EP3353065B1 - Dispositif et méthode pour alimenter et former différents groupes organizés d'articles à fumer - Google Patents

Dispositif et méthode pour alimenter et former différents groupes organizés d'articles à fumer Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3353065B1
EP3353065B1 EP16794034.5A EP16794034A EP3353065B1 EP 3353065 B1 EP3353065 B1 EP 3353065B1 EP 16794034 A EP16794034 A EP 16794034A EP 3353065 B1 EP3353065 B1 EP 3353065B1
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EP
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Prior art keywords
smoking articles
type
compartment
organized
feed
Prior art date
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EP16794034.5A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP3353065A1 (fr
Inventor
Fiorenzo Draghetti
Vincenzo PEZZOTTA
Marco Stefanini
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IMA Industria Macchine Automatiche SpA
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IMA Industria Macchine Automatiche SpA
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B19/00—Packaging rod-shaped or tubular articles susceptible to damage by abrasion or pressure, e.g. cigarettes, cigars, macaroni, spaghetti, drinking straws or welding electrodes
    • B65B19/02—Packaging cigarettes
    • B65B19/04—Arranging, feeding, or orientating the cigarettes
    • 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
    • B65B59/00—Arrangements to enable machines to handle articles of different sizes, to produce packages of different sizes, to vary the contents of packages, to handle different types of packaging material, or to give access for cleaning or maintenance purposes
    • B65B59/001—Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the product to be packaged
    • 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
    • B65B63/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on articles or materials to be packaged
    • B65B63/02—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on articles or materials to be packaged for compressing or compacting articles or materials prior to wrapping or insertion in containers or receptacles
    • B65B63/026—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on articles or materials to be packaged for compressing or compacting articles or materials prior to wrapping or insertion in containers or receptacles for compressing by feeding articles through a narrowing space
    • 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
    • B65B2220/00—Specific aspects of the packaging operation
    • B65B2220/14—Adding more than one type of material or article to the same package

Definitions

  • Embodiments described here concern an apparatus and method to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles, advantageously of different types, such as for example cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos or suchlike, to make packets of smoking articles, to obtain organized groups of smoking articles, advantageously of different types, inside a single packet; it also concerns packets of smoking articles thus obtained and machines to obtain said packets.
  • Apparatuses are known, for feeding smoking articles that supply organized groups of smoking articles to packet-making machines.
  • Known feeding apparatuses comprise a feed unit, generally a loading hopper, in which the smoking articles to be disposed in organized groups are conveyed, and a thruster unit to transfer the organized groups in suitable drawers positioned on the periphery of a transfer wheel to transfer them to subsequent packaging machines to make the packets.
  • Known apparatuses can generally comprise two or more conveyor compartments that respectively form two or more organized groups of smoking articles with every functioning cycle of the thruster device.
  • the organized groups of smoking articles are inserted in suitable drawers from which they are subsequently removed to be packed in a packet.
  • the organized groups generally consist of smoking articles of the same type.
  • one purpose of the present invention is to obtain an apparatus to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles of different types, which allows to feed at least two organized groups of different smoking articles in a single drawer and hence to obtain a packet with at least two different types of smoking articles.
  • Another purpose of the present invention is to obtain an apparatus to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles, of different types, to feed at least two organized groups of different smoking articles in a single packet, maintaining high productivity comparable to known apparatuses, which feed a single type of smoking article.
  • Another purpose is to perfect a method to feed and form at least two organized groups of smoking articles of different types, in a single drawer, to obtain a packet with at least two different types of smoking articles.
  • Another purpose is to obtain an apparatus which is simple to manage.
  • Another purpose is to obtain an apparatus that is quick in organizing the groups of smoking articles autonomously and hence in filling the packets.
  • Another purpose is to obtain an apparatus that is easy to control during working and is easy and quick to intervene in restoration and maintenance.
  • Another purpose is to obtain an apparatus that is easy to manage and program, and simple to modify the components and results.
  • Another purpose is to obtain a method and device that are both suitable to be adopted easily in new machines, and also suitable to convert, simply and without losing productivity, machines already in use.
  • the Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.
  • Embodiments described here concern an apparatus to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles of different types.
  • the apparatus comprises a feed unit configured to receive at least two streams of smoking articles of at least a first type and a second type different from each other and suitable to feed the smoking articles toward an introduction unit configured to introduce organized groups of smoking articles into receiver members or drawers, each suitable to contain an overall quantity N of smoking articles, of a transfer mean.
  • the feed unit comprises at least a feed hopper configured to receive the streams of smoking articles at least of a first type and a second type.
  • first type and the second type can be very diverse: by way of example they can affect the external sizes of the article, the longitudinal composition of the article, the type of content, in particular the type or flavor of the tobacco, the presence or absence of a filter, the different type of filter etc. These differences can be combined with each other.
  • the feed hopper has at least two adjacent sectors, each suitable to receive and contain one type of smoking article.
  • the sectors cooperate directly with compartments each suitable to select on exit a desired number, eventually to be selected, of smoking articles organized into groups.
  • a possible embodiment provides that said at least one hopper is divided into at least two sectors that each cooperate with at least two compartments.
  • said sectors and said compartments lie substantially on the same vertical plane, obtaining the feed by gravity.
  • the sectors are adjacent so that at least two compartments with different types of smoking articles are adjacent so as to constitute a single compartment with two different types of smoking articles.
  • this double compartment will be called intermediate compartment.
  • Each sector can have, as well as the two adjacent compartments, or as well as the intermediate compartment, two or more autonomous compartments specialized in one specific type of smoking article
  • the presence of one or more autonomous compartments per sector conditions only the movement of the receiver member, or drawer.
  • the receiver member, or drawer moves two steps between one introduction and the next. Instead, if there are two autonomous compartments, the receiver member, or drawer, moves three steps, and so on.
  • a first compartment configured to feed organized groups of smoking articles only of the first type
  • an intermediate compartment configured to feed organized and separate groups of smoking articles of the first type and the second type
  • a second compartment configured to feed only organized groups of smoking articles of the second type
  • the groups of smoking articles of the first type and of the second type comprise respectively quantities N1 and N2 of smoking articles.
  • group we mean both a set of more than two smoking articles and also a set consisting of a single smoking article. Therefore, N1 and N2 can be whole numbers greater than or equal to one.
  • N1 and N2 are equal numbers the total of which corresponds to the overall quantity N of smoking articles that can be introduced into a packet.
  • N1 and N2 are both even numbers.
  • N1 and N2 are both odd numbers.
  • the number N1 and the number N2 are two different numbers, leaving the overall quantity N unvaried.
  • N1 is an even number and N2 is an odd number, or vice versa.
  • N1 and N2 represent organized groups of smoking articles positioned on parallel rows.
  • N1 and N2 also represent organized groups of smoking articles in groups which are separate but bordering, for example laterally or on different planes.
  • the three compartments, first, intermediate and second, are positioned on the same vertical plane.
  • each first, intermediate and second compartment has conveying chambers suitable to selectively feed at least one unit of smoking articles so that at exit the number of chambers which have arrived on each occasion determines the quantity N1 and/or N2 that will be delivered into the respective drawer.
  • quantities N1 and N2 are fed at the same time with each introduction, and the drawer is therefore always filled.
  • quantities N1 and N2 are respectively fed with each introduction, and the drawer that receives at the first introduction, for example, only the second quantity N2 of smoking articles of the second type, is completely filled only at the second introduction, when it receives the quantity N1 of smoking articles of the first type.
  • the respective drawers which have been identified as receiver members, move two steps with every work cycle.
  • N1 and/or N2 are organized in subsequent parallel layers, and one layer has a different number of articles, for example fewer, compared to the other layers, the corresponding compartment will have dividing means able to prevent, where necessary, a smoking article from descending.
  • the dividing means can be fixed or temporary.
  • the introduction unit cooperates with each drawer, and is configured to introduce therein the organized groups of smoking articles, delivered in an organized way from the respective first, intermediate and second compartments.
  • the drawers are provided with a separator plate, configured to at least partly divide the drawer into a first section and a second section.
  • the separator plate has an undulating development mating with the profile of the smoking articles of the first type on one side and/or the smoking articles of the second type on the other side, in order to adapt to the profile of the different smoking articles, keeping them confined and separate in the respective drawer.
  • Embodiments described here concern an apparatus 10 to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles 12a, 12b of different types.
  • the apparatus 10 comprises a feed unit 14 of smoking articles 12a, 12b configured to receive at least two streams of different smoking articles 12a, 12b and to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles 12a, 12b, a transfer mean 16, and an introduction unit 18 to introduce the organized groups of smoking articles 12a, 12b into suitable reception members or drawers 50, present on the transfer mean 16.
  • the transfer mean 16 can be a transfer wheel for example, or a transporter, in particular a linear transporter, such as for example a belt, band, chain or suchlike.
  • a transfer wheel for example, or a transporter, in particular a linear transporter, such as for example a belt, band, chain or suchlike.
  • transfer mean 16 we will refer to a transfer wheel.
  • the characteristics of length of the smoking articles of the first type 12a and the second type 12b can, advantageously but not necessarily, be the same, so as to have an identical free compartment in the final packet.
  • the inventive idea can provide that there are access compartments of different length, or made of a different length, present in the packet.
  • the feed unit 14 comprises at least a feed hopper 20, configured to receive at least two streams of smoking articles 12a, 12b of different types.
  • the feed hopper 20 is advantageously vertical with respect to a horizontal support plane of the apparatus 10, and can be positioned downstream of the introduction unit 18 and upstream of the transfer mean 16, where there are the drawers 50, in a direction F parallel to the direction in which the longitudinal axes of the smoking articles 12a, 12b are aligned in the feed hopper 20.
  • the introduction unit 18 can translate on each occasion the organized groups of smoking articles of the first type 12a and the second type 12b fed by the feed unit 14 and can introduce them into the respective drawers 50 of the transfer mean 16.
  • the feed hopper 20 comprises at least a first sector 24, able to receive and contain only a stream of smoking articles of the first type 12a, and a second sector 26, able to receive and contain only a stream of smoking articles of the second type 12b.
  • the first sector 24 and the second sector 26 are adjacent and separated from each other by a dividing wall 22.
  • the hopper 20 also comprises three compartments 28a, 28b, 28c lying substantially on the same vertical plane.
  • the three compartments 28a, 28b, 28c are configured to cooperate with the first sector 24 and second sector 26. In this way, the stream of smoking articles 12a, 12b goes from sectors 24, 26 to compartments 28a, 28b, 28c and from here to the drawers 50.
  • the hopper 20 therefore is divided into these three compartments 28a, 28b, 28c, defined thus: a first lateral compartment 28a (on the left in fig. 1 ), able to receive only a stream of smoking articles of the first type 12a, an intermediate or central compartment 28b, able to receive, simultaneously and in a distinct and organized manner, both a stream of smoking articles of the first type 12a and the second type 12b, and a second lateral compartment 28c (on the right in fig. 1 ), able to receive only a stream of smoking articles of the second type 12b.
  • a first lateral compartment 28a on the left in fig. 1
  • an intermediate or central compartment 28b able to receive, simultaneously and in a distinct and organized manner, both a stream of smoking articles of the first type 12a and the second type 12b
  • a second lateral compartment 28c on the right in fig. 1
  • each compartment 28a, 28b, 28c is divided into a desired and selected plurality of conveying chambers 36, configured to convey the smoking articles of the first type 12a and the smoking articles of the second type 12b and oblige them to descend aligned and positioned on top of the other.
  • the conveying chambers 36 are configured to each convey a respective single row of smoking articles of the type desired 12a, 12b.
  • Each conveying chamber 36 is provided in its lower end with a discharge aperture 38 (see figs. 1 and 5 for example) through which the smoking articles 12a, 12b exit from the respective compartments 28a, 28b, 28c.
  • Possible implementations of the conveying chambers 36 can be conveying channels, also referred to as "conveying veins" in this technical field.
  • the first compartment 28a communicates only with the first sector 24
  • the intermediate compartment 28b communicates with the first sector 24 and the second sector 26
  • the second compartment 28c communicates only with the second sector 26.
  • the dividing wall 22 can also be configured to separate the intermediate compartment 28b into a first portion 29a, communicating only with the first sector 24 and able to contain the smoking articles of the first type 12a, and a second portion 29b, communicating only with the second sector 26 and able to contain the smoking articles of the second type 12b so as to keep them strictly separated.
  • the compartments 28a, 28b, 28c are disposed aligned with each other on a vertical plane in a direction G perpendicular to the direction F in which the smoking articles 12a, 12b are ordered in the feed hopper 20 ( fig. 1 ).
  • Both the first sector 24 and the second sector 26 have respective apertures 30, 32 to introduce respective smoking articles of the first type 12a and the second type 12b, which can be associated with feed members that remove them from suitable tanks or stores, not shown in the drawings.
  • the compartments 28a, 28b, 28c are configured to feed respectively quantities N1 or N2 of smoking articles, the sum of which corresponds to the overall quantity N of smoking articles 12a, 12b to be introduced into a drawer 50.
  • N, N1 and N2 are whole numbers, bigger than zero.
  • the compartments 28a, 28b, 28c each have a desired number of conveying chambers 36 which can be divided up as desired by obstruction elements 37 such as to prevent access by the smoking articles 12a, 12b to the conveying chambers 36, so as to allow only the quantities desired on each occasion to reach the discharge apertures 38.
  • the number of conveying chambers 36 in each compartment 28a, 28b, 28c is fixed in advance according to a determinate configuration of the packet to be produced.
  • the smoking articles of the first type 12a and the second type 12b descend toward the lower part of the compartments 28a, 28b, 28c along respective conveying chambers 36 due to the force of gravity, and settle in organized and desired groups of orderly rows on a support plane 40 under the discharge apertures 38.
  • the compartments 28a, 28b, 28c can comprise or be associated with formation chambers, or housing seatings 41 (see figs. 2 , 6 and 9 ), in which the organized groups of smoking articles of the first type 12a and the second type 12b are defined, which subsequently are moved, by the introduction unit 18, into the respective drawers 50.
  • the formation chambers 41 can be provided, for example on the support plane 40, in cooperation with respective discharge apertures 38 of the corresponding first compartment 28a, intermediate compartment 28b and second compartment 28c, then receiving the smoking articles from the respective conveying chambers 36.
  • a compacting chamber 43 downstream of a respective formation chamber 41, in said direction F, can be provided, configured to direct the smoking articles and compact them in organized groups of the first type 12a and the second type 12b in quantities N1 and N2, to a respective drawer 50.
  • the compacting chamber 43 can be defined by walls 45 converging, with respect to the axis defined by direction F, toward the drawer 50.
  • organized groups of smoking articles 12a, 12b can be provided disposed on one, two or three ordered rows to obtain the desired number of N1 and/or N2 smoking articles so as to reach the overall quantity N of smoking articles to be introduced into the final packet.
  • each compartment 28a, 28b, 28c can comprise dividing means, configured to divide the transit of one smoking article 12a, 12b from another, for example so as to differentiate the quantities N1 and N2 of smoking articles that will be present in the final packet.
  • the dividing means can be fixed or temporary.
  • the dividing means can be provided in the respective formation chambers 41.
  • the dividing means can be configured to prevent, depending on requirements, the descent of a smoking article 12a, 12b from a respective conveying chamber 36, as for example if three rows of smoking articles of one type are provided, respectively of three, two and three smoking articles.
  • the formation chambers or housing seatings 41 can be provided ( figs. 2 , 6 and 9 ), in which the smoking articles 12a, 12b can fall due to gravity as they arrive from the respective compartments 28a, 28b, 28c and from which they can subsequently be introduced by the introduction unit 18 into the transfer mean 16 in a desired manner.
  • the introduction unit 18 comprises a plurality of thruster elements 44a, 44b, 44c, as many as there are drawers 50 to be filled on each occasion.
  • the introduction unit 18 can comprise a single thruster element which has thrust elements for each of the compartments 28a, 28b, 28c, that is, it can have thruster elements 44a, 44b, 44c for each compartment 28a, 28b, 28c.
  • the thruster elements 44a, 44b, 44c are configured to translate in direction F ( fig. 1 ) the organized groups of smoking articles 12a, 12b in the drawers 50 of the transfer mean 16.
  • the introduction unit 18 comprises one or more actuation members, not shown in the drawings, configured to drive the translation of the thruster elements 44a, 44b, 44c in the desired manner, between a condition of non-interference with the organized groups of smoking articles 12a, 12b and a transfer condition where the thruster elements 44a, 44b, 44c transfer the organized groups of smoking articles 12a, 12b into the respective drawers 50 of the transfer mean 16 which are found in an entrance station 48 along a transfer path P.
  • the transfer mean 16 can be configured to move intermittently, that is, step-wise.
  • the transfer mean 16 can be configured to rotate with an intermittent motion, that is, step-wise, around an axis of rotation Z, for example in the direction indicated by the arrow associated with the transfer path P in figs. 1 , 2 , 5 and 6 , to move the plurality of drawers 50 provided on the periphery thereof.
  • the transfer mean 16 is a linear transporter, it can be configured to obtain an analogous intermittent movement.
  • the drawers 50 have a containing chamber 58 and, in the variant where the transfer mean 16 is a transfer wheel, they can be disposed with their longitudinal development in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation Z, and can be fed in direction F parallel thereto ( fig. 1 ).
  • the step-wise movement of the transfer mean 16 is conditioned by the number of first compartments 28a and second compartments 28c.
  • the step-wise movement which can be a rotation if the transfer mean 16 is a transfer wheel, will correspond to two compartments or two drawers.
  • the step-wise movement which can be a rotation if the transfer mean 16 is a transfer wheel, will correspond to three compartments, and so on.
  • the step-wise movement is therefore connected to the fact that the drawers partly filled in correspondence with specialized compartments which contain only specific smoking articles, in this specific case the first compartment 28a and the second compartment 28c, are located in correspondence with compartments that contain only the other specific smoking articles.
  • each drawer 50 can comprise containing elements 60 disposed along the lateral walls 56 to modify the containing chamber 58 depending on the type of smoking articles 12a, 12b processed, and depending on the type of packets to be formed.
  • the containing elements 60 define the containing chamber 58 in which the organized groups of smoking articles of the first type 12a and second type 12b can be disposed one next to the other, in respective sections 59a and 59b.
  • the containing elements 60 can be configured to reduce the space of the containing chamber 58 and to keep the smoking articles 12a, 12b introduced into the drawer 50 in order.
  • the drawer 50 can be provided with a separator plate 62, configured to at least partly divide the containing chamber 58 into the first section 59a and the second section 59b.
  • the separator plate 62 is shaped to mate with the profile of a plurality of smoking articles of the first type 12a on one side and smoking articles of the second type 12b on the other.
  • the separator plate 62 has an undulating development, provided with a succession of convexities and concavities to accommodate on one side and/or the other of the separator plate 62 the smoking articles of the first type 12a and the second type 12b, keeping them confined in the respective first section 59a and/or second section 59b.
  • the separator plate 62 can be configured to keep in order an organized group of second smoking articles 12b in the second section 59b of the drawer 50 during the transfer of the latter from a position aligned with the second compartment 28c to a position aligned with the first compartment 28a, preventing the smoking articles, for example, of the second type 12b from moving from the second section 59b and occupying the first section 59a.
  • smoking articles of the second type 12b and smoking articles of the first type 12a into a drawer 50, or vice versa.
  • the introduction of smoking articles of the second type 12b and smoking articles of the first type 12a can take place in a drawer 50 simultaneously, in the case of a drawer 50 aligned during the introduction with the intermediate compartment 28b, or in subsequent work cycles in the case of drawers 50 aligned during the introduction with the first compartment 28a and the second compartment 28c.
  • the transfer mean 16 comprises an end-of-travel member 64 configured to define an abutment element for the organized groups of smoking articles of the first type 12a and smoking articles of the second type 12b during their translation to position them correctly in the containing chamber 58 of the drawer 50.
  • the drawer 50 which was in correspondence with the second compartment 28c finds itself in correspondence with the first compartment 28a, so that the first section 59a can be filled with the quantity N1 of smoking articles of the first type 12a arriving from the first compartment 28a, while the drawer 50 that finds itself in correspondence with the second compartment 28c is partly filled with the quantity N2 of smoking articles of the second type 12b.
  • two drawers 50 are obtained, aligned respectively with the first compartment 28a and the second compartment 28c, identified in figs. 1 , 4 , 5 and 9 by the numbers I and III, partly filled with respective N1 and N2 smoking articles and a drawer 50, aligned with the intermediate compartment 28b, identified by the number II, completely filled with N1 plus N2 smoking articles.
  • the transfer mean 16 is moved, for example made to rotate in the case of a transfer wheel, by a number of steps so as to transfer the drawer 50, number III, previously aligned with the second compartment 28c, and hence partly filled with N2 smoking articles of the second type 12b, into alignment with the first compartment 28a, so as to complete the filling thereof with the subsequent introduction, filling the first section 59a with N1 smoking articles of the first type 12a ( figs. 4 and 9 ).
  • the smoking articles of the first type 12a and the smoking articles of the second type 12b have available the same time as that with which the transfer mean 16 is moved, for example rotated in the case of a transfer wheel, by two steps, to descend from the respective compartments 28a, 28b, 28c, and to dispose themselves in ordered organized groups of smoking articles of the first type 12a and smoking articles of the second type 12b.
  • figs. 1-9 are used to describe embodiments in which the number of conveying chambers 36 of the first portion 29a of the intermediate compartment 28b can be different from the number of conveying chambers 36 of the second portion 29b and the number of conveying chambers 36 of the first compartment 28a is different from the number of conveying chambers 36 of the second compartment 28c.
  • the number of conveying chambers 36 it is advantageously possible to modify the groupings of smoking articles of the first type 12a and smoking articles of the second type 12b, so as to vary the quantities N1 and N2 present in a packet.
  • the number of conveying chambers 36 of the first portion 29a of the intermediate compartment 28b can be the same as the number of conveying chambers 36 of the first compartment 28a, while the number of conveying chambers 36 of the second portion 29b can be the same as the number of conveying chambers 36 of the second compartment 28c.
  • the sum of the conveying chambers 36 of the first portion 29a and the second portion 29b of the intermediate compartment 28b is the same as the sum of the number of conveying chambers 36 of the first compartment 28a and the second compartment 28c.
  • the number of conveying chambers 36 of the first portion 29a of the intermediate compartment 28b and the first compartment 28a can be four, and the number of conveying chambers 36 of the second portion 29b and the second compartment 28c can be three ( figs. 1-4 ), or the number of conveying chambers 36 of the first portion 29a of the intermediate compartment 28b and the first compartment 28a can be five, and the number of conveying chambers 36 of the second portion 29b and the second compartment 28c can be three ( figs. 5-9 ).
  • Figs. 1-4 are used to describe embodiments of the apparatus 10 and connected method, by means of which groups of smoking articles of different types are obtained, of the first type 12a and of the second type 12b, in quantities respectively N1 and N2, where N1 and N2 are two even numbers.
  • Figs. 5-9 are used to describe other embodiments of the apparatus 10 and connected method, by means of which groups of smoking articles of different types are obtained, of the first type 12a and of the second type 12b, in quantities respectively N1 and N2, where N1 and N2 are two odd numbers.
  • the number of conveying chambers 36 of the intermediate compartment 28b is different from the number of conveying chambers 36 of the intermediate compartment 28b in the embodiments described with reference to figs. 1-4 , and hence the respective division into the first portion 29a and second portion 29b is different, so as to generate the desired numerical combinations of smoking articles of the first type 12a and smoking articles of the second type 12b in the drawers 50.
  • dividing means can be provided, analogous to those described above, also defined hereafter as stop means 35, 39, to condition the number of smoking articles that are introduced on each occasion into the drawers 50, for example so as to generate groups divided into different quantities N1 and N2 and/or layers with different numerical combinations of smoking articles.
  • the stop means 35, 39 can be the fixed type.
  • the stop means 35, 39 can be mobile or adjustable, according to production needs.
  • the stop means 35, 39 can be provided in the formation chambers 41, in a position coordinated with the combination of N1 and N2 smoking articles to be obtained.
  • the stop means 35, 39 positioned in a desired and specific manner, block certain smoking articles, allowing others to pass, according to the numerical combination to be obtained.
  • fig. 8 is used to describe embodiments of the stop means 35, 39, for example defined by one or more stepped stop means or undercuts 35 and/or one or more stop means shaped as a protruding block 39, provided in the respective formation chambers 41.
  • the thruster elements 44a, 44b, 44c can be shaped mating with the stop means 35, 39, so as to maintain the thrust function on the smoking articles that have to be thrust from the formation chambers 41 toward the drawers 50, and not interfere with the stop means 35, 39 where they are present.
  • the twenty (N) smoking articles can be divided into two groups of twelve (N1) smoking articles of the first type 12a and eight (N2) smoking articles of the second type 12b organized in three overlapping layers ( fig. 3 ), using for example the embodiments described with reference to figs. 1-4 , or divided into two groups of thirteen (N1) smoking articles of the first type 12a and seven (N2) smoking articles of the second type 12b organized in three overlapping layers ( fig. 7 ), using for example the embodiments described with reference to figs. 5-9 .
  • seven conveying chambers 36 can be provided for example in the intermediate compartment 28b, of which four in the first portion 29a and three in the second portion 29b, and in a coordinated manner four conveying chambers 36 in the first compartment 28a and three conveying chambers 36 in the second compartment 28c.
  • eight conveying chambers 36 can be provided for example in the intermediate compartment 28b, of which five in the first portion 29a and three in the second portion 29b, and in a coordinated manner five conveying chambers 36 in the first compartment 28a and three conveying chambers 36 in the second compartment 28c.
  • nine conveying chambers 36 can be provided in the intermediate compartment 28b of which six in the first portion 29a and three in the second portion 29b, and in a coordinated manner six conveying chambers 36 in the first compartment 28a and three conveying chambers 36 in the second compartment 28c.
  • these twenty-five (N) smoking articles can be divided into two groups of eighteen (N1) smoking articles of the first type 12a and seven (N2) smoking articles of the second type 12b, organized in three overlapping layers.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Wrapping Of Specific Fragile Articles (AREA)
  • Cigarettes, Filters, And Manufacturing Of Filters (AREA)

Claims (17)

  1. Appareil pour alimenter et former au moins deux groupes organisés différents d'articles à fumer (12a, 12b), ledit appareil comprenant une unité d'alimentation (14) configurée pour recevoir des articles à fumer (12a, 12b) respectifs et pour alimenter des groupes organisés desdits articles à fumer (12a, 12b) séparément vers une unité d'introduction (18) configurée pour introduire lesdits groupes organisés d'articles à fumer (12a, 12b) dans des tiroirs (50), appropriés pour contenir une quantité totale N d'articles à fumer (12a, 12b), d'un moyen de transfert (16),
    dans lequel ladite unité d'alimentation (14) comprend une trémie d'alimentation (20) divisée au moins de façon terminale en compartiments adjacents (28a, 28b, 28c), chacun apte à recevoir, de manière sélective et sélectionnée, respectivement dans au moins un premier compartiment (28a) des articles à fumer du premier type (12a), à recevoir simultanément dans un compartiment intermédiaire (28b), séparés et en ordre, des articles à fumer du premier type (12a) et du second type (12b), et à recevoir dans au moins un second compartiment (28c) des articles à fumer du second type (12b),
    dans lequel ledit au moins un premier compartiment (28a) est configuré pour alimenter exclusivement des groupes organisés constitués d'une quantité souhaitée N1 d'articles à fumer du premier type (12a),
    ladite unité d'introduction (18) étant configurée pour coopérer sélectivement avec lesdits compartiments (28a, 28b, 28c) afin d'introduire à chaque occasion lesdits groupes organisés d'articles à fumer du premier type (12a) et du second type (12b) dans des sections respectives (59a, 59b) de chacun des tiroirs (50) du moyen de transfert (16) afin d'en achever le remplissage,
    caractérisé en ce que
    ledit compartiment intermédiaire (28b) est configuré pour alimenter ladite quantité totale N d'articles à fumer, divisée en un groupe organisé constitué d'une quantité souhaitée N1 d'articles à fumer du premier type (12a) et en un groupe organisé constitué d'une quantité souhaitée N2 d'articles à fumer du second type (12b) et
    ledit au moins un second compartiment (28c) étant configuré pour alimenter exclusivement des groupes organisés constitués d'une quantité souhaitée N2 d'articles à fumer du second type (12b).
  2. Appareil selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que ladite trémie d'alimentation (20) comprend au moins un premier secteur (24) et un second secteur adjacent (26), chacun apte à recevoir exclusivement un type d'article à fumer (12a, 12b) et en en ce que ledit au moins un premier compartiment (28a) communique exclusivement avec ledit premier secteur (24), ledit compartiment intermédiaire (28b) communique séparément avec ledit premier secteur (24) et avec ledit second secteur (26) et ledit au moins un second compartiment (28c) communique exclusivement avec ledit second secteur (26).
  3. Appareil selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce que lesdites quantités N1 et N2 sont des nombres égaux, dont la somme est égale à ladite quantité totale N d'articles à fumer (12a, 12b) à introduire dans chaque tiroir (50).
  4. Appareil selon la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que lesdites quantités N1 et N2 sont toutes deux des nombres pairs ou toutes deux des nombres impairs.
  5. Appareil selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce que lesdites quantités N1 et N2 sont des nombres différents, dont la somme est égale à ladite quantité totale N d'articles à fumer (12a, 12b) à introduire dans chaque tiroir (50).
  6. Appareil selon la revendication 5, caractérisé en ce que lesdites quantités N1 et N2 sont l'une un nombre pair et l'autre un nombre impair.
  7. Appareil selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 6, caractérisé en ce que lesdits tiroirs (50) sont pourvus d'une plaque de séparation (62), configurée pour diviser au moins partiellement ledit tiroir (50) en une première section (59a) et un une seconde section (59b) afin de maintenir les articles à fumer du premier type (12a) et/ou du second type (12b) séparés, en les maintenant confinés dans la première section (59a) respective et/ou la seconde section (59b) respective.
  8. Appareil selon la revendication 7, caractérisé en ce que ladite plaque de séparation (62) a un développement ondulé, adapté ou s'appariant au profil desdits articles à fumer du premier type (12a) et/ou du second type (12b) présents dans les sections respectives (59a, 59b).
  9. Appareil selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend un ou plusieurs éléments d'obstruction (37), configurés de manière à empêcher au moins partiellement un accès des articles à fumer (12a, 12b) à une ou plusieurs chambres de transport (36) d'un ou plusieurs compartiments (28a, 28b, 28c).
  10. Appareil selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que les sorties des compartiments individuels (28a, 28b, 28c) comprennent des éléments pour diviser temporairement et sélectivement le nombre d'articles à fumer (12a, 12b) à fournir, afin d'obtenir les groupes de quantité respective N1 et/ou N2 d'articles à fumer.
  11. Appareil selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que lesdits compartiments (28a, 28b, 28c) comprennent ou sont configurés pour être associés à des chambres de formation respectives (41), dans lesquelles les groupes organisés d'articles à fumer du premier type (12a) et du second type (12b) sont définis.
  12. Appareil selon la revendication 11, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend des chambres de compactage (43) associées en aval desdites chambres de formation (41) et configurées pour diriger les articles à fumer et les compacter en groupes organisés du premier type (12a) et du second type (12b) dans les quantités N1 et N2, vers un tiroir respectif (50).
  13. Appareil selon la revendication 11 ou 12, caractérisé en ce que lesdites chambres de formation (41) sont pourvues d'un ou plusieurs moyens de division, ou moyens d'arrêt (35, 39).
  14. Méthode pour alimenter des articles à fumer qui prévoit de répéter de manière cyclique les étapes consistant à :
    - alimenter des flux d'au moins deux articles à fumer (12a, 12b) de types différents vers des premiers compartiments respectifs (28a) et des seconds compartiments respectifs (28c) d'une trémie d'alimentation (20) ;
    - alimenter un flux d'articles à fumer d'un premier type (12a) et d'un second type (12b) vers un compartiment intermédiaire (28b) ;
    - obtenir dudit au moins un premier compartiment (28a) un groupe organisé formé par une quantité N1 d'articles à fumer du premier type (12a) et dudit au moins un second compartiment (28c) un groupe organisé formé par une quantité N2 d'articles à fumer du second type (12b),
    - obtenir dudit compartiment intermédiaire (28b) une quantité totale N d'articles à fumer (12a, 12b) divisée en un groupe organisé formé par une quantité N1 d'articles à fumer du premier type (12a) et en un groupe organisé formé par une quantité N2 d'articles à fumer du second type (12b) ;
    - introduire sélectivement lesdits groupes organisés d'articles à fumer du premier type (12a) et du second type (12b) obtenus à partir dudit au moins un premier compartiment (28a) et dudit au moins un second compartiment (28c) dans des sections respectives (59a, 59b) de tiroirs distincts et temporellement respectifs (50) alignés sur ledit au moins un premier compartiment (28a) et ledit au moins un second compartiment (28c) ;
    - déplacer sélectivement les tiroirs (50) en déplaçant ledit moyen de transfert (16) pour transférer le tiroir (50) précédemment aligné avec ledit au moins un second compartiment (28c) en alignement avec ledit au moins un premier compartiment (28a) pour compléter le remplissage dudit tiroir (50),
    caractérisée par les étapes consistant à
    - introduire ladite quantité totale N d'articles à fumer (12a, 12b), introduire simultanément ou en séquence le groupe organisé formé par la quantité N1 d'articles à fumer du premier type (12a) dans la première section (59a) et le groupe organisé formé par la quantité N2 d'articles à fumer du second type (12b) dans la second section (59b) du même tiroir (50) alignée avec ledit compartiment intermédiaire (28b), en le remplissant.
  15. Méthode selon la revendication 14, caractérisée en ce qu'elle permet de maintenir dans la position souhaitée au moins la quantité N1 d'articles à fumer du premier type (12a) et/ou la quantité N2 d'articles à fumer du second type (12b) au moins lors de l'étape d'introduction au moyen d'une plaque de séparation (62).
  16. Méthode selon la revendication 14 ou 15, caractérisée en ce que lesdits articles à fumer du premier type (12a) et lesdits articles à fumer du second type (12b) diffèrent les uns des autres par un ou plusieurs composants caractérisant.
  17. Machine pour produire un paquet d'articles à fumer, comprenant un appareil (10) selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 13, pour alimenter et former des groupes organisés d'articles à fumer (12a, 12b) de différents types.
EP16794034.5A 2015-09-21 2016-09-16 Dispositif et méthode pour alimenter et former différents groupes organizés d'articles à fumer Active EP3353065B1 (fr)

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ITUB2015A003765A ITUB20153765A1 (it) 2015-09-21 2015-09-21 Apparato e metodo per l'alimentazione e la formazione di gruppi organizzati di articoli da fumo
PCT/IB2016/055539 WO2017051296A1 (fr) 2015-09-21 2016-09-16 Appareil et procédé pour alimenter et former différents groupes organisés d'articles à fumer

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IT201700099649A1 (it) * 2017-09-06 2019-03-06 Gd Spa Tramoggia per articoli da fumo.
CN107618709B (zh) * 2017-09-21 2020-04-21 四川中烟工业有限责任公司 多味卷烟包装供料系统及方法
CN109850225A (zh) * 2019-03-22 2019-06-07 苏州英派克自动化设备有限公司 一种全开式烟用异形盒装烟装置
CN111232281A (zh) * 2020-03-03 2020-06-05 上海烟草机械有限责任公司 组合双烟支香烟的包装设备及包装方法
IT202000009643A1 (it) * 2020-05-04 2021-11-04 Gd Spa Apparato e processo per formare e alimentare gruppi di articoli da fumo di due tipologie distinte, in una linea di confezionamento di articoli da fumo.
IT202100022109A1 (it) * 2021-08-20 2023-02-20 Ima Spa Apparecchiatura e procedimento per alimentare e formare gruppi organizzati di articoli da fumo

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US20050061828A1 (en) 2003-09-15 2005-03-24 Joseph M. Anderson Smoking product packaging device and method
WO2006002980A1 (fr) 2004-07-06 2006-01-12 Focke & Co. (Gmbh & Co. Kg) Dispositif pour produire des paquets de cigarettes comportant deux blocs de cigarettes
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WO2013175400A1 (fr) 2012-05-25 2013-11-28 G.D S.P.A. Appareil de formation de groupes d'articles pour fumeur
WO2014015940A1 (fr) 2012-07-27 2014-01-30 Philip Morris Products S.A. Appareil et procédé de formation de regroupements d'articles en forme de tige

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JP2003205909A (ja) 2002-01-15 2003-07-22 Yukiisa Kubo 紙巻き煙草の包装方法と包装体
US20050061828A1 (en) 2003-09-15 2005-03-24 Joseph M. Anderson Smoking product packaging device and method
KR100544302B1 (ko) 2003-12-15 2006-01-23 주식회사 케이티앤지 이종궐련 자동공급장치 및 그 방법과 이를 이용하여 제조된 담배
WO2006002980A1 (fr) 2004-07-06 2006-01-12 Focke & Co. (Gmbh & Co. Kg) Dispositif pour produire des paquets de cigarettes comportant deux blocs de cigarettes
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WO2014015940A1 (fr) 2012-07-27 2014-01-30 Philip Morris Products S.A. Appareil et procédé de formation de regroupements d'articles en forme de tige

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CN108349602B (zh) 2020-06-19
WO2017051296A1 (fr) 2017-03-30
KR20180055863A (ko) 2018-05-25
CN108349602A (zh) 2018-07-31
KR102553460B1 (ko) 2023-07-07
PH12018500601A1 (en) 2018-10-01
ITUB20153765A1 (it) 2017-03-21

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