EP1608559B1

EP1608559B1 - Apparatus for applying strings on sweets

Info

Publication number: EP1608559B1
Application number: EP04717223A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mario Caselli
Original assignee: Mc Automations Srl
Current assignee: Mc Automations Srl
Priority date: 2003-04-03
Filing date: 2004-03-04
Publication date: 2007-05-23
Anticipated expiration: 2024-03-04
Also published as: DE602004006616D1; DE602004006616T2; WO2004087504A1; EP1608559A1; ITBO20030191A1

Description

Technical Field

The following invention concerns an apparatus for applying a string on sweets and similar in wrapping machines for these products.

Background Art

Machines apt to wrap sweets automatically are currently known. The wrapping machines have generally a wrapping head provided with a set of gripping means, pincers shaped, distributed angularly around a horizontal rotational axis of the same wrapping head. The wrapping head rotates intermittently around its horizontal axis to take the products, when gripped by the said gripping means, pincers shaped, to respective operational stations of the machine.
The products, that have to be wrapped, are provided separately, one after another, along a feeding line and are transferred to the gripping means, pincers shaped, of the wrapping head together with at least one piece of sheet material intended to form the wrapping. The intermittent rotation of the wrapping head takes the gripped product into subsequent stations, in which the wrapping sheet is wrapped around the same product, the wrapping is closed and the packaged product is unloaded.
In certain cases, for exemple in case of Christmas sweets, it is required that the packaged products are provided with a string apt to allow the hanging of the same products. The string is generally applied at one end of the sweets, for instance at the top of products having a plane basis, by means of an adequate portion of adhesive tape, as it is shown in fig. 6.
In order to accomplish automatically the application of the string to sweets, some apparatuses, external to the wrapping head, have been proposed Nevertheless these are meant to operate in connection with wrapping heads rotating around a vertical axis.
Moreover these apparatuses do not fully satisfy the needs related to the efficiency of use, the operational safety and the functional simplicity required by the current wrapping machines. In particular the presence of means, which are external to the wrapping head, causes an increase in the structural complexity and in the size of the machine.
An example of prior art is disclosed by DE-B-1 062 168, which relates to an apparatus for the application of a string on products or on their wrapping in accordance with the preamble of claim 1, comprising feeding means for an adhesive tape and a feeding group for a string unrolling from a spool, so that respective stretches of the adhesive tape and of the string are positioned mutually transversal. In particular the feeding group comprises a disc carrying peripherally guiding means, locking elements and a cutting member to obtain single stretches of string. The stretch of string is positioned between the wrapped product and the stretch of adhesive tape. Pushing means are provided to push the stretch of adhesive tape against the stretch of string and then against the product for its application on it.

Disclosure of Invention

The aim of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that allows to automatically accomplish the application of a string on sweets and similar at the wrapping head of wrapping machines for these products.
Within this aim, a further scope of the invention is to provide an apparatus of simple conception, reduced size, reliable operation and versatile use.
The above-mentioned objectives can be achieved by the apparatus for the application of a string on sweets according to claim 1.

Brief Description of Drawings

Description details of the invention shall be further evident in the illustrations of a preferred type of apparatus for the application of a string on sweets and similar in the guideline drawings attached and wherein:

fig. 1 illustrates a frontal view of the wrapping head of a wrapping machine provided with the apparatus for the application of a string on sweets;
fig. 2 illustrates a sectional view of this wrapping head by said means for blocking the string in the apparatus in object;
fig. 3 illustrates a detail of these locking means;
fig. 4 illustrates a side view of the said groups feeding on the adhesive tape and applying the string;
fig. 5 illustrates a downward projection of this group for applying the string;
fig. 6 illustrates a perspective view of a sweet product provided with the said string.

Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

With reference to such figures, 1 refers to the wrapping head of a wrapping machine for sweets 2. The wrapping head is provided, as it is known, with a set of gripping means 3, pincers shaped, distributed angularly around the horizontal rotational axis 4 of the same wrapping head 1. The wrapping head has preferably gripping means, pincers shaped, which are spaced angularly by 90° apart.
The wrapping head 1 is driven intermittently in the direction indicated by the arrow A, in order to take the products, which have to be wrapped and which have been taken respectively to the said gripping means 3, pincers shaped, to operational stations, in which the wrapping sheet is wrapped around the products, the wrapping is closed and the packaged products are unloaded.
The apparatus for the application of a string 5 on sweets comprises a dragging disc 10, positioned coaxially with regard to and operated in rotation in solid by the wrapping head 1. The disc 10 shapes peripherally a guiding slot 11 apt to hold the string 5 unrolling from a respective spool 15, by means of suitable return rollers 7.
By the gripping means 3, pincers shaped, the dragging disc 10 carries respective openings 13 apt to allow products 2 to enter, when grasped by the means 3, pincers shaped.
The dragging disc 10 is connected to locking means 20 apt to lock the string 5 within the guiding slot 11. The locking means 20 are distributed angularly on the same disc 10 at intermediate positions with respect to the gripping means 3, pincers shaped.
The locking means 20 apt to lock the string 5 are constituted respectively by a lever 21 which is positioned radially with regard to the dragging disc 10 and which is hinged to the same disc 10 by means of a respective pivot 23 at a connection 24 (see fig. 2). The lever 21 carries a freely revolving roll 25 apt to engage respective cam means 8, constrained to the fixed structure of the machine and disposed in front of the wrapping head 1, through a suitable opening made on the disc 10. In detail, a first cam 8a and a second cam 8b are substantially positioned in diametrically opposed locations, with respect to the rotational axis 4 of the wrapping head 1, and are apt to drive the rotation of the lever 21 to an opening position 21a, as it is better explained later.
In order to lock the string 5, the lever 21 shapes, at its end, a tooth 22, which is apt to engage a corresponding carving 12 made along the edge of the dragging disc 10 by the guiding slot 11 (fig. 3).
The first cam 8a drives the opening of the lever 21 so that it allows the locking means 20 to lock the string 5, fed by the spool 15; the second cam 8b drives the opening of the lever 21 so that the string 5 is released for the unloading of the packaged product.
Downstream the first cam 8a, according to the rotational diresction A, is positioned a cutting device 30 for cutting the stretch of string 5 that has to be applied on the single product 2. This cutting device 30 is constituted by a blade 31 fixed at the free end of a swinging arm 32, that is pivoted by means of a pivot 33 to the fixed structure of the machine and is operated by a suitable drive means 34. At the cutting location, the blade 31 intercepts the guiding slot 11 of the dragging disc 10.
The string 5 is applied on the product 2 by means of a stretch of adhesive tape 6 that is provided by a feeding group 40, substantially positioned on a vertical plane lying in front of the dragging disc 10 (see fig. 4).
The adhesive tape 6 unrolls from a spool 16 till it engages a set of rollers 41 operated by a motor drive 42 of the feeding group 40, which is known.
The application of the string 5, together with the adhesive tape 6, on the product 2 is accomplished by means of a group 50 that acts by the feeding area, where the same adhesive tape 6 is provided by the feeding group 40.
The applying group 50 comprises a couple of pressing members 51, 52, one of which is upper and the other is lower, carried elastically by a head 53 apt to be operated in alternate motion in perpendicular direction with regards to the plane where the dragging disc 10 lies, for instance by means of a set of levers 54 of articulated quadrilateral type. The set of levers 54 is operated by a set of handles 55 constituted by levers and tie rods, positioned in a sequence and articulated each other, the set of handles 55 is motioned by a swinging arm 56 fitted to the shaft 57 of a motor drive 58.
The upper pressing member 51 carries a blade 59 for cutting the stretch of adhesive tape 6 that has to be applied on the product.
Moreover, an ejecting member 60 is fitted to the shaft 57 of the motor drive 58. This ejecting member swings in suitable phase with regards to the application of the string 5 on the products 2, in order to accomplish the unloading of the packaged products 2, provided with a respective string 5 at their top, as it is shown in fig. 6.
The functioning of the apparatus for the application of a string on sweets is the following.
The string 5, unrolling from! the spool 15, is pulled till it engages the guiding slot 11 of the dragging disc 10, which is positioned coaxially With regards to and operated in rotation by the wrapping head 1. The string 5 is locked on the disc 10 by a respective lever 21, which is taken to the opening position 21a by the fixed cam 8a engaged by the respective roll 25, before the same string 5 enters the guiding slot 11. The subsequent closure of the lever 21 brings about the locking of the string 5 by means of the tooth 22 of the lever.
The rotation of the dragging disc 10 takes the string 5, that is locked upstream by the lever 21, to the operational area of the group 50 for cutting the adhesive tape 6 and applying the same string 5 on the top of a respective product 2, when rotated by the wrapping head 1 and gripped by the corresponding gripping elements 3, pincers shaped.
At the said operational area of the group 50, the operation of the head 53 by the set of levers 54, of articulated quadrilateral type, in perpendicular direction with reagards to the vertical plane where the dragging disc 10 lies, causes the forward movement of the, couple of pressing members 51, 52 to the forward position 51 a, 52a through the corresponding opening 13 of the dragging disc 10 (fig. 4). During this forward movement the pressing members 51, 52 meet the adhesive tape 6 which is provided by the feeding group 40 on a vertical plane in front of the dragging disc 10; in its turn, the adhesive tape 6 meets the string 5 and so causes the application of it on the product 2 which is held by the gripping means 3, pincers shaped, In front of the same string 5, by the opening 13 of the disc 10. Moreover, during the forward movement, the blade 59 cuts the necessary stretch of adhesive tape 6.
Then, the operation of the cutting device 30 for cutting the string 5, applied on the single product, is acted by the swinging movement of the blade 31, which intercepts the guiding slot 11 of the dragging disc 10 at the cutting position. At the moment of the cutting, the string 5 is locked upstream the guiding slot 11 by the subsequent lever 21.
It is significant that the dragging disc 10 has suitably a peripheral length, by the guiding slot 11, equal to the stretch of the string 5 to be applied on the product 2 multiplied by the number of the gripping means 3, pincers shaped, or by the number of the locking means 20, four in the specific case. In other words, the said peripheral length of the dragging disc 10 divided by four provides precisely the suitable stretch of the string 5 that has to be applied on the products 2.
Then the packaged product 2 provided with the respective string is taken to the unloading station, where the ejecting member 60 acts swinging in suitable respective phase. At the moment of the unloading, the second cam 8b operates the opening of the lever 21 in order to release the string 5.
So the apparatus in object reaches the aim to automatically accomplish the application of a string on sweets and similar at the wrapping head of the wrapping machines for these products.
This aim is reached in particular thanks to the fact that a dragging disc 10 for dragging the string 5 to be applied on seewts is positioned coaxial and in solid with the wrapping head 1 and is provided peripherally with the guiding slot 11, within which the string 5 is locked by locking means 20 carried by the same disc 10.
Another advantage lies in the fact that the opening of the said locking means 20 for locking the string is acted in a simple way and in suitable phases by the cam means 8, which are fixed at the structure of the machine.
An essential feature of the apparatus is represented by the fact that it does not have any external member with regards to the wrapping head, but accomplishes the application of the string on the products directly, when they are taken by the wrapping head to the usual operational stations.
Materials adopted for the actual realization of the invention, as well as their shapes and sizes, can be various, depending on the requirements.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

Wrapping machine for products such as sweets, comprising an apparatus for the application of a string (5) on the products (2) and a wrapping head (1) provided with a set of pincer shaped gripping means (3), angularly distributed around a horizontal rotational axis (4) of the same wrapping head (1), and operated intermittently according to this rotational axis (4) in order to take the products (2), that have to be wrapped, taken respectively to the said pincer shaped gripping means (3), to operational stations in which a wrapping sheet is wrapped around the products (2), the wrapping is closed and the packaged products (2) are unloaded, said apparatus comprising a disc (10) for dragging a string (5) that unrolls from a respective spool (15) and forming peripheral guiding means (11) apt to hold said string (5); means (20) for locking the said string (5) along the said guiding means (11) of said dragging disc (10); means (30) for cutting a stretch of said string (5) positioned along the said guiding means (11) of said dragging disc (10); a group (40) for feeding on an adhesive tape (6) on a substantially vertical plane lying in front of the said dragging disc (10); a group (50) for cutting the said adhesive tape (6) and for applying the said stretch of string (5) by means of said cut adhesive tape (6) on a respective product (2) taken to the feeding area on the adhesive tape (6) by the feeding group (40), characterized in that said dragging disc (10) is positioned coaxially and rotationally fixed to said wrapping head (1), and that said means (20) for locking the string (5) are angularly distributed on the same dragging disc (10) at intermediate positions with regard to the pincer shaped gripping means (3).
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said guiding means (11) are constituded by a slot shaped peripherally on said dragging disc (10).
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said means (20) for locking the said string (5) are respectivly constituded by a lever (21) positioned radially with regards to said dragging disc (10) and hinged on the same disc (10) by means of a respective pivot (23).
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said lever (21) shapes a tooth (22) at its end, that is apt to engage a corresponding carving (12) made along the edge of the said dragging disc (10), at the said guiding means (11), in order to lock the string (5).
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said lever (21) can be rotated to an opening position (21 a), being subject to an elastic contrast acted by a spring (26), loading by bending.
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said lever (21) carries a roller (25), freely revolving, apt to engage, through a suitable opening made on the said dragging disc (10), respective cam means (8) constrained to the fixed structure of the machine and disposed in front of the wrapping head 1, and apt to operate the rotation of the said lever (21) to an opening position (21 a).
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said cam means (8) have a first cam (8a) and a second cam (8b), which are disposed substantially in diametrically opposed positions with regards to the rotational axis (4) of the said wrapping head (1), and are apt to drive the rotation of the said lever (21) to the said opening position (21a), in order respectivly to allow to the said locking means (20) to lock the said string (5) and to release the said string (5) when the the packaged product is unloaded.
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said dragging disc (10) has a peripheral length, by the said guiding means (11), which is equal to the length of the said stretch of string (5) to be applied on the product (2), multipied by the number of the said gripping means (3), pincers shaped.
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said dragging disc (10) has, at the said gripping means (3), pincers shaped, respective openings (13) apt to allow the products (2) to enter, when grasped by the same means (3), pincers shaped.
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said cutting means (30) carry a blade (31), fixed at the free end of a swinging arm (32) and apt to intercept, at the cutting position, the said guiding means (11) shaped by said dragging disc (10).
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said group (50) for cutting the adhesive tape (6) and applying the string (5) comprises a couple of pressing members (51, 52), one of which is upper and the other lower, and which are carried elastically by a head (53) apt to be operated, by a set of levers (54), in alternate motion, in perpendicular direction with regards to the vertical plane, on which the said dragging disc (10) lies.
Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that said set of levers (54) is driven by a set of handles (55), which is motioned by a swinging arm (56) fitted to the shaft (57) of a motor drive (58), to which an ejecting member (60) is also fitted, swinging in suitable phase with reference to the application of the said string (5) on the said product (2), in order to accomplish the unloading of the packaged product (2).
Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that said upper pressing member (51) carries a blade (59) for cutting the said stretch of adhesive tape (6) to be applied on the product (2).