Dosing unit, a dosing method, and a machine for producing unit dose articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11628956-B2
Application number	US-202217713337-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2022
Priority date	Apr 7, 2021
Publication date	Apr 18, 2023
Grant date	Apr 18, 2023

Abstract

A dosing unit for a machine for producing unit dose articles includes a plurality of nozzles carried by respective movable elements and associated to respective dosing chambers, a plurality of plungers reciprocally movable into respective dosing chambers between respective retracted and advanced positions, and a rotary fluid distributor including at least one stationary inlet and a plurality of movable outlets fluidically connected to the respective dosing chambers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dosing unit for a machine for producing unit dose articles, comprising::
a stationary guide defining a closed-loop guide path having a lower section and an upper section,
a plurality of movable elements movable along said stationary guide,
a transmission system configured for continuously moving said plurality of movable elements along said closed-loop guide path,
a plurality of nozzles carried by respective movable elements and associated to respective dosing chambers,
a plurality of plungers reciprocally movable into respective dosing chambers between respective retracted and advanced positions,
a rotary fluid distributor comprising at least one stationary inlet and a plurality of movable outlets fluidically connected to respective dosing chambers, and
a driving system configured for moving said plurality of plungers from the retracted position to the advanced position when the respective movable elements move along said lower section of the closed-loop guide path and for moving said plurality of plungers from the advanced position to the retracted position when the respective movable elements move along said upper section of the closed-loop guide path.

2. The dosing unit of claim 1 , wherein said driving system comprises at least one stationary cam cooperating with a plurality of cam-follower elements connected to respective plungers and configured for moving the respective plungers between said retracted position and advanced position, and vice versa.

3. The dosing unit of claim 1 , wherein said dosing chambers are connected to the plurality of movable outlets of said rotary fluid distributor through one-way valves which allow a fluid to flow from the plurality of movable outlets of the rotary fluid distributor to the dosing chambers and prevent the fluid to flow from the dosing chambers to the plurality of movable outlets of the rotary fluid distributor.

4. The dosing unit of claim 1 , wherein:
each of said plurality of nozzles is connected to a respective delivery chamber through a respective delivery line and wherein a respective stop valve is arranged in said respective delivery line, and
said stop valve is open to allow a fluid to flow from the respective dosing chamber to the respective nozzle when a fluid pressure in the respective delivery line is greater than a predetermined threshold and is closed when the fluid pressure in the respective delivery line is lower than said predetermined threshold.

5. The dosing unit of claim 1 , wherein each of said movable elements carries a plurality of nozzles, each of which is connected to a respective dosing chamber.

6. The dosing unit of claim 1 , wherein said closed-loop guide path has a straight horizontal lower section, a straight horizontal upper section, and two arcuate sections each connecting to each other respective ends of the straight horizontal lower section and straight horizontal upper section.

7. A machine for producing unit dose articles, comprising:
a movable surface having a plurality of cavities, continuously movable in a machine direction,
a first feeding assembly configured for feeding a first continuous water-soluble film on said movable surface at a first position,
a retaining system configured for retaining said first continuous water-soluble film adherent to said cavities as it moves in said machine direction,
a dosing unit located downstream of said first position and configured for dispensing dosed quantities of at least one fluid composition into said cavities,
a second feeding assembly configured for feeding a second continuous water- soluble film on said movable surface at a second position located downstream of said dosing unit so as to enclose said dosed quantities of at least one fluid composition between said first and second continuous water-soluble films, and
a wetting unit configured for wetting a surface of said second continuous water-soluble film upstream of said second position,
wherein said dosing unit comprises:
a stationary guide defining a closed-loop guide path having a lower section and an upper section,
a plurality of movable elements movable along said stationary guide,
a transmission system configured for continuously moving said plurality of movable elements along said closed-loop guide path,
a plurality of nozzles carried by respective movable elements and associated to respective dosing chambers,
a plurality of plungers reciprocally movable into the respective dosing chambers between respective retracted and advanced positions,
a rotary fluid distributor comprising at least one stationary inlet and a plurality of movable outlets fluidically connected to the respective dosing chambers, and
a driving system configured for moving said plurality of plungers from the retracted position to the advanced position when the respective movable elements move along said lower section of the closed-loop guide path and for moving said plurality of plungers from the advanced position to the retracted position when the respective movable elements move along said upper section of the closed-loop guide path.

8. A method for dosing fluid products, comprising:
continuously moving a plurality of movable elements along a closed-loop guide path having a lower section and an upper section,
providing on said plurality of movable elements a plurality of nozzles associated to respective dosing chambers,
providing a plurality of plungers reciprocally movable into respective dosing chambers between respective retracted and advanced positions,
supplying at least one fluid composition to said dosing chambers through a rotary fluid distributor comprising at least one stationary inlet and a plurality of movable outlets connected to the respective dosing chambers, and
moving said plurality of plungers from the retracted position to the advanced position while the respective movable elements move along said lower section of the closed-loop guide path and moving said plurality of plungers from the advanced position to the retracted position when the respective movable elements move along said upper section of the closed-loop guide path.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said plurality of plungers are reciprocally moved between said retracted position and advanced position, and vice versa, by a stationary cam cooperating with a plurality of cam-follower elements connected to respective plungers.

10. The method of claim 8 , comprising providing a unidirectional flow of fluid directed from said plurality of movable outlets of said rotary fluid distributor to the respective dosing chambers.

11. The method of claim 8 , comprising stopping the flow of fluid directed from said respective dosing chambers to said plurality of nozzles when a pressure of the fluid is below a predetermined threshold.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising supplying the fluid from said plurality of movable outlets of said rotary fluid distributor to the respective dosing chambers at a pressure lower than said predetermined threshold.

Assignees

• Fameccanica Data Spa

Inventors

• Antonioli Matteo
• Centorame Oscar
• Gualtieri Diego
• D'Aponte Francesco

Classifications

• B65B3/323 Primary

  with measuring chambers travelling in an endless path · CPC title

• B65B3/32

  by pistons co-operating with measuring chambers · CPC title

• B65B3/12

  mechanically, e.g. by pistons or pumps · CPC title

• B65B2009/047

  Rotary pocket formers · CPC title

• B65B39/14

  movable with a moving container or wrapper during filling or depositing · CPC title