EP0338281B1 - Method and device for opening the closure flaps of a carton - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for opening or spreading the flap / flaps of a cardboard or folding box already closed on the bottom.

If, for example, the cardboard or folding boxes are pushed from above over a stack of envelopes in an envelope packaging machine, it is necessary that the During this packaging process, the flaps, which are still open, are in a position that does not hinder the packaging process. In particular, they must not stand in the way of the goods to be packaged and should therefore, if possible, be directed with their free edge away from the box, ie facing outwards. To achieve this, suction devices or swivel arms are used in known devices of the type mentioned, with the aid of which the closure flaps are brought into the desired opening position. The problem with these known devices is that they are format-dependent, ie they have to be set up for the respective box sizes and converted when the format is changed, which requires a longer machine stop. Furthermore, the control and storage of the suction cups and swivel arms is complex and complicated and therefore prone to failure.

From US Pat. No. 3,863,427, a device and a method for packaging bottles are also known, cardboard or folding boxes with opened closure flaps also being pushed over bottles to be packed. The known device has two roller chains, which are arranged parallel to one another and laterally under the transport path of the folding boxes. The two roller chains run faster than the transport path of the folding boxes and also serve as supports for bars. During a substantially horizontally directed transport of the folding boxes, these rods engage their front closure flap in the transport direction and fold them outward. This is done through form-fitting Attack of the bar on the closure flap and due to the higher running speed of the roller chains compared to the transport path for the folding boxes.

In the device known from US Pat. No. 3,863,427, the folding boxes have to be placed over continuously moving bottles, this also taking place with the bottom open. The peculiarities of this packaging situation and the use of a positively engaging rod which is moved by roller chains arranged next to the folding box transport path mean that this known device requires a large amount of space.

The invention has for its object to provide a method and a device for opening or spreading the flaps of the bottom already closed folding boxes, the method should be as simple and straightforward as possible and the device can work regardless of the format.

To achieve this object, the invention provides that the folding box with the bottom pointing up and the flap hanging down is lowered from a floating position in such a way that the flap strikes a driver moving in the opening direction and is then moved by the latter in the opening direction.

According to the method of the invention, the closure flap is loosely placed with its free edge on the driver moving in its opening direction. The driver then pivots the closure flap in the opening direction corresponding to its direction of movement by frictional contact. During this pivoting of the closure flap, the folding box is lowered further until the closure flap or the closure flaps are spread out sufficiently.

The drivers can be endless belts, linearly movable sliding pieces or rollers.

To open two closure flaps by means of endless belts, the upper strand serves as a driver, the belts rotating with their respective upper strand in a direction away from each other. This direction also corresponds to the desired opening direction for the closure flaps.

To open four closure flaps, four belts, rollers or linearly movable sliding pieces are preferably provided as drivers. The opening and opening process takes place safely and reliably, and no complicated control devices are necessary. The device for carrying out the opening and opening process is also straightforward and contains no components susceptible to faults.

Further features and special configurations of the device emerge from subclaims in connection with the drawing.

• Fig. 1: in prinzipmäßiger Darstellung und nur beispielsweise eine Briefumschlag-Verpackungsmaschine mit einer integrierten Vorrichtung zum Öffnen Verschlußklappenden eines Kartons bzw. einer bodenseitig bereits geschlossenen Faltschachtel;
• Fig. 2: in prinzipmäßiger Darstellung eine Draufsicht auf die Vorrichtung zum Öffnen der Verschlußklappen eines Kartons bzw. einer Faltschachtel;
• Fig. 3: in perspektischer sowie schematischer Ansicht ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel mit einer Faltschachtel vor dem Öffnen der Verschlußklappen;
• Fig. 4: eine Ansicht des Ausführgsbeispieles gemäß Fig. 3 nach dem Öffnen der Verschlußklappen;
• Fig. 5: eine Ansicht wie in Fig. 3 von einer abgewandelten Ausführungsform vor dem Öffnen der Verschlußklappen;
• Fig. 6: eine Ansicht wie in Fig. 5 nach dem Öffnen der Verschlußklappen;
• Fig. 7: in größerem Maßstab sowie Seitenansicht und rein schematisch Einzelheiten der in den Figuren 3 - 6 dargestellten Ausführungsbeispiele;
• Fig. 8: eine Prinzipskizze wie in Fig. 7 von einer abgewandelten Ausführungsform;
• Fig. 9: eine Prinzipskizze eines weiteren Ausführungsbeispieles vor dem Öffnen der Verschlußklappen und
• Fig. 10: eine Prinzipskizze wie in Fig. 9 nach dem Öffnen der Verschlußklappen.

The invention is described below with reference to exemplary embodiments which are illustrated in the drawing. Show:

• Fig. 1: in principle and only for example an envelope packaging machine with an integrated device for opening the flap of a carton or a folding box already closed on the bottom;
• 2: a basic representation of a top view of the device for opening the flaps of a carton or a folding box;
• Fig. 3: in perspective and schematic view of a first embodiment with a folding box before opening the flaps;
• 4 shows a view of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3 after the closure flaps have been opened;
• 5: a view as in FIG. 3 of a modified embodiment before the closure flaps are opened;
• FIG. 6: a view as in FIG. 5 after the closure flaps have been opened;
• Fig. 7: on a larger scale and side view and purely schematic details of the embodiments shown in Figures 3-6;
• FIG. 8: a schematic diagram as in FIG. 7 of a modified embodiment;
• Fig. 9: a schematic diagram of another embodiment before opening the flaps and
• Fig. 10: a schematic diagram as in Fig. 9 after opening the flaps.

1 is an envelope packaging machine 1 which contains a stacking station 2 with a flap disc 3 for individually arriving envelopes. Envelope stacks 4 are formed in the stacking station 2 and then moved on a work table 5 into a packaging station 6 in a manner not of interest here, in which cartons or folding boxes 7 closed on the bottom with hanging, sufficiently opened, i.e. with their free edges slightly flaps 8, 9 and 10, 11 pushed over the stack of envelopes 4 moved there in accordance with the illustration of the folding box 7a in FIG. 1. The full folding boxes 7 are then turned in a manner not of interest here and finally closed, as is indicated in principle without further details in accordance with the dashed lines to the left of the packaging station 6 in FIG. 1.

In order to ensure that the folding boxes 7 in the packing station 6 with the bottom 12 closed have the flaps 8, 9 or 10, 11 sufficiently opened or directed away from one another, they are closed in a closing flap upstream of the packing station 6, in principle supplemented in FIG. Opening station 13 brought into the desired or required position. In this flap opening station 13, the flaps 7 with the bottom 12 pointing upwards and with the flaps 8-11 hanging down are lowered from a floating position and onto in the figures 3 - 10 driver 14, 15 or 14 - 16 or 18, 19 or 20 shown in detail. These drivers 14-20 each grip the free edges, for example the edges 21, 222 of the flaps 8, 9 of the folding box 7 and fold them from the indifferent position according to FIG. 3 into the open position according to FIG. 4. The drivers 14 move , 15 away from each other and open or spread or open the flaps 8, 9 in the opening direction, the folding box 7 being continuously lowered until they not only with their flaps 8, 9 according to FIG. 3, but also with their Flaps 8, 9 carrying side walls 23, 24 flies on the carriers 14, 15. Upon reaching this state according to FIG. 4, the flaps 8, 9 are at a right angle to the side walls 23, 24 in a sufficient opening position so that they can then be transported further to the packaging station 6 after being lifted out of the flap opening station 13, where they can then be handled without problems can be pushed over a stack of envelopes 4 located there.

The transport of a folding box 7 closed on the bottom to the flap opening station 13 and from there to the packaging station 6 (FIG. 2) takes place, for example, with the aid of a robot-like transport device 25 (FIG. 1), which uses one or more suction devices 26 to fold the boxes 7 on the bottom carries and can be moved, for example, along a rail 27 between the different stations both in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction along one or more columns 28 (FIG. 1).

The closure flap opening station 13 according to FIGS. 3 and 4 comprises a worktop 29 or a table 29 with two recesses 31, 32 which are separated by a central web 30 and run parallel to one another. On the central web 30 are the drivers 14 which move away from one another during operation. 15 arranged. In the specific embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, these drivers 14, 15 are endless belts, as is also shown in detail in FIG. 7. For this purpose, deflection rollers 33 and drive rollers 34 for each band-shaped driver 14, 15 are mounted in the table 29 and lie with their upper runs 35, 36 corresponding to the arrows in FIGS. 3 and 7 slightly above the plane of the surface 37 of the table 29.

The deflection rollers 33 and drive rollers 34 are arranged sunk into the table 29, the position of the adjacent rollers 33 being selected such that they are within the width B of a folding box 7 or the distance from the side walls 23, 24 and thus from the closure flaps thereof 8, 9 lie. The two band-shaped carriers 14, 15 according to FIGS. 3, 4 and 7 are also aligned in one plane.

The length of the two band-shaped carriers 14, 15 is preferably different. One band-shaped driver 14 can be relatively short, while the other band-shaped driver 15 can have any length. This makes it possible to fold boxes 7 of different sizes on and to process the same flap opening station 13, when one flap 8 is pivoted in the opening direction by the relatively short, band-shaped driver 14, while the other closure flap 9 attaches to the length of the band-shaped driver 15 at any point and then also opens there becomes.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the two recesses 31 and 32 also serve as opening aids for closure flaps, specifically for the long side flaps 10, 11. In order to spread them out, the central web 30 points downwards or in the direction of removal accordingly 3 diverging side surfaces 38, 39. so that the side flaps 10, 11 open sufficiently for many applications if they slide with their free edges 40, 41 along the side surfaces 38, 39 of the central web 30 when the folding boxes 7 are lowered. The result of such an opening or spreading process is shown in FIG. 4.

The endless belts serving as drivers 14, 15 are e.g. Rubber bands or rubber-like bands with a sufficient coefficient of friction and preferably lie with their upper run 35, 36 on the central web 30, which is provided with a recess 42 only in the area of the folding box 7 or the two deflecting rollers 33.

The two Figures 4 and 5 show a modified Embodiment, wherein basically the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar parts.

5 and 6 in turn has a table or a storage plate 29 as well as a total of four separate drivers 14, 15 and 16, 17 which are arranged along axes 43, 44 and which move away from one another. Here again, endless belts or their upper runs 35, 36 and 45, 46, which move away from the folding box 7 according to the arrows in FIG. The belts 14 - 17 serving as drivers are in turn guided around deflecting rollers 33 and drive rollers 34 according to FIG. 7, which are arranged so recessed in the table or the storage plate 29 that the respective upper run 35, 36 or 45, 46 is located immediately on or above the surface of the storage plate or table 29.

In the area of the folding box 7, the table or the storage plate 29 has a recess 47 through which the band-shaped carriers 14-17 pass from below upwards around their deflection rollers 33 (corresponding to FIG. 7) and then according to the crossing axes 43 , 44 move away from each other at right angles, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 5. The two band-shaped drivers 16, 17, like the band-shaped driver 14, can be relatively short in comparison to the fourth, band-shaped driver 15, according to that in the flap opening station 13 according to the Figures 5 and 6 in turn opens the flaps 8, 9 and 10 and 11 different sized folding boxes 7 or can be brought into a safe opening position according to FIG. 6.

The drivers do not necessarily have to be endlessly circulating belts, but can also be sliding pieces 18, 19 according to the exemplary embodiment shown schematically in FIG. 8. These sliding pieces 18, 19 are mounted and guided in a suitable manner in the table or the storage plate 29, so that they can carry out movements directed away from one another in accordance with the arrows in FIG. 8. A piston-cylinder device can be provided as the drive 48, the piston rods 49, 50 of which engage drivers 51 of the sliding pieces 18, 19 and move them in a straight line away from one another in accordance with the arrows in such a way that the flaps 8, 9 of the folding box 7 standing on them move away from one another Open the opening direction.

Sliding pieces 18 and 19, like band-shaped drivers 14 - 17 according to FIGS. 5-6, can be integrated in a crossing manner in a worktop or table top 29 and thereby cause all four closure flaps 8 - 11 to open.

Another exemplary embodiment is finally also shown purely schematically in FIGS. 9 and 10. A driven roller 20 is provided as driver 20 for each closure flap 8, 9 or 10, 11. The axes 52, 53 of these rollers are located below the Table or shelf 29 and are in pairs parallel or perpendicular to each other. The direction of drive and movement of the rollers serving as drivers 20 is directed away from one another, as the arrows in FIGS. 8 and 9 show. The closing flaps 8-11 of a folding box 7 therefore spread out in the opening direction when the folding box 7 is lowered from a floating position in the direction of the arrow according to FIG. 9 and is placed with its closing flaps 8-11 on a roller 20 rotating in the opening direction.

It is therefore essential and applies to all embodiments that the closing flaps 8 - 11 are loosely placed with their free edge 21, 22 on a flat or curved driver when the folding box 7 is lowered, and that this driver moves in the desired opening direction. Merely by means of adhesion and frictional contact, the driver pivots the respective flap in the desired opening direction corresponding to its direction of movement, while at the same time the folding box is further lowered until the closing flaps have reached their final opening position, being perpendicular to the side walls 23, 24 of the folding box 7 can, as shown in Figures 3-6.

Claims (15)

1. A method of opening or spreading the closure flap or closure flaps of a cardboard or folding box which is already closed at the bottom, characterised in that

a) the folding box (7) is lowered from a suspended position with its bottom (12) facing upwardly and the closure flap (8 to 11) hanging downwardly,

b) and when that happens the closure flap (8 to 11 ) meets an entrainment means (14 to 20 ) which moves in the direction of opening of the closure flap (8 to 11)

c) and is then moved by same in the opening direction.

2. A method according to claim 1 characterised in that the closure flap (8 to 11) is loosely placed with its free edge (21, 22) on the entrainment means (14 to 20) which moves in its opening direction and that the entrainment means (14 to 20), by frictional contact, moves the closure flap (8 to 11) in the opening direction which corresponds to its direction of movement.

3. A method according to claim 1 and claim 2 characterised in that the folding box (7) continues to be lowered in the pivotal movement of the closure flap (8 to 11).

4. A method according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that , when using two or four entrainment means (14 to 20), the entrainment means (14 to 20) move respectively away from each other.

5. Apparatus for opening or spreading the closure flap/closure flaps (8 to 11) of a cardboard or folding box (7) which is already closed at the bottom characterised in that

a) it has an entrainment means (14 to 20) which is movable in the direction of opening of the closure flap (8 to 11) and

b) there is provided a means for lowering the cardboard or folding box (7) on to the moving entrainment means (14 to 20).

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 characterised in that the entrainment means (14 to 17) is an endlessly circulating belt.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 characterised in that the entrainment means (18, 19) is a slide portion.

8. Apparatus according to claim 5 characterised in that the entrainment means (20) is a roller.

9. Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised by a closure flap opening station (13) with a working plate/with a table (29) and entrainment means (14 to 20) which are mounted therein.

10. Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that there are provided two entrainment means (14, 15 and 18, 19 respectively) which move away from each other.

11. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claim characterised in that there are provided four entrainment means (14 to 20) which move away from each other.

12. Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that the entrainment means (14 to 17) are arranged in a cross configuration relative to each other.

13. Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that there is provide a robot-like transportation arrangement (25) for lowering the folding box (7).

14. Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claim characterised in that the lengths of the belt-like entrainment means (14, 15) are different.

15. Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claim characterised in that there are provided openings (31, 32) with divergent side surfaces (38, 39) in the working plate or in the table (29), as an opening aid.

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