EP0006893B1 - Process and apparatus for producing and filling a double-tray package - Google Patents

Abstract

The double packings are obtained with two plates (20, 21) which are connected by central walls, from a single blank by bringing closer reciprocally both plates (20, 21), these plates being spaced one from the other at a starting position and formed from a single flat blank, until the formation of the central walls connected by a common fold is achieved. Then, the other outer walls are obtained by folding. Production, including filling and folding, is carried out either step-by-step with stop at the different working stations or in a continuous mode through appropriate devices.

Description

The invention relates to a method and device for producing and filling a pack with two part packs which are formed from a one-piece blank and are arranged next to one another and are open at the top and which are connected to one another in the region of mutually facing walls (central shelves) which are pushed together by pushing the part packs together.

Such a packaging container, consisting of two partial packs, is known for holding bottles from FR-A-21 35 486. In this known proposal, the one-piece blank is first pre-folded in the middle and side area. As a result, a central web consisting of two walls is formed, which has open recesses for the entry of the bottle necks. On the free sides, rectangular hollow bodies are folded in cross-section, in which the bottles are accommodated with their lower part in trough-like depressions. After feeding two bottles on each side of the partially folded bottle holder, these are folded over with the rectangular hollow bodies towards the center into a horizontal position. The bottlenecks enter offset recesses in the central web offset from one another. This is then completed by pushing the partial packs together until the walls abut each other. The bottle insert designed in this way is finally inserted into an outer pack.

In contrast, the invention relates to another type of pack, namely to a double-tray pack with two trays separated from one another by a common central shelf. Each tray is used to hold a group of individual packs. These are therefore surrounded by a wall in the middle, by side walls and an outboard.

To produce and fill such a double-tray pack, it is proposed according to the invention that the respective pack contents assigned to the two trays (groups of single packs) are placed on the common blank in the flat starting position of the same in the relative position corresponding to the finished pack and cover a bottom wall of each tray without changing the relative position in the unfolded position of the middle shelves or until the groups of individual packs are pushed together on the middle shelves and then the side shelves and the outboard are raised.

The method according to the invention produces very precisely shaped packs. However, the careful handling of the contents of the pack, that is to say the groups of individual packs, is particularly advantageous since these are no longer changed during the folding processes with regard to the relative position with respect to the cut.

A device according to the invention for carrying out the aforementioned method is characterized in that the trays can be pushed together by unfolding the outer shelves by means of stationary end fold members which are assigned to a station and can be moved transversely to the conveying direction of the wrappers and which engage the outside of the wrapper or the outer shelves.

This preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention operates in cycles.

An alternative to the device mentioned is provided with stationary folding members for the outer shelves and for the middle shelves of the packs, which extend in the region of the transport path of the blanks, the folding members changing their shape and / or relative position in the conveying direction in such a way that the blank parts by the relative movement are unfoldable. According to the invention, these folding members are arranged only on the side of the blank which forms the outside of the trays, the package contents (packing groups) acting as counterholders for the folding members. This device is set up for continuous operation.

• Fig. 1 eine Verpackung der vorliegenden Art im schematischen Grundriß,
• Fig. 2 einen ausgebreiteten Zuschnitt mit Packungsinhalt für eine Verpackung gern. Fig.1, ebenfalls im Grundriß,
• Fig. 3 drei Stationen bei der Füllung und Fertigstellung einer Verpackung gem. Fig. 1 in perspektivischer Darstellung,
• Fig. 4 einen Teil einer Vorrichtung zum taktweisen Herstellen und Füllen einer Verpackung gem. Fig. 1 im vereinfachten Grundriß,
• Fig. 5 eine Einzelheit, nämlich eine Station der Vorrichtung gem. Fig. 4, ebenfalls im Grundriß,
• Fig. 6 eine Einzelheit der Vorrichtung gem. Fig. 5 is schematischer Seitenansicht,
• Fig. 7 einen vereinfachten Querschnitt durch die Vorrichtung gem. Fig. 4, bei vergrößertem Maßstab,
• Fig. 8 eine Einzelheit der Vorrichtung gern. Fig. 4 im Bereich der Station gem. Fig. 5 in Seitenansicht bzw. im Querschnitt, bei ebenfalls vergrößertem Maßstab,
• Fig. 9 eine weitere Einzelheit der Vorrichtung im Bereich einer Station zum Fertigstellen der Packung in Seitenansicht bzw. im Schnitt,
• Fig. 10 die Einzelheit gem. Fig. 9 in einer um 90° versetzten. Seitenansicht,
• Fig. 11 bis Fig. 14 einzelne Phasen bei der Herstellung einer Verpackung im fortlaufenden Verfahren, im Querschnitt,
• Fig. 15 eine Vorrichtung für die fortlaufende Fertigung i. S. von Fig. 11 bis Fig. 14 in schematischer Seitenansicht,
• Fig. 16 einen vereinfachten Grundriß zu Fig. 15.

Exemplary embodiments of devices for the production of double tray packs are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. Show it:

• 1 is a packaging of the present type in a schematic plan view,
• Fig. 2 like a spread blank with package content for packaging. Fig. 1, also in plan,
• Fig. 3 three stations in the filling and completion of a package acc. 1 in a perspective view,
• Fig. 4 shows a part of a device for the cyclical manufacture and filling of a package acc. 1 in a simplified plan,
• Fig. 5 shows a detail, namely a station of the device according to. Fig. 4, also in plan,
• Fig. 6 shows a detail of the device. 5 is a schematic side view,
• Fig. 7 shows a simplified cross section through the device according. 4, on an enlarged scale,
• Fig. 8 likes a detail of the device. Fig. 4 in the area of the station. 5 in side view or in cross section, also on an enlarged scale,
• 9 shows a further detail of the device in the area of a station for finishing the pack in side view or in section,
• Fig. 10 shows the detail. Fig. 9 offset in a 90 °. Side view,
• 11 to 14 individual phases in the production of a packaging in the continuous Process, in cross section,
• 15 shows a device for continuous production i. 11 from FIG. 11 in a schematic side view,
• 16 shows a simplified plan view of FIG. 15.

The package mentioned here consists of two individual packages, namely so-called trays 20 and 21. The trays are separably connected to one another and in any case form a package unit until they are separated. Each tray 20, 21 holds a separate pack content, in the present case a group of individual packs 22. These have a cuboid shape in the present case and are arranged such that they completely cover a bottom wall 23 of the trays 20, 21, in the present case approximately quadratic formation of the same.

The package contents are enclosed on the trays 20, 21 by side walls all around, which, however, only extend over a portion of the height of the individual packages 22. These walls are each a central shelf 24, 25, side rims _e 26 and 27 and an outer shelf 28 opposite the central shelf 24 or 25 adjacent areas with the side walls 26, 27 connected by 90 ° folded corner flaps 29, 30, 31 and 32 to the aforementioned side walls 26, 27, in particular by gluing, thermal welding or the like.

According to this structure of the double pack, the one-piece blank is gem. Fig. 2 formed. The middle shelves 25 and 25 are through a transverse folding edge. 33 demarcated from each other. This is provided with special incisions 34, by which a possible severing of the pack in the area of the folded edge 33 is facilitated.

Cutting areas for forming the corner flaps 31, 32 adjoin the central rims 24, 25. The side walls 26 and 27 are laterally connected to the bottom wall 23. The outer corner flaps 29 and 30 are in turn connected to the outer rims 28. Separating cuts 35 and 36 are placed between the corner flaps 29.32 on the one hand and the side rims 26, 27.

The packaging described so far, including filling, can be produced in a continuous or cyclical movement.

3 to 10 show details of the production of the pack in cyclical operation. For this purpose, the blanks are conveyed in sections along a straight path and pass through three stations. In a first station A, the spread blanks are placed on a conveyor, in the present case on a transport frame 37 that can be moved back and forth. The blanks are arranged such that the trays 20, 21 lie side by side with respect to the transport direction.

A plurality of work steps are carried out in a subsequent station B. First of all, the contents of the package are conveyed transversely to the transport direction, that is, in the longitudinal direction of the blanks. The group of individual packs fed in first is conveyed onto the swept-out first tray 20 and then onto the tray 21 in a subsequent movement cycle. In this second transport cycle for the group of individual packs 22, the second group is simultaneously fed, so that the two groups are simultaneously placed on the assigned trays 20, 21.

A further pre-folding of the blank is carried out in station B. On the one hand, this likes to look at the unfolding of the central shelves 24 and 25 into a flat V-shaped intermediate folding position. Fig. 7. At the same time the outer rims 28 are also moved into an inclined position. At the same time, the trays 20, 21 and thus the groups of the individual packs 22 are brought closer together.

In a station C, the package is then folded in that the center shelves 24, 25 are unfolded against one another until they are in direct contact, with the trays 20 and 21 being pushed together accordingly. Furthermore, the side shelves 26 and 27, which extend in the transport direction at the front and rear, are erected up to Attachment to the package contents. Finally, the outer rims 28 are pivoted into their upright end position and the corner spikes 29..32 are angled by 90 °.

The blanks are placed in the station A lying transversely to the transport direction on the transport frame 37. This is formed with two pairs of spaced-apart drivers 38, each of which grips a blank on the back. The transport frame 37 is driven to and fro in such a way that the blanks are transported from one station to the next following one during a lifting movement in the direction of the arrows 39. The return movement of the transport frame 37 into the starting position takes place in a level below the conveying level of the blanks.

For this purpose, the transport frame 37 is mounted on a base frame 41 via parallelogram link 40. This in turn is displaceable, namely sliding, arranged on two parallel, fixed guide rods 42. The base frame 41 is driven to and fro, for example by a crank mechanism, of which the end of a crank rod 43 is shown in FIG. 6. The movements of the underframe 41 are transmitted to the transport frame 37 via the parallelogram link 40. Whose height position is determined by the angular position of the parallelogram 40. 6 is the feed position shown. In the opposite movement, namely when reversing from the end position (FIG. 6 left) into the starting position, the transport frame 37 is previously pivoted relative to the underframe 41, as a result of which the transport frame 37 dips down from the conveying plane of the blanks. For this purpose, the transport frame 37 is by a separate drive device, for. B. by a pressure medium cylinder (not shown), the piston rod 44 engages on the transport frame 37.

In station B, the initially flat blanks are loaded. For this purpose, a feed device (FIG. 5) lying to the side of the transport frame 37 is provided. The feed device consists of a double slide 45, which can be moved back and forth transversely to the conveying direction of the blank, with two driver webs 46, 47, each for detecting a pack content or a group of individual packs 22. The loading takes place in such a way that a group is fed during a first conveying cycle from individual packs 22 through the front carrier web 46 to the support on the tray 20 and thereafter, namely in a second working cycle this first group is conveyed to the tray 21 and a subsequent group on the tray 20. The blank is then loaded with two groups of individual packs 22 in two working strokes of the double slide 45. The distances between the carrier webs 46, 47 are chosen such that the exact end positions of the groups on the tray 20, 21 are given.

The double slide 45 is slidably mounted on a transverse rod 48, which in the present case is square. The rod 48 is in turn rotatably held in end bearings 49. When returning to the starting position, the double slide 45 is pivoted by turning the rod 48, in the present case counterclockwise (FIG. 8), and can thus return to the starting position without colliding with the groups of the individual packs 22 .

In station B, the blank is further pre-folded. For this purpose, a pre-folding element 51 can be raised and lowered below the transport plane for the blanks, namely below a bearing plate 50. This occurs with three spaced-apart folding webs 52, 53 from below into the transport path of the blanks, in such a way that the interconnected central shelves 24, 25 are raised to a flat, inverted V by the folding web 53. This folding process automatically results in a certain pushing together of the trays 20, 21 with the groups of individual packs 22. At the same time, the outer flanges 28 are also folded out into a slight inclined position by the folding webs 52 on the outside. To secure the contents of the pack during this folding process, a counter-holder 54 is located on the top of each of the individual packs 22.

With a pre-folding in the sense described, the double packs together with the contents of the pack are fed to the station "C. Here, the folding is completed and the pack is therefore completed.

Laterally next to the conveyor track, correspondingly formed and correspondingly synchronously moved end folding members 55 are mounted. These are fed to the pre-folded pack in the area of the outer rims 28 by displacement on support rods 56. The end folding members 55 are provided with a folding plate 57, which are moved to the respective outboard 28 by the movement described and pivot it into the upright position, bearing against the contents of the pack. The folding plate 57 is slidably mounted on a plate holder 60 against bolts 58 against the load of compression springs 59. When hitting the outer rims 28, these are first folded, as described, into the upright position. As the plate holder 60 moves forward, it is pushed further while compressing the compression springs 59. The folding plate 57 remains in the end position shown, namely in contact with the outboard 28. The resulting relative movement actuates and folds further folding members, namely the corner folder 61. By means of this pivoting movement, the upright corner flaps 29, 30, which initially protrude transversely, are folded over by 90 ° until they abut against the side rims 26, 27 which have already been unfolded. A pressure roller 62 arranged on the corner folder 61 is acted upon by the plate holder 60 during the relative movement described, in such a way that the corner folder 61 executes a pivoting movement against the load of a tension spring 63. The pivoting movement corresponds to the folding movement for the corner flaps 29, 30.

In a synchronously controlled folding process, the side rims 26, 27 are folded over into an upright position in abutment with the contents of the package in advance or when the movements overlap. This folding process is overlaid with the folding of the corner tabs 31, 32 located in the center of the pack.

9 and 10, a side folding member 64 common to both sides of the pack is fed from below to the pack for this purpose. Web-shaped erectors 66 assigned to the two trays 20, 21 are arranged on a holding plate 65, with a certain distance from the package contents. These immovable, ie rigid, erectors 66 move the side rims 26, 27 into an almost upright position (FIG. 9, right side). The Completion of the folding movement is then carried out by a middle folder 67, which is pivotally mounted here on the holding plate 65 as an angle piece. A protruding leg 68 comes with a stop 69 against the underside of the pack or a pack stage 70. As a result, the middle folder 67 is pivoted in the clockwise direction against the load of a tension spring 71, with the entrainment of both the side flanges 26, 27 and that pre-folded corner flaps 31, 32 until they touch the contents of the pack. The individual packs 22 are also fixed in the area of this station C by a counter-holder 72.

The finished package can now be removed and, for example, provided with an outer wrapper.

In the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 11 to 16, the package, including the filling, is formed as the individual parts are transported continuously.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the groups of individual packs 22 are separated on a conveyor plate 73 and fed at a distance in the transverse direction from one another by an endless conveyor, namely a chain conveyor 74. The blanks for the formation of the double packs are transported from below through a blank conveyor 75 to the level of the conveyor plate 73. The sequence of movements is controlled synchronously in such a way that the groups of the individual packs 22 are placed exactly on the bottom walls 23 of the trays 20, 21.

In the further course of the transport movement, double folders 77 move along with an endless conveyor 76. These double folders 77, which can be moved relative to the endless conveyor 76, carry out - in coordination with other folding members - the erection and folding of the side flanges 26 and 27 located on the front and rear sides.

The further folds are carried out in the present case by stationary folding members, in such a way that the folding movements take place automatically due to the relative movement of the blanks with the package contents in relation to the stationary folding members.

For this purpose, folding strips 78, 79 are mounted on both sides of the transport path. These have oblique folding surfaces 80 on the sides facing the packs. Their design is selected such that the outer rims 28 projecting laterally beyond the contents of the pack, including the corner flaps 29, 30 attached to them, are gripped by changing inclination of the folding surfaces 80 and erected during transport. The relative position of the folding strips 78, 79, namely their spacing from one another, is designed such that, during this folding process, the package halves, namely the trays 20, 21, are pushed together.

The central shelves 24, 25 are also unfolded by a stationary folding member, namely a central folding web 81. This extends in the region of the folding edge 33, with an increasing height in the conveying direction. Due to the simultaneous pushing together of the trays 20, 21, the folding of the middle shelves 24, 25 is effected by this folding web 81.

The process of pushing the package halves together is additionally supported by transverse guide elements, namely by lateral pressure strips 82, which have an increasingly decreasing free distance due to the widening of the cross section in the conveying direction. The individual packs 22 lying directly against these pressure bars 82 are thereby moved towards one another with the pack halves. This folding and transverse displacement process is coordinated with the movable double folders 77, so that the corner flaps 29.32 are also folded into their end positions.

Claims (12)

1. Process for producing and filling a packing with two juxtaposed partial packs (20, 21), which are formed from a one-part blank and open at the top, whilst being interconnected in the vicinity of the facing upright walls (central walls 24, 25) by sliding together the partial packs (20, 21) characterized in that for producing double tray packs with a central wall (24, 25), side wall (26, 27) and outer wall (28) the packing content (groups of individual packs 22) associated in each case with the two trays (20, 21) and whilst covering one base wall (23) of each tray (20, 21) is placed on the common blank in a flat initial position thereof in the relative position corresponding to the finished pack and without varying the relative position are slid together into the erect position of the central walls (24, 25) or until the groups of individual packs (22) engage on the central walls (24, 25) and then the side walls (26, 27) and outer wall (28) are brought into the upright position.

2. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the packing content, i.e. two groups of individual packs (22) are conveyed in timed manner at right angles to the conveying direction of the blanks and on the latter up to the end position.

3. Process according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the side edges (26, 27) are folded directly on the packing content and that corner flaps (29, 30, 31, 32) connected to the central walls (24, 25) and outer walls (28) are folded against the outside of side walls (26,27).

4. Process according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at roughly the same time as the central walls (24, 25) the side walls (26, 27) are folded up into a sloping intermediate folding position.

5. Process according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the blanks are conveyed in a timed manner and in the vicinity of a station (B) the blanks are charged with the packing content and prefolded, whilst in the area of a further station (C) the packing is completely folded.

6. Apparatus for performing the process of claim 1, as well as optionally one or more of the other claims, characterized in that the trays (20, 21) can be slid together by fixed end folding members, associated with a station (C) movable at right angles to the conveying direction of the packs and which externally engage on the pack and/or the outer edges (28), whilst folding up the latter.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the end folding members (55) carry separately movable corner folders (61) for the external corner flaps (29, 30).

8. Apparatus according to claims 6 or 7, characterized by separate side folding members (64) for erecting and completely folding the side walls (26, 27), including the corner flaps (31, 32) located in the central area of the pack.

9. Apparatus according to claims 6, 7 or 8, characterized by prefolding members (51) for the V-shaped prefolding of the central walls (24, 25) as well as for the prefolding of outer walls (28).

10. Apparatus for performing the process of claim 1, as well as one or more of the further claims, fixed, folding members extending in the conveying direction both for the outer walls and for the central walls are arranged in the vicinity of the conveyor belt for the blank and in the conveying direction alter their shape and/or relative position in such a way that the blank portions can be folded up by the relative movement, characterized in that the folding members (78, 79, 81) only engage on that side of the blank forming the outside of the trays (20, 21), the packing content (packing groups 22) acting as a support for the folding members.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized by a centrally positioned upright folding member (81) for the V-shaped erecting of the central walls (24, 25).

12. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that outside the area of trays (20, 21) lateral guidance and transverse sliding members (pressure strips 82) engage on the packing content and slide the latter towards the centre synchronously with trays (20, 21).

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