Binding tool

Abstract

An automatic tool for distributing, tensioning and severing a binding strap, wherein the includes a pistol-shaped housing, having a barrel portion extending between a distal housing end portion and a proximal housing end portion along a longitudinal axis, and a handle portion extending away from said barrel portion in a direction different to said longitudinal axis; a reel magazine assembly, configured to retainingly receive at least one strap reel and provide for a rotation of the at least one strap reel about a strap reel centre axis, wherein said rotation is directed so as to wind up a strap coiled up onto the at least one strap reel; a feeder mechanism, provided within said barrel portion and configured to receive an end portion of the strap from the at least one strap reel and move the strap in a direction along said longitudinal axis; a locking heads magazine assembly, provided within said barrel portion and configured to store a plurality of locking heads and supply one locking head at the time for use with the strap; a cut-off mechanism, provided within said barrel portion, configured to cut the strap and receive and move said one locking head from said locking heads magazine assembly into a loading position ready for engagement with the strap, and a drive unit, configured to drive said feeder mechanism so as to selectively move the strap towards said distal housing end portion or towards said reel magazine assembly, and actuate said cut-off mechanism at a predetermined condition.

1 . An automatic tool for tensioning and severing a strap, the automatic tool comprising:
 a housing having a barrel portion extending between a distal housing end portion and a proximal housing end portion along a longitudinal axis, and a handle portion extending away from the barrel portion in a direction different to the longitudinal axis;   a reel magazine assembly configured to retainingly receive at least one strap reel and provide a rotation of the at least one strap reel about a strap reel center axis, wherein the rotation is directed so as to wind up a strap coiled up onto the at least one strap reel;   a feeder mechanism in the barrel portion and configured to receive an end portion of the strap from the at least one strap reel and move the strap in a direction along the longitudinal axis;   a locking heads magazine assembly in the barrel portion and configured to store a plurality of locking heads and supply one locking head at the time for use with the strap;   a cut-off mechanism in the barrel portion and configured to cut the strap and receive and move the one locking head from the locking heads magazine assembly into a loading position ready for engagement with the strap; and   a drive unit configured to drive the feeder mechanism so as to selectively move the strap towards the distal housing end portion or towards the reel magazine assembly, and actuate the cut-off mechanism at a predetermined condition.   
     
     
         2 . The automatic tool of  claim 1 , wherein the drive unit includes at least one first electric motor, a switch unit, a tension selector unit configured to provide a reference parameter indicative of a desired maximum tension of the strap, and a controller operatively coupled to any one of the at least one first electric motor, the switch unit and the tension selector unit. 
     
     
         3 . The automatic tool of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to receive signals from the switch unit and the tension selector unit and control said feeder mechanism and the cut-off mechanism. 
     
     
         4 . The automatic tool of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to monitor a predetermined performance parameter of the at least one first motor that is indicative of an existing tension in the strap, and compare said predetermined performance parameter to the reference parameter provided by the tension selector unit. 
     
     
         5 . The automatic tool of  claim 4 , wherein the predetermined performance parameter of the at least one first electric motor is an electric current corresponding to the load of the electric motor. 
     
     
         6 . The automatic tool of  claim 4 , which includes a connecting member disposed between the feeder mechanism and the cut-off mechanism, and an extensometer arranged to detect a deformation of the connecting member, the deformation being indicative of the existing tension in the strap, and wherein the controller is configured to monitor a signal received from the extensometer and compare the signal to the reference parameter provided by the tension selector unit. 
     
     
         7 . The automatic tool of  claim 4 , wherein the predetermined condition is met when the existing tension in the strap is greater than or equal to a desired maximum tension defined via the reference parameter of the tension selector unit. 
     
     
         8 . The automatic tool of  claim 2 , wherein the switch unit includes a trigger member configured to affect activation and deactivation of the at least one first electric motor, and a switch member configured to set the drive direction of the at least one first electric motor. 
     
     
         9 . The automatic tool of  claim 2 , wherein the tension selector unit includes a user interface having a display screen and one or more buttons for a user input corresponding to a desired strap tension. 
     
     
         10 . The automatic tool of  claim 2 , which includes at least one RFID reader operatively coupled with the controller and configured to receive information from a corresponding RFID tag. 
     
     
         11 . The automatic tool of  claim 1 , wherein the feeder mechanism includes a first roller and a second roller that are rotatable by the first electric motor, wherein the position of the second roller is biased against the first roller, and wherein the strap is driven by rotation of the first roller and the second roller when fed between the first roller and the second roller. 
     
     
         12 . The automatic tool of  claim 11 , wherein a first roller gear is coupled to the first roller and a second roller gear is coupled to the second roller, the first and second roller gears being driven by the first electric motor to rotate the first and second rollers. 
     
     
         13 . The automatic tool of  claim 1 , wherein the cut-off mechanism includes a blade member slidingly moveable between a first position disengaged from the loaded strap and a second position cuttingly engaged with the loaded strap. 
     
     
         14 . The automatic tool of  claim 13 , wherein the drive unit includes a second electric motor operatively coupled with the controller and configured to acuate the cut-off mechanism at the predetermined condition. 
     
     
         15 . The automatic tool of  claim 14 , wherein the blade member is operably coupled to the second electric motor via a rotating cam member configured to move the blade member between the first position and the second position.