The present invention relates to a machine and method for the production of infusion products.
In particular, infusion products refer to bags or capsules of filter material containing infusion products such as, for example, tea, aromatic herbs, dried fruit, coffee, barley, etc...
In order to maintain the aroma of infusion products with time, the individual packaging of one or more bags or capsules in a respective sealed envelope, is known.
The individual sealed envelopes are then generally ordered into pre-established groups and packaged in respective boxes or hard cardboard packages for sale.
Packaging machines of bags or capsules are known, comprising a feeding hopper of the envelopes to which a vertical tube of wrapping material is connected, in which groups of bags are inserted by gravity.
In particular, the tube is obtained by welding the end edges of a continuous strip/web of wrapping material, thus defining a longitudinal fin-shaped junction.
Welding means are positioned downstream of the hopper for forming a plurality of sealed containment envelopes of the bags, suitable for welding the vertical tube of wrapping material along respective transversal junctions forming a continuous succession of sealed envelopes.
A cutting device positioned downstream of the welding means separates each sealed envelope from the envelope connected to it.
These machines, however, have various drawbacks.
As the groups of bags are inserted inside the vertical tube by gravity, they are arranged randomly and disorderly inside the respective sealed envelope.
A further drawback is the cost component of the wrapping material used for individually packaging the bags.
This component, in fact, is relatively high as the vertical tube of wrapping material used in the packaging machines of the known type has a much greater diameter with respect to the encumbrance of each single envelope or capsule.
Furthermore, the longitudinal fin-shaped junction of the tube requires the use of a web of wrapping material having considerable transversal dimensions.
It has also been found that packaging machines with a vertical tube of wrapping material are machines having a relatively limited hourly production due to the maximum production rates that can be reached.
There is therefore the necessity of providing a machine and method for the production of infusion products which can limit the costs of the groups of bags of filter material or capsules packaged individually with respect to the known art.
In this respect, an aspect of the present invention is to provide a machine for the production of infusion products which comprises a device for producing individual articles, each of which comprises a dose of infusion material, and a packaging device of groups of individual articles in a respective containment envelope. The packaging device comprises feeding means of at least one continuous web of wrapping material destined for individually wrapping each group of individual articles, and a common advance path P of the groups of articles and continuous web.
In particular, the advance path P has at least one section which develops along a horizontal lying plane along which closing means of the continuous web are positioned, around at least part of a respective group of articles.
The section of path which develops according to a horizontal lying plane advantageously allows the production rate of the packaging machine to be increased with respect to the known art.
A further advantage lies in the fact that the horizontal section of the advance path P avoids the use of the vertical tube of wrapping material for packaging the groups of individual articles.
Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear evident from the following description which is indicative, and therefore non-limiting, of a preferred embodiment of a machine for the production of infusion products as illustrated in the enclosed drawings, in which:
The reference number 1 indicates a machine for the production of infusion products.
The machine 1 comprises a device 2 for producing individual articles 3, each of which comprises a dose 4 of infusion material.
Individual articles 3 preferably refers to bags or capsules of filter material containing infusion products such as, for example, tea, aromatic herbs, dried fruit, coffee, barley, etc...
A continuous succession 5 of individual articles 3 is fed, at the outlet of the forming device 2, to respective cutting means 6 suitable for separating an individual article 3 from the subsequent article, as illustrated in
The machine 1 comprises a packaging device 7 of groups 8 of individual articles 3 in a respective containment envelope 9.
The machine 1 comprises formation means 10 of the groups 8 of articles 3.
The formation means 10 of the groups 8 are positioned downstream of the cutting means 6 of the continuous succession 5 of individual articles 3.
The formation means 10 comprise a feeding device 11 of the individual articles 3 suitable for conveying at least one individual article 3 to a formation station 12 of the groups 8.
The formation means 10 comprise a withholding element 13 of the articles 3 positioned in correspondence with the formation station 12 of the groups 8.
The withholding element 13 is suitable for withholding the individual articles 3 during the formation 12 of the groups 8.
The withholding element 13 cooperates with the feeding device 11 for the formation of each group 8 of articles 3.
In the preferred embodiment, the feeding device 11 of the individual articles 3 moves along a vertical direction, in particular downwards, and viceversa.
An articulated system 14 moves the feeding device 11 during the formation of each group 8.
The withholding element 13 is equipped with a rotational movement, in particular oscillating, around a respective rotation axis 13a.
The rotation axis 13a is a vertical rotation axis.
The withholding element 13 comprises a supporting surface 15 of the articles 3 and an arm 16, hinged to the rotation axis 13a, for moving the supporting surface 15.
When in use, the withholding element 13 maintains a rest position in correspondence with the formation station 12 during the formation of the group 8.
When the formation of the group 8 is complete, the withholding element 13 rotates around its rotation axis 13a for disengaging the group 8 formed.
During the movement of the withholding element 13, an abutment element 17 is engaged with at least part of the articles 3 of the group 8 for withdrawing the articles 3 from the withholding element 13, in particular from the supporting surface 15.
The machine 1 comprises transfer means 18 of the group 8 of articles 3 to the packaging device 7.
The transfer means 18 are positioned downstream of the formation station 12 of the groups 8.
In particular, the formation means 10 of the groups 8 feed each group 8 to the transfer means 18, as illustrated in
In particular, the feeding device 10 moves the group 8 forward towards the transfer means 18, once it has become engaged with the last article 3 of the group 8, whereas, contemporaneously, the withholding element 13 becomes disengaged with the remaining part of the groups 8 withheld during its formation.
The transfer means 18 comprise a conveyor 19 rotating around its rotation axis 19a.
The rotation axis 19a of the conveyor is a vertical rotation axis.
The rotation axes of the withholding element 13 and the conveyor 19 are parallel to each other.
The conveyor 19 has a plurality of housing pockets 20 of a respective group 8 of articles 3.
The pockets 20 are preferably angularly equidistant with respect to each other.
The transfer means 18 can be moved from a collection station 21 to a releasing station 22 of the groups 8.
The conveyor 19 transfers the groups of the collection station 21 to the releasing station 22 rotating around its own axis 19a, in particular effecting a rotation of 90°, as illustrated in
The machine 1 comprises feeding means 23 of the groups 8 of articles 3 to the packaging device 7.
The feeding means 23 remove the groups 8 from the transfer means 18 and release said groups 8 at the packaging device 7.
The feeding means 23 translate the groups 8 according to a horizontal advance direction.
The feeding means 23 comprise a pusher 24 that causes a respective group 8 of articles 3 to advance.
The pusher 24 is engaged with a respective group 8 of articles 3 housed in the pocket 20 of the conveyor 19 and moves the group 8 of articles 3 forward towards the packaging device 7, as illustrated in
The feeding means 23 comprise an articulated movement system 25 of the pusher 24.
The packaging device 7 comprises feeding means 26 of at least a continuous web 27 of wrapping material destined for individually wrapping each group 8 of individual articles 3, and a common advance path P of the groups 8 of articles 3 and continuous web 27.
According to the present invention, the advance path P has at least one section T which develops along a horizontal lying plane along which closing means 28 of the continuous web 27 are positioned, around at least part of a respective group 8 of articles 3.
The closing means 28 join the continuous web 27 at least along a joining band 29 transversal with respect to the advance direction of the continuous web 27.
In other words, the joining band 29 is transversal to the horizontal lying plane of the section T.
The closing means 28 join the continuous web 27 at least along a joining band 30 longitudinal with respect to the advance direction of the continuous web 27.
In other words, the longitudinal joining band 30 is parallel to the horizontal lying plane of the section T.
In the preferred embodiment, the packaging device 7 comprising feeding means 26 of two continuous webs 27, in particular a first and a second continuous web 31, 32 of wrapping material, destined for individually wrapping each group 8 of individual articles 3.
The feeding means 23 of the groups 8 of articles 3 position the groups 8 on the continuous web 27, in particular the first continuous web 31 of wrapping material along the above-mentioned horizontal section T, forming a continuous succession of groups 8 of articles 3.
The closing means 28 join the two continuous webs 27, i.e. the first and second continuous web 31, 32, around at least part of a respective group 8 of articles 3 so that the groups 8 of articles 3 are interposed with respect to each other.
With reference to each group 8, the closing means 28 join the two continuous webs 27, i.e. the first and second continuous web 31, 32, along two transversal joining bands 29 and two longitudinal joining bands 30, with respect to the advance direction of the continuous web 27, defining the closed envelope 9 containing a respective group 8 of articles 3.
According to a preferred embodiment, the closing means 28 comprise a first welding element 33 suitable for producing the longitudinal joining bands 30 and a second welding element 34 suitable for producing the transversal joining bands 29.
The first welding element 33 forms the two longitudinal joining bands 30 arranged with opposing bands with respect to the centre line of the continuous bands 27.
The first welding element 33 is preferably positioned upstream of the second welding element 34, with respect to the advance direction of the continuous webs 27.
The first welding element 33 comprises two pairs of welding rolls 35 rotating around respective rotation axes 35a.
Each pair of rolls 35 is arranged with opposing bands with respect to the centre line of the continuous webs 27.
The pairs of rolls 35 advantageously move the continuous webs 27 and interposed groups 8 along the advance path P, in particular along the horizontal section T.
The packaging device 7 comprises at least one cutting device 36 of the continuous webs 27 of wrapping material.
The cutting device 36 is preferably positioned along the horizontal section T of the advance path P.
In this embodiment, the cutting device 36 and the second welding element 34 are produced in a single welding and cutting element.
The cutting device 36 comprises at least one blade 37 cooperating with a respective anvil 38 along the portions of continuous web 27 positioned between one transversal joining band 29 and a consecutive transversal band 29.
The blade 37 and anvil 38 are coordinated for forming continuous successions of envelopes 9 connected to each other.
In particular, the anvil 38 comprises a first portion 39 suitable for forming a plurality of scored lines 41 between one transversal joining band 29 and the consecutive transversal band 29 and a second portion 40 adjacent to the first portion 39 suitable for severing the continuous web 27 between one transversal joining band 29 and the consecutive band 29 for separating one envelope 9 from the consecutive envelope.
The blade 37 is coordinated with the anvil 38 to cooperate with the first portion 39, forming the scored lines 41, or to cooperate with the second portion 40, for severing the continuous web 27.
The blade 37 and the anvil 38 rotate around respective rotation axes 37a, 38a.
The blade 37 and the anvil 38 are mutually phased so that the blade 37 abuts against the first portion 39 forming the scored lines 41 so as to keep the envelopes 9 connected to each other.
In order to produce continuous successions 42 of envelopes 9, the blade 37 and the anvil 38 are mutually phased so that the blade 37 abuts against the second portion 40 to separate the first and last envelope 9 of the respective continuous succession 42.
As illustrated in
The second portion 40 has a continuous and flat abutment surface for allowing the blade 37 to completely shear the one or more continuous webs 27.
The present invention of a method for producing infusion products comprises a phase for forming individual articles 3, each of which comprises a dose 4 of infusion material, a packaging phase of groups 8 of individual articles 3 in a respective containment envelope 9.
The packaging phase comprises a feeding phase of at least one continuous web 27 of wrapped material destined for individually wrapping each group 8 of individual articles 3 along a common advance path P of the groups 8 of articles 3 and continuous web 27.
The method advantageously comprises a closing phase of the continuous web 27 around at least part of a respective group 8 of articles 3 along at least a section T of the advance path P developing according to a horizontal lying plane.
During the closing phase, the continuous web 27 is joined at least along a transversal joining band 29 with respect to the advance direction of the continuous web 27.
During the closing phase, the continuous web 27 is joined at least along a longitudinal joining band 30 with respect to the advance direction of the continuous web 27.
The method comprises: a phase for feeding two continuous webs 27, in particular a first and a second continuous web 31, 32 of wrapping material, destined for individually wrapping each group 8 of individual articles 3;
a phase for positioning the groups 8 of articles 3 on the continuous web 27, in particular the first continuous web 31 of wrapping material, along the above-mentioned horizontal section T, forming a continuous succession of groups 8 of articles 3;
a phase for joining the first and second continuous web 31, 32 around at least part of a respective group 8 of articles 3 so that the groups 8 of individual articles 3 are interposed between the first and second continuous web 31, 32;
a phase for joining the first and second continuous web 31, 32 along two transversal joining bands 29 and along two longitudinal joining bands 30, with respect to the advance direction of the first and second continuous band 31, 32, defining the envelope 9;
a phase for severing one or more of the continuous webs 27 of wrapping material along respective portions of continuous web 27 arranged between one transversal joining band 29 and the consecutive band 29 for forming continuous successions of envelopes 9.
The phase for severing one or more of the continuous webs 27 comprises a phase for forming a plurality of scored lines 41 between one transversal joining band 29 and the consecutive band 29 or a phase for severing the one or more continuous webs between one transversal joining band 29 and the consecutive band 29.
The present invention allows the production rate of the packaging machine 1 to be increased, considerably reducing the costs for the packaging material into envelopes 9 by the use of closing means 28 positioned along a horizontal section T of the advance path P of the continuous web 27.
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.