U.S. patent application number 12/301631 was filed with the patent office on 2010-01-07 for method and device for pneumatically spreading an elongated flexible article, such as a stocking or a sock.
This patent application is currently assigned to GOLDEN LADY COMPANY S.P.A.. Invention is credited to Nerino Grassi, Antonio Magni.
Application Number | 20100001027 12/301631 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38432959 |
Filed Date | 2010-01-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100001027 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Grassi; Nerino ; et
al. |
January 7, 2010 |
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PNEUMATICALLY SPREADING AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE
ARTICLE, SUCH AS A STOCKING OR A SOCK
Abstract
The device comprises: a suction duct (7) with a first end and a
second end; a retaining member (5) to hold a flexible article (M)
inserted at least partly in said suction duct; and a suction
opening (21) which places the inside of the suction duct in
communication with the outside, arranged in an intermediate
position between the retaining member and the second end.
Inventors: |
Grassi; Nerino; (Mantova,
IT) ; Magni; Antonio; (Firenze, IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCGLEW & TUTTLE, PC
P.O. BOX 9227, SCARBOROUGH STATION
SCARBOROUGH
NY
10510-9227
US
|
Assignee: |
GOLDEN LADY COMPANY S.P.A.
Ancona
IT
|
Family ID: |
38432959 |
Appl. No.: |
12/301631 |
Filed: |
May 23, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
May 23, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IT2007/000362 |
371 Date: |
May 11, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
223/75 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D05B 23/007
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
223/75 |
International
Class: |
D06C 5/00 20060101
D06C005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 31, 2006 |
IT |
FI2006A000132 |
Claims
1. A device for spreading a flexible and elongated article, such as
a sock or stocking, the device comprising: a suction duct with a
first end and a second end; a retaining member to hold a flexible
article at least partly inserted in said suction duct; a suction
opening that puts the inside of the suction duct in communication
with the outside, said suction opening being arranged in an
intermediate position between said retaining member and said second
end; and a suction source in fluid communication with said second
end.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said suction opening has
an opening and closing valve.
3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said opening and closing
valve is controlled such that said opening and closing valve is in
an open position when said article is inserted inside said suction
duct.
4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said suction duct
comprises two portions inclined with respect to each other.
5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a connecting section is
disposed between said two inclined portions, said suction opening
being arranged in one of said two portions, said retaining member
being associated with said one of said two portions, said second
end being positioned in another of said two portions.
6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an element is associated
with said first end of the suction duct, said element modifying a
cross section of the suction duct.
7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said element comprises a
block with a shape corresponding to an inner wall ofthe suction
duct, said block being inserted transversely in said suction duct
such that the cross section of said duct is reduced and a
transverse passage with a narrow and elongated section is formed,
wherein said retaining member is controlled and arranged such that
said retaining member moves in a direction opposite the suction air
flow to extract the article, the article passing through said
narrow and elongated section when said retaining member moves in
said direction opposite the suction air flow.
8. A method for spreading a flexible and elongated article, the
method comprising: inserting at least a portion of an article in a
suction duct; and holding the article such that said portion ofthe
article is maintained in said suction duct; generating an air flow
is in said suction duct, said air flow being drawn by suction at
least partly through an intermediate suction opening provided in a
wall of the suction duct.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the steps of:
disposing said article at least partly in said suction duct such
that said article is not drawn by the air flow; opening said
intermediate opening such that said air flow is generated from the
outside in a direction of an interior of the suction duct, said
flow engaging said portion of the article located in the suction
duct.
10. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the article is
gradually extracted from the suction duct with a movement in a
direction opposite to the direction of said air flow.
11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said article passes
through a narrow and elongated cross section such that the article
is flattened transversely with respect to a direction of the
extraction movement and a longitudinal extension thereof.
12. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said suction duct
comprises two portions inclined with respect to each other.
13. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said suction duct
comprises two portions inclined with respect to each other.
14. A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein a connecting section
is disposed between said two inclined portions, said suction
opening being arranged in one of said two portions, said retaining
member being associated with said one of said two portions, said
second end being positioned in another of said two portions.
15. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the article is
gradually extracted from the suction duct with a movement in a
direction opposite to the direction of said air flow.
16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said article passes
through a narrow and elongated cross section such that the article
is flattened transversely with respect to a direction of the
extraction movement and a longitudinal extension thereof.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to improvements to devices for
handling flexible and elongated finished or semi-finished articles,
for example and in particular, but not exclusively, stockings and
socks or other textile articles.
STATE OF THE ART
[0002] In the manufacture of knitted articles such as stockings or
socks there is frequently the need to flatten, i.e. spread the
article, which by nature is flexible and foldable, in order to
prepare it for subsequent handling operations, such as sewing the
toe of the article.
[0003] Spreading of the article must in general be performed both
in a longitudinal and transverse direction, to flatten the
semi-finished article and allow easy handling in the subsequent
steps.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a device
that facilitates spreading, i.e. flattening of an article of the
aforesaid type, in particular in a longitudinal direction but
possibly also at least partly in a transverse direction with
respect to the longitudinal extension thereof.
[0005] This and other objects and advantages, which shall be
apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the text hereunder,
are obtained in substance with a device comprising: a suction duct
with a first end and a second end; a retaining member to hold a
flexible article at least partly inserted in said suction duct; and
a suction opening that puts the inside of the suction duct in
communication with the outside, disposed in an intermediate
position between said retaining member and said second end, a
suction source being in fluid connection with said second end.
[0006] The intermediate suction opening allows a secondary suction
air flow to be created, which generates a flapping or shaking
movement of the sock or other article, suitably held at one end or
in proximity of one end, with consequent spreading and elimination
of wrinkles, folds, creases, twists or the like.
[0007] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention,
the suction opening is provided with an opening and closing valve,
so that said opening is intercepted when suitable, for example
during the step to insert the article into the suction compartment
by suction. The opening can then be opened to start suction
therethrough when the article has been fully or partly drawn by
suction into the compartment of the device.
[0008] In a possible embodiment of the invention, the suction duct
can comprise two portions inclined with respect to each other,
although it would also be possible to provide the suction duct
rectilinear or substantially rectilinear in shape. When the suction
duct is provided with two portions inclined with respect to each
other, between said two inclined portions there can be disposed a
connecting section, and the suction opening can be provided in a
first one of said two portions, with which said retaining member is
associated; said second end with which the suction source is
connected can be positioned in the second of said portions.
[0009] In a possible embodiment of the device according to the
invention, with the first end of the suction duct an element is
associated, which modifies the cross section of the suction duct,
to facilitate flattening of the article, when it is gradually
extracted, i.e. removed from the suction duct. Said element can,
e.g. include a block with a shape corresponding to the inner wall
of the suction duct, and which can be inserted transversely in said
suction duct to reduce the cross section of said duct, forming a
transverse passage with a narrow and elongated section. The
retaining member can advantageously be controlled and disposed to
gradually extract the article from the suction duct, making it pass
through said narrow and elongated section and extracting it with a
movement in the opposite direction with respect to the suction air
flow.
[0010] According to a further aspect, the invention relates to a
method to spread a flexible and elongated article, wherein said
article is inserted at least partly in a suction duct and held in
said suction duct in which an air flow is generated, said flow
being drawn by suction at least partly through an intermediate
suction opening provided in the wall of the suction duct.
[0011] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention,
the method comprises the steps of: [0012] at least partly
introducing said article in said suction duct, in which a suction
air flow is generated, said article being held so that it is not
drawn by the air flow; [0013] opening said intermediate opening
generating an air flow from the outside towards the inside of the
suction duct, said flow striking a portion of the article that is
free inside the duct.
[0014] According to an embodiment of the method according to the
invention, the article is gradually extracted from the suction duct
with a movement in a direction opposite to the direction of the
suction air flow.
[0015] To facilitate flattening of the article and increase its
efficacy, according to an improved embodiment of the method of the
present invention, the article can be made to pass through a narrow
and elongated cross section, to flatten the article transversely
with respect to the extraction movement and to the longitudinal
extension thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The present invention will be better understood by following
the description and accompanying drawing, which shows a
non-limiting practical embodiment of the invention. More
specifically, in the drawing FIGS. 1 to 4 show in a longitudinal
section a device according to the invention in different operating
steps.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0017] In the example shown, reference number 1 indicates as a
whole a device that incorporates the present invention, intended to
process articles M formed, for example, by socks having an elastic
band B and a toe P. The article M can be semi-finished, for example
with an open toe P that has to be sewn in a subsequent processing
step.
[0018] The device 1 has a supporting surface 3, which can be formed
by the slat of a conveyor movable in a direction orthogonal to the
plane of the figures. Above the surface 3 a belt conveyor 5 is
arranged, which is used to insert an article M inside a suction
compartment forming part of the device 1, or to extract it
gradually therefrom. Insertion and extraction of the article into
and from the suction compartment can also take place using
different means, for example by means of a gripper. It would also
be possible to insert the article from the opposite end of the
suction compartment, making it pass through the entire compartment
and collecting it with a gripper or other pick-up member, before
reversing suction and proceeding with spreading as described
below.
[0019] Reference number 7 indicates as a whole a suction duct
which, in the example illustrated, has an elbow configuration, i.e.
with two sections 7A and 7B inclined with respect to each other, in
the example by approximately 90.degree.. The suction duct 7 has an
inner compartment indicated with 9.
[0020] A first end 11 of the duct 7 is associated with a member 13
having the function of narrowing the cross section of the duct 7
for the purposes indicated hereunder. The member 13 has an element
15 movable according to the double arrow f15 to be inserted into
and withdrawn from the suction duct 7. The movement according to
the double arrow f15 of the element 15 is controlled by a
piston-cylinder actuator or the like, indicated with 17.
[0021] The second end 12 of the suction duct 7 is connected to a
suction source, not shown, for example through a pipe 19.
[0022] In the wall of the suction duct 7, between the elbow or
curve joining the portions 7A, 7B of the duct 7 and the end 11
thereof, a suction port or opening 21 is provided, which can be
closed and opened alternately using a valve 23 with an opening and
closing actuator.
[0023] The device described above operates in the manner
illustrated below with reference to the operating sequence in FIGS.
1 to 4.
[0024] In an initial step the element 15 is taken to an upper
position leaving a passage with a wide free cross section at the
first end 11 of the suction duct 7, so that an article M can easily
be gradually inserted inside the suction duct 7. Insertion,
according to the arrow F (FIGS. 1 and 2) takes place through a
combination of the movement of the conveyor belt 5 and of suction
(arrow A) through the suction pipe 19.
[0025] The air flow that is generated from the inlet at the end 11
towards the end 12 of the suction duct 7 and the movement of the
conveyor 5 allows gradual insertion of the article M.
[0026] When a sufficient portion of the article M has entered the
inside of the duct 7, with the edge B thereof at the level of the
opening 21 or beyond, the valve 23 opens, so that suction through
the pipe 19 generates an air flow A1 (FIG. 3) mainly drawn through
the opening 21 again as a result of the suction source (not shown)
connected to the device 1 through the suction pipe 19.
[0027] In this step the article M is held, preventing complete
insertion thereof inside the suction duct 7, by the conveyor 5
which is stopped. The current of air drawn through the opening 21
generates a vortical flow inside which the edge B of the article M
is positioned, which consequently undergoes to a vigorous shaking
and widening action so that it is spread in longitudinal and
transverse direction, eliminating any wrinkling, helical twisting,
folds or the like.
[0028] Subsequently, advantageously still continuing the suction
through the pipe 19 with air drawn through the opening 21 in
communication with outside, the conveyor belt 5 reverses the
movement thereof, while the element 15 has been lowered to the
position of minimum cross section of the suction duct 7, taking the
position in FIGS. 3 and 4. With reversal of the movement of the
conveyor 5, the article M is gradually drawn from the inside of the
suction duct 7 towards the outside to be positioned fully on the
supporting surface 3 passing under the element 15 and consequently
undergoing flattening in a transverse direction by means of the
element 15, which has decreased the cross section inside the
suction duct 7, through which the article passes.
[0029] The combination of narrowing the cross section of the
passage through the element 15, and of the vortical air flow drawn
from the outside environment through the opening 21 due to suction
through the pipe 19 and consequent shaking of the article M results
in transverse and longitudinal spreading of the article.
[0030] It is understood that the drawing only shows an example
provided by way of a practical embodiment of the invention, which
can vary in forms and arrangement without however departing from
the scope of the concept on which the invention is based. Any
reference numerals in the appended claims are provided purely to
facilitate reading thereof in the light of the description and
accompanying drawing, and do not in any way limit the scope of
protection of the claims.
* * * * *