EP0551660A2 - Package composed of individual packets and method and apparatus for producing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

2.1. Packages composed of two sub-packages are in increasing demand as so-called cigarette cartons, as "half cartons", i.e. sub-packages with a smaller number of packets of cigarettes, are demanded by consumers. The sub-packages are produced from a common, integral blank, which is severed before the package is brought into circulation, so that sub-packages are formed from two partblanks. The said sub-packages are connected to one another by means of separable connecting elements, especially adhesive strips. 2.2. Such packages, which comprise two sub-packages, are mechanically produced in an efficient manner in a folding revolver. An integral blank is introduced into pockets of the folding revolver and is virtually completely folded. The groups of packets of cigarettes are then pushed into the sub-packages inside the pockets via open sides.

Description

The invention relates to packaging made from at least two cuboid or cubic partial packs, preferably each for accommodating a group of cigarette packs, the partial packs lying against one another with inner walls and being connected to one another. The invention further relates to a method for producing such packaging and a device.

Packs of the aforementioned type serve to hold groups of cigarette packs and are often referred to in practice as cigarette packs. The packaging is divisible in such a way that the two partial packs each form independent units with a group of e.g. five packs of cigarettes.

Examples of this type of pack of cigarettes are described in US-A-4,932,534. In this known solution, the partial packs are connected to one another in the region of a separating edge with perforations. When the packaging is used, the perforation of the separating edge is severed by breaking the partial packs.

In another known embodiment of this type of packaging, the partial packs are not only connected to one another along a perforation line to be cut by breaking, but also by means of glue points which are attached in the region of the mutually facing inner walls of the partial packs. In addition, the partial packs are connected to one another by a perforated adhesive strip which extends in the region of longitudinal side walls and end walls. The perforation of the adhesive strip must also be removed to separate the partial packs.

The packaging above is not optimally designed due to the design for the manufacture and handling. In addition, the device technology solutions resulting from US-A-4,932,534 for the manufacture of the packs have not proven to be efficient.

The object of the invention is to improve the design of the type of packaging described at the outset and, moreover, to propose methods and apparatus for efficient, industrial production.

To achieve this object, the packaging according to the invention is characterized in that (both) partial packs are formed from a common, one-piece or one-piece blank and this is cut during the joint production of the partial packs or thereafter in two partial blanks corresponding to the partial packs.

A special feature of the packaging according to the invention is therefore that the two partial packages are made from a common, one-piece blank, but this is cut mechanically during the manufacturing process or immediately thereafter, so that two separate partial packages are produced. These are detachably connected to one another in a suitable manner. This measure, namely the use of a one-piece blank for two (partial) packs, significantly increases the production efficiency, since with each machine cycle two partial packs and thus a complete “double rod” with two groups of cigarette packs are produced.

The mechanical severing of the connection between the partial packs in the region of an edge connection of the inner walls can be carried out in various ways. In a solution according to the invention, the inner walls of the packaging which has not yet been filled lie against a folding organ which, together with the outer edge, serves as a separating knife. By pushing in the groups of cigarette packs, the edge connection is pressed against a cutting edge. This divides the packaging into the two partial packages.

In an alternative, the edge connection is cut after completion of the packaging by a knife entering between the two partial packs, which is moved in the longitudinal direction of the packaging.

The device according to the invention is equipped with a folding turret, the pockets of which are designed to hold one package each. According to the invention, the one-piece blank is first inserted into a pocket and pre-folded to the extent that partial packs remain open on the radially outer side of the pockets or the folding turret. In the area of a filling station, the two groups of (small) packs are pushed into the partial packs at the same time. The packaging or the partial packs are then folded.

The pockets with the folding elements for cutting are designed in a special way. Measures according to the invention are also provided in the area of the filling station, which ensure correct positioning of the groups of (cigarette) packs lying one above the other.

• Fig. 1 Eine aus zwei Teilpackungen bestehende Verpa kung in perspektivischer Ansicht,
• Fig. 2 einen Zuschnitt für eine Verpackung gemäß Fig. 1 in ausgebreiteter Stellung,
• Fig. 3 eine Vorrichtung zum Herstellen einer Verpakkung gemäß Fig. 1 in vereinfachter Seitenansicht,
• Fig. 4 einen Ausschnitt der Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 3 in vergrößertem Maßstab,
• Fig. 5 eine Darstellung entsprechend Fig. 4 in veränderter Position und unter Abwandlung des Ausführungsbeispiels gemäß Fig. 4,
• Fig. 6 bis Fig. 11 aufeinanderfolgende Faltpositionen beim Falten des Zuschnitts gemäß Fig. 2 im Bereich eines Faltrevolvers in Seitenansicht,
• Fig. 12 bis Fig. 15 verschiedene Positionen beim Einführen von Gegenständen (Zigaretten-Packungen) in die teilweise gefaltete Verpackung in Seitenansicht,
• Fig. 16 eine Einzelheit einer Tasche eines Faltrevolvers in Draufsicht, teilweise im Schnitt,
• Fig. 17 die Einzelheit gemäß Fig. 16 in einem Schnitt XVII - XVII,
• Fig. 18 eine Einzelheit des Faltrevolvers im Bereich einer Ausstoßstation in stark vergrößertem Maßstab, teilweise geschnitten,
• Fig. 19 den Faltrevolver im Vertikalschnitt mit Einzelheiten im Bereich einer Ausschubstation, in der Schnittebene IXX - IXX der Fig. 5,

An exemplary embodiment of the packaging and exemplary embodiments of the device for producing the same and the process sequence are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. It shows:

• 1 A package consisting of two partial packs in perspective view,
• 2 shows a blank for a package according to FIG. 1 in the spread position,
• 3 shows a device for producing a package according to FIG. 1 in a simplified side view,
• 4 shows a detail of the device according to FIG. 3 on an enlarged scale,
• 5 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 4 in a changed position and with a modification of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 4,
• 6 to 11 successive folding positions when folding the blank according to FIG. 2 in the area of a folding turret in a side view,
• 12 to 15 different positions when inserting objects (cigarette packs) into the partially folded packaging in a side view,
• 16 shows a detail of a pocket of a folding turret in a top view, partly in section,
• 17 shows the detail according to FIG. 16 in a section XVII - XVII,
• 18 shows a detail of the folding turret in the area of an ejection station on a greatly enlarged scale, partly in section,
• 19 shows the folding turret in vertical section with details in the area of an extension station, in the section plane IXX - IXX of FIG. 5,

The exemplary embodiments in the drawings deal with large packs for a plurality of cuboid small packs, namely cigarette packs 20. Two groups 21, 22 of these cigarette packs 20 are accommodated in a (large) pack 23, also called a cigarette pack. The packaging 23 consists of an - originally - one-piece blank 24 made of thin cardboard or another suitable packaging material. The packaging 23 formed therefrom consists of two partial packs 25, 26, each for receiving a group 21, 22 of the cigarette packs 20.

The blank 24 is designed such that two partial packs 25, 26 completely enveloping the package contents are formed, each with an inner wall 27, an opposing outer wall 28, a first, closed longitudinal side wall 29 and a second longitudinal side wall 30. This is at the free edge with a plug-in tab 31 provided that, when the partial pack 25, 26 is closed, is threaded or inserted into a position between the inner wall 27 and the pack content, corresponding to the arrangement according to FIG. 7 in US Pat. No. 4,932,534.

In the present case, the blank 24 or the packaging 23 is designed such that the handling principle which can be gathered from US-A-4,932,534 can be implemented. This means that the packaging 23 is provided with a temporary closure in the factory, that is to say in the cigarette factory. In this case, the side wall 30 with the plug-in tab 31 of the one partial pack 25 covers the corresponding cut parts of the other partial pack 26, corresponding to FIG. 4 of US Pat. No. 4,932,534. After affixing tax stamps or stamps, the tab 31 is folded into the position described.

The correspondingly designed halves of the blank 24, each to form a partial pack 25, 26, are joined together in the area of mutually facing edges of the inner wall 27 by an edge connection 32 to form a unit, that is, to form a one-piece blank 24. The edge connection 32 exists in the present case from long punch cuts 33 and a few short residual connections 34 of the packaging material. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the edge connection 32 is severed during the manufacture of the packaging 23 or immediately thereafter, so that two independent partial packs 25, 26 are formed which are detachably connected to one another. In the present, special exemplary embodiment, 35 adhesive strips 36 are attached in the region of mutually opposite end walls which connect the two partial packs 25, 26 to one another. In order to be able to separate them from one another for possible individual sales, the adhesive strips 36 are provided with large recesses 37 which act like a perforation. There are very thin, easily tearable material webs 38 between the rectangular or square recesses 37. The design of this perforation, namely the size of the recesses 37, ensures that the adhesive strip 36 is securely severed in the plane between the partial packs 25, 26, even then , if, due to manufacturing tolerances, the adhesive strip 36 is not exactly centered in the region of the end walls 35.

The end walls 35 on both sides of the package 23 or the partial packs 25, 26 consist of specially designed end flaps 39. These are folded with partial covering and gluing.

Another special feature is the design of the plug-in tabs 31. In the area of a folded edge 40 between the plug-in tab 31 and the adjacent longitudinal side wall 30 there are short tongues 41 formed by punchings. These are connected to the longitudinal side walls 30 in the area of the folded edge 40. When the plug-in tab 31 is folded into the area between the inner wall 27 and the pak The tongues 41 remain in the plane of the longitudinal side wall 30. Since the tongues 41 lie in the region of residual connections 34 of the edge connection 32, projections or serrations of the residual connections 34 formed by the separation process in the region of the edge connection 32 are covered by the tongues 41.

In the packaging 23 described or designed in a similar manner, it is produced in an efficient packaging machine, as shown in FIGS. 3 ff. The centerpiece of this packaging machine is a folding turret 42 which is driven to rotate in the vertical plane. The flat, unfolded blanks 24 in the area of a loading station 43 are fed to it. The blanks 24 are removed from a blank magazine 44, here by means of a dispenser 45 known in the art. In the region of a subsequent blank web 46, the blanks 24 are transported by feed rollers. The blanks 24 also pass through a gluing unit 47 for applying glue spots on folding tabs.

The folding turret 42 is equipped with special pockets 48. These are directed radially or are open on the radially outer side for insertion and removal of blank 24 and packaging 23. There are four pockets 48 arranged at equal distances from one another. The downward-facing pocket 48 is located in the loading station 43.

The folding turret 42 consists of two turret disks 49 which are arranged at a distance from one another and which are connected to one another by cross members 50 in the region of the pockets 48. The cross members 50 also form a bottom of the pockets 48.

Each pocket 48 consists of a centrally located, radially directed folding sword 51. The folding sword 51 is thin-walled and tapered towards the outside or with sharp edges. As can be seen from FIGS. 18 and 19, the folding sword 51 is designed like a comb with a plurality of comb fingers 52 arranged at a distance. The folding sword 51 is firmly connected to the folding turret 42, namely to the associated cross member 50.

Pocket walls 53, 54 serve to delimit the pockets 48. These are each pivotably supported with the turret discs 49 facing ends or edges, namely between the turret discs 49. At a distance from the edge thereof, rotary bearings 55 are formed for each pocket wall 53, 54 . The pocket walls 53, 54 can thus be moved between an open or spread position (FIG. 5, bottom) and an approximately parallel position (FIG. 5, top). The pocket walls 53, 54 are mounted at equal distances on both sides of the folding sword 51.

The blank 24 is inserted in the area of the loading station 43 into a downward-facing pocket 48, in which it is largely folded to form the packaging 23, such that the partial packs 25, 26 only on the radially outer side, namely in the region of the longitudinal side wall 30, are open. The corresponding folding processes take place during the temporary standstill of the folding turret 42 in the loading station 43.

For this purpose, the loading station 43 is assigned a folding unit 56, which can be moved up and down in the radial direction to the folding turret 42, but is otherwise stationary. The folding assembly 56 is described below in connection with FIGS. 16 and 17.

Folding tools of the folding unit 56 are two folding wings 57, 58 which can be pivoted jointly and in opposite directions about a common axis centered on the pocket 48 or the folding sword 51.

The folding steps carried out by the folding unit 56 can be seen from FIGS. 6 to 11. In a lower position, the folding wings 57, 58 are stretched, thus forming a common plane. The folding wings 57, 58 are located in the feed plane for the blanks 24. A blank 24 is placed on the folding wings 57, 58 in the middle, that is to say aligned with the pocket 48.

Next (FIG. 7), the folding unit 56 or the folding wings 57, 58 are raised, taking the blank 24 with them, until the blank 24 rests against the free edge of the folding sword 51. This extends in the region of the edge connection 32, that is to say between the cut halves.

The folding wings 57, 58 are then pivoted in the direction of one another without changing the height position. The blank 24 is folded around the folding sword 51. The dimensions of the pocket 48, namely the spacing of the spread pocket walls 53, 54 are dimensioned such that a free, lateral folding edge 59 of the folding wings 57, 58 slides along the inside of the pocket walls 53, 54. As a result, the blank 24 is folded over in the region of the folding edge 59 to form a first folding leg 60. The folding edge 59 is provided with a rectangular folding edge 61, which is effective in the region of a folding line between the inner wall 27 and the longitudinal side wall 29 and performs a rectangular folding (FIG. 8).

In the course of the further pivoting movement of the folding wings 57, 58 in the direction of the folding sword 51, a further folding edge 62 of the folding wings 57, 58 comes into effect. By contacting the pocket wall 53, 54, a further folding is carried out, namely a folding line between the longitudinal side wall 29 and the outer wall 28. The folding edge 59 accordingly has a width which corresponds to that of the longitudinal side wall 29 (FIG. 9).

The above-described movements of the pocket walls 53, 54 on the one hand and folding wings 57, 58 on the other hand are controlled and continuously coordinated.

The folding wings 57, 58 are pivoted further with the blank 24 until they rest against the folding sword 51. Then the pocket walls 53, 54 are pivoted in the direction toward one another until they rest against the folding wings 57, 58. As a result, the laterally open partial packs 25, 26 molded. The folding wings 57, 58 are now moved out of the pocket 48 by moving the folding unit 56 downward (FIG. 10) when leaving the pocket 48, the folding wings 57, 58 are pivoted in a spreading sense. As a result, the folding legs 60 of the blank 24 protruding from the pocket 48 are folded outwards (FIG. 11). These are the longitudinal side walls 30 with a tongue 31.

Above the feed plane according to FIG. 6 there are stop members on both sides of the pocket 48, namely fixed deflecting rods 101. These ensure correct guidance and support of the blanks 24 when they are inserted into the pocket 48.

After the blank 24 has been largely folded in the loading station 43, the folding turret 42 is advanced by one cycle by rotation, so that the pocket 48 with the packaging 23 pre-folded according to FIG. 11 arrives in a filling station 63. In this, the pockets 48 are each directed horizontally, so that cigarette packs 20 can be inserted into the open package 23 in a horizontal insertion movement.

The cigarette packs 20 are fed in the area of the filling station 63 in the axis-parallel direction to the folding turret 42. The cigarette packs 20 come from a packaging machine which, in the present case, produces two lanes. Accordingly, two parallel rows 64 and 65 of two cigarette packs 20 lying one above the other arrive. The rows 64, 65 are conveyed on a platform 66 in cycles.

A specially designed slide 67 removes units from two groups 21, 22 of the cigarette packs 20 lying one above the other from the rows 64, 65 by movement transversely to the rows 64, 65. The slide 67 is moved in a special way. The push-off movement for the cigarette packs 20 takes place in the plane of the platform 66. To return to the starting position, the slide 67 is guided above the cigarette packs 20, in accordance with the movement path 68 shown in dash-dot line.

The slide 67 is designed as a double slide with two slide walls 69 and 70. The slide wall 69 located in the direction of movement serves to push off cigarette packs 20 from the row 64. The rear slide wall 70 pushes a unit out of the row 65. In particular, the transport of the cigarette packs 20 and the formation of the groups 21, 22 takes place in such a way that in a first working cycle of the slide 67 groups 21, 22 of the row 64 are shifted on the platform 66 to an intermediate conveyor 71. At the same time, a corresponding unit from groups 21, 22 is shifted from row 65 to the area of row 64 by the rear slide wall 70 and is deposited there. The subsequent cigarette packs 20 of the rows 64, 65 are stopped during this pushing-off process, so that no cigarette pack 20 are replenished during this phase. At the next working cycle of the slide 67, the unit previously deposited in the area of the row 64 is transported to the intermediate conveyor 71. Only then are the blocks for rows 64, 65 lifted and cigarettes replenished.

In the present case, the intermediate conveyor 71 is a stage which is closed in cross section and open on two opposite sides and can be moved up and down in accordance with the double arrow. In the present case, the platform 66 lies at a higher or offset level to the insertion level of the pocket 48 in the filling station 63. The groups 21, 22 are accordingly lowered to the insertion level by the intermediate conveyor 71. Conveying elements push the cigarette packs 20 out of the intermediate conveyor 71 and into the pocket 48 or into the pre-folded partial packs 25, 26.

These conveying organs are elongated plungers 72, 73. These are effective in height according to offset levels. The upper plunger 72 acts on the upper pack group 21 and the lower plunger 73 on the lower pack group 22.

The plungers 72, 73 are driven by two actuating arms 74, 75 which reciprocate in the sense of a pivoting movement. The longer actuating arm 74 is connected to the upper plunger 72. This is cranked and forms a leg 102 below the lower plunger 73. The free end of the plunger 72, namely the bent leg 102, is also connected to the second actuating arm 75. The free end of the lower plunger 73 is connected to the upper or free end of the actuating arm 75 via a coupling 103. The lower plunger 73 is passed through a bore 104 in the plunger 72, namely in the region of the bend thereof.

The intermediate conveyor 71 is at a distance from the pocket 48 in its lower position. This is bridged by a bridge 76, a flat profile, which extends in the insertion plane. This bridge 76 is adjoined by a mouthpiece 77 which can also be moved back and forth in the radial direction, that is to say can be delivered to the pocket 48. The two groups 21, 22 are pushed through this mouthpiece (Fig. 5).

The insertion of the groups 21, 22 into the pocket 48 or the partial packs 25, 26 is a special movement sequence, which is shown in the individual phases in FIGS. 12 to 15. Thereafter, the groups 21, 22 lying one above the other are fed to the folding turret 42 in a staggered position by corresponding relative position or movement of the plungers 72, 73. The upper group 21 is closer to the pocket 48. The movement of the cigarette packs 20 is matched to the rotary movement of the folding turret 42 in such a way that the upper group 21 protrudes slightly into the pocket 48 or the upper partial pack 25 when it approaches the filling station 63 with the pocket walls 53, 54 spread apart ( Fig. 12). As a result, the cigarette packs 20 of the upper group 21 enter the path of movement of the folding sword 51. This is moved from below against the cigarette packs 20 of the group 21 (FIG. 13). As the rotary turret 42 continues to rotate, the cigarette packs 20 of the upper group 21 are lifted slightly from the lower group 22 (FIG. 14). The radial insertion movement has meanwhile continued, so that the cigarette packs 20 of the lower group 22 enter the partial pack 26 now reaching the area of the insertion level. The radial insertion movement can now be continued. When the pocket 48 has completely reached the filling station 63 and the folding turret 42 has stopped, the insertion is completed (FIG. 15). The pocket walls 53, 54 are now moved into the parallel position. The filling process is now complete.

The next movement cycle of the folding turret 42 conveys the now filled packaging 23 into an ejection station 78. This is located on the top side of the folding turret 42. The finished packaging 23 is pushed out of the pocket 48 by an upward movement and onto a discharge path 79 above the folding turret 48 to hand over.

After the filling process in the filling station 63 has ended, the folding legs 60 directed sideways or pointing in the circumferential direction of the folding turret 42 are folded against the open side of the packaging 23, as shown in FIG. 1. For this purpose, an in Circumferential direction of the folding turret 42 reciprocable folding member 80 is provided. This folds the folding legs 60 one after the other, that is to say the longitudinal side walls 30 with a tongue 31.

The folding turret 42 is designed in a special manner in order to eject the packages 23 from the pockets 48 in the radial direction. The folding sword 51, like the pocket walls 53, 54, is designed like a comb. The folding sword 51 consists of comb fingers 52 arranged at a distance from one another. Correspondingly, the pocket walls 53, 54 consist of pocket webs 81 which extend in the same circumferential planes. Extending members respectively extend between the comb fingers 52 of the folding sword 51 and the pocket webs 81 of the pocket walls 53, 54 Sliding finger 82 of a package lifter 83. The latter is arranged in the region of the ejection station 78 next to the folding turret 42. The pack lifter 83 can be moved up and down on an upright support rod 84 by an actuating element (not shown). The free end of the pack lifter 83, which is formed like a comb by the sliding fingers 82, enters the region of the pocket 48. After a package 23 (FIG. 5) has been pushed out, the package lifter 83 is moved back into the lower starting position. The sliding fingers 82 thereby move into a position in which they move into the radially inner position when the folding turret 42 is moved further (dash-dotted lines in FIG. 19). The pockets 48 are designed such that the sliding fingers 82 in the starting position (dash-dotted lines in FIG. 19) lie above or on the radially outer side of the continuous cross member 50. A pocket bottom 85 is offset radially outward, so that the sliding fingers 82 come into a position below the packaging 23 when the folding turret 42 rotates in the ejection station 78. The pocket bottom 85 is therefore formed only in the area of the comb fingers 52 of the folding sword 51.

The packaging 23 originally formed from a coherent blank 24 is divided into the two partial packs 25, 26. For this purpose, the edge connection 32 is severed. In the present exemplary embodiment, the remaining connections 34 are severed. Various options are shown for this.

In the example according to FIGS. 12 to 15 and 18, the remaining connections 34 are severed by the folding sword 51. This has larger dimensions in the radial direction than the inner walls 27 abutting the folding sword 51. When the groups 21, 22 are inserted into the partial packs 25, 26 in the region of the filling station 63, pressure is exerted on the longitudinal side walls 29. This generates the required cutting pressure, which leads to the severing of the remaining connections 34 by the sharp-edged folding sword 51. At In the specific example, the comb fingers 52 are formed with knife-like edges at the free, outer ends. The remaining connections 34 to be severed each extend in the area of a comb finger 52 which acts like a knife. Here, the partial packs 25, 26 which are separated from one another are thus already formed in the filling station 63. 18 shows details in the area of the ejection station 78. The remaining connections 34 have already been severed. Only the tooth-like residues can still be seen.

5 and 19, the connection of the blank 24 to the ejection station 78 is retained. After the finished folded package 23 has been ejected or lifted out, the remaining connections 34 are severed by a separating knife 86 which is guided in the longitudinal direction through the gap formed between the partial packages 25, 26. For this purpose, the separating knife 86 is attached to an actuating rod 87 which can be moved back and forth. This cutting station also includes a counter-holder 88 which is U-shaped in cross-section and which abuts with its legs on the longitudinal side walls 30 of the partial packs 25, 26. The cutting device described so far comes into consideration for such packaging 23, which is fully folded before reaching this cutting station, in which the plug-in tab 31 is already pushed into the end position between the inner wall 27 and the contents of the package, so that the remaining connections 34 are exposed for the separating cut.

A discharge pusher 79 is associated with a pusher 89 which can be moved back and forth in the direction thereof. This pushes the finished packaging 23 one after the other onto the discharge conveyor 79.

19 also shows the rotary bearings 55 of the pocket walls 53, 54 in the turret disks 49. A pivot pin 106 connected to the pocket walls 53, 54 passes through the turret disk 49 and is connected to a crank piece 107. This occurs with a feeler roller 108 in a control groove 109 of a control disk 110. The control disk 110 is rotatably mounted on a central turret shaft 111. To adjust the pocket walls 53, 54, the control disk 110 is rotated on the turret shaft 111, specifically by an actuating arm 112. Depending on the direction of movement of the pocket walls 53, 54, the control disk 110 is rotated in one direction or the other. Corresponding pivoting movements are transmitted to the pocket walls 53, 54 via the crank piece 107.

The folding unit 56 already mentioned in the area of the loading station 43 is shown in detail in FIGS. 16 and 17. Thereafter, the two folding wings 57, 58 with the mutually facing edges can be pivoted about a common axis. For this purpose, the folding leaf 57 is rotatably supported in each case in lateral supporting walls 92, 93 with an axle pin 90 and a coaxial shaft pin 91. The other pocket wall 54 is rotatably mounted with a hollow shaft 94 on the journal 90 and with a hollow journal 95 on the journal 91. Hollow shaft 94 and hollow journal 94 are accordingly mounted coaxially to the axle journal 90 and to the shaft journal 91.

For the swivel drive of the pocket walls 53, 54, drive wheels, namely gear wheels 96 and 97, are arranged on the hollow shaft 94 on the one hand and the shaft journal 91 on the other hand. These gears 96, 97 are driven by a drive element in the case of corresponding directions of rotation via intermediate gears 98, in the present case by a toothed segment 99 which can be rotated back and forth. This in turn is moved by a push rod 100.

The folding unit 56 designed in this way can be moved up and down relative to the folding turret 42. For this purpose, the support walls 92, 93 are slidably mounted on upright support rods 105. The organ for adjusting the folding unit 56 is not shown for the sake of simplicity.

Claims (21)

1. Packing of at least two cuboid or cubic partial packs (25, 26), preferably each for receiving a group (21, 22) of cigarette packs (20), the partial packs (25, 26) with inner walls (27) abutting one another and are interconnected, characterized in that (both) partial packs (25, 26) are formed from a common, one-piece or one-piece blank (24) and this is cut into two during the joint production of the partial packs (25, 26) or thereafter partial cuts corresponding to the partial packs (25, 26). 2. Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the one-piece blank (24) in the region of an inner connection (27) joining edge connection (32) from remaining connections (34) is severed and arranged in the area of the remaining connections (34) covering these outwardly covering parts are tongues (41), in particular formed by punching a plug-in tab (31). 3. Packing of at least two cuboid or cubic partial packs (25, 26), preferably each for receiving a group (21, 22) of cigarette packs (20), wherein the partial packs (25, 26) with inner walls (27) lie against one another and are connected to one another, characterized in that the partial packs (25, 26) on at least two opposite sides, in particular in the region of shorter end walls (35), by adhesive strips (36) are connected to one another, which are provided with a plurality of adjacent recesses (37) for easier separation, in such a way that narrow material webs (38) which can be separated are formed between the recesses (37). 4. A method for producing packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that a pack content, in particular two groups (21, 22) of cigarette packs (20) are inserted simultaneously into the associated partial packs (25, 26), with the cigarettes -Packages (20) each have a longitudinal side wall (29) of the partial packs (25, 26) located away from the edge connection (32) so that the cigarette packs (20) pressurize them so that the edge connection (32) is pressed against them pressed separator is severed. 5. A method for producing packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that after completion of the part packs (25, 26) connected in the area of the edge connection (32), the edge connection (32) by a in the area between the part packs (25, 26) entering separating knife (86), in particular by moving it in the longitudinal direction of the partial packs (25, 26). 6. A method for producing packages from two partial packs 25, 26, each for a group of cigarette packs or similar packs, wherein an integral blank (24) is folded around the groups (21, 22) such that the inner walls face one another (27) of the partial packs (25, 26) are folded in a V-shape between the groups (21, 22), characterized in that the blank (24) is folded to form the two partial packs (25, 26) with open longitudinal side walls (30 ) and that the groups (21, 22) are then introduced via the open longitudinal side wall (30) into the associated partial packs (25, 26) and these are then finished by folding folding tabs forming the longitudinal side walls (30). 7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the (common) blank (24) first in the longitudinal center - along the edge connection (32) - folded in a V-shape and meanwhile the inner walls (27) connecting these longitudinal side walls ( 29) and the parts of the blank forming the outer walls (28) are folded to form the partial packs (25, 26) which are open on one side. 8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the inner walls (27) connecting edge connection (32), in particular from residual connections (34), by inserting the cigarette packs (20) into the partial packs (25, 26th ) is severed. 9. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the inner walls (27) connecting edge connection (32) is cut immediately after completion of the packaging (23) and that then adhesive strips (36) for connecting the separate partial packs (25, 26) are attached. 10. Device for producing packaging (23) from at least two cuboid or cubic partial packs (25, 26), preferably each for receiving a group (21, 22) of cigarette packs (20), from a common, one-piece blank (24 ), characterized by a rotationally movable folding turret (42) with a plurality of radially directed pockets (48), each for receiving a package (23), the pockets (48) each consisting of a central, stationary folding member, in particular a folding sword (51), and lateral, movable pocket walls (53, 54). 11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that in the region of a charging station (43) the blank (42) can be inserted into a pocket (48) to form the partial packs (25, 26) open on the radially outer side that in one following filling station (63) the groups (21, 22) of the packs can be inserted into the partial packs (25, 26) inside the pocket (48) and that in a further ejection station (78) the fully folded packaging (23) from the pocket (48 ) can be pushed out. 12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the loading station (43) is assigned a folding unit (56) through which the blank (24) folding the outside open partial packs (25, 26) can be inserted into the pocket (48). 13. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the folding unit (56) has two pivotally mounted folding wings (57, 58), the blank (24) to both from a stretched position while pivoting to each other while moving into the pocket (48) Fold sides of the folding sword (51), the inner walls (27), the longitudinal side walls (29) and the outer walls (28) being foldable by folding edges (61, 62) having folding edges (59) of the folding wings (57, 58). 14. The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the folding wings (57, 58) during the folding movement with the folding edge (59) while taking the blank (24) along the inside of the pocket walls (53, 54) moved into a spreading position and that after the folding process has ended, the folding wings (57, 58) extend to both sides of the folding sword (51) and the pocket walls (53, 54) are moved into a parallel position corresponding to the dimensions of the packaging (23). 15. The apparatus according to claim 11 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the groups (21, 22) of the cigarette packs (20) in the region of the filling station (63) in the horizontal insertion plane one above the other the pocket (48) with the pre-folded packaging (23) can be fed, the groups (21, 22) being able to be moved apart in the direction of movement of the folding turret (42) in such a way that they come at a distance corresponding to the spacings of the partial packs (25, 26) and can then be inserted into them. 16. The apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that the groups (21, 22) offset in the radial direction of the folding turret (42) of the pocket (48) can be fed such that the upper or in the direction of movement of the folding turret (42) second group (21) is moved closer to the folding turret (42) in such a way that the group (21) can be lifted off from the group (22) below by the folding sword (51) of the pocket (48) due to the rotation of the folding turret (42). 17. The apparatus according to claim 11 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the cigarette packs (20) in rows (64, 65) of two superimposed cigarette packs (20) on a platform (66) of the filling station (63) can be fed, the platform (66) being arranged offset in relation to an insertion level in the pockets (48) and the groups (21, 22) by an up and down movable intermediate conveyor (71) from the level of the platform (66) to the insertion level are transportable. 18. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that in the region of the overhead ejection station (78) of the folding turret (42), the packaging (23) or the separate partial packs (25, 26) by a radially movable ejection member, in particular by a Pack lifter (83), can be moved out of the pocket (48) and can be fed to a removal conveyor (79). 19. The apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that the pocket walls (53, 54) and the folding sword (51) are comb-like, such that the folding sword (51) spaced comb fingers (52) and the pocket walls (53, 54) form equidistantly spaced pocket webs (81) and that the packing lifter (83) is comb-like in at least one region facing the pocket (48) in the region of the ejection station (78), with the formation of sliding fingers (82) which result from rotation of the folding turret (42) when feeding a pocket (48) to the ejection station (78) into a position below the packaging (23) between the comb fingers (52) and pocket webs (81). 20. The apparatus according to claim 10 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the folding turret (42) has two spaced-apart turret discs (49) which are connected to one another in the pockets (48) by axially parallel cross members (50) , A pocket bottom (85) being formed in the area of the comb fingers (52) and the pocket webs (81) on the cross members (50), which has a gap in the area between the comb fingers (52) and pocket webs (81) with respect to the cross member (50 ) guaranteed for the entry of the sliding fingers (82). 21. The apparatus according to claim 10 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the folding sword (51) or its comb finger (52) have larger dimensions in the radial direction than the inner walls (27) of the package (23) and that the outer edge of the Folding sword (51) or the comb finger (52) is sharp-edged or knife-like, such that when the groups (21, 22) are inserted into the partial packs (25, 26) on the inner walls (27) a tensile force is exerted leads to severing the edge connection (32) or the remaining connections (34). 22. The apparatus according to claim 11 or one of the further claims, characterized in that in the region of the ejection station (78) a separating member for severing the edge connection (32) or the remaining connections (34) is arranged, in particular a separating knife (86), which Can be moved along in the longitudinal direction of the partial packs (25, 26) between them, severing the edge connection (32) or the remaining connections (34).

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