Device and a method for the application of detachable coupons to substantially parallelepiped packets
AssigneeG.D S.p.A.
InventorFiorenzo Draghetti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a machine (1) for the manufacture of packets substantially parallelepiped in shape, typically containing cigarettes, the packets (4) advance in succession on a conveyor belt (P) toward an affixing station (7), where a revenue stamp (8) and a detachable coupon (3) are attached simultaneously to each one in turn by a single applicator device (2).
Claims2
A device for the application of detachable coupons to substantially parallelepiped packets in machines (1) for the manufacture of packets (4) to which revenue stamps (8) are applied, separate from coupons (3), comprising
- conveyor means (5) by which the packets (4) are advanced in succession along a predetermined path (P) toward a station (7) at which the stamps (8) and coupons (3) are affixed, and
- applicator means (9) in the vicinity of the affixing station (7), disposed and embodied in such a manner as to apply simultaneously both stamps (8) and coupons (3) to the packets (4), the applicator means (9) comprising
- a feeding and affixing unit (10) dispensing both the stamps (8) and the coupons (3) and comprising a rotary conveyor (12), operating substantially tangential to the feed path (P) at a point that coincides with affixing station (7), on which the stamps (8) and the coupons (3) are retained by means (21) distributed uniformly around a respective peripheral surface of revolution (19),
- each of the single retaining means (21) having a single surface (23) which aligns with a face of a single packet (4) as it is advanced on the conveyor (5), wherein the surface (23) has a plurality of externally presenting suction holes (24, 25) which define at least two different sets of holes, the sets being of different sizes (24, 25) ready to retain the stamps (8) and the coupons (3), respectively, so that one lateral side of each stamp (8) faces and is parallel to one lateral side of the coupon (3), each of the single retaining means (21) operating synchronously and in conjunction with the conveyor means (5) along the feed path (P) in such a way as to affix both a relative stamp (8) and a relative coupon (3) of different sizes at one and the same time to each packet (4),
- wherein the feeding and affixing unit comprises a unit (26) by which the stamps (8) and the coupons (3) are transferred to the retaining means (21) comprising first and second lines (27, 28) which occupy two different planes offset from one another and serve to store and feed the stamps (8) and the coupons (3), respectively, and operating synchronously and in conjunction with the retaining means (21).
A method for the application of detachable coupons to substantially parallelepiped packets in machines for manufacturing such packets, comprising the steps of
- advancing the packets (4) in succession along a predetermined path (P) toward an affixing station (7) and applying a revenue stamp (8) to each packet (4) passing through the station,
- wherein a coupon (3) is applied to each packet (4) at the affixing station (7) at one and the same time with a revenue stamp (8) of different size than the coupon (3) with one lateral side of each stamp (8) facing and being parallel to one lateral side of the coupon (3),
- the coupon (3) and the revenue stamp (8) being applied to each packet (4) by a single retaining means (21) when the retaining means (21) and the packets (4) meet at the affixing station (7),
- wherein the stamps (8) and coupons (3) are transferred to the retaining means (21) by first and second lines (27, 28) which occupy two different planes offset from one another and serve as a means to store and feed stamps (8) and coupons (3), respectively, and operating synchronously and in conjunction with the retaining means (21).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.