GB2326148A

GB2326148A - Packing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2326148A
Application number: GB9812862A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gerald Edward Spreadborough
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-06-14
Filing date: 1998-06-15
Publication date: 1998-12-16
Also published as: GB9812862D0

Abstract

In an apparatus 10 and method for use in packaging containers 12 into cases 14, an open case is placed over a group of containers such that the flaps 42 to form the base of the case extend below the level of the container bases. At least a portion 50 of a support surface for the containers is moved to expose the bases of the containers along an edge of the group, and a case flap is folded inwardly beneath the exposed container bases. As described, the support surface 50 below the bases of the containers is formed as part of a radially slotted flap closing wheel (52 fig.3). On placement of the case around the containers, a flap is inserted into one of said slots (58 fig.3).The wheel is rotated through 90 degrees to expose at least some of the container bases thus allowing a lower flap of the case to be closed below the containers. The flap may then support the containers. The case is then moved on to a further support surface 74 and in doing so has the leading base flap 42 closed by contact with a roller 70. Further movement of the case along the conveyor system allows for the side base flaps 42 to be folded on contact with angled guides 76,77.

Description

PACKING APPARATUS This invention relates to packing apparatus, and in particular to apparatus for use in packing bottles and the like in cases, cartons and the like.

Bottled goods are generally stored and transported in cardboard cases or cartons. The cases are formed of flattened tubes of cardboard sheet which have been scored or creased such that the sheet may be readily formed into a cuboid tube, and flaps of sheet folded inwardly and secured in place to define a top and a base. Bottles are packed in such cases using a number of different methods and apparatus. In some packing lines, bottles are lifted from a supply conveyor and lowered into an open-topped case, which is then closed over the bottles. This operation requires the provision of complicated and expensive machinery, which is often unreliable and requires constant supervision and maintenance by skilled staff.

Further, the machinery is usually unsuited to handling different sizes or arrangements of bottles and cases and is therefore only suitable for use on single item packing lines. In other packing lines, bottles may simply be dropped from the end of a conveyor into an open-topped case. Clearly, only robust bottles may be packed using such lines, and even where heavy glass or plastic bottles are being packed the incidence of breakage and damage is considered to be unacceptably high by many operators.

It is among the objectives of embodiments of the present invention to provide packing apparatus which obviates and mitigates these disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for packing bottles and the like in cases, the apparatus comprising: a first flap folding area including a first support surface for a group of bottles and defining an area therearound whereby the flaps to form the base of a case which surrounds the bottles may extend below the bottle bases; means for moving at least a portion of the support surface supporting bottles on an edge of the group to expose the bases of said bottles; and means for folding one of said flaps inwardly beneath said bottles.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of packing bottles and the like in a case, the method comprising the steps: positioning a case with an open base over a supported group of bottles such that the flaps to form the base of the case extend below the bottles; exposing the bases of bottles on at least one edge of the group; and folding one of said flaps inwardly beneath the exposed bottles.

Of course the present invention will normally be provided in combination with other means for folding the remaining flaps beneath the bottles to complete the base of the case, as will be described.

The present invention allows open cases to be placed over groups of bottles and the case then closed around the bottles. As will become apparent from the following description, this allows provision of packing apparatus which is of simpler and more robust construction than conventional apparatus in which bottles are positioned in partially closed cases.

With the present invention, the exposure of the bottle bases allows the flap to be folded beneath the edge of the bottle group, and as the support for the bottles provided by the surface is removed the bottles may be supported on the flap.

Although reference is made above to the bases of bottles and cases this language is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to cases and bottles which are handled or packed in a particular orientation; in some applications the apparatus may be utilised to close a flap which becomes part of the top of a case and covers the tops of bottles. Further, although reference is made primarily herein to "bottles', the present invention is not limited to use with bottles of glass, plastics or other materials, and may also be usefully employed in the packing of other items or containers.

Preferably, the support surface defines part of a line along which the bottles and cases may be transported. In this situation, the flap which is folded may be a rear flap of the case. Preferably, a second support surface is provided downstream of the first support surface whereby, on movement of the bottles and the surrounding case from the first surface to the second surface, the front case flap, extending below the bottles forming the front edge of the group, is folded beneath the bottles by contact with the edge of the second surface or a member provided between the surfaces, the spacing between the surfaces being selected such that one of the surfaces, the member provided between the surfaces, or the flap, will support the bottles as they pass between the surfaces. In one embodiment, a roller is provided between the surfaces and may be raised to retain the case on the first surface and then lowered to permit movement of the case to the second surface, the front flap being closed by contact with the roller.

Preferably also, means is provided for folding the side flaps of the case beneath the bottles. Preferably, said means is in the form of guides extending along the sides of a conveyor, the guides being inwardly inclined relative to the conveyor such that the flaps are folded inwardly as the case advances along the conveyor, and a break being provided in the conveyor surface to permit the flaps to be closed beneath the bottles. Most preferably, at least the portion of the conveyor prior to the break is inclined to the horizontal, such that the bottles and case will move down the conveyor due to the influence of gravity. The break in the conveyor surface may be defined by providing two separate spaced conveyors, and one of the conveyors may define a hump to facilitate accommodation of the break in the conveyor surface.

Preferably also, prior to the first support surface, the apparatus defines a case placement area, where an openbased case may be placed over a group of bottles on a conveyor, with the flap edges resting on the conveyor.

Most preferably, the case is placed on the bottles manually. From the case placement area, the conveyor transports the case and bottles to the first support surface.

Preferably also, the apparatus includes means to push a case downwardly around a group of bottles on the first support surface, such that the flaps to form the base of the case extend below the bases of the bottles.

Preferably also, a portion of the first support surface is defined by a surface of a rotatable member, the axis of rotation of the member being in a lower parallel plane relative to the initial position of the surface, whereby on rotation of the member a following portion of the surface is moved forwards and upwards to raise and then expose the bases of the bottles thereon, which bottles are restrained against movement in the direction of rotation.

Preferably also, the rotatable member defines a plurality of circumferentially spaced support surfaces and the rotation of the member is indexed such that a following support surface occupies the position of a leading support surface below the bottles after each movement of the member. In a preferred embodiment, the member defines four surfaces, with gaps therebetween to accommodate the rear case flaps. The leading face of each support surface portion, defining the rear wall of the adjacent leading gap, is preferably forwardly inclined, to provide support for a flap and bottles as the flap is folded beneath the exposed bottle bases. Most preferably, the member is rotated under the control of a Geneva wheel, which facilitates control of the degree of rotation of the member.

These and other aspects from the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of apparatus for packing bottles and the like in cases in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of a case flap closing wheel of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings illustrate apparatus 10 for packing bottles 12 in cases 14 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the apparatus 10, bottles are passed from a first bottle supply conveyor 16 to a collation module 18. The collated bottles then pass through a case placement area 20, where open cases are placed over groups of bottles, and from where the bottles and cases pass to a rear flap folding station 22, then a front flap folding station 24, and then a side flap folding area 26. Thus, after having passed through the apparatus, the bottles 12 are contained in groups (of twelve in this example)within a case 14 with a closed base.

The base may then be secured by conventional means, such as taping, and the top of case closed and secured.

The collation module 18 includes a conveyor 28, driven by a motor 30, for transporting the bottles towards the case placement area 20. The bottles pass from the supply conveyor 16 onto the conveyor 28 and into a bottle distributor 32 which operates in conjunction with a bottle counter to distribute bottles into three lanes 34, 35, 36.

From the second conveyor 28 the collated bottles move onto a third conveyor 38, which is moved intermittently by a motor 40. While on the third conveyor, the bottles pass through the case placement area 20, where an operator places a case 14 over a group of twelve bottles. As may be seen from Figure 1, at this point the case 14 has an open base and top, with base flaps 42 and top flaps 44 lying parallel to the case side walls 46.

From the case placement area 20, the open cases and groups of bottles are moved to the rear flap folding station 22, where the bottles forming the front of the group are supported on a roller surface 48 and the bottles forming the rear of the group rest on a support surface 50 defined by a flap closing wheel 52, as illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings. It may be seen from Figure 3 that the wheel 52 has four arms 54, 55, 56, 57, each of which defines a respective support surface 50. The arms 54, 55, 56, 57 are separated by generally radially extending slots 58. The following wall of each slot 58 includes a protruding curved portion 60 and also a portion 62 which follows a circumference of the wheel. Drive for the wheel 52 is provided by a Geneva wheel arrangement 64 which rotates the wheel 52 by 90O with each activation of the arrangement 64.

Mounted above the rear flap folding station 22 is a vertically arranged piston and cylinder 66 for actuating a case pusher member 68 which, when moved downwardly, contacts the case top flaps 44 and pushes the case 14 downwardly such that the base flaps 42 are positioned below the roller surface 48 and the support surface 50, with the fold lines between the case base flaps 42 and the side walls 46 level with the roller and support surfaces 48, 50.

The base flaps 42 are accommodated in an area provided around the surfaces 48, 50, with the rear base flap extending downwardly into the slot 58 to the rear of the uppermost support surface 50.

Sensors provided at the station 22 identify when a case 14 enters the station, and cause a roller 70 to be raised beyond the roller surface 48, to retain the case at the station 22. Once the case 14 is located within the station 22, the case pusher 68 is actuated to push the case 14 downwardly. Again, sensors provided at the station 22, detect when the casing has been pushed downwardly, and when this has occurred the Geneva wheel arrangement 64 is activated to rotate the wheel 52 through 90 , in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Figure 1). The support surface 50 lies on a chord of the wheel 52 and as the wheel 52 is rotated the rear portion of the surface 50 is raised relative to the wheel axis 72, thus lifting the bottles which form the rear of the group within the case 14.

simultaneously, the rear base flap 42, located in the slot 58, is being pushed upwardly and forwardly by the rear slot face 60, 62. Thus, as the support surface 50 is rotated, the rear base flap 42 is lifted and positioned beneath the bottles. With continued rotation of the wheel 52, the flap 42 is located between the support surface 50 of the second arm 55 and the bottles.

Once the wheel 52 has been rotated through 90 , the motor 40 is activated to move the conveyor 38 once more and transfer the case 14 from the rear flap folding station 22 through the front flap folding station 24. As mentioned above, the case is retained in the rear flap folding station 22 by the roller 70 during the rotation of the wheel 52, however the roller 70 is retracted to the level of the surfaces 48, 50 when the third conveyor 38 starts moving once again. As the case 14 moves forwardly, the front base flap 42 comes into contact with the roller 70 and is pushed upwardly and into contact with the bases of the bottles forming the front of the bottle group. The case 14 then passes to the side flap folding area 26, which comprises an inclined roller bed 74 and angled guide rods 76, 77 positioned to either side of and below the bed 74.

As the case moves onto the bed 74, the side base flaps 42 are engaged by the rods 76, 77 and are folded inwardly and upwardly relative to the case 14.

The end of the roller bed 74 is spaced from a "humped" conveyor 78, to permit the side flap to be folded beneath the base of the case. From the conveyor 78 the cases 14 may be transported to an appropriate case taping module, to have the base flaps 42 secured in position. The top flaps may then be folded inwardly to fully enclose the bottles within the case 14.

It will be apparent to those of skill in the art that the above-described apparatus 10 is relatively simple in operation, when compared to a conventional bottle to case packing machines, and is therefore relatively inexpensive to manufacture, install and run. The "single-line" arrangement which the apparatus provides is also compact and minimises the floor space necessary to accommodate the apparatus 10. The semi-automatic nature of the apparatus 10 also facilitates modification of the apparatus 10 to accommodate bottles or cases of different configuration, for example the illustrated apparatus may be adapted to accommodate shorter bottles and cases simply by varying the position of the sensors in the rear flap folding station 22 and the stroke or position of the piston and cylinder arrangement 66.

It will also be apparent to those of skill in the art that the above-described embodiment is merely exemplary of the present invention, and that various modifications and improvements may be made thereto, without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the dimensions and configuration of the wheel 52, may be varied according to the combination of bottle and case size to be handled.

Claims

1. An apparatus for packing containers and the like in cases, the apparatus comprising: a first flap folding area including a first support for a group of containers and defining an area therearound whereby the flaps to form the base of a case which surrounds the containers extend below the container bases; means for moving at least a portion of the support surface supporting containers on an edge of the group to expose the bases of said containers; and means for folding one of said flaps inwardly beneath said containers.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said support surface defines part of a line along which the containers and cases are transported.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 including a second support surface downstream of the first support surface, whereby on movement of said containers and case from the first support surface to the second support surface the front case flap is folded beneath the bases of said containers.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the spacing between said first and second support surfaces is such that one of said surfaces, or said case flap, will support said containers as they pass between said surfaces.

5. An apparatus according to claims 3 or 4 whereby folding of said front case flap is caused by contact of said case flap and said second support surface.

6. An apparatus according to claim 3 whereby folding of said front case flap is caused by contact of said front case flap and a member provided between said first and second support surfaces.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the spacing between said first and second support surfaces is such that one of said surfaces, said member provided between said support surfaces, or said case flap, will support said containers as they pass between said surfaces.

8. An apparatus according to claims 6 or 7 whereby said member is a roller which may be raised and lowered to permit or deny movement of said case from said first to said second support surface.

9. An apparatus according to any preceding claim including a means for folding the side flaps of said cases beneath said containers.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 where said means is in the form of guides extending along the sides of a conveyor, said guides being inwardly inclined relative to said conveyor, and a break being provided in the conveyor surface to permit said side flaps to be closed beneath said containers.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10 where at least the portion of said conveyor prior to said break is inclined to the horizontal.

12. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims including a case placement area prior to said first support surface, where an open-based case is placed over said group of containers on said conveyor, with flap edges resting on said conveyor.

13. An apparatus according to any preceding claim including means to push a case downwardly around a group of containers on said first support surface, such that the flaps to form the base of said case extend below the bases of said containers.

14. An apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein a portion of the first support surface is defined by a surface of a rotatable member, the axis of rotation being in a lower parallel plane relative to the initial position of said surface, whereby on rotation of said member a following portion of said surface is moved forwards and upwards.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said rotatable member defines a plurality of circumferentially spaced support surfaces.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said rotatable member defines four support surfaces, with gaps there between which accommodate the rear case flaps.

17. An apparatus according to claims 14, 15 or 16 whereby the leading face of each support surface portion is forwardly inclined.

18. An apparatus according to claims 14, 15, 16 or 17 whereby said rotatable member is rotated under the control of a Geneva wheel.

19. An apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described.

20. A method for packing containers and the like in cases, the method comprising the steps: positioning a case with an open base over a supported group of containers such that the flaps to form the base of the case extend below the containers; exposing the bases of containers on at least one edge of said group; and folding one of said flaps inwardly beneath the exposed containers.