A vertical packaging machine

Abstract

A vertical packaging machine (10) comprises a carcass having a substantially quadrangular plan, a forming tube (12) mounted on one side of said carcass and adapted to create packages of a product through the use of a continuous advancement film (13) supplied by a reel (14) mounted on a shaft (16) and arranged in a housing provided in a side of the carcass adjacent to that on N which said forming tube (12) is mounted, the unwinding of said film from said reel being performed by a motor (17) equipped with an appropriate means for controlling the unwinding of said film (13), said carcass being further equipped with a horizontal flat surface (21) on which the film (13) unwound from said reel is made to transit and change direction by 90° for being then directed towards said forming tube (12). The 90° direction change of said film (13) is performed through a substantially triangular frame (20) arranged on said horizontal flat surface (21) of said carcass, a first side of which frame is arranged at 45° with respect to the respective advancement directions of the film as respectively unwound from the reel (14) and entering into the forming tube (12); a second side of said frame (20) is constrained to a slide (22) linearly movable through an appropriate motor means (24) along a movement lane (23) parallel to the advancement direction of said film (12) on said horizontal flat surface (21) before the 90° direction change performed through said substantially triangular frame (20) takes place.

1 .- 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A vertical packaging machine comprising a framework with a substantially quadrangular plan, a forming tube mounted on one side of said framework for manufacturing a package of a product through the use of a continuously advancing film supplied by a reel mounted on a shaft and arranged in a housing provided in a side of the framework adjacent to that on which said forming tube is mounted, the unwinding of said film from said reel being performed by a motor equipped with an unit for controlling the unwinding of said film, said framework further comprising a horizontal flat surface on which the film passes and changes direction by 90° when unwound from said reel being then directed towards said forming tube, wherein the 90° direction change of said film is performed through a triangular frame arranged on said horizontal flat surface of said framework, a first side of said triangular frame being arranged at 45° with relative to the respective advancement directions of the film as unwound from the reel and entering into the forming tube, whereby a second side of said frame is connected to a slide linearly movable through a motor along a movement lane parallel to the advancement direction of said film (on said horizontal flat surface before the 90° direction change takes place performed through said triangular frame. 
     
     
         8 . The machine of claim  7 , wherein said first side of said triangular frame comprises a tubular element rigidly connected to the frame and carrying out a linear translation with the frame, said film being in operation arranged in contact with said tubular element which comprises a series of holes for the injection of compressed air in order to create an air cushion limiting friction between the film and the tubular element in the contact zone where the 90° direction change of said film takes place. 
     
     
         9 . The machine of  claim 8 , wherein the linear translation of said tubular element determines the variation of the position of the film based on type, shape and dimensions of the package to be manufactured in the forming tube, and determines the centering and the positioning of the film at a folding bell arranged at the inlet to said forming tube. 
     
     
         10 . The machine of claim  7 , further comprising a reel change unit arranged on said framework, downstream of the shaft on which said reel is mounted, in correspondence of which unit either films belonging to two different reels are joined to each other, or another reel having a different format with respect to the previous one being processed is mounted on the shaft. 
     
     
         11 . The machine of  claim 10 , further comprising an accumulation unit formed by a series of adjacent rollers on the surface of which the moving film is passed, thereby forming a supply of film necessary for allowing an intermittent advancement of the film itself into the forming tube. 
     
     
         12 . The machine of claim  7 , further comprising a film labelling unit. 
     
     
         13 . The machine of claim  7 , further comprising a bracket carrying a sensor for constantly monitoring any slippage of the film, said sensor being connected to an electronic control unit which in turn controls the unwinding speed of the film from the reel.