Machine for making filter bags for infusion products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9527663-B2
Application number	US-201314441927-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2013
Priority date	Dec 21, 2012
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

A machine ( 100 ) for making filter bags ( 1 ) for infusion products comprises: a station ( 2 ) for feeding a first continuous strip ( 3 ) of thermoformable filter material; a station ( 4 ) for heating the first continuous strip ( 3 ); a continuously rotating drum ( 5 ) provided with a series of dies ( 9 ), and a corresponding series of punches ( 10 ) configured for plastically deforming a portion of the first strip ( 3 ) and making a three-dimensional chamber (C) to contain a dose ( 12 ) of infusion product; a station ( 11 ) for dosing doses ( 12 ) of the infusion product; a feed station ( 13 ) for feeding a second strip ( 14 ) of filter material; a joining station ( 15 ) for joining the first strip ( 3 ) to the second strip ( 14 ) to close the three-dimensional chamber (C); and a cutting station for making single filter bags ( 1 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine for making filter bags ( 1 ) for infusion products formed from lengths of filter material,
characterized in that it comprises at least:
a station ( 2 ) for feeding a first continuous strip ( 3 ) of thermoformable filter material movable along a working path (P);
a station ( 4 ) for heating the first continuous strip ( 3 ) of filter material, located along the working path (P) and including means ( 22 ) for heating the first continuous strip ( 3 ) of filter material at a predetermined temperature;
a drum ( 5 ) for forming a first portion ( 3 P) of the filter bags ( 1 ) disposed downstream of the station ( 4 ) for heating along the working path (P); said drum ( 5 ) having three mutually concentric circular parts ( 6 , 7 , 19 ) continuously rotating in phase about a single axis (X) of rotation; a first circular part ( 6 ) of the drum ( 5 ) being provided with a series of radial dies ( 9 ), and a second part ( 7 ) having a corresponding series of forming punches ( 10 ) for forming the first strip ( 3 ) of filter material and adapted to plastically deform a portion of the first strip ( 3 ) of filter material inside a corresponding die ( 9 ) at least for a predetermined arcuate stretch (T) of a circular path followed by the drum ( 5 ), so as to form an open three-dimensional chamber (C) of filter material and a third part ( 19 ) for moving each punch in opposing directions;
a station ( 11 ) for dosing a dose ( 12 ) of infusion product and configured for placing, the dose ( 12 ), in phase with the drum ( 5 ), inside the open three-dimensional chamber (C) of filter material;
a station ( 13 ) for feeding a second continuous strip ( 14 ) of filter material and configured for placing the second continuous strip ( 14 ) above the first continuous strip ( 3 ) of filter material with the three-dimensional chambers (C) with the dose ( 12 ) of infusion product, so as to define a flat base that closes the filter bags ( 1 );
a station ( 15 ) for joining/closing the second continuous strip ( 14 ) of filter material onto the first continuous strip ( 3 ) of filter material and located along the working path (P), downstream of the station ( 13 ) for feeding the second continuous strip ( 14 ) of filter material;
a cutting station ( 16 ) for making a sequence of single, flat-based filter bags ( 1 ) by cutting the first and the second continuous strip ( 3 , 14 ) of filter material; the cutting station ( 16 ) being located downstream of the joining/closing station ( 15 ) along said working path (P).

2. The machine according to claim 1 , including retaining means ( 17 ) for retaining the first continuous strip ( 3 ) of filter material, located between the first circular part ( 6 ) and the second circular part ( 7 ) of the drum ( 5 ), and acting on stretches of the first continuous strip ( 3 ) of filter material located on opposing sides of each die ( 9 ) in phase with a corresponding punch ( 10 ) during a step of plastically deforming the first continuous strip ( 3 ) of filter material, said retaining means ( 17 ) being adapted to block said stretches of the first of filter material with respect to the dies ( 9 ).

3. The machine according to claim 1 , including cam means ( 18 ) for activating and deactivating the punches ( 10 ) and configured for radially moving the punches ( 10 ), at least along said arcuate stretch (T), between an inoperative position, where the punch ( 10 ) is positioned away from the die ( 9 ) and from the first continuous strip ( 3 ), and an operative position, where the punch ( 10 ) is coupled to the die ( 9 ) so as to plastically deform the first continuous strip ( 3 ).

4. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein said third part ( 19 ) moves each punch ( 10 ), in opposing directions, parallel to the axis (X) of rotation of the selfsame drum ( 5 ) so as to move the punches ( 10 ) away from the dies ( 9 ) for a predetermined second stretch (T 2 ) of arcuate path followed by the selfsame punches ( 10 ) in proximity of the station ( 11 ) for dosing a dose ( 12 ) of infusion product.

5. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the station ( 11 ) for dosing a dose ( 12 ) of infusion product includes a further drum ( 20 ) rotating about an axis (X 1 ) parallel to the axis (X) of rotation of the drum ( 5 ) and configured for bringing, in phase with the drum ( 5 ), a dosing chamber ( 21 ) above a corresponding three-dimensional chamber (C) of filter material formed and positioned inside a corresponding die ( 9 ).

Assignees

• Ima Ind Srl
• Ima Spa

Inventors

• Rivola Sauro

Classifications

• B65B1/02

  Machines characterised by the incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles (from flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material B65B9/00) · CPC title

• B65B29/02 Primary

  Packaging of substances, e.g. tea, which are intended to be infused in the package · CPC title

• B65D85/808 Primary

  for immersion in the liquid {to release part or all of their contents}, e.g. tea bags · CPC title

• B65B1/04

  Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles · CPC title

• B65B61/06

  by cutting · CPC title