Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
  • B65B61/14—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for incorporating, or forming and incorporating, handles or suspension means in packages

Definitions

• This invention relates to a machine and method of applying an endless band to an article, in particular a carton, such that the band encircles the article and provides a handle means by which the article can be carried.
• the invention is particularly, although not exclusively, useful in conjunction with a carton of the type described in EP-A-0 224 047 or GB 9120561.6 and apparatus according to the invention may be installed in a packaging system so that it receives endless bands from a machine described in EP 0 042 277.
• the invention seeks to avoid the random application of such endless bands to e.g. cartons but applies such bands so that the position of the end join is controlled and predictable.
• the invention may have applicability in situations other than those in which the endless band is required to provide a carrying handle but in which shear forces acting so as to diminish the integrity of the join in the band are present.
• One aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus for applying to an article an endless band so that the band encircles the article said band being of the type formed by securing a strip of material into a loop and thereby creating a join, the apparatus comprising means to convey the band along a feed path in such a way that said join is maintained in controlled orientation, means to apply the band so that it is adapted for engagement about the midriff of the article and to ensure a secure fit between the band and said articl .
• means may be provided to shrink fit the band in order to secure it about the article.
• said conveying means comprise an endless series of lugs which alter the configuration of the band during conveyance.
• the apparatus further comprises means to hold the band in a controlled orientation during and immediately after formation of the band from a loop, which holding means releases the band as it is conveyed by the conveying means.
• Another aspect of the invention provides a method of applying an endless band to an article so that the band
• SUBSTITUTE SHEET encircles the article, said band being of the type formed by securing a strip of material into a loop and thereby creating a join said method comprising the steps of conveying said band along a feed path in such a way that said join is maintained in a controlled orientation, applying the band to said article and ensuring a secure fit between said band and said article.
• said band may be applied to the article as a loose fit, temporarily supported about the midriff of said article and thereafter shrink fitted in place to provide said secure fit.
• the configuration of the band is altered during conveyance so that it is better adapted for application to said article.
• the band may be orientated such that said join is at a leading part of the band during conveyance.
• a strip of plastics material may be first formed into a loop and the plastics material may then be moulded to itself to create said join.
• said article may be a beverage multipack carton and where a continuous succession of said bands may be applied to respective ones of a continuous succession of cartons.
• Yet another aspect of the invention provides an article fitted with a band applied thereto according to any of the five immediately preceding paragraphs.
• Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of apparatus according to the invention.
• Figures la and lb are details of lugs employed in the apparatus
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of a carton having a band applied thereto.
• Figure 3 is a side view of apparatus according to the invention.
• an endless band is formed from a flat elongate strip of plastics material on loop forming equipment such as is described in EP 0 0422 77.
• the endless band is formed by a welding operation in which the two opposite ends of the plastics strip are welded together in overlapping relationship whilst being held in a pair of rotatable vice jaws 10.
• a join J is formed in the band B.
• the band is formed from a pre-stretched plastics strap material and later shrink fitted to the carton by blasts of hot air.
• the band is formed from a stretchable material which is stretched in order to be fitted to the carton and, once in place around the carton's girth, released, so that the band will retract and provide a suitably tight fit on the carton.
• the band should be formed from appropriate materials in order that either of these fitment techniques can be practised.
• Conveyor assembly 12 comprises endless lug chain 14 entrained about upstream and downstream sprockets 16, 18, respectively, and which carries a number of spaced lugs 20 which are upstanding along the upper reach of the chain 14.
• a parallel endless lug chain 22 is entrained about upstream and downstream sprockets 24, 26, respectively and carries a like number of spaced lugs 28 which also are upstanding along the upper reach of the chain 22.
• a central endless chain set 30 is disposed intermediate the parallel lug chains and also carries a plurality of lugs 32 at locations which are displaced downstream relative to the locations of the lugs of lug chains 14 and 22.
• Central chain 30 is entrained about upstream and downstream sprockets 34 and 36 respectively.
• Sprockets 16, 24 and 34 are coaxial as are sprockets 18, 26 and 36.
• joint J is located in a preselected position, in this case the joint is put into a leading position in the direction of travel of the band.
• the relative shift between lug pair 20, 28 and central lug 32 can be effected in a number of ways. For example, one possibility is a speed
• SUBSTITUTESHEET differential between the outer chain sets and the central chain set.
• the central lug incorporates a follower 'tail' which cooperates with a cam 52 and 54 to rotate the central lug backwards relative to the flow direction and by an amount sufficient to accomplish the pinching or clamping function in conjunction with lug pair 20 and 28 whereby a strip of the band is held between the outer lug pair and the central lug with the join J disposed adjacent the central lug 32.
• Assembly 38 comprises endless chain 40 entrained about an upstream sprocket 42 and a downstream sprocket 43.
• Chain 40 carries a plurality of lugs 45 which extend downwardly in the lower reach of the assembly 38 towards the lower lug chain assembly 12.
• Assembly 38 further includes endless chain 44 entrained about an upstream sprocket 46 and a downstream sprocket 47.
• Chain 44 carries a plurality of lugs 48.
• Lug chain assembly 38 is constructed so that the chains 40, 44 and the lugs 45, 48 move through divergent paths before continuing along parallel paths.
• the lugs 45 and 48 of endless chains 40 and 44 enter the band when it is held in a substantially horizontal position at locations remote from the group of lugs 20, 32, 28 from the lower lug chain assemblies.
• the configuration of the band is made more ovate as it is stretched transversely of the path of movement X until such time as it is able to be conveyed solely by the lugs of the upper lug chain assembly.
• the chains 40, 44 move through parallel paths.
• the apparatus and hence the feed path X is generally orientated in a downwardly inclined manner towards the flow path F of the stream of cartons so that the band can be engaged by the leading face of the carton initially and, as the carton moves on from this initial engagement position, the band is caused loosely to encircle the carton.
• the transversely stretched band is applied to a carton C or other article moving in a path of movement below the upper lug chain assembly 38 so that the join J which is disposed approximately midway between the extremities of the band can be positioned along the side wall of a carton.
• support means such as parallel plates, disposed alongside the path of movement of the carton are provided to give temporary support to the band at about the midriff of the carton.
• the band is then shrink-fitted in position so that it is a tight fit about the carton by being subjected to blasts of hot air by which stage the support means no longer are necessary.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Making Paper Articles (AREA)
• Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)
• Package Closures (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10702948

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (13)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (3)

Citations (9)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 1991
  • 1991-10-15 GB GB919121849A patent/GB9121849D0/en active Pending
• 1992
  • 1992-10-12 DK DK92309256.3T patent/DK0550129T3/da active
  • 1992-10-12 ES ES92309256T patent/ES2084294T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1992-10-12 AT AT92309256T patent/ATE135647T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1992-10-12 DE DE69209264T patent/DE69209264T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1992-10-12 EP EP92309256A patent/EP0550129B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1992-10-13 NZ NZ24471792A patent/NZ244717A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1992-10-14 MY MYPI92001846A patent/MY115129A/en unknown
  • 1992-10-15 CA CA002120354A patent/CA2120354C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1992-10-15 AU AU28921/92A patent/AU672765B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1992-10-15 BR BR9206626A patent/BR9206626A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1992-10-15 WO PCT/US1992/008794 patent/WO1993008080A1/en active Application Filing
• 1996
  • 1996-09-26 HK HK178396A patent/HK178396A/xx not_active IP Right Cessation

Patent Citations (9)

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