Patent ID: 6772043
Filing Date: 2004-08-03
Classification: B65B

Abstract:
An apparatus for automatically controlling the work flow of an automatic machine for wrapping cylindrical products (1), the apparatus comprising effectors (2) associated with the machine (2) including: an elevator (3) having a table (4) that is reciprocatingly movable in a vertical direction between a lowered position, in which it receives the products (1) to be wrapped, and a raised position, in which the products (1) are positioned inside a wrapping station (15); a pair of planar horizontal folders (5, 6) located under the wrapping station (15) on each side of a vertical, central machine axis (16), the pair of planar horizontal folders (5, 6) being reciprocatingly movable in reciprocally opposite horizontal directions; and two pairs of planar vertical, parallel folders (7, 8), located on each side of the wrapping station (15) and being reciprocatingly movable in reciprocally opposite horizontal directions; a plurality of pushers (9) positioned in succession at equal intervals along a horizontal direction (10) passing through the wrapping station (15), the pushers (9) being designed to accommodate the products (1) in pairs and to feed them in the horizontal direction (10), and with rotational motors for driving the effectors (2); Said apparatus(20) further comprising electronic storage means (11) having resident functions that relate the angle of rotation aÂ°, bÂ°, cÂ°, c1Â°, dÂ°, eÂ°, fÂ°, gÂ°, iÂ°, jÂ°, mÂ°, nÂ° described by a controlling motor (12) with the desired instantaneous position of a controlled effector (2); means (13) for detecting the actual instantaneous position of the controlled effector (2); comparator means (14) for determining the positional error of the controlled effector (2) relative to a given expected position upon reaching a certain angle of rotation of the controlling motor (12); and means (25) for controlling the motor (12) of the controlled effector (2), which receive the error signal from the comparator means (14) and apply to the motor (12) a corresponding corrective action designed to control and synchronize the angular position of the controlled motor (12) with that of the controlling motor (12).