DE2742260A1 - FOLDING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A HARMONIC-FOLDED FILM PACK - Google Patents

Description

Folding device and method for producing an accordion-like folded foil pack

(Addition to patent application P 22 54

dated November 9, 1972)

The invention relates to a method and a device for producing film packs, in particular plastic film packs, whereby the foil is folded like an accordion.

The term "film" used includes, in addition to film webs, folded or tubular films and also FaIt or Tubular films that are slit in the longitudinal direction.

A folding device for the concertina-like folding of a length of film to produce a pack is characterized by a frame having an inlet for the film to be folded and an outlet for the folded film;

Means for conveying the film from the inlet to the outlet via a folding station in the area of the outlet;

provided in the area of the outlet conveyor, which stand still during the folding process to provide a basis for to form the pack and which come into action at the end of the folding process in order to remove the finished pack from the Remove outlet;

at least two groups of blowing flow organs that blow pressurized gas onto the film in order to produce successive Alternate folds in this support, taking each side of the film path one at a time a group of blowing flow organs is arranged, so that during operation the one group on the first film

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surface and the second group comes into action on the second film surface and

by two assigned to the two groups of blower flow organs Rows of movable folding feet on both sides of the foil v / eges, the zv / ischen a retracted rest position and a position in which they - once under the influence of the on the first film surface acting group of blower flow organs a fold has been initiated in the film - the folding complete with that row of feet which is opposite the blower organs causing the folds, with the feet pressing down the second sheet surface, whereupon the one completing the respective fold The second row of feet immediately returns to their resting position and the other group of the blowing flow organs acts on the second film surface to initiate the next fold by gas pressure, which fold thereby it is completed that the other row of feet is pivoted from its rest position to its working position in which they press down on the first film surface, the sequence of steps depending on on the length of the foil to be folded and the number of in this length to form an accordion-like shape folded foil pack to be attached folds is repeated several times.

In an expedient development of the invention, a method is characterized in that a film that to a series of consecutive lengths of film

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formed packs to be folded like an accordion, is fed to a folding station in which below the influence of pressurized gas flows acting one after the other on the two surfaces of the film and together mechanical acting with the compressed gas on the foil surfaces Pressure means successive folds are formed, each fold being caused thereby is that on a first film surface impinges substantially transversely to this surface compressed gas, the at least partially introduces a fold wrap in the surface and then mechanical pressure means the second film surface press down to complete the fold, and then pressurized gas acts on the second film surface, in order to at least partially initiate the next following fold in the film, that of the first film surface acting mechanical pressure means is completed and the next fold in the first film surface by Pressurized gas is introduced etc. in the same inferences until the required number of folds in a predetermined Film length has been formed, after which the film feed is interrupted, the film in front of the folding station separated and the concertina-like folded pack is removed.

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The frame can be at right angles to the plane of the film be able to move back and forth along the trending path to assist the initiation of each fold by pressure that of the pressurized gas flow acting against each of the foil surfaces is exerted on the foil and to complete the folding by immediate subsequent action to favor the set of feet opposite the group of blown organs that fold on the opposite Slide side has initiated. In this way, the group of blower organs that is in each single step acts on a foil surface, brought closer to this surface by the frame that moves back and forth, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the blown compressed gas streams impinging on the film, and instantly after that, the row of feet is on the opposite side of the slide by the opposite movement brought closer to the frame of the film surface in question, and there is a favorable influence on the Completion of the folding process initiated by the compressed gas. However, the framework is to prevent additional moving parts that could lead to maintenance problems, preferably not movable back and forth intended.

The folding device usually belongs to a folding machine, the means for feeding the film to be folded to the inlet of the device and conveying means for Removing each package of folded material after completing a full series of folding operations. The machine also includes means for severing each length of film fed to the folding station so that the Pack can be removed from the device by the conveyor, which is actuated after completion of the folding.

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The only figure shows a very schematic vertical Section of an embodiment of the packaging machine according to the invention for plastic films.

The machine shown consists essentially of a main folding frame 6, above which a loading frame 5 is located. The main folding frame 6 includes a Conveyor 11 which has two functions, namely a base on which the package is stacked and carries out the removal of the finished pack.

The loading frame 5 is arranged so that he is at a small distance above the feet 7 when they have assumed their vertical position, whereby the Length of the piece of filament that is free at the end of each pack falls down, gets shorter.

The film is folded on the conveyor 11, which stands still during the folding process. The sponsor is for relief a better structure of the pack either entirely or partially spring-loaded. The sponsor brings the finished pack to a fluid conveyor table lo.

In the loading frame 5 are two horizontal pairs of rollers 1.2 stored. They lie one on top of the other so that their nips are aligned with each other in a vertical direction, and a guide 4 is located between the two roller pairs. The guide 4 has two opposite one another Plates 13, 14, through the space between which the film to be folded passes. A horizontally movable knife passes through a slot 15 in the plate 14 and protrudes through this slot during the separation process 15 into a channel 16 in the opposite plate 13

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On two opposite sides of the frame 6 there are two horizontally running air lines 9 » each with a set of inward-facing outlets 24 are provided, which are designed or arranged so that compressed air emerging from the lines 9 in Direction of the dashed lines 17 and 18 flows downwards. For the sake of clarity, neither is the loading the lines 9, still drawn the compressed air source.

Two opposing sets of feet 7 are hinged at 19 to the frame 6 so that they face each other on either side of the frame. The feet 7 are designed curved at 2ο, so that in their upper rest position indicated by a solid line, the outer end of each foot is aligned vertically. The feet 7 can pivot downward in the direction of the arrows 22 so that their outer ends 21 lie horizontally according to the dashed outlines 8 of the feet J.

The functioning of the machine described is shown below explained:

A plastic film to be folded 12 is vertically in the Roll nip inserted between the upper feed rollers 1 and passes through the nip of the lower roller pair 2 into the inlet 25 of the frame 6.

When the film reaches the folding station 23 and a metered Film length has been fed, hits a gas jet from the outlets 24 of the right tube 9 across and something directed downwards on the right surface of the film 12, as the arrow 18 indicates.

The air stream 18 directs the end of the film, which is now continuous is fed against the left side of the frame,

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where at the same time the left feet 7 are operated by separate control so that the ends 21 of the Press feet 7 onto the film, thereby enclosing it between them and the conveyor 11. Just before the take your left foot in their lower position, the air flow 18 is interrupted. The film is fed further, and then the opposing air stream 17 directed from the left tube 9 to the opposite left surface of the film 12 to make the next fold initiate. The beginning of the upward pivoting of the left feet 7 is immediately followed by the downward movement of the right feet 7, the air flow I7 being interrupted shortly before the right feet 7 assumed their lower position to have. The process is repeated until the required number of folds in the predetermined Foil length is formed.

When the desired length of film is passed between the upper pair of rollers 1 and over the knife> has been advanced, the roller pairs 1 and 2 interrupt the film feed, the knife guide 4 closes and that Knife is operated to cut the film. When the roller pairs stand still, so does the operation of the arms and the gas flows are interrupted and not reintroduced until the separation is complete is. After the separation is complete, the guide 4 opens again and the roller pairs 1 and 2 run as long as until the end of the film is free from the lower pair of rollers 2, but not so far that the beginning of the film next pack interferes with the final folding or the removal of the first pack.

The upper end of the first film therefore falls into the folding zone 23, where the feet continue to work for a short period of time, after which both the left and the right

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Feet remain in their lower positions to secure the pack as a whole. The two pairs of feet will then pivoted to its upper position, and the conveyor 11 runs long enough to move the package onto the fluid conveyor table Bring Io. As soon as the conveyance has ended, or to reduce the idle breaks of the roller pairs 1 and 2, preferably earlier, these roller pairs begin to draw in the film again, and as soon as the required for the start Initial length is fed, the entire cycle is repeated.

The pack, which can weigh up to 100 kg, can be easily handled on the fluid conveyor table Io. It has been found that the machine according to the invention can produce very wide films (3.96 m film or completely folded, slit film up to 15.8 m) at 18 m / min. folded to make a package of each predetermined length of film. The pack is much easier for the user to open than conventional core rolls, and a further advantage results from the space saving by omitting the conventional core.

The machine described above is normally directly connected to an extruder device for film production connected, and the feed to the first pair of rollers can be done directly from the extrusion tool.

In this case it is necessary to be above the upper pair of rollers 1 to provide a collecting device so that the film still produced by the extruder device during the period of time in which the feed rollers to the folding device are stopped. Preferably some kind of speed control of the folder should be included in the gathering device, so that the saved film can be automatically removed from the folding device before the next pack

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is done.

It is also desirable that the feed cycle and air currents correspond to the feed rate of the film in the folding device is adapted so that the width of the package is constant during each speed change remain. The working frequency of the feet and the air flow can of course be changed independently to have a different one To maintain the pack width, however, the setting changes with the infeed to the set one Maintain packing width.

It is also possible to assign a supply film roll to the machine. In this case, the slide is straight from the Supply roll introduced into the gap of the first pair of rollers 1.

The device described has several advantages. Since the film is stopped during the cutting process, must the actual cutting speed will not be great, thus preventing unnecessary wear and tear The separating cut runs at right angles to the edge of the film. The beginning of each pack is identical, which means that good and uniform appearance of each pack is favored. As the folding station in allowing the upward movement the feet is placed as close as possible to the feed rollers, this is the case with every separating cut the rear end of each pack is quite short, which also improves the appearance of the pack. The elastic stored conveyor also contributes to the formation of the pack. The relatively small number of moveable Sharing has a beneficial effect on the reliability of the machine.

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Claims (2)

Expectations 1. Folding device for concertina-like folding of a length of film to produce a film pack (addition zi; Patent application P 22 54 713.3 from November 9, 1972), characterized by a frame (6) with an inlet (25) for the film to be folded (12) and an outlet for the folded film; Means (1; 2) for conveying the film (2) from the inlet to the outlet via a folding station in the area of the outlet; conveyor means (11) provided in the area of the outlet, which stand still during the folding process, around a base to form the pack and which come into action at the end of the folding process to create the finished pack convey away from the outlet; at least two groups of blower organs (9) which blow pressurized gas onto the film in order to produce successive to support alternating folds in this, taking on each side of the film path respectively g 0 9 8 1 7/0837 '- ί 2Tl /' k-ira ■) T: ■ -: · D-, m _f , ul nl Cologne a group of blower organs is arranged so that during operation one group on the first film surface and the second group on the second film surface comes into effect and by two assigned to the two groups of blow stream organs Rows of movable folding feet (7) on both sides of the film path between a retracted rest position and a position in which they - once under the influence of the on the first film surface acting group of blower flow organs a fold has been initiated in the film - the folding complete with that row of feet which is opposite the blower organs causing the folds, with the feet pressing down the second sheet surface, whereupon the one completing the respective fold The second row of feet immediately returns to their resting position and the other group of the blowing flow organs acts on the second film surface to initiate the next fold by gas pressure, which fold thereby it is completed that the other row of feet is pivoted from its rest position to its working position in which they press down on the first film surface, the sequence of steps depending on on the length of the foil to be folded and the number of in this length to form an accordion-like shape folded foil pack to be attached folds is repeated several times. 2. A method for the production of film packs, characterized in that a Foil which is folded like an accordion into a series of packs formed from successive lengths of foil is to be fed to a folding station in which, under the influence of successively on the two 809817/0 & 37 27A2260 Areas of the film acting pressurized gas streams and acting together with the pressurized gas on the film surfaces mechanical pressure means successive folds are formed, each fold being caused thereby is that on a first sheet surface substantially transversely to this surface impinges compressed gas, the at least partially introduces a fold wrap in the surface and then mechanical pressure means the second film surface press down to complete the fold, and then pressurized gas acts on the second film surface, by at least partially the next following fold in the To initiate film, which is completed by mechanical pressure means acting on the first film surface and the next fold in the first film surface is initiated by pressurized gas, etc. in the same sequence until the required number of folds in a predetermined Film length has been formed, after which the film feed is interrupted, the film in front of the folding station separated and the concertina-like folded pack is removed. 809817/0637