Machine and method for packing capsules in multi-capsule packs

1. Machine for making and packing capsules ( 2 ) for extraction or infusion products in multi-capsule packs ( 27 ), the capsules ( 2 ) including:

a rigid body ( 3 ) defining a longitudinal axis (Z 1 ) of the capsule ( 2 ) and featuring a bottom ( 4 ) and an upper aperture ( 5 ) provided with an external rim ( 6 ),

a dose ( 26 ) of extraction or infusion product contained in the rigid body ( 3 ), and

a closing lid ( 7 ) joined to the external rim ( 6 ) to close the upper aperture ( 5 ); the machine including:

a plurality of operative stations, between which at least a feeding station ( 11 ) for feeding the rigid bodies ( 3 ), a dosing station ( 12 ) for dosing a dose ( 26 ) of product within the rigid bodies ( 3 ), a closing station ( 13 ) for closing the upper aperture ( 5 ) of the rigid body ( 3 ) with a respective closing lid ( 7 );

a transport element ( 8 ) featuring a plurality of seats ( 10 ) for housing and moving the capsules ( 2 ) through said plurality of operative stations along an advancing direction (A),

an exit station ( 17 ) adapted to draw the capsules ( 2 ) from the transport element ( 8 ); and

a packing station ( 23 ) adapted to receive the capsules ( 8 ) from the exit station ( 17 ) and adapted to pack the capsules ( 2 ) into multi-capsule packs ( 27 ) where the capsules ( 2 ) result side by side and alternatively rotated by 180°, thus arranged according to a head-to-tail orientation,

the machine being characterised in that

detaching organs ( 14 ) are associated to the transport element ( 8 ) and are adapted to move the capsules ( 2 ) away from the seats ( 10 ) at a drawing zone (P); and

said exit station ( 17 ) includes a drawing carousel ( 19 ) provided with gripping elements ( 20 ) for gripping the capsules ( 2 ) from the detaching organs ( 14 ), rotating said capsules ( 2 ) according to a rotation order that provides for rotating every other capsule ( 2 ) by 180° and delivering said capsules ( 2 ) so rotated, arranged side by side and according to the head-to-tail orientation, to the packing station ( 23 ).

2. Machine according to claim 1 , wherein said detaching organs ( 14 ) are movable in phase with the transport element ( 8 ) along the advancing direction (A) at least at the drawing zone (A).

3. Machine according to claim 1 , wherein said detaching organs ( 14 ) include rods ( 15 ), vertically movable, adapted to lift said capsules ( 2 ) at said drawing zone (P).

4. Machine according to claim 1 , wherein said drawing carousel ( 19 ) is movable in rotation about a vertical rotation axis (Z 3 ).

5. Machine according to claim 4 , wherein said gripping elements ( 20 ) includes a plurality of gripping pliers ( 21 a , 21 b ), radially arranged onto said drawing carousel ( 19 ) and movable in rotation about respective radial rotation axes (Z 4 ), perpendicular to the vertical rotation axis (Z 3 ) of the drawing carousel ( 29 ).

6. Machine according to claim 5 , wherein said gripping pliers ( 21 a , 21 b ) include pairs of arms ( 24 a , 24 b ), movable between an inoperative position, far away from the capsule ( 2 ), and an operative position in which said pairs of arms ( 24 a , 24 b ) retain the capsule ( 2 ), in correspondence of the rigid body ( 3 ) or the external rim ( 6 ).

7. Machine according to claim 1 , including control devices adapted to inhibit the detaching organs ( 14 ) in order not to extract faulty capsules ( 2 ) from respective seats ( 10 ), so that said faulty capsules ( 2 ) be not taken by the gripping elements ( 20 ) of the drawing carousel ( 19 ).

8. Machine according to claim 7 , wherein said control devices are adapted to inhibit the detaching organs ( 14 ) in order not to extract from respective seats ( 10 ) a faulty capsule ( 2 ) and an adjacent capsule ( 2 ), immediately preceding or successive to said faulty capsule ( 2 ).

9. Machine according to claim 1 , wherein said packing station ( 23 ) includes transport means ( 18 ) including a conveyor belt ( 22 ) adapted to receive from said gripping elements ( 20 ) said capsules ( 2 ) according to the rotation order.

10. Machine according to claim 9 , wherein said transport means ( 18 ) further include at least one toothed belt ( 30 , 31 ), movable about pulleys ( 32 ) rotatable about vertical axes, said at least one toothed belt ( 30 , 31 ) being adapted to cooperate with the gripping elements ( 20 ) to position the capsules ( 2 ) on to the conveyor belt ( 22 ).

11. Machine according to claim 10 , wherein said transport means ( 18 ) include at least one first toothed belt ( 30 ) and at least one second toothed belt ( 31 ), movable in phase with each other, to form distinct groups of capsules ( 2 ), each group of capsules ( 2 ) being packed in a single multi-capsule pack ( 27 ).

12. Machine according to claim 11 , wherein said at least one first toothed belt ( 30 ) and said at least one second toothed belt ( 31 ) are adapted to slow down or stop, independently from each other, in order not to cooperate with gripping elements ( 20 ) not carrying capsules ( 2 ), because previously rejected, and are adapted to move again in phase with successive gripping elements ( 20 ) that carry respective capsules ( 2 ).

13. Method for making and packing capsules ( 2 ) in multi-capsule packs ( 27 ), said capsules ( 2 ) including a rigid body ( 3 ) defining a longitudinal axis (Z 1 ) of the capsule ( 2 ) and featuring a bottom ( 4 ) and an upper aperture ( 5 ) provided with an external rim ( 6 ), a dose ( 26 ) of extraction or infusion product contained in the rigid body ( 3 ), and a closing lid ( 7 ), joined to the external rim ( 6 ) to close the upper aperture ( 5 ); said capsules ( 2 ) being in said multi-capsule packs ( 27 ) arranged side by side and alternatively rotated by 180°, thus arranged according to a head-to-tail orientation, the method including the steps of:

feeding rigid bodies ( 3 ) to respective seats ( 10 ) of a transport element ( 8 ) movable through a plurality of operative stations ( 11 , 12 , 13 ) of a filling machine through an operative path along an advancing direction (A);

dosing a dose ( 26 ) of product within the rigid bodies ( 3 );

closing the upper aperture ( 5 ) of the rigid body ( 3 ) with a respective closing lid ( 7 );

transferring the capsules ( 2 ) to a packing station ( 23 ); the method being characterised in that the step of transferring the capsules ( 2 ) to a packing station ( 23 ) includes:

detaching the capsules ( 2 ) from the respective seats ( 10 ) by means of detaching organs ( 14 ) associated to said seats ( 10 ) of the transport element ( 8 ) at a drawing zone (P);

gripping, at the drawing zone (P), said capsules ( 2 ) from said detaching organs ( 10 ) by means of a plurality of gripping elements ( 20 ) radially arranged on a drawing carousel ( 19 ) rotating about a vertical rotation axis (Z 3 );

rotating all of the capsules ( 2 ) about the vertical rotation axis (Z 3 ) of the drawing carousel ( 19 ) and rotating every other capsule ( 2 ) about respective radial rotation axes (Z 4 ), perpendicular to the vertical rotation axis (Z 3 ) of the drawing carousel ( 19 );

carrying the capsules ( 2 ) from the drawing zone (P) to a delivery zone (D) at the packing station ( 23 ), every other capsule ( 2 ) being rotated by 180° about respective radial rotation axes (Z 4 ), perpendicular to the vertical rotation axis (Z 3 ) of the drawing carousel ( 19 );

delivering said capsules ( 2 ), arranged side by side and according to the head-to-tail orientation to the packing station ( 23 ).

14. Method according to claim 13 , including the further steps of:

inhibiting the detaching organs ( 14 ) associated to seats ( 10 ) carrying faulty capsules ( 2 ) by means of control devices, so that said faulty capsules ( 2 ) are not transferred to the packing station ( 23 );

rejecting said faulty capsules ( 2 ).

15. Method according to claim 13 , including the further steps of:

inhibiting the detaching organs ( 14 ) associated to seats ( 10 ) carrying a faulty capsule ( 2 ) and an adjacent capsule ( 2 ), immediately preceding or successive to said faulty capsule ( 2 ), by means of control devices, so that said faulty capsule ( 2 ) and said adjacent capsule ( 2 ) be not transferred to the packing station ( 23 );

rejecting said faulty capsule ( 2 ) and said adjacent capsule ( 2 ).