GB2224256A - A box-flap folding device - Google Patents

Abstract

In a box bottom folding device in which the side flaps are folded up and subsequently the end flaps are folded up, retractable supports 25 are advanced to support the folded-up side flaps before the side flap folders 24b are retracted to retain the side flaps folded during subsequent folding of the end flaps. A product partly-loaded in an open-ended box is fed on an elevator-carried conveyor 5 to above an elevator-mounted lifter 10 which raises the product fully into the box which is held down by lowered plate 12. The loaded box is gripped by side bars 21 (Fig. 3) and the elevator, lifter and plate 12 returned to their start positions. Reciprocable side flap folders 24b advance to fold the side flaps which are retained folded by reciprocable T-shaped supports 25. Pivoted end folders 24a fold-up the end flaps and are then returned as are the supports, and the side folders 24b moved back under the box. The elevator and lifter 10 are then raised to receive the box which is lowered onto the conveyor 5 for discharge. <IMAGE>

Description

A BOX-FLAP FOLDING DEVICE DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a box-flap folding device and more particularly to an automatic box-flap folding aye ice which includes means for supporting side flaps connected to ne lower edges of the package box after being folded in order to prevent them from getting unfolded due to the reaction forces acting thereon.

In conventional box-flap folding device usec in @@-pac@ag lines, side folders are firstly operated to fold tne lower sloe flaps of the box and ther the side folders are return: to their original positions during front and rear folders are operated to fold the lower front and rear flaps. At this moment, however, the side flaps once folded are apt to get unfolded due to the reaction forces acting on the side flaps.

Therefore, these conventional box-flap folding devices suffer from the disadvantages that the unfolding side falps collide with the front and rear flaps being folded and thus the flaps may not be folded smoothly but may be bent or broken.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic box-flap folding device employing a supporting means which is advanced to support the central portions of the folded lower side flaps before the side folders are retracted after folding the side flaps so that the side flaps do not interfere with the folding operation of the front ana rear flaps According to the present invention, there is provided an autorratic box-flap folding device comprising conveyer means carrying the package box enclosing a product therein to a working position and taking it out to the nert process after the folding operation, m@@@@ for lifting the product to be entered into the @@@ completely whe@ the box is arrived at the working position b the conveyer means.

control means limiting the lift of the lifting means ana the box over the predetermine height, means for holding the product and the bo after their positions are determined side flan folding means for folding the lower side flaps of the box after tne lifting means is returned to its original position, supporting means for preventing the folded side flaps from getting unfold due to the reaction forces, and front and rear flap folding means for folding the lower front and rear flaps of the bcx.

The present invention will now be described by way cf illustrative example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG.l is a front elevation of a box-flap folding device according to the present invention with some parts thereof omitted: FIG.2 is a top view of part of the device of FUG.1 fig.3 is a side elevation of the device of FIG.1 with some parts thereof omitted fig.4A is a front elevation showing the product and the po > being conveyed ; fig.4B is a front elevation showing the product being entere into the box by the device of FIG.1 FIG.4C is a front elevation showing the lower side flays the box being folded by the device of FIG FtG.5A is a top view showing the lower side flaps of the boi being folded by the device of FIZZY FIG.5B is a top view showing the side flaps supported by the supporting means according to the invention , and FIG.6 is a side elevation showing the front and rear flaps being folded by the device of FIG.1.

Referring to FIG.1, the conveyer means includes an elevator 4 attached to the upper ends of each rod 3 of cylinders 2 and 2' which are fixed to lower sides of a frame 1, a conveyer belt 5 driven by belt pulleys 6 and 6' fixed to each side of the elevator 4. a drive motor 7 for the rotation of the belt pulley 6, sprockets 8 and 8' and a chain 9 for the transmission of the driving force of the motor 7.

The lifting means for lifting a product A, which is disposed to the central working position of the frame 1, includes a cylinder 2a attached to the elevator 4 and which rises and falls together with the elevator 4, and a pusn plate 10 attacheched to the upper e@@ of the rod of the cylinder Sa. The control means for limiting tne ilft of a box B over a predetermined height includes a lifter 11 attack to an upper frame la, a cylinder 2b fixed to the center of the lifter 11 and a control plate 12 fixed to the lower end of the rod of the cylinder 2b and operated to rise and fall by the cilynder 2A.

To the sides of the lifter 11 are attached the lower ends c; rack shafts 13 and 13' which are rotatably engagea to a pinion shaft 1 > whithin each housing 14. When a motor 16 is driven. the p@n@@@ shaft 15 and the rack shafts 13 and 13' are rotates simutaneousl and the lifter 11 rises or falls according to the rotation direction of the rack shafts 13 and 13'.

Referring now to FIG.3, guides 17 and 17' for guiding the conveyance of the box B are provided to the upper front and rear surfaces of the frame 1. The outer sides of the guides 17 and 17' are attached to the inner ends of the rack shafts 13a and 13a' which are threaded through front and rear rack housings 14a.

These rack shafts are engaged to the both sides of the pinion shaft 15a within the rack housings 14a.

The pinion shaft, as shown in FIG. 2 is rotated by means of handle 18 via a bevel gear 20 in a gear po 7.

Therefore, when the handle 18 is rotated. tne bevel gear an the pinion shaft are rotatea in turn and the rack sifts 1 ane 1v' are moved back ano forth within the rack housing 14a according to the rotating direction. Consequently, the guides 17 and 17 are simultaneously moved back and forth and thus the bo can Pe transeerrev straightly as the moving distances of the guides are adjusted according to the length of the box B.

The holding means includes holders 21 and 21' to hold the bo: B and the product A therein at a predetermined position. The holders 21 and 21' are attached to the inner ends of the rods of the cylinders 2C and 2C' and moved back and forth by the cylinders, which are fixed to the upper frame la through the respective brackets 22 and 22' above the guides 17 and 17', i.e., at the front and rear sides under the upper frame 1a.

The folding means for folding the side flaps b1 and b1' includes a " u " shaped folder 24 which is operated to move from right to left and vice versa along guide rods 23 and 23' by the cylinder 2d.

The supporting means includes a " T " shaped supporter 25 which is moved from right to left and vice versa along each guide rod 23a by means of a cylinder 2e ane which is disposed at the miracle of front and rear folding members 24b and 24b' of the side folders Further, the front and rear flap folding means includes swing folders 24a and 24a' which are operated to swing b means of cylinders 2f and 2f' and which are attached to the upper ends of tne rods of the cylinders 2f and 2f'. An outgoing conveyer 2 disposed at the upper right side of the frame 1 is driven P a motor 27 and transfers the finished box B from the conveyer means to the next process.

The successive operations of the respective means according to the present invention is performed by a conventional automatic control system. When the box B which encloses the product A is transferred to the frame 1 by a seperate transfer conveyer C as shown in FIG. 4A, the conveyer means is positioned above the frame l-as indicated by the solid lines in FIG. 1.

In this state, if the motor 7 is operated, the conveyer belt 5 is removed by the driving force of the motor being transmitted via a sprocket 8, a chain 9 and a sprocket 8'. Therefore, the conveyer belt 5 takes over the box B and the enclosed product A from the conveyer C and transfers them to the working position.

Once they are arrived at the working position, the box 5 and the product A are stopped at the working position as the conveyer belt is stopped by the driving motor wnicn is controlled by the automatic control system.

Then, the cylinder 2a as a part of the means for @@@ting the product A is operated. lifts tne pusn plate 10 ano tno product s is lifted to be entered into the box B by the rush plate 10 as shown in FiG.4B. Simultaneously the cylinder 2r cf the control means is also operated and lowers the contrcl plate 12 which @@@@@@ the concurrent rise of the bor B during the lift of the product A b, the push plate 10.Therefore, the entering of tne products into the box B is ensured. The rising distances of the push plate 10 and the falling distace of the control plate 12 are present according to the size of the working object.

After the product A is entered into the box B completely, the cylinders 2C and 2C' of the holding means are operate to advance the holders 21 and 21' to firmly hold the box B together with tne inside product A. Then as the cylinder 2a of the lifting means and the cylinder 2b of the control means are operated reversely, the push plate 10 and the control plate 12 are returned to their original positions respectively. Also, as the cylinders 2 and 2' of the conveyer means are operated reversely and their rods 3 are lowered, the elevator 4 is lowered to the position indicated by the phantom line R in FIG.1.

Accordingly, the boy B and the enclosed product A are firmiv held and khung b the holding means. Then. as the cylinder =b of the means for folding the lower side flaps bl anc bl of the box B is operated, the side folders 24 are advanced concurrently and fold the flaps bl and bl' as shown in FIGs. 4C and 5A.

Thereafter, the cylinder 2e of the supporting means is operated and the supporters 25 at both sides support the middle portions of the folded flaps b1 and bl' as shown in FIG.5B.

Simultaneously, the cylinder 2d is operated reversely to retract the folders 24 to their original positions.

As the flaps bl and bt' are folded by means of the front and rear " U " shaped folders 24, these flaps can be folded smoothly. Also, the folders 24 are retracted after the flaps bl and bl' are folded and thus they do not interfere with the folding operation of the front and rear flaps b2 and b2'.

Further, the supporters 25 support the folded flaps bl and bl' in order to prevent the folded flaps bl and bl' from getting unfolded due to the reaction force and from interfering with the folding operation of the front and rear flaps b2 and b After the side flaps bl and bl' are folded by the above-described operation, the front and rear flaps b2 and b2' are then folded by means of the cylinders 2f and 2f' of the folding means, which are operated to rotate the swing folders 24a and 24a' as indicated by the phantom lines r in FI5..

The supporter 25 does not interfere with the folding operation of the front and rear flaps b2 and b2' as it is in the mioo;e position.

After the side flaps as well as the front and rear flaps are folded completely, the side folders 24 are advanced again anc support the folded flaps, while the supporter 25 and the folders 24a and 24a' are returned to their original positions.

Then, the elevator 4 is lifted to its original position as the cylinders 2 and 2' are operated to lift the rods 3. Thereafter, the cylinder 2a is operated to lift the push plate 10 so as to contact with the bottom of the box B covered by the folded flaps.

Simultaneously, the cylinder 2d of the side folders 24 and the cylinders 2C and 2C' of the holding means are operated reversely to their respective original positions making the box B placed on the push plate 10. In this state, if the push plate 10 is lowered to its original position by the reverse operation of the cylinder 2a, the box is placed on the conveyer belt 5. Thereafter, the conveyer belt 5 is operated by the driving motor 7 again and the finished box B which encloses the product A is transfers to the next process by the outgoing conveyer 26 driven by the motor 27.

As described above, it will be apparent that the prsent invention provides advantages to prevent the folded side flaps from, getting unfolded by means of the supporting means and thus not to interfere with the folding operation of the front and rear flaps, resulting in that the box-flaps can be folded smoothly without being bent or broken.

Claims (6)

1. A box-flap folding device having front, rear and sioe flap folding means, comprising means for supporting side flaps folded by said side flap fl@@ing means Wherein said supporting means is so constructed as to prevent the folded side flaps from getting unfolded during the operation of said front and rear flap folding means.

2. A box-flap folding device as claimed in claim 1. wherein saio supporting means includes a pair of lk T ' shaped supporters a pa@@ of cylinders respectively moving said supporters from right to ieet and vice versa and a pair of guide rods guiding said supoorters respectively.

3. A box-flap folding divice as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said supporters are respectively disposed at the middle of front and rear folding members constituting said side flap folding means.

4. A box-flap folding device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

5. A box that has had its flaps folded by a device according to any preceding claim.

6. A method of folding a box with a device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.