G.D S.p.A.

A machine (2) for loading and threading a material web (N) for a manufacturing and/or packaging plant (1) of the tobacco industry; wherein the machine (2) is configured to be arranged separately and spaced apart from at least another machine (MC; MP) of the manufacturing and/or packaging plant (1); the machine (2) for loading and threading comprises:a loading unit (5) configured to accommodate a reel (3) of material web (N) at a loading station (SC); anda threading unit (6) configured to receive at a receiving station (SR) a terminal end (4) of the material web (N) from the reel (3) accommodated by the loading unit (5); the threading unit (6) comprises a conveying device (10) configured to move the terminal end (4) from the receiving station (SR) to a delivery station (SD) at which the terminal end (4) is deliverable to the other machine (MP, MC) of the manufacturing and/or packaging plant (1) of the tobacco industry.

A machine and method for forming an electrochemical cell, wherein a conveying assembly (1000) is used in the machine and method comprising an idle roller (100) having a geometric axis (X) and an operating surface (101) configured to be engaged at least partially by a strip element (10) adapted to be dragged in a longitudinal direction thereof. The idle roller (100) comprises a shell (120) with a primary portion (120a) having a thickness that is substantially uniform along the geometric axis (X) and not exceeding 1 mm. The shell (120) can be coupled to at least one rotoidal joint member (200) defining an axis of rotation and connecting the idle roller (100 to a support structure (400). The conveying assembly (1000) comprises a support device (500) including two coupling portions (501, 502) configured to couple to the idle roller (100) in a rotatable manner about the geometric axis (X), and at least one sensor device (1001, 1002) connected to one of said coupling portions (501, 502) and to the idle roller (100) and configured to detect a stress mutually transmitted between said coupling portion (501, 502) and the idle roller (100).

An inspection method for inspecting a liquid or semiliquid substance in a container (2), said container (2) extending along a principal direction (P) between a top end and a bottom end, said method comprising the following steps: setting the container (2) into rotation about a rotation axis; interrupting the rotation of the container (2); illuminating at least a part of the container (2) where the free surface of the substance is present so that at least one light component is reflected from the free surface; once the rotation of the container (2) is interrupted, acquiring at least one image of the illuminated container (2) by means of a camera (22); said camera (22) being positioned inclined relative to the principal direction (P) of the container (2) in the inspection zone (I) in such a way that its field of vision (FoV) captures said at least one light component reflected from the free surface; processing said at least one acquired image by applying at least one vision algorithm so as to identify foreign bodies floating at the free surface of the substance.

An apparatus (27) for identifying the position of electrochemical cell elements in a stacking plane comprises a measurement device (34) configured to take measurement data representative of the distance between a first vertex (V1) and a second vertex (F1) of an electrochemical cell element (100) to be deposited on a stacking plane (25); a detection device (28) placed in a display relationship with control areas (29) defined at a stacking plane (25), wherein the detection device (28) is configured to detect a plurality of display data of said electrochemical cell element (100) in said control areas (29); a processing unit (33) operatively associated with said measurement device (34) and said detection device (28). The control unit (33) is configured to: obtain said measurement data; on the basis of the measurement data obtained, calculate a first distance (D1) between the first vertex (V1) of the electrochemical cell element (100) and the second vertex (F1) of the electrochemical cell element (100); obtain the plurality of display data; on the basis of the plurality of display data obtained, determine a first position identifying a position of the first vertex (V1) of the electrochemical cell element (100); on the basis of the calculation of the first distance (D1) and on the basis of the determination of the first position, determine a second position identifying a position of the second vertex (F1) of the electrochemical cell element (100).

A Hipot test station (10) for electrochemical cell assemblies comprises a press (11) comprising a first plate (14) and a second plate (15) switchable between a test condition in which the first plate (14) is moved towards the second plate (15) to exert a compressive force on an electrochemical cell assembly (100) and an idle condition in which the first plate (14) is moved away from the second plate (15); a contacting assembly (13) switchable between a contacting condition in which it is configured to electrically contact an electrochemical cell assembly (100) and an idle condition in which it does not electrically contact said electrochemical cell assembly (100); a movement system (12) configured to insert and to remove an electrochemical cell assembly (100) between the first plate (14) and the second plate (15); wherein the first plate (14) is can be moved towards and away from the second plate (15) along a working direction contained in a horizontal plane.

An apparatus (27) for identifying the position of vertices of electrochemical cell elements on a surface, comprising a detection device (28) placed in a display relationship with a first control area (29a) and a second control area (29b) both defined at a stacking surface (25) and configured to detect a first plurality of display data in the first control area (29a) and a second plurality of display data in the second control area (29b) which are represented by respective plurality of contrast transition zones in an image; wherein the first control area (29a) and the second control area (29b) are placed at a stacking surface (25) at respective expected positions of receiving a first edge (101) and a second edge (102) of an electrochemical cell element (100) not parallel to each other; a processing unit (33) operatively associated with the detection device (28) and configured to: obtain the first plurality of display data; obtain the second plurality of display data; on the basis of the first plurality of display data obtained determine a first line (A1) representative of the first edge (101) of the electrochemical cell element (100) and on the basis of the second plurality of display data obtained determine a second line (A2) representative of the second edge (102) of the electrochemical cell element (100) on the basis of statistical models applied to the plurality of contrast transition zones of the image; on the basis of the determination of the first line (A1) and the second line (A2), calculate the point of intersection of the first line (A1) with the second line (A2).

An apparatus for building an electrochemical cell intended for battery production comprises a dispensing unit of a conductor element (3) having a main body (4) and a plurality of fins (4a) protruding from the main body (4), a coupling unit configured to couple the conductor element (3) with at least another element to form an internal assembly of the electrochemical cell. The apparatus further comprises a folding unit configured to fold the fins (4a) increasing the inclination of the fins with respect to the main body (4) while the conductor element (3) is moved from the dispensing unit to the coupling unit.The folding unit comprises a deflector element (13) configured to abut the fins (4a), and a nozzle (14) arranged at least partially upstream of the deflector element (13) and configured to dispense a jet of air (F) against the fins (4a) so that the fins (4a) are preliminarily folded before they abut the deflector element (13).

An apparatus for changing reels in electrochemical cell production, comprising: a frame (11); at least one mandrel (12) supported by the frame (11) and rotatable about an axis of rotation, the at least one mandrel (12) comprising a shaft (16) configured to accommodate a hollow core (105) of a reel, the shaft (16) comprising a loading end (17) configured to thread the hollow core (105) of the reel; an extraction system (21) configured to translate at least the shaft (16) in a longitudinal direction with respect to the axis of rotation, the shaft (16) being movable between a working position and a loading/unloading position, the loading end (17) being at a greater distance from the frame (11) in the loading/unloading position than in the working position.A method for changing reels in electrochemical cell production.

Method for producing an electric battery cell comprising: - stacking in an interleaved manner a plurality of first sheets (1) in a first electrically conductive material and a plurality of second sheets (2) in a second electrically conductive material, wherein each first sheet (1) comprises a first tab (5) and wherein said first tabs form a first stack (7) in which said first tabs are in mutual contact; - in a first station, mutually pre-welding the first tabs (5) to each other in the first stack (7) by means of a laser beam (10) to spatially fix the first tabs (5) to each other; - subsequently, moving the first (1) and second sheets (2) interleaved from said first station to a second station; and - in the second station, welding the first stack (7) of first tabs (5) to a first electrical contact (13) to realize an electrical connection between all the first sheets (1) and the first electrical contact (12).

A wrapping unit (10) and method to manufacture a wrap (1) around a group (2) of smoking articles. The following are provided: a first folding device (13) configured to fold a wrapping sheet (3) around the group (2) of smoking articles, so as to cause the wrapping sheet (3) to gain a tubular shape having at least one open end delimited by two transverse flaps (7) and two longitudinal flaps (8, 9); and a second folding device (17) configured to initially fold the two transverse flaps (7) against the group (2) of smoking articles, to subsequently fold a first longitudinal flap (8) against the group (2) of smoking articles and on top of the previously folded transverse flaps (7) and to finally fold a second longitudinal flap (9) against the group (2) of smoking articles and on top of the transverse flaps (7) and the first longitudinal flap (8), which were previously folded. The second folding device (17) has a folding element (21), which is configured to spread the two longitudinal flaps (8, 9) apart before folding the two transverse flaps (7) against the group (2) of smoking articles.