IMPROVED PACKAGING MACHINE EQUIPPED WITH A SHRINKING TUNNEL

Abstract

 A packaging machine (1) is described, comprising at least one shrinking tunnel (5) for packaging at least one product through a heat-shrinking film, at least one of the entry or exit openings (9) of the shrinking tunnel (5) being equipped with at least one hatch (11) mobile at least from a first operating position in which it closes the opening (9) to at least one second operating position in which it at least partially opens the opening (9) to allow the product to enter in or to exit from the shrinking tunnel (5) through the opening (9) and vice versa, the hatch (11) comprising at least one window portion (13) comprising at least partially a portion made of transparent material (15).

Description

[0001] The present invention refers to an improved packaging machine, in particular to an improved packaging machine with a shrinking tunnel.

[0002] Packaging machines comprising a tunnel are known in the art, inside which tunnel a heat-shrinking oven is placed, through which a product wound in a plastic envelope, for example heat-shrinkable PP, PPLP or PVC, travels through a belt sliding inside the oven itself, in which heat-shrinking and sealing of such envelope around the product are performed. Tunnels of known machines are then equipped with a product entry opening, placed upstream of the oven, and with a packaged product exit opening, placed downstream of the oven, such openings being typically equipped with one or more flexible strips, which, though allowing respectively entry and exit of the product in the tunnel, prevent as much as possible heat from going out from inside the oven itself.

[0003] Visibility inside the tunnel is however necessary, in order to be able to set the best parameters for an optimum heat-shrinking of the plastic envelope onto the product to be packaged. In order to check the status of process and machinery inside the tunnel, the prior art provides for packaging machines in which the tunnel is equipped with at least one laterally placed window: such solution, however, requires the use of two layers of glass divided by an internal hollow space for passing air, plus an external layer, detached for security reasons related to heat: such solution is complex from the construction point of view and does not allow washing the glass layers unless the whole window structure has been disassembled.

[0004] Document CA-A1-2 698 070 discloses a packaging machine according to the preamble of Claim 1.

[0005] Object of the present invention is solving the above prior-art problems, by providing an improved packaging machine in which at least one of the two openings of the shrinking tunnel is equipped with a mobile hatch comprising at least one transparent window which is easier to build and more practical to maintain.

[0006] The above and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will appear from the following description, are obtained by an improved packaging machine as claimed in Claim 1. Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variations of the present invention are claimed in the dependent Claims.

[0007] It is intended that all enclosed claims are an integral part of the present description.

[0008] It will be immediately obvious that numerous variations and modifications (for example related to shape, sizes, arrangements and parts with equivalent functionality) could be made to what is described, without departing from the scope of the invention as appears from the enclosed claims.

[0009] The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments thereof, given as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 shows a front view of a preferred embodiment of the improved packaging machine according to the present invention;
• Figure 2 shows a side view of the improved packaging machine of Figure 1;
• Figure 3a shows an enlarged front view of a preferred embodiment of a mobile hatch of the shrinking tunnel of the improved packaging machine according to the present invention; and
• Figure 3b shows a front perspective view of the hatch of Figure 3a.

[0010] With reference therefore to the Figures, it is possible to note some preferred embodiments of the improved packaging machine 1 according to the present invention.

[0011] Herein below, due to conciseness reasons, all structural and operating details of the packaging machine 1 which are known and belonging to the prior art, will not be described.

[0012] With reference in particular to the Figures, it is possible to note that the improved packaging machine 1 according to the present invention is composed of a supporting and containing structure 3, obviously adapted to contain therein and support all functional members of the machine 1 itself, and substantially known in the art, such packaging machine 1 comprising at least one shrinking tunnel 5 for packaging at least one product through an heat-shrinking film, possibly supplied through at least one conveyor belt 7.

[0013] Advantageously, at least one of the entry or exit openings 9 of the shrinking tunnel 5 of the packaging machine 1 according to the present invention is equipped with at least one hatch 11 mobile from at least one first operating position in which it closes such opening 9 to at least one second operating position in which it opens, at least partially, such opening 9 to allow the product to enter in or exit from the shrinking tunnel 5 through the opening 9 itself and vice versa, such hatch 11 comprising at least one window portion 13 comprising at least partially a portion made of transparent material 15, composed for example of glass, adapted to allow a vision of the inside of the shrinking tunnel 5 from outside the machine 1 according to the present invention, at least when the hatch 11 itself is in its first operating position.

[0014] Preferably, such window portion 13 comprises at least one framing structure 17 of the portion made of transparent material 15.

[0015] Preferably, the hatch 11 further comprises at least one portion 19 made of flexible material, for example plastic, rubber, cloth, etc., such portion 19 being still more preferably composed of one or more strips 21 of such flexible material.

[0016] Preferably, such mobile hatch 11 is oscillating and connected, next to one of the side of the related opening 9, by interposing at least one articulating means composed, for example, of one or more hinges; still more preferably, the oscillating mobile hatch 11 is connected to the upper horizontal side of the opening 9.

[0017] Preferably, the window portion 13 occupies the upper horizontal part of the hatch 11, while the portion 19 occupies the lower horizontal part of the hatch 11 itself.

[0018] Preferably, both entry and exit openings 9 of the shrinking tunnel 5 of the packaging machine 1 are equipped with a respective mobile hatch 11 as described above.

[0019] As described above, it is clear that, contrary to what is proposed by the prior art, at least the window portion 13 of the machine 1 according to the present invention can be easily washed without needing to disassemble anything.

[0020] Moreover, the hatch 11 allows to shoot the inside of the shrinking tunnel 5 through the window portion 13 by means of a control camera placed outside the tunnel 5 itself, thereby avoiding any problem linked to heat, which could happen if the same camera were to be placed inside such tunnel.

Claims

1. Packaging machine (1) comprising at least one shrinking tunnel (5) for packaging at least one product through an heat-shrinking film, characterized in that at least one of the entry or exit openings (9) of said shrinking tunnel (5) is equipped with at least one hatch (11) mobile at least from a first operating position in which it closes said opening (9) to at least one second operating position in which it opens, at least partially, said opening (9) to allow said product to enter in or to exit from said shrinking tunnel (5) through said opening (9) and vice versa, said hatch (11) comprising at least one window portion (13) comprising at least partially a portion made of transparent material (15).

2. Packaging machine (1) according to the previous claim, characterized in that said window portion (13) is adapted to allow a vision of an inside of said shrinking tunnel (5) from outside said machine (1) at least when said hatch (11) is in said first operating position.

3. Packaging machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said window portion (13) comprises at least one framing structure (17) of said portion made of transparent material (15).

4. Packaging machine (1) according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that said hatch (11) comprises at least one portion (19) made of flexible material.

5. Packaging machine (1) according to the previous claim, characterized in that said portion (19) is composed of one or more strips (21) of said flexible material.

6. Packaging machine (1) according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that said hatch (11) mobile is oscillating and connected next to one of the sides of said opening (9) by interposing at least one articulating means.

7. Packaging machine (1) according to the previous claim, characterized in that said oscillating mobile hatch (11) is connected to the upper horizontal side of said opening (9).

8. Packaging machine (1) according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that said window portion (13) occupies an upper horizontal part of said hatch (11) while said portion (19) occupies a lower horizontal part of said hatch (11).

9. Packaging machine (1) according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that both said entry and said exit openings (9) of said shrinking tunnel (5) are equipped with a respective mobile hatch (11).

Drawing