Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
  • B65B25/06—Packaging slices or specially-shaped pieces of meat, cheese, or other plastic or tacky products
  • B65B25/068—Packaging slices or specially-shaped pieces of meat, cheese, or other plastic or tacky products of cheese
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B13/00—Bundling articles
  • B65B13/02—Applying and securing binding material around articles or groups of articles, e.g. using strings, wires, strips, bands or tapes
  • B65B13/04—Applying and securing binding material around articles or groups of articles, e.g. using strings, wires, strips, bands or tapes with means for guiding the binding material around the articles prior to severing from supply
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
  • B65B51/04—Applying separate sealing or securing members, e.g. clips
  • B65B51/06—Applying adhesive tape

Definitions

• This invention relates to a machine for applying a sealing band to the lateral surface of a container body.
• the container body is a carton containing portions of a pasty food product, especially in the form of processed cheese.
• Seal banding machines are known in the prior art which are designed to apply a sealing band to the circular lateral surface of a container body for holding portions of processed cheese.
• prior art seal banding machines operate with alternating or continuous motion.
• the seal banding machines that operate with continuous motion comprise means which apply the sealing band to the lateral surface of a carton and which have a surface for retaining and supporting the sealing band, and means designed to rotate the container body while the latter' s lateral surface engages the peripheral surface of the means which apply the sealing band.
• prior art seal banding machines basically comprise a sealing band application wheel having a peripheral surface which holds the sealing band web by one of the latter's faces while the opposite face of the sealing band, on which glue has been spread, engages the outside profile of the container body, in turn carried by a star wheel above it mounted, together with similar star wheels for corresponding container bodies, on a corresponding carousel rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the application wheel.
• a wateiy glue is used to prevent the glue from drying in the event of a machine shutdown which would mean the glue cannot stick the sealing band to the carton when the machine resumes operation.
• This type of glue tends to saturate the sealing band, making it more liable to tear when subjected to the pulling action of the machine, in turn making it necessary to scrap a certain number of cartons, with further machine shutdowns to remove the defective cartons, and with obvious disadvantages in terms of economic loss.
• the application wheel turns at a constant speed and is movable radially relative to the carousel so it can remain tangent to the carton as the latter is made to rotate about the axis of rotation of the carousel.
• the outfeed side of the application wheel is provided with a brush which engages and compresses the sealing band against the carton as the latter continues to turn in order to make the trailing end of the sealing band overlap the leading end of the sealing band, which is already glued to the lateral surface of the carton and also to stretch the sealing band to remove creases or other application flaws caused by the slight difference between the tangential speed of the application wheel and that of the carton carried by the carousel.
• This invention proposes a novel solution, alternative to the solutions known up to now, and/or, more specifically, aims to overcome one or more of the above mentioned drawbacks, and/or to meet one or more of the above mentioned needs.
• a seal banding machine designed to apply a sealing band to the lateral surface of a container body, in particular constituting a carton containing portions of a pasty food product, especially in the form of processed cheese; the machine comprising means for applying the sealing band to the lateral surface of a carton and having a surface for retaining and supporting the sealing band, means for rotating the container body against the peripheral surface of the means that apply the sealing band; and being characterized in that it further comprises means for spreading an adhesive on the sealing band and located at the means that apply the sealing band.
• the adhesive can be applied only when the sealing band is about to be used so that adhesive is not applied on a large amount of sealing band material when the machine come to a stop in the event of a shutdown. It is therefore possible to use adhesive that does not weaken the resistance of the sealing band.
• Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a container sealed by the seal banding machine
• Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the seal banding machine
• FIG. 3 is a schematic top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the seal banding machine in a condition where it applies the adhesive and the tear string to the sealing band;
• Figure 4 is a schematic top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the seal banding machine in a condition where it is starting to apply the sealing band to the container body;
• Figure 5 is a schematic top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the seal banding machine in a condition where it cuts the sealing band on the means for applying the sealing band;
• Figure 6 is a schematic top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the seal banding machine in a condition where it cuts the tear string on the means for applying the sealing band;
• Figure 7 is a schematic top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the seal banding machine in a condition where it is completing application of the sealing band to the container body.
• a preferred embodiment 1 of the seal banding machine is illustrated in Figure 2.
• the seal banding machine 1 is designed to apply a sealing band B to the lateral surface Al l of a container body A, illustrated in Figure 1, with a circular profile, in particular constituting a carton for containing portions of a pasty food product, especially processed cheese.
• the carton A provided with the sealing band B is, as illustrated in Figure 1, composed of a first and a second opposed half-shells Al, A2, which face each other in such a way as to form a chamber for housing the product or processed cheese portions.
• the half-shells Al, A2 have respective flat faces A12, A13, from which corresponding perpendicular portions extend to engage with each other and together form the circular perimeter wall Al 1 of the carton which, along its centre line has a perimeter slot to be covered with a sealing band B, or strip, of paper or other material wound round, and fixed by adhesive to, the lateral wall Al 1, in such a way as to form retaining means for holding the two half-shells Al, A2 together.
• the sealing band B might, as illustrated here, have respective end portions B' and B" which overlap for a certain stretch.
• the sealing band B may, as illustrated here, be provided with a tear string
• the seal banding machine 1 comprises a mounting frame 10 for means 11 for applying the sealing band B to the lateral surface All of a carton A, the application means 11 being in the form of means which are able to rotate about a vertical axis XI 1 and which have an outside circumferential surface 111 for retaining and supporting the sealing band B.
• This seal banding apparatus or machine 1 further comprises means 12 for rotating the container body A in such a way that the respective lateral surface Al 1 engages the peripheral surface 111 of the means 11 for applying the sealing band B, in order to transfer the sealing band B from the application means 11 by causing its adhesive coated face BE to adhere to the outside circumferential face Al 1 of the container body.
• the means for applying the sealing band are in the form of a wheel which is rotatable in an angular direction Rl l and which comprises a circular body 111a forming the cylindrical peripheral surface 111 for supporting, or retaining, the sealing band B and a plurality of radial spokes 111b joining the cylindrical surface 111 to a respective hub associated with a central rotary shaft 111c.
• the means 12 for supporting and feeding the container body A in turn comprise means 121 for bilaterally engaging the faces A12 and A13 of the container body, these means 121 being designed to rotate and cause the container body to rotate in an angular direction indicated by the arrow R121 about a respective axis of revolution XI 21 and being supported on a body 122 that is rotatable in an angular direction indicated by the arrow R122 about a respective axis X122.
• the bilateral engagement means 121 comprise a first and a second opposite plates 121 ', 121" which engage the top face A12 and the bottom face A13 of the 5 carton A, respectively.
• the rotatable element or carousel 122 has a central shaft 122b supporting and rotating shaft from which there extend a plurality of radial arms 122a, supporting a corresponding bush 121 'a for mounting a respective rotary spindle 121a for rotating the top plates 121 ' of the means 121 for engaging and rotating l o the container body A.
• the bottom plates 121" of the means 121 for engaging and rotating the container body A are mounted, rotatably about an axis which is coaxial with the axis X121, on a corresponding plate 123 which is integral with the central mounting shaft 122b of the carousel 122.
• the carousel, or rotatable supporting element, 122 comprises four rotatable arms 122a, mounting on the ends of them respective housings 121 'a for supporting and rotating the spindles 121a of the means for rotating the container bodies A, and is rotatable with continuous, constant motion about the respective axis of rotation XI 22, parallel with the axis of rotation XI 1 of the 20 means 11 for applying the sealing band B and with the axes XI 21 of rotation or revolution of the container bodies.
• the means 121 for rotating the container bodies A are rotatable with continuous, constant motion about a respective vertical axis X121, parallel with the axis of rotation X122 of the rotatable carousel 122 and, hence 25 with the axis of rotation XI 1 of the means 11 for applying the sealing band B.
• the container body A which is rotatable about the axis of revolution X121, advances simultaneously along a circumferential path having centre of rotation X122, and with its entire peripheral surface comes into contact with a portion of the circumferential surface 111 of the sealing band holder means 30 11, picldng up from the latter the sealing band B.
• the means 11 for applying the sealing band B advance, or rotate, with continuous motion that is suitably controlled by respective means for controlling the angular speed of the means 11 for applying the sealing band B, in such a way that the tangential, or peripheral, speed of the surface 111 for retaining 35 and supporting the sealing band of the means 11 for applying the sealing band is suitably coordinated with the tangential, or peripheral, speed of the container body A at the point of mutual contact.
• means are provided for varying the angular speed of the means 11 for applying the sealing band B, in such a way that the tangential speed of the surface 111 for retaining and supporting the sealing band B can be varied according to the tangential, or peripheral, speed of the lateral surface Al 1 of the container body A at the point of mutual contact.
• the application wheel 11 has a respective rotational drive shaft driven by an electric motor, in particular a brushless motor, whose angular speed control means are adapted to cause the tangential, or peripheral, speed of the surface 111 for retaining and supporting the sealing band to be varied according to the tangential, or peripheral, speed of the lateral surface Al 1 of the container body A at the point of mutual contact.
• an electric motor in particular a brushless motor
• angular speed control means are adapted to cause the tangential, or peripheral, speed of the surface 111 for retaining and supporting the sealing band to be varied according to the tangential, or peripheral, speed of the lateral surface Al 1 of the container body A at the point of mutual contact.
• the tangential speed of the surface 111 of the means 11 for applying the sealing band B is suitably controlled as a function of the tangential speed of the lateral surface Al 1 of the container body A at the point of mutual contact, advantageously depending on the properties of the sealing band, in particular, of the material the sealing band is made of, and on its thickness.
• the tangential speed of the surface 111 of the means 11 for applying the sealing band B is equal to, or coincident with, the tangential speed of the lateral surface Al 1 of the container body A at the point of mutual contact for the entire duration of the step of applying the sealing band, thus obtaining, for these types of sealing bands, a sealing band without creases.
• the tangential speed of the surface 111 of the means 11 for applying the sealing band B is equal to the tangential speed of the surface All of the container body A during a first stage, or step, of applying the sealing band so as to facilitate contact of the sealing band with the container body, after which, in the next step, the angular speed of the means 11 for applying the sealing band B is varied in such a way that the peripheral speed of the surface 111 is greater than the tangential speed of the lateral surface Al 1 of the container body A at the point of mutual contact in order to stretch the sealing band along its lateral edges so that, for these types of sealing bands, too, a sealing band that is totally free of creases is obtained.
• any type of sealing band can be applied in a particularly effective manner without using additional brushes as in the prior art.
• trailing end portion B" of the sealing band can be easily overlapped with the leading end portion B' of the same sealing band.
• the container bodies enter the apparatus according to the invention at an infeed end or section I and are picked by a corresponding revolving star wheel 22 which, acting in conjunction with a corresponding arcuate sliding surface 222, takes the container bodies A to respective bilateral engagement housings 121, which rotate each container body A about the axis of revolution X121, feeding it towards the means 111 for applying the sealing band by the rotation of the carousel 122 in such a way as to engage the lateral edge Al 1 of the container body A against the circular peripheral surface 111 of the wheel 11 that applies the sealing band which is in turn rotationally fed about the axis XI 1 and which carries the sealing band.
• the feed means 122 cause the rotatable container body to rotate through a circular arc while keeping a respective point on the peripheral surface Al l in contact with an opposing point on the sealing band carrying surface 111 and then take the container body A, with the sealing band B applied to the side of it, to the outfeed end U where a respective star wheel 32, with the aid of an opposing curved sliding surface 322, feeds the container body out of the seal banding apparatus.
• the infeed and outfeed star wheels 22, 32 which rotate according to the angular directions R22, R32, have a plurality of spokes, and more specifically, four spokes or arms 22a, 32a, forming between them respective housings, each of which engages and feeds a respective container body.
• the means 11 for applying the sealing band have a sealing band rotating and supporting surface 111 which is adapted to support a single sealing band B and which features a sealing band retaining circumference whose extension is greater than the length of the sealing band B itself.
• the sealing band B supporting surface 111 of the application wheel 11 has a sealing band retaining circumference whose extension is greater by a certain amount than the length of the sealing band B to be applied.
• the means for applying the sealing band can conveniently be used to apply the sealing band B to the container body completely, if necessary also stretching the band by allowing the retaining surface 111 to slide under the sealing band which is already being held to the container body, thus eliminating the risk of creasing the sealing band.
• the part of the surface 111 exceeding the length of the sealing band advantageously allows the surface to slide under the sealing band in order to improve application.
• a part 11 ⁇ of the peripheral surface 111 of the means 11 for applying the sealing band B thus constitutes means for supporting the sealing band B.
• the peripheral surface 111 of the means 11 for applying the sealing band B is thus provided with suction holes constituting means, labelled 111a, for retaining the sealing band and which are provided on the circumferential zone 111' of the peripheral surface 111.
• the peripheral surface 111 of the means 11 for applying the sealing band B has a circumferential zone 111 ' which is provided with respective suction holes 111 'a for retaining the sealing band B and a circumferential zone 111" which is not provided with holes or means for retaining the sealing band B.
• Means 21 are also provided for spreading an adhesive on a corresponding face BE of the sealing band and which operate while the sealing band is being held by the means 11 for applying the sealing band B.
• sealing band B is obtained from a corresponding web BO of material which is fed from a corresponding roll, not illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
• the reference numeral 31 in the drawings denotes means for applying a sealing band B tear string C while the sealing band is being held by the means 11 for applying the sealing band B.
• the means 31 for applying a sealing band B tear string C are located downstream of the means 21 for spreading the adhesive, with reference to the direction of sealing band B feed.
• the means for spreading the adhesive comprise a gumming roller or adhesive applicator, labelled 211 in Figure 2, which is suitably supplied with adhesive material by a counter-roller 211b.
• the means 21 for spreading the adhesive used to attach to the outside surface Al 1 of the container body the outside face BE of the sealing band B, that is, the face opposite the one engaged to the application wheel 11, comprise an applicator roller 211 which has an axis of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of the means 11 for applying the sealing band and which is located at, and in contact with, the outside surface 111 of the means 11 for applying the sealing band.
• Means 31 are provided for applying the string C on the sealing band face BE facing the outside. These means comprise respective means for ejecting or "shooting" the string onto the sealing band B.
• One end of the tear string C is held at a respective leading end B' of the sealing band B by corresponding retaining means provided on the means 11 for applying the sealing band and comprising, preferably, a corresponding tab, or clip, 71 for engaging and retaining that end of the tear string on the corresponding outside face of the sealing band B.
• the means 11 for applying the sealing band are provided with means for retaining a respective end C2 of the tear string C.
• the means 31 for applying a tear string also comprise respective rollers 312 for feeding the string.
• the reference numeral 311 denotes means for ejecting, or shooting, the respective end of the tear string C.
• Means 41 are also provided for cutting the sealing band from the respective web of material BO, which operate while the sealing band B is on the means 11 for applying the sealing band B.
• the means 41 for cutting the sealing band B are located upstream of the means 21 for spreading the adhesive, with reference to the direction of sealing band feed.
• the means 41 for cutting the sealing band B are also located upstream of the means 31 for applying the tear string, with reference to the feed direction.
• the means 41 for cutting the sealing band B are fixed and, in order to cut the sealing band B from the web of material BO, engage a corresponding portion 11 lp extending radially with respect to the outside retaining surface 111 of the means 11 for applying the sealing band.
• the sealing band holder wheel 11 is provided with a radial protrusion 11 lp which, when it reaches the cutting edge of the fixed vertical cutting blade 41, as illustrated in Figure 5, engages the cutting edge of the blade 41, thereby cutting the web BO transversally and forming a sealing band B of suitable length.
• the sealing band B cutting means 41 are located at, or in the vicinity of, the means 11 that apply the same sealing band B, the cutting means being, as illustrated, in the form of a blade that is coplanar with, and radially extended with respect to, the sealing band application wheel.
• Means 51 are also provided for cutting the tear string C which operate while the sealing band B and the tear string C are on the means 11 for applying the sealing band B.
• the means 51 for cutting the string C are provided downstream of the adhesive spreading means 21, with reference to a feed direction of the means 41 for cutting the sealing band B from the web of material BO.
• the sealing band holder wheel 11 is provided with a radial protrusion 11 lq which, when it reaches the cutting edge 51 for cutting the tear string, as illustrated in Figure 6, engages the cutting edge of the blade 51, thereby cutting the tear string.
• the means 41 for cutting the sealing band B from the web of material BO are located upstream of the means 31 for applying the tear string, C with reference to the feed direction.
• the means 11 for applying the sealing band B and the means 12 for supporting and feeding the container body A are advantageously movable radially relative to each other in order to keep the outside surface of the application body 11 engaged with the outside surface of the respective circular carton A.
• the means 11 for applying the sealing band are movable radially relative to the means 12 for supporting and feeding the container body, and more specifically, relative to the axis of rotation XI 22 of the rotary carousel.
• the mounting frame comprises a movable plate or element 101, which mounts the application wheel 11 and which is movable radially towards and away from the carousel 12 for feeding the container body A, as shown by the arrow F0 in Figure 2.
• the application wheel 11 In order for the container bodies on a rotary carousel to be able to rotate on the outside surface of the application wheel 11, the application wheel 11 must move radially relative to the carousel itself as the cartons A are fed forward in contact with the peripheral outside surface 111 of the application wheel and with the sealing band interposed between them.
• the means 11 for applying the sealing band B have a circumferential surface 111 which is greater in length than the sealing band B, in such a way as to support a single sealing band which is spaced from the leading end of the next sealing band.
• the carousel 12 that feeds the container body and the means 11 for applying the sealing band B are driven by respective, separate o electric motors controlled by the electronic means that control the machine.
• the reference numeral 61 denotes means for feeding the web of sealing band material BO towards the supporting and application means 11.
• the means 61 feeding the web BO are located in the vicinity of, and substantially in the same plane as, the application wheel 11, comprising, as may be clearly inferred5 from Figure 3, a first and a second opposed rollers 611, 611, between which the web of material BO moving towards the application means 11 is fed.
• a front end of the web of material BO is fed forward and held on the application means or wheel 11, while the adhesive is spread on the o outside face of the web BO by the adhesive spreading means 21.
• the application means 11 move the front end of the sealing band web BO to and in contact with the lateral surface Al l of a corresponding container body A, thus starting to apply or transfer the web BO to the peripheral surface of the same container body A.
• the web of material BO is cut.
• the radial protrusion ll lp acts in conjunction with, or is engaged by, corresponding cutting means 41 in such a way as to cut the interposed web BO and form the sealing band B to be applied.
• the means 61 for feeding the sealing band web BO stop feeding the sealing band BO.
• the tear string C is cut.
• the rear end of the sealing band B substantially reaches the tear string C cutting means 41 which, acting in conjunction with a respective protrusion l llq, circumferentially spaced from, or slightly behind, the first protrusion 11 lp with reference to the feed direction, cut the tear string C to form the corresponding end CI of the tear string C protruding from the sealing band B.
• the application means 31 stop feeding the tear string C.
• the means 61 for feeding the sealing band web BO start feeding the web BO again, the front end of the latter being held by the application means 11 immediately downstream of the zone, or recess, which houses the gripping means 71.
• the distance "d" between the axes of rotation XI 22 of the carton holder carousel and XI 1 of the sealing band application wheel varies in such a way as to keep the peripheral surface of the container body A in contact with the lateral surface 111 of the application wheel 11.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Package Closures (AREA)
• Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
• Iron Core Of Rotating Electric Machines (AREA)
• Braking Arrangements (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=42173966

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

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Family Cites Families (14)

• 2009
  • 2009-09-16 IT ITBO2009A000586A patent/IT1401803B1/it active
• 2010
  • 2010-09-14 JP JP2012529384A patent/JP2013504501A/ja active Pending
  • 2010-09-14 US US13/496,675 patent/US20120198800A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2010-09-14 RU RU2012111170/13A patent/RU2012111170A/ru not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2010-09-14 WO PCT/IB2010/054127 patent/WO2011033446A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2010-09-14 EP EP10768569A patent/EP2477897A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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