EP0350590B1 - Method for applying a drinking straw to a package and apparatus for executing this method - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for delivering in strip form packaged drinking straws, includes a device for severing the strip on a pivotal drum. The severing device pivots to transfer the individual packed straws to a vacuum cylinder, which is intermittently pivotal to pick up the individualized straws from the drum, and transfer the individual straws to a conveyor section. The conveyor section includes a continuous loop of track having an upper linear section of track and a lower linear section of track. A plurality of pressure arms are connected to the track where, each contains a vacuum holding mechanism adjacent to a free end for retaining the individual straws. The vacuum cylinder is mounted to a slide mechanism which is translatory relative to the upper linear section of the continuous track to position the individual packaged straws on the pressure arms of the conveyor mechanism. The pressure arms are pivotally controlled to pick up the individualized straws when the pressure arms are moving along the upper linear section and, when in the lower section of track, to position the straws adjacent to continuously moving containers to which the individualized packaged straws are attached.

Description

The invention relates to a method for attaching a packaged drinking straw to a package, in which the packaged drinking straws are brought in the form of a band, separated, held under vacuum and conveyed intermittently into a transfer station in such a way that the intermittent movement is converted into a continuous, linear movement is, wherein the individual, packed straws are attached to continuously conveyed packs, and also relates to a device therefor, in which the packs can be transported in a defined position on a conveyor which can be moved continuously at a first speed.

Liquid packs are known, the contents of which are sometimes deprived by the end user using a drinking straw. It is already known to attach drinking straws encased in plastic films or paper to liquid packs and to offer such packs commercially.

However, attaching drinking straws to packs presents problems, especially if packs come out of a high-performance machine at high speed and are to be conveyed to further processing stations, immediately provided with a drinking straw.

For example, a method is known from document EP-A-0.035.645 which has very similar features to those mentioned at the outset and is defined in the introductory part of independent claims 1 and 4.

In this known method and the device known thereafter, packaged straws delivered from a belt are isolated on a drum, but from this drum the transfer takes place directly into the tongs of a continuously rotating tongs conveyor chain, which rotates around two guide rollers in such a way that one strand makes a straight, continuous movement parallel to the path of the packaging, and this is the application area in which the packaged and isolated drinking straws from these tongs on the packaging be applied. The transition from the intermittently rotated drum to the continuously moving tongs conveyor chain takes place at a point-like transfer point in a very short moment, in which the tongs open and after delivery of the drinking straw in a U-shaped holder, a pressure arm must be switched immediately into the holding position. This transfer must be done with great precision and inevitably causes problems and is prone to failure.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a method and a device for attaching a drinking straw to a pack, in which a more reliable transition from the initially intended intermittent movement of the packaged drinking straw to the continuous movement required later on is easier and nevertheless take place with high performance can.

In the above-mentioned method, this object is achieved according to the invention in that the intermittent into the continuous movement is reshaped in that the individual drinking straw held by vacuum is in a straight line at a certain distance at an interposed transfer station at the same speed as that of the continuously conveyed Packs moved and then loaded into the applicator. In contrast to the known method, the movement takes place in a straight line and at the same speed as that of the conveyed packs already in the transfer station, but here only a little way, and only then is the packaged drinking straw loaded into the application device.

Especially in the case of high-performance machines, in which liquid packs are continuously produced, filled and sealed on a pack conveyor, for example from a web in the form of a tube, it was not possible in the past to use a drinking straw to sufficiently reliably and at the same speed these packs coming out of the manufacturing machine provided and then put in the outer packaging, assuming that the drinking straw itself is also packed. The packaging of the drinking straw itself can take place, for example, in a preparation station in such a way that the drinking straws are placed on a continuously running paper web and - seen in cross-section to this - a second paper web is laid over it in a U-shape, the respective drinking straw being within the U formed Room. The respective free ends of the legs of the U are attached to the first-mentioned paper web by gluing, crimping (or in the case of plastic materials by sealing) so that a sealing seam is arranged between two successive drinking straws on the continuously running first web, in the longitudinal direction of which one could cut to separate two drinking straws. The adhesive, connecting or sealing seam between two successive drinking straws of such a tape must of course, be wide enough so that the cross-sectionally U-shaped packaging of the drinking straw itself, which can consist of straw, plastic or the like, remains closed on all sides, even if the individually packaged drinking straws are separated from the band by cutting.

By reshaping the intermittent into the continuous movement in the manner described above according to the invention, in which the drinking straw is only moved a little straight and at the same speed as the continuously conveyed pack, one has over this piece far, i.e. along a certain section, practically a steady state between the straw being conveyed at the same speed as that of the pack. Obviously, an application device can now carry out the transfer of the straw still held by vacuum to the package using simple means.

The invention is advantageously further developed in that the individual drinking straw held by vacuum is applied to the package by clamping pressure, preferably on the sealed seam of the package. The packaged drinking straw is expediently attached by gluing, heat sealing or the like, so that it is advantageous if, according to the invention, the drinking straw is pressed onto the package by pressure, and if only for a short time, e.g. the pack is in an application section, e.g. when the drinking straw is moved the said piece far at the same speed directly next to the package and / or the application device. In this way the drinking straw can be directly and practically into the application device, e.g. a pressure arm or pliers and then or alternatively pressed onto the package.

In a special and preferred embodiment it is provided according to the invention that the packaged drinking straw is moved to a certain extent against the direction of the continuous, linear movement, stopped and then loaded into the application device after the movement has been reversed at the speed of the continuously conveyed package. For example, it may be preferred between the conveyor on which the packages can be conveyed from the pack-making machine at equal intervals and set in a specific position, and the separating device, from which the packaged straws are conveyed in a separated form, held under vacuum, to arrange an intermediate conveyor which holds the application devices. It is expedient if such an intermediate conveyor also rotates continuously, since it is supposed to deliver the drinking straw to packs that continuously pass by and fasten it there. A conveyor chain that has a lower run and an upper run is therefore particularly favorable, with the straws being transferred to the pack on the lower run, for example, while the straws are picked up on the upper run. It is very advantageous here if the movement of the straws carried by vacuum is transformed from the intermittent into the continuous between this conveyor chain and the singling station. As in the relay race, for example in a transfer section, the pressure arm, which is to receive the drinking straw, should be moved at the same speed and direction as the individual drinking straw that has just been held. Then you can carry out the transfer from the vacuum holding device into the pressure arm with particularly simple means. In the case of a conveyor chain that preferably rotates endlessly, a reversing slide could be provided in the area of the upper run, which is initially shifted towards the end of the conveyor chain at a much greater speed than the translational speed of the conveyor chain or also of the continuously conveyed packs , for example the one end of the transfer section, in order then to be reversed after stopping in the direction of movement, so that now over the entire transfer section, ie from its end to its beginning, for example the length of the upper strand of the conveyor chain, the pressure arms or application devices in same speed and direction close to vacuum holding devices, such as a vacuum cylinder. On this Transfer section, ie specifically in the preferred embodiment in the area of the upper strand of the conveyor chain, the transported drinking straw undergoes the transformation from the intermittent to the continuous movement. The further application to the pack, preferably a sealed seam of the pack, is then technically simpler.

With regard to the device in which the packs can be transported in a defined position on a continuous conveyor which can be moved at a first speed, with feed and transfer devices for the drinking straw, in which a pressure arm which is movably controllable for holding the drinking straw and is attached to a tongs conveyor chain along one Application section next to the pack conveyor is movable at the same speed that along this application section the pressing and attaching of the drinking straw to the package takes place, the above-mentioned object is achieved in that the transfer devices for the drinking straws from a step-by-step drum into the pressure arms at least one partially driven synchronously to the tongs conveyor chain reversing carriage which is arranged between the drum and the straight run of the tongs conveyor chain in a translationally movable manner. In the device according to the invention, it is therefore assumed that a pack manufacturing machine produces a continuous series of packs running continuously at a uniform speed, which are moved at regular intervals from one another on a pack conveyor, preferably translationally, with a part of this straight line being taken as the application section.

It is understood that the transfer of the straws from one station to the next is always problematic when it comes to the transfer of differently moving parts. Ultimately, the straws have to be applied to continuously moving packs. This is why a continuously driven tong conveyor chain is used again. However, this still leaves the problem of transferring drinking straws from the step-wise, that is to say partially stationary, position to the tongs conveyor chain onto the synchronized tongs conveyor chain. It is now provided according to the invention to provide the reversing carriage, which can perform a translational movement in strokes and, for example, picks up a drinking straw at a standstill and delivers the drinking straw to the tongs conveyor chain during one of its movement phases.

It is expedient if, according to the invention, a row of pressure arms is arranged on an endlessly rotating tongs conveyor chain arranged next to the pack conveyor and each pressure arm has a cam follower which is guided by a first control cam curve for the controlled movement of the pressure arm relative to the tongs conveyor chain. The provision of several pressure arms corresponds to the row of packs coming out of the packaging machine at an even distance from one another. In order to produce a large number of pieces per unit of time, a high-performance machine is desired, and since a certain transfer time is required when sticking or attaching drinking straws to a package, the performance of the machine can be increased by the features mentioned above. Here, a first control cam curve ensures the movement of the pressure arm relative to the tong conveyor chain, for example in such a way that the pressure arm adopts a receiving position along a first conveying path in which it picks up the individual, packaged drinking straws, and then assumes a second position in which the drinking straw is pressed on the package.

It is also advantageous if, according to the invention, is arranged on the side of the drum which is approximately opposite the package conveyor with respect to the tongs conveyor chain, with holding devices for the straws attached to its circumference. These measures are aimed at separating drinking straws delivered from a continuous belt and delivering them to the pressure arms. For this purpose, a drum with holding devices for the drinking straws is rotatably provided at the described position of the device, so that, for example, the separation can be carried out on the drum by a knife retracting between two drinking straws at the respective standstill of the gradually driven drum and thus the separation of the packed straws in the manner described above.

It is now expedient according to the invention if a step-by-step vacuum cylinder which is driven synchronously with the drum is arranged on the reversing slide and devices are provided for transferring a single, packaged drinking straw from the drum to the vacuum cylinder and from this into a pressure arm. Vacuum is used to hold the drinking arms, at least when they are on the reversing slide. One can imagine that a vacuum line can be routed from the stationary machine to the reversing slide via hoses. Just as the drum is driven step by step, the vacuum cylinder attached to the reversing slide, due to its step-by-step movement, picks up the individual drinking straw at a standstill when the drum is at a standstill. Appropriate equipment is then used to guide the drinking straw in question into one of the series of pressure arms on the tongs conveyor chain.

For this purpose, it can be advantageous if, according to the invention, a counter clamp arm, controllable by a second control cam curve, is provided on the tongs conveyor chain in addition to the pressure arm. This allows the pressure arm and counter clamp arm to work together like a pair of pliers, so that a single straw, which is located in the holder of the pressure arm, can also be pressed onto tabs, sealing seams or the like, which are located on a package, since the force finds a counter force . This does not exclude that, according to the invention, a single arm is also moved on the tong conveyor chain, which presses against the package in such a way that the counterpressure is caused by the content, i.e. the package itself is delivered. However, if one uses the pressure arm and counter-clamping arm, then one understands the advantage that in the area of the application section, with suitable control of the two forceps arms, the drinking straw, after leaving the cylinder on the reversing slide, is pressed against a sealing seam on the pack, clamped on and even for a while can move with the moving pack in this clamping position.

In an advantageous further embodiment of the invention the device for holding the drinking straw on the pressure arm has a recess with a vacuum hole, and vacuum lines are provided which can be moved with the tong conveyor chain and can be connected to a stationary vacuum channel. It has already been indicated that the drinking straw is held by vacuum on the so-called vacuum cylinder. This also allows the straw to be moved overhead, for example a 360 ° rotation with the vacuum cylinder, without the position of the conveyed straw being adversely changed. But also on the pressure arm you can hold the drinking straw by vacuum according to the inventive proposal. The vacuum lines that are led from the vacuum holes in the pressure arm to the ultimately stationary vacuum device must be suitably designed. For example, it is provided according to the invention that a stationary vacuum channel, for example encompassing a sprocket of the tongs conveyor chain in a U-shape, is arranged within the chain at least along part of the tongs conveyor chain, means described below, in particular a slide belt with at least one hole, being provided in order to to transfer the vacuum from the center of the tong conveyor chain to parts running outside it, to which the pressure arms are rotatably attached. In an expedient embodiment of the device according to the invention, the tape coming from a supply roll with the packed drinking straws is guided via a first deflecting roller onto the drum, which can be rotated step by step about a horizontal axis, in the circumference of which numerous, equally spaced recesses in the shape of a bowl of this size are arranged, that a repackaged straw fits in there. It has already been explained above that the packaging of the straws is preferably selected such that a second band is placed on a substantially flat band of paper, foil or the like in a sinusoidal or U-shaped manner such that in the respective bellies or a straw comes to rest in the interior of the respective U-shape, with a distance that this band can be placed exactly on the drum. When threading the ribbon of drinking straws, you only have to make sure that the one lying flat Path of the straw packaging is on the outside, while the U-shapes come to lie radially inwards in the aforementioned recesses in the drum. Guide rails ensure that the tape is held in the drum. After the tape has been correctly placed on the drum by the guide rail, for example along the circumference of a first quadrant of the drum, the tape of the drinking straws reaches the cutting station. For this purpose, according to the invention, the circumference of the drum has a slot between said trough-shaped recesses, which extends radially lower than the U-shaped recesses in the direction of the center of the drum. In the cutting station, a knife is driven intermittently in a stroke-like manner by means of a pneumatic pressure cylinder, so that when the drum is at a standstill, a cutting slot faces the knife, so that it can enter the cutting slot and cut the tape along the adhesive seam between two drinking straws. When the drum is turned further, the now packed, isolated drinking straws are held in their recess by a further guide rail and moved into a “lower” delivery position rotated, for example, by 180 ° with respect to the “upper” starting position. In the circumference of the drum there are also two grooves which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the drum and over which the drinking straws are arranged. Within the grooves, however, there is a transfer finger in the lower delivery area, over which the drinking straw is guided over when leaving the second last guide rail in such a way that it lies in two recesses of the transfer finger at two points and radially from the drum when the transfer finger is turned can be lifted outside. This is not an exactly radial movement, because the transfer finger rotates in a circle around an axis, but essentially the straw is raised radially from the circumference.

Lifting takes place on the vacuum cylinder, which is also driven step by step and is arranged on the reversing sled "below" when first it is in the second end position and second it is stationary. On the reversing sled According to the invention, a stepping motor is preferably attached, which advances the vacuum cylinder by one step, while the reversing slide is translationally moved into its first starting position with great acceleration. One step takes as long as one stroke of the sled.

The vacuum cylinder has a polygonal circumference, and during operation it can be assumed that drinking straws lie in about half of the circumference of the drum in the U-shaped troughs and therefore about half of the circumference of the vacuum cylinder distributes packaged drinking straws Vacuum on the circumference are held so that the flat part of the band of the straw packaging lies on the flat circumferential part of the vacuum cylinder and the straw protrudes radially outwards.

In operation, the reversing slide is now stopped at its first starting position and returned to its second end position at a slower speed, this second slower speed being the same as that at which the row of pressure arms is continuously guided on a toothed conveyor chain arranged "under" the reversing carriage .

Also next to the vacuum cylinder, which has at least one circumferential groove, a second transfer finger is rotatably arranged such that when it is rotated, an individual drinking straw is lifted approximately radially from the vacuum cylinder and inserted into a trough-shaped recess in the pressure arm arranged opposite. Vacuum is now present on the pressure arm, it holds the separated and packaged drinking straw and guides it to the starting point of the application section, the upper run of the tong conveyor chain lying opposite the reversing carriage and the application section lying next to the lower run of the tong conveyor chain. In the area of the tongs conveyor chain there are the first and second control cam curves with which the pressure arm and the counter-clamping arm of the respective tongs, which have already been described, are controlled in such a way that that at the beginning of the application section the pressure arm is placed against a pack "lying underneath" parallel to the lower run of the tong conveyor chain. The counter clamp arm then presses against it in such a way that a sealing seam of the package to which the drinking straw is to be attached is located between the pressure arm and counter clamp arm, in such a way that the packaged drinking straw lies in the desired position relative to the package. In the area of the application section, the tongs arms move on the tongs conveyor chain at the same speed and in the same direction as the packs on the packaging conveyor until the end of the application section is reached, where the tongs are opened by the control cam curves and the purpose of the device according to the invention is achieved , namely the drinking straw is on the pack.

Figur 1

schematisch die Seitenansicht der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung mit der Trommel, dem Vakuumzylinder auf dem Umkehrschlitten, dem Zangenförderer und dem Pakkungsförderer,

Figur 2

eine Ansicht der Vorrichtung von der gegenüberliegenden Seite, weshalb die Drehrichtung des Zangenförderers umgekehrt gesehen wird,

Figur 3

eine etwa vertikal geführte Schnittansicht, die aber in verschiedenen Ebenen liegt, denn es sind die Trommel, der Vakuumzylinder und eines der zwei Paare Kettenzahnräder im Schnitt durch ihre Achsen dargestellt, und

Figur 4

eine andere schematische Darstellung, bei welcher Teile der Vorrichtung weggelassen wurden und der Synchronantrieb zwischen Packungsförderer, Zangenförderkette und Umkehrschlitten gezeigt sind.

Further advantages, refinements, features and possible uses of the present invention result from the following description of a preferred exemplary embodiment in conjunction with the drawings. Show it:

Figure 1

schematically the side view of the device according to the invention with the drum, the vacuum cylinder on the reversing slide, the tongs conveyor and the packing conveyor,

Figure 2

a view of the device from the opposite side, which is why the direction of rotation of the tongs conveyor is seen reversed,

Figure 3

an approximately vertical sectional view, but which is on different levels, because the drum, the vacuum cylinder and one of the two pairs of sprockets are shown in section through their axes, and

Figure 4

another schematic representation, in which parts of the device have been omitted and the synchronous drive between the pack conveyor, tongs conveyor chain and reversing slide are shown.

In FIG. 1, the band 2 of packaged drinking straws entering in the direction of arrow 1 can be seen, an individual, packaged drinking straw being designated by 3. In the upper area one can see the drum 4, which can be rotated step by step in the direction of the curved arrow, radially at the top left the cutting device generally designated 5, including the reversing slide 6 with vacuum cylinder 7, which rotates in the opposite direction to the drum 4 according to the curved arrow driven, namely by stepper motor 8, which is attached to the reversing slide 6. Below this is the tongs conveyor chain 9 and at the very bottom the pack conveyor 10 with the packs 11.

The band 2 of the packaged drinking straws 3 moves according to arrow 1 over a first deflection roller 12 onto the drum 4, is processed by the cutting station 5 so that individual, packed drinking straws 3 from a first pair of transfer fingers 13, 13 'at position I. be transferred to the vacuum cylinder 7 attached to the reversing slide 6. This is in the second end position II shown with solid lines in FIG. 1 and then moves with great acceleration in the direction of arrow 14 to a first start position, not shown in FIG. 1, where the reversing slide is stopped. Due to its clockwise rotation on the vacuum cylinder 7, the isolated drinking straw 3 has now reached a position as shown at the very bottom and labeled III. A second pair of transfer fingers 15, 15 'lifts the lowest drinking straw 3 from the vacuum cylinder 7 in position III and places it in the recess 16 of a pressure arm 17, where it is held by vacuum. This transfer takes place while the reversing carriage 6 moves in the direction opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow 14, ie to the left in FIG. 1, and at the same speed as the upper run 18 of the tongs conveyor chain 9, which moves more slowly in the direction of the arrow 19 moving uniform speed.

In this way, the isolated drinking straw is carried down to the lower strand 20, below which the pack conveyor 10 moves in the direction of arrow 21 at the same speed so that the attachment of the drinking straw 3 to the sealing seam 22 protruding upwards towards the tong conveyor chain 9 in as shown. One can see in FIG. 1 the sealing seam 22 protruding upwards without a drinking straw and on the right with a drinking straw 3.

The individual stages of the machine will now be described.

Drum 4 and cutting station 5.

The drum 4, which is driven step by step about a horizontal axis in the direction of the curved arrow, has trough-shaped recesses 23 on its circumference, which are evenly distributed over the entire outer circumference of the drum 4 and are spaced apart from drinking straws 3 in accordance with the division of the band 2. Between each trough-shaped recess 23 there is a cutting slot 24 running radially inwards from the outer circumference to the center such that a cutting slot 24 is located next to a U-shaped, trough-shaped recess 23.

In the upper area next to the first deflecting roller 12, an arcuate guide rail 25 is attached, the lower surface of which, facing the drum 4, initially runs horizontally, around the band 2 of drinking straws 3 running onto the drum 4 next to the first deflecting roller 12, a kind of threading and pressing-in aid to give. The insertion of the drinking straws 3 into the U-shaped trough recesses 23 is terminated approximately in the upper region of the drum at the end of the right horizontal lower surface of the first guide rail 25, which is why the adjoining region of the lower surface of the guide rail 25 is curved in accordance with the circumference of the drum 4 and ends immediately before the cutting knife 26. By means of the pneumatic pressure cylinder 27, the cutting knife is moved in a stroke-like manner in the radial direction to the drum 4 such that the knife 4 is always inserted into the cutting slot 24 when the drum 4 is at a standstill drive in and the packaged straws 3 can separate.

After being separated, the packaged drinking straws 3 are held in the respective U-shaped recess 23 by the second guide rail 28 until a position in region I lying approximately diametrically to the insertion position of the drinking straw is reached. Here, by rotating the drum, the individual drinking straw 3 has been moved over a recess in the first pair of transfer fingers 13, which can move about the axis 29 into the position which is shown broken off in FIG. 1 in position I.

Reversing slide 6

In position I, the transfer fingers 13 thus transferred the individual drinking straw 3 to the polygonal peripheral surface of the vacuum cylinder 7, which rotates clockwise according to the curved arrow (FIG. 1).

While the drum 4 is driven by the stepping motor 30, which is stationary in FIGS. 2 to 4, by means of a sprocket wheel 31 via the shaft 32, the first transfer fingers 13 are moved by the pneumatic air cylinder 33 and the shaft 34 rotated thereby, on which the transfer fingers 13 , 13 'are clamped by screws for adjustment.

The drive of the reversing slide 6 is shown in Figure 2. Incidentally, it can be seen here that the air cylinder 35 is also attached to the reversing slide 6, similar to the cylinder 33, this air cylinder 35 also rotates a shaft 36 back and forth over a short stroke, and the second pair of transfer fingers 15 sits on this shaft 36 (Figure 1). 1, with respect to FIG. 2, the shaft 36 rotatably attached to the reversing slide 6 is on the left, while in the representation of FIGS. 2 and 4 it is on the right.

There is also a pneumatic air cylinder 38 on the frame 37 attached, the piston rod 39 is attached on the left side via the articulation point 40 to the reversing slide 6, which has a plate shape, as can also be seen from FIG. 3. A little further to the left in FIG. 2, a second articulation point 41 can be seen, at which a drive rod 42 is rotatably connected to a cam follower arm 43, which rotates around the shaft 44 depending on the position of the cam disk 46 rotatable about the shaft 45.

From FIG. 4 it can be seen that the shaft 45 of the cam disk 46 is connected in synchronism with the rotation of the chain gear pair 49 and the drive disk 50 of the pack conveyor 10 via the belt 47. As a result, in the case of a chain or a chain belt 47, the cam disk 46 is guaranteed to move synchronously with the tong conveyor chain 9 and also with the package conveyor 10.

In the illustration in FIG. 1, the reversing slide 6 is in its second end position II, which it has not quite reached according to the illustration in FIG. 2, as can also be seen from the position of the cam disk 46. If the cam disk 46 rotates a little further in the direction of the curved arrow shown in FIG. 2 in the cam disk 46, then the distance of its outer surface from the shaft 45 becomes smaller, so that the drive rod 42 moves the reversing slide 6 even further to the right Moves in the direction of arrow 51, the piston 39 being pulled further into the cylinder 38. When the piston 39 has reached its end position, the reversing slide 6 is in its second end position II. From this position, it is moved along guide rods 52 by reversing after stopping by applying compressed air to the cylinder 38 into the first (not shown) initial position. This movement takes place not only with high acceleration but also at a considerably greater speed than that at which the tong conveyor chain 9 rotates or at which its respective upper strand 18 or lower strand 20 moves. After reaching the first starting position, in which the reversing slide 6 is on the left according to FIG. 2, the pressure cylinder 38 switches over again and pulls or tries to pull the reversing slide 6 to the right in the direction of arrow 51. However, this backward movement into the second end position II cannot take place faster than the cam disk 46 allows, because, according to FIG. 4, this is connected synchronously to the drives 49, 50 via the belt 47. It is thus achieved that the reversing slide moves to the left at the same speed in its representation in FIG. 1 into its second end position II according to arrow 19, as does the upper run 18 of the tong conveyor chain 9.

It is therefore assumed that position III is further to the right in the illustration in FIG. 1, namely when the reversing slide 6 has reached its first starting position. In this position, the cylinder 35 actuates the shaft 36 and, with the pair of transfer fingers 15, lifts the lowermost drinking straw 3 from the vacuum cylinder 7 and presses it into the recess 16 of the pressure arm 17. This takes place during the movement in the direction of the arrow 19 of the reversing slide 6 on the one hand and upper run 18 of the tong conveyor chain 9 on the other. The transfer to the tong conveyor chain 9 is thus carried out.

Pincer chain 9

According to FIG. 3, the tongs conveyor chain 9 is driven via the pulley 50 and the shaft 52, which is mounted in the frame 53 of the frame 37 via ball bearings (not specified). The chain links of the upper run 18 and lower run 20 can be seen at the top and bottom of the pair of chain sprockets 48 (FIG. 3). A bridge 54 is arranged between the chain of the one sprocket wheel and the chain of the opposite gear wheel or is articulated on the chain links. This bridge 54 overlaps a shaft 55 which extends from the holding arm 56 of a cam follower roller 57 to the counter-clamping arm 58 which is rotatably arranged around the shaft 55 together with the pressure arm 17 and is shown in FIG. 3 at the top and bottom left. Counter pressure springs 59, 59 'encompass the shaft 55 on the right and left of the approximately centrally arranged bridge 54. While the counter-clamping arm 58 is assigned the cam follower roller 57, from which it is rotatably rotated, the pressure arm 17 is assigned the cam follower roller 60, which rotates the pressure arm 17 in a correspondingly controlling manner around the shaft 55. FIGS. 1 to 3 show the first control cam curve 61, which has the shape of an elongated disk. The shape of the disk can be clearly seen from FIG. 3. Opposite in FIG. 3 is a second control cam curve 62, which can be seen on the outside in FIGS. 1 and 2 as a dashed line. The movement path of the shaft 55 is only determined by the path of the tong conveyor chain 9. The controlled rotational movement of both the pressure arm 17 on the one hand and the counter clamping arm 58 on the other hand around the shaft 55 takes place against the biasing force of the respective torsion spring 59 or 59 'via the control cam curves 61, 62.

It can be seen from FIG. 1 that the counter clamping arm 58 is fixedly attached to the holding arm 56 at an acute angle of approximately 45 °, while the cam follower roller 60 of the pressure arm 17 is arranged in its extension such that an approximately elongated shape is formed for the pressure arm 17 becomes. The two control cam curves 61 and 62 show, as shown in FIG. 1, that the pressure arm 17 is arranged in a counterclockwise direction from the right end of the upper run 18 and remains in this lying position up to the downstream or left end of the upper run 18. In the meantime, the counter clamping arm 58 is in the open pliers position which is folded clockwise around the shaft 55 and in which it remains essentially above the upper run. This is the suitable position in which drinking straws can be transferred into the opening 16 of the pressure arm 17 by the transfer fingers 15. Further in the direction of movement 19, counter-clamping arm 58 begins to move in the closed position in the lower position on the left in FIG. 1. This is achieved in that the second cam cam 62 moves away from the shaft 52 of the sprockets 58. First, however, the pressure arm lies on the left in the lower area of FIG. 1 17 with the drinking straw 3 against the sealing seam 22 of the pack 11. This movement is achieved by the first control cam curve 61, which moves in the area of the sprockets 48 on their rotary shaft 52, as can be seen in the lower right quadrant of the left sprocket 48 of FIG. 1. At this time, the counter clamping arm 58 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction from the rear by clamping both the sealing seam 22 and the drinking straw 3, so that the pliers consisting of the two arms 17 and 58 are closed in the position indicated by IV in FIG and the drinking straw is pressed firmly onto the sealing seam 22. It remains pressed in the course of its path according to arrow 21 until the position V shown at the bottom right is reached, in which the control cam curves 61 and 62 converge again, with the result that the pressure arm 17 is rotated counterclockwise and the counter clamp arm 58 is rotated clockwise, ie the pliers are opened in order to return to the lying position of the pressure arm 17 at the beginning of the upper run 18.

A hot melt spray device (not shown), controlled by a photocell, had previously been sprayed onto the surface of the sealing seam 22 of the package 11, e.g. in an exact dot pattern, where the packed drinking straw 3 is to be applied later.

Vacuum device of the tong conveyor chain 9

When the isolated straw 3 is loaded into the pressure arm 17, i.e. leaves the reversing slide 6, the drinking straw is held by the force of the vacuum in the recess 16 of the pressure arm 17, in particular when the pressure arm 17 rotates in FIG. 1 the left and in FIG. 2 the right area of the pincer conveyor chain 9. This vacuum is therefore applied to rotating, moving parts, while the vacuum is generated stationary in the machine.

For this purpose, one can see from FIG. 3 a vacuum opening 63 in the pressure arm 17, which is parallel with one through the shaft 55 continuous vacuum line 64 is connected. This is in flow connection via a connection nipple 65 with a suction cup 66 with an exit hole (not shown). The respective suction device 67 is firmly seated on a belt 68 made of plastic, rubber or the like and arranged parallel to the tong conveyor chain 9 and which in turn is slidably provided via a stationary vacuum channel 69. Vacuum connection nipple 70 'sit at the beginning and end of a U-shaped right shaft 52' of the right pair of sprockets 48 encircling vacuum channel 69. This is square as shown in Figure 3 in cross section, but in the side view of Figure 2 in the form of a lying U. arranged, wherein one leg of the U is smaller than the other, for example. It is important that the vacuum channel 69 begins in the course of the movement of the drinking straw 3 to be carried out where the drinking straw is pulled from the vacuum channel 7 and transferred into the recess 16 of the pressure arm 17 so that it is carried and held by the pressure arm 17 until the Pliers in position IV are closed. Then the vacuum can be switched off, ie the vacuum channel 69 can then stop, as can be seen in FIG. 2 at the lower vacuum connection nipple 70 '.

The channel-like, stationary vacuum chamber 69 is provided on its outer, elongated surface with a multiplicity of small holes, the spacing from one another of which is smaller than the length of a suction cup 67 or of the respective hole located in the rubber belt 68. The opening of the suction cup is thereby located and the hole of the rubber belt 68 in the area of the vacuum chamber 69 continuously over a hole and thus in vacuum connection. The remaining holes in the vacuum chamber 69 are closed by the rubber strap 68.

It can be seen from the above description how the vacuum is conducted from the stationary, channel-like vacuum chamber 69 through the hole in the rubber belt 68, the suction device 67, nipple 65 into the vacuum line 64 and via the opening 63 into the pressure arm 17.

3, the pair of circumferential grooves 70, in which the first pair of transfer fingers 13 engage when it is in the upper position in FIG. 1, can be seen at the top of the drum 4.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 also show the transport containers 71 for the packs 11 with the rear sliding and holding arm 72.

It can also be seen from FIG. 2 that the maximum stroke of the piston 39 for the movement of the reversing slide 6 is equal to the difference between the largest and the smallest diameter of the cam disk 46.

The vacuum channel 69 is fastened to the frame via supports 73.

The grooves 70 in the drum 4 mentioned on page 14, line 23 are arranged such that a plane laid through the respective circular groove 70 is perpendicular to the drum axis.

Claims (9)

1. A method of attaching a packed drinking straw (3) to a pack (11), wherein the packed drinking straws (3) are supplied in the form of a strip (2), separated, held by vacuum and first intermittently conveyed, after which the intermittent movement is converted to a continuous straight movement and the separated packed straws (3) are attached to the continuously conveyed packs (11) by an attachment means running continuously at the speed of the packs, characterised in that the intermittent movement is converted to continuous movement by moving the separated, vacuum held straw (3) in an interposed transfer station (I-III,6) straight for a certain distance at the same speed as the continuously conveyed packs (11) and then charging it into the attachment means (9, 17, 58).
2. The method of claim 1, characterised in that the separated, vacuum held straw (3) is applied to the pack (11) by clamping pressure, and is preferably applied to the seam (22) sealing the pack.
3. The method of claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the packed straw (3) is moved a certain distance in the direction opposite that of the continuous straight movement, is stopped and then, when its movement has been reversed, is charged into the attachment means (9, 17, 58) at the speed of the continuously conveyed pack (11).
4. Apparatus for attaching a packed straw (3) to a pack (11), wherein the packs (11) can be transported in a defined position on a conveyor (10) which can be moved continuously at a first speed, comprising feed means (4, 6, 9) with a stepwise driven drum (4) and comprising transfer means (13, 15, 17) for the straw (3), and wherein a pressure arm (17), which is movably controllable to hold the straw (3) and which is mounted on a chain conveyor (9) with tongs, can be moved along an application section (IV-V) adjacent the pack conveyor (10) at the same speed, in such a way that the straw (3) is pressed onto and attached to the pack (11) along that application section (IV-V), characterised in that the means (13, 16, 15) for transferring the straws (3) from the drum (4) into the pressure arms (17) include a reversing slide (6), which is driven at least partly synchronously with the chain conveyor (9) and which is arranged between the drum (4) and a straight run of the chain conveyor (9) with tongs, for stroke-like translatory movement.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, characterised in that a row of pressure arms (17) is arranged on an endlessly circling chain conveyor (9) with tongs, arranged adjacent the pack conveyor (10), and that each pressure arm (17) has a cam follower (60), which is guided by a first control cam (60) for controlled movement of the arm (17) relative to the chain conveyor (9).
6. The apparatus of claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the drum (4), with holding means (23) for the straws (3) at its periphery, is arranged at approximately the opposite side of the chain conveyor (9) to the pack conveyor (10).
7. The apparatus of any of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that a vacuum cylinder (7) is arranged on the reversing slide (6) and driven stepwise, synchronously with the drum (4), and that means (13, 29, 33) are provided for transferring a separated, packed straw (3) from the drum (4) onto the vacuum cylinder (7) and from there into a pressure arm (17).
8. The apparatus of any of claims 4 to 7, characterised in that an opposing clamping arm (58), which can be controlled by a second cam (62), is provided on the chain conveyor (9) adjacent each pressure arm (17).
9. The apparatus of any of claims 4 to 8, characterised in that the means (16, 63, 64) for holding the straw (3) on the pressure arm (17) is a recess (16) with a vacuum hole (63), and that vacuum lines (64, 65) are provided, which can be moved with the chain conveyor (9) and connected to a stationary vacuum passage (69).

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