FR2667621A1 - COMPOUND RIBBON OF BANDS SUPERPOSED TO FORM A ROSETTE, AND INSTALLATION FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a ribbon intended to be pleated to form a rosette, arranged to be very easy to use and for easily forming sets of ribbons in small quantities. The invention also relates to a machine for manufacturing such ribbons and laying them flat. The tape (20) is formed by superimposing at least two main bands (1, 4) and two pull bands (2, 3) placed between the main bands. These have tapered portions (10) evenly spaced and surrounded by retaining rings (11). Each strip (20) is cut to its final length during manufacture, and the strips (1 to 4) are welded together at one (5) of the ends of the strip. Thus, the ribbons can be delivered and stored flat, in ready-to-use form, and the pull bands cannot escape while forming the rosette. Applications: decoration and packaging.

Description

I -

  TAPE COMPRISING BANDS SUPERPOSED TO FORM ONE

  ROSETTE, AND INSTALLATION FOR MANUFACTURING

  The present invention relates to a ribbon composed of superimposed strips and intended to be folded to form a rosette, comprising at least one main band provided with narrowed zones formed by lateral notches at regular intervals, at least one constant width pulling strip, less than that of a main band, and retaining rings surrounding all the bands on said narrowed areas and allowing a sliding of each pull strip. The invention also relates to an installation for the manufacture of such ribbons, comprising feeding means for continuously unwinding and superposing strips comprising at least one main band and at least one pulling strip, each main band being provided with narrowed areas. formed by lateral notches, a stapling device for placing rings around said narrowed areas, and conveying means for passing the strips

  superimposed through the stapling device.

  Publication FR-A-2 279 872 describes a method of continuous manufacture of a ribbon of this kind, comprising a traction band associated with one or two main strips. The unwound strips of their respective feed rollers are jerked forward. through a machine that cuts the notches and lays the rings, the advancement step corresponding to the spacing of the notches, and the ribbon obtained is wound on a reel to be delivered to a user This one, to prepare a rosette must cut a stretch of ribbon, grasp the two ends of the drawstring in one hand, and push the main bands along the drawstring with the other hand to form a loop between each ring It must then tie the draw tape to lock

the rosette in this state.

  -2- The ribbon thus manufactured is not very practical for the user On the one hand, the manipulations are relatively complicated and delicate because one risks to extract the strip of draw as one holds it only by a butt or if you loose one end inadvertently, and on the other hand the need to buy these ribbons in rolls virtually prevents small users from having a range of ribbons of different colors for them.

  to match to various objects or packages that it is a question of decorating.

  The present invention aims to avoid these drawbacks by providing ribbons which are very easy to use and can be delivered in

  assortment of different colors, especially in small quantities.

  For this purpose, the invention provides a ribbon of the type indicated above, characterized in that it has a determined length, suitable for forming a single rosette, and that one of its ends is sealed so that all the strips are attached to each other at this end. Preferably, said sealed end is adjacent to one of the narrowed areas. In a preferred embodiment, the strips are of thermoplastic material and are welded to each other at said sealed end. The ribbon preferably comprises at least two main strips and two draw strips arranged between them. The main strips may have respective different colors. The print strips may have a width greater than or equal to that of the narrowed areas.

main bands.

  For the manufacture of such a ribbon, an installation according to the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a welding unit and cross section disposed downstream of the stapling device and separated from it by an accumulation zone, said unit comprising a device for cyclic advancement of the ribbon, a device for detecting lateral notches, means for welding and cutting the ribbon, and control means arranged to actuate the means for welding and cutting the ribbon and the device for cyclical advancement according to a

  predetermined number of notches detected by the detection device.

  In an advantageous embodiment, the conveying means are continuously advancing and the stapling device is mounted on a

moving cart back and forth.

  Preferably, the welding and cutting unit comprises an apparatus for

  thermal or ultrasonic welding, arranged at a stationary

  along the tape path and coupled to a cross-section The installation may advantageously comprise a receiving device arranged to receive the flat ribbon at the outlet of the cutting welding unit. In a particular embodiment, the installation comprises a cutting device arranged to cut the lateral notches in each main band, this device being arranged on the path of the superimposed strips between the supply means and the stapling device. devices can be grouped into one

same machine.

  In another particular embodiment, the installation comprises a separate machine provided with a cutting device arranged to cut the lateral notches in superimposed main strips, as well as winding means for winding these strips into rolls intended for said means. This separate machine can work at a particularly high rate and prepare tapes

  for several machines making ribbons.

  The present invention and its advantages will become more apparent in the

  following description of an exemplary embodiment, with reference to

  FIGS. 1 is a partial perspective view of a ribbon according to the invention, FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows a rosette made with this ribbon, FIG. 3 diagrammatically represents the principal organs of a ribbon. machine for the manufacture of such a ribbon, FIG. 4 schematically represents an installation for manufacturing such a ribbon, composed of several machines, and FIG. 5 represents another form of a ribbon according to the invention,

  likely to be manufactured by the installation illustrated in Figure 4.

  The ribbon 20 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a stack of four flexible strips of synthetic material comprising from bottom to top a first main band 1, a first and a second draw band 2 and 3, narrower than the main band, and a second main band 4 having the same dimensions as the first One end 5 of the tape is sealed by welding the four strips to one area 6, while the strips are free at the other end 7 which is shown cut away to show how the two strips 2 and 3 are arranged between the main strips 1 and 4 In known manner, the main strips are provided with pairs of lateral notches 8 defining, at regular longitudinal intervals, narrowed areas 10 o the main strips have approximately the same width as the draw tapes and o a small ring It wire surrounds

  all the bands without tightening them.

  FIG. 2 schematically shows a rosette 12 obtained from the flat ribbon of FIG. 1. To do this, the free end 7 of the ribbon 20 is slightly grasped between two fingers of one hand and the other hand is pulled together. the two draw strips 2 and 3 which slide between the main strips 1 and 4 inside each ring 11 by drawing the other end 5 of the ribbon In this way, each non-notched portion 13 of the main strips 1 and 4 forms a loop, so that a rosette in the form of a flower is obtained. The two main strips may be of different colors. It may also be provided that the strip has, on each side of the draw strips, several main strips that may have uniform or varied colors. The ribbon 20 has a predetermined length chosen primarily as a function of the number of non-notched portions 13 which is suitable for forming a rosette having the desired appearance. This number obviously depends on the number of main bands that the ribbon comprises. In the case of two main strips , it is generally sufficient to have for each main band between six and ten parts 13 In practice, it is possible to achieve ribbons whose length is for example between 0.4

  meter and 1.0 meter, so that one can easily handle them flat.

  This aspect is important in relation to the presentation of the ribbon in the form of a roll by the possibilities it offers to deliver and store small quantities of different ribbons, especially for a user such as a merchant using In addition, as each ribbon 20 has a welded end and does not need to be cut, its rosette formation is particularly easy and there is no risk that the draw strips

escape rings Il.

  FIG. 3 shows schematically in elevation a machine arranged to manufacture ribbons 20 as described above. The machine is represented only by its main members, mounted in a stationary or mobile manner on a common frame. 4 are delivered continuously by supply rollers 23 to 26 rotating in the direction indicated by the arrows. They are superimposed and pass through a cutting device 27 with rotating cylinders 28 and 29, the rollers 28 having protrusions 30 which cut the lateral notches 8 in the main strips 1 to 4 Then, the strips continuously pass through a stapling device 32 having a carriage 33 which is longitudinally movable back and forth along the double arrow A along the horizontal rails 34, under the effect of a rotary cam 35 and a return spring 36 On the carriage 33 are mounted a guide 37 and a -6 stapler 38 which is movable vertically back and forth, following the double arrow B, to apply successively to each narrowed portion 10 and to put there a metal clip which closes to form the ring Il The continuous ribbon 20 'thus formed is pulled at a constant speed by a pair of rollers trainers 40 actuated, by means of a chain or timing belt transmission 41, by a motor 42 which also synchronously drives the cylinders of the cutting device 27 and the cam 35 of the stapling device 32, by means of

  chain or belt drives 43, 44.

  The continuous ribbon 20 'then passes through an accumulation zone 45 before entering a welding and cross section unit 46 in which it feeds intermittently and from which it leaves in the form of the ribbons 20 described above. The unit 46 is stationary on the frame 22. It comprises pairs of drive rollers 47, 48 which operate intermittently, so as to advance each time a length of finished tape 20 This length is checked at the using an optical detector 52 which detects the passage of each lateral notch 8 and which delivers this information to a counter in an electronic control device of the unit 46 Thus, it can provide a selector for the operator of the machine to determine the length of the ribbons by choosing the number of notches, therefore the number of rings Il that will comprise the ribbon Unit 46 then comprises a thermal or ultrasonic welding device 51, ay a vertically movable head following the double arrow C to apply to the ribbon, and a cross-cutting device 52 which may be thermal or mechanical depending on the case Once cut, the ribbons 20 are laid flat on a receiving device 53 such as a tray or a conveyor for subsequent handling It can also be provided that the welding device 51 is placed after the device

  52 or is arranged to weld and cut in a single operation.

  Compared with the known machine mentioned above, the machine according to FIG. 3 makes it possible to avoid advancing the ribbon by jerks to cut the cuts and to put the staples, which allows a much higher production rate. one can provide two or more staplers on the carriage 33 of the device 32 The only 7 - intermittent advancement of the ribbon takes place in the device 46 and is performed once for each ribbon produced, that is to say at a rate This is why a machine according to Figure 3 is able to manufacture up to 1800 meters of ribbons per hour, against 500

  at 600 meters per hour in the machines according to the prior art.

  FIG. 4 schematically represents an installation intended to manufacture ribbons according to the invention and comprising three similar machines 60 for the actual manufacture of the ribbons, and a precut machine 61 intended to prefabricate the main strips 1 and 4 before they are used in the ribbons. machines 60 Each machine 60 may be similar in principle to the machine illustrated in FIG. 3, except that it is devoid of the cutting device 27, which is replaced by a guiding device 62 arranged to superimpose Suitable bands 1 to 4 and simply illustrated by a pair of rotating rollers 63 As in the previous example, the machine 60 thus comprises supply rollers 23 to 26 delivering the main strips 1 and 4 and the draw strips 2 and 3, a stapling device 32, an accumulation zone 45 and a welding and cross-section unit 46, for delivering lengths The pre-cutting machine 61 comprises a cutting device 64 similar to the device 27 described above, but which can work faster, to cut the lateral notches 8 in the main strips 1 and 4 These rollers can be transferred along arrow D into a stock 67 containing, for example, pre-cut strips of different widths and colors. The rollers 23 and 26 provide the main strips for the manufacture of the ribbons in the machines 60 will then be taken from this stock as needed, as indicated by the arrow E. 8 - Compared to the "on-line" production of the machine according to FIG. 3, the method of manufacture according to Figure 4 allows greater flexibility and a higher production rate In fact the precut machine 61 can work to gra nde velocity, thanks to the absence of reciprocating movement, and thus feed, if necessary, several assembly machines 60 can also pre-cut a single ribbon or

  several at a time, depending on their thickness.

  The installation according to FIG. 4 also has the advantage of allowing the manufacture of a ribbon of the type illustrated in FIG. 5, in which the draw strips 2 and 3 are wider than the narrowed zones 10 of the main strips 1 and 4, while remaining narrower than the untarred portions 13 of the main strips There are thus bands 2 and 3 more solid, to properly tie a package after formation of the rosette Of course, the rings It must be wide enough to slide on the draw strips and are therefore substantially wider than the narrowed areas 10, but this does not change the

formation of the rosette.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but it extends to all modifications or variants

  obvious to a skilled person.

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Claims (1)

Claims I A tape composed of superimposed bands and intended to be folded to form a rosette, having at least one main band (1, 4) provided with narrowed areas formed by lateral notches at regular intervals, at least one draw strip (2 , 3) with a constant width, less than that of a main band, and retaining rings (11) surrounding all the bands on said narrowed areas and allowing a sliding of each pull strip, characterized in that has a predetermined length, suitable for forming a single rosette (12), and in that one (5) of its ends is sealed so that all the strips (1 to 4) are attached to each other at that end . 2 tape according to claim 1, characterized in that said sealed end (5) is adjacent to one of the narrowed areas (10). 3 tape according to claim 1, characterized in that the strips (1 to 4) are made of thermoplastic material and are welded to each other at said sealed end (5). 4. Tape according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least two main strips (1, 4) and two strips (2, 3) arranged between them. Tape according to claim 4, characterized in that the main strips (1, 4) have respective different colors. 6 tape according to revendicatin 4, characterized in that the draw strips (2,3) have a width greater than or equal to that of the narrowed areas (10) of the main bands (1,4). 7 Installation for the manufacture of ribbons (20) according to claim 1, comprising supply means (23 to 26) for continuously unwinding and superimposing strips (1 to 4) comprising at least one main band and at least one band for pulling, each main band being provided with narrowed areas formed by lateral notches, a stapling device (32) for placing rings around said narrowed areas, and conveying means (40 to 42) for passing the superposed strips through the stapling device, characterized in that it comprises a welding and cross section unit (46) disposed downstream of the stapling device (32) and separated from it by an accumulation zone (45). ), said unit (46) comprising: a device (47, 48) for cyclically advancing the ribbon, a device (50) for detecting lateral notches, means (51, 52) for welding and cutting the ribbon, and control means arranged for operating the means for welding and cutting the ribbon and the cyclic feed device according to a predetermined number of notches detected by the detection device (50). 8 Installation according to claim 7, characterized in that said conveying means (40 to 42) are in continuous progress, and in that the stapling device (32) is mounted on a carriage (33) movable in va-and -Comes. 9 Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the welding and cutting unit comprises a thermal or ultrasonic welding apparatus (51), arranged at a stationary location along the course of the ribbon and coupled to an apparatus for cross section (52). 10 Installation according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a receiving device (53) arranged to receive the ribbon (20) flat at the outlet of the cutting welding unit (52). 11 Installation according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a cutting device (27) arranged to cut the lateral notches in each main band (1,4), this device (27) being arranged on the path of the superimposed strips (1 to 4) between the supply means (23 to 26) and the stapling device (32).   1 l - 12 Installation according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a separate machine (61) provided with a cutting device (64) arranged to cut the lateral notches in superimposed main strips (1,4), as well as winding means for winding said roll strips (66) for said feed means tation (23 to 26).