APPARATUS AND METHOD OF PACKAGING LOOSE PRODUCT

• US 20130105036A1
• Filed: 11/01/2012
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Barry S., Rinehart, Steven R., Crawford, Danielle R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,845,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/00 Packaging fluent solid material, e.g. powders, granular or loose fibrous material, loose masses of small articles, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/02 Machines characterised by the incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles from flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material B65B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/16 by pneumatic means, e.g. by suction
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/363 with measuring pockets moving in an endless path
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 2210/10 Means for removing bridges formed by the material or article, e.g. anti-clogging devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 2220/18 the primary packaging being bags the subsequent secondary packaging being rigid containers, e.g. cardboard box
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 29/00 Packaging of materials presenting special problems
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/20 by reciprocating or oscillatory pushers
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/205 linked to endless conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/405 linked to endless conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 39/04 having air-escape, or air-withdrawal, passages
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 39/14 movable with a moving container or wrapper during filling or depositing
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/265 Opening, erecting or setting-up boxes, cartons or carton blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/04 Packaging single articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/061 Filled bags
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/20 by folding-down preformed flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 51/00 Conveying articles through pipes or tubes by fluid flow or pressure; Conveying articles over a flat surface, e.g. the base of a trough, by jets located in the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 51/02 Directly conveying the articles, e.g. slips, sheets, stockings, containers or workpieces, by flowing gases
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/04 Conveying materials in bulk pneumatically through pipes or tubes; Air slides
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/06 Gas pressure systems operating without fluidisation of the materials
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/16 : Gas pressure systems operating with fluidisation of the materials

Abstract

An apparatus for packaging of loose product includes a loading station, a box forming station and an uploading station. The loading station includes moveable chutes in spaced apart relation. Each chute has an open top, an open upstream end, and an open downstream end. The open top is configured to receive loose product while moving along a first feed path. The box forming station is operable to partially erect boxes in spaced apart relation with first and second open sides and align the first open side of each box with the downstream end of a corresponding chute while moving along a second feed path. The unloading station includes a stationary vacuum head in communication with the second open side of each box. The vacuum head provides a continuous vacuum source along the second feed path operable to move loose product from the chute into the boxes.

Claims

1. A method of filling packaging with loose product, comprising:

establishing a procession of package structures having first and second openings and an interior space;

repetitively establishing predetermined quantities of loose product and repetitively disposing said quantities at locations adjacent said first openings;

transferring said disposed quantities into said interior spaces by communicating a vacuum through said second openings while agitating said adjacent quantities; and

closing said first and second openings.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring said disposed quantities through a passage and, prior to said closing step, purging said passage of errant product.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein establishing a procession includes folding open flaps of each package and said transferring step includes moving said opened package along a vacuum plenum.

4. An apparatus having a capacity to fill packaging with loose product, comprising:

an arrangement which establishes a procession of package structures having first and second openings and an interior space;

an arrangement which repetitively establishes predetermined quantities of loose product and repetitively disposes said quantities at locations adjacent said first openings;

an arrangement which transfers said disposed quantities into said interior spaces by communicating a vacuum through said second openings while agitating said adjacent quantities; and

an arrangement which closes said first and second openings.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a passage through which product transfers into said package structure and an arrangement which, prior to said closing, purges said passage of errant product with a plunger.

6. An apparatus for packaging of loose product, the apparatus comprising:

a loading station, said loading station including movable chutes in spaced apart relation, each chute having an open top, an open upstream end, and an open downstream end, the open top configured to receive loose product while the chutes move along a first feed path;

a box erecting apparatus operable to partially erect boxes in spaced apart relation with first and second open sides and align the first open side of each box with the open downstream end of a corresponding chute while traveling along a second feed path, the second feed path being parallel to the first feed path; and

an unloading station including a stationary vacuum head in communication with the second open side of each box, such that the vacuum head provides a continuous vacuum force along the second feed path which applies a suction force to the interior of each box traveling along the second feed path, and plungers enter the open upstream ends of the chutes and eject loose product from a respective chute through the open downstream end into the box at the unloading station.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further including a lid operable to cover the open top of each chute when positioned along the box erecting apparatus.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the lid includes at least one air inlet operable to deliver air from a pressurized air source to the open top of each chute.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein an inner surface of the chute includes a non-stick coating.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the vacuum head includes a screen having openings sized to substantially prevent suction of loose product into the vacuum head.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a group of plungers move from a first upstream position to a second downstream position while aligned with open upstream ends of the chutes and return to the first upstream position to load another group of boxes.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the loading station includes a plurality of cans operable to sequentially dump loose product into the open top of a respective chute, the cans moving along a third feed path above the first feed path at the same speed as the chutes moving the first feed path.

13. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the box erecting apparatus includes a conveyor for moving erected boxes along the second feed path.

14. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the box erecting apparatus includes a support bar operable to hold erected boxes open while traveling along the second feed path and the loose product comprises tobacco pouches.

15. A method of loading boxes with loose products comprising:

sequentially loading a predetermined quantity of loose product into moving chutes in spaced apart relation, each chute having an open top, an open upstream end, and an open downstream end, the open top receiving loose product while moving along a first feed path;

erecting boxes in spaced apart relation, each box open at opposite side or ends thereof;

aligning the first open side of each box with the open downstream end of a corresponding chute while moving the boxes along a second feed path, the second feed path being parallel to the first feed path; and

unloading loose product from each chute into a corresponding box by applying vacuum through the second open side of each box so as to pull loose product from the chute and into the box.

16. The method of claim 15, further including advancing a plunger through the upstream end of the chute, through the downstream end of the chute, and into the corresponding box thereby assisting transfer of loose product to the box.

17. The method of claim 15, further including covering the open top of each chute with a lid prior to applying suction and delivering air from a pressurized air source through an air inlet in the lid to each chute.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the plunger is plunged about 2 mm to about 4 mm into the erected box.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the loose product includes at least one or more of tobacco products and non-tobacco pouch products and wherein the loose product includes at least one or more of a coating and a moisture content of about 40% to about 55%.

20. The method of claim 15, further including applying a suction force to the second open side of each box with a vacuum head having a length of about 1 foot to about 4 feet and a screen on a face thereof, the screen having openings sized to prevent suction of loose product into the vacuum head, the plunger moves reciprocally and the vacuum source applies about 2 to about 3 pounds of pressure to the interior of the box.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the box is evenly filled and is free of head room when loaded.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein a group of plungers move from a first upstream position to a second downstream position while aligned with open upstream ends of the chutes and return to the first upstream position to load another group of boxes.