EP2620375A1 - Packing machine and method for producing a slide-open package of smoking articles - Google Patents
Packing machine and method for producing a slide-open package of smoking articles Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP2620375A1 EP2620375A1 EP13152956.2A EP13152956A EP2620375A1 EP 2620375 A1 EP2620375 A1 EP 2620375A1 EP 13152956 A EP13152956 A EP 13152956A EP 2620375 A1 EP2620375 A1 EP 2620375A1
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- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- packing
- blank
- panel
- conveyor
- path
- Prior art date
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- 238000012856 packing Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 303
- 230000000391 smoking effect Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 17
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 10
- 239000003292 glue Substances 0.000 claims description 65
- 238000012546 transfer Methods 0.000 claims description 18
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 9
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 claims description 5
- 235000019504 cigarettes Nutrition 0.000 description 68
- 230000003014 reinforcing effect Effects 0.000 description 20
- 238000001035 drying Methods 0.000 description 6
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 4
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000004075 alteration Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000013461 design Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000000284 resting effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000013519 translation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000004026 adhesive bonding Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002349 favourable effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000012943 hotmelt Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 210000003813 thumb Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 125000000391 vinyl group Chemical group [H]C([*])=C([H])[H] 0.000 description 1
- 229920002554 vinyl polymer Polymers 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
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- 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
- B65B19/00—Packaging rod-shaped or tubular articles susceptible to damage by abrasion or pressure, e.g. cigarettes, cigars, macaroni, spaghetti, drinking straws or welding electrodes
- B65B19/02—Packaging cigarettes
- B65B19/12—Inserting the cigarettes, or wrapped groups thereof, into preformed containers
- B65B19/20—Inserting the cigarettes, or wrapped groups thereof, into preformed containers into boxes with hinged lids
-
- 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
- B65B19/00—Packaging rod-shaped or tubular articles susceptible to damage by abrasion or pressure, e.g. cigarettes, cigars, macaroni, spaghetti, drinking straws or welding electrodes
- B65B19/02—Packaging cigarettes
- B65B19/22—Wrapping the cigarettes; Packaging the cigarettes in containers formed by folding wrapping material around formers
- B65B19/223—Wrapping the cigarettes; Packaging the cigarettes in containers formed by folding wrapping material around formers in a curved path; in a combination of straight and curved paths, e.g. on rotary tables or other endless conveyors
-
- 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
- B65B19/00—Packaging rod-shaped or tubular articles susceptible to damage by abrasion or pressure, e.g. cigarettes, cigars, macaroni, spaghetti, drinking straws or welding electrodes
- B65B19/02—Packaging cigarettes
- B65B19/22—Wrapping the cigarettes; Packaging the cigarettes in containers formed by folding wrapping material around formers
- B65B19/228—Preparing and feeding blanks
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
- B65D85/07—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles
- B65D85/08—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular
- B65D85/10—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular for cigarettes
- B65D85/1036—Containers formed by erecting a rigid or semi-rigid blank
- B65D85/1045—Containers formed by erecting a rigid or semi-rigid blank having a cap-like lid hinged to an edge
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
- B65D85/07—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles
- B65D85/08—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular
- B65D85/10—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular for cigarettes
- B65D85/1036—Containers formed by erecting a rigid or semi-rigid blank
- B65D85/1045—Containers formed by erecting a rigid or semi-rigid blank having a cap-like lid hinged to an edge
- B65D85/1054—Containers formed by erecting a rigid or semi-rigid blank having a cap-like lid hinged to an edge combined with an outer sleeve connected to the lid
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a packing machine and method for producing a slide-open package of smoking articles.
- Rigid, hinged-lid packets of cigarettes are currently the most widely marketed, by being easy to produce and easy and practical to use, and by effectively protecting the cigarettes inside.
- a rigid, slide-open packet of cigarettes comprises an inner container, which houses a foil-wrapped group of cigarettes and is housed inside an outer container to slide, with respect to the outer container, between a closed configuration, in which the inner container is inserted inside the outer container, and an open configuration, in which the inner container is partly expelled from the outer container.
- a rigid, hinged-lid, slide-open packet of cigarettes has also been proposed in which the inner container (or outer container) has a hinged lid, which rotates between a closed position and an open position closing and opening an open top end of the inner container.
- the lid has a connecting tab connected at one end to the lid, and at the other end to the outer container (or inner container), to 'automatically' rotate the lid (i.e. without the user having to touch the lid) as the inner container slides with respect to the outer container.
- hinged-lid, slide-open packets of cigarettes do not permit high output levels (i.e. the number of packets of cigarettes produced per unit of time), especially if a high quality standard is to be maintained.
- known packing machines for producing hinged-lid, slide-open packets of cigarettes are extremely slow-operating and only suitable for producing limited special series lots.
- Patent Application WO2009101120A1 describes a cigarette packing machine for producing rigid, hinged-lid, slide-open packets, and which comprises a first packing unit for folding an inner blank about a group of cigarettes to form an inner container with a hinged lid; and a second packing unit for folding an outer blank about the inner container to form an outer container which encloses and slides axially with respect to the inner container.
- the outer container has a transmission member, which has a first end integral with the lid; a second end opposite the first end and integral with the outer container; and a U-shaped fold between the inner container and the outer container.
- Number 1 in Figures 1 and 2 indicates as a whole a rigid, slide-open packet of cigarettes, which opens in a translatory (linear) movement.
- the Figure 1 packet 1 of cigarettes comprises a wrapped, i.e. foil-wrapped group 2 of cigarettes (shown in Figure 2 ).
- Packet 1 of cigarettes also comprises a rigid inner container 3 actually containing the wrapped group 2 of cigarettes; and a rigid outer container 4, which houses inner container 3 to allow inner container 3 to slide in a translatory movement, with respect to outer container 4, between a closed configuration ( Figure 1 ), in which inner container 3 is inserted fully inside outer container 4, and an open configuration ( Figure 2 ), in which inner container 3 is expelled partly from outer container 4 to allow access to wrapped group 2 of cigarettes.
- inner container 3 is parallelepiped-shaped, and comprises a bottom wall 5; an open top end 6 opposite bottom wall 5; a front wall 7 and rear wall 8 opposite and parallel to each other; and two parallel lateral walls 9 interposed between walls 7 and 8.
- outer container 4 has an open top end 10; and a lid 11 hinged to outer container 4 along a hinge 12 to rotate, with respect to outer container 4, between an open position ( Figures 2 , 3 and 4 ) and a closed position ( Figure 1 ) respectively opening and closing open top end 10 of outer container 4 and, at the same time, also open top end 6 of inner container 3.
- Outer container 4 is parallelepiped-shaped, and comprises a bottom wall 13 opposite open top end 10; a front wall 14 and rear wall 15 opposite and parallel to each other; and two parallel lateral walls 16 interposed between walls 14 and 15.
- Lid 11 comprises a top wall 17 which, when the lid is closed, closes open top end 10 of outer container 4 (and, at the same time, open top end 6 of inner container 3); a front wall 18; and two lateral walls 19.
- Top wall 17 of lid 11 is 'flat' (i.e. is formed from one cardboard panel or a number of compacted cardboard panels, and is therefore solid); whereas walls 18 and 19 of lid 11 are 'box' walls (i.e. are made of two cardboard panels spaced apart, and are therefore hollow) with a triangular cross section.
- walls 18 and 19 of lid 11 fit inside open top end 10 of outer container 4 so that top wall 17 of lid 11 is flush with the top edges of walls 14, 15 and 16 of outer container 4.
- lid 11 is a 'box' lid, i.e. comprises walls 17, 18, 19 perpendicular to one another, so as to impart a 'box' shape to lid 11.
- rear wall 8 of inner container 3 is connected to top wall 17 of lid 11 by a connecting tab 20 to rotate lid 11 'automatically' (i.e. without the user having to touch lid 11) as inner container 3 slides with respect to outer container 4.
- connecting tab 20 connecting top wall 17 of lid 11 mechanically to rear wall 8 of inner container 3, inner container 3, as it slides with respect to outer container 4 from the closed to the open configuration, pushes lid 11 from the closed to the open position 'automatically' (i.e. without the user having to touch lid 11); and similarly, as inner container 3 slides with respect to outer container 4 from the open to the closed configuration, lid 11 is drawn by inner container 3 from the open to the closed position 'automatically' (i.e.
- connecting tab 20 is connected seamlessly to lid 11, and is glued to rear wall 8 of inner container 3.
- front wall 14 of outer container 4 has a through window 21 allowing access to underlying front wall 7 of inner container 3 facing front wall 14 of outer container 4, to exert thrust on inner container 3 to move it between the closed and open configurations.
- the user holds outer container 4 with one hand and, with the thumb of the same hand, pushes on front wall 7 of inner container 3 through window 21 in front wall 14 of outer container 4, to exert thrust on inner container 3 and slide it with respect to outer container 4.
- Containers 3 and 4 of the Figure 1-5 packet 1 of cigarettes are formed from corresponding blanks 22 and 23 as shown in Figures 6 and 7 .
- each blank 22, 23 comprises a number of parts, which are indicated, where possible, using the same reference numbers, with superscripts, as for the corresponding walls of respective container 3, 4.
- inner blank 22 has two longitudinal fold lines 24, and a number of transverse fold lines 25 which define, between the two longitudinal fold lines 24, a panel 7' forming front wall 7 of inner container 3; a panel 5' forming bottom wall 5 of inner container 3; and a panel 8' forming rear wall 8 of inner container 3.
- Panel 7' is connected along a transverse fold line 25 to a reinforcing panel 7", in turn connected along a transverse fold line 25 to a further reinforcing panel 7"'.
- Reinforcing panels 7" and 7"' are folded 180° about respective transverse fold lines 25 and glued onto an inner surface of panel 7' to thicken (reinforce) front wall 7.
- a different embodiment, not shown, has no reinforcing panels 7" and 7"'.
- Panel 8' is connected along a transverse fold line 25 to a reinforcing panel 8", in turn connected along a transverse fold line 25 to a further reinforcing panel 8"'.
- Reinforcing panels 8" and 8"' are folded 180° about respective transverse fold lines 25 and glued onto an inner surface of panel 8' to thicken (reinforce) rear wall 8.
- a different embodiment, not shown, has no reinforcing panels 8" and 8"'.
- Panel 7' has two lateral wings 9', which form respective outer portions of lateral walls 9, are located on opposite sides of panel 7', and are separated from panel 7' by longitudinal fold lines 24.
- Panel 8' has two lateral wings 9", which are glued to corresponding wings 9', form respective inner portions of lateral walls 9, are located on opposite sides of panel 8', and are separated from panel 8' by longitudinal fold lines 24.
- Each lateral wing 9" of panel 8' has a tab 26 separated from respective lateral wing 9" by a transverse fold line 25.
- outer blank 23 has two longitudinal fold lines 27, and a number of transverse fold lines 28 which define, between the two longitudinal fold lines 27, a panel 17' forming top wall 17 of lid 11; a panel 15' forming rear wall 15 of outer container 4; a panel 13' forming bottom wall 13 of outer container 4; and a panel 14' forming front wall 14 of outer container 4.
- Panel 14' is connected along a transverse fold line 28 to a reinforcing panel 14", which is folded 180° about respective transverse fold line 28 and glued onto an inner surface of panel 14' to thicken (reinforce) front wall 14 of outer container 4.
- a different embodiment, not shown, has no reinforcing panel 14".
- Panel 17' is connected along a transverse fold line 28 to a panel 18', in turn connected along a transverse fold line 28 to a panel 18"; panels 18' and 18" form front wall 18 of lid 11, and more specifically the outer portion and inner portion respectively of front wall 18.
- Panel 18" is connected along a transverse fold line 28 to connecting tab 20, which comprises four panels 20', 20", 20"' and 20"" separated by respective transverse fold lines 28.
- Panel 20' of connecting tab 20 is glued to an inner surface of top wall 17 of lid 11 (i.e. to an inner surface of panel 17'), and panel 20"' of connecting tab 20 is glued to an outer surface of rear wall 8 of inner container 3 (after being folded 180° and glued onto panel 20"").
- Panel 14' has two lateral wings 16', which form respective outer portions of lateral walls 16, are located on opposite sides of panel 14', and are separated from panel 14' by longitudinal fold lines 27.
- Panel 15' has two lateral wings 16", which are glued to corresponding wings 16', form respective inner portions of lateral walls 16, are located on opposite sides of panel 15', and are separated from panel 15' by longitudinal fold lines 27.
- Each lateral wing 16" of panel 15' has a tab 29 separated from respective lateral wing 16" by a transverse fold line 28.
- Panel 17' has two lateral appendixes, which are located on opposite sides of panel 17', are separated from panel 17' by longitudinal fold lines 27, comprise respective wings 19', 19", 19"' separated by further longitudinal fold lines, and form lateral walls 19 of lid 11.
- Each lateral appendix of panel 17' has two wings 19', 19", which form the outer portion and inner portion respectively of a lateral wall 19; and a wing 19"', which is glued to an inner surface of top wall 17 of lid 11, with the interposition of panel 20' of connecting tab 20 (i.e. panel 20' is glued directly to the inner surface of panel 17', and wings 19"' are glued to panel 20').
- Through window 21 in panel 14' is surrounded by four reinforcing tabs 21' connected to panel 14' along respective fold lines along the perimeter of window 21. Reinforcing tabs 21' are folded 180° about the corresponding fold lines and glued onto an inner surface of panel 14' to thicken (reinforce) front wall 14 of outer container 4. A different embodiment, not shown, has no reinforcing tabs 21'.
- FIG 8 shows a schematic of a cigarette packing machine 30 for producing packets 1 of cigarettes.
- Packing machine 30 comprises, in succession, a packing unit 31 for forming wrapped groups 2 of cigarettes; a packing unit 32 for forming inner containers 3 by folding inner blanks 22 about corresponding wrapped groups 2 of cigarettes; a packing unit 33 for forming outer containers 4 (and so completing packets 1 of cigarettes) by folding outer blanks 23 about corresponding inner containers 3; and, finally, a processing unit 34, which receives packets 1 of cigarettes from packing unit 33 and opens (i.e. slides inner container 3 for the first time with respect to outer container 4, to partly expel inner container 3 and so rotate lid 11 into the open position) and closes each packet 1 of cigarettes.
- Processing unit 34 opens and closes each packet 1 of cigarettes to 'flex' the packing material (i.e. to break or at least partly loosen the mechanical bonds inside the packing material) along the hinge line, so that first-time opening of packet 1 of cigarettes by the end user is made easier (by not having to also exert the force required to 'flex' the packing material along the hinge line).
- packing unit 32 comprises a packing conveyor 35 with a number of packing pockets 36 ( Figure 12 ), each for housing an inner blank 22 and for feeding inner blank 22 along a packing path P1 extending between an input station S1 and an output station S2.
- a hopper 37 at input station S1 houses a stack of inner blanks 22, and feeds inner blanks 22 cyclically from a bottom outlet into packing pockets 36 on packing conveyor 35. More specifically, each inner blank 22 at the bottom outlet of hopper 37 is withdrawn by a vertically-moving suction gripping head, and is fed into an underlying packing pocket 36 of packing conveyor 35, arrested at input station S1 and aligned with the bottom outlet of hopper 37.
- packing conveyor 35 conveys each inner blank 22 crosswise along the whole of packing path P1, i.e. with transverse fold lines 25 parallel at all times to the travelling direction. In other words, packing conveyor 35 never changes the orientation of inner blank 22 with respect to the travelling direction, so inner blank 22 is positioned along the whole of packing path P1 with its transverse fold lines 25 parallel to the travelling direction (and, therefore, with longitudinal fold lines 24 perpendicular to the travelling direction). Maintaining the same orientation of inner blank 22 along the whole of packing path P1 simplifies both the folding process and the structure of packing conveyor 35.
- packing conveyor 35 is equipped with a gumming device 38 located along packing path P1, downstream from input station S1, to deposit glue 39 ( Figure 11 ) on panel 7" and panel 8" of each inner blank 22.
- Packing conveyor 35 is equipped with a folding device 40 located downstream from gumming device 38 along packing path P1, and which folds panel 7"' with respect to and onto panel 7" to glue panels 7" and 7"' together, and folds panel 8"' with respect to and onto panel 8" to glue panels 8" and 8"' together.
- Packing conveyor 35 is equipped with a pressure device 41 located downstream from folding device 40 along packing path P1, and which keeps panels 7" and 7"' pressed together to ensure they are glued firmly, and keeps panels 8" and 8"' pressed together to ensure they are glued firmly.
- Packing conveyor 35 is equipped with a gumming device 42 located along packing path P1, downstream from pressure device 41, to deposit glue 43 ( Figure 11 ) on panel 7"' and panel 8"' of each inner blank 22.
- Packing conveyor 35 is equipped with a folding device 44 located downstream from gumming device 42 along packing path P1, and which folds the superimposed panels 7" and 7"' with respect to and onto panel 7' to glue panels 7', 7" and 7"' together, and folds the superimposed panels 8" and 8"' with respect to and onto panel 8' to glue panels 8', 8" and 8"' together.
- Packing conveyor 35 is equipped with a pressure device 45 located downstream from folding device 44 along packing path P1, and which keeps panels 7', 7" and 7"' pressed together to ensure they are glued firmly, and keeps panels 8', 8" and 8"' pressed together to ensure they are glued firmly.
- packing conveyor 35 is defined by a conveyor belt looped about two end pulleys and supporting a number of packing pockets 36, so packing path P1 is U-shaped and extends between input station S1 located along a straight initial portion of packing path P1, and output station S2 located along a straight end portion of packing path P1 connected to the straight initial portion by a semicircular intermediate portion.
- packing unit 32 comprises a packing conveyor 46 with a number of packing pockets 47 (shown schematically in Figure 13 ), each for housing an inner blank 22 and a corresponding wrapped group 2 of cigarettes, and for feeding inner blank 22 and wrapped group 2 of cigarettes along a packing path P2 extending between an input station S3 and an output station S5.
- a partly prefolded inner blank 22 from packing conveyor 35 is fed into a packing pocket 47 to further fold inner blank 22.
- a wrapped group 2 of cigarettes is fed into a packing pocket 47 and onto a previously inserted inner blank 22. More specifically, a rear wall of wrapped group 2 of cigarettes is positioned resting on panel 8' of inner blank 22.
- the inner container 3 (formed by folding inner blank 22 about wrapped group 2 of cigarettes) is expelled from packing pocket 47 and fed to packing unit 33.
- a folding device 48 folds tabs 26 of inner blank 22 ninety degrees (about corresponding transverse fold lines 25) with respect to wings 9", and then, by inserting inner blank 22 inside packing pocket 47, folds panel 5' ninety degrees (about corresponding transverse fold line 25), and folds the two wings 9" ninety degrees (about corresponding longitudinal fold lines 24).
- tabs 26 are folded 90°, insertion of inner blank 22 inside packing pocket 47 folds panel 5' and the two wings 9" ninety degrees.
- a folding device 49 folds panel 7' (onto which panels 7" and 7"' have already been folded and glued) 90° (about corresponding transverse fold line 25).
- Folding inner blank 22 is completed at output station S5 as inner container 3 is expelled from packing pocket 47 : as inner container 3 is expelled, a folding device 50 folds wings 9' ninety degrees (about corresponding longitudinal fold lines 24) onto wings 9" to form lateral walls 9 of inner container 3.
- a gumming device (not shown) is preferably provided directly upstream from folding device 50 to deposit glue between wings 9' and 9" just before wings 9' are folded.
- packing conveyor 46 is defined by a wheel which rotates in steps about a central horizontal axis of rotation 51, so packing path P2 extending from input station S3 to output station S5 is circular.
- packing unit 32 comprises a transfer conveyor 52, which transfers the prefolded inner blanks 22 from output station S2 of packing conveyor 35 to input station S3 of packing conveyor 46.
- a gumming device 53 along transfer conveyor 52 and upstream from input station S3 of packing conveyor 46 deposits glue between tabs 26 and panel 5' of inner blank 22.
- hopper 37 feeds one inner blank 22 at a time to packing conveyor 35 at input station S1 along packing path P1, and transfer conveyor 52 transfers two inner blanks 22 at a time from packing conveyor 35 to packing conveyor 46, which in this embodiment handles two inner blanks 22 at a time at each step.
- hopper 37 feeds two inner blanks 22 at a time to packing conveyor 35 at input station S1 along packing path P1.
- packing unit 33 comprises a packing conveyor 54 with a number of packing pockets 55, each for housing an outer blank 23, and for feeding outer blank 23 along a packing path P3 extending between an input station S6 and an output station S7.
- a hopper 56 houses a stack of outer blanks 23, and feeds outer blanks 23 cyclically from a bottom outlet into packing pockets 55 on packing conveyor 54. More specifically, each outer blank 23 at the bottom outlet of hopper 56 is withdrawn by a vertically-moving suction gripping head, and is fed into an underlying packing pocket 55 of packing conveyor 54, arrested at input station S6 and aligned with the bottom outlet.
- packing conveyor 54 conveys each outer blank 23 crosswise along the whole of packing path P3, as shown in Figure 15 , i.e. with transverse fold lines 28 parallel at all times to the travelling direction.
- packing conveyor 54 never changes the orientation of outer blank 23 with respect to the travelling direction, so outer blank 23 is positioned along the whole of packing path P3 with its transverse fold lines 28 parallel to the travelling direction (and, therefore, with longitudinal fold lines 27 perpendicular to the travelling direction). Maintaining the same orientation of outer blank 23 along the whole of packing path P3 simplifies both the folding process and the structure of packing conveyor 54.
- packing conveyor 54 is equipped with a gumming device 57 located along packing path P3, downstream from input station S6, to deposit glue 58 ( Figure 16 ) on panel 20"' and panel 14' of each outer blank 23.
- Packing conveyor 54 is equipped with a folding device 59 located downstream from gumming device 57 along packing path P3, and which folds panel 20"" with respect to and onto panel 20"' to glue panels 20"' and 20"" together, folds panel 14" with respect to and onto panel 14' to glue panels 14" and 14' together, and folds reinforcing tabs 21' with respect to and onto panel 14' to glue reinforcing tabs 21' to panel 14'.
- Packing conveyor 54 is equipped with a pressure device 60 located downstream from folding device 59 along packing path P3, and which keeps panels 20"' and 20"" pressed together to ensure they are glued firmly, keeps panels 14" and 14' pressed together to ensure they are glued firmly, and keeps reinforcing tabs 21' and panel 14' pressed together to ensure reinforcing tabs 21' are glued firmly to panel 14'.
- Packing conveyor 54 is equipped with a gumming device 61 located along packing path P3, downstream from pressure device 60, to deposit glue 62 ( Figure 16 ) on panel 17' of each outer blank 23.
- Packing conveyor 54 is equipped with a folding device 63 located downstream from gumming device 61 along packing path P3, and which folds panels 20', 20", 20"' and 20"" (the latter two superimposed and glued to each other) so that panels 20"' and 20"" (superimposed and glued to each other) rest on panel 15' to form front wall 18 of lid 11.
- folding device 63 simultaneously folds panel 18' with respect to panel 17', panel 18" with respect to panel 18', and panel 20' with respect to panel 18" so as to bring panel 20' into contact with and glue it to panel 17' (by means of glue 62) and at the same time form front box wall 18 of lid 11, with panel 18' and panel 18" inclined with respect to each other.
- Packing conveyor 54 is equipped with a pressure device 64 located downstream from folding device 63 along packing path P3, and which keeps panels 20' and 17' pressed together to ensure they are glued firmly.
- folding device 63 comprises a contrasting body about which panels 18' and 18" are folded to form front wall 18 of lid 11, as described in detail in Patent Application BO2011A000426 , which is included herein by way of reference.
- Packing conveyor 54 is equipped with a gumming device 65 located along packing path P3, downstream from pressure device 64, to deposit glue 66 ( Figure 16 ) on panel 20' (already folded and glued onto panel 17') of each outer blank 23.
- Packing conveyor 54 is equipped with a folding device 67 located downstream from gumming device 65 along packing path P3, and which, on each lateral appendix of panel 17', simultaneously folds wing 19' with respect to panel 17', wing 19" with respect to wing 19', and wing 19"' with respect to wing 19", so as to bring wing 19"' into contact with panel 20' and at the same time form lateral box wall 19 of lid 11, with wing 19' and wing 19" inclined with respect to each other.
- Packing conveyor 54 is equipped with a pressure device 68 located downstream from folding device 67 along packing path P3, and which keeps wings 19"' and panel 20' (already folded and glued onto panel 17') pressed together to ensure they are glued firmly.
- Folding device 67 is located at the end of a straight portion of packing path P3; and pressure device 68 is located along a curved portion, and comprises grippers mounted to rotate and accompany each outer blank 23 along an arc of the curved portion of packing path P3.
- folding device 67 comprises two contrasting bodies about which wings 19' and 19" are folded to form lateral walls 19 of lid 11, as described in detail in Patent Application BO2011A000426 , which is included herein by way of reference.
- packing conveyor 54 is defined by a conveyor belt looped about two end pulleys and supporting a number of packing pockets 55, so packing path P3 is U-shaped and extends between input station S6 located along a straight initial portion of packing path P3, and output station S7 located along a straight end portion of packing path P3 connected to the straight initial portion by a semicircular intermediate portion.
- Folding device 67 and pressure device 68 are located along this semicircular intermediate portion.
- packing unit 33 comprises a packing conveyor 69 with a number of packing pockets 70, each for housing an outer blank 23 and corresponding inner container 3, and for feeding outer blank 23 and inner container 3 along a packing path P4 extending between an input station S8 and an output station S10.
- a partly prefolded outer blank 23 from packing conveyor 54 is fed into a packing pocket 70 so as to further fold outer blank 23.
- an inner container 3 is fed into a packing pocket 70 and onto the previously inserted outer blank 23. More specifically, rear wall 8 of inner container 3 is positioned resting on panel 15' of outer blank 23.
- outer container 4 (formed by folding outer blank 23 about inner container 3) is expelled from packing pocket 70 and fed to processing unit 34.
- a folding device 71 folds tabs 29 of outer blank 23 ninety degrees (about corresponding transverse fold lines 28) with respect to wings 16", and then, by inserting outer blank 23 inside packing pocket 70, folds panel 13' ninety degrees (about corresponding transverse fold line 28), and folds the two wings 16" ninety degrees (about corresponding longitudinal fold lines 27, while panel 17' of outer blank 23 remains coplanar with panel 15').
- tabs 29 are folded 90°, insertion of outer blank 23 inside packing pocket 70 folds panel 13' and the two wings 16" ninety degrees.
- a folding device 72 folds panel 17' of outer blank 23 (i.e. lid 11) 90° (about corresponding transverse fold line 28) with respect to panel 15', and at the same time slides inner container 3 axially with respect to outer blank 23 (as explained more clearly below).
- a folding device 73 folds panel 14' ninety degrees (about corresponding transverse fold line 28).
- Folding outer blank 23 is completed at output station S10 as outer container 4 is expelled from packing pocket 70 : as outer container 4 is expelled, a folding device 74 folds wings 16' ninety degrees (about corresponding longitudinal fold lines 27) onto wings 16" to form lateral walls 16 of outer container 4.
- a gumming device (not shown) is preferably provided directly upstream from folding device 74 to deposit glue between wings 16' and 16" just before wings 16' are folded.
- packing conveyor 69 is defined by a wheel which rotates in steps about a central horizontal axis of rotation 75, so packing path P4 extending from input station S8 to output station S10 is circular.
- packing unit 33 comprises a transfer conveyor 76, which transfers the prefolded outer blanks 23 from output station S7 of packing conveyor 54 to input station S8 of packing conveyor 69.
- Transfer conveyor 76 is located beneath packing conveyor 69, and comprises two parallel conveyor belts spaced apart and supporting pairs of pockets, each of which carries an outer blank 23 from output station S7 of packing conveyor 54 to input station S8 of packing conveyor 69.
- Transfer conveyor 52 of packing unit 32 (only shown schematically in Figure 9 ) is preferably substantially the same as transfer conveyor 76 of packing unit 33 in Figure 17 .
- a gumming device 77 deposits glue between tabs 29 and panel 13' of outer blank 23. Gumming device 77 also deposits glue 78 and glue 79 ( Figure 16 ) onto panel 20"' (previously superimposed and glued onto panel 20"") of connecting tab 20 previously folded onto panel 15'. Glue 78 and glue 79 glue rear wall 8 of inner container 3 to connecting tab 20 (i.e. to panel 20"' of connecting tab 20) as inner container 3 is fed onto panel 15' of outer blank 23 at feed station S9 of packing conveyor 69.
- hopper 56 feeds one outer blank 23 at a time to packing conveyor 54 at input station S6 along packing path P3, and transfer conveyor 76 transfers two outer blanks 23 at a time from packing conveyor 54 to packing conveyor 69, which in this embodiment handles two outer blanks 23 at a time at each step.
- hopper 56 feeds two outer blanks 23 at a time to packing conveyor 54 at input station S6 along packing path P3.
- folding device 72 folds panel 17' of outer blank 23 (i.e. lid 11) 90° with respect to panel 15', and at the same time slides inner container 3 axially with respect to outer blank 23 (the axial sliding movement of inner container 3 with respect to outer blank 23 can be seen clearly by comparing the position of inner container 3 in Figures 20 and 22 , before lid 11 is folded, and in Figures 21 and 23 , after lid 11 is folded).
- the axial sliding movement of inner container 3 with respect to outer blank 23 as lid 11 is rotated about hinge 12 is the result of inner container 3 (more specifically, rear wall 8 of inner container 3) being connected mechanically to lid 11 (more specifically, to top wall 17 of lid 11) by connecting tab 20. So rotation of lid 11 about hinge 12 always results in a corresponding translatory movement of inner container 3 according to the transmission ratio produced by the mechanics of connecting tab 20.
- inner container 3 The sliding movement of inner container 3 is necessary to also allow the 'box' lid 11 to fit back inside outer container 4 when packet 1 of cigarettes is in the closed configuration, as shown in Figure 1 .
- Folding device 72 is associated with an actuator 80, which rests on front wall 7 of inner container 3 and is movable in two perpendicular directions (more specifically, translates both perpendicular to and parallel to front wall 7 of inner container 3).
- Actuator 80 comprises a suction head 81 ( Figures 22 and 23 ) in which suction can be turned on/off.
- actuator 80 is moved towards inner container 3 to contact front wall 7 of inner container 3.
- suction is activated through suction head 81 to connect suction head 81 mechanically (by suction) to front wall 7 of inner container 3.
- actuator 80 and folding device 72 are moved together (as shown in Figures 22 and 23 ) and in coordinated manner to fold lid 11 and simultaneously slide inner container 3 with respect to outer blank 23 : more specifically, actuator 80 is translated parallel to front wall 7 of inner container 3 to push inner container 3 axially (by pushing on front wall 7 of inner container 3), while folding device 72 is rotated about its axis of rotation (coaxial with hinge 12 of lid 11) to rotate lid 11.
- Lid 11 of outer container 4 being connected mechanically to inner container 3 by connecting tab 20, operation of actuator 80 and folding device 72 must be coordinated (i.e. translation of actuator 80 must always correspond to rotation of folding device 72 according to the transmission ratio produced by the mechanics of connecting tab 20) to prevent deformation and/or tearing.
- each packing pocket 70 also clamps (retains) at least panel 15' of outer blank 23 mechanically, to prevent axial movement of panel 15' in the translation direction of inner container 3 when folding lid 11 ninety degrees.
- gumming device 77 deposits glue 78 and glue 79 simultaneously onto panel 20"' (previously superimposed and glued onto panel 20"") of connecting tab 20 previously folded onto panel 15'.
- Glue 78 and glue 79 glue rear wall 8 of inner container 3 to connecting tab 20 (i.e. to panel 20"' of connecting tab 20) as inner container 3 is fed onto panel 15' of outer blank 23 at feed station S9 of packing conveyor 69.
- Glue 78 is permanent, drying glue, i.e. a certain length of time after it is deposited, the volatile components of glue 78 evaporate to form a permanent connection that can only be separated by irreparably tearing the connection apart; whereas glue 79 is non-dry, re-stick glue, i.e. even a long time after it is deposited, the characteristics of glue 79 remain unchanged, allowing the glued parts to be separated and stuck back together repeatedly.
- permanent, drying glue 78 is a cold, vinyl-based glue.
- non-dry, re-stick glue 79 is deposited far from a hinge of connecting tab 20 (the hinge of connecting tab 20 is defined by the transverse fold line 28 separating panels 20" and 20"'), whereas permanent, drying glue 78 is deposited close to the hinge of connecting tab 20, so that, as folding device 72 folds lid 11, non-dry, re-stick glue 79 is subjected to shear (i.e. greater) stress, while permanent, drying glue 78 is subjected to tensile (i.e. less) stress.
- non-dry, re-stick glue 79 is capable of achieving maximum grip much faster (practically instantaneously), it is important that it be subjected to the greater stress; and, similarly, it is important that permanent, drying glue 78 be subjected to less stress, by taking a relatively long time to achieve adequate grip.
- each of glues 39, 43, 58, 62, 66 deposited on blanks 22 and 23 may comprise a portion of permanent, fast-dry (i.e. hot-melt) glue, and a portion of permanent, slow-dry (i.e. cold) glue.
- a portion of non-dry, re-stick glue may be substituted for the portion of permanent, fast-dry glue.
- packing units 32 and 33 both have the same structure comprising a first packing conveyor (packing conveyors 35 and 54) defined by a conveyor belt and for prefolding the blank; a second packing conveyor (packing conveyors 46 and 69) defined by a wheel and for folding the already partly folded blank about the content; and a transfer conveyor (transfer conveyors 52 and 76) connecting the two packing conveyors.
- the two second packing conveyors (packing conveyors 46 and 69) of packing units 32 and 33 perform almost all the packing operations in the same way and in the same areas, which means packing units 32 and 33 may share numerous component parts, i.e. the same identical component part is very often present in both packing units 32 and 33 (more specifically, packing units 32 and 33 may share at least 70-80% of their component parts), thus enabling a big reduction in the production, assembly, and maintenance cost of packing machine 30.
- a major advantage of cigarette packing machine 30 is its flexibility, i.e. its ability to adapt quickly and easily to the manufacture of different types of slide-open packets 1 of cigarettes (with or without hinged lids). This is due, among other things, to each packing unit 32, 33 comprising a first packing conveyor 35, 54 for prefolding blank 22, 23; and a second packing conveyor 46, 69 for completing the folding of blank 22, 23. That is, on the first packing conveyor 35, 54, blank 22, 23 can be prefolded relatively easily to form lid 11; and, once lid 11 is formed, folding blank 22, 23 may be completed 'conventionally' (i.e. in the same way as a standard blank) with no particular complications.
- the flexibility of packing machine 30 is such as to enable it to easily produce both the hinged-lid, slide-open packet 1 of cigarettes in Figures 1-5 , in which lid 11 is hinged to outer container 4 (and therefore 'integral' with outer blank 23), and the hinged-lid, slide-open packet 1 of cigarettes in Figures 24 and 25 , in which lid 11 is hinged to inner container 3 (and therefore 'integral' with inner blank 22).
- the main alteration to packing machine 30, to switch production over from the Figure 1-5 to the Figure 24-25 packet 1 of cigarettes consists in forming lid 11 on packing conveyor 35 of packing unit 32 as opposed to packing conveyor 54 of packing unit 33. And since both packing conveyors 35 and 54 have the same identical basic structure, this alteration can be made without seriously affecting packing machine 30.
- the parts of the Figure 24-25 packet 1 of cigarettes are indicated using the same reference numbers as for packet 1 of cigarettes in Figures 1-5 :
- the Figure 24-25 packet 1 of cigarettes comprises a wrapped group 2 of cigarettes (shown in Figure 24 ); a rigid inner container 3 actually housing wrapped group 2; and a rigid outer container 4 housing inner container 3 in sliding manner.
- Inner container 3 is parallelepiped-shaped, and comprises a bottom wall 5 (not shown in Figures 24 and 25 ); an open top end 6 opposite bottom wall 5; a front wall 7 and rear wall 8 opposite and parallel to each other; and two parallel lateral walls 9 interposed between walls 7 and 8.
- Inner container 3 has a lid 11 hinged to inner container 3 along a hinge 12 to rotate, with respect to inner container 3, between an open position and a closed position opening and closing open top end 6 of inner container 3 respectively.
- Lid 11 has a top wall 17, a rear wall 82, and two lateral walls 19. It is important to note that lid 11 is a 'box' lid, i.e. has walls 17, 19 and 82 perpendicular to one another to form a 'box-shape' lid 11, i.e. to bound a three-dimensional inner space.
- Outer container 4 is parallelepiped-shaped, and has an open top end 10 through which inner container 3 moves; a bottom wall 13 opposite open top end 10; a front wall 14 and rear wall 15 opposite and parallel to each other; and two parallel lateral walls 16 interposed between walls 14 and 15.
- Rear wall 15 of outer container 4 is connected to top wall 17 of lid 11 by a connecting tab 20 to rotate lid 11 'automatically' (i.e. without the user having to touch lid 11) as inner container 3 slides with respect to outer container 4.
- Front wall 14 of outer container 4 has a through window 21 allowing access to underlying front wall 7 of inner container 3 facing front wall 14 of outer container 4, to exert thrust on inner container 3 to move it between the open and closed configurations.
- Containers 3 and 4 of the Figure 24-25 packet 1 of cigarettes are formed from corresponding blanks 22 and 23 as shown in Figures 26 and 27 .
- each blank 22, 23 comprises a number of parts, which are indicated, where possible, using the same reference numbers, with superscripts, as for the corresponding walls of respective container 3, 4.
- inner blank 22 has two longitudinal fold lines 24, and a number of transverse fold lines 25 which define, between the two longitudinal fold lines 24, a panel 7' forming front wall 7 of inner container 3; a panel 5' forming bottom wall 5 of inner container 3; a panel 8' forming rear wall 8 of inner container 3; a panel 82' forming an outer portion of rear wall 82 of lid 11; a panel 17' forming an outer portion of top wall 17 of lid 11; a panel 17" forming an inner portion of top wall 17 of lid 11; a panel 82" forming an inner portion of rear wall 82 of lid 11; and a reinforcing panel 8", which is superimposed and glued onto the inside of panel 8' to thicken (reinforce) rear wall 8 of inner container 3.
- Panel 7' has two lateral wings 9', which form respective outer portions of lateral walls 9 of inner container 3, are located on opposite sides of panel 7', and are separated from panel 7' by longitudinal fold lines 24.
- Panel 8' has two lateral wings 9", which are glued to corresponding wings 9', form respective inner portions of lateral walls 9 of inner container 3, are located on opposite sides of panel 8', and are separated from panel 8' by longitudinal fold lines 24.
- Each lateral wing 9" of panel 8' has a tab 26 separated from respective lateral wing 9" by a transverse fold line 25, and which is superimposed and glued onto the inside of panel 5'.
- Panel 82' has two lateral wings 19', which form lateral walls 19 of lid 11, are located on opposite sides of panel 82', and are separated from panel 82' by longitudinal fold lines 24.
- Each lateral wing 19' of panel 82' has a tab 83 separated from respective lateral wing 19' by a transverse fold line 25, and which is superimposed and glued onto the inside of panel 17'.
- Panel 8" has two lateral wings 84, which are superimposed and glued onto the inside of corresponding wings 9", are located on opposite sides of panel 8", and are separated from panel 8" by longitudinal fold lines 24.
- outer blank 23 has two longitudinal fold lines 27, and a number of transverse fold lines 28 which define, between the two longitudinal fold lines 27, a panel 14' forming front wall 14 of outer container 4; a panel 13' forming bottom wall 13 of outer container 4; and a panel 15' forming rear wall 15 of outer container 4.
- Panel 15' is connected along a transverse fold line 28 to a reinforcing panel 15", which is folded 180° about respective transverse fold line 28 and glued onto an inner surface of panel 15' to thicken (reinforce) rear wall 15 of outer container 4.
- Panel 14' has two lateral wings 16', which form respective outer portions of lateral walls 16, are located on opposite sides of panel 14', and are separated from panel 14' by longitudinal fold lines 27.
- Panel 15' has two lateral wings 16", which are glued to corresponding wings 16', form respective inner portions of lateral walls 16, are located on opposite sides of panel 15', and are separated from panel 15' by longitudinal fold lines 27.
- Each lateral wing 16" of panel 15' has a tab 29 separated from respective lateral wing 16' by a transverse fold line 28.
- the two tabs 83 are folded 90° about corresponding transverse fold lines 25 and with respect to wings 19'; and the two wings 19' (together with the previously folded tabs 83) are folded 90° about corresponding longitudinal fold lines 24 and with respect to panel 82'.
- glue 85 is deposited on panel 17"
- glue 86 is deposited on panel 17'.
- Panel 17' (together with panels 17", 82" and 8") is then folded 90° about corresponding transverse fold line 25 and with respect to panel 82', so as to bring panel 17' into contact with, and glue it to, tabs 83 by means of glue 86.
- panel 17" is brought into contact with, and glued to, tabs 83 by means of glue 85;
- panel 82" is brought into contact with, and glued to, panel 82' by means of glue 88;
- panel 8" is brought into contact with, and glued to, panel 8' by means of glue 89; and
- wings 84 are brought into contact with, and glued to, wings 9" by means of glue 87.
- tabs 83 are inserted between panels 17' and 17", and are glued to the topside of panel 17' by glue 86, and to the underside of panel 17" by glue 85.
- Figures 30 and 31 show a variation in the way in which inner blank 22 is prefolded on packing unit 32, as blank 22 is fed by packing conveyor 35 along packing path P1, and which differs solely by first folding the two wings 19' (together with tabs 83 not yet folded) 90° about corresponding longitudinal fold lines 24 and with respect to panel 82', and then folding the two tabs 83 ninety degrees about corresponding transverse fold lines 25 and with respect to wings 19' (folded previously). In other words, the only difference lies in the order in which wings 19' and corresponding tabs 83 are folded.
- inner blank 22 is prefolded on packing unit 32, as blank 22 is fed by packing conveyor 35 along packing path P1 (i.e. once lid 11 on inner blank 22 is formed), the prefolded inner blank 22 is fed, as described above, to packing conveyor 46 where it is folded about wrapped group 2 of cigarettes, i.e. to complete inner container 3, in exactly the same way as described with reference to Figure 13 .
- Outer blank 23 in Figure 27 is much easier to fold than outer blank 23 in Figure 7 : prefolding the Figure 27 outer blank 23 along packing path P3 comprises simply folding reinforcing panel 15" 180° onto panel 15', and the prefolded outer blank 23 is folded about inner container 3 in exactly the same way as described with reference to Figures 18 and 19 .
- the packing method and corresponding packing machine 30 described above have numerous advantages, by enabling high-output production of hinged-lid, slide-open packets 1 of cigarettes (i.e. a large number of packets 1 of cigarettes per unit of time) while still maintaining a high quality standard.
- This is achieved by virtue of the design of packing unit 33, which, by completing the box walls 18 and 19 of lid 11 on packing conveyor 54 (i.e. before applying outer blank 23 to inner container 3), enables box walls 18 and 19 to be formed easily and effectively, while at the same time making outer blank 23 much easier to fold about inner container 3.
- box walls 18 and 19 of lid 11 are easier (and therefore faster) to form along a straight packing path (such as packing path P3 of packing conveyor 54), whereas outer blank 23 is easier (and therefore faster) to fold about inner container 3 along a circular packing path (such as packing path P4 of packing conveyor 69).
- packing unit 33 all the folding operations are therefore performed in the most favourable conditions, and therefore faster (thus ensuring a high output rate of the packing process), while still maintaining a high quality standard.
- packing unit 33 for forming lid 11 of the Figure 1-5 packet 1 of cigarettes obviously also applies to packing unit 32 for forming lid 11 of the packet 1 of cigarettes in Figures 24 and 25 .
- pressure devices 41, 45, 60, 64 and 68 which, directly downstream from the point at which the corresponding portions of blanks 22 and 23 are superimposed, hold the superimposed portions together to ensure they are glued firmly, even at high packing cycle speeds (i.e. high packing output rates). Without pressure devices 41, 45, 60, 64 and 68, corresponding folding devices 40, 44, 59, 63 and 67 would have to be slowed down to give the corresponding superimposed portions more time to achieve adequate grip, thus seriously reducing the output rate of the packing process.
- the packing method and corresponding packing machine 30 described are extremely 'flexible', i.e. provide for switching quickly and easily from one type of slide-open packet 1 of cigarettes to another (e.g. from the Figure 1-5 to the Figure 24-25 packet 1 of cigarettes).
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Wrapping Of Specific Fragile Articles (AREA)
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- Perforating, Stamping-Out Or Severing By Means Other Than Cutting (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to a packing machine and method for producing a slide-open package of smoking articles.
- In the following description, reference is made, for the sake of simplicity and purely by way of example, to a slide-open packet of cigarettes with a hinged box lid.
- Rigid, hinged-lid packets of cigarettes are currently the most widely marketed, by being easy to produce and easy and practical to use, and by effectively protecting the cigarettes inside.
- In addition to the above rigid, hinged-lid packets of cigarettes, rigid slide-open packets have been proposed comprising two separable containers, one inserted inside the other. In other words, a rigid, slide-open packet of cigarettes comprises an inner container, which houses a foil-wrapped group of cigarettes and is housed inside an outer container to slide, with respect to the outer container, between a closed configuration, in which the inner container is inserted inside the outer container, and an open configuration, in which the inner container is partly expelled from the outer container.
- A rigid, hinged-lid, slide-open packet of cigarettes has also been proposed in which the inner container (or outer container) has a hinged lid, which rotates between a closed position and an open position closing and opening an open top end of the inner container. The lid has a connecting tab connected at one end to the lid, and at the other end to the outer container (or inner container), to 'automatically' rotate the lid (i.e. without the user having to touch the lid) as the inner container slides with respect to the outer container.
- One example of a hinged-lid, slide-open packet of cigarettes is described in Patent Application
EP2325093A1 , in which the lid has front and lateral 'box' walls so as to fit in airtight manner inside the open top end of the inner container. - Currently used methods of producing hinged-lid, slide-open packets of cigarettes do not permit high output levels (i.e. the number of packets of cigarettes produced per unit of time), especially if a high quality standard is to be maintained. As a result, known packing machines for producing hinged-lid, slide-open packets of cigarettes are extremely slow-operating and only suitable for producing limited special series lots.
- Moreover, but no less important, known packing machines for producing hinged-lid, slide-open packets of cigarettes are not very 'flexible', i.e. are difficult to modify to switch from one to another type of slide-open packet of cigarettes (with or without a hinged lid).
- Patent Application
WO2009101120A1 describes a cigarette packing machine for producing rigid, hinged-lid, slide-open packets, and which comprises a first packing unit for folding an inner blank about a group of cigarettes to form an inner container with a hinged lid; and a second packing unit for folding an outer blank about the inner container to form an outer container which encloses and slides axially with respect to the inner container. The outer container has a transmission member, which has a first end integral with the lid; a second end opposite the first end and integral with the outer container; and a U-shaped fold between the inner container and the outer container. - It is an object of the present invention to provide a packing machine and method for producing a slide-open package of smoking articles, designed to eliminate the above drawbacks, and which are cheap and easy to implement.
- According to the present invention, there are provided a packing machine and method for producing a slide-open package of smoking articles, as claimed in the accompanying Claims.
- A number of non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
-
Figure 1 shows a front view in perspective of a rigid, hinged-lid, slide-open packet of cigarettes in a closed configuration; -
Figure 2 shows a front view in perspective of theFigure 1 packet of cigarettes in an open configuration; -
Figure 3 shows a top plan view of theFigure 1 packet of cigarettes in an open configuration; -
Figure 4 shows a front view in perspective of an outer container of theFigure 1 packet of cigarettes; -
Figure 5 shows a front view in perspective of an inner container of theFigure 1 packet of cigarettes without the group of cigarettes and with a connecting tab; -
Figure 6 shows a plan view of an inner blank from which to form an inner container of theFigure 1 packet of cigarettes; -
Figure 7 shows a plan view of an outer blank from which to form an outer container of theFigure 1 packet of cigarettes; -
Figure 8 shows a schematic in perspective of a packing machine, in accordance with the present invention, for producing theFigure 1 packet of cigarettes; -
Figure 9 shows a schematic in perspective of a first packing unit of theFigure 8 packing machine; -
Figure 10 shows a larger-scale detail ofFigure 9 , and a first packing conveyor of the first packing unit inFigure 9 ; -
Figure 11 shows a plan view of aFigure 6 inner blank prefolding sequence shown inFigure 10 ; -
Figure 12 shows a view in perspective of a belt conveyor of the first packing conveyor inFigure 10 ; -
Figure 13 shows a larger-scale detail ofFigure 9 , and a second packing conveyor of the first packing unit inFigure 9 ; -
Figure 14 shows a schematic view in perspective of aFigure 7 outer blank prefolding sequence on a second packing unit of theFigure 8 packing machine; -
Figure 15 shows a larger-scale detail ofFigure 14 showing theFigure 7 outer blank prefolding sequence; -
Figure 16 shows a plan view of aFigure 7 outer blank prefolding sequence shown inFigure 15 ; -
Figure 17 shows a view in perspective of a first packing conveyor of the second packing unit inFigure 14 ; -
Figure 18 shows a larger-scale detail ofFigure 14 showing a finalFigure 7 outer blank folding sequence; -
Figure 19 shows a larger-scale detail ofFigure 14 and a second packing conveyor of the second packing unit inFigure 14 ; -
Figures 20 and 21 show two larger-scale views in perspective of one step in the finalFigure 7 outer blank folding sequence inFigure 18 ; -
Figures 22 and23 show two schematic side views corresponding to the perspective views inFigures 20 and 21 respectively; -
Figure 24 shows a front view in perspective, and in an open configuration, of a different type of rigid, hinged-lid, slide-open packet of cigarettes producible on theFigure 8 packing machine; -
Figure 25 shows a rear view in perspective of theFigure 24 packet of cigarettes in an open configuration; -
Figure 26 shows a plan view of an inner blank from which to form an inner container of theFigure 24 packet of cigarettes; -
Figure 27 shows a plan view of an outer blank from which to form an outer container of theFigure 24 packet of cigarettes; -
Figure 28 shows a schematic view in perspective of aFigure 26 inner blank prefolding sequence on a first packing unit of theFigure 8 packing machine; -
Figure 29 shows a plan view of theFigure 26 inner blank prefolding sequence shown inFigure 28 ; -
Figure 30 shows a schematic view in perspective of a variation of theFigure 26 inner blank prefolding sequence on a first packing unit of theFigure 8 packing machine; -
Figure 31 shows a plan view of theFigure 26 inner blank prefolding sequence shown inFigure 30 . -
Number 1 inFigures 1 and 2 indicates as a whole a rigid, slide-open packet of cigarettes, which opens in a translatory (linear) movement. - The
Figure 1 packet 1 of cigarettes comprises a wrapped, i.e. foil-wrappedgroup 2 of cigarettes (shown inFigure 2 ).Packet 1 of cigarettes also comprises a rigidinner container 3 actually containing thewrapped group 2 of cigarettes; and a rigidouter container 4, which housesinner container 3 to allowinner container 3 to slide in a translatory movement, with respect toouter container 4, between a closed configuration (Figure 1 ), in whichinner container 3 is inserted fully insideouter container 4, and an open configuration (Figure 2 ), in whichinner container 3 is expelled partly fromouter container 4 to allow access to wrappedgroup 2 of cigarettes. - As shown in
Figure 5 ,inner container 3 is parallelepiped-shaped, and comprises abottom wall 5; anopen top end 6opposite bottom wall 5; afront wall 7 andrear wall 8 opposite and parallel to each other; and two parallellateral walls 9 interposed betweenwalls - As shown in
Figure 4 ,outer container 4 has anopen top end 10; and alid 11 hinged toouter container 4 along ahinge 12 to rotate, with respect toouter container 4, between an open position (Figures 2 ,3 and4 ) and a closed position (Figure 1 ) respectively opening and closing opentop end 10 ofouter container 4 and, at the same time, also opentop end 6 ofinner container 3.Outer container 4 is parallelepiped-shaped, and comprises abottom wall 13 oppositeopen top end 10; afront wall 14 andrear wall 15 opposite and parallel to each other; and two parallellateral walls 16 interposed betweenwalls -
Lid 11 comprises atop wall 17 which, when the lid is closed, closes opentop end 10 of outer container 4 (and, at the same time, opentop end 6 of inner container 3); afront wall 18; and twolateral walls 19.Top wall 17 oflid 11 is 'flat' (i.e. is formed from one cardboard panel or a number of compacted cardboard panels, and is therefore solid); whereaswalls lid 11 are 'box' walls (i.e. are made of two cardboard panels spaced apart, and are therefore hollow) with a triangular cross section. Whenlid 11 is closed,walls lid 11 fit inside opentop end 10 ofouter container 4 so thattop wall 17 oflid 11 is flush with the top edges ofwalls outer container 4. It is important to note thatlid 11 is a 'box' lid, i.e. compriseswalls lid 11. - In a preferred embodiment,
rear wall 8 ofinner container 3 is connected totop wall 17 oflid 11 by a connectingtab 20 to rotate lid 11 'automatically' (i.e. without the user having to touch lid 11) asinner container 3 slides with respect toouter container 4. In other words, by means of connectingtab 20 connectingtop wall 17 oflid 11 mechanically torear wall 8 ofinner container 3,inner container 3, as it slides with respect toouter container 4 from the closed to the open configuration, pusheslid 11 from the closed to the open position 'automatically' (i.e. without the user having to touch lid 11); and similarly, asinner container 3 slides with respect toouter container 4 from the open to the closed configuration,lid 11 is drawn byinner container 3 from the open to the closed position 'automatically' (i.e. without the user having to touch lid 11). The user therefore need simply exert sufficient thrust to slideinner container 3 with respect toouter container 4, without having to touchlid 11, which is rotated 'automatically'. Preferably, connectingtab 20 is connected seamlessly tolid 11, and is glued torear wall 8 ofinner container 3. - As shown in
Figures 1, 2 and4 ,front wall 14 ofouter container 4 has a throughwindow 21 allowing access to underlyingfront wall 7 ofinner container 3 facingfront wall 14 ofouter container 4, to exert thrust oninner container 3 to move it between the closed and open configurations. In other words, to usepacket 1 of cigarettes, the user holdsouter container 4 with one hand and, with the thumb of the same hand, pushes onfront wall 7 ofinner container 3 throughwindow 21 infront wall 14 ofouter container 4, to exert thrust oninner container 3 and slide it with respect toouter container 4. -
Containers Figure 1-5 packet 1 of cigarettes are formed from correspondingblanks Figures 6 and7 . Among other things, each blank 22, 23 comprises a number of parts, which are indicated, where possible, using the same reference numbers, with superscripts, as for the corresponding walls ofrespective container - With reference to
Figure 6 , inner blank 22 has twolongitudinal fold lines 24, and a number oftransverse fold lines 25 which define, between the twolongitudinal fold lines 24, a panel 7' formingfront wall 7 ofinner container 3; a panel 5' formingbottom wall 5 ofinner container 3; and a panel 8' formingrear wall 8 ofinner container 3. Panel 7' is connected along atransverse fold line 25 to a reinforcingpanel 7", in turn connected along atransverse fold line 25 to a further reinforcingpanel 7"'. Reinforcingpanels 7" and 7"' are folded 180° about respectivetransverse fold lines 25 and glued onto an inner surface of panel 7' to thicken (reinforce)front wall 7. A different embodiment, not shown, has no reinforcingpanels 7" and 7"'. Panel 8' is connected along atransverse fold line 25 to a reinforcingpanel 8", in turn connected along atransverse fold line 25 to a further reinforcingpanel 8"'. Reinforcingpanels 8" and 8"' are folded 180° about respectivetransverse fold lines 25 and glued onto an inner surface of panel 8' to thicken (reinforce)rear wall 8. A different embodiment, not shown, has no reinforcingpanels 8" and 8"'. - Panel 7' has two lateral wings 9', which form respective outer portions of
lateral walls 9, are located on opposite sides of panel 7', and are separated from panel 7' by longitudinal fold lines 24. Panel 8' has twolateral wings 9", which are glued to corresponding wings 9', form respective inner portions oflateral walls 9, are located on opposite sides of panel 8', and are separated from panel 8' by longitudinal fold lines 24. Eachlateral wing 9" of panel 8' has atab 26 separated from respectivelateral wing 9" by atransverse fold line 25. - With reference to
Figure 7 , outer blank 23 has twolongitudinal fold lines 27, and a number oftransverse fold lines 28 which define, between the twolongitudinal fold lines 27, a panel 17' formingtop wall 17 oflid 11; a panel 15' formingrear wall 15 ofouter container 4; a panel 13' formingbottom wall 13 ofouter container 4; and a panel 14' formingfront wall 14 ofouter container 4. Panel 14' is connected along atransverse fold line 28 to a reinforcingpanel 14", which is folded 180° about respectivetransverse fold line 28 and glued onto an inner surface of panel 14' to thicken (reinforce)front wall 14 ofouter container 4. A different embodiment, not shown, has no reinforcingpanel 14". - Panel 17' is connected along a
transverse fold line 28 to a panel 18', in turn connected along atransverse fold line 28 to apanel 18";panels 18' and 18"form front wall 18 oflid 11, and more specifically the outer portion and inner portion respectively offront wall 18.Panel 18" is connected along atransverse fold line 28 to connectingtab 20, which comprises fourpanels 20', 20", 20"' and 20"" separated by respective transverse fold lines 28. Panel 20' of connectingtab 20 is glued to an inner surface oftop wall 17 of lid 11 (i.e. to an inner surface of panel 17'), andpanel 20"' of connectingtab 20 is glued to an outer surface ofrear wall 8 of inner container 3 (after being folded 180° and glued ontopanel 20""). - Panel 14' has two lateral wings 16', which form respective outer portions of
lateral walls 16, are located on opposite sides of panel 14', and are separated from panel 14' by longitudinal fold lines 27. Panel 15' has twolateral wings 16", which are glued to corresponding wings 16', form respective inner portions oflateral walls 16, are located on opposite sides of panel 15', and are separated from panel 15' by longitudinal fold lines 27. Eachlateral wing 16" of panel 15' has atab 29 separated from respectivelateral wing 16" by atransverse fold line 28. - Panel 17' has two lateral appendixes, which are located on opposite sides of panel 17', are separated from panel 17' by
longitudinal fold lines 27, compriserespective wings 19', 19", 19"' separated by further longitudinal fold lines, and formlateral walls 19 oflid 11. Each lateral appendix of panel 17' has twowings 19', 19", which form the outer portion and inner portion respectively of alateral wall 19; and awing 19"', which is glued to an inner surface oftop wall 17 oflid 11, with the interposition of panel 20' of connecting tab 20 (i.e. panel 20' is glued directly to the inner surface of panel 17', andwings 19"' are glued to panel 20'). - Through
window 21 in panel 14' is surrounded by four reinforcing tabs 21' connected to panel 14' along respective fold lines along the perimeter ofwindow 21. Reinforcing tabs 21' are folded 180° about the corresponding fold lines and glued onto an inner surface of panel 14' to thicken (reinforce)front wall 14 ofouter container 4. A different embodiment, not shown, has no reinforcing tabs 21'. -
Figure 8 shows a schematic of acigarette packing machine 30 for producingpackets 1 of cigarettes.Packing machine 30 comprises, in succession, apacking unit 31 for forming wrappedgroups 2 of cigarettes; apacking unit 32 for forminginner containers 3 by foldinginner blanks 22 about corresponding wrappedgroups 2 of cigarettes; apacking unit 33 for forming outer containers 4 (and so completingpackets 1 of cigarettes) by foldingouter blanks 23 about correspondinginner containers 3; and, finally, aprocessing unit 34, which receivespackets 1 of cigarettes from packingunit 33 and opens (i.e. slidesinner container 3 for the first time with respect toouter container 4, to partly expelinner container 3 and so rotatelid 11 into the open position) and closes eachpacket 1 of cigarettes. - Processing
unit 34 opens and closes eachpacket 1 of cigarettes to 'flex' the packing material (i.e. to break or at least partly loosen the mechanical bonds inside the packing material) along the hinge line, so that first-time opening ofpacket 1 of cigarettes by the end user is made easier (by not having to also exert the force required to 'flex' the packing material along the hinge line). - As shown in
Figure 9 , packingunit 32 comprises a packingconveyor 35 with a number of packing pockets 36 (Figure 12 ), each for housing an inner blank 22 and for feeding inner blank 22 along a packing path P1 extending between an input station S1 and an output station S2. Ahopper 37 at input station S1 houses a stack ofinner blanks 22, and feedsinner blanks 22 cyclically from a bottom outlet into packingpockets 36 on packingconveyor 35. More specifically, each inner blank 22 at the bottom outlet ofhopper 37 is withdrawn by a vertically-moving suction gripping head, and is fed into anunderlying packing pocket 36 of packingconveyor 35, arrested at input station S1 and aligned with the bottom outlet ofhopper 37. - It is important to note that packing
conveyor 35 conveys each inner blank 22 crosswise along the whole of packing path P1, i.e. withtransverse fold lines 25 parallel at all times to the travelling direction. In other words, packingconveyor 35 never changes the orientation of inner blank 22 with respect to the travelling direction, so inner blank 22 is positioned along the whole of packing path P1 with itstransverse fold lines 25 parallel to the travelling direction (and, therefore, withlongitudinal fold lines 24 perpendicular to the travelling direction). Maintaining the same orientation of inner blank 22 along the whole of packing path P1 simplifies both the folding process and the structure of packingconveyor 35. - As shown in
Figure 10 , packingconveyor 35 is equipped with a gummingdevice 38 located along packing path P1, downstream from input station S1, to deposit glue 39 (Figure 11 ) onpanel 7" andpanel 8" of each inner blank 22.Packing conveyor 35 is equipped with afolding device 40 located downstream from gummingdevice 38 along packing path P1, and which foldspanel 7"' with respect to and ontopanel 7" toglue panels 7" and 7"' together, and foldspanel 8"' with respect to and ontopanel 8" toglue panels 8" and 8"' together.Packing conveyor 35 is equipped with apressure device 41 located downstream from foldingdevice 40 along packing path P1, and which keepspanels 7" and 7"' pressed together to ensure they are glued firmly, and keepspanels 8" and 8"' pressed together to ensure they are glued firmly. -
Packing conveyor 35 is equipped with a gummingdevice 42 located along packing path P1, downstream frompressure device 41, to deposit glue 43 (Figure 11 ) onpanel 7"' andpanel 8"' of each inner blank 22.Packing conveyor 35 is equipped with afolding device 44 located downstream from gummingdevice 42 along packing path P1, and which folds thesuperimposed panels 7" and 7"' with respect to and onto panel 7' toglue panels 7', 7" and 7"' together, and folds thesuperimposed panels 8" and 8"' with respect to and onto panel 8' toglue panels 8', 8" and 8"' together.Packing conveyor 35 is equipped with apressure device 45 located downstream from foldingdevice 44 along packing path P1, and which keepspanels 7', 7" and 7"' pressed together to ensure they are glued firmly, and keepspanels 8', 8" and 8"' pressed together to ensure they are glued firmly. - In a preferred embodiment shown in
Figure 12 , packingconveyor 35 is defined by a conveyor belt looped about two end pulleys and supporting a number of packing pockets 36, so packing path P1 is U-shaped and extends between input station S1 located along a straight initial portion of packing path P1, and output station S2 located along a straight end portion of packing path P1 connected to the straight initial portion by a semicircular intermediate portion. - As shown in
Figure 9 , packingunit 32 comprises a packingconveyor 46 with a number of packing pockets 47 (shown schematically inFigure 13 ), each for housing an inner blank 22 and a corresponding wrappedgroup 2 of cigarettes, and for feeding inner blank 22 and wrappedgroup 2 of cigarettes along a packing path P2 extending between an input station S3 and an output station S5. At input station S3, a partly prefolded inner blank 22 from packingconveyor 35 is fed into a packingpocket 47 to further fold inner blank 22. At a feed station S4 between input station S3 and output station S5, a wrappedgroup 2 of cigarettes is fed into a packingpocket 47 and onto a previously inserted inner blank 22. More specifically, a rear wall of wrappedgroup 2 of cigarettes is positioned resting on panel 8' of inner blank 22. At output station S5, the inner container 3 (formed by folding inner blank 22 about wrappedgroup 2 of cigarettes) is expelled from packingpocket 47 and fed to packingunit 33. - As shown in
Figure 13 , at input station S3, afolding device 48folds tabs 26 of inner blank 22 ninety degrees (about corresponding transverse fold lines 25) with respect towings 9", and then, by inserting inner blank 22 inside packingpocket 47, folds panel 5' ninety degrees (about corresponding transverse fold line 25), and folds the twowings 9" ninety degrees (about corresponding longitudinal fold lines 24). In other words, aftertabs 26 are folded 90°, insertion of inner blank 22 inside packingpocket 47 folds panel 5' and the twowings 9" ninety degrees.
Between feed station S4 and output station S5, afolding device 49 folds panel 7' (onto whichpanels 7" and 7"' have already been folded and glued) 90° (about corresponding transverse fold line 25). Folding inner blank 22 is completed at output station S5 asinner container 3 is expelled from packing pocket 47 : asinner container 3 is expelled, afolding device 50 folds wings 9' ninety degrees (about corresponding longitudinal fold lines 24) ontowings 9" to formlateral walls 9 ofinner container 3. A gumming device (not shown) is preferably provided directly upstream from foldingdevice 50 to deposit glue betweenwings 9' and 9" just before wings 9' are folded. - In a preferred embodiment shown in the attached drawings, packing
conveyor 46 is defined by a wheel which rotates in steps about a central horizontal axis ofrotation 51, so packing path P2 extending from input station S3 to output station S5 is circular. - As shown in
Figure 9 , packingunit 32 comprises atransfer conveyor 52, which transfers the prefoldedinner blanks 22 from output station S2 of packingconveyor 35 to input station S3 of packingconveyor 46. A gumming device 53 alongtransfer conveyor 52 and upstream from input station S3 of packingconveyor 46 deposits glue betweentabs 26 and panel 5' of inner blank 22. - In a preferred embodiment,
hopper 37 feeds one inner blank 22 at a time to packingconveyor 35 at input station S1 along packing path P1, and transferconveyor 52 transfers twoinner blanks 22 at a time from packingconveyor 35 to packingconveyor 46, which in this embodiment handles twoinner blanks 22 at a time at each step. In an alternative embodiment not shown,hopper 37 feeds twoinner blanks 22 at a time to packingconveyor 35 at input station S1 along packing path P1. - As shown in
Figures 14 and17 , packingunit 33 comprises a packingconveyor 54 with a number of packing pockets 55, each for housing an outer blank 23, and for feeding outer blank 23 along a packing path P3 extending between an input station S6 and an output station S7. At input station S6, ahopper 56 houses a stack ofouter blanks 23, and feedsouter blanks 23 cyclically from a bottom outlet into packingpockets 55 on packingconveyor 54. More specifically, each outer blank 23 at the bottom outlet ofhopper 56 is withdrawn by a vertically-moving suction gripping head, and is fed into anunderlying packing pocket 55 of packingconveyor 54, arrested at input station S6 and aligned with the bottom outlet. - It is important to note that packing
conveyor 54 conveys each outer blank 23 crosswise along the whole of packing path P3, as shown inFigure 15 , i.e. withtransverse fold lines 28 parallel at all times to the travelling direction. In other words, packingconveyor 54 never changes the orientation of outer blank 23 with respect to the travelling direction, so outer blank 23 is positioned along the whole of packing path P3 with itstransverse fold lines 28 parallel to the travelling direction (and, therefore, withlongitudinal fold lines 27 perpendicular to the travelling direction). Maintaining the same orientation of outer blank 23 along the whole of packing path P3 simplifies both the folding process and the structure of packingconveyor 54. - As shown in
Figure 17 , packingconveyor 54 is equipped with a gummingdevice 57 located along packing path P3, downstream from input station S6, to deposit glue 58 (Figure 16 ) onpanel 20"' and panel 14' of each outer blank 23.Packing conveyor 54 is equipped with afolding device 59 located downstream from gummingdevice 57 along packing path P3, and which foldspanel 20"" with respect to and ontopanel 20"' toglue panels 20"' and 20"" together, foldspanel 14" with respect to and onto panel 14' toglue panels 14" and 14' together, and folds reinforcing tabs 21' with respect to and onto panel 14' to glue reinforcing tabs 21' to panel 14'.Packing conveyor 54 is equipped with apressure device 60 located downstream from foldingdevice 59 along packing path P3, and which keepspanels 20"' and 20"" pressed together to ensure they are glued firmly, keepspanels 14" and 14' pressed together to ensure they are glued firmly, and keeps reinforcing tabs 21' and panel 14' pressed together to ensure reinforcing tabs 21' are glued firmly to panel 14'. -
Packing conveyor 54 is equipped with a gummingdevice 61 located along packing path P3, downstream frompressure device 60, to deposit glue 62 (Figure 16 ) on panel 17' of each outer blank 23.Packing conveyor 54 is equipped with a folding device 63 located downstream from gummingdevice 61 along packing path P3, and which foldspanels 20', 20", 20"' and 20"" (the latter two superimposed and glued to each other) so thatpanels 20"' and 20"" (superimposed and glued to each other) rest on panel 15' to formfront wall 18 oflid 11. More specifically, folding device 63 simultaneously folds panel 18' with respect to panel 17',panel 18" with respect to panel 18', and panel 20' with respect topanel 18" so as to bring panel 20' into contact with and glue it to panel 17' (by means of glue 62) and at the same time formfront box wall 18 oflid 11, with panel 18' andpanel 18" inclined with respect to each other.Packing conveyor 54 is equipped with a pressure device 64 located downstream from folding device 63 along packing path P3, and which keeps panels 20' and 17' pressed together to ensure they are glued firmly. In a preferred embodiment, folding device 63 comprises a contrasting body about whichpanels 18' and 18" are folded to formfront wall 18 oflid 11, as described in detail in Patent ApplicationBO2011A000426 -
Packing conveyor 54 is equipped with a gummingdevice 65 located along packing path P3, downstream from pressure device 64, to deposit glue 66 (Figure 16 ) on panel 20' (already folded and glued onto panel 17') of each outer blank 23.Packing conveyor 54 is equipped with afolding device 67 located downstream from gummingdevice 65 along packing path P3, and which, on each lateral appendix of panel 17', simultaneously folds wing 19' with respect to panel 17',wing 19" with respect to wing 19', andwing 19"' with respect towing 19", so as to bringwing 19"' into contact with panel 20' and at the same time formlateral box wall 19 oflid 11, with wing 19' andwing 19" inclined with respect to each other.Packing conveyor 54 is equipped with apressure device 68 located downstream from foldingdevice 67 along packing path P3, and which keepswings 19"' and panel 20' (already folded and glued onto panel 17') pressed together to ensure they are glued firmly.Folding device 67 is located at the end of a straight portion of packing path P3; andpressure device 68 is located along a curved portion, and comprises grippers mounted to rotate and accompany each outer blank 23 along an arc of the curved portion of packing path P3. In a preferred embodiment,folding device 67 comprises two contrasting bodies about whichwings 19' and 19" are folded to formlateral walls 19 oflid 11, as described in detail in Patent ApplicationBO2011A000426 - In a preferred embodiment shown in
Figure 17 , packingconveyor 54 is defined by a conveyor belt looped about two end pulleys and supporting a number of packing pockets 55, so packing path P3 is U-shaped and extends between input station S6 located along a straight initial portion of packing path P3, and output station S7 located along a straight end portion of packing path P3 connected to the straight initial portion by a semicircular intermediate portion.Folding device 67 andpressure device 68 are located along this semicircular intermediate portion. - As shown in
Figures 18 and19 , packingunit 33 comprises a packingconveyor 69 with a number of packing pockets 70, each for housing an outer blank 23 and correspondinginner container 3, and for feeding outer blank 23 andinner container 3 along a packing path P4 extending between an input station S8 and an output station S10. At input station S8, a partly prefolded outer blank 23 from packingconveyor 54 is fed into a packingpocket 70 so as to further fold outer blank 23. At a feed station S9 between input station S8 and output station S10, aninner container 3 is fed into a packingpocket 70 and onto the previously inserted outer blank 23. More specifically,rear wall 8 ofinner container 3 is positioned resting on panel 15' of outer blank 23. At output station S10, outer container 4 (formed by folding outer blank 23 about inner container 3) is expelled from packingpocket 70 and fed to processingunit 34. - At input station S8, a
folding device 71folds tabs 29 of outer blank 23 ninety degrees (about corresponding transverse fold lines 28) with respect towings 16", and then, by inserting outer blank 23 inside packingpocket 70, folds panel 13' ninety degrees (about corresponding transverse fold line 28), and folds the twowings 16" ninety degrees (about correspondinglongitudinal fold lines 27, while panel 17' of outer blank 23 remains coplanar with panel 15'). In other words, aftertabs 29 are folded 90°, insertion of outer blank 23 inside packingpocket 70 folds panel 13' and the twowings 16" ninety degrees. - Between feed station S9 and output station S10, a
folding device 72 folds panel 17' of outer blank 23 (i.e. lid 11) 90° (about corresponding transverse fold line 28) with respect to panel 15', and at the same time slidesinner container 3 axially with respect to outer blank 23 (as explained more clearly below). Directly downstream from foldingdevice 72, afolding device 73 folds panel 14' ninety degrees (about corresponding transverse fold line 28). Folding outer blank 23 is completed at output station S10 asouter container 4 is expelled from packing pocket 70 : asouter container 4 is expelled, afolding device 74 folds wings 16' ninety degrees (about corresponding longitudinal fold lines 27) ontowings 16" to formlateral walls 16 ofouter container 4. A gumming device (not shown) is preferably provided directly upstream from foldingdevice 74 to deposit glue betweenwings 16' and 16" just before wings 16' are folded. - In a preferred embodiment shown in the attached drawings, packing
conveyor 69 is defined by a wheel which rotates in steps about a central horizontal axis ofrotation 75, so packing path P4 extending from input station S8 to output station S10 is circular. - As shown in
Figure 17 , packingunit 33 comprises atransfer conveyor 76, which transfers the prefoldedouter blanks 23 from output station S7 of packingconveyor 54 to input station S8 of packingconveyor 69.Transfer conveyor 76 is located beneath packingconveyor 69, and comprises two parallel conveyor belts spaced apart and supporting pairs of pockets, each of which carries an outer blank 23 from output station S7 of packingconveyor 54 to input station S8 of packingconveyor 69.Transfer conveyor 52 of packing unit 32 (only shown schematically inFigure 9 ) is preferably substantially the same astransfer conveyor 76 of packingunit 33 inFigure 17 . - Along
transfer conveyor 76 and upstream from input station S8 of packingconveyor 69, a gumming device 77 deposits glue betweentabs 29 and panel 13' of outer blank 23. Gumming device 77 alsodeposits glue 78 and glue 79 (Figure 16 ) ontopanel 20"' (previously superimposed and glued ontopanel 20"") of connectingtab 20 previously folded onto panel 15'.Glue 78 andglue 79 gluerear wall 8 ofinner container 3 to connecting tab 20 (i.e. topanel 20"' of connecting tab 20) asinner container 3 is fed onto panel 15' of outer blank 23 at feed station S9 of packingconveyor 69. - In a preferred embodiment,
hopper 56 feeds one outer blank 23 at a time to packingconveyor 54 at input station S6 along packing path P3, and transferconveyor 76 transfers twoouter blanks 23 at a time from packingconveyor 54 to packingconveyor 69, which in this embodiment handles twoouter blanks 23 at a time at each step. In an alternative embodiment not shown,hopper 56 feeds twoouter blanks 23 at a time to packingconveyor 54 at input station S6 along packing path P3. - As shown in
Figures 20, 21 ,22 and23 ,folding device 72 folds panel 17' of outer blank 23 (i.e. lid 11) 90° with respect to panel 15', and at the same time slidesinner container 3 axially with respect to outer blank 23 (the axial sliding movement ofinner container 3 with respect to outer blank 23 can be seen clearly by comparing the position ofinner container 3 inFigures 20 and22 , beforelid 11 is folded, and inFigures 21 and23 , afterlid 11 is folded). The axial sliding movement ofinner container 3 with respect to outer blank 23 aslid 11 is rotated abouthinge 12 is the result of inner container 3 (more specifically,rear wall 8 of inner container 3) being connected mechanically to lid 11 (more specifically, totop wall 17 of lid 11) by connectingtab 20. So rotation oflid 11 abouthinge 12 always results in a corresponding translatory movement ofinner container 3 according to the transmission ratio produced by the mechanics of connectingtab 20. - The sliding movement of
inner container 3 is necessary to also allow the 'box'lid 11 to fit back insideouter container 4 whenpacket 1 of cigarettes is in the closed configuration, as shown inFigure 1 . -
Folding device 72 is associated with anactuator 80, which rests onfront wall 7 ofinner container 3 and is movable in two perpendicular directions (more specifically, translates both perpendicular to and parallel tofront wall 7 of inner container 3).Actuator 80 comprises a suction head 81 (Figures 22 and23 ) in which suction can be turned on/off. When a packingpocket 70 containing an outer blank 23 and respectiveinner container 3reaches folding device 72,actuator 80 is moved towardsinner container 3 to contactfront wall 7 ofinner container 3. Onceactuator 80 is positioned contactingfront wall 7 ofinner container 3, suction is activated throughsuction head 81 to connectsuction head 81 mechanically (by suction) tofront wall 7 ofinner container 3. - Once suction is activated through
suction head 81,actuator 80 andfolding device 72 are moved together (as shown inFigures 22 and23 ) and in coordinated manner to foldlid 11 and simultaneously slideinner container 3 with respect to outer blank 23 : more specifically,actuator 80 is translated parallel tofront wall 7 ofinner container 3 to pushinner container 3 axially (by pushing onfront wall 7 of inner container 3), while foldingdevice 72 is rotated about its axis of rotation (coaxial withhinge 12 of lid 11) to rotatelid 11.Lid 11 ofouter container 4 being connected mechanically toinner container 3 by connectingtab 20, operation ofactuator 80 andfolding device 72 must be coordinated (i.e. translation ofactuator 80 must always correspond to rotation of foldingdevice 72 according to the transmission ratio produced by the mechanics of connecting tab 20) to prevent deformation and/or tearing. - It is important to note that, besides housing outer blank 23 and corresponding
inner container 3, each packingpocket 70 also clamps (retains) at least panel 15' of outer blank 23 mechanically, to prevent axial movement of panel 15' in the translation direction ofinner container 3 when foldinglid 11 ninety degrees. - As stated, gumming device 77
deposits glue 78 andglue 79 simultaneously ontopanel 20"' (previously superimposed and glued ontopanel 20"") of connectingtab 20 previously folded onto panel 15'.Glue 78 andglue 79 gluerear wall 8 ofinner container 3 to connecting tab 20 (i.e. topanel 20"' of connecting tab 20) asinner container 3 is fed onto panel 15' of outer blank 23 at feed station S9 of packingconveyor 69.Glue 78 is permanent, drying glue, i.e. a certain length of time after it is deposited, the volatile components ofglue 78 evaporate to form a permanent connection that can only be separated by irreparably tearing the connection apart; whereasglue 79 is non-dry, re-stick glue, i.e. even a long time after it is deposited, the characteristics ofglue 79 remain unchanged, allowing the glued parts to be separated and stuck back together repeatedly. Preferably, permanent, dryingglue 78 is a cold, vinyl-based glue. - In a preferred embodiment, non-dry,
re-stick glue 79 is deposited far from a hinge of connecting tab 20 (the hinge of connectingtab 20 is defined by thetransverse fold line 28separating panels 20" and 20"'), whereas permanent, dryingglue 78 is deposited close to the hinge of connectingtab 20, so that, as foldingdevice 72folds lid 11, non-dry,re-stick glue 79 is subjected to shear (i.e. greater) stress, while permanent, dryingglue 78 is subjected to tensile (i.e. less) stress. Because non-dry,re-stick glue 79 is capable of achieving maximum grip much faster (practically instantaneously), it is important that it be subjected to the greater stress; and, similarly, it is important that permanent, dryingglue 78 be subjected to less stress, by taking a relatively long time to achieve adequate grip. - In a preferred embodiment, the above combination of permanent, drying
glue 78 and non-dry,re-stick glue 79 is not limited to the particular case described, but may be used to advantage in any application involving gluing together two separate parts to form a package by folding a blank (i.e. a sheet of packing material) about a group of articles. By way of example, each ofglues blanks glues blanks re-stick glue 79 described, may be substituted for the portion of permanent, fast-dry glue. - It is important to note the similarity between packing
units 32 and 33 : both have the same structure comprising a first packing conveyor (packingconveyors 35 and 54) defined by a conveyor belt and for prefolding the blank; a second packing conveyor (packingconveyors 46 and 69) defined by a wheel and for folding the already partly folded blank about the content; and a transfer conveyor (transferconveyors 52 and 76) connecting the two packing conveyors. Moreover, the two second packing conveyors (packingconveyors 46 and 69) of packingunits units units 32 and 33 (more specifically, packingunits machine 30. - A major advantage of
cigarette packing machine 30 is its flexibility, i.e. its ability to adapt quickly and easily to the manufacture of different types of slide-open packets 1 of cigarettes (with or without hinged lids). This is due, among other things, to each packingunit first packing conveyor second packing conveyor first packing conveyor lid 11; and, oncelid 11 is formed, folding blank 22, 23 may be completed 'conventionally' (i.e. in the same way as a standard blank) with no particular complications. - The flexibility of packing
machine 30 is such as to enable it to easily produce both the hinged-lid, slide-open packet 1 of cigarettes inFigures 1-5 , in whichlid 11 is hinged to outer container 4 (and therefore 'integral' with outer blank 23), and the hinged-lid, slide-open packet 1 of cigarettes inFigures 24 and25 , in whichlid 11 is hinged to inner container 3 (and therefore 'integral' with inner blank 22). The main alteration to packingmachine 30, to switch production over from theFigure 1-5 to theFigure 24-25 packet 1 of cigarettes, consists in forminglid 11 on packingconveyor 35 of packingunit 32 as opposed to packingconveyor 54 of packingunit 33. And since both packingconveyors machine 30. - For the sake of simplicity, the parts of the
Figure 24-25 packet 1 of cigarettes are indicated using the same reference numbers as forpacket 1 of cigarettes inFigures 1-5 : theFigure 24-25 packet 1 of cigarettes comprises a wrappedgroup 2 of cigarettes (shown inFigure 24 ); a rigidinner container 3 actually housing wrappedgroup 2; and a rigidouter container 4 housinginner container 3 in sliding manner. -
Inner container 3 is parallelepiped-shaped, and comprises a bottom wall 5 (not shown inFigures 24 and25 ); an opentop end 6 oppositebottom wall 5; afront wall 7 andrear wall 8 opposite and parallel to each other; and two parallellateral walls 9 interposed betweenwalls Inner container 3 has alid 11 hinged toinner container 3 along ahinge 12 to rotate, with respect toinner container 3, between an open position and a closed position opening and closing opentop end 6 ofinner container 3 respectively.Lid 11 has atop wall 17, arear wall 82, and twolateral walls 19. It is important to note thatlid 11 is a 'box' lid, i.e. haswalls lid 11, i.e. to bound a three-dimensional inner space. -
Outer container 4 is parallelepiped-shaped, and has an opentop end 10 through whichinner container 3 moves; abottom wall 13 opposite opentop end 10; afront wall 14 andrear wall 15 opposite and parallel to each other; and two parallellateral walls 16 interposed betweenwalls -
Rear wall 15 ofouter container 4 is connected totop wall 17 oflid 11 by a connectingtab 20 to rotate lid 11 'automatically' (i.e. without the user having to touch lid 11) asinner container 3 slides with respect toouter container 4. -
Front wall 14 ofouter container 4 has a throughwindow 21 allowing access to underlyingfront wall 7 ofinner container 3 facingfront wall 14 ofouter container 4, to exert thrust oninner container 3 to move it between the open and closed configurations. -
Containers Figure 24-25 packet 1 of cigarettes are formed from correspondingblanks Figures 26 and27 . Among other things, each blank 22, 23 comprises a number of parts, which are indicated, where possible, using the same reference numbers, with superscripts, as for the corresponding walls ofrespective container - With reference to
Figure 26 , inner blank 22 has twolongitudinal fold lines 24, and a number oftransverse fold lines 25 which define, between the twolongitudinal fold lines 24, a panel 7' formingfront wall 7 ofinner container 3; a panel 5' formingbottom wall 5 ofinner container 3; a panel 8' formingrear wall 8 ofinner container 3; a panel 82' forming an outer portion ofrear wall 82 oflid 11; a panel 17' forming an outer portion oftop wall 17 oflid 11; apanel 17" forming an inner portion oftop wall 17 oflid 11; apanel 82" forming an inner portion ofrear wall 82 oflid 11; and a reinforcingpanel 8", which is superimposed and glued onto the inside of panel 8' to thicken (reinforce)rear wall 8 ofinner container 3. - Panel 7' has two lateral wings 9', which form respective outer portions of
lateral walls 9 ofinner container 3, are located on opposite sides of panel 7', and are separated from panel 7' by longitudinal fold lines 24. Panel 8' has twolateral wings 9", which are glued to corresponding wings 9', form respective inner portions oflateral walls 9 ofinner container 3, are located on opposite sides of panel 8', and are separated from panel 8' by longitudinal fold lines 24. Eachlateral wing 9" of panel 8' has atab 26 separated from respectivelateral wing 9" by atransverse fold line 25, and which is superimposed and glued onto the inside of panel 5'. - Panel 82' has two lateral wings 19', which form
lateral walls 19 oflid 11, are located on opposite sides of panel 82', and are separated from panel 82' by longitudinal fold lines 24. Each lateral wing 19' of panel 82' has atab 83 separated from respective lateral wing 19' by atransverse fold line 25, and which is superimposed and glued onto the inside of panel 17'. -
Panel 8" has twolateral wings 84, which are superimposed and glued onto the inside of correspondingwings 9", are located on opposite sides ofpanel 8", and are separated frompanel 8" by longitudinal fold lines 24. - With reference to
Figure 27 , outer blank 23 has twolongitudinal fold lines 27, and a number oftransverse fold lines 28 which define, between the twolongitudinal fold lines 27, a panel 14' formingfront wall 14 ofouter container 4; a panel 13' formingbottom wall 13 ofouter container 4; and a panel 15' formingrear wall 15 ofouter container 4. Panel 15' is connected along atransverse fold line 28 to a reinforcingpanel 15", which is folded 180° about respectivetransverse fold line 28 and glued onto an inner surface of panel 15' to thicken (reinforce)rear wall 15 ofouter container 4. - Panel 14' has two lateral wings 16', which form respective outer portions of
lateral walls 16, are located on opposite sides of panel 14', and are separated from panel 14' by longitudinal fold lines 27. Panel 15' has twolateral wings 16", which are glued to corresponding wings 16', form respective inner portions oflateral walls 16, are located on opposite sides of panel 15', and are separated from panel 15' by longitudinal fold lines 27. Eachlateral wing 16" of panel 15' has atab 29 separated from respective lateral wing 16' by atransverse fold line 28. - The way in which inner blank 22 is prefolded on packing
unit 32, as blank 22 is fed by packingconveyor 35 along packing path P1, will now be described with reference toFigures 28 and29 . - Firstly, the two
tabs 83 are folded 90° about correspondingtransverse fold lines 25 and with respect to wings 19'; and the two wings 19' (together with the previously folded tabs 83) are folded 90° about correspondinglongitudinal fold lines 24 and with respect to panel 82'. At this point,glue 85 is deposited onpanel 17", andglue 86 is deposited on panel 17'. Panel 17' (together withpanels 17", 82" and 8") is then folded 90° about correspondingtransverse fold line 25 and with respect to panel 82', so as to bring panel 17' into contact with, and glue it to,tabs 83 by means ofglue 86. - At this point,
glue 87 is deposited onwings 9",glue 88 is deposited on panel 82', andglue 89 is deposited on panel 8'. And, finally, in a single folding operation,panel 17" is folded 180° about correspondingtransverse fold line 25 and with respect to panel 17', and, at the same time,panel 82" is folded 90° about correspondingtransverse fold line 25 and with respect topanel 17". As a result,panel 17" is brought into contact with, and glued to,tabs 83 by means ofglue 85;panel 82" is brought into contact with, and glued to, panel 82' by means ofglue 88;panel 8" is brought into contact with, and glued to, panel 8' by means ofglue 89; andwings 84 are brought into contact with, and glued to,wings 9" by means ofglue 87. - It is important to note that
tabs 83 are inserted betweenpanels 17' and 17", and are glued to the topside of panel 17' byglue 86, and to the underside ofpanel 17" byglue 85. -
Figures 30 and31 show a variation in the way in which inner blank 22 is prefolded on packingunit 32, as blank 22 is fed by packingconveyor 35 along packing path P1, and which differs solely by first folding the two wings 19' (together withtabs 83 not yet folded) 90° about correspondinglongitudinal fold lines 24 and with respect to panel 82', and then folding the twotabs 83 ninety degrees about correspondingtransverse fold lines 25 and with respect to wings 19' (folded previously). In other words, the only difference lies in the order in which wings 19' andcorresponding tabs 83 are folded. - Once inner blank 22 is prefolded on packing
unit 32, as blank 22 is fed by packingconveyor 35 along packing path P1 (i.e. oncelid 11 on inner blank 22 is formed), the prefolded inner blank 22 is fed, as described above, to packingconveyor 46 where it is folded about wrappedgroup 2 of cigarettes, i.e. to completeinner container 3, in exactly the same way as described with reference toFigure 13 . - Outer blank 23 in
Figure 27 is much easier to fold than outer blank 23 inFigure 7 : prefolding theFigure 27 outer blank 23 along packing path P3 comprises simply folding reinforcingpanel 15" 180° onto panel 15', and the prefolded outer blank 23 is folded aboutinner container 3 in exactly the same way as described with reference toFigures 18 and19 . - The packing method and corresponding packing
machine 30 described above have numerous advantages, by enabling high-output production of hinged-lid, slide-open packets 1 of cigarettes (i.e. a large number ofpackets 1 of cigarettes per unit of time) while still maintaining a high quality standard. This is achieved by virtue of the design of packingunit 33, which, by completing thebox walls lid 11 on packing conveyor 54 (i.e. before applying outer blank 23 to inner container 3), enablesbox walls inner container 3. More specifically,box walls lid 11 are easier (and therefore faster) to form along a straight packing path (such as packing path P3 of packing conveyor 54), whereas outer blank 23 is easier (and therefore faster) to fold aboutinner container 3 along a circular packing path (such as packing path P4 of packing conveyor 69). By virtue of the design of packingunit 33, all the folding operations are therefore performed in the most favourable conditions, and therefore faster (thus ensuring a high output rate of the packing process), while still maintaining a high quality standard. - What is said above, relative to packing
unit 33 for forminglid 11 of theFigure 1-5 packet 1 of cigarettes, obviously also applies to packingunit 32 for forminglid 11 of thepacket 1 of cigarettes inFigures 24 and25 . - Also important to note is the effectiveness of
pressure devices blanks pressure devices folding devices - Last but not least, the packing method and corresponding packing
machine 30 described are extremely 'flexible', i.e. provide for switching quickly and easily from one type of slide-open packet 1 of cigarettes to another (e.g. from theFigure 1-5 to theFigure 24-25 packet 1 of cigarettes).
Claims (12)
- A packing machine (30) for producing a slide-open package (1) of smoking articles with a hinged box lid (11); the packing machine (30) comprising:a first packing unit (31) for producing a wrapped group (2) of smoking articles;a second packing unit (32) which, by folding an inner blank (22) around the wrapped group (2) of smoking articles, forms an inner container (3) housing the group (2) of smoking articles and having an open top end (6) allowing access to the smoking articles and closable by the hinged lid (11); anda third packing unit (33) which, by folding an outer blank (23) around the inner container (3), forms an outer container (4) in which the inner container (3) is housed slidably;wherein the second packing unit (32) or third packing unit (33) comprises :a first packing conveyor (35; 54) which receives a corresponding flat blank (22; 23) and feeds the blank (22; 23) along a first packing path (P1; P3);at least one first folding device (40, 44; 59, 63, 67) located along the first packing path (P1; P3) to pre-fold the blank (22; 23);a second packing conveyor (46; 69) which receives the blank (22; 23) folded partly along the first packing conveyor (35; 54), receives a corresponding content (2; 3), and feeds the blank (22; 23) and the content (2; 3) along a second packing path (P2; P4); andat least one second folding device (48, 49, 50; 71, 72, 73, 74) located along the second packing path (P2; P4), and which folds the blank (22; 23) about the content (2; 3) to form the container (3; 4);the packing machine (30) being characterized by comprising:a hopper (37; 56) which feeds one blank (22; 23) at a time to the first packing conveyor (35; 54) at an input station (S1; S6) of the first packing path (P1; P3); anda transfer conveyor (52; 76) which transfers two partly folded blanks (22; 23) at a time from the first packing conveyor (35; 54) to the second packing conveyor (46; 69), and is located between an output station (S2; S7) of the first packing path (P1; P3) and an input station (S3; S8) of the second packing path (P2; P4).
- A packing machine (30) according to Claim 1, wherein the second packing unit (32) or third packing unit (33) comprises at least one gumming device (57, 61, 65) located along the first packing path (P1; P3), upstream from the first folding device (40, 44; 59, 63, 67), to apply glue (58, 62, 66; 85, 86, 87, 88, 89) to the blank (22; 23).
- A packing machine (30) according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein:the blank (22; 23) has at least two longitudinal fold lines (24; 27); and a number of transverse fold lines (25; 28) perpendicular to the longitudinal fold lines (24; 27) and parallel to a hinge (12) of the hinged lid (11); andthe first packing conveyor (35; 54) feeds the blank (22; 23) crosswise at all times along the first packing path (P1; P3), i.e. with the transverse fold lines (25; 28) parallel to the travelling direction.
- A packing machine (30) according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein:the blank (22; 23) has at least two longitudinal fold lines (24; 27); and a number of transverse fold lines (25; 28) perpendicular to the longitudinal fold lines (24; 27) and parallel to a hinge (12) of the hinged lid (11); andthe first packing conveyor (35; 54) feeds the blank (22; 23) longitudinally at all times along the first packing path (P1; P3), i.e. with the longitudinal fold lines (24; 27) parallel to the travelling direction.
- A packing machine (30) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein:the first packing conveyor (35; 54) comprises a conveyor belt looped around two end pulleys and supporting a number of first packing pockets (36; 55); andthe first packing path (P1; P3) is U-shaped, and extends between an input station (S1; S6) located along a straight initial portion of the first packing path (P1; P3), and an output station (S2; S7) located along a straight end portion of the first packing path (P1; P3) connected to the straight initial portion by a semicircular intermediate portion.
- A packing machine (30) according to one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein:the second packing conveyor (46; 69) is defined by a rotary wheel supporting a number of second packing pockets (47; 70); andthe second packing path (P2; P4) is circular, and extends between an input station (S3; S8) and an output station (S5; S10).
- A packing machine (30) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, and comprising:an input station (S3; S8) of the second packing path (P2; P4), where the partly folded blank (22;23) is fed into a second packing pocket (47; 70) of the second packing conveyor (46; 69) to fold the blank (22; 23); anda feed station (S4; S9) of the second packing path (P2; P4), which is located downstream from the input station (S8), and in which the content (2; 3) is fed into the second packing pocket (47; 70) of the second packing conveyor (46; 69) and paired with the blank (22; 23).
- A packing machine (30) according to Claim 7, wherein, on entering the second packing pocket (46; 70), a first panel (5'; 13') of the blank (22; 23) forming a bottom wall (5; 13) of the container (3; 4) is folded 90°, and two wings (9"; 16") of the blank (22; 23) forming lateral walls (9; 16) of the container (3; 4) are folded 90°.
- A packing machine (30) according to Claim 8, wherein, on entering the second packing pocket (70), the inner container (3) is placed on a second panel (15') of the outer blank (23) forming a rear wall (15) of the outer container (4), while a third panel (17') of the outer blank (23) forming a top wall (17) of the lid (11) is coplanar with the second panel (15').
- A packing machine (30) according to Claim 9, wherein, downstream from the feed station (S9) of the second packing path (P4), the second folding device (71, 72, 73, 74) folds the third panel (17') of the outer blank (23) 90° with respect to the second panel (15'), to simultaneously slide the inner container (3) with respect to the blank (22; 23).
- A packing machine (30) according to Claim 10, and comprising an actuator (80), which contacts a wall (7) of the inner container (3) and, simultaneously and in coordination with folding the third panel (17') of the outer blank (23) 90°, exerts thrust on the inner container (3) to slide the inner container (3) with respect to the outer blank (23).
- A packing method for producing a slide-open package (1) of smoking articles with a hinged lid (11); the packing method comprising the steps of:producing a wrapped group (2) of smoking articles by means of a first packing unit (31);producing, by means of a second packing unit (32) and by folding an inner blank (22) around the wrapped group (2) of smoking articles, an inner container (3) housing the group (2) of smoking articles and having an open top end (6); andproducing, by means of a third packing unit (33) and by folding an outer blank (23) around the inner container (3), an outer container (4) in which the inner container (3) is housed slidably;wherein the step of producing the inner container (3) or the step of producing the outer container (4) comprises the further steps of:feeding a corresponding flat blank (22; 23) along a first packing path (P1; P3) by means of a first packing conveyor (35; 54);pre-folding the blank (22; 23) by means of at least one first folding device (40, 44; 59, 63, 67) located along the first packing path (P1; P3);transferring the partly folded blank (22; 23) from the first packing conveyor (35; 54) to a second packing conveyor (46; 69);transferring a corresponding content (2; 3) from the second packing unit (32) to the second packing conveyor (46; 69);feeding the blank (22; 23), together with the content (2; 3), along a second packing path (P2; P4) by means of the second packing conveyor (46; 69); andfolding the blank (22; 23) around the content (2; 3) to form the container (3; 4) by means of at least one second folding device (48, 49, 50; 71, 72, 73, 74) located along the second packing path (P2; P4);the packing method being characterized by comprising the further steps of :feeding one blank (22; 23) at a time to the first packing conveyor (35; 54) by means of a hopper (37; 56) at an input station (S1; S6) of the first packing path (P1; P3); andtransferring two partly folded blanks (22; 23) at a time from the first packing conveyor (35; 54) to the second packing conveyor (46; 69) by means of a transfer conveyor (52; 76) located between an output station (S2; S7) of the first packing path (P1; P3) and an input station (S3; S8) of the second packing path (P2; P4).
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
PL13152956T PL2620375T3 (en) | 2012-01-26 | 2013-01-28 | Packing machine for producing a slide-open package of smoking articles |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
IT000032A ITBO20120032A1 (en) | 2012-01-26 | 2012-01-26 | WRAPPING MACHINE AND WRAPPING METHOD TO PRODUCE A PACKAGE OF SLIDING SMOKE ITEMS. |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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EP2620375A1 true EP2620375A1 (en) | 2013-07-31 |
EP2620375B1 EP2620375B1 (en) | 2015-05-06 |
Family
ID=45992625
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP20130152956 Active EP2620375B1 (en) | 2012-01-26 | 2013-01-28 | Packing machine for producing a slide-open package of smoking articles |
Country Status (3)
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---|---|
EP (1) | EP2620375B1 (en) |
IT (2) | ITBO20120032A1 (en) |
PL (1) | PL2620375T3 (en) |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2019193015A1 (en) * | 2018-04-03 | 2019-10-10 | Focke & Co. (Gmbh & Co. Kg) | Package for products of the cigarette industry, and method for producing a package for products of the cigarette industry |
IT201900005956A1 (en) * | 2019-04-17 | 2020-10-17 | Gd Spa | Packing machine and wrapping method to produce rigid smoking items package |
IT202100002912A1 (en) * | 2021-02-10 | 2022-08-10 | Gd Spa | PACKAGING MACHINE AND WRAPPING METHOD TO PRODUCE A PACKAGE OF RIGID SMOKING ITEMS WITH A SEALED INTERNAL WRAPPING |
IT202200006320A1 (en) * | 2022-03-31 | 2023-10-01 | Gd Spa | Wrapping method and packaging machine to create a package with a slide opening |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
IT202100024299A1 (en) * | 2021-09-22 | 2023-03-22 | Gd Spa | Machine for the production of packets of smoking articles |
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US20030093977A1 (en) * | 2001-09-14 | 2003-05-22 | Marco Brizzi | Method and machine for producing a rigid packet of cigarettes |
EP1854724A2 (en) * | 2006-05-09 | 2007-11-14 | G.D Societ Per Azioni | Method and packing machine for producing packets of cigarettes |
WO2009101120A1 (en) | 2008-02-13 | 2009-08-20 | G.D Societa' Per Azioni | Cigarette packing machine for producing a rigid, hinged-lid packet |
EP2325093A1 (en) | 2009-11-20 | 2011-05-25 | Imperial Tobacco Limited | Package for tobacco-related articles |
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US5151073A (en) * | 1989-04-05 | 1992-09-29 | Focke & Co. (Gmbh & Co.) | Apparatus for the production of cigarette packs |
IT1294187B1 (en) * | 1997-09-04 | 1999-03-22 | Gd Spa | METHOD FOR THE FOLDING OF WRAPPING BAGS. |
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2012
- 2012-01-26 IT IT000032A patent/ITBO20120032A1/en unknown
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2013
- 2013-01-28 EP EP20130152956 patent/EP2620375B1/en active Active
- 2013-01-28 PL PL13152956T patent/PL2620375T3/en unknown
-
2014
- 2014-10-23 IT ITBO2014U000097U patent/ITBO20140097U1/en unknown
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GB1603109A (en) * | 1977-11-08 | 1981-11-18 | Molins Ltd | Packing machines |
US20030093977A1 (en) * | 2001-09-14 | 2003-05-22 | Marco Brizzi | Method and machine for producing a rigid packet of cigarettes |
EP1854724A2 (en) * | 2006-05-09 | 2007-11-14 | G.D Societ Per Azioni | Method and packing machine for producing packets of cigarettes |
WO2009101120A1 (en) | 2008-02-13 | 2009-08-20 | G.D Societa' Per Azioni | Cigarette packing machine for producing a rigid, hinged-lid packet |
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EP2325093A1 (en) | 2009-11-20 | 2011-05-25 | Imperial Tobacco Limited | Package for tobacco-related articles |
Cited By (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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WO2019193015A1 (en) * | 2018-04-03 | 2019-10-10 | Focke & Co. (Gmbh & Co. Kg) | Package for products of the cigarette industry, and method for producing a package for products of the cigarette industry |
IT201900005956A1 (en) * | 2019-04-17 | 2020-10-17 | Gd Spa | Packing machine and wrapping method to produce rigid smoking items package |
EP3725691A1 (en) * | 2019-04-17 | 2020-10-21 | G.D Societa' Per Azioni | Packer machine and wrapping method to produce a rigid pack for smoking articles |
IT202100002912A1 (en) * | 2021-02-10 | 2022-08-10 | Gd Spa | PACKAGING MACHINE AND WRAPPING METHOD TO PRODUCE A PACKAGE OF RIGID SMOKING ITEMS WITH A SEALED INTERNAL WRAPPING |
IT202200006320A1 (en) * | 2022-03-31 | 2023-10-01 | Gd Spa | Wrapping method and packaging machine to create a package with a slide opening |
EP4253262A1 (en) * | 2022-03-31 | 2023-10-04 | G.D Societa' Per Azioni | Wrapping method and packer machine to manufacture a pack with a sliding opening |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP2620375B1 (en) | 2015-05-06 |
ITBO20120032A1 (en) | 2013-07-27 |
PL2620375T3 (en) | 2015-10-30 |
ITBO20140097U1 (en) | 2016-04-23 |
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