IP Library › Granted Patent US 12709429

Granted Patent B2

US 12709429 · App. 18/653,487 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Packaging machine

Inventors: Xavier Montañà Caelles (Santa Perpetua de Mogoda, ES); Albert Grau Calvó (Santa Perpetua de Mogoda, ES)

Assignee: VOLPAK, S.A.U.

B65B57/02 B65B43/465 B65B57/04 B65B65/00 B65G17/32 B65G54/02 B65B65/003 B65G17/323 B65G47/90

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12709429
App. No.: 18/653,487
Granted: Aug 18, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A packaging machine comprising a track with a number of carriage assemblies moveable along the track and able to hold in a suspended fashion a flexible pouch and to convey them along at least a section of the track; a series of processing modules moveably engaged with a common supporting rail, the processing modules having configurable tools able to perform an operation on the conveyed pouches; and a corresponding series of control units, each control unit to control the configurable tools of a processing module or the configurable tools of a set of functionally-related processing modules, the control units being moveably engageable in a static frame to which the supporting rail of the processing modules is also solidly joined to.

Claims (45)

1 . A packaging machine, comprising:

a static frame;

a track defining a closed path;

a number of carriage assemblies directly supported by and moveable along the track;

a main controller in electrical communication with the track and the carriage assemblies for the independent but coordinated movement of the carriage assemblies, the carriage assemblies being configured to grip a pouch so that, each carriage assembly, or cooperatively a number of successive carriage assemblies, is able to hold in a suspended fashion a pouch and to convey the pouch along at least a section of the track;

a series of processing modules directly supported by and moveably engaged with a common supporting rail, the processing modules having configurable tools able to perform an operation on the conveyed pouches;

a corresponding series of control units, each control unit to control the configurable tools of a processing module or the configurable tools of a set of functionally-related processing modules, the control units being moveably engageable in the static frame; and

wherein the track and the supporting rail are mounted to the static frame, with the track disposed below the supporting rail.

2 . The packaging machine according to the claim 1 , wherein the control units have each at least two connecting ports to operatively connect them in series and to connect one of the control units in series to the main controller.

3 . The packaging machine according to claim 2 , wherein control units are adapted to operatively connect them in series and to connect one of the control units connected in series to the main controller following a daisy chain wiring scheme.

4 . The packaging machine according to according to claim 1 , wherein connecting ports of various of the control units are identical.

5 . The packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein the main controller is able to store instructions transmitted to the processing modules, via their associated control units, the instructions including orders to automatically reconfigure or to differently operate their tools.

6 . The packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein an electronic identification is assigned to each carriage assembly; and wherein the main controller is able to generate instructions transmitted to the processing modules, via their associated control units, to automatically configurate or operate their tools as a function of the electronic identification of the carriage assembly, or carriage assemblies, passing through the processing modules.

7 . The packaging machine according to claim 5 , wherein an instruction is to not perform any action.

8 . The packaging machine according to claim 1 , comprising two supporting rails each arranged parallel to a straight section of the track; each supporting rail being dimensioned to receive the engagement of a plural number of processing modules, lined up along the common supporting rail.

9 . The packaging machine according to claim 8 , wherein a supporting rail comprises a set of at least two parallel bars arranged at a same side of the track, each having a rounded or circular cross-section.

10 . The packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein the track is arranged at a horizontal reference plane and wherein a supporting rail is arranged at a level above the horizontal reference plane.

11 . The packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein the static frame comprises removably connected sub-frames dimensioned so as to receive the moveably engagement of a plural number of control units.

12 . The packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein a control unit is arranged above and vertically aligned with a processing module whose configurable tools control.

13 . The packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein the track determines a closed path comprising two straight long sections; and in that the packaging machine has two long supporting rails arranged each parallel to a long straight section of the track; each long supporting rail receiving the engagement of a plural number of processing modules.

14 . The packaging machine according to claim 13 , wherein the two straight long section find symmetry with respect to a longitudinal axis of the track.

15 . A packaging machine, comprising:

a static frame;

a track defining a closed path directly supporting and configured to guide a number of carriage assemblies moveable along the track;

wherein the track and the supporting rail are mounted to the static frame, with the track disposed below the supporting rail.

16 . The packaging machine according to claim 15 , comprising two supporting rails each arranged parallel to a straight section of the track; each supporting rail being dimensioned to receive the engagement of a plural number of processing modules, lined up along the common supporting rail.

17 . The packaging machine according to claim 15 , wherein the track determines a closed path comprising two straight long sections; and in that the packaging machine has two long supporting rails arranged each parallel to a long straight section of the track; each long supporting rail receiving the engagement of a plural number of processing modules.

18 . A packaging machine, comprising:

carriage assemblies;

track means for moveably supporting the carriage assemblies;

a main controller in electrical communication with the track means and the carriage assemblies for the independent but coordinated movement of the carriage assemblies, the carriage assemblies configured to grip a pouch so that, each carriage assembly, or cooperatively a number of successive carriage assemblies, and to hold in a suspended fashion a pouch and to convey the pouch along at least a section of the track means;

processing modules;

supporting rail means for engaging and moving the processing modules, the processing modules having configurable tools to perform an operation on the conveyed pouch;

19 . A packaging machine, comprising:

a static frame;

a track defining a closed path;

a number of carriage assemblies moveable along the track;

a main controller in electrical communication with the track and the carriage assemblies for the independent but coordinated movement of the carriage assemblies, the carriage assemblies being configured to grip a pouch so that, each carriage assembly, or cooperatively a number of successive carriage assemblies, is able to hold in a suspended fashion a flexible pouch and to convey the pouch along at least a section of the track;

a series of processing modules moveably engaged with a common supporting rail, the processing modules having configurable tools able to perform an operation on the conveyed pouches;

wherein the supporting rail is dimensioned to receive the engagement of a plural number of processing modules, lined up along the supporting rail.