(19)
(11) EP 1 645 513 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
19.04.2006 Bulletin 2006/16

(43) Date of publication A2:
12.04.2006 Bulletin 2006/15

(21) Application number: 04255730.6

(22) Date of filing: 21.09.2004
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
B65B 59/04(2006.01)
B65B 19/22(2006.01)
 B65B 65/00(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated Extension States:
AL HR LT LV MK

(71) Applicant: Philip Morris Products S.A.
2000 Neuchâtel (CH)

(72) Inventors:
  • Bailey, Thomas William
    Coventry CV4 8HS (GB)
  • Edkins, Michael
    Coventry CV4 8HS (GB)
  • Cahil, Michael John
    Warwickshire CV8 1BS (GB)

(74) Representative: Lloyd, Patrick Alexander Desmond 
Reddie & Grose 16 Theobalds Road
London WC1X 8PL
London WC1X 8PL (GB)

   


(54) Modular packing assembly


(57) A cigarette packing system comprises a plurality of reconfigurable modules (100). Each module includes tooling for performing a section of the packaging process. Product is transferred between modules by robots (110) mounted on the modules and controlled from individual modules. Interface protocols between modules control transfers between modules. The product may be transferred with or without a carrier between modules. The modules may be reconfigured for a different assembly process and modules added or removed. Process specific tooling maybe changed. Reconfigurable modules reduces the time and cost of changing to a different packaging process.







Search report