ROLLED PAPER DRIVE SHAFT DAMPER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME
The invention is a rolled paper drive shaft damper formed from a one-piece drive shaft damper blank. The invention also includes methods of making rolled paper drive shaft dampers.
1 . A rolled paper drive shaft damper, comprising:
a substantially cylindrical convolutely wound paperboard tube formed from a single paperboard blank, said tube having an overall wall thickness between about 10 and 200 mils, said tube defining an inside surface and an outside surface; and
a frictional coating on the outside surface of said convolutely wound paperboard tube; and
wherein said convolutely wound paperboard tube has an adjustable diameter to facilitate placement in a hollow drive shaft.
2 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 1 , wherein said tube has an overall wall thickness of between about 15 and 150 mils.
3 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 1 , wherein said tube has an overall wall thickness of between about 30 and 120 mils.
4 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 1 , wherein said convolutely wound paperboard tube is wound in the machine direction with respect to the paper fibers.
5 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 1 , wherein said convolutely wound paperboard tube is wound in the cross direction with respect to the paper fibers.
6 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 1 , wherein said paperboard tube comprises antioxidants.
7 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 1 , wherein said paperboard tube either comprises an antioxidant coating or is impregnated with antioxidant additives.
8 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 1 , wherein said outside surface is treated with an antioxidant.
9 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 1 , wherein said outside surface is textured whereby said outside surface of said convolutely wound paperboard tube achieves substantial contact with the drive shaft tube interior wall.
10 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 1 , wherein said frictional coating comprises latex.
11 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 1 , wherein said frictional coating comprises an applied axial strip of latex, polyurethane, or both.
12 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 1 , wherein said frictional coating comprises an adhesive.
13 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 12 , wherein said frictional coating comprises a thermoset adhesive.
14 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 1 , wherein said paperboard sheet comprises parchment paper or silicone-coated paper.
15 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 1 , wherein substantial contact with the drive shaft tube interior wall comprises complete contact with the drive shaft tube interior wall.
16 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 1 , wherein said adjustable diameter comprises decreasing the diameter to facilitate placement in a hollow double-swaged drive shaft.
17 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 1 , wherein said adjustable diameter comprises increasing the diameter to facilitate placement in and substantial contact with the drive shaft tube interior wall.
18 . A rolled paper drive shaft damper, comprising:
a substantially cylindrical paperboard tube having three complete plies formed from a single paperboard blank, said tube defining an inside surface and an outside surface; and
a frictional coating on the outside surface of said tube; and
wherein, upon placement of said tube within a hollow drive shaft, said tube diameter is adjustable within the hollow drive shaft without reducing axial coverage within the hollow drive shaft.
19 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 18 , wherein said tube has a wall thickness of between about 10 and 200 mils.
20 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 18 , wherein said tube has a wall thickness of between about 30 and 120 mils.
21 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 18 , wherein said paperboard sheet comprises parchment paper or silicone-coated paper.
22 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 18 , wherein said tube comprises antioxidants.
23 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 18 , wherein said frictional coating comprises latex.
24 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 18 , wherein said frictional coating comprises an applied axial strip of latex.
25 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 18 , wherein said frictional coating comprises an applied axial strip of polyurethane.
26 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 18 , wherein said frictional coating comprises an adhesive.
27 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 18 , wherein said adjustable tube diameter comprises decreasing the diameter to facilitate insertion into the drive shaft.
28 . The rolled paper drive shaft damper according to claim 18 , wherein said adjustable tube diameter comprises increasing the diameter to engage the drive shaft tube interior wall.
29 . A method of making a rolled paper drive shaft damper, comprising:
a. connecting a paper drive shaft damper blank to an automated rolling means;
b. actuating the rolling means to form the blank into a convolutely wound, substantially cylindrical tube having at least about two full plies;
c. maintaining the substantially cylindrical tube in convolute form using an attachment means; and
d. disconnecting the substantially cylindrical tube from the rolling means.
30 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the connecting step further comprises connecting the paper drive shaft damper blank to an automated rolling means via adhesive.
31 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the connecting step further comprises connecting the paper drive shaft damper blank to an automated rolling means via winding apertures.
32 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the rolling means is a rotary device.
33 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the attachment means comprises a rubber band radially surrounding the rolled paper drive shaft damper.
34 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the attachment means comprises adhesive tabs securing the outermost ply of the rolled paper drive shaft damper.
35 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the attachment means comprises adhesive tabs securing the outermost ply of the rolled paper drive shaft damper to an inner ply.
36 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein:
the attachment means comprises adhesive tabs securing the outermost ply of the rolled paper drive shaft damper; and
the adhesive tabs further secure a pull cord that will break the adhesive bond between the plies when pulled and allow the rolled paper drive shaft damper to radially expand.