Grouping unit for a cartoning machine for the production of a package comprising a plurality of packs for smoking articles and an insert, cartoning machine provided with said grouping unit, method for the production of a package comprising a plurality of packs for smoking articles and an insert and package comprising a plurality of packs for smoking articles and an insert

Abstract

A grouping unit is described for a cartoning machine for the production of a package comprising, on the inside, a plurality of packs for smoking articles arranged next to one another and along a number of rows and an insert that supports the group of packs. The grouping unit is provided with an insert feeding assembly configured to feed, one after the other, the inserts along a first conveying direction; a pack feeding assembly for feeding the packs configured to feed groups of packs, wherein said packs are grouped along a number of rows of packs arranged next to one another and are fed in succession along a second conveying direction; a blank feeding assembly configured to feed the paper/cardboard flat blanks along a third conveying direction; a grouping assembly configured to receive the group of packs, the blank and the insert and wherein the insert is interposed between the group of packs and the flat blank and with the upper wall facing the group of packs and with a lower wall facing a panel of the flat blank defining a lower wall of the package; a wrapping assembly y configured to at least partially fold the flat blank and wrap it around the assembly formed by the group of packs and the insert so as to obtain a semi-finished package; and a pushing element which is movable along a fourth conveying direction and is configured to push the group of packs until it intercepts the insert, which is arranged with the upper wall in contact with the group of packs in the area of the grouping assembly, and to convey the assembly formed by the group of packs and the insert up to the area of the wrapping assembly.

1 . A grouping unit ( 2 ) for a cartoning machine ( 1 ) for the production of a package (C) comprising on the inside a group with a plurality of packs (P) for smoking articles arranged next to one another and along a number of rows and an insert (I), which supports the group of packs (P); wherein the insert (I) is defined by a box-shaped body with an oblong shape having an upper wall (SW) to support the group of packs (P) and a lower wall (BW); the grouping unit ( 2 ) comprises:
 an insert feeding assembly ( 6 ) configured to feed, one after the other, the inserts (I) along a first conveying direction (D 1 );   a pack feeding assembly ( 12 ) configured to feed groups of packs (P), wherein said packs (P) are grouped along a number of rows of packs next to one another and are fed in succession along a second conveying direction (D 2 ), which is preferably parallel to the first conveying direction (D 1 );   a blank feeding assembly ( 13 ) for flat blanks (B) configured to feed the paper/cardboard flat blanks (B) along a third conveying direction (D 3 ), which is preferably orthogonal to the first and to the second conveying direction (D 1 , D 2 ), wherein each flat blank (B) comprises a panel (B*), which defines a lower wall of the package (C);   a grouping assembly ( 10 ) configured to receive said group of packs (P), said flat blank (B) and said insert (I), so that the insert (I) is interposed between the group of packs (P) and the flat blank (B) and has the upper wall (SW) facing the group of packs (P) and the lower wall (BW) facing said panel (B*);   a wrapping assembly ( 15 ) configured to at least partially fold the flat blank (B) and wrap it around the assembly formed by the group of packs (P) and the insert (I), so as to obtain a semi-finished package (C); and   a pushing element ( 14 ), which is movable along a fourth conveying direction (D 4 ), preferably orthogonal to the first conveying direction (D 1 ), and is configured to push the group of packs (P) until it intercepts the insert (I), which is arranged with the upper wall (SW) in contact with the group of packs (P) in the area of the grouping assembly ( 10 ), and to convey the assembly formed by the group of packs (P) and of the insert (I) up to the area of the wrapping assembly ( 15 ).   
     
     
         2 . The unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the insert feeding assembly ( 6 ) comprises a dragging device ( 16 ), preferably obtained by means of a belt conveyor, in particular with attachments, or a pushing device. 
     
     
         3 . The unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the insert feeding assembly ( 6 ) comprises a feeding device ( 9 ), which is arranged downstream of the dragging device ( 16 ), from which it receives the inserts (I), and is designed to feed the inserts (I) along the first conveying direction (D 1 ) up to the area of the grouping assembly ( 10 ). 
     
     
         4 . The unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the feeding device ( 9 ) comprises a pair of belt conveyors ( 11 ), which come into contact with the lower and upper walls (BW, SW) of the inserts (I) in order to convey them along the first conveying direction (D 1 ). 
     
     
         5 . The unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the feeding device ( 9 ) is configured to push into the grouping assembly ( 10 ) the insert (I) arranged furthest downstream along the first conveying direction (D 1 ). 
     
     
         6 . The unit according to  claim 1  and comprising:
 a collecting device ( 3 ) for the inserts (I) having at least one output opening ( 4 ); and 
 an extraction device ( 5 ) designed to pick up the single inserts (I) from the output opening ( 4 ) and to feed them to the insert feeding assembly ( 6 ). 
 
     
     
         7 . The unit according to  claim 6 , wherein the collecting device ( 3 ) comprises a hopper ( 3 ), where a single stack of inserts (I) arranged on top of one another is formed. 
     
     
         8 . The unit according to  claim 6 , wherein the extraction device ( 5 ) comprises a drum ( 7 ), which can rotate around an axis (X) and is provided with a number of peripheral seats ( 8 ), each designed to pick up one single insert (I) from the output opening ( 4 ) and to feed it to the insert feeding assembly ( 6 ). 
     
     
         9 . A cartoning machine ( 1 ) for the production of a package (C) comprising, on the inside, a group with a plurality of packs (P) for smoking articles arranged next to one another and along a number of rows and an insert (I), which supports the group of packs (P), and comprising a grouping unit ( 2 ) according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . A method for the production of a package (C) comprising, on the inside, a group with a plurality of packs (P) for smoking articles arranged next to one another and along a number of rows next to one another and an insert (I), which supports the group of packs (P), and comprising the following steps:
 feeding, one after the other along a first conveying direction (D 1 ) and by means of a feeding assembly ( 6 ), the inserts (I) defined by a box-shaped body with an oblong shape provided with an upper wall (SW) to support the group of packs (P) and with a lower wall (BW);   feeding the groups of packs (P) in succession along a second conveying direction (D 2 ), which is preferably parallel to the first conveying direction (D 1 ), wherein said packs (P) are grouped along a number of rows of packs (P) next to one another;   feeding the paper/cardboard flat blanks (B) along a third conveying direction (D 3 ), which is preferably orthogonal to the first conveying direction (D 1 ), wherein each flat blank (B) comprises a panel (B*), which defines a lower wall of the package (C);   arranging each insert (I) between a respective group of packs (P) and a respective flat blank (B) with the upper wall (SW) facing the group of packs (P) and the lower wall (BW) facing said panel (B*);   pushing the group of packs (P) along a fourth conveying direction (D 4 ), which is preferably orthogonal to the first conveying direction (D 1 ), until it intercepts the insert (I), which is arranged with the upper wall in contact with the group of packs (P); and   folding the flat blank (B) so as to at least wrap it partially around the assembly formed by the group of packs (P) and the insert (I), so as to obtain the semi-finished package (C).   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10  and comprising the further steps of:
 collecting the inserts (I), preferably inside a hopper ( 3 ), so as to form a single stack of inserts (I) arranged on top of one another; and 
 picking up the single inserts (I) and feeding them to the feeding assembly ( 6 ). 
 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10  and comprising the further steps of:
 pushing the insert (I) arranged further downstream along the first conveying direction (Dl) so as to arrange it between the group of packs (P) and the flat blank (B); 
 retracting the second to last insert (I), which previously pushed the further downstream insert (I), so as not to interfere with the pushing and folding steps. 
 
     
     
         13 . A package (C) comprising:
 a group with a plurality of packs (P) for smoking articles arranged next to one another and along a number of rows:   an insert (I), which supports the group of packs (P) defined by a box-shaped body with an oblong shape having an upper wall (SW) to support the group of packs (P) and a lower wall (BW); and   an overwrap(S), which wraps the group of packs (P) and the insert (I); wherein the bottom wall (BW) of said insert (I) is arranged in contact with an inner surface of a base wall of the overwrap (S).