The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 08, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 28, 2001
Jonathan Lopez, Vernon Hills, IL (US);
Illinois Tool Works, Inc., Glenview, IL (US);
Abstract
A strapping machine for positioning a strapping material around an associated load and sealing the strapping material to itself around the load includes a frame, a chute defining a strap path that is mounted to the frame, and a feed assembly mounted to the frame. The feed assembly is configured to operate in a feed mode to feed the strapping material and to operate in a take-up mode to retract the strapping material. A strapping head is configured to seal the strapping material to itself. A controller is operably connected to the feed assembly and controls the operation of the strapping machine. A sensor is disposed to sense the presence and absence of strapping material at the strapping head. The sensor includes first and second movable biased elements cooperating with one another and movable between a first position in which the sensor senses the presence of strapping material and a second position in which the sensor senses the absence of strapping material. The sensor is operably connected to the controller such that the sensor senses the absence of strapping material at the strapping head and generates a signal to initiate operation of the feed assembly in a refeed mode.