Pouch magazine and a method to sequentially supply empty pouches to a packaging machine

1 . A pouch magazine to sequentially supply empty pouches to a packaging machine, the magazine comprising:

a rack configured to accommodate a stack of empty pouches;

a pouch pick-up area having a positioning stopper;

a pouch separating means configured to separate a first pouch from the stack of empty pouches in order to send the first pouch to the pouch pick-up area; and

a pouch conveyor configured to convey the separated first pouch to the positioning stopper of the pouch pick-up area, wherein said pouch conveyor having means for supplying a stream of pressurized fluid upon which the conveyed separated first pouch lies, said means for supplying the stream of pressurized fluid configured to create sufficient Coanda effect forces to the stream of pressurized fluid to propel the separated first pouch to the pouch pick-up area and to maintain the separated first pouch against the positioning stopper of the pouch pick-up area;

wherein the pouch conveyor comprises a first elongated plate spaced apart from a second elongated plate,

wherein said means for supplying the stream of pressurized fluid comprising jet nozzles; and

wherein each of the first elongated plate and the second elongated plate comprising respective slip surfaces provided with the jet nozzles configured to project the stream of pressurized fluid onto corresponding opposing areas of the separated first pouch;

wherein the means for supplying the stream of pressurized fluid upon which the separated first pouch lies are configured to supply the stream of pressurized fluid in a continuous fashion all along the length dimension of the first elongated plate and the second elongated plate; and

wherein each of the first elongated plate and the second elongated plate has or is joined to a lateral, essentially vertical, wing dimensioned to guide the separated first pouch during the conveying of the separated first pouch, and wherein between at least one of the first elongated plate or the second elongated plate and the lateral wing adjacent thereto is a channel, configured to receive or to house, at least partially, a spout of the separated first pouch.

2 . The pouch magazine according to claim 1 , wherein that the first elongated plate and the second elongated plate determine a track of adjustable width.

3 . The pouch magazine according to claim 2 , wherein the pouch conveyor is supported in a chassis and at least one of the first elongated plate or the second elongated plate is mounted on the chassis, with movement capacity with respect to the other of the first elongated plate or the second elongated plate without losing parallelism with the other of the first elongated plate or the second elongated plate.

4 . The pouch magazine according to claim 1 , wherein the pouch pick-up area is longitudinally aligned with the rack.

5 . The pouch magazine according to claim 1 , wherein the pouch conveyor extends all along the pouch pick-up area.

6 . A pouch magazine to sequentially supply empty pouches to a packaging machine, the magazine comprising:

a rack configured to accommodate a stack of empty pouches;

a pouch pick-up area having a positioning stopper;

a pouch separating means configured to separate a first pouch from the stack of empty pouches in order to send the first pouch to the pouch pick-up area; and

a pouch conveyor configured to convey the separated first pouch to the positioning stopper of the pouch pick-up area, wherein said pouch conveyor having means for supplying a stream of pressurized fluid upon which the conveyed separated first pouch lies, said means for supplying the stream of pressurized fluid configured to create sufficient Coanda effect forces to the stream of pressurized fluid to propel the separated first pouch to the pouch pick-up area and to maintain the separated first pouch against the positioning stopper of the pouch pick-up area;

wherein the pouch pick-up area has a pouch detection means having a central rib with a plural number of sensors, the rib being arranged in a direction of a height dimension of the pouch as defined when the separated first pouch properly rests against the positioning stopper of the pouch pick-up area, and wherein the sensors are distributed along the rib.

7 . The pouch magazine according to claim 6 , wherein at least one sensor is one of a photoelectric sensor or a fiber-optic sensor.

8 . A pouch magazine to sequentially supply empty pouches to a packaging machine, the magazine comprising:

a rack configured to accommodate a stack of empty pouches;

a pouch pick-up area having a positioning stopper;

a pouch separating means configured to separate a first pouch from the stack of empty pouches in order to send the first pouch to the pouch pick-up area; and

a pouch conveyor configured to convey the separated first pouch to the positioning stopper of the pouch pick-up area, wherein said pouch conveyor having means for supplying a stream of pressurized fluid upon which the conveyed separated first pouch lies, said means for supplying the stream of pressurized fluid configured to create sufficient Coanda effect forces to the stream of pressurized fluid to propel the separated first pouch to the pouch pick-up area and to maintain the separated first pouch against the positioning stopper of the pouch pick-up area;

wherein the positioning stopper is a moveable positioning stopper, moveable between a pouch retention position and a pouch release position able to produce the separated first pouch to be propelled out of the pouch conveyor by the stream of pressurized fluid that maintained the separated first pouch against the positioning stopper when the positioning stopper adopted the retention position.

9 . The pouch magazine according to claim 8 , wherein the moveable positioning stopper is driven as a function of signals generated by the sensors of the pouch detection means.