US 12,240,649 B2
Method and a machine for producing a package of smoking articles
Alan Armeni, Bologna (IT); Davide Parazza, Bologna (IT); and Giuliano Gamberini, Bologna (IT)
Assigned to G.D S.p.A., Bologna (IT)
Appl. No. 18/553,259
Filed by G.D S.p.A., Bologna (IT)
PCT Filed Mar. 21, 2022, PCT No. PCT/IB2022/052539
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 29, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/208225, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 6, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 102021000007763 (IT), filed on Mar. 30, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0174391 A1, May 30, 2024
Int. Cl. B65B 9/02 (2006.01); B65B 13/02 (2006.01); B65B 17/02 (2006.01); B65B 35/44 (2006.01); B65B 41/16 (2006.01); B65B 61/06 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 9/02 (2013.01) [B65B 13/02 (2013.01); B65B 17/02 (2013.01); B65B 35/44 (2013.01); B65B 41/16 (2013.01); B65B 61/06 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for producing a package of smoking articles comprising an ordered group (102) of packets (101) containing smoking articles and arranged in mutual contact, wherein said group of packets (102) has at least one side or one surface (108, 110) that is defined by a totality of homologous sides or surfaces of all the packets (101), the method includes:
advancing the packets (101) along a direction of advancement (K) according to an arrangement wherein the packets are arranged in a row along the direction of advancement (K), each packet being in contact with at least one respective packet that precedes it, and with a respective packet that follows it, along the direction of advancement (K),
wherein advancing the packets (101) includes moving the packets according to a first predetermined motion law;
receiving at least one packet after another of a row of packets (120) between a first and a second ring-shaped moving members (42, 44), and accumulating the packets between the first and the second ring-shaped moving members (42, 44), so as to extend the row of packets (120), without interruptions, along the direction of advancement (K), between the first and the second ring-shaped moving members (42, 44);
wherein accumulating the packets (101) includes, by means of the first and the second ring-shaped moving members (42, 44), advancing the packets (101) along the direction of advancement (K) according to a second predetermined motion law that is identical to the first predetermined motion law;
applying onto the packets (101) that are received and accumulated between the first and the second ring-shaped moving members (42, 44), at least one continuous band (62, 64) of adhesive sheet, which is unwound from a reel, on corresponding surfaces (101A, 101B) of the packets that are parallel to the direction of advancement (K), and are arranged on a same plane containing the homologous surfaces of all the packets (101) accumulated between the first and the second ring-shaped moving members (42, 44),
when the packets (101) received between the first and the second ring-shaped moving members (42, 44) have reached a predetermined number of packets, by means of the first and the second ring-shaped moving members (42, 44), the method includes advancing the packets according to the second predetermined motion law that is different from the first predetermined motion law, so as to separate by a given distance (D) an ordered group of packets (102) from remaining packets of the row of packets (120), which are positioned upstream of the first and second ring-shaped moving members (42, 44);
cutting the at least one continuous band (62, 64) at a tract within the given distance (D) between the ordered group of packets (102) and the row of packets (120), so as to separate from the at least one continuous band (62, 64) a strip (104, 106) of adhesive sheet that is applied to the ordered group of packets (102) and holds the packets of the ordered group together of packets, said method comprising, before cutting the band:
receiving new packets (101I) between the first and the second ring-shaped moving members (42, 44), and accumulating the new packets between them, so as to extend the row of packets (120), without interruptions, along the direction of advancement (K), between the first and the second ring-shaped moving members (42, 44),
applying the at least one continuous band (62, 64) unwound from the reel onto the new packets (101I), which are received and accumulated between the first and the second ring-shaped moving members (42, 44); and
wherein the step of cutting the at least one continuous band includes cutting the at least one continuous band (62, 64) at a tract of the at least one continuous band that is subtended by the distance (D) obtained between the ordered group of packets (102) and the row of packets (120) extended between the first and the second ring-shaped moving members (42, 44), this cutting step defining a new end (105) of the at least one continuous band, which is applied to at least one first packet (101I) of the new packets received between the first and the second ring-shaped moving members (42, 44), wherein the step of cutting includes folding an end edge of the strip (104, 106) separated from the at least one continuous band, against a side or a lateral surface (101D) of the ordered group of packets (102) that is orthogonal to the direction of advancement (K) and faces towards the new packets (101I) received between the first and the second ring-shaped moving members (42, 44), and includes folding the end edge (105) of the at least one continuous band (62, 64) against a side or a lateral surface (101C) of the at least one first packet (101I) of the new packets that is orthogonal to the direction of advancement (K) and faces towards the ordered group of packets (102).