EP0182967A2 - Device for erecting folded cartons - Google Patents

Abstract

Folding boxes (10) are kept ready for filling in connection with packaging machines in a flat folded state in magazines. This requires the folding boxes to be erected. For this purpose, a swiveling and translationally movable gripper arm (33) with suction cups (34) is provided, which removes the respective front folding box (10) from the magazine (19), transports it to a counter-holder (37) and then erects the folding box together with it .

Description

The invention relates to a device for erecting flat folded folding boxes (corrugated boxes), consisting of front wall, rear wall and side walls, as well as folding flaps connected to this, the folding boxes being removable from a magazine and being removed by a holding element acting on the front wall with suction elements while being erected onto a discharge conveyor are.

Such devices are used in packaging technology, in particular for the handling of larger boxes (corrugated boxes). These are prepared so far for the packaging pregarg that the upright walls, namely the front wall, rear wall and side walls, are connected to one another to form a "hose". The folding flaps adjoining the aforementioned cardboard walls protrude laterally. This flat folded structure has to be erected for filling in such a way that the individual cardboard walls are arranged parallel or perpendicular to each other.

In a known device of the type mentioned at the beginning (DE-OS 32 07 902), the flat-lying folding cartons are removed from a magazine above the discharge conveyor. For this purpose, a special transfer device is provided, which consists of a suction holder which grips the front wall of the folding carton. This in turn is attached to a pivotable and transversely movable linkage. The individual folding cartons are transferred through this transfer device to a holding device which is also equipped with a suction holder for gripping the folding carton in the area of the rear wall. After the transfer device has been detached from the folding carton, the front side thereof is gripped by a suction holder of a feed device which, after the folding device has been released by the holding device, feeds it to the discharge path. During transport through the feed device, a free, outer edge of the carton slides along a fixed wall or switch, whereby the folding carton is erected.

This known device is complex and prone to failure due to the use of different devices for conveying and holding the folding carton. Furthermore, unfolding the carton by sliding along a fixed switch is disadvantageous because it impairs the folding carton special upsets, grinding marks etc. can occur. The erection of the cardboard is also not so reliable.

A device is also already known in which folding boxes are erected by two suction cups arranged in a corner, which act on a top wall and a side wall of the folding box and are movable relative to one another (DE-OS 23 23 644). In this known device, however, the flat folding boxes must be fed along a horizontal conveyor track due to the arrangement of the suction cups. As a result, it is not possible to remove the folding boxes directly from a magazine and to erect them during the removal process.

The invention has for its object to further develop and improve a device of the type mentioned in such a way that the folding cartons are reliably unfolded with gentle handling on the one hand and high performance on the other hand. In addition, the device should be simple and clear, and therefore less prone to failure.

To achieve this object, the device according to the invention is characterized in that the folding carton can be removed from the magazine by the holding member (gripping arm) and erected by relative movement relative to at least one other holding member (counter-holder) engaging on another carton wall (side wall).

The essence of the invention therefore lies in the fact that the flat cardboard boxes are removed from a magazine by a holding element (gripping arm) and by this in cooperation with a counterholder on the way to the storage the discharge conveyor or another preferably horizontal support surface is erected. The structure of the device is very simple. The distances covered by the folding box are extremely short. By capturing the same in the area of the front wall on the one hand and the subsequent side wall on the other hand by means preferably equipped with suction devices, an inevitability is achieved when the carton is erected, without impairing it mechanically.

According to the invention, the gripping arm is designed or mounted in such a way that a complex movement can be carried out. First the gripper arm is pivoted towards the front folding box in the magazine, in particular while moving it upwards. Then there is a translational return movement with the picked folding carton into a position in which the folding carton stands on the discharge path with a lower edge. Then, by appropriate movement of the gripping arm, the folding carton with the side wall is brought up to the essentially stationary counter-holder. Now the gripper arm pivots horizontally, which means that due to the fixing of the side wall on the one hand and entrainment of the front wall on the other hand, the carton is erected and at the same time brought into a position suitable for filling or further transport.

For this purpose, the gripper arm is connected to a special gear, which here consists of two differently movable, namely pivotable, links.

The magazine arranged above the discharge path is designed so that the folding cartons are fed in cycles to the removal side. There will be the folding boxes are laterally detachably held, in particular by small holding rollers which can be rotated about an essentially upright axis and each grasp the lateral, upright edges of the folding boxes.

Further features of the invention relate to the design of the holding members, the removal conveyor and the magazine.

• Fig. 1 die Vorrichtung in schematischer Seitenansicht in einer Ausgangsstellung eines Greifarms,
• Fig. 2 einen Teil der Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 1 bei veränderter Relativstellung des Greifarms,
• Fig. 3 die Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 1 und 2 bei Übernahme eines Faltkartons aus einem Magazin,
• Fig. 4 die Stellung des Greifarms in einer abgesenkten Position des Faltkartons,
• Fig. 5 den Faltkarton mit Greifarm in einer Zwischenstellung,
• Fig. 6 Einzelheiten der Vorrichtung während des Aufrichtens des Faltkartons,
• Fig. 7 die Relativstellung der Organe nach dem Auffalten und Absetzen des Faltkartons,
• Fig. 8 die Vorrichtung in Vorderansicht bzw. im Vertikalschnitt,
• Fig. 9 eine Grundrißdarstellung der Vorrichtung ohne Magazin.

An embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the drawings. It shows:

• 1 shows the device in a schematic side view in an initial position of a gripping arm,
• 2 shows a part of the device according to FIG. 1 with a changed relative position of the gripping arm,
• 3 shows the device according to FIGS. 1 and 2 when taking over a folding box from a magazine,
• 4 shows the position of the gripping arm in a lowered position of the folding box,
• 5 the folding box with gripping arm in an intermediate position,
• 6 details of the device during the erection of the folding box,
• 7 shows the relative position of the organs after the folding and setting down of the folding box,
• 8 the device in front view or in vertical section,
• Fig. 9 is a plan view of the device without a magazine.

The device shown is used in connection with a packaging machine or as part of the same. Large-volume packaging, in particular corrugated cardboard, is predominantly processed with such devices. In the present exemplary embodiment, folding cartons 10 are produced which are used to hold smaller packs, in the present case to hold so-called cigarette sticks 11.

The folding boxes 10 used here consist of front wall 12, rear wall 13, side walls 14 and 15 connecting these to one another, and folding tabs 16 and 17 which laterally protrude from the projecting cardboard walls. The above definition of the cardboard walls is only for the purpose of explanation, but does not specify the construction of the folding boxes.

The folding cartons 10 are prepared for processing in the packaging machine in such a way that the (upright) carton walls, namely front wall 12, rear wall 13 and side walls 14, 15 are connected to one another to form a “tube-like” structure (see in particular FIG. 6). The folding carton 10 prepared in this way is folded flat and, as a larger stock 18, is received in a magazine 19. The folding cartons 10 are removed one after the other, namely the folding carton lying in front (on the right in FIG. 1).

In the present exemplary embodiment, the magazine 19 consists of a plate-shaped cardboard support 20, which in the present case consists of two at a distance mutually arranged profile strips (Fig. 8). The cardboard support 20 is slightly inclined downwards in the conveying direction. As a result, the cartons 18 are also slightly inclined forward relative to the vertical.

On the front (removal) side of the magazine 19, the folding cartons 10 or the supply 18 are detachably held by side stops, such that the folding carton 10 in front can be removed without changing the location of these stops. In the present case, the stops each consist of two holding rollers 21 and 22, which are mounted on lateral upright support struts 23 and 24 so that they can rotate about vertical or approximately vertical axes. The arrangement of these holding rollers 21, 22 is such that they protrude with a part of their circumferential or circumferential surface into the area of the folding cartons 10 and capture a lateral edge area of the folding carton 10 in each case. When this front folding box 10 is removed, the same is slightly warped, the lateral edges being moved past the holding rollers 21, 22 so that the folding box is released.

The supply 18 of folding cartons 10 is conveyed to the removal side in cycles in the magazine 19, namely in accordance with the removal. For this purpose, 20 conveyor belts 25 are arranged in each case in the area of the strip-shaped cardboard supports, on the upper run 26 of which the folding cartons 10 stand up. The upper run 26 is supported by the associated cardboard support 20. This protrudes with an extension 27 over a front deflection roller 28 of the conveyor belts 25. The cyclical drive of the conveyor belts 25 takes place by a reciprocating swiveling movement of a drive lever 29 which acts on the deflection roller 28. This is equipped with a freewheel gear 20, so that drive movements are transmitted in one direction to the deflection roller 28 and thus to the conveyor belt 25.

In the present exemplary embodiment, a case erector 31 is arranged below and in the conveying direction to the front of the magazine 19. In the present case, this is arranged at the beginning of a discharge track 32 for the erected and possibly filled folding boxes 10.

The carton erector 31 consists of a first holding member in the form of a gripping arm 33. This is used to grasp the respective front folding carton 10 in the magazine 19, specifically in the region of the front wall 12 facing forwards arranged gripping members equipped in the form of suction cups 34. These in turn are connected to a vacuum source via a common suction channel 35 and a flexible suction line (hose nozzle 36), not shown in detail. The folding box 10 is gripped by the suckers 34 in the region of the front wall 12 in such a way that the folding box is pulled out of the magazine 19 and carried along when the gripping arm 33 is moved accordingly.

On the one hand, the gripping arm 33 has the task of transporting the folding box 10 from the magazine 19 to the discharge path 32 and, moreover, of causing the erection in cooperation with another holding member, namely a counter-holder 37. The latter is arranged above the discharge conveyor 32 in such a way that, with a corresponding relative position of the folding carton removed from the magazine 19, the (lower) side wall 14 adjacent to the front wall 12 is grasped, likewise by means of suction cups 38. The counter-holder 37 is arranged so that it is stationary the suction cups 38 extend in a vertical or approximately vertical plane. When the folding box 10 is fixed to this counter-holder, the associated side wall 14 accordingly extends in the vertical plane.

The process of erecting the carton thus takes place in such a way that the side wall 14 is fixed by the upright counter-holder 37, while the remaining part of the folding carton is brought down and thus into an upright position by corresponding movement, namely by pivoting the gripping arm 33 (see 6 and 7). After removal from the magazine 19, the (flat) folding carton is first brought into an intermediate position according to FIG. 5 by the gripping arm 33, in which a downward-pointing folding edge 39 between the front wall 12 and the side wall 14 on the solid base, namely on the discharge path 32, gets up. The flat folding carton 32 is directed upright or perpendicular to the discharge track 32. At the end of the erecting of the carton, the folding carton lies with the front wall 12 on the discharge conveyor in a manner that is suitable for filling or transport. After loosening the holding members (gripping arm 33 and counter-holder 37), the folding box 10 can be removed. In the present exemplary embodiment (FIG. 7), a chain conveyor is effective in the area of the discharge conveyor 32, which grips the folding box 10 on the rear side (side wall 14) by means of a driver 40. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the folding carton 10 has previously been filled by inserting a corresponding group of cigarette sticks 11 into the laterally open folding carton 10.

The gripping arm 33, of which several can be arranged next to one another in the case of correspondingly large or wide folding cartons 10, is moved by a gear mechanism which enables a translatory and a pivoting movement. To carry out the tasks, the gripper arm 33 is moved in the pivoting direction from the starting position according to FIG. 1, in which the suction devices 34 are located in or below the plane of the discharge conveyor 32, in the direction of the arrows 41. At the same time, the gripper arm 33 is raised somewhat. Via the position shown in FIG. 2, the gripper arm finally arrives in an essentially upright or inclined take-over position according to FIG. 3, in which the suction devices 34 are attached to the front wall 12 of the folding carton 10 in front.

The gripping arm 33 is now brought into the position according to FIG. 4 in a translatory (parallel) movement. The gripping arm 33 and the folding box 10 are in a position parallel to that according to FIG. 3, but lowered in such a way that the folding edge 39 receives contact with the base (discharge track 32). Thereafter, the folding carton 10 is moved into an upright position according to FIG. 5 by pivoting and slightly shifting and the side wall 14 is simultaneously brought into contact with the suction cups 38 of the counter-holder 37. This is followed by the previously described pivoting movement of the gripping arm 33 for erecting the folding carton 10. The pivoting movement takes place up to the position according to FIG. 4, in which the suction devices 34 lie at a distance below the removal path 32, so that they are off the conveyor wall 12 of the folding box 10 are free.

For this purpose, the gripping arm 33 is formed by two links 42 and 43 which are designed as two-armed levers wear and operated. Both links 42 and 43 are assigned to a common pivot bearing, in the present case such that link arms 44 and 45 of link 42 are connected to a main shaft 46, while link arms 47 and 48 are rotatably mounted on this main shaft 46. For this purpose, the link arms 47 and 48 are connected to one another by a rotating sleeve 49 mounted on the main shaft 46. The link arm 44 is connected directly and via a pivot bearing 50 to a lateral extension 51 of the gripping arm 33. The handlebar 43 or the handlebar arm 48 acts on the gripping arm 33 via a handlebar rod 52. The handlebar 52 is connected to the gripping arm 33 in the area of a pivot bearing 53. The pivot bearings 50 and 53 are spaced from one another so that when the links 42 and 43 are actuated differently, a pivoting moment can be transmitted to the gripping arm 33. The link arms 45 and 47 are each connected to actuating rods 54 and 55, which can be actuated in one direction or the other, for example, by cam disks (not shown).

With the help of a suitable control, any required movement can be transferred to the gripper arm via the above-described gear.

The counter-holder 37 can also be moved with a small amplitude in order to allow adjustments to the positions of the folding box 10. For this purpose, the counter-holder 37 is attached laterally to an upright support rod 56 which can be rotated about a vertical axis. A plunger 57, which is driven, for example, by a cam disk or a pressure medium element, executes rotary movements of the support rod 56 and thus forward and backward movements of the counter-holder 37.

The removal conveyor 32 is also designed in a special way in the present exemplary embodiment, namely it consists of a central hollow profile 58, on the top of which the folding cartons 10 rest. In the range of motion of the gripping arm 33, the hollow profile 58 is provided with a recess 59, into which the gripping arm 33 enters when the folding box is set down on the discharge path.

Support rails 60 for the laterally projecting folding tabs 16 and 17 are arranged laterally and at a distance from the hollow profile 58.

Claims (17)

1.Device for erecting flat folded folding boxes (corrugated boxes), consisting of front wall, rear wall and side walls as well as folding flaps connected to these, the folding boxes being removable from a magazine and being able to be set down on a discharge conveyor by erecting a holding element which acts on the front wall with suction elements, characterized in that the folding box (10) through the holding member (gripping arm 33) can be removed from the magazine (19) and can be erected by relative movement relative to at least one other holding member (counter-holder 37) engaging another cardboard wall (side wall 14). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the (second holding member) counter-holder (37) (substantially) is arranged stationary, in particular with gripping members (suction cups 38) lying in an upright plane. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the (flat) folding carton from an upright position (intermediate position) by moving (pivoting) the front wall (12) to the discharge path (32) while holding the adjacent side wall (14) is erectable. 4. The device according to claim 1 and one or more of the further claims, characterized in that a lower folding edge (39) between the front wall (12) and side wall (14) is supported on the discharge path (32) during the erection movement of the folding box (10) . 5. The device according to claim 1 and one or more of the further claims, characterized in that the (flat) folding box (10) after removal from the magazine (19) in the intermediate position with the side wall (14) on the counter-holder (37) is movable and then erectable. 6. The device according to claim 1 and one or more of the further claims, characterized in that the folding carton (10) after leaving the magazine (19) translationally to support the lower folding edge (39) on the discharge conveyor (32) and then by pivoting is movable until it rests on the counter-holder (37). 7. The device according to claim 1 and one or more of the further claims, characterized in that the gripping arm (33) is pivotally and translationally movable. 8. The device according to claim 1 and one or more of the further claims, characterized in that the gripping arm (33) can be lowered to below the level of the removal path (32). 9. The device according to claim 7 and one or more of the further claims, characterized in that the gripping arm (33) by (two) handlebars (42, 43) is held and movable, such that the gripping arm (33) from the lower starting position by swiveling and, if necessary, lifting until the suction cups (34) rest against the front folding box (10) in the magazine (19), then translationally with the folding box (10) until the folding edge (39) is supported on the discharge path (32) below Lowering, then swiveling while standing up and finally moving in the opposite direction to below the level of the discharge path or is pivotable. 10. The device according to claim 9 and one or more of the further claims, characterized in that the links (42, 43) for the actuation of the gripping arm (33) are designed as two-armed levers, the one link (42) fixed to a main shaft (46) and the other link (43) is rotatably mounted on this. 11. The device according to claim 1 and one or more of the further claims, characterized in that the counter-holder (37) is movably arranged, in particular is rotatable about a vertical axis. 12. The device according to claim 1 and one or more of the further claims, characterized in that the discharge path (32) consists of at least one (central) support profile (hollow profile 58) with a bearing surface for the folding boxes (10), the gripping arm (33 ) can be lowered into a recess (59) in the hollow profile (58). 13. The apparatus according to claim 12 and one or more of the further claims, characterized in that lateral support rails (60) at a distance from the hollow profile (58) for supporting the laterally projecting folding tabs (16 and 17) are arranged. ₁₄ . Device according to claim 1 and one or more of the further claims characterized thereby records that the flat folding boxes (10) in the magazine (19) are essentially upright, with a slight inclination in the conveying direction. 15. The apparatus according to claim 14 and one or more of the further claims, characterized in that the folding boxes (10) stand up in the magazine (19) on a downwardly inclined support in the conveying direction, in particular on cardboard supports (20) and that the cyclical feed of the Folding boxes (10) within the magazine (19) by conveyor belts (25). 16. The apparatus according to claim 15 and one or more of the further claims, characterized in that the conveyor belts (25) in the region of a deflecting roller (28) can be driven by a back and forth swiveling drive lever (29) which via a release gear (30) acts on the deflection roller (28). 17. The apparatus according to claim 1 and one or more of the further claims, characterized in that the folding boxes (10) within the magazine (19) on the removal side are releasably fixed by side edge holders, in particular by rotating one edge of the folding boxes about upright axes (10) holding rollers (21, 22) which grip on opposite sides.

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