EP1361160B1 - Method and Machine for making cigarette packs - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for producing (cigarette) packs, in particular folding boxes, from pack blanks in a folding turret, wherein folding flaps of the pack are provided with glue fields of heat-activated glue and are to be joined together by applying heat and pressure.

The use of hotmelt type glue in the production of folding boxes for cigarettes is known ( EP 0 917 947 A2 ). In this prior art, no comprehensible information is given about the manufacturing process of the packages and in particular about measures in connection with the activation of glue fields in the field of folding flaps.

One in the US 5,425,218 described device is concerned with the production of cigarette packs, with selected folding tabs are provided with glue fields of hotmelt. In the area of a transport path of the folded packages, lateral heating elements and subsequent cooling elements are present. Information about the folding process of the package will not be made.

Also in the production of soft packs for cigarettes, it is known to use glue surfaces from hotmelt ( US Pat. No. 6,722,109 B1 ). In this prior art, the packs are completely completed in the area of a folding turret, then transferred to an intermediate turret and transmitted from this an activation turret. In its area, the packages are housed in pockets that are heated to activate glue surfaces. The transport of the finished folded packs without the connection of glue-provided folding flaps is disadvantageous for the shape retention of the pack.

The invention has for its object to propose measures for the production of (cigarette) packs, which ensure a safe, trouble-free bonding of folding flaps or blanks.

1. a) die bis auf seitwärtsgerichtete, äußere Seitenlappen und Deckel-Seitenlappen fertiggefaltete Packung ist nach Verlassen des Faltrevolvers entlang einer geradlinigen Packungsbahn transportierbar,
2. b) im Bereich der Packungsbahn ist eine Heizstation gebildet zur Übertragung von Wärme auf die mit Leimfeldern versehenen Seitenlappen bzw. Deckel-Seitenlappen,
3. c) im Anschluss an die Heizstation ist eine Faltstation gebildet zum Umfalten der Seitenlappen bzw. Deckel-Seitenlappen mit den aktivierten Leimfeldern,
4. d) die Packungen sind im Bereich der Packungsbahn mindestens in der Heizstation bis zum Eintritt in die Faltstation allseitig geführt und gestützt zur Stabilisierung einer insbesondere quaderförmigen Gestalt der Packung.

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

1. a) the folded to the side-facing, outer side flap and lid side flap pack is transportable after leaving the folding turret along a rectilinear packing web,
2. b) in the region of the package web, a heating station is formed for the transfer of heat to the side panels or cover side tabs provided with glue fields,
3. c) following the heating station, a folding station is formed for folding over the side flaps or cover side flaps with the activated glue fields,
4. d) the packs are guided on all sides in the region of the packing web at least in the heating station until entry into the folding station and are supported for stabilizing a particular cuboid shape of the pack.

In the production of hinged-lid packs, the glue panels for connecting folding flaps and for fixing separate blanks, such as collars or inner envelopes of the cigarettes, are attached exclusively to the non-printed inside of the pack blanks. In addition, according to the invention on the outside of the package, so on the printed page, separate blanks, such as coupons, print media, tax banderoles, etc., attached and fixed by glue. For this purpose, the pack blanks according to the invention are provided in the production thereof after attaching the outer printing with glue fields, with glue fields for (control) banderoles form a special feature.

The glue fields consist of an initially flowable glue which dries or hardens after application of the glue fields to the packaging material and which is reactivated in the area of the packaging machine by applying heat. In particular, according to the invention, a per se known thermoactive adhesive is used, which is water-soluble, and can therefore be applied dissolved in water in the preparation of the blanks, forming the glue fields. At a temperature of 40 ° C - 50 ° C, the thermoactive adhesive dries or dries the glue fields. Then apply a temperature of at least 70 ° C in the area of the packaging machine in order to activate the glue surfaces. This is done according to the invention by hot air, contact heat or radiant heat, in particular by infrared radiators, which are aimed exactly at the surfaces to be activated.

A peculiarity of the invention is that the partially or completely finished packs during the phase of activation of the glue fields and then guided exactly and kept by running organs in the exact (parallelepiped) shape until the reactivated glue is set again.

Fig. 1

einen ausgebreiteten Zuschnitt für eine Klappschachtel mit aufgedruckten Leimfeldern,

Fig. 2

eine fertige Klappschachtel in perspektivischer Darstellung, mit rückseitig angebrachter Banderole,

Fig. 3

eine Verpackungsmaschine in schematischer Seitenansicht,

Fig. 4

einen Ausschnitt IV der Fig. 3, nämlich einen Packungsförderer in Seitenansicht, teilweise im Vertikalschnitt,

Fig. 5

eine Draufsicht der Einzelheit gem. Fig. 4,

Fig. 6

die Einzelheit gem. Fig. 4 und Fig. 5 in einem Vertikalschnitt der Schnittebene Vl - Vl in Fig. 5

Fig. 7

die Einzelheit gem. Fig. 6 im Querschnitt in der Schnittebene Vll - VII der Fig. 6,

Fig. 8

eine entsprechende Darstellung in der Schnittebene Vlll - Vlll der Fig. 6,

Fig. 9 bis Fig. 11

eine Einzelheit der Fig. 8 in vertikaler Schnittebene IX - IX bei verschiedenen Stellungen von Halteorganen,

Further details of the packages, the manufacturing method and the device will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. It shows:

Fig. 1

a spread blank for a folding box with printed glue fields,

Fig. 2

a finished folding box in a perspective view, with a back-mounted band,

Fig. 3

a packaging machine in a schematic side view,

Fig. 4

a section IV of Fig. 3 , namely a packing conveyor in side view, partly in vertical section,

Fig. 5

a top view of the item acc. Fig. 4 .

Fig. 6

the detail gem. Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 in a vertical section of the sectional plane Vl - Vl in Fig. 5

Fig. 7

the detail gem. Fig. 6 in cross section in the sectional plane VII - VII of Fig. 6 .

Fig. 8

a corresponding representation in the sectional plane Vlll - VIII of the Fig. 6 .

Fig. 9 to Fig. 11

a detail of Fig. 8 in vertical sectional plane IX - IX at different positions of holding organs,

The details shown in the drawings are concerned with the manufacture of packs 10, namely hinged-lid cigarette packs. This pack 10 consists essentially of a package blank acc. Fig. 1 from (thin) cardboard. The pack 10 consists of a (lower) box part 11 and a lid 12. The latter is connected via a line joint 13 with the box part 11.

The one-piece pack blank forms areas marked by fold lines for a front wall 14, bottom wall 15, rear wall 16 and inner side tabs 17 and outer side tabs 18. To form the lid 12, the blank consists of a lid rear wall 19 of an end wall 20 and a lid front wall 21 This is followed by a lid inner tab 22, which is folded against the inside of the lid front wall 21 and connected thereto. Inner lid side flaps 23 and outer lid side flaps 24 are provided to form lid sidewalls.

The blank is completely prefabricated, usually in such a way that an outside (the finished package) is provided with a (full-surface) printing, which consists of decorative, ornamental and informative details. An inside of the blank is unprinted.

The packaging blank is provided with glue marks or glue fields 25 during manufacture, at least outside the area of a packaging machine for producing the packages. These are mainly arranged on the inside of the blank with predetermined tasks. Thus, in the area of the outer side tabs 18, elongate, strip-shaped glue fields 25a are attached and correspondingly in the area of the outer lid side tabs 24 glue fields 25b. These glues serve to connect the side flaps 18, 24 with the associated inner side flaps 17, 23.

In the region of the front wall 14 of the box part 11, two glue fields 25c arranged at a transverse distance from each other are provided, which serve for fixing a collar (not shown). Further glue fields 25d in the region of the front wall 14 hold the contents of the package, namely a cigarette block or an inner blank surrounding a group of cigarettes. The lid front wall 21 has two square glue areas 25e in the present case, which are positioned directly on an edge facing the lid inner tabs 22 and serve to fix this lid inner flap 22.

Further glue fields 25 are located in the region of the inner side flaps 17, namely the glue panels 25f facing the bottom wall 15, which fix the cigarette block or the inner blank in the region of a side wall and further glue fields 25g as holding means for the collar, specifically in the region of collar. side tabs. The glue fields 25 consist of a glue, which is applied during the production of the blank, namely in particular from a thermoactive adhesive. This can be applied as a thin layer and hardens for the processing of the blank. By applying heat, preferably in the order of 80 ° C to 90 ° C, the reactivation of the glue surfaces and production of the compound with associated folding flaps takes place.

A special feature is that in addition glue pads 27 are formed on the outside, so on the printed side of the package blank. These serve here for fixing a separate blank, namely a (control) Banderole 26. In a folding box gem. Fig. 2 is the rectangular band 26 in the region of the rear wall 16th and lid rear wall 19 with a leg folded transversely in the area of the outer side flap 18 and the outer lid side flap 24. To fix the band 26 trapezoidal glue fields 27a, 27b are applied in the region of the side flap 18 and the lid side flap 24 on the package outside. Further, rectangular glue fields 27c and 27d are in the region of the rear wall 16 on the one hand and the lid rear wall 19 on the other hand, on both sides of the line joint 13. The band 26 is thus fixed by a total of four glue fields 27, on the one hand the line joint 13 and On the other hand, hold an obliquely directed closing gap 28 without glue.

A packaging machine for producing packages 10 in the execution acc. Fig. 2 is in Fig. 3 shown in a schematic side view. The production of the packs takes place essentially in accordance with the US 4,084,393 ,

This packaging machine is primarily interested in an area that is in Fig. 4 . Fig. 5 . Fig. 6 etc. is shown. For producing the packs 10 blanks acc. Fig. 1 a folding turret 29, which consists of a rotating about a vertical axis plate with a plurality of pockets 30 for each pack 10 here. The packs 10, which are finished except for the side flaps 18 and cover side flaps 24, are pushed radially out of the folding turret 29 into a subsequent rectilinear packing web 31. In the region thereof, the side flaps 18, 24, which are initially directed sideways in an upper, horizontal plane, become folded down at the bottom until it touches the already folded inner side flaps 17 and 23.

The package web 31 consists of a plate-shaped pad 32, on which the packages 10 are slidably transported by an endless conveyor, namely by a toothed belt 33 with drivers 34 for detecting a package 10 on the back, namely on the bottom wall 15. The cover 12 is facing forward in the direction of transport. The packages 10 are first conveyed through the endless conveyor or toothed belt 33 by a heating or heating station 35. In the area of the same, the glue fields of the subsequently folding flaps are activated by heat, in this case by contactless heat transfer. Immediately following the heating station 35 is a folding station 36, in the area of which the side flaps 18 or cover side flaps 24 are folded over with the activated glue panels 25a and 25b for abutment and connection with the associated inner side flaps 17, 23.

In the area of the heating station 35, the glue fields 25a and 25b are activated by heat. For this purpose, 31 heating elements 37, 38 are arranged in the region of the heating station 35 on both sides of the packing web. These are positioned below the plane of movement of the horizontally directed side tabs 18 and 24 and in working position (heating element 37 in Fig. 7 ) directed so that the heat is directed from below against the folding flaps, ie directly to the glue fields 25a, 25b. The heat is transferred without contact, so in particular as radiant heat, but also as warm air. In the example shown ( Fig. 7 ), the heating elements 37, 38 are equipped with an infrared radiator 39. This is surrounded by a guide housing 40, which specifically directs the heat of the infrared radiator 39 due to converging side walls on the folding flaps or glue fields 25a, 25b ( Fig. 7 , Left).

The heating elements 37, 38 are stationary, but movably mounted, namely from a working position to a retracted position ( Fig. 7 , right). For this purpose, the heating elements 37, 38 are connected to a pivot arm 41, which is actuated by a (pressure medium) cylinder 42, namely, can be pivoted, so that the heating elements 37, 38 are movable by pivoting movement in or out of service. Movement from the operating position, for example, may be required if the packaging machine is temporarily operating at reduced speed or possibly stopped.

The packages 10 arrive after activation of the glue fields 25a, 25b in the folding station 36, in which the folding flaps, namely the side flaps 18, 24 are folded by folding members 43 in the embodiment as a so-called Faltweiche by moving down during transport. Thereafter, the finished packages 10 are fed to a further processing station (FIG. 12).

A special feature is that the packs 10 are accurately guided or transported after leaving the folding turret 29, using measures to ensure an accurate, parallelepiped shape of the packs before the activated glue points become effective.

At the back of the packs 10 are detected in the region of the bottom wall 19 by the driver 34 of the endless conveyor or the toothed belt 33. For this purpose, the endless conveyor or toothed belt 33 - below the pad 32 - exactly guided, by roller carriage 44, each with two rollers on both sides of the toothed belt 33. The rollers are mounted on a chassis, which carries the driver 34 and in suitably connected to the toothed belt 33. The roller carriage 44 thus arranged runs in the region of a conveying upper tower on a plate-shaped track 45.

Furthermore, the packages 10 are supported by exact upright side guides 46 in the area of the sideways side walls. The side guides are mounted opposite each other on the base 32, so that a U-shaped conveying channel is formed. At the side guides 46 are initially the inner side tabs 17, 23 and later the outer side tabs 18, 24 at.

In a special way, an upper guide 47 is formed for the packs 10. This consists of several, in the longitudinal direction of the packing web 31 extending guide webs. It is on the one hand to a top bar 48, which is positioned approximately centrally to the packs 10 and therefore at their upwardly facing front - front wall 14, cover front wall 21 - is applied. Side webs 49 are each arranged in the region of the horizontally directed side tabs 18, 24 above the upper web 48. An underpass detects the side tabs 18, 24 in the area of the heating station 35 also at the bottom, namely at the outer edge next to the glue fields 25a. 25b. In the present embodiment, an angle-shaped edge web 50 is provided for this purpose in the profile, which rests with a leg on the underside of the folding tab and beyond a lateral edge guide of the packs 10 in the region of these side tabs 18, 24 forms.

The upper web 48 extends over approximately the full length of the package web 31, that is also in the region of the folding station 36. The side webs 49 and edge webs 50 are provided only in the area of the heating station 35. In the transverse direction, the webs 48, 49, 50 are interconnected by transverse connecting webs 51.

In the area of the folding station 36, a further securing is provided to ensure an exact package shape. For this purpose, a support member, namely a support lever 52 engages on the cover 12 or on the forward end wall 20 in the transport direction, which in conjunction with the adjacent to the opposite side driver 34 exerts a longitudinal acting closing pressure on the pack 10, in such that the lid 12 is held in an exact closed position ( Fig. 9 to Fig. 11 ).

The support lever 52 is transported in the region of the folding station 36 via a conveying path together with the packs 10, namely under contact with the end wall 20. To this The purpose of the support lever 52 and a plurality of support levers 52 are connected to a separate endless conveyor, namely a lever conveyor 53, which is also designed as a toothed belt and is positioned above the packing web 31. The support lever 52 is inserted by the lever conveyor 53 from above into the path of movement of the packs 10 in front of the end wall 20 ( Fig. 9 ). The support lever 52 executes a controlled pivoting movement, such that the support lever 52 passes without touching the package 10 in its trajectory ( Fig. 10 ), but then resting against the end wall 20 ( Fig. 11 ). During further movement of the support lever 52 exerts a pressing force on the cover 12. Thereafter, the support lever 52 passes out of the path of movement of the pack 10 by deflecting the lever conveyor 53.

The fork-shaped support lever 52 ( Fig. 8 ) performs the described movement due to a forced operation. The support lever 52 is connected for this purpose with a cam lever 54 which is guided on cam tracks, namely with a front end of the cam lever 54 mounted guide roller 55. This runs in lateral guide grooves 56 of a curve piece on both sides of the lever conveyor 53. By the forced operation the support lever 52 is achieved that this in the region of a deflection of the lever conveyor 53 (FIG. Fig. 9 ) performs a fast, forward in the conveying direction movement and is then delayed for a short time until it rests against the end wall 20. Then follower 34 and support lever 52 are moved on at the same speed.

The folding station 36 is as out Fig. 8 can be seen, a sensor 57, namely an infrared sensor assigned, which detects the proper activation and the presence of the glue fields 25a, 25b following the heating station 35 before entering the folding station 36 and optionally generates an error signal. In particular, the sensor 57 is used as an infrared sensor so that after the heating of the glue fields, ie after the heating section, the temperature of the glue fields is measured. The sensor 57 determines whether the temperature of the glue fields is within the permitted or technically required range. If the temperature of the glue fields is outside the optimum or suitable for activation range, the respective heating elements are readjusted accordingly. Sensor 57 and the associated heating devices thus form a control loop.

Claims (5)

1. Apparatus for producing packs (10), in particular hinge-lid boxes for cigarettes, from pack blanks in a folding turret (29), wherein folding flaps of the pack are provided with regions (25) of heat-activatable glue and can be connected to one another by the application of heat and pressure, characterized by the following features:

   a) the pack (10) which has been completed with the exception of sideways directed, outer side flaps (18) and lid side flaps (24), once it has left the folding turret (29), can be transported along a rectilinear pack path (31),

   b) in the region of the pack path (31), a heating station (35) is formed for the purpose of transmitting heat to the lid side flaps (24) and side flaps (18) provided with regions (25) of glue,

   c) following the heating station (35), there is a folding station (36) for the purpose of folding over the side flaps (18) and lid side flaps (24) with the activated regions (25) of glue,

   d) the packs (10) are guided and supported on all sides in the region of the pack path (31), at least in the heating station (35) until they enter into the folding station (36), for the purpose of stabilizing an in particular cuboidal configuration of the pack.
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that freely projecting, non-folded folding flaps - side flaps (18) and lid side flaps (24) - of the packs (10) are supported by a lateral guide (46) and upper guide (47) in the region of the pack path (31), during transportation and the activation of regions (25) of glue, with the correct folding position being maintained in the process.
3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper guide (47) has a central upper crosspiece (48) and the lateral guide (46) has lateral crosspieces (49), in the region of the sideways directed side flaps (18) and lid side flaps (24).
4. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the upper guide (47) has peripheral crosspieces (50) which, on account of corresponding angled profiling, grip the side flaps (18) and lid side flaps (24) on their underside and along free side peripheries.
5. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the packs (10), at least during transportation in the region of the folding station (36), are supported in the longitudinal direction, namely in the region of a rear-side base wall (15), on the one hand, and of an end wall (20), on the other hand, wherein, for the purpose of supporting the end wall (20), preferably a supporting lever (52) can be introduced by a separate lever conveyor (53) into the movement path of the packs (10) such that the supporting lever (52), which moves with the pack (10) butts with supporting action against the end wall (20).

Images