Patent Application
20220411217
This application claims the priority of German Patent Application, Serial No. DE 10 2019 219 465.6, filed Dec. 12, 2019, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.
The invention relates to an installation for handling or folding a material web, for example a continuous web, in particular a corrugated cardboard web. Furthermore, the invention is directed to a method for handling or folding a material web, in particular a corrugated cardboard web.
From the prior art, it is generally known by obvious prior use to fold and stack material webs. The transport of the folded material web or the stacks is often associated with no inconsiderable effort. Furthermore, it can happen that the material web is folded or stacked improperly.
It is an object of the invention to overcome the problems of the prior art. In particular, an installation for handling a material web is to be provided which is capable of folding or winding up the material web extremely neatly and quickly. The folded or wound-up material web is to be particularly easy to handle or transport. A corresponding method is also to be provided.
This object is achieved according to the invention by an installation for a material web, in particular corrugated cardboard web, comprising
The core of the invention lies in the winding arrangement, which is capable of winding up a material web while forming folds, rebates or creases, preferably continuously. Due to the winding up or respective turning over of the material web, the latter has, for example, coherent portions or regions which run obliquely or at an angle to one another and enclose, for example, an internal angle of between 45° and 120° and are preferably flat. Alternatively, the wound-up material web has, for example, curved portions or regions. The folds created in the material web preferably run parallel to one another. They form parallel folds. It is convenient if the folds extend perpendicularly to the conveying direction of the material web and are arranged at a distance from one another, The wound-up material web has a contour that in principle corresponds to the outer contour of the material web winding-up region.
The guide arrangement ensures in particular a safe and exact guidance of the material web, in particular to the winding arrangement, and preferably a functionally safe and exact winding up of the material web. It comprises, for example, a guide table arrangement with at least one sliding surface for the material web and/or at least one guide roll for guiding the material web.
The conveying speed detection device is preferably designed as an optical conveying speed detection device. It preferably operates without contact. It is useful if the conveying speed detection device operates with electromagnetic radiation, such as light or laser radiation. It advantageously measures the conveying speed of the material web. Preferably, the conveying speed detection device comprises at least one conveying speed detection sensor or camera. Alternatively, the conveying speed detection device, for example, uses corresponding known process parameters of the installation, so that an independent measurement is not required.
The winding device preferably forms a core for the material web being wound up or to be wound up. It is useful if the winding device has a constant cross-section in the material web winding-up region. The wound-up material web surrounds or runs around the material web winding-up region and initially rests closely against it on the outside. An axial width of the winding device corresponds at least to the width of the material web in its transverse direction. It is useful if the winding device is configured as to be symmetrical in cross-section with respect to at least one symmetry plane.
The rotary drive, for example, is designed as an electric drive. The winding device can be driven in rotation by the rotary drive. An axis of rotation of the winding device preferably passes through a center, a midpoint or center of gravity of the cross section of the winding device in its material web winding-up region or of a winding core of the winding device.
The actuating device is preferably electrical, preferably electronic. It is at least temporarily in wired or wireless signal communication with the conveyor speed detection device. Conveying speed signals from the conveying speed detection device, which characterize or relate to the current conveying speed of the material web, can thus be received by the actuating device. The rotary drive and the actuating device are preferably in wired or wireless signal communication. The actuating device is thus able to send or transmit corresponding actuating signals to the rotary drive. The actuating device is designed, for example, as a control and/or regulating device.
The material web is multilayered, for example. In particular, the material web is designed as a corrugated cardboard web. It is useful if the corrugated cardboard web is laminated on one or both sides. It then comprises at least two layers or plies thinly bonded to one another and arranged one above the other, such as at least one corrugated web and cover web.
Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are indicated hereinafter.
The winding device formed as a polygon in cross-section at least in the material web winding-up region and preferably having between three and eight, preferably between three and six, corners in cross-section, is preferably equilateral and equiangular. It is preferably a regular, in particular convex, or equilateral polygon. The winding device is preferably designed, at least in the material web winding-up region, as an, in particular straight, prism which has a corresponding polygon as its base surface. Such a winding device leads to a particularly neat folding, turning over or winding up of the material web and has, in particular, straight running buckling regions or fold regions, in particular edges. The corners of the polygon are sharp-edged, for example. Sharp buckling edges or fold lines can thus be produced in the material web. Alternatively, these are rounded, for example. The buckling edges or fold lines formed in the material web are then not particularly pronounced and are rather weak.
The embodiment in which the winding device, at least in the material web winding-up region, is configured as an ellipse or essentially as an ellipse in cross-section avoids, for example, sharp, defined buckling edges in the material web. The web is folded or turned over at, in particular two, preferably pointed, vertices of the winding device. At the vertices, the winding device or its winding core has, in particular, straight running buckling regions or fold regions, in particular edges, which are, for example, sharp-edged or rounded. The winding device in its material web winding-up region or its winding core is preferably symmetrical in cross-section with respect to a main plane and a secondary plane.
According to a preferred embodiment, the actuating device actuates the rotary drive differently in dependence on an existing number of layers of the material web on the winding device. It is useful then if the actuating device knows the existing number of layers of the material web on the winding device or a total length of the wound-up material web. For this purpose, the rotary drive can preferably be driven in rotation at different angular speeds. In this way, for example, an increase in the lengths of the layers of the material web on the winding device can be compensated for as the number of layers on the winding device increases. This increase is due to the growing thickness of the material web wound up onto the winding device.
According to further embodiments, the minimum and maximum angular speed of the winding device decreases with an increasing number of windings, i.e. number of layers on the winding device.
The embodiment in which the actuating device actuates the rotary drive differently in dependence on a folding progress enables the actuating device to compensate for different distances between an axis of rotation of the winding device and an outer winding-up or receiving surface of the winding device during winding-up or receiving of the material web due to the non-circular cross-section of the material web winding-up region. The distance between the winding-up or receiving surface and the axis of rotation of the winding device is greatest at the corners or vertices of the winding device in cross-section. Between the corners or vertices in cross-section, i.e. spaced apart from them, the distance between the winding-up or receiving surface and the axis of rotation of the winding device is smaller.
Also in yet further embodiments in which the winding device rotates most slowly when folds are produced in the material web and rotates faster when the material web is received on the winding device than when folds are produced, the actuating device takes into account different distances between an axis of rotation of the winding device and an outer winding-up or receiving surface of the winding device when winding up or receiving the material web.
The material web weakening apparatus arranged upstream from the winding arrangement in the conveying direction for producing target bending lines in the material web preferably generates target bending lines in the material web. It is designed, for example, as a crimping apparatus, cutting apparatus and/or perforating apparatus. It is convenient if the material web weakening apparatus has at least one weakening device, in particular weakening roller. Advantageously, the material web weakening apparatus has an insertion device arranged upstream from the at least one weakening device, which comprises, for example, at least one insertion drum and/or an insertion table. Advantageously, the material web weakening apparatus has an outlet device downstream from the at least one weakening device, which outlet device has, for example, at least one outlet drum and/or an outlet table.
The target bending line distance detection device between the winding arrangement and the material web weakening apparatus, for detecting distances between successive target bending lines in the material web, wherein the actuating device is at least temporarily in signal communication with the target bending line distance detecting device for detecting a respective distance between successive target bending lines in the material web and actuates the material web weakening apparatus in dependence on an existing number of layers of the material web on the winding device, is preferably of an optical type. It preferably operates without contact, for example with electromagnetic radiation such as light or laser radiation. The target bending line distance detection device is capable of detecting the tartlet bending lines in the material web. The actuating device and/or and the target bending line distance detection device is/are capable of detecting or calculating the distance of successive target bending lines in the material web. The conveying speed detection device and the actuating device are combined, for example, into one unit. Alternatively, they are preferably designed or arranged separately from one another.
The installation in which the actuating device actuates the rotary drive so that the conveying speed of the material web remains constant is particularly insusceptible to interferences and efficient. The material web can thus be produced or conveyed in the installation at a constant conveying speed.
The embodiment in which the winding device together with the wound-up material web is replaceable allows for a simple transport of the unit comprising the winding device and material web, for example to a customer or to a remote or downstream working or processing arrangement. A transportable solution for the material web is thus created. Process times can thus be shortened compared to the prior art.
The installation comprising at least one splicing arrangement for producing a continuous material web or a partial web thereof, wherein the at least one splicing arrangement comprises a storage device for storing the material web or partial web thereof and for conveying the material web uninterruptedly when the winding device is replaced, again is extremely efficient. The at least one splicing arrangement is capable of generating a continuous material web from two finite material webs each. The at least one splicing arrangement comprises a first unrolling device for unrolling a finite first material web from a first material web roll and a second unrolling device for unrolling a finite second material web from a second material web roll. The finite first and second material webs are joined together to provide a continuous material web by means of a joining and cutting device of the at least one splicing arrangement. The storage device is formed, for example, by a displaceable roller arrangement which is displaced for storing the material web and/or a dismounting of the stored material web.
The information unit with changeable information about the material web and/or winding, for example, can be automatically and/or contactlessly identified or read by means of a reading device. It is useful if it contains at least one identifying code which contains information that is revealing for a customer and/or subsequent working or processing, such as length, thickness, width, number of layers and/or corrugation of the material web and/or number of layers on the winding device. The information unit is preferably an integral part of the winding device or is replaceable.
The embodiments of the installation according to the invention discussed above also relate to preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention.
In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention are described by way of example with reference to the attached drawing.
An installation shown in
Downstream from the corrugated cardboard arrangement 2 in the conveying direction 3 of the corrugated cardboard web 1 is a corrugated cardboard web weakening apparatus 4, which is designed as a crimping apparatus. The crimping apparatus 4 comprises a pair of embossing rollers 5, which are each rotatably mounted about horizontal embossing roller axes. The embossing roller axes run parallel to one another and perpendicular to the conveying direction 3. The embossing rollers 5 are arranged vertically one above the other. The distance between the embossing rollers 5 is adjustable. An embossing roller gap 6 is formed between the embossing rollers 5.
On its surface or shell surface, each embossing roller 5 has at least one embossing element 7 which is beam-shaped and blunt. It has an extension in the radial direction, i.e. perpendicular to the surface of the respective embossing roller 5, which is less than half the distance between the embossing rollers 5.
The embossing rollers 5 can be driven in rotation by means of an embossing roller drive device 8, which is in driving connection with the embossing rollers 5, for example via a coupling or a gearbox.
The embossing elements 7 are arranged on the circumference of the embossing rollers 5 or driven in rotation during operation in such a way that they meet each other when the embossing rollers 5 are driven in rotation about the respective embossing roller axis. When the embossing elements 7 meet, the embossing roller gap 6 is reduced to a value which is smaller than a thickness of the corrugated cardboard web 1. The corrugated cardboard web 1 is thus squeezed in a line-like manner by means of the embossing elements 7, but remains coherent.
The embossing elements 7 are aligned parallel to the embossing roller axes in order to emboss folds or target bending lines in the corrugated cardboard web 1, which run perpendicular to the conveying direction 3 and are arranged at a distance from one another in the conveying direction 3 or longitudinal extension of the corrugated cardboard web 1.
According to an alternative embodiment, each embossing roller 5 has at least two embossing elements 7, which are arranged on the respective embossing roller 5 at evenly spaced intervals to one another in the circumferential direction of the respective embossing roller 5.
According to an alternative embodiment, only exactly one embossing roller 5 has at least one embossing element 7. The other roller then forms a counter roller.
Downstream from the crimping apparatus 4 in the conveying direction 3 is an optical detection device 10, which is assigned to the corrugated cardboard web 1. The detection device 10 is capable of detecting the actual conveying speed v of the corrugated cardboard web 1 in the conveying direction 3. Furthermore, the detection device 10 is capable of detecting the actual respective distance d of the folds or target bending lines in the corrugated cardboard web 1 in the conveying direction 3 or the longitudinal extension of the corrugated cardboard web 1. For this purpose, the detection device 10, for example, has a conveying speed detection sensor and a fold or target bending line detection sensor.
A winding arrangement 11 is arranged downstream from the detection device 10 in the conveying direction 3 of the corrugated cardboard web 1.
The winding arrangement 11 comprises a support frame 12 which is supported relative to a floor. The support frame 12 carries a receiving device which has at least one first support or bearing means.
The winding arrangement 11 further has a winding device 13 which, in the assembled state of the winding arrangement 11, is rotatably or rotationally drivably received in the receiving device and extends horizontally. For this purpose, the winding device 13 has at least one second support or bearing means which interacts or is in connection with the at least one first support means accordingly. For example, if the at least one first support means is formed by at least one hollow core or an opening, the at least one second support means is formed by a corresponding mandrel, pin or the like. If the at least one first support means is formed by, for example, a pin, mandrel or the like, the at least one second support means, for example, has at least one corresponding opening, recess or the like. The winding device 13 is attached, for example, to a mounting suspension.
In addition, the winding device 13 has a winding core 14 which has a square cross-section or a square outer contour in cross-section and forms a winding-up region 15 for the corrugated cardboard web 1. The winding core 14 is cuboidal in shape. The winding-up region 15 is formed by flat side surfaces 16 which are at right angles to one another, which are arranged consecutively in the circumferential direction and are separated from one another by four edges 17 which are running parallel to one another. The edges 17 extend perpendicularly to the conveying direction 3 of the corrugated cardboard web 1. In cross-section, the winding core 14 has four rectangular corners 18 which are ends of the edges 17. The winding core 14 is dimensionally stable.
The winding core 14 also has two opposing end faces 19 which centrally support the at least one second support means.
The winding arrangement 11 further comprises a rotary drive 25, which is in driving connection with the winding device 13 and is capable of driving the latter in rotation in a direction of rotation 20 or its circumferential direction about its central horizontally extending central longitudinal axis 21.
Furthermore, the installation has an actuating device 22 with a crimping apparatus actuating unit 23. The crimping apparatus actuating unit 23 is at least temporarily in signal communication with the embossing roller drive device 8 for actuating or controlling the latter. This signal communication can be wireless or wired.
The actuating device 22 also has a winding device actuating unit 24 which is at least temporarily in signal communication with the rotary drive 25 to actuate or control the latter. This signal communication may be wireless or wired.
The actuating device 22 also has a receiving unit 26 which is at least temporarily in signal communication with the detection device 10 and is capable of receiving signals relating to the current actually prevailing conveying speed v of the corrugated cardboard web 1 and the distances d between successive folds. This signal communication can be wireless or wired.
The operation or function of the installation is described in more detail below. The corrugated cardboard arrangement 2 produces the corrugated cardboard web 1 and conveys it in the conveying direction 3 at a constant conveying speed v. The corrugated cardboard web 1 crosses the embossing roller gap 6 and passes the detection device 10. The corrugated cardboard web 1 is wound up onto the winding core 14, which is driven in rotation for this purpose by the rotary drive 25. The angular speed of the winding core 14 depends on the conveying speed of the corrugated cardboard web 1 and the transverse dimension of the winding core 14. The direction of rotation of the winding core 14 remains the same. In a corrugated cardboard web receiving region of the winding arrangement 11, the conveying direction 3 of the corrugated cardboard web 1 and the direction of rotation 20 of the winding device 13 are substantially identical. It is convenient if the corrugated cardboard web 1 is under tension or strain during winding up.
The corrugated cardboard web 1 initially rests closely on the outside of the winding region 15 of the winding core 14. A beginning of the corrugated cardboard web 1 can, for example, be fixed locally on the winding core 14. Each new layer of the corrugated cardboard web 1 wound up onto the winding core 14 rests on the outside closely against the underlying layer of the wound-up corrugated cardboard web 1. The edges 17 or corners 18 of the winding core 14 directly or indirectly fold or crease the corrugated cardboard web 1 by 90°. They engage with the corrugated cardboard web 1 in the region of its folds or target bending lines. The length of the corrugated cardboard web 1 that can be wound up per layer depends on the circumference of the winding core 14 and the number of layers of the corrugated cardboard web 1 already wound up.
With each layer of corrugated cardboard web 1 wound up onto the winding core 14, the length of the respective layer of corrugated cardboard web 1 newly wound up onto the winding core 14 increases. The straight regions of the corrugated cardboard web 1 extending adjacent to each side surface 16 of the winding core 14 correspondingly become longer per layer. The length of the layers of the wound-up corrugated cardboard web 1 also depends on the thickness of the corrugated cardboard web 1.
The crimping apparatus actuating unit 23 actuates the embossing elements 7 in such a way that the folds or target bending lines always come to lie adjacent to the edges 17 or corners 18 of the winding core 14 or to folds of the corrugated cardboard web 1 lying below them. The folds in each layer lie above the folds of the layer arranged below. With each layer of corrugated cardboard web 1 wound up onto the winding core 14, the distance d between successive folds is thus increased. In doing so, the distance d depends on the number of layers and the corrugated cardboard web 1 wound up with them, and increases.
The detection device 10 thereby detects the current distance d of successive folds and the current conveying speed v of the corrugated cardboard web 1 in the conveying direction 3.
Due to the winding core 14 being configured to be non-circular, the winding device actuating unit 24 actuates the rotary drive 25 in dependence on a folding progress or on a respective position of the winding core 14 relative to the incoming corrugated cardboard web 1. Since the edges 17 or corners 18 are at a greater distance from the central longitudinal axis 21 than, for example, a central region of a side surface 16 extending between adjacent edges 17, the winding core 14 is driven in rotation in such a way that the corrugated cardboard web 1 can be conveyed at a constant conveying speed. The winding-up speed of the winding arrangement 11 is preferably dynamically adapted. A non-linear angular speed curve of the winding core 14 or of the winding device 13 is present. The actuating device 22 controls the rotary drive 25 accordingly.
Free creasing is avoided. Continuous winding up is possible.
In the following, a preferred embodiment of the winding arrangement 11 is described with reference to
In the following, a further preferred embodiment is described with reference to
Alternatively, the installation can be operated without the crimping apparatus 4. The edges or corners of the winding core are then designed in such a way that they themselves form target bending lines in the corrugated cardboard web. They are sharp-edged.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2019 219 465.6 | Dec 2019 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2020/084801 | 12/7/2020 | WO |
