U.S. patent application number 14/115452 was filed with the patent office on 2014-04-03 for device and method for raising and lowering a roller on an application table with a shielded switch.
The applicant listed for this patent is Jarle Hansen. Invention is credited to Jarle Hansen.
Application Number | 20140090784 14/115452 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46514749 |
Filed Date | 2014-04-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140090784 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hansen; Jarle |
April 3, 2014 |
DEVICE AND METHOD FOR RAISING AND LOWERING A ROLLER ON AN
APPLICATION TABLE WITH A SHIELDED SWITCH
Abstract
A raising/lowering device for a rollers of a laminator table,
wherein the table comprises a table top (8) with two opposite and
parallel sides (7), a horizontal guide rail (6) being parallel to
and placed at each of said side edges, and a roller (2), each
horizontal guide rail (6) comprises a raising/lowering device (1)
having a first and a second end, the second end is connected to the
horizontal rails (6), the raising/lowering device (1) is
horizontally moveable along the rail to which it is connected, the
first end of the raising/lowering device (1) comprises, or can be
connected to, a non-rotatable or fixed shaft end (13), and the
rollers (2) is rotatably mounted at its ends in two opposing
raising/lowering devices (1) by means of said shaft ends (13), the
raising/lowering device is further characterized in that it is
positioned at least one shielded activating switch on one or both
handles and/or on the console tops.
Inventors: |
Hansen; Jarle; (Mysen,
NO) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hansen; Jarle |
Mysen |
|
NO |
|
|
Family ID: |
46514749 |
Appl. No.: |
14/115452 |
Filed: |
May 10, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
May 10, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/NO2012/050087 |
371 Date: |
November 4, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
156/378 ;
156/579 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 156/12 20150115;
B29C 63/024 20130101; B32B 37/0053 20130101; B32B 37/10 20130101;
Y10T 156/18 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
156/378 ;
156/579 |
International
Class: |
B32B 37/00 20060101
B32B037/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 10, 2011 |
NO |
20110696 |
Claims
1. A laminator table comprising a raising/lowering device for a
roller, a table top with two opposite and parallel sides, a
horizontal guide rail being parallel to and placed at each of said
side edges, and a roller, each horizontal guide rail being
connected to a raising/lowering device having a first and a second
end, the second end being connected to the horizontal rails, the
raising/lowering device being horizontally moveable along the rail
to which it is connected, the first end of the raising/lowering
device being rotatably connected to the roller, the laminator table
being characterized in that at least one shielded activating switch
is positioned on a handle and/or on a console top of the
raising/lowering device.
2. The laminator table according to claim 1, wherein the console
top is an inwardly facing, and an inwardly facing handle is
positioned on the console top.
3. The laminator table according to claim 1, wherein the console
top further comprises a track where a bracket or other external
module can be placed.
4. The laminator table according to claim 3, wherein said track is
open at both ends so that the bracket or the module can be turned
around and placed in the opposite direction.
5. The laminator table according to claim 1, wherein the console
top has a distance measuring device attached to it.
6. The laminator table according to claim 5, where the distance
measuring device is preferably in the form of a laser.
7. The laminator table according to claim 1, wherein the activation
switch controls the lift cylinder that raises and lowers the
rollers.
8. The laminator table according to claim 7, wherein the impact of
the lifting cylinder is controlled by a vertical bar which at its
top most point is connected to the end of the piston of the lift
cylinder.
9. The laminator table according to claim 8 wherein the rod goes
through a holder in the form of an open cylinder, the holder is
attached to the side of the lift cylinder.
10. The laminator table according to claim 9 wherein the holder
contains a spring.
11. The laminator table according to claim 8, wherein the bar has
at each end a stopper, in the upper stopper rests against the
spring in the cylinder when the raising/lowering device is
completely down, and the spring ensures that the rollers rests in a
fixed distance above the table top.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention comprises a device for raising or
lowering a role in relation to a laminator table for the
application of patterns and/or text to a flat surface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Current laminator tables are produced with a traverse under
which a roller, for moving over the work area, is mounted. The
roller and the traverse are connected to raising/lowering devices
on each side of the table. This traverse also serves as a counter
for the pressure which the roller shall exert towards the work
piece.
[0003] This traverse is, however, in the way of access to the work
pieces and complicates many of the necessary work tasks.
[0004] Such a traverse is primarily used two achieve a rigid
construction, where the rollers maintain the parallelism when moved
across the work area.
[0005] Solutions for laminator tables without such a traverse have
recently been described. Such solutions are applicable for
laminator tables of restricted widths. However, at larger widths,
and longer rollers, the increased torque which is exerted at the
mounting of the roller will require a disproportionately
large/powerful construction of the raising/lowering devices on each
side of the table.
[0006] The roller of current laminator tables has a fixed,
penetrating shaft which is rotatably connected with the
raising/lowering devices on each side of the table.
[0007] The mounting of said shaft to the raising/lowering devices
in an adequately stable manner is also contributing to necessitate
a disproportionately large/powerful construction of said
devices.
[0008] The problem with current raising/lowering devices is that
the controls for raising and lowering of the traverse is a round
switch located on top of each end of the traverse. The problem with
this is that when one leans over the table during the work process,
it is easy to accidentally press the switch.
[0009] NO 315014 describes a laminator table which is
representative for the known state of the art. The table comprises
a roller which is mounted on a traverse which extends across the
table. In this solution, the raising/lowering device is in the form
of a swivel wheel for a purely mechanical raising and lowering of
the rollers.
[0010] The problem is that this solution is cumbersome since the
wheel takes unnecessary long time to use. Further, a wheel at each
end is in the way when you have to lean over the table in
connection with the lamination process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention, as described in the set of claims,
comprises a solution to the problems and drawbacks mentioned
above.
[0012] The solution comprises a rounded inwardly facing top console
on each side of the roller. This makes the work easier and it is
easier to access the material surrounding the rollers while
providing a more comfortable contact against the body when one
leans over the table.
[0013] Further the invention comprises a handle located on top of
the console that is also facing inward. This makes controlling the
rollers and console much easier.
[0014] At the end of the handle it is located an activation switch
that activates the raising and lowering of the rollers and console.
The advantage with placing a switch here is that it prevents
accidental activation of the raising/lowering mechanism when
working.
[0015] In addition, the console top has a sliding track that makes
installation and turning of a bracket easy for the user of the
table. In other current solutions, these brackets are fixed and
only on one side of the roller.
[0016] Further the present invention has a device for measuring
distances.
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 shows an isometric drawing of an embodiment of a
laminator table according to the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 2a shows raising/lowering mechanism seen from the side
in the raised position.
[0019] FIG. 2b shows raising/lowering mechanism seen from the side
in the lowered position.
[0020] FIG. 3 shows console seen from the top end with a bracket
mounted in the sliding track.
[0021] FIG. 4 shows the device for measuring distances.
[0022] FIG. 5 A-D shows a cross section of different versions of
the console top with an inwardly facing handle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] FIG. 1 gives a perspective view of the table. The table has
horizontal rails 6 which runs parallel to the longitudinal sides 7
of the table top 8. To these rails 6 it is mounted raising/lowering
devices 1. These can be moved horizontally along the parallel rails
6. A roller 2 is mounted between the two the raising/lowering
devices 1.
[0024] To achieve a precise parallel movement of the rollers, they
are connected to the raising/lowering devices 1 by means of a
cable/pulley system 3, 5. One end of the wire 3 is connected to an
attachment 4 on a first raising/lowering device. The second end of
the wire is, through three pulleys 5, attached to an attachment on
the other raising/lowering device. Horizontal movement of the
first, or second, raising/lowering device will cause a
corresponding movement of the corresponding raising/lowering device
due to the movement of the wire.
[0025] FIGS. 2A and 2B shows a cross-section of the
raising/lowering device respectively in raised and lowered
condition. On top, it is situated a handle. The handle is in one
end, hereinafter referred to as end 1, connected to the console
top. The handle is horizontal and is, in end 1, rounded and
connected to the console top. At the opposite end, hereinafter
referred to as end 2, the handle is not connected to the console
top. End 2 points horizontally inward across the table. End 2 has a
short side where it is located an activation switch. The activation
switch controls the rising and lowering of the rollers. Further it
may be similar console top and handles on both ends of the
roller.
[0026] The activation switch is shielded so it is not triggered
unintentionally. The shielding may be that the location of the
activation switch prevents accidental activation. Examples on such
shielding may be, as described above, that the activation switch is
located on the short side of the end 2, or the switch can be
located underneath the handle. Alternatively, the switch can be
protected by a cover. A further solution is to have a locking
switch that locks the activation switch and that must be activated
before it is possible to activate the activation switch.
Alternatively, it may be in the form of two switches or points that
must be activated simultaneously. Yet another alternative is two
contact surfaces that must be touched simultaneously.
[0027] Underneath the handle the console top is located. The upper
end of the console top is rounded in end that is furthest away from
the table top. At the opposite end, the end closest to the table
top, the rollers are connected. In the console top, it is a device
for raising and lowering of the rollers. The raising and lowering
is done by a lifting cylinder. The activation switch controls the
lifting cylinder. The range of the lifting cylinder is controlled
by a vertical bar. The bar is at its top most point connected to
the piston of the lifting cylinder. The bar proceeding through a
holder in the form of an open cylinder. The holder is connected to
the side of the lifting cylinder. Inside the holder it is situated
a spring. The bar has a stopper at each end. At its top most point
the bar stops against the spring in the cylinder. The spring
ensures that the rollers rest in a fixed distance above the table
top.
[0028] FIG. 3 shows that in the console top it is situated a
sliding track. The sliding track is adapted placement of a bracket.
In each end of the sliding track is placed an attachment for the
bracket. The attachment locks the bracket in place. The bracket can
be removed, reversed and inserted into the opposite side of the
sliding track.
[0029] FIG. 4 shows a distance measuring device. On one side of a
console top it is attached a holder. The holder is in the form of a
cylinder pointing horizontally out from the console top. The holder
extends along the edge of the table. In the holder it is placed a
distance measuring device. The measuring device can with advantage
be a laser, but also any other method for distance measurement can
be used. At the end of the table, in the direction which the
cylinder points, it is placed a reflective plate. The reflective
plate has a shape that covers the span from the upper to the lower
limit of the raising/lowering device.
[0030] FIG. 5 A-D shows various configurations of the handle and
the console top. In FIG. 5 A the handle has rounded edges. The
handle is facing inward and is connected to the console top at its
outer edge. The console top is not rounded. FIG. 5 B shows a
different design. Here is the handle is rounded at the outer edge,
the handle continues down the entire outer edge of the console top.
Furthermore, the console top is sloping inward at the top. FIG. 5 C
shows a further design of the handle and the console top. Here the
handle is attached to the outer sloping edge of the console top.
FIG. 5 D shows a narrower console top with a curved handle.
[0031] The solutions described above are intended only as examples
and there may be many different solutions of curved handles and
rounded console tops.
* * * * *