Title of Invention	A UNIT FOR PACKAGING ARTICLES CONTAINING INFUSION PRODUCT.
Abstract	A unit (100) for packaging articles (1) containing a product for infusion, preferably filter paper coffee pods (1), is of the type comprising at least one operating stacking station (8) for stacking the pods (1) in such a way as to form at least one stack (la, 1b)of pods (1). The stacking station (8) comprises a device (9) for handling the pods (1) which guides and controls the stack (la, 1b) of pods (1) as it is fed into a respective bag-like packet (11).

Title of Invention

A UNIT FOR PACKAGING ARTICLES CONTAINING INFUSION PRODUCT.

Abstract

A unit (100) for packaging articles (1) containing a product for infusion, preferably filter paper coffee pods (1), is of the type comprising at least one operating stacking station (8) for stacking the pods (1) in such a way as to form at least one stack (la, 1b)of pods (1). The stacking station (8) comprises a device (9) for handling the pods (1) which guides and controls the stack (la, 1b) of pods (1) as it is fed into a respective bag-like packet (11).

Full Text	WO 2006/067619 PCT/IB2005/003982 1 Description A unit for packaging articles containing infusion product Technical Field The present invention relates to a unit for packaging articles containing a product for infusion. In particular, the invention is advantageously used to package stacked groups of single-use pods of filter paper containing measured quantities or charges of infusion product such as tea, barley coffee, camomile and the like, preferably powdered coffee, in bag-like packets to which this specification expressly refers but without thereby restricting the scope of the invention. Background Art Usually, an automatic machine for making filter-paper pods, containing doses of infusion product comprises a production Line having a plurality of operating stations located one after the other along it and at the end of which a continuous strip of pods, that is to say, two superposed webs of filter paper heat sealed to each other and having interposed, at regular intervals, a plurality of infusion product charges, is divided up at a cutting station into individual single-use pods separated by. waste material. Downstream of the cutting station, the pod making machine has an end outfeed station equipped with pick and place means designed to pick up the pods one by one and place them on conveyors that transport them to packaging devices which wrap them in respective heat-sealed overwraps. In another solution, which this invention specifically refers to, the outfeed station comprises conveyor means for advancing the groups of pods, preferably stacked, towards packaging units where the groups of pods are picked up and fed by complex mechanical devices into forming assemblies which pack them in packages such as, for example, bag-like packets. In other words, packaging the groups of pods requires conveyor means for handling and moving the pods from the machine WO 2006/067619 PCT/IB2005/003982 2 that makes them to the bagging units which, in some cases, may be located some distance away. A structure of this kind has considerable disadvantages due not only to the presence of the conveyor means required to transport the grouped pods to the packaging units, which greatly increase the overall dimensions of the pod making machine that mounts them, but also and above all to the complexity of the mechanical structural components of the packaging units themselves. Other major difficulties are .caused by the handling and positioning of the pod stacks since the pods are gravity fed into the bags in an uncontrolled manner leading to their being incorrectly arranged in the bags. The aim of this invention is to provide a pod packaging machine that is free of the above mentioned disadvantages. Disclosure of the Invention This invention accordingly provides a unit for packaging articles containing a product for infusion, of the type comprising at least one operating stacking station for stacking the articles in such a way as to form at least one stack of articles; the unit being characterised in that the stacking station comprises a device for handling the articles which guides and controls the stack of articles as it is fed into the bag-like packet. Description of the Drawings The technical characteristics of the invention, with reference to the above aims, are clearly described in the claims below and its advantages are apparent from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention provided merely by way of example without restricting the scope of the inventive concept, and in which: Figure 1 is a front view, partly in cross section and with some parts cut away for clarity, of a preferred embodiment of the unit for packaging articles containing infusion product integrated in a machine that makes the articles; WO 2006/067619 PCT/IB2005/003982 3 Figure 2 is a plan view of the unit of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic side view of the packaging unit of Figure 1 in different operating positions; Figure 4 is a side view of a detail of the unit illustrated in Figure 3; Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a detail of the unit of Figure 3; Figure 6 is a cross section through a horizontal plane of a part of the packaging unit according to the invention; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a detail from Figure 6; Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a finished bag-like packet made by the packaging unit according to the invention; and Figures 9 to 14 schematically illustrate, in respective perspective views, a succession of operations performed by parts of the packaging unit according to the invention. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention With reference to the accompanying drawings, in particular Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 100 denotes in its entirety a packaging unit according to the invention which is mounted on a machine for making articles, especially pods 1 of filter paper containing powdered coffee and which is designed to package the pods in groups in bag-like packets- The pod 1, in this non-restricting embodiment of the invention, is of well-known type, comprising two lengths 2 and 3 of filter material placed face to face and joined to each other by sealing round the edges after a charge 4 has been placed on the surface of only one of the lengths to form the pod 1. The pod making machine, labelled 5 as a whole in Figures 1 and 2, is of the type comprising a plurality of operating stations located in succession along a production line A extending in a substantially horizontal direction. More specifically, the machine 5 comprises: a plurality of operating stations for arranging the pods l in their final configuration, consisting of at least one continuous strip S obtained by superposing two webs of filter material with charges 4 of infusion product interposed and distributed at regular intervals; an operating station 6 where the WO 2006/067619 PCT/IB2005/003982 4 two superposed webs are sealed to each other to form the strip s, and where the strip S itself is subsequently cut at least in the area surrounding each charge 4 to make individual pods 1; and a station 7 for separating the individual pods 1 from waste material or trimmings SI of the strip S itself. The separating station 7 comprises a pusher element 7a located downstream of the station 6 and designed to push the individual pods 1 vertically under the feed table 50. The separating station 7 also comprises a unit 7b for expelling the waste trimmings SI downstream of the pusher 7a with respect to the production line A. As illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, the unit 100 comprises a stacking operating station 8 for making up stacks la, lb with the pods'l made by the machine 5, and a handling device 9 for guiding each made up stack la, lb of pods 1 into a bag-like container 11. The device 9 comprises means 10, 17 for guiding the stacked pods 1 along a vertical feed path section 2 towards an end lla of the packet 11 positioned at the bottom end 9a of the device 9 itself. As clearly shown in Figures 8 to 12, the section Z is parallel to a stacking axis 21 of the pods 1 at the station 8. During use, the device 9 (Figures 3 and 4) , besides guiding the pod 1 stacks la lb as they are fed down into the bag-like packet 11, also defines surfaces for forming the packet 11 itself. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the station 8 further comprises means 12 for conveying and positioning the stacks la, lb of pods 1 on the device 9. Preferably, the conveying means 12 consist of a carriage-like bucket 12a reciprocatingly mobile along a horizontal path T transversal to the direction of the line A (Figures 1 and 2, and Figures 10 to 12) or, alternatively, conveyor belts combined with guides and pushers capable of transporting the stack or stacks la and lb to be packaged. As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the guide and controlled downfeed means 10, 17 comprise a vertical channel 13 consisting of a hollow element 14 located in the vicinity of the stacking station 8 (that is to say, at the side or front of the station 8) , WO 2006/067619 PCT/IB2005/003982 5 the channel 13 having an inside section that defines at least one area 15, 16 for the passage of the pods 1; and a pod 1 pushing/accompanying element- 17 located above the hollow element 14 and mobile vertically along the channel 13 in such a way that the pods 1 interfere with the channel 13, and thereby guiding and pushing the pods 1 into the bag-like packet 11. The pusher element 17 moves between an idle position where the element 17 is away from the inlet opening at the top of the hollow element 14 (Figures 1, 2 and 3} , and a working, pod 1 guiding and pushing position where the element 17 slides along the inside of the channel 13 so as to position the pods 1 in the bag-like packet 11. In practice, the pusher element 17 is designed to accompany the pods 1 and to push them all the way into the bag-like packet 11. As better shown in Figure 6, since each pod 1 is substantially disc-shaped, with a defined diameter Dl, the cross sectional profile of the channel 13 of the hollow element 14 defines at least two adjacent circular zones 15 and 16, with a binocular-like shape to permit simultaneous guided downfeed of two side-by-side stacks la and lb of pods 1. Figure 6 also shows that the two circular zones 15 and 16 for access by the pod 1 -stacks la and lb have a diameter D that is smaller than the diameter Dl of the pods 1 so as .to control the pods 1 more effectively as they are pushed down along the channel 13. Obviously, to be able to correctly control downfeed, the diameter D of the zones 15 and 16 is just a little smaller than the diameter Dl of the pods 1, taking into account the outer ring lc. of the pod 1 (surrounding the central portion defined by the coffee charge 4) formed by the superposed webs of filter paper which are flexible and easily deformed when the stacks la and lb are pushed into the channel 13 but creating just enough interference (as shown by the detail view of Figure 5) to prevent the pods 1 from falling in an uncontrolled manner down the channel 13. WO 2006/067619 PCT/IB2005/003982 6 As illustrated in Figures 6 and 1, the hollow element 14 is equipped with a longitudinal conduit 18 for conveying a fluid or inert gas {for example, nitrogen) positioned centrally between the two circular zones 15 and 16, and leading into at least one bottom opening 19 through which the fluid itself is fed into the hollow element 14: thus, the inert fluid is blown onto the pods 1 as to prevent damage to the pods 1 as they move down into the packet 11 (arrows F19, Figure 7). For better and more even distribution of the fluid, the longitudinal conduit 18 leads into at least two opposite openings 19 and 20, one for each of the circular zones 15 and 16- The fluid flow is directed from the bottom up in the channel 13. Further, each circular zone 15 and 16 has radial grooves 60 around its circumference extending for the full length of the circular zones 15 and 16 to enable air to escape in the direction opposite the downward direction of motion of the stacks la, 1b towards the packet 11. The other component of the device 9 is the aforementioned pushing/accompanying element 17 which comprises a flat head 17a designed to come into contact with the pods 1 so as to push and guide the pods down the circular zones 15 and 16. The head 17a is preferably two-lobed to allow two stacks la and lb of pods 1 to be pushed simultaneously {Figure 2). The head 17a is also associated with a vertical rod 21 that slides along guides 22 associated with a vertical column 23 located above the hollow element 14. The rod 21 is preferably driven by a variable-speed motor 24 (for example, a brushless motor) positioned at the top end of the column 23 (see Figure 3) which moves it between the aforementioned idle and working positions. At the lower end 9a of the hollow element 14, there is a sealing and cutting device 25 designed to close the inlet opening lla of the bag-like packet 11 and to simultaneously form the base lib of the next packet 11 being formed around the hollow element 14 (Figure 4 and Figure 8) Below is a description of how the packaging unit 100 according to the invention works. WO 2006/067619 PCT/IB2005/003982 7 Once the stacks la, lb of pods l have been made in the stacking station 8, the stac3cs la and lb (defining the final quantity and arrangement to be accommodated in the packet 11) are transferred along T to the device 9. At. this point, the pair of stacks la and lb are pushed downwards in guided manner along the vertical channel 13 by the element 17 (arrow F17C, Figures 3 and 4) until the stacks la and lb are fully inside the bag-like packet 11. Once the stacks la, lb are inside the packet 11, the pushing/accompanying element 17 can move back up (arrow F17B, Figure 4) and the top end lla of the bag-like packet 11 sealed. A packaging unit structured as described above therefore achieves the aforementioned aims thanks to two simple elements for positioning and controlling the downfeed of the pods and permitting accurate and steady placement of the pods, all in an extremely compact structure. The solution according to the invention offers several advantages such as, for example, a reduction in the space required for transit between the area where the pods are made and the area where they are packaged, making it possible to integrate the packaging station into the pod making machine, an overall reduction in the number of working parts and stations making up the packaging station, thereby lowering the production cost of the machine as a whole, while at the same time allowing higher operating speeds to be achieved. Moreover, the packaging unit according to the invention makes it possible to significantly increase obtainable packaging speeds because the pod stacks are pushed down into the bags at a higher speed than can be achieved by gravity alone. It will be understood that the invention as described herein can be modified and adapted in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by technically equivalent elements. WO 2006/067619 PCT/IB2005/003982 8 Claims 1. A unit (100) for packaging articles (1) containing a product for infusion, of the type comprising at least one operating stacking station (8) for stacking the articles (1) in such a way as to form at least one stack (la, lb) of articles (1); the unit being characterised in that the stacking station (8) comprises a device (9) for handling the articles (1) which guides and controls the stack (la, lb) of articles (1) as it is fed into the bag-like packet (11) . 2. The unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the handling device (9) comprises guide elements (10, 17) comprising a vertical channel (13) consisting of a hollow element (14) located at the stacking station (8), said channel (13) having an inside section that defines at least one area (15, 16) for the passage of the articles (1) ; and an article (1) pushing/accompanying element (17) located above the hollow element (14) and reciprocatingly mobile along the channel (13) in such a way as to move the articles (1) towards and into packet (11) . 3. The unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the handling device (S) also defines surfaces enabling the bag-like packet (11) itself to be formed. 4. The unit according to one of the foregoing claims from 1 to 3, characterised in that the stacking station (8) further comprises means (12) for conveying and positioning the stack (la, lb) of articles on the handling device (9) ; said conveying means (12) being defined by at least one carriage-like bucket (12a) designed to hold the stack (la, lb) and reciprocatingly mobile in a horizontal direction. 5. The unit according to one of the foregoing claims from 2 to 4, characterised in that the pushing/accompanying element (17) can move between an idle position where the element (17) is away from WO 2006/06763 9 PCT/IB2005/003982 9 the top end of the hollow element (14) , and a working position where the element (17) slides along the inside of the channel (13) so as to insert the stack (la, lb) of articles (1) into the bag-like packet (11) . 6. The unit according to one of the foregoing claims from 2 to 5, characterised in that the pushing/accompanying element (17) comprises a flat head (17a) designed to come into contact with the articles (1) so as to push and guide the articles (1) down the zone (15, 16); the head (17a) being associated with a vertical rod (21) that slides along guides (22) associated with a vertical column (23) located above the hollow element (14); the rod 21 being driven by a variable-speed motor (24) positioned at the top end of the column (23) . 7. The unit according to one of the foregoing claims from 2 to 6, characterised in that each article (l) is disc-shaped; the channel (13) having two zones (15, 16), each with a substantially circular cross-sectional profile, so as to permit simultaneous guided downfeed of two side-by-side stacks (la, lb) of articles (1). 8. The unit according to claims 2 and 7, characterised in that the hollow element (14) is equipped with a longitudinal conduit (18) for conveying a fluid, the conduit (18) being positioned centrally between the two circular zones (15, 16) of the hollow element (14) and leading into at least one bottom opening (19) through which the fluid itself is fed into the channel (13) and is blown onto the pods (1) . 9. The unit according to claim 8, characterised in that the fluid is an inert gas, preferably nitrogen. 10. The unit according to claim 8 or 9, charaicterised in that the circular zones (15, 16) of the hollow element (14) have radial" grooves (60) extending lengthways for the full length of the circular zones (15, 16) themselves. A unit (100) for packaging articles (1) containing a product for infusion, preferably filter paper coffee pods (1), is of the type comprising at least one operating stacking station (8) for stacking the pods (1) in such a way as to form at least one stack (la, 1b)of pods (1). The stacking station (8) comprises a device (9) for handling the pods (1) which guides and controls the stack (la, 1b) of pods (1) as it is fed into a respective bag-like packet (11).

Full Text

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Description A unit for packaging articles containing infusion product
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a unit for packaging articles containing a product for infusion.
In particular, the invention is advantageously used to package stacked groups of single-use pods of filter paper containing measured quantities or charges of infusion product such as tea, barley coffee, camomile and the like, preferably powdered coffee, in bag-like packets to which this specification expressly refers but without thereby restricting the scope of the invention.
Background Art
Usually, an automatic machine for making filter-paper pods, containing doses of infusion product comprises a production Line having a plurality of operating stations located one after the other along it and at the end of which a continuous strip of pods, that is to say, two superposed webs of filter paper heat sealed to each other and having interposed, at regular intervals, a plurality of infusion product charges, is divided up at a cutting station into individual single-use pods separated by. waste material.
Downstream of the cutting station, the pod making machine has an end outfeed station equipped with pick and place means designed to pick up the pods one by one and place them on conveyors that transport them to packaging devices which wrap them in respective heat-sealed overwraps. In another solution, which this invention specifically refers to, the outfeed station comprises conveyor means for advancing the groups of pods, preferably stacked, towards packaging units where the groups of pods are picked up and fed by complex mechanical devices into forming assemblies which pack them in packages such as, for example, bag-like packets.
In other words, packaging the groups of pods requires conveyor means for handling and moving the pods from the machine

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that makes them to the bagging units which, in some cases, may be located some distance away.
A structure of this kind has considerable disadvantages due not only to the presence of the conveyor means required to transport the grouped pods to the packaging units, which greatly increase the overall dimensions of the pod making machine that mounts them, but also and above all to the complexity of the mechanical structural components of the packaging units themselves.
Other major difficulties are .caused by the handling and positioning of the pod stacks since the pods are gravity fed into the bags in an uncontrolled manner leading to their being incorrectly arranged in the bags.
The aim of this invention is to provide a pod packaging machine that is free of the above mentioned disadvantages.
Disclosure of the Invention
This invention accordingly provides a unit for packaging articles containing a product for infusion, of the type comprising at least one operating stacking station for stacking the articles in such a way as to form at least one stack of articles; the unit being characterised in that the stacking station comprises a device for handling the articles which guides and controls the stack of articles as it is fed into the bag-like packet.
Description of the Drawings
The technical characteristics of the invention, with reference to the above aims, are clearly described in the claims below and its advantages are apparent from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention provided merely by way of example without restricting the scope of the inventive concept, and in which:
Figure 1 is a front view, partly in cross section and with some parts cut away for clarity, of a preferred embodiment of the unit for packaging articles containing infusion product integrated in a machine that makes the articles;

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Figure 2 is a plan view of the unit of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a schematic side view of the packaging unit of Figure 1 in different operating positions;
Figure 4 is a side view of a detail of the unit illustrated in Figure 3;
Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a detail of the unit of Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a cross section through a horizontal plane of a part of the packaging unit according to the invention;
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a detail from Figure 6;
Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a finished bag-like packet made by the packaging unit according to the invention; and
Figures 9 to 14 schematically illustrate, in respective perspective views, a succession of operations performed by parts of the packaging unit according to the invention.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention With reference to the accompanying drawings, in particular Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 100 denotes in its entirety a packaging unit according to the invention which is mounted on a machine for making articles, especially pods 1 of filter paper containing powdered coffee and which is designed to package the pods in groups in bag-like packets-
The pod 1, in this non-restricting embodiment of the invention, is of well-known type, comprising two lengths 2 and 3 of filter material placed face to face and joined to each other by sealing round the edges after a charge 4 has been placed on the surface of only one of the lengths to form the pod 1.
The pod making machine, labelled 5 as a whole in Figures 1 and 2, is of the type comprising a plurality of operating stations located in succession along a production line A extending in a substantially horizontal direction. More specifically, the machine 5 comprises: a plurality of operating stations for arranging the pods l in their final configuration, consisting of at least one continuous strip S obtained by superposing two webs of filter material with charges 4 of infusion product interposed and distributed at regular intervals; an operating station 6 where the

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two superposed webs are sealed to each other to form the strip s, and where the strip S itself is subsequently cut at least in the area surrounding each charge 4 to make individual pods 1; and a station 7 for separating the individual pods 1 from waste material or trimmings SI of the strip S itself.
The separating station 7 comprises a pusher element 7a located downstream of the station 6 and designed to push the individual pods 1 vertically under the feed table 50.
The separating station 7 also comprises a unit 7b for expelling the waste trimmings SI downstream of the pusher 7a with respect to the production line A.
As illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, the unit 100 comprises a stacking operating station 8 for making up stacks la, lb with the pods'l made by the machine 5, and a handling device 9 for guiding each made up stack la, lb of pods 1 into a bag-like container 11.
The device 9 comprises means 10, 17 for guiding the stacked pods 1 along a vertical feed path section 2 towards an end lla of the packet 11 positioned at the bottom end 9a of the device 9 itself.
As clearly shown in Figures 8 to 12, the section Z is parallel to a stacking axis 21 of the pods 1 at the station 8.
During use, the device 9 (Figures 3 and 4) , besides guiding the pod 1 stacks la lb as they are fed down into the bag-like packet 11, also defines surfaces for forming the packet 11 itself. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the station 8 further comprises means 12 for conveying and positioning the stacks la, lb of pods 1 on the device 9.
Preferably, the conveying means 12 consist of a carriage-like bucket 12a reciprocatingly mobile along a horizontal path T transversal to the direction of the line A (Figures 1 and 2, and Figures 10 to 12) or, alternatively, conveyor belts combined with guides and pushers capable of transporting the stack or stacks la and lb to be packaged.
As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the guide and controlled downfeed means 10, 17 comprise a vertical channel 13 consisting of a hollow element 14 located in the vicinity of the stacking station 8 (that is to say, at the side or front of the station 8) ,

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the channel 13 having an inside section that defines at least one area 15, 16 for the passage of the pods 1; and a pod 1 pushing/accompanying element- 17 located above the hollow element 14 and mobile vertically along the channel 13 in such a way that the pods 1 interfere with the channel 13, and thereby guiding and pushing the pods 1 into the bag-like packet 11.
The pusher element 17 moves between an idle position where the element 17 is away from the inlet opening at the top of the hollow element 14 (Figures 1, 2 and 3} , and a working, pod 1 guiding and pushing position where the element 17 slides along the inside of the channel 13 so as to position the pods 1 in the bag-like packet 11.
In practice, the pusher element 17 is designed to accompany the pods 1 and to push them all the way into the bag-like packet 11.
As better shown in Figure 6, since each pod 1 is substantially disc-shaped, with a defined diameter Dl, the cross sectional profile of the channel 13 of the hollow element 14 defines at least two adjacent circular zones 15 and 16, with a binocular-like shape to permit simultaneous guided downfeed of two side-by-side stacks la and lb of pods 1.
Figure 6 also shows that the two circular zones 15 and 16 for access by the pod 1 -stacks la and lb have a diameter D that is smaller than the diameter Dl of the pods 1 so as .to control the pods 1 more effectively as they are pushed down along the channel 13.
Obviously, to be able to correctly control downfeed, the diameter D of the zones 15 and 16 is just a little smaller than the diameter Dl of the pods 1, taking into account the outer ring lc. of the pod 1 (surrounding the central portion defined by the coffee charge 4) formed by the superposed webs of filter paper which are flexible and easily deformed when the stacks la and lb are pushed into the channel 13 but creating just enough interference (as shown by the detail view of Figure 5) to prevent the pods 1 from falling in an uncontrolled manner down the channel 13.

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As illustrated in Figures 6 and 1, the hollow element 14 is equipped with a longitudinal conduit 18 for conveying a fluid or inert gas {for example, nitrogen) positioned centrally between the two circular zones 15 and 16, and leading into at least one bottom opening 19 through which the fluid itself is fed into the hollow element 14: thus, the inert fluid is blown onto the pods 1 as to prevent damage to the pods 1 as they move down into the packet 11 (arrows F19, Figure 7).
For better and more even distribution of the fluid, the longitudinal conduit 18 leads into at least two opposite openings 19 and 20, one for each of the circular zones 15 and 16- The fluid flow is directed from the bottom up in the channel 13.
Further, each circular zone 15 and 16 has radial grooves 60 around its circumference extending for the full length of the circular zones 15 and 16 to enable air to escape in the direction opposite the downward direction of motion of the stacks la, 1b towards the packet 11.
The other component of the device 9 is the aforementioned pushing/accompanying element 17 which comprises a flat head 17a designed to come into contact with the pods 1 so as to push and guide the pods down the circular zones 15 and 16. The head 17a is preferably two-lobed to allow two stacks la and lb of pods 1 to be pushed simultaneously {Figure 2).
The head 17a is also associated with a vertical rod 21 that slides along guides 22 associated with a vertical column 23 located above the hollow element 14.
The rod 21 is preferably driven by a variable-speed motor 24 (for example, a brushless motor) positioned at the top end of the column 23 (see Figure 3) which moves it between the aforementioned idle and working positions.
At the lower end 9a of the hollow element 14, there is a sealing and cutting device 25 designed to close the inlet opening lla of the bag-like packet 11 and to simultaneously form the base lib of the next packet 11 being formed around the hollow element 14 (Figure 4 and Figure 8)
Below is a description of how the packaging unit 100 according to the invention works.

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Once the stacks la, lb of pods l have been made in the stacking station 8, the stac3cs la and lb (defining the final quantity and arrangement to be accommodated in the packet 11) are transferred along T to the device 9.
At. this point, the pair of stacks la and lb are pushed downwards in guided manner along the vertical channel 13 by the element 17 (arrow F17C, Figures 3 and 4) until the stacks la and lb are fully inside the bag-like packet 11.
Once the stacks la, lb are inside the packet 11, the pushing/accompanying element 17 can move back up (arrow F17B, Figure 4) and the top end lla of the bag-like packet 11 sealed.
A packaging unit structured as described above therefore achieves the aforementioned aims thanks to two simple elements for positioning and controlling the downfeed of the pods and permitting accurate and steady placement of the pods, all in an extremely compact structure.
The solution according to the invention offers several advantages such as, for example, a reduction in the space required for transit between the area where the pods are made and the area where they are packaged, making it possible to integrate the packaging station into the pod making machine, an overall reduction in the number of working parts and stations making up the packaging station, thereby lowering the production cost of the machine as a whole, while at the same time allowing higher operating speeds to be achieved. Moreover, the packaging unit according to the invention makes it possible to significantly increase obtainable packaging speeds because the pod stacks are pushed down into the bags at a higher speed than can be achieved by gravity alone.
It will be understood that the invention as described herein can be modified and adapted in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by technically equivalent elements.

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Claims
1. A unit (100) for packaging articles (1) containing a product
for infusion, of the type comprising at least one operating
stacking station (8) for stacking the articles (1) in such a way
as to form at least one stack (la, lb) of articles (1); the unit
being characterised in that the stacking station (8) comprises a
device (9) for handling the articles (1) which guides and controls
the stack (la, lb) of articles (1) as it is fed into the bag-like
packet (11) .
2. The unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the
handling device (9) comprises guide elements (10, 17) comprising a
vertical channel (13) consisting of a hollow element (14) located
at the stacking station (8), said channel (13) having an inside
section that defines at least one area (15, 16) for the passage of
the articles (1) ; and an article (1) pushing/accompanying element
(17) located above the hollow element (14) and reciprocatingly
mobile along the channel (13) in such a way as to move the articles (1) towards and into packet (11) .
3. The unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the
handling device (S) also defines surfaces enabling the bag-like
packet (11) itself to be formed.
4. The unit according to one of the foregoing claims from 1 to
3, characterised in that the stacking station (8) further
comprises means (12) for conveying and positioning the stack (la,
lb) of articles on the handling device (9) ; said conveying means
(12) being defined by at least one carriage-like bucket (12a)
designed to hold the stack (la, lb) and reciprocatingly mobile in a horizontal direction.
5. The unit according to one of the foregoing claims from 2 to
4, characterised in that the pushing/accompanying element (17) can
move between an idle position where the element (17) is away from

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the top end of the hollow element (14) , and a working position where the element (17) slides along the inside of the channel (13) so as to insert the stack (la, lb) of articles (1) into the bag-like packet (11) .
6. The unit according to one of the foregoing claims from 2 to 5,
characterised in that the pushing/accompanying element (17)
comprises a flat head (17a) designed to come into contact with the
articles (1) so as to push and guide the articles (1) down the
zone (15, 16); the head (17a) being associated with a vertical rod
(21) that slides along guides (22) associated with a vertical
column (23) located above the hollow element (14); the rod 21 being
driven by a variable-speed motor (24) positioned at the top end of
the column (23) .
7. The unit according to one of the foregoing claims from 2 to
6, characterised in that each article (l) is disc-shaped; the
channel (13) having two zones (15, 16), each with a substantially
circular cross-sectional profile, so as to permit simultaneous
guided downfeed of two side-by-side stacks (la, lb) of articles
(1).
8. The unit according to claims 2 and 7, characterised in that
the hollow element (14) is equipped with a longitudinal conduit
(18) for conveying a fluid, the conduit (18) being positioned
centrally between the two circular zones (15, 16) of the hollow element (14) and leading into at least one bottom opening (19) through which the fluid itself is fed into the channel (13) and is blown onto the pods (1) .
9. The unit according to claim 8, characterised in that the
fluid is an inert gas, preferably nitrogen.
10. The unit according to claim 8 or 9, charaicterised in that the
circular zones (15, 16) of the hollow element (14) have radial"
grooves (60) extending lengthways for the full length of the
circular zones (15, 16) themselves.
A unit (100) for packaging articles (1) containing a product for infusion, preferably filter paper coffee pods (1), is of the type comprising at least one operating stacking station (8) for stacking the pods (1) in such a way as to form at least one stack (la, 1b)of pods (1). The stacking station (8) comprises a device (9) for handling the pods (1) which guides and controls the stack (la, 1b) of pods (1) as it is fed into a respective bag-like packet (11).

A UNIT FOR PACKAGING ARTICLES CONTAINING INFUSION PRODUCT.

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