EP1231148A1 - A process and device for packaging products - Google Patents

A process and device for packaging products Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1231148A1
EP1231148A1 EP01830083A EP01830083A EP1231148A1 EP 1231148 A1 EP1231148 A1 EP 1231148A1 EP 01830083 A EP01830083 A EP 01830083A EP 01830083 A EP01830083 A EP 01830083A EP 1231148 A1 EP1231148 A1 EP 1231148A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
bags
products
closing
conveyor
closing element
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP01830083A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Mario Vignoli
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.)
Fameccanica Data SpA
Original Assignee
Fameccanica Data 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 Fameccanica Data SpA filed Critical Fameccanica Data SpA
Priority to EP01830083A priority Critical patent/EP1231148A1/en
Priority to US10/005,078 priority patent/US20020108355A1/en
Priority to BR0200027-0A priority patent/BR0200027A/pt
Publication of EP1231148A1 publication Critical patent/EP1231148A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current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
    • B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
    • B65B51/10—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof
    • B65B51/14—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof by reciprocating or oscillating members
    • B65B51/146—Closing bags
    • 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
    • B65B5/00—Packaging individual articles in containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, jars
    • B65B5/06—Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles
    • B65B5/067—Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles in bags

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the packaging of products and in particular relates to a process according to the preamble of Claim 1.
  • the purpose of the present invention is to provide a solution that is able to overcome the problems outlined above.
  • the invention also relates to the corresponding device.
  • the type of wrapper may, however, take on an extremely wide range of forms, and thus be markedly different from the one illustrated herein.
  • the first end of the wrapper (i.e., the one opposite to the second end which is designed to be closed by the sealing line S2) may also be closed at a respective sealing line S1, which is represented by a dashed line in Figures 1 and 2.
  • This solution applies typically in the cases where the wrapper is formed starting from a tubular length of sheet or film material.
  • the first end of the wrapper will be formed by folding a plane length of sheet material into a U shape.
  • the sealing line S1 is, of course, not present.
  • slip-knot elements which enable the package to be closed after it has been opened for the first time by being torn at the said end.
  • the bellows-like formations B2 associated to the sealing line S2 extend in a direction that is transverse to the package itself, whilst the bellows-like formations B1 generally extend in a direction that is longitudinal with respect to the development of the package.
  • This solution may usually be found in wrappers in which the first end is formed already closed by bending a sheet element to form a U (hence, without giving rise to the sealing line S1).
  • the corresponding bellows-like formations B1 also usually extend in a direction transverse to the package.
  • the proposed solution is in fact able to operate on any type of wrapper that may be configured as a bag which will be able to receive, within it, at least one article that is slid into the bag E starting from one end (the second end, with reference to the terminology adopted for describing Figures 1 and 2), causing it to advance towards the opposite end, i.e., the first end.
  • the above applies whatever the way in which this first end has been closed; rather, the solution according to the invention makes it possible to operate even on bags E that are still altogether open at the first end, which is designed to define the bottom region of the package.
  • the article in question is, in fact, made up of a stack of products P, each of which has a generically flattened shape.
  • the products comprised in the stack of products P may be, for example, sanitary products, such as absorbent sanitary pads, nappy pants, panty-liners, etc., which are possibly already placed inside respective bag-like packs.
  • a stack of products P of the type described may be made, for example, using the grouping device described in EP-A-0 943 562.
  • the device according to the invention designated as a whole by the reference number 1 in Figures 3 and 4
  • a grouping device K of the type described in the European patent just cited. This known grouping device is partially visible in the parts furthest towards the right in Figures 3 and 4.
  • the bags E thus pre-formed are fed towards the device 1.
  • the latter carries out insertion, within the bags, of the stacks of products P, starting from the second end, and then proceeds to the formation of the other sealing line S2 and of the bellows-like formations B2 associated thereto.
  • the device 1 starting from the end thereof set upstream (i.e., the end facing the grouping device K, in the example of embodiment herein illustrated), it is possible to distinguish:
  • the stations 2 and 3 are hence set in cascaded fashion in the general direction of movement of the products P which (as viewed in Figures 3 and 4) advance through the device 1 from right to left.
  • a conveyor 4 This is preferably a motor-driven conveyor of a known type, comprising, for example, a plurality of motor-driven belts which together define a line for conveying the products P, the said line having a general channel-like conformation.
  • an area 5 (defined, for example, by a discontinuity in a side wall of the conveyor 4 itself) designed to enable feed of the pre-formed bags E coming from the station F towards the flow of stacks of products P.
  • feed of the bags E may simply be from above, exploiting the general channel-like conformation of the conveyor 4.
  • the pre-formed bags E may be fed towards the area 5 in at least two different possible conditions of orientation orthogonal to one another.
  • a first condition of orientation envisages that the bags E are fed towards the conveyor 4 with the first end (i.e., the one that may possibly carry the sealing line S1) with its direction of maximum extension set horizontally.
  • the bags E may be fed towards the conveyor 4 with the aforesaid first end set with its direction of maximum extension set vertically.
  • the device according to the invention is able to exert both on the stacks of products P and on the bags E, the device 1 itself is able to operate even on bags E consisting of tubular lengths still open at both ends.
  • a divaricating device 6 is provided, which is able to act on the opposite branches of each bag E to divaricate the said branches, the aim being to open each bag E and keep it open in conditions such as to enable insertion therein of the products comprised in the stacks of products P.
  • the aforesaid action of divarication may take place either in the vertical direction (as in the case of the example explicitly illustrated) or in the horizontal direction.
  • the device 6, which is of a type in itself known, comprises - in a possible embodiment - two plates 7 set opposite one another, with associated thereto suction-type gripping elements (for example, suction-pad formations with associated thereto respective vacuum lines, not illustrated but known in the prior art).
  • suction-type gripping elements for example, suction-pad formations with associated thereto respective vacuum lines, not illustrated but known in the prior art.
  • the aforesaid plates 7 are able to co-operate with the two opposed branches of each bag E, following a general movement of divarication which produces opening of the bag E engaged.
  • the divaricating device 6 also performs the function of withholding the bags E, selectively preventing their longitudinal sliding in the general direction of advance of the products whilst the products are being inserted into the bags E, which are kept divaricated.
  • the device 6 may be provided with special hook-like formations, teeth, or retention grooves, etc.
  • the suction-type retention members associated to the plates 7 can be de-activated so as to leave the bag E containing the products inserted therein free, at the same time enabling advance of the bag E filled with the products towards the closing station 2.
  • This advance takes place under the action of a further motor-driven conveyor, designated as a whole by 8, and basically similar to the conveyor 4.
  • the reference number 9 designates, as a whole, a pusher device mounted preferably in a position above the conveyor 4 and above the divaricating device 6.
  • the pusher device 9 comprises an active element 10, represented usually by a shovel-like formation capable of acting in a relationship of thrust on the stacks of products P in such a way as to push said stacks of products P into the bags E withheld and kept divaricated in the divaricating device 6.
  • the active element 10 of the pusher element 9 in general follows an orbital path having the form of a flattened ring.
  • operation of the divaricating device 6 and of the additional conveyor 8 is synchronized with the movement of the pusher element 9 in such a way that the device 6, as soon as the movement of insertion of the products is completed, releases the bag E into which the said products have just been inserted.
  • the bag in question starts, then, to advance on the conveyor 8, disengaging itself (in practice, sliding out) with respect to the active element 10 of the pusher device 9.
  • the aforesaid result may be simply obtained by programming (in a way of itself known) the control unit which monitors operation of the device 1 and in particular superintends control of the movement of the pusher element 9 and of the divaricating device 6.
  • Completion of the movement of insertion is therefore in itself not linked to the fact that the stack of products P inserted in the bag E comes actually to bear upon, or into a relationship of pushing against, the bottom wall, which is usually already present, at the first end of said bag E.
  • the solution according to the invention is also suited to being used in conjunction with bags E which, at the moment when the products of the stack of products P are inserted inside them, are simply tubular lengths open at both ends and designed to be closed only subsequently, for example, with the formation of the sealing lines S1 and S2 at the first end and at the second end, respectively.
  • the divaricating device 6 releases the bags E, each of which contains a respective stack of products P
  • the said bags E have in general the conformation represented in Figure 1, with the first end (downstream in the direction of advance through the device 1) already closed, and the second end still open and to be closed, with formation of the line S2, in the station 3.
  • the bag E in question is recalled forwards by the conveyor 8, sliding away from the active element 10 of the pusher device 9.
  • the latter can thus return from the position of maximum advance (represented by the solid line in Figure 4) to the position of maximum back-off (represented by the dashed line in Figure 4), thus being able again to perform a thrusting action on a subsequent stack of products in the movement of advance which comprises the intermediate position represented by a dashed-and-dotted line again in Figure 4.
  • the pusher device 9 in the movement of return from the position of maximum advance to the position of maximum back-off, is at least slightly raised so as not to interfere with the movement of advance of the subsequent stack of products that advances towards the area of insertion in the bag, and, before that, so as not to interfere with the bags E that are positioned to receive the products.
  • the aforesaid orbital movement takes place under the action of a motor device, associated to which is a corresponding mechanism usually of the cam type.
  • the said structure is mounted on a disk structure 12 that is able to rotate about a respective main axis X12.
  • the axis X12 here oriented in a horizontal direction, corresponds in practice to the main central axis of the path of advance of the products P (see the view of Figure 5).
  • the aforesaid movement of orientation of the structure 12 about the axis X12 is performed between a horizontal operating position (namely the one represented in Figure 5) and a vertical operating position.
  • the latter position is reached by means of a movement of rotation having an amplitude of 90° about the axis X12 under the action of a motor-driven member consisting, for example, of an actuator 12a controlled by a motor or, even more simply, in a manual way, for instance by means of a handle 12b.
  • the fact that the closing station 3 is set in the horizontal operating position or else in the vertical operating position identifies the orientation that it is desired to impart to the sealing line S2 that is to be formed in the part upstream (of course, once again with reference to the direction of advance of the products through the device 1) of the final package.
  • the closing station 3 may in effect be placed also in any intermediate position between the aforesaid horizontal and vertical end positions. This means that, if so desired and if such a condition is compatible with the other characteristics of the bag E, the line S2 may be made with any orientation comprised between the horizontal orientation and the vertical orientation.
  • the closing station 3 comprises a pair of jaws 13, which can move selectively between one divaricated position (the one represented in Figure 5) and a gripping or closing position in which, as a result of a combined and simultaneous movement of lowering of the jaw 13 that is in the top position and of raising of the jaw 13 that is in the bottom position, the said jaws 13 close one against another with the interposition of the film of the bag E, so causing closing and sealing thereof, this being obtained of course by acting in areas of the bag E in which products are not present.
  • the sealing effect is typically achieved by heating of the jaws 13 (for this purpose the jaws 13 may be equipped with corresponding electrical resistors for heating not shown) such as to bring about a local heat sealing of the material making up the bags E.
  • a belt drive 14 comprised in the mechanism for actuating the jaws 13 according to a configuration that enables a displacement for controlling movement of closing/divarication of the jaws 13 both in the case where the closing station 3 is in the horizontal operating position and in the case where the closing station 3 is in the vertical operating position, as well as in the case where the closing station 3 is located in any position between the two aforesaid horizontal and vertical operating positions.
  • the reference number 15 designates two lateral forming elements, each of which has in its distal portion an overall arrow-like configuration.
  • the elements 15 are designed to converge (under the action of actuating means - not shown - which may correspond at least in part to the means for actuating the jaws 13) towards the area of intervention of the jaws 13 themselves so as to bring about the formation of bellows-like formations B2 associated to the sealing line S2 (see once again Figure 2).
  • the sealing line S2 is oriented in the horizontal direction.
  • the sealing line S2 is oriented in the vertical position.
  • the closing station 3 is regulated in the horizontal operating position.
  • the conveyor 8 terminates immediately upstream of the area in which the jaws 13 of the closing station 3 act.
  • the said bags E As the bags E pass towards the closing station 3 to be subjected to the formation of the sealing line S2, the said bags E (which contain the stacks of products P) are transferred onto yet another conveyor 16, which usually presents a structure substantially resembling the structure of the conveyors 4 and 8 referred to previously.
  • the said conveyor may, for instance, be a conveyor comprising three motor-driven belts the active branches of which respectively define the side walls and the bottom wall of the conveyor.
  • the end upstream 16a of the conveyor 16 is built in such a way that at least one, and preferably all, of the belts comprised in the conveyor 16 has an end upstream that is selectively translatable by means of the operation of a control assembly 17.
  • the latter may for example be a crank mechanism driven by a motor element not specifically illustrated in the drawings.
  • the unit that monitors the operation of the equipment as a whole is programmed (in a way of itself known) in such a manner that, when a bag E containing a stack of products P is released from the pusher device 6 and, advancing on the conveyor 8, moves into the vicinity of the end downstream of the conveyor 8, the end upstream 16a of the conveyor 16 is brought into the advanced or forward position in such a way as to be able to receive the aforesaid bag E.
  • the conveyor 16 then moves, as soon as the bag in question has reached the end upstream 16a of the conveyor 16, into the backed-off position in which the end upstream 16a of the conveyor 16 disengages the area of intervention of the jaws 13.
  • the jaws 13 can then close on the upstream end of the bag E (i.e., the end represented in the right-hand part of Figure 1) so as to close it and thus give rise to the sealing line S2 and to the bellows-like formations B2 (in this case see the right-hand part of Figure 2).
  • the conveyor 16 - and the bag E that is on the said conveyor at the end 16a to be exposed to the action of the jaws 13 - may be controlled so that it advances slightly (this is in actual fact, with reference to the direction of advance of the products and of the packages, a backing-off) towards the conveyor 8 during the movement of closing of the jaws 13.
  • the areas L13 end up by coming right up against the body of the package (that is, the region occupied by the products P); the regions designated by L13 are in fact precisely the regions of the bag E that are to form a large part of the sealing line S2.
  • the closing movement of the jaws against one another might lead to a movement of return of the entire bag in the direction of the vertical plane, where the jaws 13 close against one another.
  • the gripping action of the jaws 13 on the sheet material may end up leading to an undesired stretching of the sheet material of the bag in the area that is closed up against the stack of products P to form the sealing line S2.
  • the controlled reverse movement of the conveyor 16 (which may possibly be replaced by a reverse displacement of the end 16a, controlled by the mechanism 17 according to the modalities described previously) instead enables prevention of the aforesaid negative phenomena.
  • the conveyor 16 is activated in such a manner as to cause a slight and gradual backing-off of the package (i.e., the bag E with the products P inside) which is on the end 16a towards the area in which the jaws 13 act.
  • the movement thus imparted on the package is such as to compensate the aforesaid movement of folding of the sheet material such as to cause the areas L13, which are initially at a distance from the stack of products P (see Figure 1), to end up coming right up against the stack of products P itself so as to give rise to the sealing line S2 (now see Figure 2).
  • the reverse movement of the conveyor 16 is controlled in a way exactly co-ordinated with the movement of closing of the jaws 13, in such a manner that, as the jaws 13 are advancing towards one another, squeezing between them the sheet material (which, with the package held firm, would lead either to an undesired tension and/or an equally undesired sliding of the sheet with respect to the jaws 13), the package being formed is made to back up gradually towards the said jaws.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Container Filling Or Packaging Operations (AREA)
EP01830083A 2001-02-09 2001-02-09 A process and device for packaging products Withdrawn EP1231148A1 (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP01830083A EP1231148A1 (en) 2001-02-09 2001-02-09 A process and device for packaging products
US10/005,078 US20020108355A1 (en) 2001-02-09 2001-12-07 Process and device for packaging products
BR0200027-0A BR0200027A (pt) 2001-02-09 2002-01-09 Processo e dispositivo para embalar produtos

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP01830083A EP1231148A1 (en) 2001-02-09 2001-02-09 A process and device for packaging products

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1231148A1 true EP1231148A1 (en) 2002-08-14

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ID=8184391

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP01830083A Withdrawn EP1231148A1 (en) 2001-02-09 2001-02-09 A process and device for packaging products

Country Status (3)

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US (1) US20020108355A1 (pt)
EP (1) EP1231148A1 (pt)
BR (1) BR0200027A (pt)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2008084250A1 (en) * 2007-01-11 2008-07-17 Amcor Flexibles Transpac N.V. Packaging method and machinery
WO2012034591A1 (en) * 2010-09-15 2012-03-22 Sigma Engineering B.V. A device and a method for packaging substantially flat products in a box
WO2015075960A1 (ja) * 2013-11-20 2015-05-28 オリオン機械工業株式会社 包装機の封止装置
CN113212853A (zh) * 2021-04-29 2021-08-06 福建恒安集团有限公司 一种适用少片包装的包装机

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
MX2010009455A (es) * 2008-02-28 2010-09-24 Uni Charm Corp Empujador usado en equipo de empacado.
US9156575B2 (en) * 2011-01-21 2015-10-13 Signode Industrial Grop LLC Bagging, sealing, and labeling system and method
DE102011055992A1 (de) * 2011-12-02 2013-06-06 Wincor Nixdorf International Gmbh Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Befüllen eines dünnwandigen Transportbehälters
US9655303B2 (en) 2013-09-17 2017-05-23 Signode Industrial Group Llc Method for containing a bale of compressible material
US10206333B2 (en) 2015-05-14 2019-02-19 Signode Industrial Group Llc Compressed bale packaging apparatus with bag applicator assist device and bag for same
ITUB201561098U1 (it) * 2015-08-06 2017-02-06 Pulsar Srl Apparecchiatura per il confezionamento di un prodotto in un rispettivo involucro preformato
CN113335607B (zh) * 2021-04-26 2023-11-03 余波 一种化妆棉自动整理式装袋方法
DE102022112561A1 (de) * 2022-05-19 2023-11-23 Focke & Co. (Gmbh & Co. Kg) Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Handhaben von Beuteln für (Hygiene-)Produkte

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0424718A1 (de) * 1989-10-25 1991-05-02 MAKO- SONDERMASCHINENBAU GmbH Vorrichtung zum Verpacken eines Gutes, insbesondere von Windeln in zusammengepresstem Zustand
US5228275A (en) * 1992-05-29 1993-07-20 Formost Packaging Machines, Inc. Process and apparatus for packaging limp articles
US5860270A (en) 1997-09-02 1999-01-19 The Procter & Gamble Company Apparatus and method for sealing packages
US5950404A (en) * 1996-07-03 1999-09-14 Optima-Maschinenfabrik Dr. Buhler Gmbh & Co. Apparatus for packing articles
EP0943562A1 (en) 1998-03-19 1999-09-22 Fameccanica. Data S.p.A. Machine for grouping in parallel rows of products arriving in a single line

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0424718A1 (de) * 1989-10-25 1991-05-02 MAKO- SONDERMASCHINENBAU GmbH Vorrichtung zum Verpacken eines Gutes, insbesondere von Windeln in zusammengepresstem Zustand
US5228275A (en) * 1992-05-29 1993-07-20 Formost Packaging Machines, Inc. Process and apparatus for packaging limp articles
US5950404A (en) * 1996-07-03 1999-09-14 Optima-Maschinenfabrik Dr. Buhler Gmbh & Co. Apparatus for packing articles
US5860270A (en) 1997-09-02 1999-01-19 The Procter & Gamble Company Apparatus and method for sealing packages
EP0943562A1 (en) 1998-03-19 1999-09-22 Fameccanica. Data S.p.A. Machine for grouping in parallel rows of products arriving in a single line

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2008084250A1 (en) * 2007-01-11 2008-07-17 Amcor Flexibles Transpac N.V. Packaging method and machinery
WO2012034591A1 (en) * 2010-09-15 2012-03-22 Sigma Engineering B.V. A device and a method for packaging substantially flat products in a box
US9365307B2 (en) 2010-09-15 2016-06-14 Guk-Sigma B. V. Device and a method for packaging substantially flat products in a box
WO2015075960A1 (ja) * 2013-11-20 2015-05-28 オリオン機械工業株式会社 包装機の封止装置
JP2015098354A (ja) * 2013-11-20 2015-05-28 オリオン機械工業株式会社 包装機の封止装置
CN113212853A (zh) * 2021-04-29 2021-08-06 福建恒安集团有限公司 一种适用少片包装的包装机
CN113212853B (zh) * 2021-04-29 2023-03-10 福建恒安集团有限公司 一种适用少片包装的包装机

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BR0200027A (pt) 2002-10-22
US20020108355A1 (en) 2002-08-15

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