A SEALING FILM APPLYING MACHINE, ADAPTED FOR PACKAGING PARCELS, BOOKS, SIGNATURES AND BROCHURES, EVEN INDIVIDUALLY,BY MEANS OF A WRAPPING WEB

Abstract: There is described herein an improved sealing film applying machine, of extremely reduced size, and adapted to package, in addition to parcels, also signatures and individual brochures. Said machine is characterized in that it substantially includes a feeding device (2) for the parcel, the leaflet or similar to be packaged, having a pusher member (9) located downstream therefrom, and traversing in a direction at right angles relative to the axis of said feeder device. Said pusher member causes the forward motion of the parcel, or leaflet (3), between a pair of films (11) of a suitab­ le thermally shrinkable plastic material, fed out of an upper and a lower roll respectively, and sealed at the adjacent ends thereof, in order to form together a continuous surface. In practice, said pair of films cover the upper (14) and low­ er face of the parcel, or of the leaflet, and are sub­ sequently sealed, downstream from the latter, by means of a suitable sealing blade (20). Means are further provided, for a proper positioning of the plastic film in general, and for stopping the parcel or leaflet in a proper position, during packaging thereof.

Description: This invention is related to a sealing film applying machine, adapted for packaging parcels, books, signatures and brochures, even individually, by means of a wrapping web. As it is known, magazines, books, brochures and so on, are presently conveniently packaged both individually and in plural copies, by a thermally shrinkable plastic film packaging. Said packaging operation is performed by means of special sealing film applying machines which usually wrap the product by means of a pair of film webs (provided on top and underneath said product) sealing them thereafter at both ends thereof (see e.g. GB-A-1.594.939). In any case, the conventional machines used to perform the above operations have a very complicated structure, and take an undeniably large room. Furthermore, said conventional machines are affected by operating difficulties which cannot be overcome, for packaging small thickness products (such as, for instance individual signatures) or loose sheets placed on top of each other. A broad purpose of this invention is to correct the previously incurred drawbacks, by providing a sealing film applying machine, having extremely reduced overall dimensions. Within the above broad purpose, a particular object of this invention is to provide a sealing film applying machine which is structurally simple and very realiable in operation. A further object of this invention is to provide a sealing film applying machine which is able to perform proper packaging also on individual signatures or brochures. Said broad purpose, as well as the objects mentioned above, and others which might be shown in more detail in the following, are attained by a sealing film applying machine, according to claim 1 Preferred features of this sealing film applying machine are disclosed in the dependent claims. The invention will be better appreciated from the following description and the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein: Figure 1 shows a partial schematic view of a sealing film applying machine according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows the feeding platform for the parcels to be sealed in film; Figure 3 shows, in particular, the roller conveyor and the pusher member; Figure 4 shows the step of introducing the parcel in the film applying machine, by means of said pusher member; Figure 5 shows parcel stopping devices, in the sealing film applying position; Figure 6 shows an upper film return apparatus; Figure 7 shows the step of sealing and cutting the over-lying films. Referring now in particular to the reference numbers in the plurality of Figures of the attached drawing, the subject sealing film applying machine preferably but not necessarily includes an intake plane, shown in general at 1, comprised of a plurality of idle rollers, mounted side by side with horizontal axis. Downstream from said idle rollers there is provided a second plurality of rollers, 2 coplanar and parallel to the former rollers, some of them being driven, i.e. subjected to an entraining rotating motion, by means of belts or chains, or any other suitable transmission means. The aforesaid second plurality of rollers, or "roller conveyor", causes substantially an automatic forwarding of the parcel, brochure, or the like, 3, to be sealed in film, i.e. to be wrapped by means of cellophane film, or other plastic films. Said brochures, or parcels, are moved forward until they reach a front stop plate, 4, and at the base of said plate there is provided an opening 5 and behind the latter there is mounted a sensor, preferably comprising a photoelectric cell 6. When the parcels come to close said opening, the photoelectric cell drives said roller conveyor to a stop and actuates a pneumatic cylinder 7, mounted along one of the sides of the machine frame 8, and adpted to drive a pusher means 9. Said pusher member is provided, at the base thereof, with small brackets 10 at an intermediate position between pairs of forwarding roller conveyor side by side located rollers, said brackets being suitably sloping downward. More particularly, said small brackets are received between pairs of rollers, and the bending point thereof is located in a position lower than the uppermost edge of said rollers. In practice, said small brackets allow the pusher member to subject to the proper pushing action also loose sheets, among which the ones closer to the roller conveyor might otherwise be left in place, in that they would be received in the gap which usually forms between the pusher member horizontal platform and the upper plane of said roller conveyor. Said pusher member causes the parcel or the brochure to be packaged, to traverse across roller conveyor 2, until it is brought in contact with a plastic film 11, properly laid up in a vertical position, at the inlet opening of the actual sealing film applying apparatus shown in general at 12. More particularly, said plastic film is comprised of a first film, 13, fed from the top downwards out of an upper roll 14, and of a second film, 15, fed from the bottom upwards out of a lower roll (not shown). In practice, said pair of films are transversely sealed to each other at the adjoining edges thereof, and are tensioned due to the forward motion of the parcel, or brochure, 3, to be packaged. In particular, general tensioning of said film brings one of the surfaces of said film to come into engagement with a suitably curved leaf spring 16, acting on a sensor 17 adapted to cause actuation of an associated motor, which in turn can rotate the above mentioned supply rolls, in opposite directions. Owing to the above contrivance, the parcel or the brochure are able to move forward between the two films, which come to lie in contact with the upper surface and with the lower surface of said parcel or brochure, respectively. On the path of said parcel or brochure there is provided a stop device comprising a vertical bar, 18, adapted to perform a traverse movement from the bottom upwards, and vice versa, or else comprising one or more bars, or barriers, adapted to rotate like a compass or to traverse in a direction perpendicular to the forward moving direction of the package. In particular, actuation of said devices is automatically controlled by the action of associated sensors, engaged by the pusher member during the package entrance stroke. Concerning the above, there should be emphasized the fact that said stop or front abutment means is extremely convenient, in that, when the parcel subjected to the forwarding action of the pusher member reaches position, it might, while stopping, easily break up. Essentially, said effect of breaking up might take place, if said front stop means were missing, in case the entrance velocity is high, or else when the material to be handled comprises parcels of books, brochures, leaflets, or in any case papers, having the outside parts, or covers, particularly slippery. It should be pointed out as well that the above mentioned stop devices are useful also in the case when the device for introducing the parcel in the sealing film applying machine comprises rollers, belts, mats, and so on. Another sensor, controlled by the above pusher member, causes the lowering of a pressure applying means, 19, supported by a pair of arms, adapted to be rotated, and pivoted on the struts supporting the sealing film applying apparatus. In practice, said pressure applying member, keeps the parcel or leaflet, to be sealed inside a film, in stable position during the sealing film applying operation. Said sealing film applying operation is substantially performed by a sealing blade 20, pivoted on a pair of corresponding arms 21, which are driven by as many cylinders 22, said blade being adapted to seal and to cut the pair of overlapping plastic material sheets, just downstream from the wrapped parcel or brochure. Concerning the above, it should be pointed out that the cut is performed along the axis of the sealed material band, in order to leave the two films 13 and 15 still connected at the edges thereof and ready for packaging a new parcel. Of course sensors are provided, adapted to actuate film feeding, pusher member return, and lowering of said sealing bar or blade respectively. A feeler roller 23 is further provided, pivoted at the lower end of swinging arms 24, and adapted to cause upper film 13 to be recalled, by means of a pair of wheels 25, pushing on idler roller 26, and driven by a suitable geared motor 27. In particular, when the film is tensioned downstream from said idler roller, said feeler roller tends to get positioned at the lowest point of its swing, while engaging, by means of the top end of one of the swinging arms, a microswitch 28, which is adapted to stop said geared motor. Then, the parcel or leaflet, or the like, wrapped between two portions of film sealed at their ends, is entered into a suitable oven 29, adapted to cause said film to thermally shrink. It should also be emphasized that said bar comprising stop device 18 may be fastened in a position more or less displaced back relative to the intake of apparatus 12, and along the forward moving axis of pusher member 9, depending upon the length of the parcel 3 or of the leaflet to be packaged. Furthermore, the supporting ends of cross member 30, which constrain sealing bar 20, are conveniently provided with a circular cross sectional shape. Said shape substantially allows and promotes a perfect alignment of said sealing blade, through suitable control and stop means, with a sealing counterbar, 31. Concerning the above, it should be pointed out that said brackets 10, integral with pusher member 9 are conveniently higher relative to the counterbar mentioned above. Owing to that feature, the pusher member, in its parcel introducing stroke, may cause the latter to traverse beyond said sealing counterbar, without damaging it. From what has been described above, and from observation of the various Figures of the attached drawing, it should be apparent the higher functionality and possibility of practical use, which characterize the sealing film applying machine of this invention. Obviously, the machine has been previously described and illustrated for purely exemplary and non limiting purposes, only to demonstrate the practical feasability of the general features of this invention; therefore, it will be possible to introduce in said apparatus all the variations and modifications which might be apparent to those skilled in the art, and included in the scope of the claims.

Claims: A sealing film applying machine, which includes a feeding device for a parcel, a leaflet, or the like to be packaged, and downstream therefrom there is located a pusher member, which performs traverse motions at right angles, relative to the main axis along which said feeder device is arranged; said pusher member forwards the parcel or leaflet between two films of suitable thermally shrinkable plastic material, fed out of an upper and a lower roll, respectivly, and sealed at the adjacent ends thereof, in order to form together a continuous vertical surface parallel to the feeding device; said pair of films wrap, due to the forward motion of the panel or leaflet, substantially the upper and the lower surface of the parcel, or leaflet, and subsequently said two films are sealed, downstream from the panel or leaflet, by means of a suitable sealing blade; means are further provided to obtain a correct positioning of the plastic film and for stopping, in the proper position, the parcel or leaflet, during the packaging operations. The sealing film applying machine of the previous Claim, characterized in that said feeder device preferably includes an introducing platform, comprising a plurality of idle rollers mounted on adjacent horizontal axes; downstream from said idle rollers there is provided a second plurality of rollers, coplanar and parallel to the former rollers, some of the latter rollers being driven, i.e. subjected to a rotary motion controlled from outside by means of belts, or chains or any other suitable transmission means. The sealing film applying machine, according to one or more of the previous Claims, characterized in that, downstream from said feeding device, there is located a front stop bar, having an opening at the base thereof, and behind said opening there is provided a sensor, preferably comprising a photoelectric cell, controlling the actuation of a pneumatic cylinder, adapted to set said pusher member in motion. The sealing film applying machine, according to one or more of the previous Claims, characterized in that said pusher member is provided, at the base thereof, with suitable brackets, provided between pairs of adjacent rollers of the towing roller conveyor, and suitably bent and projecting downwards; more particularly, said brackets are received between pairs of rollers, while the bent portion thereof is located below the upper edge of said rollers, and above a counterbar, having said sealing blade engageable therewith. The sealing film applying machine, according to one or more of the previous Claims, characterized in that said pusher member causes the parcel or leaflet to be packaged to traverse in a transverse direction relative to the roller conveyor, in order to bring said parcel or leaflet in contact with a plastic film, suitably positioned according to a vertical arrangement; more particularly, said plastic film comprises a first film fed from the top downwards out of an upper roll, and a second film fed from the bottom upwards out of a lower roll. The sealing film applying machine, according to one or more of the previous Claims, characterized in that said pair of films are sealed transversely to each other, at their mutually facing edges, and are tensioned by the forward motion of the parcel or leaflet to be packaged; in particular, tensioning of said film in general takes one surface thereof to come into engagement with a suitably bent leaf spring, acting on a sensor, and adapted to cause actuation of a motor provided on purpose for rotating, according to opposite directions, the pair of feeding rolls mentioned above. The sealing film applying machine, according to one or more of the previous Claims, characterized in that, on the path of the parcel or leaflet to be packaged, there is provided a stop device, adjustable along the parcel forwarding stroke - comprising a vertical bar,adapted to traverse from bottom to top, and vice versa, or else comprising one or more bars or barriers,adapted for compass-like rotation, or to move at right engles relative to the parcel direction - whose actuation is automatically controlled by the action of suitable sensors, engaged by the pusher member during the parcel introduction stroke thereof; said stop devices, in particular, may be equally used when the parcel introducing apparatus for the sealing film applying machine comprises rollers, belts, mats, and so on. The sealing film applying machine, according to one or more of the previous Claims, characterized in that it includes a sensor which, under the action of said pusher member, causes lowering of a press member, supported by a pair of pivoting arms, and adapted to keep the parcel or leaflet to be sealingly packaged, in a stable position during the sealing film applying operation. The sealing film applying machine according to one or more of the previous Claims, characterized by including a sealing blade, pivoting on a pair of arms driven by as many cylinders, which is able to seal and cut the pair of overlapping plastic material sheets, just downstream from the wrapped parcel or leaflet; in particular the cut is performed along the axis of the sealed strip, in such a way as to leave the pair of films still connected to each other, at the edges thereof, ready for packaging a new parcel. The sealing film applying machine, according to one or more of the previous Claims, characterized in that it includes a feeler roller, pivoted at the lower end of swinging arms and adapted to cause recalling of the upper film, by means of a pair of wheels applying pressure on an idler roller and driven by a geared motor provided for that purpose; in particular, the upper end of one of said pivoting arms is adapted to come into engagement with a microswitch, adapted to cause said geared motor to stop. The sealing film applying machine, according to one or more of the previous Claims, characterized in that the members comprising said stop device may be fastened in a position more or less displaced back relative to the vertical plane containing the film and along the forward moving direction of the pusher member mentioned above, depending upon the length of the parcel or the leaflet to be packaged. The sealing film applying machine according to one or more of the previous Claims, characterized in that said sealing blade supporting cross member is advantageously provided, at the ends thereof, with a circular cross sectional shape, in order to allow and to promote a perfect alignment of said sealing blade, by means of suitable adjusting and stopping means, with a sealing counterbar. The sealing film applying machine, according to one or more of the previous Claims, characterized in that it includes sensors, actuated by said pusher member and adapted to provide film feeding, recalling of said pusher member, and lowering of said sealing blade or bar, respectively.

Inventors: PEROBELLI, ALDO, PESSINA, GIORGIO
Applicants: O.M.G. DI GIORGIO PESSINA E  ALDO PEROBELLI S.N.C.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B65B9
IPC codes: B65B11, B65B35, B65B9