Unrolling device

Abstract

The invention relates to an unrolling device comprising one or more unrolling units with one or more stations (1), each station (1) having a shaft (11) for rotating and attaching cores of rolls, the device being characterised in that each station (1) is suspended from one or more upper guides (12) and has two moveable arms (13) that end in respective partes of the shaft (11) and which can move towards and away from each other, both moveable arms (13) ending in a conical or frustoconical tip, the shaft (11) being parallel to the upper guide (12). The device is further characterised in that it comprises a transport unit (2) for transporting new rolls, which is mounted on lower guides (21) and comprises one or more vertically moveable wedges (23), which can be positioned below the upper guides (12), wherein the upper guides (12) are parallel to the transverse axis of the wedges (23).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] Unwinding equipment

[0003] TECHNICAL SECTOR

[0004] This application relates to unwinding equipment for large cardboard or similar reels, and in particular to the system for transporting them for their exchange and replacement.

[0005] STATE OF THE ART

[0006] The state of the art is known for the existence of cardboard, paper, or similar reels that must be transported, unwound to perform continuous operations on the cardboard or similar, and then rewound onto reels. Generally, the sheets have a limited length that does not correspond to the desired length, and it is necessary to splice the reels (when one is finished, the next must continue) to continue the process as quickly as possible without stopping.

[0007] One of the problems with this type of operation is that the coils are heavy, making the work slow and entailing some risks. It's ideal to automate it so the system can be performed quickly and safely.

[0008] The applicant is not aware of any solution similar to the invention.

[0009] BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The invention relates to an unwinding device according to the claims. Its embodiments improve and solve problems in the art.

[0011] The equipment provides greater safety for production and maintenance personnel, with improved performance, which reduces overall manufacturing and operating costs. Among other reasons, it allows for the automation of operations that were previously performed manually.

[0012] The unwinding of each layer of laminated material is carried out in two parallel stations that operate alternately. Each station consists of two arms that hold each coil. At the lower end of the arms is the cone holder for holding the coil cores or mandrels. Each station is suspended from an upper guide (formed by a rail), parallel to the axes of the cones and mandrels and perpendicular to the station's centerline. The arms can be moved together or apart, and can move from the loading area to the unwinding area, thereby gripping or releasing the coil's mandrel.

[0013] On the other hand, it also includes a reel transfer unit that moves on lower guides fixed to the floor, parallel to the centerline of the machine and perpendicular to the reel axes. The transfer unit feeds new reels and removes used ones, either due to exhaustion or due to a change in product type. The transfer unit has one or more vertically movable cradles. In the simplest solution, it has two (or at least two) cradles, one for new reels and another for removing the mandrel or half-used reel. The mandrel and reels can be removed at another point along their travel along the lower guides, by any method, although this is not particularly relevant. The cradles are preferably concave curves so that the weight of the reel or mandrel automatically places them at the lowest point, ensuring that they are always in the same position.The actual height of the mandrel will depend on the size of the coil and how much it has been used, and can be monitored by a height sensor, such as a lidar.

[0014] The cradles can be positioned under the reel axis (the line between the cone holders on the arms) at the stations. In fact, they simply need to be placed under the aforementioned upper guides. To ensure the correct position of the cradles under the axes of the unwinder arms, the upper guides are parallel to the cradles. The simplest way to achieve this is for the cradles to be perpendicular to the lower guides, and for these lower guides to be perpendicular to the upper guides. A single transfer unit can feed and remove reels from each and every station position. This considerably reduces civil engineering work and eliminates the need for hydraulic devices.

[0015] The station is suspended in the air, from the upper guides, and has no contact with the floor. Therefore, there is no risk of soiling, especially the rolled material. Only the transfer unit passes over the floor, but the cradles ensure the coils are clean by separating them from the floor. Furthermore, since they are at different heights, the station and the transfer unit cannot collide. The remainder of this specification describes other specific embodiments.

[0016] DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0017] For a better understanding of the invention, a section of drawings is included containing the following:

[0018] Figure 1: Perspective view of an example of implementation.

[0019] Figure 2: Detail of a way to load / unload the transfer unit.

[0020] MODES OF EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Below, a brief description is given of an embodiment of the invention, as an illustrative and non-limiting example thereof.

[0022] The embodiment shown in the figures comprises one or more unwinding stations (1 ), generally two, in an unwinding unit. Each station (1 ) is formed by a rotating shaft (11 ). The shaft (11 ) is formed in two parts that approach and separate, both being finished in a conical or truncated conical tip that helps to center and insert the shaft (11 ) in the core or mandrel of the coil from the side. Each station (1 ) is arranged in upper guides (12) or rails, so that it is hanging instead of resting on the ground. The axes (11 ) of the station (1 ) are parallel to the upper guide (12) and their mutual approach / movement movement is carried out by electrical or pneumatic systems. Hydraulic systems are avoided to reduce the possibility of contamination or staining of the sheet with hydraulic oil. The shafts (11) have an ejector that decouples the core or mandrel from the shafts so that it falls onto the transfer unit (2).The shaft (11) is supported on a mobile arm (13), normally pendular so that it can absorb small shocks and vibrations.

[0023] A transfer unit (2), or “transfer”, moves along the floor, along lower guides (21 ). The lower guides (21 ) preferably do not protrude from the floor, but are recessed, to reduce the risk of personnel tripping. The transfer unit (2) is connected to a power supply by one or more cables in a flexible structure that conceals the cable in a groove in the floor. Such flexible structures are known in the art as “cable chains” and are formed by rings joined by parallel joints. The structure can only bend along these joints and the width of the rings defines the flexibility or bending radius.

[0024] The transfer unit (2) has a series of cradles (23) for placing the coils, which are movable in a vertical direction with respect to the rest of the transfer unit (2). Each cradle (23) must be stable at any point along its path, for which it may comprise wheels or carriages that circulate in one or more slots of the transfer unit (2). The cradles (23) have a main direction that corresponds to the orientation of the core of the coil placed in them. This main direction will be parallel to the axes (11 ), at least when the transfer unit (2) is in position under the station (1 ).

[0025] In this way, when the station (1 ) finishes the coil that it is unwinding, or it is desired to replace it due to changes in production, the station (1 ) moves along the upper guides (12) to the unloading area to unload the old coil onto the corresponding cradle (23) of the transfer unit (2) and then to another cradle (23) to load the next coil. The change can be sought, for example, to carry out the change of width, weight or type of material of the coil. The transfer unit (2) thus collects the old coil and carries a new coil that is grabbed directly by the station (1 ) with an opening and closing movement of the ends of the shaft (11 ). This alignment is carried out by moving each device along its corresponding guide (12,21 ) until they overlap.

[0026] The core or tube of the previous coil can be placed in a suitable part of the transfer unit (2), normally a cradle (23), to subsequently be taken to a container. The transfer unit (2) can be reloaded from its sides by any method, given that it is far from the work zone and risk of moving parts. Therefore, the danger in such loading is reduced. Figures 1 and 2 show a mandrel deposit (31) and a coil support (32). In this case, the transfer unit (2) takes the empty mandrels through the cradle (23) arranged on the left in the figure, in order to be able to deposit them in the deposit. The coil support (32) has two recesses for the placement of coils or scraps. The first, on the left, is only accessible if there is no coil in the other, which implies a certain order of loading and unloading.

[0027] The transfer unit (2) may have safety systems that prevent its movement if there are obstacles in the lower guides (21), if it does not have a loaded reel, or if it detects the presence of an operator nearby. It may use scanner systems, photoelectric cells, etc. to detect these conditions.

[0028] Since each guide (12, 21) is on a different level, there is no conflict between the transfer unit (2) and the stations (1).

Claims

CLAIMS 1- Unwinding equipment, comprising one or more unwinding units with one or more stations (1 ), each station (1 ) having a separate axis (11 ) for rotating and holding the cores of the coils, characterized in that each station (1 ) is hung from one or more upper guides (12), and has two movable arms (13) ending in separate parts of the axis (11 ) that approach and separate, both movable arms (13) being finished in a conical or truncated conical tip, the axis (11 ) being parallel to the upper guide (12); and in that it comprises a transfer unit (2) for new coils mounted on lower guides (21 ), with one or more vertically movable cradles (23), positionable under the upper guides (12) where the upper guides (12) are parallel to the transverse axis of the cradles (23). 2- Unwinding equipment, according to claim 1, characterized in that each mobile arm (13) is movable independently along the upper guide (12).

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