System with a separate unit for supplying wrapping material in strip form

A system featuring an operating section defined by at least one machine employing strips of wrapping material; and an automatic strip supply unit detached from the operating section and wherein a number of passive unwinding stations arranged side by side and each supporting a respective reel for a respective strip are selectively connectable to an active robot traveling along the unwinding stations and in turn comprising an operating module selectively connectable to each station for forming, in conjunction with each station, a device for replacing the runout reels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a system with a separate unit for 
supplying wrapping material in strip form. 
The present invention may be used to advantage on product manufacturing and 
packing systems in general, and, in particular, cigarette manufacturing 
and processing systems to which the following description refers 
specifically, but purely by way of example. 
Cigarette manufacturing and processing systems--by which the term 
"processing" is intended to mean packing the cigarettes in packets of any 
type, and/or in cartons of any type, and/or in packs of cartons--normally 
comprise a number of machines fed with different types of strip material 
wound off reels normally mounted on the machines themselves, and which, on 
running out, are normally replaced with new reels by automatic strip 
change devices also mounted on the machines. 
In view of the high operating speed of the machines, and consequently the 
large amount of strip material consumed, a major problem encountered on 
systems of the aforementioned type is that of supplying a relatively large 
number of reels to various parts of the system, while at the same time 
minimizing the amount of labour required, and keeping the floor space 
between the machines relatively clear, i.e. preventing an accumulation of 
new reels close to each machine. 
Moreover, the automatic strip change devices on the machines are invariably 
not only expensive but also relatively cumbersome, and such as to at least 
partially affect the design of the machines themselves. 
British Patent n. 2,145,046 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,078 relate to cigarette 
manufacturing and processing systems wherein the machines are connected to 
a centralized full-reel store by means of a traveling robot-operated store 
comprising a carriage supporting a given number of reels, and having a 
loading-unloading arm for picking up the full reels from the centralized 
store, unloading them on to the carriage, and transferring them to the 
strip change devices of individual machines. 
Though the above known system does in fact provide for keeping the floor 
space between the machines clear, and for minimizing the amount of labour 
required, it fails to provide for eliminating the need to provide each 
machine with its own strip change device. 
The latter problem is to some extent solved by the system described in 
British Patent Application n. 2,245,247 wherein the strip change devices 
are detached from the machines and grouped into a single strip change 
unit. Though this considerably simplifies both design of the machines and 
supply of the full reels, which in this case are fed to only one part of 
the system, it undoubtedly fails to provide for reducing the cost of the 
strip change devices--which are simply transferred from the machines to 
the separate strip change unit--or for solving the problems posed by 
supplying the full reels to each strip change device. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to perfect the above known system 
in such a manner as to drastically reduce the cost of the separate strip 
change unit. 
A further object of the present invention is to render the separate strip 
change unit fully automatic. 
According to the present invention, there is provided a system with a 
separate strip change unit for supplying wrapping material in strip form; 
the strip change unit comprising a series of unwinding stations, each 
supporting a respective reel for a respective runoff strip; and the system 
comprising, in addition to said strip change unit, an operating section 
detached from the strip change unit and defined by at least one machine 
employing strips of wrapping material; characterized by the fact that the 
strip change unit comprises a robot traveling along the unwinding stations 
and in turn comprising an operating module selectively connectable to each 
station so as to constitute, in conjunction with each said station, a 
device for replacing the runout reels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Numeral 1 in FIG. 1 indicates a system for producing tobacco products, in 
particular cigarettes, and wherein an operating section 2 comprises a 
first machine 3 and at least one further machine 4, both designed to 
receive strips 5 of wrapping material from a separate strip change unit 6 
comprising an unwinding station 7 for each strip 5. 
Stations 7 are aligned in a group along the slideway 8 of a carriage 9 with 
a drive motor 9a. Carriage 9 is located on the opposite side of stations 7 
to that facing operating section 2, and is interposed between stations 7 
and a number of stores 10 (only one shown for the sake of simplicity in 
FIG. 1) for a number of full reels 11. 
Stores 10 and carriage 9 form part of unit 6, which also comprises a 
loading arm 12 rotated by a motor 13 about an axis 14 parallel to slideway 
8, and fitted to a bracket 15 integral with carriage 9. The free end of 
arm 12 presents a connecting pin 16 movable axially, in relation to arm 12 
and by virtue of an actuator 17, between a withdrawn idle position and an 
extracted operating position, and movable transversely, together with arm 
12, between a pickup position, wherein pin 16 is aligned with the core 18 
of a full reel 11 in store 10, and a release position described in detail 
later on. 
Slideway 8 and carriage 9 respectively form the slideway and base of a 
strip change robot 20 forming part of unit 6, and which also comprises two 
slideways 21 extending vertically upwards from carriage 9; a powered slide 
22 movable along slideways 21 between a raised position higher than the 
top of stations 7, and a lowered position on a level with stations 7; a 
further two slideways 23 extending horizontally from slide 22 towards 
stations 7; and a further slide 24 movable along slideways 23 between a 
backup position in which it is interposed between slide 22 and stations 7, 
and a forward position in which, when slide 22 is lowered, slide 24 is 
located facing a station 7 and inside a channel 25 defined by said station 
7 and an adjacent station 7. 
Slide 24 supports a module 26 (shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 and described in 
detail later on) selectively connectable to each station 7, and which 
provides for automatically supplying stations 7 with full reels 11 with 
which to replace runout reels 11a (hereinafter, 11a generally indicates a 
runoff reel), and, during replacement of reels 11a, for powering stations 
7, which are substantially passive, whereas module 26 is an active 
actuating module. 
For a clearer understanding of the following description, and particularly 
the structure of stations 7 and module 26, it should be pointed out that, 
when connected to any one of stations 7, module 26 forms, with station 7, 
an automatic reel feed and change device as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and at 
least partly of the type described in Italian Patent Application n. 
3426A/90, and equivalent U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,701, to which full reference 
is made herein in the interest of full disclosure. 
As shown in FIGS. 2aand 2b, each station 7 comprises a plate or frame 28 
from which projects a powered shaft 29 parallel to slideway 8 and 
supporting a rocker arm 30. Rocker arm 30 rotates with shaft 29, and 
presents, at opposite ends, two pins 31 and 31a parallel to shaft 29 and 
projecting from rocker arm 30 on the opposite side to frame 28. More 
specifically, as reel 11a is unwound, rocker arm 30 is substantially 
horizontal, and pin 31 closest to slideway 8 engages core 18 of a full 
reel 11, while pin 31a engages core 18 of reel 11a. 
When rocker arm 30 is in said horizontal unwinding position, pin 31 is 
centered over two rollers 32 and 33, the first of which is fitted in idle 
manner to a shaft 34 integral with frame 28 and parallel to shaft 29, and 
the second of which presents an integral face coupling 35, and is fitted 
in idle manner to an output shaft 36 on frame 28. Rocker arm 30 is fitted 
in sliding manner to a slideway 30a integral with and perpendicular to 
shaft 29, and is slid towards slideway 8 by a known actuator 37 fitted to 
slideway 30a and connected to rocker arm 30 via a rack and pinion 
connection (not shown), so as to move into a position of noninterference 
with roller 33, when rotated 180.degree. clockwise (in FIG. 2) by and 
about the axis of shaft 29. 
Substantially beneath shaft 29, frame 28 supports a rotary shaft 38 fitted 
on its free end with a face coupling 39 by which it is oscillated about 
its axis. Shaft 38 supports an idle roller 40, and is fitted with a 
transverse rod 41, the free end of which is fitted integral with a 
transverse blade 42. Roller 40 is a guide roller about which strip 5 of 
runoff reel 11a on pin 31a of rocker arm 30 is fed prior to engaging a 
guide 43 extending along frame 28, substantially horizontally and 
perpendicular to shaft 29, between roller 40 and the input guide 44 of 
respective machine 3, 4. 
Guide 43 presents a substantially C-shaped, upwardly-concave section, and 
is closed at the top by a transverse blade 45 at an initial portion 
adjacent to the periphery of roller 40. Guide 43 comprises a first 
straight portion 46 sloping slightly upwards from roller 40; and a second 
curved portion 47 defining an upwardly-concave bend, and along which strip 
5 is detached from guide 43, and is guided by a roller 48 supported in a 
fixed position by frame 28 inwards of portion 47. Portion 47 comprises a 
first downward input arm 49 with a guide roller 50 at the top end; a 
second upward output arm 51 with a guide roller 52 at the top end; and a 
curved intermediate connecting portion 53 extending about and beneath 
roller 48. 
Frame 28 supports two sensors 54 and 55 respectively facing an initial and 
end portion of straight portion 46 of guide 43; a gumming device 56 facing 
an end portion of straight portion 46, downstream from sensor 55 in the 
traveling direction 57 of strip 5 along guide 43; and a pressure roller 
device 58 facing an output portion of arm 51, downstream from roller 52 
and upstream from a guide roller unit 59 connecting guide 43 to guide 44. 
Gumming and pressure devices 56 and 58 are moved to and from an operating 
position contacting guide 43 by respective actuators 60 and 61 fitted to 
frame 28. 
Beneath pin 31a, frame 28 supports a device 62 for detecting the amount of 
strip 5 remaining at any time on reel 11a. Device 62 comprises a shaft 63 
mounted for rotation through frame 28 and fitted with a lever 64 in turn 
fitted in rotary manner on its free end with a feeler roller 65, which is 
held permanently contacting the periphery of reel 11a by a spring (not 
shown) interposed between lever 64 and frame 28. 
As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, module 26 on slide 24 comprises a first 
reversible, variable-speed motor 66, the output shaft 67 of which is 
fitted with a face coupling 68 designed to engage face coupling 35, for 
rotating roller 33; a second motor 69, the output shaft 70 of which is 
fitted with a face coupling 71 designed to engage face coupling 39, for 
oscillating shaft 38 and blade 42; a pin 72 for supporting reel 11; a 
release device 73 movable by a motor 74 to and from an operating position 
wherein it releases the leading end of reel 11 on pin 72 by removing a 
gummed retaining element 75; and a guide device 76, the output portion of 
which is defined by a guide device 77 movable by a motor 78 to and from a 
position wherein the leading portion of strip 5 of reel 11 is inserted 
inside guide 43 and beneath blade 45. 
Pin 72 is mounted in axially sliding manner on slide 24, and is held in the 
extracted position by an elastic element (not shown) interposed between 
pin 72 and slide 24. 
Release device 73 is of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,701, to 
which full reference is made herein in the interest of full disclosure, 
and comprises a frame or fork 79 fitted at one end to the output shaft 80 
of motor 74, and fitted at the other end with a shaft 81 supporting in 
rotary manner a known suction roller 82. An intermediate portion of fork 
79 supports a wedge 83, the cutting edge 84 of which, facing the periphery 
of roller 82, is moved by motor 74, and together with fork 79, between a 
raised idle position (shown by the dotted line in FIG. 5) and a lowered 
operating position (shown by the continuous line in FIG. 5) wherein 
cutting edge 84 and the periphery of roller 82 are both tangent to the 
periphery of reel 11 on pin 72. 
Guide device 76 comprises a substantially vertical plate 85 substantially 
tangent to the periphery of reel 11 on pin 72; and a substantially 
triangular wedge 86 having a first curved side substantially tangent to 
the periphery of reel 11, and a second substantially straight side 
extending parallel to the bottom portion of plate 85 and in front of a 
guide roller 87, so as to define, with plate 85 and roller 87, a channel 
88 along which the leading end portion 89 (FIG. 5) of strip 5 of reel 11 
is fed. 
Guide device 77 comprises a fork 90, a first end of which is fitted to the 
output shaft 91 of motor 78, and a second end of which is fitted with a 
shaft 92 supporting a roller 93, which is rotated clockwise (in FIG. 5) by 
a gear chain (not shown) comprising a first gear (not shown) integral with 
roller 93, a second gear (not shown) coaxial with shaft 91, and a third 
gear (not shown) fitted in a fixed position on slide 24 and interposed 
between said second gear and a gear (not shown) fitted to shaft 67. Fork 
90 is fitted laterally with a curved plate 94 through which the periphery 
of roller 93 extends, and the free end of which is fitted with a sensor 
95. Plate 94 is movable, together with fork 90 and about the axis of shaft 
91, between a lowered idle position (FIG. 5) wherein fork 90 is 
substantially aligned with channel 88, and a raised operating position 
(FIG. 6) wherein the bottom end of plate 94 blends with the input of guide 
43 when module 26 is connected to a station 7. 
Operation of system 1 will now be described, for the sake of simplicity, 
relative to one station 7, and commencing with carriage 9 in any position 
along slideway 8; slide 22 in the raised position above stations 7; slide 
24 in the backup position outside channels 25 and between stations 7 and 
slideway 8; and station 7 in question in the operating position shown in 
FIG. 2a, i.e. with reel 11a on pin 31a being unwound normally. Strip 5 of 
reel 11a is wound about roller 40 prior to engaging guide 43 beneath blade 
45; is detached from curved portion 47 of guide 43 by winding about 
rollers 50, 52 and 48; and is fed through roller unit 59 prior to engaging 
guide 44, at the output of which it is connected to and unwound by a known 
traction unit (not shown, and forming part of respective machine 3, 4 of 
unit 2). 
In the operating condition in FIG. 29, gumming device 56 and pressure 
device 58 are both maintained by respective actuators 60 and 61 in the 
raised position not contacting strip 5. 
As strip 5 is unwound, the radius of reel 11a gradually gets smaller, so 
that lever 64 rotates anticlockwise (in FIG. 2b) about shaft 63. As reel 
11a is about to run out, lever 64 activates a sensor (not shown), which 
emits a signal (different for each station 7) for activating robot 20. On 
receiving the enabling signal, robot 20 determines the emitting station 7 
and, hence, the type of reel 11a running out, and performs a sequence of 
operations consisting in moving carriage 9 along slideway 8 to store 10 
containing reels 11 of the same type as runout reel 11a; swinging arm 12 
about axis 14 so that pin 16 is coaxial with and facing the first of reels 
11; activating actuator 17, so as to effect a first axial movement of pin 
16 and engage it inside core 18 of said reel 11; lowering slide 22; 
swinging arm 12 and reel 11 towards slide 24 in the lowered backup 
position, and into a transfer position wherein pin 16 is coaxial with pin 
72; activating actuator 17 for effecting a further axial movement of pin 
16 and engaging core 18 of reel 11 and pin 72; and, finally, activating 
actuator 17 so as to restore pin 16 to its original withdrawn position, 
and so release reel 11 on pin 72 in the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. 
At this point, slide 22 is restored to the raised position over stations 7; 
carriage 9 moves along slideway 8 until slide 24 corresponds with channel 
25 of runout reel 11a; slide 24 is moved into the extracted position; and 
slide 22 (FIGS. 4 and 5) is lowered so that (FIG. 5) pin 72 is coaxial 
with pin 31 of rocker arm 30 of station 7 in question, and shafts 67 and 
70 are coaxial with shafts 36 and 38 of the same station 7. Further 
displacement of carriage 9 towards station 7 results in engagement of 
module 26 with station 7, and in the formation of device 27, in which 
engaged position, pin 31 engages core 18 of reel 11, thus releasing it 
from pin 72 which is withdrawable elastically, and face couplings 68 and 
71 engage face couplings 35 and 39 so as to form two drive couplings 96 
and 97. 
In connection with FIGS. 3 and 4, it should be pointed out that the 
position of pins 72 and 31 is offset slightly upwards as compared with the 
position shown. In fact, when reel 11 is fitted on to pin 31, shaft 29 is 
rotated slightly (anticlockwise in FIG. 4), which rotation in no way 
affects unwinding of reel 11a, but enables the outer periphery of reel 11 
to be inserted between two end flanges 98 on roller 33. This movement of 
shaft 29, which also provides for compensating for any minor differences 
in the diameter of reels 11, is controlled by a known torque detector (not 
shown) connected to shaft 29 and by which shaft 29 is arrested upon the 
periphery of reel 11 firmly contacting the periphery of rollers 32 and 33. 
The above result may of course be achieved in other ways. For example, 
according to a variation not shown, pin 72 may be axially fixed but 
movable transversely by an actuator, and of such a length as to engage 
only part of core 18, so that, when both pins 31 and 72 engage core 18, 
pin 72 may be lowered taking rocker arm 30 passively with it. 
In the FIG. 5 position, the torque detector (not shown) connected to shaft 
29 activates both motor 66, for rotating roller 33 and reel 11 
respectively clockwise and anticlockwise (in FIG. 5), and motor 74 for 
moving release device 73 into the lowered position wherein roller 82 and 
cutting edge 84 of wedge 83 contact the outer periphery of reel 11. During 
the above rotation, gummed element 75 is engaged by edge 84 of wedge 83 
and so raised as to be removed by roller 82, which is rotated by friction 
by reel 11. 
At this point, motor 66 is inverted so as to rotate reel 11 clockwise (in 
FIG. 5), feed the released leading portion 89 of strip 5 of reel 11 along 
channel 88 to plate 94 in the lowered position, and activate sensor 95, 
which arrests motor 66. 
By the time reel 11 is supplied and assembled on to pin 31 in the standby 
position described above, reel 11a has continued unwinding and is close to 
running out. Before this occurs, however, lever 64 is intercepted by a 
further sensor (not shown) which activates motors 69 and 78. By means of a 
coupling 97, motor 69 rotates rod 41 anticlockwise (in FIG. 5) about shaft 
38, so that blade 42 cuts strip 5 of reel 11a immediately upstream from 
roller 40, reel 11a is arrested, and a trailing portion 99 (FIG. 6) of the 
cut strip 5 is fed along guide 43; and motor 78 rotates fork 90 
anticlockwise (in FIG. 5), so that the free end of plate 94 is aligned 
with and adjacent to the input of guide 43. 
The passage past sensor 54 of the trailing edge of trailing portion 99 of 
strip 5, which is fed along guide 43 at a constant speed V1 by the 
traction unit (not shown) of respective machine 3, 4, activates motor 66, 
which, via coupling 96, rotates reel 11 clockwise (in FIGS. 5 and 6) so as 
to advance the leading portion 89 of strip 5 of reel 11 at a speed V2 
greater than speed V1. By virtue of the position of plate 94, the free end 
of portion 89 is fed beneath blade 45 on to guide 43, and, by virtue of 
its higher speed V2, gets closer and closer to trailing portion 99 as it 
proceeds along guide 43. 
As shown in FIG. 6, upon the trailing edge of trailing portion 99 moving 
past sensor 55, actuator 60 is operated so as to move gumming device 56 
into the operating position and gum the upper surface of the end portion 
of trailing portion 99; after a given time lapse, actuator 61 (FIG. 8) is 
operated so as to lower pressure device 58 on to arm 51 of portion 47 of 
guide 43; and motor 66 is deactivated simultaneously with operation of 
actuator 61. 
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, once the upper surface of the end portion of 
trailing portion 99 is gummed, gumming device 56 is raised to allow the 
passage of leading portion 89, which, by virtue of traveling at a faster 
speed, catches up with and partially overlaps trailing portion 99, in 
particular the gummed upper surface of the end portion of portion 99, as 
it travels along portion 47 of guide 43. As the two superimposed portions 
of portions 89 and 99 move past pressure device 58, actuator 61 of device 
58 is activated so as to connect the cut strip 5 and strip 5 of reel 11, 
which, from this point on, is unwound by unit 2 at speed V1, while motor 
66, as already stated, is deactivated. 
At this point, module 26 is detached from station 7 by moving carriage 9 
along slideway 8 and restoring robot 20 to its original standby position; 
and actuator 37 is operated in such a direction as to minimize the 
distance between pin 31a and the axis of shaft 29, prior to shaft 29 
rotating rocker arm 30 180.degree. clockwise (in FIG. 2b), i.e. in the 
opposite direction, so as to bring the new reel 11 into the position of 
reel 11a in FIG. 2a, and so enable removal, normally by hand, of core 18 
of the runout reel.