NZ624464B2

NZ624464B2 - A packaging assembly

Info

Publication number: NZ624464B2
Application number: NZ624464A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Sam Walls
Original assignee: Adaptapack Pty Limited
Priority date: 2011-11-15
Filing date: 2012-11-07
Publication date: 2016-01-06

Abstract

packaging assembly (1) having an enclosure (3) to receive carton blanks (4). A first arm (5) has means (6) to grip a carton blank. The first arm being operable to move the blank from a pick up position at the enclosure to a delivery position. Means (6) forms the blank into a carton (10) adjacent the delivery position. The carton has a base and side walls extending upwardly from the base to an open end spaced from the base. Means (20) moves the carton in a loading direction (A). Means (20) moves a plurality of product (26) to be packaged in the loading direction. A second arm (30) has means (32) to grip the product from the product moving means and deliver the product through the open end into the carton. The loading direction has a first component (a) at an angle to a perpendicular axis to a surface upon which the assembly rests and a second component (?) at an angle to a normal axis to the surface upon which the assembly rests, so that in use the carton is loaded from a lower most edge corner to an opposite diagonal higher most corner with respect to the perpendicular and normal axes. he delivery position. The carton has a base and side walls extending upwardly from the base to an open end spaced from the base. Means (20) moves the carton in a loading direction (A). Means (20) moves a plurality of product (26) to be packaged in the loading direction. A second arm (30) has means (32) to grip the product from the product moving means and deliver the product through the open end into the carton. The loading direction has a first component (a) at an angle to a perpendicular axis to a surface upon which the assembly rests and a second component (?) at an angle to a normal axis to the surface upon which the assembly rests, so that in use the carton is loaded from a lower most edge corner to an opposite diagonal higher most corner with respect to the perpendicular and normal axes.

Description

[Annotation] keh [Annotation] keh [Annotation] keh [Annotation] keh [Annotation] keh [Annotation] keh [Annotation] keh A PACKAGING ASSEMBLY Field of Invention The present invention relates to a packaging assembly and in ular to an antomated case/tray ing ly to handle both horizontal and vertical packaging of‘ product ina conﬁned space.

. Background of Invention '[0002] Most products sold throughout the world are packaged prior to transport and sale.

’ Many products are packaged in cartons, pouches, trays or the like before product distribution.

To make that packaging,_a' carton blank is fed into a packaging machine by an operator. The carton blank is d into the desired carton shape ready fer transferral to a loading station.

At the loading station, an operator or a robot places product into the cartOn in a speciﬁc ing layout. Typically, the carton is level on a ntal surface and loaded from above That15, vertical loading along the Y axis. Vertical packaging machines require dedicated product accumulation.

These existing types of packaging/loading machines create substantial‘product accumulation waiting to be packed, are slow, costly and labour intensive.‘ Typically, existing ' packaging/loading machines have a large int in a factory area and are not easily adaptable to changing requirements of customers, products, carton and product shapes and sizes. Existing es are also typically single pick and place units packing products into a horizontal ear-ton dually. Flat ing machines without vision require pre-layer assembly before . picking. Flat packaging machines with vision require le ﬂoor space for separate carton erection. Further, ngpackaging/loading machines typically operate only in a single direction.

There is a need to increase packaging aCcuracy, increase packing speed, pack product of any shape and the ability to pack complex conﬁgurations.

[Annotation] keh [Annotation] keh Object of Invention it is an object of the present invention to substantially me or at least ameliorate one or more ofthe disadvantages ofthe prior art, or to at least provide a useful ative.

I \ Summary of Invention - There is ﬁrstly disclosed herein a packaging assembly having: an enclosure to receive carton blanks; a ﬁrst arm having means to grip a carton blank, said ﬁrst arm being operable to move Said blank from a pick up position at said enclosure to a delivery on;' means to form said blank into a carton adjacent said delivery on, said carton having a base and side walls extending upwardly from said base to an open end spaced from said base; ' ." I means to move said carton in a loading direction; means to move a plurality of product to be packaged in said loading direction; a second arm having means to id product from said prodtict moving means and delivering said product through said open end into said carton; and wherein . said loading direction has a ﬁrst component at an angle to a perpendicular axis to a - surface upon which said assembly rests and a second component at an angle to a normal axis to said surface upon which sembly rests, so that in use said carton is loaded from a lower most edge comer to an opposite diagonal higher most comer with respect to said perpendicular and normal axes.

Preferably, said forming means folds said carton blank into a carton at an angle.

Preferably, said carton and product moving means include one or more conveyors.

"Preferably, said carton moving conveyor is d substantially parallel to said product moving conveyor.

Preferably, said. ﬁrst and second arms. are robotic arms. ' [0011] Preferably,la portion of said carton moving conveyor is inclined parallel to said loading direction.

Preferably, a portion of said product moving conveyor is inclined el to said loading ion.

Preferably, including a frame to support said second arm, so that in use said second arm is operable to load said product into said carton perpendicular to said loading direction.

Preferably, including a frame to support said assembly on said surface.

Preferably, said loading ion can be reversed.

Preferably, including means to‘ apply an adhesive to said base to secure said base together.

' Preferably, said angles are between O'anc'l 45' degrees to an X and Y axis with respect to said surface.

Preferably, said carton can be oriented so said open end is parallel to said carton moving conveyor or said-open end is perpendicular to said carton moving conveyor.

Brief Deseriptibnof the gs A. preferred embodiment ofthe present inventionwill now be described, by way of an example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings n: Figure 1 is a plan view of a packaging assembly oi'an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end view of Figure l; Figure 4 is a side view of an ment ofa gripping assembly; and Figure 5 is an end view of Figure 4.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments There is schematically depicted herein a packaging assembly 1 having an enclosure 3 to receive one or more carton blanks 4. A ﬁrst arm 5 includes means 6 to grip a carton blank 4.

The ﬁrst arm 5 being operable to move one or more blanks 4 from a pick-up position at or near the enclosure 3 to a delivery position. The gripping means 6 can include a vacuum, single or multiple axis robot or the like. Means 20 forms the blank 4 into a carton 10 adjacent the” delivery position. The carton 10 includes a base 11 and side walls l2 extending upwardly from the base 1 l to an open end 13 spaced from the base 11.. For example, the means 20 folds the cartons 10 by vacuum, pneumatic cylindersand/or servo control motors. The cartons 10 could for example include RSC cartons, trays, crash-lock cartons or the like. Means 20 moves the carton 10 met carton loading direction A. There is also a means .25 to move a plurality of t 26 to be packaged in a' t loading direction A. The carton and product loading directions A may be the same or different depending upon assembly 1 set up and ﬂoor space available. The t 26 could be for example potato chips, cereals or the like. A second arm has means 32 to grip product 26 from the product moVing means 25 and delivering the product 26 through the open end 13 into the carton 10. As best seen in Figures 2 and 3,. in a red form, the carton and t loading directions A have a ﬁrstcomponent at an angle a to aperpendicular axis Y to a surface 100 upon which the assembly 1 rests. There is also - ineltided a second ent at an angle [5 to a normal axis X to the surface 100. In use, these components a, B ensure that the carton 10 is ed at an angle so that the preduct 26‘ is easily loaded from one lower most edge corner 50 to an opposite diagonal higher most corner '(not ' shown) with t to the perpendicular and normal axes X,’ Y. It should however be noted that in other embodiments the product conveyor 25 could be substantially horizontal or “ﬂat” to assist with picking of product 26.

In the preferred form, the carton 10 and product moving means 20, 25 e one or more conveyors, belts or the like. The carton moving conveyor 20 is preferably located substantially parallel to the product moving conveyor 25 as best seen in Figure 3. In the preferred form, the ﬁrst and second arms 5, 30 are robotic arms. For example, a two axis robot like an Adept QuattroTM parallel robot or the like. A portion 40 of the carton moving conveyor , as best seen in Figure 2, is ed parallel to the loading direction A. lnthe preferred form, a portion ofthe product moving conveyor 25 is also inclined parallel to the g direction A. The assembly 1 r includes a frame 60 to support the second arm 30 so that in [Annotation] keh use the second arm 30 is operable to load the product 26 into said carton 10 perpendicular to the loading direction A. The assembly 1 further es a frame 70 to t the assembly 1 on thesurface 100. The carton folding means 20 can also include means (not shown) to apply an adhesive or the like to the'base 11_ to secure the base 11 together. The fold. of the carton 10 is being done by vacuum, pneumatic cylinders and/or servo motors. In the preferred form, the angles ct and B range between 0 and 45 degrees to the X and Y axes.

In s 4 and 5, there is shown the addition of a pivoting gripper assembly 200. _ The ly 200 is attached to the second arm/or robot 30 to permit product 26 to be ted on a ﬂ_at conveyor 25 whilst still ng an angular g ability. The assembly 200 includes a ball joint or the like 205, positioned in the centre of a mounting plate 240 by means of an extension bar 250, with a pivoting point 217 positioned towards the outer diameter of the plate or disk 240. Additional pivoting point 216 is positioned s the outer diameter of the gripping plate 215. The gripping plate 215 is secured to the ball joint 205 The gripping ' plate 215IS pivoted around the centre point 210 by means of a pneumatic or semi driven actuator 230 or the like.

The present inventionpat least in a preferred embodiment, provides a small packing assembly l‘with ﬂexibility to handle both ﬂat and vertical'packing. The cartons 10 are folded and packaged at an angle having an X and Y component. The second arm 30 being able to pack products 26 into the carton 10 either vertically or horizontally with respect to the carton 10 and the type of gripping means '32 being used. That is, the end 13 would either be parallel or perpendicular to the carton conveying means 20. Advantagcously, by ﬁlling the carton 10 with products 26 while the carton 10 is on an angle having a component in an X and a component in the-Y axes allows the carton 10 to be ﬁlled from the lowest most point to the t most point as the carton 10 is travelling through the assembly 1 past the second arm 30. This provides signiﬁcant speed advantages and ncies. Advantageously, the present invention, at least in a preferred embodiment, provides a highly ﬂexible single assembly 1 to handle ray erection, horizontal and vertical packing without limited product accumulation. The assembly 1 provides a small footprint to a maximum width of about 2 metres. The assembly 1 will also accommodate customers changing requirements as it is easily adaptable as the products 26 are being loaded from the lowest X, Y corner 50 The comer 50 becomes a natural supportfor products 26 building up from this spot allows the ly 1 to handle horizontal and vertical packaging without loosing location or speed The assembly 1is suitable for any typical [Annotation] keh [Annotation] keh packaged or non-packaged product 26 that can be picked up by a robot 5, 30 and placed in a carton 10. In the preferred embodiment, and as best seen in the drawings, the cartons 10, preduct and carton conyeyors 20, 25 and the second robotic arm 30 are all tilted at the same angle having the same X, Y components. This provides essentially perpendicular packing. The products 26'can be loaded in either direction. ' Although the ion has been described with nce to speciﬁc examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention maybe embodied in many other fOrms.

INVE

Claims

CLAIM :

1. A packaging ly : an enclosure to receive carton blanks; a ﬁrst arm having means to grip a carton blank, said ﬁrst arm being operable to move said blank from a pick up position at said enclosure to a delivery position; means to form said blank into a carton adjacent said delivery position, said carton having a base and side walls extending upwardly from said base to an open end spaced from said base; means to move said carton in a g direction; means to move a ity of product to be packaged in said loading direction; a second arm having means to grip said product from said t moving means and delivering said product through said open end into said carton; and wherein said loading direction has a ﬁrst component at an angle to a perpendicular axis to a surface upon which said assembly rests and a second component at an angle to a parallel axis to said surface upon which said assembly rests, so that in use said carton is loaded from a lower most edge corner to an opposite diagonal higher most corner with t to said perpendicular and parallel axes.

2. The packaging assembly according to claim 1, wherein said forming means folds said carton blank into a carton.

3. The packaging assembly according to claim 1, wherein said carton and product moving means include one or more conveyors.

4. The packaging assembly according to claim 3, wherein said carton moving conveyor is located ntially parallel to said product moving conveyor.

5. The packaging assembly according to claim 1, wherein said ﬁrst and second arms are robotic arms.

6. The packaging assembly according to claim 3, wherein a portion of said carton moving conveyor is inclined parallel to said loading ion.

7. The packaging assembly according to claim 3, n a portion of said product moving conveyor is inclined parallel to said loading direction. AH26(10444909_I):KEH

8. The packaging ly according to claim 1, including a frame to support said second arm, so that in use said second arm is operable to load said product into said carton perpendicular to said loading direction.

9. The ing assembly according to claim 1, including a frame to support said assembly on said surface.

10. The packaging assembly according to claim 3, wherein said loading direction can be reversed by reversing a direction of said conveyors of said carton and product moving means.

11. The packaging assembly according to claim 1, including means to apply an adhesive to said base to secure said base together.

12. The packaging assembly according to claim 3, wherein said carton can be ed so said open end is parallel to said carton moving conveyor or said open end is dicular to said carton moving conveyor. Adaptapack Pty Limited By the Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON & FERGUSON Per: AH26(10444909_1):KEH HF"ll"! ....l. "'"m“N" iiiii' Willi!!!