WO2023112071A1

WO2023112071A1 - Apparatus for automatic change of reels of web material

Info

Publication number: WO2023112071A1
Application number: PCT/IT2022/050332
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mario Spatafora; Pasqualino ALONGI
Original assignee: P.I.T. S.R.L.
Priority date: 2021-12-15
Filing date: 2022-12-14
Publication date: 2023-06-22
Also published as: IT202100031487A1

Abstract

The apparatus for automatically changing reels of web material comprises at least a pair of support devices (10) of respective reels (2) of web material arranged side by side and having a protruding body, which has a coupling member protruding according to a horizontal axis, adapted to receive and rotate one said reel of web material. Said body (11) may be operated in angular rotation, according to a vertical axis, between a first position in which said reel (2) carried by said coupling member (12) is arranged on a work surface in which the unwinding of said web material takes place and a second position in which said coupling member (12) is arranged to receive a new reel (2) of web material.

Description

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC CHANGE OF REELS OF WEB MATERIAL

Technical field

[01] The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically changing reels of web material.

Prior art

[02] The use of automatic machines that use reels of web material for the manufacture or packaging of products is currently known, in various technical sectors. The operation of these automatic machines requires the replacement of the reels being used, at the time when the web material has been completely used. Depending on the type of production, this operation can be requested with relative frequency.

[03] Therefore, apparatuses has been developed that can automatically change the reels of web material, without interrupting the normal operating cycle of the machine. These devices basically work by joining the tail of the used reel with a head flap of a new reel. The operator in charge must therefore periodically supply the apparatus with one or more new reels of web material; the apparatus then automatically changes the running reel when the consumption thereof is completed.

[04] Apparatuses for automatically changing reels of web material are known in the art, for example from patent documents EP 0 619231 and EP 2 233 399.

[05] Patent application DE 360842 discloses a system for feeding web material to a machine that provides for a turret rotatable about a vertical axis. The turret carries a pair of arms swiveling around a respective horizontal axis, so as to grip the reels of web material fed horizontally on a pallet, and to transfer them to the working position by rotating the same arms around the respective horizontal axis.

[06] A specific requirement in the sector is to speed up the change of reels without damaging the web material, which is sometimes very thin, during this operation. In certain production sectors, in fact, a single reel of web material can be consumed in a few minutes and therefore the reel change must be repeated very frequently.

[07] There are production sectors, such as the manufacture of electrical energy storage devices, in which the tapes of web material have on at least one side a series of external terminations or flags that can easily fold or be damaged in contact with a surface. This would obviously result in an unacceptable amount of waste during production.

[08] Ultimately a need exists to equip the machines using web materials with a reel change system that allows to highly automate the reel supply steps of web material to the machine, the preparation of the reel flaps to operate the automatic joining and subsequent management of the sleeves of the used reels.

Disclosure [09] The aim of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, by devising an apparatus that allows to operate in an optimal way the automatic change of reels of web material in machines that use this web material for manufacturing or packaging of products.

[10] As part of this task, it is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus for automatically changing reels of web material that ensures the achievement of a high production speed.

[11] Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for automatically changing reels of web material which preserves the integrity of such web material.

[12] A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for automatically changing of reels of web material of simple construction and functional design, which is reliable in operation, has versatile use, as well as relatively economical cost.

[13] The aforementioned objects are achieved, according to the present invention, by the apparatus for automatically changing reels of web material according to claim 1.

[14] The apparatus for automatically changing reels of web material comprises at least a pair of support devices of respective reels of web material arranged side by side and having a body carrying, according to a horizontal axis, a coupling member adapted to receive and rotate one said reel of web material.

[15] According to an aspect of the present invention, said body of the support devices is operable in angular rotation, according to a vertical axis, between a first position in which said reel carried by said coupling member is arranged on a work surface in which the unwinding of said web material is operated and a second position in which said coupling member is arranged to receive a new reel of web material.

[16] Advantageously said second position, in which said coupling member is arranged to receive a new reel of web material, is turned back to said work surface in which the unwinding of said web material is operated.

[17] Preferably said second position, in which said coupling member is arranged to receive a new reel of web material, is angularly rotated 180° with respect to said first position.

[18] Preferably in said second position, said coupling member is arranged in a direction diametrically opposite with respect to said first position.

[19] Preferably said support device body is movable on guide means perpendicular to said vertical axis of the same body, to allow the adjustment of the mutual distance of a said pair of reels.

[20] The present invention also relates to a system for automatically changing reels of web material comprising said apparatus in combination with at least one conveying device adapted to arrange a plurality of reels to be transferred on the same apparatus.

[21] Advantageously, said conveying device is movable by means of a self-guided vehicle. [22] Preferably, said conveying device has a mandrel, protruding according to a horizontal axis, adapted to support a plurality of reels, arranged side by side to each other, to be transferred on said apparatus for automatically changing reels of web material.

[23] Preferably, said conveying device comprises means of advancement of said reels associated with said mandrel of the conveying device to transfer the same reels onto said coupling member of the apparatus.

[24] The present invention also relates to a method for automatically changing reels of web material comprising the steps of a. arranging a pair of devices for supporting respective reels of web material arranged side by side, each said device having a body, carrying a coupling member, protruding along a horizontal axis, able to receive and rotate one said reel of web material; b. rotating angularly, according to a vertical axis, alternatively one or the other device for supporting said pair of support devices between a first position, in which said reel carried by said respective coupling member is arranged on a work surface where the unwinding of said web material takes place, and a second position, in which said coupling member is arranged to receive a new reel of web material; c. transferring said new reel of web material onto said support device arranged at said second position; d. angularly rotating again, according to said vertical axis, said support device carrying said new reel of web material to bring the same new reel to said first position in which said reel is arranged on the work surface where the unwinding of said web material takes place.

[25] Advantageously, the method provides for transferring said new reel of web material on said support device by a conveying device, which has a mandrel protruding according to a horizontal axis, adapted to support a plurality of reels to be transferred on said support device, arranged side by side to each other.

Description of drawings

[26] The details of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus for automatically changing reels of web material, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus for automatically changing reels of web material according to the present invention;

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are respectively a front view, a top view and a side view of the apparatus;

Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a perspective view, from different points of view, of a conveying device adapted to transfer said reels of web material on the apparatus;

Figures 7, 8 and 9 are respectively a front view, a top view and a side view of said device for conveying reels;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the apparatus for automatically changing reels of web material associated in operation with a plurality of devices for conveying reels;

Figures 11 , 12 and 13 are respectively a front view, a top view and a side view of the apparatus associated with said conveying devices.

Description of embodiments of the invention

[27] Referring particularly to these figures, the apparatus for automatically changing reels 2 of web material has been indicated in whole with the reference number 1 .

[28] The apparatus 1 has a frame 3 that can be associated, for example, with an automatic machine that implements said web material for production purposes, not shown in the drawing. The frame 3 carries a plurality of support devices 10 for respective reels 2 of web material, arranged side by side to form at least one pair. In the case illustrated by way of example, the apparatus 1 carries four pairs of support devices 10 of respective reels 2 of web material.

[29] Furthermore, in the illustrated case, pairs of reels 2 of web materials of different types, for example having different diameters, to be fed simultaneously into the machine are arranged on the frame 3.

[30] Each support device 10 has a body 11 which has a coupling member 12, projecting according to a horizontal axis, adapted to receive and rotate said reel 2 of web material. The coupling member 12 is rotatable by suitable motor members, arranged inside the body 11 of the support device 10.

[31] The coupling member 12 substantially consists of a cylindrical hub onto which the sleeve of the reel 2 of web material may engage.

[32] According to the present invention, the body 11 of the support device 10 is operable in angular rotation, according to its own vertical axis, between a first position in which the reel 2 carried by the coupling member 12 is arranged on a work surface in which the unwinding of the web material is taking place to feed the machine and a second position in which said coupling member 12 is arranged to receive a new reel 12 of web material.

[33] In particular, said second position is rotated angularly by 180° with respect to the first position, so as to be parallel and opposite to the latter. In this way, it is possible to arrange the coupling member 12 facing the rear part of the machine, on the opposite side with respect to the front work surface where the unwinding of the web material takes place to feed the machine, and ready to receive a new reel 12 of web material, as better explained below.

[34] Suitably the body 11 of the support device 10 is mounted on a carriage 13 movable on guide means 14 arranged on a beam 15 shaped by the frame 3. The movement of the carriage 13 along the guide means 14 permits, for example, to adjust the mutual distance of a pair of reels 2, as the diameter of the reels 2 varies.

[35] At least one conveying device 20 can be usefully associated in operation with the apparatus for automatically changing reels of web material, for preparing a plurality of reels 2 to be transferred to the same apparatus (see Figures 5-9). Advantageously, the conveying device 20 can be moved by means of an automatically guided vehicle, of the type commonly known as an AGV.

[36] The conveying device 20 has a mandrel 21 , protruding along a horizontal axis, for supporting in series, side by side, a plurality of reels 2 to be transferred to said apparatus for automatically changing reels of web material. In particular, the mandrel 21 of the conveying device 20 may be arranged in axial alignment with the coupling member 12 of the apparatus for automatically changing reels, as can be seen in Figures 10-13.

[37] In the illustrated case, each conveying device 20 is provided with a pair of mandrels 21 arranged parallel at different heights and adapted to support in series a respective plurality of reels 2 to be transferred onto said apparatus.

[38] The mandrel 21 of the conveying device 20 is usefully associated with means for advancing the reels 2 to be transferred to the coupling member 12 of the apparatus.

[39] The operation of the apparatus for automatically changing reels of web material is easily understandable from the following description.

[40] The support devices 10, alternately rotatable according to their own vertical axis, allow to receive and prepare on the work surface respective reels 2 of web material. In particular, the body 11 of the support devices 10 may be actuated in angular rotation between a first position in which the reel 2 carried by the support device 10 is arranged on the work surface in which the unwinding of the web material is operated and a second position, opposite to the first, in which the same support device 10 is arranged to receive a new reel 2 of web material.

[41] To this end, the support devices 10 have at least one coupling member 12, protruding according to a horizontal axis from the body 11 , adapted to receive and bring into working position one said reel 2 of web material. The reels 2 of web material are provided to the support devices 10 by means of conveying devices 20 movable by respective self-driving vehicles. The conveying devices 20 have at least one respective mandrel 21 adapted to support in series a plurality of reels 2 to be transferred on said apparatus.

[42] In practice, the conveying devices 20 carrying the reels 2 are brought at respective support devices 10, with the mandrels 21 in axial alignment with corresponding engagement members 12 of the same support devices 10. The advancement of the reels 2 on the mandrel 21 of the conveying devices 20 thereby allows the transfer of a single reel 2 on the coupling member 12 of the support devices 10.

[43] In suitable phase relationship with the progressive depletion of the web material of the reel 2 in operation, the angular rotation of the body 11 of the support device 10 is controlled in the position in which the new reel carried by the coupling member 12 is arranged on the work surface in which the unwinding of the web material is operated. In practice, the rotation of the body 11 of the support device 10 in said working position is operated in such a way that the new reel does not interfere with the running reel being used.

[44] When the running reel is completely expired, its tail flap is automatically coupled, in a known way, to the head flap of the new reel, so that the feeding of the web material to the machine is continuous. The angular rotation of the empty support device 10 in the opposite position is then controlled, in order to receive in turn a new reel.

[45] The described apparatus achieves the purpose of optimally changing reels of web material in automatic manner in machines that use said web material for the manufacture or packaging of products.

[46] In particular, the apparatus for automatically changing reels of web material according to the present invention ensures a high production speed.

[47] This is made possible thanks to the inventive idea of arranging the reels of web material to be used on angularly rotatable support devices, according to a vertical axis, alternately between a first position in which the reel carried by the coupling member is arranged on the work surface where the unwinding of the web material is carried out and a second position in which said coupling member is arranged to receive a new reel of web material.

[48] This allows to essentially cancel any downtime in the operation of changing the reel, even if this operation must be repeated with high frequency.

[49] Obviously, before transferring a new reel to the support device, the sleeve on which the previous reel was wound, which remained on the coupling member, is suitably disposed of.

[50] It should be noted that the support devices allow the reels of web material to be received and transferred while constantly maintaining the axis of the reels in a horizontal position. In this way, the integrity of the web material is better preserved, particularly in case in which the web material has external terminations which may be easily damaged.

[51] Another feature of the invention is that the loading of the new reels of web material takes place in the rear of the machine, without interfering with the front work area. This rear part of the machine is also easily accessible to conveying devices that carry the new reels of web material.

[52] Advantageously, the use of conveying devices capable of storing a plurality of reels to be fed to the automatic changing apparatus makes it possible to optimize the paths of the vehicles within the production spaces.

[53] The apparatus described by way of example is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations according to the different requirements. [54] In the practical embodiment of the invention, the materials used, as well as the shape and the dimensions, may be modified depending on needs.

[55] Should the technical features mentioned in any claim be followed by reference signs, such reference signs were included strictly with the aim of enhancing the understanding of the claims and hence they shall not be deemed restrictive in any manner whatsoever on the scope of each element identified for exemplifying purposes by such reference signs.

Claims

Claims An apparatus for automatically changing reels of web material comprising at least one pair of devices (10) for supporting respective reels (2) of web material arranged side by side and having a body (11) which has a coupling member (12) protruding along a horizontal axis, able to receive and rotate one said reel (2) of web material, said body (11) being rotatable angularly, according to a vertical axis, alternately between a first position in which said reel (2) carried by said coupling member (12) is arranged on a work surface in which the unwinding of said web material is carried out and a second position in which said coupling member (12) is arranged to receive a new reel (2) of web material. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said second position, in which said coupling member (12) is arranged to receive a new reel (2) of web material, faces at the back said work surface, in which the unwinding of said web material takes place. An apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein said second position, in which said coupling member (12) is arranged to receive a new reel (2) of web material, is angularly rotated by 180° with respect to said first position. An apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said coupling member (12) is arranged, in said second position, in a diametrically opposite direction with respect to said first position. An apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said body (11) of the support device (10) is movable on guide means (14) perpendicular to said vertical axis of the same body (11 ), in order to allow the adjustment of the reciprocal distance of one said pair of reels (2). A system for automatically changing reels of web material, wherein it comprises an apparatus (1 ) according to one or more of the preceding claims in combination with at least one conveying device (20) for preparing a plurality of reels (2) to be transferred to the same apparatus (1 ). The system of claim 6, wherein said conveying device (20) has at least one mandrel (21), protruding according to a horizontal axis, capable of supporting a plurality of reels (2) placed side by side to each other, to be transferred onto said apparatus (1 ) for automatically changing reels of web material. The system of claim 7, wherein said conveying device (20) comprises means for advancing said reels (2) associated with said mandrel (21 ) to transfer the same reels (2) onto the said coupling member (12) of the apparatus (1 ). A method for automatically changing reels of web material, wherein it includes the steps of

8 a. arranging one pair of devices (10) for supporting respective reels (2) of web material arranged side by side and having a body (11), which has a coupling member (12) protruding along a horizontal axis, for receiving and rotating one said reel (2) of web material; b. rotating angularly, according to a vertical axis, alternatively one or the other device (10) for supporting said pair of support devices (10) between a first position in which said reel (2) carried by said respective coupling member (12) is arranged on a work surface where the unwinding of said web material takes place and a second position in which said coupling member (12) is arranged to receive a new reel (2) of web material; c. transferring said new reel (2) of web material onto said support device (10) arranged at said second position; d. angularly rotating again, according to said vertical axis, said support device (10) carrying said new reel (2) of web material to bring the same new reel (2) to said first position in which said reel (2) is arranged on the work surface where the unwinding of said tape material takes place. The method of claim 9, wherein it provides for transferring said new reel (2) of web material onto said support device (10) by a conveying device (20) carrying a mandrel (21 ) protruding along a horizontal axis, adapted to support a plurality of reels (2) to be transferred onto said support device (10) placed side by side to each other.

9