EP1924502B1 - Machine d'emballage d'articles - Google Patents

Machine d'emballage d'articles Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP1924502B1
EP1924502B1 EP06803525A EP06803525A EP1924502B1 EP 1924502 B1 EP1924502 B1 EP 1924502B1 EP 06803525 A EP06803525 A EP 06803525A EP 06803525 A EP06803525 A EP 06803525A EP 1924502 B1 EP1924502 B1 EP 1924502B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
articles
carton
packaging machine
regulating
tributary
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Not-in-force
Application number
EP06803525A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1924502A2 (fr
Inventor
Pascal Martini
Jean-Jacques Dussart
Kevin Biraud
Laurent Henot
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
WestRock Packaging Systems LLC
Original Assignee
Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GBGB0518563.2A external-priority patent/GB0518563D0/en
Priority claimed from GBGB0518555.8A external-priority patent/GB0518555D0/en
Priority claimed from GB0518565A external-priority patent/GB0518565D0/en
Priority claimed from GB0601312A external-priority patent/GB2434356A/en
Priority to EP10197440A priority Critical patent/EP2345584A3/fr
Priority to EP10197442A priority patent/EP2343244A3/fr
Application filed by Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems LLC filed Critical Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems LLC
Priority to EP10197426A priority patent/EP2345585A3/fr
Publication of EP1924502A2 publication Critical patent/EP1924502A2/fr
Publication of EP1924502B1 publication Critical patent/EP1924502B1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Not-in-force legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Images

Classifications

    • 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
    • B65B21/00—Packaging or unpacking of bottles
    • B65B21/02—Packaging or unpacking of bottles in or from preformed containers, e.g. crates
    • B65B21/04—Arranging, assembling, feeding, or orientating the bottles prior to introduction into, or after removal from, containers
    • B65B21/06—Forming groups of bottles
    • 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
    • B31B50/006—Controlling; Regulating; Measuring; Improving safety
    • 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
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B21/00—Packaging or unpacking of bottles
    • B65B21/24—Enclosing bottles in wrappers
    • B65B21/242—Enclosing bottles in wrappers in collapsed carton sleeves
    • 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
    • B65B57/00—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices
    • B65B57/02—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of binding or wrapping material, containers, or packages
    • B65B57/06—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of binding or wrapping material, containers, or packages and operating to control, or to stop, the feed of articles or material to be packaged
    • 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
    • B65B59/00—Arrangements to enable machines to handle articles of different sizes, to produce packages of different sizes, to vary the contents of packages, to handle different types of packaging material, or to give access for cleaning or maintenance purposes
    • B65B59/001—Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the product to be packaged
    • 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
    • B65B59/00—Arrangements to enable machines to handle articles of different sizes, to produce packages of different sizes, to vary the contents of packages, to handle different types of packaging material, or to give access for cleaning or maintenance purposes
    • B65B59/003—Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the packaging material
    • 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
    • B65B59/00—Arrangements to enable machines to handle articles of different sizes, to produce packages of different sizes, to vary the contents of packages, to handle different types of packaging material, or to give access for cleaning or maintenance purposes
    • B65B59/005—Adjustable conveying means
    • 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
    • B31B2100/002—Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by folding single-piece sheets, blanks or webs characterised by the shape of the blank from which they are formed
    • B31B2100/0022—Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by folding single-piece sheets, blanks or webs characterised by the shape of the blank from which they are formed made from tubular webs or blanks, including by tube or bottom forming operations
    • 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

  • the present invention relates to the packaging of articles such as cans or bottles. More specifically, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a packaging device or apparatus that is adaptable to package different types of articles into cartons of various sizes.
  • Industrial production and packaging of consumer and other types of product is conducted by machines that automatically perform a number of tasks at high-speed.
  • One example of such an industrial production line is found in the beverage and food industry. Beer for example may be bottled at a brewery; groups of such bottles may then be assembled into packages which are then distributed to retail outlets. Bottling lines in such plants operate at high-speed and so the groups of bottles must be assembled and packaged at equally high-speeds otherwise the whole production process is slowed.
  • packaging machines typically include, opening a carton sleeve, loading the sleeve with articles and sealing the carton to secure the articles within the carton. These processes need to be performed at high-speed and often simultaneously.
  • An example of one such machine is disclosed in EP 0017333 to Calvert in which an end-loading machine for packaging cartons containing 24-bottles is shown.
  • Such specialised machines are set-up for loading one type of carton with a specific type of article, for example the Calvert machine is set-up for packaging 24-bottle cartons.
  • the Calvert machine is set-up for packaging 24-bottle cartons.
  • a new machine would have to be sourced for the new application or significant and time consuming alterations made to the machine..
  • the machine of EP '333 whilst providing very high-throughput of goods is not versatile and cannot readily be adapted to different applications.
  • a further example of a packaging machine is disclosed in US 5711137 to Moncrief in which a continuous motion end loading packaging machine forms article groups of a pre-determined number and configuration using a flight type article selector.
  • the present invention seeks to avoid or at least mitigate these and other problems of the prior art by providing a packaging machine that is readily adaptable to accommodate various types of article and various sizes and shape of carton.
  • the invention provides a packaging machine for packaging groups of articles into cartons at a processing station, the packaging machine comprising an article supply mechanism, the article supply mechanism having a series of tributary channels each for supplying articles to the processing station, a carton supply mechanism for supplying cartons to the processing station and an article supply control mechanism, the article supply control mechanism comprising regulating elements disposed to control the passage of articles through each of said tributary channels, a carton integrity sensing element disposed upstream, in relation to carton flow, of the processing station and a control unit coupled both to the carton integrity sensing element and to each of the regulating elements, the control unit being configured to respond to predetermined information from the carton integrity sensing element to cause one or more of the regulating elements to be activated thereby to restrict the supply of articles from the or each tributary channel, associated with an activated regulating element, to the processing station and being configured to activate the regulating elements such that the supply of articles in said associated tributary channel is interrupted at a predetermined position dependent upon a reaction
  • the article supply control mechanism may comprise a plurality of tributary channels, each tributary channel having a regulating element, wherein the regulating elements are caused to be activated sequentially in turn.
  • the tributary channels may be angled relative to the processing station and the regulating elements in each channel may be arranged in an offset staggered relationship relative to the regulating elements in the other tributary channels.
  • control unit may comprise a programmable logic controller and the predetermined position is calculated by the control unit and is additionally dependent upon the cycle time of the programmable logic controller.
  • the predetermined position is calculated by the control unit and is additionally dependent upon a reaction time of the carton integrity sensor.
  • each regulating element may comprise a gate which is moveable from an opened position in which the supply of articles in each tributary channel is unfettered, to a closed position in which the supply of articles in each tributary channel is interrupted and the gate may be operable by means of an electrically driven motor.
  • the article supply control mechanism additionally may be configured to respond to a fault determined by the carton integrity sensing element by causing a reduction in the rate at which cartons and articles are supplied to the processing station.
  • the carton integrity sensing element may be disposed upstream of the regulating elements a minimum distance which is determined by the rate of packaging groups of articles into cartons.
  • the predetermined position may be calculated dependent upon the type of article and size of group of article packaged by the packaging machine.
  • the carton erection device for at least partially opening a sleeve into a carton
  • the carton erection device comprising a cam mechanism controlled to function at different angular velocities, the angular velocities including a first angular velocity for opening a first type of sleeve and a second angular velocity for opening a second type of sleeve
  • the cam mechanism including at least one suction arm, the at least partial opening of the first type of sleeve being effected by causing the suction arm to be moved substantially normal to a plane in which the sleeve is disposed and the at least partial opening of the second type of sleeve being effected by causing the suction arm to be moved both normal to the said plane and simultaneously along a vector corresponding to the motion of the sleeve in said plane which conveys the sleeve through the working reach of the cam mechanism.
  • each spacer element of the series comprising a pair of carton engaging lugs in which a leading lug and a trailing lug can be adjusted from a setting in which both the leading and trailing lugs of each pair are in abutment with one another to maximise the spacing between successive spacer elements to a setting in which relative movement between the leading lug of one pair and the trailing lug of the next succeeding pair decreases the spacing between those successive spacer elements.
  • the invention provides a method for operating a packaging machine for packaging groups of articles into cartons at a processing station, the packaging machine comprising an article supply mechanism, the article supply mechanism having a series of tributary channels each for supplying articles to the processing station, a carton supply mechanism for supplying cartons to the processing station and an article supply control mechanism, the article supply control mechanism comprising regulating elements disposed to control the passage of articles through each of said tributary channels, a carton integrity sensing element disposed upstream, in relation to carton flow, of the processing station and a control unit coupled both to the carton integrity sensing element and to each of the regulating elements, the method comprising:
  • the invention provides a control mechanism for a processing device in which articles are processed and conveyed, the control mechanism for controlling discrete volumes of articles transferred from a supply to a main processing conveyor, the processing device comprising a plurality of tributary channels along which articles are transferable from the supply to the main processing conveyor, and comprising regulating elements disposed to control the passage of articles through each of said tributary channels, the control mechanism comprising an integrity sensing element disposed upstream, in relation to carton flow, of the processing device and a control unit coupled both to the integrity sensing element and to each of the regulating elements, the control unit being configured to respond to predetermined information from the integrity sensing element to cause one or more or the regulating elements to be activated thereby to restrict the supply of articles from the or each tributary channel, associated with an activated regulating element, to the main processing conveyor and being configured to activate the regulating elements such that the supply of articles in said associated tributary channel is interrupted at a predetermined position dependent upon a reaction time of the activate
  • control means may be configured to close the regulating means until a sufficient number of articles is present in each tributary channel whereafter flow through the tributary channel is unrestricted by said control mechanism causing said regulating means to open so that a desired volume of articles can be transferred to the main processing conveyor.
  • each integrity sensing element being arranged to detect the integrity of a carton being conveyed to said main processing conveyor such that if a lack of integrity is detected said regulating means are controllable to prevent delivery of a unit volume of articles to the main processing conveyor in synchrony with the pitch of said carton lacking integrity, and to allow delivery of a subsequent unit volume of articles to the main processing conveyor in synchrony with the pitch of a subsequent carton having no lack of integrity, such that either a full group of unit volume is assembled at the main processing conveyor or no group is assembled at all.
  • the present invention provides a packaging machine sub-assembly devices therefore and methods for packaging articles.
  • the invention provides a packaging machine that is adaptable to package cartons of various dimensions with various types of article.
  • the packaging machine of the exemplary embodiment to be described is readily adaptable so that for example, the machine can be switched from packaging cartons containing four bottles to cartons containing twenty-four cans.
  • the packaging machine is provided with a number of exemplary features and mechanisms that allow the machine to be quickly reconfigured for alternative applications.
  • the downtime associated with reconfiguring the packaging machine of the present embodiment for an alternative application is in the region of only 20 - 30 minutes.
  • the packaging machine is provided with a series of mechanisms that control the flow of articles through the machine such that only cartons that contain a complete group or full complement of articles are produced.
  • the packaging machine is an end-loading machine as is known in the art, however upon reading the foregoing description it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the various features which enable the packaging machine to be readily adapted for a variety of packaging applications may be applied to other types of packaging machine and therefore the present invention should not be construed as being limited to a packaging machine of the end-loading type.
  • the end-loading packaging machine of the preferred embodiment comprises a hopper or other means for feeding folded and pre-glued flat carton sleeves.
  • the sleeves or flat cartons are then opened to form a tubular arrangement and conveyed by means of lugs downstream, towards the articles.
  • the open-ended cartons are loaded from one side only.
  • the articles, i.e. cans or bottles to be loaded into the cartons are supplied from the canning or bottling line and funnelled into tributary channels which feed the bottles or cans toward the conveyed cartons.
  • the tributary channels are angled with respect to the open ends of the cartons and the bottles or cans are supplied by six incoming channels.
  • Lug bars are provided for collating the articles into groups of the number of articles to be loaded into each carton and as the open ended cartons are conveyed past the ends of the tributary channels the articles are moved into the carton.
  • the completely loaded cartons are then closed by folding upper and lower end closure panels over the carton ends and are secured closed by means of adhesive.
  • the loaded and closed cartons are then conveyed between two pressure belts which ensure that the end closure panels are securely adhered together.
  • Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an opening device 10 including a cam wheel 20.
  • Figure 1 shows the cam wheel 20, to the front face of which are mounted suction arms 22, only one of which is illustrated for enhanced clarity.
  • a carton sleeve 60 composed of six panels hinged one to another, intended for being opened into a carton of hexagonal cross section.
  • the carton sleeve 60 is a fully enclosed carton of the type normally used for bottles.
  • the carton comprises top, bottom and side wall panels, hinged together in series and upper and lower end closure panels which are used for closing the ends of the carton.
  • the carton sleeve is hexagonal in cross-section because the top panel is smaller than the bottom panel and the end closures are slightly tapered such that a fully formed carton fits securely around an assembled group of bottles.
  • FIG. 1 Illustrated in Figure 1 are two suction arm heads 30, each mounted on lowermost ends of the suction arm 22 and which are each capable of forming a vacuum seal between the suction arm 22 and a flat surface, such as the top panel of the carton sleeve 60.
  • Suction arm 22 is shown at its lowermost point at which the respective suction arm heads 30 have been brought into contact with the top panel of sleeve 60, forming a vacuum seal between the suction arm 22 and the top panel.
  • the sleeve 60 is travelling tangentially to the cam wheel 20 along a conveyor means 28.
  • the specific arrangement and number of suction arm heads 30 are considered unessential to the core inventive concept of the present invention and may be altered from the arrangement as illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention.
  • Each belt system 24 includes an uppermost surface that follows a two stage incline away from a plane composed of the topmost surface of the conveyor means 28.
  • the two stage incline comprises a first stage that is at an angle to the plane, and a second stage that is at a smaller angle to the plane than that of the first stage.
  • the arrangement of the rollers is such that the bottommost point of the periphery of each roller substantially comes into contact with the topmost surface of a respective belt 24.
  • the belt 24 comprises a guide 32 for accepting portions of a sleeve 60 as the sleeve 60 moves along the conveyor means 28.
  • Figures 2, 3 and 4 illustrate three points during the process of partially opening the hexagonal sleeve 60.
  • Figure 2 illustrates the start point of the process, and is equivalent to the arrangement described above in relation to Fig 1 .
  • the suction arm heads 30 have formed a vacuum seal between the suction arm 22 and the top panel of carton sleeve 60.
  • Figure 3 illustrates the device 10 after having partially opened the sleeve 60.
  • Lower peripheral portions or lower end closure panels of the carton sleeve 60 are retained under rails running alongside the conveyor means 28.
  • the lower end closure panels are hinged to bottom panel of the sleeve 60, which remains in contact with the conveyor means after the opening device 10 has partially opened the carton 60.
  • the presence of the rails ensures that the bottom panel of the sleeve 60 remains in contact with the conveyor means 28 when the suction arm begins to open the sleeve 60.
  • Figure 3 further illustrates how the cam wheel 20 has rotated such that the suction arm has been displaced both in the direction of the motion of the topmost surface of the conveyor means, and also some distance normal to the plane comprising the topmost surface of the conveyance means.
  • a gearing system within the cam wheel 20 is employed to ensure that the suction arm remains perpendicular to the conveyor means as the cam wheel 20 rotates.
  • the top panel, of sleeve 60 is maintained substantially parallel to a plane comprising the topmost surface of the conveyance means.
  • the path of the suction arm heads 30 results in the top panel being moved away from, whilst remaining parallel to the plane of the topmost surface of the conveyance means 28.
  • the opening device 10 is structured such that the top panel of the sleeve 60 remains in substantial vertical alignment with a given point on the topmost surface of the conveyance means 28, whilst attached to one of the suction arms 22. The motion of the top panel relative to the said given point is therefore substantially normal to the plane comprising the topmost surface of the conveyance means 28.
  • Figure 3 also illustrates the point at which the upper end closure panels of the carton which are located along either side of the top panel are guided, by guides 32, between the rollers 26 and the belts 24.
  • the top end closure panels are hinged to the top panel and are of sufficient structural integrity such that the top panel may be orientated, and the entire sleeve transported, by the incline and motion of a topmost surface of the belts 24.
  • the top panel is released from the vacuum seal with the suction arm 22.
  • Figure 4 illustrates the way in which the rotary action of the belt 24 maintains the linear motion of sleeve 60 after it has reached a terminal end of conveyance means 28.
  • the lower end closure panels are still retained by lower guide rails 27, which extend beyond the terminal end of the conveyance means 28 for the full length of the belt system 24.
  • the incline of the belt 24 achieves the effect of further separating the top panel and the bottom panel of the carton such that the sleeve 60 becomes increasingly opened.
  • the sleeve 60 is substantially fully opened and can be conveyed toward the article supply ready for loading.
  • Figures 5, 6 and 7 illustrate three points during the process of partially opening a sleeve 70 that is formed of four panels each hinged one to the next.
  • the opened carton formed from sleeve 70 is rectangular in cross-section and is commonly loaded with cans.
  • the top panel of the carton When folded flat the top panel of the carton only partially overlays the bottom panel of the carton.
  • the top panel To open the carton from the flat sleeve the top panel must be moved quicker relative to the bottom panel, i.e. in order to be opened into a carton of rectangular cross section, the top panel is required to pass through a different path to that required in order to open the hexagonal sleeve 60.
  • One embodiment of the present invention provides an adaptable opening mechanism that is suitable for use with different types of carton and makes such an alteration in the suction cup path possible by employing an electrically powered cam wheel of variable rotational speed.
  • an electrically powered cam wheel of variable rotational speed When considering the cyclic motion of the suction arm 22 about the cam wheel 20 from a point of reference on the topmost surface of the conveyance means 28, it can be appreciated that the speed of the cam wheel will effect alteration in the path of the suction arm 22 and therefore the said panel of the sleeve 70.
  • FIG 5 illustrates the start point of the process.
  • the suction arm heads 30 have formed a vacuum seal between the suction arm 22 and the top panel of the sleeve 70. Due to the difference in the geometry of sleeve 70 in comparison to sleeve 60, the top panel with which the vacuum seal is made is in a different position to that with which a vacuum seal would have been made had the sleeve been of the geometry of sleeve 60 of Figure 1 . In the case of sleeve 70, the panel with which a vacuum seal is formed is the first of two uppermost panels to pass along the conveyance means 28.
  • Figure 6 illustrates the device 10 after having partially opened the sleeve 70.
  • Lower end closure panels of the sleeve 70 are retained under guide rails 27 running alongside the conveyance means 28.
  • the lower end closure panels are hinged to edges of the bottom panel of the sleeve 70, which will remain lowermost after the device 10 has opened the carton.
  • the presence of the guide rails 27 ensures that the lowermost panel of the sleeve 70 remains in contact with the conveyance means 28 when the suction arm partially opens the sleeve 60.
  • the cam wheel 20 has rotated such that the suction arm has been displaced both in the direction of the motion of the topmost surface of the conveyance means 28, and also some distance normal to the plane comprising the topmost surface of the conveyance means 28.
  • a gearing system within the cam wheel 20 ensures that the suction arm remains in the same orientation as the cam wheel 20 rotates.
  • the top panel, of sleeve 70 is maintained substantially parallel to the plane of the conveyance means 28.
  • the path of the suction arm heads 30 results in the said top panel being moved away from, whilst remaining parallel to the plane comprising the topmost surface of the conveyance means 28.
  • the top panel In order to partially open the carton, it is necessary for the top panel to posses a greater velocity in the direction of motion of the topmost surface of the conveyance means 28, than the velocity of the bottom panel (the bottom panel being in contact with and travelling at the same speed as the conveyance means 28).
  • Figure 6 also illustrates the point at which end closure panels of the top panel of sleeve 70 are located along either side of the said top panel transverse to the direction of motion of the topmost surface of the conveyance means 28, are guided, by guides 32, between the rollers 26 and the belts 24.
  • the end closure panels are hinged to the said top panel of sleeve 70 and are of sufficient structural integrity that the said panel may be orientated, and the entire sleeve transported, by the incline and motion of a topmost surface of the belts 24.
  • the said panel is released from the vacuum seal with the suction arm 22.
  • Figure 7 illustrates the way in which the rotary action of the belt 24 maintains the linear motion of the sleeve 70 after it reaches a terminal end of the conveyance means 28.
  • the lower end closure panels of sleeve 70 are still retained by guide rails 27, which extend beyond the terminal end of the conveyance means 28 for the full length of the belt system 24.
  • the incline of the belt 24 achieves the effect of further separating the top panel from the bottom panel such that the sleeve 70 becomes increasingly opened. At the point whereby the sleeve 70 reaches the terminal end of the belt it is substantially fully opened and is then conveyed towards the article supply, for loading.
  • FIGS 1 to 7 each illustrate only one of the suction arms 22 connected to the cam wheel 20, for enhanced clarity.
  • FIG 8 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the opening device of the present invention in which two suction arms 22 are controlled by the cam wheel 20. It is envisaged that any number of suction arms may be employed without departing from the scope of the invention.
  • the angular velocity of the cam wheel could be further controlled in order to facilitate the movement of the top panel relative to the bottom panel of a different type of carton to thereby facilitate the opening of further types of carton and thus increasing the adaptability of the packaging machine to a variety of package types.
  • other means capable of moving the top panel of the cartons at different speeds and accelerations relative to the bottom panel may be used to open the carton blanks.
  • the open tubular cartons are conveyed in a line along a fixed base plate by means of lugs 412, 414 which not only convey the opened cartons but maintain the opened cartons in an upright configuration.
  • Figure 9 there is shown in use a part of an exemplary packaging machine 410 for the assembly of cartons A, which machine incorporates a conveyor 420.
  • a conveyor 420 for conveying the open-ended cartons A to be loaded, and it is provided with one or more lugs 412, 414 on either side of the conveyor 420.
  • the conveyor 420 comprises a number of lugs 412, 414 grouped as one or more spacer elements, each spacer element comprising a pair of lugs 412, 414. Each such pair is separable, one lug 412, from the other 414, and the two lugs 412, 414 of such a pair are each moveable independently of the other, along a movement track 440 provided to facilitate the displacement of a series of lugs 412, 414 in a forward and backward direction.
  • At least one, leading, lug 412 can be rapidly displaced relative to the position of another, trailing lug 414 so as to vary the spacing between adjacent lugs 412, 414.
  • the resultant change in pitch on the conveyor 420 allows for easy accommodation of different sizes or configurations of article - or in this non-limiting example, carton A - with a rapid change-over leading to minimal downtime before the conveyor 420 continues in operation.
  • Figures 13, 14 and 15 schematically illustrate the process of adapting the pitch by movement of the lugs 412, 414.
  • FIG. 10E An alternative interlocking arrangement for the lugs 412a, 414a is illustrated in Figure 10E of the present invention, and may be employed so as to confer additional lateral stability to the pair of lugs 412a, 414a in use.
  • this interlocking arrangement of lugs 412a, 414a be employed along one side of a conveyor 420 in use, and that the arrangement of lugs 412, 414, substantially as shown in Figures 10A to 10D , is employed along the opposite side of the conveyor 420.
  • the interlocked set of lugs 412a, 414a is employed on the side of the conveyor 420 from which the cartons A are loaded for example, with bottles.
  • the set of lugs 412a, 414a nearest the loading side of the cartons A is adapted to be of slightly wider form than the lugs 412, 414 on the opposite side of the conveyor 420.
  • the interlocking set of lugs 412a, 414a has sufficient stability and strength that the interlocking set of lugs 412a, 414a may optionally be used alone to convey cartons A along the conveyor 420.
  • the cartons for containing as few as four bottles held in a 2x2 configuration can be opened, conveyed and loaded by a packaging machine of the present invention.
  • the spacing between the two sides of the conveyor 420 does not therefore limit the packaging machine to the application of packaging cartons of a minimum width.
  • the lugs 412, 414 are preferably arranged in pairs, adapted to be spatially complementary to one another, in order that they may fit together to form effectively single lugs, each maximally separated from the next.
  • This fitting together of complementary sets of lugs 412, 414 is illustrated in Figures 10A, 10B and 10C .
  • each pair of lugs 412, 414 has been brought together so that the two lugs 412, 414 are in abutment, and so as to maximise the pitch between successive pairs of lugs 412, 414.
  • the outer edges of the combined pair of lugs 412, 414 are adapted in the example shown in Figure 9 to be wider in their top portions 422, 424 than at their middles, so that the top portion of each carton A held between these lugs 412, 414 is biased inwardly of that carton A structure, so as to achieve the desired tapered "gable-ended" carton A for use with bottles.
  • a simple, substantially oblong-shaped lug 412, 414 is substituted.
  • the configuration of the present invention brings clear advantages. Particularly, when adjacent lugs 412, 414 are brought into close registry by movement of at least one lug 412, 414 along its movement track 440 and relative to another, the resulting effective double-lug has a substantially Y-shaped configuration. However, the two lugs 412, 414 retain their ability to bias their respective adjacent cartons A into the gable-ended configuration, even when they are spaced apart by a further movement of one relative to the other along its movement track 440, so as to accommodate a smaller size of carton A as illustrated in Figure 15 .
  • One optional aspect of the present invention provides that one or more of the lugs 412, 414 be disposable about an articulated pivot means (not shown), and may preferably be pivoted about said pivot means by actuator means so as to cause the lug 412, 414 to be pushed toward an adjacent article A, to aid the article A being biased into a desired configuration.
  • lugs 412, 414 are not at all limited in shape within the scope of the present invention, and could adopt any configuration so as to be complementary to the desired configuration of the cartons A to be assembled on the conveyor 420.
  • one or more of the lugs 412, 414 may easily be changed for those of a different configuration, so as to accommodate a different set of articles A on the conveyor 420.
  • one or more of the movement tracks 440 is provided with a series of pin components 430, exemplified by those as shown in Figure 13 .
  • These pin components 430 are preferably so constructed and arranged as to securably engage the lugs 412, 414.
  • the pin components 430 are more preferably so arranged as to be capable of being moved by a movement track 440 in the backward and forward directions Y,Z with respect to the direction of movement of the conveyor 420.
  • the securement is brought about by the provision of a securement means 416, 418 within a lug 412, 414; typically, though not of necessity, this securement means 416, 418 takes the form of a short bar or pin.
  • the securement means 416, 418 is so constructed and arranged as to co-operate with a complementary securement portion 432 of the pin component 430.
  • This complementary securement portion 432 preferably comprises a slit or aperture within the outer form of the pin component 430.
  • a lug 412, 414 may be mounted on the pin component 430 at any one of a plurality of heights, thereby providing for the accommodation of a plurality of different heights of carton A on the conveyor 420.
  • the securement means 416, 418 of the lug 412, 414 is springloaded such that it may easily be disposed out of co-operation with the securement portion 432 of the pin component 430 by hand. This further facilitates the rapid change-over between different shapes and sizes of lug 412, 414 to allow for adaptation of the arrangement, to accommodate a different configuration or size of a carton A on the conveyor 420 with a minimal conveyor downtime.
  • the lug pairs 412, 414 are readily moveable to accommodate different width, shape and height of carton and are moveable relative to another such that the pitch or frequency of cartons conveyed within the packaging machine can always be maximised thereby ensuring maximum throughput of cartons.
  • the conveyor 420 which in this example takes the form of a fixed metal base plate, is adjustable such that the two movement tracks 440 can be moved closer together and hence enable the packaging machine to be readily adapted to cartons of different depth for example the machine can be used for cartons containing four bottles held in a 2 x 2 array as easily as it can be used for a carton containing twenty-four cans held in a 4 x 6 array.
  • the opening device and lug mechanism co-operate such that if the pitch is doubled, for example in moving from a 4x4 carton (see Figure 13 ) to a 2x2 carton (see Figure 15 ) the frequency of the opening device can easily be increased, in this case doubled, to accommodate the increased throughput which is expected when the cartons are smaller.
  • the opening device wheel 20 can follow a varied speed pattern so that the top panel of a carton for containing four bottles is separated from the bottom panel quickly enough and in synchrony with the increase speed of carton feed and conveyance.
  • Bottles B4 or indeed cans are funnelled from a filling line (not shown) into tributary channels 628, 638, 648, 658, 668 and 678.
  • the articles cans or bottles
  • tributary channels Each of the channels has a minimum width of approximately 3cm and can be widened by up to approximately 20cm. In this way different sized articles can safely be accommodated by the channels and the spacing of the articles at the out feed end of the tributary channels is controlled.
  • the adjustable channel width is facilitated by a jack system. The jack system will now be described with reference to figures 16 to 20 .
  • the tributary channels or guide lanes 628, 638, 648, 658, 668, 678 can be adjusted in width to accommodate articles of different diameters, or widths. Since each lane 628, 638, 648, 658, 668, 678 is of substantially the same construction the operation of the system will be described with reference to lane 628. It being understood that each of the other lanes operates similarly.
  • Lane 628 is comprised of a fixed guide 615 and a moveable guide 625, wherein an article, such as a bottle B4 is driven down the lane 628 by a conveyor, (not shown in figures 16-20 ).
  • lane 628 can be adjusted in width by moving moveable guide 625, where this movement is achieved by rotation of a first and second screw thread 742a and 742b respectively.
  • Screw threads 742a and 742b are parallel to each other and are in a spaced apart relationship. Rotation of screw threads 742a and 742b is achieved by a single drive means 724, in the preferred embodiment this drive means is a servo motor.
  • Drive means 724 is coupled to screw thread 742b by a coupling means 760 in the preferred embodiment this is a belt and pulley arrangement, however, it will be appreciated that alternative configurations may be used such as a chain and sprocket, or gear linkage. It will also be appreciated that the choice of pulley size, sprocket size or gear ratios will allow the angular speed of the screw thread 742a to be stepped up or down from that of the servo motor 724.
  • Screw thread 742a is coupled to screw thread 742b via coupling means 750. It will be appreciated that the coupling 750 between screw threads 742a and 742b is such that screw thread 742a rotates at substantially the same angular velocity as screw thread 742b.
  • Carriages 744a are coupled via a complementary screw thread to screw thread 742a and 742b.
  • the moveable guide 625 of lane 628 is coupled to both carriages 744a.
  • One of the carriages 744a is additionally coupled to a rod 740 and the other of the carriages 744a is coupled to a rod 730.
  • Rod 730 runs parallel to screw thread 742b (and in a spaced apart relationship).
  • Rod 740 runs parallel and in a spaced apart relationship with screw thread 742a.
  • the rods 730 and 740 prevent the carriages 744a from rotating when the screw threads 742a and 742 are rotated by the drive means 724. In this way, the carriages 744a are forced to travel linearly along their respective screw thread 742a or 742b. Furthermore it will be appreciated that both carriages 744a move with the same linear speed, and over equal distance, upon rotation of the screw threads 742a and 742b by drive means 724. In this way movement of the moveable guide 625 is achieved such that the width of lane 628 can be adjusted depending upon the size of article to be conveyed along the lane 628.
  • Rods 730 and 740 are mounted in frame 780 in a fixed manner whilst the screw threads 742a and 742b are mounted in the frame 780 such that they can be freely rotated, for example, they may be coupled to the frame 780 by a bearing (not shown). Additionally each moveable guide 625, 635, 645, 655, 665, 675 is coupled to the screw threads 742a and 742b via carriage 744a, 744b, 744c, 744d, 744e, 744f respectively.
  • each moveable lane is coupled to two screw threads 742a and 742b, however, it will be appreciated that the movement of guides 625, 635, 645, 655, 665, 675 could be achieved with one screw thread, and that only one carriage per moveable guide would be required.
  • moveable guides 625, 635, 645, 655, 665, 675 are coupled at the input end of the lanes 628 - 678 to fixed guide portions which are substantially parallel to the screw threads 742a, 742b and the rods 730, 740.
  • the articles traversing along the lanes 628, 638, 648, 658, 668 and 678 do not experience a transition when entering the adjustable width section of the lanes 628, 638, 648, 658, 668, 678.
  • the moveable guides 625, 635, 645, 655, 675 comprise a section which slides within the fixed guide portions.
  • the fixed guide portions comprising a recess to receive a protrusion of the moveable guides wherein the protruding part of the moveable guide is flush with sections of the fixed guide portion on either side of the recess.
  • each of the moveable guides is connected to a screw thread 742a, 742b which is driven by the same servo motor 724 such that the tributary guide channels 628, 638, 648, 658, 668 and 678 are adjusted simultaneously and by the same relative adjustment. Therefore the spacing of the articles exiting each tributary channel is carefully controlled. This enables the coupling between the article feed and the carton pitch to be closely and carefully controlled. In this way the packaging machine can be adapted from an application wherein cartons containing six narrow diameter cans in a 2 x 3 array are packaged to an application wherein twelve large diameter bottles contained in a 4 x 3 array can be readily facilitated.
  • FIG 20 is an illustrative plan view of the six adjustable tributary channels 628, 638, 648, 658, 668 and 678.
  • Each channel is defined by a fixed guide 615, 614, 624, 634, 644 654 and a moveable guide 625, 635, 645, 655, 665, 675 and is provided with a regulator element or valve means, which in this exemplary embodiment takes the form of a pair of gates 630/630b, 600/600b, 640/640b, 650/650b, 660/660b and 670/670b.
  • Each of the gate pairs 630/630b, 600/600b, 640/640b, 650/650b, 660/660b and 670/670b can be moved from an open position in which the gate lies substantially within the same plane as one of the guides, 615/625, 614/635, 624/645, 634/655, 644/665, 654/675 to a closed position wherein the gate pairs 630/630b, 600/600b, 640/640b, 650/650b, 660/660b and 670/670b form a barrier across and block the flow of articles within the adjacent channel 628, 638, 648, 658, 668 and 678.
  • the regulator element may take an alternative form to a gate or may comprise only a single gate which can be used to restrict the flow of articles in a tributary channel by blocking the flow of articles in that channel.
  • a single gate may be preferable for operations where the adjustable tributary channel 628, 638, 648, 658, 668 and 678 is only of a narrow width.
  • FIGS 21 to 23 illustrate the form and operation of a single gate 600. Since each of the gates takes an equivalent form only one gate will be described in any detail, it being understood that the other gates of this embodiment are the same.
  • Each gate comprises an individual drive means 610, which in this case is a motorised switching device which is connected to a fixing means 608.
  • Fixing means 608 in turn is movably connected to arm 606.
  • the arm 606 is fixedly attached to a shaft 604 which is in turn fixedly attached to the foot 602.
  • the arm 606, shaft 604 and foot 602 may in other configurations be formed from an integral piece.
  • the shaft 606, as can be seen most clearly in Figure 22 is housed within a post integrally formed with the guide track 614.
  • An aperture 622 is provided in the guide track 614 for accommodating the foot 602 of the gate when the gate 600 is in the open position.
  • the arm 606 is rotated relative to the fixing means 608 which thereby rotates the shaft 604 and hence foot 602 such that the foot 602 is moved perpendicularly to the guide track 614 and lies across the guide channel 638 as shown in Figure 20 .
  • each gate is independently operable, in normal use, each gate of a gate pair 630/630b, 600/600b, 640/640b, 650/650b 1 660/660b and 670/670b is operated synchronously and in like manner such that a pair will either be open or closed at any one time.
  • the arrangement of gate pairs 630/630b 1 600/600b, 640/640b, 650/650b, 660/660b and 670/670b being open and closed of Figure 20 is for illustrative purposes only and to show the independent movement of each gate of a gate pair
  • the gates or regulator elements 630/630b, 600/600b, 640/640b, 650/650b, 660/660b and 670/670b are staggered relative to one another. Due to the angle of the tributary channel relative to the line of the open ended cartons, as can be best seen in Figures 20 and 24 the length between the regulator or gate pair 630/630b, 600/600b, 640/640b, 650/650b, 660/660b and 670/670b and an out feed end of each channel 628, 638, 648, 658, 668 and 678 is approximately equal.
  • a processing station At the outfeed end of the channel the supplied articles meet open ended cartons, this is known as a processing station.
  • the present invention could be utilised in other applications wherein the articles may take various forms and at the processing station a process is performed which is not necessarily the loading or packaging of groups of articles into cartons.
  • the regulator elements are operated in conjunction with a control unit 700 such as a computer processing unit (CPU) linked to each of the drive means 610.
  • a control unit 700 such as a computer processing unit (CPU) linked to each of the drive means 610.
  • CPU computer processing unit
  • each gate pair to be opened or closed in response to a signal received at the control unit 700.
  • the gates will each be closed until such time as each tributary channel 628, 638, 648, 658, 668 and 678 comprises a sufficient number of articles, such as bottles.
  • a sufficient number will be the number of bottles required from each channel to fill a carton completely.
  • twenty-four bottles are needed.
  • Each channel 628, 638, 648, 658, 668 and 678 will provide four of these bottles such that the six channels together provide the group of 24 bottles necessary to completely fill a carton C such as fully loaded carton 900g.
  • the gate pairs will remain closed at least until each channel comprises four bottles.
  • the bottles are supplied from the bottling line and once the bottles are supplied to the packaging machine and funnelled into the tributary guide channels loading of the cartons can and needs to commence.
  • the gate pairs will be opened sequentially starting with the gate pair 670/670b of the innermost channel 678.
  • the bottles will be conveyed along the channel and are corralled along the channel in part by the incoming supply of bottles and partly by a conveyor means. Upstream of the article supply, a carton supply means feeds flat folded blanks, which are delivered by the hopper and opened by the opening device; the opened tubular structure will then be supported by a lug pair 412, 414 and conveyed towards the supply means.
  • the bottles of channel 678 are conveyed towards the open-end of the channel 678 and the gate pair of the adjacent channel 668 will be opened and bottles in that channel will be conveyed towards the open end of channel 668.
  • each of these conveyor means is provided with partitions 934 such that the spacing between each bottle is substantially the same as the width of an article, in this example a bottle being supplied by the channels.
  • Each partition is provided with an adaptable head such that the width between each partition 934 can be adjusted by removing the head and easily replacing the head with a narrower or wider head as required. In this way the spacing between the partitions of conveyor 930 can be quickly and accurately changed in line with the bottles or articles being manipulated by the packaging machine.
  • the conveyor 930 runs parallel to the direction of travel of the carton blanks and ensures that each bottle is moving in time with the moving cartons.
  • a further conveyor 950 lies adjacent and parallel to the conveyor 930.
  • the further conveyor 950 comprises a series of lug bars 800, 800a and 800b which are removable to be interchanged with lug bars 805 and 810 which will hereinafter be described in greater detail.
  • the lug bars 800 are sized to achieve desired pitch spacing between them and are shaped to facilitate the grouping and movement of the bottles for loading into the carton.
  • Each lug bar 800 is provided with a leading straight edge 814 and a tapered rounded edge 812.
  • the leading straight edge helps to intercept the bottles for picking out a select number of bottles from a channel and the rounded trailing edge 812 encourages the bottles to move into the open ended tubular sleeve.
  • the lugbars of this application are provided such that they are readily removable from the plated conveyor track 950.
  • the plated conveyor track comprises plates 822a, 822b, 822c and 822d etc and periodically a plate 822c is provided with a shaped groove 820 that can receive a complementary shaped tongue provided along a bottom edge of the lug bar.
  • the structure and arrangement of the lug bars 800 and conveyor plates 822c enables the lugbars to be interchangeable with other sized lug bars, for example lug bars 805 and 810 which are schematically illustrated in Figures 26 to 28 . Larger lug bars are provided to accommodate a pitch of three bottles B3 whereas narrower lug bars 810 are used to separate out the bottles in groups of two bottles B2 wherein the frequency of the lug bars is increased.
  • the two conveyors 930, 950 and respective partitions 934 and lugbars 800 are conveyed beneath the guide tracks, 615/625, 614/635, 624/645, 634/655, 644/665, 654/675.
  • lug bar 800 intercepts the bottle feed to siphon and separate off a set of four bottles from the innermost channel, as the bottle feed continues and the lug bars 800a and 800b pass beneath each of the channels further sets of four bottles are siphoned from each of the tributary channels.
  • the bottles still retain an element of momentum in line with the channel, and are encouraged by the lug bars into the open end of the carton, by the time the carton 900 reaches the exit end of the outermost channel 628 a group of twenty four bottles has been separated from those allowed through by the regulators. Between them the regulators or gates control the flow of bottles so that the bottles are only fed in integer numbers of twenty four bottles. The volume of articles on the out feed end of the regulators is controlled in this way to ensure that only fully loaded cartons are produced by the packaging machine.
  • the regulating gates are sequentially opened so that the first carton through the machine collects a full set of 24 bottles.
  • This control mechanism offers a distinct advantage over prior art machines wherein several cartons are fed and partially filled before a fully loaded carton is achieved. This not only wastes bottles during the start up but also when the prior art machines are stopped.
  • the present invention however provides a control mechanism in conjunction with the regulating gates that prevents such wastage and even more beneficially can prevent the feed of bottles if a carton is misfed.
  • a carton integrity sensing element disposed downstream of the blank feed hopper or carton supply mechanism (not shown in the drawings), and disposed upsteam relative to a processing station where the articles (cans or bottles) are loaded into the cartons is used to detect that a blank has not been fed or that the incorrect type of blank has been fed.
  • the carton integrity sensing element may be configured such that it can recognise for example, the type, style, size and position of the cartons being fed. If the sensing element notes a fault with one or more of these predetermined parameters then the carton integrity sensing element will transmit a signal to the central control unit 700 which will memorise the location or pitch of the missing or incorrect blank.
  • the central control unit will respond to the fault determined by the sensing element by transmitting a signal to each of the regulating elements in turn so that in accordance with the pitch of the cartons being filled and the speed of the packaging machine, gates 670/67b of the innermost lane will be closed.
  • the other regulating elements 630/630b, 600/600b, 640/640b, 650/650b, 660/660b and 670/670b
  • the operation of the regulating elements (630/630b, 600/600b, 640/640b, 650/650b, 660/660b and 670/670b) to control the passage of articles through the tributary channels 628, 638, 648, 658, 668 and 678 is carefully timed and synchronised such that the faulty pitch that will arrive at the processing station is not filled with articles, but thereafter, when the carton integrity sensing elements does not issue a fault signal, the regulating elements are opened in time for the next succeeding correct carton blank to be completely filled with articles .
  • the control unit 700 will cause the regulating elements to be opened in time for the supply of bottles to be restarted so that the next blank which has been correctly fed and conveyed towards the processing station will be loaded.
  • the regulator elements are opened sequentially so that the bottles are fed in integer multiples of 24 bottles and so that the bottles or articles are timed to be received at the processing station.
  • the timing of the opening of the regulator elements after a faulty carton has passed, is dependent upon the format of articles and cartons being loaded and the control unit is configured to be adjustable in that respect so that the regulator elements are closed only for the duration of the faulty pitch or pitches and then opened after a delay time which is calculated by considering the size of carton and article and the speed of conveyance of the cartons through the packaging machine.
  • the packaging line can be quickly shut down.
  • the timing of the operation of the regulating elements is precise. This is particularly important where glass bottles are the articles loaded into cartons.
  • the regulating elements (gates in the embodiment illustrated), intercept the flow of articles and must do so precisely between the last article required from a tributary channel for loading into the preceding correct carton and the first article that will be required from that channel for loading into the next succeeding correct carton.
  • the timing of the closing of the regulating element is such that the gates are opened in the space between two closely neighbouring articles.
  • the primary factors considered in calculating this timing are the speed of the machine, the response time associated with the carton integrity sensing element, the processing time of the control unit (having a cycle time which is dependent upon for example a programmable logic controller comprised within the control unit), the reaction time of other hardware involved in the operation of the regulating elements and the reaction time or speed of deployment of each regulating element themselves.
  • the speed of conveyance of the articles and cartons will be slowed upon issuance of a fault signal by the carton integrity control sensor.
  • the timing of the activation of the regulating elements will also therefore depend upon the rate of deceleration of the packaging machine. By decelerating the machine the reaction and response times of the various elements, as discussed above, becomes less critical. The slower the machine is running the less significant the reaction time is to the operation of the regulating elements as they have sufficient time to be deployed correctly between two specific articles as necessary and the reaction and delay times are small compared to the time between the articles passing the regulating elements.
  • the machine is maintained at a reasonable operating speed (at least 50% of normal operating speed, the normal operating speed is approximately 250 packs per minute (ppm)) despite a fault being detected.
  • the reaction times need to be anticipated so that the regulating elements are "activated" early to account for the finite reaction or response time of each of the elements involved in actually causing the regulating elements to block the path of the articles being conveyed.
  • the reaction time is calculated depending upon the factors discussed above by the control unit, additionally the reaction time is adjustable by an external operator to account for inconsistencies in the reaction times. For example on average the electrovalve which moves the gate from an open position to a closed position may take 10ms from receiving an instruction to operate, to actually operating. This reaction time is itself variable, 10ms is only an average and the range of reaction times of all the regulating elements may actually be 10ms ⁇ 5ms. To account for variations in the overall reaction time the calculated time is therefore adjustable by an operator to finely tune the timing of the regulating elements.
  • FIG. 29A to 31 B An additional optional feature of the present invention is illustrated in conjunction with Figures 29A to 31 B wherein a mechanism is provided for ensuring that the lower and upper end closure panels of the cartons are secured together if the packaging machine is stopped and a fully loaded carton has not exited the packaging machine in the normal manner.
  • a mechanism is provided for ensuring that the lower and upper end closure panels of the cartons are secured together if the packaging machine is stopped and a fully loaded carton has not exited the packaging machine in the normal manner.
  • the emergency securement means each comprise arms 500 which are driven by pistons 510 which are linked to the arm 510 by fixing means 520. The arm is operated by the piston to push the lower end closure panels upwardly; the two arms are then simultaneously pressed against the closed ends of the carton to seal them shut.
  • the conveyor means 420 is in this example a metal base plate upon which the open ended tubular cartons slide.
  • the packaging machine of the present example has yet a further optional feature that the conveyor plate 1020 (as illustrated schematically in Figures 32 and 33 ) can be made such that a central portion is lowered within the machine assembly and the movement tracks 440 upon which the lugs 412, 414 are conveyed can be moved towards one another.
  • the base plates adjustable but the one side of the whole assembly including the closing and gluing mechanism is moveable relative to the side of the packaging machine housing the article supply means by a piston means.
  • Other suitable means may be used for facilitating the adjustment of the width of the entire packaging machine.
  • references to directional features such as 'topmost', 'uppermost' and 'lowermost' do not restrict the inventive concept and it is entirely within the scope of the invention that other embodiments may be used in which such directional features are altered.
  • the entire device could theoretically be mounted vertically, with suitable adjustment of the conveyance means, such that the sleeve 60/70 could no longer be described as being placed upon the topmost surface of the conveyance means, such an embodiment would, however, clearly still fall within the scope of the inventive concept.
  • references to “cam,” “cam mechanism” and “cam wheel” are meant as illustrative descriptors only, and do not limit their respective components to any particular configuration.
  • a control mechanism for controlling discrete volumes of articles transferred from a supply to a main processing conveyor, the control mechanism comprising a plurality of tributary channels along which articles pass from the supply to the main processing conveyor, each of said tributary channels comprising regulating means for regulating the flow of articles from the supply to the main processing conveyor, means being provided to operate the regulating means such that the flow of articles through each tributary channel is restricted until a sufficient number of articles is present in that tributary channel whereafter flow through the tributary channel is unrestricted so that a desired volume of articles can be transferred to the main processing conveyor.
  • the channels are aligned in parallel relationship to one another and wherein the regulating means are positioned in a staggered relationship relative to the incoming flow of articles in those channels.
  • each channel is defined by two spaced guide rails and each regulating means is moveable between an open position, wherein articles can move freely along the channel, and a closed position, wherein the movement of articles from the first position to the second position is prevented.
  • each of the series of regulating means is operated sequentially, such that the regulating means of a first channel will be opened before each of the other regulating means or conversely, the regulating means of the first channel will be closed before each of the other regulating means.
  • article management means being arranged such that if an error is noted a signal may be sent to the regulating means, which regulating means is adapted sequentially to be first closed so as to prevent delivery of a unit volume of articles, and then reopened to allow delivery of a unit volume of articles, such that either a full group of unit volume is assembled at the second position or a no group is assembled at all.
  • the regulating means are adapted to be closable independently and sequentially such that the last group of articles to be assembled at the second position is a full volume group and thereafter articles are prevented from being transmitted between the first and second positions.
  • the articles are bottles or cans which are being conveyed to the first position and at the second position, the bottles or cans are loaded into cartons in assembled groups of a unit volume.
  • each regulating means comprises a pair of gates which are moveable between an open position, wherein each gate of the pair lies in the plane of one of the guide rails defining the channel, and a closed position, wherein the gates together form a barrier across that channel and thereby prevent movement of articles from the first position to the second position.
  • a packaging machine for packaging articles such as cans or bottles into paperboard cartons having a control mechanism for controlling the volume of articles being conveyed between a first position in which articles are conveyed in channels and a second position in which the articles are assembled in groups and loaded into the carton; the control mechanism comprising a series of independently controllable regulating means, one regulating means being positioned in each of the channels such that the transmission of articles from the first position to the second position can be controlled by opening or closing each of the regulating means and thereby the volume of articles arriving at the second position for assembly into groups is controllable.
  • each of the regulating means is closed until a sufficient number of articles is present at the first position, in order that upon sequentially opening the regulating means a desired volume of articles can be transmitted to the second position such that a prescribed volume of articles can be assembled and loaded into a carton.
  • the regulating means can be sequentially closed to prevent delivery of a unit volume of articles and then sequentially opened to allow delivery of a unit volume of articles such that either a full group of a unit volume of articles is assembled to provide a fully loaded carton or no group is assembled at all.
  • a packaging machine for packaging groups of articles such as cans or bottles into paperboard cartons having a control mechanism for controlling the volume of articles being conveyed between an infeed position and a loading position, the volume being controlled such that only integer numbers of groups of articles are transmitted to the loading position such that the packaging machine produces only fully loaded cartons.
  • a method for control of the volume of articles conveyed between a first position within a series of tributary channels and a second position in which articles are assembled in groups comprises the steps of managing the flow through a series of regulating means arranged in staggered positions along the tributary channels.
  • the method further comprises the steps of obtaining a readiness signal from the second position, and facilitating passage of articles through the regulating means only when such a readiness signal is obtained.
  • the regulating means in each tributary channel are sequentially shut and then re-opened to coincide with the obtaining of a further readiness signal.
  • a mechanism for use in a packaging machine capable of packaging articles of different physical dimensions comprising a supply means for supplying articles to a carton, said carton being erected into a tubular structure by an opening device and being loaded from at least one end, wherein the articles are supplied to the at least one end by propagating along at least one guide path, wherein the guide path comprises a first and second guide, the first of said guides being capable of movement relative to the other guide in order to accommodate articles of different physical dimensions.
  • a packaging machine for packaging articles into cartons the packaging machine being adapted to permit the machine to be readily adapted to produce packages of different configurations, wherein the cartons and the articles in the packages may be of various different types and/or sizes
  • the packaging machine comprises a carton erection device, a carton conveying mechanism, an article supply device for loading the cartons from at least one end, a regulation device for regulating supply of the articles to the carton, an article grouping device, a control means, a gluing mechanism for application of glue and securing end panels of the carton, wherein all the components may be readily adapted to accommodate a change in package configuration.
  • each spacer element of the series comprising a pair of carton engaging lugs in which a leading lug and a trailing lug can be adjusted from a setting in which both the leading and trailing lugs of each pair are in abutment with one another to maximise the spacing between successive spacer elements to a setting in which relative movement between the leading lug of one pair and the trailing lug of the next succeeding pair decreases the spacing between those successive spacer elements.
  • the article supply means is capable of supplying a constant flow of articles to the carton conveyor.
  • the article grouping device gather articles from the article supply means and forms them into groups to be loaded into the carton.
  • the article grouping device comprises interchangeable lugs which can be readily removed from the packaging machine.
  • interchangeable lugs can be replaced with interchangeable lugs of a different physical dimension, so as to group a different number of articles.
  • the interchangeable lugs can be placed at an increased or decreased frequency so as to create smaller or larger groups of articles.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Supplying Of Containers To The Packaging Station (AREA)
  • Container Filling Or Packaging Operations (AREA)
  • Wrapping Of Specific Fragile Articles (AREA)
  • Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)

Claims (15)

  1. Machine d'emballage pour emballer des groupes d'articles dans des cartons dans une station de traitement, la machine d'emballage comprenant un mécanisme d'alimentation d'articles, le mécanisme d'alimentation d'articles comportant une série de canaux tributaires (628, 638, 648, 658, 668, 678) destinés chacun à fournir des articles à la station de traitement, un mécanisme d'alimentation de cartons pour fournir des cartons à la station de traitement et un mécanisme de commande d'alimentation d'articles, le mécanisme de commande d'alimentation d'articles comprenant des éléments de régulation (630/630b, 600/600b, 640/640b, 650/650b, 660/660b, 670/670b) disposés pour commander le passage d'articles dans chacun des canaux tributaires, caractérisée par un élément de détection d'intégrité de carton placé en amont, relativement au flux de cartons, de la station de traitement et une unité de commande (700) couplée à la fois à l'élément de détection d'intégrité de carton et à chacun des éléments de régulation, l'unité de commande étant configurée pour répondre à une information prédéterminée provenant de l'élément de détection d'intégrité de carton pour provoquer l'activation d'un ou de plusieurs des éléments de régulation afin de limiter l'alimentation d'articles depuis le ou chaque canal tributaire, associé à un élément de régulation activé, vers la station de traitement et étant configurée pour activer les éléments de régulation de telle manière que l'alimentation d'articles dans ledit canal tributaire associé est interrompue en une position prédéterminée qui dépend d'un temps de réaction de l'élément de régulation activé, afin de commander le flux d'articles fournis à la station de traitement.
  2. Machine d'emballage selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle le mécanisme de commande d'alimentation d'articles comprend une pluralité de canaux tributaires, chaque canal tributaire comportant un élément de régulation et dans laquelle on active les éléments de régulation en séquence, l'un après l'autre.
  3. Machine d'emballage selon la revendication 2, dans laquelle les canaux tributaires forment un angle par rapport à la station de traitement et dans laquelle les éléments de régulation de chaque canal sont agencés de façon décalée en quinconce par rapport aux éléments de régulation des autres canaux tributaires.
  4. Machine d'emballage selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3, dans laquelle l'unité de commande comprend un automate programmable et dans laquelle la position prédéterminée est calculée par l'unité de commande et dépend en outre du temps de cycle de l'automate programmable.
  5. Machine d'emballage selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, dans laquelle la position prédéterminée est calculée par l'unité de commande et dépend en outre d'un temps de réaction du détecteur d'intégrité de carton.
  6. Machine d'emballage selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 5, dans laquelle chaque élément de régulation comprend une porte qui est mobile entre une position ouverte dans laquelle l'alimentation d'articles dans chaque canal tributaire est non entravée et une position fermée dans laquelle l'alimentation d'articles dans chaque canal tributaire est interrompue, et dans laquelle la porte peut être actionnée au moyen d'un moteur électrique.
  7. Machine d'emballage selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle le mécanisme de commande d'alimentation d'articles est en outre configuré pour répondre à un défaut déterminé par l'élément de détection d'intégrité de carton en provoquant une réduction du débit avec lequel les cartons et les articles sont fournis à la station de traitement.
  8. Machine d'emballage selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle l'élément de détection d'intégrité de carton est placé en amont des éléments de régulation à une distance minimum qui est déterminée par la vitesse de mise en carton des groupes d'articles.
  9. Machine d'emballage selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle la position prédéterminée est calculée en fonction du type d'article et de la taille du groupe d'articles emballé par la machine d'emballage.
  10. Procédé de mise en oeuvre d'une machine d'emballage pour emballer des groupes d'articles dans des cartons dans une station de traitement, la machine d'emballage comprenant un mécanisme d'alimentation d'articles, le mécanisme d'alimentation d'articles comportant une série de canaux tributaires destinés chacun à fournir des articles à la station de traitement, un mécanisme d'alimentation de cartons pour fournir des cartons à la station de traitement et un mécanisme de commande d'alimentation d'articles, le mécanisme de commande d'alimentation d'articles comprenant des éléments de régulation disposés pour commander le passage d'articles dans chacun des canaux tributaires, caractérisé par un élément de détection d'intégrité de carton placé en amont, relativement au flux de cartons, de la station de traitement et une unité de commande couplée à la fois à l'élément de détection d'intégrité de carton et à chacun des éléments de régulation, le procédé comprenant les étapes suivantes :
    (i) l'élément de détection d'intégrité de carton délivre un signal à l'unité de commande lors de la détection d'une information prédéterminée provenant d'un carton ;
    (ii) l'unité de commande répond à ce signal en provoquant l'activation d'un ou de plusieurs des éléments de régulation de façon à limiter l'alimentation d'articles en provenance du ou de chaque canal tributaire, associé à un élément de régulation activé, vers la station de traitement ; et
    (iii) interrompre l'alimentation d'articles dans ledit canal tributaire associé en une position prédéterminée dépendant d'un temps de réaction de l'élément de régulation activé, pour commander le flux d'articles fournis à la station de traitement.
  11. Mécanisme de commande pour un dispositif de traitement dans lequel des articles sont traités et transportés, le mécanisme de commande étant destiné à gérer des volumes discrets d'articles transférés d'une alimentation vers un convoyeur de traitement principal, le dispositif de traitement comprenant une pluralité de canaux tributaires (628, 638, 648, 658, 668, 678) le long desquels les articles peuvent être transférés de l'alimentation au convoyeur de traitement principal, et comprenant des éléments de régulation (630/630b, 600/600b, 640/640b, 650/650b, 660/660b, 670/670b) disposés pour commander le passage d'articles dans chacun des canaux tributaires, caractérisé en ce que le mécanisme de commande comprend un élément de détection d'intégrité placé en amont, relativement au flux de cartons, du dispositif de traitement et une unité de commande (700) couplée à la fois à l'élément de détection d'intégrité et à chacun des éléments de régulation, l'unité de commande étant configurée pour répondre à une information prédéterminée provenant de l'élément de détection d'intégrité pour provoquer l'activation d'un ou de plusieurs des éléments de régulation afin de limiter l'alimentation d'articles depuis le ou chaque canal tributaire, associé à un élément de régulation activé, vers le convoyeur de traitement principal et étant configurée pour activer les éléments de régulation de telle manière que l'alimentation d'articles dans ledit canal tributaire associé est interrompue en une position prédéterminée qui dépend d'un temps de réaction de l'élément de régulation activé, afin de commander le flux d'articles fournis au convoyeur de traitement principal.
  12. Mécanisme de commande selon la revendication 11, dans lequel le moyen de commande est configuré pour fermer le moyen de régulation jusqu'à ce qu'un nombre suffisant d'articles soit présent dans chaque canal tributaire, après quoi le flux dans le canal tributaire est non limité par ledit mécanisme de commande, provoquant l'ouverture dudit moyen de régulation, de sorte qu'un volume d'articles souhaité peut être transféré jusqu'au convoyeur de traitement principal.
  13. Mécanisme de commande selon la revendication 11 ou 12, dans lequel il est prévu un ou plusieurs éléments de détection d'intégrité, le ou chaque élément de détection d'intégrité étant adapté pour détecter l'intégrité d'un carton acheminé jusqu'audit convoyeur de traitement principal, de sorte que si un manque d'intégrité est détecté, lesdits moyens de régulation peuvent être commandés pour empêcher la distribution d'un volume unitaire d'articles au convoyeur de traitement principal en synchronisation avec le pas dudit carton manquant d'intégrité, et pour permettre la distribution d'un volume unitaire d'articles suivant au convoyeur de traitement principal en synchronisation avec le pas d'un carton suivant n'ayant pas de manque d'intégrité, de telle manière que l'on assemble soit un groupe complet de volume unitaire au niveau du convoyeur de traitement principal, soit aucun groupe.
  14. Machine d'emballage selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 9, comprenant un dispositif d'érection de carton pour ouvrir au moins partiellement un manchon pour le mettre sous la forme d'un carton, le dispositif d'érection de carton comprenant un mécanisme de came commandé pour fonctionner à différentes vitesses angulaires, les vitesses angulaires comprenant une première vitesse angulaire pour ouvrir un premier type de manchon et une deuxième vitesse angulaire pour ouvrir un deuxième type de manchon, le mécanisme de came comprenant au moins un bras d'aspiration, l'ouverture au moins partielle du premier type de manchon étant effectuée en faisant déplacer le bras d'aspiration substantiellement perpendiculairement à un plan dans lequel est disposé le manchon et l'ouverture au moins partielle du deuxième type de manchon étant effectuée en faisant déplacer le bras d'aspiration à la fois perpendiculairement audit plan et simultanément le long d'un vecteur correspondant au mouvement du manchon dans ledit plan qui transporte le manchon à travers la portée de travail du mécanisme de came.
  15. Machine d'emballage selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 9, comprenant un mécanisme de transport de carton, dans laquelle le mécanisme de transport de carton comporte une série sans fin d'éléments d'espacement grâce auxquels les paquets successifs sont espacés les uns des autres d'une distance prédéterminée, chaque élément d'espacement de la série comprenant une paire d'oreilles de mise en prise de carton dans laquelle une oreille antérieure et une oreille postérieure peuvent être réglées à partir d'un réglage dans lequel l'oreille antérieure et l'oreille postérieure de chaque paire sont en appui l'une contre l'autre pour maximiser l'espacement entre les éléments d'espacement successifs pour obtenir un réglage dans lequel le mouvement relatif entre l'oreille antérieure d'une paire et l'oreille postérieure de la paire suivante réduit l'espacement entre ces éléments d'espacement successifs.
EP06803525A 2005-09-12 2006-09-12 Machine d'emballage d'articles Not-in-force EP1924502B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP10197426A EP2345585A3 (fr) 2005-09-12 2006-09-12 Machine pour le conditionnement d'articles
EP10197440A EP2345584A3 (fr) 2005-09-12 2006-09-12 Machine pour le conditionnement d'articles
EP10197442A EP2343244A3 (fr) 2005-09-12 2006-09-12 Machine pour le conditionnement d'articles

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB0518563.2A GB0518563D0 (en) 2005-09-12 2005-09-12 Carton opening device capable of opening cartons of differing geometries
GBGB0518555.8A GB0518555D0 (en) 2005-09-12 2005-09-12 Improved conveyor means
GB0518565A GB0518565D0 (en) 2005-09-13 2005-09-13 Machine for packaging articles
GB0601312A GB2434356A (en) 2006-01-23 2006-01-23 Packaging articles in cartons
PCT/US2006/035710 WO2007033267A2 (fr) 2005-09-12 2006-09-12 Machine d'emballage d'articles

Related Child Applications (3)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP10197442.6 Division-Into 2010-12-30
EP10197426.9 Division-Into 2010-12-30
EP10197440.0 Division-Into 2010-12-30

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1924502A2 EP1924502A2 (fr) 2008-05-28
EP1924502B1 true EP1924502B1 (fr) 2012-02-15

Family

ID=37499236

Family Applications (4)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP10197440A Withdrawn EP2345584A3 (fr) 2005-09-12 2006-09-12 Machine pour le conditionnement d'articles
EP10197442A Withdrawn EP2343244A3 (fr) 2005-09-12 2006-09-12 Machine pour le conditionnement d'articles
EP10197426A Withdrawn EP2345585A3 (fr) 2005-09-12 2006-09-12 Machine pour le conditionnement d'articles
EP06803525A Not-in-force EP1924502B1 (fr) 2005-09-12 2006-09-12 Machine d'emballage d'articles

Family Applications Before (3)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP10197440A Withdrawn EP2345584A3 (fr) 2005-09-12 2006-09-12 Machine pour le conditionnement d'articles
EP10197442A Withdrawn EP2343244A3 (fr) 2005-09-12 2006-09-12 Machine pour le conditionnement d'articles
EP10197426A Withdrawn EP2345585A3 (fr) 2005-09-12 2006-09-12 Machine pour le conditionnement d'articles

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (4) EP2345584A3 (fr)
AT (1) ATE545590T1 (fr)
AU (1) AU2006290909B2 (fr)
WO (1) WO2007033267A2 (fr)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2013173503A1 (fr) 2012-05-15 2013-11-21 Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems, Llc Emballage et carton munis d'un distributeur et d'un rabat associé
WO2013173415A1 (fr) 2012-05-15 2013-11-21 Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems, Llc Emballage et carton comprenant un distributeur et découpe s'y rapportant
MX2017014372A (es) 2015-05-29 2018-03-02 Graphic Packaging Int Llc Sistema de embalaje.
WO2021019053A1 (fr) 2019-07-30 2021-02-04 Anheuser-Busch Inbev S.A. Appareil de saisie et de traitement d'articles

Family Cites Families (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2535880A (en) * 1945-10-04 1950-12-26 Continental Can Co Can arranging and bagging method and apparatus
US3778959A (en) * 1972-06-21 1973-12-18 Langen H J & Sons Ltd End loaders
US4237673A (en) 1979-03-30 1980-12-09 The Mead Corporation Machine for loading container sleeves through their open ends
US4578054A (en) * 1983-11-17 1986-03-25 Herrin Robert M Carton erection and sealing apparatus
EP0552981A1 (fr) * 1992-01-24 1993-07-28 Thiele Engineering Company Système d'emballage du type 4/12
US5546734A (en) * 1993-09-02 1996-08-20 Riverhood International Corporation Packaging machine and method of packaging articles
US5477655A (en) * 1994-03-01 1995-12-26 Riverwood International Corporation Auto-priming cartoner infeed
US5501061A (en) * 1994-06-16 1996-03-26 Riverwood International Corporation Method and apparatus for clearing excess beverage containers from a beverage container packaging machine
GB9600317D0 (en) * 1996-01-08 1996-03-13 Mead Corp Packaging machine & method of carton set-up
DE29807979U1 (de) * 1998-05-05 1999-09-16 Kettner Gmbh Vorrichtung zum Gruppieren oder Vereinzeln von Artikeln

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2345584A3 (fr) 2012-07-25
EP2345584A2 (fr) 2011-07-20
EP2345585A3 (fr) 2012-07-25
EP2345585A2 (fr) 2011-07-20
EP1924502A2 (fr) 2008-05-28
EP2343244A2 (fr) 2011-07-13
EP2343244A3 (fr) 2012-11-28
AU2006290909A1 (en) 2007-03-22
WO2007033267A3 (fr) 2007-10-25
WO2007033267A2 (fr) 2007-03-22
AU2006290909B2 (en) 2012-05-24
ATE545590T1 (de) 2012-03-15

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
JP4823356B2 (ja) 装荷回転式コンベヤを有する包装システム
CA2683893C (fr) Systeme de conditionnement comprenant un carrousel de chargement
JP3837436B2 (ja) 多数個パックの包装装置
EP3071487B1 (fr) Système d'emballage de produits
US7156606B2 (en) Article aligning apparatus
EP1924502B1 (fr) Machine d'emballage d'articles
US7093408B2 (en) Packaging machine and method of forming a carton
GB2434356A (en) Packaging articles in cartons
EP1181192B1 (fr) Machine d'emballage et element de control

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 20080314

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Extension state: AL BA HR MK RS

RIN1 Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected)

Inventor name: HENOT, LAURENT

Inventor name: DUSSART, JEAN-JACQUES

Inventor name: MARTINI, PASCAL

Inventor name: BIRAUD, KEVIN

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 20091008

RAP1 Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred)

Owner name: MEADWESTVACO PACKAGING SYSTEMS LLC

RAP1 Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred)

Owner name: MEADWESTVACO PACKAGING SYSTEMS, LLC

GRAP Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR1

DAX Request for extension of the european patent (deleted)
RIN1 Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected)

Inventor name: MARTINI, PASCAL

Inventor name: BIRAUD, KEVIN

Inventor name: HENOT, LAURENT

Inventor name: DUSSART, JEAN-JACQUES

GRAS Grant fee paid

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR3

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B1

Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: EP

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: FG4D

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: IE

Ref legal event code: FG4D

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: AT

Ref legal event code: REF

Ref document number: 545590

Country of ref document: AT

Kind code of ref document: T

Effective date: 20120315

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: R096

Ref document number: 602006027662

Country of ref document: DE

Effective date: 20120412

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: NL

Ref legal event code: VDEP

Effective date: 20120215

LTIE Lt: invalidation of european patent or patent extension

Effective date: 20120215

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IS

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120615

Ref country code: LT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120215

Ref country code: NL

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120215

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120516

Ref country code: BE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120215

Ref country code: PT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120615

Ref country code: LV

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120215

Ref country code: FI

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120215

Ref country code: PL

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120215

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: AT

Ref legal event code: MK05

Ref document number: 545590

Country of ref document: AT

Kind code of ref document: T

Effective date: 20120215

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: CY

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120215

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: SI

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120215

Ref country code: EE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120215

Ref country code: DK

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120215

Ref country code: RO

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120215

Ref country code: CZ

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120215

Ref country code: SE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120215

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: SK

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120215

Ref country code: IT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120215

PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

26N No opposition filed

Effective date: 20121116

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: AT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120215

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: R097

Ref document number: 602006027662

Country of ref document: DE

Effective date: 20121116

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: MC

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20120930

Ref country code: ES

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120526

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: PL

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20120912

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: IE

Ref legal event code: MM4A

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: ST

Effective date: 20130531

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20130403

Ref country code: CH

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20120930

Ref country code: GB

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20120912

Ref country code: BG

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120515

Ref country code: LI

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20120930

Ref country code: IE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20120912

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20121001

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: R119

Ref document number: 602006027662

Country of ref document: DE

Effective date: 20130403

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: TR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120215

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: LU

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20120912

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: HU

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20060912