The present invention relates to a machine for wrapping a first- and a second embodiment of lollipops, each embodiment having a stick and a lollipop head, wherein the heads of the lollipops of the first embodiment differ from the heads of the second embodiment in at least one dimension and wherein a different exchangeable tool for each embodiment is utilized to wrap the lollipops, wherein each tool is attached to a lever. The present invention further relates to a method to change a of tool. Another subject matter of the present invention is a method to determine the malfunctioning of a tool at a wrapping material forming unit and/or a wrapping material folding/twisting unit.

Lollipop wrapping machines, which wrap the lollipop head in a foil, are well known from the state in the art. It is further well known that many different sizes and shapes of the head of the lollipop, in the following embodiments, can be wrapped on the same machine, but that in many, if not all, instances, a tool(s) at the wrapping machine needs to be changed in case of a different lollipop embodiment is wrapped. This change of tool(s) takes a significant amount of time which is consequently a downtime for the machine.

There is therefore a constant need to reduce this downtime at lollipop wrapping machines.

The problem is solved with a machine for wrapping a first- and a second embodiment of lollipops, each embodiment having a stick and a lollipop head, wherein the heads of the lollipops of the first embodiment differ from the heads of the second embodiment in at least one dimension, wherein a different exchangeable tool for each embodiment may utilized to wrap the lollipops, wherein each tool comprises a lever and wherein: the lever is separated in a base segment, being directly connected to the machine and an exchangeable segment, being connected to the tool and wherein the two segments are reversibly connectable in a connecting area and/or

- wherein the tool and/or the lever are provided with an adjustable positioning means in the connecting area between the tool and the lever.

The disclosure regarding this embodiment also applies to the other embodiment and vice versa. Subject matters disclosed in connection with this embodiment can be incorporated in other embodiments and vice versa. The present invention relates to a machine for wrapping lollipops. In general, a lollipop comprises a stick and an edible head at one end of the stick. This edible head may have various shapes and/or sizes, in the following called embodiments. The head can for example be cylindrical or spherical and/or the cylinder and/or sphere may have a different diameter and/or length. For hygienic- and/or protective reasons, the head of the lollipop is wrapped in a packaging material, for example a film/foil. The wrapping may be twisted at one or both ends. During a change of embodiments of the lollipops to be wrapped, one or more tool(s) need to be changed and/or provided in a different position. After the exchange of the tool(s), it must be assured, that the exchanged tool is properly positioned so that it can cooperate correctly with another tool, for example during folding of the packaging material and/or to hold the lollipop in a certain position. It is, for example important, that after each tool change, the centre-line of the lollipop; i.e. the location of the centre-line of the stick, remains, at least essentially, identical, regardless of the embodiment of the lollipop.

Each tool comprises to a lever. According to the state in the art, at one end of the lever the tool is provided and the other end of the lever is connected to the wrapping machine.

According to the present invention, in one embodiment the lever is separated in a base segment, being directly connected to the wrapping machine and an exchangeable segment, being connected to the tool. The two segments are reversibly connectable in a connecting area. During a tool change, the connection between the two lever segments is declamped and the exchangeable segment together with the tool is removed from the machine and preferably put in a storage. Then, a different exchangeable lever segment and its attached tool are mounted in the connection area.

The exchangeable lever segment may differ in shape and/or size for two different wrapping embodiments, but may also be identical. The tool connected to the exchangeable segment may be identical for all lollipop embodiments, but preferably differs. The tool may be, for example, a folding- or a holding tool.

This inventive embodiment has the advantage, that the position of the tool, particularly the position of the base segment of the lever only needs to be adjusted once, for example during start-up of the machine. Afterwards, during a tool change, only the exchangeable lever segment and its attached tool need to be changed for a different lollipop embodiment. No further adjustment is needed. This reduces the down-time significantly. Preferably, the connecting area comprises alignment means to align the base- and the exchangeable segment of the lever in a defined position. These alignment means align the two lever segments preferably in three spatial-directions. The alignment means are preferably two, spaced apart pins, preferably at one lever segment and two corresponding holes, preferably at the other lever segment. During to exchange the pins are inserted into the holes, preferably until the surface of the two lever segments are in contact with each other, so that the two lever segments are connected in position that is fixed in all three special directions. In this position, the two lever segments can be fixed to each other, for example with a screw.

According to an additional or alternative embodiment of the present invention, the tool and/or the lever are provided with an adjustable positioning means in a connecting area between the tool and the lever.

In this embodiment, during a tool change, the tool is removed from the lever, while the entire lever remains at the machine. Due to the positioning means, which are preferably only adjusted once, more preferably during the first use of the tool, the correct position of the tool at the lever can be found easily. This tool is then fixed in this position at the lever.

The positioning means is for example a screw or a pin, which extends out of one surface of the tool or the lever, wherein its extending length is adjustable and fixable in the desired position. The screw or pin limits the extent of relative movement between the tool and the lever in one direction.

Preferably, the connecting area comprises guiding means for a relative movement between the tool and the lever. This guiding means can for example be a tongue and groove connection or a dovetail connection. Preferably a screw is provided in the connecting area to secure the tool to the lever in the desired position.

The problem is also solved with a method to change a tool at a lollipop wrapping machine, wherein each tool is provided at a lever, wherein: the lever is separated at a connection area into a base segment and an exchangeable segment and the tool is exchanged together with the exchangeable segment as a unit and/or the tool is positioned at the lever with an adjustable positioning means and the tool is reversibly connected to the lever. The disclosure regarding this embodiment also applies to the other embodiment and vice versa. Subject matters disclosed in connection with this embodiment can be incorporated in other embodiments and vice versa,

This embodiment of the present invention claims a method to change a tool at a lollipop wrapping machine, particularly in preparation of wrapping a different lollipop embodiment. The tools comprise a lever.

According to a first embodiment of the inventive method, the lever is separated at a connection area into a base segment and an exchangeable segment and the tool is exchanged together with the exchangeable segment as a unit.

Alternatively, or additionally only the tool is changed while the lever stays at the machine. The tool is positioned at the lever with an adjustable positioning means and the tool is then reversibly connected to the lever.

Preferably, the tool is slid on the lever, until the positioning means are in contact with the lever and the tool is fixed in this position.

Another subject matter of the present invention is a method to determine the malfunctioning of a tool at a wrapping material forming unit and/or a wrapping material folding/twisting unit, each comprising a multitude of tools around the circumference of a rotating wheel, wherein the lollipops are picked up by a pick-up wheel comprising a multitude of gripper, each gripper gripping a lollipop and wherein the picked up lollipops are then handed over to the wrapping material forming unit and the wrapping material folding/twisting unit, wherein: only one gripper of the pick-up wheel picks up a lollipop, which is the handed over to a specific tool of the wrapping material forming unit and a specific tool of the wrapping material folding/twisting unit and thereby wrapped and wherein the lollipop is subsequently analysed to determine whether the specific tool is functioning correctly, or a multitude, preferably all, grippers of the pick-up wheel each pick-up a lollipop and hand it over to a specific tool at the wrapping material forming unit, wherein all but one lollipop are then removed from the wrapping material forming unit and wherein the one remaining lollipop is handed over to a specific tool of the wrapping material folding/twisting unit and is thereby wrapped and wherein this wrapped lollipop is subsequently analysed to determine whether the specific tool is functioning correctly. The disclosure regarding this embodiment also applies to the other embodiment and vice versa. Subject matters disclosed in connection with this embodiment can be incorporated in other embodiments and vice versa,

This embodiment relates to the detection of the malfunctioning of a tool or a set of tools of a lollipop wrapping machine. For example, in case a different lollipop embodiment needs to be wrapped and/or after a machine service, one or a multitude of tools need to be changed and/or adjusted. In case a tool is not provided correctly at the machine, this tool may damage the lollipop, particularly the head and/or the wrapping is not accurate. Since these machines operate at a speed beyond visibility of a human eye, such a malfunctioning tool is hard to detect. The inventive method, however, allows to detect this malfunctioning tool.

The machine on which the inventive method is executed has a pick-up wheel, a wrapping material forming unit and a wrapping material folding/twisting unit, each being preferably designed disclike and each having a multitude of tools at its circumference. The tools per disc are preferably equidistantly spaced. Each tool per disc may have an individual identification, for example a number. The number of tools per disc may be different and the discs may rotate at a different speed, respectively.

The rotation of the wheel and the units is synchronized. Since, conventionally, the amount of grippers at the pick-up wheel is different from the number of tools at the wrapping material forming unit, the grippers at the pick-up wheel hand the lollipops to different special tools at the wrapping material folding/twisting unit. Alternatively, or additionally, the number of special tools at the wrapping material folding/twisting unit differ from the number of special tools at the wrapping material folding/twisting unit, so that one special tool at the wrapping material forming unit hands lollipops over to different tools at the wrapping material folding/twisting unit.

According to an embodiment, a multitude, preferably all, grippers of the pick-up wheel each pick-up a lollipop and hand it over to a specific tool at the wrapping material forming unit, wherein all but one lollipop are then removed from the wrapping material forming unit and wherein this one remaining lollipop is handed over to a specific tool of the wrapping material folding/twisting unit and is thereby wrapped and wherein this wrapped lollipop is subsequently analysed to determine whether the specific tool is functioning correctly.

The other lollipops at the wrapping material forming unit are removed by a removal unit prior to a hand-over position to the wrapping material folding/twisting unit and are, after their removal preferably recycled, preferably to the inlet of the lollipop wrapping machine. The inventive method is preferably carried out on a lollipop wrapping machine, which comprises a control system, which at least controls a removal unit which removes all lollipops, but one, from the wrapping material forming unit and/or which controls, that only a specific gripper picks up a lollipop. The control unit, preferably controls the machine such, that the gripper which hands over a lollipop and/or the positions from which the lollipops are removed, is changed until the malfunctioning tool(s) is/are found. Preferably, the control unit knows, by means of sensors and/or a control logic which gripper has pick up a lollipop and/or to which tool(s) a lollipop has been handed over at the wrapping material forming unit and/or at the wrapping material folding/twisting unit.

The inspection of the lollipops can be done by a person or automatically, for example by a vision system.

The inventions are now explained according to the Figures. These explanations do not limit the scope of protection. The explanations apply for all inventions likewise.

Fig. 1 shows the general concept of a wrapping machine.

Figs. 2 - 4 depict the state in the art of the holding- and the folding tool.

Figs. 5 - 7 depict the inventive folding tool.

Figs. 8 - 9 depict the inventive holding tool.

Figs. 10- 12 depict the state in the art of a holding-/forming tool.

Fig. 13 - 15 depict the inventive holding/forming tool

Fig. 1 shows the general concept of a lollipop wrapping machine 24, here a double twist wrapper. The wrapping machine wraps the head of the lollipop into a wrapping material 2, for example a film. The lollipops, which each comprise a stick 10 and an edible head 9 are fed to a conventionally horizontally oriented rotating singling disk which separates the lollipops and feeds the individualized lollipops to a, here clockwise rotating, pick-up wheel 27. After the pick-up wheel, the lollipops are handed over to a counter-clockwise rotating wrapping material forming unit 5. Individual, plane wrapping material segments, which have been cut from a web of wrapping material by cutting means 3 upstream from the material forming unit 5 rotating wheel are also provided to the material forming unit, which forms each material segment into a II around the lollipop heads 9. The lollipop plus the U-shaped wrapping material are finally handed over to a wrapping material folding wheel 8 which folds the U- shaped wrapping material segments so that its ends, which are parallel to the lollipop stick, overlap. The ends of the wrapping material adjacent to the stick and adjacent to the upper end of the lollipop-head are the twisted and sealed in their twisted shape and discharged at reference number 7.

The person skilled in the art knows that there are different embodiments of lollipop heads. The heads can have different shapes, for example a cylindrical- or a spherical circumference and among each shape, the size, for example the diameter or the length of the lollipop may differ. For each embodiment, different holding- and/or forming tools are needed and/or the tools must be adjusted to a certain position.

Figs. 2 - 4 depict a wrapping material folding wheel 8 according to the state in the art. At the circumference of the wheel a multitude of holders 12 are provided, which fix the head 9 of the lollipop and the wrapping material (not depicted) in a certain position relative to the folding wheel. Each holder 12 preferably comprises a pair of holding means 17 and a pair of levers 15, which reciprocate between an open- and a holding position. The holding means 17, are provided at one end of the lever and are in direct contact with the head of the lollipop/wrapping material. The other end of the lever is adjustably connected to the wheel of the wrapping material forming unit 8. Regardless of the embodiment of the lollipop to be wrapped, the holders have to be adjusted such that the centerline 11 of the lollipop stick is always in the same position relative to the wheel of the wrapping material forming unit 8. This is done via the long holes in the lever 15 of the holders. In the past, whenever a different embodiment of lollipops had to be wrapped, this adjustment had to be newly made, which was very time consuming. Adjacent to each pair of holders 12 is a forming means 13, comprising a pair of cooperating tools 13. These tools reciprocate between an open- and a forming-position and thereby form, for example, the U-shaped wrapping material into a cylindrical shape so that the ends of the wrapping material which are parallel to the stick 10 overlap. Each forming means 13 comprises a pair of tools 14, which are each provided at one end of a lever 15, respectively. For a different lollipop embodiment, at least in most cases, the tools with or without the lever have to be changed and/or adjusted, which is also time consuming.

Figs. 5 - 7 show an inventive embodiment of the forming means. Even though only one tool 14 is depicted, the skilled person understands that the corresponding tool is constructed similarly. According to the present invention, the lever 15 has been divided into an exchangeable segment 15a and a base segment 15b, which are, during wrapping of lollipops fixedly connected in a connecting area 25. The connection between the two segments 15a, 15b is for example secured by a screw 18, but other fixation means are also possible. For the wrapping of different embodiments, only the exchangeable segment 15a together with the tool 14 is removed from the wrapping material folding wheel 8, while the base segment stays at the wheel 8. The exchangeable segment 15a and/or the tool 14 attached to this segment is/are different for different lollipop embodiments. Due to the change of only the exchangeable segment 15a, no adjustments need to be made, which reduces the downtime of the machine significantly. As can be best seen from Figure 7, in the connecting area 25, preferably alignment means 19 is provided which secures the two segments 15a, 15b in a reproducible position relative to each other. In the present case the alignment means is two pins at one segment 15b and two holes at the other segment 15a. During connection, the pins are slid into the holes until the two segments touch each other and then and/or simultaneously a screw 18 is tightened to secure the two segments in their position.

Figs. 8 and 9 depict a corresponding construction for the holders 12. Reference is made to the disclosure according to Figures 5 - 7. In the present case, the lever 15 is also divided into two segments, wherein for a tool-change only the exchangeable segment 15a together with the holding means 17 is removed from wheel 8. The exchangeable segment 15a and/or the holding means 17 differ for two different lollipop embodiments. The base segment 15a comprises fixation means 20, for attaching the base segment 15b at the wheel 8. In the present case these fixation means 20 are adjustable via, here, a long hole. However, these position of the base segment 15b at the wheel is only adjusted, for example during the first start-up of the machine or after repair work, but not for a tool change to wrap a different lollipop embodiment.

Figures 10 -12 show an embodiment of a wrapping material forming unit 5, which hold the head of a lollipop and forms a flat segment of a wrapping material in a U-shape. In the present case the tool 21 comprises two parts, which are both attached to a wheel of the wrapping material forming unit 5. A comparison between Figure 11 and 12 shows that the lollipops may differ, here in length, so that for wrapping a different lollipop embodiment the distance of the two tools 21 need to be adjusted, which is time consuming.

Figures 13 - 15 depict the inventive embodiment. At least one part of the tool 21 is attached at a lever, which is attached to the wheel via fixation means 20. For a tool change, the lever remains at the wheel and only the tool 21 is changed. In order to find the desired position of the tool 21 at the lever 15 easily, the tool comprises positioning means 22, in the present case a screw 22, whose extension out of a surface of the tool can be adjusted and fixed, for example by a lock nut. For a tool change, the tool 21 is slid along a guiding, here a tongue 26, until the positioning means 22 are in contact with the lever 15 and the tool 21 is then fixed in this position here via screw 23. The connecting means 20 of the lever 15 at the wheel is also adjustable, but this adjustment is not needed for a tool change for different lollipop embodiments, but for example only for a first installation.

List of reference

1 Lollipop

2 Wrapping material, wrapping material feed

3 Cutting means

4 Lollipop infeed

5 Wrapping material forming unit

6 Trist grippers

7 Lollipop discharge

8 Wrapping material folding/twisting unit, wrapping material folding/twisting wheel

9 Lollipop head

10 Lollipop stick

11 Centerline of the lollipop stick

12 Holder

13 Folding means

14 Folding tool

15 Lever arm

15a exchangeable segment of the lever arm

15b base segment of the lever arm

16 Folding unit

17 Holding means

18 Connection means, screw

19 Alignment means

20 Fixation means for the lever at the wrapping machine, long hole/screw

21 Holding and/or forming tool

22 Positioning means, screw

23 Fixation means for the holding- and/or folding means at the lever, long hole/screw

24 Lollipop wrapping machine

25 Connecting area

26 Tongue

27 Pick-up wheel

28 removing unit, lollipop removing unit