FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns an apparatus and a method for automatically applying printed elements on packets of smoking articles. In particular, the printed element can be a stamp, for example governmental, a label, or a stamp value indicating that a tax and/or excise duty has been paid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known that a packet of smoking articles, for example cigarettes, cigars, or suchlike, is normally formed by a box-like body, having the shape of a parallelepiped, with an upper part of it that defines a lid, hinged on a creasing, or a folding line, made on a wall of the box-like body. The packet is usually made starting from a sheet of material, such as paperboard, cardboard, paper or similar materials, which is suitably cut, folded and shaped.

Furthermore, a printed element must be applied to each packet of smoking articles, at least in certain Countries, before being marketed, which can indicate that a tax and/or excise duty has been paid, and which substantially has the form of a stamp.

Normally, the stamp has to be positioned on the packet of smoking articles so that it can be tom off by the user when the packet is first opened, for example when the lid is opened for the first time and after an external cover, made of cellophane, has been removed. In order to achieve this, the stamp is usually attached on the packet straddling a wall of the box-like body and a part of the lid, so that when the lid is first opened, the stamp is tom and thus divided into two parts.

Furthermore, since the external surfaces of the front and rear walls are used to contain images and/or writings indicating the harmful effects of smoking, as required by current legal regulations, each stamp is glued to one of the two smaller lateral walls of the box-like body and, very often, also on an adjacent part of the lid.

In known apparatuses, in which these stamps are automatically attached on the respective packets, the latter are subjected to a series of processing steps which essentially provide a first transport step, in which the packets arriving from a packaging station, in which each packet is packaged with the smoking articles inside, are transported one adjacent to the other, without interruption, along one or more segments of a processing line; a subsequent step of distancing the packets, so that between each packet and the next and/or previous one there is a certain space, almost constant, such that the pitch of advance of the packets becomes, in any case, greater than the maximum size of each packet, that is, its length; and a subsequent attachment step in which each stamp is attached, or applied, on one or more lateral surfaces of a corresponding box-like body and corresponding lid of each packet.

In particular, an apparatus for automatically applying stamps on packets of smoking articles is known from DE 102015001593, in which the step of distancing the packets is divided into three sub-steps, which comprise: a first sub-step in which the packets that leave the packaging station adjacent to each other, with their smaller lateral walls touching each other, are distanced from each other while they are traveling along a horizontal and raised segment of the processing line; a second sub-step in which the already distanced packets are picked up by a rotatable carousel provided with specific rotation members, each of which is suitable to cooperate with one packet at a time in order to rotate it by 90° and then transfer it to a second vertical segment, below, of the processing line with the lid facing upward; and a third sub-step in which the packets are transported along the vertical segment toward a station for applying the stamps, which comprises a rotating device.

One disadvantage of this known apparatus is that it is very complex and bulky, precisely because it requires the presence of adequate mechanical devices and members to carry out the three sub-steps as above; in particular it requires the presence of the rotatable carousel to transfer and orient the packets from the horizontal segment to the vertical segment of the processing line.

Therefore, these known solutions do not solve the problem of reducing the horizontal bulk and in any case require multiple processes to be carried out upstream of the vertical processing line, thus also increasing production times.

There is therefore a need to provide an apparatus and to perfect a method for applying stamps on packets of smoking articles that can overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art. In order to do this, it is necessary to solve the technical problem of being able to reduce the length of the processing line as much as possible between a station for packaging the packets of smoking articles and a zone for applying the stamps on the packets, also by distancing them and sequencing them in an appropriate manner, while maintaining a high productivity, for example in the order of 36,000 stamps applied per hour.

Therefore, one purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and to perfect a method for automatically applying stamps on packets of smoking articles, in which the step of distancing the packets, before the step of applying the stamps, occurs along a processing line which is very short and takes up as little space as possible.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for automatically applying stamps on packets of smoking articles which is very compact, that is, of reduced sizes, especially horizontally, compared to apparatuses known in the state of the art, and which at the same time is also versatile, that is, it allows to easily change the format and sizes of the stamps to be applied, without having to intervene on other parts of the processing line.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and to perfect a method for automatically applying stamps on packets of smoking articles which allows to reduce processing times, thus increasing productivity.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for automatically applying stamps on packets of smoking articles that can be easily integrated into production lines of known machines for packaging packets of smoking articles. The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims describe other characteristics of the present invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purposes and in order to resolve the technical problem disclosed above in a new and original way, also achieving considerable advantages compared to the prior art, an apparatus according to the present invention for applying printed elements on packets of smoking articles comprises a first application unit configured to apply the printed elements on the packets, and movement means configured to transport the packets toward the first application unit disposed along a substantially vertical processing line.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the apparatus also comprises a feed transporter configured to feed the packets, in particular with accumulation, toward the movement means, wherein downstream of the first application unit there is disposed a rotating member configured to pick up, one at a time, the packets on which the printed elements have been applied and dispose them on a horizontal transporter. The movement means comprise a first transport unit disposed along the feed line and configured to transport the packets, disposed one in contact with the other, toward the first application unit along the processing line, and a second transport unit disposed downstream of, and in proximity to, the first transport unit and configured to distance the packets from each other according to a predefined pitch and in phase with the first application unit, before the packets arrive at the first application unit, wherein the second transport unit is aligned or parallel to the processing line and the first application unit is disposed in proximity to the second transport unit along the substantially vertical processing line, and wherein downstream of the first application unit there is disposed a rotating member configured to pick up, one at a time, the packets on which the printed elements have been applied and dispose them on a horizontal conveyor belt.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus also comprises diverter means configured to intermittently thrust the packets from the first transport unit toward the second transport unit, wherein the first transport unit is configured to make the packets advance in phase with the drive of the diverter means.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the second transport unit comprises thrust members which are in phase with the diverter means and which are configured to thrust the packets toward the first application unit at a second transport speed, greater than a first transport speed of the first transport unit. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus also comprises contrast means positioned between the first and the second transport unit and configured to interact with the packets, in such a way as to contact them, for example by means of a sliding contact, in the passage from the first to the second transport unit, in order to prevent the packets from falling due to gravity.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the first transport unit is configured to make the packets advance along a first advance plane and the second transport unit is configured to make the packets advance along a second advance plane, which is parallel and misaligned with respect to the first advance plane by a determinate distance.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus also comprises a guide member located downstream of the first transport unit and having an inclined surface which has the function of guiding the packets toward the second transport unit.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus also comprises a second application unit configured to apply respective additional printed elements on the packets, in a position thereof that is different to that in which the first application unit has already applied the printed elements.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the feed transporter comprises a horizontal segment and a curved segment which is disposed consecutively between the horizontal segment and the vertical processing line, so that the packets pass from the horizontal segment to the curved segment and, subsequently, to the first transport unit without any discontinuity.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for applying printed elements on packets of smoking articles by means of an apparatus which comprises a first application unit configured to apply the printed elements on the packets and movement means configured to transport the packets toward the first application unit.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the method comprises a transport step in which a feed transporter feeds the packets, in particular with accumulation, toward the movement means, which comprise a first transport unit disposed along a substantially vertical processing line, a step of applying the printed elements on the packets by means of the first application unit which is disposed along the processing line and an extraction step in which, after the application step, a rotating member picks up the packets, on which the printed elements have been applied, and disposes them, one at a time, on a horizontal transporter. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, after the transport step, in which the packets are transported by the first transport unit, there is provided a subsequent distancing step in which the packets are distanced from each other according to a predefined pitch and in phase with the first application unit before the packets arrive in correspondence with the first application unit, while they are made to advance by a second transport unit of the movement means along a path that is aligned, or parallel, to the processing line.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, in the distancing step, diverter means intermittently thrust the packets from the first transport unit toward the second transport unit. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the first transport unit makes the packets advance in phase with the drive of the diverter means.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, during the distancing step, immediately after the diverter means have thrust the packets toward the second unit, thrust members thrust the packets toward the first application unit at a second transport speed, higher than a first transport speed of the first transport unit.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an additional step of applying respective additional printed elements on the packets, by means of a second application unit, in a position of such packets that is different from the one in which the first application unit has already applied the printed elements in the application step described above.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the feed transporter comprises a horizontal segment and a curved segment which is disposed consecutively between the horizontal segment and the vertical processing line, wherein the packets are transported with accumulation along the curved segment, and they pass from the horizontal segment to the curved segment and, subsequently, to the first transport unit without any discontinuity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 is a front view of an apparatus for applying printed elements on packets of smoking articles according to the present invention;

- fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus of fig. 1;

- fig. 3 is a front view of the apparatus of fig. 1, in which some components, in particular correlated to a unit for applying the printed elements, have been removed for reasons of clarity; - fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of a unit for applying the printed elements which is comprised in the apparatus of fig. 1 ;

- figs. 5A and 5B are three-dimensional views of a packet of smoking articles that can be processed in the apparatus of fig. 1, according to a first and, respectively, a second mode of application of the printed elements; - figs. 6A-6C are partial and enlarged front views showing a schematic sequence of a step of distancing the packet of smoking articles according to the present invention;

- fig. 7 A is an enlarged detail of fig. 2 in accordance with the first mode of application of the printed elements of fig. 5A; - fig. 7B is an enlarged detail of fig. 2 in accordance with the second mode of application of the printed elements of fig. 5B;

- figs. 8A-8C are partial and enlarged lateral views showing a schematic sequence of an operation for folding a printed element on a packet of smoking articles in accordance with the first mode of application of the printed elements of fig. 5A; - fig. 9 is an enlarged detail of fig. 3 according to another embodiment of the present invention;

- fig. 10 a front view of the apparatus for applying printed elements on packets of smoking articles according to another embodiment of the present invention.

We must clarify that in the present description and in the claims the phraseology and terminology used, such as for example the terms horizontal, vertical, front, rear, upper, lower, internal and external, with their declinations, have the sole function of better illustrating the present invention with reference to the attached drawings and must not be in any way used to limit the scope of the invention itself, or the field of protection defined by the attached claims.

Furthermore, the persons of skill in the art will recognize that certain sizes or characteristics in the drawings may have been enlarged, deformed, or shown in an unconventional or non-proportional way in order to provide a version of the present invention that is easier to understand. When sizes and/or values are specified in the present description, the sizes and/or values are provided for illustrative purposes only and must not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention, unless such sizes and/or values are present in the attached claims.

Before describing an embodiment of the present invention, we must also clarify that it must not be considered as limited in its application to details of the construction and disposition of the components as described in the present description using the attached drawings. In fact, the present invention can take the form of other embodiments and can be obtained or executed in various other equivalent ways.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can be conveniently combined or incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications. DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference to figs. 1 and 2, an apparatus 10 according to the present invention is able to be used to automatically apply printed elements 100 on packets 200 of smoking articles. In particular, the printed element 100 (figs. 5 A and 5B), can be a stamp, for example a government stamp, a label, or a stamped value indicating that a tax and/or excise duty has been paid, and it can have different sizes, in any case correlated to those of a packet of smoking articles. In the rest of the present description, the term stamp must be understood as a synonym for the term printed element.

Before describing the apparatus 10 in detail, in order to make the present invention easier to understand, we will now schematically describe, by way of a non-limiting example, a packet 200 of smoking articles (figs. 5A and 5B).

The packet 200 comprises a box-like body 201 with a parallelepiped shape, generally made starting from a sheet of cardboard or paper, and having a determinate length LI, for example comprised between about 60 mm and about 100 mm, a determinate width L2, for example comprised between about 30 mm and about 84 mm, and a determinate thickness S, for example comprised between about 12 mm and about 44 mm.

The box-like body 201 is provided with an upper access aperture that can be selectively closed by a closing lid 202, which is hinged to the rest of the box-like body 201 by means of a creasing 203 and is able to be inclined with respect to the latter. More in detail, the box-like body 201 comprises a front wall 205, a rear wall 206 parallel and opposite to the front one, a pair of lateral walls 207 and 208 symmetrical to each other, a lower wall 209 and an upper wall 210 of the closing lid 202.

Furthermore, on the packet 200, in correspondence with a separation zone between the box-like body 201 and the closing lid 202, there is applied a stamp 100, usually rectangular in shape, which is positioned in such a way that it is tom off by the user when the packet 200 is first opened, after an external cellophane cover that also covers the stamp 100 has been removed from the packet 200.

According to current regulations, the stamp 100 is applied straddling two consecutive adjacent and transverse walls of the packet 200, and in particular, in accordance with a first mode of application, in such a way as to occupy both a portion of one of the two lateral walls 207 and 208, and also a portion of the upper wall 210 (fig. 5 A).

In accordance with a second mode of application, the stamp 100 can be applied exclusively on one of the two lateral walls 207 and 208 (fig. 5B), but in any case in such a way as to affect both a part of the box-like body and also a part of the closing lid 202 of the packet 200.

The apparatus 10 is configured to be disposed in a packaging machine, not shown in the drawings, which comprises, among other things, a station for packaging the packets 200 of smoking articles, which can be of any known type whatsoever, or one which will be developed in the future, and which is not part of the present invention.

The apparatus 10 (figs. 1 and 2) comprises a fixed base 11 that has a support plate 12, which defines a substantially vertical work plane PI and on which there are mounted a first application unit 13 configured to apply the stamps 100, and a movement unit 15 configured to transport, along a processing line Y, which is also substantially vertical, the packets 200 coming from the aforementioned packaging station, which is disposed upstream of the movement unit 15, toward the first application unit 13 and from the latter toward an exit zone 14.

In the embodiment described here, the first application unit 13 for applying the stamps 100 is disposed transversely to the work plane PI and it is aligned with the processing line Y.

The packets 200, when they reach the movement unit 15 from above (fig. 3), are disposed one in contact with the other, without a break in continuity, with the closing lid 202 oriented downward, their front 205 and rear walls 206 parallel to the processing line Y and, in particular, in such a way that the lateral wall 208 rests against the support plate 12 and the lateral wall 207 faces toward the first application unit 13 for applying the stamps 100.

The movement unit 15 essentially comprises a first transport unit 16 and a second transport unit 17, which are disposed along, or parallel to, the processing line Y, respectively one above and the other below, with a separation space between them.

Some embodiments of the present invention provide that the two transport units

16 and 17 are exactly aligned along the processing line Y, while other embodiments, including the one shown here, provide that the second transport unit

17 is misaligned by a determinate distance D (figs from 6A to 6C), of the order of a few millimeters, for example indicatively of a value comprised between 1 and 10 millimeters, with respect to the first transport unit 16.

The first transport unit 16 comprises two conveyor belts 19 and 20 opposite each other and disposed vertically along the processing line Y, orthogonal to the work plane PI. The two conveyor belts 19 and 20 are disposed at a reciprocal distance such as to allow them to contact the front 205 and rear walls 206 of the packets 200 in order to give them a first transport speed VI . In particular, the conveyor belt 19 is positioned in such a way that an operating part thereof, configured to contact the packets 200, lies on a first advance plane P2’, orthogonal to the work plane PI and passing through the processing line Y. The two conveyor belts 19, 20 are driven by a first electric motor 21 and by a second electric motor 22, respectively, which are mounted on the support plate 12 and controlled by an electronic control unit 23 (figs. 1 and 2). As an indication, with a packet 200 of 90 mm in length, for a productivity of the order of 600 stamps 100 applied on the packets 200 per minute, the first transport speed VI is of the order of about 0.9 m/s.

The first transport unit 16 has the function of “launching” each packet 200 toward the underlying second transport unit 17 at the first transport speed VI. Furthermore, the pitch of the packets 200 along the first transport unit 16 is equal to their length LI.

The second transport unit 17 has the function of distancing the packets 200 from each other by a predeterminate value G, for example of the order of a few millimeters, so that the pitch between two consecutive packets 200 changes from LI to a constant pitch PC. As will be explained in detail below, the constant pitch PC of each packet is equal to the pitch of the first application unit 13 that applies the stamps 100.

The second transport unit 17 comprises a pair of transport belts 25 and 26 identical to each other and each provided with horizontally aligned blocks 27. The distance between two contiguous blocks 27 along a same transport belt 25 or 26 is equal to the constant pitch PC.

The transport belts 25 and 26 are driven in rotation by a driving pulley 29 connected to a third electric motor 30, which is also mounted on the support plate 12 and is controlled by the electronic control unit 23. Furthermore, each of the two transport belts 25 and 26 is guided at the lower part by a driven pulley 31, respectively 32, which is mounted freely rotatable on corresponding arms of an inverted U-shaped support lever 33 attached to the support plate 12, so that between the two driven pulleys 31 and 32 there is an empty space in which gripping elements 34 of a rotating member 35, which will be described in detail below, can be inserted with clearance.

The two transport belts 25 and 26 have an operating part thereof stretched between the driving pulley 29 and the driven pulleys 31, 32, which lies on a second advance plane P2” (figs from 6A to 6C) which is orthogonal to the work plane PI and parallel to the first advance plane P2’. In particular, the second advance plane P2” is distanced from the first advance plane P2’ by the distance D, which is slightly larger than the height of the blocks 27, understood in an orthogonal direction to the external surface of each of the two transport belts 25 and 26. The second transport unit 17 also comprises a guide element 36 attached on the support plate 12, disposed parallel to the processing line Y and opposite the two transport belts 25 and 26. The distance of the guide element 36 from the two transport belts 25 and 26, that is, from the second advance plane P2”, is equal to the thickness S of the packets 200. In this way, the packets 200 do not fall freely downward due to the force of gravity, but they are transported by the two transport belts 25 and 26 toward the first application unit 13 in a controlled manner and at a determinate second transport speed V2, greater than the first transport speed VI. In particular, each packet 200 is transported thanks to the thrust it receives from a corresponding pair of blocks 27, advancing in contrast to the frictional forces that are generated between the external surfaces of the packets 200 and the surface of the guide element 36 on one side, and of the two transport belts 25 and 26 on the other side. The ratio between the two transport speeds VI and V2 is given by the following formula V2:V 1=PC:L1.

At its upper end the guide element 36 is provided with an inclined surface 37, configured to interact with the upper wall 210 of each packet 200, so as to direct, or guide, the latter toward the two transport belts 25 and 26 and then toward the second advance plane P2”.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, between the two transport units 16 and 17 there are contrast means 38, in particular at least one contrast element (figs. 2, 3 and 6A, 6B and 6C, in the latter with a dashed line) which is operatively associated with the support plate 12 and configured to interact with the packets 200 in the passage between the first transport unit 16 and the second transport unit 17.

In a preferred embodiment, the support plate 12 is fixed, while the contrast means 38 are mounted on suitable elastic means, for example helical springs or suchlike, which tend to keep it pressed against the packets 200.

In particular, the support plate 12 and the contrast means 38 substantially define a pair of contrast walls for the packets 200, respectively one fixed and one cushioned, which at exit from the first transport unit 16 contact, for example by sliding, each packet 200 in transit in order to prevent the latter from falling uncontrollably due to gravity. Specifically, during the descent of the packets 200 along the processing line Y, the support plate 12 and the contrast means 38 contact a respective lateral wall 207, 208 of each packet 200.

Furthermore, between the two transport units 16 and 17 there are also diverter means 39 configured to intermittently thrust the upward facing part of each packet 200, which in the example provided here corresponds to the zone near the lower wall 209, toward the two transport belts 25 and 26.

In the embodiment described here, the diverter means 39 are configured as a thrust member which comprises a cam 40 mounted rotatable on the support plate 12 and connected to a fourth electric motor 41, which is also controlled by the electronic control unit 23.

The cam 40 has an angular rotation speed correlated to the first transport speed VI, therefore in phase with the first transport unit 16, so as to cyclically hit, with each of its turns, each packet 200, which arrives from the first transport unit 16, in synchrony with the cyclic arrival of a pair of blocks 27 of the two transport belts 25 and 26, so that the lower wall 209 of the packet 200 goes exactly underneath the blocks 27.

Therefore, the combined action of the diverter means 39 and of the second transport speed V2 of the transport belts 25, 26 distances, that is, singularizes, the packets 200 before they arrive in correspondence with the first application unit 13 for applying the stamps 100.

We must clarify that the shape of the cam 40 is such that, when a packet 200 is thrust against the belts 25 and 26, the packet that is immediately above the latter goes to rest on the profile of the cam 40, which prevents its uncontrolled fall.

The first application unit 13 for applying the stamps 100 (figs. 1 and 2) is substantially of a known type and essentially comprises a hopper 42 to contain a plurality of stamps 100, a pick-up device 43 configured to pick up one stamp 100 at a time from the hopper 42 and transfer it on an application device 45, configured to apply each stamp 100 on the corresponding packet 200. The application device 45 (fig. 2) comprises a rotating drum 46 which rotates about an axis of rotation X of its own, orthogonal to the processing line Y, and which is connected to a fifth electric motor 47, also controlled by the electronic control unit 23. The rotating drum 46 is divided into a plurality of circular sectors, which are six in the example given here, on each of which a stamp 100, picked up by the pick-up device 43, can be temporarily positioned and kept adherent to the surface of the corresponding circular sector, for example by means of suction means 48.

In particular, each stamp 100 is positioned on the peripheral surface of the rotating drum 46, so that the rear surface of the stamp 100, that is, the one which will then be glued to a packet 200, faces outward, so that subsequently the latter can be covered with glue, or other adhesive material.

The peripheral surface of the rotating drum 46 is tangent to an application plane P3 (figs. 2, 7 A and 7B), which is parallel to the work plane PI and distant from the latter by a value which is equal to the width L2 of a packet 200.

The angular pitch of the stamps 100 on the peripheral surface of the rotating drum 46 is equal to the constant pitch PC of the packets 200 which are located in the second transport unit 17, and the peripheral speed VP of the rotating drum 46 is equal to the second transport speed V2.

For a correct application of the stamps 100 it is crucial that there is a correct timing between the rotation of the drum 46 and the transport of the packets 200 toward the first application unit 13. This timing is performed by the first transport unit 16, as a function of the selected mode of application of the stamps 100 (first mode represented in fig. 5A or second mode represented in fig. 5B), under the control of the electronic control unit 23, which suitably drives the electric motors 21, 22, 30, 41 and 47.

The first application unit 13 also comprises a cutting member 49 (fig. 2) configured to suitably cut each stamp 100 and a spreading device 50 configured to spread a layer of glue, or other adhesive material, on the rear exposed surface of each stamp 100, before the latter is applied on a corresponding packet 200.

The first application unit 13 also comprises a first and a second stabilizing member 51 and 52 (figs. 2 and from 8A to 8C), disposed tangent to the application plane P3, respectively just before and just after the zone in which the application device 45 applies the stamps 100. The first and second stabilizing members 51 and 52 have the function of stabilizing each packet 200 before, during and after the application of each stamp 100, thus guaranteeing a precise positioning thereof, and, by cooperating with the guide element 36 and the support plate 12, of preventing each packet 200 from falling uncontrollably by gravity.

Below the second stabilizing member 52 there is disposed a folding device 53 (figs. 2 and from 8A to 8C) configured both to fold a part of each stamp 100 if it were to protrude downward from the lateral wall 207 of the packet 200 on which the same stamp 100 has been applied, and also to perform a controlled pressing of the stamp 100 on the upper wall 210 of the lid 202 of the same packet 200.

The folding device 53 comprises a sixth electric motor 55, also controlled by the electronic control unit 23, to the shaft of which there is fixed a lever 56 on a free end of which there is pivoted an idle folding roller 57 (figs from 8A to 8C).

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the rotating member 35 (figs. 1 and 3) is disposed in correspondence with the exit zone 14 of the movement unit 15 and has the function of picking up, one at a time, the packets 200 on which the stamps 100 have been applied in order to dispose them on a horizontal transporter 60, for example a belt or a strip, which is configured to transport the packets 200, by means of suitable thrust members, for example blocks, toward another processing zone which is not shown in the drawings.

In particular, the rotating member 35 is rotatable about an axis of rotation Z, perpendicular both to the axis of rotation X of the rotating drum 46 and also to the vertical processing line Y, and is provided with a plurality of gripping elements 34, for example six, which are disposed substantially in a radial pattern and are each provided with suction means 48 of a known type.

A seventh electric motor, not shown in the drawings, is associated with the rotating member 35, also controlled by the electronic control unit 23, which makes it rotate in phase with the advance of the packets 200 at exit from the movement unit 15.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, shown in fig. 9, the gripping elements 34 of the rotating member 35 are mounted on rotatable supports 61, which have the function of making each gripping element 34 rotate about an axis of rotation R of its own, disposed radially with respect to the axis of rotation Z, in order to orient the packets 200 according to specific processing needs.

In the example provided here, each packet 200, during transport from the exit zone 14 of the movement unit 15 to the transporter 60, is oriented by the gripping elements 34 so as to be disposed on the transporter 60 rotated clockwise by 90°, as indicated by the arrow F, with respect to the condition shown in figs. 1 and 3. In this rotated condition, each packet 200 lies with its rear wall 206 on the conveyor belt 60 and with the upper wall 210 of the lid 202 frontally exposed to view.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, shown in fig. 10, the apparatus 10 also comprises a feed transporter 58 disposed upstream of the movement unit 15 and configured to feed the packets 200 with accumulation, that is, one in contact with the other, toward the movement unit 15, as will be explained in detail below.

The feed transporter 58 comprises a horizontal segment 58a along which a feed belt 59 extends, and a curved segment 58b which is interposed between the horizontal segment 58a and the processing line Y in order to lead the packets 200 from the feed belt 59 to the first transport unit 16.

This configuration is advantageous because it allows to accumulate the packets 200 one in contact with the other along the vertical processing line Y without needing to provide another rotating member, which for example can be structurally and functionally similar to the rotating member 35, which is instead required in some solutions known in the state of the art. Thanks to the presence of the curved segment 58b disposed consecutively after the horizontal segment 58a and before the vertical processing line Y, the packets 200 can reach the first transport unit 16 with accumulation, with a feed transporter 58 that has a structure which, although simple, does not have overall dimensions larger than those of the solutions known in the state of the art.

In particular, the feed belt 59 is configured to make the packets 200 advance with a third transport speed V3, higher than the first transport speed VI, so that when each packet 200 reaches the first transport unit 16 it is forced to slow down. In this way, regardless of the distancing that the packets 200 have along the horizontal segment 58a, along the curved segment 58b each packet 200 abuts on the next one, thus creating an accumulation of packets 200 upstream of the first transport unit 16.

The packets 200 can be fed to the feed transporter 58 by means of any suitable feed member or device whatsoever, for example a hopper or similar device, not shown in the drawings.

It is understood that the feed transporter 58 like the one described above can also be provided in many other embodiments, for example in the embodiment of the apparatus 10 described above with reference to fig. 1. Furthermore, as shown in fig. 10, downstream of the rotating member 35 and above the transporter 60, there is also a second application unit 63 for applying the stamps 100 which, for example, can comprise the same members, devices or operating means of the first application unit 13 and which for this reason will not be described again in detail. In one variant of the embodiment of fig. 1 , the second application unit 63 can also be provided in this embodiment downstream of the rotating member 35 and above the conveyor belt 60.

The second application unit 63 is configured to apply a respective additional stamp 100 in a position of the packet 200 that is different from that in which the first application unit 13 applies each stamp 100.

In fact, while the first application unit 13 applies each stamp 100 on the lateral wall 207, and possibly on a part of the upper wall 210 of the lid 202, the second application unit 63 applies each stamp 100 on the front wall 205, or alternatively on the rear wall 206, and possibly also on one of the lateral walls 207 and/or 208 of the packet 200. Also in this case, by way of a non- limiting example, each stamp 100 can be applied to the packet 200 in correspondence with the separation zone between the box-like body 201 and the closing lid 202.

Furthermore, the application of the additional stamp 100 with the second application unit 63 can also be performed in combination with that previously performed with the first application unit 13 and, advantageously, by exploiting the possible rotation of the packet 200 by means of the rotatable supports 61 of the gripping elements 34 of the rotating member 35 (figs. 9 and 10).

This makes the apparatus 10 extremely versatile, while remaining very compact, in particular in its overall dimensions in plan, compared to the solutions of the state of the art. In fact, even if the apparatus 10 comprises two application units 13, 63, it is much more compact than known solutions comprising two stamp application units.

We must clarify that the electronic control unit 23 can also be configured to control the motors that drive the feed transporter 58, the feed belt 59, the transporter 60 and the second application unit 63.

The operation of the apparatus 10 described heretofore, which corresponds to the method according to the present invention, comprises the following steps.

Initially, the electronic control unit 23 is set so as to perform one of the possible modes of application of the stamps 100 by means of the first application unit 13.

Let us assume that the first mode of application of the stamps 100 is selected, that is, with each stamp 100 also applied on a portion of the upper wall 210 of the closing lid 202 (fig. 5A).

The electronic control unit 23 commands the simultaneous drive of the electric motors 21, 22, 30, 41, 47, 55 and of the seventh electric motor as above.

Consequently, the first transport unit 16 (fig. 3) performs a first transport step in which the packets 200 are transported, one in contact with the other, without a break in continuity, along the vertical processing line Y with a first transport speed VI given to them by the conveyor belts 19 and 20, which are driven by the electric motors 21 and 22.

During the first transport step, the electronic control unit 23 also provides to phase the advance of the packets 200 with the rotation of the rotating drum 46.

In a subsequent distancing step (figs from 6A to 6C), the packets 200 at exit from the first transport unit 16 are distanced from each other and taken to the constant pitch PC under the control of the electronic control unit 23 which, through the third electric motor 30 and the transport belts 25 and 26, gives the same packets 200 the second transport speed V2. In addition, the electronic control unit 23 also commands the cam 40 through the fourth electric motor 41.

In this distancing step the packets 200, launched from the first transport unit 16 toward the second transport unit 17, are initially slowed down, or held, through the action of the contrast means 38, which cooperate with the support plate 12 in order to prevent the uncontrolled fall of the packets 200 due to gravity. Thereafter, each packet 200 goes with one of its edges against the inclined surface 37 of the guide element 36, which takes them toward the two transport belts 25 and 26. Immediately afterward, the cam 40, rotating clockwise, strikes the upward facing part of the packet 200 in a controlled manner, thus detaching the packet 200 from the stack of packets 200 above it and making it adhere to the transport belts 25 and 26 in synchrony with the cyclic arrival of a pair of blocks 27 of the transport belts 25 and 26. In this way, the lower wall 209 of the packet 200 is contacted by the blocks 27 and the same packet 200 is transported toward the first application unit 13 for applying the stamps 100.

Simultaneously with the first transport step and the distancing step, under the control of the electronic control unit 23, the first application unit 13 for applying the stamps 100 starts a step preparing the stamps 100.

In this preparation step, the stamps 100 fed by the hopper 42 are extracted one at a time by the pick-up device 43, which transfers them to the application device 45; the latter, driven by the fifth electric motor 47, transports each stamp 100 first under the cutting member 49, which performs a cut on each stamp 100 so that the latter assumes the desired size, and then under a spreading device 50, which spreads a layer of glue, or other adhesive material, on the rear surface of each stamp 100.

Subsequently, in an application step, each stamp 100, transported by the application device 45, intercepts a corresponding packet 200, transported by the transport belts 25 and 26, in a position that is tangent to the application plane P3, and remains glued to the lateral surface 207 of the same packet 200, separating from the application device 45, because in that same instant the suction by the suction means 48 ceases. In particular, in the first application mode (fig. 5A), each stamp 100 intercepts a corresponding edge of a packet 200 (fig. 7 A) a few millimeters after having passed with its initial edge from the tangent position mentioned above to the application plane P3.

Subsequently, in a second transport step, the transport belts 25 and 26 transport the packet 200 with the stamp 100 just applied toward the folding device 53 (figs from 8 A to 8C), which performs a fold and possibly a pressing of each stamp 100 on the upper wall 210 of the packet.

We wish to point out that both before the application of the stamp 100 and also before its possible folding, each packet 200 is stabilized and/or held respectively by the first stabilizing member 51 and by the second stabilizing member 52.

In a subsequent extraction step, the packet 200 is transported toward the exit zone 14, where the rotating member 35, by means of the gripping elements 34, picks up each packet 200 and places it on the transporter 60.

If, on the other hand, the second mode of application of the stamps 100 is selected (figs. 5B and 7B), that is, with each stamp 100 applied only on a lateral wall 207 of the box-like body 201 and on a lateral portion of the closing lid 202 compared to the first mode described above, the electronic control unit 23 is set so as to suitably adjust the timing between the rotation of the drum 42 and the transport of the packets 200 toward the first application unit 13, in such a way that each stamp 100 intercepts a corresponding packet 200 with its initial edge only after an edge of the packet 200 has already gone beyond the position that is tangent to the application plane P3 by a few millimeters (fig. 7B).

In accordance with the other embodiments of the present invention described above, the electronic control unit 23 commands the drive of the feed transporter 58, the feed belt 59, the transporter 60 and the second application unit 63.

In these embodiments, the method provides that in the first transport step the electronic control unit 23 controls the feed transporter 59 in order to take the packets 200, with accumulation, to the substantially vertical processing line Y, that is, toward the first transport unit 16, transiting through the curved segment 58b.

The step of distancing the packets 200, the preparation and application of the stamps 100 by means of the first application unit 13 according to the different modes of application, and the second transport step occur as described above.

In the extraction step, each gripping element 34 of the rotating member 35 picks up a corresponding packet 200 in correspondence with the exit zone 14 of the movement unit 15, then each rotatable support 61 can, if necessary, be driven in order to make the corresponding packet 200 rotate according to specific processing requirements. Then, each packet 200 is placed on the conveyor belt 60 in a rotated condition.

Subsequently, a third transport step is provided in which the transporter 60 transports the packets 200, rotated and correctly distanced, to the second unit 63 for applying the stamps 100. We must clarify that the packets 200 are transported in phase with the second application unit 63.

Simultaneously with the third transport step, under the control of the electronic control unit 23, the second unit 63 for applying the stamps 100 starts an additional step of applying the stamps 100, which occurs according to the operating modes described above.

Following this step, similarly to what has already been described in the previous application step, each stamp 100 is applied on a respective packet 200. In this case, however, the stamp 100 is applied on the front wall 205, or alternatively on the rear wall 206 of the packet 200.

Possibly, in accordance with another application mode, it is possible to provide that the stamp 100 is also applied, as well as on the front wall 205 or rear wall 206, on one of the two lateral walls 207 and 208.

The apparatus 10 has the advantage that it allows to change the format, or type, of stamps 100 in a simple and quick way, without having to modify its configuration or perform additional work, which would be complex and expensive.

Furthermore, thanks to the possible presence of a second application unit 63, it is possible, with a single apparatus 10, to apply the stamps 100 in several zones of the packet 200, without having to perform complicated operations, or additional work or set-ups.

In particular, another advantage of the apparatus 10 is that it is very compact and has a size in height which is approximately ten times the length LI of a packet 200, with overall dimensions in plan (in a horizontal direction) much smaller than the solutions known in the state of the art.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts or steps may be made to the apparatus 10 and to the method as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention, as defined by the claims.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of apparatuses and methods for automatically applying stamps on packets of smoking articles, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

In the following claims, the sole purpose of the references in brackets is to facilitate reading and they must not be considered as restrictive factors with regard to the field of protection defined by the claims.