EP2726377B1

EP2726377B1 - Packing method and machine for producing a packet containing a group of heterogeneous articles

Info

Publication number: EP2726377B1
Application number: EP12759191.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michele Ferrari; Giovanni Madera; Andrea Biondi
Original assignee: GD SpA
Current assignee: GD SpA
Priority date: 2011-06-29
Filing date: 2012-06-29
Publication date: 2016-04-06
Anticipated expiration: 2032-06-29
Also published as: JP2014522786A; EP2726377A1; ITBO20110379A1; WO2013001515A1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a packing method and machine for producing a packet containing a group of heterogeneous articles.
In the following description, reference is made, for the sake of simplicity and purely by way of a non-limiting example, to a hinged-lid packet of cigarettes.

BACKGROUND ART

To mark special occasions (such as the launching of a new cigarette brand, or anniversary celebrations), special packets of cigarettes have been proposed containing, instead of the normal group of twenty cigarettes (in three rows), a smaller group of cigarettes and one or more promotion items. One type, for example, may contain a group of thirteen cigarettes (in two rows) and a 'brand name' lighter (i.e. bearing the cigarette trade mark); another may contain a group of five cigarettes (in one row), a 'brand name' lighter, and a 'brand name' metal cigarette case.
Special packets of cigarettes of this sort, however, are impossible to produce on standard packing machines not designed to handle groups of heterogeneous articles (i.e. a group of cigarettes and a lighter, or a group of cigarettes, a lighter, and a cigarette case), and require special packing machines, which differ considerably from standard types and are therefore much more expensive to produce and maintain.
Patent Application US2008016822A1 describes a cigarette packing machine, in the Figure 4 embodiment of which, each seat on a packing wheel receives a wrapped group of cigarettes at a first station, and either another wrapped group of cigarettes or a different item, compatible in size with a wrapped group of cigarettes, at a second feed station. And the group comprising either two wrapped groups of cigarettes or one wrapped group of cigarette and a different item is then transferred to a following packing wheel, on which a blank is folded about the group to form an outer package.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a packing method and machine for producing a packet containing a group of heterogeneous articles, designed to eliminate the above drawbacks, and which at the same time are cheap and easy to implement.
According to the present invention, there are provided a packing method and machine for producing a packet containing a group of heterogeneous articles, as claimed in the accompanying Claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A non-limiting embodiment 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 hinged-lid packet, containing a group of heterogeneous articles, in a closed position;
Figure 2 shows a front view in perspective of the Figure 1 packet in an open position;
Figure 3 shows a rear view in perspective of the Figure 1 packet in the closed position;
Figure 4 shows a schematic view in perspective of the group of heterogeneous articles contained in the Figure 1 packet;
Figure 5 shows a schematic view in perspective, with parts removed for clarity, of a packing machine for producing the Figure 1 packet and in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 6 shows a larger-scale view of a packing unit and group-forming unit of the Figure 5 packing machine;
Figure 7 shows a larger-scale view of a group-forming unit of the Figure 5 packing machine;
Figure 8 shows a larger-scale view of a combining station of the Figure 5 packing machine;
Figures 9 and 10 show schematics of two consecutive steps in feeding a first article in the group into a group-forming pocket;
Figures 11-14 show schematics of four consecutive steps in feeding a second and third article in the group into the group-forming pocket.

PREFERED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Number 1 in Figures 1, 2 and 3 indicates as a whole a rigid packet of cigarettes comprising a cup-shaped cardboard container 2, and a group 3 of articles (shown schematically in Figure 2 and in detail in Figure 4) housed inside container 2. As shown in Figure 4, group 3 of articles comprises a group 4 of cigarettes (five cigarettes in one row); a parallelepiped-shaped lighter 5 alongside group 4 of cigarettes; and a roughly parallelepiped-shaped metal cigarette case 6. Group 4 of cigarettes and lighter 5 rest side by side on the same major lateral wall of cigarette case 6. In other embodiments not shown, group 3 of articles is formed differently, e.g. has either no lighter 5 or no cigarette case 6 (in which case, group 4 of cigarettes contains a larger number of cigarettes).
Container 2 has an open top end 7; and a cup-shaped lid 8 hinged to container 2 along a hinge 9 to rotate with respect to container 2 between an open position (Figure 2) and a closed position (Figures 1 and 3) opening and closing open top end 7 respectively.
When lid 8 is closed, container 2 is in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped comprising a top wall 10 and an opposite parallel bottom wall 11; two opposite parallel major lateral walls 12 and 13; and two opposite parallel minor lateral walls 14. More specifically, one major lateral wall 12 defines a front wall 12 of container 2, and the other major lateral wall 13 defines a rear wall 13 of container 2. Four longitudinal edges 15 are defined between minor lateral walls 14 and front and rear walls 12, 13; and eight transverse edges 16 are defined between top and bottom walls 10, 11 and front, rear and minor lateral walls 12, 13, 14.
In the Figure 1-3 embodiment, edges 15 and 16 are all square. In alternative embodiments not shown, some of edges 15 and 16 may be bevelled or rounded.
Packet 1 comprises a rigid (i.e. rigid cardboard) collar 17, which is folded into a U and fitted (glued) to the inside of container 2, and projects partly outwards of open top end 7 to engage a corresponding inner surface of lid 8 when this is closed. In a preferred embodiment, collar 17 has two lateral projections 18, which interferentially engage the lateral walls of lid 8 to hold lid 8 in the closed position. Collar 17 comprises a front wall 19 positioned contacting front wall 12 of container 2; and two lateral walls 20 located on opposite sides of front wall 19 and positioned contacting minor lateral walls 14 of container 2.
In the Figure 4 embodiment, container 2 also contains a coupon 21 resting on a major wall of cigarette case 6, on the opposite side to group 4 of cigarettes and lighter 5. An alternative embodiment, not shown, has no coupon 21.
Container 2 of the Figure 1-3 packet 1 of cigarettes is formed from a known blank 22 (shown schematically in Figure 5).
The Figure 5 schematic shows part of a cigarette packing machine 23 for producing packet 1 as described above and shown in Figures 1-3.
Packing machine 23 comprises a group-forming unit 24 for forming groups 3 of articles; and a packing unit 25, which receives groups 3 of articles from group-forming unit 24, and folds collars 17 and blanks 22 about groups 3 of articles to form containers 2.
As shown in Figure 7, group-forming unit 24 comprises a group-forming wheel 26, which rotates in steps about a vertical axis of rotation 27 and comprises a number of peripheral group-forming pockets 28 (shown more clearly in Figures 9-14), which are rotated in steps about axis of rotation 27 and successively through: a feed station 29 supplying metal cigarette cases 6; a feed station 30 supplying groups 4 of cigarettes together with lighters 5; and a transfer station 31 for transferring groups 3 of articles to packing unit 25.
More specifically, as it rotates about axis of rotation 27, group-forming wheel 26 feeds each group-forming pocket 28 (initially empty) through feed station 29, where a cigarette case 6 is inserted inside group-forming pocket 28, and then feeds each group-forming pocket 28 (containing cigarette case 6) through feed station 30, where a group 4 of cigarettes and a lighter 5 (positioned side by side) are inserted together inside group-forming pocket 28 and on top of cigarette case 6 to complete a group 3 of articles.
As shown in Figure 8, at a combining station 32 close to (and upstream from) feed station 30, each group 4 of cigarettes is formed and combined with a lighter 5 for subsequent insertion, together with lighter 5 and at feed station 30, inside a group-forming pocket 28 containing a cigarette case 6. Combining station 32 comprises a hopper 33 containing a mass of cigarettes and terminating with a bottom outlet; and a pusher 34 pushes each group 4 of cigarettes out of the bottom outlet of hopper 33 to feed station 30. In a preferred embodiment, lighters 5 are positioned successively alongside the bottom outlet of hopper 33, and are each pushed by pusher 34 to feed station 30 together with group 4 of cigarettes. In other words, at combining station 32, a group 4 of cigarettes (in the bottom outlet of hopper 33) and a lighter 5 are fed vertically downwards into a side by side position, and then both pushed horizontally to feed station 30 by pusher 34.
In a preferred embodiment, lighters 5 are fed to combining station 32 along a vertical circular path, terminating alongside the bottom outlet of hopper 33, by a vertical transit wheel rotating in steps about a horizontal axis of rotation and having a number of peripheral pockets. In one embodiment not shown, a mass of lighters 5 is fed in bulk onto a central portion of a known horizontal orienting disk; and the centrifugal force produced by rotation of the disk pushes lighters 5 to the edge of the disk, from where one lighter 5 at a time (correctly oriented) is unloaded onto a path terminating at combining station 32.
As shown in Figures 9 and 10, each group-forming pocket 28 has no top wall and no bottom wall, and group-forming wheel 26 comprises a static surface 35 extending between feed station 29 and transfer station 31 and supporting the underside of cigarette cases 6 inside group-forming pockets 28. At feed station 29, each cigarette case 6 is fed upwards into group-forming pocket 28 by a lifting device 36 on which cigarette case 6 rests. As shown in Figure 9, each group-forming pocket 28 is stopped over lifting device 36 supporting cigarette case 6, and is aligned vertically with cigarette case 6; and lifting device 36 moves up to insert cigarette case 6 vertically upwards into group-forming pocket 28. As shown in Figure 10, once cigarette case 6 is inserted inside group-forming pocket 28, group-forming wheel 26 resumes rotating, taking with it cigarette case 6 (inside group-forming pocket 28), which is supported from below and slides gradually along lifting device 36 onto static surface 35.
As shown in Figures 11-14, at feed station 30, a group 4 of cigarettes and a lighter 5 are fed vertically downwards into group-forming pocket 28 and onto the previously inserted cigarette case 6. Feed station 30 comprises a lifting device 37 located at a break in static surface 35 and movable vertically between a lowered position (Figures 11 and 14) aligned vertically with and forming a natural continuation of static surface 35, and a raised position (Figures 12 and 13) close to a static surface 38 supporting group 4 of cigarettes and lighter 5 (directly from combining station 32). As shown in Figure 11, lifting device 37 is first set to the lowered position to allow group-forming wheel 26 to rotate and deposit cigarette case 6 on lifting device 37. Next, lifting device 37 is moved vertically into the raised position, in which the top wall of cigarette case 6 is aligned vertically with static surface 38 (Figure 12); at this point, group 4 of cigarettes and lighter 5 are pushed (e.g. by pusher 34) onto cigarette case 6 (Figure 13) to complete group 3 of articles; and, finally, as shown in Figure 14, lifting device 37 is moved vertically into the lowered position to insert group 3 of articles inside group-forming pocket 28 and allow group-forming wheel 26 to feed group 3 of articles to transfer station 31. As shown in Figure 7, at transfer station 31, each group 3 of articles is expelled radially from group-forming pocket 28 by a pusher (not shown) and subsequently fed vertically downwards onto packing unit 25.
As shown in Figure 5, cigarette cases 6 are fed to feed station 29 on a horizontal belt conveyor 39 with a number of partitions projecting perpendicularly from the belt and defining seats for cigarette cases 6. Belt conveyor 39 terminates at feed station 29, where it pushes cigarette cases 6 successively onto lifting device 36. In a preferred embodiment, belt conveyor 39 is fitted with a vertical, variable-volume FILO (First In Last Out) store, which comprises two secondary belt conveyors on opposite sides of belt conveyor 39, and is designed to remove one or more cigarette cases 6 vertically upwards off belt conveyor 39 (when supply of cigarette cases 6 to belt conveyor 39 is more than group-forming unit 24 can handle), or to release one or more cigarette cases 6 vertically downwards onto belt conveyor 39 (when supply of cigarette cases 6 to belt conveyor 39 is less than group-forming unit 24 can handle). In other words, vertical store 40 provides for compensating for any temporary difference between the feed rate of cigarette cases 6 to and from belt conveyor 39.
As shown in Figure 6, packing unit 25 comprises a transit wheel 41, which rotates in steps about a vertical axis of rotation 42 parallel to axis of rotation 27, and comprises a number of peripheral transit pockets 43, each of which, as transit wheel 41 rotates, is rotated in steps about axis of rotation 42 and successively through: a feed station 44 where a flat coupon 21 (if any) is inserted into transit pocket 43; transfer station 31 where a group 3 of articles is inserted vertically downwards into transit pocket 43; and, finally, a transfer station 45 where group 3 of articles with coupon 21 (if any) is expelled from transit pocket 43 and transferred to a following packing wheel 46.
Group-forming wheel 26 is higher than transit wheel 41 and, at transfer station 31, overlaps transit wheel 41 to allow a group 3 of articles to be transferred vertically downwards from a group-forming pocket 28 on group-forming wheel 26 to a transit pocket 43 on transit wheel 41. In a preferred embodiment, group 3 of articles is 'gripped' at the top and bottom by a pusher and a counter-pusher, as it is transferred vertically downwards from group-forming pocket 28 on group-forming wheel 26 to transit pocket 43 on transit wheel 41.
Packing wheel 46 rotates in steps about a vertical axis of rotation 47 parallel to axis of rotation 42, is structurally the same as transit wheel 41, and comprises a number of peripheral packing pockets 48, each of which, as packing wheel 46 rotates, is rotated in steps about axis of rotation 47 and successively through: a feed station 49 where a collar 17 is inserted and folded into a U inside packing pocket 48; transfer station 45 where a group 3 of articles is inserted vertically downwards into packing pocket 48 and the U-folded collar 17; and, finally, a transfer station 50 where group 3 of articles, enclosed in the U-folded collar 17, is expelled from packing pocket 48 and transferred to a following packing wheel 51.
Transit wheel 41 is higher than packing wheel 46 and, at transfer station 45, overlaps packing wheel 46 to allow group 3 of articles to be transferred vertically downwards from a transit pocket 43 on transit wheel 41 to a packing pocket 48 on packing wheel 46. In a preferred embodiment, group 3 of articles is 'gripped' at the top and bottom by a pusher and a counter-pusher, as it is transferred vertically downwards from transit pocket 43 on transit wheel 41 to packing pocket 48 on packing wheel 46.
Packing wheel 51 rotates in steps about a horizontal axis of rotation 52 crosswise to axis of rotation 47, and comprises a number of peripheral packing pockets 53, each of which, as packing wheel 51 rotates, is rotated in steps about axis of rotation 52 and successively through: transfer station 50 where packing pocket 53 receives a blank 22, and a group 3 of articles enclosed in a U-folded collar 17; a succession of folding stations where blank 22 is folded about group 3 of articles and collar 17 to form container 2; and, finally, a transfer station 54 where the substantially finished packet 1 (the final lateral tabs of blank 22 are actually folded as the packet is expelled from packing pocket 53) is transferred to an output belt conveyor 55. Output conveyor 55 transfers packets 1 to a drying area, which forms the output of packing machine 23, and from where packets 1 are fed to a cellophaning machine (not shown) for applying an overwrap of transparent plastic material to each packet 1.
Packing wheel 51 is higher than packing wheel 46 and, at transfer station 50, overlaps packing wheel 46 to allow group 3 of articles, enclosed in the U-folded collar 17, to be transferred vertically upwards from a packing pocket 48 on packing wheel 46 to a packing pocket 53 on packing wheel 51. In a preferred embodiment, group 3 of articles, enclosed in the U-folded collar 17, is 'gripped' at the top and bottom by a pusher and a counter-pusher, as it is transferred vertically upwards from packing pocket 48 on packing wheel 46 to packing pocket 53 on packing wheel 51.
In a preferred embodiment, at transfer station 50, each blank 22 is interposed between packing pocket 53 of packing wheel 51 and group 3 of articles enclosed in the U-folded collar 17 (i.e. is interposed between packing pocket 53 of packing wheel 51 and packing pocket 48 of packing wheel 46) so that, as it is inserted inside packing pocket 53, blank 22 folds into a U about group 3 of articles and collar 17.
In alternative embodiments not shown, group-forming wheel 26, transit wheel 41, packing wheel 46 and/or packing wheel 51 may be replaced with other types of (e.g. belt) conveyors for feeding items along straight paths.
In an embodiment not shown and not in accordance with the present invention, each group 3 of articles only comprises cigarette case 6 and group 4 of cigarettes (i.e. has no lighter 5), so only group 4 of cigarettes is inserted into group-forming pocket 28 at feed station 30.
Using the packing method described, group 3 of heterogeneous articles (i.e. group 4 of cigarettes, lighter 5, and cigarette case 6) can be packed on a substantially standard packing machine, such as G.D. Societa per Azioni models X500, X2, X3 and X6, which have a packing unit almost identical to packing unit 25, have a group-forming conveyor which, though used for different functions, may be used to perform the functions of group-forming wheel 26 of group-forming unit 24, and so provide an ideal basis from which to produce packing machine 23 cheaply and easily.
The packing method described provides for producing groups 3 of articles quickly and accurately (i.e. with the component parts in precise mutual positions), as well as for excellent end product (packet 1) quality, and high packing speed.
Given its numerous advantages, the packing method described may also be used for producing packets containing groups of heterogeneous articles other than group 3 of packet 1 described.

Claims

A packing method for producing a packet containing a group of heterogeneous articles; the packing method comprising the steps of:
forming the group (3) of articles in a group-forming pocket (28) of a group-forming conveyor (26) ;

transferring the group (3) of articles from the group-forming pocket (28) of the group-forming conveyor (26) to a packing unit (25) at a first transfer station (31); and

folding a blank (22) about the group (3) of articles on the packing unit (25) to form a container (2) about and housing the group (3) of articles;

the packing method being characterized in that the step of forming the group (3) of articles comprises the further steps of:
feeding the group-forming pocket (28) through a first feed station (29) where a first article (6) is inserted into the group-forming pocket (28);

combining into a side by side position a second article (4), different from the first article (6), with a third article (5) at a combining station (32);

transferring the second article (4) and the third article (5) together and positioned side by side from the combining station (32) to a second feed station (30) downstream from the first feed station (29); and

feeding the group-forming pocket (28) through the second feed station (30) where the second article (4) and the third article (5) positioned side by side are inserted together into the group-forming pocket (28) and on top of the first article (6).
A packing method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the second article (4) is defined by a group of cylindrical items, which is pushed by a pusher (34) out of a bottom outlet of a hopper (33) containing a mass of cylindrical items.
A packing method as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the third article (5) is a parallelepiped-shaped item which, at the combining station (32), is positioned alongside the bottom outlet of the hopper (33), and is fed to the second feed station (30) together with the second article (4) and by the same pusher (34).
A packing method as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the third article (5) is fed to the combining station (32) along a circular path terminating alongside the bottom outlet of the hopper (33).
A packing method as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the second article (4) is fed downwards into the group-forming pocket (28) and onto the first article (6) at the second feed station (30).
A packing method as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the first article (6) is fed upwards into the group-forming pocket (28) at the first feed station (29).
A packing method as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the group (3) of articles is fed in a vertical downward movement to the packing unit (25) at the first transfer station (31).
A packing method as claimed in Claim 6 or 7, wherein the group-forming pocket (28) has no top wall and no bottom wall; the first article (6) is fed upwards into the group-forming pocket (28) at the first feed station (29), by means of a lifting device (36) on which the first article (6) rests; and, between the first feed station (29) and the first transfer station (31), the first article (6) rests on a static surface (35) beneath the group-forming conveyor (26).
A packing method as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8, and comprising the further steps of:
feeding a collar (17) into a first packing pocket (48) of a first packing conveyor (46) at a third feed station (47);

transferring the group (3) of articles into the first packing pocket (48) at a second transfer station (45) downstream from the third feed station (47), so that the collar (17) folds into a U about the group (3) of articles;

transferring the group (3) of articles, fitted with the collar (17), from the first packing pocket (48) of the first packing conveyor (46) to a second packing pocket (53) of a second packing conveyor (51) at a third transfer station (50) downstream from the second transfer station (45); and

folding the blank (22) about the group (3) of articles and the collar (17) on the second packing conveyor (51).
A packing method as claimed in Claim 9, and comprising the further step of interposing the blank (22), at the third transfer station (50), between the second packing pocket (53) and the group (3) of articles fitted with the collar (17), so that the blank (22) enters the second packing pocket (53) folded into a U about the group (3) of articles and the collar (17).
A packing method as claimed in Claim 9 or 10, and comprising the further steps of:
transferring the group (3) of articles from the group-forming pocket (28) to a transit pocket (43) of a transit conveyor (41) at the first transfer station (31); and

transferring the group (3) of articles from the transit pocket (43) to the first packing pocket (48) at the second transfer station (45).
A packing method as claimed in Claim 11, and comprising the further steps of:
feeding a coupon (21) into the transit pocket (43) at a fourth feed station (44) upstream from the first transfer station (31); and

combining the coupon (21) with the group (3) of articles when the group (3) of articles is inserted into the transit pocket (43) at the first transfer station (31).
A packing method as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 12, wherein the first article (6) is defined by a cigarette case, the second article (4) is defined by a group of cigarettes, and the third article (5) is defined by a lighter.
A packing machine for producing a packet containing a group of heterogeneous articles, the packing machine (23) comprising:
a group-forming conveyor (26) having a group-forming pocket (28) in which the group (3) of articles is formed; and

a packing unit (25), which receives the group (3) of articles from the group-forming pocket (28) of the group-forming conveyor (26) at a first transfer station (31), and folds a blank (22) about the group (3) of articles to form a container (2) about and housing the group (3) of articles;

the packing machine (23) being characterized by comprising:
a first feed station (29) where a first article (6) is inserted into the group-forming pocket (28);

a combining station (32) where a second article (4), different from the first article (6), is combined into a side by side position with a third article (5);

a transfer device (34), which transfers the second article (4) and the third article (5) together and positioned side by side from the combining station (32) to a second feed station (30) downstream from the first feed station (29); and

the second feed station (30) where the second article (4) and the third article (5) positioned side by side are inserted together into the group-forming pocket (28) and on top of the first article (6).