ES2953882T3 - Improved bagging machine and its operating method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bagging machine (1), for packaging an article, such as a mattress (M) and the like, using the film (61, 62) of at least one coil (8, 9) wound on a cardboard. tubular (82, 92), wherein said bagging machine (1) comprises at least one unwinding and replacement unit (3, 4) of a respective coil (8, 9) housed in said at least one unwinding and replacement unit ( 3, 4), which has at least one first unwinding member (311), characterized in that said at least one first unwinding member (311, 411) is capable of assuming a first position, in which it is configured to unwind the coil (8, 9) to bag said article (M) to be bagged, and a second position, in which, when the film of said reel (8, 9) is finished or is no longer sufficient to bag an article (M), ejects the cardboard tubular (82, 92) from said finished coil (8, 9). The present invention also relates to an operating method of a bagging machine (1). (Automatic translation with Google Translate, without legal value)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Improved bagging machine and its operating method

The present invention relates to an improved bagging machine and a method of operation thereof.

More specifically, the invention relates to a bagging machine, for example for mattresses and the like, designed and manufactured in particular to allow the automatic replacement of the reel of finished film or wrapping film, so as to allow a drastic reduction in time. of machine inactivity.

In what follows, the description will be directed to the application of mattress packaging, but it is evident that it should not be considered limited to this specific use.

As is well known, there are currently machines for packaging items, in particular mobile items, such as mattresses and the like. Machines of this type generally comprise a moving plane, generally a roller surface, possibly motorized, on which the mattress moves along a forward direction, and a pair of film reels for wrapping the mattress, generally arranged respectively above and below the moving plane of the mattress.

By means of a suitable system of rollers, the two ends of the film of the two upper and lower reels are conveniently coupled along a line. In this way, when the mattress passes, it is covered on top with a layer of film from the first coil, and on the bottom with a layer of film from the second coil. These layers are welded, as mentioned, on one side and, when the mattress is covered by the upper and lower films, the other three sides are also welded, to complete its bagging.

The machine, therefore, also includes a cutting and sealing member, which allows cutting the ends of the film and welding the ends at the same time.

A technical problem with packaging machines according to the state of the art is that once the film on one or both reels runs out, they must be replaced manually.

In particular, state-of-the-art packaging machines also have sensors that detect when the residual film wound on the reel is no longer sufficient to bag a completely new mattress. In this case, the machine notifies the operator that one or both coils must be changed.

At that moment, the operator must extract the residual film still inserted between the return rollers of the machine, remove the spent reel or, more precisely, the tubular cardboard on which the film is wound, and then re-insert the end of the film between the return rollers, in order to seal the end of the film of the new coil in replacement with that of the other coil (upper, if the lower coil is replaced, or lower, in the case of replacing the upper coil ).

It is evident that this procedure is costly both in time and in economic terms, considering the high downtime.

The relevant prior art also includes patent applications WO 2010/072517 A2 according to the preamble of claim 1 and GB 1312804 A.

In view of the above, it is therefore an object of the present invention to propose a bagging machine capable of automatically replacing the reels of bagging film and, at the same time, coupling the ends of the film.

Another object of the invention is to propose a method of operation of the bagging machine capable of automatically eliminating and replacing the reels for bagging and, at the same time, coupling the ends of the film thereof.

Therefore, the specific object of the present invention is a bagging machine, for bagging an article, such as a mattress and the like, using the film of at least one coil wound on a tubular cardboard, in which said bagging machine comprises at least one unit. unwinding and replacing a respective coil housed in said at least one unwinding and replacing unit, having at least one first unwinding member, characterized in that said at least one first unwinding member is capable of adopting a first position, in which is configured to unwind the coil to bag said article to be bagged, and a second position, in which, when the film of said coil is finished or is no longer sufficient to bag an article, it ejects the tubular cardboard from said finished coil.

Still according to the invention, said first unwinding member may be a first unwinding tape comprising a band and a pair of rollers for moving said band, in which one of said rollers may be pivoting to allow rotation of said unwinding tape, so that it moves from said first position to said second position, and said unwinding and replacement unit may comprise a second unwinding tape, arranged so as to form, with said first unwinding member, a "V" arrangement, so that it accommodates said coil to be unwinded between them.

Still according to the invention, said unwinding and replacement unit may comprise a magazine for containing replacement coils, arranged so as to allow the release of a coil after said unwinding member assumes said first position subsequent to said second position, in the which tubular cardboard is ejected from a finished reel.

Advantageously, according to the invention, said storage may comprise an inclined plane, on which the replacement coils are arranged, oriented towards the concavity formed by the two unwinding members.

Furthermore according to the invention, said unwinding and replacement unit may comprise an ejection guide in which the tubular cardboard around which the reel film is wound is dragged when said at least one unwinding member assumes said second position.

Still according to the invention, said machine may comprise a first unwinding and replacement unit and a second unwinding and replacement unit.

According to the invention, said machine may comprise a conveyor plane, which has a first conveyor half-plane and a second conveyor half-plane, arranged consecutively to said first conveyor half-plane, said first unwinding and replacement unit may be arranged above said first half-plane. conveyor, and said second unwinding and replacement unit may be arranged below said first conveyor half-plane.

Advantageously according to the invention, said machine may comprise a cutting and welding unit, for cutting the excess film and for welding it to close or complete the bagging of an article to be bagged, which comprises a contrast base, a cutting blade, installed in said contrast base, to cut the excess film, a front sealing bar and a rear sealing bar, arranged in correspondence of said contrast base, in which said front sealing bar and said rear sealing bar are configured to weld the film edges of two reels, respectively to close the bagging of an article and to re-attach two film edges to perform a new bagging.

Furthermore, according to the invention, said machine may comprise a pair of grippers, for moving the edges of the film, each of a respective reel, housed in said first unwinding and replacement unit and in said second unwinding and replacement unit.

The object of the present invention is also a method of operation of a bagging machine according to any one of the preceding claims, in which when the film of said reel is finished or is no longer sufficient to bag an article, said at least one unwinding member it moves from said first position, in which it is configured to unwind the coil to bag said article to be bagged, to said second position, to eject the tubular cardboard from said finished coil.

Still according to the invention, said unwinding and replacement unit may comprise a storage for containing replacement coils, and may comprise the step of allowing the release of a replacement coil after said unwinding member returns from said second position to said first position.

Still according to the invention, said at least one unwinding member rewinds the residual film onto the tubular cardboard before said at least one unwinding member moves from said first position to said second position.

The present invention will now be described, for illustrative but not limiting purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with special reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a technical diagram of a bagging machine according to the present invention;

Figure 2 shows the unwinding unit of the bagging machine according to Figure 1; and

Figure 3 shows a cutting and sealing unit of the bagging machine according to Figure 1.

In the various figures, similar parts will be indicated by the same reference numbers.

The solution according to the invention provides, among other things, to provide said bagging machine with a bagging film unwinding unit capable of accommodating the reel to be unrolled, ejecting the tubular cardboard on which the bagging film is rolled when the bagging film is finished. coil, and accommodate and load a new coil from a suitable warehouse.

With reference to Figure 1, a bagging machine 1 can be seen for bagging a mattress M according to the present invention.

The bagging machine 1 essentially comprises a conveyor plane 2, to move a mattress M or element to be bagged in general, a first unwinding and replacement unit 3, to feed the film for bagging and replacing a reel of film when it is finished, a second unwinding and replacement unit 4, to always feed the film to bag the mattress M, and replace a roll of film, when it is finished, a cutting and sealing unit 5, to cut the excess film and seal it to close or complete the bag of a mattress M or element to be bagged in general, and clamps 71 and 72, to manipulate the film edges 61 and 62, coming respectively from the reel 8 housed in the first upper unwinding and replacement assembly 3, and from the reel 9 housed in the second lower unwinding and replacement assembly 4.

In the embodiment in question, the conveyor plane 2 comprises a first conveyor half-plane 21 and a second conveyor half-plane 22, arranged consecutively to said first conveyor half-plane 21.

Generally, the conveyor half-planes 21 and 22 are flats with motorized rollers or with a belt. Said conveyor half-planes 21 and 22 are capable of moving the mattress M to be packaged along a direction of advance indicated by arrow A.

The first unwinding and replacement unit 3, also referred to in Figure 2, in the embodiment in question is arranged above said first half-plane 21 and comprises an unwinding unit 31 of the plastic or sheet, which in turn comprises a first unwinding band 311 and a second unwinding band 312, which act as unwinding elements, arranged in a "V" shape, between which the coil 8 to be unwinded is arranged to feed the plastic wrapping of the mattress M.

Each unwinding tape 311 or 312 comprises a pair of rollers, respectively 311', 311" and 312', 312", between which a tape moves, respectively indicated with reference numbers 311- and 312-.

The first unwinding belt 311 is articulated with respect to the roller 311", which is the one arranged below, near the vertex of the "V" formed with the other unwinding belt 312, and is movable to assume a first position, in which forms with the second pair of rollers 312 the aforementioned "V" shape, in order to allow the unwinding of the coil casing 8, and a second position, in which the unwinding belt 311 rotates an appropriate angle, in order to allow the ejection of the tubular cardboard 82 from the reel 8 once finished, as better explained below.

Furthermore, the first unwinding and replacement unit 3 comprises a coil magazine 32, which has an inclined plane 321, oriented towards the concavity formed by the two unwinding belts 311 and 312, in which a plurality of reserve coils are arranged. or replacement 81.

Finally, below the coil magazine 32, an inclined ejection guide 33 is provided, in which the tubular cardboard 82, around which the coil film is wound, rolls out when said first pair of rollers 311 assumes said second position, as better explained below.

The second unwinding and replacement group 4 is arranged below said first half-plane 21, and is structurally and functionally completely similar to the first unwinding and replacement group 3, so it also comprises a film unwinding unit 41, the first 411 and the second unwinding belt 412, the coil magazine 42 and the relative inclined plane 421, as well as the ejection guide 43, also inclined.

In other embodiments, the second unwinding and replacement assembly 4 may be arranged differently, that is, not below the transport plane 2 of the mattress M to be wrapped, possibly providing return rollers suitable for positioning the edge 62 of the film of the coil 9 in the same housed in the cutting and welding unit 5.

As can be seen, the replacement coils 91 are arranged in the coil magazine 42.

Furthermore, the ejection guide 43 also allows the second unwinding and replacement unit 4 to eject the tubular carton 92 from the finished reel.

The cutting and sealing unit 5, schematically visible in greater detail in Figure 3, comprises a contrast base 51, in which a cutting blade 52 is installed, to cut the excess film coming from the edges 61 and 62 of the coils 8 and 9, respectively arranged in the unwinding units 31 and 41, and a front sealing bar 53, for welding the edges 61 and 62, coming respectively from the upper coil 8 and the lower coil 9, to close the face rear of the pocketed mattress M, and a rear sealing bar 54, configured to seal the edges 61 and 62, in order to join them and allow the bagging of a rear mattress M.

The bagging machine 1 also comprises a pair of grippers 71 and 72, adapted to respectively grasp the edges 61 and 62 of the bagging film, coming respectively from the reels 8 and 9, respectively arranged in the unwinding units 31 and 41.

Each of said clamps 71 and 72 is capable of moving vertically, to grip the respective edge 61 and 62, unwinding one of the two coils 8 and 9. In addition, each of said clamps 71 and 72 is also capable of rotating minus 90°, in order to arrange the gripping edges 61 and 62 parallel to each other and in correspondence with the contrast base 51, to allow their cutting with the cutting blade 52, and their welding with the front closing bars 53 and rear 54, as better described below.

The operation of the bagging machine 1 described above is as follows.

When the bagging machine 1 is in normal operating conditions, the edges 61 and 62 of the film coming respectively from the reels 8 and 9 arranged in the unwinding units 31 and 41 are welded together along a transverse weld line. , in order to couple said two edges 61 and 62.

The mattress M is arranged on the first conveyor half-plane 21 and moves along the direction of advance A.

In this way, the mattress M comes into contact with the two film edges 61 and 62, welded together and, at the same time, the unwinding tapes 311 and 312 of said unwinding unit 31 arranged above and the unwinding tapes 411 and 412 of Said unwinding unit 41 arranged below rotates to unwind the respective reels 8 and 9, feeding the film to bag the mattress M.

Subsequently, once the mattress M is completely wrapped and the film from the two reels 8 and 9 has covered the mattress M both above and below, the excess edges 61 and 62 of the film are cut and welded at the front and at the bottom. behind, by means of said front sealing bar 53 and said rear sealing bar 54.

In this way, the mattress M, now wrapped, or covered with the film, passes completely over said second conveyor half-plane 22, to be transported out of the bagging machine 1, while the edges 61 and 62 coming from the reels B are simultaneously welded along a transverse weld line, to bag the rear mattress M, which arrives from said first conveyor half-plane 21.

In the event that one of the two reels 8 or 9 arranged respectively in the unwinding unit 31 or in the unwinding unit 41 runs out, or in any case, there is insufficient film left to bag an additional mattress M (this data can be detected by suitable sensors) wound on the respective tubular cartons 82 or 92, the unwinding belts of the respective unwinding unit rotate in the opposite direction.

In particular, by way of example, if the reel 8 housed in the unwinding unit 31 ends, then the first unwinding tape 311 and the second unwinding tape 312 would reverse their direction of rotation, so that the residual film would be rewinded around the cardboard. tubular 82 of the reel 8, and, subsequently, the first unwinding belt 311 would move from said first operating position to said second position, thus allowing the tubular cardboard 82 of the finished reel 8 to fall by gravity onto the inclined ejection guide 33 .

Subsequently, said first unwinding tape 311 would return to said first operating position and from said storage 32 the first reel 81 of available replacement film would be wound so as to be positioned between said first unwinding tape 311 and said second unwinding tape 312.

Next, the two unwinding belts 311 and 312 rotate to unwind a part of the film wound on the reel 8 that has just been replaced.

The gripper 71, corresponding to the unwinding and replacement unit 3, would be arranged in an elevated position, as shown in dashed lines in Figure 1, to grab the edge 61 of the film of the replaced reel 8, lowering it and rotating it 90 °, in order to arrange it again in correspondence with said contrast base 51, to allow its cutting and sealing, especially with the edge 62 of the coil 9 arranged in the second unwinding and replacement unit 4, arranged below, and resuming the normal bagging processing cycle of mattress M.

To allow the replacement coils 81 or 91 to roll and be arranged in the unwinding unit 31 or 41 if necessary, the coil magazines 32 and 42 may comprise a movable bulkhead (not shown in the figures), which opens when It is necessary to load a coil 81 or 91 to replace the finished one.

In other embodiments, different types of magazines 32 or 42 may be provided, to hold replacement coils 81 or 91 and release them when necessary.

An advantage of the present invention is to allow automatic replacement and ejection of the reels when they run out of bagging film.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it allows continuous operation of the bagging machine.

The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limiting purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it should be understood that those skilled in the art may introduce modifications and/or changes without departing from the relevant scope defined in the attached claims.

Claims (12)

1. Bagging machine (1), to bag an article, such as a mattress (M) and the like, using the film (61, 62) of at least one coil (8, 9) rolled on a tubular cardboard (82, 92). ), in which said bagging machine (1) comprises at least one unwinding and replacement unit (3, 4) of a respective coil (8, 9) housed in said at least one unwinding and replacement unit (3, 4), having at least one first unwinding member (311 ), characterized in that said at least one first unwinding member (311, 411) is capable of adopting a first position, in which it is configured to unwind the coil (8, 9) to bag said article (M) to be bagged, and a second position, in which, when the film of said reel (8, 9) is finished or is no longer sufficient to bag an article (M), it ejects the tubular cardboard (82, 92) from said finished reel (8, 9 ). 2. Bagging machine (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized wherein said first unwinding piece is a first unwinding belt (311,411) comprising a belt (311'', 411''') and a pair of rollers (311', 311"; 411', 411") for moving said tape (311", 411", wherein one of said rollers (311", 411") is pivoted to allow rotation of said unwinding tape (311, 411), to pass from said first position to said second position, and wherein said unwinding and replacement unit (3) comprises a second unwinding tape (312, 412), arranged so as to form, with said first unwinding member (311, 411), a "V" arrangement, in order to accommodate said coil (B) to be unwinded between them. 3. Bagging machine (1), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said unwinding and replacement unit (3, 4) comprises a warehouse (32, 42) to contain replacement coils (81, 91), arranged in manner that allows the release of a coil after said unwinding member (311, 411) assumes said first position subsequent to said second position, in which the tubular cardboard (82, 92) is ejected from a finished coil (8, 9 ). 4. Bagging machine (1) according to the preceding claim, when it depends on claim 2, characterized in that said warehouse (32, 42) comprises an inclined plane (321; 421), on which the replacement coils (81) are arranged. ), oriented towards the concavity formed by the two unwinding members (311, 312; 411, 412). 5. Bagging machine (1), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said unwinding and replacement unit (3, 4) comprises an ejection guide (33, 43) in which the tubular cardboard (82, 92) ) around which the reel film is wound, is dragged when said at least one unwinding member (311,411) assumes said second position. 6. Bagging machine (1), according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a first unwinding and replacement unit (3) and a second unwinding and replacement unit (4). 7. Bagging machine (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized comprising a conveyor plane (2), which has a first conveyor half-plane (21) and a second conveyor half-plane (22), arranged consecutively to said first conveyor half-plane (21), wherein said first unwinding and replacement unit (3) is arranged above said first conveyor half-plane (21), and wherein said second unwinding and replacement unit (4) is arranged below said first conveyor half-plane (21). 8. Bagging machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a cutting and welding unit (5), for cutting the excess film and welding it to close or complete the bagging of an article (M) to be bagged, that includes a contrast base (51), a cutting blade (52), installed on said contrast base (51), to cut the excess film (61, 62), a front welding bar (53) and a rear welding bar (54), arranged in correspondence of said contrast base (51), wherein said front sealing bar (53) and said rear sealing bar (54) are configured to weld the film edges (61, 62) of two reels (8, 9), respectively to close the bagging of an article ( M) and to reattach two film edges (61, 62) to perform a new bagging. 9. Bagging machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims when it depends on claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a pair of clamps (71, 72), to move the edges of the film (61, 62), each one respective coil (8, 9), housed in said first unwinding and replacement unit (3) and in said second unwinding and replacement unit (4). 10. Method of operation of a bagging machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein When the film of said reel (8, 9) runs out or is no longer sufficient to bag an article (M), said at least one unwinding member (311, 411) moves from said first position, in which it is configured to unrolling the coil (8, 9) to bag said article (M) to be bagged, to said second position, to eject the tubular cardboard (82, 92) from said finished coil (8, 9). 11. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein said unwinding and replacement unit (3, 4) comprises a storage (32, 42) to contain replacement coils (81, 91), characterized in that it comprises the step of allowing the release of a replacement coil (81) after said unwinding member (311,411) returns from said second position to said first position. 12. Method according to any one of claims 10-11, characterized in that said at least one unwinding member (311, 411) rewinds the residual film onto the tubular cardboard (82, 92) before said at least one unwinding member ( 311,411) moves from said first position to said second position.