WO1997030896A1

WO1997030896A1 - Machine for conditioning packets inside pneumatically insulated chambers

Info

Publication number: WO1997030896A1
Application number: PCT/IB1997/000104
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gino Rapparini
Original assignee: Ica S.P.A.
Priority date: 1996-02-26
Filing date: 1997-02-12
Publication date: 1997-08-28
Also published as: ATE191196T1; ITBO960086A1; DE69701579D1; DE69701579T2; EP0929445A1; AU1455197A; ITBO960086A0; IT1285568B1; ES2146076T3; EP0929445B1

Abstract

Machine for conditioning packets inside pneumatically insulated chambers, comprising a single cover (1) for closing and opening separate conditioning chambers (2), set up in a turret (3), with the mouths (4) laying on the same geometric surface, in order to be simultaneously closed by a unique cover having the same opposite geometric surface (6). The cover is equipped with a passage (7) so that those chambers that are placed in front of said passage result open, while all the other chambers are closed and their opening will take place only later, when, by means of the turret rotation, they will be one after the other in front of the passage where the packets'(8) loading and unloading operations are performed.

Description

"Machine for conditioning packets inside pneumatically insulated chambers"

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the technique for producing packaging machines, and particularly to conditioning machines of packets inside pneumatically insulated chambers. International Classification B65b.

STATE OF THE ART

In the previous state of the art several types of automatic machines that seal the packets under vacuum or in controlled atmosphere are known.

These machine are divided into two categories: the first comprises those machines that have a big chamber inside which several packets are simultaneously conditioned; the second category includes machines that show a plurality of different small conditioning chambers, everyone conditioning a single packet.

As for the first category, the simultaneous conditioning of several packets requires highly voluminous structures, owing to the wide areas of accumulation and to the need to employ together several chambers for the loading, conditioning and unloading operations. Furthermore, inside the conditioning chamber the packets must be carefully placed in order to allow the action of multiple sealing jaws, that don't permit, even if regulated, the same precision on every single sealed packet.

The opening and the closing operations of the multiple chamber are committed to the lifting of a unique big cover. In the second type machine, though, every conditioning chamber has its own cover, its own kinematic motion and its own sealing jaws, and these machine thus prove to be complicated and expensive.

Said machines have moreover problems related to the overall dimensions, due to the opening and closing operations of covers and doors.

This invention represents an optimal solution to the specific problems of the above described machines. DESCRIPTION

The invention is now disclosed in the following description, with reference to the attached drawings as a not binding example

Figure 1 schematises a perspective view of the machine, which comprises a single cover for closing and opening different conditioning chambers set up in a revolving turret It can be noticed that the opening and closing of the conditioning chambers is achieved by the revolving of the turret and not by the lifting of the cover This feature removes any radial or axial overall dimensions problem during the opening operation

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a variation of the machine with a conic cover

Figure 3 highlights the fact that the conditioning chambers are set up in a revolving turret with the mouths laying over the same flat surface.

Figure 4 highlights the fact that also the cover has the same plain surface as the turret beneath, and it can be noted that said cover is provided with a passage for the loading and unloading of the packets

Figure 5 is an exploded view of the machine to highlight the configuration of the sealing strip (9) and of the elastic seal elements (10) inserted in the seat (11)

Figure 6 is a section of a conditioning chamber that is open because it is in front of the passage that allows the loading operation. It can be noticed that during this operation the adjacent chambers are pneumatically insulated

Figure 7 is a section of the next conditioning chamber closed by the cover, in order to start the conditioning process

Figure 8, 9, 10 and 11 indicate different phases of conditioning in the following chambers.

Figure 12 indicates the sealing operation of the packet inside the chamber that is still pneumatically insulated. It can be noticed that the sealing device is placed on the cover and it's only one for all the conditioning chambers

Figure 13 is a section of a conditioning chamber that is open because, at the end of the conditioning cycle, it is again in front of the passage that allows the unloading operation Figure 14 and 15 show in section a variation of the machine equipped with similar conditioning chambers, but presenting also a bottom mouth and its cover to allow the operation of loading from above and unloading from below. In the figures every single detail is marked as follows:

1 is a flat cover

1' is a frustoconic cover.

2 is a conditioning chamber.

2' is a conditioning chamber as 2 but presenting a lower mouth. 2 is a circular turret with a flat upper surface. 3' is a frustoconic turret.

4 are the mouths of the conditioning chambers laying on a flat surface.. 4' are similar mouths laying on a frustoconic surface.

5 is the geometric surface on which the mouths of all the conditioning chambers lay.

6 is the lower surface of the cover.

7 is the loading and unloading passage of the upper cover. 7' is the loading and unloading passage of the lower cover.

8 is the packet.

9 is the sealing with several branches connected to each other.

10 indicates the elastic seal elements inserted under the sealing. 1 indicates the seat of the sealing and of the elastic elements.

12 indicates the single sealing device of the packets applied to the cover.

13 indicates the conduits for the chambers' conditioning.

The clearness of the figures proves the simplicity of the machine and its building and application economy. It can be noticed, indeed, that the conditioning conduits and the sealing device don't require rotating distribution members because they are fixed directly onto the cover.

It must be also observed that the chambers, being unprovided of doors and their opening and closing mechanisms, turn out to be simpler and less obstructing. The invention, that has been shown and described with reference to a possible way of realization, could be changed in several manners as far as the structural proportions and the technological choices of the building materials are concerned All those machines for conditioning the packets inside pneumatically insulated chambers, with the characteristics described, shown and hereinafter claimed, will be included in the basic principle of this invention

1) Machine for conditioning packets inside pneumatically insulated chambers, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT it comprises a single cover (1) for closing and opening two different conditioning chambers (2) set up in a turret (3) with the mouths (4) laying in the same geometric surface (5), so that they can be closed simultaneously by the single cover (1) having the same opposite geometric surface (6)

2) Machine for conditioning packets inside pneumatically insulated chambers, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the cover (1) presents a passage (7) in order to have open all those chambers that are placed by the passage, while the other chambers are closed by the cover and their opening will take place only when, by means of the rotation of the turret or of the cover, they will be one after the other in front of the passage (7) where the packets' loading and unloading operations are performed.

3) Machine for conditioning packets inside pneumatically insulated chambers, according to the previous claims, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT it comprizes also a lower cover (V) similar to the upper one (1) with a passage (7') provided for the purpose similar to the upper one (7), and that the turret (3) is set with conditioning chambers (2') that have also a lower mouth (4') similar to the upper one (4) for the packets' loading and unloading operations.

4) Machine for conditioning packets inside pneumatically insulated chambers, according to the previous claims, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the pneumatic insulation of the single chambers is optimised by a sealing (9) with several branches connected each other to surround every single chamber and also the whole surface (5) over which the mouths' (4) edges of all the conditioning chambers (2) lay

5) Machine for conditioning packets inside pneumatically insulated chambers, according to the previous claims, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the sealing (9) is kept continuously pressed against the surface (6) of the cover (1) by the elastic reaction of the elastic seal elements (11) inserted in the seat (11) below the sealing.

6) Machine for conditioning packets inside pneumatically insulated chambers, according to the previous claims, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the cover is equipped with a sealing device (12) that acts on the packet kept in the chamber that is placed by said device.