EP4340647A1

EP4340647A1 - Apparecchiatura e procedimento di chiusura per chiudere automaticamente articoli da fumo

Info

Publication number: EP4340647A1
Application number: EP22733484.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Adriano DI MONTE; Antonio Caporale
Original assignee: IMA Industria Macchine Automatiche SpA
Current assignee: IMA Industria Macchine Automatiche SpA
Priority date: 2021-05-20
Filing date: 2022-05-20
Publication date: 2024-03-27
Anticipated expiration: 2042-05-20
Also published as: US20240237699A1; CA3219209A1; WO2022244027A1; CN117320567B; EP4340647B1; JP2024519051A; IT202100013193A1; EP4340647C0; PL4340647T3; CN117320567A

Abstract

Closing apparatus (10) and method for automatically closing smoking articles (100), each comprising a casing (101) having at least one rear zone (Z3) which is configured to be closed. The apparatus (10) comprises movement means (12) and folding means (11) configured to close the rear zone (Z3) of each casing (101) by folding an open end portion of the rear zone (Z3).

Description

CLOSING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY CLOSING SMOKING ARTICLES

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a closing apparatus and method for automatically closing smoking articles, such as cigarettes or suchlike, each of which comprises a casing having a front mouthpiece zone, possibly provided with a filter, a central zone filled with a smokable product, such as tobacco, or other incoherent material, and an empty rear zone configured to be selectively closed. In particular, the apparatus and the method according to the present invention are able to carry out the closure of the rear zone of each casing by folding of the latter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the automated production of smoking articles, such as cigarettes, or suchlike, particularly using machines with high productivity, it is known that one of the important aspects to be taken into consideration and the consequent technical problems to be overcome is the one relating to the last step of the packaging of the smoking articles, that is, the one concerning the closure of the containing material in which the smoking material has already been inserted, for example incoherent material, such as tobacco, other smokable substances, or a combination thereof.

Usually, the containing material consists of very thin and light paper, or other suitable material, possibly in the form of a casing, which does or does not comprise a filter in a front mouthpiece zone thereof, therefore it is difficult to treat in an automated manner, especially when there is also the aim of achieving high productivity and therefore every single operation has to take place in a very short time.

Normally, the packaging step occurs after a filling or dosing step, in which the smoking material is loaded or inserted into the containing material. Downstream of the packaging step, which is performed by a specific apparatus, there is usually positioned a station for distributing and possibly also a station for packing the finished smoking articles.

Examples of machines for the automated packaging of smoking articles are described in patent documents US 2021/0022388 A1 and US 2021/0022389 Al.

With regards to the technical problem of the closure of the smoking articles, in the context of this packaging step, that is, the closure of the rear zone of each casing made with the containing material as above, after the smoking material has been inserted in a central zone of the casing, it is known to use a closing device capable of automatically twisting the rear zone, thus creating a “twist” type closure, known to the people of skill in the art.

Alternatively, it is also known to produce a different type of closure, the so- called “dutch crown”, also known to the people of skill in the art, with which the rear zone of each casing is closed by means of folding. In most of the known apparatuses, however, this last closing mode is not automated, but carried out manually, or in any case with the assistance of an operator.

Applicant is not aware of apparatuses and/or methods for automatically and rapidly closing smoking articles by folding the rear zone of each casing.

Therefore, one purpose of the present invention is to provide a closing apparatus and to perfect a closing method which are capable of automatically and rapidly closing smoking articles, in particular by folding their rear zones, which are open and without the smoking material.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a closing apparatus and to perfect a closing method for automatically closing smoking articles which are simple and reliable.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a closing apparatus and to perfect a closing method for automatically closing smoking articles which allow to reach high productivity, intended, for example, as an hourly production of about 7,000 smoking articles.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims describe other characteristics of the present invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purposes, a closing apparatus according to the present invention for automatically closing smoking articles, each comprising a casing having at least one rear zone which is configured to be closed, comprises folding means configured to close the rear zone of each casing by means of folding, and movement means configured to move at least one of either the smoking articles or the folding means, so that they move reciprocally toward or away from each other, so that the rear zone of each casing can selectively interact with the folding means.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the folding means comprise both a folding member having a folding seating configured to temporarily house at least one end portion of the rear zone, and also an abutment element disposed slidingly in a channel which is communicating with the folding seating, so as to be able to abut against the rear zone when the at least one portion of the rear zone is inserted in the folding seating. The channel is configured as a through axial hole that opens from above into the folding seating. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the folding seating comprises a cavity having a domed shape, a truncated cone shape, or a combination thereof, so that at least one flap of the rear zone of each casing, entering the folding seating, can at least partly fold. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the folding member is disposed along a vertical axis and the cavity is coaxial to the vertical axis.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the abutment element, which is preferably coaxial to the vertical axis, is configured to move away from and close to the folding seating in order to strike and flatten in a controlled manner, one or several times, the rear zone of each casing. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the movement means comprise both one or more gripping members configured to grip each of the smoking articles in order to displace it toward the folding device, and also a movement device configured to simultaneously lower and raise the one or more gripping members. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, each of the one or more gripping members comprises at least two jaws shaped so as to have semi- cylindrical or truncated cone-shaped recesses, opposite each other and specular, so that when the jaws are tightened against each other they define a gripping seating for the smoking article.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, each jaw comprises at least one guide element and at least one hole which is configured to accommodate the guide element of the opposite jaw, cooperating with it. In particular, the guide element of one jaw cooperates with the guide element of the other jaw to tighten each smoking article in the gripping seating, in order to prevent, or reduce, oscillations or inclinations of the smoking article. Thanks to the advantageous conformation of the jaws and of the gripping elements, the smoking article is self-centered in the gripping seating and a possible inclination or oscillation of the smoking article with respect to its vertical axis is significantly reduced, or even completely prevented.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the closing apparatus comprises a transport member configured to support each of the smoking articles inside transport seatings and make them advance along a work path.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the transport member is sliding on a fixed guide disposed below the movement means.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus comprises one or several lifting means configured to selectively lift each of the smoking articles from the transport member.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the one or more lifting means comprise a corresponding piston disposed below the transport member and configured to be inserted into a passage created in the transport seatings. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a closing method for automatically closing smoking articles, each comprising a casing having at least one rear zone which is configured to be closed, using an apparatus which comprises folding means configured to close the rear zone of each casing by means of folding, and movement means configured to move at least one of either the smoking articles or the folding means so that they move reciprocally toward or away from each other, comprises both a movement step in which the movement means move at least one of either the smoking articles or the folding means in order to move them reciprocally toward or away from each other, so that the rear zone of each casing can interact with the folding means, and also a closing step in which the rear zone of each casing is closed by means of the folding means.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, in the closing step at least one portion of the rear zone is temporarily housed in a folding seating and an abutment element is selectively driven in order to strike and flatten the portion of the rear zone while it is temporarily housed in the folding seating, wherein the folding seating and the abutment element belong to the folding means.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the movement step comprises a gripping step in which one or more gripping members grip each of the smoking articles and displace it toward the folding means.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, in the closing step each of the gripping members, after it has gripped one of the smoking articles, is raised in order to take an open end of the portion of the rear zone inside the folding seating of the folding means, so that at least one flap of the rear zone, opposed by the internal surface of the folding seating, at least partly folds, in particular it folds on itself, toward the center of the folding seating.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, in the closing step and after the folding of the at least one flap of the rear zone, the abutment element is selectively driven in order to strike and flatten, one or several times, the at least one already at least partly folded flap in order to complete and consolidate its folding.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, in the movement step one or more lifting means are possibly driven in order to lift, preferably simultaneously, the smoking articles so that each of the gripping members cooperates with a central zone of each of the smoking articles in order to grip the central zone.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 is a front view of an apparatus for automatically closing smoking articles according to the present invention;

- fig. 2 is a three-dimensional view of the apparatus of fig. 1 ;

- fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of fig. 2;

- fig. 4 is a schematic and simplified lateral view of the apparatus of fig. 1; - fig. 5 is a block diagram of a machine that comprises the apparatus of fig. 1 ;

- fig. 6 is a partly sectioned lateral view of a smoking article before it is closed by the apparatus of fig. 1, inserted in a seating of a transport member;

- fig. 7 is a partly sectioned lateral view of a smoking article before it is closed by the apparatus of fig. 1 and lifted from the seating of the transport member of fig. 6, by means of a lifting device;

- figs from 8A to 8E are lateral views of a detail of the apparatus according to the present invention, which show a sequence of five operating conditions of closure of a smoking article, by means of a folding device;

- fig. 9 is a detail, on an enlarged scale, of the sequence of closing the smoking article of fig. 8C.

We must clarify that in the present description and in the claims the phraseology and terminology used, such as for example the terms horizontal, vertical, front, rear, high, low, internal and external, with their declinations, have the sole function of better illustrating the present invention with reference to the drawings and must not be in any way used to limit the scope of the invention itself, or the field of protection defined by the attached claims.

Furthermore, the people of skill in the art will recognize that certain sizes or characteristics in the drawings may have been enlarged, deformed, or shown in an unconventional or non-proportional way in order to provide a version of the present invention that is easier to understand. When sizes and/or values are specified in the following description, the sizes and/or values are provided for illustrative purposes only and must not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention, unless such sizes and/or values are present in the attached claims. Before describing an embodiment of the present invention, we must also clarify that it must not be considered as limited in its application to the details of the construction and disposition of the components as described in the present description using the attached drawings. In fact, the present invention can take on other embodiments and can be obtained or executed in various other equivalent ways.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can be conveniently combined or incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference to figs. 1 and 2, an apparatus 10 according to the present invention can be used to automatically close smoking articles 100, and in particular to perform the closure by folding an open rear zone Z3 of the smoking articles 100, as will be described in detail below.

Furthermore, as schematically shown in fig. 5, the apparatus 10 is configured to be part of, or be associated with, a packaging station 203 of a machine 200 for the preparation of smoking articles 100. Purely by way of example and in order to frame the apparatus 10 in a wider context, the machine 200 can comprise, in sequence, a feed station 201, a filling station 202, both disposed upstream of the packaging station 203, that is, of the apparatus 10, as well as, disposed downstream of the latter, a distribution station 204 able to deliver the finished smoking articles 100 to a packing station 205 which, possibly, can also be outside the machine 200. Furthermore, in the machine 200 there is a transport apparatus 206 having the function of transporting the smoking articles 100 from the feed station 201 to the packing station 205 along the entire working line, for example in a direction of working X, preferably rectilinear and horizontal. The feed station 201, the filling station 202, the packaging station 203, the distribution station 204, the packing station 205 and the transport apparatus 206 can be of any known type, or one that will be developed in the future. Alternatively, the feed station 201, the filling station 202, the packaging station 203 and/or the transport apparatus 206 can be, for example, as those described in correlated patent applications for industrial invention filed by, or assigned to, the Applicant of the present patent application.

For example, the transport apparatus 206 (fig. 5) comprises a transport member 207 (figs. 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7) having the shape and function of a shuttle and configured to slide on a fixed guide 209 in the direction of working X, substantially horizontal. In the example provided here, the transport member 207 comprises four seatings 210, hollow and made through, each of which has a truncated cone shape with sizes mating with those of a smoking article 100, or at least of a lower part thereof. In the example provided here, the sizes of each seating 210 are such that each smoking article 100, when inserted into the seating 210, protrudes not only from the upper surface of the transport member 207, but also from the lower surface thereof, by a few millimeters (fig. 6).

It is clear that the number of seatings 210 can also be different from four, it being understood that their number influences the hourly productivity of the machine 200. In fact, if to perform a work cycle in each of the different work stations 201, 202, 203, 204 and 205 and in the apparatus 10, or in a slower one, a determinate cycle time TC expressed in seconds is required, the hourly productivity of the machine 200 will be equal to 3,600 seconds divided by the cycle time TC, multiplied by the number of seatings 210 of each transport member 207. In fact, in the four seatings 210 the work occurs in parallel.

Each seating 210 is symmetrical with respect to a substantially vertical Y axis and is configured to house a smoking article 100 that can be inserted from the top downward, with the rear zone Z3 facing upward. The distance D (fig. 1) between two adjacent seatings 210 is defined in the design phase of the machine 200 and it is suitable to manage the plurality of smoking articles 100, as will be described in detail below.

By way of a non-limiting indication, the machine 200 is able to prepare each smoking article 100 in a very short time, that is, with a cycle time TC of about two seconds, therefore that it can have an hourly productivity of about 7,000 smoking articles 100, precisely because four smoking articles 100 are worked simultaneously in each work station 201, 202, 203, 204 and 205 and in the apparatus 10.

Before describing the apparatus 10 and the corresponding method for automatically closing smoking articles 100 in detail, in order to better understand the present invention we will now schematically describe, by way of a non limiting example, a smoking article 100 (figs. 6 and 7).

When it arrives in correspondence with the apparatus 10, for example from the filling station 202 (fig. 5), each smoking article 100 comprises a casing 101 (fig. 6), made for example with very thin and light paper, or other suitable material. Each casing 101 comprises a front mouthpiece zone Zl, possibly provided with a filter 102, a central zone Z2, which when the smoking article 100 arrives in correspondence with the apparatus 10 is already filled with incoherent material M, such as tobacco, others smokable substances, or a combination thereof, and the rear zone Z3 which has an open end and is configured to be suitably closed in order to prevent the incoherent material M from exiting the casing 101. Each casing 101, before its rear zone Z3 is closed, has a determinate initial length LI, for example comprised between about 60 mm and about 150 mm, while the smoking article 100, when finished, has a final length that depends on its format, which in turn depends on the quantity of incoherent material M inserted in the casing 101.

Each casing 101 has a shape such that it can be easily stacked, for example a truncated cone shape and flared from the front zone Zl to the rear zone Z3.

The apparatus 10 (figs. 1 and 2) comprises four folding devices 11, the same as each other and each disposed along a corresponding vertical axis T. The four vertical axes T are distanced from each other by the same distance D by which the seatings 210 of a same transport member 207 are distanced. Furthermore, between each folding device 11 and the fixed guide 209 there is a gripping member 12, which is also aligned with the corresponding vertical axis T.

The four folding devices 11 are mounted on a vertical plate 13 associated with a fixed structure, and they are commanded, for example, by a first actuator 15 (figs. 2 and 4) which is also mounted on the vertical plate 13. Each folding device 11 is configured to carry out an inward fold of the flaps of the rear zone Z3 of a casing 101. Preferably, the length of the rear zone Z3 has a predetermined value, or it can be taken to this predetermined value by means of a suitable cutting device disposed upstream of the apparatus 10 and which can be of any known type, since it falls outside the scope of the present invention. Each folding device 11 comprises a folding member 16 (figs. 1, 4, 8 and 9) disposed in a fixed position and having a folding seating 17 that faces toward the smoking articles 100 and is configured to temporarily accommodate the rear zone Z3 of the casing 101. The folding seating 17 comprises a cavity which substantially has a shape which can be a domed shape, a truncated cone shape, or a combination thereof, so that when a casing 101, during use, is taken from the bottom upward in correspondence with the corresponding folding device 11, the flaps of the rear zone Z3 of each casing 101, entering the folding seating 17, partly fold toward the center of the cavity, that is, toward the vertical axis T.

Furthermore, each folding member 16 is provided with a channel 19 communicating with the folding seating 17, the channel 19 being configured as a through axial hole which opens from above into the cavity, and in which there is disposed in a sliding manner an abutment element 20 which has the function of a small power hammer to strike, selectively and in a controlled manner, one or several times, the partly folded flaps of the rear zone Z3 of each casing 101, as will be described in detail below.

The abutment element 20 is selectively driven by the first actuator 15 so that it is displaced axially, in both senses, from a raised idle position PR (figs. 4, 8A, 8B, 8C and 8E), in which a lower end 21 of the abutment element 20 is substantially level with the top of the folding seating 17, to an operating position PO (fig.8D), in which the abutment member 20 is lowered so that its lower end 21 enters the folding seating 17 in order to flatten the partly folded flaps of the rear zone Z3 of each casing 101, and vice versa.

The four gripping members 12 (fig. 4), in an idle position PH thereof, are disposed on a same horizontal plane and they are configured first to be lowered all together toward a lowered position PA, in which they can simultaneously pick up the four smoking articles 100 housed in the seatings 210 of the transport member 207 which is temporarily below them, and then to be raised up to a raised position PS, higher than the idle position PH, in which the four smoking articles 100 that were picked up are taken in correspondence with the four folding devices 11. In particular, the raised position PS varies according to the format of the smoking article 100.

The simultaneous lowering and raising of the four gripping members 12 is commanded by a movement device 22, which comprises a slider 23, sliding vertically with respect to the vertical plate 13, and at least one second actuator 25, of a known type, also mounted on the vertical plate 13, which has the function of selectively activating the slider 23.

Each second gripping member 12 comprises at least two jaws 26 (figs. 1, 2 and 3) the internal part of which is shaped so as to have semi-cylindrical or truncated cone-shaped recesses 27 (fig. 3), opposite each other and specular, so that when the two jaws 26 are tightened against each other, their recesses 27 form a gripping seating suitable to support the smoking articles 100 without damaging the structural integrity of the casing 101.

In order to improve the grip and prevent each smoking article 100 from sliding downward when it is between the jaws 26, the internal part of the jaws is lined with a high grip material, such as rough rubber.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, each jaw 26 comprises a pair of guide elements 28a, 28b, each configured to be inserted into a respective hole 29a, 29b made on the opposite jaw 26, cooperating with it, and having a shape mating with the shape of the guide elements 28a, 28b.

The guide elements 28a, 28b are configured to tighten each smoking article 100, self-centering it in the gripping seating of the jaws 26, so that when the smoking article 100 is lifted from the respective seating 210 of the transport member 207 it does not oscillate or tilt.

In particular, each guide element 28a, 28b comprises a shaped portion, preferably according to a curvilinear profile, able to come into contact with the casing 101 in order to prevent damaging the latter when each smoking article 100 is taken and lifted.

Furthermore, in correspondence with the ends of the recesses 27 there are indentations 30, each shaped as an arc of a circle which, when the jaws 26 are tightened against each other, form a small semicircular channel which has substantially the function of allowing each smoking article 100 to adapt to the gripping seating as best as possible, preventing the generation of structural damage to the casing 101, in particular due to the tightening action of the jaws 26.

The opening and closing of the jaws 26 of the four gripping members 12 (figs. 1, 2 and 4) is obtained simultaneously by means of a first slide 31 and a second slide 32, which are substantially horizontal and mounted sliding axially on the slider 23. The two slides 31 and 32 are driven by a command member of a known type, for example an electric motor or a linear actuator of the pneumatic or fluid- dynamic type, not shown in the drawings.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, in order for the simultaneous closure of four smoking articles 100 to be carried out correctly and in order for the four gripping members 12 to be able to cooperate with the corresponding central zones Z2 of the four casings 101, below the fixed guide 209 there are disposed one or more lifting devices 33, of a type known per se, configured to simultaneously lift the same four smoking articles 100. In the example given here, there are four lifting devices 33; however, there could also be provided only one lifting device 33, configured to perform the same function.

The lifting devices 33 are disposed on a fixed horizontal plate 35 and they are provided with small pistons 36 simultaneously driven by a third actuator 37, which is also disposed on the fixed horizontal plate 35.

The apparatus 10 also comprises an electronic control unit 39, for example of the programmable type, configured to control the actuators 15, 25 and 37 and, consequently, the other mechanical means operatively connected thereto.

The operation of the apparatus 10 described heretofore, which corresponds to the method according to the present invention, comprises the following steps.

In an initial or idle condition, the four gripping members 12 (fig. 4) are in their idle position PH, with the jaws 26 open, and the abutment element 20 is in its idle position PR.

Before starting the operations of closing the rear zones Z3 of the casings 101, the electronic control unit 39 is set according to the format of the smoking articles 100 to be produced, so that the actuators 25 and 37 impart coherent movements to the slider 23 and to the pistons 36, respectively.

Then, the transport member 207 is displaced by the transport apparatus 206 until it reaches a stop position PT (fig. 1), exactly below the first closing assembly 11, in which the four vertical axes Y of the seatings 210 are coincident with the four vertical axes T of the folding devices 11. In this stop position PT, the transport member 207 remains stationary for an interval of time equal to the cycle time TC necessary for the apparatus 10 to perform the simultaneous closure of the four rear zones Z3 of the casings 101 of as many smoking articles 100.

Under the control of the electronic control unit 39 a movement step then occurs, in which the second actuator 25 (fig. 4) lowers the slider 23 and the four gripping members 12 mounted thereon from their idle position PH to their lowered position PA (figs. 4 and 7), thus starting a gripping step in which the slides 31 and 32 are then driven so that they move reciprocally with respect to each other in order to close the jaws 26 and take them into contact with the four smoking articles 100 present in the seatings 210 of the transport member 207.

If necessary, that is, as a function of the format of the smoking articles 100, simultaneously with the lowering of the slider 23 and, therefore, of the four gripping members 12 into the lowered position PA, the third actuator 37 drives the pistons 36 of the lifting devices 33 (fig. 7) in order to simultaneously lift the four smoking articles 100, so that the grip of the jaws 26 occurs in the central zone Z2 of each casing 101.

Subsequently, the second actuator 25 raises the slider 23 together with the four gripping members 12, gradually taking them from the lowered position PA to the raised position PS. Consequently, the four smoking articles 100 are also lifted so that the step of closing the rear zones Z3 of the casings 101 is carried out. In fact, the rear zones Z3 are gradually taken in correspondence with the four folding devices 11.

The raised position PS of the gripping members 12 (figs. 8C and 8D) is set so that the flaps of each rear zone Z3 of the four casings 101 enter the folding seating 17 and fold toward the center of the cavity, that is, toward the vertical axis T (figs. 8C and 9).

In particular, as shown in detail in figs from 8A to 8E, the sequence of folding the rear zone Z3 of each casing 101 comprises the following steps: a) each gripping member 12 lifts the smoking article 100 until the open end of the rear zone Z3 is taken to a small distance G from the folding seating 17 (fig. 8A); b) each gripping member 12 lifts the smoking article 100 further, until the open end of the rear zone Z3 is taken inside the folding seating 17 (fig. 8B); c) each gripping member 12 is raised further up to its raised position PS, whereby one or more flaps of the rear zone Z3, opposed by the internal surface of the folding seating 17, partly fold on themselves inward (figs. 8C and 9); d) the first actuator 15 drives each abutment element 20 a few times, for example twice, lowering it from its idle position PR to its operating position PO, in order to strike and flatten the already partly folded flaps of the rear zone Z3 of each casing 101, thus completing the folding itself (fig. 8D); and e) once the closure of the rear zone Z3 of each casing 101 has been performed, the first actuator 15 drives each abutment element 20 returning it to its idle position PR and, simultaneously, the second actuator 25 lowers the slider 23 so that the gripping members 12 return to the position corresponding to that of the previous step a) (fig. 8E).

Then, with operations that are inverse to those described heretofore, the slider 23 is lowered in order to return the four already closed smoking articles 100 to their initial position, that is, inside their seatings 210 of the transport member

207, after which the four gripping members 12 are returned to the idle position PH.

Once the closing step by means of folding has been completed, the transport element 207 is displaced from the stop position, in the work direction X, toward the distribution station 203 (fig. 5). ft is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts or steps may be made to the apparatus and to the method as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to a specific example, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of apparatuses and methods for automatically closing smoking articles, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

In the following claims, the sole purpose of the references in brackets is to facilitate reading and they must not be considered as restrictive factors with regard to the field of protection claimed in the specific claims.

Claims

1. Closing apparatus (10) for automatically closing smoking articles (100) each comprising a casing (101) having at least one rear zone (Z3) configured to be closed, said apparatus comprising folding means (11) configured for close said rear zone (Z3) of each casing (101) by means of folding, and movement means (12, 22) configured to move at least one of either said smoking articles (100) or said folding means (11) so that they move reciprocally toward each other, so that said rear zone (Z3) of each casing (101) can selectively interact with said folding means (11), characterized in that said folding means (11) comprise both a folding member (16) having a folding seating (17) configured to temporarily house at least one portion of said rear zone (Z3), and also an abutment element (20) disposed slidingly in a channel (19) which is communicating with said folding seating (17), so as to be able to abut against said rear zone (Z3) when the at least one portion of said rear zone (Z3) is inserted in the folding seating (17).

2. Apparatus (10) as in claim 1, characterized in that said folding seating (17) comprises a cavity that has a domed shape, a truncated cone shape, or a combination thereof, so that at least one flap of said rear zone (Z3) of each casing (101), entering said folding seating (17), can at least partly fold.

3. Apparatus (10) as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said abutment element (20) is configured to move away from and close to said folding seating (17) in order to strike and flatten in a controlled manner, one or several times, said rear zone (Z3) of each casing (101).

4. Apparatus (10) as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said movement means (12, 22) comprise both one or more gripping members (12) configured to grip each of said smoking articles (100), and also a movement device (22) configured to lower and raise said one or more gripping members (12).

5. Apparatus (10) as in claim 4, characterized in that each of said one or more gripping members (12) comprises at least two jaws (26) shaped so as to have semi-cylindrical, or truncated cone-shaped recesses (27), opposite each other and specular, so that when said jaws (26) are tightened against each other, they define a gripping seating for said smoking article (100), and in that each jaw (26) comprises at least one guide element (28a, 28b) and at least one hole (29a, 29b) which is configured to accommodate the guide element (28a, 28b) of the opposite jaw (26), wherein the guide elements (28a, 28b) opposite each other cooperate in order to tighten each smoking article (100) in said gripping seating, so as to prevent or reduce oscillations or inclinations of the smoking article (100). 6. Apparatus (10) as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it also comprises a transport member (207) configured to support each of said smoking articles (100) inside transport seatings (210) and to make them advance along a work path.

7. Apparatus (10) as in claim 6, characterized in that it comprises one or more lifting means (33) configured to selectively lift each of said smoking articles

(100) from said transport member (207).

8. Apparatus (10) as in claim 7, characterized in that said one or more lifting means (33) comprise a corresponding piston (36) disposed below the transport member (207) and configured to be inserted inside a passage created in the transport seatings (210).

9. Closing method for automatically closing smoking articles (100) each comprising a casing (101) having at least one rear zone (Z3) configured to be closed, using an apparatus (10) which comprises folding means (11) configured to close said rear zone (Z3) of each casing (101) by means of folding, and movement means (12, 22) configured to move at least one of either said smoking articles (100) or said folding means (11) so that they move reciprocally toward or away from each other, wherein said method comprises both a movement step in which said movement means (22) move at least one of either said smoking articles (100) or said folding means (11) in order to move them reciprocally close to each other, so that said rear zone (Z3) of each casing (101) can interact with said folding means (11), and also a closing step in which said rear zone (Z3) of each casing (101) is closed by means of said folding means (11), characterized in that in said closing step at least one portion of said rear zone (Z3) is temporarily housed in a folding seating (17) and an abutment element (20) is selectively driven in order to strike and flatten said portion of said rear zone (Z3) while it is temporarily housed in said folding seating (17), said folding seating (17) and said abutment element (20) belonging to said folding means (11).

10. Method as in claim 9, characterized in that said movement step comprises a gripping step in which one or more gripping members (12) grip each of said smoking articles (100) and displace it toward said folding means (11).

11. Method as in claim 10, characterized in that in said closing step each of said gripping members (12), after it has gripped one of said smoking articles (100), takes said at least one portion of the rear zone (Z3) inside the folding seating (17) of said folding means (11) so that at least one flap of said rear zone (Z3), opposed by the internal surface of said folding seating (17), at least partly folds.

12. Method as in claim 11, characterized in that in said closing step and after the folding of said at least one flap of said rear zone (Z3), the abutment element

(20) is selectively driven in order to strike and flatten, one or several times, said at least one already at least partly folded flap in order to complete and consolidate its folding.

13. Method as in any claim from 10 to 12, characterized in that in said movement step one or more lifting means (33) are possibly driven in order to lift said smoking articles (100) so that each of said gripping members (12) grips a central zone (Z2) of each of said smoking articles (100).

14. Use of a closing apparatus (10) as in any claim from 1 to 8, or of a closing method as in any claim from 9 to 13.