A packaging device and a process for packaging articles arranged according to a predetermined pattern and supplied on a conveyor line are presented, where buffers for the preparation of layers to be packaged are eliminated, while maintaining a high degree of flexibility for a wide range of formats. The packaging device includes one or more transfer devices that pick up the articles and deposit them in layers. The transfer devices have a handling member connected to a respective gripping device, both movable along three orthogonal axes. Each gripping device has gripping elements to pick up an article from the conveyor line. The gripping elements are arranged to form, on each gripping device, a single layer of articles. Each layer is obtained with one or more pickings from the conveyor line, in order to place the articles in a single operation in a respective container of the flow.

A machine for making and packing capsules (2) for extraction products in multi-capsule packs (27) includes a feeding station (11) for feeding rigid bodies (3) of the capsules, a dosing station (12) for dosing a dose of product within the rigid bodies, a closing station (13) for closing an upper aperture of the rigid bodies with a respective lid (7); a transport element (8) that features a plurality of seats (10) for housing and moving the capsules through the stations; an exit station (17) adapted to draw the capsules from the transport element; and a packing station (23) adapted to pack the capsules in multi-capsule packs where the capsules are arranged side by side and according to a head-to-tail orientation. The invention further provides for a method for making and packing capsules for extraction products in multi-capsule packs.

A machine for making and packing capsules (2) for extraction products in multi-capsule packs (27) includes a feeding station (11) for feeding rigid bodies (3) of the capsules, a dosing station (12) for dosing a dose of product within the rigid bodies, a closing station (13) for closing an upper aperture of the rigid bodies with a respective lid (7); a transport element (8) that features a plurality of seats (10) for housing and moving the capsules through the stations; an exit station (17) adapted to draw the capsules from the transport element; and a packing station (23) adapted to pack the capsules in multi-capsule packs where the capsules are arranged side by side and according to a head-to-tail orientation. The invention further provides for a method for making and packing capsules for extraction products in multi-capsule packs.

The invention relates to a product stand-up device (10) for standing up products (11) of a plurality of product columns (20) in stack rows (30), which are each associated with a product column (20), comprising a feeding unit (13) for products (11) lying flat, which feeding unit is common to the plurality of product columns (20), and/or a removal transport unit (16) for products (11) stood up in stack rows (30), at least one erecting path (12) for erecting the products (11) of at least one product column (20), and a plurality of shifting elements (21), which are each associated with a stack row (30) and are provided for producing an accommodating gap for lining up a following product (11) of the particular product column (20). According to the invention each shifting element (21) has a separately controllable driving means (22).

The invention relates to a product stand-up device (10) for standing up products (11) of a plurality of product columns (20) in stack rows (30), which are each associated with a product column (20), comprising a feeding unit (13) for products (11) lying flat, which feeding unit is common to the plurality of product columns (20), and/or a removal transport unit (16) for products (11) stood up in stack rows (30), at least one erecting path (12) for erecting the products (11) of at least one product column (20), and a plurality of shifting elements (21), which are each associated with a stack row (30) and are provided for producing an accommodating gap for lining up a following product (11) of the particular product column (20). According to the invention each shifting element (21) has a separately controllable driving means (22).

A column of cups guided by their rims in elongated slots is spaced into desired cup pitch by one or more linear stars from which the cups can be transferred for packaging. The linear stars have lugs engaging and spacing the cups. In another aspect of the invention, cups are manipulated into patterns for final grouping and packaging and by a plurality of cup orienting pickers engaging, inverting and re-orienting the cups. In one final packaged cup group of two or more layers, alternating cups in each layer are inverted and a top lid of a cup in an upper layer is disposed on a top lid of a cup in a bottom layer, while a bottom of a cup in an upper layer is disposed on a bottom of a cup in a lower layer, and in an alternating pattern.

A column of cups guided by their rims in elongated slots is spaced into desired cup pitch by one or more linear stars from which the cups can be transferred for packaging. The linear stars have lugs engaging and spacing the cups. In another aspect of the invention, cups are manipulated into patterns for final grouping and packaging and by a plurality of cup orienting pickers engaging, inverting and re-orienting the cups. In one final packaged cup group of two or more layers, alternating cups in each layer are inverted and a top lid of a cup in an upper layer is disposed on a top lid of a cup in a bottom layer, while a bottom of a cup in an upper layer is disposed on a bottom of a cup in a lower layer, and in an alternating pattern.

A separating apparatus includes a feed device for feeding pipette tips, a dispensing device for dispensing pipette tips, a separating device arranged between the feed device and the dispensing device and having a transport shaft rotatably mounted about a longitudinal axis, and a retaining element spaced apart from the transport shaft for retaining the pipette tips. The transport shaft has a thread for moving the pipette tips in an intermediate space between the transport shaft and the retaining element. The transport shaft has a transfer region for transferring the pipette tips from the feed device. The thread has a first thread pitch in the transfer region, and the transport shaft has an acceleration region after the transfer region. The thread has a second thread pitch in the acceleration region which is greater than the first thread pitch.

A separating apparatus includes a feed device for feeding pipette tips, a dispensing device for dispensing pipette tips, a separating device arranged between the feed device and the dispensing device and having a transport shaft rotatably mounted about a longitudinal axis, and a retaining element spaced apart from the transport shaft for retaining the pipette tips. The transport shaft has a thread for moving the pipette tips in an intermediate space between the transport shaft and the retaining element. The transport shaft has a transfer region for transferring the pipette tips from the feed device. The thread has a first thread pitch in the transfer region, and the transport shaft has an acceleration region after the transfer region. The thread has a second thread pitch in the acceleration region which is greater than the first thread pitch.

A container packaging system 20 is composed of a registration system 22 for arranging articles 24 at a staging location 26 into a loading registration configuration. A loader 28 lifts the articles 24 from the staging location 26 for placement into predetermined locations in containers 30. Although not necessarily always the case, the containers 30 can be sized and configured to receive a plurality of articles 24. A control system 32 controls the operation of the packaging system, including controlling the registration system 22, so that the articles 24 are placed in the correct registration configuration at the staging location 26, and controlling the operation of the loader 28 to transfer the articles 24 into predetermined locations in the containers 30.