WO2003041946A2

WO2003041946A2 - Apparatus and method for deforming of sheet material

Info

Publication number: WO2003041946A2
Application number: PCT/GB2002/005164
Authority: WO
Inventors: Antonia Freddi; Alessandro Bianchini
Original assignee: Elopak Systems Ag; Burrows, Anthony, Gregory
Priority date: 2001-11-15
Filing date: 2002-11-15
Publication date: 2003-05-22
Also published as: US20050120680A1; CN1615242A; CN101323082A; AU2002350889A1; EP1444087A2; WO2003041946A3; CN100400382C; ITMO20010219A0; ITMO20010219A1; CN101323379A

Abstract

An apparatus for forming sheet material (5, 7) in order to obtain containers (3) comprises conveying means (129) arranged for advancing the sheet material, a welding unit (35a) arranged for welding the sheet material (57) along peripheral edges of the containers (3) to be formed, a forming unit (39a) arranged for forming the sheet material in order to obtain the containers (3), at least one of said units (35a, 39a) being mounted on guiding means (111) so that it is possible to adjust the longitudinal position of the at least one unit with respect to the other unit(s).

Description

Apparatus and method

The invention relates to an apparatus for forming sheet material in order to obtain containers.

The Prior Art comprises thermoforming machines for sheet material comprising a conveying device arranged for the stepwise advancing of the sheet material through a welding unit, wherein a pair of films, or facing strips of the same film, are mutually welded along peripheral edges defining pre-forms of containers to be obtained.

The peripheral welding achieved in the welding unit is interrupted in a portion of the peripheral edge, at which an opening is located and which is arranged for allowing the introduction of a product with which the containers have to be formed and/or filled.

The known apparatus further comprises, downstream of the welding unit, a thermoforming unit, wherein the films are heated.

Subsequently, a pressurised fluid is injected, through the said opening, into each of the pre-forms in order to bring the films into contact with moulds which are provided to mould the said films.

Upstream of the welding unit, the known machines may comprise heating units arranged for heating the films in order to prepare them for the subsequent steps of welding and forming.

Forming machines for using sheet material in order to obtain containers and containers for suppositories, made by forming films of aluminium, are also known which comprise a forming unit, wherein the films are plastically deformed by means of mechanical forming means, for example by deep-drawing, in order to obtain half-shells defining one half of a container.

Such machines further comprise, downstream to the forming unit, a welding unit wherein a first film, where a plurality of first half-shells has been produced, is welded with a second film, where a plurality of second half-shells has been produced. The first film and the second film are welded together along a peripheral profile

identifying the edge of the containers. The peripheral welding is interruped in the area of an opening which enables the introduction of a product, during a subsequent filling step, into the interior of the formed containers.

A disadvantage of the above described machines, is that, the welding unit, the forming unit and the heating unit, when present, are placed at pre-established positions on the frame of the machine, and are not adjustable relative to each other.

A mould suitable for welding or forming a pre-established number of containers is associated with each of said units, the mould having a certain length defined by the number and the size of the containers it is designed to produce at every advancing step of the sheet material. In a situation where it is necessary to vary the size of the containers to be produced, it can arise that, with the same size mould, the number of containers that may be produced at each advancing step is such that it leaves unformed portions of the film which causes a decrease in efficiency of the machine due to a significant waste of material.

Furthermore, in the known machines, each of the moulds consists of a pair of half- moulds reciprocally moving towards and away from each other.

A first half-mould is mounted on a supporting elemen fixed firmly to the frame of the machine, while the second half-mould is connected to a mobile supporting element that brings the second half-mould to interact with the first half-mould in order to produce the welding, or forming, of the films and moves the second half-mould away from the first half-mould once the forming, or welding, has taken place.

The mobile supporting element is driven to slide on guiding bars by an actuating device, for example a pneumatic cylinder, fixed to the frame of the machine.

Therefore, another disadvantage of the known machines is that, the frame of the machine is subjected to significant stresses that may compromise its strength structurally.

A further defect is that, in the known machines each of the half-moulds is fixed to their

respective supporting elements, so that the half-moulds may be removed from the supporting elements only after a long and complicated disassembly operation. In the case where the half- moulds have to be changed, for example where it is necessary to change from production of containers of a certain size to containers of a different size, the machine needs to be stopped for a long period of time which significantly penalises its productivity. For the reasons mentioned above, it is very difficult to perform checks and controls of the half-moulds of the Prior Art machines.

The conveying devices that achieve the stepwise advancing of the sheet material in the machines of the Prior Art comprise grabbing elements arranged for grabbing end regions of the sheet material, in order to produce the transferring. The grabbing elements are moving with reciprocating rectilinear motion in the direction along which the sheet material must be advanced.

Such grabbing elements may assume an opened resting configuration in which the jaws, with which they are provided, do not interfere with the sheet material and a closed operating configuration in which the jaws ared tightened onto the sheet material. The number of grabbing elements provided is pre-determfined and cannot be modified.

In addition, they may be located only in pre-established regions of the apparatus, for example, upstream of the welding unit and downstream of the forming unit, in thermoforming machines.

The known machines, therefore, have the further disadvantage of providing grabbing elements which are not suitable for modification in relation to their number and position with respect to the properties of the sheet material to be worked on.

In particular, the grabbing elements of the Prior Art machines are not be suitable for properly supporting a particularly flexible sheet material, nor are they provided with a very wide range of transverse extension.

The machines for producing suppositories, by forming films of aluminium, comprise, in

the deep-drawing unit previously described, deforming means arranged for receiving the product

constituting the suppository and producing a plurality of transversal folds in the films before the deep-drawing, by way of which the cavity is obtained. Such folds consist of excess material used for forming the cavities; in fact, without such excess material, the films of aluminium, which do not tolerate highly elastic deformations, could tear or be damaged during deep-drawing.

The material constituting the folds, however, is not withdrawn along the total transverse extent of the films, but only at its central portion, i.e. in that region where the cavities are formed.

As a consequence, end portions of the folds remain in the band formed by the welded films, after the containers have been formed, such end portions forming appendages.

These appendages, which would result in the containers being uncomfortable at the moment of the usage, are subsequently pressed, so that they are smoothed, and that their encumbrance is minimised.

The band of sheet material is then subjected to incision, performed by a cutting device by means of which weakening lines are produced, along which the containers may be separated from each other. A still further disadvantage of the known machines is that, when the band is subjected to incision, the cutting device interacts with the appendages to produce a large amount of fragments of aluminium which are potentially dangerous, since they may injure a user.

The above-mentioned folds may have different depths, depending upon the amount of material needed for producing the cavity and, thus, upon the dimension of the cavity to be formed.

In order to vary the depth of the folds, it is necessary to adjust the stroke of the deforming means.

The deforming means is actuated by means of cam device to produce reciprocating rectilinear motion. Another disadvantage of the known machines is that the stroke of the deforming means is remarkably difficult to adjust. In fact, in order to vary the amount of the stroke of the deforming means inside their respective seats, it is necessary to substitute the cams of the cam devices with further cams having a different stroke profile.

The known machines may further comprise, downstream of the filling unit, a transferring unit for the filled containers. Such transferring unit, in the machines for producing containers for suppositories, advances the formed and filled containers through a cooling unit wherein the product constituting the suppository passes from a fluid state into a solid state.

The transferring unit may comprise a plurality of guiding walls which define tracks along which the sheet material, constituting a band in which the containers have been formed, is advanced by means of a chain upon which the band is supported.

The chain is positioned on the bottom of the tracks and moved by a suitable motor device.

Associated with a certain number of links of the chain are pegs which protrude from the links toward an internal region of the tracks containing the chain, such pegs interacting with the band, in particular with the appendages, when present.

Still a further disadvantage of the known machines is that dragging of the band owing to the interaction between pegs, arranged on the chain at pre-established distances, and to the appendages being partially pressed and therefore having a wide variety of dimensions results in poor control. The coupling between a peg and a respective appendage takes place, therefore, in a substantially casual manner, such that in order to reasonably make sure that a certain number of pegs engage with a corresponding number of appendages cause transferring of the band, a large amount of pegs have to be provided.

This results in the risk that the band could slide on the chain, thus resulting in the risk of breakage.

The known machines are further provided with a cutting unit, wherein, once the containers have been formed, filled and sealed, the band formed by them is subdivided in a plurality of sections, each of them comprising a pre-established number of containers.

As described above, the known machines comprise, upstream to the cutting unit, an incision unit wherein the band is incised, in the regions interposed between one container and another, so as to obtain weakening lines, by tearing along which a container may be separated from the remaining containers constituting the section.

A further disadvantage of the known machines is that the separating means, with which the cutting unit is provided, interacts with the band in the area of one of the incision lines producing a "cut-on-cut" effect. Such operation produces a high amount of swarf consisting of small particles of the sheet material, such swarf being potentially dangerous when not properly removed.

The removal of the swarf requires dedicated apparatus, contributing to complexity of the production and use of the known machines.

The cutting unit further comprises a collecting device arranged for receiving the sections of containers, producing stacks consisting of a pre-established number of superimposed containers and delivering the said stacks to a packaging device arranged further downstream.

A still further disadvantage of the machines of the Prior Art is that, in the case of containers having a portion substantially shaped like a truncated cone, as in the case of containers for suppositories, the stacks are formed by sections whose containers are arranged in a "fanlike" manner, i.e. with the larger base portions of the truncated cones in mutual contact. Such a "fanlike" disposition is an awkward one in relation to the that stacks produced which are of poor stability and generate an undesired amount of encumbrance in the stacks.

The incision unit comprises incision means provided with a certain number of knives, the number of knives being equal to the number of containers that must be contained in any section, less one.

A still further disadvantage of the known machines is a low flexibility of the incision unit. In fact, in the case where it is desired to change from the production of sections comprising a certain number of containers to the production of sections comprising a different number of containers, it is necessary to change the incision means with further incision means provided with a suitable number of knives. A purpose of the present invention is to improve the forming apparatus for obtaining containers of sheet material.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus comprising a plurality of operating units arranged for forming containers, characterised in that at least one operating unit is so mounted on a guide arrangement that it is possible to adjust the longitudinal position of said at least one operating unit with respect to adjacent operating unit(s).

Preferably, adjusting means are provided and arranged for moving the at least one operating unit along the guiding means.

In an advantageous version, the adjusting means comprises a threaded rod which enables an accurate adjustment of the position of the at least one operating arrangement. Owing to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to use, in each unit, moulds having a longitudinal extension such as to contain an exact number of containers of a certain size; and thus minimise the amount of material used, in particular reduce the wastage of non-deformed material.

The possibility of moving the units closer or further away enables the correct positioning of the moulds so that there is no interference between moulds of adjacent units.

The use of guides along which the units may be translated enables, in addition, the achievement of changes of format without compromising the efficiency of the machine.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus comprising at least one operating unit arranged for operatively interacting with sheet material and for forming containers from said sheet material, characterised in that said operating unit is provided with mould portions driven translatingly by a mechanical actuator for moving the mould portions towards and away from each other in order to clamp and release, respectively, said sheet material.

In an advantageous version, the mechanical actuating arrangement comprises a motor, preferably a brushless motor, driving a screw engaging in a female screw that controls the translation of the mould portions.

The female screw is firmly connected to a plate, to which a first rod is fixed that controls a first supporting plate to which a first portion of the mould is fixed; and to which a second rod is fixed that controls a second plate to which a second portion of the mould is fixed.

The first and second portions of the mould are guided during the translation motion that brings them together and moves them apart by columns slidingly mounted on a frame of the same apparatus.

Owing to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to obtain an apparatus for forming material that is provided with a frame that is not subjected to substantial stresses transmitted by the moving device of the portions of the mould. During the welding and forming steps of the material, the first portion of the mould moves toward the second portion of the mould and interacts with the second portion of the mould so that only portions of the mechanical actuating arrangement are subjected to stresses, not portions of the frame.

In addition, the mechanical actuating means may tighten the portions of the mould with high pressures since the risk of structural failures substantially eliminated, since the mechanical actuating means, and in particular the screw, the rods and bars, are not subjected to bending strengths, only to tensile and compressive strengths.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus comprising at least one operating unit arranged for operatively interacting with sheet material in order to obtain

containers from said sheet material, characterised in that said operating unit is provided with

a mould portion connected with a support s by means of a hinge. Advantageously, the hinge comprises a spherical joint.

Owing to this aspect of the invention, said at least one portion of the mould may be rotated from an operating contact position with the sheet material, to a substantially horizontal rest position, wherein it is possible for an operator to intervene on the at least one portion of the mould in order to inspect it and/or to provide maintain it or in order to change it.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus comprising a conveying arrangement for advancing sheet material, and at least one operating unit arranged for forming containers from said sheet material, characterised in that said conveying arrangement comprises a movable supporting arrangement with which a grabbing arrangement for said sheet material is associated.

In an advantageous version, the supporting arrangement is driven with reciprocating rectilinear motion by slides on guides fixed to a frame of the apparatus.

In a further advantageous version, the supporting arrangement extends through the at least one operating unit. Since the at least one operating unit may be provided with mould means fixed to mould- holding means arranged for the translation of the mould means by mutually moving the mould means together and apart, the supporting arrangement may be arranged between facing portions of the mould-holding means in the region of the mould-holding means that are not concerned with the mould means. In a further advantageous version, the grabbing arrangement comprises a plurality of individual grabbing units, each individual unit advantageously comprising pneumatically driven jaw means.

Therefore, it is possible to place each individual grabbing unit in any suitable position along the supporting arrangement, in particular in the regions of the sheet material that remain undeformed during forming of the containers.Thus,when the apparatus is prepared, in order to change from forming a certain type of containers to forming containers of different shape and/or capacity, the grabbing arrangement may be located in the regions of the sheet material that will not have to be deformed by simply moving the grabbing arrangement along the supporting arrangement to the more suitable positions.

It is further possible to position the grabbing arrangement so as properly to support sheet material of different types and sizes.

Furthermore, it is possible to select the number of grabbing units to be associated with the supporting arrangement according to the properties of the sheet material used. This prevents the sheet material from arranging itself so as to define curved surfaces, the positive result of the operations of welding and/or forming. According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus comprising a transporting chain arranged for transporting sheet material by acting on regions near its border by an intercepting arrangement, characterised in that said intercepting arrangement comprises a pinching arrangement.

In an advantageous version, the pinching arrangement is fixed to links of the chain. In another advantageous version, the pinching arrangement comprises a pair of jaws mutually hinged for turning around an axis between a rest position wherein the pinching arrangement is open and not interacting with the sheet material and an operating position wherein the pinching arrangement is closed to grab the sheet material.

In another advantageous version, a first jaw of the pair of jaws may be provided with a hole therein arranged for receiving a pointed end of a threaded dowel screwed onto the second jaw of said pair of jaws.

Owing to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to reduce, or even eliminate, the risk of damage and breakage of the sheet material during its transport.

The pinching arrangement, in fact, grabs the sheet material for the entire duration of the transferring, thereby preventing the sheet material sliding with respect to the underlying chain means. According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus comprising at least one operating unit arranged for forming containers from sheet material, said at least one operating unit comprising a deforming arrangement serving to produce in said sheet material transversally extending folds, characterised in that said apparatus further comprises a shearing unit arranged for removing from said sheet material appendages of said sheet material resulting from said folds after forming of said containers.

In a preferred version, said shearing unit comprises shearing mould means. Owing to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to have an apparatus wherein the appendages consisting of material forming the folds, which is not used for forming cavities, are removed before filling of the formed containers. in the region where the appendages have been removed, promoting regions of preferred separation are obtained in the sheet material that facilitate the separation of a container from the remaining containers obtained in the same portion of sheet material.

With this apparatus it is further possible to obtain containers that do not produce sharp swarf at the moment when the containers are opened.

According to a seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus comprising a receiving arrangement for receiving sheet material provided with containers obtained from deformed regions of said sheet material and mutually joined by undeformed regions of said sheet material, an inducing arrangement for inducing a separation indication serving to indicate in said undeformed regions lines of intended separation of said containers, characterised in that said inducing is conformed so as to act selectively on a few of said regions and not act on the remaining regions.

In a preferred version, the inducing arrangement comprises weakening means for the sheet material. In another preferred version, the inducing arrangement comprises incision means.

In a further preferred version, the incision means comprises knife means, the positions of which may be adjusted so that the knife means results in a movement between a rest position wherein said knife means does not interfere with the sheet material and an operating position wherein said knife means interferes with the sheet material in order to incise or perforate said sheet material. In a still further preferred version, the knife means comprises fixed knives associated with moving knives, each of the moving knives co-operating with a respective fixed knife in order to produce incision lines in the sheet material.

In a still further preferred version, the incision means further comprises, downstream of the knife means, separating means arranged for cutting the sheet material in a few regions in order to separate from said sheet material portions of the sheet material comprising a pre- established number of containers.

Owing to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to have an apparatus wherein the sheet material constituting the containers is cut in regions of the sheet material where lines of incision were not previously present. With this apparatus it is, therefore, possible to obtain portions of sheet material comprising a pre-established number of containers made by separating a portion of sheet material from the remaining portion of sheet material by means of a cut that does not overlap, not even partially, incisions, or perforations, indiscriminately made in all the regions of the sheet material interposed between two adjacent containers. Therefore, the apparatus enables, the limitation, or even the prevention of the production of swarf, typical of the apparatus of the Prior Art.

It is further possible that the apparatus easily allows changing from the production of portions of sheet material comprising a certain number of containers to the production of portions of sheet material comprising a different number of containers. This is possible since the apparatus enables the selection of the number of moving knives functioning at any step of the working cycle. According to an eighth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method comprising providing a sheet material provided with containers obtained from deformed regions of said sheet material and mutually joined by undeformed regions of said sheet material, and indicating in said undeformed regions lines of intended separation of said containers, characterised in that said indicating comprises selectively acting on a few of said regions and not acting on the remaining regions.

In a preferred version, the selectively acting comprises weakening said sheet material.

In another preferred version, the selectively acting comprises incising the sheet material in order to produce, in the few regions, incision lines. In a further preferred version, the selectively acting comprises perforating the sheet material in order to produce, in the few regions, perforation lines.

In a further preferred version, the method comprises operating incision means arranged for interacting with the sheet material.

In a still further preferred version, simultaneously with the producing of incision or performation lines cutting is provided in the few regions in order to separate from the sheet material portions of sheet material comprising a pre-established number of containers.

Owing to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to produce portions of sheet material comprising a pre-established number of containers, lines of incision being provided between the containers of each portion, the lines of incision being suitable for enabling the detachment of one of the containers from the remaining containers. Such a method allows the substantial prevention the production of swarf formed from particles of sheet material.

Owing to this aspect of the invention it is further possible to allow easy changeover from the production of portions of sheet material comprising a certain number of containers to the production of portions of sheet material comprising a different number of containers. According to a ninth aspect of the invention, there is provided a tape comprising a sheet

material formed so that a plurality of containers is present therein, and lines of intended separation in regions between adjacent containers of said tape to facilitate separation of said containers, characterised in that said lines of intended separation are present only in a few of said regions.

In a preferred version, the lines of intended separation comprise incision lines. In another preferred version, the lines of intended separation comprise perforation lines.

In a further preferred version, groups of a pre-established number of regions provided with incision lines are regularly spaced along the tape, which groups are separated by a region lacking any incision lines.

Owing to this aspect of the invention it is possible to obtain a tape provided with un- incised regions interposed between two adjacent containers, the same number of containers being interposed between two consecutive unincised regions.

This enables portions of sheet material containing a pre-established number on containers to be obtained from the tape by simply producing a cut in each of the un-incised regions. Thus the "cut-on-cut" effect, typical of the known apparatus, is prevented and thereby significantly reducing, or even completely eliminating, the swarf formed by particles of sheet material.

According to a tenth aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus comprising at least one operating unit arranged for forming containers from sheet material, and a cutting arrangement serving to separate from said sheet material portions of said sheet material comprising a pre-established number of said containers, characterised in that the apparatus further comprises a collecting arrangement serving to collect said portions in order to constitute stacks comprising a pre-established number of said portions.

In an advantageous version, the collecting means comprises rotation means arranged for rotating the portions around a central longitudinal axis.

Owing to this aspect of the invention.it is possible to enable the production of stacks of portions of sheet material wherein each portion comprises a pre-established number of containers. The orientation of the containers within each portion may be varied.

This enables, in the case of containers having a portion with the shape of a truncated cone, stacks provided with high stability and limited encumbrance, since a region of a container, belonging to a portion of sheet material and having a greater radial extension, is placed in contact with a region of another container, belonging to another portion of sheet material and having a smaller radial extension.

In particular, by interposing between two portions of sheet material, whose containers are orientated in the same direction, a portion of sheet material comprising containers which are orientated in the opposite direction, it is possible to eliminate the "fanlike" stacking effect that arises with the stacks of containers produced with apparatus according to the Prior Art.

According to an eleventh aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus comprising at least one operating unit arranged for forming containers from sheet material, said at least one operating unit comprising deforming arrangement serving to produce, in said sheet material, transversely extending folds, characterised in that the apparatus further comprises an actuating arrangement for actuating said deforming arrangements independently one from the other.

In an advantageous version, the actuating arrangement comprises pneumatic actuator means.

In another advantageous version, the apparatus further comprises position-referencing means arranged for adjusting the operating stroke of such deforming arrangement.

Owing to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to obtain an apparatus wherein the changeover from the production of folds having a certain depth to the production of folds having different depth is relatively easy.

For this purpose, it is sufficient to adjust the position-referencing means of the deforming arrangement.

This enables the apparatus to be suitable for working sheet materials having different properties, in particular a different deformability, without the need for the apparatus itself to be subjected to complex adjustments.

This further allows a variation in the size of the containers to be produced and consequently a modification of the depth of the folds made in the sheet material. According to a twelfth aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus comprising a plurality of operating units arranged for forming filled containers from sheet material advanced along a path, said operating units including a filling unit including a filler displaceable between an in-line position in which said filler serves to deliver fluid product to said containers and an off-line position in which said filler serves to deliver such fluid product to at least one check container.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method comprising forming containers from sheet material, operating a filler in an in-line position to deliver fluδid product to said containers, displacing said filler to an off-line position, and operating said filler n said off-line position to deliver such fluid product to at least one check container. Owing to these aspects of the present invention, it is possible in an accurate, clean and reliable way to check, say, the dosing volumes or weights of individual dosing nozzles of a row of such nozzles. The transverse movement of the whole of the filler is particularly advantageous when the filler is encased for aseptic or sterile filling.

In order that the invention may be clearly disclosed, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is a plan view of part of an apparatus suitable for forming containers from sheet metal,

Figure 2 is an enlarged and broken detail of Figure 1 highlighting an unwinding device for a film to be formed, a forming station for obtaining containers, and a filling station of the formed containers,

Figure 3 is a front view of a tape, formed by a pair of mutually welded films, wherein a plurality of containers has been formed,

Figure 4 is a section along the line IV-IV of Figure 3,

Figure 5, Figure 6, Figure 7 and Figure 8 are views taken along a horizontal plane of a first unit equipped with a deep-drawing mould for obtaining containers from a film of aluminium, that illustrate the first unit in four subsequent steps of the operation of plastic deformation of the film,

Figure 8A is a front view of a pressing-tape plate in the first unit,

Figure 9 is an enlarged and broken detail of Figure 1 highlighting a cooling station for the contents of the formed and filled containers and a sealing station of the filling openings of the same containers, Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 2, but highlighting the forming station in a different configuration wherein the station is particularly suitable for obtaining containers by forming films of aluminium,

Figure 1 1 is a front view of a film of aluminium at the exit of the deep-drawing unit of the forming station of Figure 10, Figure 12 is a section taken along the line XII-XII of Figure 11 ,

Figure 13 is a broken side view of the apparatus of Figure 2, highlighting the unwinding device of the films, the forming station and the filling station,

Figure 14 is a side view of a device for cutting, stacking and perforating the tape wherein the formed, filled and sealed containers are obtained,

Figure 15 is an elevational side view from the right of Figure 1 , highlighting the unwinding device of the films,

Figure 16 is a section taken along the line XVI-XVI of Figure 2 highlighting a first unit of the forming station,

Figure 16A is a vertical transversal section of a welding mould provided in the first unit,

Figure 17 is a front view of the first unit of the forming station of Figure 16, Figure 18 is an enlarged and broken detail of a variant of the bottom portion of the first unit,

Figure 19 is a side view of the forming station of a first configuration,

Figure 20 is a view similar to Figure 19, highlighting the forming station in a second configuration for producing containers of greater size, Figure 21 is an enlarged, broken and partially sectioned detail of a variant of the lower portion of a unit in the forming station,

Figure 22 is a section taken along the line XXII-XXII of Figure 2 highlighting the filling station for the formed containers,

Figure 23 is a section taken along the line XXIII-XXIII of Figure 9 highlighting the cooling station,

Figure 24 is a section taken along the line XXIV-XXIV of Figure 3 highlighting the sealing station of the filling openings of the containers,

Figure 25 is a section taken along the line XXV-XXV of Figure 13 highlighting a driving roller for the tape of formed, filled and sealed containers, Figure 26 is an enlarged and broken detail of the uppermost central part of Figure

23, Figure 27 is a side view of pincer means arranged for transferring the tape through the cooling station,

Figure 28 is a plan view of the pincer means of Figure 27 shown in an opened position, Figure 29 is plan view of the pincer means of Figure 27 shown in a closed position,

Figure 30 is an exploded plan view of the pincer means of Figure 27,

Figure 31 is a view similar to Figure 28 showing the pincer means associated with pressing means arranged for bringing the pincer means from the opening position to the closing position, Figure 32 is a view similar to Figure 29 showing the pincer means associated with divaricating means arranged for bringing the pincer means from the closed position to the opened position,

Figure 33 is a sketched section taken along a vertical plane of the cooling station showing an entry region of the tape into the cooling station, Figure 34 is sketched section taken along a vertical plane of the cooling station showing an exit region of the tape from the cooling station,

Figure 35 is a section taken along a horizontal plane of a tape-moving device of the welding station,

Figure 36 is a front view of a section of containers as it appears on exiting the cutting, stacking and perforating device of Figure 14,

Figure 37 is a section taken along a vertical plane of a shearing device with which the cutting, stacking and perforating device of Figure 14 is provided,

Figure 38 is a side view of driving means arranged for receiving a section of containers, Figure 39 is a plan view of the driving means of Figure 38,

Figure 40 is a side view of three containers stacked according to a first manner, Figure 41 is a side view of three containers stacked according to a second manner,

Figure 42 is a deviated and enlarged section taken along the line XLII-XLII of Figure 8A, relating to the pressing-tape plate mounted on the first unit,

Figure 43 is a deviated and enlarged section taken along the plane XLIII-XLIII of Figure 8A, relating to the pressing-tape plate mounted on the first unit,

Figure 44 is a section taken along the line XLIV-XLIV of Figure 16A,

Figure 45 is a front view of one of two welding half-moulds shown at Figures 16A or 44,

Figure 46 is a vertical section of a heating mould for the sheet material provided in the second unit,

Figure 47 is a vertical section of a forming mould for the sheet material provided in the third unit,

Figure 48 is a vertical section of a shearing device provided in the fourth unit,

Figure 49 is a front view of a tape of filled and sealed formed containers provided with transverse lines of separation, and

Figure 50 is a diagrammatic plan view of a further variant of the apparatus.

With reference to the Figure 1 , an apparatus 1 is shown for forming containers 3 arranged for receiving a fluid product designed to form suppositories for medical usage. As shown in Figure 15, the apparatus comprises an unwinding device 19 comprising a first coil 21 from which a first film 5 is unwound and a second coil 23 from which a second film 7 is unwound. The first coil 21 and the second coil 23 are associated, respectively, with a first guiding device 25 and a second guiding device 27, each guiding device being provided with a plurality of idle rollers arranged for tensioning the first film 5 and the second film 7 in order to allow the films 5 and 7 to be properly unwound from their respective coils. The first guiding device 25 and the second guiding device 27 further comprise, respectively a first diverting device 29 and a second diverting device 31. The diverting devices 29 and 31 are arranged for rotating, by about 90°, the first film 5 and the second film 7, respectively, in order to bring them from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position at the exit from the unwinding device 19.

With reference to the Figures 2, 3 and 4, the apparatus 1 comprises a forming station 9, arranged downstream with respect to the unwinding device 19, wherein the containers 3 are obtained from the first film 5 and from the second film 7, mutually facing each other in order to form a continuous tape 43. Such containers 3 comprise a pair of shells 51a, and 51 , each of which is obtained, respectively, from one of the films 5 and 7, welded along a peripheral edge

47. The apparatus 1 further comprises a transferring device 129 arranged for the stepwise advancing of the first film 5 and the second film 7 through the forming station 9.

The transferring device 129, as shown in Figure 13, comprises a plurality of pincers 131 provided with jaws which are pneumatically actuated and arranged for grabbing the tape 43 in an upper region 43a and in a lower region 43b. The transferring device 129 comprises a supporting frame 133 to which the pincers 131 are fixed.

The supporting frame 133 comprises a pair of runners 133a interconnected at their ends by posts, not shown in their details, so as to form a frame, of substantially rectangular shape, lying in a vertical plane. The frame 133 is firmly fixed to a trolley 135 that is driven to produce reciprocating rectilinear motion on a guide 137 by cam actuating means 139 which is provided with a motor

140.

Therefore, the pincers 131 may be placed at consecutive longitudinal sections along the tape 43, the number of the pincers 131 being dependent upon the properties of the material constituting the first film 5 and the second film 7 and upon the transverse dimensions of the

films 5 and 7. In particular, the pincers 131 may be placed at intermediate positions in the forming station 9, for example between the facing portions of all the units with which the forming station is provided. This arrangement is not allowed in known machines where the grabbing and driving means is only provided upstream and downstream with respect to the forming station. The apparatus 1 comprises, downstream of the forming station 9, a filling station 11 , wherein a product, in the fluid or semi-fluid state, is introduced into the containers 3 through an upper opening 49, identified by a portion of film where the welding extending aroung the peripheral edge 47 is interruped.

Downstream of the filling station 11 , the apparatus 1 is further provided with a cooling station 13, wherein the product introduced into the containers 3 is cooled. When the apparatus

1 is used for producing suppositories or the like, cooling enables the fluid product introduced to assume a solid consistency.

The apparatus 1 also comprises, downstream of the cooling station 13, a welding station 15 wherein the openings 49, through which the product is introduced, are sealed. As shown in Figure 14, downstream of the welding station 15, the apparatus may provide a shearing station 17 at which strings of containers, comprising a pre-established number of containers 3, are separated from the remaining part of the tape 43. In the shearing station 17, a perforation of the tape 43 between adjacent containers 3 can take place, in order to facilitate the separation of the containers 3 from each other at the appropriate time. In the shearing station 17 stacking of the sheared strings of containers can occur so that the strings are predisposed for subsequent packing, for example inside boxes. With reference to Figures

2 and 10, two configurations of the forming station 9 are shown, in each one of which the operating units, with which the forming station 9 is provided, are arranged for interacting with the first film 5 and the second film 7 in order to obtain containers from them. In the first configuration, shown in the Figure 2, the forming station 9 is arranged for

forming a first film 5 and a second film 7 both made of plastics material. Upstream of the forming station 9, there is arranged a deflecting device 33 that brings the first film 5 into contact with the second film 7 in order to form the tape 43.

The forming station 9 comprises a first unit 35 provided with moulds suitable for welding the first film 5 and the second film 7 together along the peripheral edge 43 of the containers 3 to be made, the moulds being conformed so as to leave an unwelded portion at a specific region of the peripheral edge so as to define the opening 49 into which air is to be injected.

The forming station 9 comprises, downstream of the first unit 35, a second unit 37 at which pre-heating of the first film 5 and the second film 7 occurs, in order to prepare the films 5 and 7 to form, by injection of air. Such injection takes place in a third unit 39, provided downstream of the second unit 37.

The forming station 9 further comprises, downstream of the third unit 39, a fourth unit 41 at which portions 45 are removed from the tape 43 so as to form weakened regions which enable, in use, an easy detachment of a container 3 from the string comprising the remaining containers 3. With reference to the Figures 16A, 44 and 45, a welding mould 333 suitable for being associated with the first station 35 of the apparatus 1 is shown.

The welding mould 333 comprises a pair of half-moulds 333a and 333b moving towards and away from each other, as shown by the arrows F2.

Each of the half-moulds 333a, 333b comprises a plate 334 from which a plurality of ridges 335 protrude. The ridges 335 have the same shape as the peripheral edge of the containers 3 to be formed.

When the first half-mould 333a and the second half-mould 333b are moved towards each other, their respective other ridges 335 contact the first film 5 and the second film 7 to produce a welding 336 of the two films 5 and 7 defining the edge of the containers 3 to be formed.

As shown in Figure 45, the ridges 335 are open in a region 337,at which an opening is obtained through which, in the second unit 37, a jet of pressurised fluid is introduced between the first film 5 and the second film 7.

With reference to the Figure 46, a heating mould 337 is shown with which the second station 37 is equipped. The heating mould 337 comprises a first half-mould 337a and a second half-mould 337b moving mutually towards and away from each other, as indicated by the arrows F13.

The first half-mould 337a and the second half-mould 337b each comprise an active surface 338 which is substantially smooth and arranged to heat the first film 5 and the second film 7, connected at portions by means of the welding 336. The heating stage prepares the films for subsequent forming.

With reference to Figure 47, a forming mould 339 is shown which is suitable for being associated with the third station 39 of the apparatus 1.

The forming mould 339 comprises a first half-mould 339a and a second half-mould 339b mutually moving towards and away from each other, as indicated by the arrows F14. The first half-mould 339a and the second half-mould 339b each comprise a body 340 provided with a cavity 341 on the inner surface thereof shaped so as to define one half of the containers 3 to be formed.

Seats are provided in each of the bodies 340 for receiving heating elements for heating the first film 5 and the second film 7. The forming mould 339 further comprises an injecting device 342 arranged for injecting a substance between the first film 5 and the second film 7 in order to form a shape corresponding to the shazpe formed by the cavities 341 when the first and second half moulds 339a and 339b are moved together.

The injecting device comprises a body 343 comprising a pair of surfaces 344 defining

a wedge, such wedge being suitable for being inserted between the first and the second film.

The body 343 comprises a duct 345, arranged for supplying a pressurised fluid to nozzles 346, each nozzle 346 being suitable for being associated with a respective opening of the containers to be formed.

In the second configuration, shown in the Figure 10, the forming station 9 is arranged for forming a first film 5 and a second film 7 consisting of a sheet of aluminium associated with 5 at least one sheet of plastics material, for example ethylene.

The forming station 9 comprises a first unit 35a provided with moulds 301 (Figure 42) suitable for deforming the first film 5 and the second film 7 by deep-drawing so as to obtain in each of them a shell 51a, 51b, each defining a half of container 3.

In this configuration, the first unit 35a is set apart from the second unit 37a, provided

10 downstream, in order to enable groups of a pair of deep-drawing punches to be inserted between the first film 5 and the second film 7, each of the said punches co-operates with a respective matrix in order to deform the first film 5 and the second film 7 and to obtain the shells

51a, 51b therefrom (Figures 5 to 8).

As shown in the Figures 5 to 8, each matrix 55 comprises a plurality of adjacent main 15 cavities 57, arranged for deforming one of the films, in the case shown the first film 5, in order to obtain the shells 51a and 51b, and a plurality of secondary cavities 59 arranged so that each secondary cavity 59 is interposed between a pair of adjacent main cavities 57.

A punch 53 is associated with each main cavity 57.

A tape-pressing device 61 is further associated with the matrix, connected to a body of 20 the mould 301 by means of springs 63. As it will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the tape-pressing device 61 is arranged to hold the first film 5 in position during the deep-drawing operations.

A plurality of deforming means 65 are further associated with the matrix 55, each of the deforming means 65 co-operating with a respective secondary cavity 59; the deforming means 25 65 being arranged to obtain, in the first film 5, a plurality of folds 67, such folds 67 enabling the

shells 51 a, 51b to properly form, as will be described below. The deforming means 65 interacts with the first film 5 not at the same time, but according to a pre-established order. In particular, in the case the first film 5 advances in the direction shown by the arrow F, the first of the deforming means 65 to interact with the film 5 is that placed more downstream inside the first unit 35a, then, in sequence, the deforming means 65 located upstream, with respect to the advancing direction F.

Thus, when the deforming means 65 is inside its respective secondary cavities 59, pre- established extensions of the film 5 can be obtained without damaging the material of which the film 5 is made. Otherwise, forming the shells 51a and 51b made by the punches 53 might cause rips or weakening of the first film 5 since the film 5 would be subjected to deformations greater than those allowed by the elastic limit of the aluminium.

In order to remove this disadvantage, folds 67 are made on the first film 5, in the manner described before, so that the material forming the folds 67, when the punches 53 are introduced into the main cavities 57, is drawn back toward the previous cavities and co-operates to form the shells 51 a and 51b. As shown in Figure 11 , at the end of the forming step by deep-drawing the tape 43 is obtained wherein a plurality of shells 51a and 51 b are produced. In the portions of the tape 43 interposed between two adjacent shells a first central region 69 can be identified, being substantially flat since the material forming the fold 67 during formation was used for forming the shells. Second and third end regions 71 a and 71b, constituted by remaining portions 67a, 67b of the fold 67 can also be identified. The second and third end regions 71 a and 71b are located in a peripheral area of the tape 43, and are not drawn back during the deep-drawing step.

The deforming means 65 are driven by actuating means to translate between a raised rest position, in which the deforming means 65 does not interact with the first film 5, and a lowered operating position in which the deforming means 65 penetrates inside the secondary cavities 59. With reference to the Figures 8A, 42 and 43 a mould 301 and the tape-pressing device 61 associated thereto is shown in greater detail.

The mould 301 comprises a matrix 55 consisting of a first plate 302 slidably mounted on guiding bars 303 connected to a body 304 of the mould 301. 5 A plurality of main cavities 57 is obtained in the matrix 55.

The mould 301 further comprises a plurality of punches 53 firmly connected to the body 304.

Between the matrix 55 and the punches 53, there is provided the tape-pressing device 61 , which comprises a second plate 306 slidingly coupled with the guiding bars 303 and held 10 at a certain distance from the body 304 by springs 63.

The second plate 306 is provided with first slots 307 arranged for allowing the passage through them of the punches 53, in order to enable the plastic deformation of the first film 5. The second plate 306 is further provided with second slots 308, each of the said second slots 308 being interposed between two adjacent first slots 307. The second slots 308 are configured 15 so that the deforming means 65 can pass through them, during the movement of bringing the deforming means 65 to engage into respective secondary cavities 59, to give rise to the folds 67.

In use, the first plate 302 is translated by an amount X1 toward the body 304 so that the first film 5, sustained by suitable supporting elements 309 firmly fixed to the tape-pressing 20 device 61 , is pressed between the first plate 302 and the second plate 306.

The first plate 302 is provided with seats 310 arranged for receiving the supporting elements 309 when the first plate 302 is brought into contact with the second plate 306.

Then, the set consisting of the first plate 302, the tape-pressing device 61 and the first film 5 interposed there between is moved by a further amount X2 so that each of the punches 25 53 penetrates into the respective main cavities 57 in order to perform the deep-drawing of the sheet material. The second plate 306 is provided with hollows 311 with which the deforming means 65 is slidingly coupled, by means of rollers 312.

The pressing means is operated, by actuating means 300 comprising pneumatic cylinder means 313 supplied by pressurised air by means of a duct 314, to slide inside the hollow means, so as to partially protrude from them.

In this manner, each of the deforming means 65 can be actuated independently from the others, which allows operation of the deforming means 65 according to a pre-established sequence, as above described, at each desired moment.

Each of the supporting elements 309 is provided with a shank 315 occupying a portion of a respective hollow 311 in order to form a stop for the pistons 316 of the pneumatic cylinder means 313.

Owing to the presence of the shank 315, it is possible to vary easily and precisely the stroke of the deforming means 65 inside the secondary cavities 59 in order to obtain folds 67 having a pre-established depth and thus produce folds with a pre-established amount of material.

This enables the ideal formation of shells 51a and 51b starting from films consisting of sheets of aluminium having different elastic deformability properties: in particular, in the case of sheets of aluminium with greater deformability it is possible to produce folds 67 of limited depth, whereas in the case of sheets of aluminium with less deformability it is necessary to produce folds 67 of greater depth.

Such regulation was not easily achievable with the previously known apparatus since, in such apparatus, the deforming means was actuated mechanically by means of cam devices. Thus, in order to vary the amount of the stroke of the deforming means inside their respective seats it was necessary to substitute the cams with other cams having a different profile. The usage of pneumatically controlled deforming means 65 further enables, in the case where it is necessary to change from the production of containers 3 of pre-established size to the production of containers 3 of different size, easy and rapid variation of the depth of the folds 67 with respect to the size of the containers to be produced.

The forming station 9 further comprises a second unit 37a that, in the configuration shown in Figure 10, is inactive, and downstream of this second unit 37a there is a third unit 5 39a at which the first film 5 is welded to the second film 7 along a peripheral edge 47, to keep unwelded a section of the edge 47 to define a filling opening 49 in each of the containers 3.

Between the first unit 35a and the second unit 37a there is positioned a deflecting device 33 which brings the first film 5, in which the shells 51a have been obtained, in contact with the second film 7, wherein the shells 51b have been formed, in order to form the tape 43. 10 The forming station 9 comprises, downstream to the third unit 39a, a fourth unit 41 a at which portions 45 are removed from the tape 43, which portions 45 comprise the remaining parts 67a and 67b (see Figure 11) of the folds 67. As already described in the case of forming films made of plastics material, removing the portions 45 allows the creation of weakening, enabling easy detachment of the containers 3. 15 With reference to the Figure 48, a shearing mould 347 is shown with which the fourth unit 41a is equipped.

The shearing mould 347 comprises a first half-mould 347a and a second half-mould 347b moving mutually towards and away from each other, as shown by the arrows F15.

The first half-mould 347a comprises a body 348 to which a pair of shearing elements 20 349 are firmly attached, each of said shearing elements 349 being suitable for being received into a respective seat 350 formed in the second half-mould 347b.

The second half-mould 347b comprises a matrix 351 inside which a cleaning duct 372 is provided, arranged for collecting from the seats 350 the removed portions 45 of the sheet material. 25 The second half-mould 347b is further provided with a plurality of cavities 352 arranged for receiving the containers 3 during the shearing operations. As shown in the Figures 16 to 21, each unit 35, 37, 39, 41 comprises a motor 73, advantageously a brushless motor, that operates a screw 75 with which a female screw 77 is associated, which is connected to a plate 79.

A first end 81a of a first rod 81 and a first end 83a of a second rod 83 are respectively hinged at opposing ends 79a, 79b of the plate 79.

A second end 81b of the first rod 81 is connected to a moving plate 85 connected, by means of columns 87, to a first mould-holding plate 91 to which a first half-mould 93 is fixed.

The columns 87 are slidingly coupled with supporting elements 93 and 95 connected to the frame of the apparatus 1. A second end 83b of the second rod 83 is connected to a second mould-holding plate

93 to which a second half-mould 99 is fixed.

The second mould-holding plate is slidingly coupled with the columns 87 which guide its mutual movement, towards or away from the first mould-holding plate 91.

When the motor 73 rotatably drives the screw 75, the plate 79 moves in the direction shown by the arrow F1, from its top-dead centre position, shown in the Figures 16, 19, 20 and 21 ; such position corresponding to the maximum mutual separation of the first half-mould 93 from the second half-mould 99.

In this case, the second rod 83 pushes the second mould-holding plate 97 by translating it in the direction of the arrow F4. Simultaneously, the first rod 81 pushes the moving plate 85 in the direction of the arrow

F3. The moving plate 85, in turn, pulls the first mould-holding plate 91 by causing its movement in the direction of the arrow F5.

Thus, the first mould-holding plate 91 and the second mould-holding plate 97 move toward each other in order to bring the first half-mould means 93 to interact with the second half-mould means 99.

Each unit 35, 37, 39, 41 is further provided, in a lower region 101 thereof, with an appendage 103 in which a hole 105 is formed.

As shown in Figure 17, a threaded rod 107, firmly connected with the frame of the apparatus 1 , results passing through the hole 105.

The above-mentioned units 35, 37, 39, 41 are moving in the direction indicated by the 5 arrows F7 as shown in the Figures 2 and 10, by sliding on a pair of guides 109 and 1 11 firmly connected to the frame of the apparatus 1.

Thus, the units 35, 37, 39, 41 may be mutually moved closer together or away from each other in accordance with the longitudinal size of the first half-moulds 93 and the second half- moulds 99. 10 With the appendage 103, there is associated a first nut 115, arranged for interacting with a first face 113 of the appendage 103, and a second nut 1 15, arranged for interacting with a second face of the appendage 103.

Each unit 35, 37, 39, 41 may be very easily longitudinally positioned along the guides 109, 111 by simply unscrewing the first nut 113 and the second nut 115, and by moving the unit 15 35, 37, 39, 41 in the desired position and then by tightening again the first nut 113 and the second nut 1 15 respectively again the faces of the appendage 103.

In a version of the apparatus 1 shown in the Figures 19 and 20, the threaded rod 107 may include four sections 317, 318, 319 and 320 having different threading pitches.

Moreover, the second section 318, the third section 319 and the fourth section 320 may 20 have, respectively, a pitch two, three and four times as large as the first section 317. Thus, by rotatably driving the threaded rod 107 by means of a wheel 325 it is possible to simultaneously translate the units 35, 37, 39, 41 by holding them substantially equidistant.

Furthermore, it is possible to pass from a configuration B1 , shown in Figure 19, wherein the units 35, 37, 39, 41 are separated by a distance H1 and are equipped with moulds 321 , 322,

25 323 and 324 having a longitudinal encumbrance Z1 , to a configuration B2, shown in Figure 20,

wherein the units 35,37,39, 41 are moved away, resulting in a separation of a distance H2, so that further moulds 321a, 322a, 323a and 324a, may be associated with them, having a longitudinal encumbrance 72, greater than the longitudinal encumbrance Z1 of the moulds 321 , 322, 323, 324.

As shown in Figure 21 , each appendage 103 may be associated with a bush 117 coupled with a section of the threaded rod 107.

The bush 117 comprises a body 326 provided with a shoulder 327, acting as a reference for the appendage 103.

The body 326 comprises a first end 328 having a hexagonal section 378 that makes the first end suitable for coupling with a spanner arranged for controlling the bush 117 in order to translate it along the threaded rod 107.

The body 326 comprises a second end provided with an external surface on which a thread 329 is made whereupon a nut 330 may be screwed for holding the appendage 103 against the shoulder 327.

Between the nut 330 and the appendage 103 there is provided a washer 333 that allows a certain clearance enabling the rotation of the bush 1 17 with respect to the appendage 103 during the adjustment of the position of the units 35, 37, 39, 41 along the threaded rod 107.

The appendage 103 comprises, at its lower portion, a threaded hole 331 with which a pressing screw 332 may be associated and used to fix the appendage 103 to the bush 117, once the said adjustment has been completed. By slightly unscrewing the bush 1 17 it is possible, therefore, to achieve an accurate positioning of the units 35, 37, 39, 41 , in order to correct errors caused by possible gaps of different pitch between the sections 317, 318, 319, 320.

As shown in Figure 16, the rods 87 comprise a pair of lower rods 87b having an end 1 19 with which a first portion 119a of a joint 119 is associated, and a second portion 119b is fixed to the first mould-holding plate 91.

The rods 87 further comprise a pair of upper rods 87a provided with a threaded end 123 which passes though a hole 125 in the first mould-holding plate 91 and which is suitable for coupling with a fixing nut 127.

After the nut 127 has been removed from the threaded end 125, it is possible to rotate the first mould-holding plate 91 around an X axis, in the direction indicated by the arrow R, so that the first half-mould 93 and the second half-mould 99 are made easily accessible.

Downstream of the forming station 9 there is provided a filling station 141 for the formed containers 3.

As shown in Figure 22, the filling station comprises a tank 143 arranged for containing a fluid product to be introduced into the containers 3 through the openings 49 by means of dosing nozzles 145.lt will be understood from Figure 22 that the tank 143 contains a stirrer 143a rotated about a vertical axis by a motor 143b through a transmission 143c, that the fluid product is delivered from the tank 143 to a filler 144 whereof a frame 144a has mounted thereon a pump 144b connected to the dosing nozzles 145, a piston-and-cylinder drive motor 144c for the pump 144b, a rocker 144d for lifting and lowering the group of nozzles 145 out of and back into the horizontal path of the tape 43, and a piston-and-cylinder drive motor 144e for oscillating the rocker 144d about a horizontal axis, and that the filler 144 comprised of the items 144a to 144e is displaceable transversely of that path by a piston-and-cylinder device motor 146 which slides the frame 144a along fixed horizontal guides 146a. The filler 144 can thus be brought from the in-line position shown in Figure 22 into an off-line position with the nozzles 145 directly above a fixed bracket 146b in which can be mounted a tape section into the containers of which the nozzles 145 dose the liquid product. The filled tape section is then removed from the bracket 146b and taken away for a dosing check.

Transferring of the containers 3 through the filling station 141 is carried out by means of a roller 147, shown in Figure 13, provided, as shown in Figure 25, with grooves 148 conformed so as to receive one of the shells 51 a, 51 b constituting the containers 3 and with

lands 151 whereon the undeformed regions of the tape 43 rest. The roller 147 is firmly connected with a pulley 149 (see Figure 13) with which a toothed belt 151 is coupled, tensioned between the pulley 149 and a further pulley 153.

With the belt 151 there is associated a pincer 155, firmly connected with a slide 157 moving along guides 159. During a forward stroke of the slide 157, the pincer 155 is placed in a closed configuration, wherein it grabs and drags the belt 151. Then, during the backward stroke of the slide 157, the pincer 155 is held in an open configuration, wherein it does not interfere with the belt 151.

The slide 157 is driven with reciprocating rectilinear motion, by means of a lever not shown, by the same motor 140 that controls the actuating cam means 139.

Thus, the rotation of the roller 147 is perfectly in phase with advancing of the tape 43 through the forming stations 9 and the filling station 141.

A cooling station 161 is provided downstream to the filling station 141 , wherein the fluid material with which the containers 3 have been filled assumes a substantially solid consistency. As shown in the Figures 9, 23 and 26, the cooling station 161 comprises three cooling devices: a first cooling device 161a, a second cooling device 161b and a third cooling device 161c, each of which comprises a housing 163 wherein dividing walls 165 are provided, delimiting guiding grooves 167 arranged for receiving the tape 43. The grooves 167 define a double spiral path for the tape 43 so that adjacent grooves 167 are travelled in by the containers proceeding in opposing directions.

The tape 43 spends a long time in travelling the tortuous path defined by the walls 165 inside the cooling station 161 : that allows the product with which the containers 3 are filled to complete the transition from the liquid state to the solid state, before the containers 3 exit from the filling station 161. a chain 169 is arranged on the bottom of the grooves 16, driven by a rotatable driving gear 171 and redirected by a driven gear 173. Above the housing 163 there is arranged a cover 175, suitable for delimiting a cooled room 177 insulated from the external environment.

Each cooling device 161a, 161b, 161c comprises a fan 179 arranged for exhausting air from the enclosure 177 and direct it towards a heat exchanging group 181 , after the air has passed through a purifying filter 183.

As shown in the Figures 27 to 34, pincer means 185 is associated with links 187 of the chain 169, the pincer means 185 being arranged for grabbing the tape 43 during its advance, the pincer means 185 being spaced apart from each other by a pre-established number of links.

Each pincer means 185 comprises a pair of jaws 185a, 185b mutually hinged and oscillating around an axis Y between a rest position, shown in Figure 28, wherein the pincer means 185 is open and not interacting with the tape 43 and an operating position, shown in Figure 29, wherein the pincer means 185 is closed for grabbing the tape 43.

As shown in Figure 30, a first jaw 185a of the pair of jaws may be provided with a hole 189 arranged for receiving a sharp end 193 of a threaded dowel 191 screwed in the second jaw 185b of the pair of jaws.

In the operating position, when the pincer means 185 closes up, the end 193 penetrates into the hole 189 after having perforated a lower border of the tape 43.

As shown schematically in Figure 33, in the entry region 195 of each of the cooling devices 161 a, 161b, 161c the chain 169 slides on an ascending inclined plane 197 and lies therefore at a level lower than the containers 3.

As shown in Figure 32, at the end of the ascending inclined plane 197, the pincer means 185 is received in a groove 167 delimited by walls 165 divided by a distance d1 , so that the pincer means may occupy an open configuration.

In order to ensure that the first jaw 185a and the second jaw 185b are properly spaced

one from the other, in order to enable the tape 43 to be received between them, there is

provided deviating means 207 arranged for interacting with end portions 208 of the first jaw 185a and the second jaw 185b.

Downstream of the deviating means 207, the tape 43 is deposited on the chain 169 so as to proceed in the direction indicated by the arrow F6 in Figure 32.

Near the region where the sheet material is placed upright on the chain 169, a pair of rollers 199 is provided, shown in Figure 31 , arranged for pressing the first jaw 185a toward the second jaw 185b in order to bring them to interact with the tape 43.

In the area corresponding to the rollers 199, and downstream of them, the walls 165 defining the groove 167 are spaced apart by a distance d2, less than the distance d1 , in order to receive and hold the pincer means 185 in a closed configuration. Once the end 193 has penetrated into the hole 189, the pincer means 185 remains in its operating position, with the end 193 lodged in the tape 43.

Between the pincer means 185 and the walls 165 there is provided a certain clearance 201 , that discourages undesired sliding of the jaws 185a and 185b on the walls 165.

As schematically shown in Figure 34, in the exit region of each cooling devices 161a, 161 b, 161 c the chain 169 slides on a descending inclined plane 205 so as to enable the tape 43 to disengage from the pincer means 185.

In order to enable such disengagement, in the region preceding the descending inclined plane 205, the groove 167 is sufficiently wide width to enable the first jaw 185a and the second jaw 185b to move away from each other. Downstream of the cooling station 161 there is provided a sealing station 209 wherein the openings 49 are closed and there are further performed knurling operations of the tape 43 and then punching operations on the tape in order to imprint thereon a code comprising information relating to the packaged product, such as the use-by date.

As shown in Figure 9, the sealing station 209 comprises a pre-heating station 21 1 , arranged for heating the material constituting the first film 5 and the second film 7 in order to prepare them for welding. The pre-heating unit 211 is provided with a first mould 213, a second mould 215 and a third mould 217 through which the containers 3, already formed and filled, are indexed, the first mould 213, the second mould 215 and the third mould 217 providing, in this manner, progressive heating of the first film 5 and the second film 7.

Downstream to the pre-heating unit 211 there is provided a welding unit 219 providing to weld the first film 5 with the second film 7, in the area of the opening 49, to close the container.

Downstream of the welding unit 219, there is provided a knurling and punching unit 221 , wherein the tape 43 is plastically deformed so as to obtain on its external surface a knurling and a code carrying information about the packaged product. As shown in Figure 24, the pre-heating unit 211 has a structure similar to the above- described units 35, 37, 39, 41 of the forming station 9.

The pre-heating station 211 comprises, as indicated in Figure 24, first mould-holding plate means 223 with which first half-mould means 215a, 217a, 219a are firmly connected, and second mould-holding plate means 225 with which second half-mould means 215a, 217a, 219a are firmly connected.

The first mould-holding plate means 223 is connected with moving plate means 227 by means of guiding rod means 229 slidingly coupled with a frame 228 of the pre-heating unit 211. First block reference means 233 is connected, by means of first pneumatic cylinder means 231 , with the moving plate means 227, with which block reference means 233 there is rotatably supported first small roller follower means 235 arranged for interacting with first cam means 237, as it will be described more in detail later.

Similarly, second block reference means 241 is connected, by means of second pneumatic cylinder means 239, with the second mould-holding plate means 225, with which second block reference means 241 there is rotatably supported second small roller follower means 243 arranged for interacting with second cam means 245.

The first cam means 237 and the second cam means 245 are rotated by a common motor, not shown, and have symmetrical and opposed profiles. During operation of the motor, therefore, the first cam means 237 and second cam means 245 cause the mutual moving closer and away of the first mould-holding plate means 223 and the second mould-holding plate means 225. The use of first pneumatic cylinder means 231 and second pneumatic cylinder means

239 permit, when necessary, a damping of the clamping force and so prevents excessive loads on the first half-mould means 215a, 217a, 219a, and the second half-mould means 215a, 217a, 219a.

The welding unit 219 and the knurling and punching unit 221 are constructed and operate similarly to the pre-heating unit 211 above described.

As shown schematically in Figure 35, the tape 43 is advanced through the heating station 209 by means of a dragging device 247 comprising first roller means 249, arranged upstream of the pre-heating unit 211 and second roller means 251 arranged downstream of the knurling and coding unit 221. The first roller means 249 and the second roller means 251 are provided with hollows 253 arranged for coupling with the shells 51a, 51 b constituting the containers 3.

The first roller means 249 and the second roller means 251 are driven, respectively, by means of first belt means 255 and second belt means 257, both driven by motorised pulley means 259.

With reference to Figures 14, 36 and 37, the apparatus 1 comprises, downstream of the welding station 209, a shearing station 261 , wherein the tape 43 is cut in order to obtain from it sections 263 each including a pre-established number of containers 3. i

In the shearing station 261 , furthermore, the sections 263 are cut so as to obtain, in each of the regions 265 between two adjacent containers 3, perforations 267 facilitating detachment«of a container 3 from the section 263 at the time of use. Upstream of the shearing station 261 there is arranged a turning device, not shown, that

receives the tape 43 in a substantially vertical condition at the exit from the welding station 209 and turns the tape 43 through an angle of about 90° in order to bring it to a substantially horizontal condition.

The shearing station 261 comprises a shearing device 269 provided with lower knives 271a, 271b, 271c, 271 d, 271 e, fixed to a fixed support base 273 of the shearing device 269. The shearing device 269 further comprises upper knives 275a, 275b, 275c, 275d, each of which fixed to a supporting element 277 inserted into a respective seat 279, the seats 279 being provided in a moving cross-beam 281 of the shearing device 269.

The shearing device 269 further comprises a further upper knife 275e arranged downstream of the upper knives 275a, 275b, 275c, 275d. The further upper knife 275e is firmly fixed to the moving cross-beam 281. The position of the further upper knife 275e with respect to the moving cross-beam 281 is, therefore, fixed and not adjustable, unlike the positions of the upper knives 275a, 275b, 275c, 275d.

An adjusting screw 281 is associated with each supporting element 277, and is rotatable to cause the associated supporting element 277 to translate inside the associated seat 279 in the direction indicated by the arrow F9: that enables adjustment of the position of each supporting element 277 regardless of the position of the other supporting elements 277.

The shearing device 269 further comprises actuating means 283, comprising an eccentric 285 driven by a motor, for driving with reciprocating rectilinear motion the moving cross-beam 281 in order to move the upper knives 275a, 275b, 275c, 275d, 275e in the direction of the arrow F10.

The shearing device 269 performs the incision of the tape 43 to obtain the perforation lines 267 and, at the same time, the cutting of the tape 43 to obtain the sections 263.

In the shearing device of Figure 37 the first lower knife 271a, the second lower knife

271b, the third lower knife 271c and the fourth lower knife 271 d and the respective first upper knife 275a, second upper knife 275b, third upper knife 275c and fourth upper knife 275d perform the incision of the tape, whereas the fifth lower knife 271 e and the fifth upper knife 275e produce the separating cut.

If is desired to produce sections 263 comprising, for example, four containers, the first upper knife 275a is moved, by rotating the adjusting screw 281 , away from the first lower knife 271 a so that, when the moving cross-beam 281 is moved towards the base 273 there is no incision of the tape 43 at the first lower knife 271 a and the first upper knife 275a.

Thus, at the subsequent advancing step of the tape 43 a region 265 of the tape 43, interposed between two adjacent containers 3 arrives in the area of the fifth lower knife 271a and the fifth upper knife 275a, without that region 265 containing an incision, so avoiding the undesired effect of "cut-on-cut", i.e. a cut executed in the area of a perforation line 267 previously provided in the tape 43.

That tends to prevent the production of swarf, that, in the machines of the Prior Art, in particular in the case of forming of aluminium films, is particularly difficult to remove owing to the extremely small size and the high number of discard particles produced.

In the machines of the Prior Art care is actually taken to cut, in a cutting station, all of the regions interposed between adjacent containers and then, downstream of the cutting station, to separate from the tape a section of containers, such separation resulting in a cut overlapping with one of the incisions made before.

The possibility of vertically moving the upper knives 275a, 275b, 275c, 275d, 275e permits, when it is desired to produce sections 263 comprising a lower number of containers 3, the rendering non-operational of the corresponding number of upper knives: in this manner the apparatus 1 is very versatile since it allows a rapid change of size of the sections 163 to be produced.

Obviously, the number of lower and upper knives with which the shearing device 269 is equipped may be different, and advantageously greater, than the number of lower and upper

knives shown in Figure 37.

With reference to the Figure 50, a variant of the apparatus 1 is shown, wherein a shearing device 269a analogous to that previously described is associated with the knurling and coding unit 221. The knurling and coding unit 221 comprises a pair of half-moulds with one of which there is associated a plurality of fixed knives, whereas with the other there is associated a plurality of adjustable knives whose position may be adjusted in the manner previously described. The fixed knives and adjustable knives are arranged to cut the tape 43 to obtain the perforation lines 267.

Downstream of the knurling and coding unit 221 cutting means is provided for separating from the tape 43 sections 263 formed by a pre-established number of knives.

As shown in Figures 49 and 50, a tape 43 is obtained wherein a plurality of containers 3 is achieved, grouped within sections 163 that will have to be separated from the tape 43 by the shearing device 269a.

Lines of perforation 267 are produced in regions 362 between adjacent containers 3 and intended to belong to the same carton 163.

Conversely, no perforation line 267 is provided in regions 353 between containers 3 intended to belong to different sections 163, since, in such regions, the cutting means will separate the section 163 from the remaining portion of the tape 43.

The sections 163, once separated from the tape 43, are collected in containers 354 arranged downstream of the cutting means, and are directed to a packaging device.

Therefore, in apparatus for packaging suppositories it is possible to form, fill and seal the containers containing the suppositories in a sterile environment. The sections including containers are separated from the tape while still lying in the sterile environment, from which the sections may then be removed, for example by operators.

Packaging of the sections may then take place in non-sterile premises, so that the operating costs can be contained.

Furthermore.providing the shearing device 269a associated with the knurling and coding

unit 221 contains the cost of the apparatus, since a dedicated shearing device is not required. As shown in Figures 14, 38, 39, downstream of the shearing device 269, the shearing station 261 comprises a collecting device 287 arranged for receiving the sections 263 previously obtained from the tape 43.

The collecting device 287 comprises a pair of C-shaped guides 289 arranged for receiving a section 263.

The guides 289 are moved, as indicated by the arrows F17 and F18 between a grabbing position A, represented with continuous line in Figure 38, wherein the guides 289 retain a section 263, and a releasing position B, represented with dashed line in Figure 38, wherein the guides 289 deliver the section 263 to an underlying collecting drawer 291 (see Figure 14). The collecting device further comprises electromagnetic actuating means 293 arranged for transferring the guides 289 from the grabbing position A to the releasing position B, and vice versa.

The guides 289 are mounted in a wheel 295 rotatably driven by a motor 297: thus, it is possible to deposit into the drawer 291 sections 263 mutually rotated by 180°. That permits, in the case of containers 3 having a portion substantially shaped like a truncated cone, such as the containers for suppositories, reduction of the space occupied by a group of superimposed sections 263, by preventing the "fanlike" effect shown in Figure 40.

As shown in Figure 41 , during operation the guides 289 may collect a first section 263a and deposit it into the drawer 291 without subjecting it to rotation. Successively, the guides 289 may collect a second section 263 and deposit it into the drawer 291 after having rotated it by 180°. Still successively, the guides 289 may receive a third section 263c and place it into the drawer 291 without having subjected it to rotation. By proceeding in this manner it is possible to form stacks comprising a pre-established number of superimposed sections 263.

Therefore, the wheel 295 causes the guides 289 to execute a rotation of 180° every alternate advancing step of the tape 43 through the shearing station 261.

The apparatus 1 is also particularly suitable for forming bottles or phials starting from plastics film. In this case, referring to Figure 2, the forming station 9 comprises: a first unit 35 wherein the first film 5 and the second film 7 are subjected to a pre-heating and a welding along a peripheral edge 47a in order to define pre-forms 299 of the containers

3a to be formed; a second unit 37 wherein the weld bead corresponding to the peripheral edge 47a of the pre-forms 299 is cooled in order to harden. Punching of the pre-forms 301 along the peripheral edge 47a takes place also in the station 37; such punching does not involve the entire extension of the peripheral edge 47a: portions 301 of said peripheral edge 47a actually remain fixed to the tape 43 in order to enable transferring of the pre-forms 299 and then of the formed containers. a third unit 39 wherein the first film 5 and the second film 7 are heated in order to be prepared for the subsequent forming; and a fourth unit 41 wherein pressurised air is injected into the pre-forms 299 in order to obtain containers 3a from the pre-forms 299. In particular, the apparatus may be used for producing containers 3a of the type described in European Patent Application Publication EP-A-0719630.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising a plurality of operating units arranged for forming containers, characterised in that at least one operating unit is so mounted on a guide arrangement that it is possible to adjust the longitudinal position of said at least one operating unit with respect to adjacent operating unit(s).

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one operating unit is so mounted as aforesaid as to be adjustable along said guide arrangement independently of said adjacent operating unit(s).

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said guide arrangement comprises a threaded rod-and-nut arrangement for enabling accurate adjustment of the position of said at least one operating unit.

4. Apparatus comprising at least one operating unit arranged for operatively interacting with sheet material and for forming containers from said sheet material, characterised in that said operating unit is provided with mould portions driven translatingly by a mechanical actuator for moving the mould portions towards and away from each other in order to clamp and release, respectively, said sheet material.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said mechanical actuator comprises a motor-driven screw engaging in an internally threaded member.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said motor comprises a brushless motor.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein said internally threaded member is firmly connected with a plate to which there are fixed a first rod that controls a first supporting plate to which a first portion of said mould portions is fixed, and a second

rod that controls a second supporting plate to which a second portion of said mould

portions is fixed.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first mould portion and the second mould portion are driven towards and away from each other, by elongate members slidingly coupled with a frame of said apparatus.

9. Apparatus comprising at least one operating unit arranged for operatively interacting with sheet material in order to obtain containers from said sheet material, characterised in that said operating unit is provided with a mould portion connected with a support by means of a hinge.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said hinge means comprises a spherical joint.

11. Apparatus comprising a conveying arrangement for advancing sheet material, and at least one operating unit arranged for forming containers from said sheet material, characterised in that said conveying arrangement comprises a movable supporting arrangement with which a grabbing arrangement for said sheet material is associated.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said supporting arrangement extends through said at least one operating unit.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11 or 12, and further comprising a motor arranged for driving said supporting arrangement with reciprocating rectilinear motion.

14. Apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 13, and further comprising a guiding arrangement, fixed to a frame of said apparatus, whereon said supporting arrangement slides.

15. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 1 to 14, wherein said grabbing arrangement comprises a plurality of single grabbing units.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the grabbing units comprise

pneumatically driven jaws .

17. Apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 16, wherein said grabbing arrangement is conformed so as to be suitable for being moved along said supporting arrangement in order to be placed at pre-established positions.

18. Apparatus comprising a transporting chain arranged for transporting sheet 5 material by acting on regions near its border by an intercepting arrangement, characterised in that said intercepting arrangement comprises a pinching arrangement.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said pinching arrangement is fixed to links of said transporting chain.

10 20. Apparatus according to claim 18 or 19, wherein said pinching arrangement comprises a pair of jaws mutually hinged and oscillatable around an axis between a rest position, wherein said pinching arrangement is open and not interacting with said sheet material, and an operating position wherein said pinching arrangement is closed and grabs said sheet material.

15 21. Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein a first jaw of said pair of jaws is provided with a hole arranged for receiving a sharp end of a device associated with a second jaw of said pair of jaws.

22. Apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein said device comprises a threaded dowel screwed to said second jaw.

20 23. Apparatus according to any one of claims 20 to 22, and further comprising a pressing arrangement serving to interact with said pair of jaws in order to bring said pinching arrangement from said rest position to said operating position.

24. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said pressing arrangement comprises a roller.

25 25. Apparatus according to any one of claims 18 to 24, wherein said transporting chain advances said pinching arrangement inside a guiding groove arrangement.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein between said pinching arrangement and said guiding grove arrangement there is provided a clearance.

27. Apparatus comprising at least one operating unit arranged for forming containers from sheet material, said at least one operating unit comprising a deforming arrangement serving to produce in said sheet material transversally extending folds, characterised in that said apparatus further comprises a shearing unit arranged for removing from said sheet material appendages of said sheet material resulting from said folds after forming of said containers.

28. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said shearing unit comprises shearing

• 1 mould portions.

29. Apparatus comprising a receiving arrangement for receiving sheet material provided with containers obtained from deformed regions of said sheet material and mutually joined by undeformed regions of said sheet material, and an inducing arrangement for inducing separation indications serving to indicate in said undeformed regions lines of intended separation of said containers, characterised in that said inducing is conformed so as to act selectively on some of said regions and not act on the remaining regions.

30. Apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said inducing arrangement serves to weaken said sheet material.

31. Apparatus according to claim 29 or 30, wherein said inducing arrangement comprises an incising arrangement.

32. Apparatus according to claim 31 , wherein said incising arrangement comprises a knife arrangement whose condition may be adjusted so that said knife arrangement moves between a rest position, wherein said knife means does not interfere with said sheet material, and an operating position wherein said knife

arrangement interferes with said sheet material.

33. Apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said knife arrangement comprises fixed knives associated with moving knives, each of said moving knives cooperating with a respective fixed knife in order to produce said lines of intended separation. 5

34. Apparatus according to claim 32 or 33, wherein said incising arrangement further comprises, downstream of said knife arrangement, a separating arrangement serving to cut said sheet material in said few of said regions in order to separate from said sheet material portions of sheet material comprising a pre-established number of said containers.

10 35. Method comprising providing a sheet material provided with containers obtained from deformed regions of said sheet material and mutually joined by undeformed regions of said sheet material, and indicating in said undeformed regions lines of intended separation of said containers, characterised in that said indicating comprises selectively acting on some of said regions and not acting on the

15 remaining regions.

36. Method according to claim 35, wherein said selectively acting comprises weakening said sheet material.

37. Method according to claim 35 or 36, wherein said selectively acting comprises incising said sheet material in order to produce in said few of said regions said lines

20 of intended separation.

38. Method according to any one of claims 35 to 37 and further comprising, simultaneously with said selectively acting, cutting said sheet material in said few of said regions in order to separate from said sheet material portions of sheet material comprising a pre-established number of said containers.

25 39. Tape comprising a sheet material formed so that a plurality of containers is present therein, and lines of intended . separation in regions between adjacent containers of said tape to facilitate separation of said containers, characterised in that said lines of intended separation are present only in some of said regions.

40. Tape according to claim 39, wherein' said lines of intended separation comprise incision lines. '

5 41. Tape according to claim 40, wherein said lines of intended separation comprise perforation lines.

42. Tape according to any one of claims 39 to 41 , wherein, in said tape, groups each formed by a pre-established number of regions provided with lines of intended separation follow each other, and these groups are separated by a single region free

10 from lines of intended separation.

43. Apparatus comprising at least one operating unit arranged for forming containers from sheet material, and a cutting arrangement serving to separate from said sheet material sections of said sheet material comprising a pre-established number of said containers, characterised in that the apparatus further comprises a collecting

15 arrangement serving to collect said sections in order to constitute stacks comprising a pre-established number of said sections.

44. Apparatus according to claim 43, wherein said collecting arrangement comprises a rotating arrangement serving to rotate some of said sections around respective longitudinal axes.

20 45. Apparatus comprising at least one operating unit arranged for forming containers from sheet material, said at least one operating unit comprising a deforming arrangement serving to produce, in said sheet material, transversely extending folds, characterised in that the apparatus further comprises an actuating arrangement for actuating said deforming arrangements independently one from the

25 other.

46. Apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said actuating arrangement comprises a pneumatic actuator arrangement.

47. Apparatus according to claim 45 or 46, and further comprising a position referencing arrangement serving to adjust an operating stroke of at least one of said deforming arrangements.

5 48. Apparatus comprising a plurality of operating units arranged for forming filled containers from sheet material advanced along a path, said operating units including a filling unit including a filler displaceable between an in-line position in which said filler serves to deliver fluid product to said containers and an off-line position in which said filler serves to deliver such fluid product to at least one check container. o

49. Apparatus according to claim 48, and further comprising a bracket for supporting said check container in a ready-to-fill condition.

50. A method comprising forming containers from sheet material, operating a filler in an in-line position to deliver fluid product to said containers, displacing said filler to an off-line position, and operating said filler in said off-line position to deliver such 5 fluid product to at least one check container.

51. Apparatus comprising any combination of any of the apparatus features of any two or more of claims 1 , 4, 9, 11 , 18, 27, 29, 43, 47, and 48.

52. Method comprising any combination of any of the method steps of claims 35 and 50. 0