System for producing and packing articles

Abstract

A cigarette manufacturing and packing system having a connecting unit connected to a data-gathering computer; a sensor device for detecting a code identifying a work material; and a signalling device for emitting a signal relative to an instant the work material starts to be used; the connecting unit acts as a server to make available to the data-gathering computer, for a given length of time, the data received from the sensor device and the signalling device.

1 ) A system—line—for producing and packing tobacco articles, the system ( 1 ) comprising at least one manufacturing machine ( 2   a ;  2   b ); at least one machine ( 2   c ;  2   d ;  2   e ) for packing said articles; at least one data-gathering computer ( 6 ); a first communication network ( 5 ) to which the data-gathering computer ( 6 ) is connected; and at least one sensor device ( 7 ) for detecting a code (C) identifying a work material ( 8 ), and for emitting a relative signal;
 the system ( 1 ) being characterized by comprising:   at least a first signalling device ( 9   a ;  9   b ) for emitting a signal relative to an instant the system ( 1 ) starts using the work material ( 8 ); and   a connecting unit ( 10 ) connected to the first communication network ( 5 ), to the sensor device ( 7 ), and to the signalling device ( 9   a ;  9   b );   the connecting unit ( 10 ) receiving and memorizing data (D 1 , D 2 ) relative to the code (C) identifying the work material ( 8 ), and to the instant the system ( 1 ) starts using the work material ( 8 ); and the connecting unit ( 10 ) making the memorized said data (D 1 , D 2 ) available to allow the data-gathering computer ( 6 ) to acquire the data (D 1 , D 2 ) over the first communication network ( 5 ).   
   
   
       2 ) A system as claimed in  claim 1 , and comprising an application device ( 28 ) for applying a code (E), relative to said data (D 1 , D 2 ), to each product (P), in particular a container and/or article. 
   
   
       3 ) A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the connecting unit ( 10 ) comprises an intermediate memory ( 26 ) for memorizing, and making available to the data-gathering computer ( 6 ), data (D 1 ) relative to at least the last two codes (C) of the work material ( 8 ) read, and data (D 2 ) relative to at least two corresponding instants at which the work material ( 8 ) starts to be used. 
   
   
       4 ) A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the connecting unit ( 10 ) comprises an intermediate memory ( 26 ) for memorizing and making said data (D 1 , D 2 ) available to the data-gathering computer ( 6 ) for a given time; the given time being longer than the time taken by the data-gathering computer ( 6 ) to acquire the data (D 1 , D 2 ) from the connecting unit ( 10 ). 
   
   
       5 ) A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the connecting unit ( 10 ) organizes the data (D 1 , D 2 ) into packages (D), each of which comprises data (D 1 ) relative to a code (C) identifying the work material ( 8 ), and to a corresponding instant at which the work material ( 8 ) starts to be used. 
   
   
       6 ) A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the connecting unit ( 10 ) comprises at least one Ethernet port ( 22 ). 
   
   
       7 ) A system as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the connecting unit ( 10 ) comprises at least two Ethernet ports ( 22 ). 
   
   
       8 ) A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the connecting unit ( 10 ) comprises at least one serial port ( 23 ), in particular an RS422 serial port. 
   
   
       9 ) A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the connecting unit ( 10 ) comprises at least one digital input ( 24 ) and one digital output ( 25 ). 
   
   
       10 ) A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the connecting unit ( 10 ) memorizes configuration information (C 1 ). 
   
   
       11 ) A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the configuration information (C 1 ) comprises information relative to the enabled ports ( 22 ;  23 ;  24 ;  25 ) of the connecting unit ( 10 ). 
   
   
       12 ) A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the connecting unit ( 10 ) memorizes operating parameters (OP) relative to the sensor device ( 7 ), the first signalling device ( 9   a ;  9   b ), and the connecting unit ( 10 ) itself. 
   
   
       13 ) A system as claimed in  claim 12 , and comprising a second communication network ( 20 ), to which the sensor device ( 7 ) and the first signalling device ( 9   a ;  9   b ) are connected; and the operating parameters (OP) comprise the addresses of the sensor device ( 7 ) and the first signalling device ( 9   a ;  9   b ) over the second communication network ( 20 ), and of the connecting unit ( 10 ) over the first and second communication network ( 5 ,  20 ). 
   
   
       14 ) A system as claimed in  claim 1 , and comprising a manual operating device ( 17 ) by which an operator may operate the sensor device ( 7 ) manually. 
   
   
       15 ) A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first signalling device ( 9   a ) automatically emits the signal relative to the instant the system ( 1 ) starts using the work material ( 8 ). 
   
   
       16 ) A system as claimed in  claim 15 , and comprising a second signalling device ( 9   b ) which may be operated by an operator to manually signal the instant the system ( 1 ) starts using the work material ( 8 ); the connecting unit ( 10 ) being connected to the second signalling device ( 9   b ). 
   
   
       17 ) A system as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the second signalling device ( 9   b ) comprises at least one button ( 12 ). 
   
   
       18 ) A system as claimed in  claim 1 , and comprising a manual operating device ( 17 ) by which an operator may operate the sensor device ( 7 ) manually; the manual operating device ( 17 ) and the second signalling device ( 9   b ) being integrated to define an interface device ( 19 ). 
   
   
       19 ) A system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the interface device ( 10 ) comprises a panel having at least two buttons ( 12 ,  18 ). 
   
   
       20 ) A connecting unit defined as claimed in  claim 1 , and comprising at least one input ( 22 ;  23 ;  24 ) to connect the sensor device ( 7 ) and the first signalling device ( 9   a ) to the connecting unit ( 10 ); and at least one output ( 22 ;  23 ;  25 ) to connect the first communication network ( 5 ) to the connecting unit ( 10 ). 
   
   
       21 ) A method of producing and packing tobacco articles; the method comprising a read step to read a code (C) identifying a work material ( 8 ); and the method being characterized by comprising a signalling step to emit a signal relative to an instant at which the work material ( 8 ) starts to be used; a memorizing step to memorize data (D 1 , D 2 ) acquired at the signalling and read steps; and an application step to apply on each product (P), container, and/or article a code (E) indicating when the product (P) was produced. 
   
   
       22 ) A method of identifying at least one work material used to produce a product (P), in particular a container and/or article, in the tobacco industry; the method comprising a read step to read a code (C) identifying a work material ( 8 );
 and the method being characterized by comprising a signalling step to emit a signal relative to an instant at which the work material ( 8 ) starts to be used; a memorizing step to memorize data (D 1 , D 2 ) acquired at the signalling and read steps; an application step to apply on the product (P) a code (E) indicating when the product (P) was produced; a second read step, after said read, signalling, and application steps, to read the code (E) applied to the product (P); and an analysing step to compare the read code (E) with the memorized data (D 1 , D 2 ) to identify the material ( 8 ) used to produce the product (P).