GB2121756A - Device for attaching straws to beverage cartons - Google Patents

Abstract

In a device for attaching drinking straws (4) to beverage cartons (2), a belt (10) containing therein a number of straws (4) at constant spacing intervals is fed intermittently and cut transversely by a blade (61) to produce a series of succeeding sheaths (5) enclosing respective straws (4). Each sheath (5) thus produced is sucked against a straw holding head (8), transferred thereby to a position opposed to a carton (2) supported in a carton holder (1) and then urged against the carton 2 to be attached thereto by adhesive previously applied to the carton. The entire mechanism for the above operation may be mounted on an inclinable base plate to enable the sheath (5) to be attached obliquely to the carton. Alternatively the carton holder (1) may be adjustably inclined relative to the straw holding head (8) when the latter is in its attaching position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for attaching straws to beverage cartons This invention relates to a device for automatically attaching straws for drinking accommodated within respective envelopes or sheaths onto the outer surfaces of respective beverage carton containers.

In recent years cartons containing beverages have been on the market, each carton being provided with a straw in a sheath attached to the carton. A person wishing to drinkthe beverage in a carton merely removes the straw from the sheath and can immediately start to enjoy the beverage without the necessity of newly obtaining a straw or searching for a straw separately handed to him at the time of purchase of the carton.

This invention seeks to provide a straw attaching device for automatically and efficiently attaching straws contained in sheaths to outer surfaces of cartons of the instant character.

According to this invention, briefly summarized, there is provided a straw attaching device for automatically carrying out successively repeated operational cycles each comprising attaching a sheath containing a drinking straw onto a specific outer surface part of a respective beverage carton, said surface part having been previously coated with an adhesive, characterized by comprising: a feeding mechanism for intermittently feeding to a receiving part a bandoleer-like belt structure comprising a laminated pair of strip material and a plurality of straws sealed in between the pair of strip material at constant spacing interval, the pair of strip material around each straw forming a sheath containing said straw; a cutter mechanism for cutting completely across a cross section of the belt structure thus fed to the receiving part between the leading sheath and the succeeding sheath thereby to cut off the leading sheath; a transfer mechanism for catching and holding the leading sheath thus cut off and transferring the same to and against said surface part of a carton supported in a specific position; and a carton holderforsupporting said carton in said position in a manner to prevent deformation thereof during attaching of the sheath.

The nature, utility, and further features of this invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description with respect to a specific example of practice thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 its a perspective view showing the exterior appearance of a beverage carton to which a straw accommodated in a sheath has been attached by the straw attaching device of this invention; Figure2a is a plan view, with a part shown in section, showing the essential parts of a straw attaching device according to one embodiment of the invention, a straw transfer mechanism of the device being shown in the state of attaching a sheath with a straw to a carton; Figure 2b is a partial plan view showing the transfer mechanism in the state of catching and holding a sheath with a straw at a receiving part; Figure 3 is an elevation in vertical section of the same device; and Figure 4 is a perspective view indicating the manner in which a straw accommodated in a sheath is attached to the carton supported in a carton holder.

In the straw attaching device of this invention, a sheath (a straw envelope) 5 in which a straw 4 is accommodated as shown in Figure 4 is attached by an adhesive 6 to an outer surface 3 of a beverage carton 2 held by a carton holder 1 and containing therein a beverage. The carton holder 1 is of a box construction adapted to so hold and support the carton 2 that the carton will not be deformed by the external force exerted thereon at the time of attachment of the straw 4.

Furthermore, a reasonbly long straw is desirable for ease in drinking, but its length is limited by the maximum planar distance on the outer surface of the carton 2, which distance is substantially the length of the diagonal line of the largest planar surface of the carton. Therefore, the sheath 5 containing the straw 4 is secured with the adhesive 6 to the carton 2 along this diagonal line. In order to enable the sheath 5 to be secured along the diagonal line, the straw holding part of the straw attaching device is inclined relative to the carton 2. The angle of this inclination is made adjustable in correspondence with the shape of the carton. More specifically this is made possible by mounting the various mechanism parts of the straw attaching device on an inclinable base plate 7, as shown in Figure 3, which can be adjustably tilted.

In the operation of this straw attaching device, each sheath 5 containing a straw 4 as shown in Figure 4 is drawn and held by suction against a straw holding head 8 as shown in Figure 2a, which then presses the sheath 5 against a layer of the adhesive 6 previously applied over a specific area along the above mentioned diagonal line on the carton 2. The sheath 5 and the straw contained therein are thus attached to the carton 2. The adhesive 6 is thereafter permitted to set naturally or is hardened rapidly by curing (baking), whereby the sheath 5 is positively fixed to the carton 2.

The above operation is carried out by the straw attaching mechanism of the device according to the invention, which will now be described with reference to Figures 2a, 2b and 3. This straw attaching mechanism comprises, essentially: a feeding mechanism 12forfeeding a belt structure 10 resembling a bandoleer or ammunition belt to a receiving part 11, the belt structure 10 comprising a laminated pair of strip material 9 between which straws 4 are accommodated in sealed state at even spacing intervals, the strip material 9 forming the sheath 5 around each straw 4; a transfer mechanism 13 provided with the straw holding head 8 and operating to bring the head 8 against the sheath 5 at the leading end of the belt structure 10 thereby to hold this sheath by suction and then to transfer this sheath 5 to the outer surface 3 of the carton 2 held in and supported by the holder 1; and a cutter mechanism 14 for cutting the strip material 9 between the leading sheath 5 which has been fed to the receiving part 11 and the succeeding sheath 5, thereby cutting off the leading sheath 5. These mechanisms are mounted on the aforementioned inclined base plate 7 in the instant example.

The feeding mechanism 12 is mounted on a base 15 fixedly supported on the inclined base plate 7.

More specifically, main blocks 18 are fixed by screw-thread connection respectively to the distal ends of support arms 17 which are screw connected to a pair of opposed support members 16 of L shape on this base 15. The pair of main blocks 18, which extend parallelly with symmetrical configuration, are respectively provided at their ends on one side with driving shafts 19 passed through the ends. These driving shafts 19 extend through the base 15 and the inclined base plate7 and, moreover, support at their lower parts driven gears 20 for receiving rotational power from a driving power source, the gears 20 being fixed by keys 21 to their respective shafts 19.

Accordingly, these shafts 19 are rotated by rotational power from the driving power source.

These driving shafts 19 rotate in mutually opposite directions and operate as driving shafts respectively of endless belts 22 and 23 for guiding and conveying as described hereinafter. These belts 22 and 23 rotate respective driven shafts 24 passed through and rotatably fitted in bushes 27 in respective sub-blocks 26 fixed by means such as bolts 25 respectively to the main blocks 18. Driving pulleys 28 are fixed by keys 36 respectively to parts of each driving shaft 19 above and below the upper and lower surfaces of the respective main block 18, while driven pulleys 29 are fitted on parts of each driven shaft 24 above and below the upper and lower surfaces of the respective sub-block 26.

Furthermore, guide pulleys 30 are rotatably fitted on each driving shaft 19 respectively above and below the driving pulleys 28, while guide pulleys 31 are similarly fitted on each driven shaft 24 respectively above and below the driven pulleys 29. The guide pulleys 30 and 31 of the two driving shafts 19 and of the two driven shafts 24 function to guide therebetween the straw sheath belt 10 sent by way of a guide pulley 32. The driving pulleys 28 and their corresponding driven pulleys 29, respectively at the same height levels, on the left side as viewed in Figure 2a are respectively coupled by the above mentioned endless belts 22 passed therearound.

Similarly, the driving pulleys 28 and their corresponding driven pulleys 29 on the right side as viewed in Figure 2a are respectively coupled by the above mentioned endless belts 23 passed therearound.

The conveying belts 22 on the left side are provided on their outer surfaces at equal intervals with conveying grooves 34, while the conveying belts 23 on the right side are grooveless. These grooves 34 have the function of accommodating respective straw-enveloping parts of the straw sheath belt 10 and, functioning cooperatively with the outer surfaces of the grooveless conveying belts 23, feed the straws intermittently. Since the conveying grooves 34 are widened as their belt parts pass around the pulleys 28 and then assume their original widths, any small misalignments of the straws within their sheath formed by the strip material 9 are corrected. The specific position of the pulley 32 shown serves to cause the respective straw enveloping parts of the belt 10 to be accommodated in the grooves 34.

This intermittent driving of the straw sheath belt 10 is accomplished by utilizing the grooves 34fro timing as in the timing of intermittent conveying with photoelectric tubes or the like. That is, the outer surfaces of the belts 23 are smooth as described above and, upon clamping the new straw sheath belt 10 in conjunction with the other belts 22, close the openings of the conveying grooves 34 to form conveying chambers 35 each accommodating and conveying one sheath part 5 of the straw sheath belt 10 containing a straw 4. The strip material 9 of the belt 10 between the straw sheath parts 5 are clamped between and propelled by the conveying belts 22 and 23.

Each driven shaft 24 is provided at its ends with snap rings 37 as shown in Figure 3, whereby, together with its guide pulleys 31 and driven pulleys 29, it is held in assembled state relative to its sub-block 26. A one-way clutch 38 is fixed to the upper end of each driving shaft 19 and makes possible intermittent rotation of the driving shaft 19.

Thus, in the feeding mechanism 12 as described above, the straw sheath parts 5 bulging at constant distance intervals on the sheath belt 10 comprising two strips 9 of a material such as a plastic film are utilized and conveyed intermittently by the conveying chambers 35 formed by the conveying belts 22 and 23, the leading straw sheath 5 being sent to the receiving part 11.

The receiving part 11 is fixedly mounted on one surface of a support structure 40 capable of rotating about a stationary pivot shaft 39 and is adapted to supportthe sheath belt 10 over its entire width. A segment gear 63 is fixed by bolts 41 to the support structure 40 and is meshed with a pinion 64 which is pivotally supported on a pivot shaft 62 and is meshed with a rack gear 66 provided on a cutter rod 65. A cutter blade 61 is mounted on the working end of the cutter rod 65 and is driven in forward-andrearward movement by the rotation of the support structure 40.

The transfer mechanism 13 comprises: a swingable member 43; a control member 49 which is pin-connected to and supports the swingable member 43, and which is pivotally supported at its proximal end by a pivot shaft 45 to the inclinable base plate 7; and an actuating mechanism 54 coupled to the control member 49 to actuate the same is swinging movement.

The swingable member 43 has at its working end the aforementioned straw holding head 8 for supporting one straw sheath 5 at a time and at the lower part of its rear end a guide groove 42. The control member 49 is pin-connected at the upper and lower parts of its distal end by a long vertical pin 44 to the upper and lower parts of an intermediate part of the swingable member 43, which is thereby rotatably supported at the pin 44 in a manner permitting its working-end wit the holding head 8to swing through the control member 49 from one side thereof to the other. The control member 49 further has a pair of vertically spaced-apart arms 46 extending obliquely and horizontally from its proximal part and pinconnected at their outer ends by a vertical pin 47 to a coupler 48.

The actuating mechanism 54 comprises a cylinder 51 pivotally connected at its one end by a pin 52 to a support structure 53 fixed to the inclinable base plate 7, a piston (not shown) slidably accommodated within the cylinder 51, and a piston rod 50 fixed to the piston and extending outward from the other end of the cylinder 51. The outer end of the piston rod 50 is connected to the above mentioned coupler 48. A guide roller 56, which is rotatably supported on a block 55 fixed to the inclinable base plate 7, is slideably fitted in the aforementioned guide groove 42 of the swingable member 43.

The dimensions and configuration of the above described parts of the transfer mechanism 13 are so designed that, when the piston rod 50 is in its retracted state, the mechanism parts coupled thereto are in the state shown in Figure 2b. That is, the straw holding head 8 is in contact with and holding a sheath 5 containing a straw 4 at the receiving part 11.

When the piston rod 50 is in its extended state, the mechanism parts coupled thereto are in the state shown in Figure 2a. That is, the holding head 8 is in position to press the sheath 5 against a carton 2 held in the carton holder 1.

When the piston rod 50 in its retracted state shown in Figure 2b is thrust outward or forward, it causes the control member 49 to rotate in the clockwise direction as viewed in Figures 2a and 2b about the pivot shaft 45, whereby the pin 44 travels in an arcuate path toward its position shown in Figure 2a.

Consequently, the swingable member 43 is caused to undergo a corresponding motion dictacted by this travel of the pin 44 and the relative rolling or sliding of the guide roller 56 along the guide groove 42 of the swingable member 43. As a result, the straw holder 8, holding a sheath 5 containing a straw 4, is finally brought into its position shown in Figure 2a, where it presses the sheath 5 against the carton 2 as described hereinbefore.

Then, when the piston rod 50 is retracted, the above described movements of the parts of the transfer mechanism 13 are carried out in reverse direction until these parts assume their states indicated in Figure 2b.

The holding head 8 has a length sufficient for the longest straw 4 and sheath 5 it will be holding. Its holding surface 57 is provided with a straw accommodating groove 58 of a cross-sectional shape which corresponds to substantially one half of that of the straw sheath 5 with a straw 4 contained therein and is designed to accommodate and snugly hold the sheath. Furthermore, this groove 58 is provided at its bottom part with suction holes 59 connected to a vacuum source system (not shown), by which each straw sheath 5 is firmly held by suction against the holding surface 57 until it is released.

The holding surface 57 of the holding head 8 on the swingable member 43 becomes parallel to the direction normal to an arc having the pivot shaft 45 as its center and, moreover, travels between its position facing the carton 2 for attaching the sheath 5 and the receiving part 11 to which each straw sheath 5 is fed. At these terminal positions, the holding surface 57 is facing in opposite directions on its arcuate path. Furthermore, by loosening a locknut 60, locking the piston rod 50 to the coupler 48, and adjusting the position of the coupler 48 (i.e., the pin 47) relative to the piston rod 50, the positions of the holding surface 57 at the extremities of its operational stroke can be adjusted.

The aforementioned cutter mechanism 14 for thrusting the cutter blade 61 against the cutter the strip material 9 forming the belt structure 10 between each straw sheath 5 fed to the receiving part 11 and the succeeding sheath 5 is mounted on the inclinable base plate 7. The cutter blade 61 is operated in cutting action by the pressing action of the straw holding surface 57 of the holder 8 against the receiving part 11 in the following manner.

When the holding surface 57 presses against the receiving part 11 by the retraction of the piston rod 50 to catch and hold a straw sheath 5 with a straw 4, the receiving part 11 is pushed in the arrow direction (in Figure 2a), whereby the support structure 40 and the segment gear 63, integrally assembled with the receiving part 11, rotate in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2a about the pivot shaft 39. Consequently, the pinion 64 meshed with the segment gear 63 rotates clockwise about its pivot shaft 62 and drives the rack 66 of the cutter rod 65 forward or toward the left as viewed in Figure 2a.

Therefore, the cutter rod 65, an attachment 67 secured at the front end thereof, and the cutter blade 61 fixed by a bolt 68 to the attachment 67 are thrust forward toward belt structure 10. Thus, the cutter blade 61 is caused to undergo a positive and rapid cutting motion. The parts of the above described cutter mechanism 14 are returned to their original positions by a compression spring 65a urging the cutter rod to move rearward or in the direction opposite to the above described cutting motion.

The sequence of steps in the operation of the straw attaching device according to this invention is as follows.

As the belt structure 10 with straws 4 sealed therein at constant intervals is fed successively to the receiving part 11, the straw holding head 8 of the transfer mechanism is pressed against the leading straw sheath 5, which is then held by suction against the holding head 8. The cutter mechanism 14 is thereupon actuated as described above, and the cutter blade 61 cuts the strip material 9 between the leading straw sheath 5 thus held and the succeeding straw sheath 5, thereby cutting off the leading sheath 5 from the following belt structure 10. Upon completion of this cutting action, the holding head 8 of the transfer mechanism 13 undergoes the aforedescribed motion while holding the above mentioned straw 4 and its sheath 5 and carries the same to the attaching position, where it presses the sheath 5, by the advancing movement of the piston rod 50, against the outer surface 3 of a carton 2 held in the carton holder 1. The sheath 5 is thereby caused to adhere to the carton 2 in the specific position and with the oblique orientation as shown in Figure 1 by the adhesive 6 as shown in Figure 4.

The oblique orientation of the sheath 5 results from the inclination, for example, of 35 degrees, of the inclinable base plate 7 relative to the carton 2 held in the carton holder 1.

Upon completion of the above described step of securing the sheath 5 with the straw 4 obliquely to the carton 2, the application of suction by the holding head 8 to the sheath 5 is stopped, whereby the sheath 5 is released from the holding surface 57 and groove 58 of the holding head 8. The transfer mechanism 13 then operates to transfer the holding head 8 to its position facing the receiving part 11, where the succeeding straw 4 in the belt structure 10 is awaiting the succeeding cycle of the above described operation. At the same time, the carton 2 to which the sheath 5 containing the straw 4 has been attached as described above is conveyed away by means not shown and replaced by a succeeding carton supported in the same or a separate carton holder 1.

In accordance with this invention, since the carton 2 is supported and held by the carton holder 1 during the straw attaching process, the straw sheath 5 can be pressed thereagainst with the necessary force for attaching the straw without causing deformation of the carton 2. Accordingly, the straw attaching operation can be carried out rapidly and efficiently.

Another feature of this invention is that the straw attaching mechanism, comprising, essentially, the feeding, transfer, and cutter mechanisms 12, 13 and 14, is mounted on the inclinable base plate 7, which is mounted on the machine frame in a manner whereby it can be adjustably inclined relative to the machine frame and to the carton holder 1 also mounted on the machine frame. The machine frame and the means by which the base plate 7 is adjustably mounted thereon are not shown and have not been described because they are generally known in the art.

While, in the above described example of this invention, the feeding, transfer, and cutter mechanisms are mounted on an inclinable base plate which is adjustably inclinable relative to the machine frame and to the beverage carton 2 supported by the carton holder 1,the invention is not thus limited, although this construction and arrangement are appropriate where the device is to be applied in exisitng equipment for handling beverage cartons or in equipment wherein the carton holder cannot be inclined relative to the straw holder 8 for some reason. Thus, an alternative construction and arrangement wherein the feeding, transfer, and cutting mechanisms are not mounted on an inclinable base plate, and only the carton holder is adapted to be adjustably inclinable relative to the straw holder is intended to be within the purview of this invention.

Claims (11)

1. A straw attaching device for automatically carrying out successively repeated operational cycles each comprising attaching a sheath containing a drinking straw onto a specific outer surface part of a respective beverage carton, said surface part having been previously coated with an adhesive, said device comprising: a feeding mechanism for intermittently feeding to a receiving part a bandoleer-like belt structure comprising a laminated pair of strip material and a plurality of straws sealed in between the pair of strip material at constant spacing interval, the pair of strip material around each straw forming a sheath comprising said straw; a cutter mechanism for cutting completely across a cross section of the belt structure thus fed to the receiving part between the leading sheath and the succeeding sheath thereby to cut off the leading sheath; a transfer mechanism for catching and holding the leading sheath thus cut off and transferring the same to and against said surface part of a carton supported in a specific position; and a carton holder for supporting said carton in said position in a manner to prevent deformation thereof during attaching of the sheath.

2. A straw attaching device according to claim 1 in which the feeding, cutter, and transfer mechanisms are mounted on an inclinable base plate adapted to be adjustably inclined relative to the carton supported by the carton holder, whereby the sheath is attached obliquely to said surface part of the carton.

3. A straw attaching device according to claim 1 in which the carton holder is adapted to be adjustably inclined relative to the straw holder in the straw attaching position thereof, whereby the sheath is attached obliquely to said surface part of the carton.

4. A straw attaching device according to claim 1 in which the transfer mechanism comprises: a straw holding head having a straw holding surface, and means for transferring the holding head between a first position in which the holding surface is opposed to said receiving part and a second position in which the holding surface is opposed to the carton held in the carton holder.

5. A straw attaching device according to claim 4, further comprising: a control member pivotally supported at one end thereof by a stationary pivot shaft, a swingable member pivotally mounted at an intermediate part thereof on the other end of the control member and having the straw holding head at one end thereof, actuating means coupled to the control member for pivotal motion thereof around said stationary pivot shaft, and guide means engaging slidably with the swingable member to cause the latter to turn relative to the control member in such a member that at one terminal position of the pivotal movement of the control member the holding head is in said first position, and at the other terminal position of the pivotal movement of the control member the holding head is in said second position.

6. A straw attaching device according to claim 5 in which said guide means is a stationary guide roller engaging a guide groove formed in the swingable member in the portion of the same opposite to the straw holding head with respect to a position where the swingable member is pivotally mounted on the control member.

7. A straw attaching device according to claim 1 in which the transfer mechanism comprises: a swingable member having a rear-to-front direction; guide means for guiding the swingable member in translational movement in said first direction and in rotation about a first fixed axis perpendicularto said first direction; a straw holding head provided at the front part of the swingable member and having a holding surface and a straw accommodating groove extending in a direction parallel to said first fixed axis; a control member pivtoally supported at one end thereof to rotate about a second fixed axis parallel to and spaced apart from the first fixed axis, said control member being pin-connected at the other thereof by a pin with an axis parallel to the first fixed axis to the swingable member at a part thereof near the straw holder, the control member being rotatable in one direction to cause the straw holding head to abut against said sheath at said receiving part thereby to catch and hold said sheath, and in the opposite direction to cause the straw holder, thus holding the sheath, to move to and abut against said surface part of the carton thereby to attach the sheath to said surface part; actuating means for actuating the control member in the stated actions; and vacuum means communicating with said groove of the straw holding head to controllably apply suction for holding each sheath against the holding surface and groove of the straw holder.

8. A straw attaching device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising means for transmitting the force, produced as a result of the abutting action of the straw holding head against said receiving part, to the cutter mechanism to cause the same to operate to cut the belt structure.

9. A straw attaching device according to claim 8 in which the force transmitting means comprises: a segment gear secured to the structure of said receiving part, a pinion meshing with the segment gear, and a rack provided on a shiftable cutter rod of the cutter mechanism and meshing with the pinion.

10. A straw attaching device according to claim 1 substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A beverage carton having a straw attached thereto by means of a device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.