Web alignment device, a packaging machine having a web alignment device and a splicing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11535475-B2
Application number	US-201816761994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2018
Priority date	Dec 4, 2017
Publication date	Dec 27, 2022
Grant date	Dec 27, 2022

Abstract

There is described a web alignment device for aligning a web comprising an engagement surface for supporting the web, a clamp assembly for clamping the web on at least a clamp portion of the engagement surface, an alignment control assembly for controlling a correct alignment of the web. The alignment control assembly comprises a control unit for generating a trigger signal if the web is correctly aligned, a first sensor device for detecting and/or determining a desired position of a first section of the web and to send at least a first signal to the control unit if the first section is positioned in the desired position, and a second sensor device for detecting and/or determining a desired position of a second section of the web and to send a second signal to the control unit if the second section is positioned in the desired position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Web alignment device for aligning an integrated web within a packaging machine comprising an engagement surface for supporting the integrated web and a clamp assembly for clamping the integrated web on at least a clamp portion of the engagement surface;
the web alignment device comprising an alignment control assembly adapted to determine and/or detect a correct alignment of the integrated web;
wherein the alignment control assembly comprises:
at least a control unit for generating at least a trigger signal if the integrated web is correctly aligned;
at least a first sensor device connected to the control unit and being configured to detect and/or determine at least a desired position of a first section of the integrated web and to send at least a first signal to the control unit if the first section is positioned in the desired position; and
at least a second sensor device connected to the control unit and being configured to detect and/or determine at least a desired position of a second section of the integrated web distinct from the first section and to send a second signal to the control unit if the second section is positioned in the desired position;

wherein the control unit is configured to generate the trigger signal indicating the correct alignment if the first sensor device and the second sensor device send contemporaneously, in use, respectively the first signal and the second signal to the control unit.

2. The web alignment device according to claim 1 and further comprising a first abutment surface and a second abutment surface spaced apart from one another and being adapted to interact with a lateral edge of the integrated web carrying the first section and the second section, the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface being configured to define a desired orientation of the integrated web.

3. The web alignment device according to claim 2 , wherein each one of the first sensor device and the second sensor device comprises a respective switch element being controllable between at least a respective passive configuration and a respective active configuration in which the switch element generates respectively the first signal and the second signal;
wherein each one of the switch elements is configured to be controllable between the respective passive configuration and the respective active configuration through interaction with the lateral edge of the integrated web;
wherein each one of the switch elements is configured such that the respective switch element is in the respective active configuration with respectively the first section and the second section being in the respective desired position.

4. The web alignment device according to claim 3 , wherein the first abutment surface is coupled to the respective switch element of the first sensor device and the second abutment surface is coupled to the respective switch element of the second sensor device;
wherein each one of the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface is moveable along a respective direction between an initial position and an end position;
wherein each one of the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface and the respective switch element are coupled to one another in such a manner that the respective switch element is in the passive configuration with respectively the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface being in the respective initial position and the respective switch element being in the active configuration with respectively the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface being in the respective end position.

5. The web alignment device according to claim 1 , wherein the clamp assembly is controllable between an open configuration in which the integrated web is moveable on the engagement surface and a closed configuration in which the integrated web is clamped on at least the clamp portion of the engagement surface;
wherein the control unit is configured to move the clamp assembly to the closed configuration when generating the trigger signal.

6. The web alignment device according to claim 1 , wherein the engagement surface comprises a main surface configured to support a main portion of the integrated web and an auxiliary surface being angled with respect to the main surface and being configured to support an auxiliary portion of the integrated web protruding transversally away from the main portion.

7. The web alignment device according to claim 1 , wherein each one of the first sensor device and the second sensor device comprises a respective switch element being controllable between at least a respective passive configuration and a respective active configuration in which the switch element generates respectively the first signal and the second signal;
wherein each one of the switch elements is configured to be controllable between the respective passive configuration and the respective active configuration through interaction with the lateral edge of the integrated web;
wherein each one of the switch elements is configured such that the respective switch element is in the respective active configuration with respectively the first section and the second section being in the respective desired position.

8. A packaging machine for producing sealed packages of a pourable product comprising:
a magazine unit arranged at a host station and being adapted to host at least a first reel carrying in a wound-up manner a first integrated web of packaging material and a second reel carrying in a wound-up manner a second integrated web of packaging material;
an isolation chamber separating an inner environment from an outer environment;
a tube forming device at least partially arranged within the isolation chamber at a forming station and being adapted to form a tube from a web in use;
a sealing device at least partially arranged within the isolation chamber and being adapted to longitudinally seal the tube formed by the tube forming device;
filling means for filling the tube with the pourable product;
a package forming unit adapted to form and to transversally seal the tube for forming the packages; and
conveying means for advancing at least one of the first integrated web of packaging material and the second integrated web of packaging material as the web in use along a web advancement path from the host station to the forming station, in which, in use, the web in use is formed into the tube and for advancing the tube along a tube advancement path to the package forming unit;
wherein the magazine unit comprises at least one web alignment device according to claim 1 for aligning at least one of the first integrated web of packaging material and the second integrated web of packaging material prior to the first integrated web of packaging material or the second integrated web of packaging material being advanced as the web in use.

9. The packaging machine according to claim 8 , wherein the magazine unit comprises two of the web alignment devices, one of the web alignment devices being configured to align the first integrated web of packaging material and the other of the web alignment devices being configured to align the second integrated web of packaging material.

10. A method of splicing a web of packaging material in use and a new web of packaging material comprising:
an advancement phase during which one of a first integrated web of packaging material and a second integrated web of packaging material is advanced along a web advancement path as a web in use;
an alignment phase during which the other one of the first integrated web of packaging material and of the second integrated web of packaging material is aligned as a

Assignees

• Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance

Inventors

• Ricco' Marco

Classifications

• B65H19/1852

  taking place at a distance from the replacement roll · CPC title

• B65H2301/4421

  by abutting edge · CPC title

• B65B9/2035

  Tube guiding means · CPC title

• B65H2301/46115

  by bringing leading edge to splicing station, e.g. by chain or belt · CPC title

• B65H2408/217

  of rollers type, e.g. with at least one fixed and one movable roller · CPC title