AIR PILLOW MACHINE
An air pillow machine system may include an air pillow machine including a primary base plate having mounted thereto a feeding mechanism, an inflating mechanism, and a sealing mechanism. The primary base plate of the air pillow machine may be removably slidingly received within a frame. The frame may be one of mounted at least partially within a housing and integral with the housing. A portion of each of the feeding mechanism, inflating mechanism, and sealing mechanism that engage an uninflated pillow-precursor may protrude away from the primary base plate and away from the frame.
1 . An air pillow machine system comprising:
an air pillow machine including a primary base plate having mounted thereto a feeding mechanism, an inflating mechanism, and a sealing mechanism;
a frame having the primary base plate of the air pillow machine removably slidingly received therein; and
a housing, the frame being one of mounted at least partially within the housing and integral with the housing;
wherein a portion of each of the feeding mechanism, inflating mechanism, and sealing mechanism that engage an uninflated pillow-precursor protrude away from the primary base plate and away from the frame.
2 . The air pillow machine system of claim 1 , wherein the air pillow machine is secured within the frame by a releaseably attachable top plate.
3 . The air pillow machine system of claim 1 , wherein one or more of a motor and one or more sensors are electrically connected to one of a plug and a plug receptacle mounted to the primary base plate.
4 . The air pillow machine system of claim 3 , wherein one of the one or more sensors comprises a traction wheel rotated by the uninflated pillow-precursor fed through the air pillow machine and a device to sense the speed of the traction wheel.
5 . The air pillow machine system of claim 4 , wherein the device to sense the speed of the traction wheel sends a signal indicative of the speed of the traction wheel to a controller configured to change the power to the motor based upon, at least in part, the signal.
6 . The air pillow machine system of claim 5 , wherein the traction wheel includes a plurality of spaced apart holes in at least one axial faces of the traction wheel and the device to sense the speed of the traction wheel includes a sensor configured to sense one or more of the passage of the plurality of spaced apart holes and surfaces in between the plurality of holes as the traction wheel rotates.
7 . The air pillow machine system of claim 6 , wherein the sensor is a Hall effect sensor.
8 . The air pillow machine system of claim 1 , wherein the sealing mechanism comprises a heating element electrically connected to a controller, the controller configured to monitor a resistance of the heating element and to control a voltage applied to the heating element to maintain the heating element at a constant temperature.
9 . The air pillow machine system of claim 1 , wherein the inflating mechanism comprises a fan having a surge line.
10 . The air pillow machine system of claim 9 , wherein the fan is a vane style blower.
11 . The air pillow machine system of claim 9 , wherein the fan is positioned to cool electronics of the air pillow machine as ambient air is drawn into the fan.
12 . The air pillow machine system of claim 1 , wherein the sealing mechanism comprises:
an insulator block holding a heating element relative to a first belt of the feeding mechanism to seal the pillow-precursor subsequent to inflation; and
a first electrical plug connected to a first end of the heating element and a second electrical plug connected to a second end of the heating element, the first and second electrical plugs protruding from the insulator block and configured to be are plugged into receptacles coupled to the primary base plate.
13 . The air pillow machine system of claim 1 , wherein the frame has maximum dimensions of 12 inches by 10 inches by 6 inches.