Device and method for packaging of thin body containers, and loading group of said containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9708095-B2
Application number	US-201113817618-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2011
Priority date	Sep 1, 2010
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A device for packaging thin body containers comprises transport means, a tip-up unit ( 21 ), auxiliary guides ( 30 ), an unloading zone ( 58 ) and movement means suitable for cooperating with the tip-up unit ( 21 ) in the unloading configuration and with the auxiliary guides in the active configuration, to move the containers towards the unloading area ( 58 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for packing slim-bodied containers, comprising:
means for transporting a train of containers in a first vertically arranged upside down arrangement;
a tip-up unit having tip-up interspaces, suitable, in a load configuration, for accommodating in the tip-up interspaces the train of containers in a first arrangement and overturning it in a second standing up arrangement, moving to an unloading configuration;
auxiliary guides having auxiliary interspaces, suitable for accommodating, in an active configuration, an additional train of containers in the first arrangement, the auxiliary interspaces being aligned with the respective tip-up interspaces along an unloading direction;
an unloading area for accumulating the containers in rows; and
movement means suitable for cooperating with the tip-up unit in the unloading configuration and with the auxiliary guides in the active configuration to move the containers towards the unloading area, moving along the unloading direction.

2. The device according to the claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary guides are replaceable in position with the tip-up unit when the tip-up unit switches from a loading configuration to the unloading configuration.

3. The device according to the claim 1 , wherein the tip-up unit comprises a plurality of tracks elongated in the unloading direction and distanced in a direction at right angles to the unloading direction, between the tracks being defined the tip-up interspaces, the tracks having a cross section such as to realise a bilateral vertical restraint for a straw of the container fitted in the tip-up interspace.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the tip-up unit is suitable for vertically moving and turning around a rotation axis at right angles to the unloading direction to tip up the containers.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the means for transporting comprise a chain suitable for moving forwards along a transport direction at right angles to the unloading direction.

6. The device according to the claim 5 , wherein the chain includes a plurality of loading units each having a loading compartment that can be aligned with the respective tip-up interspace and auxiliary interspace along the unloading direction.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the movement means comprise a first series of pushers at a first level of the auxiliary interspaces in a position of the active configuration of the auxiliary guides and a second series of pushers at a second level of the tip-up interspaces in a position of the unloading configuration of the tip-up unit.

8. The device according to the claim 7 , wherein the movement means are suitable for moving with a double stroke.

9. An apparatus comprising:
a device for packing slim-bodied containers, comprising:
means for transporting a train of containers in a first vertically arranged upside down arrangement;
a tip-up unit having tip-up interspaces, suitable, in a load configuration, for accommodating in the tip-up interspaces the train of containers in a first arrangement and overturning it in a second standing up arrangement, moving to an unloading configuration;
auxiliary guides having auxiliary interspaces, suitable for accommodating, in an active configuration, an additional train of containers in the first arrangement, the auxiliary interspaces being aligned with the respective tip-up interspaces along an unloading direction;
an unloading area for accumulating the containers in rows; and
movement means suitable for cooperating with the tip-up unit in the unloading configuration and with the auxiliary guides in the active configuration to move the containers towards the unloading area, moving along the unloading direction; and

a loading casing that can be housed in the unloading area and is portable.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the loading casing comprises a lower surface vertically spaced from an upper surface, each made up of a succession of loading profiles extending along the unloading direction and positioned side by side along a direction at right angles to the unloading direction.

11. A method for packing slim-bodied containers comprising:
a first phase of loading containers in a second arrangement, wherein:
a) a chain containing containers in a first arrangement, contained in loading compartments, is moved so as to move along a transport axis;
b) the chain stops so the loading compartments occupied by the containers are aligned with tip-up interspaces between tracks of a tip-up unit;
c) means for moving containers are driven to move the containers from the chain into the tip-up interspaces;
d) the tip-up unit overturns a train of containers arranged in the tip-up interspaces in a second arrangement, aligning the tip-up interspaces with an upper surface of a loading box; and
e) auxiliary guides take a place of the tip-up unit at the level of the chain;
a second loading phase of additional containers in the first arrangement, wherein:
f) the chain is moved to convey additional containers in the first arrangement;
g) the chain stops so the loading compartments occupied by the containers are aligned with the auxiliary interspaces between the auxiliary guides; and
h) the means for moving containers are driven to move the containers in the first arrangement from the chain to an unloading area and the containers in the second arrangement from the tip-up unit to the unloading area.

Assignees

• Rosselli Lorenzo
• Guala Pack Spa

Inventors

• Rosselli Lorenzo

Classifications

• B65D5/5052 Primary

  and provided with slits or recesses in which at least a part of the contents are located (B65D5/504 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65B35/58

  Turning articles by positively-acting means, e.g. to present labelled portions in uppermost position · CPC title

• B65B43/44

  from supply magazines · CPC title

• B65B5/06 Primary

  Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles · CPC title

• B65D5/10

  with end closures formed by inward-folding of self-locking flaps hinged to tubular body · CPC title