WO2015107389A1

WO2015107389A1 - Line and method for the production of covered cardboard boxes and an apparatus for the management of the line

Info

Publication number: WO2015107389A1
Application number: PCT/IB2014/058296
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pablo BARONI; Alessio GIOVANNESCHI
Original assignee: Emmeci S.P.A.
Priority date: 2014-01-15
Filing date: 2014-01-15
Publication date: 2015-07-23

Abstract

A management apparatus (7) for a production line (1) for covered cardboard boxes (2) comprises: a coupling station (8), configured to couple the base of a cardboard box (4) with a glued covering blank (6); a feed station (9) designed to receive the glued covering blank with the box coupled therewith and to feed it to a covering machine (5); a gluing unit (13) for spreading a layer of glue on a sheet (14) of covering paper; an aligner (16) for receiving the glued covering sheet from the gluing unit and placing it in a predetermined position; a laser cutting station (19) located downstream of the aligner in order to cut the glued covering sheet with a laser beam (20), thereby making available the glued covering blank; a conveyor (21) configured to interconnect and coordinate the aligner, the cutting station, the coupling station and the feed station in succession according to an advancing direction.

Description

DESCRIPTION

LINE AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COVERED CARDBOARD BOXES AND AN APPARATUS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE LINE

Technical field

This invention relates to a line and method for the production of covered cardboard boxes and an apparatus for the management of the line. Background art

The invention relates to the technical field of industrial processing for forming and covering cardboard and paper boxes having a bottom wall and a lateral wall having at least three sides (or more usually, four sides). The production of these boxes involves forming the cardboard boxes and then covering the box with a sheet of paper.

With regard to forming, the boxes in question are made from specially shaped sheets of cardboard, known as forming blanks.

These forming blanks are obtained from sheets of cardboard by a punching process.

With regard to covering, a covering blank obtained from a sheet of paper subjected to punching is prepared.

These blanks (the forming blank and the covering blank) are flat blanks made up of a base and a plurality of faces connected to the base and foldable relative to the base in order to form the lateral wall of the box. The number of sides of the base is equal to the number of faces of the lateral wall of the box.

Unlike the forming blank, the covering blank also comprises further foldable flaps, called fold-over flaps.

The blanks (forming and covering blanks) are made in advance by mechanical punching machines and stored so that blanks of different shapes and sizes are available when required, according to the boxes to be made.

The production of the boxes involves the use of a production line which applies a layer of glue on one of the two faces of the covering blank.

A forming machine (known as "quadrangular" machine, if the boxes it makes have four sides) is fed with the forming blanks from which it forms the cardboard boxes.

A conveyor belt transports a succession of covering blanks and feeds them to a coupling station where a box feeding out of the forming machine is picked up by a placing device and set on the covering blank with the base of the box superposed over the base of the covering blank.

The placing operation is a critical step which requires high precision to guarantee the high quality of the finished, covered box.

Lastly, the production line comprises a covering machine fed by the conveyor belt and located downstream of the coupling station.

These prior art systems have certain drawbacks and limitations, however. The box manufacturer needs to have a great deal of space and economic resources to store the spare parts for the punching machines and for all the blanks of different sizes.

Indeed, the blanks are made in large quantities for all the box sizes and then stored.

This also leads to a waste of blanks, for at least two reasons:

(i) the stored blanks deteriorate over time,

(ii) in many cases, once the first boxes have been made, it is found that the covering blank does not adapt exactly to the respective type of box and, as result, all the covering blanks for that box type need to made from scratch.

In light of this, it is particularly difficult and uneconomical to produce boxes in small numbers, for example for demonstration purposes, or to make small batches of boxes in special shapes and sizes.

As a result, current box manufacturers normally propose to adapt blanks they already have in stock to their customers' requirements, although this clearly constitutes a limitation.

The production line described above also has significant limits in terms of precision (in the order of tenths of a millimetre) due basically to the fact that the belt which conveys the glued covering blank is a flexible belt and cannot guarantee precise positioning in the coupling station.

Another critical step that brings with it significant risks of errors in the box production process involves the gluing unit, which must be configured to pick up and glue a blank covering sheet (having a complex and "irregular" shape), with the risk of damaging the blank itself by picking it up incorrectly.

Documents US 2 425 210, EP 0 685 329 and US 3 086 428 are know from the prior art and describe a box wrapping machine.

Disclosure of the invention

This invention thus has for an aim to overcome the above mentioned disadvantages by providing an apparatus for the management of a line for the production of covered cardboard boxes, as well as the production line itself and a method for making covered cardboard boxes.

More specifically, it is the aim of this invention to provide an apparatus for the management of a line for the production of covered cardboard boxes, (as well as the production line itself and a method for making covered cardboard boxes) which makes production particularly simple and economical, even in the case of small batches of boxes.

A further aim of the invention is to provide an apparatus for the management of a line for the production of covered cardboard boxes, (as well as the production line itself and a method for making covered cardboard boxes) which allows boxes to be made in a particularly precise manner, thus improving the quality of the boxes made.

Another aim is to improve the hourly output of the production line.

The above mentioned aims are fully achieved by the apparatus (and the production line and method) according to the invention as characterized in the appended claims.

More specifically, the management apparatus (for a line for the production of covered cardboard boxes) according to the invention comprises:

- a coupling station configured to couple the base of a cardboard box with a glued covering blank;

- a feed station designed to receive the glued covering blank with the box coupled therewith and to feed it to a covering machine which is configured to fold the covering blank around the box in order to cover it.

According to the invention, the apparatus comprises (in combination): - a gluing unit for spreading a layer of glue on a sheet of covering paper;

- an aligner (located in an aligning station) configured to receive the glued covering sheet from the gluing unit and place it in a predetermined position;

- a cutting station equipped with a laser head, located downstream of the aligner and configured to cut the glued covering paper sheet, thereby making available a glued covering blank;

- a conveyor configured to interconnect and coordinate the aligner, the cutting station, the coupling station and the feed station, in succession according to an advancing direction.

Thus, the management apparatus is configured to place in line the covering blank cutting station downstream of a gluing station, the glue being applied by the gluing unit on whole sheets of paper, that is to say, sheets which are not yet punched.

The expression "in line" is used to mean that the stations operate in synchrony in the context of a continuous process for the production of an indefinite succession of pieces (that is, boxes).

The fact that cutting takes place in line downstream of the aligning station which is in turn downstream of gluing, is advantageous to obtain high precision in positioning the covering blank downstream of cutting. Indeed, aligning a rectangular or other regular shaped sheet is easier and surer than aligning an oddly shaped sheet (that is, one that has already been cut). Further, feeding the gluing unit (which has rollers through which the sheet is made to pass) with an oddly shaped sheet (that is, one that has already been cut) would lead to unwanted displacement of the sheet and thus greater difficulty in its subsequent alignment.

The fact that the cutting station is a laser cutting station is advantageous to overcome the problems connected with cutting a sheet that already has glue on it.

Moreover, it should be noted that the box production cycle, with reference in particular to covering, depends basically on the time it takes for the glue (spread on the covering blank) to dry, which means that the covering cannot be applied immediately but at the same time, must be applied within a certain interval of time.

The presence of the aligning station is advantageous because the covering sheets are nearly always printed on the side opposite the glued side. Thus, it is important for the sheet to be placed, before it is cut, in a predetermined position which can be set as a function of the printed design on the covering paper currently being used for products.

The conveyor comprises at least one supporting table.

Preferably, the conveyor comprises a plurality of supporting tables. Preferably, the number of supporting tables is equal to the number of stations of the apparatus (that is, of the line). For example, there may be four or six supporting tables.

It should be noted that the stations are operating units designed to operate simultaneously on different semi-finished items for making corresponding different boxes. At the same time, however, the stations are designed to operate in a predetermined succession to make the same type of box. Thus, the presence of a plurality of supporting tables makes it possible to increase the production capacity of the line.

The supporting table (or the supporting tables) is designed to support a semi-finished item of the process for the production of covered boxes, that is to say: a sheet of covering paper, a covering blank and a covering blank coupled to a cardboard box.

Further, the supporting table (or the supporting tables) is connected to movement means by which it is transported between the stations of the apparatus (which are also the stations of the production line).

The stations of the apparatus according to the invention are at least the following: an aligning station (designed to receive from the gluing unit sheets of covering paper which have not yet been punched), a cutting station (laser), a coupling station (designed to receive from the forming machine cardboard boxes to be coupled with the covering blanks and a machine for feeding the covering machine with the covering blank coupled with the box.

Preferably, the apparatus further comprises a pressing station, located after the coupling station and before the feed station.

Preferably, the apparatus further comprises a cleaning station for the supporting table, located after the feed station (and before the aligning station).

Preferably, the supporting table is rigid. For example, it is a panel positioned horizontally, that is, parallel to the supporting surface of the apparatus, that is, perpendicular to the direction of the weight force.

The fact that the supporting table is rigid allows particularly precise positioning of the semi-finished item in the stations, with reference in particular to the positioning of the glued covering sheet in the cutting station and the positioning of the covering blank in the coupling station. Preferably, the conveyor comprises a plurality of separate supporting tables, each supporting table being configured to transport a covering sheet (that is, a semi-finished item) individually.

This further improves the precision of the line.

In light of this, it should be noted that the movement means of the supporting tables are configured to transport the supporting table intermittently (i.e. discretely), step by step, from one station to the next.

Preferably, the supporting table (or the supporting tables) have a top face (supporting the sheet) provided with holes which are connected to a suction pump, to define suction means. This ensures that the sheet is held firmly to the supporting table, avoiding accidental movements of the sheet relative to the supporting table.

The conveyor defines a transport path and the stations of the apparatus are located along the path.

Preferably, the conveyor defines a closed, ring-shaped transport path for the supporting table (or for the supporting tables). For example, the transport path is circular. For example, the conveyor comprises a plurality of supporting tables connected to a central carousel through the agency of respective arms.

In light of this, the conveyor is configured to transport the supporting table in a direction such that the aligning station precedes the cutting station, which precedes the coupling station, which precedes the feed station, which in turn precedes the aligning station.

The fact that the stations are located along a closed, ring-shaped path has the advantage of reducing the overall dimensions of the production line and enhances its efficiency.

It should be noted that, besides the management apparatus according to the invention, the production line according to the invention comprises a covering machine, connected to the feed station, and a machine for forming cardboard boxes from forming blanks and connected to the coupling station.

The production method according to the invention comprises the following steps, performed in succession and coordinated in the context of a continuous production process):

- gluing a sheet of covering paper by spreading a layer of glue thereon;

- aligning the glued sheet of covering paper by placing it at a predetermined position;

- cutting with a laser head the glued sheet of covering paper, thereby making available a glued covering blank; - coupling the base of a cardboard box with a glued covering blank;

- feeding the glued covering blank with the box coupled therewith to a covering machine which is configured to fold the covering blank around the box in order to cover it.

At least one supporting table is moved along a transport path in such a way as to:

- pick up from an aligning station the glued covering sheet and feed it to a cutting station;

- transport the glued covering blank from the cutting station to a coupling station; and

- transport the glued covering blank, coupled with the box, from the coupling station to a feed station of the covering machine.

Preferably, the transport path is a closed, ring-shaped path (alternatively, the path might be linear or of another type).

In light of this, the at least one supporting table is transported from the feed station to the aligning station in order to receive another glued covering sheet.

Preferably, the supporting table is transported by rotation about a central zone (for example, a carousel) around which the stations of the line are located.

Preferably, a plurality of supporting tables are moved.

Preferably, the supporting tables are moved simultaneously. Preferably, the supporting tables are connected to each other rigidly, for example through the agency of arms connected to a central carousel.

Preferably, the supporting table (or the supporting tables) is moved intermittently (i.e. discretely), step by step, from one station to the next. Indeed, the supporting tables are stopped when they are aligned with the respective stations of the apparatus. The fact that the planes are rigid allows high positioning precision of the supporting tables relative to the stations.

Thus, in a subsequent step, each supporting table is positioned at the next station, that is to say, it advances by one position in the succession of stations of the apparatus. At the same time, the station freed by that supporting table is occupied by the supporting table coming before it in the plurality of supporting tables, which in turn define a succession relative to the direction of movement (preferably rotation) of the conveyor.

It should also be noted that the apparatus according to the invention (that is, the line according to the invention) comprises a control unit (comprising an electronic card, that is, processing means). The control unit is set up to coordinate the stations and components of the line.

Thus, the control unit preferably comprises a timer (for example, a timing system created via software, for example by a suitably programmed PLC). The control unit is connected to the conveyor and drives it by a succession of start/stop commands.

After every stop, the control unit drives the conveyor in such a way that it remains stationary for a predetermined length of time so as to give all the stations the time necessary to perform the respective operations on the respective semi-finished items.

Thus, the control unit is preferably connected to the gluing unit.

Preferably, the control unit is connected to the aligning station.

Preferably, the control unit is connected to the laser cutting station.

Preferably, the control unit is connected to the coupling station.

Preferably, the control unit is connected to the feed station.

Preferably, the control unit is connected to the pressing station.

Preferably, the control unit is connected to the cleaning station.

Preferably, the control unit is connected to the covering machine.

Preferably, the control unit is connected to the forming machine.

Advantageously, the invention allows the box manufacturer to avoid costly mechanical punching machines and having to keep large quantities of covering blanks in stock, with obvious advantages in terms of less costs and less waste.

Moreover, moving the blanks individually on rigid supporting tables allows particularly precise positioning (in the order of thousandths of a millimetre, that is, microns) and considerably simplifies the coupling station (in effect, in traditional systems, where the covering blanks are transported to the coupling station by a belt conveyor, the coupling station comprises a highly complex and expensive placing device configured to detect and compensate for blank positioning errors).

Reducing imprecision and errors in coupling the box with the covering blank translates as higher line production speed and above all makes the speed constant, in the sense that the line is particularly dependable which in turn means there are much fewer line shutdowns.

A further advantage, connected with the fact that the aligning station and the laser cutting station are in line (and in cascade) lies in the possibility of adjusting and resetting the parameters of the production process (for example, to vary the dimensions of a fold-over flap or other features of the covering blank) without wasting sheets which have already been punched. Thus, the invention provides a production line and method which are at once highly flexible and reactive.

Brief description of drawings

These and other features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred, non-limiting embodiment of it, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a plan view schematically illustrating a line according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a perspective view of the line of Figure 1 ;

- Figure 3 shows the line of Figure 2, with the conveyor in a different working position.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

In the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes a line for the production of covered cardboard boxes 2. The line 1 for the production of boxes 2 comprises a machine 3 for forming cardboard boxes 4 from forming blanks consisting of specially shaped sheets of cardboard (or paperboard, or thick paper).

Thus, the box 4 is the box 2 without the covering.

The box 2 has a base and a lateral wall. The lateral wall has a number of faces equal to the number of sides of the base.

The line 1 for the production of boxes 2 comprises a covering machine 5 configured to fold the covering blank 6 around the lateral wall of the box 4 in order to cover it.

The covering blank 6 is a sheet of paper similar in shape to the forming blank. More specifically, the covering blank 6 comprises a base and a plurality of segments connected to the sides of the base. Unlike the forming blank, the covering blank 6 also comprises a plurality of fold-over flaps (according to a technology of per se known type).

The forming machine 3 and the covering machine 5 work in line, since the forming machine 3 feeds out the uncovered boxes 4, whilst the covering machine 5 receives the boxes 4 together with the previously glued covering blanks 6, in the context of a continuous production process.

In light of this, the production line 1 comprises an apparatus 7 for the management of the selfsame line 1 and designed to feed the forming machine 3 and the covering machine 5 continuously in such a way as to guarantee their coordinated operation.

The management apparatus 7 comprises a coupling station 8, configured to couple the base of the box 4 with the glued covering blank 6 (that is, with glue spread on one face of it).

The management apparatus 7 also comprises a feed station 9 designed to receive the covering blank 6 coupled with the box 4 in order to position it at the infeed to the covering machine 5.

Thus, the covering machine 5 is configured to receive (that is, to pick up) the box 4 coupled with the corresponding covering blank 6, to cover the box 4 with the covering blank 6, and to feed out the corresponding covered box 2.

The coupling station 8 comprises guide members acting in conjunction with movement means for the box 4 by which the box 4 is positioned with its base superposed exactly on a matching base of the base of a respective covering blank 6.

Preferably, the movement means for the box 4 comprise a die 10 (which fits precisely into the box 4) connected to the bottom end of a motor-driven shaft 1 1 movable along a vertical direction (perpendicular to the floor, that is to say, to the weight force). The die 10 and the motor-driven shaft 1 1 are part of the forming machine 3.

Alternatively, the coupling station 8 might comprise a placing device equipped with its own movement means and position sensors.

The embodiment illustrated, however, where the coupling station 8 is located underneath the forming machine 3 and uses the latter's movement means (and possibly also its guide members) is advantageous because it simplifies the construction of the line 1 .

Preferably, the feed station 9 comprises a manipulator configured to pick up the assembly consisting of the box 4 coupled with the covering blank 6 and to transport it along a feed direction towards the covering machine 5. The management apparatus 7 (that is the production line 1 ) also comprises a gluing unit 13 for spreading a layer of glue on a sheet 14 of covering paper.

The gluing unit 13 preferably comprises a system of rollers 15.

It should be noted that the sheet 14 is plain-shaped, that is to say, it is compact and regular in shape (for example, rectangular, hexagonal or octagonal, depending on the shape of the box 4 to be covered).

The management apparatus 7 (that is the production line 1 ) also comprises an aligner 16 configured to receive from the gluing unit 13 the glued covering sheet 14.

The aligner 16 is configured to place the glued covering sheet 14 at a predetermined position (relative to a spatial reference). Preferably, the aligner 16 comprises locating bars 17 connected to a motor drive and operating on the sheet 14 in order to move it in such a way as to correct the position of the sheet 14 itself.

In addition, or alternatively, the aligner 16 comprises a pick and place system for the sheet (embodied, for example, by a plurality of suction cups connected to an actuator) configured to place the sheet alongside the locators (that is, the bars 17, which, in light of this, might be fixed or, in their turn, movable).

It should be noted that the aligner 16 constitutes a station 18 for aligning the glued, plain-shaped sheets 14.

The management apparatus 7 (that is the production line 1 ) also comprises a cutting station 19 configured to cut the glued sheet 14 in such a way as to give it a special shape and convert it into the covering blank 6. Thus, the covering blank 6 is already glued (that is, provided with glue on one of its faces) when it is created from the sheet 14 in the cutting station 19.

The cutting station 19 is a laser cutting station configured to emit at least one laser beam 20 operatively incident on the sheet 14.

The laser cutting station 19 is connected to an electronic drive card in order to cut the sheet 14 according to a drive signal representing the shape of the covering blank 6 to be obtained.

For example, the cutting station 19 comprises (at least) one laser head (not illustrated), connected to an actuator in order to cut the sheet 14 according to the drive signal.

Thus, the cutting station 19 is operatively included in the line 1 , that is to say, it is part of the apparatus 7 for the management of the line 1 .

More specifically, the cutting station 19 is located downstream of the aligner 16 (that is, of the aligning station 18).

The management apparatus 7 (that is the production line 1 ) also comprises a conveyor 21 configured to interconnect (and coordinate) the aligner 16 (that is, the aligning station 18), the cutting station 19, the coupling station 8 and the feed station 9, in succession and according to a predetermined advancing direction.

Thus, the conveyor 21 constitutes supporting and movement means whereby the sheets 14 and the covering blanks 6 (the latter singly or coupled with respective boxes 4) are transported from one station to another along a predetermined transport path.

Preferably, the conveyor 21 comprises at least one supporting table 22 connected to movement means.

Preferably, the conveyor 21 comprises a plurality of supporting tables 22 (for example, 4 or 6). Preferably, the number of supporting tables 22 is equal to (or greater than) the number of stations of the line 1 , that is, of the management apparatus 7.

Preferably, the supporting tables 22 in the plurality are separate from each other. Each of the supporting tables 22 is configured to transport the covering sheet 14 and the covering blank 16 individually (whether or not coupled with a respective box 4).

Reference is hereinafter made to one supporting table 22 or to a plurality of supporting tables 22, meaning that the features described below with regard to the supporting table 22 apply to the invention whether the conveyor 21 comprises a single supporting table 22 or a plurality of supporting tables 22 (as in the embodiment illustrated).

Preferably, the supporting table comprises a plate-like member defining a flat top surface.

Preferably, the supporting table measures approximately 500 x 500 mm. Preferably, the size of the supporting table goes from a minimum of approximately 300 x 300 mm to a maximum of approximately 700 x 700 mm.

It should be noted these sizes must be considered as approximate indications of the overall dimensions. As regards shape, the supporting table is square or, alternatively, might have a rectangular or other shape.

The supporting table 22 is preferably rigid. More specifically, the supporting table 22 defines a rigid surface for supporting the sheet 14 and the covering blank 16. Also, the supporting table 22 is rigidly connected to the movement means of the conveyor 21. Preferably, the transport path of the supporting table 22 is a closed path. Preferably, the path is a ring-shaped path (closed loop).

In light of this, the aligner 16 (that is, the aligning station 18), the cutting station 19, the coupling station 8 and the feed station 9 are located along the transport path.

Thus, preferably, the aligner 16 (that is, the aligning station 18), the cutting station 19, the coupling station 8 and the feed station 9 are located along a ring-shaped path.

Preferably, the path is circular.

In the embodiment illustrated, the conveyor 21 comprises a carousel 23. The body of the carousel 23 rotates about a vertical axis.

The carousel 23 is positioned centrally relative to the transport path of the supporting tables 22.

Preferably, the supporting tables 22 are connected to the carousel 23 by respective arms 24. The arms 24 are preferably rigid.

The carousel 23 rotates in a predetermined direction of rotation 25 (anticlockwise in the example illustrated).

Preferably, the supporting table 22 is provided with a plurality of suction ports consisting, for example, of holes connected to a suction unit.

Preferably, the suction unit (for example, a chamber kept at low pressure by a pump) is housed in the carousel 23 and is connected to all the supporting tables 22 by respective suction ducts (housed in the arms 24).

Preferably, the management apparatus 7 (that is, the production line 1 ) also comprises a pressing station 26, configured to press the box 4 against the covering blank 6 coupled therewith.

The pressing station 26 is interposed between the coupling station 8 and the feed station 9, relative to a transport path defined by the conveyor 21 .

Preferably, the pressing station 26 comprises a horizontal plate 27 (perpendicular to the vertical direction) connected to at least one motor drive so as to move vertically towards a top edge of the box 4.

Thus, the pressing station 26 is configured to place the box 4, and the respective covering blank 6 coupled therewith, between two plane, parallel surfaces consisting of the supporting table 22 and the plate 27, and to move the plate 27 closer to the supporting table 22 in such a way as to press the box 4 on the respective covering blank 6.

Preferably, the management apparatus 7 (that is, the production line 1 ) also comprises a cleaning station 28 configured to clean the supporting table 22 of dust and debris resulting from cutting the sheet 14.

The cleaning station 28 prepares the supporting table 22 to receive another glued sheet 14 in the aligning station 18.

Thus, the cleaning station 28 is preferably interposed between the feed station 9 and the aligning station 18 (that is, the aligner 16), relative to a transport path defined by the conveyor 21 .

Preferably, the cleaning station 28 comprises a brush 29 positioned parallel to the top surface of the supporting table 22. The brush 29 is movable parallel to, and in sliding contact with, the top surface of the supporting table 22 in order to remove the offcuts of the sheet 14 (which remain after the covering blank 6 has been cut out of the sheet 14).

Thus, the management apparatus 7 according to the invention comprises a plurality of stations. More specifically, it comprises at least the following stations: aligning station 18, cutting station 19, coupling station 8 and feed station 9.

More preferably, the management apparatus 7 according to the invention comprises the following stations: aligning station 18, cutting station 19, coupling station 8, pressing station 26, feed station 9 and cleaning station 28.

Preferably, the stations are located along a ring-shaped path. Preferably, the stations are spaced at equal angular intervals along the path.

Preferably, the carousel 23 is driven step by step, that is to say, intermittently, in such a way that at each step, the supporting tables 22 are positioned at respective stations.

At the next step, each supporting table 22 is positioned at the next station in the order in which they are listed above.

Preferably, the gluing unit 13 is located outside the transport path of the supporting tables 22.

Preferably, the gluing unit 13 is located outside the ring-shaped transport path, along the ring radius passing through the aligning station 18.

Preferably, the covering machine 5 is located outside the transport path of the supporting tables 22.

Preferably, the covering machine 5 is located outside the ring-shaped transport path, along the ring radius passing through the feed station 9.

In light of this, it should be noted that the feed direction 12 is radial relative to the ring-shaped transport path.

Preferably, the forming machine 3 is located along the transport path of the supporting tables 22, at a position over the coupling station 8.

Alternatively, the forming machine 3 is located outside the ring-shaped transport path, along the ring radius passing through the coupling station

8.

It should be noted that, preferably, the line 1 comprises a second cutting station (not illustrated in the drawings), configured to cut cardboard sheets to make the forming blanks to be fed to the forming machine 3.

The second cutting station is preferably a laser cutting station but, alternatively, might be a mechanical cutting station.

The second cutting station is located outside the ring-shaped transport path, along the ring radius passing through the coupling station 8 and through the forming machine 3.

This invention therefore also provides a method for the production of covered cardboard boxes 2.

According to the invention, the method comprises the following steps performed in succession (and coordinated with each other, that is to say, performed in the context of a single continuous industrial process):

- gluing a sheet 14 of covering paper by spreading a layer of glue thereon;

- aligning the glued sheet 14 of covering paper by placing it at a predetermined position;

- laser cutting the glued sheet 14 of covering paper, thereby making available a glued covering blank 6;

- coupling the base of a cardboard box 4 with a glued covering blank 6;

- feeding the glued covering blank 6 with the box 4 coupled therewith to a covering machine 5 which is configured to fold the covering blank 6 around the box 4 in order to cover it.

Preferably, the method entails simultaneously moving a plurality of semifinished items (that is, the sheet 14, the blanks 6 or the blanks 6 and the boxes 4 coupled therewith), in such a way that two or more steps (of the steps listed above) are performed simultaneously on semi-finished items that will make different boxes 2.

Preferably, the method entails moving a number of semi-finished items at least equal to the number of steps listed above (that is, the number of stations described above), so that all the steps are performed simultaneously on semi-finished items that will make different boxes 2. More specifically, preferably, the method entails simultaneously moving a plurality of supporting tables 22 in such a way that two or more steps (of the steps listed above) are performed simultaneously on semi-finished items that will make different boxes 2.

Preferably, the method entails moving a number of supporting tables 22 at least equal to the number of steps listed above (that is, the number of stations described above), so that all the steps are performed simultaneously on semi-finished items that will make different boxes 2. Thus, preferably, at least one supporting table 22 is moved along a transport path in such a way as to:

- pick up from the aligning station the glued covering sheet 14 and feed it to the cutting station 19; - transport the glued covering blank 6 from the cutting station 19 to the coupling station 8; and

- transport the glued covering blank 6, coupled with the box 4, from the coupling station 8 to the feed station 9 of the covering machine 5.

Preferably, the transport path is a closed, ring-shaped path and the supporting table 22 is transported from the feed station 9 to the aligning station 18 in order to receive another glued covering sheet 14.

Preferably, the supporting table 22 is moved intermittently (discretely) from one station to the next.

Preferably, the method comprises a step of pressing the box 4 on the covering blank 6 coupled with the base of the box itself, after the coupling step and before the feeding step.

Preferably, the method comprises a step of cleaning the supporting table 22 of the conveyor 21 , after the coupling step and before the aligning step, in order to prepare it to receive another glued sheet 14 to be aligned.

Claims

1 . A management apparatus (7) for a production line (1 ) for covered cardboard boxes (2), comprising:

- a coupling station (8), configured to couple the base of a cardboard box (4) with a glued covering blank (6);

- a feed station (9) designed to receive the glued covering blank (6) with the box (4) coupled therewith and to feed it to a covering machine (5) which is configured to fold the covering blank (6) around the box (4) in order to cover it,

characterized in that it comprises:

- a gluing unit (13) for spreading a layer of glue on a sheet (14) of covering paper;

- an aligner (16) configured to receive the glued covering sheet (14) from the gluing unit (13) and place it in a predetermined position;

- a laser cutting station (19), located downstream of the aligner (16) and configured to cut the glued covering paper sheet (14) with a laser beam (20), thereby making available a glued covering blank (6);

- a conveyor (21 ) configured to interconnect and coordinate the aligner (16), the cutting station (19), the coupling station (8) and the feed station (9), in succession according to an advancing direction.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the conveyor (21 ) comprises at least one rigid supporting table (22) connected to movement means.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the conveyor (21 ) comprises a plurality of rigid supporting tables (22), separate from each other, each supporting table (22) being configured to transport a covering sheet (14) individually.

4. The apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the conveyor (21 ) comprises at least one supporting table (22) movable along a closed, ring-shaped transport path, and wherein the aligner (16), the cutting station (19), the coupling station (8) and the feed station (9) are located along the transport path.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the conveyor (21 ) comprises a plurality of supporting tables (22) connected to a central carousel (23) through the agency of respective arms (24).

6. The apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a pressing station (26) interposed between the coupling station (8) and the feed station (9), relative to a transport path defined by the conveyor (21 ), the pressing station (26) being configured to press the box (4) against the covering blank (6) coupled therewith.

7. The apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a cleaning station (28) interposed between the feed station (9) and the aligner (16), relative to a transport path defined by the conveyor (21 ), the cleaning station (28) being configured to clean a supporting table (22) of the conveyor (21 ), preparing it to receive another glued sheet (14).

8. A line (1 ) for the production of covered cardboard boxes (2), comprising:

- a management apparatus (7) according to any of the preceding claims;

- a covering machine (5) connected to the feed station (9);

- a machine (3) for forming cardboard boxes (4) from forming blanks and connected to the coupling station (8).

9. The line according to claim 8, wherein the conveyor (21 ) comprises at least one supporting table (22) movable along a closed, ring-shaped transport path, wherein the aligner (16), the cutting station (19), the coupling station (8) and the feed station (9) are located along the transport path, and wherein the gluing unit (13) and the covering machine (5) are located outside the ring-shaped transport path.

10. A method for the production of covered cardboard boxes (2), characterized in that it comprises the following steps performed in succession and in coordination with each other:

- gluing a sheet (14) of covering paper by spreading a layer of glue thereon; - aligning the glued sheet (14) of covering paper by placing it at a predetermined position;

- cutting the glued covering sheet (14) with a laser beam (20), thereby making available a glued covering blank (6);

- coupling the base of a cardboard box (4) with a glued covering blank (6);

- feeding the glued covering blank (6), with the box (4) coupled therewith, to a covering machine (5) which is configured to fold the covering blank (6) around the box (4) in order to cover it.

1 1 . The method according to claim 10, wherein at least one supporting table (22) is moved along a transport path in such a way as to:

- pick up from an aligning station (18) the glued covering sheet (14) and feed it to a cutting station (19);

- transport the glued covering blank (6) from the cutting station (19) to the coupling station (8); and

- transport the glued covering blank (6), coupled with the box (4), from the coupling station (8) to the feed station (9) of the covering machine (5).

12. The method according to claim 1 1 , wherein the transport path is a closed, ring-shaped path and the at least one supporting table (22) is transported from the feed station (9) to the aligning station (18) in order to receive another glued covering sheet (14).

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one supporting table (22) is moved along a transport path intermittently from one station to the next.

14. The method according to any of the claims from 10 to 13, comprising rotation of a plurality of supporting tables (22) connected to a central carousel (23) in order to transport simultaneously at least one covering sheet (14) and at least one covering blank (6).

15. The method according to any of the claims from 10 to 14, comprising a step of pressing the box (4) on the covering blank (6) coupled with the base of the box (4) itself, after the coupling step and before the feeding step.

16. The method according to any of the claims from 10 to 15, comprising a step of cleaning a supporting table (22) for the sheets (14) and the covering blanks (6), after the coupling step and before the aligning step.