STORAGE UNIT FOR BLANKS AND RELATED METHOD

Abstract

A blanks storage unit for storing a stack of blanks includes: inlet and outlet sections of the blanks; a feed device having a support device to restingly receive the blanks of the stack of blanks; and a feed element for moving the blanks along a feed trajectory from the inlet section towards the outlet section. The unit also includes a guide device. At least one of the support device or the guide device is movable with respect to the other along a lifting trajectory between a transport configuration, in which said support device defines in the section a feed plane of the blanks and the blanks rest on the support device, and a sliding configuration in which the guide device is at least partially lifted with respect to the support device and the blanks rest on the guide device to be guided, sliding along the section towards the outlet.

Claims

1. Blanks storage unit, for storing a stack of blanks, comprising: an inlet section of said blanks and an outlet section of said blanks, a feed device comprising a support device intended to restingly receive said blanks of said stack of blanks and a feed element for moving said blanks along a feed trajectory from said inlet section towards said outlet section; a guide device configured to facilitate the sliding of the blanks in a section of the feed trajectory adjacent to the inlet section wherein at least one of said support device or said guide device is movable with respect to the other along a lifting trajectory between a transport configuration in which said support device defines in said section a feed plane of said blanks and said blanks rest on said support device and a sliding configuration in which said guide device is at least partially lifted with respect to said support device and said blanks rest on said guide device to be slidingly guided along said section towards said outlet section.

2. The blanks storage unit according to claim 1, wherein said support device comprises at least one feed belt configured to restingly receive said blanks, said at least one feed belt extending along said feed trajectory.

3. The blanks storage unit according to claim 2, wherein said guide device comprises at least one slide configured to restingly receive said blanks in said sliding configuration, said at least one slide being made of a material having a lower coefficient of friction with respect to the coefficient of friction of said at least one feed belt to facilitate the sliding of said blanks on said at least one slide in said section of said feed trajectory.

4. The blanks storage unit according to claim 3, wherein said at least one slide is positioned in said sliding configuration flanked by said at least one feed belt along said feed trajectory in said section.

5. The blanks storage unit according to claim 3, wherein said guide device comprises a first slide and a second slide flanked in said section to said at least one feed belt in said sliding configuration said first slide and said second slide being positioned on opposite sides of said at least one feed belt with respect to said feed trajectory.

6. The blanks storage unit according to claim 1, wherein said support device comprises at least a first feed belt and at least a second feed belt intended to support distinct portions of said blanks, said second feed belt being flanked to said first feed belt along said feed trajectory and spaced from said first feed belt in a direction perpendicular to the feed direction.

7. The blanks storage unit according to claim 5, further comprising a movement device for moving said at least one slide with respect to said at least one feed belt along said lifting trajectory between said transport configuration and said sliding configuration, said movement device comprising an articulated parallelogram movement mechanism.

8. The blanks storage unit according to claim 7, wherein said movement device comprises at least one connecting rod hinged at a first hinging end thereof to said at least one slide and at an opposite second hinging end thereof to a support structure of said storage unit, wherein said movement device is configured to rotate said second hinging end of said at least one connecting rod about a horizontal rotation axis in two rotation directions to move said at least one slide between said transport configuration and said sliding configuration.

9. The blanks storage unit according to claim 8, wherein said movement device is configured to rotate said second hinging end so that in the passage between the transport configuration and the sliding configuration said at least one slide is moved with a lifting trajectory having at least one vertical lifting component and at least one transport component parallel to and opposite said feed trajectory.

10. Apparatus for packaging boxed articles comprising a storage unit according to claim 1.

11. Method for storing a stack of blanks comprising: loading a stack of blanks onto a support device of a storage unit of said blanks intended to support said blanks, feeding the blanks of said stack of blanks along a feed trajectory from said an inlet section to said an outlet section of said storage unit, arranging a guide device in a section of the feed trajectory adjacent to the inlet section to guide the sliding of said blanks in said section, moving at least one blank between said support device and said guide device with respect to the other of said support device and said guide device along a lifting trajectory between a transport configuration in which said support device defines a feed plane of said blanks and said blanks rest on said support device and a sliding configuration in which, in said section, said guide device is at least partially lifted with respect to said support device and said blanks rest on said guide device to be guided in sliding towards said outlet section.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said support device comprises at least one feed belt and said guide device comprises at least one slide extending along said feed trajectory and said guide device comprises flanking in said sliding configuration along said section said at least one slide to said at least one feed belt so that said at least one slide is at least partially lifted with respect to said at least one feed belt, said at least one slide having a lower coefficient of friction with respect to the coefficient of friction of said at least one feed belt.

13. The method according to claim 13, wherein said guiding comprises flanking in said sliding configuration along said section to said at least one feed belt a first slide and a second slide positioned on opposite sides of said at least one feed belt with respect to said feed trajectory.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein said moving comprises moving said guide device from said transport configuration to said sliding configuration along a lifting trajectory having at least one vertical lifting component and at least one transport component parallel to and opposite to said feed trajectory.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein a movement device is provided for moving said guide device between said transport configuration and said sliding configuration, said movement device comprising at least one connecting rod hinged at a first hinging end thereof to said at least one slide and at an opposite second hinging end thereof to a support structure of said movement device, said moving comprising rotating said second hinging end of said at least one connecting rod about a horizontal rotation axis in two rotation directions to move said at least one slide between said transport configuration and said sliding configuration.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0201] The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, shown by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings wherein:

[0202] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment example of a storage unit in accordance with the present solution in a first operating configuration;

[0203] FIG. 1A is an enlarged view of detail A of FIG. 1;

[0204] FIG. 1B is a view like that of FIG. 1A but with some details removed for the sake of clarity;

[0205] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment example of a storage unit in accordance with the present solution in a second operating configuration;

[0206] FIG. 2A is an enlarged view of detail A of FIG. 2;

[0207] FIG. 2B is a view like that of FIG. 2A but with some details removed for the sake of clarity;

[0208] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment example of a storage unit in accordance with the present solution in a second operating configuration;

[0209] FIG. 4 is a broken side view of the unit of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0210] In the attached Figures, a storage unit for storing blanks made in accordance with the present technical solution is indicated overall with 1. The storage unit 1 is preferably used in an apparatus for packaging boxed articles, or in general in forming apparatus in which it is provided to form a box by folding a blank. In a preferred version, the storage unit is to be used in a packaging apparatus of the wrap-around type, making the packaging by folding a blank around an article to be packaged so as to form a box containing the article.

[0211] The storage unit 1 is intended to receive a stack of blanks 100 and allow the movement thereof towards a manipulation unit intended to pick up an advanced blank from the storage unit and transport it to forming machines to form a box. The storage unit 1 comprises a ground support frame 4 defining a loading hopper 4A intended to receive and contain the stack of blanks 100. The storage unit 1 comprises an inlet section 2 at which a stack of blanks 100 is loaded into the storage unit 1 and an outlet section 3 at which a blank 10 is picked up by the manipulation unit. The storage unit 1 further comprises a feed device 5 intended to move the stack of blanks 100 between the inlet section 2 and the outlet section 3 along a feed trajectory M defined in the loading hopper 4A. The loading hopper 4A is preferably delimited by a plurality of walls which are only partially visible in the Figures for the sake of clarity. Furthermore, only some blanks of the stack of blanks housable in the hopper are represented in the attached figures for the sake of clarity.

[0212] In the version shown, the storage unit 1 is configured so that the feed trajectory M is parallel to a horizontal plane XY, however, in other versions, the blanks of the stack of blanks 100 can be moved along a feed trajectory transverse to a horizontal plane XY.

[0213] Each stack of blanks 100 comprises a plurality of blanks 10 flanked to one another so that the faces S of two adjacent blanks face each other, preferably in contact with each other. The blanks are fed along the feed trajectory M so that the faces S of the blanks are perpendicular to the feed trajectory M.

[0214] Each blank 10, better visible in FIG. 3, is made of cardboard and has two opposite faces S substantially planar having substantially greater dimensions with respect to the dimensions of the thickness of the blank. The blank 10 has a body with a substantially quadrangular shape delimited by two opposite lateral flanks 12, 13, a lower flank 11 and an upper flank 14 and a pair of opposite appendages 16A, 16B extended on opposite sides of the body 10A and protruding with respect to the lower flank 11 or respectively upper flank 12 of the blank 10. The terms lower and upper refer to the embodiment described below and, in particular, they depend on the positioning of the blank 10 in the storage unit 1, however, it is clear that this distinction has a purely conventional character.

[0215] The blank 10 has a thickness comprised between 0.4 and 0.8 mm, in this case about 0.5 mm, and is suitably shaped to form a box when suitably folded.

[0216] For this purpose, a plurality of fold lines 15 are obtained on the blank 10 which divide the blank 10 into a plurality of panels intended to form, alone or in combination with each other, the different faces of the box being formed. The fold lines 15 are preferably creases and each pair of adjacent panels is oscillatable about the respective fold line 15 separating them. The fold lines 15 are configured so as to define in the blank panels with shape and dimensions that are even different from each other, both in length and width, such dimensions depending on the shape and dimensions of the various faces of the box to be formed. The flanks 11-14 of the blank 10 are defined by a plurality of non-continuous portions, in particular portions of distinct panels.

[0217] The feed device 5 allows to move the stack of blanks 100 along the feed trajectory M so that the blanks 10 of the stack of blanks 100 are subsequently brought from the inlet section 2 of the storage unit 1 at the outlet section 3 of the storage unit 1. At each instant, therefore, a advanced blank 10 is identified in the storage unit 1, which is defined as the blank of the stack of blanks 100 closest to the outlet section 3 and intended to be picked up from the storage unit 1 by means of a manipulation unit not shown in the Figures.

[0218] The feed device 5 comprises a support device 20 intended to restingly receive the blanks 10 of the stack of blanks 100 and a feed element 21 for moving the blanks 10 along the feed trajectory M from the inlet section 2 towards the outlet section 3.

[0219] The support device 20 comprises one or more feed belts intended to restingly receive the blanks 10 and feed the blanks 10 towards the outlet section 3. However, in other versions not shown, other feed devices known in the field and suitable for moving blanks can be used.

[0220] In particular, in the version shown, the support device 20 comprises a first, a second and a third feed belt 22-24 intended to engage the lower flank 11 of each blank 10. The first, second and third feed belt 22-24 are flanked to one another in the direction of the feed trajectory M and are positioned so that the respective support surfaces define feed planes of the blanks parallel to each other, as better clarified below.

[0221] In the version shown each feed belt 22-24 is intended to support and move a distinct panel of each blank. However, in other versions, multiple feed belts may be provided which are intended to support a single panel of the blanks. In other versions, a different number of feed belts may also be provided depending on the dimensions of the blanks or the shape and number of panels thereof, in addition, in other versions, a single feed belt may be provided for the blanks.

[0222] The feed belts 22-24 are flanked to one another in the direction of the feed trajectory M, the second feed belt 23 being interposed between the first 22 and the third feed belt 24. The first feed belt 22 and the second feed belt 23 are placed at a first distance, the second feed belt 23 and the third feed belt 24 are placed at a second distance. The first 22 and second 23 feed belt are positioned so that the appendage 16A is interposed therebetween and projects beyond the support surface of the first 22 and second 23 feed belt.

[0223] Adjustment means, not shown in the figures, are provided to move at least one of the feed belts 22-24 in a direction perpendicular to the feed trajectory M in order to adjust the distance between two adjacent feed belts and adapt the support device to the dimensions of the blanks to be transported.

[0224] In some versions, a positioning device, not shown in the Figures, is also provided which is intended to move one or more of the feed belts 22-24 along a positioning direction perpendicular to the feed plane to position a feed belt at a desired vertical level. This allows the feed belts to be positioned at vertical levels that are different from each other defining feed planes of the blanks parallel to each other and, therefore, to adapt the support device to the dimensions and/or shape of the blanks, as better clarified below.

[0225] In other versions not shown, the support device also comprises lateral feed belts intended to engage opposite lateral flanks 12, 13 of the blanks 10. In other versions not shown, an upper feed belt can be provided which is intended to engage the upper flank 14 of the blanks 10. The presence of further feed belts allows to improve the feeding of the blanks in the storage unit 1.

[0226] Each feed belt comprises a respective support surface 22A-24A intended to restingly receive the blanks to be moved. The support surface 22A, 23A, 24A is made of rubber or other material with high coefficient of friction to correctly support the blanks by preventing an unwanted sliding of the blanks on the support surface 22A, 23A, 24A. In some versions not shown the support surface 22A, 23A, 24A of each feed belt is provided with knurling or other machining to increase the coefficient of friction of the support surface.

[0227] In a version not shown, the feed belts are positioned so that the respective support surfaces are coplanar to each other and define the feed plane for the blanks 10 along the feed trajectory M.

[0228] In the version shown the feed belts 22-24 are positioned at vertical levels that are different from each other and the support surfaces 22A, 23A, 24A define a plurality of feed planes parallel to each other. In particular, the first feed belt 22 is placed at a first vertical level and defines a first feed plane for the blanks 100, the second and third feed belt 23, 24 are coplanar to each other and placed at a different vertical level with respect to the first feed belt 22 and jointly define a second feed plane for the blanks 100. The first feed plane and the second feed plane are parallel to each other. The second feed plane is placed at a lower vertical level with respect to the first feed plane.

[0229] Each feed plane is a horizontal plane XY and the feed trajectory M is a horizontal direction parallel to the feed plane or to the feed planes of the blanks 100. The feed belts 22-24 are positioned so that the faces of the blanks are substantially vertical and perpendicular to the feed plane or planes.

[0230] The feed belts 22-24 are operable by means of the feed element 21 so as to feed the blanks along the feed trajectory M at a feed speed VA. The feed belts 22-24 can be driven at the same feed speed VA.

[0231] The feed belts 22-24 are structurally and functionally corresponding so only one will be described for the sake of brevity, and corresponding numerical references will be used.

[0232] The feed element 21 comprises for each feed belt 22-24 a pair of pulleys 25, 26 around which the respective feed belt 22-24 is wound and a motor, not visible in the Figures, intended to rotate the pulleys 25-26 as indicated by the rotation arrow F1 to drive the respective feed belt 22-24 and move the blanks 10 along said feed trajectory M.

[0233] The motor is operatively connected to all the feed belts 22-24 of the storage unit 1 to move them in a coordinated manner and at the same speed.

[0234] The storage unit 1 further comprises a guide device 30 provided in a section M1 of the feed trajectory M adjacent to the inlet section 2 of the storage unit 1 arranged to guide the sliding of the blanks 10 in said section M1.

[0235] In the version shown, the guide device 30 comprises, for each feed belt 22-24, a first slide 32 and a second slide 33 which are flanked to the feed belt 22-24 in the section M1 along the feed trajectory M and positioned on the opposite side of the feed belt 22-24 with respect to the feed trajectory M so that each feed belt 22-24 is interposed in the section M1 between the first slide 32 and the second slide 33, in a direction perpendicular to the feed trajectory M.

[0236] In some versions of the storage unit not shown the guide device can be provided at one or only some of the feed belts.

[0237] In the configuration shown the slides 32, 33 have substantially the same configuration and function, therefore, for the corresponding parts a single slide will be referred to for the sake of brevity and the same or corresponding numerical references will be used.

[0238] The slide 32 is positioned in proximity to the inlet section 2 of the storage unit 1 and extends along the section M1 between a backward edge 34 placed in proximity to the inlet section 2 and a forward edge 35 placed at a release section 6 of the storage unit 1. The slide 32 comprises a rest surface S2 intended to receive and support the blanks 10 of the stack of blanks 100. The rest surface S2 of the slide 32 is made of metal or other material with a low coefficient of friction to favor the sliding of the blanks along the slide 32. The rest surface S2 can also be provided with a finish adapted to reduce the coefficient of friction of the rest surface S2.

[0239] The rest surface S2 has a lower coefficient of friction with respect to the coefficient of friction of the support surface 22A-24A of the feed belts 22-24 so as to favor the sliding of the blanks on the slide 32, as better clarified below.

[0240] Similarly, the second slide 33 is positioned at the inlet section 2 of the storage unit 1 and extends along the section M1 between a backward edge 34 placed in proximity to the inlet section 2 and a forward edge 35 placed at a release section 6 of the storage unit 1. The second slide 33 comprises a rest surface S2 intended to receive and support the blanks 10 of the stack of blanks 100 which is made of metal or other material with a low coefficient of friction to favor the sliding of the blanks along the second slide 33. The rest surface S2 can also be provided with a finish adapted to reduce the coefficient of friction of the rest surface S2.

[0241] The rest surface S2 of the second slide 33 has a lower coefficient of friction with respect to the coefficient of friction of the support surface 22A-24A of the feed belts 22-24 so as to favor the sliding of the blanks on the second slide 33, as better clarified below.

[0242] The storage unit further comprises a movement device 40 for moving the slides 32, 33, with respect to the respective feed belt 22-24 along a lifting trajectory M3 between a transport configuration T, shown in FIG. 1, and a sliding configuration T1 shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

[0243] In the transport configuration T each pair of slides 32, 33 is coplanar with the corresponding feed belt 22-24 and the rest surfaces S2 and the support surfaces 22A-24A jointly define a feed plane of the blanks 100. The blanks 10 rest in the section M1 on the feed belts 22-24 and on the slides 32, 33. In the transport configuration T the rest surface S2 of the slides 32, 33 is placed at the same vertical level as the support surface 22A, 23A, 24A of the respective feed belts 22-24.

[0244] In the sliding configuration T1 the slides 32, 33 are lifted with respect to the respective feed belt 22-24 and the blanks 10 rest in the section M1 only on the slides 32, 33 to be guided in sliding along said section M1 towards the release section 6, as better clarified below. The rest surface S2 of the slides 32, 33 defines a sliding plane for the blanks which is parallel to the feed plane of the corresponding feed belt 22-24 and placed at a higher vertical level with respect to the feed plane. In the sliding configuration T1, in the section M1, the blanks rest only on the slides and are lifted with respect to the feed belts.

[0245] In other versions not shown, in the sliding configuration the slides are partially lifted with respect to the respective feed belt and positioned so that the rest surfaces of the slides define a sliding plane for the blanks that is inclined with respect to the feed plane of the corresponding feed belt. In this case, the sliding plane is lifted with respect to the feed plane and incident to the feed plane at the release section. A backward edge of each slide is placed at a higher vertical level with respect to the respective feed belt and a forward edge of the slide is placed at the same vertical level of the feed belt.

[0246] In versions not shown, in the transport configuration the blanks rest only on the feed belts, the slides being placed at a lower vertical level with respect to the respective feed belts or positioned so as not to interfere with the blanks. In other versions not shown in the transport configuration, the rest surface of the slides is placed at a lower vertical level with respect to the support surface of the corresponding feed belt. In this way, in the transport configuration, the blanks 10 rest only on the feed belts 22-24 and the positioning of the blanks is optimized, preventing them from moving with respect to the desired transport position.

[0247] The movement device 40 comprises a movement mechanism for each slide 32, 33. The movement mechanisms of the slides are structurally and functionally similar so only one will be described for the sake of brevity with reference to the first slide 32 of the first feed belt 22, the corresponding parts will be indicated with the same numerical references.

[0248] The movement mechanism 40 is configured as an articulated parallelogram and is intended to move the slide 32 between the sliding configuration T1 and the transport configuration T. The movement mechanism comprises a first connecting rod 41 and a second connecting rod 42 which are hinged at the respective first hinging ends 41A, 42A to the slide 32 and at the respective opposite second hinging ends 41B, 42B to the frame 4 of the storage unit 1.

[0249] The first connecting rod 41 is hinged at an intermediate section of the slide 32, the second connecting rod 42 is hinged at the forward edge 35 of the slide 32. In other versions not shown, the second connecting rod is hinged at the forward edge 33 of the slide.

[0250] The first connecting rod 41 and the second connecting rod 42 are rotatable in a synchronized manner to move the slide 32 between the transport configuration T and the sliding configuration T1.

[0251] Each connecting rod 41, 42 is rotatable, in both ways of the rotation direction F2, about a respective rotation axis X2, X2 placed horizontally and parallel to the feed plane to move the slide 32 between the transport configuration T and the sliding configuration T1.

[0252] The movement mechanism is configured to rotate the second hinging end 41B, 42B of each connecting rod 41, 42 so that the first hinging end 41A, 42A is moved along the lifting trajectory M3, shown schematically in FIG. 2B to bring the slide into the sliding configuration T1. The lifting trajectory M3 is configured as an arc of circumference and comprises a vertical lifting component M31 oriented so as to lift the slide with respect to the feed plane and a transport component M32 parallel to the feed plane and oriented opposite to said feed trajectory M.

[0253] The movement mechanism is configured to rotate the second hinging end 41B, 42B of each connecting rod 41, 42 so that the first hinging end 41A, 42A is moved along the return trajectory M3, shown schematically in FIG. 2B to bring the slide 32 into the transport configuration T. The return trajectory M3 is configured as an arc of circumference and comprises a vertical lowering component M31 oriented so as to lower the slide 32 with respect to the feed plane and a transport component M32 parallel to the feed plane and concordant with the feed trajectory M.

[0254] The first hinging end 41A, 42A describes an arc of circumference for moving the connecting rod 32 between the transport configuration T and the sliding configuration T1.

[0255] In the version shown, in the transport configuration T the connecting rods 41, 42 are inclined with respect to the vertical direction, while in the sliding configuration T1 the connecting rods 41, 42 are arranged perpendicularly to the feed plane and parallel to the vertical direction. The first hinging ends 41A, 42A are placed in the sliding configuration T1 at a higher vertical level with respect to the transport configuration T.

[0256] In the sliding configuration T1, the rest surface S2 of the slides 32, 33 is placed at a greater vertical level with respect to the vertical level of the support surface 22A, 23A, 24A of the corresponding feed belt 22-24 to which the slides 32, 33 are flanked. In this way, in the sliding configuration T1, the blanks 10 rest in the section M1 only on the slides 32, 33 and their sliding along the feed trajectory M is favored.

[0257] By rotating the connecting rods 41, 42 to bring the slide 32 from the transport configuration T to the sliding configuration T1, the slide 32 is moved along a lifting trajectory M3 comprising a lifting component M31 perpendicular to the feed plane of the respective feed belt 22-24 so as to lift the slide 32 with respect to the feed plane and a transport component M32 parallel to the feed plane and opposite to the feed trajectory M so as to favor the separation of the blanks 10.

[0258] By moving the slide 32 from the transport configuration T to the sliding configuration T1, the slide 32 engages the lower flank 11 of the blanks and progressively lifts the blanks 10 with respect to the feed plane. In the sliding configuration T1, the rest surface S2 of the slide 32 is lifted by a height comprised between about 10 mm and about 50 mm with respect to the support surface 22A-24A of the respective feed belt 22-24.

[0259] The connecting rods 41, 42 are rotated by an angle comprised between about 30 and about 60to move the slide 32 between the transport configuration T and the sliding configuration T1.

[0260] The storage unit 1 further comprises a conveyor belt, not visible in the Figures, placed downstream of the feed belts 22-24 and intended to receive the blanks 10 from the feed belts 22-24 to lead them up to the outlet section 3. The conveyor belt is movable at a greater transport speed than the feed speed VA to allow a separation between the blanks 10 of the stack of blanks 100. The conveyor belt can be provided with separating elements to further favor the separation of the blanks.

[0261] The supply unit 100 operates according to the following modes.

[0262] First, a stack of blanks 100 is loaded into the loading hopper 4A to move them along the feed trajectory M through the feed belts 22-24 towards the outlet section 3 of the loading hopper 4A. The feed belts 22-24 are driven so as to move the blanks 10 along the feed trajectory M at the feed speed VA.

[0263] The blanks are loaded into the loading hopper 4A with the storage unit 1 in the transport configuration T and pushed by means of a pusher element not visible in the Figures towards the transport belts 22-24.

[0264] If the resistance opposed by the blanks is excessive or it is wished to improve the movement of the blanks, the storage unit 1 is configured in the sliding configuration T1. Therefore, the movement device 40 moves the slides 32, 33 from the transport configuration T to the sliding configuration T1 so that, at the section M1, the blanks 10 of the stack of blanks 100 are progressively lifted from the feed belts 22-24 and rest on the slides 32, 33.

[0265] By progressively moving the slides 32, 33 along the lifting trajectory M3 the blanks 10 are lifted by the feed belts 22-24 and engaged with the slides 32, 33.

[0266] When the storage unit 1 is in the sliding configuration T1, the blanks 10 rest in the section M1 on the slides 32, 33 and are guided on the slides 32, 33 in sliding along the section M1. Since the rest surfaces of the slides have a lower coefficient of friction with respect to that of the support device, in the section M1, the resistance to movement offered by the blanks is decreased and the movement of the blanks along the feed trajectory M is therefore facilitated. The blanks then move along the slides 32, 33. At the end of the slides 32, 33, at the release section 6, the blanks 10 pass from the slides 32, 33 to the respective feed belts 22-24. The blanks 10 are then fed along the feed trajectory M towards the outlet section 3 via the feed belts 22-24. Then, with the storage unit 1 in the sliding configuration T1 in the feed trajectory, there are identified a section M1 in which the blanks 10 are made to slide on the rest surface S2 of the slides 32, 33 and a feed section in which the blanks 10 rest on the support surfaces 22A-24A of the feed belts 22-24 and fed by means of the feed belts 22-24. The feed section is positioned downstream of the section M1.

[0267] The vertical distance between the rest surface S2 of the slides and the support surface 22A-24A of the belt to which the slides are flanked allows to transfer the blanks 10 from the slides 32, 33 to the feed belts 22-24 without causing unwanted movements of the blanks with respect to the desired transport position.

[0268] The movement of the slides 32, 33 between the sliding configuration T1 and the transport configuration T does not interfere with the operation of the storage unit 1 and it is not necessary to interrupt or slow down the operation of the storage unit itself. Moreover, thanks to the invention, this movement can be carried out automatically without the intervention of the operator, greatly simplifying the operations of adjustment of the operation of the storage unit.

[0269] Furthermore, by acting on the friction generated in the initial portion of the feed trajectory M, the feeding of the blanks is optimized because the friction generated by the blanks during feeding is immediately modified and the possibility that a blank is torn during feeding or that accumulations of blanks are created in certain areas of the storage unit 1 are strongly limited or eliminated. The correct picking up of the advanced blank with the manipulation unit is therefore favored.

[0270] In a version not shown, the slides are fixed and the feed belts are not movable along the lifting direction. The slides are positioned so as to be lifted with respect to the feed surface so that in the section M1 the blanks rest only on the slides. At the end of the section, the blanks fall onto the feed belts to be transported towards the outlet section of the storage unit. In this way, there are defined a section M1 in the feed trajectory M in which the blanks slide on the slides and a second section in which the blanks are transported by the feed belts. This makes it possible to avoid packing of the blanks in proximity to the inlet section of the storage unit.

[0271] In a version not shown, in the sliding configuration the slides are positioned so that the rest surface is inclined with respect to the feed plane. The backward edge of the slides is placed at a higher vertical level than the feed surface and at a higher vertical level of the forward edge of the slide. The forward edge can be placed at a vertical level higher than or equal to the feed plane. In other versions, the forward edge is placed at a lower vertical level with respect to the feed plane. With the slide in an inclined configuration, the sliding of the blanks along the feed trajectory and the passage towards the feed belts are favored.