FEEDING GROUP OF A TAPE MATERIAL FROM A REEL AND REEL CHANGE PROCEDURE.

Description

"FEEDING GROUP FOR A TAPE MATERIAL FROM A COIL AND COIL CHANGE PROCEDURE" * * * * * SCOPE OF APPLICATION 5 This invention refers to a feeding group for a material in tape from a reel and to a reel changing process. In In particular, the tape material is of the type having an adhesive surface. STATE OF THE ART Automatic packaging equipment has been known for a long time that 10 contain one or more strip material feed units, wherein such material is unwound from a reel. To optimize the productivity of these equipment, one goal is to have as few interruptions as possible in the feeding of the strip material. This problem arises in especially when the coil is running out and needs to be replaced. 15 For this purpose, power supply units and processes are known coil replacement which require the power supply unit to be equipped of two reels of tape material. A first reel is in operation, i.e. from the material is unwound, while the second reel is not used but is ready to use, so that it can be used as soon as the first coil arrives 20 exhaustion. To maintain the continuity of the material supply, it is taken the initial end of the coil ready for use and connect it to the unwound material from the first coil, during operation of the equipment. So there is continuity between the first tape and the second tape of material, so that when you 25 runs out of the first, the second tape is already present. This mode of replacement is known as “changing on the fly”. A peculiarity of the state of the art is that this mode of exchange coil requires the intervention of an operator who must prepare the splice, which is then automatically performed, at the appropriate time, by the machine. One disadvantage of the known procedure and equipment is that it is very difficult to perform if the material being unwound has an adhesive side. 5 the presence of an adhesive face, in fact, makes the operations of connecting the new coil material to the first coil material because this adhesive side makes it difficult to connect the tapes of the two coils and while maintaining the adhesion effectiveness of the adhesive face. One aspect also to be considered is the orientation of the adhesive face which must be 10 maintained to be able to interface correctly with the elements on which the tape must be adhered. Another drawback of the known procedure and equipment is that require manual intervention by an operator, which may result in a slowing down of material feed. 15 There is therefore a need to perfect a power supply group of tape material unwound from a reel and a reel changing process coil, which can overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the technique front. In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a group 20 of feeding of material in strip and develop a process for change a spool of tape material that allows you to apply the second tape directly onto the base material film on which it is to be applied the tape, instead of the first tape. Another object of the present invention is to provide a group of 25 power supply and develop a procedure that allows you to start the application of the second tape automatically, without requiring the intervention of an operator. To overcome the drawbacks of the known art and to obtain these and further purposes and advantages, the Applicant has studied, tested and implemented the present finding. EXHIBITION OF THE FINDING 5 The present invention is expressed and characterized in the claims independent. Dependent claims exhibit other characteristics of the present finding or variants of the main solution idea. In accordance with the above purposes and to solve the above technical problem in new and original way, also obtaining notable advantages compared to the state 10 of the prior art, a group according to the present invention for feeding a tape material includes first means of feeding, from a first reel, a first tape and second feed means for feed, from a second reel, a second tape, and a first station application of the first tape on a film of base material. The material in 15 tape is preferably the same in both reels. The base material is continuously fed, from a respective coil, and comes from operating stations of the machine that are upstream from the power supply unit. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the power supply unit includes a second application station, distinct from the first station 20 of application, and intended for the application of the tape material of the second reel. According to one aspect of the invention, the power supply unit comprises a first application device, at the first station application, and a second application device at the 25 second application station. In particular, the first device application is configured to apply the first tape on the film while the second application device is configured to apply the second tape on film. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a process for feeding strip material by means of a group of power supply as indicated above. 5 The process involves applying on the base material film, in a manner synchronized, a first tape, unwound from the first reel, in correspondence of the first application station and a second tape, unrolled from the second coil, at the second application station. According to one aspect of the invention, the process provides that, when 10 runs out of the first reel of tape material, the application of the second tape at the second application station, and vice versa pours. In particular, the exhaustion of the first reel is signalled by a specific signal, which can be emitted by the power supply unit, or from the packaging machine on which the power supply unit is mounted. 15 ILLUSTRATION OF DRAWINGS These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of this invention will become clear from the following description of one embodiment, provided by way of example, not limitation, with reference to the annexes drawings in which figures 1-3 are schematic, frontal views of a group of 20 power supply according to the present invention for feeding strip material unrolled from a reel, illustrated in three successive operational phases of the process of coil change according to the present invention. Please note that in this description the phraseology and terminology used, as well as the figures of the attached drawings also as described have 25 the sole function of illustrating and explaining the present invention better by having a non-limiting exemplary function of the invention itself, being the scope of protection defined by the claims. For ease of understanding, identical reference numbers have been used. used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the figures. It should be understood that elements and features of an embodiment may be conveniently combined or incorporated into other embodiments 5 without further clarification. DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT FOUND Referring to the figures, a power supply group 10 according to the This invention is intended to feed a material in the form of a tape 11, 10 12 unwound from a respective coil B1, B2. The tape material is of the type having an adhesive surface, to be adhered to a film F of base material, continuously fed, by a respective coil B3, along its own advancement path which passes through the power supply group 10, following its own direction of 15 advancement A. For example, the tape material can be expected to act as a body of tearing or opening on a package, for example known as “tear tape”. Power supply group 10 is part of a packaging plant equipped with several operating stations, in which the F film of basic material, 20 typically a wrapping material, is fed by corresponding means of power supply G, which support the corresponding coil B3, along the power direction A, in succession through the various stations operational, including the power supply unit 10 (fig. 1). The power supply group 10 comprises first power supply means 13 25 of the first tape 11 and second feed means 14 of the second tape 12. These first and second power supply means 13, 14 are each composed of a respective coil support member, configured to support rotating a corresponding coil 13, 14. In particular, the organ of coil support can be a roller. As known, the power supply unit 10 comprises a first station S1 of application of the tape at which a first tape 11, 5 powered by a first reel B1, is applied to the film F, in particular adhered to it by placing its adhesive surface in contact with the F film. The first application station S1 materializes with a first roller 15 on which the film F is supported during its advancement. For this purpose, at the aforementioned first S1 station of 10 application, the power supply unit 10 comprises a first device application 100, to which the first tape 11 is fed, configured to apply, i.e. press, the tape 11 against the film F. The first device application 100 comprises a body 101 pivoted to a support block 102, so as to be rotatable around an axis of rotation R1 in a plane 15 longitudinal or aligned with the feed direction A of the film F. In support block 102 is provided with a motor organ 103 connected to the body 101 so as to cause it to rotate around its rotation axis R1. The body 101, which in the example illustrated is in the shape of a pivoted arm in corresponding to its first end 101A, it comprises a control organ 20 application 104 of tape 11 to film F, configured to carry the first tape 11 in contact with the F film at the first station of S1 application, in particular at the first roller 15. The application member 104 comprises a wheel 105 pivoted to the body 101 and rotates around its own axis of rotation R2, parallel to the axis of 25 rotation R1 of the body 101. The wheel 105 is configured to hold the first tape 11, and for this purpose it is connected to a suction system 106 which defines retention means of the first tape 11. The suction retention allows to retain in simple and effective way to attach the 11 tape, without risking damaging it. Advantageously, the wheel 105 is pivoted near an edge lateral of the body 101, so as to have at least a part of its surface 5 perimeter which protrudes from the body 101, towards the first roller 15. Thus ensures that the wheel 105 contacts the film F and the first roller 15 without the body 101 comes to meet the film F. The first application device 100 also includes a return member 107, which includes a second wheel 108 rotating around its own axis 10 of rotation R3, parallel to the axis of rotation R2 of the first wheel 105 and to the rotation axis R1 of the body 101. The second wheel 108 is preferably pivoted at the second end 101B of the body 101. In other embodiments, not shown, the second wheel 108 may also not be associated with body 101, as long as it is still positioned among the first 15 power supply means 13, or the first coil B1, and the control organ application 104. In this way, the second wheel 108 allows the first belt 11 to be guided, located downstream of the application organ 104, in a direction consistent with the progress of the film F. 20 In an intermediate position between the first power supply means 13, which carry the first coil B1, and the first application device 100 are expected cutting means 109 configured to cut the tape 11. This allows to have better control in the tape run-out phase 11, so as to be able to make it easier to change the reel without interrupting the application on the F film. 25 In accordance with the present invention, the power supply unit 10 comprises a second station S2 for applying the tape material onto the F film. This second application station S2 materializes with a second roller 16 which, in the example illustrated, it is placed along the path of advancement of the film F, in so that it rests on it during the advancement, and upstream of the first application station S1 with respect to the direction of advance A of the film F. Alternatively, it is also possible to provide a single roller on which the following are obtained: 5 two distinct application positions of the tapes 11, 12. At the second application station S2 a second application device 200, similar to the first 100, and configured to apply a second tape 12 of material to the film F, unwound from a second reel B2. Obviously, the material of the first 11 and second tape 12 is the same 10 itself, to ensure the continuity of its application on the F film. The second application device 200 comprises a body 201 preferably in the shape of an arm, or in any case oblong, which is hinged, to its first end 201A, on a support block 202. The body 201 is rotating around a rotation axis R4 parallel to the rotation axes R1, 15 R2, R3 described in relation to the first application device 100. It should be noted that the second application device 200 is equipped with a own motor organ 203, independent from the motor organ 103 of the first application device 100. The second motor member 203 is housed in the support block 202. 20 The second application device 200 comprises, as a control organ application 204, a wheel 205 pivoted to the body 201 and rotating around an axis of rotation R5 parallel to the axis of rotation R4. The wheel 205 is suitably hinged near a lateral edge of the body 201, in so that at least part of its perimeter edge protrudes laterally from the body 25 201 in the direction of the second reel 16. This enforcement body 204 is also connected to a system of suction 206, which defines means for retaining the tape 12 on the edge perimeter of the wheel 205. Since, in this example, the second means of power supply 14, which carry the second coil B2, are placed upstream of the second application device 200, with respect to the feed direction A of the film F, the second tape 12 reaches the second application device 5 200 already correctly oriented to be applied to the F film. The system of suction therefore allows the second tape 12 to be kept in position against wheel 205 until it is to be applied on the F film. The second application device 200 is also equipped with means of cutting 209 seats in intermediate position between the second power supply vehicles 14 10 and the application organ 204 with respect to the feed of the second tape 12. Both the first application device 100 and the second application device application 200 are mobile between an active position, where each of them is configured to apply the corresponding tape 11, 12 on the film F, and a inactive position, where it is distanced from the corresponding station S1, S2 of 15 application. In particular, in the active position, the respective enforcement body 104, 204 brings the respective tape 11, 12 into contact with the roller 15, 16, and therefore with the film F. In the inactive position, however, the corresponding organ of application 104, 204 is spaced from the roller 15, 16 or the film F, and therefore there is no 20 brings the respective tape 11, 12 into contact. In particular, the active position is obtained by rotating the body 101, 201 around the respective rotation axis R1, R4, towards the corresponding roller 15, 16, i.e. bringing the body 101, 201 into a lowered position. On the contrary, the inactive position is obtained by rotating the body 101, 201 around the 25 respective rotation axis R1, R4, away from the corresponding roller 15, 16, i.e. bringing it to the raised position, considering the example illustrated in the figures. From the description above, it is clear that the power supply unit 10 includes two application devices 100, 200 of the tape material, each application device being placed in correspondence with a respective of the two application stations S1, S2. Each device 5 application 100, 200 is fed with the tape material of a respective coil between the first coil B1 and the second coil B2. Each device application 100, 200 defines a respective power path of the tape material, starting from the corresponding first or second reel B1, B2. 10 It is also evident that each application device 100, 200 comprises a body 101, 201 pivoted and cantilevered in a plane aligned with, or longitudinal a, a feed path of the film F of base material. Advantageously, each application device 100, 200 comprises a application organ 104, 204 configured to apply the tape material 15 against the F film, in particular at a respective S1 station, S2 of application. The application organ 104, 204 is preferably equipped of a suction system 106, 206 to retain the tape material against of itself, more precisely against its perimeter edge. The operation of the power supply unit 10 described so far, which 20 corresponds to the method according to the present invention and includes the following: phases. The process involves applying the tapes on the F film of base material 11, 12 performed by the two coils B1, B2 in a synchronized manner, each in correspondence of a respective application station S1, S2. 25 In particular, the procedure involves applying the first tape 11, carried out from the first reel B1, on film F at the first station S1 of application (fig. 1). In this phase of application of the first film 11, the first application device 100 is in the active position, while the second application device 200 is kept in the inactive position. When the first coil B1 runs out, as schematically illustrated in fig. 1 and 2, a corresponding exhaustion signal is emitted. This signal 5 is emitted by the power supply unit 10 itself or by the machine packaging on which it is mounted. The exhaustion of the reel, and therefore the emission of the signal is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, based on the speed of tape consumption and the amount of tape remaining, which can be evaluated based on its weight or length, for example. 10 When the first coil B1 runs out, then when the exhaustion signal, the application of the second tape 12 is commanded on the film F at the second application station S2. To do this, the second application device 200 is activated to bring it into its active position. Before performing this move, it is advisable to make sure 15 that the second tape 12 is engaged by the corresponding organ of application 204, and retained by it via the suction system 206 (fig. 1 and 2). When the second tape 12 is ready to be applied, the command is given moving the second application device 200 into the active position, 20 in particular in a synchronized manner with the end of the feeding of the first tape 11, so as to maintain the continuity of the tape material along the F film, while avoiding overlapping material. To synchronize the movement of the second application device 200, you can wait for the first tape 11 to run out by itself, or you can 25 plan to cut the first ribbon, using the cutting means 109, in so as to cause the end of the feeding of the first tape 11. It is possible to foresee the cutting of the first ribbon 11 and, at the same time, bring the second application device 200 in active position (and then start applying the second tape 12 on the F film), in particular if the length of the first tape between the cutting means 109 and the first application station S1 corresponds to the distance between the two stations S1, S2 5 of application. More generally, the beginning of the application of the second tape 12 is synchronized with the arrival of the end of the first tape 11 at the first station S1 application, which is downstream of the second application station S2 with respect to the film feed direction A. 10 After the second application device 200 has been brought into the active position, a transitional phase occurs in which the application of the second film 12 and ends the application of the first film 11. At this stage transient, both application devices 100, 200 are in position active (fig. 2). 15 Once the feeding of the first film 11 is finished, the first one is commanded application device 100 to move it to the inactive position (fig. 3), while the tape material is unwound from the second reel B2 and applied in correspondence of the second application station S2. In the meantime, you can change the first coil B1 by removing the 20 coil just exhausted from the respective feeding means 13, and inserting a new one. Conversely, when the second coil B2 runs out, the first one is prepared application device 100, carrying the free end of the first tape 11 in contact with the application organ 104, passing it around 25 to the return organ 107 if necessary, and holding it in contact with the edge peripheral of the application organ 104, thanks to the suction system 106. The first application device 100 is then moved into its active position, synchronized with the exhaustion of the second tape 12. The power supply may cease if the second battery is completely exhausted. reel B2 or can occur after cutting the second tape 12 by means cutting 209. 5 Since the second tape 12 is applied on the film F in an upstream position of the first application station S1, there is a waiting time between the end of the application of the second tape 12 and the start of the feeding of the first tape 11. In this case, synchronization between the two can be achieved monitoring the arrival of the end of the second tape 12 at the first station 10 S1 of application. It is therefore clear that the start of the feeding of a tape 11, 12 must be synchronized with the passage of the end of the other tape 12, 11 in the application station S1 downstream of the other application station S2, with respect to the direction of film feed F. It is clear that the power supply group 10 and the change procedure 15 coils described so far can be modified and / or parts added, without thereby departing from the scope of this invention as defined by It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with referring to some specific examples, an expert in the field will be able to create other 20 equivalent forms of power group of a tape material from a coil and coil changing process, having the characteristics expressed in the claims and therefore all falling within the scope of protection thereof defined. In the following claims, the references in parentheses have only 25 purpose of facilitating reading and should not be considered as factors limiting the scope of protection defined by the claims themselves.

Claims

1. Feeding group (10) of a web material, comprising first feeding means (13), from a first reel (B1), of a first web (11) of material and second feeding means (14), from a second reel (B2), of a second web (12) of material and a first station (S1) for applying said first web (11) onto a film (F) of base material, characterised in that it comprises a second station (S2) for applying the second web (12), distinct from said first station (S1).

2. Feeding unit (10) as in claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a first application device (100) at said first station (S1), configured to apply said first tape (11) onto said film (F) and a second application device (200) at said second station (S2), configured to apply said second tape (12) onto said film (F).

3. Power supply unit (10) as in claim 2, characterised in that each of said first and second application devices (100, 200) is motorised independently of each other.

4. Feeding unit (10) as in claim 2 or 3, characterised in that each of said first and second application devices (100, 200) comprises a respective application member (104, 204) configured to press a respective of the first and second tape (11, 12) against the film (F) at said first (S1) or second (S2) application station respectively.

5. Feeding unit (10) as in claim 4, characterised in that each application member (104, 204) is connected to a respective suction system (106,206) to hold the respective tape (11, 12) in contact with it.

6. Method for feeding tape material into a feeding unit (10) as in any of the preceding claims, characterised by providing for the application on the film (F), in a synchronised manner, of a first tape (11), unwound from the first reel (B1), at the first application station (S1), and a second tape (12), unwound from the second reel (B2), at the second application station (S2).

7. Method as in claim 6, characterised in that when said first reel (B1) runs out, the application of said second tape (12) is commanded in correspondence with said second station (S2), and vice versa.

8. Method as in claim 7, characterised in that the application of said tape (11, 12) is controlled by operating the corresponding application device (100, 200) in an active position, in which it is configured to apply said relative tapes (11, 12) on said film (F).

9. Method as in any of claims 6 to 8, characterised in that the start of the application of one said tape (11, 12) is synchronised with the passage of the terminal end of the other said tape (11, 12) at said station (S1) downstream of said station (S2), with respect to the feeding direction (A) of said film (F).

10. Method as in any of claims 6 to 9, characterised in that it provides for replacing one of said reels (B1, B2) while applying said tape (11, 12) unwound from the other said reel (B1, B2).