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
  • B65B9/2007—Means for stripping or squeezing filled tubes prior to sealing to remove air or products from sealing area
• • 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
  • B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
  • B65B25/14—Packaging paper or like sheets, envelopes, or newspapers, in flat, folded, or rolled form
• • 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
  • B65B35/00—Supplying, feeding, arranging or orientating articles to be packaged
  • B65B35/30—Arranging and feeding articles in groups
  • B65B35/40—Arranging and feeding articles in groups by reciprocating or oscillatory pushers
  • B65B35/405—Arranging and feeding articles in groups by reciprocating or oscillatory pushers linked to endless conveyors
• • 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
  • B65B51/28—Rollers for producing longitudinal and transverse seams simultaneously
• • 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
  • B65B51/303—Devices, e.g. jaws, for applying pressure and heat, e.g. for subdividing filled tubes reciprocating along only one axis
• • 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
  • 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
  • B65B59/003—Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the packaging material
• • 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
  • B65B59/005—Adjustable conveying means
• • 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
  • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
  • B65B61/02—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for perforating, scoring, slitting, or applying code or date marks on material prior to packaging
• • 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
  • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
  • B65B61/04—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for severing webs, or for separating joined packages
  • B65B61/06—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for severing webs, or for separating joined packages by cutting
  • B65B61/10—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for severing webs, or for separating joined packages by cutting using heated wires or cutters
• • 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
  • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
  • B65B61/14—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for incorporating, or forming and incorporating, handles or suspension means in packages
• • 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
  • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
  • B65B61/28—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for discharging completed packages from machines
• • 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
  • 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
• • 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
  • B65B9/2042—Means for altering the cross-section of the tube filling opening prior to transversal sealing, e.g. tube spreading 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
  • B65B2220/00—Specific aspects of the packaging operation
  • B65B2220/10—Creating an off-center longitudinal seal on horizontal or vertical form fill seal [FFS] machines

Definitions

• the invention relates to a machine for wrapping single or grouped and/or stacked products, particularly paper or nonwoven products, for sanitary or other uses, in packs of thermoplastic material obtained from a film unwound from a reel and concerns the operating method of this machine.
• upstream and downstream relate to the direction of feed of the packs.
• a loading station of the products to be packaged for example toilet rolls, absorbent paper for kitchen or other uses, packs of napkins or hand towels, also in nonwoven, where these products are grouped together and/or stacked to form a bundle that is preferably subjected to slight pressure in transverse direction and that after this step has a cross section of a shape and width slightly less than the internal cross section of said hollow mandrel on the outside of which said tubular wrapping slides, gusseted and closed at the leading end.
• a pusher is activated to eject the bundle from said loading station, slide it along said hollow mandrel and, at the exit thereof, push it against the closed leading end of the tubular wrapping, causing this wrapping to advance and, while it exits from the hollow mandrel, become engaged by the bundle, which due to the previous slight transverse compression to which it was subjected in said loading station and due to its elastic memory, expands slightly and closely engages the portion of tubular package ejected from the mandrel and which with this is supported by conveyor means below.
• the pusher ends its active movement downstream of the mandrel and slightly downstream of the transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly, which is in open position, after which the same pusher reverses its movement and returns to the cycle start position, to free the loading station and allow repetition of a new operating cycle.
• the lateral gusseting means of the portion of tubular wrapping positioned between the trailing end of the bagged bundle and the discharge mouth of the tube-forming mandrel are activated, followed by activation of the transverse heat- sealing and cutting assembly, which carries out closing of the trailing end of the filled pack, which closes the leading end of the pack being formed and still to be filled, after which said assembly opens slightly to release the heat seals and allow action thereon of optional blower cooling means positioned on the same assembly, which in sequence opens fully to allow repetition of a new operating cycle, while the pack produced is moved away by the conveyor that supports it.
• the transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly is provided with pressers upstream and downstream of the heat-sealing means, so as to firmly clamp the film before, during and after the step of carrying out the transverse heat seals.
• the same transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly is movable in the pack forming direction, first closed and moving away from said tube-forming mandrel and then open and in the opposite direction, to return to the cycle start position for repetition of a subsequent operating cycle.
• the tubular pack can now advance along the tube-forming mandrel drawn by the new double transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly with pressers, as a result of which it is possible:
• the same new pack can be filled rapidly by said pusher, as the presser downstream of this transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly mechanically isolates the transverse heat seal of the leading end carried out on the new pack, so that this transverse heat seal is not stressed by insertion of the product into the new tubular pack and by thrust of the air trapped in the same pack and positioned in front of the product, also because in this step it is possible for the pusher to insert the product into the new pack with a relative speed that allows slow and progressive backward discharge of the air that is compressed upstream of the product;
• the transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly has all the time required to carry out its main transverse heat-sealing and cutting operations and, in the last part of the same movement, it also has time to open the heat sealers slightly and allow action of the means for natural or forced cooling of the transverse heat seals carried out, while the film upstream and downstream is held by the pressers at all times to prevent even minimum stress on the same transverse heat seals;
• Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a side and front view, with parts in section, of one of the side panels of the moving transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly of the packaging machine;
• FIG. 5, 5a and 5b are cross sectional views of the transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly in the solution useful for producing packs with incorporated handle, the same assembly being illustrated respectively in the open position, in the closed position and in the semi-open or semi-closed position, with the transverse heat-sealing and cutting means open and with the outer pressers still closed on the packs downstream and upstream;
• FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a pack with handle that can be obtained with the transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly of Fig. 5;
• Fig. 7 illustrates, in open position and in a cross sectional view, the transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly according to a variant of embodiment useful for producing a pack with symmetrical heat seals of the leading and trailing ends, without the handle of Fig. 6;
• - Fig. 8 illustrates a perspective view of a pack without a handle that can be produced with the transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly of Fig. 7;
• - Fig. 9 illustrates a schematic plan view of the means for prior lateral gusseting of the portion of tubular wrapping that is cyclically engaged by the double transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly;
• FIG. 10 illustrates a side view, enlarged and with parts in section, of the variable gap area of the conveyor associated with the transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly, to support the packs in the subsequent steps of the operating cycle in which the same packs pass cyclically through this gap in which the opposite bars of the transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly operate;
• FIG. 1 1 to 16 illustrate schematic side views of the main components of the packaging machine according to the invention, in some subsequent and significant steps of the operating cycle of these components.
• the packaging machine comprises as intermediate component an axially hollow mandrel 1 in the shape of a sailor neck tie with a rectangular or square cross section, adjustable when the format of the pack to be produced changes, positioned horizontally with its longitudinal axis, equipped on the left when viewing the figures with an open end 101 from which the film 102 coming from a reel below 2 enters and which by guide means typical of mandrels in the shape of a sailor neck tie is made to adopt a tubular shape, to move longitudinally along the same mandrel 1 towards the outlet 201 thereof, with mutual overlapping of the longitudinal flaps of the same film and with continuous and mutual heat-sealing of these by a heat-sealing device of known type 3, so that the same film exits from the outlet 201 of the mandrel 1 in the form of a sack and with a cross section of a size slightly larger than the inner cross section of the same mandrel 1 that externally guides and supports said
• the known loading station 4 Upstream of the mandrel 1 there is provided the known loading station 4 in which means, also known, form a bundle of grouped and/or stacked products, coming from at least any one feed line, not shown as not necessary in order to understand the invention.
• the loading station 4 is also adjustable when the format of the packs to be produced changes and can advantageously be characterised by subjecting the bundle of paper product to an adequate transverse compression, so that when the same bundle is ejected longitudinally from the loading station 4, it can easily enter the hollow mandrel 1 and can slide along it still in a condition of adequate transverse compression.
• the dot and dash line 5 indicates the ideal horizontal plane on which the bottom of the bundle and the packs produced by the packaging machine in question move.
• the pusher 6 Upstream of the loading station 4 there is provided the pusher 6 supported by the front end of a horizontal rod 106, whose longitudinal axis is parallel to the common longitudinal axis of the aforesaid stations 1 and 4 and that extends to the left when viewing Figs. 1 and 2.
• the rod 106 is guided longitudinally by rolling means 7 supported by a base plate 8 in the form of a portal, on which there is also mounted a gear motor assembly 9, on the vertical output shaft of which there is press fitted a toothed pulley 10 that cooperates with a toothed belt 1 1 guided on a pair of idle pulleys 12 and parallel to the pulley 10, also supported by the portal 8, so as to carry the same toothed belt 1 1 in a path parallel to the rod 106 and to be able to be fixed thereto with the opposite ends, so as to form the equivalent of a rack fixed longitudinally to the rod 106 and meshing with the pinion 10, so that by rotating the motion unit in one or other direction, it is possible to operate the pusher 6 in the useful movement for transfer of the bundle formed in the loading station 4 along the tube-forming mandrel 1 and downstream thereof and of the transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly (see below), for insertion of the same bundle into the tubular pack produced by the same mand
• the innovative assembly 13 Downstream of the mandrel 1 , at a short distance from the outlet 201 thereof, there is provided the innovative assembly 13 that carries out the double transverse heat seal and the intermediate cut on the pack and that, according to the invention, after closing on the vertical plane, is operated first with a horizontal movement away from the same mandrel 1 , to accompany the pack in the transverse heat-sealing and cutting step and then, after opening on the vertical plane, is translated horizontally in the opposite direction to the preceding one, to return to the initial starting position illustrated with a continuous line in Figs. 1 and 2, for repetition of a new operating cycle, carrying out reciprocating movement B, the length or range of which will be correlated to the length of the packs to produce and will therefore be variable (see below).
• the assembly 13 is mounted on a carriage 14 that by means of lateral recirculating ball slides 15, slides on pairs of rectilinear and horizontal guides 1 15 fixed longitudinally on the inner faces of the side panels of the portion of base plate 1 16 of the packaging machine that extends downstream of the one 16 (fig. 2) that supports the stations 1 , 4 and 6 described previously.
• the inner side panels of the base plate 106 support toothed belts 17 closed in a loop and guided on respective end pulleys 18, one pair of which is interconnected by a transverse shaft 19, in turn connected by means of a positive motion transmission 20 to a motion assembly 21 with electric motor that rotates in two directions and preferably of the type with electronic speed and phase control.
• the two side panels of the carriage 14, which can be carried in the rectilinear reciprocating movement of the aforesaid range B by the motion assembly 20, are fixed to the upper branch of the two toothed belts 17 with clamps 22 (fig. 3).
• the assembly 13 comprises two elements 1 13' and 1 13" parallel to and opposite each other, positioned on a common ideal vertical plane, transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ideal plane 5 of advance of the packs, the lower 1 13" of which is positioned under this plane 5 at the start of each cycle, while the upper element 1 13' is raised and at a distance from the plane 5 that allows the packs cyclically exiting from the mandrel 1 to pass below without interference.
• the elements 1 13', 1 13" are moved towards each other with a self- centring movement on the common ideal vertical plane, so as to meet approximately at half the height of the packs to be closed.
• the position in height of the support and guide means of said elements 1 13' and 1 13" can be adjusted simultaneously, without adjusting the related distance at rest.
• the support means of said elements 1 13' and 1 13" are mounted on respective vertical slides 23 positioned inside the side panels of the carriage 14 that support these slides with guide means 24.
• Each slide 23 is equipped with an protruding intermediate appendage 123, with a lead screw 125 that cooperates with a vertical screw 25, in turn connected, with the interposition of a safety coupling 26, to a three-way bevel gearbox 27, the vertical way of which acts on the screw 25, while one of the horizontal ways connects the screw 25 of a slide to that of the slide of the opposite side, which will be served by a two-way bevel gearbox, while the third horizontal way of the gearbox 27 is connected to a motion assembly 28 with electric motor that rotates in two directions and preferably of the type with electronic speed and phase control, to allow the automatic or semi-automatic adjustment of the position in height of the transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly 13.
• each rod 31 is fixed by means of respective clamps 132, 133 to the opposite branches of toothed belts 34 guided on a pulley 35 supported adjustably by the upper end of each rod 31 and on a toothed pulley 36 supported by the lower end of each vertical slide 23 and the same lower pulleys 26 are connected to each other by a synchronizer shaft 37, which by means of a positive motion transmission 38 is connected to a motion assembly 39 with electric motor that rotates in two directions and preferably of the type with electronic speed and phase control.
• the opposed elements 1 13' and 1 13" of the transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly 13 receive the movements for the opening and closing steps from this motion assembly, with the necessary acceleration and deceleration ramps, as indicated below.
• the upper branch of the conveyor 41 is guided on a roller 43 positioned at the outlet of the mandrel 1 and supported rotatingly by the side panel of the base plate 1 16 of the packaging machine, together with the end roller 143.
• the lower branch of the conveyor 41 is instead guided on idle rollers 44, on at least one dancer roller 44' and on a toothed pulley 45 press fitted onto the slow output shaft of a motion assembly 46.
• the upper branch of the conveyor 41 is guided on a roller 47 parallel to and positioned at the same height as the roller 43 and is then guided on three lower rollers 48, 49 and 50, also parallel to one another, idle and parallel to the roller 47, and which with this take the same upper branch of the conveyor 41 to form said gap 40 in which the lower element 1 13" of the transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly 13, in its lowered rest position, can be positioned and through which the same element 1 13" can, on command, be raised to cooperate with the upper element 1 13'.
• the rollers 47 to 50 are supported rotatingly by the carriage 14 and move therewith.
• the roller 50 is positioned at a lower height than the roller 47, so that two idle rollers 51 and 52, positioned respectively downstream and upstream of the same roller 50, and the latter of which is at the same height as the roller 47, can be placed above the same roller 50. Passing over the rollers 50, 51 and 52, the conveyor belt 41 takes a zigzag path.
• the rollers 51 and 52 are mounted rotating on a small secondary carriage 53 that is mounted on the main carriage 14 and is able to carry out thereon, on command, a controlled horizontal movement that can take the same rollers 51 and 52 from the moved back position of Fig. 1 1 , in which the gap 40 is substantially closed and the pack can pass easily over the rollers 47 and 52, to the extended position of Fig. 12 in which the gap 49 is open to allow freedom of movement on the vertical of the lower element 1 13" of the transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly 13.
• rollers 51 , 52 are mounted transversely on the opposite ends of a said secondary carriage 53, equipped laterally with horizontal and longitudinal guides 153 sliding on slides 54 fixed on the top of a cross member 55, in turn fixed with the its ends to the side panels of the main carriage 14.
• the cross member 55 supports, rotatingly and in a cantilever fashion, a pair of screws 56 parallel to each other and to the guides 54 and lead screws 156, integral with appendages 253 of the secondary carriage 53, cooperate with these screws 56.
• the two screws 56 are operated by means of a positive motion transmission 57 by a motion assembly 58 flanged to the cross member 55 and operated by an electric motor that rotates in two directions and optionally also with electronic phase control.
• the secondary carriage 53 with the rollers 51 and 52 is illustrated with a continuous line in the extended position that closes the gap 40, while it is illustrated with a dashed line in the moved back position that opens the same gap 40.
• the same figure clearly shows how the rollers 51 and 52 carry out movements D of equal range and such that when the roller 52 moves back to the left, when viewing Fig. 10, and causes a double shortening D of the upper part of the conveyor 41 , the lower roller 51 also moves to the left and causes a double lengthening D of the lower part of the same conveyor 41 , so that the movements of the secondary carriage 53 do not modify the longitudinal tension of the same conveyor 41 and do not modify its movement.
• opposed folders 59, 59' are provided at the side of the conveyor 41 and at the transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly 13, which prior to operation of the same assembly 13 act on the sides of the portion of tubular pack exiting from the mandrel 1 , which is not engaged by the product to be packaged (see below) and that is to be engaged by the same assembly 13, to produce recessed lateral gusseting on the same portion of pack, which are useful to prevent the heat sealed area from protruding laterally from the pack and to ensure that the same area closely wraps the end of the packaged products.
• the folders 59, 59' can be mounted adjustably on respective slides 60, 60' sliding on guides 61 , 61 ' constrained to the fixed frame 1 16 of the packaging machine, the same slides 60, 60' being operated by respective fluid pressure piston cylinder assemblies 62, 62' or by other suitable linear reciprocating motion actuators.
• Figs. 5, 5a and 5b the composition of the means that form the elements 1 13' and 1 13" of the double transverse heat-sealing and intermediate cutting assembly 13 is now described.
• the elements 1 13' and 1 13" are illustrated in the step of movement towards each other and that, with a greater distance between the same elements, is equivalent to the rest position of the same elements 1 13', 1 13" of the assembly 13.
• the transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly which is now described with reference to Fig. 5, is able to produce a pack C1 as shown in Fig. 6, closed longitudinally by the heat seal SL formed by the heat- sealing device 3 shown in Figs.
• the pack C1 has a small protruding appendage of the same pack, the front edge B1 of which, parallel to ST1 , is closed by fusion of the material obtained from the separation with a hot cut between subsequent packs.
• the assembly 13 must be able to carry out simultaneously, on the portion of tubular pack on which it is pressed transversely, the parallel heat seals ST2 for the pack already filled and to be closed at the trailing end, the parallel heat seal ST1 for the following pack still to be filled with product, the intermediate cut that produces the edges B2, B1 and the mutual separation of the packs and to carry out punching to form the opening G acting as handle.
• the upper element 1 13' of the assembly 13 is equipped at least upstream, but preferably both upstream and downstream, with pressers 63, 63', which with their lower edge with rounded profile, both project downwards with respect to the lower operating surface of the same element 1 13', and which can move back towards this operating surface, in opposition to the action of counter springs 64, 64'.
• pressers 63, 63' On the lower operating surface of the element 1 13', in a position vertically and horizontally moved back from the pressers 63, 63' and arranged coplanar with each other, there are provided the heat sealing devices 65 and 66 for carrying out the heat seals ST1 and ST2 of Fig.
• the hot cutting means 67 for separating the packs from one another and for forming the fused edges B1 and B2 of the same pack of Fig. 6.
• the intermediate part of the lower operating surface of the element 1 13' there are provided two small spring operated pressers 68, 68', the lower and suitably rounded edge of which projects slightly downwards from the ideal plane that contains the heat sealing devices 65, 66 and, in a position moved back from these intermediate pressers 68, 68', there is provided a punching unit 69 for forming the cut G on the handle M of the pack C1 of Fig. 6.
• the whole assembly 1 13' is supported by the support part 70 positioned above connected to the sleeves 33 shown in Figs. 3 and 4, with the interposition of spring and compensation means 71 , common in the transverse heat sealing and cutting means in question.
• the lower element 1 13" of the assembly 13 as shown in Fig. 3 comprises, with arrangement on a common ideal horizontal plane, counter means 163, 163' opposite the pressers 63, 63', counter-heat sealing devices 165, 166 opposite the heat sealing devices 65, 66, a counter means 167 for the cutting means 67, counter means 168, 168' for the intermediate pressers 68, 68' and a punch 169 for the upper punching unit 69.
• the pressers 63, 63' and the respective counter means 163, 163 are produced or machined so as to have a high coefficient of friction in contact with the film that forms the packs and that exits from the tube-forming mandrel 1 .
• the transverse heat sealing and cutting assembly 13 will be simplified as shown in Fig.7, with the upper element 1 13' equipped only with the outer pressers 63, 63', the heat sealers 65, 66 and the hot cutting means 67, while the lower element 1 13" will carry the counter means 163, 163', 165, 166, 167 for the aforesaid operating means positioned above.
• the numeral 72 indicates a processor programmable through a unit 73, and to which all the electric motors of the aforesaid motion assemblies are connected, to allow automatic and safe operation of the packaging machine, as is now described with reference to Figs. 1 1 to 16.
• Fig. 1 1 illustrates the transverse heat sealing and cutting assembly 13, which previously carried out heat sealing of the trailing end of the finished pack C1 , heat sealing of the leading end of the new pack C1 ' and the intermediate transverse cut to separate from the new pack C1 ' the pack C1 , which is moved away by the upper branch of the conveyor 41 that moves in the direction 42 to be unloaded, also to maintain the subsequent pack C1 ' exiting from the mandrel 1 lying longitudinally as a result of the pull exerted previously by the same assembly 13 in the previous movement to the right, when viewing Fig. 1 1 , as the same new pack C1 ' has in correct phase been filled by the pusher 6, which in correct phase moves back as indicated with the dashed line.
• the elements 1 13', 1 13" of the assembly 13 are spaced from each other or open, with the lower element 1 13" inside the gap 40 and with the upper element 1 13' in raised position so as not to interfere with the new pack C1 '.
• the gap 40 is in this phase closed to prevent interference when passing below the same new pack C1 ' and is arranged upstream of this pack C1 '.
• the secondary carriage 53 moves to the right and opens the gap 40 to free the ideal vertical plane on which the elements 1 13', 1 13" of the transverse heat-sealing and cutting assembly 13 move.
• the elements 1 13' and 1 13" of the assembly 13 are commanded to carry out a self-centring closing movement which closes them immediately downstream of the product P packaged in C1 ' and at half the height of this same pack, in the fully closed condition shown in Fig. 5a or in the partially closed condition shown in Fig. 5 or in Fig. 5b.
• the lateral folders 59, 59' are moved back to the rest position and, in sequence, the main carriage 14 that carries the assembly 13 is translated to the left. If the elements 1 13', 1 13" of the assembly 13 are not fully closed, as shown in Fig. 5 or Fig. 5b, the initially slow movement of the same assembly 13 away from the mandrel 1 and the resistance created by the tube of film 102 that impacts the tube-forming mandrel 1 , can cause the pack C1 ' to move close to the assembly 13 to allow an adequately tight wrapping to be formed also in longitudinal direction. In sequence, the elements 1 13', 1 13" of the assembly 13 are closed as shown in Fig.
• the pusher 6 inserts the product P to be packaged into the future pack C1 ", in which the same product expands transversely due to the previous transverse compression to which it was subjected in the loading station 4 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and the insertion speed of the same product in the wrapper of C1 " can be such that the air trapped in this pack and positioned upstream of the product P being packaged, escapes slowly downstream, without damaging the same pack C1 ", which is nonetheless firmly retained by the presser upstream 63, 163 of the assembly 13, this latter which is taken in correct phase to the condition shown in Fig. 5b to allow rapid cooling of the heat seals carried out by the same assembly 13.
• the secondary carriage 53 is moved to the left to close the gap 40 and then the main carriage also translates to the left to return to the cycle start position shown in Fig. 1 , without the slightest interference with the bottom of the new pack C1 ", which is maintained lying flat by the active movement 42 of the conveyor 41 .
• the pusher 6 is, or has already been, moved back in correct phase to repeat a new operating cycle.
• the return movement to the start of the cycle by the assembly 13 in open position can take place very rapidly, further increasing the productivity of the packaging machine. It is understood that the description refers to a preferred embodiment of the invention, to which numerous variants and modifications can be made, all without departing from the guiding principle of the invention, as described, illustrated and as claimed below.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)
• Package Closures (AREA)

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• 2015
  • 2015-07-10 IT ITUB2015A002063A patent/ITUB20152063A1/it unknown
• 2016
  • 2016-07-04 CN CN201680044786.4A patent/CN107848644B/zh active Active
  • 2016-07-04 EP EP16736628.5A patent/EP3319878B1/en active Active
  • 2016-07-04 ES ES16736628T patent/ES2806987T3/es active Active
  • 2016-07-04 RS RS20200853A patent/RS60742B1/sr unknown
  • 2016-07-04 WO PCT/IB2016/054007 patent/WO2017009737A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2016-07-04 US US15/743,041 patent/US20190071199A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2016-07-04 BR BR112018000423-5A patent/BR112018000423B1/pt active IP Right Grant

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