Winding machine that automatically feeds reinforcing sheet

Abstract

To provide a device for automatically introducing reinforcing sheets into coreless coils applicable to coreless winding machines, and to provide a winding machine that includes such a device.SOLUTION: A device (3) for introducing a reinforcing paper sheet into a coreless roll in which a continuous strip material is wound by a coreless winder, includes: a supply tray (31) for the paper sheet; a supply device (32) that takes the paper sheet from the supply tray (31); and an introduction member (33) that stacks the paper sheet onto the roll being wound in the winder.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for automatically introducing a stiffening sheet into a coreless coil that is applicable to a coreless type winding machine, and to a winding machine including such a device. [Background technology]

[0002] In conventional home coil technology, such as aluminum foil or paper coils, a continuous strip of material is wound around a cardboard core, which acts as a support for the wrapped material.

[0003] Such operations are carried out by suitable winders which produce rolls of aluminum, paper (e.g., baking paper), or other material from a fairly large supply coil and support a cardboard core which rotates downstream on rollers or suitable grippers at a winding speed which can be very high.

[0004] However, the use of cardboard cores has several drawbacks: First, they are expensive because they must be manufactured or purchased from a third party, and second, due to the shape and fragility of the paper cores, they require space and special care for storage.

[0005] To overcome these problems, coreless winding machines have been produced which wind the continuous strip material directly onto a mechanical mandrel from which the formed roll can be easily unwound. An example of such a machine, which has proven particularly effective, is described in the applicant's EP Patent No. 3810536B1.

[0006] Although this solution is satisfactory in many respects, it presents significant problems, for example when the crushing strength of the roll is insufficient depending on the type and length of material being wound.

[0007] Thus, there is a need to have a roll of continuous strip material, particularly aluminum or paper, that has sufficient crush strength and does not require the use of a cardboard core. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The aforementioned problems are solved by a device for automatically introducing a stiffening sheet, and a winding machine including such a device, as defined in the claims, which definitions form an integral part of the present disclosure.

[0009] The present invention also relates to a method for automatically introducing a reinforcement sheet into a roll of continuous strip material, and to the reinforcement roll obtained by said method.

[0010] In particular, the present invention relates to the following: (1) An apparatus for introducing a stiffening paper sheet onto a coreless roll onto which a continuous strip of material is wound by a coreless winder, comprising: a supply tray for paper sheets; a feeder for taking paper sheets from the feed tray; an introduction member for loading the paper sheet onto the roll to be wound in the winding machine; Including, Device. (2) The introduction member for the paper sheet includes a first conveyor member and a second conveyor member positioned in sequence along an inclined path, the first conveyor member being inclined at a smaller gradient than the second conveyor member, preferably the angle of the second conveyor member with the horizontal plane being greater than 45°, more preferably the angle of the second conveyor member with the horizontal plane being greater than 70°; The device according to item (1). (3) each of the first and second conveyor members includes a conveyor belt wound around a pulley, the pulley being supported on a shaft rotated by an independent drive, the drive for the second conveyor member configured to operate at a specific speed and move the sheet at a velocity uniform with respect to the winding speed of the roll; The device according to item (2). (4) the first conveyor member includes a series of idle pulleys, each of which is disposed at one end of a respective arm hingedly connected to a support bar, forming a gravity pressure means for the paper sheet; The device according to item (2) or (3). (5) The second conveyor member includes a belt presser device, and the belt presser device is located above the conveyor belt and includes a belt wound around a pulley idly supported on a shaft. The device according to any one of items (2) to (4). (6) The second conveyor member includes a proximal end and a distal end relative to the first conveyor member, the distal end being associated with a guide member for the sheet, the guide member being disposed in a substantially vertical position, and including a shaft supporting an idle pulley, and a belt, the belt being wound around the idle pulley and a corresponding pulley supported movably on the shaft, the shaft being disposed at the distal end of the second conveyor member. The device according to any one of items (2) to (5). (7) The feed tray includes a receiving edge and an open bottom located above the proximal end of the feeder, the receiving edge being positioned across but not in contact with the edge of the feeder near the gripping surface of the feeder, whereby the paper sheets are singulated and removed from the stack of sheets and from below. The device according to any one of items (1) to (6). (8) The feeding device includes an ascending belt system that moves around a motorized sheave and an idler pulley, and the belt system has a varying slope near the distal end of the feeding device to form a substantially horizontal segment. The device according to any one of items (1) to (7). (9) A plurality of idle pulleys are located above the belt system and disposed at one end of each arm hingedly connected to the support bar, forming a gravity pressure means for the paper sheet moving onto the feeder. Item (8) The device according to item (8). (10) The device according to any one of items (1) to (9), a coil holding roller for rotatably supporting a coil of continuous strip material; a first electric drive roller and a second electric drive roller, the second drive roller coupled to a pressure roller such that the continuous strip of material passes between the second electric drive roller and the pressure roller; a plurality of motorized take-up mandrels located on a rotating member, the rotating member being intermittently rotatable to provide different take-up mandrels at the second drive roller from time to time; Including, the guide member of the second conveyor member of the apparatus terminates above the point of contact between the second drive roller and the winding mandrel for the roll being wound; the winding mandrel having alternating fixed and extendable arc sectors along its cylindrical surface, the fixed and extendable arc sectors forming a cylindrical surface during winding to form the roll and contracting radially during unwinding of the roll; Coreless winding machine. (11) A method of winding a coreless roll of continuous strip material, comprising: providing a winder for said coreless roll of continuous strip material; winding a first set of windings of the continuous strip material onto a mandrel of the winding machine; introducing a stiffening paper sheet into the roll being wound while winding the second winding set; singulating and forming said roll; Including, method. (12) Providing a coreless winding machine including the device for introducing the paper sheet according to item (10). further comprising: The method according to item (10). (13) A coreless roll of continuous strip material, preferably the continuous strip material is food grade aluminum or its alloy, or food grade paper, the coreless roll including a central hole surrounded by a first set of windings of the continuous strip material and a second set of windings of the continuous strip material, the first set of windings including fewer windings than the second set of windings, preferably the first set of windings including 1 to 9 windings, and a paper sheet located between the first set of windings and the second set of windings. Coreless roll of continuous trip material. (14) The paper sheet to be wound protrudes from both ends of the roll in the axial direction, preferably by 2 mm to 7 mm. The roll according to item (13). (15) The paper sheet has information such as advertising copy, recipes, contest indications, etc. Item (13) or (14) of the roll. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a winding machine including a device for automatically introducing a stiffening sheet according to the invention; [Figure 2] 2 is a perspective view of the winding machine of FIG. 1 from a different perspective; [Figure 3] Top view of the winding machine in Figure 1 [Figure 4] A longitudinal cross-sectional view of the winding machine of Figure 1 [Figure 4a] Enlarged perspective view of a part of Figure 4 [Figure 5] 4 is a rear view of the winding machine according to the present invention taken along the direction A in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a detail of a device for automatically introducing a reinforcing sheet according to the present invention; [Figure 7] 7 is a perspective view of a detail of FIG. 6 from a different perspective. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a front view of both axial ends of a roll of continuous strip material obtained by the apparatus of the present invention; [Figure 9] 8. Oblique views of both ends of the roll in the axial direction of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] With reference to the drawings, a winding machine, generally designated by the reference number 1, comprises an unwinding unit 2 to which is applied a device 3 for introducing a stiffening sheet.

[0013] The unwinding unit 1 shown in Figures 1 to 5 is to be seen as a preferred embodiment only. It should be understood that any conventional coreless unwinding unit can be equivalently used in combination with the device 3 according to the present invention. For example, other embodiments of coreless winders are described in US Pat. No. 2,394,503, JP 2004-161478, or EP 2,660,173.

[0014] The unwinding unit 1 shown in the drawings is not covered by the present invention and will therefore only be described briefly below, a more detailed description being given in EP 3810536 by the same applicant.

[0015] The unwinding unit 1 is housed in a containment structure 4, which separates the moving parts of the machine from the external environment, while also minimizing noise for operator safety. The containment structure preferably includes transparent panels to allow visual inspection of the equipment during operation. Outer structures 5a, 5b house the drive and control panels.

[0016] The unwinding unit 1 includes a coil retaining roller 6 which rotatably supports a coil of continuous strip material (not shown). The coil retaining roller 6 may be driven or braked to prevent uncontrolled unwinding.

[0017] Typically, such continuous strip material is aluminum or its alloys, such as food-grade aluminum, or paper, but does not exclude that such material may include plastic film or composite materials, or any other continuous strip material sold in rolls.

[0018] For the continuous strip material S to be unwound, two deflection rollers 7a, 7b are arranged downstream of the electrically driven coil holding roller 6. The continuous strip S thus moves onto a first drive roller 8 and then onto a second drive roller 9. The first drive roller 8 and the second drive roller 9 are either electrically driven directly or by a transmission means such as a belt transmission from the first drive roller 8 to the second drive roller 9 or vice versa. The second drive roller 9 is connected to a pressure roller 10, so that the continuous strip material S passes between the two rollers 9, 10.

[0019] The second drive roller 9 is rotatably positioned on a motorized take-up mandrel 11, which is positioned on a rotating member 12. The rotating member 12 rotatably supports a plurality of motorized take-up mandrels 11 along its circumferential edge and is capable of rotating intermittently in sequence. Each rotation of the rotating member 12 thereby presents a different take-up mandrel 11 to the second drive roller 9. Essentially, when a roll of continuous strip material S is completed formed on the first take-up mandrel 11, the rotating member rotates to carry a new take-up mandrel 11 to the second drive roller 9, and the first take-up mandrel 11 with the roll passes through a cutting station 13 where the roll is singulated.

[0020] As described in more detail in EP 3810536 B1, the winding mandrel 11 has alternating fixed and extendable arc sectors along its cylindrical surface, e.g., three alternating fixed and three extendable sectors. These fixed and extendable sectors form a cylindrical surface during winding to form a roll. When the roll is to be unwound from the winding mandrel 11, the extendable sectors are brought into a radially contracted position by a cam downstream of the cutting station. This relieves pressure on the inner surface of the coreless roll, facilitating unwinding of the coreless roll.

[0021] The second drive roller 9 and pressure roller 10 are constrained by two oscillating shoulders which allow the rollers 9, 10 to rotate about the axis of the first drive roller 8, thereby adjusting their position to suit the diameter of the roll being unwound.

[0022] What has been briefly described above is a conventional winding machine, in particular the machine for producing rolls of coreless continuous strip material described in EP 3810536 (the entire contents of EP 3810536 are incorporated by reference for a better understanding of the structure and operation of that machine).

[0023] However, it has been found that in some cases it may be easier to provide reinforcement to the rolls being manufactured without reverting to utilizing a cardboard core as in the prior art.

[0024] The inventors of the present patent application have arrived at a solution which involves introducing an A4, A3 or similar sized (depending on the size of the roll to be produced) paper sheet during the formation of the coreless roll, more precisely after several reels of continuous strip material S have already been wound. The paper sheet is preferably introduced after 0.1 meters to 0.8 meters of material have already been wound onto the winding mandrel 11. Figures 8 and 9 show a roll 50 formed to include a paper sheet 51.

[0025] The paper sheet 51 is wound around the mandrel 11 to form a paper cylinder that is sufficiently rigid to strengthen the roll 50 .

[0026] More specifically, the coreless roll 50 of continuous strip material S includes a central hole (52) surrounded by a first set of turns 53 and a second set of turns 54 of the continuous strip material (S), the first set of turns 53 including fewer turns than the second set of turns 54, and the paper sheet 51 located between the first set of turns 53 and the second set of turns 54.

[0027] 9, the paper sheet 51 to be wound preferably protrudes from both axial ends 50a of the roll 50, preferably by 2 to 7 mm. Thus, the protrusions act as spacers and as side protection for the roll 50.

[0028] In some embodiments, the paper sheet 51 may be printed and displayed with advertising copy, recipes, contest displays, etc.

[0029] In the following, with reference to Figures 1 to 7, a device 3 for introducing a paper sheet 51 into a roll 50 to be formed will be described.

[0030] The device 3 for introducing the paper sheet 51 into the roll 50 to be formed comprises: a supply tray 31 for paper sheets 51; a feeder 32 for taking a paper sheet 51 from a feed tray 31; an introduction member 33 for loading the paper sheet 51 onto the roll 50 to be formed; Includes.

[0031] The feed tray 31 and the feed device 32 are of an existing type.

[0032] The feed tray 31 includes a receiving edge 34 and an open bottom 35 located above the proximal end 32a of the feeder 32. The receiving edge 34 is positioned across but not in contact with the edge of the feeder 32 that is closest to the gripping surface of the feeder 32, thereby allowing paper sheets to be singulated and removed from below from the stack of sheets present in the feed tray 31. Such an arrangement is similar to, for example, existing home or commercial printers or copiers.

[0033] The feeder 32 includes an ascending belt system 36 that moves around a motorized pulley 37 and an idler pulley 38. With the aid of suitable deflecting rollers 39 (FIG. 4), the belt system 36 changes slope approaching the distal end 32b of the feeder 32 to form a substantially horizontal segment 32c.

[0034] A number of idle pulleys 40 are located above the belt system 36 and are arranged at one end of respective arms 41 hingedly connected to the support bar 42, forming a (gravity) pressure means for the paper sheets 51 moving onto the feeder 32.

[0035] The supply device 32 is connected at its distal end 32b with an introduction member 33 for a sheet 51, for example by means of a brace 43 (FIGS. 6 and 7).

[0036] The introduction member 33 for the sheet 51 includes a first conveyor member 44 and a second conveyor member 45 positioned in sequence along an inclined path, with the first conveyor member 44 inclined at a smaller gradient than the second conveyor member 45. In other words, the angle that the first conveyor member 44 makes with the horizontal plane is smaller than the angle that the second conveyor member 45 makes with the horizontal plane. The angle that the second conveyor member 45 makes with the horizontal plane is greater than 45°, preferably 70° or greater.

[0037] Each of the first and second conveyor members 44, 45 includes a conveyor belt 46 wound around a pulley 47, which is supported on a shaft 48 that is rotated by an independent drive 49. As will be described below, the drives 49 are configured to operate intermittently, and the drive 49 for the second conveyor member 45 is configured to operate at a specific speed to move the sheet 51 at a velocity uniform to the winding speed of the roll 50 on the winding mandrel 11.

[0038] Similar to the feeding device 32, the first conveyor member 44 comprises a series of idle pulleys arranged at one end of respective arms 56 hingedly connected to a support bar 57, forming a (gravity) pressure means for the paper sheet 51.

[0039] Instead, the second conveyor member 45 includes a belt hold-down device 58, which is located above the conveyor belt 46 and includes a belt 59 wound around a pulley 60 idly supported on a shaft 61. By the action of pre-installed elastic means (not shown), the belt hold-down device 58 keeps the sheet 51 in close contact with the conveyor belt 46 during both the stationary and dynamic phases of the conveyor member 45.

[0040] The second conveyor member 45 includes a proximal end 45a and a distal end 45b relative to the first conveyor member 44. The distal end 45b is associated with a guide member 62 for the sheet 51, the guide member 62 being disposed in a substantially vertical position and including a shaft 63 supporting an idler pulley 64. A belt (65) is wound around the idler pulley 64 and a corresponding sheave supported movably on the shaft 61, the shaft 61 being disposed at the distal end 45b of the second conveyor member 45.

[0041] The belts 36, 46, 59, 65 which may come into contact with the sheet 51 are made of a material with a high friction index, for example natural rubber (1 mm thick).

[0042] The guide member 62 terminates above the point of contact between the second drive roller 9 of the winder and the winding mandrel 11 for the roll 50 .

[0043] The introducing device 3 may be supported by a suitable actuator (eg a hydraulic jack) which enables it to be moved between an elevated maintenance position and a lower operating position (not shown).

[0044] The operation of the introduction device 3 for introducing the paper sheet 51 onto the roll 50 to be wound will now be described.

[0045] Paper sheets 51 taken from the supply tray 31 are successively loaded onto the supply member 33 by the supply device 32, so that the sheets 51 are positioned on the second conveyor member 45. At the same time, the continuous strip material S is wound onto a winding mandrel 11 which is correspondingly positioned on the second drive roller 9 of the winding machine. After the first winding set 53 has been wound (see Figures 8 and 9), the second conveyor member 45 is activated and the sheets 51 are inserted between the second drive roller 9 and the winding mandrel 11 at a speed equal to the winding speed of the continuous strip material S.

[0046] At this time, a new sheet 51 is loaded onto the second conveyor member for introduction onto the next roll 50, which is then wound onto a different winding mandrel 11 in the manner previously described.

[0047] As previously mentioned, the sheets 51 may be A4 or similar size, generally rectangular in shape, and oriented with their long sides transverse to the winding direction. In any case, regardless of the shape of the sheets 51, the size of the sheets 51 is preferably such that they emerge from the roll 50 as shown in Figures 8 and 9.

[0048] Thus, the present invention further relates to a method for winding a coreless roll 50 of continuous strip material S, said method comprising: providing a winder for a coreless roll (50) of continuous strip material (S), said winder preferably being a winder as described above; winding a first winding set 53 of continuous strip material S onto a winding machine mandrel; introducing a stiffening paper sheet 51 onto the wound roll 50 while winding the second winding set 54; singulating and forming said roll (50); Includes:

[0049] Preferably, the paper sheet 51 to be wound is introduced so that the paper sheet 51 protrudes from both axial ends 50a of the roll 50.

[0050] Preferably, the paper sheet 51 includes information such as advertising copy, cooking recipes, contest displays, etc. on at least one surface thereof.

[0051] Although a paper sheet 51 has been described so far, it will be apparent that the sheet 51 may be made of a different material, for example a plastic material having an appropriate thickness to increase the rigidity of the roll 50 .

[0052] The advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the above description.

[0053] A coreless roll 50 of continuous strip material S, such as food grade aluminum or its alloys, or food grade paper, is reinforced by a paper sheet 51 without the need for a cardboard core, which adds cost, weight, or size.

[0054] The introduction device 3 coupled to the coreless winder makes such reinforcement operations quick and easy, increasing the productivity of the manufacturing plant.

[0055] Apparently, only some specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, but those skilled in the art can modify these embodiments to adapt to specific applications without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. 1. An apparatus (3) for introducing a stiffening paper sheet (51) onto a coreless roll (50) onto which a continuous strip of material (S) is wound by a coreless winder, comprising: a supply tray (31) for paper sheets (51); a feeder (32) for taking paper sheets (51) from said feed tray (31); In the winding machine, an introduction member (33) for loading paper sheets (51) onto a roll (50) to be wound; Including, Device (3).

2. the introduction member (33) for the paper sheets (51) comprises a first conveyor member (44) and a second conveyor member (45) positioned in sequence along an inclined path, the first conveyor member (44) being inclined at a smaller gradient than the second conveyor member (45), preferably the angle that the second conveyor member (45) makes with the horizontal plane is greater than 45°, more preferably the angle that the second conveyor member (45) makes with the horizontal plane is greater than 70°; 2. The device (3) according to claim 1.

3. Each of the first (44) and second (45) conveyor members includes a conveyor belt (46) wound around a pulley (47), the pulley (47) being supported on a shaft (48) rotated by an independent drive (49), the drive (49) for the second conveyor member (45) being configured to operate at a specific speed and move the sheet (51) at a speed equal to the winding speed of the roll (50).

3. The device (3) according to claim 2.

4. The first conveyor member (44) includes a series of idle pulleys located at one end of respective arms (56) hinged to a support bar (57) to form a gravity pressure means for the paper sheets (51); 4. Apparatus (3) according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The second conveyor member (45) includes a belt pressure device (58), which is located above the conveyor belt (46) and includes a belt (59) wound around a pulley (60) supported movably on a shaft (61). An apparatus (3) according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

6. the second conveyor member (45) comprises a proximal end (45a) and a distal end (45b) relative to the first conveyor member (44), the distal end (45b) being associated with a guide member (62) for the sheet (51), the guide member (62) being disposed in a substantially vertical position and comprising a shaft (63) supporting an idle pulley (64), and a belt (65), the belt (65) being wound around the idle pulley (64) and a corresponding pulley supported movably on a shaft (61), the shaft (61) being disposed at the distal end (45b) of the second conveyor member (45); An apparatus (3) according to any one of claims 2 to 5.

7. the feed tray (31) includes a receiving edge (34) and an open bottom (35) located above the proximal end (32a) of the feeder (32), the receiving edge (34) being positioned across the end of the feeder (32) near the gripping surface of the feeder (32) without contacting said end, whereby the paper sheets (51) are singulated and taken from the stack of sheets and from below; An apparatus (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The feeder (32) includes an ascending belt system (36) that moves around a motorized pulley (37) and an idler pulley (38), the belt system (36) varying in slope toward a distal end (32b) of the feeder (32) to form a substantially horizontal segment (32c). An apparatus (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A plurality of idle pulleys (40) are located above the belt system (36) and are arranged at one end of respective arms (41) hingedly connected to a support bar (42), forming a gravity pressure means for the paper sheet (51) moving onto the feeder (32).

9. The device (3) according to claim 8.

10. A device (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, a coil holding roller (6) for rotatably supporting a coil of continuous strip material (S); a first electric drive roller (8) and a second electric drive roller (9), the second drive roller (9) being coupled to a pressure roller (10) such that the continuous strip material (S) passes between the second electric drive roller (9) and the pressure roller (10); a plurality of electrically driven take-up mandrels (11) located on a rotating member (12), the rotating member (12) being intermittently rotatable to provide different take-up mandrels (11) at the second drive roller (9) from time to time; Including, the guide member (62) of the second conveyor member (45) of the device (3) terminates above the point of contact between the second drive roller (9) and the winding mandrel (11) for the roll (50) to be wound, the winding mandrel (11) has alternating fixed and extendable arc sectors along its cylindrical surface, the fixed and extendable arc sectors forming a cylindrical surface when winding to form the roll (50) and contracting radially when unwinding the roll (50); Coreless winding machine (1).

11. 1. A method for winding a coreless roll (50) of continuous strip material (S), comprising: providing a winder for said coreless roll (50) of continuous strip material (S); winding a first winding set (53) of the continuous strip material (S) onto a mandrel of the winding machine; introducing a stiffening paper sheet (51) into the roll (50) being wound while winding the second winding set (54); singulating and forming said roll (50); Including, method.

12. Providing a coreless winder (1) comprising a device (3) for introducing a paper sheet (51) according to claim 10. further comprising: The method of claim 10.

13. A coreless roll (50) of continuous strip material (S), preferably the continuous strip material (S) is food grade aluminum or its alloy, or food grade paper, the coreless roll (50) comprising a central hole (52) surrounded by a first set of windings (53) of the continuous strip material (S) and a second set of windings (54) of the continuous strip material (S), the first set of windings (53) comprising fewer windings than the second set of windings (54), preferably the first set of windings (53) comprising 1 to 9 windings, and a paper sheet (51) located between the first set of windings (53) and the second set of windings (54). A coreless roll (50) of continuous trip material (S).

14. The wound paper sheet (51) protrudes from both axial ends (50a) of the roll (50), preferably by 2 mm to 7 mm. The roll of claim 13.

15. The paper sheet (51) contains information such as advertising copy, recipes, contest information, etc.

15. A roll according to claim 13 or 14.

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