US 12,344,427 B2
Machine and method for packaging articles by wrapping
Giuseppe Ponti, Città di Castello (IT)
Assigned to C.M.C. S.P.A., Città di Castello (IT)
Appl. No. 17/927,605
Filed by C.M.C. S.P.A., Città di Castello (IT)
PCT Filed May 24, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IB2021/054488
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 23, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/240342, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 2, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 102020000012661 (IT), filed on May 28, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0166878 A1, Jun. 1, 2023
Int. Cl. B65B 9/067 (2012.01); B65B 41/16 (2006.01); B65B 49/16 (2006.01); B65B 51/02 (2006.01); B65B 59/00 (2006.01); B65B 61/06 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 9/067 (2013.01) [B65B 41/16 (2013.01); B65B 49/16 (2013.01); B65B 51/023 (2013.01); B65B 59/001 (2019.05); B65B 61/06 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A packaging machine designed to wrap a sheet around articles to form bags containing individual articles, comprising:
conveying means, configured to receive and convey articles to be wrapped with the said sheet in a conveying direction;
a vacuum conveyor belt arranged consecutively to the conveying means;
a sheet feeding station, comprising a reel onto which the said sheet is wound and feeding and return means for feeding the sheet between the conveying means and the conveyor belt, transversely to the conveying direction of the articles, and for arranging the sheet with a central part thereof resting on the conveyor belt and with parts at a side of the central part protruding laterally from the conveyor belt, so that the articles conveyed by the conveying means end up arranged above the central part of the sheet resting on the conveyor belt and so that the sheet with the articles arranged on the central part thereof can be retained by suction by the vacuum conveyor belt and fed in a travel direction;
folding means, arranged and configured with respect to the conveyor belt so as to be able to meet and fold the side parts of the sheet which project laterally from the conveyor belt;
a structure associated with the conveyor belt and shaped so as to define a tunnel for the passage of the articles conveyed by the conveyor belt above the central part of the sheet, with the folding means, which are shaped and configured so as to meet the lateral parts of the sheet, which are protruding laterally from the conveyor belt during the feeding thereof, and fold the side parts of the sheet around the structure shaped like a tunnel so that the two side flaps of the sheet overlap and form a sheet tube, which is wrapped around the structure shaped like a tunnel;
first glue application means, positioned above the structure shaped like a tunnel and configured to apply glue to one of the two flaps of the sheet before they are overlapped;
compression and cutting means positioned downstream of the structure shaped like a tunnel, at a break in the conveyor belt, which can be activated to clamp the sheet tube, first at the front and then at the rear with respect to the position of an article inside the sheet tube, to seal and cut the sheet, obtaining a bag containing the said article therewithin; and
second glue application means designed to apply glue to a side of the sheet which will be the side of the said sheet tube facing inwards.