HK40017197B - Plant for automated packaging of items in cardboard boxes - Google Patents

Description

Equipment for automatically packing items in cardboard boxes

Technical Field

The invention has general application in the field of equipment for producing packages and in particular relates to equipment for automatically packing articles in cardboard boxes.

Background Art

Machines for making and forming boxes from continuously fed unrolled paperboard webs or sheets are well known.

These machines comprise means for feeding a sheet of cardboard and means for cutting, creasing and folding the sheet in the longitudinal and transverse directions, respectively, to form folded and closed boxes.

A first drawback of these machines is that they do not comprise means for introducing and positioning the articles to be packaged in the box.

The boxes are therefore filled by another machine separate from the machine for forming the boxes, or manually by an operator, which involves a significant increase in the total processing time.

Furthermore, if filling is carried out with the aid of an additional machine, the above-mentioned disadvantages lead to an increase in the overall size and construction complexity of the entire plant.

In an attempt to at least partially eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, apparatuses have been developed which comprise a station for forming the cassettes and a station for introducing the objects therein.

US20150367974 discloses an apparatus for forming a continuously fed web of paperboard into folded boxes and for automatically packing articles in the boxes.

That is, the above-mentioned apparatus includes: a cutting and creasing station for cutting and creasing a cardboard web continuously fed from an upstream roller; a folding station for folding the cut and creasing cardboard sheets to form folded boxes; and a device for feeding the processed sheets.

Furthermore, the apparatus comprises means for feeding and positioning the objects to be packaged, said means being synchronized with said feeding means.

The positioning device is configured to position objects on the unfolded cardboard sheet being fed and processed before the unfolded cardboard sheet reaches a folding station where folded boxes are made.

However, a first disadvantage of this arrangement is that the boxes made from the above system do not have a stable structure and are prone to bending and deformation over time, especially when they are usually moved and transported.

Furthermore, the bottom and side walls of the box are not reinforced and tend to collapse, especially under heavy weight of the items and packaging.

A further disadvantage of this arrangement is that the steps for processing the continuously fed cardboard web to obtain unfolded sheets that are later folded involve considerable waste of material, which cannot be reused to make further boxes.

Furthermore, the above-described system does not have conveying means associated with the cutting and folding stations for automatically removing the processing waste.

Technical issues

In view of the prior art, the technical problem addressed by the present invention is to provide an apparatus for automatically packaging articles in cardboard boxes, wherein the boxes have a highly stable and durable structure and the manufacture of the boxes generates limited waste.

Summary of the Invention

The object of the present invention is to obviate the disadvantages discussed above by providing an apparatus for automatically packing articles in cartons, which apparatus is efficient and relatively cost-effective.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide an apparatus as described above which provides for automatic and simultaneous box formation and packaging of articles.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device as described above which can provide a cartridge having a highly stable and durable structure.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device as described above which can provide a box with reinforced bottom and side walls.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus as discussed above which can limit the disposal of waste during the cartridge manufacturing process.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device as described above which is small in size and can be assembled simply.

As will be explained more clearly below, these and other objects are achieved by an apparatus for automatically packing articles in cardboard boxes according to claim 1, comprising: a forming station for forming open sheet boxes from a continuously fed web and placing the open sheet boxes on a horizontal surface; a device for introducing articles into the open boxes; a closing station for closing the open boxes with the articles contained therein; and a feeding device for feeding the open boxes from the forming station to the closing station.

The first gluing device comprises a first applicator for applying a hot-melt adhesive strip on the side edge of the elongated element, and the forming station comprises a pair of suction cup manipulators for picking up a transverse plate and applying it to the elongated element at the adhesive strip to obtain a cross-shaped blank.

The forming station comprises: a cutting and creasing device for cutting and creasing a continuously fed web of material, the cutting and creasing device being adapted to provide longitudinal panels defining a bottom wall, a top closing wall and a first pair of side walls of the box and a pair of transverse panels adapted to form a second pair of side walls of the box; and a first gluing device for gluing the transverse panels to the longitudinal panels so as to provide a substantially cross-shaped, one-piece unfolded blank.

Furthermore, the closing station comprises folding and automatic gluing means for folding the side walls and the top closing wall of the box so as to form a finished package ready for storage or shipping.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are obtained from the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description of a preferred, non-exclusive embodiment of an apparatus for automatically packing articles in cardboard boxes, described as a non-limiting example with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 and 2 are a perspective view and a sectional side view of the apparatus of the present invention;

3 and 4 are a top view and a cross-sectional side view of the first station of the apparatus of FIG. 1 ;

5 and 6 are perspective and sectional side views of a first detail of the first station of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 ;

7 and 8 are perspective and top views of a second detail of the first station of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 ;

9 and 10 are perspective and sectional side views of the second station of the apparatus of the present invention;

11 and 12 are perspective views of a first detail of the second station of FIGS. 9 and 10 in two different operating configurations;

FIG13 is a perspective view of a second detail of the second system of FIG9 and FIG10;

14 is a perspective view of a carton formed with the system of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In particular, with reference to the accompanying drawings, there is shown an apparatus for automatically packaging one or more articles O in boxes B, generally designated by the numeral 1 .

Without departing from the scope of the invention, the objects O may be chosen from different categories, while the box B may be of the type disclosed in Italian patent application 102016000131802 in the name of the owner of the present application.

14 , each box B comprises, in its assembled configuration, a bottom wall _PF , a top closure wall _PS , a first pair of side walls _PL1 , and a second pair of side walls _PL2 perpendicular to the first pair of side walls to define a compartment for containing items O.

For example, box B may have a first major form having a length of 600 mm, a width of 500 mm and a height of 450 mm, or a second major form having a length of 200 mm, a width of 150 mm and a height of 50 mm.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the apparatus 1 comprises a forming station 2 for forming a cardboard web M into unfolded sheet cartons, as shown in Figures 3 to 8, and an introducing device 3 for introducing articles O into the boxes B.

The apparatus 1 comprises a closing station 4 for closing boxes B containing objects O therein, as shown in FIGS. 9 to 13 , and a feeding device 5 for feeding open boxes from the forming station 2 to the closing station 4 .

The forming station 2 and the closing station 4 for forming and closing the boxes B may comprise respective format frames 6 , which are also suitable for supporting the introduction device 3 and the feeding device 5 .

Furthermore, a feeding device 7 may be provided for feeding a continuously fed cardboard web M in the longitudinal direction X from a not shown storage station into the station 2 for forming.

For example, the supply means 7 may be of known type and may comprise one or more rollers 8 rotating about respective transverse axes and placed immediately upstream of the feed means 5 .

The feeding device 5 may comprise a first belt conveyor 9 which is substantially inclined with respect to the horizontal and which is positioned in the forming station 2 to receive the cardboard web M from the supply device 7 .

The feeding device 5 may also comprise a belt system 10 placed in the closing station 4 immediately downstream of the first belt conveyor 9 of the forming station 2 .

As best shown in Figures 2 to 4, the introduction device 3 for introducing articles O may include: several second belt conveyors 11, which are also placed in the forming station 2 above the inclined plane π of the first belt conveyor 9; and a knife edge belt conveyor 12 in the closing station 4 to place the articles O on the above-mentioned unfolded cardboard sheet before the unfolded cardboard sheet is folded.

Advantageously, the introduction device 3 for introducing the objects O and the feeding device 5 for feeding the open boxes B can be connected to the control unit by means of software suitable for synchronizing the movements and checking the proper match between the batches of objects O and the open boxes B being fed.

A second series of belts 11' immediately upstream of the knife-edge conveyor 12 of the closing station 4 can be slidably mounted to guides 13 transverse to the longitudinal feed direction X for feeding the articles O or centering their position relative to the open boxes B fed along the first belt conveyor 9.

Preferably, a belt conveyor 14 can be provided for conveying trimmings produced in the forming station 2 below the first belt conveyor 9 towards the shredding unit.

In a particular aspect of the invention, the forming station 2 comprises a cutting and creasing device 15 for cutting and creasing a continuously fed cardboard web M, the said cutting and creasing device being suitable for providing: an elongated longitudinal element _E1 defining a bottom wall _PF , a top wall _PS and a first pair of side walls _PL1 of the box B; and a pair of transverse plates _E2 , _E3 suitable for forming a second pair of side walls _PL2 of the box B.

The cutting and creasing device 15 may comprise: a first series of transverse tools 16 mounted to a first carriage 17 and moving transversely to the introduction direction X of the continuously fed web M; and a first series of longitudinal tools 18 suitable for forming a plurality of longitudinal cutting and creasing lines _LL on the unfolded cardboard sheet.

Specifically, first transverse tools 16 cut the continuously fed web M to create elongate elements _El and transverse panels _E2 , _E3 , while longitudinal tools 18 form crease lines _LL along longitudinal edges thereof, defining respective longitudinal wings _W1 , _W2 and corresponding central bodies _C1 , _C2 .

Furthermore, the cutting and creasing device 15 comprises a second series of transverse tools 19 mounted to a second carriage 20, movable transversely to the feed direction X of the unfolded sheet and adapted to form a plurality of transverse creasing lines _LT in the unfolded sheet.

The transverse crease line _LT is adapted to define, along the longitudinal extent of the elongated element _E1 , a first pair of side walls _PL1 , a top wall _PS , and a bottom wall _PF .

That is, the first side wall _PL1 is located at a position that is offset and alternates with the top wall _PS and the bottom wall _PF in the longitudinal direction, and is joined to the top wall and the bottom wall along the transverse folding line _LT .

The walls _PS , _PF , _PL1 and transverse panels _E2 , _E3 of the elongated element _E1 may have the same overall width I, whereas the flanks _W2 of the transverse panels _E2 , _E3 may have a width _I1 greater than the width _I2 of the flanks _W1 of the walls _PS , _PF , _PL1 of the elongated element _E1 .

Furthermore, the second transverse tool 19 is suitable for forming a transverse folding flap _WT at a transverse end F of the top wall _PS , said transverse folding flap being designed to be glued to the outer surface _SOUT of one of the first side walls _PL1 when the box B is closed.

In a further particular aspect of the invention, the forming station 2 further comprises first gluing means 21 for gluing the transverse panels E ₂ , E ₃ to the longitudinal element E ₁ so as to provide a one-piece unfolded blank H of substantially cross-shaped shape.

The first gluing device 21 may include a first applicator 22 for applying a hot melt adhesive strip to the side edge of the elongated element _E1 placed immediately downstream of the second transverse tool 19, while the forming station 2 may include a pair of suction cup manipulators 23, as best shown in Figures 7 and 8.

The suction cup manipulators 23 are movable in respective transverse directions and are suitable for picking up transverse plates E ₂ , E ₃ and applying said transverse plates to the elongated element E ₁ at the glue strips so as to form a cross-shaped blank H.

In particular, as best shown in Figure 14, the transverse panels _E2 , _E3 may be glued to the elongated element _E1 at the portion corresponding to the bottom wall _PF with the longitudinal folding lines in overlapping relationship.

In this configuration, the flanks _W2 of the transverse panels _E2 , _E3 overlap the central body _C1 of the bottom wall _PF , whereas the flanks _W1 of the bottom wall _PF are glued to the bottom surface S _INF of the central body _C2 of the respective transverse panel _E2 , _E3 .

After forming, the cross-shaped blank H is transferred from the first belt conveyor 9 to the belt system 10 of the closing station 4, while a knife-edge conveyor 12 places the articles O on the blank before it is folded.

Furthermore, the closing station 4 comprises folding and gluing means 24 for folding and gluing the side walls _P1 , _P2 and the top closing wall _PS of the box B so as to provide a finished package ready for storage and shipping when the objects O to be packaged are introduced into the box.

Preferably, the closing station 4 may comprise a robotic arm 25 immediately downstream of the knife-edge conveyor 12 and comprising a second applicator 26 for applying hot melt adhesive to the edge of the blank H to be folded, as best shown in FIG. 10 .

In particular, the second applicator 26 will be adapted to dispense a bead of glue onto the outer surfaces S _OUT2 of the flanks W ₂ of the first pair of side walls P ₁ of the cross-shaped blank H.

Furthermore, when positioning the article O on the blank H, the robot arm 25 may be moved along a vertical axis to guide the article O.

The folding device 24 may include a first operating unit 27 having a plurality of tip-up folding actuators 28 coplanar with the feed belt system 10 in the idle position, as shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 .

Each actuator 28 comprises a respective suction cup member 29 adapted to hold the blank H at its side walls P ₁ , P ₂ and to fold the blank along its respective longitudinal and transverse crease lines _LL , _LT .

In this configuration, all side walls P ₁ , P ₂ are folded and the flank W ₂ of the first side wall _PL1 is glued to the inner surface S _IN of the second side wall _PL2 .

Conveniently, the folding device 24 may comprise a second operating unit 30 folding the top wall _PS of the box B and closing the top of the containing compartment.

The second operating unit 30 may include: a first nozzle 31 for dispensing glue on the lateral wings _WT of the top wall _PS ; and a second nozzle 32 for dispensing glue on the lateral wings _W1 of the top wall _PS .

Furthermore, the second operating unit 30 comprises a plurality of pressing rollers 33 suitable for assisting in gluing the transverse flap _WT to one of the first side walls _PL1 and in gluing the longitudinal flap _W1 to the outer surface S _OUT3 of the second side wall _PL2 .

Thus, each second side wall P1 _{, 2} is held at its top portion and its bottom portion by the flanks _W1 of the top wall _PS and the bottom wall _PF , and the above configuration confers greater stability to the box 1.

All the moving parts of the device are motorized and managed independently by a control unit designed to synchronize their relative movements.

Advantageously, such a control unit allows the formation of the cross-shaped blank H, the introduction of the articles and the folding of the box to take place without stopping the feed device 5 .

From the foregoing it will be understood that the device of the present invention achieves the intended purposes and in particular enables the automatic packaging of a plurality of articles in a cardboard box having a highly resistant structure.

The device of the invention is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications within the inventive concept disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Although the apparatus has been described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings, the numerals referred to in the disclosure and claims are only used for a better understanding of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of what is claimed in any way.

Industrial Applicability

The invention can be applied industrially, since it can be produced on an industrial scale in the field of packaging production plants.

Claims (11)

1. An apparatus (1) for automatically packaging articles (O) into boxes (B), wherein each box (B) includes a bottom wall ( _PF ), two pairs of side walls ( _PL1 , _PL2 ) and a top wall ( _PS ), said apparatus (1) comprising: - Forming station (2), the forming station being used to form an open box (B) from a continuously fed web (M); -Introduction device (3), the introduction device being used to introduce an article (O) into a box (B); - Sealing station (4), the sealing station being used to seal the box (B) containing the article (O); - Feeding device (5), the feeding device being used to feed the box (B) from the forming station (2) to the closing station (4); The forming station (2) is characterized by comprising a cutting and bending device (15) for cutting and bending the continuously fed web (M), the cutting and bending device being adapted to provide an elongating element (E1) defining the bottom wall ( _PF ), the top wall ( _PS ), and the first pair of side walls ( _PL1 ) of the box ( _B ), and a pair of transverse plates ( _E2 , _E3 ) adapted to form the second pair of side walls ( _PL2 ) of the box (B); the forming station further comprises a first gluing device (21) for gluing the transverse plates ( _E2 , _E3 ) to the elongating element ( _E1 ) to provide a substantially cross-shaped single-piece unfolded blank (H), the first gluing device (21) comprising a first applicator (22) for applying a hot melt adhesive strip to the elongating element (E1 _). The forming station (2) includes a pair of suction cup manipulators (23) for picking up the transverse plates ( _E2 , _E3 ) and applying the transverse plates to the elongating element ( _E1 ) at the adhesive strip to obtain a cross-shaped blank (H); the closing station (4) includes a folding device (24) for folding and gluing the side walls ( _PL1 , _PL2 ) and top wall ( _PS ) of the box (B) to form a finished package ready for storage or transport. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus includes a supply device (7) for supplying the continuously fed web (M) to the forming station (2) along the feed direction (X). 3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cutting and pressing device (15) comprises: a first series of transverse tools (16), the first series of transverse tools being mounted to a first carriage (17) and moving transversely to the feed direction (X) of the continuously fed web (M); and a first series of longitudinal tools (18), the first series of longitudinal tools being adapted to form a plurality of longitudinal pressing lines (L _L ) on the blank (H). 4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the cutting and pressing device (15) includes a second series of transverse tools (19), the second series of transverse tools being mounted to a second carriage (20), moving transversely to the feed direction (X) of the blank (H), and adapted to form a plurality of transverse pressing lines ( _LT ) on the blank. 5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the feeding device (5) comprises: a substantially inclined first belt conveyor (9) located in the forming station (2); and a belt system (10) located in the enclosed station (4), the belt system being used to receive the blank (H) from the first belt conveyor (9). 6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the introducing device (3) for introducing the article (O) comprises: a series of second belt conveyors (11) located in the forming station (2) and above the inclined plane (π) of the first belt conveyor (9); and a blade conveyor (12) located in the closing station (4) for placing the article (O) to be packaged on the blank before the blank (H) is folded. 7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the second series of belts (11') positioned in front of the blade conveyor (12) are slidably mounted to a guide device (13) transverse to the feed direction (X) of the article (O) for centering the position of the article relative to the cross-shaped blank (H) being fed along the first belt conveyor (9). 8. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the device includes a third belt conveyor (14) for conveying chips generated by the cutting and pressing device (15), the third belt conveyor (14) being located below the first belt conveyor (9) and adapted to convey the chips toward the shredding unit. 9. The device according to claim 6, wherein the enclosure station (4) includes a robotic arm (25) located downstream of the blade conveyor (12) and includes a second applicator (26) for applying hot melt adhesive to the edge of the box (B) to be folded. 10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the folding device (24) comprises a first operating unit (27), the first operating unit comprising a plurality of tilt actuators (28), the tilt actuators having corresponding suction cup members (29), the suction cup members being adapted to hold the cross-shaped blank (H) at the sidewalls ( _PL1 , _PL2 ) of the cross-shaped blank, and fold the cross-shaped blank along the corresponding longitudinal folding line ( _LL ) and transverse folding line ( _LT ) of the cross-shaped blank. 11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the top wall ( _PS ) of the box (B) comprises a transverse wing ( _WT ) and a pair of longitudinal wings ( _W1 ), characterized in that the folding device (24) comprises a second operating unit (30), the second operating unit comprising a first nozzle (31) for dispensing adhesive on the transverse wing ( _WT ) and a second nozzle (32) for dispensing adhesive on the longitudinal wing ( _W1 ), the second operating unit (30) further comprising a plurality of pressure rollers (33) for adhesiveing the wings ( _WT , _W1 ) onto the side walls ( _PL1 , _PL2 ) of the box (B).