Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
  • B65B9/10—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs
  • B65B9/20—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles
  • B65B9/207—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles the web advancing continuously
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C53/00—Shaping by bending, folding, twisting, straightening or flattening; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C53/36—Bending and joining, e.g. for making hollow articles
  • B29C53/38—Bending and joining, e.g. for making hollow articles by bending sheets or strips at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the article being formed and joining the edges
  • B29C53/48—Bending and joining, e.g. for making hollow articles by bending sheets or strips at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the article being formed and joining the edges for articles of indefinite length, i.e. bending a strip progressively
  • B29C53/50—Bending and joining, e.g. for making hollow articles by bending sheets or strips at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the article being formed and joining the edges for articles of indefinite length, i.e. bending a strip progressively using internal forming surfaces, e.g. mandrels
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C65/02—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
  • B29C65/18—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated tools
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C65/74—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by welding and severing, or by joining and severing, the severing being performed in the area to be joined, next to the area to be joined, in the joint area or next to the joint area
  • B29C65/743—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by welding and severing, or by joining and severing, the severing being performed in the area to be joined, next to the area to be joined, in the joint area or next to the joint area using the same tool for both joining and severing, said tool being monobloc or formed by several parts mounted together and forming a monobloc
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
  • B29C66/01—General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
  • B29C66/05—Particular design of joint configurations
  • B29C66/10—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint cross-sections
  • B29C66/11—Joint cross-sections comprising a single joint-segment, i.e. one of the parts to be joined comprising a single joint-segment in the joint cross-section
  • B29C66/112—Single lapped joints
  • B29C66/1122—Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
  • B29C66/40—General aspects of joining substantially flat articles, e.g. plates, sheets or web-like materials; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles; Joining single elements to substantially flat surfaces
  • B29C66/41—Joining substantially flat articles ; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles
  • B29C66/43—Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles
  • B29C66/431—Joining the articles to themselves
  • B29C66/4312—Joining the articles to themselves for making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles, e.g. transversal seams
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
  • B29C66/40—General aspects of joining substantially flat articles, e.g. plates, sheets or web-like materials; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles; Joining single elements to substantially flat surfaces
  • B29C66/41—Joining substantially flat articles ; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles
  • B29C66/43—Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles
  • B29C66/432—Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles for making tubular articles or closed loops, e.g. by joining several sheets ; for making hollow articles or hollow preforms
  • B29C66/4322—Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles for making tubular articles or closed loops, e.g. by joining several sheets ; for making hollow articles or hollow preforms by joining a single sheet to itself
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
  • B29C66/40—General aspects of joining substantially flat articles, e.g. plates, sheets or web-like materials; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles; Joining single elements to substantially flat surfaces
  • B29C66/49—Internally supporting the, e.g. tubular, article during joining
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
  • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
  • B29C66/81—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps
  • B29C66/814—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps
  • B29C66/8141—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined
  • B29C66/81427—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined comprising a single ridge, e.g. for making a weakening line; comprising a single tooth
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
  • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
  • B29C66/81—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps
  • B29C66/814—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps
  • B29C66/8141—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined
  • B29C66/81431—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined comprising a single cavity, e.g. a groove
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
  • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
  • B29C66/82—Pressure application arrangements, e.g. transmission or actuating mechanisms for joining tools or clamps
  • B29C66/822—Transmission mechanisms
  • B29C66/8221—Scissor or lever mechanisms, i.e. involving a pivot point
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
  • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
  • B29C66/82—Pressure application arrangements, e.g. transmission or actuating mechanisms for joining tools or clamps
  • B29C66/822—Transmission mechanisms
  • B29C66/8224—Chain or sprocket drives
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
  • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
  • B29C66/82—Pressure application arrangements, e.g. transmission or actuating mechanisms for joining tools or clamps
  • B29C66/822—Transmission mechanisms
  • B29C66/8226—Cam mechanisms; Wedges; Eccentric mechanisms
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
  • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
  • B29C66/82—Pressure application arrangements, e.g. transmission or actuating mechanisms for joining tools or clamps
  • B29C66/822—Transmission mechanisms
  • B29C66/8226—Cam mechanisms; Wedges; Eccentric mechanisms
  • B29C66/82263—Follower pin or roller cooperating with a groove
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
  • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
  • B29C66/83—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof characterised by the movement of the joining or pressing tools
  • B29C66/832—Reciprocating joining or pressing tools
  • B29C66/8322—Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
  • B29C66/83221—Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis cooperating reciprocating tools, each tool reciprocating along one axis
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
  • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
  • B29C66/83—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof characterised by the movement of the joining or pressing tools
  • B29C66/834—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof characterised by the movement of the joining or pressing tools moving with the parts to be joined
  • B29C66/8351—Jaws mounted on rollers, cylinders, drums, bands, belts or chains; Flying jaws
  • B29C66/83531—Jaws mounted on rollers, cylinders, drums, bands, belts or chains; Flying jaws jaws mounted on chains
  • B29C66/83533—Cooperating jaws mounted on cooperating chains and moving in a closed path
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
  • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
  • B29C66/84—Specific machine types or machines suitable for specific applications
  • B29C66/849—Packaging machines
  • B29C66/8491—Packaging machines welding through a filled container, e.g. tube or bag
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
  • B65B51/10—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof
  • B65B51/26—Devices specially adapted for producing transverse or longitudinal seams in webs or tubes
  • B65B51/30—Devices, e.g. jaws, for applying pressure and heat, e.g. for subdividing filled tubes
  • B65B51/306—Counter-rotating devices
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
  • B65B9/10—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs
  • B65B9/20—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles
  • B65B9/2014—Tube advancing means
  • B65B9/2028—Rollers or belts
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
  • B65B9/10—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs
  • B65B9/20—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles
  • B65B9/2049—Package shaping devices acting on filled tubes prior to sealing the filling opening
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
  • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
  • B29C66/81—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps
  • B29C66/814—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps
  • B29C66/8141—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined
  • B29C66/81411—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined characterised by its cross-section, e.g. transversal or longitudinal, being non-flat
  • B29C66/81415—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined characterised by its cross-section, e.g. transversal or longitudinal, being non-flat being bevelled
  • B29C66/81419—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined characterised by its cross-section, e.g. transversal or longitudinal, being non-flat being bevelled and flat
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
  • B29C66/90—Measuring or controlling the joining process
  • B29C66/91—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux
  • B29C66/914—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux
  • B29C66/9141—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature
  • B29C66/91431—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature the temperature being kept constant over time
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
  • B29C66/90—Measuring or controlling the joining process
  • B29C66/91—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux
  • B29C66/914—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux
  • B29C66/9161—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the heat or the thermal flux, i.e. the heat flux
  • B29C66/91641—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the heat or the thermal flux, i.e. the heat flux the heat or the thermal flux being non-constant over time

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a packaging machine.
• packaging machines may be horizontal or vertical and manual or automatic in nature and are used in order to obtain finished packages of loose products.
• automatic packaging machines a certain quantity of loose product is introduced inside a hollow tubular element which defines the shape of the packet to be obtained.
• a plastic film is wrapped around this tubular element in an extremely complex manner in the known machines and is drawn downwards and then undergoes longitudinal welding by welding means.
• the welding process performed by these welding means is inefficient and discontinuous since there are long pauses between one welding operation and the next.
• the film which will form the product packaging must be welded in the transverse direction so as to close the top and bottom of the packages.
• the transverse welding process of the known machines is complex and discontinuous.
• the object of the present invention is therefore to provide an automatic packaging machine which overcomes the drawbacks of the known packaging machines and which makes the package production cycle more efficient and rapid, in particular ensuring in an advantageous manner practically continuous operations for longitudinally and transversely welding and transversely cutting the plastic film from which the packages containing the finished product are obtained.
• FIG. 1 shows a side elevation view of a packaging machine according to the present invention, comprising a tubular forming element around which a plastic film for producing the packages is wrapped;
• Fig. 2 shows a front view, on a larger scale, of part of the present machine
• FIG. 3 shows a side elevation and partially sectioned view of the machine showing a forming collar for the plastic film from which the packages are made and the longitudinal welding means;
• Fig. 4 shows one of the two belts for drawing and feeding the plastic film wrapped around the tubular forming element according to Fig. 1 ;
• - Fig. 5 shows, on each side of the film, two units for transversely welding and cutting the packets, provided with associated driving means which form a closed annular path and electric power supply means;
• FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the machine partially sectioned along the line VI-VI shown in Fig. 5;
• FIG. 7 shows a front view of a variation of embodiment of the present machine comprising a system for folding the bottom of the packages, provided at the bottom end with two oppositely arranged folding members shown at the minimum distance from each other;
• FIG. 8 shows a front view - similar to the view of Fig. 7 - in which said folding members are situated at a maximum distance from each other;
• FIG. 9 shows a side elevation and partially sectioned view of the present machine along the line IX-IX shown in Fig. 7;
• FIG. 10 shows a plan view, on a larger scale, of the central part of Fig. 5 relating to the two transverse welding units facing each other and comprising a cutting blade and a counter-blade shown in the open position with the plastic film inserted between them;
• FIG. 1 1 shows a view - similar to the view of Fig. 10 - in which the cutting blade and the counter-blade have been extracted from the associated welding units in order to cut the plastic film and then separate the packages produced by the present machine;
• Figs. 12a and 12b show schematically the two positions shown in Fig. 10 and Fig. 1 1 , respectively, of the cutting blade and counter-blade and separation of the packages;
• - Fig. 13 shows a side elevation view, on a larger scale, of the belts for feeding the plastic film, provided with an electric motor providing power and acting as a counterweight;
• Figs. 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d show plan views of the cam tracks for guiding the transverse welding and cutting units where these tracks are provided with an interchangeable section for forming packages of different length;
• Fig. 15 shows a plan view of three units for transversely welding and cutting the packages, connected to drive means which form two closed annular paths of substantially triangular shape;
• - Fig. 16 shows a side elevation and partially sectioned view of a carousel for conveying and unloading the finished packages
• FIG. 17 shows a plan view of a variation of embodiment of the present machine, relating to two oppositely arranged units for transversely welding and cutting the packages;
• Fig. 18 shows, on a scale larger than that of Fig. 17, the two units for transversely welding and cutting the packages;
• FIG. 19 shows a side elevation view of the welding unit with associated supports according to Fig. 17;
• Fig. 20 shows a side elevation and partially sectioned view of a dispenser for the loose material to be packaged, arranged upstream of the tubular forming element;
• FIG. 21 a and 21 b show two side elevation and sectioned views of a variation of embodiment of the tubular forming element containing two series of baffles for allowing the loose material to move down stepwise along said tubular forming element;
• FIG. 22 shows a partial side elevation view of one of the two series of baffles according to Figs. 21 a and 21 b;
• FIG. 23 shows a front view of one of the two series of baffles according to Figs. 21a and 21 b;
• Figs. 24a and 24b show one of the baffles in the retracted position and operating position, respectively.
• Fig. 1 denotes a tubular forming element which is internally hollow and around which a layer of plastic film 2 is wrapped, said film being removed from a spool 3 around which it has been initially wound.
• This spool 3 is idle and is able to rotate about a central pin 4.
• the tubular forming element 1 may have any shape depending on the shape of the packaging or packet of product which is to be obtained, and therefore may have a circular, square, rectangular, polygonal or similar profile.
• the top part of the tubular forming element 1 has an inlet mouth 5 for introducing into it the product 6 to be packaged.
• This inlet mouth 5 is shown as having underneath it a forming collar 7 which has the function of correctly wrapping the plastic film 2 around the tubular forming element 1.
• This forming collar 7 comprises a first rear inclined surface 107 and two front inclined surfaces 207 and will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.
• the film 2 in the form of a continuous sheet reaches the rear surface 107 of the forming collar 7 with the correct inclination via a transmission roller 8 situated between this forming collar 7 and the spool 3.
• the plastic film 2 when wrapped in its tubular form around the tubular forming element 1 , is drawn downwards along the longitudinal axis L of the tubular forming element 1 by means of a pair of feed belts 9 and 9' located in diametrically opposite positions with respect to the tubular forming element 1.
• Each of these belts 9 and 9' is operated by a pair of rollers 10 and 10', at least one of which is motor- driven.
• Each pair of rollers 10 and 10' is aligned along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the tubular forming element 1.
• a first bar 1 1 for longitudinally welding said plastic film 2 in tubular form is provided upstream of the said pair of belts 9 and 9' for feeding the plastic film 2 and the tubular forming element 1 houses internally a second reaction bar 12 for said first longitudinal welding bar 1 1 .
• This longitudinal welding 1 1 bar may be displaced upwards or downwards along the longitudinal axis L of the tubular forming element 1 , or transversely, in a direction T perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L, away from or towards the tubular forming element 1.
• the second bar 12 reacting against this first bar 1 1 moves only in the longitudinal direction L and simultaneously with said first bar 1 1.
• the tubular forming element 1 is provided downstream, on each side of the film 2 leaving said tubular forming element 1 , with two units 14 and 14' for transversely welding and cutting the packages obtained, one package 13 of which containing a given quantity of product 6 being shown in the figure.
• Each of these welding units 14 and 14' is associated with driving means such as a pair of chains 15 and 15' (see Fig. 6), belts or the like.
• These chains 15 and 15' are each wound around a pair of toothed wheels 16, at least one of which is connected to operating means (not shown).
• the two welding units 14 and 14' fastened to each pair of chains 15 and 15' are located in diametrically opposite positions with respect to said chains 15 and 15' which define, along the sides of the film 2 - see, for example, the two chains 15 in Fig. 1 - two closed and identical annular paths along which said welding units 14 and 14' move.
• the forming collar 7 and the tubular element 1 are fixed and fastened to a support structure 17 - see Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.
• the support structure 17 also has, fastened thereto, a guide 18 along which a slide 19 for operating the longitudinal welding bar 1 1 is able to slide, said slide being fastened to a support frame 20 connected, via a cross-piece 21 , to said slide 19.
• the longitudinal welding bar 1 1 may also be displaced transversely and, for this purpose, an actuator (not shown in the figures) and a pair of transverse guides 22 are provided for operation thereof.
• This longitudinal welding bar 1 1 must always face and practically make contact, during the welding operation, with the reaction bar 12 shown in Fig, 1 ; therefore a suitably shaped longitudinal groove 101 , inside which said reaction bar 12 is able to slide, is formed along the tubular forming element 1.
• This longitudinal groove 101 is closed towards the inside of the tubular forming element 1 so as to prevent the product 6 from coming out of this tubular forming element 1 and essentially forms a kind of suitably shaped longitudinal recess.
• the forming collar 7 comprises, as seen, the rear surface 107, visible in Fig.
• the forming collar 7 comprises, downstream of each of said front surfaces 207 and 207', substantially triangular elements 307 and 307' for superimposing the strips of the film 2 according to Fig. 1. These elements 307 and 307' for superimposing the plastic film are arranged over each other and intersect along their end part, but are suitably spaced from each other so that a strip of said film is able to pass between them.
• tubular forming element 1 and the forming collar 7 are also spaced from each other so that the film can be inserted between them: in this connection an annular cavity 23 of suitable width for introducing the film which will form the package 13 according to Fig. 1 is formed between said tubular forming element 1 and said forming collar 7.
• the plastic film passes in the form of a sheet over the rear inclined surface 107 of the forming collar 7 and is then wound onto the two inclined surfaces 207 and 207' so that two strips are formed and move towards each other, owing to the inclination of these surfaces 207 and 207'; then one strip passes over the superimposing element 307 and the other strip passes between this element 307 and the superimposing element 307'; finally, the strips thus superimposed are introduced into the annular cavity 23 in order to obtain a tubular plastic film, i.e. with a shape corresponding to that of the tubular forming element 1 and with two longitudinal strips superimposed and subsequently welded longitudinally by the movable longitudinal welding bar 1 1.
• Fig. 3 shows a sectioned side view of the forming collar 7.
• the film 2 is introduced into the annular cavity 23 formed between the tubular forming element 1 and said forming collar 7.
• the two superimposed longitudinal strips of plastic film 2 - denoted by 2' and 2" - which are welded together by means of the longitudinal welding bar 1 1.
• This bar is displaced transversely forwards, when welding must be performed, or backwards, in order to move it away from the tubular element 1 , by means of an actuator 24 provided with an associated piston 25.
• the transverse displacement of the longitudinal welding bar 1 1 is guided by the transverse guides 22 which slide inside associated through-holes 26 formed in the frame 20 supporting the welding bar 1 1.
• This support frame 20, by means of an arm 27, also supports the reaction bar 12, this arm 27 in fact being connected to said plate 12 by means of a longitudinal rod 28.
• Said reaction bar 12, as mentioned above, slides inside the longitudinal groove 101 and is positioned on the outer edge of said longitudinal groove 101 so as to face the welding bar 1 1 at a minimum distance therefrom. Owing to this support frame 20 which firmly supports both the bars 1 1 and 12, said bars 1 1 and 12 are able to move simultaneously in the longitudinal direction, upwards or downwards, and the film 2 to be welded is always positioned between them.
• Fig. 4 shows one of the two belts for feeding the film 2 in the longitudinal direction and downwards, in this case the belt 9.
• Said belt 9 is rotationally driven by the pair of rollers 10 and 10' and the film 2 which must be fed is positioned between the side of this belt 9 directed towards the tubular forming element 1 and a series of reaction rollers 29 which also make contact with the film and are designed to allow the belt to feed said film 2 forwards.
• These reaction rollers 29 are positioned inside a longitudinal groove 01' formed in the tubular forming element 1 and are positioned substantially along the outer edge of this groove 101 " so as to come into contact with the film, without however interfering with its tubular extension around the tubular element 1.
• This longitudinal groove 101 ' is situated diametrically opposite to the longitudinal groove 101 already illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.
• This longitudinal groove 101 is able to seat, as mentioned, the reaction bar 12 and the other reaction rollers for the other belt 9' feeding the film 2.
• the belt 9' shown in Fig. 2 is aligned longitudinally with the welding bar 1 1 and the associated reaction bar 12 and therefore only two, diametrically opposite, longitudinal grooves 101 and 101 ' are formed in the tubular element.
• the welding bar 1 1 were to be positioned at 90° with respect to these diametrically opposite feed belts 9 and 9', three longitudinal grooves would be formed on the tubular forming element; one for housing the reaction bar 12, one for the reaction rollers of the belt 9' and one for the reaction rollers of the belt 9.
• FIG. 6 shows the two welding units 14 and 14' situated on the left of the film 2 in Fig. 5.
• Each of these welding units 14 or 14' comprises at the free end a pair of welding teeth 30 which are hinged by means of pins 31 on a support piece 32 fastened to a plate 33; this plate 33 is connected, by means of a pair of arms 34 and a pair of associated spindles 35, to the pair of chains 15 and 15' for driving the welding units 14 and 14'.
• Each of the two plates 33 is therefore movable together with the associated welding unit 14 or 14'.
• Each of these welding units 14 or 14' also comprises a centring device so that, when two welding units are situated facing each other, their correct alignment thereof is ensured.
• Fig. 5 where the two welding units 14 driven by the chains situated along the sides of the film 2 face each other and weld said film 2: the welding unit 14 situated on the left-hand side of the film 2 is in fact provided between the two welding teeth 30 with a notch 36, while the welding unit 14 situated on the right-hand side of the film 2 is provided between the two welding teeth 30 with a nose 37 having a shape matching that of said notch 36.
• each of the four welding units 14 and 14' comprises at one end of the plate 33 an arm 42 for supporting a pair of carbon brushes 43 which make contact with the associated electrified track 41.
• This sliding electric contact formed between the carbon brushes 43 of the mobile welding units 14 and 14' and the associated, fixed, electrified tracks 41 ensures that current is supplied continuously to the four welding units 14 and 14'.
• the end of each of the plates 33, opposite to that where the arm 42 is positioned, is provided, for each of the four units 14 and 14', with another arm 44 supporting a pair of metal heads 45 each designed to slide on a metal annular track 46 positioned on the fixed structure 40 on the opposite side to that where the electrified tracks 41 are positioned.
• These sliding metal heads 45 transmit heat to sensor means, not shown, connected to a control unit which controls switching on and off of the power supply so as to keep the temperature of the welding systems substantially constant.
• the chains 15 and 15' drive during their movement along a closed annular path, the two welding units 14 and 14' which also comprise support means which guide them correctly during this closed annular movement.
• Said support means comprise a fixed-cam track 47 along which a pair of idle rollers 48 travel for each welding unit 14 and 14'. These rollers 48 are mounted on a plate 49 which is connected to the associated arm 34 so that it is able to pivot relative thereto.
• the central part of Fig. 6 shows a second cam track 50 for controlling the cutting means - described below - which equip the welding units 14 and 14'. Idle rollers 51 mounted on the moving heads 52 equipping the welding units 14 and 14' engage inside said cam track 50.
• the two welding units 14 and 14' of each of the two welding systems are connected to the two drive chains 15 and 15' in diametrically opposite positions with respect to the closed annular path along which they must travel and which comprises: a first straight working section along which two units, for example the two units 14, face each other and make contact with each other, a first section in the form of a connecting circle-arc, a second straight return section along which the other two units - in this case the two units 14', which are again situated in diametrically opposite positions and at a maximum distance from each other - are located, and a second annular connecting section.
• FIG. 7 shows a part of the present machine provided with a number of variants compared to that described hitherto.
• the tubular forming element 1 has, positioned internally, instead of the reaction bar 12 of the longitudinal welding bar 1 1 shown in Fig. 1 , a movable tubular member 53 which is coaxial with the tubular forming element 1 and has a shape corresponding to its shape.
• This tubular member 53 acts as a reaction member for the longitudinal welding bar 1 1 and the product is therefore poured inside it.
• a longitudinal groove 201 which can be seen in Fig.
• Said plate 56 is passed through by a motor-driven shaft 57 which has a disc 59 fixed to its end and on which a first toothed wheel 58 is keyed.
• This disc 59 is provided on its periphery with an eccentric pin inserted inside the slotted link 65.
• a twin-lobe cam 61 is also connected to the movable bar 54 and has, connected thereto, a second toothed wheel 62.
• a chain 63 for transmitting the movement from the motor-driven shaft 57 to the disc 59 and ultimately to the cam 61 is wound around these first and second toothed wheels 58 and 62. In a middle zone this drive chain 63 is also wound around a transversely displaceable roller 66 able to ensure that the chain is always correctly tensioned.
• Two pins 67 are fixed to each end of said movable bar 54, for example the right-hand end when viewing the figure, each of these pins having, mounted thereon, the end of an arm 68, the other end of which is mounted on another pin 69 fixed onto a plate 70 to which a first folding member 71 is connected, said folding member projecting towards the tubular forming element 1 to a point close to the longitudinal axis of symmetry L thereof and being able to be displaced transversely with respect to this axis L from a minimum distance, shown in the figure, to a maximum distance from this axis L shown in Fig. 8.
• the two arms 68 are able to pivot about the associated pins 67 and 69 following, as will be seen below, the movement of the cam 61 , forming with the movable bar 54 and with the plate 70 supporting the folding member 71 a kind of hinged parallelogram so that basically the folding member 71 performs an arc-like movement upwards or downwards, while remaining, however, always in a horizontal or transverse position with respect to the longitudinal axis L.
• two pins 67' are similarly fixed to the left-hand end, when viewing the figure, of the movable bar 54, said pins having mounted thereon, in a manner identical to that described above, the ends of two arms 68' which are connected at the other end to pins 69' fixed to a plate 70 to which a folding member 71 ' is connected, said folding member being identical to the folding member 71 and symmetrical with the latter relative to the longitudinal axis L of symmetry of the tubular forming element 1 and therefore of the packaging which is to be obtained from the film 2 wrapped around said tubular forming element 1.
• the twin-lobe cam 61 co-operates with two idle rollers 72 and 72' which are located in diametrically opposite positions with respect to this cam 61 and mounted on an associated support rod 73 and 73': these rods 73 and 73' are fixed, respectively, to the arms 68 and 68' directed towards the tubular forming element 1.
• the folding members 71 and 71' have the function of folding two diametrically opposite sides of the bottom of the package to be formed by means of the plastic film 2.
• Fig. 9 which is a side view of Fig. 7 described above, shows the kinematic chain which allows operation of the various moving parts described in Fig. 7.
• 74 denotes a motor for operating, via a series of transmission and reduction members, the shaft 57 on which the toothed wheel 58 is keyed and which has, fixed to its end, the disc 59 provided with the eccentric pin 64 inserted inside the slotted link 65 mounted on the movable bar 54.
• This longitudinal welding bar 1 1 is connected to the plate 76 by means of an associated rod 20' of the frame 20, so that said welding bar 1 1 and said tubular reaction member 53 move simultaneously in the longitudinal direction when the movable bar 54 is displaced along the guides 55.
• Fig. 8 shows the situation where the members 71 and 71 ' for folding the bottom of the packages are at the maximum distance from the longitudinal axis L of the tubular forming element 1 and therefore the plastic film.
• the eccentric pin 64 is rotated through 180° with respect to the position shown in Fig. 7, owing to rotation of the disc 59 moved by the motor 74. Said rotation of the eccentric pin 64 causes raising of the movable bar 54, by means of the slotted link 65 which is integral with the movable bar and engaged by said eccentric pin 64, and therefore raising of the tubular reaction member 53 which slides inside the tubular forming element 1 .
• the toothed wheel 58 is also keyed onto the drive shaft 57 and, by means of the drive chain 63, causes rotation of the twin-lobe cam 61 , in this case through 90°, so as to pass from the position shown in Fig. 7 into the position shown in Fig. 8.
• the simultaneous raising movement of the bar 54 and rotational movement of the cam 61 produce a pivoting movement and upwards displacement of the pairs of arms 68 and 68' which are provided with the rods 73 and 73' with the associated rollers 72 and 72' which travel along the cam 61 .
• each pair of arms 68 and 68' is fastened to the bar 54 and to the associated plate 70 and 70', so as to form a kind of hinged parallelogram
• the bending members 71 and 71 ' connected to the plates 70 and 70' basically, in order to pass from the situation shown in Fig. 7 to the situation shown in Fig. 8, are raised and moved away, but always remains in a horizontal or transverse position with respect to the longitudinal axis L of the tubular forming element 1 and therefore the film.
• the transmission roller 66 is displaced outwards and therefore away from the tubular forming element 1 from the situation shown in Fig. 7 into the situation shown in Fig. 8.
• Fig. 10 shows the two welding units 14 facing each other and designed to perform the welding operation, i.e. the units between which the film 2 in Fig. 5 is positioned.
• Each of these transverse welding units 14 comprises a box-shaped body
• a cutting blade 80' is located inside the box-shaped body 79' of the welding unit 14 situated higher up when viewing the figure, while a counter-blade 80 with a receiving surface having a shape corresponding to the profile of the blade 80' is positioned inside the box-shaped body 79 of the unit 14 situated lower down.
• the blade and the counter-blade could also be inverted, i.e. the blade 80' could be positioned inside the box-shaped body 79 of the unit 14 situated at the bottom and the counter-blade 80 could be positioned inside the box-shaped body 79' of the welding unit 14 situated at the top.
• the box-shaped bodies 79' and 79 are also connected to the plate 33 by means of support elements 85 arranged on the sides of the tubular member 81 .
• the two units 14 are electrically powered by means of electrical connectors 86.
• 50 denotes two cam tracks for controlling the cutting blade 80' and counter-blade 80, inside which the idle rollers 51 connected to the heads 52 travel.
• This blade 80' and counter-blade 80 may therefore move in opposite directions transverse to the film 2 owing to the translatory movement of the associated heads 52 and therefore the translatory movement of the tubular members 81 inside the associated through-holes 82 formed in the two plates 33.
• Fig. 10 shows the blade 80' and the counter-blade 80 at the maximum distance from each other, while Fig. 1 1 shows the same blade and counter-blade engaged with each other, in order to cut the film 2: as can be noted by comparing Figs.
• the two heads 52 have moved towards each other performing a transverse translatory movement and are guided during this movement by the sliding movement of the spindles 83 inside the through-holes 84 and by the sliding movement of the tubular members 81 inside the through-holes 82.
• Figs. 12a and 12b are also schematically shown in Figs. 12a and 12b, respectively: in Fig. 12a it can be seen that the cutting blade 80' is aligned transversely with respect to the counter-blade 80, but is spaced from it; while in Fig. 12b it can be seen that this blade 80' is engaged with the corresponding counter-blade 80.
• the cam tracks 50 inside which the rollers 51 guiding the blade and counter-blade support heads each have, in the cutting zone, i.e.
• Fig. 13 shows the two belts 9 and 9' for feeding the film 2 which assumes a tubular configuration with a shape corresponding to that of the tubular forming element 1 around which it is wrapped.
• These belts 9 and 9' are moved by means of a motor 87 which operates a drive shaft 88 on which one of the two rollers of the belt 9', in this case the roller 10', and a first toothed wheel 89 are keyed.
• a drive belt or chain 90 is wound around said toothed wheel 89 and passes around a second toothed wheel 91 keyed onto the shaft 92 for supporting and rotating the roller 10' of the belt 9. Said chain is then wound around a pair of toothed transmission wheels 93.
• the belts 9 and 9' are mounted on associated plates 94 and 94' which perform slight pivoting movements about the shafts 92 and 88, respectively. These plates 94 and 94' are in turn mounted on a pivoting structure 95 which is pivotably hinged on a fixed structure (not shown) by means of a pin 96.
• the plates 94 and 94' supporting the belts 9 and 9' comprise, at the top, arms 97 and 97', respectively, to which a rod 99 for connecting said plates 94 and 94' is connected by means of a pair of pivot pins 98 and 98'.
• the film feeding belts 9 and 9' are operated so that they move in the direction of the arrows T and T' and always remain with their inner side in contact with the film 2 to be fed longitudinally downwards.
• the pivoting rod 99 combined with the pivoting structure 95 in fact ensure that these belts 9 and 9' are always aligned with the tubular forming element 1 and therefore with the film 2.
• these belts 9 and 9' may adapt to any width or diameter of the tubular forming element 1 ; in fact if we imagine a tubular forming element 1 with a width or diameter greater than that shown in the figure, the belt 9 would be situated lower down than in the situation shown and always in contact with the film 2, while the belt 9' would be situated higher up than that shown and likewise always in contact with the film 2.
• the motor 87 which also has the function of a counterweight (therefore, if the belt 9 were lowered and the belt 9' raised, the motor 87 would also be raised) and by the fact that the structure 95 pivots with respect to the pin 96 (the plates 94 and 94' may pivot with respect to the shafts 92 and 88, and the rod 99 connecting the plates in turn may pivot about the pins 98 and 98').
• the correct definition of the weight of the motor 87 ensures the correct pressure of the belts 9 and 9; which must feed the film 2 downwards along the tubular forming element 1.
• Fig. 14a shows one of the cam tracks 47 with one of the two welding units 14 shown in Fig. 6.
• the rollers 48 are supported by the pivoting plate 49 which is connected to the associated arm 34 and therefore to the plate 33 by means of a pivot pin 100.
• the actual welder not shown in the figure, is positioned on the side of the plate 33.
• This plate 49 pivoting about the pin 100 allows the formation of cam tracks also having bends with small radii of curvature, since the rollers 48 adapt to these bends.
• the cam track 47 has, in the case of all four situations shown in Figs. 14a-d, a working track section 147 a-d, i.e.
• FIG. 14a a section along which two welding units 14 or 14' are facing each other and performing the transverse welding operation, as shown in Fig. 5 for example.
• Each of these working sections 147a-d has at its ends pins 102 for fixing to the remainder of the cam track 47 and therefore these working sections 147a-d are interchangeable.
• the working section 147a shown in Fig. 14a is straight so that the active welding section coincides with said working section and is denoted by A1.
• the working section 147b shown in Fig. 14b instead has an inset portion 247b where the units 14 or 14' are spaced from each other and therefore welding does not take place, the active welding section therefore essentially being represented by the segment A2.
• the active welding section therefore essentially being represented by the segment A2.
• the active section A3 is shorter than the section A2 since the inset portion 247c has a greater length, while in Fig. 14d the active section A4 has an even smaller length, with an inset portion 247d of the cam track 47 having a greater length than in the preceding cases. If it is assumed that, in each of the situations shown in Figs. 14a-d, the welding units with the associated plates 33 travel along the cam tracks at the same speed, the sections A1-A4 represent the time taken to perform transverse welding of the bottom of the packages; in other words, the shorter the welding time, and therefore the length of the working section A1-A4, the smaller is the length of the bags which are to be obtained using the present machine.
• Fig. 15 shows another variant of the present machine where there are three pairs of transverse welding units which engage with each other in order to weld the film 2, i.e.: a first pair of welding units 14, a second pair of units 14' and a third pair of welding units 14".
• Three welding units 14, 14' and 14" are therefore provided for each kinematic chain situated along the sides of the film 2 to be welded.
• the situation is similar to that shown in Fig. 5 where two welding units 14 and 14' are provided on each drive chain 15.
• each of the welding units 14, 14' and 14" travels along a triangular close-loop path so that the drive chains 15 are wound around three toothed wheels 16 arranged at the same distance from each other.
• the welding units 14, 14' and 14" are positioned halfway along the chain sections situated between one toothed wheel and the next one so that they are also spaced at the same distance from each other.
• the electrified tracks 41 on which the carbon brushes 43 slide will also have a triangular shape, as will the cam tracks 47 guiding the welding units 14, 14' and 14", said tracks 47 following a path situated on the outside of the drive chains 15 and the toothed wheels 16.
• Fig. 16 shows a device for selecting and unloading the finished package from the present machine.
• 103 denotes a fixed base, for example in the form of a disc, comprising along its periphery a mouth 104 for unloading the finished packages 13.
• This fixed disc 103 has in the centre a through-hole 105 which receives a shaft 106 rotated by associated operating means (not shown).
• a rotating disc 107 is connected to said shaft and provided with a series of compartments 108 for receiving the finished packages 13 after the machine has filled each of them with the associated product and welded the top and bottom thereof.
• These packages as a result of the disc 107, follow a given arc-like path relative to the fixed disc 103 until they reach the unloading mouth 104, where a conveyor belt for example, or the like, may be provided downstream, situated underneath said mouth.
• the plastic film 2 must be manually positioned around the tubular forming element 1 as far as the zone close to the feed belts 9 and 9' which initially will be arranged at a suitable distance from said tubular forming element 1.
• the operator wraps the film 2 around the rear surface 107 and then around the front surfaces 207 and 207' of the forming collar 7 and then inserts it into the annular cavity 23: a strip of film 2 will be positioned above the triangular element 307 and the other strip will be positioned between the two superimposing triangular elements 307 and 307'.
• the film 2 assumes a tubular shape with two superimposed longitudinal strips 2' and 2" corresponding to the shape of the tubular forming element 1 , and is displaced, again manually, as far as the zone of the feed belts 9 and 9'. Owing to a rotation about the pin 96 of the associated support structure 95, these belts 9 and 9' are positioned so as to make contact correctly against the film 2 arranged around the tubular forming element 1. Contact between the said belts 9 and 9' and the film 2 and tubular forming element 1 is ensured by the motor 87 which also has the function of a counterweight.
• the belts 9 and 9' may thus adapt to any width or diameter of the tubular forming element 1.
• the motor 87 is activated and the rollers 9 and 9' start to feed the film 2 downwards in a tubular form.
• the longitudinal welding bar 1 1 is displaced downwards, together with the reaction bar 12 or tubular member 53, and longitudinally welds the two superimposed strips of film 2.
• This bar 1 1 is operated by the means and mechanisms shown in Fig. 9. Said bar 1 1 must move longitudinally downwards at a speed greater than that of the film 2 to be welded and, once a section of film 2 has been welded, will be displaced transversely so as to move away from the tubular forming element 1 , while the reaction bar 12 or the tubular member 53 remain stationary.
• first transverse welding units for example the two units 14, perform initial welding of the bottom of the first package, while a suitable quantity of product has been introduced via the inlet mouth of the tubular forming element 1.
• the package containing the product and welded along the bottom passes in between the closed-loop conveying chains 15 and 15' and, therefore, when these second welding units 14' are facing and aligned with each other, welding of the top of the package is performed, as can be seen in Fig. 1 , for the first package 13.
• Said top of the first package 13 forms the bottom of the next package to be formed.
• the cutting blade 80' and counter-blade 80 are extracted from said second two welding units 14' so as to thus obtain the finished package which is allowed to fall into one of the compartments 108 of the rotating disc 107.
• the cycle for production of the packages therefore takes place continuously and without interruptions, also in the case of the configuration comprising three welding units 14, 14' and 14" shown in Fig.
• the present machine may be provided with folding members 71 and 71 ' which, via the motor 74 operating the bar 54 according to Figs. 7 and 8 and the hinged arms 68 and 68', move simultaneously and transversely towards or away from the tubular forming member 1 and therefore the film 2 in tubular form.
• folding members 71 and 71 ' have the function of folding two diametrically opposite strips of the film 2 which will form the package, and each of them is positioned at about 90° with respect to the transverse welding units 14 and 14' which are arranged downstream of said folding members.
• the movement of these folding members 71 and 71 ' is also continuous owing to the rollers 72 and 72' which travel on the twin-lobe cam 61 and rotation of the latter, so that the movement of these folding members must also be synchronized with the remainder of the moving parts of the present machine.
• the longitudinal welding bar 1 1 performs a backwards and forwards transverse movement in the direction T relative to the tubular forming element 1 and therefore the film 2.
• each of the said units 1 14 for transversely welding and cutting the packages comprises a pair of welding heads 151.
• a cutting blade 80' is inserted between the two heads 151 of the welding and cutting unit 1 14 situated on the right-hand side when viewing Figs. 17 and 18, while a counter-blade 80 is inserted between the two heads 151 of the unit 1 14 situated on the left-hand side.
• Each of the two units 1 14 is connected to a linear actuator 152 provided with an associated support 153 and able to move transversely backwards and forwards, and therefore towards or away from the double film 2, the associated unit 1 14 for transversely welding and cutting the packages.
• Each of the units 1 14 - see for example the unit equipped with the blade 80' shown in Fig. 19 - passes through an opening 154 formed in a cross-piece 155.
• the two cross-pieces 155 through which the two units 114 will pass during welding and cutting, face each other and the double film 2 is clamped in position between them.
• Each of the cross-pieces 155 is supported at each end by a support plate 156, see for example Fig.
• each cross-piece is provided with two support plates 156 connected to the ends thereof.
• Each of the plates 156 is provided with a pair of pins 157 by means of which it is connected to an associated drive chain 158 which performs a substantially triangular movement around three toothed wheels 159 arranged at the same distance from each other.
• the structure housing the two welding units 1 14 comprises two parallel side walls 160 connected together by means of cross-pieces 161 .
• Two symmetrically arranged tracks 162 with a substantially triangular shape are fixed to each of said side walls 160 - compare Figures 17 and 19 in this connection.
• the plates 156 supporting the cross-pieces 154 move along these triangular tracks 162 by means of two pairs of rollers 163 which travel idle and in contact with either side of said track. Each pair of said rollers 163 is fastened to a plate 164 which is free to pivot, so as to follow the bends along the triangular path of the track 162, about a central pin 165 integral with the plate 156.
• the four drive chains 158 are positioned along the associated track 162 and, in each pair of chains provided on each side wall 160, these chains 158 are also symmetrically arranged with respect to each other, as can be seen in Fig. 17.
• These chains are operated by means of a motor 166 which causes rotation of an associated shaft 167 which passes through the structure from one side wall to the other and which has, keyed thereon, the first of a pair of identical and counter-rotating gear wheels 168.
• the drive shaft 167 causes rotation of the two gear wheels 168, and the two shafts on which they are keyed, i.e. said drive shaft 167 and the driven shaft 167", pass through the structure from one side wall to the other one, thereby essentially ensuring the synchronous movement of the four chains 158.
• 167' denotes the other driven shafts of the other toothed wheels, shown at the bottom in Fig. 17.
• each section of each track of the pair of symmetrically arranged tracks 162 is provided with a plate 156 supporting an associated cross-piece 155 provided with the opening 154.
• the structure will be provided with three pairs of cross-pieces 155, each of said cross-pieces being supported by a pair of plates 156.
• These cross-pieces 155 come into contact with the double film along the upper toothed wheels 159 shown in Fig. 17 and remain in contact therewith until they reach the zone close to the two lower toothed wheels 159.
• the double film 2 for forming the packages is therefore practically always in contact with a pair of cross-pieces 155 which rotate on the triangular tracks 162, ensuring an advantageous continuity during the packaging operations.
• the longitudinal welding bar 1 1 and the two transverse welding and cutting units 1 14 operate together in this variant of the present machine.
• the bar 1 1 is displaced towards the tubular forming element 1 - see Fig. 1 - by means of the actuator 150 and performs longitudinal welding of two superimposed strips of the film 2.
• the two units 1 14 are displaced, by means of two actuators 152, towards the double film 2 passing through the associated openings 154 formed in the two cross-pieces 155.
• These units are each provided with a double welding head 151 so that the heads 151 situated at the top in Figures 17, 18 and 19 will weld the two strips of the bottom of a package situated upstream, while the two heads situated at the bottom will weld the two strips of the top of a package situated downstream.
• the blade 80' cooperating with the associated counter-blade 80, will separate these two packages situated upstream and downstream.
• the simultaneous longitudinal welding, transverse welding and cutting operations for separating the packages require a very short interruption in the machine cycle, which interruption may be defined as having a duration of about 1/10 of a second, so that the process implemented by the present machine is practically continuous also in this variant just described.
• Fig. 20 shows a dispenser 169 for dispensing loose material to be introduced into the inlet opening 5 of the tubular forming element.
• the dispenser 169 comprises a central metering unit 171 which is divided into two chambers 172 and 172' into which a certain quantity of loose material 173 may be introduced via a top inlet mouth 170.
• the figure shows the chamber 172 filled with loose material 173.
• These chambers are closed at the bottom and at the top by movable hatches: the chamber 172 is closed at the top by the hatch 177a and at the bottom by the hatch 177b, while the chamber 172' is closed at the top by the hatch 178a and at the bottom by the hatch 178b.
• This central unit 171 is supported on two opposite sides by suitable fixed supports 174, while each of the hatches 177a, 177b, 178a and 178b is displaced in one direction or the other by means of an associated linear actuator 179.
• the device 169 comprises downstream of the unit 171 a bottom wall 175 provided with an opening 176 for allowing the loose material 172 to pass from this unit 171 into the inlet mouth 5 of the tubular forming element.
• the dispenser 169 ensures that a certain quantity of product always reaches the tubular forming element in an efficient and rapid manner, thereby speeding up greatly the operating process of the present machine.
• the material 173 has been introduced into the chamber 172 through the top opening thereof left open by the hatch 177a in the retracted position.
• the bottom hatch 177b is instead closed.
• the hatches 178a and 178b of the other chamber 172' are in precisely the opposite position, namely the top hatch 178a is closed while the bottom hatch 178b is open.
• Fig. 20 shows two oppositely arranged series of three movable baffles 182a-c and 183a-c.
• These baffles which may also consist of a number greater or smaller than that shown, are arranged suitably spaced from each other and have the function of forming alternating steps along the inner channel 180 of the tubular forming element 1 through which the loose material 173 passes.
• These baffles basically have the function of preventing the loose material to be packaged from falling by means of gravity from the top to the bottom of the tubular forming element all in one go. Such a falling action could in fact be harmful and damage the loose material in the case where it is not of solid or resistant nature.
• baffles of one series are alternated with the baffles of another series, and therefore the sequence of baffles, starting from the top of the tubular forming element, is as follows: 182a, 183a, 182b, 183b, 182c and 183c.
• the movable baffles of each series are connected to a connection plate 184 and are displaced upwards or downwards by means of an associated actuator 185.
• Each of these baffles may be made of plastic or metal and must possess a certain flexibility and elasticity so that they can be suitably bent.
• Two chambers 181 and 181 ' for respectively housing said two series of oppositely arranged baffles 182a-c and 183a-c are formed on the outside of two oppositely arranged walls 186 of the central channel 180 through which the loose material 173 passes.
• Each of these oppositely arranged walls 186 are provided with holes 187 through which each of said baffles can protrude from the associated chamber 181 and 181 '.
• the chambers 181 and 181 ' are at least open at the top so as to allow the baffles 182a-c and 183a-c to protrude from the top and be operated by means of the associated actuators 185.
• Fixed pins 188 are positioned inside each of the chambers - see for example the chamber 181 in Fig. 22 - and engage with the baffles along the eyelets 189 formed therein - see in this connection the front view of Fig. 23 showing the three baffles 182a-c.
• the length of these eyelets essentially defines the upward or downward travel of each of the three baffles which move simultaneously.
• baffles - see for example the baffle 182a shown in Figures 24a and 24b - is guided during its movements into and out of the central channel 180 by two curved grooves formed in two opposite walls of said central channel.
• These figures show one of the said grooves, i.e. the grooves 190 formed in the wall 186 of the central channel 180.
• baffles 182a-c are in the lowered position, i.e. are completely extracted from the holes 187 of the chamber 181 and therefore form steps for the loose material 173 supplied from the inlet mouth 5. This material therefore falls onto the first baffle 182a.
• the baffles of the other series 183a-c are instead in the retracted position and completely raised. At this point the baffles 182a-c are raised and retracted and, as a result of their elasticity, assume the position shown in Fig. 21 b, while the baffles 183a-c are lowered and inserted into the channel 180.
• Said insertion is performed by means of elastic deformation of the said baffles which are guided by the grooves 190 mentioned above and/or moreover are inserted inside a slit 192 formed in the wall 186 opposite to that in which the outlet holes 187 are formed.
• the loose material 173 then passes from the first baffle 182a, which has been retracted, to the first baffle 183a, gradually moving stepwise towards the bottom of the tubular forming element 1.
• the baffles 183a-c are retracted and raised, while the baffles 182a-c are again extracted and lowered and the loose material passes from the baffle 183a to the baffle 182b. This operation will continue to take place until the loose material has reached the bottom of the tubular forming element ready for packaging.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)
• Basic Packing Technique (AREA)

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• 2009
  • 2009-09-30 IT ITGE2009A000074A patent/IT1395722B1/it active
• 2010
  • 2010-09-29 US US13/499,092 patent/US20120180428A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2010-09-29 RU RU2012117770/13A patent/RU2012117770A/ru not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2010-09-29 CN CN201080053862.0A patent/CN102639399B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2010-09-29 WO PCT/IB2010/054386 patent/WO2011039710A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2010-09-29 EP EP10776425A patent/EP2483162A1/en not_active Withdrawn

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