Marchesini Group S.p.a

Neri S.p.a.

Marchesinl Group S.p.a.

I.m.a. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.a.

Tonazzi Vasquali S.r.l.

Open Business Exchange Limited

Marchasini Group S.p.a.

Giuseppe Monti

Andrea Prati

Rita Cucchiara

Paolo Piccinini

A method and apparatus for filling bottles with a predetermined number of pharmaceutical articles comprises positioning a separating wall with respect to descent channels so that a first accumulation chamber and a second accumulation chamber can respectively receive pharmaceutical articles from a different number of descent channels. The two accumulation chambers will accumulate pharmaceutical articles at differing rates. When one accumulation chamber has accumulated the predetermined number of pharmaceutical articles, the method comprises: unloading the pharmaceutical articles into the first bottle, positioning a second bottle paused beneath the unloading conduit, and then, as soon as the predetermined number of pharmaceutical articles has been accumulated in the other accumulation chamber, unloading the pharmaceutical articles of the other accumulation chamber into the second bottle.

Method for filling bottles with a predetermined number of pharmaceutical articles and an apparatus for actuating the method

A pushing apparatus () for pushing and transferring products, comprising: a pusher element (A), conformed so as to abut a side of a product (P), or a group (P) of products, arranged on a conveyor (C) and which is to be pushed and transferred along a transfer direction (Z) transversal to the conveyor (C); a counter-pusher element (B), conformed and dimensioned so as to be positionable above and facing the product (P), or the group (P) of products, arranged on the conveyor (C) and follow the product (P), or the group of products, during at least a part of the transfer thereof along the transfer direction (Z) that is transversal to the conveyor (C) by means of the pusher element (A). The pushing apparatus () comprises a linear driving unit (U) for movement of the pusher element (A) and the counter-pusher element (B).

Pushing apparatus for pushing and transferring

A cable-driven robot exhibits a base structure, a movable operating element, and a plurality of cables each having a first end fixed to the movable operating element. The robot includes a plurality of movement units for the cables, at least one having a frame hinged to the base structure pivotingly about a vertical hinge axis and further having a motor mounted on the frame and comprising a rotation shaft. The one movement unit further includes at least one pulley mounted rotatably on the frame so as to be connected to the motor rotation shaft. The pulley has a fixing point in which a second end of one of the cables is fixed and has a groove conformed and dimensioned so as to accommodate and receive, internally thereof, only a winding portion of the cable comprising a series of winding turns that are concentric and overlapping one another.

Cable-driven robot

A cable-driven robot includes a base structure, a plurality of cables, a movable element suspended by cables, and a system with a plurality of movement units for moving the cables and the movable operating element with respect to the base structure. At least one movement unit has a frame hinged to the base structure for swinging about a hinge axis. A motor mounted on the frame has a rotation shaft and at least one cable winding/unwinding element. The latter includes a drum mounted on the frame and rotatable by the shaft of the motor. The drum has a lateral surface with a helical groove extending coaxially with respect to the axis of the drum and defining a series of hollow turns each conformed to receive and contain internally thereof a corresponding winding turn of the cable during the winding/unwinding of the cable about the drum.

A sterilization tunnel has an inlet opening for pharmaceutical containers to be sterilised, an outlet opening, a high-temperature sterilisation chamber and a cooling chamber in line therewith and communicating with the outlet opening. A conveyor means transports the containers through the sterilisation chamber and the cooling chamber up to the outlet opening. A transfer plane is positionable in a first configuration aligned with the conveyor to transfer the containers out of the tunnel through the outlet opening. A shutter opens and closes the outlet opening. The transfer plane is movable and positionable in a second configuration inside the cooling chamber and misaligned with respect to the conveyor. When the transfer plane is inside the cooling chamber, the shutter is lowerable in abutment with a seal element.

Sterilisation tunnel of pharmaceutical containers

An apparatus for use in the packaging industry comprises a first member for collecting a tubular box in a flattened configuration from a store positions the tubular box in a lowered position, retaining the box with first suction means at a first wall of the box. A second member, a third member and a fourth member are provided for movement of a fifth member which, when activated in rotation, abuts and retains, via second suction means a second wall of the tubular box, causing it to rotate with respect to the first wall, to open out the tubular box. A sixth member is included, with third suction means which is moved by a system to abut and retain the box in the opened-out configuration and transfer it, following the disengagement of the first member and of the fifth member, at a receiving station.

Apparatus for collecting a tubular box in a flattened configuration from a store, for opening out the tubular box and for transferring the box to a receiving station

The cable-driven robot () comprises: a base structure (); a plurality of cables (C; C); a movable element (EM) which is maintained suspended by means of the plurality of cables (C; C); a movement system () for moving the cables (C; C), and thus for moving the movable operating element (EM) in space, comprising a plurality of winding elements () of the cables (C; C) which are activatable in rotation for winding/unwinding the cables (C, C). At least a cable (C) of the plurality of cables (C; C) is realised in such a way as to comprise a central core () and an outer cladding jacket (). The central core () is made of a conductive material so as to enable the transmission of electrical current and/or a command signal to an end of the cable (C) connected to the movable element (EM), while the outer cladding jacket () is made of a braided synthetic material so as provide the cable (C) with resistance to traction and flexion loads.

Filler apparatus includes plural descent channels receiving pharmaceutical articles falling from transport channels of a vibrating conveyor. Sensors detect the articles inside the descent channels. A container has a mouth receiving the articles from the descent channels, a first chamber with a first discharge, a second chamber with a second discharge, and a separating wall dividing the mouth into a first entry section, for the first chamber, and a second entry section, for the second chamber. The wall is disposable either in a first position, wherein the entry sections can receive articles from an identical number of descent channels, and at least in a second position, wherein the entry sections can receive pharmaceutical articles from different numbers of descent channels.

Counter-filler apparatus for counting pharmaceutical articles and for inserting the articles internally of bottles

Transferring stickpacks from a packaging machine to a conveyor for supply to a boxing machine entails continuously activating the conveyor in an advancement direction so that housings of the conveyor continuously transit beneath hoppers. Stickpacks fall from chute channels at an outlet of the packaging machine and collect in respective hoppers. Positions of the housings with respect to the hoppers are determined. Unloading hatches of the hoppers are sequentially opened so that the stickpacks present in the hoppers fall into respective housings beneath the hoppers during the continuous advancement of the conveyor in the advancement direction.

Method for transferring stickpacks from an outlet of a packaging machine to a conveyor means continuously activated for supply to a boxing machine, and a transfer station of the stickpacks

The apparatus () for introducing deformable products (B), such as blister packs and informative sheets (F), internally of relative packs (A) comprises first pusher elements (), mounted on a first looped conveyor organ (), and first movement means (), associated to the first conveyor organ () for moving the first pusher elements (), transversally to the advancement direction (V) thereof, so that they can abut the products (B) and push the products (B) internally of relative packs (A). The apparatus () comprises second pusher elements () mounted on a second looped conveyor organ () which is arranged with respect to the first conveyor organ () such that the second pusher elements () are arranged above the corresponding first pusher elements (). Second movement means (), associated to the second conveyor organ (), are included for moving the second pusher elements (), transversally to the advancement direction (V) thereof, so that they can abut the sheets (F) and push the sheets (F) internally of relative packs (A).

Method for introducing articles into packs

A cable-driven robot has a base, a platform movable with respect to the base, a plurality of motors mounted on the base, and a plurality of movement cables of the platform each fixed at a first end at a respective fixing point to the platform and at a second end thereof to a respective motor. The robot further includes a shaft rotatably mounted on the platform, a supplementary movement cable, and a supplementary activating motor mounted at a respective position on the base. The supplementary movement cable is fixed, at a first end, to the supplementary activating motor and is wound with a portion of its length on the shaft.

A transport system for cylindrical products to be labelled includes a first conveyor and a second conveyor. The first conveyor has pairs of support members for supporting the cylindrical products, which are predisposed parallel to one another and mutually distanced so as to identify a free space between them. The second conveyor is a looped conveyor having an upper branch and arranged with the free space present between the pairs of support members and comprises pairs of idle rollers which, when moving along the upper branch, are interposed with each support member pair. The upper branch has an ascending portion so that the rollers can abut the products transported by the support member pairs and raise the products from the housings so that the products are supported only by idle rollers when they transit at an abutting means of a label applicator.

Transport system of cylindrical products to be labelled

Apparatus for extracting stacked articles from cardboard containers includes a store receiving the containers with a bottom closed by a tab; a rest and sliding plane substantially vertical and transversal to the store; a channel in a second unloading position, distant from the first pick-up position, for unloading the articles in the containers; abutting and folding means, lateral to the store near the first pick-up position for abutting and folding about the tab and opening the bottoms of the containers; an abutting plane substantially horizontal and transversal to the rest and sliding plane and lateral to the store between the first pick-up position and the unloading channel, to retain the articles inside the containers once the bottoms are open, and having an opening at the inlet of the unloading channel.

Apparatus for extracting stacked articles from a cardboard container

A tag to be fixed to a connecting thread to a filter bag for infusion products has a flat body delimited by a perimeter edge; a first slit, starting from a first point of a side of the perimeter edge; a second slit and a third slit, starting from respective points of such side of the perimeter edge arranged on opposite sides with respect to the first starting point of the first slit. At least one of the second and third slits exhibits, starting from the respective starting point on said side, a progression and a development directed towards a point of a straight line in the plane of the body of the tag and perpendicular to said side at the first starting point of the first slit; the first slit, the second slit and the third slit being such as to enable passage there-through of a connecting thread, for fixing the tag to the thread.

Method for fastening a tag to a connecting thread to a filter bag for infusion products, a tag-thread assembly for a filter bag and a method for fixing the tag to a connecting thread with a filter bag

A transfer device raises batteries of flat boxes inside a carton so that one battery at a time is in a waiting position beyond an open upper face of the carton at an inlet line of a boxing machine. A frame is predisposed to translate above the positioning station and the inlet line between a first position above the waiting position and a second position above the inlet line. Grippers on the frame both grip and retain a box battery at two ends thereof and release the battery. The grippers are activated, with the frame in the first position, to grip and retain the battery of boxes at its two ends and, with the frame in the second position, to release the battery into the inlet line.

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Pianoro, Italy

Giuseppe Monti