Supporting structure for packaging machines

Abstract

A module structure for a packaging machine comprising vertical members and horizontal beams, including horizontal beams configured as open beams, having an open polygonal cross section and comprising at least a first end face, a second end face, one or more intermediate faces between said first and second end faces, said end faces being distanced in such a way to leave a longitudinal aperture of the beam; said open beams may include reinforcing flanges and accommodate power/signal cables.

Claims

1. A module structure for a packaging machine, the modular structure comprising: vertical members; and horizontal beams, said horizontal beams configured as open beams having an open polygonal cross section, said horizontal beams including: at least a first end face; a second end face; and one or more intermediate faces between said first and second end faces, said first and second end faces being distanced in such a way to leave a longitudinal aperture of the beam; and wherein at least one of the open beams includes a plurality of internal reinforcing flanges, the plurality of internal reinforcing flanges including: a closed frame structure with a central passage; a plurality of sides, each of the plurality of sides of each of the plurality of internal reinforcing flanges being substantially parallel to a corresponding side of the at least one open beam; and at least another leg traversing an open slot of the at least one open beam.

2. The modular structure according to claim 1, wherein said open beams are oriented in such a way that no face of any of said open beams is substantially horizontal.

3. The modular structure according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of internal reinforcing flanges include seats for accommodation of cables.

4. The modular structure according to claim 3, wherein said seats are formed as arc-shaped recesses of an inner face of at least one side of the flange.

5. The modular structure according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of internal reinforcing flanges include inward projections that define recesses for accommodation of cables.

6. The modular structure according to claim 1, wherein said open beams include end flanges for fixation of the beam to vertical elements of the structure.

7. The modular structure according to claim 1, wherein said vertical members and said horizontal beams form a lattice structure.

8. The modular structure according to claim 1, further comprising: a network of cables for distribution of power and signals, said network of cables running through said horizontal beams having said open polygonal cross section; wherein said horizontal beams hosting said network of cables form one or more horizontal layers in such a way that the resulting power and signal distribution network is arranged on one or more horizontal layers of the modular structure.

9. The modular structure according to claim 1, wherein: at least some of said vertical members are vertical corner members arranged at corners of the structure and are represented by cabinets adapted to contain pneumatic or electrical components of the packaging machine; said horizontal beams include a first set of structural beams in a fixed position, said first set of structural beams includes at least an upper pair and a lower pair of substantially parallel longitudinal beams; and additional horizontal beams including a second set of beams having an adjustable position, said second set of beams including adjustable cross beams that can be removably arranged in different positions between said upper pair or between said lower pair of substantially parallel longitudinal beams.

10. The modular structure according to claim 9 wherein the adjustable cross beams of said second set of beams have wedge-shaped ends matching corresponding inclined faces of the respective longitudinal guide beams.

11. The modular structure according to claim 9, wherein at least some of the first set of structural beams include a prismatic connection member suitable for insertion of further transversal beams for a coupling of the module structure with another similar or identical module structure.

12. A packaging machine or a packaging line, for secondary packaging of articles into containers, comprising one or more modular structures according to claim 1.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 is a view of a module of structure for a packaging machine according to an embodiment of the invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is another view of the structure of FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 illustrates a first embodiment of the structural beams.

(4) FIG. 4 illustrates a cross section of the beam of FIG. 3.

(5) FIG. 5 illustrates a second embodiment of structural beams.

(6) FIG. 6 illustrates a third embodiment of structural beams.

(7) FIG. 7 illustrates a cross section of the beam of FIG. 6.

(8) FIG. 8 illustrates one of the corner members of the structure of FIG. 1.

(9) FIG. 9 is a view of the top of the structure of FIG. 1.

(10) FIG. 10 is a view of the floor region of the structure of FIG. 1.

(11) FIG. 11 is a detail of a preferred embodiment for connection of adjustable beams of the structure.

(12) FIGS. 12, 13 relate to an embodiment of the invention which provides connection between two module structures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(13) FIGS. 1 and 2 show a module of structure 1 for a packaging machine comprising vertical cabinets 2 and a number of longitudinal beams and cross beams. The vertical cabinets 2 are arranged at the corners of the structure 1.

(14) The structure includes upper and lower longitudinal beams 3; first cross beams 4 which are in a fixed position, and second cross beams 5 having an adjustable position.

(15) The cabinets 2 can be regarded as supporting corner members of the structure 1. Said cabinets 2 contain electronic and/or pneumatic components such as motor, vacuum pumps, etc. and the electronics which governs the packaging machine (e.g. a programmable logic).

(16) The structure 1 may comprise further vertical elements 6 in intermediate positions between the cabinets 2. Said vertical elements provide a support for protective screens (not shown).

(17) The adjustable beams 5 can slide on two parallel longitudinal fixed beams 3 acting as guides. The position of the adjustable beams 5 relative to the respective guide beams can be determined according to the specific requirements and can be secured with suitable means such as screws or bolts.

(18) FIG. 3 illustrates a preferred embodiment of fixed beams 3 or 4. More in detail, FIG. 3 illustrates a longitudinal beam 3 having an open polygonal cross section 10 which comprise a first end face 11, a second end face 12 and intermediate faces 13, 14 and 15. The end faces 11 and 12 are distanced to leave an open slot 16.

(19) Preferably the arrangement in space of the beam 3 is such that no one of said faces 11 to 15 is horizontal. FIG. 4 shows a preferred arrangement of the beam 3 relative to the vertical direction V and horizontal direction H wherein no one of faces 11 to 15 is parallel to the horizontal direction H. It can be appreciated from said FIG. 3 that cleaning and removal of dust or any foreign matters is greatly facilitated by the aperture of slot 16, allowing easy access to the inside of the beam 3, and by the absence of horizontal surfaces.

(20) The beam 3 preferably comprises a number of internal reinforcing flanges 20. The flanges 20 are fixed, for example welded, to the inside of the beam 3.

(21) Each flange 20 in a preferred embodiment is substantially a thin-walled frame element having a closed cross section. Hence the open section of the beam 3 is locally closed by the flanges 20, to the advantage of the rigidity and resistance to stress, especially to bending and/or torsional stress.

(22) In a preferred embodiment, the flanges 20 comprise one or more sides parallel to the faces of the beam 3, for example the flange of FIG. 4 has sides 21a to 21e parallel to faces 11 to 15, respectively. The flange 20 has at least another side 21 traversing the slot 16 to close the section. Hence the flange 20 follows the open section of the beam 3 which is then closed by the side 21.

(23) FIGS. 5 to 7 show a second embodiment where the slot closing side 21 of the flanges 20 is curvilinear. In this embodiment the beam 3 is four-sided including sides 11, 12 around the open slot 16 and intermediate sides 13, 14.

(24) The beams 3, 4 can accommodate cables 22 of a power/signal distribution network. In most cases, said cables 22 comprise electric cables for power/signal connections and pneumatic cables to feed compressed air or vacuum. The cables 22 pass through a central passage 27 of the flanges 20 (FIGS. 4 and 7). In a preferred embodiment the flanges 20 comprises seats 23 to receive and retain the cables 22 in a stable position.

(25) In the embodiments of FIGS. 3 to 5 the cable seats 23 are in the form of rounded recesses of the inner surface(s) 28 of one or more side(s) of the flanges 20.

(26) FIGS. 6 and 7 show a third embodiment of structural beams and related reinforcing flanges 20, wherein the flanges 20 comprises inward projections 24 to define spaces 25 for accommodation of cables 22. Preferably each flange 20 has a plurality of parallel projections 24 in a comb-like arrangement so that several spaces 25 are obtained. The structural beam of FIG. 6 also shows end flanges 55 for fixation to vertical elements of the structure, for example for fixation to corner elements and cabinets of the structure.

(27) An advantage of this embodiment is that cables 22 are ordered and safely received in the spaces 25 with a reduced need of fixing means such as fixing clamps or the like, the cables 22 being safely held in position by the projections 24. The advantage is considerable because a more hygienic design is achieved; the cables 22 can be easily removed and re-positioned during periodic cleaning.

(28) One or more embodiments of the invention provide that the use of fixation clamps is reduced or eliminated. Nevertheless, some holes 26 for fixation clamps may be provided in the flanges 20. Fixation clamps of the cables 22 may be advantageously placed at the ends of the beam 3, 4.

(29) The polygonal cross section of the open beams may be U-shaped or C-shaped or have a more elaborate shape. The figures show a preferred embodiment where the open beams have a substantially diamond shape.

(30) Embodiments of FIGS. 3 to 7 can be equally applied to the longitudinal beams or cross beams of the structure 1.

(31) The corner cabinets 2 (FIG. 8) have preferably upper and lower outputs 30, 31 for said cables 22, corresponding to the level (height) of the fixed beams 3 and 4. Hence a network of cables 22 running through the fixed beams 3, 4 can be arranged substantially on horizontal layers, for example on a top level and floor level of the structure and without the need of cables crossing the structure in the vertical direction. The inputs and outputs, as well as any passage from one layer to another, is provided by the cabinets 2.

(32) Accordingly, the structure can be implemented with all cable connections through the cabinets 2 and any additional vertical element, like for example the elements 6, contains no cables. This arrangement of the cables 22 is safer and easier to implement and eliminates flying connections which are less reliable and less hygienic.

(33) FIG. 8 shows also a control panel 33 integrated in the cabinet 2.

(34) FIGS. 9 to 11 show some details of a preferred embodiment of adjustable cross beams 5 having wedge-shaped ends matching corresponding inclined faces 35 of the respective longitudinal guide beams 3.

(35) FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of fixation of an adjustable beam 5, which is anchored to a selected one of holes 37 of the guide beam 3 via a suitable connection means, for example L-shaped block 36; said block 36 is secured to the guide beam 3 by suitable means such as screw(s) or bolt(s) (not shown). In accordance, the adjustable beam 5 can be arranged in a multitude of positions defined by said holes 37.

(36) FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate a further embodiment of the invention, wherein the longitudinal beams 3 comprise prismatic connection members 40 suitable for insertion of further transversal beams 41 to connect the structure 1 to another similar or identical structure. The shape of the connection members 40 matches the cross section of the beams 41 so that a beam 41 can be coupled to the connection member.

(37) Hence the structure 1 can be regarded as a module which is connected to other modules to form a large structure, for example of a complex packaging line. Each structure/module 1 can be customized to host specific devices and to perform a specific task such as carton forming, product loading or another.