Method and Apparatus for Winding Up Tubes in Spool Form and for Wrapping the Spool Formed

Abstract

Method for winding up tubes (1) in spool form by means of an apparatus for winding and wrapping the spool formed with a film (2), the apparatus comprising a structure (10) translationally movable and carrying a reel (20) rotating about a longitudinal axis of rotation (X-X), a feeder device (40) feeding a tube (1) to the reel (20), a feeder device (50) feeding a wrapping film (2), and a pair of coaxial discs (30a,30b;130a,130b) which are respectively distal (30a;130a) and proximal (30b;130b) and arranged opposite each other for containing the sides of the spool in the longitudinal direction (X-X).

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Italian Patent Application No. MI2012A 000009 filed on Jan. 4, 2012, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for winding up tubes in spool form and wrapping the spool formed.

BACKGROUND

It is known in the technical sector of winding up tubes, hanks and the like in the form of spools that said spools are obtained by winding up the hank onto a reel rotating on a motor-driven hub.

Also known in the art are different models of winders for automatically winding tubes made of plastic or other materials, which operate with a completely automatic cycle comprising essentially the following steps:

• • automatically fastening the tube to be wound onto the reel by means of an associated mechanical device;
  • automatic starting of the winding step during which a second tube-guiding device distributes the tube on the rotating reel, trying to use as far as possible a staggered distribution of the tube;
  • cutting the tube automatically when the set winding length is reached;
  • starting tying of the wrapping of the finished spool as preset by the operator;
  • once the spool has been wrapped, automatic discharging of the roll produced which therefore has the appearance of a perfectly wound wrapped tube of the desired length ready for the palletization step.

It is also known that wrapping of the spool, once winding has been completed, is performed using shrinkable plastic materials which tend to keep the spool compact for subsequent unloading from the reel, transportation and storage.

The wrapping step performed on a production line is, however, particularly critical owing to the difficulty of obtaining winding of the spool both on its front winding surface, which is a conventional operation, and along its side surfaces, which is a particularly complicated operation since during the tube winding step the sides of the spool are held between containing flanges which rotate together with the reel and which, although having the function of ensuring winding of the tube and the plastic film onto the front surface of the spool, prevent in fact application of the film onto the sides of the spool itself.

In order to be able to solve this problem, machines have been developed where the circular containing flanges may be retracted inside the rotating reel, thus freeing the sides of the spool for wrapping; this configuration with retracting flanges however requires that the flanges have a radius with dimensions not greater than half the radius of the reel, thus greatly limiting the useful winding diameter of the spool, which, in addition to increasing the costs of the machine with the introduction of numerous actuating and control parts, also results in greater dimensions of the machine for the same final diameter of the spool, or a reduction in the final diameter thereof.

Examples of these machines are described as prior art in WO2010/103.336 which claims a winding machine in which at least one of the spool containing discs is rotationally movable.

WO2010103.336 describes a winding machine in which the containing flanges are formed by radial arms which are operated singly in a manner synchronized with the feeding of a film for wrapping the finished spool, said film being fed by an associated feeding device which remains fixed in both senses of a direction parallel to the axis for winding the tube and the film or perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of feeding thereof.

In WO103.336 each single radial arm rotates together with the spool when the latter passes opposite the film entry zone, i.e. performs a backwards (translational or rotational) movement which brings it outside the area occupied by the film, allowing the tube to be applied also onto the sides of the wound spool; once the film feeding zone has been angularly passed through, the containing arm is brought back into its original position, in order to perform the function of containing the spool during rotation until wrapping has been completed.

It is therefore clear that in WO2010/103.336 the containing flanges are not rotationally fixed and are divided into single arms, which move singly depending on the relative position with respect to a film feeding device which is fixed in the direction parallel to the tube winding axis.

WO96/26.863 describes a method for winding film around spools wound on cylindrical wooden supports to which plates for containing the wound spool are attached; the document teaches how the spool is wound together with containing plates outside of a winding machine and does not provide any indication of a solution to the problem of applying the wrapping film to the side part of the wound spool when still mounted on the reel of the winder.

WO99/15.409 describes a winding machine and film wrapping machine which are arranged coaxially alongside each other and separate from each other and in which the lateral containment parts are rotationally movable together with the reel during winding of the spool and the film and are radially retracted and/or axially displaced in order to contain the spool adjacent to that being wound and in which a wrapping film feeding device is designed to move in both senses of a direction parallel to the winding axis so as to distribute the film over the width of each spool and then the entire set of spools, in different configurations designed to allow selective unwrapping of the only one spool or a plurality of spools wound and wrapped together, while leaving the others properly wrapped. The document does not provide any indication as regards the problem of distributing the film on the sides of the spool for wrapping thereof.

SUMMARY

The technical problem which is posed, therefore, is that of providing a method and a machine for winding up in spool form tubes and the like, which allows easy and low-cost wrapping of the spool itself once winding has been completed and with the spool still mounted on the winding reel.

In connection with this problem it is also required that this machine should have small dimensions, be easy and inexpensive to produce and assemble and be able to be easily installed at any user using conventional standardized means.

These results are achieved according to the present invention by means of a method for winding and wrapping spools of tubes according to the characteristic features of claim 1 and by a machine for winding and wrapping spools of tubes according to the characteristic features of claim 6.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Further details may be obtained from the following description of a non-limiting example of embodiment of the present invention provided with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a machine for winding and wrapping spools of tubes according to the present invention, open in the rest condition;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the machine according to FIG. 1 during closing in order to start the winding process;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the machine according to FIG. 1 during fastening of the tube to be wound;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the machine according to FIG. 1 during winding of the tube;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the machine according to FIG. 1 during the start of wrapping; and

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the machine according to FIG. 1 during completion of the wrapping process;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a second example of embodiment of a machine according to the present invention during winding of the tube; and

FIG. 8 shows the machine according to FIG. 7 during wrapping of the wound spool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIG. 1 and assuming solely for the sake of convenience of description and without a limiting meaning a pair of reference axes with, respectively, a longitudinal direction X-X, corresponding to the axis of rotation for winding, and transverse direction Y-Y, corresponding to the direction of movement of the tube to be wound and the wrapping film, a machine for winding up tubes 1 in spool form and wrapping the formed spool by means of a shrinkable film 2 according to the invention comprises essentially:

• • a carrying structure 10 which has, attached thereto:
  • a reel 20 rotating about the longitudinal axis X-X and actuated by means of a shaft 11 connected to actuating and control means 15 which are conventional per se and only schematically shown in FIG. 1;
  • the structure 10 is movable in both directions of the longitudinal axis X-X on longitudinal rails 21 from an extracted position into a position where it is inserted relative to
  • a pair of discs 30, i.e. distal disc 30a and proximal disc 30b for containing in the longitudinal direction X-X the spool being wrapped; the discs 30a,30b are fixed and coaxial with the longitudinal axis X-X and spaced from each other in the same direction X-X by an amount D1 slightly greater than the final thickness of the tube spool to be wound; as shown, the two discs 30a, 30b are attached to a support structure 35 and have:
    • a central circular coaxial opening 31 with an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the reel 20 and
    • a gap 32 in their surface, equivalent to a circle segment with a centre angle preferably of between 30° and 120° and preferably between 40° and 90°.

Preferably the inner surface 30c of each disc 30a,30b is lined with anti-friction material, such as Teflon or the like, and also has spheres 33 in turn lined with anti-friction material, said lining and spheres being designed to allow easy sliding of the film 2 and the tube 1.

In a preferred embodiment the distance D1 between the discs 30a, 30b is adjustable by means of a relative axial movement of the proximal disc 30b with respect to the distal disc 30a in a direction parallel to the winding axis X-X, which can be achieved for example by means of a screw/female thread connection of the spacers 36 arranged between the discs 30. In this way, it is possible, at the start of the winding and wrapping cycle, and depending on the width of the final wound spool to vary the distance between the discs 30; distance D1, which is kept fixed during winding of the tube 1 and wrapping with the film 2. Preferably, the discs 30a, 30b perform the containing function in the direction X-X of the winding spool.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6, the apparatus is completed by a device 40 for feeding and fastening the tube 1 to the reel 20 and by a device 50 for feeding and fastening the shrinkable film 2 for final wrapping.

As can be seen more clearly below, the device for feeding the shrinkable film 2 is movable parallel to the longitudinal direction X-X, in both senses thereof, between opposite end positions such as to cause the film 2 to project partially in the longitudinal direction X-X from the sides of the spool.

The device 50 for feeding the film is kept in position, with respect to the rotationally fixed discs 30a, 30b, such as to cause entry of the film inside the discs 30a, 30b in a direction substantially tangential to the spool.

With this configuration the operating sequence of the machine is as follows:

• • arrangement of the structure 10 carrying the reel 20 (FIG. 1) in an extracted longitudinal position with respect to the two discs 30a,30b;
  • axial displacement of the structure 10 (FIG. 2) so as to bring the reel 20 into the position inserted in the two central openings 31 of the discs 30a,30b;
  • operation of the fixed-disc device 40 for feeding the tube 1 (FIG. 3), with fastening of the tube to the reel 20 and starting of the winding process;
  • when the programmed spool winding diameter is reached, stoppage and cutting of the tube 1;
  • starting of device 50 for feeding the wrapping film 2 and fastening of the film onto the reel 20;
  • pulling by the reel of the film 2 with consequent winding of the film onto the spool formed, so as to cover the front surface thereof;
  • synchronized displacement of the feeder device 50 for the film 2 in both senses of the direction X-X so as to bring the film 2 into a position where it is partly superimposed on the front surface of the reel and partly projects in the longitudinal direction with respect thereto so as to form a wrapping fold 2a on the side of the spool;

“synchronized displacement” in accordance with the present invention is understood as meaning that the displacement of the feeder device 50 for the film 2 in both senses of the longitudinal direction X-X takes place in such a way that the film 2 projects laterally from either side of the spool in the region of the open circle segments 31 of the fixed discs 30; in this way, during unrolling of the film, said film forms said fold 2a on the sides of the spool, completing correct wrapping thereof;

• • displacement of the structure 20 into the extracted position with respect to the discs once wrapping has been completed;
  • unloading of the wrapped spool;
  • starting of a new cycle if required.

It is therefore clear how with the apparatus for winding and wrapping tubes in the form of spools according to the invention, characterized by the containing discs which are fixed with respect to the rotating reel, it is possible to achieve complete and automatic wrapping on a production line without limitation of the final size of the spool as instead occurs in the prior art; with the apparatus according to the invention it is in particular possible to render independent of each other the measurements of the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the spool, these being no longer dependent on the need to design the containing flanges in accordance with the dimensions of the winding drum together with which, according to the prior art, they must rotate and with respect to which they must be retracted and/or disengaged.

In addition to this the spool is never freed from the lateral containing restraint of the fixed discs, thus favouring more uniform winding and wrapping of the spool.

With the method and the apparatus according to the invention, it is also possible to use wrapping films of standard and/or uniform size for any spool thickness, the movement of the film feeder device between the two ends of its travel path in the longitudinal direction X-X in fact resulting in there being no constraint on the size of the film in the said longitudinal direction.

In a second embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, it is envisage that:

• • the disc 130a, which is distal with respect to the reel 20, is both rotationally and translationally fixed during all the winding and wrapping steps and has at least one opening 32 in its surface. As shown, the disc 130a may be formed by means of petals 131a, which are angularly spaced from each other so as to define the said openings 32;
  • the disc 130b, which is proximal with respect to the reel, consists of petals 131b supported by corresponding arms 135 integral with the rod 136a of a cylinder 136 for performing axial displacement of the petals parallel to the longitudinal direction X-X from a position removed from the spool being wound, in which position the proximal disc 130b remains outside the winding trajectory of the reel 20, into a position for containing the spool during wrapping thereof, in which position the proximal disc 130b is situated a suitable distance D1 from the fixed distal disc 130a and in an angular position such as to bring at least one petal 131b into an angular position such as to produce the alignment of the at least one opening 32 of the two discs 131a, 131b, for wrapping of the spool in the film in a manner similar to that described and illustrated above.

Advantageously, in the case of the embodiment according to FIGS. 7 and 8, containment of the spool in the longitudinal direction X-X during winding of the tube 1 is performed by a cross-piece 60, which is displaceable on the reel 20 in the longitudinal direction X-X for longitudinal sizing/containment of the spool; at the end of the tube winding step, the cross-piece is displaced away from the spool into an end-of-travel position, while the proximal disc 130b is brought into the position close to the spool for wrapping.

Advantageously the arms of the cross-piece 60 are provided with a mechanism for adjusting the radial opening of the reel, in accordance with the desired inner diameter of the spool to be wound, thus eliminating the constraint imposed on the inner diameter by the dimensions of the central opening 31 of the discs 30a, 30b of the first embodiment; in fact, it is no longer necessary for the outer diameter of the winding reel to be less than the diameter of the central opening 31.

Although described in relation to an example of embodiment with a gap in the surface of the containing discs in the form of a circle segment, it is envisaged that this gap may have equivalent forms provided that they have the function of ensuring synchronization with the movement of the film feeder device in the longitudinal direction. It is envisaged moreover that fastening of the film 2 for starting of the wrapping operation may also be performed before final cutting of the tube.

Although described in connection with a number of preferred constructional forms and examples of embodiment of the invention, it is understood that the scope of protection of the present patent is defined solely by the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A method for winding up tubes (1) in spool form by means of an apparatus for winding and wrapping the spool formed with a film (2), the apparatus comprising a structure (10) translationally movable and carrying a reel (20) rotating about a longitudinal axis of rotation (X-X), a feeder device (40) feeding a tube (1) to the reel (20), a feeder device (50) feeding a wrapping film (2), and a pair of coaxial discs (30a,30b;130a,130b) which are respectively distal (30a;130a) and proximal (30b;130b) and arranged opposite each other for containing the sides of the spool in the longitudinal direction (X-X), the method comprising the following steps: arrangement of the structure (10) carrying the reel (20) in a longitudinal position removed from the distal disc (30a;130a);axial displacement of the structure (10) into a position where the reel (20) is coaxially close to the distal disc (30a;130a);operating the feeder device (40) feeding the tube (1) and starting the winding process;starting the feeder device (50) feeding the wrapping film (2) and fastening said film onto the reel (20);cutting the tube (2) when the programmed winding diameter of the spool is reached;starting the process for winding the film (2) onto the spool formed so as to cover the front surface thereof;synchronized displacement of the feeder device (50) for the film (2) in both senses of the longitudinal direction (X-X) from one end position to the other relative to the spool during winding, wherein the discs (30a,30b;130a,130b) for containing the wound spool and the wrapping film (2) are rotationally fixed with respect to the reel (20) and wherein the surface of said fixed containing discs (30a,30b;130a,130b) has at least one gap (32) in the zone where the film (2) enters inside the said discs.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of fastening the film (2) in order to start wrapping is performed prior to stoppage and cutting of the tube (1) when the programmed winding diameter of the spool is reached.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of fastening the film (2) in order to start wrapping is performed after stoppage and cutting of the tube (1) when the programmed winding diameter of the spool is reached.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the centre angle of the circle segment forming the gap (32) in the surface of the discs (30a,30b;130a,130b) is between 30° and 120°.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the centre angle of the circle segment forming the gap (32) in the surface of the discs (30a,30b;130a,130b) is preferably between 40° and 90°.

6. An apparatus for winding up tubes (1) in spool form and wrapping the spool formed by means of a film (2), comprising: a structure (10) translationally movable and carrying a rotating reel (20), a feeder device (40) feeding a tube (1) to the reel (20), a feeder device (50) feeding a wrapping film (2) to the reel (20), and a pair of coaxial discs (30a,30b;130a,130b) for containing the sides of the spool in the longitudinal direction (X-X), which are respectively distal (30a,130a) and proximal (30b;130b) and provided with a respective central opening (31);wherein the said discs (30a,30b;130a,130b) for containing the wound spool and the wrapping film (2) are rotationally fixed with respect to the rotating reel (20),wherein the surface of the said fixed containing discs (30a,30b;130a,130b) has at least one gap (32), in the zone where film (2) enters inside the said discs andwherein the carrying structure (10) is movable in both senses of the longitudinal direction (X-X) from a position where the reel (20) is removed from the distal disc (30a,130a) into a position where the reel is close to the said distal disc (30a;130a).

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said containing discs (30a,30b) are translationally fixed.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein at least one (30b;130b) of said containing discs (30a,30b;130a,130b) is translationally movable.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the translationally movable disc is the proximal disc (30b;130b).

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the containing discs (30a,30b) are connected together in the longitudinal direction (X-X) by screw/female thread tie-members (36).

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a cross-piece (60) for containing the spool during winding thereof.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said cross-piece is displaceable from a winding position, close to the spool, into a wrapping position, removed from the spool and not interfering with the proximal disc (130b).

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the proximal disc (130b) is mounted on a respective arm (135) integral with the rod (136a) of a cylinder (136) for performing translation of the disc (130b) in both senses of the longitudinal direction (X-X) from a removed position, where it does not interfere with the cross-piece (60), into a position close to the spool, for containing the spool and the film (2) during wrapping.

14. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said gap (32) of the containing discs (30a,30b;130a,130b) is equivalent to a circle segment.

15. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said circle segment has a centre angle of between 30° and 120°.

16. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said circle segment has a centre angle of between 40° and 95°.

17. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the inner surface (30c) of each disc (30a,30b;130a,130b) is lined with anti-friction material.

18. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the inner surface (30c) of each disc (30a,30b;130a,130b) has spheres (33) lined with anti-friction material.

19. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said feeder device (50) feeding the film (2) is movable in the longitudinal direction (X-X) between two opposite end positions such to cause the film (2) to project partially in the longitudinal direction (X-X) from the sides of the spool.

20. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the said displacement of the feeder (50) is synchronized with the gaps (32) in the two containing discs (30a,30b;130a,130b).

21. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the distance (D1) between the discs (30a,30b;130a,130b) which are rotationally fixed is slightly greater than the desired width of the spool being wound.

22. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the total travel stroke of the feeder device (50) in the longitudinal direction (X-X) between the two end positions is greater than the distance (D1) between the containing discs (30a,30b;130a,130b).

23. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the disc (130b), which is proximal with respect to the reel (20), is designed in the form of petals (131b) supported by corresponding arms (135).

24. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said cross-piece (60) allows expansion of the outer diameter of the reel beyond the inner diameter of the central opening (31) of the discs (30a,30b;130a,130b).