# US 2014/0194267 A1 · Folding unit and method for producing purable food product packages > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0194267 A1 - Document ID: US20140194267A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/127,503 - Filed: 2012-09-05 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-10-31 - Assignees: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. - Inventors: Massimo Pradelli - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194267A1 ## CPC - B31B 50/52: by reciprocating or oscillating members, e.g. fingers (by plungers moving through folding dies B31B50/44) - B31B 50/26: Folding sheets, blanks or webs - B65B 49/04: Ploughs or plates with inclined slots or opposed inclined edges - B65B 49/08: Reciprocating or oscillating folders - B65B 49/14: Folders forming part of, or attached to, conveyors for partially-wrapped articles - B65B 61/24: for shaping or reshaping completed packages - B65B 9/20: the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles - B31B: MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER (making wound articles, e.g. wound tubes, B31C; combined making and filling B65B) - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) ## Abstract A folding unit for producing folded packages of pourable food products from sealed packs, comprising: movable conveyor which are fed with a plurality of packs at an input station, which feed packs along a forming path and output folded packages at an output station; and folder cooperating with each pack to perform at least one folding operation on pack comprising: at least one pair of shells which are integrally movable along the forming path and are movable relative to each other along a direction transversal to the forming path; shells of each pair may be set along the direction in: a fully closed position in which they exert a pressure onto a relative pack, so as to at least complete a folding operation onto relative pack; and an open position in which they are detached from the corresponding folded package. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A folding unit for producing folded packages of pourable food products from relative sealed packs, comprising: movable conveying means which are fed with a plurality of said packs at an input station, which feed said packs along a forming path and output said folded packages at an output station; and folding means cooperating, in use, with each said pack to perform at least one folding operation on said pack; including at least one pair of shells which are integrally movable along said forming path and are movable relative to each other along a direction transversal to said forming path; said shells of each pair being settable along said direction at least in: a fully closed position in which they exert a pressure onto a relative said pack, so as to at least complete a folding operation onto relative said pack; and an open position in which they are detached from the corresponding said folded package. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The folding unit claim 1, wherein said conveying means comprise: at least one supporting member; a top branch along which said along which supporting member is arranged, in use, below said pack; and a bottom branch defining said output station and along which said folded package is arranged, in use, below said supporting member; said shells being arranged, in use, in said open position at least at said output station, so as to release said corresponding folded package under the gravity action. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The folding unit of claim 1, wherein said shells may be set also in a closed position which is intermediate along said direction between said open and fully closed positions, and in which they grip said folded package. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The folding unit of claim 2, characterized in that wherein said conveying means comprise at least one paddle operatively connected to said supporting member and adapted, in use, to thrust said corresponding package along said forming path; said shells being integrally movable relative to said paddle and along said direction upstream from said output station, proceeding according to the advancing direction of said conveying means along said forming path. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The folding unit of claim 4, characterized in that wherein said forming path comprises: a first portion along which said packs are folded into relative package; a second portion arranged downstream from said first portion and along which said folded package are overturned; and a third portion arranged downstream from said second portion and along which said folded packages are conveyed to said output station; said shells being movable relative to each other between said open position and said fully closed position, parallel to said direction and along said first portion of said path; said shells being movable relative to each other between said fully closed position to said closed position, parallel to said direction, and along said second portion of said path; said shells being movable relative to each other between said closed to said open position, parallel to said direction and along said third portion of said path. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The folding unit of claim 5, wherein said shells of each pair are integrally movable relative to said respective paddle along said second portion of said forming path. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The folding unit of claim 1, wherein said conveying means comprise a plurality of consecutive links articulated with respect to one another; each said link comprising: a relative paddle; a relative pair of shells; a pair of guides which extend along said direction; and a pair of slides connected to relative said shells and which may slide within said relative guides. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The folding unit of claim 7, wherein said pack includes a main portion, and a first and second end portions arranged on respective opposite sides of said main portion; said first end portion comprising: a first fin and a pair of first flaps projecting laterally from said main portion; said folding means comprising including at least one first folding member adapted to fold said first fin onto said first end portion and to bend said first flaps towards said second end portion; said unit including heating means for partially melting said previously bent first flap; said shells being arranged, in use, in said fully closed position downstream from said heating means, proceeding along the advancing direction of said conveying means. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The folding unit of claim 8, wherein said folding means comprise at least one second folding member adapted to fold, in use, a second end fin, opposite to said first end fin, onto said second end portion and a pair of second flaps, opposite to said first flaps onto said second fin, on the opposite side of said first end portion; said second folding member being arranged upstream from said heating means, proceeding along the advancing direction of said conveying means; said unit including a pressing device arranged downstream from said heating means, proceeding along the advancing direction of said conveying means; said pressing device being adapted to hold said second flap in contact with said main portion, as said second flap cool; said paddles of two consecutive relative links, said shells of one of said two consecutive links arranged in said fully closed position, said first folding member and said pressing device defining, in use, a compartment within which the volume of a relative package in formation is controlled. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The folding unit of claim 1, comprising: a pair of cams defining relative grooves which are elongated along said forming path and arranged at varying distances measured along said direction from each other; each said shell comprising a relative follower which engages a relative groove of a relative cam. ### Claim 11 A method for producing folded packages of pourable food product from relative sealed packs comprising: conveying at least one said pack along a forming path in which a corresponding folded package is formed; said forming path including an input station and an output station; performing at least one folding operation onto said pack along said forming path, so as to form a corresponding folded package; and outputting said corresponding folded package at said output station of said forming path; comprising: the step of moving at least one pair of shells integrally to each other along said forming path and relative to each other along a direction transversal to said forming path between a fully closed position in which they exert a pressure onto said pack and an open position in which they are detached from said corresponding folded package; said step of moving said shells into said fully closed position comprising the step of completing at least one said folding operation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said step of conveying comprises: arranging said pack above a supporting member; arranging said corresponding folded package below said supporting member, upstream from said output station; and releasing said corresponding folded package under the gravity action at said output station. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, comprising: moving parallel to said direction said pair of shells between said fully closed to a closed position, in which said shells grip said folded package; and moving said pair of shells between said closed to said open position, parallel to said direction; said closed position being intermediate along said direction between said fully closed and said open positions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, comprising: t integrally moving said shells parallel to said direction, upstream from said output station and relative to a paddle operatively connected to said supporting member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein said step of integrally moving said shells parallel to said direction is carried out when said shells are arranged in said closed position. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein said step of conveying least one said pack along a forming path included: folding said pack along a first portion of said forming path, so as to form said folded package; overturning said folded package along a second portion of said forming path arranged upstream from said first portion; and feeding said folded package to said output station along a third portion of said forming path; said step of folding said pack including the step of moving said shells of each pair from said open to said fully closed position; and said step of overturning said pack including the step of moving said shells of each pair from said fully closed to said closed position and of integrally moving said shells relative to said corresponding paddle; said step of feeding said folded package including the step of moving shells of each pair from said closed to said open position at said output station.