Package making – Methods – Forming or partial forming a receptacle and subsequent filling
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-06
2001-09-11
Sipos, John (Department: 3721)
Package making
Methods
Forming or partial forming a receptacle and subsequent filling
C053S466000, C053S579000, C053S234000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286291
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a method of wrapping a product.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the following description, specific reference is made, purely by way of example, to the packing industry, and in particular to cigarette packing machines for producing packets of cigarettes.
Known cigarette packing machines comprise a wrapping wheel powered to rotate about a central axis and having a number of wrapping heads equally spaced about the central axis. As it rotates, the wheel feeds each head along a wrapping path through a supply station where the head receives a sheet of wrapping material and a respective product, about which the sheet of wrapping material is folded into a U; through a first folding station where the sheet of wrapping material is folded to form about the product a tubular wrapping having two opposite open ends; and through a second folding station equipped with a folding device having a pair of movable folding elements, each cooperating with the head to fold a respective open end.
On step-operated packing machines of the above type, each wrapping head is located, with respect to the wrapping wheel, in a fixed radial position with respect to the central axis of rotation of the wheel.
On continuous packing machines of the above type, each wrapping head oscillates, in use, in the neighborhood of a radial position with respect to the central axis of rotation of the wheel, so as to keep the head facing the supply station and/or a folding tool long enough to complete the relative operation.
Packing machines of the above type are relatively expensive, on account of the movable folding elements for folding the open ends of the tubular wrapping, which are fairly complicated to produce, especially in the case of a continuous packing machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of wrapping a product, designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawback, and which is therefore straightforward and cheap to implement.
According to the present invention, there is provided a method of wrapping a product in a sheet of wrapping material, the method comprising the steps of feeding a wrapping head along a wrapping path; supplying the wrapping head with said sheet of wrapping material and said product along a first portion of the wrapping path; folding the sheet of wrapping material about the product along the first portion of the wrapping path to form a tubular wrapping having two opposite open ends; and folding the opposite open ends of the tubular wrapping along a second portion of the wrapping path; the method being characterized by comprising the further step, along the second portion of the wrapping path, of positioning the wrapping head substantially parallel to the wrapping path, so as to cooperate, as the wrapping head is fed along the wrapping path, with a fixed folding device for folding said open ends.
The present invention also relates to a machine for wrapping a product.
According to the present invention, there is provided a machine for wrapping a product in a sheet of wrapping material, the machine comprising a wrapping head for receiving and retaining said sheet of wrapping material and said product; a conveyor for feeding the wrapping head along a wrapping path; a supply station located along a first portion of the wrapping path to supply the wrapping head with said sheet of wrapping material and said product; a first folding station located along a first portion of the wrapping path to fold the sheet of wrapping material about the product and form a tubular wrapping having two opposite open ends; and a second folding station located along a second portion of the wrapping path to fold the opposite open ends of the tubular wrapping; and being characterized by comprising a fixed folding device for folding the open ends and located at the second folding station; and first actuating means for positioning the wrapping head substantially parallel to the wrapping path along the second portion of the wrapping path, so that the wrapping head cooperates with the fixed folding device as the wrapping head travels along the wrapping path.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2603047 (1952-07-01), Malhiot
patent: 3978639 (1976-09-01), Ferrozzi
patent: 4085568 (1978-04-01), Focke
patent: 4823536 (1989-04-01), Manservigi
patent: 5299679 (1994-04-01), Obara
patent: 5373681 (1994-12-01), Shigeta
patent: 5392586 (1995-02-01), Imai
patent: 0509293 (1992-10-01), None
patent: 0548978 (1993-06-01), None
Spatafora Mario
Tale′ Fabrizio
G.D Societa′ per Azioni
Ladas & Parry
Sipos John
LandOfFree
Method and machine for wrapping a product does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and machine for wrapping a product, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and machine for wrapping a product will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2525916