Method and machine for producing a rigid packet of cigarettes
AssigneeG.D Societa' Per Azioni
InventorsMarco Brizzi, Michele Squarzoni, Fiorenzo Draghetti
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and machine for producing a rigid packet of cigarettes from a flat, substantially rectangular blank; the blank has two main longitudinal crease lines, and a number of transverse crease lines defining, between the two main longitudinal crease lines, central panels having respective lateral wings; the flat blank is fed to a prefolding station where the lateral wings of at least one of the central panels are folded about the respective main longitudinal crease lines; and the blank is subsequently restored to the flat configuration before being fed to a follow-up folding station.
Claims24
A method of producing a substantially parallelepiped-shaped rigid packet of cigarettes comprising a front wall (19) and a rear wall (20) opposite and substantially parallel to each other, and a pair of lateral walls (18) opposite and substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the front wall and the rear wall (19, 20);
- the front wall and the rear wall (19, 20) each being connected to each of the lateral walls (18) at a single respective sharp edge (21);
- the method comprising the steps of feeding a flat, substantially rectangular blank (5) to a folding station (S2), and folding the blank (5) about an orderly group (3) of cigarettes at the folding station (S2);
- the blank (5) comprising two main longitudinal crease lines (29), and a number of transverse crease lines (30) defining, between said two main longitudinal crease lines (29), at least a first central panel (19″) eventually forming part of said front wall (19), and a second central panel (20′) eventually forming said rear wall (20);
- said two main longitudinal crease lines (29) defining, on opposite sides of each said central panel (19″, 20′), at least two respective lateral wings (18′, 18″) eventually forming part of said lateral walls (18);
- and the method being characterized by feeding the flat blank (5) to a prefolding station (S4) upstream from said folding station (S2);
- folding, at said prefolding station (S4), the lateral wings (18′, 18″) of at least one said central panel (19″, 20′) about the respective main longitudinal crease lines (29);
- and restoring the blank (5) to the flat configuration before feeding the blank (5) to said folding station (S2).
A packing machine for producing a substantially parallelepiped-shaped rigid packet of cigarettes comprising a front wall (19) and a rear wall (20) opposite and substantially parallel to each other, and a pair of lateral walls (18) opposite and substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the front wall and the rear wall (19, 20);
- the front wall and the rear wall (19, 20) each being connected to each of the lateral walls (18) at a single respective sharp edge (21);
- the packing machine (1) comprising a folding station (S2), conveying means (10) for feeding a flat, substantially rectangular blank (5) to the folding station (S2), and first folding devices for folding the blank (5) about an orderly group (3) of cigarettes at the folding station (S2);
- the blank (5) comprising two main longitudinal crease lines (29), and a number of transverse crease lines (30) defining, between said two main longitudinal crease lines (29), at least a first central panel (19″) eventually forming part of said front wall (19), and a second central panel (20′) eventually forming said rear wall (20);
- said two main longitudinal crease lines (29) defining, on opposite sides of each said central panel (19″, 20′), at least two respective lateral wings (18′, 18″) eventually forming part of said lateral walls (18);
- and the packing machine (1) being characterized by comprising a prefolding station (S4) upstream from said folding station (S2) in the traveling direction of said conveying means (10);
- second folding devices (32) for folding, at said prefolding station (S4), the lateral wings (18′, 18″) of at least one said central panel (19″, 20′) about the respective main longitudinal crease lines (29);
- and third folding devices (33) for restoring the blank (5) to the flat configuration before feeding the blank (5) to said folding station (S2).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.