U.S. patent application number 16/516557 was filed with the patent office on 2021-01-21 for apparatus, system, and method for filling of rod-shaped articles in packaging.
This patent application is currently assigned to Aiger Group AG. The applicant listed for this patent is Aiger Group AG. Invention is credited to Ivan IKOV, Dimitar YANCHEV, Kaloyan YANCHEV.
Application Number | 20210016908 16/516557 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004204105 |
Filed Date | 2021-01-21 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20210016908 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
YANCHEV; Dimitar ; et
al. |
January 21, 2021 |
APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR FILLING OF ROD-SHAPED ARTICLES IN
PACKAGING
Abstract
An apparatus, system, and method which may facilitate the
placing of rod-like articles, such as cigarettes, into waiting
packaging, including a space into which articles may be inserted,
this space described by a base and a plurality of side walls. A
sheet of deformable material may then be secured to the apparatus,
such as by vacuum force provided via vacuum openings located in the
side walls, to further bound the space and provide support for the
articles contained therein while the apparatus is transported or
reoriented during the packaging method.
Inventors: |
YANCHEV; Dimitar; (Plovdiv,
BG) ; IKOV; Ivan; (Plovdiv, BG) ; YANCHEV;
Kaloyan; (Plovdiv, BG) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Aiger Group AG |
Zug |
|
CH |
|
|
Assignee: |
Aiger Group AG
Zug
CH
|
Family ID: |
1000004204105 |
Appl. No.: |
16/516557 |
Filed: |
July 19, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 19/12 20130101;
B65B 19/025 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65B 19/02 20060101
B65B019/02; B65B 19/12 20060101 B65B019/12 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for filling of rod-shaped articles in packaging
comprising: a bottom member, a plurality of side walls having a top
end and a bottom end and defining a cavity therein, the top end or
bottom end pivotally connected to the bottom member, the side walls
having an interior side and an exterior side, a plurality of vacuum
openings, which are connectable to a vacuum source and located at
the top end and/or exterior side of one or more of the side walls,
a sheet of deformable material located above the bottom part and
secured by the plurality of vacuum openings.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bottom member is comprised
of a stationary part and a means for discharging articles contained
in the space from the apparatus.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the means for discharging is a
movable surface which can be actuated such to exert force upon
articles contained within the space.
4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sheet of deformable
material may be discharged from the apparatus in addition to
articles contained in the space.
5. A method for filling of rod-shaped articles in packaging
comprising: placing at least one rod-shaped article into a tray of
a carrier apparatus; placing a sheet of deformable material over
the tray of the carrier apparatus; securing the sheet of deformable
material to the carrier apparatus; reorienting the carrier
apparatus such that the articles contained therein are supported by
the sheet of deformable material; depositing the contents of the
carrier apparatus and the sheet of deformable material into a
packaging element.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of securing the sheet of
deformable material comprises applying vacuum suction.
7. The method of claim 5 further comprising a step of folding the
sheet of deformable material about at least one edge of the carrier
apparatus.
8. The method of claim 5 wherein the carrier apparatus pushes the
articles contained in the tray into the packaging element.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The production of smokers' goods in the tobacco industry
generally requires the manufacture of various rod-shaped articles.
Such rod-shaped articles may be filtered or filter-less cigarettes,
cigarette filter portions, cigarillos, cigars, and other, similar
articles. The cigarette production process often involves first
manufacturing the rod-shaped articles, combining them with other
rod-shaped articles if necessary (for example a cigarette portion
and a filter portion), and then processing the rod-shaped articles
and packaging them.
[0002] One popular method of packaging cigarettes is the use of
shoulder boxes. These boxes are normally made from stiff cardboard
and feature a hinged lid connected to the box. Cigarettes typically
lie flat therein, usually in two layers one above the other.
Packing loose cigarettes in such a container, especially at high
speeds, presents a unique set of problems.
[0003] Information relevant to attempts to address these problems
can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,325,382. However, this reference
suffers from disadvantages such as speed limitations and article
orientation errors as the result of articles falling improperly
into the waiting packaging. As a result, the process may require
additional steps to complete the packaging of the articles before
the box can be closed and sealed.
[0004] Thus, the disclosure described herein resolves such
limitations and establishes an overall improvement over gravity-fed
packaging systems for rod-shaped articles.
SUMMARY
[0005] In one exemplary embodiment, an apparatus which may
facilitate the placing of rod-like articles, such as cigarettes,
into waiting packaging, which includes a space in which articles
may be inserted, this space described by a base, a plurality of
side walls, and a sheet of deformable material which is secured to
the apparatus such as by vacuum force provided via vacuum openings
located in the side walls.
[0006] In another exemplary embodiment, a method by which rod-like
articles, such as cigarettes, may be placed into a packaging
element, which includes placing said articles into the space of an
apparatus, placing a sheet of deformable material or a packaging
element in such a way to form an additional boundary to this space,
securing this deformable sheet to the apparatus, such as by vacuum
force, reorienting the apparatus such that the articles are
supported by this deformable sheet, and placing the articles and/or
the deformable sheet into a waiting packaging element.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0007] Advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be
apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary
embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals
indicate like elements, in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is an exemplary embodiment of a machine configured to
facilitate the placement of rod-shaped articles into a packaging
element
[0009] FIG. 2A is a view of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus
for filling rod-shaped articles into a packaging element.
[0010] FIG. 2B is a view of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus
for filling rod-shaped articles into packaging showing a possible
placement of the sheet of deformable material
[0011] FIG. 3A is a view of another exemplary embodiment of an
apparatus for filling rod-shaped articles into packaging utilizing
a means for discharging articles from the apparatus.
[0012] FIG. 3B is a cross sectional view of another exemplary
embodiment of an apparatus for filling rod-shaped articles into
packaging utilizing a means for discharging articles from the
apparatus along line A-A.
[0013] FIG. 4 is an exemplary diagram of a method by which
rod-shaped articles may be placed in waiting packaging.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] Aspects of the invention are disclosed in the following
description and related drawings directed to specific embodiments
of the invention. Alternate embodiments may be devised without
departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention.
Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the
invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as
not to obscure the relevant details of the invention. Further, to
facilitate an understanding of the description discussion of
several terms used herein follows.
[0015] As used herein, the word "exemplary" means "serving as an
example, instance or illustration." The embodiments described
herein are not limiting, but rather are exemplary only. It should
be understood that the described embodiments are not necessarily to
be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.
Moreover, the terms "embodiments of the invention", "embodiments"
or "invention" do not require that all embodiments of the invention
include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation.
[0016] Throughout the current description of the invention commonly
accepted terms may be utilized. For example, "vacuum" may be
understood as the application of differences in air pressure to
apply forces to objects, including, but not limited to, partial
vacuums and complete vacuums.
[0017] Turning to FIG. 1, there is provided an exemplary embodiment
of an assembly line 100 configured to fill rod-shaped articles into
a packaging element. A conveyor system 161, for example, may be
coupled to the apparatus 200 and thus may move the apparatus 200,
may position the apparatus 200 with in relation to other systems
that may act upon it, and may manipulate the apparatus's 200
orientation in space. A vane-based feeding system 111, for example,
may be coupled with a push rod 112 in order to place rod-shaped
articles into the apparatus 200. A vacuum transport belt 121, for
example, may be used to position a sheet of deformable material 240
in relation to the apparatus 200 such that, in one possible
embodiment, a folding ram 131 may be used to push the sheet of
deformable material 240 against the apparatus. In doing so, the
pushing ram 122 may also thus fold the sheet of deformable material
240 about one or more edge of the apparatus 240. The assembly line
may also include a detection element, such as a camera 152,
configured to evaluate the resulting placement of a sheet of
deformable material 240 on or about the apparatus 200. The assembly
line may also include one or more discharge stations 151, at which
stations the rod-shaped articles and/or the sheet of deformable
material 240 may be discharged from the apparatus 200. A discharge
station 151 may be configured to, in one possible embodiment,
discharge the rod-shaped articles and/or the sheet of deformable
material 240 into a waiting packaging element, or in another
possible embodiment, discharge the same from the assembly line,
such as when an undesirable configuration of articles or sheet 240
is detected.
[0018] Turning now to FIG. 2A, there is provided an exemplary
embodiment of an apparatus 200 for the filling of rod-shaped
articles, such as cigarettes, into packaging. The apparatus may
include a bottom part 201, a plurality of side walls 210, and a
cavity described by the same in which rod-like articles may be
placed. A plurality of vacuum openings may be located on the
exterior side 230 of a given side wall 210 and/or on the top end
231 of a given side wall 210. These vacuum openings may be in fluid
connection with a vacuum source 202.
[0019] Turning now to FIG. 2B, there is provided a further
exemplary embodiment of an apparatus 200 for the filling of
rod-shaped articles into packaging which may include a sheet of
deformable material 240 which may be placed with or folded about
the apparatus 200. This deformable sheet 240 may additionally be
secured to the apparatus 200, such as, in one possible embodiment,
through vacuum suction provided by the vacuum source 202 through
the plurality of vacuum openings 230.
[0020] Turning now to FIGS. 3A-3B, there is provided a further
exemplary embodiment of an apparatus 200 for the filling of
rod-shaped articles into packaging which may include a means for
discharging articles contained within the apparatus 200 and/or a
deformable sheet 240 from the apparatus. In one possible
embodiment, the bottom part 201 may consist of both a stationary
portion 351 and a movable surface 352. This movable surface 352 may
be actuated, such as by a plunger-type actuator 350, in order to
exert a force upon the articles contained within the apparatus 200
and/or the sheet of deformable material 240 such as to discharge
the same from the apparatus 200.
[0021] Turning to FIG. 4, there is provided an exemplary embodiment
of a method 400 for the filling of rod-shaped articles, such as
cigarettes, into packaging. The method may include placing 410
rod-shaped articles into an apparatus 200, positioning 420 a sheet
of deformable material 240 with the apparatus 200 and above the
bottom part 201, folding 430 the sheet of deformable material 240
about one or more edges of the apparatus 200, securing 440 the
sheet of deformable material 240 to the apparatus, reorienting 460
the apparatus 200 such that the articles contained therein are
supported by the sheet of deformable material 240, and discharging
450 the rod-shaped articles contained within the apparatus 200
and/or the sheet of deformable material 240 from the apparatus 200
such as to place the same within a packaging element or such as to
remove the same from the system.
[0022] The foregoing description and accompanying figures
illustrate the principles, preferred embodiments and modes of
operation of the invention. However, the invention should not be
construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed
above. Additional variations of the embodiments discussed above
will be appreciated by those skilled in the art (for example,
features associated with certain configurations of the invention
may instead be associated with any other configurations of the
invention, as desired).
[0023] Therefore, the above-described embodiments should be
regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Accordingly, it
should be appreciated that variations to those embodiments can be
made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope
of the invention as defined by the following claims.
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