MACHINE AND METHOD FOR PACKAGING AND PACKAGE SO OBTAINED

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the packaging field and refers to machine and method for making a package. Moreover the invention also relates to the package so obtained.

BACKGROUND ART

Such machine, method and package are particularly adapted for carrying out cigarette packages, sweet or snack package, handkerchiefs and grouped or single products.

Packaging machines are known for high speed packaging cigarette and similar products fit to produce cigarette packages made of several materials, such as paper coupled with aluminium, cardboard or coated board and external protection film.

Such known machines, and their respective packaging methods, have the disadvantage of being much complex and supplying expensive packages.

A further disadvantage of such known machines and methods consists in that they supply packages permeable to the air or not sufficiently sealed.

Other disadvantage of said machines and methods consists in that they are not fit to use thermowelding materials and/or flexible materials difficultly foldable.

A further disadvantage of such machines and methods consists in that they are not fit to realize predefined shapes without using heavy materials or without the packaging material being supported by the product to be packaged.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to propose a machine and a method for making a

package and that they are fast and relatively simple.

Other object is to propose a package for one or more products fit to conserve such products and feasible also with a single sheet.

A further object is to propose a machine, a method and a packaging obtained by them, almost sealed.

Other object is to propose a method, a machine and a packaging, obtained by them, fit to maintain a predefined shape even if the packaging of the packaging is formed without containing the product.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the invention are shown afterwards particularly with reference to the attached drawings in which:

figure 1 shows an axonometric view of the packaging machine, object of the present invention; - figures from 2 to 4 show respective frontal, lateral and plant views of the machine of figure 1; figures 5 and 6 show schematically, from respective point of view, enlarged and axonometric views of a drum with elements fit to execute some packaging operations and in which some parts have been removed for better evidencing the others; figure 7 shows a diagrammatic view of a sequence of packaging steps realized in the drum of figure 5.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to the figures from 1 to 6, numeral 1 indicates the machine, object of the present invention, for packaging one or more products P with a thermoweldable sheet

material M particularly fit to make packages of such material, containing cigarettes, cigarillos or similar products.

The machine 1 comprises twelve forming means 2, regularly spaced one from the other of 30°, fixed to a drum means 17 placed in rotation by suitable machine elements.

The longitudinal axes of the forming means 2 are parallels to the horizontal spin axis of the drum means 17. Each forming means 2, said also arbor, is tubular shaped, having an external lateral surface 3, straight parallelepiped shaped, delimiting its longitudinal internal passing cavity 4.

The machine 1 further comprises feeding means 5 of the material M, fit to supply a sheet of such material to the front side, with respect to the motion of the drum means, of the forming means 2 in the highest position of the drum.

Such sheet position by means of the feeding means allows the wrapping means 6, placed immediately downstream of such forming means, to wrap such material M sheet around said forming means, which in the meantime, is advanced in consequence of the rotating motion of the drum means.

The wrapping means wrap the sheet with a first cross-sectional edge T protruding from such forming means 2 and so that its longitudinal edges L, LL are mutually overlapped on a longitudinal stop portion 8 of the external lateral surface 3 of the forming means 2.

The machine comprises also longitudinal welding means 7 fit to thermoweld the overlapping longitudinal edges L, LL matching the longitudinal stop portion 8 of the external lateral surface 3 of the forming means 2. The longitudinal welding means 7, acting on the longitudinal edges L, LL matching the longitudinal stop portion 8, make an optimal airtight welding.

The machine 1 is provided with matching means 9 activated by suitable elements in translation along the longitudinal axis of the forming means downstream of the wrapping

means, between an end condition external to the forming means 2, where it is removed therefrom, and an end condition internal to the cavity 4 of the forming means 2. In such end internal condition, a matching surface 10 of the matching means 9 is aligned to the forming means edge 2 from which the first cross-sectional edge T of the sheet material M protrudes.

The matching surface 10 of the matching means 9 has an almost complementary shape to the internal cavity 4 cross-sectional shape of the forming means 2 and it is optionally provided with a ceramic material layer.

Such matching surface 10 is in the end internal condition while first cross-sectional folding means 11 and first cross-sectional welding means 12 respectively fold the first cross-sectional edge T of the material M and thermoweld them matching said matching surface 10 of the matching means 9.

The matching surface 10 allows to carry out a thermowelding, almost airtight, of the first cross-sectional edge T.

The machine 1 comprises, upstream of the drum means, filling means 13 in order to insert one or more products P, for example twenty cigarettes, in a forming means 2 internal cavity 4, downstream of the first cross-sectional welding means 12 with respect to the drum means motion, whose external lateral surface 3 has the material M with the longitudinal edges and the first cross-sectional edge T welded forming an L shaped packaging.

Downstream of the filling means, the machine comprises mobile pushing means 14, activated to translate between an external condition and an internal condition to the forming means 2 through respective elements of said machine. The pushing means 14, in their movement into the forming means 2 cavity 4 from the external condition to the internal one , push the product P expelling it from such internal cavity 4.

The product, in its turn, acts on the welded cross-sectional end T of the sheet that forms

the packaging L sliding it out of the forming means. At the end run of the pushing means, the product P is in the packaging L and this latter is slide out of the forming means 2 and inserted into a mobile seat means 34 of conveyor means 35.

The feeding means 5 are placed and activated in order to supply the material M to the forming means 2 in the position of the rotating drum means 17 where the pushing means 14 have released such forming means 2 from the material M partially thermowelded and containing the product.

In order to complete the closing of the packaging L, making the package F, the machine comprises second folding means 15 and second cross-sectional welding means 16 respectively fit to fold and weld the second cross-sectional edge TT of the material M of the packaging L.

In order to package cigarettes or similar products, the invention provides that the forming means 2, or arbor, are parallelepiped shaped and that its wall, for instance of metallic sheet, has a thickness comprised between 0,05 mm and 1,50 mm. The material M comprises at least a sheet of multilayer printed material with both faces in thermoweldable material.

Alternatively, in order to realize packages F of several shape, the external lateral surface 3 of the forming means 2 may have a generic convex shape with straight generatrices, as an example with cross-sectional section polygonal or curve shaped.

A further alternative of the invention provides that external lateral surface 3 of the forming means 2 has concave portions with straight generatrices, with polygonal and/or curve section for similarly shaping the packaging F. Such external lateral surface 3 of the forming means 2, at least in correspondence of the concave portions, is spread with holes in flow communication with sucking means fit to maintain the sheet material M adherent to such external lateral surface 3, this latter variant of the invention allows the realization of packaging with cross-sectional section as an example, heart, star, flower and any other concave figure shaped.

The above mentioned filling means 13, in the case of cigarettes and similar product P, comprises an hopper means 20 for such product P, flowing into a loading means 21 fit to transfer a predefined amount of product P to one of several alveolus means 22 fixed to a transfer wheel 23 intermittently rotating.

The transfer wheel moves the alveolus means 22 between a loading condition, in which it is faced with the loading means 21, and a discharging condition in which it is faced with and aligned to beater means and the forming means 2 that must be filled with the product P. The beater means is activated in translation in order to transfer the predefined amount of product from the alveolus means 22 to said forming means 2.

The inlet of the forming means 2 for the product incoming is divergently shaped towards the outside, for instance trumpet shaped, in order to facilitate such introduction without making the product block against the forming means edge.

Each alveolus means 22 comprises two approaching lateral mobile shells fit to compact the predefined amount of product P before their transfer into the corresponding forming means 2. The alveolus means 22 are twelve and parallel to the forming means.

As seen, the alveolus means 22 are fixed to the transfer wheel 23 having its rotation axis parallel to the drum means 17 axis. The wheel 23 is almost tangent to loading means 21 and is tangent to the drum 17 at the seat of the beater means.

The feeding means 5 comprise two reels 25, 26 respectively for the opening thread or ribbon of the package and for a coil belt of the material M. The reels feed a cutting means 27, of the feeding means 5, to supply at least the sheet of the material M to the forming means 2 upwardly and to wrapping means 6.

The wrapping means 6 comprise a plurality of arms 28, 29 parallels to the longitudinal axis of the forming means and activated by corresponding actuating means to spread the sheet of the material M on the external lateral surface 3 of such forming means 2.

The wrapping means 6 comprise also a stop means 30 fit to block at least one of the longitudinal edges L, LL of the material M against the longitudinal stop portion 8 of the external lateral surface 3 of the forming means 2.

The longitudinal stop portion 8 of external lateral surface 3 of each forming means 2 is equipped with a thermo-insulating and/or non-adherent ceramic material layer 31. Ceramic layer 31 is directly placed onto the external lateral metallic surface 3 of the respective forming means 2. The longitudinal welding means 7 comprise a welding roller head.

The first cross-sectional folding means 11 comprise at least two respective mobile members 32, 33 fit to fold and to overlap the greater sides of the first cross-sectional edge T of the material M wrapped and first cross-sectional welding means 12 comprise a welding roller head.

The welding roller head of the first cross-sectional welding means 12 is fixed to one of the members 33 of first cross-sectional folding means 11. The first cross-sectional folding means 11 and the first cross-sectional welding means 12 are translated in transversal direction with regard to the respective maker 2. Said conveyor means 35 are flexible ring like, chain or similar, and comprise a plurality of mobile housing means 34 fit, when aligned to pushing means 14 and to the forming means 2, to be emptied, for receiving the packaging L, consisting in the material M sheet with longitudinal edges and the first transversal edge T welded, containing the product P.

The mobile housing means 34 have shape similar to a forming means segment 2 with lightly greater size in order to contain the packaging and they are fixed, regularly spaced, to conveyors means 35 and fit to carry the respective packaging L containing the product matching with the second folding means 15 and with second cross-sectional welding means at least 16 fit at least to fold and to weld the second transversal edge TT.

The second transversal welding means 16 comprise a first respective welding roller head

40 placed downstream of the second folding means 15 in order to weld the second folded transversal edge TT.

Optionally the second transversal welding means 16 may comprise a second welding roller head 41 placed on the conveyor means side 35 opposite to the first welding roller one 40 in order to weld again the first transversal edge T.

Conveyors means 35 are equipped with expulsion means 37 fit to transfer each package, consisting in a material M sheet with longitudinal edges L ₅ LL cross-sectional edges T, TT welded and containing one or more products P from the respective mobile housing means 34 to tape conveyor like or similar exit means 38.

The invention provides that the welding roller head are induction heated or, alternatively, that at least one of such welding roller head is heated by electrical resistance means. In order to reduce the thermal dispersion and protect the machine members from the heat, the invention optionally provide that at least an opposite side to the rolls of one or more welding roller head has thermal isolation means.

It is also provided that the thermal isolation means extend on each side of the welding head except the roller side.

The transversal fold and welding means first of all fold the short sides of transversal edges and then fold the long sides of such edges and weld them realizing flat and transversal faces orthogonal to the axis of the package. Alternatively, the second transversal welding means 16 may consist in a welding clamp with two straight and parallel jaws, of known type, fit to weld linearly the second transversal edge of the package.

Referring now to figure 7 in which the different steps are labelled with roman numerals, the machine 1 operation according to the method for packaging one or more products P with a thermoweldable material sheet M, object of the present invention, provides: to supply I through feeding means 5 at least a material sheet M to a forming means

2 of tubular shape, having an external lateral surface 3 and a passing through internal longitudinal cavity 4 and to wrapping means 6; to wrap II the material sheet M by wrapping means 6 around external lateral surface

3 of the at least a forming means 2 overlapping the sheet longitudinal edges L, LL and with a first transversal edge T of the protruding sheet from the at least a forming means 2; to thermoweld III the overlapping longitudinal edges L, LL matching a longitudinal stop portion 8 of the external lateral surface 3 of the at least a forming means 2 by longitudinal welding means 7; - to fold IV the first transversal edge T of wrapped material M, through first transversal folding means 11 finding V such edge with a matching surface 10 of a matching means 9 moved within forming means 2 until placing such surface of matching 10 aligned to the edge of internal cavity 4 of the forming means 2; to thermoweld VI through first transversal welding means 12 the first transversal folded edge T of the material M and maintained to match with the matching surface

10 of the matching means 9; to extract VII the matching means 9 from the cavity 4 of the forming means 2 around which is wrapped the packaging L consisting in the material M with the longitudinal edges and the first transversal edge T welded; - to insert VIII, through filling means 13, one or more products P in internal cavity 4 of the forming means 2 around which the packaging L is wrapped; to eject IX through pushing means 14, mobile in internal cavity 4 of the forming means 2, one or more products P from such cavity 4 inserting them in the packaging L and taking off such packaging L from the at least a forming means 2; - to fold and to weld X, through second folding means 15 and second transversal welding means 16, the second transversal edge TT of the material M of the packaging L so making a package F containing one or more products P.

The method optionally provides to thermoweld again the first transversal edge T of the material M through a second welding head 41 of second means of transversal welding 16.

The method provides also to make the thermoweldings with roller head heated by

induction or electrical resistances. The method comprises also the stages of giving a predefined concave or convex shape to the packaging and the package using forming means 2 having such predefined shape and to obtain the adhesion of the material M to the lateral surface of the forming means 2 through suction by holes made in the surface concave zones of said forming means 2 and in flow communication with suction means.

The package object of the present invention is made of thermoweldable material and is almost sealed and has predefined convex or concave shape with transversal flat ends orthogonal to the package longitudinal axis.

Alternatively the package, in an embodiment fit, for example, to bon-bon, sweets or similar, may have a transversal flat end and the other envelope welded that is with the transversal edge linearly crushed and with the internal edges of such edge mutually welded.

The package in the shape particularly fit for cigarettes, smoke products, paper handkerchiefs or napkins, small envelope and similar, has a parallelepiped shape. The cigarettes or similar contained in the package are placed parallel to the longitudinal parallelepiped sides.

An advantage of the present invention is to provide a machine and a method, for making a fast and relatively simple package.

Other advantage is to provide a package for one or more products fit to stock such products and feasible also with a single sheet.

Further advantage is to provide a machine, a method and a package so obtained, almost sealed airtight.

Other advantage is to provide a method, a machine and a package, so made, fit to maintain a predefined shape even if the package packaging is formed without the product.