The present invention refers to a machine for packaging products, such products being in particular capsules for machines for delivering infusion beverages.

The art proposes several arrangements of machines for packaging various products, and in particular capsules containing an essence to be infused, such as for example tea, coffee, tisanes, etc., generally composed of a plurality of working stations arranges in series, each one of such stations being supplied with the semifinished product to be packaged by means of at least one conveyor belt handled through one or more linkages.

Examples of machines or parts thereof specifically aimed to package capsules for infusion are disclosed in prior patents n. DE102004044846, EP1506923, EP1705122, EP0780307, EP0685391, DE3045165, CN101023326, WO2006067619, GB1495893, WO2007040391, WO0134475, WO9842572, EP0420821.

Existing packaging machines however have still one or more of the following technical problems: machines typically aimed for packaging coffee capsules usually comprise at least one vacuum welding bell for a cover made of an aluminium sheet on the capsule itself: such bells, due to their encumbrance and their operating times, not compatible with advancement speeds of the conveyor belt, are usually placed out of the line, thereby making the production of capsules more complex, having to take care with continuity of displacing the capsules from the machine to the welding bell, that is slower and with less performance; linkage-type transport belts are complex, costly and noisy; moreover, they have hygiene problems, consequently finding serious critical points in applications in the delicate field of packaging foodstuff products in which, obviously, cleaning of environment and working means is an absolutely important factor; known transport belts require a sliding abutment on at least one supporting bed: also in this case there are important hygienic problems.

Therefore, object of the present invention is solving the above prior art problems, by providing a machine for packaging products, and in particular capsules for machines for delivering infusion beverages, comprising at least one station for vacuum welding such capsules with an operation that is continuous with the operation of the rest of the machine, consequently resulting quicker and more efficient than prior art packaging machines.

Another object of the present invention is providing a machine for packaging products, and in particular capsules for machines for delivering infusion beverages, comprising a transfer belt for the capsule from a working station to a following station composed of a plurality of projecting tiles that make the belt links, without links and supporting bed, consequently resulting less noisy and suitable to be more easily cleaned with respect to known conveyor belts.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will appear from the following description, are obtained by a machine for packaging products, and in particular capsules for machines for delivering infusion beverages, as claimed in claim 1. Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variations of the present invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

It will be immediately obvious that many variations and modifications (for example related to shape, sizes, arrangements and parts with equivalent functionality) can be made to what is described, without departing from the scope of the invention as appears from the enclosed claims . The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments thereof, provided as a non- limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a top perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the packaging machine according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows another top perspective view of the packaging machine according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the packaging machine according to the present invention;

FIG. 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e and 4f respectively show some operating steps of a packaging station of the machine according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows a top perspective view of a component of the machine according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a top perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the packaging machine according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows a top view of another working station of the machine according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows a side sectional view of the working station of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9a and 9b respectively show schematic top and front views of the packaging machine in an operating step thereof ;

- FIG. 10a and 10b respectively show schematic top and front views of the packaging machine in another operating step thereof;

FIG. 11a and lib respectively show schematic top and front views of the packaging machine in another operating step thereof;

FIG. 12a and 12b respectively show schematic top and front views of the packaging machine in another operating step thereof; and

FIG. 13a and 13b respectively show schematic top and front views of the packaging machine in another operating step thereof.

For briefness, herein below obviously the descriptions will not be given about parts and components common with other packaging machines and necessary for the basic operation of the machine itself, that are anyway deemed as widely known in the art or within reach of any skilled technician in the field, in order to deal in detail in particular with aspects and components characterising the packaging machine according to the present invention.

With particular reference to FIG. 1, 2, 3 and 6, it is possible to note that the machine for packaging products 1, and in particular capsules for machines for delivering infusion beverages, comprises at least one transfer belt 7 adapted to cyclically and sequentially transfer such capsules from a working station to a following station, such stations comprising: at least one station for shearing 3 such capsules: such station 3 then takes care of separating the individual capsules from thermoformed panels pre-arranged and comprising a plurality of capsules; at least one first pick-and-place station 5 of such capsules separated in the previous station 3: such station 5 then takes care of taking the capsules and orderly arranging them, for example in a plurality of parallel rows, on the transfer belt 7; it can be noted that the transfer belt 7 comprises a plurality of seats, each one of which is adapted to receive a different capsule; at least one station for supplying and forming 9 filter paper; at least one station for sealing 11 such filter paper inside each capsule transported by the transfer belt 7; at least one station for dosing and filling 13 each capsule transported by the transfer belt 7 with at least one essence to be infused, such as for example powdered coffee. In particular, the station for dosing and filling 13 comprises, for each capsule to be filled supplied to the station 13 itself by the transfer belt 7, at least one substantially known scroll-type dosing device; at least one station for weighing 15 each capsule: in particular, it can be provided that the station for weighing 15 cooperates with the station for dosing and filling 13 to perform au automatic control feedback and to real-time adjust the correct dosing of the essence to be infused; at least one station for cleaning (not shown) the edges of each capsule; at least one station for supplying, cutting and positioning 17 at least one aluminium sheet layer on each capsule transported by the transfer belt 7; at least one station for vacuum welding 21 such aluminium sheet on each capsule; in particular, the capsules are cyclically supplied to the station for vacuum welding 21 through a second pick-and-place station 19 adapted at least to take one or more capsules, in each of which possibly the respective aluminium sheet is subjected to a partial pre-welding, by the transfer belt 7 and at least deposit it in the station for vacuum welding 21; and at least one station for unloading 23 the capsules from the machine 1 according to the present invention. Advantageously, with reference to the Figures, the packaging machine 1 according to the present invention is equipped with a station for vacuum welding 21 comprising at least one vacuum bell 25 composed of at least one lower half-shell 25a and of at least one upper half-shell 25b, such half-shells 25a, 25b being adapted to be cyclically closed and opened around at least one moving working tray 27 containing the capsules 28 to be welded and cyclically arranged between the lower half-shell 25a and the upper half-shell 25b by handling means mentioned below. Preferably, at least the upper half-shell 25b is equipped with vacuum generating means 29 inside the vacuum bell 25, preferably made with air pumping means from inside the vacuum bell 25 towards the outside environment, and related vacuum keeping means, made for example as suitably sized and placed gaskets, vacuum compensating means 31 inside each capsule by delivering at least one compensating gas, such as for example nitrogen, and welding means 33 of the aluminium sheet cover on the edges of each respective capsule 28.

When opening the half-shells 25a, 25b, the vacuum bell 25 thereby allows handling the moving working tray 27 to arrange inside the vacuum bell 25 the capsules to be welded and the following withdrawal of the tray 27 at the end of welding. When closing the half-shells 25a, 25b, the vacuum bell 25 then performs, through the vacuum keeping means, a suitable seal, around the moving working tray 27 and in particular around each capsule 28 to be welded, to vacuum afterwards generated by the vacuum generating means 29: at the same time, the vacuum compensating means 31 take care of inserting gas, and in particular nitrogen, inside each capsule 28 in such a way as to compensate the presence of vacuum; afterwards, the welding means 33 take care of welding the aluminium sheet onto the edge of the respective capsule 28. After having ended the welding, vacuum inside the vacuum bell 25 is broken and delivery of the compensating gas is stopped to allow opening the half-shells 25a, 25b.

Obviously, handling of the half-shells 25a, 25b to obtain the cyclic opening and closing of the vacuum bell 25 can occur through any kinematism or mechanism suitable for such purpose, such as for example the toggle mechanism 35 in FIG. 8, without therefore departing from the scope of the present invention.

In particular, with reference to FIG. 1, 2, 3 and 4a to 4f, it is possible to note that in a first preferred embodiment of the packaging machine 1 according to the present invention, the station for vacuum welding 21 preferably comprises at least three moving working trays 27a, 27b and 27c, each one of which is cyclically loaded with capsules to be welded, taken by the handling means inside the vacuum bell 25 for welding the capsules, and in particular between the half-shells 25a, 25b, taken outside the vacuum bell 25 for withdrawing the welded capsules and taken back to the capsule-loading position. In particular, the handling means comprise vertical handling means and horizontal handling means of the moving working trays 27a, 27b, 27c: the vertical handling means comprise at least one first and one second lifting device 37, 39 of the moving working trays 27a, 27b, 27c, such first mobile lifting device 37 being arranged upstream of the vacuum bell 25 and such second mobile lifting device 39 being arranged downstream of the vacuum bell 25. Each lifting device 37, 39 comprises supporting means, respectively 41 and 43, of one of the moving working trays 27a, 27b, 27c, preferably made as bearing shelves, in order to vertically move such tray 27a, 27b or 27c between an upper level position and a lower level position. The supporting means 41, 43 comprise the horizontal handling means of the moving working trays 27a, 27b, 27c, preferably made as at least one pin engaging the tray arranged on the supporting means 41, 43 themselves and adapted to horizontally translate.

With reference in particular to Figures 4a to 4f, it is possible to note the cyclic operating steps of the station for vacuum welding 21 according to the above- described first realisation mode. Starting from the operating step shown in FIG. 4a, the first moving working tray 27a is arranged on the supporting means 41 of the first lifting device 37, the second moving working tray 27b is arranged inside the vacuum bell 25, the supporting means 43 of the second lifting device 39 are empty and the third moving working tray 27c is in a rest position under the vacuum bell 25 supported by at least one pair of guides or at least one support plan, coplanar with the level of the supporting means 41, 43 of lifting devices 37, 39 when these latter ones are in the lower level position; in such a step, the lifting devices 37, 39 are both in the upper level position, coplanar with the level of the vacuum bell 25: the second pick-and-place station 19 then takes care of taking one or more capsules from the transfer belt 7 and of orderly arranging them on the first moving working tray 27a; the vacuum bell 25 is in an open position and the capsules contained on the second moving working tray 27b are welded; the third moving working tray 27c is empty.

Afterwards, as shown in FIG. 4b, the horizontal handling means of the supporting means 41 of the first lifting device 37 horizontally move, as shown by arrow 0 ₁ , the first moving working tray 27a taking this latter one inside the vacuum bell 25 in an open position: the first moving working tray 27a then pushes the second moving working tray 27b taking it on the supporting means 43 of the second lifting device 39; the supporting means 41 of the first lifting device 37 are then empty.

Afterwards, as shown in FIG. 4c, the half-shells 25a and 25b of the vacuum bell 25 close onto the first moving working tray 27a performing the welding of the capsules being present on such tray: at the same time, the station for unloading 23 takes care of withdrawing the capsules welded by the second moving working tray 27b placed on the supporting means 43 of the second lifting device 39.

Afterwards, as shown in FIG. 4d, both lifting devices 37, 39 take the related supporting means 41, 43 to the lower level position, as shown by arrows V ₁ and V ₂ .

Afterwards, as shown in FIG. 4e, the horizontal handling means of the supporting means 43 of the second lifting device 39 horizontally move, as shown by arrow

0 ₂ , the second moving working tray 27b taking this latter one below the vacuum bell 25 above the pair of guides or the support plan: the second moving working tray 27b then pushes the third moving working tray 27c taking it onto the supporting means 41 of the first lifting device 37. Afterwards, as shown in FIG. 4f, both lifting devices 37, 39 take back the related supporting means 41, 43 to the upper level position, as shown by arrows V ₃ and V ₃ . The third moving working tray 27c is then empty, waiting to be loaded with the capsules through the second pick-and-place station 19, and the second moving working tray 27b is in its rest position below the vacuum bell 25. Once having ended welding the capsules present on the first moving working tray 27a placed inside the vacuum bell 25, this latter one opens and the operating cycle of the station for vacuum welding 21 starts again from the operating step of FIG. 4a.

Obviously, the above-described operating steps are merely an example and can change both depending on a different number of used moving working trays, and depending on a different number and/or placement of the vacuum bells, and depending on different displacing movements conferred to the moving working trays by the handling means .

Instead, with reference to FIG. 6, 7, 8 and 9a to 13b, it is possible to note that, in una second preferred embodiment of the packaging machine 1 according to the present invention, the station for vacuum welding 21 comprises a single moving working tray 27 rotating around at least one rotation pin 45 whose rotation axis is substantially vertical: in particular, the moving working tray 27 is divided into two halves 27', 27'' separated by the centerline passing through the rotation axis of the rotation pin 45, each one of such halves 27', 27'' alternatively and cyclically passing from a loading and unloading position of the capsules 28 through the second pick-and-place station 19 to a position inside the vacuum bell 25 for performing the welding of the capsules, through rotations, preferably by 180 °, of the moving working tray 27 around the rotation pin 45, such rotation being imposed by the handling means.

With reference in particular to Figures 9a to 13b, it is possible to note the cyclic operating steps of the station for vacuum welding 21 according to the above- described second realisation mode. Starting from the operating step shown in FIG. 9a and 9b, the moving working tray 27 is arranged with its first half inside the vacuum bell 25 for welding the capsules arranged thereon, and with its second half 27'' empty and in its capsule-loading position: the second pick-and-place station 19 then takes care of taking one or more capsules from the transfer belt 7 and of orderly arranging them on the second half 27'' of the moving working tray 27.

Afterwards, as shown in FIG. 10a and 10b, the vacuum bell 25 opens, freeing the first half 27' containing the welded capsules, and the handling means start rotating the moving working tray 27 around the rotation pin 45, as shown by arrow R.

Afterwards, as shown in FIG. 11a and lib, after having ended a rotation by 180° of the moving working tray 27 around the rotation pin 45, the second half 27'' is taken inside the vacuum bell 25 in its open position and the first half 27' is taken in the position previously occupied by the second half 27' ' : at the same time, the transfer belt 7 has obviously advanced along the direction shown by arrow T. The second pick-and-place station 19 then takes the welded capsules of the second half 27'' of the moving working tray 27. At the same time, the vacuum bell 25 closes to weld the capsules contained on the second half 27'' of the moving working tray 27.

Afterwards, as shown in FIG. 12a and 12b, the second pick-and-place station 19 arranges the capsules welded and previously taken by the second half 27'' of the moving working tray 27 on the transfer belt 7 in the positions left by the capsules taken in the above- described step shown in FIG. 9a and 9b.

Afterwards, as shown in FIG. 13a and 13b, the second pick-and-place station 19 goes back in position to take new capsules to be welded by the transfer belt 7. Then, once having ended the welding of capsules being present on the second half 21'' of the moving working tray 27 placed inside the vacuum bell 25, this latter one opens and the operating cycle of the station for vacuum welding 21 starts again from the operating step of FIG. 9a and 9b.

Obviously, also in this case, the above-described operating steps are merely an example and can change both depending on a different number of used moving working trays, and depending on a different number and/or placement of vacuum bells, and depending on different displacing movements conferred to the moving working trays by the handling means .

Advantageously, the packaging machine 1 according to the present invention can further comprise a transfer belt 7 free from handling links and supporting bed. With particular reference to FIG- 5, it is possible to note that a preferred embodiment of the transfer belt 7 comprises a plurality of links 47 mutually connected in an articulated way, each of such links 47 comprising at least one projecting tile 49, such tile 49 being equipped with at least one housing seat 51 for a capsule, integrally connected to at least one sliding carriage 53. In particular, each sliding carriage 53 comprises articulated connection means, such as for example at least one hinge 55, to at least one adjacent sliding carriage 53, and sliding rollers 57 of such sliding carriage 53 on at least one guiding rail (not shown) arranged inside the packaging machine 1. Preferably, the sliding rollers 57 are arranged in pairs at the ends of each sliding carriage 53 next to the articulated connection means 55 with which they share a rotation axis R-R, obviously orthogonal to the advancement direction A of the transfer belt 7. In particular, each pair of sliding rollers 57 is arranged in such a way as to slide on two different side sliding guides in order to remove, or at least attenuate, a possible side skidding of the transfer belt 7. Eventually, it is possible to provide for the use of a third sliding guide, centrally arranged between the two side sliding guides. Obviously, sliding of the transfer belt 7 of the machine 1 according to the present invention will be driven by suitable, substantially known handling means, that engage the sliding carriages 53. It can then be noted that, due to the transfer belt 7 as described above, for handling the capsules from the packaging machine 1 body, only the projecting tiles 49 project, allowing a greater easiness of cleaning and making it useless to employ links and any type of supporting bed for the transfer belt 7.