Patents Assigned to Aetna Group, S.p.A.
  • Patent number: 12286254
    Abstract: An unwinding apparatus (1) for wrapping machine (100) to wrap with a film (50) a load (30) on a pallet (40), comprising supporting means (2) for supporting a reel (60) of film (50), roller means (3, 4, 7) for unwinding and pre-stretching the film (50) and a guiding roller (6) that can be tilted for reducing a band width of the film (50) and/or deviating it towards the; first driving means (10) for continuously tilting the guiding roller (6) in a plurality of operating positions (P0, P1, P2) along an adjustment stroke; the guiding roller (6) comprises a first end portion (16) rotatably connected to the supporting means (2) and provided with a roll (8) able to roll up a longitudinal lower edge (50a) of the film (50) when the guiding roller (6) is tilted to form a longitudinal rolled portion (51).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: AETNA GROUP S.P.A
    Inventor: Mauro Cere′
  • Patent number: 12097983
    Abstract: An unwinding apparatus associable with a wrapping machine for delivering films comprises a supporting frame to rotatably support a first reel of a first film; adjustment elements to rotatably support a second reel of a second film and to arrange it in one of a plurality of operative positions, in which the second reel is staggered with respect to the first reel; guiding rollers to guide and partially overlap the first film and the second film at a longitudinal partial overlapping band; joining assembly for joining the first film and the second film along a longitudinal joining band made inside a width of the longitudinal partial overlapping band so as to obtain a single-body composite film; the joining assembly comprises a welding device or a gluing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: AETNA GROUP S.P.A.
    Inventors: Mauro Ceré, Massimiliano Vaccari
  • Patent number: 12037212
    Abstract: A testing machine to perform measurements and/or tests on a plastic film comprises a basic structure provided with a supporting plane, an unwinding station provided with an unwinding roller that supports a reel of film, a pre-stretching station arranged to unwind and to pre-stretch the film from the reel. The testing machine further comprises a wrapping station provided with a testing drum to be wrapped by the film coming out from the pre-stretching station, a plurality of measuring groups to perform measurements of dimensional and/or physical parameters of the reel and of the film, and a plurality of testing groups to perform respective tests and measurements on the film in order to determine mechanical and physical properties thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: AETNA GROUP S.P.A.
    Inventors: Mauro Cere′, Andrea Renzini
  • Patent number: 12012237
    Abstract: A method for wrapping a load with a film, strip, band of extensible material comprises: unwinding a film of extensible material from a reel; making a pleat on the film by means of a pleating system; stretching the film by means of a pair of pre-stretching rollers; welding the pleat by means of at least one of the pre-stretching rollers; wrapping the load with the film provided with the pleat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: AETNA GROUP S.P.A.
    Inventors: Mauro Ceré, Gabriele Canini
  • Patent number: 11987405
    Abstract: A method for wrapping a load with a film of stretchable plastic material, comprises unwinding a first film of stretchable plastic material from a first reel and at least one second film of stretchable plastic material from a respective second reel; superimposing the at least one second film to the first film so as to form a longitudinal overlapping band of the two films; stretching by a couple of pre-stretching rollers the first film and the at least one second film superimposed along the longitudinal overlapping band with a definite stretching percentage so as to obtain a single composite film formed by the first film and the at least one second film joined and sticking tightly to each other at the overlapping band due to the effect of said stretching; wrapping the load with a plurality of bands of the composite film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: AETNA GROUP S.P.A.
    Inventor: Massimiliano Vaccari
  • Patent number: 11753194
    Abstract: A method determines a wrapping configuration of a film wrapped around products to form a palletized load to be moved along a path. The method includes using a defined wrapping configuration, measuring physical quantities acting on the load as a result of movements and/or stresses when the load is moved along different test paths, obtaining a path as a suitable composition of base elementary path stretches, obtaining physical quantities acting on the load along the path as physical quantities associated to the base elementary path stretches, positioning the load on a motion platform, operating the motion platform based on the physical quantities to simulate movements and/or stresses acting on the load moved along the path, checking if the load has remained stable and/or compact, modifying the wrapping configuration if the load did not remain stable and/or compact, and repeating the steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: AETNA GROUP S.P.A.
    Inventors: Mauro Cere′, Massimiliano Vaccari
  • Patent number: 11649081
    Abstract: A wrapping machine for wrapping a load with a plastic film includes a main frame with two supporting columns having upper portions interconnected by a beam, a supporting carriage slidingly supported by the main frame and moved along a working direction by first actuating device, a moving ring rotatably supported by the supporting carriage and rotatably driven by second actuating device around a wrapping axis parallel to the working direction, and an unwinding unit fixed to the moving ring and provided with a reel of film and rollers. The first actuating device includes a first actuator arranged to operate a driving shaft rotatably supported by the beam and provided with a driving pulley engaged to a flexible element connected to the supporting carriage. The driving pulley rotates with the driving shaft for moving the flexible element and therefore the supporting carriage along the working direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: AETNA GROUP S.P.A.
    Inventor: Mauro Cere′
  • Patent number: 11542047
    Abstract: A wrapping machine for making a composed palletized load made by a plurality of partial palletized loads wrapped with a plastic film, comprises a first operating station to individually and separately wrap the partial palletized loads with the film, a conveyor assembly to move along an advancing direction the partial palletized loads inside, towards and outside from the first operating station, a second operating station to arrange the plurality of partial palletized loads in a grouped configuration, in which they are adjacent and placed side by side, and then joint the plurality of partial palletized loads by an adhesive film in order to make the composed palletized load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: AETNA GROUP S.P.A.
    Inventor: Alessandro Parrucci
  • Patent number: 11518572
    Abstract: A measuring system associable with a group of products wrappable with a plastic film to form a palletized load. The system includes a supporting frame provided with a supporting plane for the group, first and second detecting modules housed inside the supporting frame and provided with first and second sensor units to detect and measure first and second physical quantities acting on the palletized load when it is moved and/or transported, a processing module having first and second computing units and first and second memory units positioned on the supporting plane, inserted among the products and having dimensions and weight comparable to that of one of the products. The first and second computing units, first and second memory units and first and second detecting modules form first and second measurement chains of the first and second physical quantities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: AETNA GROUP S.P.A.
    Inventors: Mauro Ceré, Massimiliano Vaccari
  • Patent number: 11472581
    Abstract: A wrapping machine includes a frame for supporting a wrapping unit arranged to wrap a load with a film of plastic material, and a covering apparatus arranged to supply a covering sheet to be positioned on top of the load. The covering apparatus includes a reel of covering sheet and gripping assembly movable along an unwinding direction and arranged to grasp and unwind from the reel and place above the load the covering sheet. The covering apparatus includes a supporting structure connected to an upper portion of the frame and slidably supporting the gripping assembly, and a supplying unit supporting a respective reel of covering sheet and reversibly coupled to the supporting structure so as to be removable and replaceable with another supplying unit, in particular in case of depletion of the reel of covering sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: AETNA GROUP S.P.A.
    Inventor: Mauro Cere′
  • Patent number: 11427356
    Abstract: A wrapping machine for wrapping a product with a plastic film includes a frame, a supporting ring rotatably supported by the frame and rotated around a wrapping axis by a driving device, an unwinding unit fixed to the supporting ring and supporting a reel of film, pre-stretching rollers rotating about longitudinal axes and cooperating with each other to unwind and stretch the film, and a pre-stretching motor fixed to the frame and coupled to, and arranged to rotate, the pre-stretching rollers through a respective transmission assembly. The transmission assembly includes a driving ring rotatably supported by the frame and rotated about the wrapping axis by the pre-stretching motor through a friction roller, and a driving belt wound around, and rotated by, the driving ring and coupled to one pre-stretching roller to rotate the pre-stretching rollers when the driving ring is rotated by the pre-stretching motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: AETNA GROUP S.P.A.
    Inventor: Mauro Cere'
  • Patent number: 11345493
    Abstract: A method for wrapping a load with a film uses a wrapping machine. The wrapping machine is provided with an unwinding apparatus including pre-stretching rollers, a return roller and a force sensor to measure a wrapping force of the film. The method includes rotating the unwinding apparatus and the load relative to one another with a rotation speed and unwinding the film, measuring an effective wrapping force of the film, filtering the effective wrapping force by a first filter, to obtain a filtered wrapping force, and calculating by a PID control algorithm an instant film length to be supplied per rotation based on the filtered wrapping force. The method also includes filtering the instant film length by a second filter, calculating an instant rotation speed of one pre-stretching roller based on the instant filtered film length and the rotation speed, and rotating the pre-stretching roller with the instant rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: AETNA GROUP S.P.A.
    Inventor: Mauro Cere′
  • Patent number: 10703519
    Abstract: A wrapping machine for wrapping material around a load includes a wrapping unit to wrap a portion of the material around the load and a supplying unit to supply the material portion to the wrapping unit. The wrapping unit includes wrapping device to unwind the material portion from the supplying unit and wrap it around the load. The wrapping unit includes a supporting ring, rotating around a wrapping axis and provided with a plurality of wrapping rollers, and an unwinding arm having a first end rotatably fixed to the support ring and a second end supporting at least one unwinding roller to abut and guide the portion of material towards the load during wrapping. The unwinding arm is movable to move the unwinding roller to/from the load during wrapping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignees: AETNA GROUP S.P.A., ROBOPAC S.P.A.
    Inventor: Mauro Ceré
  • Patent number: 10703518
    Abstract: A wrapping machine for wrapping groups of products with an extensible plastic film to form bundles includes a conveyor for supporting and moving a group of products along an advancing direction inside the wrapping machine, a supporting device for supporting the group of products received from the conveyor, a wrapping unit for wrapping a portion of film around the group of products, supported by the supporting device, in order to form a bundle, and a supplying unit to supply the wrapping unit with the film portion separated from the film. The supporting device includes a gripping device that holds an initial flap of the film portion during the wrapping of the group of products, a containment device to abut against the group of products to guide the products when moved along the advancing direction through the wrapping unit and/or to support and restrain the group of products during wrapping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignees: AETNA GROUP S.P.A., ROBOPAC S.P.A.
    Inventor: Mauro Ceré
  • Patent number: 9975654
    Abstract: An apparatus associated with a wrapping machine includes at least one unwinding unit for the wrapping machine for wrapping a load with a film, and shuttles that are movable along a path and suitable for receiving and supporting an unwinding unit to be replaced and to be dismantled from the wrapping machine, or a new unwinding unit to be mounted on the wrapping machine. The shuttles operate along a substantially horizontal operating direction to dismantle and receive from the wrapping machine an unwinding unit to be replaced or to transfer and mount on the wrapping machine a new unwinding unit. The apparatus includes a supporting unit fixed to the wrapping machine and arranged to be coupled to, and supported by, the unwinding unit, the unwinding unit including a first coupling device, and the supporting unit including a second coupling device, the first coupling device and the second coupling device being mutually coupled or uncoupled along the operating direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Aetna Group, S.p.A.
    Inventors: Mauro Cere', Mirko Casalboni
  • Patent number: 9891120
    Abstract: A measuring device for detecting and measuring a wrapping force of a stretchable plastic material film wrapped around a load includes a first angular element that can be associated and fixed to at least one of an edge and a flat wall of the load, at least one force sensor fixed to the first angular element, a second angular element fixed to, and supported by, the force sensor, and a control unit connected to the force sensor and arranged for receiving therefrom a signal related to a wrapping force exerted by the film on the second angular element by the film that is wrapped around the load and around the measuring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: AETNA GROUP S.P.A.
    Inventor: Mauro Ceré
  • Patent number: 9625083
    Abstract: The invention relates to a movement system that is associated with a wrapping machine for wrapping a load with a film including at least one operating unit for performing operations on the load or on the film. The system includes shuttles that are movable for supporting and moving the operating units along a path at least between an operating position in which the operating units can perform operations on the load or on the film or can interact with the wrapping machine, and a inactive position in which the operating units are outside a working zone of the wrapping machine in order not to interfere with the operation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Aetna Group, S.p.A.
    Inventors: Mauro Cere', Mirko Casalboni
  • Patent number: 9580194
    Abstract: A machine for wrapping a load with a film made of synthetic plastics includes a first frame suitable for supporting second frame that rotatably supports around, and slidably parallel to, a wrapping axis at least one wrapping unit including a reel of the film and a roller assembly arranged for unwinding and prestretching the film. The second frame is slidably mounted on the first frame and is movable along an advancing direction that is transverse, and in particular orthogonal, to the wrapping axis. A conveyor is provided for moving the load along the advancing direction. The conveyor and the second frame are movable in a mutually coordinated manner to wrap the load with the film also while the load is moved along the advancing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Aetna Group S.p.A.
    Inventor: Mauro Cere′
  • Patent number: 9555912
    Abstract: A method for wrapping a load with a film by a wrapping machine including an unwinding apparatus provided with a reel of the film includes moving the wrapping apparatus and the load in relation to one another and unwinding from the reel an established effective length of film per revolution of the wrapping apparatus or of the load. The established effective length of film is calculated with the formula: where: Sf. initial length of film is determined on the basis of dimension and/or shape of the load; ?: rotation speed around a wrapping axis of the unwinding apparatus or of the load; Vt: movement speed of the unwinding apparatus parallel to the rotation axis; ?max: maximum rotation speed around the wrapping axis of the unwinding apparatus or of the load; ?corr: corrective parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Aetna Group S.p.A.
    Inventors: Mauro Cere′, Alberto Morri
  • Patent number: 9284105
    Abstract: An apparatus for packaging groups of contains of liquid products into bundles includes at least one pair of wrapping stations of groups of containers. Each station is configured to wrap an extensible film around a group of containers and to feed and discharge the groups of containers to/from the wrapping station and includes at least one feeding line of the containers and at least one discharge line of the bundles. Advantageously, the feeding and discharge lines are shared between different wrapping stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: AETNA GROUP S.P.A.
    Inventor: Alessandro Angelo Ghezzi