Patents Assigned to I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A.
  • Patent number: 11910514
    Abstract: Apparatus to neutralize static electricity present on the surface of containers (100; 10?) and/or of nests (200; 300) comprising a plurality of seatings (212; 312) according to a positioning matrix (M1) and able to receive, resting on them, an ordered group of said containers (100; 100), wherein the apparatus comprises an extraction member (15) configured to engage at least one part of said ordered group of containers (100; 100?), in order to perform at least one relative lifting movement with respect to the nest (200; 300) so as to at least partly extract the containers (100; 100?) engaged from the respective seatings (212; 312), and at least one ionizing device (19) configured to be relatively mobile with respect to the extracted containers and/or with respect to the nest (200; 300), while said group of containers (100; 100?) extracted is in said raised condition, along a path that develops in the proximity of the containers (100; 100?) extracted and/or in the proximity of said nest (200; 300), so as to ion
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A.
    Inventors: Mattia Chianura, Sergio Manera
  • Patent number: 11898969
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for the surface quality inspection of the external surface of at least one component for inhalers or vaporizers, in particular a cartomizer for electronic cigarettes, verifies whether there are surface imperfections on the external surface of the components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Carlo Zaniboni
  • Patent number: 11879444
    Abstract: A positive displacement pump, including at least a cylinder, provided with at least an entrance aperture and at least an exit aperture for the liquid and a plunger, mobile inside the cylinder by means of a first actuator and configured to transfer the liquid from the entrance aperture to the exit aperture; the cylinder is provided with at least a first inactive position and at least a second working position between which it can be selectively positioned in an automatic and adjustable manner by at least one second actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Claudio Trebbi, Luca Stefanini
  • Patent number: 11866215
    Abstract: An opening assembly for a package, particularly for containers including vials, bottles, syringes, and carpules which can be installed in a container handling and filling system. The package includes a tub covered by a covering film, the tub containing a nest bearing the containers in an orderly manner. The opening assembly includes at least one clamp located upstream of an opening placed on a separation wall between a first and second sterile environment. While the package passes through the opening, the clamp clamps a portion of an edge of the covering film, consequently removing the covering film from the tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Claudio Trebbi, Gabriele Gabusi
  • Patent number: 11812783
    Abstract: An apparatus and method to automatically insert a liquid inside components of inhalers, such as cartomizers for electronic cigarettes, includes injection means having a plurality of injectors each having an injection head having a substantially symmetrical conformation with respect to its symmetrical axis. The injection means are configured to cooperate with an empty end part of a component and at least one injection needle is configured to penetrate into an internal cavity of the component and inject the liquid, while said injection head is stationary with respect to said component, arranging itself with the symmetrical axis substantially coincidental with the longitudinal axis of said internal cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Carlo Zaniboni
  • Patent number: 11815389
    Abstract: A weighing device to weigh at least one container suitable to contain one or more substances, including weighing means and a body connected to the weighing means and in which a compartment is defined, configured to temporarily house the container and provided with an aperture defining a passage gap for the introduction of the container inside the compartment along an axis of introduction, in which the body also includes a plurality of holding levers to hold the container inside the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Gabriele Gabusi, Mauro Maccagnani, Sergio Manera
  • Patent number: 11691328
    Abstract: A station for feeding closing seals for containers, which includes at least one fixed magazine of seals which is provided with an outlet from which the seals can be taken individually. The station includes a carousel for feeding seals which can rotate with respect to a first central rotation axis and is provided with pickers which are radially spaced apart from the first rotation axis. The pickers are individually rotatable about a second rotation axis which is not parallel to the first axis of the carousel. During the rotation of the carousel, at least one picker can is configured to rotate about the second axis from a position for taking the seal from the magazine to a position for releasing the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A IN SIGLA IMA S.P.A.
    Inventor: Filippo Furlotti
  • Patent number: 11628957
    Abstract: A station for feeding closing seals for containers includes at least one fixed magazine of seals which is provided with an outlet from which the seals can be taken individually. The station further includes a carousel for feeding seals which can rotate with respect to a first central rotation axis and is provided with pickers which are radially spaced apart from the first rotation axis. The pickers are individually rotatable about a second rotation axis which is not parallel to the first axis of the carousel. During rotation of the carousel, at least one picker is configured to rotate about the second axis from a position for taking the seal from the magazine to a position for releasing the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A IN SIGLA IMA S.P.A.
    Inventor: Filippo Furlotti
  • Patent number: 11607835
    Abstract: A station for heating thermoplastic sheet-like blanks for a thermoforming line includes a heating carousel which can rotate continuously about a central axis and which has a number of heating heads radially spaced apart from the central axis. Each heating head is adapted to receive at least one respective thermoplastic sheet-like blank at a first peripheral region which is outside the carousel, to retain the at least one blank during the rotation of the carousel while supplying heat to it, and to release the at least one blank to a second peripheral region which is outside the carousel and is angularly spaced apart from the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A IN SIGLA IMA S.P.A.
    Inventor: Filippo Furlotti
  • Patent number: 11608999
    Abstract: A fan assembly for cleanrooms includes a chamber defined by a floor, two opposing side walls and an upper wall, an inlet unit for introducing a laminar stream of gas into said chamber directed towards the floor, said chamber being arranged in such a way as to be internally invested by the gas introduced by the inlet unit, where said assembly further includes a conveying channel for the gas and for liquid substances present within the chamber positioned on the floor, said conveying channel is surmounted by a casing defined by an upper wall and by two opposing side walls and each side wall of the casing, being provided with through openings that place the chamber into communication with the conveying channel, said opposing side walls of the casing are arranged spaced apart from the respective opposing side walls of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Gabriele Gabusi, Claudio Trebbi
  • Patent number: 11584553
    Abstract: An airtight wrapper having an assembly wrapped by a wrapping sheet made of a weldable material creating a group of smoking articles obtained by: positioning the folded wrapping sheet to contact walls, front rear and head wall of the assembly, with flaps protruding beyond bottom and lateral walls; welding lower and upper flaps, and defining a transverse edge; folding the welded transverse edge rotating it by 180° toward the front wall; folding the upper and lower transverse flaps; folding the upper and lower transverse flaps; folding the rear and front longitudinal flaps, and partly also the transverse edge, toward the lower lateral walls, overlapping one on top of the other above the transverse flaps, and finally welding them to seal the airtight wrapper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Luca Tarozzi
  • Patent number: 11535408
    Abstract: A dosing device for feeding an infusion product includes: a tower for containing product, tubular channels for feeding the product to the tower; each channel configured to pick up the product from the tower and release a quantity of product; a plurality of containers for receiving the product from the channels; a platform movable relative to the channels supporting the containers one after another. The platform is configured for carrying, in sequence, each container to a first position for feeding a quantity of product less than the weight of a programmed dose and, subsequently, to a second position for feeding a remaining quantity of product for reaching the weight of the programmed dose. A plurality of weighing elements control the weight of the product in each container and a control unit controls the quantity of product fed to each container and the relative movement of the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Sauro Rivola, Dylan Forni, Luca Bernardini
  • Patent number: 11498775
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for the transfer of components for inhalers or vaporizers from a loading station in which the components arrive randomly oriented, toward one or more work stations, to which said components are delivered oriented according to a predetermined orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Carlo Zaniboni
  • Patent number: 11485103
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing pouches made of at least partly thermoplastic material, including the steps of superimposing at least two webs of at least partly thermoplastic material, joining the webs at adhesion regions or lines, and cutting the webs at cutting regions or lines in order to provide pouches. In a condition in which the webs are superimposed, the method further includes the step of mutually aligning the webs by causing the elongation of at least one of the two webs via the application of heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Filippo Furlotti
  • Patent number: 11446856
    Abstract: An assembly for manufacturing containers by thermoforming, which includes a magazine of thermoplastic sheet-like blanks, a feeding station for feeding the blanks, a heating station for heating the blanks, and a station for thermoforming containers starting from the blanks. The feeding station includes a closed-loop path and at least two conveyor elements, which move, following each other, along the path between a loading position, in which the conveyor element faces the blank magazine, and an unloading position, in which the conveyor element faces the heating station. The heating station includes a heating carousel, wherein, in the active condition, the conveyor element in the unloading position moves with a substantially linear motion with a speed that is substantially equal to a peripheral speed of the heating carousel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A IN SIGLA IMA S.P.A.
    Inventor: Filippo Furlotti
  • Patent number: 11440687
    Abstract: A station for sealing thermoformed containers for a packaging line and a method for sealing the containers includes a sealing carousel which rotates continuously about a central axis and includes sealing heads which are radially spaced apart from said central axis. Each sealing head is adapted to receive at least one container to be sealed at a first, input, peripheral region, which is outside the sealing carousel; receive at least one closing seal at a second, input, peripheral region, which is outside the sealing carousel; and hold the closing seal and the container during the rotation of the sealing carousel and couple them together. The station further releases the container complete with the closing seal at a third, output, peripheral region, which is outside the sealing carousel and angularly spaced from the first and from the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A IN SIGLA IMA S.P.A.
    Inventor: Filippo Furlotti
  • Patent number: 11427360
    Abstract: A packaging machine to make an airtight wrapper includes a wrapping sheet wrapped airtight around a structured assembly consisting of an organized group of smoking articles associated with a reinforcement insert. The reinforcement insert includes, in working sequence on one or more cyclical conveyor devices of the wheel or carousel type, a structured assembly formation unit, a combination unit suitable to combine the structured assembly with said wrapping sheet, a wrapping sheet work unit and a welding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Fiorenzo Draghetti
  • Patent number: 11420778
    Abstract: A machine for filling and packaging containers including but not limited to bottles, cartridges, and syringes includes a wall that delimits an operating chamber in which at least one handling arm is arranged and which is facing at least one station placed externally to the operating chamber for the treatment of one or more of the containers. An intermediate element includes at least one coupling member configured to be alternatively operatively associable to the station and to the handling arm, with the intermediate element further including a coupling assembly integral to the intermediate element itself and different than coupling member. The coupling assembly is configured to removably hold one or more of the containers to be treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Claudio Trebbi, Gabriele Gabusi
  • Patent number: 11377243
    Abstract: A machine for making filter bags of different shapes for infusion products includes: a wheel defining a work surface and rotating about a relative axis; feed stations for placing tags on the work surface, a continuous thread, along a weave path, and a strip of filter material superposing the weave of thread and the tag. A sealing device is located downstream of the feed stations for sealing between the thread, tag and strip of filter material. A feed device moving the strip along a feed line is positioned downstream of the wheel. A station introduces a dose of infusion product in bag and closes the bag. The feed device has two feed rollers, for unwinding the strip, controlled by a control system for adjusting the speed of rotation of the feed rollers as a function of the length of the filter material needed to form the bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Sauro Rivola, Andrea Sermenghi, Mauro Bianchi
  • Patent number: 11376196
    Abstract: A filling machine for filling capsules a product comprises a plurality of operative stations for carrying out operations on the capsules, a movement device provided with seats for housing and moving the capsules through the operative stations; and a weighing station to weigh of the capsules and comprising a weighing unit and a transfer system to transfer the capsules from the movement device to the weighing unit and vice versa. The weighing unit comprises a gripping element coupled with a weighing cell and provided with a housing for receiving and holding the capsule to be weighed. The transfer system include a first transfer element to remove the capsule from the seat of the movement device and insert it in the housing to measure its weight, and a second transfer element to remove the body from the housing and insert it in the seat of the movement device, after the measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Massimo Ribani, Maurizio Bedetti, Alessandro Masotti, Lorenzo Maldina