EP3642144B1 - Apparatus for supplying a coil-like padding product for packaging purposes - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for providing a coil-shaped upholstery product for packaging purposes according to the preamble of claim 1.

In principle, it is known to transform a web-like starting material, for example paper, into a web-like cushioning material by crumpling it by machine. It is also known to roll up this crumpled sheet-like cushioning material into a coil-shaped or spiral-shaped cushioning product. This coil-shaped Upholstery product has the ability to carry heavy objects. To produce the reel-shaped upholstery product, the web-shaped upholstery material is usually wound or rolled up on a rotating reel, which is removed again after it has been rolled up. An example of this is in the EP 1 027 214 B1 specified. From the EP 3 159 291 A1 a device for providing a padding product in the form of a strip according to the preamble of claim 1 is known, as well as a rolling device which rolls up the strip to form a coil-shaped padding product. the WO 2014/085465 A1 as well as the EP 3 115 324 A1 describe possibilities of winding with a flexible boundary wall.

The object of the present invention is to create a device of the type mentioned at the beginning which works reliably and simply and with which it is possible to produce a tightly packed, coil-shaped upholstery product.

This object is achieved by a device with the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments of the invention are specified in the subclaims. In addition, features essential to the invention can be found in the following description and in the accompanying drawing. These features can be essential to the invention both on their own and in different combinations, without this being expressly noted in detail.

The device according to the invention for providing a reel-shaped cushioning product for packaging purposes initially comprises a provision device for providing a web-shaped cushioning material. This can be, for example, either a store in which the pad material in the form of a sheet is stored, or the outlet of a device which stores the pad material in the form of a sheet Padding material by reshaping, for example by crumpling, from a flat sheet-like starting material, for example a flat paper web.

Furthermore, the device according to the invention comprises a roll-up device which rolls up the web-shaped cushioning material to form the coil-shaped cushioning product. An essential element of the invention is that this roll-up device does not have a reel and instead comprises a flexible delimitation means which can form an overall curved delimitation wall of an at least temporarily present roll-up space, the width of which is variable and which has an inlet for the sheet-like cushioning material through which the sheet-like cushioning material can enter the roll-up space. The roll-up space is thus temporarily present insofar as it only begins to arise when the sheet-like cushioning material hits the flexible delimiting means, which is kept under a certain tension, and presses it in.

The roll-up of the web-shaped cushioning material to form the reel-shaped cushioning product is thus made possible without the need for the reel required in conventional devices. Instead, the web-shaped cushioning material is forced by the flexible delimitation means from radially outside into a "curve" radially inwards, so that it can roll up. The pad material in the form of a sheet is thus turned into an inwardly curved curved path by the delimiting wall which is curved as a whole guided, whereby the coil-shaped upholstery product is created.

Since a reel or any other core to be removed after rolling is no longer required to roll up the web-shaped cushioning material, the coil-shaped cushioning product produced in this way also has a desired density in its center and thus also desired cushioning properties in the center. Because the width of the roll-up space is preferably variable, account is taken of the fact that the diameter of the coil-shaped upholstery product can increase continuously during the roll-up process. This prevents the roll-up area from becoming clogged. In addition, upholstery products with different diameters can be produced in a simple manner.

In principle, it is conceivable that the coil-shaped upholstery product is produced by rolling it up from the inside outwards, as a result of which the diameter of the coil-shaped upholstery product increases during the rolling up. However, it is also conceivable that the coil-shaped upholstery product is produced by rolling it up from the outside inwards, in which the outer diameter of the coil-like upholstery product is fixed at the beginning, and in which the initially empty space is filled from the outside inwards during the rolling up the front end of the sheet-shaped cushioning material is pushed forward. In this case, the roll-up space could be formed, for example, by a housing with helical flights.

In a first further development of the device according to the invention, it is provided that the flexible delimiting means can be moved in a roll-up direction. The delimitation wall formed by the flexible delimiting means, which is curved at least in some areas, therefore rotates in the direction of rolling, which supports the rolling-up process and thus improves the operational reliability of the device according to the invention.

It is particularly preferred if the flexible delimitation means is made of an elastic material. In this way, the variability of the width of the roll-up space and also a certain preload can be implemented in a very simple manner.

It is also proposed that the flexible delimiting means comprise a band material and / or a chain-like structure. Such a band material or such a chain-like structure can very easily form a flat surface or, seen from the roll-up space, a flat surface, seen from the roll-up space, which reliably guides the web-shaped cushioning material during the roll-up process, whereby the operational reliability is also improved.

It is also advantageous if the roll-up space, viewed from the side, is essentially circular as a whole

Has cross section. This corresponds best to the "natural" outer contour of the coil-shaped upholstery product.

A particularly preferred development of the device according to the invention further comprises: an endless belt which runs around a plurality of deflection means, at least one of which can be tensioned so that it keeps the endless belt under tension at least temporarily; and a drive that drives the endless belt in one direction; wherein the inlet into the roll-up space between two deflection means is so formed that during operation the web-shaped cushioning material is passed through it transversely to the endless belt in a feed direction of the web-shaped cushioning material and as a result the endless belt is pressed in as viewed in the feed direction of the web-shaped cushioning material and one through the pressed-in endless belt Boundary wall of the roll-up space forming limiting means is formed.

This defines a specific device that works very flexibly and enables a high throughput, with which a large amount of coil-shaped upholstery products can be produced within a unit of time. In addition, the device according to the invention is technically and mechanically very simple and, in this respect, extremely inexpensive. It should be pointed out at this point that the term "endless belt" is to be understood very broadly. In this respect, this term does not only include a classic band, i.e. a flat, flexible part for example made of plastic and / or textile, but also, for example, a link chain, for example made of metal and / or plastic.

In a further development of this, it is proposed that at least one of the deflection means, preferably all of the deflection means, comprise or comprise a rotatably mounted roller. This leads to less friction, reliable guidance and thus to better efficiency of the device.

It is also proposed that the roll-up space can be opened and / or destroyed in order to remove the reel-shaped upholstery product. This allows the produced coil-shaped upholstery product to be easily removed from the roll-up space. It should be pointed out at this point that the term "destructible" is to be understood very broadly. In connection with the above-described device with the endless belt, the roll-up space only begins to arise when a web-shaped cushioning material hits the endless belt and presses it in. If the reel-shaped upholstery product produced is removed, the endless belt tightens again, as a result of which the roll-up space ceases to exist and is therefore "destroyed" to that extent.

This can be implemented concretely and in a very simple manner in that one of the two deflecting means forming the inlet into the roll-up space is mounted so that it can be displaced so that an opening width of the inlet for removal of the coil-shaped

Upholstery product can be enlarged.

In order to ensure in a simple and reliable manner in the device proposed according to the invention with the endless belt that the endless belt is always under a certain pretension, it is proposed that the tensionable deflection means be linearly guided and a pretensioning device in the form of a spring or a weight includes.

Figur 1

eine schematische Seitenansicht auf eine Vorrichtung zur Bereitstellung eines spulenförmigen Polsterungsprodukts für Verpackungszwecke zu einem ersten Zeitpunkt während der Herstellung des Polsterungsprodukts;

Figur 2

eine Darstellung ähnlich zu Figur 1, zu einem zweiten Zeitpunkt;

Figur 3

eine Darstellung ähnlich zu Figur 1, zu einem dritten Zeitpunkt; und

Figur 4

eine Darstellung ähnlich zu Figur 1, zu einem vierten Zeitpunkt.

An embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the accompanying drawing. In the drawing show:

Figure 1

a schematic side view of a device for providing a coil-shaped cushioning product for packaging purposes at a first point in time during the manufacture of the cushioning product;

Figure 2

a representation similar to Figure 1 , at a second point in time;

Figure 3

a representation similar to Figure 1 , at a third point in time; and

Figure 4

a representation similar to Figure 1 , at a fourth point in time.

A device for providing a reel-shaped cushioning product for packaging purposes carries into the Figures 1-4 generally the reference number 10. It comprises a supply device 12 for providing a web-shaped cushioning material 14. The supply device 12 can be, for example, a shaping device that produces the web-shaped cushioning material by reshaping, for example by crumpling, from a flat, planar paper strip. In contrast to this flat, even paper strip, the pad material 14 in the form of a web already has a three-dimensional structure.

The device also includes a roll-up device 16, which rolls up the web-shaped cushioning material 14 to form a reel-shaped cushioning product 18 ( Figures 2-4 ). For this purpose, the roll-up device 16 initially has a roller conveyor 20, which is arranged essentially horizontally and which transports the web-shaped cushioning material 14 from the supply device 12 to an inlet 22 of a roller conveyor which is mentioned in more detail below and in FIG Figure 1 As is indicated by an arrow 23, the roll-up space that is not yet present leads. A labeling device 24 is arranged above the roller conveyor 20, the function of which will be discussed in greater detail below. Furthermore, a clockwise driven roller wheel 26 is arranged above the roller conveyor 20 directly in front of the inlet 22, which roller wheel interacts with the web-shaped cushioning material 14 in a manner which will also be shown.

The roll-up device 16 comprises a flexible delimiting means 28 in the present case in the form of an endless belt. In the present case, this endless belt is made of a fabric with a plastic coating and is designed as a flat, flat belt material. The endless belt 28 runs around a plurality of deflection means, which in the present case are designed as rotatably mounted rollers 30-46. In a very simple embodiment, the deflection means could also be designed as rigid cylinders which are coated with a low-friction surface.

The already mentioned inlet 22 is formed between the two rollers 30 and 32 adjacent to the roller conveyor 20. The roller 32 is arranged on a carriage 48, indicated by a dash-dotted box, which is horizontally movable on a rail device 50, which is also indicated by a dash-dotted line. For this purpose, the slide 48 has a drive which is not shown here. The drive can be implemented, for example, by a revolving chain that is driven by an electric motor by means of a pinion. However, this is not shown. In this way, as will also be shown further below, an opening width of the inlet 22 for removing the reel-shaped upholstery product 18 from the roll-up space, which, as already mentioned, will only be described in detail further below and which is related to the in Figure 1 The time of the procedure shown does not yet exist. A plurality of rollers 51 is also arranged on the carriage 48, through which a horizontal support plane is formed, similar to the roller conveyor 20.

The endless belt 28 is kept under a certain tension in that one of the deflection means, namely the roller 38, can be tensioned. For this purpose, this roller 38 is guided in the vertical direction by a linear guide on a slide, neither the linear guide nor the slide being shown in the drawing. A weight 52 serves as a pretensioning device.

In the case of the roller 42, a clockwise drive roller 54 is finally arranged, which is also pressed against the roller 42 from the side of the endless belt 28 under a certain pretension. The drive roller 54 is connected to a drive device, also not shown, for example an electric motor. By the drive roller 54, the endless belt 28 in the in the Figures 1-4 shown embodiment are moved counterclockwise, as indicated by an arrow 56. The flexible limiting means 28 or the endless belt 28 are therefore movable in a winding direction. In this respect, the roller 42 forms a drive which drives the endless belt 28.

The device 10 works as follows: the web-shaped padding material is ejected from the supply device 12 onto the roller conveyor 20 and is finally picked up by the roller wheel 26. This state is in Figure 1 shown.

In the further course, the web-shaped cushioning material 14 is guided by the roller wheel 26 in the feed direction indicated by the arrow 23 through the inlet 22 formed between the two rollers 30 and 32, whereby the endless belt 28 moving according to the arrow 56 in the direction indicated by the arrow 23 indicated feed direction in Figure 2 is pushed in to the left. The speed of movement of the endless belt 28 along the arrow 56 is matched to the conveying speed of the web-shaped cushioning material 14 along the arrow 23 and the pretensioning by the weight 52 is selected so that a front end 58 of the web-shaped cushioning material 14 is initially pushed in relatively straight before it is then deflected upwards along a curved curve due to the bias of the endless belt 28 and the friction between the endless belt 28 and the sheet-shaped cushioning material 14.

It is deflected by the fact that the endless belt 28 pressed in behind the inlet 22 now begins to form a curved delimiting wall 60 of a roll-up space 62, which guides the web-shaped cushioning material 14 entering through the inlet 22 into the roll-up space 62 that is now being formed. In this way, the process begins by which the initially web-shaped cushioning material 14 is rolled up to form the reel-shaped cushioning product 18.

The fact that the endless belt 28 is pressed inwards and thus forms the curved delimiting wall 60 of the roll-up space 62 shortens the time required for revolving around the rollers 30-46 existing length of the endless belt 28. This is compensated for by the fact that the roller 38 is moved upwards along the vertical guide in the direction of an arrow 64. This state is in the Figures 2 and 3 shown.

It can also be seen from these figures that the width of the roll-up space 62 changes in the course of the roll-up process in that it becomes larger, corresponding to the diameter of the coil-shaped upholstery product 18, which increases during the roll-up process Figures 2 and 3 that the roll-up space 62 in the side view shown there has an overall essentially circular cross section.

the end Figure 3 the preparation for the completion of the manufacture of the coil-shaped cushioning product 18 can also be seen: the web-shaped cushioning material 14 provided by the preparation device 12 is namely not endless, but rather has a rear end 66. If appropriate sensors (not shown in the drawing) detect that this rear end 66 is being passed under the labeling device 24, a double-sided adhesive point 68 is applied by the labeling device 24 to the web-shaped cushioning material 14 shortly before its rear end 66, according to the arrow 70 in Figure 3 . In the course of the further rolling-up process and the continuous movement of the endless belt 28, the rear end 66 of the web-shaped cushioning material 14 also arrives with the double-sided adhesive glue point 68 in the roll-up space 62, whereby the rear end 66 is glued to the already rolled-up part of the coil-shaped upholstery product 18. This is in Figure 4 shown.

In Figure 4 the removal or ejection of the finished coil-shaped cushioning product 18 from the reeling device 16 is also shown: first of all, the movement of the endless belt 28 is stopped by the drive roller 54 being stopped. Then the carriage 48 with the roller 32 and the plurality of rollers 51 is motorized in Figure 4 moved to the left (arrow 71). The length of the endless belt 28 that becomes free as a result is compensated by the fact that the tensionable roller 38 moves downwards again along the linear guide due to the weight 52 present there. In this way, the endless belt 28 continues to remain under a certain tension. At the same time, due to the movement of the carriage 48 with the roller 32, the opening width of the inlet 22 is extremely enlarged. The finished, coil-shaped upholstery product 18 now falls downwards along the arrow 72 due to the force of gravity and is removed from the roll-up device 16 in this way. The roll-up space 62 ceases to exist, ie it is "destroyed".

The carriage 48 is then moved back to the right into the in Figure 1 moved back, so that the production of a new coil-shaped cushioning product 18 can begin.

It can readily be seen that the diameter of the coil-shaped cushioning product 18 depends on the length between the front end 58 and the rear end 66 of the web-shaped cushioning material 14.

Claims (10)

1. Apparatus (10) for supplying a coil-like padding product (18) for packaging purposes, comprising a supply device (12) for supplying a web-type padding material (14) and a rolling-up apparatus (16) which rolls up the web-type padding material (14) to form the coil-like padding product (18), characterized in that the rolling-up apparatus (16) comprises a flexible delimiting means (28) which can form an at least regionally curved delimiting wall (60) of an at least temporarily present rolling-up space (62), of which the extent is preferably alterable and which has an inlet (22) for the web-type padding material (14) through which the web-type padding material (14) can enter into the rolling-up space (62), the web-type padding material (14) being guided by the at least regionally curved delimiting wall (60), which results in the formation of the coil-like padding product (18).
2. Apparatus (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the flexible delimiting means (28) is movable in a rolling-up direction (56).
3. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexible delimiting means is made from an elastic material.
4. Apparatus (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexible delimiting means (28) comprises a belt material and/or a chain-like structure.
5. Apparatus (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rolling-up space (62), when viewed from the side, has a generally substantially circular cross section.
6. Apparatus (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises: an endless belt (28) which extends around a plurality of deflecting means (30-46), at least one of which (38) is tensible, such that it holds the endless belt (28) at least temporarily under tension; and a drive (54) which drives the endless belt (28) in a direction (56); the inlet (22) into the rolling-up space (62) being formed between two deflecting means (30, 32) such that, during operation, the web-type padding material (14) is guided through said inlet transversely to the endless belt (28), thus in a feed direction (23) of the web-type padding material (14), and as a result the endless belt (28) is impressed in the feed direction (23) of the web-type padding material (14), and the delimiting means which forms a delimiting wall (60) of the rolling-up space (62) is formed by the impressed endless belt (28).
7. Apparatus (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one of the deflecting means, preferably all the deflecting means, comprises or comprise a rotatably mounted roller (30-46).
8. Apparatus (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rolling-up space (62) can be opened and/or destroyed in order to remove the coil-like padding product (18).
9. Apparatus (10) according to claim 6 or claim 7 in conjunction with claim 8, characterized in that one of the two deflecting means (32) forming the inlet (22) into the rolling-up space (62) is displaceably mounted such that an opening extent of the inlet (22) can be increased in order to remove the coil-like padding product (18).
10. Apparatus (10) according to any of claims 6-9, characterized in that the tensible deflecting means (38) is guided linearly and comprises a pretensioning device in the form of a spring or a weight (52).

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