Abstract:
A device for packaging a good automatically. The device having a manipulator having mechanically controlled plates for holding a packaging material sheet and the good to be packaged, the plates movable from an open loading position to a closed packaging position. The plates are additionally rotatable to further allow both enveloping and twisting of the packaging material about the good for packaging. As such, the device produces a packaged product having at least one end twisted closed.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to the packing process and can be used for packing piece goods mainly in packing material (paper, foil etc.) by means of wrapping a product in a bundle and forming at one end of the twisting like a candy knot. 
         [0003]    Discussion of Related Art 
         [0004]    There is a method of packaging items involving feeding in and out through transport systems located at a distance from one another, the object or group of objects placed at intervals between them, and a spiral wrapping of items at least one strip of flexible packing material moving between transport systems transversely to the direction of movement of the objects, and at the same time that objects in the same direction continuously serves an additional strip of flexible packing material to wrap items main ribbon carried out together with an additional tape. 
         [0005]    The disadvantage of this method is its relatively high complexity, due to the necessity of feeding flexible packing material by an additional tape and wrapping items by the main belt together with extra tape. 
         [0006]    As applies to the proposed method, the closest by its technical essence is a method of packing the goods by wrapping them in the material fed in the form of web, which comprises movement of the good along bearing aids past wrapping facilities containing at least one distributing unit for wrapping the good in the material circularly moved around the above good in the first plane of rotation, whereby the wrapping web slides off the above distributing units so that the surface of web is essentially located transversely to the above first plane of rotation and lateral faces of the above goods are wrapped in the wrapping material web in the first direction with the wrapping web surface subsequently turned and slid off the distributing units so that the surface of web occurs essentially located parallel to the first plane of rotation and the good is turned in the second plane of rotation essentially located transversely to the first plane of rotation, whereby the lateral faces of the good are wrapped up in the second wrapping direction essentially located transversely to the first direction of wrapping. 
         [0007]    The disadvantage of this method is its relatively high complexity caused by the need to rotate products with wrapping the material in the second plane of rotation, as well as its relatively restricted field of application, since in many practical cases, convenient for the customer, for example when buying and consuming culinary products of dough cooked in compliance with applicable sanitary code, is the absence of the second wrapping layer while maintaining product availability on the one unwrapped side and the presence of a package on another unwrapped side. 
         [0008]    There are also some product packing devices to be currently in use. 
         [0009]    For example, known a packing and filling machine of a vertical design containing an electric drive with a driven dispenser, sealing and cutoff device, package length setting and correcting device, packing speed adjusting device, product current value counter and sealed package winding device which, for its turn, comprises photoelectric packing material tag reading sensor, driving package winding rollers, both of active and pressing design, wherein the driving sealed package winding roller is driven by an individual electric drive activated with the signal generated by an induction blade and sealing element position sensor and deactivated automatically on winding packing material by length of either package, wherein resetting to another package length, larger or lesser, is performed by changing position of the photosensor against the required package length, and the electric drive maintains required rate of package winding as stated by the photosensor signal with the speed changeable against package length and performance thereby providing for correctness that excludes the necessity for periodic winding length compensation, wherein a package number setting counter and a comparator ensure counting the selected number of product items, wherein the comparator generates the machine stop signal on achieving the selected number of packages or generates sound and/or visual alarm. 
         [0010]    The disadvantage of this device is its relatively high complexity. 
         [0011]    Also, known a piece (mainly flat) product packing device comprising bearing aids to be applied as packed product carriers, distributing units for feeding packing material and wrapping facilities for creating circular motion of distributing units, wherein the bearing and wrapping facilities are represented by a real in the form of a cross-arm fitted with two guides and rods for laying products and winding packing material, thereby forming the product foot, equipped with a swinging mechanism and packing material blade mounted on one of the rods, and the distributing units comprise a packing material unwinding unit, deflecting roller, and brake. 
         [0012]    The disadvantage of this device is its relatively restricted functionality caused by inability to twist one end of any piece product that is necessary in a number of practical cases, for example when consuming confectionery products produced in compliance with applicable sanitary code. 
         [0013]    The closest by its technical essence is a piece (mainly flat) product packing device comprising bearing aids to be applied as packed product carriers, distributing units for feeding packing material and wrapping facilities for creating circular motion of distributing units, guides and rods for laying products and winding packing material, equipped with a swinging mechanism and packing material blade mounted on one of the rods, and the distributing units comprise a packing material unwinding unit, deflecting roller, and brake. 
         [0014]    The disadvantage of this device is also its relatively restricted functionality caused by inability to twist one end of any piece product that is necessary in a number of practical cases, for example when consuming confectionery products in compliance with applicable sanitary code. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0015]    The required technical result is achieved by development of the device contemplated herein. The present invention introduces additional technical elements which aid the functionality of the device, particularly, not only wrapping the product in packing material, but also forming the bundle with its one end twisted like a candy knot that is necessary in a number of practical cases, for example when consuming products in compliance with applicable sanitary code. 
         [0016]    The present invention includes a device containing a base-mounted and sequentially positioned mechanism of feeding and cutting the packing material, as well as a mechanism of forming the bundle by means of wrapping a good or goods product with a packing material (wrapping) that is mounted behind the mechanism of feeding and cutting the packing material. The mechanism of forming the bundle may be designed in the form of a three-axis manipulator formed as a three-axis manipulator base mounted on a linear guide. The manipulator base may move along this guide by one or more mechanized drives being the source of translation movement, as well as a base-mounted source of rotational movement positioned at the same axis with the linear guide. A grip is fixed on the linear guide. The grip is formed as two gripping plates, mounted on the linear guides and connected to the driving mechanism. The drive mechanism has the ability to move the gripping plates in the direction to and off each other when they are located in their vertical position. A good(s) products may be laid between the plates prior to forming the bundle. The mechanism of forming the bundle is additionally provided with a clamp made with the ability to hold the edges of the packing material near the bundle at the mechanical drive of rotational movement. The mechanism of forming the bundle clamp is formed as two clamping plates mounted on linear guides of clamping and connected to an independent mechanical drive for moving to and off each other along these guides. When clamping the edge of the material near the formed bundle, the clamp is configured to make a predetermined number of rotations for forming a twist like a candy knot at the end of the formed bundle. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0017]      FIG. 1 —General view of the device packing piece goods at their original state; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2 —Device for packing piece goods with separated three-axis manipulator grip plates and placed between the packing material piece product; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3 —device for packing piece goods, top view; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4 —device for packing piece goods, side view; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5 —device for packing piece goods, front view; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6 —device for packing piece goods, rear view. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    In the present invention, a package containing goods or a good is formed by wrapping the good(s) with packing material in the form of wrapping by rotating the wrapping by a predetermined number of rotations in a plane of forming the bundle, and subsequently cutting off the excess material. The rotation of the web in the plane of forming the bundle is carried out using two gripping plates between which the good to be packaged is previously placed and gripped, laid on the packing material. Upon termination of the process of rotation of the gripping plates one end of the formed bundle is fed by the gripping plates to a clamping mechanism. The clamping mechanism clamps an edge of the material. The final package is formed by creating on the clamped ends of the formed bundle a twist like a candy twisting by additional rotation of the two gripping plates. The device for implementation of the method comprises sequentially mounted mechanism of feeding and cutting the packing material and mechanism of forming the bundle. The mechanism of forming the bundle is made in the form of a manipulator comprising a base mounted on a linear guide for moving the manipulator along it by means of screw pair which is kinematically connected to a mechanical drive of movement of the manipulator. A grip mounted on the manipulator base comprises two plates. These plates are fixed to corresponding linear guides of the grip, and are kinematically connected to another mechanical drive of relative motion of the gripping plates. A mechanical drive is connected to and controls rotation of the gripping plates is fixed to the base of the manipulator on one axis with its linear guide. The mechanism of forming the bundle is additionally provided with a clamp made with the ability to hold the edges of the material near the forming bundle at a side opposite to a side of location of the drive of rotational movement of the gripping plates. The forming mechanism is made in the form of two clamping plates mounted on respective guides of a clamp connected with an independent mechanical drive for relative motion of the clamping plates when clamping an edge of the material near the formed bundle. 
         [0024]    Turning to  FIGS. 1-6 , various views of the invention are provided. The device for packing piece goods of the present invention comprises the mechanism of feeding and cutting packing material made in the form of bracket  1  for packing material, a feeder unit  2  for feeding packing material, a leveling unit  3  for leveling packing material and cutter  4  for cutting packing material. 
         [0025]    Moreover, device for packing piece goods of the present invention comprises a mechanism of forming a bundle by means of wrapping a piece product with packing material that is mounted behind the mechanism of feeding and cutting packing material and that is made in the form of manipulator  5  equipped with the gripping plates between which a piece product subject to packing is initially laid on the packing material. 
         [0026]    In addition to the above, the device contains clamp  6  placed at the edge of the manipulator  5  to hold the edges of the packing material, which is made with the possibility of holding a selected number of turns forming a twisting type of a candy knot at one end packed in a bundle of products. 
         [0027]    All the above components of the device packing piece goods are placed on the base  7 . 
         [0028]    The components demonstrated in  FIG. 3  are linear guides  8  of the gripping plates, plates  9  of the grip, shaft  10  of the grip, mechanical drive  11  being the source of the rotational motion of the manipulator (e.g. an electric motor), second mechanical drive  12  being the source of rotational movement of the packing material feeding and cutoff mechanism (e.g. an electric motor), source  13  of rotational longitudinal movement (e.g. an electric motor), source  14  of rotational movement of the drive of the gripping plates  9  (i.e. an electric motor), axis  15  for mounting a roll of packing material, plates  16  with a scallop neckline, rollers  17 , movable plate  18  of the packing material feed and cutoff mechanism, source  19  of rotational movement of the plate drive  22  (e.g. an electric motor), platform  20 , linear guide  21 , plates  22  of the clamp, base  23  of the three-axis manipulator, hinge  24 , shaft  25  of the clamp, paper channel  26 , nuts  27 , actuator  28 , cylindrical shaft  29 , frame  30 , electric motor  31  of the packing material feeding and cutoff mechanism, blade  32 , bearing unit  33 , screw pair  34 , pivot joint  35 , guides  36  of the clamp, wall  37 . 
         [0029]    Bracket  1  for the packing material comprises two plates  16  with a scalloped neckline and enshrined in these cuts the axis  15 , on which a roll of packing material, such as paper, is mounted. 
         [0030]    Feeder unit  2  for feeding packing material comprises a cylindrical shaft  29 , the ends of which are secured in bearing assemblies  33 , allowing it to rotate freely around its axis, and connected to the source  12  of rotational motion (electric motor, pneumatic motor, hydraulic motor), in this case the electric motor. 
         [0031]    Leveling unit  3  for alignment of the packing material comprises fixed plate  26 , to one side of which the movable plate  18  with rollers  17  mounted on it is attached by means of hinges  24 . The movable plate  18  is fitted with the actuator  28  that drives it on the hinge  24  together with rollers  17  at a selected angle. The fixed plate  26  and movable plate  18  are set so that the packing material enveloping the shaft  29  fits the clearance between them and rollers  17  press the packing material to the shaft  29 . 
         [0032]    The manipulator  5  is attached to the linear guide  21  and the base  23  of the manipulator, which can move along the guide by means of a screw pair  34  driven by a source of linear movement, for example by an electric motor  13 . A source  11  of rotational movement of the shaft  10  is mounted on the bases  23  of the manipulator at the same axis with the linear guide  21 . The output shaft of source  11  of rotational movement is fitted with the grip representing two gripping plates  9  mounted on the linear guides  8  of the gripping plates connected to the drive mechanism, in this case, to the shaft  10  with right- and left-hand threaded ends, which nuts are attached to the gripping plates  9 . When the gripping plates  9  are brought to their vertical position, shaft  10  of the gripper is engaged in the pivot joint  35  with a source  14  of rotational movement, which while turning the shaft  10  can move gripping plates  9  to or from each other. 
         [0033]    Cutter  4  for cutting packing material comprises a frame  30  with the blade  32  mounted on it. Cutter  4  can be moved up and down by means of an electric motor  31  of the packing material feeding and cut-off mechanism. Cutter  4  is mounted so that the blade  32  while being brought up can run at the shortest possible distance from the edge of fixed  24  and movable  18  plates. 
         [0034]    The clamp  6  for holding the edges of the packing material of the formed bundle comprises two clamping plates  22  mounted on the linear guides  36  of the clamp and connected by an independent drive that allows them moving along the above guides, in this case the shaft  25  with right- and left hand threaded ends, nuts  27  attached to the plates  22 . An electric motor  19  can be used as a source of movement. 
         [0035]    The base  6  is a platform  20  with walls  37  attached to it. 
         [0036]    The device packing piece goods operates as follows. 
         [0037]    The packing cycle starts with rotation of the gripper of manipulator  5  brought to the horizontal position and separation of the clamp representing the two plates  9  mounted on the linear guides  8  connected to the drive mechanism, in this case, to the shaft  10  with right- and left-hand threaded ends, which nuts are attached to the gripping plates  9 , to the maximum distance. 
         [0038]    Thereafter, the packing material feeding and cut-off mechanism made in the form of a bracket  1  of the packing material, unit  2  of packing material feeding, unit  3  of alignment of packing material and packing material cutter  4  unwinds the selected amount of the packing material, for example paper, which is laid over separated gripping plates  9 , and unit  3  of post-feeding alignment prevents displacing paper laterally and jamming it inside. This state is considered as original. 
         [0039]    The piece good subject to packing is placed on the paper between the clamping plates  9  and pressed down the space between the gripping plates  9 . Then, with the gripping plates  9  pressed, the product is brought inside between the plates  9  together with the paper it is enveloped in. The gripping plates  9  make a selected number of rotations in the plane within which a bundle is formed, thereby forming a bundle. Paper is cut off by a cutter  4 . The end of the bundle is fed to the clamp  6  that grips the edge of paper of the formed bundle. While turning, the gripping plates  9  form the twisting like a candy knot. The packed product is fed by the manipulator  5  beyond the device where it can be removed by another device or handled manually. 
         [0040]    If the product is handled manually, for example when supplying to a consumer of confectionery or culinary products, such as stuffed pancake, the manipulator  5  swings a piece product bundle around towards a recipient and fixes position of the bundle with its end facing a recipient, on which the twisting like a candy knot is formed for easy removal by hand from the gripping plates and for consuming the product starting from the open end of the bundle. 
         [0041]    In such a way, due to introduction of additional technical aids the functionality of the device is extended, particularly, not only wrapping the product in packing material, but also forming the bundle with its one end twisted like a candy knot that is necessary in a number of practical cases, for example when consuming products in compliance with applicable sanitary code.