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WO2025017385A1 - Procédé et machine d'emballage de produits de l'industrie du tabac, en particulier de snus - Google Patents

Procédé et machine d'emballage de produits de l'industrie du tabac, en particulier de snus Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2025017385A1
WO2025017385A1 PCT/IB2024/055734 IB2024055734W WO2025017385A1 WO 2025017385 A1 WO2025017385 A1 WO 2025017385A1 IB 2024055734 W IB2024055734 W IB 2024055734W WO 2025017385 A1 WO2025017385 A1 WO 2025017385A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
container
station
weighing
comparison operation
packaging
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
PCT/IB2024/055734
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Roberto Claudio GHIOTTI
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
SASIB SpA Bologna
Original Assignee
SASIB SpA Bologna
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by SASIB SpA Bologna filed Critical SASIB SpA Bologna
Publication of WO2025017385A1 publication Critical patent/WO2025017385A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B1/00—Packaging fluent solid material, e.g. powders, granular or loose fibrous material, loose masses of small articles, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
    • B65B1/30—Devices or methods for controlling or determining the quantity or quality or the material fed or filled
    • B65B1/46—Check-weighing of filled containers or receptacles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B29/00—Packaging of materials presenting special problems
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B7/00—Closing containers or receptacles after filling
    • B65B7/16—Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons
    • B65B7/28—Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons by applying separate preformed closures, e.g. lids, covers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method for packaging tobacco industry products, in particular snus, inside packages each comprising a container and a cover.
  • the products in question are packaged in the loose state inside containers to which the cover is then applied.
  • a check is carried out with measurement of the weight of the packages, i.e. the containers with cover filled with product. This check is carried out in order to verify whether each package contains inside it a correct quantity of product.
  • the non-compliant packages are then discarded.
  • the Applicant has noted that in some cases the number of discarded packages represents a high percentage, even greater than 10%.
  • An immediate solution to the abovementioned problem may therefore consist in using only suppliers who are able to ensure the supply of batches of packages which have a low variability between one container and another. However, this results in an increase in the cost of the single package.
  • the Applicant has therefore defined the aim of solving the aforementioned technical problem definitively, irrespective as to the quality of the batches of packages used in the packaging process.
  • the present invention also relates to a packaging machine according to Claim 9.
  • FIG. 1 shows in schematic form an example of the packaging method and the packaging machine described here.
  • the solution described here relates to a method and a machine for packaging tobacco industry products, in particular snus, inside packages each comprising a container and a cover.
  • the packages 204 may be made of plastic; in other words, the container 200 and the cover 202 are made of plastic. Alternatively, either the container 200 or the cover 202 or both of them may be made of another material such as metallic material or a paper material.
  • the packages 204 may have a varying form, for example with a circular, rectangular, square or hexagonal cross-section.
  • a tobacco industry product which comprises a small bag made of permeable material and containing a measured amount of nicotine-based product.
  • the method and the machine according to the present invention may be advantageously used also in the case of products of a different type.
  • the method according to the present invention comprises the following steps:
  • the method according to the present invention therefore involves determining a compliant state or a non-compliant state of the packages not simply on the basis of a measurement of the weight thereof, but on the basis of the result of an operation where a comparison is made between a measurement of the weight of each container 200 filled with product and a measurement of the weight of each container 200 without the product (in particular an empty container).
  • the determination of a compliant state or a non-compliant state of the containers 200 filled with product is not influenced in any way by the variability of the structure which the used containers 200 may have.
  • the variability in the weight of the container 200 linked to the quality of the process for production of the container 200 no longer influences the number of discarded containers in the product packaging process.
  • the comparison operation is performed based on a difference or ratio between said first and second weight data Wl, W2.
  • Attributing selectively the compliant state or non-compliant state includes providing a reference value, or a range of reference values, and attributing the compliant state if the result of the first comparison operation corresponds to the reference value, or falls within the range of reference values, and attributing instead the non- compliant state if the result of the first comparison operation does not correspond to the reference value, or does not fall within the range of reference values.
  • this shows an example of the method according to the present invention and of a packaging machine which also forms the subject of the present invention and is designed to implement this method.
  • the packaging machine - which in the figure is denoted overall by the reference number 10 - comprises a conveyor 2 for feeding a succession of containers 200 along a packaging path K.
  • the conveyor 2 is schematically illustrated in the form of a conveyor belt comprising an upper outward section 2A, along which the packaging path K is defined, and a lower return section 2B.
  • the conveyor 2 may also be a transport device of another type, for example a linear motor conveyor provided with mobile carriages, or a transport drum rotatable about a vertical axis.
  • the packaging path K which is straight in the example shown, may also have a curvilinear progression (as in the case of a rotatable transport drum) or a progression consisting of the combination of one or more straight sections and one or more curvilinear sections.
  • the packaging machine 10 comprises a plurality of stations which are arranged in succession along the packaging path L, as will be explained below.
  • the machine 10 comprises a first weighing station 20 designed to weigh the containers 200 without any product.
  • a first weighing station 20 designed to weigh the containers 200 without any product.
  • empty containers 200 are weighed.
  • this weighing station 20 may be of any known type suitable for the purposes indicated here.
  • the weighing station 20 comprises a weighing device 22 designed to detect the weight of the single container 200 which is present in the weighing station 20.
  • the weighing device 22 comprises one or more sensors, in particular one or more load cells.
  • the weighing station 20 comprises means for transferring the empty container 200 from the conveyor 2 to the weighing device 22.
  • the weighing device 22 comprises a movable support 22A for moving the container 200 away from the conveyor 2 and supporting said container 200 for weighing purposes.
  • the support 22A is situated underneath the outward section 2A of the conveyor 2 and is connected to at least one sensor: in order to perform weighing of a container 200 the support 22A is raised resulting in the container 200 being removed from the conveyor 2 by the support 22A, i.e. the container 200 is supported (held up) by the support 22 A alone and not by the conveyor 2.
  • the weighing device 22 may perform a measurement of the weight of the container 200, for example by means of the sensor (load cell) connected to the said movable support 22A.
  • the aforementioned transfer means may instead be separate from the weighing device 22 and may, for example, comprise a movable structure provided with a gripping member designed to pick up the container 200 from the conveyor 2 and position it on the weighing device 22.
  • the packaging machine 10 comprises a memory unit 14 in which the first weight data W1 detected (i.e. measured or acquired) by the weighing device 22 is stored.
  • the packaging machine 10 Downstream of the weighing station 20, the packaging machine 10 comprises a station 30 for filling the containers 200 with the products P.
  • the filling station 30 comprises a feeder unit 32 designed to feed a predefined number of products P to the container 200 which is located in the said filling station 30.
  • the feeder unit 32 comprises a conveyor belt which is located above the conveyor 2 and designed to transfer by means of gravity the products P inside the container 200.
  • the conveyor belt of the feeder unit 32 has an end 32A where the products P fall inside the underlying container 200.
  • the feeder unit 32 may instead comprise a hopper containing the products P and a device for regulating the release of the products P from the hopper to the containers 200.
  • the feeder unit 32 may comprise a movable gripper device (for example a robot or a pick-and-place device) which picks up one or more products P and arranges them inside the container 200.
  • the packaging machine 10 Downstream of the filling station 30, the packaging machine 10 comprises, furthermore, a second weighing station 40 designed to weigh the containers 200 containing the products P.
  • the second weighing station 40 may have the same configuration as the first weighing station 20, so that the reference may be made to the teachings provided above with reference to the station 20.
  • said second weighing station 40 comprises weighing means 42 which are similar to that described above for the weighing means 22 of the first weighing station 20.
  • the second weight data W2 detected by the second weighing station 40 is also saved in the memory unit 14.
  • the method according to the present invention involves carrying out a comparison operation for comparing the first weight data W1 detected by the first weighing station 20 and the second weight data W2 detected by the second weighing station 40.
  • Said comparison operation may be performed based on a difference or ratio.
  • the comparison operation may be an operation involving subtraction of the second weight data W2 and the first weight data Wl.
  • the result of the comparison operation is used to check whether a compliant state or a non-compliant state must be attributed to the container 200 filled with products P.
  • the method described here may envisage providing a range of reference values, corresponding to a predefined quantity of product expressed with a tolerance margin.
  • the method described here attributes the compliant state if the result of the comparison operation falls within the aforementioned range of values, while it attributes, on the other hand, the non-compliant state if the result of the comparison operation does not fall within this range of values.
  • control unt 12 which is configured by means of software.
  • the memory unit 14 is shown as a module of the control unit 12.
  • the memory unit 14 may instead be separate from the control unit 12 and be operatively connected to it.
  • the reference value or the range of reference values indicated above may be saved in the said memory unit 14.
  • the packaging machine 10 comprises a discarding station 50 designed to discard the containers to which a non-compliant state has been attributed.
  • the discarding station 50 comprises a removal device 52 designed to remove the containers 200 from the conveyor 2.
  • the removal device 52 comprises a movable structure 52A - for example a robotic arm - provided with a gripping member 52B which is designed to grip the container 200 which is present in the discarding station 50 and to which a non-compliant state has been attributed, and to transfer it to a zone for collecting the discarded containers 200.
  • the removal device 52 comprises, instead, an expulsion member mounted on the conveyor 2 and designed to direct the containers 200 into a discard channel directly connected to the conveyor 2.
  • the packaging machine 10 further comprises a humidifying station 60 designed to dispense a predetermined amount of a liquid inside the containers 200.
  • the aforementioned amount of liquid is determined depending on the degree of moisture which is required inside the final packages 204.
  • the aforementioned liquid comprises water, on its own or in combination with one or more additives.
  • the humidifying station 60 comprises a metering unit 62 designed to dispense a predetermined amount of the aforementioned liquid.
  • Said metering unit 62 may be of any known type suitable for the purposes mentioned.
  • the packaging machine 10 further comprises a third weighing station 70 designed to weigh the containers 200 after the aforementioned liquid has been dispensed inside them.
  • Said weighing station 70 may have the same configuration as the first weighing station 20 (and the second weighing station 40), so that the reference may be made to the teachings provided above with reference to the first weighing station 20.
  • said third weighing station 40 comprises weighing means 42 which are similar to that described above for the weighing means 22 of the first weighing station 20.
  • the third weight data W3 detected by the third weighing station 40 is saved in the memory unit 14.
  • the method described here performs a second comparison operation for comparing the third weight data W3 detected by the third weighing station 70 and the second weight data W2 detected by the second weighing station 40.
  • the second comparison operation may relate to the third weight data W3 and the result of the first comparison operation for comparing the first weight data W 1 and the second weight data W2.
  • the method according to the present invention confirms the compliant state previously attributed or modifies this state into a non-compliant state.
  • the aforementioned operations may be performed in accordance with the teachings provided above in relation to the attribution of a compliant state or a non-compliant state.
  • the method may envisage using a reference value or a range of reference values in a similar maimer to that described above with reference to the first comparison operation.
  • This second check has the function of checking whether the quantity of liquid introduced into the container 200 corresponds to a predetermined quantity.
  • this check as to quantity of liquid is carried out despite the fact that the metering unit 63 per se performs controlled metering of the liquid: the metering unit 62 usually performs a volume check and therefore a weight check is added in order to be able to satisfy the quality requirements envisaged for the packages 204.
  • the packaging machine 10 may comprise a second discarding station 80 designed to remove the containers 200 to which a non-compliant state has been attributed after the second comparison operation (i.e. after the detection performed in the third weighing station 70).
  • the second discarding station 80 may have the same configuration as the first discarding station 50 and in this connection reference may therefore be made to the above description of the station 50.
  • the machine 10 may comprise a single discarding station situated downstream of the third weighing station 70 and where the non-compliant containers 200 from the first comparison operation and/or the second comparison operation are discarded.
  • the packaging machine 10 further comprises a closing station 90 designed to apply respective covers 202 onto the containers 200.
  • the containers 200 and the respective covers 202 form the final packages 204 of the products P.
  • the closing station 90 comprises an applicator device 92 designed to apply the covers 202 onto the containers 200.
  • the applicator device 92 comprises a movable structure 92A - for example a robotic arm - provided with an applicator member 92B which is designed to pick up the covers 202 from a feeder unit (not shown) and apply them onto the containers 200.
  • the applicator device 92 may also be of any other known type suitable for the purposes mentioned.
  • the packaging machine 10 further comprises a fourth weighing station 100 arranged downstream of the closing station 90.
  • Said fourth weighing station 100 is preferably a certified weighing station, namely a station which comprises a certified weighing device 102.
  • the weight data W4 detected by the fourth weighing station 100 is saved in the memory unit 14.
  • the containers 200 to which a non-compliant state is attributed are immediately discarded without passing through the further stations of the machine 10 which are arranged downstream of the weighing station 40 or 70.
  • the method described here carries out the packaging operations following filling only on the containers which are compliant, with the advantage of reducing the amount of material and/or energy which is used and facilitating recovery thereof, for reuse, of the discarded containers 200 and the products P contained in them.
  • the packaging machine 10 may instead comprise a single discarding station, for example only the second discarding station 80.
  • the packaging machine 10 may be designed to prevent the operations carried out by the humidifying station 60 and by any further stations downstream of the second weighing station 40, when the container 200 present in the humidifying station 60 has a non-compliant state.
  • the machine 10 may comprise a single discarding station downstream of the closing station 90.
  • control unit 12 may be operatively connected to the control unit 12 or to an additional control unit which is in turn operatively connected to the control unit 12.
  • the control unit 12, or the additional control unit may be configured to implement the method described here.
  • the method described here may in any case be implemented also by a system different from the packaging machine described here.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Quality & Reliability (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé d'emballage de produits de l'industrie du tabac, en particulier de snus, à l'intérieur d'emballages (204) comprenant chacun un récipient (200) et un couvercle (202). Le procédé comprend les étapes consistant à : - introduire une succession de récipients (200) le long d'un trajet d'emballage (K) ; - peser chaque récipient (200) dans un premier poste de pesage (20) situé le long dudit trajet d'emballage, et sauvegarder des premières données de poids (W1) pour chaque récipient (200) ; - placer une quantité prédéterminée de produits de l'industrie du tabac (P), en particulier un ou plusieurs snus, dans chaque récipient après l'étape de pesée dans ledit premier poste de pesée ; - peser chaque récipient contenant lesdits produits, dans un second poste de pesage (40) situé le long dudit trajet d'emballage (K), et sauvegarder des secondes données de poids (W2) pour chaque récipient (200) ; - au moyen d'une unité de commande (12), attribuer à chaque récipient (200) sélectivement un état souple ou un état non conforme en fonction du résultat d'une première opération de comparaison pour comparer lesdites première et seconde données de poids (W1, W2) ; - fermer au moins les récipients (200) auxquels un état souple a été attribué par application d'un couvercle (202) dans un poste de fermeture (90) situé le long dudit trajet d'emballage (K) en aval du second poste de pesée (40).
PCT/IB2024/055734 2023-07-20 2024-06-12 Procédé et machine d'emballage de produits de l'industrie du tabac, en particulier de snus Pending WO2025017385A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT102023000015276A IT202300015276A1 (it) 2023-07-20 2023-07-20 Metodo e macchina per confezionare prodotti dell’industria del tabacco, in particolare snus
IT102023000015276 2023-07-20

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2025017385A1 true WO2025017385A1 (fr) 2025-01-23

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IB2024/055734 Pending WO2025017385A1 (fr) 2023-07-20 2024-06-12 Procédé et machine d'emballage de produits de l'industrie du tabac, en particulier de snus

Country Status (2)

Country Link
IT (1) IT202300015276A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2025017385A1 (fr)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1647484A1 (fr) * 2004-10-13 2006-04-19 MARCHESINI GROUP S.p.A. Méthode pour peser d'un produit présenté dans des récipients
EP2605969B1 (fr) * 2010-08-20 2015-05-13 IMA Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A. Machine de remplissage et procédé pour le pesage d'articles
EP2851060B1 (fr) * 2013-08-05 2018-03-14 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A. Machine de remplissage et methode pour peser
US11254460B2 (en) * 2017-03-29 2022-02-22 Altria Client Services Llc Cut and seal method and apparatus

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1647484A1 (fr) * 2004-10-13 2006-04-19 MARCHESINI GROUP S.p.A. Méthode pour peser d'un produit présenté dans des récipients
EP2605969B1 (fr) * 2010-08-20 2015-05-13 IMA Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A. Machine de remplissage et procédé pour le pesage d'articles
EP2851060B1 (fr) * 2013-08-05 2018-03-14 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A. Machine de remplissage et methode pour peser
US11254460B2 (en) * 2017-03-29 2022-02-22 Altria Client Services Llc Cut and seal method and apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT202300015276A1 (it) 2025-01-20

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