AUTOMATIC PRODUCT PACKING MACHINE WITH MANUAL ELECTRIC DRIVE CONTROL

• US 20130312365A1
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: G.D. Societa per Azioni.
• Original Assignee: G.D. Societa per Azioni.
• Inventors: Fiorentini, Marco, Salmi, Stefano, Uccellari, Sauro, Squarzoni, Michele, Gherardi, Giampaolo, Zanotti, Maurizio
• Application Number:
  US13/888,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20130312365A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/55
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 11/42 and then to form closing folds of similar form at opposite ends of the tube
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/00 Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices registering wrapping or container-forming material fed from rolls B65B41/18
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 65/00 Details peculiar to packaging machines and not otherwise provided for; Arrangements of such details

Abstract

An automatic product packing machine having: a conveying device which feeds a product for packing along a packing path, which originates at a first feed station and extends through a second feed station and at least one work station; an electric machine motor which drives at least part of the conveying device to move the conveying device; a manual control operated manually by an operator; and a control unit which controls operation of the electric machine motor according to the position of the manual control; and a portable device, which can be gripped and moved about freely by an operator, and supports the manual control.

Claims

1. An automatic product packing machine (1) comprising:

at least a first feed station (20) for supplying at least one product (21) for packing;

at least a second feed station (22) for supplying at least one sheet (23) of packing material, which is applied to the product (21);

at least one work station (24) where the product (21) is packed in the sheet (23) of packing material;

a conveying device (25) which feeds the product (21) for packing along a packing path (P), which originates at the first feed station (20) and extends through the second feed station (22) and the work station (24);

at least one electric machine motor (4) which drives at least part of the conveying device (25) to move the conveying device (25);

at least one manual control (9) operated manually by an operator; and

a control unit (8) which controls operation of the electric machine motor (4) according to the position of the manual control (9);

the automatic machine (1) being characterized by comprising;

a portable device (15), which supports the manual control (9), is physically independent of and separate from the automatic machine (1), is designed for easy, one-handed grip by an operator to allow the operator to grip the portable device (15) in one hand and simultaneously operate the manual control (9) with the other hand, and in use can be gripped and moved about freely by the operator; and

a connecting cable (16), which connects the portable device (15) to the control unit (8), and is of a given length designed to allow the operator using the portable device (15) to move in the vicinity of, but no further than a given maximum distance from, the automatic machine (1).

2. An automatic machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the manual control (9) is in the form of a rotary knob.

3. An automatic machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portable device (15) has a safety button (18), which must be kept pressed at all times to permit operation of the electric machine motor (4) by the manual control (9).

4. An automatic machine (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the safety button (18) is located on one side of the portable device (15), so the operator gripping the portable device (15) with one hand can press the safety button (18) with the thumb of the same hand while operating the manual control (9) with the other hand.

5. An automatic machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portable device (15) comprises a scale adjuster (14) for adjusting the transmission ratio between a variation in the position of the manual control (9) and a corresponding variation in the position of the electric machine motor (4).

6. An automatic machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portable device (15) comprises a direction control (17) for controlling the operating direction of the electric machine motor (4).

7. An automatic machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, and comprising a receptacle (19) for housing and supporting the portable device (15) when not in use.

8. An automatic machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, and comprising a computer tablet (28) connected wirelessly to the control unit (8) by a radiofrequency connection.

9. An automatic machine (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the computer tablet (28) interacts with the control unit (8) to display information relating to the status of the automatic machine (1), and to modify settings or configurations of the automatic machine (1).

10. An automatic machine (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the computer tablet (28) does not provide for controlling the electric machine motor (4).

11. An automatic machine (1) as claimed in claim 8, and comprising at least one docking station (30) where the computer tablet (28) is connectable.

12. An automatic machine (1) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the docking station (30) is fitted to a column (31) fixed to the floor in front of the automatic machine (1).