WO2022186695A1

WO2022186695A1 - Packaging device

Info

Publication number: WO2022186695A1
Application number: PCT/NL2022/050121
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michiel Petrus Johannes Maria BROM; Jeroen Everardus Cornelis Maria BROM
Original assignee: Brom Mechatronica B.V.
Priority date: 2021-03-05
Filing date: 2022-03-04
Publication date: 2022-09-09
Also published as: EP4301660A1; NL2027714A; NL2027714B1; WO2022186695A4

Abstract

A packaging device comprises a filling arrangement (10) having a filling area (11). The filling arrangement (10) is configured to fill the packaging boxes (30) with at least two articles (20) in at least two discrete filling steps, and comprises an article holder (12) and an article guide (13). The article holder (12) serves to take hold of at least one article (20) in a pick-up area (21), to move the at least one article (20) towards a filling position in the filling area (11), and to release the at least one article (20) at the filling position. The article guide (13) serves to back the at least one article (20) during placement in a packaging box (30) and comprises a functional guiding portion (14) having an adaptable width, which can be made to reach further down into the packaging boxes (30) than the article holder (12).

Description

Packaging device

The invention relates to a packaging device comprising a filling arrangement having a filling area, and a box transporting system having a box path of which a box filling section is configured to direct packaging boxes through the filling area, wherein the filling arrangement is configured to fill the packaging boxes from the top with at least two articles in at least two discrete filling steps, and wherein the filling arrangement comprises an article holder that is configured to take hold of at least one article in an article pick-up area of the packaging device located outside of the filling area, to move the at least one article towards a filling position in the filling area, and to release the at least one article at the filling position. Many types of packaging devices which serve to pack articles in packaging boxes are known in the art. In many cases, the packaging boxes are cardboard boxes which are to be filled from the top. The invention is not in the field of simply supplying articles to the packaging boxes in a loose bulk form but rather relates to supplying articles to the packaging boxes in a controlled fashion, wherein use is made of an article holder for taking hold of at least one article and realizing conveyance of the at least one article from a pick-up position to an intended position in a packaging box.

The features of a packaging device are often adapted to the shape and size of the type of article to be packed by means of the packaging device and to the shape and size of the type of packaging box that is to be filled with a number of articles. This means that in many cases, preparing a packaging device for handling another type of article and/or another type of packaging box requires making many adaptations to the packaging device, wherein it may turn out that the number and the nature of the necessary adaptations are such that it is more efficient to design and build a new packaging device. It is an objective of the invention to provide a packaging device that can be adapted in an easy manner when it is desired to make a change to packaging boxes of another size, especially without needing to replace the entire filling arrangement for another, and that preferably also can be prepared in an easy manner for handling various types of articles. In view of the foregoing, the invention provides a packaging device as defined in the foregoing, i.e. a packaging device comprising a filling arrangement having a filling area, and a box transporting system having a box path of which a box filling section is configured to direct packaging boxes through the filling area, wherein the filling arrangement is configured to fill the packaging boxes from the top with at least two articles in at least two discrete filling steps, and wherein the filling arrangement comprises an article holder that is configured to take hold of at least one article in an article pick-up area of the packaging device located outside of the filling area, to move the at least one article towards a filling position in the filling area, and to release the at least one article at the filling position. According to the invention, the filling arrangement also comprises an article guide having a functional guiding portion, wherein the filling arrangement is configured to enable an up-and-down movement of the functional guiding portion in which the functional guiding portion, in the vicinity of the article holder, is alternately extended downwardly, thereby reaching a lower level than the article holder, and retracted upwardly, and wherein the functional guiding portion is adjustable to enable adaptation of a dimension thereof in a transverse direction that is substantially perpendicular to both a direction of the up-and-down movement of the functional guiding portion and the advancing direction of the packaging boxes through the filling area defined by the box transporting system.

It follows from the foregoing that according to the invention, the packaging device is equipped with an article guide and that this article guide has a functional guiding portion that can be moved up and down, in the vicinity of the article holder. By having this article guide, it is achieved that the article holder does not necessarily need to be moved all the way down into the packaging boxes for neatly and orderly placing the articles in the packaging boxes, while also preventing the articles from falling over. The fact is that it is possible to use the functional guiding portion of the article guide to ensure that the articles are stable in their proper places in the packaging boxes after they have been released from the article holder. In view of the fact that the article holder does not need to go down into the packaging boxes, the article holder is suitable to be used with packaging boxes of various dimensions. According to the invention, the article guide is designed such that a dimension of the functional guiding portion in a direction that is defined as transverse direction, which dimension will hereinafter be referred to as the width of the functional guiding portion, is adaptable. This means that when it is desired to switch to filling packaging boxes of another size, proper placement of the articles in the packaging boxes in the new situation can be ensured by adapting the width of the functional guiding portion of the article guide in an appropriate fashion, while there is no need to make changes at the level of the article holder. The article guide can be designed in such a way that adapting the width of the functional guiding portion can be done in an uncomplicated fashion. In this respect, optional practical features of the article guide will be explained later. It is practical if the packaging device comprises an assembly of the article holder and the article guide, in which the article guide is movable along with the article holder between the article pick-up area and the filling area, and in which the functional guiding portion of the article guide is movable relative to the article holder, but this is not necessary in the context of the invention.

It is to be noted that the filling arrangement may be configured to also enable movement of the functional guiding portion in the advancing direction of the packaging boxes through the filling area defined by the box transporting system in addition to the up-and-down movement. This is an advantageous option on the basis of which it is possible to impose a forward sliding movement on a newly placed at least one article along the bottom of the packaging box, wherein the term forward is to be understood so as to be related to the advancing direction of the packaging box, so that a front row of at least one article is positioned against the front standing wall of the packaging box, and the one or more next rows of at least one article are positioned against a preceding row.

In a practical embodiment of the packaging device according to the invention, the article guide comprises at least one addition element that is adjustable between a functional position in which it serves as part of the functional guiding portion and a non-functional position. In this embodiment, the width of the functional guiding portion is determined by setting the position of the at least one addition element. When the article guide comprises one addition element, the width of the functional guiding portion can be varied between a minimum width that is realized when the addition element is in the non-functional position and a maximum width that is realized when the addition element is in the functional position. When the article guide comprises more addition elements, the width of the functional guiding portion can be varied between a minimum width and a number of larger widths. The at least one addition element may be of any suitable shape such as a generally elongated shape.

It may be practical if the at least one addition element is displaceable in the direction of the up-and-down movement of the functional guiding portion, wherein it may particularly be so that the at least one addition element is movable between a highest position as the non-functional position and at least one lower position as a functional position. In such a case, adapting the width of the functional guiding portion is simply done by ensuring that the at least one addition element is put to the appropriate position. This can be done in any suitable way, whether or not with the help of an additional tool. In this respect, it is noted that the invention covers an embodiment of the packaging device in which the packaging device comprises an adjusting device that is configured to determine the position of the at least one addition element on the basis of contact to the article guide, wherein the article guide and the adjusting device are movable towards and away from each other. Such an adjusting device may particularly comprise a portion having contacting surfaces at different levels.

Further, it is advantageous if the box transporting system is configured to enable adaptation of a dimension of space in the box path in the transverse direction, at least in the box filling section of the box path, as this may be another measure on the basis of which the packaging machine can easily be prepared to handle packaging boxes of another size when it is decided to make a change in respect of the packaging boxes. This means that in terms of the design of the article holder, it may be practical if a dimension of the article holder in the transverse direction corresponds to a maximum of the dimension of the space in the box path in the transverse direction, and if the dimension of the functional guiding portion in the transverse direction is variable between a dimension corresponding to the maximum of the dimension of the space in the box path and a smaller dimension. It is advantageous if the packaging device according to the invention comprises a box flap manipulating system that is configured to act on packaging boxes having flaps at the top side to put the flaps to a downwardly bent position and to maintain said downwardly bent position of the flaps, and if such a box flap manipulating system comprises a front flap element that is configured to put the front flap of the packaging boxes to the downwardly bent position on the basis of contact to the front flap, and a back flap element that is configured to put the back flap of the packaging boxes to the downwardly bent position on the basis of contact to the back flap, wherein the front flap element is configured to impose a larger movement on the front flap than the back flap element on the back flap. If the front flap of each packaging box is bent further down than the back flap of each packaging box, it is possible to have a row of packaging boxes in which the front flap of the packaging boxes is underneath the back flap of adjacent packaging boxes in a leading position.

In respect of the box flap manipulating system, it is further noted that it may be practical if the box flap manipulating system comprises guiding edges on either side of the box path, which are configured to at least maintain the downwardly bent position of the flaps of the packaging boxes during movement of the packaging boxes in the box path, and if, at the position of the filling area, the guiding edges comprise portions which are movable in the transverse direction. Having movably arranged portions of the guiding edges at the position of the filling area is a practical way of ensuring that the flaps of the packaging boxes are held down as envisaged while at the same time allowing unhindered movement of the article holder in the filling area.

In any case, if the box flap manipulating system comprises guiding edges as mentioned, the above-mentioned option of the box transporting system being configured to enable adaptation of a dimension of space in the box path in the transverse direction may rely on a movable arrangement of at least one of the guiding edges and possible other components arranged at one or both sides of the box filling section of the box path.

The article holder may be of any appropriate design. For example, the article holder may be equipped with suction cups or the like for taking hold of the articles and releasing the articles. According to another practical option, the article holder is designed as a kind of gripper. In general, in a case in which the article holder comprises two elements which are movable towards and away from each other, it may be practical if one of the elements has a fixed position in the article holder and the other of the elements is movable in the article holder. Further, it may be so that at least one of the elements is provided with a layer of flexible material such as foam material at a side that is configured to contact the articles. Advantageously, both elements are provided with such a layer, in which case it may be beneficial if the layer of flexible material is thicker on the one element than on the other element, for obtaining the effect that having the thicker layer of flexible material allows for compensating for size differences of the articles. In this respect, it is noted that in the case that one of the elements has a fixed position in the article holder and the other of the elements is movable in the article holder, it is preferred if the element that is movable is provided with the thicker layer of flexible material.

In a practical embodiment, the packaging device according to the invention also comprises an article transporting system that is configured to supply the articles to the article pick-up area, and an article dosing system that is configured to separate a predetermined number of articles at a position upstream of the article pick-up area and to thereby enable batchwise supply of articles to the article pick-up area. The article transporting system may be configured to alternately realize two different positions of batches of articles in the article pick-up area, which is especially interesting if it is desired to realize a staggered configuration of rows of articles in the packaging boxes, which may be the case if the articles are cylinder-shaped and have a substantially circular outer periphery, for example. In any case, assuming that the articles are to be placed in subsequent rows in the packaging boxes, it may be practical if at least a portion of the article transporting system adjoining the article pick-up area is configured to transport the articles in a single row, so that the article holder can take hold of the articles in the intended row configuration. In respect of the possible case that it is intended to realize a staggered configuration of rows of articles in the packaging boxes, the article holder may be equipped with a displaceable stop element for supporting a row of articles at an end where there is some space between the row and the respective side standing wall of the packaging box and ensuring that the row is properly positioned in the packaging box, which stop element is movable between ends of the article holder so as to be capable of alternatingly assuming appropriate functional end positions in the article holder.

The packaging device according to the invention may be of a singular design, but it is also possible that the packaging device is at least of a double design, in which case the packaging device may comprise at least two filling arrangements, have at least two box paths in the box transporting system, and have two article pick-up areas and associated split article dosing.

According to a practical option, the packaging device according to the invention comprises an electronic controlling system that is configured to control the packaging device and to set variable parameters in the packaging device. A particular feature of the electronic controlling system may reside in the electronic controlling system being configured to omit the up-and-down movement of the functional guiding portion only in a last filling step per packaging box. After all, assuming that the packaging boxes are filled in an optimal fashion, a last article or a last row of articles is automatically guided by the back standing wall of the packaging boxes so that there is no need for guiding functionality from the article guide.

The following of the above-mentioned optional features of the packaging device can be applied regardless of how the packaging boxes are to be filled:

- the box transporting system is configured to enable adaptation of a dimension of space in the box path in the transverse direction, at least in the box filling section of the box path,

- the packaging device comprises a box flap manipulating system that is configured to act on packaging boxes having flaps at the top side to put the flaps to a downwardly bent position and to maintain said downwardly bent position of the flaps, wherein the box flap manipulating system comprises a front flap element that is configured to put the front flap of the packaging boxes to the downwardly bent position on the basis of contact to the front flap, and a back flap element that is configured to put the back flap of the packaging boxes to the downwardly bent position on the basis of contact to the back flap, wherein the front flap element is configured to impose a larger movement on the front flap than the back flap element on the back flap, - in the case that the packaging device comprises a box flap manipulating system: the box flap manipulating system comprises guiding edges on either side of the box path, which are configured to at least maintain the downwardly bent position of the flaps of the packaging boxes during movement of the packaging boxes in the box path, and

- in the case that the packaging device comprises a box flap manipulating system and the box flap manipulating system comprises guiding edges: at the position of the filling area, the guiding edges comprise portions which are movable in the transverse direction.

The following of the above-mentioned optional features of the packaging device can be applied regardless of how many articles are to be placed in each of the packaging boxes and regardless of whether or not the filling arrangement comprises the article guide:

- the article holder comprises two elements which are movable towards and away from each other, wherein it is practical if one of the elements has a fixed position in the article holder and the other of the elements is movable in the article holder, and wherein it may be so that at least one of the elements is provided with a layer of flexible material at a side that is configured to contact the articles, the various possibilities mentioned earlier in this respect being equally applicable, and

- the packaging device comprises an article transporting system that is configured to supply the articles to the article pick-up area, and an article dosing system that is configured to separate a predetermined number of articles at a position upstream of the article pick-up area and to thereby enable batchwise supply of articles to the article pick-up area.

The above-described and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the following detailed description of a practical embodiment of a packaging device that is configured to fill packaging boxes with rows of a number of articles.

The invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference to the figures, in which equal or similar parts are indicated by the same reference signs, and in which: Figure 1 diagrammatically shows a top view of a packaging device according to an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 diagrammatically shows a perspective view of a part of the packaging device, including a filling area of a filling arrangement of the packaging device,

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate different positions of a movable arrangement that is configured to manipulate flaps of a packaging box and to displace the packaging box, Figure 5 diagrammatically shows a perspective back view of an assembly of an article holder and an article guide that is part of the filling arrangement,

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate different positions of the article guide relative to the article holder,

Figure 8 illustrates an alternative appearance of the article guide,

Figure 9 and 10 illustrate how the article guide is used in a process of properly placing articles in a packaging box, and

Figures 11 and 12 illustrate a practical way of determining the appearance of the article guide.

Figure 1 diagrammatically shows a top view of a packaging device 100 according to an embodiment of the invention, and figure 2 shows a perspective view of a part of the packaging device 100, including a filling area 11 of a filling arrangement 10 of the packaging device 100. The packaging device 100 serves to pack articles 20 in packaging boxes 30, and the filling arrangement 10 is configured to fill the packaging boxes 30 with the articles 20 in at least two discrete filling steps. Generally speaking, the packaging device 100 is configured to transport the packaging boxes 30 to the filling area 11 of the filling arrangement 10, to supply the articles 20 to the packaging boxes 30 in the filling area 11 , and to transport the filled packaging boxes 30 away from the filling area 11 . In the case that the packaging boxes 30 are of the type having flaps at the top side, it is advantageous if the packaging device 100 is also configured to ensure that the packaging boxes 30 are in a condition of being open at the top side at the time the packaging boxes 30 reach the filling area 11. In the following, it is assumed that the packaging boxes 30 are of the type as mentioned, indeed, which does not alter the fact that the invention is also applicable to handling of packaging boxes 30 without flaps, such as packaging trays.

The invention is not restricted to a certain type of article 20, and the following explanation of details of the packaging device 100 is not somehow linked to the particulars of the articles 20. In the example shown in the figures, the articles 20 are cylinder-shaped and have a substantially circular outer periphery, and are to be placed in the packaging boxes 30 in an upright position, as can clearly be seen in figure 2. Generally speaking, the invention relates to placing articles 20 in packaging boxes 30 in subsequent rows of at least one article 20. In the example illustrated by the figures, the packaging boxes 30 are to be filled with six rows of six articles 20 in six subsequent filling steps.

The packaging boxes 30 are transported in the packaging device 100 by means of a box transporting system 40 having a box path 41 of which a section is configured to direct the packaging boxes 30 through the filling area 11. In the shown example, the box path 41 comprises three sections, namely a box supply section 43, a box filling section 44, and a box discharge section 45. Further, in the shown example, at the positions where the box supply section 43 and the box discharge section 45, respectively, adjoin the box filling section 44, the advancing directions of the packaging boxes 30 are perpendicular to each other. The invention also covers other configurations, such as a linear configuration in which the sections 43, 44, 45 extend in the same direction. The way in which the packaging boxes are made to advance in the box path 41 can be chosen freely in the context of the invention. In the example as illustrated in figure 1 , the box transporting system 40 is equipped with driven rollers 42 at the bottom of the box path 41 at the position of the box supply section 43 and the box discharge section 45, and is further equipped with a driven conveyor belt at the bottom of the box path 41 at the position of the box filling section 44.

At the position where the box supply section 43 adjoins the box filling section 44, a movable arrangement 51 including a front flap element 52 and a back flap element 53 is disposed which is configured to push down two flaps 31 , 32 of the packaging boxes 30 which are a front flap 31 and a back flap 32 as seen in the advancing direction of the packaging boxes 30 in the box filling section 44, and also to move the packaging boxes 30 from the box supply section 43 to the box filling section 44. Advantageously, the front flap element 52 is moved so as to impose a larger movement on the front flap 31 than the back flap element 52 on the back flap 32. By bending the front flap 31 of each packaging box 30 further down than the back flap 32 of each packaging box 30, it is possible to have a row of packaging boxes 30 in which the front flap 31 of the packaging boxes 30 is underneath the back flap 32 of adjacent packaging boxes 30 in a leading position. The movable arrangement 51 including the front flap element 52 and the back flap element 53 may be servo controlled, for example.

On either side of the box filling section 44 of the box path 41 , guiding edges 54 are present, which are functional to maintain the downwardly bent position of all flaps of the packaging boxes 30 during movement of the packaging boxes 30 in the box path 41. When the packaging boxes 30 are made to enter the box filling section 44, substantial portions of the side flaps of the packaging boxes 30 slide underneath the guiding edges 54, and also edge portions of the front flap 31 and the back flap 32 slide underneath one of the guiding edges 54. For the sake of completeness, it is noted that measures for putting/keeping the flaps of the packaging boxes 30 down are required in view of the fact that the flaps usually are inclined to assume an upward position relative to the body of the packaging boxes 30. Both the guiding edges 54 and the movable arrangement 51 including the front flap element 52 and the back flap element 53, and probably further components having a function in putting/keeping the flaps of the packaging boxes 30 down, make up a box flap manipulating system 50 of the packaging device 100. With reference to figures 3 and 4, further details of the box flap manipulating system 50 of the packaging device 100 will now be discussed.

The invention covers any suitable design of the movable arrangement 51 including the front flap element 52 and the back flap element 53. The design as shown in detail in figures 3 and 4 is a design that involves a number of advantageous aspects as will be apparent from the following. According to this design, the movable arrangement 51 comprises a carrier 55 of the front flap element 52 and the back flap element 53, wherein the back flap element 53 is movably arranged in the carrier 55, such that the back flap element 53 is movable towards the front flap element 52 and away from the front flap element 52 in a direction corresponding to the advancing direction of the packaging boxes 30 in the box filling section 44. The carrier 55 including the front flap element 52 and the back flap element 53 is movable in the same direction, wherein a position of the movable arrangement 51 as illustrated in figure 3, in which the carrier 55 is at a most backward position in this direction, is referred to as flap manipulating position, and wherein a position of the movable arrangement 51 as illustrated in figure 4, in which the carrier 55 is at a most forward position in this direction, is referred to as box releasing position.

When a packaging box 30 reaches the end of the box supply section 43, and the movable arrangement 51 is put to the flap manipulating position, the front flap element 52 and the back flap element 53 are kept at a level that is sufficiently high to prevent collision with the packaging box 30, and the distance between the front flap element 52 and the back flap element 53 is set at an appropriate minimum. Subsequently, the front flap element 52 and the back flap element 53 are lowered to an effective flap manipulating level, and the front flap element 52 and the back flap element 53 are moved apart once the effective flap manipulating level has been reached until both elements 52, 53 abut against the respective standing wall of the packaging box 30. In the process, the elements 52, 53 act to put the front flap 31 and the back flap 32 of the box 30 to a downwardly bent position. The packaging box 30 stays approximately in the same position as a result of the fact that the bending forces exerted by the elements 52, 53 compensate each other. That does not alter the fact that it is possible to apply a device for engaging on the packaging box 30 in order to support the packaging box 30 in an appropriate manner during the flap folding process as described, such as a suitable type of clamping device.

In the context of the invention, the front flap element 52 and the back flap element 53 can be of any suitable shape. In the shown example, both the front flap element 52 and the back flap element 53 have adjoining horizontal and vertical plate like portions, wherein the front flap element 52 and the back flap element 53 are shaped like a kind of corner elements which are open towards a top front edge and a top bottom edge of the packaging box 30, respectively. In this configuration, the vertical plate-like portions of the front flap element 52 and the back flap element 53 serve to retain the packaging box 30 and provide stability in the interaction of the front flap element 52 and the back flap element 53 with the packaging box 30, and the horizontal plate-like portions of the front flap element 52 and the back flap element 53 serve to realize the intended outwardly and downwardly directed movement of the front flap 31 and the back flap 32 of the packaging box 30. Further, once the vertical plate-like portions of the front flap element 52 and the back flap element 53 abut against the front standing wall and the back standing wall, respectively, of the packaging box 30, the carrier 55 including the front flap element 52 and the back flap element 53 is moved so that the packaging box 30 is displaced from the box supply section 43 to the box filling section 44. In order to ensure a smooth character of the process of substantial portions of the side flaps of the packaging boxes 30 sliding underneath the guiding edges 54 as present on either side of the box filling section 44, it is practical if the guiding edges 54 are provided with receiving portions of suitable shape, which receiving portions may have a bevelled appearance, for example.

The packaging device 100 further has an article transporting system 60 for supplying the articles 20 to an area 21 where they can be picked up in order to be moved to the filling area 11. Such an article transporting system 60 may comprise a driven conveyor belt or any other suitable mechanism for advancing the articles 20 towards the article pick-up area 21. In the shown example, at least the portion of the article transporting system 60 leading up to the article pick-up area 21 is configured to transport the articles 20 in a single row. The packaging device 100 also has an article dosing system 65 that is configured to separate a predetermined number of articles 20, i.e. six articles 20 in the shown example, at a position upstream of the article pick up area 21 and to thereby enable batchwise supply of articles to the article pick-up area 21. This article dosing system 65 may be designed in any suitable way, and may be configured to alternately hold the supply row of articles 20 at a position upstream of the article pick-up area 21 and allowing the predetermined number of articles 20 to pass on to the article pick-up area 21. This can be done by using a component that is pivotably arranged in the path of the articles 20, for example, or by using a gutter-like component for guiding the articles 20 and changing the position of the gutter-like component between a position where an exit of the gutter-like component is blocked against a fixed component and a position where the exit of the gutter-like component is open, by using a stopper that is moved in and out of the supply row of articles 20, etc. Further, this article dosing system 65 may be configured to alternately direct batches of a predetermined number of articles 20 to different positions in the article pick-up area 21. In such a case, it may be practical if the article dosing system 65 comprises an appropriate type of track switching system that is controlled to continually change position during operation.

With reference to figure 2, it is noted that for the purpose of conveying the articles 20 from the article pick-up area 21 to the filling area 11 and placing the articles 20 in the packaging boxes 30, the filling arrangement 10 comprises an assembly of an article holder 12 and an article guide 13. The article holder 12 serves to take hold of a row of articles 20 in the article pick-up area 21 , to move the articles 20 towards a filling position in the filling area 11 , and to release the articles 20 at the filling position, and the article guide 13 serves to back the articles 20 during placement in the packaging boxes 30, with the exception of articles 20 of a last row in the packaging boxes 30 as those articles 20 are automatically backed by the back standing wall of the packaging boxes 30. In the present embodiment of the packaging device 100, the article holder 12 is designed as a kind of gripper comprising two strip shaped article clamping elements, wherein one of the article clamping elements has a fixed position and the other of the article clamping elements is movable towards the one article clamping element so that a row of articles 20 may be clamped between the article clamping elements, and away from the one article clamping element so that the articles 20 may be released from the article holder 12. In the assembly, the article guide 13 is movable along with the article holder 12. Further, the article guide 13 has a functional guiding portion 14 that is intended to go down into the packaging boxes 30 during each filling step apart from the last one, and that is movable in an up- and-down direction U-D relative to the article holder 12, wherein the functional guiding portion 14 is capable of reaching further down than the article holder 12. It may be practical if the functional guiding portion 14 is also movable in the advancing direction A of the packaging boxes 30 in the box filling section 44 of the box path 41 , as this involves a possibility of pressing a newly placed row of articles 20 not being the last row against the front standing wall of the packaging box 30 if the newly placed row is the first row, or against a preceding row. For the sake of completeness, it is noted that the invention also covers the option of placing articles 20 in packaging boxes 30 in at least two layers, wherein it is possible to place an inlay sheet such as a cardboard sheet between layers in practical cases, and wherein it may be practical to use an add-on of the article holder 12.

Also with reference to figure 2, it is noted that it may be practical if at least one of the guiding edges 54 is configured to provide sufficient space for the box filling process at the very position where the box filling process takes place, without a risk of flaps of the packaging boxes 30 flipping up. In this respect, it may be practical if the option as illustrated in figure 2 is applied, which involves having a number of portions 56 which are movable in one of the guiding edges 54 at the position of the filling area 11 , particularly movable in a transverse direction T, i.e. a direction that is substantially perpendicular to both the up-and-down direction U-D and the advancing direction A of the packaging boxes 30 in the box filling section 44 of the box path 41. When the assembly of the article holder 12 and the article guide 13 is moved towards a packaging box 30 in order to supply a row of articles 20 to the packaging box 30, there can be sufficient space for the assembly in the transverse direction T on the basis of a retracted position of an appropriate movable portion 56 of the guiding edge 54, wherein a default position of the movable portion 56 can be restored when it is no longer of use to have the retracted position of the movable portion 56.

A special feature of the packaging device 100 according to the invention resides in the fact that a dimension of the functional guiding portion 14 in the transverse direction T, which dimension is referred to as the width of the functional guiding portion 14 and is indicated in figure 7 by means of a double-headed arrow w, is adaptable. This may be realized in various practical ways. With reference to figures 5-12 it is noted that in the shown example, the article guide 13 comprises a basic element 15 having a relatively large width and a number of elongated addition elements 16 having a relatively small width. The position in the up-and-down direction U-D of each of the addition elements 16 can be chosen so that a lowest end of the addition element 16 is at the same level as the lowest end of the basic element 15 or that the lowest end of the addition element 16 is at a higher level than the lowest end of the basic element 15. In the first case, the addition element 16 is in a functional position in which the addition element 16 serves as a part of the functional guiding portion 14. However, in the second case, the addition element 16 is in a non functional position in which the addition element 16 is not used for going down into the packaging boxes 30.

The number of addition elements 16 is not essential, and can be chosen so as to be one or a higher number. In the shown example, the number of addition elements 16 is six. In figures 4-7, 9 and 10, a setting of the addition elements 16 by means of which the functional guiding portion 14 is as wide as a combination of the basic element 15 and four addition elements 16 is shown as an example. In such a setting, the outer two addition elements 16 are in the non-functional position and are not moved down into the packaging boxes 30, as can be seen in figures 9 and 10. Figures 6 and 7 illustrate different positions of an assembly of the functional guiding portion 14 and the addition elements 16 which are in the non-functional position relative to the article holder 12, wherein a position in which the functional guiding portion 14 reaches further down than the article holder 12 is shown in figure 6, and wherein a retracted position of the functional guiding portion 14 is shown in figure 7. Figure 8 shows an example in which the setting of the addition elements 16 is such that the functional guiding portion 14 has maximum width, which is a setting in which all of the addition elements 16 are in the functional position.

The invention covers any possible way of realizing an appropriate setting of the addition elements 16. According to a practical option as illustrated in figures 11 and 12, use is made of a shaped adjusting device 70, comprising a first portion 71 defining a contacting surface at a high level and a stepped second portion 72 defining contacting surfaces at a number of lower levels. Hence, the adjusting device 70 as shown is suitable to be used as a tool for setting the addition elements 16 in the non functional position or a functional position at one of different possible levels of the lowest end of the addition elements 16, whereby the appearance of the functional guiding portion 14 can also be adapted to depth dimensions of the packaging boxes 30. Figure 11 shows an initial configuration of the elements 15, 16 in which all addition elements 16 are in the non-functional position and the lowest end of the basic element 15 is at the same level is the lowest end of the addition elements 16, and wherein the elements 15, 16 are positioned relative to the adjusting device 70 in such a way that there is space for the basic element 15 and four addition elements 16 to move further down until a contacting surface of the adjusting device 70 at a lower level is reached. The setting of the elements 15, 16 that is realized in this way is completed by fixing the final configuration of the elements 15, 16 thus obtained. It may be practical if the adjusting device 70 is normally kept at a non-functional position and is moved to a functional position every time a change of the setting of the elements 15, 16 is required, which functional position of the adjusting device 70 is a position that can be reached by the assembly of the article holder 12 and the article guide 13.

Having a possibility to adapt the width of the functional guiding portion 14 is advantageous as this allows for a change from one type of packaging box 30 to another if so desired, particularly a change to packaging boxes 30 having another width. In this respect, it is noted that the width of the packaging boxes 30 that can be handled by the packaging device 100 ranges between the width of the basic element 15 and the width of the combination of the basic element 15 and all of the addition elements 16. Further, for the purpose of allowing a change of packaging boxes 30 to be handled by the packaging device 100, it is advantageous if measures are taken aimed at adapting the width of the space in the box path 41 , at least in the box filling section 44 of the box path 41 , over a similar range as the width of the functional guiding portion 14. This may involve having a movable arrangement of at least one carrier supporting all of the components arranged at a side of the box path 41 , for example. Such a carrier may not only be movable in the transverse direction T, but also in the up-and-down direction U-D in order to allow adaptations to the depth dimensions of the packaging boxes 30 as well. All in all, preparing the packaging device 100 for handling a new type of packaging box 30 involves actions which can be fully automated, including actions of adapting the width of the functional guiding portion 14 by means of the adjusting device 70, adapting the width of the space in the box path 41 , and possibly also adapting the position of the guiding edges 54 and other components arranged alongside the box path 41 in the up-and-down direction U-D and/or programming features relating to the sequence of the number of subsequent times that the functional guiding portion 14 is extended relative to the article holder 12 and the one time that the functional guiding portion 14 is kept in the retracted position, as applied to each packaging box 30. In this way, minimized changeover times can be realized, so that the uptime of the packaging device 100 can be optimal. In view of the gripper design of the article holder 12 in the present embodiment of the packaging device 100, it is also possible to handle a broad range of different articles 20 by means of the packaging device 100.

In a practical embodiment, for the purpose of realizing at least a number of the above-described functionalities of the packaging device 100, and possible other functionalities, the packaging device 100 comprises an electronic controlling system that is configured to control the packaging device 100 and to set variable parameters in the packaging device 100. Such an electronic controlling system is diagrammatically represented in figure 1 by a box that is indicated by reference numeral 80.

It will be clear to a person skilled in the art that the scope of the invention is not limited to the examples discussed in the foregoing, but that several amendments and modifications thereof are possible without deviating from the scope of the invention as defined in the attached claims. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such amendments and modifications insofar they come within the scope of the claims or the equivalents thereof. While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the figures and the description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary only, and not restrictive. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. The drawings are schematic, wherein details which are not required for understanding the invention may have been omitted, and not necessarily to scale. Notable aspects of the invention can be summarized as follows. A packaging device 100 comprises a filling arrangement 10 having a filling area 11 . The filling arrangement 10 is configured to fill the packaging boxes 30 with at least two articles 20 in at least two discrete filling steps, and comprises an article holder 12 and an article guide 13. The article holder 12 serves to take hold of at least one article 20 in a pick-up area 21 , to move the at least one article 20 towards a filling position in the filling area 11 , and to release the at least one article 20 at the filling position. The article guide 13 serves to back the at least one article 20 during placement in a packaging box 30 and comprises a functional guiding portion 14 having an adaptable width, which can be made to extend downwardly relative to the article holder 12 and to thereby reach deeper into the packaging boxes 30.

Claims

1. Packaging device (100), comprising:

- a filling arrangement (10) having a filling area (11), and

- a box transporting system (40) having a box path (41) of which a box filling section (44) is configured to direct packaging boxes (30) through the filling area (11), wherein the filling arrangement (10) is configured to fill the packaging boxes (30) from the top with at least two articles (20) in at least two discrete filling steps, and wherein the filling arrangement (10) comprises:

- an article holder (12) that is configured to take hold of at least one article (20) in an article pick-up area (21) of the packaging device (100) located outside of the filling area (11), to move the at least one article (20) towards a filling position in the filling area (11), and to release the at least one article (20) at the filling position, and

- an article guide (13) having a functional guiding portion (14), wherein the filling arrangement (10) is configured to enable an up-and-down movement of the functional guiding portion (14) in which the functional guiding portion (14), in the vicinity of the article holder (12), is alternately extended downwardly, thereby reaching a lower level than the article holder (12), and retracted upwardly, and wherein the functional guiding portion (14) is adjustable to enable adaptation of a dimension thereof in a transverse direction (T) that is substantially perpendicular to both a direction (U-D) of the up-and-down movement of the functional guiding portion (14) and the advancing direction (A) of the packaging boxes (30) through the filling area (11) defined by the box transporting system (40).

2. Packaging device (100) according to claim 1 , comprising an assembly of the article holder (12) and the article guide (13), wherein the article guide (13) is movable along with the article holder (12) between the article pick-up area (21) and the filling area (11), and wherein the functional guiding portion (14) of the article guide (13) is movable relative to the article holder (12). 3. Packaging device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the filling arrangement (10) is further configured to also enable movement of the functional guiding portion (14) in the advancing direction (A) of the packaging boxes (30) through the filling area (11) defined by the box transporting system (40).

4. Packaging device (100) according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the article guide (13) comprises at least one addition element (16) that is adjustable between a functional position in which it serves as part of the functional guiding portion (14) and a non-functional position.

5. Packaging device (100) according to claim 4, wherein the at least one addition element (16) is displaceable in the direction (U-D) of the up-and-down movement of the functional guiding portion (14).

6. Packaging device (100) according to claim 5, comprising an adjusting device (70) that is configured to determine the position of the at least one addition element

(16) on the basis of contact to the article guide (13), wherein the article guide (13) and the adjusting device (70) are movable towards and away from each other.

7. Packaging device (100) according to any of claims 1-6, wherein the box transporting system (40) is configured to enable adaptation of a dimension of space in the box path (41) in the transverse direction (T), at least in the box filling section (44) of the box path (41).

8. Packaging device (100) according to claim 7, wherein a dimension of the article holder (12) in the transverse direction (T) corresponds to a maximum of the dimension of the space in the box path (41) in the transverse direction (T), and wherein the dimension of the functional guiding portion (14) in the transverse direction (T) is variable between a dimension corresponding to the maximum of the dimension of the space in the box path (41 ) and a smaller dimension. 9. Packaging device (100) according to any of claims 1-8, comprising a box flap manipulating system (50) that is configured to act on packaging boxes (30) having flaps at the top side to put the flaps to a downwardly bent position and to maintain said downwardly bent position of the flaps, wherein the flap box manipulating system (50) comprises:

- a front flap element (52) that is configured to put the front flap (31) of the packaging boxes (30) to the downwardly bent position on the basis of contact to the front flap

(31), and

- a back flap element (53) that is configured to put the back flap (32) of the packaging boxes (30) to the downwardly bent position on the basis of contact to the back flap

(32), wherein the front flap element (52) is configured to impose a larger movement on the front flap (31) than the back flap element (53) on the back flap (32).

10. Packaging device (100) according to claim 9, wherein the box flap manipulating system (50) comprises guiding edges (54) on either side of the box path (41), which are configured to at least maintain the downwardly bent position of the flaps of the packaging boxes (30) during movement of the packaging boxes (30) in the box path (41), and wherein, at the position of the filling area (11), the guiding edges (54) comprise portions (56) which are movable in the transverse direction (T).

11. Packaging device (100) according to any of claims 1-10, wherein the article holder (12) comprises two elements which are movable towards and away from each other, wherein both elements are provided with a layer of flexible material at a side that is configured to contact the articles (20), and wherein the layer of flexible material is thicker on the one element than on the other element.

12. Packaging device (100) according to any of claims 1-11 , comprising:

- an article transporting system (60) that is configured to supply the articles (20) to the article pick-up area (21), and - an article dosing system (65) that is configured to separate a predetermined number of articles (20) at a position upstream of the article pick-up area (21) and to thereby enable batchwise supply of articles (20) to the article pick-up area (21). 13. Packaging device (100) according to claim 12, wherein the article transporting system (60) is configured to alternately realize two different positions of batches of articles (20) in the article pick-up area (21).

14. Packaging device (100) according to claim 12 or 13, wherein at least a portion of the article transporting system (60) adjoining the article pick-up area (21) is configured to transport the articles (20) in a single row.

15. Packaging device (100) according to any of claims 1-14, comprising at least two filling arrangements (10), wherein the box transporting system (40) comprises at least two box paths (41 ).

16. Packaging device (100) according to any of claims 1-15, comprising an electronic controlling system (80) that is configured to control the packaging device (100) and to set variable parameters in the packaging device (100).

17. Packaging device (100) according to claim 16, wherein the electronic controlling system (80) is configured to omit the up-and-down movement of the functional guiding portion (14) only in a last filling step per packaging box (30).