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EP-4741297-A2 - A METHOD AND A MACHINE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF POUCHES CONTAINING A RESPECTIVE QUANTITY OF A LOOSE MATERIAL, IN PARTICULAR SINUS

EP4741297A2EP 4741297 A2EP4741297 A2EP 4741297A2EP-4741297-A2

Abstract

A machine (6) for the production of pouches (1) containing a respective quantity (2) of a loose material, in particular snus, is provided, comprising a forming station (13) configured to enclose each quantity (2) within a wrapping material band (11) comprising, in turn, a wrapping device (14) at which the wrapping material band (11) is wound to form a tubular wrap (8) having a longitudinal extension in which a first edge of the wrapping material band (11) partially overlaps a second edge of the wrapping material band (11) defining an overlapping area; a longitudinal sealing unit (15) configured to longitudinally seal the tubular wrap (8) at the overlapping area; and a transverse sealing unit (16) configured to make transverse seals (5) of the tubular wrap (8) so as to form a continuous succession of pouches (1) connected to each other at said transverse seals (5). The transverse sealing unit (16) comprises a first device (25) and a second device (26), which cooperate to make the transverse seals (5). The first device (25) and the second device (26) are both configured to follow a trajectory divided into a first straight segment, wherein the transverse seals (5) are made, and a second arc-shaped segment.

Inventors

  • GHIOTTI, ROBERTO
  • MANGIULLO, Antonio
  • PIERAGOSTINI, MAURO

Assignees

  • Sasib S.p.A.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251103

Claims (11)

  1. A machine (6) for the production of pouches (1) containing a respective quantity (2) of a loose material, in particular snus, comprising a forming station (13) configured to enclose each quantity (2) within a wrapping material band (11) comprising, in turn: - a wrapping device (14), in the area of which the wrapping material band (11) is rolled up so as to form a tubular wrap (8) having a longitudinal extension, wherein a first edge of the wrapping material band (11) partially overlaps a second edge of the wrapping material band (11), thus defining an overlapping area; - a longitudinal sealing unit (15) configured to longitudinally seal the tubular wrap (8) in the overlapping area; and - a transverse sealing unit (16) configured to make transverse seals (5) of the tubular wrap (8) so as to form a continuous succession of pouches (1) connected to each other in the area of said transverse seals (5); the sealing unit (16) comprises a first sealing device (25) and a second sealing device (26), which cooperate to make the transverse seal (5); wherein the first and second sealing devices (25, 26) are both configured to follow a trajectory divided into a first straight segment, in which the first and the second devices (25, 26) cooperate to make the transverse seals (5), and a second circular arc-shaped segment; the machine is characterized in that it comprises an adjustment device (38) configured to keep the sealing pressure constant during the first straight segment, wherein the adjustment unit (38) is divided into a first lower adjustment device (38*) connected to the first sealing device (25) and a second upper adjustment device (38**) connected to the second sealing device (26).
  2. The machine (6) according to the preceding claim, wherein said first straight segment defines a sealing step, during which the first and the second sealing device (25, 26) cooperate with the tubular wrap (8) to make the transverse seals (5) from a seal start point (A) to a seal end point (B); said arc-shaped segment defines a return step of the first and the second sealing device (25, 26) from the seal end point (B) to the seal start point (A).
  3. The machine (6) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the adjustment device (38) comprises a number of adjustment elements (39) provided with respective axes (X, Y) parallel to one another and configured to translate along said axes (X, Y) in the area of a seal start point (A), wherein the first and the second sealing device (25, 26) come into contact with the tubular wrap (8) to make the transverse seals (5), and of a seal end point (B), wherein the contact of the first and the second sealing device (25, 26) with the tubular wrap (8) is interrupted.
  4. The machine (6) according to claim 3, wherein each adjustment element (39) comprises sleeves (41), which slide along respective pistons (40) coaxial to said axes (X, Y).
  5. The machine (6) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the adjustment device (38) comprises a number of limit stop elements (44) configured to adjust the stroke of the adjustment elements (39) along the respective axes (X, Y).
  6. The machine (6) according to any one of the preceding claims and comprising operating means (M) for operating the first and second sealing device (25, 26) comprising, in turn, an actuator device (34), preferably a brushless motor, configured to transmit the motion to a number of eccentric shafts (36), which control the motion of the first and second sealing device (25, 26).
  7. The machine (6) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transverse sealing unit (16) is configured to carry out a cold sealing of the tubular wrap (8).
  8. The machine (6) according to claim 7, wherein the transverse sealing unit (16) is configured to carry out an impulse sealing of the tubular wrap (8) in order to obtain the transverse seals (5).
  9. The machine (6) according to claim 8, wherein the first and/or second sealing device (25, 26) are defined by respective sealing bars (29) having a respective heating element (31) intended for heating the tubular wrap (8) and preferably obtained by means of an electrical resistance connected to a control unit, by which it is controlled by means of current impulses.
  10. The machine (6) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second sealing device (25, 26) are configured to move along the first straight segment of the respective trajectories with even speeds, preferably with the same speed with which the tubular wrap (8) moves.
  11. A method for the production of pouches (1) containing a quantity (2) of a loose material, in particular snus, comprising in succession: - a step in which to roll a wrapping material band (11) around a wrapping device (14) so as to form a tubular wrap (8) having a longitudinal extension, wherein a first edge of the wrapping material band (11) partially overlaps a second edge of the wrapping material band (11), thus defining an overlapping area; - a longitudinal sealing step, during which the tubular wrap (8) is longitudinally sealed in the overlapping area; and - a transverse sealing step, during which the tubular wrap (8) is transversely sealed so as to form a continuous succession of pouches (1) connected to one another; wherein the transverse sealing step is carried out by means of a transverse sealing unit (16) having a first sealing device (25) and a second sealing device (26) and comprising, in turn: a) a first sub-step, during which the first sealing device (25) and the second sealing device (26) follow a first straight segment of a trajectory, wherein they cooperate with one another to make the transverse seal; and wherein to keep the sealing pressure constant by means of an adjustment unit (38) divided into a first lower adjustment device (38*) connected to the first sealing device (25) and a second upper adjustment device (38**) connected to the second sealing device (26); and b) a second sub-step, during which the first sealing device (25) and the second sealing device (26) follow a second arc-shaped segment of the trajectory.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no. 102024000025431 filed on November 12, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a machine for the production of pouches (or sachets) containing a quantity of a loose product (that is, a non-compact product), in particular snus, and to a method for producing pouches containing a quantity of a loose product, in particular snus. This invention can be advantageously applied to the production of snus pouches (that is, permeable pouches for oral use that each contain a predetermined quantity of a loose, that is, non-compact product, that is more or less wet and, for example, nicotine-based), to which the discussion that follows will explicitly refer without any loss of generality thereby. PRIOR ART As is well known, a snus pouch is essentially rectangular in shape, is made from a wrapping sheet that is folded back on itself to form a closed shape around a quantity of powdered material, and is stabilised by means of a longitudinal seal and a pair of opposite, transverse seals. Typically, a wrapping machine for producing snus pouches comprises a conveyor device for conveying a wrapping material band along a packaging path, a wrapping station arranged along the packaging path, wherein the wrapping material band is wound to form a tubular wrap having a longitudinal extension around a wrapping duct, and a feeding device for the loose material that terminates at the inlet of the wrapping duct and is configured to successively feed the loose product quantities into the tubular wrap (around which the wrapping material is folded to form the tubular wrap) by means of compressed air. The wrapping machine also comprises a longitudinal sealing unit to longitudinally seal the tubular wrap at an overlapping area of the wrapping material band; a transverse sealing unit to transversely seal the tubular wrap so as to form an alternating succession of sealing areas and areas containing a quantity of loose product; and a cutting unit to transversely cut the tubular wrap at the transverse sealing areas so as to separate the individual snus pouches. Known transverse sealing units mostly perform heat sealing and comprise two opposing sealing rollers that cooperate together to press against each other (that is, pinch together) the tubular wrap, are rotatably mounted around two corresponding horizontal rotation axes, and are rotated by the same actuator device. Even if known transverse sealing units work satisfactorily, there is still a great need for solutions to increase their productivity. Patents US5771660 and US2019210753 describe machines for the production of known pouches. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The purpose of this invention is, therefore, to provide a machine for the production of pouches containing a quantity of a loose material, in particular snus, that is free from the drawbacks of the state of the art and is also easy and inexpensive to manufacture. In accordance with this invention, a machine for the production of pouches containing a quantity of loose material, in particular snus, is provided, comprising a forming station configured to enclose each quantity within a wrapping material band comprising, in turn, a wrapping device at which the wrapping material band is wound to form a tubular wrap having a longitudinal extension in which a first edge of the wrapping material band partially overlaps a second edge of the wrapping material band defining an overlapping area; a longitudinal sealing unit configured to longitudinally seal the tubular wrap at the overlapping area; and a transverse sealing unit configured to make transverse seals of the tubular wrap so as to form a continuous succession of pouches connected to each other at said transverse seals. The transverse sealing unit is preferably configured to perform cold sealing of the tubular wrap. The cold sealing limits (cancels) the heating of the quantity of product when the tubular wrap is being sealed. Advantageously, the cold sealing does not crystallise at the quantity of product, regardless of the composition of the quantity of product. The transverse sealing unit preferably comprises a first device and a second device cooperating to make the transverse seals; wherein the first device and the second device are both configured to traverse a trajectory divided into a first straight segment wherein the first and second devices cooperate to make the transverse seals and a second arc-shaped segment (preferably circular). According to a preferred embodiment, the transverse sealing unit is configured to carry out an impulse sealing of the tubular wrap to obtain the transverse seals. Alternatively, the transverse sealing unit is configured to perform ultrasonic sealing of the tubular wrap to achieve the transverse seals. According to a preferred embodiment, the first and/or second