METHOD AND DEVICE FOR POSITIONING PORTION PACKETS

• US 20190329915A1
• Filed: 10/26/2017
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swedish Match North Europe AB (Swedish Match AB)
• Original Assignee: Swedish Match North Europe AB (Swedish Match AB)
• Inventors: SODERSTROM, Patrik, HAFSTAD, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 11,046,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 23/00 Cases for tobacco, snuff, or chewing tobacco
• 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 2230/00 Aspects of the final package
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 29/00 Packaging of materials presenting special problems
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 39/007 Guides or funnels for introducing articles into containers or wrappers
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 39/12 movable towards or away from container or wrapper during filling or depositing
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/061 Filled bags
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/08 Packaging groups of articles, the articles being individually gripped or guided for transfer to the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/101 by gravity B65B5/12 and B65B5/108 take precedence

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method for positioning portion packets of a product for oral use into a container by means of a compartment unit. The compartment unit comprises a plurality of compartments with a respective discharge opening. The method comprises: a) positioning the compartment unit at a first distance (dl) from a bottom wall of the container with the discharge openings facing a storage volume of the container, b) introducing at least one portion packet into i-th compartment of the compartment unit, the portion packet thereby assuming a first three-dimensional orientation with the at least one portion packet being in contact with the bottom wall of the container and at least partly remaining in the i-th compartment, wherein i is an integer going from 1 to n, n being the number of compartments to be loaded, n≥2, c) moving the compartment unit in relation to the container thereby causing reconfiguration of each portion packet to a second three-dimensional orientation being different from the first three-dimensional orientation. The disclosure further relates to a device for positioning portion packets of a product for oral use into a container. The disclosure also relates to a container comprising a plurality of portion packets of a product for oral use.

Claims

1. A method for positioning portion packets (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) of a product for oral use into a container (3, 3″

) by means of a compartment unit (5, 5′

, 5″

),

said container (3, 3″

) comprising a bottom wall (13) and a side wall (15) together defining a storage volume (17), said container (3, 3″

) having a height direction (H),

said compartment unit (5, 5′

, 5″

) comprising a plurality of compartments (9a, 9b, 9c, . . . ), each with a respective discharge opening (21),

said method comprising;

a) positioning said compartment unit (5, 5′

, 5″

) at a first distance (d₁) from said bottom wall (13) of said container (3, 3″

) with said discharge openings (21) facing said storage volume (17) of said container (3, 3″

),

b) introducing at least one portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) into an i-th compartment (9a, 9b, 9c, . . . ) of said compartment unit (5, 5′

, 5″

), said portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) thereby assuming a first three-dimensional orientation with said at least one portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) being in contact with said bottom wall (13) of said container (3, 3″

) and at least partly remaining in said i-th compartment (9a, 9b, 9c, . . . ), wherein i is an integer going from 1 to n, n being the number of compartments (9a, 9b, 9c, . . . ) to be loaded, n≥

2,

c) moving said compartment unit (5, 5′

, 5″

) in relation to said container (3, 3″

) thereby causing reconfiguration of each said portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) to a second three-dimensional orientation being different from said first three-dimensional orientation.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein step c comprises

c1) moving said compartment unit (5, 5′

, 5″

) in relation to said container (3, 3″

) by relative movement in said height direction (H) of said container (3, 3″

) at least until each said portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) is located outside said corresponding compartment (9a, 9b, 9c, . . . ), and

c2) allowing each said portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) to fall down on an adjacent portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ), such that one portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) partly overlaps with said adjacent portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) in said second three-dimensional orientation.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein step c comprises

c1′

) positioning said compartment unit (5, 5′

, 5″

) in relation to said container (3, 3″

) at a second distance (d₂) from said bottom wall (13) of said container (3, 3″

),

wherein a portion of each said portion packet (11a, 11 b, 11c, . . . ) is outside said corresponding compartment (9a, 9b, 9c, . . . ) and another portion of each said portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) is inside said corresponding compartment (9a, 9b, 9c, . . . ), and

c2′

) moving said compartment unit (5, 5′

, 5″

) in relation to said container (3, 3″

) by relative movement of said compartment unit (5, 5′

, 5″

) in a reconfiguration plane being perpendicular to said height direction (H) of said container (3, 3″

), when positioned at said second distance (d₂) from said bottom wall (13) of said container (3, 3″

), thereby causing reconfiguration of each said portion packet (11a, 11 b, 11c, . . . ) to said second three-dimensional orientation.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein step c2′

is performed by a rotational movement and/or a linear translational movement in said reconfiguration plane of said compartment unit (5, 5, 5′

″

) in relation to said container (3).

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising:

d) displacing said compartment unit (5, 5′

, 5″

) in relation to said container (3, 3″

) in said height direction (H) of said container (3, 3″

), such that said compartment unit (5, 5′

, 5″

) applies pressure to said portion packets (11a, 11 b, 11c, . . . ) when assuming said second three-dimensional orientation.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in step b said portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) is introduced such that one of its edges (23a, 23b, 25a, 25b) faces said bottom wall (13) of said container (3, 3″

), preferably one of its short edges (23a, 23b).

7. A device (1) for positioning portion packets (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) of a product for oral use into a container (3, 3″

), said device (1) comprising

a compartment unit (5, 5′

, 5″

), comprising a plurality of compartments (9a, 9b, 9c, . . . ) for receiving at least one portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ), and

a positioning unit (7), having an axial direction (A),

said positioning unit (7) being adapted to displace said compartment unit (5, 5′

, 5″

) in a first displacement motion in said axial direction (A).

8. The device (1) according to claim 7, wherein said positioning unit (7) is adapted to displace said compartment unit (5, 5′

, 5″

) in a second displacement motion in a reconfiguration plane being perpendicular to said axial direction (A).

9. The device (1) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein said compartments (9a, 9b, 9c, . . . ) are arranged in a compartment pattern forming a first sequence being a full circle, a semi-circle or any other part of a circle.

10. The device (1) according to claim 9, wherein said compartments are arranged in a compartment pattern forming said first sequence (33a, 33b, 33c, . . . ) and in a second sequence (35a, 35b . . . ) being a full circle, a semi-circle or any other part of a circle, said second sequence preferably being concentric with said first sequence.

11. The device (1) according to any one of claims 7-10, wherein said device (1) comprises a centre column (22) located at a centre of said compartment unit (5), said centre column (22) being displaceable in relation to said compartments (9a, 9b, 9c, . . . ) in said axial direction (A).

12. The device (1) according to any one of claims 7-11, wherein each of said compartments (9a, 9b, 9c, . . . ) has

an entrance end (19), at which a portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) may be introduced into said compartment (9a, 9b, 9c, . . . ),

a retaining end (20) opposite said entrance end (19), said retaining end preventing said portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) from further movement,

a discharge opening (21) facing in a direction perpendicular to a straight line drawn between said entrance end (19) and said retaining end (20).

13. The device (1) according to any one of claims 7-12 further comprising

a transport unit (37) configured to transport individual portion packets (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) to said compartment unit (5, 5′

, 5″

), wherein said transport unit (37) comprises a product channel (39) arranged for transportation of individual portion packets (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ).

14. The device (1) according to claim 13, wherein said product channel (39) is configured to introduce each said portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) into said compartment (9a, 9b, 9c, . . . ) with a predefined three-dimensional orientation in relation to said compartment (9a, 9b, 9c, . . . ), preferably such that an edge (23a, 23b, 25a, 25b) of each said portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) faces a bottom wall (13) of said container (3, 3″

), more preferably one of its short edges (23a, 23b).

15. A container (3, 3″

) comprising a plurality of portion packets (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) of a product for oral use,

said container (3, 3″

) comprising a bottom wall (13) and a side wall (15) together defining a storage volume (17), in which said portion packets (11a, 11 b, 11c, . . . ) are contained, said container (3, 3″

) having a height direction (H),

said portion packets (11a, 11 b, 11c, . . . ) having a pillow-like shape, said shape comprising two parallel short edges (23a, 23b) and two parallel long edges (25a, 25b), which are perpendicular to said short edges (23a, 23b),

said portion packets (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) being arranged such that one portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) partly overlaps with an adjacent portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ),

characterized in that

said portion packets (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) are arranged such that one of said short edges (23a, 23b) of each said portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) abuts said bottom wall (13) of said container (3, 3″

).

16. A container (3) comprising a plurality of portion packets (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) of a product for oral use,

said portion packets (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) being arranged such that one portion packet (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) partly overlaps with an adjacent portion packet (11a, 11 b, 11c, . . . ),

characterized in that

said portion packets (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) are arranged in a first sequence being a full circle, a semi-circle or any other part of a circle and in a second sequence, being a full circle, a semi-circle or any other part of a circle, preferably being concentric with said first sequence.

17. A container (3) comprising a plurality of portion packets (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) of a product for oral use, said portion packets (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) having a minimal extension s,

characterized in that

said portion packets (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ) are arranged in a first sequence being a full circle, a semi-circle or any other part of a circle,

and in that a centre space (31) located at a centre of said circle is free from said portion packets (11a, 11b, 11c, . . . ),

said centre space (31) having a diameter d_s, wherein d_s≥

s, and yet d_s≤

d_c−

2s, wherein d_c is a diameter of said container (3, 3″

).