Patent Application
20140013920
The present invention pertains to an apparatus for grooving cardboard cuttings.
Book cases, as well as boxes for high-quality sales and gift packages, are made from cardboards that are lined with cloth materials. In order to prepare bending points or sharp-edged bends, the cardboard cuttings are grooved at the corresponding locations. The groove cross section may have any profile from triangular to rectangular that is cut out of the cardboards in the form of waste with knife blades that are accordingly aligned relative to one another or circular knives and, if applicable, an intermediately arranged lift-out device or with one-piece special knives that are shaped in accordance with the respective cross section.
A known type of cardboard grooving machine comprises a horizontal transport drum driven about a drum axis, and a plurality of end effectors for processing cardboard cuttings on the transport drum. These end effectors can include a plurality of spaced-apart endless belts that are partially wrapped around the transport drum such that an infeed and an outlet are formed and the cardboard cuttings are pressed against and conveyed on the drum; rollers supporting each belt for revolving around the transport drum; and groove cutting tools that are arranged between the belts at a distance from the drum surface.
CN 101200091 B discloses a corresponding cardboard grooving machine, in which the belts that are partially wrapped around the transport drum are respectively guided by means of a guide roller and several deflection rollers and tensioned by separate pressure rollers. The guide rollers equipped with lateral flanged wheels are situated on a common shaft that is rotatably supported in the frame analogous to the deflection rollers and hold the belts driven by the transport drum in certain axial positions relative to the transport drum that are defined by the cardboard format and the length of the grooves to be cut.
During a set-up process, the belts therefore usually also need to be displaced into different positions. However, this is very labor-intensive because the assigned tension roller initially needs to be disengaged for each belt to be displaced in order to subsequently loosen and displace the respective guide rollers on the shaft into the target position incrementally and alternately with the groove cutting tools, wherein the transport drum in the meantime needs to be turned again and again such that the belts are not excessively interlaced. The belts ultimately need to be tensioned again by means of the tension rollers. The drum may also be damaged by the cutting knives that are arranged a short distance from the drum surface during the displacement of the groove cutting tools. This also applies to the removal or the exchange of the groove cutting tools.
The object of the invention is to provide a grooving apparatus that can be quickly and easily set up for different cardboard formats or changing groove positions.
This object is accomplished by situating at least some of the end effectors on a carrier that is selectively displaceable radially to the transport drum axis.
One or more displaceable carriers can be provided for a plurality of belts, a plurality of cutting tools and/or sets or subsets of rollers.
Preferably, a plurality of carriers with respective end effectors are individually displaceable radially to the transport drum axis and relative to each other, and individually displaceable axially relative to each other.
Further according to the disclosure, the belts are situated on a first carrier that can be displaced radially to the transport drum. The first carrier can be displaced back and forth between a working position and an idle position, in which it is radially moved away from the transport drum. In the working position, the belts held in their respective position are tensioned while they are at least relaxed and only lie loosely on the transport drum in the idle position such that the respective guide and tension rollers can be effortlessly displaced into different positions. All belts are tensioned simultaneously with the movement of the first carrier back into the working position such that the grooving apparatus is immediately ready for use.
The groove cutting tools can be arranged on a second carrier that can be displaced radially to the transport drum. In the idle position of the second carrier, in which it is radially moved away from the transport drum, all groove cutting tools are moved away from the drum surface and disengaged. They can be easily removed, exchanged or displaced into different positions. All groove cutting tools are once again ready for use once the second carrier has been moved back into the working position. It is also possible to jointly adjust the cutting depth of the groove cutting tools by changing the radial location of the second carrier in its working position. If the groove cutting tools are in the idle position moved away from the drum surface farther than the space occupied by the belts, the belts and the groove cutting tools can be axially displaced independently of one another—because they no longer mutually overlap in this case. Their respective sequence or arrangement relative to one another, in particular, can be changed without having to remove and reinstall individual groove cutting tools adjacent to other belts. It is therefore possible to axially adjust the groove cutting tools and/or the belts by means of motor-driven adjusting axles.
Several third carriers separately displaced relative to one another and to the transport drum and feature at least the rollers intended for guiding and for tensioning a preferably individual belt, can be provided. The guide and tension rollers of the respective belt are jointly displaced due to the third carriers that are displaceable relative to the transport drum. Their position relative to one another remains unchanged with respect to an aligned belt run and the belt elongation such that the time-consuming axial adjustment of the guide and tension rollers relative to one another is eliminated. The third carrier may be displaceable radially and/or axially to the transport drum.
In a preferred enhancement, the third carriers are arranged on the first carrier such that they can be displaced axially to the transport drum. The joint radial displacement of the belts is carried out by the first carrier in this case. The third carriers preferably can be fixed on the first carrier with the aid of clamping means. Clamping means can be quickly released and activated and respectively allow an infinitely variable or incremental positioning of the third carriers or the belts.
In an enhancement, all rollers for guiding, deflecting and tensioning the preferably individual belt are arranged on the respective third carrier. The deflection rollers extending from frame wall to frame wall are eliminated and a respective third carrier can be removed from the grooving apparatus as a whole for maintenance purposes such as, e.g., the exchange of the belt.
According to an enhancement, the third carriers respectively feature a carrying arm that lies to one side of the preferably individual belt and on which the rollers are arranged in the form of a cantilever support. In this way, worn out or damaged belts can be very easily exchanged without having to remove numerous components first.
In an enhancement, respective first and second rollers are arranged on the third carriers a certain distance in front of the infeed and/or outlet such that the belts respectively have a segment that tangentially extends toward the transport drum and a segment that tangentially extends away from the transport drum. In this way, an undesirable flexing and bending effect respectively can be significantly reduced in the infeed and in the outlet and the cardboards are delivered in a nearly planar fashion.
In an enhancement, third and fourth rollers are arranged on the third carriers in such a way that the segment between these rollers moves past the belt section adjoining the transport drum at a distance of less than 10 mm, preferably less than 5 mm. In this region of closest approach, the groove cutting tools can overlap the adjacent belt and the actual grooving knives can be positioned very close to the belt without the belts obstructing the discharge of accumulating waste.
In an enhancement, the belts are separately tensioned in a force-dependent or path-dependent fashion, wherein the roller intended for tensioning is situated on a tensioning lever that is movably arranged on the third carrier and acted upon by a force or wherein the respective roller can be displaceably fixed on the third carrier. In this way, an identical belt tension can be adjusted for each individual belt in dependence on its length that is subject to tolerances.
In an enhancement, the first and/or second carrier can be displaced with respect to their position relative to the transport drum with the aid of actuating means. The actuating means can be activated manually or in a motor-driven fashion. It may consist of a spindle-nut drive or comprise an actuating cylinder. The actuating means make it possible to position the first and/or second carrier in the working position, the idle position and, if applicable, any intermediate positions. The actuating means allow, in particular, variable working positions of the first and/or second carrier.
In an enhancement, the first and/or second carrier can be fixed in their working position relative to the transport drum with the aid of adjustable locking means. In this way, the respective working position can be quickly and reliably reached. Due to the locking effect, the working position also does not change under the load of the groove cutting process and/or the belt tension. The adjustability of the locking means makes it possible to carry out basic adjustments.
In an enhancement, at least one scale is provided on the first and/or second carrier in order to quickly and reproducibly position the groove cutting tools and/or the third carrier axially to the transport drum.
In a preferred enhancement, the second carrier is identical to the first carrier such that the belts, as well as the groove cutting tools, are situated on the same first carrier that can be displaced radially to the transport drum. The displacement of the first carrier into the idle position releases the belts and simultaneously the groove cutting tools for the axial position adjustment. They are simultaneously moved into their working positions once the common first carrier has been displaced back.
Characteristics of the present invention are described in greater detail below with reference to a preferred embodiment of the invention that is illustrated in the figures listed below. In these figures,
The grooving apparatus 1 schematically illustrated in
The feed device 101 in
Since the rollers 54.2 are arranged a certain distance in front of the infeed 14, the belts 51 have a segment that tangentially extends toward the transport drum 11. In this way, flexing and bending are significantly reduced in the infeed 14. In addition, the segment supports the alignment of the cardboard cuttings 2 on the slightly faster moving cardboard pushers 104.2 of the feed device 101.
The delivery 111 in
Since the rollers 54.1 are arranged a certain distance in front of the outlet 15, the belts 51 have a segment that tangentially extends away from the transport drum 11. In this way, flexing and bending are significantly reduced in the outlet 15 and the grooved cardboard cuttings 3 are delivered in a nearly planar fashion.
The delivery 111 and the feed device 101 lie on the same side of the transport drum 11, namely the so-called operating site 66, while the groove cutting tools 72 are situated on the opposite tool side 67 and freely accessible.
According to
A carrier 31 that embodies the first and the second carrier is guided in the frame 12 such that it can be displaced radially to the transport drum 11, wherein the different groove cutting tools 72.1 to 72.6 and the belts 51 are situated on this carrier. The carrier 31 is henceforth referred to as first carrier 31 and features a frame 32 that is guided on guide rails 21 situated on plates 20 mounted on the sidewalls 16, 17 by means of linear guides 33. The position of the first carrier 31 relative to the transport drum 11 is adjusted with adjusting spindles 22 that are supported in the sidewalls 16, 17 and engage into adjusting nuts 44 accommodated on the outside of the frame 32. The two adjusting spindles 22 are coupled to one another by means of a drive connection 23 and actuated with a handwheel 24 in the exemplary embodiment. The first carrier 31 may alternatively also be displaced by pneumatic cylinders or similar actuating means.
The first carrier 31 with the groove cutting tools 72.1 to 72.6 and the belts 51 is essentially displaced between a working position and an idle position. In the working position, the belts 51 held in their respective position are tensioned while they are at least relaxed and only lie loosely on the transport drum 11 in the idle position such that the belts 51 can be effortlessly displaced into different positions. The belts 51 are situated on third carriers 52.1 to 52.7 that are arranged on the first carrier 31 such that they can be displaced axially to the transport drum 11 and separately displaced relative to one another. All belts 51 are tensioned simultaneously with the movement of the first carrier 31 back into the working position such that the grooving apparatus 1 is immediately ready for use. The working position is reached and secured when locking levers 41 arranged to both sides of the first carrier 31 engage on locking bolts 45 that are adjustably mounted on the frame 12. The locking levers 41 can be opened again with the aid of actuating levers 42.
The groove cutting tools 72.1 to 72.6 can be exchanged or adjusted in the idle position of the first carrier 31, in which it is moved away from the transport drum 11. A scale 36a recessed into the respective supporting beams 36, 37 serves for the exact axial positioning. Guide rails 40 mounted on the plates 38, 39 are provided for accommodating the third carriers 52.1 to 52.7 that are respectively equipped with one individual belt 51 in a displaceable fashion, wherein linear guides 57 arranged on the third carriers 52.1 to 52.7 run on said guide rails.
The carriers 52.1 to 52.7 feature a clamping device 58 with a pressure pad 60 that is subjected to a force by a pressure spring 59 and engages on the plate 38 of the first carrier 31. In the idle position of the first carrier 31, in which it is moved away from the transport drum 11, one respective third carrier 52.1 to 52.7 can be displaced into a new axial position by means of a sliding handle 62 after the pressure pad 60 has been loosened by means of an actuating lever 61, wherein the scale 36a can be used in order to locate the new axial position faster.
The described exemplary embodiment combines the characteristics of the three independently employable features:
In general, a belt, a cutting tool, a set or subset of rollers, or other component that may be involved in processing the cardboard cuttings on the transport drum, can be considered as an end-effector supported by a carrier that is radially displaceable relative to the transport drum. At least one carrier for the belts and/or at least one carrier for the cutting tools can be combined as a single common carrier, distinct carriers, or distinct carriers on a common carrier.
Alternative exemplary embodiments may be respectively based on the characteristics of only one individual independent feature or reflect a respective combination of the characteristics of two independent features.
In this respect, one particular alternative embodiment of the third carriers 52.1 to 52.7 is described below. Instead of arranging all rollers 54.1 to 54.8 on the carrying arm 53 of the respective carrier 52.1 to 52.7, it would also be possible to only arrange one roller provided for axially guiding the belt 51 such as, e.g., the roller 54.1 and the tensioning roller, namely the roller 54.8, on the carrying arm 53 while the remaining rollers are replaced with deflection rollers supported in the first carrier 31. In this embodiment, the set-up time already is significantly reduced and the user-friendliness is simultaneously improved. The deflection rollers may alternatively also be supported in the frame 12. The individually tensioned belts 51 guided on the third carriers 52.1 to 52.7 can also be axially displaced in the tensioned state while the transport drum 11 rotates in that actuating drives engage on the third carriers 52.1 to 52.7 while the protective device is closed.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2012 013 805.9 | Jul 2012 | DE | national |
