EP1990163A2

EP1990163A2 - Method and machine for producing box-shaped elements made of wood or similar material

Info

Publication number: EP1990163A2
Application number: EP08155841A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giuseppe Pritelli
Original assignee: ISP Systems SRL
Current assignee: ISP Systems SRL
Priority date: 2007-05-08
Filing date: 2008-05-07
Publication date: 2008-11-12
Also published as: EP1990163A3; ITBO20070334A1

Abstract

Method and machine for producing box-shaped elements (2) made of wood or a similar material, whereby a panel (9) is cut longitudinally into at least two components (3), which are separated from one another by a cutting groove (30), and during the cutting of the panel (9) slidingly engage respective feed channels (C), in which the components (3) are coated with an substantially flat layer of coating (4).

Description

The present invention relates to a method for producing box-shaped elements made of wood or a similar material.
In particular, the present invention relates to a method for producing a tubular box-shaped element of the type comprising four substantially flat components made of wood or a similar material arranged two by two perpendicularly, and an outer layer of coating arranged around said components. The inside of the box-shaped element is also suitable to receive a filling material to be used, for example, as the supporting leg of a piece of furniture.
In the prior art two methods are generally used to produce the box-shaped elements described above.
According to a first method, the box-shaped element is obtained starting from a flat panel limited by two bigger lateral faces parallel to one another, of which the lower face is provided with said layer of coating. The panel is cut longitudinally starting from the upper bigger lateral face so as to leave the layer of coating intact and produce the four components, each of which is limited laterally by two flat lateral faces inclined at an angle of 45°, and is folded at an angle of 90° with respect to the two adjacent components so as to produce the box-shaped element.
The known method of the type described above has some drawbacks which mainly derive from the fact that the box-shaped element produced using this method has four outside corners of 90°, which cannot be chamfered due to the presence of the layer of coating.
According to the other of the two known methods mentioned above, the four components are obtained by cutting a flat panel longitudinally so that each component has two respective flat lateral faces inclined at an angle of 45°, and is folded at an angle of 90° with respect to the other. The box-shaped element is then finished first by chamfering its outer corners and then by applying said layer of coating.
The known method of the type described above has some drawbacks mainly deriving from the fact that the application of the layer of coating on the tubular box-shaped element involves the use of relatively complex and expensive equipment and relatively long operating cycles.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing box-shaped elements made of wood or a similar material that overcomes the drawbacks described above and is simple and cheap to implement.
According to the present invention there is provided a method for producing box-shaped elements made of wood or a similar material according to that set forth in claims 1 to 15.
The present invention also relates to a machine for producing box-shaped elements made of wood or a similar material.
According to the present invention there is provided a machine for producing box-shaped elements made of wood or a similar material according to that set forth in claims 16 to 31.
The present invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings, illustrating a nonlimiting embodiment thereof, in which:

figure 1 is a schematic side view, with parts removed for the sake of clarity, of a preferred embodiment of the machine according to the present invention;
figure 2 is a schematic side view, with parts removed for the sake of clarity, of a detail of the machine of figure 1;
figure 3 is a schematic plan view of a detail of figure 2.
figure 4 is a schematic view from the bottom of the detail of figure 3;
figure 5 is a schematic side view of the detail of figure 3;
figure 6 is a schematic side view, on an enlarged scale and with parts shown in cross-section for the sake of clarity, of the detail of figure 3;
figure 7 is a schematic side view on an enlarged scale of a detail of figure 6;
figure 8 schematically illustrates the mode of operation of the machine of figure 1; and
figure 9 is a schematic plan view of a box-shaped element produced by the machine of figure 1.

With reference to figures 1 to 9, number 1 is used to indicate, as a whole, a machine for producing box-shaped elements 2 made of wood or a similar material, each of which, in this case, is tubular in shape, comprises four substantially flat components 3 arranged two by two perpendicularly, has four rounded outside corners, is coated with a layer 4 of coating arranged around its outer surface, and is filled with a filling material 5 to produce, for example, a leg 6 to support a piece of furniture (not illustrated).
According to alternative embodiments which are not illustrated, the number and arrangement of the components 3 of a box-shaped element 2 may of course differ from those described above.
The machine 1 comprises an elongated base 7, which extends in an substantially horizontal direction 8, defines a plane P for supporting at least one panel 9 of wood or a similar material (figures 2 and 3), and supports a feed unit 10 of a known type suitable to feed panels 9 in sequence along the plane P in the direction 8.
The panels 9 are fed "flat" by the feed unit 10, that is to say with the two biggest lateral faces 11 arranged horizontally, into an operating unit 12 comprising a frame 13, which is connected to the base 7, defines a supporting surface that is substantially in the same plane as the plane P, and supports a cutting device 14 provided with an upper cutting element 15 and a lower cutting element 16 which are offset in relation to one another in the direction 8.
The element 15 comprises a supporting shaft 17, which extends above the plane P, has a longitudinal axis 18 that is parallel to a horizontal direction 19 transversal to the direction 8, is rotatingly coupled to the frame 13 to rotate, with respect to the frame 13 and under the action of a drive device of a type that is known and which is not illustrated, about the axis 18, and supports a plurality of circular cutting blades 20 (in this case nine blades 20, only one of which is illustrated in figures 1 and 2), which are mounted on the shaft coaxially to the axis 18, and are evenly distributed along the shaft 17 in the direction 19.
The element 16 comprises a supporting shaft 21, which extends below the plane P, has a longitudinal axis 22 that is parallel to the direction 19, is rotatingly coupled to the frame 13 to rotate, with respect to the frame 13 and under the action of a drive device of a known type which is not illustrated, about the axis 22, and supports a plurality of circular cutting blades 23 (only one of which is illustrated in figures 1 and 2), which are equal in number to the number of the blades 20, are mounted on the shaft 21 coaxially to the axis 22, are evenly distributed along the shaft 21 in the direction 19 and each of which is in the same plane as a relative blade 20.
With reference to figures 6 and 7, the panel 9 is cut by the cutting device 14 into eight shaped components 3, each of which extends in the direction 8, is limited by a flat upper face 24 and by a flat lower face 25 parallel to one another and perpendicular to a direction 26 that is orthogonal to the directions 8 and 19, and is also limited by two lateral faces 27, each of which comprises a flat upper portion 28 arranged at an angle of 45° with respect to the plane P and a curved lower portion joined to the face 25.
The components 3 of each pair of adjacent components 3 are separated from one another by a cutting groove 30, which extends in the direction 8, is laterally limited by the lateral faces 27 of said components 3, and comprises a downwardly converging upper portion and an upwardly converging lower portion.
According to that illustrated in figures 3, 4 and 5 during the separation of the components 3 from the panel 9, the components 3 are guided laterally in the direction 19 by a guide device 31 comprising a substantially flat plate 32, which is fixed to the frame 13 above and parallel to the plane P, and is provided with a plurality of slits 33, which are obtained through the plate 32 in the direction 26, are equal in number to the number of the blades 20, and each of which is engaged by a relative blade 20.
The plate 32 is also provided with a plurality of elongated guides 34 which are parallel to one another and extend in the direction 8, project downwards from the plate 32 in the direction 26, are equal in number to the number of the blades 20, each one being aligned with a relative blade 20 in the direction 8, and which extend downstream of the relative blade 20 in said direction 8.
Each guide 34 substantially has the shape of the cutting edge of a blade 20, and, thus, of the upper portion of a groove 30, engages a relative groove 30 or the lateral face 27 of a relative end component 3, and defines, with each adjacent guide 34, a feed channel C for a relative component 3.
With reference to figures 1 and 2, the panel 9 and the components 3 are fed through the operating unit 12 by a conveyor belt device 35 mounted above the plane P and comprising a plurality of belts 36 which are parallel to one another, are equal in number to the number of the components 3, are arranged in a loop about a plurality of pulleys 37 rotatingly coupled to the frame 13 to rotate, with respect to the frame 13 and under the action of a drive device of a type that is known and which is not illustrated, about respective longitudinal axes 38 parallel to the direction 19, and each of which has a respective lower substantially horizontal conveyor branch, which extends between two adjacent guides 34 to engage first the upper face 11 of the panel 9 and then the upper face 24 of a relative component 3.
One of the pulleys 37 (hereinafter indicated as 37a) is movable between a raised operating position (figures 1 and 2), and a lowered rest position (not illustrated), in which the belts 36 can easily be disengaged from the pulleys 37, under the action of a rocker arm 39, which is provided with a first arm suitable to support the pulley 37a, and is hinged to the frame 13 to swing, with respect to the frame 13 and under the action of an actuating cylinder 40 connected to a second arm of the rocker arm 39, about a fulcrum axis 41 parallel to the direction 19.
The unit 12 also comprises an applicator device 42, which is suitable to coat the lower faces 25 of the components 3 with the layer 4 of coating, and is arranged at a distance from the cutting device 14 that is less than a length of the panel 9 measured parallel to the direction 8.
The device 42 is fed with a tape 43, the width of which, measured parallel to the direction 19, as an approximation by excess, is the width of a panel 9 also measured parallel to the direction 19, is unwound from a reel 44 arranged in a supporting mount 45, and is fed by a feed device 46 of a known type along a path 47 extending at least partially beneath the base 7 and the plane P. In particular, it should be noted that the mount 45 and the operating unit 12 are arranged on opposite sides of the feed unit 10 in the direction 8 so that the reels 44 can be replaced relatively easily by machine operators.
The device 42 comprises a lower applicator roll 48, which is suitable to pay-off the tape 43 from the reel 44, cooperates with a gumming unit 49 of the tape 43, extends across the plane P to transfer the tape 43 onto the lower faces 25 of the components 3, and also cooperates with a plurality of upper pressure rollers 50 (only one of which is illustrated in figures 1 and 2), which are keyed to a supporting shaft 51 mounted on the frame 13 to rotate, with respect to the frame 13, about a longitudinal axis 52 parallel to the direction 19, extend through respective slits 53 obtained through the plate 32 in the direction 26, and are mounted two by two on opposite sides of the guides 34 and of the belts 36 in said direction 19.
The device 42 also comprises a cutting roller 54, which is rotatingly mounted on the frame 13 to rotate, with respect to the frame 13 and under the action of a drive device of a type that is known and is not illustrated, about a longitudinal axis 55 parallel to the direction 19, and transversely engages the tape 43 to separate in sequence the strips of coating 56 (figure 8a), each of which has, in this case, a surface that is substantially equal to the surface of two layers 4.
With regard to the above description, it should be noted that:

during the cutting of the panel 9, the correct position of the components 3 with respect to the position of the other in the direction 19 is guaranteed in the first instance by the guides 34 and then by the strip 56 of coating applied to said components;
the conveyor device 35 feeds a group of eight components 3 arranged side by side and joined to one another by means of the strip 56 of coating to the outfeed of the unit 12 ; and
the strip 56 of coating has a plurality of free portions 57 (figure 7), each of which extends between the lower faces 25 of two adjacent components 3, and has a width L1, measured parallel to the direction 19, which is substantially equal to the sum of the circumferential widths L2 of the curved lower portions 29 of the lateral faces 27 of said components 3 measured along their profile.

The machine 1 also comprises a cutting and folding device (not illustrated) suitable to:

cut the strip 56 of coating centrally in the direction 8 so as to produce two groups of components 3, each defined by four respective components 3 and by a respective layer 4 of coating having two lateral portions 58 that project laterally from the relative components 3 (figure 8b); and
fold each lateral portion 58 in contact with the relative curved lower portion 29 separating from each lateral portion 58 folded in contact with the relative component 3 an edge that projects from the relative curved lower portion 29 (figure 8c).

Lastly, each box-shaped element 4 is produced in a forming unit (of a type that is known and is not illustrated) arranged at the outfeed of the operating unit 12 to gum the flat upper portions 28 of the lateral faces 27, fold the components 3 two by two at an angle of 90° with the portions 28 in contact with one another, and allow the free portions 57 of the layer 4 to adhere perfectly to the relative curved lower portions 29.
According to an alternative embodiment that is not illustrated, the operating unit 12 also comprises a cleaning device to remove any shavings and edge trimmings produced during the cutting of the panel 9 from the cutting grooves 30.
The machine 1 can thus be used to produce a box-shaped element 2 with rounded outside corners and provided with a layer 4 of coating in a relatively simple and inexpensive manner, by exploiting the simplicity of applying the layer 4 of coating in a flat configuration.

Claims

Method for producing a box-shaped element (2) made of wood or a similar material, said method comprising the steps of:
feeding a panel (9) along a given supporting plane (P) and in a given first direction (8); and

cutting the panel (9) longitudinally in the first direction (8) into at least two components (3) separated from one another by a cutting groove (30) parallel to said first direction (8);
and characterized in that it also comprises, in sequence and in order, the steps of:
feeding each component (3) in said first direction (8) into a relative feed channel (C) limited laterally by two guide devices (34), one of which is engaged in the cutting groove (30), suitable to prevent the component (3) from moving in a second direction (19) transversal to the first direction (8);

applying a substantially flat layer of coating (4) to the components (3); and

folding the components (3) provided with the layer of coating (4) at a given angle with respect to one another to produce the box-shaped element (2).
Method according to claim 1, wherein each component (3) is fed into the relative feed channel (C) during the phase of cutting the panel (9).
Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the layer of coating (4) is applied to the components (3) during the phase of cutting the panel (9).
Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the layer of coating (4) is applied to the components (3) at the end of the phase of cutting the panel (9).
Method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the layer of coating (4) is applied to the components (3) in correspondence with an intermediate point of the relative feed channels (C).
Method according to any one of the claims from 1 to 4, wherein the layer of coating (4) is applied to the components (3) upon leaving the relative feed channels (C).
Method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the panel (9) is cut longitudinally under the combined action of an upper cutting element (15) and a lower cutting element (16).
Method according to claim 7, wherein each guide device (34) has a section transversal to the first direction (8) that is substantially equal to a cutting profile of the upper cutting element (15).
Method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the cutting groove (30) is limited laterally by two lateral faces (27) of the components (3), each having a respective flat upper portion (28) and a respective curved lower portion (29).
Method according to claim 9, wherein each curved lower portion (29) is joined to a flat lower face (25) of the relative component (3), and has a given circumferential width (L2); the sum of the circumferential widths (L2) of the two curved lower portions (29) of the cutting groove (30) being substantially equal to a distance (L1) between the flat lower faces (25) of the components (3) measured in said second direction (19).
Method according to any one of the previous claims and also comprising the phase of:
cleaning the cutting channel (30) to remove any shavings and edge trimmings produced during the phase of cutting the panel (9).
Method according to claim 11, wherein the layer of coating (4) is applied to the components (3) after cleaning the cutting groove (30) to remove the shavings and edge trimmings produced during the phase of cutting the panel (9).
Method according to any one of the previous claims and also comprising the phase of:
gumming the layer of coating (4).
Method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the layer of coating (4) is applied to the flat lower faces (25) of the components (3).
Method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the layer of coating (4) has two lateral portions (58) that project laterally from the components (3) in said second direction (19); said method also comprising the following phase of:
folding each lateral portion (58) in contact with the relative component (3).
Method according to claim 15 and also comprising the phase of:
separating from each lateral portion (58) folded in contact with the relative component (3) an edge that projects from said relative component (3).
Machine for producing a box-shaped element (2) made of wood or a similar material, said machine comprising an operating unit (12) which in turn comprises a feed device (35) to feed a panel (9) along a given supporting plane (P) and in a given first direction (8); a first cutting device (14) to cut the panel (9) longitudinally in the first direction (8) into at least two components (3) separated from one another by a cutting groove (30) parallel to said first direction (8); and a forming unit to fold the components (3) one with respect to the other at a given angle and produce the box-shaped element (2); and characterized in that it also comprises, for each component (3), a feed channel (C), which extends in the first direction (8), is slidingly engaged by said component (3), and is limited laterally by two guide devices (34), one of which is engaged in the cutting groove (30), suitable to prevent the component (3) from moving in a second direction (19) transversal to the first direction (8); an applicator device (42) being arranged between the first cutting device (14) and the forming device to apply a substantially flat layer of coating (4) to said components (3).
Machine according to claim 17, wherein each feed channel (C) comprises an entrance arranged between the first cutting device (14) and the applicator device (42) to guide the relative component (3) during its separation from the panel (9).
Machine according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the applicator device (42) is arranged in correspondence with an intermediate point of the feed channels (C).
Machine according to any one of the claims from 17 to 19, wherein the first cutting device (14) comprises an upper cutting element (15) and a lower cutting element (16).
Machine according to claim 20, wherein each guide device (34) has a section transversal to the first direction (8) that is substantially equal to a cutting profile of the upper cutting element (15).
Machine according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the upper and lower cutting elements (15, 16) are shaped so as to define two lateral faces (27) of the cutting groove (30), each having a respective flat upper portion (28) and a respective curved lower portion (29).
Machine according to claim 22, wherein each curved lower portion (29) is joined to a flat lower face (25) of the relative component (3), and has a given circumferential width (L2); the lower cutting element (16) being shaped so that the sum of the circumferential widths (L2) of the curved lower portions (29) of the cutting groove (30) is substantially equal to a distance (L1) between the flat lower faces (25) of the components (3) measured in said second direction (19).
Machine according to any one of the claims from 17 to 23 and also comprising a cleaning device to remove any shavings and edge trimmings produced during the cutting of the panel (9) from the cutting grooves (30).
Machine according to claim 24, wherein the cleaning device is arranged between the first cutting device (14) and the applicator device (42).
Machine according to any one of the claims from 17 to 24, and also comprising a gumming device (49) to gum the layer of coating (4).
Machine according to any one of the claims from 17 to 25, wherein the applicator device (42) comprises at least one lower applicator device (48) arranged below the supporting plane (P) to apply the layer of coating (4) to the flat lower faces (25) of the components (3).
Machine according to any one of the claims from 17 to 27 and also comprising a feed unit (45, 46) to feed a tape (43) to the applicator device (42), and a second cutting device (54) to separate a sequence of layers of coating (4) from said tape (43).
Machine according to claim 28, wherein the feed unit (45, 46) comprises a supporting device (45) for at least one reel (44) of tape (43), and a pay-off device (46) to feed the tape (43) to the applicator device (42).
Machine according to claim 29 and also comprising a unit (10) for feeding the panels (9) to the operating unit (12); the supporting device (45), the feed unit (10) and the operating unit (12) being arranged in sequence and in order in said first direction (8).
Machine according to any one of the claims from 17 to 30, wherein the layer of coating (4) has two lateral portions (58) that project laterally from the components (3) in said second direction (19); the machine also comprising a folding device to fold each lateral portion (58) in contact with the relative component (3).
Machine according to claim 31 and also comprising a third cutting device to separate from each lateral portion (58) folded in contact with the relative component (3) an edge that projects from said relative component (3).
Machine according to any one of the claims from 17 to 32, wherein the feed device (35) comprises a plurality of idler rollers (37) and, for each component (3), a relative conveyor belt (36) arranged in a loop about said idler rollers (37); at least one idler roller (37a) being movable from and towards a rest position, in which the conveyor belts (36) are disengaged from the idler rollers (37)