US 11,858,768 B2
Method and apparatus for preparing edges of reels of web material
Oronzo Lucia, San Giovanni Teatino (IT); Alessandro Cipriani, San Giovanni Teatino (IT); Maurizio Spiriticchio, San Giovanni Teatino (IT); Emanuela Elisa Cepolina, Genoa (IT); Khelifa Baizid, Genoa (IT); Massimiliano Scaccia, Rome (IT); Roberto Gagliardi, San Benedetto del Tronto (IT); Isiah Zaplana, Genoa (IT); Mariapaola D'Imperio, Cittadella (IT); and Ferdinando Cannella, Genoa (IT)
Assigned to Fameccanica.Data S.p.A., San Giovanni Teatino (IT); and Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa (IT)
Filed by Fameccanica.Data S.p.A., San Giovanni Teatino (IT); and Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa (IT)
Filed on Oct. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/505,780.
Claims priority of application No. 102020000024886 (IT), filed on Oct. 21, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0119214 A1, Apr. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. B65H 19/10 (2006.01)
CPC B65H 19/102 (2013.01) [B65H 2301/463 (2013.01); B65H 2301/46171 (2013.01); B65H 2406/34 (2013.01); B65H 2701/1924 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for preparing an edge of a reel of web material, comprising:
placing a reel onto a support shaft rotatable around a first axis,
approaching a gripping device movable along at least two axes orthogonal to said first axis and rotatable around said first axis, onto any portion of an outer turn of web material of said reel,
pressing a friction surface of said gripping device onto said portion of the outer turn of web material and generating a relative movement between the reel and said friction surface so that said portion of the outer turn of web material forms a loop,
inserting at least one plate of said gripping device inside said loop in a direction parallel to said first axis,
bringing at least one suction cup of said gripping device into contact with an external surface of said loop,
activating said at least one suction cup and clamping a portion of the loop of web material between said at least one suction cup and said at least one plate,
making a first transversal cut of the portion of the outer turn of web material at said loop by means of a cutting device of said gripping device, bringing said gripping device close to a mouth of a stationary suction device, gripping an end of said web material by means of said mouth of said suction device, deactivating said at least one suction cup and releasing said gripped portion of web material,
unwinding a section of web material with a length equal to or greater than the length of the circumference of the reel,
sucking by said suction device said section of web material unwound from the reel,
reactivating said suction cup and clamping a second portion of web material between the at least one suction cup and said at least one plate,
making a second transversal cut of the section of web material downstream of said at least one plate with reference to an unwinding direction of the reel by means of said cutting device, and
evacuating as scrap into said suction device a portion of unwound web material downstream of the cut.