EP3621789A1 - Device for transporting flat sheets and the subsequent forming of paper or cardboard boxes - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for the transport of flat sheets and the subsequent forming of paper or cardboard boxes, which comprises a mould (1) for forming the cardboard sheet (4a,4b), a plurality of suction cups (3), a gripper (5) and a plurality of forming wheels (6) placed at the wings (2) of the cross of the cardboard sheet (4b) to be formed, wherein the system, operating the transport with the use of both suction cups (3) and grippers (5), never loses contact with the sheet (4a,4b) to be formed, thus ensuring the optimal forming of the same.

Description

DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING FLAT SHEETS AND THE SUBSEQUENT FORMING OF PAPER OR CARDBOARD BOXES

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Field of the Invention

The invention refers to the transport of flat sheets, die-cut or not, from a storage area to a work area in a controlled way, and the subsequent forming of paper or cardboard boxes.

State of the art

The stacked cardboard, placed on the table of a loader, is picked up by a mechanism of suction cups and introduced between a pair of rollers that push it on guides that support it until it reaches the top of the forming heads.

During this path, the cardboard is supported only from the below and, therefore, is free to make rotations that compromise the following steps as well as being able to damage the raw material itself.

In fact, many systems for the transport of flat sheets and the subsequent forming of paper or cardboard boxes are known in the art.

In particular, EP2809507 describes a machine and a method for forming paper or cardboard boxes.

The device described involves transporting the cardboard sheets stacked in a warehouse by means of suction cups to the forming area, where they are released for the subsequent forming step by means of a shaping machine, no longer guided or supported so as to allow any movement of the sheet itself and consequently the imperfect shaping of the box.

Object of the invention

It is therefore felt the need for a device for the transport of flat sheets and the subsequent forming of paper or cardboard boxes that allows the transport of the cardboard from a storage area to a work area in a controlled way, without losing control over the position of the cardboard itself.

Summary of the Invention These objects have been achieved by developing a device according to one or more of the appended claims.

A first advantage is that the system, operating the transport with the use of both suction cups and grippers, never loses contact with the sheet to be formed, thus ensuring the optimal forming of the same.

A further advantage is that this system, by varying the descent speed of the forming mould and consequently the relative speed of the external forming counter wheels according to the height of the box, allows the forming force applied to the box to be kept within the minimum parameters that guarantee its integrity. Parameters are, for example, the type and specifications of the board, the die-cutting method, the thickness of the board etc. and can be determined either empirically by testing or by stress calculation, reducing the possibility of tears occurring.

These and other advantages will be better understood by anyone skilled in the art from the following description and the accompanying drawings, given as a non-limiting example, wherein:

- fig. 1 shows an overview of the device;

Detailed Description

With reference to the attached drawings, a preferred embodiment of a device for the transport of flat sheets and the subsequent forming of paper or cardboard boxes according to the invention is described.

The device includes a mould 1 for forming the cardboard sheet 4a, 4b, a plurality of suction cups 3, at least one gripper 5, preferably two placed orthogonally to the direction of advancement of the sheet, and a plurality of forming wheels 6 placed at the wings 2 of the cross of the cardboard sheet 4b to be formed.

During transport, the sheet 4a is lifted from a loading or picking area P using the suction cups and brought by the grippers to the forming area F where there is a mould 1 for forming the box, of traditional type per se. During loading, the grippers 5 move towards the cardboard 4a and tighten it firmly, and transport the sheet 4b below the mould 1 and loosen the grip. Only then the mould 1 press on the board 4b being formed and pass it through the moulding wheels 6, which, while rotating and translating, form the box, adapting it around the mould 1 .

The speed at which the mould 1 descends through the wheels 6 is inversely proportional to the height of the box in order to keep the forming force applied to the board within the minimum parameters that guarantee its integrity. Parameters are, for example, the type and specifications of the board, the die-cutting method, the thickness of the board etc. and can be determined either empirically by testing or by stress calculation, reducing the possibility of tears occurring, in order to avoid tearing.

Preferably, according to the invention, there are spray nozzles 7 placed along the path followed by edges 8 of the sheet to be closed, and configured to deliver hotmelt glue during the transport of the sheet from the picking area P to the forming area F.

Advantageously, with this solution, thanks to the accuracy of transport guaranteed by the use of grippers, it is possible to use fixed nozzles that deliver while the cardboard is being transported with a significant advantage in terms of process time and accuracy of the glue deposition. The present invention has been described according to preferred embodiments, however equivalent variants can be conceived without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1 . Device for transporting flat sheets and the subsequent forming of paper or cardboard boxes comprising a mould (1 ) for forming the cardboard sheet (4a,4b), a plurality of picking suction cups (3), and a plurality of forming wheels (6) placed at the cardboard sheet (4b) to be formed,

characterized by the fact that the system includes one or more gripping members (5), preferably one or more grippers, configured to transport the sheet without losing contact with the sheet (4a,4b) to be formed, thus ensuring its positioning and the optimal forming of the same.

2. Device according to claim 1 , wherein said gripping members

(5) comprises one or more grippers.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the descent speed of the moulding mould (1 ) and consequently of the external forming counter wheels (6) varies according to the height of the box, keeping the forming force applied to the box within predetermined minimum parameters associated with maintaining the integrity of the box, such as the type and specifications of the box, the die-cutting method, the thickness of the box, in order to reduce the possibility of tears occurring.

4. Device according to one of the above claims, wherein there are spray nozzles (7) placed along the path followed by edges (8) of the sheet to be closed, and configured to deliver hotmelt glue during the transport of the sheet from a picking area (P) to a forming area (F).

5. Device according to one of the previous claims, including a motorisation (9) of the mould (1 ) and control means (10) configured to control a descent speed of the mould (1 ) through the rollers (6) inversely proportional to the height of the box, in order to maintain the forming force applied to the box within predetermined minimum parameters associated with maintaining the integrity of the box, such as the type and specifications of the box, the die-cutting method, the thickness of the box, in order to reduce the possibility of tears occurring.

6. Device according to one of the previous claims, wherein said sheet is a die-cut sheet in the shape of a cross, for example "H-" or "T"- shaped, and said forming wheels (6) are placed at the wings (2) of the cardboard sheet (4b) to be formed.