Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
  • B31D—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES B31B OR B31C
  • B31D5/00—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles ; Making three-dimensional articles
  • B31D5/0039—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles ; Making three-dimensional articles for making dunnage or cushion pads
  • B31D5/0043—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles ; Making three-dimensional articles for making dunnage or cushion pads including crumpling flat material
  • B31D5/0052—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles ; Making three-dimensional articles for making dunnage or cushion pads including crumpling flat material involving rollers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
  • B31D—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES B31B OR B31C
  • B31D5/00—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles ; Making three-dimensional articles
  • B31D5/0039—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles ; Making three-dimensional articles for making dunnage or cushion pads
  • B31D5/0043—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles ; Making three-dimensional articles for making dunnage or cushion pads including crumpling flat material
  • B31D5/0047—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles ; Making three-dimensional articles for making dunnage or cushion pads including crumpling flat material involving toothed wheels
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
  • B65H35/00—Delivering articles from cutting or line-perforating machines; Article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices, e.g. adhesive tape dispensers
  • B65H35/0006—Article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices
  • B65H35/006—Article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices with means for delivering a predetermined length of tape
  • B65H35/0066—Article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices with means for delivering a predetermined length of tape this length being adjustable
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
  • B31D—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES B31B OR B31C
  • B31D2205/00—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles
  • B31D2205/0005—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles for making dunnage or cushion pads
  • B31D2205/0011—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles for making dunnage or cushion pads including particular additional operations
  • B31D2205/0017—Providing stock material in a particular form
  • B31D2205/0023—Providing stock material in a particular form as web from a roll
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
  • B31D—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES B31B OR B31C
  • B31D2205/00—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles
  • B31D2205/0005—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles for making dunnage or cushion pads
  • B31D2205/0011—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles for making dunnage or cushion pads including particular additional operations
  • B31D2205/0047—Feeding, guiding or shaping the material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
  • B31D—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES B31B OR B31C
  • B31D2205/00—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles
  • B31D2205/0005—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles for making dunnage or cushion pads
  • B31D2205/0076—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles for making dunnage or cushion pads involving particular machinery details
  • B31D2205/0082—General layout of the machinery or relative arrangement of its subunits
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
  • B31D—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES B31B OR B31C
  • B31D2205/00—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles
  • B31D2205/0005—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles for making dunnage or cushion pads
  • B31D2205/0076—Multiple-step processes for making three-dimensional articles for making dunnage or cushion pads involving particular machinery details
  • B31D2205/0088—Control means

Definitions

• the present invention relates to machines for manufacturing a cushioning / padding material from a raw material consisting of a superposition of sheets of paper feeding them continuously, by driving and creasing said raw material, then assembling the 'crumpled by successive compressions, so as to form a padded band.
• the latter can then be sectioned into sections of variable length, according to subsequent needs.
• these sections of padding material are used in particular for wedging products in cases, cartons, etc. on the one hand to prevent them from moving inside their packaging, and on the other hand in order to absorb any shocks applied against said packaging
• Each machine is generally equipped with at least one electric motor driving the strip of paper to be treated and most often with a second electric motor intended to actuate a cutting device placed at the downstream outlet.
• the activation of the cutting means also has the effect of automatically deactivating the advance motor, so that the product to be cut is static when it is cut.
• said motor is not reactivated before a certain period after the actual cutting, in order to allow the cutting means to return to their initial position.
• the operator actually has adjustment buttons allowing to select a scale (seconds, minutes, hours), then the desired period in the chosen scale. The selection is therefore only made by adjusting the operating time.
• the first essential, is that what ultimately matters to the user is the length of strip produced, and that this does not necessarily correspond linearly to a predetermined period of advance of the drive motor.
• the function giving the length produced as a function of time is not linear, for many reasons, among which we can cite the quality of the paper, the external conditions (humidity, temperature, ... ), etc.
• measuring time amounts to considerably complicating the very structure of the machine if the length produced is to be ensured in a substantially uniform manner from one machine to another.
• Machines with an automation system operating by time measurement therefore exhibit behaviors that are significantly different from one another, without it being possible to guarantee ranges of results for the same type of machine.
• the mattress length produced is therefore always guaranteed, whether the engine is slow or fast, whether it operates at 50 Hz or 60 Hz, whether or not there are hard spots during the advance or start-up (in particular whether the coil is large or small), etc.
• WO 95/13914 describes a device for measuring the length of the material produced by a machine of the aforementioned type, in the form of a disc placed at the end of a shaft connected to the engine. drive, provided on its periphery with a number of through holes, and which cooperates with an optical transceiver.
• the disc includes orifices distributed regularly over its periphery, and it is for example painted black, so as to be non-reflective.
• the transceiver emits an axial light signal, which is reflected by a reflector placed in the axis of the transmitter, behind the disc, only when an orifice of said disc passes in front of the transceiver.
• a reception therefore corresponds to each reflection, which generates an impulse sent to a controller.
• the calculated distance is in fact not equal to the length of padded strip produced, due to the particular nature of the mattress, and in particular the differences in reaction of papers of different qualities, which are not treated in the same way during of the quilted bead forming process.
• the length of quilted strip produced is never equal to the horizontal projection of the measured angular length. Consequently, a device for measuring the length of padding strip produced cannot be limited to a device measuring the angular distance traveled by a shaft connected to the motor shaft.
• the present invention therefore associates the device placed on the rotating shaft with specific circuits placed on a central processing unit, performing several particular functions, without which the information collected on the rotating shaft would provide incomplete data.
• These functions are not limited to lengths of calculations produced, but operate a necessary correction in order to achieve a measure of the actual length of the manufactured band.
• the machine for manufacturing a cushioning / padding material from a superposition of sheets of paper in a strip, driven by a pair of superimposed wheels, and assembled by a second pair of wheels, a crumpling transverse being provided between the two pairs of wheels because the drive wheels rotate substantially faster than the assembly wheels, thereby effecting a transverse crumpling of the material is characterized in that it is provided with means for measuring the length of the tape produced comprising:
• These machines have mechanisms for driving, creasing and connecting the padded strip which are concentrated in a single rotary system, which is not the case with the machines of the present invention.
• the latter in fact comprise two sets of wheels which also rotate at different speeds, and are based on a crumpling and connection technique using transverse folds.
• the electronic correction device comprises a central unit comprising a microprocessor and an EPROM type memory containing the processing program for said machine, said central unit being electrically connected to said angular length measuring device and comprising in memory the corrected value of the linear measurement of the strip to be produced, as well as electronic means of converting it into an angular measurement, an electronic connection sending an electrical advance signal to a motor controlling the advance of the strip material as long as said corrected measurement is not reached.
• the machine of the invention further comprises a device allowing an operator to control and adjust the correction of the angular length, said device being connected to the central unit of the electronic correction device.
• this device allowing an operator to control and adjust the correction of the angular length, consists of a keyboard and a display connected to the central processing unit, to transmit there the desired linear length of strip, as well as 'a basis for calculating the correction of the angular length, entered by the keyboard by said operator.
• This basis for calculating the correction is in fact the value of the angular distance corresponding to the production of a unit of length of the padded strip.
• the machine can be adapted so that the production of tape measured is not the simple horizontal projection of the angular length of the drive wheels.
• the device for measuring the theoretical angular length is a device placed on a rotating shaft when the strip of material is driven, transforming the angular movement of said shaft into electrical pulses.
• said device is an incremental encoder. It is then placed on a shaft driven in rotation when the belt drive motor is activated.
• the accuracy of the measurement can be adjusted by modifying the number of pulses constituting a unit of measurement (cm, inch), in particular to take into account the different qualities of paper or the operating conditions.
• the operation of such a machine can be done either in cm or in inches, either by using a double track encoder, or by using an encoder suitable only for one or the other of said measurement units, by simply proceeding installing the encoder that is suitable for the market in which the machine will operate, or alternatively changing in memory the value corresponding to a unit of production length of padded tape.
• the device transforming the angular movement of the motor shaft into electrical pulses can be an inductive proximity detector operating with at least one metallic element integral with the rotating shaft in movement when the padded strip is driven.
• said rotary element is for example of the screw type fixed on a flange of a fan secured to the rotary shaft, between the blades of said fan, at a radial distance from the shaft positioning it at each rotation opposite said proximity sensor.
• Most electric motors are equipped with fans, so it is easy to integrate such an angular measurement system.
• the associated central unit comprises a comparator intended to compare on the one hand the number of pulses coming from the device for measuring the angular length traveled, and on the other hand the corrected number of pulses, and it also includes a means of calculating the number of pulses corrected, by multiplication of the desired linear length, entered by the keyboard by the user, and of the basis for calculating the correction, consisting of a number of pulses per linear unit length.
• the number of pulses corresponding to the length to be produced is stored in a particular memory after calculation from two values coming from an external keyboard accessible to the user, giving on the one hand said length in units of length, and secondly the number of pulses per unit of length for a quality of raw material chosen, depending on the measurement system used (cm or inches), for given operating conditions.
• the device for measuring the padded strip produced adapting to the constraints arising from the operation of the machine and from the nature of the raw material used, correctly measures the length of strip manufactured, due to the existence of values stored in memory and of a comparator circuit.
• the invention also relates to a method for measuring the length of production of a material quilted into a strip comprising several layers of paper whose edges are folded longitudinally towards the center, the strip thus folded being driven by a pair of wheels and then assembled by a second pair of wheels, a transverse crumpling being ensured by the fact that the assembly wheels rotate faster than the drive wheels, characterized in that:
• the value of the angular distance traveled by one of said wheels when the length of the padded strip produced is equivalent to one unit of length is stored in memory in a central computing unit, at an address accessible to the operator via means adjustment and control,
• the desired length of quilted product is transformed into theoretical value of angular displacement by computer center, using the value stored in memory the measurement of the value of the angular displacement actually traveled by one of said wheels is carried out continuously using measurement means placed in the vicinity of said wheel, and transmitted in real time to said central unit, and
• the value of the angular distance traveled by one of said wheels, when the length of the padded strip produced is equivalent to a unit of length, corresponds to a certain number of pulses, measured then stored or modified in the memory of the central unit when the quality of the paper and / or the operating conditions change.
• FIG. 1 is a top view of the apparatus according to the invention, with the sheets of paper in place.
• - Figure 2 is a vertical section through the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the device (ll-ll in Figure 1).
• FIG. 3 is a vertical cross section through the axis of the drive wheels, along III-III of Figure 2.
• FIG. 4 is a vertical cross section through the axis of the assembly wheels, along IV-IV of Figure 2.
• FIG. 5 shows a simplified view of the man / machine interfacing device, namely the display / keyboard assembly.
• FIG. 6 is a simplified block diagram of the general framework of the measurement operation of the length of strip produced.
• FIG. 7 is a schematic view of part of the cover of an electric motor, with fan and proximity sensor.
• the basic system allowing the folding of the longitudinal edges of the multi-layer strip appears more particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2. from the Dapier of ia reel 2 and in particular thanks to a guide system ensuring the folding of the longitudinal edges in a simple and effective manner.
• This guide system mainly comprises a central plate 33 of substantially horizontal shape, around which the paper strip M is wound, by folding the longitudinal edges towards the running axis, guided in this by the wheels 31 and the metal rods 32, according to a configuration already known.
• the encoder c is mounted on the mechanical assembly assembled in the cradle 4, the various elements and the arrangement of which are shown in Figures 3-4.
• This assembly comprises a first pair of superimposed wheels (FIG. 3), namely an upper wheel or drive wheel 8 rotating on an axle 9 mounted in the lateral flanges 10-10 ′ of the cradle 4, and a lower support wheel 11, rotating on an axis 12 carried by lifting beams 13, 13 ′ mounted elastically tilting relative to the cradle 4, as described in more detail in patent EP 94440027.4 of the applicant.
• the same mechanical assembly comprises a second pair of superimposed wheels (FIG. 4), namely an upper wheel or compression wheel 14, rotating on an axis 15 mounted in the lateral flanges 10, 10 'and driven in rotation by the motor 5, and a lower bearing wheel 17, rotating on an axis 18 also carried by the spreaders 13, 13 'mounted resiliently tilting relative to the cradle 4 via springs 26, 26'.
• a second pair of superimposed wheels FIG. 4
• an upper wheel or compression wheel 14 rotating on an axis 15 mounted in the lateral flanges 10, 10 'and driven in rotation by the motor 5
• a lower bearing wheel 17 rotating on an axis 18 also carried by the spreaders 13, 13 'mounted resiliently tilting relative to the cradle 4 via springs 26, 26'.
• the two axes 9 and 15 are positively driven by the motor 5, namely the axis 15 directly and the axis 9 via a reducing gear train shown schematically at 16â. 16b_, 16 ⁇ between FIGS. 3 and 4.
• the incremental encoder c is mounted on the axis 15, at the other end relative to the electric motor 5.
• the drive wheel 8 has a generally cylindrical appearance, with a central portion 19 in the form of a toric gutter with a substantially semi-circular section, and two end portions 20, 20 ′, each having a cylindrical periphery interrupted at regular intervals by flats 21, with the particularity that the flats 21 of the portion 20 face cylindrical zones 22 'of the portion 20', while conversely the flats 21 'of the portion 20' face cylindrical zones 22 of the portion 20.
• the support wheel 11 with which the drive wheel 8 cooperates is in the form of a generally cylindrical shape but comprising in its median Dortiorr a toric bead 23, the raised section of which corresponds substantially to the cross section. hollow of the gutter ⁇ e -a wheel 8
• the strip M will therefore be driven alternately on each side of its longitudinal central axis, instead of being pulled only axially with the tear generating forces which would result therefrom.
• This advancement by successive jerks from one side to the other makes it possible to have in the center a surplus of paper compared to its planar configuration, this surplus being generated by the bead 23 sinking into the gutter 19, which will allow improved crumpling.
• the compression wheel 14 has a generally cylindrical appearance and comprises two portions of crenellated ends 24, 24 ′ joined by a neutral central portion 25; moreover, the support wheel 17 is a smooth cylinder on which the grooves 24, 24 "will roll.
• the strip material M coming from the first pair of wheels 8/11, is clamped between said grooves 24, 24 'and this smooth surface, with a variable force, this compression is limited, however, and cannot damage said material, since the latter is not deformed between gear teeth meshing with one another as in previous systems.
• 24 ′ on the material is therefore to ensure by this simple compression, the assembly of the sheets of said material and the cohesion of this assembly, by crushing the folds of the paper.
• the crumpling function is fulfilled by a purely mechanical phenomenon n not affecting the strength of the material.
• the incremental encoder is housed at the end of the shaft 15 (see Figures 1 and 4), opposite the toothed wheel 16c, and therefore the motor 5. It is fixed in a bore in the end of said shaft 15, in which an external shaft of said encoder c fits, in a manner known per se, using a screw for fixing the internal ring of the bearing situated at this end, which is applied against the outer shaft of the encoder c like a needle. This screw consequently crosses radially the whole non-bored part of the shaft 15, and must be provided more elongated than if it were only intended to fix said internal ring on the shaft 15.
• the encoder c is connected via a cable e to the electronic card forming the central unit, to which it sends the pulses necessary for counting, and from which it receives the operating voltage.
• a very schematic representation of the principle of measuring the length of strip produced is shown. The purpose of this representation is to show that there is a comparison which is made between on the one hand the theoretical value of the length, as entered by the user via the keyboard k and transformed into a number n of pulses. by the correction carried out in the central processing unit uc, and on the other hand the value measured in real time at the output of the incremental encoder c.
• FIG. 5 shows a detail of an example of an external box allowing the operator to communicate with the machine, and comprising for this purpose a keyboard k, a display a, and an LED r whose state reflects the powering up of the assembly.
• this keyboard has literal keys (S, E) which are used to select the possible operating modes, by means of the S key, and their validation by the E key.
• the different modes scroll sequentially and allow, to with the help of messages appearing on the display a, to enter on the keypad k the information necessary for the central panel to operate the machine
• the accuracy of the measurement can also be adapted to the operating conditions or the quality of the paper. Indeed, depending on the resolution of the incremental encoder chosen, the number of pulses corresponding to a unit of measurement can be calibrated, whether this is cm or inch in Anglo-Saxon countries. Thus, it has been measured that if the resolution of the encoder is 1024 pulses per revolution, 31 pulses correspond to one cm.
• This number is accessible to the user via the keyboard k and the display a, and he can modify it as he pleases.
• Lower quality paper for example, will come out of the two sets of wheels more compressed longitudinally, and will require an adjustment of this number, reduced to 30 or 29.
• the fact of going from 30 to 31 corresponds to a difference of approximately
• FIG. 6 is a simplified block diagram of said operation.
• This figure illustrates more particularly the methodology used by the program resident in EPROM, without entering into the details relating to the addresses for storing the values, or communicating the detailed programs, which are within the competence of those skilled in the art.
• a signal is sent by the central processing unit uc to the address of the advance motor, to make it stop.
• FIG. 7 shows the fixing of an inductive proximity detector 40 on the cover 41 of an engine, controlling the advance of the padded strip M.
• the detector 40 is located on the periphery of the cover, so as to be close at least one element 38 fixed between the blades 42 of the fan 43 generally placed at the end of the shaft for an electric motor.
• said element 38 may be a screw fixed in a thread in the flange 39 of the fan 43.
• the relative positioning of element 38 / detector is particularly clearly seen, as well as the possibility of adjusting the distance allowing the operation detector 40.
• the cover 41 has an opening 34 opening access to an internal nut 35, allowing in combination with an external nut 36 simultaneously the tightening of the sensor 40 and its position adjustment relative to the elements 38 of the fan 43.
• the distance d . must obviously be able to be adjusted with a fairly high degree of precision, so as to allow correct operation of the Droximity 40 detector.
• This one has a sensitivity such that it allows it, if it is correctly positioned, to detect the oassay at the J2 jaloes of the ventilator - i3 icsa which they proximity to its inner end; however, with the detection devices chosen, this is only true if said blades 42 include metal detectable by the sensor 40.
• the fans are generally made of aluminum, but it has been found that the most common detectors work better if at least one additional metallic element 38 is fixed to the fan 43.
• the detector For example, two iron or steel screws are fixed, opposite one another on the flange 39, and the detector is positioned so that two detections per revolution are carried out.
• the inductive proximity sensor then emits two pulses per revolution, processed by an electronic circuit located on the central unit uc, which performs the same function as for the encoder c.
• This electronic circuit is connected to the detector 40 via a cable 37 appearing in FIG. 7, and connected to a terminal block of said circuit or of the central processing unit uc.
• the detector For the measurement of the length of padded strip produced, the detector is placed on the feed motor referenced 5 in FIG. 1. The signal is sent directly to the central unit uc, which counts the pulses sent by the detector 40, and the processes to measure said length, as a function of stored data, such as the number of pulses corresponding to a unit of length for the quality of paper used and the length to be produced.
• the simplified block diagram of the operation is the same as in operation with the incremental encoder.

Landscapes

• Machines For Manufacturing Corrugated Board In Mechanical Paper-Making Processes (AREA)
• Controlling Rewinding, Feeding, Winding, Or Abnormalities Of Webs (AREA)
• Controlling Sheets Or Webs (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=26232470

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (4)

Families Citing this family (5)

Family Cites Families (10)

• 1997
  • 1997-01-22 WO PCT/FR1997/000123 patent/WO1997027136A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1997-01-22 DE DE69700548T patent/DE69700548T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1997-01-22 EP EP97901141A patent/EP0876291B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1997-01-22 AU AU14488/97A patent/AU1448897A/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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