RU2228887C2 - Cigarette packing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: cigarette packing equipment. SUBSTANCE: machine comprises wrapping head 6 for locating sheet 6 of wrapping material and cigarette group 2, conveyer head 39 for cigarette group 2 movement to wrapping head and feeding device for sheet 3 conveying to wrapping head 6. Wrapping head 6 bends sheet 3 into U-shaped sheet around cigarette grouping for forming a pair of wings 14, 15 facing each other and extending transversely relative cigarette group. Conveyer head 39 has movable folding means 18 and control means, which actuates folding means 18 for bending the first wing on 90 deg. angle onto cigarette group 2. EFFECT: simplified structure, reduced manufacturing cost. 5 cl, 3 dwg

Description

The invention relates to a cigarette packaging machine.

In the description that follows, a specific reference, by way of example only, is to packaging production and, in particular, to a cigarette packaging machine that produces packs of cigarettes.

From German patent DE 19502562, a continuous machine is known for wrapping a set of cigarettes in a metal sheet, with each set having a section of packaging material as part of a continuous successive movement around the workstation. This machine comprises a wrapping wheel driven in constant rotation around a central axis and having a series of wrapping heads evenly distributed around a central axis. During rotation, the wheel moves each head along the path of the wrapping through the feed section, where the head receives a sheet of wrapping material and an appropriate set of cigarettes to bend the sheet of wrapping material around the cigarette set into a U-shape so that two opposing wings protrude across the cigarette set. A bending device supported by a wrapping head close to the corresponding wrapping head bends the first of two wings 90 ° to a set of cigarettes and then bends the second wing 90 ° to a set of cigarettes and partially to the first wing by means of an additional bending device located along the wrapping path.

In continuously operating machines of the above type, each wrapping head, when used, swings about a radial position relative to the central axis of rotation of the wheel, so that the head remains facing the feed section and / or bending device long enough to complete the corresponding operation. In this regard, the above-described packaging machine is relatively expensive due to the complex design of the wrapping heads, which, in addition to being able to rotate about a radial position, must also support a movable bending device.

An object of the present invention is to provide a packaging machine that eliminates the aforementioned drawback and which, therefore, is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

This technical problem is solved due to the fact that in a packaging machine for wrapping a set of cigarettes in a sheet of wrapping material containing a wrapping head for placing a sheet of wrapping material and a set of cigarettes in it, a conveying head for moving the set of cigarettes to the wrapping head in the supply area, and a delivery A device for moving a sheet of wrapping material to a wrapping head in which a sheet of wrapping material is bent into a U-shape around a set of cigarettes, according to the invention, I transport the second head comprises a movable bending device and control means for actuating the movable bending device to bend at least one part of the sheet of wrapping material into a set of cigarettes in a supply portion, wherein the sheet of wrapping material is bent into a U-shape around the set cigarettes, has a pair of wings facing each other and protruding across from the set of cigarettes, the control means actuates a movable bending device to bend the first wing of the pair of wings by 90 ° N Set of cigarettes.

Preferably, the machine comprises a bending device mounted in a stationary position relative to the machine for bending the second wing from a pair of wings by 90 ° to the product and partially to the first wing.

Preferably, the machine comprises a wrapping conveyor for moving the wrapping head along the endless first wrapping path and a feeding conveyor for moving the feeding head along the endless second trajectory, substantially tangent to the first wrapping path in the feed section.

Preferably, the wrapping conveyor and the conveying conveyor are continuous conveyors, the conveying conveyor comprises first means for swinging the conveying head about the first axis relative to the conveying conveyor, and the wrapping conveyor comprises second control means for swinging the wrapping head relative to the wrapping conveyor about the second conveyor about the second axis parallel to the first axis, and about position perpendicular to the first path of the wrapping.

Preferably, the feed device is located upstream of the feed portion in the direction of movement of the wrapping head.

The invention will now be described in more detail in a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 is a schematic partial front view of a preferred embodiment of a machine according to the present invention with parts removed for clarity,

FIG. 2 - part of the machine of FIG. 1 in two different operating positions,

FIG. 3 is another part of the machine of FIG. 1 in two different operating positions.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an automatic cigarette packing machine that makes packs of cigarettes (not shown) and in which a set of 2 cigarettes is first wrapped in a sheet of foil wrapping material 3 and then inserted into a blank (not shown) that is folded around a set of 2 cigarettes for the formation of a pack (not shown) of cigarettes.

The packaging machine 1 comprises a wrapping wheel 4, which continuously rotates (clockwise in FIG. 1) around a central axis 5 perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1, and has peripheral wrapping heads 6 evenly distributed around axis 5 and moving along a closed, substantially circular trajectory of wrapping P1 when the wheel 4 rotates around axis 5. Each head 6 has a slot 7 for receiving and initially moving the corresponding wrapping sheet 3 material, bent essentially in a U-shape, and then the corresponding set of 2 cigarettes, which are wrapped in a sheet 3 of wrapping material.

Each set 2 of cigarettes is limited to a space essentially in the form of a parallelepiped with a pair of parallel large side surfaces 8 and a pair of parallel small side surfaces 9 perpendicular to the surfaces 8. In addition, this space contains two longitudinally opposite ends 10 and a central part 11 located between these longitudinally opposite ends 10.

The first portion P2 of the path P1 passes through the feed portion S1 having a known feed device 12 (shown only partially) for feeding into the socket 7 of each head 6 a corresponding sheet 3 of wrapping material that is folded inside the socket 7 into a U-shape. In addition, section 31 contains an additional feeding device 13 located after the device 12 in the direction of movement of the wrapping heads 6 along the path P1 and supplying the socket 7 of each head 6 with a corresponding set of 2 cigarettes, which are inserted into the corresponding sheet 3 of wrapping material bent into a U-shape shape and after insertion of set 2 having two opposing wings 14 and 15 protruding transversely from set 2.

The first section P2 of the path P1 also passes through the bending section S2, where the wings 14 and 15 of the sheet of wrapping material 3 are bent 90 ° by set 2 and on top of each other to form a tubular wrapper 16 having two opposite open ends 17. More specifically, the wing 14 is bent 90 ° to set 2 using bending device 18, which moves along a portion of trajectory P1 passing through section S2, and wing 15 is folded 90 ° to set 2 and partially to wing 14 using bending device 19 mounted in a fixed relative position but 4-wheel drive.

The second portion P3 of the path P1, located after the first portion P2 in the direction of movement of the wrapping heads 6, extends through the bending portion S3, where the opposite open ends 17 of the tubular wrapper 16 are bent onto a set 2 using a bending device 20 mounted in a fixed position relative to the wheel 4, to complete the folding of the sheet 3 of wrapping material around the set 2 and, therefore, the formation of a closed wrapper 21.

Finally, the wrapping path P1 extends through the discharge section S4, where the wrappers 21 are sequentially removed from the respective slots 7 on the wrapping wheel 4 and fed to known subsequent wrapping devices (not shown) of the machine 1.

Each wrapping head 6 is pivotally connected to the wheel 4 and can swing relative to the wheel 4 around an axis 22 parallel to the axis 5, using a known control device 23 with a copier and swing arm, in which the corresponding wrapping head 6 is the central part of the end swing arm 24, whose shoulder is formed by the corresponding socket 7.

The control device 23 provides the location of the head 6 essentially perpendicular to the path of wrapping P1 in its first section P2. More specifically, during the movement of the head 6 through the sections S1 and S2, the control device 23 allows each wrapping head 6 to swing around a corresponding axis 22 and about a perpendicular position relative to the path P1 for interacting with the feeding devices 12 and 13 and with the bending device 19.

In addition, the control device 23 enables the head 6 to be mounted in a stationary position substantially parallel to the path for wrapping P1 in the second portion P3 of the path P1, so that the head 6 interacts with the bending device 20 along the path P1.

The feed device 12 comprises a gear wheel (not shown) driven continuously by rotation around a fixed central axis (not shown) parallel to axis 5 and having peripheral, essentially trapezoidal bending fingers 25 (only one finger is shown). Each bending finger 25 enables the extraction of a corresponding sheet of wrapping material 3 from a known feeding device (not shown) and feeding the sheet of wrapping material 3 folded into a U-shape into a corresponding slot 7 in the feeding portion 31. During insertion of the wrapping sheet 3, the corresponding the finger 25 and the socket 7 respectively act like a punch and a matrix and provide optimal folding of the sheet 3 of wrapping material into a U-shape inside the socket 7.

The socket 7 of each head 6 is formed by a lower wall 26, fixed relative to the head 6, and two side walls 27, which are pivotally attached to the opposite edges of the wall 26 and can oscillate around the corresponding axes parallel to the axis 22, between the open position and the closed position using a known copier a control device (not shown). In the open position, both side walls 27 of each socket 7 form an obtuse angle with the bottom wall 26, while the socket 7 in cross section has the shape of an isosceles trapezoid, back reproducing the shape of the bending fingers 25; and in the closed position, the two side walls 27 of each receptacle 7 form a substantially right angle with the bottom wall 26, with the receptacle 7 having a rectangular cross section substantially the same size as the cigarette pack 2 to completely capture the pack 2, i.e. e. both for the central part II, and for the longitudinally located ends 10.

The inner surfaces of the walls 26 and 27 have a series of holes (not shown) connected to a known suction device (not shown) on the wrapping wheel 4.

The feed device 13 comprises a continuous conveyor 28 (partially shown) for moving a series of slots 29 along a path P4 through a known loading section (not shown), where a set of 2 cigarettes is formed or transferred to a corresponding slot 29 (in a known manner not shown), and through a feeding section S1, where a set of 2 cigarettes is transferred from the slot 29 to the corresponding slot 7 using an additional movable slot 30, which is supported by the transmission pulley 31 of the conveyor 28 and ensures the removal of the set 2 from the slot 29 and its supply into socket 7.

The conveyor 28 contains the known flexible gear belt 32 (partially shown in Fig. 1), which moves along the path P4 using a pulley 31, which contains a gear central shaft 33, continuously rotating (counterclockwise in Fig. 1) around the central axis 34, parallel to axis 5, and two sides 35 (only one side is shown in FIG. 1), coaxial with axis 34.

In addition, the conveyor 28 contains a number of devices 36 installed at the same interval along the belt 32. Each device 36 contains a corresponding socket 29, which has a longitudinal dimension (perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1) smaller than that of set 2, and a rectangular section with essentially the same transverse dimensions as that of the set 2, to grab the set 2 by its Central part 11, leaving essentially corresponding longitudinally opposite ends 10.

Each device 36 is provided with a holding device 37 containing two grippers 38 that are connected to the tape 32 and which can swing between the capture position on straight sections of the tape 32 and the release position on the curved sections (only one section shown) of the tape 32.

Two sides 35 (only one side is shown in FIG. 1) support a number of peripheral heads 39 (only one head is shown in FIG. 1), evenly distributed around axis 34 and mounted to rotate around respective axis 40, parallel to axis 34. Each the head 39 contains two gripping devices 41, which together form a corresponding socket 30 for gripping the corresponding set 2 at the respective ends 10.

Each gripper 41 comprises two relatively thin L-shaped portions 42 that lie in the same plane perpendicular to the axis 40 and which are movable relative to each other and in the indicated plane between the release position and the capture position (shown in FIG. 1), in which the parts 42 form a tubular seat 43 with an axis parallel to the axis 34, and with a rectangular section approximately equal to the cross section of the set 2, but not more than it.

Each head 39 is equipped with a known control and actuator with a copier and a swing arm (not shown), which is placed between the two sides 35 and which, when the pulley 31 rotates around the axis 34, controls the angular position of the socket 30 around the axis 40 and between the loading position, in which the socket 30 converges with the corresponding socket 29 for removing the cigarette set 2 from the socket 29, and the discharge position, in which the socket 30 converges with the corresponding socket 7 for transferring the cigarette set 2 to the socket 7.

The control and actuating device with a copier and a swinging lever, in addition, controls the position and configuration of each gripper 41 between the open position, in which two tubular sockets 43 of the same head 39 are separated by a distance greater than the length of the corresponding set of 2 cigarettes, and in a closed position in which two tubular sockets 43 of the same head 39 form a corresponding socket 30 and grab a corresponding set of 2 cigarettes at the ends 10.

Each head 39 contains a corresponding bending device 18, which in turn contains a roller 44 pivotally mounted between the sides 35 for swinging around the corresponding axis 40 relative to the sides 35 and the corresponding gripping devices 41. Each roller 44 is pivotally supported by a bending device 45, which is made with the possibility swing relative to the roller 44 around the axis 46 parallel to the axis 40, using the known epicyclic control device 47, which also controls the swing of the roller 44 around the axis 40.

The bending device 19 includes a roller 48, driven in continuous rotation around the axis 49, parallel to the axis 5, and pivotally supporting the bending device 50, which is arranged to swing relative to the roller 48 about the axis 51, parallel to the axis 49, using a known epicyclic control device 52.

The bending device 20 comprises a pair of fixed spiral bending elements 53 parallel to the path of wrapping P1 and located on each side of it to interact with the respective ends 17 of each tubular wrapper 16 and bend them when the corresponding wrapping head 6 moves along the path P1.

Now, the operation of the machine 1 will be described with reference to one wrapping head 6 and from the point in time at which the head 6 leaves the unloading section S4 and the wheel 4 rotating around axis 5 moves towards the feed section S1.

As already noted, in the first portion P2 of the wrapping path P1, the control device 23 sets and supports the wrapping head 6 in a position substantially transverse to the path P1.

When the head 6 moves through the feeding portion S1, the socket 7 is moved apart to the indicated open position, and the corresponding finger 25 of the feeding device 12, as previously described, feeds the corresponding sheet 3 of wrapping material, which is folded into a U-shape inside the socket 7 and held therein using the specified suction device (not shown).

Then, the feeding device 13 feeds into the slot 7 a corresponding set of 2 cigarettes, which are inserted inside the corresponding sheet 3 of the wrapping material, and after inserting the set 2, two wings 14 and 15 of the sheet of wrapping material are opposite each other and protrude across from the set 2.

To feed the kit 2 into the slot 7, the grippers 41 of the corresponding slot 30 are set to the indicated open and release position, and the slot 30 is rotated around the corresponding axis 40 to move and remain in a position in which it essentially coincides with the corresponding socket 29 and in which the gripping devices 41 of the socket 30 move to the specified closed and exciting positions to capture a set of 2 cigarettes supported by the socket 29. At the same time, the curve into the trajectory and P4 provides movement of the holding device 37 in the seat 29 said release position so that the set 3 of cigarettes remained under control slot 30.

At this point, the socket 30 is rotated around its own axis 40 to remove the cigarette pack 2 from the slot 29 and feed the kit 2 into the slot 7, which during the continuous rotation of the wrapping wheel 4 moves through the feed section S1 when the side walls 27 are in the indicated open position and with sheet 3 of wrapping material bent inside into a U-shape.

The socket 7 and the socket 30 are rotated around the respective axes 22 and 40 in order to move and remain in a substantially coincident position during this time interval, in which the side walls 27 of the socket 7 are moved to the specified closed position to capture the set of 2 cigarettes and at the same time to complete the folding sheet 3 of wrapping material in a U-shape around a set of 2 cigarettes.

During this time interval, socket 7 with a sheet of wrapping material 3 covers both a set of 2 cigarettes and parts 42 of the gripping devices 41 of the socket 30, which is possible due to the small thickness of the parts 42 of the gripping devices 41.

After capturing the cigarette pack 2 by the slot 7, the gripping devices 41 of the receptacle 30 are moved to the indicated open position so that the parts 42 release the cigarette pack 2 in the longitudinal direction with respect to the cigarette pack 2, however remaining in the locked position.

As shown in FIG. 2, simultaneously with the release of the kit by 2 parts 42, the control device 47 drives the corresponding bending device 18 to rotate the corresponding roller 44 about the axis 40 so that the corresponding bending device 45 bends the wing 14 of the sheet 3 of wrapping material 90 ° by set 2.

At the end of the aforementioned release and bending operations, the sockets 30 and 7 move away from the indicated substantially coincident position; the socket 30 is returned to its original position, and the socket 7 is moved through the bending section S2 by a wheel 4 rotating around axis 5.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the seat 7 moves through the bending section S2, the rotation of the roller 48 about the axis 49 and the simultaneous rotation of the bending device 50 around the axis 51 cause the device 50 to bend the wing 15 of the sheet 3 of wrapping material 90 ° by set 2 and partially onto bent wing 14, completing the formation of a tubular wrapper 16.

At the end of the aforementioned folding operation, the wrapping head 6 moves along the second portion P3 of the wrapping path P1 and, as indicated, by means of the control device 23 is mounted and held in a stationary position, essentially parallel to the path P1.

When the socket 7 of the wrapping head 6 moves through the bending section S3, the opposite ends 17 of the tubular wrapper 16 interact with the corresponding bending elements 53, which, when moving the socket 7 along the path P1, bend the ends 17 to set 2, completing the formation of the wrapper 21.

Finally, the socket 7 moves through the discharge section S4, where the wrapper 21 is removed from the socket 7 and supplied to the known subsequent wrapping devices (not shown) of the machine 1. The above operations are repeated cyclically.

Claims (5)

1. A packaging machine for wrapping a set of cigarettes in a sheet of wrapping material, comprising a wrapping head for inserting a sheet of wrapping material and a set of cigarettes in it, a conveying head for moving the set of cigarettes to the wrapping head in a feed portion, and a feeding device for moving the sheet of wrapping material to the wrapping head in which the sheet of wrapping material is bent into a U-shape around a set of cigarettes, characterized in that the conveying head contains a movable bending device and control means for actuating the movable bending device to bend at least one part of the sheet of wrapping material into a set of cigarettes in a supply portion, wherein the sheet of wrapping material bent into a U-shape around the set of cigarettes has a pair of wings facing to each other and protruding across from the set of cigarettes, the control means actuates a movable bending device for folding the first wing from a pair of wings 90 ° into a set of cigarettes. 2. The machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a bending device installed in a stationary position relative to the machine for bending the second wing from a pair of wings by 90 ° to the product and partially to the first wing. 3. Machine according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it comprises a wrapping conveyor for moving the wrapping head along the endless first wrapping path and a feeding conveyor for moving the feeding head along the endless second trajectory, essentially tangent to the first wrapping path in the section filing. 4. The machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the wrapping conveyor and the feeding conveyor are continuous conveyors, the feeding conveyor comprises first means for swinging the conveying head about a first axis relative to the feeding conveyor, and the wrapping conveyor comprises second control means for swinging the wrapping head relative to the wrapping the conveyor around the second axis parallel to the first axis, and about a position perpendicular to the first path of the wrapping. 5. Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the feeding device is located up to the feeding section in the direction of movement of the wrapping head.

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