DE20121443U1 - packaging device - Google Patents

Description

94 117 tl/in 02 .07.2002

Ligmatech Automation Systems GmbH

Ligmatech Str. 1 D-09638 Lichtenberg

Packaging device TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to a packaging device.

STATE OF THE ART

Packaging devices are known that have one or more stationary folding devices, which are essentially equipped with a stamp and a die. A cut, plate-shaped packaging material blank is inserted into the folding device, provided with an adhesive and folded into a bottom box. After the bottom box has been removed, a separate top box (here: lid) is produced in the same way, either using the same folding device or a second folding device and using another packaging material blank. After the top and bottom boxes have been completed, an object to be packaged is inserted manually or mechanically into the bottom box and then the bottom box with the object to be bound therein is closed by attaching the top box.

With the packaging devices described above, only packaging or boxes of a single size can be produced due to the fact that the respective folding device works with a stamp and die, each of which has a fixed, unchangeable dimension. For a different packaging size, the stamp and die would have to be exchanged for a new stamp and a new die with a different dimension. However, both the production of different stamps and dies and the respective conversion of the packaging device is costly, complex and uneconomical, especially for smaller series. In addition, to produce the upper and lower boxes, either two different folding devices or two completely separate production sections with additional steps for removing the lower box produced first, inserting the packaging material blank, producing the upper box and removing it from the device are required. Furthermore, the object to be packaged can only be placed in the lower box when at least the production of the lower box has been completely completed and the stamp has been removed from the lower box. The entire packaging process is therefore comparatively lengthy and complex.

Packaging devices have therefore been developed that work in a continuous process. A cut and, for example, one-piece, plate-shaped packaging material blank, from which both a bottom box and an integral top box can be folded, is placed on a conveyor line with an object or part to be packaged placed on the surface of the blank and fed to a folding device. In the folding device, sections of the packaging material blank are provided with an adhesive; furthermore, sections of the packaging material blank are folded around the object to be packaged by means of folding elements, so that a

A lower box is created in which the object is already partially packaged. The lower box with the object inside is then transported in the direction of flow to a closing device that is spatially separate from the folding device. There, further sections of the packaging material blank are provided with an adhesive, and an upper box is folded from the same packaging material blank using closing elements and closed over the lower box, whereby the object is now completely packaged.

In the aforementioned packaging devices that work according to the flow principle, the folding and closing elements are usually designed to be adjustable in size, so that packaging of different sizes can be produced without major conversion work. However, due to the flow principle and the associated spatially separate arrangement of the folding and closing devices, such devices have a voluminous design and require a very large installation area. Extra transport devices must also be provided which transfer the base box or the half-finished packaging from the folding device to the closing device. Due to the flow principle and the resulting fixed arrangement of the folding and closing device, the transport device and any other upstream or downstream additional devices, this device concept cannot be modified or adapted to the respective additional devices without further modification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is based on the task or technical problem of creating a novel packaging device which avoids the disadvantages inherent in the prior art as far as possible and

It ensures both a comparatively simple and effective packaging of an object and is also easier to adapt to varying manufacturing situations.

This object is achieved by a packaging device according to the invention with the features of claim 1. This packaging device comprises a single, stationary, modularly expandable packaging center with an integrated, stamp and die-free folding and closing device with size-adjustable folding, closing and adhesive application elements.

The folding and closing devices in the packaging device according to the invention are directly functionally linked. In the packaging device according to the invention, unlike in devices that operate according to the flow principle, all steps required for packaging a respective object, i.e. the application of an adhesive to the packaging material blank, the folding of the packaging material blank into a lower box that can already contain the object to be packaged, and the closing of the lower box by means of an upper box preferably folded from the same packaging material blank, are carried out in a single, uniform, stationary packaging center.

The packaging device according to the invention is therefore not only very compact and space-saving, it also does not require any extra transport device to transfer the semi-finished packaging from the folding device to the closing device. The packaging blank can instead be processed stationary at a single processing position and the object can be packaged at this position. This is not only advantageous if the device according to the invention is operated manually, since almost all

operating activities only require a single person at a single location, but also when the device is to be expanded, for example, for the purpose of further automation by additional device components, such as robots.

Since the packaging device according to the invention, similar to the devices operating according to the flow principle, is also equipped with a stamp and die-free folding and closing device with size-adjustable folding, closing and adhesive application elements, all of which are, however, included in the individual packaging center, the packaging device according to the invention is suitable for producing packaging of a wide variety of sizes despite the stationary arrangement of the packaging center. Complex conversion work or the like is not required for this. Even small series can be produced effectively and economically.

As already mentioned above, the object to be packaged can already be arranged on the packaging material blank when its outer packaging is produced, thus achieving further rationalization and high packaging speed.

Because in the packaging device according to the invention all device components essential for the actual packaging process are concentrated in a single, modularly expandable packaging center, which to a certain extent forms an autonomous functional unit, the packaging device according to the invention can also be combined particularly easily, without great effort and extremely flexibly with any other, additional device components and can be easily adapted to a wide variety of production situations.

Further preferred and advantageous design features of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention with additional design details is described and explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The figure shows a schematic plan view of a packaging device according to the invention with further additional device modules.

PRESENTATION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The attached figure shows a schematic top view of a packaging device according to the invention with further additional device modules. The packaging device according to the invention comprises a single, stationary, modularly expandable packaging center 2 with an integrated, stamp and die-free folding device 4 and a closure device 6 with size-adjustable folding, closure and adhesive application elements. The packaging center 2 forms a type of individual "packaging cell". In the present embodiment, the folding device 4 and the closure device 6 are arranged on a common frame of the packaging center 2. The folding elements can be, for example, sliders and/or folding flaps, the closure elements can be closure sliders and/or counterpressure bars and/or brackets, and the adhesive application elements can be application nozzles or the like. The application nozzles can be used, for example, to apply an adhesive in the form of a hot melt adhesive (hot melt adhesive, or other agent).

As can be seen in the figure and as indicated by double arrows, the closure device 6 can be moved from a provision position located at least partially next to the folding device 4 into the folding device 4 into a working position and back again from this.

The packaging device further comprises a packaging material alignment module 10 equipped with a support ramp 8, which is arranged on a left-hand side of the packaging center 2 in the drawing and is modularly coupled or combined with the packaging center 2. In the present example, the alignment module 10 simultaneously functions as a packaging material feeding module.

On the left side of the alignment module 10, a packaging material magazine module 12 is arranged, which is modularly coupled or combined with the alignment module 10 and, via this, with the packaging center 2.

In the present embodiment, a parts loading and unloading module 14 for loading the stationary packaging center 2 with parts to be packaged is arranged to the left in front of the packaging center 2 and is combined with it in a modular manner. The parts loading and unloading module 14 here comprises an industrial robot 16, which removes the parts to be packaged from a parts stack 18, places them on the packaging material in the area of the alignment module 10 and later removes the fully packaged parts together with their packaging from the packaging center 2 and assembles them into a package stack 20.

The operation of the device according to the invention and further device details will now be described.

For the present example, it is assumed that the packaging material used to package parts or objects

are to be packaged, it is a cardboard blank according to the standard Fefco 04110. The cardboard blank will be referred to below as cardboard for short. However, the invention is of course not limited to this packaging material and the said standard. In principle, other suitable packaging materials or cardboard boxes can also be processed with the device according to the invention.

First, the magazine module 12 is filled with a stack of cardboard boxes. Then a cardboard box is lifted from a rear edge of the stack using a suction traverse. The sucked cardboard box is pushed onto the subsequent alignment module 10 and the support ramp 8. In this case, the alignment module 10 has so-called belt swords that form a transport ramp for the cardboard boxes. The belt swords are swung out to the level of the cardboard stack in the magazine module 12. The belt swords convey the cardboard box lengthways against a stop on the alignment module 10, which results in the cardboard box being aligned lengthways.

The belt blades are then lowered below the level of the cross rollers of the alignment module 10. This causes the cardboard to come to rest on the cross rollers. The cross rollers convey the cardboard against the side stops of the alignment module 10, which results in the cardboard being aligned transversely.

There are then two different possible ways of continuing the work process. Firstly, the parts to be packaged can be taken from the parts stack 18, as in the present example, e.g. by means of the industrial robot 16 and placed on the aligned cardboard box in the alignment module 10 and the cardboard box with the parts placed on it can be transported on belt conveyors into the folding device 4 of the packaging center 2. There, the

The cardboard box can then be sucked onto the folding device by suction cups and is thus locked in position for folding. Secondly, the aligned cardboard box could initially be gripped by a cardboard gripper without any parts placed on it and then transported into the folding device 4 and against stops using belt conveyors. The parts to be packaged can then be placed onto the cardboard box within the packaging center 2 itself.

By raising the folding flaps of the folding device 4, the corner flaps of the cardboard are pre-folded inwards. Furthermore, by raising further folding flaps, the long sides of the cardboard are folded. A slider is then extended to hold the long sides. At essentially the same time as the folding flaps are raised, lid sliders positioned at the back of the cardboard are extended. By means of further sliders, the side flaps of the cardboard are folded in. The cross sides of the cardboard are folded using the folding flaps. The cross sides are held by extending the sliders. The folding flaps are then folded back lengthways and crossways again. A base box has now been created in which the parts to be packaged are already located.

The long sides of the prefabricated cardboard box are glued using the movable or adjustable HotMelt application nozzles of the packaging center 2.

Now the closure device 6 is moved from its ready position into the folding device 4 into its working position. At essentially the same time, a lid section of the cardboard box is folded down to the front using several brackets. Then the transverse sides of the cardboard box are glued using movable or adjustable hot melt application nozzles arranged on the closure device 6. By extending a closure slide

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The long and short sides of the lid flaps of the cardboard box are folded down. The processing steps mentioned above create an integral cardboard box lid (top box) which closes the bottom box.

Essentially at the same time as the closure slide is extended, the counter pressure bar of the closure device 6 is lowered onto the carton lid and held in this position until the hot melt adhesive has hardened. As soon as this has happened, the closure slide and the counter pressure bar are moved upwards and the closure device 6 is retracted from the area of the folding device 4 back into its ready position.

The finished cardboard package with the part(s) packed therein is now removed from the packaging center 2 by means of the industrial robot 16 and stacked on the packaging stack 20.

After lowering the folding flaps and sliders, the finished cardboard package can also be transported out of the packaging center 2 on belt conveyors or the like, e.g. on a transport path extending as an extension of the alignment module 10, and then stacked accordingly. Purely manual removal is of course also possible.

The processing cycle is now complete for one cardboard box. The processing sequence is the same for subsequent cardboard boxes.

The invention is not limited to the above embodiments, which serve only to generally explain the core idea of the invention. Within the scope of protection, the device according to the invention can also take on a different design form than that described above.

I · · ·· III!

The device can in particular have features that represent a combination of two or more of the respective individual features of the appended claims. Although the packaging center in the above example was operated or fed fully automatically with the help of an industrial robot as a handling device, it is of course also possible in a simple version of the device according to the invention to operate or feed the packaging center or its additional modules purely manually.

Reference signs in the claims, the description and the drawings serve only to improve the understanding of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection.

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List of reference symbols

They refer to:

2 packaging centers (packaging cells)

4 Folding device

6 Locking device

8 Support ramp

10 Alignment module

12 Magazine module

14 parts loading and unloading module

16 industrial robots

18 parts stacks

20 stacks of packages

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Claims (6)

1. Packaging device, comprising a single, stationary, modularly expandable packaging center ( 2 ) with an integrated, stamp and die-free folding ( 4 ) and closing device ( 6 ) with size-adjustable folding, closing and adhesive application elements as well as a single processing and packaging position for folding, adhesive application and closing. 2. Packaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure device ( 6 ) can be moved from a provision position located at least partially next to the folding device ( 4 ) into the folding device ( 4 ) into a working position and back again. 3. Packaging device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a packaging material feeding module ( 10 ) which can be modularly combined with the packaging center ( 2 ). 4. Packaging device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a packaging material alignment module ( 10 ) which can be modularly combined with the packaging center ( 2 ) and/or the packaging material feeding module. 5. Packaging device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a packaging material magazine module ( 12 ) which can be modularly combined with the packaging center ( 2 ) and/or the packaging material feeding module ( 10 ) and/or the packaging material alignment module ( 10 ). 6. Packaging device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a parts loading and unloading module ( 14 , 16 ) which can be combined modularly with the packaging center ( 2 ).