MACHINE AND METHOD FOR WRAPPING OF ONE OR MORE PRODUCTS WITH A TAPE OF MATERIAL

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of packaging.

[0002] In particular, the invention relates to a new machinery for packaging products in general, such as stacked boxes of products and positioned on a pallet or on the ground or single products such as reels of paper placed on a pallet or on a pallet on the ground, as well as individual or stacked products placed on the ground and not necessarily palleted or placed on a pallet.

Brief outlines of prior art

[0003] The packaging of products in general, for example in the "Tissue" field, may include the packaging of products stacked on pallets, for example boxes of Tissue products, such as napkins, rolls, small rolls, facial tissues, hand towels, etc. Packaging may also comprise the packaging of parent reels which must then be moved and then, for such purpose, they are wrapped for protecting them at least laterally during their movement through suitable forklift trucks.

[0004] In the present state of the art, the packaging machinery comprises an unwinding station on which a reel of tape used for the winding is mounted. Generally, such tape is a tape of the "stretchable" type and thus of a material of plastic origin. The winding reel is formed by many hundreds of meters of tape wrapped around a core and thus such tape enables to package many products. The diameter of such reels used as winding tape may also be greater than one meter, for example.

[0005] Therefore, the station is formed by an unwinder, on which the reel is mounted and with the unwinder which moves, i.e., shifts, along a vertical column, so that during the unwinding of the tape the reel can be shifted upwards or downwards in order to cover the whole height of the product to be packaged (be it both a stack of products arranged on the pallet or on the ground and be it a single reel which rests on its base or on a side directly on the ground or on a pallet).

[0006] In a possible embodiment of the prior art, the products are positioned on a base rotatable around its vertical axis (substantially rotatable around an axis orthogonal to the ground). In this way, while the products are made to rotate around the said vertical axis, contextually the winding tape is unrolled from the unwinding station so that the rotation itself of the products around the vertical axis makes the same products draw around their perimeter the said tape which wraps them.

[0007] The initial winding phase provides indeed the connection of the free strip of tape, coming from the parent reel, at a point of the objects to be wrapped. Contextually, the reel is raised bottom up (or vice versa) along its supporting turret so that the winding involves substantially the whole height of the product/s to be packed.

[0008] Such an embodiment as described has the technical drawback of operating necessarily with reels of a particularly light material since the whole reel used for the winding, i.e., the wrapping of the products, must be moved at least vertically along the supporting turret.

[0009] This results in a strong limitation in particular on the choice of the wrapping material which is generally selected from plastic material to be lighter, in order to facilitate any movement of the parent reel.

[0010] However, this is contrary to the current needs in which the use of bio-degradable materials, which however may have a greater specific weight, is increasingly more frequent and even mandatory by law.

[0011] If in other technical fields the weight increase is not relevant, in this case, instead, the weight increase results of a significant problem since a reel could increase its overall weight also by several tens of kilos thus subjecting the machine to such loads as to damage it.

[0012] This is the case of paper which is certainly heavier than plastic film but due to the above-introduced drawbacks it is difficult to use in place of plastic film.

[0013] Furthermore, even when trying to reduce the weights, the reels are still very large since they must ensure a predetermined number of winding. If the reel is selected with a small diameter, in order to preserve the weights, it is however necessary at this point to continuously and frequently change the reel and this results in a highly uneconomical solution since it excessively causes a slowdown in production.

[0014] Publications EP0842850, EP2910475, US2018/273226, DE10030979, EP0470196, US2014033657 describe apparatuses and methods for realizing a wrapping of one or more products with a tape of material.

Summary of the invention

[0015] Therefore, the aim of the present invention is to provide an innovative machinery, and relative method, which resolves the said technical drawbacks.

[0016] In particular, the aim of the present invention is to provide a machinery, and relative method, which enables to perform a "packaging", therefore in other words a packing or wrapping of a single product or more products together, for example stacked on each other, being able to select any packaging reel and of any weight, therefore structuring the machinery so as to be functional with any reel used for winding, both a big one or a small one and/or made of any material.

[0017] These and other aims are achieved through the present machinery for realizing a wrapping of one or more products in general with a tape (101) of a material, preferably a paper tape, in accordance with claim 1.

[0018] Such machinery, according to the invention comprises:

• A support (2) on which a parent reel (100) from which to unwind the tape of material for the wrapping can be arranged, in a rotatable way;
• A wrapping head (22) movable along at least one wrapping path which enables to wrap the product/s around their perimeter, preferably also for at least one part of their height, for example with the wrapping head 22 movable along a guide, for example vertical and/or along a circular path or a helicoidal path which surrounds the positioning zone of the products to be wrapped.
• For such purpose the said wrapping head comprises at least one winding/unwinding roll (45) rotatable towards a direction, to operate around it the winding of a predetermined length in meters of tape of material, and rotatable towards the opposite direction to be able to unwind at least a part of the said tape wound around it in such a way that a predetermined length in meter of tape can be unwound from the said parent reel to be wrapped around the said winding/unwinding roll (45) and to perform the wrapping, once the tape wrapped on the roll (45) is separated from the parent reel from which it originates, through a combination of a movement of the said wrapping head along the said at least one path and the unwinding of at least a part of the said tape wound on the roll 45.

[0019] In this way all the aforesaid technical drawbacks are readily resolved.

[0020] In particular the support (2) is now configured simply to enable an unwinding of the tape from the parent reel but it must not be moved in any way to wrap, for example with a motion along the height of the whole product.

[0021] Now the movement, for example in height or according to a circular path, can be deputed to the movable wrapping head which has wrapped around itself only a limited length in meters of tape.

[0022] Thus, one is not compelled anymore to use small or light reels.

[0023] Indeed, the use of a movable wrapping head (22) which results an element independent from the support (2) and therefore movable in an independent way, enables the achievement of all the predetermined aims.

[0024] Indeed, the wrapping head has the said roll 45 which is rotatable towards a direction, to wrap around it a certain length in meters of paper, and rotatable towards the opposite direction to enable the release of a certain length in meters for realizing the wrapping.

[0025] Once the roll 45 has been loaded with a certain length in meters of tape, the separation of the tape from the parent reel can be operated and the wrapping head 22 can move to perform the wrapping with a limited "load" of paper but anyway it can be restored from the parent reel when necessary.

[0026] Therefore, this enables even to select tapes with a greater specific weight, such as paper, even having parent reels of big sizes.

[0027] Advantageously, just in the case that products with a certain height are wrapped, a vertical guide (21) is provided and with the said wrapping head (22) which is thus movable in the sense that it can shift along the said vertical guide in such a way that the product/s can be wrapped along the whole or a good part of their height.

[0028] Thanks to the fact that the wrapping head has a limited length in meters of tape it enables to readily move the said head along the guide without charging it with considerable weights (that is not feasible with a parent reel).

[0029] Therefore, this makes it possible the use of heavy tapes such as paper.

[0030] In addition, if the products to be wrapped are positioned in the wrapping zone on a rotatable plane, the head will only be limited to shift to cover the product height.

[0031] Otherwise, if a rotatable support plane is not provided, the wrapping head will have to move on a circular path which surrounds the positioning station of the products to be wrapped, to wrap them around.

[0032] In addition, if the products are high, the same vertical guide may be provided but with the whole vertical guide and the wrapping head movable along the circular path so that the head shifts on the guide and at the same time moves around the products thanks to the shift along the circular path of the guide itself.

[0033] A helicoidal guide which surrounds the positioning zone of the products enables, alternatively, the raising of the wrapping head while the latter moves along the guide and in accordance to this alternative it is not necessary anymore to move the guide as in the case above with vertical guide.

[0034] In all cases, it is anyway necessary a movement of the wrapping head, both in height and if necessary (and/or) according to a circular path to realize the wrapping.

[0035] Therefore, the proposed solution enables to realize structures which are not subjected to strong structural stresses.

[0036] The invention also provides according to claim 10 a method for realizing a wrapping of one or more products in general with a tape of material, the method providing the following phases:

• Arrangement, on a support (2), of a parent reel (100) of tape (101) of material so that the said parent reel (100) is rotatable to enable the unwinding of a predetermined quantity of the said tape (101) of material;
• Arrangement of a wrapping head (22) movable along at least one path for operating the wrapping, preferably shiftable along a vertical guide, and comprising at least one winding/unwinding roll (45) rotatable towards a direction, to operate around it the winding of a predetermined length in meters of tape of material, and rotatable towards the opposite direction to unwind at least a part of the said tape wound around it;
• Winding of a predetermined quantity of tape which is unwound from the parent reel to be wound around the said winding/unwinding roll of the said wrapping head and the subsequent cut of the tape once reached a predetermined length in meters of tape wound around the said winding/unwinding roll (45) in such a way as to separate the tape wound on the said winding/unwinding roll (45) from the parent reel from which it originates;
• Execution of the wrapping of the product/s by combining suitably the movement of the wrapping head along the said at least one path and unwinding at least a part of the tape wound around the said winding/unwinding roll so as to wrap perimetrically the said product/s.

[0037] The invention also provides the use of a movable wrapping head according to claim 15.

[0038] Further advantages are inferable from the dependent claims.

Brief description of the drawings

[0039] Further features and the advantages of the present machinery, and relative packaging method of products in general, according to the invention, will become more apparent from the following description of some preferred embodiments thereof, given only by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

• Figure 1 depicts an axonometric view of the first station whose function is to support the parent reel of tape to enable the unwinding thereof of a predetermined length in meters towards the second station;
• Figures 2 and 3 depict respectively a view from above and a lateral view of such first station;
• Figure 4 depicts a detail relative to the said first station;
• Figure 5 is an overall axonometric view of the whole machinery in which the components of the second station are yet highlighted;
• Figures from 5A to 7 depict structurally the details of the said second station;
• Figures from 8 to 10 depict yet some working phases of the machinery;
• Figures 11 and 12 depict in axonometric view, in greater detail, a wrapping phase of a product 200.

Description of some preferred embodiments

[0040] The present invention concerns a new machinery for realizing the wrapping of products in general.

[0041] The machinery can be mostly divided into three stations and in particular:
A first station 1 in which the parent reel 100 from which the tape for the packing is unwound, is positioned. Such station is fixed, except for the fact that it is configured for being able to rotate or enable anyway the rotation, of the parent reel which it supports, with the only aim to enable an unwinding of a predetermined length in meters of tape (of any material, preferably paper). Therefore, on such first station, the parent reel is not shifted and/or raised and/or lowered and/or moved according to a certain path. It is only made rotate around a pin which, de facto, is the peg (Sp) entering the reel core.

[0042] In this way, as explained thereinafter, reels with big sizes and weights may be used without causing excessive structural stresses on the machine.

[0043] A second station 20 (see for example figure 5), comprises instead a vertical guide 21 on which a wrapping head 22 is movable vertically which, in turn, includes a roll around which a certain length in meters of tape coming from the parent reel 100 which stands in the first station 1 is wound. Once a predetermined length in meters of tape has been wound on the said wrapping head 22, the tape is torn and therefore the second station becomes independent from the first one and can operate the wrapping by using the own length in meters of loaded tape and moving freely along the paths necessary to complete the winding, such as the guide in case of such preferred embodiment of the invention, thereby leaving the parent reel 100 still in position in its first station.

[0044] In such first preferred embodiment of the invention, it is therefore comprised a third station 30 which represents the positioning zone of the product/s to be wrapped which includes a supporting plane rotatable around the axis Z (see for example figure 11) so as to make rotate the products to be wrapped around the axis Z (orthogonal to the ground).

[0045] As explained thereinafter, in a second embodiment the positioning plane of the products may not be rotatable as well.

[0046] In the prosecution of the present description such three stations introduced above are described in greater detail in the various possible embodiments of the invention.

The first station:

[0047] Figure 1 depicts in axonometric view the part of the present machinery which specifically represents the said first station 1.

[0048] In particular, a support 2, preferably in form of a plate for example circular 2, on which a parent reel 100 of tape rests to realize the packaging, is illustrated.

[0049] As depicted in the view from above of figure 2 and in the lateral view of figure 3, the support plate on which the reel 100 stands, is driven into rotation through a motor 50, preferably an electric motor.

[0050] More particularly, there is provided a motor 50, that is for example electrical, which causes a rotation of a shaft 52 which ends with a cog-wheel 53 which in turn meshes with the relative teeth provided or present on the supporting shaft 54 of the plate 2 on which the reel rests.

[0051] The rotation of the cog-wheel 53 causes the shaft 54 that is integral with the plate 2 to rotate and in this way the reel 100, which stands on the plate, is made to rotate through the rotation of the said plate.

[0052] Through such rotation a predetermined length in meters of the tape can be unwound from the parent reel.

[0053] The said support 2 comprises a vertical peg (Sp) which protrudes orthogonally from the said support and which, in use, is inserted into the reel core so as to fix it on the plate and render it integral with it.

[0054] It can be configured in order to lock itself along the channel delimited by the reel core, for example by means of an inflatable system which expands the diameter of the peg which is constrained against the walls of the reel core (the same occurs when the reel has no inner core but it obviously has the channel around which the tape is rolled up).

[0055] As explained thereinafter in the description, the reel can be made of any material and therefore it may include a tape of plastic material even if the invention is preferably directed to the use of a paper tape as better specified thereinafter.

[0056] The reel may have any size, for example paper reels of 1.2 m diameter.

[0057] The reel may be unrolled thanks to the rotation of the plate 2.

[0058] Even more particularly, with reference to figure 1, the supporting plate 2 rests on a framework 3 which also acts as support for a transferring turret 4 which supports, in a rotatable way, a couple of rolls which function, as also highlighted in figure 1, is to grab the paper to adjust the correct tensioning thereof and guide the paper with the correct tension towards the wrapping head 22 while the paper is released by the rotating parent reel.

[0059] In particular, moving on to figure 4, the transferring turret 4 supports two counter-rotating rolls which define between them a passage space for the tape 101 coming from the reel 100 and which, released by the parent reel moves towards the second station, just thanks to such turret.

[0060] Figure 4 thus depicts the roll 56 and the roll 57 and with the roll 57 which is moved according to a shift which can bring it close or draw it away from the roll 56 so as to increase or decrease the passage "gap" of tape 101 (see the dotted line representing the tape) so as to adjust the paper tension.

[0061] The roll 57 can move close to the roll 56 thereby trapping the tape coming from the parent reel (see the tape represented in the thin dotted line), or it can draw away from it reducing the contact, thus increasing the gap.

[0062] The roll 56 is preferably motorized with a motor 56', electric for example, highlighted in figure 4, while the roll 57 is preferably idle but it is movable anyway through an actuator 57' so as to be able to move close/away to/from the roll 56.

[0063] The motor 56' makes the roll 56 rotate according to such a speed that it is possible to adjust correctly the tape tension in the part which is just from the reel 100 up to such roll 56, without tearing off the paper and ensuring the correct transfer of the free paper strip. Therefore, it is synchronized with the rotation of the parent reel so as to be able to adjust the tape tension without tearing it off.

[0064] Always as depicted in figure 4, the whole turret 4 is therefore shiftable along a guide 58 (see the double arrow direction) so that its movement can guide the free paper strip to lead it into the second station.

[0065] More particularly, the process of paper passage from the parent reel towards the roll 45 of the wrapping head 22 occurs automatically in the following way, just thanks to such turret 4.

[0066] As described and continued thereinafter, the roll 45, belonging to the second station, has a slit 46 within which the free paper strip inserts itself to begin the winding onto the roll 45 of the wrapping head 22. This operation occurs automatically thereby the turret 4, thanks to the rolls 56 and 57, maintains the correct paper tension and once drawn a paper strip which passes over the rolls 56 and 57 by approximately 3 cm, locks the rotation of the motorized roll 56 and begins to shift towards the wrapping head 22 along the guide 58 with a translation speed function of the rotation of the parent reel so as to maintain always the tension at a correct value without tearing the paper off. The shift along the guide occurs until such exceeding strip, locked between the said two rolls 56 and 57, is led into the slit 46. At this point, the roll 56 becomes idle and distances from the roll 57, so that the rotation of the roll 45 can occur for the winding.

[0067] Therefore, the turret, acts like a human hand which grabs the free strip and moves in a synchronized way with respect to the rotation of the parent reel to guide the tape which is released towards the roll 45 to which it is fixed.

[0068] Obviously, such solution with the turret 4 is very advantageous since it automatizes the whole process, but however, the turret could also be omitted by performing a manual passage.

SECOND STATION:

[0069] Figure 5 depicts in greater detail the second station in the preferred embodiment.

[0070] As already mentioned, it is formed by a vertical guide 21 on which a wrapping head 22 is mounted slidingly, used for releasing the tape for the winding.

[0071] The task of the wrapping head 22 is therefore to wrap around a suitable roll, better described thereinafter, a predetermined length in meter of tape coming from the parent reel, for example an amount sufficient for operating the wrapping of a series of products (three or four, for example). In this way, since it would be necessary to move the reel along a vertical path for operating the wrapping of high products (see for example the product 200 in figure 5), then according to such solution one can readily move the above-mentioned head 22 which is loaded with a limited and light length in meters, the main reel 100 remaining instead in a fixed position.

[0072] It is therefore clear that, according to such solution, the whole structure of the machine is under less stress since the head movement does not imply a movement of the whole parent reel but instead a movement of a part of the tape only.

[0073] Therefore, the head is charged with a certain length in meters of tape and can operate the packaging, i.e., the wrapping, independently from the parent reel which remains in fixed position.

[0074] This enables, for example, the use of the tape to wrap in the form of a paper tape which is known as being much heavier than a stretchable plastic-based tape and, for that purpose, hardly usable until now, only with parent reels with small diameter, for example of approximately 170-200 mm diameter. While indeed a reel with a diameter of approximately 1 meter of thin plastic tape may weight some tens of kilos, the same diameter of paper weights tens of kilos more and obviously its movement would result in a considerable problem.

[0075] Such solution solves the problem since now the parent reel must not be moved anymore.

[0076] Therefore, as depicted in figure 5, the vertical guide 21 comprises a column 24 which is an endless screw which is made to rotate by the motor 25, which is also preferably electric like all the other motors present on the whole machinery. The endless screw 24 meshes along a threaded channel obtained in a sleeve 28 to which the head 22 connects and with such sleeve which obviously is the body shifting along the guide 21 and connected to the wrapping head 22.

[0077] In this way, depending on the clockwise or counterclockwise direction of rotation of the endless screw 24 the whole head 22 may be moved along the guide according to a lifting motion, i.e., which goes from the support base 23 of the guide 21 towards the motor 25 or a lowering motion, i.e., from the motor 25 to the base 23.

[0078] Equivalent solutions such as rack and cog-wheel or hydraulic cylinders could be used in place of the endless screw.

[0079] The motor 26, instead, is connected to the head 22 so as to enable a rotation thereof on the plane parallel to the ground between a loading position of the paper and a wrapping position.

[0080] Figure 8 and figure 9 depict in fact the transferring position of the tape from the parent reel to the head 22 while figure 10 depicts the position rotated through 90° degrees of the head 22 to perform the operation of wrapping.

[0081] In this way, thanks to such rotation by 90° degrees, the objects to be wrapped can be arranged in a loading zone spaced from the parent reel thereby preventing all the components of the machine from interfering with one another.

[0082] Through a further suitable motor, the head 22 may also be further adjusted angularly along a plane orthogonal to the ground and which is the plane of longitudinal symmetry (LG) of the head 22 and depicted in figure 5B.

[0083] Therefore, the head can oscillate on this plane (LG) varying the inclination thereof thereby favoring the wrapping phase.

[0084] For example, one can notice in figure 5 that in this case the head 22 is slightly inclined downwards for feeding the paper in an area slightly lower than the head 22 itself which releases it.

[0085] Moving on to the subsequent figures 5A, 5B and 6 the wrapping head 22 is structurally described in better detail.

[0086] Moving on to figure 5A, the said wrapping head 22 comprises a central body 40 to which two rotatable arms (41, 42) are connected between an open position and a closed position. The rear connection of the head 40 which enables the rotation thereof by 90° degrees on a plane parallel to the ground, should be noted.

[0087] Both figure 5A and figure 5B depict very clearly such two arms (41, 42) which are pivoted so as to rotate like wings between the said open position, in which they rotate radially outwards, and the said closed position in which they close against one another in front of the roll 45.

[0088] As depicted in figure 5A "OPEN position" the central body 40 comprises the winding roll 45 which, through motor 46, can be made to rotate towards a direction or towards the opposite direction.

[0089] The winding roll 45 comprises a longitudinal notch 47 which serves for fixing on it the free strip of the tape coming from the parent reel to perform the winding. Within the said longitudinal notch inflatable gaskets are provided such that, when the paper strip is inserted into the notch, the strip is locked through the inflation of such gaskets.

[0090] Substantially, the tape coming from the parent reel is led to such head 22 fixing the free strip within the notch 46 and locking it thanks to the inflation of the gaskets. At this point, the roll 45 is rotated by the motor 46' so as to wrap around itself a predetermined length in meter of paper.

[0091] As described above, the turret 44 manages such transfer of the free strip to such notch 46 where the strip is trapped.

[0092] Then the cut of the tape is performed through systems which may include a laser cut or the use of a blade or something else, thus leaving a new free strip which is the one which will be used for initiating the winding.

[0093] Each one of the wings 41 and 42 include one or more rolls which are well highlighted in figure 5A-5B and figure 6.

[0094] In particular the wing 41 comprises a rubberized roll 47 which is positioned against a towing roll 49 belonging to the other wing 42 and driven in rotation by a motor 50, which is preferably electric.

[0095] Moreover, the wing 42 comprises a further roll 48 which is a loading cell. The loading cell simply serves for detecting the tension in the paper and therefore for adjusting the inclination of the head on the basis of the tension, in addition to adjusting the speed at which the tape unwinds.

[0096] Therefore, when one wants to wind a certain length in meters of paper onto the winding roll 45 the wings are in open position and the free paper strip coming from the parent reel is inserted within the loop 46. The strip is locked and the motor 46' makes to rotate the roll 45 by winding a certain length in meters.

[0097] In this phase, as depicted in figure 8, the head 22 is rotated towards the turret 4 and is aligned with the rolls of such turret.

[0098] The roll 45 rotates in a synchronized way with the parent reel and the turret adjusts the tension thereof.

[0099] In this condition, as already mentioned, the two rolls of the turret 4 draw away from one another and are in idle condition, thereby enabling the free unwinding of the parent reel. Contextually, the turret shifts backwards to the nearest position to the parent reel ready to resume a guiding cycle of the paper into the slot 46 when it will be necessary.

[0100] Therefore, the roll 45 rotates in a synchronous way with respect to the parent reel to wind the tape.

[0101] At the end of the winding the wings close, trapping a tape section, and the tape downstream of the closed wings is cut thus creating the free strip of tape wrapped around the roll 45 and the free strip of tape which belongs to the parent reel.

[0102] Therefore, contextually, the two rolls of the turret 4 close the gap to grab the free strip belonging to the tape of the parent reel and to be ready for another cycle while, as mentioned, the roll 45 has its wounded tape with its free strip which protrudes from the above-said wings.

[0103] Therefore, in this condition, the two wings lock the strip which protrudes from the rolls 47 and 49 by some centimeters through the rotation and lock of the motorized roll 49 which abuts the rubberized roll. Then one proceeds, as per figure 10 to the head rotation which rotates by 90° degrees to make it face the positioning station of the products to be wrapped.

[0104] The roll 49 may be activated so as to make protrude a strip of a sufficient length to reach the objects to be wrapped so that the operator connects, at the beginning of winding, such free strip to the products.

[0105] After having performed that, the motor 50 is released and the rolls 49 and 50 become idle.

[0106] The only roll which remains motorized is the roll 45 which rotates now towards the unwinding direction of the paper.

[0107] As introduced above, the winding phase around the roll 45 requires the rotation of the support plate of the parent reel in the first station at a speed which is obviously synchronized with the rotation speed of the roll 45.

[0108] When the winding of a certain length in meters has been finished, the two wings close, the head is rotated (see the sequence figure 9 and 10) and, for initiating the winding of the product/s, it is sufficient to attach the free strip of paper wrapped on the roll 45 of the head 22 to a point of the object/s positioned in the third station.

[0109] During the winding of the product/s, the roll 45 rotates in such a way as to release the paper, therefore rotating towards an opposite direction to that through which it rotated to wrap around itself a certain length in meters of paper.

THIRD STATION:

[0110] As it is then depicted in figure 11, the support station 30 is provided for the products to be wrapped and which comprises a support plane 32 on which the object/s to be wrapped rest/s, whether it is a single product, or a stack of products positioned on a pallet or directly on the support plane 32.

[0111] Therefore, the base or support plane 32 forms a support surface for the products to be wrapped and it is mounted on a supporting tower 31. The support base 32 is rotatable, for example through a suitable motor, around the axis Z vertical to the ground indicated in figure 11 for clarity purposes.

[0112] The support plane 32 can rotate with a technical solution similar to that described for the plane 2 of figure 1.

[0113] In this way, as it is highlighted by the succession of figures 11 and 12, the product positioned on the support base 32 is made to rotate around the axis Z and, contextually, the tape which was been previously wrapped on the roll 45 of the head 22, is progressively released by the head 22 so that the rotation itself of the product around its axis Z makes the product itself draw and wind with the tape. Therefore, the roll 45 is moved to an opposite rotation to that of winding in a synchronized way and suitable speed with respect to the rotation Z of the support plane of the objects.

[0114] Therefore, to initiate the wrapping operation it is sufficient to connect to a point of the objects to be wrapped, for example by using an adhesive tape, the free strip of tape exiting from the head 22. At this point the base 32 is made to rotate and at each finished turn the product draws and wraps itself with a turn of tape.

[0115] The roll 45 releases the tape.

[0116] More or less upon completing each turn the head progressively shifts from below upwards (or also vice versa in case that one initiates from the top) and in this way the whole wrapping of the product is operated for its whole length or a good part of it, also including a partial wrapping of the pallet in case that it/they is/are positioned on the pallets. In this way, the wrapped product is firmer on the pallet.

[0117] Moreover, it is possible to perform a number of packaging operations in this way until the tape preloaded on the head 22 has run out.

[0118] Once it has run out, a predetermined amount of new tape coming from the parent reel is wound on it and the normal wrapping of the products begins again.

[0119] Thanks to such solution, the wrapping head 22 can move shifting along the guide without having the load of a whole parent reel.

[0120] Therefore, this enables the use of much heavier tapes (i.e., with a greater specific weight) such as paper tapes.

[0121] Therefore, in use, a certain length in meters is unwound from the parent reel. In particular, the turret 4 transfers the free strip to the roll 45 of the mobile head 22 and then the roll 45 winds a certain length in meters by rotating.

[0122] The tape is cut, once a certain length in meters is reached and the free strip exiting from the head 22 is applied to the product to be wrapped to perform the wrapping.

[0123] The free strip of the parent reel is trapped by the turret which is ready to guide it again to the roll 45 to initiate a new wrapping when the tape has run out.

[0124] In an embodiment of the invention, it is not excluded to position the whole assembly formed by vertical guide 21 and head 22 on a circular guide on which they shift along the circumference defined by such guide. Therefore, they can move along a circular trajectory.

[0125] According to such solution, the base 32 described above can be positioned in the midst of such circular trajectory and it is not necessary anymore that it, i.e., the base 32, is in turn rotatable around its axis Z since the winding rotation is now performed by the assembly of guide 21 and head 22 which rotate around the positioning zone 32 of the product/s.

[0126] A further embodiment can provide the head only without vertical guide and with the head movable on a circular path around the positioning station of the products and with such positioning station of the products which can be fixed at this point.

[0127] In accordance with the invention, the preferred usable tape is a tape of paper material which, even being heavy, can be used now.

[0128] In this way, the use of plastic can be fully eliminated therefore using an eco-friendly material.

[0129] Briefly, in greater detail, therefore the operating way of the machinery is as follows.

[0130] A certain parent reel is selected with a certain diameter, for example paper tape, and it is positioned on the plate 2 of its station from where a certain length in meters of paper can be unwound.

[0131] The tape is made to pass through the turret 4 which guides the free strip to the roll 45 locking it in the loop 46.

[0132] A winding on the roll 45 of a certain length in meters of paper is initiated in the loading position of figure 8.

[0133] Once a certain length in meters has been wound then the paper is cut (preferably through a suitable laser or blade or through cutting means in general). It is also possible a manual cut by hand.

[0134] Once the cut has been performed, the head 22 is rotated to the wrapping position and the wrapping of the products positioned on the station 30 can be performed.

[0135] The turret grabs the free strip of the parent reel and it is ready for a new loading cycle.

[0136] For example, if a parent reel for Tissue products must be wrapped, this is positioned on the support base 32, for example in turn positioned on a pallet.

[0137] The free paper strip is connected to the reel and the plane 32 is made to rotate around the axis Z so that a winding of the tape around the reel to be wrapped occurs at each turn (or any other object/product it may be).

[0138] During the winding the head 22 shifts along the guide, generally from below upwards, so as to wrap the whole product height.

[0139] In accordance with the variant of the invention the method is unvaried except for the fact that the head 22 rotates around the product to be wrapped which on the contrary remains still in position.

[0140] If the product is not high, the machine may not comprise the vertical guide moving anyway around the product obviously always to operate the wrapping.

[0141] In a further alternative, the wrapping head may move on a guide which conforms a helicoidal path which develops around the arrangement position of the products to be wrapped; the head being able in this way to turn around the products to be wrapped positioned in the wrapping zone and progressively raising itself with respect to the ground as it moves forward along the helicoidal path, thereby being able to wrap the products for their whole height.

[0142] Therefore, this solution enables to wrap even low products since with a little more than a turn the whole product is wrapped for its whole height and it does not require the movement of the guide itself as in the case of a vertical guide which shifts integrally with the head that it carries along a circular path to make the head perform a helicoidal motion.

Claims

1. A machinery for realizing a wrapping of one or more products in general with a tape (101) of material, the machinery comprising:

- A support (2) on which a parent reel (100) from which unwinding the tape of material for the wrapping can be arranged in use, in a rotatable way;

- The machinery being characterized in that it further comprises:

- A wrapping head (22) movable along at least one path and comprising at least one winding/unwinding roll (45) rotatable towards a direction, to operate the winding around it of a predetermined length of tape of material, and rotatable towards the opposite direction to be able to unwind at least a part of the said tape wound around it in such a way that a predetermined quantity of tape can be unwound from the said parent reel to be wound around the said winding/unwinding roll (45) in such a way that a wrapping can be performed through the combination of a movement of the said wrapping head along the said at least one path and the unwinding of at least a part of the said tape wound on the said winding/unwinding roll (45).

2. The machinery, as per claim 1, wherein there is comprised a guide (21) which defines the said path and with the said wrapping head which is shiftable along the said guide.

3. The machinery, as per claim 2, wherein the said guide is a vertical guide along which the said wrapping head can shift.

4. The machinery, as per claim 1, wherein cutting means are comprised to cut the tape wound around the said winding/unwinding roll (45), preferably the said means being in the form of a laser.

5. The machinery, as per one or more of the previous claims, wherein the said winding/unwinding roll (45) comprises locking means (46) through which a free strip of the tape can be fastened to the said roll (45) to begin a winding around it.

6. The machinery, as per one or more of the previous claims, wherein by choosing:

- The said wrapping head can be shifted along a fixed vertical guide in the case of product/s positioned onto a rotatable positioning station or

- The said wrapping head is movable along a helicoidal path obtained with a helicoidal guide which surrounds the positioning station of the product/s or

- The said wrapping head is movable onto the said vertical guide and which vertical guide is further movable along a circular path which surrounds the positioning station of the products.

7. The machinery, as per claim 6, wherein for each one of these alternatives the wrapping head is furthermore rotatable around a pin between a loading position, in which it faces the support (2) to perform the winding of the tape around the winding/unwinding roll (45), and a wrapping position in which it faces a support station (30) on which the object/s to be wrapped are positioned in use.

8. The machinery, as per one or more of the previous claims, wherein the said wrapping head (22) further comprises two lateral wings on which one or more rotatable rolls are arranged rotatably, the said wings being movable, preferably rotatable, between a divaricated position in which they release the winding/unwinding roll (45) and a closed position in which they cover at least in part the said winding/unwinding roll (45).

9. The machinery, as per claim 1, wherein a movable transferring turret (4) is provided and configured to collect the free paper strip from the parent reel to transfer it to the said wrapping head (22).

10. A method for realizing a wrapping of one or more products in general with a tape of material, the method comprising the following phases:

- Arrangement, on a support (2), of a parent reel (100) of tape (101) of material, so that the said parent reel (100) is rotatable to enable the unwinding of a predetermined quantity of the said tape (101) of material;

- Arrangement of a wrapping head (22), movable along at least one path and comprising at least one winding/unwinding roll (45) rotatable towards a direction, to operate the winding around it of a predetermined length of tape of material, and rotatable towards the opposite direction to unwind at least a part of the said tape wound around it;

- Winding of a predetermined quantity of tape which is unwound from the parent reel to be wound around the winding/unwinding roll of the said wrapping head and the subsequent cutting of the tape once reached a predetermined length of tape wound around the said winding/unwinding roll (45) in such a way as to separate the tape wound around the said winding/unwinding roll (45) from the parent reel from which it originates;

- Execution of the wrapping of the product/s by moving the wrapping head along the said at least one path and unwinding at least a part of the tape wound around the said winding/unwinding roll so as to wrap perimetrically the said product/s.

11. The method, as per claim 10, wherein the said wrapping phase comprises a connection of the free strip of tape wound on the said roll (45) to the said product/s to be wrapped and a rotation of the product/s to be wrapped along its/their vertical axis (Z) with a further shift of the wrapping head (22) along the said path formed by a guide which is directed from below upwards or vice versa, preferably a vertical guide, or, alternatively, a connection of the free strip of tape wound on the roll (45) to the said product/s to be wrapped and a consequent movement of the said wrapping head along the said path which develops around the product/s to be wrapped and which goes from the ground upwards or vice versa, in such a way as to be able to wrap the product/s for at least one part of their whole height, preferably such path being a fixed helicoidal guide or a vertical guide movable along a circular path.

12. The method, as per claim 10 or 11, wherein the product/s to be wrapped is/are positioned on a further support base (32) rotatable around its vertical axis (Z), the wrapping comprising a phase of rotation of the said further support base (32) during the release of the tape from the said winding/unwinding roll (45) in such a way that through the said rotation the tape is drawn by the rotation itself of the product/s positioned on the said further support base by winding around them.

13. The method, as per claim 12, wherein there is provided a preliminary phase of beginning of wrapping of the product/s which comprises a connection of the free end of the tape wound on the roll of the said wrapping head (22) to a point of the product/s to be wrapped in such a way that the said rotation of the said product/s by rotating the said support base (32) on which it/they rest/s draws around it/them the tape which is unwound from the said roll.

14. The method, as per one or more of claims 10 to wherein the said tape is of paper material.

15. The use of a movable wrapping head (22) which is an element movable in an independent way from a support (2) configured to enable an unwinding of a tape from a parent reel arranged on the said support (2), the wrapping head having a roll (45) which is rotatable towards a direction, to wind around it a certain length in meters of tape, and rotatable towards the opposite direction to enable the release of a certain length in meters for realizing the wrapping so that, once the roll (45) has been loaded with a certain length in meters of tape, the separation of the tape from the parent reel is operated and the wrapping head (22) is moved to perform the wrapping with a limited tape and with the tape that can be restored from the parent reel when necessary, preferably the tape being of paper material.

Ansprüche

1. Maschine zum Einpacken eines oder mehrerer Produkte im Allgemeinen mit einem Materialband (101), wobei die Maschine umfasst:

- einen Träger (2), auf dem eine Mutterspule (100) drehbar angeordnet werden kann, von der das Materialband während des Gebrauches für das Einpacken abgewickelt wird;

- Die Maschine ist dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass sie weiterhin umfasst:

- einen Wickelkopf (22), der entlang mindestens einer Bahn beweglich ist und mindestens eine Aufwickel-/Abwickelrolle (45) umfasst, die in eine Richtung drehbar ist, um das Aufwickeln einer vorbestimmten Länge eines Materialbandes um sie herum zu bewirken, und die in die entgegengesetzte Richtung drehbar ist, um mindestens einen Teil des genannten Bandes, das um sie herum gewickelt ist, so abzuwickeln, dass eine vorbestimmte Menge des Bandes von der genannten Mutterspule abgewickelt werden kann, damit sie so um die genannte Aufwickel-/Abwickelrolle (45) gewickelt werden kann, dass durch die Kombination einer Bewegung des genannten Wickelkopfes entlang der genannten mindestens einen Bahn und des Abwickelns mindestens eines Teils des genannten Bandes, das auf die genannte Aufwickel-/Abwickelrolle (45) gewickelt ist, ein Einpacken vorgenommen werden kann.

2. Maschine gemäß Anspruch 1, die eine Führung (21) umfasst, die die genannte Bahn definiert und mit dem genannten Wickelkopf versehen ist, der entlang der genannten Führung verschiebbar ist.

3. Maschine gemäß Anspruch 2, bei der die genannte Führung eine vertikale Führung ist, entlang der der genannte Wickelkopf verschoben werden kann.

4. Maschine gemäß Anspruch 1, bei der Schneidemittel enthalten sind, um das um die Aufwickel-/Abwickelrolle (45) gewickelte Band zu schneiden, wobei die genannten Mittel vorzugsweise die Form eines Lasers haben.

5. Maschine gemäß einem oder mehreren der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei die genannte Aufwickel-/Abwickelrolle (45) Verriegelungsmittel (46) umfasst, durch die ein freier Streifen des Bandes an der genannten Rolle (45) befestigt werden kann, um mit dem Aufwickeln um diese Rolle herum zu beginnen.

6. Maschine gemäß einem oder mehreren der vorangehenden Ansprüche, bei der durch Auswahl:

- der genannte Wickelkopf entlang einer festen vertikalen Führung verschoben werden kann, wenn das Produkt/die Produkte auf einer drehbaren Positionierstation platziert werden, oder

- der genannte Wickelkopf entlang einer schraubenförmigen Bahn beweglich ist, die man durch eine schraubenförmige Führung erhält, welche die Positionierungsstation des Produktes/der Produkte umgibt, oder

- der genannte Wickelkopf ist auf der genannten vertikalen Führung beweglich und diese vertikale Führung ist außerdem entlang einer kreisförmigen Bahn beweglich, die die Positionierungsstation der Produkte umgibt.

7. Maschine gemäß Anspruch 6, wobei für jede dieser Alternativen der Wickelkopf außerdem um einen Stift zwischen einer Ladeposition drehbar ist, in der er dem Träger (2) gegenüberliegt, um das Aufwickeln des Bandes um die Aufwickel-/Abwickelrolle (45) vorzunehmen, und einer Wickelposition, in der er einer Haltestation (30) gegenüberliegt, auf der das einzupackende Objekt/die einzupackenden Objekte bei Gebrauch platziert werden.

8. Maschine gemäß einem oder mehreren der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei der genannte Wickelkopf (22) ferner zwei seitliche Flügel umfasst, auf denen eine oder mehrere drehbare Rollen drehbar angeordnet sind, wobei die genannten Flügel zwischen einer divergierenden Position, in der sie die genannte Aufwickel-/Abwickelrolle (45) freigeben, und einer geschlossenen Position, in der sie die genannte Aufwickel-/Abwickelrolle (45) zumindest teilweise abdecken, beweglich und vorzugsweise drehbar sind.

9. Maschine gemäß Anspruch 1, bei der ein beweglicher Transferrevolver (4) vorgesehen und so konfiguriert ist, dass er den freien Papierstreifen von der Mutterspule abnimmt, um ihn an den Wickelkopf (22) weiterzuleiten.

10. Verfahren zum Einpacken eines oder mehrerer Produkte im Allgemeinen mit einem Materialband, wobei das Verfahren die folgenden Phasen umfasst:

- Anordnen einer Mutterspule (100) eines Materialbandes (101) auf einem Träger (2), so dass die genannte Mutterspule (100) drehbar ist, um das Abwickeln einer vorbestimmten Menge des genannten Materialbandes (101) zu ermöglichen;

- Anordnen eines Wickelkopfes (22), der entlang mindestens einer Bahn beweglich ist und mindestens eine Aufwickel-/Abwickelrolle (45) aufweist, die in eine Richtung drehbar ist, um das Aufwickeln einer vorbestimmten Länge eines Materialbandes um sie herum zu bewirken, und die in die entgegengesetzte Richtung drehbar ist, um mindestens einen Teil des um sie herumgewickelten genannten Bandes abzuwickeln;

- Aufwickeln einer vorbestimmten Menge von Band, das von der Mutterspule abgewickelt wird, damit es um die Aufwickel-/Abwickelrolle des genannten Wickelkopfes gewickelt werden kann, und anschließendes Abschneiden des Bandes, sobald eine vorbestimmte Länge des um die Aufwickel-/Abwickelrolle (45) gewickelten Bandes erreicht ist, und zwar so, dass das um die Aufwickel-/Abwickelrolle (45) gewickelte Band von der Mutterspule, von der es stammt, getrennt wird;

- Einpacken des Produktes/der Produkte durch Bewegen des Wickelkopfes entlang der mindestens einen Bahn und Abwickeln mindestens eines Teils des um die Aufwickel-/Abwickelrolle gewickelten Bandes, um das Produkt/die Produkte ringsherum einzupacken.

11. Verfahren gemäß Anspruch 10, wobei die Wickelphase eine Verbindung des freien Bandstreifens, der auf der genannten Rolle (45) aufgewickelt ist, mit dem genannten einzupackenden Produkt/den genannten einzupackenden Produkten umfasst und eine Drehung des einzupackenden Produktes/der einzupackenden Produkte entlang seiner/ihrer vertikalen Achse (Z) mit einer weiteren Verschiebung des Wickelkopfes (22) entlang der Bahn, die durch eine Führung gebildet wird, welche von unten nach oben oder umgekehrt gerichtet ist, vorzugsweise eine vertikale Führung, oder alternativ eine Verbindung des freien Bandstreifens, der auf der Rolle (45) aufgewickelt ist, mit dem genannten einzupackenden Produkt/den genannten einzupackenden Produkten und eine anschließende Bewegung des Wickelkopfes entlang der genannten Bahn umfasst, die sich um das einzupackende Produkt/die einzupackenden Produkte herum bildet und die vom Boden nach oben oder umgekehrt verläuft, so dass das Produkt über mindestens einen Teil ihrer gesamten Höhe eingepackt werden kann/die Produkte über mindestens einen Teil ihrer gesamten Höhe eingepackt werden können, wobei diese Bahn vorzugsweise eine feste schraubenförmige Führung oder eine vertikale Führung darstellt, die sich entlang einer kreisförmigen Bahn bewegt.

12. Verfahren gemäß Anspruch 10 oder 11, bei dem das einzupackende Produkt auf einer weiteren Stützbasis (32) platziert ist/die einzupackenden Produkte auf einer weiteren Stützbasis (32) platziert sind, die um ihre vertikale Achse (Z) drehbar ist, wobei das Einpacken eine Phase der Drehung der genannten weiteren Stützbasis (32) während der Freigabe des Bandes von der genannten Aufwickel-/Abwickelrolle (45) in einer solchen Weise umfasst, dass das Band durch die genannte Drehung des Produktes/der Produkte selbst, das auf der genannten weiteren Stützbasis platziert ist/ die auf der genannten weiteren Stützbasis platziert sind, gezogen wird, indem es sich um diese wickelt.

13. Verfahren gemäß Anspruch 12, bei dem eine Vorphase für den Beginn des Einpackens des Produktes/der Produkte vorgesehen ist, die eine Verbindung des freien Endes des auf die Rolle des genannten Wickelkopfes (22) aufgewickelten Bandes mit einem Punkt des einzupackenden Produktes/der einzupackenden Produkte umfasst, so dass die Drehung des genannten Produktes/der genannten Produkte durch Drehen der genannten Stützbasis (32), auf der es liegt/auf der sie liegen, das von der genannten Rolle abgewickelte Band um das Produkt/die Produkte herum zieht.

14. Verfahren gemäß einem oder mehreren der Ansprüche 10 bis 13, wobei das genannte Band aus Papiermaterial besteht.

15. Verwendung eines beweglichen Wickelkopfes (22), der ein bewegliches Element darstellt, das sich unabhängig vom Träger (2) bewegt und so konfiguriert ist, dass ein Abwickeln des Bandes von einer Mutterspule ermöglicht wird, die auf dem genannten Träger (2) angeordnet ist, wobei der Wickelkopf eine Rolle (45) aufweist, die in eine Richtung drehbar ist, um eine bestimmte Länge Band in Metern darum zu wickeln, und in die entgegengesetzte Richtung drehbar ist, um die Freigabe einer bestimmten Länge in Metern zu ermöglichen und das Einpacken vorzunehmen, so dass, sobald die Rolle (45) mit einer bestimmten Länge Band in Metern geladen ist, die Trennung des Bandes von der Mutterspule vorgenommen wird und der Wickelkopf (22) bewegt wird, um das Einpacken mit einem begrenzten Länge Band und mit dem Band vorzunehmen, das, wenn notwendig, von der Mutterspule genommen werden kann, wobei das Band vorzugsweise aus Papiermaterial besteht.

Revendications

1. Équipement pour réaliser un emballage d'un ou plusieurs produits en général avec un ruban (101) de matériau, l'équipement comprenant°:

- un support (2) sur lequel une bobine mère (100) à partir de laquelle on déroule le ruban de matériau pour l'emballage peut être disposée de manière rotative pour son utilisation°;

- l'équipement étant caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend en outre°:

- une tête d'emballage (22) mobile le long d'au moins un chemin et comprenant au moins un rouleau d'enroulement/déroulement (45) pouvant tourner dans un sens, pour effectuer l'enroulement autour de lui d'une longueur prédéterminée de ruban de matériau, et pouvant tourner dans le sens opposé pour pouvoir dérouler au moins une partie dudit ruban enroulé autour de lui de telle sorte qu'une quantité prédéterminée de ruban puisse être déroulée de ladite bobine mère pour être enroulée autour dudit rouleau d'enroulement/déroulement (45) de telle sorte qu'un enroulement puisse être réalisé par la combinaison d'un déplacement de ladite tête d'enroulement le long dudit au moins un chemin et du déroulement d'au moins une partie dudit ruban enroulé sur ledit rouleau d'enroulement/déroulement (45).

2. Équipement selon la revendication 1, dans lequel il existe un guide (21) qui définit ledit chemin et ladite tête d'emballage qui peut être déplacée le long dudit guide.

3. Équipement selon la revendication 2, dans lequel ledit guide est un guide vertical le long duquel ladite tête d'emballage peut se déplacer.

4. Équipement selon la revendication 1, dans lequel des moyens de coupe sont prévus pour couper le ruban enroulé autour dudit rouleau d'enroulement/déroulement (45), de préférence lesdits moyens étant constitués par un laser.

5. Équipement selon une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle ledit rouleau d'enroulement/déroulement (45) comprend des moyens de verrouillage (46) à travers lesquels une bande libre du ruban peut être fixée audit rouleau (45) pour commencer à s'enrouler autour de lui.

6. Équipement selon une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, dans lequel en choisissant que :

- ladite tête d'emballage peut être déplacée le long d'un guide vertical fixe dans le cas de produit(s) positionné(s) sur un poste de positionnement rotatif ou

- ladite tête d'emballage est mobile le long d'une trajectoire hélicoïdale obtenue avec un guide hélicoïdal qui entoure le poste de positionnement du ou des produit(s) ou

- ladite tête d'emballage est mobile sur ledit guide vertical et ledit guide vertical est en outre mobile le long d'un chemin circulaire qui entoure le poste de positionnement des produits.

7. Équipement selon la revendication 6, dans lequel pour chacune de ces variantes la tête d'emballage est en outre rotative autour d'une broche entre une position de chargement, dans laquelle elle fait face au support (2) pour effectuer l'enroulement du ruban autour du rouleau d'enroulement/déroulement (45), et une position d'emballage dans laquelle il fait face à un poste de support (30) sur lequel le ou les objets à emballer sont positionnés en cours d'utilisation.

8. Équipement selon une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, dans lequel ladite tête d'emballage (22) comprend en outre deux ailes latérales sur lesquelles un ou plusieurs rouleaux rotatifs sont agencés de manière rotative, lesdites ailes étant mobiles, de préférence en rotation, entre une position écartée dans laquelle elles libèrent le rouleau d'enroulement/déroulement (45) et une position fermée dans laquelle elles recouvrent au moins en partie ledit rouleau d'enroulement/déroulement (45).

9. Équipement selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle une tourelle de transfert mobile (4) est prévue et configurée pour collecter la bande de papier libre de la bobine mère pour la transférer à ladite tête d'emballage (22).

10. Procédé pour réaliser un emballage d'un ou plusieurs produits en général avec un ruban de matériau, le procédé comprenant les phases suivantes :

- agencement, sur un support (2), d'une bobine mère (100) de ruban (101) de matériau, de sorte que ladite bobine mère (100) soit rotative pour permettre le déroulement d'une quantité prédéterminée dudit ruban (101) de matériau ;

- agencement d'une tête d'emballage (22) mobile le long d'au moins un chemin et comprenant au moins un rouleau d'enroulement/déroulement (45) pouvant tourner dans un sens, pour effectuer l'enroulement autour de lui d'une longueur prédéterminée de ruban de matériau, et pouvant tourner dans le sens opposé pour dérouler au moins une partie dudit ruban enroulé autour de lui ;

- enroulement d'une quantité prédéterminée de ruban qui est déroulée de la bobine mère pour être enroulée autour du rouleau d'enroulement/déroulement de ladite tête d'enroulement et coupe subséquente du ruban une fois atteinte une longueur prédéterminée de ruban enroulé autour dudit rouleau d'enroulement/déroulement (45) de manière à séparer le ruban enroulé autour dudit rouleau d'enroulement/déroulement (45) de la bobine mère dont il est issu ;

- réalisation de l'emballage du ou des produit(s) en déplaçant la tête d'emballage le long dudit au moins un chemin et en déroulant au moins une partie du ruban enroulé autour dudit rouleau d'enroulement/déroulement de manière à emballer de façon périmétrique ledit ou lesdits produit(s) .

11. Procédé selon la revendication 10, dans lequel ladite phase d'emballage comprend une liaison de la bande de ruban libre enroulée sur ledit rouleau (45) audit(s) produit(s) à emballer et une rotation du ou des produits à emballer le long de son/leur axe vertical (Z) avec un nouveau déplacement de la tête d'emballage (22) le long dudit chemin formé par un guide qui est dirigé de bas en haut ou vice versa, de préférence un guide vertical, ou, en alternative, une liaison de la bande de ruban libre enroulée sur le rouleau (45) auxdits produits à emballer et un mouvement conséquent de ladite tête d'emballage le long dudit chemin qui se développe autour du ou des produits à emballer et qui part du sol vers le haut ou vice versa, de manière à pouvoir emballer le ou les produits sur au moins une partie de toute leur hauteur, de préférence un tel chemin étant un guide hélicoïdal fixe ou un guide vertical mobile le long d'un chemin circulaire.

12. Procédé selon la revendication 10 ou 11, dans lequel le ou les produits à emballer est/sont positionnés sur une autre base de support (32) pouvant tourner autour de son axe vertical (Z), l'emballage comprenant une phase de rotation dudit autre base de support (32) lors de la libération du ruban dudit rouleau d'enroulement/déroulement (45) de telle manière que, lors de ladite rotation, le ruban soit tiré par la rotation elle-même du/des produit(s) positionné(s) sur ladite autre base de support en s'enroulant autour d'eux.

13. Procédé selon la revendication 12, dans lequel il est prévu une phase préliminaire de début d'emballage du ou des produit(s) qui comprend une connexion de l'extrémité libre du ruban enroulé sur le rouleau de ladite tête d'emballage (22) à un point du ou des produit(s) à emballer de telle manière que ladite rotation dudit ou desdits produit(s) par rotation de ladite base de support (32) sur laquelle il ou ils reposent entraîne autour d'eux le ruban qui se déroule dudit rouleau.

14. Procédé selon une ou plusieurs des revendications 10 à 13, dans lequel ledit ruban est en papier.

15. Utilisation d'une tête mobile d'enroulement (22) qui est un élément mobile de manière indépendante d'un support (2) configuré pour permettre un déroulement d'un ruban d'une bobine mère disposée sur ledit support (2), la tête d'enroulement comportant un rouleau (45) qui peut tourner dans un sens, pour enrouler autour de lui une certaine longueur en mètres de ruban, et tourner dans le sens opposé pour permettre la libération d'une certaine longueur en mètres pour réaliser l'emballage de sorte qu'une fois que le rouleau (45) a été chargé avec une certaine longueur en mètres de ruban, la séparation du ruban de la bobine mère est effectuée et la tête d'emballage (22) est déplacée pour effectuer l'emballage avec un ruban limité et avec le ruban pouvant être rétabli à partir de la bobine mère si nécessaire, de préférence le ruban étant en papier.

Drawing