Rewinding machine with support system for reel and ribbon

Abstract

The present invention relates to a rewinding machine equipped with a support system for the reel and the ribbon-like product. In particular, the invention relates to a rewinding machine ( 1 ) for a ribbon-like product (N), comprising: a fixed support structure which supports an unwinding unit (SV) and a rewinding unit (RB); an independent first carrier roller ( 2 ), movable along a direction parallel to a support surface of the rewinding machine ( 1 ); a second independent carrier roller ( 4 ), movable in the opposite direction with respect to the first carrier roller ( 2 ); a third roller ( 3 ), placed between the first ( 2 ) and second ( 4 ) carrier rollers and movable integrally with the first carrier roller ( 2 ); a set of driving rollers ( 110 ) placed along a path between the unwinding unit (SV) and the rewinding unit (RB); a web ( 10 ), forming at least one loop, made of a material with an air-permeable texture, said web ( 10 ) unwinding between the second carrier roller ( 4 ), the third roller ( 3 ), and the set of driving rollers ( 110 ); one or more suction boxes ( 6 ) placed under the web ( 10 ) to retain the ribbon-like product (N).

What we claim is: 
     
         1 . A rewinding machine for a ribbon-like product, comprising:
 a fixed support structure which supports an unwinding unit and a rewinding unit;   an independent first carrier roller, movable along a direction parallel to a support surface of the rewinding machine;   a second independent carrier roller, movable in the opposite direction with respect to the first carrier roller;   a third roller, placed between the first and second carrier rollers and movable integrally with the first carrier roller or the second carrier roller;   a set of driving rollers placed along a path between the unwinding unit and the rewinding unit;   a web, forming at least one web loop, made of a material with an air-permeable texture, said web unwinding between the second carrier roller, the third roller, and the set of driving rollers;   optionally, one or more suction boxes placed under a lower surface of the web to retain the ribbon-like product.   
     
     
         2 . The rewinding machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the rewinding unit comprises a fixed structure which supports a first movable structure and a second movable structure, said movable structures being movable on a plane parallel to the support surface of the rewinding machine, wherein the first movable structure supports the first carrier roller and the second movable structure supports the second carrier roller. 
     
     
         3 . The rewinding machine according to  claim 1 , wherein an arm pivots on the rotation axis of the first carrier roller or the second carrier roller, the third roller pivoting at the distal end of the arm, wherein said arm is connected, in a point adjacent to the third roller, to an actuator, for example a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator, to control the position register of the third roller. 
     
     
         4 . The rewinding machine according to  claim 2 , wherein the second movable structure supports the second carrier roller and a cutting unit configured to make cuts on the ribbon-like product. 
     
     
         5 . The rewinding machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said web has a width at least equal to the width of the ribbon-like product and comprises a web guiding system which allows the web to remain in a central position. 
     
     
         6 . The rewinding machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the driving rollers comprise a tensioning roller, installed on a slide movable by means of an actuator, which keeps the web taut as a function of the displacement of the movable structures. 
     
     
         7 . The rewinding machine according to  claim 4 , wherein a suction box, having a length equal to the width of the web, is placed between the second carrier roller and the cutting unit, parallel to the roller axis, and is positioned to skim the bottom surface of the web. 
     
     
         8 . The rewinding machine according to  claim 4 , comprising two web loops, of which:
 a first loop forms a path about the third roller, about the second carrier roller, and closes by means of diverter rollers, thus unwinding between the two movable structures,   a second web loop forms a support path for the ribbon-like product from the tensioning roller to a diverter roller close to the cutting unit,   wherein the first loop and the second loop are configured to be moved at different speeds.   
     
     
         9 . The rewinding machine according to  claim 1 , comprising a third web loop provided with suction boxes and a web guiding system, which accompanies the ribbon-like product immediately downstream of the unwinding point from the reel up to near a web loop. 
     
     
         10 . The rewinding machine according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one of said web loops is operatively coupled to a presser belt so that the ribbon-like product is kept sandwiched between web loop and presser belt up to near the cutting unit. 
     
     
         11 . A method of rewinding a ribbon-like product unwound from a reel and rewound onto a second reel, comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a rewinding machine according to  claim 1 ;   b) as the winding of the ribbon-like product progresses to form the reel, increasing the mutual distance between said first carrier roller and said second carrier roller, until a distance is created between said carrier rollers so that the third roller can be introduced therebetween;   c) taking said third roller from a lowered position to a contact position with the reel, so as to create a segment of web for supporting the reel;   d) continuing to increase the mutual distance between said first carrier roller and said second carrier roller and thus the width of the support segment of web until the winding of the reel is completed.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the rotation speed of the first carrier roller is different from the rotation speed of the second carrier roller. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein, when the rewinding machine is as defined in  claim 8 , the speed of the first loop of the web is different from the speed of the second loop of the web.