EP3415018A1 - Carton carrier for cartons with rod-shaped products of the tobacco processing industry and installation for the transport of such carton carriers - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a carton carrier (1) for cartons (9) with rod-shaped products of the tobacco processing industry with a receptacle (2) which has a shape adapted to the outer shape of the cartons (9) and at least one side an opening (3) wherein the carton (9) is fixable relative to at least one edge (5) of the carton carrier (1) delimiting the opening (3).

Description

The present invention relates to a carton carrier for cartons with rod-shaped products of the tobacco processing industry having the features of the preamble of claim 1 and a system for transporting such carton carriers having the features of the preamble of claim 12.

The cardboard carriers or circulation cassettes serve for receiving and transporting cartons with rod-shaped products of the tobacco-processing industry, such as filter rods, arranged therein, and have a receptacle which is opened to one side and adapted in shape to the outer shape of the cartons. In a system for feeding the rod-shaped products into a superordinate device, a plurality of cardboard carriers with receptacles of identical shape, for example 10 cardboard carriers, are used in a circulation principle. The cardboard carriers in the system are loaded at a first station with a cardboard filled with products, then moved to a second station in which the products are removed from the box and finally moved to a third station in which the empty cardboard from the Cardboard carrier is removed before a new full cardboard is inserted into the receptacle of the cardboard carrier again. The boxes can be used multiple times. In a second plant, the boxes are filled with products in reverse order. It is not absolutely necessary that the boxes made of paper or cellulose material, it is also conceivable that plastic or metal boxes are used as boxes. The term cardboard is thus not limited to a material although the use of cellulose or paperboard cartons is preferred for weight and cost reasons. If an automated handling of the boxes is provided, it may also be preferred to produce the boxes made of plastic or metal with a specially designed for handling shaping.

The receptacle in the cardboard carrier is open at least to one side, so that the cartons can be manually and mechanically inserted into the receptacles and removed from these again. The products are stacked in the cartons with longitudinal axes parallel to one another, the longitudinal axes of the products also being aligned parallel to the area of the opening side of the cartons so that they are removed from the carton by a transverse movement to their longitudinal axes. The products are also arranged with their longitudinal axes perpendicular to the front side and to the back of the carton, so that the end faces of the products in the sum each form a plane which are arranged parallel to the front and the back of the carton. The depth of the carton thus corresponds to a stacking of the products in a single layer approximately the length of the products plus twice the wall thickness of the walls of the carton, while the height and width of the cartons is determined by the intended capacity of the cartons. Thus, the boxes are generally cuboid, and the images also have a cuboid shape with a small oversize to the outer dimensions of the cartons, so that the cartons can be easily manually or mechanically inserted into the recordings of the cardboard carrier. The boxes are after insertion into the recordings with their undersides on the respective bottoms of the recordings of the cardboard carrier.

The cartons are opened after or before insertion into the receptacles of the cardboard carrier on one side, so that the products contained therein in the second station of the system can be fed from the carton to the further processing process. To empty the boxes, the cardboard carriers are pivoted together with the cardboard boxes received therein in a delivery position in which the open side of the cartons is directed downwards, the open side is closed by a movable sword until reaching the delivery position and by removing the sword is only opened when the products are to emerge from the carton. The system further comprises a receptacle into which the products are removed for further processing, which is arranged in the delivery position of the cardboard carrier below the closed by the sword open side of the carton. To remove the products, the sword is withdrawn in the delivery position of the cardboard carrier from the open side of the carton, so that the open side is released and the products emerge from the cartons in the receiving container with gravity actuation.

It is important for the reliable removal of the products from the cartons or the emptying of the cartons that the cardboard carriers are aligned with the edges of their open front sides very accurately in relation to a defined delivery position and in particular with the smallest possible gap to the sword or are aligned to a counter surface of the second station. It is also important that the boxes in the images with their front sides and the open sides are arranged as close to the edges of the front side of the cardboard carrier, but these project beyond any case, so that the products firstly process reliable enter the receptacle and secondly, the products or the edge sides of the cartons are not damaged by the withdrawal movement of the sword. Thus, the cardboard carriers are provided by the shape and dimensions of their recordings exclusively for receiving boxes with special dimensions.

If products of other dimensions, e.g. other lengths in which cartons are to be packed or cartons of a different capacity are to be used, the cartons have different dimensions, with the result that, to accommodate those cartons, other carton holders with receptacles of other dimensions must be used.

From the WO 2014/209842 A1 If a cardboard carrier is already known, in which a height-adjustable bottom is additionally provided in the receptacle, so that also cartons with different heights can be received in the receptacle of the carton carrier and still with the open side in the defined delivery position to the edge side of the receptacle of the carton carrier are arranged. The disadvantage of this solution is that the cardboard carrier must be adjusted individually by the alignment of the soil individually to the dimensions of the new boxes, so it is a certain conversion process required, which represents a considerable amount of time in the conversion of all cardboard carriers a cycle. The operators of the system have given this a maximum time of 30 minutes as the upper limit for retrofitting all the cardboard carrier of the system, which can be a problem especially in an accurate adjustment of the position of the soil within narrow tolerance limits.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a cardboard carrier, which should be suitable by simple means for transporting and emptying of cardboard boxes with different dimensions. It is another object of the invention to provide a system for the transport of cardboard carriers, which should be improved with regard to the use of cardboard carriers with boxes of different dimensions.

According to the invention, a cardboard carrier with the features of claim 1 and a system with the features of claim 12 are proposed to solve the problem. Further preferred developments can be found in the subclaims, the figures and the associated description.

According to the basic idea of the invention, it is proposed that the cardboard can be fixed in relation to at least one edge of the cardboard carrier delimiting the opening.

The advantage of the solution according to the invention can be seen in the fact that regardless of its shape and size, the cardboard is always arranged or aligned in a defined orientation relative to the edge of the opening of the cardboard carrier. In conventional paperboard carriers, it is always assumed that the cardboard arranged in the receptacle rests on the base (bottom) of the receptacle so that the position of the base surface relative to the edge of the opening of the receptacle of the paperboard carrier is also due to the fixed geometry of the carton Defined edge side of the carton to the edge of the opening of the cardboard carrier. If the distance between the base and the edge is greater than the height of the carton, there is a gap between the top of the carton and the edge, or in the opposite case is the Cardboard beyond the edge of the cardboard carrier. Accordingly, as described in the prior art, the cardboard carrier must always be manually adapted to the respective carton. In the present invention, however, it has been recognized that, by fixing the carton in relation to the edge, the orientation of the carton to the edge is defined directly and independently of the location of the base to the edge and the shape or condition of the carton. As a result, for example, even smaller boxes with smaller heights or boxes can be kept in the recording with an altered by the continuous use external form, since the box is fixed directly opposite the edge, and he no longer has to rest with the ground on the base. For this purpose, the receptacle may preferably be dimensioned slightly larger in depth than the maximum height of the largest cardboard to be accommodated in the receptacle, so that the resting of the carton on the base is intentionally avoided and the position of the carton to the edge of the opening solely by fixing the carton is defined opposite the edge.

According to a preferred development, it is proposed that a fixing device is provided for fixing the carton in relation to at least one edge of the carton carrier delimiting the opening. In the fixing device is a manually operable or automatically, during the insertion movement of the cartons activated fixing device, in each case, the boxes are fixed by the fixing active in a desired position relative to the edge. In this case, the target position in which the cardboard is fixed by the fixing device, predetermined by the fixing device and the position of the fixing device to the edge. The fixing device does not need to fix the cardboard directly on the edge, it is sufficient if the cardboard on the fixing device is fixed with a certain portion in the receptacle, so that the edge of the carton is automatically positioned in a defined orientation and location relative to the edge due to the fixed geometry of the carton and the fixed spatial location of the fixator to the edge.

According to a preferred development it is further proposed that the fixing device is formed by a clamping device in which a wall of the carton can be clamped. The cardboard is thus held solely by a force exerted on the wall clamping force, it requires no other form-fitting attachment lug to the cardboard for transferring the necessary for the fixation of the cardboard holding forces.

In this case, the clamping device can preferably have a lever mechanism with a clamping arm, and the clamping arm can be arranged such that the wall can be clamped to an outer surface of the cardboard carrier. The carton can thereby be clamped very easily with an edge projecting tab between the clamping arm and the outer surface of the cardboard carrier. The tab can be used in addition to re-close an opening of the carton after filling the carton with products, or it can also already provided side surface of the carton, which is released to release the opening, as a tab in the sense of Be used for fixing the carton. The tab includes the edge at the top and thereby additionally prevents the carton from slipping into the receptacle, the tab in turn being fixed to the outside of the wall by the clamping force exerted by the clamping means and prevented from slipping over the edge. The holding forces required to hold the carton become Thus, in addition to the pressure exerted on the outer surface clamping forces additionally introduced via the top of the edge in the cardboard carrier, the cardboard is supported practically on the tab on the top of the edge of the cardboard carrier from.

It is further proposed that the cardboard carrier has carrying handles, which facilitate the gripping and transporting of the cardboard carrier, whereby the handling of the cardboard carrier is basically simplified.

In this case, the lever mechanism may preferably have at least one actuating arm, which is arranged starting from at least one of the carrying handles within reach. By the proposed further development, the lever mechanism can also be actuated during the carrying of the cardboard carrier, or in other words, the lever mechanism can be operated simultaneously with the gripping of the cardboard carrier. The clamping of the cardboard can be realized without additional time. Furthermore, during carrying of the cardboard carrier, the clamping device can be actively secured in the position fixing the cardboard by the person carrying the cardboard carrier holding the actuating arm during the carrying of the cardboard carrier.

Furthermore, at least one first spring device is preferably provided in a base area of the receptacle, which is designed in such a way that the cartons are resiliently supported on an underside oriented parallel to the edge. By the first spring means, the boxes can be pressed deep into the different depths of the recording and then fixed while maintaining the spring support on the fixing device with the orientation in the desired position to the edge of the cardboard carrier. It is important that the cardboard is supported on the underside aligned parallel to the edge, so that it is supported as evenly as possible in relation to the edge of the cardboard carrier resiliently.

In this case, the first spring device may preferably have a first leaf spring, which is aligned and shaped so that it comes to rest with a flat contact surface on the underside of the carton. The leaf spring thus lies flat against the underside of the carton and thus loads it as evenly as possible. Furthermore, the cardboard can be held by a correspondingly accurate alignment of the contact surface very accurately in an optimal position for the final fixation on the fixing.

It is further proposed that in the receptacle at least a second spring means is provided, on which the cartons come to rest laterally, whereby even deviations of the cartons can be compensated in width or cartons with slightly different widths while maintaining the lateral contact surfaces in the recording can be maintained ,

In this case, the second spring device may preferably have a second leaf spring, which is held on at least two mutually spaced clamping points and projects arcuately into the receptacle between the clamping points. By choosing the leaf spring as a spring in the spring device and its arcuate shape, the boxes can be inserted particularly favorably into the receptacle by the leaf spring is compressed continuously due to the sheet shape during insertion of the carton, and the cardboard thereby slides on the front side of the leaf spring. Furthermore, this creates a particularly well-fixed spring.

Furthermore, the first and / or the second spring device can preferably be adjustable in height and / or in the lateral alignment, so that the resilient contact surfaces can be adapted to cartons with different dimensions.

Further, a system for the transport of a cardboard carrier with the features of one of claims 1 to 11, is proposed to solve the problem, in which it is additionally proposed that a device for aligning the arranged in the receptacle boxes provided opposite the opening bounding edge of the cardboard carrier is.

The advantage of the improved system is that the boxes are actively aligned against the edge before emptying, so that the emptying process of the boxes can be carried out much more reliably. The alignment can be done both manually and using a drive device. If a fixing device is provided, the alignment can take place both before the fixing device is actuated, ie before the carton is set, and after the fixing device has been actuated, ie after the carton has been fixed, it being assumed that the cartons are also fixed Condition can be additionally aligned by slight deformations or displacements of the wall. The means for aligning the cartons consists in the fact that the carton can be actively inserted, so it can be aligned with respect to the edge, for which purpose, for example, a game or the first spring device between the carton and the cardboard carrier can be provided.

In this case, the boxes can be particularly easily aligned by the means comprising a counter surface, wherein the counter surface is positioned such that the received in the receptacle box during relative movement comes to rest and is urged into a predetermined orientation and arrangement in the receptacle. The boxes are aligned by the system on the opposite surface and the relative movement generated independently, the movement for conditioning of the carton to the mating surface and the subsequent alignment movement is of course preferably a single movement process. The final position and the orientation of the cartons at the end of the relative movement are determined by the position of the mating surface to the carton at the end of the relative movement. The relative movement can be realized both by a movement of the counter surface to the stationary cardboard carrier as well as by a movement of the cardboard carrier to the stationary counter surface, of course, both the cardboard carrier and the counter surface can be moved, so that the relative movement by a combination of two Movements is composed. In particular, the movement of the cardboard carrier into the emptying position of the cardboard box over the receiving container can also be used as a relative movement. The carton does not necessarily have to be moved into the desired position, if it is already in it, such a movement is of course not required. The most common case is that the carton is not fully inserted into the receptacle and is beyond the edge. In this case, the cardboard is pushed deeper into the receptacle by the abutment on the opposite surface until it is arranged in the desired position to the edge of the opening of the receptacle in the cardboard carrier. Furthermore, the relative movement can also be triggered manually by the cardboard carrier is pushed manually against the counter surface with the cardboard held therein.

Alternatively, the device can also preferably comprise a drive device for generating the relative movement between the cardboard carrier and the mating surface, by means of which the relative movement can be forced controlled.

Fig. 1

einen Kartonträger 1 in Sicht auf die Vorderseite; und

Fig. 2

den Kartonträger in Sicht auf die Rückseite; und

Fig. 3

einen vergrößerten Ausschnitt des Kartonträgers mit einer ersten Federeinrichtung; und

Fig. 4

einen Kartonträger mit einem darin gehaltenen Karton; und

Fig. 5

einen Ausschnitt aus einer Anlage mit einem darin gehaltenen Kartonträger und einer feststehenden Gegenfläche.

The invention will be explained below with reference to preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. It shows

Fig. 1

a cardboard carrier 1 in view of the front side; and

Fig. 2

the cardboard carrier in view of the back; and

Fig. 3

an enlarged section of the cardboard carrier with a first spring means; and

Fig. 4

a cardboard carrier with a carton held therein; and

Fig. 5

a section of a system with a held therein cardboard carrier and a fixed counter surface.

In the FIG. 1 a cardboard carrier 1 according to the invention can be seen, which has in its basic structure a rear wall 20, a front wall 23, two side surfaces 21 and 22 and a base 12, which in the FIG. 3 can be seen. The rear wall 20, the front wall 23, the side surfaces 21 and 22 and the base 12 together form a receptacle 2 with an opening 3, which in the form of the outer shape of it to be absorbed only in the FIGS. 4 and 5 to be recognized boxes 9 with products stored in it adapted or adaptable. The front wall 23 is dimensioned considerably shorter in height than the rear wall 20, so that the receptacle 2 is bounded on four sides only in a short lower portion in the circumference, while above the front wall 23 is limited only on three sides. Thereby, the cartons accommodated therein are fixed only in a lower portion in all four directions, while the front side of the cartons 9 in the upper portion thereof is free.

The basic geometry of the receptacle 2 can be changed by a plurality of adjustment means 19, 25 and 26, which are formed by a regular perforated grid and associated screws or fixing pins. Further, in the side surfaces 21, 22, the rear wall 20, front wall 23 and in the base 12 recesses 24 are provided, through which the weight of the cardboard carrier 1 and the force acting on the cartons 9 frictional forces can be reduced. The necessary dimensional stability of the cardboard carrier 1 can be achieved by the arrangement and the shape of the recesses, by the introduction of beads or other depressions and finally by the choice of the material of the cardboard carrier 1. Furthermore, a carrying handle 8 is provided in the side surfaces 21 and 22, by means of which the handling and the carrying of the cardboard carrier 1 can generally be improved.

Furthermore, in the receptacle 2 above the base 12, a first spring means 11 and on the rear wall 20, two lateral second spring means 15 are provided, the position of which can be changed by means of the adjusting means 25 and 15. The first spring device 11 comprises a first leaf spring 16, which is formed by a folded back in two folds 14 on itself layer of resilient metal or resilient plastic and forms a flat contact surface 13 for the held in the receptacle 2 carton 9 at the top. The second spring devices 15 each comprise a second leaf spring 17, which protrude into the receptacle 2 in an arcuate manner and are clamped at their ends via two clamping points 18 to the adjusting devices 26. The second leaf springs 17 are each formed of a resilient strip and aligned so that they form two lateral abutment surfaces for the boxes 9, which are aligned perpendicular to the rear wall 20.

On the rear wall 20 according to the invention a fixing device 4 in the form of a clamping device 6 is provided with a pivotable clamping arm 7 and in each case one in the carrying handles 8 projecting into the actuating arm 10. The fixing device 4 is in the FIG. 1 in the open and in the FIG. 2 recognize in the closed position and will be explained in more detail below in their function.

The receptacle 2 is set to the outer shape of the carton 9 before the cartons 9 are inserted in the mold. Particular care is taken here that the distance between the edge 5 and the abutment surface 13 of the first spring device 11 is smaller in the vertical direction and / or within a defined tolerance range to the height of the cardboard 9 to be accommodated in the receptacle 2, so that the upper edge the cartons 9 does not protrude beyond the edge 5 of the cardboard carrier 1 or the rear wall 20 and / or is arranged within a defined tolerance range to this. After adjusting the geometry of the receptacle 2 can be recorded therein 9 boxes with a certain geometry, the first and second spring means 11 and 15 can be used in the receptacle 2 by their spring properties to compensate for dimensional inaccuracies of the boxes 9 within predetermined limits , The cartons 9 are opened prior to insertion into the receptacle 2 at its upper side by a tab provided thereon 24 is pivoted to one side. Subsequently, the cartons 9 are inserted into the receptacle 2 with such an orientation that the side of the cartons 9, on which the tab 24 is held, adjoins the upper edge 5 of the rear wall 20 of the carton carrier 1. Subsequently, the tab 24 is folded over the edge 5 of the cardboard carrier 1 on the back of the rear wall 20. The fixing device 4 is located in the in the FIG. 1 shown open position. The tab 24 of the carton 9 is inserted between the outer wall of the rear wall 20 and the clamping arm 7 of the fixing device 4. Subsequently, the operator grips the actuating arm 10 when engaging in the carrying handles 8 and clamps the tab 24 by pivoting the actuating arm 10 and thereby forced pivoting of the clamping arm 7 between this and the outer wall of the rear wall 20 in the in the FIG. 2 shown position. Since the fixing device 4 is arranged in a fixed spatial relationship to the edge 5 of the rear wall 20, the carton 9 is also fixed by the fixing device 4 in a fixed spatial allocation and alignment with the edge 5 of the cardboard carrier 1. Thus, the Cardboard 9 aligned to the edge 5 of the cardboard carrier 1, which is also understandable because the proposed solution is not necessarily a support of the boxes on the contact surface 13 of the first spring means 11 is required, and the boxes 9 on the fixing device 4 in the Recording 2 will be held. Rather, it can also boxes 9 smaller height are introduced into the receptacle 2 and fixed in this. This is the result of the knowledge and solution according to the invention that the cartons are now held over the fixing device 4 instead of the sole support on the base surface 12 as before, and are now aligned directly opposite the edge 5.

In the FIG. 4 is the cardboard carrier 1 with a cardboard arranged therein 9 to recognize, which is held over the clamped tab 24 in the receptacle 2 of the cardboard carrier 1. In the FIG. 5 is a section of a system according to the invention to recognize, in which the cardboard carrier 1 is inserted with the cardboard 9 held therein. The carton 9 is despite the fixation on the fixing device 4 still in a position in which between the tab 24 and the edge 5, a small gap is still present, the carton 9 is therefore not yet in the final target position. This is achieved only by the cardboard carrier 1 is moved together with the cardboard received therein 9 in the arrow direction against a counter surface 27 of the system, which can be effected both manually and by means of a drive device. The counter-surface 27 is a fixed surface and is in a fixed spatial relationship to a movable sword 28. Due to the relative movement of the cardboard carrier 1 to the counter surface 27 of the carton 9 comes with the tab 24 to rest against the counter surface 27 and is thereby during the further movement deeper into the receptacle 2 inserted until reaching the desired position. So that the movement of the carton 9 is not disturbed, the fixing device 4 can be solved beforehand. The fixing device 4 then does not necessarily have to be reactivated, since the cardboard 9 also by the clamping of the tab 24 between the mating surface 27 and the edge 5 is fixed in the receptacle 2, wherein the clamping against the edge 5 in particular also provides an immediate fixing of the carton 9 relative to the edge 5 with the advantages described above. In this case, the relative movement of the cardboard carrier 1 to the mating surface 27 or thereby forced movement of the carton 9 in the receptacle 2 also made possible by the carton 9 rests with its base on the first spring means 11, and the first spring means 11 during the Movement is compressed, so can yield. By means of the first spring device 11, an elastic base 12 of the receptacle 2 is practically created, through which the carton 9 can dip into the receptacle 2 and is nevertheless supported, ie can not bulge.

After the carton 9 is inserted into the predetermined target position in the receptacle 2, the sword 28 can safely process over the open side of the carton 9 and this closing, without causing the risk that products are trapped, or that subsequently too large Gap between the sword 28 and the edge of the box 9 is present.

Claims (14)

Cardboard carrier (1) for cartons (9) with rod-shaped products of the tobacco-processing industry with a receptacle (2) which has a shape adapted to the outer shape of the cartons (9) and an opening (3) on at least one side,
characterized in that - The carton (9) in relation to at least one of the opening (3) limiting edge (5) of the cardboard carrier (1) is fixable. Cardboard carrier (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that - A fixing device (4) for fixing the carton (9) with respect to at least one of the opening (3) delimiting edge (5) of the cardboard carrier (1) is provided. Cardboard carrier (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that - The fixing device (4) by a clamping device (6) is formed, in which a wall of the carton is clamped. Cardboard carrier (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that - The clamping device (6) has a lever mechanism with a clamping arm (7), and - The clamping arm (7) is arranged such that the wall on an outer surface of the cardboard carrier (1) can be clamped. Cardboard carrier (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - The cardboard carrier (1) carrying handles (8). Cardboard carrier (1) according to claim 4 and according to claim 5, characterized in that - The clamping device (6) has at least one actuating arm (10), which is arranged starting from at least one of the carrying handles (8) within reach. Cardboard carrier (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - In a base (12) of the receptacle (2) at least one first spring means (11) is provided, which supports the boxes (9) on a parallel to the edge (5) aligned underside resiliently. Cardboard carrier (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that - The first spring means (11) comprises a first leaf spring (16) which is aligned and shaped so that it comes with a flat contact surface (13) on the underside of the carton to the plant. Cardboard carrier (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - In the receptacle (2) at least a second spring means (15) is provided, on which the cartons arrive laterally to the plant. Cardboard carrier (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that - The second spring means (15) comprises a second leaf spring (17) which is held at at least two spaced-apart clamping points (18) and between the clamping points (18) arcuately projecting into the receptacle (2). Cardboard carrier (1) according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that - The first and / or the second spring means (15,16) in height to the base surface (12) and / or in the distance to a side surface (21, 22) of the cardboard carrier (1) are adjustable. Installation for transporting a cardboard carrier (1) for cartons (9) with rod-shaped products of the tobacco processing industry with a receptacle (2) which has a shape adapted to the outer shape of the cartons (9) and at least one side (3)
characterized in that - The cardboard carrier (1) according to one of the characterizing parts of claims 1 to 11 is formed, and - A device for aligning the in the receptacle (2) arranged cartons (9) relative to the opening (3) limiting edge (5) of the cardboard carrier (1) is provided. Plant according to claim 12, characterized in that - The device comprises a counter surface (27), wherein - The mating surface (27) is positioned such that the cardboard received in the receptacle (2) by the execution of a relative movement of the cardboard carrier (1) to the mating surface (27) comes to rest against it and in a predetermined orientation and arrangement in the receptacle (2) is urged. Installation according to one of claims 12 or 13, characterized in that - The device comprises a drive means for generating the relative movement between the cardboard carrier (1) and the counter surface (27).

Images