WO2005009843A2

WO2005009843A2 - Turning device

Info

Publication number: WO2005009843A2
Application number: PCT/EP2004/007989
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Morgan
Original assignee: Induflex Robert Morgan
Priority date: 2003-07-17
Filing date: 2004-07-16
Publication date: 2005-02-03
Also published as: NO20060751L; WO2005009843A3; EP1648774B1; EP1648774A2

Abstract

The invention relates to a turning device with a receptacle for cartons, in particular, packing cartons of the style-A or style-B type. By means of such a receptacle, a packing carton or corresponding semi-finished product can be received, in order to be subsequently passed through various further processing units. Said turning device for packings comprises a drive shaft on which several receptacles are arranged. Each receptacle can receive a packing and pass the respective packing through devices, for treating said packing, whereby the receptacle for a packing can be pivoted about a predetermined angle, so that a received packing carton, pivoted about a predetermined angle in the longitudinal axis, can be made available for further processing.

Description

turning device

The invention relates to a turning device with a receptacle for boxes, in particular packaging boxes of the A-style or of the B-style type. Such a receptacle can be used to hold a packaging carton or corresponding semi-finished product, in order to then guide this carton past various further processing units.

The further processing can consist in that, in a certain processing step, the bottom of the packaging is folded in a predetermined manner or the bottom of the packaging is guided past a heater in order to seal and seal the bottom. The folding of the bottom can be carried out by means of a corresponding folding device, the heating of the packaging on the bottom by a suitable sealing press, so that the cartons transported by the turning star according to the invention are already correctly aligned in the production line have further line processing and no longer have to be rotated specifically.

In the case of the reversible star according to the invention, the receptacle for the carton is essentially formed by a drawing mandrel receptacle, which can be rotated at a certain point, for example by 90 45 ° (or more or less), so that the carton itself is also rotated in the reversible star in the longitudinal axis can be.

The carton on the mandrel holder is rotated by the fact that the mandrel holder either has its own rotary drive or is guided along a link with which the desired rotation of the pulling mandrel holder is automatically accomplished when the mandrel holder is guided past the backdrop.

The invention is illustrated below using an exemplary embodiment.

As shown in Fig. 1-4, the turning star consists of a rotatable device with star-shaped mandrel receptacles, by means of which packaging material can be picked up when a corresponding feed device for packaging material runs past. As the turning star continues to rotate, the packaging material so taken is passed past processing stations, for example a folding device, a sealing press and the like, so that the packaging carton, which was initially still open, is folded at its rear end and then sealed and sealed and thus form the bottom can, for example, the bottom of a box to hold liquids (e.g. milk). As the turning star continues to rotate, the mandrel also rotates, so that the packaging material can then be removed in one direction from the mandrel with the turning device, which at the same time corresponds to the correct orientation as for the further transport of the packaging materials in the production line necessary is. The mandrel holder is rotated, for example by exactly 90 ° / 45 °, via a cam disc (link) K (see FIG. 4d). Although it is quite possible that the mandrel holder could also have its own drive, the solution described with the backdrop is simpler and cheaper, especially since the device can also be used for processing A-style packaging when the cam disc is removed which a rotation by the above-described angle is not necessary.

Insofar as A-style or B-style packagings are mentioned in the present application, these are known packagings of beverage cartons, which essentially differ in that the overlapping folded edges for roofing the carton once in have to be bent at an angle not equal to the folded edge formation (A-style) and therefore do not follow the roof slope and lie another time within the roof slope of the cardboard roof (B-style).

The beverage roofing tool opposite the turning points is essentially the same for both packages. However, the turning device makes it possible to use the same device for forming the roof of the beverage cartons, whereby the carton is first turned, for example by 90 °, in the B-style packaging in such a way that the desired correct feeding to the tools for beverage roofing is given.

In the accompanying drawings, individual elements of the turning device are shown in a manner that is understandable to a person skilled in the art.

It can be seen in particular how each individual mandrel holder is provided with a stop which moves on a cam disc when the turning star is rotated. This cam disc has an elevation at a certain point in the direction of the turning star, so that the stop is guided by this elevation in such a way that the speaking mandrel rotates through the angle predetermined by the height of the cam at this point.

The cam itself is interchangeable. If the cam disc is omitted and replaced by a disc without an angle of attack, there is no rotation of a single mandrel holder when the turning device rotates.

The embodiment according to the invention is technically very simple, but very effective and, for the first time, enables a drawing mandrel to be picked up by rotating a single drawing mandrel at a desired point.

As described, the turning of a single mandrel is effected by the cam described. In the following it will now be shown how there is another advantageous possibility of using this mandrel without the turning device of the mandrel.

This further alternative possibility consists (of course, this can also be used together with the turning device), to use the mandrel receptacles - i.e. the mandrel - to put a cap or a closure on the outside of a box - before filling the box, the mandrel then itself forms a solid counter surface. The cap is preferably designed in the manner of a Terxo or spike cap or another known cap, in which the cardboard is first broken through / cut through by rotating the cap and then preferably the broken-out (pushed out) piece of the cardboard adheres firmly to the inside of the cap and is removed after the cap has been removed. The particular advantage of this variant described above is that the cap can be put on with a very high positioning accuracy. The cap is preferably welded to the carton using hot air. The cap is preferably made of plastic. The individual caps are first presorted and then picked up by a tool and placed on the mandrel within a predetermined position Cardboard put on, but previously they were heated by hot air so that a safe and firm application is possible.

It is therefore possible for the cap to be welded on in the entire filling area, so that a sufficiently large aseptic closure for the cap is possible, especially since the cap does not touch the interior of the carton before the entire carton is opened. Only when the cap is turned is a knife-like device pressed into the box, so that the box is opened.

The particular advantage is that the cap is applied to the mandrel during the turning station, which allows very precise positioning. Because the mandrel itself essentially - as shown in the drawings - enables a secure base, the cap can also be applied to the box with sufficient pressure without damaging the box itself.

Basically, this variant described can be carried out for packaging according to A-style as well as according to B-style with the described cap application. In the area in which the cap is placed, the box is pre-punched in a so-called "half-cut", so that the detachment of a part of this box is facilitated.

At this point it should be noted that it is generally known to place caps on the outside of the box, but so far this has been done on a filled box and then directly on the sloping roof level. However, the method according to the invention allows the cap to be applied before the carton is filled, and a relatively high pressure force (corresponding to approximately 7 to 20 kg, preferably more than 10 kg) can be applied, so that a safe application of the cap is possible. In the case of the previous cap application in the prior art, both the carton and the cap are heated in a continuous process prior to application, in that the carton and cap are guided past a throughflow heater.

According to the invention, it is now provided that the cap, but also the carton, are heated by means of hot compressed air or a pulsed heater before the cap is applied.

For this purpose, in a metal block or a block of another material, e.g. B. in a steel block, a heating loop, which is hollow on the inside, so that it can hold a certain volume of air. If the cap and / or the cardboard box is then to be heated, the air heated in the heating loop is brought to the underside of the cap or the cardboard box by means of compressed air, so that the desired parts of the cap are sufficiently heated for application on the Allow cardboard. The same applies to the box itself or to the region of the box in which the cap is to be placed.

With this described, “pulsed” heating, heat is only applied to the cap and / or the carton when this is necessary and, moreover, it can be prevented in this way that heat escapes unnecessarily and uncontrolled heating of the cap and / or cardboard takes place, which could ultimately be at the expense of the cardboard box or the application, in particular if the area in which the "half-cut" is applied due to the application of excessive heat causes the cardboard box to melt (ie unwanted opening of the carton) is prevented. Here again, the fact that the cap application and thus the cardboard heating takes place on the mandrel is particularly advantageous, which prevents puncturing or undesired opening of the “half-cut area”.

The described application of the cap on the cardboard in the mandrel is particularly applicable for cardboard boxes in which an aseptic or ultra- clean or in some other way high-purity filling is required.

The further Figure 5 shows a heating block for cardboard heating and / or cap heating. It can be seen that several holes are arranged on a first outer ring and further small holes on a second inner ring. This heating block is placed exactly on the location of the box, which is provided with the "half-cut" and on which the cap is then to be applied.

An inner ring of the "half-cut" also shows that the cap is not only applied to the outer peripheral edge of the cardboard, but also with the inner "ejector", ie the part which then forms the inner "half-cut". Cut area "when opening the cap pushes inwards (or cuts through) and takes this part with you when the cap is removed.

Heating loops are formed within the block and the heating itself can be effected in a previously known manner, for example by means of a current resistance heater or the like. Similar to the heater for the carton shown, the heating device for the cap is designed so that only that part of the cap that is to come into direct contact with the carton is sufficiently heated.

The heat supply itself can be adjusted in time in the desired manner by means of a corresponding control mechanism, so that not only the time, but also the heating duration and the amount of heating is optimal and, consequently, a sufficient, safe application of the cap on the cardboard is possible without impairment the cap function.

It goes without saying that the heating power for the cap is different in the desired case than the heating power for the cardboard. As described, caps, in particular screw caps of various shapes, can be applied from outside to the beverage cartons by means of hot air. If this happens in the mandrel, for example, 2,500 to 4,000 caps can be safely applied per hour. A particular advantage of the invention is that the design of the entire filling station is not changed by the invention, because the cap is securely applied to the beverage carton before filling. This allows a simple implementation of the invention in an existing filling station.

The caps to be applied are first aligned in the correct position from a loose fill using a sorting unit. Thereafter, the caps are separated and sufficiently heated in the manner described at the desired location so that the cap can be securely connected to the beverage carton.

A "finger device" is preferably used for the separation, by means of which the cap is guided to the heating in the desired position. The cap is then heated in the manner described and is then conveyed to the application position by means of the finger in the next cycle After the application, the cap is grasped and pressed against the cardboard at the predetermined position After the application, the cap can also be cooled by means of an ice water jet, whereby - if desired - cooling liquid, such as ice water, also inside the cardboard can be introduced.

Instead of cooling with ice water, cooling with air is of course also possible.

Insofar as it has been described above how a supply of heat can be carried out by means of which the cap and / or the cardboard box, where the cap is placed, is heated, it should be pointed out here that a similar heating device can also be used advantageously to cover the bottom area of the Briefly heat the cardboard packaging so that this floor covering to allow empire. Here, too, work is carried out by means of a heating device and by means of pulsed air, that is to say a pulse which has a specific air quantity and a specific heat content within the air quantity, so that hot air is not constantly blown in a specific area of the packaging machine, but only then when an amount of heat is required at a predetermined location, so as to heat a desired packaging section of the entire packaging.

Such a heater, such as. B. for heating the bottom of the packaging unit consists of a heater which has one or more heating rods and an air duct, the internal volume of which is preferably designed so that the desired amount of heated air and thus also the desired amount of heat to the desired amount with a single air pulse Part of the packaging can be blown.

Such a heater is shown in FIG. 6 and such a heater is either to be attached to an arm of the mandrel applicator, if this is desired, or such a heater is to be attached to a particular location, that of an arm of the mandrel applicator at a particular location opposite, arranged.

Figure 7 shows an alternative embodiment of the heater as already shown in Figure 5 or shown in Figure 6, wherein the air outlet is angled from the air supply, so that such a heater can also be used in an area of the machine that otherwise is difficult to reach.

Figure 8 shows an inner part of the heater with the meandering air tube, so that a predetermined heated air volume can be formed by the inner volume of the air tube, which is heated by the heating rods. Further details of such a heater are shown in FIG. 9. Details of FIGS. 6 to 9 are not described further here because they are self-explanatory for the person skilled in the art from the drawings.

FIG. 10 shows an overview of a packaging machine according to the invention with a corresponding mandrel applicator and the functioning of the cap heater. The plastic caps to be heated are provided for the application by a sorting system (as shown) and are preferably fed to an applicator via a JetStream conveyor. The applicator heats the caps using hot air and the heating described above fuses the caps and the packaging under mechanical pressure.

By means of an operation, in the present case a touch panel, individual values of the cap application can be set and controlled.

The entire Mandrel cap applicator is connected to the filling machine by means of screw connections. The applicator is integrated in the cooling circuit of the filling machine.

If a certain amount of air is to be pumped through the heater, this can also be done by taking up a prescribed amount of air (not yet heated) within a certain cylinder, similar to a normal bicycle air pump, and this air is then generated by means of a cylinder pressed out inside the piston and pressed into the heater and its air tubes, and via the piston movement itself, i.e. its speed and other movement parameters such as the entire piston stroke path, it can be predetermined how quickly the heated air leaves the heater and how much air the Heating leaves, so as to bring the desired amount of heated air, as well as a desired amount of heat to the corresponding parts of the cap and / or the packaging unit and their parts. At the same time, of course, the temperature of the heating can also be preset and changed in the desired case in order to be able to influence the sufficient amount of heat contained in the air when necessary and at the same time to avoid wasting energy can.

The entire device described can also be accommodated in a packaging machine in the part where the filling can already take place under aseptic conditions, that is to say under very sterile conditions, that is to say, for. B. the filling of juice or other beverages into the prefabricated packaging.

It is particularly advantageous that the packaging is manufactured in a sterile area and no longer has to be sterilized separately before it is filled, as was previously the case after it was finished, that is to say kinking and connecting. The latter happens regularly with hydrogen peroxide or other ingredients that stop bacterial growth immediately.

The invention now allows for the first time, also in the sterile area of a packaging and filling machine, to further process and apply appropriately sterilized materials such as prefabricated packaging, as well as their associated caps, together. This dramatically reduces both the cost of the entire packaging and the filling process, without requiring more space than before.

Claims

Expectations

1. turning device for packaging, wherein the turning device has a drive shaft, on which a plurality of receptacles are arranged, by means of which a packaging can be accommodated and by means of which the respective packaging is guided past devices for processing the packaging, the accommodation of a packaging by a predetermined amount Angle is rotatable in order to provide a received packaging carton rotated by a predetermined angle in the longitudinal axis for further processing.

2. Device for producing a packaging with a turning device according to claim 1, wherein the turning device is arranged in the production line of the packaging and receives packaging material that is not yet finished, this packaging material is further processed in the area of the turning device and u. A final completion of the packaging takes place in the production line after the turning device.

3. A method for applying a closure cap to a beverage carton, characterized in that the cap takes place automatically in a mandrel before the carton is filled with a beverage content.

4. Mandrel for producing a packaging, in particular a beverage packaging with a device for gripping a cap and a further device for applying the cap to the beverage carton in the mandrel, preferably a first heating device for heating the underside of the cap and preferably a second heating device is designed to heat the beverage carton in the area of the application surface.