GB2281711A

GB2281711A - Feeding blanks for a box comprising two blanks

Info

Publication number: GB2281711A
Application number: GB9418097A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Carlo Trimani; Riccardo Mattei
Original assignee: GD SpA
Current assignee: GD SpA
Priority date: 1993-09-14
Filing date: 1994-09-08
Publication date: 1995-03-15
Also published as: DE4432433A1; ITBO930374A1; IT1264214B1; GB9418097D0; ITBO930374A0

Description

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR PRODUCING RIGID HINGED-LID PACKETS FOR PRODUCTS,

PARTICULARLY CIGARETTES The. present invention relates to a method of producing rigid hinged-lid packets f or - products, particularly cigarettes.

on packing machines, particularly f or cigarettes to which specific reference is made in the following description purely by way of example, rigid hinged-lid packets are formed about prismatic bodies consisting of a group of cigarettes wrapped in an underwrapping normally consisting of foil. Each rigid packet is normally formed, along a packing line, by folding a first prestressed blank of cardboard or similar about a respective said prismatic body about which has already been folded, along the packing line, a second blank forming the so-called "collar". As is known, the collar of the finished packet projects from the open end of a cup-shaped casing forming a portion of the packet, and forms an inner support for the lid of the cup-shaped casing.

Known packing machines of the above type normally comprise a line for supplying the first blanks and in turn normally comprising a feedbox from which the first blanks are withdrawn and fed successively to the packing line; and a further separate line for supplying the second blanks and in turn normally comprising a reel carrier with an automatic reel change devicef and guide means for guiding a continuous strip of board or similar, which is fed to a cutting station where it is cut transversely into a succession of collars.

The collar supply line of known packing machines of the above type not only accounts for roughly a fourth of the total cost of the machine but also-presents a relatively complex structure which greatly increases the size and impairs the reliability of the machine as a whole.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of producing rigid packets, designed to eliminate the collar supply line of the packing machine, but involving substantially no alteration to the rest of the machine.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method of producing rigid hinged-lid packets for products, particularly cigarettes; each packet comprising an outer casing formed by folding a first blank along a packing line, and a separate collar connected to said casing and formed by folding a second blank along said packing line; characterized in that each second blank is fed to the packing line together 3 with a first blank.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the above method comprises the steps of employing third blanks, each comprising a f irst portion consisting of a first blank, and a second portion consisting of a second blank; successively f eeding the third blanks along a given path extending through a parting station; and detaching each first blank from the relative second blank by means of a parting operation performed at the parting station.

The above method preferably comprises the further step of feeding each first blank and the relative second blank along respective further paths as of the parting station and to distinct points along the packing line.

The present invention also relates to a machine for producing rigid hinged-lid packets for products, particularly cigarettes.

According to the present invention, there is provided a machine for producing rigid hinged-lid packets for products, particularly Cigarettes; each packet comprising an outer casing formed by f olding a f irst blank, and a separate collar connected to said casing and formed by folding a second blank; the machine comprising a packing line for folding each first and each second blank and for assembling each first blank to a relative second blank; characterized in that it also comprises a supply line for feeding each first blank together with a second blank to said packing line.

A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic view in perspective of a packing machine implementing the method according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of a blank fed to the Figure 1 machine; Figure 3 shows a f irst variation of the Figure 2 blank; Figures 4 and 5 show a further two variations of the Figure 2 blank; Figure 6 shows a f irst variation of a detail in Figure 1.

Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates a packing machine comprising a packing line 2 in turn comprising a known conveyor wheel 3 rotating about a vertical axis 4 for feeding along a substantially semicircular path products 5 in the form of a rectangular parallelepipedon and consisting of groups (not shown) of cigarettes enclosed inside a foil underwrapping. Packing line 2 also comprises a known transfer wheel 6 rotating about a vertical axis 7 and located partly beneath wheel 3; which wheel 6 is supplied by wheel 3 with products 5 at a first transfer station 8, and feeds them along a substantially semicircular path to a second transfer station 9 where they are fed successively on to a known packing wheel 10 located over wheel 6 at station 9 and 1 rotating anticlockwise (in Figure 1) about a horizontal axis 11.

Packing machine 1 also comprises a first line 12 for successively feeding known first blanks 13 for rigid hinged-lid packets (not shown) to a loading station 14 located along wheel 10 and upstream from station 9 in the rotation direction of wheel 10; and a second line 15 for successively feeding second blanks 16, each consisting of a known collar, to a loading station 17 located along wheel 3.

Lines 12 and 15 are fed with respective blanks 13 and 16 by one line is for successively supplying third blanks 19 which, in the embodiment shown, are withdrawn successively and in known manner from the bottom of a store 20 by a known extracting device 21.

As shown in Figure 2, blank 19 is substantially in the form of an elongated rectangle much like an ordinary blank for producing rigid hinged-lid packets, and presents a number of preformed transverse bend lines 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, and two preformed 1,ongitudinal bend lines 28, 29.

Between lines 28 and 29, lines 22-27 define an end panel 30; a first intermediate panel 31; a second and third intermediate panel 32, 33 on either side of panel 31, and of which panel 33 is smaller in height than panel 32; a central panel 34; and an end panel 35 separated from panel 34 by a further intermediate panel 36.

Outwards of panels 30-36, each line 28, 29 defines respective tabs 37-43, of which each tab 38 outwards of panel 31 is integral with respective tab 40 and is separated from panel 31 and from respective tab 39 by two cuts 44 and 45 extending respectively along line 28, 29 and line 23; each tab 43 outwards of panel 36 is integral with respective tab 41 and is separated from panel 36 and from respective tab 42 by two cuts 46 and 47 extending respectively along line 28, 29 and line 27; each. tab 39 is separated from respective tab 37 by an oblique slot 48; and each tab 41 is separated from respective tab 40 by an oblique slot 49.

As shown in Figure 2, panel 30 is def ined at its free end and together with respective tabs 37 by an edge 50 consisting of a convex broken line matching a concave broken line defining the free edge 51 of panel 35 and respective tabs 42, so that blanks 19 may be formed from strip with substantially no waste. Also, according to variation not shown, store 20 and extracting device 21 may be replaced by a known reel carrier assembly (not shown) for a continuous precut strip (not shown), and by a respective cutting device (not shown) cooperating with the reel carrier assembly for "on-line" cutting blanks 19 from a continuous strip.

As shown in Figure 2, blank 19 is divided into a first portion 52 and a second portion 53, respectively corresponding to blanks 13 and 16, by a line 54 extending across panel 30. Line 54 may be either purely imaginary or a precut line, and divides panel 30 into a first part presenting tabs 37 and corresponding to portion 53, and into a second part forming an axial tab 55 of portion 52.

As shown in Figure 1, in addition to store 20 and extracting device 21, supply line 18 also comprises a Pair of known transfer rollers 56 and 57, the second of which provides for feeding blanks 19 through a cutting station 58 where they are cut along line 54 by a cutting device 59 which, as in the example shown, may be a blanking device comprising a reciprocating actuator with a punch, or a known cutting roller (not shown) tangent to roller 57.

Again with reference to Figure 1, supply line 12 comprises a transfer roller 60 which is tangent on one side to roller 57 at a transfer station 61 downstream from cutting station 58, and on the other side to packing wheel 10 at station 14, and which provides for feeding blanks 13 through a folding device 62 for folding tab 55 of each blank 13 in known-manner beneath 1 respective panel 32.

Again with reference to Figure 1, supply line 15 comprises two conveyors 63 and 64 arranged partly side by side; the first of which is tangent to roller 57 at a transfer station 65 between stations 58 and 61 and extends beneath line 12; and the second of which extends beneath line 2 with which it communicates by means of a known transfer roller 66 tangent to wheel 3 at station 17. Line 15 also comprises a known rotary transfer device 67 for successively transferring blanks 16 from conveyor 63 to conveyor 64 and at the same time rotating them 900 about an axis perpendicular to the blank plane.

In actual use, on being withdrawn from store 20, blanks 19 are deposited by extracting device 21 on to roller 56 by which they are retained by suction and transferred to roller 57. Roller 57 feeds blanks 19 successively through cutting station 58 where device 59 cuts each blank 19 along line 54 to separate portions 52 and 53 and so form blanks 13 and 16 which are retained by suction and adjacent to each other on roller 57 as far as station 65 where blanks 16 are transferred successively to line 15 and from there to line 2 at loading station 17, while blanks 13 remain on roller 57 as far as station 61 where they are transferred to line 12 and from there to line 2 at loading station 14.

To an expert it will immediately be apparent that: firstly, packing line 2 of machine 1 is substantially the same as that of a well known packingmachine wherein blanks 13 and 16 are fed to the packing line in positions corresponding exactly to loading stations 14 and 17; secondly, with only negligible alterations, lines 18 and 12 of machine 1 together correspond to the line supplying the first blanks on said known packing machine; and, thirdly, line 15 for supplying blanks 16 on machine 1 is extremely straightforward, relatively low-cost, and composed of highly reliable elements, unlike said known packing machine which comprises a complex, high-cost, bulky supply line for blanks 16, of the type described in US Patent n. 5, 101,701 granted to the present Applicant.

In other words, supplying machine 1 with a blank 13 together with a respective blank 16, and subsequently separating the two blanks 13 and 16, provides not only for achieving a greatly simplified machine 1, but also for forming such a machine from a known machine with no more than a few relatively low-cost alterations.

In the Figure 3 variation, blanks 19 are replaced by blanks 68 which are identical to blanks 19 except for the fact that portion 53, as opposed to being connected to tab 55, is connected to the free end of panel 35, and the parting line 54 is defined by coincident edges 50 and 51.

The Figure 4 variation relates to a blank 69 identical to blank 19 except for the fact that tab 55 is substantially rectangular and defined, on the side facing portion 53, by a straight edge 70, two end portions of which are defined by two portions of parting line 54; and, on the side facing edge 70, portion 53 is defined centrally by a concave edge 71 which, together with a central portion of edge 70, defines an opening 72.

The Figure 5 variation relates to a blank 73 similar to blank 69 except for the fact that portion 53 is turned 1800 as compared with that of blank 69, and edge 50 coincides with edge 70 and with parting line 54.

Both blanks 68 and 73 present a straight parting line 54 enabling application of the Figure 6 variation wherein cutting station 58 is def ined by a device 74 consisting of a disk cutter for effecting a straight cut as opposed to a blanking operation as in the case of device 59 in Figure 1.

When producing rigid hinged-lid cigarette packets, it is customary, for rendering blanks 13 and 16 integral with each other, to connect panels 3G and 35 by means of adhesive material. Particularly in the case of very small collar blanks 16, however, provision may of course be made for connecting blanks 13 and 16 by gumming together respective tabs 37 and 42.

r

Claims

1) A method of producing rigid hinged-lid packets for products, particularly cigarettes; each packet comprising an outer casing formed by folding a first blank (13) along a packing line (2), and a separate collar connected to said casing and formed by folding a second blank (16) along said packing line (2); characterized in that each second blank (16) is fed to the packing line.(2) together with a first blank (13).

2) A method as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the steps of employing third blanks (19), each comprising a first portion (52) consisting of a first blank (13), and a second portion (53) consisting of a second blank (16); successively feeding the third blanks (19) along a given path extending through a parting station (58) and detaching each first blank (13) from the relative second blank (16) by means of a parting operation performed at the parting station (58).

3) A method as claimed in Claim 2., characterized in that said parting station (58) is a cutting station (58).

4) A method as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that it comprises the further step of feeding each first blank (13) and the relative second blank (16) along respective further paths as of the parting station (58) and to distinct points (14, 17) along the packing line (2).

5) A method as claimed in Claim 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that said cutting operation is a blanking operation.

6) A method as claimed in Claim 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that said cutting operation is a straight-line cutting operation.

7) A method of producing rigid hinged-lid packets for products, particularly cigarettes; each packet comprising an outer casing formed by folding a first blank (13) along a packing line (2), and a separate collar connected to said casing and formed by folding a second blank (16) along said packing - line (2); characterized in that each second blank (16) is f ormed by dividing a third blank (19), a f irst portion (52) of which consists of a said first blank (13), and a second portion (53) of which consists of said second blank (16).

8) A method as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that each said third blank (19) is divided by means of a cutting operation.

9) A method as claimed in Claim 7 or 8, characterized in that said cutting operation is a blanking operation.

10) A method as claimed in claim 7 or 8, characterized in that said cutting operation is a straight-line cutting operation.

11) A method as claimed in claim 7 or 8, characterized in that it comprises the steps of successively feeding the third blanks (19) along a given path extending through a parting station (58) where each f irst blank (13) is detached from the relative second blank (16); and feeding each first blank (13) and the relative second blank (16) along respective further paths as of the parting station (58) and to distinct points (14, 17) along the packing line (2).

12) A machine for producing rigid hinged-lid packets for products, particularly cigarettes; each packet comprising an outer casing f ormed by folding a f irst blank (13), and a separate collar connected to said casing and formed by folding a second -blank (16); the machine comprising a packing line (2) f or f olding each first (13) and each second (16) blank and for assembling each f irst blank (13) to a relative second blank (16); characterized in that it also comprises a supply line (18) for feeding each first blank (13) together with a second blank (16) to said packing line (2).

13) A machine as claimed in Claim 12, characterized in that said supply line (18) is a line for supplying third blanks (19), each comprising a first portion (52) consisting of a first blank (13), and a second portion (53) consisting of a second blank (16).

14) A machine as claimed in Claim 13, characterized in that it comprises parting means (59; 74) located along said supply line (18) and for engaging each third blank (19) and detaching the relative first portion (52) from the relative second portion (53).

15) A machine as claimed in Claim 14, characterized in that said parting means (59; 74) are cutting means.

16) A machine as claimed in Claim 15, characterized in that said parting means (59) are blanking means.

17) A machine as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that said parting means (74) comprise a disk cutter.

18) A machine as claimed in any one of the foregqing claims from 14 to 17, characterized in that it also comprises a further two distinct supply lines (12, 15) extending from said supply line (18) and downstream from said parting means (59), for respectively feeding the first (13) and second (16) blanks successively to distinct points (14, 17) along the packing line (2).

19) A method of producing rigid hinged-lid packets for products, particularly cigarettes, substantially as described and illustrated herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20) A machine for producing rigid hinged-lid packets for products, particularly cigarettes, substantially as described and illustrated herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.