Folding unit for pourable food product packaging machines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9637262-B2
Application number	US-201214127505-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2012
Priority date	Oct 31, 2011
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A folding unit for producing packages of pourable food products from sealed packs having each a main portion and opposite end portions arranged on opposite sides of the main portion; each pack comprises a fin and a pair of flaps projecting laterally from main portion; a first movable conveying member fed with a plurality of packs and which feeds the pack along a forming path; and folder which interacts with each pack along forming path to fold relative first end fin onto the portion; the folder comprising: a first member movable along forming path together with the conveying member and defining a slot receiving, in use, end fin; and a second member movable relative to first member between a first position in which it engages at least partially slot, so as to fold end fin onto a relative end portion, and a second position in which it leaves free slot.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A folding unit for producing packages of pourable food products from sealed packs having each a main portion and opposite end portions arranged on opposite sides of said main portion; each pack comprising, for each end portion, a fin and a pair of flaps projecting laterally from said main portion;
said unit comprising:
a first movable conveying member which is fed with a plurality of said packs and which feeds the pack along a forming path; and
folding means which interact with each said pack along said forming path to fold relative said end fin onto a relative said end portion;

wherein said folding means include:
a first member movable along said forming path together with said conveying member and defining a first slot receiving, in use, said end fin; and
a second member linearly slidable along the forming path relative to said first member between a first position in which the second member engages at least partially said slot, so as to fold said end fin onto a relative said end portion, and a second position in which the second member leaves free said slot.

2. The folding unit of claim 1 , wherein said second member comprises at least one first element adapted to mesh with a second element, so as to cause the movement of said second member between said first and said second position.

3. The folding unit of claim 2 , wherein said at least one first element is a rack and said second element is a toothed sector.

4. The folding unit of claim 2 , wherein said second member comprises at least one wedge adapted to raise, in use, relative said flaps towards said main portion.

5. The folding unit of claim 4 , wherein said wedge is arranged on a first side of said second member and said first element is arranged on a second side, opposite to said first side, of said member.

6. The folding unit of claim 4 , wherein said wedge is arranged downstream from said first element, proceeding according to the advancing direction of said conveying member.

7. The folding unit of claim 2 , wherein said second element forwardly protrudes from said conveying member, proceeding according said advancing direction of said conveying member.

8. The folding unit of claim 1 , wherein each conveying member includes a paddle adapted to thrust said pack along said forming path;
said first member including a portion from which said paddle protrudes and said slot being arranged downstream from said portion, proceeding according said advancing direction of said conveying member; and
said second member including, for each side of said first member, one wedge and one rack.

9. The folding unit of claim 8 , wherein said first member defines a pair of second slots connected to said first slot;
said second member including a pair of arms movable within relative said second slots and a central element interposed between said arms; said central element engaging said slot when said second member is arranged, in use, in said first position.

10. The folding unit of claim 9 , wherein each said arm includes a relative said wedge and a relative rack.

11. The folding unit of claim 1 , including a plurality of said conveying members defining a closed loop;
each said conveying member comprising a first element and a second toothed element;
said second toothed element of each said upstream conveying member meshing with said first element of the immediately downstream conveying member.

12. The folding unit of claim 11 , wherein said forming path is a closed loop path comprising:
a first curved portion along which each said conveying member is fed, in use, with a relative said pack to fold, and along which each pair of consecutive conveying members move towards each to each other; and
a second rectilinear portion arranged downstream from an inlet portion along which each pair of consecutive said conveying members move substantially integrally to each other;
said second member moving, in use, from said second position towards said first position along said first curved portion;
said second member being arranged, in use, in said first position along said second rectilinear portion.

13. The folding unit of claim 12 , wherein said forming path comprises also a second curved portion arranged downstream from said rectilinear portion proceeding along said advancing direction of said conveying members, and along which said conveying members move, in use, away from to each other; said conveying members moving from first to said second position, along said second curved portion.

14. A folding unit for producing packages of pourable food products from sealed packs each possessing a main portion and first and second end portions arranged on opposite sides of the main portion, the sealed packs comprising a first end fin and a first pair of flaps projecting laterally from the main portion at the first end portion, the sealed packs comprising a second end fin and a second pair of flaps projecting laterally from the main portion at the second end portion, the folding unit comprising:
a conveying member configured to receive each of the packs and convey the packs along a forming path in a conveying direction; and
a folding means which interacts with each the pack moving along the forming path to fold the first end fin onto the first end portion;
the folding means comprising:
a first member movable along the forming path together with the conveying member, the first member comprising a first slot configured to receive the first end fin;
a second member movable in the conveying direction relative to the first member between a first position in which the second member at least partially engages the slot to fold the first end fin onto the first end portion, and a second position in which the second member is removed from the slot of the first member; and
an entirety of the second member being movable in the conveying direction relative to the first member.

15. The folding unit of claim 14 , wherein the second member comprises at least one first element configured to mesh with a second element to cause the movement of the second member between the first and the second position.

16. The folding unit of claim 15 , wherein the at least one first element is a rack and the second element is a toothed sector.

17. The folding unit of claim 15 , wherein the second member comprises at least one wedge configured, in use, to raise the flaps towards the main portion.

18. The folding unit of claim 17 , wherein the wedge is arranged on a first side of the second member and the first element is arranged on a second side of the member, the second side of the member being opposite to the first side, of the member.

19. The folding unit of claim 17 , wherein the wedge is arranged downstream from the first element considered with reference to the advancing direction of the conveying member.

Assignees

• Pedretti Richard
• Pradelli Massimo
• Rimondi Fabrizio
• Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance

Inventors

• Pedretti Richard
• Pradelli Massimo
• Rimondi Fabrizio

Classifications

• B65B49/08

  Reciprocating or oscillating folders · CPC title

• B65B61/24 Primary

  for shaping or reshaping completed packages · CPC title

• B65B49/02

  Fixed or resiliently-mounted folders, e.g. non-driven rollers · CPC title

• B65B9/20

  the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles · CPC title

• B65B49/14

  Folders forming part of, or attached to, conveyors for partially-wrapped articles · CPC title