WO2012160516A2

WO2012160516A2 - Machine for removing and cleaning offcuts and cutting waste from mattresses or similar

Info

Publication number: WO2012160516A2
Application number: PCT/IB2012/052568
Authority: WO
Inventors: Davide Zaninelli
Original assignee: Dolphin Pack S.R.L.
Priority date: 2011-05-23
Filing date: 2012-05-22
Publication date: 2012-11-29
Also published as: ITVR20110116A1; WO2012160516A3

Abstract

A machine (10) for removing and cleaning from mattresses and similar, the offcuts resulting from the cutting process used to makes slits, recesses or cut-outs in mattresses in order to give the mattress a special ergonomic or anatomical shape, where the machine comprises a first brushing unit (11), designed to remove the crossways cuts, comprising a lower roller conveyor (15) and an upper roller conveyor (16) which permits the mattress to follow an S-shaped path during which the first loop opens the lower crossways cut-outs and the second loop opens the upper crossways cut-outs in the mattress, thereby following two consecutive 180° paths in front of the roller brushes (17, 18) which are positioned one opposite the other with respect to the vertical centre line, and where the machine is characterised in that the first brushing unit (11) is linked to a second brushing unit (12) by an intermediate transfer and rotation unit (13) comprising a cross frame (20) which moves vertically and rotates on its own vertical central axis (21), which causes a movement through an angle of 90° on the horizontal plane of the mattress during the passage from the first brushing unit (11) to the second brushing unit (12) where the second brushing unit can clean the mattress or similar of process waste and offcuts made by lengthways cutting of the mattress which, after the intervention of the cross frame (20), is also positioned crossways so that it is possible to remove the cutting waste from the cuts made at right angles to the previous cuts.

Description

"MACHINE FOR REMOVING AND CLEANING OFFCUTS AND CUTTING WASTE FROM MATTRESSES OR SIMILAR"

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TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a machine for removing and cleaning offcuts and cutting waste from mattresses or foam rubber products or similar.

In particular the machine according to the invention is used at the end of the manufacturing process for making polyurethane mattresses or foam rubber products during which cuts are made to create slits, recesses or cut-outs in order to give the product a special ergonomic or anatomical shape .

The machine according to the invention enables the removal of this excess material, commonly known as offcuts' , to create these ergonomic shapes.

This cleaning operation according to the invention is fully automatic given that the machine is designed for removing and cleaning offcuts from mattresses or polyurethane or foam rubber products in a completely automatic way.

In comparison with known solutions the machine according to the present invention has an automatic system which enables cleaning of the offcuts in the two directions of the mattress, in other words, along the lengthways axis and across the crossways axis of the mattress. It does this using a device which rotates the mattress through 90° on the machine surface.

The present invention can be applied in the mattress manufacturing sector and in particular in the sector for machines designed for removing, from mattresses, the offcuts resulting from the cuts made to create slits, recesses or cut-outs in the mattresses. BACKGROUND ART

It is known that during the production of polyurethane mattresses or foam rubber products cuts are made to create slits, recesses or cut-outs in order to give the product a special ergonomic or anatomical shape.

From these cuts made in polyurethane or foam rubber mattresses or products it is necessary to remove the excess material , commonly known as ' of fcuts ' , to create these ergonomic shapes .

At the present time these cleaning operations are performed by hand or by automatic machines which in some cases are complex and costly. In other cases the machinery will only enable partial removal of the offcuts or removal only from the crossways cuts.

In the first case the slits, recesses or cut-outs in the mattress are performed directly during the production process for the mattress itself, that is, during the moulding and shaping of the foam rubber. This production method is particularly onerous in that it requires the use of various moulds of different sizes and shapes depending on the type of mattress model.

An alternative method is to remove the offcuts automatically using known roller brush machines. These machines receive the mattresses and feed them forward along a curved path so that the pre-cuts are opened. Rotating roller brushes then remove the cut material.

A known solution is disclosed in patent no. EP2149436 where the mattresses are fed along a substantially S- shaped path and where at each loop there are rotating roller brushes which remove the offcuts in the crossways direction of the product. There are then a further two systems of linear motion brushes, operating across the crossways direction of the product, one operating on the underneath of the product and one operating on the top of the product. This operation is suitable for mattresses with grooves running in a single direction only. The operation becomes much more complex when the mattress has crossing lengthways and crossways grooves .

This makes the machine cycle very laborious. It also has the drawback that the machine first has to process the mattress to remove the crossways offcuts and then has to feed the mattress out of the machine, rotate it through 90° and then feed it back into the machine for the removal of the lengthways offcuts.

This prevents the implementation of a continuous production line processing mattresses in series because the machine is occupied during the return step for processing the lengthways grooves.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a machine for removing and cleaning offcuts and cutting waste from mattresses or foam rubber products or similar that makes it possible to eliminate or at least reduce the drawbacks described above .

The invention also provides a machine for removing and cleaning offcuts from mattresses which is simple to manufacture and covers the entire production cycle. It therefore has a market advantage in terms of the quantity of finished product produced.

This is achieved by a machine for removing and cleaning offcuts from mattresses whose characteristics are described in the main claim.

The dependent claims of the solution in question describe advantageous embodiments of the invention.

The principal advantages of this solution concern the fact that the machine according to the present invention enables a continuous process cycle where the mattress is fed into a first machine, is fed forward in one direction of the machine and is then fed forward in the other direction in a second machine until the process cycle has been completed and the mattress is fed out towards the operations downstream.

The design of the machine according to the invention is therefore revolutionary because it enables the processing of mattresses in a continuous cycle and not one at a time as before. This characteristic considerably increases production capacity thereby also reducing the costs of the finished product according to the known general principle that speeding up a production process has the effect of drastically reducing unit costs.

In the case where mattresses with crossways and lengthways grooves on the upper and lower surfaces of the mattress have to be processed, processing is done using equipment according to the present invention which substantially comprises a first roller brushing unit which brushes the crossways grooves, a mattress rotation unit and a second roller brushing unit which brushes the crossways grooves.

From the constructional point of view, the two roller brushing units, or roller conveyors, face each other mirror fashion. The mattress rotation unit is between the two brushing units. This constructional layout enables the continuous forward feed of the single mattresses to be processed.

Alternatively the two roller brushing units, or roller conveyors, can be at 90° to each other and have between them a known product deviating system comprising a belt and roller mechanical transfer unit or a side pusher system or similar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear on reading the description given below of one embodiment, provided as a non-binding example, with the help of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine for removing and cleaning offcuts from mattresses according to the present invention in its entirety; Figure 2 shows a front view of the machine according to the present invention;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the machine for removing and cleaning offcuts from mattresses according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the accompanying figures, the machine for removing and cleaning offcuts from mattresses according to the present invention, indicated in its entirety by the number 10, substantially comprises a first brushing unit 11 whose characteristic is to be linked to a second brushing unit 12 by an intermediate transfer and rotation unit 13 which causes a movement through an angle of 90° of the mattress during the passage from the first brushing unit 11 to the second brushing unit 12.

The first brushing unit comprises a power-driven roller conveyor 14 which receives incoming mattresses and feeds them forward into the first brushing unit 11.

Figure 2 shows that the first brushing unit 11 comprises a lower roller conveyor 15 and an upper roller conveyor 16 which permit the mattress to follow an S- shaped path where the first loop opens the lower crossways cut-outs and the second loop opens the upper crossways cut-outs of the mattress following two consecutive paths through approximately 180°.

The maximum opening of the cut-outs occurs when the mattress passes the central zone of each of the two roller conveyors 15 and 16, that is, the zone of the loops where the roller brushes 17 and 18 are located one opposite the other with respect to the vertical centre line .

In the upper part of the first work unit 11 the mattress which has completed the first crossways work step is fed out and passes over a roller 19, which is a special feature of the invention and has two functions: a) to feed the mattress forward to the second transfer unit 12 ;

b) to rotate the mattress through an angle of 90° on the horizontal plane employing a lifting and rotating system.

The transfer unit 12 comprises a plurality of power- driven rollers 19 on a fixed frame divided into two sections with in the middle a cross frame 20 which moves vertically and rotates on its own vertical central axis 21.

From the constructional point of view, the cross frame 20, shown in Figure 3, comprises a square outer frame 22 joined in the centre by two horizontal cross pieces 23 and where the actuating system providing vertical and rotary movement is driven by a motor unit 24 mounted below.

Figure 3 shows that at the cross frame 20, the rollers 19 are interrupted to form two groups of half- size, short rollers which are also driven by motors and which feed forward the mattress on the cross frame .

During the process cycle the cross frame 20 waits for the arrival of a mattress feeding forward on the rollers 19, and when this mattress is in the central position immediately raises the mattress and then rotates it through 90° on the horizontal plane and then, when it returns, rests it on the rollers 19 which then feed the rotated mattress towards the second brushing unit 12.

At this point the longitudinal cut-outs of the mattress are now also positioned crossways so that the second brushing unit can remove the offcut in the same way as previously described.

In effect, the second brushing unit 12 has the same construction as the first brushing unit the only difference being that it is positioned opposite in mirror fashion.

The mattress encounters a first upper roller conveyor 25 and lower roller conveyor 26 which permit the mattress to follow a further S-shaped path during which the first loop opens the upper crossways cut-outs (which were previously lengthways) and the second loop opens the lower crossways cut-outs (which were previously lengthways) of the mattress, thereby once again following two consecutive paths through approximately 180°.

Once again in the second brushing unit 12 the maximum opening of the cut-outs occurs when the mattress passes the central zone of each of the two roller conveyors 25 and 26, that is, the zone of the loops where the further roller brushes 27 and 28 are located, once again, one opposite the other with respect to the vertical centre line. In the lower part and downstream from the second brushing unit 12 , the mattresses which have completed the second brushing step with the mattress rotated through 90° are fed out onto an outfeed conveyor belt 29 which transfers the mattress to the successive work steps .

As already described above, the first brushing unit 11 is linked to a second brushing unit 12 by any intermediate transfer and rotation unit 13 suitable for this purpose. In addition, the two roller brushing units, or roller conveyors, are positioned at 90° to each other and have between them a product deviating system comprising a belt and roller mechanical transfer unit or a side pusher system or similar.

The work cycle steps of the equipment are as follows :

a) The product is loaded onto the power-driven loading conveyor;

b) The product is carried by power-driven rollers to the first curved roller conveyor which curves through approximately 180°. The product passes through this 180° curve and is folded so that in its maximum folded position the cutting slits in the product are opened wide; a system of brushes and/or discs rotating radially and at a tangent to the product, and air jets and/or extraction systems remove the offcuts resulting from the cutting process.

c) The product is carried by power-driven rollers towards the second curved roller conveyor, also curved at approximately 180°, which is curved and angled in the opposite direction to the first roller conveyor. The product passes through this 180° curve and is folded so that in its maximum folded position the cutting slits in the product are opened wide; a system of brushes and/or discs rotating radially and at a tangent to the product, and air jets and/or extraction systems remove the offcuts resulting from the cutting process.

d) At this point the product is carried on a special power-driven conveyor belt 19 which comprises the lifting and rotating cross frame system designed to rotate the product through 90°.

e) After rotation through 90° on the plane the product is carried towards a third curved roller conveyor, curved at approximately 180°, where the product is folded once again so that in its maximum folded position the cutting slits in the product are opened wide; a third system of brushes and/or discs rotating radially and at a tangent to the product, and air jets and/or extraction systems remove the offcuts resulting from the cutting process.

f) The product is carried on power-driven rollers towards a fourth curved roller conveyor, curved at approximately 180°, which is curved and angled in the opposite direction to the third roller conveyor. The product passes through this last 180° curve and is folded again so that in its maximum folded position the cutting slits in the product are opened wide; a system of brushes and/or discs rotating radially and at a tangent to the product, and air jets and/or extraction systems remove the last offcuts resulting from the cutting process.

g) The product is unloaded onto the power-driven outfeed conveyor belt 29.

h) The entire machine is fitted with power-driven conveyor belts for unloading the polyurethane offcuts removed during cleaning of the products . It should be noted that the equipment described achieves all the predefined objectives and in particular that of removing and cleaning offcuts from the lengthways and crossways grooves of mattresses or various polyurethane or foam rubber products in a completely automatic and continuous cycle.

The invention is described above with reference to a preferred embodiment. It is nevertheless clear that the invention is susceptible to numerous variations that lie within its scope, in the framework of technical equivalents .

Claims

"MACHINE FOR REMOVING AND CLEANING OFFCUTS AND CUTTING WASTE FROM MATTRESSES OR SIMILAR" * * * * * * CLAIMS

1. A machine (10) for removing and cleaning from mattresses and similar, the offcuts resulting from the cutting process used to makes slits, recesses or cut-outs in mattresses in order to give the mattress a special ergonomic or anatomical shape, where the machine comprises a first brushing unit (11) , designed to remove the crossways cuts, comprising a lower roller conveyor (15) and an upper roller conveyor (16) which permits the mattress to follow an S-shaped path during which the first loop opens the lower crossways cut-outs and the second loop opens the upper crossways cut-outs in the mattress, thereby following two consecutive 180° paths in front of the roller brushes (17, 18) which are positioned one opposite the other with respect to the vertical centre line, and where the machine is characterised in that the first brushing unit (11) is linked to a second brushing unit (12) by an intermediate transfer and rotation unit (13) comprising a cross frame (20) which moves vertically and rotates on its own vertical central axis (21) , which causes a movement through an angle of 90° on the horizontal plane of the mattress during the passage from the first brushing unit (11) to the second brushing unit (12) where the second brushing unit can clean the mattress or similar of process waste and offcuts made by lengthways cutting of the mattress which, after the intervention of the cross frame (20) , is also positioned crossways so that it is possible to remove the cutting waste from the cuts made at right angles to the previous cuts .

The machine (10) for removing and cleaning process waste from mattresses or similar according to the foregoing claim, characterised in that in the upper part of the first work unit (11) the mattress which has completed the first crossways work step is fed out and passes over a roller (19) which has two functions :

• to feed the mattress forward to the second transfer unit (12) ;

• to rotate the mattress through an angle of 90° on the horizontal plane employing a lifting and rotating system.

The machine (10) for removing and cleaning process waste from mattresses or similar according to one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the transfer unit (12) comprises a plurality of power- driven rollers (19) on a fixed frame divided into two sections with in the middle a cross frame (20) which moves vertically and rotates on its own vertical central axis (21) .

The machine (10) for removing and cleaning process waste from mattresses or similar according to one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the cross frame (20) comprises a square outer frame (22) joined in the centre by two horizontal cross pieces (23) joined in the form of a cross, and where the actuating system providing vertical and rotary movement is driven by a motor unit (24) mounted below.

The machine (10) for removing and cleaning process waste from mattresses or similar according to one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that at the cross frame (20) the rollers (19) are interrupted to form two groups of half-size, short rollers which are also driven by motors and which feed forward the mattress on the cross frame.

6. The machine (10) for removing and cleaning process waste from mattresses or similar according to one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the cross frame (20) waits for the arrival of a mattress feeding forward on the rollers (19) , and when this mattress is in the central position immediately raises the mattress and then rotates it through 90° on the horizontal plane and then, when it returns, rests it on the rollers (19) which then feed the rotated mattress towards the second brushing unit (12) .

7. The machine (10) for removing and cleaning process waste from mattresses or similar according to one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that following the vertical movement and rotation through 90° of the cross frame, the longitudinal cut-outs in the mattress are in the crossways position thus enabling the removal of the offcuts by the second brushing unit, employing the same method as the first brushing unit given that the second brushing unit (12) is constructed in a similar fashion to the first brushing unit and is mounted in a position which mirrors that of the first.

8. The machine (10) for removing and cleaning process waste from mattresses or similar according to one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that in the second process step the mattress encounters a first upper roller conveyor (25) and a lower roller conveyor (26) which permit the mattress to follow a further S-shaped path during which the first loop opens the upper crossways cut-outs (which were previously lengthways) and the second loop opens the lower crossways cut-outs (which were previously lengthways) of the mattress, thereby once again following two consecutive paths through approximately 180° .

9. The machine (10) for removing and cleaning process waste from mattresses or similar according to one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the first brushing unit (11) is linked to a second brushing unit (12) by an intermediate transfer and rotation unit (13) designed and constructed so that the two roller brushing units, or roller conveyors are at an angle of 90° to each other and have between them a conveyor with a product deviating system comprising a belt and roller mechanical transfer unit or a side pusher system or similar.

10. A procedure which employs the machine (10) for removing and cleaning process waste from mattresses comprising a first brushing unit (11) , designed to remove the crossways cut-outs, comprising a lower roller conveyor (15) and an upper roller conveyor (16) which permits the mattress to follow an S-shaped path during which the first loop opens the lower crossways cut-outs and the second loop opens the upper crossways cut-outs in the mattress, thereby following two consecutive 180° paths in front of the roller brushes (17, 18) which are positioned one opposite the other with respect to the vertical centre line, and where the first brushing unit (11) is linked to a second brushing unit (12) by an intermediate transfer and rotation unit (13) comprising a cross frame (20) which moves vertically and rotates on its own vertical central axis (21) , which causes a movement through an angle of 90° on the horizontal plane of the mattress during the passage from the first brushing unit (11) to the second brushing unit (12) and where the procedure enables the continuous processing of mattresses first on one side and then on the opposite side in both the lengthways and crossways directions in a process comprising the following steps:

• The product is loaded onto the power-driven loading conveyor;

• The product is carried by power-driven rollers to the first curved roller conveyor which curves through approximately 180°. The product passes through this 180° curve and is folded so that in its maximum folded position the cutting slits in the product are opened wide; a system of brushes and/or discs rotating radially and at a tangent to the product, and air jets and/or extraction systems remove the offcuts resulting from the cutting process.

• The product is carried by power-driven rollers towards the second curved roller conveyor, also curved at approximately 180°, which is curved and angled in the opposite direction to the first roller conveyor. The product passes through this 180° curve and is folded again so that in its maximum folded position the cutting slits in the product are opened wide; a system of brushes and/or discs rotating radially and at a tangent to the product, and air jets and/or extraction systems remove the offcuts resulting from the cutting process.

The product is carried on a special power-driven conveyor belt (19) which comprises the lifting and rotating cross frame system designed to rotate the product through 90°.

After rotation through 90° on the plane the product is carried towards a third curved roller conveyor, curved at approximately 180°, where the product is folded once again so that in its maximum folded position the cutting slits in the product are opened wide; a third system of brushes and/or discs rotating radially and at a tangent to the product, and air jets and/or extraction systems remove the offcuts resulting from the cutting process.

The product is carried on power-driven rollers towards a fourth curved roller conveyor, curved at approximately 180°, which is curved and angled in the opposite direction to the third roller conveyor. The product passes through this last 180° curve and is folded again so that in its maximum folded position the cutting slits in the product are opened wide; a system of brushes and/or discs rotating radially and at a tangent to the product, and air jets and/or extraction systems remove the last offcuts resulting from the cutting process.

The product is unloaded onto the power-driven outfeed conveyor belt (29) .