Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
  • B31B—MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
  • B31B50/00—Making rigid or semi-rigid containers, e.g. boxes or cartons
  • B31B50/74—Auxiliary operations
  • B31B50/76—Opening and distending flattened articles
  • B31B50/80—Pneumatically
  • B31B50/804—Pneumatically using two or more suction devices on a rotating element
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
  • B31B—MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
  • B31B50/00—Making rigid or semi-rigid containers, e.g. boxes or cartons
  • B31B50/74—Auxiliary operations
  • B31B50/76—Opening and distending flattened articles
  • B31B50/80—Pneumatically
• • 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
  • B65B43/00—Forming, feeding, opening or setting-up containers or receptacles in association with packaging
  • B65B43/26—Opening or distending bags; Opening, erecting, or setting-up boxes, cartons, or carton blanks
  • B65B43/28—Opening or distending bags; Opening, erecting, or setting-up boxes, cartons, or carton blanks by grippers co-operating with fixed supports
  • B65B43/285—Opening or distending bags; Opening, erecting, or setting-up boxes, cartons, or carton blanks by grippers co-operating with fixed supports specially adapted for boxes, cartons or carton blanks
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
  • B31B—MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
  • B31B2100/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by folding single-piece sheets, blanks or webs
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
  • B31B—MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
  • B31B2110/00—Shape of rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B31B2110/30—Shape of rigid or semi-rigid containers having a polygonal cross section
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
  • B31B—MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
  • B31B2120/00—Construction of rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B31B2120/30—Construction of rigid or semi-rigid containers collapsible; temporarily collapsed during manufacturing

Definitions

• This invention relates to packaging cartons and is more particularly concerned with feeding such cartons in collapsed condition from a hopper and for initiating and then completing a set up operation of cartons in sequence.
• US 4 881 934 illustrates a rotary transfer mechanism which has a carrier means rotatable with a drive shaft on a support member.
• a support shaft is provided which is rotatable on the carrier means and includes a suction cup for receiving a carton which is caused to follow a path and thereafter, to be placed on a conveyor.
• Fixed guide rails provided adjacent the conveyor: the rails are curved in such a manner to permit placement of the carton on the lug conveyor and hold the carton in position on the conveyor.
• a problem associated with using fixed guides is that they are required to be positioned to avoid the path of the feeder mechanism as the carton is being placed onto the conveyor. Furthermore, the use of fixed guides is undesirable when a force is required to be applied to the carton to guide it to a preferred position on the conveyor.
• US 5 102 385 An alternative approach to supporting the carton during carton set up is illustrated in US 5 102 385.
• This document shows a feeder mechanism for setting up cartons including a rotating suction cup which is moveable inwardly and outwardly on a slidable rod.
• the suction cup mechanism includes a leaf spring clip to engage and hold a carton down following deposit thereof on a conveyor.
• the feeder mechanism is required to have leaf spring clips attached to each suction cup assembly which increases the complexity of the mechanism which is undesirable.
• a further problem associated with known feeder mechanisms is that the shape of the carton in its set up form may have an undesirable impact on packaging speeds.
• a pizza box usually comprises large top and bottom panels and relatively narrow side panels. If a carton of this shape is fed onto a conveyor by using suction cup means known in the art, then the relatively large surface area of the box results in a carton which is difficult to control. Thus, the positioning of such a carton onto a conveyor by known means makes the alignment of a carton between lugs difficult: one result being that packaging speeds may need to be reduced.
• the present invention seeks to overcome or at least mitigate the problems outlined above and associated with the prior art. It is envisaged that the present invention can be used with various other types of packaging machine. Alternatively, the erecting mechanism of the present invention can be sold as an individual module to be fitted to new equipment or to existing equipment on a retro fit basis.
• One aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for manipulating out of a hopper sequential collapsed sleeve type end loading cartons having oppositely disposed face contacting panels and for initiating set up thereof into open ended condition, the apparatus comprising a rotatable shaft, carton pick up means for sequentially engaging one of said face contacting panels and for withdrawing from the hopper the collapsed carton which includes one of the face contacting panels, a rotatable elongate support rod having one end thereof secured to said shaft and on the other end of which said carton pick up means is disposed, wherein said carton pick means is arranged to deposit a set up carton on a conveyor characterised in that oscillatable guide means is disposed outside the path of orbital movement of said carton pick up means to engage and hold said carton down following or during deposit thereof on said conveyor.
• the oscillatable guide means may be oscillated by driving means interconnected with said oscillatable means by a driving link.
• the oscillating guide means may comprise an oscillatable arm moveable in a plane substantially parallel to said conveyor wherein said oscillatable arm includes a guide surface to guide said carton into a position between leading and trailing lugs mounted on the conveyor.
• the guide surface is moveable in a path interrupting the path of orbital movement of said carton pick up means.
• Another aspect of the invention provides a device in a packaging machine for aligning a carton to a position between leading and trailing lugs on a conveyor which device comprises an oscillatable arm disposed above the conveyor and including a first guide surface to guide the carton into said position, wherein the first guide surface is moveable in a plane substantially parallel to said conveyor.
• the oscillating arm may include a second guide surface adjacent the first guide surface, wherein the first guide surface applies a force to said carton to guide said carton into said position, and thereafter the second guide surface applies a second force to accurately align said carton in the position.
• the second force may be greater than the force applied by the first guide surface.
• FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a carton suitable for use with the machine according to the invention
• FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the infeed of a packaging machine illustrating the feed mechanism and oscillating guide means of this invention
• FIGURES 3 to 8 are perspective views and side profiles of the infeed end of the machine illustrating the erection of a carton in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.
• a mechanism according to an aspect of the present invention is capable of storing and feeding a variety of carton types, for example wraparound or fully enclosed cartons. Any reference in this specification to carton type includes different sizes of any particular carton style.
• FIG. 1 one example of the carton 10 to be used in conjunction with a mechanism of the preferred embodiment is shown in Figure 1 in a set up condition ready for receiving foodstuff, for example a pizza.
• the carton 10 is formed from a unitary blank of paperboard or other foldable sheet material and includes opposed side wall panels 12,14 and opposed end wall panels 16, 18 hingeably connected one to next.
• the carton further comprises top panel 20 and base panel 22 hingeably connected to opposed edges of side walls 12, 14.
• An article, for example a pizza can be inserted into the carton from one side and the end panels 16, 18 are then secured together to provide a fully enclosed carton.
• cartons will vary depending upon the shape and or quantity of articles to be packaged and accordingly, a machine in accordance with the present invention is adjustable in numerous respects so that it can process a wide variety of such cartons, for example sleeve type cartons used in the bottling industry.
• the upstream end of the machine includes a hopper (not shown) or other suitable means for storing the carton in which a multiplicity of cartons 10 in a collapsed condition are held ready for processing.
• a rotary vacuum feeder 32 is positioned adjacent the hopper.
• a paper feed chain 34 (or conveyor) is provided to transfer cartons downstream to a loading station (not shown).
• the conveyor 34 includes leading and trailing lugs 36, 38, 36A, 38A, well known in the art, which engage the cartons as they are moved downstream.
• the feeder mechanism 32 includes a main shaft 40 rotatable about a fixed axis.
• the shaft 40 is generally supported at its end by a suitable bearing structure but which is conventional and which is mounted to a side frame.
• Suitable driving mechanism for example a servo motor is provided to rotate the shaft 40.
• a carton pick up means 42 For withdrawing the lower most collapsed carton from the first hopper, a carton pick up means 42 is provided, including three suction cups 44 which are each supported on cup holders 46 and a frame 48.
• the cup holder frames 48 are fixedly mounted respectively on elongate support rods 50.
• the rods 50 are slidably mounted respectively on a collar structure (not shown), which collar structure is rigidly secured to the main rotatable shaft 40.
• the frames 48 may be mounted onto cam rods (not shown) extending into the side frame housing a cam track (not shown).
• the purpose of the cam track would be to facilitate the cam rods to be extended away from the main shaft 40 so that the suction cups 44 would come into contact with the carton 10 thereby to remove one of the cartons from the hopper and to rotate the carton in a uniform path to the paper feed chain 34.
• a vacuum break is provided in the feeder mechanism 32 which is used in conjunction with a vacuum supply to set the vacuum connection and cut off points thereby determining the length of time and/or for the distance through which the carton is held by the feeder mechanism 32.
• five sets of carton pick up means 42 are provided in association with the main rotatable shaft 40. Only one set of such devices such as those indicated at 42 are described in detail because all five sets of pick up means are of the same construction and operate in an identical fashion.
• oscillatable guide means 52 is positioned outside the path of orbital movement of the suction cups 44.
• the oscillatable guide means 52 comprises a first arm 54 and preferably, a second arm 56 connected to driving means, for example eccentric driving means or a servo motor, by a driving link 58.
• the first arm 54 is substantially "L" shaped with a portion 60 being positioned adjacent to and spaced from the conveyor. Portion 60 is provided with first and second guide surfaces 62, 64 positioned one to next in an angular relationship.
• the second arm 56 is spaced from the first arm 54 and is of same construction and operates in an identical fashion, so it is not described in any greater detail. As shown in Figure 2, each arm 54, 56 is moveable in the space between adjacent suction cups 44.
• the present invention is not limited to guiding a carton being fed onto a conveyor.
• the oscillating arm can be placed at a loading station, if it is desired to apply a downward or positive force to the carton during loading to improve carton stability.
• the invention can be used at any position in a packaging machine where it is required to guide a carton to a position to apply a downward or positive force to the carton to stabilize or to re-align it.
• the feeder mechanism 32 continuously and sequentially feeds cartons from the hopper to the paper feed chain 34 by the main shaft 40 rotating the pick up means 42 in the direction indicated by the arrow A, shown in Figure 4.
• the pick up means 42 rotates, the suction cups 40 are moved into contact with a top wall of the carton 10.
• a vacuum is then applied to the set of suction cups 44, by the vacuum supply.
• the carton 10 is withdrawn from the hopper and then transferred to the paper feed chain 34.
• the vacuum is maintained during this transfer stage so that the suction cups 44 hold the top wall 20 of the carton 10.
• the vacuum break disconnects the vacuum supply from the suction cups 44 to release the carton.
• the suction cups 44 hold the carton towards its leading edge 66 to prevent unwanted movement as the leading edge 66 comes into contact with the leading lug 36 or 36A hereinafter described.
• Figure 5 shows the next stage, where the leading edge 66 in contact with the leading lug 36A and the arms 54, 56 in a fully retracted position.
• the carton continues to move forward relative the conveyor 34 and leading lug 36A and carton set up is initiated by the top and bottom walls being separated by the leading lug 36A, by means known in the art and illustrated in Figure 6.
• abutment of the loading edge 66 with the leading lug 36A causes the top and bottom walls 20, 22 to move apart, because the carton continues to advance relative the leading lug 36A.
• the arms 54, 56 are moved in the opposite direction "Y", and the top panel 20 comes into contact with the first guide surface 62.
• the first guide surface 62 moves the carton in a downward direction "C”.
• the arms 54, 56 continue to move in direction "Y", and the first guide surface 62 moves out of contact with the carton and the second guide surface 64 becomes operative, as shown in Figure 7.
• the second guide surface pushes downward on the rear end portion 68 of the carton as the arm 54, 56 move in direction "Y” to stabilize and/or guide the carton.
• the trailing lug 38 A comes into contact with the rear side wall 14 of the carton to complete the set up of the carton.
• the oscillating guide means continues to move in direction "Y” and aligns the rear portion of the carton on the conveyor as shown in Figure 8.
• arms 54, 56 could include only one guide surface to guide and/or align carton being set up without departing from the scope of the invention.
• the speed of operation of the apparatus is improved as well as its efficiency and durability as the carton is moved from a collapsed position to a fully set up condition.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Supplying Of Containers To The Packaging Station (AREA)
• Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)
• Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)
• Making Paper Articles (AREA)
• Control And Other Processes For Unpacking Of Materials (AREA)
• Packaging Frangible Articles (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=10822051

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (16)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 1997
  • 1997-11-14 GB GBGB9724044.4A patent/GB9724044D0/en not_active Ceased
• 1998
  • 1998-11-12 PL PL34045598A patent/PL187861B1/pl not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-11-12 EP EP98957841A patent/EP1030775B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-11-12 BR BR9814871-0A patent/BR9814871A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-11-12 WO PCT/US1998/024066 patent/WO1999025546A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1998-11-12 CA CA002310245A patent/CA2310245C/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-11-12 DE DE69805094T patent/DE69805094T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-11-12 AT AT98957841T patent/ATE216652T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-11-12 ES ES98957841T patent/ES2177095T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-11-12 JP JP2000520960A patent/JP2001523594A/ja not_active Withdrawn
  • 1998-11-12 PT PT98957841T patent/PT1030775E/pt unknown
  • 1998-11-12 AU AU14004/99A patent/AU744423B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1998-11-12 KR KR10-2000-7005199A patent/KR100536306B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-11-12 DK DK98957841T patent/DK1030775T3/da active
  • 1998-11-16 ZA ZA9810470A patent/ZA9810470B/xx unknown
• 2000
  • 2000-05-12 NO NO20002465A patent/NO20002465D0/no unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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