APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKAGING SMOKING ARTICLES

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns an apparatus and a method for automatically packaging smoking articles, such as cigarettes or suchlike, each of which comprises a casing having a front mouthpiece zone, possibly provided with a filter, a central zone filled with a smokable product, such as tobacco or other incoherent material, and an empty rear zone configured to be selectively closed. The apparatus and the method according to the present invention are able to carry out the closure of the rear zone of each casing by twisting the latter, or by folding it, after it has been cut to size.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the automated production of smoking articles, such as cigarettes or suchlike, particularly using machines with high productivity, it is known that one of the important aspects to be taken into consideration and the consequent technical problems to overcome is the one relating to the last step of the packaging of the smoking articles, that is, the one concerning the closure of the containing material in which the smoking material has already been inserted, for example incoherent material, such as tobacco, other smokable substances, or a combination thereof.

Usually, the containing material consists of very thin and light paper, or other suitable material, possibly in the form of a casing, which does or does not comprise a filter in a front mouthpiece zone thereof, therefore it is difficult to treat in an automated manner, especially when there is also the aim of achieving high productivity and therefore every single operation has to take place in a very short time.

Normally, the packaging step occurs after a filling or dosing step, in which the smoking material is loaded or inserted into the containing material. Downstream of the packaging apparatus there is usually positioned a station for distributing and possibly also a station for packing the finished smoking articles.

An example of an apparatus and a method for automatically producing products for smoking articles is described in the international patent application WO 2019/183128. This solution known in the state of the art describes both a step of dosing the smoking material inside the smoking article, and also the subsequent step of closing the rear zone of the article itself after it has been filled with the smoking material.

With regards to the technical problem of the automated packaging of the smoking articles, and in particular of the closure of the rear zone of each casing made with the containing material as above after the smoking material has been inserted in a central zone thereof, it is known to use a closing device capable of twisting the rear zone, thus creating a closure of the “twist” type, known to the people of skill in the art, or, alternatively, a different closing device capable of folding the rear zone, thus creating a closure of the “Dutch crown” type, also known to the people of skill in the art. It is also known to create the closure of the rear zone of each casing manually, or with the assistance of an operator.

Therefore, in known apparatuses, even before making them it is necessary to decide whether a “twist” type closure or a “Dutch crown” type closure is to be obtained, and to prepare the corresponding closing device/closing mode. The choice of the type of closure is not a purely aesthetic question, but can also be correlated to the degree of filling of each casing.

Furthermore, it should also be taken into account that, usually, in order to completely resolve the technical problem of closing the casings of the smoking articles after they have been filled with the smoking material, it is also necessary to provide to cut the rear end of each casing to size. In fact, regardless of the initial length of each casing, the rear end has to be conveniently cut as a function of the quantity of smoking material inserted in the central zone of the casing and of the type of closure used.

At present, in the state of the art there are no packaging apparatuses and/or methods that can automatically and selectively carry out the closure of the casings of smoking articles using, optionally, one of the two types of closure as above, that is, by twisting or folding the rear end of each casing.

Therefore, one purpose of the present invention is to provide a packaging apparatus and to perfect a packaging method for automatically packaging smoking articles which are capable of carrying out both types of closure, that is, by means of twisting or folding, based on the operator's choice or in a programmed way.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a packaging apparatus and to perfect a packaging method for automatically packaging smoking articles which are very versatile, simple and reliable, and in which the passage from one type of closure of the smoking articles to another can take place without needing to intervene mechanically on the same apparatus, but it can be carried out simply by setting the required mode using any electronic input device whatsoever, even remotely.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a packaging apparatus and to perfect a packaging method for automatically packaging smoking articles which allow to achieve a high productivity, intended, for example, as an hourly production of about 7,000 smoking articles.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims describe other characteristics of the present invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purposes, a packaging apparatus according to the present invention for automatically packaging smoking articles, each comprising a casing having a rear zone configured to be closed, comprises, disposed in sequence in a direction of working, a first closing assembly which can be selectively activated to close the rear zone of the casing in accordance with a first closing mode, a cutting assembly configured to selectively cut the rear zone of the casing to size and a second closing assembly which can be selectively activated to close the rear zone of the casing in accordance with a second closing mode, different from the first closing mode. The second closing assembly is therefore disposed downstream of the cutting assembly in the direction of working.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the first closing mode provides a twisting of the rear zone of the casing and the first closing assembly comprises twisting means.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the twisting means comprise, for each of the smoking articles, a closing device provided with rotating means configured to be activated in rotation so as to twist one end of the rear zones of the casings.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the first closing assembly also comprises, for each of the smoking articles, a first gripping member configured to selectively grip the corresponding smoking article and displace it toward the first closing assembly, in particular toward the closing device of the twisting means.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the second closing mode provides at least one folding of at least one flap of the rear zone of the casing, and the second closing assembly comprises folding means configured to close the rear zone by folding at least one flap thereof.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the second closing assembly also comprises, for each of the smoking articles, a second gripping member configured to selectively grip the corresponding smoking article and displace it toward the second closing assembly, in particular toward the folding means comprised therein.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, in which each of the casings also comprises a front mouthpiece zone and a central zone intermediate between the front zone and the rear zone and filled with a smokable product, the cutting assembly comprises both cutting means to selectively cut the rear zone of the casing at a desired height, understood as the distance from the end of the central zone, and also suction means configured to suck any scraps produced by the cutting means.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus comprises a control unit operatively connected at least to the first closing assembly and to the second closing assembly, and programmed to activate the operation of only one of either the first or the second closing assembly for each smoking article.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a packaging method for automatically packaging smoking articles, each comprising a casing having at least one empty rear zone configured to be closed. The method comprises at least one closing step in which the rear zone of the casing is selectively closed in accordance with a first closing mode by means of a first closing assembly, or with a second closing mode, different from the first closing mode, by means of a second closing assembly, and a cutting step in which the rear zone is selectively cut to size by means of a cutting assembly.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the first closing mode provides a twisting of the rear zone of the casing by means of twisting means.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the second closing mode provides at least one folding of at least one flap of the rear zone of the casing by means of folding means.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the cutting step occurs after the closing step when it is performed in accordance with the first closing mode, and, on the other hand, it occurs before the closing step when it is performed in accordance with the second closing mode.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the method comprises a step in which the casing is gripped and displaced toward the first closing assembly when the closing step is performed in accordance with the first closing mode, or a step in which the casing is gripped and displaced toward the second closing assembly when the closing step is performed in accordance with the second closing mode.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of an apparatus for automatically packaging smoking articles according to the present invention, shown in a first operating condition;

FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional view of a first closing assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, shown in a second operating condition;

FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional view of a second closing assembly comprised in the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a machine which comprises the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a partly sectioned lateral view of a smoking article before being worked in the apparatus of FIG. 1, inserted in a seating of a transport member;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the smoking article of FIG. 6, after a rear zone thereof (at the top in the drawing) has been closed by twisting it;

FIG. 8 is a front view of the smoking article of FIG. 7, after its already twisted rear zone has been cut to size;

FIG. 9 is a front view of the smoking article of FIG. 6, after a rear zone thereof (at the top in the drawing) has been cut to size;

FIG. 10 is a front view of the smoking article of FIG. 9, after its rear zone (at the top in the drawing) has been closed by folding its end;

FIG. 11 is a schematic and simplified lateral view of a first closing assembly of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a schematic and simplified lateral view of a cutting assembly of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a schematic and simplified lateral view of a second closing assembly of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 14 is an example block diagram of the operation of an electronic control unit of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

We must clarify that in the present description and in the claims the phraseology and terminology used, such as for example the terms horizontal, vertical, front, rear, high, low and internal, with their declinations, have the sole function of better illustrating the present invention with reference to the drawings and must not be in any way used to limit the scope of the invention itself, or the field of protection defined by the attached claims.

Furthermore, the people of skill in the art will recognize that certain sizes or characteristics in the drawings may have been enlarged, deformed, or shown in an unconventional or non-proportional way in order to provide a version of the present invention that is easier to understand. When sizes and/or values are specified in the following description, the sizes and/or values are provided for illustrative purposes only and must not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention, unless such sizes and/or values are present in the attached claims.

Before describing an embodiment of the present invention, we must also clarify that it must not be considered as limited in its application to the details of the construction and disposition of the components as described in the present description using the attached drawings. In fact, the present invention can take on other embodiments and can be obtained or executed in various other equivalent ways.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can be conveniently combined or incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, an apparatus 10 according to the present invention can be used to automatically package smoking articles 100, and in particular to perform the closure of an open rear zone Z3 thereof, as will be described in detail below.

Furthermore, as schematically shown in FIG. 5, the apparatus 10 is configured to form part of a machine 200 for the preparation of smoking articles 100, which, for example, comprises, in sequence, a feed station 201, a filling station 202, both disposed upstream of the apparatus 10, as well as, disposed downstream of the latter, a distribution station 203 able to deliver the finished smoking articles 100 to a packing station 205, which, possibly, can also be outside the machine 200. Furthermore, in the machine 200 there is a transport apparatus 206 having the function of transporting the smoking articles 100 from the feed station 201 to the packing station 205 along the entire working line, for example in a direction of working X, preferably rectilinear and horizontal.

The feed station 201, the filling station 202, the distribution station 203, the packing station 205 and the transport apparatus 206 can be of any known type, or one that will be developed in the future. Alternatively, the feed station 201, the filling station 202 and/or the transport apparatus 206 can be, for example, as those described in correlated patent applications for industrial invention filed by, or assigned to, the Applicant of the present patent application.

For example, the transport apparatus 206 comprises a transport member 207 (FIGS. from 1 to 6) having the shape and function of a shuttle and configured to slide on a fixed guide 209 in the direction of working X. In the example provided here, the transport member 207 comprises four seatings 210, hollow and made through, each of which has a truncated cone shape with sizes mating with those of a smoking article 100, or at least of a lower part thereof. In the example provided here, the sizes of each seating 210 are such that each smoking article 100, when inserted into the seating 210, protrudes not only from the upper surface of the transport member 207, but also from the lower surface thereof, by a few millimeters (FIG. 6).

It is clear that the number of seatings 210 can also be different from four, it being understood that their number influences the hourly productivity of the machine 200. In fact, if to perform a work cycle in each of the different work stations 201, 202, 203 and 205 and in the apparatus 10, or in a slower one, a determinate cycle time TC expressed in seconds is required, the hourly productivity of the machine 200 will be equal to 3,600 divided by the cycle time TC, multiplied by the number of seatings 210 of each transport member 207. In fact, in the four seatings 210 the work occurs in parallel.

Each seating 210 is symmetrical with respect to a substantially vertical axis Y and is configured to house a smoking article 100 that can be inserted from the top downward, with the rear zone Z3 facing upward (FIG. 6).

The distance D (FIG. 1) between two adjacent seatings 210 is defined in the design phase of the machine 200 and it is suitable to manage the plurality of smoking articles 100, as will be described in detail below.

By way of a non-limiting indication, the machine 200 is able to prepare each smoking article 100 in a very short time, that is, with a cycle time TC of about two seconds, therefore it can have an hourly productivity of about 7,000 smoking articles 100, precisely because four smoking articles 100 are worked simultaneously in each work station 201, 202, 203 and 205 and in the apparatus 10.

Before describing the apparatus 10 and the corresponding method for automatically packaging smoking articles 100 in detail, in order to better understand the present invention we will now schematically describe, by way of a non-limiting example, a smoking article 100 (FIGS. from 6 to 10).

When it arrives in correspondence with the apparatus 10, for example from the filling station 202 (FIG. 5), each smoking article 100 comprises a casing 101 (FIG. 6), made for example with very thin and light paper, or other suitable material. Each casing 101 comprises a front mouthpiece zone Z1, possibly provided with a filter 102, a central zone Z2, which when the smoking article 100 arrives in correspondence with the apparatus 10 is already filled with incoherent material M, such as tobacco, others smokable substances, or a combination thereof, and the rear zone Z3 which is open and is configured to be suitably closed in order to prevent the incoherent material M from exiting the casing 101. Each casing 101, before its rear zone Z3 is closed, has a determinate initial length L1, for example comprised between about 60 mm and about 150 mm, while the smoking article 100, when finished, has a final length LF that depends on its format, which in turn depends both on the quantity of incoherent material M inserted in the casing 101 and also on the type of closure of its rear zone Z3, that is, whether by means of twisting (FIGS. 7 and 8) or by means of folding (FIG. 10).

Each casing 101 has a shape such that it can be easily stacked, for example a truncated cone shape and flared from the front zone Z1 to the rear zone Z3.

The apparatus 10 (FIGS. 1 and 3) essentially comprises a first closing assembly 11, a cutting assembly 12 and a second closing assembly 13, which are disposed in sequence in the direction of working X.

In particular, the first closing assembly 11 is disposed adjacent to the filling station 202 (FIG. 5) and it is configured to close the rear zones Z3 (FIG. 6) of the casings 101, in accordance with a first closing mode, that is, by twisting them; the second closing assembly 13 is disposed adjacent to the distribution station 203 (FIG. 5) and it is configured to close the rear zones Z3 (FIG. 10) of the casings 101, in accordance with a second closing mode, that is, by folding the ends thereof; and the cutting assembly 12 is disposed between the first closing assembly 11 and the second closing assembly 13, and it is configured to cut the rear zones Z3 of the casings 101 to size.

The first closing assembly 11 (FIGS. 1, 2) comprises four closing devices 15 which are the same as each other and are each disposed along a corresponding vertical axis R. The four vertical axes R are distanced from each other by the same distance D by which the seatings 210 of a same transport member 207 are distanced. Between each closing device 15 and the fixed guide 209 there is a first gripping member 16 also aligned with the corresponding vertical axis R.

Each closing device 15 comprises a rotating gripper 17, of a type known per se and provided with jaws 19, which, for example, are internally lined with a high grip material, such as rough rubber.

In accordance with another alternative embodiment of the present invention, not shown in the drawings, each closing device 15 can comprise a series of grippers provided with jaws on which rotating elements are installed, such as, for example, one or more rollers.

Each rotating gripper 17 is configured to tighten the rear zone Z3 of each casing 101 between its jaws 19 and to twist the rear zone Z3 around the vertical axis R, while the smoking article 100 is held still by the corresponding first gripping member 16.

A first actuator 20 (FIG. 11) is mounted on a first vertical plate 21 of a fixed structure and is configured to simultaneously command the four rotating grippers 17.

The four first gripping members 16, in an idle position PH1, are disposed on a same horizontal plane and have the function of being lowered, into a lowered position PA1, in order to simultaneously pick up the four smoking articles 100 housed in the seatings 210 of the transport member 207 which is temporarily under them, and take them, in a raised position PS1, in correspondence with the rotating grippers 17.

The simultaneous lowering and raising of the four first gripping members 16 is commanded by a first movement device 22, which comprises a first slider 23, sliding vertically with respect to the first vertical plate 21 and driven by a second actuator 26, of a known type, mounted on the vertical plate 21.

Each first gripping member 16 comprises at least two jaws 27, the internal part of which is shaped in such a way as to have semi-cylindrical recesses, opposite each other and specular, so that when the two jaws 27 are tightened against each other, their recesses form a gripping seating suitable to pinch the smoking articles 100 without damaging the structural integrity of the casing 101. Also in this case, in order to improve the grip, the internal part of the jaws 27 is internally lined with a high-grip material, for example rough rubber.

The opening and closing of the jaws 27 of the four first gripping members 16 is obtained simultaneously by means of two substantially horizontal slides 29 and 30 mounted sliding axially on the first slider 23. The two slides 29 and 30 are driven by a command member of a known type, for example an electric motor or a linear actuator of the pneumatic or fluid-dynamic type, not shown in the drawings.

The cutting assembly 12 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 12) essentially comprises one or more cutting members 31 (FIG. 12), for example each consisting of a blade, or a shear, of a known type, which are configured to simultaneously cut the rear zones Z3 of the casings 101 of the four smoking articles 100 housed in the transport member 207, after the rear zones Z3 have been twisted by the first closing assembly 11, or before they are closed by the second closing assembly 13, as will be described in detail below.

In the example provided here, the cutting members 31 are mounted on a second slider 32, substantially as wide as a transport member 207, and they are simultaneously driven by a third actuator 33, which is also mounted on the second slider 32.

On the second slider 32 there is also mounted a suction member 35 of a known type and provided with a suction duct 36, having one end disposed in proximity to the zone where the cutting occurs, in order to suck the cut parts, or scraps, produced by the cutting members 31.

The second slider 32, together with the cutting members 31 and the suction member 35, is selectively mobile with respect to a second vertical plate 37 of the fixed structure, between an idle position PR (FIG. 12), in which it is outside the overall size of the smoking articles 100 present on the transport member 207, and an operating position PO, in which the cutting members 31 can cut the rear zone Z3 of the casings 101 to size, and vice versa. The movement of the second slider 32 between the idle position PR and the operating position PO occurs in a direction perpendicular to the direction of working X, by means of a fourth actuator 38, as will be described in detail below.

Both the movement of the second slider 32 and also the activation of the cutting members 31 are coordinated with the movement of the transport member 207, as will be described in detail below.

The second closing assembly 13 comprises four folding devices 39 which are the same as each other and are each disposed along a corresponding vertical axis T. The four vertical axes T are distanced from each other by the same distance D by which the seatings 210 of a same transport member 207 are distanced. Between each folding device 39 and the fixed guide 209 there is a second gripping member 40 which is also aligned with the corresponding vertical axis T (FIGS. 3 and 4).

Each folding device 39 is configured to perform the inward fold of the flaps of the rear zone Z3 of the casing 101, the rear zone Z3 having already been cut to size by the cutting assembly 12.

The four folding devices 39 can be of any known type whatsoever, or one that will be made in the future, capable of performing a so-called “Dutch-crown” fold of the end of the rear zone Z3, and they are commanded, for example, by a fifth actuator 41 (FIGS. 4 and 13) mounted on a third vertical plate 42 of the fixed structure.

In an idle position PH2, the four second gripping members 40 are disposed on a same horizontal plane and they are first configured to be lowered all together toward a lowered position PA2, in which they can simultaneously pick up the four smoking articles 100 housed in the seatings 210 of the transport member 207 which is temporarily below them, and then to be raised up to a raised position PS2, higher than the idle position PH2, in which the four smoking articles 100 that were picked-up are in correspondence with the four folding devices 39.

The simultaneous lowering and raising of the four second gripping members 40 is commanded by a second movement device 43, which comprises a third slider 45, sliding vertically with respect to the third fixed vertical plate 42 and driven by a sixth actuator 47, of a known type, mounted on the latter.

Each second gripping member 40 comprises at least two jaws 49 (FIGS. 3 and 4), the internal part of which is shaped in such a way as to have semi-cylindrical recesses, opposite each other and specular, so that when the two jaws 49 are tightened against each other, their recesses form a gripping seating suitable to pinch the smoking articles 100 without damaging the structural integrity of the casing 101. Also in this case, in order to improve the grip, the internal part of the jaws 49 is internally lined with a high grip material, for example rough rubber.

The opening and closing of the jaws 49 of the four second gripping members 40 is obtained simultaneously by means of two substantially horizontal slides 50 and 51 mounted sliding axially on the third slider 45. The two slides 50 and 51 are driven by a command member of a known type, for example an electric motor or a linear actuator of the pneumatic or fluid-dynamic type, not shown in the drawings.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, in order for the closure by means of folding to be performed correctly and for the four second gripping members 40 to be able to pinch four corresponding smoking articles 100 in the central zone Z2 of the casings 101, regardless of their format, one or more lifting devices 52, of a type known per se, are disposed below the fixed guide 209, which are configured to simultaneously lift the same smoking articles 100. In the example given here, there are four lifting devices 52, but even a single lifting device 52 could be provided, configured to perform the same function.

The lifting devices 52 are disposed on a fixed horizontal plate 53 and they are driven simultaneously by a seventh actuator 55, also disposed on the latter.

The apparatus 10 also comprises an electronic control unit 56 (FIG. 14), for example of the programmable type, configured to control the operation of the first closing assembly 11, of the cutting assembly 12 and of the second closing assembly 13 in order to selectively activate, according to the mode for closing the smoking article 100 that has been selected, alternatively either the first closing assembly 11 or the second closing assembly 13, as will be described in greater detail below with reference to the operation of the apparatus 10.

In particular, the electronic control unit 56 is configured to command the actuators 20, 26, 33, 38, 41, 47 and 55 and, consequently, the other mechanical means operatively connected thereto.

The operation of the apparatus 10 described heretofore, which corresponds to the method according to the present invention, comprises the following steps.

In an initial or idle condition, the first and second gripping members 16 and 40 (FIGS. 11 and 13) are in their idle position PH1 and PH2, respectively, and the second slider 32 of the cutting assembly 12 is in the idle position PR (FIG. 12).

Before starting the operations for closing the casings 101 and cutting their rear zones Z3 to size, the electronic control unit 56 is set so that one of either the first closing assembly 11 or the second closing assembly 13 is activated. Consequently, the apparatus 10 will have two different operations, depending on whether each rear zone Z3 of the casings 101 is to be closed by means of twisting or by means of folding.

In fact, if the closing mode by means of twisting has been set, the transport member 207 is transported to a first position P1 (FIG. 1) exactly below the first closing assembly 11. In this position, the four vertical axes R of the closing devices 15 are coincident with the axes Y of the four seatings 210.

A closing step then takes place under the control of the electronic control unit 56, during which the transport member 207 remains stationary in the first position P1 for an interval of time equal to the cycle time TC necessary for the first closing assembly 11 to perform the simultaneous closure of the four rear zones Z3 of the casings 101 of the same number of smoking articles 100 (FIG. 6), which are housed in the seatings 210 of the transport member 207.

Then, the second actuator 26 (FIG. 11) lowers the first slider 23 and the four gripping members 16 mounted thereon, from the idle position PH1 to the lowered position PA1, in which the slides 29 and 30 are then driven so that they reciprocally move with respect to each other in order to lightly tighten the four smoking articles 100 present in the seatings 210 of the transport member 207 between the jaws 27.

Subsequently, the second actuator 26 raises the first slider 23 together with the four smoking articles 100 gripped by the first gripping members 16, taking the latter from the lowered position PA1 to the raised position PS1, in which the rear zones Z3 of the casings 101 are taken, as a consequence, between the corresponding open jaws 19 of the four rotating grippers 17.

Then, the first actuator 20 closes the jaws 19 on at least one portion of the rear zones Z3 of the casings 101, and the four rotating grippers 17 rotate simultaneously around their vertical axes R, thus twisting the four rear zones Z3 (FIG. 7), closing them.

Then, with operations that are inverse to those described heretofore, the rotating grippers stop, the jaws 19 reopen and the first slider 23 is lowered in order to return the four already closed smoking articles 100 to their initial position, that is, inside their seatings 210 of the transport member 207, after which the first gripping members 16 are returned to the idle position PH1.

Once the closing step described above is completed, the transport member 207 (FIG. 1) is displaced in a known way in the direction of working X toward the cutting assembly 12 by a pitch PT, which in the example provided here is equal to four times the distance D between two adjacent seatings 210 of the transport member 207, in order to reach a second position P2, exactly below the center of the cutting assembly 12.

A cutting step then takes place under the control of the electronic control unit 56, during which the fourth actuator 38 lowers the second slider 32, together with the cutting members 31, from the idle position PR to the operating position PO, taking the latter exactly in correspondence with the point of the rear zones Z3 of the casings 101 in which to perform the cutting thereof.

Then, in the operating position PO, both the third actuator 33 and also the suction member 35 are driven, the former activating the cutting members 31 to cut the rear zones Z3 to size, the latter sucking and removing the cut portion, or scrap, of the same rear zones Z3, thus making the four smoking articles 100 assume the final length LF (FIG. 8).

Once the cutting step has been completed, the fourth actuator 38 raises the second slider 32 together with the cutting members 31 and takes them back to their initial idle position PR (FIG. 12). In addition, the transport member 207 is displaced by two other pitches PT in the direction of working X, up to the distribution station 203 (FIG. 5), after having passed through the second closing assembly 13, without stopping there.

As an alternative to what described above, if the closing mode by means of folding has been set in the electronic control unit 56, the transport member 207, instead of being transported to the first position P1 (FIG. 1), is immediately transported to the second position P2 (FIGS. 1 and 3), in which the cutting of the rear zones Z3 of the casings 101 that are still open and not twisted occurs.

For this closing mode, the cutting step is the same as the one described above. Subsequently, once the cutting is completed, the transport member 207 is transported from the second position P2 to a third position P3 (FIG. 3), exactly below the second closing assembly 13. In this position, the four vertical axes T of the folding devices 39 are coincident with the axes Y of the four seatings 210 of the transport member 207.

A closing step then takes place under the control of the electronic control unit 56, during which the transport member 207 remains stationary in the third position P3 for an interval of time equal to the cycle time TC necessary for the second closing assembly 13 to perform the simultaneous closure, by means of folding, of the four rear zones Z3 of the casings 101 of the same number of smoking articles 100 (FIG. 9), which are housed in the seatings 210 of the transport member 207.

Then, the sixth actuator 47 (FIG. 13) lowers the third slider 45 and the four second gripping members 40 mounted thereon, from the idle position PH2 to the lowered position PA2, in which the slides 50 and 51 are then driven so that they move reciprocally with respect to each other in order to lightly tighten the four smoking articles 100 present in the seatings 210 of the transport member 207 between the jaws 49.

If necessary, simultaneously with the lowering of the third slider 45 and, therefore, of the four second gripping members 40 into the lowered position PA2, the seventh actuator 55 drives the lifting devices 52 to simultaneously lift the four smoking articles 100 so that the grip of the jaws 49 occurs in the central zone Z2 of the casings 101.

Subsequently, the sixth actuator 47 raises the third slider 45 together with the four smoking articles 100 gripped by the second gripping members 40, taking the latter from the lowered position PA2 to the raised position PS2, in which the rear zones Z3 of the casings 101 are taken, as a consequence, in correspondence with the four folding devices 39.

Then, the fifth actuator 41 drives the four folding devices 39 which perform a fold of at least one flap of the rear zone Z3 of the casings 101 of the four smoking articles 100 (FIG. 10).

Then, with operations that are inverse to those described heretofore, the third slider 45 is lowered in order to return the four already closed smoking articles 100 to their initial position, that is, inside their seatings 210 of the transport member 207, after which the second gripping members 40 are returned to the idle position PH2.

Once the step of closing by means of folding has been completed, the transport member 207 is displaced by another pitch PT (FIG. 3), in the direction of working X, toward the distribution station 203 (FIG. 5).

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts or steps may be made to the apparatus 10 and to the method as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

For example, the electronic control unit 56 could be set so that, after having activated the first closing assembly 11 in order to close the rear zone Z3, and after having driven the cutting assembly 12, the second closing assembly 13 is also activated, but not to close the rear zone, which is already closed, but only to fold the part of the latter that is already twisted and already cut to size.

Therefore, the apparatus 10 allows, in a very versatile way, to produce four different types of smoking articles 100, in which the casings 101 are closed according to the first mode or the second mode.

These four types are listed below:

- A—standard closure by means of simple twisting of the rear zone Z3 of each casing 101 (twist);
- B—closure by means of twisting of the rear zone Z3 of each casing 101 as in A (twist) and subsequent cutting of the excess part of the same rear zone Z3;
- C—closure by means of twisting as in A or B and subsequent folding;
- D—closure by means of folding of the rear zone Z3 of each casing 101 (Dutch-crown), possibly previously cut to size.

In the smoking articles 100 closed as in A, B or C, the rear zone Z3 is closed by means of twisting, possibly cut (in B), and/or optionally folded (in C). In the smoking articles 100 closed as in D, the rear zone Z3 is, on the other hand, closed by means of folding after having been suitably cut.

As is evident from the previous detailed description, in the closing mode referred to in point A listed above, the electronic control unit 56 drives only the first closing assembly 11, in the closing mode referred to in point B listed above, the electronic control unit 56 drives the first closing assembly 11 and the cutting assembly 12, in the closing mode referred to in point C listed above, the electronic control unit 56 drives all three assemblies 11, 12 and 13, while in the closing mode referred to in point D listed above, the electronic control unit 56 drives only the cutting assembly 12 and the second closing assembly 13.

Furthermore, we must clarify that, while the first assembly 11 for closing by means of twisting, the cutting assembly 12 and the second assembly 13 for closing by means of folding have to be disposed in sequence and respecting this order, they can also be non-consecutive. In fact, other devices, apparatuses and/or work stations of the machine 200 could be positioned between them, such as for example a control station, a pressing station, and suchlike.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to a specific example, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of apparatus and method for packaging smoking articles, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby. In the following claims, the sole purpose of the references in brackets is to facilitate reading and they must not be considered as restrictive factors with regard to the field of protection claimed in the specific claims.

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKAGING SMOKING ARTICLES

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