EP2588378B1

EP2588378B1 - Device and method for filling containers

Info

Publication number: EP2588378B1
Application number: EP11738485.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Paolo Vaccarella
Original assignee: Magic Production Group MPG SA
Current assignee: Magic Production Group MPG SA
Priority date: 2010-06-30
Filing date: 2011-06-21
Publication date: 2015-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 2031-06-21
Also published as: EP2588378A1; RU2013103771A; PL2588378T3; MX2012014143A; RU2557606C2; IT1402166B1; CN102958809A; ES2540857T3; MD4529B1; MD4529C1; CN102958809B; ITTO20100561A1; WO2012001582A1

Description

Technical field of the invention

This description refers to the techniques for filling containers of the type that can be used, for example, for inserting so-called "surprises" in food products such as chocolate eggs and the like.
Reference to this possible field of application shall not however be deemed restrictive with respect to the scope of description.

Description of the related art

Shell containers including a first and a second vat-like half-shell to be coupled to each other in a front coupling relationship of the respective mouth portions are known in numerous embodiments, as documented by an extensive patent literature, including, for example, documents WO-A-2005/044677 , WO-A-2005/110880 and WO-A-2007/074355 . In particular, containers of this type are known both in versions in which the first and the second half-shell constitute pieces separate from each other and in versions in which the first and the second half-shell are hinged to each other so as to form a single piece.
The general problem of facilitating the use of such containers, especially regarding the filling and closing operations has already been addressed.
Documents EP-A-0 631 932 , EP-A-0 631-933 and EP-A-0 631 934 prove development in this direction.
When performing the previously mentioned filling and closing operations it should be considered that there can be inserted into the container sheet-like elements, such as for example:

a sheet containing instructions for assembling the toy or amusement object representing the "surprise",
the "surprise" or portions thereof, and
various decorative elements, possibly with a self-adhesive surface.

There are devices, like the one described in EP-A-0 751 070 , which allow rolling such sheet and inserting it into the body of the container. A solution of this type is suitable to be used when the sheet is simply in form of a strip.
However, there are applications in which the sheet should bear quite a considerable amount of information/graphic reproductions; in such case a simple strip is not enough and the use of a larger folded sheet is required.
Though automated solutions, like the ones described in the previously described documents are available, still the most common solution for the use of the aforementioned shell containers provides for that both the filling operations, including inserting the instructions sheet, and the final closing operation be performed manually.
More specifically, the invention relates to a device according to the preamble of claim 1, which is known, e.g., from EP 0 611 699 A .

Object and summary of the invention

Use of manual operations in the previously outlined context should currently be considered unsatisfactory.
Thus, there arises the need of replacing the manual operations with operations capable of being completely automated, also regarding the insertion of the instruction sheets, or possible flat-shaped strips, possibly with self-adhesive support, deriving from a strip cut in line from a reel.
The present invention aims at providing a response to the previously outlined needs.
According to the present invention, such object is attained due to a device having the characteristics specifically referred to in claim 1.
The invention also regards a corresponding method as called for in claim 13.
The claims form an integral part of the technical disclosure provided herein in relation to the invention.

Brief description of the attached figures

Now, the invention will be described, purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached figures, representing the structure and subsequent steps of operation of embodiments.
In particular:

figures 1 to 3 illustrate the operation of picking up sheet-like elements,
figures 4 to 8 and figures 9 to 11 illustrate various operations of manipulating such sheet-like elements, and
figures 12 to 16 illustrate the insertion of such elements in respective containers.

Detailed description

Illustrated in the following description are various specific details aimed at providing an in-depth understanding of the embodiments. The embodiments may be obtained without one or more specific details, or through other methods, components, materials etc. In other cases, known structures, materials or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring the various aspects of the embodiments.
Reference to "an embodiment" in this description indicates that a particular configuration, structure or characteristic described regarding the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Hence, expressions such as "in an embodiment", possibly present in various parts of this description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, particular configurations, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
References herein are only used for facilitating the reader and thus they do not define the scope of protection or the range of the embodiments.
The present detailed description refers to embodiments of a device to be used for inserting sheet-like elements such as "sheets" F (as better described hereinafter) into shell containers C of the type currently referred to as "cylinder".
In the examples considered herein (see in particular figures 12 to 14) in the shell container C there can be distinguished two vat-shaped half shells C1 and C2 and cap end portions. Hereinafter, such half shells shall be referred to for the sake of brevity as "body" (half-shell C1) "lid" (half-shell C2).
This distinction is used solely for the simplicity of description. In the case of the cylinder C illustrated herein, the body C1 exhibits a casing surface (the term casing surface is used herein to indicate the lateral surface, adjacent to the contour of the mouth of the body C1) with a greater extension with respect to the casing surface of the lid C2. In other embodiments, the dimensional ratios in question can indeed be overturned differently (for example with the two casing surfaces identical to each other). This, also considering the fact that the container C can be shaped differently from the shape illustrated herein, such as for example an oval (or spindle-like) shape, a spherical shape, a prismatic shape, a cylindrical shape, etc.
Still, in the examples represented herein, the body C1 and the lid C2 are connected to each other by a flexible formation C3 serving as a hinge. The hinge C3 is also suitable to be produced according to different methods as represented in various documents already mentioned in the introduction of the present description.
The presence of the hinge part C3, though conceivable, however does not represent a compulsory element as regards the implementation of the embodiments.
The exemplified embodiments, to be understood as examples, refer to solutions in which the sheet-like elements or sheets F are intended to be inserted into respective containers C operating parallel on an N number (in the considered example N=5, but nominally N may take any value 1, ... N) of containers C arranged in a support block 1200, in particular inserting the bodies C1 of the N containers in respective reception cavities 140 provided in the block 1200.
Now, considering the elements F (and referring to what has been previously mentioned in the introduction of the present description), the illustrated examples refer to sheet-like elements generally having an elongated shape, in which there can be distinguished a greater or maximum dimension. By way of example, the representations attached herein refer to sheets deriving from a first folding of the sheet on its self and by subsequent folding or, as represented separately on the left of the figure 1, from the zig-zag folding (i.e. concertina or bellow-like) of a strip on which there can be indicated, for example, information or instructions regarding an object (for example a "surprise" intended to be inserted, assembled or to be assembled, in the container C).
In the examples considered herein, the sheet-like elements or "sheets" F have a sheet-like structure, given that they can be constituted by one or more sheets in a flat condition, being for example (the list below shall not be considered exhaustive) in form of:

simple strips or sheets, for example in form of a square-shaped or rectangular label,
elements made of a sheet with several layers, for example a decalcomania applied on a respective support sheet made of low adherence material,
zig-zag folded strips, like represented in the left part of the figure 1, so as to obtain a multilayer sheet-like structure,
sheets folded through one or more subsequent folding operations so as to obtain a flat body with sheet-like structure including several layers made of sheets superimposed on each other as a result of the folding, or
flat-shaped strips, constituting for example components of the "surprise" or decorations therefor, made of paper or plastic, for example derived from a reel which is cut in line.

Various embodiments show the capacity of indistinctively handling all these different types of elements F, ensuring achieving the desired final result, i.e. the insertion in a container C in folded condition (see figure 13).
Figures 1 to 3 show the fact that the elements F can be provided (operating according to known criteria, for example arranging them in distribution drawers to be periodically refilled by an operator or automatically) in form of an array of successive rows of elements F lined up one after the other (for example in relative lying conditions between the subsequent elements F in the same row so as to avoid unwanted unfolding thereof).
In the examples considered herein (see figures 12 to 14) it was assumed that the elements F be inserted operating parallel N = 5 containers C carried by a block 1200. Hence, it was assumed that the pick-up operation involves, starting from the configuration illustrated in figure 1, five elements F at a time. However, this option is provided by way of example in that the number of elements F suitable to be "treated" simultaneously may vary indistinctively.
Regarding this, the fact that other possible rows of elements F are represented in figures 1 to 3 by a dashed line aims at highlighting the possibility of providing several assemblies of elements F different from each other. This, differentiating the pick-up operation regarding the elements F picked-up from time to time, so as to load - in groups of containers C handled subsequently - assemblies of elements F different from each other, without modifying the other methods of handling the elements F.
In presence of elements F generally elongated-like, i.e. in which there can be generally identified a greater or maximum dimension, the arrangement side by side by rows can be provided (as illustrated in figures 1 to 3) in the minimum overall dimension condition, i.e. arranging the rows of elements F side by side in the direction corresponding to the smaller or minimum dimension thereof. In the embodiments illustrated in figures 1 to 3 it was assumed that the elements F be generally rectangular-like and that the same be ordered in the picking up configuration allowing the adjacent rows to include elements F arranged "vertical", so as to minimize the overall dimension.
In figures 2 and 3 reference 10 is used to indicate a pick-up device such as a "hand" of an anthropomorphic robot - not entirely visible in the representation, but of the known type - provided with a plurality of vacuum pick-up elements 12 (in brief "suckers") arranged side by side and actuatable by a number corresponding to N number of elements F intended to be picked-up one at a time.
Vacuum pick-up "hand" devices of the type considered herein are known in the art, as documented, for example, from EP-A-0 239 547 , EP-A-0 989 080 , EP-A-0 968 940 , EP-A-0 768 254 or US-A-4 932 180 . In particular, the operation of the robot carrying the hand 10 (included in the operation of the hand) can be actuated by a processing unit K such as a personal computer for industrial purposes which also supervises (according to per se known criteria) the operation of other various moveable and/or manipulation /processing elements described hereinafter.
The sequence of figures 2 and 3 shows that the robot provided with the hand 10 can be actuated (also in this case according to known criteria, also illustrated in the mentioned document) so as to advance the "hand" 10 towards the array of elements F (figure 2) allowing each vacuum pick-up element 12 to exert on a respective element F a "vacuum" pick-up action (i.e. "vacuum cleaner effect"), so that, when the robot recedes the hand 10, each pick-up element 12 carries an element F therewith, in a flat condition, so as to move it to further treatment operations with a general displacement movement represented by the arrow B of figure 3.
When performing such movement, the pick-up hand 10 can be conducted in such a manner to pass it in front a viewing unit such as for example a camera 14. The camera frames the array of elements F transported by the pick-up hand 10 and detects possible malfunctions such as, for example, the lack of one or more elements F of the picked-up array i.e. the incorrect positioning of one or more of the elements F.
The operation of detecting possible malfunctions is performed on output signals of the unit 14 (typically a camera) by the processing unit K.
Upon detecting, starting from the signal provided by the camera 14, the presence of a malfunction in the previously detected array of elements F, the unit K can send - towards the robot - a comand such to allow the detection unit 12 of the hand 10 to be disabled so as to drop the previously picked-up elements F - detected to be incorrect - in an underlying collection container preventing them from advancing towards further manipulation operations. In this case, the robot is capable of returning in the condition of operation to proceed to detect a new array of elements F.
In various embodiments there is provided for the option of disabling the vacuum solely in the pick-up members 12 where the element F is not picked-up or is positioned incorrectly.
When the robot recedes the hand 10, each pick-up member 12 carries an element F thereof, in a flat condition, so as to be able to move it to further treatment operations with a general displacement movement represented by the arrow B of figure 3. For example, if the operation for picking up the elements F has been, at least partly, successful, the hand 10 leading to the elements F retained by the pick-up members 12 in a flat condition is advanced towards a reception element 16 (figure 4) including, in the embodiment illustrated herein, a support block 160 in which there is mounted a plurality of reception formations 162 which, in the embodiment illustrated in the figures, are generally fork-like (U-shaped) with a concave cavity 164.
The formations 162 are arranged in a linear array including an N number of members. In the example illustrated herein N=5, also considering the fact that, at least in given use conditions (for example when there is provided for the action of disabling the vacuum solely in the pick-up members 12 where the element F is not picked-up or it is positioned incorrectly), not all the reception formations 162 could be intended to be used simultaneously.
When the hand 10 faces the element 16 to insert the elements F therein, the reception formations 162 are arranged with the concave portions 164 thereof aligned so as to jointly define a groove or channel.
As illustrated by the sequence of figures 4 and 5, the robot then lowers the hand 10 towards the element 16 so that the elements F carried by the pick-up members 12 are inserted into the concave portions 164 of the reception formations 162 and take a corresponding U-shape, thus leading to a (first) operation for folding the elements F.
Upon attaining such condition (figure 5) the unit K may intervene on the robot which had taken over the elements up to that moment F, determining:

the disabling of the pick-up members 12 of the hand 10, which interrupt the pick-up action on the elements F, releasing them in the reception formations 162, and
the subsequent lifting of the hand 10 (see figure 6) which can thus be returned by the robot to the initial pick-up condition referred to by figure 2.

However, it shall be observed that the choice of using, for the reception formations 162, a concave or fork-like configuration is not compulsory. Without prejudice to the intention of allowing the elements F, picked-up in a flat condition, to take a U-shape as a result of inserting said cavity 164, the reception cavities 164 could, for example, be in form of open bottom cylindrical cavities.
In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, it is also provided for that in the cavities 164 there end up openings 163 adapted to be selectively connected, as a result of a command emitted by the unit K, with a source of subatmospheric pressure (such as the one to which pick-up elements 12 can be connected) so as to exert a vacuum pick-up action on the elements F inserted in the cavities 164.
In this case, upon achieving the condition of figure 5, the unit K may intervene on the robot which had take over the elements F up to that time, determining the coordinated:

disabling of the pick-up members 12 of the hand 10, which interrupt the pick-up action thereof on the elements F, and
enabling of the openings 163, which hold the elements F in the reception formations 162.

Also in this case, the unit K may actuate the lifting of the hand 10 which may thus be returned by the robot to the initial pick-up condition referred to by figure 2.
The possibility that the hand 10 carries several arrays of pick-up members is illustrated - in figure 2 alone - by a dashed line. For example, figure 2 shows that, besides the (first) array of pick-up members 12, the hand 10 can carry at least one second array of pick-up members 120. For example, each pick-up member 120 (it can be a vacuum pick-up member once again) can be mounted at the distal end of an arm 122 which is extended from the body of the hand 10. All this in a manner such that the two arrays of pick-up members 12 and 120 (including for example the same number of elements, whereby to each member 12 there corresponds a member 120) are arranged at the ends of the two branches of an ideal L-shaped configuration.
Figure 2 shows that, in this manner, it is possible to provide for, for example, one or more reels B each of which is automatically unwound, and cut (in 124) to form flat-shaped strips F' adapted to constitute for example a "surprise" piece or a decorative part possibly on a self-adhesive support.
Such flat elements F' can be picked-up by the pick-up members 120 and inserted into the formations 162 according to the methods described previously with reference to figures 1 to 6 regarding the flat elements F and the pick-up members 12.
In various embodiments, the unit K can for example be programmed (according to per se known criteria) so as to allow, according to needs that vary over time, the hand 10 to pick up, alternatively, inserting them into the reception formations 162:

the elements F picked up by the members 12, or
the elements F' picked up by the members 120.

In various embodiments, the unit K can for example be programmed (still according to per se known criteria) so as to allow:

the hand 10 to pick up, using the members 12, the elements F inserting them into the reception formations 162 through a first movement, and
the hand 10 to pick up, using the members 120, the elements F' inserting them into the elements F previously inserted in the reception formations 162, thus superimposing the elements F and F', through a second movement,.

For the rest, the operating method (including possibly discarding elements considered positioned incorrectly) may occur according to substantially identical criteria.
In the embodiment referred to in figure 7, the reception formations 162, are mounted on the body 160 with 90° rotation capacity with respect to the main axis X162 thereof.
Such rotation can be actuated by the unit K which intervenes on respective drives 166 (only one of these is schematically indicated with a dashed line in figure 7) so as to allow the concave portions 164, initially with respect to each other so as to define a general channel structure - figures 4 to 6 - to be, following the 90° rotation imparted to the formations 162 around the respective main axes X162, oriented in a position accurately orthogonal to the one they had taken previously. All this allows the cavities 164, and the elements F which are found therein, to form a row of elements arranged side by side with a configuration generally similar (see figure 7) to a sort of toothed or crenellated medieval basket with each cavity 164 and element F therein practically defining the cavity or vacuum between adjacent crenels.
Figure 8 shows the fact that the rotatable assembly of the reception formations 162 on the support block 160 of the reception element 16 is not a compulsory characteristic. The reception element 16 can actually also be made in form of a comb body (see figure 8) having, stably, a "crenellated" or comb configuration similar to the one illustrated in figure 7, attained after the rotation of the formations 162.
Regardless of the structure of the reception element 16, as schematically illustrated in figure 9, the elements F (and/or F') received in the cavities 164 of the reception formations 162 and folded according to a general U-configuration can be taken over by the "hand" 20 of a further pick-up element (it can be an antropomorphic robot of the known type once again, not entirely visible in the figures) controlled by the unit K.
The hand 20 exhibits a plurality of pick-up elements 200 in form of straight fingers arranged side by side which extend from the body of the hand 20, arranged adjacent to each other according to a fork configuration. As schematically illustrated in figure 10, the hand 20 can be actuated (by the unit K) in such a manner that the pick-up fingers 200 penetrate - moving in the transverse direction with respect to the length thereof - in the cavities 164 of the reception formations 162 each ending up inserted in the loop part of a respective element F.
In various embodiments, the pick-up fingers 200 may have, at the distal ends thereof, pick-up members intended to "grip" the U-folded elements F (and/or F') which are located in the cavities 164.
For example, figure 9 illustrates the fact that, in various embodiments, the fingers 200 can have openings 204 also intended to be connected - analogously to what occurs for the vacuum pick-up members 12 (and 120) of the hand 10 described previously - with a sub-atmospheric source of pressure (not shown in the drawings), so as to provide - once again - a vacuum pick-up/retention action.
In various embodiments, in particular when one wants to pick-up two superimposed and U-folded elements F and F' located in the cavities 164, gripper formations 204' (one of these is schematically illustrated with a dashed line in figure 12) capable of fastening and "gripping" a pair of U-folded elements F and F' located in the cavities 164 operating on the margins thereof slightly projecting from the cavities 164 can be provided at the distal ends of the fingers 200.
The unit K operates in such a manner that, once the fingers 200 are inserted into the cavities of the formations 162 (see the sequence of figures 9 and 10), the pick-up members 204 or 204' are activated in such a manner to grip the elements F (and/or F').
At this point, the unit K can intervene on the actuation of the robot carrying the hand 20 so as to raise the hand 20 moving away from the element 16 (see figure 11), whereby the pick-up fingers 200 of the hand 20 carry the elements F (and/or F') therewith.
At this point, the transfer element 16 is available (if necessary after rotating the reception formations 162 to return them to the initial condition represented in figure 4) so as to be able to receive further elements F (and/or F') in the meanwhile picked up by the hand 10 from the supply array according to the methods illustrated previously with reference to figures 1 to 3.
As illustrated in figure 12, the hand 20 with the elements F (and/or F': for the sake of simplicity, in the rest of the description reference shall be made solely to the elements F) picked-up by the cavities 164 of the element 16 is advanced towards a corresponding array of containers C.
The fingers 200 of the hand 20 which carry, at the distal ends thereof, the elements F can thus penetrate into the cavities of the bodies C1 of the containers C inserting into each one of them a respective element F in folded condition.
All this ensuring that, due to the folded conditions attained previously, the elements F do not represent an obstacle to further introduction of the bodies C1 of further elements of an amusement article (a so-called "surprise") intended to be inserted into the containers C therein.
The sequence for inserting elements F into the containers C (for the sake of illustrative simplicity and clarity, in figures 13 and 14 the sequence is illustrated with reference to only one finger 200 carrying a respective element F) provides for:

penetrating the fingers 200, carrying the elements F at the distal end thereof, into the cavities of the bodies C1 of the containers C, and
disabling of the pick-up members 204 or 204', so as to allow the fingers 200 to release the elements F: the latter thus remain within the containers C when the hand 20 is returned moving away with respect to the block 1200 where the containers C are located with the elements F inserted therein.

As observable from figures 12 to 14, with the aim of facilitating the operation of inserting the fingers 200 and the elements F carried thereby into the containers C, the block 1200 in which the bodies C1 are inserted (within the respective cavities 140) can be tilted forward (by an angle β - see figure 12) towards the hand 20 carrying the fingers 200. This forward tilting, which can possibly also be an tilting in horizontal conditions, facilitates the movement of introducing the fingers 200 into the containers C.
The elements F may have a given degree of elastic memory whereby, once released by the fingers 200 within the cavity of the containers C, they tend to at least partly "widen" i.e. diverge with respect to the U-configuration conferred thereto as a result of being inserted into the cavities 164 of the reception formations 162.
Diverging within the containers C, the elements F leave - therein - most space available for the insertion, for example, of the surprise or components of the surprise intended to be inserted into the container C. The latter are inserted in the containers C with subsequent manipulation operations performed in the known manner and not representing a specific object of the present description.
The aforementioned widening phenomenon can be positively emphasized, by providing a further treatment station 300 (figures 15 and 16) including an assembly 302 suitable to be selectively lowered (under the action of drives, not shown in the drawings, but of the known type) towards the containers C so as to penetrate buffers 304 carried at the lower part by the assembly 302 thereinto. In various embodiments, the buffers 304 are connected to one of more pressure lines 306 and thus they are inflatable.
By actuating the lowering movement of the assembly 302 (see the sequence of figures 15 and 16), the unit K also actuates the supply of the buffers 304, which are inflated and - upon insertion in the cavities of the single containers C - widen, pushing the elements F (and/or F') towards the peripheral wall of the container C.
The possible use of buffers 304, which descend into the containers C, with the elements F (and/or F') can have the effect of further pushing the elements F (and/or F') into the containers C, preventing such elements from excessively projecting upwards beyond the mouth edge of the containers, which could hinder the insertion of further elements (for example "surprises", possibly made of several pieces) in the containers C.
Lastly, it shall be observed that reference to "hands" 10 and 20 provided with pick-up elements of the pneumatic type, in particular of the vacuum type (suckers 12, openings 204) is strictly for exemplification purposes. Such pick-up operations could actually be performed using equivalent elements, such as for example a gripper.
Obviously, without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the details and embodiments may vary, even significantly, with respect with respect to what has been described herein purely by way of non-limiting example, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the attached claims.

Claims

A device for inserting sheet-like elements (F; F') in a container (C), including at least one first pick-up member (12; 120) to pick-up at least one sheet-like element (F; F') in a flat condition, characterized in that it includes:
- a transfer device (16) including at least one reception cavity (164) to receive inserted therein said at least one first pick-up member (12; 120), whereby a sheet-like element (F; F') carried by said at least one first pick-up member (12; 120) in a flat condition takes a U-shape as a result of being inserted in said reception cavity (164),

- at least one second pick-up member (200) with a finger-like shape for insertion in said reception cavity (164) to pick-up from said reception cavity (164) at least one sheet-like element (F; F') with said U-shape, said at least one second pick-up member (200) being also mobile for insertion in said container (C) to insert said sheet-like element (F; F') in said container (C).
The device of claim 1, wherein said reception cavity (164) is selectively pivotable between:
- a first angular position to receive inserted therein said at least one first pick-up member (12; 120), and

- a second angular position for insertion of said at least one second pick-up member (200) in said reception cavity (164).
The device of claim 2, wherein said first angular position and said second angular position are spaced 90° therebetween.
The device of any of claims 1 to 3, including a plurality of said reception cavities (164) oriented or adapted to be oriented side-by-side to jointly define a toothed or crenellated arrangement.
The device of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein to said at least one reception cavity (164) there are coupled retaining means, preferably vacuum retaining means (163), to retain in said at least one reception cavity (164) a U-shaped sheet-like element (F; F').
The device of any of the previous claims, wherein at least one of said at least one first pick-up member (12; 120) and said at least one second pick-up member (200) is a vacuum pick-up device.
The device of any of the previous claims, wherein at least one, and preferably both, of said at least one first pick-up member (12; 120) and said at least one second pick-up member (200) are carried by a manipulator device such as a robot.
The device of any of the previous claims, including a support body (1200) to receive said container (C), said support body (1200) selectively tiltable (β) towards said at least one second pick-up member (200) to facilitate insertion of said at least one second pick-up member (200) in said container (C).
The device of any of the previous claims, wherein to said at least one first pick-up member (12; 120) there is associated a viewing unit (14) to detect the correctness of picking up said at least one sheet-like element (F; F') by said at least one first pick-up member (12; 120), said at least one first pick-up member (12; 120) actuatable (K) to release a sheet-like element (F; F') picked up in a manner detected as being incorrect by said viewing unit (14).
The device of any of the previous claims, including a spreading station (300) for said at least one sheet-like element (F; F') including at least one buffer (304), preferably of an expandable type (306), for introduction into a sheet-like element (F; F') once inserted in said container (C) to urge said sheet-like element (F; F') against the wall of said container (C).
The device of any of the previous claims, configured for inserting a plurality of sheet-like elements (F; F') in respective containers (C) and including corresponding pluralities of said first pick-up members (12), said reception cavities (164) and said second pick-up members (200).
The device of any of the previous claims, wherein said at least one first pick-up member includes two pick-up members (12, 120) arranged at the ends of the two branches of a L-shaped configuration.
A method of inserting sheet-like elements (F; F') in a container (C), including picking-up (12;120) at least one sheet-like element (F; F') in a flat condition, characterized in that it includes:
- inserting said at least one sheet-like element (F; F') in a flat condition in a reception cavity (164), whereby said at least one sheet-like element (F; F') takes a U-shape as a result of being inserted in said reception cavity (164),

- picking up (200) said sheet-like element (F; F') from said reception cavity (164), and

- inserting in said container (C) said sheet-like element (F; F') picked up from said reception cavity (164).
The method of claim 13, including retaining in said reception cavity (164), preferably by vacuum retaining means (163), a sheet-like element (F; F') with said U-shape.
The method of claim 13, wherein said at least one first pick-up member includes two pick-up members (12, 120) arranged at the ends of the two branches of a L-shaped configuration, the method including picking up said at least one sheet like element in a flat condition, alternatively, by the one (12) and by the other (120) of said pick-up members (12, 120).