Unit for over-wrapping filter bags for infusion products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11939093-B2
Application number	US-202017763183-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2020
Priority date	Oct 28, 2019
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

A unit for over-wrapping filter bags includes a carousel rotating about a first axis with first and second grippers along a closed circular trajectory. A forming station for forming single sheets of over-wrapping material is arranged near the trajectory and includes a feeding device for feeding the sheets in a U-shape, synchronized with the first grippers. A first drum transports formed bags, rotates about a second axis and has grippers receiving the bags from a preceding station and releasing the bags from the first grippers with the U-shaped sheets in synchronization. A closing station includes a sealing gripper movable from a first position near the carousel, for picking the bag with the sheet the first gripper, to a second away position for closing the sheet and, lastly, to a third position near the carousel, for release of the enclosed bag to the second gripper.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A unit for over-wrapping filter bags for infusion products obtained from a machine for forming filter bags for infusion products starting from pieces of filter material each containing at least one dose of infusion product and including a formed filter bag, a thread and a tag; the unit for over-wrapping comprising at least:
a carousel rotating about a first axis of rotation and including at least one first and one second gripping devices including grippers movable in rotation about the first axis of rotation along a closed circular trajectory;
a forming station for forming single sheets of over-wrapping material arranged adjacent to the closed circular trajectory of the first and second gripping devices;
a feeding device, positioned in the forming station, for feeding the single sheets of over-wrapping material prepared in a U-shape, in phase synchronization with the rotation of the carousel, only on the first gripping device;
a first drum configured for transport of the formed filter bag, rotating about a second axis of rotation parallel to the first axis of rotation, and having a gripping device configured to receive the formed filter bags from a preceding station or carousel and to release, in phase synchronization with a corresponding rotation with the carousel, the filter bags only on the first gripping device including the U-shaped sheet of over-wrapping material; the first gripping devices being configured to enable positioning and retaining of the formed filter bag inside the same U-shaped sheet of over-wrapping material;
a closing station of the sheet of over-wrapping material on the formed filter bag arranged adjacent to the closed circular trajectory of the first and second devices; the closing station including a sealing gripper connected to movement elements able to move the sealing gripper, in phase synchronization with the rotation of the carousel, from a first position close to the carousel, for collecting the formed filter bag with the sheet of over-wrapping material from the first gripping devices, to a second position away from the carousel, for closing the sheet of over-wrapping material and, lastly, to a third position newly and again close to the carousel, for release of the formed filter bag closed by the sheet of over-wrapping material only to the second gripping device.

2. The unit according to claim 1 , comprising a receiving station for receiving the formed filter bag closed with the sheet of over-wrapping material by only the second gripping devices; the receiving station being arranged close to the carousel.

3. The unit according to claim 2 , wherein the receiving station of the filter bag closed with the sheet of over-wrapping material comprises a second drum rotating about a third axis of rotation, parallel to the first and second axis of rotation; the second drum having a plurality of grippers, rotating with the second drum, configured to receive the filter bag closed with the sheet of over-wrapping material only from the second gripping devices and to release the closed filter bag in an accumulation zone of the filter bags closed with the sheet of over-wrapping material.

4. The unit according to claim 2 , wherein the second and third drum are moved in continuous motion and in phase synchronization with one another and with the first drum, the carousel and the sealing gripper of the closing station.

5. The unit according to claim 1 , wherein the feeding device of the sheets of over-wrapping material comprises at least one third drum rotating about a third axis of rotation, parallel to the first and second axis of rotation; the third drum including a plurality of grippers each configured to prepare a single one of the U-shaped sheets of over-wrapping material at a time and to release the single one of the U-shaped sheets of over-wrapping material it, inside only the first gripping devices with the U-shaped ends of the sheet of over-wrapping material facing towards the outside of the first gripping devices.

6. The unit according to claim 1 , wherein the closing station of the sheet of over-wrapping material comprises a plurality of sealing grippers independent of one another and arranged one following another, and wherein the carousel comprises at least one corresponding plurality of first and second gripping devices arranged along a surface thereof and wherein each pair of first and second gripping devices is synchronized in the steps of releasing and receiving the filter bag with the sheet of over-wrapping material with a specific sealing gripper of the plurality of sealing grippers.

7. The unit according to claim 1 , wherein each first gripping devices is a first gripper connected to a first cam device configured to move the first gripper between a plurality of operating positions, between a completely-open non-operating position, actuated by the first gripper in a closed circular stretch of the trajectory comprised between the sealing gripper and the forming station of the sheet of over-wrapping material for receiving the sheet of over-wrapping material, and a closed operating position actuated in a closed circular stretch of the trajectory comprised between the first drum, in which the first gripper receives the formed filter bag inside the sheet of over-wrapping material, and the sealing gripper.

8. The unit according to claim 1 , wherein each second gripping device is a second gripper connected to a second cam device configured to move the second gripper between at least one completely open first non-operating position, actuated by the second gripper in a closed circular stretch of the trajectory comprised between a receiving and unloading station of the filter bag closed with the sheet of over-wrapping material and the sealing gripper where the second gripper receives the closed filter bag, and a closed operating position actuated by the second gripper in a closed circular stretch of the trajectory comprised between the sealing gripper, from which the second gripper receives the closed filter bag and the receiving and unloading station of the filter bag closed with the sheet of over-wrapping material where the second gripper releases the closed filter bag.

9. The unit according to claim 1 , and further comprising a plurality of the sealing grippers, wherein each sealing gripper of the sheet of over-wrapping material comprises a support projecting from a fixed plate and on which the sealing gripper is hinged so as to be positioned along the closed circular trajectory of the first and second gripping devices, and above the first and second gripping devices in passage; the support being connected to a connecting rod-crankshaft unit defining the movement elements, able to rotate the sealing gripper according to a closed elliptical trajectory to obtain the different gripping, sealing and release positions of the formed filter bag with the sheet of over-wrapping material.

10. The unit according to claim 1 , wherein at least the carousel, the first drum and the sealing gripper of the closing station are moved with continuous motion and in mutual phase synchronization.

11. A method for forming a filter bag for infusion products, with a sheet of over-wrapping material, the method comprising the following steps:
providing a carousel rotating about a first axis and including at least one first and one second gripping devices including grippers movable in rotation about the first axis of rotation along a closed circular trajectory;
providing a sealing gripper, arranged outside the carousel and adjacent to the closed circular trajectory of the first and second gripping devices;
housing a U-shaped sheet of over-wrapping material inside only the first gripping de

Assignees

• Ima Spa

Inventors

• Rivola Sauro

Classifications

• B65B29/04 Primary

  Attaching, or forming and attaching, string handles or tags to tea bags · CPC title

• B65B29/028

  packaging infusion material into filter bags · CPC title

• B65B51/16

  by rotary members · CPC title

• B65B41/04 Primary

  by grippers · CPC title

• B65B35/16

  by grippers · CPC title