EP2794403B1 - Method and device for producing packs having shrink film - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing outer shrink-wrap packages comprising the features of the preamble of claim 1. Further, the invention is concerned with a device for carrying out the method.

Packages made of, in particular, thin cardboard and an outer casing made of film are subjected to a shrinking treatment in accordance with the technical suitability of the film so that the package is surrounded by the film in a smooth and wrinkle-free manner and under tension. In the foreground are (cigarette) packs of the type folding box / Hinge Lid with such an outer wrapper.

It is known to combine the shrinkage treatment of the outer sheath - by means of plate-shaped heat elements - with the sealing of folding flaps of the outer sheath. In this case, the procedure is such that the film, which is folded around the package in the form of a tube, is stapled in the area of tubular or lateral longitudinal tabs, ie thermally sealed, but with small-area stapling members. Thereafter, laterally directed end and bottom flaps are folded and also stapled. This is followed by the end sealing of the tube lobes and then the sealing of the sideways-directed forehead and floor lobes in the area of a sealing station. Immediately thereafter, the packs are passed through a shrinking station, in the region of which the upwardly and downwardly directed large-area pack sides - front wall and rear wall of the outer casing - are subjected to a heat metered for the shrinking process by plate-shaped heat elements ( EP 1 103 465 A1 ).

The transport of individual packages at a distance from each other by straps, which have cooperating webs for the packs, is known by EP 2 019 783 B1 , In this prior art, the packages are initially transported through a sealing station, which is used exclusively for sealing sideways directed packing surfaces with folding tabs. This is followed by a shrinkage treatment by means of heat plates arranged above and below the movement path. Of interest is the transfer of the packs from a bottom chord to a top chord and vice versa.

The invention is concerned with the further development of this manufacturing process. It is all about ensuring a technically and qualitatively perfect seal of the folding flaps and beyond optimal shrinking treatment, namely at increased performance of the (packaging) machine and thereby shorter cycle times. The solution to this problem is the subject of the method and the device according to the independent claims. In this case, all surfaces or walls of the outer sheath can be subjected to a shrinkage treatment, or else front wall and rear wall on the one hand and narrow (upright) side walls on the other. The process of shrinking, ie the areal supply of shrinking temperature, is combined with the thermal sealing of the folding flaps, in particular in connection with an upstream stapling of the folding flaps before the end sealing. Sealing and shrinking are carried out according to the invention in several steps, even at the same time with respect to transverse packing surfaces.

Another peculiarity is to increase the performance of the device based on the delivery of packages one at a time, consecutively, preferably at a distance from one another and a tactile movement. In order to allow for a longer processing phase at short cycle times, several (successive) packs as a conveyor unit in common transported a conveyor cycle. It is also important that the packing units are moved transversely to the feed direction, namely upwards, and are thereby transported cyclically through a plurality of processing stations arranged one above the other.

The device according to the invention comprises folding elements for the outer wrapping, stitching stations, sealing stations and shrinkage units. These are not according to the invention arranged and effective in the usual order. A first shrinking process can be done after stapling the folding flaps. It is important that sealing jaws on the one hand and (plate-shaped) heating elements for the shrinkage treatment in the same station are effective, but effective at different, in particular at an angle of 90 ° to each other facing surfaces or walls of the outer sheath.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Gesamtdarstellung der Vorrichtung in Perspektive,

Fig. 2

einen Ausschnitt der Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 1, im Wesentlichen eine Darstellung des Bewegungsablaufs der Packungen,

Fig. 3

einen in Fertigungsrichtung ersten Bereich der Vorrichtung in vergrößertem Maßstab, ebenfalls in Perspektive,

Fig. 4

eine Siegel- und Schrumpfeinheit als Teil der Vorrichtung in vergrößertem Maßstab, in Perspektive,

Fig. 5

einen dem Ende des Fertigungsprozesses zugeordneter Abschnitt der Vorrichtung, ebenfalls in Perspektive,

Fig. 6

einen Querschnitt VI-VI der Fig. 3 in vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 7

einen quergerichteten Vertikalschnitt der Einheit gemäß Fig. 4 in der Schnittebene VII-VII, ebenfalls in vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 8

einen Vertikalschnitt VIII-VIII der Fig. 4,

Fig. 9

einen vertikalen Querschnitt IX-IX der Fig. 5, bei vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 10

einen weiteren Querschnitt X-X der Fig. 5,

Fig. 11

einen Querschnitt XI-XI in Fig. 5,

Fig. 12

eine Darstellung im Wesentlichen analog zu Fig. 1 in einer veränderten Ausführung,

Fig. 13

einen Längsschnitt XIII-XIII der Fig. 12,

Fig. 14

einen entsprechenden Längsschnitt XIV-XIV der Fig. 12,

Fig. 15

eine (Zigaretten-)Packung des Typs Klappschachtel in perspektivischer Darstellung.

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

Fig. 1

a schematic overall view of the device in perspective,

Fig. 2

a section of the device according to Fig. 1 , essentially a representation of the movement sequence of the packs,

Fig. 3

a first area of the device in the direction of production on an enlarged scale, also in perspective,

Fig. 4

a sealing and shrinking unit as part of the device on an enlarged scale, in perspective,

Fig. 5

a section of the device associated with the end of the manufacturing process, also in perspective,

Fig. 6

a cross-section VI-VI of Fig. 3 on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 7

a transverse vertical section of the unit according to Fig. 4 in the section plane VII-VII, also on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 8

a vertical section VIII-VIII of Fig. 4 .

Fig. 9

a vertical cross-section IX-IX of Fig. 5 on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 10

another cross section XX the Fig. 5 .

Fig. 11

a cross-section XI-XI in Fig. 5 .

Fig. 12

a representation essentially analogous to Fig. 1 in a modified version,

Fig. 13

a longitudinal section XIII-XIII of Fig. 12 .

Fig. 14

a corresponding longitudinal section XIV-XIV of Fig. 12 .

Fig. 15

a (cigarette) pack of the type folding box in perspective view.

The examples shown in the drawings relate to the treatment of cuboidal packs 10 of relatively rigid packaging material, in particular of (thin) cardboard. The concrete example concerns (cigarette) packs 10 in the form of a folding box or hanging lid pack. The package is surrounded on all sides by an outer envelope 11 made of film, which is thermally sealable - in the region of folding flaps - and by heat supply shrinkable (shrink film).

A blank of the outer casing 11 is folded around the package 10 or folding box so that a (large-scale) front wall 12, a corresponding rear wall 13, narrow, upright side walls 14, 15 and end wall 16 and bottom wall 17 arise. The outer casing 11 is folded so that on a side wall 15 (partially) overlapping folding flaps, namely hose tabs 18 arise. The front wall 16 and bottom wall 17 are provided with complex folds (envelope folding) to form trapezoidal closure flap 19. The outer wrapper 11 has an opening aid, namely with a tear strip 20 running around. The folding flaps 18, 19 are connected to each other by thermal sealing.

In the Fig. 1 The device shown schematically is part of a plant for the production of (cigarette) packs 10. These are transported along a horizontal, substantially rectilinear packing web. This is divided into sections, namely in track sections 21, 22 which extend in (the amount of) offset planes in the same direction.

Coming from a packer, to the outer casing 11 finished packages 10 are supplied via an intermediate conveyor intermittently and at a distance from each other a folding device, namely a folding turret 23. This is preferably analogous to the folding turret EP 1 103 465 A1 educated. In the area of the folding turret 23 in particular the tube tabs 18 are formed and fixed by stapling members 24 in the sense of stapling (connection of the folding tabs by means of small sealing surfaces). The folding turret 23 is provided with three successive (different) stapling members 24.

Following the folding turret 23, the packs 10 reach a first region of the web section 21. The transport takes place by means of an endless belt, namely lower belt 25, which expediently follows the specifications of US Pat EP 2 019 783 B1 is formed, so with special drivers 26, 27, each package 10 on the front - side wall 14 with tube tabs 18 - and on the back - side wall 15 - capture and thus fix exactly.

Following the folding turret 23, the packages are transported through a folding section of the web section 21 for the production of the closure tabs 19. For this purpose, folding trays 28 of known design are arranged laterally next to the belt 25 and form the folding tabs 19 during transport. With the completely folded outer casing 11, the packs 10 reach the area of another work station, namely stapling and shrinking station 29. A first stapling member, namely a stapling jaw 30 is partially laterally fixed in the area of the folding switch 28. The folding switch 28 is formed in this area by reducing the width as a lateral guide piece 31 in order to fix the folding tabs 18 in the folded position until the first stitching. The guide piece 31 has a recess 32 (FIG. Fig. 6 ), through which the stapling jaw 30 or a projecting stitching web 33 passes until it abuts against the end wall 16 or bottom wall 17 for the transfer of heat and pressure in a flat area (stitching). The guide piece 31 is angular in cross-section, so that the package 10 is supported with a horizontal leg on the underside. Furthermore, the web portion 21 is formed so that the narrower belt 25 of a elongated track plate 34 is supported with a central recess for the run of the lower chord 25 and with lateral support webs 35, on which rests the pack with marginal surface areas.

The first stapling jaw 30 is followed by another stapling member for the laterally directed closing tabs 19, namely a (longer) stapling bar 36. This is dimensioned so that two (by far) successive packs 10 can be acted upon in one working cycle. The stapling bar 36 complements or completes the stapling in the region of the folding tabs 19. The working surface of the stapling bar 36 is designed accordingly, in this case with a convex stapling surface 37. The lateral folding tabs 19 are sufficiently fixed after this processing.

Superimposed on the stapling of the folding tabs 19 is a (first) shrinking treatment. The large-area free side of the package, namely the upwardly facing front wall 12 (or rear wall 13) is acted upon by a flat shrink member, namely by a hot plate 38. This is movable up and down (with very small amplitudes). During the short-term full-surface contact with the pack 10, heat is transferred in the area of the shrinking temperature. The heating plate 38 is provided with a recess or groove 39 at the bottom in the region of the tear strip 20, so that it is not acted upon by heat.

Following the stapling and shrinking station 29, the packages reach the outer envelope 11, which is sufficiently fixed with respect to the folding flaps, into the region of another processing station - in the present case by continued transport by means of lower flange 25. An aggregate station 40 serves on the one hand to form groups or units of several, initially successively transported packages 10. In the present embodiment, four packages 10 each form such a processing unit. Furthermore, the packs 10 are transported in the region of the aggregation station 40 transversely to the incoming conveying direction, in this case in the upward direction. These are the packs 10 of the common belt 25 removed and transported by other conveyor.

The present aggregate station 40 has a plurality of vertical conveyors, namely pairs of vertical straps 41, 42. Each two opposing vertical straps 41, 42 are associated with a pack 10 or a sequence of (cyclically) upwardly transported packs 10. Each vertical belt 41, 42 is guided over upper and lower pulleys 43 (with drive below). Furthermore, the straps 41, 42 web-like projections 44, 45 as a driver for the packs 10. The projections 44, 45 detect the pack 10 to be transported on the underside and at the top, respectively in an edge region adjacent to the end wall 16 and bottom wall 17. The vertical straps 41, 42 and the projections 44, 45 have a smaller transverse dimension than the corresponding dimension (width) of the packs 10, so that on both sides of the straps 41, 42 at least the side walls 14, 15 of the packs 10 are completely exposed.

The vertical straps 41, 42 are driven together, intermittently. The conveying movement of the packs by the lower chord 25 is adjusted to the movement of the vertical chords 41, 42 such that after inserting a number of packs 10 (four) into the region of the vertical conveyor ( Fig. 8 ), the vertical straps 41, 42 are moved by one clock, whereby the packs 10 are lifted from the belt 25 and fed to a first processing station in the area of the elevator. The machining takes place during the standstill, so that four packs 10 can be processed simultaneously, while the same number is supplied in the lower level by the belt 25, in conveying cycles of the belt 25, which correspond to the distances between individual packs 10, so four delivery cycles are required to provide the appropriate number of packages for takeover by the elevator.

In the area of the aggregate station 40, in particular the side walls 14, 15 are processed, in each case the (four) packs 10 of a unit at the same time. In a (lower) shrinking station 46 is by a strip-shaped radiator 47 causes a shrinkage of the side walls 14, 15. In the present case, only the folding flap-free side wall 15 is subjected to shrinkage heat. Opposite a support is provided in the region of the side wall 14. In the present case, a movable support member, namely a (short-stroke) cylinder 48 is arranged, which presses the pack 10 against the fixed radiator 47 for the shrinking process. This process takes place at the same time in the area of shrinking station 46 for all (four) packages lying in the same horizontal plane.

Thereafter, the vertical straps 41, 42 are moved to the next work station, namely in a (first) sealing station 49. Here, the folding tabs 18 are connected in the region of the side wall 14 by sealing. A special feature is that the process of sealing is resolved in at least two consecutive steps. In the sealing station 49 elongated sealing bodies 50 are effective, which have a crowned sealing surface, as in the staple bar 36. By thus formed cross-sectional shape of the sealing body 50, a central region of the surface of the side wall 14 with the required (sealing) pressure applied, wherein the longitudinal edges of the package remain substantially pressure-free. Opposite to the sealing body 50 is also a (short-stroke) cylinder 48 is arranged so that the packs 10 are pressed against fixed sealing organs.

In a further (upper) sealing station 51, a second sealing step in the region of the tube tabs 18 is performed. An elongate sealing body 52 is formed with a substantially flat sealing surface and dimensioned so that the side walls 14 are covered over the entire surface or with a supernatant. Also, this embodiment of seal bodies 52 is assigned a (short-stroke) cylinder 48 respectively.

The aggregate station 40 is thus equipped with three workstations 46, 49, 51, wherein in each of these stations at the same time several - in the present case four - packs 10 are processed during a standstill phase, this about four times the duration of a stoppage phase in the field of delivery of the packs 10 (FIG. Belt 25). The operation of the Aggregate station 40 is set up so that the packs 10 are transported further apart as a unit, in particular while maintaining the previous relative position as a unit. The packages 10 thus have within the unit distances from each other and from the packages of the preceding and following units.

A further conveying cycle of the vertical straps 41, 42 leads the packs 10, which are completely sealed in the area of the side wall 14, into a discharge station 53. Here the horizontally adjacent packs 10 are taken over by a discharge conveyor, an upper belt 54. This is analogous to the lower belt 25, including the driver 26, 27. A special feature, however, is that the top flange 54 consists of two single straps 55, 56 of matching design. The packs 10 are thus each detected by two drivers 26. 27 at a distance from each other and out of the range of vertical straps 41, 42 out ( Fig. 7 ). Another special feature is that due to appropriate transport movement of the upper belt 54 at the same time held in the discharge station 53 (four) packs 10 are transported away. The conveying cycle of the upper belt 54 thus corresponds to the dimension of a unit from the packages 10 transported away. The packages are detected between the mutually associated vertical belts 41, 42, by drivers 26, 27 of the upper belt 54 and the single belts 55, 56 and at the same time out of the range the vertical straps 41, 42 conveyed out in the transverse direction. Gaps between the vertical straps 41, 42 are bridged by horizontal support plates 65.

Following the aggregate station 40, the packs 10 are fed along the web section 22 to further treatment stations, specifically immediately thereafter a combined sealing and shrinking station 57. In the present case, four packs 10 are deposited in the area of this station 57 at each working or conveying cycle. Here, the packs 10 are processed during a (longer) stoppage phase on different sides of the pack. The packs 10 rest on (lower) heat plates 58, which effect a shrink treatment of lower large-area sides of the pack - rear wall 13-. The heat plates 58 are sized so that at least the covered by the full package ( Fig. 9 ). The heat plates 58 also serve to support the packages 10 during transport, with the packages 10 sliding on the heat plates 58. The heat plates 58 are movable up and down, namely for performing a shrinking stroke upwardly movable to produce a slightly increased contact pressure on the packs 10. Preferably, the heat plate 58 extends over the full length of the station 57, so over a length corresponding to (present) four Packs 10.

In the sealing and shrinking station 57 further packing surfaces are processed, namely laterally directed areas - end wall 16, bottom wall 17. It is about the sealing of the complex folding tabs 19. In a first step, sealing webs 59 with spherical sealing surface 60, analogous to the stapling bar 36 (FIG. Fig. 6 ). Accordingly, internal surface areas are applied in the sense of a thermal seal. The station 57 is designed so that simultaneously several (four) packs 10 are acted upon, here by two sealing webs 59 corresponding to the dimension of two packs 10.

A subsequent transfer station 61 is used to transfer the transport of the packs 10 from the upper belt 54 to a lower belt, namely an end conveyor 62. This consists of a single belt, largely coinciding with the lower belt 25. The transfer of the packs 10 from the feeding belt 54 at the continuing belt 62 is analogous to the examples in EP 2 019 783 B1 carried out. The incoming packs are taken over during a conveying cycle of the upper belt 54 successively from the belt of the end conveyor 62 and while maintaining the movement characteristics present four packs 10 per conveyor cycle - transported on.

For this purpose, the transfer station 61 is formed in a special way. The heat plates 58 of the station 57 terminate with this. In the area of the transfer station 61, the packs 10 rest on a track plate 66 adjoining the heating plates 58. This serves at least in the region of a first Sub-station 63 - in the dimensions of two successive packs 10 - as a support for the packs 10. Subsequent thereto, namely in the area of a following substation 64, the packs 10 rest on lateral web webs 67, between which the belt of the end conveyor 62 is guided ( Fig. 10 . Fig. 11 ). Up to the first sub-station 63, the packages are transported by the upper belt 54, at least from the sub-station 64, the final conveyor 62 takes over the transport. But it remains at a funding cycle of several (four) packs 10th

Also in the area of the transfer station 61, the packs 10 are treated during the standstill phase. Lateral sealing webs 68 complete the sealing of the folding tabs 19 of the laterally directed packing walls 16, 17. The sealing webs 68 are formed with flat sealing surfaces 69, which bear against the package walls 16, 17 over the whole area and preferably project beyond them.

The packages 10 reach a region of a finishing station 70 due to a further conveying stroke of the final conveyor 62. This station 70 is also aligned to the dimensions of a unit of several (four) packages 10. The packs rest on the web webs 67. At the top, a (continuous, one-piece) heat plate 71 is operative, which shrinks the tops of the packs 10, in this case the front wall 12. The heat plate 71 is sized to extend over the surfaces of the webs Packs 10 protrudes. The movable up and down heat plate 71 receives contact with the packs 10 during the standstill phase.

Furthermore, lateral sealing webs 72 are effective, which are moved up again to the end wall 16 and bottom wall 17 in order to complete the sealing of the folding tabs 19. The sealing webs 72 are formed with crowned or curved sealing surfaces 60.

In Fig. 12 to 14 the present technology is presented in a modified version. The first web section 21 of the device may correspond to the embodiment described above. The same applies to the unit station 40. In the area of the subsequent track section 22 is a larger number of processing stations, and also for the treatment of special packaging forms, namely with contoured packing edges. These may be formed as round edges 73 or as a bevel 74. In this case, all four packing edges can be identical or - as shown - different. It is about the shrinking treatment of the outer sheath 11 in such packages 10 also apply to the specially designed packing edges 73, 74.

The packing edges 73, 74 are subjected to a shrinking treatment in a separate working cycle. For this purpose, special shrink plates 75, 76 are provided, which are used in shrinking stations for the packaging edges, namely edge stations 77, 78.

The special (edge) shrink plates 75, 76 have each edge of webs 79, 80 associated with each package edge to be treated, which in one of the number of simultaneously (four) packages 10 corresponding to a number of carriers, namely a support plate 81, 82 than Up or down projecting ribs are attached. Each of the edge webs 79, 80 has at the free end of a packing edge corresponding shape edge 83, 84, namely as a quarter circle (for the treatment of round edges 73) or as a chamfer for the treatment of bevelled edges 74. At least the edge webs 79, 80 are corresponding to Shrinking temperature heated.

The edge-shrinking members 75, 76 are adapted to the operation of the device, namely according to the arrangement of a belt conveyor below ( Fig. 13 ) or above ( Fig. 14 ) of the path of movement of the packs 10. The shrink plates 75, 76 are movable up and down, such that in an upper position, the packs through the respective belt 54, 62 are freely movable.

At least in the area of the edge stations 77, 78, the packs 10 are supported on the side facing the shrinking member 75, 76. According to Fig. 13 are at the bottom of sheet plates 85 arranged as a support for the packs, in sections or with interruptions, so that the upright Edge webs 79 lie between the web plates 85 and can be moved. In a top-side arrangement of the shrink plate 76 (FIG. Fig. 14 ) are at least in the area between the packs 10 associated edge bars 80 plate-shaped support members 86 fixed in place, which fix the packs 10 during the shrinkage treatment and during the movements of the shrink plate 76. Furthermore, at least in the region of the edge stations 77, 78 support members for the belt 54 and 62 are arranged, namely a top plate 87 above the belt 54 in Fig. 13 and a bottom plate 88 below the belt 62 in FIG Fig. 14 , Both edge stations 77, 78 are directed to the multiple treatment of packages 10 during one processing cycle, in this case based on four packages per cycle.

The area of the web section 22 differs from the embodiment of FIG Fig. 1 also in that a larger number of processing stations is created. The packs 10 are transported away in the manner described from the area of the unit station 40 by the upper belt 54 (which extends over a relatively long conveying area), likewise in packing units of a plurality, for example four packs 10, at a distance from one another. The aggregate station 40 is followed by a sealing and shrinking station 57, which accordingly Fig. 5 . Fig. 9 can be trained. In this area, therefore, seals are performed on the sideways packing surfaces and shrinking treatments on the bottom. The station 57 comprises a packing unit (four packs 10).

This is followed by the already described (first) edge station 77, which is covered by the upper belt 54 with regard to the transport of the packs 10. This is followed by the transfer station 61, which in the manner described ( Fig. 5 . Fig. 10 ) is formed and works.

The packs 10 then enter a range of finishing. This consists in the present case of two stations, namely a finishing station 70 accordingly Fig. 1 respectively. Fig. 5 and Fig. 11 , It is about top-side shrink treatment and side sealing. Subsequently, the unit of the packs 10 (in another conveyor cycle) already described edge station 78 supplied. The finished treated packages are deposited on a discharge conveyor 89, which feeds the packages for further processing, in particular the production of bundle packs.

The sealing and shrinking elements are formed in a basically known embodiment. In the elongated sealing jaws or sealing webs 36, 50, 52, 59, 68, 72 elongated heating cartridges 90 of known type are arranged. Plate-shaped heat elements 38, 58, 71 have a plurality, in the present case two balanced heating cartridges 90. The movable members are mechanically adjustable by appropriately trained actuating gear. If in a workstation, for example in the stapling and shrinking station 29, several organs must be operated at about the same time, a common actuating gear is provided both for movement of the staple bar 36 and the heating plate 38th

A peculiarity of the present technology is that the packs 10, which are preferably supplied cyclically along a conveyor track individually, corresponding to the spacing of the individual packs 10, are combined to form a unit of a plurality of successive packs 10 without changing the relative position thereof and subsequently for each of these units a simultaneous treatment of the packs 10 during a stoppage phase of the unit or pack group is performed. In the present case, the units are formed in the area of the aggregate station 40. This can also be designed such that the packs 10 or the units formed are transported further from a plurality of (four) packs 10 without changing the conveying direction and treated in the manner described.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10 pack 53 Abförderstation 11 outer wrapper 54 upper chord 12 front wall 55 single strap 13 rear wall 56 single strap 14 Side wall 57 Sealing and shrinking station 15 Side wall 58 hotplate 16 bulkhead 59 sealing web 17 bottom wall 60 sealing surface 18 tubular tabs 61 Transfer station 19 closure flap 62 end conveyor 20 tear 63 Research station 21 web section 64 Research station 22 web section 65 support plate 23 folding turret 66 track plate 24 Heft organ 67 railway bridge 25 lower chord 68 sealing web 26 takeaway 69 sealing surface 27 takeaway 70 finishing station 28 Faltweiche 71 hotplate 29 Stapling and shrinking station 72 sealing web 30 Heft Backe 73 round edge 31 guide piece 74 bevel 32 recess 75 shrink disk 33 Heft bridge 76 shrink disk 34 track plate 77 edges station 35 supporting web 78 edges station 36 Heft bar 79 edge land 37 attachment surface 80 edge land 38 heating plate 81 support plate 39 groove 82 support plate 40 Physical station 83 shaped edge 41 Vertikalgurt 84 shaped edge 42 Vertikalgurt 85 track plate 43 idler pulley 86 support organ 44 head Start 87 top plate 45 head Start 88 under plate 46 shrinking station 89 discharge conveyor 47 radiator 90 Cartridge Heater 48 cylinder 49 sealing station 50 seal body 51 sealing station 52 seal body

Claims (10)

1. A method of treating cuboidal packs (10) having an outer wrapper (11) made of sealable shrink-wrapping film, whose folding flaps (18, 19) are connected to one another by thermal sealing and whose walls are subjected to the action of in particular surface-area heat-discharging mechanisms for shrink-wrapping treatment, wherein the packs (10) are transported individually, one after the other in a row and at a distance apart from one another, characterized by the following features:

   a) during a first phase of transportation, the packs (10) are transported in cyclic fashion, with the distance between the packs (10) being maintained in the process,

   b) in an assembly station (40), a plurality of successive packs (10) are combined to form a unit, wherein all packs (10) of a unit are arranged in the same horizontal plane, wherein successive units are arranged in successive horizontal planes, and wherein the distances between the packs (10) of a single unit and the distances between successive units are maintained in respect of transportation and treatment,

   c) in the assembly station (40), the units made up of a plurality of packs (10) are transported further transversely to the supply direction in a joint conveying cycle in each case, that is to say in the vertical direction and at a distance apart from one another,

   d) during the upwardly directed, cyclic transportation of the units, when the packs (10) of a single unit are at a standstill, a plurality of processing stations (46, 49, 51) arranged one above the other provide for processing operations to be carried out on respectively all the packs (10) of a single unit, that is to say sealing with the application of heat and pressure, and/or shrink-wrapping treatment with the application of heat in the region of transversely directed side walls (14, 15) of the packs (10),

   e) once the processing operations have been carried out in the region of the assembly station (40), the packs (10) are transported away, and fed to further processing stations, with the unit being maintained in the process.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the packs (10) are fed individually one after the other, at a distance apart, to the assembly station (40) along a first, rectilinear (horizontal) path portion (21) and, following the assembly station (40), are transported further, in the form of units made up of a plurality of packs (10), along a following (horizontal) path portion (22), wherein the latter is offset vertically, in a manner corresponding to the operating height of the assembly station (40), in relation to the path portion (21).
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that at least three processing stations (46, 49, 51) are arranged (one above the other) in the assembly station (40), wherein, preferably in a first (lower) processing station (46), the flap-free side wall (15) is subjected to a shrink-wrapping treatment and, in further (subsequent) stations (49, 51), the flexible-tube flaps (18) are connected to one another by sealing.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that a plurality of operating stations for sealing sideways directed walls - end wall (16), base wall (17) - and for the shrink-wrapping treatment of the upwardly or downwardly directed front wall and/or rear wall (13) are arranged in the region of the path portion (22) which follows the assembly station (40).
5. The method as claimed in claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that, in the case of packs (10) - hinge-lid boxes for cigarettes - with complex, contoured pack edges, in particular with round edges (73) and/or oblique edges (74), surfaces in the region of said pack edges (73, 74) are subjected separately to a shrink-wrapping treatment by the transmission of heat and surface-area pressure, preferably in a region of the path portion (22) which follows the assembly station (40), by means of special shrink-wrapping mechanisms - edge crosspieces (79, 80).
6. An apparatus for producing cuboidal packs (10) having an outer wrapper (11) made of sealable shrink-wrapping film, in particular cigarette packs of the hinge-lid-box type, comprising a folding turret (23), a path portion (21) with belt conveyors (25), and an assembly station (40) with vertical belts (41, 42), wherein the apparatus furthermore has operating stations for tacking folding flaps (18, 19) of the folded outer wrapper (11) of the packs (10), for sealing the same and for shrink-wrapping the film, in each case using tacking mechanisms, sealing mechanisms and heat-discharging mechanisms, with the apparatus being designed such that

   a) following the folding turret (23) as the folding subassembly for the outer wrapper (11), the packs (10) can be transported individually and at a distance apart from one another in cyclic fashion by the belt conveyors (25) along the first path portion (21),

   b) the assembly station (40), which follows the path portion (21), serves for forming units made up of a plurality of packs (10) arising one after the other and at a distance apart from one another, wherein all packs (10) of the same unit are arranged in the same horizontal plane,

   c) each unit made up of a plurality of packs can be transported in the assembly station (40), and following this in the region of a further path portion (22), in the form of a unit, with the relative positioning of the packs (10) being maintained in the process,

   d) in the assembly station (40) and/or in the region of the following path portion (22), all packs (10) of a single unit can be subjected simultaneously to the action of appropriately designed sealing or shrink-wrapping mechanisms,

   e) the units which are formed in the assembly station (40) and are each made up of a plurality of packs (10) can be conveyed in cyclic fashion in the vertical direction, that is to say by vertical belts (41, 42) which are assigned to each pack (10) of a single unit and grip the packs (10) in a region directed towards an end wall (16) and base wall (17) of the packs (10) such that at least side walls (14, 15) of the packs (10) are exposed in the assembly station (40), wherein sealing and/or shrink-wrapping mechanisms act on each pack (10) in the region of an operating station (46, 49, 53) of the assembly station (40) during the standstill.
7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or one of the further claims, characterized in that, in the assembly station (40), in a first (lower) operating station - shrink-wrapping station (46) -, shrink-wrapping mechanisms, that is to say elongate heaters (47), act on flap-free side walls (15) of the packs (10), and in that, in the following operating stations - sealing station (49), sealing station (51) - these being active above the shrink-wrapping station (46), elongate sealing bodies (50, 52) are active on the side wall (14) which has the flexible tube flaps (18).
8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 or one of the further claims, characterized in that, in the operating stations (46, 49, 51), movable supporting mechanisms, in particular (short-stroke) cylinders (48), are applied to the side wall (14, 15) of each pack (10), the side wall being located opposite the processing mechanisms (47, 50, 52).
9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or one of the further claims, characterized by the following features:

   a) an (upper) conveying station (53) serves for transporting away the successively arriving units made up of a plurality of packs (10), with the distances between the packs (10) within a single unit being maintained in the process,

   b) the units are transported away transversely to the conveying direction of the vertical belts (41, 42) of the assembly station (40) by a removal conveyor, preferably by an upper belt (54) with drivers (26, 27) for gripping and fixing each pack (10) with a single unit on the upper side thereof, wherein transportation preferably takes place with conveying cycles corresponding to the number of packs of a single unit,

   c) the upper belt (54) can convey the packs (10), along the (horizontal) path portion (22), through a sealing and shrink-wrapping station (57), in which preferably downwardly directed large surfaces of the packs (10) - front wall (12) or rear wall (13) - are subjected to a shrink-wrapping treatment by heat-discharging plates (58) and folding flaps (19) of sideways directed walls - end wall (16), base wall (17) - are subjected to a sealing treatment by sealing crosspieces (59),

   d) the sealing and shrink-wrapping station (57) is followed by further operating stations for treating the packs (10), preferably following a transfer station (61), that is to say a final-treatment station (70), preferably with a heat-discharging plate (71) arranged on the upper side for subjecting upwardly directed large-surface-area walls - front wall (12) or rear wall (13) - to a shrink-wrapping treatment and with lateral sealing crosspieces (22) for a (final) sealing of folding flaps (19) of sideways directed walls (16, 17),

   e) the upper belt (54) can feed the packs (10), following the sealing and shrink-wrapping station (57), to a transfer station (61), in which the packs, preferably in the form of a unit made up of a plurality of packs, can be gripped by a final conveyor (62) in order to continue transportation, wherein the final conveyor (62), preferably beneath the movement path of the packs (10), is designed in the form of an endless belt with drivers (26, 27) for the packs (10).
10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or one of the further claims, characterized in that, for producing packs with contoured pack edges, in particular with round edges (73) and/or oblique edges (74), in at least one separate processing station - edge station (77, 78) - there are heated mechanisms, in particular elongate shrink-wrapping plates (75, 76) with protrusions - edge crosspiece (79, 80) - provided for the shrink-wrapping treatment of the round edges (73) and/or oblique edges (74), said mechanisms or plates having a forming edge (83, 84) which is geared to the shape of the pack edges and butts against the same for shrink-wrapping purposes, wherein preferably two operating stations, that is to say edge stations (77, 78), are set up with shrink-wrapping plates (75, 76) for the shrink-wrapping treatment of the pack edges (73, 74), wherein the shrink-wrapping plates (75, 76) are mounted such that, depending on the position of the pack edges (73, 74) which are to be treated, they can be moved up and down above or beneath the movement path of the packs.

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