FR2693941A1 - Honeycomb packaging manufacture - comprises wheels and rollers providing pleating, rollers for stamping corrugations and continuous edge cutting. - Google Patents

Abstract

The device for making honeycombed packaging by using a band (14) of paper includes a transversal blade (10). In the displacement direction of the paper band making the trays are several wheels (1) followed by corrugated rollers (2) for providing longitudinal pleating. Following is a paper band drive (3) constituted by a pair of rollers located either side the band.Downstream of the drive (3) are members (26) to form this band of paper by stamping.This member includes a roller (4) engaging with another roller (5) having relief stamps (5a) complementary to the roller stamps (4a). Continuous cutting of the edges is provided (7). It is necessary to oversupply the paper band forming member (26) and therefore the outlet speed of the paper band is less than its inlet speed. ADVANTAGE - Allows manufacture at an increased rate and with reduced edge widths.

Description

DESCRIPTION
DEVICE FOR MANUFACTURING ALVEOLAR PACKAGES.

 The present invention relates to a device for manufacturing cellular packaging, more particularly to a device for manufacturing trays provided with cells obtained by stamping or "embossing" of a strip of paper and / or cardboard. The technical field of the invention is that of the manufacture of paper and / or cardboard packaging.

 The present invention relates more particularly to packaging element devices constituted by trays generally extending along a plane or between two planes, and provided with a plurality of substantially identical cells and preferably arranged in staggered rows, each cell being intended to receive an object to be packaged such as fruit for example; this type of packaging or of packaging element is intended in particular to wedge individually the objects to be packaged, which are arranged in said cells, said packaging tray being intended to be placed in a box which may be made of cardboard and which allows the transport and stacking of several packages thus obtained.

 Patent FR 1 459 238 (Papeteries de Pont-Audemer) describes packaging for fruit and vegetables or the like, made of crepe paper consisting of a sheet consisting of at least one sheet of crepe paper and comprising cells obtained by stamping; in the particular embodiment of the tray described in this document, the sheets of paper used for the manufacture of this tray have slots which are capable of opening up to facilitate the deformation of the sheet of paper during stamping, for the formation of said cells.

 Patent FR 2 263 171 (Casutt) describes other types of packaging, of a similar nature, particularly intended for packaging eggs, from stamped paper or cardboard strips.

 The present invention aims to provide packaging such as that described in FR 1 459 238 and a device for manufacturing such packaging trays, which allow the manufacture of these packages at a high rate and which allow savings in paper in allowing the manufacture of such packaging trays having selvedges (or non-deformed side bands) of reduced width; in fact, the trays of known types have longitudinal and transverse edges whose width is generally at least equal to twenty millimeters, which causes relatively large losses of paper and space in the packaging.

 The problem also consists in providing such trays which are more easily inserted into the boxes (of generally parallelepipedal shapes) intended to receive this type of tray and making it possible to optimize the ratio between the size of said box and / or of said trays and the net volume available for packaging objects, which is directly proportional to the number of cells formed in the tray.

 The solution to the problem posed consists in providing a device for manufacturing alveolar packaging, such as trays of generally planar, rectangular shape, comprising a plurality of alveoli of generally hemispherical shape, preferably arranged in staggered rows, substantially contiguous, each cell being capable of receiving an object to be packaged such as a fruit for example, which comprises means for cutting (or cutting) continuously from corners in order to "break the four angles of said tray, and preferably comprises means for cutting into continuous notches in the form of wedges, arranged in pairs facing each other (that is to say facing each other), said 2 notches of one of said pairs being located respectively on the two edges of a continuous strip of paper comprising at least one sheet, preferably at least two sheets, previously shaped (that is to say provided with said cells), said pairs of said notches placed in screws being regularly spaced in the direction of unwinding of said strip of paper in which said trays are manufactured.

 The solution to the problem also consists in providing paper packaging trays provided with a plurality of cells preferably arranged in staggered rows, of generally rectangular shape, in which the angles of said tray are cut (or "broken"), and in which the longitudinal and transverse edges of said plate are narrow, preferably the width of said edges being less than or equal to ten millimeters, for example close to two to five millimeters.

 Advantageously, said device comprises means for transverse cutting (or separation) continuously of said strip previously shaped and whose said corners have been cut.

 Advantageously, said device comprises means for synchronizing said transverse cutting means with said corner cutting means.

 Advantageously, said device comprises means of transport (of said trays and / or of said paper strip) on at least one conveyor belt which is at least partially perforated (or porous), which means of transport (or conveyor belt) is arranged between means for forming (forming by stamping said cells) said strip of paper, and said cutting means.

 Advantageously, said device comprises means for depressurizing at least part of the internal face of said conveyor belt of said means of transport (making it possible to press, by a suction effect, said previously formed strip of paper and / or said plates).

 Advantageously, said device comprises means for cutting selvedges (lateral bands) continuously.

 Advantageously, said device comprises means for forming a wave (arranged upstream of said means for shaping said strip of paper) comprising successive (progressive) means for creating waves or waves.

 Advantageously, said device comprises at least 2 sets of 2 shafts provided with profiled wheels (or discs) (preferably said shaft and / or said wheels are mounted free to rotate about a substantially horizontal axis).

 Advantageously, said device comprises means for suction and evacuation of said corners and / or of said selvedges cut from said strip of paper.

Advantageously, said device comprises at least 2 conveyor belts located on either side of said transverse cutting means, the axes of the end rollers of which respectively define a plane (P3, P4) whose intersection forms a substantially horizontal and perpendicular axis. in the general sense of movement of said strip of paper, the traces of said planes (P3,
P4) in a substantially vertical plane making an angle A greater than 180 degrees (and preferably less than or equal to 240 degrees, for example around 200 to 220 degrees).

 Advantageously, said undulation means comprise first undulation means according to a regular transverse pitch P2 corresponding to the transverse pitch of said means for forming said cells (and therefore substantially at the pitch of said cells formed in said plates) and said means for forming corrugation comprise second means for forming corrugation at a pitch Pi substantially equal to twice said pitch P2, which second corrugation means at pitch P1 are (preferably) located upstream of said first corrugation means (preferably constituted by corrugated rollers).

 Advantageously, said corner cutting means comprise means of rotary knives along a substantially horizontal axis and substantially parallel to the general direction of movement of said strip of paper and comprise means of fixed gauge (or fixed counter knife) of complementary profile. to the profile of said knife means.

 Advantageously, said means for cutting (separation) of trays comprise means of rotary knives along a substantially horizontal axis and substantially perpendicular to the general direction of movement of said strip of paper and preferably comprises a rotary counter knife along another axis. substantially horizontal parallel to said axis of rotation of said knives of said plate cutting means (said axes being preferably placed on either side of said previously formed strip of paper).

 Advantageously, said device comprises means for moistening said strip of paper situated upstream of said shaping means and preferably upstream of said waving formation means (which strip of paper comprises for example at least 2 sheets of paper at least one of which is made of embossed paper or crepe paper).

 Advantageously, the device comprises means for stacking in packs said plates which comprise means (for example pneumatic) for compacting said plates.

 Among many advantages provided by the invention, it should be noted that the invention makes it possible to provide honeycomb trays whose narrow edges allow savings in paper and whose cut corners facilitate the positioning of these trays in boxes intended for receive these trays.

 Thanks to the characteristics of the invention, the devices for manufacturing trays allow the production of such trays at high rates thanks in particular to means allowing precise and rapid production (and more particularly cutting) of said trays and thus allow the cutting of trays provided with said narrow edges.

 The numerous advantages provided by the invention will be better understood through the following description which refers to the appended drawings which illustrate without any limiting character particular embodiments of device according to the invention.

 Figures ia and ib respectively illustrate in plan view in longitudinal transverse view the main components of a tray manufacturing device according to the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates in plan view a detail of embodiment of the means for cutting the longitudinal edges of trays forming part of a device for manufacturing trays according to the invention
FIG. 3 schematically illustrates in perspective view means of continuous cutting ("on the fly") of the corners of plates forming part of a device according to the invention.

 Figures 4 and 5 illustrate respectively in transverse view in a vertical plane and in plan view the means for cutting the longitudinal edges of the plates.

 FIG. 6 illustrates in longitudinal view in a substantially vertical plane a detail of embodiment of the means of transverse cutting of the strip allowing the separation of the strip into trays.

 FIG. 7 illustrates in transverse view in a substantially vertical plane of the means for creating corrugations which are located upstream of the stamping or shaping means.

 With reference to FIGS. 1a and 1b, it can be seen that a device for manufacturing honeycomb trays according to the invention comprises successively, in the direction of movement of the strip of paper used for manufacturing the trays, that is to say going from the left to the right of FIGS. 1a and 1b, longitudinal pleating means comprising a plurality of wheels 1, followed by corrugated rollers 2, and then comprises means 3 for driving the strip of paper which can also be constituted by at least one pair of rollers arranged on either side of said strip 141, 142; downstream of said drive means are provided means 26 for forming by stamping or embossing the paper strip, which forming means preferably comprise a roller 4 forming a matrix and provided with indentations 4a, which roller 4 meshes with i roller 5 forming a punch and provided with raised impressions 5a of complementary shape to said impressions 4a of said roller forming a matrix, said strip 142 passing between said rollers 4 and 5 being thus stamped so as to be provided with said cells, and this by deformation paper tape ;; this deformation is made possible in particular by, on the one hand, the corrugations created upstream by said wheels 1 and rollers 2 of longitudinal pleating and, on the other hand, by the "force-feeding" caused by said drive means 3 in fact it is necessary to "supercharge" said means 26 for forming a paper strip, which results in particular in an exit speed from the paper strip from said forming means which is lower than the entry speed for said paper strip not formed in said forming means.

 It can be seen in these figures 1a and 1b that downstream of said shaping means 26 are successively provided a first conveyor belt, or conveyor belt 6, provided with means for depressurizing said strip which ensures the plating of the strip 143 of paper previously formed against the belt of said belt conveyor and its precise positioning; means 7 for cutting edges are then provided which are advantageously provided with means 8 for suctioning off falls (edges); a second belt or belt conveyor 9 and then provided which is also provided with said means for suctioning or depressurizing the band of said belt conveyor which is advantageously at least partially perforated, followed by said means 10 for cutting notches (preferably provided with corner suction means 35) allowing the formation of corners in said previously formed strip, themselves followed by a third belt conveyor inclined with respect to the horizontal, then by said cross cutting means allowing the separation of the belt into several plates 15, and of a fourth belt conveyor 13 also inclined with the horizontal and making in the vertical plane of FIG. 1b an angle A with said third belt conveyor 11 (more precisely a plane P4 passing through the axes of rotation of the rollers of said fourth conveyor belt 13 and a plane P3 passing through the axes of rotation of the rollers of said third conveyor eur band i1 have traces in the plane of Figure lb substantially vertical which form said angle A) whose value is advantageously between 180 and 240 degrees, for example around 200 to 220 degrees.

 It can be seen in the figure in particular that, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, said means for creating longitudinal undulations in said strip 141, 142, located upstream of said shaping means, comprise first means of formation of undulations at a step P2 which are preceded by means for creating undulations at a step P1 substantially equal to twice said step P2; said first means for creating corrugations can advantageously consist of at least one pair of corrugated rollers on their outer cylindrical face 21, 22 and said second means for creating corrugations can advantageously consist of a series of pairs of shafts located on either side of said strip, each of said shafts carrying discs or wheels i regularly spaced at said pitch P1 or at one of its multiples and said wheels having a profile adapted to the shape of the undulations to be created preferably approximately sinusoidal or in the shape of a contiguous arc as shown in Figure 7.

 It can be seen in this FIG. 7, which is a view along VII-VII of FIG. 1A, that the device for forming undulations in said strip 14, (which moreover causes the narrowing in the transverse direction of said strip, as symbolically illustrated in FIG. 1 a), comprises at least one upper shaft 27, disposed above said strip 14 and at least one lower shaft 28 disposed below said strip, substantially in the same vertical plane, and each carrying at least one, preferably at least two, wheel or caster or disc 11, 12 respectively, which wheels have a profile adapted to the shape of the undulations to be created and are regularly spaced from said pitch P1; said shafts 27, 28 of respective axis YY4, YY'4, can be mounted free in rotation on bearings (reference 29 in FIG. 1A) or can be optionally fixed, said wheels or casters then being mounted free in rotation on said trees.

 It can be seen that said shafts 27, 28 are arranged such that said wheels carried by said shafts 27 and said wheels carried by said shaft 28 which are of relatively complementary profile fit into one another so as to cause longitudinal undulations in said strip 14.

 It can also be seen in FIG. 1A that the number of said wheels i carried by said shafts increases when moving from one shaft to the next - in the direction of movement of said strip -, so as to gradually cause the longitudinal pleating of said strip 14.

 Also seen, illustrated in Figures la and lb, automatic stacking means of the trays produced, which means comprise means of "packing" a stack 30 of said trays comprising for example a pneumatic cylinder 32 mounted on a support 36 .

 Cylinders 34 for lateral wedging can also be provided, as well as a cart for discharging a complete stack 31 which may include several dozen trays.

 With reference to FIG. 2, it can be seen that in a preferred embodiment of said means for removing said previously formed strip and for cutting said selvedges, said first and second belt conveyors 6, 9 each comprise, located between said rollers 21 of said conveyor belts, as well as between the lower strand and the upper strand (16) of each of said conveyor belts, a closed box 18 except in its upper part which has a face provided with holes 19, which box can be connected by a leads to vacuuming means (not shown), so as to vacuum the upper strand of said belt conveyor, that is to say said belt 16 which is provided on at least part of its surface with perforations 17, so as to suck up and press on said strip 16 the paper strip 143 previously formed and so as to allow its precise positioning allowing said means 7 to edge cutting to a precise cutting and thus a cutting causing longitudinal edges of small width L2.

 It can also be seen in this figure that advantageously means for suctioning off falls (that is to say cut edges) 145 are provided which may include, for example, a suction duct or sleeve 16 connected to means for depression (not shown).

With reference to FIG. 3, it can be seen that, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, said means for continuously cutting the corners or notches in said strip 14 previously formed comprise at least two knives 23 rotating along axes
XX2, XX3 substantially horizontal which may for example be located in the plane of said strip 14, arranged on either side of said strip and substantially parallel to the axis XX1 along which said strip of paper moves, which knives 23 comprise a cutting part 23a of generally triangular shape which can cooperate with a fixed counter knife 22 provided with a complementary profile 22a (of the same shape as said profile 23 of said knives 23), which knives can be arranged under the paper strip so to allow the cutting of said corners or notches 24 in said previously formed strip.

 It can be seen that advantageously said notches 24 formed on either side of said strip are of triangular shape corresponding to the shape of said profiles 22a, 23a of the sets of knives and counterknives, which triangular shape has a height which extends according to a substantially horizontal axis YY6 transverse to said strip, on either side of which edges of small width L3 are provided, the axis YY6 corresponding to the transverse cutting axis which will be carried out by the devices located downstream of said means of corner cutting.

 With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 which illustrate a particular embodiment of said selvedge cutting means 7 145, it can be seen that said means can comprise a knife 7a which can be moved by means of a knife support 7d in vertical translation and a horizontal translation (respectively vertically and from left to right in FIG. 4) so as to come into contact with a counter knife 7b which can be fixed or mounted free in rotation on a shaft 7c of axis YY1 substantially horizontal.

 We also see that said knife 7a can cut the longitudinal edge on either side of said strip, at a distance L5 (which corresponds to the width of selvedge marked L2 in FIG. 2) which can be small, close to 2 to 5 mm approximately, the selvedge thus cut can then be evacuated.

 We see in Figure 5 which is a plan view of the assembly comprising said knife 7a and said counter knife 7b that said knife 7a, which is disc-shaped, extends in an inclined plane of an angle B , by a few degrees for example, with the plane of the disc forming the counter knife 7b, which counter knife is mounted on said shaft of axis YYl perpendicular to the axis XX1 along which moves said strip of paper previously formed and marked 14 3 in Figure 4.

 With reference to FIG. 6, it can be seen on the left of the figure, that said previously formed strip, the corners or notches of which have been cut, and marked with the reference mark 144 in FIG. 6, can be cut transversely by said cutting means 12 so as to successively form trays 15 of preferably identical lengths and provided with a selvedge of a small width L3; this can be made possible for example by a device of FIG. 6 which comprises a knife 12a rotating along a horizontal axis YY3 substantially perpendicular to the general direction of advancement of said strip of paper and by means of a support 12c in the form cylinder on which said knife l2a is mounted by means of screws 12g and 12e for adjusting the position and locking of said knife relative to said support l2c.

 Said cutting device also comprises a counter-knife 12b also mounted for rotation relative to an axis YY'3 parallel to said axis YY3, located under said strip of paper, which counter-knife 12b is integral with a cylinder 12d which can be rotated by the through a locking and adjusting screw 12f.

Claims (12)

 1. Device for manufacturing cellular packaging (15) from at least one strip (14) of paper, characterized in that it comprises cutting means (10), continuously, for corners.  2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises means for continuous transverse cutting of said previously shaped strip and of which said corners have been cut.  3. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 2 characterized in that it comprises means for transporting trays and / or said strip of paper on at least one conveyor belt (16) partly at least perforated, which transport means is arranged between means (26) for shaping said paper strip, and said cutting means.  4. Device according to claim 3 characterized in that it comprises means (18, 19, 20) for depression of at least part of the internal face of said conveyor belt of said means of transport.  5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that it comprises means (7) for continuous cutting of selvedges.  6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that it comprises means of progressive formation of corrugation arranged upstream of said means for shaping said strip of paper, which means comprise at least 2 sets 2 shafts with profiled wheels (1).  7. Device according to any one of claims 2 to 6 characterized in that it comprises at least 2 conveyor belts (11, 13)) located on either side of said transverse cutting means including the axes of the rollers end respectively define a plane (P3, P4) whose intersection forms a substantially horizontal axis and perpendicular to the general direction of movement of said strip of paper, the traces of said planes (P3, P4) in a substantially vertical plane making an angle A greater than 180 degrees.  8. Device according to any one of claims 6 to 7 characterized in that said undulation means comprise first undulation means according to a regular transverse pitch P2 corresponding to the transverse pitch of said means for forming said cells and said means for forming corrugation comprise second means for forming corrugation at a pitch P1 substantially equal to twice said pitch P2, which second corrugation means at pitch Pi are preferably located upstream of said first corrugation means.  9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 characterized in that said corner cutting means comprise knife means (23) rotatable along a substantially horizontal axis and substantially parallel to the general direction of movement of said strip of paper and comprise counter knife means (22) fixed in profile complementary to the profile of said knife means.  10. Device according to any one of claims 2 to 9 characterized in that said plate cutting means comprise knife means (12a) rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and substantially perpendicular to the general direction of movement of said strip of paper and preferably comprises a counter knife (12b) rotatable along another substantially horizontal axis parallel to said axis of rotation of said knives of said plate cutting means.  11. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 characterized in that it comprises means for stacking by packets of said trays which comprise means for compacting said trays  12. Paper packaging tray provided with a plurality of cells preferably arranged in a staggered fashion, of generally rectangular shape characterized in that the angles of said tray are cut and in that the longitudinal (L2) and transverse (L3) edges ) of said plate are narrow, preferably the width of said selvedges is less than or equal to 10 millimeters.