BE1025786A1 - IMPROVED DEVICE FOR FORMING A BOX - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention relates to a device for forming a box (6) from a box blank comprising at least four pivotally connected wall panels (4) and pivotally connected to the wall panels below (5) and top panels, the device comprising folding means suitable for folding in bottom panels (5) of a box blank, wherein the folding means comprise at least one folding unit (1) with a hinged holding arm (2) provided with a pivoting folding arm (3) suitable for pivoting a bottom panel (5) relative to the wall panel (4) connected thereto, and wherein said retaining arm (2) comprises a retaining element (7) provided to retain the wall panel (4) during pivoting of the folding arm.

Description

IMPROVED DEVICE FOR FORMING A BOX

This invention relates to a device for forming, in particular erecting, a box from a box blank comprising at least four pivotally connected wall panels and pivotally lower and top panels connected to the wall panels, the device comprising folding means suitable for folding of bottom panels of a box blank.

In order to save time, in most packaging lines there is a device for forming a box, also known under the term box erector, for automatically forming and setting up boxes. The boxes are herein formed from a blank comprising four pivotally connected wall panels, for forming an opposite front and rear wall and opposite side walls, wherein a bottom panel and a top panel are pivotable at the top and bottom of each wall panel. is provided for the formation of the bottom and top of the box respectively.

A box erector is known per se and picks (receives) automatically or not from a storage container a box blank as described above, which is subsequently formed (unfolded) in a folding station, the underside of the box being formed simultaneously by the bottom panels by means of. to fold and close a valve folding mechanism. The short bottom panels are first folded in and then the long bottom panels are folded in as standard.

Optionally, after the box has been formed, it can be further transported via a linear guide and provided with a tape closure on the underside of the box, so that it is ready to be filled. After filling, the top can be closed by folding the top panels in (over).

It is of course important that the box erector will form a perfect box. However, it has been found in practice, and this in particular when forming boxes with very

BE2017 / 5940 thin wall thicknesses (<3 mm.), That when folding the (short) bottom panels it often goes wrong, resulting in damage, for example in the form of creases in the wall panels of the box. There are several reasons for this: insufficient or weakened pleat rib at the transition between the wall panel and the bottom panel, corrugated cardboard waves that extend in a different direction from that of the pleat rib, the one (shorter) bottom panel stuck to the adjacent ( longer) bottom panel in case of a rectangular or square box shape. If the box is damaged too much, the damaged box must be removed manually, resulting in machine downtime.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device for forming a box where the risk of damage during folding is greatly reduced.

The object of the invention is achieved by providing a device for forming a box from a box blank comprising at least four pivotally connected wall panels and pivotally connected to the wall panels at the bottom and top panels, the device comprising folding means suitable for folding in bottom panels of a box blank, wherein the folding means comprise at least one folding unit with a hinged holding arm which is provided with a pivotable folding arm suitable for pivoting a bottom panel relative to the wall panel connected thereto, and wherein said holding arm comprises a holding element which is provided hold the wall panel while pivoting the folding arm.

With such a device it becomes possible to hold (lock) a wall panel during folding of the lower panel connected thereto, whereby the damage to the box is greatly reduced in relation to the support that the holding arm provides.

BE2017 / 5940

In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the retaining element comprises a suction cup provided around a wall panel by means of. to maintain negative pressure.

In a more preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the holding arm is pivotable between a rest position and a holding position. Preferably, the retaining arm will extend in its rest position according to a horizontal direction and in its retaining position will extend according to a vertical direction.

In a special embodiment of the device according to the invention, the folding arm is pivotable between a start and end position, wherein the folding arm extends in a direction transverse to the vash holding arm in the end position. Preferably the folding arm will abut in the starting position against the holding arm. The vash holding and folding arm are preferably pneumatically driven.

As the bottom of a box is usually formed from four bottom panels (two short and two long), the device according to the present invention preferably comprises four such folding units. If it is not possible to place four folding units, it is preferable to provide a folding unit to fold in the shorter bottom panels, because in practice the damage will occur there.

In a more special embodiment of the device according to the invention, the device comprises a storage container suitable for temporarily storing box blanks. The device according to the invention can further be provided with supply means for automatically moving the stored blanks to a folding station of the device, where the various lower panels are d.m.v. the present folding units are folded.

BE2017 / 5940

In order to further clarify the features of this invention and to indicate additional advantages and details thereof, a more detailed description of the device according to the invention now follows. It is clear that nothing in the following description can be interpreted as a limitation of the protection claimed for the invention in the claims.

Reference is made in this description to the accompanying drawing by reference numerals where:

figure 1: illustrates a damaged box;

figure 2: is a representation of a folding unit that is suitable for folding in one bottom panel of the box shown;

figure 3: shows in various steps (fig. 3.1 to 3.3) the setting up of a box with the device according to the invention.

During the formation of a box (6), folding into the bottom panels often leads to damage, such as in the form of creases in the wall panels (4) of the box (6), as illustrated in Figure 1 To avoid such damage, the device described below for forming (setting up) a box (6) was developed.

The box (6) is formed from a box blank comprising at least four pivotally connected wall panels (4) and pivotally connected to the wall panels (4) below (5) and top panels. To fold (pivot) the lower panels (5), the device comprises specific folding means.

According to the invention, the folding means comprise at least one folding unit (1) (in practice, one folding unit will be provided per panel to be folded in). The folding unit (1) is, as appears from Figure 2, built up from a hinged holding arm (2) on which a folding arm (3) is pivotally provided. The folding arm (3) is suitable for pivoting a bottom panel (5) relative to the wall panel (5) connected thereto. The retaining arm (2) comprises a retaining element

BE2017 / 5940 (7) which is provided to hold the wall panel (4) while pivoting the folding arm (3). By holding (securing) the wall panel (4), as shown in Figure 3, during folding of the lower panel (4) connected thereto, the risk of damage is greatly reduced.

The retaining element (7) is usually designed as a suction cup which the wall panel by means of. underpressure.

As can be seen from Figure 3, the holding arm (2) is pivotable between a rest position and a holding position. In its rest position (see Fig. 2) the holding arm (2) extends in a horizontal direction and in its holding position (see Fig. 3) the holding arm (2) extends in a vertical direction.

As shown in Figs. 3.1 to 3.3, the folding arm (3) is pivotable between a start and end position, the folding arm (3) extending in a direction transverse to the vash holding arm in the end position. In its starting position, the folding arm (3) is positioned adjacent to the holding arm (2).

The folding of the lower panels (5) will take place in a folding station (not shown in the accompanying figures) that forms part of the device according to the invention. In the folding station the box blank is initially set up by pulling open the push box blank or pushing it open. Subsequently, the lower panels are folded in as described above by means of of the folding units. Optionally, a set-up box blank can also be supplied to the folding station.

Claims (5)

A device for forming a box (6) from a box blank comprising at least four pivotally connected wall panels (4) and pivotally connected to the wall panels (4) below (5) - and top panels, the device comprising folding means suitable for folding bottom panels (5) of a box blank, characterized in that the folding means comprise at least one folding unit (1), said folding unit (1) comprising a pivotable holding arm (2) provided with a pivoting folding arm (3) which is adapted to pivot a bottom panel (5) relative to the wall panel (4) connected thereto, said holding arm (2) comprising a holding element (7) provided to hold the wall panel (4) during pivoting of the folding arm (3). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining element (7) comprises a suction cup provided around a wall panel (4) by means of to maintain negative pressure. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the holding arm (2) is pivotable between a rest position and a holding position. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the folding arm (3) is pivotable between a start and end position, the folding arm (3) extending in a direction transverse to the holding arm in the end position. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device comprises a storage container suitable for temporarily storing box blanks.