EP2397317B1 - Device for folding and/or creasing cartons - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a device for folding and / or folding cartons with a loading unit which supplies cardboard boxes to the device, and a folding device which is designed to fold cardboard boxes coming from the loading unit.

Such devices are used to produce from a cardboard box, so an unfolded carton, a folded box, wherein the material that makes up the cardboard, not necessarily a cardboard and / or paper material must be, but in principle any foldable material is eligible ,

State of the art

From the US 4,604,083 For example, a paperboard processing apparatus is known in which a plurality of stations are provided to machine a cardboard box. This device has the disadvantage that for supplying the cardboard to the folding and gluing station a complex stacking station must be provided and that a complex conversion of the folding and gluing station is necessary and change the dimensions of the cardboard.

Furthermore, it is necessary in the prior art not only in this device, but also in other folding devices that a supplied cardboard stack must always have approximately the same height in relation to the conveyor, so that a complex height adjustment, For example, must be kept by means of a Kartonagenhubeinrichtung for the cardboard stack and it is necessary that the cardboard stack must always be positioned very accurately on the conveyor at a defined location, which, for example, in the positioning of the cardboard stack, which is located on a pallet on the conveyor by a worker by means of a lift truck requires great skill and a lot of time.

Another document is the DE 26 12 070 A1 known, which shows a device for the production of boxes from blanks. The device comprises holders each with an L-shaped stacking guide. Further, suction cups for attracting the blanks from the stack and a plunger for advancing the blanks along the longitudinal lower die punches are attached to a support which projects from a horizontal bar fixed to a slider.

Presentation of the invention

The invention has for its object to provide a device for folding and / or folding of cardboard, which is adapted to handle differently sized cardboard boxes flexible and at the same time has a simple structure, thereby reducing the efficiency and cost of the machine.

The object is achieved by the subject matter of claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the device according to the invention are reflected in the subclaims.

The invention is based on the idea of cleverly designing and arranging units in such a way that, on the one hand, a high flexibility of the arrangement with respect to changing cardboard dimensions can be achieved and, on the other hand, the changeover times of the device can be minimized.

Accordingly, the device according to the present invention comprises the features of claim 1.

A loading unit is any type of unit which is designed to supply cardboard boxes to a folding device, such as a conveyor. The stop may be provided, for example, in the form of a strip or the like, so that it is possible to align cardboard boxes. The folding device is designed so as to perform not only folding and / or folding operations, but also, for example, Klebetätigkeiten, stapling and / or the like.

By means of the device according to the invention, it is always possible with advantage due to the stop, cardboard boxes introduced transversely to the first conveying direction aligned in the folding device. Furthermore, due to the fact that the stop and the folding device are adjustable with respect to each other, it is possible to always bring the cardboard boxes with different dimensions in a defined or desired position in the folding device. By means of the cross-down from the cardboard packaging shuttle facilities, it is possible with advantage to reliably grip the cardboard and bring in the first folding direction in the folding device substantially. The stop ensures that the position of the cardboard is known transversely to the first conveying direction, so that a complex determination of the cardboard position is omitted in this direction.

According to the invention, the shuttle devices are arranged one behind the other in the first conveying direction and designed to transfer the cardboard to one another. In this way, the efficiency of the device is advantageously increased because after the transfer of the cardboard from one shuttle to the other, the shuttle can already be used again to take over a following cardboard from the loading unit and grab from below ,

According to a further particularly preferred embodiment, the shuttle devices are designed to grip the cardboard in the first conveying direction approximately in the cardboard center. This has the advantage that the cardboard boxes always pass through the folding device approximately in the middle and the folds can be made approximately the same from approximately the middle of the first conveying direction.

The device is further characterized in that the folding device may have two folding stations, wherein the one folding station is designed for folding and optionally gluing the front edge of the cardboard and the other folding station for folding and optionally. Gluing the rear edge of the cardboard is formed. In this case, the two folding stations are arranged one behind the other in the first conveying direction such that the folding station for processing the rear edge in the first conveying direction is arranged downstream of the folding station for folding the front edge. In this way, the cardboard can be brought through a clever interaction with the shuttle devices efficiently through the folding device, since, for example, during processing, so folding and / or gluing, the front edge handover of the cardboard can be done from one to the other shuttle and after the processing of the leading edge is completed, the cardboard can be conveyed with the other shuttle device to the folding station for the trailing edge wherein the one shuttle device can be moved back to its original position after the transfer, so that it is already available for gripping the next cardboard box available.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the cardboard boxes in the defined position in the first conveying direction centered in the folding device can be introduced. In this way it is possible to process the cardboard boxes particularly advantageous and with constant machining quality.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the device is designed so that the cardboard boxes are conveyed out of the folding device in the first conveying direction with respect to a substantially stationary reference edge. In this way, it is possible to supply the finished folded cardboard boxes, devices, such as filling stations or the like, which are arranged downstream of the folding device, so that the cardboard boxes or these devices always aligned the same in relation to the substantially stationary reference edge (ie in the first conveying direction) go through. This has the advantage that, for example, in the case of a filling device, operators of this device do not have to change their position in dependence on the dimensions of the cardboard or cardboard in order to fill these or these. In this way, an ergonomic workplace can be created with the aid of the device according to the invention particularly advantageous.

According to a further particularly preferred embodiment, the loading unit and / or the folding device are movable substantially perpendicular to the first conveying direction. In this way, it is particularly advantageous possible, on the one hand the cardboard boxes of the folding device always
optimally deliver and on the other hand always deploy the cardboard boxes or boxes from the folding device optimized.

Furthermore, the loading unit may be part of a loading device, wherein the loading device may be configured to convey the cardboard in a second conveying direction, which is substantially perpendicular to the first conveying direction, at least to the stop. In this way, the efficiency of the device increases in addition, since a plurality of cardboard can be arranged one behind the other on the feeder and conveyed to the stop.

According to a further particularly preferred embodiment, the cardboard boxes of at least one stack can be applied to the loading device by means of a transfer device, in particular a transfer device sucking from above. In this way, a height adjustment of the stack can be dispensed with in a particularly advantageous manner, since the transfer device adopts the cardboard boxes from above and thus ensures a reliable transfer of the cardboard boxes to the loading device.

According to a further particularly preferred embodiment, the at least one stack is arranged at arbitrary defined locations in the surroundings of the charging device, wherein, in particular, a plurality of stacks can be arranged one behind the other or side by side. In this way, it is possible to hold a plurality of stacks in the vicinity of the feeder, so that the transfer means is capable of applying cardboard from these stacks to the feeder. In this way, annoying pauses caused by replacement, when only a stack is predictable at the feeder, can be avoided.

Short description of the drawing

• Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a device according to the invention,
• Fig. 2 shows a simplified representation of a shuttle device according to the invention and
• Fig. 3 shows possible arrangements of stacks in the vicinity of a feeder.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a device according to the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

With the device 10 according to the invention, it is particularly advantageously possible to fold cardboard boxes 11 of different dimensions and / or to fold or to carry out further processing steps, such as gluing or stitching.

The device 10 according to the invention has for this purpose a folding device 12, through the cardboard 11 in a first conveying direction 23 (in Fig. 1 indicated by an arrow) can be promoted. From the folding device 12, a loading unit 14 is arranged. The loading unit 14 is designed to align cardboard boxes 11 with a stop 16 transversely to the first conveying direction 23.

The stop 16 and the folding device 12 are adjustable relative to one another in such a way that the cardboard boxes 11 can always be arranged in a defined position in front of the folding device 12 and thus introduced into the folding device 12 can be. Fig. 1 illustrates this, as shown in this two substantially similar cardboard boxes 11, one of which is shown on the loading unit 14 adjacent to the stop 16 and the other is shown already introduced into the folding device 12. When in the Fig. 1 processed cardboard is a cardboard 11, which is fully closable after folding. However, it is also possible to fold with the inventive device cardboard, which represent only a lower part of a carton, such as a banana box.

From the loading unit 14 aligned by means of the stopper 16 cardboard boxes are gripped by means of a shuttle device 18 from below and introduced into the folding device. The shuttle device 18 is designed so that the cardboard 11 can be passed in this to another shuttle 18. Fig. 2 clarifies this principle. A shuttle device 18 first engages a cardboard 11 from below from the loading unit 14 and conveys the cardboard 11 into the folding device 12 towards a folding station 20 for processing or for folding and / or gluing the front edge of the cardboard 11. During the processing in the folding station 20 for the front edge or shortly before or thereafter passes a shuttle 18, the cardboard 11 to the other shuttle 18 and the shuttle 18 returns to its original position to the next carton 11, as soon as the folding station 20 in the Folding device 12 is again "free" to bring into the folding station 20. In this case, a shuttle device 18 can already grab the next cardboard box 11 or it can still wait with the gripping. The other shuttle device 18 conveys the cardboard 11 after the processing in the front edge folding station 20 is completed along the rail 19 to a folding station 21 for processing, in particular for folding and / or gluing, the trailing edge.

In this way, a particularly advantageous interaction between the two folding stations 20, 21 is obtained, thus increasing the efficiency of the processing device.

When introducing the cardboard 11 into the folding device 12, the orientation of the cardboard 11 is known transversely to the first conveying direction 23 due to the lateral stop 16. Furthermore, the dimensions of the cardboard are known, since these are provided, for example, the device 10 in advance available or otherwise made accessible. In order to allow an exact gripping of the cardboard 11 from the loading unit 14, 18 sensors may be provided on the folding device 12 or on the one shuttle device, which detect the beginning or the front edge of the cardboard. Such sensors or detection means are known in the art, which is why a detailed description of the same is dispensed with here.

The device 10 is designed so that finished folded cardboard boxes 11 or boxes, which are also referred to below as cardboard boxes 11 for the sake of simplicity, are always conveyed out of the folding device 12 with respect to a substantially stationary reference edge 30. The edge 30 in Fig. 1 is to be regarded as an example. For example, another parallel edge could be the reference edge. In order to ensure the same outfeed, for example, the folding device 12 and / or the loading unit 14 with the lateral stop 16 in the cardboard plane and transverse to the first conveying direction 23 slidably. The shift can be done by means of suitable drives. In this way, it is possible that in particular persons who at devices, such as filling devices, which are arranged downstream of the folding device in the first conveying direction 23, cardboard boxes can always continue to process so that they own body position need not change in relation to the substantially stationary reference edge. This is advantageous because this person or the worker can be protected and thus his health better preserved.

In the embodiment shown, the loading unit 14 is part of a loading device 26 which holds the cardboard in a second conveying direction 24 (indicated by an arrow in FIG Fig. 1 indicated) substantially perpendicular to the first conveying direction 23 promotes. The cardboard 11 are thereby from a stack 25, the in Fig. 1 is arranged laterally adjacent to the loading device 26, lifted by means of a transfer device 2B, wherein in particular a sucking transfer device 28 can be used, and stored on the feeder 26 and conveyed to the stop 16. Although the cardboard stack 25, to make it easier for the transfer device 28 to receive the cardboard 11, should always be located at a defined location, it is not necessary to maintain this location exactly, such that the cartons are within a tolerance range of about ± 20 cm can be arranged in the first conveying direction 23 and the second conveying direction 24. Due to the stop 16 and the sensor means can thus always be ensured despite any irregularity in the orientation, an accurate introduction of the cardboard 11 in the folding device 12.

In a corresponding embodiment of the transfer device 28 may, as in Fig. 3 the stacks are arranged in front of or at the side of the loading device 26, it also being possible for several stacks to be arranged laterally next to one another or one behind the other. In this way, annoying downtime, which arise when it is only possible to place only a stack 25 in the vicinity of the feeder, can be avoided.

Claims (7)

1. Device (10) for folding and/or creasing of cardboard articles (11), comprising a charging unit (14) with a lateral stop (16), a folding device (12) which is designed to fold cardboard articles (11) coming from the charging unit (14), wherein the folding device (12) is designed to carry out folding while passing through in a first conveying direction (23) and the lateral stop (16) is designed to align the cardboard articles transversely to the first conveying direction (23), wherein the stop (16) and the folding device (12) can be adjusted with respect to one another so that the cardboard articles (11) in the first conveying direction (23) are introduced into the folding device (12) in a defined position, and the folding device (12) is provided with at least two preferably linearly movable shuttle devices (18) which are designed to grip the cardboard articles (11) from below, characterised in that the shuttle devices (18) are arranged one behind another in the first conveying direction (23) and are designed to mutually deliver the cardboard article (11).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the shuttle devices (18) are designed to grip the cardboard articles (11) in the first conveying direction (23) approximately in the centre of the cardboard articles.
3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the folding device (12) has two folding stations (20, 21), wherein the one folding station (20) is designed for folding and optionally adhering the front edge of the cardboard article (11) and the other folding station (21) is designed for folding and optionally adhering the rear edge of the cardboard article (11).
4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cardboard articles (11) in the defined position in the first conveying direction (23) can be introduced centred into the folding device (12).
5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the charging unit (14) and/or the folding device (12) can be moved essentially vertically to the first conveying direction (23).
6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the charging unit (14) is part of a charging device (26), wherein the charging device (26) is designed to convey the cardboard articles (11) in a second conveying direction (24), which is essentially vertical to the first conveying direction (23), at least to the stop (16).
7. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that the cardboard articles (11) can be put onto the charging device (26) from at least one stack (25) by means of a transfer device (28), in particular a transfer device which sucks from above.

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