Patent Description:
The use of straws for drinking dates back thousands of years, although their diffusion has become massive starting in the last century, due to the use of straw material and the industrialization of their production.

Before the advent and enormous use of plastic materials, with which drinking straws are still produced, there was a period during which straws were produced with paper, although the production with the latter material created problems of cost, consistency, rigidity, creasing or collapse of the straws.

In an attempt to reduce environmental pollution, many countries aim to limit, if not even eliminate, where possible, the use of plastic materials, so there is now a strong need to return to producing straws, including drinking straws, using paper as the raw material.

A particular sector of drinking straws is that of small straws to be associated individually with hermetically sealed beverage containers, such as fruit juices or the like, also known as boxes, normally small in size, with a capacity around <NUM>-<NUM>, provided with a perforable area to facilitate the insertion of the straw.

Each of such straws is normally provided with a pointed end, for example with an oblique cut with respect to its longitudinal axis, to facilitate its insertion into the aforementioned perforable area of the closed container.

Such special straws are normally provided with a flexible area, for example bellows, which allows the cartridge itself to be folded in two, even repeatably, without damaging it. Examples of such straws are described in international patent application <CIT> filed by the Applicant.

Furthermore, for food hygiene and safety, each of such drinking straws is normally placed in its own sealed casing, as described for example in patent application <CIT>.

Machines and methods for the automated production of tubular products folded and packaged inside a plastic casing are for example described in <CIT>.

Machines and methods for the automated production of tubular products using paper as a raw material, from which to obtain drinking straws, are also known.

Patent application <CIT>discloses a packer for straw according to preamble of claim <NUM>.

Patent application <CIT> discloses a straw packing machine.

The known machines and the related methods to produce the particular paper straws for drinking, which are also provided with a pointed, or obliquely cut, end and a flexible area, however, all have the drawback of being very expensive and bulky, so much so that sometimes they are a few tens of meters long, because the various working steps are carried out separately.

Moreover, they have the drawback of having a relatively low hourly production capacity, for which the single piece produced is quite expensive.

An object of the present invention is to make a machine and to develop a method for the automated production of straws, preferably made of paper, such that they can automatically make a flexible area on each straw, for example in an intermediate part between the two ends, and in which the machine is simple, compact, reliable, inexpensive, which can work continuously and requires little maintenance, and in which all the working steps are simple and reliable and allow to obtain a high hourly productivity, around over <NUM>,<NUM> straws per minute.

Another object of the present invention is to make a machine and to develop a method for the automated production of straws, preferably made of paper, such that they can automatically make, on each straw, an oblique cut at one end thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to make a machine and to develop a method for the automated production of straws, preferably made of paper, such that they can automatically make, on each straw, a bending, up to <NUM>°, in correspondence with the aforementioned flexible area, to reduce the overall length of the straw itself.

A further object of the present invention is to make a machine and to develop a method for the automated production of straws, preferably made of paper, which are also able to automatically and hermetically wrap each straw on its own protective casing, after the straw itself has been shaped and made flexible in an intermediate area thereof, and/or bent up to <NUM>° to reduce its dimension in length.

The Applicant has studied, tested and realized the present invention to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art and to obtain these and further objects and advantages.

The present invention is expressed and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims show other features of the present invention or variants of the main solution idea.

In accordance with the aforementioned objects, a machine for the automated production of straws, preferably made of paper, according to the present invention comprises at least one feed unit configured to automatically feed a plurality of tubular elements, preferably made of paper, to a plurality of working units configured to carry out corresponding workings on each of the tubular elements, to make the straws.

In accordance with a characteristic aspect of the present invention, the plurality of working units comprises:.

In accordance with another characteristic aspect of the present invention, the aforementioned deformation unit, the aforementioned bending unit and the aforementioned packaging unit are disposed in sequence and preferably without a break in continuity with respect to an advancement direction of the tubular elements, so that the packaging of the folded straws occurs without interruption after the deformation unit has made the bellows and the bending unit has carried out the bend in correspondence with the aforementioned bellows.

In accordance with another characteristic aspect of the present invention, the deformation unit, the bending unit, and the packaging unit each comprise a cylindrical member. The cylindrical members are each rotating around a respective axis of rotation, all at the same peripheral speed. The aforementioned working units are disposed such that the cylindrical members are tangent to each other. Each cylindrical member has a peripheral surface provided with straw retaining means suitable to support and temporarily retain the straws being formed, disposed parallel to the axis of rotation, and angularly equidistant, from the adjacent straw, by a determinate pitch.

In accordance with another characteristic aspect of the present invention, between the aforementioned feed unit and the aforementioned one or more working units there is a distancing unit configured to distance the aforementioned tubular elements from each other and bring them to a determinate constant pitch each one from the other.

In accordance with another characteristic aspect of the present invention, the aforementioned one feed unit comprises feed means configured to convey the aforementioned plurality of tubular elements, also initially disposed haphazardly, toward a first cylindrical member rotating around a first axis of rotation thereof and provided with one or more peripheral seatings parallel to the aforementioned first axis of rotation, each of which is configured to temporarily receive and retain one of the aforementioned tubular elements. It should be noted that in the following description and in the claims, cylindrical member means a mechanical member, even complex, which as a whole has substantially the shape of a cylinder.

In accordance with another characteristic aspect of the present invention, the aforementioned feed means comprise at least one conveyor belt having a terminal portion disposed in the proximity of a distributor member configured to vertically stack one on the other the aforementioned tubular elements coming from the aforementioned conveyor belt to then exit, one at a time, toward the aforementioned first rotating cylindrical member.

In accordance with another characteristic aspect of the present invention, a cutting unit is provided, configured to cut each of the aforementioned tubular elements so as to make a pointed, or obliquely cut, end on each straw. In accordance with a possible embodiment, the cutting unit is associated with the aforementioned first cylindrical member rotating around the first axis of rotation, which receives the tubular elements from the feed unit and temporarily retains them in the seatings obtained thereon. It is to be understood that in other embodiments, which will be completely apparent to the person skilled in the art, the cutting unit can also be operatively associated with another working unit of the machine, such as to one or the other of the distancing, deformation, bending, or packaging units. In the case where the cutting unit is operatively associated with the packaging unit, it is evident that the cutting is carried out before the packaging of the straws.

In accordance with possible embodiments, the aforementioned cutting unit comprises a circular blade rotating around an axis of rotation thereof and configured to obliquely cut the aforementioned tubular elements; furthermore, the aforementioned axis of rotation of the aforementioned circular blade and the aforementioned axis of rotation of the aforementioned first cylindrical member form a determinate angle between them, preferably between <NUM>° and <NUM>°, even more preferably of <NUM>°.

In accordance with another characteristic aspect of the present invention, the aforementioned packaging unit comprises another cylindrical member rotating around an axis of rotation thereof; furthermore, a first thin film of the aforementioned suitable material is configured to be partially wrapped on the aforementioned further cylindrical member; the aforementioned first thin film partially wrapped on the aforementioned further cylindrical member is configured to receive the straws; a second thin film of the aforementioned suitable material is configured to be disposed on the straws, so that the latter are sandwiched between the aforementioned two thin films.

In accordance with another characteristic aspect of the present invention, the aforementioned packaging unit further comprises first heat-welding means, configured to weld together the aforementioned two thin films in a direction transverse to their advance toward a support member disposed downstream of the aforementioned another cylindrical member, and second heat-welding means, configured to weld the aforementioned two thin films together in a longitudinal direction, i.e., parallel to their advance toward the aforementioned support member.

In accordance with a further characteristic aspect of the present invention, a method to produce straws, preferably made of paper, comprises a feed step in which a plurality of tubular elements, preferably made of paper, are fed to a plurality of working units configured to carry out corresponding workings on each of the aforementioned tubular elements, to make the straws, in which the aforementioned plurality of working units allow to carry out, in sequence, and without a break in continuity, the following working steps:.

Such deformation, bending and packaging steps occur one after the other without interruption while the tubular elements advance along an advancement direction.

In accordance with a further characteristic aspect of the present invention, in the aforementioned method said deformation step, said bending step and said packaging step occur in sequence and preferably without a break in continuity.

In accordance with a further characteristic aspect of the present invention, between the aforementioned feed step and the aforementioned at least one working step there is optionally a distancing step to distance the aforementioned tubular elements from each other and bring them to a determinate constant pitch each one from the other.

In accordance with a further characteristic aspect of the present invention, during the deformation step, the bending step and the packaging step, the straws in the forming step are retained by retaining means suitable to support and temporarily retain the straws, angularly equidistant from one another with respect to the adjacent one by the aforementioned determinate pitch.

In accordance with a further characteristic aspect of the present invention, between the aforementioned feed step and the aforementioned at least one working step a cutting step is provided, during which each of the aforementioned tubular elements is cut to create a pointed, or obliquely cut, end on each straw. The cutting step can occur before or after the deformation step, or before or after the bending step, or before the packaging step.

These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following embodiment description, given as a non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings in which:.

It should be noted that in the present description and in the claims, the terms vertical, horizontal, lower, upper, right, left, high, low, front and rear, with their variations, have the sole function of better illustrating the present invention with reference to the figures of the drawings and must not be used in any way to limit the scope of the invention itself, or the scope of protection defined by the appended claims. For example, the term vertical is meant to indicate an axis, or a plane, which can be either perpendicular to the horizon line or inclined, even by several degrees, for example up to <NUM>°, with respect to such a perpendicular position.

Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that certain dimensions, or features, in the figures may have been enlarged, deformed, or shown in an unconventional, or non-proportional manner to provide a version of the present invention which is easier to understand. When dimensions and/or values are specified in the following description, the dimensions and/or values are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention, unless such dimensions and/or values are present in the appended claims.

An example of embodiments of the invention is now described, which refer to the accompanying figures. Such embodiment examples are provided as an illustration of the invention and are not intended as a limitation thereof. It is understood that the scope of protection of the present invention will be inclusive of any modifications and variations. Furthermore, it is clarified that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for only descriptive purposes and should not be considered as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

<FIG> depicts a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a machine <NUM> for the automated production of straws <NUM> (<FIG>), preferably made of paper, according to the present invention, which occurs starting from tubular elements <NUM> (<FIG>) already made, for example using a known machine.

Merely by way of illustration and in order to better frame one of the possible fields of application of the present invention, each tubular element <NUM> can have an external diameter between about <NUM> and about <NUM>, preferably between about <NUM> and about <NUM>, a thickness of the tubular wall between about <NUM> and about <NUM>, and a length L1 between about <NUM> and about <NUM>.

To make the straws <NUM>, each tubular element <NUM> is first cut to make at least one pointed or obliquely cut end <NUM> (<FIG>) and then shaped to form at least one bellows <NUM> thereon (<FIG>), preferably in the proximity of one terminal end thereof.

Each straw <NUM> is then folded in correspondence with the bellows <NUM> thereof (<FIG>), for example by about <NUM>°, to reduce the overall length thereof, and at the end it is individually packaged, each in its own sealed casing <NUM> (<FIG>).

In the embodiments disclosed herein, the machine <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>) comprises, in summary and sequence, the following working units, each of which is configured to automatically carry out a corresponding working step, as will be described in detail below: a feed unit <NUM>, a cutting unit <NUM>, a distancing unit <NUM>, a deformation unit <NUM>, a bending unit <NUM>, and a packaging unit <NUM>.

In a simplified version of the machine <NUM>, not depicted herein, but easily understood by those skilled in the art, the distancing unit <NUM> could be eliminated, as will be explained further below.

All five working units <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> are mounted on a support structure <NUM>, which is configured to be supported on a horizontal plane <NUM>, for example consisting of a floor, by means of the support feet <NUM> thereof.

All five working units <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> are controlled by a central control unit <NUM> (<FIG>) contained in a control panel <NUM> disposed at the top of the support structure <NUM>, so as to be easily accessible by an operator.

In detail, the feed unit <NUM> (on the left in <FIG> and <FIG>), comprises a substantially horizontal conveyor belt <NUM>; a chute <NUM> is positioned in correspondence with a terminal portion <NUM> thereof. The rotation of the conveyor belt <NUM> in a first rotation direction S1, for example clockwise if viewed from the front of the machine <NUM>, is controlled by a motor element of a known type, for example an electric motor, not depicted in the drawings, which is controlled by the central control unit <NUM>.

The conveyor belt <NUM> is configured to feed a plurality of tubular elements <NUM> (<FIG>), disposed thereon also haphazardly, or randomly, toward a distributor member <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>) disposed near the chute <NUM>.

The distributor member <NUM> is configured to vertically stack one on top of the other the tubular elements <NUM> coming from the conveyor belt <NUM> so that they then exit, one at a time, from a lower end <NUM> thereof toward an underlying conveyor belt <NUM>, inclined downwards and rotatable, on corresponding pulleys, in a second rotation direction S2, opposite the first rotation direction S1, by a motor member of a known type, for example an electric motor, not depicted in the drawings, which is also controlled by the central control unit <NUM>.

The conveyor belt <NUM> has a lower terminal part thereof close to a peripheral surface <NUM> of a first cylindrical member <NUM>, also rotatable in the second rotation direction S2, around a first axis of rotation X1, substantially horizontal.

The first cylindrical member <NUM> is rotated by a motor member of a known type, for example an electric motor, not depicted in the drawings, which is also controlled by the central control unit <NUM> so that the first cylindrical member <NUM> has a determinate first peripheral speed V1, which is chosen as a function of the productivity of the machine <NUM> to be obtained, understood as the number of straws <NUM> produced in the time unit, which, indicatively, in the machine <NUM> of the present embodiment, is over <NUM>,<NUM> per minute.

In particular, in the example provided herein, the peripheral surface <NUM> of the first cylindrical member <NUM> is provided with a plurality of semicylindrical seatings <NUM>, open outwardly, parallel to the first axis of rotation X1 and uniformly angularly distanced by a determinate first pitch P1 (<FIG>), which for example is slightly larger than the external diameter of each tubular element <NUM>.

The semicylindrical seatings <NUM> are configured to temporarily and individually receive the tubular elements <NUM> coming from the conveyor belt <NUM>, while the first cylindrical member <NUM> is rotating. The tubular elements <NUM> can each be retained within a respective retaining seating <NUM> in any mode well known to the person skilled in the art, for example simply by mechanical interference between the tubular elements <NUM> and the retaining seatings <NUM>. It should be understood that in other embodiments, different retaining modes can be provided, for example mechanical, by means of the presence of gripping members actuated to alternatively grasp or release the tubular elements, or pneumatic, by means of a pneumatic circuit which retains the tubular elements <NUM> by suction within the retaining seatings <NUM>.

The cutting unit <NUM> is disposed near the first cylindrical member <NUM> and is configured to carry out an oblique cut, with respect to the longitudinal axis of each tubular element <NUM>, in correspondence with one end of the latter (<FIG>) to make the obliquely cut pointed end <NUM> on each straw <NUM> in the forming step.

The cutting unit <NUM> comprises a circular blade <NUM> (<FIG>), having an axis of rotation thereof which is inclined at a certain angle with respect to the fourth axis of rotation X4, preferably between <NUM>° and <NUM>°, still more preferably <NUM>°, and rotatable by an electric motor <NUM>, also controlled by the central control unit <NUM>. The position in space of the cutting profile of the circular blade <NUM> is such as to interfere with the tubular elements <NUM> retained in the semicylindrical seatings <NUM> made on the peripheral surface <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>) of the first cylindrical member <NUM>. The cutting unit <NUM>, for example, is disposed substantially on the opposite side with respect to the distributor member <NUM>.

The rotation of the first cylindrical member <NUM> causes each tubular element <NUM> to be brought under the sharp profile of the circular blade <NUM>, which makes a precise and oblique cut with respect to the longitudinal axis of the same tubular element <NUM>.

The distancing unit <NUM> is placed immediately downstream of the feed unit <NUM> and comprises a second cylindrical member <NUM> rotatable in the first rotation direction S1, i.e., opposite that of the first cylindrical member <NUM>, around a second axis of rotation X2, also substantially horizontal and rotated by a motor member of a known type, for example an electric motor, not depicted in the drawings, which is also controlled by the central control unit <NUM> (<FIG>).

The second cylindrical member <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>) has a peripheral surface <NUM> substantially tangent to the surface <NUM> of the first cylindrical member <NUM> and provided with a plurality of semicylindrical seatings <NUM>, parallel to the second axis of rotation X2 and in particular equal to the semicylindrical seatings <NUM> of the first cylindrical member <NUM>, but angularly distanced from each other by a determinate second pitch P2 (<FIG>) which is approximately <NUM> to <NUM> times greater than the first pitch P1. Each semicylindrical seating <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>) is configured to temporarily house a tubular element <NUM> coming from the first cylindrical member <NUM>, while the second cylindrical member <NUM> is rotating. Furthermore, a guide member <NUM> (<FIG>), fixed to the support structure <NUM>, is partly disposed around the second cylindrical member <NUM>, with the function of preventing the tubular elements <NUM> temporarily positioned in the semicylindrical seatings <NUM> from exiting the latter except when each tubular element <NUM>, brought in rotation of the second cylindrical member <NUM>, comes as close as possible to the deformation unit <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>), to be transferred on the latter.

The distancing unit <NUM> only has the function of distancing the tubular elements <NUM> more angularly from each other, for an easier workability thereof in the other downstream working units, i.e., in the deformation unit <NUM>, the bending unit <NUM> and the packaging unit <NUM>, where the angular distance between the tubular elements <NUM>/straws <NUM>, remains the same (second pitch P2), as will be described in detail below.

The greater angular distancing of the tubular elements <NUM> is obtained by commanding the second cylindrical member <NUM> to rotate at a second peripheral speed V2 which is higher than the first peripheral speed V1 of the first cylindrical member, in the ratio V2:V1 = P2:P1.

The deformation unit <NUM> is placed immediately downstream of the distancing unit <NUM> and is configured to make, by deformation means known per se, at least one bellows <NUM> (<FIG>) on each tubular element <NUM>. The aforementioned deformation means are not described herein, because they fall outside the scope of the present invention.

Briefly, the deformation unit <NUM> comprises a third cylindrical member <NUM> rotatable in the second rotation direction S2 around a third axis of rotation X3, also substantially horizontal.

The third cylindrical member <NUM> has a larger external diameter than that of the second cylindrical member <NUM>, for example in a ratio of about <NUM>:<NUM>, and is rotated so that the peripheral speed V2 of the two cylindrical members <NUM> and <NUM> is the same.

The third cylindrical member <NUM> (<FIG>) has a peripheral surface <NUM> substantially tangent to the peripheral surface <NUM> of the second cylindrical member <NUM> and suitable to support and temporarily retain the tubular elements <NUM>, parallel to the third axis of rotation X3 and angularly equidistant from each other by the second pitch P2. To this end, the peripheral surface <NUM> can be provided with a plurality of retaining seatings, not depicted but structurally and functionally similar to the aforementioned retaining seatings <NUM>, <NUM>, or with any suitable gripping means suitable to selectively grasp or release the tubular elements <NUM>.

Therefore, since the circumferential extension of the peripheral surface <NUM> is greater than that of the peripheral surface <NUM>, on the peripheral surface <NUM> there are a greater number of seatings, not depicted in the drawings, to house the tubular elements <NUM>, angularly distanced from each other by the second pitch P2.

The bending unit <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>) is configured to make, by means of bending means known per se, at least one bend, for example at about <NUM>°, of each straw <NUM> in the forming step, in correspondence with the bellows <NUM> thereof (<FIG>). The aforementioned bending means are not described herein, because they fall outside the scope of the present invention.

Briefly, the bending unit <NUM> comprises a fourth cylindrical member <NUM> (<FIG>), substantially tangent to the third cylindrical member <NUM>, having substantially the same external diameter as the latter and rotating in the first rotation direction S <NUM>, around a fourth axis of rotation X4, substantially horizontal. To reduce the overall dimensions of the machine <NUM>, the fourth cylindrical member <NUM> is positioned above the third cylindrical member <NUM>.

The fourth cylindrical member <NUM> is rotated so that it has the same peripheral speed V2 as the two cylindrical members <NUM> and <NUM>.

The fourth cylindrical member <NUM> (<FIG>) has a peripheral surface <NUM> substantially tangent to the peripheral surface <NUM> of the third cylindrical member <NUM> and suitable to support and temporarily retain the straws <NUM> in the forming step, parallel to the fourth axis of rotation X4 and angularly equidistant, from the adjacent straw, by the second pitch P2 (<FIG>). To this end, the peripheral surface <NUM> can be provided with a plurality of retaining seatings, not depicted but structurally and functionally similar to the aforementioned retaining seatings <NUM>, <NUM>, or with any suitable gripping means suitable to selectively grasp or release the tubular elements <NUM>.

The packaging unit <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>) is positioned immediately downstream of the bending unit <NUM> and is configured to package each straw <NUM> already bent and arriving from the bending unit <NUM>, enclosing it between a first thin film <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>) and a second thin film <NUM>, both of suitable material, for example of the transparent food type, preferably biodegradable, and coming from two corresponding rolls <NUM> and <NUM> (<FIG>), first and second, rotatably mounted on corresponding horizontal support shafts <NUM> and <NUM> pivoted on the fixed structure <NUM>.

The packaging unit <NUM> further comprises a fifth cylindrical member <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>) substantially tangent to the fourth cylindrical member <NUM>, having a slightly smaller external diameter than the latter and rotating in the second rotation direction S2, around a fifth axis of rotation X5, substantially horizontal.

In the first embodiment, shown in <FIG>, the fifth cylindrical member <NUM> is positioned above the fourth cylindrical member <NUM> in order to reduce the lateral dimension of the machine <NUM>.

In the second embodiment, shown in <FIG>, the fifth cylindrical member <NUM> is instead positioned laterally with respect to the fourth cylindrical member <NUM>, on the opposite side with respect to the feed unit <NUM>.

In both embodiments, also the fifth cylindrical member <NUM> is rotated at the same peripheral speed V2 as the three cylindrical members <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> (<FIG>).

In both the first and second embodiments, the fifth cylindrical member <NUM> has a peripheral surface <NUM> substantially tangent to the peripheral surface <NUM> of the fourth cylindrical member <NUM> and suitable to support and temporarily retain the finished straws <NUM>, parallel to the fifth axis of rotation X5 and angularly equidistant, from the adjacent straw, during the packaging thereof.

With particular reference to the second embodiment illustrated in <FIG>, on the peripheral surface <NUM> of the fifth cylindrical member <NUM> is positioned the first thin film <NUM> coming from the first roll <NUM> and guided by first return rollers <NUM>; then on the first thin film <NUM> are able to be deposited the straws <NUM> (<FIG>) coming from the fourth cylindrical member <NUM> (<FIG>) of the bending unit <NUM> and then the second thin film <NUM> coming from the second roll <NUM> (<FIG>) and guided by second return rollers <NUM> is able to be deposited on the straws <NUM> (<FIG>).

A drawing roller <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>) is positioned in correspondence with the peripheral surface <NUM> of the fifth cylindrical member <NUM> to draw the first thin film <NUM> so that the latter is shaped to receive each straw <NUM> coming from the fourth cylindrical member <NUM> of the bending unit <NUM> immediately after.

The packaging unit <NUM> further comprises both first heat-welding means <NUM>, configured to weld the two thin films <NUM> and <NUM> together transversely with respect to the advancement direction A, and second heat-welding means <NUM>, configured to weld the two thin films <NUM> and <NUM> together in a longitudinal direction, i.e., parallel with respect to the advancement direction A (<FIG> and <FIG>). In correspondence with the second heat-welding means <NUM>, a rotating support roller <NUM> is provided, configured to keep the films <NUM>, <NUM> in contact with the second heat-welding means <NUM>.

Immediately downstream of the packaging unit <NUM>, for example in a rear compartment of the machine <NUM>, one or more collection containers of a known type are positioned, and not depicted in the drawings, where the finished and individually packaged straws <NUM> can be automatically deposited.

The machine <NUM> can comprise, at least in the front part thereof, a protective cover, not depicted in the drawings, suitable to protect all the working units <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> from pollutants, or contaminants, so that each relative working step can occur in a protected and safe place.

The machine <NUM> can comprise one or more suitable detection means, not depicted, configured to verify the presence of the tubular elements <NUM> in each retaining seating of the various working units, and/or the correct performance of one or more workings, such as the formation of the bellows <NUM> by the deformation unit <NUM>, or the correct bending of the straw <NUM> by the bending unit <NUM>. By way of non-limiting example, the aforementioned detection means can be configured as optical devices, such as cameras or video cameras, or as presence sensors, photocells or other devices still commonly used in the industrial automation sector. In possible embodiments, the detection means are fixed to the support structure <NUM> in the proximity of one of the cylindrical members <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, oriented such that their field of view comprises at least one portion of the respective peripheral surfaces <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

The operation of the machine <NUM> described heretofore, which also corresponds to the method for the automated production of straws <NUM>, preferably made of paper, according to the present invention, occurs entirely in an automated manner under the control of the central control unit <NUM> (<FIG>), which suitably controls all the aforementioned motor parts and the electric motor <NUM>.

Briefly, the aforementioned method first comprises a starting step, in which all the aforementioned motor members and the electric motor <NUM> are actuated, so that the conveyor belt <NUM>, the conveyor belt <NUM>, all five cylindrical members <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, the circular blade <NUM> and the support roller <NUM> are brought into rotation simultaneously.

Then follows a feed step, in which a plurality of tubular elements <NUM> (<FIG>) is inserted into the machine <NUM>, by means of the conveyor belt <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>), with the tubular elements <NUM> disposed on the latter also haphazardly, or randomly. The tubular elements <NUM> can be disposed on top of the conveyor belt <NUM> either manually, or in an automated manner, using any known technique.

The feed unit <NUM> automatically arranges in an orderly manner each tubular element <NUM> in a corresponding semicylindrical seating <NUM> of the first cylindrical member <NUM>, distancing it by the first pitch P1 (<FIG>) of the adjacent tubular element <NUM>. This occurs by means of the distributor member <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>), which vertically stacks, one above the other, the various tubular elements <NUM> coming from the conveyor belt <NUM>, and the conveyor belt <NUM> which conveys the tubular elements <NUM> toward the first cylindrical member <NUM>. Here each tubular element <NUM> is received in a respective semicylindrical seating <NUM> made on the peripheral surface <NUM> of the first cylindrical member <NUM>. The rotation of the latter in the first rotation direction S1, around the first axis of rotation X1, causes the tubular elements <NUM> to be brought in sequence, one after another, to interact with the circular blade <NUM> of the cutting unit <NUM>. Due to the inclined disposition of the circular blade <NUM>, disposed to contact an end of the tubular elements <NUM>, the cutting unit <NUM> forms the pointed, or obliquely cut, end <NUM> on each tubular element <NUM>.

The feed step ends with the automatic transfer of the tubular element <NUM> provided with the pointed end <NUM> from the feed unit <NUM> to the distancing unit <NUM>. Such a transfer occurs with a distancing step in which the tubular element <NUM> automatically passes from a semicylindrical seating <NUM> of the first cylindrical member <NUM> to a semicylindrical seating <NUM> (<FIG>) of the second cylindrical member <NUM>, so that the tubular element <NUM> is distanced from the adjacent tubular element <NUM> by the second pitch P2>P1.

Should the semicylindrical seatings <NUM> of the first cylindrical member <NUM> already have a certain pitch P2, the distancing unit <NUM> would not be necessary and therefore there would be no corresponding distancing step.

The possible distancing step is followed by a deformation step, which begins with the automatic transfer of the tubular element <NUM> into the third cylindrical member <NUM> of the deformation unit <NUM>, where at least one bellows <NUM>, preferably near the end of the tubular element <NUM> which is opposite the pointed end <NUM>, is automatically formed in the element <NUM>.

The deformation step occurs in any manner known, or to be developed in the future, and is therefore not described herein.

The deformation step is followed by a bending step, in which each tubular element <NUM>, on which both the obliquely cut end <NUM> and the bellows <NUM> have already been made, is automatically transferred to the fourth cylindrical member <NUM> of the bending unit <NUM>, where a bending step of each tubular element <NUM> occurs in correspondence with the bellows <NUM> thereof, at the end of which folded straws <NUM> are obtained.

The bending step occurs in any manner known, or to be developed in the future, and is therefore not described herein.

At the end of the bending step the straws <NUM> have an overall length L2 (<FIG>) which is less than the length L1 of the tubular element <NUM> from which they were obtained.

The bending step is followed by a packaging step, which begins with the automatic transfer of the straws <NUM> into the packaging unit <NUM> (<FIG>). In particular, the straws <NUM> automatically pass into the fifth cylindrical member <NUM>, on which is already located the first thin film <NUM> coming from the first roll <NUM> drawn by the drawing roller <NUM>.

With the rotation of the fifth cylindrical member <NUM> the straws <NUM> are also brought into contact with the lower part of the second thin film <NUM>, coming from the second roll <NUM>. Thus, the straws <NUM> are sandwiched between the two thin films <NUM> and <NUM>. The latter, together with the straws <NUM>, continue toward the support roller <NUM> passing first under the first heat-welding means <NUM> and then under the second heat-welding means <NUM>. Each straw <NUM> is thus individually hermetically packaged, thus it is protected before the use thereof.

The straws <NUM>, finished and packaged, are then detached and sent automatically to the two aforementioned collection containers.

From the foregoing description it is clear that the machine <NUM> described thus far is very compact and that all the working steps, from the feeding of the tubular elements <NUM>, also haphazardly, to the collection of the finished and packaged straws <NUM>, inserted into the films <NUM> and <NUM>, which hygienically protect the same straws <NUM> until their use, occur in total safety and automatically under the control of the central control unit <NUM>, which can be programmed in any known manner.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts or steps can be made to the machine <NUM> and to the relative method for the automated production of straws, preferably made of paper, described thus far, without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

It is further clear that although the present invention has been described with reference to a specific example of how the present invention can be realized, those skilled in the art will certainly be able to produce many other equivalent forms of machines and methods, having the features expressed in the claims and therefore all of which falling within the scope of protection defined thereby.

Claim 1:
Machine (<NUM>) comprising at least one feed unit (<NUM>) configured to automatically feed a plurality of tubular elements (<NUM>), preferably made of paper, toward a plurality of working units of said tubular elements (<NUM>), to make straws (<NUM>), preferably made of paper, wherein said plurality of working units comprises:
(i) a bending unit (<NUM>), configured to carry out at least one bend on each of said tubular elements (<NUM>), preferably in correspondence with said bellows (<NUM>);
(ii) a packaging unit (<NUM>), configured to package each of said straws (<NUM>), characterized in that said plurality of working units further comprises:
(iii) a deformation unit (<NUM>), configured to make at least one bellows (<NUM>) on each of said tubular elements (<NUM>) so as to be present in each of said straws (<NUM>);
wherein
said deformation unit (<NUM>), said bending unit (<NUM>) and said packaging unit (<NUM>) are disposed in sequence and without a break in continuity with respect to an advancement direction (A) of said tubular elements (<NUM>), so that the packaging of said folded straws (<NUM>) occurs without interruption after said deformation unit (<NUM>) has made the bellows (<NUM>) and said bending unit (<NUM>) has carried out the bending in correspondence with said bellows (<NUM>), and
wherein said deformation unit (<NUM>), said bending unit (<NUM>) and said packaging unit (<NUM>) each comprise a cylindrical member (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), each cylindrical member (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) being rotatable around a respective axis of rotation (X3, X4, X5) at the same peripheral speed (V2), wherein said units (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) are disposed so that said cylindrical members (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) are tangent to each other, and wherein each cylindrical member (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) has a peripheral surface (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) provided with retaining means of the straws (<NUM>) suitable to support and temporarily retain the straws (<NUM>) being formed, disposed parallel to said axis of rotation (X3, X4, X5), and angularly equidistant, from the adjacent straw, by a determinate pitch (P2).