Method of and pack for restocking with corrugated tape a machine for applying fasteners to bagged products

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method of restocking with corrugated tape a machine for applying fasteners to bagged products, in which machine the reel of tape is fed so as to be applied to the products by unwinding it from a support that comprises a spool around which the tape is wound and the ends of which are fitted with corresponding opposite discs.

[0002] The invention also relates to a pack of corrugated tape for implementing this method.

[0003] It would be useful, before going any further, to start by saying that, in this description and in the subsequent claims, the term "bagged products" is taken as meaning, in a general manner, those products - whether foodstuffs or otherwise - which are sold in generally hermetically sealed packets consisting of packaging which is applied so as to be in contact with the product and comprises bags or wrappers made of various materials; within the general scope of this definition, specific reference will henceforth be made to packets of bagged products of the type in which the end is closed in a sealed manner by means of fasteners consisting of metal bands, known in the art as clips.

[0004] These fasteners are applied during the production cycle by means of special machines; in short, these machines feed the metal corrugated tape, which is wound in reels on a suitable rotating support, to a fastener-applying station located downstream. The products, which are ready-prepared in the packaging to be sealed, are advanced step-wise on a conveyor belt as far as the abovementioned station where the corrugated tape is cut along a corrugation, thus producing a band which is then folded by the machine around the end of the packaging, thereby sealing the packet.

[0005] The abovementioned support for the reel of wound corrugated tape essentially comprises a spool, the ends of which have two opposite discs which enable the said tape to be contained laterally on account of the fact that, as a result of its thickness and corrugated shape, it has a certain degree of elasticity which means that in certain respects it behaves like a spring and is, therefore, difficult to hold in the reel-wound configuration.

[0006] Currently, in order to restock the fastener-applying machines, the corrugated tape is produced by winding it directly on to the support; the latter, together with the reel wound on to it, therefore has a dual function: the first is to form the pack by means of which the tape is transported from its site of production to its final destination, while the second, which has already been discussed, is to act as an element from which the tape is fed to the fastener-applying machines and which can be replaced like a cartridge once the tape has been used up.

[0007] With the aim of making the corrugated tape supports lightweight and strong and fairly inexpensive - crucial characteristics from the point of view of making them suitable for transportation and facilitating handling and installation of the tape reels on the fastener-applying machines - these supports are predominantly made from plastic.

[0008] However, once the corrugated tape has been used up, its support becomes an item of production refuse since reusing it to wind a new tape on to it would generally involve extra expense in transporting it from the company that packages the bagged products to the corrugated tape manufacturer, costs which would make an operation of this type unfeasible in economic terms. In this respect, we need to bear in mind that the weight of the plastic supports is generally fairly small relative to their dimensions and, therefore, the costs of transporting them would be disproportionately high especially since they are of limited economic value.

[0009] Given that, as has already been stated, the supports are made of plastic, their disposal as refuse generated by the production cycle is currently becoming more and more of a problem since, as is well known, and in response to increasing concerns about the ecological aspects of industrial production, legislation governing the disposal of industrial waste in various countries has recently been considerably amplified and reinforced, especially with regard to the disposal of plastic materials. Complying with such legislation means that companies are faced with extra costs - in some cases not insignificant costs - which duly need to be taken into consideration in order to manage production efficiently.

[0010] From WO 91/16261 a method of manufacturing a coil of a continuous flexible object is known, wherein the coil comprises an axially open cylindrical sleeve with two protective rings and the continuous flexible object is wound around the sleeve. The coil is enveloped by a protective casing and a plurality of bands tightened around the sleeve from the inside thereof, forming a parcel ready for delivery to the user. The described method has the drawback that, after the parcel has been transported to the remote work site and the continuous flexible object has been uncoiled, the sleeve, the protesting rings and the protective casing constitute disposable packaging material which need to be burned on site or collected.

[0011] A further document EP 0 738 683 discloses fastening means which are wrapped around a reel of cable.

[0012] In the particular case of the packaging of the bagged products, therefore, if, on the one hand, reusing the plastic supports for the reels of corrugated tape is not usually feasible on account of the transportation costs involved, then the currently widespread practice of regarding these supports as disposable waste material is also no longer convenient since the costs involved in disposing of them in accordance with the legislation referred to above would cut deeply into the profitability of the aforesaid packaging cycle.

[0013] The technical problem that forms the basis of this invention is how to remedy the situation: more specifically, the invention aims to devise a method for restocking with corrugated tape a machine for applying fasteners to bagged products such as the machine referred to above, in which method the operational stages make it possible to overcome the disadvantages encountered in the prior art and pointed out previously.

[0014] This problem is solved by features of independent claims 1 and 4. Preferred embodiments are defined in dependent claims 2, 3 and 5.

[0015] As disclosed above, the invention also includes a pack for implementing the method referred to, this pack also being defined in the claims appended to this description.

[0016] In order to gain a better understanding of the invention, a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment thereof is described below by way of non-limiting example and with the help of some drawings, in which:

• Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a pack of corrugated tape according to the invention;
• Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a machine for applying fasteners to bagged products employing a pack according to the invention;
• Fig. 3 shows a sectional view of a support for the corrugated tape, designed to be installed on the machine in Fig. 2.

[0017] With reference to these figures, Fig. 1 shows a pack 1 according to the invention that comprises a corrugated tape 2 of the type conventionally used to apply fasteners to bagged products; this tape is wound in a reel and held in this wound configuration by suitable means, in this case consisting of bands 5 which are closed, for example, by heat sealing or in some other way. However, these bands could easily be substituted with other fixing means such as a plastic film, for example shrink-wrap film, wrapped around the reel, or yet other means.

[0018] The internal diameter of the reel of corrugated tape is slightly greater than the external diameter of a spool 6a of a support 6 for the corrugated tape which is installed on a machine A for applying fasteners to bagged products, which machine is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 2; this machine is known per se - except, of course, for the support 6 - and will not therefore be discussed in any further detail in the remaining text.

[0019] In addition to the spool 6a, the support 6 includes two lateral discs 6b and 6c, the first of which is fixed while the second can be removed from the spool; more specifically, on the internal circumference of the spool 6a there are elements 8 for fixing the removable disc 6c which consist of plates situated at 120° from each other relative to the centre of the spool 6a and are attached to the latter by means of bolts 3. These plates have corresponding ends 8a that project from the spool 6a and define a groove into which the internal edge of the disc 6c snap-fastens (see Fig. 3); in this case also the elements for fixing the removable disc could be different from those shown, depending on the various options chosen to enable the disc to be quickly removed from and repositioned on the support spool.

[0020] The method according to the invention is implemented in the following stages.

[0021] Firstly, the pack of corrugated tape is formed by winding it in a reel and fastening it with the bands 5 so as to produce the pack 1 referred to above; the pack thus formed is then conveyed to the fastener-applying machine. Here the reel of corrugated tape is transferred on to the support 6: more precisely, on account of the fact that the disc 6c can be removed and that the internal diameter of the reel of corrugated tape is slightly greater than the external diameter of the spool 6a of the support, the reel of corrugated tape can be mounted on the support itself. The bands 5 are then cut off so that the corrugated tape 2 can be unwound from the support 6 in order to be fed to the machine A. Lastly, the disc 6c is repositioned on the support 6 by snap-fastening it on to the plates 8 located on the latter so that the fastener-applying cycle can take place in a manner known per se; in fact, once the disc 6c has been attached to the rest of the support 6, the latter is functionally equivalent to those usually used in the prior art.

[0022] When the corrugated tape 2 has been used up, a new reel of corrugated tape is transferred on to the support 6.

[0023] From the description given above, it should be clear how the method of the invention solves the technical problem that forms the basis thereof: by implementing the method, it is possible to restock with corrugated tape machines for applying fasteners to bagged products and to dispense with the plastic supports on which the reel of tape to be fed to the machines was wound, supports which gave rise to the disadvantages described above.

[0024] The support 6, in which a spool is provided with two discs, at least one of which can be removed from the said spool, plays a vital role in achieving these results: indeed, it is because of this support that it is possible to use a pack for the corrugated tape which has been reduced to its essential components and has been made using the minimum amount of disposable material possible - namely, the bands 5.

[0025] Furthermore, since the support 6 is not used to transport the corrugated tape, it can be made of any material, without giving rise to the disadvantages encountered previously. In other words, it may be said that, within the method of the invention, the support 6 becomes a component of the fastener-applying machine, which means that it is possible to use a disposable pack for transporting the tape.

[0026] Lastly, among the advantages achieved by the method of the invention, it should be emphasized that it also lends itself to being used in existing machines without any modifications to these being necessary; it is quite clear how the support 6 with a removable disc can be installed without requiring any specific adjustments, but simply taking care to select its dimensions so that they are compatible with the machines for which it is intended.

Claims

1. Method of restocking with corrugated tape (2) a machine (A) for applying fasteners to bagged products and the like, in which machine the reel of corrugated tape (2) is fed so as to be applied to the products by unwinding it from a support (6) that constitutes a part of said machine (A) and that comprises a spool (6a) around which the tape (2) is wound and the ends of which are fitted with corresponding opposite discs (6b, 6c), characterised in that it comprises the following operational stages in combination:

- arranging the support (6) such that at least one of said discs (6b, 6c) can be removed from the spool (6a);

- arranging, apart from said support (6), a pack (1) of corrugated tape (2) in which the latter is wound in a reel and fastened in this configuration by a plurality of bands (5) which each pass through the core of the reel and which are wrapped around the reel of tape, and in which the internal diameter of the reel is slightly greater than the external diameter of the spool (6a) of the support (6);

transferring the tape (2), still wound in a reel and held in said fastened configuration, on to the support (6) after having detached the removable disc (6c) from the support (6).
unfastening the tape (2) for enabling it to be unwound from said support (6).

2. Method according to Claim 1, in which the removable disc (6c) snap-fastens on to the remaining part of the support (6).

3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the reel of corrugated tape is secured radially and the binding is undone in order to feed the tape to the machine (A).

4. Pack (1) of corrugated tape mountable on a spool (6a) of a machine (A) for applying fasteners to bagged products and the like in which machine the reel of corrugated tape (2) is fed so as to be applied to the products by unwinding it from a support (6) that constitutes a part of said machine (A) and that comprises said spool (6a) around which the tape is wound and the ends of which an fitted with corresponding opposite dises (6b, 6c) wherein at least one of said dises (6a, 6b) can be removed from the spool (6a), said pack (1) of tape being formed by a tape (2) wound in a reel and fastened in this configuration by fastening means (5) such that the tape itself defines an opening for receiving said spool (6a) wherein the internal diameter of the reel is slightly greater than the external diameter of the spool (6a) of the support (6) whilst the pack (1) is still in its fastened configuration, in which said fastening means (5) consist of a plurality of bands (5) which are wrapped around the reel of tape (2) so that they each pass through the core of the reel.

5. Pack (1) of tape according to Claim 4, in which said fastening means (5) consist of a plastic film wrapped around the reel of tape (2).

Ansprüche

1. Verfahren zum Wiederbeladen mit Wellstreifen (2) in einer Vorrichtung (A) zum Anbringen von Verschlüssen an Beutel gepackten Produkten und dergleichen, wobei in der Vorrichtung die Spule der Wellstreifen (2) so geführt wird, dass sie auf den Produkten angebracht wird durch Abwickeln von einem Träger (6), der ein Teil der Vorrichtung (A) bildet und der einen Wickelkern (6a) aufweist, um den der Streifen (2) gewickelt ist, und dessen Enden eingepasst sind in entsprechende gegenüberliegende Scheiben (6b, 6c), dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es die folgenden Betriebsschritte in Kombination aufweist:

- Anordnen des Trägers (6) so, dass zumindest eine der Scheiben (6b, 6c) von dem Wickelkern (6a) entfernt werden kann

- Anordnen eines Packs (1) Wellstreifen (2) getrennt von dem Träger (6), wobei dieser zu einem Wickel aufgewickelt und in dieser Anordnung durch mehrere Bänder (5) festgemacht ist, wobei jedes durch den Rollenkem tritt und um den Wickel der Streifen gewickelt wird und wobei der innere Durchmesser der Rolle etwas größer ist als der äußere Durchmesser des Wickelkerns (6a) des Trägers (6);

Übertragen des Streifens (2), immer noch aufgewickelt in einem Wickel und gehalten in der festgemachten Anordnung auf dem Träger (6) nachdem die abnehmbare Scheibe (6c) von dem Träger (6) gelöst wurde.
Lösen des Streifens (2), damit er von dem Träger (6) abwickelbar ist.

2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, in dem die abnehmbare Scheibe (6c) mit einem Schnapp-Verschluss an dem restlichen Teil des Träger befestigt wird.

3. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, in dem die Rolle aus Wellstreifen radial gesichert ist und die Bindung gelöst wird, den Streifen der Vorrichtung (A) zuzuführen.

4. Pack (1) von Wellstreifen, der auf einem Wickelkern (6a) einer Vorrichtung (A) zum Anbringen von Verschlüssen an in Beutel gepackten Produkten und dergleichen montierbar ist, wobei in der Vorrichtung die Rolle aus Wellstreifen (2) so zugeführt wird, dass diese an den Produkten durch Abwickeln von einem Träger (6) anbringbar ist, der ein Teil der Vorrichtung (A) darstellt und der den Wickelkern (6a) enthält, um den der Streifen aufgewickelt ist und deren Enden eingefasst sind in entsprechende gegenüberstehende Scheiben (6b, 6c), wobei zumindest eine der Scheiben (6a, 6b) von dem Wickelkern (6a) abgenommen werden kann, wobei das Pack (1) der Streifen aus zu einem Wickel gewickelten Streifen (2) gebildet ist und in dieser Anordnung durch Befestigungsmittel (5) festgemacht ist, so dass der Streifen selbst eine Öffnung definiert zur Aufnahme des Wickelkerns (6a), wobei der innere Durchmesser des Wickels etwas größer ist als der äußere Durchmesser des Wickelkerns (6a) des Trägers (6), während sich das Pack (1) noch in seiner festgemachten Anordnung befindet, wobei die Befestigungsmittel (5) aus einer Mehrzahl von Bändern (5) bestehen die um die Rolle aus Streifen (2) so gewickelt sind, dass jedes einzelne durch den Kern des Wickels tritt.

5. Pack (1) von Streifen nach Anspruch 4, in dem das Befestigungsmittel (5) aus einem Kunststofffilm besteht, der um den Wickel aus Streifen gewickelt ist.

Revendications

1. Procédé pour approvisionner avec une bande ondulée (2) une machine (A) servant à appliquer des éléments de fermeture à des produits ensachés et analogues, machine dans laquelle la bobine de la bande ondulée (2) avance de manière à être appliquée aux produits par déroulement de la bande à partir d'un support (6) qui constitue une partie de ladite machine (A) et qui comprend un mandrin (6a) autour duquel la bande (2) est enroulée, et dont les extrémités sont équipées de disques correspondants opposés (6b, 6c), caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend les étapes opératoires suivantes en combinaison:

- mise en place du support (6) de telle sorte qu'au moins l'un desdits disques (6b, 6c) peut être retiré du mandrin (6a) ;

- mise en place, hors dudit support (6), d'un bloc (1) d'une bande ondulée (2), sous la forme duquel cette bande est enroulée pour former une bobine et est fixée dans cette configuration par une pluralité de bandes (5), qui traversent chacune le noyau de la bobine et qui sont enroulées autour de la bobine de la bande, et dans lequel le diamètre intérieur de la bobine est légèrement supérieur au diamètre extérieur du mandrin (6a) du support (6);

- transfert de la bande (2), encore enroulée sous la forme d'une bobine et retenue dans ladite configuration fixée, sur le support (6) après détachement du disque amovible (6c) à partir du support (6),

détachement de la bande (2) pour permettre son déroulement à partir dudit support (6).

2. Procédé selon la revendication 1, selon lequel le disque amovible (6c) est fixé par encliquetage sur l'autre partie du support (6).

3. Procédé selon la revendication 1 ou 2, selon lequel la bobine de bande ondulée est fixée radialement, et on défait la liaison pour faire avancer la bande jusqu'à la machine (A).

4. Bloc (1) d'une bande ondulée pouvant être montée sur un mandrin (6a) d'une machine (A) pour appliquer des dispositifs de fermeture à des produits ensachés et analogues, machine dans laquelle la bobine de la bande ondulée (2) est introduit, de manière à s'appliquer contre les produits, sous l'effet de son déroulement à partir d'un support (6) qui constitue une partie de ladite machine (A) et qui comprend ledit mandrin (6a), autour duquel la bande est enroulée et les extrémités de laquelle sont équipées de disques correspondant opposés (6b, 6c), au moins l'un desdits disques (6a, 6b) pouvant être retiré du mandrin (6a), ledit bloc (1) de la bande étant formé par une bande (2) enroulée sous la forme d'une bobine et fixée dans cette configuration par des moyens de fermeture (5) de telle sorte que la bande elle-même définit une ouverture pour y loger ledit mandrin (6a), le diamètre interne de la bobine étant légèrement supérieur au diamètre externe du mandrin (6a) du support (6), tandis que le bloc (1) est encore dans sa configuration fixée, lesdits moyens de fermeture (5) étant constitués par une pluralité de bandes (5) qui sont enroulées autour de la bobine de la bande (2) de telle sorte que chaque bande traverse le noyau de la bobine.

5. Bloc (1) de bande selon la revendication 4, dans lequel lesdits moyens de fermeture (5) sont constitués par un film plastique enroulé autour de la bobine de bande (2).

Drawing