EP1749752B1 - Packaging machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a packaging machine.

The demand for single-serve automatic machines for the production of hot drinks is constantly growing. The technical progress enables ever more comfortable and powerful devices. Simply place a single serving (disc or pad) in the device and press the start button shortly. After about 30 seconds, the drink is ready.

Several packaged individual portions are combined into stacks and placed in a carton on the market.

The object of the invention is to develop a packaging machine which enables the fully automatic packaging of stacks of single portions safely and with the desired contents.

This object is achieved by a packaging machine comprising a system for providing stacks of single-portion receiving shuttles, a shuttle transport system with shuttles of provided shuttles, a shuttle control system for checking how many individual portions each stack consists of, a shunting station for incomplete shuttles, a correction station for incomplete shuttles Shuttles, a carton erector, a Leerschachtel-Zuführkettentransporteur, a filling and a system for filling cartons with the stacks includes. Delivered stacks of single portions can be put in shuttles. The filling can be controlled. Only fully filled shuttles can be emptied. This ensures fully automatic packaging of stacks of single portions in cartons.

In the context of the invention, a filling train is understood to mean the processing area in which erected, opened and empty folding boxes are moved by means of a conveyor belt to the filling device for filling with stacks of individual portions, stopped there and filled away by this device.

If a 2/1-club is intended for shuttles, two shuttles can be prepared at the same time and put on a conveyor belt one after the other.

In the context of the invention, a 2/1 club is understood to mean that two prepared shuttles are pushed one after the other onto the conveyor belt.

In the context of the invention, a shuttle is understood to mean a carrier, basket or similar auxiliary device for secure reception for transporting stacks of individual portions.

If two and two empty-box feeder transporters and one empty box infeed are provided, the packaging machine can nevertheless be operated in a restricted manner by the carton erector of the other feeder if one folding box erectile converter fails, possibly with a reduction in the overall output.

If carton erectors and two fillers are provided, this will increase the efficiency of the packaging machine.

Figur 1

eine Draufsicht der Verpackungsmaschine;

Figur 2

ein Shuttle;

Figur 3

einen Leerschachtel-Zuführkettentransporteur;

Figur 4

einen vergrößerten Ausschnitt des Leerschachtel-Zuführkettentransporteurs.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown schematically in the drawing and will be described with reference to the figures of the drawing. It shows:

FIG. 1

a plan view of the packaging machine;

FIG. 2

a shuttle;

FIG. 3

a blank box feed chain transporter;

FIG. 4

an enlarged section of the empty box Zuführkettentransporteurs.

According to FIG. 1 a packaging machine 1 essentially comprises the following processing stations: a linear axis system 2 for shuttle preparation, a 2/1 unit 3 , a shuttle transport system with conveyor belts 4 to 7 , a shuttle control system 8 , a discharge station with a pusher 9 , a correction station 10 with pushers 11 to 13 , a first carton erector 14 and a second carton erector 15 , a first empty carton feed conveyor 16 and a second empty carton feed dog 17 , a blank box infeed 18 , a first filling line 19 , a second filling line 20 , a linear tray system 21 for filling cartons, discharge belts 22 , 23 , a Umwerfstation 24 and a shuttle return transport system 25 and a checkweigher 34th In the FIG. 1 show arrows 26 , from which only one is provided with a reference numeral, the respective transport directions of the shuttles.

According to FIG. 1 Depending on the design, four to twelve rows of twelve stacks 27 of individual portions (pads) for a hot drink system are initially delivered.

Subsequently, two rows of twelve stacks are formed by the linear axis system 2. The linear axis system 2 has a gripping head with a tool for twenty-four stacks (two rows of twelve stacks). Alternately, twenty-four stacks (two rows of twelve stacks each) are removed and placed in two shuttles 28 provided with the narrow sides to each other. Each Shuttle 28 can accommodate two rows of six stacks.

After filling, the shuttles 28 are pushed out by means of the 2/1-Vereinigers 3 and combined on the shuttle conveyor belt 4.

For the shuttles 28, the shuttle control system 8 is provided. In each case a shuttle 28 is positioned in the shuttle control system 8.

A laser scan from above checks each stack in shuttle 28. The lasers arranged above a shuttle 28 measure the height of each stack and determine how many individual portions each stack consists of (see also FIG FIG. 2 ). A read / write device of the shuttle control system 8 then writes this information to a chip attached to the shuttle 28. Each Shuttle 28 is equipped with a writable chip.

A freely adjustable value allows the operator to specify when refilling is no longer worthwhile. These shuttles 28 ' are routed through the system and removed from the system by the return transport system 25. Not completely filled shuttles 28 'are pushed by means of the pusher 9 to a separate storage section 5 and wait there for refilling. The chips of the shuttles 28 'pushed into the storage line are read out in order to recognize what has to be refilled at which point. A robot of the correction station 10 extracts individual portions from a completely filled shuttle 28 " provided on the provisioning station, which is transported from the shuttle conveyor 4 by means of the pushing device 13 onto the shuttle Deployment slot has been ejected and replenishes the individual portions at the holes identified by the laser interrogation system (this can be done in single as well as batch mode). The correctly filled shuttle is then deported back to the shuttle conveyor 4 by means of the pusher 12. After complete emptying of the shuttle 28 "this is passed through the Faltschachtelbefüllstation 21 and fed to the return transport system 6.

Defective or incomplete equipped shuttles can be transported over the conveyor belts 4 to 7 by means of a transport bridge 25 ' across to the opposite side to be manually checked there.

First, flat folded carton blanks are withdrawn from holders and erected by means of elevators 14 and 15 and transferred to the empty box feed chain transporters 16 and 17 (see also Figs FIG. 3 ).

The Leerschachtel-Eintaktung 18 causes that in case of failure of one of the two erectors 14, 15 of the other erector 14, 15 the Supply system with reduced total power. In this case, the overrun device 18 of the functioning erector 14, 15 will supply both subsequent filling trains.

The linear axis system 21 for filling the folding boxes empties each one shuttle (12 batches of cups) completely. The stacks of cups are placed in 12 provided cartons. In this case, a rotation of the stack of cups takes place by 45 degrees.

Each Füllzug 19, 20 has a Verdeckelungsmodul with a Hotmelteinheit and a centering function before the compression.

According to FIG. 2 For example, the shuttle 28 includes a base plate, rods, and an upper grid to define storage spaces 30 for receiving pads 29 . On the front side of the shuttle 28, a readable and rewritable chip 31 is mounted to store information about the filling of the storage spaces 30 with pads 29. Grippers of the robots of the processing stations can engage in the storage spaces 30 in order to insert or remove pads.

According to FIG. 3 are provided on a blank box supply chain conveyor 16 and 17 receptacles 32 for empty cartons. Erected empty cartons 33 can be placed in the receptacles 32 and transported ( FIG. 4 ).

Claims (4)

1. A packaging machine (1), comprising: a system (2) for providing shuttles (28) receiving stacks of individual portions, a shuttle conveyor system including conveyor belts (4 to 7) with provided shuttles (28), a shuttle control system (8) for checking of how many individual portions each stack consists of, a pusher station for incomplete shuttles (28'), a correction station (10) for incomplete shuttles (28'), a folding box upending unit (14, 15), an empty box chain feeder (16, 17), a filling path (19, 20) and a system (21) for filling folding boxes (33) with stacks.
2. The packaging machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a 2/1-joining unit (3) for shuttles is provided.
3. The packaging machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that two folding box upending units (14, 15) and two empty box chain feeders (16, 17) and an empty box infeed unit (18) are provided.
4. The packaging machine according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that two filling paths (19, 20) are provided.

Images