IT202000019609A1 - PROCESSING UNIT OF A SEMI-FINISHED PRODUCT - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

of the industrial invention entitled:

?Unit? of processing a semi-finished product?

The present invention relates to a unit? of processing a continuous or discrete semi-finished product and the like, such as for example a continuous strip or segments of strip, and in particular a unit? rotary operation.

Commonly, in the production plants of articles or packages that involve working on continuous belts or sections of the same, units are foreseen? or operational wheels or units? or working wheels which allow operations to be performed, such as for example welding on the continuous belt, rotation of the pieces or other during their advancement.

In a known embodiment, such units? operatives comprise a rotating member, generally around a horizontal axis, a plurality? of operating crews or groups, for example welders, revolving supports and the like engaged with the rotating member and arranged angularly spaced from each other, around the axis of rotation of the rotating member, and a support structure of the rotating member.

In use, the operating units rotate synchronously with the rotating member and, generally, with the strip or the lengths, allowing the operating groups to treat the semi-finished product during its advancement along the machine where it is located. wheel mounted.

For example, the unit? operating rotary can? be used in the welding of a continuous composite tape for the production of absorbent articles or diapers, for example for welding the side bands of diapers.

According to further examples, the unit? operating rotating of interest pu? be used in the welding of a continuous belt for the packaging of solid food and confectionery products, such as chocolates or candies, liquid or semi-solid; in the production of bottles and briks of beverages; in the production of bags containing foodstuffs, products from the tobacco industry, products from the cosmetics industry, products from the pharmaceutical industry, products from the "personal & home care" industry. In general, the continuous tape workable with the unit? operational in accordance with this description pu? be intended for the creation of packages or containment bags for liquid or solid products.

Furthermore, the market recently requires devices capable of processing continuous tape, or pieces of continuous tape, or more? in general semi-finished continuous or discrete in order to achieve more? finished product formats with a single device.

? easy to understand as a device that ? able to process the semi-finished product to respond to a multiplicity? of formats such as for example from an XS format to an L format, is it much more? bulky in weight and size compared to the single device aimed at the execution of a single format.

Based on the format of the product to be made, the units? of known workings can also assume relatively large and heavy dimensions.

In particular, the support structure of the rotating member must be sized to support the member itself and to support its rotation even at high speed. elevated.

The complexity? of the support structures makes it difficult to access at least the rotating member and the operating crews, for example for maintenance on the same or for ordinary cleaning operations.

The need for unity remains therefore unsatisfied? rotating operations that are manageable in maintenance operations, for example of their operating crews, even in the case of heavy rotating parts that require adequate support structures.

In this context, we want to propose a? unity? rotary operative able to overcome at least some of the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above and to satisfy the above requirement.

Particularly, ? purpose of the present invention to make available a unit? operating wheel or wheel for working on continuous or discrete semi-finished products which allows, in a practical way, maintenance operations on the components of the wheel itself.

That purpose? reached by a? unit? rotary operating unit including the technical characteristics set forth in one or more? of the joint claims. The dependent claims correspond to possible different embodiments of the invention.

In accordance with a first aspect, the present invention relates to a unit? or working wheel of a continuous or discrete semi-finished product comprising a rotating member about an axis of rotation, a plurality of operating crews supported by the rotating member and a support structure for the rotating member.

Advantageously, the support structure comprises a first frame and a second frame movable between a position close to the first frame and a position away from the first frame.

For example , does the rotating member have a first portion and a second portion located respectively at a first end? of the rotating organ and at a second end? of the rotating member separated from each other along the axis of rotation of the rotating member.

According to one aspect, the first portion of the rotary member is? rotatably constrained to the first frame and the second portion? rotatable to the second frame when the second frame ? in the position approached to the first frame.

The first frame? preferably configured to support the rotating member at least when the rotating member is? stopped.

In this way, when the unit? of processing? stops, the second frame can? be removed, the first frame can? cantilever support the rotating member and the rotating member itself is better accessible.

When the unit? of processing? active, and the loads on the support structure are greater, for example due to the rotation of the rotating member, the second frame cooperates with the first frame to guarantee further and adequate support to the rotating member itself.

In the case, in particular, of relatively large rotating members, a cantilevered support of the same would be extremely cumbersome, while a single support structure to support the rotating member at both ends? axial would not allow convenient access to the rotating member, for example for maintenance operations.

According to one aspect of the description, the rotary member comprises, at said second end, an engagement element for coupling with the second frame. Advantageously, the engagement element ensures, for example, correct relative positioning of the rotating member with respect to the second frame.

According to one aspect, the second chassis ? movable between a lowered position at which ? released from the rotating organ and a raised position at which ? bound to the rotating organ.

Thus, the second frame ? easily detachable from the rotating part to be removed or moved away.

According to one aspect, the second chassis ? movable between said positions approached and moved away along a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotating member.

Advantageously, any movement devices of the second frame can thus work in a straight line.

According to one embodiment, the second frame is in the form of a cart and includes a plurality? of wheels movable between a raised position and a lowered position for movement of said second frame.

The wheels can then be extracted and/or retracted and/or the second frame can? be lowered and/or raised to be easily moved when it needs to be moved but stable in the position approached to the first frame.

According to one aspect, to ensure adequate stability? to the support structure, the unit? processing comprises a system for hooking the second frame to the first frame in the approached position.

According to one aspect, the unit? process does it include at least one active operating member, in use, on the semi-finished product which ? supported by the second frame and movable with the same. In this way, by moving the second frame away from the first frame, the operating member is also removed, making the rotating member more accessible.

The operating body? preferably a roller preferably having an axis of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotary member so as to slide out comfortably along the direction of translation of the second frame.

According to one aspect, the operating units are movable towards the axis of rotation of the rotating member and away from the axis of rotation of the rotating member to vary a processing step on the semi-finished product or the unit. of processing can? manage different formats of products and semi-finished products.

The unit processing is more complex and the possibility? to remove part of the extremely advantageous support structure of the rotating member.

In one aspect, does the description relate to a maintenance procedure for a unit? workpiece comprising a rotary member and a support structure for the rotary member.

The method comprises a step of moving a first part of the support structure away from a second part of the support structure to make accessible, at least in part, the rotating member and the operating equipment supported by the same.

According to one aspect, the movement step comprises a translation step of the first part of the supporting structure in a direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the rotating member.

The method comprises a step of decoupling the first part of the supporting structure from the second part of the supporting structure.

The method comprises a step of supporting the rotating member only through the second part of the support structure or, when the rotating member is ? stop, the same ? supported by only a part of the support structure and accessible for maintenance operations.

The method comprises a step for releasing the rotary member from the first part of the support structure.

According to one aspect, the moving step comprises a step for moving at least one operating member of the unit away from the rotating member. process so that the remaining parts, supported by the fixed part, are even better accessible.

Further characteristics and advantages of the aforementioned aspects will appear more clearly from the indicative, and therefore non-limiting, description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a unit? of machining a continuous or discrete semi-finished product.

This description will set out below with reference to the attached drawings, provided for indicative and, therefore, non-limiting purposes only, in which:

- figure 1 illustrates a unit? of processing, according to aspects of the description, in a possible embodiment, in a schematic front view and in an operating configuration;

- figure 2 illustrates the unit? of processing of figure 1 in a schematic front view in a maintenance configuration;

- figure 3 illustrates a unit? of processing, according to aspects of the description, in a possible embodiment in a schematic perspective view.

With reference to figure 1, with 1 ? been indicated overall a unit? or wheel for processing a continuous or discrete blank not shown, such as a composite strip or strip lengths.

The unit 1 comprises a member 2, rotating about a rotation axis R2, which schematically defines a hub of the unit? 1 itself.

The member 2 has a first portion 3, located at a first end? 2a of the rotating member 2, and a second portion 4, located at a second end? 2b of the rotating member 2.

The first and second extremity? 2a, 2b are distanced from each other along the rotation axis R2 of the member 2, i.e. are the ends? axis of the same.

The unit 1 of processing includes a plurality? of operating units or groups 5, or groups intended to carry out operations on the semi-finished product, such as for example welding, supported by the member 2 and illustrated for example in figure 3. Figures 1 and 2 for simplicity? and greater clarity illustrate a single assembly between member 2 and equipment 5.

In general, the units 5 are movable between a configuration for disengagement from the semi-finished product and a configuration for engagement with it to carry out the operation for which they are assigned.

In practice, the semi-finished product is worked, for example welded, by the operating groups 5, during the rotation of the wheel 1, with at least part of the groups 5 in the engagement configuration with the semi-finished product.

In the case of a preferred embodiment of a weld, the units 5 can comprise for example a gripper mechanism, movable between an open configuration, corresponding to the inoperative configuration, and a closed configuration, corresponding to the operative configuration.

The gripper mechanism comprises for example a sonotrode and an anvil movable between a distant position, for disengagement from the semi-finished product, and an approached position, for engagement with the strip, to perform an ultrasonic welding on the strip.

In a preferred embodiment illustrated as an example, the assemblies 5 project radially from the rotating member 2 and are angularly spaced apart about the rotation axis R2; in the example shown in figure 3, the groups 5 are equidistant from each other. In a preferred embodiment, the groups 5 are movable with respect to the rotation axis R2, towards and away from it, for example to vary the pitch of the corresponding machining operations on the semi-finished product.

The unit 1 comprises a structure 6 for supporting the rotating member 2.

The support structure 6 comprises a first frame 7 and a second frame 8.

Chassis 7? preferably configured and sized to autonomously support the rotating member 2 at least when the member 2 itself is? stopped.

In practice, according to what is illustrated in figure 2, the frame 7 is advantageously able to support, alone, the rotating member 2, and the units 5 supported by the same, at least when the member 2 is? stationary or the? unit? 1 not ? in exercise.

In the illustrated embodiments, for example, the frame 7 comprises a base 9 for resting on the ground from which rises a vertical column or wall 10 to which ? the rotating member 2 is bound.

The 8 frame? movable between a position close to the frame 7, illustrated in figures 1 and 3, and a position away from the frame 7, illustrated in figure 2.

Preferably, the frame 8 ? movable between the approached and withdrawn positions along a direction D parallel to the axis R2 of rotation of the rotating member 2.

According to what has been illustrated, the first portion 3 of the rotating member 2 is rotatably constrained to the first frame 7 and in particular to the wall 10 thereof.

The second portion 4 of the rotating member 2 ? rotatable to the second frame 8, in particular when the second frame 8 is in the position approached to the first frame 7, as illustrated in figures 1 and 3.

For coupling the portion 4 of the rotating member to the frame 8, the rotating member itself comprises, at its second end, 2b, an engagement element 11 to couple with the frame 8.

Advantageously, the frame 8 comprises an abutment element 12 for the engagement element 11 with which the element 11 itself engages, in a rotatable manner.

In the preferred embodiment shown, the frame is also mobile between a lowered position, at which ? released from the rotating member 2 or rather the elements 11 and 12 are not engaged with each other, and a raised position at which ? instead it is constrained to the rotating member 2 and contributes to the definition of the support structure 6.

Preferably, the frame 8 ? in the form of a cart and includes a plurality? of wheels 13 movable between a raised position and a lowered position for movement of the frame 8 itself, as illustrated for example in figures 1 and 2.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, the frame 8 is configured to be moved with a respective machine, for example a so-called pallet truck.

In the examples illustrated, the frame 8 comprises a base portion 14 from which a tower 15 rises which supports the element 12.

The unit 1 comprises a coupling system, generally indicated with the reference number 16 in figure 3, of the frame 8 to the frame 7 in the approached position so as to confer greater rigidity? to the support structure 6.

Preferably, system 16 ? operatively active between the base 9 of the frame 7 and the base portion 18 of the frame 8.

According to what has been illustrated, at least one operative member 17 active, in use, on the semi-finished product, such as for example a roller or a transmission pulley of a continuous semi-finished product such as a belt, is supported by the second frame 8 and movable with the same away from the frame 7.

In this way, the operating member 17 or the operating members supported by the trolley 8 can also be removed for maintenance operations on the rotating member 2.

In the attached figures ? only one member 17 is visible but the preferred embodiments illustrated comprise a pair of members 17, in particular return rollers.

The rollers 17 have a respective rotation axis R17 preferably parallel to the rotation axis R2 of the rotating member 2 and, in the example illustrated, they are supported by the tower 15.

Is the subject of this description also a maintenance procedure of a unit? process such as for example the one previously described.

The method comprises a step for moving a first part of the support structure 6, for example of the frame 8, away from a second part of the support structure 6, for example from the frame 7, to make accessible, at least in part, the ?organ 2 rotating.

The handling step preferably comprises a translation step of the first part 7 of the support structure 6 according to the direction parallel to the axis R2.

The method comprises a support step of the rotating member 2 only through the second part 7 of the structure 6, at least when said rotating member 2 is? stopped. The rotating member 2 is cantilevered from the column 10 and accessible, together with the equipment 5, for example for maintenance operations.

The maintenance method comprises a step of decoupling the first part 8 of the support structure 6 from the second part 7 of the same since the two parts are preferably rigidly constrained to each other at least during operation of the unit. of processing.

The maintenance procedure comprises a release step of the rotating member 2 from the first part 8 of the support structure 6 in order to be able to move the part 8 away from the part 7.

In a preferred embodiment, the moving step comprises a step for moving at least one operating member 17 of the unit away from the rotating member 2; 1 to further free up a front area of the machine.

Once the operations on the rotating member 2 and/or on the operating units 5 have been completed, the method comprises a step for coupling the frame 8 to the frame 7 so that the unit? 1 can be put into operation.

The present invention also relates to a machine for making articles, in particular absorbent products for hygienic use, comprising the unit? 1 of processing.

In this case, the unit? 1 ? preferably intended for making welds on a continuous belt.

Claims (19)

1.Unit? (1) processing of a continuous or discrete semi-finished product, called unit? (1) of machining comprising a member (2) rotating around an axis (R2) of rotation, a plurality of operating crews (5) supported by said rotating member (2), a support structure (6) of the rotating member (2), said unit? (1) being characterized in that said support structure (6) comprises a first frame (7) and a second frame (8) movable between a position close to the first frame (7) and a position away from the first frame ( 7), said rotary member (2) having a first portion (3) rotatably constrained to the first frame (7) and a second portion (4) rotatable to the second frame (8) when the second frame (8) ? in the position approached to the first frame (7), said first and second portions (3, 4) being located respectively at a first end? (2a) of the rotating member (2) and at a second end? (2b) of the rotating member (2), called first and second ends? (2a,2b) being separated from each other along said rotation axis (R2). 2.Unit? processing according to claim 1 wherein said rotating member (2) comprises, at said second end? (2b), an engagement element (11) for coupling with said second frame (8). 3.Unit? processing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said second frame (8) is movable between a lowered position at which ? released from said rotating member (2) and a raised position at which ? constrained to said rotating member (2). 4.Unit? processing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said second frame (8) is movable between said approached and moved away positions along a direction (D) parallel to the axis (R2) of rotation of the rotating member (2). 5.Unit? processing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said second frame (8) comprises a plurality of wheels (13) movable between a raised position and a lowered position for movement of said second frame (8), said second frame (8) being in the form of a trolley. 6.Unit? process according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a system (16) for coupling said second frame (8) with said first frame (7) in said approached position. 7.Unit? according to any one of the preceding claims comprising at least one operative member (17) active, in use, on said semi-finished product, in which said operative member (17) ? supported by said second frame (8) and movable with the same. 8.Unit? process according to claim 7 wherein said operating member (17) ? a roller preferably having an axis (R17) of rotation parallel to the axis (R2) of rotation of the rotating member (2). 9.Unit? process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said operating equipment (5) is movable towards the axis (R2) of rotation of the rotating member (2) and away from the axis (R2) of rotation of the member (2) rotating to vary a processing step on the semi-finished product. 10.Unit? processing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said operating crews (5) are units? blank welding points angularly spaced apart and each configured to move from a non-operating position to an operating position, and vice versa, during a rotation of the unit? of processing. 11.Unit? processing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said first frame (7) ? configured to support said rotating member (2) at least when said rotating member (2) is stopped. 12. Maintenance procedure of a unit? process comprising a rotating member (2) and a support structure (6) for the rotating member (2), said method comprising a step for moving a first part (8) of the support structure (6) away from a second part (7) of the support structure (6) to make the rotating member (2) accessible, at least in part. 13. Maintenance method according to claim 12 comprising a step of moving a first part (8) of the support structure (6) towards the second part (7) of the support structure (6) to support, in use, the ?organ (2) rotating. 14. Maintenance method according to claim 12 or 13 wherein the step of moving a first part (8) of the support structure (6) towards and/or away from the second part (7) of the support structure (6) support comprises a translation step of the first part (8) of the support structure (6) according to a direction (D) parallel to an axis (R2) of rotation of the rotating member (2). The maintenance method according to any one of claims 12 to 14 comprising a step of decoupling the first part (8) of the support structure (6) from the second part (7) of the support structure (6). 16. Maintenance method according to any one of the claims from 12 to 15 comprising a step of supporting the rotating member (2) only through the second part (7) of the support structure (6), said rotating member (2) being stationary . 17. Maintenance method according to any one of claims from 12 to 16 comprising a step for releasing the rotating member (2) from the first part (8) of the support structure (6). 18. Maintenance method according to any one of the claims from 12 to 17 in which said handling step comprises a step for moving at least one operating member (17) of the unit away from the rotating member (2). of processing. 19. Machine for making articles, in particular absorbent products for hygienic use, comprising the unit of processing according to one or more? of claims 1 to 11.