Full-automatic plastic apron folding and independent packaging machine and control method thereof

Abstract

The application provides a full-automatic plastic surrounding platform folding independent packaging machine and a control method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of disposable plastic film product processing equipment, and comprises an automatic unwinding feeding module, a tension floating roller storage module, a rolling cutting forming module, a static folding plate, a pre-breaking conveying shaft, a rolling cutting breaking shaft, a post-breaking conveying shaft, and a four-time servo folding plug plate module and a finished product output shaft are connected in series to form a full-automatic assembly line, and the full-automatic assembly line is connected with a pillow type packaging machine, so that full-process unmanned operation from raw materials to packaging is realized, and manual dependence and pollution risk are completely eliminated; the pre-breaking conveying shaft, the rolling cutting breaking shaft, the post-breaking conveying shaft and the four-time servo folding plug plate module are all driven by ECT bus servo motors.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of disposable plastic film product processing equipment, specifically relating to a fully automatic plastic folding and individual packaging machine and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] The fully automatic plastic tablecloth folding and individual packaging machine is an industrial piece of equipment specifically designed for the automated packaging of plastic products (such as tablecloths, placemats, tablecloths, etc.). Its development stems from the urgent need in modern manufacturing for efficient and standardized packaging processes. This equipment integrates core functions such as automatic feeding, folding, positioning, and individual packaging. Through the coordinated operation of mechanical transmission and a pneumatic control system, it achieves continuous folding and sealing of plastic sheets, and is widely used in the production of daily necessities, catering supplies, and disposable products.

[0003] In existing technologies, manual and semi-automatic modes are highly dependent on human labor, have low efficiency, and pose a risk of contamination. Fully automatic equipment mostly uses mechanical cam drive, which requires cam replacement and re-alignment during model change, which is time-consuming. Moreover, after long-term operation, cam wear leads to a decrease in synchronization accuracy, resulting in out-of-tolerance cutting dimensions, folding misalignment, and an increase in defect rate as operating time accumulates. In addition, existing equipment cannot achieve flexible switching between apron and tablecloth production on the same production line. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a fully automatic plastic folding and individual packaging machine and its control method, which aims to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A fully automatic plastic folding and individual packaging machine includes an automatic unwinding and feeding module, a tension floating roller storage module, a roll cutting and forming module, a static folding plate, a pre-breakage conveyor shaft, a roll cutting and breaking shaft, a post-breakage conveyor shaft, a four-time servo folding insert module, and a finished product output shaft. The output end of the automatic unwinding and feeding module is connected to the input end of the tension floating roller storage module. The output end of the tension floating roller storage module is connected to the input end of the roll cutting and forming module. The output end of the roll cutting and forming module is connected to the input end of the static folding plate. The output end of the static folding plate is connected to the input end of the pre-breakage conveyor shaft. The output end of the pre-breakage conveyor shaft is connected to the input end of the roll cutting and breaking shaft. The output end of the roll cutting and breaking shaft is connected to the input end of the post-breakage conveyor shaft. The output end of the post-breakage conveyor shaft is connected to the input end of the four-time servo folding insert module. The output end of the four-time servo folding insert module is connected to the input end of the finished product output shaft.

[0006] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the roll cutting forming module is a start-stop structure, which is used to enable in apron production mode and disable in tablecloth production mode. The pre-break conveyor shaft, roll cutting break shaft, post-break conveyor shaft and four-time servo folding insert module are all driven by ECT bus servo motors and multi-axis synchronous linkage is achieved by PLC motion controller through electronic cam curve.

[0007] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the roll forming module includes a forming roller and an anvil roller, wherein the circumferential surface of the forming roller is embedded in the apron unfolding shape die, and the anvil roller is a smooth hard anvil roller.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the static folding plate is a folding guide plate without moving parts, which gradually narrows along the film traveling direction and is used to pre-fold the continuous film into a rectangular strip. The four-time servo folding insert module includes four folding stations arranged in sequence. Each station is equipped with a folding insert driven by an ECT bus servo motor. The timing of the action of the four folding inserts is controlled by four independent electronic cam curves.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pre-break conveyor shaft is used to pull the pre-folded continuous film strip to the rolling break shaft at a constant linear speed. The rolling break shaft is equipped with a rotating cutter for cutting and separating the continuous film strip according to the length of a single piece. The post-break conveyor shaft is used to send the separated single semi-finished product into the four-times servo folding insert module.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the output end of the finished product output shaft is connected to a pillow packaging machine, and the pillow packaging machine and the present device are connected and coordinated through mechanical and electrical interfaces.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a color mark sensor is installed on the feeding path upstream of the roll cutting forming module to detect the pre-printed color mark on the PE film. The output end of the color mark sensor is connected to the high-speed input port of the PLC motion controller. The PLC dynamically corrects the feeding length and the cutting phase of the roll cutting break shaft according to the color mark signal to realize the positioning roll cutting production of aprons with printed patterns.

[0012] A control method for a fully automatic plastic folding and individual packaging machine, the control method comprising: Select either apron production mode or tablecloth production mode according to the production instructions. When apron production mode is selected, start the roll forming module. When tablecloth production mode is selected, turn off the roll forming module. The tension floating roller storage module is used to buffer the tension and store the continuous film released by the automatic unwinding and feeding module under constant tension. The pre-printed color mark on the PE film is detected by a color mark sensor installed on the upstream feeding path of the roll cutting module, and the color mark signal is sent to the high-speed input port of the PLC motion controller. The PLC dynamically corrects the feeding length and the cutting phase of the roll cutting break shaft according to the color mark signal to realize the positioning roll cutting production of aprons with printed patterns. The PLC motion controller generates an electronic cam curve to control the movement of each ECT bus servo motor in the pre-break conveyor shaft, the rolling break shaft, the post-break conveyor shaft, and the four-fold servo insert module, so as to achieve multi-axis synchronous linkage to complete the conveying, fixed-length cutting and four-folding of continuous film strips. The folded finished product is fed into the docked pillow packaging machine via the finished product output shaft, and online signal exchange is carried out with the pillow packaging machine through the electrical interface to achieve coordinated online operation.

[0013] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this invention are as follows: A fully automated production line is formed by connecting an automatic unwinding and feeding module, a tension floating roller storage module, a roll-cutting and forming module, a static folding plate, a pre-break conveyor shaft, a roll-cutting and breaking shaft, a post-break conveyor shaft, a four-time servo folding insert module, and a finished product output shaft. This line is then integrated with a pillow packaging machine, achieving fully automated operation from raw materials to packaging, completely eliminating reliance on manual labor and the risk of contamination. The pre-break conveyor shaft, roll-cutting and breaking shaft, post-break conveyor shaft, and four-time servo folding insert module all utilize ECT bus servo motors. Driven by a PLC, multi-axis synchronous linkage is achieved through electronic cam curves, replacing the traditional mechanical cam. This fundamentally eliminates the accuracy reduction problem caused by cam wear. At the same time, only software parameters need to be modified during model changeover, without replacing the mechanical cam or re-aligning, significantly shortening the model changeover time. In addition, the roll cutting module adopts a start-stop structure and, together with a color mark sensor, realizes the positioning and roll cutting of products with printed patterns. This allows the same equipment to be compatible with the production of aprons and tablecloths with one-click switching, without replacing any mechanical parts, effectively solving the problem of flexible production switching. Attached Figure Description

[0014] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. Wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention from another perspective; Figure 3 This is a partial schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 4This is a partial cross-sectional view of the overall structure of the present invention.

[0015] In the diagram: 1. Automatic unwinding and feeding module; 2. Tension floating roller storage module; 3. Roll cutting and forming module; 4. Static folding plate; 5. Pre-break conveyor shaft; 6. Roll cutting and breaking shaft; 7. Post-break conveyor shaft; 8. Four-time servo folding insert module; 9. Finished product output shaft; 10. Pillow packaging machine; 11. Color mark sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0016] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0017] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0018] Secondly, the term "one embodiment" or "embodiment" as used herein refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic that may be included in at least one implementation of the present invention. The phrase "in one embodiment" appearing in different places in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a single or selective embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments.

[0019] Example Reference Figures 1-4 This embodiment of the invention provides a fully automatic plastic folding independent packaging machine, including an automatic unwinding and feeding module 1, a tension floating roller storage module 2, a roll cutting and forming module 3, a static folding plate 4, a pre-breakage conveyor shaft 5, a roll cutting and breaking shaft 6, a post-breakage conveyor shaft 7, a four-times servo folding insert module 8, and a finished product output shaft 9. The output end of the automatic unwinding and feeding module 1 is connected to the input end of the tension floating roller storage module 2. The output end of the tension floating roller storage module 2 is connected to the input end of the roll cutting and forming module 3. The output end of the roll cutting and forming module 3 is connected to the input end of the static folding plate 4. The output end of the static folding plate 4 is connected to the input end of the pre-breakage conveyor shaft 5. The output end of the pre-breakage conveyor shaft 5 is connected to the input end of the roll cutting and breaking shaft 6. The output end of the roll cutting and breaking shaft 6 is connected to the input end of the post-breakage conveyor shaft 7. The output end of the post-breakage conveyor shaft 7 is connected to the input end of the four-times servo folding insert module 8. The output end of the four-times servo folding insert module 8 is connected to the input end of the finished product output shaft 9.

[0020] The system comprises an automatic unwinding and feeding module 1, a tension floating roller storage module 2, a roll cutting and forming module 3, a static folding plate 4, a pre-break conveyor shaft 5, a roll cutting and breaking shaft 6, a post-break conveyor shaft 7, a four-time servo folding insert module 8, and a finished product output shaft 9, connected sequentially in the process order. This creates a fully automated continuous production line from raw material unwinding to finished product output. This overall architecture allows PE film to flow automatically between workstations without human intervention, completely eliminating the risk of microbial contamination from manual contact with the product and meeting the clean production requirements of food-grade hygiene standards. Simultaneously, the serial arrangement of the modules ensures the continuity of material flow and the consistency of the cycle time, providing a structural foundation for subsequent high-speed and stable multi-axis synchronous control, improving production efficiency, and enabling the equipment to meet the delivery needs of large-volume orders.

[0021] Specifically, the roll forming module 3 is a start-stop structure, which is used to enable it in apron production mode and disable it in tablecloth production mode. The pre-break conveyor shaft 5, the roll breaking shaft 6, the post-break conveyor shaft 7, and the four-time servo folding insert module 8 are all driven by ECT bus servo motors and multi-axis synchronous linkage is achieved by PLC motion controller through electronic cam curve.

[0022] The roll forming module 3 is a start-stop structure, and uses ECT bus servo motors to drive the pre-break conveyor shaft 5, the roll-cut break shaft 6, the post-break conveyor shaft 7, and the four-time servo folding insert module 8. The PLC motion controller achieves multi-axis synchronous linkage through electronic cam curves. The start-stop design of the roll forming module 3 allows the same equipment to be compatible with the production of aprons and tablecloths with one-button switching, without the need to replace any mechanical parts, realizing dual-use of one machine and greatly reducing equipment investment costs. The ECT bus servo and electronic cam control replace the traditional mechanical cam drive method, eliminating the problem of synchronization accuracy decay caused by mechanical wear. The motion coordination between each axis always maintains high precision, thereby ensuring the long-term stability of cutting size and folding position, effectively reducing the defect rate. The electronic cam curve can be flexibly adjusted by software, and there is no need to replace the cam and re-align during changeover, greatly shortening the changeover time and adapting to the market demand for small batches and multiple specifications.

[0023] Furthermore, the roll forming module 3 includes a forming roller and an anvil roller, and the circumferential surface of the forming roller is embedded in the apron to unfold the shape die, and the anvil roller is a smooth hard anvil roller.

[0024] The defined roll-cutting module 3 includes a forming roller and an anvil roller. The circumferential surface of the forming roller is embedded with the apron unfolding shape die, and the anvil roller is a smooth, hard anvil roller. This structure allows the apron's straps and body to be rolled-cut in one step, directly cutting out the complete apron shape, including the neck strap and waist belt, from the PE film without the need for subsequent separate connection processes. The integrated roll-cutting not only simplifies the product structure and improves the consistency of the product's appearance and structural strength, but also avoids the weak links and waste problems that may occur with separate connections. At the same time, the smooth, hard anvil roller provides a stable support surface for shearing, ensuring the neatness of the rolled-cut edges, reducing burrs and tearing defects, and improving product quality.

[0025] Preferably, the static folding plate 4 is a folding guide plate without moving parts, which gradually narrows along the film traveling direction and is used to pre-fold the continuous film into a rectangular strip. The four-servo folding insert module 8 includes four folding stations arranged in sequence. Each station is equipped with a folding insert driven by an ECT bus servo motor. The timing of the action of the four folding inserts is controlled by four independent electronic cam curves.

[0026] The static folding plate 4 is a folding guide plate without moving parts, which gradually narrows along the film's travel direction. It is used to pre-fold the continuous film into a rectangular strip. The four-servo folding insert module 8 includes four folding stations arranged in sequence. Each station is equipped with a folding insert driven by an ECT bus servo motor. The timing of the four folding inserts is controlled by four independent electronic cam curves. The first stage of static pre-folding is completed during the continuous travel of the film, making full use of the film's own travel tension. It requires no driving parts, has a simple structure, low energy consumption, and is easy to maintain. The second stage of four-servo precision folding is performed after the individual pieces are separated. Each folding insert is controlled by an independent electronic cam curve, which can finely adjust the insertion phase and stroke, resulting in high folding accuracy and strong adaptability. It can flexibly meet the differentiated folding action requirements of different product specifications. In addition, the independent control of the four folding inserts also allows for online adjustment of folding parameters without stopping the machine, improving production flexibility.

[0027] Furthermore, the pre-break conveyor shaft 5 is used to pull the pre-folded continuous film strip to the rolling break shaft 6 at a constant linear speed. The rolling break shaft 6 is equipped with a rotating cutter to cut and separate the continuous film strip according to the length of a single piece. The post-break conveyor shaft 7 is used to send the separated single semi-finished product into the four-times servo folding insert module 8.

[0028] The pre-cutting conveyor shaft 5 pulls the pre-folded continuous film strip at a constant linear speed to the rolling-cutting shaft 6. A rotating cutter is mounted on the rolling-cutting shaft 6 to cut the continuous film strip into individual pieces according to their length. The post-cutting conveyor shaft 7 feeds the separated individual semi-finished products into the four-times servo-driven folding insert module 8. This coordinated conveying and cutting structure ensures that the continuous film strip can be precisely cut to a set length after pre-folding and smoothly transition to the fine folding station. The constant linear speed of the pre-cutting conveyor shaft 5 ensures stable tension of the film strip when it enters the cutting area, avoiding positional deviations caused by speed fluctuations. The rotating cutter of the rolling-cutting shaft 6 and the feeding action of the pre-cutting conveyor shaft 5 are precisely coordinated through an electronic cam, achieving high-precision control of fixed-length cutting. The post-cutting conveyor shaft 7 acts as a buffer, allowing the individual semi-finished products to enter the folding station at a stable pace, avoiding material accumulation or empty material problems caused by speed mismatch between the preceding and following stations, thus ensuring the continuity and stability of the entire line operation.

[0029] Furthermore, the output end of the finished product output shaft 9 is connected to a pillow packaging machine 10, and the pillow packaging machine 10 and this equipment are connected and coordinated through mechanical and electrical interfaces.

[0030] The output end of the finished product output shaft 9 is connected to the pillow packaging machine 10. The pillow packaging machine 10 and this equipment are connected and coordinated through mechanical and electrical interfaces. This connection design allows the folded finished products to be directly and automatically fed into the pillow packaging machine 10 for independent packaging, realizing a fully automated closed loop from raw materials to packaged finished products. The mechanical interface ensures a smooth transition of finished products between the equipment, avoiding material jamming or stacking. The electrical interface enables real-time online signal exchange between the two devices. When the packaging machine is paused due to film replacement, malfunction, or other reasons, this equipment can automatically reduce speed or pause feeding and buffer the upstream material through the tension floating roller storage module 2. After the packaging machine resumes operation, the linkage operation will automatically resume. This online coordination mechanism effectively avoids material blockage, empty material, and downtime, improving the overall operating efficiency and equipment utilization rate of the line. It also lays the foundation for subsequent integration with the MES system to achieve production data traceability.

[0031] Furthermore, a color mark sensor 11 is installed on the feeding path upstream of the roll forming module 3 to detect the pre-printed color mark on the PE film. The output end of the color mark sensor 11 is connected to the high-speed input port of the PLC motion controller. The PLC dynamically corrects the feeding length and the cutting phase of the roll cutting interruption shaft 6 according to the color mark signal, so as to realize the positioning roll cutting production of aprons with printed patterns.

[0032] In this device, a color mark sensor 11 is installed on the feeding path upstream of the roll-cutting module 3. The output of the color mark sensor 11 is connected to the high-speed input port of the PLC motion controller. The PLC dynamically corrects the feeding length and the cutting phase of the roll-cutting interruption shaft 6 based on the color mark signal, realizing the positioning and roll-cutting production of aprons with printed patterns. This color mark positioning function enables the equipment to process PE film rolls with pre-printed brand logos, patterns, or color marks. By detecting the color mark position in real time and dynamically adjusting the feeding and cutting phases, it ensures that the roll-cut pattern and the printed color mark are accurately aligned, avoiding waste caused by pattern misalignment. This function meets the market demand for customized and branded aprons, expands the application range of the equipment, and enhances the added value and market competitiveness of the products. At the same time, the color mark correction algorithm is calculated in real time in the PLC, with a rapid response and high positioning accuracy, and no additional mechanical adjustment mechanism is required, maintaining the simplicity and reliability of the equipment structure.

[0033] In operation, the operator loads the entire roll of PE film raw material into the automatic unwinding and feeding module 1. After being automatically unwound by this module, the raw material enters the tension floating roller storage module 2. This module absorbs tension fluctuations during the feeding process in real time through a floating swing roller structure, providing the main machine with a stable, constant tension continuous film. Subsequently, the film enters the roll-cutting and forming module 3. This module can switch between apron and tablecloth production depending on the production mode. When producing aprons, the die on the forming roller, together with the anvil roller, rolls the film to form a complete apron shape including the straps and skirt body. At the same time, the color mark sensor 11 detects the pre-printed color mark on the film and feeds it back to the PLC. The PLC dynamically corrects the feeding length and cutting phase to ensure accurate pattern alignment. After roll-cutting, the continuous film then enters the static folding plate 4. This non-powered guide plate gradually narrows along the film's travel direction, allowing the film to... The film is pre-folded into a rectangular strip. The pre-folded continuous film strip is pulled by the pre-cutting conveyor shaft 5 at a constant linear speed to the rolling cutter shaft 6. The rotating cutter on this shaft cuts and separates the continuous film strip according to the length of a single piece, forming independent semi-finished products. The separated semi-finished products are received by the post-cutting conveyor shaft 7 and fed into the four-servo folding insert module 8. The four servo-driven folding inserts arranged in sequence in this module move in sequence under the control of the electronic cam curve, completing four fine folds of the semi-finished products, and finally folding them into a compact shape that meets the packaging specifications. The folded finished products are output through the finished product output shaft 9 and directly connected to the pillow packaging machine 10. The packaging machine automatically coordinates with the machine through mechanical interface and electrical connection signal to complete the independent packaging output of the products, thereby realizing fully automated continuous production from raw material unwinding to finished product packaging.

[0034] In summary, by organically integrating the automatic unwinding and feeding module 1, tension floating roller storage module 2, roll cutting and forming module 3, static folding plate 4, pre-breakage conveyor shaft 5, roll cutting and breaking shaft 6, post-breakage conveyor shaft 7, four-time servo folding insert module 8, finished product output shaft 9, pillow packaging machine 10, and color mark sensor 11 into a complete fully automated production line in the process sequence, the entire process from unwinding PE film raw materials to outputting independently packaged finished products is fully automated. The automatic unwinding and feeding module 1, in conjunction with the tension floating roller storage module 2, ensures that the raw material maintains constant tension during continuous feeding, preventing film stretching deformation or deviation caused by tension fluctuations. The roll cutting module 3 adopts a start-stop design, enabling roll cutting of both aprons and tablecloths with a single button switch. Combined with real-time positioning feedback from the color mark sensor 11, it allows for precise pattern alignment and cutting of aprons with printed patterns, significantly improving product appearance consistency and yield. The static folding plate 4 uses a non-powered guide plate to pre-fold the film, featuring a simple structure and requiring no maintenance, providing a stable rectangular strip semi-finished product for subsequent fine folding. The pre-cutting conveyor shaft 5, the roll cutting cutting shaft 6, and the post-cutting conveyor shaft 7 achieve multi-axis synchronous linkage through an electronic cam curve, ensuring that the continuous film strip is precisely cut to the set length and smoothly transitions to the fine folding station, avoiding speed mismatch. The four-servo folding insert module 8 consists of four independently servo-driven folding inserts, which can finely adjust the folding phase and stroke respectively, realizing high-precision and high-flexibility fine folding, and can flexibly adapt to different product specifications; the finished product output shaft 9 directly feeds the folded finished product into the pillow packaging machine 10, and realizes automatic docking with the electrical connection signal through the mechanical interface. When the packaging machine is paused, the machine can automatically reduce speed or buffer the incoming material through the tension floating roller storage module 2. After the machine resumes operation, it will automatically link up, completely eliminating manual handling and intermediate storage links. This structural design not only realizes the fully automated closed-loop production from raw materials to packaging, meeting the requirements of food-grade hygiene standards for clean production, but also reduces equipment investment costs, changeover time and defect rate through innovative means such as multi-purpose machine, electronic cam flexible control and color mark positioning, and greatly improves production efficiency and market competitiveness.

[0035] This embodiment provides a control method for a fully automatic plastic tabletop folding and individual packaging machine. This control method is based on the aforementioned fully automatic plastic tabletop folding and individual packaging machine, which includes an automatic unwinding and feeding module 1, a tension floating roller storage module 2, a roll-cutting and forming module 3, a static folding plate 4, a pre-breakage conveyor shaft 5, a roll-cutting and breaking shaft 6, a post-breakage conveyor shaft 7, a four-times servo folding insert module 8, a finished product output shaft 9, a pillow-type packaging machine 10, and a color mark sensor 11. Each module is connected sequentially according to the process order. The pre-breakage conveyor shaft 5, the roll-cutting and breaking shaft 6, the post-breakage conveyor shaft 7, and the four-times servo folding insert module 8 are all driven by ECT bus servo motors and multi-axis synchronous linkage is achieved by a PLC motion controller through electronic cam curves. The roll-cutting and forming module 3 is a start-stop structure, used to activate in apron production mode and deactivate in tablecloth production mode. The control method specifically includes the following steps: Step one: The operator sends production instructions to the PLC motion controller via the Human-Machine Interface (HMI), selecting either the apron production mode or the tablecloth production mode. Based on the received mode selection signal, the PLC motion controller automatically loads the preset electronic cam curve parameter set corresponding to that mode. This parameter set includes: the traction linear speed of the pre-interruption conveyor shaft 5, the rotational cutter action phase and cutting length setting of the rolling interruption shaft 6, the receiving speed of the post-interruption conveyor shaft 7, and the insertion timing, stroke, and return speed of each of the four folding inserts in the four-stage servo folding insert module 8.

[0036] When the apron production mode is selected, the PLC motion controller outputs a start signal, causing the forming roller and the smooth hard anvil roller of the roll forming module 3 to start rotating and enter the working state, while simultaneously activating the detection function of the color mark sensor 11. When the tablecloth production mode is selected, the PLC motion controller outputs a stop signal, causing the roll forming module 3 to stop rotating, the forming roller and the anvil roller to separate or idle, and disabling the positioning correction function of the color mark sensor 11. This flexible changeover process only involves switching software parameters, without the need to replace any mechanical parts, or perform mechanical cam replacement and realignment operations, significantly reducing changeover time.

[0037] Step two: The automatic unwinding and feeding module 1 feeds the PE film raw material roll out as a continuous film using an active unwinding method. The continuous film then enters the tension floating roller storage module 2, which contains a floating swing roller mechanism. The up-and-down movement of the swing roller absorbs tension disturbances caused by factors such as changes in roll diameter and speed fluctuations during the unwinding process. The tension floating roller storage module 2 outputs the continuous film, after buffering and constant tension adjustment, at a constant tension and feeds it into the downstream roll-cutting and forming module 3. This ensures that the tension of the film remains stable throughout the subsequent roll-cutting, folding, and conveying processes, avoiding film stretching deformation, deviation, or out-of-tolerance cutting dimensions caused by tension fluctuations.

[0038] Step 3: In apron production mode, the roll forming module 3 is started, and at the same time, the color mark sensor 11 installed on the upstream feeding path of the roll forming module 3 begins to work. The color mark sensor 11 detects the pre-printed color mark marks on the PE film in real time. Whenever a color mark is detected passing by, a color mark pulse signal is generated, which is sent to the high-speed input port of the PLC motion controller.

[0039] Upon receiving the color mark signal, the PLC motion controller immediately runs the color mark positioning correction algorithm: First, the PLC calculates the theoretical film travel distance from the color mark detection point to the cutting point of the rolling cutting break shaft 6 based on the current running speed; then, the PLC compares this theoretical distance with the preset nominal feeding length and calculates the deviation value; finally, the PLC dynamically corrects the cutting phase of the rolling cutting break shaft 6 based on the deviation value and fine-tunes the feeding length of the conveyor shaft 5 before the break, so that the apron unfolding shape die of the rolling forming module 3 is always precisely aligned with the pre-printed pattern on the film, ensuring that the pattern position of the finished apron with printed pattern is consistent, and realizing positioning rolling cutting production.

[0040] In the tablecloth production mode, the roll forming module 3 is turned off, the positioning correction function of the color mark sensor 11 is shielded, and the film directly enters the static folding plate 4 through the roll forming module 3 for the subsequent pre-folding process.

[0041] Step four: The continuous film, after being roll-cut (or passed directly, depending on the mode), enters the static folding plate 4. The guide plate of the static folding plate 4 gradually narrows along the film's travel direction, utilizing the film's own forward tension to gradually fold the two edges of the film towards the center line, ultimately pre-folding the continuous film into a rectangular strip. This step has no moving parts, requires no additional drive, has a simple structure, and consumes zero energy.

[0042] Step 5: The PLC motion controller controls the ECT bus servo motor of the pre-cutting conveyor shaft 5 to rotate at a constant linear speed according to the loaded electronic cam curve parameters, so as to stably pull the pre-folded continuous rectangular film strip to the cutting area of ​​the rolling cutting shaft 6.

[0043] Simultaneously, the PLC motion controller controls the ECT bus servo motor of the rolling cutting axis 6 to drive the rotary cutter, performing the rotary cutting action according to the cutting phase and rhythm set by the electronic cam curve. The rotary cutter and the feeding action of the pre-cutting conveyor axis 5 are precisely synchronized through the electronic cam curve. Each time the cutter contacts the anvil roller, it cuts the continuous film strip to the set single-piece length, separating an independent semi-finished product.

[0044] The separated semi-finished products are then fed into the broken conveyor shaft 7. The ECT bus servo motor of the broken conveyor shaft 7 is also controlled by an electronic cam curve. Its receiving speed is precisely matched with the cutting rhythm of the rolling cutting shaft 6, which smoothly transports the semi-finished products to the entrance of the four-servo folding insert module 8, avoiding material accumulation, empty material or skewed semi-finished products caused by the mismatch of the speeds of the front and rear workstations.

[0045] Step six: The four-servo folding insert module 8 contains four folding stations arranged in sequence, each station equipped with a folding insert independently driven by an ECT bus servo motor. The PLC motion controller controls the timing of the four folding inserts according to four independent electronic cam curves.

[0046] When a single semi-finished product is fed into the first folding station by the interrupted conveyor shaft 7, the first folding insert is inserted downwards under the control of the electronic cam curve, completing the first fold. Subsequently, the semi-finished product enters the second, third, and fourth folding stations in sequence. The folding inserts at each station perform folding actions according to the downward insertion phase, stroke, and return speed set by their respective independent electronic cam curves, completing the subsequent three folds in sequence. The timing of the four folding inserts' actions is strictly synchronized with the feeding cycle of the interrupted conveyor shaft 7. Through the precise control of the electronic cam curve, the folding position is ensured to be accurate and the shape is regular, ultimately folding the semi-finished product into a compact shape that meets packaging specifications.

[0047] Step seven: The folded finished product is conveyed by the finished product output shaft 9 to the output end of the equipment of the present invention. This output end is directly connected to the feed port of the pillow packaging machine 10 through a mechanical interface. The PLC motion controller exchanges signals with the control system of the pillow packaging machine 10 through an electrical interface.

[0048] During online coordinated operation, the PLC motion controller monitors the signal status of the electrical interface in real time. When the electrical interface receives a pause signal from the pillow packaging machine 10 (e.g., triggered by film replacement, fault alarm, etc.), the PLC motion controller immediately starts the online pause processing procedure: controlling all ECT bus servo motors of the pre-interruption conveyor shaft 5, the rolling cut interruption shaft 6, the post-interruption conveyor shaft 7, and the four-times servo folding insert module 8 to automatically decelerate according to the preset deceleration curve until the feeding stops; at the same time, the PLC motion controller does not stop the unwinding action of the automatic unwinding and feeding module 1, and the tension floating roller storage module 2 absorbs and buffers the film that continues to be released from upstream by the rise of the floating swing roller, preventing the film from accumulating or loosening.

[0049] When the electrical interface receives the recovery signal from the pillow packaging machine 10, the PLC motion controller immediately controls the axes of the pre-break conveyor shaft 5, the rolling break shaft 6, the post-break conveyor shaft 7, and the four-time servo folding insert module 8 to accelerate again according to the electronic cam curve and return to the normal linkage operation speed. The tension floating roller storage module 2 synchronously releases the buffered film, and the entire line resumes normal production rhythm. The finished product output shaft 9 continues to smoothly feed the folded finished product into the pillow packaging machine 10 to complete the independent packaging output of the product.

[0050] Through the above steps, this control method realizes full-process automated control from raw material unwinding to finished product packaging, supports one-click flexible switching between aprons and tablecloths, ensures the positioning and rolling accuracy of printed patterned products, and achieves coordinated operation with pillow packaging machines, effectively improving production efficiency, product yield and equipment flexibility.

[0051] It is important to note that the constructions and arrangements of this application shown in several different exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative. Although only a few embodiments are described in detail in this disclosure, those who consult this disclosure will readily understand that many modifications are possible (e.g., changes in the size, dimensions, structure, shape, and proportions of various elements, as well as parameter values ​​(e.g., temperature, pressure, etc.), mounting arrangements, use of materials, color, orientation, etc.) without substantially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter described in this application). For example, an element shown as integrally formed may be composed of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be inverted or otherwise changed, and the nature or number or position of discrete elements may be altered or changed. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be changed or rearranged according to alternative embodiments. In the claims, any "device plus function" clause is intended to cover the structure described herein that performs the function, and not only structurally equivalent but also equivalent in structure. Other substitutions, modifications, alterations, and omissions may be made in the design, operation, and arrangement of the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, but extends to various modifications that still fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0052] Furthermore, in order to provide a concise description of exemplary embodiments, not all features of actual embodiments (i.e., those features that are not relevant to the best mode of carrying out the invention as currently considered, or those features that are not relevant to implementing the invention) may be omitted.

[0053] It should be understood that numerous specific implementation decisions can be made during the development of any practical implementation, such as in any engineering or design project. Such development efforts may be complex and time-consuming, but for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure, the development effort will be a routine work of design, manufacturing, and production without requiring much experimentation.

[0054] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fully automatic plastic folding and individual packaging machine, characterized in that: The system includes an automatic unwinding and feeding module (1), a tension floating roller storage module (2), a roll forming module (3), a static folding plate (4), a pre-break conveyor shaft (5), a roll breaking shaft (6), a post-break conveyor shaft (7), a four-time servo folding insert module (8), and a finished product output shaft (9). The output end of the automatic unwinding and feeding module (1) is connected to the input end of the tension floating roller storage module (2), and the output end of the tension floating roller storage module (2) is connected to the input end of the roll forming module (3). The output end of the roll forming module (3) is connected to the input end of the tension floating roller storage module (2). The input end of the static folding plate (4) is connected to the input end of the pre-break conveyor shaft (5), the output end of the pre-break conveyor shaft (5) is connected to the input end of the rolling break shaft (6), the output end of the rolling break shaft (6) is connected to the input end of the post-break conveyor shaft (7), the output end of the post-break conveyor shaft (7) is connected to the input end of the four-time servo folding insert module (8), and the output end of the four-time servo folding insert module (8) is connected to the input end of the finished product output shaft (9).

2. The fully automatic plastic folding and individual packaging machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The roll cutting forming module (3) is a start-stop structure, which is used to be enabled in the apron production mode and disabled in the tablecloth production mode. The pre-break conveyor shaft (5), the roll cutting break shaft (6), the post-break conveyor shaft (7), and the four-time servo folding insert module (8) are all driven by ECT bus servo motors and multi-axis synchronous linkage is achieved by PLC motion controller through electronic cam curve.

3. The fully automatic plastic folding and individual packaging machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The roll forming module (3) includes a forming roller and an anvil roller, and the circumferential surface of the forming roller is embedded in the apron unfolding shape die, and the anvil roller is a smooth hard anvil roller.

4. The fully automatic plastic folding and individual packaging machine according to claim 3, characterized in that: The static folding plate (4) is a folding guide plate without moving parts, which gradually narrows along the film traveling direction and is used to pre-fold the continuous film into a rectangular strip. The four-time servo folding insert module (8) includes four folding stations arranged in sequence. Each station is equipped with a folding insert driven by an ECT bus servo motor. The timing of the action of the four folding inserts is controlled by four independent electronic cam curves.

5. The fully automatic plastic folding and individual packaging machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The pre-break conveyor shaft (5) is used to pull the pre-folded continuous film strip to the rolling cut break shaft (6) at a constant linear speed. The rolling cut break shaft (6) is equipped with a rotating cutter to cut and separate the continuous film strip according to the length of a single piece. The post-break conveyor shaft (7) is used to send the separated single semi-finished product into the four-times servo folding insert module (8).

6. The fully automatic plastic folding and individual packaging machine according to claim 5, characterized in that: The output end of the finished product output shaft (9) is connected to a pillow packaging machine (10), and the pillow packaging machine (10) and this equipment are connected and coordinated through mechanical and electrical interfaces.

7. The fully automatic plastic folding and individual packaging machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: A color mark sensor (11) is installed on the feeding path upstream of the roll forming module (3) to detect the pre-printed color mark on the PE film. The output end of the color mark sensor (11) is connected to the high-speed input port of the PLC motion controller. The PLC dynamically corrects the feeding length and the cutting phase of the roll cutting break shaft (6) according to the color mark signal to realize the positioning roll cutting production of aprons with printed patterns.

8. A control method for a fully automatic plastic folding and individual packaging machine as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The control method includes: Select either apron production mode or tablecloth production mode according to the production instruction. When apron production mode is selected, start the roll forming module (3). When tablecloth production mode is selected, turn off the roll forming module (3). The tension floating roller storage module (2) is used to perform tension buffering and constant tension storage on the continuous film released by the automatic unwinding and feeding module (1); The pre-printed color mark on the PE film is detected by the color mark sensor (11) installed on the upstream feeding path of the roll cutting forming module (3), and the color mark signal is sent to the high-speed input port of the PLC motion controller. The PLC dynamically corrects the feeding length and the cutting phase of the roll cutting break shaft (6) according to the color mark signal, so as to realize the positioning roll cutting production of aprons with printed patterns. The PLC motion controller generates an electronic cam curve to control the movement of each ECT bus servo motor in the pre-break conveying shaft (5), the rolling break shaft (6), the post-break conveying shaft (7), and the four-fold servo insert module (8), so as to realize multi-axis synchronous linkage to complete the conveying, fixed-length cutting and four-fold folding of continuous film strips. The folded finished product is fed into the docked pillow packaging machine (10) through the finished product output shaft (9), and online signal exchange is carried out with the pillow packaging machine through the electrical interface to achieve coordinated online operation.

9. The control method for a fully automatic plastic folding and individual packaging machine according to claim 8, characterized in that: When switching production modes, the PLC motion controller automatically loads the electronic cam curve parameters corresponding to the selected mode to change the synchronous motion relationship of the pre-break conveyor shaft (5), the rolling break shaft (6), the post-break conveyor shaft (7), and the four-time servo folding insert module (8), adapting to the cutting length and folding action required by different products, and realizing flexible transformation without replacing mechanical parts.

10. The control method for a fully automatic plastic folding and individual packaging machine according to claim 9, characterized in that: During the coordinated operation, when the electrical interface receives a pause signal from the pillow packaging machine (10), the PLC motion controller controls the pre-break conveyor shaft (5), the rolling break shaft (6), the post-break conveyor shaft (7), and the four-time servo folding insert module (8) to automatically reduce speed or pause feeding, and buffers the continuously unwound film upstream through the tension floating roller storage module (2); when the electrical interface receives a recovery signal from the pillow packaging machine (10), the PLC motion controller controls each axis to resume linkage operation.

Images