EP0338255B1 - Wrapping-up device for boxes and process for wrapping up articles in boxes - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a packaging machine for boxes, in which an insert is inserted into at least one open side and which are closed by folding over flaps, with an insert transmitter for removing the inserts from a magazine and for feeding the inserts into the box, the Insert transmitter for capturing and moving the inserts has an insert holder which can be subjected to negative pressure.

Packaging machines of the aforementioned type (known from US-A-3 302 946) - carton packers - are used for the production and filling of large-volume packaging (cartons). Correspondingly large blanks, usually made of corrugated cardboard, are usually prefabricated outside the packaging machine and also already pre-folded to form a closed cardboard tube in cross-section. Cardboard tubes that are folded flat are delivered to the packaging machine.

The cardboard tube is first erected in the area of the same. This is then conveyed through the packaging machine with the open surfaces facing to the side (carton top and bottom), filled and closed by folding over transversely projecting folding tabs.

The invention is concerned with an improvement of the packaging machine for the production of such cartons. Loose, separate cardboard blanks - so-called inserts - are to be inserted into the open or already filled cardboard boxes or cardboard tubes.

From US-A-3 302 946 it is known to take individual cardboard blanks from a magazine and to place them in a cardboard box which is open at the top. The device provided for this purpose works with a rod-shaped suction holder, which rotates about an axis and whose axis of rotation in turn rotates about another axis. The space requirement of the known device is very large. There must be a certain minimum distance between the magazine for the individual cuts and the boxes.

The object of the present invention is to further improve a device of the type mentioned, in particular to make it more compact.

According to the invention the object is achieved in that the insert transmitter is provided with an actuating linkage which has two levers which are fixed in a common central warehouse and are each pivotable for themselves, the levers via a parallelogram coupling with the insert transmitter or are connected to a supporting arm carrying this, and one lever is directly articulated with one leg and the other lever is connected via a coupling link is connected to the support arm or the insert transmitter.

The cartons or the erected sleeves are briefly in a standstill phase during transport through the packaging machine. The device according to the invention for inserting the inserts is arranged in this area.

An insert transmitter with a magazine is preferably arranged on both sides of the conveyor track for the cardboard tubes. The inserts are removed from this at the bottom by the insert transmitter, pivoted into an upright position and inserted into the cardboard tubes by moving them transversely to the conveying direction. Then the boxes are closed in the usual way by folding the folding flaps.

The insert transmitter consists of a plate-shaped insert holder which is provided with suction holes for the releasable fixing of an insert. The insert holder in turn sits on a support arm that can be moved by a mechanical linkage. The sequence of movements is such that an insert is removed from an upright or at an acute angle above the conveyor track for the cardboard tubes, moved downward, brought into an upright position and then moved transversely into the open cardboard tube.

The actuating linkage consists of two levers, in particular double levers, which can be pivoted about a common pivot point (central bearing) and which are connected in an articulated manner to the insert transmitter. By sensible relative movement of the double lever to each other, the above-described movement sequence of the insert transmitter is guaranteed within a short period of time. Further features of the packaging machine according to the invention relate to the arrangement and configuration of the insert transmitter and the actuating linkage.

Fig. 1

eine schematisierte Queransicht einer Verpakkungsmaschine für Kartons mit Insert-Gebern,

Fig. 2

einen einzelnen Insert-Geber in einer Ansicht entsprechend Fig. 1, in vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 3

eine Darstellung entsprechend Fig. 2, jedoch in einer veränderten Position des Insert-Gebers,

Fig. 4

eine Darstellung entsprechend Fig. 2 und 3 bei einer nochmals veränderten Relativstellung des Insert-Gebers,

Fig. 5

einen Schnitt entsprechend der Fig. 4 entlang der Linie V - V mit dem Insert-Geber und einem gefüllten Karton.

An embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

2 shows a schematic lateral view of a packaging machine for boxes with insert sensors,

Fig. 2

a single insert sensor in a view corresponding to FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 3

2, but in a changed position of the insert transmitter,

Fig. 4

2 and 3 with another change in the relative position of the insert transmitter,

Fig. 5

a section corresponding to FIG. 4 along the line V - V with the insert encoder and a filled box.

A packaging machine 53, shown schematically here, has a conveyor track consisting of two parallel support rods 54, 55. Fig. 1 shows the support rods 54, 55 in cross section. The cardboard tubes are conveyed on them perpendicular to the image plane.

The production and filling of large-volume cartons usually takes place in such a way that a flat, collapsed carton tube 10, which is closed in cross section, is erected, filled and sealed within the packaging machine 53. The cardboard tube 10 is so through the packaging machine 53 promoted that open sides 11 and 12, usually the top and bottom of the finished carton, are directed sideways with respect to the conveying direction of the carton sleeve 10. Furthermore (upper and lower) folding tabs 13 and 14 on both sides of the carton sleeve 10 are also sideways directed. The folding tabs 13, 14 are folded over into the plane of the open sides 11, 12 as soon as the cardboard tube 10 is filled.

Separate, loose, plate-shaped blanks, in particular also made of cardboard, are to be introduced into the open or partially open cardboard tube 10. Such inserts 15 can be arranged within the finished carton, that is to say in abutment with the carton content 48, which consists of individual boxes 56 packed one above the other and next to one another in several layers. Alternatively, it is possible to attach the inserts 15 after the folding of inner folding tabs 41, 42 before the outer folding tabs 13, 14 are folded over.

In the present exemplary embodiment, inserts 15 are to be introduced into the cardboard tube 10 on both sides of the cardboard, that is to say above and below, and thus on both sides before the folding tabs 13, 14 are folded over. For this purpose, insert units 16, 17 are arranged on both sides of the conveyor track (support rods 54, 55) for the cardboard tube 10 through the packaging machine 53.

Each insert unit 16, 17 consists of a large-volume magazine 18 for holding a supply of inserts 15 stacked one above the other. In the present case, the magazines 18 are attached above the movement or conveying path of the cardboard sleeves 10, in an almost upright, light manner inclined position (at an acute angle).

The inserts 15 are removed from the magazine 18 in succession at the bottom, moved downward, erected and then inserted into the laterally open cardboard tube 10 by transverse movement. An insert sensor 19 is provided for this. This consists of a plate-shaped insert holder 20, on the outer or upper side of which an insert 15 abuts. The insert holder 20 is provided with suction bores 37 which are connected to a vacuum source. The inserts 15 are accordingly fixed to the insert holder 20 by suction.

The insert holder 20 is attached to a support arm 21 off-center. This has a hollow channel-shaped feed 38 (FIGS. 4 and 5) for connecting the insert holder 20 to the vacuum source. A suction channel 47 is provided in the interior of the insert holder 20, which connects the feed 38 to the suction bores 37.

The insert holder 20 is elongated, the suction channel 47 running along the main direction of extension of the insert holder 20 and having a U-shaped cross section. The suction bores 37 are each arranged at the ends 49, 50 of the suction channel 47. 4 and 5 go from each end 49 or 50 eight, namely two times four suction bores 37. The suction bores 37 of a group of four 51 or 52 radially diverge in the direction of the insert 15 to be sucked in.

Alternatively, in an embodiment not shown here, the insert holder 20 can also be arranged centrally on the support arm 21.

The support arm 21 is moved by an actuating linkage 22 in the manner described. The actuating linkage 22 here consists of two levers, namely double levers 23 and 24 (double-armed levers). These can be pivoted independently of one another about a common axis of rotation by storage in a common central warehouse 25. With this, the double levers 23, 24 are attached to a support cheek 26 of the machine frame.

The double levers 23, 24 are designed as angle levers. The double lever 23 consists of two legs 27, 28 arranged at an obtuse angle to one another, while the legs 29, 30 of the double lever 24 are directed at an acute angle to one another. The ends of both double levers 23, 24 are connected in an articulated manner to the insert transmitter 19 or its support arm 21. The double lever 24 or its leg 30 is connected directly to a lower part of the support arm 21 via a joint 31. The double lever 23 is indirectly connected to the support arm 21, namely via a coupling link 32. The coupling link 32 is also connected to the support arm 21 via a joint 33. Coupling link 32 on the one hand and legs 30 of the double lever 24 on the other form a parallelogram connection to the support arm 21. In order to ensure the mobility of this parallelogram, the coupling link 32 is via a joint 34 connected to the free end of the leg 27.

The actuating linkage 22 thus formed is driven synchronously with the packaging machine 53. For this purpose, an actuator is assigned to each double lever 23, 24, namely a push rod 35, 36 which is shown schematically here Packaging machine 53 is possible.

The double levers 23, 24 are actuated individually by the push rods 35, 36, namely pivoted about the central bearing 25. In the relative position of the double levers 23, 24 according to FIG. 2, the insert transmitter 19 is delivered to the lower insert 15 in the magazine 18. This is done by moving down taken from the magazine 18 (Fig. 3). By further relative movement of the double link 23, 24 it is achieved that the insert transmitter 19 or its support arm 21 performs a pivoting movement, connected with a transverse movement in the direction of the cardboard tube 10. This inserts the insert 20 with the insert 15 in an upright position Position pivoted and inserted into the open side of the cardboard tube 10.

The movements of the insert transmitter 19 described above on both sides of the cardboard tube 10 are coordinated with one another, so that the inserts 15 are fed to the cardboard tube 10 simultaneously.

5, the support arm 21 has in its interior a suction channel 38 which is connected to the suction bores 37 in the insert holder 20.

Inserting the insert 15 and then closing the box proceeds as follows:

The insert 15 is inserted in an upright position into the open cardboard tube 10 by the insert donor 19 and lies there against the cardboard contents 43. Subsequently, inner folding tabs 41, 42 are folded into the plane of the open side 11 in a manner known per se by folding members 39, 40. The folding tabs 41, 42 are so short that they do not hit the insert holder 20 between them.

Only now are the outer folding flaps 13, 14 folded inwards, and at the same time the insert holder 20 with its support arm 21 is moved out of the area of the open side 11 in the direction of the arrow 44. The movement of the support arm 21 takes place so quickly that the Swiveling of the folding tabs 13, 14 is not hindered by the insert holder 20. Previously, the folding members 39, 40 are parallel to the direction of the arrows 45, 46 from the area of the open Page 11 of the cardboard tube 10 has been moved out. The folding flaps 13, 14 now cover the insert 15 and the inner folding flaps 41, 42 almost completely.

In another embodiment, not shown here, the outer folding tabs 13, 14 are also made so short that their pivoting movement is not hindered by the insert holder 20. Accordingly, the insert holder 20 only detaches from the insert 15 after the folding of both folding flap pairs 41, 42 and 13, 14. This is particularly advantageous in the case of cardboard tubes 10 that have not yet been filled.

Claims (9)

1. Packaging machine for cartons (10), in which an insert (15) is introduced into at least one open side and which are closed by the folding round of folding tabs, with an insert dispenser (19) for removing the inserts (15) from a magazine (18) and for feeding the inserts into the carton (10), the insert dispenser (19) having an insert holder (20), which can be subjected to a vacuum, for the purpose of grasping and moving the inserts, characterised in that the insert dispenser (19) is provided, for the movement of the insert holder (20), with actuating linkage (22) having two levers (23, 24) which are mounted at a fixed location and each independently pivotably in a common central bearing (25), the levers (23, 24) being connected via a parallelogram coupling to the insert holder (20) or to a carrying arm (21) carrying the latter, and one lever (24) being connected directly to one leg (30) in an articulated manner and the other lever (23) being connected to the carrying arm (21) or to the insert holder (20) via a coupling link (32).
2. Packaging machine according to Claim 1, characterised in that the insert dispenser (19) is arranged laterally next to the carton (10), and an insert (15) can be introduced into the laterally open carton (10) in a vertical position by the lowering, pivoting and transverse movement of the insert holder (20).
3. Packaging machine according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that an insert unit (16, 17) with an insert dispenser (19) is arranged at least on each one side, preferably on each of the two sides of a conveyor track for the laterally open cartons (10), preferably for the simultaneous introduction of two inserts (15) into the carton (10) open on opposite sides.
4. Packaging machine according to one or more of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the levers (23, 24) are designed as double levers, especially as angle levers, one double lever (23) having two legs (27, 28) directed at an obtuse angle to one another and the other double lever (24) having two legs (29, 30) directed at an acute angle to one another.
5. Packaging machine according to one or more of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that each lever (23, 24) can be moved by means of a separate actuating member, especially by means of push rods (35, 36) assigned to each lever.
6. Packaging machine according to one or more of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the insert holder (20) is arranged especially eccentrically at one end of the carrying arm (21) and has suction bores (37), corresponding to a feed (38) arranged in the carrying arm, for fixing the insert (15) releasably by means of suction air.
7. Packaging machine according to Claim 6, characterised in that the suction bores (37) are connected to the feed (38) via a suction channel (47) arranged in the insert holder (20), the suction channel (47) extending upwards essentially perpendicularly to the feed (38).
8. Packaging machine according to Claim 7, characterised in that the suction bores (37) are arranged respectively at the ends (49, 50) of the suction channel (47), so that the insert (15) can be fixed to the insert holder (20) by means of a plurality of suction bores (37) located at a distance from one another.
9. Packaging machine according to one or more of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the insert holder (20) has an at least substantially smaller width than the insert (15) to be moved, so that, when the insert (15) is introduced and held by the insert holder (20), inner folding tabs (41, 42) of the carton (10) can be folded round into the plane of an open side (11), without the folding tabs (41, 42) butting against the insert holder (20) standing between them.

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