Beverage capsule machine for making single use beverage capsules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10144541-B2
Application number	US-201414764691-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2014
Priority date	Mar 6, 2013
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

A machine for making single use capsules ( 1 ) for extract or infusion beverages includes: a transport element ( 8 ) for transporting rigid containers ( 2 ) and being closed in a loop around movement apparatus ( 9 ); a feeding station ( 11 ) for feeding the rigid containers ( 2 ) into respective pockets ( 10 ) of the transport element ( 8 ); a dosing station ( 12 ) for dosing the product into the rigid container ( 2 ); a closing station ( 13 ) for closing the rigid container ( 2 ) with a piece of sheet ( 7 ); an outfeed station ( 14 ). The closing station ( 13 ) includes a unit ( 500 ) for preparing and feeding single pieces of sealing sheet ( 7 ) correlated with the shape of the upper aperture ( 4 ) of the rigid container ( 2 ); transfer apparatus ( 17 ) by which individual pieces of sealing sheet ( 7 ) are withdrawn sequentially and continuously from the preparing and feeding unit ( 500 ) and by which the selfsame pieces ( 7 ) are transported and delivered to a sealing wheel ( 19 ) adapted to seal the piece of sealing sheet ( 7 ) to the rigid container ( 2 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A beverage capsule machine for making single use capsules ( 1 ) for extract or infusion beverages, each capsule comprising a rigid, cup-shaped container ( 2 ) having a bottom ( 3 ) and an upper aperture ( 4 ) provided with a rim ( 5 ), a dose ( 6 ) of extract or infusion product contained inside the rigid container ( 2 ) and a piece of sealing sheet ( 7 ) for closing the upper aperture ( 4 ) of the rigid container ( 2 ), the machine comprising: a transport element ( 8 ) for transporting the rigid containers ( 2 ) along a feed path (P) closed in a loop; the transport element ( 8 ) being configured to define a plurality of pockets ( 10 ) for receiving the rigid containers ( 2 ) and which are positioned one after the other, in sequence, each having a respective vertical axis (Z 10 ); a plurality of stations which are positioned along the feed path (P) followed by the transport element ( 8 ) and which are configured for operating in phase with the same transport element ( 8 ) and comprising: a feeding station ( 11 ) for feeding the rigid containers ( 2 ) into respective pockets ( 10 ) of the transport element ( 8 ); a dosing station ( 12 ) for filling a dose ( 6 ) of product into the rigid container ( 2 ); a closing station ( 13 ) for closing the upper aperture ( 4 ) of the rigid container ( 2 ) with the piece of sealing sheet ( 7 ); and an outfeed station ( 14 ) which withdraws the formed capsules ( 1 ) from the transport element ( 8 );
wherein the closing station ( 13 ) comprises at least:
a unit ( 500 ) for preparing and feeding single pieces of sealing sheet ( 7 ) correlated with the shape of the upper aperture ( 4 ) of the rigid container ( 2 );
a sealing wheel ( 19 ) for sealing the piece of sealing sheet ( 7 ) to the rigid container ( 2 ), said sealing wheel being rotatable continuously about a first vertical axis (Z 19 ) along a rotational path and being provided with a plurality of pickup elements ( 18 ) and a plurality of sealing units ( 20 ) around its circumference;
transfer means ( 17 ) by which individual pieces of sealing sheet ( 7 ) are withdrawn sequentially and continuously from the preparing and feeding unit ( 500 ) and by which the pieces of sealing sheet ( 7 ) are transported and delivered to the corresponding pickup element ( 18 ) of the sealing wheel;
the pickup elements ( 18 ) and the sealing units ( 20 ) on the sealing wheel ( 19 ) being configured to be placed simultaneously, in phase coordination, in proximity to the rigid container ( 2 ) on the transport element ( 8 ) in such a way as to join and seal the piece of sealing sheet ( 7 ) to the rigid container ( 2 ) along a stretch of the feed path (P) of the transport element ( 8 ) comprising a stretch (T 19 ), of the rotational path of the sealing wheel ( 19 ) in phase synchrony with the transport element ( 8 ) itself, and wherein the transfer means ( 17 ) comprise a carousel ( 26 ) which rotates about a second vertical axis (Z 26 ) and which is equipped with a plurality of arms ( 27 ) protruding radially from the carousel ( 26 ) itself; each arm ( 27 ) having, at a free end of it, a suction head ( 28 ) for picking up the piece of sealing sheet ( 7 ) from the preparing and feeding unit ( 500 ) along a first horizontal plane, and delivering the piece of sealing sheet ( 7 ) to a corresponding pickup element ( 18 ) along a second horizontal plane.

2. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein each arm ( 27 ) of the carousel ( 26 ) has a rear support ( 29 ) connected to the carousel ( 26 ) and defining a vertical axis of rotation (F 29 ) about which a rod ( 30 ) joined to the suction head ( 28 ) rotates; the carousel ( 26 ) comprising means ( 31 ) for varying an angular position of each arm ( 27 ) relative to a preceding or following arm ( 27 ) on the carousel ( 26 ) and as a function of the position of the arm ( 27 ) relative to the preparing and feeding unit ( 500 ) and to the sealing wheel ( 19 ).

3. The machine according to claim 2 , wherein each arm ( 27 ) comprises the rod ( 30 ) by which the suction head ( 28 ) is joined to the rear support ( 29 ) of the arm ( 27 ); the joining rod ( 30 ) being configured to move in both directions along a longitudinal axis of extension (X 27 ) of the arm ( 27 ) in order to vary the position of the suction head ( 28 ) relative to the preparing and feeding unit ( 500 ) and to the sealing wheel ( 19 ).

4. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein each suction head ( 28 ) is connected to the corresponding arm ( 27 ) in such a way as to rotate about an axis (X 27 ) of longitudinal extension of the arm ( 27 ) to pick up from above the piece of sealing sheet ( 7 ) at a predetermined point of tangency between the suction head ( 28 ) itself and a cylindrical counter knife ( 22 ) and to deliver from the bottom up the piece of sealing sheet ( 7 ) to the corresponding pickup element ( 18 ) after a rotation of the suction head ( 28 ) through an angle (α) about the axis (X 27 ) of longitudinal extension.

5. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing wheel ( 19 ) comprises an upper part ( 19 a ) and a lower part ( 19 b ) facing each other and rotating about the first vertical axis (Z 19 ); the upper part ( 19 a ) and the lower part ( 19 b ) defining between them a free space ( 19 c ) allowing access to the suction heads ( 28 ) and to the transport element ( 8 ) along corresponding stretches of circular path that do not interfere with each other.

6. The machine according to claim 5 , wherein each pickup element ( 18 ) of the sealing wheel ( 19 ) is positioned inside a corresponding sealing element ( 32 ) equipped with a sealing head ( 33 ); the upper part ( 19 a ) comprising movement means ( 34 ) for moving the pickup element ( 18 ) between a first, lowered operating position where the piece ( 7 ) of sealing sheet is picked up by the suction head ( 28 ) and the pickup element ( 18 ) protrudes from the sealing element ( 32 ), and a second, raised operating position where the piece ( 7 ) of sealing sheet is attached to the rim ( 5 ) of the rigid container ( 2 ) and the pickup element ( 18 ) is inside the sealing element ( 32 ) and coplanar with the sealing head ( 33 ).

7. The machine according to claim 5 , wherein the lower part ( 19 b ) comprises a plurality of vertical rods ( 34 ) positioned to face corresponding pickup elements ( 18 ); each rod ( 34 ) having an end plate ( 35 ) for supporting at a height, the bottom ( 3 ) of the rigid container ( 2 ) for at least the stretch (T 19 ) of the path followed by the rigid container ( 2 ) to come into contact with a corresponding sealing head ( 33 ).

8. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pickup elements ( 18 ) on the sealing wheel ( 19 ) are equally spaced along an underside surface of an upper part ( 19 a ) and facing a lower part ( 19 b ).

9. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein each of the pockets ( 10 ) of the transport element ( 8 ) is divided into a first, fixed portion and a second portion ( 10 a ) movable axially along the axis (Z 10 ) of extension of the pocket ( 10 ) and adapted to contain the rigid container ( 2 ), a lower part ( 19 b ) of the sealing wheel ( 19 ) comprising a plurality of vertical rods ( 34 ) positioned to face corresponding pickup elements ( 18 ); each rod ( 34 ) having an end plate ( 35 ) for supporting at a height a corresponding second portion ( 10 a ) of the pocket ( 10 ) of the transport element ( 8 ) for at least the stretch (T 19 ) of the path followed by the rigid container ( 2 ) to come into contact with a corresponding sealing head ( 33 ).

10. The machine according to claim 1 , comprising a control unit ( 36 ) for controlling in phase the transfer means ( 17 ) and t

Assignees

• Ima Spa
• Gima Spa

Inventors

• Rea Dario
• Castellari Pierluigi

Classifications

• B65B7/2807 Primary

  Feeding closures · CPC title

• B65G47/848

  the article-engaging elements being suction or magnetic means · CPC title

• B65B35/02

  Supply magazines · CPC title

• B65B29/022

  packaging infusion material into capsules · CPC title

• B65B7/2842

  Securing closures on containers (in general B65B51/00) · CPC title