Machine for making pods containing infusion products

A machine for making pods (2) containing products for infusion including a first roll (3) for feeding a first web (4) of filtering paper material along a predetermined path (P), a second roll (5) for feeding a second web (6) of filtering paper material along a predetermined path (P′), a station (7) for dispensing and successively placing individual charges (8) of product on the first web (4), and a joining station (11) for superposing and joining the first web (4) and the second web (6) in such a way as to form a continuous succession (12) of pods (2); the machine also includes, upstream of the dispensing station (7), a magazine (13) for successively feeding a series of elements (14) for containing the infusion product and a station (21) for forming impressions in the first web (4) and positioning the elements (14) thereon.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a machine for making pods containing products for infusion.

In particular, the invention can be advantageously applied to the production of pods containing a product for infusion in powder form, preferably cocoa, chocolate coffee, even mixed with powdered milk or the like, which the present specification expressly refers to but without limiting the scope of the invention.

BACKGROUND ART

As is known, pods used to brew a single serving of a beverage generally consist of two portions of filter paper placed one over the other and sealed.

These two portions enclose centrally between them a charge of one of the above mentioned products, in most cases substantially circular in shape.

Pods of this kind are made in specific machines which comprise:a station for feeding a first web of filter paper;a station for making a succession of circular impressions in the web;a feed station for filling each impression made in the web with a product charge through a specific metering station;a station for joining the first web of filter paper (having the product-filled impressions in it) to a second covering web fed at a respective sealing station located downstream of the metering station, again relative to the direction of rotation of the carousel;a station for cutting the pods thus made and downstream of which the finished pods are transferred to a packaging station.

Single-brew, disposable pods of this type are not free of disadvantages.

In particular, if the product for infusion is not very compact (typically the case of mixtures of two different products, such as chocolate, or coffee, and powdered milk), the resulting infusion is not usually up to required standards (in terms of flavour, for example).

To overcome this problem, an element like the one shown inFIG. 2has been developed.

This element is a disc of plastic material having a plurality of internal cavities and must be inserted between the first and the second layer of filter paper.

The infusion product is placed in the cavities inside the disc. The cavities allow the product to be spread evenly over the entire inside surface of the disc.

The disc also enables the pod to remain compact even if the infusion product it contains is extremely inhomogeneous.

At present, automatic machines for making pods containing these discs of food-safe plastic do not exist.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

This invention therefore has for an aim to provide a machine for making pods containing a product for infusion, in particular a product in powder form, preferably a mixture of cocoa and milk, each pod being having inside it the above mentioned plastic disc.

The technical characteristics of the invention according to the aforementioned aim may be easily inferred from the contents of the appended claims, especially claim1, and preferably any of the claims that depend, either directly or indirectly, on claim1.

With reference to the accompanying drawings, in particularFIG. 1, the numeral1denotes in its entirety a machine for making pods2containing products for infusion,

Insofar as is relevant to this specification, the machine1essentially comprises: a first roll3for feeding a first web4of filtering paper material (filter paper) rotatable about a respective axis A; and second roll5for feeding a second web6of filtering paper material rotatable about a respective axis B.

The first web4of filtering paper material fed from the first roll3is fed through the machine1along a respective path P in the direction indicated by the arrow F inFIG. 1.

The second web6of filtering paper material fed from the second roll5is fed through the machine1along a respective path P′ in the direction indicated by the arrow F inFIG. 1.

The machine1also comprises a station7for dispensing and successively placing individual charges8of the infusion product on the first web4.

Each charge8defines the contents of a respective pod2.

In the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings (purely by way of non-limiting example), at the dispensing station7, infusion product charges8are placed side by side in pairs9on respective portions10of the first web4in succession as the web4is fed forward and in a direction transversal to the feed direction of the web itself.

Downstream of the dispensing station7, the machine1comprises means11for superposing and joining the first web4and the second web6to each other to form a continuous succession12of pods2.

Upstream of the dispensing station7, the machine1also comprises a magazine13accommodating two rows, side by side, of containment elements14in the form of discs15made of a plastic material and each having a plurality of internal cavities16(FIG. 2).

The discs15are designed to be placed in succession on the first web4at the above mentioned portions10of the first web4where the infusion product is dispensed.

The magazine13is of the type comprising curved chute means S which have a substantially vertical initial portion13aand a substantially horizontal end portion13btangent to the path P and which are designed to allow a succession of discs15to be fed downwards. Air jet means (of customary type and not illustrated) are associated with the chute means S and act in conjunction with the latter to facilitate feed of the discs15down along the chute means S themselves.

In use, the chute means S and the air jets act in conjunction to downwardly feed and place each pair17of discs15under a respective pair of pistons18mounted side by side in a direction transversal to the feed direction of the first web, as shown inFIG. 4.

Each piston18moves between a raised non-operating position and a lowered position at which it impinges on the first web4. Each piston18, as it moves down vertically, presses a respective disc15lying under it against the first web4in such a way that the disc15itself forms an impression in it. Further, as illustrated better inFIGS. 1 and 3, each piston18is fitted at its rear end, relative to the feed direction (arrow F) along the path P, with a radial protuberance18aconstituting means for stopping the succession of discs15during the downstroke of the piston18itself.

In this way, the disc15forms in the first web4an impression19in which the disc15itself remains when the piston18returns to the raised position.

Each disc15placed inside an impression19is interposed between the first web4and the second web6of filtering paper material and forms a site102for emplacement of a product charge8.

In practice, the magazine13constitutes means20for feeding in succession a series of elements14for containing the infusion product.

The means S and the piston18in turn constitute means21for forming impressions in, and placing the discs15on, the first web4.

Upstream of the magazine13and of the piston18, as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 3, the machine1comprises means22for scoring the first web4, designed to make a plurality of crease lines on the first web4in directions respectively parallel and transversal to the first web4itself, in such a way as to surround each of the portions10of the first web4where the discs15are placed, as illustrated inFIG. 3.

Again with reference toFIGS. 1 and 3, the scoring means22comprise a first, upper roller100and a second, lower roller101placed face to face and between which the first web4advances.

The rollers100and101revolve about an axis C and an axis D, respectively.

The upper roller100comprises two peripheral blades24positioned transversally to the feed direction of the web4and two central blades25positioned parallel to the feed direction of the web4in such a way as to form crease lines23as illustrated inFIG. 3.

In use, the first roll3revolves abut its axis A (in a clockwise direction, looking atFIG. 1), so as to feed the first web4along the path P through a plurality of feed pulleys26.

At the same time, the second roll5revolves abut its axis B (in a clockwise direction, looking atFIG. 1), so as to feed the second web of filtering paper material along the path P′ through a plurality of feed pulleys27.

As the first web4advances, the scoring means22make the crease lines23on it.

More in detail, with reference toFIG. 3, at each portion10of the web4designed to receive a pair17of plastic discs15and a pair9of infusion product charges8, four crease lines23transversal to the longitudinal extension of the web4and one longitudinal crease line23are made.

At the zone under the magazine13, a pair17of discs15is placed on the first web4by the magazine13and moved under the pistons18.

At this point, each piston18is actuated and starts moving towards its lower position, thereby pushing a disc15against the top face of the first web4.

Under the action of the piston18, the disc15forms an impression19in the first web4which captures and holds the disc15when the piston18returns to its raised position.

Advantageously, the crease lines23enable the piston18to press the discs15into the first web4without tearing the latter, thanks to the elastic action provided by the crease lines23themselves.

Next, the web4advances towards the dispensing means7which place an infusion product charges8of each pair9into a respective disc15of each disc pair17located in the impressions19in the first web4.

As shown inFIG. 1, the first web4with a succession of pairs17of filled discs15on it advances to the point where the path P meets the path P′ and the second web6is laid over the first web4.

At this point, the superposing and joining means11seal the two webs together to form the above mentioned continuous succession12of pods2.

Downstream of the superposing and joining means11there are cutting means, of known type and therefore not illustrated, which divide the continuous succession12of pods2into a plurality of single pods2each containing a plastic disc15filled with infusion product.

The invention described above is susceptible of industrial application and may be modified and adapted in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover, all the details of the invention may be substituted by technically equivalent elements.