Packing method and unit for folding a sheet of packing material about a parallelepiped-shaped article

A packing method for folding a sheet (5) of packing material about a substantially parallelepiped-shaped article (2), the packing method comprising the steps of:

• feeding the article (2) along a path (P1);
• feeding the sheet (5) of packing material perpendicularly to the path (P1) and in front of the article (2), so the article (2), as it moves forward, intercepts and gradually folds the sheet (5) of packing material into a “U”;
• positioning two lead-in devices (19) on opposite sides of the article (2), so the article (2) is enclosed between the two lead-in devices (19);
• feeding the two lead-in devices (19) parallel to the path (P1) and together with the article (2), so the sheet (5) of packing material is also intercepted by the lead-in devices (19);
• positioning two folding members (30) on opposite sides of the path (P1) and spaced apart to allow the article (2), together with the lead-in devices (19), to pass between the two folding members (30);
• feeding the two folding members (30) parallel to the path (P1) and ahead of the article (2), so the sheet (5) of packing material is intercepted and folded partly into a “U” by the folding members (30), before being intercepted by the article (2) together with the two lead-in devices (19);
• feeding the article (2), together with the two lead-in devices (19), between the two folding members (30), so the article (2), together with the two lead-in devices (19), intercepts the partly U-folded sheet (5) of packing material;
• positioning a pocket (15) of a packing conveyor (13) downstream from the sheet (5) of packing material in the travelling direction of the article (2);
• and
• inserting the article (2) and the sheet (5) of packing material, folded into a “U” about the article (2), into the pocket (15).