Package making – Wrapping machines – Cover-wiping passage or pocket for initial wrap
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-30
2001-04-24
Gerrity, Stephen F. (Department: 3721)
Package making
Wrapping machines
Cover-wiping passage or pocket for initial wrap
C053S225000, C053S228000, C053S466000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06219995
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a packaging machine.
Explicit reference will be made in the following specification to the field of packaging machines for manufacturing packets of cigarettes, albeit no limitation is implied.
Packaging machines embraced by the prior art, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,901, comprise a wrapping wheel equipped with a plurality of conveying heads each affording a first seat, of which the function is to admit and retain a product for wrapping, and a second seat serving to admit and retain a respective sheet of wrapping material held in a predetermined position across an opening presented by the first seat through the agency of a pair of vacuum type gripping elements located one on either side of the opening and operated by means of a control device mounted to the wrapping wheel in a central position.
In operation the wrapping wheel is made to rotate intermittently about a fixed central axis in such a way as to index the conveying head through a first infeed station, at which the product is directed into the first seat, then a second infeed station at which the wrapping sheet is taken up into the second seat, and finally an outfeed station where the product is ejected from the first seat in such a way as to associate with the wrapping sheet, and transferred together with the sheet to a further wrapping wheel.
Packaging machines of the type outlined above are somewhat costly inasmuch as the wrapping wheel must carry both the gripping elements and the relative control device, and tends as a result to be complex in design and construction.
The object of the present invention is to provide a packaging machine free from the drawback outlined above, and therefore simple and economical to carry into effect.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The stated object is realized according to the invention in a packaging machine that incorporates a conveying head; a first seat afforded by the conveying head, presenting an opening and serving to receive a product; a second seat afforded by the conveying head, positioned to coincide with the opening of the first seat and serving to receive a wrapping sheet; gripper means by which a relative wrapping sheet is held in contact with the second seat; actuator means operating the gripper means; a conveyor by which the conveying head is advanced along a wrapping path; also a first infeed station located along the wrapping path, at which a product is taken up by the first seat; a second infeed station located along the wrapping path at which a wrapping sheet is taken up by the second seat; and ejector means by which a product is distanced from the conveying head and transferred together with a respective wrapping sheet to external conveying means.
To advantage, in the packaging machine disclosed, the actuator means are positioned externally of the conveyor.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4358920 (1982-11-01), Kanai et al.
patent: 4617780 (1986-10-01), Focke et al.
patent: 4918901 (1990-04-01), Gamberini et al.
patent: 5457932 (1995-10-01), Spada et al.
patent: 25 26 047 (1976-01-01), None
patent: 519 402 A1 (1992-12-01), None
patent: 0 642 975 (1995-03-01), None
patent: 1 086 180 (1967-10-01), None
Allocca Giovanni
Boldrini Fulvio
Venturoli Alessandro
G.D S.p.A.
Gerrity Stephen F.
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
Tawfik Sam
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