Patent Publication Number: US-6666803-B1

Title: Automatic machine

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an automatic machine. 
     In particular, the present invention relates to an automatic machine for processing items for the tobacco industry, which the present description will reference without thereby losing in generality. 
     In the processing of items for the tobacco industry it is known to use automatic packaging machines for packaging sets of cigarettes in corresponding soft or rigid packs. 
     Known packaging machines generally comprise: a feeder, designed to feed cigarettes to a device for forming sets of cigarettes; a conveyor with pockets, designed to receive in succession the sets of cigarettes just formed; and a wrapping line, designed to receive the sets of cigarettes carried by the pocket conveyor and in turn comprising a plurality of wrapping wheels which are arranged in succession along a set wrapping path. 
     In packaging machines for producing cigarette packs of the rigid type, the wrapping line generally comprises a first wrapping wheel along which each set of cigarettes is wrapped in a respective protective enclosure, preferably made of metallized paper, in order to constitute a wrapped cigarette set; a transfer wheel, along which each wrapped cigarette: set is associated with a respective inner frame and a second wrapping wheel, along which a cardboard blank is wrapped around each wrapped set of cigarettes and around the corresponding inner frame. 
     In packaging machines used to produce cigarette packs of the soft type, the wrapping line generally comprises a first wrapping wheel, along which each set of cigarettes is wrapped in a respective protective enclosure, preferably made of metallized paper, in order to constitute a wrapped set of cigarettes; and a second wrapping wheel, along which an external wrapping sheet is wrapped around each wrapped set of cigarettes. 
     Packaging machines of the kind described above are further provided with respective devices for feeding all the different wrapping materials used in the various steps of packaging the corresponding sets of cigarettes. 
     Market requirements suggest that cigarette manufacturers should diversify their products and therefore provide several types of rigid packs and soft packs, which differ in terms of cigarette size, number and arrangement of the cigarettes inside the pack, and/or in the shape and appearance of the pack. 
     In view of the above, it logically follows that each packaging machine has a fixed main structure and a series of interchangeable wrapping tools and attachments which allow the same automatic machine to be used to produce different types rigid packs and soft packs. These wrapping tools are generally quite heavy and bulky and, further, are fitted at points of the packaging machine which are difficult to access. 
     A major drawback of the packaging machines described above is that the replacement of the wrapping tools in order to equip the machine according to the format of the packs being produced, is performed manually. The changeover procedures create serious operating difficulties for the personnel concerned and, even at the best of times, are lengthy and time-consuming. 
     The aim of the present invention is to provide an automatic machine which is free from the above drawbacks. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides an automatic machine for processing items for the tobacco industry, said automatic machine comprising a frame, a processing tool, which is detachably mounted on said frame in a preset operating position, and at least one manipulator for moving said processing tool with respect to the frame toward and away from said operating position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the invention without restricting the scope of the inventive concept and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a preferred embodiment of the automatic machine according to the present invention, which is provided with an auxiliary manipulator shown in the inactive position; 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of the automatic machine illustrated in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the plane III—III of FIG. 2, with parts cut away to better illustrate others; and 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the automatic machine shown in FIG. 1, with the auxiliary manipulator in different operating positions. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to FIG. 1, the numeral  1  indicates as a whole an automatic machine for wrapping items for the tobacco industry. 
     The machine  1  comprises a frame  2  which is substantially shaped like a prism with a rectangular base and supports a plurality of wrapping tools  3  which are detachably mounted on said frame  2 . The machine  1  further comprises a control unit  4 , which is provided with a plurality of electric controllers  4   a , each of which is designed to control the operation of a corresponding tool  3 . The tools  3  include pocket conveyors, transfer wheels, wrapping wheels, devices for feeding wrapping material or other items, and can be replaced with similar tools (not illustrated) according to the characteristics of the items to be wrapped and of the end product required. 
     With reference to FIGS. 1 to  3 , the frame  2  is limited, at the top, by a flat surface  2   a  whereon there is a rack  5 , which runs in a substantially horizontal direction  6 , and two straight guides  7 , which run parallel to the direction  6  and are arranged on opposite sides of said rack  5 ; each guide consists of a C-section which is mounted in such a way that its concave region faces the rack  5 . 
     The two guides  7  slidingly support a robotized manipulator  8  which comprises a slider  9  consisting of a flat plate  10 , fitted parallel to the surface  2   a  and having two lateral ribs  11  which are parallel to the direction  6  and protrude from the plate  10  toward said surface  2   a , and two intermediate ribs  12 , which are parallel to the ribs  11 , lie between said ribs  11  sad protrude from the plate  10  toward the surface  2   a.    
     The two intermediate ribs  12  enter the space between the guides  7  and support respective sets  13  of wheels  14 , each wheel being rotatably mounted on its shaft  15  and extending from the corresponding rib  12  toward the adjacent guide  7  transversely to the direction  6 . The wheels  14  of each set  13  comprise wheels  14   a , only one of which is shown, which cooperate with an upper surface of a wing  16  of the corresponding guide  7 , and wheels  14   b , only one of which is shown, which cooperate with a lower surface of said wing  16  of the corresponding guide  7  in order to control the position of the slider  9  at right angles to the surface  2   a.    
     Each wheel  14   a  has, at the end of it that is directed toward the corresponding rib  12 , a respective protruding cylindrical collar  17  which is coaxial to said wheel  14   a  in order to allow the slider  9  to cooperate with the two guides  7  substantially without play horizontally and transversely to the direction  6 . 
     A fork  19  protrudes from the surface of the plate  10  that faces the surface  2   a  and rotatably supports a sprocket  20  which is mounted on said fork  19  and is driven by a motor  22  so as to rotate about its axis  21  which is parallel to the direction  18 . The sprocket  20  meshes with the rack  5  in order to move the slider  9  along the guide  7  in the direction  6 . 
     The manipulator  8  further comprises a substantially cylindrical turret  23  which comprises a dome  24  which is rotatably mounted an the slider  9  in order to rotate about a vertical axis  26  with respect to said slider  9  and under the action of an actuation device  25  which meshes, in a known manner, with said dome  24 . A telescopic arm  27  is hinged to the upper end of the dome  24  and is designed to rotate with respect to said dome  24  and under the action of a known type of actuation device  28 , about a horizontal axis  29  whose orientation about the vertical axis  26  depends on the orientation of the dome  24  about said axis  26 . 
     The arm  27  comprises two elements  27   a  and  27   b , the second of which is mounted so that it can slide axially inside the element  27   a  in order to slide axially, with respect to said element  27   a , under the thrust action of a corresponding actuation cylinder  30 . 
     A telescopic arm  31  is rotatably mounted at the free end of the arm  27  and can rotate, with respect to the arm  27  and under the action of a known type of actuation device  32 , about an axis  33  which is parallel to the axis  29 . The arm  31  comprises three elements  31   a ,  31   b  and  31   c  the element  31   b  is mounted so that it can slide axially inside the element  31   a  in order to slide axially, with respect to said element  31   a , under the thrust action of a corresponding actuation cylinder  34 ; and the element  31   c  is mounted so that it can slide axially in the element  31   b  in order to slide axially, with respect to said element  31   b , under the thrust action of a corresponding actuation cylinder  35 . 
     A grip element  36 , substantially shaped like a clamp, is connected to the free end of the arm  31  and is rotatably coupled to the arm  31  in such a way as to rotate, with respect to said arm  31  and under the action of conventional actuation devices (not illustrated), about an axis  37  which is parallel to the axes  29  and  33  and respectively about an axis  38  which is perpendicular to the axis  37 . 
     According to alternative embodiments (not illustrated), the grip element  36  shown in FIGS. 1 and  4  can be replaced with different grip elements  36 , chosen according to the dimensions and shape of the tools  3  and of the electric controllers  4   a  to be moved. 
     As shown in FIG. 4, the manipulator  8  is made in such a way that it can access all the regions of the automatic machine  1 , so as to act both on the wrapping tools  3  supported by the frame  2  and on the electric controllers  4   a  of the control unit  4 . The presence of the manipulator  8  therefore makes it possible to quickly and easily remove and replace the wrapping tools  3  and the electric controllers  4   a  in order to appropriately equip the automatic machine  1  according to the dimensions and shape of the items being processed in the automatic machine  1 . 
     The operation of the manipulator  8  can be easily inferred from the above description and therefore requires no further explanation.