Process of packaging and modular packaging facility for packaging products on supports

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11338947-B2
Application number	US-201716478254-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2017
Priority date	Jan 31, 2017
Publication date	May 24, 2022
Grant date	May 24, 2022

Abstract

A modular packaging facility has independent packaging units configured to receive one or more product loaded supports. The upper tool and the lower tool of each unit are relatively movable the one with respect to the other between at least a first position, allowing placement of the supports in the respective seats of the lower tool, and a second position, allowing coupling of a film portion of said film to said one or more product loaded supports received by the lower tool. Each unit has a vacuum arrangement and/or a controlled atmosphere arrangement and is configured to execute a packaging cycle wherein gas is removed and/or injected via holes in the supports and/or via nozzles placed between the support and the respective film portion. The process and the infrastructure may be used to contemporaneously process and pack supports of different types.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process of packaging a product on a support wherein the process uses a plurality of supports, wherein the plurality of supports comprises supports of a first type and supports of a second type differing from the supports of the first type at least in one geometric property;
wherein the process of packaging uses a modular packaging facility comprises:
a plurality of independent packaging units configured to receive product loaded supports, wherein each of the product loaded supports includes one of the plurality of supports with a product loaded thereon; and
a feed line configured to transport said product loaded supports, wherein the feed line extends along a prefixed feed path and serves the plurality of independent packaging units positioned along the feed line,

wherein each one of said plurality of independent packaging units comprises:
a lower tool having one or more seats to receive one or more of the product loaded supports,
a film supply configured to supply a film to be applied to said one or more of the product loaded supports,
an upper tool cooperating with the lower tool, wherein the upper tool and the lower tool are relatively movable with respect to each other between at least a first position, which allows placement of the one or more of the product loaded supports in the one or more seats of the lower tool, and a second position, allowing coupling of a film portion of said film to said one or more of the product loaded supports received by the lower tool,

wherein said packaging units in the packaging facility comprise:
a first packaging unit, wherein the lower tool of the first packaging unit has at least one first seat configured to receive one of the supports of the first type, and
a second packaging unit, wherein the lower tool of the second packaging unit has at least one second seat different from the first seat at least in term of at least one geometric property and configured to receive one of the supports of the second type,

wherein, for each of said plurality of distinct packaging units, the process of packaging comprises executing a respective packaging cycle including the following steps:
positioning the film portion above the one or more of the product loaded supports received in the one or more seats of the lower tool,
tightly fixing the film portion to said one or more of the product loaded supports received in the lower tool to form one or more packages, and
detecting when one of said packaging units is in an alarm condition, wherein the alarm condition is at least one of the following:
the packaging unit is not operative,
the packaging unit is not provided with a sufficient supply of plastic film, or
the packaging unit is experiencing a fault condition,

wherein said step of detecting an alarm condition is executed by a control device, wherein the control device is configured to issue a corresponding alarm signal and to send the corresponding alarm signal to a control system in response to detection of the alarm condition, further wherein the packaging process provides for the control system to control a sorting device.

2. The process of claim 1 further comprising:
identifying the supports of the first type and positioning one or more of the supports of the first type in the lower tool of the first packaging unit, and having the first packaging unit execute said packaging cycle using the one or more of the supports of the first type,
identifying the supports of the second type and positioning one or more of the supports of the second type in the lower tool of the second packaging unit, and having the second packaging unit execute said packaging cycle using the one or more of the supports of the second type.

3. The process of claim 2 , wherein the facility comprises:
a detector operative at a detecting station located at, or in proximity of, the feed line and positioned upstream of the packaging units with respect to a direction of displacement of the product loaded supports along the feed path, said detector being configured to:
detect at least one of: an identifying information carried by the product loaded support or a characteristic property of the product loaded support, said identifying information or said characteristic property being sufficient to identify a support type of the product loaded support, and
issue a corresponding detection signal; and

wherein said control device is connected to the detector and is further configured to:
receive from the detector the detection signal,
determine based on said identifying information or on said detected characteristic property contained in the detection signal, a type of a detected support, and
issue at least one control signal in the group of:
a signal indicative of the type of detected support, or
a command indicative of the packaging unit to be used with the detected support;

wherein the sorting device is connected to and controlled by said control system and the sorting device is configured to:
receive said control signal from the control unit, and
based on said control signal, position one or more supports in the corresponding packaging unit.

4. The process of claim 3 , wherein the sorting has a sorting control device connected to the facility control system and configured to:
receive the control signal from said control device,
based on said control signal, position the one of the supports of the first type in the lower tool of the first packaging unit and the one of the supports of the second type in the lower tool of the second packaging unit,
wherein the process further comprises:
receiving the control signal at the sorting device, and
automatically positioning the product loaded supports in the lower tool of one of the first and second packaging units based on the type of detected support.

5. The process of claim 4 , wherein the sorting system includes at least one robotized handler configured to pick a support, or a product loaded support, form the feed line and move it into the lower tool of one of the packaging units.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the product loaded supports are positioned into the seats of the lower tool of the packaging units manually by an operator.

7. A modular packaging facility comprising:
a plurality of independent packaging units each configured to receive one or more product loaded supports; and
at least one feed line configured to receive and transport said product loaded supports, wherein the feed line extends along a prefixed feed path and serves the plurality of packaging units positioned along the feed line,
wherein each of said packaging units comprises:
a lower tool having one or more seats to receive one or more of the product loaded supports,
a film supply configured to supply a film to be applied to said one or more of the product loaded supports,
an upper tool cooperating with the lower tool, wherein the upper tool and the lower tool are relatively movable with respect to each other between at least a first position, which allows placement of the one or more of the product loaded supports in the one or more seats of the lower tool, and a second position, allowing coupling of a film portion of said film to said one or more of the product loaded supports received by the lower tool,

further wherein the packaging units of the facility comprise a first packaging unit, wherein the lower tool of the first packaging unit has at least one first seat configured to receive one of the supports of a first type, and a second packaging unit, wherein the lower tool of the second packaging unit has at least one second seat configured to receive one of the supports of a second type, the supports of the first type differing from the supports of the second type at

Assignees

• Cryovac Llc

Inventors

• Palumbo Riccardo

Classifications

• B07C5/3404

  according to properties of containers or receptacles, e.g. rigidity, leaks, fill-level (control devices for cigarette or cigar packaging B65B19/28; investigation of fluid-tightness of structures G01M3/00) · CPC title

• B65B43/52

  using roller-ways or endless conveyors · CPC title

• B65B59/04

  Machines constructed with readily-detachable units or assemblies, e.g. to facilitate maintenance · CPC title

• B65B43/46

  using grippers · CPC title

• B65B57/18

  causing operation of audible or visible alarm signals · CPC title