DEVICE FOR WRAPPING AND COLLECTION OF FIBROUS MATERIAL

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for wrapping and collection of a material, particularly a soft fibrous material from a source.

Background of the invention

[0002] Presently, collection of soft fibrous materials such as cotton, shredded fabric, wool, hair, and husk is generally performed manually and in conjunction with harvesting devices, including portable devices. For instance, in manual collection of cotton, a user picks bolls from a source, which may be a cotton plant, in a continual manner. In such a manual process, the user holds the bolls and plucks seed cotton from its bur and process is repeated till the desired collection is made from different plant sources. One of the significant disadvantages of the using manual picking of cotton is the slow picking operation, which leads to economic issues for the operators. Health hazards related to continuous stoop labor are also significant in manual picking.

[0003] Cotton picking machines or harvesters are also adopted, in which machines or devices are employed to pick the cotton from plant sources. These machines possess different picking arrangements such as spindles, threshers, pneumatic and electrical means. The commonly-used cotton harvesters are of spindle type, which picks cotton from the bolls. Thresher type of machines, sever the stalk of a cotton-bearing branch near the surface of the ground, whereas the pneumatic machines remove cotton from the bolls by suction or through blasts of air. The electrical type of cotton harvesters utilizes the static electricity that is present in cotton to attract cotton bolls to an electrically charged belt or a finger. Cotton picking is also performed, chemically, by using solvents to loosen the ripened boll from the cotton plant.

[0004] Hand-held cotton picking machines or devices are also known for picking and collecting cotton from cotton plants. However, in order to pick the seed cotton, the user needs to hold the boll for picking the seed cotton from the bur, thus making the picking process more difficult time-consuming.

[0005] Numerous varieties of cotton are cultivated from known species such as Gossypiumarboreum, Gossypiumherbaceum (Asian cotton), Gossypiumbarbadense (Egyptian cotton) and Gossypiumhirsutum (American upland cotton). Therefore, these numerous varieties of cotton differ in characteristics such as plant height, which may range from 120-140cm, number of bolls per plant ranging from 27-33, with weight of the bolls ranging from 4-5 gm, diameter of the cotton bolls and cotton density in the range of about 0.01-0.03gm/cm3. In addition, characteristics such as material texture, tenderness of the cotton, fibrous arrangement, pose challenges in developing a single cotton harvesting machine or a device that can be used to harvest and collect the different varieties of cotton.

[0006] Portable or hand-held cotton pickers that are known have limited operating time and the collection sacs or bags are unwieldy.

[0007] Some of the technical issues faced with current hand-held cotton pickers include to reach the source of cotton, vibrations of device resulting in muscular fatigue.

[0008] US8006471, US4470245, US4313296, US4359853, US7614208B2, INI 1623, IN3051 and INI 11009, disclose some of the known cotton harvesting machines.

Objects of the present invention

[0009] The primary object of the present invention is to provide a device for wrapping and collection of soft fibrous material such as cotton of different types and varieties from a plant source.

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a device for wrapping and collection of soft fibrous cotton that can easily separate cotton lint from bur, without physically holding the cotton plant.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for wrapping and collection of soft fibrous cotton with a rotatable and movable wrapping member that can detach and wrap up the cotton material from the plant source and transmit to a hollow housing member, with a single driving element.

[0012] Further object of the present invention is to provide a device for wrapping and collection of soft fibrous materials, including cotton or any other fibrous materials from a surface, floor, and storage containers.

Summary of the present invention

[0013] The present invention provides a device for collection of a soft fibrous material from a source, comprising a hollow housing member with receiving, storing and releasing portions for the material is connected a forearm holder and a hand gripper and a driving element. At least a rotatable and movable wrapping member, connected to the driving element, to wrap up the material in rotary motions from the source and transmit the material linearly into the housing member.

[0014] For a better understanding of the present invention, the embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the drawings:

[0015] FIG.l is a perspective view of the device for wrapping and collection of soft fibrous material of the present invention.

[0016] FIG.2 is a perspective bottom view of the device for wrapping and collection of soft fibrous material depicting the releasing portion of housing member of the device in a closed condition.

[0017] FIG.2A is a perspective bottom view of the device for wrapping and collection of soft fibrous material depicting the releasing portion of housing member of the device in an open condition.

[0018] FIG.3 is a perspective view of housing member of the device for wrapping and collection of soft fibrous material depicting the arrangement of the power source and the releasing portion of the housing member.

[0019] FIG.4 is cross-sectional views of receiving portion of the housing member of the device depicting the arrangement of material blocking members.

[0020] FIG.5 is an exploded view of the device for wrapping and collection of soft fibrous material of the present invention.

[0021] FIG.6 is a side cross-sectional view of the device for wrapping and collection of soft fibrous material of the present invention.

[0022] FIG.7 is a perspective magnified partial view of the shaft bracket of the device depicting timing belt arrangement.

[0023] FIG.8 is a perspective view of rotatable and movable wrapping member of the device of the present invention.

[0024] FIG.9 is a cross-sectional view of the rotatable and movable wrapping member of the device of the present invention, depicting rotary motion of the rotatable and movable wrapping member and longitudinal motion of movable material transporter.

[0025] FIG.10 is a cross-sectional view of the rotatable and movable wrapping member of the device of the present invention, depicting a bevel gear arrangement in an exemplary embodiment.

[0026] FIG.11l is a cross-sectional view of the rotatable and movable wrapping member of the device of the present invention depicting the arrangement of a flexible protrusion on the movable material transporter.

[0027] FIG.12 is a perspective view of the device depicting the arrangement of multiple rotatable and movable wrapping members in an exemplary embodiment.

Detailed description of the invention:

[0028] The embodiments of the present invention are now described, by initially referring to FIG1, which is a perspective view of the device for wrapping and collection of the soft fibrous material, such as cotton, from a plant source. The device 1 includes a housing member 10. The housing member 10 is defined by a hollow structure supported by a chassis or framework 11. The housing member 10 includes a receiving portion 12, storing portion 13 and releasing portion 14 (FIG.3). These portions 12, 13, and 14 are advantageously integrated to the chassis 11 to form a single unit of housing member 10. The storing and releasing portions 13 and 14 of the housing member 10, in an exemplary manner, are shown as hollow box structure in a rectangular configuration and arranged parallel to the floor axis. Other suitable configurations such as square, oval and round shapes can be adapted for use. The receiving portion 12 extends from the storing portion 13 and is inclined to be positioned at an angle to the storing portion 13.The terminal end of the receiving portion is defined by an opening 15 or an inlet. The opening 15 is used to receive the collected material into the housing member 10.

[0029] In yet another aspect of the present invention as shown in FIG.2 and FIG.2A, a trigger element 24 is arranged on the driving-element housing 23. The trigger element 24 is a switching device operable by the user, to control the opening and closing of the releasing portion 14 of the housing member 10, to release the stored material. The trigger element 24 is connected to a cable 24a and a latch 24b. The pulling of the trigger element results in opening of the releasing portion 14 for the transfer of the material from the housing member 10. The releasing portion 14 is also arranged to retract and close subsequent to the transfer of material. When a material is collected by employing the device of the present invention, the material makes an entry into the housing member 10 through the receiving portion 12. However, it is also likely that during the course of the operation of the device, the housing member 10 is positioned inclined downwardly resulting in the reverse flow of the material from the housing member 10. Accordingly, in further aspect of the present invention, as depicted in FIG.4, material blocking elements 16 of the device 1 are arranged on the floor of the receiving portion 12, at an inclined angle. These material blocking elements 16 are advantageously arranged in the form of flexible vanes or strips. Alternately, the blocking elements 16 can be hinged on to the edges of the housing member 10 and are made of harder stiff materials like polymer or metals. The blocking elements 16 can also be a plurality of metallic pins that are arranged in the housing member 10.

[0030] The material blocking elements 16 are flexible and can be made of polymer, rubber or memory alloys etc., and are defined to possess the desired level of sensitive/strength vis-a-vis the material that is collected by the device 10. These material blocking elements 16 are disposed to flexor bend during the receipt of the material from the receiving portion 12 and to permit a one-way low-frictional flow of the material from the direction of the opening 15 into the receiving portion 13. The blocking elements 16 regain their normal resting positions immediately after the transit of the material arranged to resist the reverse flow of the received material back into the receiving portion 12, in the event of downward inclination of the housing member 10 during the course of operation of the device 1, by retracting to their normal positions as shown in FIG.2. The other suitable elements such as rollers, slits can also be suitably used to act as blocking elements 16 to regulate the flow of the material into the housing member 10.

[0031] A power source in the form of a battery 17 as shown in FIG.3 is advantageously placed in a battery compartment 18 of the housing member 10, to supply power towards the operations of the machine, through a driving element as hereinafter described. It this exemplary embodiment, the power source is integrated to the housing member 10. It is also within the purview of the invention to use an external or remote power sources for the supply of power to the device 1. The power sources can be driven by any known type of batteries and solar-powered systems. The external power sources can be devices that are powered with engines such as IC engines, dynamos or pneumatic devices.

[0032] In another aspect of the present invention as shown in FIG.l, a forearm holder 19, in the form of a strap, is connected to the chassis 11, at the distal end of the housing member 10. The forearm holder 19 is employed to provide a holding-support to the forearm of a user, while the device 1 is held in a hand for collection of fibrous materials. A hand gripper 20 is arranged at the proximal end of the housing member 10 to assist gripping the device by hand, during the course of operation of the device 1. The hand gripper 20 prevents slipping of the device while in use and provides additional comfort. The forearm holder 19 and hand gripper 20 are adapted to support diverse anthropometric arm dimensions of a user.

[0033] A switch 21 (FIG.1) is connected is electrically to the battery 17 and arranged on the hand gripper 20. The switch 21 is used to manage the power on/off modes of the device 1. The switch 21 can also be adapted to vary the speed of the driving element during the course of operations.

[0034] In another aspect of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, a driving element 22 is arranged in a driving-element housing 23 on the housing member 10. The driving element 22 is a motor with a rotor to provide a rotary motion to the other components of the device 1. The motor is preferably provided with a variable speed and multi-directional movement arrangement, in accordance with the end use of the device. In this embodiment, in an exemplary manner the position of the driving-element housing 23 is shown in close proximity to the receiving portion 12 of the housing member 10. The driving-element housing 23, can also be suitably integrated elsewhere or can be remotely- placed and controlled.

[0035] In further aspect of the present invention, constructional features of a rotatable and movable wrapping member that is operably connected to the driving element 22 are now described by specifically referring to FIGs.5-11.

[0036] The rotatable and movable wrapping member 25 includes a shaft-housing member 26, which is connected to the driving-element housing 23. The proximal end of the shaft-housing member 26 is connected to the driving-element housing 23 and extends longitudinally away from the driving-element housing 23. The shaft-housing member 26 is advantageously shown as an elongated hollow conduit. The connection of the shaft-housing member 26 with the driving-element housing 23 is means of any connecting arrangement such as screw or press-fit arrangement. The shaft-housing member 26 can also be arranged in a detachable manner. The distal end of the shaft-housing member 26 is terminated with a shaft bracket 26.

[0037] Rotatable shaft 28 is connected to the shaft of the driving element 22, through a motor bracket 29 and a motor bush 30 as shown in FIG.5. In an exemplary aspect the rotatable shaft 28 is used in the present invention. However, it is understood that other devices such as chain or belt drives can be suitably adapted. The proximal end of the rotatable shaft 28 is connected to the shaft of the driving element 22 and extends longitudinally along the axis of the shaft-housing member 26.The shaft-housing member 26 provides a shielding arrangement to the rotatable shaft 28.

[0038] A primary rotary drive arrangement that is connected to the rotatable shaft 28 includes a shaft rotary gear 31 with a desirable successively-engaging teeth profile and pre-selected pitch points along with a shaft bush 32, is connected to the distal end of the rotatable shaft 28. The distal end of the rotatable shaft 28 is rotatably connected to the shaft bracket 27 along with the shaft rotary gear 31 and the shaft bush 32. In this arrangement, the rotatable shaft 28 receives the rotary drive from the driving element 22 and rotates on its longitudinal axis and rotates the shaft rotary gear 31. The primary rotary drive arrangement also includes another set of intermediate shaft rotary gear 33, with a corresponding teeth profile to match with the profile of the shaft rotary gear 31 and connected to the shaft bracket 27 through a pin 34 and a bush 35. The shaft rotary gear 31 rotationally meshes with the intermediate shaft rotary gear 33 and transmits the rotary drive to the intermediate shaft rotary gear 33.

[0039] Now by referring to FIG.6, which is a cross-section view of the device, a secondary rotary drive arrangement is described. The secondary rotary drive arrangement is connected to the intermediate shaft rotary gear 33 and includes a mount gear 36. The mount gear 36 is preferably cylindrical in shape having a teeth profile on its one end. A fixed worm 37 is permitted to pass through the mount gear 36 and connected to the shaft bracket 27 along with a mounting component such as a bush 38 and a lock nut 39, as shown in FIG.5. The mount gear 36 is abutted to the intermediate shaft rotary gear 33 to receive the rotary drive from the driving element 22.

[0040] The rotatable and movable wrapping member 25 further includes a rotatable hollow picker 40 that is connected to the mount gear 36 as shown in FIGs.5 and 6. The hollow picker 40 is defined by a relatively smaller hollow cylindrical portion 41,which extends into a two-walled hollow structure 42 formed by the formation of two retaining walls 43 and 44. The retaining walls 43 and 44 are separated in space and the intervening space is used to house the gearing arrangement of the rotatable hollow picker 40, as shown in FIG.8. The rotatable hollow picker 40 rotates and possesses the reciprocal rotary motions as received from the intermediate shaft rotary gear 33 through the mount gear 36.

[0041] A hollow-picker gear arrangement 45as shown in FIG.8 is arranged between the retaining walls 43 and 44. The hollow-picker gear arrangement 45 includes first and second gears with a suitable teeth-profile and gear ratios that are meshed with each other in a planetary-gear arrangement. The first gear is rotatably abutted to the teeth profile of the fixed worm 37 on one side and to the second gear on the other side.

[0042] The retainer walls 43 and 44as shown in FIG. 8 are extended further from the hollow-picker gear arrangement 45 and with gradually tapering of its cross section. One surface of the tapered-portion of the hollow picker 40 is covered with a longitudinal belt cover 46 and while the other surface is left open, thereby rendering the tip of the hollow-picker 40 with a half-open construction. The reduced cross-sectional area of the rotatable and movable wrapping member 25 facilitates an effective advancement of the collected material into the housing member 10.

[0043] A movable material-transporter 47 as shown in FIGs.6 and 8 is connected to the second gear of the hollow-picker gear arrangement 45 and arranged to extend through the tapered portion of the hollow picker 40 and connected to a pulley or a small gear 51. One surface of the movable material-transporter 47 is exposed since only one end of the tapered portion of the hollow picker 40 is closed. The exposed surface of the movable material-transporter 47 is provided with a rough surface profile to facilitate gripping of the collected material. The rotation of the cylindrical portion 41 of the hollow picker 40 with a fixed worm 37causes the rotation of the first and second gears of the hollow picker gear arrangement 45, further causing the rotation of the movable material-transporter 47, which is connected to the gears of the hollow picker gear arrangement 45 and the small gear 51. The movable material-transporter 47 can be a conveyor belt or any other conveyor systems such as miniaturized pallet conveyor, conveyor chain, rope etc.

[0044] In yet another exemplary aspect of the present invention as shown in FIG.7 the primary and secondary drive arrangements are connected by means of a timing belt 48, in which the drive from the primary drive arrangement is transmitted to the secondary drive arrangement through the timing belt 48.

[0045] In another exemplary aspect of the present invention as shown in FIG.10, a flexible protrusion 49 is arranged on the movable material-transporter 47, to facilitate the transporting of the material.

[0046] Now referring to FIG.9, the rotational aspects of the rotatable and movable wrapping member 25 are described. The first gear of the hollow-picker gear arrangement 45 that is meshed with intermediate shaft rotary gear 33 receives the rotary drive and rotates the rotatable and movable wrapping member 25, resulting rotation of the first and second gears. Since, the first and second gears are meshed with the fixed worm 37 these gears not only rotate about the axis of the fixed worm 37 along with the rotation of the rotatable and movable wrapping member 25 but also rotate on their own axes, causing the longitudinal movement of the wrapped material to the movable material-transporter 47.

[0047] In another exemplary aspect of the present invention as shown in FIGs.10 & 11, the rotatable and movable wrapping member 25, is driven by the secondary rotary drive arrangement, in which a bevel gear is employed to receive the rotary drive from the intermediate shaft rotary gear 33 and rotates along with the rotatable and movable wrapping member 25 as shown in FIGs.10 & 11. Whereas, the first and second gears that are connected to the bevel gear rotates in opposing directions that imparts longitudinal motion to the movable material-transporter 47.

[0048] In another aspect of the present invention as shown in FIG.12, plurality of rotatable and movable wrapping members 25 are connected to the shaft-housing member 26, in an exemplary manner. In this arrangement, a horizontal bar 50 is connected to the shaft bracket 26. The horizontal bar 50 is positioned perpendicular to the shaft-housing member 25. Shaft brackets 26 with primary and secondary drive arrangements, are connected to the horizontal bar 50 as shown in FIG.12. Rotatable and movable wrapping members 25 are connected to the shaft brackets 26 and are arranged parallel to each other. This arrangement is employed to simultaneously collect the material for a plant-based source of from a non-plant based source such as from any surface or storage containers. The total number of rotatable and movable wrapping members 25 as shown in this embodiment can be suitably varied based on the end user requirements.

[0049] The functional aspects of the device for wrapping and collection of fibrous material are now described. When a user employs the device of the present invention for the collection of selected soft fibrous material, for instance the seed cotton from cotton plants, the device is actuated while placing it in proximity to the cotton bolls. The driving element rotates causing the rotatable shaft to rotate on its axis. The rotary drive is further transmitted to the primary drive gear arrangement causing the associated gears to rotate. The rotary drive is further transmitted to the secondary gear arrangement that is connected to the rotatable and movable wrapping member. While the rotatable and movable wrapping member rotates and secondary gear arrangement rotates on the fixed worm causing the longitudinal movement of the material-transporter. Thus rotatable and movable wrapping member, which rotates at a high speed, generates a centrifugal force and wraps the seed cotton onto itself in rapid manner. While doing so the rotatable and movable wrapping member only picks the seed cotton and leaves behind other undesirable materials of the plant that are naturally connected to the seed cotton. Once the cotton is wrapped on to the rotatable and movable wrapping member, the movable material-transporter picks up the collected material and transports the same in a longitudinal direction into the receiving portion of the housing member in a concurrent manner. In other words, the wrapping and collection operations are performed simultaneously. Once the material is received in the receiving portion it passes through the material blockers and reaches the storage portion of the housing member. The material blockers block the reverse flow of the collected material back into the receiving portion. The stored material is released from the housing member by operating the trigger to open the releasing portion.

[0050] In the present invention, the device for wrapping and collection of fibrous material is shown for wrapping and collecting fibrous materials such as cotton. However, it is understood here that this device can be suitably adapted for use in collecting fibrous materials such as shredded fabric, wool, hair, and husk.

[0051] It will thus be seen that the embodiments as set forth above, are efficiently attained and since certain changes may be made in carrying out the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

[0052] It is also understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which as a matter of language might be said to fall there between.

We claim:
1. A device for collection of a soft fibrous material from a source, comprising:
a hollow housing member including receiving, storing and releasing portions for
the material;
a forearm holder and a hand gripper connected to the housing;
a driving element connected to the housing member; and

at least a rotatable and movable wrapping member, functionally connected to the driving element, the rotatable and movable wrapping member disposed to pick up the material in rotary motions from the source and transmit the material linearly into the housing member.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiving portion of the housing member is disposed at an inclined angle to the storing portion.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the releasing portion is disposed at the bottom surface or at the distal end of the of the storage portion of the housing member, preferably at the bottom surface of the storage portion and operable by a trigger.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving element is a variable speed rotary-drive device, preferably a motor.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein plurality of one-way material-blockers disposed in the receiving portion.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotatable and movable wrapping member is an elongated hollow structure, preferably with a tapered profile.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein plurality of rotatable and movable wrapping members functionally connected to the driving element.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotatable and movable wrapping member comprising:

a shaft-housing member with a rotatable shaft and a primary rotary drive arrangement, operably connected to the driving element;

a rotatable hollow-picker with a secondary rotary drive arrangement functionally connected to the primary rotary drive arrangement on one side and longitudinally extend towards the receiving portion of the housing member; and

a movable material-transporter, arranged in the rotatable hollow-picker and operably connected to the secondary rotary drive arrangement.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the primary rotary drive arrangement includes planetary gears, bevel gear, timing belt or a combination thereof.

10. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the secondary rotary drive arrangement includes a worm gear connected to planetary gears.

11. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the material-transporter is disposed to move along the longitudinal axis of the rotatable and movable wrapping member.

12. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein only one surface of the material-transporter is exposed to the material.

13. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein plurality of protrusions arranged on the exposed surface of the movable material-transporter, preferably flexible protrusions.

14. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the exposed surface of the movable material-transporter is rough.