GORRIERI, Francesco (Via King 31, Bologna, I-40100, IT)
1. A device (10) for applying tearing and opening elements (11) to a film (13), in particular for making awrapper (15) placed around an article, where the article is. in particular, a box-shaped body for housing or supporting a product, particularly a foodstuff such as sweets, chewing-gums, chocolates and other items, characterized in that it comprises means for advancing the tearing and opening elements (11) comprising means (14) for supporting and feeding the tearing and opening elements (11), said supporting and feed means being designed to create a predetermined spacing (d) between the trailing end (lib) of one tearing and opening element (11) and the leading end ( 11a) of the next tearing and opening element (11).
2. The device according to claim 1 or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (16) for selectively varying the predetermined spacing (d) created between the trailing end (11b) of one tearing and opening element (11) and the leading end ( 11a) of the next tearing and opening element (11).
3. The device according to either of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for transporting the respective tearing and opening element (11) supported on the supporting and feed means (14).
4, The device according to claim, 3, characterized in that the means for transporting the respective tearing and opening element (11) are located downstream of the supporting and feed means (14).
5. The device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the advancing film (13) constitutes means for transporting the tearing and opening elements (11) supported on the supporting and feed means (14),
6. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 3 to 5, characterized in that the transporting means operate by applying friction to the tearing and opening element (11) on the supporting and feed means (14).
7. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 3 to 6, characterized in that, for creating a predetermined spacing (d) between the trailing end (1 Ib) of one tearing and opening element (11) and the leading end (11a) of the next tearing and opening element (11), means (16) are provided for varying the speed of the means for transporting the tearing and opening elements (11), relative to the speed of the supporting and feed means (14).
8. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 3 to 7, characterized in that the supporting and feed means (14) advance at a speed that varies between a speed corresponding to that of the transporting means (13) and a speed that is lower than that of the transporting means.
9. The device according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (14) for supporting and feeding the tearing and opening elements (11) and which constitute means for coupling the tearing and opening elements (11) to the film (13).
10. The device according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (14) for supporting and feeding the tearing and opening elements (11) and which constitute means for engaging and pushing the tearing and opening elements against the film (13).
11. The device according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the means (14) for supporting and feeding the tearing and opening elements (11) are in the form of rotatable means.
12. The device according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the means (14) for supporting and feeding the tearing and opening elements (11) are in the form, of a revolving roller.
13. The device according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the means (14) for supporting and feeding the tearing and opening elements (11) are supported by a substantially horizontal supporting shaft.
14. The device according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the means (14) for supporting and feeding the tearing and opening elements have a surface (14a) for supporting the tearing and opening elements.
15. The device according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the supporting and feed means comprise means (14b) for retaining the tearing and opening elements.
16. The device according to claim 15. characterized in that the means for retaining the tear tape are in the form of suction means (14b).
17. The device according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the suction means comprise a plurality of circuinferentially distributed holes (14b)«
18. The device according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (20) for cutting off the tearing and opening element (11) from a corresponding continuous tape of material (17).
19. The device according to claim 18, characterized in that the cutting means (20) are located at the supporting and feed means (14).
20. The device according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that the cutting means (22) means separate the tearing and opening element (11) from the continuous tape of material (17) on the supporting and feed means (14).
21. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 18 to 20, characterized in that the cutting means (20) cut off a tearing and opening element (11) before the supporting and feed means (14) engage the film (13), coupling to the latter the tearing and opening element (11).
22. The device according to claim 21, characterized in that the cutting means (20) make the cut just before the supporting and feed means (14) engage the film (13), coupling to the latter the tearing and opening element (11).
23. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 18 to 22, characterized in that the cutting means (20) are in the form of a rotary arm (22) having a cutting edge (24).
24. The device according claims 23, characterized in that the cutting means (20) are in the form of a rotary arm having a first and a second part (22a, 22b) with respective cutting edges (24, 24).
25. The device according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the supporting and feed means (14) have a section for supporting the tearing and opening elements between a zone for cutting off the tearing and opening element from the corresponding tape of material and a transit zone for coupling the tearing and opening element, said section being substantially equal in length to the tearing and opening element (11).
26. The device according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (30) for engaging the tape of material (17) for the tearing and opening elements (11) on the supporting and feed means (14).
27. The device according to claim 26, characterized in that the engagement means (30) are in the form of rotatable means.
28. The device according to claim 26 or 27, characterized in that the engagement means (30) are in the form of a rotary arm (32).
29. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 26 to 28, characterized in that the engagement means are in the form of a rotary arm having a first and a second part (32a, 32b) and forming respective circumferential surfaces (34, 34) causing the tape of material (17) to engage the respective supporting and feed means (14).
30. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 26 to 29, characterized in that the engagement means (30) engage the tape of material (17) at substantially the same time as the tearing and opening element (11) is cut off.
31. The device according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (40, 40) for making corresponding slits (15i, 15i) in the film (13) to facilitate tearing of the film at the gripping end (1 Ia) of the tearing and opening element (11),
32. The device according to claim 31, characterized in that the means (40, 40) for slitting the film axe located on the means (14) for supporting and feeding the tearing and opening elements.
33. The device according to claim 31 or 32, characterized in that the means (40, 40) for slitting the film are located at the zone of the supporting and feed means (14) where the cutting means (20) engage and cut off the respective tearing and opening element (11) from the tape of material (17).
34. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 31 to 33, characterized in that the means (40, 40) for slitting the film are in the form of means protruding from the supporting and feed means (14).
35. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 31 to 34, characterized in that the means (40, 40) for slitting the film are located next to the zone on which the tearing and opening element (11) is supported.
36. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 31 to 35, characterized in that the means for slitting the film comprise at least one blade and, in particular, a first and a second blade (40, 40).
37. The device according to claim 36, characterized in that each film (13) cutting blade has a cutting edge which is oriented along the direction in which the supporting and feed means (14) advance,
38. The device according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the film (13), as it advances, is oriented along a direction inclined at a slight angle to the horizontal. |
Description
Device for applying tearing and opening elements to a film.
Technical Field
This invention relates to a device for applying tearing and opening elements to a film, in particular for making a wrappre placed around an article.
Background Art
For applying tearing and opening elements to a film to make a wrapper placed around an article, the need is felt for a device that is structurally simple, versatile and inexpensive and which prevents unwanted superposition of the ends of the tear tape, or element for tearing open the wrapper placed around the article.
Disclosure of the Invention
It is provided a device for applying tearing and opening elements to a film, in particular for making a wrappre placed around an article, where the article is, in particular, a box-shaped body for housing or supporting a product, particularly a foodstuff such as sweets, chewing-gums, dragees, chocolates and other items, characterized in that it comprises means for advancing the tearing and opening means comprising means for supporting and feeding the tearing and opening means, said means for supporting and feeding the tearing and opening means being designed to create a predetermined spacing between the trailing end of one tearing and opening element and the leading end of the next tearing and opening element.
This prevents unwanted superposition of the ends of the tear tape or elements for tearing and opening the wrappre round the article using a structurally simple yet effective device,
Brief Description of the Drawings
These and other features of the device according to the invention are clearly described in the claims below and its advantages are more apparent from the
detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred, non-limiting embodiment of the invention, and in which:
- Figure 1 is a perspective schematic view of an article wrappe d in the wrapper obtained with the present device;
- Figure 2 is a schematic longitudinal section view of a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention for applying tearing and opening elements to a film;
- Figure 3 illustrates a schematic top plan view of the film used to make the wrapper with the tearing and opening elements applied to it;
- Figures 4 and 5 are schematic longitudinal section views similar to that of Figure 2, but showing the device for applying tearing and opening elements according to the invention in different operating conditions.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention
Figure 1 shows a pack 7, comprising an article 9, in particular in the form of a box-shaped body, made of paperboard or the like, which houses and supports a respective product, in particular a foodstuff such as sweets, chewing-gums, dragees, chocolates or other items. The pack 7 comprises awrapper 15 which is wrapped round the box-shaped body 9 and seals, preferably hermetically, the container 9 from the outside environment. As shown, the wrapper may comprise an extended element, or tear tape 11 for tearing and opening thewrapper and having a respective gripping and pulling end 11a lying under a tab 15'a of thewrappe r which protrudes from a corresponding edge 15 ' of thewrapper, and an opposite end 11b.
As illustrated, the article 9 has opposite broad main longitudinal faces 9a, 9b joined by secondary longitudinal or lateral faces 9c, 9d, and opposite transversal end faces 9e, 9f.
As illustrated, the pack comprises a wrappe r 15 having opposite main panels 15a, 15b covering the corresponding faces 9a, 9b of the article and opposite lateral panels 15c, 15d covering the corresponding lateral faces 9c, 9d of the article. The wrappe r also forms sealed ends 15e, 15f covering the faces 9e, 9f of the wrapper.
In this pack, the end lib of the extended element or tear tape 11, opposite the gripping and pulling end 11a, terminates at the respective main panel of the
wrapper and does not extend into a zone 15"' of the wrapper formed by superposedwrapper end portions 15', 15", illustrated with dashed lines in Figure 3, which are sealed to each other to form, with the sheet that forms thewrapper 15, a tubular structurewrapped tightly around the article 9. As illustrated, the mutually joined ends 15', 15" of the tubular film 15 form a tab 15"' that is folded onto the main panel 15a of the rapper.
As may be inferred also from Figures 2 and 3, a preferred embodiment of the device 10 for applying extended tearing and opening elements 11 to a film 13 for making thewrappe r 15- comprises means for feeding the tearing and opening elements 11, advantageously comprising means 14 for supporting and feeding the tearing and opening elements 11, and being designed to create a predetermined spacing "d", shown in Figure 3, between the trailing end 1 Ib of one tearing and opening element 11 and the leading end 11a of the next tearing and opening element 11. In particular, thewrapper is in the form of a sheet 15, made preferably from a film of layered material, especially of the type having a layer of insulating material, or of aluminium. The sheet 15 is obtained from the film 13 through respective transversal outs 15', 15". indicated by dashed lines in Figure 3, which form corresponding leading and trailing edges, or ends, that can be overlapped and joined, in particular by sealing, to form a respective overlapped zone 15'" and give thewrappe r sheet 15 a tubular shape.
The extended tearing and opening element applied to the film 13 at a zone that will form the a respective wrapper sheet 15 is in turn in the form of a tear-tape 11, preferably of plastic, having an adhering face 11' that is conveniently provided with an adhesive layer for joining it to the film 13, and an opposite face 11" that is engaged by the supporting and feed means 14.
As already mentioned, the extended tearing and opening element 11 has a leading end 11a, which is positioned at a zone of the film 13 from which a tab 15 'a protruding from the front edge 15" of the sheet is made, and a trailing edge l ib, which is positioned at a zone of the sheet 15 outside the overlapping flaps in such a way as to form the longitudinal sealing or joining tab 15"' of the sheet.
In particular, as will become clearer as this description continues, means are provided for varying in selective manner the predetermined spacing "d" created between the trailing end lib of a tearing and opening element that precedes and the leading end 1 Ia of a tearing and opening element 11 that follows.
In practice, means are provided for selectively varying the predetermined spacing "d" created between the trailing end 1 Ib of one tearing and opening element and the leading end 1 Ia of the next tearing and opening element 11.
Advantageously, means are provided for transporting the respective tearing and opening element 11, which is supported on the supporting and feed means 14- said means for transporting the respective tearing and opening element 11 being downstream of the means for supporting and feeding the tearing elements 11, the transporting means being constituted by the film 13 which the tearing and opening element 11 is applied to. In practice, as it advances, the film constitutes transporting means that apply friction to the tearing and opening element 11 located on the supporting and feed means 14.
Advantageously, for creating a predetennined spacing "d" between the trailing end 1 Ib of one tearing and opening element 11 and the leading end 11a of the next tearing and opening element 11, means 16 are provided for varying the speed of the means for transporting the tearing and opening element 11, that is, of the advancing film 13, relative to the speed of the supporting and feed means 14,
The means 14 advance the tearing and opening elements 11 at a speed that varies between a speed corresponding to that of the transporting means, that is to say, of the advancing film 13 downstream, and a speed that is lower than that of the transporting means, that is to say, of the advancing film 13 itself.
Ih practice, for the supporting and feed means, the invention contemplates the provision of drive means in the form of a respective motor, schematically represented and labelled 18 in Figure 2, and of means 16 for controlling the speed of the motor in such a way that it feeds the roller 14, constituting the means for supporting and feeding the tearing and opening tape, at a speed that varies between a maximum speed corresponding to the film 13 feed speed, to permit application of the leading end 11a of the tearing element 11, and a speed lower than the speed of the film 13, in order to create a spacing "d" between the trailing end 1 Ib of the tearing and opening element and the leading end 1 Ia of the next tearing and opening element 11.
Advantageously, as illustrated, the element 14 for supporting and feeding the tearing and opening element 11 constitutes means for coupling the tearing and opening elements 11 to the film 13. More specifically, the means 14 for supporting and feeding the tearing and
opening element 11 constitute means for engaging and pushing the tearing and opening element 11 against the film 13.
As illustrated, advantageous means 20 are provided for cutting the tearing and opening elements 11 from a corresponding continuous tape of material 17, preferably plastic.
The cutting means 20 are provided at the supporting and feeding means 14 and cut the tearing and opening elements 11 from a corresponding continuous tape of material 17 while the latter is on the supporting and feeding means 14.
More specifically, the cutting means 20 cut off a tearing and opening element 11 just before the supporting and feed means 14 engage the leading end 11a with the film 13, coupling to the latter the tearing and opening element 11 itself.
In particular, the means 14 for supporting and feeding the tearing and opening elements 11 are, as illustrated, in the form of a revolving roller 14 driven by a corresponding supporting shaft forming part of a motor 18, whose rotation. speed is controlled by control means schematically represented and denoted by the reference numeral 16 in the drawings.
The shaft that supports the feed means is substantially horizontal.
The means 14 for supporting and feeding the tearing and opening elements 11 have a circumferential supporting surface which the tearing and opening elements rest on.
Means are advantageously provided for retaining the tearing and opening elements 11 on said supporting surface.
The circumferential surface for supporting the tearing and opening elements 11 is labelled 14a, while the means for retaining the tearing and opening tape 11 are in the form of suction means comprising a plurality of circumferentially distributed holes opening onto the supporting and feed surface 14a. These holes are labelled 14b in Figure 2,
As illustrated, the suction holes 14b are circumferentially distributed around the supporting surface 14a. Obviously, the circumferentially distributed holes 14b are suitably connected to a suction source, not illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
As illustrated, the cutting means 20 are in the form of a rotary arm 22, with a cutting edge 24, or, more specifically, a first and a second cutting edge 24, 24 mounted on opposite ends 22a, 22b of the arm 22.
The aim 22 is mounted on a shaft driven by a motor, not illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which rotationally drives the arm 22 to move the cutting edge 24 into contact with and against the supporting surface 14a of the feed means 14, thus cutting off the part of the tape of material 17 located downstream of the zone for cutting the tape of material 17 in order to create the tear tape and thereby obtain a tearing and opening element 11 of suitable and required length.
In particular, as illustrated, the supporting and feed means 14 define a section for supporting the tearing and opening element between a zone for cutting off the tearing and opening element 11 from the corresponding tape of material 17 and the zone for coupling the tearing and opening element 11 to the film 13, said section being substantially equal in length to the tearing and opening element 11 itself.
The supporting and feed means 14 also define a section for supporting the tape of material 17 between a zone for cutting off the tearing and opening element and a zone for receiving the continuous tape 17,
As illustrated means 30 are also provided for engaging the tape of material 17 on the supporting and feeding means 14.
Said engagement means 30 are in the form of rotatable means and, in particular, are in the form of a rotary arm 32 having a first and a second part 32a, 32b, opposite each other and each ending with a respective circumferential surface
34 for engaging the tape of material 17 and pushing the latter against the respective supporting surface 14a of the supporting means 14.
The engagement arm 30 is mounted on a corresponding shaft that is rotationally driven by a motor not illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The engagement means 30 engage the tape of material 17 at substantially the same time as the tearing and opening element 11 is cut off from the tape 17 itself.
Means are also advantageously provided for making corresponding slits 15i, 15i to facilitate tearing of thewrapper 15 at the gripping end 15a of the tearing and opening element 11.
The slitting means are labelled 40 and comprise respective protruding blades, in particular a first and a second pair of blades 40, 40 protruding from the supporting surface 14a of the supporting and feed roller 14, said blades 40, 40 being supported on the same supporting and feed means 14 and axially spaced from each other, and being mounted next to, or on opposite sides of, me central
zone of the roller 14 on which the corresponding leading end 11a of the tearing and opening element 11 is supported and retained.
In practice, the slitting means 40, 40 are located at the zone of the supporting and feed means 14 where the cutting means 20 engage and cut off the respective tearing and opening element 11 from the tape of material 17.
Obviously, each blade 40 has a cutting edge which is oriented along the direction in which the material 17 advances, that is to say, along the feed direction of the supporting and feed means 14.
As illustrated, the film 13, which constitutes the means for transporting the tear tape 11 coupled to it, is oriented, as it moves, along a direction inclined at a slight angle to the horizontal.
Below is a brief description of the operation of the device according to this invention.
Starting from a condition, illustrated in Figure 2, where the leading end 1 Ia of one tearing and opening element 11 is about to be applied to the film 13, at a distance "d" from the trailing end lib of the element 11 before it, with the supporting and feed roller 14 turning at a tangential speed equal, or substantially equal, to the feed speed of the film 13, the supporting and feed roller 14 advances at the same speed in order to apply the leading end 11a of the tearing element 11 to the film 13 and then slows in such a way as to gradually create, as may be inferred from Figures 4 and 5, a spacing "d" between the trailing end lib of the element that has just been applied to the film 13 and the leading end 11a of the tape of material 17 from which it was cut off by the cutting means 20, as shown in Figure 2. In practice, the roller 14 slows down and starts creating a progressively increasing space "d" between the trailing end 1 Ib of the element that has just been attached to the film 13 and the leading end 1 Ia of the tape 17, as shown in Figures 4 and 5.
The supporting and feed means 14 continue slowing until they reach a minimum speed, after which the supporting and feed roller 14 accelerates again until reaching at least the point where the leading end 11a of the next tearing element is about to be attached to the film, where the speed is the same, or substantially the same, as the speed at which the film 13 advances, and where the spacing between the end 1 Ib of the tear tape that has just been attached to the film 13 and the end 1 Ia of the tear tape lhat is about to attached to the film 13 is equal
to "d", as illustrated in Figure 2.
In turn, starting from the condition illustrated in Figure 2, the means for engaging the tape of material 17 continue to engage the latter with the roller 14 and the cutting means 20 move the cutting edge 24 away from the zone for cutting the tearing element, as illustrated in Figure 4,
In particular, as rotation continues, the means for engaging the tape of material 17 are disengaged from the roller 14, as illustrated in Figure 5, until, as shown in Figure 2, they re-engage the roller 14 with the engaging portion on. the their opposite side and the other cutting edge 24 of the cutting means 20 engage the roller in such a way as to cut off another tearing and opening element 11 from the tape of material 17.
The invention described above is susceptible of industrial application. It may be modified and adapted in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept Moreover, all the details of the invention may be substituted by technically equivalent elements.
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