PACKAGING MACHINE AND INSERT PLACEMENT METHOD
Description of the Invention This invention relates to the packaging of a primary article such as cans or bottles in multi-pack cardboard boxes and is more particularly related to the feeding of inserts of such cartons in a condition contracted from a cooper, and to start and then complement a set of insert operations in succession. In general, the placement of the load of inserts between the articles has required that the subsequent movement of the articles be interrupted while the placement occurs. US Patent No. 5,862,648 to Greenwell et al discloses a machine for loading divisions between the adjacent rows of bottles, each division being guided between the sets of bands. For the bands to be aligned with the insertion points between the rows of bottles, a cam mechanism moves the bands in synchronization with the direction of movement of the bottles while the divisions are inserted. Such mechanism increases the complexity of the equipment and limits the speeds of the production capacity of the articles with respect to the cycle of translation movement of the bands of Ref. 148530 discharge. In addition, a limited number of packaging machines are able to pack different sizes or types of cardboard boxes, for example six, eight or twelve packets of a wrapper around a cardboard box. All such machines require adjustment when changing from one size or type to another. This adjustment includes the manual removal of all the cardboard boxes inside the packing machine and possibly the "mechanical adjustment of the components in the machine." During this change over the period, which may be thirty minutes or more, a machine does not can be used (known as "unproductive time"), which is a costly delay in a bottling plant.This delay can even lead to an unproductive time for the entire bottling line, not only for the packing machine, if problems arise during the change about the procedure.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a packaging machine that overcomes the technical and commercial disadvantages of known packaging machines. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a packaging machine that is capable of changing from one type or size of carton to another with minimal downtime. An aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for placing the packaging material in a predetermined position relative to an arrangement of articles for example the bottles to be packaged, comprising a conveyor apparatus for "transporting an arrangement of articles, means of feeding to feed the packaging material from a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of the articles The feeding means accelerate the packaging material at a sufficient speed relative to the speed of the articles such that the packaging material it is placed in the predetermined position while the continuous forward movement of the articles is maintained In a kind of modalities, the feeding means are fixed in relation to the conveyor apparatus of the articles According to an optional feature of this aspect of invention, means can be provided without timing to ensure that the positioning of the packaging material is synchronized with the movement of the arrangement of articles through the device in such a way that the positioning in the predetermined position is achieved. Preferably, the synchronization means may comprise a controller, the controller is arranged to control the driving means for the feeding means and the driving means of the article transporting apparatus. According to another optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the feeding means may comprise an endless belt having on it means for coupling the packaging material. Preferably, the coupling means may comprise a retaining projection. According to still another optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the apparatus further comprises arranged pick-up means for taking the packing material from a conveyor before it and transferring it to the feeding means. The packaging material may comprise an insert that is to be placed between the adjacent articles. Alternatively, the packaging material may be a cardboard box that is to be placed around the article arrangement. A second aspect of the invention provides a packaging machine comprising a supply chain of the packaging material comprising in series, a cooper for the material, a feeder mechanism for transferring the articles from, the cooper, an apparatus for placing the material of packaging in a predetermined position in relation to an arrangement of articles by-for example, the bottles to be packaged, comprising a conveyor apparatus for transporting an arrangement of articles, feeding means for feeding the packaging material from a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of the articles, wherein the feeding means accelerates the packaging material at a sufficient speed relative to the speed of the articles in such a way that the packaging material is placed in the pre-determined position. while the continuous forward movement of the items is maintained. Preferably, it may additionally comprise a station for lifting the packaging material prior to transfer to the positioning apparatus. According to an optional feature of the second aspect of the invention, it may additionally comprise a compression station for bringing the packaging material to a final position with respect to the articles. According to another optional feature of the second aspect of the invention, it may comprise a controller comprising a central processor, manual input means, and separate means controlled by the central processor to synchronize the positioning of the packaging material with respect to the articles. . Preferably, the controller can adjust the relative positions of the articles and the packing material at the feed end of the packaging machine. According to another optional feature of the second aspect of the invention, the controller can control a motor which drives the device to accelerate the material. According to another optional feature of the second aspect of the invention, the controller can control the motors which drive the feeding of the material, whereby the flow velocity of the material is synchronized with the flow velocity of the article. A third aspect of the invention provides a method of placing the packaging materials in a predetermined position with respect to the articles to be packed, comprising the steps of a) continuously feeding the articles to be packed in a first direction; b) transferring a packaging material from a feed to a loading station for the packaging material; c) accelerate the material in. a direction perpendicular to the first direction up to a sufficient speed in relation to the articles; and d) placing the material in the predetermined position relative to the articles while maintaining the continuous advance movement of the articles. A fourth aspect of the invention provides a controller for controlling the operation of the insert module of a packaging machine, comprising the steps of: (i) moving the packaging material through a conveyor device at a first speed from a feed to a feed Loading mechanism of the insert; (ii) assemble or fix the packing material; (iii) transferring the packing material from the conveyor apparatus to the fastening lugs for the insert of the insert loading mechanism by synchronizing the speed of the fastening lugs for the insert with the first speed of the conveyor apparatus; (iv) changing the movement of the insert at a second speed; (v) inserting the insert in the article group by synchronizing the position and / or speed of the articles with the position and / or the speed of the insert. Exemplary embodiments are now provided, by way of example only, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates the preform to form an insert that can be used with the insert placement apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 illustrates the insert in an armed condition formed from the preform shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view on one side of the packaging machine incorporating the insert placement apparatus of a preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view in close up from below of the feeding and arming stations of the insert of a preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the insert placement station and the insert compression station shown in Figures 3 and 4; and Figure 6 is a flow diagram of a control system according to an aspect of the invention. With reference to the drawings and in particular to Figures 1 and 2 of the same, there is shown an example of an insert 50 that can be processed by the machine of the present invention, the insert is made of cardboard, corrugated cardboard or Another suitable foldable laminate material The insert 50 comprises a preform, having one or more half-dividing panels and an end panel, It further comprises at least one transverse partition panel. contains a group of four items in a 2 2 arrangement, a single middle panel and a cross split panel are required along with the end panel, and other arrangements are contemplated so that for three rows of items, two panels are provided. In the illustrated embodiment, it comprises a first mid-division panel 52, and an end panel 54 and a second mid-division panel 56 hingedly connected to each other. along fold lines 58 and 60 and adapted to receive twelve items in a 3 x arrangement. Figure 1 shows an example of the insert with a mid-division panel 52, provided with three transverse partition panels 62a, 62b and 62c. Each transverse partition panel is similar and therefore only a partition panel 62a is described in a somewhat more detailed manner. The transverse partition panel 62a is connected to the middle partition panel 52 along the upper and lower fold lines 66 and 68 to create a panel extending outwardly from both sides of the middle panel 52. It will be seen from the Figure 2 that, in this modality, fold lines 66 and 68 are aligned in a vertical plane. The upper and lower edges of the panel 62a extending to one side of the middle panel are defined by cutting lines which separate the panel 62a from the middle panel 52. A cut line 65 extends from the lower end of the fold line 66 to the upper end of the upper fold line connecting the panel 62b to a partition panel 52. Similarly, the other cut line 67 extends from the upper end of the fold line 68 to the lower end of the fold line 68. the lower fold line connecting the panel 62b to the partition panel 52- The additional cutting lines 69, 71 define respectively the upper and lower edges of the part of the transverse partition panel that will extend outwardly from the other side of the middle panel 52. The edges of the opposite side of the transverse partition panel 62a are provided by additional cutting lines 73. The second mid-division panel is also provided with three transverse partition panels 64a, 64b and 64c. It will be noted that each transverse partition panel is similar and therefore only the partition panel 64a is described in some somewhat more detailed manner. The transverse partition panel 64a is similar to the transverse partition panel 62a in which it is preferably adapted to extend on both sides of the middle panel 56. Accordingly, the panel 64a is connected to the middle partition panel 56 throughout of fold lines 80 and 82 that are aligned in a vertical plane. The upper and lower edges of the panel 64a extend to one side of the middle panel and are defined by cutting lines which separate the panel 64a from the partition panel 56. An additional cutting line is shaped to define the part that will extend toward out from the other side of the middle panel 56. This cutting line also defines a protruding portion used to superimpose on the touched portion from the other mid-split panel 52. One or more alignment openings 94 are provided. The preform is described in greater detail in copending application number GB 0019755.8 in the name of The Mead Corporation, which is incorporated herein by reference. Turning to the construction of the insert from the preform of the insert, as illustrated in Figure 1, each insert requires a series of bending and gluing operations in sequence, which are preferably performed in a straight line machine, so that the cardboard box and the preform are not required to be turned or inverted to "complement their construction." The bending process is not limited to that described later and may be altered according to the particular manufacturing requirements. construction of the insert from the preform 50, shown in Figure 1, for use with the positioning apparatus of the insert of the invention, the mid-split panel 52 is bent out of alignment from the end panel 54 along of the fold line 58 to be placed in an overlapped relationship with the end panel 54 and the partition panel 56. Prior to this bending operation, the gluing it is preferably applied to the protruding portions of the transverse partition panels 64a, 64b, 64Q and / or 62a, 62b, 62c in such a way that when "it is bent, the projecting portion of 64a is secured to the projecting portion of 62a, and similarly for 64b, 62b; 64c, 62c. The insert I is supplied to the end user in this flat contracted condition for subsequent subsequent lifting by the packing machine as described below. It is contemplated that the inserts will vary depending on the shape or quantity of the articles to be packaged and accordingly, the machine embodying the present invention is adjustable in numerous aspects so that it can process a wide variety of such cartons.
It is contemplated that other known types of the insert I may be used, for example the preformed inserts or the dividing panels used to divide one layer of articles from another, as is well known. Turning now to the construction of the machine, the end that is before, shown in Figures 3 and 4, includes a reservoir or cooper 110 in which a multiplicity of inserts 50 are maintained in a contracted condition as described above for processing. The cooper can be either of the gravity feed type, or alternative means, for example a conveyor apparatus, known in the art, can be used to provide a positive feed in a V direction, as shown in this embodiment. A rotary feeder 155 in this embodiment is placed in this embodiment adjacent to the cooler illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 to transfer the inserts 50 from the cooper to the feed end of the machine. The feeder mechanism according to this embodiment includes a main shaft 170 rotating on a fixed axis W substantially horizontal. The shaft 170 is generally supported at its end by a suitable support structure (not shown). A suitable drive mechanism such as a servomotor (not shown) is provided to rotate the shaft 170 which is controlled by the controller described below. To extract the contracted end insert from the cooper unit, a pick-up device 168 is provided including insert coupling means, for example suction cups 180, and a structure 184 driven by the shaft about a pre-determined route. In a preferred embodiment, four arming devices 168 are provided on the respective structures and the crosspieces 184. In use, the feeder mechanism 155 continuously and sequentially feeds the inserts from the cooper to the feed end of the machine making rotating the pick-up devices 168 in the direction indicated by the arrow W, shown in Figure 3. When the pick-up device 168 rotates, the suckers 180 are moved in contact with one of the middle panels of the insert to be lifted. A vacuum is then applied to the suction cup assembly by a vacuum supply (not shown), as is well known, and the insert is removed and then transferred onto a conveyor to move the insert thereafter in a continuous downward direction until an assembly station and after that on a laying station. The rotation of the rotary feeder 155 about a substantially horizontal axis causes the contracted insert 50 to be "moved from a substantially vertical plane in the reservoir through approximately 180 ° to a substantially vertical plane when it is introduced into the conveyor apparatus as is shown in Figure 4. In this embodiment, the conveyor apparatus comprises a pair of conveying devices 194 and 196 spaced such that the retaining projections 198, 199 mounted thereon engage the end portions of the upper edge of the insert and translate them. the insert 50 downwards in an X direction (Figure 3) In this embodiment, the conveyors are mounted at right angles in a manner related to each other so that the clamping protrusions 198, 199 are oriented to support the insert in the planes both transversal and longitudinal-. "" Preferably, the transporting devices 194, 196 are controlled by the controller, described later, so that the timing of the inserts in the feed can be synchronized with the other parts of the machine. The conveyors 194, 196 transfer the insert to a construction station of the insert comprising means for lifting the insert. In this mode, the lifting mechanism of the insert comprises oscillating pistons 200202 mounted on either side of the conveyor apparatuses 194, 196. Of course, other known carton lifting devices can be used without departing from the scope of the invention, for example it is contemplated that the devices described in WO 99 / 25546 or WO 99/1424 could be adapted for use in this invention. In Figures 3 and 4, the plungers 200 and 202 are substantially identical and therefore only one plunger 200 is described in greater detail. As can be seen more clearly in Figure 4, the plunger 200 comprises two wheels 204, 206 rotatably mounted on a housing 208 in a substantially co-planar relationship. A connecting lever (not shown) or pulse chain is rotatably mounted to each wheel 204, 206 at points remote from rotation thereof. A rod 210 is mounted substantially perpendicularly on the lever or drive chain and has at the end thereof a plate 212 to which a plurality of elongated elements or fingers 214 are secured. Drive means (not shown) as a servomotor, they are provided to cause the wheels 204 and 206 to rotate at the same time, the arrangement of the lever and the rod causes the fingers to move in a substantially circular or oval location, while the axis of the fingers 214 it is maintained substantially perpendicular to the plane of the insert. The speed, acceleration and position of the fingers are controlled by driving means by the controller described later. In operation, the movement of the plungers 200, 202 is synchronized with that of the inserts such that the fingers 214, 215 engage the transverse panels 64a, 64b, 64c and 62a, 62b, 62c and bend the transverse panel 54 out of the plane of the middle panel 56 without jamming against the apertures therefor formed in the panel. Similarly, the fingers of the plunger 202 are placed in the corresponding positions to engage the transverse panels 64, 62, as shown in Figure 4. To complement the lifting of the insert in this embodiment, a fixed guide 216 engages the transverse panel 64c and is shaped to fold it, and the remaining panels in a substantially substantially perpendicular relationship with the middle panels 56 and 58, while substantially causing the middle panels 56 and 58 to be carried out of the mutual overlap in a parallel relationship. spaced as shown in Figure 2. In more detail, the construction of the individual C cells (shown in Figure 2), the cross split panels 62 and 64 are moved out of alignment with the mid-division panels 52 and 56 respectively by the fixed guide 216. Passing first to the transverse partition panel 62c, the panel is caused to be folded along the lines d and folding 66 and 68 so that the projecting portion is bent inwardly on one side of the middle panel 52. It will be noted that the transverse partition panel 62a is caused to oscillate around the fold lines 66 and 68 so that the panel extends from both sides of the middle panel 52. Preferably, the transverse partition panel 62c is substantially perpendicular to the middle panel 52. The transverse partition panels 62a and 62b are formed in a similar manner. Due to the superposed relationship and the gluing application between the projecting portions of the transverse partition panels, the transverse partition panels 64a, 64b, 64c are formed simultaneously in a similar manner whereby the panel 64c is caused to be folded out of alignment with the middle panel 56 along the fold lines 80 and 82 and caused to oscillate so that the transverse panel 64c extends from both sides of the middle panel 56 in a substantially perpendicular relationship therewith. The use of gluing or other suitable means known in the art _ to secure together the cross divider panels 64c, 62c also creates a more rigid insert structure I. The panels 64b and 64a are formed in a similar manner and will therefore not be described in any way in greater detail. Thus, the insert is in an armed condition as shown in Figure 2. It will be noted that there are twelve "C cells formed to separate and support the articles in adjacent cells." While insert I is being lifted, the downward movement continues. An acceleration means 220 of the insert is provided for inserting the insert between the articles In this embodiment comprising a pair of endless bands 224a, 224b, they are staggered from the lower end of the conveyor apparatuses 194, 196 in a relationship vertically superimposed therewith, drive means (not shown) such as a servomotor, are provided to drive the webs 224a, 224b.Each web 224a, 224b comprises one or more clamping projections 222a-, 222b used to couple the insert into positions In the operation, the movement of the clamping projections 222a and 222b is synchronized with the movement of the insert 50 in such a way that clamping bodies 222a and 222b are brought into contact with the upper edge of the middle panel 56 while the downward movement is still controlled by the clamping projections 198. The clamping projections 222a, 222b accelerate the insert at an increased rate with respect to to that of the conveyor apparatuses 194 and 196. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the speed is increased to approximately five times that of the conveyor apparatuses "194 and 196. The driving means for driving the web 224a, 224b are preferably controlled by the controlled as described later. At the lowest point in the working range of the endless bands 224a and 224b, the insert is placed between an array of articles such as bottles B. In this embodiment, the B bottles are separated before the machine in an array of 4 x 3 and are driven along the strips 242 on a conveyor 260 for articles that moves forward continuously in a Y direction. The bottle dosing system and the conveyor 260 are again driven by drive means such as servomotors in such a way that the placement of the insert 50 on the bottles is synchronized with the movement of the bottle arrangements along the conveyor apparatus 260 such that each bottle B is placed within the individual compartments C of the insert 50 as illustrated in Figure 4. Accelerating the downward movement of the insert 50, a sufficient speed of the insert is achieved so that it is possible for it to be a placed between the bottles B in a vertical direction only while the bottles maintain continuous movement forward along the conveyor apparatus 260 at normal operating speeds, without the need for them to be moved laterally in the direction of flow of the bottles B. The controller (not shown) also controls the movement of the clamping projections 222a, 222b through the working and return ranges of the mode conveying device. The speed of the conveyor apparatuses 224a, 224b in this mode is synchronized with the speed of the conveyor apparatus 194, 196, for example 400 mm / sec. Once the transfer of the insert has been carried out, the insert is accelerated at a speed of say 1300 mm / sec. The conveyors 224a, 224b are maintained at this speed so that they are inserted over the article necks. The cycle is complemented by rotating the clamping projections 222a, 222b until the beginning of the working range. In some embodiments, it comprises a detector to detect the position of the arrangement of the articles. The controller will then adjust the speed of the conveyors 194, 196 and / or bands 224a, 224b to align the insert I with respect to the article arrangement. The controller through which the specific instructions can be programmed and a screen which indicates the information useful for the operator of the machine. The central processor and the screen may display the operational information, for example, the speed of operation of the device and its compliance, with the particular security requirements, in the normal manner. In addition, the central processor and the display can also indicate information specific to the device, such as the position of the clamping projections 222a, 222b and the conveyor apparatus 224a, 224b, the position of the clamping projections 196, 198 and the Articles B in relation to the conveyor apparatus 224 and the speed and acceleration of the holding projections 222a, 222b. The controller can also control the positions of the movable components as well as the speed of movement of the variable speed components. For example, the central processor controls one or more of the servomotors, which in turn drive the feeder, the endless conveyor apparatus 194, 196 which moves the ones. inserts from the feed end of the machine - up to. the acceleration means of the insert, the pistons 200, 202, the acceleration means of the insert 220, the conveyor 260 of the articles and / or the compression station of the inserts. Figure 6 illustrates an example of a flow chart of a control system used to transport the insert into the article array. The transfer process of the inserts is initiated (box 498). The first step in the system is to cause the feeder to take a cardboard box from one of the coopers (box 500) and control the catch lugs 198, "199 (box 502) to effect the transfer from the feeder to the protrusions of The clamping projections 198, 199 continue to move the insert (box 504.) The position of the article arrangement is detected (box 506) by a sensor or by the determination of the position by means of the servo motor that drives the clamping projections. , as is well known, at this point, the central processor compares the position of the array with the position of the insert (box 508) and will control the article's feed means (box 510) and / or the advance or delay of the protrusions of the article. clamping 222, 224 (box 512) to control, the lower movement of the insert when it is lowered over the arrangement of articles so that the insert is aligned at the point of contact P (Figure 4) After this the clamping projections 222 are caused by the control system to move the insert towards the article arrangement (box 514). After each of these stages has been carried out, the program is started again and the process is repeated for the next insert. It will be understood that the positions and speeds of the devices of this embodiment of the present invention can be manually entered or a specific pre-written program can be loaded into the central processor for the control of the packing machine. The change over the machine from one spacing to another can be done through the use of a pre-written program of manual input signals, for example when an insert of different size is used or a different arrangement of articles. insert 50 is brought to the proper final vertical position relative to the bottles B, a compression station of the insert 270 is preferably provided after the acceleration means 220 of the insert as can be seen more clearly from Figure 5. In this mode, the compression station 270 comprises one or more compression elements 278 operating in synchronization with the rear movement of bottles B-and insert 50 in a Y direction. while simultaneously they are arranged to couple the upper edge of the insert 50 and to press the insert downwards relative to the bottles. In a preferred embodiment, each coupling element 278 comprises a pair of mutually spaced vertically distributed flanges 280a, 280b, connected by a central reinforcing portion, the lower edges of the flanges are arranged to slide between the adjacent bottles and engage the upper edge of the insert. In other embodiments, it is contemplated that a number of compression elements may be altered when required, or that alternative arrangements suitable for compression of the insert such as fixed guides, for example, may be employed. In this embodiment, the movement described above is achieved by assembling the compression elements 278a, 278b, 278c on a support 276 that "rotates about a horizontal axis through the shafts 282. The support 276 is preferably driven by the servomotor 272 by means of a gear arrangement 274. Preferably, the compression station 270 is controlled by the controller as described below to achieve synchronization with the other parts of the machine A suitable mechanism (not shown) is provided to ensure that each coupling element is maintained in a position with the face down from beginning to end of the total extension of each contact of the element with the insert 50. This can be achieved by any suitable means known in the art such as the use of a rotating cam arrangement Once a B-bottle arrangement has passed through the compression station, it can then proceed to a station for loading cardboard boxes, for example from the external power supply of the machine. According to one aspect of the invention, the speed of operation of the apparatus is improved as well as its efficiency and durability. In the illustrated embodiment, the packaging speeds are around 120 packages per minute. The present invention also provides adjustment to the size of the insert or the number of articles that are fed by the insert module. It is contemplated that the invention may be used in a packaging machine capable of packing a plurality of sizes or types of insert. Indeed, although the preferred embodiment described herein is for loading the inserts into the articles, it is recognized that the invention is not limited to inserts of this type. The invention can be sold as a part of a packaging machine or separately as a module that is to be equipped to a new machine or on a retrofit basis.
It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.
9. The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the packaging material is a cardboard box that is to be placed around an array of articles. A packaging machine comprising a supply chain of the packaging material comprising in series, a cooper of material, a feeder mechanism for transferring the articles from the cooper, an apparatus for placing the packaging material in a predetermined position with respect to to an arrangement of articles for example bottles to be packed, comprising a conveyor apparatus for transporting an arrangement of articles, feeding means for feeding the packaging material from a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of the articles, characterized because the feeding means accelerates the packaging material at a sufficient speed relative to the speed of the articles such that the packaging material is placed in the predetermined position while the forward continuous movement of the articles is maintained. 11. A packaging machine according to claim 10, characterized in that it also comprises a station for lifting the packing material prior to transfer to the positioning apparatus. 12. A packing machine in accordance with the