Dosing apparatus, and machine and method for producing unit dose articles
AssigneeFameccanica.Data S.p.A.
InventorsOscar Centorame, Diego Gualtieri
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dosing apparatus for a machine for producing unit dose articles including first and second dosing units each having: a nozzle support body carrying a plurality of nozzles, and a movement control unit configured for moving the respective nozzle support body along a closed-loop path, wherein the movement control units of the first and second dosing units are configured for moving the respective nozzle support bodies independently of each other along the closed-loop path.
Claims12
A dosing apparatus for a machine for producing unit dose articles using a cylindrical forming surface, including first and second dosing units each comprising:
- a nozzle support body,
- a plurality of nozzles having respective fluid delivery apertures, carried by said nozzle support body and connected to a fluid delivery system via at least one flexible tube, and
- a movement control unit configured for moving the respective nozzle support body along a closed-loop path that forms a continuous loop having a lower delivery section configured to move in a machine direction of the machine and an upper return section that is spaced apart from the lower delivery section and configured to move in a direction parallel to and opposite the machine direction of the machine,
- wherein the movement control units of the first and second dosing units are configured for moving the respective nozzle support bodies independently of each other along said closed-loop path.
A method for producing unit dose articles, comprising:
- providing a cylindrical forming surface having a plurality of cavities, continuously movable in a machine direction,
- feeding a first continuous water-soluble film on said forming surface at a first position,
- retaining said first continuous water-soluble film on said forming surface as said forming surface moves in said machine direction and forming in said first continuous water-soluble film a plurality of recesses by keeping the first continuous water-soluble film adherent to said cavities,
- providing a first nozzle support body and a second nozzle support body carrying respective nozzles having respective fluid delivering apertures and connected to a fluid delivery system via respective flexible tubes,
- continuously moving said first and second nozzle support bodies independently of each other along a closed-loop path having a lower delivery section configured to move in the machine direction and an upper return section that is spaced apart from the lower delivery section and configured to move in a direction parallel to and opposite the machine direction,
- delivering dosed quantities of fluid products into said recesses through said respective nozzles during movement of said first and second nozzle support bodies along said lower delivery section of said closed-loop path, and
- applying a second continuous water-soluble film on said first water-soluble film and connecting to each other said first and second water-soluble films by water-sealing around said plurality of recesses so as to enclose said dosed quantities of fluid composition between said first and second continuous water-soluble films.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.