Packaging method and machine in extensible film of products fed in groups

Abstract

Packaging method using extensible film and machine therefor includes feeding the groups of products, spaced apart and separate from each other, into a first and a second winding units to wind the groups of products with a first and a second extensible film disposed in opposite rotation directions to form a continuous packaging wrapped in two layers of film in opposite directions; and advancing the continuous packaging into a cutting unit, which cuts the continuous packaging transversally into finished groups of products. The winding step in each of the two ring winding units is selectively and alternately actuated with one of two ring winding machines provided at each of the two ring winding units, thereby achieving a continuous winding of groups of products even when the extensible film in at least one of the two ring winding machines at each of the two ring winding units is exhausted.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A packaging method with extensible film of groups of products ( 11 ) advancing in pairs of said products, comprising the following steps:
 ordering two rows of said products ( 11 ), and keeping said products ordered accordingly and separates said products in groups of products;   feeding and passing said two rows of said ordered products and separated in said groups into a first ring winding unit ( 14 ) using extensible film and winding said products ( 11 ) in a first film in a first rotation direction forming a continuous packaging or bundle of said groups of said products ( 11 );   advancing and feeding said products, already wound in said first winding unit with said first film, to a second ring winding unit ( 15 ) using extensible film in a second film in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, forming said continuous packaging or bundle with two layers of said extensible film wound in opposite directions; and   advancing and feeding said continuous packaging or bundle into a cutting unit ( 16 ), which moves in synchrony with said continuous packaging or bundle and which cuts said continuous packaging or bundle transversally into packages of said products ( 11 ),   wherein, upstream of said first ring winding unit ( 14 ), said two rows of said products are separated and ordered into said groups of said products ( 11 ), spaced apart and separate from each other, and successively said groups of separate and spaced products are subjected to the subsequent steps of the method, and   wherein said winding steps of said groups of said products in said first and second films in said first and second ring winding units ( 14 , 15 ) is selectively and alternately actuated using one of two ring winding machines ( 32 ) provided for each of said first and second ring winding units ( 14 , 15 ), thus effecting a continuous winding of said groups of said products also in an exhaustion phase of said extensible film in at least one of said first or second ring winding machines ( 32 ) provided for each of said first and second ring winding units ( 14 , 15 ).   
     
     
         2 . The packaging method according to  claim 1 , wherein said cutting unit ( 16 ) cuts said continuous packaging or bundle into said separate and spaced packages with a transversal perimetric cut of said continuous packaging or bundle of said groups of said products ( 11 ), contained spaced and separate, inside said two layers of said extensible film wound in said opposite directions, wherein said perimetric cut is provided along two vertical and two horizontal sections of the continuous packaging. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging method according to  claim 1 , wherein a movement is effected between said first ring winding unit ( 14 ) and said second ring winding unit ( 15 ) by two conveyor belts, spaced and superimposed, said two conveyor belts comprising a lower belt ( 45 ) and an upper belt ( 46 ), positioned on a connection module ( 44 ), wherein said connection module ( 44 ) provides, in a frame ( 49 ), side guiding bars ( 30 ) for receiving said spaced and separate products arranged wound in said first film. 
     
     
         4 . A packaging machine with extensible film of groups of products ( 11 ) moving forwards, comprising:
 an ordering unit ( 13 ), which receives each group of adjacent products ( 11 ), keeps said groups thus ordered and separates said products in said groups of said products;   a first ring winding unit ( 14 ); and   a second ring winding unit ( 15 ), which effects a winding in an opposite direction with respect to a winding direction of the first winding unit ( 14 ), thereby producing a continuous packaging; and   a cutting unit ( 16 ) of the continuous packaging thus formed to create finished groups of said products ( 11 ), wound in said extensible film and forming a final packaging,   wherein each ring winding unit ( 14 ,  15 ) comprises a frame ( 31 ), which, on opposite sides, supports two ring winding machines ( 32 ) that are configured to be selectively and alternatively actuated to form said continuous packaging,   wherein two ring winding machines ( 32 ) of said first ring winding unit ( 14 ) rotate in said opposite direction with respect to said two ring winding machines ( 32 ) of said second ring winding unit ( 15 ).   
     
     
         5 . The machine according to  claim 4 , wherein said ordering unit ( 13 ) is positioned upstream of said first winding unit ( 14 ) and comprises two belts ( 21 ,  21 ′) ring-wound around end pulleys arranged on respective vertical axes ( 22 ,  23 ), wherein one ( 22 ) of said vertical axes is motorized, said belts ( 21 ,  21 ′) having spaced dowels ( 26 ) protruding from one belt ( 21 ) towards the other belt ( 21 ′) opposite and facing the one belt, and wherein the one belt ( 21 ) is spaced from the other belt ( 21 ′), opposite to the one belt, by a dimension equal to at least two adjacent products ( 11 ) of each group. 
     
     
         6 . The machine according to  claim 4 , further comprising a connection module ( 44 ) positioned between said first ring winding unit ( 14 ) and said second ring winding unit ( 15 ), and wherein said connection module comprises, in a frame ( 49 ), two conveyor belts spaced apart and superimposed, said two conveyor belts comprising a lower belt ( 45 ) and an upper belt ( 46 ), and side guiding bars ( 30 ) for receiving said products arranged in two continuous rows of adjacent products ( 11 ) wound in a first film. 
     
     
         7 . The machine according to  claim 4 , wherein said cutting unit ( 16 ) of the continuous packaging comprises a side cutting device ( 51 ) and an upper and lower cutting device ( 52 ), said upper and lower cutting devices ( 51 ,  52 ) being spaced from each other and acting on the extensible film wound around said groups of said products ( 11 ) to effect a cut on four winding sections, said four winding sections comprising two vertical and two horizontal directions, and wherein said four winding sections form a perimeter of the continuous packaging. 
     
     
         8 . The machine according to  claim 7 , wherein said cutting unit ( 16 ) further comprises a slide ( 53 ) containing said side cutting device ( 51 ) and said upper and lower cutting device ( 52 ), and wherein said slide ( 53 ) is positioned on guides ( 67 ) and slides forwards and backwards beneath a conveyor belt ( 55 ), which supports said continuous packaging or bundle of said groups of said products ( 11 ) wound in two layers of said extensible film arranged spirally crossed while said continuous packaging or bundle moves forwards. 
     
     
         9 . The machine according to  claim 7 , wherein said side cutting device ( 51 ) comprises a portal ( 56 ) containing two vertical side blades ( 57 ) movably positioned on horizontal guides ( 58 ) for moving forwards and backwards, towards and away from said continuous packaging or bundle comprising two layers of said extensible film wound in said opposite directions around said groups of said products ( 11 ) to effect a cut on two vertical sections of said continuous packaging or bundle on opposite sides of said continuous packaging or bundle. 
     
     
         10 . The machine according to  claim 9 , wherein said two vertical blades ( 57 ) are driven by a double crank mechanism ( 59 ,  59 ′) comprising an upper and a lower crank mechanism, actuated by a single motor ( 60 ). 
     
     
         11 . The machine according to  claim 7 , wherein said upper and lower cutting device ( 52 ) comprises a portal ( 61 ) having two horizontal upper ( 62 ) and lower ( 62 ′) blades movably positioned on vertical guides ( 63 ) to move forwards and backwards on a vertical plane towards and away from said continuous packaging or bundle containing said groups of said products comprising two layers of said extensible film wound in said opposite directions around said groups of said products ( 11 ) to effect said cut on two horizontal sections of said continuous packaging on opposite sides of said continuous packaging or bundle. 
     
     
         12 . The machine according to  claim 11 , wherein said horizontal blades ( 62 ,  62 ′) are driven by a double crank mechanism ( 64 ,  64 ′), which comprises upper and lower crank mechanisms, actuated by a single motor ( 65 ). 
     
     
         13 . The machine according to  claim 4 , wherein said cutting unit ( 16 ′) of the continuous packaging comprises a side cutting device ( 51 ′) acting on the extensible film, which forms said continuous packaging wound around said groups of said products ( 11 ) to effect a transversal cut of two opposite halves of said continuous packaging. 
     
     
         14 . The machine according to  claim 13 , wherein said cutting unit ( 16 ′) comprises a slide ( 53 ) containing said side cutting devices ( 51 ′), wherein said slide ( 53 ) is positioned on guides ( 67 ) and slides forwards and backwards beneath a conveyor belt ( 55 ) which supports said continuous packaging or bundle of said groups of said products ( 11 ) wound in two layers of said extensible film arranged spirally crossed while said continuous packaging or bundle is moving forwards. 
     
     
         15 . The machine according to  claim 14 , wherein said side cutting device ( 51 ′) comprises a portal ( 56 ) containing two vertical side blades ( 57 ) movably positioned on horizontal guides ( 58 ) for moving forwards and backwards, towards and away from said continuous packaging or bundle comprising said two layers of said extensible film wound in said opposite directions around said groups of said products ( 11 ) to effect a cut on two opposite halves of said continuous packaging or bundle. 
     
     
         16 . The machine according to  claim 15 , wherein said two vertical blades ( 57 ) are driven by a double crank mechanism ( 59 ,  59 ′) , which comprises upper and lower crank mechanisms, actuated by a single motor ( 60 ).