FR3013686A1 - DEVICE FOR CLOSING A RABAT FOR A STRETCHER - Google Patents

Abstract

The object of the invention is a device for closing a case (10) comprising a packing body (12) and at least one transverse flap (14) attached to this packing body (12) by an edge for fastening and provided with a transverse flap (18), the closing device comprising a translational push-button (28) displaceable in translation (T) along a closure axis (A26), and the closing push-button ( 28) comprising a bearing surface (54) perpendicular to a transverse plane (PT26) of the closing device and intended to exert closing forces (EF1) on the transverse flap (14) of the case (10), this transverse plane (PT26) being parallel to the closure axis (A26), the closing device being characterized in that the closing push-button (28) comprises a support piece (56) and a support piece (58) movable in rotation (R) relative to this support member (56) about a pivot axis (A58) perpendicular to the transverse plane (PT26) of the di closure and closure pin (A26), and in that the support piece (58) supports the bearing surface (54) perpendicular to the transverse plane (PT26) of the closing device and intended to come exert closing forces (EF1) on the transverse flap (14) of the case (10).

Description

The present invention aims to provide improvements to the cartoners, or cartoning machines, such as that disclosed in FR-2.755.665. In various industries, including the pharmaceutical or agri-food industry, cardboard cases are used to package a certain quantity of products to be marketed, such as tablets or capsules or prepackaged foods in sachets. Thus, the products to be marketed can be more easily transported and stored in larger containers, such as other cardboard packaging.

For the automated filling of a large number of cases with products to be marketed on a production line, it has been developed cartoners, or cartoning machines, such as that described in document FR-2,755,665. According to this document FR-2.755.665, a cartoner comprises on the same table: a store or supply of folded cases, said reserve being lateral to the table; a device for gripping the cases one by one from the reserve; at least one device receiving the case from the gripping device and conveying it to the different positions of the machine; a possible closure station of the bottom of the case by folding the lower flaps of the case in the case; a filling station of the shaped case; a closing station of the case by folding its upper flaps in the case; a delivery station of the case filled and closed. Still according to this document FR-2,755,665, each of the devices respectively receiving a case is mounted on a turntable around a central column, and the central column carries the intervention organs on the folding flaps of the cases, the position of these members being adjustable from the central column and the control members of the holster receiving devices are also mounted stationary on the column.

This document FR-2.755.665 also provides a method of closing the cases by folding the flaps they are provided with at least one transverse flap of the case being provided with a flap to be inserted into the case. This method of closing the cases consists in: folding the shutter transversely to the case so as to seal it; fold the flap of the shutter against the vertical wall of the case by folding on the upper edge of said wall; raising upwards or lowering said flap above the holster by pushing the flap; insert the flap into the holster and push the flap up or down to fit the flap into the holster. The present invention is more particularly concerned with the last step of closing a case, during which the flap of a transverse flap is inserted into the case, and with the means of a station of a cartoner allowing to implement this last step. According to this document FR-2,755,665, each of the closing stations of a holster by folding its flaps comprises a first pusher, downward movement then upward or upward and downward depending on whether one closes the bottom or bottom bottom of the case, and a second pusher. The first pusher plate the transverse flap on the case and the flap of the flap on the edge of its front wall, then raises or apart said flap and the flap of said edge while a horizontal thrust is exerted on the flap. And, the second pusher acts on the transverse flap so as to push the flap in the holster. In more detail, this second pusher takes the form of a parallelepiped plate with a vertical downward or upward translation, and this parallelepiped plate is driven in downward or upward vertical translation by means of a support on which it is mounted in a fixed manner. . Thus, when the parallelepiped plate of the second pusher is driven in vertical translation to act on the transverse flap and push the flap in the case, this parallelepiped plate exerts closing forces simultaneously over the entire length of the transverse flap. If this procedure is suitable with holsters made with a sufficiently thick cardboard to have a certain rigidity and therefore a certain resistance to the closing forces applied by the parallelepiped plate, it is no longer suitable with the holsters currently used by most manufacturers to condition their products. Indeed, in an effort to reduce the cost of cases and compliance with environmental standards to reduce the industrial consumption of natural resources, manufacturers are now using cardboard cases of lower thickness. It follows that the transverse flaps of these cases of lower thickness have less resistance to the closing forces that can be exerted by the means of a closure station of a case such as the parallelepiped plate of the second pusher of a closing station according to document FR-2,755,665.

And, this lower strength of the cases causes deformations of their transverse flaps and therefore problems of penetration of the flap of the transverse flap in the case under the effect of closing forces applied simultaneously over the entire length of the transverse flap. In addition, in the cosmetics industry, manufacturers have developed holsters with so-called shutters with forced closure and not clipped closure as before. These shutters with clipped closure comprise notches at each end of the fold between the transverse flap and its flap, while the so-called shutters for forced closure do not include these notches which facilitate the penetration of the flap in the case and reduce the efforts to be applied to the transverse component to close the case. Thus, the use of forced closure cases requiring greater closing forces, the deformations of the transverse flap are amplified and the problems of penetration of the flap are more frequent, and all the more so when the cases with forced closure are cardboard cases of smaller thickness.

The present invention aims to overcome the disadvantages encountered in closing cardboard cases of smaller thickness with the means of case closure devices of the prior art cartoner. For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a device for closing a case comprising a packaging body and at least one transverse flap attached to this packaging body by an attachment edge and provided with a transverse flap. along its free edge opposite the fastening edge, the closing device comprising a closing push-button displaceable in translation along a closure axis, the closing push-button comprising a support surface perpendicular to a transverse plane of the closure closing device and intended to come to exert closing forces on the transverse flap of the case, and this transverse plane being parallel to the closure axis.

According to the invention, the closing device is characterized in that the closing push-button comprises a support piece and a bearing piece movable in rotation with respect to this support piece about a pivot axis perpendicular to the transverse plane of the device. closing and closing axis, and in that the support piece supports the bearing surface perpendicular to the transverse plane of the closure device and intended to exert the closing forces on the transverse flap of the holster . Thanks to its two-part design, the closing push-button of the closing device according to the invention makes it possible to exert the closing forces in a delayed manner in the length of the transverse flap of the case, preferably by pushing a first corner of the case. transverse flap in the case before pushing the other corner of the transverse flap into the holster.

Thus, the transverse flap of a thin cardboard case does not undergo the closing forces simultaneously over its entire length, and therefore this transverse flap tends less to deform, which allows the transverse flap to penetrate for sure. the case under the effect of closing efforts. The invention also covers a method for closing a case that can advantageously be implemented with this closure device comprising a closure pusher in two parts. Other features and advantages will emerge from the following description of the invention, description given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation in perspective of a resealable case with a closing device according to the invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective representation of a closure device according to the invention, FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a closure device according to the invention, the FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic front view of a pusher of a closure device according to the invention, with its bearing surface in the starting position of closure of a case, and FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic representation of face of a pusher of a closure device according to the invention, with its bearing surface in the end position of closure of a case. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the invention relates to the closure of a case 10 used to condition a certain quantity of products to be marketed, such as medicaments in the form of tablets or capsules or pre-packaged foods in sachets. The case 10 comprises a packing body 12 and at least one transverse flap 14 attached to this packing body 12 by an attachment edge 16 and provided with a transverse flap 18 along its free edge 20 opposite the 16. In addition, the case 10 includes 15D left and 15G left side flaps attached to the packaging body 12 and to maintain the transverse flap 18 in the packaging body 12 once the transverse flap 14 folded towards the packaging body 12 to close it. Advantageously, the case 10 may be made of cardboard of small thickness, a thickness of 0.5 millimeters to 3 millimeters to give an order of ideas.

Preferably, the case 10 comprises a parallelepiped packing body 12, a rectangular transverse flap 14 and a rectangular transverse flap 18 with a left corner 22G and a right corner 22D. Advantageously, the left 22G and right 22D corners are rounded to facilitate the penetration of the transverse flap 18 in the packaging body 12 of the case 10 during the closure of this case 10 with a closure device 26 according to the invention. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the case 10 is a case with forced closure, that is to say without cuts between the transverse flap 14 and the transverse flap 18, and the transverse flap 14 is used to form the upper floor. 24 of the case 10, the products to be packaged having been previously deposited in the packaging body 12 of the case 10.

In order to close the case 10 by folding the transverse flap 14 towards the packaging body 12 and introducing the transverse flap 18 in the packaging body 12 of the case 10, the present invention proposes a closure device 26 as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. This closure device 26 comprises a closing push-button 28 with which the closure of the case 10 is made, as can be seen in FIG. 3. In addition, the closure device 26 may comprise a folding pusher 30 of the transverse flap 18 of the transverse flap 14. As described in document FR-2,755,665, the packing body 12 comprising a rear wall 32 supporting the fastening edge 16 and a wall before 34 with an upper edge 36, the folding pusher 30 is used before the closing pusher 28 to fold the transverse flap 18 by pressing the transverse flap 14 on the upper edge 36. This closing pusher 28 allowing, after folding of the transverse flap 18 and with a blade 38 fixed under this closing pusher 28, to bring the transverse flap 14 to the closing pusher 28 so that the latter can exert closing forces EF1, EF2 on the transverse flap 14 and thus proceed to the closure of the case 10. So that each of these closure pushers 28 and folding 30 can come to exert its action on the transverse flap 14 of the case 10, the closing pushbutton 28 and the pusher 30 are displaceable in translation T along a closing axis A26.

This closure axis A26 is in the direction of the height H10 of the case 10 and is substantially perpendicular to the plane P14 in which the transverse flap 14 is located when the flap 14 closes the case 10. In order to move them in translation T along the closing axis A26, the closure pushers 28 and the folding stoppers 30 are connected by rods 42 to carriages 44 mounted on columns 46 extending along the closing axis A26, the rods 42 extending perpendicularly to the closure axis A26, and the columns 46 being driven in translation T along this axis of closure A26 with respect to the sleeves 48 intended to be fixed for example to the frame of the cartoner receiving the closure device 26 according to the invention.

Advantageously, adjustment means by screw 50 make it possible to adjust the offsets D28 and D30 of the closing push-buttons 28 and of folding 30 with respect to the carriages 44, and means of adjustment by screws 52 make it possible to adjust the position of the carriages 44 in the columns 46. Concretely, the screw adjustment means 50 make it possible to adapt the closure device 26 to cases 10 of different widths W10, and the screw adjustment means 52 make it possible to adapt the closure device 26 to cases 10 of different heights H10. As indicated above and as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the closure pusher 28 can be translated in translation T along the closure axis A26 in order to exert the closing forces EF1, EF2 on the transverse flap 14 the case 10.

In more detail, the closure push-button 28 exerts the closing forces EF1, EF2 on the transverse flap 14 when this closing push-button 28 is displaced in translation T along the closing axis A26 and toward the case 10, the case 10 being located under the closure pushers 28 and folding 30 in the exemplary implementation of the closure device 26 illustrated in Figures 2 to 5.

Also, the closing pusher 28 comprises a bearing surface 54 intended to exert the closing forces EF1, EF2 on the transverse flap 14 of the case 10. This bearing surface 54 is perpendicular to a transverse plane PT26 of closing device 26, this transverse plane PT26 being parallel to the closing axis A26. In the exemplary embodiments of the closure device 26 illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 5, the transverse plane PT26 is parallel to the rear walls 32 and before 34 of the case 10 and perpendicular to the plane P14 in which the transverse flap is located. 14 when the shutter 14 closes the case 10. According to important features of the closure device 26 according to the invention, the closure pushbutton 28 comprises a support member 56 and a bearing piece 58 rotatable relative to this piece support 56 about a pivot axis A58 perpendicular to the transverse plane PT26 of the closure device 26 and to the closure axis A26, this bearing piece 58 supporting the bearing surface 54 perpendicular to the transverse plane PT26 of the device closing 26 and intended to come to exert the closing forces EF1, EF2 on the transverse flap 14 of the case 10.

By virtue of the design of the closing pusher 28 comprising a bearing piece 58 rotatable R and supporting the bearing surface 54 on the transverse flap 14 of the case 10, the closure device 26 makes it possible to implement a a method of closing a case 10 proposed by the present invention and of exerting closing forces EF1, EF2 deferred in the length L14 of the transverse flap 14, the closing forces EF1, EF2 not being applied to the same instant at any point along the length L14 of the transverse flap 14.

Thus, thanks to the method of closing a case 10 and the closure device 26 according to the invention, the industrialists can package their products in cases 10 for forced closure and cardboard thin, 0.5 millimeter to 3 millimeters to give an order of ideas. Indeed, thanks to the delayed application of the closing forces EF1, EF2, the transverse flap 14 tends to deform less and the transverse flap 18 certainly penetrates into the case 10 under the delayed effects EF1 closing forces, EF2. In order to apply the closing forces EF1, EF2 in a delayed manner on the transverse flap 14 of the case 10, that the support piece 58 is movable between a closing engagement position of the case 10, illustrated in FIG. 4 and in which the bearing surface 54 is not perpendicular to the closure axis A26, and an end position of closure of the case 10, illustrated in FIG. 5 and in which the bearing surface 54 is perpendicular to the closure axis A26. More specifically, in the embodiment of the closing device 26 given as an example and illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 5, the bearing surface 54 moves 6 ° between the closing primer position and the end position of closure of the case 10. This angular stroke of 6 ° represents a good compromise for the closure of cases 10 having a length L10 of about 12 centimeters and being closed with a transverse flap 14 having a length L14 of about 12 centimeters . Of course, in order to adapt the closing device 26 to more or less long cases 10 with longer transverse flaps 14, this angular displacement in rotation of the bearing surface 54 can be modified. This angular travel of the bearing surface 54 can also be adapted as a function of the height H18 of the transverse flap 18, of about 1.5 centimeters in the case of the case 10 illustrated as an example in FIGS. 4 and 5.

In one embodiment of the closure device 26 covered by the present invention but not illustrated in Figures 2 to 5, the bearing surface 54 may be continuous.

However, in a preferred embodiment of the closure device 26, the bearing surface 54 of the support piece 58 is discontinuous. This discontinuity of the bearing surface 54 makes it possible to prevent this bearing surface 54 from exerting closing forces along the entire length L14 of the transverse flap 14, and it favors the delayed application of the closing forces EF1. EF2 in the length L14 of the transverse flap 14. In a preferred embodiment of this discontinuous bearing surface 54, the bearing piece 58 is provided with two straight bearing teeth 60D and 60G left, distant one of the other in the length L58 of the support piece 58 and in the transverse plane PT26 of the closure device 26, the length L58 of the support piece 58 being its dimension taken in the transverse plane PT26 of the closing device 26 With the two right 60D and 60G left bearing teeth of the discontinuous bearing surface 54 of the closure pusher 28, the closing device 26 makes it possible to implement a method of closing a case 10 consisting of exerting the closing efforts EF1, EF2 localized in the length L14 of the transverse flap 14, that is to say in different zones taken in the length L14 of the transverse flap 14. This localized application of closing forces EF1, EF2 in the length L14 the transverse flap 14, as the delayed application of these forces, avoids simultaneously applying closing forces along the entire length L14 of the transverse flap 14, which reduces the deformations of the transverse flap 14 during its closure and ensures the penetration of the transverse flap 18 in the case 10 when it is closed with the transverse flap 14. In order to be able to adapt the bearing surface 54, and thus the closure device 26, to the closure of cases 10 plus or shorter with transverse flaps 14 more or less long, the distance D60 between the two right support teeth 60D and 60G left is adjustable. For this purpose, the position of at least one right 60D or 60G left support tooth is adjustable in the length L58 of the support piece 58. But, preferably and always for better adaptability to the closure 10 of different cases, the position of each of the two right bearing teeth 60D and 60G left is adjustable in the length L58 of the support piece 58.

In view of this adjustment in position, the 60D and 60G left and right bearing teeth may be attached to the support piece 58 via an oblong slot 62 extending in the length L58 of the support piece. By adjusting the position of the two right 60D and 60G left bearing teeth on the support piece 58, and the transverse flap 18 of the transverse flap 14 of the case 10 comprising a right corner 22D and a left corner 22G, the closing device 26 makes it possible to implement a method of closing a case 10 consisting in exerting the closing forces EF1, EF2 on a first corner 22D, 22G of the transverse flap 18 at first, namely the effort of closing EF1 on the right corner 22D in the example shown in Figure 4, then to exert the closing forces EF1, EF2 on the other corner 22D, 22G of the transverse flap 18 in a second step, namely the closing force EF2 on the left-hand corner 22G in the example shown in FIG. 5. According to the invention, the support piece 58 is rotated R by a jack 64 whose body 66 is connected, and preferably articulated, to the piece support 56 and whose movable rod 68 is connected to the support piece 58. In the In the case where the jack 64 is of the monostable type, the closure device 26 comprises means for returning the support piece 58 towards its closing position of closure of the case, these biasing means being interposed between the piece d support 58 and the support piece 56. These return means are not shown in the figures but they may take the form of a tension spring for example. Advantageously, the support piece 58 abuts against the support part 56 in its position of closing the case. Furthermore, the jack 64 is positioned between the support piece 56 and the support piece 58 so that the maximum stroke of the rod 68 of the jack 64 allows the support piece 58 to be brought into the end-of-closing position. the case, as shown in Figure 5. Advantageously, the bearing piece 58 is articulated in rotation R relative to the support member 56 and around the pivot axis A58 at one of its ends 70 taken in its length L58. Thus, by modifying the distance D58D between the pivot axis A58 and the right tooth 60D and the distance D58G between the pivot axis A58 and the left tooth 60G, it is possible to adapt the rotational movement of the teeth 60D and 60G depending on the dimensions and / or shapes of the case 10.

When implemented with a closing device 26, the method of closing a case 10 according to the invention provides for simultaneously combining the rotational movement R of the bearing piece 58 with respect to the support piece 56 and around the pivot axis A58 to the translational movement T of the closing pusher 28 along the closing axis A26. Thus, following a path combining the path of a translational movement and a rotational movement in the PT26 transverse plane, the left 60G and 60D right teeth provide a bearing surface 54 at best accompanying the progressive closure of the shutter 14, which avoids the problems of penetration of the transverse flap 18 in the case 10. Advantageously, the rotational articulation R of the support piece 58 at one of its ends 70, and therefore the offset this articulation relative to the positions of the left teeth 60G and 60D right in the length L58 of the support piece 58, improves the accompanying quality of the combined movement of the bearing surface 54 to gradually close the transverse flap 14. The present invention also covers a cartoner comprising at least one closure device 26 as just described, whether or not it is used to implement the closure method according to the invention. . Similarly, the invention aims to protect the use of this closure method that it is implemented with a closure device 26 according to the invention or with another closure device, and the invention obviously covers the device closure 26 whether or not it is used to implement the closure method according to the invention. Finally, the closure device 26 and the closure method according to the invention can also be used to effect the closure of a transverse flap forming the bottom bottom of a case 10, or a lateral or longitudinal flap forming a wall lateral or longitudinal packing body 12 of the case 10, only the positioning and orientation of the closure device 26 and its closing pushbutton 28 relative to the case 10 to be modified to adapt the closure device 26 and the closing process to these other uses.

Claims (15)

REVENDICATIONS1. Closure device (26) for a case (10) comprising a packing body (12) and at least one transverse flap (14) attached to said packing body (12) by a fastening edge (16) and provided with a transverse flap (18) along its free edge (20) opposite to the fastening edge (16), the closure device (26) comprising a translational push-button (28) displaceable in translation (T) along a closure axis (A26), and the closing pushbutton (28) comprising a bearing surface (54) perpendicular to a transverse plane (PT26) of the closing device (26) and intended to come into operation. closing forces (EF1, EF2) on the transverse flap (14) of the case (10), this transverse plane (PT26) being parallel to the closure axis (A26), the closure device (26) being characterized in that the closing pusher (28) comprises a support piece (56) and a bearing piece (58) rotatable (R) with respect to this support piece (56) around an axis of pivo (A58) perpendicular to the transverse plane (PT26) of the closing device (26) and to the closing axis (A26), and in that the bearing part (58) supports the bearing surface (54). perpendicular to the transverse plane (PT26) of the closure device (26) and intended to exert closing forces (EF1, EF2) on the transverse flap (14) of the case (10). 2. Closure device (26) according to claim 1, characterized in that the support piece (58) is movable between a closing position of the closing of the case (10) in which the bearing surface ( 54) is not perpendicular to the closure axis (A26), and a closing end position of the case (10) in which the bearing surface (54) is perpendicular to the closure axis ( A26). 3. Closure device (26) according to claim 2, characterized in that the bearing surface (54) moves 6 ° between the closing primer position and the end position of closure of the case ( 10). 4. Closure device (26) according to claim 2 or claim 3, characterized in that the support piece (58) is rotated (R) by a jack (64) whose body (66) is connected to the support piece (56) and whose movable rod (68) is connected to the support piece (58). 5. Closure device (26) according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises means for returning the support piece (58) to its position of initiation of closure of the case (10), these means of return being interposed between the support piece (58) and the support piece (56). 6. Closing device (26) according to claim 4 or claim 5, characterized in that the support piece (58) abuts against the support piece (56) in its closing position of closure of the case (10). 7. Closure device (26) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the bearing surface (54) of the support piece (58) is discontinuous. 8. Closing device (26) according to claim 7, characterized in that the support piece (58) is provided with two right bearing teeth (60D) and left (60G), distant one of the other in the length (L58) of the bearing piece (58) and in the transverse plane (PT26) of the closing device (26), the length (L58) of the bearing piece (58) being its dimension taken in the transverse plane (PT26) of the closing device (26). 9. Closing device (26) according to claim 8, characterized in that the distance (D60) between the two right bearing teeth (60D) and left (60G) is adjustable. 10. Closure device (26) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the support piece (58) is articulated in rotation (R) relative to the support piece (56) and around the pivot axis (A58) at one of its ends (70) taken in its length (L58). 11. Etching machine comprising at least one closure device (26) of a case (10) according to one according to one of the preceding claims. 12. A method of closing a case (10) comprising a packaging body (12) and at least one transverse flap (14) attached to the packaging body (12) by an attachment edge (16) and provided with a transverse flap (18) along its free edge (20) opposite to the fastening edge (16), the closing method being characterized in that it consists in exerting closing forces (EF1, EF2 ) deferred in the length (L14) of the transverse flap (14), the closing forces (EF1, EF2) not being applied at the same time at any point along the length (L14) of the transverse flap (14). 13. The method of closing a case (10) according to claim 12, characterized in that it consists in exerting the closing forces (EF1, EF2) in a localized manner in the length (L14) of the transverse flap (14). , that is to say in different areas taken in the length (L14) of the transverse flap (14). 14. A method of closing a case (10) according to claim 13, the transverse flap (18) of the transverse flap (14) of the case (10) comprising a right corner (22D) and a left corner (22G). , characterized in that it consists in exerting the closing forces (EF1, EF2) on a first corner (22D, 22G) of the transverse flap (18) in a first step, then in exerting the closing forces (EF1, EF2) ) on the other corner (22D, 22G) of the transverse flap (18) in a second time. 15. A method of closing a case (10) according to one of claims 12 to 14, the method being implemented with a closure device (26) comprising a closing pushbutton (28) movable in translation (T) along a closing axis (A26), the closing push-button (28) comprising a bearing surface (54) perpendicular to a transverse plane (PT26) of the closure device (26) and designed to exert forces closure (EF1, EF2) on the transverse flap (14) of the case (10), this transverse plane (PT26) being parallel to the closure axis (A26), the closing push-button (28) comprising a piece support (56) and a bearing piece (58) movable in rotation (R) with respect to this support piece (56) about a pivot axis (A58) perpendicular to the transverse plane (PT26) of the closure device ( 26) and to the closure axis (A26), and the support piece (58) supporting the bearing surface (54) perpendicular to the transverse plane (PT26) of the closing device (26) and intended to exert closing forces (EF1, EF2) on the transverse flap (14) of the case (10), the method being characterized in that it provides for simultaneously combining the movement of rotation (R) of the support piece (58) relative to the support piece (56) and around the pivot axis (A58) to the translational movement (T) of the closing push-button (28) along the closing axis (A26).