CONTROL DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING OPERATING UNITS OF PACKING MACHINE AND RELATED METHOD Russian patent published in 2016 - IPC B65B19/22 B65B57/12 

FIELD: packaging industry.

SUBSTANCE: control device of packing machine (1) intended for packing finished packs (3) of smoking products located in one vertical plane and having central wrapping wheel (13) and at least two of the following working units (22, 25, 26, 27, 34, 37), conveyor configured to deliver smoking product to wrapping wheel (13) in substantially horizontal direction (M) parallel to rotation axis (R) of wrapping wheel (13) drawing unit (25), made with possibility of subsequent installation of the group of small collars (6) when moving in radial relative to wrapping wheel (13) towards peripheral sockets of wrapping wheel (13), first feed unit (22) configured to feed in radial relative to feed wrapping wheel (13) product direction already wrapped with inner wrapping sheet (4), with picking up from conveyor, second feed unit (27) designed to deliver external wrapping sheet (8) in radial direction to peripheral sockets (14) of wrapping wheel (13) terminal packing and wrapping unit (34) of wheel type, configured to receive radially from wrapping wheel (13) of each blank supplied with formation of pack (3). Control device comprises central control unit (100) of programmable type, interfaced with electronic memory device containing programmed chronological data base (101) containing information relating to at least one or more working cycles to be performed. Control device also comprises first step motor (71A), coupled with wheel (13), and at least two second pitch servo-motors (71B), each of which is coupled with one of at least two working units. Note here that each of the first and second servo motors (71A, 71B) is equipped with position sensor and is controlled by central control unit (100) so that first servo-motor (71A) coupled with wheel (13) is combined for monitoring and controlling bidirectionally and independently with at least one of two second servo motors (71B) of working units. Unit (100) has the possibility for each pair (A-B1; A-B2; A-B3; A-B4; A-Bn) composed of first servo-motor (71A) and one of two second servo motors (71B), establish a unique and bidirectional dialogue supported by unit (100), based on chronologised data stored in electronic memory device containing data base (101), and information generated by position sensors involved in servo motors (71a, 71B) so that information distributed by sensors and coupled with dialogue is compared by unit (100) with information stored in electronic memory device containing data base (101) to check its conformity with working cycle to be performed. Packing machine comprises control device mentioned above. Method of controlling operations implemented by two or more working units (22, 25, 26, 27, 34, 37) of packing machine (1) contains at least partial wrapping with corresponding collar (6) and corresponding external wrapping sheet (8) by means of wheel (13), at least one organised group of articles already wrapped by its first inner wrapping sheet (4), and contains performed by working units at least one of the following operations : delivery of at least one organised group of articles in substantially horizontal movement direction (M) parallel to rotation axis (R) of wheel (13), installation of collar (6), in its displacement in radial direction to wheel (13) by means of setting working unit (25), in peripheral sockets (14) of wheel (13), supply of the group of articles, sampled from conveyor and already wrapped with inner wrapping sheet in radial direction to wheel (13) by first feeding unit (22) , feeding in radial direction to wheel (13) of the second external wrapping sheet (8) by means of the second feeding unit (27), packing and wrapping by terminal packing and wrapping unit (34) of each blank obtained in radial direction from wheel (13) to form thereby packs (3). Method employs first step servomotor (71A) to drive wheel (13) and at least two second pitch servo motors (71B), each of which is conjugated with one of working units, each of servo motors (71A, 71B) is equipped with position sensor; and also provides subjection of servo motors (71A, 71B) operation to central control unit (100) engaged with electronic memory device containing programmed chronological data base (101) including information on one or more working cycles to be performed. Method for monitoring and controlling comprises combination in bidirectional and independent mode of first servo-motor (71A) of wheel (13) with at least one of second servo motors (71B) controlled by central unit (100), setting by unit (100) for each pair (A-B1; A-B2; A-B3; A-B4; A-Bn) of combined with each other servo motors (71A, 71B) of unambiguous and bidirectional dialogue based on chronologised data stored in electronic memory device containing data base (101), and information generated by position sensors of involved servo motors (71a, 71B), so that information generated by sensors and coupled with dialogue is compared by unit (100) with information stored in electronic memory device containing data base (101) to check its conformity with working cycle to be executed. Method also includes introduction of possible corrections in servo motors (71A, 71B) in case if unit (100) detects possible anomalies.

EFFECT: higher efficiency and reliability.

10 cl, 10 dwg