Apparatus and method for shaping tubular elements
AssigneeI.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A.
InventorFiorenzo Draghetti
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and a method for shaping tubular elements (100), preferably made of paper, to make straws. In particular, a flexible shaped portion, defined by a succession of annular ridges and throats, is made on each tubular element (100) by means of internal shaping members (32) and external shaping members (35) mutually cooperating with each other.
Claims18
Apparatus for making, starting from tubular elements, drinking straws with a shaped portion formed by a plurality of annular ridges alternating with annular throats made along a segment of predefined length, said apparatus comprising movement means configured to continuously advance said tubular elements, internal shaping means and external shaping means configured to mutually cooperate so as to make said shaped portion acting respectively on an external surface and on an internal surface of each tubular element, said internal shaping means comprising a plurality of shaping spindles disposed parallel to each other and individually distanced and extending along a respective longitudinal axis, each shaping spindle being configured to be individually inserted inside a respective tubular element and to be moved by said movement means along a working path which develops substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;
- said apparatus is characterized in that said external shaping means comprise a first corrugating unit and a second corrugating unit disposed facing each other, comprising a respective first and second plurality of corrugations defining a respective succession of ridges and throats of deformation, said first and second corrugating units being mutually mobile with respect to each other to advance said tubular elements in rolling during the shaping of said shaped portion, wherein at least one of said first and second plurality of corrugations is obtained on a surface which is at least partly disposed along said working path during the shaping of said shaped portion.
Method for making, starting from tubular elements, drinking straws with a shaped portion formed by a plurality of annular ridges alternating with annular throats made along a segment of predefined length, wherein said method comprises:
- a step of continuously advancing, by means of movement means, a plurality of said tubular elements,
- a step of inserting, inside each of said tubular elements, a shaping spindle provided with a corrugated portion defining internal shaping means acting on an internal surface of each tubular element and extending along a respective longitudinal axis,
- a step of moving said shaping spindle inserted inside each of said tubular elements along a working path which develops substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis,
- a deformation step of said tubular elements wherein it is provided to shape said shaped portion by means of external shaping means, acting on an external surface of each tubular element, and cooperating with said internal shaping means, wherein said method is characterized in that said deformation step provides to advance said tubular elements in rolling by means of the relative movement between a first corrugating unit and a second corrugating unit comprised in said external shaping means, wherein said first corrugating unit and said second corrugating unit are disposed facing each other, and comprise a respective first and second plurality of corrugations, defining a respective succession of ridges and throats of deformation, and wherein at least one of said first and second plurality of corrugations is obtained on a surface which contacts said tubular elements during said advancing in rolling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.