Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B11/00—Wrapping, e.g. partially or wholly enclosing, articles or quantities of material, in strips, sheets or blanks, of flexible material
  • B65B11/04—Wrapping, e.g. partially or wholly enclosing, articles or quantities of material, in strips, sheets or blanks, of flexible material the articles being rotated

Definitions

• the invention relates to machines for wrapping objects with a film of plastics that are cold extendible, and in particular refers to a machine for wrapping a baggage to be transported, for example a suitcase, a travelling bag, a bag, a trunk or similar.
• the problem is known, especially in air transport, of damage to and theft of baggage transported and loaded.
• the baggage is on the one hand often damaged, more or less seriously, during transport and handling operations and on the other hand it is subjected to unwarranted tampering and opening for rifling through the contents thereof.
• wrapping machines have been made that are suitably configured for wrapping baggage with a film of extendible plastics.
• These machines substantially comprise a rotating platform or table on which the baggage to be wrapped can be placed and an unwinding unit placed on the side of the table and provided with a reel of wrapping film and with a series of film unwinding and tensioning rollers.
• the rotating table moved by a suitable motor, is provided with baggage-blocking means, comprising, for example, a pair of abutting elements that are opposite one another, positioned at an adjustable distance and able to clamp and immobilise the luggage during wrapping.
• the rotatable table and the unwinding unit are fixed and supported by a base structure of the machine that can be provided with wheels to enable the entire wrapping machine to be moved, for example at embarkation areas of airports or railway stations.
• Patent documents EP0430902, US5365723, GB2358384 and WO02/28719 illustrate these types of wrapping machines.
• the operator has to guide the film exiting the unwinding unit and in particular orient and tilt the film appropriately to make strips of tilted and overlapping film and to bind also an upper portion of the baggage.
• the operator At the end of wrapping, the operator lastly has to cut the film and release at list a grip or handle of the baggage to enable the baggage to be grasped and conveyed.
• a drawback of such known wrapping machines lies in the fact that they require at least one operator to be used for the entire wrapping procedure, this making the latter slow and costly. Further, the quality and efficacy of wrapping, which depend closely on the skill and experience of the operator, cannot always be assured and guaranteed.
• An object of the invention is to improve the known wrapping machines that are suitable for wrapping objects, in particular baggage, with a film of extendible plastics.
• Another object is to make a wrapping machine that enables an object, in particular a baggage, to be wrapped completely automatically, without any manual intervention by operators.
• a further object is to make a wrapping machine that enables baggage of any shape and size to be wrapped, such as suitcases, trunks, bags, travelling bags, etc, completely and effectively with high wrapping quality.
• Still another object is to obtain a wrapping machine that enables a complete baggage wrapping cycle to be run rapidly and effectively so as to increase machine productivity and shorten waiting times for users of the machines.
• Figure 1 is a frontal schematic view of the wrapping machine of the invention associated with a baggage, in which, in order to highlight other parts, certain parts have not been illustrated;
• Figure 2 is an enlarged and partial front view of the machine in Figure 1 that illustrates in particular an unwinding unit of the film and a labelling unit;
• Figure3 is a side view of the unwinding unit of the film and of the labelling unit in Figure
• Figure 4 is a cross section and plan view of the wrapping machine in Figure 1 ;
• Figures 5 to 9 are frontal schematic views of the wrapping machine in Figure 1 in respective subsequent operating steps of a wrapping procedure of the baggage with the film.
• a wrapping machine 1 is illustrated that is configured for automatically wrapping an object 100, in particular a baggage, such as a suitcase, a trunk, a bag, a travelling bag, etc., with a film 50 of plastics that are cold extendible.
• the machine 1 comprises column means 2 supporting an unwinding unit 3 that includes a reel 30 of the film 50 and roller means 31, 32, 33, 34 arranged for unwinding and optionally prestretching the film 50.
• the machine 1 includes moving means 4, 5 arranged for firmly grasping the object 100 in a gripping zone PI, lifting and transferring this object to a wrapping zone P2, in which said object 100 is maintained suspended and rotated by the aforesaid moving means 4, 5 such as to be wrapped by the film 50, dispensed by the unwinding unit 3.
• the moving means comprises arm means 4 supported by the column means 2 and gripping means 5 supported by the arm means 4 and arranged for grasping and blocking the baggage 100.
• the arm means 4 is slidably fixed to the column means 2 and is linearly movable along a first direction A away from or towards the column means 2, i.e. it is movable from the gripping zone PI to the wrapping zone P2 and vice versa.
• the gripping means 5 is rotatably movable around and slidably movable along a first axis Z.
• the arm means 4 and the gripping means 5 enables the baggage 100 to be picked up and immobilised in the gripping zone PI, lifted and transferred to the wrapping zone P2 wherein said object 100, maintained suspended by the arm means 4, in a wrapping position W, is rotated by the gripping means 5 around the first axis Z, such as to be wrapped dal film 50.
• the first direction A is substantially horizontal and orthogonal to the first axis Z, which is substantially vertical.
• the unwinding unit 3 is slidably mounted on the column means 2 in such a manner as to be movable along a second direction B, which is almost vertical and parallel to the first axis Z.
• the unwinding unit 3 is, moreover, rotatably mounted on the column means 2 in such a manner as to be rotatably movable around a second axis Y, that is almost horizontal and orthogonal to said first direction A and to said first axis Z.
• the unwinding unit 3 comprises a carriage 35 that is slidably coupled with linear guides 21 of the column means 2, and a frame 36 supporting the reel 30 of film and the roller means 31-34 and rotatably supported by said carriage 35.
• the carriage 35 is linearly moved along the guides 21 by first actuating means 81 ; the frame 36 is rotated by second actuating means 82 around the second axis Y and is thus tiltable with respect to a horizontal plane of an angle, for example comprised betwen -60° and +60°, which is variable according to the dimensions (height) of the baggage 100.
• the first actuating means 81 comprises, for example, a respective electric rotary motor fixed to the column means 2 and acting on the carriage 35 via transmission means 37, of known type, for example a rack or belt transmission means 37.
• the second actuating means 82 comprises, for example, a respective electric rotary motor fixed to the carriage 35 and acting by reduction gear means, of known and non illustrated type, on the frame 36.
• the roller means comprises a pair of prestretching rollers 31, 32, each of which is rotated by a respective motor 91, 92, for example a rotary electric motor, and a series of idle rollers 33, 34 to divert and direct the film 50 to the baggage 100 to be wrapped.
• the pretensioning rollers 31, 32 can be driven by a single motor and be interconnected by gear transmission devices.
• the column means 2 comprises a vertical and substantially hollow upright 20, provided with a side wall to which the guides 21 are fixed. Inside the upright 20 the first actuating means 81 and the transmission means 37 are positioned.
• the upright 20 rests on the ground via a platform 23, for example comprising a plate of elongated rectangular shape, which in case can be fixed to the floor of the place in which the wrapping machine 1 is positioned.
• a supporting shelf 22 that is arranged for slidably supporting the arm means 4.
• the latter comprises an arm, or beam 4 having a first end 4a that is slidably connected to the supporting shelf 22 and a second end 4b that supports the gripping means 5.
• Third actuating means 83 is fixed to the supporting shelf 22 and acts on the arm 4 by respective transmission means to move the arm 4 along the first direction A so as to selectively move the upright 20 towards or away from the gripping means 5.
• the gripping means 5 comprises lifting means 11 that is arranged for engaging with a portion of the baggage 100 and is movable along the first axis Z in such a manner as selectively to raise or lower the aforesaid baggage 100 and blocking means 13 arranged for blocking the baggage 100 once it has been engaged and lifted by the lifting means 11 in order to enable the lifting means 1 1 to rotate around the first axis Z.
• the gripping means 5 further comprises an elongated and substantially vertical connecting element 15 that is rotatably fixed to the second end 4b of the arm 4 and supports the blocking means 13 and, slidably, the lifting means 1 1.
• the connecting element 15 is rotated around the first axis Z by fourth actuating means 84 fixed to the second end 4b of the arm 4.
• the fourth actuating means 84 comprises a respective electric rotary motor acting on the connecting element 15 via reduction gear means that is of known type and is not illustrated.
• the lifting means includes a lifting vane 1 1 having an end portion 1 1a shaped, for example, as a hook, in such a manner as to engage with a gripping portion 101 of the baggage 100, in particular a gripping handle in the case of a suitcase or bag, or a belt in the case of a rucksack, etc.
• the lifting means can comprise, instead of the hook-shaped end portion, a platform of suitable dimensions on which the baggage can be positioned.
• the lifting vane 1 1 comprises a main portion l ib of elongated shape that slides, for example telescopically, inside the connecting element 15 having an elongated tubular shape.
• the lifting vane 1 1 is moved along the first axis Z by fifth actuating means 85 that includes, for example, a respective electric rotary motor fixed to the second end 4b of the arm 4 and acting on the lifting vane 11 by transmission means, of known type and not illustrated in detail in the figures, such as, for example rack means or chain means or screw-nut screw means.
• the lifting means 11 is moved along the first axis Z by the respective actuating means, the fifth actuating means 85, which can be activated manually by a user of the machine 1.
• the lifting vane 1 1 is provided with a manual driving command 12, for example a knob, which enables the user to act directly on the fifth actuating means 85 to lower the aforesaid vane 11 to a suitable hooking height in which the handle 101 of the baggage 100 can be engaged and substantially hooked, as explained better further on in the description.
• the blocking means 13 comprises a pair of opposite jaws 14 slidably fixed to an end of the supporting element 15 that is further from the arm 4 and which are movable away from or towards one another along a third direction C that is substantially horizontal, in such a manner as to clamp and block or release the baggage 100.
• Each jaw 14 comprises a respective "L"-shaped plate provided with a substantially vertical abutting portion 14a and a substantially horizontal connecting portion 14a that is slidably connected to the supporting element 15.
• the two jaws 14 are reciprocally connected and moved by sixth actuating means 86, in such a manner as to move along the third direction C, in opposite directions, by the same amount.
• the sixth actuating means 86 comprises, for example, a pair of linear actuators, for example a pair of hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders.
• the sixth actuating means 86 is configured and sized in such a manner that the jaws 14 can exert a clamping force on the baggage 100 that enables a firm grip to be achieved and maintained on the latter also during rotation.
• the machine 1 comprising cutting means 6 for cutting the film 50 at the end of winding and pliers means 7 for grasping and retaining an end flap 50a of said film 50 obtained by cutting and connected to the reel 30.
• the cutting means 6 and the pliers means 7 are movable along a fourth direction D between a first operating position El, in which they are adjacent to the column means 2 and are separated from the baggage 100, for example to enable the baggage 100 to be wrapped with the film 50, a second operating position E2 and a third operating position E3, in which they are further from the column means 2 and are more or less adjacent to the baggage 100 to perform operations on the film 50.
• the pliers means 7 and the end flap 50a retained thereby are substantially in contact with the baggage 100
• the pliers means 7 and the cutting means 6 are near the baggage 100 respectively for grasping and cutting the film 50, the baggage always being positioned in the wrapping zone P2 and in the wrapping position W.
• the cutting means 6 and the pliers means 7 are substantially interposed between the column means 2 and the baggage 100.
• the pliers means 7 and the cutting means 6 are further rotatable around a third axis T that is vertical and parallel to the first axis Z, to cooperate and wrap, in an initial step, the end flap 50a of the film 50 around the baggage 100.
• the cutting means 6 and the pliers means 7 are both fixed to a slide 16 mounted slidably on a base 17 which is in turn rotatably fixed to the platform 23 of the column means 2.
• the slide 16 is moved linearly along the fourth direction D by seventh actuating means 87.
• the latter fixed to the base 17, comprises, for example, a respective electric rotary motor acting on the slide 16 by transmission means, that is of known type and is not illustrated in detail in the figures, for example rack or screw-nut screw means.
• the seventh actuating means 87 can comprise one or more hydraulic, pneumatic or electric linear actuators.
• the base 17 is mounted rotatably around the third axis T and rotated by eighth actuating means 88 comprising a respective rotary electric motor.
• the base 17 and the arm 4 are configured and arranged in such a manner that in the baggage 100 wrapping position W ( Figures 5-8) the first axis Z and the third axis T are almost aligned.
• the cutting means 6 comprises a knife rotatably mounted around a fourth axis K on the slide 16, driven by a respective motor 96 between a respective lowered non-operating position and a raised cutting position. As explained better in the description, the knife 6, when it is rotated in the raised cutting position, intercepts and partially cuts the film 50 unwound a. stretched between the baggage 100 and the unwinding unit 3.
• the pliers means comprises a pliers 7 provided with two rotatable arms that, for example, rotate around the fourth axis K, and are mounted on the slide 16.
• the arms of the pliers 7 are driven by a respective motor 97 between a respective lowered open position and a raised closed gripping position.
• the arms of the pliers 7 when they are rotated in the closed position, intercept and grasp the unwound and stretched film 50, holding the film 50 between the object 100 and the unwinding unit 3.
• the wrapping machine 1 further comprises a labelling unit 8 arranged for applying labels 61 to the film 50 exiting the unwinding unit 3.
• the labels 61 bear, for example, advertising images or messages, various information, insurance policy conditions on the baggage, etc.
• the labelling unit 8 connected to the unwinding unit 3, comprises a further reel 40 of a further supporting film 60 provided with detachable labels 61 and further roller means 41,
• the further reel 40 and the further roller means 41, 42, 43, 44 that are able to detach the labels 61 singly from the supporting film 60 and apply the labels 61 to the film 50.
• the further reel 40 is rotated to unwind the further film 60 from a respective motor 94, for example a rotary electric motor.
• the labelling unit 8 further comprises a motor-driven reel 45 on which the further film 60 is wound once the labels 61 have been detached.
• the rotation of the motor-driven reel 45 facilitates unwinding of the further film 60 from the further reel 40.
• Each label 61 is detached from the further film 60 by a folding roller 42 and is then applied with the help of a pair of pressure rollers 43, 44 to the film 50 exiting the unwinding unit 3.
• the label 61 remains fixed to the film owing to the glue normally distributed on the film 50 to ensure firm and stable adhesion of the various bands or strips of film wrapped around the baggage 100.
• the labels 61 can be adhesive.
• a photocell 38 located downstream of the further reel 40 checks the presence of the label 61 to be applied to the film 50.
• the wrapping machine 1 is provided with a control unit 70 that drives in a controlled and coordinated manner at least the moving means, i.e. the arm means 4 and the gripping means 5, and the unwinding unit 3.
• the control unit drives and manages the actuating means 81-88 and the motors 91, 92, 94, 96, 97 that move the entire wrapping machine 1.
• Sensor means 71 is provided for detecting positions and movements of the object 100 during wrapping and for sending corresponding signals to the control unit 70, in such a manner that the latter can control suitably and according to the operating modes disclosed in detail below the arm means 4, the gripping means 5, the unwinding unit 3, the cutting means 6 and the gripping means 7, the labelling unit 8.
• the sensor means 71 can also detect and measure the dimensions of the baggage 100 and communicate the dimensions to the control unit 70, in such a manner as to vary the wrapping settings, and in particular a stroke of the unwinding unit 3 along the second direction B, a tilt of the unwinding unit 3 around the second axis Y, the number of windings of the film 50 have to be made around the baggage 100.
• the sensor means 71 comprises one or more electronic devices for acquiring images (cameras), for example two devices that are able to detect precisely, in addition to the dimensions, the position and the movements of the baggage 100 during all the steps of the wrapping procedure.
• Interface means 72 is provided to enable a user to activate the wrapping machine 1 after introducing and positioning the baggage 100 in the gripping zone PI to perform the wrapping procedure automatically.
• the interface means 72 which are connected to the control unit 70, can comprise known systems for paying for procedure of wrapping the object 100 with the film 50.
• the machine 1 also comprises cover means 75 for containing and entirely closing the latter in order to prevent a user approaching the wrapping zone P2 and coming into contact with movement parts of the machine, i.e. with the arm means 4, the gripping means 5, the unwinding unit 3, etc.
• the cover means 75 comprises, for example, a structure made with panels made of transparent glass or plastics, the panels defining a side wall closed in a loop and having an elongated cylindrical shape, closed above by a cap to which the sensor means 71 can be fixed.
• the cover means 75 is provided with an opening 76, closed by an access gate 77, that enables a user to introduce into and remove from the gripping zone PI the baggage 100 to be wrapped with the film 50.
• Correct closure of the access gate 77 which is necessary for activating the wrapping procedure, can be detected by a suitable sensor or by the sensor means 71.
• the access gate 77 can also be blocked in the closed position by closing means until the wrapping procedure has terminated.
• the operation of the wrapping machine 1 of the invention and the corresponding procedure of wrapping or binding an object 100, in particular baggage 100 provided with an upper handle 101 provides in an initial step for the user introducing the baggage 100 into the gripping zone PI through the opening 76.
• the wrapping machine 1 is arranged in a start configuration ( Figure 1) in which the arm 4 extends completely so as to position the gripping means 5 in the gripping zone PI ; the unwinding unit 3 is arranged in a lowered position, an end strip 50a of the film 50 retained by the gripping means 7 arranged together with the cutting means 6 (with the corresponding slide 16) in the first operating position El, in which it is spaced away from the object 100 and adjacent to the column means 2.
• the user by using the grip 12 of the lifting vane 11 (and thus on the fifth actuating means 85), lowers the latter in such a manner that the shaped end 1 la thereof can engage firmly with the handle 101 if the baggage 100.
• the user can close the access gate 77 of the structure 75 and activate via the interface means 72 the procedure of automated wrapping of the wrapping machine 1.
• the lifting vane 1 1 is moved by the fifth actuating means 85 so as to lift the baggage 100 and enable the blocking means 13 to abut on, clamp and block the latter.
• the jaws 14 of the blocking means 13 are closed by the sixth actuating means 86 along the third direction C.
• the arm 4 is moved by the third actuating means 83 along the first direction A towards the column means 2 so as to transfer the baggage to the wrapping zone P2 and in particular arrange the latter in the wrapping position W.
• the first rotation axis Z of the gripping means 5, and thus of the baggage 100 is substantially aligned on the third axis T around which the pliers means 7 rotates that retains the end flap (initial flap) 50a of the film 50.
• the pliers means 7 (and the cutting means 6) are moved, together with the slide 16 supporting them, from the seventh actuating means 87 in the second operating position E2 in which the aforesaid pliers means 7 and the end flap 50a of the film 50 retained thereby are substantially in contact with the baggage 100.
• the gripping means 5 is rotated by the fourth actuating means 84 around the first axis Z so as to rotate the baggage 100 that is maintained suspended.
• the pliers means 7 is rotated around the third axis T (almost aligned on the first axis Z) by the eighth actuating means 88 as the same angular speed and the same rotation speed as the gripping means 5 to enable the film 50 dispensed by the unwinding unit 3 to be wrapped around the baggage 100.
• the pliers means 7 disengages from the film 50, stopped in rotation around the third axis T and moved with the cutting means 6 to the first operating position
• the baggage 100 is progressively wrapped or bound by a series of superimposed and tilted bands of film 50, made by moving the unwinding unit 3 along the second direction B with reciprocating motion and around the second axis Y.
• the combination of the rectilinear movement along the second direction B of the unwinding unit 3 and of the rotation of the baggage 100 around the first axis Z enables wrapping in helical coils to be obtained.
• the film 50 to bind an upper portion of the baggage 100 and optionally a lower portion of the baggage 100 so as to cover and protect the entire baggage 100.
• the movement, or stroke, values along the second direction B and the tilt angle or rotation angle around the second axis Y of the unwinding unit 3 depend on the dimensions of the baggage 100, in particular on the height thereof.
• the dimensions of the baggage 100 can be detected by the sensor means 71 and calculated by the control unit 70 that opportunely controls the first actuating means 81 and the second actuating means 82, which move the unwinding unit 3 respectively along the second direction B and around the second axis Y.
• the labels 61 are detached from the further film 60 unwound from the further reel 40 and applied to the film 50 exiting the unwinding unit 3.
• a glue of known type is distributed that is able to ensure stable adhesion between the overlapped bands or strips of film in order to avoid accidental unwinding or loosening of the binding.
• the glue also ensures adhesion of the labels 61 to the film 50.
• a fourth step at the end of binding of the baggage 100 after a preset number of film 50 wrapping cycles, the gripping means 5 is stopped to enable the film 50 to be cut.
• the cutting means 6 and the pliers means 7 is moved substantially on the baggage 100 in the third operating position E3 in which the pliers means 7 can grasp and retain the film 50 and the cutting means 6 can cut the aforesaid film 50 ( Figure 7).
• the knife 6 of the cutting means makes a partial transverse cut on the film 50 that does not completely cut the film.
• the pliers means 7 can cooperate for the complete laceration of the film 50 by rotating around the third axis Z in the opposite direction to the gripping means 5.
• the complete laceration of the film 50 can be made only by the pliers means 7 rotating around the third axis T, the gripping means 5 and the baggage 100 being kept stationary.
• the pliers means 7 and the cutting means 6 are then moved to the first operating position El .
• the arm 4 is moved along the first direction A to move the gripping means 5 and the baggage 100 from the wrapping zone P2 to the gripping zone PI.
• the jaws 14 of the blocking means 13 are slightly distanced and spaced apart from one another long the third direction C, moved by the sixth actuating means 86, to enable the lifting vane 11, moved down along the axis Z by the fifth actuating means 85, to deposit the baggage 100 wrapped with the film 50 on the ground.
• the film 50 progressively disengages from the jaws 14 ( Figure 9).
• the user can open access gate 77 (preventively unlocked by the closing means) and retrieve the baggage 100 by disengaging the handle 101 of the latter from the lifting vane 1 1.
• the shaped end 1 1a of the lifting vane 11 by engaging the handle 101 during winding, prevents the latter from being able to be bound by the film 50. In this manner, at the end of binding of the baggage 100 it is not necessary to proceed manually, with a knife or cutter, to uncover the aforesaid handle 101 from the film, as normally occurs with known wrapping machines.
• the wrapping machine 1 of the invention it is thus possible to wrap an object completely automatically, in particular a baggage, without any manual intervention by operators.
• the only manual operations required of the user and possessor of the baggage 100 are introducing the latter inside the gripping zone PI of the machine, hooking the handle 101 of the baggage 100 to the shaped end 1 la of the lifting vane 11 and, at the end of wrapping, extracting the wrapped baggage 100 from the gripping zone PI .
• No other manual operation is in fact required for wrapping the baggage 100 with overlapping bands of film 50 or for cutting the film 50.
• the wrapping procedure, or cycle can thus be performed significantly more quickly and efficiently that what occurs with known semiautomatic wrapping machine, this enabling the productivity of the machines to be increased and the waiting time of users to be shortened, for example of travellers who have to board the baggage in an airport.
• the wrapping machine 1 of the invention ensures high wrapping quality that is substantially constant and repeatable as it is not linked to the manual performance of an operator.
• the wrapping machine 1 enables baggage of any shape and dimension to be wrapped, such as suitcases, trunks and bags, provided that they are provided with a handle or grip or a belt or the like that can be engaged and hooked to the lifting vane 11.
• the latter can be configured, in one constructional version, in such a manner as to be able to engage and lift the whole object 100, in particular a baggage, regardless of whether it is provided or not with a grip or handle.
• the arm means 4 is rotatably connected to the column means 2 and rotates around an axis, in particular a substantially vertical axis, between the gripping zone PI and the wrapping zone P2.
• the two zones are in this case angularly spaced apart from one another, for example by 90° or by 180°, i.e. arranged on opposite sides with respect to the column means 2.
• the arm means 4 can be stiffly fixed to the column means 2 and the latter can be rotatably driven around a vertical longitudinal axis (for example because it is rotatably supported by the platform 23), in such a manner as to enable the arm means 4 and the gripping means 5 to rotate between the gripping zone PI and the wrapping zone P2.

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• Basic Packing Technique (AREA)

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Citations (8)

• 2011
  • 2011-11-07 IT IT000284A patent/ITMO20110284A1/it unknown
• 2012
  • 2012-11-07 WO PCT/IB2012/056229 patent/WO2013068942A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (8)

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