EP1058648B1 - Method and device for filling cartons - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for inserting objects, in particular bags, into a large container, in particular into a cardboard box, in which the objects are positioned one above the other in several layers, the objects being fed to a filling conveyor and from there in an upright or inclined direction The conveying plane is introduced into the large container and placed one after the other to form layers arranged one above the other, starting in each case on an upright side wall of the large container, the inclination of the conveying plane changing during the transfer of the objects in accordance with the movement of the filling conveyor. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device for performing the method.

The filling of large-volume packaging containers, in particular shipping boxes with small packages, for example with flat bags, is often carried out by hand in practice. The small packs or bags are stacked in layers in the box.

A device for filling fruits, in particular apples, into a box is known. For this purpose, a filling conveyor is provided which, starting from a central, upright position, can be pivoted in both directions within the box. The filling conveyor, consisting of a belt conveyor and a fixed counter-holder provided with an elastic support, is fed by a feed conveyor, which transports the fruit over a Baffle plate transported into the inlet side of the filling conveyor. The fruits perform a rotating or rolling movement in the area of the filling conveyor during transport. The known device is therefore not suitable for packaging flat objects, in particular bags (FR 2 525 558).

The invention has for its object to propose measures for a mechanized, automatic filling of cartons or the like with objects or small packages, such as bags, without manual intervention.

• a) die Gegenstände haben eine flache Gestalt,
• b) die Gegenstände werden dem Füllförderer in Dichtlage zugeführt, als Packungsreihe oder als Füllgruppe aus je einer Mehrzahl von dicht aufeinander folgenden und/oder nebeneinander liegenden Gegenständen,
• c) die Gegenstände werden dem Füllförderer in flach liegender Position zugeführt und in gleicher, flach liegender Position unmittelbar durch den Füllförderer im Großbehälter abgelegt,
• d) die Fördergeschwindigkeit des Füllförderers ist an die Geschwindigkeit angepasst, mit der sich die Neigung der Förderebene verändert, derart dass die Gegenstände nebeneinander in Dichtlage im Großbehälter abgelegt werden.

To achieve this object, the method according to the invention is characterized by the following features:

• a) the objects have a flat shape,
• b) the objects are fed to the filling conveyor in a sealed position, as a row of packs or as a filling group, each consisting of a plurality of objects closely following one another and / or lying next to one another,
• c) the objects are fed to the filling conveyor in a flat position and placed in the same, lying position directly by the filling conveyor in the bulk container,
• d) the conveying speed of the filling conveyor is adapted to the speed at which the inclination of the conveying plane changes, such that the objects are placed next to one another in a sealed position in the large container.

The objects to be filled into the carton or the like - hereinafter referred to as bags for the sake of simplicity - are transported by a filling conveyor which, due to a back and forth movement within the carton, releases the bags in layers. The bags are fed in groups, each corresponding to a layer of bags within the box or a row as part of a layer.

To solve the problem, a device with the features of claim 5 is also proposed.

The filling conveyor according to the invention consists of two conveyor sections, namely an initial section and an end section immersed in the carton. The latter can be pivoted relative to the initial section for storing the bags in the box.

Fig. 1

eine Füllanlage zur Handhabung von Gegenständen bzw. Kleinpackungen in schematischer Seitenansicht, als Ausschnitt,

Fig. 2 bis Fig. 5

einen Füllförderer in schematischer Seitenansicht in verschiedenen Positionen während des Befüllens eines Kartons,

Fig. 6

eine andere Ausführungsform eines Füllförderers in Längsansicht,

Fig. 7

den Füllförderer gemäß Fig. 6 in Seitenansicht während des Füllvorgangs,

Fig. 8

eine Anlage für die geordnete Zuführung von Gegenständen bzw. Beuteln im schematischen Grundriß,

Fig. 9 bis Fig. 11

Abschnitte eines Förderers für den Transport von Gegenständen bzw. Beuteln im schematischen Grundriß,

Fig. 12

einen Querschnitt durch einen Förderer für Gegenstände in vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 13

die Einzelheit gemäß Fig. 12 in einer veränderten Position.

Further details of the method and the devices are explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments of the device. It shows:

Fig. 1

a filling system for handling objects or small packs in a schematic side view, as a detail,

2 to 5

a filling conveyor in a schematic side view in different positions while filling a carton,

Fig. 6

another embodiment of a filling conveyor in longitudinal view,

Fig. 7

6 in side view during the filling process,

Fig. 8

a system for the orderly feeding of objects or bags in a schematic plan,

9 to 11

Sections of a conveyor for the transport of objects or bags in a schematic plan,

Fig. 12

a cross section through a conveyor for objects on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 13

the detail of FIG. 12 in a changed position.

The drawings deal with the handling of small packs, namely bags 10, for example made of a film. The contents of the bag can be powdery or granular, but also liquid or pasty. For example, it can be washing powder. The system is also suitable for handling other objects.

The large containers to be filled are (shipping) cartons 11. These are closed with a closed cross-section, folded flat, held in a carton magazine 12 and removed as required. The cartons 11 are erected in a three-dimensional shape. On Cardboard bottom is formed by folding bottom flaps. The carton 11 is open on the opposite top. Locking tabs 13 are arranged upright.

The cartons 11 prepared in this way are conveyed to a filling station 15 on a (lower) carton web 14 in a filling system according to FIG. 1. There the bags 10 are inserted into the carton 11. The filled carton 11 then passes into a folding station 16 for folding the closure flaps 13 into the firing position. This is followed by a tape station 17 for attaching a sealing tape, that is to say an adhesive tape, in the region of the bottom wall and a top wall formed by the sealing tabs 13.

The bags 10 are transported in groups, namely as a filling group 19, on a feed conveyor 18 arranged above the cardboard web 14. Each filling group 19 corresponds in terms of number and arrangement of bags 10 to a layer 20 within the carton 11. In the exemplary embodiments shown, each layer 20 consists of a total of six bags 10, each in two rows of bags 21, 22 with bags 10 lying close together.

The filling groups 19 formed outside the system according to FIG. 1 are fed to a roller conveyor 24 by an intermediate conveyor 23. This is followed by a filling conveyor 25, which feeds the bags 10 or the filling group 19 to the open cartons 11 in a downward conveying plane. The filling conveyor 25 is designed so that bags 10 are placed one after the other in the carton 11 to form the layers 20. The bags 10 are guided into the carton 11 by a corresponding transport movement in such a way that a transverse edge of the bags 10 lying in the conveying direction on the bottom wall of the Cartons 11 meets or on a layer 20 already formed, each starting from a side wall 26 or 27 of the carton.

The filling conveyor 25 is designed such that an end or an end section 28 entering the carton 11 can be moved back and forth within the carton 11, namely from a side wall 26 to the other side wall 27. The movement takes place in coordination with the conveying speed for the successive depositing of the bags 10. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 5, the bags 10 are each deposited in pairs, namely in two rows of bags 21, 22.

The filling conveyor 25 consists of endless conveyors, namely belt conveyors. A main conveyor 29 consists of one or more endless belts. At one end facing the roller conveyor 24, that is to say in the region of a deflecting roller 30, the main conveyor 29 is mounted in a stationary manner. An initial section 31 is pivotally mounted, specifically around the deflection roller 30. The path of movement is indicated as a dash-dotted circular arc 32. Deflection members for the belts of the main conveyor 29 can be moved on this, namely an upper deflection roller 33 and a smaller, lower deflection roller 34. The circular arc 32 runs through both deflection rollers 33, 34.

The end section 28 of the filling conveyor 25 is in itself pivotable relative to the starting section 31, specifically around the two deflection rollers 33, 34. At the end of the end section 28, the conveyor belt of the filling conveyor 25 runs around a deflection roller 35 with a very small diameter. The objects, namely bags 10, are fixed on the belts at least in the lower region of the filling conveyor 25, namely in the region of the end section 28, and above all non-positively. For this purpose, a counter-conveyor 36 is arranged in the region of the end section 28. This also consists of one or more endless belts 37 which run over deflection rollers 38, 39. The deflecting roller 39 assigned to the lower end of the filling conveyor 25 is positioned immediately adjacent to the deflecting roller 35 of the main conveyor 29. The two rollers, namely deflection rollers 35, 39, are arranged at a fixed, small distance from one another, such that the bags 10 are held between these two deflection rollers and thus the belts of the main conveyor 29 and the counter-conveyor 36, that is to say under the action of force. The other deflection roller 38, which is remote from the deflection roller 39, is like this positioned that the belts 37 of the counter-conveyor 36 form a downwardly converging gap, which is dimensioned such that the bag 10 or the filling group 19 is fixed without changing the relative position during the downward conveying movement. The counter-conveyor 36 is mounted in a fixed relative position to the end section 28 due to the corresponding mounting of the deflection rollers 38, 39.

The filling conveyor 25 is moved back and forth within the carton 11 in such a way that the bags 10 are deposited as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5. The filling conveyor 25 can be moved up and down for this purpose, corresponding to the filling level in the carton 11. According to the storage of bags 10, the filling conveyor 25 is moved upwards in layers, so that the ends of the filling conveyor (rollers 35, 39) one for the Storage process have a favorable distance from the bags already placed. For the depositing process, the end section 28 can be moved back and forth within the carton, with a layer 20 being deposited in the case of filling groups 19 consisting of two rows of bags 21, 22 with each pivoting cycle. The bags 10 are transported in an inclined or upright conveying plane.

The first, lower layer 20 is conveyed into the carton 11 when the end section 28 is in an obliquely directed position, specifically in the region of a lower, transverse edge of the carton against the side wall 27. By pivoting the end section 28 in the direction of the opposite side wall 27 the subsequent bags 10 deposited while maintaining the sealing position. The conveying speed of the filling conveyor 25 is accordingly matched to the pivoting movement of the filling conveyor 25 or of the end section 28. After completion of the layer 20 or the row of bags 21, 22, the filling conveyor or the end section 28 executes an opposite movement, repeating the depositing process according to FIGS. 2 to 4 for the next filling group 19. Due to the corresponding back and forth movement with a simultaneous lifting movement the layers 20 successively introduced into the carton 11, the filling conveyor 25 having the angled position according to FIG. 5 in the end position.

In the upper layer, the carton is expediently moved relative to the filling conveyor 25 by conveying it to the next processing station, with the last, upper filling group being deposited. The conveying movement of the carton 11 is accordingly used for the insertion of a (last) layer. The procedure for inserting a first, lower layer 20 (FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4) is similar or analogous. The filling process by the filling conveyor 25 begins even before the supplied, erected carton 11 has reached the filling station 15, namely in a position according to FIG. 2. The position of the carton in the filling station 15 is shown in dashed lines. Here, too, the conveying movement is used to introduce the first, lower layer of bags 10 into the carton 11 at an increased speed.

6 and 7 show details of a filling conveyor improved in construction and function. In this embodiment, the filling conveyor 25 is additionally additionally transversely movable, namely pivotable according to the arrow 40. The transverse movement is controlled so that the lower end of the filling conveyor 25, namely the deflection rollers 35 and 39, can be moved in the transverse direction of the carton 11. This design of the filling conveyor 25 is suitable for depositing bags 10, for example two bags rows 21, 22, which are fed continuously and without spacing from one another in a single row 41, that is to say continuously and without spacing from one another. In a first position of the filling conveyor 25 (on the left in FIG. 6), a first row of bags 21 is placed in the corresponding area of the carton 11, that is to say on the left. The sequence of the depositing process corresponds to the representations and explanations according to FIGS. 2 to 5. In the opposite pivoting movement of the end section 28, the second row of bags 22 is placed next to the row of bags 21, the filling conveyor 25 previously being moved transversely in the corresponding reversed position of the end section 28 is swiveled from the left position into a (dashed) right position in FIG. 6. In this, the row of bags 22 is deposited with the corresponding counter-movement of the end section 28.

In this exemplary embodiment, the individual row 41 from a continuous row of bags 10 is fed to the filling conveyor 25 via a belt conveyor 42. The belt conveyor 42 runs at a transfer end to the filling conveyor 25 via a deflection roller 43 with a small diameter. This is arranged adjacent to a deflecting roller 44 of larger diameter. The belt conveyor 42 thus forms a tapered end region which can be brought up close to the deflection roller 30, so that the bags 10 can be transferred without problems from the belt conveyor 42 to the filling conveyor 25 in the region of the upper deflection roller 30.

The filling conveyor 25 is arranged to carry out the transverse movements overall on an actuating gear. In the present exemplary embodiment, the upper deflection roller 30 is connected to a central, central pivot 46 via a holder 45. This rests rotatably in a transverse axial pivot bearing 47, which is firmly anchored in a suitable manner. The pivot pin 46 is connected to a shaft 48 which transmits the rotary or pivoting movements in the reciprocating sense. As shown in FIG. 6, the holder 45 is U-shaped. The filling conveyor 25 according to FIGS. 6 and 7 can also process individual filling groups 19, each consisting of a row of bags 21, 22, that is to say a plurality of bags 10 which follow one another in the conveying direction.

The bags 10 are fed to the filling station 15 or the filling conveyor 25 in a special way. Groups of bags are formed, each corresponding to the content of a box, that is, box groups 49. The box groups 49 can have a different number of bags 10, depending on their size. FIG. 9 shows a section of a bag conveyor, for example the belt conveyor 42, with a cardboard group 49 comparatively small bags 10. In the selected example, the content of a carton 11, that is, a carton group 49, consists of 84 bags, which are positioned here within the carton group 49 in small groups of 12 bags each with spacing from one another. A gap 50 is formed between successive cardboard groups 49. This causes a period in which no bags are transferred to the filling conveyor 25. The gap 50 enables the filling conveyor 25 to be changed from one (filled) carton 11 to the next carton 11 to be filled.

10 and FIG. 11 show examples with larger bags 11 and a correspondingly smaller number of bags 10 per box group 49, namely 36 bags according to FIG. 10 and 18 bags according to FIG. 11.

The bags 10 are manufactured or filled by bag machines 51 and fed to the bag conveyor, that is to say the belt conveyor 42, for example. FIG. 8 schematically shows a section of a production system with three bag machines 51. The bags 10 manufactured by these are each fed to a turret 52. In the area, the bags are checked, in particular checked for correct weight. The bags 10 are then transferred to pre-conveyors. In this case, each bag machine 51 or each turret 52 is assigned two pre-conveyors 53, 54 located next to one another in parallel. The two pre-conveyors 53, 54 lead to the bag conveyor, ie to the belt conveyor 42. An arcuate transition piece 55, which connects to the two pre-conveyors 53, 54, guides the bags 10 from one or the other pre-conveyor 53, 54 to the belt conveyor 42.

The pre-conveyors 53, 54 are set up in such a way that they are dimensioned such that a predetermined number of bags can be accommodated on each pre-conveyor 53, 54, namely as a row of successive bags 10 in a flat position. The number of bags 10 on a pre-conveyor 53, 54 can - if appropriately dimensioned - correspond to a cardboard group 49.

After a pre-conveyor 53, 54 has been completely filled, it is emptied - in coordination with the other pre-conveyors - by transferring the bags to the belt conveyor 42. small) gaps.

A further peculiarity results from FIGS. 12 and 13. The bags 10 are namely vented, namely by pressure loading. For this purpose, the bags either consist of an air-permeable material or are provided with ventilation openings at a suitable point. The ventilation is carried out by areal pressure transmission, preferably in the area of the pre-conveyor 53, 54. In this area, a pressure plate 56 is lowered onto the bags from above, best during temporary rest after completing a group of cartons 49. The pressure plate 56 can be dimensioned accordingly and simultaneously capture several bags lying side by side. The pre-conveyor 53, 54 form the counter-pressure element.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

bag

11

carton

12

Carton magazine

13

closure flap

14

board web

15

filling station

16

folding station

17

TapeStation

18

feeder

19

filling group

20

location

21

bag series

22

bag series

23

intermediate conveyor

24

roller conveyor

25

filling conveyor

26

Side wall

27

Side wall

28

end

29

main conveyor

30

idler pulley

31

initial section

32

arc

33

idler pulley

34

idler pulley

35

idler pulley

36

against conveyor

37

belt

38

idler pulley

39

idler pulley

40

arrow

41

Single row

42

Belt conveyors

43

deflecting

44

deflecting

45

bracket

46

pivot

47

pivot bearing

48

wave

49

karton group

50

gap

51

bag machine

52

revolver

53

preconveyor

54

preconveyor

55

Transition piece

56

printing plate

Claims (10)

1. Method of introducing articles, in particular bags (10), into a large container, in particular into a carton (11), in which the articles are positioned in a number of layers (20) one above the other, the articles being fed to a filling conveyor (25) and being introduced by the latter, in an upright and/or obliquely directed conveying plane, into the large container and being deposited one after the other with layers (20) arranged one above the other being formed, beginning in each case at an upright side wall (26, 27) of the large container, the inclination of the conveying plane changing during the transfer of the articles in accordance with the movement of the filling conveyor (25), characterized by the following features:

   a) the articles have a flat configuration,

   b) the articles are fed to the filling conveyor (25) in a closely packed manner, as a pack row or as a filling group (19) each comprising a plurality of articles which follow closely one after the other and/or are located one beside the other,

   c) the articles are fed to the filling conveyor (25) in the flat state and are deposited in the large container directly by the filling conveyor (25) in the same flat state,

   d) the conveying speed of the filling conveyor (25) is adapted to the speed at which the inclination of the conveying plane changes, such that the articles are deposited in the large container in a closely packed manner one beside the other.
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that, in order to form layers (20) comprising a number of bag rows (21, 22) located one beside the other, the filling conveyor (25) is moved transversely to the conveying direction within the carton (11) when the bags (10) fed one after the other are deposited, in particular such that, once a first bag row (21, 22) has been deposited, the filling conveyor (25) is moved transversely in order to deposit a bag row (22, 21) which is to be formed alongside the first bag row.
3. Method according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the bags (10) are fed to the filling conveyor (25) in groups, in particular as a carton group (49) corresponding to the contents of a carton (11) and/or as a filling group (19) corresponding to one layer (20), and in that spacings or gaps (50) are formed between successive groups of bags (10) in order to compensate for movements of the filling conveyor (25) without bags (10) being deposited, in particular for the changeover from one carton (11) to the next carton (11).
4. Method according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that, prior to transfer to the filling conveyor (25), in particular in the region of primary conveyors (53, 54) adjoining bag-making machines (51), air is extracted from the bags (10), preferably by the latter being subjected to the action of pressure, the air escaping from the bags (10) via openings, non-sealed closure seams or via air-permeable packaging material.
5. Apparatus for introducing articles, in particular bags (10), into a large container, in particular into a carton (11), in which the articles can be deposited in a number of layers (20) one above the other, it being possible for the articles to be fed by a feed conveyor to a filling conveyor (25) and to be transported by the latter one after the other into the carton (11), it being possible for the filling conveyor (25) to be moved from one side wall (26, 27) to the other side wall (27, 26) in order to deposit the articles in the carton (11), characterized by the following features:

   a) the filling conveyor (25) comprises two conveying sections, namely an initial section (31), which adjoins the feed conveyor, and an end section (28), which is directed towards the carton (11),

   b) the end section (28) penetrates into the carton (11) and can be moved back and forth in order to deposit the bags (10) in the carton (11),

   c) the end section (28) can be pivoted relative to the initial section (31) in order to execute the back and forth movement,

   d) the filling conveyor (25) can be moved upwards in accordance with the increasing filling level in the carton (11), it being the case that

   - the articles, which have a flat configuration, can be fed to the filling conveyor (25) in a closely packed manner, as a pack row or filling group (19) each comprising a plurality of articles which follow closely one after the other and/or are located one beside the other,

   - the articles can be fed to the filling conveyor (25) in the flat state and can be deposited in the carton (11) directly by the end section (28) in the same flat state, and

   - the conveying speed of the filling conveyor (25) can be adapted to the speed at which the end section (28) can be moved in the carton (11), with the result that the articles can be deposited in the carton (11) in a closely packed manner one beside the other.
6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, characterized in that the end section (28) is assigned, on the side transporting the bags (10), a mating conveyor (36) which can be moved, namely pivoted, with the end section (28), it being possible to transport the bags in the region of the end section (28) between the end section (28) and the mating conveyor (36).
7. Apparatus according to Claim 5 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the end section (28) or the filling conveyor (25) can be moved (transversely) in the conveying plane of the bags such that, in a first position of the filling conveyor (25), a first bag row (21, 22) can be deposited in the carton (11) and, in a position in which the filling conveyor (25) is offset in the transverse direction, at least one further bag row (22, 21) can be deposited in the carton (11).
8. Apparatus according to Claim 7 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the filling conveyor (25), which can be pivoted as a whole in the transverse direction, is retained by a pivot bearing, in particular by a (horizontal) rotary pin (46), which is connected in the top region to the filling conveyor (25), in particular to the top deflecting roller (30).
9. Apparatus according to Claim 5 or one of the further claims, characterized in that production machines for the bags (10), namely bag-making machines (51), are assigned a plurality of, preferably two, primary conveyors (53, 54) by means of which the bags (10) can be fed to a main conveyor or to a belt conveyor (42) for transporting the bags continuously, it being possible for the primary conveyors (53, 54) alternatively to be charged by the bag-making machine (51), with a complete, transportable group of bags (10), in particular a carton group (49) corresponding to the contents of carton (11), being formed in the process.
10. Apparatus according to Claim 5 or one of the further claims, characterized in that, prior to transfer to the filling conveyor (25), air can be extracted from the bags (10), preferably by a pressure-exerting element or a pressure-exerting plate (56), by means of which pressure can be transmitted to the bags (10) over the surface area such that air can escape via openings in the bag or via air-permeable packaging material.