Method and apparatus for making a bundle of containers with controlled heat-shrinking, as well as a bundle obtained with such a method

Abstract

Method for making a bundle (10) of the type comprising a plurality of containers (11) positioned along at least one row and wound in a heat-shrunk film (12) due to a heat-treatment effect; said method comprising the steps of: a) arranging a heat-shrinkable film (12) around said containers (11) ordered along at least one row in order to obtain an open tunnel (13) along the transverse direction (20) with respect to the longitudinal direction of advancement (20), said open tunnel (13) identifying along said transverse direction (20) lateral over-edge portions (14) with respect to said containers (11); b) handling said over-edge portions (14); c) supplying said containers (11) and said heat-shrinkable film (12) to a heat-treatment device, so that said over-edge portions (14) are compacted to said containers for heat-shrinking; in which said step of handling said over-edge portions comprises the step of making said over-edge portions (14) at least partially adhere to said containers (11).

Claims

1. Method for making a bundle of a laterally type comprising a plurality of containers positioned along at least one row and wound in a heat-shrunk film due to a heat-treatment effect; the method comprising the steps of: a) arranging a heat-shrinkable film around said containers ordered along at least one row so as to obtain an open tunnel along the transverse direction with respect to the longitudinal direction of advancement, the open tunnel identifying along the transverse direction lateral over-edge portions with respect to the containers; b) handling the over-edge portions; c) supplying the containers and said heat-shrinkable film to a heat-treatment device, so that the over-edge portions are compacted to the containers for heat-shrinking delimiting lateral openings of said bundle; wherein the step of handling the over-edge portions comprising the step of making the over-edge portions at least partially adhere to the containers, the intermediate step of making the over-edge portions adhere to the containers comprising the step of at least partially constraining the over-edge portions in the adhesion configuration to the containers by arranging a bonding agent between the film and the containers.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of arranging a bonding agent between the film and the containers comprises spraying the bonding agent on the containers and/or on the film.

Description

(1) The characteristics and the advantages of a method for making a bundle according to the present invention shall become clearer from the following description, given as an example and not for limiting purposes, with reference to the attached schematic drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a first step of making the bundle according to the present invention upstream of the heat-shrinking oven;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a second step for making the bundle according to the present invention upstream of the heat-shrinking oven; and

(4) FIG. 3 shows the bundle finished with the method of the present invention.

(5) With reference to the figures, reference numeral 10 shows a bundle of containers, bottles, cans, multipacks, cluster packs, boxes, etc., which are obtained with the method object of the present invention.

(6) Such a bundle 10 is of the type comprising a plurality of containers 11 that are positioned along at least one row and are wound in a film 12, in particular a heat-shrinkable film.

(7) The method comprises the steps of:

(8) a) arranging a heat-shrinkable film 12 around containers 11 that are ordered along at least one row in order to obtain an open tunnel 13 along the transverse direction 20 with respect to the longitudinal direction of advancement 20; such an open tunnel 13 defines along the transverse direction 20 lateral over-edge portions 14 with respect to the containers 11;

(9) b) handling the over-edge portions 14;

(10) c) supplying the containers 11 and the heat-shrinkable film 12 to a heat-treatment device, so that the over-edge portions 14 are compacted to the containers 11 by heat-shrinking.

(11) In particular according to the invention, the step of handling the over-edge portions 14 comprises the step of making the over-edge portions 14 at least partially adhere to the containers 11 upstream of the heat-treatment device.

(12) For example, such a heat-treatment device is a ventilated oven, whereas the tunnel 13 can be many sheets of film 12 that are joined together and folded back on themselves.

(13) Furthermore, in addition to the simple adhesion of the film 12 on the containers 11, the present invention also provides the possibility of at least partially constraining the over-edge portions 14 in the configuration of adhesion to the containers 11.

(14) FIG. 2 schematically shows the technical means 21, such as mechanical tines, for bringing the over-edge portions 14 in contact with the front and rear portions of the containers 11.

(15) Such a constraint can be achieved through bonding agents between the film 12 and containers 11 or simply by electrostatically charging the over-edge portions 14.

(16) For example, the glue 23 can be duly arranged through spraying nozzles on the containers 11 and/or on the film 12.

(17) Alternatively, adhesive tapes can be arranged on the film 12 before the adhesion to the container.

(18) In combination with the lateral tines 21 an upper stabilizing device 22 can be provided.

(19) The bundle 10 obtained with the method described has particular characteristics, like not having creases and/or the presence of constraint points 24 between the film 12 and the containers 11.

(20) The apparatus for the implementation of the method according to the invention comprises: means for handling and orienting the containers 11 and the film configured for arranging the heat-shrinkable film 12 around the containers 11 ordered along at least one row so as to form an open tunnel 13 of heat-shrinkable film 12, in which such a tunnel 13 has orthogonally 20 with respect to the longitudinal direction of advancement 20 over-edge portions 14 with respect to the containers 11; means for handling the over-edge portions 14; heat-treatment means of the bundle, so that the over-edge portions are compacted to the containers by heat-shrinking.

(21) According to the invention, the handling means of the over-edge portions 14 are configured for impressing the at least partial adhesion of the over-edge portions 14 to the containers 11 operating upstream of the heat-treatment means.

(22) It can also be provided for there to be means for constraining the over-edge portions 14 in the configuration adherent to the containers operating upstream of the heat-treatment means.

(23) It has thus been seen that the method for making a bundle according to the present invention achieves the purposes previously highlighted.

(24) Indeed, the method for making a bundle according to the present invention requires less consumption of film without jeopardising the stability of the bundle and without making any crease.

(25) The method of the present invention thus conceived can undergo numerous modifications and variants, all covered by the same inventive concept; moreover, all the details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, as well as their dimensions, can be of any type according to the technical requirements.