EP3224038A1

EP3224038A1 - Method and device for correcting the folded position of a cut-out in a folder-gluer

Info

Publication number: EP3224038A1
Application number: EP15797862.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sacha Bourgeois; Dimitri Favini
Original assignee: Bobst Mex SA
Current assignee: Bobst Mex SA
Priority date: 2014-11-24
Filing date: 2015-11-10
Publication date: 2017-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 2035-11-10
Also published as: PL3224038T3; WO2016082937A1; TR201809938T4; JP2017538608A; TW201636269A; EP3224038B1; KR20170087929A; CN107206723B; KR101887838B1; TWI566984B; US11285684B2; US20180339479A1; CN107206723A; JP6397140B2; ES2679793T3

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for checking and correcting the position of a cut-out (10), which comprises the following steps: closing the folded right and left flaps (17, 18) which are located one above the other in an overlapping portion; checking the position of the right edge (13) and of the left edge (14) and comparing said actual position with a predetermined position so as to determine a position deviation; when the position deviation exceeds an admissible deviation value, before the adhesive sets: immobilising the central flap (19); then by gripping the upper surface of the right flap and the left flap using at least one vacuum suction cup (21, 23, 24, 26), respectively; and correcting the position of the left flap (18) and/or of the right flap (17) by moving the suction cup (21, 23, 24, 26).

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CORRECTING THE FOLDED POSITION OF A

CUTTING IN A BENDER

The present invention relates to the field of the manufacture of packaging, including packaging made from sheets or strips precut, including paper cuts, plastic or cardboard, whether flat, corrugated or mixed.

In particular, the present invention relates to the machine or the module which makes, from a blank or a cardboard cut already grooved, on the one hand the folding of two lateral flaps that fall back in the direction of a central assembly line, with a partial overlap of the outer edge of these flaps, and secondly the gluing of these two parts in the overlap zone for their subsequent maintenance in the folded position which has been imposed by the machine. Such a machine is called folder-gluer.

State of the art

Many machines of the prior art perform these combined folding-gluing operations, along a path that follows the longitudinal axis of the folder-gluer. During these processing operations of each carton blank, positional deviations of the two flaps are regularly encountered once they are folded and glued, relative to their desired position, whether due to a deviation of movable elements of the machine, and / or due to an offset positioning of all or part of the cut relative to the machine during its processing and / or because of a cut that has slightly different geometric characteristics compared to the ideal model of cardboard cutting.

A carton blank 10 is flat (see Fig. 1) in a general rectangle shape with two longer sides, forming the leading edge 11 for the first entering side in the folder-gluer machine, and the edge back 12 for the side that enters the last in the folder-gluer machine. When advancing the cut in the folder-gluer machine, according to the direction and the direction of the arrow A, this front edge 1 1 and this rear edge 12, which are parallel to each other, are generally orthogonal to the axis longitudinal XX 'of the folder-gluer. The two lateral sides of smaller length define the right edge 13 and the left edge 14 which are parallel to each other and to the longitudinal axis XX 'of the folder-gluer. The right edge 13 is the lateral side which is located to the right of the longitudinal axis of the folder-gluer, and the left edge 14 is the lateral side which is located to the left of the longitudinal axis XX 'of the folder-gluer. The right and left edges 13, 14 have a cut along their two end portions so as to delimit a right leg 13a and a left leg 14a in the central portion of the right and left edges 13 and 14. In some cutouts, the right leg 13a is absent, the edge 13 then being completely straight.

Two longitudinal lines represented in dotted lines correspond to the fold lines, materialized by the right longitudinal groove 15 and the longitudinal longitudinal groove 16, between which the central flap 19 is delimited. The right flap 17 is located between the straight groove 15 and the right edge 13. The left pane 18 is situated between the left longitudinal groove 16 and the left edge 14.

Figs. 2 and 3 show the blank 10, after folding and folding of the two flaps 17 and 18 on one another, and after bonding between the right leg 13a and the left leg 14a, in an ideal conformation. In the other cases of cutting, the right tab 14a is sticking directly on the flap 17 at the edge 13. In this situation, the right side 15 'of the folded-glued cut 10' is obtained at the location of the right longitudinal groove 1 5, and the left side 1 6 'of the folded-glued cut 10' is obtained at the location of the longitudinal longitudinal groove 16. In this case (see more specifically Fig. 2), the right edge 13 and the left edge 14 are spaced apart from each other, at the cutouts, with a gap Greef forming a reference gap of predetermined value and constant along the cuts. Thus in FIG. 2, the same value Greef is found at the location of the front edge 1 1 and the location of the trailing edge 12.

Two main positioning anomalies of the two lateral flaps 17 and 18 can in particular be distinguished. A first anomaly of positioning of the two lateral flaps, called gap, corresponds to a too large spacing between the right and left edges 14 of the two flaps 17, 18 folded and glued: a representation of this first anomaly is visible in FIG. 4, with a gap G 'forming a larger gap than the Greef.

A second positioning anomaly of the two lateral flaps 17, 18, called fishtailing, corresponds to a defect of parallelism between the edges 13 and 14 of the two lateral flaps 17, 18 folded and glued, most of the time accompanied by the same lack of parallelism. between the sides 15 'and 1 6'. A first configuration of this second anomaly is visible in FIG. 5: in this case, the edges 13 and 14 are convergent towards the front edge 1 1 so that they define a gap G 1 smaller (and possibly negative) between the front ends of the edges 13 and 14 than the gap G2 defined between the rear ends of the edges 13 and 14. In this case of rear fishtailing or fishtailing open, an angle a1 between the edges 1 3 and 14 is measured from the edge Back 12. A second configuration of this second anomaly is visible in FIG. 6: in this case, the edges 13 and 14 are divergent in the direction of the front edge 1 1 and converge toward the rear edge 12, so that they define a gap G1 larger (and possibly negative) between the front ends of the edges 13 and 14 that the gap G2 defines between the rear ends of the edges 13 and 14. In this case of front fishtailing or closed fishtailing, an angle a2 between the edges 13 and 14 is measured from the front edge 1 1. Of course, these two gap and fishtailing anomalies can be encountered simultaneously on the same cardboard cut.

EP 1932658 describes a method and a folder-gluer machine which uses, at two successive alignment modules, an alignment rule whose orientation with respect to the longitudinal direction of the machine is modifiable, so as to allow, by this angular offset, which is imposed on one and then the other side of the folded cutout, to catch at least part of the misalignment between the two right edges 13 and left 14. However, this This solution makes it possible to rectify in a systematic way the part of the misalignment which results from the mechanical movements of the machine and not from the shape or the reaction to the folding and other treatments specific to each carton blank.

In the machines of the prior art, position sensors make it possible to detect these anomalies after treatment of the cut in order to identify and eject the packages concerned by anomalies exceeding a predetermined dimensional tolerance threshold. Also, in the machines of the prior art, the correction of the identified anomaly systematically goes through the modification of the setting of the moving parts of the machine, but does not take into account the deformation of the particular cut from its non-compliant position in the machine, improper folding, improper cutting (contour), or improper grooving.

Summary of the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a method and a device for processing a cut in a folder-gluer for performing the correction of the position of the right and left flaps when folded one on the other, free limitations of known machines. Another object is to provide a method and a device for correcting the folded position of the right flap and / or the left flap of a cut, taking into account the individual situation of each cut. Another purpose is to correct or not, on a case by case basis, the folded position of the right flap and / or the left flap of a cut, in order to obtain cutouts that are acceptable for most cases. Thus, a maximum of cuts can be preserved for the future treatment and discard only a small number of cuts. In this way, material savings are realized since only few cuts are thus ejected from the machine to be discarded. According to the invention, these objects are achieved in particular by means of a method of processing a cutout intended to form, after folding-gluing, a folded flattened box, comprising the following steps:

a) providing a substantially planar cutout comprising a straight edge, a left edge, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a right longitudinal groove and a left longitudinal groove, the right longitudinal groove and the left longitudinal groove delimiting, with the edge right and the left edge at least three components including a right pane, a left pane and a central pane,

b) application of glue in an area of the right flap adjacent to the right edge and / or in a zone of the left flap adjacent to the left edge, so that glue is present in a covering portion between the right flap and the left flap c) folding the right pane 180 ° about the right longitudinal groove in the direction of the central pane, and folding the left pane 180 ° about the left longitudinal groove in the direction of the central pane,

d) closing the folded right flap and the folded left flap which are found one above the other at least in the covering portion,

e) controlling the folded position of the right edge and the left edge and comparing this effective position with a predetermined position so as to determine a positional deviation,

f) when the position deviation exceeds a permissible deviation value, performing the following substeps before taking the glue:

f 1) locking the central flap then

f2) grasping the upper face of the folded right flap and the left flap folded by respectively at least one sucker with vacuum, and

f3) correction of the position of the left pane and / or the right pane by moving the vacuum pad with vacuum,

g) pressurizing between the right flap and the left flap in the covering portion until the adhesive is set, and

h) release of the central flap, the right flap and the left flap. The use of suction cups with partial vacuum, allows to grasp and rectify the position of the folded right door and / or the folded left door, and without damage.

This solution has the advantage over the prior art of achieving the correction of the position of the folded flaps, only if the position control reveals that it is necessary and moreover with a correction adapted to the particular geometric situation of each cut considered.

Such a method can be implemented while the position of the cut, in the longitudinal direction of the folder-gluer, is substantially the same throughout the correction procedure. According to another embodiment, the method is implemented while the cutting advances in the longitudinal direction of the folder-gluer, either continuously or by jerks.

According to one embodiment, the locking of the central flap during the step f1) is performed by its lower face by locking means operating with a depression vacuum vacuum of the lower face. In this way, maintaining the central flap that does not damage the cut is achieved and it is easy to activate or stop it quickly.

According to the invention, these objects are also achieved in particular by means of a device for correcting the position of a cut in a folder-gluer, for a substantially plane cut comprising a straight edge, a left edge, a front edge, a rear edge, a right longitudinal groove and a left longitudinal groove, the right longitudinal groove and the left longitudinal groove delimiting, with the right edge and the left edge at least three flaps including a right flap, a left flap and a central flap the device comprising:

- Folding means of the right pane and the left pane,

means for controlling the relative position between the right edge and the left edge in transverse direction after folding the right flap and the left flap,

means for locking the central flap,

adhesive means capable of applying glue in an area of the right flap adjacent to the right edge and / or in an area of the left flap adjacent to the left edge, so that glue is present in a covering portion between the right pane and the left pane,

correction means comprising at least one suction cup for gripping the right flap and at least one suction cup for gripping the left flap, the suction cups being oriented downwards, movable vertically and transversely and capable of being subjected to of the vacuum, and - Pressure means for making a pressure contact between the right flap and the left flap in the covering portion.

Such a device makes it possible to fold the top of both the right flap and the left flap, over the central flap, folding the folded right flap and folded left flap which are found one above the other at least in the overlap portion, the installation of the glue, the control of the position of the right and left flaps, the possible realization of the correction of the position of the right flap, the left flap or both of the flap right and left pane, and maintaining the corrected position during the support between the right flap and the left flap in the covering portion until the glue. The order of operations mentioned above is not fixed, the glue can be installed before or after folding, before or after the position check, or before or after the possible correction.

The present invention also relates to a folder-gluer machine equipped with a correction device as described in the present text.

Brief description of the figures

Examples of implementation of the invention are indicated in the description illustrated by the appended figures in which:

- Figure 1 shows the projection of a cardboard blank;

- Figures 2 and 3 show the carton blank, after folding of the side flaps, respectively in top view and in view from the front, in the direction I II of Figure 2;

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are similar to Figure 2 and show configurations with different bending anomalies;

- Figures 7, 8 and 9 show the correction method according to the method of the invention, respectively for the bending anomalies of Figures 4, 5 and 6; - Figures 10A and 10B show, respectively for a first position and a second position, a view from below of an embodiment of the correction device according to the present invention;

- Figures 1 1 A and 1 1 B represent, respectively for the first position and for the second position, a partial side view of the embodiment of the correction device according to the present invention, respectively in the direction XIA of Figure 10A and in the direction XB of Figure 1 0B;

12 shows a view along the direction XI I of FIG. 11, showing from below the upper part of the correction device of FIG. 10; Figure 13 shows a partial side view of the embodiment of the correction device according to the present invention;

14 represents a view along the direction XIV of FIG. 13, showing from above a portion of the lower portion of the correction device of FIG. 13;

- Figure 15 shows a sectional view along the direction XV-XV of Figure 14;

FIGS. 16A and 16B represent, respectively for the first position and for the second position, a view from above in the direction XVI of FIG. 13, showing from above a portion of the lower portion of the correction device of FIG. 13; and

FIGS. 17A and 17B show, respectively for the first position and for the second position, a side view along the direction XVI of FIG. 13 showing, from the side, the lower part of the correction device of FIG.

Examples of embodiment of the invention

Fig. 7 illustrates the principle of the method for correcting a too large gap, namely with G '- Glef> 0. Thus, in this case, when after 180 ° folding of the right flap 17 and the left flap 18, a positional deviation is detected, namely the distance between the right edge and the left edge or gap, which is not in accordance with FIG. the permissible range, as for the gap G 'of FIG. 4 or FIG. 7, the following procedure is performed. After blocking of the central flap 19, the gripping of the upper face of the folded right door 1 7 is simultaneously performed by two suckers 21, 23 offset in the longitudinal direction and the gripping of the upper face of the left flap 18 folded by two suckers 24, 26 offset in the longitudinal direction.

For this purpose, the four suction cups 21, 23, 24 and 26 are lowered until they come into contact with the folded right flap face 17 facing upwards and with the face of the folded left flap 18 facing upwards. The four suckers 21, 23, 24 and 26 being vacuumed during the capture, a safe grip of the right pane 17 is obtained in two locations and the left pane 18 at two locations. Then, as a function of the value of the lateral position deviation (G '- Greef) between the right edge 13 and the left edge 14, and the possible need to refocus this gap on a median longitudinal line of the cut (superimposed with the axis X-X '), identified by a control of the position of the right edges 13 and left 14, the right pane 17 or the left pane 18 or both the right pane 17 and the left flap 18 will be moved laterally by displacement of a part or all the suction cups 21, 23, 24 and 26.

For this, the correction of the position of the left pane 18 and / or the right pane 16 is achieved by lateral displacement of the two suckers 21, 23 of the right pane 16 and / or the two suckers 24, 26 of the left pane 18, in order to change the distance between the right edge 13 and the left edge 14 to bring it back into the allowable range.

In a preferred embodiment, the two straight suckers 21 and 23, including the right front suction cup 21 and the right rear suction cup 23, are moved together. Thus, in FIG. 7, to bring the right edge 13 of the axis X-X ', the pair of straight suckers 21, 23 is moved to the left. In the same way, preferably, the two left suction cups 24 and 26, comprising the left front suction cup 24 and the left rear suction cup 26, are moved together. Thus, in FIG. 7, to bring the left edge 14 of the axis X-X ', the pair of left suction cups 24, 26 is moved to the left.

Figs. 8 and 9 respectively illustrate the principle of the correction method for rear fishtailing or front fishtailing. Thus, in this case, when after 180 ° folding of the right flap 17 and the left flap 18, a positional deviation is detected in the form of a parallelism defect between the right edge 13 and the left edge 14, with a angle value a1 or a2 exceeding a maximum allowable value, it is in the presence of a folding result not in accordance with the allowable range, and as for Figs. 5 and 6, the following procedure is carried out.

After blocking the central flap 19, simultaneously performs:

- The seizure of the upper face of the right flap 1 7 folded by a single right front suction pad 21 or rear 23 (the right front suction cup 21 in Figs 8 and 9 on which the right rear suction cup 23 is shown in dashed lines because it is not evacuated so that it does not catch the back of the right pane 1 7), and

- The entry of the upper face of the left flap 18 folded by a single left front suction cup 24, or rear 28 (the left front suction cup 24 in Figs 8 and 9 on which the left rear suction cup 26 is shown in dashed lines because it is not evacuated so that it does not grip the back of the right pane 1 7).

For this purpose, the four suckers 21, 23, 24 and 26 are lowered in right and left pairs, until coming into contact with the folded right flap face 17 facing upwards and with the folded left flap face 1 8 turned up. In the illustrated case, only the front suction cup 21 and 21 of each pair is placed under vacuum. Thus, when entering, we obtain a secure hold of the right pane 1 7 in one location (here at the front) and the left pane 18 in one location (here at the front). Then, depending on the value of the lateral position deviation between the right edge 13 and the left edge 14 (identified here by G1 - Gréf at the front and G2-GRéf at the rear, possibly taking into account the angle 1 or a2 measured between the right edge 13 and the left edge 14), and the possible need to refocus this gap on a longitudinal longitudinal line of the cut (superimposed with the axis X-X '), identified by a control of the position of the right edges 13 and left 14, we will angularly move the right flap 17 or the left flap 18 or both the right flap 17 and the left flap 18 by lateral displacement of one or both front suction cups 21 and / or 24. Alternatively, in a correction procedure not shown, this angular displacement is obtained by lateral displacement of one or both rear suction cups 23 and / or 26.

Thus, in the case of FIG. 8, the rear fishtailing is corrected by lateral displacement of the front suction cups 21 and 24 towards the outer lateral sides of the folded cutout 10, which are located on the same flap as the suction cup. Thus, as seen in FIG. 8, the right front suction cup 21 is moved towards the right side 15 ', ie to the right, and the left front suction cup 24 is moved towards the left side 16', ie to the left.

In the case of FIG. 9, the front fishtailing is corrected by a lateral displacement of the front suction cups 21 and 24 towards the outer lateral sides of the folded blank 10 which are located on the flap different from that on which the suction pad concerned is located. Thus, as seen in FIG. 9, the right front suction cup 21 is moved towards the left side 16 ', ie to the left, and the left front suction cup 24 is moved towards the right side 15', namely to the right.

Thus, it is understood that when the detected positional deviation is a parallelism defect between the right edge 13 and the left edge 14, the angular position of the left flap 18 and / or the right flap 16 is corrected using, for the right pane 16 and for the left pane 18, a single sucker that is vacuumed to perform the seizure of the corresponding flap, and which remains under vacuum during its lateral movement, thereby changing the orientation of the right pane 17 and / or the left pane 18 to bring the right edge 13 and the left edge 14 substantially parallel to each other.

This maneuver for modifying the angular position of the right flap 17 or the left flap 18 or both of the right flap 17 and the left flap 18 also functions by partial evacuation and lateral displacement of one or the other. another one of the front suction cup 21 (24) and the rear suction cup 23 (26): this entry at a single point of the concerned flap makes it possible to modify the angle formed between the edge of this flap and the axis XX ' as far as this catch point of the flap by the suction cup is not placed in the middle of the length (extended along the axis XX 'of the folder-gluer).

In the case, not shown, where the folded blank 10 suffers from both a non-permissible gap and a non-permissible parallelism defect, the invention also makes it possible to act and rectify the two anomalies. In practice, the correction of the gap is effected by lateral displacement of the two suckers of each pair, right and left, the four suckers 21, 23, 24 and 26 being in engagement with the right and left flaps 17, according to the previous explanations of FIG. 7. Then, we stop the suction of one of the two suction cups of each pair to correct the fishtailing as discussed above in connection with FIGS. 8 and 9.

The correction means comprise a pair of straight suction cups 21, 23 and a pair of left suction cups 24, 26 (see Figs 10 to 13 for the upper part of the correction device).

Also, for each pair of suction cups, a first suction cup 21 (24) is located at the front and a second suction pad 23 (26) is located at the rear. Moreover, the vacuuming of the first suction cup 21 (24) is controlled independently of the evacuation of the second suction cup 23 (26).

For ease of assembly and control, the two suction cups 21, 23 of the pair of straight suction cups are mounted on a straight support 31 for simultaneously moving the two suction cups 21, 23 and the two suction cups 24, 26 of the pair of suction cups. on the left support 32 for simultaneously moving the two suction cups 24, 26. In particular, in order to ensure the correction as described above, the simultaneous displacement of the two suction cups of each pair is carried out in a transverse direction (orthogonally to the direction of advancement A) and height.

Moreover, as can be seen in Figs. 10 and 1 1, in order to follow the stroke of the blank 10 in the direction of advance A while the correction is performed by the suction cups 21, 23, 24, 26, the right support 31 (left 32) is mounted by a right angle bracket 33 (left 34) to the rod 35 (36) of a straight linear motor 37 (left 38). A first position (see Figs 10A and 11A) corresponds to the rest position, pending the arrival of a new cut. A second position (see Figs 10B and 11B) corresponds to the end position when the blank has been folded, glued and possibly corrected.

The compression module 40 feeds the right suction cups 21, 23 into partial vacuum air through a straight pipe 41 and feeds the left suction cups 24, 26 with air under partial vacuum through a left pipe 42 (Figs 10 and 11). To control the position of the right edge 13 and the left 14 after folding the right flap 1 7 and the left flap 18, it is preferably used optical detection means, not shown. For example, optical detection is used as described in EP 0937573.

These detection means measure the difference between the right edge 13 and the left edge

14 after the folding of the right pane 17 and the left pane 18, at several locations along the longitudinal direction. In this way, by comparison means, the comparison of each of these measured values with the reference gap, of predetermined value Ge, is carried out and it is determined whether a correction is necessary. In this case, it is calculated which retrofit must be made to return the cut to the acceptable range of deviation.

Several cases are possible such as a catch-up by acting on the only left pane 18, on the only right pane 17, both on the left pane 18 and on the right pane 17, and, for the pane (s), by the two suckers of the pair (right or left) concerned (gap only), by a single sucker of the pair (right or left) concerned (fishtailing only), by the two suckers and then by a single sucker of the pair (right or left) concerned (gap and fishtailing).

By way of example, the right support 31 and the left support 32 have a longitudinal stroke (along the axis XX 'of the folder-gluer) of 200 mm thanks to the linear motors 37 and 38. This longitudinal stroke makes it possible to follow the cutting 10 during a part of its advance while performing the correction during the advancing along the advancement direction A. Also by way of example, the right support 31 and the left support 32 has a transverse travel (according to the direction orthogonal to the XX 'axis of the folder-gluer) between 10mm and 30mm. This transverse stroke is sufficient to make up for the anomalies encountered in most cases in the case of a cut of maximum size, for example 1 100mm by 1700mm. Pressure means for making a pressure contact between the right flap 17 and the left flap 18 in the covering portion.

The lower part of the correction device completes the elements allowing the advance of the cut in the longitudinal direction by locking means of the central flap 19 (see Figs., 1, 1A, 1 1B, 13, 14, 15, 16A, 16B, 17A and 17B). The elements allowing the advance of the blank 10 are endless belts 60, visible in number three in Figs. 16A, 16B, 17A and 17B and arranged parallel to each other under the suction cups 21, 23, 24 and 26. These locking means are intended to retain the cutout 10 by its central flap 19 by preventing it from lifting, or still move laterally including. Without this restraint of cutting by its central flap 19, the correction of the position of the right pane 17 and / or the left pane 18 could not be effected with efficiency and precision.

As can be seen in Figs. 13 to 17, an embodiment of these locking means 70 of the central flap 19 uses, as a gripping means of the central flap 19, vacuum vacuum setting of the lower face of the central flap 19. Thus, the vacuum partial air allows to retain from below the central flap 19 which is retained by suction as the vacuum is maintained. More specifically, the blocking means 70 comprise at least one ramp 71 equipped with nozzles 72 oriented upwards and able to perform a vacuum. The outlet of these nozzles 72 opens on a support plate 75 on which the cutout 10 rests while being able to be driven by the belts 60. In the case shown, two ramps 71 are each arranged along the one and the Other external belts 60. For this purpose, the nozzles 72 act as suction cups by sucking down the underside of the central flap 19 when they are supplied with air under partial vacuum. For this purpose, a pressurization module 73 supplies partial ramp air 71 to the ramps 71 via the pipes 74.

The ramp 71 is mounted (Figs 13 to 17) on a linear motor 80 accompanying the cut 10 during its travel along the longitudinal direction of the folder-gluer machine. Thus, to achieve the gripping of the central flap 19 by its lower face, and lock in height but also in the transverse direction of the folder-gluer, the vacuum of the ramps 71 is activated, whereby each nozzle 72 realizes a grip a surface of the lower face of the central flap 19, thus making it possible to perform the correction of the right flap 17 and / or the left flap 18.

For ease and quick release, the linear motor 80 is placed along the transport means that advance the cut along the longitudinal direction of the folder-gluer. In the illustrated embodiment, as shown in Figs. 16A and 16B, these means of transport are endless belts 60. Advantageously, three endless belts 60 are arranged over the width of the module of the folder-gluer, and along and outside the two outer belts, is mounted a ramp 71. In variant not shown, between each pair of belts 60 is mounted a ramp 71. In this way, the blanks 1 0 are driven by the belts

60 and are pressed down when the evacuation of the ramps 71 is activated.

The linear motors 80 accompany the longitudinal stroke of the blank 10 in all cases, whether there is correction or not. Also, the linear motors 80 are retracted and returned to the initial position rapidly after the departure of the blank 10 from the correction device and before the arrival of the next blank 10 in the correction device. Advantageously, the correction means Le. the suckers 21, 23, 24, 26, and the blocking means, ie the ramps 71, are able to advance in the longitudinal direction (Χ-Χ ') of the folder-gluer machine at the same speed as the cut 10 during its longitudinal course. In practice, a synchronization between the motor which controls the longitudinal travel of the right support 31 and the left support 32 and the motor which controls the linear motors 80 supporting the suction nozzles 71 is carried out.

Preferably, the bonding is carried out before the folding of the right flap 17 and the left flap 18. However, it is essential to avoid taking the glue in the overlap portion between the right flap 17 and the left flap 18 before and during the control of the position (ie during steps d), e)), and during the eventual position correction (step f)). For this purpose, according to an advantageous arrangement, partially illustrated in FIG. 13, the contact between the right flap and the left flap is prevented by an element 90 inserted between the right flap 17 and the left flap 18, and before step g) the element 90 is removed and a contact is made under pressure between the glue, the right flap 17 and the left flap 18 in the covering portion, preferably until the glue.

In the machine, the correction device preferably further comprises an element 90 adapted to be inserted between the right flap and the left flap before folding, and able to be removed after the correction. In FIG. 13, we see a partial representation of this element 90 which can be in the form of a rod fixed by its rear end from the top and allowing the passage of the cut just below the element 90. It s' is an embodiment where the folding and correction of the cut is performed during the advance of the cutout 10. When performing the folding of the right flap 1 7 and the left flap 1 8, and during the control of position and the possible correction, the right pane 17 and the left pane 1 8 are found above the rod, itself above the central pane 19. Then after correction, and when the pinch rollers act by pressing downwards, the more advanced position of the cutout 10 allows clearance of the rod which is then output from the cutout, whereby the contact between the right flap 17, the left flap 18 and the central flap 19 is provided for allow the glue to be taken

In another embodiment, this element 90 can be removed. The correction of the position of the right flap 18 and the left flap 17 relative to the central flap 19, is done in a sufficiently short time to allow this correction before taking the glue. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated. Many modifications can be made, without departing from the scope defined by the scope of the set of claims. A folder-gluer may also be a folding-gluing unit, mounted for example in an in-line machine, downstream of a flexo printing, and a rotary cut.

Claims

A method of processing a cutout (10) for forming, after folding-gluing, a folded flattened box, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a substantially planar cut (10) comprising a straight edge (13), a left edge (14), a leading edge (1 1), a trailing edge (12), a right longitudinal groove (15) and a longitudinal longitudinal groove (16), the right longitudinal groove (15) and the left longitudinal groove (16) delimiting, with the right edge (13) and the left edge (14) at least three flaps, among which a right flap (17). ), a left pane (18) and a central pane (19),

b) applying glue in an area of the right flap (17) adjacent to the right edge (13) and / or in an area of the left flap (18) adjacent to the left edge (14), so that glue is present in a covering portion between the right flap (17) and the left flap (18),

c) 180 ° folding of the right flap (17) around the right longitudinal groove (15) in the direction of the central flap (19), and 180 ° folding of the left flap (18) around the left longitudinal groove (16) in the direction of the central flap (19), d) closing the folded right flap (17) and the folded left flap (18) which are found one above the other at least in the covering portion, e) controlling the position of the right edge (13) and the left edge (14) and comparing this effective position with a predetermined position so as to determine a positional deviation,

f1) locking the central flap (19), then

f2) grasping the upper face of the right flap (17) folded and the left flap (18) folded by respectively at least one suction cup (21, 23, 24, 26) with vacuum, and

f3) correcting the position of the left flap (18) and / or the right flap (17) by moving the suction cup (21, 23, 24, 26) with vacuum,

h) releasing the central flap (19), the right flap (17) and the left flap (18).

The method of claim 1, wherein when the detected positional deviation is a distance between the right edge and the left edge, not conforming to the range permissible, step f2) is implemented, for the right flap and for the left flap (18), with two suckers (21, 23, 24, 26) offset in the longitudinal direction and put under vacuum during the capture, and the step f3) is implemented with lateral displacement of the two suckers (21, 23, 24, 26) of the right flap (17) and / or the left flap (18), in order to modify the distance between the right edge (13) and the left edge (14) to bring it back into the permissible range.

The method of claim 1, wherein when the detected positional deviation is a parallelism defect between the right edge and the left edge, step f2) is implemented, for the right pane and for the left pane (18). ), with only one suction cup (21, 23, 24, 26) vacuumed during the capture, and step f3) is implemented with lateral displacement of the suction cup (21, 23, 24, 26) of the shutter right and / or left pane (18), to change the orientation of the right pane and / or the left pane (18) and bring the right edge (13) and the left edge (14) substantially parallel to each other.

Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking of the central flap in step f1) is performed by its lower face by blocking means operating with vacuum vacuum depression of the lower face.

Device for correcting the folded position of a blank (10) in a folder-gluer for a substantially planar blank (10) comprising a straight edge, a left edge, a front edge, a rear edge, a straight longitudinal groove ( 15) and a left longitudinal groove (16), the right longitudinal groove (15) and the left longitudinal groove (16) delimiting, with the right edge and the left edge at least three flaps, among which a right flap (17), a left pane (18) and a central pane (19), the device comprising:

means for folding the right flap (17) and the left flap (18),

means for controlling the relative position between the right edge and the left edge in transverse direction after folding the right flap (17) and the left flap (18),

- Locking means (71) of the central flap (19),

- Adhesive means capable of applying glue in an area of the right flap (17) adjacent to the right edge (13) and / or in an area of the left flap (18) adjacent to the left edge (14), so that glue is present in a covering portion between the right flap (17) and the left flap (18), - means for correcting the position of the left flap and / or of the right flap, comprising at least one suction cup (21, 23, 24, 26) for gripping the right flap and at least one suction cup (21, 23, 24, 26) for gripping the left flap, the suction cups ( 21, 23, 24, 26) being oriented downwards, movable vertically and transversely and able to be subjected to vacuum.

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the correction means comprises a pair of straight suction cups (21, 23) and a pair of left suction cups (24, 26).

Device according to claim 5, wherein, for each pair of suction cups (21, 23; 24, 26), a first suction cup is located at the front and a second suction cup is located at the rear, and in that the setting under vacuum of the first suction cup is controlled independently of the vacuum of the second suction cup.

Device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the two suction cups (21, 23) of the pair of straight suction cups are mounted on a right support (31) for simultaneously moving the two suction cups and in that the two suction cups (24, 26) of the pair of left suction cups are mounted on a left support (32) for simultaneously moving the two suction cups.

Device according to one of claims 5 to 8, further comprising a member (90) adapted to be inserted between the right flap (17) and the left flap (18) before folding, and adapted to be removed after the correction.

Device according to one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the control means comprise an optical detection. Device according to one of claims 5 to 1 0, wherein the locking means are adapted to achieve a vacuum vacuum of the underside of the central flap of the blank (10).

12. Device according to claim 1 1, wherein the locking means comprise at least one ramp (71) equipped with nozzles (72) oriented upwards and able to perform a vacuum.

13. Device according to claim 12, wherein the ramp (71) is mounted on a linear motor (80) accompanying the cutout (1 0) during its stroke and in that in case of correction, the vacuum is activated.

14. Device according to one of claims 5 to 13, wherein the correction means and the locking means are further adapted to advance in the longitudinal direction at the same speed as the cutout (10) during its longitudinal stroke.

15. Folder-gluer machine equipped with a correction device according to one of claims 5 to 14.