Machine for packaging groups of soft products

Abstract

Described is a machine for packaging groups of rolls for sanitary use comprises a feeding line (1) configured for feeding, along a feeding direction (A), a group (2) of rolls positioned alongside each other and with the respective central axis positioned vertically; a lifting device (3) configured for lifting the group (2) of rolls arriving from the feeding line (1) and a packaging unit comprising a conveyor (4) provided with a plurality of pairs of containment elements (5) positioned in such a way as to form, each time, a seat for receiving the group (2) of rolls wrapped in a wrapping sheet (F) intercepted by the group (2) of rolls during the lifting of the lifting device (3), the lifting device (3) comprises a lifting plate (6) having at least one pair (7, 8) of through openings formed near a distal and proximal end with respect to the feeding direction (A) and at least two pairs of retaining elements (9, 10) moved by corresponding driving members (11) configured for moving each pair of retaining elements (9, 10) between a lowered position, wherein the retaining elements (9, 10) are below the respective pair (7, 8) of openings of the lifting plate (6), during the arrival of the group (2) of rolls on the lifting plate (6), and a raised position, wherein the retaining elements (9, 10) protrude from the respective pairs (7, 8) of openings in such a way as to insert inside a respective tubular core (2a) a corresponding roll of the group (2) of rolls positioned on the lifting plate (6).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] MACHINE FOR PACKAGING GROUPS OF SOFT PRODUCTS

[0003] Technical field

[0004] This invention relates to a machine for packaging groups of soft products, for example those for sanitary use, in particular rolls of tissue paper products such as rolls of paper for sanitary and / or household use.

[0005] Background art

[0006] Currently, in the automatic machines which package the above-mentioned products there are:

[0007] - a line for feeding the individual products (for example rolls) configured for grouping together the individual products according to defined formats, such as a plurality of rolls aligned in rows side by side, and sent to a feed station downstream of which it is arranged

[0008] - a packaging unit configured to wrap the group of rolls with a sheet of heat-sealable wrapping material, and to stabilise the wrapper thus obtained.

[0009] According to a known machine configuration, the station for feeding the rolls and the packaging unit are arranged one after another, the first beneath the second and with the interposition of a horizontal lifting plate which receives the rolls in a predetermined format from the feed station and transfers them to the packaging unit.

[0010] The lifting plate is generally combined with two vertical side walls and a front base wall which laterally delimit the side and top size, that is to say, the format, of the group of rolls, and which allow the format to be stably maintained, in particular when this has two or more layers superposed on each other.

[0011] The packaging unit comprises:

[0012] - a chain or belt conveyor, which is closed in a looped fashion and is provided with a plurality of pairs of drive teeth configured to receive respective groups of rolls arriving through the lifting of the lifting plate;

[0013] - a plurality of fixed upper contrasts (horizontal bars which extend along the conveyor) which allow the group of rolls, after reaching the end of the upper stroke of the plate, to be contained and stabilised during the wrapping step.

[0014] The conveyor is motor-driven and is arranged above the feed station for stopping, at each pause, a relative pair of teeth with the respective inlet opening facing the lifting plate.

[0015] The packaging unit is associated with a line for feeding wrapping sheets, which, simultaneously with each positioning of a pair of teeth, feeds a sheet of wrapping material beneath the pair of teeth which are arranged facing the lifting plate.

[0016] The sheet of wrapping material is fed in such a way as to close the inlet opening of the pair of teeth, so that, with the subsequent lifting of the lifting plate, the sheet is intercepted by the group of rolls and is forced by the latter to enter into the space defined by the pair of teeth until contact with the upper contrasts.

[0017] The insertion of the groups of rolls in the space defined by the pair of teeth determines a U-shaped folding downwards of the sheet of wrapping material around the group, after which the sheet of wrapping material comes out from the pair of teeth with two relative end flaps.

[0018] According to one of the known packaging solutions, a first of the two flaps of the sheet is folded at a right angle on the group of rolls by a first folding device of the packaging unit, and, subsequently, the second of the two flaps is folded, again at a right angle, and superposed on the first flap by a second folding device of the packaging unit.

[0019] After folding, the group of rolls and the wrapped film are transported by the conveyor, in a direction transversal to the lifting direction, towards a lateral pressing and / or sealing zone equipped with units for closing the package (bottom and tops).

[0020] Therefore, during the movement towards the lateral zone, the zone for superposing the flaps is initially subjected to an operation for stabilising the wrapper consisting, usually, in a reciprocal sealing of the flaps and subsequently along the two heads formed by the group of products is also closed after folding the respective portions of the sheet.

[0021] The packaging machine described is used both with products in a roll fed to the packaging unit with the core arranged with a horizontal axis and with products in a roll arranged with the core positioned with a vertical axis.

[0022] The products fed with a vertical core (of particular interest in this invention) are always fed to the feeding line with the core having a horizontal axis.

[0023] A tipping device is applied on the feeding line configured to allow a "straightening" of each individual roll by a right angle in such a way as to have the roll with a vertical core orientation.

[0024] The configuration for feeding the roll with the core with a vertical axis with respect to the roll with a horizontal core has a drawback during the positioning and raising step obtained with the lifting plate.

[0025] These groups of rolls are pushed, by horizontal bars, towards the plate along their circumference with possible undesired rebounds along their route, so that a high speed of pushing on the rolls can determine a high “rebound" of the products which is difficult to contain against the stop or bottom wall both before and during the step for raising the products.

[0026] This phenomenon implies that, if the rebound is not “governable”, the products “widen” during raising and may cause blockages in the machine or induce poor quality in the folds of the final package.

[0027] Disclosure of the Invention

[0028] The aim of the invention is to provide a machine for packaging groups of soft products that overcomes the above mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.

[0029] In particular, the aim of this invention is to provide a machine for packaging groups of soft products which is able to stabilise the position of the groups of rolls with a vertical axis positioned on the plate even at high feed speeds.

[0030] A further aim of this invention is to provide a machine for packaging groups of soft products in which the correct quality of wrapping and sealing is always guaranteed in the configuration of rolls with a vertical axis without modifying the operating dimensions of the machine and in particular of the plate.

[0031] Said aims are fully achieved by the machine for packaging groups of soft products according to the invention as characterised in the appended claims.

[0032] Brief description of the drawings

[0033] The features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred, non-limiting embodiment of it, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0034] - Figure 1 is a perspective view with some parts cut away to better illustrate others of a machine for packaging groups of soft products according to this invention;

[0035] - Figure 2 is a perspective view of a lifting device forming part of the machine for packaging groups of soft products of Figure 1 ;

[0036] - Figure 3 is a perspective view of the lifting device of Figure 2 engaged by a group of soft products;

[0037] - Figure 4 is a side view, with some parts in cross section, of the lifting device of Figure 3 in a first operating configuration;

[0038] - Figure 5 is a side view, with some parts in cross section, of the lifting device of Figure 3 in a second operating configuration.

[0039] Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

[0040] With reference to the accompanying drawings and with particular reference to Figure 1 , the machine for packaging groups of soft products according to the invention is used, in particular, but without limiting the scope of the invention, for packaging groups of rolls for sanitary use (known to experts in the field as "tissue paper” rolls).

[0041] As illustrated, the machine 100 for packaging groups of products comprises a feeding line 1 configured for feeding, along a feed direction A, a group 2 of products arranged side by side.

[0042] It should be noted that, in this case and by way of an example, the line 1 for feeding individual rolls is configured for grouping together the rolls according to formats having at least two rows side by side.

[0043] Each of the rows comprises a plurality of rolls in succession and each roll has an orientation with a vertical axis of its central core 2a relative to the feeding direction.

[0044] The machine 100 also comprises a lifting device 3 configured for lifting the group 2 of rolls arriving from the feeding line 1 .

[0045] Moreover, the machine 100 has a packaging unit comprising a conveyor 4 provided with a plurality of pairs of containment elements 5 positioned in such a way as to define, each time, a seat for receiving the group 2 of rolls wrapped in a wrapping sheet F intercepted by the group 2 of rolls during the lifting of the lifting device 3.

[0046] As illustrated (Figures 2-5) the lifting device 3 comprises a lifting plate 6 having at least one pair of through openings 7 and 8 formed near a distal and proximal end with respect to the feeding direction A.

[0047] The lifting device 3 comprises at least two pairs of retaining elements 9, 10 moved by corresponding driving members 11 configured for moving each pair of retaining elements 9, 10 between:

[0048] - a lowered position, wherein the retaining elements 9, 10 are below the lifting plate 6 (in particular during the arrival of the group 2 of rolls on the lifting plate 6) (Figure 4), and

[0049] - a raised position, wherein the retaining elements 9, 10 protrude from the respective pairs 7, 8 of openings in such a way as to be inserted inside a respective tubular core 2a of a corresponding roll of the group 2 of rolls positioned on the lifting plate 6 (Figure 5). In particular, the rolls of the group 2 of rolls affected by the retaining elements 9, 10 are those positioned at the two ends of the group 2 of rolls. It should be noted that the lifting plate 6 is connected to a first drive member 12 configured for moving the lifting plate 6, in both directions, along a vertical direction Z.

[0050] The first drive member 12 comprises a linear motor-driven actuator connected to a machine control unit 19.

[0051] In light of this, the driving members 11 are connected to a second drive member 13 configured to move them in a synchronised fashion with the first drive member 12 at least when each pair of retaining elements 9, 10 is in the lowered position.

[0052] The second drive member 13 is also connected to the machine control unit 19 to be able to make itself autonomous or synchronised with respect to the first drive member 12 (as described in more detail below).

[0053] Again as illustrated, each pair of retaining elements 9, 10 is articulated to a kinematic unit 14 controlled by the driving members 11 and configured for moving the pair of retaining elements 9, 10 between the lowered position and the raised position, and vice versa, according to an arched trajectory in such a way as to position each raised retaining element 9, 10 in contact with a respective core 2a of the attached roll.

[0054] In light of this, each kinematic unit 14 acts in conjunction with a frame 15 positioned below the lifting plate 6.

[0055] It should be noted that the frame 15 is connected to the above-mentioned second drive member 13 comprising a pair of linear actuators.

[0056] Each pair of retaining elements 9, 10 comprises a pair of levers articulated in at least two points to the respective kinematic movement unit 14 associated with the lifting plate 6.

[0057] In light of this, each kinematic unit 14 comprises, for each pair of retaining elements 9, 10, a plurality of arms positioned in the form of a four-bar linkage wherein two sides are defined by the pair of levers.

[0058] It should be noted that a pair of arms 14a, 14b of the four-bar linkage has an arcuate cam profile in contact with cam follower means 16 forming part of the driving members 11 and mounted on the frame 15 positioned under the lifting plate 6.

[0059] More specifically, the cam follower means 16 comprise an idle roller 17 for each arm 14a, 14b having the arcuate cam profile.

[0060] Each roller 17 is mounted on the frame 15 and in continuous contact with the respective arcuate cam profile of the arm 14a, 14b of the four-bar linkage in such a way as to control and modify the movement of the respective kinematic unit 14 from the lowered position to the raised position of the levers 9, 10 by means of a movement of the frame 15, connected to the second drive member 13, along the vertical direction Z.

[0061] Moreover, each kinematic unit 14 is provided with an elastic element 18 interposed between each pair of levers 9, 10 and the arms 14a, 14b with a cam profile and configured for maintaining a constant thrust on the respective pair of levers 9, 10 towards their raised position.

[0062] In light of this, each pair of cam follower rollers 17 is configured to counteract the thrust of the respective elastic element 18 by means of the constant contact with the respective cam profiles of the pair of arms 14a, 14b.

[0063] More specifically, the elastic element 18 of each kinematic unit 14 comprises a spring connected, at a first end, to a shared point of articulation of the pair of levers 9 and 10 and of the pair of arms 14a, 14b with a cam profile and, respectively, at the second end, at a point of articulation of the pair of arms 14a, 14b with a cam profile in the proximity of the zone of contact with the pair of cam follower rollers 17.

[0064] In this way, the combination of kinematic unit with spring and frame with rollers creates a system in equilibrium which is modified in a way controlled by the movement of the frame in height.

[0065] It should also be noted that each opening of the two pairs of openings 7, 8 formed on the lifting plate 6 have the shape of a slot.

[0066] Moreover, each pair of retaining elements 9, 10 comprises a pair of levers provided with a hooked end for contact with the tubular core 2a of the engaged roll (see Figures 4 and 5).

[0067] In short, the plate system structured in this way has:

[0068] - a standby and loaded position as shown in Figures 2 to 4, wherein the retaining elements are in a lowered position;

[0069] - a position for retaining two pairs of rolls of the group of rolls fed to the plate thanks to the activation of the second drive member which lowers the frame in such a way as to allow the retaining elements to be inserted inside a respective tubular core of the corresponding roll of the group of rolls positioned on the lifting plate (Figure 5).

[0070] After this stabilisation of the group of products on the plate, the frame can rise up and return the retaining elements beneath the plate.

[0071] At this point, the plate and the frame can be lifted towards the packaging unit. Thanks to this machine structured in this way the preset aims are achieved by a system for stabilising the groups of rolls entering on the plate which is able to guarantee a precise positioning of the rolls in such a way as to guarantee, subsequently, a correct wrapping of the group of rolls.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Machine for packaging groups of rolls for hygienic use, said machine (100) comprising:- a feeding line (1 ) configured to feed, along a feed direction (A), a group(2) of rolls arranged side-by-side with each other and with their respective central axis arranged vertically;- a lifting device (3) configured to lift the group (2) of rolls arriving from said feeding line (1 );- a packaging unit comprising a conveyor (4) provided with a plurality of pairs of containment elements (5) arranged so as to define a containment for receiving the group (2) of rolls wrapped by a wrapping sheet (F) intercepted by the group (2) of rolls during the lifting of said lifting device(3), said machine (100) being characterized by the fact that the lifting device (3) comprises:- a lifting plate (6) having at least one pair (7, 8) of through openings respectively formed near a distal and proximal end with respect to the feeding direction (A);- at least two pairs of retaining elements (9, 10) moved by corresponding driving members (11 ) configured to move each pair of retaining elements (9, 10) between a lowered position, wherein the retaining elements (9, 10) are below the lifting plate (6), and a raised position, in which the retaining elements (9, 10) protrude from the respective pairs (7, 8) of openings so as to fit inside a respective tubular core (2a) of a corresponding roll of the group (2) of rolls positioned on the lifting plate (6).

2. Machine according to claim 1 , wherein the lifting plate (6) is connected to a first (12) drive member configured to move the lifting plate (6), in two opposite ways, along a vertical direction (Z), and wherein the driving members (11 ) are connected to a second (13) drive member configured to move them in phase synchronization with the first (12) drive member at least when each pair of retaining elements (9, 10) is in the lowered position.

3. Machine according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each pair of retaining elements (9, 10) is articulated to a respective kinematic unit (14) driven by to the driving members (11 ) and configured to move the pair of retaining elements (9, 10) between the lowered position and the raised position according to an arcuate trajectory so as to position each retaining element (9, 10), when raised, in contact with a respective core (2a) of the engaged roll.

4. Machine according to claim 3, wherein each kinematic unit (14) cooperate with a frame (15) arranged below the lifting plate (6).

5. Machine according to claim 4, wherein each pair of retaining elements (9, 10) consists of a pair of levers articulated in at least two points to the respective kinematic unit (14) associated with the lifting plate (6), each said kinematic unit (14) comprising a plurality of arms arranged in a four-bar linkage in which two sides are defined by the pair of levers; a pair of arms (14a, 14b) of the four-bar linkage having an arcuate cam profile in contact with cam follower means (16) belonging to the handling members (11 ) and mounted on the frame (15).

6. Machine according to claim 5, wherein the cam follower means (16) comprise one idler roller (17) for each arm (14a, 14b) having the arcuate cam profile; each idler roller (17) being mounted on the frame (15) and in continuous contact with the respective arcuate cam profile of the arm (14a, 14b) of the four-bar linkage so as to control and modify the movement of each kinematic unit (14) from the lowered position to the raised position of the levers (9, 10) by means of a movement of the frame (15), connected to the second (13) drive member, along the vertical direction (Z).

7. Machine according to claim 5 or 6, wherein each kinematic unit (14) is provided with an elastic element (18) interposed between each pair of levers (9, 10) and the arms (14a, 14b) having the arcuate cam profile and configured to maintain a constant thrust on the pair of levers (9, 10) towards their raised position; each pair of cam idle rollers (17) being configured to counteract the thrust of the respective elastic element (18)by constant contact with the respective cam profiles of the pair of arms (14a, 14b).

8. Machine according to claim 7, wherein the elastic element (18) of each kinematic unit (14) comprises a spring connected, at a first end, to a common articulation point of the pair of levers (9, 10) and the pair of arms (14a, 14b) having the arcuate cam profile and, respectively, at a second end, to an articulation point of the pair of arms (14a, 14b) having the arcuate cam profile in proximity to the contact zone with the pair of idle rollers (17).

9. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each opening of said at least one pair (7, 8) of through openings formed on the lifting plate (6) has an oblong shape.

10. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each pair of retaining elements (9, 10) comprises a pair of levers provided with a hooked end for contacting the tubular core (2a) of the engaged roll.

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