The present invention relates to machines and methods for packaging disposable containers for beverages. In particular, the invention relates to a machine and a method for packaging containers containing an initial product that is intended for preparing a final product, such as a beverage, for example coffee or tea, in automatic dispensing machines. The invention also relates to a package for containers so obtained.

The known disposable containers for beverages typically comprise an external casing, made of plastic material, with the shape of a tumbler or cup, provided with a bottom wall and a side wall that define an open cavity arranged for receiving and containing the initial product from which a final product or beverage is obtained. The initial product is a percolable or soluble or infusion or freeze-dried or dehydrated product and suitable for producing the beverage by interacting with a pressurized fluid, generally water.

In the sealed or airtight disposable containers (so-called self-protected containers) a covering element is provided, which is typically constituted by an aluminum or plastic film, that airtightly closes the cavity opening in order to seal the product inside. In this case, the covering element and the bottom wall of the container are pierceable in order to allow pouring a pressurized liquid, for example water (typically through the covering element), and the extraction of the beverage that is obtained by the percolation of said liquid through the product (through the bottom wall).

These containers can be used only with dispensing machines that comprise a supplying circuit provided with injecting means for piercing the covering element and introducing into the container the pressurized liquid and a dispensing circuit that is provided with extracting means suitable to pierce the bottom wall of the container for allowing the beverage leakage.

The injecting means and the extracting means make the structure of dispensing machine more complicated and expensive. Furthermore, the dispensing means, which is in contact with the dispensed beverages, should be washed conveniently after each dispensing, for hygienic reasons and in order to not jeopardize taste and quality of a subsequent dispensed beverage (for example an aromatic infusion that is dispensed after a coffee). However, means for washing the dispensing circuit is not always mounted in the known dispensing machines because of structural complexity and costs.

Similarly, during the operating production phase of the beverage, the injecting means may come into contact with the initial product and/or with the beverage and then get dirty. As the dispensing circuit, at least the injecting means of the supplying circuit should be washed properly after each dispensing for hygienic reasons and for not jeopardizing the organoleptic properties of a subsequent dispensed beverage.

Unsealed disposable containers are known in which the external casing is top and bottom closed by filtering elements (generally made of plastic material) that prevent the exit of product out of the container, but allow introduction of pressurized liquid and exit of beverage.

With this type of containers, extracting means is not required in the dispensing machine since the beverage exiting from the container can be directly poured into a fruition container. Furthermore, the injecting means is not in contact with the product or the beverage from which it is separated by means of the filtering element.

Said containers, which does not enclose airtightly the product because of the filtering elements, for hygienic reasons and for preserving the product itself, have to be suitably packaged, for example placed in sealed bags, preferably in a controlled environment, with a consequent increase of production costs.

, The sealed bags, generally the so-called "flow pack" bag type, in the case of containers containing coffee, are also bulky since they have a tendency to swell as a result of the oxygen development by the coffee over time.

An object of the present invention is to improve the known machines and methods for packaging disposable containers for food products, in particular containers for beverages. Another object is to provide a packaging machine and method for producing a package suitable for airtightly containing and enclosing the single containers in order to ensure hygiene and optimum preservation of the product contained therein.

A further object is to provide a packaging machine having simple and reliable operation and high flexibility and productivity.

Still another object is to provide a package for disposable containers for beverages that is particularly compact, inexpensive and functional, and suitable to contain and enclose airtightly a plurality of containers.

Another further object is to provide a package that allow enclosing airtightly and separately a plurality of containers and allow separating in a simple and quick manner the single containers so packaged.

In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a packaging machine for packaging disposable containers for beverages according to claim 1.

In a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method for packaging disposable containers for beverages according to claim 9.

In a third aspect of the invention there is provided a package for containers for beverages according to claim 17.

This invention can be better understood and carried out with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment thereof, in which:

- figure 1 is a schematic front view of a first part of the packaging machine of the invention suitable for packaging disposable containers for beverages;

- figure 2 is a schematic front view of a second part of the packaging machine of the invention;

- figure 3 is a partial and broken schematic top plan view of the packaging machine of figures 1 and 2;

- figure 4 is an broken top plan view of sheet made of plastic material comprising cavities and packages that are carried out by the machine of figures 1-3;

- figure 5 is a top plan view of a package that is separated from the sheet of figure 4 and comprises a plurality of sealed housings for respective containers for beverage and in which a covering element is partially illustrated;

- figure 6 is a front view of the package of figure 5;

- figure 7 is a perspective view of the package of figure 5;

- figure 8 is a top perspective view of the package of figure 5 in which the covering element is detached;

- figure 9 is a plan view of the sheet of figure 4 comprising a plurality of packages and scrap portions obtained by cutting the sheet;

- figure 10 is a top plan view of a variant of the package that is made by the machine of figures 1 and 2;

- figure 11 is a partial top plan view of a sheet made of plastic material comprising cavities and a plurality of packages of figure 10, which are carried out by the machine of figures 1 and 2;

- figure 12 is a front view of the package of figure 10;

- figure 13 is a perspective view of the package of figure 10;

- figure 14 is a top perspective view of the package of figure 10 in which the covering element is detached. With reference to figures 1 to 3, the packaging machine 1 according to the invention is schematically shown that is arranged for packaging disposable containers 100 containing a product for preparing a beverage, for example coffee or tea, in an automatic dispensing machine. The containers 100 are not self -protected container, i.e. they comprise an external casing, generally made of plastic material, suitable to contain the product for preparing the beverage and top and bottom closed by respective filtering elements.

The packaging machine 1 comprises a plurality of operating stations that are arranged mutually aligned along an advancing direction A. In particular, the machine 1 comprises in sequence a forming station 2, an inserting station 3, a closing station 4 and a first cutting station 5.

The forming station 2 is arranged for forming on a thermoformable plastics sheet 50 a plurality of cavities 51 that are intended to house respective containers 100 to be packaged. Shape and dimensions of the formed cavity 51 are such as to contain a respective container 100 with a reduced clearance. The sheet 50 is made of plastic material, mono or multi- layer, gastight and airtight.

The forming station 2 is fit for forming on the sheet 50 a plurality of cavities 51 that are arranged according to a plurality of forming rows D, which are parallel to the advancing direction A (figure 4).

In the shown embodiment, the forming station 2 forms on the sheet 50 a plurality of cavities 51 that are arranged according to two groups of forming rows D, which are parallel to the advancing direction A, each group of rows being formed by a plurality of forming rows D, for example five.

Alternatively, the forming station 2 can form a single group of forming rows D or three or more groups of forming rows D, the number of forming rows D being selected according to the number of sealed housings 55 that the package 60 has to comprise.

The cavities 51 of two adjacent forming rows D are arranged mutually staggered and close each other in order to reduce a respective mutual distance dl between said forming rows D and thus optimize the use of sheet 50, reducing the amount of scraps and wastes of plastic material.

The sheet 50 is mobile along the advancing direction A on a sliding plane H, for example horizontal, moved by dragging means 21, which is of known type and comprises, for example, a plurality of pliers. The sheet 50 is unwound from a first reel 52 and moved along the sliding plane H with an intermittent reciprocating motion by dragging means 21. A heating station 9 is provided upstream of the forming station 2 for pre -heating the sheet 50. The latter is afterwards and further heated up to a softening temperature of the plastic material by heating means 22 of the forming station 2 that is positioned upstream of punch means 23 and die means 24 (with reference to the advancing direction A). Punch means 23 and die means 24 of the forming station 2 are arranged for carrying out said cavities 51 on the sheet 50.

The inserting station 3 is arranged for inserting inside each cavity 51 a respective container 100 that is picked from a supplying conveyor 31. The supplying conveyor 31 moves the containers 100 along a supplying direction F that is substantially orthogonal to the advancing direction A (figure 3).

The inserting station 3 comprises first picking means 32 arranged for picking up a plurality of containers 100 from the supplying conveyor 31 and transferring and inserting said containers inside respective cavities 51. The first picking means 32 comprises, for example, a first manipulator that is mobile at least according to three orthogonal axes and is provided with seizing suction cups 33.

The closing station 4 is arranged for applying and fixing a covering film 70 to the sheet 50 in order to close the cavities 51 and carrying out respective sealed housings 55 containing corresponding containers 100.

The covering film 70 is unwound from a second reel 71 from unwinding means 18 and superimposed on the sheet 50 to which is fixed, for example by welding. In particular, the covering film 70 is fixed to the sheet 50 at annular peripheral portions or flanges 58 that are arranged around the openings of the cavities 51 (Figure 5).

The closing station 4 is provided with conditioning means 14 for introducing an inert gas, in particular nitrogen, into the cavities 51 before applying and fixing said covering film 70. The conditioning means comprises a conditioning tunnel 14 through which the sheet 50 slides that is provided with the cavities 51 housing the containers 100 and into which the inert gas is inserted in order to remove the air that would jeopardize preservation and organoleptic characteristics of the product stored in the containers 100.

The closing station 4 also comprises suction means 15 for extract the air from the cavities 51 before applying and fixing said covering film 70, in particular before introducing the inert gas.

The first cutting station 5 is positioned downstream of the closing station 4, with reference to the advancing direction A, and is arranged for cutting the sheet 50 and the covering film 70 so as to obtain packages 60, each of which comprising one or more sealed housings 55, in particular a plurality of housings 55 that are aligned according to a packaging row C, which is parallel to a packaging direction B. More precisely, first cutting means 25 of the first cutting station 5 executes an outline cut of the packages 60 according to cutting lines 56, 57 so as to separate said packages 60. During the outline cutting, the first cutting means 25 carries out at least partially on the sheet 50 flanges or annular peripheral portions 58 that are arranged around the openings of said cavities 51.

The first cutting means 25 of the first cutting station 5 is arranged for cutting a plurality of packages 60 from the sheet 50 in a single operating stroke.

A second cutting station 6 is provided downstream of the first cutting station 5 for carrying out on the sheet 50 and on the covering film 70 weakening or intended breaking lines 53 and/or through openings 59 that are interposed among the cavities 51.

The weakening lines 53 and the through openings 59 allow, in the use of package 60, to easily separate and detach, individually or in groups, the sealed housings 55.

The through openings 59 further allow internally and externally rounding the corners of the flanges or annular peripheral portions 58 of the housings 55, as better explained in the following description.

The weakening or intended breaking lines 53 are, for example, partial incisions or cuts or similar carried out on the sheet 50 by second cutting means 26 of the second cutting station 6, that facilitate breakage of the plastic material and therefore separation of the sealed housings 55.

In the shown embodiment, the weakening lines 53 are cutting lines that are rectilinear, parallel and substantially orthogonal to the packaging direction B and are carried out on the sheet 50 and on the covering film 70 after the outline cut of the packages 60.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cavities 51, in a plan view, have a substantially hexagonal shape and the cutting means 25, 26 carries out on the sheet 50 flanges or annular peripheral portions 58 that are arranged around the openings of said cavities 51 and have a rectangular shape with rounded corners. In particular, the second cutting means 26 performs on the sheet 50 through openings or punches 59 that allow making rounded corners (fillets) of the flanges 58 of the packages 60.

The cavities 51 may however have any sectional shape, polygonal (square, hexagonal, octagonal) or curve closed (circular, elliptical, oval) shape, that is complementary to the shape of the containers 100 that the cavities 51 have to house or, however, a shape such as to enable to house said containers 100 with a reduced clearance. Similarly, the flanges 58 around the openings of said cavities 51 may have any shape, polygonal (square, hexagonal, octagonal) or curve closed (circular, elliptical, oval), that is similar to the shape of the respective cavity 51 or different (for example a circular shaped flange 58 and a cavity 51 with hexagonal section or vice versa).

The packaging row C of each package 60 comprises the cavities 51 (five) belonging to respective and distinct forming rows D of one of the two groups of forming rows that are carried out on the sheet 50. The packaging row C is parallel to the packaging direction B which is transverse to the advancing direction A and in particular inclined with respect to the latter so as to form an angle comprised between 30° and 75°, in particular of about 60°. Each package 60 obtained by cutting the sheet 50 is therefore a multiple package of the so- called blister type and formed by a plurality of sealed housings 55 (five) that are aligned and contain respective containers 100.

The flange or annular border 58 of each sealed housing 55 has a rectangular shape with rounded corners having the same dimensions (radius), which facilitate the peeling or detachment of covering film 70.

However, the number of the sealed housings 55 of the package 60 can vary depending also on the number of the forming rows D of cavities 51 that are formed on the sheet 50.

It should be noted that the first cutting means 25, for example comprising a shaped shearing punch and a related die or counter-punch, cuts the sheet 50 along shaped cutting lines 56, 57 for separating a plurality of packages 60 and scrap portions 61, 62. In particular, only two side scrap portions 61 and a central scrap portion 62 having a small size are obtained by cutting (Figure 9).

The packaging row C of each package 60 comprises the cavities 51 (five) belonging to respective and distinct forming rows D, which are adjacent and staggered, of one of the two groups of forming rows that are carried out on the sheet 50.

This particular embodiment of the packages 60 with housings 55 that are obtained by cutting the sheet 50 along the packaging direction B, which is transverse to the advancing direction A, and arranged along respective packaging rows C allows reducing the amount of scraps and wastes of the plastic material (number and size of the scrap portions 61, 62 of sheet 50).

The cutting lines 56 substantially cross and divide portions of sheet 50 that are interposed among cavities 51, which are adjacent and extend along the packaging rows C. Further cutting lines 57 separate ends of the packages 60 from the scrap portions 61, 62.

The second cutting means 26 of second cutting station 6 carries out on the sheet 50 and on the covering film 70 the weakening or intended breaking lines 53 and the through openings 59 that generate further scrap portions 63.

An exit station 7 is provided downstream of the first cutting station 5 for picking up the packages 60 that are separated from the sheet 50 and for placing the packages on conveying means 8. The exit station 7 includes second picking means 35 arranged for picking up a plurality of packages 60 from the second cutting station 6 and transferring the packages to the conveying means 8 comprising a shaped belt that is provided with seats suitable for receiving the sealed housings 55 of the respective packages 60. The second picking means 35 comprises, for example, a second manipulator that is mobile at least according to three orthogonal axes and provided with respective seizing suction cups 36. The operation of the packaging machine 1 of the invention comprises moving the thermoformable plastics sheet 50, which is unwound from the first reel 52 along the advancing direction A through the different operating stations 2-9 by dragging means 21, with a step reciprocating motion.

In the forming station 2 a plurality of cavities 51, which are intended for receiving respective containers 100, are formed on the sheet 50. The sheet 50 is preventively heated up to a softening temperature of the material in the heating station 9 and by the heating means 22 of the forming station 2.

The cavities 51 are formed on the sheet 50 by punch means 23 and die means 24 of forming station 2, the cavities 51 being arranged according to a plurality of forming rows D that are parallel to the advancing direction A, in particular so as to form two groups each of which comprising five forming rows D.

In the inserting station 3, the first picking means 32 picks up a plurality of containers 100 from the supplying conveyor 31 and transfers and inserts the containers into respective cavities 51 of the sheet 50.

In the successive closing station 4 the covering film 70, unwound from the second reel 71, is superimposed on, and fixed to, the sheet 50 so as to close the containers 100 inside the respective cavities 51 and carry out the sealed housings 55. The covering film 70 is fixed by welding to the sheet 50 at the annular peripheral portions or flanges 58 that are arranged around the openings of the cavities 51.

Before applying the covering film 70, suction means 15 and conditioning means 14 respectively extracts the air from, and introduces inert gas into, the cavities 51 housing the containers 100. In this manner, the covering film 70 encloses the containers 100 inside cavities 51 that are substantially air-free in order to guarantee an optimal preservation and a limited degradation of the organoleptic characteristics of the product contained therein. Once the sealed housings 55 containing the containers 100 are made, in the successive first cutting station 5 the first cutting means 25 cuts the sheet 50 and the covering film 70 so as to obtain a plurality of packages 60, each of which comprising a plurality of housings 55 (equal to the number of forming rows D of each group of rows of cavities 51) that are aligned according to a packaging row C that is parallel to the packaging direction B. Each package 60, obtained by cutting the sheet 50, is substantially a multiple package, so-called blister, that is formed by a plurality of sealed housings 55 aligned and containing respective containers 100.

The first cutting means 25 cuts the sheet 50 along shaped cutting lines 56, 57 for separating the packages 60 and obtaining scrap portions 61, 62 having small size. The cutting lines 56 cross and divide portions of sheet 50 that are interposed among the cavities 51 that are adjacent and extend along the packaging rows C, while the further cutting lines 57 separate the ends of the packages 60 from the scrap portions 61, 62. The cutting lines 56, 57 carry out the flanges or annular peripheral portions 58 of the sealed housings 55.

Downstream of the first cutting station 5, the second cutting station 6 executes on the sheet 50 and on the covering film 70 the weakening lines 53 and the through openings 59 that, interposed among the cavities 51, enable, in a phase of use of the package 60, to separate from one another and detach the sealed housings 55 for having packaged single containers 100. The through openings 59 also enable to carry out the rounded corners of the flanges 58 of the sealed housings 55 that enable the detachment of the covering film.

Once detached from the sheet 50, the packages 60 are picked up by second picking means 35 of the exit station 7 and transferred to the conveying means 8, comprising a shaped belt that is provided with seats suitable for receiving the sealed housings 55 of the respective packages 60.

The method according to the invention for packaging containers 100 containing a product for preparing a beverage, in particular coffee, provides:

moving a thermoformable plastics sheet 50 along an advancing direction A;

forming on the sheet 50 a plurality of cavities 51, which are arranged according to a plurality of forming rows D parallel to the advancing direction A, the cavities 5 of two adjacent forming rows D being arranged staggered and close each other for reducing a respective mutual distance dl;

inserting inside each cavity 51 a respective container 100;

applying and fixing to the sheet 50 a covering film 70 so as to close the cavities 51 and carry out respective sealed housings 55, each of which containing a respective container 100;

cutting the sheet 50 and the covering film 70 in order to obtain packages 60, each of which comprising a plurality of sealed housings 55 that are aligned according to at least one packaging row C parallel to a packaging direction B, which is transverse to the advancing direction A, so that the packaging row C of each package 60 comprises cavities 51 of adjacent forming rows D.

Preferably, cavities 51 are carried out on the sheet 50 having a hexagonal shape in plan view.

The method provides forming one or more groups of forming rows D on the sheet 50, the packaging row C of each package 60 comprising the cavities 51 of the adjacent forming rows D of said group or one of said groups of rows.

The packaging direction B is inclined with respect to the advancing direction A in order to form an angle comprised between 30° and 75°, in particular approximately equal to 60°. The method also provides carrying out weakening lines 53 and through openings 59 on the sheet 50 and on the covering film 70, said weakening lines 53 and said through openings 59 being interposed among the cavities 51 of a packaging row C for allowing separating the distinct sealed housings 55.

The method provides introducing an inert gas, in particular nitrogen, into the cavities 51 and/or sucking air from said cavities 51 before applying and fixing the covering film 70. Thanks to the machine and the packaging method according to the invention, it is therefore possible to package in a safe, efficient and inexpensive manner disposable containers for food products, in particular containers for beverages, for example coffee.

In fact, the machine and the method of the invention allow producing a package 60 suitable to house and close airtightly one or more containers 100, so as to ensure hygiene and optimum preservation of the product that is contained in said containers 100. More precisely, the produced package 60 comprises one or more sealed housings 55, each of which suitable to house and contain airtightly a respective single container 100.

The package 60 is substantially a multiple package, so-called blister, which is formed by a plurality of sealed housings 55 containing respective containers 100 that are aligned so as to form at least one packaging row C. The sealed housings 55 are also easily detachable and separable by virtue of suitable weakening lines 53 made on the package 60. In this manner, it is possible to remove from the package only the container to be used, the residual containers remaining in the respective sealed housings 55, which are closed and isolated from the environment.

The package 60 may be carried out in a simple and inexpensive manner by forming a thermoformable plastics sheet, mono or multi-layered, gastight and airtight so as to insulate and preserve the containers in an optimal manner.

The sealed housings 55 have a shape and a dimension such as to house, with reduced clearance, the disposable containers 100 and/or can have substantially the same shape and dimensions of said containers (for example a cylindrical or frustum-conical shape). The sealed housings 55 are not subject to swelling (due to gases released by the container product over time) that is typical of the known "flow pack" bags, thanks to the stiffness of thermoformed plastic material. Therefore, the package 60 of the invention has compact and small dimensions.

The machine allows shearing from the thermoformed sheet a plurality of packages 60, thus allowing having a high productivity. Furthermore, it is possible to produce different packaging formats, by varying the number of sealed housings 55 and/or the number of packaging rows C on which the sealed housings 55 are split.

It should be noted that, by forming on the sheet 50 the cavities 51 according to a plurality of parallel forming rows D arranged staggered and close each other, in order to reduce a respective mutual distance dl, it is also possible to optimize the use of the sheet 50, reducing the amount of scraps and wastes of plastic material. In fact, it is possible to cut the sheet 50 along shaped cutting lines 56, 57 for separating a plurality of packages 60 and obtaining scrap portions 61, 62 having small size.

Reduction of the amount of scraps and wastes of material is also due to the fact that the packages 60 are carried out including respective packaging rows C, each packaging row C comprising cavities 51 of adjacent forming rows D of the group of rows or one of said groups of rows.

With reference to figures 5 to 8, the package 60 of the invention for one or more containers 100 containing a product for preparing a beverage and, in particular, made with the above described packaging machine 1 and/or method of the invention, comprises a plurality of sealed housings 55, which are aligned according to a packaging row C and each of which contains a respective container 100.

The sealed housings 55 are formed by respective cavities 51 that are obtained by forming a thermoformable plastics sheet 50 and are closed by a covering film 70.

The package 60 comprises weakening lines 53 (which include partial incisions or cuts or similar executed on the sheet 50) and/or through openings 59 that facilitate breakage of the plastic material and therefore allow separating and detaching, individually or in groups, the sealed housings 55.

The cavity 51 of package 60 have in plan view, for example, a hexagonal shape and the sealed housings 55 are aligned according to a packaging row C.

With reference to figures 10 to 14, a variant of the machine and of the packaging method of the invention is illustrated that allows producing a respective variant of package 60 that comprises two side-by-side rows of sealed housings 55, i.e. a package 60 comprising a plurality of sealed housings 55 (for example ten in the illustrated example) that are split in two adjacent packaging rows C.

The packaging machine 1 in this case comprises in the first cutting station 5 first cutting means 25 suitable to cut the sheet 50 and the covering film 70 according to suitable shaped cutting lines 56', 57' allowing to separate a plurality of packages 60 that are formed by two packaging rows C of sealed housings 55.

In the second cutting station 6 the second cutting means 26 in this case is configured for carrying out on the sheet 50 and on the covering film 70 weakening or intended breaking lines 53, further weakening or intended breaking lines 54, through openings 59 and further through openings 59'.

The weakening lines 53 are interposed among the cavities 51 and are substantially orthogonal to the packaging direction B, while the further weakening lines 54 cross and divide portions of sheet 50 that are interposed among the cavities 51, which are adjacent and extend along the two packaging rows C of each package 60. More precisely, the further weakening lines 54 have a shape and outline coinciding with the ones of the cutting lines 56'.

The through openings 59 are carried out among the cavities 51 of two adjacent packages 60 and allow forming the external rounded corners of the flanges 58 of the sealed housings 55. The further through-openings 59' are carried out among the cavities 51 of a same package 60 and allow forming the internal rounded corners of the flanges 58 of the sealed housings 55. In the illustrated embodiment, the radius of the internal rounded corners is bigger than the radius of the external rounded corners for facilitating detachment of the covering film 70 in use.

The weakening lines 53, 54 and the through openings 59, 59' during the use of package 60 allow separating and detaching the sealed housings 55. The weakening lines 53, 54 are, for example, partial incisions or cuts or similar, which are executed on the sheet 50 by second cutting means 26 and facilitates breakage of the plastic material and therefore separation of the sealed housings 55.

It should be noted that the sealed housings 55 of two adjacent packaging rows C are arranged staggered for reducing a respective distance d2 between said packaging rows C and making the package 60 of the invention more compact.