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(11) | EP 1 582 468 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | A manual tool for wrapping luggage |
| (57) A manual tool for wrapping luggage by binding, comprising an elastic structure (1)
with two opposite arms (15) (16) which support a reel (9) provided with a film (10)
to be unwound for the binding, free to rotate about its own axis, but tightened by
a pair of opposite plates (5) (6), fastened at the ends of said arms (15), (16); said
tool further comprises a register (4) which adjust the pre-load given to the tightening
of the reel (9) and an elastically deformable tie rod (3), capable of varying the
pre-load set by the register (4). |
[0001] The present invention relates to a manual tool for wrapping luggage, of the type comprising: at least a grip; means for supporting a reel for winding a film to bind the luggage; members for adjusting the tightening of the coil itself.
[0002] Known tools rigidly support the reel, provided with a hollow cylindrical support, inserting it on a vertical shaft which has a fixed support plate at its lower end and a second plate, positioned on the upper part of the reel.
[0003] The upper plate can freely slide along the axis of the shaft where the reel is positioned and, by said adjustment members, it provides a determined pre-load to obtain the desired tightening of the reel itself.
[0004] In particular, at the upper end of the vertical shaft is screwed a first handle (which serves as a single register). During its screwing, against an underlying spring which bears on a thrust bearing which, in turn, presses on said upper plate, the reel is tightened against the fixed lower plate.
[0005] Depending on the action carried out on this register, the reel will offer more or less resistance against the unwinding of the film, but said resistance will in any case remain fixed, until a new adjustment.
[0006] From the lower end of the vertical shaft whereon the reel is positioned, a second vertical shaft branches off, on which is obtained a second fixed handle, for gripping the tool.
[0008] To modify the initially set tightening, during the wrapping operation, for instance at the corners of the stack of luggage to be wrapped, it is clearly necessary to act always on said single register. Therefore, it will also have to be brought back to the previous position when the initial tightening conditions are restored. This operation causes the momentary interruption in the unwinding of the film, i.e. at least a certain operating difficulty, since the register is single and located at a grip which must be released and then grabbed again several times during the screwing operation, to vary the desired tightening.
[0009] Another drawback observed when using known tools is encountered when replacing the reel. To extract the reel from its seat, several pieces must be removed: first of all, the upper register must be fully unscrewed to enable the extraction from the vertical shaft of the spring, the thrust bearing, the upper plate and anything that interferes with the extraction of the reel from its seat.
[0010] The object of the present invention is to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks, making available a manual wrapping tool which allows to adjust the tightening of the reel and hence the resistance against the unwinding of the film, without moving the hands from the natural grip of the tool itself, which is constituted by an elastic structure capable of friction clutching the tightening of the reel.
[0011] These objects and others besides, which shall become more readily apparent from the description that follows, are achieved, in accordance with the present invention, by a manual tool having the structural and functional characteristics in accordance with the appended claims.
[0012] The invention is described in greater detail hereafter with the aid of drawings, which represent an embodiment provided purely by way of non limiting example.
[0013] Figure 1 shows a lateral view of the subject tool, with some parts sectioned the better to highlight other parts.
[0015] Figure 3 shows the section along the axis III-III of Figure 2, limited to the upper plate and to the accessories connected thereto and with some parts removed, the better to highlight other parts.
[0016] With reference to Fig. 1, the subject manual tool comprises means for supporting a reel (9) provided to wind a film (10) for wrapping the luggage, as well as members (34) for adjusting the tightening the reel.
[0017] In particular, it is advantageously constituted by an elastic structure (1), preferably with hollow section, comprising two opposite arms (15) and (16).
[0018] In this way, the adjusting members (34) are able to deform in space the two opposite arms (15) and (16), between which is interposed the reel (9), providing a determined tightening.
[0019] Advantageously, moreover, the two opposite arms (15,16) are mutually joined by a grip (2), which preferably develops longitudinally to allow, at the user's discretion, gripping the tool (which is a centralised operation) with one or with both hands.
[0020] In the subject tool, the adjusting members (34) comprise a supplementary adjustment member (3) positioned in the vicinity of the grip (2), so it can be gripped directly, when necessary, by the hand of the user positioned on the grip itself.
[0021] In particular, the supplementary adjustment member is constituted by a tie rod (3), rigidly fastened inferiorly by means of a nut (14), whilst on the opposite side said tie rod traverses the arm (15) of the structure; on the end projecting out of the arm (15) is present a threading which engages a knob (4), whose screwing or unscrewing action respectively approaches or separates the two elastically deformable opposite arms (15,16).
[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the reel (9) comprises a hollow cylindrical support (11) whereon is wound the film (10). Said support (11) bears on a first plate (6) (or other similar element) rigidly fastened to the lower arm (16) of the structure (1).
[0024] The reel (9) is engaged between these plates (5 and 6). Therefore, once the reel (9) is tightened, action on the adjusting members (34) causes a corresponding elastic deformation of the structure (1) which exerts a compression of the reel (9) in gripping it in pack fashion.
[0025] In particular, the plates (5, 6) have a cylindrical projection (12), with suitable dimensions to house the hollow cylindrical support (11) of the reel. Depending on the measure of the inner diameter of said support (11), the support can be housed inside or outside the projection (12) of the plates, which, moreover, have a surface having a particular sliding friction in the area in contact with the reel (9).
[0026] Another characteristic of the invention is the one whereby the aforesaid upper plate (5) is made advantageously capable of swivelling. Said plate (5) is hinged on a pivot (8) by means of two supports (7); said pivot (9) freely traverses the arm (15) of the elastic structure (1), whereas it is locked at its ends on the supports (7), which are also rigidly fastened to the plate (5).
[0027] This freedom to rotate about the pivot (8) always allows the correct positioning of the plate (5) within the hollow cylindrical support (11) of the reel (i.e. maintaining its coaxial positioning relative to the axis of the reel), regardless of the deformation and hence of the inclination assumed by the arms (15,16) i n tightening the reel (9) and of the various longitudinal measures or heights of the reel itself (which in any case are variable by a few centimetres).
[0028] Again in reference to Fig. 1, a seat (20) is shown for locating a cutter (13) able to cut the film (10) for the purpose of binding the luggage to be wrapped.
[0029] The cutter (13) comprises two profiles (18,19) whose shape is similar to the hollow section of the profile of the structure (1), which are mutually locked and grip in pack fashion their own blade (17), which, by effect of its elasticity, is deformed, finding the pivot (8) as an obstacle to its natural position; said deformation causes the blade to have a spring effect which t hereby locks the cutter (13) in a stable position.
[0030] The operation of the tool is as follows: unscrewing the knob (4), the grip of the reel (9) is freed, so the reel can be replaced with a new one, without needing to remove any accessory, since the reel (9) is tightened in overhang and tightly held between the two plates (5,6) which will remain fastened to the structure (1) even in the absence of the reel (9). This provides greater convenience and rapidity of intervention.
[0031] If, during the unwinding of the film, it is necessary to change its resistance, initially determined by the screwing given to the register (4), under particular conditions determined by the intention to enclose more tightly the luggage to be wrapped (for instance in correspondence with their orners), it is sufficient to grab the tie rod (3) with the hand positioned on the grip (2); the tie rod, flexing, tends to compress the two opposite arms (15,16) of the elastic structure (1) which, by deforming elastically, increase the tightening of the reel.
[0032] Once said grip is released, the initial tightening conditions chosen by operating on the register knob (4) are restored.
[0033] This convenient and easily executed operation therefore also allows to friction clutch the grip of the reel (9) as desired and with operating sensitivity left to the operator him/herself, without interrupting the unwinding of the film.
[0034] Moreover, the particular conformation of the structure (1), which is as elementary as possible, and the absence of members such as springs, thrust bearing, handles screwed on the axis of rotation of the reel, all necessary to tighten the reel in known solutions, make the present invention particularly light and economical.
1. A manual tool for wrapping luggage of the type comprising: at least one grip (2);
means for supporting a reel (9) to wind a film (10) for binding the luggage; members
(34) for adjusting the tightening of the reel itself, characterised in that it comprises an elastic structure (1) with two opposite arms (15) and (16), the adjusting
members (34) being able to deform in space the two opposite arms (15) and (16), conferring
a determined tightening to the reel (9).
2. A manual tool as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the grip (2) mutually connects the two opposite arms (15,16).
3. A manual tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said structure (1) has a profile with hollow section.
4. A manual tool as claimed in any of the previous claims, characterised in that said adjustment members (34) comprise a supplementary adjustment member (3) positioned
in the vicinity of the grip (2), in such a way that it can be directly gripped, if
necessary, by the hand of the user positioned on the grip itself (2).
5. A manual tool as claimed in any of the previous claims, characterised in that it comprises two plates (5), (6), whereof one (5) is fastened to an arm of the structure
(15), the other one (6) is fastened on the opposite arm (16), said arms being adapted
to tighten the reel (9) in pack fashion.
6. A manual tool as claimed in claim 5, in which said reel (9) is provided with a hollow
cylindrical support (11) for winding the film (10), characterised in that each plate (5), (6) has a cylindrical projection (12) adapted to be keyed onto the
hollow cylindrical support (11) of the reel (9), to be housed outside or inside said
support according to its diameter.
7. A manual tool as claimed in claim 5 or 6, characterised in that each plate (5), (6) has, in the area in contact with the reel (9), a surface having
a particular sliding friction.
8. A manual tool as claimed in claim 5 or 6 to 7, characterised in that at least one of said plates (5, 6) is capable of swivelling, being able to rotate
about a pivot (8) which supports it to the arm (15, 16) of the structure, in such
a way as to enable it to orient itself in the best manner in its insertion into the
hollow cylindrical support (11), according to the various heights of the reel (9).
9. A manual tool as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that it comprises a cutter (13) housed inside the hollow section of the structure (1).
10. A manual tool as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that said structure (1) has a hollow section profile and characterised in that said pivot (8) determines a stable position to a cutter (13) having a shape that
is compatible with the hollow section of the structure (1) and a length and flexibility
of its blade (17) able to determine its stable housing.
11. A manual tool as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that said supplementary tightening member is constituted by a tie rod (3), which mutually
connects the opposite arms (15), (16), at an end of which is positioned a register
(4) of said adjustment members (34).