Patent Description:
More specifically, the invention relates to packaging plants for packaging consumer products in different packaging formats.

The present invention has been developed with the aim of packaging consumer products either in a standard packaging format intended for large distribution channels and in customized packaging formats intended for e-commerce.

In the following, reference will be made to this specific field without however losing generality.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods for flexible packaging of products.

Consumer products are typically manufactured by manufacturing machines having a very high production rate, typically of several hundred pieces per minute.

Each manufacturing machine typically produces a flow of a single type of products. The manufacturing machines may periodically change the type of product which is manufactured (for instance the size of the product). When the manufacturing machine can be configured for changing the type of products, typically the manufacturing machine produces batches of products, wherein each batch is made of products of a single type.

The flow of products at the output of the manufacturing machines is sent to a packaging unit. Typically, the packaging unit is configured for packaging the products in a format suitable for the large distribution. Typically, the large distribution packaging format consists of relatively large packages (for instance flexible bags or cardboard boxes) containing all the same number of one single type of product. The products forming the large distribution packaging are typically packaged in a package which may comprise a primary package and a secondary package.

With the ever-growing diffusion of e-commerce, many consumer product manufacturers have started distributing consumer products both through large distribution channels and through e-commerce channels.

While the large distribution requires standard packages containing a fixed relatively large number of a single type of product, e-commerce distribution systems require small number of products to be packaged in highly customized packages corresponding to the order of the final customer. Typically, an e-commerce order includes different types of products, with a variable number of products for each type of product.

The automated packaging units used for packaging consumer products directed to the large distribution do not have the flexibility required for the e-commerce distribution.

In the state of the art, consumer products at the output of manufacturing machines are all packaged in large distribution packaging formats. E-commerce orders are prepared by: i) opening the large distribution packages, ii) extracting from the large distribution packages the required type and number of products, and iii) packaging the composition of products corresponding to a specific order in e-commerce packaging containers. These operations are typically carried out manually.

The traditional packaging for e-commerce distribution of consumer products involves a large use of manpower and a great waste of packaging material. In fact, the packages in which the consumer products have previously been packaged for shipping to the large distribution are wasted, which has a negative impact on sustainability of the packaging process.

There is therefore a need for packaging systems and methods which allow both high-volume packaging of consumer products in the format required by the large distribution and high flexibility packaging for e-commerce distribution.

One of the main problems for carrying out flexible packaging of different products is that often the different products are manufactured by production machines which may have quite different production rates. The different production rates of different manufacturing machines make it difficult to coordinate the production rates of different manufacturing machines with the packaging rates of the packaging machines. When the need arises to package groups of consumer products with variable number of products and different types of products supplied by different manufacturing machines, these activities are typically carried out offline, i.e. in a station which is not in-line with respect to the production machines and to the packaging machines. Typically, packaging operations in these cases are carried out by operators who manually group the consumer products in relation to the specific customised packages corresponding to the orders of the final customer.

The solutions which involve the use of operators for manual packaging are slow and subject to multiple non-monitorable errors. Human errors in the composition of manual packaging are problematic in that it is difficult to implement actions which prevent such errors from happening again.

Other known solutions require frequent modifications of the packaging plant in order to process and package different combinations of groups of consumer products. This significantly increases cost and production times.

The prior art solutions have additional problems with the packaging of groups of consumer products with a considerable difference in the number of products in different packages, for instance ten consumer products in a first package and three consumer products in a second package. The known solutions have the additional limitation that they do not allow the production of consumer products at the maximum rate allowed by the manufacturing machines.

<CIT> discloses a system and method for producing products based upon demand, wherein containers are disposed on vehicles and are independently routable along a track system and are deliverable to at least one unit operation station. A control system receives demand for finished products; determines a route for vehicles based upon the status of one or more unit operation stations; and causes a vehicle to progress along a determined route to create one or more of the demanded finished products.

The object of the present invention is to provide packaging plants and packaging methods for the flexible packaging of consumer products which overcome the drawbacks and limitations of the prior art.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a packaging plant and method which have an improved sustainability with respect to the prior art solutions, specifically with respect to the elimination of the waste of packaging material due to the re-packaging operations of the prior art.

Another object of the invention is to provide packaging plants and methods for the flexible packaging of groups of consumer products that does not require modifications to the packaging plant or the use of operators for packaging groups of consumer products comprising different number and/or different types of consumer products.

An additional object of the invention is to provide packaging plants and methods for producing packages containing a variable number of consumer products, even with highly different number of consumer products in different packages and which can vary the number and types of consumer products to be packaged without the need of stopping or slowing-down the production rate.

In accordance with the present invention, these objects are achieved by a packaging plant having the features of claims <NUM> and <NUM> and by a packaging method having the features of claim <NUM>.

Optional features of the invention form the subject of the dependent claims.

The claims are an integral part of the disclosure submitted in relation to the invention.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following description, given purely as a non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:.

With reference to <FIG>, a packaging plant for packaging consumer products is indicated by <NUM>.

The packaging plant <NUM> comprises at least one manufacturing machine <NUM> configured for manufacturing at least one flow of consumer products. The manufacturing machine <NUM> may be configured for manufacturing a single type of products or subsequent batches of different types of products.

The packaging plant <NUM> comprises at least one large distribution packaging unit <NUM> set at the output of the manufacturing machine <NUM>. The large distribution packaging unit <NUM> receives the main flow of products exiting the manufacturing machine <NUM>.

The definition "large distribution packaging unit" defines a packaging unit which is configured for packaging products in the format required by the large distribution. Typically, consumer products directed to the large distribution are packaged in standard formats which include a fixed number of products in each package. Typically, the large distribution packaging format includes many products of a single type.

The large distribution packaging unit <NUM> is configured for receiving products from the manufacturing machine <NUM> and for packaging said products in a packaging bag or container, with a fixed number of products of a single type in each package. Typically, the large distribution packaging unit <NUM> does not have the capability of varying the number of products in each package or of packaging different product types in each package.

The packaging plant <NUM> comprises a draw-off unit <NUM> configured for drawing-off products intended to be distributed through e-commerce distribution channels from the main flow of products at the output of the manufacturing machine <NUM>. The products intended to be distributed through e-commerce distribution channels are delivered to a filling station <NUM> located downstream of the draw-off unit <NUM>.

The packaging plant <NUM> comprises a conveyor system <NUM> controlled by an electronic control unit. The conveyor system <NUM> comprises a stationary guide system <NUM> including a plurality of guide sections 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d. The packaging plant <NUM> comprises a plurality of transfer containers <NUM> which are movable independently of each other along the guide sections 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d. The stationary guide system <NUM> may be the stator of a linear motor system and the transfer containers <NUM> may be connected to movers of the linear motor system which are magnetically coupled to the stationary guide system <NUM>. Alternatively, the stationary guide system <NUM> may be a mechanical conveyor provided with motor-driven chains of belts for transporting the transfer containers <NUM> along the guide sections 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d.

The stationary guide system <NUM> may comprise a guide section 22a extending through the filling station <NUM>. At the filling station <NUM> empty transfer containers <NUM> are filled with products or group of products coming from the draw-off unit <NUM>.

In a possible embodiment, the individual products or group of products intended to be distributed through e-commerce distribution channels may be packaged in primary packages. This is important especially when the products should be protected against contamination, for instance if the products are sanitary products (e.g. absorbent sanitary products) or the like.

In a possible embodiment the packaging plant <NUM> may comprise a primary packaging unit <NUM> configured for receiving individual products or group of products from the draw-off unit <NUM>, packaging individual products or group of products into primary packages, and delivering the packaged individual products or group of products into the transfer containers <NUM> at the filling station <NUM>.

Each transfer container <NUM> may contain the same type of products. The number of products or of groups of products contained in the transfer containers <NUM> may be fixed or variable.

The packaging plant <NUM> comprises a stocking area <NUM> configured for receiving a plurality of transfer containers <NUM> containing respective products. In a possible embodiment, the stationary guide system <NUM> may comprise a closed-loop guide section 22b positioned in the stoking area <NUM>, along which are positioned a plurality of transfer containers <NUM> containing respective products P.

The packaging plant <NUM> comprises a flexible packaging area <NUM> including at least one packaging robot <NUM>. The stationary guide system <NUM> may comprise a guide section 22c which connects to each other the stocking area <NUM> and the flexible packaging area <NUM>. The conveyor system <NUM> is configured for taking transfer containers <NUM> from the stoking area <NUM> and for transferring the transfer containers <NUM> to the flexible packaging area <NUM> along the guide section 22c.

The packaging robot <NUM> is configured for picking products or groups of products from the transfer container <NUM> placed in the flexible packaging area <NUM> and for placing a variable number of products in packaging containers <NUM>.

The packaging robot <NUM> may operate under the control of an e-commerce server <NUM> which receives orders from an e-commerce network. Each order may include different types of products and a variable number of products for each type of product. For instance, an e-commerce order may be structured as shown in the following table:.

The number of different types of products A, B, C,. depend on the number of different products which may be manufactured by the manufacturing machine <NUM>. The number of products X, Y, Z of each type of products may vary depending on the specific order.

The e-commerce server <NUM> sends packaging orders to the packaging robot <NUM>. The packaging robot <NUM> picks in the transfer container <NUM> placed in the flexible packaging area <NUM> the desired type of product A, B, C,. in the respective quantities X, Y, Z,. and places the products in the packaging container <NUM>.

The packaging robot <NUM> may pick from the container <NUM> groups of products, wherein each group of products is formed by a number of products selected in a fixed range of numbers. The groups of products may be combined to reach the number of products required by the specific e-commerce order.

For instance, each group of products may be formed by a number of products selected among <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> products. If, for instance, the e-commerce order is for <NUM> products, the packaging robot <NUM> may pick three groups of products formed, respectively, by <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> products, or <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> products, or other combinations based on the predetermined number of products. The choice of the combination of the groups of products may be made on the basis of the availability of the groups of products in the containers <NUM>. This procedure optimizes the operation of the packaging robot <NUM> by reducing the number of movements of the packaging robot <NUM> which are necessary for composing the specific e-commerce orders.

When the order is complete, the packaging container <NUM> is sent to a shipping area <NUM>. The packaging containers <NUM> formed in the flexible packaging area <NUM> are completely different from the packages formed by the large distribution packaging unit <NUM> in that each packaging container <NUM> may contain different types of products in a variable number and may be different from any other packaging container, whereas the packages formed by the large distribution packaging unit <NUM> typically are all composed of one single type of product in a fixed quantity.

In a possible embodiment, individual products or group of products may be packaged into respective primary packages in the flexible packaging area <NUM>. The packaging robot <NUM> may be configured for sealing individual products or groups of products in flexible bags, before placing the products in the packaging containers <NUM>.

When a transfer container <NUM> placed in the packaging area <NUM> is empty or contains a number of products below a predetermined threshold, it is transported along a return guide section 22d of the stationary guide system <NUM>, which returns the empty or partially empty transfer containers <NUM> to the filling station <NUM>. The return section 22d of the stationary guide system <NUM> may form a buffer for empty or partially empty transfer containers <NUM> waiting to be transported to the filling station <NUM>.

In a possible embodiment (not shown), the conveyor system <NUM> may comprise a planar surface forming the stationary guide system <NUM>. A plurality of transport units may carry respective transfer containers <NUM>. The transport units may be magnetically coupled to the planar surface. The transport units may be movable on the planar surface in any direction and may also rotate about respective axes orthogonal to the planar surface. The transport units might weigh the containers they carry, so that a count of the number of products contained in the transfer containers <NUM> can be based on the weight acting on each transport unit. Each transport unit may be assigned to a specific product package and the transport units may populate a storing area while waiting to serve the packaging robot <NUM> on the basis of orders coming from the e-commerce sever <NUM>.

<FIG> schematically shows a packaging plant having the same basic structure as the embodiment of <FIG> but comprising a plurality of manufacturing machines <NUM>. The manufacturing machines <NUM> may produce different types of products. Each of the manufacturing machine <NUM> may be associated to a respective large distribution packaging unit <NUM> and to a respective draw-off unit <NUM>. Each of the draw-off units <NUM> may be provided with a respective primary packaging unit <NUM>.

In the packaging plant <NUM> of <FIG> the conveyor system <NUM> may comprise a plurality of stationary guide systems <NUM> associated to respective manufacturing machines <NUM>. Each stationary guide system <NUM> may comprise respective guide sections 22a, 22b, 22c, as previously disclosed. The stationary guide systems <NUM> may share a common return guide section 22d.

The flexible packaging area <NUM> may comprise a plurality of packaging robots <NUM>, each of which is configured for picking products from a respective transfer container <NUM> placed in the flexible packaging area <NUM> and for placing such products in a packaging container <NUM>. The packaging containers <NUM> may move on a package guide <NUM> which moves the packaging containers <NUM> from one packaging robot <NUM> to the next. The packaging robots <NUM> are controlled on the basis of the e-commerce orders received by the e-commerce server <NUM>, in order to compose in each packaging container <NUM> a specific order consisting of products of different types and in different quantities.

When a transfer container <NUM> is empty, it is removed from the flexible packaging area <NUM> via the return guide section 22d.

The products of a certain type may be drawn-off from the respective manufacturing machines <NUM> and placed into the transfer containers <NUM> only when the total number of products of that type present in the stocking area <NUM> is below a predetermined threshold. This allows optimization of the operation. If there are no orders for a certain type of product, there is no need to draw-off that type of products from the manufacturing machines. On the contrary, when there are orders which finish the stock of a certain type of product, that type of product is drawn-off in the quantity necessary to comply with the orders and to restore the stock.

The stocking area <NUM> forms a buffer between the manufacturing machines <NUM> and the flexible packaging area <NUM>, which allows the flexible packaging area <NUM> to operate at maximum capacity even in case of momentary interruptions of the manufacturing machines <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a second embodiment of a packaging plant according to the invention. The elements corresponding to those previously disclosed are indicated by the same reference numerals.

As in the embodiment of <FIG> and <FIG>, the packaging plant <NUM> comprises a manufacturing machine <NUM> associated to a large distribution packaging unit <NUM> and to a draw-off unit <NUM>. The draw-off unit <NUM> may be associated to a primary packaging unit <NUM> configured for packaging individual products or group of products into primary packages (e.g. flexible bags).

As in the embodiment of <FIG> and <FIG>, the packaging plant <NUM> comprises a conveyor system <NUM> including a stationary guide system <NUM> including a plurality of guide sections 22a, 22d and a plurality of transfer containers <NUM> which are movable independently of each other along the guide sections 22a, 22d. The conveyor system <NUM> is configured for positioning empty transfer containers <NUM> at a filling station <NUM> where the transfer containers <NUM> are filled with products or group of products exiting the draw-off unit <NUM> or the primary packaging unit <NUM>.

The packaging plant <NUM> of the embodiment of <FIG> comprises a plurality of movable stocking units <NUM>. Each stocking unit <NUM> may have the shape of a cabinet having a plurality of horizontal shelves. The shelves of the stocking units <NUM> are configured for receiving the transfer containers <NUM>.

The packaging plant <NUM> comprises a clustering area <NUM> including at least one clustering robot <NUM>. The clustering robot <NUM> is configured for picking the transfer containers <NUM> containing respective products or groups of products P at the end of the guide section 22a and for placing the transfer containers <NUM> into selected shelves of a stocking unit <NUM> placed in the clustering area <NUM>. In a possible embodiment, the stoking units <NUM> may be configured to isolate the transfer containers <NUM> contained therein from the outside environment. For instance, each stoking unit <NUM> may have at least one door movable from an open position to a closed position. In the open position the inner room of the stoking unit <NUM> is accessible for placing the transfer containers <NUM> on the shelves and for removing the transfer containers <NUM> from the shelves. In the closed position the inner room of the stoking unit <NUM> is isolated from the outside environment to prevent contamination of the products P.

The packaging plant <NUM> of <FIG> comprises a stocking area <NUM> containing a plurality of stoking unit <NUM> which in turn contain respective transfer containers <NUM>.

The packaging plant <NUM> of <FIG> further comprises a flexible packaging area <NUM> comprising at least one packaging robot <NUM>.

In possible embodiments, the packaging plant <NUM> of <FIG> may comprise a plurality of automated guided vehicles <NUM> configured for releasably engaging the stocking units <NUM>. The automated guided vehicles <NUM> may transport the stocking units <NUM> between the clustering area <NUM>, the stocking area <NUM>, and the flexible packaging area <NUM>. Once the stocking units <NUM> have been positioned in the clustering area <NUM>, stocking area <NUM> or flexible packaging area <NUM>, the automated guided vehicle <NUM> may disengage from the stocking unit <NUM> and may be used for moving another stocking unit <NUM>. The number of the automated guided vehicles <NUM> may be substantially less than the number of the stocking units <NUM> since only a small part of the total number of stocking unit <NUM> must be moved at the same time.

In the flexible packaging area <NUM> the at least one packaging robot <NUM> is configured for picking products from the transfer containers <NUM> contained in the stocking unit <NUM> placed in the flexible packaging area <NUM> and for placing such products in packaging containers <NUM> advancing along a package guide <NUM>. When a transfer container <NUM> is empty, the at least one packaging robot <NUM> removes the empty transfer container <NUM> from the stocking unit <NUM> and places it on the return guide section 22d, which brings the empty transfer containers <NUM> to the filling station <NUM>.

In a possible embodiment, the movable stocking units <NUM> may receive individual products or groups of products not contained in the transfer containers <NUM>. In this embodiment, in the clustering area <NUM> the at least one clustering robot <NUM> is configured for picking products or groups of products P from the transfer containers <NUM> at the end of the guide section 22a, and for placing said products P on selected shelves of a movable stocking unit <NUM> placed in the clustering area <NUM>. The products or groups of products P may be loose or enclosed in primary packages. The movable stocking units <NUM> containing the products are stocked in the stocking area <NUM>. In this embodiment, in the flexible packaging area <NUM> the at least one packaging robot <NUM> is configured for picking products from a movable stocking unit <NUM> placed in the flexible packaging area <NUM> and for placing a variable number of products into the packaging containers <NUM>. In this embodiment the transfer containers <NUM> are emptied in the clustering area <NUM>. The empty transfer containers <NUM> are transported from the clustering area <NUM> to the filling station <NUM>.

<FIG> schematically shows a packaging plant having the same basic structure as the embodiment of <FIG> but comprising a plurality of manufacturing machines <NUM>. The manufacturing machines <NUM> may produce different types of products. Each of the manufacturing machines <NUM> may be associated to a respective large distribution packaging unit <NUM> and to a respective draw-off unit <NUM>. Each of the draw-off units <NUM> may be provided with a respective primary packaging unit <NUM>.

In the embodiment of <FIG> the clustering area <NUM> may comprise a plurality of clustering robots <NUM> configured for picking the transfer containers <NUM> containing respective products or groups of products P at the end of the respective guide sections 22a and for placing the transfer containers <NUM> into selected shelves of respective stocking units <NUM> placed in the clustering station <NUM>.

In the embodiment of <FIG>, the stoking units <NUM> may move in the clustering area <NUM> from one clustering robot <NUM> to another, so that each stoking unit <NUM> may contain transfer containers <NUM> containing products of different types.

In the embodiment of <FIG>, the flexible packaging area <NUM> may comprise a plurality of packaging robots <NUM>, each of which is configured for picking products P from the transfer containers <NUM> contained in a respective stocking unit <NUM> placed in the flexible packaging area <NUM> and for placing such products in packaging containers <NUM>. Since each stocking unit <NUM> contains products of different types, each packaging robot <NUM> may compose in a packaging container <NUM> an order comprising different products. When the packaging orders are complete, the packaging containers <NUM> are sent to respective delivery stations <NUM>. Therefore, in the embodiment of <FIG> the packaging containers <NUM> are filled in parallel by respective packaging robots <NUM>, whereas in the embodiment of <FIG> the packaging containers <NUM> are filled by the packaging robots <NUM> in series.

When the transfer container <NUM> are empty, the packaging robots place them on the return guide section 22d, which brings the empty transfer containers <NUM> to the filling station <NUM>. When the stocking units <NUM> placed in the flexible packaging station <NUM> are empty of a certain type of product they are returned to the clustering area <NUM> for refill.

The packaging plant <NUM> according to the present invention is capable of forming simultaneously standard packages intended to be distributed through large distribution channels and highly customised packages corresponding to individual orders placed through an e-commerce network.

A significant aspect of the present invention is that the products intended for the e-commerce packaging come directly from the manufacturing machines without being previously packaged into large distribution packages. This is a significant sustainability improvement as compared to prior art solutions wherein the products for e-commerce distribution are first packaged into large distribution packages and then the large distribution packages are opened for composing the e-commerce orders.

The solution according to the present invention provides a substantial contribution to sustainability of e-commerce packaging in that it eliminates waste of large distribution packaging material.

Also, the solution according to the present invention reduces significantly the use of manpower for the e-commerce packaging.

Claim 1:
A packaging plant (<NUM>) comprising:
- at least one manufacturing machine (<NUM>) configured for manufacturing at least one flow of products,
- at least one large distribution packaging unit (<NUM>) configured for receiving said at least one flow of products from said manufacturing machine (<NUM>) and for packaging said products in a large distribution packaging format,
- at least one draw-off unit (<NUM>) associated to said at least one manufacturing machine (<NUM>) and configured for drawing-off products intended to be distributed through e-commerce distribution channels from said at least one flow of products,
- a filling station (<NUM>) located downstream of said draw-off unit (<NUM>),
- a plurality of transfer containers (<NUM>) movable independently of each other along at least one stationary guide system (<NUM>) and configured for receiving said products intended to be distributed through e-commerce distribution channels at said filling station (<NUM>),
- a stocking area (<NUM>) wherein a plurality of said transfer containers (<NUM>) are stocked, and
- a flexible packaging area (<NUM>) including at least one packaging robot (<NUM>) configured for picking products from transfer containers (<NUM>) placed in said flexible packaging area (<NUM>) and for placing a variable number of products into packaging containers (<NUM>).