Manufacturing machine and manufacturing method for the production of pouches, each containing a quantity of a loose product

Abstract

A manufacturing machine (6) and manufacturing method for the production of pouches (1), each containing a quantity (2) of a loose product. The following are included: a first feeding unit (11) configured to feed a wrapping material band (12); a second feeding unit (14) configured to feed the quantities (2) of loose product; a wrapping system, which shapes the wrapping material band (12) to obtain the pouches (1); and a cutting unit (16), which is arranged downstream of the wrapping system, is configured to at least partially cut out each pouch (1) within the wrapping material band (12), and comprises an emitter device (17) that emits a laser beam, which is focused on the first wrapping material band (12) so as to cut the wrapping material.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no. 102023000023568 filed on 08 November 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] This invention relates to a manufacturing machine and a manufacturing method for the production of pouches each containing a quantity of a loose product (i.e. a product that does not have a definite form).

[0003] This invention can be advantageously applied to the production of snus pouches (i.e. permeable bags that each contain a pre-packaged quantity of a loose, preferably wet product based on tobacco and / or nicotine for oral use), to which the discussion that follows will explicitly refer without any loss of generality thereby.PRIOR ART

[0004] Currently, snus pouches are produced using an FFS ("Form, Fill, & Seal") production process and, thus, have a rectangular shape and each have a longitudinal weld and a pair of transverse welds.

[0005] A known manufacturing machine (for example, as described in patent application WO2008114128A2) for producing snus pouches is of the FFS kind and comprises: a conveyor for conveying a wrapping material band along a packaging path; a winding station arranged along the packaging path and wherein the wrapping material band is wound to form a tubular wrapping that has a longitudinal extension around a winding tube; a longitudinal welding unit for longitudinally welding the tubular wrapping in an area where the wrapping material band overlaps; a feeding device of the loose product for feeding, in succession, the quantities of loose product inside the tubular wrapping; a transverse welding unit for transversely welding the tubular wrapping so as to form an alternating succession of welding areas and areas containing a quantity of loose product; and a cutting unit for transversely cutting the tubular wrapping in the welding areas so as to separate the individual snus pouches.

[0006] Currently, the cutting unit is integrated into the transverse welding unit and uses the blades (knives) to cyclically carry out a mechanical cut of the wrapping material band.

[0007] Patent application WO03089302A1 describes a manufacturing machine for producing capsules for administering drugs, wherein two films of a polymer material that is soluble in water are deformed using two adjacent, rotating moulds to form multiple cavities and, thus, the cavities are filled with a pharmaceutical product.DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a manufacturing machine and a manufacturing method for the production of pouches each containing a quantity of a loose product; the manufacturing machine and manufacturing method enable the production of pouches with shapes other than the conventional rectangle and, at the same time, make it possible to achieve high productivity ensuring high quality standards and to enable simple and fast format changes.

[0009] In accordance with this invention, a manufacturing machine and a manufacturing method for the production of pouches, each containing a quantity of a loose product, are provided, according to what is set forth in the attached claims.

[0010] The claims describe preferred embodiments of this invention forming an integral part of this description.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] This invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings that illustrate a non-limiting embodiment thereof, in which: Figures 1, 2 and 3 are respectively a perspective, side, and plan view of a snus pouch; Figure 4 is a lateral, exploded view of the snus pouch in Figures 1, 2, and 3; Figure 5 is a schematic front view of a manufacturing machine that produces snus pouches of the kind shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3; and Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of the manufacturing machine in Figure 5. PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0012] In Figure 1, reference number 1 indicates, as a whole, a snus pouch that contains a quantity 2 of snus (illustrated in Figure 4), i.e. a loose, preferably wet product based on tobacco and / or nicotine for oral use. A loose product is a product that does not have a definite shape, i.e. a product without its own form and that, therefore, adapts to the shape of the container containing it. A loose product may be liquid or granular. In the embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, the snus is a loose, granular product (i.e. without a definite shape) whose individual granules consist of small pieces of chopped tobacco leaves.

[0013] In the embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, the snus pouch 1 has a circular shape in plan, but according to other embodiments the snus pouch 1 could have different, and more-or-less regular, shapes in plan, for example a star shape, a triangular shape, a heart shape, or a polygonal shape.

[0014] According to what is illustrated in Figure 4, the snus pouch 1 comprises two cup-shaped elements 3 that overlap each other to delimit, between them, a closed volume wherein the snus quantity 2 is housed; each element 3 has a flat edge 4 that rotates all around the element 3 so that the two flat edges 4 of the two elements 3 are overlapped and joined by a weld 5 that is closed on itself (i.e. it has a ring shape without a head or tail). In other words, the pouch has a single, ring-shaped weld 5 (closed on itself without head or tail) that connects the two elements 3 together.

[0015] In Figures 5 and 6, the reference number 6 indicates, as a whole, a manufacturing machine that produces the snus pouches 1.

[0016] The manufacturing machine 6 comprises a frame that rests on the floor and has a vertical support wall (the "front" wall of the manufacturing machine 6 coinciding with the plane in Figure 5) on which all the operating components that contribute to producing the snus pouches 1 are assembled.

[0017] The manufacturing machine 6 comprises two forming drums 7 (substantially identical to each other) that are assembled so that they rotate with a law of intermittent motion (i.e. a law of motion that cyclically alternates phases of motion with phases of rest) around respective horizontal rotation axes 8 that are parallel to each other (and perpendicular to the plane in Figure 5). The two forming drums 7 cooperate with each other (are coupled) and arranged one above the other to define a joining area 9 between them between the two forming drums 7; i.e. the two forming drums 7 are vertically arranged, aligned at different heights so that one forming drum 7 is positioned above and the other forming drum 7 is positioned below.

[0018] Each forming drum 7 has multiple pockets 10 (better illustrated in Figure 9), each of which reproduces, in negative, part of a shape of the snus pouch 1; in particular, each pocket 10 reproduces, in negative, the shape of one of the two cup-shaped elements 3 that comprise the snus pouch 1 together. In other words, each pocket 10 (or seat 10) is a cavity that is formed on the outside surface of the respective forming drum 7 and reproduces, in negative, the shape of one of the two cup-shaped elements 3 that comprise the snus pouch 1 together. In the embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, each forming drum 7 has several groups (in particular, eight) of pockets 10 each of which has a series of pockets 10 (in particular, eight 10) arranged one next to the other and aligned parallel to the rotation axis 8. In this way, at each operating cycle, a series of snus pouches 1 (in particular eight snus pouches 1) equal to the number of pockets 10 of each group is formed in the joining area 9 defined between the two forming drums 7. According to other embodiments not illustrated, the number of groups of pockets 10 of each forming drum 7 and / or the number of pockets 10 of each group could be different.

[0019] Each pocket 10 of a forming drum 7 always cooperates with a same, corresponding pocket 10 of the other forming drum 7 and, in the embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, each pocket 10 reproduces, in negative, a shape of a corresponding half (i.e. a cup-shaped element 3) of the snus pouch 1 so that the two pockets 10 together reproduce, in negative, the shape of the snus pouch 1.

[0020] The manufacturing machine 6 comprises two feeding units 11 (which are substantially identical), each of which is configured to feed, in a respective feeding station S1 arranged upstream of the joining area 9 with respect to the rotation direction of the corresponding forming drum 7, a respective wrapping material band 12 that winds around part of the periphery of the respective forming drum 7. In this way, in the joining area 9, the two forming drums 7 convey the two wrapping material bands 12 towards each other so that the two wrapping material bands 12 overlap each other and, joining up, form the snus pouches 1.

[0021] The manufacturing machine 6 comprises two inserting devices 13 (which are substantially identical), each of which is coupled to a respective forming drum 7 between the corresponding feeding station S1 and the joining area 9 and is configured to push the respective wrapping material band 12 inside the pockets 10 of the same group of pockets 10 of the respective forming drum 7. In other words, each inserting device 13 locally deforms the respective wrapping material band 12 to insert the wrapping material band 12 inside the pockets 10 of the same group of pockets 10 of the respective forming drum 7 so that the wrapping material band 12 covers the pockets 10; in this way, in each pocket 10, the wrapping material band 12 assumes the shape of a cup-shaped element 3, i.e. the shape of a half snus pouch 1.

[0022] The manufacturing machine 6 comprises an individual feeding unit 14 (schematically illustrated in Figure 5) configured to feed, in a feeding station S2 arranged between the respective inserting device 13 and the joining area 9, multiple snus quantities 2 in the pockets 10 of a group of pockets 10 of the respective forming drum 7 covered by the respective wrapping material band 12 (i.e. with the interposition of the respective wrapping material band 12). In other words, there is a single feeding unit 14 coupled to just one of the two forming drums 7 to feed the snus quantities 2 (which are held inside the pockets 10 by the sucking action of the pockets 10) into the pockets 10 of the respective forming drum 7.

[0023] According to a preferred embodiment, at least one forming drum 7 is heated at least around the corresponding pockets 10 to heat seal (requiring the simultaneous application of heat and pressure) the two wrapping material bands 12 in the joining area 9, i.e. to produce the respective ring-shaped weld 5, which is closed in a ring around the edge 4 of the snus pouch 1, around each snus pouch 1.

[0024] In other words, the two forming drums 7 constitute a wrapping system that shapes the two wrapping material bands 12 around the snus quantities 2 to produce the snus pouches 1; according to a different embodiment not illustrated, the wrapping system described in the attached figures is replaced with a different wrapping system based on FFS ("Form, Fill, & Seal") technology that uses a single wrapping material band 12 that is folded on itself into a tube.

[0025] According to what is better illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the manufacturing machine 6 comprises a forward conveyor 15 that is arranged downstream of the two forming drums 7 and is configured to impress a forward movement on the two, overlapping wrapping material bands 12 and wherein there is a succession of rows of snus pouches 1. According to what is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the manufacturing machine 6 comprises a cutting unit 16 that is arranged downstream of the two forming drums 7 (i.e. downstream of the wrapping system) and downstream of the forward conveyor 15 and is configured to cut out the snus pouches 1 within the two, overlapping wrapping material bands 12. The cutting unit 16 comprises (at least) one emitter device 17 that is configured to focus a laser beam on the two overlapping wrapping material bands 12 so as to cut (preferably sublimating, or vaporising, part of the wrapping material) the two overlapping wrapping material bands 12 around the snus pouches 1 that are stopped in front of the emitter device 17. In other words, for each snus pouch 1 the closed cut that separates the snus pouch 1 from the rest of the two overlapping wrapping material bands 12 is made using a laser beam that is focused on the two overlapping wrapping material bands 12 to sublimate (vaporise) part of the wrapping material.

[0026] By way of example, the laser spot is focused on the two overlapping wrapping material bands 12 and moved using mirror galvanometers (laser marker and two-axis scan head), but there may be additional motorisations that adjust the focus of the laser (laser marker and 3-or-more-axis scan head).

[0027] In general, during the cutting operation using the emitter device 17, the snus pouches 1 may be stopped (as in the embodiment described with reference to the attached figures) or moving; the position of the snus pouches 1 during any movement may be traced by a position sensor connected to the mechanics of the forward conveyor 15 or using an optical system.

[0028] According to a possible embodiment, the cutting unit 16 also comprises a sucking system for the fumes (powders) that are generated as a result of sublimation (vaporisation) of the wrapping material that the two overlapping wrapping material bands 12 consist of. Generally, the operating parameters of the emitter device 17 (power, speed, frequency, number of repetitions, diameter, and focusing of the spot) may differ from one operation to the next; in addition, the operating parameters of the emitter device 17 may be made to vary, even during the same operation.

[0029] According to what is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the manufacturing machine 6 comprises an output conveyor 18 that receives the snus pouches 1 from the cutting unit 16 and transports them towards an output of the manufacturing machine 6; in particular, the output conveyor 18 comprises a conveyor belt that has a law of intermittent motion (i.e. a law of motion that cyclically alternates phases of motion with phases of rest), is wound in a ring around two end pulleys, and has a horizontal transport branch on which the snus pouches 1 are placed in single file during a rest phase.

[0030] According to what is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the manufacturing machine 6 comprises a transfer unit 19 configured to take a group of snus pouches 1 cut by the cutting unit 16 and to release the group of snus pouches 1 onto the output conveyor 18. In particular, the transfer unit 19 comprises a support drum 20 that can rotate around a horizontal rotation axis 21 (that is also parallel to the rotation axes 8) and four groups of sucking holding heads 22 mounted on the support drum 20. The rotation (with law of intermittent motion) of the support drum 20 around the rotation axis 21 brings each group of sucking holding heads 22 first to the cutting unit 16 to engage (retrieve) a group of snus pouches 1 immediately before the action of the cutting unit 16 (i.e. immediately before the cutting unit 16 cuts the snus pouches 1 from the wrapping material bands 12 freely overlapping, i.e. making the snus pouches 1 independent of the wrapping material bands 12) and, subsequently, to the below output conveyor 18 to release the group of snus pouches 1 on the output conveyor 18.

[0031] In other words, each group of sucking holding heads 22 of the transfer unit 19 retrieves (engages, holds) a corresponding group of snus pouches 1 that are at the cutting unit 16 (i.e. of the emitter device 17 of the cutting unit 16) before the cutting unit 16 starts to perform the cuts and, thus, the cutting unit 16 performs the cuts around the group of snus pouches 1 held by the group of sucking holding heads 22; in this way, once the cuts are complete, the group of snus pouches 1 does not fall due to gravity but remains in contact with the group of sucking holding heads 22 that are subsequently moved towards the output conveyor 18 on which the group of snus pouches 1 is released.

[0032] According to a preferred embodiment, the laser beam is emitted by the emitter device 17 of the cutting unit 16 so that it does not strike, in any case, the sucking holding heads 22 of the transfer unit 19; i.e., the sucking holding heads 22 of the transfer unit 19 are (slightly) smaller than the outside perimeter of the snus pouches 1 that are cut by the laser beam that is emitted by the emitter device 17 of the cutting unit 16.

[0033] It is important to highlight how the holding of the snus pouches 1 by the sucking holding heads 22 of the transfer unit 19 makes it possible to ensure a very precise positioning (in particular, a very precise distance) of the snus pouches 1 from the emitter device 17 of the cutting unit 16, ensuring, thus, optimal focusing of the laser beam on the two overlapping wrapping material bands 12 and ensuring, therefore, an optimal cut (i.e. without burning or fraying the wrapping material).

[0034] By way of example, the emitter device 17 of the cutting unit 16 could use a CO 2 laser that is based on a gaseous mixture of carbon dioxide that is electrically excited, has a wavelength of 10.6 micrometres, and is particularly well suited to processing non-metals. According to what is illustrated in Figure 5, the manufacturing machine 6 comprises a visual inspection device 23 that is arranged upstream of the cutting unit 16 (in particular, it is arranged between the forward conveyor 15 and the cutting unit 16) and is configured to acquire at least one image of a group of snus pouches 1 that transit at the inspection device 23. There is also a control unit 24 that is configured by analysing the images acquired from the visual inspection device 23, to establish if each snus pouch 1 is faulty or to temporarily deactivate the cutting unit 16 and / or the transfer unit 19 at the faulty snus pouch 1. According to what is illustrated in Figure 5, below the cutting unit 16 there is a collection conveyor 25 (potentially coupled to a grinding device) that receives the two overlapping wrapping material bands 12 after the cutting (separation) of the snus pouches 1 and to also receive any faulty snus pouches 1 that were not cut by the cutting unit 16 and, thus, were not held by the transfer unit 19.

[0035] According to a possible embodiment, the cutting unit 16 performs a complete cut around each snus pouch 1 so that the snus pouch 1 is totally free of the two overlapping wrapping material bands 12 and the other snus pouches 1. In this embodiment, all the cutting lines made by the cutting unit 16 create a complete separation wherever made.

[0036] According to an alternative embodiment, the cutting unit 16 does not carry out a complete cut around each snus pouch 1 so as to leave each snus pouch 1 connected to at least one other snus pouch 1 (but preferably to a group of other snus pouches 1) along pre-weakened connection lines that can be easily torn in use (or by applying a relatively modest pulling force). In this embodiment, some cutting lines made by the cutting unit 16 involve a complete separation while other cutting lines made by the cutting unit 16 involve just a weakening (for example, a cut with joining points) to enable subsequent tearing. The cutting unit 16 is preferably shaped to separate a group of snus pouches 1 provided with at least one residual piece of the two overlapping wrapping material bands 12 from the two overlapping wrapping material bands 12. This piece constitutes a joining element connected to all the snus pouches 1 composing the group via respective pre-weakened connection lines (or via respective tearable connection lines).

[0037] The embodiments described herein may be combined between them without departing from the scope of protection of this invention.

[0038] Numerous advantages are achieved with the manufacturing machine 6 described above. In the first place, the manufacturing machine 6 described above makes it possible to achieve high hourly productivity while ensuring a high quality standard.

[0039] In addition, the manufacturing machine 6 makes it possible to create pouches 1 of any shape and size and, above all, to alter the shape and size of the pouches 1 by simply altering the shape of the pockets 10 of the two forming drums 7; in fact, the cutting unit 16 is able to alter the shape of the cuts made in the overlapping wrapping material bands 12 to separate the snus pouches 1 with a simple software modification, i.e. without the need to change any hardware.

[0040] The cutting unit 16 is able to make, without any kind of problem or complication, the cut in the overlapping wrapping material bands 12 to separate the snus pouches 1 along any configuration of the cutting lines as complicated and intersecting as they may be.

[0041] The cutting unit 16 does not require any kind of maintenance since, in use, it is not subject to any kind of mechanical wear (unlike a blade that must be periodically sharpened and replaced).

[0042] The cutting unit 16 makes it possible to instantly, and without requiring the prior stoppage of the manufacturing machine 6, make adjustments to the position of the cuts to correct, in real-time, any small cut positioning errors (that could be detected by a video camera arranged, for example, on the output conveyor 18).

[0043] The manufacturing machine 6 is very compact and allows an operator that is near the manufacturing machine 6 to reach, with their own hands, all the various parts of the manufacturing machine 6 without needing to make unnatural movements.

[0044] Finally, the manufacturing machine 6 is relatively simple and cost-effective to produce.REFERENCE NUMBER LIST FOR FIGURES

[0045] 1snus pouch 2quantity 3cup-shaped element 4edges 5weld 6manufacturing machine 7forming drum 8rotation axes 9joining area 10pockets 11feeding unit 12wrapping material band 13inserting devices 14feeding unit 15forward conveyor 16cutting unit 17emitter device 18output conveyor 19transfer unit 20support drum 21rotation axis 22holding heads 23visual inspection device 24control unit 25collection container S1feeding station S2feeding station

Claims

1. A manufacturing machine (6) for the production of pouches (1), preferably pouches (1) each containing a quantity (2) of a loose product; the manufacturing machine (6) comprises: a first feeding unit (11) configured to feed a first wrapping material band (12); a second feeding unit (14) configured to feed the quantities (2) of loose product; a wrapping system, which shapes the first wrapping material band (12) to obtain the pouches (1) containing the quantities (2) of the loose product; a cutting unit (16), which is arranged downstream of the wrapping system, is configured to at least partially cut out each pouch (1) within the first wrapping material band (12), and comprises an emitter device (17) configured to emit a laser beam, which is focused on the first wrapping material band (12) so as to cut the wrapping material; and a transfer unit (19), which is arranged in the area of the cutting unit (16) and is configured to engage the pouches (1); the manufacturing machine (6) is characterised in that the transfer unit (19) is configured to engage each pouch (1) before the cutting unit (16) cuts the first wrapping material band (12) around the pouch (1) so that the pouch (1) is held by the transfer unit (19) during the whole cutting operation and afterwards.

2. The manufacturing machine (6) according to claim 1, wherein: an output conveyor (18) is provided; and the transfer unit (19) is configured to retrieve each pouch (1) in the area of the cutting unit (16) and to release the pouch (1) onto the output conveyor (18).

3. The manufacturing machine (6) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the transfer unit (19) comprises a support drum (20) mounted so as to rotate around a rotation axis (21) and at least one sucking holding head (22) mounted on the support drum (20).

4. The manufacturing machine (6) according to claim 1, 2, or 3 and comprising: a first forming conveyor (7), preferably a forming drum (7) mounted so as to rotate around a first rotation axis (8), which has at least one first pocket (10), which reproduces in negative part of a shape of the pouch (1); a second forming conveyor (7), preferably a forming drum (7) mounted so as to rotate around a second rotation axis (8) parallel to the first rotation axis (8), which is coupled to the first forming conveyor (7) so as to define a joining area (9) comprised between the two forming conveyors (7); the first feeding unit (11) configured to feed, in a first feeding station (S1) arranged upstream of the joining area (9), the first wrapping material band (12), which wraps itself around part of the periphery of the first forming drum (7); a third feeding unit (11) configured to feed, in a second feeding station (S1) arranged upstream of the joining area (9), a second wrapping material band (12), which wraps itself around part of the periphery of the second forming conveyor (7), so that the second wrapping material band (12) overlaps the first wrapping material band (12) in the joining area (9), thus forming each pouch (1); and the second feeding unit (14) configured to feed, in a third feeding station (S2) arranged between the first feeding station (S1) and the joining area (9), the quantity (2) of loose product into the first pocket (10) of the first forming conveyor (7) with the interposition of the first wrapping material band (12).

5. The manufacturing machine (6) according to claim 4 and comprising a first inserting device (13), which is coupled to the first forming conveyor (7) between the first feeding station (S1) and the third feeding station (S2) and is configured to push the first wrapping material band (12) into the first pocket (10) of the first forming conveyor (7).

6. The manufacturing machine (6) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the second forming conveyor (7) has a second pocket (10), which reproduces in negative part of a shape of the pouch (1).

7. The manufacturing machine (6) according to claim 6 and comprising a second inserting device (13), which is coupled to the second forming conveyor (7) upstream of the joining area (9) and is configured to push the second wrapping material band (12) into the second pocket (10) of the second forming conveyor (7).

8. The manufacturing machine (6) according to one of the claims from 4 to 7, wherein each pocket (10) reproduces in negative a shape of a corresponding half of the pouch (1).

9. The manufacturing machine (6) according to one of the claims from 4 to 8, wherein each forming conveyor (7) is a forming drum (7) and has an outer surface with a polygonal shape having a plurality of flat surfaces.

10. The manufacturing machine (6) according to one of the claims from 1 to 9, wherein the cutting unit (16) is shaped so as to separate, from the first wrapping material band (12), a group of pouches (1) provided with at least one residual piece of the first wrapping material band (12), which constitutes a joining element connected to all the pouches (1) making up the group.

11. A manufacturing method for the production of pouches (1), preferably pouches (1) each containing a quantity (2) of a loose product; the manufacturing method comprises the steps of: feeding, by means of a first feeding unit (11), a first wrapping material band (12); feeding, by means of a second feeding unit (14), the quantities (2) of loose product; shaping, by means of a wrapping system, the wrapping material band (12) to obtain the pouches (1) containing the quantities (2) of loose product; at least partially cutting out, by means of a cutting unit (16) arranged downstream of the wrapping system, each pouch (1) within the wrapping material band (12) emitting a laser beam that is focused on the wrapping material band (12); and retrieving each pouch (1) by means of said transfer unit (19) and releasing it onto an output conveyor (18); the manufacturing method is characterized in that it comprises the step of engaging each pouch (1), prior to the step of at least partially cutting out each pouch (1), by means of the transfer unit (19) so that the pouch (1) is held by the transfer unit (19) during the whole cutting operation and afterwards.

12. The manufacturing method according to claim 11, wherein the step of engaging each pouch (1) by means of the transfer unit (19) entails sucking each pouch (1) by means of the transfer unit (19), which comprises a support drum (20) mounted so as to rotate around a rotation axis (21) and at least one sucking holding head (22) mounted on the support drum (20).

13. The manufacturing method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the step of cutting out entails completely cutting out the edge of each pouch (1) within the first wrapping material band (12).

14. The manufacturing method according to claim 11, 12, or 13, wherein the step of cutting out entails separating, from the first wrapping material band (12), a group of pouches (1) provided with at least one residual piece of the first wrapping material band (12), which constitutes a joining element connected to all the pouches (1) making up the group.

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