Patent Grant
11007745
The present invention relates to the particular technical sector concerning packaging and packing of articles internally of a cardboard box.
In particular the present invention relates to a cutting station for making transversal cuts in a cardboard sheet and a machine for packing an article internally of a cardboard box obtained from the cardboard sheet
In the sector of logistics and goods dispatching, the need to pack and package the goods to be dispatched is known, in relative cardboard boxes, with the purpose of protecting and safeguarding them.
The Applicant has realised a special cardboard box for packaging articles, usable for forming a cardboard box with reinforced walls for packing and packaging an article internally thereof, so as to give a special protection and resistance against impacts, and the Applicant also set up special operating procedures for obtaining and realising, from a cardboard sheet, on the basis of the effective dimensions of the article to be packed, a relative cardboard blank and enveloping it about the article so as to package it internally of a box.
The Applicant is the owner of Italian patent application no. 102015000014902 of May 13, 2015 in which the special shape of a cardboard blank for packaging utilisable for the packaging of articles is described.
The cardboard blank (C) for packing disclosed by this patent application, and illustrated in
A possible sequence of operations with which the cardboard blank illustrated in
The cardboard blank (C) has a quadrilateral shape, which can be for example square or preferably rectangular, with two transversal edges (B1, B2) and two longitudinal edges (BL), and comprises, at a first transversal edge (B1) and a second transversal edge (B2), two longitudinal folding lines (L1, L2), parallel to one another: the two longitudinal score lines (L1, L2) identify, in the cardboard sheet, a central sector (SC) and two lateral sectors (SL1, SL2).
Usually, the articles to be packed and dispatched are either predisposed in containers having a parallelepiped shape, with a quadrangular or rectangular base.
The two longitudinal score lines (L1, L2) are realised on the cardboard blank (C) distanced from one another on the basis of the effective dimensions of the base of the article to be packed, for example on the basis of the length of the base of the article.
The cardboard blank (C) further comprises four transversal score lines (T1, T2, T3, T4), parallel to one another and such as to identify, on the central sector (SC) of the cardboard blank (C) and between the two transversal edges (B1, B2), five portions (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5).
The four transversal score lines (T1, T2, T3, T4)) are made so as to be distanced from one another as a function of the effective dimensions of the article to be packed, in particular on the basis of the width of the base of the article, the width (L*) of the upper face and the height (H) of the flanks of the article.
In detail, starting from a first transversal edge (B1) of the cardboard blank (C):
The cardboard blank (C) further comprises, again in the central sector (SC), a fifth portion (P5), adjacent to the fourth portion (P4) and hinged thereto by means of the fourth transversal score line (T4), which constitutes a closing/opening tab (AC) that is destined to be glued to the second portion (P2) of the cardboard blank (C), once the second portion (P2) has been folded to envelop the first flank of the article and the third (P3) and the fourth portion (P4) have been folded respectively to envelop the second flank of the article and the upper face of the article.
The cardboard blank (C) further comprises, for each of the two lateral sectors (SL1, SL2), four transversal cuts (I1, I2, I3, I4) which extend from the longitudinal edges (BL) of the cardboard blank (C) up to arriving at the two longitudinal score lines (L1, L2), and which are made at the four transversal score lines (T1, T2, T3, T4).
In this way, in the two lateral sectors (SL1, SL2) of the cardboard blank, the cardboard blank (C) comprises:
The first lateral enveloping flap (A1) comprises a pair of longitudinal folding lines (a, b) parallel and realised at a distance such that on the first flap (A1), between the two folding lines (a, b), a third lateral closing wall (C3) is identified, having a height corresponding to the height of a third lateral flank of the article to be packed, and also a first folding tab (a1), between the third lateral closing wall (C3) and the first longitudinal score line (L1), and a second folding tab (a2), between the third lateral closing wall (C3) and the longitudinal edge (BL) of the cardboard box (C) are identified.
The first folding tab (a1) is destined to superpose on a part of the first portion (P1) once it has been rotated with respect to the first longitudinal score line (L1), so as to form a reinforcing edge, while the second folding tab (a2) is destined, once the third lateral closing wall (C3) has been folded with respect to the first folding tab (a1) for covering the third flank of the article, to be folded with respect to the third lateral closing wall (C3) for covering a portion of the upper face of the article, before the face is covered by the upper closing wall (PS).
Correspondingly, the second lateral enveloping flap (A2) comprises a pair of parallel longitudinal score lines (c, d) parallel and realised at a distance such that on the second flap (A2), between the two folding lines (a, b), a fourth lateral closing wall (C4) is identified, having a height corresponding to the height of a fourth lateral flank of the article to be packed, opposite the third flank, and also a third folding tab (a3), between the fourth lateral closing wall (C4) and the second longitudinal score line (L2), and a fourth folding tab (a4), between the fourth lateral closing wall (C4) and the second longitudinal edge (BL) of the cardboard box (C) are identified.
The third folding tab (a3) is destined to superpose on a part of the first portion (P1) once it has been rotated with respect to the second longitudinal score line (L2), so as to form a reinforcing edge, while the fourth folding tab (a4) is destined, once the fourth lateral closing wall (C4) has been folded with respect to the third folding tab (a3) for covering the fourth flank of the article, to be folded with respect to the fourth lateral closing wall (C4) for covering a portion of the upper face of the article, before the face is covered by the upper closing wall (PS) (see
The present invention has the aim of providing a cutting station for realising the above-described four transversal cuts in a cardboard sheet on which two longitudinal score lines (L1, L2) are present, and four transversal score lines (T1, T2, T3, T4) so that a central sector (SC) is described in the cardboard sheet, between the two longitudinal score lines (L1, L2), and two lateral sectors (SL1, SL2), external of the two longitudinal score lines (L1, L2).
In particular, the present invention has the aim of providing a cutting station that receives in inlet a cardboard sheet (F) having, in the central sector (SC), between the two longitudinal score lines (L1, L2):
and such as to realise, for each of the two lateral sectors (SL1, SL2), four transversal cuts (I1, I2, I3, I4) at the four transversal score lines (T1, T2, T3, T4).
In this way, the cutting station of the present invention is able to provide at the outlet thereof a cardboard blank (C) such as the one described in the foregoing and illustrated in
The cited aim is obtained with a cutting station according to claim 1.
The present invention also has the aim of providing a machine for obtaining the cardboard blank described in the foregoing, starting from a continuous strip of cardboard stored in a fanfold, and for carrying out all the operations necessary for carrying out the packaging of an article internally of a box obtained from the cardboard blank.
The objective of the invention is to provide a machine able to carry out all the operations necessary for completing the packaging of the article very rapidly and efficiently, with the aim of guaranteeing high productivity in terms of numbers of articles packaged per hour, up to even 1000 articles packaged per hour.
This aim is obtained by a machine for packing an article internally of a cardboard box obtained from a cardboard blank as described in the preamble, according to claim 14, and comprising the cutting station of claim 1.
The characteristics of a preferred embodiment of a cutting station for making transversal cuts in a cardboard sheet starting from a continuous strip of cardboard, and a machine for packaging an article internally of a cardboard box obtained from the cardboard sheet, of the present invention, will be described in the following with reference to the appended tables of drawings, in which:
FIGS. from 1A to 1F illustrate, according to respective perspective views, possible folding steps of the cardboard blank of
With reference to the appended figures of the drawings, (S2) denotes the cutting station for realising transversal cuts in a cardboard sheet of the present invention, while reference numeral (100) denotes the machine for packaging an article internally of a cardboard box obtained from the cardboard sheet in its entirety, comprising the cutting station (S2).
The cutting station (S2) of the present invention is designed, as mentioned in the foregoing, to make transversal cuts in a cardboard sheet, in particular it is designed to make four transversal cuts at four transversal score lines present on the cardboard sheet (a cut at each transversal folding line).
In detail, the cutting station (S2) comprises a inlet (IN), for receiving a cardboard sheet (F), an outlet (OUT), for providing in outlet a cardboard blank with the transversal cuts, and a conveyor (4), for example conveyor belt, which extends from the inlet (IN) to the outlet (OUT) for conveying the cardboard sheet (F) from the inlet (IN) to the outlet (OUT) according to an advancement direction (V).
The cutting station (S2) is able to receive at the inlet (IN) thereof a cardboard sheet (F) which is fed to the inlet (THE) in an orientation such as to present the relative two transversal edges (B1, B2) arranged transversally and perpendicularly to the conveyor (4), and to the advancement direction (V) of the conveyor (4), and the relative longitudinal edges (BL) parallel to the conveyor (4), and therefore to the advancement direction (V) of the conveyor (4).
The cutting station (S2) receives at the inlet (IN) thereof a cardboard sheet (F) which comprises two longitudinal score lines (L1, L2), parallel to the longitudinal edges (BL) of the cardboard sheet (F) and to the advancement direction (V) of the conveyor (4) and four transversal score lines (T1, T2, T3, T4), parallel to the transversal edges (B1, B2) of the cardboard sheet (F), and transversal and perpendicular to the advancement direction (V) (see for example
The two longitudinal score lines (L1; L2) are parallel to one another, from a first transversal edge (B1) to a second transversal edge (B2) of the cardboard sheet (F), and at a reciprocal distance from one another corresponding to the length (L) of the base of the article to be packed inside a cardboard box which is obtained from the cardboard sheet (F),
The four transversal score lines (T1, T2, T3, T4)) are parallel to one another, from one longitudinal edge (BL) to the other longitudinal edge (BL) of the cardboard sheet (F), and are distanced from one another as a function of the effective dimensions of the article to be packed, in particular on the basis of the width of the base of the article, the width (L*) of the upper face of the article and the height (H) of the flanks of the article.
In particular, starting from a first transversal edge (B1) of the cardboard sheet (F), being the upstream edge relative to advancement direction (V) of the conveyor (4):
Therefore the cardboard sheet (F) that the cutting station (S2) receives at the inlet (IN) thereof will have a central sector (SC), between the two longitudinal score lines (L1, L2), and two lateral sectors (SL1, SL2) externally of the two longitudinal score lines (L1, L2) and, in the central sector (SC), the cardboard sheet (F) comprises five portions (P1, P2; P3, P4, P5) defined by the four transversal score lines (T1, T2; T3, T4), in particular (see
The conveyor (4) is predisposed so that the cardboard sheet (F) is arranged thereon resting with at least a part of the central sector (SC) thereof and with the two lateral sectors (SL1, SL2) which project laterally beyond the two sides of the conveyor (4).
The cutting station (S2) of the present invention comprises, by the flank of each of the two sides of the conveyor (4), a first cutting group (41) and a second cutting group (42), which are predisposed for realising transversal cuts on a relative lateral sector of the two lateral sectors (SL1, SL2) of the cardboard sheet (F), the first cutting group (41) being arranged downstream of the second cutting group (42) with respect to the advancement direction (V) of the conveyor (4).
Therefore, in practice, the cutting station (S2) of the invention comprises four cutting groups, two for each side of the conveyor. In the following only the two cutting groups situated on a same side of the conveyor are described, as the structure and functioning of the other two cutting groups on the other side of the conveyor are the same.
The first cutting group (41) and the second cutting group (42) are predisposed by a flank of a side of the conveyor (4) so as to be able to be translated, contemporaneously, alternatingly in a perpendicular and transversal direction (V1) to the conveyor (4), and therefore so as both to be able to be neared to or distanced from the conveyor (4), so that they can be positioned and halted at and above a respective lateral sector (SL1, SL2) of the cardboard sheet (F), which is arranged on the conveyor (4) so as to be able to realise transversal cuts thereon.
This enables, on the basis of the effective dimensions of the cardboard sheet (F), i.e. on the basis of the effective dimensions (width) of the two lateral sectors (SL1, SL2) to effectively position the two cutting groups at and above the relative lateral sector of the cardboard sheet in which the transversal cuts are to be made.
Further, the second cutting group (42) (the group upstream of the first cutting group (41) with respect to the advancement direction (V) of the conveyor (4)) is predisposed so as to be able to be translated with respect to the first cutting group (41), alternatingly in a parallel direction (V2) to the conveyor (4), in such a way that the second cutting group (42) can be neared to or distanced from the first cutting group (41).
This detail enables the cutting station (S2) to adjust to the effective reciprocal position and distance of the transversal score lines (T1, T2, T3; T4) present in the cardboard sheet (F), i.e. the effective reciprocal position and distance of the fourth transversal score lines (T1, T2, T3, T4) on the two lateral sectors (SL1, SL2) of the cardboard sheet (F) at which the corresponding four transversal cuts (I1, I2, I3, I4) are to be made.
The functioning of the cutting station (S2) of the present invention is as follows.
The conveyor (4), once having received the cardboard sheet (F) at the inlet (IN) of the station (S2) with the first transversal score line (T1) arranged upstream and the fourth transversal score line (T4) arranged downstream with respect to the advancement direction (V) of the conveyor (4), is able to advance the cardboard sheet (F) according to the advancement direction (V) up to halting it in a first position (Z1) at which the fourth transversal score line (T4) is situated below the first cutting group (41) (see
In consideration and on the basis of the effective dimensions of the two lateral sectors (SL1, SL2), in particular the effective width thereof, the two cutting groups (41, 42) can be translated perpendicularly to the conveyor (4) along the direction (V1) so as to near them to, or distance them from, the conveyor (4) and thus be halted and positioned in a position above and at the relative lateral sector (SL1, SL2) on which the cuts are to be performed.
Further, on the basis of the effective dimensions of the cardboard sheet (F) and the effective positions of the transversal score lines (T1, T2, T3, T3), in a case where the second cutting group (42) is not above the third transversal score line (T3), the second cutting group (42) is translated with respect to the first cutting group (41) along the direction (V2) parallel to the advancement direction (V) of the conveyor (4), nearing it to, or distancing it from, the first cutting group (41), so as to position it above the effective position of the third transversal score line (T3) present in the cardboard sheet (F).
Once these adjustments have been carried out, if necessary, the two cutting groups (41, 42) are thus activated for realising corresponding cuts in the relative lateral sector (SL1, SL2) of the cardboard sheet (F), in particular: the first cutting group (41) realises a cut (I4) in the relative lateral sector (SL1, SL2) at the fourth transversal score line (T4) on the longitudinal edge (BL) of the cardboard sheet (F) up to the respective longitudinal score line (L1, L2) delimiting the central sector (SC), while the second cutting group (42) realises a cut (I3) in the relative lateral sector (SL1, SL2) at the third transversal score line (T3) on the longitudinal edge (BL) of the cardboard sheet (F) up to the respective longitudinal score line (L1, L2) delimiting the central sector (SC) (see
Once these two cuts have been made, the conveyor (4) is activated to advance the cardboard sheet (F) in the advancement direction (V) up to halting it in a second position (Z2) (see
In a case where the second cutting group (42) is not above the first transversal score line (T1), the second cutting group (42) is translated relative to the first cutting group (41) along the direction (V2) parallel to the advancement direction (V) of the conveyor (4), nearing it to, or distancing it from, the first cutting group (41), so as to position it above the effective position of the first transversal score line (T1) present in the cardboard sheet (F).
Once this adjustment has been carried out, if necessary, the two cutting groups (41, 42) are then activated for realising corresponding cuts in the relative lateral sector (SL1, SL2) of the cardboard sheet (F), in particular: the first cutting group (41) realises a cut (I2) in the relative lateral sector (SL1, SL2) at the second transversal score line (T2) on the longitudinal edge (BL) of the cardboard sheet (F) up to the respective longitudinal score line (L1, L2) delimiting the central sector (SC), while the second cutting group (42) realises a cut (I1) in the relative lateral sector (SL1, SL2) at the first transversal score line (T1) on the longitudinal edge (BL) of the cardboard sheet (F) up to the respective longitudinal score line (L1, L2) delimiting the central sector (SC).
In this way, in each of the two lateral sectors (SL1, SL2) of the cardboard sheet (F), four transversal cuts (I1, I2, I3, I4) are made at the four transversal score lines (T1, T2, T3, T4) (see
The cutting station (S2) of the invention thus provides, at the outlet (OUT) thereof (
Other advantageous and preferred characteristics of the cutting station (S2) proposed by the present invention are described in the following.
The cutting station (S2) comprises activating means (400) of the first cutting group (41) and the second cutting group (42) comprising a shaft (40) that is arranged parallel to the conveyor (4) and is activatable in rotation, the first cutting group (41) comprising a pair of cutting blades (411, 412) which are mounted on the shaft (40) in such a way as to be at 180° to one another and arranged perpendicular and transversal to the conveyor (4), the second cutting group (42) in turn comprising a pair of cutting blades (421, 422) which are also mounted on the shaft (40) at 180° to one another and arranged perpendicular and transversal to the conveyor (4) (see
The pair of blades (411, 412) of the first cutting group (41) and the pair of blade (421, 422) of the second cutting group (42) are mounted on the common shaft (40) so as to have a same angular orientation so that when the shaft (40) is activated in rotation to activate the blades of the two cutting groups for realising the transversal cuts in the lateral sectors of the cardboard sheet, the blades of the pair of blades of the two cutting groups contemporaneously reach and the lateral sectors of the cardboard sheet.
The pair of blades of the first cutting group and the pair of blades of the second cutting group arranged as specified in the foregoing, have an overall helix-like shape.
Owing to this special arrangement, the cutting station (S2) very rapidly carries out the cuts in the lateral sectors of the cardboard sheet, as at each 180° rotation of the shaft (40) two transversal cuts at a time are realised.
Therefore, to complete the realisation of the four cuts in each of the two lateral sectors of the cardboard sheet, two at a time as described in the foregoing, it is sufficient to perform a single complete rotation of the shaft (40).
The first cutting group (41) is borne by the first frame (45) while the second cutting group (42) is borne by the second frame (46); the cutting station (S2) comprises a first sliding guide (450) which is arranged so as to be transversal and perpendicular to the conveyor (4), and a second sliding guide (460) which is arranged parallel to the first sliding guide (450), and therefore transversal and perpendicular to the conveyor (4).
The first frame (45) is slidably mounted on the first sliding guide (450), for example the first frame (45) is mounted on a first carriage (451) which is coupled slidably to the first sliding guide (450) while the second frame (46) is slidably mounted on a second sliding guide (460) for example the second frame (46) is mounted on a second carriage (not visible in detail in the figures) slidably coupled to the second sliding guide (460).
The cutting station (S2) further comprises first movement means (47) which are configured and predisposed so as to alternatively translate the first frame (45), with respect to the first sliding guide (450), by means of the sliding of the carriage (451) along the first sliding guide (450), and thus to alternatingly translate the first cutting group (41) with respect to the first sliding guide (450) in such a way as to near them or distance them to/from the conveyor (4), in order to adjust the position of the first cutting group (41) to the actual position and dimension of the lateral sectors of the cardboard sheet borne by the conveyor (4).
As the first cutting group (41) and the second cutting group (42) are mounted on a same common shaft (40), the translation imparted on the first cutting group (41) by the first movement means (47) also determines the translation of the second cutting group (42) by means of the sliding of the second frame (46) with respect to the second sliding guide (460), by means of the sliding of the second carriage along the second sliding guide (460).
The cutting station (S2) further comprises a third sliding guide (470) which is, instead, arranged parallel to the conveyor (4) and therefore transversal and perpendicular to the first sliding guide (450) and to the second sliding guide (460).
The second sliding guide (460), with respect to which the second cutting group (42) can be made to slide so as to near or distance it to or from the conveyor (4), is coupled to the third sliding guide (470) and predisposed so as to be able to slide, and therefore be made to translate, with respect to the third sliding guide (470) so as to enable the second cutting group (42) to be translated with respect to the first cutting group (41), nearing or distancing it to/from the first cutting group (41), so as to adjust the position and distance between two adjacent transversal score lines present in the lateral sector of the cardboard sheet.
In this regard, the cutting station (S2) comprises second movement means (48) which are predisposed to move and slide the second sliding guide (460) with respect to the third sliding guide (470).
For example, a third carriage (471) which is predisposed at an extreme part of the second sliding guide (460) and is slidably coupled to the third sliding guide (470).
The activating means (400) of the two cutting groups (41, 42) further comprise a motor (49) for activating the shaft (40) in rotation, on which shaft (40) the two pairs of blades (411, 412) (421, 422) of each of the two cutting groups (41, 42) are mounted, the motor (49) being mounted on a relative frame (490) which is borne by a fourth carriage (491) mounted slidably on a fourth sliding guide (492) which is predisposed so as to be parallel to the first sliding guide (450) and to the second sliding guide (460), therefore transversal and perpendicular to the conveyor (4).
In this way, when the first movement means (47) move the first frame (45) with respect to the first sliding guide (450), for nearing or distancing the first cutting group (41) and the second cutting group (42) to the conveyor (4), the motor (49), responsible for the activating of the two cutting groups (41, 42), is also at the same time and in the same way neared to or distanced from the conveyor (4), following the sliding of the frame (490) on which it is mounted along the fourth sliding guide (492), by means of the sliding of the fourth carriage (491) along the fourth sliding guide (492).
The first movement means (47) comprise a belt (475) which is loop-wound on relative pulleys, of which at least a drive pulley (476) (visible in
The first frame (45), bearing the first cutting group (41), is constrained by means of a clamp (477) to a branch of the belt (475), for example the upper branch of the belt (475).
In this way, when the drive pulley (476) is activated in rotation, in one rotation direction or another, the upper branch of the belt (475) is moved perpendicularly to the conveyor (4), in a direction towards the conveyor (4) or in a direction away from the conveyor (4): therefore the first frame (45), and then the first cutting group (41), like the second frame (46) and the second cutting group (42), can be neared to or distanced from the conveyor (4), along the above-cited direction (V1) so as to adjust the position thereof to the width of the lateral sector (SL1, SL2) of the cardboard sheet (F).
The cutting station (S2) advantageously comprises a single belt (475) which extends transversally below the conveyor (4) so that the frame (45′), which bears the corresponding first cutting group (41′) located on the other side of the conveyor (4), can also be constrained, by means of a relative clamp (479); to a branch of the belt (475), in particular to the lower branch of the belt (475). In this way, with the activating of a single belt (475) it is possible to near or distance, at the same time, the cutting groups located on both sides of the conveyor, to or from the cardboard sheet located on the conveyor (see for example
The second movement means (48) in turn comprise a belt (481) which is loop-wound on relative pulleys, of which at least a drive pulley (482): the pulleys are arranged so that the belt (481) is arranged below the conveyor (4) and parallel thereto, i.e. to the advancement direction (V) thereof.
A plate (482) to which a bar (483) is fixed is constrained to a branch of the belt (481), for example the lower branch.
A first bracket (484) is predisposed on the bar (483), which bracket (484) is fixed inferiorly to the second sliding guide (460) (see
In this way, the activating of the belt (481) determines the movement of the second sliding guide (460) with respect to the third sliding guide (470), via the sliding of the third carriage (471) along the sliding guide (470), for nearing or distancing the second cutting group (42) to/from the first cutting group (41) according to above-mentioned direction (V2), so as to adjust the position and reciprocal distance thereof on the basis of the effective position and reciprocal distance of the transversal score lines present in the cardboard sheet (F) borne by the conveyor (4).
The bar (483) advantageously has an extension and length such as to be positioned inferiorly also of the sliding guide (460′) of the corresponding second cutting group (42′) located on the other side of the conveyor (4), so that the bar (483) can be constrained also to the sliding guide (460′) by means of a second bracket (486).
In this way, with the activating of a single belt (481) it is possible to near or distance, at the same time, the second cutting groups to or from the relative second cutting groups located on both sides of the conveyor.
Lastly, the cutting station (S2) comprises, for each of the two cutting groups (41, 42) located on both sides of the conveyor (4), a blade counter block (493) having a groove for passage of the cutting blades (411, 412; 421, 422) of the two cutting groups (41, 42), and which is arranged so as to be immediately below a respective lateral sector (SL1, SL2) of the cardboard sheet (F) located on the conveyor (4).
As indicated in the preceding, in
In particular,
The operating sequences illustrated in the succession of images in
This is also for demonstrating how the machine (100) of the present invention is able to package and close articles internally of the relative cardboard boxes independently of the dimensions of the articles, i.e. the machine (100) realises the cardboard for packaging on the basis of the effective dimensions of the articles so that the blanks can be folded about the articles and obtain the relative boxes with the packaged and packed articles internally of the boxes.
The machine (100) comprises:
In the score line forming station (S1*), the longitudinal score lines (L1, L2) and the transversal score lines (T1, T2, T3) are realised as a function of the effective dimensions of the article to be packed, in particular as a function of the dimensions of the base of the article (width L, length I) and of the height (H) of the flanks of the article.
In particular, for example, the two longitudinal score lines (L1, L2) are made at a mutual distance that is equal to the length (L) of the base of the article, the first transversal score line (T1) is made at a distance from a first transversal edge (B1) of the cardboard sheet (upstream edge with respect to the infeed direction into the score line forming station) corresponding to the height (H) of a first flank of the article, the second transversal score line (T2) is made at a distance from the first transversal score line (T1) on the basis of the width (I) of the base of the article, the third transversal score line (T3) is made at a distance from the second score line (T2) corresponding to the height (H) of the second flank of the article, opposite the first flank, and at a distance from the fourth transversal score line (T4), corresponding to the score line (T4) which had previously been realised in the sectioning station (S1), corresponding to the width (L*) of the upper face of the article.
The above-mentioned sectioning station (S1) of a cardboard sheet (F) from the continuous strip of cardboard (S) comprises: a conveyor plane (1), predisposed so as to be able to restingly receive the continuous strip of cardboard (S) which is unwound from the fanfold (F), conveying means (2), for advancing the continuous strip of cardboard (S) along the conveyor plane (1) in an advancement direction (w) and for halting the continuous strip of cardboard (S) for enabling cutting thereof, a sectioning group (3), predisposed above the conveyor plane (1), for sectioning a cardboard sheet (F) from the continuous strip of cardboard (S) and contemporaneously realise the score line (T4) in proximity of the cut edge (which will constitute the fourth score line (T4) in the cardboard sheet).
The score line forming station (S1*) comprises (
A first portion (P1), between the first transversal score line (T1) and the second transversal score line (T2) having dimensions corresponding to the base of the article to be packed;
In particular, the second score line forming means (52) are predisposed for realising the three transversal score lines (T1, T2, T3) from a longitudinal edge (BL) to the other longitudinal edge (BL) of the cardboard sheet (F), so that the transversal score lines involve also the two lateral sectors (SL1, SL2) of the cardboard sheet (F).
The score line forming station (S1*) lastly further comprises third score line forming means (53) which are predisposed so as to realise, in the portions of the cardboard sheet (F) of the two lateral sectors (SL1, SL2), at flanks of the first portion (P1), pairs of longitudinal folding lines (a, b), (c, d) parallel to the two score lines (L1, L2) and having a same width extension as the first portion (P1).
The machine further comprises a transversal cutting station (S2), downstream of the score line forming station (S1*), into which the cardboard sheet (F) is fed in an advancement direction with the longitudinal score lines (L1, L2) and the four transversal score lines (T1, T2, T3, T4) and the pairs of folding lines (a, b), (c, d), into which station (S2), for each of the two lateral sectors (SL1, SL2) four transversal cuts are made on the cardboard sheet at the fourth transversal score lines (T1; T2, T3, T4), each at a relative transversal score line.
The cutting station (S2) is made according to the present invention, as described in the foregoing in detail.
The cutting station (S2) will provide, at the outlet thereof, as mentioned above, a cardboard blank for packaging (C) such as the one illustrated in the foregoing and illustrated in
Downstream of this cutting station (S2), the machine (100) further comprises a successive series of work stations for carrying out the operations on the cardboard blank (C) that are necessary for realising the packing of the article internally of a box obtained from the cardboard blank.
In detail, downstream of the cutting station (S2), the machine (100) comprises, in succession one after another, a first folding station (S3), a feeding station (S3*) of the article to be packed, a second folding station (S4), for the partial folding of the cardboard blank about the article, and a closing station (S5) for the final folding of the cardboard blank about the article so as to obtain a closed cardboard box with the article inside, completely packed and packaged (see
The first folding station (S3) is arranged downstream of the transversal cutting station (S2), into which the cardboard blank (C) is fed in an advancement direction and at which the cardboard blank (C) is halted and, simultaneously, i.e. in a single operation:
As mentioned, these folding operations are carried out with the cardboard blank and simultaneously with one another, i.e. in a single action, therefore very rapidly and swiftly, requiring truly short pause times for the cardboard blank.
In this regard, the machine (100), in the first folding station (S3), comprises first folding means (63) for folding simultaneously: the first (R1) and second flap (R2), with respect to the first (L1) and the second (L2) longitudinal score line, on the second portion (P2) of the central sector (SC), for obtaining a first lateral closing wall (C1); the third (R3) and fourth reinforcing flap (R4), with respect to the first (L1) and the second (L2) longitudinal score line, on the third portion (P3) of the central sector (SC), for obtaining a second lateral closing wall (C2); the fifth (R5) and sixth flap (R6), with respect to the first (L1) and the second (L2) longitudinal score line, on the fourth portion (P4) of the central sector (SC), for obtaining an upper closing wall (PS); the first folding tab (a1) of the first lateral enveloping flap (A1), with respect to the first longitudinal score line (L1), for superposing a part of the first portion (P1) of the central sector (SC) and forming a reinforcing edge and defining a third lateral closing wall (C3), and the third folding tab (a3) of the second lateral enveloping flap (A2), with respect to the second longitudinal score line (L2), for superposing on a part of the first portion (P1) of the central sector (SC) and forming a reinforcing edge and defining a fourth lateral closing wall (C4).
At the outlet of the first folding station (S3), the cardboard blank (C) has, formed upon it, the first lateral closing wall (C1), the second lateral closing wall (C2), the upper closing wall (PS), which all have a reinforced structure thanks to the reinforcing flaps folded and partially superposed on one another, and which are on the same plane as the first portion (P1) of the cardboard blank, while the third. (C3) and fourth (C4) lateral closing wall are already partially erected and folded with respect to the central portion (P1) following the folding of the first folding tab (a1) and third folding tab (a3) above the first portion (P1), with the cardboard blank having the shape illustrated in the fifth image from the left in
Downstream of this first folding station (S3), the machine (100) comprises a feeding station (S3*) of an article to be packed (see
At this point, the machine (100) further comprises, downstream of the inserting station of the article (S3*), a second folding station (S4) to which the cardboard blank (C) with the article rested thereon, on the first portion (P1) thereof, is fed and advanced in an advancement direction.
In the second folding station (S4), the cardboard blank (C) is advanced in the advancement direction, and while the cardboard blank (C) is in motion, at the same time (see for example the third-last image of
These folding operations, as mentioned, are carried out by advancing the cardboard blank along an advancement direction, and as soon as these folding operations have been completed, the machine (100) applies glue on the second (a2) and fourth (a4) folding tabs folded onto the upper face of the article.
The machine (100) also includes, again in the second folding station (S4), and once the glue has been applied, halting the cardboard blank and (see for example the penultimate image of
For this purpose, the machine (100) comprises, in this second folding station (S4) (see
At this point, the article is almost completely enveloped in the folded cardboard blank and the almost concluded packaging box.
The machine (100), therefore, transfers the cardboard blank (C), partly folded about the article in the above-described way, at the final closing station (S5), situated downstream of the second folding station (S4), at which the cardboard blank is halted, the first lateral closing wall (C1) is rotated with respect to the first transversal score line (T1) and folded with respect to the first portion (P1) (for example by 90°) so that it goes to cover the first flank of the article; at the same time as the folding of the first lateral closing wall (C1), glue is applied on the upper part of the first lateral closing wall (C1) (see the image on the left of the pair of last two images of
Lastly, following the completion of these operations, the machine (100), while still keeping the cardboard blank stationary in the final closing station (S5), rotates the closing tab (AC) with respect to the fourth transversal score line (T4), and folds the closing tab (AC) with respect to the upper wall (PS) (for example by 90°) against the upper part of the first lateral closing wall (C1), to make it adhere thereto and complete the closure of the cardboard box with the packaged article internally thereof (see the last image of
For this purpose, the machine (100), in this final closing station (S5), comprises (see
The machine (100) then transfers the cardboard box, with the packaged article inside, to the outlet of the final closing station (S5), so that the cardboard box can be collected and directed towards a station for management and dispatch of orders.
The machine (100) further comprises, between the cutting station (S2) and the first folding station (S3), also a trimming station (S2*), in which the cardboard blank can be trimmed along the longitudinal edges so as to adapt the width of the reinforcing flaps (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6) to the effective dimensions of the second (P2), third (P3) and fourth portion (P4), so that the reinforcing flaps can effectively be folded above the portions, and at least partially superposed on one another, so as to adapt the width of the two lateral folding flaps (A1, A2), to the effective dimension of the third flank and fourth flank of the article. The machine (100) also comprises, again between the cutting station (S2) and the first folding station (S3), downstream of the trimming station (S2*), a glue applying station (S2**) comprising means for applying glue at least on reinforcing flaps (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6) and/or on the second portion (P2), third portion (P3) and fourth portion (P4), on which the reinforcing flaps (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6) have to be folded in the following first folding station (S3).
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102016000053125 | May 2016 | IT | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2017/052878 | 5/16/2017 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2017/203392 | 11/30/2017 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6478725 | Bengt | Nov 2002 | B1 |
| 20140206514 | Lootvoet | Jul 2014 | A1 |
| 20150224731 | Ponti | Aug 2015 | A1 |
| 20170057190 | Toro | Mar 2017 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2883691 | Jun 2015 | EP |
| 2295986 | Jun 1996 | GB |
| WO 2014033635 | Mar 2014 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20200031084 A1 | Jan 2020 | US |
