Packing method and packing machine for producing a slide-open package of tobacco articles with a hinged lid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10017284-B2
Application number	US-201314653289-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2013
Priority date	Dec 21, 2012
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

A packing method and packing machine for producing a slide-open package of tobacco articles with a hinged lid can include obtaining a wrapped group of tobacco articles with a first packing unit; obtaining an inner container which houses the wrapped group of tobacco articles and has the hinged lid with a second packing unit by folding an inner blank about the wrapped group of tobacco articles; and obtaining an outer container which slidably houses the inner container inside and is provided with a connecting tab, that at one end is integral with the outer container and at the other end is glued to the lid of the inner container, with a third packing unit by folding an outer blank about the inner container.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A packing method for producing a slide-open package of tobacco articles with a hinged lid; the packing method comprising the steps of:
forming a wrapped group of tobacco articles by means of a first packing unit;
forming, by means of a second packing unit and by folding an inner blank about the wrapped group of tobacco articles, an inner container housing the wrapped group of tobacco articles and having the hinged lid; and
forming, by means of a third packing unit and by folding an outer blank about the inner container, an outer container, which slidably houses the inner container, and has a connecting tab integral at one end with the outer container and glued at the other end to the lid of the inner container;
wherein the step of forming the outer container comprises the further steps of:
depositing glue on a portion of the connecting tab by means of a gumming device, while the connecting tab is fully extended;
coupling the inner container to the outer blank at a feed station, so that a wall of the lid of the inner container rests on the gummed portion of the connecting tab while the connecting tab is fully extended; and
moving, by means of a folding device, the inner container, with respect to the outer blank and towards a position corresponding to a fully closed position of the package, in which the inner container is fully inserted inside the outer container, so as to fold on itself the connecting tab; and
wherein the folding device comprises an actuator, which rests on a front wall of the inner container, and is movable in two directions perpendicular one with respect to the other to perform the rotation of a bottom portion of the connecting tab with respect to a second panel of the outer blank, corresponding to a rear wall of the outer container, and about a corresponding transverse fold line.

2. The packing method according to claim 1 , and further comprising:
starting the folding of the outer blank upstream from the feed station, before coupling the inner container to the outer blank; and
completing the folding of the outer blank about the inner container downstream from the folding device.

3. The packing method according to claim 1 , and further comprising:
folding a first panel of the outer blank, corresponding to a bottom wall of the outer container by 90°, with respect to a second panel of the outer blank, corresponding to a rear wall of the outer container, upstream from the feed station;
folding two first wings of the outer blank, corresponding to respective lateral walls of the outer container by 90°, with respect to the second panel of the outer blank, upstream from the feed station; and
resting the inner container onto the second panel of the outer blank at the feed station.

4. The packing method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
folding a third panel of the outer blank, corresponding to a front wall of the outer container by 90°, with respect to the first panel of the outer blank and onto a front wall of the inner container, downstream from the folding device; and
folding two second wings of the outer blank, corresponding to the respective lateral walls of the outer container by 90°, with respect to the third panel of the outer blank and onto the previously folded first wings, downstream from the folding device.

5. The packing method according to claim 1 , wherein the glue applied to the portion of the connecting tab is non-dry, re-stick glue.

6. The packing method according to claim 1 , wherein the folding device folds in on itself the connecting tab of the outer blank into a V-shape, in which a gummed top portion of the connecting tab is superimposed on a bottom portion of the connecting tab, and the bottom portion of the connecting tab rests on a second panel of the outer blank corresponding to a rear wall of the outer container.

7. The packing method according to claim 6 , wherein, up to the folding device, the connecting tab is flat, that is the top portion and the bottom portion of the connecting tab are coplanar one with respect to the other and side by side, and are coplanar with the second panel of the outer blank.

8. The packing method according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator has a suction head, in which suction can be activated/deactivated to form a mechanical constraint between the suction head and the front wall of the inner container.

9. A packing machine for producing a slide-open package of tobacco articles with a hinged lid; the packing machine comprising:
a first packing unit for forming a wrapped group of tobacco articles;
a second packing unit for forming, by folding an inner blank about the wrapped group of tobacco articles, an inner container housing the wrapped group of tobacco articles and having the hinged lid; and
a third packing unit for forming, by folding an outer blank about the inner container, an outer container, which slidably houses the inner container, and has a connecting tab integral at one end with the outer container and glued at the other end to the lid of the inner container;
wherein the third packing unit comprises:
a gumming device for depositing glue on a portion of the connecting tab, while the connecting tab is fully extended;
a feed station for coupling the inner container to the outer blank, so that a wall of the lid of the inner container rests on the gummed portion of the connecting tab while the connecting tab is fully extended; and
a folding device for moving the inner container, with respect to the outer blank and towards a position corresponding to a fully closed position of the package, in which the inner container is fully inserted inside the outer container, so as to fold upon itself the connecting tab; and
wherein the folding device comprises an actuator, which rests on a front wall of the inner container, and is movable in two directions perpendicular one with respect to the other to perform the rotation of a bottom portion of the connecting tab with respect to a second panel of the outer blank, corresponding to a rear wall of the outer container, and about a corresponding transverse fold line.

Assignees

• Gd Spa

Inventors

• Testoni Luca
• Sarti Stefano
• Garganelli Marco
• Meccagni Mattia
• Squarzoni Michele

Classifications

• B65B19/223

  in a curved path; in a combination of straight and curved paths, e.g. on rotary tables or other endless conveyors (B65B19/24 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D85/1054

  combined with an outer sleeve connected to the lid · CPC title

• B65D5/6688

  the container body sliding in an outer sleeve (B65D85/1054 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65B19/228

  Preparing and feeding blanks · CPC title

• B65B19/20 Primary

  into boxes with hinged lids · CPC title