System and method for forming a garland

Abstract

Systems and methods for forming a garland from garland components such as flowers and greenery, where a core rope is retained against a drive roller at a first position, and a rotating cross member supports a spool of binding thread. The rotating cross member rotates the spool around the core rope to wind the binding thread around the core rope to secure one of the garland components against the core rope, and the drive roller then displaces the core rope to a second position to enable the binding thread to secure another of the garland components against the core rope adjacent the first garland component, forming the garland.

1 . A system for forming a garland from a plurality of garland components, the system comprising:
 a drive roller;   a core rope retained against the drive roller at a first position;   a rotating cross member;   at least one spool supported by the rotating cross member, the at least one spool for supplying binding thread;   the rotating cross member configured to rotate the at least one spool around the core rope, thereby winding the binding thread around the core rope to secure one of the plurality of garland components against the core rope; and   the drive roller configured to displace the core rope to a second position axially spaced from the first position to enable the rotating cross member to rotate the at least one spool around the core rope to wind the binding thread around the core rope to secure another of the plurality of garland components against the core rope adjacent the one of the plurality of garland components, thereby forming the garland.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a first motor to power the drive roller to displace the core rope; and 
 a second motor to power the rotating cross member. 
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising an actuator configured to actuate the first motor and the second motor. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the actuator comprises a foot pedal switch in communication with the first motor and the second motor. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the first motor is a stepper motor directly coupled to the drive roller. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the second motor is a stepper motor. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the actuator comprises a user input device and a controller,
 the user input device configured to allow a user to input garland component type (defining core rope feed length between adjacent garland components and spool rotation degrees) and desired garland length, and 
 the controller configured to instruct the first motor and the second motor. 
 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the rotating cross member supports two spools, the two spools supported at opposite ends of the rotating cross member to simultaneously wind discrete lengths of the binding thread around the core rope. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of garland components are selected from the group consisting of flowers, greenery and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a pressure roller adjacent the drive roller, wherein the core rope is retained under pressure between the drive roller and the pressure roller. 
     
     
         11 . A method for forming a garland from a plurality of garland components, the method comprising the steps of:
 a. positioning a core rope at a first location;   b. retaining the core rope against a drive roller;   C. providing at least one spool for supplying binding thread;   d. positioning one of the plurality of garland components against the core rope;   e. rotating the at least one spool around the core rope, thereby winding the binding thread around the core rope to secure the one of the plurality of garland components against the core rope;   f. displacing the core rope to a second position axially spaced from the first position using the drive roller;   g. positioning a second of the plurality of garland components against the core rope adjacent the one of the plurality of garland components; and   h. rotating the at least one spool around the core rope, thereby winding the binding thread around the core rope to secure the second of the plurality of garland components against the core rope, thereby forming the garland.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the plurality of garland components are selected from the group consisting of flowers, greenery and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the at least one spool is supported on a rotating cross arm for rotation around the core rope. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the at least one spool is two spools, the two spools supported at opposite ends of the rotating cross member to simultaneously wind discrete lengths of the binding thread around the core rope. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising repeating steps f to h until a desired garland length is achieved. 
     
     
         16 . A system for forming a garland from a plurality of garland components, the system comprising:
 a drive roller powered by a first motor;   a core rope retained against the drive roller at a first position;   a rotating cross member powered by a second motor;   an actuator configured to actuate the first motor and the second motor;   at least one spool supported by the rotating cross member, the at least one spool for supplying binding thread;   the rotating cross member configured to rotate the at least one spool around the core rope, thereby winding the binding thread around the core rope to secure one of the plurality of garland components against the core rope; and   the drive roller configured to displace the core rope to a second position axially spaced from the first position to enable the rotating cross member to rotate the at least one spool around the core rope to wind the binding thread around the core rope to secure another of the plurality of garland components against the core rope adjacent the one of the plurality of garland components, thereby forming the garland.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the actuator comprises a foot pedal switch operable to activate and deactivate the first motor and the second motor. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the actuator comprises a user input device and a controller,
 the user input device configured to allow a user to input garland component type (defining core rope feed length between adjacent garland components and spool rotation degrees) and desired garland length, and 
 the controller configured to instruct the first motor and the second motor. 
 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16  further comprising a pressure roller adjacent the drive roller, wherein the core rope is retained under pressure between the drive roller and the pressure roller. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16  operable in a single cycle mode wherein activation of the actuator rotates the at least one spool around the core rope, thereby winding the binding thread around the core rope to secure the one of the plurality of garland components against the core rope, and displaces the core rope to the second position. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16  operable in a repeating cycle mode wherein activation of the actuator repeats the cycle of rotating the at least one spool around the core rope and displacing the core rope.