EP1352834B1 - Machine for packaging flat articles into containers, particularly flat-folded folding boxes into cartons - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine for feeding folded cartons (1) into an assembled carton (2) comprises a conveyor (4) which feeds the flat cartons in an overlapping row on to a curved conveyor system (9) and two transverse conveyors (16 ) which feed new assembled cartons to a position below the curved conveyor as the previous ones are filled

Description

The invention relates to a device for packing flat objects in transport containers, in particular of flat folded cartons in outer cartons, with a feeder, which are supplied to the flat objects in shingled form, a subsequently arranged conveyor whose approximately perpendicular end of the objects on the Dispensing point in the transport container, and with means to promote the transport container at the filling point.

From DE-OS 28 25 647 a generic device for packing flat folded cartons in cartons is known in which the conveyor has a lowering rail and pivoting rail, each with a circulating belt. Between the belts, the shingled supplied cartons are conveyed in cartons as a transport container. The lowering rail serves as an abutment which cooperates with the swivel rail at the delivery point in order to guide the folding boxes as far as possible into their final position in the transport container. In order to enable accurate positioning of the lowering and pivoting rail in the transport container, a downwardly projecting and longitudinally displaceable shift rail is attached to the substantially vertically movable lowering rail, which actuates a switch as soon as it touches down on the bottom of the transport container. As a result, the lowering of the lowering and pivoting rail is stopped by means of a hydraulic drive at a defined distance from the bottom of the transport container. An adjustment of the distance, for example, to adapt to different Faltschachtelformate, is possible only via a mechanical access in the structure of the conveyor.

DE-PS 28 25 648 also describes a device for introducing Faltschachtelzuschnitten in transport containers, in which the blanks between a top belt and a bottom belt of a conveyor are performed. The lower and upper belts of the conveyor are driven by independent, unspecified drives. Another packing device of this type is described in DE-AS 22 61 416. The lower band of the conveyor wraps around a drive roller and pulleys that define a curved conveyor track. Also, this document can be found no further details on the structure of the drives.

The invention has for its object to improve a generic packaging device so that a secure delivery of the transport container at high speeds is possible, which is quickly adjustable to different formats transport container, and allows extensive automation and a space-saving design.

This object is achieved according to claim 1, characterized in that two lateral belt conveyors are arranged at the filling of the transport container, of which the transport containers are moved forward during filling. In the preferred embodiment, each belt conveyor has two independently driven conveyor belts. This offers the advantage that two independent conveyors are provided one behind the other and makes it possible to supply empty outer cartons with the two first conveyor belts, while filled cartons can be transported away with the second conveyor belts.
Preferably, the belt conveyors are mounted transversely adjustable, so that they can be adjusted individually to different widths of transport containers. In a further preferred embodiment, electrically controllable servomotors are used as drives for the conveyor belts, which in turn represents an advantage with respect to the automation of the filling point.

The drawing serves to explain the invention with reference to a simplified embodiment illustrated.

Figur 1

die Seitenansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Packvorrichtung,

Figur 2

eine Draufsicht, in der die einzelnen Bestandteile schematisch dargestellt sind und

die Figuren 3-5

verschiedene Ansichten der Zuführeinrichtung der Umkartons zu der Fülleinrichtung,

Figur 6

in einer Seitenansicht die Fördereinrichtung,

Figur 7

in vergrößerter Darstellung den Befüllvorgang,

Figur 8

in einer perspektivischen Darstellung den Beginn der Fördereinrichtung,

Figur 9

den Aufbau der vor der Fördereinrichtung angeordneten Falt- schachtel-Zuführeinrichtung,

Figur 10

einen Schnitt durch einen Förderer der FaltschachtelZuführeinrichtung und

Figur 11

in einer perspektivischen Darstellung die Riemenförderer an der Befüllstelle.

Show it:

FIG. 1

the side view of a packing device according to the invention,

FIG. 2

a plan view in which the individual components are shown schematically and

Figures 3-5

different views of the feed device of the cartons to the filling device,

FIG. 6

in a side view the conveyor,

FIG. 7

in an enlarged view the filling process,

FIG. 8

in a perspective view of the beginning of the conveyor,

FIG. 9

the construction of the folding box feeder arranged in front of the conveyor,

FIG. 10

a section through a conveyor of FaltschachtelZuführeinrichtung and

FIG. 11

in a perspective view of the belt conveyor at the filling point.

The illustrated in the figures embodiment of a packing device is used for wrapping flat folded cartons 1 in outer cartons 2. It is located behind a Faltschachtelklebemaschine in which folding cartons are made.

The packing device starts with a folding carton feeding device 3, to which the flat folded cartons 1 are fed in a shingled form by the folding carton gluing machine. The feeder 3 contains as a conveyor two belts 4 on which the cartons 1 are conveyed lying. The feeding device 3 shown in Figures 1, 2 and 9 is preferably constructed so that the cartons 1 either untwisted rectilinear or rotated by 90 ° to the left or right further promoted. This makes it possible to pack the cartons 1 in the cartons 2 either upright with the leading edge or one of the side edges down. If the blanks 1 are to be rotated by 90 °, they are conveyed over a lateral roller conveyor 5 with a curved conveyor track by 90 ° belt 4 and aligned during transfer to a belt 4 parallel and adjustable transversely to different box formats stop 6. If the cartons 1 are to be conveyed on in a straight line from the folder gluer untwisted, they are fed centrally in the direction of the arrow 7. So that the respective desired Zufördereingang 5 or 7 can be adjusted, the feeder 3 and the rest of the packing device are mounted transversely adjustable on rollers 8, as shown in Figure 1.

The feeder 3 shown in Figure 2 offers only the possibility to further promote cartons 1 straight or rotated by 90 ° to the right. If a rotation by 90 ° to the left is to be possible, the feed device 3 on the second longitudinal side - in Figure 2 above - another roller conveyor, the conveyor line is arranged to rotate through 90 ° to the left.

From the feeder 3, the cartons are transferred to a conveyor 9, which contains as conveyor elements at least one pair of belts with an upper belt 27, 28 and a lower belt 29, 30, between which the cartons 1 are held and conveyed. The conveyor line of the conveyor 9 is curved first ascending and then sloping and ends with an approximately vertical course at the filling, where the cartons are 1 vertically packed in the cartons 2.

In Figure 2, the arrangement of the various conveyor is shown in a plan view, with which empty cartons 2 of the filling at the end of the conveyor 9 fed and cartons filled with cartons 2 are transported.

It is essential for the invention that the empty, to be filled cartons 2 of the filling point are fed in a straight line against the transport direction of the cartons 1. FIG. 2 shows the feed direction with the arrow 12. For this purpose, the packing device in the conveying direction of the boxes 1 behind the filling point on in the direction of arrow 12 promotional belt conveyor 14 on which the empty cartons 2 are placed from behind by an operator 15. The belt-driven belt conveyor 14 transfers the empty cartons 2 to two lateral belt conveyors 16, 17, which extend through the filling area with vertically running belts. The two belt conveyors 16, 17, which can be moved transversely by means of a drive, each engage at the bottom on the sides of the outer carton 2 and pin this between them. For filling, the end of the conveyor 9 is moved into the outer carton 2, during the filling, the two belt conveyors 16, 17 further move the outer carton 2 at the required speed, so that the cartons are arranged in a row immediately next to one another in the outer carton 2. In order for the forward movement of the outer carton 2 during filling to take place exclusively via the belt conveyors 16, 17, freely rotatable rollers 18 are arranged in the filling region as supporting surface on which the outer cartons 2 rest. In the transport direction of the outer carton 2, behind the belt conveyors 16, 17 follows a roller conveyor 19 with driven rollers, which further transports the filled cartons 2. Downholder strips 10, 11 are preferably arranged along the conveying path of the outer cartons 2 as far as the filling point, of which the cover flaps of the outer cartons 2 are pressed outwards and thus held in the open position.

In Figure 11, the two lateral belt conveyors 16, 17 are shown in more detail, of which the cartons 2 are moved forward during filling. The two belt conveyors 16, 17 are preferably constructed mirror images of each other and each mounted individually adjustable by means of a linear drive, not shown, transversely to its transport direction. Each belt conveyor 16, 17 preferably contains two conveyor belts 80, 81 which are driven independently of one another and whose conveying strands each extend vertically and are arranged in alignment one behind the other. Each of the circulating conveyor belts 80, 81 is deflected by guide rollers 82, 83, which are mounted with vertical axes of rotation on a common longitudinal member 84, that in each case the promotional Trum inside out of the region of the longitudinal member 84. Each promotional strand is supported on its back by spring elements 86. Each longitudinal beam 84 is transversely adjustable by means of a linear drive, so that the two belt conveyors 16, 17 can be moved toward and away from each other to keep a carton 2 clamped. Each conveyor belt 80, 81 of a belt conveyor 16, 17 is connected to a rotary drive 85, which drives one of the deflection rollers 83 via an angular gear. The two-part form of each belt conveyor 16, 17 has the advantage that there are two independent conveyors in a row. This makes it possible to supply empty cartons with the two first conveyor belt 80, while filled cartons 2 are transported away with the second conveyor belt 81. As drives 85 for the conveyor belt 80, 81 are preferably used electric servomotors, which allow precise control of the feed of a carton 2 during filling.

The structure of the conveyor 9 is shown in more detail in Figure 6. It has at its end a lowerable pivot rail 32 and a lowering rail 22, which can be lowered in a substantially vertical movement to the bottom 23 of a carton 2. In Figure 6, the retracted position is shown. At the stationary mounting of the lowering rail 22, a sensor 24 is attached, which determines the distance between the vertically lower end of the lowering rail 22 and the bottom 23 of the outer carton 2 without contact. Preferably, an ultrasonic sensor is used as the sensor 24, which is attached via an angle plate 26 on the support structure of the conveyor 9. The sensor 24 makes it possible to automatically adjust the distance of the end of the lowering rail 22 from the bottom 23 of the outer carton 2 or from a position of boxes 1 already in the carton.

The conveyor 9 includes at least one driven belt pair consisting of an upper belt 27, 28 and a lower belt 29, 30. The cartons 1 are conveyed between the belts 27, 29 and 28, 30 and held by them. Preferably, two driven pairs of belts along the conveying path are arranged one behind the other, the upper belt 27, 28 and lower belt 29, 30 are each independently drivable. In the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, the conveyor 9 comprises two conveyor lines, each with two separate belts 27, 29 and 28, 30, each belt 27, 28, 29, 30 having its own independent drive 31. As drives 31 electrically operated, controllable servomotors are used, which allow an exact control of the respective belt speed. The upper belt 28 of the second conveyor line is mounted on the lowering rail 22, the associated lower belt 30 on the pivot rail 32.

The division of the conveying path of the conveyor 9 in two sections has the advantage that in each case the predetermined number of boxes 1 a position of the second conveyor belt pair 28, 30 can be stored in cartons 2, while in the first conveyor belt pair 27, 29, the boxes 1 for the next situation will be accumulated and held back. The transport of boxes 1 into cartons 2 can be interrupted to bring the lowering and pivoting rail 22, 32 in the position required for the storage of the next position or to promote a new empty carton.

Thus, the lowering rail 22 and the pivoting rail 37 can be lowered into a carton 2, they each contain a separate lifting drive 36, 38. Preferably, the drives 36, 38 are electrically operated, controllable servo motors that allow precise control of the lowering movement. In Figure 7, the lowering rail 22 and the pivot rail 32 are shown in their working position.

The area of the belt conveyor 14 conveying the outer carton 2 to the filling station is shown in more detail in FIGS. 3-5. The belt conveyor 14 includes a conveyor belt 40, which corresponds in width to at least the width of a carton 2. The tape drive is a servo motor which drives the outlet side guide roller 42 of the belt 40. On the inlet side, the conveying path is limited by the deflection roller 41 of the belt 40.

At a small distance above the conveying plane of the belt 40, two longitudinal members 44 are arranged, on each of which a number of guide rollers 43 are freely rotatably supported at a distance from each other. The axis of rotation of each roller 43 is inclined at an acute angle to the vertical in the conveying direction. The longitudinal members 44 with the rollers 43 attached thereto are arranged transversely adjustable so that the rollers each guide a carton 2 on the side walls in the lower area. The inclination of the rollers 43 causes the outer carton 2 conveyed by the belt 40 to be pressed onto the belt 40. The increased contact pressure improves the promotion and at the same time prevents the bottom flaps of the carton open and push it upwards. Since the bottom flaps of the outer carton 2 are pressed flat on the belt 40, the distance sensor 24 is the flat bottom of the carton 2 as a defined reference surface for the distance determination available.

At least one of the longitudinal members 44 is mounted transversely adjustable, so that the distance between the two longitudinal members 44 can be set to different outer carton widths.

In the simplest form, the packing device consists only of the parts described above with the conveyor lines 14, 18 and 19. If the boxes 2 are to be filled with several layers of boxes 1 one above the other and / or with several rows of boxes next to each other, an operator, the not completely filled outer cartons from the roller conveyor 19, it carries back to the belt conveyor 14 and sets it there for the next filling again. Completely filled outer cartons are removed. This simple embodiment has the advantage that the packing device is not wider than the folding box gluing machine arranged in front of it. It can therefore be used even in very tight spaces. If there is sufficient space in the width, this can be used for the automatic return transport, as shown in the embodiment of Figure 2.

In this embodiment, transversely extending transport belts 20 are arranged between the rollers of the roller conveyor 19, which can be deactivated by lowering to below the conveying plane of the roller conveyor 19 and activated by lifting to above this conveyor plane. The rollers of the roller conveyor 19 extend in the transverse direction to beyond the filling so far out that on its end cartons 2 in the opposite direction to the filling at the filling point can be transported back over. In addition to the filling point, following the roller conveyor 19, there follows another roller conveyor 21, the conveyor line of which extends parallel and opposite to the conveying paths of the conveyors 14, 16, 17 into the region of the beginning of the belt conveyor 14 and thus on this side the end of the packing device forms. At this end, the conveying path of the roller conveyor 21 is connected via a cross-conveying further roller conveyor 22 with the beginning of the belt conveyor 14. This makes it possible to promote cartons for automated multi-layer filling in the circuit multiple times through the filling point. In this advantageous embodiment, the operator 15 only needs to set up empty cartons on the belt conveyor 14 and to remove filled cartons from the roller conveyor 21. These two manual processes can also be automated by connecting appropriate conveyors. Along the conveyor lines of the conveyor 21 and 22 can also be arranged advantageously additional accessories, such as devices with which the cartons are erected and opened or devices for closing the filled cartons.

The transition between the folding carton feeding device 3 shown in FIG. 9 and the conveying device 9 is configured as stowing and transfer device 50, whose parts fastened to the conveying device 9 are shown enlarged in FIG. The stowage and transfer device 50 has the task to collect a certain number of boxes 1 and to hand over the belt 27, 29 of the conveyor 3 in a flake shape with a preset degree of overlap. For this purpose, the boxes 1 are continuously conveyed by the belts 4 of the feed device 3 against the beginning of the conveyor 9.

The storage and transfer device 50 consists of a Schupprolle 51, which is arranged at the lower beginning of the conveyor 9 and at the same time forms the inlet-side guide roller of the lower conveyor belt 29. The Schupprolle 51 has the task to promote each of the first box of a pent-up stacked stack between the conveyor belt 27, 29. The circulating conveyor belt 29 is guided to the subsequent, the conveying path of the conveyor 9 limiting pulley 52 in a loop, so that the conveyor line is interrupted below a small piece. The position of the loading roller 51 relative to the deflection roller 52 determines the degree of overlap with which the boxes 1 are withdrawn from the feeder 3. Therefore, the Schupprolle 51 is mounted in a pivotable bearing part 53, so that the Schuppungsgrad on the position of the Schupprolle 51 can be set to the desired value.

Above the loading roller 51, a down-holder strip 54 extending against the conveying direction of the boxes 1 is fastened to the conveyor 9. The hold-down bar 54 has the task of keeping upright stacking boxes 1 at its upper edge. Your distance from the belt 4 of the feeder 3 is set to the box width. It forms together with the ends of the belt 4 a jam section 55, as shown in Figure 1 can be seen. Since with the number of accumulating in the jam section 55 boxes 1, these are increasingly vertical, the minimum distance between the upper edges of the boxes 1 of the hold-down bar 54 is a measure of the number of jamming boxes 1. To the length of the jamming To measure box packages and dependent on the withdrawal speed of the conveyor belt 27, 29 to control, is in the hold-down bar 54 an electromechanical sensor integrated, which determines the height of the box package between the belt 4 and the hold-down bar 54 and thus the number of accumulating boxes 1.

At the end of the hold-down bar 54 is a against the lower conveyor belt 29 extending elastic Schuppfinger 56 is attached. The distance of the Schuppfingers 56 from the lower conveyor belt 29 is set to the thickness of the scaled blank strand. The Schuppfinger 56 has the task at a discharge of the first box 1 of the accumulating box package to retain the next following box 1 so that it is not pulled along by the first box 1. The hold-down strip 54 with the attached Schuppfinger 56 is mounted vertically adjustable so that their position can be adapted to different box widths.

Preferably, the positions of the hold-down bar 54 with the Schuppfinger 56 and the Schupprolle 51 are coupled to each other adjustable, as shown in Figures 6 and 8. This has the advantage that a conversion of the storage and transfer device 50 to another box format can be carried out very quickly and without much effort. For this purpose, the bearing part 57, on which the hold-down rail 54 is attached to the Schuppfinger 56, and the bearing part 53 of the Schupprolle 51 via lever 58 connected to each other, which are adjusted together via an adjusting rod 59 by a handwheel 60. The lever mechanism formed by the bearing members 53, 57 and the levers 58 is designed so that the movements of the hold-down bar 54 are coupled to the Schuppfinger 56 and the Schupprolle 51 performed to the extent necessary, so that in a format adjustment each part assumes its new position , Thus, the position of the Schupprolle 51 can be additionally adjusted relative, this is additionally attached to its bearing part 53 adjustable. The joint coupled adjustment of the elements offers the possibility to automate the adjustment. Instead of the handwheel 60 then an adjustment is used, which moves the adjusting rod 59.

The feed device 3 shown in more detail in FIG. 9 contains, as conveying elements, belts 4 which extend into the accumulation section 55 and thus also convey against pent-up cartons 1. They are advantageously designed so that the conveying effect the conveyor belt 4 depends on the contact pressure of the boxes 1 and this dependence is additionally adjustable. For this purpose, each conveyor belt 4, as shown as a sectional drawing in Figure 10, guided between two upper guide rails 70 and rests on a pressurizable air pressure hose 71 on. Between the pressure hose 71 and the conveyor belt 4, a thin, deformable plate 72 is arranged, over which the conveyor belt 4 can slide with little friction. The conveyor belt 4 is guided so supported by the pressure hose 71 between the guide rails 70, that it protrudes beyond the surfaces of the guide rails 70 without the depressing weight of resting boxes 1. The belt 4 thus acts on the undersides of the boxes 1 and promotes them further. Increases the weight of the cartons 1, the conveyor belt 4 is pressed down against the force of the pressure hose 71. It moves relative to the surfaces of the guide rails 70 down until they lie in a plane with the surface of the belt 4. In this position, the boxes rest on the surfaces of the rails 70 and are no longer conveyed by the belt 4. Over the conveyor length of the belt 4 can thus adjust depending on the weight of the resting boxes 1, a different conveying force. The conveying force is very low in the area of the accumulation section 55, while it is large at the beginning of the feed device 3, since there the cartons 1 are scaly with greater distance from each other resting on the belt 4. The change in the conveying effect of the belt 4 in dependence on the weight of the cartons 1 can be adjusted by the pressure in the pressure hose 71. For this purpose, each pressure hose 71 is connected via lines 73 and a control valve 74 to a compressed air source 70.

The two guide rails 70 and the pressure hose 71 with the overlying conveyor belt 4 each extend over the entire conveying path of the feed device 3. They are arranged between two cheek-shaped side parts 75, which are screwed together and are mounted transversely adjustable on spindles 76. The spindles 76 extend transversely to the conveying direction and are mounted with their ends in side parts 77 of the frame of the feed device 3. Preferably, two conveyor belts 4 are mounted in the manner described above in each case at a distance from each other and individually transversely adjustable on spindles 76, which are driven together via a connected with a rotary drive 78 cantilever 79. In Figure 9, the likewise transversely adjustable stop 6 is partially cut shown. At the stop 6, the boxes 1 are aligned, if they are conveyed to the conveyor belt 4 at an angle of 90 °.

Claims (4)

1. Device for packing flat articles in transport containers, in particular for packing flat-folded folding boxes (1) into casing cartons, the device comprising a feeder (3) that is supplied with flat objects in imbricated form, a conveyor (9) that is disposed downstream of the feeder (3) and has an end that is approximately vertical and transfers the objects to the transport containers at the filling location, and means for advancing the transport containers at the filling location,
   characterized in
   that two lateral belt conveyors (16, 17) are arranged at the filing location of the transport containers, the belts advancing the transport containers during the filling operation.
2. Device according to claim 1,
   characterized in
   that each belt conveyor (16, 17) includes two conveying belts (80, 81) that are driven independently of each other and have conveying strands that extend in the vertical direction and are arranged behind each other.
3. Device according to claim 1 or 2,
   characterized in
   that the belt conveyors (16, 17) are arranged to be transversely adjustable.
4. Device according one of the preceding claims 1 to 3,
   characterized in
   that electrical servomotors are used as drives (85) for the conveying belts (80, 81).

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