FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the technical sector concerning filter bags for infusion products (such as for example tea, camomile, etc.) and automatic packaging thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Once an infusion product has been packaged in a relative filter bag, it is usual for it to be closed and sealed and to associate, by means of a cotton thread, a tag to the bag.

The tag not only bears, possibly, an image and/or a logo representing the manufacture of the infusion product or other information or images, but also has a practical function as the consumer holds the tag between her or his fingers and can immerse the bag into the hot water and then extract it thanks to the presence of the thread which connects the tag to the bag.

Tags are known which comprise at least a through-hole; in particular tags are known (N), such as the one illustrated inFIG. 1, which comprise two through-holes (N1, N2) made in proximity of a side of the perimeter edge thereof and which are used to fix the tag (N) to a cotton thread connecting to the filter bag (B).

For example, to fix the tag (N) to the thread (M), a present method consists in first threading a free end of the thread (M) (the other end of the thread is the one coupling to the bag (B)) via a first hole (N1) of the two holes (N1, N2), passing it from a first face to the second face of the tag (N), then passing the same end through the second hole (N2), from the second face newly to the first face of the tag (N), then folding the portion of thread (M) projecting from the first face to realise a slot and passing, through this slot, the end of the thread (M), pulling it up to creating a knot (see for example the steps illustrated inFIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C).

Also known are other and different ways for passing the thread through the two holes so as to realise a knot which can fix and block the tag to the thread.

In any case, at present in order to realise the connection and fixing of the tag to the thread a knot is made on the thread which enables keeping the tag blocked to the thread, whether a simple knot, such as the one illustrated inFIG. 1C, or a different type of knot.

To pass the thread through the holes present on the known tags and to fold it so as to make the knot (whether a simple or more complex knot), apparatus are used which include the use of a needle having a particular form and structure which must both retain and move the thread, passing it through the holes present on the tag, in quite complex patterns: the needle is in any case expensive, and the repeated and continuous work cycles the needle is subjected to are risky for its integrity, incurring the possibility of having to replace it.

Other known apparatus use a series of aspirating elements which, via a special combination of aspirating actions, determine passage of the thread through the holes and its folding to make the knot on the tag: however the aspirating action also causes suction of dust into the aspirating elements which consequently require frequent maintenance and/or replacement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a method for fastening a tag to a connecting thread to a filter bag for infusion products which does not incur the drawbacks described above.

In particular, an aim of the present invention is to provide a new tag having a shape and characteristics such as not to require making a knot in the thread in order to fix the tag to the thread.

The aim is obtained with a tag according to claim1.

Other advantageous characteristics of the tag disclosed by the invention are set down in the claims dependent on claim1.

A further aim of the present invention is to provide a tag-thread assembly for a filter bag, according to the contents of claim8.

Lastly, a further aim of the present invention is also to disclose a method for fixing the tag of the invention to a connecting thread with a filter bag, according to claim10, without making any knot in the thread.

