EP0870678A1 - Vorrichtung zum Verpacken von Gegenständen unterschiedlicher Dicke - Google Patents

Vorrichtung zum Verpacken von Gegenständen unterschiedlicher Dicke Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0870678A1
EP0870678A1 EP98201040A EP98201040A EP0870678A1 EP 0870678 A1 EP0870678 A1 EP 0870678A1 EP 98201040 A EP98201040 A EP 98201040A EP 98201040 A EP98201040 A EP 98201040A EP 0870678 A1 EP0870678 A1 EP 0870678A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
product
packed
products
speed
distance
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP98201040A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0870678B1 (de
Inventor
Ronald Timmerman
Johan Hendriks
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Buhrs Zaandam BV
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Buhrs Zaandam BV
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Buhrs Zaandam BV filed Critical Buhrs Zaandam BV
Publication of EP0870678A1 publication Critical patent/EP0870678A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0870678B1 publication Critical patent/EP0870678B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
    • B65B9/06—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
    • B65B25/14—Packaging paper or like sheets, envelopes, or newspapers, in flat, folded, or rolled form
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B57/00—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices
    • B65B57/10—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of articles or materials to be packaged
    • B65B57/16—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of articles or materials to be packaged and operating to stop, or to control the speed of, the machine as a whole

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a packing apparatus for packing mail items, magazines, books, CDs and like products composed of one or more layers, comprising a product-assembling path in which products to be packed are assembled, a product-positioning station by means of which the assembled products are positioned in a controlled manner on a continuous packing material web of film or paper, a folding station comprising folding means by means of which the longitudinal edges of the continuous packing material web are folded around the products to be packed to form a continuous packing tube with products included therein, and a separating station by means of which the packing tube is divided in transverse direction between the products into loose, packed end products, the product-positioning station comprising an upper and a lower speed-influencing element, intended for engaging a bottom side and a top side respectively of the product to be packed, the speed of the upper speed-influencing element always corresponding to the speed of the lower speed-influencing element, while the speeds of the two speed-influencing elements can be controlled continuously.
  • a drawback of the known apparatus is that it can only pack products whose mutual thicknesses substantially correspond.
  • the products to be packed do not all have the same thickness. Indeed, in the product-assembling path, some products have more enclosures added thereto than other products. An enclosure can for instance be formed by a CD box added to a magazine and only intended for specific subscribers. It is true that in the known apparatus, the distance between the speed-influencing elements is settable, but this distance is changed only occasionally for a series of products to be packed. In the known apparatus, it is not possible to randomly process products having mutually different thicknesses.
  • the object of the invention is to provide a packing apparatus whereby products of different thicknesses can be processed in random order.
  • the packing apparatus of the type described in the opening paragraph is characterized in that upstream of the product-positioning station, a sensor is provided by means of which the height of a product is determined, the product-positioning station comprising an actuator by means of which the mutual distance between the upper and the lower speed-influencing element is continuously settable, a control being provided to which the sensor and the actuator are connected, the control being arranged so that the distance between the upper and the lower speed-influencing element always corresponds to the height of the product to be packed when this product to be packed arrives at the product-positioning station.
  • the thickness of each product fed to the product-positioning station is determined.
  • the distance between the speed-influencing elements is adapted to the thickness of the product to be positioned before, or at least when this product to be positioned arrives at the positioning station.
  • the senor is a laser displacement sensor, arranged above the product-assembling path and measuring the distance to the top side of the product, with the control being arranged for deriving from this distance the thickness of the product.
  • the sensor is of standard commercial availability and can determine a distance with great precision.
  • the thickness of a product to be packed varies over the length thereof. This may for instance be the case when an enclosure has an A5-size, whereas the product itself has an A4-size.
  • the control is of such design that the sensor measures the maximum thickness of a product to be packed, that the distance between the speed-influencing elements corresponds to this maximum thickness when this product to be packed arrives at the product-positioning station and that this distance is maintained during a period to be set.
  • Fig. 1 schematically shows, in side elevational view, a portion of an exemplary embodiment of a packing apparatus for packing mail items, magazines, books, CDs and like products composed of one of more layers.
  • Such packing apparatus comprises a product-assembling path 1, whose final portion is shown in Fig. 1 and in which products to be packed are assembled in that feeder stations feed enclosures and the like to a conveying path 19.
  • a thus assembled product is advanced by means of projections 20 connected to an endless chain 21 that is driven.
  • a product-positioning station 10 Arranged at the end of the product-assembling path 1 is a product-positioning station 10 by means of which the assembled products are positioned in a controlled manner on a continuous packing material web of film or paper.
  • This packing material web is brought into the product-conveying path downstream of the product-assembling path 1, at the inlet of the folding station 2.
  • the packing material web is passed from the lower side of the product-conveying path over a so-called folding block into the product-conveying path.
  • folding block is described in EP-A-0 686 555.
  • the folding station 2 comprises folding means, which in applicant's packing apparatuses comprise, inter alia, the above-mentioned folding block and a so-called pulling element 5 in the form of a pulling belt 5.
  • the folding station 2 comprises a first conveyor belt 4 on which at least a part of the packing material web is located which extends under the products to be packed.
  • the pulling element 5 mentioned is disposed above the first conveyor belt 4 and engages parts of the packing material web located at the top side of the products to be packed.
  • the folding station further comprises connecting means 6 by means of which the longitudinal edges of the packing material web are interconnected.
  • a separating station 3 Disposed downstream of the folding station 2 is a separating station 3 by means of which the packing tube formed in the folding station 2 is divided, in transverse direction between the products, into loose, packed end products.
  • Such cutting station for instance comprises a cutting knife for cutting through, in transverse direction, a packing material web composed of paper, or a sealing beam 28 with counterpressure beam 29, as shown in the present exemplary embodiment, for sealing up and at the same time separating loose, packed end products of the packing tube.
  • the product-positioning station 10 comprises an upper and a lower speed-influencing element 11 and 12 respectively, intended for engaging a bottom side and a top side respectively of the product to be packed.
  • the speed of the upper speed-influencing element 11 always corresponds to the speed of the lower speed-influencing element 12.
  • the speeds of the two speed-influencing elements 11, 12 can be controlled continuously. Positioning is effected in that, at the start of the engagement of a product, the speed-influencing elements 11, 12 have a peripheral speed which corresponds to the conveying speed of a product as it enters. Next, the speed of the speed-influencing elements 11, 12 is varied during the engagement of the product such that the product is placed at a desired position on the packing material web. As is clearly visible in Figs.
  • a sensor 13 upstream of the product-positioning station 10, a sensor 13 is provided by means of which the height of a product is determined.
  • the positioning station 10 comprises an actuator 14 by means of which the mutual distance between the upper and the lower speed-influencing element 11 and 12 respectively is continuously settable.
  • the packing apparatus further comprises a control to which the sensor 13 and the actuator 14 are connected. The control is arranged so that the distance between the upper and the lower speed-influencing element 11, 12 always corresponds to the height of the product to be packed when this product to be packed arrives at the product-positioning station 10.
  • the senor 13 is a laser displacement sensor, arranged above the product-assembling path 1 and measuring the distance to the top side of the product.
  • the control is arranged for deriving from this distance the thickness of the product.
  • the control is of such design that the sensor 13 measures the maximum thickness of a product to be processed.
  • the control provides that the distance between the speed-influencing elements 11, 12 corresponds to this maximum thickness when the product to be packed arrives at the product-positioning station and that this distance is maintained during a period to be set. This prevents the distance between the speed-influencing elements 11, 12 from varying each time during the engagement of a product, which would result in a highly irregular behavior and would moreover cause a very high load on the actuator 14.
  • the actuator 14 is designed as a servomotor 14.
  • the speed-influencing elements 11, 12 are constructed as a number of top rollers 11 and a bottom roller 12.
  • the rotary axis 15 of the top rollers 11 is bearing-mounted in a slide 16 which is bearing-mounted for sliding up and down in a guide 17.
  • the servomotor 14 drives a spindle 18 which engages the slide 16 such that the vertical position of the top roller 11 is settable by means of the servomotor 14.
  • each top roller 11 is bearing-mounted so as to be spring-loaded in vertical direction.
  • the spring is formed by a pneumatic telescope 22.
  • the rotary axis 15 of the top rollers 11 is bearing-mounted in the slide 16 via a pivotable arm 23.
  • the rotational drive of the top roller 11 and the bottom roller 12 takes place by means of a single drive motor having a continuously variable speed.
  • the top roller 11 and the bottom roller 12 are drivably interconnected via a Schmidt-coupling, known per se, as described in EP-A-0 685 417.
  • the folding station 2 comprises a pressure plate 7 arranged above the first conveyor belt 4.
  • the top side of this pressure plate 7 is engaged by the pulling element 5, with the interposition of at least the longitudinal edges of the packing material web.
  • the distance between the first conveyor belt 4 and the bottom side of the pressure plate 7 is such that products of different thicknesses can pass therebetween. Upstream of the pressure plate 7, the longitudinal edges of the packing material web do not yet lie on top of each other, while directly downstream of the vertical portion 7a of the pressure plate 7, these longitudinal edges lie on top of each other.
  • the first conveyor belt 4 in the present exemplary embodiment is provided with passage openings 8.
  • a vacuum chamber 9 Arranged below the first conveyor belt 4 is a vacuum chamber 9, which vacuum chamber 9 is provided with at least one suction opening 9' abutting against the bottom surface of a top part 4a of the first conveyor belt 4.
  • a vacuum is created, so that, via the passage openings 8, the packing material web is fixed onto the first conveyor belt 4 through suction.
  • the connecting means 6 For processing a plastic film web as packing material web, the connecting means 6 by means of which the longitudinal edges of the packing material web are interconnected, may be designed as a sealing element 6 arranged upstream of the pulling element 5. In operation, the sealing element 6 presses on the top side of the pressure plate 7, with the interposition of at least the longitudinal edges of the plastic film web.
  • the connecting means by means of which the longitudinal edges of the packing material web are interconnected may be designed as at least one glue gun which is arranged upstream of the pulling element 5 and which is designed for applying adhesive to at least one of the longitudinal edges of the paper web.
  • this glue gun not shown in the present exemplary embodiment, will be located upstream of the vertical part 7a of the pressure plate, because at that location, the longitudinal edges of the packing material web do not yet lie on top of each other.
  • the pressure required for effecting the adhesive connection is provided by the pulling element 5 pressing on the pressure plate 7.
  • the distance between the pressure plate 7 and the conveyor belt 4 is settable in that the pressure plate 7 is arranged so as to be displaceable in vertical direction.
  • the pulling element 5 and the sealing element 6, if present, should of course likewise be arranged so as to be displaceable in vertical direction.
  • the pulling element 5 is designed as an endless second conveyor belt 5.
  • the conveying speed of the second conveyor belt 5 corresponds to the conveying speed of the first conveyor belt 4. In this manner, a uniform transport of both the bottom side and the top side of the packing tube is effected without the products having to be clamped between the two conveyor belts.
  • the pulling element 5 is suspended in a vertically adjustable frameplate 24 which is bearing-mounted on a vertical guide 25.
  • the frameplate 24 is engaged by a screw spindle 26 which is connected to an adjusting knob 27 so as to be restrained from rotation.
  • the variation in thickness within a series of products to be packed may increase to about 80 mm.
  • the height of the pulling element 5 above the top part 4a of the conveyor 4 should be set at about 200 mm by means of the adjusting knob 27, so that products having a thickness of 200 mm as well as products having a thickness of 120 mm can be processed.
  • the adjusting knob 27 serves for the setting per series of products to be processed. Within this series of products to be processed, a considerable variation in thickness may occur without this causing problems during the packing process.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)
EP19980201040 1997-04-07 1998-04-02 Vorrichtung zum Verpacken von Gegenständen unterschiedlicher Dicke Expired - Lifetime EP0870678B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL1005750 1997-04-07
NL1005750A NL1005750C2 (nl) 1997-04-07 1997-04-07 Verpakkingsinrichting.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0870678A1 true EP0870678A1 (de) 1998-10-14
EP0870678B1 EP0870678B1 (de) 2002-01-23

Family

ID=19764747

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19980201040 Expired - Lifetime EP0870678B1 (de) 1997-04-07 1998-04-02 Vorrichtung zum Verpacken von Gegenständen unterschiedlicher Dicke

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0870678B1 (de)
JP (1) JP3803896B2 (de)
DE (1) DE69803508T2 (de)
NL (1) NL1005750C2 (de)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL1011657C2 (nl) 1999-03-24 2000-09-27 Buhrs Zaandam Bv Werkwijze en verpakkingsinrichting voor het verpakken van poststukken, tijdschriften, boeken, CD's en dergelijke producten.
NL1019545C2 (nl) * 2001-12-12 2003-06-13 Buhrs Zaandam Bv Verpakkingsinrichting en werkwijze voor het gebruik van een verpakkingsinrichting.
EP1319595A1 (de) * 2001-12-12 2003-06-18 Buhrs-Zaandam B.V. Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Verpacken von Gegenständen
EP1321367A1 (de) * 2001-12-19 2003-06-25 Buhrs-Zaandam B.V. Verpackungslinie und Verfahren zur Verpackung von getrennten Gegenständen auf kontinuierliche Weise
NL1021193C2 (nl) * 2002-07-31 2004-02-03 Buhrs Zaandam Bv Verpakkingsinrichting en werkwijze voor het gebruik van een verpakkingsinrichting.
NL1023745C2 (nl) * 2003-06-25 2004-12-28 Buhrs Zaandam Bv Feeder voorzien van automatische formaatherkenning.
US6955029B2 (en) * 2000-10-13 2005-10-18 Cryovac, Inc. Apparatus and method for packaging products
EP1591364A1 (de) * 2004-04-27 2005-11-02 SITMA S.p.A. Verfahren zum Zuführen von Produkten unterschiedlicher Höhe und Länge in eine kontinuierlich arbeitende Verpackungsvorrichtung
NL1026563C2 (nl) * 2004-07-02 2006-01-03 Buhrs Zaandam Bv Verpakkingslijn en werkwijze voor het continu verpakken van discrete producten.
NL2023321B1 (en) 2019-06-17 2021-01-25 Buhrs Packaging Solutions B V A packaging assembly for wrapping mail items of differing sizes

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ATE454934T1 (de) 2005-04-13 2010-01-15 Ima Spa Drehteller

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5255495A (en) * 1992-10-30 1993-10-26 Hayssen Manufacturing Company Adjustable girth former
EP0685417A1 (de) * 1994-05-31 1995-12-06 Buhrs-Zaandam B.V. Verfahren zum gegenseitigem Repositionieren von Produkten, zum Beispiel zum Einstellen von der gegenseitigen Position von graphischen Produkten in einer Verpackungsvorrichtung, und eine Zufuhrvorrichtung zum Ausführen des Verfahren

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5255495A (en) * 1992-10-30 1993-10-26 Hayssen Manufacturing Company Adjustable girth former
EP0685417A1 (de) * 1994-05-31 1995-12-06 Buhrs-Zaandam B.V. Verfahren zum gegenseitigem Repositionieren von Produkten, zum Beispiel zum Einstellen von der gegenseitigen Position von graphischen Produkten in einer Verpackungsvorrichtung, und eine Zufuhrvorrichtung zum Ausführen des Verfahren

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL1011657C2 (nl) 1999-03-24 2000-09-27 Buhrs Zaandam Bv Werkwijze en verpakkingsinrichting voor het verpakken van poststukken, tijdschriften, boeken, CD's en dergelijke producten.
US6955029B2 (en) * 2000-10-13 2005-10-18 Cryovac, Inc. Apparatus and method for packaging products
US6860086B2 (en) 2001-12-12 2005-03-01 Buhrs-Zaandam B.V. Packaging apparatus and method for the use of a packaging apparatus
NL1019545C2 (nl) * 2001-12-12 2003-06-13 Buhrs Zaandam Bv Verpakkingsinrichting en werkwijze voor het gebruik van een verpakkingsinrichting.
EP1319595A1 (de) * 2001-12-12 2003-06-18 Buhrs-Zaandam B.V. Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Verpacken von Gegenständen
EP1321367A1 (de) * 2001-12-19 2003-06-25 Buhrs-Zaandam B.V. Verpackungslinie und Verfahren zur Verpackung von getrennten Gegenständen auf kontinuierliche Weise
US6938393B2 (en) 2001-12-19 2005-09-06 Buhrs-Zaandam B.V. Packaging line and method for packaging separate products in a continuous manner
NL1021193C2 (nl) * 2002-07-31 2004-02-03 Buhrs Zaandam Bv Verpakkingsinrichting en werkwijze voor het gebruik van een verpakkingsinrichting.
EP1491448A1 (de) * 2003-06-25 2004-12-29 Buhrs-Zaandam B.V. Zuführeinrichtung mit einem System zur automatischen Grössenerkennung.
NL1023745C2 (nl) * 2003-06-25 2004-12-28 Buhrs Zaandam Bv Feeder voorzien van automatische formaatherkenning.
US7089711B2 (en) 2003-06-25 2006-08-15 Buhrs-Zaandam B.V. Feeder provided with automatic size recognition for a packaging line
EP1591364A1 (de) * 2004-04-27 2005-11-02 SITMA S.p.A. Verfahren zum Zuführen von Produkten unterschiedlicher Höhe und Länge in eine kontinuierlich arbeitende Verpackungsvorrichtung
US7263815B2 (en) 2004-04-27 2007-09-04 Sitma S.P.A. Process for feeding products of variable height and length into a continuous packaging apparatus
NL1026563C2 (nl) * 2004-07-02 2006-01-03 Buhrs Zaandam Bv Verpakkingslijn en werkwijze voor het continu verpakken van discrete producten.
EP1621461A1 (de) * 2004-07-02 2006-02-01 Buhrs-Zaandam B.V. Verpackungslinie und Verfahren zum kontinuierlichen Verpacken von einzelnen Produkten
US7328545B2 (en) 2004-07-02 2008-02-12 Buhrs - Zaandam B.V. Packaging line and method for continuously packaging discrete products
NL2023321B1 (en) 2019-06-17 2021-01-25 Buhrs Packaging Solutions B V A packaging assembly for wrapping mail items of differing sizes
EP3753747A3 (de) * 2019-06-17 2021-04-28 Buhrs Packaging Solutions B.V. Verpackungsanordnung zum verpacken von postsendungen unterschiedlicher grösse
US11401062B2 (en) 2019-06-17 2022-08-02 Buhrs Packaging Solutions B.V. Packaging assembly for wrapping mail items of differing sizes

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0870678B1 (de) 2002-01-23
DE69803508D1 (de) 2002-03-14
NL1005750C2 (nl) 1998-10-09
DE69803508T2 (de) 2002-09-12
JP3803896B2 (ja) 2006-08-02
JPH1111407A (ja) 1999-01-19

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