CARBOARD PACKER, AND A BLANK PICKER FOR A CARDBOARD PACKER

Abstract

A cardboard packer is provided, comprising a blank magazine, a blank feeder, and a blank picker for transporting a single blank from the magazine to the feeder. The blank picker comprises an upper picking unit configured to attach to an upper portion of the blank, and a bottom picking unit configured to attach to a bottom portion of the blank.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a cardboard packer, in particular to a cardboard packer for producing boxes, trays, and/or wrap-around units for a plurality of carton packages. The invention also relates to a blank picker for such cardboard packer, as well as to a method for a cardboard packer.

BACKGROUND ART

Individual packaging containers, such as liquid food packaging containers, are typically produced from a carton-based material and filled using a high-speed filling machine. When the filled, formed, and sealed packaging containers are unloaded from the filling machine they are transferred to a cardboard packer in which a predetermined number of packaging containers are stacked in a packing pattern and placed in a case made from a cardboard blank.

The case, which may be in the form of a box, a tray, or a wrap-around unit is produced by folding the blank; the blank may e.g. be formed by cutting a corrugated cardboard sheet or the like into a predetermined shape. The shape of the blank varies in accordance with the dimension and number of packaging containers to be placed in the case, and the manner of packaging. In the case of a tray blank, the blank sheet has a shape to cover two opposing side surfaces of a group of packaging containers which have been stacked on the blank sheet in a predetermined packing pattern. In the case of a wrap-around blank, the blank sheet has a shape to wholly cover a group of packaging containers which have been stacked on the blank sheet in a predetermined packing pattern.

The cardboard packer is provided with a blank magazine, and a blank picker which takes out a single blank at a time from the magazine, typically using a suction force. After picking the blank, it is received by a feeder configured to fold and transport the blank. Subsequently, a group of packaging containers which have been conveyed by a conveyor is placed on the blank, and the blank is formed into a cardboard package enclosing or carrying the packaging containers.

Correct positioning of the blank relative the feeder is of high importance in order to obtain correctly shaped and dimensioned cardboard packages, and consequently also correct handling and storage of the individual packaging containers.

There is thus a need for an improved cardboard packer, and in particular for an improved blank picker, allowing for improved positioning of the cardboard blank in the feeder.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the invention to at least partly overcome one or more of the above-identified limitations of the prior art. In particular, it is an object to provide a cardboard packer which improves the positioning of the blank by reducing the risk for unpredictable movements of the blank e.g. caused by two adjacent blanks being stuck to each other in the magazine either because of two high pressure acting on them or one of the blanks being damaged and sticking to its neighbor.

According to a first aspect, a cardboard packer is provided. The cardboard packer comprises a blank magazine, a blank feeder, and a blank picker for transporting a single blank from the magazine to the feeder, wherein the blank picker comprises an upper picking unit configured to attach to an upper portion of the blank, and a bottom picking unit configured to attach to a bottom portion of the blank. Being able to pull the blank from the upper portion as well as from the bottom portion has proven to greatly improve positioning of the blank, especially during the initial motion of the blank when being released from the magazine.

In an embodiment the bottom picking unit comprises at least two spaced-apart picking devices. The picking devices of the bottom picking unit may be distributed horizontally, whereby fixation of the blank is improved especially for large size blanks.

The picking devices of the bottom picking unit may be distributed to attach to a respective bottom corner of the blank. The blank may thereby be pulled from the bottom corners, which reduces unpredictable movement of the blank due to pressure difference between the atmosphere and the area between two adjacent blanks.

The upper picking unit and/or the bottom picking unit may be configured to attach to the blank by applying suction force. Thereby a simple construction may be implemented.

The cardboard packer may further comprise a control unit connected to at least the bottom picking unit for activating the bottom picking unit. The control unit may be programmed to activate the bottom picking unit according to a first actuation scheme, whereby the first actuation scheme is different from a second actuation scheme used to activate the upper picking unit. Individual control of the upper and bottom picking units may reduce the complexity of the cardboard packer, as the bottom picking unit may be used to move the blank away from the magazine instead of providing full transport to the feeder.

The second actuation scheme may be designed to activate the upper picking unit during full transport of the blank from the magazine to the feeder, while the first actuation scheme is designed to activate the bottom picking unit during initial transport of the blank from the magazine towards the feeder.

According to a second aspect, a blank picker for transporting a single blank from a magazine to a feeder of a cardboard packer is provided. The blank picker comprises an upper picking unit configured to attach to an upper portion of the blank, and a bottom picking unit configured to attach to a bottom portion of the blank.

According to a third aspect, a method for transporting a blank from a from a magazine to a feeder of a cardboard packer is provided. The method comprises arranging a blank picker in close proximity to a blank of the magazine, activating the blank picker such that an upper picking unit of the blank picker attaches to an upper portion of the blank, and a bottom picking unit of the blank picker attaches to a bottom portion of the blank, moving the blank picker towards the feeder, and de-activating the blank picker when the blank is arranged at the feeder.

De-activating the blank picker may comprise de-activating the bottom picking unit before de-activating the upper picking unit.

Activating the blank picker may be performed such that the upper picking unit attaches to the upper portion of the blank simultaneously as the bottom picking unit attaches to the bottom portion of the blank.

Still other objectives, features, aspects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description as well as from the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a cardboard packer according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a cardboard package produced by a cardboard packer;

FIGS. 3a-d are schematic side views of parts of a cardboard packer, showing the operating sequence of a blank picker according to an embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a method for a cardboard packer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIG. 1 a cardboard packer 10 is illustrated. The cardboard packer 10 is configured to transform a cardboard blank to a cardboard package, as will be explained in the following.

The cardboard packer 10 is fed with a blanks magazine 12. The magazine 12 contains a number of separate blanks, stacked on top of each other in the magazine 12. The cardboard packer 10 is also receiving a flow of individual packaging containers 14, such as carton packaging containers 14 filled with a liquid food product or other suitable content, may it be in solid form or in liquid form.

The cardboard packer 10 comprises a blank picker 100 which is configured to access the magazine 12 and grip one blank at the time, and to move the blank from the magazine 12 to a blank feeder 20. The blank feeder 20 is preferably configured to perform initial folding and forming of the blank towards the final cardboard package 30. Hence, the feeder 20 is in some way configured to also receive the carton packaging containers 14, and to arrange them within the cardboard package 30.

As is clear from FIG. 1, the cardboard packer 10 also includes a control unit 40 for controlling the operation of the blank picker 100.

In FIG. 2 a cardboard package 30 is shown. The cardboard package 30 is representing one example of how a blank can be formed into an enclosing structure for a plurality of individual packaging containers 14 (in this example 24 pieces).

Now turning to FIGS. 3a-d, the blank picker 100 will be described in more details. The blank picker 100 has a vertical extension and comprises an upper picking unit 110 and a bottom picking unit 120. The upper picking unit 110 is arranged to attach to an upper portion of the blank, while the bottom picking unit 120 is arranged to attach to the bottom portion of the blank.

As can be seen the magazine 12 is somewhat slanted. The exact orientation of the magazine 12 may vary, as well as the exact number of blanks contained in said magazine 12. The position of the magazine 12 may be adjustable in the vertical direction, such as adjustable in the plane of the blanks.

Since the magazine 12 is in a raised position, the load imposed on the front blank can be reduced, thereby facilitating the taking out of the blank by the blank picker 100.

The upper picking unit 110 is arranged on a guide 112 configured to move the upper picking unit 110, and in particular one or more picking devices 114 of the upper picking unit 110, from the magazine 12 to the feeder 20.

In a similar manner the bottom picking unit 120 is arranged on a guide 122 configured to move the bottom picking unit 120, and in particular one or more picking devices 124 of the bottom picking unit 120, from the magazine 12 towards the feeder 20.

Preferably, at least the bottom picking unit 120 comprises two or more picking devices 124 distributed horizontally; in one preferred embodiment there is one picking device 124 arranged to attach to one bottom corner of the blank, while another picking device 124 is arranged to attach to the other bottom corner of the blank. One or more picking devices 124 may be arranged between the “corner” picking devices 124.

As can be seen in FIG. 3a, the upper picking unit 110 and the bottom picking unit 120 are both arranged at the magazine 12, at an idle position in which the picking units 110, 120 are ready to be activated in order to grip a blank from the magazine 12.

Activation of the picking units 110, 120 is performed by one or more control signals of the control unit 40 (see FIG. 1). In one embodiment, each picking device 114, 124 is a suction device, e.g. including one or more cups connected to a vacuum pump or similar. Once the suction devices are in contact with the blank, and once the vacuum pump is applying the suction force, the blank will be held by the picking devices 114, 124.

As soon as the picking devices 114, 124 are activated and gripping the blank, the picking units 110, 120 start to move towards the feeder 20. Upon this movement the gripped blank 50 will be released from the magazine 12, as indicated in FIG. 3b. As the blank 50 is held at its upper portion (by means of the upper picking unit 110) as well as at its bottom portion (by means of the bottom picking unit 120) there is a less risk that a the released blank 50 will be stuck to its adjacent blank of the magazine 12, thereby causing an unintentional and undesired movement of the blank 50 relative the picking units 110, 120. Hence, the correct position of the blank 50 during its movement to the feeder 20 is ensured.

The main purpose of the bottom picking unit 120 is to provide robustness to the initial motion of the blank 50, i.e. when it is released from the magazine 12. However, due to some irregularities immediately when the blank 50 is released the bottom picking unit 120 may maintain its grip of the blank 50 for some time during transport towards the feeder 20.

As is shown in FIG. 3c the blank 50 is held by both gripping units 110, 120 for some additional movement towards the feeder 20. However, at the position shown in FIG. 3c, the bottom gripping unit 120 may be de-activated whereby the upper picking unit 110 will be responsible for holding the blank 50 for the remaining transport to the feeder 20. The bottom picking unit 120 is preferably stopped at this position, whereby one or more guides (not shown) cause the blank 50 to be tilted and thereafter free to pass over the bottom picking unit 120.

In FIG. 3d, the blank 50 has returned to its (almost) vertical position and engages with the feeder 20. An additional movement of the blank 50 in the direction towards the feeder 20 will eventually cause one or more fins 22 of the feeder 50 to grip the blank 50 and cause initial folding of the blank 50.

In accordance with the sequence shown in FIGS. 3a-d, the control unit 40 is programmed to activate the bottom picking unit 120 according to a first actuation scheme, i.e. for how long the suction force is to be applied in terms of time and/or movement. As explained, the first actuation scheme is typically different from a second actuation scheme used to activate the upper picking unit 110. While the second actuation scheme, i.e. how the upper gripping unit 110 is activated, is designed to activate the upper picking unit 110 during full transport of the blank 50 from the magazine 12 to the feeder 20, the first actuation scheme, i.e. how the bottom gripping unit 120 is activated, is designed to activate the bottom picking unit 120 only during initial transport of the blank 50 from the magazine 12 towards the feeder 20.

After delivering the blank 50 to the feeder 20, the blank picker 100, i.e. the upper picking unit 110 as well as the bottom picking unit 120, is returned to its gripping position shown in FIG. 3a. Hence, the same sequence can be repeated for the next blank of the magazine 12.

Now turning to FIG. 4, a method 200 is schematically shown. The method 200 is performed for transporting a blank 50 from a magazine 12 to a feeder 20 of a cardboard packer 10 as has been explained above. In particular, the method 200 comprises a first step 202 of arranging a blank picker 100 in close proximity to a blank 50 of the magazine 12, and a step 204 of activating the blank picker 100 such that an upper picking unit 110 of the blank picker 100 attaches to an upper portion of the blank 50, and such that a bottom picking unit 120 of the blank picker 100 attaches to a bottom portion of the blank 50.

The method 200 continues by a step 206 of moving the blank picker 100 towards the feeder 20, and a final step 208 of de-activating the blank picker 100 when the blank 50 is arranged at the feeder 20.

The final step 208 of de-activating the blank picker 100 is preferably performed such that the bottom picking unit 120 is de-activated before the upper picking unit 110.

Yet further, the step 204 of activating the blank picker is preferably performed such that the upper picking unit 110 attaches to the upper portion of the blank 50 simultaneously as the bottom picking unit 120 attaches to the bottom portion of the blank 50.

From the description above follows that, although various embodiments of the invention have been described and shown, the invention is not restricted thereto, but may also be embodied in other ways within the scope of the subject-matter defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. A cardboard packer, comprising a blank magazine, a blank feeder, and a blank picker for transporting a single blank from the magazine to the feeder, wherein the blank picker comprises an upper picking unit configured to attach to an upper portion of the blank, and a bottom picking unit configured to attach to a bottom portion of the blank.

16. The cardboard packer according to claim 15, wherein the upper picking unit is located at a first height along a vertical direction, and the bottom picking unit is located at a second height along said vertical direction, the first height being higher than the second height.

17. The cardboard packer according to claim 16, wherein the blank magazine is oriented along a slanted plane, which is slanted with respect to the vertical direction.

18. The cardboard packer according to claim 15, wherein the bottom picking unit comprises at least one picking device.

19. The cardboard packer according to claim 16, wherein the picking device is configured to grip the bottom portion of the blank.

20. The cardboard packer according to claim 15, wherein the bottom picking unit (120) comprises at least a first picking device and a second picking device, the first and the second picking devices being spaced-apart from each other.

21. The cardboard packer according to claim 18, wherein the first picking device and the second picking device of the bottom picking unit are spaced apart along a horizontal direction perpendicular to a weight force.

22. The cardboard packer according to claim 18, wherein the first picking device and the second picking device of the bottom picking unit are configured to grip a first bottom corner and a second bottom corner of the blank, respectively.

23. The cardboard packer according to claim 15, wherein the upper picking unit is movable on an upper guide from a first position, in which it is configured to grip the upper portion of the blank from the magazine, to a second position, in which it is configured to release the blank to the feeder.

24. The cardboard packer according to claim 23, wherein the bottom picking unit is movable on an upper guide from a third position in which it is configured to grip the bottom portion of the blank from the magazine to a fourth position in which it is configured to release the blank, wherein the fourth position of the bottom picking unit is upstream of the third position of the upper picking unit, along a path travelled by the blank.

25. The cardboard packer according to claim 15, wherein the upper picking unit and the bottom picking unit are configured to grip the blank by applying a suction force.

26. The cardboard packer cording to claim 25, further comprising a vacuum pump, wherein each of the upper picking unit and the bottom picking unit includes one or more cups connected to the vacuum pump.

27. The cardboard packer according to claim 15, further comprising a control unit connected to at least the bottom picking unit for activating the bottom picking unit.

28. The cardboard packer according to claim 27, wherein the control unit is programmed to activate the bottom picking unit according to a first actuation scheme, wherein the control unit is programmed to activate the upper picking unit according to a second actuation scheme, whereby the first actuation scheme is different from the second actuation scheme.

29. The cardboard packer according to claim 28, wherein the second actuation scheme is designed to keep the upper picking unit activated along all the path travelled by the blank from the magazine to the feeder, while the first actuation scheme is designed to keep the bottom picking unit activated only along an initial portion of the path travelled by the blank from the magazine towards the feeder.

30. The cardboard packer according to claim 29, wherein the first actuation scheme is configured to activate the bottom picking unit to pick up the blank at the magazine and to deactivate the bottom picking unit when the blank is at an intermediate position between the magazine and the feeder, said intermediate position being distanced both from the magazine and from the feeder.

31. A blank picker for transporting a single blank from a magazine to a feeder of a cardboard packer, comprising an upper picking unit configured to attach to an upper portion of the blank, and a bottom picking unit configured to attach to a bottom portion of the blank.

32. A method for transporting a blank from a magazine to a feeder of a cardboard packer, comprising: arranging a blank picker in close proximity to a blank stored in the magazine,activating the blank picker such that an upper picking unit of the blank picker grips an upper portion of the blank, and a bottom picking unit of the blank picker grips a bottom portion of the blank,moving the blank picker towards the feeder, andde-activating the blank picker when the blank is located at the feeder.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein de-activating the blank picker comprises de-activating the bottom picking unit and de-activating the upper picking unit, wherein the bottom picking unit is de-activated before de-activating the upper picking unit.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein the upper picking unit grips the upper portion of the blank simultaneously as the bottom picking unit grips the bottom portion of the blank.