Apparatus and method for manoeuvring products

Abstract

Packaging apparatus for randomly orientated fragile solid products comprising: a) an apparatus for manoeuvring randomly orientated products prior to packaging, the apparatus comprising at least one conveying means for conveying the products and a vibratory conveyor arranged to receive the products from the at least one conveying means, wherein the mechanical alignment means are arranged to sort the products into parallel lines of products and wherein the vibratory conveyor comprises: an upstream portion having a conveying surface arranged for increasing transverse spacings between the products; a downstream portion having mechanical alignment means arranged to align the products and sort the products into a plurality of lines; and b) a stick-pack packaging machine arranged to receive products from the apparatus and package the products in stick-packs, wherein the stick-pack packaging machine comprises multiple packaging lines arranged in parallel to each receive respective lines of the products.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to an apparatus and method for manoeuvring food products prior to packaging. In particular, though not exclusively, the invention relates to such an apparatus and method for fragile food products having an elongate shape, such as extruded confectionery or bakery products.BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION[0002]The packaging of some elongate food products has previously been carried out by a roll wrapping process. According to the roll wrapping process, a web of packaging material is simply wound around each product. The packaging material for such products is typically a single layer plastics material or a laminate consisting of plastics and aluminium foil layers.[0003]It has been recognised in the art that conventional roll wrapping processes are disadvantageous because they are not economical in their use of the packaging material. Furthermore, conventional roll wrapping processes are not capable of providing a hermetic seal, with the co...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is an apparatus and method for handling fragile food products that overcomes technical difficulties in orientating and feeding them into multiple lines. It includes a vibratory conveyor that increases the space between products to prevent damage during sorting and a separation gap to remove detritus and under-sized products. The apparatus also includes a plurality of conveying means that convey products at different speeds to increase the longitudinal spacing between them and minimize damage. Each conveying means can be a belted conveyor with inclined conveyors and static chutes to prevent damage. The technical effect of the invention is to minimize damage to fragile food products during handling and packaging.

Problems solved by technology

Moreover, it has been surprisingly found that stick-pack packaging is particularly suitable for the packaging of fragile or very fragile confectionery and bakery products because the risk of damage to the products as they pass through the packaging machine is low.

Images