MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING AND PACKAGING ADHESIVE PLASTERS

Abstract: The machine includes, arranged in a line, means (6) for intermittently advancing a band (1) of supporting material having an adhesive face, a possible perforation station (5) bearing means (8) for providing a series of evenly spaced perforations (11) on said band (1) of supporting material, a station (22) for feeding and cutting a band (23) of bandage material into segments (23a), means (6) for coupling said spaced bandage segments with said adhesive face of said supporting material (1), means (20) for superimposing band-like protective films (29,30) on said adhesive face of the supporting material (1) having said bandage segments (23a), a die-cutting station (33) bearing means (34) for transversely cutting the band composed of said supporting material (1), of said bandage segments (23a) and of said protective films (29,30) in an intermediate position between said bandage segments (23a) so as to define individual adhesive plasters (39), means (42,43) for the spaced insertion of said adhesive plasters (39) between a pair of bands (40,41) of packaging paper, possible means (45) for cutting the resulting composite band or for providing incisions thereon.

Description: The present invention relates to a machine for manufacturing and packaging adhesive plasters. As is known, machines are used to manufacture medicated adhesive plasters; such machines compose a band of gauze with a band of supporting material having an adhesive face, cut the individual adhesive plasters from the composite band and package said adhesive plasters in paper packages. These machines sometimes operate intermittently and the advancement of the composite band must be halted to perform some of the steps of the cycle. Such machines have, however, various functional disadvantages, in particular as an effect of the arrangement of the elements which compose them. Continuously operating machines have also been proposed which are capable of achieving a higher production speed and therefore greater productivity. A consequence of this operating speed, however, is the fact that continuous machines are scarcely precise and therefore provide a product of poor quality. The need for frequent maintenance is also often observed. US-A-3 140 572 discloses an apparatus for packaging absorbent cotton or surgical gauze which includes a pair of feed rollers for feeding a ribbon of gauze, a pair of cut-off rollers provided with blades for cutting the fed ribbon into small squares, a further pair of rollers for feeding the squares of cut gauze in succession between upper and lower heat sealable sheets, a pair of sealing rollers through which the heat sealable sheets with spaced squares is fed, the pair of sealing rollers being provided with heated pressure contact portions for pressing the upper and lower sheets together at edges around each cut square of gauze, and finally a pair of cutting or scoring rollers for cutting or scoring the final roll between each sealed gauze square. The aim of the present invention is to solve the above described problem by providing a machine which automatically manufactures and packages high quality adhesive plasters in an easily controllable and adjustable manner, without functional disadvantages. Within the scope of this aim, a further object of the present invention is to provide a machine which is simple in concept and reliable in operation, has limited dimensions and is versatile in use according to the different types of adhesive plaster to be manufactured and packaged. This aim and this object are both achieved, according to the invention, by a machine for manufacturing and packaging adhesive plasters, comprising means for intermittently advancing a band of supporting material having an adhesive face, a station for feeding and cutting a band of bandage material into segments, means for coupling said bandage segments to said adhesive face of said supporting material, means for superimposing band-like protective films on said adhesive face of the supporting material comprising said bandage segments, a die-cutting station bearing means for transversely cutting the band composed of said supporting material, of said bandage segments and of said protective films in an intermediate position between said bandage segments so as to define individual adhesive plasters, means for the spaced insertion of said adhesive plasters between a pair of bands of packaging paper. Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of a machine for manufacturing and packaging adhesive plasters, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a schematic lateral and partially sectional view of the machine according to the invention; figure 2 is a partial isometric view of the means for coupling the bandage band to the supporting material; figure 3 is a partial exploded isometric view of the die-cutting station; figure 4 is an isometric view of said means for cutting the band or providing incisions thereon. With particular reference to the above described figures, the machine according to the invention substantially defines a line along which successive advancement means advance stepwise a band 1 of supporting material unwinding from a reel 2 having a horizontal axis. In a known manner, the supporting material 1 has an adhesive face on which a band of siliconized paper having a protective function is initially applied. After the reel 2, in the unwinding direction A, the supporting material unwinds horizontally between a pair of rollers 3 and 4, between which a perforation station 5 and a roller advancement device 6 are arranged. An auxiliary band 7 is adapted to be superimposed on the supporting material 1 at the roller device 6; said auxiliary band increases said band's resistance to deformation in relation to the perforations provided thereon. The station 5 has a sort of punch 8 actuated reciprocatingly on vertical sliding columns 9 so as to cooperate with an opposite fixed die 10. The punch 8 provides a series of perforations 11 on the band 1 at appropriately adjustable distances, as shown in figures 2 and 3; these perforations are intended to improve the transpiration of the adhesive plaster. The auxiliary band 7 is in turn constituted by a layer of supporting material having an adhesive face on which a band of paper bearing perforations 12 is applied. The auxiliary band 7 adheres to the supporting material 1 through the perforations 12, on the face opposite to the face of said supporting material to which the band of siliconized paper is applied. The auxiliary band 7 is closed on itself in a loop, and in the region where it does not adhere to the supporting material 1 it winds on a series of return rollers 13, 14 and 15 and on a tensioning roller 16. The band 1 separates from the band of siliconized paper 18 after the roller device 6, at a roller 17; the band of siliconized paper then winds onto a roller 19. The supporting material 1 then engages a pair of opposite rollers 20 after which it advances on a horizontal plane by a roller device 21. A station 22 for feeding and cutting a gauze, or bandage, band 23 is arranged in a position immediately adjacent to said rollers 20; said gauze band is fed horizontally on the unwinding plane of said supporting material by means not illustrated in the figures. The station 22 has a blade 24 supported by a body 25 vertically guided along a guide 26 and actuated reciprocatingly by means of an eccentric-connecting rod assembly 27; the blade acts in contrast with an appropriately sprung abutment 28. The cutting station 22 is controlled so as to cut segments 23a of the gauze band 23 which, as shown in figure 2, are retained on the adhesive surface of the band of supporting material 1 and are regularly spaced, each at the central region of a series of perforations 11. A pair of protective films 29 and 30 are furthermore superimposed on the supporting material 1 on said adhesive face between the rollers 20; said films cover said face on opposite sides and partially overlap at the centerline of the band (see figure 2). The auxiliary band 7 separates from the composite band after the roller advancement device 21 by means of a return element 31. The composite band is then sent, by means of a further pair of rollers 32, to a die-cutting station 33. Said station 33 comprises a cutting element 34 vertically slidably guided on a guide 35 and reciprocatingly actuated by means of an eccentric-connecting rod assembly. The cutting element 34 has a substantially H-shaped blade 37 adapted as can be clearly seen from figure 3, to produce a cutting line B transversely to the composite band in an intermediate position between one series of perforations 11 and the next, and to shape the ends of the adhesive plasters by removing related scrap portions 38. Individual adhesive plasters 39 are thus completed at each stroke of the cutting element 34 and are fed between a pair of packaging papers 40 and 41 which unwind on the same horizontal plane between a pair of rollers 42 arranged immediately adjacent to the station 33. The packaging papers 40 and 41 are caused to advance by a roller device 43 arranged after the rollers 42. It should be noted that the advancement speed of the packaging papers 40 and 41 with respect to the feed speed of the adhesive plasters 39 is such that the latter are appropriately spaced in the package, as indicated by the broken lines 44. After the roller device 43 there is a cutting element 45 constituted by a cutter 46 vertically slidably guided on a guide 47 and actuated reciprocatingly by means of an eccentric-connecting rod assembly 48. The cutter 46 has a blade 49 which, as shown in detail in figure 4, co-operates with an abutment 50 underlying the composite band. The abutment 50 is movable on the advancement plane of the band upon the actuation of a crank 51 so as to alternately arrange a smooth surface, a surface bearing a series of closely spaced cuts 52 or a surface bearing a series of widely spaced cuts 53 opposite the blade 49. It is thus possible to cut the individual adhesive plasters or to provide a series of closely or widely spaced incisions which respectively define a cutting line or a folding line of the composite band. The operation of the machine is easily understandable from the above description. It is apparent that the invention achieves the intended aims. In particular the problem of having poor access due to the arrangement of the various elements, arising in known intermittent machines, is solved. The machine according to the invention in fact has the motorization elements on one side and is free and easily accessible on the other. In the practical embodiment of the invention, the materials employed as well as the shapes and dimensions may be any according to the requirements. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims: Machine for manufacturing and packaging adhesive plasters, comprising means (6) for intermittently advancing a band (1) of supporting material having an adhesive face, a station (22) for feeding and cutting a band (23) of bandage material into segments (23a), means (20) for coupling said bandage segments (23a) to said adhesive face of said supporting material, means (20) for superimposing band-like protective films (29,30) on said adhesive face of the supporting material (1) comprising said bandage segments, a die-cutting station (33) bearing means (34) for transversely cutting the band composed of said supporting material, of said bandage segments and of said protective films (29,30) in an intermediate position between said bandage segments so as to define individual adhesive plasters (39), means (42,43) for the spaced insertion of said adhesive plasters between a pair of bands (40,41) of packaging paper. Machine, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a perforation station (5) bearing means (8) for providing a series of evenly spaced perforations (11) on said band of supporting material (1), said perforation station preceding said feeding and cutting station. Machine, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a means (45) for either cutting the resulting composite band or providing incisions thereon. Machine, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that an auxiliary band (7) is superimposed on said band (1) of supporting material after said perforation station (5), said auxiliary band being closed on itself in a loop, its peripheral surface adhering to the non-adhesive face of the supporting material for a portion extending to the vicinity of said die-cutting station (23). Machine, according to claim 4, characterized in that said auxiliary band is in turn constituted by a supporting layer of material having an adhesive face on which another band is applied, said other band having perforations (12) through which said auxiliary band adheres to the supporting material which composes the adhesive plasters. Machine, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said station (22) for feeding and cutting the bandage band is arranged immediately adjacent to a pair of rollers (20), said band of supporting material engaging around one of said rollers so that said bandage segments are retained on the adhesive face of the supporting material (1) and are caused to advance thereby regularly spaced. Machine, according to claim 6, characterized in that said pair of protective films (29,30) intended to cover said adhesive face and said bandage segments is superimposed on said supporting material on the adhesive surface thereof between said pair of rollers (20). Machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said die-cutting station (33) has a reciprocatingly actuated cutting element (34) having a substantially H-shaped blade (37) producing a cutting line transversely to said composite band, in an intermediate position between said bandage segments, and exactly shaping the ends of said adhesive plasters by removing related scrap portions (38). Machine, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that upon their die-cutting said adhesive plasters (39) are already partially inserted and are fed between a pair of packaging papers (40,41) extending between a pair of rollers (42) arranged immediately adjacent to said die-cutting station (33). Machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a band of siliconized paper is initially applied on said adhesive face of said supporting material (1) and is separated therefrom ahead of said station (22) for feeding and cutting the bandage band, after its possible perforation and application to the auxiliary band. Machine according to claim 3, characterized in that said means (45) for either cutting the composite band or for providing incisions thereon comprises a cutter (46) cooperating with an abutment (50) movable on the advancement plane of said band so as to alternately arrange a smooth surface, a surface bearing a series of closely spaced cuts (52) or a surface bearing a series of widely spaced cuts (53) opposite to the cutter blade (49).

Inventors: DOTTA, GIORGIO
Applicants: DOTTA, GIORGIO
Application year: 1988
Main classification: A61F13
IPC codes: A61F13, A61F15, B65B9