ITUD970146A1 - FORMING MACHINE FOR CARDBOARDS OR SIMILAR - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a forming machine for cardboard boxes or the like comprising: a store (2) containing a plurality of flattened cardboard boxes (3); a device (4) for extracting one cardboard box (3) at a time from the store (2) and for pushing it along a horizontal support surface (11); a pair of cams (23) which are designed to bend slightly downwards the smaller of the two upper flaps (8') so as to create an opening (18) towards the inside of the cardboard box (3), arranged between the two larger flaps (8'', 9''); a member (16) for opening the cardboard box (3), consisting of a thin blade (25) with which an arm (26) which can be actuated in the manner of a compass is hinged and movable between a first closed position (C) where it is inserted inside the opening (18) between the flaps (8, 9) and a second open position (D) where it opens at least partially the cardboard box (3), acting from the inside of the cardboard box (3) itself; a flap-folding device (6) for closing the base of the cardboard box (3); a device for applying glue or the like (7) onto the flaps (8', 9') of the base; a press (12) for pressing the base of the cardboard box (3).

Description

DESCRIPTION

attached to a patent application for INDUSTRIAL INVENTION having the title

“Forming machine for cartons or similar”.

The present invention relates to a forming machine for cardboard boxes or the like.

The modern packaging technique uses pre-finished and pre-glued cardboard boxes but still folded on themselves which are sromboidati, or opened and glued, only when they are filled. In this way, unnecessary transport and storage costs due to the unused volume inside the empty boxes are avoided.

The boxes have a quadrangular central body which is closed upwards by four upper flaps - the lid - and downwards by four lower flaps - the bottom. Since the boxes used have a rectangular section, the flaps are not all the same; both the lid and the bottom are each made up of two small flaps on which two large lateral flaps are closed and locked.

In the art there are known automatic forming machines capable of picking up the pre-glued cardboard boxes, still folded in a closed flat arrangement and stacked one on top of the other in a special warehouse, and opening them in sequence, forming and gluing the bottoms. These machines essentially consist of:

a magazine in which the pre-glued cartons to be opened are stacked: a feeding device adapted to individually pick up the boxes from the magazine and to feed them to an opening device equipped with suction cup gripping members which open the carton;

a flap folder;

a hot glue sprayer to spread the glue on the flaps of the bottom of the carton;

a press suitable for pressing the bottom for its correct gluing.

The opening of the cartons is entrusted to suction cups and guides that act on the outer surfaces of the carton. The suction cups can be divided into several groups which are in turn mounted on arms or mechanisms in general which, in their movement, drag part of the cardboard and with the help of the guides they carry out their volume or defoliation. The box is completed by folding the flaps of the bottom, after applying a layer of glue, and subsequently compressing them together by means of the press. Although this known type solution works satisfactorily, it does not, however, allow to exceed carton formation speeds of approximately 30 units per minute, since it does not work continuously.

Furthermore, the operation of the suction cups of these machines requires the use of expensive and demanding pumps to generate vacuum.

The wear of the suction cups and the possible presence of solid foreign particles - such as, for example, cardboard processing residues or cardboard dust - strongly influence the action of the suction cups, decreasing their functionality. This causes malfunctions such as jams or the like and therefore requires continuous monitoring of the state of wear and cleanliness of the suction cups to avoid costly downtime. The presence of the suction cups is therefore a source of costs, both direct and indirect, which negatively affect the use of the machine.

Similar machines are also known in which the opening of the carton is entrusted not to the suction cups but to strong jets of air that blow laterally into the unfolded carton and force it to open due to the force of the air pressure. However, these machines require the presence of powerful blowers and require particularly careful shielding to prevent any solid particles, pushed at high speed by the action of the air jet, from causing damage to other nearby machines or to production personnel. It is therefore a solution that has serious disadvantages mainly due to the secondary effects caused by the strong jets of air from the blowers.

The purpose of the present invention is therefore to obviate the aforementioned drawbacks experienced by known devices by providing a carton forming machine which is capable of opening the cartons continuously and at higher speeds than those currently achieved without, for this, be excessively complex or burdensome in its operation.

A further object is to allow the realization of an extremely simple machine from a constructive and functional point of view, and able to operate on the cartons without altering or damaging their surface.

These and other objects are all achieved by a machine for forming cartons or the like as described in the following claims. According to the present invention, continuous operation is obtained by opening the cartons exclusively mechanically by introducing a suitable opening member inside the carton by passing it through an opening obtained by slightly bending the two small flaps of the same side of the flattened carton. , that is one of the lid and one of the bottom. The two small flaps fold in their rotation movement also the two major flaps of the opposite side (which are exactly under the small flaps) thus dividing the two pairs of opposite flaps 1 - respectively the two small flaps from the two large flaps.

The rotation of the flaps takes place by exploiting the preformed folding traces so as not to damage the cardboard in any way (the phase of the realization of the bottom however requires that the flaps are folded along these folding traces; the rotation therefore does not produce any visible deformation) .

In a preferred embodiment, the machine comprises for each side of the box, a cam arranged along the rectilinear trajectory followed by the flaps, which acts on the smaller of the two flaps by rotating it slightly together with the greater of the two flaps on the opposite side, which is forced to follow its rotation. In this way, a "V" opening opens between the short overlapping portions of the two major flaps, which allows the easy introduction of any organ inside the box to force it to open.

According to a preferred embodiment, the insertion of the opening organ between the flaps takes place - for each side - by inserting it according to an introduction direction parallel to the direction of advancement of the flaps. In this way, by advancing the cartons along a straight path, it is sufficient to arrange the opening device just below the plane of the carton to ensure that the opening between the flaps, caused by the action of the cam, is automatically intercepted by this organ.

According to a preferred embodiment, the opening member comprises a flattened crank mechanism which is opened like a compass as soon as the action of the cams ceases or as soon as the opening member is located between the two major flaps of the bottom and of the lid of the cardboard.

To ensure the opening of the carton in any condition of use, it is possible to operate from both sides of the carton, thus acting on both the side of the lid and that of the bottom.

It is also possible to operate with a single cam and a single opening member on a single side of the carton, possibly making the opening member translate slightly towards the inside of the carton after it has been inserted between the flaps, so that such organ acts not only on the flaps (which could bend under its action) but also directly on the central body of the cardboard, rigid enough to always ensure correct opening.

According to a preferred embodiment, the advancement of the boxes is obtained by means of a thrust tooth which also performs the function of extracting the boxes from the warehouse. It has two positions, the first flattened to remove one carton at a time from the stacking magazine and a second raised to push the carton by acting on a larger surface so as not to damage the edge.

The tooth can also have a small wheel or similar placed on its upper back, designed to prevent its back from scratching or otherwise damaging the cardboard immediately above the one being extracted during the removal of the boxes from the warehouse. .

The closure of the flaps can be ensured by a fixed front flap that closes the front side flap, the lower one and the upper one, while the rear side flap can be closed by a rear rotating flap folder equipped with a push arm and a helical half-plate. . The push arm controls the closure of the small rear flap while the Γ propeller keeps the large flap slightly raised so that it cannot interfere with the small one.

The front flap folder can be made by means of a fixed stop which intercepts and closes the front flap using only the forward movement of the carton. Similarly, the large flap on the opposite side can be guided by a fixed guide which always keeps it folded towards the outside of the sliding surface of the central body of the cartons. This solution allows the closure of the flaps on the moving boxes in an extremely simple and economical way.

The bottom pressing can be obtained by coupling a conveyor belt whose advancement plane is arranged parallel to the bottom of the box and which cooperates with a thrust piston that presses against the inner bottom of the box. The latter advances parallel to the box, at the same speed as this and the supporting conveyor belt, so as not to interfere with the forward motion of the carton. The pressure piston can be mounted on a slide moved along a guide rail with a closed path shaped with a “U” shaped recess in the section where ration is provided on the bottom of the box. In this way the piston travels parallel to the box and enters the box only in the section of space provided for pressing the bottom.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, illustrated purely by way of non-limiting example, in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of the forming machine for cartons or the like of the present invention, with some details removed to better highlight others;

figure 2 shows a schematic top view of the machine of figure 1 with some details removed to better highlight others;

Figures 3 to 9 show the steps of opening a box in sequence; Figures 10 to 12 schematically show the steps for inserting the opening member inside the flattened box.

With particular reference to Figure 1, 1 indicates as a whole the forming machine object of the present invention.

The forming machine 1 substantially comprising:

a vertically developing magazine 2 containing a plurality of pre-glued cartons 3 folded into a flat closed arrangement;

a device 4 to remove one cardboard 3 at a time from said warehouse 2 and to push it along a support surface 11;

a misaligning member 15 able to slightly distance at least two opposite flaps 8 from each other, so as to open an opening 18 between two flaps 8, 9 substantially perpendicular to the plane of the flattened cardboard 3, to create a large access opening towards the inside of box 3;

an opening member 16 of the carton 3, movable between a first closed position C in which it is inserted within said opening 18 and a second open position D in which at least partially opens the carton 3 from the inside;

a flap folding device 6 adapted to rotate and close the four flaps 8, 9 to create a bottom 14 of the carton 3;

a device for applying glue or the like 7 on the flaps 8, 9 of the bottom 14;

a press 12 for the bottom 14 of the open box 3.

The device 4 for removing and pushing the cartons 3 comprises a pushing tooth 10 movable between a first lowered position A, in which it protrudes with respect to the support surface 11 of the cartons 3 with a thickness S equal to the thickness of the flattened cartons 3 and a second position B for pushing the cartons 3 during the subsequent opening phases, in which it protrudes more with respect to the plane 11 and has a thrust surface 19 sufficient not to damage the boxes 3. The tooth 10 is substantially shaped like an "L" and its passage from the first lowered position to the second thrust position is controlled by suitable control members not illustrated. The tooth 10 also has on its back 20 a wheel 21 whose purpose is to keep the back 20 at a distance inside the magazine 2 from the cardboard 3 'which is stacked immediately above the one being extracted. In this way one avoids scratching and damaging the cartons 3 'with the back 20 of the thrust tooth 10.

The tooth 10 is moved along a closed trajectory which extends from the magazine 2 to the press 12, by suitable means not described since they are part of the known art.

At the exit of the magazine 2, the disaligning member 15 is arranged, consisting of a rotating shaft 22 with a horizontal axis and perpendicular to the advancement motion of the cartons 3 on which two cams 23 are keyed. Each of the two cams 23 acts, on command, by rotating the shorter of the two upper flaps 8 'downwards. Basically, the action of the cam 23 slightly bends the flap 8 'making it rotate around its preformed fold track 24 for connection with a central body 27 of the cardboard 3. This last central body 27 is supported by the support surface 11 with respect to which the pitches 8, 9 overflow. As clearly shown in figure 11, the pitch 8 ', rotating downwards, pushes with it also the greater of the two lower pitches 8 "so that the pitches 8' and 8" are misaligned with respect to the largest of the upper pitches 9 "and to the shorter of the lower flaps 9 '. The opening 18 is therefore included in the cardboard section where the two large spaced flaps 8 "and 9" are partially overlapped.

The opening member 16 of the cardboard 3 comprises, for each side, at least one thin blade 25 arranged slightly below the plane 11 and parallel to this, to which an arm 26 is hinged which can be rotated along an axis substantially parallel to the plane 11. The two blades 25 are arranged downstream of the cams 23 in correspondence with the opening 18 between the flaps 8,9, so that the cartons, as they advance, make the flaps 8 ', 9' and 9 "pass over and the flap 8" under the blades 25.

The relative movement between the blades 25 and the arms 26, clearly visible from the sequence of figures 3 to 9, is compass-like.

The blade 25 can also be slightly inclined so as to be arranged parallel to the lowered flaps 8 'and 8 ". In this way it is easier to intercept the opening 18.

An interceptor arm 28 (figure 7) is arranged above the plane 11 for supporting the cartons 3, movable between a first interception position E in which it blocks the advancement of the front and upper edge 29 of the half-open box to force its total opening and a second retracted position F in which it moves out of the trajectory of the box 3 to allow its advancement. It is essentially a fixed abutment which by holding the front edge 29 of the box favors its complete opening.

In order to prevent the boxes 3 from folding due to their elasticity in the folds and due to the effect of the weight immediately after the interceptor arm 28 has returned, an upper friction guide 30 is provided which hangs on a plurality of springs 31 in such a way. to be placed lightly on the upper side 32 of the open box. The frictional force generated by the sliding of the cartons along the guide 30 is sufficient to keep them open.

Downstream of the opening member 16 there is the flap folding device 6 which includes a rotating flap folder 6 'and a fixed flap folder 6 ".

The fixed flap bender 6 "consists of a plurality of fixed abutment guides 33 which force the flaps 8,9 which pass through it to follow the pre-set closing trajectories.

The rotating flap bender 6 'comprises an arm 34 rotating around an axis' perpendicular to the support plane 11, to which an inclined helical sector 35 is integrally associated which precedes it angularly, adapted to remove the upper flap 9 "before the rotating arm 34 pushes and closes the rear lateral flap 8 '. This device, extremely simple from a constructive point of view, prevents the rear flap 8' from interfering with the upper flap 9 "during the closing phase of the bottom.

The lower flap 8 "can also be moved away from a second helix 35 but, more simply, it can be kept continuously inclined downwards by a suitable guide which extends the blade 25. In this way the lower flaps 8" which remain bent downwards and sliding under a suitable guide also contribute to giving stability to the box that advances at high speed.

The hot glue application takes place with the means and methods already known and is therefore not discussed and described here.

The press 12 presses the external flaps 8 "and 9" against the inner ones 81 and 9 'to ensure the correct distribution of the glue and the perfect gluing of the bottom. It basically consists of:

a pusher piston 36 slidingly associated with a support 37 moved by a chain 38 which extends along a closed path;

- a rail 39 shaped like a "U" along which runs a slide 40 to which a free end 41 of the piston 36 is integrally fixed, able to translate the piston 36 transversely back and forth with respect to the direction of advancement of the cartons 3;

a conveyor belt 42 arranged with the support surface 43 parallel to the bottom of the carton 3.

The piston 36 therefore follows a closed trajectory and comprises a "U" -shaped section which leads it to be inserted into the formed boxes 3 and to press the internal flaps 8 'and 9' against the external flaps 8 "and 9" which rest on the conveyor belt 42.

After what has been described in a predominantly structural sense, we now see the operation of the present invention, particularly highlighted in the sequence of figures from 3 to 9 and from 10 to 12.

Initially (Figure 3) the push tooth 10, arranged in the lowered position A, intercepts the magazine 2 into which it slips from below by removing a box 3. With its front portion, preferably counter-shaped with respect to the edge of the boxes to be extracted, it pushes a box 3 along the support surface 11 outside the warehouse. When the back 20 of the tooth 10 is removed from the magazine 2, the tooth rises to the position B shown in figure 4 so as to push the cardboard 3 with all its thrust surface 19.

When the two small rear flaps 8 'are found exactly under the two cams 23 these, by rotating, push them downwards, bending downwards also the underlying larger flaps 8 ".

In this way, the misalignment of the front flaps 9 with respect to the rear flaps 8 is created and opening 18 opens. The opening member 16, closed in its position C, is arranged under the plane 11 exactly so as to be with the its thin blade 25 in front of the opening 18. The box 3, advancing, is then arranged with its front flaps 9 above the blade 25 and with the rear flaps 8 under the blade 25. The action of the cams 23 ceases when the blade 25 is at least partially inserted into the opening 18. The small upper flap 8 'released by the pressure exerted by the cam returns, due to the elasticity of the cardboard, to its initial horizontal position, thus realigning itself with the front flaps 9 which are above the blade 25. In this situation, therefore, the blade 25 presses the greater of the two lower flaps 8 "downwards while the remaining flaps 8 ', 9', 9" are higher than the blade 25.

At this point, the opening of the opening member 16 is operated, which moves quickly into its open position D (Figures 5 and 6). Just before reaching the opening, the carton 3 completes, ie its upper front edge comes into contact with the interceptor arm 28 which blocks its run. The opening member closes to its initial position C and slips out between the lower 8 "and the rear 8".

Due to the effect of the relative speed which is thus created between the two opposite faces, the upper one with respect to the lower one, the cardboard 3 opens completely bringing its upper side into contact with the friction guide 30 which keeps the cardboard 3 open. The interceptor arm 28 is now also retracted, thus releasing the carton 3 from its blocking action.

The cardboard 3 advances further, as illustrated in figure 9, and continues its run towards the flap folding device 6. Here also the application of the hot glue on the flaps takes place.

The fixed flap folding 6 "acts on the front flap 9 'closing it while the rotating flap folding 6', after having raised the upper flap 9", also closes the rear flap 8 '.

The gluing phase continues in the press 12 where the bottom of the box 3 is compressed between the pusher piston 36 and the conveyor belt 42.

The pusher piston 36, guided by the support 37, is pushed towards the inside of the box 3 by the slide 40 which, by sliding it into the support 37, guides it along a "U" trajectory. The trajectory followed by the piston leads it, at the end of the pressing phase, to exit the carton 3 leaving it free for the following manipulations.

Of course, numerous modifications and variations can be made to the invention thus conceived, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept that characterizes it.

In particular, the blocking of the bottoms of the boxes can take place using means other than the glue described herein, such as for example staples, metal staples or the like.

The opening of the carton can be carried out by acting simultaneously on both sides of the carton in a symmetrical manner (as illustrated) or by acting exclusively on only one of the sides of the carton, for example the side that will form the bottom of the carton. Finally, the opening member can act exclusively on the flaps or can, by means of a small additional translation, act directly on the central body of the carton. The cams can also be replaced by other members capable of obtaining the misalignment described. In particular, it is possible to use suitably shaped fixed guides which, by guiding the flaps laterally, make them rotate with respect to the central part of the cardboard.

The invention therefore achieves the indicated aims.

Claims (13)

CLAIMS 1. Forming machine for cartons or the like comprising: - a magazine (2) containing a plurality of flattened cartons (3); - a device (4) for removing one cardboard (3) at a time from said magazine (2); - means for opening (5) the cardboard box (3); - a folding device (6); - a device for applying glue or similar (7) on the slopes (8 ', 9') of the bottom; - a press (12) to press the bottom of the box (3); characterized by the fact that said means (5) for opening the cardboard boxes (3) include at least: - a misaligning member (15) able to slightly bend, with respect to each other, at least two flaps (8,9) in order to create an opening (18) towards the inside of the cardboard (3); - an opening member (16) of the cardboard (3), movable between a first closed position (C) in which it is inserted into said opening (18) between the flaps (8,9) and a second open position (D) in which he opens at least partially the carton (3) by acting from the inside of the carton (3) itself. 2. Forming machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said disaligning member (15) comprises pressing means (23) adapted to act on at least one of the flaps (8 ') so as to bend it slightly by making it rotate with respect to the rest of the cardboard ( 3) and with respect to the remaining layers (9). 3. Forming machine according to claim 2, characterized in that said pressing means comprise at least one rotating cam (23) which acts, on command, by pressing and inclining downwards the smaller of the two upper flaps (8 '). 4. Forming machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said opening member (16) of the cardboard (3) comprises at least one blade (25) to which a compass-operated arm (26) is hinged. 5. Forming machine according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said opening member (16) of the cardboard (3) is arranged in correspondence with the flaps (8,9) and is inserted into the opening (18) in a direction parallel to the flaps (8,9) of the flattened cardboard (3). 6. Forming machine according to claim 5, characterized in that said opening member (16) is arranged under the plane of the flattened cardboard (3). 7. Forming machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the cartons (3) are removed from the magazine (2) and pushed along a support surface (11) by the device (4) comprising a movable thrust tooth (10) between a first lowered position (A), in which it protrudes with respect to the support surface (11) by a thickness (S) equal to the thickness of the flattened cardboard boxes (3) and a second raised position (B) for pushing the cardboard boxes (3) during the subsequent opening phases, in which it protrudes more than said plane (11) and has a thrust surface (19) sufficient not to damage the cartons (3). 8. Forming machine according to claim 7, characterized in that an interceptor arm (28) movable between a first interception position (E) in which it blocks the advancement is arranged above the plane (11) for supporting the cartons (3). of the upper front edge (29) of the semi-open cardboard (3) and a second retracted position (F) in which it moves out of the trajectory of the cardboard so as not to hinder its advancement. 9 Forming machine according to claim 7, characterized in that the flap folding device (6 ') comprises an arm (34) rotating around an axis perpendicular to the support plane (11) of the cartons (3), to which it is integrally associated a helical sector (35) which precedes it angularly, adapted to remove the upper flap before the 1 rotating arm (34) pushes and closes the lateral flap (8 '). 10 Forming machine according to claim 7, characterized in that the press (12) comprises: - a pusher piston (36) moved by translating means (37,38,39,40) against the inner bottom of the carton (3) following a trajectory comprising a re-entering "U" section; - a conveyor belt (42) arranged with the support surface (43) parallel to the bottom of the carton (3); said "U" section being placed in correspondence with said conveyor belt (42). 11 Forming machine according to claim 7, characterized in that said thrust tooth has a small wheel (21) in correspondence with its back (20) which protrudes slightly with respect to said back (20). 12. Forming machine according to claim 7, characterized in that above the support surface (11) there is an elastically suspended upper friction guide (30) able to press lightly against the upper side (32) of the open cartons (3) that crawling against it remain in the open position. 13 Forming machine for cartons or the like as described and illustrated and for the purposes listed.