EP3333092B1

EP3333092B1 - Wrapping machine system

Info

Publication number: EP3333092B1
Application number: EP17205107.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Debora GAMBETTI
Original assignee: Baumer SRL
Current assignee: Baumer SRL
Priority date: 2016-12-12
Filing date: 2017-12-04
Publication date: 2019-10-23
Anticipated expiration: 2037-12-04
Also published as: IT201600124800A1; EP3333092A1

Description

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a wrapping machine system for wrapping objects by means of hot sheets of heat-shrinkable material.

Background of the Invention

EP 1013551 discloses a system according to preamble of claim 1. Systems for wrapping objects by sheets of heat shrinkable material are known wherein, summarily, by said systrems, each individual object is wrapped one after the other by means of a respective sheet of heat-shrinkable material, wherein said sheet has been previously heated to a temperature higher than the softening temperature of the heat-shrinkable material.
These methods have a number of drawbacks.
A first drawback is due to the fact that they do not allow to operate at high operating speeds and, therefore, they do not allow to obtain a high wrapping productivity.
A second drawback is due to the fact that said systems do not allow to get an uniform and/or rapid heating of the sheet.
A third drawback is due to the fact that they do not allow to get a good synchronization between the various operations to be performed and a good execution of the same operations.
A fourth drawback is due to the fact that such system do not allow to carry out a quick format change in relation to the size of the sheet of material and/or in relation to the size of the items to be packaged and/or in relation to the type of shrink material of which the sheet is composed.
A fifth drawback is due to the fact that these system do not allow to get an easy execution of the cutting of the sheets.
A sixth disadvantage is due to the fact that they do not allow to perform operations in relation to the temperature of the sheets during the winding phase.

Exposure of the Invention

The purpose of the present invention is therefore to solve the aforementioned drawbacks, and to indicate how to heat-treat various wrapping means.
The invention solves the problem of creating a system for a wrapping machine of the "sleeve" type to wrap hot sheets of packaging thermoshrinking material around objects to be packaged, comprising the features of claim 1. Further features of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.

Brief description of the Drawings

Further features and advantages of the present invention will be more evident from the following description of a preferred practical embodiment, provided here purely by way of example and without restrictive intent, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the system object of the present invention.
With reference to Figure 1, it illustrates an embodiment of the system object of the present invention and, more particularly, a "sleeve" type packing machine system, wherein said system is designed to wrap hot sheets of shrinkable packaging material around objects 10a, 10b, 10c, etc. to be packaged, wherein said objects 10a, 10b, 10c, etc. move preferably with continuous motion from upstream to downstream as indicated by arrow F1, wherein said system substantially comprises:

first objects conveying means 100;
second objects conveying means 200;
third objects conveying means 300;
sheets wrapping means 400;
control means 500;
tape heating-feeding means 600;
cutting-feeding means 700;
first sheets heating-feeding means 800;
second sheets heating-feeding means 900.

The first objects conveying means are able to move objects 10a, 10b, 10c, etc. longitudinally in a spaced succession, from upstream to downstream, with respect to arrow F1.
The second objects conveying means 200 are positioned downstream and at a short longitudinal distance with respect to said first objects conveying means 100, in order to form a first opening A1 between said first 100 and said second 200 object conveying means.
Said second objects conveying means 200 are able to receive the objects 10a, 10b, 10c, etc., arriving from said first objects conveying means 100, as well as able to move said objects 10a, 10b, 10c, etc., along a wrapping surface which has an inlet end and an outlet end.
The third objects conveying means 300 are positioned downstream and at a short longitudinal distance from said second object conveying means 200, in order to form a second opening A2 between said second 200 and said third 300 object conveying means.
Said third objects conveying means 300 are able to receive the units 10a-Sa comprising an object 10a and a hot sheet Sa arriving from said second objects conveying means 200.
Sheets wrapping means 400 are positioned in the vicinity of said second objects conveying means 200, and they comprise at least one suspended wrapping bar 401 oriented transversely with respect to the direction of advancement of the objects 10a, 10b, 10c, etc., in which said bar 401 is brought to move along an orbital path that passes through said first A1 and said second A2 opening, wherein said bar 401 transports the sheets Sb of wrapping material.
The control means 500 are able to control, operate and synchronize the various operative means, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800 e 900, as better described hereinafter, and they may comprise a control unit programmable (CPU) or other similar devices, suitable for controlling and managing operating means, such as, for example, actuators, M.200 (which preferably drive the means 100, 200 and 300 by mechanical connections), M.400, M.900, M.800, M.700 able to operate individually and in an independent manner the above mentioned operating means 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900.
The tape heating-feeding means 600 are positioned upstream with respect to the feeder cutting means 700.
Said tape heating-feeding means 600 are able to heat the front portion (downstream portion) 20a of a tape 20 of heat-shrinkable material to a first temperature, as well as able to feed said heated and hot downstream portion 20a to the cutting-feeding means 700, as for example hot rollers which heat up the belt 600 by contact. The cutting-feeding means 700 are positioned upstream with respect to the first sheets heating-feeding means 800.
Said cutting-feeding means 700 are able to cut said heated and hot front portion (downstream portion) 20a of heat-shrinkable material, in order to obtain a sheet Sd of heated and hot material, as well as able to feed said heated tape 20a and/or said last heated and hot sheet Sd towards the first sheets heating-feeding means 800.
The first sheets heating-feeding means 800 are positioned upstream with respect to the second sheets heating-feeding means 900.
Said first heating-feeding means 800 are able to heat said last heated and hot sheet Sd to a second temperature which is greater than the first temperature, in order to obtain a sheet Sc more heated, and they are also able to feed said last sheet Sc to said second heating-feeding means.
The second sheets heating-feeding means 900 are positioned upstream with respect to the sheets wrapping means 400.
Said second sheets heating-feeding means 900 are able to heat said last heated and hot sheet Sc to a third temperature which is greater than the second temperature, in order to obtain a more heated sheet Sb, and they are also able to feed said last sheet Sb to the wrapping means 400.
Said wrapping means 400 are able to receive the hot sheet Sb fed by the second sheets heating-feeding means 900 and to wrap said last heated and hot sheet Sb around the object 10b to be wrapped.
With reference to this system, preferably in order to pack an object, a packaging method is performed in which said method comprises the following steps:

a) heating a front portion (downstream portion) 20a of the tape 20 of heatshrinking material by said tape heating-feeding means 600;
b) when said front portin (downstream portion) 20a has reached a determined first temperature, transferring of said heated and hot downstream portion 20a from said tape heating-feeding means 600 to said cutting-feeding means 700;
c) cutting by said cutting-feeding means 700 a downstream portion of the heated and hot continuous tape 20a, in order to obtain a heated and hot sheet Sd having a desired longitudinal length;
d) transferring the hot sheet Sd obtained in this manner from said cutting-feeding means 700 to said first sheets heating-feeding means 800;
e) heating said hot sheet Sd by said first sheets heating-feeding means 800 to a second temperature in order to obtain a heated and hot sheet Sc having a second temperature, which is greater than the first temperature;
f) when said heated and hot sheet Sc has reached said determined second temperature, transferring by said first sheets heating-feeding means 800 said last heated and hot sheet Sc to said second sheets heating-feeding means 900;
g) heating said last hot sheet Sc by said second sheets heating-feeding means 900 to a third temperature in order to obtain a heated and hot sheet Sb having a third temperature, which is greater than the second temperature;
h) when said last heated and hot sheet Sb has reached said determined third temperature, transferring by said second sheets heating-feeding means 900 said last heated and hot sheet Sb to said sheets wrapping means 400;
i) wrapping said last hot sheet Sb around the object 10b to be wrapped by said sheets wrapping means 400.

Second Temperature

Preferably, the second temperature is lower or slightly lower than the softening and/or shrinking temperature of the heat-shrinkable material but, for some types of materials and/or with particular thicknesses and/or for other reasons, said second temperature may also be greater than the softening and/or shrinking temperature of the heat-shrinkable material.

Third temperature

Preferably, the third temperature is equal to or greater than the softening and/or shrinking temperature, or it may be even higher, such as for example equal to or greater than the welding temperature of the heat-shrinkable material.

FIRST sheets heating-feeding means 800

With reference to said first sheets heating-feeding means 800, they preferably comprise a first conveyor 801 and a second conveyor 803.
The first conveyor 801 is positioned below and to the right with respect to Fig. 1, and it comprises a hot transport belt 802 which upperly configures a first operating branch, which is able to heat and to transport the front portion (downstream portion) of the tape or the sheets Sd of hot tape which are fed by the cutting feeding means 700.
The second conveyor 803 is positioned above and to the left with reference to FIG. 1 and it comprises a hot conveyor belt 804 which upperly configures a second operative branch, which is able to heat and to transport the front portion (downstream portion) of the tape or the sheets Sd of hot tape which are fed by the cutting feeding means 700.
By this structure, the downstream portion 20a of the hot tape or the hot sheets Sd is positioned between said first and said second transport branch, wherein said two branches are mutually counterfeited and approached between them, in order to perform the heating and feeding (transport and pull) execution of the hot tape 20a and/or of the sheet Sd towards downstream.
Preferably, the hot conveyor belts 802 and 804 are heated by a respective heated assembly 805 and 806 positioned within the respective conveyor 801 and 803.
Furthermore, always preferably, the two conveyors 801 and 803 can be moved, spaced out or approached from each other, in order to decrease or increase the space between the two operating branches, so as to be able to adjust the space in relation to the thickness of the sheet and/or to allow a machine stop and/or for other reasons.

SECOND sheets heating-feeding means 900

The second sheets heating-feeding means 900 comprise a third conveyor 901 having a heat transport belt 902, wherein said third conveyor 901 configures a heating and transport operating branch for the hot sheet Sc of heatshrink material, as for example a conveyor similar to conveyors 801 and 803 previously cited.
Again second sheets heating-feeding means 900 may also further comprise a heater 910, which is spaced and counterfeited with respect to said heating and transport operating branch of said third conveyor 901.
Said further heater 910 is designed to heat the sheet Sc when they are lying on the heating and conveying branch of said third conveyor 901, for example and preferably by means of a device having nozzles 911 able to create hot air blows 912 against said operating branch for heating and conveying the third conveyor 901 in order, for example, to heat the sheet Sc and to press said sheet Sc against the transport operating branch of the conveyor 901 improving the transport of the sheet Sc.
Said hot air puffs 912 are preferably operated in phase relation with respect to the operating phases relating to the packaging and, for example, can be operated only when the sheet Sc is already present above the operating branch of the conveyor 901, and they may also be deactivated on command to better perform the operations of wrapping and of receiving of the sheet.
Said further heater 910 may comprise any device designed to heat the sheet Sc by conduction and/or convection and/or radiation, without departing from the inventive concepts protected by the present invention.
In addition, said heater 910 can be moved, spaced-out or approached in a distanced/approachable manner with respect to the heating and transport operating branch of the third conveyor 901, in order to space-out or approach said heating device 910 with respect to the heating and conveying operating branch of the third conveyor 901, in order to adjust the distance in relation to the size and/or type of the packaging material, or to space-out or approach said heating device 910 during the execution of the packaging operations, for example, to manage and optimize the execution of the picking operations and of wrapping the sheet.

First Temperature

Preferably, said first temperature is greater than the ambient temperature and, again preferably, lower or slightly lower than a temperature which would not allow to cut said tape 20, as for example a temperature between a minimum of 60°C and a maximum of 110°C and, in any case, a first temperature that allows to easily cut the heated tape without complications.
More in particular said first temperature will be selected in relation to the type of packaging material, in relation to the thickness of the material, as well as in relation to the cutting means which will be used.

Heating-feeding means 600

Preferably, the tape heating-feeding means 600 comprise a path for the tape having a snake like shape.

Sheets wrapping means 400

Preferably, the sheets wrapping means 400 comprise separating means 402 which are able to prevent and/or limit the contact between the front portion Sb1 and the rear portion Sb2 of the heated and hot sheet Sb during the steps of wrapping the hot sheet Sb around the product 10b.
Again preferably, said separator means 402 comprise a curtain-shaped element 402 associated with the wrapping bar 401 and, moreover, if necessary, said separator means 402 may be hot in order to heat the sheet Sb2 during its transport and wrapping.

Advantages

With reference to the above description, by the system object of the present invention with respect to the known art, the following results are obtained.
The tape cutting steps used to obtain the sheet are improved, as the cutting takes place with a tape having a temperature slightly lower than the softening and/or shrinking temperature, and therefore a temperature in which said tape is still rigid and it is not sticky/soggy.
The heating process to obtain the hot sheet is improved, as said heating takes place by means of two or more distinct and separate steps of heating (as first step the downstream portion of the tape is heated and then the cutted hot sheet is heated by one or more steps), allowing to modulate the heating by means of a plurality of separate individual heat steps until the desired temperature is reached.
The heating times of the sheet are improved and reduced, as the sheet obtained after cutting is not at room temperature but at a higher temperature, preferably at a temperature slightly lower than the softening and/or shrinking temperature.
The lengths of the path or of the paths for heating the sheet are improved and reduced, as the sheet obtained after cutting is not at the room temperature but at a higher temperature.
The wrapping steps are improved, as during said steps the sheet can be heated, for example in order to maintain and/or increase the temperature for the same sheet.
The characteristics relating to the change of format in relation to the size of the sheet and/or in relation to the dimensions of the objects to be wrapped are improved, as it is possible to operate on a plurality of operating steps (and not on a single phase) in order to obtain the segment heated to the desired temperature.
The characteristics relating to the change in setting in relation to the type and/or thickness of the wrapping film material are improved, as it is possible to operate on a plurality of operating steps (and not on a single operating phase) in order to obtain the sheet heated at the temperature desired.
The wrapping operations are improved, as during said operations the operating means can be operated independently of each other, in order to optimize the wrapping operations.
The wrapping operations are improved, as during said operations the sheet in course of wrapping can be heated, for example in order to maintain and/or increase the temperature for the same sheet.
The characteristics relating to the size change in relation to the size of the sheet and/or in relation to the dimensions of the objects to be wrapped are improved, as it is possible to operate on a plurality of operating means in order to obtain the sheet heated to the desired temperature.
The characteristics relating to the change in setting in relation to the type and/or thickness of the packaging film material are improved, as it is possible to operate on a plurality of operating means in order to obtain the sheet heated to the desired temperature.

Claims

System for a wrapping machine of the "sleeve" type to wrap hot sheets of packaging thermoshrinking material around objects (10a, 10b, 10c, etc.) to be packaged, wherein said system comprises:
- first objects conveying means (100), which are able to move objects (10a, 10b, 10c, etc.) longitudinally in a spaced succession;

- second objects conveying means (200), which are positioned downstream and at a short longitudinal distance with respect to said first objects conveyor means (100) in order to form a first opening (A1) between said first (100) and said second (200) object conveying means, wherein said second objects conveying means (200) are able to receive the objects (10a, 10b, 10c, etc.) arriving from said first objects conveying means (100), and wherein said second objects conveying means (200) are able to move the objects (10a, 10b, 10c, etc.) along a wrapping surface which has an inlet end and an outlet end;

- third objects conveying means (300), which are arranged downstream and at a short longitudinal distance from said second object conveying means (200) in order to form a second opening (A2) between said second (200) and said third (300) object conveying means, wherein said third objects conveying means (300) are able to receive a unit comprising an object (10a) and a hot sheet (Sa) arriving from said second objects conveying means (200);

- sheets wrapping means (400), which are positioned in the vicinity of said second objects conveying means (200), wherein said sheet wrapping means (400) comprise at least one suspended wrapping bar (401), which is oriented transversely with respect to the direction of advancement of the objects (10a, 10b, 10c, etc.), in which said suspended wrapping bar (401) is brought to move along an orbital path that passes through said first (A1) and said second (A2) opening, wherein said suspended wrapping bar (401) transports the sheets (Sa, Sb, Sc) of wrapping material;

- control means (500) which are able to control, operate and synchronize the various operative means;
characterized by the fact that the system comprises:
- tape heating-feeding means (600);

- cutting-feeding means (700);

- first sheets heating-feeding means (800);

- second sheets heating-feeding means (900);
wherein:
- said tape heating-feeding means (600) are able to heat the downstream portion (20a) of a tape (20) of heat-shrinkable material to a first temperature;

- said tape heating-feeding means (600) are able to feed said hot heated downstream portion (20a) to the cutting-feeding means (700);

- said cutting-feeding means (700) are able to cut said hot heated downstream portion (20a) in order to obtain a hot sheet (Sd);

- said cutting-feeding means (700) are able to feed said last hot sheet (Sd) to the first sheet heating-feeding means (800);

- said first heating-feeding means (800) are able to heat said last hot sheet (Sd) to a second temperature, which is greater than the first temperature, in order to obtain a hot sheet (Sc) more heated;

- said first sheet heating-feeding means (800) are able to feed said last hot sheet (Sc) to said second sheet heating-feeding means (900);

- said second heating-feeding means (900) are able to heat said last hot sheet (Sc) to a third temperature, in which said third temperature is greater than the second temperature, in order to obtain a hot sheet (Sb) more heated;

- said second sheet heating-feeding means (900) are able to feed said last hot sheet (Sb) to said sheets wrapping means (400) which are able to wrap said last hot sheet (Sb) around the object (10b) to be wrapped.
System according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that control means (500) is configured to control operative means to perform following steps:
a) heating a downstream portion (20a) of the tape (20) of heatshrinking material by said tape heating-feeding means (600);

b) when said downstream portion (20a) has reached a determined first temperature, transferring said hot heated downstream portion (20a) from said tape heating-feeding means (600) to said cutting-feeding means (700);

c) cutting by said cutting-feeding means (700) a downstream portion of the hot heated continuous tape (20a), in order to obtain a hot heated sheet (Sd) having a desired longitudinal length;

d) transferring the hot sheet (Sd) obtained in this manner from said cutting-feeding means (700) to said first sheets heating-feeding means (800);

e) heating said hot sheet (Sd) by said first sheets heating-feeding means (800) to a second temperature in order to obtain a heated and hot sheet (Sc) having a second temperature, which is greater than the first temperature;

f) when said hot heated sheet (Sc) has reached said determined second temperature, transferring by said first sheets heating-feeding means (800) said last hot heated sheet (Sc) to said second sheets heating-feeding means (900);

g) heating said last hot sheet (Sc) by said second sheets heating-feeding means (900) to a third temperature in order to obtain a hot heated sheet (Sb) having a third temperature, in which said third temperature is greater than the second temperature;

h) when said last hot heated sheet (Sb) has reached said determined third temperature, transferring by said second sheets heating-feeding means (900) said last hot heated sheet (Sb) to said sheets wrapping means (400);

i) wrapping said last hot sheet (Sb) around the object (10b) to be wrapped by said sheets wrapping means (400).
System according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that control means (500) is configured to control operative means such that second temperature is lower than the softening and/or shrinking temperature of the heat-shrinking material.
System according to anyone of the claims from 1 to 3, characterized by the fact that control means (500) is configured to control operative means such that said third temperature is equal or greater than the softening and/or shrinking temperature of the heat-shrinking material.
System according to anyone of the claims from 1 to 4, characterized by the fact that control means (500) is configured to control operative means such that said third temperature is equal or greater than the welding temperature of the heat-shrink material.
System according to anyone of the claims from 1 to 5, characterized by the fact that said first sheets heating-feeding means (800) comprise:
- a first conveyor (801) having a heat transport belt (802), wherein said first conveyor (801) configures a first operating branch of heating and transport for the hot sheet (Sd) of heatshrinking material and

- a second conveyor (803) having a heat transport belt (804), in which said second conveyor (803) configures a second transport operating branch which is in front of said operating branch, wherein the hot sheets (Sd) of heat-shrinkable material are disposed between said first conveying branch and said second conveying branch in order to perform the heating and the feeding operations for the sheets (Sd).
System according to anyone of the claims from 1 to 6, characterized by the fact that said second sheets heating-feeding means (900) comprise a third conveyor (901) having a heat transport belt (902), wherein said first conveyor (901) configures an operating branch of heating and transport of the hot sheet (Sd) of heatshrink material.
System according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that control means (500) is configured to control operative means such that said first temperature is greater than the room temperature and little lower than a temperature which would not allow to cut said hot tape (20a).
System according to one of the preceding citations, characterized by the fact that control means (500) is configured to control operative means such that said first temperature is between a minimum of 60°C and a maximum of 110°C.
System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said sheets wrapping means (400) comprise separating means (402), which are able to prevent and/or limit the contact between the front portion (Sb1) and the rear portion (Sb2) of the hot heated sheet (Sb) during the steps of wrapping the hot sheet (Sb) around the product (10b).
System according to claim 10, characterized by the fact that said separator means (402) are hot and thus able to heat the sheet (Sb2) during its transport and wrapping.