ES2695033T3 - Procedure and device for packing small items - Google Patents

Abstract

Procedure for packaging articles (A) in the form of small pieces, especially articles with a handle (A1), in which a collection of articles is carried out in a rotational movement by a first device (10) from a plane of basically horizontal preparation of a loading and separating device (1) and in which the articles (A) are guided on a first segment of circular path by the first device (10), characterized in that an addition of packaging material is carried out radially with respect to the first device (10).

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Procedure and device for packing small items

The invention relates to a method and a device for packaging articles in the form of small pieces, especially articles with a handle (stick candies).

For the packaging of articles in small pieces, such as hard or soft candies, chocolates or other confectionery products in small pieces, both intermittent packaging machines and those operating according to the principle of continuous work are known, so that usually High performance machines in general must operate according to the principle of continuous work, since otherwise, in addition to the inevitable downtimes, the higher accelerations of the product and the packaging material require higher power.

Special forms of articles and product configurations always pose special demands for the design of high-performance packaging machines. Until now, the articles of special configurations, for example, the candies of stick, that is to say, balls of hard candy or of bonbon endowed with a handle, due to their specific characteristics, have only been able to be packaged according to the rules of the intermittence and consequently, at reduced performance. For this reason, the intermittent operating packaging machines designed to pack stick candies with a rotating casing only achieve reduced yields, of about 300 to 500 work cycles per minute. Due to product errors (balls without a handle or with a defective or poorly positioned handle), problems arise when the candy is loaded onto a separation plate and separated into loose pieces with the handles facing radially outwards. According to the state of the art, the handles of the separated stick candies are always extracted on the side of the handle by pairs of tongs of a chain, but this extraction process can never be carried out with a production load of 100%, which also causes additional performance limitations. Said clamps, and thereby the product, are moved intermittently by a packing head (between an upper die and a lower die, inserted together with a piece of packaging material). After the tube of packaging material is formed, the two ends of the tube are heated, and only in a subsequent switching position is the wrapping operation performed, with two rounds and without oscillation.

It is necessary to improve both packaging quality and packaging performance.

US5450706 discloses a device and a method, according to the preambles of claims 9 or 1.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a method and a device for packaging articles into small pieces, especially articles with a handle, which allow to achieve a high performance with high packaging quality, and which create the conditions necessary to be able to also pack complex items at high yields. In particular, a higher quality of the packaging of the articles must be achieved.

This object is achieved, according to the invention, by a method with the features of claim 1 and a device with the features of claim 9.

The advantageous configurations of the invention are the object of the corresponding dependent claims.

The method and the device according to the invention are particularly advantageous because, for the first time in the field of continuously operating machines, ie packing machines through which articles pass continuously, there are only two rotating heads, namely a rotating extraction head and a rotating packaging head, so that the machine time for the packaging of each piece of the article is reduced and, thanks to a more compact integration of packaging operations and packaging units necessary for this, also for complex articles, such as those with a handle, it is possible to achieve high yields, for example, of 1000 pieces per minute. Preferably, the articles are picked up one by one with a rotating extraction head, transferred to a rotating packaging head and, once the packaging of the product is finished, they are delivered by a delivery device.

The method according to the invention is advantageously perfected because an addition of packaging material is already made in the area of a first device, after the extraction of a unit from the article, which, together with the piece of packaging material, is transfers to a second device, the packaging head itself, which forms the packaging of the article.

In the context of the present patent application, the new methods and devices are provided, in particular, for the packaging of articles with mango (stick candies).

In relation to the packaging of articles with handle, the method, according to the invention, is characterized, in

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Special, because the product pick-up, that is to say, the grip on the handle, is done very close to the ball of the article and not, as up to now, at the free end of the handle.

In addition, the device according to the invention is advantageously improved because the addition of the packaging material has been moved to the extraction head, whereas up to now, the machines working continuously have a separate gripping head located between the head of the machine. extraction and packaging head. The first head of the machine, which collects the separate articles into separate pieces of a device for separating and loading product, for example, from a separating disk, also has the means, hitherto assigned to a separate gripping head, intended for to add the packaging material to the article in the extraction head and deliver the article, together with the packaging material, directly from the extraction head to the packaging head.

To seal the piece of packaging material on the handle of an article heated swivel clips are provided.

As an example of products, the present patent application refers, in particular, to the packaging of articles in small pieces, endowed with a handle, the so-called stick candies, without being limited thereto. Up to now, such articles have not been able to be packed with high performance machines that allow a production of, for example, about 1000 pieces per minute. An advantageous embodiment of the method for packaging such products according to the operating principle of continuously operating packaging machines consists in that the articles with handle separated into loose pieces are not held, as they have been up to now, by the free end of the handle, but they are held by the area of the handle located on the side of the article, that is, behind the ball of the product, close to or as close as possible to it. This has the advantage that, for example, the errors of position of the handle with respect to the ball do not affect the handling of the product, so that the product is collected with great security and tolerances (for example, the eccentricity between the handle and the ball) do not influence the rest of the packaging procedure.

In addition to this, this makes the driving of the product inside the extraction head very safe and therefore creates favorable conditions for the transfer of the article, together with the packaging material placed, from the extraction head to the packaging head. In addition, the collection near the ball has an additional centering effect of the article, since the extraction devices (pairs of tweezers) can have a large opening angle and accurately grasp the product always in the same extraction position.

Such products in small pieces, also the articles with handle here considered as an example of the same, sometimes are packaged with a wrapping of fins rotated. According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, for twisting and sealing the packaging material on the handle of the articles with handle, heated rotating tongs are used which allow a hot seal to be made and thus achieve a high quality and resistance of the sealing of the packaging in the transition zone between the handle and the ball of the article. In its case, to make fins rotated on the end of the handle opposite the article, a rotating clamp could also be used, or such rotating clamps could be used when employing heat-sealable packaging films for packaging products with double-turn wrapping. (articles without handle), or plastic sheets of greater repositioning force can be used for sealing on the handle of articles with handle, without affecting the appearance or sealing of the packaging material on the handle. However, in this example the wrap of fins rotated on the end of the handle opposite the article is shaped as a simple wrapper by conventional rotating clamps (not heated).

Other preferred configurations of the devices according to the invention and of the method according to the invention are disclosed in the other dependent claims.

The invention is explained below on the basis of an exemplary embodiment and the corresponding drawings. The drawings show:

Figure 1 is a schematic front view of a packaging machine for continuously packing articles with mango (stick candies);

Figure 2 shows schematically the device for loading the articles and their separation into units;

- Figure 3 is a schematic and partial representation of a brush device for orienting articles;

Figure 4 is a partial schematic representation, in perspective, of an empty cycle sensor equipment of the loading and separating device in loose pieces;

figure 5 represents in perspective, partially and schematically, an extraction head and a loading ring of the separating device during the extraction of an article;

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Figure 6 partially shows in perspective the extraction head of figure 5 during the extraction operation, that is, in relation to the loading ring of the separating device during the extraction of an article, seen from the separating device;

Figure 7 shows the extraction head, similar to Figure 6, and shows the provision of a piece of packaging material for an article located in the extraction head;

Figure 8 is a general schematic front view of the pick-up head and the packaging head;

- Figure 9 shows schematically in perspective a drive device for the extraction head of figures 5, 6 or 7;

- figure 10 shows in perspective a part of the total representation of the essential functional units of the packaging machine of figure 1;

Figure 11 shows schematically in perspective a part of a packaging head in combination with a rotating clamp for sealing the packaging material on a handle of an article (stick candy),

Figure 12 is a schematic partial perspective view of a rear rotating head with rotating clamps,

- Figure 13 shows schematically a rotary station with front and rear rotary head including the intermediate packaging head,

- figure 14 schematically shows the front end of a heated rotating clamp, with a pair of rotating clamps, and

Figure 15 schematically represents the procedure for carrying out the packaging process in the packaging machine, according to claim 1, for the packaging of an article with handle (stick candy).

Figure 1 shows a packaging machine -100- which operates according to the principle of continuous work, in which the article -A- (compare with figure 4) is continuously extracted from a loading and separating device in loose pieces - 1- located on a horizontal frame -1a- of U-shaped profile of the machine (which is supported on the ground by machine feet -1b-) by means of an extraction head -10- that can rotate about an axis of rotation -11 (figure 5), and transferred, together with a piece of packaging material -12-, to a packaging head -20-, which can be rotated about a fixed axis of rotation -21- (figure 8), so that, in order to wrap and seal the corresponding part of the piece of packaging material -12- on a handle -A1- of article -A-, each packaging unit of the packaging head -20- has a clip attached to it. revolving -71- (compare with figures 11 to 14). By means of a discharge wheel -50-, the fully packaged articles -A- are led to a discharge device configured in the form of discharge belt -40- and are exited from the packaging machine -100-.

For the sake of clarity, in Figure 1 an anterior rotary head -60- disposed in front of the packaging head -20- has been omitted, and a rotating head -70- rear is represented as part of a rotary station -80-.

The packing machine -100- is characterized because between the article -A- fully packaged and the extraction of the article -A- of the loading and separating device in loose pieces -1- only involves two support heads for the product essential for packaging , specifically the extraction head -10- and the packaging head -20-, thanks to which the packaging process can be configured to be considerably more compact, fast and efficient (the discharge wheel -50- is only an auxiliary device independent of the packaging process). This increases the requirements regarding the configuration of the packaging machine and, in particular, the design of the extraction head -10-. On the other hand, as it happens in the present example of accomplishment, this allows to pack the articles -A- to a rate of work of approximately 1.000 cycles by minute, that is to say, to high performance, being in this case the article -A- a candy ball or other confectionery product attached to a handle -A1-. In this embodiment, the ball of article -A- is designated -A2-. In figure 1, the arrows -K-, -L-, -M-, -N-, -O-, -P- indicate the corresponding directions of rotation of the distributor disc -2- (arrow -K-), the charge ring -3- (arrow -L-), extraction head -10- (arrow -M-), packing head -20- (arrow -N-), discharge wheel -50- (arrow -O-) and the direction of displacement of the discharge belt -40- (arrow -P-).

Figure 2 schematically shows in detail the device for loading and separating into loose pieces -1-, that is to say, a separating disk -2- which, in the known manner, is descending outwards from its axis -2a-, so that a along the outer perimeter of the separating disc -2- there is a feed ring -3- with recesses -4- to receive the balls -A2- of the article -A-, in whose outer contour the recesses -4- become grooves of accommodation -5- in which enter the corresponding handles -A1- of article -A- oriented radially towards

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outside when the product is properly placed (compare with figures 4 and 5). In addition to a product orientator -6- located on the separating disk -2-, there is a system of brushes -7- with brushes -7b-, -7 c-, -7d- of individual drive that, together with the helical guide -7 a-, serves to fill the recesses -4- of the feed ring -3- with the product -A- (balls -A2-) and so that the handles -A1- of the article -A-, thanks to the system of brushes -7- and the helical guide -7 a-, are positioned radially outwards and inside the housing grooves -5- (compare with figures 4 to 6).

In this way, a high filling of the separating disk -2- between 97% and 100% is achieved.

An outer cover -8- serves to protect the separating disk -2-.

In figures 3 and 4 are shown again, in different schematic and perspective forms, details of the brush system -7- (figure 3) and an empty cycle sensor device -9- which will be described later. Figure 3 shows once again the different shapes of the brushes -7b-, -7c-, -7d-, so that the brush -7b- is basically an elongated cylindrical body -7b1-, with a first cylindrical section -7b1 - and a tapered section -7b2- extended forward, of increasing diameter, intended to distribute the article -A- with its balls -A2- in the recesses -4-, a function in which the cylindrical brush also participates -7 c- . The blade -7 c- of disc shape, whose width corresponds approximately to the width of the feed ring -3-, serves to securely fix the product -A- (not shown in figure 3) within the recesses -4-. Each of the brushes -7b-, -7c-, -7d- is driven individually by a small DC motor -13-.

In FIG. 3, the recesses -4- of the feed ring -3- have not been shown below on the right. Figure 3 also shows, under the feed ring, a guide rail -14- covering underneath the recesses -4- in most of the perimeter of the feed ring -3-, so that the articles -A- they are housed in the recesses so that they can not overturn.

Before an extraction position of the articles -A- there is a sensor device -9- of empty cycles which, in the present exemplary embodiment and by means of an optical barrier fork -15-, explores and detects the handles -A1- of the articles -A-, so that after the extraction position there is a blow-ejection device -16- (ejection nozzle) for articles that are in a recess -4- and that have no handle (is say, only the ball) and that can not be processed further. In this area the rail 14 is not provided (compare with figure 3), so that the articles can fall freely towards a collecting container. However, taking into account the rate of work, the force of gravity would not be sufficient to remove the product, so that a forced ejection of the defective items without handle is provided by the blow-off device -16-. Furthermore, depending on a fault signal sent by the vacuum cycle sensor device -9-, the packaging material addition device is stopped, so that in this case the piece of packaging material is not driven -12- to the extraction head -10-, since in the corresponding position of the extraction head -10- there will not be an article -A-.

A positioning stirrup -17- located above the load ring -3- in the area above the handles -A1- also contributes to the correct positioning of the articles -A- and thereby ensures the positioning. Considering the high rate of work, it is important that the articles -A- separated into separate pieces are oriented without errors as far as possible.

The system of brushes -7- described in relation to figures 2 and 3 for the correct positioning of the articles -A- in the recesses -4- and, therefore, to guarantee a high degree of filling of the load ring - 3-, it can also consist of a single brush of shapes that has in each of its parts the geometric shape adapted to execute the positioning function that in the present example is assigned to the three brushes -7b-, -7c-, -7d-.

Figure 5 is a partial representation, schematic and in perspective, of the collection situation of the articles and of the extraction head -10- at the extraction point, in which the articles -A- are extracted from the loading ring - 3-. The arrow -L- indicates the direction of rotation of said ring, while the arrow -M- indicates the direction of rotation of the extraction head -10- around the axis of rotation -11-. The articles -A- positioned on the loading ring -3- are removed by the handle -A1- at an extraction point -E- (figure 5), so that the extraction head -10- rotates in the opposite direction to the load ring -3- around a fixed axis of rotation -11-. On its front side there are the extraction units -18- which, in turn, are supported on the extraction head -10- so that each of them can rotate around its corresponding axis of rotation -19-.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the extraction head -10- comprises six revolving extraction units -18- (see FIG. 6), arranged perimetrally at the same angular distances, so that each extraction unit -18- is associated with a clamp for additional packaging material -23- that can be rotated about a parallel axis of rotation -22-, as can be seen more clearly in figures 6 and 7.

Each extraction unit -18- consists of a pair of grippers -24- consisting of a clamp -24a-anterior, located first in the direction of rotation of the extraction head -10-, and a clamp of

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rear clamping -24b- located second in the direction of rotation of the extraction head -10-. The holding clamps -24a-, -24b- of each pair of clamps -24- are arranged on the corresponding axis of rotation -19- common, around which perform their opening and closing movements to grip and hold the handle -A1- of article -A-, and so that the entire pair of rotating clamps -24- can also rotate about the axis of rotation -19- in relation to the rotation movement of the extraction head -10- around the axis of rotation -11-. This serves to adapt the separation distance of the articles -A- located in the load ring -3- to the separation between the extraction units -18- (pairs of grippers -24-), so that the pairs of clamps -24- perform an accelerated movement both before and after the extraction point, while there is only a uniform movement in an area located before and after a transfer point in which the article is delivered to the packaging head -twenty-. There is a transition between these two zones. As clearly shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the clamps -24a- and -24b- comprise prismatic surfaces -Z- on their interior surfaces, to grasp safely and reliably the cylindrical handles -A1- of article -A - In addition, a wide opening of the pair of clamps -24-, together with the prismatic shape, helps the handles -A1- can be grasped and driven safely, thus ensuring a very reliable handling of the product without having than to resort to other governing bodies.

For the extraction of the articles of the load ring -3- for each pair of grippers -24-, it is essential that the handle is gripped directly as close as possible to the ball -A2-, ie, next to the surface cylindrical exterior of the load ring -3-, which also achieves a compensation of the tolerances of the position of the handle -A1- with respect to the ball -A2-, since the deviations of the position of the handle -A1- respect to the ball -A2-, in relation to a nominal position, have a reduced or no effect (contrary to what happens in the free end of the handle -A1-).

Logically, the extraction head -10- can have more or less than six revolving extraction units -18-, depending on the general configuration of the packaging machine -100-.

In addition to the feature of grabbing the article -A- by the handle -A1- in the upper area, that is, as close as possible to the ball -A2-, another special feature of this extraction head -10- is that also It includes clamps for packaging material -23-, that is, not only serves to extract the product from the loading and separating device into loose pieces -1- (separating disk -2-), but also the packaging material, ie the pieces of packaging material -12-, to the extraction head -10- by means of a device for feeding packaging material not shown in the drawings, whereby both are made in a single head functions of "extraction" of the article and of "addition of packaging material" to it. This is clearly shown in Figure 7, leads to a considerable increase in efficiency and packaging functions are more compact, so it allows to move to new rates of work superior in the packaging of articles of this type, endowed with a mango.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 (the latter represents a diagram of the extraction head -10- in a front perspective), each extraction unit -18-, that is, each pair of rotating grippers -24-, is associated with a clamp for packaging material -23- which basically consists of a sheet in the shape of "U", that is, grooved, which can rotate about an axis of rotation -22- parallel to the axis of rotation -19- of the clamps of subjection but separated of the same and that also owns an independent accionamiento. Also this clamp for packaging material -23- executes an accelerated movement and serves to allow, already between the extraction point of the loading ring -3- and the transfer point to the packing head -20-, to be led to the head of extraction -10- the piece of packaging material -12-, necessary to pack the article -A-, and said piece is arranged on the article -A- while it is held by the pair of clamps -24- .

The corresponding control movements for each pair of grippers -24- as a whole, for the opening and closing movements of the grippers -24a-, -24b- of each pair of grippers -24-, thus as the turning movement of each clamp for packaging material -23-, they are derived from control curves configured in relation to the rotation of the extraction head -10- around its axis of rotation -11-. In connection with this, reference is made to the perspective schematic drawing of figure 9. The control curves -25-, -26-, in combination with the control rollers -27-, -28-, serve to control the movements of the holding clamps -24a- and -24b-, anterior and posterior, of the corresponding pair of clamps -24-, while the entire extraction unit -18- travels a surrounding curve -29- around the axis of rotation - 11 - fixed, which includes the clamps for packaging material -23- associated with each extraction unit -18- and whose control of turning movements is made by the control curves -31- and the corresponding tracking cams -32- . In this way the requirement is taken into account that, on the one hand, the piece of packaging material -12-, by means of the clamp for packaging material -23- and the corresponding counter-support of the pair of clamps -24-, it is placed in a fixed manner projecting from the article -A-, that is to say, next to it, and that, on the other hand, it is ensured that the pair of grippers -24- can extract without obstacles the article -A- of the ring of load -3-, without collisions occur between the clamp for packaging material -23- and the charging ring -3-, or that during the continuous operation of a packaging machine of this type a dangerous interference situation occurs in the extraction area. In the present case, this problem is solved because the clamp for packaging material -23-, as shown, in particular, Figure 7, is a "U" -shaped sheet, that is, it has a central groove - 33- which, by a downward movement in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the extraction head

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-10-, it allows to lodge in the central groove -33- the clamp for packaging material -23- by an arm -34- of the clamp -24a- anterior, so it passes it through the extraction point with a movement of opposite pitching and immersion senses, as seen in detail in FIG. 7, when comparing the various phase positions of the clamping pair pairs -24- and the corresponding clamps for packaging material -23- in the area of the extraction point. To fix the piece of packaging material -12 so that it hangs over the article -A- already gripped, for its subsequent folding around the article in the packaging head -20-, each clamp -24a- previous holds a counter-support of tightening -35-. In this way, the packaging material or the piece of packaging material 12 is clamped firmly between the front end of the clamp for packaging material 23 and the clamping counter-35 with a part of the piece of material of packaging -12-, and at the same time it is placed on article -A-, that is, on the ball -A2-. In addition to the own continuous movement of rotation of the extraction head -11-, three other movements are executed therein:

- opening and closing of the clamping pair of clamps -24- of the extraction units -18-,

- rotation of the clamping pair of clamps -24- of the extraction units -18- (in its entirety), and

- turning or opening and closing of the clamps for packaging material.

As indicated in the upper right part of Figure 7 and shown more fully in Figure 8, the extraction head -10- is in "winding contact" with the packaging head -20-, which it comprises packaging units -36- in a comparable number and form, each of which consists of a pair of packing head holding clamps -37-, which can rotate about an axis of rotation, each of which is associated with an internal folding element -38- independently supported in a rotating manner, intended to fold and wrap the article -A- with a tube of packaging material, as explained below.

In addition to the movement processes of the clamping pair of clamps 24 described in relation to the extraction head, said clamp pairs 24 of said head can also be rotatable about a vertical axis located in a plane. radial, in case it is necessary or convenient to reorient the position of the article, for example, in 90 °, before adding the piece of packaging material. That is to say, that the extraction head can also serve to reorient the position of the article between the extraction position of the loading ring -3- and a transfer position to the packaging head -20-.

Figure 8 shows schematically the effect correlation between the extraction head -10- and the packaging head -20-, and explains the processes that take place within the respective heads -10- and -20-.

Before the transfer of the article -A- with the piece of packaging material -12- to a pair of packing head holding clamps -37- with the packing head holding clamps -37a- and -37b-, the piece of packaging material is placed at an angle or in a "U" shape around the article -A- (ie, around the ball -A2- thereof), as shown in figure 8 (see also figure 15) ). The packing head holding clamps -37 a-, -37b- of a pair of packing head holding clamps -37- grasp the article -A-, in each case with interposition of the piece of packaging material -12 -, to form a tube of packaging material by folding the packaging material -12- by means of the inner folding element -38- and an outer folding arch -39- (see figure 8). This ensures maximum care of the product, since in the packaging head -20- the clamping clamps of the packaging head -37a-, -37b- never hold the article directly, but always grasping it by the piece of material of packaged -12- already interposed. The tube of packing material, cylindrical in shape, surrounding the ball A2, is formed by a turning movement inward of the inner folding element 38 and a perimetral movement along the outer folding arch 39, of the way known to specialists, so that additional detailed explanations can be omitted (compare with figure 11).

Comparable with the extraction head -10-, also in the packaging head -20-, which rotates around the axis of rotation -21- fixed, all the other movements of rotation control to rotate the clamps of subjection -37- as a whole, the opening and closing of the clamping clamps -37a-, -37b- (supported on independent axes), as well as the control of the rotation movement of the corresponding interior folding elements -38- (supported on the same axis as a clamp -37b- of a pair of clamping forceps of packaging head -37-), are developed by stationary control curves, arranged in combination with the axis of rotation -21- (similarly to what happens in the extraction head of figure 9).

In the present embodiment, article -A- (stick candy) must be packaged, on the one hand (top), with a fin wrap, while on the opposite side (on the handle -A1-) it is essential that the packaging material wrap and seal the handle -A1- cleanly. For this reason, the packaging head 20 is part of a rotating station 80 having an anterior turning head 60 and a rear turning head 70, as seen in the side view of the figure 13. For greater clarity of the drawing, in the other drawings, except in Figure 10, the turning head -60- above is not represented in particular. Each of the turning heads -60-, -70- front and rear comprises a number of rotating clamps -61-, -71-, which corresponds to that of the

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packaging units -36-, and rotating coaxially and synchronously with the rotation of the packaging head -20- around the axis of rotation -21-, so as not to change the relative position of the pairs of clamps holding packaging head -37- with respect to the rotating clamps -61-, -71- with their corresponding pairs of rotating clamps -62-, -72-.

Figure 10 shows again, as partial drawing in perspective, the main components of the packaging machine, according to the present embodiment, with the loading and separating device in loose pieces -1- with the loading ring -3- and the recesses -4- for the product, the extraction head -10- with the extraction units -18- including the clamps for packaging material -23-, as well as the packaging head -20- with the pair of clamps of fastening of packaging head -37- and the turning head -60- anterior, the turning head -70- rear with the rotating clamps -71- and the discharge belt -40-.

As seen in Figure 13, the rotating clamps 71 of the rear turning head 70 are configured in a completely different manner to the rotating clamps 61 of the previous turning head 60, the latter being of the type traditional since they are intended to grasp the product and form a fin wrap, in the traditional way, in combination with a tube of packaging material located on the side opposite the handle of the product.

Therefore, reference is now made only, with reference to FIGS. 11, 12 and 13, to the novel rotary grippers -71- of the rear turning head -70- which, according to the invention, can be heated.

On the "handle side" of article -A- (stick candy) it is necessary to wrap and seal cleanly on the handle -A1- the surrounding end of the tube of packaging material, at a point near the end of the handle -A1- located on the side of the product and the ball -A2-. For this purpose, a rotating clamp 71 is used, that is, a number of rotating clamps 71 which corresponds to the number of pairs of clamping clamps of the packing head 37 and that rotate in synchronization with them. , arranged on the rear turning head -70- and which, in turn, can rotate with respect to the turning head -70- around a longitudinal axis -75-. For this purpose, a transmission mechanism (stationary annular wheel and rotary planetary wheels), not shown in the drawings, is provided in the turning head -70- so that each rotating clamp -71- rotates on the turning head - 70- at a rate exceeding the speed of rotation thereof and uniformly around its longitudinal axis -75-, by means of the corresponding clamp shaft -75a- supported on the turning head -70-. The rotating clamps -71- comprise pairs of clamping clamps -72- constituted by a rotating clamp part -72a- and a rotating clamp part -72b-, which perform an opening and closing movement around an axis -F- orthogonal to the longitudinal axis -75- (pivoting movement). In their interior surfaces they include a housing recess -73-, dimensioned taking into account the diameter of the handle -A1- which will be housed therein to wrap and seal the end of the tube of packaging material, between the handle - A1- and the rotating clamp -71-, when the rotating clamps -71- perform the rotation movement described above with respect to the turning head -70- around their longitudinal axes -75-. The rotating clamp pieces -72a-, -72b- are angled around the axis -F- in approximately 90 ° with respect to their support section, so that the handle -A1- of the product can always be enclosed in a perfect way and with the corresponding clearance for sealing the packaging material.

The rotating grippers -71- differ from the rotating grippers -61- of the turning head -60- because they are heated and, thanks to the heating of the rotating gripper -31- or of at least one of the rotating gripper pieces -72a -, -72b - a hot seal can be made and, in combination with a suitable packaging material, achieve a high sealing quality on the handle in the transition zone between the handle -A1- and the ball -A2-.

As can be clearly seen in the partial perspective drawing, according to FIG. 12, of the rear turning head 70, the heating of the rotating clamp 71, or of one or both rotating clamp pieces 72a, -72b- of each rotating clamp -71- (in this example, the two pieces of rotating clamp -72a-, -72b- are always heated), is made by heating cartridges (not shown in the drawing) arranged in the pieces of rotary clamp -72a-, -72b-, although heating sheets can also be arranged on the rotating clamp pieces -72a- and -72b-. The heating can also be carried out by induction or by irradiation with electron beams or laser beams. The current supply to the rotary grippers -71- of the turning head -70- rear is made taking into account the necessary turning movement of the rotating grippers -71- around its longitudinal axis -75- (axis parallel to the axis of rotation). rotation -21- of the packaging head -20- or of the turning head -70- rear) by means of a first collection ring system -74- with collector rings -76- fixed in the housing and contact brushes -77- attached to the housing. turning head -70-, as well as with a second collecting ring system, not shown, arranged inside the turning head -70-, especially, inside rotating collet sleeves -81- (connected with the corresponding trees of the rotating clamps -75a-, that is, rotating at the same rate as the rotating clamps -71-, taking into account the rotation of the rotating clamp -71- around its longitudinal axis -75-.

By modifying the pressure and temperature in the pairs of rotating grippers -71-, the strength of the seal can be regulated and thereby improve the opening properties of the packaging.

In combination with the rotating gripper parts 72a, 72b, a temperature measurement (infrared temperature measurement) is provided, preferably without contact, which is part of a control circuit for

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regulate the heating power of the pairs of rotating clamp pieces. In this way a very precise regulation of the temperature can be achieved, adjusted to the characteristics of the packaging material and to the other characteristics of the product. The use of heated rotating forceps to seal the packaging material also allows the use of thicker packaging sheets or with a higher replacement force.

The temperature control or measurement can also be carried out directly by means of temperature sensors arranged in the heated parts of the rotating clamps -71-. The use of heated rotating clamps -71- is not limited to the present embodiment or to the products with handle, but is also suitable for other applications, for example, for the manufacture of finned or packaged packs of double or single turn (folding of bags, grouped folding), especially when using relatively thick packaging materials or having a high replacement force.

As already explained in connection with FIG. 13, in opposite position to the rear turning head 70 with the heated rotary clamps 71 described above, on the other side of the packaging head 20, there is the another turning head -60- with the rotating grippers -61-, preferably not heated, which form, with the protruding part of the tube of packaging material, a current rotated fin, which remains in the part of the handle -A1- opposite the side of the ball (ie, up), when the handle -A1- is facing downwards.

Figure 1 shows schematically the unloading device -40-, which, by means of a discharge wheel -50-, transports the packaged articles (stick candies) out of the machine.

Figure 14 schematically shows the heatable rotating clamp -71-, with the rotating clamp pieces -72a- and -72b-, a spiral-shaped power supply conduit -78- to compensate the movements, as well as a section of conductor -79- towards the rotating clamp part -72a-, the upper one in figure 14, inside which the heater cartridge is located. For the rotating clamp part -72b- the same arrangement is provided in the rear part of figure 14. The power supply conduit -78- is connected with electric conduction to the second collecting ring system inside the rotating clamp sleeve -81- rotary. Naturally, the first slip ring system 77 is connected to the second slip ring system. An envelope of the conductor section -79- is grounded by connection to the box.

In figure 15 the product displacement and the orientation of the position of article -A- are shown schematically, in combination with the addition of a packaging material. The addition of upper packaging material 110 and the addition of lower packaging material 120 are provided for the automatic change of packaging material. The products -A- arrive from the separation device in loose pieces -1- by means of the extraction head -10-, in which the piece of packaging material -12- is placed for transfer to the packaging head -20-, wherein the product -A- with handle (stick candy) is wrapped and, on the one hand, is rotated and sealed on the handle -A1- and, on the other hand, it is closed with a fin rotated. After a rotation of approximately 270 °, the packaging head -20- delivers the article to the discharge wheel -50-, which deposits the finished packaged article on the discharge belt -40- to be transported out of the machine .

With the present invention, for the first time, a continuous-functioning packaging machine equipped with only two product-carrying heads essential for packaging, the extraction head and the packaging head, and whose extraction head is provided with additional functional organs for the provision of packaging material.

The present invention is not limited to the packaging of confectionery products with mangoes, although it is especially suitable for this purpose and, by means of the corresponding adaptation of the basic principles stated, the packaging of other articles in small pieces can be carried out in a similar way, with others folding types. In the packaging of items with handle, by holding the article by the handle in a zone as close as possible to the product itself (the ball) has been achieved, for the first time, virtually eliminate the effect of tolerances and resulting defects of manufacturing (inserting the handle into the ball) over the packaging process. The use of heated rotating clamps not only allows the perfect sealing of the packaging material on the handle, but also basically improves the manufacture of packaged with twisted fins.

As a whole, the packaging machine according to the present invention has a compact configuration and is characterized by having a packing performance not hitherto reached, from 600 to 1,000 work cycles per minute, for complex products, such as mango products, and at the same time has a dynamically smooth operation, especially thanks to its principle of continuous operation.

In addition to a reduced sound level, thanks to the low dynamic stresses and the chosen packaging principle (inclusion of the packaging material already in the extraction head), high product care and reduced loading of the packaging material are achieved. Therefore, the technical wear of the machine and the cost of maintenance are reduced, with the consequent increase in efficiency and the availability of the packaging machine.

By means of the present invention, for the first time, a packaging machine is created that works according to the principle of a continuous operation, equipped with two heads of product processing, which allows, for complex products (products with a handle) to reach a rhythm of production of the order of 1,000 cycles per minute, achieving a compact and careful configuration of the product and the packaging, together with a high 6 safety of the product and a reduced susceptibility to failure of the packaging device.

Claims (17)

6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 Method for packaging articles (A) in the form of small pieces, especially articles with a handle (A1), in which a collection of the articles takes place in a rotational movement by a first device (10) from a basically horizontal preparation plane of a loading and separating device (1) and in which the articles (A) are guided on a first circular path segment by the first device (10), characterized in that an addition of packaging material it is carried out radially with respect to the first device (10). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that packaging material is placed radially in the first device. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the collection of the articles (A) by the first device (10) is carried out in correspondence with an accelerated movement of the extraction units (18) of the first device (10) . Method according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each of the pieces of packaging material (12), of the packaging material guided radially from an addition of packaging material (110, 120) to the first device (10), is fixed in the first device (10) near the article (A). Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that during the route between the collection of the article (A) by the first device (10) and its delivery by the first device (10), a reorientation of the position of the article, in particular, by rotating the article by approximately 90 °. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a collection of the article (A) by the first device (10) and the compensation of a distribution difference between the articles (A), prepared in the basically horizontal preparation planes, and the extraction units (18) of the first device (10), which collect the articles (A), by an accelerated movement of the extraction units (18) is carried out around an axis of rotation ( 19) parallel to an axis of rotation (11) of the first device (10) during a rotational movement of the first device (10). Method according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the packaging material is added from a supply of packaging material wound (110; 120) radially to the first device (10). Method according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 or 2, characterized by a work rate of about 1,000 cycles per minute, such that a fully packaged item (A) is produced in each work cycle. 9. Apparatus for packaging articles in the form of small parts, in particular, to execute the method according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 8, with an extraction head (10) rotating about a stationary axis, said extraction head comprising units of extraction (18) for the collection of articles (A) from a basically horizontal preparation plane of a loading and separation device (1), characterized in that a packaging material is radially added to the extraction head (10). Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the extraction units (18) for compensating distribution differences are rotatably supported on the extraction head (10). Apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that each extraction unit (18) is associated with a clamp for packaging material (23) for fixing a piece of packaging material (12) in the first device (10) close to the article (A). Apparatus according to at least one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the extraction units (18) are rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation (11) of the extraction head (10) and / or an axis of clamping rotation (22) of the clamp for packaging material (23) is provided parallel to the axis of rotation (11) of the extraction head (10). Apparatus according to at least one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that it has a device for adding packaging material close to the extraction head (10) and the packaging material is added to the extraction head (10) radially. along a line (Fig. 1). Apparatus according to at least one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that the extraction units (18) comprise clamps (24a, 24b), which can move in opposite directions, of clamping pair pairs (24). ) for the collection of article (A) of the horizontal preparation plane. 15. Apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the pairs of clamps (24) and / or clamps for packaging material (23) are provided for accelerated movements around the axes (19, 22) that extend parallel to each other. to the axis of rotation (11) of the extraction head (10). 16. Apparatus according to at least one of the preceding claims 9 to 15, characterized in that the head of extraction (10) rotates around a stationary axis of rotation (11) comprising control curves (26, 29, 31) for the control of rotation movement of pairs of clamping clamps (24) and / or a movement of opening and closing of packaging pits (23) and / or of an opening and closing movement of the clamps (24a, 24b) of the pairs of clamps (24) around axes (19, 22) that are extend parallel to the axis of rotation (11) of the extraction head (10). 12 Apparatus according to at least one of the preceding claims 9 to 16, characterized by a packaging head (20) which is in winding contact with the extraction head (10) for the, at least partial, preferably complete, packed of the articles (A), in particular, with other packaging devices (60, 17) associated with them which are provided, especially coaxially in front and / or behind it. 18 Device according to at least one of the preceding claims 9 to 17, characterized by only two article support heads, the extraction head (10) and a packaging head (20).