Apparatus and method for packaging packets of smoking articles grouped into several organized groups

Abstract

Apparatus (10) and method for packaging packets (100) of smoking articles (111) each comprising a container (112) inside which there are disposed organized groups of smoking articles (114). Said apparatus (10) comprises a transfer wheel (12) to move said organized groups of smoking articles (114), a supply device (17) and a reception device (18) to supply and receive said organized groups of smoking articles (114) to and from said transfer wheel (12), respectively.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention concerns an apparatus and a method for packaging two or more organized groups of smoking articles in a same packet, such as for example cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, or suchlike, distinct from each other. Depending on the sizes of the smoking articles and the market choices, the number of smoking articles that makes up each organized group can vary between ten and forty, or more. Each organized group of smoking articles is also known to the people of skill in the art by the English term "bundle".BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Smoking articles are traditionally packaged in packets, which can be soft, rigid, or semi-rigid, inside each of which one organized group of smoking articles is disposed, or two organized groups of smoking articles are disposed, distinct from each other. Each organized group of smoking articles comprises a plurality of smoking articles which are wrapped in an internal wrapping, generally made of aluminum foil, which is folded over them and can be stabilized by means of glue or by means of heat sealing. Furthermore, in cooperation with the internal wrapping there is normally an insert, or reinforcement element, also called a "collar" by the people of skill in the art.

[0003] Generally, the number of smoking articles present in a packet, in relation to the sizes of the latter, is such that once a certain number of smoking articles has been removed from the packet, the remaining ones have to maintain a substantially orderly position without tilting too much, or falling to the bottom of the packet.

[0004] However, there is an increasing demand for packets containing a large number of smoking articles, for example more than forty, up to a hundred and more. In this case, the smoking articles are usually divided into two distinct and separate groups, each wrapped in its own internal wrapping so that, as the smoking articles are gradually removed, the remaining ones do not become misplaced inside the packet.

[0005] In the prior art, apparatuses for packaging packets of smoking articles organized into two distinct groups are known. One example of such apparatuses is described by US-A-5.590.763, in which the two distinct groups are fed simultaneously to a folding wheel. This involves a complex mechanical system for inserting the groups which comprises an intermediate conveyor in which the two groups are temporarily housed, and two distinct thrusters, mechanically linked to each other to thrust each group into a respective pocket. Furthermore, both a connection member and also an insertion element are provided to facilitate the transfer of the two groups from the intermediate conveyor to the wheel.

[0006] One disadvantage of this solution is given by the considerable complexity of the introduction system, which limits the hourly productivity of this apparatus, and which can also involve frequent stops to restore the functionality of the apparatus following the fact that the groups can easily lose the correct orientation in the passage from one mechanical member to the other.

[0007] Furthermore, apparatuses are also known in which a work line comprises a plurality of wheels, which are capable first of associating a single collar with a respective organized group of smoking articles already wrapped around a wrapping, and subsequently of applying around the internal wrappings of two organized groups of smoking articles a single flat shaped component, also called "blank" by the people of skill in the art, usually made of thin cardboard, pre-cut and possibly creased and pre-folded, to form, with other subsequent packaging steps, a rigid or semi-rigid container, depending on the thickness of the thin cardboard component, thus defining the packet as a whole.

[0008] In this known apparatus, one of the wheels acts as a transfer wheel to rotate, with continuous motion, several groups of smoking articles simultaneously. This transfer wheel is provided with a plurality of pairs of peripheral containing seatings, or pockets, each of which is configured to receive a respective organized group of smoking articles. With each of the pockets there is associated a mechanism that allows both to incline the pockets with respect to the body of the transfer wheel, and also to move the walls that define each pocket in order to facilitate the insertion of the corresponding group of smoking articles.

[0009] One disadvantage of these known apparatuses is that the transfer wheel is only able to carry out the step of applying the collar and its operation is very critical, because the insertion of each collar occurs "on the fly", while the transfer wheel is rotating. This criticality is also accentuated by the rotation speed of the transfer wheel which, in order to achieve a high hourly productivity, rotates at several tens of revolutions per minute.

[0010] Another disadvantage of these known apparatuses is that the passage of the product being worked from the transfer wheel to the following wheel risks generating positioning errors between the components which make up the packet. These errors can determine, at the end of the process, defective packets and therefore a poor production yield of the apparatus.

[0011] Another disadvantage of these known apparatuses is that the transfer wheel is rather complex. In fact, the mechanisms that command the movement of the pockets are rather complicated and often cause positioning errors of the parts that make up the packet, or complicate the interaction with the parts thereof that are moved by the other wheels.

[0012] There is therefore the need to perfect an apparatus and a corresponding method for packaging packets of smoking articles grouped into several organized groups that can overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art.

[0013] To do this, it is necessary to solve the technical problem of controlling, very precisely and reliably, the motor members which activate the wheels which have to be driven at very high rotation speeds and with high precision to receive and transfer the components which make up the packet.

[0014] One purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and to perfect a method for packaging a plurality of distinct groups of smoking articles in a same packet, which are particularly simple and reliable, wherein the apparatus is also compact and has a reduced number of components and in which all the steps of assembling the packet occur on the same wheel.

[0015] Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and to perfect a method which allow to package packets with a plurality of groups of smoking articles with a high hourly productivity, for example of at least between about 200 and about 300 packets / minute.

[0016] The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims describe other characteristics of the present invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

[0018] In accordance with the above purposes, and to resolve the technical problem disclosed above in a new and original way, also achieving considerable advantages compared to the state of the prior art, an apparatus according to the present invention for packaging packets of smoking articles, wherein each packet comprises a container inside which at least two organized groups of smoking articles are disposed, comprises: a transfer wheel selectively rotatable around a first axis of rotation and peripherally provided with a plurality of loading zones, each of which is provided with at least two containing members which are configured to each temporarily contain a respective organized groups of smoking articles in order to transfer them between a first angular position and a second angular position, along an arched transfer path; wherein the containing members being mobile between a first divaricated operating position, in which the containing members of the same loading zone are moved away from each other, and a second side by side operating position, in which the containing members of the same loading zone are disposed close to each other; a supply device disposed in the first angular position and configured to selectively supply the organized groups of smoking articles to the containing members; a reception device disposed in the second angular position and configured to receive the organized groups of smoking articles from the transfer wheel.

[0019] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the supply device is configured to supply the organized groups of smoking articles in the first angular position in a common direction, one at a time, to a respective containing member, so that each organized group of smoking articles is fed in the common direction primarily to a first containing member and subsequently to the other containing member of the same loading zone.

[0020] Furthermore, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the containing members are disposed in the first divaricated operating position when each is in the first angular position, so as to selectively receive, one at a time, a respective organized group of smoking articles from the supply device, and in the second side by side operating position when the respective loading zone is in the second angular position, so that the organized groups of smoking articles contained in the at least two containing members of the same loading zone are transferred simultaneously to the reception device.

[0021] The solution according to the present invention can be easily implemented in an electronic type machine, leaving unchanged the parts upstream relating to the formation of the organized groups of smoking articles, or bundles, the preparation of the collar and the cardboard component, or "blank, for making a packet, as well as the downstream part for finalizing the formation of the packet. This leads to achieving a machine that is very flexible overall, because it is able to switch from a standard packet configuration with a single organized group of smoking articles to one with two or more organized groups of smoking articles in a short time and with minimum interventions.

[0022] The solution according to the present invention is also advantageous compared to the state of the art thanks to the fact that the containing members can assume the first divaricated operating position as above. This allows to feed an organized group of smoking articles at a time in the common direction toward a respective containing member, in such a way as to first feed an organized group of smoking articles to a first containing member and subsequently, after a rotation of the transfer wheel, to the other containing member of the same loading zone. This is advantageous because, compared to known solutions in which each group is fed along a respective directrix of feed, it is possible to significantly simplify the structural complexity of solutions known in the state of the art so that the apparatus is more reliable and has a higher hourly productivity.

[0023] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus comprises a first motor member which is connected to the transfer wheel in order to make it rotate around the first axis of rotation in programmed angular increments, in order to selectively take, one at a time, each containing member in correspondence with the supply device when one containing member of a same loading zone is in the first divaricated operating position, and to take the loading zone in proximity to the reception device when the containing members of the same loading zone are in the second side by side operating position.

[0024] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the angular increments comprise at least first angular increments, each one equal to the angular distance between two of the adjacent containing members of a same loading zone when the containing members are moved away from each other in the first divaricated operating position, and second angular increments, each one equal to 360° divided by the number of the plurality of loading zones, decreased by an angle equal to the sum of the first angular increments of the containing members of the same loading zone.

[0025] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the transfer wheel comprises a discoidal body. Furthermore, the containing members are equal to two and are pivoted on a same pin mounted on the discoidal body.

[0026] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the transfer wheel is mounted rotatable on a fixed structure, and each of the containing members comprises a mechanism configured to cooperate with a cam profile configured to cause the passage of each of the containing members from the first divaricated operating position to the second side by side operating position.

[0027] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the mechanism comprises a lever rotatably mounted and having a first end connected to one of the containing members and a second end having or supporting a slide element able to cooperate with the cam profile.

[0028] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the cam profile has a development in the shape of an arc of a circle having an angular width comprised between an angular position immediately downstream of the first angular position with respect to the sense of rotation of the transfer wheel and a position immediately downstream of the second angular position with respect to the sense of rotation of the transfer wheel.

[0029] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus also comprises a feed device disposed in a third angular position, comprised between the first angular position and the second angular position along the transfer path, and configured to supply a flat component to the containing members of a same loading zone when the containing members are in the second side by side operating position.

[0030] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus also comprises a loading device disposed in a fourth angular position, upstream of the first angular position and downstream of the second angular position with respect to the sense of rotation of the transfer wheel, and configured to supply a reinforcement element to a corresponding containing member located in the first divaricated operating position.

[0031] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the common direction is a first radial direction with respect to a first axis of rotation of the transfer wheel.

[0032] In accordance with the present invention, a method to package the packets of smoking articles as above comprises: a movement step, in which the transfer wheel as above, peripherally provided with a plurality of loading zones, is selectively made to rotate around said first axis of rotation so that containing members provided in each of the loading zones each temporarily contains one of the organized groups of smoking articles and transfers it from the first angular position to the second angular position, along said arched transfer path, wherein the containing members are mobile between a first divaricated operating position, in which the containing members of the same loading zone are moved away from each other, and a second side by side operating position, in which the containing members of the same loading zone are disposed side by side to each other; a supply step, in which said supply device selectively supplies, in the first angular position, the organized groups of smoking articles to the containing members; and a reception step, in which said reception device receives, in the second angular position, the organized groups of smoking articles from the transfer wheel.

[0033] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, in the supply step, the supply device supplies the organized groups of smoking articles in the first angular position in a common direction, one at a time, to a corresponding containing member, in such a way that each organized groups of smoking articles is fed in the common direction primarily to a first containing member and subsequently to the other containing member of the same loading zone.

[0034] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, in the movement step, the containing members are disposed in the first divaricated operating position when each one is in the first angular position, so as to selectively receive, one at a time, a respective organized group of smoking articles from the supply device, and in the second side by side operating position when the respective loading zone is in the second angular position, so that the organized groups of smoking articles contained in the containing members of the same loading zone are transferred simultaneously to the reception device.DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein: fig. 1 is a schematic lateral view of an apparatus for packaging packets of smoking articles grouped into several organized groups, according to the present invention; figs. 2-7 show a possible operating sequence of the operation of the apparatus of fig. 1; figs. 8-11 show enlarged details of work steps of the method according to the present invention; fig. 12 is a section along the line XII-XII of fig. 11; figs. 13 and 14 are a variant in which the loading zones have three containing members.

[0036] We must clarify that in the present description the phraseology and terminology used, as well as the figures in the attached drawings also as described, have the sole function of better illustrating and explaining the present invention, their function being to provide a non-limiting example of the invention itself, since the scope of protection is defined by the claims.

[0037] To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can be conveniently combined or incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0038] With reference to fig. 1, an apparatus 10 according to the present invention is configured to selectively and sequentially package packets 100 of smoking articles 111, for example cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, or suchlike.

[0039] By way of a non-limiting example, each packet 100, when completed, has a substantially parallelepiped shape and comprises an external container 112, which is made starting from a shaped flat component, or blank 113, for example of thin cardboard, which is then folded and glued to form its external walls, which define a housing inside which two or more organized groups of smoking articles 114 are housed.

[0040] With particular reference to figs. from 9 to 11, each organized group of smoking articles 114 comprises, in turn, a plurality of smoking articles 111 which are disposed one parallel to the other in the direction of their longitudinal development. An internal wrapping 115, for example a sheet of foil or metallized paper, is wrapped around the plurality of smoking articles 111 to preserve their aroma.

[0041] Each packet 100 also comprises at least one reinforcement element, or collar, 116, for example made of cardboard, which wraps three sides of each internal wrapping 115. According to one variant, a single internal wrapping 115 can wrap two or more organized groups of smoking articles 114.

[0042] The apparatus 10 comprises a fixed structure 11 (fig. 1), on which a transfer wheel 12 is mounted rotatable around a first axis of rotation X1, which in the example described here is horizontal. Other embodiments can provide that the first axis of rotation X1 is vertical or inclined with respect to a horizontal plane.

[0043] The transfer wheel 12 comprises a discoidal body 33 having a peripheral surface 13 coaxial to the first axis of rotation X1 and a plurality N of loading zones 15 (identified schematically with dashed lines in fig. 1), disposed in correspondence with the peripheral surface 13 and angularly distributed in a uniform manner with an angular pitch γ (fig. 1), which in the embodiment described here is 60°.

[0044] Each loading zone 15 is provided with at least two containing members 16, each configured to temporarily contain one of the organized groups of smoking articles 114 and transfer them along an arched transfer path S coaxial to the peripheral surface 13, between a first angular position A and a second angular position B, as will be described in detail below.

[0045] The apparatus 10 also comprises a supply device 17 disposed in correspondence with the first angular position A and configured to selectively supply the organized groups of smoking articles 114 to the containing members 16 of the first angular position A, in a first radial direction R1 with respect to the first axis of rotation X1. In particular, the supply device 17 comprises a linear loader 19 provided with a thruster, of a known type and not shown in the drawings, which is commanded by a drive member 20 in a manner that is intermittent and coordinated with the rotation of the transfer wheel 12. According to one variant, instead of the linear loader 19 a different supply device 17 can be provided, for example comprising or consisting of a supply wheel.

[0046] The apparatus 10 also comprises a reception device 18 disposed in correspondence with the second angular position B and configured to receive, in a second radial direction R2, with respect to the first axis of rotation X1, the organized groups of smoking articles 114 from the second angular position B, already grouped together and associated with a corresponding blank 113, as will be described in more detail below.

[0047] The containing members 16 are mobile between a first divaricated operating position, or for receiving the organized groups of smoking articles, in which the containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 are moved away from each other when they are in the first angular position A in order to selectively receive, one at a time, the organized groups of smoking articles 114 from the supply device 17, and a second side by side operating position, or for releasing such group, in which the containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 are disposed side by side and parallel to each other when they are in the second angular position B. In this way, in the second side by side operating position the plurality of organized groups of smoking articles 114 contained in the containing members 16 of the same loading zone 15 is transferred simultaneously to the reception device 18.

[0048] The transfer wheel 12 is integral with a shaft, connected to a motor member of a known type, for example a first motor 21, for example a stepper motor, configured to make it rotate around the first axis of rotation X1 in programmed angular increments, in order to selectively take the containing members 16 both individually in correspondence with the supply device 17, when the containing members 16 are in their first divaricated operating position, and also collectively in correspondence with the reception device 18, when all the containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 are in their second side by side operating position and in correspondence with the second angular position B.

[0049] The angular increments comprise both first angular increments α, each one equal to the angular distance between two adjacent containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 when they are in their first divaricated operating position, and also second angular increments β, each one equal to 360° divided by the number N of the plurality of loading zones 15, minus the number of the first angular increments α of each loading zone 15.

[0050] In the embodiment shown in figs. from 1 to 11, the number N of loading zones 15 is equal to six, the number of containing members 16 for each loading zone 15 is equal to two and the angle α is 20°, so that the angle β is 40° (that is, 360° / 6 - 20°).

[0051] In the embodiment shown in figs. 13 and 14, the number N of loading zones 15 (not shown) is equal to six, the number of containing members 16 for each loading zone 15 is equal to three and the angle α is 10°, so that the angle β is 40° (that is, 360° / 6 - 2 x 10°).

[0052] The apparatus 10 also comprises a feed device 23 (fig. 1) disposed in correspondence with a third angular position C along the transfer path S, comprised between the first angular position A and the second angular position B, and configured to supply a single blank 113 to the containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15, in a third radial direction R3 with respect to the first axis of rotation X1, when the same containing members 16 containing corresponding organized groups of smoking articles 114 are in their second side by side operating position.

[0053] The feed device 23 is disposed close to the transfer wheel 12, almost tangential thereto, and comprises a feed wheel 24, substantially of a known type and which for the sake of brevity is not described in detail, which is mounted on the fixed structure 11 in a manner selectively rotatable around a second axis of rotation X2, which in the example given here is parallel to the first axis of rotation X1. The feed wheel 24 is commanded by a suitable motor member, for example a second motor 25, also of the stepper type, for example.

[0054] The apparatus 10 also comprises a loading device 27 disposed in correspondence with a fourth angular position D, upstream of the first angular position A with respect to the sense of rotation of the transfer wheel 12, which in fig. 1 is clockwise, and configured to supply a collar 116 to a corresponding containing member 16 in a fourth radial direction R4 with respect to the first axis of rotation X1.

[0055] Similarly to the feed device 23, the loading device 27 is also disposed close to the transfer wheel 12, almost tangential thereto, and comprises a loading wheel 28, substantially of a known type and which for the sake of brevity is not described in detail, which is mounted on the fixed structure 11 in a manner selectively rotatable around a fourth axis of rotation X4, which in the example given here is parallel to the first axis of rotation X1.

[0056] The loading wheel 28 is commanded by a suitable motor member, for example a fourth motor 29, also of the stepper type, for example.

[0057] The transfer wheel 12 is therefore disposed in a central position with respect to the supply 17, reception 18, feed 23 and loading 27 devices so as to individually receive the components of the packet 100 and transfer the assembled components in the respective radial directions, that is, first R1, second R2, third R3 and fourth R4.

[0058] Here and hereafter in the description, the term "component / s of the packet 100" will be used to mean one or more of either the organized groups of smoking articles 114, the collars 116 and the blank 113 which make up a packet 100.

[0059] The components of the packet 100 are moved along the transfer path S, which in the example given here is 240°, each for a suitable angular sector, which can, as in the case of the collars 116, coincide with the entire transfer path S.

[0060] For the sole purpose of better describing the present invention, an angle of 0° is taken as a reference in correspondence with the fourth angular position D, that is, of the loading device 27, and an angle of 240° in correspondence with the second angular position B, that is, with the reception device 18. This does not exclude that the transfer path S may, for example, involve a different angular sector according to requirements, for example in the case of a different positioning of the devices 17, 18, 23, 27, or the number N of loading zones 15, or of the number of containing members 16.

[0061] The function of the transfer wheel 12 is therefore to receive and make advance, during its rotation, all the components required to make the packets 100 in correspondence with the fixed angular positions (A, B, C and D) such that during the rotation of the transfer wheel 12, for each packet 100, first the supply of the collars 116 in correspondence with the fourth angular position D occurs, then the supply of the organized groups of smoking articles 114 in correspondence with the first angular position A, and finally the supply of the blank 113 in correspondence with the third angular position C. The expulsion of the components of the packet 100, at least partly assembled together, occurs in correspondence with the second angular position B.

[0062] Advantageously, such a configuration allows to obtain a particularly compact apparatus 10. Furthermore, assembling all the components of the packet 100 in a single centrally disposed transfer wheel 12, always receiving and delivering them in radial directions, allows to limit the positioning errors between them and therefore to obtain particularly precise packets 100, as well as increase the hourly productivity of the apparatus 10.

[0063] The apparatus 10 also comprises an unloading conveyor 31, substantially of a known type and which for the sake of brevity is not described in detail, configured to receive the packets 100 supported by the reception device 18, the latter being also able to be configured to determine the wrapping of the blank 113 around the organized groups of smoking articles 114 stabilizing it, for example, with one or more dots of glue, and to discharge them radially from the apparatus 10 or toward other work devices disposed downstream.

[0064] Specifically, the reception device 18 comprises a reception wheel 22 (fig. 1), substantially of a known type and which for the sake of brevity is not described in detail, which is mounted on the fixed structure 11 in a manner selectively rotatable around a third axis of rotation X3, which in the example given here is parallel to the first axis of rotation X1. The reception wheel 22 is commanded by a suitable motor member, for example a third motor 26, also of the stepper type, for example.

[0065] The drive member 20 and the motors 26, 25 and 29 and 21 are controlled in any known manner, for example by means of a control unit 30 of the programmable type, so that the supply 17, reception 18, feed 23 and loading 27 devices, respectively, are driven in a manner that is coordinated with the rotation of the transfer wheel 12.

[0066] With particular reference to figs. from 8 to 11, each containing member 16 comprises a respective seating 35 open toward the outside of the peripheral surface 13 and each substantially having the shape of a U, so that each one can temporarily hold the components required to assemble a packet 100 along the transfer path S.

[0067] In particular, each seating 35 has a containing volume which is substantially equivalent to the volume of a single organized group of smoking articles 114, net of the clearances required for its insertion and also considering the thickness of the collar 116.

[0068] The seatings 35 can be opened, as well as in the radial direction, also in a direction parallel to the first axis of rotation X1 on one or both sides.

[0069] Each seating 35 has a width substantially equal to the width of an organized group of smoking articles 114 and comprises two lateral walls 36 and 37, parallel to each other and orthogonal to an abutment wall 38, on which a respective collar 116, and on it a respective organized group of smoking articles 114, can abut. The abutment wall 38 is substantially perpendicular to a radius of the transfer wheel 12, or it can be slightly inclined to facilitate the insertion of the components, at least when the containing members 16 are in the first divaricated operating position.

[0070] The containing members 16 can also comprise at least one base wall, preferably two opposite base walls, connected to the lateral walls 36 and 37, and to the abutment wall 38. The base wall 38 can possibly be defined by the body 33 itself, in particular by a flat circular surface 34 of the body 33.

[0071] In the example given here, the facing lateral walls 37 of two adjacent containing members 16 have a smaller thickness than the more external lateral walls 36, so that the organized groups of smoking articles 114, once the packet 100 is completed, are not excessively distanced.

[0072] The lateral walls 36 and 37 and the abutment wall 38, as well as the possible base wall, are fixed with respect to each other. Nothing excludes, however, that, in possible alternative embodiments, not shown in the drawings, at least the more external lateral walls 36 and 37 of the containing members 16 may be mobile, for example rotatable with respect to the abutment wall 38, so as to facilitate the insertion of the organized groups of smoking articles 114.

[0073] The containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 are side by side to each other and are pivoted on a same pin 40, which is mounted on the body 33, to pass from the first divaricated operating position to the second side by side operating position and vice versa.

[0074] The pin 40 is configured to allow the rotation of the containing members 16 around a pivot axis parallel to the first axis of rotation X1 of the transfer wheel 12. Furthermore, the points of intersection of the pivot axes of the pins 40 with the flat surface 34 lie on a common fixed circle.

[0075] In the first divaricated operating position, the facing lateral walls 37 of the adjacent containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 are angularly distanced by an opening angle δ, while in the second side by side operating position the facing lateral walls 37 of the adjacent containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 are disposed parallel and in reciprocal contact. In particular, both in the first divaricated operating position and also in the second side by side operating position, the containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 are symmetrical with respect to the bisector of the opening angle δ.

[0076] Specifically, in the first divaricated operating position the opening angle δ is, by way of example, about 20° (fig. 8), while in the passage to the second side by side operating position the opening angle δ is reduced (fig. 9), until it becomes zero when the facing lateral walls 37 of the containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 are disposed parallel and in reciprocal contact (figs. 10 and 11).

[0077] Each containing member 16 comprises a mechanism 42 configured to cooperate with a cam profile 45, coaxial to the first axis of rotation X1 and integral with the fixed structure 11, to cause the passage of each of the containing members 16 from the first divaricated operating position to the second side by side operating position.

[0078] The cam profile 45 has a development in the shape of an arc of a circle having an angular width ϕ (figs. from 2 to 7) which goes from an angular position immediately downstream of the first angular position A with respect to the sense of rotation of the transfer wheel 12, to a position immediately downstream of the second angular position B with respect to the sense of rotation of the transfer wheel 12.

[0079] The cam profile 45 is disposed facing the body 33 at a certain distance from the flat surface 34 thereof.

[0080] Each mechanism 42 comprises a lever 43, with an L-shape in the example described here, pivoted on the pin 40 and having a first end 47 connected to a respective containing member 16 and a second end 48 having, or supporting, a slide element 44, for example an idle wheel or another element which performs the same function, able to cooperate with the cam profile 45.

[0081] In the example given here, the lever 43 projects from the abutment wall 38 of the containing member 16, on the opposite part with respect to that for accessing the seating 35, that is, toward the center of the transfer wheel 12, in correspondence with the lateral wall 37 that faces the adjacent containing member 16. The lever 43 can advantageously be made in a single body with the containing member 16.

[0082] An elastic element 46 can be connected to the levers 43 of two adjacent containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 in order to keep the containing members 16 in the operating position and to cause the passage thereof from the second side by side operating position back to the first divaricated operating position, when their slide elements 44 disengage from the cam profile 45.

[0083] The operation of the apparatus 10 described heretofore, which corresponds to the method according to the present invention, comprises the following steps.

[0084] In order to describe the operation of the apparatus 10 as a whole, for simplicity of exposition, below we will describe the packaging cycle of a single packet 100, since this is valid for all the packets 100, referring to a same loading zone 15 which moves, in order, in correspondence with the angular positions D, A, C, B.

[0085] For ease of exposition, and with reference to figs. from 2 to 7 in which the transfer wheel 12 is schematized viewed laterally, the following static positions are denoted, in correspondence with which each containing member 16 can temporarily stop: initial position, or fourth angular position, D in correspondence with the loading device 27, that is, on the right in figs. from 2 to 7; intermediate position, or first angular position, A oriented 60° clockwise with respect to the initial position D; additional intermediate position, or third angular position, C oriented 60° clockwise with respect to the intermediate angular position A, that is, toward the left in figs. from 2 to 7; exit position, or second angular position, B oriented 240° clockwise with respect to the initial position D, at the end of the transfer path S, that is, toward the top in figs. from 2 to 7, in correspondence with which the reception device 18 is positioned.

[0086] In a first work step, fig. 2, the transfer wheel 12 is in an angular position such that a first containing member 16' of the loading zone 15 (taken as a reference and indicated with a dashed line), which is empty and in the first divaricated operating position, is exactly aligned with the fourth radial direction R4 (initial position D) in order to receive a collar 116 from the loading device 27, not shown in fig. 2. The collar 116 is pressed inside the seating 35 by means of a thruster (not shown) of the loading device 27 so as to adhere in a U-shape to the abutment wall 38 and to the lateral walls 36 and 37. The loading of the collar 116 occurs in a loading time T1 equal to about 40 milliseconds (ms), during which the transfer wheel 12 is stationary.

[0087] Subsequently, the transfer wheel 12 is rotated clockwise, for example stepwise by the first motor 21, by a single first angular increment α, indicated in fig. 2 and equal to 20° in the example given here, so as to align a second adjacent containing member 16" of the loading zone 15 with the fourth radial direction R4 (initial position D) so that this second containing member 16" also receives, in a similar manner, a collar 116, fig. 3 and fig. 8. The angular alignment of the transfer wheel 12 by the first angular increment α to take the second containing member 16" in position occurs in a first movement time T2 equal to about 40 ms.

[0088] In a second work step, the transfer wheel 12 is rotated clockwise by a second angular increment β, indicated in fig. 3 and equal to 40° in the example given here, so as to align the first containing member 16' of the loading zone 15 with the first radial direction R1 (intermediate position A) in which the supply device 17 supplies an organized group of smoking articles 114, fig. 4. The angular alignment of the transfer wheel 12 by the second angular increment β to take the first containing member 16' in position occurs in a second movement time T3 equal to about 40 ms.

[0089] The organized group of smoking articles 114 is pressed inside the seating 35 by means of a thruster (not shown) of the supply device 17 so that a surface of the wrapping 115 parallel to the direction of longitudinal development of the smoking articles 111 is disposed just behind the abutment wall 38, while two other contiguous surfaces having the same orientation with respect to the smoking articles 111 are disposed just behind the lateral walls 36 and 37, against the collar 116. The supply of each organized group of smoking articles 114 occurs in a supply time T4 equal to about 40ms, during which the transfer wheel 12 is stationary.

[0090] At this point, the transfer wheel 12 is rotated clockwise by another first angular increment α, indicated in fig. 4, so as to align the second containing member 16" of the loading zone 15 with the first radial direction R1 (intermediate position A) in which the supply device 17 supplies, in a similar way, another organized group of smoking articles 114, fig. 5 and fig. 9.

[0091] In a third work step, the transfer wheel 12 is rotated clockwise again by a second angular increment β and, in the following order, first the first containing member 16' and then the second containing member 16" engage, thanks to the mechanism 42, the cam profile 45 so that when the slide element 44 of the first containing member 16' slides on it, the rigid rotation of the lever 43 of the first containing member 16' on the pin 40 is activated so that the first containing member 16' passes from the first divaricated operating position to a position close to the second side by side operating position, and then to the second side by side operating position when the slide element 44 of the second containing member 16" of the same loading zone 15 also engages the cam profile 45. In particular, the first containing member 16' will rotate counterclockwise by a rotation angle equal to half of the opening angle δ and, immediately after, the second adjacent containing member 16 will rotate clockwise by an angle equal to half the opening angle δ.

[0092] Also during the third work step, the transfer wheel 12 is rotated alternately by additional first angular increments α and second angular increments β, indicated generically with an arrow in fig. 5, coherently with the first and second work steps which are taking place in the following loading zones 15, until the two containing members 16' and 16" of the loading zone 15, which are in the second side by side operating position and each contain a respective collar 116 and a respective organized group of smoking articles 114, are symmetrically aligned with the third radial direction R3 (additional intermediate position C) in which the feed device 23 feeds a blank 113, fig. 6 and fig. 10. The blank 113 is released by means of gripping members (not shown) of the feed device 23, it is disposed frontally in contact against the organized groups of smoking articles 114 and held in position by means of holding members (not shown). The feed of the blank 113 occurs in a feed time T5 equal to about 40 ms, during which the transfer wheel 12 is stationary.

[0093] In a fourth work step, the transfer wheel 12 is rotated alternately by additional first angular increments α and second angular increments β, indicated generically with an arrow in fig. 6, coherently with the first, second and third work steps which are taking place in the following loading zones 15, until the two containing members 16' and 16" of the loading zone 15, which are in the second side by side operating position and each contain a respective collar 116, a respective organized group of smoking articles 114 and a blank 113, are aligned symmetrically with the second radial direction R2 (exit position B) in which the reception device 18 receives the assembled components holding them by means of gripping members (not shown) which can also be capable of causing the blank 113 to be wrapped around the organized groups of smoking articles 114, fig. 7 and fig. 11. The transfer of the assembled components occurs in a reception time T6 equal to about 40 ms, during which the transfer wheel 12 is stationary.

[0094] Immediately after the two containing members 16 have been emptied, the transfer wheel 12 is rotated alternately by additional first angular increments α and second angular increments β, coherently with the work steps which are taking place in the following loading zones 15, and in the following order, first the first containing member 16' and then the second containing member 16" disengage from the cam profile 45, and thanks to the elastic element 46, they are taken back to their second side by side operating position.

[0095] It is clear that modifications and / or additions of parts may be made to the apparatus 10 and to the method as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention, as defined by the claims.

[0096] It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of an apparatus and method for packaging smoking articles, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

[0097] In the following claims, the sole purpose of the references in brackets is to facilitate their reading and they must not be considered as restrictive factors with regard to the field of protection defined by the same claims.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0038]With reference to fig. 1, an apparatus 10 according to the present invention is configured to selectively and sequentially package packets 100 of smoking articles 111, for example cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, or suchlike.

[0039]By way of a non-limiting example, each packet 100, when completed, has a substantially parallelepiped shape and comprises an external container 112, which is made starting from a shaped flat component, or blank 113, for example of thin cardboard, which is then folded and glued to form its external walls, which define a housing inside which two or more organized groups of smoking articles 114 are housed.

[0040]With particular reference to figs. from 9 to 11, each organized group of smoking articles 114 comprises, in turn, a plurality of smoking articles 111 which are disposed one parallel to the other in the direction of their longitudinal development. An internal wrapping 115, for example a sheet of foil or metallized paper, is wrapped around the plura...

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention concerns an apparatus and a method for packaging two or more organized groups of smoking articles in a same packet, such as for example cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, or suchlike, distinct from each other. Depending on the sizes of the smoking articles and the market choices, the number of smoking articles that makes up each organized group can vary between ten and forty, or more. Each organized group of smoking articles is also known to the people of skill in the art by the English term "bundle".BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Smoking articles are traditionally packaged in packets, which can be soft, rigid, or semi-rigid, inside each of which one organized group of smoking articles is disposed, or two organized groups of smoking articles are disposed, distinct from each other. Each organized group of smoking articles comprises a plurality of smoking articles which are wrapped in an internal wrapping, generally made of aluminum foil, which is folded over them and can be stabilized by means of glue or by means of heat sealing. Furthermore, in cooperation with the internal wrapping there is normally an insert, or reinforcement element, also called a "collar" by the people of skill in the art.

[0003] Generally, the number of smoking articles present in a packet, in relation to the sizes of the latter, is such that once a certain number of smoking articles has been removed from the packet, the remaining ones have to maintain a substantially orderly position without tilting too much, or falling to the bottom of the packet.

[0004] However, there is an increasing demand for packets containing a large number of smoking articles, for example more than forty, up to a hundred and more. In this case, the smoking articles are usually divided into two distinct and separate groups, each wrapped in its own internal wrapping so that, as the smoking articles are gradually removed, the remaining ones do not become misplaced inside the packet.

[0005] In the prior art, apparatuses for packaging packets of smoking articles organized into two distinct groups are known. One example of such apparatuses is described by US-A-5.590.763, in which the two distinct groups are fed simultaneously to a folding wheel. This involves a complex mechanical system for inserting the groups which comprises an intermediate conveyor in which the two groups are temporarily housed, and two distinct thrusters, mechanically linked to each other to thrust each group into a respective pocket. Furthermore, both a connection member and also an insertion element are provided to facilitate the transfer of the two groups from the intermediate conveyor to the wheel.

[0006] One disadvantage of this solution is given by the considerable complexity of the introduction system, which limits the hourly productivity of this apparatus, and which can also involve frequent stops to restore the functionality of the apparatus following the fact that the groups can easily lose the correct orientation in the passage from one mechanical member to the other.

[0007] Furthermore, apparatuses are also known in which a work line comprises a plurality of wheels, which are capable first of associating a single collar with a respective organized group of smoking articles already wrapped around a wrapping, and subsequently of applying around the internal wrappings of two organized groups of smoking articles a single flat shaped component, also called "blank" by the people of skill in the art, usually made of thin cardboard, pre-cut and possibly creased and pre-folded, to form, with other subsequent packaging steps, a rigid or semi-rigid container, depending on the thickness of the thin cardboard component, thus defining the packet as a whole.

[0008] In this known apparatus, one of the wheels acts as a transfer wheel to rotate, with continuous motion, several groups of smoking articles simultaneously. This transfer wheel is provided with a plurality of pairs of peripheral containing seatings, or pockets, each of which is configured to receive a respective organized group of smoking articles. With each of the pockets there is associated a mechanism that allows both to incline the pockets with respect to the body of the transfer wheel, and also to move the walls that define each pocket in order to facilitate the insertion of the corresponding group of smoking articles.

[0009] One disadvantage of these known apparatuses is that the transfer wheel is only able to carry out the step of applying the collar and its operation is very critical, because the insertion of each collar occurs "on the fly", while the transfer wheel is rotating. This criticality is also accentuated by the rotation speed of the transfer wheel which, in order to achieve a high hourly productivity, rotates at several tens of revolutions per minute.

[0010] Another disadvantage of these known apparatuses is that the passage of the product being worked from the transfer wheel to the following wheel risks generating positioning errors between the components which make up the packet. These errors can determine, at the end of the process, defective packets and therefore a poor production yield of the apparatus.

[0011] Another disadvantage of these known apparatuses is that the transfer wheel is rather complex. In fact, the mechanisms that command the movement of the pockets are rather complicated and often cause positioning errors of the parts that make up the packet, or complicate the interaction with the parts thereof that are moved by the other wheels.

[0012] There is therefore the need to perfect an apparatus and a corresponding method for packaging packets of smoking articles grouped into several organized groups that can overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art.

[0013] To do this, it is necessary to solve the technical problem of controlling, very precisely and reliably, the motor members which activate the wheels which have to be driven at very high rotation speeds and with high precision to receive and transfer the components which make up the packet.

[0014] One purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and to perfect a method for packaging a plurality of distinct groups of smoking articles in a same packet, which are particularly simple and reliable, wherein the apparatus is also compact and has a reduced number of components and in which all the steps of assembling the packet occur on the same wheel.

[0015] Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and to perfect a method which allow to package packets with a plurality of groups of smoking articles with a high hourly productivity, for example of at least between about 200 and about 300 packets / minute.

[0016] The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims describe other characteristics of the present invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

[0018] In accordance with the above purposes, and to resolve the technical problem disclosed above in a new and original way, also achieving considerable advantages compared to the state of the prior art, an apparatus according to the present invention for packaging packets of smoking articles, wherein each packet comprises a container inside which at least two organized groups of smoking articles are disposed, comprises: a transfer wheel selectively rotatable around a first axis of rotation and peripherally provided with a plurality of loading zones, each of which is provided with at least two containing members which are configured to each temporarily contain a respective organized groups of smoking articles in order to transfer them between a first angular position and a second angular position, along an arched transfer path; wherein the containing members being mobile between a first divaricated operating position, in which the containing members of the same loading zone are moved away from each other, and a second side by side operating position, in which the containing members of the same loading zone are disposed close to each other; a supply device disposed in the first angular position and configured to selectively supply the organized groups of smoking articles to the containing members; a reception device disposed in the second angular position and configured to receive the organized groups of smoking articles from the transfer wheel.

[0019] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the supply device is configured to supply the organized groups of smoking articles in the first angular position in a common direction, one at a time, to a respective containing member, so that each organized group of smoking articles is fed in the common direction primarily to a first containing member and subsequently to the other containing member of the same loading zone.

[0020] Furthermore, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the containing members are disposed in the first divaricated operating position when each is in the first angular position, so as to selectively receive, one at a time, a respective organized group of smoking articles from the supply device, and in the second side by side operating position when the respective loading zone is in the second angular position, so that the organized groups of smoking articles contained in the at least two containing members of the same loading zone are transferred simultaneously to the reception device.

[0021] The solution according to the present invention can be easily implemented in an electronic type machine, leaving unchanged the parts upstream relating to the formation of the organized groups of smoking articles, or bundles, the preparation of the collar and the cardboard component, or "blank, for making a packet, as well as the downstream part for finalizing the formation of the packet. This leads to achieving a machine that is very flexible overall, because it is able to switch from a standard packet configuration with a single organized group of smoking articles to one with two or more organized groups of smoking articles in a short time and with minimum interventions.

[0022] The solution according to the present invention is also advantageous compared to the state of the art thanks to the fact that the containing members can assume the first divaricated operating position as above. This allows to feed an organized group of smoking articles at a time in the common direction toward a respective containing member, in such a way as to first feed an organized group of smoking articles to a first containing member and subsequently, after a rotation of the transfer wheel, to the other containing member of the same loading zone. This is advantageous because, compared to known solutions in which each group is fed along a respective directrix of feed, it is possible to significantly simplify the structural complexity of solutions known in the state of the art so that the apparatus is more reliable and has a higher hourly productivity.

[0023] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus comprises a first motor member which is connected to the transfer wheel in order to make it rotate around the first axis of rotation in programmed angular increments, in order to selectively take, one at a time, each containing member in correspondence with the supply device when one containing member of a same loading zone is in the first divaricated operating position, and to take the loading zone in proximity to the reception device when the containing members of the same loading zone are in the second side by side operating position.

[0024] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the angular increments comprise at least first angular increments, each one equal to the angular distance between two of the adjacent containing members of a same loading zone when the containing members are moved away from each other in the first divaricated operating position, and second angular increments, each one equal to 360° divided by the number of the plurality of loading zones, decreased by an angle equal to the sum of the first angular increments of the containing members of the same loading zone.

[0025] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the transfer wheel comprises a discoidal body. Furthermore, the containing members are equal to two and are pivoted on a same pin mounted on the discoidal body.

[0026] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the transfer wheel is mounted rotatable on a fixed structure, and each of the containing members comprises a mechanism configured to cooperate with a cam profile configured to cause the passage of each of the containing members from the first divaricated operating position to the second side by side operating position.

[0027] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the mechanism comprises a lever rotatably mounted and having a first end connected to one of the containing members and a second end having or supporting a slide element able to cooperate with the cam profile.

[0028] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the cam profile has a development in the shape of an arc of a circle having an angular width comprised between an angular position immediately downstream of the first angular position with respect to the sense of rotation of the transfer wheel and a position immediately downstream of the second angular position with respect to the sense of rotation of the transfer wheel.

[0029] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus also comprises a feed device disposed in a third angular position, comprised between the first angular position and the second angular position along the transfer path, and configured to supply a flat component to the containing members of a same loading zone when the containing members are in the second side by side operating position.

[0030] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus also comprises a loading device disposed in a fourth angular position, upstream of the first angular position and downstream of the second angular position with respect to the sense of rotation of the transfer wheel, and configured to supply a reinforcement element to a corresponding containing member located in the first divaricated operating position.

[0031] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the common direction is a first radial direction with respect to a first axis of rotation of the transfer wheel.

[0032] In accordance with the present invention, a method to package the packets of smoking articles as above comprises: a movement step, in which the transfer wheel as above, peripherally provided with a plurality of loading zones, is selectively made to rotate around said first axis of rotation so that containing members provided in each of the loading zones each temporarily contains one of the organized groups of smoking articles and transfers it from the first angular position to the second angular position, along said arched transfer path, wherein the containing members are mobile between a first divaricated operating position, in which the containing members of the same loading zone are moved away from each other, and a second side by side operating position, in which the containing members of the same loading zone are disposed side by side to each other; a supply step, in which said supply device selectively supplies, in the first angular position, the organized groups of smoking articles to the containing members; and a reception step, in which said reception device receives, in the second angular position, the organized groups of smoking articles from the transfer wheel.

[0033] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, in the supply step, the supply device supplies the organized groups of smoking articles in the first angular position in a common direction, one at a time, to a corresponding containing member, in such a way that each organized groups of smoking articles is fed in the common direction primarily to a first containing member and subsequently to the other containing member of the same loading zone.

[0034] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, in the movement step, the containing members are disposed in the first divaricated operating position when each one is in the first angular position, so as to selectively receive, one at a time, a respective organized group of smoking articles from the supply device, and in the second side by side operating position when the respective loading zone is in the second angular position, so that the organized groups of smoking articles contained in the containing members of the same loading zone are transferred simultaneously to the reception device.DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein: fig. 1 is a schematic lateral view of an apparatus for packaging packets of smoking articles grouped into several organized groups, according to the present invention; figs. 2-7 show a possible operating sequence of the operation of the apparatus of fig. 1; figs. 8-11 show enlarged details of work steps of the method according to the present invention; fig. 12 is a section along the line XII-XII of fig. 11; figs. 13 and 14 are a variant in which the loading zones have three containing members.

[0036] We must clarify that in the present description the phraseology and terminology used, as well as the figures in the attached drawings also as described, have the sole function of better illustrating and explaining the present invention, their function being to provide a non-limiting example of the invention itself, since the scope of protection is defined by the claims.

[0037] To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can be conveniently combined or incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0038] With reference to fig. 1, an apparatus 10 according to the present invention is configured to selectively and sequentially package packets 100 of smoking articles 111, for example cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, or suchlike.

[0039] By way of a non-limiting example, each packet 100, when completed, has a substantially parallelepiped shape and comprises an external container 112, which is made starting from a shaped flat component, or blank 113, for example of thin cardboard, which is then folded and glued to form its external walls, which define a housing inside which two or more organized groups of smoking articles 114 are housed.

[0040] With particular reference to figs. from 9 to 11, each organized group of smoking articles 114 comprises, in turn, a plurality of smoking articles 111 which are disposed one parallel to the other in the direction of their longitudinal development. An internal wrapping 115, for example a sheet of foil or metallized paper, is wrapped around the plurality of smoking articles 111 to preserve their aroma.

[0041] Each packet 100 also comprises at least one reinforcement element, or collar, 116, for example made of cardboard, which wraps three sides of each internal wrapping 115. According to one variant, a single internal wrapping 115 can wrap two or more organized groups of smoking articles 114.

[0042] The apparatus 10 comprises a fixed structure 11 (fig. 1), on which a transfer wheel 12 is mounted rotatable around a first axis of rotation X1, which in the example described here is horizontal. Other embodiments can provide that the first axis of rotation X1 is vertical or inclined with respect to a horizontal plane.

[0043] The transfer wheel 12 comprises a discoidal body 33 having a peripheral surface 13 coaxial to the first axis of rotation X1 and a plurality N of loading zones 15 (identified schematically with dashed lines in fig. 1), disposed in correspondence with the peripheral surface 13 and angularly distributed in a uniform manner with an angular pitch γ (fig. 1), which in the embodiment described here is 60°.

[0044] Each loading zone 15 is provided with at least two containing members 16, each configured to temporarily contain one of the organized groups of smoking articles 114 and transfer them along an arched transfer path S coaxial to the peripheral surface 13, between a first angular position A and a second angular position B, as will be described in detail below.

[0045] The apparatus 10 also comprises a supply device 17 disposed in correspondence with the first angular position A and configured to selectively supply the organized groups of smoking articles 114 to the containing members 16 of the first angular position A, in a first radial direction R1 with respect to the first axis of rotation X1. In particular, the supply device 17 comprises a linear loader 19 provided with a thruster, of a known type and not shown in the drawings, which is commanded by a drive member 20 in a manner that is intermittent and coordinated with the rotation of the transfer wheel 12. According to one variant, instead of the linear loader 19 a different supply device 17 can be provided, for example comprising or consisting of a supply wheel.

[0046] The apparatus 10 also comprises a reception device 18 disposed in correspondence with the second angular position B and configured to receive, in a second radial direction R2, with respect to the first axis of rotation X1, the organized groups of smoking articles 114 from the second angular position B, already grouped together and associated with a corresponding blank 113, as will be described in more detail below.

[0047] The containing members 16 are mobile between a first divaricated operating position, or for receiving the organized groups of smoking articles, in which the containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 are moved away from each other when they are in the first angular position A in order to selectively receive, one at a time, the organized groups of smoking articles 114 from the supply device 17, and a second side by side operating position, or for releasing such group, in which the containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 are disposed side by side and parallel to each other when they are in the second angular position B. In this way, in the second side by side operating position the plurality of organized groups of smoking articles 114 contained in the containing members 16 of the same loading zone 15 is transferred simultaneously to the reception device 18.

[0048] The transfer wheel 12 is integral with a shaft, connected to a motor member of a known type, for example a first motor 21, for example a stepper motor, configured to make it rotate around the first axis of rotation X1 in programmed angular increments, in order to selectively take the containing members 16 both individually in correspondence with the supply device 17, when the containing members 16 are in their first divaricated operating position, and also collectively in correspondence with the reception device 18, when all the containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 are in their second side by side operating position and in correspondence with the second angular position B.

[0049] The angular increments comprise both first angular increments α, each one equal to the angular distance between two adjacent containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 when they are in their first divaricated operating position, and also second angular increments β, each one equal to 360° divided by the number N of the plurality of loading zones 15, minus the number of the first angular increments α of each loading zone 15.

[0050] In the embodiment shown in figs. from 1 to 11, the number N of loading zones 15 is equal to six, the number of containing members 16 for each loading zone 15 is equal to two and the angle α is 20°, so that the angle β is 40° (that is, 360° / 6 - 20°).

[0051] In the embodiment shown in figs. 13 and 14, the number N of loading zones 15 (not shown) is equal to six, the number of containing members 16 for each loading zone 15 is equal to three and the angle α is 10°, so that the angle β is 40° (that is, 360° / 6 - 2 x 10°).

[0052] The apparatus 10 also comprises a feed device 23 (fig. 1) disposed in correspondence with a third angular position C along the transfer path S, comprised between the first angular position A and the second angular position B, and configured to supply a single blank 113 to the containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15, in a third radial direction R3 with respect to the first axis of rotation X1, when the same containing members 16 containing corresponding organized groups of smoking articles 114 are in their second side by side operating position.

[0053] The feed device 23 is disposed close to the transfer wheel 12, almost tangential thereto, and comprises a feed wheel 24, substantially of a known type and which for the sake of brevity is not described in detail, which is mounted on the fixed structure 11 in a manner selectively rotatable around a second axis of rotation X2, which in the example given here is parallel to the first axis of rotation X1. The feed wheel 24 is commanded by a suitable motor member, for example a second motor 25, also of the stepper type, for example.

[0054] The apparatus 10 also comprises a loading device 27 disposed in correspondence with a fourth angular position D, upstream of the first angular position A with respect to the sense of rotation of the transfer wheel 12, which in fig. 1 is clockwise, and configured to supply a collar 116 to a corresponding containing member 16 in a fourth radial direction R4 with respect to the first axis of rotation X1.

[0055] Similarly to the feed device 23, the loading device 27 is also disposed close to the transfer wheel 12, almost tangential thereto, and comprises a loading wheel 28, substantially of a known type and which for the sake of brevity is not described in detail, which is mounted on the fixed structure 11 in a manner selectively rotatable around a fourth axis of rotation X4, which in the example given here is parallel to the first axis of rotation X1.

[0056] The loading wheel 28 is commanded by a suitable motor member, for example a fourth motor 29, also of the stepper type, for example.

[0057] The transfer wheel 12 is therefore disposed in a central position with respect to the supply 17, reception 18, feed 23 and loading 27 devices so as to individually receive the components of the packet 100 and transfer the assembled components in the respective radial directions, that is, first R1, second R2, third R3 and fourth R4.

[0058] Here and hereafter in the description, the term "component / s of the packet 100" will be used to mean one or more of either the organized groups of smoking articles 114, the collars 116 and the blank 113 which make up a packet 100.

[0059] The components of the packet 100 are moved along the transfer path S, which in the example given here is 240°, each for a suitable angular sector, which can, as in the case of the collars 116, coincide with the entire transfer path S.

[0060] For the sole purpose of better describing the present invention, an angle of 0° is taken as a reference in correspondence with the fourth angular position D, that is, of the loading device 27, and an angle of 240° in correspondence with the second angular position B, that is, with the reception device 18. This does not exclude that the transfer path S may, for example, involve a different angular sector according to requirements, for example in the case of a different positioning of the devices 17, 18, 23, 27, or the number N of loading zones 15, or of the number of containing members 16.

[0061] The function of the transfer wheel 12 is therefore to receive and make advance, during its rotation, all the components required to make the packets 100 in correspondence with the fixed angular positions (A, B, C and D) such that during the rotation of the transfer wheel 12, for each packet 100, first the supply of the collars 116 in correspondence with the fourth angular position D occurs, then the supply of the organized groups of smoking articles 114 in correspondence with the first angular position A, and finally the supply of the blank 113 in correspondence with the third angular position C. The expulsion of the components of the packet 100, at least partly assembled together, occurs in correspondence with the second angular position B.

[0062] Advantageously, such a configuration allows to obtain a particularly compact apparatus 10. Furthermore, assembling all the components of the packet 100 in a single centrally disposed transfer wheel 12, always receiving and delivering them in radial directions, allows to limit the positioning errors between them and therefore to obtain particularly precise packets 100, as well as increase the hourly productivity of the apparatus 10.

[0063] The apparatus 10 also comprises an unloading conveyor 31, substantially of a known type and which for the sake of brevity is not described in detail, configured to receive the packets 100 supported by the reception device 18, the latter being also able to be configured to determine the wrapping of the blank 113 around the organized groups of smoking articles 114 stabilizing it, for example, with one or more dots of glue, and to discharge them radially from the apparatus 10 or toward other work devices disposed downstream.

[0064] Specifically, the reception device 18 comprises a reception wheel 22 (fig. 1), substantially of a known type and which for the sake of brevity is not described in detail, which is mounted on the fixed structure 11 in a manner selectively rotatable around a third axis of rotation X3, which in the example given here is parallel to the first axis of rotation X1. The reception wheel 22 is commanded by a suitable motor member, for example a third motor 26, also of the stepper type, for example.

[0065] The drive member 20 and the motors 26, 25 and 29 and 21 are controlled in any known manner, for example by means of a control unit 30 of the programmable type, so that the supply 17, reception 18, feed 23 and loading 27 devices, respectively, are driven in a manner that is coordinated with the rotation of the transfer wheel 12.

[0066] With particular reference to figs. from 8 to 11, each containing member 16 comprises a respective seating 35 open toward the outside of the peripheral surface 13 and each substantially having the shape of a U, so that each one can temporarily hold the components required to assemble a packet 100 along the transfer path S.

[0067] In particular, each seating 35 has a containing volume which is substantially equivalent to the volume of a single organized group of smoking articles 114, net of the clearances required for its insertion and also considering the thickness of the collar 116.

[0068] The seatings 35 can be opened, as well as in the radial direction, also in a direction parallel to the first axis of rotation X1 on one or both sides.

[0069] Each seating 35 has a width substantially equal to the width of an organized group of smoking articles 114 and comprises two lateral walls 36 and 37, parallel to each other and orthogonal to an abutment wall 38, on which a respective collar 116, and on it a respective organized group of smoking articles 114, can abut. The abutment wall 38 is substantially perpendicular to a radius of the transfer wheel 12, or it can be slightly inclined to facilitate the insertion of the components, at least when the containing members 16 are in the first divaricated operating position.

[0070] The containing members 16 can also comprise at least one base wall, preferably two opposite base walls, connected to the lateral walls 36 and 37, and to the abutment wall 38. The base wall 38 can possibly be defined by the body 33 itself, in particular by a flat circular surface 34 of the body 33.

[0071] In the example given here, the facing lateral walls 37 of two adjacent containing members 16 have a smaller thickness than the more external lateral walls 36, so that the organized groups of smoking articles 114, once the packet 100 is completed, are not excessively distanced.

[0072] The lateral walls 36 and 37 and the abutment wall 38, as well as the possible base wall, are fixed with respect to each other. Nothing excludes, however, that, in possible alternative embodiments, not shown in the drawings, at least the more external lateral walls 36 and 37 of the containing members 16 may be mobile, for example rotatable with respect to the abutment wall 38, so as to facilitate the insertion of the organized groups of smoking articles 114.

[0073] The containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 are side by side to each other and are pivoted on a same pin 40, which is mounted on the body 33, to pass from the first divaricated operating position to the second side by side operating position and vice versa.

[0074] The pin 40 is configured to allow the rotation of the containing members 16 around a pivot axis parallel to the first axis of rotation X1 of the transfer wheel 12. Furthermore, the points of intersection of the pivot axes of the pins 40 with the flat surface 34 lie on a common fixed circle.

[0075] In the first divaricated operating position, the facing lateral walls 37 of the adjacent containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 are angularly distanced by an opening angle δ, while in the second side by side operating position the facing lateral walls 37 of the adjacent containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 are disposed parallel and in reciprocal contact. In particular, both in the first divaricated operating position and also in the second side by side operating position, the containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 are symmetrical with respect to the bisector of the opening angle δ.

[0076] Specifically, in the first divaricated operating position the opening angle δ is, by way of example, about 20° (fig. 8), while in the passage to the second side by side operating position the opening angle δ is reduced (fig. 9), until it becomes zero when the facing lateral walls 37 of the containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 are disposed parallel and in reciprocal contact (figs. 10 and 11).

[0077] Each containing member 16 comprises a mechanism 42 configured to cooperate with a cam profile 45, coaxial to the first axis of rotation X1 and integral with the fixed structure 11, to cause the passage of each of the containing members 16 from the first divaricated operating position to the second side by side operating position.

[0078] The cam profile 45 has a development in the shape of an arc of a circle having an angular width ϕ (figs. from 2 to 7) which goes from an angular position immediately downstream of the first angular position A with respect to the sense of rotation of the transfer wheel 12, to a position immediately downstream of the second angular position B with respect to the sense of rotation of the transfer wheel 12.

[0079] The cam profile 45 is disposed facing the body 33 at a certain distance from the flat surface 34 thereof.

[0080] Each mechanism 42 comprises a lever 43, with an L-shape in the example described here, pivoted on the pin 40 and having a first end 47 connected to a respective containing member 16 and a second end 48 having, or supporting, a slide element 44, for example an idle wheel or another element which performs the same function, able to cooperate with the cam profile 45.

[0081] In the example given here, the lever 43 projects from the abutment wall 38 of the containing member 16, on the opposite part with respect to that for accessing the seating 35, that is, toward the center of the transfer wheel 12, in correspondence with the lateral wall 37 that faces the adjacent containing member 16. The lever 43 can advantageously be made in a single body with the containing member 16.

[0082] An elastic element 46 can be connected to the levers 43 of two adjacent containing members 16 of a same loading zone 15 in order to keep the containing members 16 in the operating position and to cause the passage thereof from the second side by side operating position back to the first divaricated operating position, when their slide elements 44 disengage from the cam profile 45.

[0083] The operation of the apparatus 10 described heretofore, which corresponds to the method according to the present invention, comprises the following steps.

[0084] In order to describe the operation of the apparatus 10 as a whole, for simplicity of exposition, below we will describe the packaging cycle of a single packet 100, since this is valid for all the packets 100, referring to a same loading zone 15 which moves, in order, in correspondence with the angular positions D, A, C, B.

[0085] For ease of exposition, and with reference to figs. from 2 to 7 in which the transfer wheel 12 is schematized viewed laterally, the following static positions are denoted, in correspondence with which each containing member 16 can temporarily stop: initial position, or fourth angular position, D in correspondence with the loading device 27, that is, on the right in figs. from 2 to 7; intermediate position, or first angular position, A oriented 60° clockwise with respect to the initial position D; additional intermediate position, or third angular position, C oriented 60° clockwise with respect to the intermediate angular position A, that is, toward the left in figs. from 2 to 7; exit position, or second angular position, B oriented 240° clockwise with respect to the initial position D, at the end of the transfer path S, that is, toward the top in figs. from 2 to 7, in correspondence with which the reception device 18 is positioned.

[0086] In a first work step, fig. 2, the transfer wheel 12 is in an angular position such that a first containing member 16' of the loading zone 15 (taken as a reference and indicated with a dashed line), which is empty and in the first divaricated operating position, is exactly aligned with the fourth radial direction R4 (initial position D) in order to receive a collar 116 from the loading device 27, not shown in fig. 2. The collar 116 is pressed inside the seating 35 by means of a thruster (not shown) of the loading device 27 so as to adhere in a U-shape to the abutment wall 38 and to the lateral walls 36 and 37. The loading of the collar 116 occurs in a loading time T1 equal to about 40 milliseconds (ms), during which the transfer wheel 12 is stationary.

[0087] Subsequently, the transfer wheel 12 is rotated clockwise, for example stepwise by the first motor 21, by a single first angular increment α, indicated in fig. 2 and equal to 20° in the example given here, so as to align a second adjacent containing member 16" of the loading zone 15 with the fourth radial direction R4 (initial position D) so that this second containing member 16" also receives, in a similar manner, a collar 116, fig. 3 and fig. 8. The angular alignment of the transfer wheel 12 by the first angular increment α to take the second containing member 16" in position occurs in a first movement time T2 equal to about 40 ms.

[0088] In a second work step, the transfer wheel 12 is rotated clockwise by a second angular increment β, indicated in fig. 3 and equal to 40° in the example given here, so as to align the first containing member 16' of the loading zone 15 with the first radial direction R1 (intermediate position A) in which the supply device 17 supplies an organized group of smoking articles 114, fig. 4. The angular alignment of the transfer wheel 12 by the second angular increment β to take the first containing member 16' in position occurs in a second movement time T3 equal to about 40 ms.

[0089] The organized group of smoking articles 114 is pressed inside the seating 35 by means of a thruster (not shown) of the supply device 17 so that a surface of the wrapping 115 parallel to the direction of longitudinal development of the smoking articles 111 is disposed just behind the abutment wall 38, while two other contiguous surfaces having the same orientation with respect to the smoking articles 111 are disposed just behind the lateral walls 36 and 37, against the collar 116. The supply of each organized group of smoking articles 114 occurs in a supply time T4 equal to about 40ms, during which the transfer wheel 12 is stationary.

[0090] At this point, the transfer wheel 12 is rotated clockwise by another first angular increment α, indicated in fig. 4, so as to align the second containing member 16" of the loading zone 15 with the first radial direction R1 (intermediate position A) in which the supply device 17 supplies, in a similar way, another organized group of smoking articles 114, fig. 5 and fig. 9.

[0091] In a third work step, the transfer wheel 12 is rotated clockwise again by a second angular increment β and, in the following order, first the first containing member 16' and then the second containing member 16" engage, thanks to the mechanism 42, the cam profile 45 so that when the slide element 44 of the first containing member 16' slides on it, the rigid rotation of the lever 43 of the first containing member 16' on the pin 40 is activated so that the first containing member 16' passes from the first divaricated operating position to a position close to the second side by side operating position, and then to the second side by side operating position when the slide element 44 of the second containing member 16" of the same loading zone 15 also engages the cam profile 45. In particular, the first containing member 16' will rotate counterclockwise by a rotation angle equal to half of the opening angle δ and, immediately after, the second adjacent containing member 16 will rotate clockwise by an angle equal to half the opening angle δ.

[0092] Also during the third work step, the transfer wheel 12 is rotated alternately by additional first angular increments α and second angular increments β, indicated generically with an arrow in fig. 5, coherently with the first and second work steps which are taking place in the following loading zones 15, until the two containing members 16' and 16" of the loading zone 15, which are in the second side by side operating position and each contain a respective collar 116 and a respective organized group of smoking articles 114, are symmetrically aligned with the third radial direction R3 (additional intermediate position C) in which the feed device 23 feeds a blank 113, fig. 6 and fig. 10. The blank 113 is released by means of gripping members (not shown) of the feed device 23, it is disposed frontally in contact against the organized groups of smoking articles 114 and held in position by means of holding members (not shown). The feed of the blank 113 occurs in a feed time T5 equal to about 40 ms, during which the transfer wheel 12 is stationary.

[0093] In a fourth work step, the transfer wheel 12 is rotated alternately by additional first angular increments α and second angular increments β, indicated generically with an arrow in fig. 6, coherently with the first, second and third work steps which are taking place in the following loading zones 15, until the two containing members 16' and 16" of the loading zone 15, which are in the second side by side operating position and each contain a respective collar 116, a respective organized group of smoking articles 114 and a blank 113, are aligned symmetrically with the second radial direction R2 (exit position B) in which the reception device 18 receives the assembled components holding them by means of gripping members (not shown) which can also be capable of causing the blank 113 to be wrapped around the organized groups of smoking articles 114, fig. 7 and fig. 11. The transfer of the assembled components occurs in a reception time T6 equal to about 40 ms, during which the transfer wheel 12 is stationary.

[0094] Immediately after the two containing members 16 have been emptied, the transfer wheel 12 is rotated alternately by additional first angular increments α and second angular increments β, coherently with the work steps which are taking place in the following loading zones 15, and in the following order, first the first containing member 16' and then the second containing member 16" disengage from the cam profile 45, and thanks to the elastic element 46, they are taken back to their second side by side operating position.

[0095] It is clear that modifications and / or additions of parts may be made to the apparatus 10 and to the method as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention, as defined by the claims.

[0096] It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of an apparatus and method for packaging smoking articles, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

[0097] In the following claims, the sole purpose of the references in brackets is to facilitate their reading and they must not be considered as restrictive factors with regard to the field of protection defined by the same claims.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0038]With reference to fig. 1, an apparatus 10 according to the present invention is configured to selectively and sequentially package packets 100 of smoking articles 111, for example cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, or suchlike.

[0039]By way of a non-limiting example, each packet 100, when completed, has a substantially parallelepiped shape and comprises an external container 112, which is made starting from a shaped flat component, or blank 113, for example of thin cardboard, which is then folded and glued to form its external walls, which define a housing inside which two or more organized groups of smoking articles 114 are housed.

[0040]With particular reference to figs. from 9 to 11, each organized group of smoking articles 114 comprises, in turn, a plurality of smoking articles 111 which are disposed one parallel to the other in the direction of their longitudinal development. An internal wrapping 115, for example a sheet of foil or metallized paper, is wrapped around the plura...

Claims

1. Apparatus (10) for packaging packets (100) of smoking articles (111), wherein each of said packets (100) comprises a container (112) inside which at least two organized groups of smoking articles (114) are disposed, wherein said apparatus (10) comprises: - a transfer wheel (12) selectively rotatable around a first axis of rotation (X1) and peripherally provided with a plurality of loading zones (15), each of which is provided with at least two containing members (16) which are configured to each temporarily contain a respective organized groups of smoking articles (114) in order to transfer them between a first angular position (A) and a second angular position (B), along an arched transfer path (S), the containing members (16) being mobile between a first divaricated operating position, in which the containing members (16) of the same loading zone (15) are moved away from each other, and a second side by side operating position, in which the containing members (16) of the same loading zone (15) are disposed close to each other; - a supply device (17) disposed in said first angular position (A) and configured to selectively supply said organized groups of smoking articles (114) to said containing members (16); and - a reception device (18) disposed in said second angular position (B) and configured to receive said organized groups of smoking articles (114) from said transfer wheel (12), said apparatus (10) being characterized in that said supply device (17) is configured to supply said organized groups of smoking articles (114) in the first angular position (A) in a common direction (R1), one at a time, to a respective containing member (16), so that each organized group of smoking articles (114) is fed in said common direction (R1) primarily to a first containing member (16) and subsequently to the other containing member (16) of the same loading zone (15), and in that said containing members (16) are disposed in said first divaricated operating position when each is in said first angular position (A), so as to selectively receive one at a time a respective organized group of smoking articles (114) from said supply device (17), and in said second side by side operating position when the respective loading zone (15) is in said second angular position (B), so that the organized groups of smoking articles (114) contained in the at least two containing members (16) of the same loading zone (15) are transferred simultaneously to said reception device (18).

2. Apparatus (10) as in claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises a first motor member (21) which is connected to said transfer wheel (12) to make it rotate around said first axis of rotation (X1) in programmed angular increments, in order to selectively take, one at a time, each containing member (16) in correspondence with the supply device (17) when one containing member (16) of the same loading zone (15) is in said first divaricated operating position, and to take the loading zone (15) in proximity to said reception device (18) when the containing members (16) of the same loading zone (15) are in said second side by side operating position.

3. Apparatus (10) as in claim 2, characterized in that said angular increments comprise at least first angular increments (α), each one equal to the angular distance between two of said adjacent containing members (16) of a same loading zone (15) when said containing members (16) are moved away from each other in said first divaricated operating position, and second angular increments (β), each one equal to 360° divided by the number (N) of said plurality of loading zones (15).

4. Apparatus (10) as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said transfer wheel (12) comprises a discoidal body (33) and said containing members (16) of a same loading zone (15) are equal to two and are pivoted on a same pin (40) mounted on said discoidal body (33).

5. Apparatus (10) as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that each of said containing members (16) comprises a mechanism (42) configured to cooperate with a cam profile (45) configured to cause the passage of each of said containing members (16) from said first divaricated operating position to said second side by side operating position.

6. Apparatus (10) as in claim 5, characterized in that said mechanism (42) comprises a lever (43) rotatably mounted, said lever (43) having a first end (47) connected to one of said containing members (16) and a second end (48) having or supporting a slide element (44) able to cooperate with said cam profile (45).

7. Apparatus (10) as in claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said cam profile (45) has a development in the shape of an arc of a circle having an angular width (ϕ) comprised between an angular position immediately downstream of said first angular position (A) with respect to the sense of rotation of said transfer wheel (12) and a position immediately downstream of said second angular position (B) with respect to the sense of rotation of said transfer wheel (12).

8. Apparatus (10) as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it also comprises a feed device (23) disposed in a third angular position (C), comprised between said first angular position (A) and said second angular position (B) along said transfer path (S), and configured to supply a flat component (113) to said containing members (16) of a same loading zone (15) when the containing members (16) are in said second side by side operating position.

9. Apparatus (10) as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it also comprises a loading device (27) disposed in a fourth angular position (D), upstream of said first angular position (A) and downstream of said second angular position (B) with respect to the sense of rotation of said transfer wheel (12), and configured to supply a reinforcement element (116) to a corresponding containing member (16) located in said first divaricated operating position.

10. Apparatus (10) as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said common direction is a first radial direction (R1) with respect to a first axis of rotation (X1) of said transfer wheel (12).

11. Method to package packets (100) of smoking articles (111), wherein each of said packets (100) comprises a container (112) inside which at least two organized groups of smoking articles (114) are disposed, wherein said method comprises: - a movement step, in which a transfer wheel (12), peripherally provided with a plurality of loading zones (15), is selectively made to rotate around a first axis of rotation (X1) in such a way that containing members (16) provided in each of said loading zones (15) each temporarily contains one of said organized groups of smoking articles (114) and transfers it from a first angular position (A) to a second angular position (B), along an arched transfer path (S), the containing members (16) being mobile between a first divaricated operating position, in which the containing members (16) of the same loading zone (15) are moved away from each other, and a second side by side operating position, in which the containing members (16) of the same loading zone (15) are disposed side by side to each other; - a supply step, in which a supply device (17) selectively supplies, in said first angular position (A), said organized groups of smoking articles (114) to said containing members (16); and - a reception step, in which a reception device (18) receives, in said second angular position (B), said organized groups of smoking articles (114) from said transfer wheel (12), characterized in that in said supply step, said supply device (17) supplies said organized groups of smoking articles (114) in the first angular position (A) in a common direction (R1), one at a time, to a corresponding containing member (16), in such a way that each organized groups of smoking articles (114) is fed in said common direction (R1) primarily to a first containing member (16) and subsequently to the other containing member (16) of the same loading zone (15), and in that in said movement step, said containing members (16) are disposed in said first divaricated operating position when each one is in said first angular position (A), so as to selectively receive one at a time a respective organized group of smoking articles (114) from said supply device (17), and in said second side by side operating position when the respective loading zone (15) is in said second angular position (B), so that the organized groups of smoking articles (114) contained in the containing members (16) of the same loading zone (15) are transferred simultaneously to said reception device (18).

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