FR2799685A1 - Method for attaching thin element on to supporting sheet involves press having heated plate with punches mounted on surface and rotating second plate bearing supporting sheet and counter punches - Google Patents

Abstract

The press has a fixed upright plate (14) which is heated and a rotating plate (16) which bears a supporting sheet (18) and pivots about an axis (X) to meet the fixed plate. A ribbon with a thermoadhesive coating (20) is drawn from a spool (22) across the face of the fixed plate and when the rotating plate is operated punches (26) on the fixed plate and counter punches on the rotating plate cut out a design which adheres to the supporting sheet An Independent claim is also included for the press.

Description

The invention relates to a method of hot pressing a thin element, such as a decoration, made of a first material, on a support sheet made of a second material. The invention also relates to a machine of the cutting press type allowing the industrial implementation of this process.

There exist in a certain number of industries, in particular but not exclusively in the field of leather goods, packaging or confection, in particular luxury goods, the need to come and bring onto the external surface of a support derived from a sheet, a thin element intended for decoration, ornamentation and / or presentation of information (the thin element then serving as a label).

laying these thin elements on their support traditionally carries out in an artisanal way, especially when these thin elements are fragile, for example because they have a very contoured outline, a relief with very fine details while they are made in a relatively flexible and fragile material (flat cardboard, fabric ...). Consequently, traditionally, only a manual process makes it possible to guarantee the fixing of such added elements (therefore precuts) on the support without damaging these elements.

The invention aims to provide a method of laying a thin element on a support sheet comprising a minimum of steps carried out with means compatible with industrial automation while guaranteeing a good quality of result. Such a process would thus make it possible to carry out more quickly than in the past, therefore at lower costs, an operation hitherto reserved for very limited series of products.

To achieve this objective, the laying method according to the present invention is characterized in that it comprises the following steps a) a heating plate is provided on the front face of which is mounted at least one cookie cutter whose cutting edge protrudes from the front face of the plate over a depth of cut at most equal to the thickness of the first material, b) a plate is provided having a substantially planar front face intended to receive said support sheet and equipped with positioning means and temporarily retaining said support sheet, said plate being articulated between a rest position and a working position in which the front face of said plate is in abutment against the front face of the plate, a ribbon is produced produced in said first material and one of the two faces of which is coated with a heat-bonding layer, support sheets produced in said second are provided material, e) the ribbon is placed so that a section of ribbon lies against said cookie cutter, the face of the ribbon coated with the fusible layer being turned in the direction opposite to the plate, said plate is heated to a temperature predetermined less equal to the melting temperature of the fusible layer, g) one of said support sheets is placed on said plate placed in the rest position so that said support sheet is held by said positioning and temporary retaining means, h ) activating control means causing, during a closing phase, said plate in its working position in which said cookie cutter, said strip section and the support sheet are superimposed while said cookie cutter on the one hand, cuts an element in said ribbon and on the other hand, heats said element which thus sticks to said support sheet by melting the thermocoll layer ante of said element which is in contact with the support sheet, said control means are activated in order to return, during an opening phase, said plate to its rest position, said element remaining glued to said support sheet, the support sheet coated with said element is replaced by another support sheet and the ribbon is advanced in order to place a new section against said cookie cutter, before returning to step h).

Thus, it is understood that it is then possible, without resorting to the use of a separate gauze previously coated with a fusible product, to carry out in a single operation the cutting of an element which can have a very indented outline , positioning this element on a support sheet and fixing by gluing the entire surface of the element and only this surface on the support sheet.

Thanks to this method, it also succeeds in preventing, when the plate is in abutment against the heated plate, that the diffusion of heat does not cause the part of the tape to adhere to the support sheet other than the element cut out -room. This result is notably achieved by the choice of the nature and the concentration of the fusible product as well as by the adjustment of the temperature of the plate.

According to a particularly advantageous preferred arrangement, said plate is articulated by a pivot link so that it performs a pivoting movement between the rest position and the working position.

In this way, after cutting and fixing the thin element on the support sheet, when the plate returns to its rest position, there is produced, during the opening phase, a spacing between the plate and the plate which form between them an angle increasing from 0 to 90 example.

This angular opening then facilitates, by accompanying in the movement, the detachment of the element glued on its support sheet from the ribbon from which it comes. This separation is carried out, thanks to this pivoting movement, in a progressive manner therefore without tearing the ribbon.

Preferably, in the working position of the plate, means for pressurizing the plate against the plate are activated. Thanks to this arrangement, advantageously implemented at least simultaneously upon arrival in the working position of the plate, the best action of the cookie cutter is guaranteed for cutting and sticking the thin element on its support sheet.

According to an advantageous characteristic, it also provides a counter-impression which has a relief complementary to that of the punch, this counter-impression being fixed on the front face of the plate in correspondence with said cookie-cutter. In this way, a better cutting result is achieved. In addition, according to another advantageous arrangement, said cookie cutter has, inside the zone delimited by the cutting edge, a relief surface forming an imprint which achieves, in the working position of the plate, simultaneously with the operations cutting and fixing by hot gluing of the element, an impression of this relief to said element and to said support sheet. This impression corresponds to an embossing produced between said cookie cutter and said counter-impression provided with complementary relief.

Thus, it is well understood the additional advantage provided by the present invention that being able to emboss a thin element such as a label, at the same time as it is cut and fixed by hot gluing on its support sheet at a well predetermined location. .

The present invention also relates to a machine making it possible to implement the method which has just been described previously. According to the invention, this machine is a press for cutting a thin element, such as a decoration, made of a first material, this press being characterized in that it comprises a frame on which are assembled a) a heating plate on the front face of which is mounted at least one cookie cutter, the cutting edge of which protrudes from the front face of the plate over a cutting depth at most equal to the thickness of the first material, b) a plate having a face essentially flat front intended to receive a support sheet made of a second material, said plate being equipped with means for positioning and temporarily retaining said support sheet, said plate being articulated relative to said frame pivotally about an axis pivoting, between a rest position and a working position in which the front face of said plate bears against the front face of the plate, c) means for guiding a ribbon produced in said first material and one of the two faces of which is coated with a heat-bonding layer, said guide means being positioned on said plate so that a section of the ribbon is opposite said cookie cutter, d) heating means capable of bringing the plate to a temperature at least equal to the melting temperature of the fusible layer, control means able to pivot said plate between its rest position and its working position in which said cookie cutter, said section of the ribbon and the support sheet are superimposed, and means for advancing said ribbon.

We understand that this press allows to achieve hot, in a single operation, positioning, cutting and fixing by gluing thin element from a ribbon formed in a first material on a support sheet made of a second material, being it is understood that the tape and the support sheet can be made of the same material.

Advantageously, the front face of the plate is provided with a counter-impression having a relief complementary to that of the punch, this counter-impression being positioned on the front face of the plate in correspondence with said cookie-cutter.

Thus, in the case where said cookie cutter has, inside the zone delimited by the cutting edge, a relief surface forming an imprint, when said plate arrives in its working position, said relief is printed on said element and to said support sheet by embossing between said cookie cutter and said counter-impression.

The invention will be better understood, and secondary characteristics and their advantages will become apparent during the description of an embodiment given below by way of example.

It is understood that the description and the drawings are given for information only and are not limiting.

Reference will be made to the appended drawings, in which - FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic profile representation of the cutting press according to the present invention making it possible to implement the method of laying by hot pressing, also subject of the present invention; - Figure 2 is a front view schematically showing the heating plate of the cutting press; Figure 3 is a schematic perspective showing a cookie cutter capable of being mounted on the heating plate illustrated in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a schematic perspective representation of the swivel plate of the press illustrated in Figure 1; FIG. 5 is a view in longitudinal section, that is to say in the direction of travel of the ribbon from which the element to be fixed on the support sheet originates, of the plate in the working position against the heating plate as well as different layers of material sandwiched between the plate and the plate; - Figure 6 shows the support sheet after treatment on which are fixed three thin elements.

Reference will be made to FIG. 1 schematically illustrating a press 10 according to the present invention.

This press 10 comprises a frame 12 resting on the ground 13. A heating plate 14 is fixedly mounted on the frame in a vertical position, the front face of the plate 14 being turned to the right of FIG. 1.

The heating plate 14 is associated with heating means (not shown) making it possible to obtain a temperature rise and a substantially constant temperature maintenance over the entire surface of the heating plate with the possibility of adjusting this temperature. Advantageously, the heating plate 14 is also provided with means for controlling the temperature of this plate, these means making it possible to send visual or audio information when this temperature exceeds predetermined maximum and minimum threshold values.

Compression against the heating plate 14 is made possible by a plate 16 articulated with respect to the frame 12, advantageously pivotally about a pivot axis X. The plate is movable between a rest position shown in solid lines on the Figure 1 and a working position in which the front face of the plate 16 is then in abutment against the front face of the plate 14, an intermediate position being illustrated in dashed lines in Figure 1. This plate 16 is, like the plate 14, consisting of a metal plate, for example of cast iron, having an essentially flat working front face. In the case of the plate 16, this front face is intended to carry a support sheet 18.

According to one of the particularly advantageous characteristics of the present invention, the plate 16 is pivotally mounted relative to the frame 12. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the pivot axis X of the plate 16 relative to the frame 12 is horizontal, located substantially under the heating plate 14 in the extension of the plate 16.

In this preferred configuration, the plate 14 is therefore vertical and the plate 16 is, in its rest position, substantially horizontal, so that the front face of the plate 16 is turned upwards in the rest position of the plate 16.

It is understood that other relative arrangements between the plate 16 and the plate 14 are possible: in its rest position the plate can have a limited inclination relative to the horizontal direction, preferably less than 45; the pivot axis X can have other directions; the plate 14 can also be articulated relative to the frame 12, or else the plate 16 is mounted fixed relative to the frame, the plate 14 being the only one to be articulated.

Since the press 10 is used for laying a thin element by hot pressing on the support sheet 18, provision is made for the passage of a ribbon 20 made of a first material, on the front face of the heating plate 14. For this, the ribbon 20 comes from a reel 22 mounted on a reel support 24 secured to the frame. This coil support 24 will advantageously be arranged on the front face of the frame 12, at the front of the plate 14 and under the plate 16 so as to be located in an area where its replacement is carried out easily. In addition, if the coil 22 is placed at the aforementioned location, it is then possible to use coils 22 of large diameters corresponding to a long length of ribbon 20, even in the case where this ribbon 20 consists of a first relatively thick material, such as for example flat cardboard.

This preferential positioning of the coil 22 which is thus disposed at the front of the pivot axis X, has the additional advantage, compared to a location directly under the plate 14, of benefiting from more space available for accommodating a big coil. Indeed, under the plate 14 and under the pivot axis X, the frame 12 is subjected to high mechanical stresses during the tilting movement of the plate 16 so that the frame must necessarily be sufficiently resistant in this area, it that is to say sufficiently thick.

Guide means must also be provided on the press 10 to pass the ribbon 20 along the front face of the plate 14 on the one hand and allow its subsequent evacuation towards the rear of the machine as illustrated in the figure 1.

In order to allow the pivoting movement of the plate 16 relative to the frame 12, the press 10 is further provided with control means, advantageously automatic and programmable, capable of pivoting the plate 16 between its rest position and its working position. Means for advancing the ribbon 20 are also provided, which advantageously will be automatic with a predetermined advance step.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the heating plate 14 mounted on the frame 12 carries three cookie cutters 26 intended in particular to cut an element from the ribbon 20, this element having to be fixed on the support sheet 18 as it will be explained below.

The plate 14 therefore has one or more locations intended to receive a cookie cutter 26 such as that illustrated in more detail in FIG. 3. This cookie cutter 26 consists of a base 26a pierced with fixing holes 26d and the front face is engraved according to a closed contour delimited by a cutting edge 26b forming the cutting blade which will cut the element in the ribbon 20. In the area of the front face of the cookie cutter delimited by the cutting edge 26b will have been engraved a relief 26c constituted in the case of Figure 3 of an annular recess.

In the example illustrated, three cookie cutters 26 are fixed on the plate 14 in an aligned and evenly spaced manner in the direction of advance of the ribbon 20, that is to say in a vertical direction in the illustrated case. It is understood that it is possible to mount on the plate 14 from 1 to n cookie cutter 26 distributed according to any arrangement, provided that they are in the zone of the plate facing the ribbon 20.

In FIG. 2 are shown at least some of the means for guiding the ribbon 20 in the form of two bands 28, advantageously made of the second material constituting the support sheet 18, these bands being positioned horizontally at the bottom and at the top of a central zone of the plate 14 on which they are fixed only by their end, leaving between these two ends a free passage substantially as long as the width of the ribbon 20 in order to form a loop "for this ribbon.

The plate 16 carries on its front face (see FIG. 4) means for positioning and temporary retention of the support sheet 18, for example in the form of two flexible blades 30 formed of a section of metal strip and fixed by the only one of their ends, each on the edge of one of two adjacent sides of the front face of the plate 16.

To ensure the embossing of the element which will be placed on the support sheet 18, it is necessary to mount a setting or counter-impression 32 on the front face of the plate 16. This counter-impression 32 has a relief complementary to the relief of the cookie cutter 26 and is preferably made of the same first material as the tape 20. In the example illustrated in FIG. 4, three counter-impressions 32 are aligned so that their position corresponds exactly to that of the cookie cutters in the working position of the plate 16.

Thus, when the plate 16 is passed, during a closing phase, from its rest position to its working position, the stack shown in FIG. 5 is obtained, that is to say from the left to the right, the plate 14, the cookie cutter 26, the ribbon 20 cut by the cutting edge 26b of the cookie cutter to delimit a thin element 34 embossed by hot deformation between the cookie cutter 26 and the counter-impression 32 surmounting the plate 16, the support sheet 8 which is not cut but also embossed, the counter-impression 32 and the plate 16. To achieve this result which is visible in FIG. 6, that is to say say perform simultaneously cutting, fixing by hot gluing and embossing of a thin element 34 from a ribbon 20 on a support sheet 18 - the ribbon 20 is prior to its assembly coated with a continuous layer fusible formed of an adhesive 21 arranged on the face of the turned tape e in the direction opposite to the plate 14, that is to say facing the plate 16, on the one hand, and - the cutting edge 26b projects from the front face of the plate 14 over a cutting depth A at most equal to the thickness of the first material constituting the ribbon 20, on the other hand. Thus, a cut called mid-flesh is produced which guarantees the cutting of the ribbon 20 without damaging the sheet 18.

To ensure sufficient pressure of the plate 16 against the plate 14, provision is made for the press 10 to also be provided with means for pressurizing the plate 14 in its working position, these means preferably acting also during the closing phase of the plate 14. non-illustrated means of pressurization can be mechanical or hydraulic.

The choice of the first material constituting the ribbon 20 and the second material constituting the support sheet 18 is relatively wide, these two materials possibly belonging to the group comprising flat cardboard, leather, fabrics (woven or non-woven), wood and its derivatives and synthetic substances or a combination between these materials.

The first material constituting the ribbon 20 must have a sufficient tensile strength not to tear either during the cutting of the element 34 by the punch or during the separation between the element 34 and the ribbon 20 .

Tests have been successfully carried out using a support sheet 18 made of flat cardboard and covered with fabric on its front face, the ribbon 20 being made of flat cardboard. Other functions can of course be brought to the press and to the laying process which have just been described without, however, modifying the characteristics presented above.

Thus, preferably, it is advantageously checked that the plate is more in the working position before allowing the advancement of the ribbon 20 by means of control means integrated into the press 10. Advantageously, it is checked that the advancement of the ribbon 20 takes place only when the plate 16 is in the opening phase or in the rest position.

The heating plate 14 may comprise from 1 to n cookie cutters so that it is possible to lay from 1 to n elements 34 on the same support sheet 18. Advantageously, the plate 14 carries at least two cookie cutters 26 (three in the exemplary embodiment illustrated).

In addition, advantageously, as can be seen in FIG. 2, the cutting edges 26b of two adjacent cookie cutters 26 are separated by a distance (B) greater than the maximum dimension of the outline of the cutting edge in the direction the tape 20 (distance C).

In this way, advantageously, the means for advancing the ribbon 20, preferably automatic, have a pitch equal to half the sum of the distance separating the cutting edge of two adjacent cookie cutters 26 and the maximum dimension of the contour from the cutting edge of a cookie cutter in the direction of travel of the ribbon, that is to say a step equal to B + C.

In this way, the length of the ribbon 20 is used to the maximum during the successive operations, cuts being made in staggered rows along the direction of travel of the ribbon: an in-between is then implemented.

Claims (21)

<U> CLAIMS </U> 1. A method of laying by hot pressure a thin element (34), such as a decoration, made of a first material, on a support sheet (18) made of a second material, characterized in that it comprises the following steps a) a heating plate is provided (1 on the front face of which is mounted at least one cookie cutter (26) whose cutting edge (26b) projects from the front face of the plate (14) on a cutting depth (A) at most equal to the thickness of the first material, b) a plate (16) is provided having a substantially planar front face intended to receive said support sheet (18) and equipped with positioning means and temporarily retaining (30) said support sheet (18), said plate (16) being articulated between a rest position and a working position in which the front face of said plate (16) is pressed against the front face plate (14), c) a ribbon (20) is provided made from said first material and one of the two faces of which is coated with a heat-bonding layer (21), d) support sheets (18) made of said second material are provided, e) the ribbon (20) is placed so that a section of tape (20) lies against said cookie cutter (26), the side of the tape (20) coated with the heat-bonding layer (21) being turned in the opposite direction to the plate (14), fj heating said plate (14) to a predetermined temperature at least equal to the melting temperature of the fusible layer (21), g) placing one of said support sheets (18) on said plate (16) placed in the rest position so that said support sheet (18) is held by said positioning and temporary retaining means (30), h) activating control means causing, during a closing phase, said plate (16) in its working position in which said cookie cutter (26), said t ronçon of the ribbon (20) and the support sheet (18) are superimposed while said cookie cutter (26) on the one hand, cuts an element (34) in said ribbon (20) and on the other hand, heats said element which thus sticks to said support sheet (18) by melting the fusible layer (21) of said element which is in contact with the support sheet (18), i) activates said control means in order to reset, during an opening phase, said plate (16) in its rest position, said element remaining glued to said support sheet (18), j) the support sheet (18) coated with said element (34) is replaced by another support sheet (18) and the ribbon (20) is advanced in order to place a new section against said cookie cutter (26), before returning to step h). 2. Installation method according to claim 1, characterized in that said plate (16) is articulated by a pivot link so that it performs a pivoting movement between the rest position and the working position. 3. Installation method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the working position of the plate (16), means for pressurizing said plate (16) against said plate (14) are activated. 4. Installation method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it provides, in addition a counter-impression (32) having a relief complementary to that of said cookie cutter (26) and fixed on the front face of said plate (16) in correspondence with said cookie cutter (26). 5. Installation method according to claim 4, characterized in that said cookie cutter (26) has, inside the zone delimited by the cutting edge (26b), a raised surface forming an imprint, so that, in the working position of the plate (16), said relief is printed on said element and on the support sheet (18) by embossing between said cookie cutter (26) and said counter-impression (32). 6. Installation method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first and second materials belong to the group comprising flat cardboard, leather, fabrics, wood and its derivatives and synthetic substances. 7. Installation method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is checked that the advancement of the tape (20) takes place only when the plate (16) is in the opening phase or in position rest. 8. Cutting press for a thin element, such as a decoration, made of a first material, characterized in that it comprises a frame (12) on which are assembled a) a heating plate (14) on the front face of which is mounted at least one cookie cutter (26) whose cutting edge projects from the front face of the plate (14) to a cutting depth at most equal to the thickness of the first material, b) a plate ( 16) having a substantially planar front face intended to receive a support sheet (18) made of a second material, said plate (16) being equipped with means for positioning and temporary retention (30) of said support sheet (18), said plate (16) being articulated relative to said frame (12) pivotally about a pivot axis (X), between a rest position and a working position in which the front face of said plate (16) is in support against the front face of the plati ne (14), c) means for guiding a tape (20) made of said first material and one of the two faces of which is coated with a heat-bonding layer (21), said guide means being positioned on said plate (14) so that a section of the ribbon (20) is located opposite said cookie cutter (26), d) heating means capable of bringing the plate (14) to a temperature at least equal to the temperature of fusion of the fusible layer (21), e) control means able to rotate said plate (16) between its rest position and its working position in which said cookie cutter (26), said section of tape (20 ) and the support sheet (18) are superimposed, and f) means for advancing said strip (20). 9. Cutting press according to claim 8, characterized in that said heating plate (14) is fixedly mounted on the frame and in that said plate (16) is pivotable relative to the frame. 10. Cutting press according to claim 8, characterized in that said pivot axis (X) is horizontal and located substantially under said plate (14). 11. Cutting press according to claim 10, characterized in that said pivot axis (X) is substantially located in the extension of said plate (16). 12. Cutting press according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the front face of said plate (16) is provided with a counter-impression (32) having a relief complementary to that of said cookie cutter ( 26) and positioned in correspondence with said cookie cutter (26). 13. Cutting press according to claim 12, characterized in that said cookie cutter has, inside the zone delimited by the cutting edge, a raised surface forming an imprint, so that, in the position of work of the plate (16), said relief is printed on said element and on the support sheet (18) by embossing between said cookie cutter (26) and said recess (32). 14. Cutting press according to claim 9, characterized in that said plate (14) is vertical and in that said plate (16) is, in its rest position, substantially horizontal, its front face being turned upwards. 15. Cutting press according to claim 11, characterized in that it further comprises a reel support (24) intended to receive a reel (22) on which said ribbon (20) is wound, said reel support ( 24) being disposed at the front of said pivot axis (X). 16. Cutting press according to any one of claims 8 to 15, characterized in that the plate (14) carries at least two cookie cutters (26), the cutting edges (26b) of two cookie cutters (26 ) adjacent being separated by a distance (B) greater than the maximum dimension (C) of the contour of the cutting edge (26b) in the direction of travel of the ribbon (20). 17. Cutting press according to claim 16, characterized in that said means for advancing the ribbon (20) are automatic. 18. Cutting press according to claim 17, characterized in that said means for advancing the ribbon (20) have a pitch equal to half the sum of the distance (B) separating the cutting edge of two cookie cutters (26 ) adjacent and of the maximum dimension (C) of the contour of the cutting edge (26b) in the direction of travel of the ribbon (20). 19. Cutting press according to any one of claims 8 18, characterized in that it further comprises means for pressurizing said plate (16) in its working position. 20. Cutting press according to any one of claims 8 19, characterized in that it further comprises means for controlling the temperature of the plate (14). 21. Cutting press according to any one of claims 8 to 20, characterized in that it further comprises control means allowing the advancement of the ribbon (20) only when the plate (16) is in phase opening or in the rest position.