EP4234468A1

EP4234468A1 - Automatic winding machine of wire of added material

Info

Publication number: EP4234468A1
Application number: EP23153958.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gianluca MARANGONI
Original assignee: Gimax Srl
Current assignee: Gimax Srl
Priority date: 2022-02-24
Filing date: 2023-01-30
Publication date: 2023-08-30
Also published as: IT202200003452A1

Abstract

An automatic winding machine (1) of wire of added material (F) comprising a support structure (2) which insists on a support surface (S), a loading station (3), contained in the support structure (2) and receiving flanged reels (R) one after the other coming from a loader arranged upstream of the automatic winding machine (1) and provided with a plurality of flanged reels (R), a tools group (4) fixed inside the support structure (2) and comprising a main gripping and translation gripper cooperating with first actuator means, which actuate it to at least pick up one by one the flanged reels (R) from the loading station (3) and apply them to a winding body (6) coupled to the support structure (2); the tools group (4) further includes an insertion gripper (7) cooperating with second actuation means (8) which actuate it in vertical (Y) and horizontal (X) directions and manipulating an initial end of the wire of added material (F) unwound from a skein and direct it towards the flanged reels (R) supported by the winding body (6) at which the wire of added material (F), due to the rotation of the body winding (6), is wound in a stratified manner about a central drum (T) of each of said flanged reels (R) forming a plurality of coils (B) of wire of added material (F); a cutting gripper (9) arranged downstream said insertion gripper (7), which obtains a final end of the wire of added material (F) of each of the coils (B) and cooperating with third actuation means (10), which actuate it in vertical (Y') and horizontal (X) directions. In detail, the second actuation means (8) and/or the third actuation means (10) are distinct from each other and each one includes an electric linear actuator (12, 13, 14) electrically connected to a central processing and control unit which manages its actuation so as to vary, by means of an automatic, progressive and continuous adjustment, the distance between the second actuation means (8), the third actuation means (10) and the winding body (6) when the format of the flanged reels (R) to be subjected to the winding of said wire of added material (F) varies.

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic winding machine (or automatic winding unit or equipment, commonly also named automatic winder) of wire of added material, such as welding wire or filament for 3D printers, in which the wire is rewound according to juxtaposed and superimposed rows, in multiple layers, about a flanged reel, basket or drum, preferably made of plastic material, thereby obtaining a coil of wire of added material for the aforesaid uses.
It is known that in manufacturing sectors, such as industrial welding, added material is commonly in the form of a wire or filament consisting of a metallic material, such as copper-coated iron, aluminum, and stainless steel, and which is made available for welding in the condition in which it is wound about a basket, reel, or flanged drum made of metal or plastic material, thereby forming a traditional coil.
Indeed, the manufacturers of wire made of added material (typically, such as welding wire) initially supply the wire itself wound into heavy skeins (weighing even in the order of several quintals), which is why a rewinding operation of the wire of added material into the aforesaid coil is inevitably needed, which coil being lighter in weight and smaller in size than the initial skein, is suitable for assembly on the machine tools which perform the respective machining (e.g., welding).
The rewinding operation, as a whole, firstly requires unwinding the wire of added material from the skein and then rewinding said wire to form a plurality of coils, each of the desired diameter and weight; in particular, the weight of the coils obtained starting from a skein varies from 0.5 kg to 30 kg (corresponding to their varying diameters from 100 mm to 350 mm, respectively), according to the needs and demands of the market.
These operations are normally performed using a plurality of operating machines, mutually arranged in a line and separated from each other, each of which is intended to perform a very specific and determined function.
Winding lines are known in the prior art which are capable of automatically winding the coil and which comprise three main and distinct machines, i.e., an initial unwinding unit, on which the starting skein to be unwound is positioned, a final winding and unloading unit or machine of the complete coil of rewound wire (also known as a winding machine or winder), and an intermediate unit, named "takeup", which has the dual function of tensioning the wire between the unwinding and winding steps and synchronizing the rotational speed of the motors of the upstream unwinding unit and the downstream winding unit, as well as during the respective acceleration and deceleration ramps.
In addition, the winding lines of the prior art comprise a loader (or store or storage station, as noted above), which accommodates the flanged reels (or baskets or drums) on which the wire of added material coming from the skein, from which it was unwound, must be immediately rewound; the loader is substantially arranged operationally (and, in general, also physically) upstream of the winding machine to which it supplies the flanged reels, onto which the wire of added material is wound, in an appropriate and cadenced manner.
The empty flanged reels (i.e., still free of the rewound or wound wire of added material) are loaded onto the loader each time by the operator, who arranges them, in the quantity required for the winding step, according to a series of vertical stacks in which flanged reels of the same type and diameter (at least in the same stack) are stacked on top of one another.
For smaller coils - conventionally, having diameters between 100 mm and 200 mm and weighing between 0.5 kg and 5 kg, even considering the material which they're made from - the operator mostly has to perform the manual loading operation of the flanged reels into the loader, while for larger coils - conventionally, having diameters comprised between 260 mm and 350 mm and weights between 15 kg and 30 kg - the operator mostly has to perform a rather elaborate set of manual adjustments on much of the winding machine equipment (especially on flanges, mechanical stops, mechanical abutments and other parts associated with the tools group that is fixed to the support structure of the winding machine and at which the actual winding operation is carried out) to change from one format to another to be processed in the machine or, in other words, to change the format of the flanged reels to be rewound with wire of added material. This inevitably leads to a rather pronounced and understandable series of drawbacks, the first of which is the inevitable machine downtime (or stop times of the winding machine/winder), which, even if infrequent (which is rarely the case), negatively impacts the efficiency of the automatic winding machine.
The second drawback suffered by automatic winding machines of the known type is the articulation and complexity of the operations that must be performed to adjust the position of the components of the winding machine - especially on the initial gripper for inserting the wire of added material to be wound and the final gripper for cutting the wound wire of added material - and that, as a result, require the use of operating personnel with non-negligible and not easily found technical expertise.
A further drawback that still distinguishes automatic winders of the prior art concerns the presence of a conspicuous number of mechanical components installed in the tools group inevitably provided with various jobs needed to obtain the desired adjustments and useful to make it possible to change the flanged reels to be rewound.
Therefore, the present invention effectively suggests remedying the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art starting from their awareness.
More in particular, it is main purpose of the invention to provide an automatic winding machine of wire of added material which, as the size of the flanged reel to be rewound varies, makes it possible to adjust the position of the insertion gripper of the wire itself to be wound onto the flanged reel - each time and temporarily supported by the winding body (also known as the rotating spindle) - and the position of the cutting gripper of the wire just wound onto the flanged reel, relative to the position of the flanged reel, more quickly but just as accurately and effectively as in winding machines of the prior art.
Within the scope of such a first purpose, it is task of the present invention to provide an automatic winding machine of wire of added material which facilitates the operator in the adjustments to be made to adapt the position of the tools group, in particular the insertion gripper and the downstream cutting gripper, to the different format of the flanged reels on which to wind the wire of added material, effectively making manual input minimal or almost nil in such circumstances.
It is a further task of the invention to indicate an automatic winding machine of wire of added material which has a simpler design concept, due mainly to a reduction in the number of components involved, at the adjustment means of the mutual position of the insertion gripper, cutting gripper and winding body (or spindle).
It is a last but not least purpose of the present invention to devise an automatic winding machine of wire of added material which has greater operating efficiency than that of the equivalent automatic winding machines of the prior art.
Said purposes are achieved by an automatic winding machine (or winder) of a wire of added material (such as welding wire or 3D printer filament) according to accompanying claim 1, as hereinafter referred for the sake of presentation brevity. Further detailed technical construction features of the automatic winding machine of a wire of added material of the invention are contained in the respective dependent claims.
The aforesaid claims, hereinafter specifically and concretely defined, are intended an integral part of the present description.
Advantageously, the automatic winding machine of wire of added material of the invention has a better performance than automatic winding machines of known types comparable to it.
This is a consequence of the fact that, in the automatic winding machine of the present invention, the second actuation means, associated with the insertion gripper of the tools group, and/or the third actuation means, associated with the cutting gripper of the tools group, are distinct from each other and, favorably, each one comprises at least one electric linear actuator electrically connected to a central processing and control unit which manages its actuation in such a way as to vary, by automatic, progressive and continuous adjustment, the distance between the second actuation means, the third actuation means and the winding body (or spindle) as the size of the flanged reels to be subjected to the winding of said wire of added material varies.
Still advantageously, by means of the automatic winding machine of wire of added material according to the invention, the format change of the flanged reels to be rewound is compensated more quickly than in the prior art, to the benefit of the operating efficiency of the machine and making it easier to meet the delivery time of the finished product (represented by the flanged reels wound with the wire of added material).
Equally advantageously, by means of the invention, the operators are facilitated in the format changes of the flanged reels to be rewound, because they only adjust the position of the insertion gripper and the cutting gripper relative to the winding body automatically, acting directly on the central processing and control unit, at their disposal through a control panel adjacent to the support structure of the automatic winding machine disclosed herein; thus, in the automatic winding machine of the invention, the insertion gripper and the cutting gripper quickly reach the dimensions desired and useful for processing a given format of flanged reels each time.
Said purposes and advantages, as well as other ones that will emerge in the course of the text, will be more evident from the description that follows, related to a preferred embodiment of the automatic winding machine (or winder) of wire of added material of the current invention, given by way of indicative and non-limiting example, with the help of the attached drawings in which:

figures 1 and 2 are two distinct and different simplified assonometric views of the automatic winding machine of the invention, in a first configuration (usually coinciding with non-operative conditions, such as maintenance or inspection);
figure 1a is an enlarged detail of figure 1;
figure 2a is an enlarged detail of figure 2;
figure 3 is the front view of figure 1;
figure 4 is a first side view of figure 1;
figure 5 is a second side view of figure 1;
figure 5a is an enlarged detail of figure 5;
figure 6 is the front view of figure 2;
figure 7 is a first side view of figure 2;
figure 8 is a second side view of figure 2.

The automatic wire winding machine (or winder) of wire of added material of the invention, is shown in respective simplified and partial assonometric views in appended figures 1 and 2, in which it's overall indicated with reference numeral 1. It is worth noting that, in its generic and essential features, typical of a traditional and already known construction concept, the automatic winding machine (or winder) 1 comprises:

a support structure 2, usually of the box-like type, resting on a support surface S, typically the floor of an industrial plant;
a loading station 3, contained in the support structure 2 and configured to receive flanged reels R consecutively one after the other, coming, by means of conveying means, indicated by reference numeral 22 as a whole and of the type known in itself to a person skilled in the art (shown in detail also in figure 1a), from a loader (not shown in the accompanying figures), which is operatively and physically arranged upstream said automatic winding machine 1 and which receives a plurality of the flanged reels R in a predetermined storage order;
a tools group, indicated with reference numeral 4 as a whole, fixed inside the box-like support structure 2 and comprising at least:
- a main gripping and translation (or expander) gripper 5, shown in greater detail in figures 5 and 5a, cooperating with first actuator means, not shown in the accompanying figures, which actuate the main gripper 5 to at least pick up the flanged reels R one by one from the loading station 3 and apply them to a winding body 6 (typically a spindle) coupled to the support structure 2;
- an insertion gripper 7 cooperating with second actuation means, indicated as a whole by reference numeral 8 and shown in figure 2 and the detail in figure 2a, configured to operate the insertion gripper 7 as needed in vertical Y and horizontal X direction, the insertion gripper 7 being configured to manipulate an initial end of the wire of added material F unwound from a skein and direct it towards the flanged reels R temporarily supported each time by the winding body 6 at which the wire of added material F, due to the rotation of the body winding 6, is wound stratified around a central drum T of each of the flanged reels R forming a plurality of coils B of the wire of added material F;
- a cutting gripper 9 operatively arranged downstream of the insertion gripper 7, configured to obtain a final end of the wire of added material F of each of the coils B and cooperating with third actuation means, indicated as a whole by reference numeral 10 and also shown in figure 2 and in detail in figure 2a configured to actuate the cutting gripper 9 in vertical Y' and horizontal X direction.

In this specific case, by way of example only, the winding body 6 is made integral with the support structure 2 by means of a rotating table 11 from which the winding body 6 itself protrudes frontally and which is placed in rotation around a horizontal axis Z, shown in figure 3, orthogonally incident the frontal plane identified by the rotating table 11 itself and thus orthogonal to the horizontal axis X.
However, it is understood that in other, not illustrated, embodiments of the automatic winding machine of the invention, particularly suitable for the formation, by winding wire of added material, of coils of higher weight (generally estimated to be between 15 kg - but also 10 kg - and 30 kg), the aforesaid rotating table may be absent so that the winding body (spindle) will be directly coupled to an inner wall of the supporting structure (or frame).
According to the invention, in the case described here in detail with specific reference to the accompanying figures, the second actuation means 8 and the third actuation means 10 are distinct from each other and each comprises an electric linear actuator (identified more precisely with a respective reference numeral below) electrically connected to a central processing and control unit, not shown on the accompanying figures, which manages its actuation so as to vary, by means of an automatic, progressive and continuous adjustment, the distance between the second actuation means 8, the third actuation means 10 and the winding body 6 when the format of the flanged reels R to be subjected to the winding of said wire of added material F varies.
As seen again in figures 2 and 2a, the second actuation means 8 and the third actuation means 10 are side-by-side according to a front view of the support structure 2 of the automatic winding machine 1 of the invention and face a movable (in this case, sliding) opening and closing door 17 useful for allowing or inhibiting access to a main inner compartment 18 of the support structure 2 itself. Preferably but not necessarily, the second actuation means 8 and the third actuation means 10 are operationally and movably coupled to a longitudinal plate 19 which runs predominantly along the horizontal axis X and is stably fixed to an inner wall 2a of the support structure 2.
As a consequence, when operationally required by the need to change the flanged reels R to be rewound, the insertion gripper 7 is made to slide by the second actuation means 8 along the horizontal direction X and along the vertical direction Y by means of first composite guiding means, indicated by reference numeral 20 as a whole; in turn, the cutting gripper 9 is, again when operationally required by the above needs, made to slide by the third actuation means 10 along the horizontal direction X and along the vertical direction Y' by means of the second composite guiding means, indicated by reference numeral 21 as a whole.
The first guide composite means 20 and the second guide composite means 21 are specifically defined on (or associated, integral with, or cooperating with) an outer surface 19a of the longitudinal plate 19, where the outer surface 19a is generally frontal and facing the movable opening and closing door 17.
Indeed, both the first guide composite means 20 and the second guide composite means 21 consist of a vertical mechanical component and a horizontal mechanical component which allow the consequent sliding of the insertion gripper 7 and the cutting gripper 9 along two directions at right angles to each other, in case of necessity due to a change in the size of the flanged reels R to be rewound. According to the embodiment of the invention, the second actuation means 8 comprise a first electric linear actuator 12 configured to move the insertion gripper 7 along the vertical direction Y, and a second electric linear actuator 13 configured to move the insertion gripper 7 along the horizontal direction X.
Preferably and when necessary, i.e., when there is a format change of the flanged reels R to be rewound, the insertion gripper 7 is first moved in the vertical direction Y by the first electric linear actuator 12 and then in the horizontal direction X by the second electric linear actuator 13.
By way of a non-limiting example, the third actuation means 10 comprise, instead, a third electric linear actuator 14 configured to move the cutting gripper along the vertical direction Y' distinct from the vertical direction Y (and evidently parallel thereto), and a pneumatic linear actuator 15 operatively connected to motorization means, indicated by reference numeral 16 as a whole, and configured to move the cutting gripper along the horizontal direction X, the same along which the insertion gripper 7 is moved.
Each one of the electric linear actuators 12, 13, and 14 is electrically connected to the central processing and control unit by means of an actuation module, not shown in the accompanying figures, contained in an auxiliary box-like body 23 defined in the support structure 2 and accessible by means of a side door 24, as shown in figures 4 and 7.
More in detail, each electric linear actuator 12, 13, and 14 provided in the automatic winding machine of the invention is any one of the types of electric actuation devices chosen from the group consisting of parallel electric linear actuators, right angle or "L" electric linear actuators, in-line electric linear actuators, linear guide electric linear actuators and/or combinations thereof. Regarding the loading station 3, figures 1 and 3 show that it preferably comprises a dynamic lane 25 for the translation of flanged reels R to be rewound, having a variable capacity due to being connected to the third actuator means, such as a pneumatic linear actuator 26, contained in the box-like structure 2 and operatively connected to motorization means, not shown in the accompanying figures.
In the example of a variant embodiment of the invention being described, the automatic winding machine 1 also includes an auxiliary gripping and translation gripper, not shown, operatively arranged downstream of the cutting gripper 9 and cooperating with second actuation means, not shown for the sake of simplicity of exposition, adapted to actuate the auxiliary gripper to remove the coils B one by one from the winding body 6.
However, this does not preclude the possibility that, in further executions of the automatic winding machine of wire of added material of the invention, as yet unaccompanied by reference figures, the main gripping and translation gripper and the auxiliary gripper may be the same and thus consist of a single gripping and translation gripper.
In a preferred but not limiting manner, the automatic winding machine 1 of the present invention comprises an unloading station 27, diagrammatically and generically identified in figure 6, contained in the part underneath the support structure 2 and, in this case, distinct from the winding body 6, configured to accommodate consecutively one after the other the coils B released from the auxiliary gripping and translation gripper.
It is worth noting that, in further design solutions of the automatic winding machine of wire of added material of the invention, which are not shown in the drawings mentioned below, the unloading station could coincide with the winding body (spindle).
With reference to the first actuator means - associated with the main gripping and translation gripper - and the second actuator means - associated with the auxiliary gripping and translation gripper, it is worth noting that they are distinct and separate from each other but of the same type, electrically connected to the central processing and control unit, and preferably include a pneumatic linear actuator.
Advantageously, the automatic winding machine 1 of the invention also includes, in the specific case, localized heat-sealing means, indicated as a whole by reference numeral 28 and best seen in figures 2, 2a, 6, and 8, arranged at the winding body 6 and configured to connect by heat a first end (notably the initial end) of the wire of added material F to each of the flanged reels R, embedding the initial first end in each of the flanged reels R themselves.
In particular, the localized heat-sealing means 28 are operatively connected to fifth actuation means, indicated as a whole by reference numeral 29, electrically connected to the central processing and control unit, configured to arrange the localized heat-sealing means 28 alternately between a rest position, in which the localized heat-sealing means 28 are moved away from the winding body 6 and are inoperative, and an operating position, in which the localized heat-sealing means are near and close to the winding body 6 and are operated to couple the first end of the wire of added material F stably to each of the flanged reels R which have progressively to be rewound with said wire F from a skein (as noted in part above, having larger diameter and weight than the individual coils B formed at the automatic winding machine 1 of the invention).
Preferably but not exclusively, the localized heat-sealing means 28, although not explicitly illustrated in the accompanying figures, are also arranged at the aforementioned unloading station 27 and are configured to connect by heat a second end, opposite to the first one, of the added material wire F ends to each of the flanged reels R, embedding the second end in each of the flanged reels R.
As a consequence, similarly with the localized heat-sealing means 28 arranged at the winding body (or spindle) 6, also these further localized heat-sealing means 28 are operatively connected to fifth actuation means, not shown in the accompanying figures, electrically connected to the central processing and control unit, configured to arrange the localized heat-sealing means 28 alternately between a rest position, in which the localized heat-sealing means 28 are moved away from the unloading station 27 and are inoperative, and an operating position, in which the localized heat-sealing means 28 are close and moved towards the unloading station 27 and are operated to stably couple a second of the ends of said wire of added material F to each of the flanged reels R.
In other words, and more precisely, the localized heat-sealing means 28 arranged at the winding body 6 of the tools group 4 stably couples the initial end of the wire of added material F to an outer surface E of the central drum T of each of the flanged reels R yet to be rewound.
Instead, on the other hand, the localized heat-sealing means 28 arranged at the unloading station 27 stably couple the final end of the wire of added material F to an inner wall P of one of the two side flanges L_>1, L₂ facing and opposing each other, separated by the central drum T, of each of the flanged reels R just recoiled with the wire of added material F to form the corresponding coil B.
Preferably but not exclusively, the localized heat-sealing means 28 are coupled to the support structure 2 by means of the fifth actuation means 29 which, in this case and advantageously and in a non-limiting manner, also comprise an electric linear actuator 30.
In a preferred but non-exclusive and non-essential manner, the localized heat-sealing means 28 comprise any one of the sealing systems by indirect or direct heat generation chosen from the group consisting of ultrasonic generator 31 (also known as a sonotrode, which is the preferred solution idea of the localized heat-sealing means 28 used in the automatic winding machine 1 of the invention), heatemitting metal body and/or the like, electrically connected to a power supply source of electric energy.
In more detail, the ultrasonic generator 31 is any one of the intense vibration generators (frequency in the range of 20-50 kHz) capable of releasing heat chosen from the group consisting of exponential, catenoidal, or rectangular type generators.
As a consequence, the ultrasonic generator 31 acts on the plastic material of each of the flanged reels R when, in the operating position, it is arranged close to the winding body 6 or the unloading station 27.
The ultrasonic generator 31 - a preferred but non-binding solution provided for the localized heat-sealing (or even heat welding) means 28 preferably arranged in the automatic winding machine 1 of the invention - has the advantage of improving the hold of the coupling of the wire of added material F to the various flanged reels R made of plastic material while making it somewhat easy for the operator to remove at least the end of the wire F when the latter is used in the subsequent welding process.
The heat sealing by means of the ultrasonic generator 31 also offers the advantage of being rather quick, while retaining its functional effectiveness, and of leaving no processing residue which would somehow otherwise and disadvantageously need to be handled by cleaning the automatic winding machine 1 of the present invention.
By means of the preferred but non-binding presence of the localized heat-sealing means 28, the automatic winding machine (or winder) 1 of wire of added material of the invention advantageously allows the initial end of the wire of added material (more properly, of that part of the wire skein intended to be wound to a given flanged reel) to be coupled to a given flanged reel in a more easy, quick, rapid, and convenient manner than automatic winding machines of the prior art.
In addition, the presence of the localized heat-sealing means 28 in the automatic winding machine 1 of the invention advantageously allows for a reduction, compared to the prior art, of breakage of wire of added material F, at least in the initial step of attaching to the flanged reel R to be rewound, and, in turn, in the portions - however small - of wire of added material F which are intended for waste, to the benefit of increasing production efficiency of the winding machine.
Still advantageously, the localized heat-sealing means 28 with which the automatic winding machine 1 of the invention is preferably provided stably couples the initial and/or final ends of the wire of added material F that is wound onto a given flanged reel R without having to mechanically process the latter (by making grooves or notches of various kinds) and/or without leaving one or more ends of wire protruding from the reel R, as found in the prior art, but by embedding it in the central drum T or in one of the two side flanges L₁, L₂ of the flanged reel R itself and thus making it essentially harmless in case of the possible but quite unlikely contact with the fingers of the operator's hand.
Thus, the automatic winding machine of the invention, by employing the means of localized heat-sealing means 28, almost hides the final end of the wire of added material F from sight but does not prevent the downstream operator (typically, a welding technician) from easily separating it, by pulling, from the side flange L₁ or L₂ of the flanged reel R to make the wire F itself ready for its final use.
Therefore, based on the description given above, it can be understood that the automatic winding machine of wire of added material of the present invention achieves the purpose and reaches the advantages previously mentioned.
Upon execution, changes could be made to the automatic winding machine of wire of added material of the invention, consisting, for example, in a tools group of a different constructive conception from the one summarily described above and visible in the accompanying figures, considering, in any case, the fact that the core of the present invention and the related technical concept are represented by the automatic adjustment of the movements of the insertion gripper and the cutting gripper, achieved by means of electric linear actuators instead of by mechanical stops, as is the case in the prior art, which allows rapid, precise and continuous (i.e., seamless and not at discrete intervals) reaching of each size for rewinding flanged reels that differ from each other in format.
In addition, other embodiments of the automatic winding machine of the invention, not shown hereafter, may provide that only the second actuation means or only the third actuation means comprise at least one electric linear actuator electrically connected to a central processing and control unit which manages its actuation, so as to determine the automatic, progressive and continuous adjustment of the mutual distance between the second actuation means, the third actuation means and the winding body as the size of the flanged reels to be subjected to the winding of said wire of added material varies.
Finally, it is apparent that many other embodiments could be made to the automatic winding machine of wire of added material described herein comprised within the scope of the appended claims, just as it is apparent that in the practical implementation of the invention, the materials, shapes, and sizes of the details shown may be any according to the requirements and may be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.
Where the constructive features and techniques mentioned in the successive claims are followed by references signs or numerals, such reference signs were introduced for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims themselves and consequently, such reference signs have no limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified, by way of example only, by such reference signs.

Claims

Automatic winding machine (1) of wire of added material (F) comprising:
- a support structure (2) suitable to rest on a support surface (S);

- a loading station (3), contained in said support structure (2) and configured to receive flanged reels (R) one after and consecutively to the other, coming from a loader which is operatively and physically arranged upstream said automatic winding machine (1) and which receives a plurality of said flanged reels (R) in a predetermined storage order;

- a tools group (4) fixed inside said support structure (2) and including at least:
• a main gripping and translation gripper (5) cooperating with first actuator means configured to actuate said main gripper (5) to at least pick up one by one said flanged reels (R) from said loading station (3) and apply them to a winding body (6) coupled to said support structure (2);

• an insertion gripper (7) cooperating with second actuation means (8) configured to operate said insertion gripper (7) in vertical (Y) and horizontal (X) direction and configured to manipulate an initial end of said wire of added material (F) unwound from a coil and direct it towards said flanged reels (R) supported by said winding body (6) at which said wire of added material (F), due to the rotation of said body winding (6), is wound stratified around a central drum (T) of each of said flanged reels (R) forming a plurality of coils (B) of said wire of added material (F);

• a cutting gripper (9) operatively arranged downstream said insertion gripper (7), configured to obtain a final end of said wire of added material (F) of each of said coils (B) and cooperating with third actuation means (10) configured to operate said cutting gripper (9) in vertical (Y') and horizontal (X) direction,

characterized in that said second actuation means (8) and said third actuation means (10) are distinct from each other and at least one of them comprises at least one electric linear actuator (12, 13, 14) electrically connected to a central processing and control unit managing its actuation in such a way as to vary, by means of an automatic, progressive and continuous adjustment, the distance among said second actuation means (8), said third actuation means (10) and said winding body (6) when the format of said flanged reels (R) to be subjected to rewinding of said wire of added material (F) varies.
Winding machine (1) according to claim 1), characterized in that said electric linear actuator (12, 13, 14) is electrically connected to said central processing and control unit through an actuation module contained inside a box-like body (23) defined in said support structure (2).
Winding machine (1) according to claim 1) or 2), characterized in that said electric linear actuator (12, 13, 14) is any of the types of electric actuation devices chosen from the group consisting of parallel electric linear actuators, right angle or "L" electric linear actuators, in-line electric linear actuators, linear guide electric linear actuators and/or their combinations.
Winding machine (1) according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that said second actuation means (8) and said third actuation means (10) are side-by-side each other according to a front view of said support structure (2) and facing a movable opening and closing door (15) of an inner compartment (16) of said support structure (2).
Winding machine (1) according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that said second (8) and third actuation means (10) are operatively and movably coupled to a longitudinal plate (19) fixed to an inner wall (2a) of said support structure (2).
Winding machine (1) according to claim 5), characterized in that said insertion gripper (7) is made sliding by said second actuation means (8) along said horizontal direction (X) and along said vertical direction (Y) through first composite guide means (20) and said cutting gripper (9) is made sliding by said third actuation means (10) along said horizontal direction (X) and along said vertical direction (Y') through second composite guide means (21), said first composite guide means (20) and said second composite guide means (21) being defined on an external surface (19a) of said longitudinal plate (19).
Winding machine (1) according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that said second actuation means (8) comprise a first electric linear actuator (12) configured to move said insertion gripper (7) along said vertical direction (Y), and a second electric linear actuator (13) configured to move said insertion gripper (7) along said horizontal direction (X).
Winding machine (1) according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that said third actuation means (10) comprise a third electric linear actuator (14) configured to move said cutting gripper (9) along said vertical direction (Y'), and a pneumatic linear actuator (15) operatively connected to motorization means (16) and configured to move said cutting gripper (9) along said horizontal direction (X).
Winding machine (1) according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises an auxiliary gripping and translation gripper, operatively arranged downstream said cutting gripper (9) and cooperating with second actuator means configured to operate said auxiliary gripper to remove one by one said coils (B) from said winding body (6).
Winding machine (1) according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises an unloading station (27) contained in said support structure (2) and distinct from said winding body (6), configured to receive one after and consecutively the other said coils (B) released by said auxiliary gripping and translation gripper.
Winding machine (1) according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it includes localized heat-sealing means (28) arranged at said winding body (6) and configured to connect by heat a first of the ends of said wire of added material (F) to each of said flanged reels (R), drowning said first end in each of said flanged reels (R).
Winding machine (1) according to claim 11) when dependent on claim 10), said localized heat-sealing means (28) are positioned also at said loading station (27) and are configured to connect by heat a second of the ends of said wire of added material (F) to each of said flanged reels (R), drowning said second end in each of said flanged reels (R).
Winding machine (1) according to claim 11), characterized in that said localized heat-sealing means (28) are operatively connected to fifth actuation means (29), electrically connected to said central processing and control unit, configured to arrange said localized heat-sealing means (28) alternately between a rest position, in which said localized heat-sealing means (28) are moved away from said winding body (6) and are inoperative, and an operating position, in which said localized heat-sealing means (28) are close to said winding body (6) and are operated to stably couple a first of said ends of said wire of added material (F) to each of said flanged reels (R) to be rewind.
Winding machine (1) according to claim 12), characterized in that said localized heat-sealing means (28) are operatively connected to fifth actuation means (29), electrically connected to said central processing and control unit, configured to arrange said localized heat-sealing means (28) alternately between a rest position, in which said localized heat-sealing means (28) are moved away from said unloading station (27) and are inoperative, and an operating position, in which said localized heat-sealing means (28) are close to said unloading station (27) and are operated to stably couple a second of said ends of said wire of added material (F) to each of said flanged reels (R) already rewound.
Winding machine (1) according to any of the claims 11) to 14), characterized in that said localized heat-sealing means (28) comprise any of the sealing systems by indirect or direct generation of heat selected from the group consisting of a generator with ultrasounds (31), metal body emitting heat and/or the like, electrically connected to a power source of electrical energy.
Winding machine (1) according to claim 15), characterized in that said ultrasonic generator (31) acts on each of said flanged reels (R) when it takes an operating position in which it is arranged in proximity to said winding body (6) and/or said unloading station (27).
Winding machine (1) according to any of the claims 13) to 16), characterized in that said fifth actuation means (29) comprise an electric linear actuator (30).