초록 ▼

A machine for making single use capsules (1) for extract or infusion beverages comprises: a transport element (8) for transporting rigid containers (2) and configured to define a plurality of pockets (10) for receiving the rigid containers (2) and which are positioned one after the other, in success

A machine for making single use capsules (1) for extract or infusion beverages comprises: a transport element (8) for transporting rigid containers (2) and configured to define a plurality of pockets (10) for receiving the rigid containers (2) and which are positioned one after the other, in succession, each having a respective vertical axis (Z10); a plurality of stations which are positioned along a path (P) followed by the transport element (8) and which are configured for operating in phase with the same transport element (8) and comprising: a feed station (11) for feeding the rigid containers (2) into respective pockets (10) of the transport element (8); a dosing station (12) for dosing the product into the rigid container (2); a closing station (13) for closing the rigid container (2) with a length of sheet (7); an outfeed station (14) which withdraws the capsules (1) from the transport element (8); the outfeed station (14) comprises a contact head (21) for contacting and picking a capsule (1) from a respective pocket (10) of the transport element (8) and placing the capsule (1) on a receiving table (20).

대표청구항 ▼

1. A beverage capsule machine for making single use capsules (1, 1′) for extract or infusion beverages such as coffee or tea, comprising a rigid, cup-shaped container (2) having a bottom (3) and an upper aperture (4) provided with a rim (5), a dose (6) of extract or infusion product contained inside

1. A beverage capsule machine for making single use capsules (1, 1′) for extract or infusion beverages such as coffee or tea, comprising a rigid, cup-shaped container (2) having a bottom (3) and an upper aperture (4) provided with a rim (5), a dose (6) of extract or infusion product contained inside the rigid container (2) and a length of sheet (7) for closing the upper aperture (4) of the rigid container (2), the machine comprising: a transport element (8) for transporting rigid containers (2) and being closed in a loop around power driven transmission wheels (9) for moving the transport element (8); wherein the transport element (8) is configured to define a plurality of pockets (10) for receiving the rigid containers (2) and which are positioned one after the other, in succession, each having a respective vertical axis (Z10) and a plurality of stations which are positioned along a path (P) followed by the transport element (8) and which are configured for operating in phase with the same transport element (8) and comprising: a feed station (11) for feeding the rigid containers (2) into respective pockets (10) of the transport element (8); a dosing station (12) for dosing the product into the rigid container (2); a closing station (13) where the upper aperture (4) of the rigid container (2) is closed with the length of sheet (7); and an outfeed station (14) which withdraws the capsules (1, 1′) from the transport element (8); wherein the outfeed station (14) comprises: a first wheel (22) equipped with at least one contact head (21) for contacting and picking a capsule (1) from a respective pocket (10) of the transport element (8) and placing the capsule (1) on a receiving table (20); wherein the first wheel is further equipped with a first articulated member (23) for moving the at least one contact head (21) from an advanced position to contact and pick the capsule (1) from the respective pocket (10) of the transport element (8) and to place the capsule (1) on the receiving table (20), to a withdrawn position when the contact head (21) is in transit; wherein the first wheel (22) is configured to rotate the at least one contact head (21) and the first articulated member (23) and to carry the at least one contact head (21) from the pocket (10) of the transport element (8) to the receiving table (20) along a first stretch (P24A) of path, and from the receiving table (20) to the transport element (8) along a second stretch (P24R) of path; anda second wheel (24) equipped with at least one further contact head (21′) to contact and pick a further capsule (1′) from a respective pocket (10) of the transport element (8) and place the further capsule (1′) on the receiving table (20); wherein the second wheel is further equipped with a second articulated member (23′) for moving the at least one further contact head (21′) from an advanced position to contact and pick the further capsule (1′) from the respective pocket (10) of the transport element (8) and to place the further capsule (1′) on the receiving table (20), to a withdrawn position when the further contact head (21′) is in transit; wherein the second wheel (24) is configured to rotate the at least one further contact head (21′) and the second articulated member (23′) and to carry the at least one further contact head (21′) from the pocket (10) of the transport element (8) to the receiving table (20) along a further first stretch (P24A′) of path, and from the receiving table (20) to the transport element (8) along a further second stretch (P24R′) of path; wherein the first wheel (22) and the second wheel (24) are equipped with respective power driven shafts (25, 26) which are in phase with each other and which rotate in the same direction of rotation (R25, R26) to allow the at least one contact head (21) and the at least one further contact head (21′) to place capsules (1) and further capsules (1′) on the receiving table (20), respectively, the further capsules (1′) being alternated, juxtaposed and oriented in the opposite direction relative to the capsules (1) on the receiving table (20). 2. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the receiving table (20) is located above the transport element (8); the receiving table (20) being located at a distance (D20) from an axis of rotation (X25) of the first wheel (22) and from an axis of rotation (X26) of the second wheel (24), such as to allow the at least one contact head (21) and the at least one further contact heads (21′) in the withdrawn position to pass freely without interfering with the receiving table (20). 3. The machine according to claim 1, comprising moving elements (30) for moving the receiving table (20) between an advanced position for receiving the capsule (1) and the further capsule (1′), where an end portion (20a) of the receiving table (20) acts in conjunction with the at least one contact head (21) and the at least one further contact head (21′), respectively, and a withdrawn position, where the end portion (20a) of the receiving table (20) does not act in conjunction with the at least one contact head (21) and with the at least one further contact head (21′), respectively. 4. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the receiving table (20) comprises a conveyor belt (31) configured to transport the capsules (1) and the further capsules (1′) away from the first wheel (22) and from the second wheel (24) along a direction transversal to a feed direction of the transport element (8). 5. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the first wheel (22) and the second wheel (24) are keyed to respective power-driven continuous movement shafts (25, 26), with horizontal axes (X25, X26), in phase with the transport element (8) which is moved continuously by the power-driven transmission wheels (9). 6. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the first articulated member (23) and the second articulated member (23′) each comprising a first pair (27) of articulated arms (27′, 27″) and a second pair (28) of articulated arms (28′, 28″) having corresponding points of connection (P27, P28) located on the first wheel (22) and on the second wheel (24), respectively; the at least one contact head (21) being associated with one of the arms (27′, 27″, 28′, 28″) of the first pair (27) and of the second pair (28) of the first articulated member (23) and the at least one further contact head (21′) being associated with one of the arms (27′, 27″, 28′, 28″) of the first pair (27) and of the second pair (28) of the second articulated member (23′) in such a way as to give the at least one contact head (21) and the further contact head (21′) two degrees of freedom and allow it to adopt the aforementioned advanced and withdrawn positions while at the same time allowing it to perform an adaptive movement according to the rotational movement of the first wheel (22) and of the second wheel (24), respectively. 7. The machine according to claim 6, wherein the first pair (27) of articulated arms (27′, 27″) and the second pair (28) of articulated arms (28′, 28″) have corresponding points of connection (P27, P28) which are superposed on the first wheel (22) and on the second wheel (24), respectively, and which are, in particular positioned along a common axis, parallel to an axis of rotation (X25, X26) of the first wheel (22) and of the second wheel (24), respectively. 8. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the at least one contact head (21) and the at least one further contact head (21′) are equipped with a suction member (29) for holding the capsules (1) and the further capsules (1′), respectively. 9. A process for picking and placing single use capsules (1) for extract or infusion beverages, made in a machine (100) comprising a transport element (8) closed in a loop around a power-driven transmission element (9) designed to move the transport element (8); the transport element (8) being configured to define a plurality of pockets (10), for receiving the capsules (1), which are positioned one after the other, in succession, and each of which has a respective vertical axis (Z10), characterized in that it comprises the following steps: picking the capsules (1) from respective pockets (10) of the transport element (8) through the agency of at least one contact head (21) connected to a first articulated member (23) of a first wheel (22);moving the capsules (1) away from the respective pockets (10) by a movement of the first articulated member (23) combined with a rotation of the first wheel (22) in a first direction (R25);transporting the capsules (1) held by the at least one contact head (21) along a first stretch (P24A) of path with a curved trajectory, which allows a first rotation of the capsules (1) through a first angle (a) towards a receiving table (20);placing the capsules (1) on the receiving table (20) through the agency of the at least one contact head (21) at the end of the first stretch (P24A) of path;picking further capsules (1′) from respective pockets (10) of the transport element (8) through the agency of at least one further contact head (21′) connected to a second articulated member (23′) of a second wheel (24); the further capsules (1′) being picked downstream of the capsules (1) relative to a feed direction (PA) of the transport element (8);moving the further capsules (1′) away from the respective pockets (10) by a further movement of the further movement means (23′) combined with a rotation of the second wheel (24) in a second direction (R26) which is the same as the first direction of rotation (R25) of the first wheel (22), the first wheel (22) being mounted alongside the second wheel (24);transporting the further capsules (1′) held by the at least one further contact head (21′) along a further first stretch (P24A′) of path with a curved trajectory, which allows a second rotation of the further capsules (1′) through a second angle (p), different from the first angle (a), towards the receiving table (20);placing the further capsules (1′) on the receiving table (20) through the agency of the at least one further contact head (21′) at the end of the further first stretch (P24A′) of path, the further capsules (1′) being alternated, juxtaposed and oriented in the opposite direction relative to the capsules (1) on the receiving table (20); andfeeding out the capsules (1) and the further capsules (1′) along the receiving table (20) away from the first wheel (22) and the second wheel (24). 10. The process according to claim 9, wherein the second angle (β) is 360° minus the first angle (a). 11. The process according to claim 9, comprising a step of alternately moving the receiving table (20) between an advanced position for receiving the capsule (1) and the further capsule (1′), where an end portion (20a) of the receiving table (20) acts in conjunction with the at least one contact head (21) and the at least one further contact head (21′), respectively, and a withdrawn position, where the end portion (20a) of the receiving table (20) does not act in conjunction with the at least one contact head (21) and with the at least one further contact head (21′), respectively. 12. The process according to claim 9, wherein the transport element (8), the first wheel (22) and the second wheel (24) are continuously movable. 13. The process according to claim 9, wherein the steps of picking the capsules (1) and the further capsules (1′) from the respective pockets (10) is performed in by the at least one contact head (21) and by the at least one further contact head (21′), respectively, relative to the continuously movable transport element (8).