EP0860357B1 - A method and a device for wrapping groups of products, in particular packets of cigarettes - Google Patents

A method and a device for wrapping groups of products, in particular packets of cigarettes Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0860357B1
EP0860357B1 EP98830052A EP98830052A EP0860357B1 EP 0860357 B1 EP0860357 B1 EP 0860357B1 EP 98830052 A EP98830052 A EP 98830052A EP 98830052 A EP98830052 A EP 98830052A EP 0860357 B1 EP0860357 B1 EP 0860357B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
wrapper
folds
drum
face
flap
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP98830052A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0860357A1 (en
Inventor
Silvano Boriani
Alessandro Minarelli
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
GD SpA
Original Assignee
GD SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by GD SpA filed Critical GD SpA
Publication of EP0860357A1 publication Critical patent/EP0860357A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0860357B1 publication Critical patent/EP0860357B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B11/00—Wrapping, e.g. partially or wholly enclosing, articles or quantities of material, in strips, sheets or blanks, of flexible material
    • B65B11/06—Wrapping articles, or quantities of material, by conveying wrapper and contents in common defined paths
    • B65B11/38—Wrapping articles, or quantities of material, by conveying wrapper and contents in common defined paths in a combination of straight and curved paths
    • B65B11/40—Wrapping articles, or quantities of material, by conveying wrapper and contents in common defined paths in a combination of straight and curved paths to fold the wrappers in tubular form about contents
    • B65B11/42—Wrapping articles, or quantities of material, by conveying wrapper and contents in common defined paths in a combination of straight and curved paths to fold the wrappers in tubular form about contents and then to form closing folds of similar form at opposite ends of the tube

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method for wrapping groups of products, in particular packets of cigarettes (see GB-A-2 151 577).
  • the present invention is applicable advantageously within the field of cigarette wrapping machines, to which reference is made explicitly in the following specification albeit with no limitation in general scope implied.
  • a continuous strip of wrapping material is decoiled from a roll, then fed through a gumming station and a cutting station toward a wrapping station at which a group of products is formed into a pack.
  • the steps carried out on the continuous strip of material at the gumming station generally include one transverse gumming pass, made by applicators capable of movement in relation to the strip, and a series of longitudinal gumming passes made by fixed applicators from which adhesive is dispensed as the wrapping material decoils and advances.
  • the transverse gumming pass is positioned such that when the wrapping material is divided into single sheets, the edges of each sheet can be joined to fashion a wrapper of tubular appearance.
  • the longitudinal gumming passes are applied along lateral areas of the wrapping material in which transverse incisions will then be made so as to create flaps and end folds, these being flattened subsequently to close up the ends of the pack.
  • the incisions are made after the gumming passes, so that the blades utilized for the purpose can pick up the adhesive deposited on the strip.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a method of wrapping products such as will allow of eliminating the drawbacks described above.
  • the stated object is realized in a method according to the invention for wrapping groups of products, in particular packets of cigarettes, in completely enclosed wrappers of substantially parallelepiped shape each presenting first and second main faces, two flank faces and two end faces, comprising the steps of advancing a wrapping material along a predetermined feed line; cutting the wrapping material cyclically along a transverse cutting line in such a way that each cut produces a single sheet affording respective transverse edges; applying adhesive material to the wrapping material in such a way that the adhesive is distributed near to one of the two transverse edges of the sheet along a transverse line substantially parallel to the cutting line; wrapping each sheet around the relative group of products in such a manner that the two edges are joined to form a tubular wrapper of which the relative longitudinal open ends appear as respective folds projecting from the products; applying adhesive material after forming of the tubular wrapper to the inner face of at least one end fold which is in a position substantially perpendicular to the first face of the wrapper, and flattening the end folds to cover the end faces and obtain
  • the present invention also relates to a device for wrapping groups of products.
  • groups of products are wrapped in fully enclosed wrappers of substantially parallelepiped shape each presenting a first and a second main face, two flank faces and two end faces by a device comprising a unit by which a wrapping material is advanced along a predetermined feed line, a first cutting unit designed to divide the wrapping material cyclically along a transverse cutting line into single sheets each affording respective transverse edges, a first applicator, located following the cutting unit in the feed direction, by which adhesive material is applied to the wrapping material along a transverse line in such a way that each sheet will be gummed near to one of the two transverse edges, a wrapping station disposed and embodied in such a way as will cause each sheet to envelop the relative group of products and form a tubular wrapper of which the opposite longitudinal open ends appear as respective end folds projecting beyond the products, also, a folding unit following the wrapping station in the feed direction, by which successive tubular wrappers are taken up cyclically and transferred between a receiving
  • 1 denotes a device for wrapping groups of products 19, in its entirety, associated with a portion of a wrapping machine 100 along which a wrapping material 3 is caused to advance, following a predetermined feed line 4.
  • the wrapping material 3 which presents a front face 3a and a rear face 3b, is drawn along by a set of pinch rolls 5 and directed forward to a first cutting unit 6.
  • the cutting unit 6 comprises a rotating cylinder 7 fitted with a blade 8 that interacts with a further fixed blade 9 offered to the rear face 3b of the wrapping material 3.
  • the cutting unit 6 divides up the wrapping material 3 cyclically into sheets 2, severed along a cutting line denoted T, as a result of which each sheet exhibits respective transverse edges identifiable, considered in relation to the predetermined feed line 4, as a bottom edge 2i and a top edge 2s.
  • the single sheet 2 must be of a length L, measured along the feed line 4 between the top edge 2s and the bottom edge 2i, such as will enable it to pass entirely around a group 19 of products, consisting for example in packets of cigarettes, at a wrapping station 15 positioned following the aforementioned cutting unit 6 along the feed direction.
  • the device 1 comprises an applicator 12 located beyond the cutting unit 6 in the feed direction and capable of motion in a predetermined direction P substantially transverse to the feed line 4 followed by the wrapping material 3, describing a forward movement F1 and a return movements F2, which is designed to coat the rear face 3b of the wrapping material 3 with a layer of adhesive material 16 applied along a transverse gumming line G parallel to the cutting line T.
  • the lateral incisions 11 combine in pairs to create cut transverse portions 2', referred to hereinafter as flaps 13, each of which unattached on three sides and with one side hingedly attached to the sheet 2.
  • successive groups 19 of products are directed forward by the action of a first push rod 15a which advances from an at-rest position along a predetermined feed line denoted 15' and in a direction denoted F3, each impinging in turn on a relative sheet 2 which is thus caused to fold around the products and assume a "U" profile.
  • the top edge 2s and bottom edge 2i of the sheet 2 are joined together: more exactly, the edge coated on the inside with adhesive material 16, applied along the gumming line G, is offered in overlapping contact to the remaining edge in such a way as to create a wrapper 23 of tubular appearance exhibiting a first face 26, a second face 27 and two opposing flank faces 38; the two longitudinal ends 28 of the wrapper 23 remain open at this stage, projecting a given distance beyond the group 19 of enveloped packets.
  • the means employed to bring about this step of the wrapping cycle are conventional in embodiment and not illustrated.
  • the tubular wrapper 23 is advanced along a predetermined feed line 4' parallel with and displaced forward in the aforementioned direction F3 from the original feed line 4 followed by the wrapping material 3, and transferred to a folding unit 40 located beyond the wrapping station 15 in the feed direction, by which the two open ends 28 of the wrapper 23 are closed up.
  • Each of the open ends 28 of the wrapper 23 appears as a continuous U-shaped end fold 39, also a flap 13 divided from this end fold 39 by the aforementioned lateral incisions 11 and afforded by the portion 2' produced in the sheet 2 by the cutting units 10.
  • the end fold 39 comprises a central portion 39' extended from the second face 27 of the tubular wrapper 23, and two lateral portions 39" extending respectively from the two flank faces 38, whilst the flap 13 is extended from the first face 26 of the wrapper 23 and occupies substantially the same plane as the face in question.
  • the folding unit 40 comprises a drum 20 keyed to a relative shaft 29 and affording a plurality of radial pockets 21 separated one from the next by an identical angular distance, each proportioned to accommodate one wrapper 23.
  • the shaft 29 is designed to rotate intermittently about its axis 29', causing the drum 20 to rotate in the direction denoted F8 (anticlockwise, as viewed in the drawings) in such a way that the pockets 21 are indexed successively through two positions: first, a position at which the wrapper 23 is received from the wrapping station 15, and thereafter, a position at which the same wrapper 23 is released to a runout conveyor 35.
  • the drum 20 is embodied with four pockets 21 spaced apart at 90° one from the next, each fashioned with an opening 37 in the bottom face of which the dimensions are less than those of a corresponding face presented by the tubular wrapper 23.
  • the pocket 21 When stationed to take up the wrapper 23 in the receiving position, the pocket 21 is disposed in vertical alignment, along the relative feed line 4', with a pair of first fixed folders denoted 30, lying between the wrapping station 15 and the pocket 21 and coinciding with the two opposite longitudinal ends 21a of the pocket.
  • each of the two fixed folders 30 is positioned so as to engage one corresponding open end 28 of a wrapper 23 advancing along the feed line 4' and entering the respective pocket 21, in such a way that when the wrapper 23 is fully inserted into the pocket, the aforementioned central portion 39' of each continuous end fold 39 will be bent in the direction of the arrow denoted F5 in fig 1 and flattened against the respective end face of the group 19 of products, and the relative flap 13 bent vertical and essentially perpendicular to the first face 26 of the wrapper 23, its inner face 22 directed toward and partly in contact with the fixed folder 30.
  • each fixed folder 30 on the central portion 39' of the relative end fold 39 results in the creation of two smaller lateral folds exhibiting a substantially trapezoid outline, identifiable as a trailing fold 14 and a leading fold 17 related to the direction of rotation F8 of the drum 20, and is designed also to maintain the flap 13 in the aforementioned position substantially perpendicular to the first face 26 of the wrapper 23, at least during the pause of the drum 20 at the receiving position.
  • Also forming part of the folding unit 40 is a pair of movable folders 31 located following the fixed folders 30 in the feed direction, one alongside each longitudinal end 21a of the pocket 21 occupying the receiving position, which are designed to flatten the trailing lateral folds 14 of each successive wrapper 23 during the pause in the movement of the drum 20.
  • the two movable folders 31 Departing from an at-rest position, the two movable folders 31 first make a forward stroke in the direction denoted F6, during which each trailing lateral fold 14 is engaged and bent over the central portion 39' of the end fold 39 flattened previously against the end face of the group 19 of products, then a return stroke in the direction denoted F7 to regain the at-rest position.
  • the folding unit 40 further comprises fixed helical folders 24 disposed adjacent to the two longitudinal end faces 20a of the drum 20, extending between the positions in which the wrapper 23 is received and released, respectively, through an angular distance substantially equivalent to one rotational step of the drum 20.
  • each fixed helical folder 24 appears as approximately one quarter part of a cylindrical tubular ring, which in turn is twisted along its own longitudinal axis through an angle of 90°.
  • the single folder 24 consists in a pair of helical elements 24a and 24b, respectively outer and inner, extending parallel one with another and associated in such a way as to afford a gap 24c that will accommodate a part of the wrapper during the operation of the device 1, and more exactly during the rotation of the drum 20, when the flap 13 of the corresponding end fold exhibited by each successive wrapper 23 is caused to slide along the gap 24c with its inner face 22 offered to the inner element 24b.
  • each helical folder 24 is associated with the drum 20 in such a way that one of its endmost edges 24' will lie in close proximity to one corresponding longitudinal end 21a of a first pocket 21 stationary at the receiving position, and the remaining endmost edge 24" in close proximity to one corresponding longitudinal end 21a of a second pocket 21 stationary at the release position; the position of the one edge 24' is substantially radial in relation to the drum 20, so that the flap 13 can be guided correctly into the gap 24c, whilst the remaining end 24" is disposed substantially parallel to the rotational axis 29' of the drum 20.
  • the width h1 of the outer helical element 24a is greater than the width h2 of the parallel inner element 24b, in such a way that the flap 13, once located in the gap 24c, will project beyond the inner element 24b with a part of its inner face 22 exposed.
  • the folding unit 40 is equipped further with a pair of fixed applicators 18 positioned adjacent to the respective fixed folders 30, one alongside each end face the drum 20, and directed toward the respective outer helical folder elements 24a.
  • the folding unit 40 comprises a pair of second fixed folders 33 by which the leading lateral folds 17 are engaged and flattened over the central portion 39' of the end fold.
  • the folding unit 40 comprises a pair of third fixed folders 32 positioned along the runout conveyor 35, substantially in alignment with the end faces of the drum 20 and positioned to flatten the two flaps 13 over the lateral folds 14 and 17.
  • the flaps 13 are flattened against the lateral folds 14 and 17 in the position at which the wrapper 23 is released, bending in the direction of the arrows denoted F9, when a second push rod 36 of conventional embodiment advances through the opening 37 in the pocket 21 of the drum 20 and distances the wrapper 23 from the pocket, causing it to advance along the conveyor 35 in the direction denoted F10.
  • the wrapper now denoted 34, can be transferred towards and taken up by further means conventional in embodiment and not illustrated.
  • a continuous strip of wrapping material 3 is caused to advance along the predetermined feed line 4, which forms part of a machine 100 by which products such as packets of cigarettes are wrapped in groups 19, and divided up cyclically along transverse cutting lines T by the first cutting unit 6 to generate single sheets 2 each presenting a bottom edge 2i and a top edge 2s.
  • a layer of adhesive material 16 is spread by the movable applicator 12 onto the rear face 3b of the wrapping material 3, along a gumming line G disposed substantially parallel to the cutting line T and adjacent to the bottom edge 2i of the sheet 2.
  • lateral incisions 11 are made by the second cutting units 10 in the longitudinal edges of the sheet 2 at a point beyond the applicator 12, and the sheet 2 is brought into alignment with the products at the wrapping station 15 where the push rod 15a proceeds to direct the products along the relative feed line 15' in the direction denoted F3 and thus against the sheet 2, which as a result folds into a U shape around the group 19 of products; the top and bottom edges 2s and 2i of the sheet are then overlapped, the bottom edge 2i over the top edge 2s, so as to fashion a tubular wrapper 23 with two open ends 28.
  • the tubular wrapper 23 assumes the shape illustrated in fig 1, presenting a first and a second face 26 and 27 and two flank faces 38.
  • the continuous end fold 39 in turn is composed of a central portion 39' and two lateral portions 39".
  • tubular wrapper 23 advances along a predetermined feed line 4' displaced along the aforementioned direction F3 from the original feed line 4, and is directed forcibly into a pocket 21 of the drum 20 waiting at the receiving position.
  • the central portions 39' of the end folds 39 are intercepted by the first fixed folders 30 as the wrapper 23 enters the respective pocket 21, bending in the direction denoted F5 toward the wrapper 23 and into contact with the end faces of the group 19 of products, and in the process generating the leading and trailing lateral folds 14 and 17.
  • the flaps 13 are also intercepted and bent to a position substantially perpendicular to the first face 26 of the wrapper 23.
  • the drum 20 begins turning in the direction of the arrow denoted F8, indexing one step equivalent to the angular distance between two pockets 21, and as a result constraining each flap 13 to locate in the relative gap 24c between the respective helical folder elements 24a and 24b.
  • the flaps 13 are caused by the rotation of the drum 20 about its own axis 29 to slide along the relative gaps 24c, whereupon the wrapper 23 is brought into the release position and another empty pocket 21 (not indicated) occupies the receiving position in readiness to take up the next wrapper 23.
  • the two flaps 13 are gradually flattened, moving from the substantially perpendicular position to occupy the same plane substantially as the first face 26 of the wrapper 23 by the time that this is brought into the release position.
  • each flap 13 will pass across the relative fixed applicator 18, by which a layer of adhesive material is applied to the inner face 22 of the flap 13 as a dab 16' in the shape substantially of an arc to a circle.
  • the drum 20 rotates approximately 90° about its own axis 29 to bring the group 19 of products and the relative wrapper 23 into the release position, the leading lateral folds 17 are intercepted and flattened by the second fixed folders 33; finally, the wrapper 23 is distanced from the pocket 21 by the push rod 36 (fig 2), passing thence onto the conveyor 35 and between the third fixed folders 32, by which the two flaps 13 are engaged, bent in the direction denoted F9 and thus flattened against the lateral folds 14 and 17 and central portion 39' of the corresponding end fold 39.
  • the gumming step in question takes place only at the moment when the flaps 13 are folded, so that a possible interruption of the wrapping cycle will not cause the adhesive material to dry if none has yet been deposited on the flaps 13.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Wrapping Of Specific Fragile Articles (AREA)
  • Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)
EP98830052A 1997-02-20 1998-02-06 A method and a device for wrapping groups of products, in particular packets of cigarettes Expired - Lifetime EP0860357B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITBO970077 1997-02-20
IT97BO000077A IT1290689B1 (it) 1997-02-20 1997-02-20 Metodo e dispositivo per il confezionamento di gruppi di prodotti, in particolare pacchetti di sigarette.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0860357A1 EP0860357A1 (en) 1998-08-26
EP0860357B1 true EP0860357B1 (en) 2003-07-16

Family

ID=11341963

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98830052A Expired - Lifetime EP0860357B1 (en) 1997-02-20 1998-02-06 A method and a device for wrapping groups of products, in particular packets of cigarettes

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0860357B1 (zh)
CN (1) CN1108255C (zh)
DE (1) DE69816353T2 (zh)
IT (1) IT1290689B1 (zh)

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JP5576884B2 (ja) * 2009-02-04 2014-08-20 パックサイズ，エルエルシー 送入システム
WO2012003167A1 (en) 2010-07-02 2012-01-05 Packsize Llc Infeed guide system
PL3138672T3 (pl) 2011-11-10 2020-05-18 Packsize Llc Maszyna przekształcająca
WO2013106180A1 (en) 2012-01-09 2013-07-18 Packsize Llc Converting machine with an upward outfeed guide
CN103612863B (zh) * 2013-10-29 2016-06-29 广东众和化塑有限公司 一种编织袋包裹折边机构
US10093438B2 (en) 2014-12-29 2018-10-09 Packsize Llc Converting machine
US10850469B2 (en) 2016-06-16 2020-12-01 Packsize Llc Box forming machine
WO2017218296A1 (en) 2016-06-16 2017-12-21 Packsize Llc A box template production system and method
US11242214B2 (en) 2017-01-18 2022-02-08 Packsize Llc Converting machine with fold sensing mechanism
SE541921C2 (en) 2017-03-06 2020-01-07 Packsize Llc A box erecting method and system
SE540672C2 (en) 2017-06-08 2018-10-09 Packsize Llc Tool head positioning mechanism for a converting machine, and method for positioning a plurality of tool heads in a converting machine
US11173685B2 (en) 2017-12-18 2021-11-16 Packsize Llc Method for erecting boxes
US11247427B2 (en) 2018-04-05 2022-02-15 Avercon BVBA Packaging machine infeed, separation, and creasing mechanisms
US11305903B2 (en) 2018-04-05 2022-04-19 Avercon BVBA Box template folding process and mechanisms
US11634244B2 (en) 2018-06-21 2023-04-25 Packsize Llc Packaging machine and systems
SE543046C2 (en) 2018-09-05 2020-09-29 Packsize Llc A box erecting method and system
US11524474B2 (en) 2018-11-30 2022-12-13 Packsize Llc Adjustable cutting and creasing heads for creating angled cuts and creases
DE112020000348T5 (de) 2019-01-07 2021-09-16 Packsize Llc Kartonaufrichtungsmaschine
US11701854B2 (en) 2019-03-14 2023-07-18 Packsize Llc Packaging machine and systems
IT201900003871A1 (it) * 2019-03-18 2020-09-18 Gd Spa Apparato e procedimento per la realizzazione di un incarto tubolare in materiale in foglio
IT201900004159A1 (it) * 2019-03-22 2020-09-22 Gd Spa Apparato e procedimento per il confezionamento di prodotti in film di confezionamento

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1461761A1 (de) * 1963-05-07 1969-03-06 Azionaria Costruzioni Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Verpackung empfindlicher Formkoerpe
GB8333687D0 (en) * 1983-12-17 1984-01-25 Molins Plc Wrapping articles

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN1191833A (zh) 1998-09-02
IT1290689B1 (it) 1998-12-10
CN1108255C (zh) 2003-05-14
DE69816353T2 (de) 2004-04-15
ITBO970077A0 (it) 1997-02-20
EP0860357A1 (en) 1998-08-26
ITBO970077A1 (it) 1998-08-20
DE69816353D1 (de) 2003-08-21

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