US20010047639A1 - Packing machine - Google Patents

Packing machine Download PDF

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Publication number
US20010047639A1
US20010047639A1 US09/348,683 US34868399A US2001047639A1 US 20010047639 A1 US20010047639 A1 US 20010047639A1 US 34868399 A US34868399 A US 34868399A US 2001047639 A1 US2001047639 A1 US 2001047639A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
wrapping
head
product
seat
sheet
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US09/348,683
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English (en)
Inventor
Fabrizio Tale'
Mario Spatafora
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
GD SpA
Original Assignee
GD SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by GD SpA filed Critical GD SpA
Assigned to G.D. SOCIETA' PER AZIONI reassignment G.D. SOCIETA' PER AZIONI ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: SPATAFORA, MARIO, TALE, FABRIZIO
Publication of US20010047639A1 publication Critical patent/US20010047639A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B11/00—Wrapping, e.g. partially or wholly enclosing, articles or quantities of material, in strips, sheets or blanks, of flexible material
    • B65B11/06—Wrapping articles, or quantities of material, by conveying wrapper and contents in common defined paths
    • B65B11/28—Wrapping articles, or quantities of material, by conveying wrapper and contents in common defined paths in a curved path, e.g. on rotary tables or turrets
    • B65B11/30—Wrapping articles, or quantities of material, by conveying wrapper and contents in common defined paths in a curved path, e.g. on rotary tables or turrets to fold the wrappers in tubular form about contents
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B19/00—Packaging rod-shaped or tubular articles susceptible to damage by abrasion or pressure, e.g. cigarettes, cigars, macaroni, spaghetti, drinking straws or welding electrodes
    • B65B19/02—Packaging cigarettes
    • B65B19/22—Wrapping the cigarettes; Packaging the cigarettes in containers formed by folding wrapping material around formers
    • B65B19/223—Wrapping the cigarettes; Packaging the cigarettes in containers formed by folding wrapping material around formers in a curved path; in a combination of straight and curved paths, e.g. on rotary tables or other endless conveyors
    • B65B19/226—Wrapping the cigarettes; Packaging the cigarettes in containers formed by folding wrapping material around formers in a curved path; in a combination of straight and curved paths, e.g. on rotary tables or other endless conveyors using endless conveyors having pockets, each pocket being provided with separate members, e.g. folders

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a packing machine.
  • Known continuous cigarette packing machines comprise a wrapping wheel powered to rotate continuously about a central axis and having a number of wrapping heads equally spaced about the central axis. As it rotates, the wheel feeds each head along a wrapping path through a supply station where the head receives a sheet of wrapping material and a respective product, about which the sheet of wrapping material is folded into a U so that two opposite wings project transversely from the product; through a first folding station where the sheet of wrapping material is folded to form about the product a tubular wrapping having two opposite open ends; and through a second folding station where the open ends are folded to complete the product wrapping.
  • Each wrapping head supports a respective folding device, which, as the wrapping head travels through the first folding station, folds a first of said two wings through 90° onto the product; and a second wing is later folded through 90° onto the product and partly onto the first wing by a further movable folding device located along the wrapping path at the first folding station.
  • each wrapping head oscillates, in use, in the neighborhood of a radial position with respect to the central axis of rotation of the wheel, so as to keep the head facing the supply station and/or a folding tool long enough to complete the relative operation.
  • Packing machines of the above type are relatively expensive, on account of the complex design of the wrapping heads, which, besides rotating about a radial position, must also support a movable folding device.
  • a packing machine for wrapping a product in a sheet of wrapping material, the machine comprising a wrapping head for housing said sheet of wrapping material and said product; a conveying head for feeding said product to said wrapping head at a supply station; and a supply unit for feeding said sheet of wrapping material to said wrapping head, in which the sheet of wrapping material is folded into a U about the product; characterized in that said conveying head comprises a movable folding device, and actuating means for activating the movable folding device to fold at least one portion of said sheet of wrapping material onto said product at said supply station.
  • FIG. 1 shows a schematic partial front view, with parts removed for clarity, of a preferred embodiment of the machine according to the present invention
  • FIG. 2 shows a detail of FIG. 1 in two different operating positions
  • FIG. 3 shows a further detail of FIG. 1 in two different operating positions.
  • Number 1 in FIG. 1 indicates as a whole an automatic cigarette packing machine for producing packets (not shown) of cigarettes, and in which a group 2 of cigarettes is first wrapped in a sheet 3 of foil wrapping material and then inserted into a blank (not shown) which is folded about group 2 of cigarettes to form a packet (not shown) of cigarettes.
  • Packing machine 1 comprises a wrapping wheel 4 rotating continuously (clockwise in FIG. 1) about a central axis 5 perpendicular to the FIG. 1 plane, and having peripheral wrapping heads 6 equally Spaced about axis 5 and which are fed along a closed, substantially circular wrapping path P 1 as wheel 4 rotates about axis 5 .
  • a seat 7 for first receiving and conveying a respective sheet 3 of wrapping material folded substantially into a U, and subsequently also a respective group 2 of cigarettes which is wrapped in sheet 3 of wrapping material.
  • Each group 2 of cigarettes is confined within a substantially parallelepiped space defined by a pair of parallel major lateral surfaces 8 and a pair of parallel minor lateral surfaces 9 perpendicular to surfaces 8 .
  • Said space also comprises two opposite longitudinal ends 10 , and a central portion 11 interposed between said two longitudinal ends 10 .
  • a first portion P 2 of path P 1 extends through a supply station Sl having a known supply unit 12 (shown only partly) for supplying seat 7 of each head 6 with a respective sheet 3 of wrapping material, which is folded into a U inside seat 7 .
  • Station S 1 also comprises a further supply unit 13 located downstream from unit 12 in the traveling direction of wrapping heads 6 along path P 1 , and which provides for supplying seat 7 of each head 6 with a respective group 2 of cigarettes, which is inserted inside the respective U-folded sheet 3 of wrapping material, which, once group 2 is inserted, has two facing wings 14 and 15 projecting transversely from group 2 .
  • First portion P 2 of path P 1 also extends through a folding station S 2 where wings 14 and 15 of sheet 3 of wrapping material are folded through 90° onto group 2 and one onto the other to form a tubular wrapping 16 having two opposite open ends 17 . More specifically, wing 14 is folded through 900 onto group 2 by a folding device 18 fed along a portion of path P 1 extending through station S 2 , and wing 15 is folded through 90° onto group 2 and partly onto wing 14 by a folding device 19 located in a fixed position with respect to wheel 4 .
  • a second portion P 3 of path P 1 downstream from first portion P 2 , extends through a folding station S 3 where the opposite open ends 17 of tubular wrapping 16 are folded onto group 2 by a folding device 20 , located in a fixed position with respect to wheel 4 , to complete the folding of sheet 3 of wrapping material about group 2 and so form a closed wrapping 21 .
  • wrapping path P 1 extends through an unloading station S 4 where wrappings 21 are extracted successively from respective seats 7 on wrapping wheel 4 and fed to known follow-up wrapping units (not shown) on machine 1 .
  • Each wrapping head 6 is hinged to wheel 4 and is oscillated, with respect to wheel 4 , about an axis 22 parallel to axis 5 by a known cam and rocker arm actuating device 23 , of which respective wrapping head 6 defines the central portion of an end rocker arm 24 having an arm defined by respective seat 7 .
  • Actuating device 23 provides for positioning head 6 substantially perpendicular to wrapping path P 1 along first portion P 2 of path P 1 . More specifically, actuating device 23 provides for oscillating each wrapping head 6 about respective axis 22 and in the neighborhood of a perpendicular position with respect to path P 1 as head 6 is fed through stations S 1 and S 2 , so as to cooperate with supply units 12 and 13 and with folding device 19 .
  • Actuating device 23 also provides for setting head 6 in a fixed position substantially parallel to wrapping path P 1 along second portion P 3 of path P 1 , so that head 6 cooperates along path P 1 with folding device 20 .
  • Supply unit 12 comprises a transfer wheel (not shown) powered to rotate continuously about a fixed central axis (not shown) parallel to axis 5 , and having peripheral, substantially trapezoidal folding spindles 25 (only one shown).
  • Each folding spindle 25 provides for withdrawing a respective sheet 3 of wrapping material from a known supply unit (not shown), and for feeding the sheet 3 of wrapping material, folded into a U, into a respective seat 7 at supply station S 1 .
  • respective spindle 25 and seat 7 act like a punch and die respectively, and provide for optimum U-folding of sheet 3 of wrapping material inside seat 7 .
  • Seat 7 of each head 6 is defined by a bottom wall 26 fixed with respect to head 6 , and by two lateral walls 27 , which are hinged on opposite sides of wall 26 and oscillated, about respective axes parallel to axis 22 , between an open position and a closed position by a known cam control device (not shown).
  • each seat 7 In the open position, the two lateral walls 27 of each seat 7 form an obtuse angle with bottom wall 26 , and seat 7 has a section in the form of an isosceles trapezium negatively reproducing the shape of folding spindles 25 ; and, in the closed position, the two lateral walls 27 of each seat 7 form a substantially right angle with bottom wall 26 , and seat 7 has a rectangular section of substantially the same size as a group 2 of cigarettes so as to engage group 2 completely, i.e. by both central portion 11 and longitudinal ends 10 .
  • the inner surfaces of walls 26 and 27 have a series of holes (not shown) connected to a known suction device (not shown) on wrapping wheel 4 .
  • Supply unit 13 comprises a continuous conveyor 28 (shown partly) for feeding a number of seats 29 along a path P 4 through a known loading station (not shown) where a group 2 of cigarettes is formed in or transferred to a respective seat 29 (in known manner not shown), and through supply station S 1 where group 2 of cigarettes is transferred from seat 29 to a respective seat 7 by a further movable seat 30 , which is carried by a transmission pulley 31 of conveyor 28 and provides for removing group 2 from seat 29 and feeding group 2 to seat 7 .
  • Conveyor 28 comprises a known flexible toothed belt 32 (shown partly in FIG. 1) which is fed along path P 4 by pulley 31 , which comprises a toothed central roller 33 rotating continuously (anticlockwise in FIG. 1) about a central axis 34 parallel to axis 5 , and two flanges 35 (only one shown in FIG. 1) coaxial with axis 34 .
  • Conveyor 28 also comprises a number of bodies 36 supported by and equally spaced along belt 32 .
  • a respective seat 29 In each body 36 is defined a respective seat 29 , which has a longitudinal dimension (perpendicular to the FIG. 1 plane) smaller than that of group 2 , and a rectangular section of substantially the same transverse dimensions as a group 2 so as to engage group 2 by central portion 11 , leaving respective longitudinal ends 10 substantially free.
  • Each body 36 is provided with a retaining device 37 comprising two jaws 38 integral with belt 32 and which oscillate between a gripping position along the straight portions of belt 32 , and a release position along the curved portions (only one shown) of belt 32 .
  • the two flanges 35 (only one shown in FIG. 1) support, in between, a number of peripheral heads 39 (only one shown in FIG. 1) equally spaced about axis 34 and mounted for rotation about respective axes 40 parallel to axis 34 .
  • Each head 39 comprises two gripping devices 41 which together define a respective seat 30 for engaging a respective group 2 by respective ends 10 .
  • Each gripping device 41 comprises two relatively thin L-shaped sections 42 lying in the same plane perpendicular to axis 40 , and which are movable, with respect to each other and in said plane, between a release position and a gripping position (shown in FIG. 1) in which sections 42 define a tubular seat 43 having an axis parallel to axis 34 and a rectangular section approximately equal to but no larger than the cross section of group 2 .
  • Each head 39 is provided with a known cam and rocker arm control and actuating device (not shown) housed between the two flanges 35 and which, as pulley 31 rotates about axis 34 , provides for controlling the angular position of seat 30 about axis 40 and between a loading position, in which seat 30 coincides with a respective seat 29 to withdraw a group 2 of cigarettes from seat 29 , and an unloading position, in which seat 30 coincides with a respective seat 7 to transfer group 2 of cigarettes to seat 7 .
  • a known cam and rocker arm control and actuating device housed between the two flanges 35 and which, as pulley 31 rotates about axis 34 , provides for controlling the angular position of seat 30 about axis 40 and between a loading position, in which seat 30 coincides with a respective seat 29 to withdraw a group 2 of cigarettes from seat 29 , and an unloading position, in which seat 30 coincides with a respective seat 7 to transfer group 2 of cigarettes to seat 7 .
  • the cam and rocker arm control and actuating device also controls the position and configuration of each gripping device 41 between an open position, in which the two tubular seats 43 of the same head 39 are separated by a distance greater than the length of a respective group 2 of cigarettes, and a closed position, in which the two tubular seats 43 of the same head 39 define respective seat 30 and grip a respective group 2 of cigarettes by ends 10 .
  • Each head 39 comprises a respective folding device 18 , which in turn comprises a roller 44 mounted for rotation between flanges 35 to oscillate about respective axis 40 with respect to flanges 35 and respective gripping devices 41 .
  • Each roller 44 supports in rotary manner a folding tool 45 , which is oscillated, with respect to roller 44 , about an axis 46 parallel to axis 40 by a known epicyclic control device 47 , which also controls oscillation of roller 44 about axis 40 .
  • Folding device 19 comprises a roller 48 powered to rotate continuously about an axis 49 parallel to axis 5 , and supporting in rotary manner a folding tool 50 , which is oscillated, with respect to roller 48 , about an axis 51 parallel to axis 49 by a known epicyclic control device 52 .
  • Folding device 20 comprises a pair of fixed helical folding elements 53 parallel to and on either side of wrapping path P 1 to engage and fold respective ends 17 of each tubular wrapping 16 as the respective wrapping head 6 travels along path P 1 .
  • actuating device 23 sets and maintains wrapping head 6 in a position substantially crosswise to path P 1 .
  • Supply unit 13 then supplies seat 7 with a respective group 2 of cigarettes, which is inserted inside respective sheet 3 of wrapping material, the two wings 14 and 15 of which, once group 2 is inserted, are positioned facing each other and projecting transversely from group 2 .
  • gripping devices 41 of respective seat 30 are set to said open and release positions, and seat 30 is oscillated about respective axis 40 to move into and maintain, for a given length of time, a position substantially coincident with a respective seat 29 and in which gripping devices 41 of seat 30 are moved into said closed and gripping positions to grip the group 2 of cigarettes carried by seat 29 .
  • the curve in path P 4 moves retaining device 37 of seat 29 into said release position so that group 2 of cigarettes is left under the control of seat 30 .
  • seat 30 is rotated about its own axis 40 to extract group 2 of cigarettes from seat 29 and feed group 2 to seat 7 which, as wrapping wheel 4 rotates continuously, is traveling through supply station S 1 with lateral walls 27 in said open position, and with sheet 3 of wrapping material folded into a U inside.
  • Seat 7 and seat 30 are oscillated about respective axes 22 and 40 to move into and maintain, for a given length of time, a substantially coincident position, in which lateral walls 27 of seat 7 are moved into said closed position to grip group 2 of cigarettes and at the same time complete the folding of sheet 3 of wrapping material into a U about group 2 of cigarettes.
  • seat 7 engages, with sheet 3 of wrapping material in between, both group 2 of cigarettes and sections 42 of gripping devices 41 of seat 30 , which is made possible by the thinness of sections 42 .
  • control device 47 activates respective folding device 18 to oscillate respective roller 44 with respect to axis 40 so that respective folding tool 45 folds wing 14 of sheet 3 of wrapping material through 90° onto group 2 .
  • seats 30 and 7 move out of said substantially coincident position; seat 30 is restored to the initial position; and seat 7 is fed through folding station S 2 by wheel 4 rotating about axis 5 .
  • wrapping head 6 is fed along second portion P 3 of wrapping path P 1 and, as stated, is set to and maintained in a fixed position substantially parallel to path P 1 by actuating device 23 .
  • seat 7 is fed through unloading station S 4 where wrapping 21 is extracted from seat 7 and fed to known follow-up wrapping units (not shown) of machine 1 .
  • the above operations are repeated cyclically.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Wrapping Of Specific Fragile Articles (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
  • Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)
US09/348,683 1998-07-14 1999-07-07 Packing machine Abandoned US20010047639A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITBO98A000427 1998-07-14
IT1998BO000427A IT1304033B1 (it) 1998-07-14 1998-07-14 Macchina impacchettatrice.

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20010047639A1 true US20010047639A1 (en) 2001-12-06

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ID=11343299

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US09/348,683 Abandoned US20010047639A1 (en) 1998-07-14 1999-07-07 Packing machine

Country Status (4)

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US (1) US20010047639A1 (de)
EP (1) EP0972706A1 (de)
IT (1) IT1304033B1 (de)
RU (1) RU2228887C2 (de)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040003983A1 (en) * 2002-02-19 2004-01-08 Tna Australia Pty Limited, Acn 002 937 859 Device to aid packaging items
US20120031044A1 (en) * 2009-04-17 2012-02-09 Gima S.P.A. Device for packaging a product in an envelope
US20120285120A1 (en) * 2010-01-26 2012-11-15 Gima S.P.A. Driving apparatus for driving operative units of a packaging machine
US20170313449A1 (en) * 2014-10-31 2017-11-02 British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited Apparatus and Method for Manufacturing a Smoking Article Pack
EP3362365B1 (de) 2015-10-16 2019-09-25 G.D Societa' per Azioni Packermaschine und einwicklungsverfahren zur herstellung eines pakets mit tabakartikeln mit zwei verschiedenen gruppen von tabakartikeln

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT1320986B1 (it) 2000-04-12 2003-12-18 Gd Spa Metodo ed unita' per la formazione di incarti tubolari in una macchinaimpacchettatrice di sigarette.
ITBO20040498A1 (it) 2004-08-03 2004-11-03 Azionaria Costruzioni Acma Spa Dispositivo per la piegatura di coperchi di pacchetti rigidi in macchine per il confezionamento di detti pacchetti e macchina incorporante tale dispositivo
IT201800000567A1 (it) * 2018-01-05 2019-07-05 Gd Spa Metodo di incarto e macchina impacchettatrice per realizzare un incarto sigillato di articoli da fumo stabilizzato mediante termosaldatura

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT1060843B (it) * 1976-03-17 1982-09-30 Gd Spa Dispositivo perfezionato per la piegatura delle testate degli in volucri interni nelle macchine condizionatrici di sigarette in pacchetti rigidi del tipo a coperchio incernierato
DE19502562A1 (de) * 1995-01-27 1996-08-01 Pactec Verpackungsmaschinen Fa Verfahren und Einrichtung zum Einhüllen von Gütern in plastisch verformbares, folienartiges Verpackungsmaterial

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040003983A1 (en) * 2002-02-19 2004-01-08 Tna Australia Pty Limited, Acn 002 937 859 Device to aid packaging items
US7600630B2 (en) * 2002-02-19 2009-10-13 Tna Australia Pty. Limited Device to aid packaging items
US20120031044A1 (en) * 2009-04-17 2012-02-09 Gima S.P.A. Device for packaging a product in an envelope
US9090366B2 (en) * 2009-04-17 2015-07-28 Gima Tt S.R.L. Device for packaging a product in an envelope
US20120285120A1 (en) * 2010-01-26 2012-11-15 Gima S.P.A. Driving apparatus for driving operative units of a packaging machine
US20170313449A1 (en) * 2014-10-31 2017-11-02 British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited Apparatus and Method for Manufacturing a Smoking Article Pack
EP3362365B1 (de) 2015-10-16 2019-09-25 G.D Societa' per Azioni Packermaschine und einwicklungsverfahren zur herstellung eines pakets mit tabakartikeln mit zwei verschiedenen gruppen von tabakartikeln
US11136152B2 (en) 2015-10-16 2021-10-05 G.D Societa' Per Azioni Packer machine and wrapping method to manufacture a packet of tobacco articles containing two distinct groups of tobacco articles

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITBO980427A1 (it) 2000-01-14
EP0972706A1 (de) 2000-01-19
RU2228887C2 (ru) 2004-05-20
IT1304033B1 (it) 2001-03-02

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: G.D. SOCIETA' PER AZIONI, ITALY

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:TALE, FABRIZIO;SPATAFORA, MARIO;REEL/FRAME:010096/0163

Effective date: 19990624

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO PAY ISSUE FEE