Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.a.

Massimo Pradelli

Fabrizio Rimondi

Paolo Fontanazzi

Richard John Pedretti

Giorgio Mattioli

Andrea Catellani

Lars Jeppsson

Franco Santi

Davide Borghi

Stefano Flore

Dino Neri

Massimiliano Barbi

John Richard Pedretti

Mauro Ferrari

Massimilliano Michelini

Fabio Ricci Curbastro

Fabio Curbastro Ricci

Alessandro Galata′

Curbastro Fabio Ricci

Massimiliano Michelini

Alessandro Galata'

There is described a packaging assembly configured to form and seal a plurality of packs for containing a pourable food product starting from a tube of packaging material; the packaging assembly comprises a pair of tracks and at least a pair of moving elements, which are cyclically movable along the tracks, respectively; each moving element comprises one forming unit configured to cooperate with the tube so as to surround a portion of the tube destined to form a main portion of one respective pack; and one sealing unit configured to cooperate with the tube to sequentially seal the tube at predetermined consecutive cross sections, each pair of consecutive cross sections forming opposite sealing bands of one respective pack; each forming unit is mounted onto the respective moving element in a linearly movable manner towards and away from the sealing unit mounted onto the same moving element.

Packaging assembly for forming and sealing a plurality of packs containing a pourable food product

There is described a unit () for forming/advancing at least one pack () or at least one portion of a pack (), comprising a frame (), a selectively activatable/deactivatable source of power () and at least one carriage () operationally coupled with source of power (), movable along a path () comprising at least one vertical portion (), and adapted to convey said at least one pack () or said at least one portion of a pack (); unit () comprises stopping means () fitted to frame () and which can be operated: to leave carriage () free to advance along vertical portion (), when source of power () is activated, and to stop carriage () along vertical portion (), when source of power is, in use, deactivated.

Unit and method for forming/advancing a pack or a portion of a pack

There is described a packaging apparatus () for forming sealed packages () from a tube (). The packaging apparatus () has an endless conveyor device () arranged in a conveyor zone (), conveying carts () and operative units () moved by the plurality of conveying carts () along a path (P, Q). Each operative unit () moves between an operative configuration, in which the operative unit () manipulates the tube () and a rest configuration in which the operative unit () is detached from the tube (). Each operative unit () has a half-shell () and one of a sealing element () or a counter-sealing element () and each operative unit () is carried by one respective conveying cart () and extends laterally away therefrom so that the conveyor zone () is laterally spaced apart from an operative zone () where the tube is manipulated.

Packaging apparatus for forming sealed packages from a tube of packaging material

There is described a forming assembly () for forming a plurality of sealed packs () starting from a tube () of packaging material, comprising first conveying means () movable along a first path (Q) comprising: a first operative branch (Q), which has a main elongation direction parallel to an advancing direction (A) of the tube (); and a first return branch (Q) comprising an initial portion () which is arranged immediately downstream of the operative branch (Q) and extends transversally to the advancing direction (A); first conveying means (') comprise one of a sealing element () or a counter-sealing element (); and a first half-shell (), which is movable along the operative branch (Q) between: a first rest position, in which it is detached from the tube () or the formed pack (); and a first operative position, in which it grips the tube () or the formed pack (); the first half-shell () is arranged in the first operative position along a first portion () of the first operative branch (Q); the first half-shell () is kept in the first operative position along an initial portion (), so as to grip and convey the pack () in a staggered position with respect to the advancing direction (A); and moves, from the first operative position to the rest position at an end () of the initial portion () opposite to the first portion (), so as to discharge the pack () in a staggered position with respect to the advancing direction (A).

Forming assembly and method for forming a plurality of sealed packs for pourable food products starting from a tube of packaging material

A feeding unit for receiving sealed packs of pourable food products from a forming unit arranged to form the packs and feed the packs to a folding unit arranged to fold the packs so as to obtain folded packages, the feeding unit comprising a feeding conveyor to carry the packs towards the folding unit, wherein the feeding unit further comprises a driving arrangement interacting with the packs so as to pull the packs from the forming unit and push the packs towards the feeding conveyor.

Feeding unit for feeding sealed packs of pourable food products

A transporting apparatus comprises a track () and at least one movable element () movable along said track (), said movable element () comprising a supporting body (), said track () comprising a first guiding surface () and a further first guiding surface (lib) facing towards said supporting body (), a second guiding surface () and a further second guiding surface () facing away from said supporting body (), and a third guiding surface () arranged transversally to said first guiding surface () and said second guiding surface () and a further third guiding surface () arranged transversally to said further first guiding surface (lib) and said further second guiding surface (), wherein said movable element () comprises a first couple of rollers () slidably coupled to said first guiding surface (), a further first couple of rollers () slidably coupled to said further first guiding surface (lib), a second couple of rollers () slidably coupled to said second guiding surface (), a further second couple of rollers () slidably coupled to said further second guiding surface (), a third couple of rollers () slidably coupled to said third guiding surface () and a further third couple of rollers () slidably coupled to said further third guiding surface ().

Transporting apparatus

A folding unit for producing folded packages of pourable food products from sealed packs, comprising: movable conveyor which are fed with a plurality of packs at an input station, which feed packs along a forming path and output folded packages at an output station; and folder cooperating with each pack to perform at least one folding operation on pack comprising: at least one pair of shells which are integrally movable along the forming path and are movable relative to each other along a direction transversal to the forming path; shells of each pair may be set along the direction in: a fully closed position in which they exert a pressure onto a relative pack, so as to at least complete a folding operation onto relative pack; and an open position in which they are detached from the corresponding folded package.

Folding unit and method for producing pourable food product packages

There is described a conveyor for an article handling unit, comprising an endless transport element fed with a plurality of articles at an input station and advancing the articles along a handling path to an output station; the transport element is formed by a plurality of modules, each comprising a supporting member adapted to receive in use a relative article to be handled; each module further comprises a rotating element mounted in a rotatable manner onto the supporting member to produce a change of orientation of the relative article before to release it at the output station.

Conveyor for an article handling unit, in particular for a folding unit for producing packages of pourable food products

A folding unit for producing packages of pourable food products from sealed packs having each a main portion and opposite end portions arranged on opposite sides of the main portion; each pack comprises a fin and a pair of flaps projecting laterally from main portion; a first movable conveying member fed with a plurality of packs and which feeds the pack along a forming path; and folder which interacts with each pack along forming path to fold relative first end fin onto the portion; the folder comprising: a first member movable along forming path together with the conveying member and defining a slot receiving, in use, end fin; and a second member movable relative to first member between a first position in which it engages at least partially slot, so as to fold end fin onto a relative end portion, and a second position in which it leaves free slot.

Folding unit for pourable food product packaging machines

A folding unit for producing packages of pourable food products from sealed packs having main portion and opposite end portions; each pack comprising, for each end portion, a fin and a pair of flaps projecting laterally from main portion; unit comprises: a conveyor fed with a plurality of packs and which feeds the pack along a forming path; and a folder interacting with each pack to fold relative end fin onto a relative end portion; conveyor comprises first and second links articulated to each other; second link is arranged downstream of first link, relative to a first advancing direction of conveyor; folder comprises: a slot defined by first link to receive end fin; and a slide operatively connected to second link and movable between a first position at least partially engaging slot, to fold end fin onto a relative end portion, and a second position detached from slot.

Packaging material configured to be folded and sealed to produce a gable-top package for pourable food products comprises a web of material provided with a crease pattern along which the web of material is foldable. The crease pattern includes first and second transverse fold lines extending transversely across the material web, and a plurality of longitudinal fold lines extending longitudinally away from the first transverse fold line toward the opposite longitudinal end of the web of material, with adjacent pairs of the longitudinal fold lines defining respective walls of the gable-top package when the packaging material is folded and sealed. The crease pattern also includes a pair of oblique fold lines extending obliquely from the first transverse fold line to the second transverse fold line such that an area enclosing triangular panels is bounded by the oblique lines and portions of the first and second transverse fold lines.

Packaging material with crease pattern

A folding assembly for producing a gable portion of a sealed package of pourable product, wherein the gable portion has first and second walls sloping with respect to each other and joined at a seal, and a flap connecting lateral edges of the first and second walls. The folding assembly is supplied with packs, each having an axis and, at one end and on opposite sides of the axis, two end portions which are folded to form the gable portion, with the end portions having, respectively, a first and a second portion to be folded, which are joined by a lateral face of the pack. The folding assembly includes a folding mechanism which interacts, on opposite sides of the axis, with the first and second portion of the pack to fold the second portion onto the lateral face, and the first portion onto the second portion to form the flap.

Folding assembly and method for producing a gable portion of a sealed  package of a pourable food product

A folding unit for producing sealed packages of pourable food products from respective packs, each having a main portion folded into a desired shape, and opposite end portions to be folded to form respective folded ends of a relative finished package. The unit has a first folding station, in turn having a first retaining mechanism for securing each pack by a relative first end portion, and a first folding mechanism for folding a relative second end portion of the pack. The unit also has a second folding station located downstream from the first folding station in the traveling direction of the packs, a second retaining mechanism for securing each pack by the relative folded second end portion, and a second folding mechanism for folding the relative first end portion.

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Reggio Emilia, Italy

Massimo Pradelli