The invention relates to machines for wrapping a load or a group of products with a cold- stretchable plastic material film or wrap. In particular, the invention refers to a wrapping machine configured to position a covering sheet above a load and subsequently wrap the latter and the covering sheet with a stretchable plastic material film.

In the packaging of products, typically groups of products arranged on a pallet for forming a so-called palletized load, it is known the use of a covering sheet, made of plastic material, placed above the load and subsequently fixed to the latter by means of binding with a film in order to protect products form bad weather, for example rain, snow, humidity, or from dust.

The covering sheet can be applied directly inside wrapping machines by means of internal covering apparatuses, referred to as "top inside" systems, or outside wrapping machines, by means of proper independent covering apparatuses, referred to as "top outside" systems. They are known horizontal rotating ring wrapping machines provided with covering apparatuses arranged to supply a covering sheet and lay it on the load. The latter remains fixed during wrapping, while a film wrapping unit fixed to the rotating ring is moved with respect to the latter rotating around, and in translation along, a vertical wrapping axis such as to wrap it forming a series of film strips or bands intersected and partially overlapped with a helix trend.

Covering apparatuses comprise a support frame to which a gripping crossbeam is slidably connected, movable and able to unwind the covering sheet from a reel and lay it over the load. The film reel is rotatably mounted on the support frame and the movable crossbeam is provided with gripping pliers configured for gripping an initial flap of the covering sheet and it is linearly moved by proper driving means. Cutting means are fixed to the support frame and are arranged to cut a portion of the covering sheet having definite length; the cut portion falls by gravity onto the underlying load.

The support frame of the covering apparatus is fixed to an upper portion of the support structure of the wrapping machine, such that it results to be above both a maximum height reachable by the load and the space occupied by the rotating ring bearing the film wrapping unit.

Alternatively, the frame of the covering apparatus can be fixed to the movable structure which rotatably supports the rotating ring and which is vertically movable, parallelly to the rotation axis of the rotating ring. The covering apparatus can be mounted on the wrapping machine with a longitudinal arrangement in which the film reel (i.e. the rotation longitudinal axis thereof) is parallel to an advancing direction of the load through the wrapping machine or with a transverse arrangement, in which the film reel is orthogonal to the advancing direction.

By the first longitudinal arrangement it is easier to replace the film reel, as the latter can be accessed through a free side of the wrapping machine not occupied by load moving means, typically consisting in a plurality of roller conveyors or aligned transporting means, which allow to move the load inside and outside the machine along the advancing direction.

However, such a longitudinal arrangement has the disadvantage that it only allows efficient and optimal wrapping for loads or products having an established length. Standard palletized loads in fact have a prefixed width (800 mm or 1000 mm for European pallets) and a length that can vary instead (400 mm to 1200 mm). As they are moved through the machine arranged with a front side having prefixed width, a reel of covering sheet must be mounted on the covering apparatus having a length suitable for the length of the palletized load. If the reel length, i.e. the width of the covering sheet, is lower than the length of the palletized load, the latter cannot be suitably covered, while if the reel length is exceeding, there is a waste of covering sheet. With such an arrangement the covering sheet is cut into portions substantially having the same length related to the width (which generally does not change) of the palletized load.

Such a disadvantage is overcome by the second transverse arrangement of the covering apparatus wherein the length of the film reel, i.e. the width of the covering sheet, is related to the width of the palletized load (which generally does not change), while the portions of the covering film are cut with a length corresponding to the length of the palletized load to be covered. Thereby the covering sheet is used optimally with no waste.

Such a transverse arrangement of the covering apparatus of the covering sheet has the disadvantage that it requires a procedure for replacing the reel of film which is much more complex and time consuming as the latter is partially and limitedly accessible from the free side of the wrapping machine not occupied by moving means.

With both arrangements of covering apparatus, the procedure for replacing the reel is however complex, laborious and time-consuming requiring an operator to go up to the top of the wrapping machine, dismount and place the depleted reel on the floor, and lift up and assemble a new reel. Such a procedure also requires proper means to allow the operator to go on the machine and reach the covering apparatus and means, such as an elevator or hoist fixed to the wrapping machine thereof, for lowering and lifting the reel.

The procedure for prearranging an initial flap of sheet unwound from the reel to be gripped by pliers of the gripping crossbeam is equally complex and laborious, as it has to be carried out by the operator at the top of the wrapping machine.

As the operator works at several-meter-height from the floor, the whole replacement procedure of the reel is not free from hazards for the safety of the operator himself.

Document US5048261 discloses a method and apparatus for supplying a covering upper sheet and a stretchable covering film. The apparatus includes a dispenser to supply a sheet from a reel and a container for receiving, containing and folding the supplied sheet. A rotating bar picks the sheet from the container on the upper part of a load moving from an initial position to a final position above and along the upper part of the load, while another bar returns from the final position to the initial position for positioning the supplied sheet at a hot wire. The latter cuts the sheet from the reel supplying it, while a hanging flexible strip is laid on the load to maintain the sheet in position thereon. The container, the rotating bars and the flexible strip are mounted on a frame movable in the vertical direction. A film dispenser supplies and elongates a stretchable film strip from a roll and a rotating plate rotates the load with respect to the film dispenser for wrapping the stretchable film strip on the load and around the edges of the upper sheet supplied.

An object of the invention is to improve known wrapping machines provided with covering apparatuses arranged to supply a covering sheet and lay it above a load to be subsequently wrapped on a plastic film.

Another object is to provide a wrapping machine provided with a load covering apparatus with a covering sheet allowing an operator to replace reels of the covering sheet rapidly, easily and securely, reducing significantly the stopping time of the wrapping machine and the risks for the operator safety.

A further object is to implement a wrapping machine which allows an operator to prearrange rapidly, easily and securely a new reel of covering sheet for subsequent production.

Another further object is to implement a wrapping machine which allows to arrange the reel of covering sheet parallelly or orthogonally to a load advancing direction, according to specific needs.

These and other objects are achieved by a wrapping machine according to one of the following claims.

The invention shall be better understood and implemented referring to the enclosed drawings illustrating some exemplary and not-limiting embodiments thereof, wherein:

figure 1 is a perspective view of the wrapping machine of the invention associated to a load to be wrapped and provided with a covering apparatus of the load with a covering sheet mounted on frame means of the machine in a first operative position;

figure 2 is a plan view of the wrapping machine of figure 1 wherein some parts are removed in order to better illustrate the covering apparatus;

figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the wrapping machine of figure 1 in a step of a procedure for replacing a reel of covering sheet;

figure 4 is a plan view of the wrapping machine of figure 3 wherein some parts are removed in order to better illustrate the covering apparatus;

figure 5 is a perspective view of the wrapping machine of figure 3 in a further step of the procedure for replacing a reel of covering sheet;

figure 6 is an enlarged detail of figure 5 illustrating a supporting structure of the covering apparatus;

figure 7 is a perspective view of the wrapping machine of the invention with the covering apparatus arranged in a second operative position and in a step of the procedure for replacing the reel of covering sheet;

figure 8 is a plan view of the wrapping machine of figure 7 wherein some parts are removed in order to better illustrate the covering apparatus;

figure 9 is a plan view of the wrapping machine of figure 7 in a further step of the procedure for replacing the reel of the covering sheet;

figure 10 is an enlarged, perspective view from below of a supplying unit of the covering apparatus;

figures 11 to 13 are respective cross sections of the supplying unit of figure 10 which illustrate a drawing element of an initial flap of the covering sheet in different positions during a procedure for inserting the sheet.

Referring to figures 1 to 9, the wrapping machine 1 of the invention is shown comprising frame means 2, 8 for supporting a wrapping unit 3 arranged to wrap a load 100 with a stretchable plastic material film 50 and a covering apparatus 4 arranged to supply a covering sheet 60, in plastic material as well, and position it above the load 100 such as to realize, in cooperation with the film 50, a bending or wrapping of the "water-proof" type, that is a bending securing an efficient protection of the load from bad weather, for example rain, snow, humidity, and from dust. The load 100 is for example a palletized load i.e. composed of a group of products arranged on a pallet.

The wrapping unit 3, of the known type, includes a reel 61 of stretchable plastic film 50, a couple of pre- stretching rollers adapted to unwind the film 50 from the reel and stretch and elongate it for a predefined quantity and a plurality of return rollers.

The covering apparatus 4 comprises a reel 61 of covering sheet 60 and gripping means 5 movable along an unwinding direction F and arranged to grip and unwind from the reel 61 the covering sheet 60 such as to arrange it above the load 100. More precisely, the covering apparatus 4 includes a supporting structure 6, which is connected to an upper portion of the frame means 2, 8 and which slidably supports the gripping means 5, and a supplying unit 7, which supports a respective reel 61 of covering sheet 60 and is reversibly coupled to the supporting structure 6 so that it is removable and replaceable with another supplying unit 7, in particular in case of depletion of the reel 61.

As illustrated in figures 1 to 6, the supporting structure 6 of the covering apparatus 4 can be fixed to the upper portion of the frame means 2, 8 in a first operating position T, wherein the unwinding direction F of the covering sheet 60 is transverse, in particular substantially orthogonal, to an advancing direction A of the load 100 through the wrapping machine 1, i.e. wherein a rotation longitudinal axis Y of the reel 61 of covering sheet 60 results to be substantially parallel to the advancing direction A.

Alternatively, as illustrated in figures 7 to 9, the supporting structure 6 of the covering apparatus 4 of the covering sheet 60 can be fixed to the upper portion of the frame means 2, 8 in a second operating position L, wherein the unwinding direction F of the covering sheet 60 is substantially parallel to the advancing direction A, i.e. wherein the rotation longitudinal axis Y of the reel 61 is orthogonal to the advancing direction A.

The arrangement of the supporting structure 6 and thus of the covering apparatus 4 in one of the two operating positions T, L can be carried out in a preliminary assembling step of the wrapping machine 1 or in a maintenance and adjusting step, according to the type of load 100 to wrap.

In one variant of the wrapping machine 1 of the invention not illustrated in the figures, the supporting structure 6 is rotatably connected to the upper portion of the frame means 2, 8 such that it can be rotated between the first operating position T and the second operating position L, manually or automatically by proper motor means, such as to allow easy and quick adaptation of the wrapping machine 1 of the invention to the different load formats 100 to be wrapped by the covering sheet 60 and the plastic film 50.

In the embodiment illustrated the wrapping machine 1 of the invention is, for example, a horizontal rotating ring machine and relative frame means comprise a fixed main frame 2 and a movable frame 8 slidably connected to the main frame 2 and rotatably supporting a rotating ring 9 provided with the wrapping unit 3. The movable frame 8 is particularly movable parallelly to a vertical winding axis X about which the rotating ring 9 rotates. The fixed main frame 2 includes a couple of supporting struts 13 connected at the top by a connecting strut 14.

It is provided that the fixed main frame 2 can comprise three or four supporting struts 13 connected at the top by respective connecting struts.

The supporting structure 6 of the covering apparatus 4 is, for example, fixed to a respective upper portion of the movable frame 8 such as to be moved with the latter parallelly to the winding axis X. Alternatively, the supporting structure 6 can be fixed to an upper portion of the fixed main frame 2.

The wrapping machine 1 of the invention comprises, furthermore, a lifting apparatus 10, positioned adjacent to the covering apparatus 4 and arranged to hook a supplying unit 7 to be mounted on, or dismounted from, the supporting structure 6. The lifting apparatus 10 is movable between a first configuration Pl, wherein it discharges a supplying unit 7 on, or picks up a supplying unit 7 from, the supporting structure 6 and a second configuration P2, wherein the lifting apparatus 10 discharges a supplying unit 7 on, or picks up a supplying unit 7 from, a storage area, located adjacent to a wrapping machine 1.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the lifting apparatus 10 comprises a lifting arm 11 which is slidably and rotatably connected to a supporting column 12 such that it is movable along and about a respective working axis Z, in particular between the first configuration Pl and the second configuration P2. The lifting arm 11 comprises an operating end 1 la able to hook a supplying unit 7. The supporting column 12 is preferably fixed to the frame means 2, 8 and more precisely to the fixed main frame 2 by means of a respective crossbeam 15 fixed to the upper crossbeam 14 which joins the two supporting struts 13 of the aforesaid fixed main frame 2. The working axis Z is substantially vertical and parallel to the wrapping axis X.

As better explained in the following description, the lifting arm 11 is able to position and mount a supplying unit 7 in the first operating position T or in the second operating position L on the supporting structure 6. Alternatively, the lifting apparatus 10 can comprise a manipulator, in particular an industrial robot, provided with and operative end adapted to grip the supplying unit 7.

Referring in particular to figure 6, the supporting structure 6 comprises a square-shaped frame consisting in two longitudinal elements 6a and two transverse elements 6b interconnected to respective ends, the two longitudinal elements 6a being arranged to slidably support the gripping means 5. More in detail, the gripping means comprise for example a crossbeam 5 having respective ends slidably engaged with guides, of the known type and not illustrated in detail, associated to longitudinal elements 6a of the supporting structure 6. The crossbeam 5 comprises gripping pliers 16, for example two, able to grip and retain an initial flap 62 of covering sheet 60 supplied by the supplying unit 7. The crossbeam 5 is moved along the unwinding direction F by driving means of the known type and not illustrated such as to unwind from the reel 61 a definite quantity of the covering sheet 60.

A supplying unit 7, removably coupled by means of a reference pin 32 and locking means 33, can be positioned on a terminal portion of the supporting structure 6.

Referring in particular to figures 10 to 14, the supplying unit 7 comprises roller means 21 for rotatably supporting a reel 61 of covering sheet 60 so that it can rotate about the respective rotation longitudinal axis Y and a drawing element 22 arranged for gripping and retaining an initial flap 62 of the covering sheet 60 and movable substantially orthogonally to the rotation longitudinal axis Y between a gripping position W 1 and a releasing position W2.

Roller means comprise a couple of supporting rollers 21 parallel to the rotation axis Y of the reel 61 and free to rotate about respective longitudinal axis to allow rotation of the reel 61. The drawing element 22 in the gripping position Wl is arranged for receiving and retaining the initial flap 62 of the covering sheet 60 unwound from the reel 61, while the drawing element 22 in the releasing position W2, after partially unwinding the covering sheet 60, positions the initial flap 62 at a front portion 17 of the supplying unit 7 from which the covering sheet 60 can come out.

The drawing element 22 has a plurality of hooking elements, of the known type and not illustrated in detail in the figures, which the initial flap 62 of the covering sheet 60 can be fixed to.

The supplying unit 7 also comprises locking means 23 arranged to retain the initial flap 62 moved by the drawing element 22 at the front portion 17, the initial flap 62 being therefore prearranged to be gripped by the gripping means 5. The locking means 23 comprise in particular at least one first transverse locking element 28 that is movable and actuated by a respective actuator 35, for example a pneumatic cylinder, and at least one respective second transverse locking element 29 fixed to a containment frame 37 of the supplying unit 7. The first transverse locking element 28 is moved by the respective actuator 35 such as to lock the initial flap 62 of the covering sheet 60 against the second transverse locking element 29 in a locking position.

The supplying unit 7 comprises a rear portion 18 that is opposite to the front portion 17 and allows access to a space 19 for housing the reel 61 of covering sheet 60. The space 19 is realized inside the containment frame 37 of the supplying unit 7. The drawing element 22 in the gripping position Wl is positioned at the access rear portion 18 to ease reel -replacement operations performed by a user, as better explained in the following description.

For this purpose, the supplying unit 7 comprises moving means 24 arranged for moving the drawing element 22 between the gripping position W 1 and the releasing position W2.

The moving means comprise, for example, a couple of endless flexible elements 24, fixed to opposite side walls of the containment frame 37 of the supplying unit 7 and engaged with, and moved by, a driving shaft 25. The drawing element 22 has opposite ends that are fixed to the flexible elements 24 such that it is moved by the latter between the gripping position Wl and releasing position W2. Flexible elements 24 comprise respective belts or tapes or chains rotated by the driving shaft 25 by means of specific pulleys or driving wheels 26. The driving shaft 25 can be rotatably driven to move flexible elements 24, and with them the drawing elements 22, by means of a specific motor, for example electric, installed on the supplying unit 7 or manually by means of a crank.

The supplying unit 7 further comprises cutting means 27, of the known type and not illustrated in detail in the figures, arranged to cut along a direction substantially orthogonal to the unwinding direction F the covering sheet 60 unwound from the reel 61 such as to obtain a portion thereof having a defined length to be applied to the load 100.

The supplying unit 7 is provided with connecting means for electric and/or pneumatic supply and the control of driving actuators and motors which actuate, for example, the moving means 24, locking means 23, cutting means 27.

The supplying unit 7 is also provided with a hooking element 30 arranged to be engaged and locked by an operative end of the lifting apparatus 10. More precisely, the hooking element 30 is fixed to an upper portion of the containment frame 37 of the supplying unit 7 and has a seat 31 arranged to be engaged by the operative end of the lifting apparatus 10. During operation of the wrapping machine 1 of the invention the covering apparatus 4 supplies portions of established length of the covering sheet 60 which is unwound from the reel 61 by the gripping means 5, slidably supported by the supporting structure 6 and moved by the specific driving means.

The covering apparatus 4 can be mounted on the frame means of the wrapping machine 1, in particular on the movable frame 8 which supports the rotating ring 9, in the first operating position T or in the second operating position L, according to the type of load to wrap. More precisely, in order to best use the covering sheet 60, the covering apparatus 4 is mounted in the first operating position T (wherein the unwinding direction F of the covering sheet 60 is substantially orthogonal to the advancing direction A of the load 100), when the wrapping machine 1 is intended to wrap loads having a constant length and equal (slightly lower for allowing a proper covering) to the width of the covering sheet 60 (corresponding to the reel length 61).

In case the length of loads 100 to be wrapped changes, it is suitable to mount the covering apparatus 4 in the second operating position L, wherein the unwinding direction F of the covering sheet 60 is substantially parallel to the advancing direction A of the load 100, such that the covering sheet 60 can be cut according to the length of the load 100, the width of the covering sheet 60 being adapted to the (maximum) width of the load 100, generally constant. The covering sheet 60 portions, once cut by the cutting means 27 of the supplying unit 7, fall by gravity on the top of the load 100 onto which they are subsequently locked by the plastic film 50 wound by rotating the wrapping unit 3.

In the case of depletion of the reel 61, the lifting apparatus 10 is actuated to carry out the replacement of the supplying unit 7 mounted on the movable frame 8 and having the depleted reel 61 with an additional supplying unit 7 placed in the storage area D and having a new reel 61. More precisely, in the case of the illustrated embodiment, the lifting arm 11 is moved in the first configuration Pl, wherein it is able to hook the supplying unit 7 with depleted reel 61.

The lifting arm 11 is therefore moved, in particular lifted, such as to detach and pick up from the supporting structure 6 the supplying unit 7 and store it in the storage area D, arranging in the second configuration P2. To allow the detachment of the supplying unit 7, the locking means 33 mounted on the supporting structure 6 are priorily deactivated.

The lifting arm 11 discharges into the storage area D the supplying unit 7 with depleted reel 61 and hooks a further supplying unit 7 with a new reel 61. Subsequently, the lifting arm 11 is lifted and returned in the first configuration Pl such as to mount on the supporting structure 6 the additional supplying unit 7 with a new reel 61 and allow production to restart.

It must be noted that the procedure for replacing the supplying unit 7, i.e. the reel 61 of the covering sheet 60, can be carried out completely automatically controlling specifically the lifting apparatus 10. For this purpose, one or more replacement supplying units 7, provided with new reels 61 can be prearranged in specific and known positions of the storage area D, wherein they can be picked up from the lifting apparatus 10. The supplying units 7 dismounted from the wrapping machine can instead be positioned in additional positions in the storage area D as they contain depleted reels of covering sheet.

It must be also noted that the procedure for replacing the supplying units 7 can be equally carried out rapidly and easily with the covering apparatus 4 mounted on the frame means 2, 8 of the wrapping machine 1 in the first operating position T or in the second operating position L. The lifting arm 11 can in fact rotate about the working axis Z, such as to pick up/position the supplying unit 7 from/onto the supporting structure 6 in both the operating positions T, L. The operating end l la of the lifting arm 11 is in fact able to hook the supplying unit 7 regardless of its position/orientation on the frame means 2, 8.

Referring in particular to figures 10 to 13, the supplying unit 7 can be prearranged on the floor by the operator such as to allow the automatic operation of the wrapping machine 1 when it is mounted by the lifting apparatus 10 on the supporting structure 6. More precisely, after removing a depleted reel 61 from the space 19 of the supplying unit 7 and inserting a new reel laying it on the supporting rollers 21, the user grasps the initial flap 62 of the covering sheet 60 unwound from the reel 61 and inserts it, locking it, into the hooking elements of the drawing element 22. The latter is arranged in the gripping position Wl, at the rear portion 18 of the supplying unit from which the space 19 of the reel 61 is accessed. Thereby, it is rapid and easy for the user both inserting the reel 61 into the space 19 and fixing the initial flap 62 to the drawing element 22.

At this time, the moving means 24 are actuated such as to move the drawing element 22 into the releasing position W2. In particular, flexible elements 24 supporting the drawing element 22 are actuated rotating the driving shaft 25 manually by means of a crank or actuating a proper motor installed on the supplying unit 7.

In the first case, it is the user standing on the ground, in the storage area D, the one who moves the crank to position the initial flap 62 of the covering sheet 60 at the front portion 17 of the supplying unit 7 before the latter is mounted on the wrapping machine 1. In the second case, the electric motor actuating the moving means 24 is connected to a power supply and to a control unit of the wrapping machine 1 when the supplying unit 7 is mounted on the supporting structure 6 and locked there by the locking means 33.

Once connected, the electric motor is actuated such as to move the drawing element 22 into the releasing position W2 and the initial flap 62 of the covering sheet 60 at the front portion 17 of the supplying unit 7.

When the initial flap 62 of the covering sheet 60 is at the front portion 17, the gripping means 23 are actuated. More precisely, the first transverse locking element 28 is moved by the respective actuator 35 such as to force and lock the initial flap 62 against the respective second transverse locking element 29 in the locking position. At this time the drawing element 22 can be returned into the gripping position Wl, the hooking elements of the aforesaid drawing element 22 disengaging from the initial flap 62 tightly held by the gripping elements.

With the initial flap 62 locked by the gripping means 23 and arranged at the front portion 17 of the supplying unit 7, the gripping means 5 of the covering apparatus 4 are actuated such as to grip, by means of the gripping pliers 16, the aforesaid initial flap 62. The gripping means 23 can at this time be actuated such as to release the initial flap 62.

The gripping means 5, moved along the guides of the longitudinal elements 6a of the supporting structure, are able to unwind the covering sheet 60 from the reel 61 and arrange it over the load 100. By actuating the cutting means 27, the covering sheet 60 is cut and a predefined-length portion thereof falls by gravity on the load 100.

Before cutting, the locking means 23 are actuated such as to retain the initial flap 62 generated by cutting the covering sheet 60, the supplying unit 7 being able again to supply the gripping means 5 with the covering sheet for a subsequent load 100.

Due to the covering apparatus 4 comprising the supporting structure 6, fixed to the frame means 2, 8 of the wrapping machine 1, and the supplying unit 7 reversibly coupled to the supporting structure 6, the wrapping machine 1 of the invention allows an easy and rapid replacement of the reel 61 of the covering sheet 60. It is in fact not necessary for the user to get to the top of the wrapping machine 1 to replace the depleted reel 61, as the entire supplying unit 7 can be easily mounted/dismounted, particularly using the lifting apparatus 10, onto/from the movable frame 8 of the wrapping machine 1. Moreover, the reel 61 of the covering sheet 60 can be easily and quickly removed or inserted from the supplying unit 7 when the latter is positioned on the floor, in the storage area D. It is similarly possible for the user to easily and quickly prepare the initial flap 62 of the covering sheet 60 such that it is gripped by the gripping means 5 of the supporting structure 6 which can thus unwind above the load a portion of proper length of the covering sheet 60. The aforesaid operations can be performed easily and safely by the user standing on the floor at a safety distance from the wrapping machine, thus reducing significantly the stop time of the wrapping machine and the risks for the user safety.