EP0180932B1

EP0180932B1 - Method and apparatus for manufacturing cups made of paper or the like material, particularly for packaging confectionery products

Info

Publication number: EP0180932B1
Application number: EP85113925A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Grazia Ferri-Broveglio
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-11-05
Filing date: 1985-11-04
Publication date: 1988-06-15
Also published as: IT8468099A0; DE3563327D1; IT1180108B; EP0180932A1; IT8468099A1

Description

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing cups made of pleated paper or the like material commonly called cuppets, for packaging confectionary or similar products and bearing printed drawings and/or writing, centered with respect to the contour of the cup itself.
The above cups or cuppets are currently manufactured with costly, almost totally manual, work processes, having the following operative phases:-

printing with a typographic or offset system sheets of paper to bear registered, desired drawings and/or writings;
perfectly aligning the margins of the sheets, counting and separation of the same into packs of equal quantity (generally from 12 to 18 sheets);
fixing, by means of lateral gluing or stapling the sheets of each pack;
cutting (where required) with a precision cutter;
shearing of the packs with hydraulic or mechanical presses made by positioning one or more. packs on the working plane of the machine and manually moving the punch to centre with care, the contour that is to be sheared;
feeding of the sheared packs in the multiple punch forming machine which shears and forms from 12 to 18 cups at a time stacking one on the other;
packing of the final product.

It is easily understood that the productivity of such a known work process is greatly reduced, when one considers the labour force needed, which leads to disproportionately high unit costs, excessive of the true value of the product obtained.
A multiple punch forming machine is e.g. known from US-A-1 339 315, which however does not disclose automatic means for mutually aligning printed paper strips nor for centering the printed strips at the multiple punch, so that this known machine has the above indicated probtems. The essential aim of the present invention is that of obviating this inconvenience by realizing a rational method, with high yield, useful in the production of a great quantity of cups at a low unit cost.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the rational accomplishment of the aforesaid method.
To realize this aim and object, and others that will become apparent from the following detailed description, the present invention provides a method for the manufacture of paper cups, commonly called cuppets, as specified, characterized by the following successive operative phases:-

the continuous printing on at least one strip of paper, of a plurality of drawings and/or writings and the formation of perforations in said strip to obtain at least one ribbon of paper bearing said drawings and/or writings adequately spaced and at least one continuous series of perforations;
recoiling of the ribbons thus obtained and placing of a number of coils on the corresponding pivots of a support frame;
coupling of the ribbons of adjacent pairs of coils and their unrolling by means of pairs of entrainment rolls in continuous movement;
stacking a number of pairs of ribbons by means of return roll having teeth corresponding to the perforations of the ribbons, to form a continuous pack of ribbons;
feeding, step by step, said continuous pack of ribbons to an intermittent shearing and forming press by means of a stepped entrainment belt engaging the aligned perforations of the stacked ribbons;
shearing, forming and stacking of produced cups, for every cycle of the press in number equal to the number of the stacked ribbons.

Advantageously the method according to the invention requires that between the entrainment rolls in continuous movement and the toothed wheel for the superimposition of the ribbon, the coupled pairs of ribbons form a loop that prevents incorrect positioning and subsequent tearing of the superimposed ribbons and also constitutes a regulation mechanism of the unwinding organs, in continuous movement, and the stepped entrainment belt.
For the accomplishment of the method defined above the invention provides an apparatus including in sequence:-

a rotogravure or flexographic machine for continuous printing of paper strips, and means for forming therein perforations in correspondence with the printed designs and/or writing;
a recoiling station for recoiling printed and perforated ribbons;
a support and unwinding station for a plurality of coiled ribbons with a corresponding number of entrainment rolls adapted for continuous movement and being disposed in superimposed pairs;
a slowing down station in which the ribbons are coupled, and form loops for the regulation of the feeding; said station including means sensitive to the size of the loops and acting on the entrained rolls to regulate the speed in relation to the sensed loop size;
a superimposing and paced feeding station for superimposing ribbons in step with a return wheel for rolling a number of pairs of superimposed ribbons forming a continuous pack, and at least one continuous belt, having teeth corresponding to the perforations of the superimposed ribbons, fed by rolls, one of which is actuated by a step motor with controlled feeding;
a press with a multiple punch for shearing and forming cups;
means of synchronizing the actuation of said step motor with the intermittent movement of the shearing and forming press.

Further characteristics and advantages will result from the detailed description that follows and with reference to the annexed illustrative, non-limitative drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus for implementing the method according to the invention; and
Figure 2 is a partly sectional side elevation view showing the shearing and forming press and associated step controlled feeding members.

With reference to the cited drawing figures, generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 is a continuous color printing machine of a known type, such as a rotogravure or flexographic printing machine. According to the invention said printing machine 10 includes a roll perforator adapted to form at least one continuous series of perforations F proximately to the edge of a strip of paper N being continuously fed from a roll R for positioning said strip N, in a perfect prefixed position such that the desired designs and/or writing D can be continuously printed thereon. Resultantly, the machine 10 furnishes, in exit, at least one strip of paper N being the drawings D and the series of perforations F. Hereinafter, said strip as printed and perforated, indicated as N, will be referred to as ribbon.
As shown in Figure 1, the designs or drawings D-which may define for example, the outlines of small baskets-are rigorously spaced one from another by an equal spacing or step p and at the same spacing are correspondingly performed, the series of perforation F. Also on the ribbon N are usually preferably printed colored reference notches T used in the control of the printing itself and in the control of the successive work phases.
The prepared ribbon or ribbons are then directed to a recoil station 12 which sequentially winds them on coils B of the desired length. The coils are then mounted on a support and unreeling station 13, expediently made of a metallic stack 14 delimited by supports and cross-bars having, in preferably staggered arrangement, as illustrated in Figure 1, a plurality, expediently consisting of an even number of support pivots adapted for rotatably supporting the coils B of ribbon N to be unrolled. The ribbons N1, N2 of adjacent pairs of coils, lying one over the other, are brought together at a pair of co-operating superimposed entrainment rolls 15 defining continuous,rotational movement in mutually opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows 100 (Figure 1) for entraining therebetween, and advancing the pair of ribbons N1, N2. A plurality of such pairs of entrainment rolls 15 is positioned on the metal frame 14 for the unrolling and entrainment of the corresponding pairs of ribbons as Nl-N2, each pair of rolls in said plurality expediently lying one above the other in a substantially vertical plane. At the exit of the entrainment rolls the coupled pairs of ribbons, advantageously pass through a slowing down station 16 before all being engaged lying one over the other to form a pack M, at a common single return engagement roll 19 at a superimposition and feeding station, generally indicated by the reference numeral 18. The slowing down station 16 is adapted for controlling the speed of the pairs of ribbons N1, N2 exiting from between the pairs of entrainment rollers 15, in relation to the speed of pack M at the feeding station 18, such that hanging loops A or curves of ribbons are suspended therebetween. The formation of the loops A of the ribbons facilitates the regulation of the feeding at the successive working stations and prevents the intake of the pack M of ribbons at the feeding station 18 from occurring at a faster speed than the output speed of the ribbons from the entrainment rolls 15, which would tear the ribbons. A sensor 17 is advantageously located at the slowing down station 16 to determine the amplitude of the loops A and accordingly furnish a speeding up or slowing down command to the pairs of entrainment rolls 15. From the slowing down station 16 the pairs of ribbons N1, N2 are directed through the superimposition and feeding station, 18. The above mentioned roll 19 is freely rotatably mounted on an axis and has teeth spaced in correspondence with the perforations F formed in each ribbon N. The roll 19 is thus adapted for holding together a number of pairs of superimposed ribbons, at exact, predetermined locations with respect to each other, by insertion of the teeth into the coincident perforations of the superimposed ribbons, forming a continuous pack M of ribbons. The pack M is successively engaged by a step feeder 20, which feeds the pack itself, at the correct speed and intermittent rhythm, to a shearing and forming press 21 of a known kind having a multiple punch 22 functioning intermittently: the punch 22 of the press being moved in reciprocating motion.
As shown in detail in Figure 2, the step feeder 20 comprises a pair of continuous belts or chains 23, at least one of which has teeth 24 corresponding to the perforations of the superimposed ribbons forming the continuous pack M. The pair of belts 23 are trained around upper and lower pairs of wheels or integral rolls 25-26 one of which, in the illustrated example the upper roll 25, is actuated by an electrical step motor 27, the feeding actuation whereof is controlled synchronously with the alternating movement of the multiple punch 22 of the press 21. This synchronous movement is controlled by means, as schematically illustrated in Figure 2, comprising a switch 28, intermittently actuated by an actuation cam 29 mechanically connected to a flywheel 30 for actuation of the punch 22.
Figure 2 also shows in detail the structure of said multiple punch which advantageously comprises an external shearing cylinder 22A, an intermediate cupping cylinder 22B and an internal ejection cylinder 22C. The operative sequence of the multiple punch proceeds in the following order: advancement of the shearing cylinder, which cuts the pack M according to the desired contour, of the drawing D which is stamped on it for example, into disks; the pack having been correctly positioned by the step feeder 22 in cooperation with the punch; advancement of the intermediate cylinder 22B that punches and ejects the cut disks from the pack and imparting them, with a cup-like form to produce the cup or cuppet C; advancement of the internal cylinder 22C effects ejection of the completed cups corresponding in number to the number of superimposed ribbons N, in the pack M, and thus formed, forming a continuous stack I of cups, wherefrom required quantities of cups in sets Sl may be removed and forwarded either manually or mechanically to a packing station, not illustrated.
Obviously, the pace of advancement of the motor 27 will be regulated according to the rhythm of intermittent actuation of the shearing cylinder 22A in such a manner that the feeder 22 correctly positions pack M of ribbons N and each successive drawing D in front of said punching cylinder at every operative advancement.

Claims

1. Method for manufacturing cups made of paper or the like material, particularly for the wrapping of confectionary products, comprising in sequence, the following operative phases:-

the continuous printing, on at least one strip of paper, of a plurality of drawings and/or writings and the formation of perforations in said strip to obtain at least one ribbon of paper bearing said drawings and/or writings adequately spaced and at least one continuous series of perforations;

recoiling of the ribbons thus obtained and placing of a number of coils on the corresponding pivots of a support frame;

coupling of the ribbons of adjacent pairs of coils and their unrolling by means of pairs of entrainment rolls in continuous movement;

stacking a number of pairs of ribbons by means of a return roll having teeth corresponding to the perforation of the ribbons, to form a continuous pack of ribbons;

feeding, step by step, said continuous pack of ribbons to an intermittent shearing and forming press by means of a stepped entrainment belt engaging the aligned perforations of the stacked ribbons;

shearing, forming and stacking of produced cups, for every cycle of the press in number equal to the number of the stacked ribbons.

2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that between the entrainment rolls and the return roll, the pairs of ribbons each form a loop which is sensed to prevent abnormal positioning and subsequent tearing of the superimposed ribbons and also constitutes a regulation mechanism of the unwinding, in continuous movement, and the stepped entrainment belt.

3. Method according to Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it comprises sensor means that determine the amplitude of the loops of the ribbons to consequently accelerate or slow down the speed of rotation of the entrainment rolls.

4. Apparatus for carrying out the method according to Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises the following elements:-

rotogravure or flexographic machine (10) for continuous printing of paper strips (N), and means for forming therein perforations, in correspondence with the printed designs and/or writing;

a recoiling station (12) for recoiling printed and perforated ribbons;

a support and unwinding station (13) for a plurality of coiled ribbons (8) with the corresponding number of entrainment rolls (15) adapted for continuous movement and being disposed in superimposed pairs;

a slowing down station (16) in which the ribbons (N₁, N₂) are coupled, and form loops (A) for the regulation of the feeding; said station including means (17) sensitive to the size of the loops and acting on the entrained rolls (15) to regulate the speed in relation to the sensed loop size;

a superimposing and paced feeding station (18) for superimposing ribbons in step with a return wheel (19) for rolling a number of pairs of superimposed ribbons forming a continuous pack (M) and a step feeder (20) including at least one continuous belt (23), having teeth (24) corresponding to the perforations (F) of the superimposed ribbons, fed by rolls (25, 26), one of which (25) is actuated by a step motor (27) with controlled feeding;

a press (21) with a multiple punch (22) for shearing and forming cups;

means (28-30) for synchronising the actuation of said step motor with the intermittent movement of the shearing and forming press.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, characterized in that said step feeder (20) has a pair of said continuous belts (23) at least one of which has said teeth (24) said step motor (27) feeding being controlled in synchronism with the intermittent movement of the punching and forming press (21).

6. Apparatus according to Claim 4, characterized in that the multiple punch (22) is composed of an external shearing cylinder (22A), an intermittent forming cylinder (22B), and an internal ejection cylinder (22C), said step feeder (20) being controlled in synchronism with the rhythm of the shearing cylinder in such a manner that the feeder positions in sequence the successive printed designs or writing on the ribbon in front of the punch at every operative advancement.