Automatic packaging machine for filling a bag made of a heat-sealable material with a dose of a loose product

An automatic packaging machine (3) for filling a bag (1) made of a heat-sealable material and having an open upper end (2) with a dose of a loose product;

• the packaging machine (3) comprises:
• a packaging conveyor (4);
• a pick-up head (7), which is supported by the packaging conveyor (4) so as to be fed along a packaging path (P1) lying on a horizontal plane, is designed to grab and hold the bag (1) along the packaging path (P1), and comprises a pair of first clamps (8), which are opposite one another and are designed to grab opposite side ends of the corresponding bag (1);
• an input station (S1), which is arranged at the beginning of the packaging path (P1) and where the empty bag (1) is grabbed by the pick-up head (7);
• an output station (S2), which is arranged at the end of the packaging path (P1) and where the full, sealed bag (1) leaves the pick-up head (7);
• a filling device (18), which is movable along the packaging path (P1) and is designed to feed the product dose into the bag (1) through the open upper end (2);
• and
• a sealing device (19), which is movable along the packaging path (P1) and is designed to seal the full bag (1) through a sealing in the area of the open upper end (2);
• the filling device (18) and the sealing device (19) are both mounted on the packaging conveyor (4) so as to move together with the pick-up head (7) along the entire packaging path (P1);
• the filling device (18) and the sealing device (19) are arranged on the packaging conveyor (4) next to one another along a horizontal selection direction (D1), which is transverse to the packaging path (P1);
• and
• the pick-up head (7) is movable on the packaging conveyor (4) so as to translate, along the selection direction (D1), between a filling position (F), in which the pick-up head (7) is aligned with the filling device (18), and a sealing position (S), in which the pick-up head (7) is aligned with the sealing device (19).