FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the technical sector concerning the cutting of rigid/semi-rigid materials, such as, for example, sheets or panels of corrugated card or cardboard, i.e. panels constituted by two sheets between which a reticular or multi-corrugated structure is interposed.

In this sector there a need is defined for being able to realise folding cuts in the panels to define different areas or zones which can then be folded at an angle between them, about the folding cut, to form a container, a box or publicity display cases, etc.

In particular, the present invention concerns a cutting device for realising folding cuts in panels made of a rigid/semi-rigid material, such as, but not exclusively, corrugated cardboard panels, with the aim of enabling the folding of the panel with respect to the cuts made.

To enable the folding of various zones or parts of the panel about the cuts, the cuts must be realised in such a way as to have a furrow or V-shaped groove.

In substance, cuts must be performed in the panel to form furrows or grooves having a V-shape and a depth of less than the thickness of the panel: the parts of the panel adjacent to the furrow must be folded about the channel up to when the two walls of the furrow are substantially in contact with one another.

For example, figure 1A illustrates, according to a vertical section, a panel (P), for example cardboard, constituted by two sheets (F1, F2) between which a reticular or multi-corrugated structure is interposed, and in which a cut (T) has been carried out, to form a V-shaped groove, with the two walls (T1, T2) of the groove forming an angle, for example of 45°, with respect to the lower sheet (F2) of the panel (or to a plane perpendicular to the panel).

The two walls (T 1 , T2) of the V-shaped groove will thus be substantially at 90° to one another.

Once a cut (T) of this type has been made in the panel (P), two portions (P1, P2) will be obtained, adjacent to the cut (T) (i.e. adjacent to the V-shaped groove), which can be folded and arranged at an angle between them (for example 90°), as illustrated in figure 1B, with the two walls (T1, T2) of the groove being neared to one another and arranged facing one another.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Usually, this cutting technique, for cutting V-shaped cuts, is used for panels which have a thickness, or rigidity, such as to require a cut, over a large part of the thickness thereof, instead of a simple score line made by compression or sawing.

To perform cuts in the panels as described above, use is known of a cutting device (DT) such as the one illustrated in figure 2A.

The cutting device (T) comprises a shaft (A), activatable about the relative axis (a), which is mounted on a head (B) which can be moved in space using movement means (not illustrated).

The cutting device (DT) further comprises a blade support (SL) associated to a lower end (A1) of the shaft (A) and a blade (L) mounted fixedly on the blade support (SL).

The blade support (SL) is arranged and configured in such a way that the blade (L), when mounted on the blade support (SL), is inclined with respect to the axis of the shaft (A) by an angle of inclination (a). The movement means of the head (B) are configured to move the head (B) with respect to the panel (P) to be cut in such a way that the rotation axis (a) of the shaft (A) is perpendicular to the panel (P) (see figure 2A).

With a cutting device (DR) of this type the operations for realising a cut which identifies a V-shaped groove in the thickness (SP) of the panel (P) are illustrated in figures from 2A to 2F. Firstly, the head (B) must be moved towards the panel (P) in such a way that the cutting blade (L) approaches the surface of the panel (P) following a first nearing direction (d1) coinciding with the inclination thereof with respect to the axis (a) of the shaft (A) (figure 2A) in such a way that the cutting blade (L) can penetrate the panel (P) in an inclined direction with respect to the upper surface of the panel (P).

Then, with the cutting blade (L) having penetrated the panel (P) to a depth of less than the thickness of the panel (P), the head (B) can be translated longitudinally with respect to the panel (P) in a first translation direction (d2) (see figure 2B, in which the first translation direction (d2) is perpendicular to the sheet and exits from the sheet).

In this way a first cut is made in the panel (11)), inclined with respect to the two surfaces of the panel (P).

The head (B) is then raised from the panel (P) according to a moving-away direction (3), coinciding with the inclination of the cutting blade (L) and in an opposite direction to the first nearing direction (d1), in order to extract the cutting blade (L) from the panel (P).

Once the cutting blade (L) has been extracted from the panel (P), the shaft (A) is rotated with respect to the relative axis (a) by 180° (figure 2D).

Then the head (B) is newly moved towards the panel (P) according to a second nearing direction (d4) coinciding with the inclination of the cutting blade (L) with respect to the axis (a) of the shaft (A) in such a way that the cutting blade (L) can penetrate the panel (P) in an inclined direction with respect to the surface of the panel.

Then, with the cutting blade (L) having penetrated the panel for a depth that is smaller than the thickness of the panel (P), the head (B) can be translated longitudinally with respect to the panel (P) in a second translation direction (d5), opposite the first translation direction (d2) (see figure 2E, in which the second translation direction (d5) is perpendicular to the sheet and entering the sheet).

In this way, a second cut (12) is made in the panel (P), inclined with respect to the two surfaces of the panel (P). The cutting head (B) is then newly raised to extract the cutting blade (L) from the panel (figure 2F).

The second cut (12) joins the first cut (11) made previously, enabling removal of the material interposed there-between and thus making, in the panel (P), a cut (T) in the form of a furrow or V-shaped groove with two walls (T1, T2) being mutually inclined with respect to a vertical plane of a same angle (which corresponds to the angle of inclination of the cutting blade with respect to the axis of the shaft (for example 45°).

The two portions (P1, P2) of the panel (P) that are adjacent to the cut (T) can then be folded with respect to the cut and arranged at an angle to one another (as shown in figure 1 B).

It is clear that with this cutting device (DT) the operations for realising the cut (T) in the panel (P) for creating the V-shaped groove, which also enables the folding of the two portions of the panel that are adjacent to the groove, are very complex and require a certain amount of time, which impacts on the processing productivity.

In fact, the cutting device must be lowered and raised from the panel several times, and must also be translated several times longitudinally with respect to the panel, and, once the cutting blade (L) has been extracted, the cutting blade must be rotated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is therefore to describe a new cutting device for realising folding cuts in panels made of a rigid/semi-rigid material which device is able to obviate the drawbacks present in the prior-art as evidenced.

In particular, an aim of the present invention is to describe a cutting device for rapidly realising folding cuts in panels made of a rigid/semi-rigid material, with few and simple operations, significantly reducing working times with respect to the devices of known type.

The above-mentioned advantages are fully obtained with a cutting device according to the contents of the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the cutting device of the present invention will be described in the following description with reference to the appended tables of drawings, in which: figures 1A and 1B, already mentioned in the foregoing, are respective views in section of a panel in which a folding cut has been made, forming a V-shaped groove so as to enable the folding of the two portions of the panel that are adjacent to the groove and arrange them at an angle to one another;

- figure 2A, also previously mentioned, illustrates, in a schematic view, a cutting device of known type;

- figures from 2B to 2F, mentioned in the foregoing, illustrate an operating sequence of realising a folding cut in a panel to form a V-shaped groove using a cutting device of known type as in figure 2A;

- figure 3A is a schematic view of the cutting device of the invention; - figures from 3B to 3E illustrate an operating sequence in which by using the cutting device of the invention it is possible to realise a folding cut in a panel to make a V-shaped groove which enables the two portions of panel adjacent to the groove to be folded with respect to the groove and arranged at an angle to one another.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the appended tables of drawings, reference numeral (100) denotes the cutting device for realising a folding cut (U) in a panel (P) made of a rigid/semi-rigid material, for example made of cardboard or card with a corrugated structure, object of the present invention in its entirety.

The cutting device (100) comprises a support shaft (1) which has a relative axis (10), which is movable (by means of movement means not illustrated as of known type and in any case not relevant to the invention) with respect to a panel (P) arranged on a work plane (not illustrated) in which one or more folding cuts are to be made, in order to enable the folding of the panel with respect to the cuts.

In particular, the support shaft (1), with the relative axis (10) perpendicular to the panel (P), is movable towards or away from the panel (P) and is also movable according to translation directions that are parallel to the panel (P).

The cutting device (100) further comprises a head (2), which is mounted on the support shaft (1); a first blade support (21) mounted on the head (2), and a first cutting blade (31), which is mounted on the first blade support (21) in such a way as to be inclined by a first angle of inclination (a1) with respect to the axis (10) of the support shaft (1).

The special characteristics of the cutting device (100) of the present invention consist in the fact that it is realised in such a way as to further comprise: a second blade support (22), which is arranged on an opposite side of the first blade support (21) with respect to the axis (10) of the support shaft (1); a second cutting blade (32), which is mounted on the second blade support (22) in such a way as to be inclined by a second angle of inclination (a2) with respect to the axis (10) of the support shaft (1) and facing towards the first cutting blade (31) (see for example figure 3A).

Further, the second blade support (22) is mounted on the head (2) in such a way as to be movable with respect to the head (2) between a first non operating position (01) (figure 3B), wherein the second cutting blade (32) is moved away from the axis (10) of the support shaft (1) and raised with respect to the first cutting blade (31) and a second operating position (02) (figure 3D), in which the second cutting blade (32) is moved towards the axis (10) of the support shaft (1) and facing the first cutting blade (31), on an opposite side with respect to the axis (10) of the support shaft (1), forming, with the first cutting blade (31), a cut profile having a V shape. Owing to the special characteristics as described in the foregoing, with the cutting device (100) of the invention it is possible to realise, in the panel (P), a folding cut (U) having a V-shaped groove in a much simpler, rapid and effective way with respect to the devices of known type described in the foregoing. In fact, the operations necessary for carrying out a folding cut in a V-shaped groove can be summarised in the following way, taking as a starting-point the illustration of figure 3B.

The panel in which a folding cut is to be realised is arranged resting on a work plane (not illustrated). The cutting device (100) is in the configuration in which the second blade support (22) is positioned with respect to the head (2) in the first non-operating position (01) in which the second cutting blade (32) is moved away from the axis (10) of the support shaft (1) and raised with respect to the first cutting blade (31).

The support shaft (1) can then be moved towards the panel (P) in such a way that the first cutting blade (31) is moved in a first nearing direction (M1) to the panel (P) coinciding with the inclination of the first cutting blade (31) with respect to the axis (10) of the support shaft (1) (figure 3B).

In this way, the first cutting blade (31) can be penetrated in an inclined way into the panel (P) by a smaller amount than the thickness thereof, realising a first inclined cut (N1) (figure 3C).

Then, the second blade support (22) is moved with respect to the head (2) so as to be moved towards the relative second operating position (02) in such a way that the second cutting blade (32) translates towards the panel (P) according to a second nearing direction (M2) coinciding with the inclination of the second cutting blade (32) with respect to the axis (10) of the support shaft (1) (figure 3C). Then, the first cutting blade (32) can be penetrated in an inclined way (with an opposite inclination with respect to the second cutting blade) into the panel (P) by a smaller amount than the thickness thereof, realising a second inclined cut (N2) (figure 3D).

The second cut (N2) will converge towards the first cut (N1), and the two cuts will form two scores in the thickness of the panel which form a V shape.

In practice, the two cutting blades, having penetrated in an inclined way internally of the panel (P), and being mutually convergent, form a cut profile having a V shape.

At this point, the support shaft (1), with the first cutting blade (31) and the second cutting blade (32) internally of the panel (P), can be moved in translation according to a translation direction that is parallel to the panel (for example, with reference to figure 3D, according to a perpendicular direction to the sheet, entering or exiting the sheet).

In this way, the first cutting blade (31) and the second cutting blade (32), both internally of the panel and arranged in a V shape, can cut the panel (P) by realising a folding cut (U) in the form of a V-shaped groove: a first wall (U1) of the V-shaped groove will be obtained from the cut carried out by the first cutting blade (31) while a second wall (U2) of the V-shaped groove will be obtained from the cut carried out by the second cutting blade (32) (see figure 3E).

Once the support shaft (1) has been translated for a length corresponding to the length of the folding cut to be made, the two cutting blades can be extracted from the panel.

For example, the second blade support (22) can be moved with respect to the head (2) to be returned into the relative first non-operating position (01) and the second cutting blade (32) thus be extracted from the panel (P), and the support shaft (1) thus be moved to raise and extract the first cutting blade (31) from the panel (P) (see figure 3E).

Thus a folding cut (U) having a V-shaped groove is obtained, identifying in the panel (P) two portions adjacent to the folding cut (U), which can be folded about the folding cut (U) and arranged at a mutual angle (like the situation illustrated in figure 1B).

Thus, owing to the cutting device of the invention, it is possible to realise a folding cut without having to raise and rotate the device, but simply, once the second cutting blade has been lowered and penetrated into the panel, translating the support shaft longitudinally along the panel. The time required for realising the folding cut, therefore, is extremely reduced with respect to the prior art, with a consequent considerable increase in productivity. Further and other advantageous characteristics of the cutting device of the invention are described in the following.

In a preferred aspect, the second cutting blade (32) is mounted on the second blade support (22) in such a way as to be inclined with respect to the axis (10) of the support shaft (1) by a second angle of inclination (a2) identical to the first angle of inclination (a1) of the first cutting blade (31).

Preferably, and according to the type of material with which the panel is realised and according to working needs, the cutting device (100) can be configured, and the first cutting blade and the second cutting blade can be mounted respectively on the first blade support and second blade support, in such a way that the first angle of inclination (a1) of the first cutting blade (31) with respect to the axis (10) of the support shaft (1) is an angle comprised between 30° and 60°, in particular an angle of 45°, and wherein the second angle of inclination (a2) of the second cutting blade (32) with respect to the axis (10) of the support shaft (1), is an angle comprised between 30° and 60°, in particular an angle of 45°.

On the basis of the preferred but not exclusive embodiment, illustrated in the figures, the second blade support (22) is mounted on the head (2) in such a way as to be translatable with respect to the head (2) according to a translation direction (Z) which is parallel to a direction of inclination by which the second cutting blade (32) is inclined with respect to the axis (10) of the support shaft (1) (see for example figure 3A).

In this regard, the second blade support (22) is slidably mounted on a sliding guide (25) mounted on the head (2) and arranged inclined with respect to the axis (10) of the support shaft (1) by a third angle of inclination corresponding to the second angle of inclination (a2) of the second cutting blade (32) with respect to the axis (10) of the support shaft (1).

In this way, the second blade support (22) can be translated along the sliding guide (25) in a first translation direction (Z1), parallel to the second cutting blade (32), in order to be brought from the first non-operating position (01) to the second operating position (02) (figure 3C) to enable the second cutting blade (32) to penetrate in an inclined way into the panel. The second blade support (22) can also be translated along the sliding guide (25) in a second translation direction (Z2), also parallel to the second cutting blade (32) and opposite the first translation direction (Z1), in order to be returned from the second operating position (02) to the first non-operating position (01) (figure 3E), and to extract the second cutting blade (32) from the panel (P) once the cutting operations for realising the folding cut (U) have been completed.

According to other aspects, the second blade support (22) can be activatable in translation on the sliding guide (25), between the first non-operating position (01) and the second operating position (02), by means of a hydraulic, pneumatic or electromechanical driving means (not illustrated in detail as of known type).

In a further aspect, the head (2), once the first cutting blade and the second cutting blade have been penetrated into the panel, and during the movement of the support shaft (1) in a translation direction parallel to the panel, for realising the folding cut, can be activated in vibration.