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EP-4741323-A1 - SYSTEM FOR FEEDING AND ACCUMULATING PARALLELEPIPED-SHAPED PACKS FOR A MANUFACTURING MACHINE AND MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING PARALLELEPIPED-SHAPED PACKS

EP4741323A1EP 4741323 A1EP4741323 A1EP 4741323A1EP-4741323-A1

Abstract

A system (10) for feeding and accumulating parallelepiped-shaped packs (P) for a manufacturing machine (1) is described, comprising a transport conveyor (11) configured to define two channels (C, C*) arranged parallel to one another and to a feeding direction (A) of the packs (P), wherein a first channel (C) is configured to receive the packs (P) coming from a processing station (S3) of the manufacturing machine (1) and to feed them to an output station (6) of the manufacturing machine (1) during normal functioning of the system (10); and a second channel (C*) is configured to accommodate the packs (P) coming from the processing station (S3) when a malfunction occurs downstream of the system (10) and once the filling of the first channel (C) has been completed, and is configured to feed the packs (P) to the output station (6) once the malfunction downstream of the system (10) has been resolved.

Inventors

  • MARTINI, SAVERIO
  • PARAZZA, DAVIDE
  • CACCIARI, VALERIO

Assignees

  • G.D S.p.A.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251112

Claims (6)

  1. A system (10) for feeding and accumulating parallelepiped-shaped packs (P) for a manufacturing machine (1) comprising a transport conveyor (11) comprising in turn two channels (C, C*) arranged side by side, parallel to one another and parallel to a feeding direction (A) of the packs (P), wherein: a main channel (C) is configured to receive the packs (P) coming from a processing station (S3) of the manufacturing machine (1) and to feed them to an output station (6) of the manufacturing machine (1); an auxiliary channel (C*) is configured to accommodate the packs (P) coming from the processing station (S3) exclusively when a malfunction occurs downstream of the system (10) along a processing path (Q) of the packs (P) and once the filling of the main channel (C) has been completed; and to feed the packs (P) to the output station (6), once the malfunction downstream of the system (10) has been resolved; a first deflecting device (13) is located in the area of an input of the transport conveyor (11) and is configured to selectively feed the packs (P) coming from the processing station (S3) to the main channel (C) or to the auxiliary channel (C*); a second deflecting device (14) is located in the area of an output of the transport conveyor (11) and is configured to selectively establish a communication with the main channel (C) or with the auxiliary channel (C*) from which it receives the packs (P) to be transferred to the output station (6); a first stopping device (15) is located in the area of an input of the transport conveyor (11) and is configured to block the feeding of packs (P) coming from the processing station (S3) both to the main channel (C) and to the auxiliary channel (C*), wherein the first stopping device (15) is located upstream of the first deflecting device (13) along the processing path (Q) of the packs (P); a second stopping device (16) is located in the area of an output of the transport conveyor (11) and is configured to block the feeding of packs (P) coming from the main channel (C) to the output station (6), wherein the second stopping device (16) is located upstream of the second deflecting device (14) along the processing path (Q) of the packs (P).
  2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the transport conveyor (11) comprises a pair of single-width belt conveyors (12, 12*) arranged parallel to one another and to the feeding direction (A) of the packs (P) and each defining a respective channel (C, C*) for the packs (P).
  3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the transport conveyor (11) comprises a single multiple-width belt conveyor (12), in particular double, to accommodate two packs (P) arranged side by side and partition elements, preferably fixed, configured to define two channels (C, C*) that extend substantially for the entire length of an upper branch of the belt conveyor (12).
  4. A system (10) for feeding and accumulating parallelepiped-shaped packs (P) for a manufacturing machine comprising: - a transport conveyor (11) to feed the packs (P) along the feeding direction (A) of the packs (P); - a movable equipment (17), which is provided with a pair of guides (18) which are arranged parallel to one another and extend along the entire length of the transport conveyor (11); the movable equipment (17) is configured to translate in a direction orthogonal to the feeding direction (A) between a first work position, in which a sole main channel (C) is defined, configured to receive the packs (P) coming from a processing station (S3) of the manufacturing machine (1) and to feed them to an output station (6) of the manufacturing machine (1), and a second work position in which both the main channel (C) and an auxiliary channel (C*) are defined, configured to accommodate the packs (P) coming from the processing station (S3) only when a malfunction occurs downstream of the system (10) along a processing path (Q) of the packs (P) and once the filling of the main channel (C) has been completed and to feed the packs (P) to the output station (6) once the malfunction downstream of the system (10) has been resolved; and vice versa from the second work position to the first work position; wherein the two channels (C, C*) are arranged side by side, parallel to one another and parallel to a feeding direction (A) of the packs (P); - a first stopping device (19) located at one end of the pair of guides (18) and at an output area of the transport conveyor (11) and configured to block feeding of the packs (P) from the main channel (C) to the output station (6); - a second stopping device (20) located at an input area of the transport conveyor (11) and configured to block feeding of the packs (P) coming from the processing station (S3) both to the main channel (C) and to the auxiliary channel (C*); and - a second stopping device (21) located at an output area of the transport conveyor (11) and configured to block feeding of the packs (P) coming from the auxiliary channel (C*) to the output station (6).
  5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the transport conveyor (11) comprises a single multiple-width belt conveyor (12), in particular double, to accommodate two packs (P) arranged side by side.
  6. A machine (1) for manufacturing parallelepiped-shaped packs (P) comprising: - a processing station (S3) for the packs (1); - an output station (6) for the packs (1), which is located downstream of the processing station (S3) along a processing path (Q) of the packs (P); and - a system (10) for feeding and accumulating the packs (P) interposed between the processing station (S3) and the output station (6), according to any one of the preceding claims.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no. 102024000025467 filed on November 12, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND The present invention relates to a system for feeding and accumulating parallelepiped-shaped packs for a manufacturing machine and a machine for manufacturing parallelepiped-shaped packs provided with a system for feeding and accumulating packs. PRIOR ART As is known, a manufacturing machine, in particular a cellophane wrapping machine or an over-wrapping machine, is configured to perform the manufacturing of packs in wrappings of thermoplastic material and comprises a feeding system that extends along a processing path through a plurality of processing stations. In more detail, the manufacturing machine comprises a moulding station configured to receive the packs and the wrappings of thermoplastic material as an input and to wrap, at least partially, each wrapping of thermoplastic material around the respective pack and to perform a first sealing of the wrapping along a smaller side wall of the pack. The machine then comprises a sealing station configured to perform a second sealing of each wrapping of thermoplastic material along, respectively, an upper wall and a bottom wall of the pack opposite to one another; and a post-heating station configured to cause a heat-shrinkage of the wrapping of thermoplastic material and to increase the adherence thereof to the pack. Lastly, the manufacturing machine comprises a buffer device in which to accumulate the packs coming from the post-heating station and to be directed towards an output station. Although the manufacturing machines of known type operate in a satisfactory manner, there is an increasing need to have solutions that allow their productivity and performance to be improved. For example, when a fault or a malfunction occurs downstream of the manufacturing machine, it is necessary also to block operation of the manufacturing machine itself; the result is that some packs being processed in the manufacturing machine accumulate in the buffer device, whereas others remain blocked inside the moulding station, the sealing station or the post-heating station. However, once the fault or malfunction has been resolved, upon restarting of the manufacturing, it is necessary to discard many of the packs that remained blocked inside the moulding station, the sealing station or the post-heating station. Documents US5630309, JPH07267351, US4635784, US5038909, FR2804419 and US2005011814 describe feeding systems comprising at least two channels arranged side by side along a feeding direction. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a system for feeding and accumulating parallelepiped-shaped packs for a manufacturing machine that is free of the drawbacks of the prior art and that is easy and economical to manufacture. A further object of the present invention is to provide a machine for manufacturing parallelepiped-shaped packs provided with a system for feeding and accumulating packs that is free of the drawbacks of the prior art and that is easy and economical to manufacture. According to the present invention, a system for feeding and accumulating parallelepiped-shaped packs for a manufacturing machine and a machine for manufacturing parallelepiped-shaped packs provided with a system for feeding and accumulating packs are provided in accordance with what is established in the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will now be described with reference to the appended drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting embodiment thereof, wherein: Figure 1 is a front schematic view and with parts removed for clarity of a manufacturing machine obtained in accordance with the present invention;Figures 2 and 3 show in sequence the operating method of a first embodiment of a system for feeding and accumulating packs of the manufacturing machine of Figure 1 obtained in accordance with the present invention; andFigures 4 and 5 show in sequence the operating method of a second embodiment of a system for feeding and accumulating packs of the manufacturing machine of Figure 1 obtained in accordance with the present invention. PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION In Figure 1, the number 1 is used to indicate, in its entirety, a manufacturing machine configured to perform the manufacturing of packs P in wrappings of wrapping material on a line for the production and manufacturing of packs P. In particular, the manufacturing machine 1 is a cellophane wrapping machine or an over-wrapping machine configured to wrap the packs P or groups of packs P with sheets of wrapping of thermoplastic material. Alternatively, the manufacturing machine 1 can be a strapping machine configured to wrap groups of packs P in wrappings of wrapping material defined by sheets or blanks of paper material. In the