Granted Patent B2

US 8,636,431 · App. 12/869,043 · Granted Jan 28, 2014

Abstract

Claims (65)

1. A crafting apparatus comprising:

a body defining at least one passageway for receiving a workpiece;

a cutter disposed along the at least one passageway;

a printer disposed along the at least one passageway and spaced from the cutter; and

a feed path bypass assembly disposed along the at least one passageway between the cutter and the printer;

wherein the feed path bypass assembly alters a feed path of the workpiece through the at least one passageway;

a first pair of rollers disposed adjacent the cutter for receiving and selectively controlling movement of the workpiece with respect to the cutter during cutting operations and a second pair of rollers disposed adjacent the printer for receiving and selectively controlling movement of the workpiece with respect to the printer during printing operations;

wherein the feed path bypass assembly comprises a first toggle member pivotable between a first position allowing movement of the workpiece along a first feed path bypassing the first pair of rollers and a second position allowing movement of the workpiece along a second feed path between the first pair of rollers;

wherein the feed path bypass assembly further includes:

a second toggle member disposed along the at least one passageway downstream of the cutter and upstream of the printer, the second toggle member pivotable between first and second positions; and

a carrier arm disposed along the at least one passageway and pivotable between first and second positions, the carrier arm rotatably supporting an upper roller of the second pair of rollers;

wherein movement of the second toggle member to its first position allows movement of the carrier arm to its first position selectively engaging the upper roller of the second pair of rollers against a lower roller of the second pair of rollers; and

wherein movement of the second toggle member to its second position allows movement of the carrier arm to its second position disengaging contact between the second pair of rollers.

2. The crafting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the feed path bypass assembly allows the workpiece to move along a first feed path in a first direction and along a second feed path in a second direction.

3. The crafting apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first direction is substantially opposite to the second direction.

4. The crafting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein movement of the first toggle member to its first position allows movement of the second toggle members to its first position.

5. The crafting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein movement of the first toggle member to its second position allows movement of the second toggle members to its second position.

6. The crafting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the feed path bypass assembly comprises a carrier arm actuator disposed for selective engagement with the carrier arm to move the carrier arm between its first and second positions.

7. The crafting apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the carrier arm actuator comprises a motor and a cam coupled to the motor, the cam selectively engaging the carrier arm.

8. The crafting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rolling surface of the upper roller of the second pair of rollers comprises a non-stick coating.

9. The crafting apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the non-stick coating comprises Polytetrafluoroethylene.

10. The crafting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the upper roller of the second pair of rollers comprises:

a cylindrical sleeve defining a bore extending therethrough; and

a core cylinder received by the bore of the cylindrical sleeve, the core cylinder rotatably supported by the carrier;

wherein the cylindrical sleeve rotates about the core cylinder.

11. The crafting apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the bore defined by the cylindrical sleeve has a diameter of between about 1% and about 25% larger than a diameter of the core cylinder.

12. The crafting apparatus of claim 10 , wherein at least one of a surface of the bore defined by the cylindrical sleeve and an outer surface of the core cylinder comprises a non-stick coating.

13. The crafting apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an exit ramp disposed downstream of the printer, the exit ramp configured to induce curvature of the workpiece about a direction of movement of the workpiece.

14. The crafting apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the exit ramp defines an arcuate profile transverse to the feed paths of the workpiece to induce the curvature of the workpiece.

15. The crafting apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the exit ramp comprises:

ribs of different heights spaced along the exit ramp to provide the arcuate profile; and

edge holders that engage lateral edge portions of the workpiece to maintain the workpiece substantially flat upstream of the ribs.

16. The crafting apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:

a support assembly disposed upstream of the exit ramp and having an upper support surface for supporting the workpiece; and

one or more guides disposed on the support assembly for maintaining the workpiece substantially flat and adjacent the upper support surface.

17. A crafting apparatus comprising:

a body defining at least one passageway for receiving a workpiece;

a cutter disposed along the at least one passageway;

a printer disposed along the at least one passageway and spaced from the cutter;

a first pair of rollers disposed adjacent the cutter for receiving and selectively controlling movement of the workpiece with respect to the cutter during cutting operations;

a second pair of rollers disposed adjacent the printer for receiving and selectively controlling movement of the workpiece with respect to the printer during printing operations;

a feed path bypass assembly disposed along the at least one passageway between the cutter and the printer;

wherein the feed path bypass assembly moves between a first position for printing operations and a second position for cutting operations, the first position directing movement of the workpiece along a first feed path that bypasses the first pair of rollers and the second position directing movement of the workpiece along a second feed path between the first pair of rollers;

wherein the feed path bypass assembly includes a first toggle member pivotable between a first position allowing movement of the workpiece along the first feed path bypassing the first pair of rollers and a second position allowing movement of the workpiece along the second feed path between the first pair of rollers;

wherein the feed path bypass assembly further includes:

a second toggle member disposed along the at least one passageway downstream of the cutter and upstream of the printer, the second toggle member pivotable between first and second positions; and

a carrier arm disposed along the at least one passageway and pivotable between first and second positions, the carrier arm rotatably supporting an upper roller of the second pair of rollers;

wherein movement of the second toggle member to its first position allows movement of the carrier arm to its first position selectively engaging the upper roller of the second pair of rollers against a lower roller of the second pair of rollers; and

wherein movement of the second toggle member to its second position allows movement of the carrier arm to its second position disengaging contact between the second pair of rollers.

18. The crafting apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the feed path bypass assembly allows the workpiece to move along the first feed path in a first direction and along the second feed path in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction.

19. The crafting apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the second pair of rollers move between an engaged position for engaging and moving the workpiece therebetween during printing operations and a disengaged position for allowing free movement of the workpiece therebetween during cutting operations.

20. The crafting apparatus of claim 19 , wherein movement of the feed path bypass assembly to its first position causes movement of the second pair of rollers to its engaged position.

21. The crafting apparatus of claim 19 , wherein movement of the feed path bypass assembly to its second position causes movement of the second pair of rollers to its disengaged position.

22. The crafting apparatus of claim 17 , wherein movement of the first toggle member to its first position allows movement of the second toggle members to its first position.

23. The crafting apparatus of claim 17 , wherein movement of the first toggle member to its second position allows movement of the second toggle members to its second position.

24. The crafting apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the feed path bypass assembly comprises a carrier arm actuator disposed for selective engagement with the carrier arm to move the carrier arm between its first and second positions.

25. The crafting apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the carrier arm actuator comprises a motor and a cam coupled to the motor, the cam selectively engaging the carrier arm.

26. The crafting apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising an exit ramp disposed downstream of the printer, the exit ramp configured to induce curvature of the workpiece about a direction of movement of the workpiece.

27. The crafting apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the exit ramp defines an arcuate profile transverse to the feed paths of the workpiece to induce the curvature of the workpiece.

28. The crafting apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the exit ramp comprises:

ribs of different heights spaced along the exit ramp to provide the arcuate profile; and

edge holders that engage lateral edge portions of the workpiece to maintain the workpiece substantially flat upstream of the ribs.

29. The crafting apparatus of claim 26 , further comprising:

a support assembly disposed upstream of the exit ramp and having an upper support surface for supporting the workpiece; and

one or more guides disposed on the support assembly for maintaining the workpiece substantially flat and adjacent the upper support surface.

Assignments (11)