A machine for manufacturing disposable cups, including a side element, obtained from a blank of sheet material folded into a conical shape and sealed by a bottom element of circular shape, including a forming wheel rotatable with continuous motion. The forming wheel has a plurality of peripherally distributed forming assemblies including respectively a mandrel of tubular form carried by a support member swinging around an axis parallel to said axis of rotation of the forming wheel. First feeding means is adapted to orderly collect and insert single bottom elements into corresponding forming assemblies of the forming wheel. Second feeding means is adapted to collect single blanks in an orderly manner from a store in which the blanks are stacked and to transfer them in sequence, in an extended configuration, to the corresponding forming assemblies of said forming wheel.

The present invention provides a shaping tool for shaping a package formed of a foldable blank, the tool comprising: an overhead conveyor comprising a plurality of downwardly protruding spaced apart counter-means; a first conveyor extending between a receiving end towards an output end, and adapted to receive the foldable blank from an incoming conveying line at the receiving end and to position the foldable blank below one of the downwardly protruding counter-means; a shaping station extending away from the receiving end, the shaping station comprising: a pair of parallel shaping tracks, each positioned on one side of the first conveyor, the pair of generally parallel shaping tracks comprising a plurality of pairs of independently movable shaping lugs, each pair of shaping lugs having a predetermined shape and adapted to receive one of the foldable blanks there-between; the pair of lugs movable towards each other to form a package having a desired shape.

The present invention provides a shaping tool for shaping a package formed of a foldable blank, the tool comprising: an overhead conveyor comprising a plurality of downwardly protruding spaced apart counter-means; a first conveyor extending between a receiving end towards an output end, and adapted to receive the foldable blank from an incoming conveying line at the receiving end and to position the foldable blank below one of the downwardly protruding counter-means; a shaping station extending away from the receiving end, the shaping station comprising: a pair of parallel shaping tracks, each positioned on one side of the first conveyor, the pair of generally parallel shaping tracks comprising a plurality of pairs of independently movable shaping lugs, each pair of shaping lugs having a predetermined shape and adapted to receive one of the foldable blanks there-between; the pair of lugs movable towards each other to form a package having a desired shape.

A packaging unit for packaging (100; 200; 300) articles (1) in boxes (2), comprises: a mandrel (10) for accommodating an article (1) inside it; a movement device (50) for moving said mandrel (10) along a movement trajectory (M); a feed device (30) for feeding a blank (7) towards said mandrel (10) along a feeding trajectory which intersects the movement trajectory (M); a folding device (20) mounted at the movement trajectory (M) for cooperating with said mandrel (10) to fold said blank (7) around the mandrel (10) and to form a box (2). The folding device (20) comprises a folding element (21) for abutting said blank (7) positioned between said mandrel (10) and said folding element (21), and an adjustment device for modifying the position of the folding element (21) and for adjusting the folding of the blank (7) around the mandrel (10).

A packaging unit for packaging (100; 200; 300) articles (1) in boxes (2), comprises: a mandrel (10) for accommodating an article (1) inside it; a movement device (50) for moving said mandrel (10) along a movement trajectory (M); a feed device (30) for feeding a blank (7) towards said mandrel (10) along a feeding trajectory which intersects the movement trajectory (M); a folding device (20) mounted at the movement trajectory (M) for cooperating with said mandrel (10) to fold said blank (7) around the mandrel (10) and to form a box (2). The folding device (20) comprises a folding element (21) for abutting said blank (7) positioned between said mandrel (10) and said folding element (21), and an adjustment device for modifying the position of the folding element (21) and for adjusting the folding of the blank (7) around the mandrel (10).

A rotary-type film folding machine comprises a feeding mechanism providing a tubular material for a folding mechanism in an axial direction, with a first driving mechanism driving the feeding mechanism to operate; a folding mechanism folding the tubular material delivered by the feeding mechanism, with a second driving mechanism driving the rotation of an outer sheath of the folding mechanism; a pressing mechanism pressing the tubular material folded by the folding mechanism, with a third driving mechanism driving the rotation of a first inner rotor for rotating the pressing mechanism and the folding mechanism; said pressing mechanism being driven by a fourth driving mechanism to move up and down; and the operations of the first, second, third and fourth driving mechanisms are controlled by a controller.

An overwrap container includes a base container having a first side seam on a side wall that extends along a longitudinal axis to define an internal volume, and a bottom connected to the side wall. An overwrap is positioned over the side wall of the base container and has a second side seam aligned longitudinally with the first side seam. Connecting elements are positioned between the side wall of the base container and the overwrap, and join the side wall of the base container and the overwrap together except in an area along the aligned first and second seams to define an uniform spacing extending continuously between the side wall and the overwrap forming an air gap there between.

A machine for manufacturing disposable cups, including a side element, obtained from a blank of sheet material folded into a conical shape and sealed by a bottom element of circular shape, including a forming wheel rotatable with continuous motion. The forming wheel has a plurality of peripherally distributed forming assemblies including respectively a mandrel of tubular form carried by a support member swinging around an axis parallel to said axis of rotation of the forming wheel. First feeding means is adapted to orderly collect and insert single bottom elements into corresponding forming assemblies of the forming wheel. Second feeding means is adapted to collect single blanks in an orderly manner from a store in which the blanks are stacked and to transfer them in sequence, in an extended configuration, to the corresponding forming assemblies of said forming wheel.

A method for packaging articles in a box includes the steps of depositing at least one article in a mandrel, and folding a blank around the mandrel in correspondence with at least one folding line of the blank. The blank is folded along the folding line abutting the folding line and an edge of the mandrel only for a first part of the folding line, while a second part of the folding line remains not abutted by the mandrel.

An apparatus for shaping a box by wrapping-around includes a shaping device with a carousel, on which shaping supports are circulated along a closed circular trajectory. A portion of the trajectory constitutes a box shaping path. The carousel rotates around a vertical axis of rotation with a continuous motion. The shaping supports are adapted to receive products to be packaged. The apparatus also includes a dispenser device of blanks intended to be wrapped around to contain the products to be packaged. The apparatus includes a transfer device of blanks, apt to sequentially pick-up the blanks and insert them, one at a time, into the shaping path. A process for shaping boxes by wrapping-around is also described.