EP4122833A1 - Packaging system and method for feeding cardboard blanks - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a packaging system (1) which comprises a thermoforming packaging machine (2) which is designed to produce packaging (V) in a production direction (P) and a feed system (3) for the thermoforming packaging machine (2), the feed system (3) has at least one conveyor belt device (16), which is configured to transport carton blanks (K) in a transport direction (T) running transversely to the production direction (P) of the thermoforming packaging machine (2) into a machine frame (8) of the thermoforming packaging machine (2 ) formed transfer area (18), and wherein the feed system (3) comprises a lifting device (19) arranged in the transfer area (18) for receiving and lifting the carton blanks (K) transported into the transfer area (18) by means of the conveyor belt device (16). , wherein the lifting device (19) independently controls several positioned one behind the other in the transport direction (T). movable lifting units (19A, 19B, 19C, 19D). Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding method.

Description

The present invention relates to a packaging system according to claim 1. The invention also relates to a method according to claim 10.

EP 3 617 076 A1 discloses a packaging system that has a thermoforming packaging machine and a feed system for prefabricated cardboard trays. The feed system is designed to transfer the cardboard trays in a transport direction, which runs transversely to the production direction of the thermoforming packaging machine, to a lifting gear arranged within the machine frame of the thermoforming packaging machine, which is configured as a height-adjustable conveyor belt, in a predetermined pack format. The cardboard trays transferred to the hoist are transferred together to a suction plate that can be moved horizontally within the machine frame of the thermoforming packaging machine. The suction plate transports the cardboard shells received on it to a forming station which is designed to connect the respective cardboard shells to a deep-drawn lower packaging part.

In the transfer area of the thermoforming packaging machine, in this known solution, the cardboard trays are already positioned on the hoist in a predetermined pack format, which is formed according to a lane and row division of the thermoforming packaging machine. The cardboard shells provided in this way are then lifted as a group, transferred to the suction plate and transported onward. This is possible because the predetermined cardboard tray pack format corresponds to the lane and row division of the thermoforming packaging machine.

The problem is that the already prefabricated cardboard trays have to be fed to the thermoforming packaging machine at a predetermined height due to their tray height, because they are transported into the transfer area below the upper side frame and transferred to the lifting mechanism. Thus, the hoist works with a long stroke length, which can reduce the productivity rate of the packaging system. In addition, the cardboard trays are prefabricated and stored at high cost before they are used on the thermoforming packaging machine. In addition, it is difficult to transport the cardboard shells into the transfer area precisely in the predetermined pack format, particularly when high conveying speeds are required.

The object of the invention is to provide a packaging system and a method by which the disadvantages described above in connection with the prior art can be eliminated.

This object is achieved by means of a packaging system according to claim 1 and using a method according to claim 10. Advantageous developments of the invention are given by the respective dependent claims.

The invention relates to a packaging system that includes a thermoforming packaging machine that is designed to produce packaging in one production direction, and a feed system for the thermoforming packaging machine. The feed system has at least one conveyor belt device which is configured to transport carton blanks in a transport direction running transversely to the production direction of the thermoforming packaging machine into a transfer area formed within a machine frame of the thermoforming packaging machine. Furthermore, the feed system has a lifting device arranged in the transfer area for picking up and lifting the carton blanks transported into the transfer area by means of the conveyor belt device.

According to the invention, the lifting device comprises a plurality of lifting units which are positioned one behind the other in the transport direction and can be controlled independently of one another. The respective lifting units can thus be adjusted separately, resulting in the technical advantages described below.

The carton blanks, which are transported along the conveyor belt device and are essentially flat, can be produced inexpensively, stored in a space-saving manner and fed to the thermoforming packaging machine in a compact manner. In particular, the flat carton blanks can be transported into the transfer area just below the upper frame of the machine frame. Due to their larger contact surface compared to prefabricated cardboard trays, the flat cardboard blanks can be transported into the transfer area very precisely and at higher conveying speeds. Above all, the cardboard blanks do not slip during transport.

However, the respective flat carton blanks transported into the transfer area and provided in an initial format on the conveyor belt device usually have a larger pitch, i.e. larger distances from one another, than the track pitch transverse to the production direction of the thermoforming packaging machine. In this case, therefore, the output format of the carton blanks fed one after the other to the transfer area does not correspond to the predetermined pack format of the thermoforming packaging machine.

The lifting device used on the packaging system according to the invention solves this challenge in that it itself has several lifting units that are positioned one behind the other in the transport direction of the conveyor belt device and can be controlled independently of one another.

With these, it is possible to sequentially remove the carton blanks that have been transported into the transfer area in one or more rows along the transport direction from the conveyor belt device, so that the carton blanks positioned behind them can move up within the transfer area. The respective lifting units and the conveyor belt device can thus form the predetermined pack format.

According to the invention, therefore, the actual formation of the predetermined pack format takes place, in particular using the individual lifting units, which sequentially lift the supplied carton blanks from the conveyor belt device within the transfer area and thus create the possibility that the respective carton blanks arranged behind them move up step by step to form the predetermined pack format. This intermittent lifting and advancing principle forms the basis for forming the predetermined pack format in a simple manner only inside the machine frame of the thermoforming packaging machine, so that the technical advantages mentioned above in connection with the feeding of carton blanks can be maintained.

The lifting and advancing principle used here is based on the knowledge that a carton blank lying on the conveyor belt device in accordance with the predetermined pack format is lifted by a lifting unit so that a carton blank lying directly behind it on the conveyor belt device and which is not yet in accordance with the predetermined pack format, is moved into a desired position according to the predetermined pack format, from which it can be lifted according to the predetermined pack format by another of the separately formed lifting units, etc.

Accordingly, the invention offers an economically advantageous solution for how carton blanks can be fed precisely to a thermoforming packaging machine with increased productivity and further processed in a transfer area formed therein with regard to a predetermined pack format. The lifting units used within the transfer area, which can be controlled independently of one another, i.e. are individually height-adjustable, make it possible for the carton blanks fed into the transfer area in the original format to be sequentially removed from the conveyor belt device with regard to a lane division of the thermoforming packaging machine and thus moved up to one another in order to achieve the desired lane division form.

In particular, the lifting units positioned one behind the other in the transport direction in the transfer area, starting with the one positioned at the front in the transport direction Lifting unit, individually controllable in succession to lift the respective carton blanks. The flat carton blanks transported along the direction of transport in an initial format into the transfer area, which in this initial format have a larger pitch than the track pitch specified by the thermoforming packaging machine, can each be brought into a desired pick-up position by means of the conveyor belt device and, using the respective lifting units, one after the other in the opposite direction Raise the transport direction of the conveyor belt device from the conveyor belt device, so that the carton blanks still arranged behind it on the conveyor belt device in the output format can move up intermittently in the transport direction. The carton blank provided at the front in the transport direction is positioned and lifted according to the predetermined pack format, then the next carton blank arranged in the row is positioned and raised according to the predetermined pack format, etc. This is repeated until the last one or the last ones are in the transfer area Carton blanks are positioned and raised according to the predetermined pack format. With the aid of this rearrangement scheme, it is possible for the carton blanks, which were originally in the original format, to be easily brought into the predetermined pack format in accordance with the track spacing of the thermoforming packaging machine.

Preferably, the lifting units are each designed to receive and lift a plurality of carton blanks positioned next to one another transversely to the direction of transport. Here, the respective lifting units are configured to pick up several carton blanks positioned next to one another at the same time.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the lifting units each have at least one folding tool for producing shell parts from the respective carton blanks received on the lifting units. In addition to their actual function of picking up the respective carton blanks from the conveyor belt device, the lifting units in this variant therefore have the additional function of folding the carton blanks picked up on them into shell parts. This offers the advantage that the tray parts are only produced in the production flow of the packaging system shortly before they are used in the forming station of the thermoforming packaging machine, which has proven to be advantageous both upstream and downstream. On the one hand, the feeding of cardboard blanks, as explained above, is absolutely advantageous and, on the other hand, deformation effects on the folded shell parts can also be reduced in this way.

A variant provides that the respective lifting units can be controlled separately pneumatically. For this, the respective lifting units can each have at least one pneumatic cylinder which can be adjusted between a retracted and an extended position. The respective pneumatic cylinders can be arranged in a compact design in the transfer area below the conveyor belt device.

In the transfer area, the feed system preferably has at least one adjustable positioning device assigned to the conveyor belt device for aligning the carton blanks transported into the transfer area by means of the conveyor belt device. The positioning device ensures that the carton blanks transported into the transfer area are precisely aligned one after the other over the respective lifting units so that they can be optimally picked up by them.

The positioning device could, for example, have pneumatically controllable positioning elements, in particular positioning pins that can be retracted and extended, along the stretch of the conveyor belt device formed within the transfer area, which can be retracted and extended independently of one another. It would be conceivable for the positioning elements to be present as molded parts, with which the respective carton blanks can be guided into a desired position and aligned therein. In the extended state, positioning elements protrude between belts of the conveyor belt device and form an alignment aid and a stopper for the carton blanks transported on them.

Preferably, the positioning elements can be sequentially controlled depending on the lifting and advancing principle of the lifting units, so that the carton blanks transported into the transfer area can be moved up to the respective positioning elements one after the other in order to be in contact with them at the respective receiving positions, i.e. exactly above the respective lifting units. to be stopped.

According to an embodiment variant of the invention, it is provided that the feed system has a gripper device mounted within the machine frame of the thermoforming packaging machine and adjustable between the transfer area and a forming station of the thermoforming packaging machine. The gripper device is configured in particular to pick up the folded shell parts and transfer them to a lower part of the forming tool of the forming station in the predetermined pack format.

In particular, the gripper device has a plurality of gripper units which are configured as suction grippers. Preferably, the gripper units each have at least two suction units, which can suck a shell part produced by means of the folding tool at its bottom and/or side wall and transport it further. An expedient variant provides that the gripper units each have a groove running around its circumference, in which folded edge sections of a shell part can be held. This ensures that the shell parts folded by means of the folding tool are transferred to the forming station in a dimensionally stable manner, ie the folded edge sections do not fold back.

It is conceivable that the gripper device has a plurality of gripper units that are jointly height-adjustable and/or a plurality of gripper units that can be adjusted relative to one another in the direction of production. This makes it possible to pick up the shell parts that have been lifted into the respective transfer positions by means of the respective lifting units together by means of the height-adjustable gripper units, with the result that process cycle times can be optimized. For example, the transfer level selected for the transfer can be determined here in such a way that the lifting distances of the respective lifting units are reduced to a maximum, taking into account the folding process, with the height adjustment of the respective gripper units being adapted in this regard to the prefabricated, i.e. folded shell parts during the respective lifting movement together to pick up.

The variant mentioned above, according to which the gripper device has several gripper units that can be adjusted relative to one another in the direction of production of the thermoforming packaging machine, makes it possible for the shell parts picked up on the gripper device, even if they have already been picked up by the gripper units, to still be on the gripper device in the direction of production of the Let the thermoforming packaging machine move towards each other. In this way, a possibly existing division difference of the respective shell parts picked up on the gripper device with regard to the predetermined row division of the pack format, which is to be made available to the forming station, can be compensated for. For this function, it would be conceivable for at least one adjustment mechanism that can be controlled in the production direction of the thermoforming packaging machine to be configured on the gripper device, e.g. a pneumatically actuated linear drive, by means of which the respective rows of gripper units arranged transversely to the production direction can be moved towards one another. These rows are preferably adjusted simultaneously, in particular during a transfer movement of the gripper device towards the forming station.

The conveyor belt device is preferably designed in the form of a belt belt. The belt band has at least two transport belts mounted parallel to one another. The carton blanks that are transported into the transfer area on the belt conveyor can be easily picked up by the respective lifting units. These can namely between the Transport belt of the belt band are raised through to receive the respective carton blanks from the belt band and raise.

Above all, the belt conveyor can be controlled in such a way that the carton blanks placed on it are provided in the above-described moving-up process, one after the other and at different times, at their respective receiving positions above the lifting units, from which they can be picked up and lifted one after the other by means of the lifting units. This makes it possible to arrange the respective carton blanks relative to one another in accordance with the track pitch of the predetermined pack format, which corresponds to the track pitch of the thermoforming packaging machine.

For precise feeding of the respective carton blanks, it would be possible for the conveyor belt device to be configured as a vacuum belt system. This allows the respective carton blanks to be sucked onto the conveyor belts on the way to the thermoforming packaging machine, which means that high adjustment speeds and accelerations are possible. As an alternative to this, the transport belts could be designed as smooth plastic belts with drivers.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for feeding carton blanks arranged one behind the other in a row in a transport direction into a transfer area formed within a machine frame of a thermoforming packaging machine. According to the invention, a carton blank positioned in the row within the transfer area in the transport direction is transported into a first pick-up position and lifted out of this position before a carton blank positioned immediately behind it in the row in the transport direction moves up into a second pick-up position within the transfer area in the transport direction.

Using this conveyor concept, carton blanks transported into the transfer area can be moved together in an initial format with regard to a predetermined track spacing of the thermoforming packaging machine, i.e. brought into a predetermined pack format. In particular, the technical challenge that the carton blanks transported into the transfer area in the original format have a larger pitch than the track pitch of the thermoforming packaging machine can be easily solved. This results in technical advantages both outside the thermoforming packaging machine and inside the thermoforming packaging machine for the transport and further processing of the carton blanks. Above all, the carton blanks can be provided more cost-effectively outside of the thermoforming packaging machine and can be fed to the thermoforming packaging machine in a compact manner. Furthermore, this creates in particular in qualitative and economic terms Advantages, since the respective carton blanks are only folded into shell parts inside the thermoforming packaging machine, ie in the production flow near the forming station, and these can be transferred directly to the forming station in the predetermined pack format.

A preferred variant provides that the carton blank transported to the first pick-up position is lifted out of the pick-up position, folded and moved as a shell part into a first transfer position before the carton blank positioned immediately behind in the row within the transfer area in the transport direction into the second pick-up position moves up. Using this moving-up principle, the respective carton blanks arranged within the transfer area can be picked up one after the other by the conveyor belt device from a moving-up position, folded and lifted into the respective transfer positions, so that they are adjusted within the transfer area to a pack format that is closer together in the transport direction than their original format they are arranged as shell parts in their respective transfer positions.

One variant provides that several rows formed next to one another in the transport direction, with carton blanks positioned one behind the other as a pack format, are transported into the transfer area at the same time, with several carton blanks adjacent transversely to the transport direction being transported at the same time in the transport direction into respective first, mutually adjacent receiving positions, from these lifted out, folded and moved as shell parts into respective first, mutually adjacent transfer positions, before several adjacent carton blanks positioned immediately behind them transversely to the transport direction move up simultaneously with each other in the transport direction into respective second, mutually adjacent receiving positions, from which they are lifted, folded and as Shell parts are moved into respective second, mutually adjacent transfer positions. This allows carton blanks transported in multiple rows and at the same time in multiple lanes into the transfer area to be successively positioned in aligned rows in the production direction, lifted, folded and lifted into the respective transfer positions for transfer to the gripper device.

Fig. 1

Eine erfindungsgemäße Verpackungsanlage in schematischer Seitenansicht,

Fig. 2

eine schematische Querschnittdarstellung des innerhalb der Tiefziehverpackungsmaschine ausgebildeten Übergabebereichs,

Fig. 3

die Arbeitsweise einer Hubeinheit in schematischer Darstellung,

Fig. 4A - 4O

ein Verfahrensablauf zum Bilden eines vorbestimmten Packungsformats innerhalb des Maschinengestells der Tiefziehverpackungsmaschine.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. show:

1

A packaging system according to the invention in a schematic side view,

2

a schematic cross-sectional representation of the transfer area formed within the thermoforming packaging machine,

3

the operation of a lifting unit in a schematic representation,

Figures 4A - 4O

a process sequence for forming a predetermined pack format within the machine frame of the thermoforming packaging machine.

Identical components are provided with the same reference symbols throughout the figures.

figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a packaging system 1 which has an intermittently operating thermoforming packaging machine 2 and a feed system 3 for the thermoforming packaging machine 2 . The thermoforming packaging machine 2 has a forming station 4, a sealing station 5, a transverse cutting device 6 and a longitudinal cutting device 7, which are arranged in this order in a production direction P on a machine frame 8. On the input side there is a feed roller 9 on the machine frame 8, from which a lower film 10 is drawn off. In the illustrated embodiment, the forming station 4 is designed as a deep-drawing station, in which depressions M are formed in the lower film 10 by deep-drawing, for example by means of compressed air and/or vacuum. In this case, the forming station 4 can be designed in such a way that in the direction perpendicular to the production direction P, a plurality of troughs M are formed next to one another. A filling section 11 is provided in the production direction P behind the forming station 4, in which the depressions M formed in the lower film 10 are filled with product.

The sealing station 5 has a hermetically sealable chamber 5a in which the atmosphere in the troughs M can be evacuated prior to sealing with the upper film 13 released from an upper film holder 12, for example, and/or can be replaced by flushing with a replacement gas or a gas mixture.

The cross-cutting device 6 can be designed as a punch, which cuts through the lower film 10 and the upper film 13 in a direction transverse to the production direction P between adjacent troughs M. The cross-cutting device 6 works in such a way that the lower film 10 is not severed over the entire width, but rather is not severed at least in an edge region. This enables controlled onward transport.

The longitudinal cutting device 7 can be designed as a knife arrangement with which the lower film 10 and the upper film 13 are severed between adjacent troughs M and at the lateral edge of the lower film 10 in the production direction P, so that individual packages V are present behind the longitudinal cutting device 7.

Furthermore, the in figure 1 Thermoforming packaging machine 2 shown via an operator terminal 14, on which provided for the respective on the thermoforming packaging machine 2 Have workstations set process parameters. The operator terminal 14 comprises a control device 15, shown only schematically. The control device 15 is configured to carry out arithmetic operations, in particular in real time during the packaging process, in order to control the thermoforming packaging machine 2 on this basis. The control device 15 of the thermoforming packaging machine 2 is also responsible for controlling the in figure 1 shown delivery system 3 configured.

This in figure 1 The feed system 3 shown only schematically has a conveyor belt device 16 which is configured to feed carton blanks K to the thermoforming packaging machine 2 in a transport direction T running transversely to the production direction P of the thermoforming packaging machine 2 . this in figure 1 Carton blanks K shown flat are formed into shell parts S within the thermoforming packaging machine 2 (see figure 3 ) folded and combined with the deep-drawn troughs M within the forming station 4 to form composite lower packaging parts VU.

figure 2 shows that the conveyor belt device 16 has drivers 30 . The conveyor belt device 16 receives the carton blanks K from a destacker 17 in order to transport them in the transport direction T into a transfer area 18 formed within the machine frame 8 of the thermoforming packaging machine 2 . Within the transfer area 18 the feed system 3 has a lifting device 19 which is designed to receive and lift the carton blanks K transported into the transfer area 18 by means of the conveyor belt device 16 . A gripper device 20 is arranged above the lifting device 19 . The gripper device 20 has height-adjustable gripper units 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, which are configured to work together with the lifting device 19, in particular with lifting units 19A, 19B, 19C, 19D that are separately configured thereon. Both the lifting units 19A to 19D and the gripping units 20A to 20D can each be in the form of pneumatically operated units.

Furthermore shows figure 2 a schematic representation of a positioning device 21 which is assigned to the conveyor belt device 16 within the transfer area 18 . The positioning device 21 can also be pneumatically controlled. According to figure 2 the positioning device 21 has four positioning pins 22 assigned to the conveyor belt device 16 one behind the other in the transport direction T. The positioning pin 22 arranged at the front in the transport direction T is positioned in the extended position, while the positioning pins arranged behind it in the transport direction T are lowered. A carton blank K that is transported in a row into the transfer area 18 and is in the first place can be moved against the extended positioning pin in order to achieve a desired position and alignment above the lifting unit 19A positioned below. Carton blanks K arranged behind in the row can be successively moved against the other positioning pins 22, when these are extended, in order to assume a precise alignment above the other respective lifting units 19B, 19C, 19D.

In the figure 2 The lifting units 19A, 19B, 19C, 19D shown can be controlled independently of one another. This allows the respective lifting units 19A to 19D to be individually removed from the in figure 2 position shown, one after the other in the direction of the gripper units 20A to 20D positioned above.

In figure 3 shows how a carton blank K transported into the transfer area 18 is picked up by one of the lifting units 19A to 19D, lifted and simultaneously folded during the lifting movement and finally transferred to one of the gripper units 20A to 20D positioned above. This sequence is described below in connection with the lifting unit 19A arranged at the front in the transport direction T.

First, in a first step A, the carton blank K is moved above the lifting unit 19A by means of the conveyor belt device 16 into a pick-up position P1. For this purpose, the carton blank K is moved into the transfer area 18 by means of the conveyor belt device 16 until it abuts the extended positioning pin 22 of the positioning device 21 . The carton blank K has now arrived precisely in the pickup position P1, from which it can be picked up by means of the lifting unit 19A.

In the figure 3 The lifting unit 19A shown schematically comprises a folding tool 23. The folding tool 23 has a die 24, on the bottom part of which a plurality of pneumatically controllable suction cup units 25 are arranged. Furthermore, the folding tool 23 has a plurality of pins 26 on its circumference. It is thus possible, as shown in step B, to align the carton blank K on the folding tool 23.

In step B, the gripper unit 19A, in particular the folding tool 23 formed thereon, is further extended in the lifting direction H. As a result, the folding tool 23 picks up the carton blank K arranged in the receiving position P1 in step A, as a result of which its space on the conveyor belt device 16 is released. By raising the carton blank K, another one can now be placed in the transport direction T behind the in figure 3 shown carton blank K positioned carton blank K move up in order to achieve a division according to the track division of the thermoforming packaging machine 2. The following carton blank K can counteract the in figure 3 now extended positioning pin 22 shown in dashed lines.

In step C in figure 3 the carton blank K positioned on the folding tool 23 is deep-drawn into the die 24 . For this purpose, the suction cup units 25 are covered with a vacuum. A shell part S is produced from the carton blank K on the basis of the folding process carried out in this way.

In step C, the switching part S present therein is positioned in a transfer position P2. The preceding steps A to C can be carried out now or temporarily overlapping for the following carton blank K, etc., until all the carton blanks K present in the transfer area are positioned in their transfer positions P2.

The shell part S produced during the lifting movement can be picked up from the transfer position P2 by means of the gripper unit 20A. For this purpose, the gripper unit 20A is lowered in the lifting direction H2. In the figure 3 The gripper unit 20A shown is configured as a suction gripper. The gripper unit 20A has a peripheral groove 27 in which an edge R of the shell part S can be accommodated. This can prevent the edge R folded on the shell part S from folding back.

The shell part S can be fixed to the gripper unit 20A by means of suction units 28 formed thereon. This is shown in step D. In step D, the shell part S is arranged in a displacement position P3 relative to the transfer position P2 in the lifting direction H2. From the displacement position P3, the shell part S attached to the gripper unit 20A is transported further in the production direction P to the forming station 4 of the thermoforming packaging machine 2.

In the Figures 4A to 4O shows how the flat carton blanks K fed to the thermoforming packaging machine 2 can be folded into shell parts S by means of the respective lifting units 19A to 19D and how these are transferred to the gripper device 10 in a predetermined pack format F.

Figure 4A shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the thermoforming packaging machine 2 in the transfer area 18 and the feed system 3 that is designed to feed carton blanks K to the transfer area 18 in the transport direction T. In the window section framed in dashed lines in Figure 4A the thermoforming packaging machine 2 and the feed system 3 arranged transversely thereto are shown schematically from the top view.

In Figure 4B are first outside of the thermoforming packaging machine 2 by the destacker 17 two spaced carton blanks are placed on the conveyor belt device 16. It can be seen from the plan view that there are actually two rows formed one behind the other transversely to the transport device T.

In Figure 4C the two rows of cardboard blanks K placed on the conveyor belt device 16 are moved in the transport direction T.

According to Figure 4D two more rows of carton blanks K are delivered from the destacking device 17 to the conveyor belt device 16 . the Figures 4C and 4D show that the respective rows of cardboard blanks K are placed on the conveyor belt device 16 according to an initial format A, which is shown schematically in the plan view. For this purpose, the respective rows from the two magazines formed in the destacker 17 are output in pairs offset to one another on the conveyor belt device 16 due to their format.

Figure 4E shows that the initial format A of cardboard blanks K is transported by means of the conveyor belt device 16 into the transfer area 18 formed within the machine frame 8 of the thermoforming packaging machine 2 . In Figure 4E It is shown that the carton blank K positioned first in the transport direction T within the transfer area 18 has moved into its pick-up position P1, in which it is aligned below the gripper unit 20A positioned above it. The other carton blanks K positioned behind them are not yet aligned below the respective gripper units 20B, 20C, 20D. Rather, as the following figures show, these carton blanks K, which are still arranged in the original starting format A, will move up sequentially in order to assume an aligned position below the respective gripper units 20B, 20C, 20D.

Figure 4F shows that the in the transfer position P1 in Figure 4E The carton blank K shown is height-adjusted in the lifting direction H1 by means of the lifting unit 19A arranged underneath. During this lifting movement, the carton blank K is folded and positioned as a shell part S in the transfer position P2. At this point in time, two further carton blanks K, ie two further rows of carton blanks K, are already being deposited on the conveyor belt device 16 by the destacker 17 .

Figure 4G shows that the carton blank K positioned immediately behind the first carton blank K in the transport direction T has moved within the transfer area 18 in the transport direction T to its pick-up position P1. The carton blanks K positioned behind them are not yet positioned in their respective receiving positions P1. Figure 4G shows that the carton blank K present in the pick-up position P1 has moved up by a distance x in order to achieve a desired division TS in relation to the preceding shell part S (see Figure 4H ) which corresponds to the track pitch present in the production direction P of the thermoforming packaging machine 2 .

Figure 4H shows that the second carton blank K is lifted by means of the lifting unit 19B mounted second in the transport direction T and is present as a shell part S in the transfer position P2.

Now according to Figure 4I the carton blank K positioned second to last in the row is moved up by the distance x in order to be aligned below the gripper unit 20C or above the lifting unit 19C in its pick-up position P1. The rows of carton blanks K delivered at this point in time by the de-stacker 17 to the transport device 16 have been moved in such a way that two further rows of carton blanks K can be transferred from the de-stacker 17 to the conveyor belt device 16 .

Figure 4J now shows that three shell parts S are already arranged in their transfer positions P2. According to Figure 4K the last carton blank K positioned within the transfer area 18 or the last row of carton blanks K has been moved to its pick-up position P1. Here, too, the row of cardboard blanks K again moves by the distance x in order to be positioned according to the pitch TS.

Figure 4L shows that the last row of carton blanks K has been raised and folded into the transfer position P2 by means of the lifting unit 19D. Now all the carton blanks K provided by the conveyor belt device 16 within the transfer area 18 are positioned in their transfer position P2. Outside of the thermoforming packaging machine 2 , further carton blanks K have already been placed in their entirety in the initial format A on the conveyor belt device 16 and are waiting to be transported into the transfer area 18 . Figure 4M shows that the respective gripper units 20A to 20D are simultaneously lowered in the lifting direction H2 in order to pick up the shell parts S positioned in a predetermined pack format F in the transfer positions P2.

Figure 4N shows that the shell parts S are lifted into their travel positions P3 by means of the gripper device 20 . The gripper device 20 then moves the shell parts S picked up on it in the production direction P to the forming station 4. In the forming station 4, the shell parts S placed in the predetermined pack format F are connected to the depressions M deep-drawn therein in order to form the forming station 4 as composite lower packaging parts VU in the direction of the sealing station 5 to leave.

Finally shows Figure 4O that the rows of carton blanks K stored outside of the thermoforming packaging machine 2 in the initial format A are transported to the transfer area 18 in order to be sequentially positioned, picked up, lifted, folded and transferred to the gripper device 20 in the form of shell parts S as described above.

Claims (12)

The invention relates to a packaging system (1) which comprises a thermoforming packaging machine (2) which is designed to produce packaging (V) in a production direction (P) and a feed system (3) for the thermoforming packaging machine (2), the feed system (3) has at least one conveyor belt device (16) which is configured to transport carton blanks (K) in a transport direction (T) running transversely to the production direction (P) of the thermoforming packaging machine (2) into a machine frame (8) of the thermoforming packaging machine (2 ) formed transfer area (18), and wherein the feed system (3) comprises a lifting device (19) arranged in the transfer area (18) for receiving and lifting the carton blanks (K) transported into the transfer area (18) by means of the conveyor belt device (16). , characterized in that the lifting device (19) several in the transport direction (T) positioned one behind the other, independant has lifting units (19A, 19B, 19C, 19D) that can be controlled from one another. Packaging system according to Claim 1, characterized in that the lifting units (19A, 19B, 19C, 19D) positioned one behind the other in the transport direction (T) in the transfer area (18), starting with the lifting unit (19A , 19B, 19C, 19D) can be actuated individually one after the other for lifting respective carton blanks (K). Packaging system according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lifting units (19A, 19B, 19C, 19D) are each designed to receive and lift a plurality of carton blanks (K) positioned next to one another transversely to the transport direction (T). Packaging system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lifting units (19A, 19B, 19C, 19D) each have at least one folding tool (23) for producing shell parts (S) from the respective ones on the lifting units (19A, 19B, 19C, 19D ) recorded cardboard blanks (K). Packaging system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the respective lifting units (19A, 19B, 19C, 19D) can be controlled pneumatically separately. Packaging system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the feed system (3) in the transfer area (18) has at least one adjustable positioning device (21) assigned to the conveyor belt device (T) for aligning the transported carton blanks (K). Packaging system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the feed system (3) has a gripper device ( 20). Packaging system according to Claim 7, characterized in that the gripper device (20) has several jointly height-adjustable gripper units (20A, 20B, 20C, 20D) and/or several gripper units (20A, 20B, 20C, 20D) which can be adjusted relative to one another in the production direction (P). . Packaging installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveyor belt device (16) is designed in the form of a belt belt. Method for feeding carton blanks (K) arranged one behind the other in a row in a transport direction (T) into a transfer area (18) formed within a machine frame (8) of a thermoforming packaging machine (2), characterized in that a carton blank (K ) is transported within the transfer area (18) in the transport direction (T) into a first pick-up position (P1) and is lifted out of this before a carton blank (K) positioned directly behind it in the row in the transport direction (T) is transported within the transfer area ( 18) moves up in the transport direction (T) to a second pick-up position. Method according to Claim 10, characterized in that the carton blank (K) transported into the first receiving position (P1) is lifted out of the receiving position (P1), folded and moved as a shell part (S) into a first transfer position (P2) before the the carton blank (K) positioned directly behind it in the row within the transfer area (18) in the transport direction (T) moves up into the second pick-up position. Method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that in the direction of transport (T) several rows formed side by side with one behind the other positioned carton blanks (K) are transported as a pack format into the transfer area (18), with several carton blanks (K) adjacent transversely to the transport direction (T) being transported simultaneously with one another in the transport direction (T) into respective first, mutually adjacent receiving positions (P1). lifted out of this, folded and moved as shell parts (S) into respective first, mutually adjacent transfer positions (P2), before several adjacent carton blanks (K) positioned directly behind them transversely to the transport direction (T) simultaneously with each other in the transport direction (T) in respective second, mutually adjacent receiving positions move up, are lifted out of these, folded and moved as shell parts (S) into respective second, mutually adjacent transfer positions.

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