U.S. patent application number 11/253799 was filed with the patent office on 2006-05-04 for unit for feeding stacked packing material to a packing machine.
This patent application is currently assigned to G. D SOCIETA' PER AZIONI. Invention is credited to Mario Spatafora.
Application Number | 20060090420 11/253799 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34956687 |
Filed Date | 2006-05-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060090420 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Spatafora; Mario |
May 4, 2006 |
Unit for feeding stacked packing material to a packing machine
Abstract
A unit for feeding stacked packing material to a packing
machine. The unit has a group of containers, each for housing a
respective stack of packing material; a first conveying device for
feeding the group of containers along a first path; a pickup
station located at the end of the path to remove a single container
from the group of containers; a second conveying device for feeding
a container along a second path as of the pickup station; and a
feed station located along the second path to remove the stack of
packing material from a container, and to feed the stack of packing
material to the packing machine.
Inventors: |
Spatafora; Mario;
(Granarolo, IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LADAS & PARRY
26 WEST 61ST STREET
NEW YORK
NY
10023
US
|
Assignee: |
G. D SOCIETA' PER AZIONI
|
Family ID: |
34956687 |
Appl. No.: |
11/253799 |
Filed: |
October 19, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/389.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2301/422542
20130101; B65G 2201/0258 20130101; B65H 2402/352 20130101; B65C
9/105 20130101; B65G 37/005 20130101; B65H 2701/1936 20130101; B65H
1/30 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
053/389.1 |
International
Class: |
B65B 41/00 20060101
B65B041/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 28, 2004 |
IT |
BO2004A000670 |
Claims
1) A unit for feeding stacked packing material to a packing
machine; the unit (1) comprises a group (4) of containers (3), each
for housing a respective stack (2) of packing material, and a first
conveying device (6) for feeding the group (4) of containers (3)
along a first path (P1); and the unit is characterized by
comprising a pickup station (8) located at the end of the path (P1)
to remove a single container (3) from the group (4) of containers
(3); a second conveying device (9) for feeding a container (3)
along a second path (P2) as of the pickup station (8); and a feed
station (10) located along the second path (P2) to remove the stack
(2) of packing material from a container (3), and to feed the stack
(2) of packing material to the packing machine.
2) A unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the group (4) of
containers (3) comprises a number of side by side columns (5) of
containers (3), and each column comprises a number of superimposed
containers (3).
3) A unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first conveying device
(6) comprises a horizontal surface (12) supporting the group (4) of
containers (3) in sliding manner; and a feed device (13) for
pushing the group (4) of containers (3) along the first path (P1);
and the pickup station (8) removes from the bottom of a column (5)
of containers (3) the container (3) resting directly on the
horizontal surface (12).
4) A unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pickup station (8)
comprises a through hole (14) formed through the horizontal surface
(12); and a closing device (15) movable between a closed position
preventing passage of a container (3) through the through hole
(14), and an open position permitting passage of a container (3)
through the through hole (14).
5) A unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second conveying
device (9) comprises a first drum (19) rotating about an axis (20)
of rotation, and having a number of peripheral seats (22), each for
receiving a container (3).
6) A unit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first drum (19)
comprises a pusher (21) movable perpendicularly to the axis (20) of
rotation of the first drum (19); and each container (3) comprises a
through opening (24) formed through a rear wall (23) of the
container (3) and through which the pusher (21) moves.
7) A unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein a collecting space (26) is
provided to receive the empty containers (3).
8) A unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second conveying
device (9) transfers an empty container (3) directly to the
collecting space (26).
9) A unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein a third conveying device
(27) is provided to transfer an empty container (3) from the second
conveying device (9) to the collecting space (26).
10) A unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fourth conveying device
(28) is provided to receive an empty container (3) from the second
conveying device (9), and to feed the empty container (3) to a
return station (29) where the empty container (3) is reinserted
inside the group (4) of containers (3).
11) A unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the return station (29)
is located along the first path (P1), on the opposite side to the
pickup station (8).
12) A unit as claimed in claim 11, wherein the group (4) of
containers (3) comprises a number of side by side columns (5) of
containers (3), and each column comprises a number of superimposed
containers (3); the first conveying device (6) comprises a
horizontal surface (12) supporting the group (4) of containers (3)
in sliding manner, and a feed device (13) for pushing the group (4)
of containers (3) along the first path (P1); the pickup station (8)
removes from the bottom of a column (5) of containers (3) the
container (3) resting directly on the horizontal surface (12); and
the return station (29) inserts an empty container (3) into the
bottom of a column (5) of containers (3), so that the empty
container rests directly on the horizontal surface (12).
13) A unit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the return station (29)
comprises a through hole (35) formed through the horizontal surface
(12); and a closing device (36) movable between a closed position
preventing passage of a container (3) through the through hole
(35), and an open position permitting passage of a container (3)
through the through hole (35).
14) A unit as claimed in claim 13, wherein the fourth conveying
device (28) comprises a rotary second drum (37) having a number of
peripheral seats (40), each for receiving a container (3).
15) A unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein the second drum (37)
comprises a pusher (38) movable perpendicularly to an axis (39) of
rotation of the second drum (37).
16) A unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first conveying
device (6) comprises a horizontal surface (12) supporting the group
(4) of containers (3) in sliding manner, and a feed device (13) for
pushing the group (4) of containers (3) along the first path (P1);
the feed device (13) comprises two endless chains (16) located on
opposite sides of the group (4) of containers (3) and supporting a
number of push members (17); and each container (3) comprises two
connecting bodies (18) located at opposite ends of the container
(3) and which engage a respective pair of push members (17).
17) A unit as claimed in claim 16, wherein each connecting body
(18) engages a push member (17) so as to slide freely along the
push member (17).
18) A unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein a movable trolley (41) is
provided, and comprises a frame (43) supporting the first conveying
device (6), the group (4) of containers (3), and a number of wheels
(42).
19) A unit as claimed in claim 18, wherein the frame supports the
second conveying device (9).
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a unit for feeding stacked
packing material to a packing machine.
[0002] The present invention may be used to advantage in a packing
machine for producing packets of cigarettes combined with coupons,
to which the following description refers purely by way of
example.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In the tobacco industry, packing machines for producing
packets of cigarettes combined with coupons are used, in which the
coupons are fed to a packing line by a revolving loader normally
located over the packing machine and normally having longitudinal
grooves housing respective stacks of coupons. The loader is rotated
about a longitudinal, normally vertical axis to selectively align
the grooves with the input of a normally vertical hopper, which
receives one stack of coupons at a time, and has an output fitted
with an extracting device for extracting and feeding the coupons
one at a time to the packing line.
[0004] Feeding the coupons as described above has various
drawbacks, on account of the fairly limited capacity of the
loaders, which must therefore be replaced repeatedly during each
operating cycle and require continual use of skilled labour.
Moreover, given their size and weight, assembly of the loaders,
which is normally performed by hand over the packing machine, calls
for considerable effort on the part of the fitters and, at times,
also stoppage of the packing machine.
[0005] A packing machine has been proposed comprising a loading
station having a coupon input and a power take-off; and a coupon
truck store having a number of containers for respective stacks of
coupons, and connectable removably to the loading station to
cooperate, when connected to the loading station, with the power
take-off and successively move the containers through an unloading
position, in which each container is engaged by an extracting
device for extracting and transferring the relative stack to the
coupon input. The total loading capacity of the coupon stack feed
unit of the truck store described above, however, is relatively
small in proportion to the total size involved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a unit
for feeding stacked packing material to a packing machine, designed
to eliminate the above drawbacks and which, in particular, is cheap
and easy to produce.
[0007] According to the present invention, there is provided a unit
for feeding stacked packing material to a packing machine, as
claimed in the attached claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be
described by way of example with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view, with parts removed for
clarity, of a preferred embodiment of the feed unit according to
the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 shows a schematic plan view, with parts removed for
clarity, of the FIG. 1 feed unit;
[0011] FIG. 3 shows a section along line III-III in FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 4 shows a view in perspective of a container of the
FIG. 1 feed unit;
[0013] FIG. 5 shows a schematic side view, with parts removed for
clarity, of a further embodiment of the FIG. 1 feed unit;
[0014] FIG. 6 shows a schematic view in perspective, with parts
removed for clarity, of a further embodiment of the FIG. 1 feed
unit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Number 1 in FIGS. 1 to 3 indicates as a whole a packing
material feed unit for feeding stacks 2 of coupons to a packing
machine (not shown). Feed unit 1 comprises a number of containers 3
arranged to define a group 4 of containers 3; group 4 comprises a
number of side by side columns 5 of containers 3, each column
comprising a number of superimposed containers 3 (FIG. 1); and each
container 3 is parallelepiped-shaped and contains a stack 2 of
coupons.
[0016] Feed unit 1 also comprises a conveying device 6 for feeding
group 4 of containers 3 along a path P1 in a travelling direction
7; and a pickup station 8 located at the end of path P1 to remove
one container 3 from group 4 of containers 3. A conveying device 9
is located at pickup station 8 to feed each container 3 along a
path P2 having a vertical initial portion perpendicular to path P1.
A feed station 10 is located along path P2, where the stack 2 of
coupons inside a container 3 is expelled from container 3 and fed
to the packing machine. Downstream from conveying device 9, a belt
conveyor 11 extends from feed station 10 to receive and feed a
stack 2 of coupons to the packing units (not shown) of the packing
machine, and is preferably integrated in the packing machine.
[0017] Conveying device 6 comprises a horizontal surface 12
supporting group 4 of containers 3 in sliding manner; and a feed
device 13 for pushing group 4 of containers 3 along path P1, at the
end of which, pickup station 8 removes from the bottom of a column
5 of containers 3 the container 3 resting directly on horizontal
surface 12. More specifically, pickup station 8 comprises a through
hole 14 formed through horizontal surface 12; and a closing device
15 movable between a closed position preventing passage of a
container 3 through hole 14, and an open position permitting
passage of a container 3 through hole 14.
[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, feed device 13 comprises two endless
chains 16 located on opposite sides of group 4 of containers 3, and
each supporting a number of vertical push members 17. As shown in
detail in FIG. 4, each container 3 comprises two connecting bodies
18 located at opposite ends of container 3, and which engage and
slide freely vertically along a respective pair of push members
17.
[0019] Conveying device 9 comprises a drum 19 rotating about a
horizontal axis of rotation 20 perpendicular to the FIG. 2 plane.
Drum 19 is located beneath through hole 14, comprises a pusher 21
movable perpendicularly to axis of rotation 20 of drum 19, and has
a number of peripheral seats 22, each for receiving a respective
container 3. Each container 3 comprises a rear wall 23 having a
through opening 24 (FIG. 3), through which pusher 21 moves to expel
stack 2 of coupons from container 3. More specifically, drum 19
rotates between pickup station 8, where it receives a container 3
inside a respective peripheral seat 22; feed station 10, where it
unloads stack 2 of coupons onto belt conveyor 11 by means of a
horizontal movement of pusher 21; and an unloading station 25,
where it unloads the empty container 3 inside a collecting space 26
for empty containers 3.
[0020] In the FIG. 2 embodiment, feed unit 1 comprises a conveying
device 27 located beneath drum 19 and for receiving the empty
container 3 by gravity from drum 19, and transferring the empty
container 3 from conveying device 9 to collecting space 26. In an
alternative embodiment not shown, conveying device 27 is dispensed
with, and collecting space 26 is located beneath drum 19 to receive
containers 3 by gravity directly from drum 19.
[0021] In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 5, feed unit 1
comprises a conveying device 28 for receiving an empty container 3
from conveying device 9, and feeding the empty container 3 to a
return station 29. A belt conveyor 30 is interposed between
conveying device 9 and conveying device 28, to transfer empty
containers 3, along a path P3 parallel to path P1 and in a
travelling direction 31 opposite travelling direction 7, between
unloading station 25 at conveying device 9, and a loading station
32 at conveying device 28. Belt conveyor 30 comprises two side by
side, endless belts 33 (only one shown in FIG. 5); and a pusher 34
located between the two belts 33 at loading station 32, and movable
perpendicularly with respect to travelling direction 31.
[0022] Return station 29 is located along path P1, on the opposite
side to pickup station 8, and reinserts the empty container 3
inside group 4 of containers 3, at the bottom of a column 5 of
containers 3, and directly onto horizontal surface 12. Return
station 29 comprises a through hole 35 formed through horizontal
surface 12; and a closing device 36 movable between a closed
position preventing passage of a container 3 through hole 35, and
an open position permitting passage of a container 3 through hole
35.
[0023] Conveying device 28 comprises a rotary drum 37, which is
located beneath through hole 35, comprises a pusher 38 movable
perpendicularly to an axis of rotation 39 of drum 37, and has a
number of peripheral seats 40, each for receiving an empty
container 3. More specifically, drum 37 rotates between loading
station 32, where it receives an empty container 3 inside a
respective peripheral seat 40 by means of an upward movement of
pusher 34, and return station 29, where it moves container 3
through hole 35 onto horizontal surface 12 by means of an upward
movement of pusher 38.
[0024] In a further embodiment shown in FIG. 6, feed unit 1 is
mounted on a trolley 41 comprising a number of wheels 42, and a
frame 43 supporting conveying device 6, group 4 of containers 3,
and conveying device 9.
[0025] Feed unit 1 as described above is cheap and easy to produce,
and is extremely compact in relation to its considerable storage
capacity.
[0026] Given its numerous advantages, feed unit 1 as described
above may also be used to advantage on other automatic machines for
packing products other than cigarettes, and for supplying the
automatic machines with any type of packing material other than
coupons. For example, feed unit 1 as described above may be used
for feeding labels to a bottling machine or food labels to a food
packing machine.
* * * * *