U.S. patent application number 13/920578 was filed with the patent office on 2014-06-12 for apparatus for filling containers with rod-shaped articles.
The applicant listed for this patent is SASIB S.p.A.. Invention is credited to Matteo LENA.
Application Number | 20140157733 13/920578 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46727299 |
Filed Date | 2014-06-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140157733 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LENA; Matteo |
June 12, 2014 |
APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH ROD-SHAPED ARTICLES
Abstract
An apparatus for filling containers with rod-shaped articles
includes extractor elements for removing in succession layers of
articles from a dispensing mouth and inserting them inside
containers, the extractor elements including: a supporting element
positioned below the dispensing mouth and designed to receive from
above and to hold a layer of articles, being equipped with a motor
for moving the supporting element away from the unloading zone
after receiving one layer of articles; and a pick-up element
designed to pick up from above and to hold a layer of articles
supported by a supporting element moved away from the unloading
zone, having an actuating device for moving the pick-up element
above a container carried by a conveyor, with subsequent release of
the relative layer of articles inside the container.
Inventors: |
LENA; Matteo; (Bologna,
IT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SASIB S.p.A. |
Castel Maggiore (Bologna) |
|
IT |
|
|
Family ID: |
46727299 |
Appl. No.: |
13/920578 |
Filed: |
June 18, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/531 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 5/06 20130101; B65B
19/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/531 |
International
Class: |
B65B 5/06 20060101
B65B005/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 20, 2012 |
IT |
B02012A000335 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for filling containers with rod-shaped articles,
comprising a hopper for feeding the articles, having at least one
mouth for dispensing the articles through a respective lower end,
conveyor means located in the vicinity of the at least one
dispensing mouth and supporting a plurality of containers designed
to receive inside the superposed layers of articles, extractor
means for removing in succession the layers of articles from an
unloading zone of each dispensing mouth and inserting them inside
containers carried by the conveyor means, characterized in that the
extractor means comprise, for each dispensing mouth, a supporting
element positioned below the unloading zone of the dispensing mouth
and designed to receive from above and to hold a layer of articles,
being equipped with motor means for moving the supporting element
away from the unloading zone after receiving one layer of articles;
and the extractor means also comprising, for each dispensing mouth,
a pick-up element designed to pick up from above and to hold a
layer of articles supported by a supporting element moved away from
the unloading zone, being provided with an actuating device for
moving the pick-up element above a container carried by the
conveyor means, with subsequent release of the relative layer of
articles inside the container.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each dispensing
mouth of the hopper is subdivided by a plurality of walls
substantially vertical and parallel to each other in substantially
vertical channels positioned side by side horizontally, each of
which is designed to accommodate internally a stack of articles
reciprocally superposed.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each supporting
element comprises a horizontal supporting plate having a length,
measured parallel to the axes of the articles contained in the
hopper, exceeding twice the length of an article, and a width,
measured horizontally according to a direction horizontal and
perpendicular to the axes of the articles, substantially equal to
that of the lower portion of the dispensing mouth adjacent to it;
the upper surface of each supporting plate defining a plurality of
horizontal grooves, parallel to the axes of the articles contained
in the hopper, positioned below the lower ends of respective
channels of the overlying dispensing mouth, and having
substantially in section a substantially semi-circular shape with
concavity facing upwards and diameter substantially equal to that
of an article, and the upper surface of each groove being equipped
with a plurality of holes which can be placed in communication with
a suction source; each supporting plate, in use, being movable,
under the action of the motor means associated with it, with
alternating horizontal movement according to a direction parallel
to the axes of the articles.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each supporting
plate is movable, with alternating horizontal movement according to
a direction parallel to the axes of the articles, between two limit
stop positions; in a first of these positions each supporting plate
having a respective portion closest to the conveyor means
positioned below the unloading zone of the dispensing mouth, and in
a second of these positions each supporting plate having the
respective portion located between the unloading zone and the
conveyor means.
5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the grooves of each
supporting plate extend substantially along the entire length of
the supporting plate, in such a way as to affect both their parts
located below the unloading zone of the relative dispensing mouth
and their parts outside this zone.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each pick-up element
comprises a horizontal pick-up plate having a length, measured
parallel to the axes of the articles contained in the hopper,
substantially equal to the length of an article, and a width,
measured according to a direction horizontal and perpendicular to
the axes of the articles, substantially equal to that of a
supporting plate; the lower surface of each pick-up plate defining
a plurality of horizontal grooves, parallel to the axes of the
articles contained in the hopper, and having substantially in
section a substantially semi-circular shape with concavity facing
downwards and diameter substantially equal to that of an article,
and the lower surface of each groove of the pick-up plates being
equipped with a plurality of holes which can be placed in
communication with a suction source; each pick-up plate being able
to position itself, in use and under the action of the actuating
device above a corresponding supporting plate with perfect vertical
alignment between the respective grooves and in that arrangement
the communication being interrupted with a suction source of the
holes of the grooves of each supporting plate and the communication
being activated with a suction source of the holes of the grooves
of each pick-up plate.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pick-up plates
are connected to the actuating device using at least one
articulated arm.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor means
comprise a belt conveyor designed to support with a respective
upper transport branch the containers with equidistant positioning.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to an apparatus for filling
containers with rod-shaped articles.
[0002] More specifically, this invention addresses the tobacco
industry and has for an object an apparatus for filling containers,
in particular cardboard boxes, with rod-shaped articles consisting,
for example, of cigarettes, filters, filter tubes (tubes of paper
with a filter at one end and designed to be filled with tobacco by
the smoker).
[0003] Hereinafter in this description, reference is made to the
handling of rod-shaped articles consisting of cigarettes, without
thereby restricting the scope of the invention.
[0004] In apparatuses of known type for filling containers with
cigarettes, the groups of cigarettes to be packed are usually
formed using a vertical hopper into which the cigarettes are fed
through an opening at the top of it. The bottom portion of the
hopper is divided into a plurality of mouths arranged side by side
horizontally and each divided by a plurality of walls into
substantially vertical channels arranged side by side horizontally
and designed to receive respective stacks of cigarettes
reciprocally superposed. Groups of cigarettes, or layers which are
then placed on top of one another to form the groups, are pushed
axially out of the hopper in succession from the bottom of each
hopper mouth by suitable extractor elements which direct the groups
to a packing station.
[0005] In some cases, especially in apparatuses which operate at
high speed, extraction of the cigarettes from the hopper by axial
end thrust may damage the cigarettes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] This invention has for an aim to provide an apparatus for
filling containers with rod-shaped articles and which handles the
articles much more gently than apparatuses known in the prior
art.
[0007] The invention accordingly provides an apparatus for filling
containers with rod-shaped articles, as described in the appended
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The invention is described below with reference to the
accompanying drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting embodiment
of it, and in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an apparatus for filling
containers with rod-shaped articles, made according to this
invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus of FIG.
1;
[0011] FIGS. 3 and 4 are two schematic side views, partly in cross
section, showing a part of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 in
respective, different working situations; and
[0012] FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross section of some details of the
apparatus of the preceding figures.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The numeral 1 in FIG. 1
denotes in its entirety an apparatus for filling containers 8 with
rod-shaped articles, consisting for example of cigarettes 2.
[0013] The apparatus 1 comprises a vertical hopper 3 whose lower
portion is equipped with at least one mouth 4 for dispensing
cigarettes 2 and preferably subdivided into a plurality of mouths 4
positioned side by side horizontally (four in the embodiment
illustrated). Each mouth 4 is subdivided by a plurality of walls 5
substantially vertical and parallel to each other in a plurality of
substantially vertical channels 6 positioned side by side
horizontally, each of which is designed to accommodate internally a
stack 7 of cigarettes 2 reciprocally superposed;
[0014] Extractor elements, denoted in their entirety by the numeral
11 (FIGS. 2-4) extract layers 12 of cigarettes 2 in succession from
the bottom ends of the channels 6, at the bottom portion of each
mouth 4 of the hopper 3, these layers being then reciprocally
superposed inside containers 8 carried by a belt conveyor 9, which
directs the containers 8 to a further packing station of
essentially known type schematically represented as a block 10. For
reasons which will become clearer below, the belt conveyor 9 is
spaced from the hopper 3 by a length exceeding the length of a
cigarette 2.
[0015] The extractor elements 11 comprise, for each mouth 4 of the
hopper 3, a supporting element consisting of a horizontal plate 13
positioned, at a zone where the cigarettes 2 are unloaded from the
mouth 4, below the bottom portion of the mouth 4 itself, and is
connected to motor means (schematically represented as a block 13')
which are designed to impart horizontal alternating motion to the
plate along a direction F perpendicular to the feed direction A of
the upper transport branch 9' of the belt conveyor 9.
[0016] Each plate 13 has a length, measured along the direction A,
substantially equal to the length of a bottom portion of the mouth
4 adjacent to it, and a length, measured along the direction F,
exceeding twice the length of a cigarette 2. At the two limit stop
positions to which it is driven under the action of the respective
motor means and which are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each plate 13 has
a respective portion 14, closest to the belt conveyor 9, which is
greater in length than a cigarette 2 positioned below the
respective mouth 4 and, when extracted from the mouth 4 itself,
situated between the mouth 4 and the belt conveyor 9.
[0017] The upper surface of the plates 13 defines a plurality of
horizontal grooves 15 parallel to the direction F and having
substantially in section a substantially semi-circular shape with
concavity facing upwards and diameter substantially equal to that
of a cigarette 2. The grooves 15 extend substantially along the
entire length of the plates 13, in such a way as to affect the
parts of the plates located below the bottom portions of the mouths
4, as well as the parts of the plates outside these portions. The
transversal arrangement of the grooves 15 is such that each groove
15 is located exactly under the bottom end of a channel 6 and is
vertically aligned with the channel 6 itself. The upper surface of
each groove 15 is provided with a plurality of holes which can be
placed in communication with a suction source, not illustrated.
[0018] In the proximity of the belt conveyor 9 there is an
apparatus, denoted in its entirety by the numeral 17, for
transferring the layers 12 of cigarettes The transfer apparatus
essentially comprises a drive or actuating device of basically
known type, schematically represented as a block 17, designed to
move an articulated arm 18 (also of basically known type) connected
thereto at one end of it The other end of the articulated arm 18
supports, through the agency of a connecting bar 19, four pick-up
elements, each consisting of a plate 20.
[0019] In the embodiment of the apparatus 1 illustrated, there is
only one arm 18, but there might be two or more arms 18, for
example, positioned parallel to each other.
[0020] The plates 20, which are equal in number to the number of
mouths 4 of the hopper 3, are provided on their undersides (FIG. 5)
with a plurality of horizontal grooves 21 parallel to the direction
F and having in section a substantially semi-circular shape with
concavity facing downwards and diameter substantially equal to that
of a cigarette 2. The grooves 21 of each plate 20 are substantially
equal in length to the cigarettes 2 and their number and
transversal arrangement are the same as those of the aforementioned
grooves 15 of the plates 13, so that each plate 20, in use and as
will become clearer as this description continues, can be
positioned on top of a respective plate 13 in such a way that the
grooves 21 and the corresponding underlying grooves 15 are
perfectly aligned. In the same way as described above with
reference to the grooves 15, the lower surface of each groove 21 is
provided with a plurality of holes which can be placed in
communication with a suction source, not illustrated.
[0021] In use, when the apparatus 1 is in the operating situation
shown in FIG. 3, the lowermost cigarette 2 in each of the channels
6 of the mouths 4 of the hopper 3 rests on a groove 15 of a plate
13 occupying the position furthest away from the belt conveyor 9.
In this situation, each groove 15 holds down by suction the
cigarette 2 adjacent to it, thus preventing unwanted movements.
[0022] The motor means 13' then move the plates 13 along the
horizontal direction F and bring them to the position, shown in
FIG. 4, where they are closest to the belt conveyor 9. During this
movement of the plates 13, the cigarettes 2 resting on the grooves
15, and held down thereon by suction, are extracted from the
respective channels 6 and are carried out of the hopper 3 to form a
layer 12 of cigarettes 2 on each of the plates 13. As soon as the
cigarettes 2 have come away from the respective channels 6, other
cigarettes 2 move down the selfsame channels 6 onto the portions of
the grooves 15 located under the channels 6 themselves to form
further layers 12.
[0023] While the plates 13 dwell at that position, the actuating
device 17 moves the articulated arm 18 so as to bring a plate 20
above each plate 13 in such a way that the grooves 21 on the plates
20 are positioned in contact with respective cigarettes 2 carried
by the grooves 15 of the plates 13. The suction applied through the
grooves 15 is then switched off and the suction through the grooves
21 is switched on to "capture" the cigarettes 2 housed in the
grooves 15. The actuating device 17 then moves the articulated arm
18 again, taking the plates 20 and the cigarettes 2 held by the
plates 20 above respective containers 8 carried by the upper
transport branch 9' of the belt conveyor 9. Next, each layer 12 of
cigarettes 2 carried by a plate 20 is placed inside one of the
containers 8 when the suction applied through the grooves 21 is
switched off. The plates 20 are then moved away from the containers
8 by the actuating device 17 and the plates 13, after the
cigarettes 2 have been removed from the respective grooves 15 as
described above, are moved by the motor means 13' back to the
position initially considered, sliding under the cigarettes 2
waiting at the bottom of the channels 6.
[0024] The operations described above are then repeated to place
other layers 12 one after the other into each of the containers 8
until the containers 8 are completely full.
[0025] The belt conveyor 9 is then started in order to move the
full containers 8 away from the filling zone and to convey to that
zone the same number of empty containers 8 to be filled in their
turn.
[0026] From the foregoing, it is clear that in the apparatus 1, the
cigarettes 2 are extracted from the hopper 3 without applying any
axial thrust on the cigarettes 2 themselves and that when filling
the containers 8, the cigarettes 2 are handled very gently.
* * * * *