nov. 7, 2024
Int. Cl. B65B 13/22 (2006.01); B65B 13/06 (2006.01); B65B 13/18 (2006.01); B65B 13/24 (2006.01); B65B 59/00 (2006.01); B65B 59/02 (2006.01); B65B 59/04 (2006.01); B65B 65/02 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 13/22 (2013.01) [B65B 13/24 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A strap-tensioning assembly comprising:
a strap-tensioning-assembly frame;
a counter-roller supported by the strap-tensioning-assembly frame; and
a tensioning assembly supported by the strap-tensioning-assembly frame and comprising:
a tensioning-wheel assembly comprising:
a tensioning-wheel-assembly shaft defining a rotational axis;
a tensioning wheel mounted to the tensioning-wheel-assembly shaft and rotatable about the rotational axis, wherein the tensioning-wheel assembly is movable from a retracted position in which the tensioning wheel is a first distance from the counter roller and a tensioning position in which the tensioning wheel is a smaller second distance from the counter roller; and
a tensioning-wheel positioner mounted to the tensioning-wheel-assembly shaft and rotatable about the rotational axis from a retracted rotational position to a tensioning rotational position to move the tensioning-wheel assembly from the retracted position to the tensioning position; and
a tensioning actuator operably connected to the tensioning-wheel-assembly shaft to rotate the tensioning-wheel-assembly shaft in a tensioning rotational direction and in a positioning rotational direction opposite the tensioning rotational direction,
wherein the tensioning wheel and the tensioning-wheel positioner are mounted to the tensioning-wheel-assembly shaft such that:
when the tensioning-wheel-assembly shaft rotates about the rotational axis in the tensioning rotational direction, the tensioning wheel rotates with the tensioning-wheel-assembly shaft and the tensioning-wheel positioner does not rotate with the tensioning-wheel-assembly shaft, and
when the tensioning-wheel-assembly shaft rotates about the rotational axis in the positioning rotational direction, the tensioning-wheel positioner rotates with the tensioning-wheel-assembly shaft and the tensioning wheel does not rotate with the tensioning-wheel-assembly shaft.
 
13. A strap-tensioning assembly comprising:
a strap-tensioning-assembly frame;
a counter-roller supported by the strap-tensioning-assembly frame;
a tensioning assembly supported by the strap-tensioning-assembly frame and including:
a tensioning-wheel assembly comprising:
a tensioning-wheel-assembly shaft defining a rotational axis;
a tensioning wheel mounted to the tensioning-wheel-assembly shaft and rotatable about the rotational axis, wherein the tensioning-wheel assembly is movable from a retracted position in which the tensioning wheel is a first distance from the counter roller and a tensioning position in which the tensioning wheel is a smaller second distance from the counter roller; and
a tensioning-wheel positioner mounted to the tensioning-wheel-assembly shaft and rotatable about the rotational axis from a retracted rotational position to a tensioning rotational position to move the tensioning-wheel assembly from the retracted position to the tensioning position, wherein the tensioning-wheel positioner comprises a cam comprising a lobe comprising a peak positioned a third distance from the rotational axis and a recessed area comprising a trough positioned a smaller fourth distance from the rotational axis, wherein when the tensioning-wheel positioner is in the retracted rotational position, the lobe engages a cam follower supported by the strap-tensioning-assembly frame, and wherein when the tensioning-wheel positioner is in the tensioning rotational position, the trough is spaced-apart from the cam follower; and
a tensioning actuator operably connectable to the tensioning wheel to rotate the tensioning wheel about the rotational axis in a tensioning rotational direction.