Seal banding machine

Abstract

A seal banding machine ( 1 ) designed to apply a sealing band (B) to the lateral surface (A 11 ) of a circular container body (A) includes: elements ( 11 ) which apply the sealing band (B) to the lateral surface (A 11 ) of container body (A), which are rotatable about a respective axis and which have a surface ( 111 ) for retaining and supporting the sealing band (B); and elements ( 12 ) for rotating the container body (A) with the respective lateral surface (A 11 ) engaging the peripheral surface ( 111 ) of the elements ( 11 ) which apply the sealing band (B). Elements ( 21 ) are provided for spreading an adhesive on the sealing band (B), which are located at the elements ( 11 ) for applying the sealing band (B).

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A seal banding machine ( 1 ) applying a sealing band (B) to the lateral surface (A 11 ) of a container body (A), in particular constituting a carton containing portions of a pasty food product, especially in the form of processed cheese; said container (A) provided with the sealing band (B) being, composed of a first and a second opposed half-shells (A 1 , A 2 ), which face each other in such a way as to form a chamber for housing the product; the machine comprising means ( 11 ) for applying the sealing band (B) to the lateral surface (A 11 ) of a carton (A) and having a surface ( 111 ) for retaining and supporting the sealing band (B), means ( 12 ) for rotating the container body (A) against the peripheral surface ( 111 ) of the means ( 11 ) that apply the sealing band (B); and being characterized in that the means ( 11 ) for applying the sealing band (B) have a surface ( 111 ) for retaining and supporting the sealing band (B), designed to support a single sealing band (B) and having a sealing band retaining surface whose extension is greater than the length of the sealing band (B) itself. 
     
     
         32 . The machine according to  claim 31 , characterized in that it further comprises means ( 21 ) for spreading an adhesive on the sealing band (B) and located at the means ( 11 ) that apply the sealing band (B). 
     
     
         33 . The machine according to  claim 31 , characterized in that the means ( 11 ) for applying the sealing band (B) comprise a peripheral surface ( 111 ) having a part ( 111 ′) that constitutes means for supporting the sealing band (B). 
     
     
         34 . The machine according to  claim 31 , characterized in that the means ( 11 ) for applying the sealing band (B) comprise a peripheral surface ( 111 ) having a circumferential zone ( 111 ′) provided with means ( 111   a ) for retaining the sealing band (B) and a circumferential zone ( 111 ″) without said means for retaining the sealing band (B). 
     
     
         35 . The machine according to  claim 31 , characterized in that it comprises means ( 21 ) for spreading an adhesive on the sealing band (B) while the latter is being transported on the means ( 11 ) for applying the sealing band (B). 
     
     
         36 . The machine according to  claim 32 , characterized in that the means ( 21 ) for spreading the adhesive on the outside face of the sealing band (B) to glue it to the outside surface of the container body comprise an applicator roller having an axis of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of the means ( 11 ) for applying the sealing band and which is designed come into contact with the outside surface of the means ( 11 ) for applying the sealing band. 
     
     
         37 . The machine according to  claim 31 , characterized in that it comprises means ( 31 ) for applying a tear string (C) on the sealing band while the latter is being supported by the means ( 11 ) for applying the sealing band (B). 
     
     
         38 . The machine according to  claim 37 , further comprising means ( 21 ) for spreading an adhesive on the sealing band (B), and means ( 31 ) for applying a tear string on the sealing band (B), located downstream of the means ( 21 ) for spreading the adhesive. 
     
     
         39 . The machine according to  claim 31 , characterized in that it comprises means ( 41 ) for cutting the sealing band (B) from the respective web of material (B 0 ). 
     
     
         40 . The machine according to  claim 39 , further comprising means ( 21 ) for spreading an adhesive on the sealing band (B), and the means ( 41 ) for cutting the sealing band (B) are located upstream of the means ( 21 ) for spreading the adhesive. 
     
     
         41 . The machine according to  claim 39 , characterized in that the means ( 41 ) for cutting the sealing band (B) are located at the means ( 11 ) for applying the sealing band (B). 
     
     
         42 . The machine according to  claim 39 , characterized in that the means ( 41 ) for cutting the sealing band (B) are located upstream of the means ( 31 ) for applying the tear string (C). 
     
     
         43 . The machine according to  claim 39 , characterized in that it comprises means ( 41 ) for cutting the sealing band (B), which are fixed and engage the web of material (B 0 ) at a radial extension ( 111   b ) of the retaining surface ( 111 ) of the means that apply the sealing band (B). 
     
     
         44 . The machine according to  claim 39 , characterized in that the means ( 11 ) for applying the sealing band (B) rotate with continuous motion. 
     
     
         45 . The machine according to  claim 39 , characterized in that it comprises means ( 51 ) for cutting the tear string (C) which operate while the sealing band and the tear string are on the means ( 11 ) for applying the sealing band (B). 
     
     
         46 . The machine according to  claim 45 , further comprising means ( 21 ) for spreading an adhesive on the sealing band (B), and the means ( 51 ) for cutting the tear string (C) are located downstream of the means ( 21 ) for spreading the adhesive. 
     
     
         47 . The machine according to  claim 45 , characterized in that the means ( 51 ) for cutting the tear string (C) are located downstream of the means ( 41 ) for cutting the sealing band (B 0 ). 
     
     
         48 . The machine according to  claim 45 , characterized in that the means ( 51 ) for cutting the tear string (C) are located at the means that apply the sealing band. 
     
     
         49 . The machine according to  claim 31 , characterized in that the means ( 11 ) for applying the sealing band comprise means ( 71 ) for retaining the end of the tear string. 
     
     
         50 . The machine according to  claim 31 , characterized in that the means ( 11 ) for applying the sealing band (B) and the means ( 12 ) for supporting and feeding the container body (A) are movable radially relative to each other. 
     
     
         51 . The machine according to  claim 50 , characterized in that the means ( 11 ) for applying the sealing band are movable radially relative to the means ( 12 ) for supporting and feeding the container body. 
     
     
         52 . The machine according to  claim 50 , characterized in that the means ( 11 ) for applying the sealing band are mounted on a plate ( 101 ) that is movable radially relative to the means ( 12 ) for supporting and feeding the container body. 
     
     
         53 . The machine according to  claim 31 , characterized in that the means ( 12 ) for supporting and feeding the container body (A) comprise means ( 121 ) which bilaterally engages and rotates the container body (A) and which is mounted on a respective rotatable element ( 122 ). 
     
     
         54 . The machine according to  claim 53 , characterized in that the means ( 12 ) for supporting and feeding the container body (A) comprise means ( 121 ) for bilaterally engaging and rotating the container body (A), mounted on a respective element ( 122 ) that rotates about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the means ( 11 ) for applying the sealing band and of the means ( 121 ) that rotate the container body. 
     
     
         55 . The machine according to  claim 31 , characterized in that it comprises means for controlling the angular speed of the means ( 11 ) that apply the sealing band (B) in such a way that the tangential speed of the surface ( 111 ) for retaining and supporting the sealing band (B) is coordinated with the tangential speed of the lateral surface (A 11 ) of the container body (A) at the point of reciprocal contact. 
     
     
         56 . The machine according to  claim 55 , characterized in that it comprises means for controlling the angular speed of the means ( 11 ) that apply the sealing band (B) in such a way that the tangential speed of the surface ( 111 ) for retaining and supporting the sealing band (B) coincides with the tangential speed of the lateral surface (A 11 ) of the container body (A) at the point of reciprocal contact. 
     
     
         57 . The machine according to  claim 55 , characterized in that it comprises means for controlling the angular speed of the means ( 11 ) that apply the sealing band (B) in such a way that the tangential speed of the surface ( 111 ) for retaining and supporting the sealing band (B) coincides with the tangential speed of the lateral surface (A 11 ) of the container body (A) at the point of reciprocal contact, during a first step of applying the sealing band. 
     
     
         58 . The machine according to  claim 57 , characterized in that it comprises means for controlling the angular speed of the means ( 11 ) that apply the sealing band (B) in such a way that the tangential speed of the surface ( 111 ) for retaining and supporting the sealing band (B) is greater than the tangential speed of the lateral surface (A 11 ) of the container body (A) at the point of reciprocal contact, during a subsequent step of applying the sealing band. 
     
     
         59 . The machine according to  claim 31 , characterized in that the carousel that feeds the container body and the means that apply the sealing band are driven by respective, separate electric motors controlled by the electronic means that control the machine.