Described is an apparatus for packaging tissue products and a relative packaging method.

Described is an apparatus for packaging tissue products and a relative packaging method.

A packaging machine comprises a conveying device for advancing a web along a web advancement path at least to a tube forming station where the web is formed into a tube and for advancing the tube along a tube advancement path, a tube forming and sealing device configured to form and to longitudinally seal the tube, a tensioning device upstream of the tube forming station and configured to control the tension of the tube and a control unit configured to control packaging machine operation. The tensioning device comprises a main drive roller rotatable around a main rotation axis and a main drive motor configured to actuate rotation of the main drive roller around the main rotation axis. The control unit is configured to control the main drive motor such that angular speed and/or angular acceleration of the main drive roller is cyclically varied to control the tension of the tube.

The packaging plant comprises a packaging machine and a robot which is mounted on a transport truck that is repositionable along the packaging machine. The transport truck comprises a frame, a current collector, and a plurality of operating components. The frame is mounted so as to be movable along the packaging machine, has a bearing assembly for the robot, and supports the plurality of operating components. The current collector is configured to wirelessly connect to a current source. The plurality of operating components comprise at least one wireless data transmission device and one drive.

An adaptive container loading assembly is provided and includes a container forming assembly, a container shuttle assembly, and a product transport assembly. The container forming provides a plurality of varying sized containers. The container shuttle assembly is positioned adjacent to the container forming assembly and includes a linear synchronous motor guideway shaped in an endless loop, and a plurality of transport vehicles moveable about the guideway, each transport vehicle a leading shuttle and a trailing shuttle spaced apart by a determined distance to accommodate and receive the plurality of varying sized containers. The product transport assembly is positioned adjacent the container shuttle assembly and includes a robot arm to position product in the plurality of varying sized containers.

A modular packaging facility has independent packaging units configured to receive one or more product loaded supports. The upper tool and the lower tool of each unit are relatively movable the one with respect to the other between at least a first position, allowing placement of the supports in the respective seats of the lower tool, and a second position, allowing coupling of a film portion of said film to said one or more product loaded supports received by the lower tool. Each unit has a vacuum arrangement and/or a controlled atmosphere arrangement and is configured to execute a packaging cycle wherein gas is removed and/or injected via holes in the supports and/or via nozzles placed between the support and the respective film portion. The process and the infrastructure may be used to contemporaneously process and pack supports of different types.

A modular packaging facility has independent packaging units configured to receive one or more product loaded supports. The upper tool and the lower tool of each unit are relatively movable the one with respect to the other between at least a first position, allowing placement of the supports in the respective seats of the lower tool, and a second position, allowing coupling of a film portion of said film to said one or more product loaded supports received by the lower tool. Each unit has a vacuum arrangement and/or a controlled atmosphere arrangement and is configured to execute a packaging cycle wherein gas is removed and/or injected via holes in the supports and/or via nozzles placed between the support and the respective film portion. The process and the infrastructure may be used to contemporaneously process and pack supports of different types.

Systems and methods described herein are optimized for cutting sealing elements on packages using optical radiation. Packages can pass through a cutting device that applies the optical radiation to damage, vaporize, or cut the sealing element (e.g., tape) on the package. The systems and methods control several aspects of the cutting process to adjust throughput, improve efficiency, and reduce line stoppages. Systems can include an in-feed conveyor that orients packages and rejects packages that are out of specification, which can lead to issues such as jamming or damage to the equipment. Systems can include a variable-speed cut conveyor controlled by a computing system to dynamically adjust the speed of packages based upon historical cut quality, environmental measurement data, and height data related to a vertical dimension of the package.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a random case sealer. The case sealer includes a top-head-actuating assembly configured to vary the speed of the top-head assembly when ascending (to make room for the case beneath the top-head assembly) and when descending onto the case (to engage the top surface of the case during sealing). This maximizes the speed of the top-head assembly while limiting overshoot (when ascending) and preventing damage to the case (when descending). In certain embodiments the case sealer includes a tape cartridge configured to limit the forces imparted onto the leading and top surfaces of the case during sealing. These features result in increased throughput as compared to prior art random case sealers without requiring stronger cases or more protective dunnage.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a random case sealer. The case sealer includes a top-head-actuating assembly configured to vary the speed of the top-head assembly when ascending (to make room for the case beneath the top-head assembly) and when descending onto the case (to engage the top surface of the case during sealing). This maximizes the speed of the top-head assembly while limiting overshoot (when ascending) and preventing damage to the case (when descending). In certain embodiments the case sealer includes a tape cartridge configured to limit the forces imparted onto the leading and top surfaces of the case during sealing. These features result in increased throughput as compared to prior art random case sealers without requiring stronger cases or more protective dunnage.