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EP-4656834-B1 - APPARATUS FOR APPLYING END CAPS ON CURTAINS FOR ROLLER SHUTTERS AND FOR THE SUBSEQUENT WINDING OF THE CURTAINS

EP4656834B1EP 4656834 B1EP4656834 B1EP 4656834B1EP-4656834-B1

Inventors

  • DALLAN, ANDREA

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20250207

Claims (20)

  1. Apparatus (100) for applying end caps on curtains for roller shutters and for the subsequent winding of the curtains, wherein said apparatus (100) extends along an apparatus axis (X) and comprises in sequence between an inlet (1) and an outlet (2) along said apparatus axis (X) : - a curtain feeding station (110) comprising a first curtain support structure (111) adapted to define a support surface for at least one shutter curtain (50) in an unwound configuration with the slats oriented in the direction of their length transversely to said apparatus axis (X) and preferably comprising movement means (112) adapted to move said curtain (50) on said support surface parallel to said apparatus axis (X) from said inlet (1) towards said outlet (2); - a cap application station (120) defining, by means of a second curtain support structure (121), a curtain sliding track (120a) along the apparatus axis (X) as a continuation of the support surface of the feeding station, and comprising on each side of said track a cap applicator device (123a; 123b) adapted to apply caps to the ends of the slats, and a curtain positioning device (122a; 122b) adapted to advance the curtain (50) along said track, progressively bringing the ends of the slats at the cap applicator devices; - a curtain winding station (130) which is adapted to wind a shutter curtain (50) in output from said cap application station (120) around a winding axis (Y) orthogonal to said apparatus axis (X) by means of two axially opposite winding units (132a;132b), each of which is provided with an engagement seat (1322) for the first slat (51) of the curtain (50); - a management and control unit (140), programmed to control the operation of each station and coordinate the operations of the stations according to a predefined operating sequence, wherein said cap application station (120) comprises at the inlet thereof at least one retractable stop element (124) which is adapted to stop the first slat (51) of said curtain (50) in a predefined reference position along said apparatus axis (X), wherein each curtain positioning device (122a; 122b) comprises a main manipulator (1220), which is movable parallel to said apparatus axis (X) with a cyclic forward and backward movement, and which is adapted to reversibly engage in grip, by means of a first toothed portion (1221), a predefined group of slats with each forward movement to progressively advance the curtain (50) in steps in said sliding track along said apparatus axis (X), positioning one slat at a time according to a predefined pitch at said two cap applicator devices, wherein said toothed portion (1221) is defined by a first array of teeth (11), each of which is adapted to be inserted between one slat and another to distance them from each other as much as possible, and wherein said winding station comprises a third curtain support structure (131) that is adapted to define an extension of said track (120a) up to near the two slat engagement seats (1322) of the two winders, characterized in that said toothed portion (1221) is defined by a first array of teeth (11), each of which is adapted to be inserted between one slat and another to distance them from each other as much as possible; and in that the third curtain support structure is movable between: - an active position, in which it creates a curtain support plane from said cap application station to near the two slat engagement seats (1322) of the two winding units by extending said track, and - a passive position, in which it does not engage or only partially engages the space between said cap application station and said two winding units so as not to hinder the winding movement of the curtain around the winding axis (Y).
  2. Apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein each curtain positioning device (122a; 122b) comprises a secondary manipulator (1230) which is movable parallel to said apparatus axis (X) between: - a gripping position, in which said secondary manipulator (1230) engages the first slat (51) of said curtain (50) placed in said predefined reference position; and - a release position, in which said secondary manipulator (1230) disengages the first slat of said curtain (50) in a predefined release position downstream of said predefined reference position inside said cap application station and wherein said management and control unit (140) is programmed to activate said main manipulator (1220) once the curtain (50) has entered said cap application station with the first slat of the curtain placed in said predefined release position.
  3. Apparatus (100) according to claim 2, wherein said secondary manipulator (1230) is movable parallel to said apparatus axis (X) integrally with said main manipulator (1220).
  4. Apparatus (100) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said secondary manipulator (1230) and the first toothed portion (1221) of said main manipulator (1220) are both movable orthogonally to the plane defined by the second support structure (121) for engaging and disengaging the curtain (50), preferably independently of each other.
  5. Apparatus (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the movement of the first toothed portion (1221) of said main manipulator (1220) parallel to the apparatus axis (X) is controllable by means of one or more position sensors connected to said management and control unit (140) so that at the end of its forward movement said first toothed portion (1221) can be stopped in at least one predefined position at which one of the slats dragged by said first toothed portion at said two cap applicator devices is centred with the cap insertion axes of said cap applicator devices.
  6. Apparatus (100) according to claim 5, wherein said one or more position sensors are associated with a second array of teeth (1222) which: - has the same pitch as the first array of teeth (1221); - is fixedly positioned parallel to the apparatus axis (X) and - defines the position which the first array of teeth (1221) must assume in order for one of the slats dragged by the main manipulator (1220) to be centred with the cap insertion axes of said cap applicator devices (123a; 123b).
  7. Apparatus (100) according to claim 6, wherein said second array of teeth (1222) is movable orthogonally to the plane defined by the second support structure (121) to engage and disengage the curtain (50).
  8. Apparatus (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said main manipulator (1220) and the associated first toothed portion (1221) are movable parallel to the apparatus axis (X) by means of a linear actuator (1223), preferably an electric cylinder.
  9. Apparatus (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said management and control unit (140) is programmed to activate said main manipulator (1220) once the curtain (50) has entered said cap application station with the first slat of the curtain placed in said predefined release position.
  10. Apparatus (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said cap applicator station (120) comprises a support structure (1200) extending transversely to said apparatus axis (X) and wherein at least one of said two cap applicator devices (123a, 123b) is slidingly associated with said support structure (1200) to be movable transversely to said apparatus axis (X) so as to adapt the transverse width of said track to the width of said curtain (50).
  11. Apparatus (100) according to claim 10, wherein said second curtain support structure (121) consists of a plurality of beams (1210) extending parallel to said apparatus axis (X) and are slidingly associated with said support structure (1200) to be movable transversely to said apparatus axis (X) so as to adapt their position to the width of said curtain (50).
  12. Apparatus (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said third curtain support structure (131) comprises one or more retractable elements (1310), each of which is movable between: - an extracted position, corresponding to said active position, in which it extends parallel to said apparatus axis (X) as an extension of said track up to near the two slat locking seats of the two winders, and - a retracted position, corresponding to said passive position, in which its extension parallel to said apparatus axis (X) with respect to said track is at least partially reduced with respect to the extracted position so as not to hinder the winding movement of the curtain around the winding axis (Y).
  13. Apparatus (100) according to claim 12, wherein said third curtain support structure (131) is integrated in said cap application station (120).
  14. Apparatus (100) according to claim 13, when dependent on claim 11, wherein each of said retractable elements (1310) is slidingly associated with a beam (1210) of said second curtain support structure (121) to be movable between said extracted position and said retracted position.
  15. Apparatus (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of said two winding units (132a;132b) is movable transversely to said apparatus axis (X) so as to adapt the distance with respect to the other winding unit to the width of said curtain (50).
  16. Apparatus (100) according to claim 15, wherein each of said two winding units (132a;132b) is integral with one of said two cap applicator devices (123a, 123b).
  17. Apparatus (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of said two winding units (132a;132b) comprises: - a motorised spindle (1320) which is coaxial with the winding axis (Y) and in turn comprises a spindle head (1321) on which an engagement seat (1322) is obtained for the first slat (51) of the curtain; - a first linear actuator (1323) which is adapted to move the spindle along the winding axis (Y) between an extracted position, in which said spindle head (1321) projects in said track (120a) so that the respective engagement seat is accessible to the first slat of said curtain, and a retracted position, in which said spindle head (1321) is distanced from said track (120a) to disengage said curtain.
  18. Apparatus (100) according to claim 17, wherein said spindle head (1231) is axially floating and is provided with an elastic abutment element (1324) arranged inside said engagement seat (1322) to interpose itself in use between said spindle head and said slat, and wherein each of said two winding units (132a;132b) comprises a second linear actuator (1325) which is adapted to axially move the spindle head between a locking position, in which said spindle head (1321) is axially pushed against said slat, compressing said elastic abutment element, and a release position, in which said spindle head (1321) is axially distanced with respect to slat, decompressing said elastic abutment element.
  19. Apparatus (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising: - a transport line (150) extending parallel to the winding axis (Y) below the two winding units (132a; 132b) ; - an elevator (160) which is adapted to pick up the wound curtain from said winding station and deposit it on said transport line (150).
  20. Apparatus (100) according to claim 19, when dependent on claim 17 or 18, wherein said management and control unit (140) is connected to said elevator (160) and is programmed to move said first cylinder (1323) from said extracted position to said retracted position once the elevator is near the wound curtain.

Description

Field of application The present invention relates to an apparatus for applying end caps on curtains for roller shutters and for the subsequent winding of the curtains. Prior art A roller shutter for windows and glass doors comprises a curtain made up of a plurality of slats which are identical to one another and coupled to one another along respective longitudinal edges by means of suitable coupling appendages coupled to hollow seats. The slats are in fact shaped so as to be able to be mutually coupled to one another. The coupling zones are configured to allow partial rotation between the slats about the longitudinal direction. As a result of this freedom of rotation between the slats, the roller shutter may roll up on itself. In this way, the shutter curtain may be completely or partially raised or lowered by rolling one or more slats into a suitable container arranged above the window or glass door space, depending upon the opening requirements of the space itself. To prevent the slats from slipping out of one another as a result of longitudinal sliding between appendages and hollow seats, it is known to provide the slats with end caps that, by coupling to the end profile of the slat, retain the coupling appendage inside the relevant hollow seat. Lines are known for producing slats and subsequently assembling them to form curtains. IT PD20090144 A1 describes an apparatus for applying end caps according to the preamble of claim 1. Generally, these production and assembly lines are also equipped with an apparatus at the output that is adapted to: apply end caps on each individual slat (or every two slats) of the assembled curtains in output from the line, andwind the curtains provided with caps around a winding spindle. This apparatus has an important operational limitation linked to the fact that it requires the continuous assistance of an operator called upon to perform the following operations: unfolding the curtain entering the apparatus so as to move one slat as far as possible away from the other, thus allowing each individual slat to be positioned correctly at the end cap applicator;guiding the initial connection of the curtain to the winding spindle. The presence of an operator continuously dedicated to assisting the apparatus renders the production line inefficient. In the production of curtains for roller shutters, there is therefore a need to completely automate the aforesaid apparatus, so that the presence of an operator is not necessary. Disclosure of the invention Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to eliminate in whole or in part the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art, by providing an apparatus for applying end caps on curtains for roller shutters and for the subsequent winding of the curtains that does not require continuous assistance from an operator during its normal operation. A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for applying end caps on curtains for roller shutters and for the subsequent winding of the curtains that is simple and economical to manufacture. A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for applying end caps on curtains for roller shutters and for the subsequent winding of the curtains that is simple and easy to manage. Brief description of the drawings The technical features of the invention, according to the aforementioned objectives, may be clearly seen in the content of the claims below, and the advantages thereof will become more readily apparent in the detailed description that follows, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, which represent one or more purely exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments thereof, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view from above of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus for applying end caps on curtains for roller shutters and for the subsequent winding of the curtains according to the invention, illustrated with a shutter curtain arranged therein;Fig. 2 and 3 are, respectively, a top view and a front view according to arrow III of the apparatus of Fig. 1;Fig. 4 is an orthogonal sectional view of the apparatus of Fig. 3 according to the section plane A-A shown therein, illustrated with some parts removed to better illustrate others;Fig. 5 and 6 show a part of the apparatus of Fig. 4 relating to the cap application station, the winding station and the transport line in a step of stopping a shutter curtain in a reference position at the entrance of the cap application station, coming from the feeding station, respectively in an orthogonal view equivalent to that of Fig. 2 and in a perspective view from above;Fig. 7 and 8 show a part of the apparatus of Fig. 4 relating to the cap application station, the winding station and the transport line in a step of engaging (by means of a secondary manipulator) a shutter curtain that has been stopped in the reference position in order to be transferred to the cap application station, respectively in an orth