GB1584162A - Method of and apparatus for the insertion of non-rigid filling material and a leaflet into a container - Google Patents

Description

(54) A METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE INSERTION OF NON-RIGID FILLING MATERIAL AND A LEAFLET INTO A CONTAINER (71) We, ROBERT BOSCH GMBH, a German Company of 7000 Stuttgart, Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for the insertion of non-rigid filling material and a leaflet into a container.

In the cartoning of articles of different kinds for example bottles, tubes, tubes of tablets or the like, it is customary to insert an instruction leaflet, for example in the form of instructions as to use folded many times, into the container, together with the filling material. In so doing, the instruction leaflet is located in front of the open container and pushed into the container by means of the filling material itself. However, such a method of operation is only possible when dealing with filling material which has a certain inherent rigidity, at least in the inserting direction.

However, this is not the case with suppository packages or strips of tablets, particularly when these packages have marked perforations for separating the individual tablets. Difficulties can occur during the insertion of such nonrigid or unstable of packages even when an instruction leaflet consisting of a single sheet of very thin paper is to be inserted. However, since with tablets, suppositories or the like, very copious instructions for use, frequently in a number of languages, are required, it becomes necessary to insert multiple folded instruction leaflets in these cases.

The invention provides a method of inserting non-rigid filling material and a leaflet into a container, comprising positioning the leaflet in front of an open end of the container, positioning the non-rigid filling material behind the leaflet, and pushing the leaflet and the filling material independently of each other into the container, the leaflet being pushed into the container by a member overlying the filling material.

Such a method is especially suitable for inserting strip packages of tablets and an instruction leaflet into a folding box.

The invention also provides an apparatus for inserting non-rigid filling material and a leaflet into a container with the leaflet positioned in front of an open end of the container and the non-rigid filling material positioned behind the leaflet, said apparatus comprising a member arranged to overlie the non-rigid filling material whilst pushing the leaflet into the container, and a pusher arranged to push the non-rigid filling material into the container, the member and the pusher being movable independently of each other.

Since the member and the pusher are movable independently of each other, the member can be withdrawn from the container before the pusher carries out a return movement, thus preventing the filling material from being withdrawn from the container during the removal of the member.

In a preferred arrangement, the member for inserting the leaflet is in the form of a tongue, preferably of substantially the same length and width as the filling material.

The tongue may be pivotally mounted on a reciprocable carriage, the reciprocation of which is controllable independently of movement of the pusher. Advantageously, a continuously operating cartoning machine may be provided with apparatus in accordance with the invention.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, one form of apparatus in accordance therewith will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1 to 6 illustrate successive steps in the filling sequence, using an apparatus in accordance with the invention.

The apparatus shown diagrammatically in the drawings is arranged to insert filling material 1, for example a package of suppositories, into a container 2, in this instance a folding box, together with a leaflet 8. The apparatus comprises a member, in the form of a tongue 4, arranged to insert the leaflet 8 and a pusher 3 arranged to insert the filling material 1. Moreover, the apparatus is so designed that the leaflet 8 is inserted independently of the filling material 1. In other words, the leaflet 8 is not pushed into the box 2 by means of the filling material 1.

The tongue 4 is pivotally mounted on a reciprocable carriage 5 and is preferably of substantially the same length and width as the filling material. Moreover, in the initial position of the pusher 3 and the carriage 5, the filling material 1 is located in a receiving chamber 6.

The filling material 1 is supplied to the receiving chamber 6 by means which are not illustrated. The receiving chambers 6 are arranged for circulation by means which are likewise not illustrated. Furthermore, a pair of pincers 7 are provided which retain the instruction leaflet 8 to be inserted into the folding box 2, in a position necessary for its insertion.

Proceeding from the position illustrated in Figure 1, in which the instruction leaflet 8 is positioned in front of the open folding box by means of the pincers 7 and the filling material 1 is positioned in the receiving chamber 6 behind the leaflet 8, the carriage 5, as Figure 2 shows, is first of all advanced in the direction of the arrow 9 and the tongue 4 is simultaneously moved downwards so that in its final position it overlies the filling material 1.

The insertion of the filling material 1 with the aid of the pusher 3 is shown iri Figure 3 wherein the carriage 5 is advanced together with the tongue 4 which passes above the filling material into engagement with the instruction leaflet 8 so as to overlie the filling material whilst inserting the leaflet 8 independently of the filling material 1 which is pushed into the folding box 2 by the pusher 3. Moreover, the pincers 7 are opened and the instruction leaflet 8 is thus released for complete insertion into the box 2, simultaneously with the insertion of the filling material by the pusher 3.

Figure 4 shows the filling material 1 introduced into the folding box 2 together with the instruction leaflet 8 and the withdrawal of the tongue 4 on the reciprocable carriage 5 in the direction of the arrow 10 while the pusher 3 remains in its final position, thus preventing the filling material 1 from being withdrawn from the folding box 2 during the removal of the tongue 4. For this purpose, the carriage 5, together with the tongue 4, is controllable independently of the pusher 3. After the carriage 5 has been withdrawn from the box 2, as illustrated in Figure 5, so that the tongue 4 is no longer within the folding box, the return movement of the pusher 3 starts.

In Figure 6, both the pusher 3 and the carriage 5 have been returned to their initial positions wherein the tongue 4 has once again also taken up its upper pivotal position illustrated in Figure 1. Thus, the apparatus is ready for the reception of fresh filling material 1 so that the cycle can be repeated.

An apparatus in accordance with the invention, has the advantage that, when inserting filling material which is comparatively unstable, especially in the direction of insertion, multiple folded instruction leaflets can also be inserted more positively and without difficulty. Moreover, since the tongue 4 overlies the filling material 1 during the insertion thereof, a more secure insertion of the filling material into the containers is achieved.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of inserting non-rigid filling material and a leaflet into a container, comprising positioning the leaflet in front of an open end of the container, positioning the non-rigid filling material behind the leaflet, and pushing the leaflet and the filling material independently of each other into the container, the leaflet being pushed into the container by a member overlying the filling material.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the leaflet and the filling material are pushed into the container simultaneously.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the filling material is inserted into the container by forward movement of a pusher and the member is withdrawn from the container before return movement of the pusher.

4. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the non-rigid filling material is a strip of tablets, suppositories or the like, and the container is a folding box.

5. An apparatus for inserting non-rigid filling material and a leaflet into a container with the leaflet positioned in front of an open end of the container and the non-rigid filling material positioned behind the leaflet, said apparatus comprising a member arranged to overlie the non-rigid filling material whilst pushing the leaflet into the container, and a pusher arranged to push the non-rigid filling material into the container, the member and the pusher being movable independently of each other.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, in which the member is pivotally mounted on a reciprocable carriage.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5 or claim 6, in which the member is a tongue.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, in which the tongue is of substantially the same length and width as the filling material.

9. A method of inserting non-rigid filling material and a leaflet into a container, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. An apparatus for inserting non-rigid filling material and a leaflet into a container, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (10)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. independently of the filling material 1. In other words, the leaflet 8 is not pushed into the box 2 by means of the filling material 1. The tongue 4 is pivotally mounted on a reciprocable carriage 5 and is preferably of substantially the same length and width as the filling material. Moreover, in the initial position of the pusher 3 and the carriage 5, the filling material 1 is located in a receiving chamber 6. The filling material 1 is supplied to the receiving chamber 6 by means which are not illustrated. The receiving chambers 6 are arranged for circulation by means which are likewise not illustrated. Furthermore, a pair of pincers 7 are provided which retain the instruction leaflet 8 to be inserted into the folding box 2, in a position necessary for its insertion. Proceeding from the position illustrated in Figure 1, in which the instruction leaflet 8 is positioned in front of the open folding box by means of the pincers 7 and the filling material 1 is positioned in the receiving chamber 6 behind the leaflet 8, the carriage 5, as Figure 2 shows, is first of all advanced in the direction of the arrow 9 and the tongue 4 is simultaneously moved downwards so that in its final position it overlies the filling material 1. The insertion of the filling material 1 with the aid of the pusher 3 is shown iri Figure 3 wherein the carriage 5 is advanced together with the tongue 4 which passes above the filling material into engagement with the instruction leaflet 8 so as to overlie the filling material whilst inserting the leaflet 8 independently of the filling material 1 which is pushed into the folding box 2 by the pusher 3. Moreover, the pincers 7 are opened and the instruction leaflet 8 is thus released for complete insertion into the box 2, simultaneously with the insertion of the filling material by the pusher 3. Figure 4 shows the filling material 1 introduced into the folding box 2 together with the instruction leaflet 8 and the withdrawal of the tongue 4 on the reciprocable carriage 5 in the direction of the arrow 10 while the pusher 3 remains in its final position, thus preventing the filling material 1 from being withdrawn from the folding box 2 during the removal of the tongue 4. For this purpose, the carriage 5, together with the tongue 4, is controllable independently of the pusher 3. After the carriage 5 has been withdrawn from the box 2, as illustrated in Figure 5, so that the tongue 4 is no longer within the folding box, the return movement of the pusher 3 starts. In Figure 6, both the pusher 3 and the carriage 5 have been returned to their initial positions wherein the tongue 4 has once again also taken up its upper pivotal position illustrated in Figure 1. Thus, the apparatus is ready for the reception of fresh filling material

1 so that the cycle can be repeated.

An apparatus in accordance with the invention, has the advantage that, when inserting filling material which is comparatively unstable, especially in the direction of insertion, multiple folded instruction leaflets can also be inserted more positively and without difficulty. Moreover, since the tongue 4 overlies the filling material 1 during the insertion thereof, a more secure insertion of the filling material into the containers is achieved.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of inserting non-rigid filling material and a leaflet into a container, comprising positioning the leaflet in front of an open end of the container, positioning the non-rigid filling material behind the leaflet, and pushing the leaflet and the filling material independently of each other into the container, the leaflet being pushed into the container by a member overlying the filling material.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the leaflet and the filling material are pushed into the container simultaneously.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the filling material is inserted into the container by forward movement of a pusher and the member is withdrawn from the container before return movement of the pusher.

4. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the non-rigid filling material is a strip of tablets, suppositories or the like, and the container is a folding box.

5. An apparatus for inserting non-rigid filling material and a leaflet into a container with the leaflet positioned in front of an open end of the container and the non-rigid filling material positioned behind the leaflet, said apparatus comprising a member arranged to overlie the non-rigid filling material whilst pushing the leaflet into the container, and a pusher arranged to push the non-rigid filling material into the container, the member and the pusher being movable independently of each other.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, in which the member is pivotally mounted on a reciprocable carriage.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5 or claim 6, in which the member is a tongue.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, in which the tongue is of substantially the same length and width as the filling material.

9. A method of inserting non-rigid filling material and a leaflet into a container, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. An apparatus for inserting non-rigid filling material and a leaflet into a container, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.