PACKAGING APPARATUS AND PROCESS

Abstract

In an apparatus and a packaging process of capsules with an opening closed by a laminar lid obtained by cutting a strip, the ability of transporting the laminar lids in several lines is introduced, reducing the overall dimensions. The apparatus includes: a cutting device with a mechanism defining a portion of the strip where the strip is tensioned in a respective cutting plane, and one or more punches obtaining the laminar lids from the strip; a carousel-like transfer device, having transfer members movable along a closed path, with gripping heads configured to receive respective laminar lids from the cutting device. The cutting plane is in a vertical position, and the mutual position of the cutting device and the transfer device defines a gripping spot of the closed path, the laminar lids being retained in the transfer members on a respective plane in a vertical position.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. A packaging apparatus for capsules, the capsules comprising a container having an opening configured to be closed by a laminar lid applied the opening, the laminar lid being formed by cutting a strip, said packaging apparatus comprising: a cutting device, comprising: i) a tensioning and transport mechanism for a strip, defining a portion of the strip where the strip is tensioned in a respective cutting plane, and ii) one or more punches to obtain laminar lids from said strip; and a carousel-like transfer device, having movable transfer members, each having at least one gripping head configured to receive one respective laminar lid from the cutting device, the movable transfer members configured to move along a closed path, wherein said cutting plane is arranged in a vertical position, and wherein a mutual position of the cutting device and the transfer device defines a gripping spot of said closed path, wherein the laminar lids are retained in said movable transfer members on a respective plane in a vertical position.

16. The packaging apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the closed path of the movable transfer members comprises a transfer segment extending from said gripping spot to a subsequent release spot of the laminar lid.

17. The packaging apparatus according to claim 16, wherein each movable transfer member is configured to move between a transport configuration and a gripping configuration, and said at least one gripping head is moved towards the strip at said gripping spot, said transport configuration being in said transfer segment of the closed path.

18. The packaging apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the laminar lids are retained by respective gripping heads in a vertical position along an entirety of the transfer segment.

19. The packaging apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each movable transfer member comprises two or more gripping heads vertically arranged in columns at the movable transfer member, said two or more gripping heads being in an arrangement corresponding, in said gripping configuration, to a same number of punches arranged in a column in the cutting device.

20. The packaging apparatus according to claim 15, wherein, at said cutting plane, the strip is arranged to be tilted with respect to a plane on which said closed path lies, wherein the laminar lids are cut, in said planar strip, along a plurality of lines with the laminar lids staggered to each other.

21. The packaging apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each movable transfer member comprises a rotary actuator arranged to rotate the transfer member about an axis perpendicular to the plane on which said closed path lies, from a transport configuration to a gripping configuration and vice versa.

22. The packaging apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said rotary actuator comprises a cam.

23. The packaging apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each gripping head is a suction head.

24. The packaging apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the transfer device comprises a cylindrical rotary drum, configured to rotate about a vertical axis, the movable transfer members being arranged in a circular closed path lying on a horizontal plane formed on a periphery of the rotary drum.

25. A packaging process for capsules comprising a container having an opening configured to be closed by a laminar lid applied to the opening, comprising: a cutting step, wherein a strip is transported in a tensioned state on a cutting plane in a vertical position, and wherein one or more punches remove corresponding laminar lids from said strip; and a gripping step of gripping the laminar lids wherein, once cut by said punches, the laminar lids are gripped at a gripping spot by respective gripping heads moving along a closed path, wherein the laminar lids at said gripping spot are retained in a respective plane in a vertical position.

26. The packaging process according to claim 25, wherein said laminar lids are retained by said respective gripping heads in a vertical position in a transfer segment extending from said gripping spot to a subsequent release spot.

27. The packaging process according to claim 25, wherein said laminar lids are transported by said respective gripping heads in a flow formed by two superimposed lines of laminar lids.

28. An apparatus for manufacturing infusion type capsules, comprising the packaging apparatus according to claim 15.

Description

[0077] The present invention will hereinafter be described according to a preferred embodiment thereof, which is provided for illustrative and non-limiting purposes with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0078] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of an embodiment of a production apparatus for infusion type capsules comprising a packaging apparatus made according to the present invention;

[0079] FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view illustrating the movement of the lids and capsules in the production apparatus of FIG. 1;

[0080] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the packaging apparatus of an embodiment according to the present invention;

[0081] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged perspective view of a detail of the packaging apparatus in FIG. 3;

[0082] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view in longitudinal section of a cutting device in the packaging apparatus of FIG. 3;

[0083] FIG. 6 shows a frontal elevation view of the cutting device in FIG. 5; and

[0084] FIGS. 7A to 7C show respective perspective views of a cutting device in longitudinal section, illustrating various steps of the lid cutting in the packaging apparatus of FIG. 3.

[0085] With reference to the accompanying FIG. 1, an apparatus for producing capsules for infusion type beverages, such as coffee is referred by 100, mentioned in the following for short as infusion type capsules.

[0086] These infusion type capsules, indicated by 1, are formed by a substantially rigid cup-shaped container, inside which a filter is arranged.

[0087] The container comprises an opening which is apt to be closed by a laminar lid 2 of a material suitable for sealing the capsule.

[0088] The lid, which is usually disc-shaped to couple the circular edge of said opening, is applied thereto.

[0089] The laminar lid is obtained, by means of a cutting operation, from a flat strip 3, supplied wound on reels.

[0090] During the subsequent packaging steps, a preparation based on coffee powder is added to the infusion type capsules 1, and then the capsules 1 are sealed with the application of a lid 2 and sent to a subsequent apparatus where they are boxed for distribution and sale.

[0091] In general, the cup-shaped containers of the capsules 1 are supplied a feeding station 110, from which they proceed in a line with a continuous motion after being extracted from a set of cup-shaped containers provided by a supplier.

[0092] The packaging apparatus 100 comprises a release station 120 of discrete elements, which in the present example are constituted by flat discs of a material suitable for forming a filter for infusion type products, in particular beverages.

[0093] Thus, the release station 120 comprises a release device 121 which in the present example is a device for cutting said discs from a continuous strip of filter material.

[0094] The packaging apparatus therefore comprises a filter forming station, indicated by 130, which comprises a device 131 for producing infusion type capsules 1 of the carousel type, which is part of a more complex station, in which the discrete elements undergo a filter forming process, which is then inserted into the target cup-shaped container.

[0095] At the end of the step of inserting the filter into the respective cup-shaped container, the filter is fixed, for example by welding, to the internal walls of the cup-shaped container, thus forming the infusion type capsule.

[0096] In this connection, the transport device 131 transfers the cup-shaped containers with filters to a first transfer wheel 132, and from this they pass to a filter fixing wheel 133, then to pass to a second transfer wheel 134 which transfers the cup-shaped containers to a filling station 140, where they are filled with a predetermined dose of coffee powder.

[0097] In this regard, the filling station comprises a carousel-like filling device 145 from which the cup-shaped containers are transferred, by means of a third transfer wheel 146, to a carousel-like weighing device 147, performing a check on the amount of powder supplied to each container.

[0098] Upon leaving the weighing device 147, the containers are transferred by a fourth transfer wheel 158 to a sealing station 150. The apparatus 100 thus comprises a cutting station 160 for lids that are formed from a continuous strip by a cutting device 162.

[0099] The cutting device 162 is part of a packaging apparatus referred to as a whole by 200; it further comprises a carousel-like transfer device 161 which carries out the transfer of the laminar lids 2 to a sealing device 159, also structured as a carousel, which in turn receives the infusion type capsules to be sealed by said fourth wheel 158.

[0100] The sealing device 159 extracts the gases from the capsule 1 and seals it by applying to the upper opening thereof the disc-shaped lid 1 formed from said continuous strip 3.

[0101] Once sealed, the capsules 1 are sent to an outlet station 170, through a transport wheel which is provided in said transfer device (FIG. 2), up to a linear transport device 173.

[0102] With reference to FIG. 2 onwards, the packaging apparatus 200 comprises a carousel-like transfer device 161, which in turn comprises a cylindrical-shaped rotary drum 10 rotating about a vertical axis A, i.e. perpendicular to the ground, and having a circular periphery.

[0103] The transfer device 161 has a plurality of moving transfer members 11 which are arranged equally distanced on the upper surface of the rotary drum 10, at its circular periphery, so that they can rotate driven by the drum 10, defining a closed transport path that lies in a horizontal plane, i.e. perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drum 10, and substantially circular.

[0104] Each moving transfer member 11 comprises a body 12 resting on said circular periphery, which is mounted on a rotating shaft 13 about a vertical axis Z, so that each member 11 can swing (FIG. 4) about this axis Z with a flag-like motion. The reason for this movement will be explained in detail below.

[0105] The oscillation movement is determined by a rotary actuator, which rotatably drives each moving member at a gripping spot G of the transport path of the moving transfer members 11, which corresponds to the position of the cutting device 162 of the cutting station 160.

[0106] Each moving member 11 comprises, in the present example, a pair of gripping heads 14 which are fixed to a respective stem 15 protruding from the moving member externally to said periphery of the rotary drum 10.

[0107] It is understood that there could also be a single gripping head for each moving member, or more than one, and in particular two, or more than two.

[0108] In this preferred embodiment, there are two gripping heads 14 which are arranged in a vertical columnar fashion, i.e. one on top of the other, in the moving transfer member 11, and move together when the moving transfer member 11 is rotated.

[0109] A version may also be provided in which the stem 15 is alternatively moved, by the action of a linear actuator, so that the gripping heads protrude at least at said gripping spot G, which corresponds to said cutting device 162.

[0110] The gripping heads 15 are, in this embodiment, suction heads, with a suction cup connected to a suction system, of conventional type and not shown in the figures, which is actuated at the gripping spot G to capture a respective linear lid 2.

[0111] It is understood that said suction cup can also be operated with positive pressure to cause the immediate detachment of the respective linear lid 2.

[0112] It is further understood that the gripping head 14 may comprise a suction cup operating in a passive manner, or a type of pincer which is activated and deactivated by a respective actuating mechanism.

[0113] With reference to the figures, the rotary drum 10 of the transfer device 161 moves clockwise so that the moving transfer members 11 move towards the cutting device 162; in this configuration, called gripping configuration, the moving transfer members 11 are rotated so as to be perpendicular to the line tangent to the periphery of the transfer device 162 at the gripping spot G, i.e. at the spot directly facing the cutting device 162.

[0114] In this way, the gripping heads 14 protrude at the maximum distance from the periphery of the rotary drum 10 of the transfer device 161, and are thus in a position close to the cutting device 162.

[0115] By moving in the direction of the cutting device 162, the moving transfer members 11 are rotated counter-clockwise by a few degrees about their vertical axis Z, and, by moving closer, they are rotated clockwise, i.e. in accordance with the direction of rotation of the transfer device, to bring the gripping heads 14 closer to the cutting device.

[0116] By moving instead from the gripping spot G onwards, the moving transfer members are gradually rotated a few degrees clockwise, in a configuration of the moving transfer member 11 called transport, in which each gripping head 14 receives a laminar lid 2.

[0117] This rotation of the moving transfer members 11 can be achieved in many ways, for example by an electric motor adjusting the position of each body 12 by realising a so-called electronic cam.

[0118] Otherwise, it is possible to realise such a mechanism with only mechanical parts. For example, the rotary actuator comprises, for each moving transfer member 11, a cam follower which is therefore driven by the rotary drum 10, but interacts with a cam, integral to the fixed parts of the packaging apparatus 200, by moving thereon.

[0119] The shape of the cam is such that it causes the above-described rotation at least at the gripping spot G.

[0120] In general, therefore, the rotation of the rotating articulation transfer members is governed by a cam, which may be of a mechanical type, integral to the fixed frame, or of an electronic type; in the mechanical case it may also be realised by a set of cams. In this way the rotation of the moving transfer members 11 is synchronised with the rotation of the transfer device 161.

[0121] From the gripping spot G onwards, the transport path of the moving transfer members 11 comprises a transfer segment T (FIG. 2), where the moving transfer members 11 are in transport configuration.

[0122] The transfer segment T terminates at a first release spot R1, wherein the laminar lids 2 are transferred to the wheel of the sealing device 159, which rotates counter-clockwise about a vertical axis B, and receives the capsules 1 to be sealed from said fourth transfer wheel which rotates, adjacent to the sealing device, clockwise about a vertical axis C, so as to determine, at the sealing device, a second release spot R2.

[0123] At the first release spot R1, the laminar lids 11 are transferred to respective members of the sealing device 159 which receive them two by two, as well as receiving pairs of capsules 11 from the fourth transfer wheel 158.

[0124] The cutting device 162 comprises a casing 20 on which a cutting face 21 is defined, on which a pair of punches 22 acts.

[0125] In front of the cutting face 21, said strip 3 is retained in a predetermined position, which is kept in tension by a pair of tensioning rollers 23 which are located one on one side and the other on the opposite side of the cutting face 21.

[0126] The position of the tensioning rollers 23 is such that the strip 3 lies on a cutting plane which is vertical to the ground, perpendicular to the plane on which the transport path of the transfer device lies and parallel to its axis of rotation A.

[0127] The two punches 22 are connected to respective drive stems 24 and have, at the cutting face 21, respective blades 25 forming a circular cutting contour.

[0128] The drive stems 24 are connected to respective cutting actuators 30, which act on their proximal ends by means of a kinematic chain that allows the reciprocating motion of the stems 24.

[0129] The two punches 22 are arranged in a column, i.e. arranged one above the other vertically, at a distance which is equal to the distance separating two gripping heads 14 of a moving member 11.

[0130] Thus, at the gripping spot G, the two gripping heads 14 are in a position that corresponds, in the gripping configuration of the moving transfer member 11, to the same number of many punches 22 arranged in a column in the cutting device 162.

[0131] In this way, the laminar lids 2 are transported by their respective gripping heads 14 in a flow, formed on the transfer device 161, which is formed by two lines of laminar lids 2, and furthermore these two lines are superimposed, i.e. each laminar lid 2 of one line corresponds to a laminar lid (2) of the other line arranged on its vertical.

[0132] The two lines both lie on the same cylindrical surface with a vertical axis defined by the gripping heads 14. Thus, from the gripping spot G and along the transfer segment, the laminar lids lie on a respective plane that is arranged in a vertical position, and they travel through a revolution and simultaneous rotation, always exposing their faces to the outside of the transfer device 161.

[0133] This facilitates the transfer of the laminar lids 2 to the sealing device 159 at the first release spot R1 two by two.

[0134] The cutting device 162 comprises, at the cutting face 21, an inlet slot 26 through which said strip 3 is introduced, which comes out, after its punching, from an outlet slot.

[0135] The inlet and outlet slots obtained in the cutting face 21 of the cutting device 162, together with the tensioning rollers 23 constitute a tensioning and transport mechanism of the strip 3, and create a cutting segment in which the strip 3 is tensioned on its own cutting plane, on which the blades 25 of the punches 22 act.

[0136] The tensioning and transport mechanism comprises a first fixed contrast element 27, arranged on the outside of the cutting face 21 so as to form one side of said inlet slots 26 and outlet slots, and a second contrast element 28.

[0137] The second contrast element 28 is connected to a contrast stem 29 inserted between said drive rods 24, and connected, through a respective kinematic chain, to a corresponding contrast actuator 31.

[0138] Therefore, the second contrast element 28 is movable by a first cutting configuration (FIGS. 7B and 7C), in which it is pressed on the first contrast element 27 so as to block the strip 3 in its cutting position, and a second sliding configuration (FIG. 7A), in which the second contrast element 28 is moved away from said first contrast element 27.

[0139] In addition, the punches 22 are also movable from a cutting configuration (FIG. 7C), in which they are advanced towards the cutting face 21, with the blades 25 penetrating the strip 3, and a sliding configuration (FIGS. 7A and 7B), in which the punches 22 and the blades 25 are retracted with respect to the strip 3.

[0140] When both the second contrast element 8 and the punches 22 are in a sliding configuration (FIG. 7A), the strip 3 is slid into the inlet slots 26 and outlet slots by means of a driving action imparted by the tensioning rollers 23.

[0141] When both the second contrast element 8 and the punches 22 are in the cutting configuration (FIG. 7C), the strip 3 is cut, the laminar lids 2 are formed and are removed from their respective gripping heads 14.

[0142] In the intermediate position, with the punches 22 in the sliding configuration and the second contrast element 28 in the cutting configuration, the strip 3 is tensioned and blocked, ready to be cut (FIG. 7B).

[0143] It should be noted that, due to the position of the tensioning rollers 23 and the inlet slots 26 and outlet slots, the strip 3, at said cutting plane, is arranged so as to be tilted by about 45° with respect to the plane on which said closed path lies.

[0144] In this way, punches 22, which are positioned vertically, cut the laminar lids two in two lines, but these are arranged staggered to each other with respect to the linear development of the strip 3.

[0145] In this way, the waste of the strip 3 is reduced to a minimum, as the laminar lids are made from as little space as possible on the strip 3.

[0146] It is understood that the packaging apparatus described herein can be used in any production apparatus, including for non-infusion type capsules, i.e. in all cases where a laminar lid is cut and applied to the opening of a capsule of any form and function.

[0147] The laminar lids 2 described herein have a disc shape, but it is understood that this invention can be adapted to lids of any shape.

[0148] To the above-described packaging apparatus for infusion type capsules, a person skilled in the art may, to meet additional and contingent requirements, make numerous further modifications and variations, all of which are, however, within the scope of protection of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.