Method of wrapping a bundle of fiber

• US 5,802,814 A
• Filed: 08/10/1995
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nissho Corporation (Nitto Denko Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nissho Corporation (Nitto Denko Corporation)
• Inventors: Sano, Kazuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorski, Joseph M.
• Application Number:
  US08/513,635
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 53/438, 53/529, 53/473, 53/236, 53/255, 29/418, 29/419.1, 29/424, 29/433, 29/452, 29/458, 29/890.032, 264/229, 264/DIG. 75
• US Class Current: 53/438
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/021 Manufacturing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/0231 using supporting structures, e.g. filaments for weaving mats
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/58 helically
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/18 using tubular layers or sheathings B29C63/26 and B29C63/38 take precedence; placing tubular labels around rigid containers B65C3/065
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/062 the heat-exchange apparatus employing tubular conduits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49353 Heat pipe device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49801 Shaping fiber or fibered material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49874 Prestressing rod, filament or strand

Abstract

A fiber bundle is wrapped with a tape by helically and entirely winding the tape around the bundle, while applying a constant longitudinal tension to the bundle; and thereafter unwinding and removing the tape from its last turn to gradually expose the bundle towards its basal end, while inserting the exposed portion of the bundle gradually into a cylindrical protector. The method keeps constant the outer diameter of the bundle by adjusting the tape tension, even if the bundles are composed of varied numbers of fibers in one protector, so that a wider use of the protector is realized. In the method, the wrapping operation does not produce any damaged fibers from which a fluid such as blood leaks in a hollow fiber apparatus, and no later adjustment is necessary for the wrapped bundles, thus improving the production efficiency.

Claims

1. A method of packing a bundle of fiber comprising the steps of:

providing a bundle of fiber;

applying a predetermined tension to the bundle longitudinally thereof and at opposite ends of the bundle;

then wrapping a tape helically around the bundle and from one of the opposite ends towards the other end so that the tape covers the bundle almost entirely, while maintaining the tension applied thereto; and

finally unwinding the tape off the bundle thereby exposing the bundle gradually from the other end towards the one end, while inserting the thus exposed portion of the bundle gradually into a cylindrical protector, thereby filling the bundle into the cylindrical protector.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of providing a taping unit comprising a rotary and annular head, a reel of tape, and a torque motor connecting the reel to the annular head, and wherein:

said wrapping step includes surrounding the bundle with the annular head, and causing the annular head to traverse the bundle in a first direction while spinning thereabout in a second direction, such that the tape unwinds from the reel and wraps the bundle helically while the motor regulates the tension of the tape; and

said unwinding step includes surrounding the bundle with the annular head, and causing the annular head to traverse the bundle in a third direction opposite the first direction while spinning thereabout in a fourth direction opposite the second direction, such that the tape unwinds from the bundle while the motor regulates the tension of the tape.