Method and apparatus for winding continuous web material into reels

Abstract

Method for controlling the winding into reel ( 30 ) comprising the steps of providing a rotary winding cylinder ( 13 ); providing at least a support ( 3, 23 ) of a rod ( 2, 31 ); winding said web material around the rod ( 2, 31 ); detecting a contact pressure (p); correlating the detected value of contact pressure (P) to at least a characteristic winding parameter; and driving said support ( 3, 23 ) to obtain predetermined values of said parameter during the winding.

1 . Method for controlling the winding into a reel ( 30 ) of web material comprises the steps of:
 providing a rotary winding cylinder ( 13 );   providing at least one support ( 3 ,  23 ) of a rod ( 2 ,  31 ) for the winding of the material;   winding the material around the rod ( 2 ,  31 ) rotating on the support ( 3 ,  23 ) by the contact of a reel of material ( 30 ) in the course of formation with the winding cylinder ( 13 );   detecting, during the winding, a contact pressure (P) between the reel ( 30 ) in the course of formation and the winding cylinder ( 13 );   correlating the detected value of contact pressure (P) with at least a parameter characteristic of the winding into reel ( 30 );   moving the support ( 3 ,  23 ) relative to cylinder ( 13 ) in response to the detected value of pressure (P) to obtain predetermined values of said parameter during the winding.   
   
   
       2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said detection step is carried out by means of one or more load cells ( 17 ) responsive to the contact pressure (P) between said reel ( 30 ) and said winding cylinder ( 13 ).   
   
   
       3 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the movement of said support ( 3 ,  23 ) is revealed by a control unit for processing detected values of said pressure (P). 
   
   
       4 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein said support ( 3 ) is a primary arm ( 3 ) connected to the cylinder ( 13 ) and driven by a controlled actuator ( 8 ). 
   
   
       5 . Method according to  claim 4 , wherein said actuator ( 8 ) is an electro-mechanical jack driven by at least a brushless motor ( 5 ). 
   
   
       6 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein said support is a winding carriage ( 23 ) movable with respect to the cylinder ( 13 ) via chains ( 20 ) driven by at least a motor brushless ( 18 ). 
   
   
       7 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein said parameter is the softness of the reel of web material. 
   
   
       8 . Method according to  claim 1  wherein said parameter is the winding density of the web material onto the reel. 
   
   
       9 . Winder ( 1 ) for winding into reels of a continuous web material from a feeding unit, comprising:
 a winding cylinder ( 13 ) having a motor-driven axis (X), fixed to a bedplate ( 27 ), said cylinder ( 13 ) exhibiting a surface of contact with the incoming web material;   at least a winding support ( 3 ,  23 ) having a rod ( 2 ,  31 ) disposed thereon which moves a reel ( 30 ) in the course of formation into contact with said cylinder ( 13 );   remote-controlled actuator means ( 6 ,  20 ) for adjusting the distance of said support ( 3 ,  23 ) from said cylinder ( 13 ) during the winding of the reel ( 30 );   at least a sensor ( 17 ) responsive to a contact pressure (P) between said reel ( 30 ) and said cylinder ( 13 );   a processing unit connected to the actuator means ( 6 ,  8 ) and sensor ( 17 ) to drive the movement of said actuator means ( 6 ,  8 ) in response to the value of pressure (P) detected by the sensor ( 17 ) during the step of winding said reel ( 30 ).   
   
   
       10 . Winder according to  claim 9 , wherein said actuator means ( 6 ) are electromechanical jacks driven by brushless motors ( 4 ,  10 ). 
   
   
       11 . Apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said support ( 23 ) is a winding carriage ( 23 ) sliding on guides ( 32 ) and carrying said first winding rod ( 31 ). 
   
   
       12 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said winding carriage ( 23 ) is made to slide on said straight guide ( 32 ) by a drive chain ( 20 ) connected to at least a brushless motor ( 18 ) and at least a reducer ( 19 ). 
   
   
       13 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said winding carriage ( 23 ) comprises a front peg ( 14 ), a rear peg ( 16 ) and a braking peg ( 15 ) which reciprocate to lock/unlock on command the winding rod ( 31 ). 
   
   
       14 . Apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said support ( 3 ) comprises a primary arm ( 3 ) hinged on the axis (e) of cylinder ( 13 ) and an oscillating arm ( 11 ) carrying said second winding rod ( 2 ). 
   
   
       15 . Apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein said primary arm ( 3 ) and said oscillating arm ( 11 ) are connected to each other by an electromechanical jack ( 6 ) engaged to an equalizer ( 26 ) and a hinge (c). 
   
   
       16 . Apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein said oscillating arm ( 11 ) comprises also a locking clamp ( 12 ) operable by a cylinder-piston means ( 28 ) fixed to the same arm ( 11 ) to retain the second winding rod ( 2 ). 
   
   
       17 . Winder according to  claim 14 , wherein said primary arm ( 3 ) is moved by an electromechanical jack ( 8 ) driven by one or more brushless motors ( 10 ) connected to one or more reducers ( 9 ). 
   
   
       18 . Winder according to  claim 9 , wherein said sensor ( 17 ) responsive to the pressure (P) is a toroidal load cell coaxial with the winding cylinder ( 13 ). 
   
   
       19 . Winder according to  claim 9 , wherein said sensor ( 17 ) is a flat load cell disposed on the bedplate ( 27 ) of the cylinder. 
   
   
       20 . Winder according to  claim 9 , wherein said sensor ( 17 ) is a load cell operatively connected to said support ( 3 ,  23 ). 
   
   
       21 . Winder according to  claim 9 , wherein said motorization of said winding cylinder ( 13 ) is provided by one or more brushless motors. 
   
   
       22 . Winder according to  claim 9 , wherein said support ( 3 ,  23 ) further comprises a protective elastic element ( 7 ). 
   
   
       23 . Winder according to  claim 22 , wherein said elastic element ( 7 ) is an air spring. 
   
   
       24 . Winder according to  claim 22 , wherein said elastic element ( 7 ) is interposed between an end of said equalizer ( 26 ) and an abutment ( 25 ) formed directly on a predetermined region of the primary arm ( 3 ). 
   
   
       25 . Winder according to  claim 9  further comprising at least a torsion bar ( 16 ) for synchronizing the motions of arms ( 3 ) and/or supports ( 23 ). 
   
   
       26 . Winder according to  claim 9  further comprising brushless motors driven for synchronizing the motions of arms ( 3 ) and/or supports ( 23 ). 
   
   
       27 . Winder according to  claim 9 , wherein said rod-holder support ( 23 ) consist of secondary arms which are moved by at least an electromechanical jack driven by one or more brushless motors and possibly connected by torsion bars. 
   
   
       28 . Winder according to  claim 9 , wherein said oscillating arms ( 11 ) are connected by at least a torsion bar for synchronizing the motions of same arms ( 11 ).