US 12,234,049 B2
Packaging machine with dynamic buffer and its assembly method
Marco Cassoli, Casalecchio di Reno (IT); and Nicola Giuliani, Valsamoggia (IT)
Appl. No. 18/554,439
Filed by CPS Company S.r.l., Casalecchio di Reno (IT)
PCT Filed Apr. 8, 2022, PCT No. PCT/IB2022/053321
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 6, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/215047, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 13, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 102021000008750 (IT), filed on Apr. 8, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0190602 A1, Jun. 13, 2024
Int. Cl. B65B 57/14 (2006.01); B65B 25/14 (2006.01); B65B 35/40 (2006.01); B65B 39/00 (2006.01); B65B 59/00 (2006.01); B65B 59/02 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 57/14 (2013.01) [B65B 25/14 (2013.01); B65B 35/405 (2013.01); B65B 39/007 (2013.01); B65B 59/001 (2019.05); B65B 59/005 (2013.01); B65B 59/02 (2013.01); B65B 2210/04 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A packaging machine for items, comprising:
a packaging station (5) having a support device (40, 41) configured to define a filling window, in use bounded by a package held in an open configuration by the support device;
a conveyor (12) having a first and a second shuttle (9) independently movable with respect to each other along a corresponding closed circuit having a stop and discharge section, each of the first and the second shuttle comprising a first and respectively a second plurality of seats defined by walls (14) for receiving the items intended to enter the package through the filling window;
an automatic loading device (2) configured to load the items onto said first or said second shuttle in a stopping and loading section of said circuit, the items being arranged in said plurality of seats;
an automatic unloading device (16) configured to unload the items from the first and/or the second shuttle arranged in a stopping and unloading section by a movement parallel to a first direction; and
a control unit programmed to:
receive an incoming M number of the items in the package,
wherein a number N1 represents a maximum number of the items that can be carried on board the first shuttle and arranged in the first plurality of seats, and wherein a number N2 represents a maximum number of the items that can be carried on board the second shuttle and arranged in the second plurality of seats, and
when M is different from N1 and/or N2:
hold the first shuttle in the stopping and unloading area,
position the second shuttle alongside the first shuttle in the stopping and unloading area, and
unload, by the automatic unloading device, M items of which some are on the first shuttle and others are on the second shuttle to fill the package.