The invention relates to a self-propelled wrapping machine, or robot, for wrapping products, in particular products arranged on a pallet or on several superimposed pallets, with a film of plastics.

Self-propelled wrapping machines or robots are known for wrapping palletised products, i.e. products that are arranged on a pallet or on several superimposed pallets, with a film of cold-stretchable plastics.

Such wrapping machines are generally used for wrapping products of non-standard dimensions, mainly in small production runs, and in narrow production areas in which static wrapping machines cannot be used.

Known self-propelled wrapping machines comprise a motorised self-propelled carriage and a plastics film reel supplying unit provided with an unwinding device and slidably supported on an upright associated with the self-propelled carriage. The latter is provided at the front with a wheeled mechanical feeler that enables the self-propelled carriage to follow a profile of the palletised products to be wrapped.

More precisely, the mechanical feeler is maintained in contact with the products by a spring during the entire wrapping and guides the movement of a directional wheel of the self-propelled carriage.

In use, for wrapping products placed on a pallet, an operator places the self-propelled carriage near the pallet and activates the wrapping program.

At this point, the self-propelled carriage starts to rotate automatically around the pallet, following the profile thereof by means of the aforesaid mechanical feeler.

The combination of the motion of the self-propelled carriage around the pallet and of the vertical motion of the reel achieves helical wrapping of the products.

During certain wrapping steps, the wrapping machine may be hidden by the products from the view of an operator located near the products, for example positioned opposite the wrapping machines, and the arrival of the wrapping machine may thus not be perceptible by the operator.

This increases the risk of collision of the operator with such wrapping machines and consequently reduces the safety of the operators which are near the products being wrapped.

An object of the invention is to improve self-propelled wrapping machines.

A further object is to provide a self-propelled wrapping machine that increases the safety of the operators located near the products being wrapped.

The invention provides a self-propelled wrapping machine as defined in independent claim 1.

Owing to the invention, it is possible to provide a self- propelled wrapping machine that is safer than known self- propelled wrapping machines.

In fact, said light emitting means, by illuminating with a light beam said zone in front of said wrapping machine, enables an operator to be warned in advance of the arrival of said wrapping machine, even when the latter is hidden by said product, this enabling said operator to avoid a collision with said wrapping machine.

The invention can be better understood and implemented with reference to the attached drawings that illustrate an embodiment thereof by way of non- limiting example, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a self-propelled wrapping machine according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a partial front view of the wrapping machine in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a front view of the wrapping machine in Figure 1 ; Figure 4 is a side view of the wrapping machine in Figure 1 ; Figure 5 is a plan view of the wrapping machine in Figure 1. With reference to Figures 1 to 5, there is shown a self- propelled wrapping machine 1, also known as a wrapping robot, for wrapping with a film 3 of plastics, for example a film of stretchable plastics, products 2 positioned on pallets 12, arranged on a surface 9 or floor of a workplace 13.- The wrapping machine 1 comprises a self-propelled carriage 4 provided with a pair of directional wheels 14 to enable the self-propelled carriage 4 to change an advancing direction thereof .

The wrapping machine 1 further includes a wheeled mechanical feeler 15 of known type associated with the self-propelled carriage 4 to guide the latter during wrapping, along a wrapping path defined by a profile of the products 2 to be wrapped.

In particular, the mechanical feeler 15 is connected to the aforesaid directional wheel 14 to enable the self-propelled carriage 4 to change the advancing direction thereof according to the profile of the products 2 to be wrapped. The wrapping machine 1 further comprises a supplying group 16 supplying the film 3 wound on a reel 11.

The supplying group 16 is movable vertically along an upright 17.

In this manner, in use, the combination of the motion of the self-propelled carriage 4 around the pallet 12 and of the vertical motion of the reel 11 achieves helical wrapping of the products 2.

The wrapping machine 1 is further provided with light emitting means 5 arranged for emitting a light beam 6 to a zone 7 in front of the wrapping machine 1.

The light emitting means 5 is fixed to a front portion of the self-propelled carriage 4 and is supplied by a supply circuit, which is not shown, which is included in the wrapping machine 1, or the light emitting means 5 is supplied by batteries thereof.

The light emitting means 5 can comprise laser light emitting elements, or LED light emitting elements, or infrared light emitting elements or lamps or the like.

Also, the light emitting means 5 is configured in such a manner as to generate a light spot 18 having, for example, a circular or punctiform or linear shape. Further, the light emitting means 5 is configured in such a manner as to emit an intermittent light beam 6.

This not only reduces the energy required for the operation thereof but also enables heat to be dissipated, in particular in the case of LED light emitting elements.

In one embodiment of the invention, which is not shown, the light emitting means is configured in such a manner as to emit a continuous light beam.

Further, the light emitting means 5 is configured in such a manner as to emit selectively light beams 6 of at least two different colours, for example by providing light emitting elements of a different colours, or by using coloured lenses, according to the colour of the surface 9 to be illuminated on which the wrapping machine 1 is movable.

In particular, the light emitting means 5 is fixed to the self-propelled carriage 4 in such a manner as to illuminate a zone 7 of the surface 9 in front of the wrapping machine 1 and placed at a distance S (Figure 5) from the latter defined by the formula:

S=v*t

where

S = distance (m) ;

v = speed (m/s) of the wrapping machine 1;

t = reaction time (s) of an operator 10.

In the case of a maximum speed of the wrapping machine 1 equal to 1.33 m/s and a reaction time of the operator 10 equal to 1 s, a distance S equal to 1.33 m is obtained.

This distance S enables the operator 10, located near the product 2, to be warned 1.33 m in advance of the presence of the wrapping machine 1 and to avoid collision with the latter easily .

Also, the light emitting means 5 can comprise lens means that is not shown to focus and/or orient the light beam 6.

In Figures 1 to 5, there is shown one embodiment of the invention in which the light emitting means 5 comprises two pairs, suitably spaced apart from one another, of light emitting elements 8.

Such pairs of light emitting elements 8, which are drivable selectively, can each emit a continuous or intermittent light beam 6 of a different colour or of the same colour.

In one embodiment of the invention, which is not shown, the light emitting means comprises a single light emitting element .

In such an embodiment a coloured lens can also be provided, for example a bicoloured lens, cooperating with the light- emitting element to emit light beams of a different colours. In a further embodiment of the invention, which is not shown, the light emitting means comprises a pair of light emitting elements that are suitably spaced apart from one another.

Such light emitting elements, which are drivable selectively, can each emit a continuous or intermittent light beam of a different colour or of the same colour.

In a still another embodiment of the invention, which is not shown, the light emitting means comprises three light emitting elements arranged in such a manner as to define the vertices of a triangle.

Such light emitting elements, which are selectively drivable, can each emit a continuous or intermittent light beam, of a different colour, or of the same colour.

In use, in order for wrapping the products 2 placed on the pallet 12, the operator 10 positions the self-propelled carriage 4 near the pallet 12 and activates the wrapping program, which automatically starts up the light emitting means 5.

At this point, the self-propelled carriage 4 starts to rotate automatically around the pallet 12, following the profile thereof by means of the mechanical feeler 15 and the light emitting means 5, illuminating with the light beam 6 the zone 7 in front of the wrapping machine 1, enables the operator 10 to be warned in advance of the arrival of the operating machine 1, even when the latter is hidden by the products 2 (Figures 4 and 5) , this enabling the operator 10 to avoid the collision with the wrapping machine 1 and making the wrapping machine 1 safer than known wrapping machines .

In one embodiment of the invention, which is not shown, the light emitting means is configured in such a manner as to emit a light beam that is orientable along a wrapping path of the product 2.