PACKAGING MACHINE

Abstract

A packaging machine is described comprising: support means for at least two reels of wrapping material in plastic film, film opening means for wrapping a product to be packaged, a support, fixed or mobile, on which the product to be packaged is placed, sealing means of the film configured to seal two edges of the film and cutting means for the film so as to create a package for the product starting from a reel of single-folded material, wherein the film opening means comprise a film opening plate, arranged between the reel and the welding and/or cutting means, comprising at least two surfaces connected to each other at a first end located near the reel and spaced in the film unwinding direction to create the package, facing an operator so as to move the two edges away in the direction of the operator, enabling the creation of the packaging.

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. A packaging machine comprising: support means for at least two reels of wrapping material in a plastic film, a film opening means for wrapping a product to be packaged, a support surface, fixed or mobile, on which the product to be packaged is placed, a sealing means of the film configured to seal two edges of the film and a cutting means for the film in order to create a package for the product starting from a reel of single-folded material, wherein the film opening means comprise a film-opening plate, arranged between the reel and the welding and/or the cutting means, comprising at least two surfaces connected to each other at a first end located near the reel and spaced in a film unwinding direction to create the package, so as to move the two edges away, enabling the production of the package.

11. The packaging machine of claim 10, wherein the film opening means are arranged between the reels and the sealing means and/or the cutting means of the plastic film and are configured to space the two edges of the single-folded film apart so as to allow the introduction of a product to be packaged between the two edges.

12. The packaging machine of claim 10, wherein the film opening means comprise two surfaces in proximity to each reel which can be made in a single film-opener sheet or in two separate sheets, for example by bending the sheet.

13. The packaging machine of claim 10, wherein the support means of the at least two reels of wrapping material in plastic film are arranged so as to support two reels placed one above the other, and the film opening means are interposed between the two reels.

14. The packaging machine of claim 13, wherein the support means of the reels comprise first support means for a first upper reel and second support means for a second lower reel.

15. The packaging machine of claim 10, wherein the sealing means of the film comprise at least one heating element associated with a lever-operated sealing arm or with a bell lid, of an automatic or manual type, configured to close on the product to be packaged, to seal two edges of the single-folded film and form the product package.

16. The packaging machine of claim 15, wherein the sealing means are placed downstream of the film-opening plate, in the film unwinding direction.

17. The packaging machine of claim 10, wherein the cutting means are arranged in correspondence with the sealing means of the film to cut the film of folded material once the package has been made.

18. The packaging machine of claim 10, including a vacuum packaging device or a device for the use of heat-shrinkable or paper material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The present invention will be better described by a preferred embodiment, provided by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0010] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the packaging machine according to the present invention;

[0011] FIG. 2 shows a front view of the packaging machine according to the present invention; and

[0012] FIG. 3 shows a front sectional view of the packaging machine according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] With reference to the Figures, a preferred embodiment of the packaging machine 10 according to the present invention is described.

[0014] In the continuation of the description, for obvious reasons of brevity, all structural and operating details of the packaging machine known and belonging to the state of the art will be omitted.

[0015] As shown in the Figures, the packaging machine 10 according to the present invention comprises: means 11 for supporting at least two reels 12 of wrapping material in plastic or non-plastic film, preferably single-folded film, means for opening the film 14 for wrapping a product to be packaged, a fixed or movable support surface 15 on which the product to be packaged is placed, film sealing means 16 configured to seal two edges of the film and cutting means 18 for the film so as to create a package for the product starting from a reel 12 of single-folded material.

[0016] The film opening means 14 are arranged between the reels 12 and the sealing means 16 and/or the film cutting means 18 and are configured to space the two edges of the folded film apart so as to allow the introduction of a product to be packaged between the two edges; preferably, the film opening means comprise a film-opening plate 14, arranged between the reel and the welding and/or cutting means, comprising at least two surfaces 24 connected to each other at a first end located near the reel 12 and spaced in the direction of unwinding of the film for the creation of the package, facing an operator so as to move the two edges away in the direction of the operator, facilitating the creation of the package; preferably, the film opening means 14 comprise two surfaces 24 near each reel which can be made in a single film-opener sheet or in two separate sheets, for example by bending the sheet.

[0017] Preferably, the support means 11 of the at least two reels 12 of plastic film wrapping material are arranged so as to support two reels 12 placed one above the other, and the film opening means 14 are interposed between the two reels 12; preferably, the support means 11 of the reels 12 comprise first support means for a first upper reel and second support means for a second lower reel.

[0018] The film sealing means 16 comprise at least one heating element, preferably associated with a lever sealing arm or a bell lid 21, configured to close on the product to be packaged, of the automatic or manual type, to seal two edges of the folded film and form the product packaging; preferably, the sealing means 16 are placed downstream of the film-opening plate 14, in the film unwinding direction.

[0019] The cutting means 18 are preferably arranged in correspondence with the sealing means 16 of the film to cut the film of single-folded material once the package has been made.

[0020] In a known way, the packaging machine 10 of the invention comprises an electronic control unit comprising a microprocessor, memory means and a timer for selecting the film sealing time and heat-shrinking time.

[0021] In the operation of the packaging machine 10 according to the invention, the at least two reels 12 of single-folded film are placed on the reel holder support means 11 with the flap opened frontally towards the operator. The two edges of the single-folded film of the reel 12 chosen by the operator are passed through the opening means 14 of the film. The operator's hand, with or without the product to be packaged, is inserted inside the two edges of the film of the reel 12, away from the respective film opening means 14, in particular from the film opener plate, while the film is unwound from the reel 12 for the length necessary for the package and made rest on the support surface.

[0022] The film sealing means 16 are operated, for example by lowering the lever sealing arm or the bell lid 21, for the set time necessary to seal the edges of the film; once the sealing is complete, the package is cut with the cutting means 18.

[0023] The packaging machine 10 of the invention may also comprise a vacuum packaging device or a device for the use of heat-shrinkable or paper material.

[0024] Advantageously, the packaging machine of the invention allows the simultaneous use of reels of different sizes or materials, and allows creating packages at the very moment of need, by choosing the most suitable size and/or material for the product to be packaged.

[0025] Some preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, but of course they are susceptible to further modifications and variations within the same inventive idea. In particular, numerous variations and modifications, functionally equivalent to the preceding ones, which fall within the scope of the invention as highlighted in the attached claims, will be immediately evident to those skilled in the art.