Unit for feeding closing elements designed to close cup-shaped containers, station and method for closing the cup-shaped containers

1. A unit for feeding closing elements designed for closing cup-shaped containers defining capsules for extraction or infusion beverages for a machine for packaging capsules for extraction or infusion beverages, comprising:

means for feeding a web of heat-sealable material along a predetermined path for feeding the web;

a mould comprising a plurality of seats defining cutting edges;

a plurality of punches, each punch being designed to act in conjunction with a corresponding seat of the plurality of seats of the mould, the mould and the plurality of punches being positioned along the path for feeding the web in a region for forming the closing elements, the punches being movable between an operating position wherein they make contact with the web of heat-sealable material for cutting portions of the web so as to form corresponding closing elements, and a non-operating position retracted relative to the web of heat-sealable material; and

a plurality of pickup units, each pickup unit comprising at least one pickup means and being movable individually along a first closed path between a pickup position, wherein the respective pickup means are positioned at the forming region for picking up the portions of the web defining the closing elements, and a release position, wherein the respective pickup means are positioned at a release region for releasing the closing elements picked up; and

wherein each pickup unit comprises an element shaped in the form of a circular sector, to which the pickup means are fixed.

2. The feed unit according to claim 1 , wherein the pickup units are configured for engaging individually, and in turn, the forming region.

3. The feed unit according to claim 1 , wherein the pickup means of each pickup unit are equal in number to the punches, to allow each pickup means to pick up a single closing element.

4. The feed unit according to claim 1 , wherein the pickup means are movable along a same first closed path.

5. The feed unit according to claim 4 , wherein the first closed path is a circular path.

6. The feed unit according to claim 1 , wherein the punches are positioned symmetrically about a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the web.

7. The feed unit according to claim 1 , wherein each of the punches comprises a pusher element, movable between a non-operating position and an operating position in which it lifts a portion of the web cut by the punch, defining a closing element, to cause the detachment of the portion of the web cut from the remaining part of the web.

8. A unit for feeding closing elements designed for closing cup-shaped containers defining capsules for extraction or infusion beverages for a machine for packaging capsules for extraction or infusion beverages, comprising:

means for feeding a web of heat-sealable material along a predetermined path for feeding the web;

a mould comprising a plurality of seats defining cutting edges;

a plurality of punches, each punch being designed to act in conjunction with a corresponding seat of the plurality of seats of the mould, the mould and the plurality of punches being positioned along the path for feeding the web in a region for forming the closing elements, the punches being movable between an operating position wherein they make contact with the web of heat-sealable material for cutting portions of the web so as to form corresponding closing elements, and a non-operating position retracted relative to the web of heat-sealable material; and

a plurality of pickup units, each pickup unit comprising at least one pickup means and being movable individually along a first closed path between a pickup position, wherein the respective pickup means are positioned at the forming region for picking up the portions of the web defining the closing elements, and a release position, wherein the respective pickup means are positioned at a release region for releasing the closing elements picked up; and

wherein the punches are positioned along a first arc having a predetermined curvature and the pickup means of each pickup unit are positioned along respective second arcs having the predetermined curvature.

9. The feed unit according to claim 8 , wherein the first arc (A 5 ) is a circular arc and the respective second arcs are circular arcs.

10. A unit for feeding closing elements designed for closing cup-shaped containers defining capsules for extraction or infusion beverages for a machine for packaging capsules for extraction or infusion beverages, comprising:

means for feeding a web of heat-sealable material along a predetermined path for feeding the web;

a mould comprising a plurality of seats defining cutting edges;

a plurality of punches, each punch being designed to act in conjunction with a corresponding seat of the plurality of seats of the mould, the mould and the plurality of punches being positioned along the path for feeding the web in a region for forming the closing elements, the punches being movable between an operating position wherein they make contact with the web of heat-sealable material for cutting portions of the web so as to form corresponding closing elements, and a non-operating position retracted relative to the web of heat-sealable material;

a plurality of pickup units, each pickup unit comprising at least one pickup means and being movable individually along a first closed path between a pickup position, wherein the respective pickup means are positioned at the forming region for picking up the portions of the web defining the closing elements, and a release position, wherein the respective pickup means are positioned at a release region for releasing the closing elements picked up; and

transfer wheel, having a plurality of transfer arms and rotating about a first axis for moving the transfer arms along a second closed path so that the transfer arms receive the closing elements from the pickup means at the release region and release, in turn, the closing elements in an unloading region.

11. A station for closing cup-shaped containers defining capsules for extraction or infusion beverages, wherein it comprises:

a unit for feeding elements for closing the cup-shaped containers according to claim 1 ;

a unit for sealing the closing elements on the cup-shaped containers, equipped with devices for retaining the closing elements configured to receive the closing elements fed by the feed unit and for positioning the closing elements above the cup-shaped containers and also equipped with sealing heads configured for sealing the closing elements on the cup-shaped containers.

12. The closing station according to claim 11 , wherein the feed unit comprises a transfer wheel, having a plurality of transfer arms and rotating about a first axis for moving the transfer arms along a second closed path so that the transfer arms receive the closing elements from the pickup means at the release region and release, in turn, the closing elements in an unloading region.

13. The closing station according to claim 12 , wherein the sealing unit comprises a sealing wheel, which supports the retaining devices and the sealing heads, the sealing wheel being configured to rotate about a further axis so as to move the retaining devices and the sealing heads along a third closed path including:

the unloading region in which the retaining devices receive the closing elements from the transfer arms;

a region for applying the closing elements on the cup-shaped containers; and

a sealing region.

14. A method for closing cup-shaped containers defining capsules for extraction or infusion beverages, wherein it comprises the following steps:

providing a web of heat-sealable material;

feeding the web of heat-sealable material a predetermined length along a predetermined path for feeding the web;

preparing a plurality of punches and corresponding seats of a mould along a first arc;

cutting a plurality of portions of the web using the plurality of punches acting, in conjunction with the seats, on the web at a predetermined forming region, to obtain a plurality of closing elements positioned along the first arc;

preparing a plurality of pickup units in such a way that they are individually movable along a first closed path which includes the forming region, each of the pickup units having at least one pickup means;

placing a first pickup unit of the plurality of pickup units at the forming region, and picking up the closing elements made in the web by the pickup means of the first pickup unit;

moving the first pickup unit from the forming region to a release region and moving a second unit towards the forming region;

controlling, at the release region, the pickup means of the first pickup unit to release the closing elements previously picked up;

transferring the previously released closing elements to retaining devices of a sealing wheel; and

applying and sealing the closing elements to the cup-shaped containers, for closing the cup-shaped containers.