US 12,103,262 B2
Unit and method for applying opening devices to a web of packaging material
Lauro Bellucci, Modena (IT); Fabrizio Tavernari, Nonantola (IT); Armando Stagliano, Modena (IT); and Fabrizio Battistini, Argelato (IT)
Assigned to Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A., Pully (CH)
Appl. No. 17/765,010
Filed by Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A., Pully (CH)
PCT Filed Oct. 30, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/080577
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 30, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/094113, PCT Pub. Date May 20, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 19208835 (EP), filed on Nov. 13, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0355562 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. B65B 41/18 (2006.01); B31B 50/84 (2017.01); B65H 23/04 (2006.01); B65H 23/188 (2006.01)
CPC B31B 50/84 (2017.08) [B65H 23/044 (2013.01); B65H 23/1884 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
17. A unit for applying opening devices to a web of packaging material at a plurality of predetermined areas of said web arranged at a non-zero distance from one another along said web;
said unit comprising:
a feeding group configured for feeding said web along an advancing path, wherein the plurality of predetermined areas advances along such path as the web is fed;
at least one first tool, arranged at a first desired position along said path and configured to apply a first opening device to a corresponding first predetermined area from among the plurality of predetermined areas as the first predetermined area advances through said first desired position; and
at least one second tool, arranged at a second desired position along said path and configured to apply a second opening device to a corresponding second predetermined area from among the plurality of predetermined areas as the second predetermined area advances through said second desired position; and
a buffer portion arranged along said path, downstream of said second tool and upstream of said first tool, and configured to accumulate a web portion having a number of said plurality of predetermined areas which is a natural integer multiple of the number of tools of said unit;
wherein the web portion accumulated within the buffer portion includes the first predetermined area that will receive the first opening device downstream of the buffer portion when the first predetermined area advances through the first desired position, and the second predetermined area that had received the second opening device upstream of the buffer portion when the second predetermined area had advanced through the second desired position, so that a relative distance between the first and second tools is reduced.