Patent Application
20110275503
The present invention relates to an improved interfolding machine of single-fold type, for making paper material, and the like, as packages of interfolded sheets with a predetermined number of sheets.
The invention relates, furthermore, to an interfolding method therefor.
As well known, in the paper converting industry a variety of types is used of machines and of processes for making paper tissues, paper towels and similar articles as stacks of a certain height of interfolded sheets, for example as described in EP228687.
They are obtained by folding the sheets in an “interfolded” way, i.e. enclosing within each fold a wing of a previous sheet and a wing a next sheet. This way, when drawing a sheet from the pack, also a wing of the next sheet pops up from the pack, with subsequent practicality of use for certain types of applications. Among possible interfolding ways the L-type, with 2 panels, or the Z or W types, respectively with 3 and 4 panels, are known.
Some interfolding machines of known type, such as EP982256A1 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,741, provide a couple of folding rollers that supply the interfolded sheets on a stacking table and, in some cases, a plurality of “hands” is provided that alternately conceal within and protrude from special grooves, which are made on the folding rollers for the production of a stack of interfolded sheets on the stacking table.
When the growing stack reaches a predetermined height, a first and a second plurality of separating elements, which are arranged for all the length of the stack and at opposite sides with respect to it, enter within the stack same. The introduction of the separating elements starts the separation of a formed stack from a growing stack.
Between the separators and the table the introduction is provided also of a sheet stretching board. The completed stack is then located between the table and the sheet stretching board. While the sheet stretching board remains to support the growing stack, the table drops vertically moving the stack already formed away from the growing stack up to cause the separation of the two stacks.
However, the above described interfolding machines, of so-called single-fold type, which perform the interfolding process starting from webs of paper that converge towards the folding rollers, have various drawbacks when they are used to make stacks of interfolded sheets that have three panels, so-called “Z” folding. In particular, in a pack of “Z” interfolded products, it is necessary that two successive sheets are joined by portions that are separated by cut lines, or “tab-bonds”, owing to the odd number of panels.
The presence of “tab-bonds”, which is always necessary in the known single-fold machines for making “Z” type interfolded products, however, complicates remarkably the separation step of a formed stack of sheets from the growing stack, once achieved a desired height of the pack, owing to the need of tearing the tab-bonds during the separation step.
In particular, when tearing the paper of the tab-bonds an unpredictable movement of the sheet occurs, and irregular folds in the starting and final zone of the pack are formed. Furthermore, for the separation of packs it is necessary to use a sheet stretching board, with relevant structural and operative complications in the machine.
A further drawback of the prior art machines is that the first and the last sheet of each stack is torn. Therefore, to avoid that the resulting product has a low quality, it is necessary to provide a very thin tab-bond, which, owing to the other drawbacks as above described, prevents to achieve a high production rate, that is much less than single-fold machines with two or four panel sheets.
For these reasons, this type of machines for making Z-folded sheets has never been used for products of very light paper, like “facial tissue”, but only for heavier products, such as paper towels.
It is therefore a feature of the present invention to provide an interfolding machine that provides an interfolded product of “Z” type that is improved with respect to the similar products of the prior art.
It is also a feature of the present invention to provide an interfolding machine that allows achieving a higher production rate with respect to the interfolding machines of the prior art.
It is another feature of the present invention to provide an interfolding machine that is cheap with respect to the interfolding machines of the prior art.
It is a further feature of the present invention to provide an interfolding machine that is adapted to process a wide variety of different paper material types.
It is also a feature of the present invention to provide an interfolding machine that is highly flexible, since it is capable of making interfolded products of different types.
It is also a feature of the present invention to provide an interfolding machine that assists remarkably the separation of two packages of interfolded sheets of “Z” type.
It is still a feature of the present invention to provide an interfolding machine that is structurally much easier than similar machines of the prior art.
These and other objects are achieved by an interfolding machine comprising:
This way, the machine allows to separate the sheets only at the clean-cut lines, without tearing any tab-bonds.
Advantageously, the first and the second cutting means cut the first and the second web of paper, respectively, in combination with respective counter-cut means that act opposite to the web of paper in order to provide the above described division into the first plurality of sheets and into the second plurality of sheets.
Advantageously, the first and the second cutting means provide, each, a cutting roller that is peripherally equipped with:
In particular, the first and the second cutting means can provide, each, a cutting roller comprising:
Advantageously, the interfolding means are selected from the group comprised of:
In particular, the plurality of cutting blades and the plurality of perforating blades are mounted on the boundary of a cutting roller at respective housings in a way movable selectively between an operating position, in which said blades protrude from said cutting roller and cut the web of paper, and a rest position, in which said blades are withdrawn within said cutting roller and cannot cut the web of paper, said cutting blades and/or perforating blades in said operating positions obtaining a desired cutting configuration.
Advantageously, a means is provided for actuating selectively each blade of said plurality of cutting blades and/or of said perforating blades between said operating position and said rest position in order to provide a desired cutting configuration.
In particular, the means for actuating selectively each of said cutting blades and each of said perforating blades between said operating position and said rest position can provide an actuator, for example a pneumatic actuator, having a stem with an end that is connected to the blade and the other end that is arranged in an actuating chamber, said blade being pivotally constrained to said roller at a pivoting point, said end of said actuator sliding in said actuating chamber for causing the rotation of said blade about said pivot point and then the movement of said blade from said operating position to said rest position, or vice-versa.
Alternatively, the means for actuating the blades between the operating position and the rest position provides a carriage that is integral to each blade and slides on a guide, said carriage withdrawing/forwarding with respect to the boundary of the roller along the guide for bringing the blade from the operating position to the rest position, or vice-versa.
In a further exemplary embodiment, the means for actuating the blades between the operating position and the rest position comprises a first plurality of blade holders that are arranged peripherally on the roller at the first angle to each other and a second plurality of blade holders that are arranged peripherally on the roller at the second angle to each other, whereby the blades can be mounted on the roller at the first, or the second, plurality of blade holders to provide the complete cuts, or the tear-off lines, respectively.
In particular, at the separating section first and second separation means are provided that act at opposite sides of the stack and are adapted to be moved between a position that is external to the stack and a position within the stack, said first and second separation means arranged in said position within the stack in points such that the separation of two successive sheets is obtained at a complete cut, or “clean cut”.
More precisely, the first separation means enters the stack at a cut line, or “clean cut” and the second separation means enters the stack opposite to the first separation means in a position immediately upstream of it. This way, after the separation of two consecutive sheets, between the first and the second separation means only one sheet remains hanging that can be easily stretched for finishing the pack.
Advantageously, furthermore, a program means is provided that is adapted to operate electronically said first and second separation means. This way, the separation means is operated with high precision. This way, furthermore, the separation means is prevented from entering the stack in wrong points i.e. in points that bridge two “tab-bonds”, or between a “tab-bond” and a “clean cut”, and the separation means is caused to enter only at two “clean cuts”, as above described.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method for making a stack of interfolded sheets comprises the steps of:
said cutting step providing a combination of complete cuts, or “clean cut”, and of tear-off lines, or “tab-bonds” on said first and second web.
This way, the separation of the stacks is carried out only at the clean-cut lines, without tearing, and with simplification of the steps of separation, such that the separation between the formed stack and the growing stack does not require using separation boards for tearing the tab-bonds, since at the clean-cut the separation between the two stacks is obtained freely.
In particular, the above described combination of complete cuts, or “clean cuts”, and of tear-off lines, or “tab-bonds” comprises a step of making a cutting line on each of said first and second web of paper alternated to a step of making a tear-off line.
Advantageously, the step of separating said stack of interfolded sheets from the growing stack is effected by first and second separation means that are adapted to enter the stack, at opposite sides with respect to it, at points of the stack such that the separation of two successive sheets is obtained at a complete cut, or “clean cut”.
According to a further aspect of the invention, an interfolded product comprises a plurality of sheets that are arranged according to a determined interfolded configuration such that two successive sheets of said plurality of sheets are alternately separated by a cut line, or “clean cut”, and a tear-off line, or “tab-bond”.
In particular, the plurality of interfolded sheets comprises a cut line, or “clean cut”, at the first and the last sheet, and a tear-off line, or “tab bond”, at the sheets that are adjacent to said first and said last sheet. This way, the separation between two stacks is carried out always at the complete cut, or “clean cut”.
Further characteristic and the advantages of the interfolding machine, according to the invention, will be made clearer with the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, exemplifying but not limitative, with reference to the attached drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts, throughout the figures of which:
FIGS. from 3 to 5 show elevational side views of three possible exemplary embodiments of a cutting roller according to the invention;
With reference to
More precisely, the two webs of paper 10a and 10b are dragged by respective series of rollers 31-36 and 37-45 up to respective cutting sections 20a and 20b, where cutting rollers 2a and 2b are arranged that in combination with respective counter cutting rollers 3a and 3b cut into sheets the webs of paper 10a and 10b, in order to form respective sequences of sheets 11a and 11b.
The sequences of sheets 11a and 11b reach then an interfolding section 30, where the sheets 11a that have been obtained by the first web 10a and the sheets 11b that have been obtained by the second web 10b are folded in an interfolded way in order to form a stack 100 having a determined interfolded configuration.
In particular, at the interfolding section 30, the cut sheets 11a and 11b, which have all the same length, are folded into the interfolded configuration by counter-rotating folding rollers 4a, 4b.
With reference to
According to the invention, each series of sheets 11a and 11b has a complete cut 51, or “clean cut”, alternated to a tear-off line 52, or “tab-bond”.
The above described configuration avoids the above described drawbacks of the prior art machines, that are due to the separation of two successive sheets of two different stacks that are joined by a line of “tab-bond” type.
In fact, according to the invention, the separation means of two stacks of successive sheets is operated only at two lines of complete cut, or “clean cut”.
With reference to
Alternatively, as shown in
In a further exemplary embodiment that is shown in
More precisely, blades 21a-21f of the first series of blades are arranged at a first angle to each other equal to 60° starting from a reference position P0. Blade 22a of the second series of blades is arranged at a position P1 at an angle 90° to the actual reference position P0, whereas blade 22b of the second series of blades is arranged at a position P2 at an angle 270° to the actual reference position P0.
More in detail, blades 21a-21f of the first series comprise a cutting edge that is adapted to provide a complete cut, or “clean cut”, on web 10a, or 10b, whereas blades 22a and 22b of the second series has a cutting profile that is adapted to provide a tear-off line, or “tab bond”, on web 10a, or 10b.
Blades 21a-21f of the first series and blades 22a and 22b of the second series are, therefore, operated responsive to the desired interfolded configuration.
In this case, by operating selectively the blades of the first series 21a-21f and/or the blades of the second series 22a and 22b it is possible to obtain different interfolded configurations. More in detail, according to the type of desired interfolded configuration a desire cutting configuration is obtained by arranging selectively blades 21a-21f and 22a and 22b in a cutting/perforating position, in which they protrude from the roller surface 2a, or 2b, and lay in a circumference C1, or in a “neutral” position in which they do not cut/perforate the web of paper 10a, or 10b, and lay in a circumference C2.
For example, as shown in
In particular, a separation means is provided that is adapted to pass from a position that is external to the stack to a position within the stack, in which it causes the separation of two consecutive sheets. More precisely, the separation means comprises a first separator 81 and a second separator 82 that act at opposite sides of the stack. When making the separation of two consecutive sheets, separators 81 and 82 enter the stack at points of the stack such that the separation of two successive sheets is obtained at two lines of complete cut, or “clean cut” 51.
In particular, first separator 81 enters stack at a complete cut 51, whereas separator 82 enters stack in a next upstream position with respect to separator 81, with respect to the conveying direction of the stack (
In case of an “L” type interfolded configuration, instead, where two sheets 11a and 11b comprise, each, two panels I and II that are interfolded by one panel, all the sheets 11 of the stack are separated by a complete cut, or “clean cut” 51 (
Therefore, in this case all the six blades of “clean cut” type of each roller 2a and 2b are arranged in the cutting position, whereas blades 22a and 22b of the second series are arranged in the withdrawn position (
If, instead, an interfolded “W” configuration has to be obtained, where two successive sheets 11a and 11b of the stack have 4 panels each interfolded for 2 panels (
Therefore, the interfolding machine, as above described, is highly flexible and capable of providing all the different interfolded configurations that can be achieved with machines of “single-fold” type.
In
More in detail, when flexible duct 200 is not run by the fluid, it moves to a deflated configuration such that blade 21, or 22, which is associated with it, is brought to a “neutral” position A on circumference C2, in which it does not act on the web of paper (
When, instead, the duct 200 is run by the inflation fluid, it turns into an inflated configuration and forces from under the corresponding blade-holder 202 to rotate about a pivot point 201 in order to bring the respective blade 21, or 22, to the cutting position B on circumference C1 in which it acts on the web of paper (
Alternative devices for actuating the blades can be provided as alternative mechanical implementations obvious to a skilled person.
An actuator, for example a pneumatic actuator, can be provided (not shown) having a stem with an end that is connected to the blade and the other end that is arranged in an actuating chamber. The blade is pivotally constrained to the roller at a pivoting point, and the end of the actuator sliding in the actuating chamber for causing the rotation of the blade about the pivot point and then the movement of the blade from the operating position to the rest position, or vice-versa;
In a further alternative (not shown) a carriage can be provided that is integral to each blade and slides on a guide, the carriage withdrawing/forwarding with respect to the boundary of the roller along the guide for bringing the blade from the operating position to the rest position, or vice-versa.
In still another alternative (not shown) a first plurality of blade holders are arranged peripherally on the roller at the first angle to each other and a second plurality of blade holders are arranged peripherally on the roller at the second angle to each other, whereby the blades can be selectively mounted on the roller at the first, or the second plurality of blade holders in order to make either the complete cuts, or the tear-off lines, respectively.
The foregoing description of a specific embodiment will so fully reveal the invention according to the conceptual point of view, so that others, by applying current knowledge, will be able to modify and/or adapt for various applications such an embodiment without further research and without parting from the invention, and it is therefore to be understood that such adaptations and modifications will have to be considered as equivalent to the specific embodiment. The means and the materials to realise the different functions described herein could have a different nature without, for this reason, departing from the field of the invention. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08173144.0 | Dec 2008 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP09/09343 | 12/31/2009 | WO | 00 | 7/27/2011 |
