EP2812250B1

EP2812250B1 - Compacting and transfer device of groups of filter bags containing infusion substances

Info

Publication number: EP2812250B1
Application number: EP13703529.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lucio Librio; Giorgio Rossetto
Original assignee: Tecnomeccanica SRL
Current assignee: Tecnomeccanica SRL
Priority date: 2012-02-06
Filing date: 2013-02-01
Publication date: 2016-08-24
Anticipated expiration: 2033-02-01
Also published as: ES2630152T3; ITBO20120054A1; WO2013117310A1; RU2014132887A; RU2622712C2; EP2812250A1; PL2812250T3

Description

The present invention relates to a compacting and transfer device of groups of filter bags containing infusion substances.
In particular, the present invention relates to the compacting and transfer of ordered groups of filter bags containing infusion substances, such as, for example, tea, camomile, or similar herbal products.
Generally, as illustrated in figure 1, in a group of 100 ordered filter bags 101, each filter bag 101 is in reciprocal contact with the adjacent bag 101, in correspondence with the side having the largest dimension, defining a longitudinal encumbrance equal to the thickness "s" of each bag 101 multiplied by the number of bags 101 forming the group 100. In particular, the thickness "s" defines the side encumbrance of each filter bag 101 in correspondence with the lower end 103 of the "W"-closed lobes, where the infusion substance 102 is mainly deposited.
In order to meet market demands for reducing to the maximum the longitudinal encumbrance of packaging containers 104 of groups 100 of filter bags 101, with the same number of filter bags 101 present in their interior, patent US 3,815,316 discloses a packaging apparatus of groups of filter bags inside box-containers.
This apparatus comprises a transfer unit, a rotor rotating around a horizontal rotation axis and a packaging station in box-containers. More specifically, the transfer unit forms groups of bags and feeds these groups to the packaging station in correspondence with coplanar horizontal planes.
The transfer unit comprises trays, arranged longitudinally with respect to the rotation axis of the rotor and diametrically opposite each other. In particular, the trays house a certain number of filter bags in their interior, defining an ordered group of filter bags.
The rotor rotates the trays by 180°, overturning the groups of filter bags arranged inside and vibrating means subsequently act outside the trays to redistribute the contents inside the same bags.
At this point, pushing means remove the filter bags from the trays and compact them, reducing the longitudinal dimensions of the groups of bags with respect to their initial conditions.
Furthermore, at the end of the compacting action of the groups of bags, the pushing means release the groups of bags inside the box-containers positioned in correspondence with the packaging station.
The packaging apparatus of the type described is not without drawbacks.
This apparatus, in fact, does not allow groups of filter bags to be fed in correspondence with a packaging station arranged in correspondence with a horizontal plane having a greater height with respect to the horizontal plane for the formation and feeding of the groups of filter bags.
US 5331790 A refers to pouch conditioning method and apparatus in which a pouch lug conveyor is associated with a annular tray conveyor, positioned transverse to it. The annular tray conveyor is provided with inclined vibrating rails which confine the pouches contained inside each tray during the movement of trays along the conveyor trays.
DE 2440199 refers to a device for gripping stack of cartoon blank.
GB 2200093 A relates to a package handling method and apparatus which combine suction and grasping elements for handling potato crisps, acting as a spider crane or lift.
An objective of the present invention is to provide a compacting and transfer device of groups of filter bags which is capable of overcoming the drawbacks described above.
The objective specified is achieved by means of a compacting and transfer device of groups of filter bags containing infusion substances having the characteristics indicated in the respective independent claim 1.
Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear more evident from the following illustrative and therefore non-limiting description of a preferred embodiment of a device as illustrated in the enclosed drawings, in which:

figure 1 illustrates a front view of a group of filter bags obtained according to the known art;
figure 2 illustrates a front view of a group of filter bags obtained according to the present invention;
figure 2a illustrates a schematized perspective view of the group of filter bags of figure 2;
figure 3 illustrates a schematic front view of a compacting and transfer device of groups of filter bags according to the present invention;
figure 4 illustrates a schematized plan view of the device of figure 3;
figure 5 illustrates a front view of a detail of figure 3 in a substantially open position;
figure 6 illustrates a front view of the detail of figure 5 in a substantially closed position;
figure 7 illustrates a plan view of a detail of figure 4 in a first operative position;
figure 8 illustrates a plan view of a detail of figure 7 in a second operative position.

With particular reference to figures 3 and 4, 1 indicates a compacting and transfer device of groups 2 of filter bags 5 containing infusion substances 3.
The device 1 feeds the groups 2 of filter bags 5 to a packaging device of the known type and not illustrated, suitable for packing them into a collective container 4, as represented in figure 2.
Collective container 4 refers to a rigid container in metallic material or wrapping material.
The collective container 4 can also be a flexible wrapping, such as an envelope or a bag.
Each group 2 of filter bags 5 comprises a plurality of filter bags 5 arranged in reciprocal contact with each other. In particular, each filter bag 5 is in contact with the adjacent bag in correspondence with its largest side 5a.
The filter bag 5 contains the infusion substance 3 and consists of a sheet of filter-paper of the traditional type, which has two departments or lobes 10 joined to and overlying each other. In particular, the filter bag 5 has, in correspondence with a lower end 11, of the lobes 10, a "W"-shaped closed bottom suitable for containing the infusion substance 3.
The filter bag 5 has an upper end 11a, opposite the lower end 11, to which a thread 12 is connected, carrying a paper label 13 that can be used for holding the whole filter bag 5 during its use.
The group 2 thus defined by the filter bags 5, has a substantially parallelepiped form which develops along a longitudinal axis L and having two longitudinal side walls 6, two transversal walls 7, a top wall 8 and a bottom wall 9 as shown in figure 2a. In particular, the bottom wall 9 is defined by the lower ends 11 of the lobes 10 of the filter bags 5, the top wall 8 is defined by the upper ends 11a of the filter bags 5 and both of the transversal walls 7 are respectively defined by a side having a maximum dimension 5a, of the respective end filter bag 5 of the group 2.
In the preferred embodiment, the group 2 of filter bags 5 consists of 25 filter bags 5.
The filter bags 5 are formed upstream of the device 1, by means of a formation device, illustrated and described in the publication EP1384664 which is indicated herein as reference for the completeness of the description.
A conveyor belt 14 transports the filter bags 5 from the formation device, not illustrated, towards a formation station 15 of the groups 2 of filter bags 5, following an advance direction D.
The filter bags 5 are conveyed in a substantially vertical position and consequently the infusion substance 3 is mainly distributed in correspondence with the lower end 11 of the bags 5. The filter bags 5 therefore have an initial thickness "s".
In particular, the conveyor 14 has two motorized belts 14a which convey the filter bags 5, in particular each belt 14a is in contact with the largest side 5a of each filter bag 5.
In other words, the filter bags 5 advance with their longitudinal axis arranged in a vertical position.
In correspondence with the formation station 15 of the groups 2 of filter bags 5, a pushing arm 16, moved by known cranks, removes each single filter bag 5 from the conveyor 14 to form a group 2 of filter bags 5. In particular, the pushing arm 16 intercepts the largest side 5a of each bag 5 and entrains it along a direction which is substantially orthogonal to the advance direction D. In this way, the pushing arm 16 puts the filter bags 5 in reciprocal contact with each other in correspondence with their largest side 5a, forming a group 2 of filter bags 5.
The group 2 of filter bags 5 formed by the pushing arm 16 has an axis with a horizontal longitudinal development L. The group 2 of filter bags 5 is complete when the pushing arm 16 has put a predefined number of filter bags 5 in reciprocal contact with each other.
Once the group 2 of filter bags 5 has been formed, a movement means 17 translates, in a known way, the group 2 of filter bags 5 from the formation station 15 towards a collection station 18. In particular, the movement means 17 engages a longitudinal side wall 6 of the group 2 so as to translate it, maintaining the longitudinal axis L in a horizontal position, parallel to itself.
The collection station 18 is arranged in correspondence with a first horizontal plane P1.
The transfer unit 19 has a transfer and rotation element 22 of the group 2 of filter bags 5 and a compacting element 23 of the group 2 of filter bags 5.
The transfer and rotation element 22 sends the group 2 of filter bags 5 from the collection station 18 to a release station 28.
The release station 28 is positioned in correspondence with a second horizontal plane P2.
The second horizontal plane P2 is at a greater height with respect to the first horizontal plane P1, in particular, the first horizontal plane P1 and second horizontal plane P2 define a specific level difference h.
The transfer and rotation element 22 comprises a lifting device 45 which develops along a vertical axis V.
The lifting device 45 is capable of transferring the group 2 of filter bags 5 from the first horizontal plane P1 to the second horizontal plane P2.
The lifting device 45 comprises a motorized roller 22b and a driven roller 22a, rotating around their own axes V1, and a chain 27 ring-closed wound around them. In particular, the axes V1 are horizontal axes, perpendicular to the vertical axis V of the lifting device 45.
The lifting device 45 has a rotational movement of the intermittent type.
The lifting device 45 comprises a plurality of loading elements 24 of the group 2 of filter bags 5.
The loading elements 24 are constrained to the chain 27 of the lifting device 45 and equidistanced with respect to each other.
Each withholding element 24 has a pair of forks 25 and a supporting plate 26 suitable for supporting said group 2.
With particular reference to figures 5 and 6, the forks 25 are positioned in correspondence with the ends of the respective withholding element 24.
In particular, the forks 25 are rotatingly coupled with the withholding element 24 and rotate around respective horizontal axes 25a.
Furthermore, the forks 25 are connected to each other by means of a pair of helicoidal springs 30. The helicoidal springs 30 define elastic coupling means of the forks 25.
More specifically, the helicoidal springs 30 are traction springs which allow the forks 25 to be maintained in a substantially closed configuration, as illustrated in figure 6.
Actuators of the pneumatic and known type and not illustrated, are suitable for overcoming the retraction forces of the springs 30 to arrange the forks 25 in a substantially open configuration, as illustrated in figure 5.
The open configuration is thus defined when the ends of the forks 25 are positioned at a greater distance from each other with respect to the longitudinal dimension of a group 2, so that a group 2 of filter bags 5 can be introduced or extracted from the withholding element 24, without interfering with it.
The closed configuration is thus defined when the ends of the forks 25 are positioned at a lesser distance from each other with respect to the longitudinal dimension of a group 2 so as to withhold the group 2 of filter bags 5.
The forks 25 are in the substantially open configuration in correspondence with the collection station 18 and in correspondence with the release station 28 to respectively allow the loading and unloading operations of the withholding element 24.
The forks 25 are in the substantially closed configuration from the collection station 18 as far as the release station 28, so as to withhold the group 2 of bags 5 while they are being conveyed.
The supporting plate 26 of the group 2 of filter bags 5 is interposed between the forks 25 in order to support the group 2 of filter bags 5. The supporting plate 26 is "L"-shaped and has a first and second wall 31 and 32. The first wall 31 is a horizontal wall destined for supporting the group 2 in correspondence with its bottom wall 9 and the second wall 32 is a vertical wall destined for encountering a longitudinal side wall 6 of the group 2.
When in use, the transfer and rotation element 22 is suitable for conveying and rotating the group 2 of filter bags 5 by 180° from the collection station 18 to the release station 28.
The group 2 of filter bags 5 has, in correspondence with the collection station 18 and release station 28, the longitudinal axis L arranged in a substantially horizontal position.
In an alternative embodiment, not illustrated, the group 2 of filter bags 5 has, in correspondence with the collection station 18 and release station 28, the longitudinal axis L arranged in a substantially vertical position.
In correspondence with the collection station 18, the movement means 17 is in step with the lifting device 45 in order to feed a group 2 of filter bags 5 to the respective withholding element 24.
In order to receive the group 2 of filter bags 5, the actuators of the pneumatic type, not illustrated, command the opening of the forks 25.
In this way, the movement means 17 arranges the group 2 of filter bags 5 on the supporting plate 26 so that the bottom wall 9 and one of the longitudinal side walls 6 of the group 2 is in contact with the first and second wall 31 and 32 respectively.
Once the group 2 of filter bags 5 is correctly positioned on the supporting plate 26, the forks 25 are drawn by the action of the springs 30, arranging them in their closed configuration.
In the closed configuration, each nipper 25, which is fork-shaped, is engaged with the respective transversal wall 7 of the group 2, pressing the filter bags 5 against each other and gripping them.
The loading elements 24 not only convey the groups 2 of filter bags 5 from the collection station 18 to the release station 28, but also rotate by 180° around an axis V1, overturning with the group 2 of filter bags 5 itself.
The combined action of the forks 25 and supporting plate 26 allows the group 2 of filter bags 5 to be firmly held and supported during the movement on the part of the withholding element 24, in particular during the rotation around the axis V1.
In other words, in correspondence with the release station 28, the withholding element 24 and relative group 2 of filter bags 5 are overturned, in particular rotated by 180°, with respect to their normal position in correspondence with the collection station 18.
Following the rotation of the withholding element 24 around the axis V1, part of the infusion substance 3 deposited in the lower end 11 of each bag 5, is distributed towards the upper end 11a.
The group 2 of filter bags 5 is released to the compacting element 23, in correspondence with the release station 28.
The compacting element 23 comprises at least one containment tray 33 of the group 2 of filter bags 5.
In particular, the drawer 33 mainly develops along a horizontal longitudinal axis L1.
The tray 33 has two larger side walls 34, two smaller side walls 35, a bottom surface 36 and a free top surface. Said walls 34, 35 and 36 define a cavity 38 suitable for housing a group 2 of filter bags 5.
The compacting element 23 comprises striking and compacting means 39 of the group 2 of filter bags 5. The striking and compacting means 39 are arranged in correspondence with the smaller side walls 35 of the tray 33.
The striking and compacting means 39 comprise a pair of pushers 40 activated with a respective actuator 41. The actuators 41 are preferably pneumatic cylinders.
The pushers 40 are counterfacing inside the tray 33. In particular, each pusher 40 has a support surface 40a destined for intercepting the front walls 7 of the group 2.
The pushers 40 have a fork conformation with prongs 43 interspersed with interstitial cavities 44.
The pushers 40 can be moved from a first to a second operative position towards each other along the longitudinal axis L1.
In the first operative position, the pushers 40 are situated at a greater longitudinal distance with respect to the longitudinal dimension of the group 2 of filter bags 5.
In the second operative position, the pushers 40 are situated at a lesser longitudinal distance with respect to the first operative position.
A larger side wall 34 of the tray 33 has a side edge 42. The side edge 42 can be moved from a closed position to an open position and viceversa.
The pushers 40 are arranged in their first operative position in correspondence with the release station 28, in order to receive the group 2 of filter bags 5 rotated by the withholding element 24. In particular, the tray 33 receives the group 2 of filter bags 5 arranged with its longitudinal axis L parallel to the longitudinal axis L1 of the tray 33.
In order to release the group 2 of filter bags 5 into the tray 33, the forks 25 of the withholding element 24 slide inside the interstitial cavities 44 for as long as the top wall 8 of the group 2 intercepts the bottom surface 36 of the tray 33, the forks 25 then pass from the closed configuration to the open configuration, releasing the group 2 of filter bags 5.
The group 2 of filter bags 5 is withheld inside the cavity 38 of the tray 33 by the pushers 40 which are in contact with the front walls 7 of the group 2 by means of the support surface 40a.
Once the group 2 of filter bags 5 rotated in the tray 33 has been released, the compacting element 23 transfers and compacts the group 2 of filter bags 5 rotated by the release station 28 towards a packaging station 20.
The packaging station 20 is situated in correspondence with the second horizontal plane P2.
The rotated and compacted groups 2 of filter bags 5 are fed, in correspondence with the packaging station, 20 to the packaging device of the known type and not illustrated.
During the movement from the release station 28 to the packaging station 20, the pushers 40 strike and compact the group 2 of filter bags 5.
Alternatively, the pushers 40 strike and compact the group 2 of filter bags 5 in correspondence of the release station 28, so that during the movement towards the packaging station 20, the group 2 is already rotated and compacted.
The striking is effected through an instantaneous movement of the pushers 40 which are mobilized along the longitudinal direction L1 and with a bidirectional movement, illustrated by the arrow F.
The striking induced by the pushers 40 allows the infusion substance 3 in the filter bag 5 to be uniformly distributed.
The infusion substance 3, in fact, mainly positioned in correspondence with the upper end 11a and lower end 11, is almost uniformly distributed inside the bag 5.
The initial thickness "s" of each bag 5 of the group 2 is therefore reduced to a thickness "s1", lesser than the thickness "s".
At this point, the pushers 40 are moved by the pneumatic cylinders 41 along the direction of the axis L1 towards each other, compacting the group 2 of filter bags 5.
In this specific case, the term compacting refers to a reduction in the longitudinal encumbrance of the group 2 of filter bags 5.
The combined striking and compacting action of the group 2 of filter bags 5 on the part of the pushers 40 continues for as long as the latter are in correspondence with their second operative position, in correspondence of which, a reduction has been obtained in the longitudinal encumbrance of the group 2 equal to about 20÷30% less with respect to the longitudinal encumbrance of the group 2 before the action of the pushers 40, i.e. in correspondence with their first operative position.
As a result of the action of the compacting element 23, in correspondence with the packaging station 20, the group 2 of filter bags 5 is rotated and compacted.
In order to extract the group 2 of filter bags 5 from the compacting element 23, the side edge 42 is opened and the collection means, known and not illustrated, engage with the group 2, extracting it.
At this point, the groups 2 are fed to the vertical bagging machine which effects a wrapping of the flow pack type, enveloping the same group.
The reduction in the encumbrances of the collective containers offers evident advantages in terms of a reduction in the production costs due to a lowering of the transport and storage costs of the products.
This reduction in the longitudinal encumbrance of the group 2 of filter bags 5 is obtained from the combined action of the rotation and contemporaneous striking and compacting of the group 2 itself. The rotation by 180° of the group 2 is, in fact, strategic as it allows the infusion substance 3 to be dispersed inside the bag 5 from the lower end 11 to the upper end 11a. The striking subsequently favours a further dispersion of the infusion substance 3 inside each bag 5 which allows the compacting of the group 2 on the part of the striking and compacting means 39.
The transfer and compacting device not only advantageously reduces the longitudinal encumbrances of the filter bag groups but also allows the feeding of a bagging machine of the known type, for example vertical, having a feeding plane P2 situated at a greater height with respect to the feeding plane P1 of the device.
The transfer and compacting device advantageously has a flexible format of the group of bags, as it is capable of transferring and compacting groups of filter bags defined by a single row of bags or two rows of bags.
The invention conceived can evidently be applied on an industrial scale, it can also undergo numerous modifications and variants, all included in the scope of the inventive concept, and all the details can be substituted by technically equivalent elements.

Claims

Compacting and transfer device of groups of filter bags containing infusion substances comprising a transfer unit (19) of a group (2) of filter bags (5) from a collection station (18) to a packaging station (20); the transfer unit (19) comprising a transfer and rotation element (22) of the group (2) of filter bags (5) and a compacting element (23) of the group (2) of filter bags (5), the transfer and rotation element (22) transferring and rotating the group (2) of filter bags (5) by 180° from the collection station (18) to a release station (28) and the compacting element (23) transferring and compacting the group (2) of rotated filter bags (5) from the release station (28) to the packaging station (20);
said device characterized in that the transfer and rotation element (22) comprises a lifting device (45) of the group (2) of filter bags (5) developing along a vertical axis (V) capable of transferring the group (2) of filter bags (5) from a first horizontal plane (P1) to a second horizontal plane (P2) at a greater height with respect to the first plane (P1); the first horizontal plane (P1) and the second horizontal plane (P2) defining a specific level difference (h), being provided on said lifting device (45) a plurality of loading and withholding elements (24) each of which is closed to maintain inside it a group (2) of received filter bags (5) from said collection station (18) to said packaging station (20) during the whole transferring and rotation movement and is opened to release said contained group of filter bags (5) when rotated by 180° at said packaging station (20), said packaging station (20) being positioned in correspondence with said second horizontal plane (P2), wherein each loading and withholding element (24) of the group (2) of filter bags (5) has a pair of forks (25) holding the group (2) of filter bags (5) and at least a supporting plate (26) suitable for supporting said group (2).
Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the group (2) of filter bags (5), in correspondence with the collection station (18) and release station (28), has the longitudinal axis (L) arranged in a substantially horizontal position.
Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lifting device (45) is a vertical conveyor comprising a plurality of loading elements (24) of the groups (2) of filter bags (5); the loading elements (24) transferring the groups (2) of filter bags (5) from the collection station (18) to the release station (28) and rotating the groups (2) of filter bags (5) around an axis (V1) perpendicular to the vertical axis (V) of the conveyor (45).
Device according to any of the claims from 1 to 3, characterized in that the compacting element (23) comprises at least one containment tray (33) of the group (2) of filter bags (5) having striking and compacting means (39) of the group (2) of filter bags (5) capable of exerting on the group (2) of filter bags (5), a combined striking and compacting action on the group (2) itself.
Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the striking and compacting means (39) comprise pushers (40) that can be moved from a first operative position to a second operative position towards each other along a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal development axis (L1) of the tray (33); the pushers (40) generating at least one striking action on the group (2) of filter bags (5) during the reciprocal movement of the same pushers (40) towards each other.
Device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the collection station (18) and the release station (28) are positioned in correspondence with the first horizontal plane (P1) and second horizontal plane (P2), respectively.