Packaging machine
By using the drive shaft and crank mechanism driven by an electric motor in the packaging machine, ensuring the synchronous movement of the jaws is maintained, the problems of inconsistent clamp movement and high membrane consumption in existing packaging machines are solved, and an efficient and coordinated packaging process is achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202411842049.1
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-12-14
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-13
- Publication Date
- 2025-06-17
AI Technical Summary
When existing packaging machines wrap flexible hoses, the actuation cylinder cannot synchronize the movement of the retaining jaws around the rotation axis, resulting in twisting of the hose coil and slow operation cycles. The rotation angle of the jaws can only be adjusted when the machine stops, resulting in high consumption of the membrane and uncoordinated movement of the jaws and packaging components.
The drive shaft and crank mechanism driven by an electric motor are adopted to move the retaining jaws about the rotation axis, ensuring synchronous and continuous movement of the jaws, and simultaneously controlling the movement of the jaws and packaging components through the electronic control unit.
The synchronous movement of the jaws about the rotation axis is achieved, the twist of the hose coil is avoided, the productivity of the packaging machine and the utilization of the membrane is improved, the consumption of the membrane is reduced, and the need for the machine to stop to adjust the angle of the jaws is avoided.
Smart Images
Figure CN120156731A_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Citation of Related Applications
[0002] This patent application claims priority from Italian Patent Application No. 102023000026706, filed on December 14, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field
[0003] The present invention relates to a packaging machine for wrapping flexible articles having an elongated shape, in particular flexible hoses. Background Art
[0004] The present invention is particularly advantageously used for wrapping flexible hoses with a plastic stretch film, and the following discussion will explicitly refer to this use without loss of generality.
[0005] In the field of wrapping flexible hoses with a plastic stretch film, it is known to provide packaging machines of the following type, which include: a winding station for forming a coil of the flexible hose; a feeding unit for feeding the flexible hose to the winding station in the form of a continuous strip; a cutting device for separating the coil from the continuous strip; a wrapping station for wrapping the stretch film around the coil; and a conveying unit for conveying the coil from the winding station to the wrapping station in a feeding direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the coil itself.
[0006] The wrapping station includes: a packaging assembly mounted to continuously rotate about a first rotation axis parallel to the feeding direction, and the packaging assembly wraps the stretch film around the coil; and a rotary clamp configured to intermittently rotate the coil about a second rotation axis transverse to the first rotation axis itself.
[0007] The rotary clamp has: a pair of holding jaws; and operating means for moving the holding jaws about the second rotation axis.
[0008] Each holding jaw includes: an outer plate connected to the operating means to move about the second rotation axis; and an inner plate capable of moving relative to the outer plate parallel to the second rotation axis between a clamping position and a release position of the coil.
[0009] For each holding jaw, the operating means includes a respective actuating cylinder having an output rod connected to the outer plate of the holding jaw itself.
[0010] Since the two holding jaws of the rotary clamp move about the second rotation axis by two actuating cylinders independent of each other, the known packaging machines of the type described above have certain drawbacks, which are mainly caused by the fact that the two actuating cylinders cannot synchronize the movement of the two holding jaws about the second rotation axis, resulting in the distortion of the hose coil.
[0011] Known wrapping machines of the type described above have the additional disadvantage of the following facts:
[0012] The output rods of the two actuating cylinders are able to move in a reciprocating rectilinear motion and thus imply a relatively slow operating cycle;
[0013] Adjusting the rotation angle of the holding jaws about the second rotation axis implies adjusting the stroke of the output rods of the two actuating cylinders and thus implies the stoppage of the wrapping machine;
[0014] The rotation angle of the holding jaws about the second rotation axis can only be changed when the wrapping machine is stopped and thus complete coverage of the coil means that the two actuating cylinders require a relatively large number of operating cycles and thus implies a relatively high consumption of stretch film; and
[0015] The two actuating cylinders cannot coordinate the movement of the two holding jaws about the second rotation axis with the movement of the wrapping assembly about the first rotation axis. Summary of the Invention
[0016] The object of the present invention is to provide a wrapping machine for wrapping flexible articles of elongated shape, in particular flexible hoses, which does not have the disadvantages described above.
[0017] According to the present invention, there is provided a wrapping machine for wrapping flexible articles of elongated shape, in particular flexible hoses, the wrapping machine comprising: a winding station for forming a coil of a flexible article of elongated shape; a wrapping station for wrapping a stretch film around the coil; and a conveying unit for conveying the coil from the winding station to the wrapping station in a feed direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the coil; the wrapping station further comprising: a wrapping assembly mounted to continuously rotate about a first rotation axis parallel to the feed direction, and the wrapping assembly wrapping the stretch film around the coil; and a rotary clamp configured to rotate the coil about a second rotation axis transverse to the first rotation axis, and the rotary clamp being provided with a pair of holding jaws and operating means for moving the holding jaws about the second rotation axis; the operating means comprising an electric motor and a transmission shaft mounted to rotate about a third rotation axis parallel to the second rotation axis due to the driving force of the electric motor, and the operating means comprising a respective crank mechanism for each of the holding jaws, the crank mechanism for connecting the transmission shaft and the holding jaws to each other. Description of the Drawings
[0018] The present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, which show non-limiting embodiments of the present invention, in which:
[0019] Figure 1is a schematic perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the packaging machine of the present invention, with some parts removed for clarity;
[0020] Figure 2 and Figure 3 are Figure 1 two schematic side views of the packaging machine in
[0021] Figure 4 are Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 schematic perspective views of details of the packaging machine in
[0022] Figure 5 are Figure 4 schematic perspective views of details of Detailed Embodiment
[0023] Referring to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 , reference numeral 1 generally denotes a packaging machine for wrapping a hose 2 with a stretch film 3 made of plastic material.
[0024] The machine 1 includes: an elongated base 4; a winding station 5 of a known type for forming the hose 2 into a coil 6; a wrapping station 7 for wrapping the film 3 around the coil 6; a feeding unit 8 of a known type for feeding the hose 2 in the form of a continuous strip 9 from an extrusion unit (not shown) to the station 5; and a transfer unit 10 for transferring the coil 6 from the station 5 to the station 7 in a horizontal feeding direction 11 transverse to the longitudinal axis 12 of the coil 6 itself.
[0025] The winding station 5 is provided with a winding roller 13 of a known type, which is mounted to rotate about a longitudinal axis 14 parallel to a horizontal direction 15 transverse to the direction 11, and the winding roller is also mounted to perform a linear movement along the direction 15 between a forward position for forming the coil 6 and a backward position for disengaging the coil 6 itself.
[0026] The winding roller 13 is defined by an outer wall 16 extending around the axis 14 and is defined by a plurality of flat or cylindrical support sections (not shown) that are capable of moving transversely to the axis 14 between an extended position for forming the coil 6 and a retracted position for disengaging the coil 6 itself.
[0027] The feeding unit 8 includes a first horizontal slide 17 that is slidably coupled to the base 4 to perform a linear movement relative to the base 4 itself in the direction 15, and the first horizontal slide supports an inlet cone 18 configured to receive the strip 9 of the hose 2.
[0028] The feeding unit 8 further includes a second horizontal slider 20, which is slidably coupled to the slider 17 to perform a linear motion relative to the slider 17 itself parallel to the direction 11, and the second horizontal slider supports an elongated guide arm 21, which protrudes from the slider 20 in the direction 11 to release the hose 2 on the roller 13.
[0029] The first horizontal slider 17 also supports a cutting device 22, which is configured to separate the web 6 from the strip 9 at the end of the formation cycle of the web 6 itself on the roller 13.
[0030] The feeding unit 8 moves in the direction 15 through the slider 17, so that the hose 2 is properly and evenly distributed along the axis 14, and thus is properly and evenly distributed onto the roller 13.
[0031] The conveying unit 10 includes: a horizontal slider 23, coupled to the base 4 to perform a linear displacement between the station 5 and the station 7 relative to the base 4 itself in the direction 11; a vertical slider 24, coupled to the slider 23 to perform a linear motion relative to the slider 23 itself in the vertical direction 25 orthogonal to the direction 11 and the direction 15; and an inclined slider 26, coupled to the slider 24 to perform a linear motion relative to the slider 24 itself in the direction 27 inclined with respect to the direction 11 and the direction 25.
[0032] The slider 24 supports a lower bracket 28 and a rear plate 29. The lower bracket defines a substantially horizontal support plane P1 for the web 6, and the rear plate defines a substantially vertical support plane P2 for the web 6. The rear plate extends perpendicular to the direction 11 and is slidably coupled to the slider 26 to perform a linear displacement in the direction 11 relative to the bracket 28 and during the operating steps of the conveying unit 10 according to the diameter of the web 6.
[0033] Preferably but not necessarily, the plate 29 moves along the slider 26 in the direction 11 through an operating device (not shown), which includes an electric motor having an output shaft connected to the plate 29 itself.
[0034] The web 6 advances and is released from the conveying unit 10 at the wrapping station 7 into an accommodation channel 30 restricted by two side walls 31 parallel to each other. Each side wall has a circular sector and is perpendicular to the direction 15, and in addition each side wall has an amplitude of less than 180°.
[0035] Under the driving force of an actuating cylinder (not shown and known), the channel 30 can move between a forward position and a backward position in direction 11 and cooperate with a limiting stop bar 32, which is mounted between walls 31 parallel to direction 15 and is slidably coupled to the walls 31 to perform a linear displacement parallel to direction 11 relative to the walls 31 themselves.
[0036] As Figure 4 and Figure 5 shown, during the operating steps of the wrapping station 7, the position of the bar 32 relative to the walls 31 is selectively controlled by an operating device 34 according to the diameter of the coil 6. The operating device includes an electric motor 35, the output shaft of which is coupled to a threaded member 37 via a belt drive 36. The threaded member extends parallel to direction 11 and is coupled to the bar 32 via a screw-nut screw coupling.
[0037] The channel 30 is aligned with a rotary clamp 38, which is mounted upstream of the channel 30 in direction 11 and includes two holding jaws 39, which are mounted to selectively rotate about a rotary axis 40 parallel to direction 15.
[0038] Each jaw 39 is in the form of a circular sector and perpendicular to direction 15, and further has a width of less than 180°. Each jaw includes: an outer plate 41, which is mounted to rotate about axis 40; and an inner plate 42, which is fixedly coupled to the plate 41 at an angle to rotate together about axis 40, and the inner plate can linearly move relative to the plate 41 itself between a clamping position and a releasing position of the coil 6 in direction 15.
[0039] The jaws 39 are moved about axis 40 by an operating device 43, which includes an electric motor 44, which is connected to a transmission shaft 45 via a gear reducer 46 interposed between the electric motor and the transmission shaft.
[0040] The shaft 45 is mounted to selectively rotate about its own longitudinal axis 47 parallel to direction 15, and the shaft is connected to the plate 41 of each holding jaw 39 via a respective crank mechanism 48.
[0041] Each crank mechanism 48 includes: a crank 49, which is fixedly coupled to the transmission shaft 45 at an angle; and a connecting rod 50, which is rotatably coupled to the crank 49 on one side and to the plate 41 of the corresponding holding jaw 39 on the other side.
[0042] The shaft 45 has at least one telescopic section 51, which can axially move along the axis 47 to selectively change the distance between the jaws 39 during the operating steps of the clamp 38 according to the width of the coil 6 measured parallel to direction 15.
[0043] The wrapping station 7 is also provided with a wrapping assembly 52 of a known type, which wrapping assembly includes a rotary arm 53 of L-shaped configuration, which rotary arm supports at least one roll 54 formed by a film 3, and which rotary arm is mounted to rotate continuously about a rotation axis 55 parallel to the direction 11 due to the driving force of an electric motor 56.
[0044] When the receiving channel 30 is arranged in its rearward position, the arm 53 is moved by the motor 56 about the axis 55 to wind the film 3 around the roll 6.
[0045] The wrapping machine 1 also includes an electronic control unit 57, which electronic control unit is connected to the motor 44 and the motor 56 and is configured to:
[0046] synchronize and time the electric motor 56 of the arm 53 and the electric motor 44 of the clamp 38 relative to each other;
[0047] selectively control the operation of the motor 44 of the clamp 38 to move the shaft 45 about the axis 47 in a reciprocating rotational movement;
[0048] selectively control the operation of the motor 44 of the clamp 38 according to the diameter of the roll 6 and thus selectively control the rotation of the jaws 39; and
[0049] selectively control the operation of the motor 44 of the clamp 38 and thus selectively control the rotation of the jaws 39 so as to cover the entire roll 6 with a relatively small number of layers of the film 3.
[0050] The operation of the wrapping machine 1 will now be described starting from the moment when the roll 6 of the hose 2 is separated from the strip 9 of the hose 2 by the cutting device 22, the receiving channel 30 is arranged in its forward position, and the holding jaws 39 of the rotary clamp 38 are in their release position.
[0051] The vertical slider 24 and the inclined slider 26 of the conveying unit 10 are raised to allow the lower bracket 28 and the rear plate 29 to engage the roll 6, and the horizontal slider 23 of the conveying unit 10 is fed in the direction 11 to move the roll 6 from the winding station 5 to the wrapping station 7 and into the receiving channel 30.
[0052] At this time, the holding jaws 39 of the rotary clamp 38 are moved to their clamping position to hold the roll 6, and the receiving channel 30 is moved to its rearward position.
[0053] The receiving channel 30 is moved to its rearward position to allow the rotary arm 53 of the wrapping assembly 52 to rotate about the axis 55 and wrap the film 3 around the roll 6.
[0054] During the wrapping of the film 3 around the reel 6, the reel 6 is intermittently rotated about the axis 40 by means of a clamp 38 to allow the wrapping assembly 52 to wrap the entire reel 6 with the film 3.
[0055] The wrapping machine 1 has certain advantages which are mainly caused by the fact that the holding jaws 39 of the rotating clamp 38 are driven by an operating device 43 (i.e., by a single operating device) to ensure proper synchronization of the movement of the jaws 39 about the axis 40 and the uniform wrapping of the continuous reel 6.
[0056] Furthermore, the electric motor 44 of the operating device 43 enables the electronic control unit 57 to synchronize and time the motor 56 of the arm 53 and the motor 44 of the clamp 38 relative to each other to:
[0057] selectively control the rotation of the reel 6 about the axis 40 according to the dimensions of the reel 6 and the number of layers of the film 3 applied to the reel 6 itself;
[0058] guarantee a relatively high productivity of the wrapping machine 1 and a relatively low consumption of the film 3; and
[0059] avoid stopping the wrapping machine 1 from operating.
Claims
1. A packaging machine for wrapping a flexible product (2) having an elongated shape, in particular a flexible hose, the packaging machine comprising: A winding station (5) for forming the flexible product (2) having an elongated shape into a coil (6); pack A station (7) for wrapping a stretch film (3) around the material roll (6); and a transfer unit (10) for transferring the material roll (6) from the winding station (5) to the wrapping station (7) in a feed direction (11), the feed direction being transverse to a longitudinal axis (12) of the material roll (6); the wrapping station (7) further comprising: a wrapping assembly (52) mounted to continuously rotate around a first rotation axis (55) parallel to the feed direction (11), and the wrapping assembly wraps the stretch film (3) around the material roll (6); and a rotating fixture (38) configured to rotate the material roll (6) around a second rotation axis (55) transverse to the first rotation axis (55). The rotary clamp is provided with a pair of retaining jaws (39) and an operating device (43) for moving the retaining jaws (39) around the second rotation axis (40); characterized in that the operating device (43) comprises an electric motor (44) and a transmission shaft (45), the transmission shaft being installed to rotate around a third rotation axis (47) parallel to the second rotation axis (40) due to the driving force of the electric motor (44), and the operating device comprises a corresponding crank mechanism (48) for each retaining jaw (39), the crank mechanism being used to connect the transmission shaft (45) and the retaining jaw (39) to each other.
2. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein: Each crank mechanism (48) comprises: a crank (49) connected to the transmission shaft (45) in an angularly fixed manner; and a connecting rod (50) connected to the crank (49) on one side and to the corresponding holding jaw (39) on the other side in a rotatable manner.
3. The packaging machine according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an electronic control unit (57), which is configured to selectively control the operation of the electric motor (44) of the rotating clamp (38) so that the transmission shaft (45) moves in a reciprocating rotational motion around the third rotation axis (47).
4. A packaging machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The transmission shaft (45) comprises at least one telescopic section (51) which is axially movable to change the distance between the two crank mechanisms (48) according to the width of the coil (6) measured parallel to the third rotation axis (47).
5. A packaging machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: Each of the holding jaws (39) comprises an outer plate (41) connected to the corresponding crank mechanism (48); and an inner plate (42) movable relative to the outer plate (41) between a clamping position for clamping the coil (6) and a releasing position for releasing the coil.
6. The packaging machine according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: A feeding unit (8) for feeding the flexible product (2) in the form of a continuous strip (9) to the winding station (5); and a cutting device (22) for separating the roll (6) of the flexible product (2) from the continuous strip (9).
7. A packaging machine according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an electronic control unit (57) connected to the operating device (43) of the rotating clamp (38) and configured to selectively control the operation of the electric motor (44) and thus the rotation of the holding jaws (39) based on the diameter of the web (6).
8. A packaging machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The conveying unit (10) includes a feed slide (23, 24, 26), which further includes: a lower support plate (28) defining a horizontal support plane (P1) for the coil (6); a rear support plate (29) defining a vertical support plane (P2) for the coil (6); and an actuating device, which moves the rear support plate (29) relative to the lower support plate (28) parallel to the feed direction (11) based on the diameter of the coil (6).
9. A packaging machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The packaging assembly (52) includes a rotating arm (53) and an electric motor (56), wherein the rotating arm is used to stretch the roll (54) of the film (3), and the electric motor of the packaging assembly moves the rotating arm (53) around the first rotation axis (55); an electronic control unit (57) is configured to synchronize and time the electric motor (56) of the rotating arm (53) of the packaging assembly (52) and the electric motor (44) of the rotating clamp (38) relative to each other.
10. A packaging machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The wrapping station (7) further comprises: a receiving channel (30) arranged in front of the rotating fixture (38) in the feeding direction (11) to laterally receive the coil (6), the receiving channel being provided with a pair of side walls (31) perpendicular to the second rotation axis (40), and the receiving channel cooperating with a limiting stop element (32) mounted between the pair of side walls (31) parallel to the second rotation axis (40); an electric motor (35) connected to the limiting stop element (32) to selectively control the position of the limiting stop element parallel to the feeding direction (11).