Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02733439 2011-03-08
Device apparatus and process for wrapping an item in a casing of sheet
material
This invention refers to a packaging device and apparatus for wrapping an
item, typically a
food product, in a casing formed by a pair of half-shells made from sheeted
material with a
shape matching a respective portion of the surface of the item, and associated
packaging
process.
In known procedures, the two preformed half-shells are coupled one to the
other around the
item and connected together by means of an operation known as caulking which
implies
folding and/or upsetting flanges surrounding the mouth contour of each half-
shell.
The term "caulking", which is used in mechanical technologies to indicate the
operation of
upsetting the edge of riveted sheets, is used in this description in a broad
sense to indicate a
deformation operation that folds and/or upsets the flange edges of each half-
shell in such a
way that such flange edges are connected to one another.
A packaging process and apparatus of the type mentioned above are described in
DE 17 84
647 U. The procedure described there contemplates an initial stage in which
little
aluminium sheets are drawn in respective shaped moulds in such a way as to
form the two
half-shells of the casing; a food product is then inserted into one of the two
half-shells,
supported by the respective mould, and the second half-shell, inserted in a
respective
mould, is applied on the part of the product protruding from the first half-
shell, thereby
positioning the flange edges of the two half-shells in a face-to-face
relationship.
When the two moulds have been closed, the flange edges are trimmed or punched;
then the
flange edges of the two half-shells are joined together by hot-bonding, gluing
or folding;
this last operation is not described in detail, however.
GB 952 925 describes a procedure and a caulking device in the framework of a
process
that uses two half-shells of sheet aluminium shaped as a mould for forming a
hollow
chocolate body; the caulking operation is carried out by arranging the items
inserted one by
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one between the two sheet aluminium half-shells in a first press which, with
the aid of a
ring-type shaping element, provokes an initial folding of the flange edges in
a direction
orthogonal to the general plane of the flanges.
The items are then transferred to a second press, associated with which is a
ring-type
shaping element which, in turn, causes the flanges to curl.
One object of this invention is to supply a device that makes it possible to
carry out the
caulking operation simultaneously on a plurality of items.
Another object of the invention is to provide a procedure and an apparatus
that permit in-
line packaging, operating continuously or step by step, thereby making it
possible to
package a plurality of items in half-shells of sheeted material with high
productivity.
In the light of these objects, a caulking device, an apparatus comprising it,
and a process as
defined in the claims that follow constitute the subject of the invention.
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be evident from
the following
detailed description, which is purely exemplificative and not limitative, and
which is made
with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
- figs. 1-15 are schematic representations that illustrate consecutive stages
of the
packaging procedure of a preferred embodiment;
- figs. 7a and 7b illustrate two consecutive positions of the operation
carried out in fig.
7;
- fig. 16 is a perspective view of a caulking tool used in the framework of
the process;
and
- fig. 17 is a plan view of the tool in fig. 16, depicted in an operating
position along
with the item on which the tool works for the caulking operation.
The apparatus according to the invention carries out the in-line packaging of
a given item
starting from an initial sheeted material drawing stage in order to obtain the
half-shells that
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constitute the casing, and goes on to discharge the completely packaged item.
As will be evident from the description that follows, some of the operating
stages
described below with reference to the attached drawings are purely optional.
Fig. 1 shows a drawing stage for forming a first and second half-shell 2, 4 in
a respective
honeycomb mould 6 and 8. The half-shells 2, 4 are obtained from a sheet of
plastically
deformable material. This is typically a sheet of aluminium, for example from
10 gm to 40
m thick, and can optionally be coated on at least one face with a lacquer or
other hot-melt
or hot-bonding coating. The moulds 6 and 8 have a shaped moulding cavity 9, 11
(fig. 2)
with a form that matches a respective portion of the external surface of the
item to
package.
The item to package is illustrated in the drawings supplied along with this
description, and
in figs. 1 to 15 in particular, with a circular cross section, so that the two
half-shells 2, 4 are
equal to one another in the sections that are the subject of the figures.
It is evident that this is a purely exemplificative choice taken for
illustrative simplicity, as
the invention should not be understood in any way to be limited to packaging
items with
circular cross sections or with rotational symmetry; on the contrary, the
procedure is
particularly advantageous for packaging shaped items with complex and
asymmetrical
forms, of the type illustrated in fig. 17, for example.
The two half-shells made from sheeted material in which the item is packaged
can in this
way have forms that differ from one another, it being understood that in any
case the
mouth profile of the half-shells corresponds to the profile of the item's
maximum
longitudinal section.
In this way the item to wrap can, for example, be a body of food material,
chocolate for
example, optionally hollow, such as a chocolate egg (which constitutes a
typical example
of a body with rotational symmetry) for example, or a body with a complex
form, such as a
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body representing a toy, a character or an animal.
It is also intended that, although each mould is depicted in the attached
drawings with a
single seat for drawing the respective half-shell, in industrial practice each
mould can
comprise a plurality of seats, arranged in a matrix for example, in order to
make it possible
to draw a plurality of half-shells in a single stage.
A continuous band of sheeted material unwound from a reel is cut to obtain a
sheet which
is positioned on each mould; in the case in which each mould has a plurality
of seats, after
having positioned the sheet so that it covers the seats, a first cutting
operation is generally
carried out in order to subdivide the sheet into small individual sheets, each
of which
covers a respective seat.
The drawing operation is carried out in a way that is known per se, for
example with the
use of a plug 10 (or a plurality of plugs 10) with a form that is
complementary to the
surface of each mould seat or cavity.
The drawing operation is carried out without constraining, or by only
constraining slightly,
the peripheral edges of each sheet subjected to drawing. The half-shells of
sheeted material
2, 4 obtained in this way have a hollow surface portion 2a, 4a and a
peripheral surface
portion 2b, 4b surrounding the mouth contour of the hollow portion, the
external profile of
which corresponds to the perimeter of each sheet fed to the respective mould.
It should be specified, however, that the procedure described also applies to
packaging an
item that has a surface with a flat base, and in which case one of the half-
shells consists of
an undrawn sheet, i.e. a flat sheet; therefore, the fact that the two portions
of casing are
defined as half-shells in this description is to be intended as inclusive of
the case in which
one of said portions is a flat sheet.
Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate stages (optional moreover) in which the drawn half-
shells 2, 4 are
transferred into auxiliary supports 12, 14, each having at least one
respective seat 16, 18
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for receiving and/or supporting the respective half-shell and a portion of
general flat
surface 20, 22, surrounding the mouth of the respective seat, suitable for
supporting the
peripheral portion 2b, 4b of the respective half-shell.
As illustrated in fig. 3, one of said supports has an annular slot or groove
24 surrounding
the mouth profile of the seat 16, the function of which is illustrated below.
As indicated,
the stages in fig. 2 and fig. 3 are optional, as the drawing operation could
be carried out in
a mould with characteristics in conformity with the support 12.
The item P is then positioned in the half-shell 2, using means of transfer
known per se, for
example of the suction cup type, and the half-shell 4 is coupled to the half-
shell 2 in a
position superimposed on the surface portion of the item P which emerges from
the seat
16; a configuration is obtained in which the two half-shells 2, 4 are arranged
with their
peripheral surface portions 2b, 4b that surround the mouth contours of the
half-shells in a
face-to-face and essentially coplanar relationship, as illustrated in fig. 6.
In order to obtain this configuration, the support 14 can be overturned 180
onto the
support 12, as illustrated in fig. 5; for this purpose, the supports 12, 14
can be articulated
with one another in book form; however this solution is purely exemplificative
as it is
intended that the configuration in fig. 6 can be obtained with other operating
means which
effect the transfer of the half-shells 4, optionally drawn in a separate line,
onto the half-
shells 2.
The procedure then envisages an operation for cutting the peripheral edges 2b,
4b of the
half-shells for the purpose of obtaining, in each half-shell, a flange,
indicated as a whole by
5, 7, which surrounds the mouth contour of the half-shells 2, 4, preferably at
a uniform
distance.
This cutting operation illustrated in figs. 7, 7a and 7b, is preferably
carried out by
provoking, simultaneously with cutting, the folding of a portion 5a, 7a of the
flanges 5, 7
distal from said item P in an angled position, preferably orthogonal, with
respect to the
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plane on which the flange portions 5b, 7b, proximal to the item P, lie.
This operation can be carried out by means of a device of the type illustrated
in fig. 7
which cooperates with the support 12, provided with the annular groove 24.
This cutting device comprises a vertically mobile support 26, with associated
annular
cutting means or punch 28 and presser means 30, 32, preferably elastically
constrained to
the support 26, that surround the annular cutting means 28 internally and
externally.
The cutting device is positioned by the presser means 30, 32 in contact with
the peripheral
portion 4b and with the cutting means 28 which is capable of penetrating the
groove 24.
The cutting end 28a of the cutting means 28 is capable of penetrating the
groove 24 at a
slight radial distance from the radially internal wall 24a of the groove 24,
this distance
being dimensioned in such a way as to be able to receive the flange edges 7a
and 5a.
In this way, in the course of the cutting operation, the presser means 30 and
32 constrain
the peripheral portions 2b and 4b of each half-shell and the descent of the
cutting means
inside the groove 24 provokes simultaneous folding downwards of the distal
flange
portions 5a and 7a (figs. 7a and 7b) at the same time as the cutting of said
peripheral
portions with a flange profile that conforms with the mouth contour of the
half-shells.
The portions of scrap, indicated as a whole by 13, can be removed following
cutting, for
example by extraction in a later stage of the procedure.
The procedure then preferably envisages an operation for overturning the item
P by 180
with the associated half-shells 2, 4, in such a way as to position the folded
flange edges 5a,
7a upwards.
This operation can, for example, be carried out in accordance with the
operating stages in
figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 that comprise the overturning of the support 14 onto the
support 12 to
obtain the configuration in fig. 9, in which the two half-shells are
constrained between the
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respective supports 12, 14, the overturning by 180 of the two associated
supports 12, 14
(fig. 10) and the subsequent opening of the top support 14 to obtain the
configuration in
fig. 11.
In this configuration, the two half-shells 2 and 4 are not constrained to one
another, so that
it is necessary to carry out the caulking operation with folding and the
possible upsetting of
the folded flange edges.
According to the invention, this operation can be carried out by means of a
caulking
device, having the characteristics defined in the attached claims, described
with reference
to figs. 12 and 17, which is set up to operate starting from an item wrapped
by the two
half-shells in the configuration in fig. 11.
It is intended, however, that the configuration in fig. 11 which makes it
possible to operate
by means of the device described below can be obtained independently with
working
stages that do not necessarily correspond with those described previously.
Such a device, however, which can constitute a station in a packaging
apparatus that
carries out one or more of the operations previously described in line, or
which can
constitute a standalone device to which the items with the associated half-
shells 2, 4 can be
fed, generally comprises means of support such as, for example, the support 12
in fig. 11
comprising at least one seat 16 suitable for supporting the item P inserted
between the two
half-shells of sheeted material, or a plurality of seats, each for a
respective item; the means
of support comprise a substantially flat surface 34 which surrounds the
aforesaid seat 16
and which is suitable for supporting the flanges 5, 7 of the two half-shells
arranged in a
relationship of superimposition one on the other.
The device comprises means of caulking arranged to cause the folding and/or
upsetting of
the flange portions 5a, 7a distal to the item P, starting from a configuration
of said flanges
in which their distal portions 5a and 7a are already folded in an angled
position, generally
virtually orthogonal to the surface 34 of the support.
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The aforesaid caulking means comprise a caulking tool, indicated by 36, which
can be a
body in the shape of a plate with an opening 38 (fig. 16) (or a plurality of
openings, one for
each item to caulk), having a perimeter profile 40 homologous and widened with
respect to
the perimeter profile defined by the ends of the flanges 5, 7.
In this way the caulking tool 36 is capable of being positioned in contact
with the surface
34 of the support 12, with the opening 38 in a position surrounding the distal
flange
portions 5a, 7a at a distance, namely in the configuration shown in fig. 17,
visible in which
is the top half-shell 2, the perimeter profile defined by the distal portions
5a, 7a and the
profile 40 of the opening 38 which is positioned at a virtually uniform
distance from the
flange edges.
The caulking tool is vertically mobile with respect to the means of support
between a
raised position and a lowered position, in which it is in contact with the
surface 34. The
caulking tool 36 is also mobile on a horizontal plane. Motor means 42 are
arranged for
operating the vertical and horizontal movements of the caulking tool.
In particular, the motor means 42 are arranged to bring consecutive or non-
consecutive
sections of the profile 40 of the opening 38 into contact with a homologous
section of the
profile defined by the previously folded distal flange portions 7a, 5a. This
operation can be
carried out in the position in which the bottom end of the caulking tool is in
contact with
the surface 34 and is also useful for obtaining, where necessary, correct
positioning of said
distal flange portions 5a, 7a in a position orthogonal to the surface 34 (fig.
12).
The caulking tool is then subject to a vertical movement for a distance d
greater than the
thickness of the two superimposed proximal flange portions 5b, 7b and such
that the
bottom end of the profile 40 of the opening 38 is still capable of
interfering, following a
horizontal displacement, with the top end of the distal flange portions 7a, 5a
(fig. 13).
Consecutively, the caulking tool 36 is subject to a horizontal movement of
approach to the
item P, in such a way as to cause further folding towards the inside of the
distal flange
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portions 7a, 5a (fig. 14), superimposed on the proximal portions 5b, 7b.
Optionally, and in any case preferably, the caulking tool 36 is then subject
to a vertical
movement of approach towards the surface 34 of the support 12, to cause
upsetting (fig.
15).
The aforesaid operations, namely the operations in figs. 12, 13 and 14, and
optionally also
the operations in fig. 16 (upsetting), are carried out for further consecutive
or non-
consecutive sections of the profile of the flanges. For example, when the item
has a
generally quadrangular profile, the aforesaid operations are carried out for
each of the sides
that define the profile; it is intended however that carrying out the caulking
operation along
the whole flange profile does not constitute an essential and imperative
aspect of the
procedure as - in certain applications - it may be desirable to maintain an
uncaulked
portion of the flange profile, or keep a section of the flange profile in
which the flanges are
in a superimposed position and are not folded on themselves; this solution
can, for
example, be applied in the case in which the connection of one section of the
flanges is
made by applying an adhesive label. In this way the procedure according to the
invention
has the further advantage that it makes it possible to carry out the caulking
operation only
on one portion of the perimeter profile of the flanges or on specific
portions, even on
portions that are not adjacent to one another.
In particular, in the case of a profile of the type illustrated in figs. 16
and 17, the caulking
tool can carry out the complete (or partial) caulking operation, being put in
motion with a
translational movement in two directions orthogonal to one another.
In the case of an item with a body having a profile with curvilinear sections,
an ovoid
profile for example, the caulking tool can be arranged for a rotary and
eccentric movement
on the horizontal plane, so as to bring consecutive or non-consecutive
sections of the
profile 40 of the opening 38 into contact once again with the flange edges and
carry out the
subsequent operations illustrated.
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As indicated above, the final upsetting operation is optional, because in the
case of
particular configurations of the item to caulk, such as, for example, in the
case of an ovoid
body, the caulking operation (if necessary) can be carried out at a later
stage with an
auxiliary tool 36b (fig. 15), vertically mobile under the action of motor
means 42a, and
provided with an opening the internal profile of which substantially
corresponds with the
mouth profile of the two half-shells. The aforesaid auxiliary tool 36b can be
driven in a
vertical movement until contact with flange edges folded on themselves, so as
to effect
upsetting along the entire contour of the flange edges in a single upsetting
operation.
The procedure and the caulking device described make it possible in this way
to package
the items that have a complex or mixtilinear profile, just like bodies with a
regular profile
or with rectilinear and curvilinear sections.
As already indicated, it is intended that the procedure and the device can be
set up to
operate simultaneously on a plurality of items.
As indicated, it is possible to carry out the caulking operation along the
entire flange
contour, by envisaging the possibility of movement of the caulking tool 36
even only in
two orthogonal directions in a horizontal plane; in this way the caulking
device is
particularly simple and advantageous, as it makes it possible to operate on
items with
different forms, simply by changing the profile 40 of the opening or openings
38.
Naturally, without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the forms of
actuation and
the embodiment details can be varied compared with what has been described and
illustrated for non-limiting exemplificative purposes only, without leaving
the framework
of the claims that follow.
