EP3762300A1

EP3762300A1 - Shaper for a sleeve positioning machine, corresponding ring and machine

Info

Publication number: EP3762300A1
Application number: EP19707845.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Eric Fresnel
Original assignee: Sleever International Co SA
Current assignee: Sleever International Co SA
Priority date: 2018-03-09
Filing date: 2019-03-06
Publication date: 2021-01-13
Also published as: WO2019170771A1; FR3078687B1; FR3078687A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a shaper for a sleeve positioning machine, the shaper comprising: a shaper head for opening a sheath from which the sleeves emerge, a shaper body, and a ring (9) arranged between the shaper head and the shaper body in order to facilitate the movement of the sheath along the shaper, the ring comprising two half-shells (10, 11) connected together by at least one spring (21, 22), the shaper comprising means for temporarily locking the ring in a retracted position in which the spring is strained in order to bring the two half shells together. The invention also concerns an associated ring and machine.

Description

Conformer for machine for fitting sleeves, bushing and corresponding machine

1 / invention relates to a shaper for sleeve laying machine.

The invention also relates to a ring for such a shaper.

The invention also relates to a sleeve laying machine comprising such a shaper.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For the application of heat-shrink sleeves on moving objects, a technique is conventionally used in which a sheath wound flat on a reel is progressively unrolled, the sheath passing over a sheath-opening shaper in order to be open. Sleeves are then cut from the open sheath, rollers being generally provided downstream of the sheath cutting means for ejecting the cut sheath section on the object coming under the shaper.

At the same time, there is also a tendency to use sheaths made of heat-shrinkable film of increasingly smaller thickness. As an indication, conventional techniques used heat-shrinkable films with a thickness of about 50 micrometers, whereas today it is sought to use heat-shrinkable plastic films of smaller thickness, that is, that is, it can go below 30 micrometers.

If the above process worked relatively well with films of large thicknesses, this is no longer the case with films of smaller thicknesses. Indeed, the films then have difficulty moving along the shaper until reaching the cutting means. This is embarrassing especially as production rates are becoming more important.

OBJECT OF 1 / INVENTION

The invention aims to provide a shaper facilitating the descent of the sheath along the shaper.

The invention also relates to a ring for such a shaper.

The invention also aims at providing a sleeve laying machine comprising such a shaper.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve this goal, a shaper for a sleeve laying machine is proposed, the shaper comprising:

a shaper head intended to open a sheath from which the sleeves will be produced,

a shaper body, and

a ring arranged between the shaping head and the shaping body to facilitate movement of the sheath along the shaper, the ring comprising two half-shells interconnected by at least one spring, the shaper comprising temporary locking means of the ring in a retracted position in which the spring is constrained to bring the two half-shells closer together.

In this way, in use, the locking means are actuated to maintain the ring in its retracted position, which allows the operator to relatively easily position the sheath along the shaper for the commissioning of the machine. Then the locking means are deactivated which allows the ring to be again in an extended position of rest, thus tending the sheath to its level, in particular to prevent said sheath from folding directly after passing through the head of the connoisseur.

This tension ring is particularly interesting for ducts made from a thin film that tends to fold quickly. It was thus possible to use such a shaper with films of thickness of 30 microns, 20 microns and even less.

Optionally, at least one of the half-shells has a curved central portion extended at each of its ends by legs.

Optionally, the legs are straight outside and curved internally.

Optionally, the ring comprises at least two springs for binding the half-shells together.

Optionally, the ring has at least one finger intended to come into contact with the sheath to mark it.

Optionally, the finger is made of metallic material.

Optionally, the locking means comprise a pin associated with each half-shell, the pins being mounted movably relative to the shaper between an unlocked position in which the pins extend out of the ring and a locked position in which the pins extend. in the ring.

Optionally, the two pins are movable between the unlocked position and the locked position independently of one another.

The invention also relates to a ring intended to be arranged between the head and the body of a shaper as mentioned above, the ring comprising two half-shells interconnected by a spring. The invention also relates to a sleeve laying machine on objects comprising such a shaper.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the following description of a particular non-limiting embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention will be better understood in the light of the description which follows with reference to the figures of the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view of a ring of a shaper according to a particular embodiment, the ring being in its rest position, FIG. 2 represents the ring of FIG. 1 in its retracted position,

FIG. 3 represents the shaper provided with its ring as illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a part of a sleeves laying machine on objects comprising the shaper illustrated in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

PARTICULAR OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 4, the laying machine 1 according to one particular embodiment of the invention makes it possible to place sleeves on moving objects O.

In a manner known per se, objects O, such as containers, run on a conveyor belt 2.

A flat sheath 3 of heat-shrinkable material is fed from a spool mounted to rotate on a chassis part of the machine (not visible here), said sheath passing over return rollers (no visible here) to arrive on top of a shaper opening shaper 4,

The sheath opening shaper 3, which extends longitudinally along an axis X which is vertical here, comprises a shaper head 5 for progressively opening the sheath 3 arriving on said shaper 4 and a shaper body 6 extending the shaper head 5. The shaper 4 further comprises a downstream portion 7, which extends the shaper body 6, the separation being made at a groove 8.

A cutting means with at least one movable blade is carried by a rotating support (not visible here) arranged at the groove 8 to cut the sheath 3 according to a given control instruction.

The sheath 3 thus opens progressively onto the shaper head 5 and passes between rollers of the frame of the machine 1 and opposing rollers carried by the shaper 4, the rollers being motorized and the counter rollers being mounted free , the cooperation between the rollers and against-rollers providing a function of advance of the sheath 3 along said shaper 5.

At the level of the groove 8, the sheath 3 is cut. Rollers carried by the frame are provided downstream of the cutting means to more easily eject the section of sheath cut on an object O coming under the shaper 4, the shaper 4 comprising corresponding counter rollers.

In this way, the machine 1 makes it possible to arrange sections of sheath, forming sleeves, on the various objects 0 running under the shaper 4.

According to the invention, in order to facilitate this installation, the shaper 4 comprises a ring 9 arranged between the shaping head 5 and the shaping body 6 for facilitate the displacement of the sheath 3 along the shaper 4.

This ring 9 is thus concentric with the shaper body 6 and the X axis.

With reference to FIG. 1, the ring 9 comprises two half-shells 10, 11 which are identical here.

We will now describe a single half-shell 10, the description also applying to the other half-shell 11.

The half-shell 10 has a central portion 12 whose outer face 13 is curved and thus forms a portion of a cylindrical face of a generator cylinder G parallel to the axis X, each section of the outer face 13 (according to section planes of normal X axis) and has a center of curvature Ce of said outer face 13 which belongs to the generator G.

In the same way, the central portion 12 has an inner face 14 which is curved and which thus forms a portion of a cylindrical face of a generatrix cylinder merged with the generator G and of smaller radius than that associated with the face 13. Each section of the inner face 14 (in section planes of normal generatrix G) and has a center of curvature Ci of said inner face 14 which belongs to the generator G.

The central portion 12 thus has substantially a tube segment shape.

The central portion 12 is extended by a leg 15, 16 at each of its lateral ends. Each leg 15, 16 has an inner face 17, 18 which is curved and which thus forms an additional portion of the cylindrical face of the generator cylinder G associated with the inner face 14 of the central portion 12. In this way, the half shell 10 presents generally as inner surface, a cylindrical half-cylinder side of generator G.

On the other hand, each leg 15, 16 extends rectilinearly from a plane comprising the generatrix G to the associated lateral end of the central portion 12. In this way, the half-shell 10 generally presents as an outer face, two flat rectilinear faces 19, 20 interconnected by the outer face 13 curve of the central portion 12.

The half-shell 10 thus has substantially a shape of ü.

The two half-shells 10, 11 are also interconnected by springs 21, 22 which are here two in number.

A first spring 21 extends between the first legs of the half-shells 10, 11 and a second spring 22 extends between the second legs of the half-shells 10, 11 so that the two half-shells 10, 11 are connected. between them by their legs, the two half-shells 10, 11 then extending in the opposite direction from one another.

The ring 9 is thus shaped so as to be movable between a rest position (as illustrated in FIG. 1) and a retracted position (as illustrated in FIG. 2), the passage from one position to another being effected by a radial expansion (or retraction) of the ring 9.

The two springs 21, 22 are arranged so that at rest the two half-shells 10, 11 are spaced from one another, the ring 9 is then in the deployed position. In this position, the ring 9 acts as a tension between the shaping head 5 and the shaping body 6 facilitating the circulation of the sheath 3 along the shaper 4. Preferably, to further limit this risk, the ring 9 has fingers for marking the sheath 3, said fingers 23 are here three in number for each half-shell 10, 11, fingers which are arranged symmetrically between the two half-shells 10, 11.

Typically, each half-shell 10, 11 comprises a central finger 23 extending radially from the central portion 12 towards the outside of the ring 9 and two end fingers 24, 25 each extending radially at the border between each respective leg 15, 16 and the central portion 12.

Each finger 23, 24, 25 is here shaped into a flat pellet driven into the associated half-shell 10, 11 so that a flat end of said pellet protrudes from the associated half-shell 10, 11 in order to come into contact with the sheath 3.

In this way, the fingers 23, 24, 25 ribbed the sheath 3 during its travel along the ring 9 which stiffens the sheath 3.

This ensures in a simple manner that the sheath 3 runs more easily along the shaper 4.

Preferably, the flat end of each finger 23, 24, 25 does not have an acute angle. The flat end of each finger 23, 24, 25 is thus rounded.

In particular, the fingers 23, 24, 25 extend over the entire height of each half-shell 10, 12 (along the axis X) in order to clearly mark the sheath 3,

The fingers 23, 24, 25 are for example metal such as steel.

The fingers 23, 24, 25 have a thickness of between 0.5 and 1 millimeter.

The ring 9 thus described makes it possible to play different roles. The ring 9 makes it possible to tension the sheath 3 on its circumference in order to give it a circularity but also to reduce the shape memory of the sheath 3 since it was stored flat in the coil, the sheath 3 then having at its opening two opposite bends. In addition, the fingers 23, 24, 25 can rib the sheath 3 on its inner surface. The fingers 23, 24, 25 also make it possible to reduce the areas of friction between the sheath 3 and the ring 9.

This allows the sheath 3 to slide more easily along the shaper 4. In particular, this prevents the sheath 3 from closing once the shaper head 5 has been passed.

The ring 9 is here carried by the shaping head 5. For example the ring 9 is screwed to the shaping head 5 by means of screws extending in the holes 26 of the ring 9. Said holes 26 are typically of oblong section (according to planes section normal X axis) to allow the radial movement of the ring 9.

In order to facilitate the putting into service of the machine 1, the shaper 4 comprises temporary locking means of the ring 9 in a retracted position in which the springs 21, 22 are constrained in order to bring the two half-shells 10, 11 closer together. As shown in Figure 2 in this retracted position, the two half-shells 10, 11 are however not in contact with each other.

The locking means typically comprise two locking pins 27 (only one being visible in the figures) each associated with a respective one of the half-shells 10, 11. Each pin 27 is movably mounted in the shaper head 5 between a position unlocked in which the pin 27 extends in the shaper head 5 out of the ring 9 and a locked position in which the pin 27 extends in the shaper head 5 but also in the associated half-shell to block said half-shell in position retracted. Typically, each peg 27 is movably mounted between its two positions in a translation movement, optionally in a translational movement parallel to the X axis. The shaping head 5 and the half-shells 10, 11 thus comprise corresponding holes 28. extend parallel to the X axis for receiving the associated pin (s).

The upper ends of the pins 27 each comprise an operating button 29 facilitating the handling of the pins 28 and in particular their sliding between their two positions. Said operating buttons 29 extend here radially from the pins 27 towards the outside of the shaper 4 so that an operator can more easily handle the pins 27.

Preferably, each pin 27 is associated with a spring 30 externally surrounding the pin 27 considered on a portion or the entire height of said pin 27, the spring 30 being at rest in the unlocked position of the pin 27. The spring 30 thus naturally causes the return of the pin 27 in its unlocked position.

During the commissioning of the machine 1, the operator holds with one hand a half-shell to bring it into the retracted position and the other hand lowers, via the operating knob 29, the associated pin 27 so that it enters the bore 28 of the half-shell to reach its locked position. The operator can then withdraw his hands, the pin 27 holding the half-shell in its retracted position.

The operator repeats this operation with the other half-shell and the other associated pin 27.

The ring 9 is then locked in its retracted position.

The operator can then lower the sheath 3 along the shaper 4 easily, the ring 9 does not interfere or little this threading of the sheath 3. In addition, the operator can use both hands for this maneuver which can be useful in particular with the films of ducts thin (for example less than 30 micrometers or even less than 20 micrometers).

Once the sheath 3 threaded, the operator can simply press the two half-shells 10, 11 through the sheath 3 to release the two pins 27 which return to their unlocked positions through the springs 30. The ring 9 returns as to it in its deployed position in which the ring 9 extends the sheath 3.

The installation of the sheath 3 on the machine 1 is thus simple and fast. In addition, the machine downtime 1 between two changes of duct coils is reduced, especially in the presence of a thin film such as a film of thickness less than or equal to 30 microns, or even less than or equal to 20 microns.

In addition, the ring 9 makes it possible in operation to facilitate the circulation of the sheath 3 along the armrest 4.

The invention is not limited to what has just been described, but on the contrary covers any variant within the scope defined by the claims.

In particular, the locking means may be different from what has been described. Although here the simple depression of the pins in the holes is sufficient to block the half-shells, the pins may include snap-fastening means to snap into the ring. The locking means may also be shaped as retractable pen systems. The pions may in addition or in replacement be movably mounted relative to the confor tor in a different manner such as for example by a rotational movement or a combination of translations and rotations. The locking means may be shaped to lock the half-shells by a single mechanism instead of the two pins.

Furthermore, the ring may be shaped so as to have at least one finger intended to come into contact with the sheath to mark it without the ring having two half-shells interconnected by at least one spring, the shaper comprising temporary locking means of the ring in a retracted position in which the spring is constrained to bring the two half-shells closer together.

Although here the operator blocks each half-shell one after the other, the operator can block the half-shells simultaneously even if the locking means comprise two pins.

Claims

1. A conformator for a sleeve laying machine, the shaper comprising:

a shaper head (5) intended to open a sheath from which the sleeves will be

a shaper body (6), and

a ring (9) arranged between the shaping head and the shaping body to facilitate movement of the sheath along the shaper, the ring comprising two half-shells (10, 11) interconnected by at least one spring (21). , 22), the shaper comprising temporary locking means of the ring in a retracted position in which the spring is constrained to bring the two half-shells.

2. A conformer according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the half-shells (10, 11) comprises a central portion (12) curve extended at each of its ends by legs (15, 16).

3. The conformer according to claim 2, wherein the legs are straight outside and curved internally.

4. A conformer according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the ring (9) comprises at least two springs (21, 22) for connecting the half-shells together.

5. Conformer according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the ring (9) comprises at least one finger (23) intended to come into contact with the sheath to mark it.

The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the finger (23) is made of metallic material.

7. Conformer according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking means comprise a pin (27) associated with each half-shell, the pins being movably mounted relative to the shaper between an unlocked position in which the pins extend out of the ring (9) and a locked position in which the pins extend into the ring.

The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the pins (27) are movable between the unlocked position and the locked position independently of one another.

9. Ring (9) intended to be arranged between the head and the body of a shaper according to one of the preceding claims, the ring comprising two half-shells (10, 11) interconnected by at least one spring.

10. Sleeving machine comprising a shaper according to one of claims 1 to 8.