MX2012014143A - Device and method for filling containers. - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for inserting sheet-like elements (F) in respective containers (C) including: - first pick-up members (12) for picking up the sheet-like elements (F) in a flat condition, a transfer device (16) including reception cavities (164) wherein the first pick-up members (12) insert the sheet-like elements (F) carried thereby in a flat condition allowing them to take a U-shape as a result of being inserted in the reception cavities (164), and - second pick-up members (200) with a finger-like shape adapted to be inserted in the reception cavities (164) for picking up the sheet-like elements (F) and insert them in respective containers (C).

Description

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR FILLING CONTAINERS TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This description refers to the techniques for filling containers of the type that can be used, for example, to insert so-called "surprises" in food products such as chocolate eggs and the like.

The reference to this possible field of application, however, should not be considered restrictive with respect to the scope of the description.

Description of the related art Armor containers that include a first and a second cuvette shell halves that are to be coupled to each other in a frontal engagement relationship of the respective mouth portions are known in many embodiments, as documented in the literature of extensive patent, which includes, for example, WO-A-2005/044677, WO-A-2005/110880 and WO-A-2007/07435. In particular, containers of this type are known. both in versions, in which the first and the second halves of the shell constitute separate pieces from each other and in versions in which the first and the second halves of the shell are engoznadas a a. the other to form a single The general problem of facilitating the use of such containers, especially with regard to filling and closing operations has already been faced.

The documents EP-A-0 631 932, EP-A-0 631-933 and EP-A-0 631 934 prove the development in this direction.

When carrying out the aforementioned filling and closing operations, it should be considered that elements of the sheet type can be inserted into the container, such as for example: a sheet that contains instructions to assemble the toy or fun object that represents the "surprise", - the "surprise" or portions of it, and decorative elements, possibly with a high adhesive surface.

There are devices, such as that described in EP-A-0 751 070, which allow said sheet to be rolled up and inserted into the body of the container. A solution of this type is suitable for use when the sheet is simply in the form of a strip.

However, there are applications in which the sheet must have a considerable amount of reproductions and information / graphics; in which case a simple strip is not enough and the use of a larger folded sheet is required.

Although automated solutions are available, such as those described in the documents described above,. the most common solution for the use of the aforementioned armor containers provided for filling operations, which includes inserting the instruction sheet, and the final closing operation can be performed manually.

More specifically, the invention relates to a device according to the preamble of claim 1, which is known, e.g., from EP 0 611 699 A.

Object and summary of the invention The use of manual operations in the context previously outlined should be considered unsatisfactory.

Therefore, the need to replace manual operations with operations capable of being completely automated persists, also considering the insertion of instruction sheets or possible flat strips, possibly with self-adhesive support, which is derived from a strip cut in line a roll.

The present invention has the purpose of providing a response to the needs outlined above.

In accordance with the present invention, an object is achieved due to a device having the characteristics specifically referred to in claim 1. | The invention also relates to a corresponding method as claimed in claim 13.

The claims form an integral part of the technical description provided herein in relation to the invention.

Brief description of the attached figures Now, the invention will be described, simply by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended figures, which depict the structure and subsequent steps of mode operation.

In particular: Figures 1 to 3 illustrate the operation of capturing sheet elements, - Figures 4 to 8 and Figures 9 to 11 illustrate various operations of manipulating said elements in sheet form, and - Figures 12 to 16 illustrate the insertion of said elements into respective containers.

Detailed description In the following description several specific details are illustrated intended to provide a deep understanding of the modalities. The modalities can be obtained without one or more specific details, or through other methods, components, materials, etc. In other cases, structures, materials or known operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring the various aspects of the modalities.

The reference to "a modality" in this description indicates that a particular conficjuración, structure or characteristic described with respect to the modality is included in at least one modality. Therefore, expressions such as "in a modality", possibly present in various parts of this description, do not necessarily refer to the same modality. In addition, particular configurations, structures or features can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more modalities.

The references here are only used to facilitate the reader and therefore do not define the scope of protection or the limits of the modalities.

The present detailed description relates to embodiments of a device to be used to insert sheet-like elements such as "leaves" in F (as better described below) into shell containers C of the type currently referred to as "cylinder." In the examples considered here (see in particular figures 12 to 14) in the shell of container C can be distinguished two shell halves in the form of cubes Cl and C2 and end portions of the lid. Henceforth, said armor halves will be referred to for brevity purposes as "body" (half shell C1) and "cap" (half shell C2).

This distinction is used only for simplicity of description. In the case of the cylinder C illustrated here, the body Cl presents a case surface (the term case surface is used here to indicate the side surface, adjacent the mouth contour of the body Cl) with a larger extent with respect to the case surface of the lid C2. In other embodiments, the dimensional relationships in question can be flipped differently (for example with "the two case surfaces identical to one another.) This also considering the fact that the container C may have a different configuration of the form illustrated here, such as, for example, an oval (or spindle-shaped) shape, a spherical shape, a prismatic shape, a cylindrical shape, etc.

However, in the examples shown here, the body Cl and the cover C2 are connected to each other by a flexible formation C3 which serves as a. hinge. The hinge C3 is also suitable to be produced in accordance with different methods as represented in several documents already mentioned in the introduction to the present description.

The presence of part C3, although conceivable, however, does not represent a mandatory element with respect to the implementation of the modalities.

The illustrated modalities, which are to be understood as examples, refer to solutions in which the leaf-type elements or sheets F are designed to be inserted into respective C-containers that operate parallel in an N number (in the example considered N = 5, but nominally N can adopt any value 1, ... N) of containers C arranged in a support block 1200, in particular by inserting the Cl bodies of the N containers into respective receiving cavities 140 provided in block 1200.

Now, considering the elements F (and referring to what has been mentioned above in the introduction to the present description), the illustrated examples refer to leaf type elements which generally have an elongated shape, in which a larger or maximum dimension can be distinguished. By way of example, the representations appended thereto refer to sheets that are derived from a first fold of the sheet on itself and by a subsequent fold or, as shown separately to the left of Figure 1, from the fold zig-zag (ie accordion or bellows type) of a strip in which you can indicate, for example, information or instructions regarding an object (for example) a "surprise" designed to be inserted, assembled or to be assembled in container C).

In the examples considered here, the leaf-type elements or "leaves" F have a structure similar to a sheet, since they can be constituted by one or more leaves in a flat condition, being for example "the following list will not be considered exhaustive " in form of: - strips or simple sheets, "for example in the form of a square or rectangular label, - elements made of a sheet with several layers, for example a decal applied on a respective support sheet 1 made of low adhesion material.

Zig-zag bent strips, such as those shown in the left part of figure 1, to obtain a multi-layer sheet structure, - sheets folded through one or more subsequent bending operations to obtain a flat body with a sheet-like structure including several layers made of sheets superimposed on one another as a result of bending, or - strips in flat form, which constitute 'for example components of the "surprise" or decorations for it, made of paper or plastic, for example derived from a roll that is cut in line.

Several modalities show the ability to handle all the different types of F elements indistinctly, ensuring 'to achieve the desired final result, that is, the insertion in a container C in a bent condition (see figure 13).

Figures 1 to 3 show the fact of. that elements F can be provided (operating according to known criteria, for example by arranging them in distribution boxes to be periodically filled by an operator or automatically) in the form of an array of successive rows of F elements aligned one after the other (eg example in conditions of relative laying between the subsequent elements F in the same row to avoid undesired splitting thereof).

In the examples considered here (see Figures 12 to 14) it will be assumed that the elements F are inserted by operating N = 5 parallel C containers carried by a block 1200. Therefore, it is assumed that the capture operation involves, starting from the configuration illustrated in figure 1, five F elements at a time. However, this option is provided by way of example in which the number of elements F suitable to be "treated" simultaneously can vary indistinctly.

With respect to this, the fact that other possible rows of elements F are represented in FIGS. 1 to 3 by the dashed line in order to -result the possibility of providing several assemblies of elements F different from one another. This, unlike the capture operation with respect to the F elements captured from time to time, to load -in groups of subsequently handled C containers- assemblies of F elements different from one another, without modifying the other methods of handling the elements. Elements F.

In the presence of F elements generally in elongated form, that is, in which a larger dimension can be generally identified? Maximum, the row-side arrangement side can be provided (as illustrated in figures 1 to 3) in the minimum overall dimension condition, that is, arranging the rows of F elements side by side in the direction corresponding to the smallest or smallest dimension thereof. In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, FIG. assumes that F-elements are generally rectangular and that they are arranged in the capture configuration that allows adjacent rows to include "vertical" F elements to minimize the overall dimension.

In Figures 2 and 3, reference 10 is used to indicate a capture device such as a "hand" of an anthropomorphic-non-visible robot. completely in the representation, but of the common type - provided with a plurality of vacuum capture elements 12 (in summary "suckers") placed side by side and operable by a number corresponding to N number of elements F intended to be captured one both.

Handheld vacuum capture devices of the type considered herein are known in the art, as documented, for example, in EP-A-0 239 547, EP-A-0 989 080, EP-A-0 968 940 , EP-A-0 768 254 or US-A-4 932 180. In particular, the operation of the robot carrying the hand 10 (included in the operation of the hand) can be operated by a processing unit K such as a personal computer for industrial purposes that also supervises (in accordance with criteria known as such) the operation of some other moving elements and / or manipulation / processing described below.

The sequence of Figures 2 and 3 shows that the robot provided with the hand 10 can be operated (also in this case in accordance with known criteria, also illustrated in the mentioned document) to advance the "hand" 10 towards the arrangement of F elements (Figure 2) allowing each vacuum capture element 12 to exert on a respective element F a capture action by "vacuum" (ie, "vacuum effect"), so that, when the robot backs the hand 10, each capture element 12 carries an element F with it, in a flat condition, to move it to subsequent processing operations with a general movement movement represented by arrow B of figure 3.

When performing said movement, the capture hand 10 can be driven in such a manner that it passes in front of a unit of. display such as for example a camera 14. The camera frames the arrangement of elements F carried by the capture hand 10 and detects possible malfunctions, such as, for example, the lack of one or more elements F of the capture arrangement, is say, the incorrect location of one or more of the elements F.

The operation of detecting possible malfunctions is performed on output signals from the unit 14 (typically a camera) by the processing unit K.

With the detection, starting from the signal provided by the camera 14, of the presence of a malfunction in the previously detected arrangement of elements F, the unit K can send -to the robot ^ a command | such as to allow the unit of detection 12 of hand 10 is inactivated to throw the previously captured elements F - detected as incorrect - into an underlying collection container preventing it from advancing towards subsequent handling operations. In this case, the robot is able to return in the operating condition to proceed to detect a new arrangement of elements F.

In several modalities, the option of disabling the vacuum is provided only in capture members 12 where element F is not captured or is incorrectly located.

When the robot retracts hand 10, each capture member 12 carries an element F thereof, in a flat condition, so that it can be moved for subsequent processing operations with a general movement movement represented by arrow B of figure 3. For example, if the operation for capturing the elements F has been, at least partially successful, the hand 10 leading to the elements F retained by the capture members 12 in a flat condition advances towards an element, of reception 16 (FIG. 4) including, in the embodiment illustrated here, a support block 160 in which a plurality of receiving formations 162 are mounted which, in the embodiment illustrated in the figures, are generally in the form of a fork (U-shape) with a concave cavity 160.

The formations 162 are arranged in a linear array that includes an N number of members. In the example illustrated here N = 5, also considering the fact that as at least under given conditions of use (for example when the action of disabling the vacuum is provided only in the capture members 12 where the element F is not captured or incorrectly located), not all reception formations 162 could be designed to be used simultaneously.

When the hand 10 faces the element 16 to insert the elements F therein, the reception formations 162 are arranged with the concave portions 164 thereof aligned to jointly define a slot or channel.

As illustrated by the sequence of Figures 4 and 5, the robot then lowers the hand 10 towards the element 16, so that the elements F carried by the capture members 12 are inserted into the concave portions 164 of the receiving formulations 162 and adopt a corresponding U-shape, thus leading to a (first) operation to bend the elements F.

When this condition is achieved (figure 5) unit K can intervene in the robot that has taken control of the elements at that moment F, determining: - disabling the capture members 12 of the hand 10, which interrupt the capture action on the elements F, releasing them in the reception formations 162, and the subsequent lifting of the hand 10 (see figure 6) which can therefore be returned by the robot to the initial capture condition preferred by figure 2.

However, it will be noted that the choice to use, for receiving formation 162, a concave or fork-shaped configuration is not mandatory. Without detracting from the intention to allow the elements F, captured in a flat condition, to assume a U shape as a result of inserting said cavity 164, the receiving cavities 164, for example, could be in the form of open-bottom cylindrical cavities.

In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, it is also held that in the cavities 164 there are terminal openings 163 adapted to be selectively connected, as a result of a command issued by the unit K, with a source of subatmospheric pressure (such as one to which the capture elements 12 may be connected) to exert a vacuum capture action on the elements F inserted in the cavities 164.

In this case, when achieving the condition of Figure 5, the unit K can intervene in the robot that has taken control of the elements F up to that time, determining the coordinates: - disabling the capture members 12 of the hand 10, which interrupts the capture action thereof on the elements F, and - enabling the openings 163, which contain the elements F in the reception formations 162.

Also in this case, the unit K can actuate the lifting of the hand 10 which can therefore be returned by the robot to the initial capture condition referred to in figure 2.

The possibility that the hand 10 carries several arrays of capture members is illustrated -in Figure 2 alone- by a dashed line. For example, Figure 2 shows that, in addition to the (first) array of capture members 12, the hand 10 can carry at least a second array of capture members 120. For example, each capture member 120 (can be a vacuum capture member once again) can be mounted on the distal end of an arm 122 which is extended from the body of the hand 10. All this in such a way that the two arrays of capture members 12 and 120 (including for example the same number of elements, so that each member 12 corresponds to a member 120) are arranged at the ends of the two branches of an ideal L-shaped configuration.

Figure 2 shows that, in this way, it is possible to provide, for example, one or more rolls of each of which is automatically unwound, and cut (in 124) to form flat strips F 'adapted to constitute, for example, a piece of "surprise" or a decorative part possibly on a self-adhesive support.

Said planar elements F 'can be captured by the capture members 120 and inserted in the formations 162 according to the methods described above with reference to figures 1 to 6 referring to the planar elements F and the capture members 12.

In several embodiments, the unit K can be programmed for example (according to criteria known per se) to allow, according to the needs that vary with time, that the hand 10, capture them, or alternatively, insert them into the formations of reception 162: - the elements F captured by members 12, or - the elements F 'captured by the members 120. In several modalities, the unit K for example can be programmed (according to criteria known as such) to allow: - the hand 10 captures, - using the members 12, the elements F inserted in the receiving formations 162 through a first movement, and - that the hand 10 capture, using the members 120, the elements F 'by inserting them into the elements F previously inserted in the reception formations 162, thus superimposing the elements F and F' f through a second movement.

For the remainder, the method of operation (possibly including discharge elements considered incorrectly located) may occur according to substantially identical criteria.

In the embodiment referred to in FIG. 7, the reception formations 162 are mounted on the body 160 with a rotation capacity of 90 ° with respect to the main axis X162 thereof.

Said rotation can be driven by the unit K intervening in respective impellers 166 (only one of these is indicated schematically with a dashed line in Figure 7) to allow the concave portions 164, initially one with respect to another to define a structure of general channel -figures 4-6, following the 90 ° rotation imparted by the formations 162 around the respective main axes X162, are oriented in a precisely octagonal position to one that has been previously taken. All this allows the cavities 164 and the F elements that are therein to form a row of elements disposed side by side with a generally similar configuration (see Figure 7) to a type of medieval gear rack or crenelated with each cavity 164 and F element in it practically defining the cavity or gap between adjacent battlements.

Figure 8 shows the fact that the rotary assembly of the receiving formations 162 in the support block 160 the receiving element 16 is not a mandatory feature. The receiving element 16 can actually also be made in the form of a comb-shaped body (see FIG. 8) having a "crenellated" or comb-like configuration similar to that illustrated in FIG. 7, achieved after the rotation of the formations 162.

Regardless of the structure of the receiving element 16, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 9, the elements F (and / or F ') received in the cavities 164 of the receiving formations 162 and bent in accordance with a U-shaped configuration. general can be captured by the "hand" 20 of an additional capture element (can be an anthropomorphic robot of the known type, once again not completely visible in the figures) controlled by the unit K.

The hand 20 has a plurality of catch elements 200 in the form of straight fingers arranged side by side extending from the body of the hand 20, arranged adjacent to each other according to a fork configuration. As illustrated schematically in Figure 10, the hand 20 can be operated (by the unit K) in such a way that the capture fingers 200 penetrate - moving in a transverse direction with respect to their length - into the cavities 164 of the receiving formations 162 each ending by being inserted into the loop part of a respective element F.

In various embodiments, the capture fingers 200 may have, at the digital ends thereof, capture members intended to "hold" the F-folded elements F (and / or F ') which are located in the cavities 164.

For example, Figure 9 illustrates the fact that, in various modalities, the fingers 200 may have openings 204 also designed to be connected - analogously to what happens to the vacuum capture members 12 (and 120) of the hand 10 described above - with a subatmospheric pressure source (not shown in the drawings), to provide-once again-a vacuum capture / hold action.

In various embodiments, in particular when it is desired to capture two superimposed and bent elements in U, F and F 'located in the cavities 164, the gripping formations 204' (one of these schematically illustrated with dotted lines in FIG. fastening and "grabbing" a pair of UF and F 'folded elements located in the cavities 164 that operate on the margins of the same projecting slightly from the cavities 164 may be provided at the distal ends of the fingers 200.

The unit K operates in such a way that, once the fingers 200 are inserted in the cavities of the formations 162 (see the sequence of Figs. 9 and 10), the capture members 204 or 204 'are activated in such a manner. that grab the elements F (and / or F ").

At this point, unit K can intervene in the i actuation of the robot carrying the hand 20 to raise the hand 20 moving away from the element 16 (see figure 11), whereby the capture fingers 200 of the hand carry the elements F (and / or F ') in the same.

At this point, the transfer element 16 is available (if necessary after rotating the reception formations 162 to return them to the initial conditions depicted in Figure 4) in order to receive additional elements F (and / or F ') while they are captured by hand 10 of the supply arrangement according to the methods illustrated above with reference to figures 1 to 3.

As illustrated in Figure 12, the hand 20 with the elements F (and / or F ': for purposes of simplicity, in the remainder of the description reference will be made only to the elements F) captured by the cavities 164 of the element 16 move towards a corresponding arrangement of containers C.

The fingers 200 of the hand 20 carrying, at the distal ends thereof, the elements F can therefore penetrate into the cavities of the bodies Cl of the containers C by inserting in each of them a respective element F in bent condition .

All this ensures that, due to the previously obtained bent conditions, the elements F do not represent an obstacle for the subsequent introduction of the Cl bodies of additional elements of a fun article (a so-called "surprise") designed to be inserted in the containers C in them.

The sequence for inserting elements F into containers C (for purposes of illustrative simplicity and clarity, in figures 13 and 14 the sequence is illustrated with reference only to a finger 200 carrying a respective element F) provides: - penetrate the fingers 200, which carry the elements F at the distal end thereof, in the cavities of the Cl bodies of the containers C, and - disabling the capture members 204 or 204 ', to allow the fingers 200 to release the elements F: the latter therefore remain inside the containers C when the hand 20 is returned moving away from the block 1200 where the C containers are located with the F elements inserted in them.

As can be seen from figures 12 to 14, in order to facilitate the insertion operation of the fingers 200 and the elements F carried by them in the containers C, the block 1200 in which the Cl bodies are inserted (inside the respective cavities 140) can be tilted forward (by an angle ß - see figure 12) towards the hand 20 carrying the fingers 200. This forward inclination, which possibly can also be an inclination in horizontal conditions, facilitates the insertion movement "of fingers 200 in containers C.

The elements F can have a degree of elastic memory given by what, once released by the fingers 200 within the cavity of the containers C, they tend to "expand" at least partially, ie diverge with respect to the configuration in U conferred thereto as a result of being inserted into the cavities 164 of the reception formations 162.

Diverging inside the containers C, the F elements leave - in them - more space available for the insertion, for example, of the surprise or components of the surprise designed to be inserted in the container C. The latter are inserted in the containers C with subsequent handling operations performed in a known manner and which do not represent a specific object of the present description.

The aforementioned enlargement phenomenon can be positively emphasized by providing a post processing station 300 (Figures 15 and 16) which includes an assembly 302 suitable to be selectively lowered (under impeller reaction, not shown in the drawings, but of the known type) towards the containers C to penetrate the shock absorbers 304 carried in the lower part of the assembly 302 therein. In various embodiments, the buffers 304 are connected to one of the most pressure lines 306 and therefore may be inflatable.

By actuating the lowering movement of the assembly 302 (see the sequence of Figures 15 and 16), the unit K also drives the supply of the shock absorbers 304, which are inflated and -in the insertion of the cavities of the individual containers C- enlarged , pushing the elements F (and / or F ') towards the peripheral wall of the container C.

The possible use of shock absorbers 304, which descend to the containers C, with the elements F (and / or F ') may have the effect of pushing the F (and / or F') elements further into the C containers, avoiding that such elements are projected excessively upwards beyond the edge of the mouth of the containers, which could prevent the insertion of later elements (for example "surprises", possibly made of several pieces) into other containers C.

Finally, it should be noted that the reference to the "hands" 10 and 20 provided with capture elements of the pneumatic type, in particular of the vacuum type (suckers 12, openings 204) is strictly for illustration purposes. Said catching operations could actually be performed using equivalent elements, such as for example a fastener.

Obviously, without detracting from the principle of the invention, the details and modalities may vary, even significantly, with respect to what has been described herein simply by way of non-limiting example, are to depart from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims annexes.

Claims (15)

1. A device for inserting sheet elements (F; F ') into a container (C) that includes: at least one first capture member (12; 120) to capture at least one leaf element (F; F ') in a planar condition, characterized in that it includes: - a transfer device (16) including at least one receiving cavity (164) for receiving inserted therein at least one capture member (12; 120), whereby a leaf-shaped element (F); F ') carried by at least one first capture member (12; 120), a flat condition takes a U shape as a result of being inserted into the receiving cavity (164), - at least one second capture member (200) with a finger-shaped configuration for inserting into said receiving cavity (164) to capture from the receiving cavity (164) at least one leaf-shaped element ( F; F ') with a U-shape, at least a second capture member (200) also being mobile for insertion into the container (C) to insert the leaf-shaped element (F; F') into said container ( C).

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the receiving cavity (164) is selectively pivoted between: a first angular position to receive inserted therein at least one capture member primar (12; 120); and - a second angular position for insertion of at least "a second capture member · (200) into the reception cavity (164).

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the first angular position and the second angular position are 90 ° apart therebetween.

4. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, including a plurality of receiving cavities (164) oriented or adopted to be oriented side by side to jointly define a toothed or crenellated arrangement.

5. The device according to any of claims 1 to,. wherein at least one receiving cavity (164) detects retaining means, preferably retaining means · by vacuum (163) to retain in an at least one receiving cavity (164) a sheet-shaped element With U-shape (F; F ').

6. The device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the at least one first capture member (12; 120) and at least one second capture member (200) is a vacuum capture device. .

7. The device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one and preferably both of at least one first capture member (12; 120) and at least one second capture member (200) are carried by a manipulator device such as a robot.

8. The device according to any of the preceding claims, including a support body (1200) for receiving the container (C), said support body (1200) selectively tilting (ß) towards at least a second capture member ( 200) to facilitate the insertion of at least one second capture member (200) into said container (C).

9. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least a first capture member (12; 120) is associated with a display unit (14) for detecting the correct way to capture at least one element in shape. (F; F ') at least one first capture member (12; - 120), at least one first capture member (12; 120) operable (K) to release a leaf-like element · (F; F ') in a manner detectable as being incorrect by the display unit (14).

10. The device according to any of the preceding claims, which includes a distribution station (300) for at least one leaf-shaped element (F; F ') that includes at least one buffer (304), preferably a expandable type (306), for introduction into a sheet-like element (F; F ') once inserted in the container (C) to use the sheet-like element (F; F') against the container wall ( C).

11. The device according to any of the preceding claims, configured to insert a plurality of sheet elements (F; F ') into respective containers (C) and which includes corresponding pluralities of the first capture members (12), receiving cavities (164) and the second capture members (200).

12. The device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least a first capture member includes two capture members (12; 120) disposed at the ends of the two branches of an L-shaped configuration.

13. A method of inserting leaf elements (F; F ') into a container (C), which includes: - capturing (12; 120) a leaf-shaped element (F; F ') in a flat condition, characterized in that it includes: - inserting at least one leaf-shaped element (F; F ') in a flat condition in a receiving cavity (164), whereby at least one leaf-shaped element (F; F') adopts a U-shape as a result of being inserted into the receiving cavity (164), - capturing (200) the leaf-shaped element (F; F ') of the receiving cavity (164), and inserting in the container (C) said leaf-shaped element (F; F ') captured from the receiving cavity (164).

14. The method according to claim 13 includes retaining a U-shaped leaf-shaped element (F; F ') in the receiving cavity (164), preferably by means of a vacuum retention means (163).

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein at least a first capture member includes two capture members (12; 120) disposed at the ends in the two branches of an L-shaped configuration, the method including capturing by at least one leaf element in a flat condition, alternatively, by one (12) and at least one other (120) of said capture members (12; 120). SUMMARY A device for inserting sheet elements (F) into respective containers (C) that includes: first capture members (12) to capture the sheet elements (F) in a flat condition, a transfer device (16) ) including receiving cavities (164) wherein the first capture members (12) insert the sheet elements (F) carried by them in a flat condition that allows them to adopt a U shape as a result of being inserted in the receiving cavities (164), and - second capture members (200) with a finger-shaped configuration adapted to be inserted in the receiving cavities (164) to capture the leaf-shaped elements (F) and insert them in respective containers (C).