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EP-4392245-B1 - PACKAGING MATERIAL PROCESSING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A PACKAGING MATERIAL PROCESSING MACHINE

EP4392245B1EP 4392245 B1EP4392245 B1EP 4392245B1EP-4392245-B1

Inventors

  • PYTHON, Gilbert
  • Malherbe, Pierre

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20220315

Claims (9)

  1. Packaging material processing machine (10), comprising an upper processing tool (12) and a lower processing tool (14), the upper processing tool (12) and the lower processing tool (14) being configured for interacting with each other in order to process the sheet material, a drive unit (18) comprising an electric machine (20) and a flywheel (22), wherein at least one of the upper processing tool (12) and the lower processing tool (14) is coupled to the electric machine (20) via the flywheel (22) such that the at least one of the upper processing tool (12) and the lower processing tool (14) is movable in a reciprocating manner with respect to the other one of the upper processing tool (12) and the lower processing tool (14), and an electrical supply unit (28) being electrically connected to the electric machine (20) such that the electric machine (20) is operable as an electric motor, wherein the packaging material processing machine further comprises an electrical energy recovery unit (44) being electrically connected to the electric machine (20) such that the energy recovery unit (44) is able to store or transfer electrical energy provided by the electric machine (20) operating as an electric generator, the flywheel (22) being rigidly connected to the drive unit (18), the kinetic energy of at least one of the upper processing tool and the lower processing tool and/or of the flywheel being recovered in the form of electric energy.
  2. Packaging material processing machine (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the energy recovery unit (44) comprises an electric storage means (58).
  3. Packaging material processing machine (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the energy recovery unit (44) is connected to a direct current line (42a, 42b) of the electrical supply unit (28).
  4. Packaging material processing machine (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the energy recovery unit (44) comprises an alternating-current converter (46).
  5. Packaging material processing machine (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the energy recovery unit (44) comprises a frequency converter (60).
  6. Packaging material processing machine (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the energy recovery unit (44) comprises a connection means (54) for electrically connecting the energy recovery unit (44) to an electricity supply grid (30).
  7. Packaging material processing machine (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by two or more drive units (18) each comprising an electric machine (20) and a flywheel (22), wherein the drive units (18) are connected in parallel to the electrical energy recovery unit (44).
  8. Packaging material processing machine (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper processing tool (12) and the lower processing tool (14) are die cutting tools or in that the upper processing tool (12) and the lower processing tool (14) are hotfoil stamping tools.
  9. Method for operating a packaging material processing machine (10), wherein an electric machine (20) and a flywheel (22) rigidly coupled thereto are used for moving an upper processing tool (12) and a lower processing tool (14) with respect to each other in a reciprocating manner in order to process the sheet material, wherein in an operational situation in which the flywheel (22) is to be decelerated, the electric machine (20) operates as an electric generator and the electric energy generated by the electric machine (20) is stored or transferred to an electricity supply grid (30) or an electric consumer.

Description

The invention is directed to a packaging material processing machine as defined in claim 1 and to a method for operating a packaging material processing machine as defined in claim 9. The packaging material processing machine comprises an upper processing tool and a lower processing tool, the upper processing tool and the lower processing tool being configured for interacting with each other in order to process the sheet material. The packaging material processing machine also has a drive unit comprising an electric machine and a flywheel, wherein at least one of the upper processing tool and the lower processing tool is coupled to the electric machine via the flywheel such that the at least one of the upper processing tool and the lower processing tool is movable in a reciprocating manner with respect to the other one of the upper processing tool and the lower processing tool. The packaging material processing machine further comprises an electrical supply unit being electrically connected to the electric machine such that the electric machine is operable as an electric motor. Such packaging material processing machines and methods for operating a packaging material processing machine are known. Very often, the electric machine being used in the packaging material processing machine is driven by an alternating current (AC). In this case, the electric machine may be designated an AC machine or AC motor. Example of AC motors include synchronous motors and asynchronous motors. For operating such AC motors at variable speed, the corresponding electrical supply units comprise frequency converters being able to convert a frequency of an AC electricity supply grid into a desired frequency for driving the AC motor. Such frequency converters may also be designated variable-frequency drives. The flywheel is used for suppressing vibrations within the drive unit and may also be useful for smoothly passing dead centers in the reciprocating movement of at least one of the upper processing tool and the lower processing tool, e.g. a top dead center and/or a bottom dead center. This is especially the case if at least one of the upper processing tool and the lower processing tool is actuated via a toggle lever mechanism. DE 10 2012 217 629 A1 shows a forging press which has a flywheel. The flywheel can be used for energy recovery. Other mechanical presses are known from WO 2007/091935 A1 (& EP 1 981 701 A1) and DE 20 2007 008 897 A1. The objective of the invention is to reduce the energy consumption of a packaging material processing machine of the type as mentioned above. The problem is solved by a packaging material processing machine having the features of claim 1. The machine comprises an electrical energy recovery unit being electrically connected to the electric machine such that the energy recovery unit is able to store or transfer electrical energy provided by the electric machine operating as an electric generator, the flywheel being rigidly connected to the drive unit. The electric machine may be operated as an electric generator in situations in which the at least one of the upper processing tool and the lower processing tool is to be decelerated or stopped. This can be the case during processing of a sheet material or when terminating the processing. If the recovered electrical energy is stored within the energy recovery unit, it can be used at a later stage for operating the machine, e.g. actuating the drive unit. As a consequence thereof, less electrical energy needs to be provided to the packaging material processing machine. In other words, the energy efficiency of the packaging material processing machine increases. If the electrical energy is transferred elsewhere by the energy recovery unit, the transferred energy will be included into a balance of energy and, thus, considering this balance of energy, the overall consumption of the packaging material processing machine is reduced. In known packaging material processing machines the drive units are equipped with braking resistors being electrically connected to the electric machine. If a rotational speed of the electric machine and/or the flywheel connected thereto is to be reduced or if the rotation of the electric machine is to be stopped, the excess energy is dissipated as heat by the braking resistors. Obviously, in a packaging material processing machine according to the invention, there is no need for dissipating excess kinetic energy as heat. Consequently, the thermal load to which the packaging material processing machine is subject, is reduced. This also reduces the risk of fire. According to an embodiment, the energy recovery unit comprises an electric storage means. Accordingly, recovered energy can be stored and used subsequently. This reduces the overall energy consumption of the packaging material processing machine. The storage means for example comprises a capacitor and/or a battery. The energy recovery unit may be connected to a direct cur