EP3059193A1

EP3059193A1 - Method and devices to eliminate wrinkles when loading and to eliminate dragging when unloading a flexible, non-stretching material on a flexible and stretchable conveyor belt

Info

Publication number: EP3059193A1
Application number: EP15000513.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luca Traian
Original assignee: Sc Gemini Cad Systems Srl
Current assignee: Sc Gemini Cad Systems Srl
Priority date: 2015-02-23
Filing date: 2015-02-23
Publication date: 2016-08-24

Abstract

The invention considers the difference by which a flexible and non-stretching material (A), transported on a conveyor belt (B), next to a first cylinder (1), of loading, has a length of travel that is greater than the conveyor belt's (B), a surplus that when loading, wrinkles the material, and at the opposite end of the conveyor belt, on the unload cylinder (2), the material being dragged, it slips off the belt when unloading, wrinkling and dragging that are eliminated by inserting a cover device (3), that separates the material from the belt when loading it, as well as a blade (4), which, due to its attaching to the conveyor belt (B) and to its helical disposition, breaks the adhesion between the transported material and the belt when unloading, detaching the material (A) from the belt (B), and, due to a curtain type prolongation piece (5) that is attached to the blade (4), the transported material is prevented from being driven on the belt, which leads to eliminating the material wrinkling and dragging and ensuring a high precision transportation of the material.

Fig. (6) fully illustrates this invention.

Description

The invention relates to a method and a devices system that ensure a precise linear transportation of a flexible and non-stretching material on an flexible and stretching conveyor belt, considering a high adhesion between them, avoiding wrinkling when loading and dragging when unloading, a devices system that is attached to the construction of photographic leather scanners or of other types of photographic scanning machines in large format.
In the case of today's systems of transporting flexible and non-stretching materials on conveyor tables with flexible and stretching belts on two cylinders for loading and unloading, when the material is loaded on the conveyor belt in the area of the loading cylinder, because of the diameter difference between the material and the conveyor belt, a pushed material surplus occurs, which causes wrinkles, while, at the opposite end of the conveyor belt, on the unload cylinder, given the dragging of the material, the material slips on the conveyor belt when it is unloaded.
The disadvantage of the current systems consists of material wrinkles and slippages during transportation, which alters the accurate photo scanning process and imposes the manual repositioning of the material on the conveyor belt, an operation that is time-consuming and that forces the human operator to make a supplementary effort.
The solution this invention provides for the technical problem is related to the high precision linear transportation of the material, i.e. eliminating material wrinkling when loading and avoiding dragging when unloading from the conveyor belt.
Thus, the technical problem the invention solves consists of:

1. the wrinkling of the material (A) (Fig 1) when it is loaded on the conveyor belt, caused by the thickness of the conveyor belt: thus, in the case of a full rotation of the loading cylinder (1), the length of the transported material (A) is 2* π* R2, while the length of the conveyor belt (B) is 2* π* R1; consequently, the difference between the two diameters causes the occurrence of a material surplus of (2* π* R2)-(2* π* R1), more accurate, 2* π* (R2 - R1); given the fact that the transported material is non-stretching, the surplus results in wrinkles.
2. the dragging of the material (Fig 2) when unloading from the conveyor belt, caused by the thickness of the conveyor belt: thus, in the case of a full rotation of the unloading cylinder (2), the length of the material (A) is 2* π* R2, while the length of the conveyor belt (B) is 2* π* R1; consequently, the difference between the two diameters leads to a material difference of (2* π* R2)-(2* π* R1), more accurate, 2* π* (R2 - R1); given the fact that, on the curved side, the adhesion is greater than on the flat side, the non-stretching material slips from the normal position (A2) in the position (A1).

The method and the devices system for eliminating the wrinkling and dragging of a flexible and non-stretching material during the transportation on a conveyor belt in accordance with the present invention eliminates the above-mentioned disadvantages, given that, taking into consideration these differences, the wrinkling and slippage are eliminated by constructing two devices. The first device in the shape of a curved cover made of steel, plastic or composites, polished and with a glossy surface, that prevents the material from being driven on the curved side of the conveyor belt and the second device mounted at the unload point, that consists of a thin flexible metal blade mounted on the unloading cylinder of the conveyor belt, attached to the belt following a helical line. The blade continues with a prolongation, which resembles a curtain, that prevents the transported material from being driven on the curved side of the conveyor belt.
The following advantages and benefits are attained by applying this invention:

1. eliminating material wrinkles when loading, as well as time and human resource saving, that would otherwise be wasted when the material is repositioned;
2. eliminating material dragging when unloading from the conveyor belt, thereby ensuring an accurate positioning of the material;
3. a precise movement of the material while maintaining a precise linear position on the conveyor belt, an essential condition of use in the case of a photographic scanning machine or of a computer numerical control machine for cutting or engraving.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings attached, which represent:

Fig. 1, the system of transporting a flexible non-stretching material on a flexible and stretching conveyor belt, with an illustration of the wrinkling of the material when loading it on the conveyor belt.
Fig. 2, the system of transporting a flexible non-stretching material on a flexible and stretching conveyor belt, with an illustration on the dragging and slippage of the material when unloading it from the conveyor belt.
Fig. 3, the device in the shape of a curved cover that is placed in the area of the loading cylinder of the conveyor belt.
Fig. 4, the device for detaching the material from the belt, comprising a blade mounted where the material is unloaded from the conveyor belt and continued with a prolongation.
Fig. 5, the device for detaching the material from the belt, comprising a blade mounted where the material is unloaded from the conveyor belt, continued with its prolongation, as well as the blade stretching and pressing system.
Fig.6, the general drawing of placement of the devices system that ensures the elimination of wrinkles when loading, and dragging when unloading the flexible non-stretching material on a conveyor belt.

Example illustrating the use of the method, as well as of the devices:

The method and devices system for the elimination of wrinkles when loading and
dragging when unloading a flexible and non-stretching material on a flexible and
stretching conveyor belt in accordance with the present invention consider the difference between the diameter of the flexible and non-stretching material and the diameter of the flexible and stretching conveyor belt on the loading and unloading cylinders, a difference that results in wrinkles and dragging of the material, altering
the precision of the material movement and positioning. The wrinkling and the slippage are eliminated by mounting a cover device (3), that detaches the material from the belt during the first phase of loading it, as well as a blade (4), which, given its attaching to the conveyor belt and its helical disposal, breaks the adhesion between the transported material and the conveyor belt, detaching the material from the belt; by using the curtain type prolongation piece (5), the transported material is prevented from being driven on the conveyor belt.

Thus, the device (3) is constructed so that between its surface and the transported material there is no friction, being curved and made of steel, plastic or composites, polished and with a glossy surface, that prevents the material from being driven on the semi cylindrical side of the conveyor belt; the placement of this device allows the transported material to be loaded on the flat side of the conveyor belt, thus the movement of the material being solidary to the one of the conveyor belt; given the flexibility and non-stretching of the transported material, it is necessary that the device completely cover the conveyor belt's curved side in the loading area, covering all the angles from which the material could be driven by the conveyor belt on the curved side.
At unload, the device consists of a thin flexible metal blade (4), installed and attached to the conveyor belt onto the cylinder (2), following a helical line. The stretching of the blade (4), that ensures the contact to the conveyor belt (B), is adjusted by rotating the blade in opposite directions on each of the two rings (6), (7), to which the blade is attached (4), rings that are placed on the fixed assembly of the conveyor belt at the ends of the unload cylinder. The blade (4), due to the position of contact with the conveyor belt (B), and to its helical disposition, breaks the adhesion between the transported material (A), and the conveyor belt (B), detaching the material from the belt before its dragging on the unload cylinder (2), which would have caused the slippage. The blade (4) is continued with a prolongation (5), like a curtain, which prevents the transported material from being driven back on the conveyor belt; thus, the transported material slips on this device and will no longer be driven by the conveyor belt onto its curved side, which is responsible for the dragging of the material.
The attaching of the two devices at each end of the conveyor belt on which the loading and the unloading are operated, ensures a high precision linear transportation of the material along the whole trajectory on the conveyor belt.

Claims

A method and devices system for the elimination of wrinkles when loading and dragging when unloading a flexible and non-stretching material on a flexible and stretching conveyor belt which, considering the difference between the material's diameter (A) and the conveyor belt's diameter (B), difference that during the first phase, onto the loading cylinder (1) wrinkles the material, and, during the second phase, at the other end of the conveyor belt, on the unloading cylinder (2) generates the dragging of the material and its slippage on the conveyor belt when unloading, eliminates wrinkling and dragging by mounting, first, a cover device (3), that separates the material from the belt, and, second, a blade (4), together with a curtain type prolongation piece (5), attached to the blade (4), which, due to the contact position on the conveyor belt (B) and to the helical disposition, breaks the adhesion between the transported material and the conveyor belt, detaching the material (A) from the belt (B), preventing the material from being driven on the conveyor belt.
A devices system for the elimination of wrinkles when loading and dragging when unloading a flexible and non-stretching material on a flexible and stretching conveyor belt, in accordance with claim 1, wherein the device system for eliminating wrinkling when loading material on the conveyor belt comprises a curved cover (3) made of steel, plastic or composites, polished and with a glossy surface, covering the loading cylinder (1) of the conveyor belt (B), that prevents the material (A) from being driven on the conveyor belt's (B) semi cylindrical side and the material wrinkling.
A devices system for the elimination of wrinkles when loading and dragging when unloading a flexible and non-stretching material on a flexible and stretching conveyor belt, in accordance with claim 1, wherein the device system for eliminating the dragging of the material (A), caused by the driving of the material on the conveyor belt when unloading, comprises a thin flexible metal blade (4), installed and attached to the conveyor belt (B) following a helical line onto the unload cylinder (2), the stretching created on the blade (4) ensuring the contact on the conveyor belt (B), stretching that is adjusted by rotating the blade in opposite directions on two rings (6),(7), to which the blade (4) is attached, rings that are placed on the fixed assembly of the conveyor belt, at the ends of the unload cylinder (2); a blade (4), which, due to the position of contact with the conveyor belt (B), and to its helical disposition, breaks the adhesion between the transported material (A) and the conveyor belt (B), detaching the material from the belt, thereby eliminating the material slippage that would have occurred by dragging it onto the unload cylinder (2); and a curtain type prolongation piece (5) to the blade (4), preventing the transported material (A) from coming into contact with the conveyor belt, no longer being driven on the curved side of the belt.
A method and devices system for the elimination of wrinkles when loading and dragging when unloading a flexible and non-stretching material on a flexible and stretching conveyor belt, in accordance with claim 1, used on a photographic leather scanning machine.
A method and devices system for the elimination of wrinkles when loading and dragging when unloading a flexible and non-stretching material on a flexible and stretching conveyor belt, in accordance with claim 1, used on any type of photographic scanning machine.
A method and devices system for the elimination of wrinkles when loading and dragging when unloading a flexible and non-stretching material on a flexible and stretching conveyor belt, in accordance with claim 1, used on a computer numerical control machine for leather cutting or leather engraving.
A method and devices system for the elimination of wrinkles when loading and dragging when unloading a flexible and non-stretching material on a flexible and stretching conveyor belt, in accordance with claim 1, used on any type of computer numerical control machine for cutting or engraving flexible and non-stretching material.