US-12617567-B2 - Packaging unit for packaging articles in boxes and method for packaging articles in boxes

US12617567B2US 12617567 B2US12617567 B2US 12617567B2US-12617567-B2

Abstract

A packaging unit for packaging articles in boxes, including a mandrel, a movement device, a feeding device, a folding device, and an actuation device. The mandrel is configured to accommodate at least one of said articles inside it. The movement device is configured to move said mandrel along a movement trajectory at a desired movement speed. The feeding device is configured to feed at least one blank towards said mandrel along a feeding trajectory which intersects said movement trajectory. The folding device is intended to abut said blank and is configured to cooperate with said mandrel to fold said blank around said mandrel when said blank is positioned between said mandrel and said folding device to form one of said boxes. The actuation device is configured to displace said folding device along at least one folding stroke with an accompanying speed having at least one accompanying component with the same direction as the movement speed of the mandrel and modulus lower than the movement modulus in said folding stroke.

Inventors

Andrea Biondi
Luca Cavazza
Ivanoe Bertuzzi
Enrico Campagnoli

Assignees

R.A JONES & CO.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20221220
Priority Date: 20211229

Claims (17)

1 . A packaging unit for packaging articles in boxes, comprising: a mandrel configured to accommodate at least one of said articles inside the mandrel and configured to have a blank wrapped around the mandrel, a forming carousel configured to move said mandrel along a movement trajectory at a movement velocity, the movement velocity having a movement magnitude and a movement direction, a feeding device configured to feed at least one blank towards said mandrel along a feeding trajectory which intersects said movement trajectory, a folding device configured to abut said blank and configured to fold said blank around an outside of said mandrel, when said blank is positioned between said mandrel and said folding device and when said at least one of said articles is contained inside said mandrel, to form one of said boxes, and an actuation device configured to displace said folding device along at least one folding stroke, the at least one folding stroke having an accompanying velocity, the accompanying velocity having at least one accompanying velocity component with a same direction as the movement direction, the accompanying velocity component having an accompanying velocity component magnitude, wherein the accompanying velocity component magnitude is lower than the movement magnitude.
2 . The packaging unit according to claim 1 , wherein said accompanying velocity is parallel to said movement velocity in said folding stroke.
3 . The packaging unit according to claim 1 , wherein said actuation device is configured to displace said folding device (a) along a first portion of said folding stroke in which said folding device is spaced apart from said blank, and (b) along a second portion of said folding stroke in which said folding device is in contact with said blank to fold said blank on said mandrel.
4 . The packaging unit according to claim 1 , wherein said folding device comprises a first folding element and a second folding element, the first folding element and the second folding element arranged to respectively abut a first panel and a second panel of said blank, said first panel and said second panel being provided on opposite sides of said blank with respect to an advancement plane defined by said mandrel when moved along said movement trajectory.
5 . The packaging unit according to claim 4 , at least one of said first folding element and second folding element comprising: a folding portion shaped to interact with said blank, and a movement arm extending from said folding portion and coupled to said actuation device to actuate said at least one of said first folding element and second folding element.
6 . The packaging unit according to claim 5 , wherein said folding portion defines a first impact surface to interact with said blank, the first impact surface having a rounded shape.
7 . The packaging unit according to claim 6 , wherein the rounded shape of the first impact surface is convex toward said blank.
8 . The packaging unit according to claim 4 , the first folding element and the second folding element each comprising: a respective folding portion shaped to interact with said blank, and a movement arm extending from said folding portion; said actuation device comprising: a first actuation element arranged to actuate said first folding element, and a second transmission element arranged to actuate said second folding element.
9 . The packaging unit according to claim 1 , wherein said actuation device is configured to actuate said folding device along said folding stroke between a first position and a second position at an accompanying velocity and to further actuate said folding device from said second position to said first position at a return velocity with approach to said mandrel, said return velocity having a return direction opposite to said movement direction.
10 . The packaging unit according to claim 1 , the packaging unit further comprising a retaining device displaceable between an operating position and a non- operating position, wherein, in the operating position, said retaining device approaches a first abutment surface to retain said blank against said first abutment surface, and wherein, in the non-operating position, said retaining device is spaced apart from said first abutment surface.
11 . The packaging unit according to claim 10 , the packaging unit further comprising an actuation member configured to displace said retaining device along an actuation trajectory to bring said retaining device towards said operating position.
12 . The packaging unit for packaging articles in boxes according to claim 1 , wherein said packaging unit further comprises a plurality of mandrels, wherein each mandrel is configured to accommodate at least one of said articles inside it, wherein said forming carousel is configured to move each mandrel along said movement trajectory, and wherein said folding device is configured to fold one of a plurality of blanks around one of the plurality of mandrels when said one of the plurality of blanks is positioned between said one of the plurality of mandrels and said folding device to form one of said boxes.
13 . A method for packaging articles in boxes comprising: providing a mandrel configured to accommodate at least one of said articles inside the mandrel and configured to have a blank wrapped around the mandrel, providing a folding device configured to fold a blank around an outside of said mandrel to form said box when said at least one of said articles is contained inside said mandrel, providing a feeding device configured to feed at least one blank towards said mandrel, depositing at least one of said articles in a mandrel, moving said mandrel along a movement trajectory at a movement velocity, the movement velocity having a movement magnitude and a movement direction, positioning a blank along said movement trajectory of said mandrel in an advanced position with respect to said mandrel so that said blank is interposed between said folding device and said mandrel, moving said folding device along at least one folding stroke of said movement trajectory with an accompanying velocity, the accompanying velocity having at least one accompanying component with a same direction as the movement direction, the accompanying component having an accompanying velocity component magnitude, wherein the accompanying velocity component magnitude is lower than the movement magnitude .
14 . The method according to claim 13 , the moving said folding device comprising the accompanying velocity that is parallel to said movement velocity in said folding stroke.
15 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein said folding device comprises a first folding element and a second folding element and wherein said moving said folding device comprises displacing said first folding element at the accompanying velocity and displacing said second folding element at the accompanying velocity.
16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein said moving said folding device comprises displacing said first folding element and displacing said second folding element in a synchronised manner.
17 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein said folding device comprises a first folding element and a second folding element and wherein said moving said folding device comprises actuating said first folding element at a first accompanying velocity and further actuating said second folding element at a second accompanying velocity, said second accompanying velocity having the same direction as said first accompanying velocity and a second magnitude lower than a first magnitude of said first accompanying velocity.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is the U.S. national stage of International Application No. PCT/IB2022/062558 filed on Dec. 20, 2022, which, in turn, claims priority to Italian Patent Application No. 102021000032984 filed on Dec. 29, 2021, and to Italian Patent Application No. 102021000032948 filed on Dec. 29, 2021. The present invention concerns a unit and a method for packaging articles in boxes, particularly suitable for packaging articles in accordance with a process in which it is provided for forming the box around the article to be packaged, known in the art as a “wrap-around” process. The content of the following patent applications, filed on the same date by the same Applicant, is considered incorporated herein in their entirety: Italian patent application No. 102021000032948 entitled “Packaging unit for packaging articles in boxes and method for packaging articles in boxes” filed on Dec. 29, 2021;Italian patent application No. 102021000032993 entitled “Packaging unit for packaging articles in boxes and method for packaging articles in boxes” filed on Dec. 29, 2021;Italian patent application No. 102021000032984 entitled “Packaging unit for packaging articles in boxes and method for packaging articles in boxes” filed on Dec. 29, 2021;Italian patent application No. 102021000032915 entitled “Unit and method for packaging articles in boxes” filed on Dec. 29, 2021;Italian patent application No. 102021000033011 entitled “Packaging unit for packaging articles in boxes and method for packaging articles in boxes” filed on Dec. 29, 2021;Italian patent application No. 102021000033008 entitled “Packaging unit for packaging articles in boxes and method for packaging articles in boxes” filed on Dec. 29, 2021;Italian patent application No. 102021000033017 entitled “Packaging unit for packaging articles in boxes and method for packaging articles in boxes” filed on Dec. 29, 2021;The present invention finds a preferred, although not exclusive, application in the field of packaging for packaging in boxes articles with variable geometry and which are relatively delicate, such as for example bags of cereal flakes, a field to which reference may be made below without losing generality. In particular, in the relevant technical field, it is known to package articles into a box according to some distinct manners. A first manner provides a first step of forming a box, which is open at least at one end thereof, the subsequent insertion of the article to be packaged into the open box and, then, the closure of the open end. In a second manner, the box is formed by wrapping a blank around a mandrel which is made of rigid material, for example of metal, and which contains the article to be packaged. This manner provides that the blank is wrapped around the mandrel so as to form a box closed laterally but open at least at one end thereof, from which the mandrel is then extracted leaving the article inside the newly formed box. Also in this case, the open end can be conveniently closed, so that the package thus made can be sent to the final steps of packaging and shipment to the points of sale. In this manner, a folding device is provided which folds the blank around the mandrel. The folding device may comprise a plurality of folding elements each intended to form a distinct face of the box. In this description as well as in the accompanying claims, certain terms and expressions are deemed to have, unless otherwise expressly indicated, the meaning expressed in the following definitions. The term “article” means any product that can be packaged in boxes. The articles can have a predetermined geometric shape or they can have a variable geometry. Preferably, the articles are food and confectionery articles, in bulk or contained inside bags or other types of wrapping, such as for example cereal bags, or coffee capsules, or capsules of other infusion beverages, single chocolates (wrapped or not), candies, pouches containing solid, liquid or semi-solid food products; in addition, articles of the ceramic industry, absorbent articles for hygienic use, articles of the tobacco industry, articles of the cosmetic industry, articles of the pharmaceutical industry, articles of the “personal & home care” industry. By “packaging” one or more articles in a box, it is meant the fact of obtaining a box containing said one or more articles. Such packaging can be obtained by inserting one or more articles into an already formed box or, preferably, it can be obtained by forming a box around the one or more articles to be contained. By “mandrel” it is meant a container capable, on the one hand, of accommodating and supporting the article to be packaged and, on the other hand, of providing an effective abutment for folding the blank when wrapped around it. By “blank” it is meant a shaped sheet of appropriate material and thickness which is suitable to be wrapped by folding around a mandrel to form a box. Preferably, the bl