ITRM20130222A1 - APPARATUS FOR THE PACKAGING OF REPLACED FOLDING LAMINAR ELEMENTS - Google Patents

Description

APPARATUS FOR THE PACKAGING OF LAMINARY ELEMENTS

FOLDED REFRACTORIES ON FOLDING

Description

The present invention relates to an apparatus for packaging flexible and soft folded laminar elements, refractory to folding, such as cloths, sheets of fabric or non-woven fabric, sheets of spongy material, artificial suede cloths and the like.

This kind of linear elements generally originates from a reel or in any case from a longitudinal semi-finished product that must be folded and cut so that the final element can be packaged in the right size.

In general, these elements, hereinafter referred to briefly as cloths, are folded in four and then stacked in packages consisting of a certain number of folded cloths, for example five or ten. The stacking is then packaged by a packaging device, for example with a cellophane or polyethylene sheet.

These operations are made difficult by the elastic and yielding nature of the material that makes up the cloth, which does not allow sharp folds, unlike what happens with paper, and by the friction that these materials produce in sliding, in particular in the sliding of the elements one on top of the other.

For these reasons, these operations are carried out with a large manual contribution and with little automation, in particular to obtain a precise stacking, with the edges of the cloths perfectly overlapping.

The technical problem underlying the present invention consists in providing a packaging apparatus which allows to overcome the technical drawbacks mentioned with reference to the state of the art.

This problem is solved by an apparatus as specified above which includes:

ï ‚· a feeding system for a longitudinal semi-finished product of soft laminar element; ï ‚· a transversal cutter, which cuts the semi-finished product into sections;

ï ‚· a transversal bender, which forms a fold transversal to the longitudinal development of said semi-finished product;

ï ‚· a rotating accumulation device, provided with a plurality of pockets each suitable for accommodating a single folded laminar element; And

ï ‚· a movable step-by-step storage plane, onto which a predetermined number of laminar elements folded in a stack are discharged from said rotating storage device. With the apparatus defined above it is possible to transform the continuous flow of folded and cut elements into a flow composed of a discrete number of stacked elements, without slowing down the production process.

The packaging apparatus according to the invention will be described below with reference to two of its embodiments, provided by way of non-limiting example, illustrated in the attached drawings in which:

ï ‚· figure 1 shows a schematization of the apparatus according to the invention;

ï ‚· figure 2 shows a partial side view which illustrates a first example of embodiment of the packaging apparatus according to the invention, highlighting the kinematic scheme;

- figure 3 shows a side view of an enlarged detail of the packaging apparatus of figure 2;

Figure 4 shows a partial and sectional side view of a second embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention.

With reference to Figure 1, a packaging apparatus is illustrated and described schematically, and is indicated as a whole with 1.

It comprises a station 2 for feeding a longitudinal semi-finished product 3, the station 2 being here constituted by a reel which is unwound by traction.

The longitudinal semi-finished product 3 is made up of a soft and flexible material, at least to a certain extent refractory to bending, to which it reacts, if left free, with an elastic return and with the failure to form a real creasing.

An example of such material is constituted by a synthetic suede cloth but other examples may include cloths or sheets in fabric or non-woven fabric, sheets in spongy or rubbery material and so on.

In the present example, the longitudinal semi-finished product is provided with a width that is double the transversal dimensions with which it will be packaged. Therefore, the apparatus 1 comprises a longitudinal bending machine 4 which gives the semi-finished product 3 a longitudinal fold 5.

The longitudinal bending machine 4 is preceded and followed by special tensioning rollers 6 which, by keeping the semi-finished product 3 under tension, maintain the longitudinal fold 5 in place.

The longitudinal folding machine is here constituted by a chute 7 provided with inclined walls on which the semi-finished product 3 slides and from which it is accompanied to form a central fold which is then reaffirmed by a first pair of pressure rollers 8 including the longitudinal edges of the blank 3 are pressed against each other.

It is understood that this portion of the apparatus could be absent if the semi-finished product were supplied of a width suitable for packaging; it is also understood that the longitudinal folder described here could impart a longitudinal fold in a central position to the semi-finished product, or offset with respect to the center. Furthermore, a more complex longitudinal folding could be imparted, for example a fold in three flaps, with two side flaps folded over a central one and possibly overlapping each other. It is also understood that, if the semi-finished product were even wider, the apparatus could include a longitudinal cutting station which precedes the longitudinal folding and which is not described here.

Downstream of the longitudinal bender, the apparatus 1 comprises a transversal cutter 9 suitable for cutting the semi-finished product into sections 10 of predefined length: generally this length is double that of the finished product in the longitudinal direction.

The cutter 9 is advantageously of the rotary type (figure 2), comprising one or more blades fixed longitudinally to a rotating drum whose axis of rotation is perpendicular to the direction in which the semi-finished product 3 is fed: in this way, the length of the section 10 cut is determined by the feed and rotation speed of the cutter, and can be adjusted by suitable control means.

From the transverse cut onwards, the section 10 is kept folded by two overlapping and adhered transport belts, between which the folded section 10 is inserted downstream of the cutter 9.

In particular, the apparatus 1 comprises a first transport section 11 formed by the aforementioned belts kept under tension by suitable rollers; their transport speed in this section 11 is greater than the transport speed upstream of the cutter, in order to distance the sections 10 of semi-finished product 3 from each other.

From the portion 11, the sections 10 of semi-finished product 3 are fed to a transversal bender 12, of the pocket type, which forms a fold transversal to the longitudinal development of said semi-finished product 3 cut into sections 10.

This type of folding machine presses the cut section 10 between several pairs of rollers, obtaining a central transverse fold 13 which produces a folded and finished laminar element 14, ready for packaging; downstream of the bending machine 12, the apparatus possibly comprises a rotation station 15 of the laminar element 14, so that said central fold 13 is arranged frontally with respect to the direction of advancement.

The rotation station 15 is arranged between a second and a third transport section 16, 17, made up of a pair of superimposed transport belts.

As in the previous one, the portions 16 and 17 can be driven at higher speeds in the forward direction, to achieve a greater spacing between the folded laminar elements 14.

It is understood that, along the path, sensors may be provided that detect the presence, advancement and correct positioning of the elements and a possible ejection station for laminar elements not correctly arranged, connected to control means.

Finally, the apparatus 1 comprises a fourth and last transport section 18 in which the distance between element and element assumes a predetermined amount; it feeds the folded laminar elements 14 to a rotating accumulation device 19, provided with a plurality of pockets 20 each suitable for accommodating a single folded laminar element 14.

The device defines an external rotation surface and a rotation axis which is perpendicular to the feed direction of the laminar elements 14, but which is also parallel to their feed plane which is horizontal here.

In particular, the laminar elements 14 are fed on an ideal plane which is substantially tangent or slightly deviated from the plane of tangency with respect to said rotation surface, on which the inlets 21 (Figure 3) of the pockets 20 are arranged.

The accumulation device is therefore formed by a pair of wheels 22 formed by a circular plate, rotating synchronously around the same axis, or connected to the same rotation shaft 25. The two wheels 22 are arranged vertically, being the plane feeding the laminar elements 14 horizontal.

The wheels 22 are specular to each other and each comprises a plurality of slots open on their perimeter and extending from it towards the center with a substantially cycloidal profile, so that they have a length greater than the radius of each wheel 22, length substantially equal to that of the laminar element 14 which is inserted into it.

It is understood that this is only one of the ways of making the storage device of the apparatus according to the invention.

The aforesaid pockets 20 are determined by the placing of said slits side by side, at a certain distance from each other, so that the element 14 inserted between them is adequately supported. This accumulation device 19 is rotated, in the present embodiment, in a direction such that the rotating surface defined by it moves in a concordant direction, at the intersection between it and the plane on which the folded laminar elements 14 they are fed, in the feed direction, or counterclockwise in figures 2 and 3.

The speed of rotation of the device 19 and the linear speed of feeding of the laminar elements 14, as well as their mutual distance, will be such as to make the aforementioned insertion synchronized.

After substantially half-turn, the margins of the laminar elements facing the pockets 20 will be on the lower extrados of the rotating accumulation device 19, in such a position as to interfere with an accumulation plane 23 which is movable in step, onto which it is discharged by said rotating accumulation device 19 a predetermined number of laminar elements folded into a stack 26.

The unloading of the elements 14 can take place by gravity, due to the intervention of an expulsion device (not present in this example) acting on the outer edges of the elements, protruding laterally from the wheels 22, and / or by interference of the edge protruding from said rotation surface with the accumulation plane and in particular with an element 14 previously laid, so as to determine a precise stacking with perfectly overlapping edges, so as not to require further manual intervention before the packaging station in an appropriate package ( not represented).

To favor this last function, the rotating accumulation device 19 is mounted on a vertical guide 24, since means are provided for raising and lowering the rotation shaft 25 of the device, or the bearings on which it is mounted, or again the same rotating accumulation device 19.

In this way, the protruding margin of the flat laminar element 14 inserted in its pocket 20 can be raised as the formation of each single stack 26 proceeds, so that this margin is always in the ideal position of interference with the margin of the laminar element 14 previously laid. When stacking 26 is complete, or when it includes a predetermined number of laminar elements, the accumulation plane is moved forward, leaving the space free for subsequent stacking.

Likewise, also the feeding of the laminar elements 14 into the pockets is adjusted in height, to follow the ascending and descending motion of the wheels 22.

In this regard, the last transport section 18 of the folded laminar elements 14 comprises a first fixed inlet end 27, which receives the elements from the previous transport section 17, and a second movable outlet end 28, that is able to translate vertically , thus lengthening this last portion so that the point of interference with the rotating surface of the accumulation device 19 remains on a vertical line.

This motion is obtained by fittingly mounting the tensioning and motor rollers of the belts of the fourth section 18 on special guides not shown, being provided for each guide special positioning means that regulate height, tension and reciprocal position of the rollers to cause elongation and Shortening of the fourth transport section 18 and, at the same time, the raising and lowering of the outlet end 28.

With reference to Figure 4, a further embodiment of the stacking apparatus according to the invention is described. In the following, parts of the apparatus already described and equivalent in this new example are represented and indicated with the same numerical references.

Of this example only the section of the apparatus 1 is represented and described by the transverse cutter 9, arranged at the entrance of a cutting and stacking block 1 'which is fed with a continuous belt (not shown), possibly folded by a longitudinal folder. upstream, consisting of a longitudinal semi-finished product formed by a soft and flexible material, at least to a certain extent refractory to folding to which it reacts, if left free, with an elastic return and with the failure to form a real creasing.

An example of this material is again constituted, as in the previous example, by a synthetic suede cloth but other examples may include cloths or sheets in fabric or non-woven fabric, sheets in spongy or rubbery material and so on.

In this example, we want to subject the semi-finished product, once cut and folded transversely, to the least possible displacement before stacking, since a translation for excessively long sections could not guarantee the folding and the position of the folded laminar element 14.

the semi-finished product enters horizontally arranged, guided by inlet rollers 40, and is sent to the transverse cutter 9 also mounted on a roller rotating element.

The semi-finished product cut into sections 10 remains in a horizontal position and is enclosed by two adjacent belts which form a first horizontal transport section 11 which ends in correspondence with a transversal folder 12, of the pocket type, which forms a fold transversal to the longitudinal development of said semi-finished product 3 cut into sections 10.

It comprises a blade element 41 which performs a reciprocating vertical motion, operated by a corresponding reciprocating kinematic mechanism 42 controlled by a rotating cam 43.

In addition to forming the central and transverse fold, said blade element 41 pushes the laminar element 14 thus formed directly into the first inlet end 27 'of a second transport section 16', formed by another pair of side-by-side belts and specially controlled by a system of motorized and idle rollers and by tensioners.

The second section 16 is vertical and ends with a second outlet end 28 'arranged in correspondence with a rotating accumulation device 19 which is provided with a plurality of pockets 20 suitable for each receiving a single folded laminar element 14.

The rotating device 19 defines, as in the previous example, an external rotation surface and an axis of rotation which is perpendicular to the feed direction of the laminar elements 14, but which is also parallel to their feed plane which here is vertical.

Also in this case, the laminar elements 14 are fed on an ideal plane which is substantially tangent or slightly deviated from the plane of tangency with respect to said rotation surface, on which the inlets 21 (figure 4) of the pockets 20 are arranged. .

The aforesaid pockets 20 are determined by the placing of said slits side by side, at a certain distance from each other, so that the element 14 inserted between them is adequately supported. This accumulation device 19 is rotated, in the present embodiment, in a direction such that the rotating surface defined by it moves in a concordant direction, at the intersection between it and the plane on which the folded laminar elements 14 they are fed, in the direction of supply, or counterclockwise in figure 4.

The accumulation device is therefore formed by a pair of wheels 22 formed by a circular plate, rotating synchronously around the same axis, or connected to the same rotation shaft 25. The two wheels 22 are arranged vertically, being the plane feeding the laminar elements 14 horizontal.

The wheels 22 (figure 1) are specular to each other and each includes a plurality of slots open on their perimeter and extending from it towards the center with a substantially cycloidal profile, so that they have a length greater than the radius of each wheel 22, length substantially equal to that of the laminar element 14 which is inserted into it.

After substantially half-turn, the margins of the laminar elements facing the pockets 20 will be on the lower extrados of the rotating accumulation device 19, in such a position as to interfere with an accumulation plane 23 which is movable in step, onto which it is discharged by said rotating accumulation device 19 a predetermined number of laminar elements folded into a stack 26.

The accumulation surface 23 is equipped with special wall guides 44 arranged on its sides.

The unloading of the elements 14 can take place with the intervention of an expulsion device 45 acting on the outer edges of the elements 14.

It should be noted that this particular arrangement requires neither the up and down movement of the storage device 19 nor the reciprocating movement of the second outlet end 28 '. To the above described apparatus for the packaging of flexible and soft folded laminar elements, refractory to folding, a person skilled in the art, in order to face contingent needs, will be able to introduce multiple modifications and variants, all included in the scope of protection reserved for the present invention, such as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (13)

CLAIMS 1. Apparatus (1) for the packaging of flexible and soft folded laminar elements (14), refractory to folding, originating from a longitudinal semi-finished product (3), which includes: ï ‚· a feeding system (2) of the longitudinal semi-finished product ( 3) of soft laminar element; ï ‚· a transversal cutter (9), which cuts the semi-finished product into sections (10); ï ‚· a transversal bender (12), which forms a transversal fold (13) at the longitudinal development of said semi-finished product (3); ï ‚· a rotating accumulation device (19), provided with a plurality of pockets (20) each suitable for receiving a single folded laminar element (14); And ï ‚· an accumulation plane (23) movable in pitch, onto which a predetermined number of folded laminar elements (14) in a stack (26) are discharged from said rotating accumulation device (19). 2. Apparatus (1) as defined in claim 1, which includes a longitudinal folder (4) which gives the semi-finished product (3) a longitudinal fold (5), the longitudinal folder (4) being preceded and followed by suitable rollers tensioners (6) which, keeping the semi-finished product under tension (3), keep the longitudinal fold (5) in place. 3. Apparatus (1) as defined in claim 1, wherein the transverse cutter (9) is of the rotary type, comprising one or more blades fixed longitudinally to a drum whose axis of rotation is perpendicular to the direction in which the blank (3) is fed, the length of the cut section (10) being determined by the feeding and rotation speeds of the transverse cutter (9), regulated by suitable control means. 4. Apparatus (1) as defined in claim 1, in which downstream of the transverse cutter (9) the section (10) is held in position by two overlapping and adhered conveyor belts, among which the section (10) is inserted. Apparatus (1) as defined in claim 1, wherein the transverse folder (12) is of the pocket type. 6. Apparatus (1) as defined in claim 1, in which a rotation station (15) of the laminar element (14) is included downstream of the bending machine (12), so that its central fold (13) is placed in front of the direction of advancement. 7. Apparatus (1) as defined in claim 1, in which the rotating accumulation device (19) is fed by a transport section (18) in which the distance between element and element assumes a predetermined amount, the device accumulator (19) being rotated in such a direction that the rotating surface defined by it moves in a concordant direction, at the intersection between it and the plane on which the folded laminar elements (14) are fed, in the opposite direction of feeding, the speed of rotation of the rotating accumulation device (19) and the linear speed of feeding of the laminar elements (14), as well as their mutual distance, being such as to make the aforementioned insertion synchronized. Apparatus (1) as defined in claim 1, wherein the rotating storage device (19) defines an external rotation surface and an axis of rotation which is perpendicular to the feed direction of the laminar elements (14), but which It is also parallel to their feeding plane, the laminar elements (14) being fed on an ideal plane which is substantially tangent or slightly deviated from the tangent plane with respect to said rotation surface, on which the inlets are arranged ( 21) of the pockets (20). Apparatus (1) as defined in claim 8, wherein the rotating storage device (19) is formed by a pair of wheels (22) formed by a circular plate, rotating synchronously around a rotation shaft ( 25), arranged vertically and mirror each other, each wheel (22) comprising a plurality of slots open on their perimeter and extending from it towards the center with a substantially cycloidal profile, so that they have a length greater than radius of each wheel (22), the aforesaid pockets (20) being determined by the side-by-side of said slots. 10. Apparatus (1) as defined in claim 8 or 9, in which the margins of the laminar elements (14) facing the pockets (20) will be found, after half a turn, on the lower extrados of the accumulation device (19 ) rotating, in such a position as to interfere with the step-moving storage surface (23) on which a predetermined number of folded laminar elements (14) are discharged from said rotating storage device (19) in a stack (26). 11. Apparatus (1) as defined in claim 11, wherein the rotating accumulation device (19) is mounted on a vertical guide (24), means being provided for raising and lowering the rotating accumulation device (19), so that © the protruding margin of the flat laminar element (14) inserted in its pocket (20) can be raised as the formation of each single stack (26) proceeds, thus being in the ideal position of interference with the margin of the ™ laminar element (14) previously laid. Apparatus (1) as defined in claims 7 and 11, wherein the transport section (18) of the folded laminar elements (14) comprises a first fixed inlet end (27), which receives the elements from the previous transport section 17, and a second movable outlet end (28), adapted to translate vertically and lengthen said last transport section (18) so that the point of interference with the rotating surface of the accumulation device (19) remains on a vertical line . Apparatus (1) as defined in claim 11, wherein the transverse bender (12) comprises a blade element (41) which performs a reciprocating vertical motion which pushes the laminar element (14) thus formed directly into a first inlet end (27 ') of a transport section (16') which ends with a second fixed outlet end (28 '), arranged in correspondence with the rotating accumulation device (19).