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Patent Searching and Data


Title:
TRANSVERSAL CUTTING GROUP
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2010/122371
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
Cutting group for splitting up a strip-like product (1 ) moving along a feeding direction (x-x) into portions, comprising a feeding belt (2), an extraction belt (3), at least one cutting blade (4) rotating in a plane transversal to the feeding direction (x-x), means for counter blade mobile support (5) for said strip-like product (1 ) interposed between said belts, wherein said means for counter blade mobile support (5) comprise at least one belt (6) provided with staves (7), in which said staves (7) are separated by interruptions (8) in the portion facing said blade (4) and are connected to one another by hinge constraining means (9) in the portion opposite said blade (4).

Inventors:
ZAMPOLLO FABIO (IT)
MANDOTTI PIERANGELO (IT)
Application Number:
PCT/IB2009/006448
Publication Date:
October 28, 2010
Filing Date:
August 05, 2009
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
TEKNOWEB S R L (IT)
ZAMPOLLO FABIO (IT)
MANDOTTI PIERANGELO (IT)
International Classes:
B26D1/14; B26D7/06; B26D7/20
Foreign References:
GB2153791A1985-08-29
DE19822230C11999-08-19
DE202006018506U12007-03-08
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
MARI, Marco Giovanni (Via Garibotti 3, Cremona, IT)
Download PDF:
Claims:
CLAIMS

1. Cutting group for splitting up a strip-like product (1 ) moving along a feeding direction (x-x) into portions, comprising:

- a feeding belt (2);

- an extraction belt (3);

- at least one cutting blade (4) rotating in a plane transversal to the feeding direction (x-x);

- means for counter blade mobile support (5) for said strip-like product (1) interposed between said belts; characterized in that said means for counter blade mobile support (5) comprise at least one belt (6) provided with staves (7), in which said staves (7) are separated by interruptions (8) in the portion facing said blade (4) and are connected to one another by hinge constraining means (9) in the portion opposite said blade (4).

2. Cutting group according to claim 1 , characterized in that said belt (6) provided with with staves (7) develops along a path closed around a plurality of support and transmission rollers (10, 10') so as to have a flat portion at the cutting zone.

3. Cutting group according to claim 1 , characterized in that said hinge constraining means are made by a belt (9).

4. Cutting group according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that said belt (9) is toothed and is suitable for cooperating for its movement with a toothed transmission roller (10').

5. Cutting group according to claim 3, characterized in that said staves (7) are associated to said belt (9) by reversible connection means (11 ).

6. Cutting group according to claim 1 , characterized in that said staves (7) have a plan shape with a thin portion and a thickened one.

7. Cutting group according to at least one of the previous claims, characterized in that said means for counter blade mobile support (5) comprise a further belt (6') provided with staves, arranged in a mirror position relative to the belt (6) with reference to the strip-like element (1 ).

8. Line for producing and packaging sheet products into stacks (1'), characterized in that it comprises a cutting group with counter blade means (5) according to the previous claims.

Description:
TRANSVERSAL CUTTING GROUP

*****

The invention relates to the field of lines for producing and packaging sheet products, either folded or laid out, of the type for making disposable wipes, either wet or not, into stacks.

More in detail, the invention relates to a transversal cutting group for splitting up a product with substantially linear or strip-like development, moving along a feeding direction and thus along a main production line, into portions of suitable format. According to the prior art, the lines for producing and packaging disposable wipes into multilayer stacks substantially comprise an initial zone for unwinding paper rolls for making a multilayer tape (or bar, or stick) obtained by overlapping and folding various strips of paper; an intermediate zone for cutting the bar so as to make groups of wipes folded on each other; a zone for counting and ejecting the groups for making multilayer stacks consisting of a predetermined number of groups of wipes and a final zone for packaging said packets.

All the movement and synchronism operations are managed by a special electronic controller that controls and commands the electromechanical members.

In order to cut the tape into single groups it is known to use two rotating blades associated to a moving support positioned in the cutting zone and moved so as to follow an orbital trajectory alternating in the cutting of the strip-like element. The blades are opposed an element acting as counter blade whereon the strip-like element to be cut slides during the passage from one feeding belt to an ejection belt that moves away the cut groups. Traditionally, said counter blade element is a sector drum substantially comprising a hollow cylinder, the surface whereof is divided into a plurality of sectors with slits parallel to the axis of the cylinder itself.

Such system for cutting strip-like products into groups of various dimensions has some limits or drawbacks:

- the diameter of the counter blade element, or of the sector drum, must be large to allow the blades to sink into the slits thereof without interfering with the axial support core, causing considerable problems of overall dimensions; - the large diameter of the drum corresponds to an equally large bending radius of its surface, which prevents the reciprocal approach with the feeding and extraction belts and as a consequence, causes a poor support of the strip-like element and above all of the single group just cut in the processing and transport step; - it does not allow easily producing groups in different formats since the drum splittability into sectors is limited as regards amount and size;

- it forces to waste production time for replacing drums with sectors of different dimensions to adjust the cutting group to the different format requirements; - it increases the risk of machine downtime caused by possible drum cut and damage due to accidental interferences with the blade;

- it brings in high maintenance and part replacement costs.

The aims of the present inventions are to overcome these limits by providing a cutting group for splitting up a strip-like product moving along a feeding direction into portions, which:

- should further serve as flat support and guide for the strip-like element and the single groups during the cutting step;

- should allow producing packets of wipes in different formats and sizes;

- should eliminate the possibility of machine downtime due to the accidental interference between blade and counter blade;

- should reduce the overall space required for the machine;

- should limit construction, maintenance or part replacement costs of the machine itself.

Such objects are achieved by a cutting group for splitting up a strip- like product moving along a feeding direction into portions, comprising:

- a feeding belt; - an extraction belt;

- at least one cutting blade rotating in a plane transversal to the feeding direction;

- means for counter blade mobile support for said strip-like product, interposed between said belts; characterized in that said means for counter blade mobile support comprise at least one belt provided with staves, in which said staves are separated by interruptions in the portion facing said blade and are connected to one another by hinge constraining means in the portion opposite said blade. Advantageously, the belt with staves develops along a path closed around a plurality of support and transmission rollers so as to have a flat portion at the cutting zone.

According to a preferred embodiment, said hinge constraining means are made by a belt the staves are associated to in a reversible manner.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the belt is toothed and is suitable for cooperating with a transmission roller, toothed as well.

According to an even more advantageous aspect of the invention, said means for counter blade mobile support comprise two belts with staves arranged substantially symmetrically above and underneath said strip-like product.

The invention has several advantages:

- the belt with staves, provided with interruptions between the same, allows having the space for blade passage without causing excessive overall dimensions of the device;

- the use of a belt with staves connected by flexible hinge constraining means allows having the portion concerned by the cutting step that is substantially flat, offering a larger support surface to the cut elements, supporting them during the entire cutting and transfer step, and at the same time it makes the belt suitable for carrying out rapid changes of direction around transmission rollers with relatively small diameter;

- the support rollers allow moving the belt with staves according to a trajectory with limited bending radiuses and thus they allow the feeding and extraction belts to approach the counter blade always guaranteeing a good support to the strip-like element and to the single cut groups;

- thanks to the small dimensions and the pitch of the staves and the easy interchangeability of these lath elements, it is possible to make packets in various formats, meeting all the market requirements;

- the staves hooking reversibility allows replacing the parts easily, with reduced cost and time;

- the use of two belts with staves located above and underneath the strip-like element to be cut allows keeping the element during the cut and the single portions obtained from the cut itself in proper position.

The advantages of the invention shall appear more clearly from the following description of a preferred embodiment, made by way of an indicative and non-limiting example with reference to the figures, wherein:

Figs. 1 and 3 show a perspective view of the cutting group according to an aspect of the invention and an enlarged detail of the same;

Fig. 2 shows a front view of the same cutting group; Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of a detail of the counter blade element making up the cutting group;

Figs. 5 and 6 respectively show a front and a side view of the cutting group according to a further aspect of the invention.

With reference to the details shown in the figures the cutting group inserted in a production line for sheet products comprises a feeding belt 2 suitable for approaching a strip-like elongated element 1 to a blade system 4, generally consisting of two disc blades, rotating around their axis and located in diametrically opposite position on a support, rotating as well, associated to the production line; an extraction belt 3, suitable for moving away the single cut elements or groups V towards the subsequent counting and ejection steps; a counter blade element 5, suitable for supporting both the strip-like element 1 and the single cut elements V during the cutting step and for serving as flat abutment means for blade 4. The flat counter blade element 5 is made with a belt 6 with staves 7. The element 5 is moved by a plurality of rollers 10, 10', suitably arranged and sized so as to not interfere with the blade system 4.

According to alternative embodiments, the counter blade element 5 consists of a flexible track or chain support means consisting of meshes connected to each other in an articulated manner.

The single staves 7 said counter blade element 5 consists of are associated to each other by known hinge connections, suitable for allowing the reciprocal rotation thereof around axes parallel to those of the staves themselves. To this end, staves 7 are for example associated in a reversible manner to a toothed belt 9 suitable for cooperating, for motion transfer, with a transmission roller 10', also suitably toothed, and for freely sliding on further support rollers 10. In this way, belt 6 can wind on rollers 10 and 10' keeping a flat development in the intermediate connection portions. The distance between the plane passing by the axes of rotation of rollers 10 and the axis of rotation of the toothed roller 10' is such as to allow blade 4 not to interfere, in its sinking step during the cut of the strip-like element 1 , with said roller 10' of the counter blade element 5 and at the same time, not to excessively increase the dimensions of the entire production line.

As shown in detail in Fig. 4, staves 7 have a suitable plan shape suitable for the purpose, for example "T" or "I" with a thinner portion and a thickened one, and are arranged side by side, so as to define gaps between each other, or interruptions 8 useful for the passage of the blade itself, just in the portion of belt 6 facing blade 4.

The width of said staves 7 and the width of said interruptions 8 can advantageously dictate the minimum cutting pitch at which blade 4 cuts into the strip-like element 1 for cutting small groups 1 ': in particular, staves 7 may have different width from each other and be arranged side by side so that interruptions 8 follow at different intervals, but always with a predetermined logical order useful for the cut.

Fig. 4 further shows belt 9 provided with holes 11 suitable for seating the reversible fixing means of staves 7, for example screws provided in the thickened zone of the staves themselves, so as to make their positioning or possible replacement very easy.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a version of the invention wherein the counter blade element 5 comprises a second belt with staves 6' substantially arranged in a mirror position with respect to the first one, with reference to the strip-like element 1 , so as to keep the element itself and the single portions obtained from the cut of the same in proper position.

The operation of the transversal cutting group is as follows. The continuous strip-like product 1 , for example obtained by overlapping and folding various strips of papers, advances along a main processing direction x-x carried by a feeding belt 2 up to reaching the cutting zone.

Pushed by the feeding belt 2, said strip-like element 1 advances resting on the counter blade flat element 5, going beyond the cutting plane by the exact amount equal to the size of the group to be cut V.

Alternating in an orbital motion, the two blades 4 sink into the strip-like element 1 passing inside interruptions 8 interposed between staves 7 of belt 6. The pitch of said interruptions 8 and the width of staves 7 act as discriminating factor for the size of the format of group 1' and a same belt 6 can advantageously allow creating groups of different sizes.

Said groups then advance by means of a pushing and separation device on an extraction conveyor belt 3 up to a counting and ejection zone, proceeding towards an end packaging zone. If there are two belts 6 and 6', staves 7 belonging to the two belts are kept in a correspondence between each other during the motion and blades 4 sink into the strip-like element 1 passing at the same time in gaps 8 between staves 7 of belts 6 and 6'.

As is clear to the man skilled in the art, the invention was described referring only by way of an example to a cutting zone for packets of wipes obtained from a strip-like element, but more in general it is applicable to the cut of any product with linear development processed along a feeding line and with the use of a blade and counter blade system for the splitting thereof into smaller portions, always achieving the advantages mentioned above.