System and method for aligning material onto a guide roll

Abstract

A variable acoustic absorption banner roller system is provided, including a frame assembly having a first and second end, and a top and bottom end; a guide roller for storing a multi-panel banner, the guide roller located toward the top end of the frame assembly, rotatably attached to, and extending from the first to the second end of the frame assembly; a fabric compression roller for pressing the multi-panel banner together prior to being furled onto the guide roller; first and second alignment rollers for aligning the multi-panel fabric banner during deployment and furling; and a closure panel assembly having a bottom roller for rotatably engaging the multi-panel fabric banner during deployment and furling.

1 . A variable acoustic absorption banner roller system, comprising:
 a frame assembly having a first end and a second end, and a top end and a bottom end;   a guide roller for storing a multi-panel fabric banner, the guide roller located toward the top end of the frame assembly, and being rotatably attached to, and extending from the first end to the second end of, the frame assembly;   alignment rollers for aligning the multi-panel fabric banner during deployment and furling, the alignment rollers being rotatably attached to, and extending in a parallel plane from, the first end to the second end of, the frame assembly, and positioned at a location spaced below an axis of elongation of the guide roller; and   a closure panel assembly having a bottom roller for rotatably engaging the multi-panel fabric banner during deployment and furling.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the guide roller is motorized. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric is between 26″ inches and 60″ inches wide. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the fabric is between 4′ feet and 24′ feet long. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the banner fabric is a porous wool material having a rough surface texture. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising a fabric compression roller for pressing the multi-panel fabric banner together prior to being furled onto the guide roller, the fabric compression roller being offset from and spaced below an axis of elongation of the guide roller, and above the alignment rollers, the fabric compression roller being rotatably attached to, and extending from, the first end to the second end of, the frame assembly, and wherein the alignment rollers are positioned in different planes. 
     
     
         7 . A variable acoustic absorption banner roller system, comprising:
 a frame assembly having a first end and a second end, and a top end and a bottom end;   a guide roller for storing a multi-panel fabric banner, the guide roller located toward the top end of the frame assembly, and being rotatably attached to, and extending from, the first end to the second end of, the frame assembly;   a fabric compression roller for pressing the multi-panel fabric banner together prior to being furled onto the guide roller, the fabric compression roller being offset from and spaced below an axis of elongation of the guide roller, the fabric compression roller being rotatably attached to, and extending from, the first end to the second end of, the frame assembly;   first and second alignment rollers for aligning the multi-panel fabric banner during deployment and furling, the alignment rollers being rotatably attached to, and extending from the first end to the second end of, the frame assembly, and spaced below an axis of elongation of the fabric compression roller; and   a closure panel assembly having a bottom roller for rotatably engaging the multi-panel fabric banner during deployment and furling.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the guide roller is motorized. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the fabric is between 26″ inches and 60 inches wide. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the fabric is between 4 feet and 24 feet long. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the fabric is a porous wool material having a rough surface texture. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the frame assembly is encased in a housing. 
     
     
         13 . A method for aligning a multi-panel variable acoustic absorption banner, comprising:
 providing a variable acoustic absorption banner roller system as described in  claim 7  hereinabove;   activating the guide roller to begin furling a multi-panel variable acoustic absorption banner;   compressing the multi-panel variable acoustic absorption banner prior to encountering the guide roller;   whereby compressing the multi-panel variable acoustic absorption banner causes the panels to self-align and precisely position onto the guide roller.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising aligning the multi-panel variable acoustic absorption banner prior to encountering the fabric compression roller. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the multi-panel variable acoustic absorption banner has sufficient weight and porosity, whereby the surface texture is rough enough to substantially minimize lateral movement during furling after being compressed.