Patent Description:
Typically, capsules for infusion drinks - coffee, for example - are inspected using check weighers disposed along a capsule feed line, downstream of a machine that makes the capsules. The purpose of weighing is to check that the capsules contain the desired quantity of product and that they therefore conform to a predetermined production standard.

In prior art production lines, the capsules are transferred between the different production stations (loading, dosing, sealing, etc) using trays or suitable support plates provided with housings to hold a plurality of capsules.

In prior art applications, the use of in-line check weighers involves the need to feed the capsules intermittently because weighing requires that each capsule remain on the check weigher, specifically a load cell, for a predetermined length of time.

Disadvantageously, these solutions are slow and lack flexibility. Feeding the capsules intermittently reduces the productivity of the machine and increasing the speed in the stretch where the capsule is in motion is not a desirable solution to overcome this drawback, since the capsules containing the granular or powder material are susceptible of damage on account of the high accelerations or vibrations.

Moreover, the use of support trays reduces the flexibility of the machine on account of the mutual positioning of the capsules dictated by the way the housings are distributed on the tray.

<CIT> discloses a support for transporting containers in a microwave inspection device with at least two receiving seats.

The aim of the invention therefore is therefore to provide a support for transporting containers in a microwave inspection device, a device and a method for inspecting containers which overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.

More specifically, the aim of this invention is to provide a support for transporting containers in a microwave inspection device, a device and a method for inspecting containers which allow an increase in productivity. A further aim of the invention is to provide a support for transporting containers in a microwave inspection device, a device and a method for inspecting containers which improve overall operating flexibility.

The aim is fully achieved by a support for transporting containers in a microwave inspection device, by a device and a method for inspecting containers according to the invention, as characterised in the appended claims <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> or in one or more of the claims dependent thereon.

According to the invention, there is a support specifically configured for transporting containers in a microwave inspection device, as defined in claim <NUM>. This function is at least implicitly found in the fact that the support has a supporting body, movable along a feed path, and at least two receiving seats connected to the top of the supporting body for being moved along the feed path in such a way that the receiving seats pass inside a resonant cavity whilst the support passes longitudinally through a gap obtained between two lower opposite lobes of the resonator, which delimit the bottom of the resonant chamber.

According to an embodiment, the supporting body has two or more supporting portions which are at least partly separated from each other by one or more openings and each carrying at least one respective receiving seat. Preferably, a single opening is made between two adjacent supporting portions, in the form of a recess gap extending vertically extending from an upper edge of the supporting body in a region between two receiving seats.

Preferably, the supporting portions adjacent to each other are connected to or integral with each other in a lower region of the supporting body. This gives the supporting body a "U" shape, in the case of two supporting portions, or a "comb-shape", in the case of a plurality of supporting portions.

Preferably, the supporting body is a single body and consecutive supporting portions are at least partly separated by an opening which extends from an upper edge of the supporting body to an intermediate portion of the supporting body, in particular up to the above-mentioned lower region, wherein the latter defines the rigid joining zone between the supporting portions. This makes the receiving seats of the same support integral with each other in the movement process through the microwave inspection device.

Preferably, the supporting member lies mainly in a main plane which, during transit through the microwave inspection device, lies parallel with the axis of movement, so that the supporting body can pass longitudinally through the lower gap of the resonator. More preferably, the supporting body has a plate-like shape, and in particular the supporting portions are coplanar with each other.

Preferably, the support is made of a single body of plastic material, preferably polyethylene. The monolithic body preferably comprising the supporting body, the plurality of receiving seats shaped in the form of a cup positioned on the top of the supporting body and, according to an embodiment, also a supporting base positioned below the supporting body.

Preferably, the receiving seats are aligned along an alignment direction designed to coincide with the direction of movement through the microwave inspection device.

Moreover, preferably, each supporting portion has a front edge and a rear edge relative to the alignment direction, wherein the front and rear edges have a shape which is symmetrical about an axis of symmetry or extension of the receiving portion. This shape reduces the measuring interference of each container, and of the relative supporting portion, due to the presence of the containers and/or adjacent supporting portions. The shape of the front and rear edges may be any, for example (but not necessarily) rectilinear (vertical), arched, curve.

The invention also relates to an inspection device for inspecting containers, in particular capsules, of the type containing a dose of a product in powder or granular form for the preparation of a food product, as defined in claim <NUM>.

The device mainly comprises a conveyor, which extends along a closed line, equipped with a plurality of supports preferably made according to the invention as described above, configured for moving the receiving seats along a feed path between a station for loading containers inside receiving seats and a station for unloading the containers from the receiving seats, through a microwave detecting station in which the containers can transit one after the other.

Preferably, the microwave detection station comprises a microwave detector defining a detecting zone through which the individual containers pass one after another. The microwave detector comprises a waveguide element having a shape such as to encircle the detecting zone and preferably having the shape of a "U" or a "C".

More preferably, the waveguide element has two lower ends facing each other and forming between them a gap through which the supports pass, and more specifically the supporting bodies.

Preferably, the size of the gap, measured perpendicularly to the feed path, is smaller than the detection zone through which the containers (and the respective receiving seats of the supports) pass. Moreover, the transversal width of the gap is slightly greater than the thickness of the plate-like supporting body of the supports, so as to allow the passage of the supporting body of each support through the gap, with a minimum clearance required to prevent dragging. More specifically, the supporting body passes through the slot whilst the supporting body lies parallel with the feed path.

According to a preferred and particularly advantageous configuration, each supporting body is positioned in such a way that, during the transit of the supporting body through the gap, the openings between adjacent supporting portions extend at least partly, preferably entirely, inside the detecting zone and/or the gap. In this way, the detecting singularizing effect exerted by the opening is performed for the entire resonant space, maximising the advantage achieved.

The conveyor has a transport unit defining the feed path, for example a rotary table or a chain or belt conveyor, and a plurality of supports extending away from the conveyor unit transversally to said feed line and preferably in a vertical direction upwards.

According to an embodiment, each support is rotatable about an axis of oscillation or rotation (parallel to the axis of the rotary table or more generally perpendicular to a lying plane of the feed path) to adopt at least a first position wherein the receiving seats of the same support are aligned transversally, preferably perpendicularly, to the feed path, and a second position wherein the receiving seats of the same support are aligned along the feed path in such a way as to pass one after another through the detection zone.

Preferably, the device also comprises a processing unit configured to receive a measurement signal from the microwave detector and to generate an information item relating to at least one property of the container or of the dose contained therein, preferably density or weight.

Preferably, the processing unit is configured to generate, as a function of the measurement signal received from the microwave detector, an information item relating to at least one of the following: weight or density, type of product inside the container, presence of foreign bodies in the container.

Preferably, the processing unit is associated with a memory unit containing one or more reference models correlated with respective reference measurements and referred to different weight values of the container or of the product dose contained therein.

Preferably, the processing unit is configured to generate the information item by comparing the measurement received from the microwave detector with the reference models.

The invention also relates to an automatic packaging machine for containers, specifically capsules, containing a product in powder or granular form for the preparation of a food product, according to claim <NUM>. In particular, the machine comprises:.

According to an embodiment, the machine comprises a rejecting device located downstream of the inspection device, for eliminating from the feed line the containers deemed not compliant after inspection.

Preferably, the machine also comprises a feedback control system, connected to the production unit and to the inspection device and configured to perform at least one of the following corrective actions as a function of said information item generated by the processing unit of the inspection device (<NUM>):.

The invention also relates to a method for inspecting containers, in particular capsules, containing a dose of a product in powder or granular form for the preparation of a food product as defined in claim <NUM>. In particular, the method, preferably actuated by using an inspection device according to the invention, comprising the steps of:.

Preferably, the steps of feeding the succession of containers and performing a detection on each container are carried out whilst the containers are supported by respective supports, wherein each support comprises a supporting body and at least two receiving seats connected to the top of the supporting body and each configured to contain a respective container. More preferably, the support is made according to the invention, in particular having two or more supporting portions which are at least partly separated from each other by one or more openings and each carrying at least one respective receiving seat, wherein the supporting portions are connected to each other or integral in a lower region of the supporting body. Preferably, the lower region of the supporting body, defining the (rigid) connection between the supporting portions is at least partly in transit outside the microwave detector in such a way as to reduce or eliminate data detection disturbances from the adjacent containers and/or supporting portions.

Preferably, the containers are fed along the feed path while supporting the containers in groups of two or more containers, wherein the containers of each group are positioned on the same support and aligned with each other along an alignment direction parallel to a plane in which the supporting body of each support lies.

According to an embodiment, each container is rotated about a respective axis of rotation or oscillation during each movement cycle (thatis to say during each rotation of the rotating table) between at least a first position, obtained before and after the microwave detection step and wherein the containers of the same group are arranged in alignment transversely, preferably perpendicularly, to the feed path, and a second position, maintained at least during the microwave detection and wherein the containers of the same group are arranged in alignment along the feed path in such a way that they pass through the detection station in succession.

The technical features of the invention, with reference to the above aims, are clearly described in the appended claims and its advantages are more apparent from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred, non-limiting example embodiment of it and in which.

The numeral <NUM> in the accompanying drawings denotes in its entirety an inspecting device according to this invention. The inspecting device <NUM> is configured to inspect containers <NUM> of the type comprising an outer case containing a pre-dosed quantity of a material in granular or powder form for making an infusion drink (coffee, tea, tisanes or the like). In a preferred embodiment, these containers are capsules for preparing drinks of this kind and may, for example, have the shape of a downwardly tapering "cup".

The invention applies to unsealed containers, hence, for example, upstream of a station for applying a lid in order to close the outer case, or it may apply to containers that have already been sealed. Preferably, these containers are of non-metallic type.

The device <NUM> comprises a conveyor <NUM> in the form of a rotary carousel provided with a turntable <NUM> which rotates about a vertical axis of rotation X and on which a succession of supports <NUM> are disposed.

More specifically, the conveyor <NUM> has the function of transporting a succession of containers <NUM> of the type described above along a feed path A between a loading station <NUM> and an unloading station <NUM> by way of a detection station <NUM> configured to perform an electromagnetic, contactless inspection on the individual containers <NUM> whilst they feed through the detection station <NUM> with a detection direction parallel to the feed path "A".

The above mentioned supports <NUM> are distributed uniformly around the axis of rotation X of the turntable <NUM>, specifically in a peripheral zone thereof, and extend away from the turntable <NUM> transversely to the feed path A, specifically along respective directions parallel to the axis of rotation X.

At the top of it, each support <NUM> is provided with one or more receiving cavities <NUM> configured to receive respective containers <NUM>. According to the embodiment illustrated, each support <NUM> is equipped at the top with two receiving seats <NUM>, however the number of receiving seats <NUM> could also be greater than two, with the receiving seats <NUM> aligned along an alignment direction preferably rectilinear, in particular parallel to the feed path "A".

Preferably, the receiving seats <NUM> of the same support <NUM> are aligned with each other in a single line for reasons that will become clearer as this description continues.

Each receiving cavity <NUM> is configured in the form of an open top "cup" which holds a respective container <NUM> by gravity by at least one bottom portion of the container <NUM> itself, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>.

According to an advantageous aspect of the invention, each support <NUM> is mounted on the turntable <NUM> (or on a generic transporting element of the conveyor <NUM>) rotatably about a respective swivel axis Y parallel to the axis of rotation X of the turntable <NUM>. In such a configuration, the support <NUM> may adopt at least a first position (visible in the loading and unloading stations <NUM> and <NUM> in <FIG>), where the receiving seats <NUM> of the same support <NUM> are positioned in alignment, transversely, preferably perpendicularly, to the feed path "A", and a second position (visible in the detection station <NUM> in <FIG>), where the receiving seats <NUM> of the same support <NUM> are aligned along the feed path "A" in such a way that they pass singularly or in succession through the measuring station <NUM>.

The supports <NUM> can be rotated about the respective swivel axes Y by respective independent actuators (for example, independently controllable electric motors) or by a mechanical transmission (for example, a cam system housed inside the turntable <NUM>).

In a variant embodiment, the movement of the support <NUM> about its swivel axis Y might not be a swivelling movement between two end positions (that is to say, where the rotation is reversed) but it might be a full rotation, always in the same direction and, if necessary, intermittent.

In order to simultaneously load and simultaneously remove two or more containers <NUM> in the loading and unloading stations <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively, there are provided suitable loading and unloading means (not illustrated) equipped with jaws which are configured to simultaneously grip and release two or more containers <NUM> and which are mounted on respective operating units of respective transfer wheels. The jaws are disposed in such a way as to release and pick up two or more containers <NUM> simultaneously while the containers are aligned in accordance with the aforementioned first position.

<FIG> show in detail a preferred embodiment of the supports <NUM>. Each support <NUM> has, beneath the receiving seats <NUM>, a supporting body 4a mounted on the rotary table <NUM> and designed to support the receiving seats <NUM> in the movement along the feed path "A", preferably in a rotatable fashion about said axis of oscillation "Y".

Preferably, the supporting body 4a has a plate-like shape having a main vertical lying plane parallel to the above-mentioned direction of alignment of the receiving seats <NUM>.

The supporting body 4a is connected at the bottom to a supporting base 4b, formed by one or more plate-shaped portions lying perpendicular to the supporting body 4a and in particular horizontal.

Advantageously, the supporting body 4a has two or more supporting portions "S1", "S2" which are at least partly separated from each other by one or more openings "P" and each carrying at the top at least one respective receiving seat <NUM>. Said supporting portions "S1", "S2" are connected to each other or integral in a lower region of the supporting body 4a in such a way as to give the supporting body 4a a rigid structure and move.

More in detail, consecutive supporting portions "S1", "S2" are at least partly separated by an opening "P" open at the top, that is to say, extending from an upper edge of the supporting body 4a to an intermediate portion of the supporting body 4a, in particular up to the above-mentioned lower region, in such a way that there is a lower zone of rigid connection between the supporting portions "S1", "S2".

Moreover, the receiving seats <NUM> are also detached from each other. In this way, the receiving seats <NUM> of the support <NUM> are made integral with each other exclusively by a connection in the above-mentioned lower zone of rigid connection.

The supporting portions "S1", "S2" are coplanar with each other, being defined by the same plate-shaped supporting body 4a.

Due to the presence of the above-mentioned opening "P", the supporting body 4a has the shape of a "U" in the case of two receiving seats <NUM>. However, if the support <NUM> has more than two receiving seats <NUM>, separated by respective openings, the supporting body 4a would have the "comb-shape".

Preferably, the support <NUM> is made of a single body of plastic material, preferably polyethylene, which comprises the supporting body 4a, two or more receiving seats <NUM> shaped in the form of a cup positioned on the top of the supporting body 4a and the supporting base 4b positioned below the supporting body 4a.

According to a preferred embodiment, each supporting portion "S1", "S2" has a front edge <NUM> and a rear edge <NUM> relative to the direction of movement along the feed path "A", which has a shape symmetrical relative to an axis (vertical) of symmetry or of extension of the respective receiving portion <NUM>. The advantage of this feature is explained in more detail below.

The measuring station <NUM> is configured to measure each container <NUM> while the container <NUM> is being supported and moved (preferably with continuous motion - that is to say. at a constant speed or tangential speed) by the conveyor <NUM>. For this purpose, the conveyor <NUM> is set in rotation at a constant angular speed.

More in detail, the measuring station <NUM> comprises a microwave detector provided with a measuring zone <NUM> through which each container <NUM> passes, in accordance with a feed logic whereby the measuring zone <NUM> is crossed by one container <NUM> at a time.

Preferably, the measuring station <NUM> comprises a single microwave detector through which a succession of containers <NUM>, aligned in a single longitudinal line, pass in such a way that the containers <NUM> pass through the microwave detector one at a time.

Preferably, the microwave detector is a resonator and the measuring zone <NUM> is a resonant cavity.

The microwave detector preferably also comprises a waveguide element <NUM> having a shape such as to encircle the measuring zone <NUM>, preferably the shape of a U or a C whose opening faces down (that is to say, towards the conveyor <NUM>). In detail, as may be seen in <FIG>, the waveguide element <NUM> of the microwave detector is substantially in the shape of a ring, whose interior defines a cavity - that is to say, the measuring zone <NUM>.

The waveguide element <NUM> has two facing ends <NUM> defining between them a gap <NUM> through which the supports <NUM> pass one after the other.

The gap <NUM>, facing towards the conveyor <NUM>, measured perpendicularly to the feed path A, is smaller in size (or in width) than the measuring zone <NUM>, so that the measuring zone <NUM> is partly delimited at the bottom by the above mentioned ends <NUM>.

Moreover, the plate shaped supporting body 4a of each support <NUM> is smaller in thickness than the gap <NUM> so that the supporting body 4a can pass through the gap <NUM> when the corresponding support <NUM> adopts the above-mentioned second position (<FIG>).

According to an advantageous aspect of the invention, each supporting body <NUM> is positioned at a height such that, during the transit of the supporting body 4a through the gap <NUM>, the openings "P" extend inside the detection zone <NUM> and/or the gap <NUM> and, preferably, in such a way that the lower connecting zone which joins in a rigid fashion the supporting portions "S1", "S2" passes at least partly, preferably, under the detection zone <NUM> and/or the gap <NUM>. In this way, the previous and subsequent interference with the receiving seats, which could alter the each single detection of a receiving seat <NUM>, can be eliminated from the single detection during the transit through the detection station <NUM>. In this situation, the transit of the opening "P" between the current supporting portion "S1", "S2" and the supporting portion "S1", "S2" before or after determines a substantial zero-setting of the reading by the microwave detector, allowing each container <NUM> to be measured very precisely.

The device <NUM> also comprises a processing unit (not illustrated) configured to receive a measurement signal from the microwave detector and to generate an information item relating to at least one property of the content of the container.

According to an embodiment, the at least one property is at least one of the following: weight of the container <NUM> as a whole or of the dose of product contained therein, type of product inside the container <NUM>, presence of foreign bodies in the container <NUM>. In a preferred selection, the property measured is at least the density or weight of the content or of the container as a whole (thus including the outer case).

More specifically, the processing unit allows identifying different properties of the container and/or of the contents thereof as detected by the microwave detector and, with reference in particular to the type of product inside the container <NUM>, it not only allows determining the type of content (for example, distinguishing between tea, coffee or other) but it also allows distinguishing between different grades or brands of products of the same type (for example, different brands of coffee powder).

In a preferred embodiment, the step of generating the information item is carried out by comparing the measurement received from the microwave detector with a suitable selection of reference models, specifically preset reference models stored in a storage unit, following a specific calibrating procedure, for example. The reference models may refer to different values of weight and/or different types and/or properties of the product inside the container and/or different situations in which foreign bodies are present in the container, in particular by associating different "information items" with different reference measurements.

That way, the processing unit may call up one or more reference models stored in a storage unit and correlated with respective reference measurements and may then make a comparison between the reference measurements associated with these models and the real measurement received from the microwave detector, thus identifying the model that is closest to the current situation being measured.

Advantageously, thanks to the symmetrical shape of the front and rear edges <NUM>, <NUM> of the supporting portions "S1", "S2", any disturbances due to the shape of the support during the measurement are compensated between the inlet and the outlet of each supporting portion.

According to an alternative embodiment, the supports <NUM> carrying the receiving seats <NUM> are not individually mounted on a rotary table <NUM> but may be configured as components of a single conveyor with a closed loop, for example of the chain type. More specifically, <FIG> show an alternative embodiment wherein each support <NUM> is connected to the supports before and after in an articulated fashion, for example by hinge articulations defining respective hinge axes "Z" parallel to each other. The articulated connection may be performed at a lower zone of the supporting members 4a, as shown in <FIG>, or at lateral zones (embodiment not illustrated). Moreover, according to these variant embodiments the number of receiving seats <NUM> for each support <NUM> may be equal to one or a plurality.

Moreover, also in these variant embodiments it is preferable to provide the above-mentioned presence of the front and rear edges <NUM>, <NUM> which are symmetrical to each other relative to a vertical axis of the support <NUM> (for example, the axis of the receiving seat <NUM>, in the solutions illustrated in <FIG>).

The device described above may form part of a machine for packaging the containers and comprising a unit for the production of a succession of the containers and, downstream of it, an inspection device <NUM> according to the invention.

The machine also comprises a rejection device, located downstream of the inspection device <NUM>, and a feedback control system, connected to the production unit and to the inspection device and configured to perform at least one of the following corrective actions as a function of the information item generated by the processing unit of the inspection device <NUM>:.

Described below is an embodiment of an inspection method according to the invention and, in particular, implemented by an inspection device of the type described above.

The method in particular comprises the following steps:.

As the containers <NUM> advance along the feed path "A", they are supported in groups of two or more by means of supports <NUM> of the type described above, where the containers <NUM> of each group are positioned in alignment with each other; and each group is rotated about a respective swivel axis Y between the first and the second position.

The inspection device <NUM> according to the invention may be subjected to a calibrating process as schematically represented in <FIG>, for example, a periodic calibration.

In accordance with this process, one or more containers <NUM> are picked up by the conveyor <NUM> by means of special pickup means <NUM> which transfer the containers <NUM> (for example, by means of screw conveyors or the like) to a check weigher <NUM> which sends its measurements to the processing unit (CPU) so they can be compared with corresponding measurements taken by the microwave detector <NUM>.

After being weighed by the check weigher <NUM>, the containers <NUM> are removed by a removing device <NUM>, which unloads the containers to an expulsion or recycling line.

The comparison (performed preferably by the processing unit) between the measurement taken with the check weigher <NUM> and the corresponding measurement taken with the microwave detector <NUM>, preferably before the containers <NUM> are picked up from the conveyor <NUM> by the pickup means <NUM>, allows identifying possible discrepancies and applying a corrective action on the inspection device <NUM> if the result of the comparison is a difference greater than a predetermined value.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a reference control check of the device <NUM> is performed. According to the reference control check, the inspection method is applied to one or more reference pieces (made, for example, of high-density polyethylene or PEEK) having precise, well-known properties and having the same shape as the regular containers inspected.

Loading and removing the reference pieces to and from the conveyor may be done manually using the same means <NUM>, <NUM> used for calibration or using dedicated means.

Once subjected to microwave measurement in the microwave detector, the measurements obtained are compared by the processing unit with corresponding reference measurements (preset and, for example, retrievable from the storage unit). In the case of differences outside a tolerance range, further diagnostic steps or corrective and/or maintenance action may be taken on the device <NUM>. For example, a very different measurement might indicate the presence of damp in the resonant chamber, requiring adequate maintenance action.

The invention as described in the foregoing is susceptible of several variations, not expressly illustrated but all falling within the scope of the inventive concept.

In particular, the conveyor might not be a turntable but might be made in the form of a linear conveyor, a closed loop conveyor or other kind of conveyor - that is to say, a generic transporting means defining the feed path - provided always that it is equipped with a succession of supports made as described above and subject to the same considerations regarding the number of receiving cavities and the possibility of swivelling. The present invention achieves the preset aims, overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art.

The ability of the inspection device to take measurements of individual containers by means of a contactless system, specifically electromagnetic and, still more specifically, by means of a microwave measurement system, allows productivity to be increased because the inspection device (and, by extension, the entire packaging machine) can operate with continuous motion and no longer necessarily intermittently.

Productivity is further increased by the fact that the conveyor is able to work with a double line of containers, which are longitudinally repositioned and aligned with each other only in the stretch of the feed path where they are individually inspected through microwave measurement, while loading and unloading operations are performed on pairs of containers. Moreover, this feature makes it possible to reduce the loading and unloading speed, thereby reducing the risk of damaging the containers.

Moreover, the special shape of the supports allows the measuring precision to be increased by singling the readings for each container, reducing the disturbances created by the adjacent containers.

Claim 1:
A support (<NUM>) for transporting containers (<NUM>) in a microwave inspection device (<NUM>), comprising a supporting body (4a) which can be moved along a feed path (A) and at least two receiving seats (<NUM>) detached from each other and connected to the top of the supporting body (4a) to be moved along said feed path (A), wherein said supporting body (4a) has two or more supporting portions (S1, S2) which are at least partly separated from each other by one or more openings (P) and each carrying at least one respective receiving seat (<NUM>), said supporting portions (S1, S2) being connected or integral with each other in a lower region of the supporting body (4a).