EP-4739589-A1 - METHOD FOR MAKING A SUPPORT TRAY

Abstract

Method for making a support tray (10) for elongated products (200), in particular smoking articles, which provides to make available a support tray (10) provided with a plurality of first holes (25) for positioning the elongated products (200) and a plurality of foldable diaphragms (24), respectively distributed on an upper (11) and lower (12) transverse wall of the support tray (10) which are facing each other. The support tray (10) is also provided with a first (13) and a second (15) side wall opposite each other and perpendicular to the upper (11) and lower (12) transverse wall.

Inventors

• CAPORALE, ANTONIO
• GALLETTI, LUCA

Assignees

• I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20240702

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS 1. Method for making a support tray (10) for elongated products (200), in particular smoking articles, said method comprising providing a support tray (10) having an upper transverse wall (11) and a parallel lower transverse wall (12) facing each other and provided with a plurality of first holes (25) for positioning said elongated products (200) and a plurality of foldable diaphragms (24), respectively distributed on the upper (11) and lower (12) transverse walls of said support tray (10), said method being characterized by folding said foldable diaphragms (24) by means of folding members (40) which are first axially aligned with said first holes (25) above said upper transverse wall (11) and then actuated to pass through said first holes (25) until the folding members (40) engage and fold said diaphragms (24) so as to define, on the lower transverse wall (12), through openings axially aligned with said first holes (25), through which said elongated products (200) can be easily inserted after removing the folding members (40). 2. Method as in claim 1, characterized in that during folding of said diaphragms (24), contrast members (41) are provided which support said lower transverse wall (12) to prevent damages of the lower (12) transverse wall of said support tray (10). 3. Method as in claim 2, characterized in that said contrast members (41) comprise annular rigid portions which encircle the folding members (40) during folding of said diaphragms (24). 4. Method as in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the folding of said diaphragms (24) comprises folding a plurality of contiguous foldable flaps (28; 30). 5. Method as in claim 4, characterized in that said foldable flaps (28; 30) are defined by radial incisions (31) and hingedly arranged around an annular profile. 6. Method as in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the foldable flaps (28) circumferentially delimit corresponding second holes (26) axially aligned with said first holes (25), each first hole (25) having a first diameter (DI) greater than a second diameter of each of said second holes (26), and in that folding said foldable flaps (28) enlarges the second holes (26) forming enlarged holes (29) having a third diameter (D3) greater than said second diameter (D2). 7. Method as in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by comprising, after folding said diaphragms (24) and removing the folding members (40), a step of inserting said elongated products (200) into said support tray (10), wherein the elongated products (200) are inserted through said first holes (25) until engaging, with a respective lower end (201), said through openings obtained by folding said diaphragms (24), said elongated products (200) having of a frustoconical shape. 8. Method as in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said support tray (10) is obtained from a single planar blank (110) comprising: a first main panel (111) provided with said plurality of first holes (25); a second main panel (112) aligned with said first main panel (111) and provided with said plurality of foldable diaphragms (24); a first (113a) and a second (115a) larger central panel connected, on opposite sides, to said first main panel (111); a first (113b) and a second (115b) smaller central panel connected, on opposite sides, to said second main panel (112), said first larger central panel (113a) being contiguously adjacent to said first smaller central panel (113b), wherein said first (113b) and second (115b) smaller central panels are superimposed and joined with glue respectively to a lower end portion of said first (113a) and second (115a) larger central panel, thus forming respectively a first (13) and a second (15) side wall opposite each other, perpendicular to said upper (11) and lower (12) transverse wall, and extending from said upper (11) transverse wall beyond said lower transverse wall (12) so as to define respective support legs (19, 20). 9. Method as in claim 8, characterized by comprising a shaping step, in which said planar blank (110) starting from a flattened configuration is shaped in a three- dimensional upright configuration, and in that in said shaping step, the first (111) and the second (112) main panel of said planar blank (110), firstly are partially superimposed and in contact with each other, then are separated from each other and spaced apart to put each other in parallel, thus forming said upper (11) and lower (12) transverse wall perpendicular to said first (13) and second (15) side walls, in said upright configuration. 10. Method as in claim 9, characterized by comprising further folding steps, after said shaping step, in which a first (116b) and a second (117b) smaller side panel connected, on opposite sides, to said second main panel (112) of said planar blank (110) are folded towards said respective support legs (19, 20), and in which a first (116a) and a second (117a) larger side panel connected, on opposite sides, to said first main panel (111) of said planar blank (110) are folded so that a respective lower end portion thereof is superimposed and joined with glue to said first (116b) and second (117b) smaller side panel, respectively, thus forming respectively a third (16) and a fourth (17) side wall of said support tray (10) and defining further respective support legs (21, 22). 11. Method as in any one of the claims hereinbefore, characterized in that each of said folding member (40) protrudes from a movable common support so as to fold said plurality of diaphragms (24) in a single step when moving said movable common support. 12. Method as in any one of the claims hereinbefore, characterized in that each of said folding members (40) has an elongated substantially cylindrical shape and is dimensioned to freely pass through the first holes (25). 13. Method as in any one of the claims hereinbefore, characterized in that each of said folding members (40) has an end portion with a frustoconical shape. 14. Method as in any one of the claims hereinbefore, characterized in that said elongated products (200) have a frustoconical shape and are made of flexible or deformable material.

Description

“METHOD FOR MAKING A SUPPORT TRAY” FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns a method for making a support tray for elongated products, for example tubular or stick or bar shaped, in particular but not exclusively of the flexible or deformable type, for example smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos or suchlike. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Packages, or packets, for containing elongated products, for example tubular or stick or bar shaped, for example smoking articles, such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, or suchlike are known. In the case of smoking articles, these are normally grouped in such a way as to define, as a whole, a parallelepiped, around which an internal containing casing, or internal wrapper, is then wrapped, which is then inserted into an external containing body, thus forming the packet. However, a disadvantage of such known packets is that they are not suitable to contain elongated products of the type in question and having a variable crosssection, for example having a frustoconical shape, because, since these products are arranged against each other, each smoking article could be crushed and/or ruined, thus compromising its integrity. In this regard, solutions are known that provide a box-shaped package in which there is a support tray having an upper wall and a lower wall, both parallel to the bottom of the containing body and provided with a plurality of positioning holes for the elongated products, keeping them positioned individually and, therefore, separated from each other. The holes made on one or both of such upper and lower walls can comprise deformable flaps that bend when the products are inserted into the holes. Packages of this type are described in US patent documents US 5,725,109, US 7,028,839 and USD 881,021. However, known solutions have the disadvantage that they are quite complex and that special, bulky and expensive equipment is required to manufacture them. Furthermore, the methods for making such support trays or the respective packages, as well as for preparing such trays to receive and support the elongated products, can be rather elaborate and complex. There is therefore the need to perfect a method for making a support tray that can overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art. In particular, one purpose of the present invention is to perfect a method for making a support tray which is simple and has low production costs. Another purpose of the present invention is to perfect a method for making a support tray which is highly efficient. Another purpose of the present invention is to perfect a method for making a support tray, wherein the latter is able to support such elongated products, in particular if they are flexible and/or deformable, allowing for a simple and rapid positioning thereof. The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims describe other characteristics of the present invention or variants to the main inventive idea. In accordance with the above purposes and to resolve the technical problem disclosed above in a new and original way, also achieving considerable advantages compared to the state of the prior art, there is perfected a method according to the present invention for making a support tray for elongated products, in particular smoking articles. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the method comprises providing a support tray having an upper transverse wall and a parallel lower transverse wall facing each other, the support tray being provided with a plurality of first holes for positioning the elongated products and a plurality of foldable diaphragms, respectively distributed on the upper and lower transverse walls of the support tray, opposing each other. According to one aspect of the present invention, the method provides to fold the foldable diaphragms by means of folding members which are first axially aligned with the first holes above the upper transverse wall and then actuated to pass through the first holes until the folding members engage and fold the diaphragms so as to define, on the lower transverse wall, through openings axially aligned with the first holes, through which the elongated products can be easily inserted after removing the folding members. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, during folding of the diaphragms, contrast members are provided which support the lower transverse wall to prevent damages thereof. In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, the contrast members comprise annular rigid portions which encircle the folding members during folding of the diaphragms. In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, the folding of t