Automatic plastic film wrapping machine, particularly suitable for wrapping suitcases

Abstract: The present invention relates to an automatic plastic film wrapping machine, consisting of a properly shaped body (1) a turn-table (2) is connected to, where to place the load (65) to be wrapped. The upsaid machine, provided with the apparatuses for load steadiness, for turn-table rotation, for the plastic film entrainment and cutting, allows the plastic film to be wrapped around the load, particularly suitcases of different sizes, with the aim of avoiding the damages resulting from shocks or scratches during handling and transport.

Description: The present invention relates to an automatic plastic film wrapping machine according to the preamble of claim 1, particularly suitable for wrapping suitcases. At the present state of the art, wrapping machines with turn-table are known, e.g. from US-A- 4 432 185, suitable for the packaging of loads, either palletised or not, by wrapping around them an appropriate plastic film. In the most common models, the said machines consist of a turn-table where to place the load to be wrapped; a gripper for film grasping is fastened to said turn-table so that, once the latter starts, the unwinding of the plastic film from the reel and the wrapping of the load are carried out at the same time. After a given number of revolutions, or when the wrapping is completed, a suitable device cuts the film off, thus permitting the translation of the wrapped load from the turn-table. The said wrapping machines are usually designed for working with big loads and/or heavy ones. It is also known that, in the case of wrapping of light and/or unsteady loads, the machine is provided with a top-platen that applies pressure in order to maintain load stability along the vertical axis of the turn-table. This system of vertical pressure prevents the load from moving and/or overturning during the wrapping cycle, but it requires a load as axially centered as possible on the table. It is obvious that such a machine not well suitable for light and /or small loads, as for instance individual suitcases usually on the market; furthermore, such a machine must be run by a trained operator. The patent US-A-4,432,185 does not have a structure including two cam plates operating the gripper. The patent EP-A-0 278,677 does not teach the basic structural relationship between the motor, shaft, cam plates operating the gripper and the cutting means. The present invention aims at providing a machine with turn-table particularly suitable for wrapping plastic film around small loads, such as suitcases and similar. Another object is to minimize the overall dimensions, in order to allow the use of the said machine also in small areas. This and other objects that will be better disclosed forth below, are all achieved by the automatic wrapping machine according to claim 1. The characteristics of the present invention will be better disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show only one possible embodiment of the invention, in an only schematic and explicative way. With reference to said drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the unloaded machine; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the machine with a suitcase during the wrapping cycle with plastic film; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the load-supporting turn-table with the locating elements; Fig. 4 is a schematic section of the turn-table with the connected devices; Fig. 5 is a schematic, partial section of the control devices of the turn-table and of the gripper for the plastic film grasping; Fig. 6 shows the upsaid gripper with the main movement gears; Fig. 7 schematically shows the plastic film cutting device; Fig. 8 schematically shows a possible kinematic chain for the main device gearing; Fig. 9 shows the main working phases of the gripper and its relevant positions with reference to the turn-table, the load, the film and the cutting device. The wrapping machine comprises a housing body 1 provided with a turn-table 2 with a locating element 3 and a mobile locating element (centering plate) 4 connected thereto and with a gripper 5 for grasping of the plastic film 6 through slot 7. Turn-table 2 is provided with a slot 2a allowing the movement of the mobile locating element 4, upsaid slot being of length corresponding to the working field of upsaid locating element; an outwardly open notch 2b adopted to be a seat of the gripper 5 during specific working phases o f the wrapping machine. To turn-table 2 shaft 8 is axially fastened, and vertical rack 9 is also fastened, connected to horizontal rack 10, through double gear-wheel 11, secured to support 13 through plate 12. Rack 10 is sliding into the horizontal slide 14, fixed to support 15; the mobile locating element 4 is connected to upsaid rack 10, through metal strap 16 and plate 17. Support 13 is provided with an appropriate hole to allow the vertical.sliding of shaft 8 within pipe 18 that is also the seat of spring 19. To upsaid support 13 is steadily fastened pipe 20 within which rotates shaft 8, to which it transmits the rotating movement by means of through-pin 21; upsaid pipe 20 is internal to pipe 22 to which it is connected by means of the tapered bearings 23a and 23b that allow its rotating motion around the vertical axis of turn-table 2. Pipe 22, steadily fixed to frame 1a of body 1, interacts with a third pipe 24 by means of tapered bearings 25a and 25b. Thanks to pulley 26 splined on pipe 22, it is possible to transmit the rotating motion to turn-table 2, while pulley 27 allows motion transmission to pipe 24, being connected to the latter. Horizontal cam 28, on which the vertical cam 29 is soldered, is fixed to pipe 24; upsaid cams, appropriately shaped, operate gripper 5 through arm 30 supporting trunnion 31 inserted between the pairs of small pins 32a-32b and 32c-32d, fixed to plates 5a and 5b forming the gripper, and sliding into guides 33a and 33b. Arm 30, fastened to plate 34 through pin 35, shows the shaped edge 36 sliding on cam 29 (Fig. 6 shows only schematically the functioning principle of upsaid components, described in Fig. 5). The upsaid plate 34, by means of plane guides allowing its translation, is connected to element 37 fixed to support 13 and shows roller 38 being in contact with horizontal cam 28; springs 39 and 40 ensure the continuous contact between horizontal cam 28 and roller 38, and between cam 29 and element 36, having the same returning functions as mobile devices 30 and 34. A basic component for the machine functionality is the cutting device for plastic film 6, unwinded from the reel 41 mounted on reel-holder 42, loosely anchored to frame 1a by means of bushing 43 fixed to upsaid frame. The cutting device is made by serrated blade 44, with double cutting edge, the latter blade being fixed on the upper part to shaped bar 45, turning on its own axis in a given circular sector, and fixed to frame 1a by means of supports 46a and 46b. In the lower part of shaped bar 45, pin 47 is provided, to which one end of spring 48 is secured, as the opposite end is secured to pulley 49, operated by toothed belt 50 through pulley 51, coaxially splined with pulley 52, being this last operated by belt 53 driven by geared motor 54 to which 3-grooved pulley 55 is connected. The upsaid 3-grooved pulley 55 will drive pulleys 26 and 27 through belts 56 and 57, respectively. A belt-stretcher 58 is provided, in order to maintain the right tension on belt 53, while pulleys 49, 51 and 53 are fixed to frame 1a, by means of supports 59 and 60. The cutting device is completed with the levered release device 61 operated by electromagnet 62. For proper functioning of the wrapping machine the angular velocities of the pulleys 49, 51 and 55 should be different. Fig.8 illustrates different diameters of the respective pulleys affecting inversely the respective one of angular velocities of the pulleys. The pulleys can be easily replaced by another one having different diameters. In order to allow the right unwinding of plastic film 6, the coupled idle rollers 63a-63b and idle roller 64 for the file stretching, are provided. The working phases of the machine are schematically shown in Fig. 9. The starting is represented in Fig. 9a which shows the unloaded turn-table (so that this is in its upper position by means of spring 19) and gripper 5 that holds plastic film 6. Fig. 9b represents the following phase, where, once gripper 5 is positioned into seat 2b and load 65 is put down on turn-table 2 so that the front side rests against gripper 5 and one side against the fixed locating element 3, thanks to the weight itself of the load, turn-table 2 comes down, and by means of the movement obtained by racks 9 and 10 and by double gear-wheel 11, the turn-table operates the translation of the mobile locating element 4 that, at the end of its stroke, will rest against the side of the suitcase 65, opposite to the one supported by the fixed locating element 3: in this way, the load will be steady and its overturn, during turn-table 2 revolution and the wrapping with plastic film 6, will be prevented. At this time the load wrapping phase with plastic film will start, as a consequence of a given number of revolutions of turn-table 2. Fig. 9c represents the phase of gripper 5 release from film 6, resulting from its moving down and subsequent opening, being these movements operated by the co-ordinate actions of cams 28 and 29 through mobile devices 30 and 34 and the relevant functionally coupled auxiliaries. Fig. 9d represents gripper 5 opened in its down position and apart from turn-table 2, while Fig. 9e represents the phase of film 6 cutting by means of blade 44 and the grasping of the film new edge by means of gripper 5 in its upper position and closed, apart from turn-table 2. In this phase it is possible to pick suitcase 65 up, wrapped with the plastic film that will avoid any casual opening and outcoming of content, and at the same time will protect the suitcase from any casual shocks or scratches. To improve film adhesion on the lower part of the suitcase for better protection of the lower corners, turn-table 2 is beveled, so that the bevel will act as a guide for the film during its load wrapping. When suitcase 65 is picked up from turn-table 2, spring 19 will be restored, as represented in Fig. 9f, likewise in Fig. 9a. For a better understanding of the working of the present finding, in Figg. 9a-b-c-d-e-f the position of turn-table 2 and of gripper 5 with reference to the cartesian axes of the turn-table itself is schematically represented, on a plan view. The finding will be provided with a control box 66 from which the working cycle of the machine will start, by means of a push-botton device, after the insertion of a ticket or coin or card. The aims of the present invention are all achieved by the finding, allowing plastic film wrapping around suitcases of different sizes, in order to guarantee the required protection. Manoeuvre procedures, automatisms and components are all conceived in order to allow the use without skilled operators, thus allowing the possible use of the finding in railway stations, docks, airports, where a great handling of suitcases takes place. The present finding, schematically described above, can be extended to all alternatives or equivalents falling within the scope of the invention. Practically, shapes and sizes of each component, and their working links, as well as the materials employed, can be whatever, according to needs, and the technical details can be replaced by other equivalent ones, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims set forth below.

Claims: An automatic plastic film wrapping machine, said machine comprising a housing (1) with a motor (54); a rotatable shaft (8) operatively connected with the motor, a turn-table (2), receiving a load rotatable with the shaft; a gripper (5), rotating together with the turn-table, for grasping a plastic film, said gripper being formed with two arms (5a, 5b) disengaging the plastic film in the open position and clamping the film therebetween in the closed positions, cutting means provided with a serrated blade (44) for severing the film, characterised in that a rotatable outer cylinder (24) coaxial with the shaft and operatively connected with the motor, is formed with a first cam plate (28) extending radially outwardly and a second cam plate (29) connected to the first cam plate, said second cam plate (29) extending at a right angle to the first cam plate and in that the gripper (5) is operatively connected with the first and second cam plates for moving the gripper between open and closed and inner and outer positions thereof. The machine defined in claim 1, characterized in that the shaft (8) and the turntable (2) mounted in the housing are axially movable upon loading of the turntable, the turntable being provided with: a first elongated slot (2a) having a slot axis extending perpendicular to the axis of rotation, a first (4) and second (3) centering plates, at least first centering plate (4) being provided with a double geared wheel operatively connected with the shaft and actuating the first plate upon axial downward displacement of the turntable to move along the slot (2a), so that the load to be wrapped is abutted by the first and second plates at opposite sides thereof, and a notch (2b) formed in a periphery of the turntable, the gripper (5) being movable axially through the notch between the open and closed positions thereof. The machine defined in claim 2, characterized in that the housing (1) is provided with a wall formed with a second slot (7) juxtaposed with the notch (2b) upon cutting of the film, so that the gripper (5) is movable between the inner position next to the periphery of the turntable (2) and the outer position distant from the periphery of the table. The machine defined in claim 1, characterized in that the first cam (28) plate is in operative engagement with a first cam follower (38) connected with a leverage extending vertically upwardly and connected with a horizontal guide plate displacing the gripper between the inner and outer positions upon interacting of the first can follower with the first plate. The machine defined in claim 1 characterized in that the second cam plate (29) is in operative engagement with a second cam follower (36) being in contact with another guide plate movable angularly along a sector and displacing the gripper (5) between the open and closed positions thereof. The machine defined in claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a three-grooved pulley (55) actuated by the motor and connected with the shaft and with the first cylinder by respective belts (56, 57), the cutting means being further provided with a support (46a,b) connected with the blade (44) rotatable about a support axis parallel to the axis of rotation and connected with the pulley by a another belt, the support and the shaft having a different angular velocity.

Inventors: ERRANI FRANCA, ERRANI, FRANCA
Applicants: DERIFAN SPA, DERIFAN S.P.A.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B65B11
IPC codes: B65B11