Sealing and guiding system for a packaging machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11111042-B2
Application number	US-201716461399-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2017
Priority date	Nov 23, 2016
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

The invention relates to a sealing and guiding system for a packaging machine having a processing zone and an activation zone adjacent each other. The system has a separating wall, for separating the processing zone from the activation zone; at least a movement actuating element, which develops from the activation zone to the processing zone, crossing the separating wall and that has a longitudinal developing axis; movement actuating means, arranged in the activation zone, for moving the movement actuating element at least along a first direction transverse to the respective axis.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sealing and guiding system ( 1 ) for a packaging machine (M) comprising a processing zone (S), for receiving products to be processed, and an activation zone (N), that are adjacent each other;
the system ( 1 ) comprises: a separating wall ( 2 ), for separating the processing zone (S) from the activation zone (N); at least one movement actuating element ( 3 ), that develops from the activation zone (N) to the processing zone (S), crossing the separating wall ( 2 ) and has a longitudinal developing axis (H); movement actuating means ( 4 ), that are arranged in the activation zone (N), for moving the movement actuating element ( 3 ) at least along a first direction (D 1 ), transverse to the respective axis (H);
wherein, with the system ( 1 ), the movement actuating element ( 3 ) is not subjected to axial translations;
wherein the separating wall ( 2 ) comprises:
a first part ( 20 ) comprising at least a first housing circular seat delimited by a first circular edge;
at least a first disk ( 21 ), which is inserted in the first circular seat so as to be rotatable with respect to the first part ( 20 ) and is coplanar with the first part ( 20 ); the first disk ( 21 ) comprises in turn at least a second circular seat delimited by a second circular edge, that is eccentric with respect to the center (O) of the first disk ( 21 ); and
at least a second disk ( 22 ), which is inserted in the second circular seat so as to be rotatable with respect to the first disk ( 21 ) and is coplanar with the first disk ( 21 ); the second disk ( 22 ) comprises, in turn, a third circular seat delimited by a third circular edge, that is eccentric with respect to the center (P) of the second disk ( 22 );
wherein movement actuating element ( 3 ) is inserted in the third circular seat so as to be rotatable with respect to the second disk ( 22 ); and
wherein the system ( 1 ) comprises rotary sealing means ( 200 , 210 , 220 ), arranged at the first circular seat, at the second circular seat and at the third circular seat, allowing the sealing between the processing zone (S) and the activation zone (N) and the relative rotation of the first disk ( 21 ), of the second disk ( 22 ) and of the movement actuating element ( 3 ).

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the movement actuating means ( 4 ) are arranged for directly acting on the movement actuating element ( 3 ) for moving it along the first direction (D 1 ), with the first disk ( 21 ) and the second disk ( 22 ) which rotate due to the movement of the movement actuating element ( 3 ).

3. The system ( 1 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the movement actuating means ( 4 ) comprise a motor ( 40 ) and a rod-crank system ( 41 , 42 ), connected to the movement actuating element ( 3 ).

4. The system ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the movement actuating means ( 4 ) are arranged to act on the first disk ( 21 ) and on the second disk ( 22 ) for indirectly moving the movement actuating element ( 3 ) along the first direction (D 1 ).

5. The system ( 1 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the movement actuating means ( 4 ) comprise a first motor ( 421 ) and a second motor ( 422 ), arranged for directly moving the first disk ( 21 ) and the second disk ( 22 ), respectively; the first motor ( 421 ) and the second motor ( 422 ) comprising respective cogged ends (E 1 , E 2 ); and
the first disk ( 21 ) and the second disk ( 22 ) comprising respective cogged edges (B 1 , B 2 ) arranged at the activation zone (N), suitable to mesh with the cogged end (El) of the first motor ( 421 ) and with the cogged end (E 2 ) of the second motor ( 422 ), respectively.

6. The system ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising guiding means ( 5 ), arranged at the activation zone (N), connected to the movement actuating element ( 3 ) for guiding the movement actuating element ( 3 ) at least along said first direction (D 1 ) transverse to the respective axis (H).

7. The system ( 1 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the guiding means ( 5 ) and the movement actuating means ( 4 ) are arranged for guiding and moving the movement actuating element ( 3 ) also along a second direction, transverse to the respective axis (H) and different from the first direction (D 1 ).

8. The system ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the movement actuating element ( 3 ) is shaped so as to define on the inside thereof a chamber ( 31 ), that communicates with the activation zone (N).

9. The system ( 1 ) according to claim 8 , wherein the movement actuating element ( 3 ) carries operating means at a respective portion ( 30 ) that is arranged in the processing zone (S), for operating in the processing zone (S); the system ( 1 ) further comprising control means, arranged within the chamber ( 31 ) of the movement actuating element ( 3 ), for controlling the operating means independently of the movement of the element ( 3 ).

10. The system ( 1 ) according to claim 8 , wherein the chamber ( 31 ) of the movement actuating element ( 3 ) forms a passage for conveying processing liquids or gases, or electrical connections, into the processing zone (S).

11. A packaging machine (M), comprising:
a processing zone (S), in which products to be packaged are conveyed;
an activation zone (N), arranged adjacent to the processing zone (S);
and a sealing and guiding system ( 1 ) according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Gd Spa

Inventors

• Gigante Antonio
• Cavazza Luca
• Biondi Andrea

Classifications

• B25J21/005

  Clean rooms · CPC title

• B25J21/00 Primary

  Chambers provided with manipulation devices (constructional features of the mounting of the manipulator in the wall B25J1/08 {; glove-boxes for nuclear applications G21F7/04}) · CPC title

• B65B51/16 Primary

  by rotary members · CPC title

• B65B55/00

  Preserving, protecting or purifying packages or package contents in association with packaging (by packaging under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions B65B31/00; devices for placing protecting sheets, plugs, or wads over contents B65B61/22) · CPC title

• B65B65/02

  Driving gear · CPC title