Expandable Shaft For Winding/Unwinding Machines

Abstract

An expandable shaft for winding/unwinding machines is provided and includes a shaft body defining a shaft cavity and having a shaft first end, a shaft second end and a shaft body outer surface having a plurality of body openings which communicate the shaft body outer surface with the shaft cavity, a gripping structure, wherein the gripping structure is located within the shaft cavity and aligned with the plurality of body openings and a plunger having a plunger body. The plunger body includes a plunger outer surface having a plurality of peaks and valleys, wherein the plunger is configurable between a first configuration and a second configuration. When in the first configuration the plurality of valleys are aligned with the gripping structure and when in the second configuration the plurality of peaks are aligned with the gripping structure where the gripping structure is protruding from the plurality of body openings.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An expandable shaft for winding/unwinding machines, the expandable comprising:
 a shaft body, wherein the shaft body defines a shaft cavity and includes a shaft first end, a shaft second end and a shaft body outer surface having a plurality of body openings which communicate the shaft body outer surface with the shaft cavity;   a gripping structure, wherein the gripping structure is located within the shaft cavity to be aligned with the plurality of body openings; and   a plunger having a plunger body, wherein the plunger body includes a plunger outer surface having a plurality of peaks and valleys, wherein the plunger is configurable between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein when in the first configuration the plurality of valleys are aligned with the gripping structure and when in the second configuration the plurality of peaks are aligned with the gripping structure such that the gripping structure is protruding from the plurality of body openings.   
     
     
         2 . The expandable shaft of  claim 1 , further comprising a roll of material, wherein the roll of material includes roll inner structure and wherein when the gripping structure is protruding from the plurality of body openings, the gripping structure is contacting the roll inner structure. 
     
     
         3 . The expandable shaft of  claim 1 , wherein the plunger includes a plunger first end, a plunger second end and a plunger axis extending from the plunger first end to the plunger second end, and wherein the plunger is movably associated with the shaft body to be controllably configurable along the plunger axis between the first configuration and the second configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The expandable shaft of  claim 3 , further comprising a first handle and a second handle, wherein the first handle is non-movably associated with one end of the shaft body and wherein the second handle is non-movably associated with plunger second end such that the first and second handle extend out of the shaft first end and shaft second end. 
     
     
         5 . The expandable shaft of  claim 1 , further comprising an air chamber located proximate the plunger first end and associated with the plunger first end, wherein the air chamber is configured to cause the plunger to be configured between the first configuration and the second configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The expandable shaft of  claim 5 , further comprising a biasing member located proximate the shaft second end, wherein when the plunger is in the first configuration, the plunger is located within the shaft cavity such that the plurality of valleys are aligned with the plurality of body openings and the gripping structure. 
     
     
         7 . The expandable shaft of  claim 6 , wherein when the plunger is in the first configuration, the plunger is located within the shaft cavity such that the plurality of valleys are aligned with the plurality of body openings and the gripping structure. 
     
     
         8 . The expandable shaft of  claim 6 , wherein when the plunger is in the second configuration, the plunger is located within the shaft cavity such that the plurality of peaks are aligned with the plurality of body openings and the gripping structure. 
     
     
         9 . The expandable shaft of  claim 1 , wherein the gripping structure is a plurality of gripping pins and wherein the plurality of gripping pins are located to be aligned with the plurality of body openings. 
     
     
         10 . The expandable shaft of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one gripper pin retainer, wherein the at least one gripper pin retainer is configured to associate the plurality of gripping pins together. 
     
     
         11 . An expandable shaft for winding/unwinding machines, the expandable comprising:
 a shaft body, wherein the shaft body defines a shaft cavity and includes a shaft first end, a shaft second end and a shaft body outer surface having a plurality of body openings which communicate the shaft body outer surface with the shaft cavity;   a plurality of gripping pins, wherein the plurality of gripping pins are located within the shaft cavity to be aligned with the plurality of body openings; and   a plunger having a plunger outer surface with a plurality of peaks and valleys, wherein the plunger is configurable between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein when in the first configuration, the plunger causes the plurality of gripping pins to protrude from the plurality of body openings and when in the second configuration the plurality of gripping pins are retracted into the plurality of body openings.   
     
     
         12 . The expandable shaft of  claim 11 , wherein when in the first configuration the plurality of valleys are aligned with the plurality of gripping pins such that the plurality of gripping pins are retracted into the plurality of body openings and when in the second configuration the plurality of peaks are aligned with the plurality of gripping pins such that the plurality of gripping pins are protruding from the plurality of body openings. 
     
     
         13 . The expandable shaft of  claim 11 , further comprising a roll of material, wherein the roll of material includes roll inner structure and wherein when the plurality of gripping pins are protruding from the plurality of body openings, the plurality of gripping pins are contacting the roll inner structure. 
     
     
         14 . The expandable shaft of  claim 11 , wherein the plunger includes a plunger first end, a plunger second end and a plunger axis extending from the plunger first end to the plunger second end, and wherein the plunger is movably associated with the shaft body to be controllably configurable along the plunger axis between the first configuration and the second configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The expandable shaft of  claim 14 , further comprising a first handle and a second handle, wherein the first handle is non-movably associated with one end of the shaft body and wherein the second handle is non-movably associated with plunger second end such that the first and second handle extend out of the shaft first end and shaft second end. 
     
     
         16 . The expandable shaft of  claim 11 , further comprising an air chamber located proximate the plunger first end and associated with the plunger first end such that when the air chamber includes a predetermine air pressure, the air chamber is configured to cause the plunger to be configured between the first configuration and the second configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The expandable shaft of  claim 16 , further comprising a biasing member located proximate the shaft second end, wherein when the plunger is in the first configuration, the plunger is located within the shaft cavity such that the plurality of valleys are aligned with the plurality of body openings and the plurality of gripping pins.