Strip-pack apparatus

Abstract

A strip-pack apparatus is positioned between an upstream mechanism and a downstream mechanism and adapted to process products and to manufacture a strip pack. The strip-pack apparatus includes a moving mechanism, an affixing mechanism, an operating mode selecting unit and a control unit. The moving mechanism is configured and arranged to selectively move the products to an affixing position or the downstream mechanism. The operating mode selecting unit is configured and arranged to receive a selection input for an operating mode between a strip pack manufacturing mode in which the moving mechanism moves the products to the affixing position and a product passing mode in which the moving mechanism moves the products to the downstream mechanism without moving the products to the affixing position. The control unit is configured to control operations of the moving mechanism and the affixing mechanism according to the operating mode that has been selected.

1 . A strip-pack apparatus positioned between an upstream mechanism and a downstream mechanism and adapted to process products and to manufacture a strip pack where the products are affixed to a strip member, the strip-pack apparatus comprising:
 a moving mechanism configured and arranged to selectively move the products that have been supplied from the upstream mechanism to an affixing position or the downstream mechanism;   an affixing mechanism configured and arranged to affix the products moved to the affixing position to the strip member;   an operating mode selecting unit configured and arranged to receive a selection input for an operating mode between a strip pack manufacturing mode in which the moving mechanism moves the products to the affixing position and a product passing mode in which the moving mechanism moves the products to the downstream mechanism without moving the products to the affixing position; and   a control unit configured to control operations of the moving mechanism and the affixing mechanism according to the operating mode that has been selected via the operating mode selecting unit.   
   
   
       2 . The strip-pack apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the moving mechanism includes
 a conveying unit configured and arranged to convey the products that have been supplied from the upstream mechanism to a gripping position, and   a gripping unit configured and arranged to grip the products in the gripping position and to move the products to the affixing position.   
   
   
       3 . The strip-pack apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the moving mechanism includes
 a first conveying part configured and arranged to convey the products that have been supplied from the upstream mechanism to a branching position,   a second conveying part configured and arranged to convey the products from the branching position toward the affixing position, and   a third conveying part configured and arranged to convey the products from the branching position toward the downstream mechanism, and   the control unit is configured to control operations of the first conveying part, the second conveying part and the third conveying part such that, when the product passing mode has been selected via the operating mode selecting unit, the products are moved to the downstream mechanism without being moved to the affixing position.   
   
   
       4 . The strip-pack apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the third conveying part is detachably or movably connected to the first conveying part in the branching position.   
   
   
       5 . The strip-pack apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the moving mechanism includes a conveying unit configured and arranged to convey the products selectively in a first direction or a second direction different from the first direction, and   the control unit is configured to drive the conveying unit in the first direction to move the products toward the affixing position when the strip pack manufacturing mode has been selected via the operating mode selecting unit and to drive the conveying unit in the second direction to move the products toward the downstream mechanism when the product passing mode has been selected via the operating mode selecting unit.