AUTOMATIC PACKAGING MACHINE FOR FILLING A BAG MADE OF A HEAT-SEALABLE MATERIAL WITH A DOSE OF A LOOSE PRODUCT
First Claim
1. An automatic packaging machine for filling a bag made of a heat-sealable material and having an open upper end with a dose of a loose product;
- the packaging machine comprising;
a packaging conveyor;
a pick-up head, which is supported by the packaging conveyor so as to be fed along a packaging path lying on a horizontal plane, that is designed to grab and hold the bag along the packaging path, and comprises a pair of first clamps, which are opposite one another and are designed to grab opposite side ends of the corresponding bag;
an input station, which is arranged at the beginning of the packaging path and where the empty bag is grabbed by the pick-up headan output station, which is arranged at the end of the packaging path and where the full, sealed bag leaves the pick-up head;
a filling device, which is movable along the packaging path and is designed to feed the product dose into the bag through the open upper end; and
a sealing device, which is movable along the packaging path and is designed to seal the full bag through a sealing at the area of the open upper end;
the packaging machine being characterized in that;
the filling device 18 and the sealing device are both mounted on the packaging conveyor so as to move together with the pick-up head along the entire packaging path;
the filling device and the sealing device are arranged on the packaging conveyor next to one another along a horizontal selection direction, which is transverse to the packaging path; and
the pick-up head is movable on the packaging conveyor so as to transfer, along the selection direction, between a filling position, in which the pick-up head is aligned with the filling device, and a sealing position, in which the pick-up head is aligned with the sealing device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Automatic packaging machine (3) for filling a bag (1) made of heat-sealable material, having an open upper end (2) with a dose of loose product; the packaging machine (3) has: a packaging conveyor (4); a pick-up head (7), which is supported by the packaging conveyor (4) to advance along a packaging path (P1); an input station (S1) where the empty bag (1) is grabbed by the pick-up head (7); an output station (S2) where the full, sealed bag (1) leaves the pick-up head (7); a filling device (18) that is mounted on the packaging conveyor (4) to move together with the pick-up head (7) along the entire packaging path (P1) and is adapted to supply the dose of product inside the bag (1) through the upper open end (2); and a sealing device (19) that is mounted on the packaging conveyor (4) to move together with the pick-up head (7) along the entire packaging path (P1) and is adapted to seal the full bag (1) through a heat-seal at the open upper end (2).
9 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An automatic packaging machine for filling a bag made of a heat-sealable material and having an open upper end with a dose of a loose product;
- the packaging machine comprising;
a packaging conveyor; a pick-up head, which is supported by the packaging conveyor so as to be fed along a packaging path lying on a horizontal plane, that is designed to grab and hold the bag along the packaging path, and comprises a pair of first clamps, which are opposite one another and are designed to grab opposite side ends of the corresponding bag; an input station, which is arranged at the beginning of the packaging path and where the empty bag is grabbed by the pick-up head an output station, which is arranged at the end of the packaging path and where the full, sealed bag leaves the pick-up head; a filling device, which is movable along the packaging path and is designed to feed the product dose into the bag through the open upper end; and a sealing device, which is movable along the packaging path and is designed to seal the full bag through a sealing at the area of the open upper end; the packaging machine being characterized in that; the filling device 18 and the sealing device are both mounted on the packaging conveyor so as to move together with the pick-up head along the entire packaging path; the filling device and the sealing device are arranged on the packaging conveyor next to one another along a horizontal selection direction, which is transverse to the packaging path; and the pick-up head is movable on the packaging conveyor so as to transfer, along the selection direction, between a filling position, in which the pick-up head is aligned with the filling device, and a sealing position, in which the pick-up head is aligned with the sealing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- the packaging machine comprising;
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15. A method for controlling an automatic packaging machine for filling bags of heat-sealable material and having respective upper open ends with corresponding doses of loose product;
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the packaging machine comprising; a packaging conveyor; a plurality of pick-up heads each of which is supported by the packaging conveyor so as to advance along a packaging path lying in a horizontal plane and designed to grab and hold the bag along the packaging path; an input station, which is arranged at the beginning of the packaging path and where each empty bag is grabbed by the pick-up head; an output station, which is arranged at the end of the packaging path and where the full, sealed bag leaves the corresponding pick-up head; a plurality of filling devices, each of which is movable along the packaging path, is an operative member associated with a corresponding pick-up head and is designed to feed a product dose into the corresponding bag through the open upper end; and at least one sealing device, which is designed to seal each full bag through a sealing at the area of the open upper end; the method for controlling comprising the steps of; detecting the correct operation of each pick-up head and/or of at least one operative member associated therewith so as to identify a possible failing pick-up head; and using, for the filling of the bags and in the absence of failing pick-up heads, all the pick-up heads by always feeding a corresponding empty bag to each pick-up head in the input station; the method for controlling being characterized in that it comprises the further step of using, for the filling of the bags and in the presence of at least one failing pick-up head, only the pick-up heads functioning properly, by feeding a corresponding empty bag to each pick-up head properly functioning in the input station, avoiding the feeding of a corresponding empty bag to the failing pick-up head in the input station, and avoiding the operation of at least the filling device associated with the failing pick-up head. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. An automatic packaging machine for filling bags of heat-sealable material and having respective upper open ends with corresponding doses of loose product;
- the packaging machine comprising;
a packaging conveyor; a plurality of pick-up heads, each of which is supported by the packaging conveyor (4) so as to advance along a packaging path lying in a horizontal plane and designed to grab and hold the bag along the packaging path; an input station, which is arranged at the beginning of the packaging path and where each empty bag is grabbed by the pick-up head; an output station, which is arranged at the end of the packaging path and where the full, sealed bag leaves the corresponding pick-up head; a plurality of filling devices, each of which is movable along the packaging path, is an operative member associated with a corresponding pick-up head, and is designed to feed a product dose into the corresponding bag through the open upper end; at least one sealing device, which is designed to seal each full bag through a sealing at the area of the open upper end; and a first output passage which receives full, sealed bags in a first transfer station; the packaging machine being characterized in that it comprises a second output passage, which is separated and independent from the first output passage and receives the full, sealed bags in a second transfer station arranged downstream of the first transfer station. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
- the packaging machine comprising;
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23. A method for controlling an automatic packaging machine for filling bags of heat-sealable material and having respective upper open ends with corresponding doses of loose product;
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the packaging machine comprising; a packaging conveyor; a plurality of pick-up heads, each of which is supported by the packaging conveyor so as to advance along a packaging path lying in a horizontal plane and is designed to grab and hold the bag along the packaging path; an input station, which is arranged at the beginning of the packaging path and where each empty bag is grabbed by the pick-up head; an output station, which is arranged at the end of the packaging path and where the full, sealed bag leaves the corresponding pick-up head; a plurality of filling devices, each of which is movable along the packaging path, is an operative member associated with a corresponding pick-up head, and is designed to feed a product dose into the corresponding bag through the open upper end; at least one sealing device, which is designed to seal each full bag through a sealing at the area of the open upper end; a first output passage which receives full, sealed bags in a first transfer station; and a second output passage, which is separated and independent from the first output passage and receives the full, sealed bags in a second transfer station arranged downstream of the first transfer station; the method for controlling being characterized in that it comprises the step of transferring each full, sealed bag to the first output passage in the first transfer station or to the second output passage in the second transfer station.
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Specification