GB1593653A

GB1593653A - Method and apparatus for wrapping a carton blank around goods to be packed

Info

Publication number: GB1593653A
Application number: GB1222277A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Bowater Packaging Ltd
Current assignee: SCA Packaging Britain Ltd
Priority date: 1978-03-20
Filing date: 1978-03-20
Publication date: 1981-07-22

Description

(54) IMPROVED METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING A CARTON BLANK AROUND GOODS TO BE PACKED (71) We, BOWATER PACKAGING LIMITED, a British Company, of Bowater House, Knightsbridge, London, SW1, 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 an improved method and machine for wrapping a carton blank around goods to be packed.

Wrap around machinery is well known and normally, such machinery uses a traditional blank foldable into a four sided pack with inner and outer end walls and a glue flap.

Usually, the blank is presented to a loading station where the goods to be packed are loaded onto a base panel of the blank transversely, whereupon the blank is advanced through a plurality of folding stations where different folding sequencies are performed.

While such prior machinery works perfectly satisfactorily, the apparatus usually incorporates at least three folding stations and is therefore extremely bulky.

The aim of our invention is to provide a machine which operates on the same principles as the prior art machinery, but which has ewer folding stations and which can handle blanks for full wrap around cartons, or for open topped trays or wrap around sleeves.

As a result of this, it is believed that our machine is more compact than the prior art machines.

The blanks with which our machine is designed to operate are traditional in construction and include a pair of parallel side wall panels and a base panel foldably connected together in known manner about parallel spaced fold lines and in the case of a full wrap around pack or sleeve, a further top panel foldably connected to one of said side wall panels, and a glue flap foldably connected about a further fold line parallel to the previously mentioned fold lines to one of said panels or flap. In the case of the tray and full wrap around pack, the blank includes two inner end closure flaps and an outer end closure flap (or two in the case of a wrap around carton) foldably connected to respective ones of the three or four panels, about fold lines extending normal to the previously mentioned fold lines.

Such blanks are hereinafter referred to as blanks of the type described.

According to the broadest aspect of the present invention, we provide a method of wrapping a carton blank around goods to be packed comprising partially folding a pair of side wall panels up relative to a base panel of the blank while swinging a carton blank of the type described through an arc from an inclined hopper of blanks to a first generally horizontal forming station, placing the goods to be packed onto the base panel, transferring the blank with the goods thereon to a second forming station and subsequently folding in one or more flaps or panels over the top or ends of the goods on the blank, and adhesively securing said one or more flaps or panels in position to maintain the carton around the goods.

In order to provide a full wrap around pack or a sleeve, it is necessary at the second forming station to fold the top of the blank over the top of the goods when a full wrap around pack or sleeve is required, but not with an open topped tray. However, with the tray and full wrap around pack, the method includes folding the inner end wall panels of the blank over the end of the goods, during said transfer operation, and then, when the blank is at the second station, folding in the or each outer end wall flap and adhesively securing the or each flap in place to complete formation of a pack around the goods.

Also according to the present invention, we provide a machine for wrapping a carton blank of the type described around goods to be packed, said machine comprising an inclined hopper for a supply of carton blanks, means to transfer blanks one at a time through an arc from the inclined hopper to a first generally horizontal station where goods to be packed are loaded onto a base panel of the blank, the two side wall panels of the blank being folded upwardly relative to the base panels during transfer of the blank from the hopper to the first station, a transfer device to transfer the partly folded blank with the goods thereon from the first station to a second station and means to fold in one or more flaps or panels over the top or ends of the goods, and one or more applicators to apply adhesive to one or more related flaps or panels, whereby said one or more foldedin flaps or panels may be held in said foldedin position.

For a sleeve or full wrap around pack, the machine has means to fold in the top panel over the top of the goods. For a tray or full wrap around pack, the machine includes folding devices to fold in internal end wall panels across the ends of the goods during said transfer operation and further folding means at the second station to fold in the or each outer end closure flap to complete the formation of a pack around the goods at the second folding station.

Preferably, while the folding operations are being carried out at the second station, the transfer device drops down below the level at which the blank is supported and transferred from the first station to the second station and is returned to its initial position ready for transfer of a further blank, and a further blank is transferred from the hopper to the first station.

Preferably, for a full wrap around pack or sleeve adhesive is applied to the top edge of the trailing side wall panel while the blank is at the first station by a plurality of adhesive applicators laterally spaced throughout the width of the blank, said adhesive applicators being traversed laterally to ensure an even application of adhesive across the whole width of the top edge of the side wall panel.

Preferably, the top panel is folded over by a static deflector and a further reciprocatable plate is provided to fold over and adhere the glue flap to the top edge of the trailing side wall panel, for a full wrap around pack or sleeve.

Preferably, as the blank is transferred from the first station to the second station, adhesive is applied to each of the internal end wall panels as the said end wall panels pass stationary adhesive applicators on either side of the machine.

Preferably, the folding devices for folding in the internal end wall panels during transfer of the blank from the first station to the second station comprise a pair of static deflectors for folding in the leading inner end wall panels and a pair of spaced folding devices which chase the transfer device to fold in the trailing inner end wall panel.

Preferably, for a full wrap around pack or tray, as the blank is transferred from the first to the second station, stationary folding devices partially fold in the or each outer end wall panel over the inner wall panels to hold the inner end wall panels in their folded-in position.

Preferably, the folding devices at the second station comprise horizontally reciprocatable pressure applying plates located at either side of the machine to cause the or each outer end wall panel to adhere to the inner wall panels.

The invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a carton blank for a full wrap around carton; FIGURE 2 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, of a machine for wrapping the blank of Figure 1 around goods to be packed; FIGURES 3a & 3b are perspective schematic views showing what happens to a blank as it is transferred from a hopper to a first forming station, and FIGURES 4a & 4b are further perspective views showing what happens as the partly erected pack is transferred from the first forming station to a second forming station and the formation of the pack around the goods to be packed is completed.

Referring to Figure 1, the blank shown therein is preferably formed of corrugated fibreboard, fold lines being represented by broken lines and full lines indicating the boundaries of the blank.

As can be seen from Figures 1 and 3, the blank has four large panels which fold up to provide the four major faces of a full wrap around pack, these panels being a top panel 5, a leading side wall panel 6, a base panel 7 and a trailing side wall panel 18, the four panels being foldably connected together as shown by parallel spaced fold lines. A first pair of inner end closure flaps 10 is foldabl connected, one to each end edge of the lead- ing side wall panel 6 and a second pair of inner end closure flaps 11 is foldably connected, one to each end edge of the trailing side wall panel 18. Likewise, a first pair of outer end closure flaps 14 is foldably connected, one to each end edge of the base panel 7 and a second pair of outer end closure flaps 15 is foldably connected, one to each end edge of the top panel 5. The top panel 5 has a glue flap 16 foldably connected to it about a fold line parallel to the fold line separating the panels 5, 6, 7 and 18.

As can be seen from Figures 2 to 4, the blank of Figure 1 is wrapped around goods 17 which are located on the base panel 7 in three phases, the first phrase taking place as the blank is transferred from a hopper H to a first forming station 100, the second phase taking place during the transfer of the partly formed pack and goods to be packed from the first station 100 to a second station 200 and the third phase taking place with the pack static at the second station 200.

In operation, prepared flat blanks are stacked in the hopper H which supports them at the edges but leaves them capable of being pulled downwardly to a position on horizoil tal support bars 3. This movement, one blank at a time, is carried out by vacuum-operated pads 4 mounted on pivotted arms 13. The act of pulling a blank down from the hopper to the station 100 brings the descending blank past fixed deflectors (not shown) until the base panel 7 rests on the support bars 3. The vacuum-operated pads 4 stop moving when the blank has arrived with the base panel 7 on the support bars 3, but the vacuum remains applied to the pads at this stage.

The blank is not partially formed as shown in Figure 3b, and retained in position on the support bars 3 by the suction pads 4. Two metal plates (not shown) now move to engage the outer end closure flaps 14 in order to restrain them in the flat position shown in Figure 3b.

When the partially folded blank is located in the bars 3, it is ready to receive goods 17 to be packed. These may consist, for example, of one or more of a series of prepared packets, packs or boxes. The goods 17 to be wrapped are now positioned above the base panel 7 by a suitable ram (not shown) that moves the goods 17 laterally onto the panel 7. During this positioning operation, two spring loaded positioning plates (not shown) ensure that the inner end closure flaps 10 and 11 of the blank 1 are open as shown in Figure 3b, so as not to inhibit the lateral entry of the goods 17. The goods 17 may be moved onto the base panel 7 from one side or the other, or from both sides, in conjunction with suitable end-stops and limit switches of known type which ensure that the goods are correctly located.

The positioning ram (not shown) is then withdrawn, and signals are given by any appropriate means to initiate: a) cutting off the vacuum from vacuumoperated pads 4, and b) the application of a liquid adhesive, preferably by multi-jet device 8 positioned to apply a pattern of adhesive to the top edge of the trailing side wall panel 18 of the blank.

We prefer to use a number of adhesiveapplying jets, each laterally separated by a short distance, and to combine the operation of the jets with a traversing motion of the device 8 so that adhesive is applied in a short time over the full width of the side wall panel 18 in the region that will later be engaged by the glue flap 16.

That completes the first phase of the wrapping of the blank around the goods 17, and this is followed by a second phase, the transfer operation.

The transfer operation involved lengthwise movement of the pack from the first station 100 to the second station 200, and is designed to carry out in a relatively compact space a sequence of operations which in the prior art machines is usually done by passing a pack sequentially through a series of stations, spaced over a distance, at each of which one operation is carried out.

To move the partly folded blank from the first station 100 to the second station 200, a ram 9 is actuated. During this transfer operation, the pack pushes ahead of it, through the action of the ram 9, those packs which have been previously completely wrapped around goods, and are located downstream of the station 200.

During the transfer operation, the inner end closure flaps 10 are deflected inwardly by moving Past static forming bars (not shown) and the other inner end closure flaps 11 are each similarly deflected by reciprocating deflector bars (not shown), which "chase up" the ram 9.

Liquid adhesive is next applied to each of the flaps 10 and 11 by static adhesive applicators 19, one applicator being provied at each side of the pack. We prefer to use jet-type applicators. Each adhesive applicator operates twice while the pack moves from station 100 to station 200, namely once as flap 10 moves past it and once more as flap 11 moves past it. The application of adhesive is stopped while any space between flaps 10 and flaps 11 moves past the applicators; this is to prevent adhesive impinging on the goods 17.

At the same time, the top panel 5 is folded downwardly onto the goods 17 as this panel moves past a static deflector 12.

Once the pack has been moved to the second station 200, the vacuum pads 4 on their supporting arms 13 are enabled to move upwardly to engage the next blank in the hopper H and so begin a subsequent cycle of operation to produce another pack.

While the pack is moving from the station 100 to the station 200, the flaps 10 and 11 have been closed in against the material 17, and the upper and lower outer end closure flaps 15 are slightly deflected inwardly by reaction against static deflector bars (not shown), so as to restrain the inner end closure flaps 10 and 11 from moving outwardly when the pack has reached the situation represented in Figure 4a.

Once the transfer of the pack to the second station 200 is completed, the ram 9 automatically drops below the level of the bars 3 and returns to its initial position shown in Figure 2. This means that the pads 4 can begin their next operating sequence to bring down the next blank to the station 100 from the hopper H.

To complete the wrap around process (phase 3), pressure is applied by suitable plates of known type to bring the outer end closure flaps 14, 15 and the glue flap 16 into good contact with the areas to which adhesive has been applied on flaps 10 and 11 and on the trailing side wall panel 18. This pressure is maintained for the necessary time, according to the adhesive selected for use, to give a satisfactory adhesive bond, so that the completed pack is now as illustrated in Figure 4b.

The completed wrap around pack is then pushed from the station 200 as the next following pack is moved by the action of the ram 9 from the station 100 to the station 200.

The process is then repeated.

The above described machinery was for forming a complete wrap around pack around goods. However, the machine can also be used to wrap a tray around goods. In this case, the blank would not have a panel 5, a glue flap 16 and the second pair of outer end closure flaps 15. Hence, as the partially formed pack is passed from the first station 100 to the second station 200 the only folding operation would be the folding in of the inner end wall panels 10 and 11 and of course there would be no need for the multi-jet device 8 or for the static deflector 12 and only one set of plates would be required to fold in the outer end closure flaps 14.

Furthermore, the machinery described and illustrated, with reference to Figures 1 to 4, could also be modified and used to wrap a sleeve around goods. In this case, the blank shown in Figure 1 would be modified in that none of the end wall panels 10, 11, 14, 15 would be required. This would mean that the machine shown in Figure 2 could be modified by the omission of the two metal plates for restraining the flaps shown in Figure 1 in their flat position. Furthermore, static forming bars and reciprocating deflector bars would not be required to fold in the inner end closure flaps, nor would the static adhesive applicators 19 be required. Likewise, of course, there would be no need to provide plates for folding in any outer end closure flaps.

Of course, in both the above described modified constructions of machine, instead of omitting the various parts of the machine, these could still be kept on the machine and if they are static they just would not be used and if they are movable they could merely be made inoperative.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of wrapping a carton blank around goods to be packed comprising partially folding a pair of side wall panels up relative to a base panel of the blank while swinging a carton blank of the type described through an arc from an inclined hopper or blanks to a first generally horizontal forming station, placing the goods to be packed onto the base panel, transferring the blank with the goods thereon to a second forming station and subsequently folding in one or more flaps or panels over the top or ends of the goods on the blank, and adhesively securing said one or more flaps or panels in position to maintain the carton around the goods.

2. A method according to claim 1 including the step of folding, at the second forming station, the top of the blank over the top of the goods when a full wrap around pack or sleeve is required.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2 including folding the inner end wall panels of the blank over the end of the goods, during said transfer operation.

4. A method according to claim 3 including the step of folding in the or each outer end wall flap when the blank is at the second station and adhesively securing the or each flap in place to complete formation of a pack around the goods.

5. A method according to any one of claims 1-4 wherein, while the folding operations are being carried out at the second station, a transfer device for transferring the blank to the second forming station drops below the level at which the blank is supported and transferred from the first station to the second station and is returned to its initial position ready for transfer of a further blank, and a further blank is transferred from the hopper to the first station.

6. A method of wrapping a blank for a full wrap around carton around goods to be packed, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A method of wrapping a blank for an open topped tray around goods to be packed, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A method of wrapping a blank for a sleeve around goods to be packed, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A machine for wrapping a carton blank of the type described around goods to be packed, said machine comprising an inclined hopper for a supply of carton blanks, means to transfer blanks one at a time through an arc from the inclined hopper to a first generally horizontal station where goods to be packed are loaded onto a base panel of the blank, the two side wall panels of the blank being folded upwardly relative to the base panels during transfer of the blank from the hopper to the first station, a transfer device to transfer the partly folded blank with the goods thereon from the first station to a second station and means to fold in one or more flaps or panels over the top or ends of the goods, and one or more applicators to apply adhesive to one or more related flaps or panels, whereby said one or more folded-in flaps or panels may be held in said folded-in position.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 9

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. according to the adhesive selected for use, to give a satisfactory adhesive bond, so that the completed pack is now as illustrated in Figure 4b. The completed wrap around pack is then pushed from the station 200 as the next following pack is moved by the action of the ram 9 from the station 100 to the station 200. The process is then repeated. The above described machinery was for forming a complete wrap around pack around goods. However, the machine can also be used to wrap a tray around goods. In this case, the blank would not have a panel 5, a glue flap 16 and the second pair of outer end closure flaps 15. Hence, as the partially formed pack is passed from the first station 100 to the second station 200 the only folding operation would be the folding in of the inner end wall panels 10 and 11 and of course there would be no need for the multi-jet device 8 or for the static deflector 12 and only one set of plates would be required to fold in the outer end closure flaps 14. Furthermore, the machinery described and illustrated, with reference to Figures 1 to 4, could also be modified and used to wrap a sleeve around goods. In this case, the blank shown in Figure 1 would be modified in that none of the end wall panels 10, 11, 14, 15 would be required. This would mean that the machine shown in Figure 2 could be modified by the omission of the two metal plates for restraining the flaps shown in Figure 1 in their flat position. Furthermore, static forming bars and reciprocating deflector bars would not be required to fold in the inner end closure flaps, nor would the static adhesive applicators 19 be required. Likewise, of course, there would be no need to provide plates for folding in any outer end closure flaps. Of course, in both the above described modified constructions of machine, instead of omitting the various parts of the machine, these could still be kept on the machine and if they are static they just would not be used and if they are movable they could merely be made inoperative. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A method of wrapping a carton blank around goods to be packed comprising partially folding a pair of side wall panels up relative to a base panel of the blank while swinging a carton blank of the type described through an arc from an inclined hopper or blanks to a first generally horizontal forming station, placing the goods to be packed onto the base panel, transferring the blank with the goods thereon to a second forming station and subsequently folding in one or more flaps or panels over the top or ends of the goods on the blank, and adhesively securing said one or more flaps or panels in position to maintain the carton around the goods.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 9

including means to fold in the top panel over the top of the goods.

11. A machine according to claim 9 or 10 including folding devices to fold in internal end wall panels across the ends of the goods during said transfer operation.

12. A machine according to claim 11 including folding means at the second station to fold in the or each outer end closure flap to complete the formation of a pack around the goods at the second folding station.

13. A machine according to any one of claims 9-12 wherein for a full wrap around pack or sleeve, adhesive is applied to the top edge of the trailing side wall panel while the blank is at the first station, by a plurality of adhesive applicators laterally spaced throughout the width of the blank, said adhesive applicators being traversed laterally to ensure an even application of adhesive across the whole width of the top edge of the side wall panel.

14. A machine according to claim 13 wherein the top panel is folded over by a static deflector and a further reciprocatable plate is provided to fold over and adhere the glue flap to the top edge of the trailing side wall panel, for a full wrap around pack or sleeve.

15. A machine according to any one of claims 9-14 wherein, for a full wrap around pack or tray, as the blank is transferred from the first station to the second station, adhesive is applied to each of the internal end wall panels as the said end wall panels pass stationary adhesive applicators on either side of the machine.

16. A machine according to claim 15 wherein the folding devices for folding in the internal end wall panels during transfer of the blank from the first station to the second station comprise a pair of static deflectors for folding in the leading inner end wall panels and a pair of spaced folding devices which chase the transfer device to fold in the trailing inner end wall panel.

17. A machine as claimed in any one of claims 9-16 wherein, for a full wrap around pack or tray, as the blank is transferred from the first to the second station, stationary folding devices partially fold in the or each outer end wall panel over the inner wall panels to hold the inner end wall panels in their folded-in position.

18. A machine according to claim 17 wherein the folding devices at the second station comprise horizontally reciprocatable pressure applying plates located at either side of the machine to cause the or each outer end wall panel to adhere to the inner wall panels.

19. A machine for folding a carton blank into a full wrap around carton, tray or sleeve around articles to be packaged, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2-4 of the accompanying drawings.