U.S. patent application number 11/384826 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-27 for apparatus for wrapping objects.
This patent application is currently assigned to ROBOPAC S.A.. Invention is credited to Paolo Pecchenini.
Application Number | 20070220840 11/384826 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38110491 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070220840 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pecchenini; Paolo |
September 27, 2007 |
Apparatus for wrapping objects
Abstract
An apparatus for wrapping objects comprises a ring element which
is rotatable around a rotating axis and which supports a reel unit
arranged for wrapping a film on said objects, said reel unit being
associated with a respective cutting device suitable for cutting
said film, wherein said apparatus comprises at least a further reel
unit supported by said ring element, arranged for wrapping a
further film on said objects and cooperating with a further cutting
device suitable for cutting said at least further film.
Inventors: |
Pecchenini; Paolo; (Cassano
Magnago (VA), IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIXON & VANDERHYE, PC
901 NORTH GLEBE ROAD, 11TH FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22203
US
|
Assignee: |
ROBOPAC S.A.
Falciano E 6
SM
47891
|
Family ID: |
38110491 |
Appl. No.: |
11/384826 |
Filed: |
March 21, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/588 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 11/008
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
053/588 |
International
Class: |
B65B 13/02 20060101
B65B013/02 |
Claims
1. Apparatus for wrapping objects comprising a ring element which
is rotatable around a rotating axis and which supports a reel unit
arranged for wrapping a film on said objects, said reel unit being
associated with a respective cutting device suitable for cutting
said film, wherein said apparatus comprises at least a further reel
unit supported by said ring element, arranged for wrapping a
further film on said objects and cooperating with a further cutting
device suitable for cutting said further film.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reel unit and said
further reel unit are angularly spaced with respect to said
rotating axis.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cutting device and
said further cutting device are movable around respective axes,
which are substantially parallel to said rotating axis.
4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cutting device and
said further cutting device are angularly spaced with respect to
said rotating axis.
5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reel unit comprises
a support member fixed to said ring element and suitable for
supporting a reel on which is wound said film.
6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said at least further
reel unit comprises a further support member suitable for
supporting a further reel, on which is wound said further film.
7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said reel and said
further reel are substantially parallel to said rotating axis.
8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reel unit and said
further reel unit respectively comprise a tightening arrangement
and a further tightening arrangement suitable for tightening said
film and said further film.
9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a gripping member is
provided that is movable and suitable for interacting with said
film.
10. Apparatus according to any one of claim 9, wherein at least a
further gripping member is provided that is movable and suitable
for interacting with said further film.
11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said gripping member
and said further gripping member are movable in a direction that is
substantially parallel to said rotating axis.
12. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said gripping member
and said further gripping member are arranged angularly spaced with
respect to said rotating axis.
13. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said gripping member
and said further gripping member comprise respective grippers
suitable for grasping and locking edges of said films.
14. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cutting device and
said further cutting device comprise respective cutting elements
and respective brush elements.
15. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rotating axis is
substantially horizontal and substantially parallel to a conveying
plane of said objects.
16. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rotating axis is
substantially vertical.
17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said rotating axis is
arranged transversely to a conveying plane of said objects.
18. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said rotating axis is
substantially orthogonal to said conveying plane.
19. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said ring element is
movable along said rotating axis.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to an apparatus for wrapping objects
with film in plastics and/or paper material.
[0002] Apparatuses are known comprising a ring element that is
rotatable around a rotating axis and a supporting reel unit fit for
wrapping objects with a stretchable plastic film.
[0003] A conveying plane is provided that extends through the ring
element and on which objects are advanced along an advancing
direction that have to be wrapped with the film, such as for
example pipes, elongated elements, wooden or metal profile
elements, etc.
[0004] The reel unit comprises a support on which a reel of
stretchable film is positioned that is arranged parallel to the
rotating axis. Near said reel, a tightening roller is provided that
is used to keep the film tight during wrapping, and an idle roller,
adjacent to the tightening roller and arranged for directing the
film onto the object to be wrapped.
[0005] A gripping member is provided that is movable parallel to
the advancing direction and is arranged to intercept and/or grasp a
portion of the film at the end of the wrapping of an object to
enable the wrapping of a subsequent object.
[0006] A cutting element is arranged for cutting the film, with
which a brush element is associated. The cutting element is movable
from a first position, in which it does not interfere with the film
whilst the latter is wrapped around an object, to a second
position, in which it cuts the film, separating it from the object
that has just been wrapped. During operation, an object to be
wrapped with the film is advanced along the conveying plane so that
a first end portion thereof traverses the ring element and is
positioned near the reel unit. The ring element starts to rotate
and drags with itself the reel unit whilst the gripping member
continues to retain an end edge of the film that is progressively
unwound from the reel and is wrapped around the object.
[0007] After the reel unit has rotated around the object in such
manner that the end edge of the film is stably connected to the
object, the gripping member disengages from the film and retreats
to a rest position.
[0008] The object is advanced in the advancing direction whilst the
reel unit rotates around the rotating axis so that the film can
progressively wrap adjacent zones of the object.
[0009] After the surface of the object has been covered by the film
completely or partially, the ring element, and therefore the reel
unit, stops in a position such as to enable the gripping member to
advance to an operating position to intercept and grasp the
film.
[0010] The cutting element is driven to cut the film in a zone
interposed between the gripping member and the object. A further
end edge of the film, generated after the cutting, is retained by
the gripping member to enable wrapping of a subsequent object.
[0011] The brush element acts after the cutting so as to make an
end portion of the film adhere to the object. At this point the
object is completely wrapped and can be picked up from the
apparatus.
[0012] A drawback of the known apparatuses is that they do not
enable objects to be wrapped in a sufficiently short time as the
structural stress to which the apparatuses are subjected imposes
limits on the rotating speed with which the ring element and the
reel unit move. The structural stress is associated with the
dynamic unbalance of the mechanical parts that are movable around
the rotating axis, in particular the reel unit.
[0013] To reduce this problem counterweights are provided on the
ring element that are not able to satisfactorily balance the
inertia forces generated by the reel unit and do not therefore
enable the apparatus to reach a high speed and thus high
productivity.
[0014] Another drawback is that the aforementioned known
apparatuses do not enable objects to be wrapped with film in
different materials, for example paper and plastic film, in order
to form wrappings with differentiated strips or layers.
[0015] Another drawback is that if there is an undesired break in
the film it is necessary to immediately arrest the apparatus to
restore correct operation.
[0016] An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that
is able to wrap objects in a very short time.
[0017] Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus
that is statically and/or dynamically very balanced.
[0018] A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus
that is able to wrap objects with film of different materials in a
single operation so as to form wrappings with differing strips or
layers.
[0019] Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus
that is able to terminate the wrapping of an object even if there
is an undesired breakage of a film.
[0020] According to the invention, an apparatus is provided
comprising a ring element which is rotatable around a rotating axis
and which supports a reel unit arranged for wrapping a film on
objects and cooperating with a cutting device suitable for cutting
said film, wherein the apparatus comprises at least a further reel
unit supported by said ring element, arranged for wrapping a
further film on said objects and cooperating with a further cutting
device suitable for cutting said further film.
[0021] Owing to the invention it is possible to obtain an apparatus
that is able to wrap objects with a film in a very short time.
[0022] Owing to the reel unit and to the further reel unit, the
apparatus according to the invention in fact enables objects moved
at a high advancing speed to be wrapped in a uniform and complete
manner, whilst keeping the rotation speed of the ring element
limited.
[0023] In addition to that, the apparatus enables an object to be
wrapped simultaneously with film of different materials so as to
form wrappings with distinct strips or layers, for example a layer
of paper and a layer of transparent plastics.
[0024] As the reel units are fixed to the ring element spaced
angularly between them, it is possible to furthermore obtain an
apparatus that is statically and/or dynamically very balanced, so
that to reduce the structural stress that is generated during
operation, also at high rotating speeds.
[0025] The apparatus also enables the wrapping of an object to be
complete even if an undesired break of one of the films occurs.
[0026] The invention can be better understood and carried out with
reference to the attached drawings, that illustrate an embodiment
thereof by way of non-limitative example, in which:
[0027] FIG. 1 is a front view of an apparatus for wrapping objects
according to the invention in association with an object to be
wrapped;
[0028] FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the apparatus in FIG.
1;
[0029] FIG. 3 is a view from above of the apparatus in FIG. 1;
[0030] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus in FIG. 1.
[0031] FIGS. 1 to 4 show an apparatus 1 for wrapping objects,
comprising a ring element 2 which is rotatably movable around a
rotating axis R and which supports a reel unit 3 and further reel
unit 4, which are arranged angularly spaced from one another with
respect to said rotating axis R. In the example shown in FIGS. 1 to
4 the rotating axis R is horizontal.
[0032] The ring element 2 comprises an annular element or wheel
that is rotatably supported by a frame 40, for example of a
wrapping machine, with which the apparatus 1 can be associated. The
ring element 2 is driven by means of a belt 17 connected to a motor
18.
[0033] The reel unit 3 and the further reel unit 4 are rotated by
the ring element 2 around the rotating axis R so as to wrap objects
50 with stretchable plastic films and/or with sheets of paper or
similar material.
[0034] It is provided a conveying plane 41 which passes through the
ring element 2 and on which the objects to be wrapped are advanced
in an advancing direction A, in manual or automatic mode.
[0035] The reel unit 3 comprises a support member 21 fixed to said
ring element 2 and suitable for supporting a first reel 5 which is
arranged substantially parallel to the rotating axis R and on which
is wound a film 25.
[0036] The reel unit 3 comprises a tightening arrangement 7, 8
suitable for keeping said film 25 stretched tight during wrapping
of an object 50. Said tightening arrangement includes a first
tightening roller 7, provided with a clutch device, and a first
guide roller 8, arranged for directing the film 25 onto the object
50.
[0037] The further reel unit 4 comprises a further support member
22 suitable for supporting a further reel 6 which is arranged
parallel to the rotating axis R and on which is wrapped a further
film 26.
[0038] The further reel unit 4 includes a further tightening
arrangement 9, 10 provided for keeping said further film 26
stretched tight during wrapping of an object 50. Said further
tightening arrangement comprises a further tightening roller 9,
provided with a clutch device, and a further guide roller 10,
arranged for suitably directing the further film 26 onto the object
50.
[0039] The apparatus is provided with a gripping member 11 that is
movable and suitable for interacting with said film 25 that is
unwound from the first reel 5.
[0040] A further gripping member 12 is provided for acting with the
further film 26 that is unwound from the second reel 6.
[0041] The gripping members 11, 12 are of the known type and
comprise for example respective grippers, which are arranged
angularly spaced with respect to the rotating axis R, at the
respective reels 5, 6 for clamping portions of the respective films
25, 26.
[0042] In an embodiment of the apparatus 1 that is not shown, the
gripping members 11, 12 may comprise respective elongated rods,
provided with ends arranged for abutting on and hooking edges of
the respective films 25, 26.
[0043] The gripping members 11, 12 are movable substantially
parallel to the advancing direction A from a rest position, on
which they are on an opposite side from said reels 5, 6 with
respect to the ring element 2, to an operating position, in which
they project through the ring element 2 so as to be positioned near
the reels 5, 6.
[0044] The apparatus 1 comprises a cutting device 15 suitable for
cutting the film 25 that is unwound from the reel unit 3 at the end
of the wrapping of an object 50. A further cutting device 16 is
provided for cutting the further film 26 unwound from the further
reel unit 4.
[0045] The cutting device 15 and the further cutting device 16 are
arranged angularly spaced with respect to the rotating axis R.
[0046] The cutting devices 15, 16 are provided with respective
cutting elements 13 and with respective brush elements 14 that can
rotate around axes B.
[0047] In particular, the cutting devices 15, 16 are driven so as
to move from a first position, in which they do not interfere with
the films whilst the latter are wrapped onto the object, to a
second position in which they acts on the films by separating said
films from the object that has just been wrapped. The brush
elements 14 are used to make the end portions of the films, that
are generated after cutting, adhere to the object that has just
been wrapped.
[0048] In an embodiment of the apparatus not shown, the cutting
devices 15, 16 are fixed with the respective gripping members 11,
12 consisting of the aforementioned movable elongated rods. In this
embodiment, the cutting devices comprise respective fixed blades
that are suitable for cutting the films that are grasped and
dragged by the gripping members in the rest position.
[0049] In the embodiment shown in the figures, the apparatus 1
comprises two reels, a first reel 5 and a second reel 6, associated
with corresponding tightening arrangements 7, 8, 9, 10, cutting
devices 15, 16 and gripping members 11, 12. The apparatus 1 may
also comprise three or more reels of film, each reel associated
with a respective tightening arrangement, cutting device and
gripping member.
[0050] In the configuration disclosed above, the reel unit 3 and
the further reel unit 4 are arranged spaced apart from one another
by an angle of 180.degree. with respect to the rotating axis R,
i.e. with the first reel 5 and the second reel 6 diametrically
opposite with respect to said axis R.
[0051] Similarly, the cutting device 15 and the further cutting
device 16, the gripping member 11 and the further gripping member
12 are arranged together in diametrically opposite positions with
respect to the rotating axis R. This configuration enables the
apparatus 1 to be balanced both statically and dynamically, in
order to reduce the structural stress thereto that is generated
during operation.
[0052] If the apparatus 1 comprises, for example, three reels, the
latter can be arranged angularly spaced from one another by an
angle of 120.degree..
[0053] In the case of a larger number of reels, for example four,
the latter can be arranged angularly spaced from one another in
different ways to create a statically or dynamically balanced
structure.
[0054] During operation of the apparatus 1, an object 50 to be
wrapped is advanced on the conveying plane 41 so that an end
portion thereof is interposed between the reel unit 3 and the
further reel unit 4, whilst the gripping member 11 and the further
gripping member 12 are in the operating position and respectively
keep clamped an end edge of the film 25 and an end edge of the
further film 26.
[0055] The ring element 2 starts to rotate by moving the reel units
3, 4 around the rotating axis R. During the rotation of the ring
element 2, the end edges of films 25, 26 are initially retained by
the gripping member 11, 12 so that the films 25, 26 are forced to
unwind from the respective reels 5, 6, whilst respective first
portions of film are deposited on the object.
[0056] After the ring element has been rotated so that the films
25, 26 are stably fixed to the object 50, the gripping members 11,
12 disengage from the films 26, 26 and retract to the rest
position.
[0057] The stretchable films remain stably wrapped on the object 50
also because they elastically shrink after being tensioned by the
tightening rollers.
[0058] The object 50 is advanced in the advancing direction A
whilst the reel units 3, 4 rotate around the rotating axis R so as
to progressively cover the surface of the object with the films in
a partial or complete manner.
[0059] After the surface of the object has been covered by the
films, the ring element 2, and therefore the reel unit 3, 4 are
arrested in a position such as to enable the gripping member 11 and
the further gripping member 12 to advance to the operating position
and respectively grasp the film 25 and the further film 26.
[0060] At this point, the cutting device 15 is driven to cut the
film 25 in a zone interposed between the gripping member 11 and the
object 50, and similarly the further cutting device 16 is driven to
cut the further film 26 in a further zone interposed between the
further gripping member 12 and the object 50.
[0061] The brush elements 14 of each cutting device 15, 16 act so
as to make end portions of film 25, 26 that have been generated
after cutting adhere completely to the object. At this point the
object 50 is wrapped and can be removed from the apparatus 1.
[0062] Further end edges of the films 25, 26 are retained by the
gripping member 11, 12 to enable a subsequent object to be
wrapped.
[0063] It should be observed that owing to two or more reels, the
apparatus 1 enables the objects 50 to be wrapped with films of
different material to arrange superimposed strips, for example a
paper film and a transparent plastic film.
[0064] In an embodiment of the apparatus 1 that is not shown a
vertical operating configuration is provided. In particular, the
ring element 2 is arranged in such a way as to be rotatable around
a further rotating axis vertically arranged and movable along the
latter.
[0065] A conveying plane is provided that is used to convey to an
operating zone objects that have to be wrapped. In this case, after
an object has been positioned in the operating zone, the ring
element 2 is driven. The latter moves along the further rotating
axis and rotates around the latter by travelling down the object
whilst the first reel unit 3 and the second reel unit 4 wrap the
film around the object.
* * * * *