CREASING MATRIX ASSEMBLY AND RELATED METHOD

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DESCRIPTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an automatic apparatus for cutting to length a continuous creasing matrix assembly from a continuous tape and to a method for automatic cutting which can be implemented by means of such an apparatus .

The apparatus and the method of the invention can be used in the production field of die-cut elements.

State of the Art

Die cutting is a well known process and popular in various technical fields for obtaining, by cut, pieces with a predetermined contour shape, sometimes also highly complex, from a sheet of a relatively soft material, such as for example paper, cardboard, rubber, fabric, leather, metal sheet.

Die cutting machines, whether of flat type or rotating type, essentially comprise two components adapted to pressure co-operate together to cut the die-cut elements from sheets of material: the die cutter and the counter-die cutter. The die cutter is essentially formed by a flat or cylindrical support and by a plurality of cutting threads provided with an active cutting edge. The cutting threads are cantileverly housed in a supporting surface and are longitudinally shaped and/or mutually arranged so as to correspond to a desired contour shape for the die-cut elements. The counter-die cutter is constituted of a flat or cylindrical support, on a surface thereof a plurality of grooves having appropriate size and arrangement for accommodating the cutting threads of the die cutter is obtained. The die cutting is performed by contacting the die cutter and counter-die cutter one to each other with an appropriate pressure, a sheet of material to die cut being interposed between them.

In addition to the real die cutting, the production of die-cut elements often provides also other workings adapted to provide the die-cut element with specific functional and/or aesthetic features.

A frequent working, in particular in the paper industry field, is the creasing, i.e. the printing of lines denoted as crease lines, on the die-cut element, which are intended to allow and/or facilitate a subsequent accurate folding of die-cut element parts without cracks or ruptures occurring in the material. Apart from the fact that in this case the material is not cut but only deformed, the creasing process is similar to the die cutting process and thus is usually carried out together with the latter, in a single working step.

In practice, in order to carry out creases, creasing threads are cantileverly applied on the die cutter support, similarly to the cutting threads. These are provided with an active rounded, not cutting, edge and are less projecting from the supporting surface with respect to the cutting threads. Creasing channels are correspondingly arranged on the counter-die cutter, which are suitably sized depending on the sizes of the creasing threads and the type of material to work. The pressure interaction among the creasing threads of the die cutter and the creasing channels of the counter-die cutter during the die cutting causes the creasing lines to be created.

Differently from the grooves intended to accommodate the cutting threads, the above mentioned creasing channels are not constituted by recesses formed in the supporting surface of the counter-die cutter, but rather they are usually provided by applying particular elements known in the field by the term of "creasing matrices" on such a surface.

The creasing matrices are essentially constituted of a pair of stick-shaped elements, or more easily sticks, generally of plastic material and flexible, arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart so as to form a continuous recess between them which defines the creasing channel. The thickness and width of the sticks, as well as their mutual distance, are selected depending on the type of material to be worked and possible specific features of the creasing to be carried out.

Essentially, a creasing matrix is constituted by a rigid plastic and not mouldable base, and an upper part of rubbery material which defines the pair of sticks. The stick height is not only one but can change according to needs. Differently from a simple tape, a creasing matrix can be damaged if subjected to compression; therefore, the creasing matrices can not be winded in tight bobbins or spools like the paper tapes or films.

The creasing matrices are generally available in the form of assemblies comprising, in addition to the pair of sticks that defines the real creasing matrix, some auxiliary components mainly having the function of facilitating the proper application of the creasing matrix on the counter-die cutter. The typical structure of these assemblies is schematically shown in Fig. 6. The creasing matrix assembly herein depicted comprises a supporting layer 101, generally constituted by an adhesive tape having negligible thickness. On a side of the supporting layer 101, the pair of sticks 102 of the creasing matrix is permanently applied, between whom the creasing channel 103 is defined. The opposite adhesive side of the supporting layer 101 is covered with a removable protective layer 104. The creasing matrix assembly further comprises a profiled centering element 105 removably combined with the sticks 102 on the opposite side with respect to the supporting layer 101. The centering element 105, also generally in plastic and flexible material, comprises in particular a pair of mutually facing lips 106 so as to define a slit 107 substantially parallel to and centered relative to the creasing channel 103. Such a slit allows combining pieces of the creasing matrix assembly with corresponding creasing threads of a die cutter. As a result, a plurality of pieces of creasing matrix assembly can be simultaneously and properly applied on a counter-die cutter by simply contacting the latter with a die cutter whose creasing threads have been previously combined with the pieces themselves, as described above. Once the pieces of creasing matrix assembly have been applied on the counter-die cutter, the respective centering elements 105 are removed and only the real creasing matrices (i.e. the sticks 102 defining the creasing channel 103 among themselves) remain on the counter-die cutter.

The afore described creasing matrix assemblies are provided by the manufacturers in the form of continuous tapes, typically wound on bobbins. In order to obtain pieces of the desired length, corresponding to the length of the various creasing threads on a die cutter, i.e. to the length of the creasing lines to be made in a die-cut element, cutting operations of such continuous tapes are therefore required to be repeatedly carried out.

In this connection, it has to be noted also that the cut of pieces should not only occur to length but also with well accurate profiles of the cutting edges, for example a profile tilted by 45° or an arrow-shaped profile with a predetermined angular width of the arrow. In addition, it is often desired that the cutting edges are not left sharp but are beveled. Nowadays all these operations are usually carried out by hand, time consumingly.

From what above, it is apparent how the prearrangement of the creasing matrices to be applied on the counter-die cutters for making creases is a crucial aspect in the die cutting processes, in particular in the light of the constant need by the blanks manufacturers of reducing the overall working times while maintaining high quality levels .

In technical fields different from the above described one, such as for example in the field of the manufacturing of packaging films or in the field of paper manufacturing, automatic cutting apparatuses are known for cutting tapes from bobbins, such as the apparatuses described in GB 2135911, EP 2145742 and US 3636807. However, due to the afore described three-dimensional structure of the creasing matrices, the apparatuses intended for cutting tapes or films - which are two-dimensional - can not be used for cutting creasing matrices.

Summary of the Invention

Object of the present invention is to reduce the times needed for prearranging creasing matrices to be applied on counter-die cutters in order to make creases in die cutting processes .

More specifically, the object of the invention is to speed up all the operations applied with cutting to length pieces from continuous creasing matrix assemblies, maintaining high quality levels.

According to the invention, such an object is achieved with an automatic apparatus for cutting to length a continuous creasing matrix assembly according to claim 1 and with a method for automatically cutting to length a continuous creasing matrix assembly, which can be implemented with such an apparatus, according to claim 14.

More specifically the present invention, in a first aspect thereof, relates to an automatic apparatus for cutting to length a continuous creasing matrix assembly, comprising :

transport means for moving, along a transport direction inside the apparatus, a continuous creasing matrix assembly, wherein the transport means comprise at least one motor-driven or entrained roller provided with a circumferential throat for at least partially receiving the stick-shaped elements of the creasing matrix assembly;

- cutting means for cutting pieces of predetermined length from the continuous creasing matrix assembly moved inside the apparatus, and

an electronic control unit for controlling the transport means and the cutting means based on working parameters inputted into the apparatus .

Within the scope of the present invention and its following claims, by the expression "creasing matrix assembly" an assembly is meant, comprising at least one pair of stick-shaped elements arranged substantially parallel one to each other and spaced apart so as to form a continuous recess between them, a supporting layer - or base - on which the pair of stick-shaped elements is permanently applied, and a profiled centering element removably combined with the pair of stick-shaped elements from the opposite side with respect to the supporting layer .

Focusing on the description of the above described structure of the creasing matrices, it has to be emphasized that these elements are not two-dimensional as none of the respective three dimensions is negligible with respect to the other two, as it can be rather found in the two- dimensional elements such as tapes or films. Therefore, the transport means can not be simple winding bobbins as those described in GB 2135911, EP 2145742 and US 3636807. In fact, in the apparatus according to the present invention the transport means comprise at least one pull roller, and preferably two pull rollers as it will be now described, provided on its surface with a circumferential throat for receiving the stick-shaped elements. By conveniently sizing the throat, creasing matrix assemblies having various sizes can be accommodated.

The inventive apparatus advantageously allows carrying out all the operations related to the automatic cut to length of pieces from a continuous creasing matrix assembly, reducing to the minimum extent the manual interventions of an operator and thus significantly speeding up such operations, greatly to the benefit of the overall times needed for a die cutting process. Essentially, in fact, the only operations a user still has to manually carry out are to input the working parameters into the apparatus, in particular the number of pieces to be cut and the respective lengths, and to bring the continuous creasing matrix assembly into the apparatus.

The inventive apparatus further allows carrying out the cutting operations with a quality level equal to, if not higher than, that obtained with the current manual workings .

In a preferred embodiment of the apparatus, the transport means comprise a pair of pull rollers mutually arranged so that a nip adapted to receive and pull the continuous creasing matrix assembly is at least partially formed between the respective outer surfaces. In other terms, the rollers together define an area corresponding at least to the cross section of the creasing matrix assembly.

Advantageously, this shape of the transport means allows a mechanically easy and compact implementation to the benefit of reliability, and is able at the same time to ensure high transport accuracy.

Preferably, the nip is generated by rotationally supporting a first pull roller of the pair of pull rollers securely and a second pull roller of the pair of pull rollers movably, and subjecting the second pull roller to a pressure radially towards the first pull roller.

Preferably, the first pull roller of the pair of pull rollers is motor-driven and the second pull roller of the pair of pull rollers is idle, i.e. entrained.

Preferably, the first pull roller has an outer surface provided with a surface pattern adapted to ensure grip on a bottom side of the continuous creasing matrix assembly.

The surface pattern preferably comprises a knurl and preferably also a plurality of circumferential grooves provided with sharp corners at the outer surface of the pull roller, more preferably grooves with a substantially "V" shaped cross section.

Thanks to these characteristics, slipping can be advantageously avoided between the outer surface of the pull roller and the bottom side of the creasing matrix assembly - which, as described above, is constituted by a protective, typically smooth film - and safe and accurate transport of the continuous creasing matrix assembly inside the apparatus can be ensured in any operative condition.

Preferably, the second pull roller has a shaped outer surface comprising a circumferential throat or seat adapted to at least partially receive the continuous creasing matrix assembly.

Advantageously, such a circumferential throat/seat can house the upper part of the creasing matrix assembly, in particular the pair of previously described facing lips of the profiled centering element, thus avoiding an undesired deformation of such a part while the creasing matrix assembly passes through the nip.

Generally, the pull rollers should ensure an optimal traction of the continuous creasing matrix assembly and, thus, a safe and accurate transport thereof inside the apparatus and, at the same time, should avoid any structural or functional damage to the creasing matrix assembly itself during its moving.

Preferably, the second pull roller comprises or is combined with an angular position transducer.

This allows accurately detecting, in a simple and robust way, the advancing of the continuous creasing matrix assembly inside the apparatus. Based on the signals received by the angular position transducer, the electronic control unit controls the transport means in such a way that the working parameters inputted into the apparatus are fulfilled.

In a preferred embodiment of the inventive apparatus, the cutting means comprise a blanking unit with a punch and a die .

This shape of the cutting means emerged as particularly advantageous for combining, in a mechanically simple way, flexibility in the selection of the cutting profiles with high cutting quality. Indeed, on the one hand, different cutting profiles can be made by simply changing the shape of the cross section of the punch and die. On the other hand, thanks to a particular selection of the below described shape of the active punch surface and the ports between punch and die, already beveled cutting edges have been obtained. The pieces of creasing matrix assembly, cut in this way by means of the inventive apparatus, do not require therefore any further manual finishing and are ready for the application.

Preferably, the punch has a shaped active surface comprising a recess adapted to receive the continuous creasing matrix assembly and having a variable depth increasing while moving transversely from the outer edges to the center line of the punch.

Advantageously, this particular configuration of the punch active surface firstly allows to substantially enclose the creasing matrix assembly between the punch and the die and then to accurately drive it at the blanking unit. Secondly the punch, while descending, at first acts on the longitudinal edges of the creasing matrix assembly, thus causing a progressive compression of the assembly itself transversely towards its center line. This compression, on the one hand, temporarily increases the amount of material in the center area of the creasing matrix assembly, thus avoiding possible undesired deformations of the creasing channel at the blanked sections. On the other hand it contributes, together with a convenient calibration of the passage ports between punch and die, to a controlled plastic deformation of the material at the blanking, which allows obtaining already beveled, rather than sharp, cutting edges.

Preferably, the recess obtained in the active punch surface comprises a projection tapering towards its own vertex at the center line of the punch.

Such a projection is advantageously intended to partially enter the slit formed between the pair of lips of the centering element of the creasing matrix assembly, the slit, as described above, serving for applying the pieces of creasing matrix assembly on the creasing threads. This further concurs to maintain the correct centering of the creasing matrix assembly inside the blanking unit, on the other hand to substantially avoid undesired deformations of said slit at the blanked sections.

In a preferred embodiment the punch and die have a substantially hourglass shaped cross section.

Advantageously, with this particular blanking profile, a cutting profile having an arrow shape can be obtained simultaneously at both the cutting edges.

Preferably, the inventive apparatus also comprises centering means for centering the continuous creasing matrix assembly relative to the cutting means.

Preferably, the centering means comprise a pair of guide bars parallel to each other and to the transport direction, which are mutually positionable transversely to the transport direction.

This structure of the centering means advantageously allows a compact and relatively mechanically simple implementation .

Preferably, the inventive apparatus further comprises data input means, connected with the electronic control unit, that are selected from the group consisting of: alphanumeric keypads, screens and data connectors for computer devices.

In particular, the provision of at least one data connector for a computer device, for example a personal computer, allows speeding up the input of working parameters into the apparatus, as in this case such parameters can be directly obtained by files with die cutting layouts, that can be managed by means of suitable software known to the field technician.

The present invention, in a second aspect thereof, relates a method for automatically cutting to length a continuous creasing matrix assembly, comprising the following steps:

a) providing transport means for moving the continuous creasing matrix assembly along a transport direction, cutting means for cutting the continuous creasing matrix assembly moved by the transport means, and an electronic control unit connected to the transport means and the cutting means;

b) inputting working parameters into the electronic control unit;

c) feeding the continuous creasing matrix assembly to the transport means;

d) controlling the transport means by means of an electronic control unit for advancing the continuous creasing matrix assembly along the transport direction by a length defined by the working parameters;

e) controlling the cutting means by means of the electronic control unit for cutting a piece of the continuous creasing matrix assembly, and

f) iteratively repeating steps d) and e) a number of times equal to the number of pieces defined by the working parameters ,

g) wherein the transport means comprise at least one pull roller provided with an outer circumferential throat/seat in which the stick-shaped elements are accommodated during the roller rotation.

The inventive method allows achieving advantages similar to those already described in reference to the first aspect of the invention. In particular, it advantageously allows to significantly speed up the operations connected with the cutting to length of pieces from a continuous creasing matrix assembly with respect to the manual methods of the known art and, consequently, reducing the overall times of a die cutting process.

Preferably the method also comprises, simultaneously with the step of controlling the transport means, a step of detecting the continuous creasing matrix assembly advancement, preferably carried out by detecting the angular position of a pull roller acting on the continuous creasing matrix assembly.

Preferably, the transport means are controlled so as to cause an intermittent advancement of the continuous creasing matrix assembly.

Preferably, the step of controlling the cutting means comprises moving the punch relative to a corresponding die to carry out a blanking.

Preferably, the step of inputting working parameters comprises establishing a data connection with a remote computer device.

Brief List of the Figures

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more evident by the review of the following specification of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment thereof illustrated for illustration purposes only and without limitation, with the aid of the attached drawings, wherein:

- Fig. 1 shows a schematic front view of an automatic apparatus according to the invention for cutting to length a continuous creasing matrix assembly;

- Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of the apparatus of

Fig. 1;

- Fig. 3 shows a partial schematic cross sectional view, on a plane perpendicular to a transport direction, of the apparatus of Fig. 1, at an inlet area of the continuous creasing matrix assembly;

Fig. 4 shows a partial schematic longitudinal section view of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

- Fig. 5 shows a schematic partial sectional view on a center plane perpendicular to the transport direction of a punch of the apparatus of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 6 shows a schematic perspective view of a continuous creasing matrix assembly.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Figs. 1 and 2 show an automatic apparatus according to the invention, overall denoted by numeral reference 1.

The apparatus 1 allows automatically carrying out cuts to length on a continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 in order to obtain pieces 100' of desired length of the same creasing matrix assembly. The continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 can be fed in the form of continuous tape, for example by a bobbin 200.

The typical structure of a known creasing matrix assembly is shown in Fig. 6 and has already been described in reference to the state of the art on which the invention is based. As it results in particular from the block diagram of Fig. 2, the apparatus 1 essentially comprises a transport unit 2, a centering unit 3, a cutting unit 4 and an electronic control unit 5.

Such units are enclosed in a case 10 and are overall sized so as to render hand transportable the apparatus 1. For this purpose, the case 10 advantageously comprises gripping means 11.

At the case 10 data inputting means 6 are provided, in the preferred embodiment herein disclosed they comprise an alphanumeric keypad 61 with related screen 62 and preferably also a data connector 63, for example an USB port, for connecting an external computer device.

At the case 10 also an electric connector for connecting the apparatus 1 to an external power line and a main power switch (that are not shown in the figures) are provided .

In the case 10 an inlet 12 for feeding the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 to the apparatus 1 and an outlet 13 preferably provided with a discharge chute, for discharging the cut pieces 100', are further provided.

Fig. 3 shows a cross section of the apparatus 1 at the transport unit 2. The transport unit 2 allows applying traction on the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 fed at the inlet 12 and moving it towards the cutting unit 4 along a transport direction T.

The transport unit 2 comprises a pair of pull rollers 21, 22 mutually arranged so that a nip 23 adapted to receive and pull the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 is at least partially formed between the respective outer surfaces. One of the pull rollers, in Fig. 3 the pull roller 21, is motor driven and is rotationally supported fixedly in a machine frame of the apparatus 1, whereas the other pull roller, in Fig. 3 the pull roller 22, is idle and is rotationally supported in a radially movable way in the machine frame. The nip 23 is generated by subjecting the pull roller 22 to a pressure radially towards the pull roller 21 by means of a suitable pressure device comprising a set of compression springs 24, for example.

In order to ensure an optimal grip on a lower side of the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100, i.e. on the protective film 104 applied on the adhesive side of the supporting layer 101 (Fig. 6), the outer surface of the pull roller 21 has surface pattern. In particular, the outer surface of the pull roller 21 is provided with knurl and a plurality of circumferential grooves 25 forming sharp corners at the outer surface itself, the latter preferably having substantially "V" shaped cross section.

The pull roller 22 has a shaped outer surface comprising a circumferential throat or seat 26 adapted to at least partially receive the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100. The throat/seat 26 is preferably partly defined by a recess in the outer surface of the pull roller 22 and partly by a pair of circumferential ribs 27 that radially extend the sides of such a recess beyond the outer surface of the pull roller 22 for an appropriate length. While moving, the seat 26 houses an upper portion of the centering element 105 of the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 (Fig. 6), whereas the radial ends of the ribs 27 rest by pressure on the side edges thereof, which are the stiffer part of the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 and therefore most able to stand a pressure without getting damaged, thanks to the presence of the sticks 102. Thus, in this way, the pull roller 22 defines the nip 23 on its own side, by means of the radial ends of the ribs 27. With this configuration of the outer surface of the pull roller 22, the vast majority of known and commonly employed continuous creasing matrix assembly forms can be advantageously treated.

The pull roller 22 comprises or is operatively combined in a known manner with an angular position transducer (encoder) , not shown, which allows detecting the rotation of the roller itself and thus the linear advancement of the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 caused by the transport unit 2.

Fig. 4 shows a longitudinal section of the apparatus 1 wherein the centering unit 3 and the cutting unit 4 in particular can be seen from top.

The centering unit 3 advantageously serves to accurately center the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 with respect to the cutting unit 4 and to keep it centered while it is moved towards the latter along the transport direction T.

The centering unit 3 comprises a pair of guide bars 31 parallel to each other and to the transport direction T, which are mutually positionable transversely to the transport direction T so as to adjust their mutual distance by adapting the same to the length of the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100.

For the positioning of the guide bars 31 a positioning mechanism is provided which comprises two rollers 32 having rotation axis perpendicular to a transport plane of the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 and respectively arranged upstream and downstream of the transport unit 2 along the transport direction T. At their ends, the guide bars 31 are pivoted by pairs on the rollers 32, in eccentric and diametrically opposed positions on each roller 32. One of the rollers 32 is kinematically connected to an operating lever 33 (visible in Fig. 1) outside the case 10, in such a way that a rotation of the roller itself can be caused in a way or in the opposite one and, correspondingly, the guide bars 31 moving closer or away one to another. The pivotal connection of the guide bars 31 with the other roller 32 ensures that during the positioning they always remain parallel to each other and to the transport direction T. A locking device, not shown in detail, is further advantageously provided, which allows the afore described positioning mechanism to be locked, by means of a handle 34 outside the case 10, and thus the adjustment carried out on the guide bars 31 to be fixed.

The cutting unit 4 performs the cut of the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 moved by means of the transport unit 2 and centered through the centering unit 3, in pieces 100' of predetermined length.

In the herein shown preferred embodiment of the apparatus 1, the cutting unit 4 is a blanking unit with a die 41 and a punch 42. For example, in the herein shown preferred embodiment the die 41 and the punch 42 have a substantially hourglass, i.e. butterfly, -shaped cross section, particularly advantageous in order to simultaneously make arrow-shaped cutting profiles at both the cutting edges by a single cutting operation (blanking) . Other cutting units 4 could comprise respective die/punch assemblies with cross sectional shapes adapted to make different cutting profiles, for example with tilted, in particular by 45°, or else straight edges. In this connection, embodiments of the apparatus 1 can be envisaged, wherein the cutting unit 4 is implemented as an interchangeable unit.

The blanking scraps fall by gravity in a collecting tray 43 that can be accessed from the outside of the apparatus 1 (Fig. 1) .

The punch 42 has a shaped active surface, recognizable in particular in Fig. 5, that shows a sectional portion of the punch 42 on a median plane perpendicular to the transport direction T.

In particular, the active surface of the punch 42 comprises a recess 420 longitudinally extended along the transport direction T and adapted to receive the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100. Preferably, the recess 420 has variable depth increasing while moving transversally from the outer edges towards the center line of the punch 42. More specifically, the bottom of the recess 420 is substantially defined by a concave dihedral whose corner coincides with the center line of the punch 42. Thanks to this particular configuration of the recess 420 the punch 42, while descending, starts acting on the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 from its longitudinal edges, thus causing a progressive compression thereof transversally towards the center line. This compression has been found to cause a dual advantage. Firstly, it temporarily increases the amount of material in the center area of the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100, thus avoiding possible undesired deformations of the creasing channel 103 (Fig. 6) at the blanked sections. Secondly it concurs, together with a convenient calibration of the passage ports between die 41 and punch 42, to a controlled plastic deformation of the material at the blanking operation, by which already beveled, rather than sharp, cutting edges can be obtained.

On the bottom of the recess 420, at the center line of the punch 42, a projection 421 is also preferably present which tapers from the base towards the vertex and longitudinally extends along the transport direction T like the recess 240. The projection 241 is intended to enter the slit 107 of the centering element 105 of the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 (Fig. 6), thus concurring to maintain the proper centering of the latter as well as to avoid possible deformations of the slit 107 at the blanked sections.

The electronic control unit, for example PLC-based, is able to receive, process and store data inputted into the apparatus 1 by means of the data inputting means 6 described above, and to automatically control the transport unit 2 and the cutting unit 4. In particular, the electronic control unit 5 controls the rotation of the motor-driven pull roller 21 of the transport unit 2, thus causing the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 to advance and the punch 42 of the cutting unit 4 to move, thereby causing the cut of the pieces 100'. The electronic control unit 6 also receives the signals of the angular position transducer combined with the pull roller 22, from which it infers the advancement of the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 inside the apparatus 1.

Referring in particular to Fig. 2, a preferred implementation of a method that can be implemented by means of the afore described apparatus 1 in order to automatically cut to length pieces 100' from a continuous creasing matrix assembly 100, is described.

After prearranging the apparatus 1, in a first step of the method working parameters I for a working cycle are inputted into the electronic control unit 5, the working parameters comprising in particular the number of pieces 100' to be cut from a continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 and the respective lengths. Such an operation is carried out by means of the alphanumeric keypad 61 and the respective screen 62. Alternatively or in addition, by means of the data connector 63, a data connection can be established with a remote computer device, for example a personal computer, and the working parameters I can be provided from such a computer device. In particular, in this case the working parameters I can be directly inferred from files containing die cutting layouts, that can be managed through suitable software known to the field technician.

In a following step, the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 is fed to the apparatus 1, in particular to its transport unit 2, through the inlet 12 (Fig. 1) . At the start of a working cycle, this step comprises in particular the insertion of an end of the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 into the apparatus, such that the pull rollers 21, 22 of the transport unit 2 grip the latter, and the centering of the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 by means of the centering unit 3.

In a further step of the method the transport unit 2, in particular its motor-driven pull roller 21, is automatically controlled by means of the electronic control unit 5 in such a way that the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 is advanced along the transport direction T for a length defined by the working parameters I.

Simultaneously with this step a detection of the advancement of the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 is carried out, preferably by detecting the angular position of the motor-driven pull roller 21 by means of the associated angular position transducer.

In a still further step, also the cutting unit 4 is automatically controlled by means of the electronic control unit 5, so as to cut a piece 100' of the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100. In particular, this step comprises moving the punch 42 with respect to the die 41, so as to carry out a blanking cut.

If the number of pieces 100' to be cut, defined by the working parameters I, is higher than 1, the controlling steps of the transport unit 2 for advancing the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 for a predetermined length and the controlling steps of the cutting unit 4 for cutting to length a piece 100' of the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 are repeated a number of times equal to the number of pieces 100'.

In this case, the transport unit 2 is controlled so as to preferably determine an intermittent advancement of the continuous creasing matrix assembly 100 so as to allow the combined operation of the cutting unit 4.

An apparatus and a method are therefore provided by the invention, that allow to automatically carry out the cut to length of pieces from a continuous creasing matrix assembly with high quality level, significantly speeding up this operation with respect to what is possible through the manual methods of the known art. Advantageously, the invention thus concurs to reduce the overall times of die cutting processes in which creasing implementations are required .