WO2014049184A1

WO2014049184A1 - Machine for wrapping palletised loads

Info

Publication number: WO2014049184A1
Application number: PCT/ES2013/070457
Authority: WO
Inventors: Raúl CALVO IRANZO
Original assignee: Innova Maquinaria Cerámica, S.L.
Priority date: 2012-09-28
Filing date: 2013-07-02
Publication date: 2014-04-03
Also published as: EP2902328A4; ES1077857Y; ES1077857U; EP2902328A1; MX2015003864A

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine for wrapping palletised loads, comprising a structure formed by columns (11) and an upper beam (10) whereon a plastic (3) feeder (2) is located for supplying the plastic (3) with which the load is wrapped; and movable arms (6) comprising tongs (5) that receive and provide the plastic (3) supplied by the feeder (2) with a first polygonal section. Rails (25) connected to the columns, two against two and facing each other, move vertically along the columns (11), said rails comprising horizontally moving carriages (26), said carriages (26) comprising attachments (12) for handling the plastic (3). Furthermore, the tongs (5) comprise stationary fingers (8) and movable fingers (7), the movable fingers performing the rotation until contact is made with the stationary fingers (8) catching the plastic (3).

Description

MACHINE TO COVER PALETIZED LOADS

DESCRIPTION Object of the invention

The present invention relates to a machine for placing a coating on a load placed on a pallet. The invention is applicable in the transport and distribution of all types of loads that are supported on pallets.

Technical problem to solve and background of the invention

The placement of different loads on a universal support structure is a very widespread technique for the transport of a multitude of different loads, since it normalizes the dimensions of the packages to move facilitating both its storage and its transport, being able to size the warehouses in plant and the means of transport according to standard measures.

The support structure on which most of the loads that move and / or transport are placed is usually a pallet, which is a structure of tables on which to place the merchandise.

With a stable and standardized base, the load must be stabilized in height, so that, on the support structure, the load is placed in a stable manner.

One way of providing stability and protection to the load placed on the support structure is placed around said load a plastic, which can be placed manually or by a machine that places said plastic automatically around the load.

We find in the state of the art several documents that disclose machines for placing plastics wrapping a load placed on a pallet.

EP 0 465 370 A2 discloses a procedure for placing a plastic element around the load placed on a pallet (palletized load). The invention object of this application discloses an apparatus that makes the placement of a sheet of plastic film around a palletized load, by cutting the film sheet to the extent of the palletized load, stretching the sheet to the necessary size to be able to surround said load and release the sheet once placed around the load.

Description of the invention

To avoid the aforementioned inconveniences and achieve the aforementioned objectives, the invention.

The machine for coating palletized loads comprises a structure formed by columns and an upper beam. On the top beam is a plastic feeder, which provides the plastic with which the load is coated; and movable arms comprising clamps that receive and provide the plastic supplied by the feeder with a first polygonal section. On the columns of the machine, rails are connected vertically attached to the two-to-two columns facing each other, which incorporate cars that move horizontally, said cars comprising manipulative heads of the plastic. In the machine for coating palletized loads, the clamps comprise fixed fingers and mobile fingers such that the mobile fingers are attached to the mobile arms by means of a connection that allows a movement of rotation of the mobile fingers with respect to the mobile arms, making the moving fingers the rotation until contact with the fixed fingers catching the plastic, and said moving fingers being operated by means of a hydraulic cylinder.

Each manipulator head of the machine for coating palletized loads comprises a base beam, an angled base, located on the base beam comprising a first inclined section and a second horizontal section, the rest of the head elements being fixed to said angled base; an angular support attached to the second horizontal section; a motorized wheel, attached to a support that is fixed both to the second horizontal section by means of a connection that allows said support to rotate with respect to the angled base, such as the first section inclined by means of a displacement cylinder that pushes the support when said support performs the rotation. In the machine to cover palletized loads, each rail moves through the columns by means of chains and cogwheels that move by means of motors.

The feeder of the machine for coating palletized loads comprises a slide, at least a first bearing, at least a second bearing and at least a third bearing.

The feeder slide is guided in a groove, and the slide comprises a traction roller.

In the machine, the plastic being guided by at least a first bearing and at least a second bearing, the displacement of the slider in the groove makes the traction roller come into contact with at least a second bearing and at least a third bearing, the plastic being placed between the traction roller, at least a second bearing and at least a third bearing, so that with a rotation of the traction roller, the feeder provides plastic.

The machine for coating palletized loads comprises a lower support structure which in turn comprises stops. The mentioned stops have a rotational movement around a joint, and comprise a "L" shape and an extension.

In the machine the stops are connected by means of the extension to some hydraulic cylinders that provide the movement of rotation to the stop.

Description of the figures

In order to complete the description and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, this descriptive report is attached, as an integral part thereof, a set of drawings in which with an illustrative and non-limiting nature, the next: Figure 1 shows a side view of the machine object of the invention.

Figure 2 shows a side view of a head of the employees to first collect the plastic and then stretch said plastic around the load.

Figure 3 illustrates a side view of the movable arms with the set of tweezers that open the plastic. Figure 4 represents a sequence of the movements performed by the movable arms and the tweezers collecting and separating the plastic.

Figure 5 shows a side view of the machine with a detail of the plastic feeder.

Figure 6 shows a side view of the lower support structure with the stops in the two possible positions.

The numerical references reflected in the figures correspond to the following elements:

1.- machine,

2.- feeder,

3.- plastic,

4.- cutting and sealing element,

5.- tweezers,

6.- moving arms,

7.- moving fingers,

8.- fixed fingers,

9.- cylinder,

10.- upper beam,

1 1.- column,

12.- head,

13.- angled base,

14.- first inclined section,

15.- second horizontal section,

16.- angular support, 17.- motorized wheel,

18.- support,

19.- displacement cylinder,

20.- wheel,

21.- chain,

22.- cogwheel,

23.- engine,

24, 24 '.- connection,

25.- rail,

26.- car,

27.- base beam,

28.- sliding,

29.- traction roller,

30.- slot,

31.- coil,

32, 32 '.- first bearing,

33, 33 '.- second bearing,

34, 34 '.- third bearing,

35.- lower support structure,

36.- pallet,

37.- stop,

38.- articulation,

39.- prolongation.

Description of a preferred embodiment

The invention object of the present patent application is a machine that places a plastic (3) around a load placed on a pallet (36), said plastic covering (3) the load.

The machine (1) object of the invention comprises an upper beam (10), supported by four columns (1 1) that form a structure under which the palletized load is placed, placing the four columns (1 1) in correspondence with the pallet corners (36) on which the load is placed.

The machine (1) object of the invention (observable in Figure 1) comprises a feeder (2) (observable in figure 5) of plastic (3), located on the top of the machine (1) that provides the amount of plastic (3) necessary to cover the palletized load. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the plastic (3) that is placed around the load is a plastic sheet (3) that is supplied through the feeder (2) in the form of a continuous closed section.

Said feeder (2) comprises a cutting and sealing element (4), which performs the cutting of the plastic (3) and provides a seal by the end of the plastic (3) remaining in the upper area of the palletized load, remaining therefore a plastic element (3) closed at one end and free at the opposite end (an element with a configuration similar to a bag), with the length of the load to be covered.

The machine (1) allows the choice between two different types of plastics (3) found in two coils (31) on one side of the machine (1), this choice is made by the feeder (2).

The plastic (3), coming from each of the coils (31), is inside the feeder (2) guided by a first bearing (32) and a second bearing (33) located at the same height, finding a third bearing (34) located under the second bearing (32b). This bearing structure (32, 33, 34) is in the feeder (2) twice, once for each plastic (3) coming from the two coils (31).

Also, the feeder (2) comprises a slide (28) which in turn comprises a traction roller (29). The slider (28) moves guided in a groove (30), thus, with the slider (28) located at one end of the groove (30) the traction roller (29) touches the second bearing (33) and the third bearing (34). The plastic (3) is driven by the rotation of the traction roller (29) in contact with the two bearings (33, 34) and in this way, the feeder (2), supplies plastic (3) of a coil (31) . With the slide (28) moved to the other end of the groove (30), the traction roller (29) comes into contact with the second bearing (33 ') and with the third bearing (34'), and by turning the traction roller (29) the feeder (2) supplies plastic (3) from the other coil (31). The plastic (3) supplied is cut and sealed by the cutting and sealing element (4) once the necessary amount of plastic (3) has been provided to cover the load. The machine (1) object of the invention comprises movable arms (6) (observable in Figure 3) attached to the upper beam (10) so that they can rotate with respect to said upper beam (10). Said movable arms (6) comprise tweezers (5) that hold the plastic (3) when it comes out of the feeder (2) and by turning with respect to the columns (11) make a first separation of the plastic (3), providing the plastic (3) a first square section, in which the corners of the square section are located close to the columns (11) of the machine.

The clamps (5) of the movable arms (6) comprise fixed fingers (8) and movable fingers (7). The mobile fingers (7) are fixed to the mobile arms (6) by means of a connection (24) that allows rotation with respect to said connection (24) of said mobile fingers (7). One end of the movable fingers (7) is connected to a cylinder (9), which causes the movable fingers (7) to rotate until they contact the opposite end, with the fixed fingers (8) holding the plastic (3) that comes out of the feeder (2).

In the machine (1), there are two horizontal rails (25), located below the upper beam (10), between two columns (1 1) and placed opposite each other. These horizontal rails (25) move along the columns (11) in the vertical direction, by means of chains (21), cogwheels (22) moved by motors (23).

In each horizontal rail (25) there are two carriages (26) that move, guided by the interior of said horizontal rail (25), parallel to them.

The carriages (26) incorporate heads (12), comprising a base beam (27), which moves forward and backward within the carriage (26), dragging the heads (12) in its movement. An angled base (13) is placed on the base beam (27) of each head that serves as support for the rest of the head components (12). The angled base (13) has two sections, a first inclined section (14) and a second horizontal section (15), which serves as a base for an angular support (16) and for a motorized wheel (17), this configuration can be observe in figure 2.

The motorized wheel (17) (also observable in figure 2) is attached to a support (18) of said motorized wheel (17) said support (18) being connected to the second horizontal section (15) of the angled base (13) by means of a connection (24 ') that allows the relative rotation of the support (18) with respect to the angled base (13), on the point of attachment of said support (18) with the angled base (13). Furthermore, the support (18) is connected to the first inclined section (14) of the angled base (13) by means of a displacement cylinder (19), which gives the support to the support (18) so that the relative rotation of the support (18) with respect to the angled base (13).

The angular support (16) is fixed, at one end to the angled base (13) and at the other end comprises a wheel (20). The motorized wheel (17) contacts the wheel (20) of the angular support (16) when the displacement cylinder (19) causes the support to rotate (18).

The machine (1) comprises a lower support structure (35) (observable in Figure 6) on which the pallet (36) is located, said structure has retractable stops (37) which are "shaped" pieces. L "inverted, which rotate around a joint (38), the stops (37) being attached to said joint (38) by the end of a branch of the" L ". The stops (37) have two positions: a working position and a retracted position, in which the stops (37) remain within the lower support structure (35), and a work position in which the stops (37 ) extend perpendicular to the lower support structure (35) (the two positions can be seen in Figure 6).

With the stops (37) located in the working position, the plastic (3) is distributed along the load by the heads (12) in a movement of descent of the rails (25) until the plastic (3) it reaches those stops (37) and does not continue to extend, however the rails (25) continue the descent, thus releasing the plastic (3) from the head (12), which is extended along the load.

The change from the working position to the retracted position of the stops (37) is carried out in the machine by means of hydraulic cylinders (9 ') that are attached to the stops (37) by means of an extension (39) of the inverted "L" shape of the stops (37) at the joint with the joint (38) With the elements previously described in this report, the operation of the machine (1) is as follows:

- the feeder (2) supplies enough plastic (3) so that the movable arms (6) by means of their tweezers (5) are able to hold said plastic (3), placing the plastic (3) with a first square section;

- a plastic part (3) is left free below said movable arms (6);

- the heads (12) move horizontally to the interior of the first square section;

- the rails (25) move vertically along the columns (11) until the heads (12) receive the free plastic part (3);

- the plastic (3) is inserted between the angular support (16) and the support (18) of the motorized wheel (17), so that the wheel (20) is placed inside the plastic section (3) and, the rotation of the support (18) is carried out until the motorized wheel (17) contacts the wheel (20) by trapping the plastic (3) with this rotation;

- the feeder (2) supplies the amount of plastic (3) necessary to cover the palletized load, which passes between the wheel (20) and the motorized wheel (17), and accumulates between the support (18) and the angular support (16);

- the feeder (2) performs the cutting of the plastic (3) and its sealing by the end when it has supplied the amount of plastic (3) required;

- the heads (12) move horizontally by stretching the plastic (3) until reaching dimensions such that the plastic (3) covers the palletized load on the outside;

- the rails (25) move vertically by stretching the accumulated plastic (3) until it completely covers the palletized load.

Figure 4 shows the movements made by the mobile arms (6) and the mobile fingers (7), to receive the plastic (3) that comes out of the feeder (2).

The invention should not be limited to the particular embodiment described herein. Experts in the field can develop other embodiments in view of the description made here. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. Machine for coating palletized loads, comprising a structure formed by columns (1 1) and an upper beam (10), where:

- on the upper beam (10) is:

or a plastic feeder (2) (3), which provides the plastic (3) with which the load is coated; Y

or movable arms (6), which comprise tweezers (5) that receive and provide the plastic (3) supplied by the feeder (2) with a first polygonal section,

characterized in that on the columns (11), rails (25) are connected vertically joined to the columns (1 1) two by two and facing each other, incorporating carriages (26) that move horizontally, said carriages comprising ( 26) heads (12) plastic manipulators (3).

2. Machine for coating palletized loads, according to claim 1, characterized in that the clamps (5) comprise fixed fingers (8) and mobile fingers (7) such that the mobile fingers (7) are attached to the mobile arms ( 5) by means of a connection (24) that allows a movement of rotation of the mobile fingers (9) with respect to the mobile arms (5), the mobile fingers (7) making the rotation until contacting the fixed fingers (8) by trapping the plastic (3), and said movable fingers (8) being operated by means of a hydraulic cylinder (9).

3. Machine for coating palletized loads according to claim 1, characterized in that each manipulator head (12) comprises:

a base beam (27),

an angled base (13), located on the base beam (27) comprising a first inclined section (14) and a second horizontal section (15), the rest of the head elements (12) being fixed to said angled base (13) ; an angular support (16) attached to the second horizontal section (15);

a motorized wheel (17), attached to a support (18) that is fixed to both the second horizontal section (15) by means of a connection (24 ') that allows the rotation of said support (18) with respect to the angled base (13 ), like the first inclined section (14) by means of a displacement cylinder (19) that pushes the support (18) when said support (18) makes the rotation.

4. Machine for coating palletized loads, according to claim 1, characterized in that each rail (12) moves through the columns (1 1) by means of chains (21) and cogwheels (22) that move by means of some engines (23).

5. Machine for coating palletized loads, according to claim 1, characterized in that the feeder (2) comprises:

a slide (28) that moves guided in a groove (30), comprising a traction roller (29)

- at least a first bearing (32, 32 '),

- at least a second bearing (33, 33 ')

- at least a third bearing (34, 34 ')

so that, the plastic (3) being guided by at least a first bearing (32, 32 ') and at least a second bearing (33, 33'), the movement of the slide (28) in the groove (30) , causes the traction roller (29) to come into contact with at least a second bearing (33, 33 ') and at least a third bearing (34, 34'), the plastic (3) being placed between the traction roller ( 29), at least a second bearing (33, 33 ') and at least a third bearing (34, 34'), so that with a turn of the traction roller (29), the feeder (2) provides plastic (3 ).

6. Machine for coating palletized loads according to claim 1, characterized in that the machine comprises a lower support structure (35) comprising stops (37) having a rotational movement around a joint (38), comprising the stops (37) a form of "L" and an extension (39), the stops (37) being connected by means of the extension (39) to hydraulic cylinders (9 ') that provide the movement of rotation to the stop (37 ).