Abstract:
A packaging method includes the steps of conveying a plurality of individual articles toward an assembly area at which the individual articles are formed into a group of articles which are then conveyed to a package area at which the group of articles can also be sized and packaged in a pouch. Preferably, the articles are balls of cotton candy, but individual articles can be similarly packaged.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,961 granted on Apr. 30, 1996 describes earlier machines for producing cotton candy by melting granular sugar and ejecting the same from spinning heads upon an interior surface of a tub from which the cotton candy or floss was picked-up on wooden sticks. Cotton candy lovers experienced “sticky” fingers when tearing-off “bite” size portions of cotton candy from such cotton candy cones. 
     In recent years a few cotton candy producers attempted crushing the natural fluffy candy into flat bricks, but this is undesirable because the “fluffiness” of the candy is destroyed. 
     The machine of the latter patent is capable of manufacturing “bite” size cotton candy balls on an extremely high speed basis absent labor intensiveness. However, until the present invention, the packaging of such “bite” size cotton candy balls was labor intensive. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In keeping with the foregoing, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel packaging machine for packaging “bite” size cotton candy balls on an extremely high speed basis absent labor intensiveness. 
     In accordance with the present invention, “bite” size cotton candy balls or wads are pneumatically drawn into an assembly area defining a generally cylindrical volume. At this assembly area or staging area, the cotton candy balls are assembled in a loose mass, and at a predetermined weight or volume, this loose mass of cotton candy balls are pneumatically transferred to a packaging area which is also of a generally cylindrical volume. Air is extracted from the group of cotton candy balls and substantially simultaneously therewith a plunger further compresses and pushes the group of cotton candy balls into a container which is preferably a packaging tube associated with a conventional form-and-fill machine. The plunger is retracted and subsequently the package is cross-sealed, severed and the individual package with the group of compressed cotton candy balls therein is discharged for automatic packaging in a case with similar packages. In this fashion a predetermined weight, volume and/or size of cotton candy balls is assembled as a group at the assembly area or staging area, transferred as a group to the packaging area, and discharged from the packaging area as a compressed group into an individual package absent human intervention other than machine oversight. 
     The packaging method thus far described is not only lacking in labor intensiveness, but the speed of packaging is extremely fast, particularly because during the transfer of a first group of cotton balls from the staging area to the packaging area, a second group of cotton candy balls are being assembled at the staging area during the package of the first group of cotton candy balls. Thus, the packaging step is not dependent upon singular cotton candy ball in-feed which would be time consuming, but instead each package is essentially filled at the packaging area with a pre-formed group of cotton candy balls of a desired weight. 
     The process can be further enhanced, particularly from the standpoint of high-speed production, by providing several assembly areas or staging areas, each of which is fed cotton candy balls with each group of cotton candy balls being discharged from whichever staging area or assembly area is first filled to its desired weight/capacity. In this fashion, the actual package filling can proceed at a maximum speed because immediately at the end of each filling or packaging cycle another group of cotton candy balls awaits packaging into the next package of the form-and-fill machine. 
     During the packaging method, the retraction of the piston might otherwise create a partial vacuum in the bag being filled, and this undesirable situation is alleviated (a) by the timed introduction of positive air pressure into the bag portion being filled or (b) by utilizing a hollow plunger within which is housed a solid rod which essentially “injects” positive air pressure into the filler tube and the bag being filled during the retraction of the plunger. Thus, each package, bag or pouch sealed conventionally by the form-and-fill machine is of a consistent size and shape, being neither deflated or inflated during the filling process. The latter is important not only from an aesthetic standpoint but also from a production and a packaging standpoint. Cross seals can be made absent wrinkling of the packaging material or product intrusion in the cross seals which might otherwise create bleed passages in the cross seals resulting in the product becoming stale over a short period of time. Further-more, since each package is of a uniform volume and size, when packaged in a case, each case appears properly filled, as is the fact, which would not otherwise be visually apparent if the packages were underinflated/deflated and thereafter cross-sealed. Thus, by the present method the aesthetics of the package exteriorly remain of high quality and shelf-life of the packaged “bite” size cotton candy is long lasting 
     With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a highly schematic side elevational view of a novel packaging machine of the present invention, and illustrates a plurality of “bite” size cotton candy balls or similar products being fed to an assembly area or staging area contemporaneously with an earlier “grouped” group of cotton candy balls being inserted by a plunger through a filling tube into a flexible package or tube of a conventional formand-fill machine. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevational view similar to FIG. 1, and illustrates the plunger of FIG. 1 being retracted and a proper weight of grouped cotton candy balls at the staging area incident to discharge therefrom to the packaging area. 
     FIG. 3 is another schematic side elevational view of the machine of FIGS. 1 and 2, and illustrates the group of cotton candy balls being transported from the staging area to the packaging area. 
     FIG. 4 is another schematic side elevational view similar to FIGS. 1 through 3 of the drawings, and illustrates the plunger descending to slightly compress and eventually discharge the group of cotton candy balls into the pouch, tube container or package during the formation thereof, while another group of cotton candy balls are being assembled in the staging area. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A novel machine for packaging cotton candy balls B and similar articles, either individually or collectively, in groups is generally designated by the reference numeral  10  (FIGS.  1  through  4 ). 
     The packaging machine  10  includes an inlet pipe, conduit or tube  11  having a funnel-like inlet end portion  12  located adjacent a discharge end  13  of a conventional conveyor  14  upon which are conveyed cotton candy balls B of different colors and flavors which preferably are manufactured upon machines of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,961. The cotton candy balls B are preferably drawn under vacuum or negative air pressure into the funnel-like inlet end portion  12  of the inlet pipe  11  by a vacuum created by a conventional vacuum pump  15  which is in turn connected to a line  16  exiting a conventional air filter  17 . A line  18  is in selective communication with a port  21  of an electrically adjustable valve  22 . In the position illustrated in FIG. 1, the port  21  communicates with a line  23  which is in turn connected to an exterior imperforate cylindrical sleeve or housing  25  which is in spaced surrounding relationship to an inner perforated cylindrical sleeve or tube  26  defining an assembly area or a staging area of a cylindrical volume which is generally designated by the reference character  30 . Though only a single staging area  30  is disclosed herein, it is to be understood that a plurality of such identical staging areas  30  can be provided and fed cotton candy balls B via the line  23  or a duplicate thereof. Air is drawn through individual perforations  29  of the perforated tube  26  which draws the balls B upwardly along the interior of the inlet pipe  11  and into the perforated sleeve  26  eventually filling the same (FIG.  2 ). An upper end (unnumbered) of the perforated sleeve  26  is selectively opened and closed by a shutter valve or plate valve  35  which in FIG. 1 is shown in its closed position but includes a circular opening  36  which can be aligned with the perforated tube  26  to discharge the cotton candy balls B therefrom in an upward direction as a group G (FIGS.  2  and  3 ), as will be described more fully hereinafter. A limit switch/control switch  37  of a conventional construction is connected to a conventional microprocessor MP having conventional circuitry for controlling the overall operation of the packaging machine  10  in a conventional manner. 
     The overall staging area  30  is suspended from a tubular expandable/contractible flexible bellows  38 , and is a part of a conventional weighing machine, such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,411 having associated therewith a conventional load cell or strain gauge  41  which detects the weight of the cotton candy balls B as they are accumulated in the perforated sleeve  26 . The load cell or sensor  41  is also connected to the microprocessor MP and when the group G (FIG. 2) of cotton candy balls B reaches a predetermined weight, the microprocessor MP generates a signal which moves the shuttle plate valve  35  to its open position (FIG. 3) while at substantially the same time the microprocessor MP operates the valve  22  to move the port  21  thereof to the position shown in FIG. 3, namely, closing off communication between the vacuum pump  15  and the sleeve  26  via the line  23  and establishing communication between the port  21  and a line  43  connected to an exterior imperforate sleeve or housing  45  interiorly of which is a perforated sleeve, housing or tube  46  which in conjunction with shutter valves or plate valves  47 ,  48  and a plunger mechanism  49  defines a packaging area or filling area  50 . 
     The vacuum or negative air pressure drawn through the line  43  conveys the group G of cotton candy balls B from the perforated tube  26  upwardly and through a transition pipe or tube  51  toward and into a vertical filling pipe  52  which is in axial alignment with a plunger  53  of the plunger mechanism  49 . The perforated sleeve  46  and a lower aligned filler tube  54  are components of a conventional form-and-fill machine  55 . As is best illustrated in FIG. 3, the shutter valves or plate valves  47 ,  48  controlled by respective conventional solenoids/limit switches  57 ,  58  are closed and thus the group G of cotton candy balls B exiting the transition tube  51  descend into the filling pipe  52  and fill the volume of the perforated sleeve  46  at the package area  50 . 
     Once the group G of cotton candy balls B have filled the sleeve  46 , the microprocessor MP operates a solenoid/limit switch  39  to cause a rod of a conventional fluid piston motor  60  (FIG. 4) connected to the plunger  53  to drive the plunger  53  downwardly from the position shown in FIG. 3 towards the position shown in FIG. 2 causing slight compression of the balls B due to the frictional engagement of the latter against the inner surface of the perforated sleeve  46  and the pneumatic negative air pressure “holding” the balls B within the perforated sleeve  46 . Incident to the descent of the plunger  53 , the microprocessor MP also energizes the appropriate solenoid  58  to open the shutter valve  48  whereupon the compressed group G of the cotton candy balls B descend through the filler tube  54  into a flexible packaging tube T surrounding the filler tube  54  of the conventional form-and-fill machine  55 . The tube T is drawn from a roll R (FIG. 1) of web material and is transformed into the tube T by a conventional forming wing W of the form-and-fill machine  55  which also includes a longitudinal sealer S and transverse sealing bars SB 1 , SB 2  which are relatively moved toward and away from each other to form a transverse seal after the group G of cotton candy balls B have been totally inserted into the lower end of the tube T and the plunger  53  has been retracted to its uppermost position (FIGS.  1  and  2 ). The transverse sealing bars SB 1 , SB 2  form transverse seals Ts 1 , Ts 2  (FIGS. 2 and 3) and essentially simultaneously therewith the sealed tube T is immediately transversely severed transforming the tube T into the pouch P shown being discharged in FIG.  3 . The process is repeated with, of course, another group G of cotton candy balls B having been fed into, grouped and weighed at the staging area  30  between the time the first group G was discharged, the plate valve  35  was closed and the plunger  53  was descended and subsequently retracted, once again arriving at the position shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings at which point the packaging process is performed repetitiously. 
     A rod  70  (FIGS. 1 and 4) is in internal telescopic relationship to the plunger  53  and its upper end (unnumbered) is stationarily fixed to a support. The purpose of the rod  70  is to assure that as the plunger  53  is retracted from the position shown in FIG. 1, air will not be exhausted from the tube T prior to being transversely sealed to form the pouch P, as might otherwise occur to deflate the pouch P. As can be best visualized in FIG. 1, as the rod  70  remains stationary and the plunger  53  is lifted upwardly, air within the plunger exhausts from its lower end into and subsequently upwardly and outwardly from the filler tube  54  assuring that a partial vacuum or reduced pressure is not created within the tube T or the pouch P, particularly prior to or during the transverse sealing of the latter. 
     While the apparatus  10  and its associated method has been thus far described in association with feeding and packaging a group G of individual products B from an appropriate source (conveyor  14 , for example), the apparatus  10  can also package singular, individual products. For example, an individual product can be conveyed by the vacuum from the conveyor  14  into the perforated sleeve  26  which would function strictly as a staging area, not necessarily a weighing area. This would assure high speed filling at the packaging area  50 , particularly if several staging areas  35  were provided in conjunction with each packaging area  50 . The method might, for example, be advantageously utilized to package products which are extremely difficult to package manually or automatically, such as pantyhose. However, pantyhose exiting the conveyor  14  would be drawn upwardly through the inlet pipe  11  and into the perforated sleeve  26  by the vacuum which would automatically gather the pantyhose into a slightly compressed homogeneous mass accommodated substantially entirely within the perforated sleeve  25 . Thus, a loose pair of pantyhose would take on a “grouped” configuration in the sense of being slightly compressed or “bunched” which subsequently allows ease of further transportation through the transition pipe  51  and into the perforated sleeve  46  as well as ejection outwardly from the latter by the plunger  53  and subsequent packaging in each package P. Thus, though the invention is particularly adapted to assemble and package a plurality of individual products B as a group G, the same is equally operative for packaging singular products of virtually any type, size, consistency. 
     In lieu of the negative air pressure supplied by the vacuum pump  15 , positive air pressure can be used to move the plurality of individual products B along the tube  11  into the perforated sleeve  26  and as a group G out from the perforated tube  26  into the packaging area  50  and specifically into the perforated sleeve  46 . A source of positive air pressure might, for example, be disposed adjacent the funnel-like inlet end portion  12  of the tube  11  to blow the cotton candy balls B or other items from the conveyor  14  into and along the tube  11 , the tube  51  and the tube  52  into the perforated sleeve  46 . The tubes  11 ,  51  and  52  can also be perforated and positive air pressure can be introduced into such perforations in a direction to convey the balls B therealong into the perforated sleeve  46 . Obviously, both positive and negative pressure can be used selectively as need be to effect appropriate conveyance of the balls B from the inlet end portion  12  into the perforated sleeve  46 . 
     Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that minor variations may be made in the apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined the appended claims.