IT202100004145A1 - PACKAGING MACHINE AND WRAPPING METHOD TO PRODUCE A PACKAGE USING AT LEAST ONE WRAPPING MATERIAL - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

of the industrial invention entitled:

"Packaging machine and wrapping method for producing a package using at least one wrapping material."

TECHNICAL SECTOR

The present invention ? relating to a packing machine and a wrapping method for producing a packet.

The present invention finds advantageous application to the production of a rigid packet of cigarettes with a hinged lid and containing a group of cigarettes, which the following discussion will make explicit reference without losing generality. EARLIER ART

The production of a rigid hinged-lid pack of cigarettes involves folding a sheet of foil wrapper around a group of cigarettes to form an inner wrapper and then folding a collar and blank around the inner wrapper to form a rigid outer container . Generally, the metallized wrapping sheet and the collar are separated by transversal cutting from corresponding continuous ribbons unwound from reels while the blank is taken from the bottom of a hopper. Next to the packing machine ? defining a material storage area in which a pallet supporting a group of bundles of blanks is placed; an operator must regularly take bundles from the pallet to insert the bundles into a special material loading opening of the packing machine.

The loading opening? potentially dangerous why? it could allow the operator's hands to reach moving parts of the packing machine. To protect the? Safety? of the operator ? it has been proposed to close the loading opening with (at least) a door (physical or even virtual) equipped with sensors: when the door is opened, the packaging machine is immediately stopped so as to block all moving parts; however, this solution involves stopping the packing machine every time it is? Is it necessary to load new materials with a consequent reduction in productivity? packing machine average (measured as the number of packs of cigarettes produced over a relatively long period of time such as an eight-hour work shift). Alternatively, to protect the? Safety? of the operator ? It has been proposed to move the loading opening away from the moving parts of the packing machine (and therefore from the materials treatment area) so that the operator can use the loading opening even when the packing machine is ? in movement; however, this solution considerably increases the overall dimensions of the packaging machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Purpose of the present invention? providing a packaging machine and a wrapping method for producing a package which do not have the drawbacks described above and at the same time are simple and economical to produce.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a packing machine and a wrapping method for producing a packet, as claimed in the appended claims.

The claims describe embodiments of the present invention forming an integral part of the present description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This invention will come now described with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting embodiment thereof, in which:

? figure 1 ? a front perspective view and with parts removed for clarity of a packing machine made in accordance with the present invention;

? figure 2 ? a perspective and schematic view of part of the packaging machine of figure 1;

? figures 3, 4 and 5 are three different rear perspective views and with parts removed for clarity of the packaging machine of figure 1; And

? figure 6 ? a perspective and schematic view of part of the packaging machine of figure 1.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In figure 1 with the number 1 ? indicated as a whole a packing machine that ? adapted to form a rigid pack 2 of cigarettes with a hinged lid and operates with intermittent motion (ie a motion which provides for a cyclical alternation of motion phases and rest phases).

The packet 2 of cigarettes comprises an outer container made of cup-shaped rigid cardboard or cardboard and a wrapping 3 (illustrated in figure 2) containing a group of cigarettes and housed inside the container; in particular, the container is made by folding a blank 4 (illustrated in figure 2) and a collar 5 (illustrated in figure 2) around the wrapping 3.

The packaging machine 1 comprises a frame 6 which rests on the ground by means of a plurality of feet (not shown) and supports a wrapping line 7 provided with a plurality of mobile wrapping devices 8 (rotary conveyors, linear conveyors, pushers, folders?). According to what is illustrated in figure 2, along the wrapping line 7 ? an insertion station S1 is arranged in which the blanks 4 are fed in succession to the wrapping line 7, ie they enter the wrapping line 7.

As illustrated in figure 1, the packing machine 1 comprises at least one actuator 9 which ? adapted to move the movable wrapping devices 8 of the wrapping line 7. According to a possible embodiment, the packaging machine 1 comprises a single actuator 9 (normally an electric motor) which by itself (through a series of mechanical transmissions) sets in motion all the movable wrapping devices 8 of the wrapping line 7. Alternatively, the packaging machine 1 comprises a series of actuators 9 which move all the movable wrapping devices 8 of the wrapping line 7; in this case there is a main or master actuator 9 (usually an electric motor) which generally drives the main conveyors and a group of secondary or slave actuators 9 (usually electric motors) which follow the motion of the main or master actuator 9 to always be synchronized with the main or master 9 actuator.

As illustrated in figure 1, the packing machine 1 comprises a unit? 10 which feeds the blanks 4 in succession (partially gummed and partially folded) to the insertion station S1 and ? provided with a vertical hopper 11 (actually inclined with respect to the vertical) which houses a stack of blanks 4. The hopper 11 has an upper inlet into which bundles of blanks 4 are inserted cyclically and a lower outlet from which removable single blanks 4. The unit? 10 of supply derives the motion (directly or indirectly) from the actuator 9 and therefore the unit? 10 power supply ? operational when? wrapping line 7 is also operational and vice versa; in fact, the wrapping line 7 could not operate without continuously receiving the blanks 4 from the unit? 10 of power supply and the unit? 10 power can not? operate if the wrapping line 7 ? stationary (since the stopped wrapping line 7 is not able to receive the blanks 4 supplied by the feeding unit 10).

As illustrated in figures 3-6, the packaging machine 1 comprises an input station S2 which ? separated from the wrapping line 7 and from the unit? 10 for power supply (therefore from insertion station S1); in fact, the 7 wrapping line and the unit? 10 are located on a front wall of the frame 6 while the input station S2 is located on a rear wall of the frame 6. 12 transfer that ? adapted to receive groups of blanks 4 (in particular bundles of blanks 4 held together by respective paper bands or previously deprived of the respective paper bands by effect of manual removal performed by an operator) in the input station S2 and to release the groups (wads) of blanks 4 (without the paper bands) in the upper inlet mouth of the hopper 11; or the? unit? 12 transfer ? adapted to receive groups (wads) of blanks 4 in the input station S2 to direct the blanks 4 towards the wrapping line 7 (ie towards the insertion station S1).

Does the packing machine 1 comprise at least one actuator 13 which ? able to bring in motion the unit? 12 (that is, the various mobile components of the transfer unit 12). According to a possible embodiment, the packing machine 1 comprises a single actuator 13 (normally an electric motor) which by itself (through a series of mechanical transmissions) sets in motion all the mobile components of the unit. 12 of transfer. Alternatively, the packaging machine 1 comprises a series of actuators 13 which set in motion all the mobile components of the unit. 12 transfer; in this case there is a main or master actuator 13 (usually an electric motor) which generally drives the main conveyors and a group of secondary or slave actuators 13 (usually electric motors) which follow the motion of the main or master actuator 13 to always be synchronized with the main or master actuator 13. As an alternative to a physical master reference (i.e. a physical actuator which is taken as the master reference to be followed) a virtual master reference could be used.

As illustrated in figures 3, 4 and 6, the packing machine 1 comprises a protective casing 14 which encloses the input station S2, ie which prevents direct access from the outside to the input station S2. The protective casing 14 has a loading opening 15 through which the groups (wads) of blanks 7 can be inserted manually into the input station S2.

At opening 15 loading ? coupled to a sensor device 16 able to detect the presence of a body (object) in the loading opening 15 of the input station S2; in particular, the 16 sensor device ? configured to detect any type of body in the loading opening 15 of the infeed station S2 regardless of whether the body is a group (wad) of blanks 4 or other (such as, for example, the hand or arm of an operator or even a foreign object left by mistake). According to a preferred embodiment, the sensor device 16 only detects the possible presence of a body in the loading opening 15 of the input station S2; alternatively, the sensor device 16 could also be capable of recognizing the nature of the body present in the loading opening 15 (that is, recognizing whether the body present in the loading opening 15 is a group of blanks 4 or other).

According to a possible embodiment illustrated in the enclosed figures, the loading opening 15 of the input station S2 is without physical doors (ie it is always open) and the sensor device 16 creates a virtual barrier which is interrupted by a foreign body located in the loading opening 15 of the input station S2; in this case, the sensor device 16 comprises a plurality of of emitters 17 and receivers 18: the emitters emit electromagnetic radiations 19 (generally not visible to the human eye) which are received by the receivers 18 and are shielded from any foreign object (these electromagnetic radiations 19 create the virtual barrier which is interrupted by a foreign body). According to an alternative embodiment, the loading opening 15 of the input station S2 is normally closed by a physical door (ie ? normally closed) which constitutes a physical barrier; in this embodiment, the sensor device 16 detects the opening of the door and assumes that there is (potentially) a foreign body in the inlet station S2 when the door ? open.

Does the packing machine 1 comprise a unit? 20 check that ? configured for, when the packing machine 1 ? in operation, stop the? actuator 13 of the unit? 12, leaving the actuator 9 of the wrapping line 7 to operate normally, if the sensor device 16 detects the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening 15 of the infeed station S2, and restarting the actuator 13 automatically if the sensor device 16 stops detecting the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening 15 of the input station S2. In particular, the unit? 20 check ? configured to restart automatically the? actuator 13 of the unit? 12, if the sensor device 16 stops detecting the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening 15 of the input station S2, from the exact same position assumed when the actuator 13 of the transfer unit? 12 transfer ? been arrested.

About this ? It is important to observe that, if the sensor device 16 detects the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening 15 of the input station S2, the unit? control 20 preferably instantly stops the actuator 13; in this way ? It is possible to minimize the distance between the loading opening 15 of the input station S2 and the moving parts which are located inside the protective casing 14 which encloses the input station S2. According to an alternative embodiment, if the sensor device 16 detects the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening 15 of the input station S2, the unit? 20 does not stop the actuator 13 instantly, but stops the actuator 13 in a few seconds (1-3 seconds) so as to avoid leaving the actuator 13 stationary in a position which could make the subsequent automatic restart difficult of the actuator 13; the wait of a few seconds (1-3 seconds) between the instant in which the sensor device 16 detects the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening 15 of the input station S2 and the instant in which the actuator 13 stops completely ? in any way dangerous since, entering through the loading opening 15, an operator must in any case take many seconds before arriving in an area in which there are parts of the unit? 12 fast moving transfer.

According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, the unit? 12 comprises a horizontal belt conveyor 21 which starts at the input station S2 (or possibly also upstream of the input station S2) and ? adapted to support the bundles of blanks 7 by advancing (very slowly) the bundles of blanks 7 towards a loader device 22 which takes a single bundle of blanks 7 from the belt conveyor 21, eliminates (if still present, or if it has not been removed beforehand ) the band which holds the bundle of blanks 7 together, and then inserts the bundle of blanks 7 into the upper inlet mouth of the hopper 11. In particular, the horizontal belt conveyor 21 can? starting upstream of the input station S2, i.e. upstream of the loading opening 15 of the input station S2; in this way ? It is also possible to load groups (wads) of blanks onto the belt conveyor 21 without engaging the loading opening 15 of the infeed station S2 and therefore without causing the actuator 13 of the unit? 12 of transfer.

According to a preferred embodiment, the unit? 20 check ? configured to completely stop the unit? 12 if the sensor device 16 detects the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening 15 of the input station S2; that is, if the sensor device 16 detects the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening 15 of the input station S2, all parts of the unit? Transfer 12 are stopped.

According to an alternative embodiment, the unit? 12 of transfer includes an initial part in which ? present the input station S2 and ? moved by the actuator 13, and a final part in which ? present the device 22 charger and ? brought into motion by a further actuator 23 (schematically illustrated in figure 5) which ? independent from the actuator 13; the unit? 20 control could be configured to stop only the? actuator 13 of the unit? 12, leaving the actuator 23 to operate normally, if the sensor device 16 detects the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening 15 of the input station S2. In particular, the unit? 20 control could be configured to stop only the? actuator 13 of the unit? 12 transfer, leaving it running at speed? reduced with respect to normal the actuator 23, if the sensor device 16 detects the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening 15 of the input station S2; or the unit? 20 could be configured to initially stop only the actuator 13 of the unit? 12, allowing the actuator 23 to operate if the sensor device 16 detects the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening 15 of the input station S2 and to subsequently stop the actuator 23 too if the sensor device 16 continues to detect the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening 15 of the input station S2 (ie if the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening 15 of the input station S2 lasts for example for more than 5-10 seconds). To summarize what has been described above: the movable wrapping devices 8 of the wrapping line 7 are moved by means of the actuator 9 (which directly or indirectly also moves the supply unit 10); the unit? feeder 10 transfers single blanks 4 to the wrapping line 7 to be folded in the insertion station S1 arranged along the wrapping line 7; are the bundles of blanks 4 received at the input station S2 which ? separated from wrapping line 7; and the unit? 12, moved by the actuator 13, cyclically inserts the bundles into the upper inlet mouth of the hopper 11. Furthermore, the sensor device 16 detects the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening 15 of the inlet station S2; the unit? control 20 stops, when the packing machine 1 ? only the actuator 13 is in operation, leaving the actuator 9 to operate normally, if the sensor device 16 detects the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening 15 of the input station S2; and the unit? control 20 restarts automatically the? actuator 13 of the unit? 12 if the sensor device 16 stops detecting the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening 15 of the input station S2.

The embodiment illustrated in the enclosed figures refers to the production of a packet of cigarettes, but the present invention ? also applicable without substantial modifications to the creation of any other type of package of smoking articles (for example a package of cigars, a package of electronic cigarettes of the liquid vaporization type, a package of new generation cigarettes without tobacco combustion? ).

The embodiments described here can be combined with each other without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

The packaging machine 1 described above has numerous advantages.

First, an operator can? manually place the bundles of blanks 4 on the belt conveyor 21 and through the loading opening 15 of the input station S2 in perfect safety and without having to stop the production of the cigarette packets 1 (i.e. without having to stop the wrapping line 7) . AND? it is important to note that this result is obtained without moving the loading opening 15 away from the moving parts of the packaging machine 1, ie without increasing the overall dimensions of the packaging machine 1; in fact, this result is obtained thanks to the fact of stopping, during the manual loading of the bundles of blanks 4, only the unit? 12 (which is then restarted in a completely automatic way) always leaving the wrapping line 7 in operation and the unit? 10 power supply.

In other words, the advantages of the packing machine 1 described above are that it has a single sensor device 16, that it has a simple operating logic, and that it eliminates the need to of tunnels and other elements to distance the loading opening 15 from the moving parts of the packaging machine 1 (thus reducing the overall dimensions and/or maximizing the dimensions of the area where it is possible to store a pallet carrying the bundles of blanks 4).

In fact, the packaging machine 1 described above provides at the opening 15 for loading the bundles of blanks 4 a barrier (for example immaterial) which if opened (or crossed over) interrupts the movement of the dangerous members (belonging to the unit 12 transfer points) which can be reached by the operator while loading the bundles of blanks 4; the movements of the unit? 12 which are interrupted are not indispensable (in a strictly continuous way) for the functioning of the wrapping line 7 which therefore can? keep running. Or the movements of the unit? 12 of transfer that are interrupted are only those relating to the loading in the packing machine 1 of the bundles of blanks 4 and are part of a separate work cycle and much more? slow from a work cycle of wrapping line 7. When the barrier is closed (or stops being crossed), the movement of the unit? 12 transfers that had been interrupted resume immediately and automatically, without generating a danger to the operator who is not? more in the danger zone; in resuming the movements, the work cycle that was interrupted is continued by resuming it from the same point, without the need to to reset or restore movements or motors. In this way the cycle resumes and pu? continue making use of all the moments in which the operator is not with his hands (or other parts of the body) in the area near the potentially dangerous parts, or in which the operator is not inside the loading opening 15 of the loading station S2 entrance.

In use, between loading one or more? bundles of blanks 4, while the operator moves away momentarily from the loading opening 15 of the inlet station S2 to take the subsequent bundles of blanks 4, the loading cycle continues from where it left off, essentially allowing the bundles of blanks to be loaded 4 without any repercussions on the functioning of the wrapping line 7.

Claims (10)

1) Packaging machine (1) to produce a package (2); the packing machine (1) includes: a wrapping line (7) provided with a plurality? mobile wrapping devices (8); at least one first actuator (9) adapted to move the movable wrapping devices (8); a station (S1) of insertion that ? disposed along the wrapping line (7) and wherein the wrapping line (7) receives a single wrapping material to be folded; a station (S2) input that ? separated from the wrapping line (7) and has a loading opening (15); a unit? (12) transfer that ? adapted to receive groups of wrapping material in the input station (S2) to direct the wrapping material towards the wrapping line (7); and at least a second actuator (13) that ? independent from the first actuator (9) and ? able to bring in motion the unit? (12) transfer; the packing machine (1) ? characterized by the fact that it includes: a sensor device (16) able to detect the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening (15) of the inlet station (S2); and a unit? (20) control configured for, when the (1) packing machine ? in operation, stop only the second actuator (13), leaving the first actuator (9) to operate normally, if the sensor device (16) detects the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening (15) and restart the second actuator automatically (13) if the sensor device (16) stops detecting the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening (15). 2) Packing machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein the unit? (20) control ? configured to restart the second actuator (13) automatically, if the sensor device (16) stops detecting the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening (15), from the exact same position assumed when the second actuator (13) ? been arrested. 3) Packing machine (1) according to claim 1 or 2, in which the unit? (20) control ? configured to completely stop the unit? (12) if the sensor device (16) detects the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening (15). 4) Packing machine (1) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the sensor device (16) ? configured to detect any type of foreign body in the loading opening (15) regardless of whether the foreign object is a bundle of the wrapping material or otherwise. 5) Packing machine (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the unit? (12) transfer comprises a belt conveyor (21) which ? suitable for advancing a series of groups of wrapping material and starts at the entry station (S2) or upstream of the entry station (S2). Packing machine (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the sensor device (16) creates a virtual barrier which is interrupted by a foreign body located in the loading opening (15). 7) Packing machine (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the loading opening (15) is? normally closed by a door and the sensor device (16) detects the opening and closing of the door. 8) Packing machine (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the wrapping material is a blank (4) and a group of wrapping material ? a bunch of blanks (4). 9) Packing machine (1) according to claim 8, wherein: ? expected a unit? (10) which feeds the blanks (4) in succession to the insertion station (S1) and ? provided with a hopper (11) which houses a stack of blanks 4; And the unit? (12) transfer ? suitable for inserting the groups of wrapping material into the hopper (11). 10) Wrapping method to produce a package (2); the wrapping method includes the phases of: moving the movable wrapping devices (8) of a wrapping line (7) by means of at least one first actuator (9); transferring to the wrapping line (7) a single wrapping material to be folded in an insertion station (S1) arranged along the wrapping line (7); receive, through a unit? (12) transfer, groups of wrapping material in an input station (S2) which ? separated from the wrapping line (7); direct the wrapping material towards the wrapping line (7) using the unit? (12) transfer; And bring in motion the? unit? (12) of transfer through a second actuator (13) that ? independent of the first actuator (9); the wrapping method ? characterized in that it comprises the further steps of: detecting the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening (15) of the inlet station (S2) by means of at least one sensor device (16); stop, when the packing machine (1) ? in operation, only the second actuator (13), leaving the first actuator (9) to operate normally, if the sensor device (16) detects the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening (15); and automatically restarting the second actuator (13) if the sensor device (16) stops detecting the presence of a foreign body in the loading opening (15).