KR100718401B1 - Method of folding and sealing a container bottom - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for forming and sealing liquids, cardboard, gable tops, containers. An apparatus is described in which the box opening mandrel wheel has an axis of rotation perpendicular to the machine's line direction to provide an improved series of folding operations to form the box bottom.

Description

Method for forming bottom panel of cardboard container and bottom panel of cardboard container {METHOD OF FOLDING AND SEALING A CONTAINER BOTTOM}

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a filling machine for cardboard containers having a gable top and used in the milk and juice production industry, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for forming and sealing the bottom of a container having a gable top.

According to the present invention, the preform of the cardboard container has an opening at the upper side of the container and the opening accommodates the accessory. First, the preform expands on the rotating mandrel, and the opening for receiving the accessory faces outward from the plane in which the mandrel rotates. As the mandrel continues to pass through the working positions, the flaps at the bottom of the container are heated, folded and sealed to form the bottom of the container. A pair of opposing fingers move towards each other in the plane of rotation of the mandrel to form the bottom, and the end wall portions, including the opposing gussets, are folded inward. As the end wall portions of the gusset are folded, the planar side walls are closed on the end wall portions by oppositely moving inwardly moving wings, the axis of rotation of the wings being parallel to the plane of rotation of the mandrel, the end of the folded gusset At the top of the wall portions the wings fold the side walls. The folded container bottom then moves to the final sealing station, and the container bottom is heated and pressurized by a heated die to finally seal the folded container bottom.

1 is a schematic illustration of a charger system of liquid packaging in accordance with the present invention;

2 and 3 are cross-sectional views schematically showing a rotating finger for pressing the gusset in the container end inward.

4 is a view illustrating a state in which gussets are pressed inwards by the action of rotating fingers.

5, 6 and 7 schematically illustrate wings that allow the flaps of the container side to be folded over inwardly folded gussets.

FIG. 8 shows wings similar to FIG. 4 showing the flaps folded over the inwardly folded gussets. FIG.

9 shows a bottom panel of the container formed after sealing.

10 is a view showing a cardboard blank forming a cardboard container.

Referring to FIG. 1, a typical paper container, upper side of a gable, and a charger system are partially illustrated. The filler system 10 basically attaches a mandrel assembly 12 which rotates to expand the preform of the container and seals the bottom of the container, the conveyor 28 of the container, and attaches accessories and fills the container, Device (not shown) to seal the seal. The mandrel assembly 12 preferably includes mandrels 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, 14f arranged at equal intervals. A container stacker 18 is provided for loading a preform 22 or cardboard container on the mandrel. As the mandrel rotates through several operating positions, the bottom of the preform 22 is folded and sealed. The sealing operation is described in more detail. After folding and sealing the bottom of the preform 22, the cartons 25 are loaded and filled on a typical conveyor 28 and the top is sealed in accordance with techniques known in the art. A cardboard blank 100 suitable for sealing the bottom is shown in FIG. 10. Before the cardboard blank 100 is loaded into the container stacker 18, the cardboard blanks 100 are first folded around the fold line 110 to form the preform 22, and the glue tab 120. It overlaps and adheres to the side 140.

Referring to the mandrel assembly 12 shown in FIG. 1, the plane of the mandrel assembly 12 coincides with the extended side of the conveyor 28 for the cardboard container 25. Since the structures of the mandrel 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, 14f are generally used in the art and used in the charger system, they are not described in detail in the present application. The drive mechanism of the mandrel is also known in the art and thus is not described in detail in this application. The conveying mechanism and assembly of the cardboard blank are also well known in the art and thus are not described in detail in this application.

At station A preform 22 is expanded to an open structure and attached to mandrel 14c according to procedures known in the art. When the preform 22 is received on the mandrel 14c, the mandrel assembly 12 is rotated so that the preform 22 is arranged in the station B.

In the station B, the heater 20 is located at the bottom of the preform 22, the coating material of the preform 22 is softened by heat, and then the heater 20 is removed. After the bottom of the preform 22 is softened, the preform 22 of the mandrel assembly 12 rotates to the position of the station C.

2 to 4, when the mandrel stops at the station C, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first rotary finger 30a and the second rotary finger 30b rotate inwardly. Thus, the gussets 32A and 32B located at the end of the cardboard container are folded inward as shown in FIG. After the first rotary finger 30a and the second rotary finger 30b fold the gussets 32A and 32B inwards, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the rotatable first wing 40 and The second wings 42 begin to rotate around each axis 34, 35, and the first wing 40 and the second wing 42 have a first flap 44 and a second flap ( 45) Fold inwards. 5 and 6, the first wing 40 is shorter than the second wing 42, and as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the first wing 40 is the second wing. Rotate before (42). As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the first flap 44 is folded before the second flap 45 so that the tab 50 of the first flap 44 is the tab 45 of the second flap 45. And the bottom panel 55 of the preform 22 is formed as shown in FIG. 9.

As shown in FIG. 8, the first flap 44 and the tab 50 connected to the first flap 44 are below the tab 52 connected to the second flap 45 and the second flap 45. After being folded, the mandrel is rotated counterclockwise, as shown in FIG. The bottom panel 55 of the preform 22 slides to the station D along the guide portion 56a while maintaining the folded structure and in contact with the guide portion 56a. In the station D, the heated die 60 moves radially inward toward the bottom panel 55 to contact the bottom panel 55, and the bottom panel as in the conventional charger system. 55 is sealed under heating and pressurization.

After sufficient time has elapsed so that the bottom panel 55 of the preform 22 is sufficiently soft and sealed, the mandrel again rotates counterclockwise, and the bottom panel 55 is brought into contact with the guide 56b. It moves to the station E along the guide part 56b in the state. In station E, a cardboard container 25 sealed with a bottom panel 55 is arranged above the conveyor 28 and moved to the filling part of the filling system, typically carried out in the filling system of the upper side of the gable. Similarly, the accessory is attached, the cardboard container is filled, and the gable top is sealed. When the bottom panel 55 sealed in a heated state moves along the guide portion to the station E, the bottom panel 55 is kept in a pressurized state by the guide portion. The guide 56b also acts as a heat sink, removing heat from the bottom panel 55 in a sealed state and permanently fixing the components of the sealed bottom panel 55.

According to the method and apparatus for folding the preform, the bottom panel 55 of the preform 22 is constructed with a central portion 60a which rises above the plane formed by the four edges of the bottom panel 55. The central portion 60a is positioned near the central portion of the bottom panel 55, and tabs 50 and 52 forming a laminate are arranged to overlap each other at the central portion 60a. The cardboard containers of the above characteristics pass the vibration test of simulated transport conditions without the leakage action of the bottom panel experienced by the cardboard container according to the prior art. The cardboard containers can vibrate around the central portion 60a while the cardboard container is transported by the central portion 60a shown in FIG. 9, so that the impact generated at the corners of the conventional cardboard containers is absorbed, The formation of leaks is prevented.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the preferred embodiments of the present invention are provided as examples of the detailed description, and that various replacements, rearrangements, and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (5)

In the method for forming the bottom panel 55 of the cardboard container 25, a) providing a preform 22, the second comprising a first pair of end wall portions facing the preform 22 and flat first flaps 44 and second flaps 45; Having a pair of end wall portions, wherein the first pair of end wall portions comprise gussets 32A, 32B, and the gussets 32A, 32B are in contact with each other when the preform 22 is formed from a cardboard container 25. Arranged face to face, the gussets 32A and 32B have shapes of the same size, the tabs of the gussets being foldable at the outside of the gussets 32A and 32B, the tabs of the gussets being more than Shortly constructed, the gussets 32A and 32B project outwardly of the bottom panel 55 before the work of folding the first pair of end wall portions begins. When the preform 22 is formed of a cardboard container 25, the first flap 44 and the second flap 45 are arranged to face each other, the first flap 44 and the second flap 45 is Tabs 50 and 52 having the same sized shapes and connected to the outside of the flaps are configured on the first flap 44 and the second flap 45 and the tabs 50 and 52 are The first flap 44 and the second flap extend between the opposite sides of the first flap 44 and the second flap 45 before the operation of folding the second pair of end wall portions begins. 45 protrudes out of the bottom panel 55, b) inflating the preform on a mandrel 14c for rotating the preform 22, the first flap 44 and the second flap 45 formed in the second pair of end wall portions. ) Is arranged in parallel with the plane of rotation of the mandrel (14c), c) rotating the mandrel 14c to a station B where the first pair of end wall portions and the second pair of end wall portions are heated, d) rotating the mandrel to station C is provided, e) rotating the mandrel to station D is provided, f) While moving from station C to station D, the positions of the bottom panel 55 are arranged such that the gussets 32A, 32B facing at station C are arranged in the plane of the bottom panel 55. The first pair of end wall portions are folded inward to one another, and the tabs formed in the first pair of end wall portions are folded inward at the central fold line and second toward the positions overlapping with the gussets 32A and 32B. The pair of end wall portions are folded inward, and the tabs of the gussets are captured between the tabs 50, 52 of the first flap 44 and the second flap 45, g) at station D, a gusset captured between at least a portion of the overlapping first and second pair of end wall portions, the tabs 50 and 52 of the second end wall portion and the tabs 50 and 52 Pressurizing the tabs of the mold and sealing the bottom panel (55) of the cardboard container (25). In the bottom panel of the cardboard container 25 having a rectangular cross section and having an outlet at one side, And including gussets 32A, 32B formed by the folded bottom ends of the first and second facing sides of the sides forming the cardboard container 25, the position close to the apex of the gusset formed in the center of the cardboard container. Tabs that are folded at are configured on the gussets, Flat first flaps 44 and second flaps 45 of the opposite third and fourth sides of the cardboard container 25 are arranged to overlap with the gussets 32A and 32B, and Tabs 50, 52 extending between the opposing sides of the third and fourth sides are configured on the first and second flaps, the tabs 50, 52 arranged to face each other and the tab ( Tabs of the gussets 32A, 32B are captured between 50, 52, and the first flap 44 against the bottom of one of the bottoms of the third and fourth sides of the cardboard container 25. And the tabs (50,52) of the second flap (45) and the tabs of the gussets (32A, 32B) are folded flat. 3. The sealing of claim 2 wherein the tabs of the gussets 32A and 32B and the tabs 50 and 52 of the first flap 44 and the second flap 45 are hermetically bonded along at least a portion of the opposing surfaces. Bottom panel of the cardboard container, which is characterized in that. 4. The bottom of a cardboard container according to claim 3, wherein the tabs of the gussets 32A and 32B and the tabs 50 and 52 of the first and second flaps 44 and 45 are hermetically sealed. panel. 3. The tabs of claim 2 wherein the tabs of the gussets 32A and 32B and the bottom portions of the third and fourth sides are folded flat, and the bottom portion of one of the bottom portions of the third and fourth sides is folded. Bottom panel of the cardboard container, characterized in that the outlet is configured in the upper end of the cardboard container 25 in the side of the same cardboard container.

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