Process and apparatus for producing (large) packs

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6397567
  • Patent Number
    6,397,567
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, August 10, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, June 4, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
Process and apparatus for introducing elongate, in particular cylindrical, articles, namely packs (10), into a carton (15). The packs (10) arrive individually, and at a spacing from one another, on a feed conveyor (18) and are pushed off from the latter transversely, by a pack pusher (26), into a collecting station (19). Layers (17) comprising a plurality of packs (10) located one beside the other are formed in said collecting station. The layers (17) are then raised one after the other and introduced into a grouping subassembly in order to form groups (16) comprising a plurality of layers. In each case one group, in turn, is pushed into a carton (15) which is open on at least one side.
Description




The invention relates to a process for producing large packs—multipacks—from a plurality of articles of the same size, in particular from (soft) packs, such as series of stacked cups, by introduction into cartons or other large containers The invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the process.




It is difficult for, in particular, elongate, cylindrical articles which can only be subjected to low loading to be packaged in cartons. This applies, in particular, to series of stacked cups. The latter constitute a relatively large number of drinking cups which are inserted one inside the other, are made of plastic or paperboard and are enclosed by a bag-like outer wrapper. These series of stacked cups have to be introduced into cartons for despatch and for storage.




The object of the invention is to propose measures for cost-effective, careful and exclusively mechanical packaging of series of stacked cups and similar articles, to be precise without manual intervention.




In order to achieve this object, the process according to the invention is characterized by the following features:




a) the articles are fed individually, and at a spacing from one another, with their longitudinal extent oriented in the conveying direction,




b) a plurality of articles are displaced one after the other in the transverse direction in order to form a layer of articles,




c) the layers are conveyed one after the other in the upward direction in order to form a group comprising a plurality of layers of articles, and




d) the group is pushed into an open container in the longitudinal direction of the articles and in a horizontal plane.




Accordingly, in the case of the process according to the invention, a completed group of the carton contents is formed and then pushed, as a unit, into the laterally open carton in the horizontal direction. In the case of series of stacked cups with a conical profile, the (smaller) base surfaces are located at the front as they are pushed in in the conveying direction, with the result that the pushed-in unit or group has a certain wedge-shaped configuration.




The apparatus according to the invention comprises a layer station, in the region of which layers comprising a plurality of articles positioned one beside the other are formed on a platform. These layers are moved upwards, by the platform, into a grouping station in order to form the group comprising a plurality of layers arranged one above the other. The articles, or series of stacked cups, collected there, are retained at their ends, to be precise in particular by mechanical pressure and/or by suction. It is also possible to provide movable supporting elements for the group or subgroup.




The apparatus has elements for actuating the platform and for actuating pushers and movable retaining and guide elements, which provide for the correct support and alignment of the articles in the stations. A funnel-like guide or a mouthpiece is provided so that the group can be pushed into a carton correctly.











Further details of the process and of the apparatus are explained in more detail hereinbelow with reference to details of the process and of the apparatus, these details being illustrated in the drawings, in which:





FIG. 1

shows a side view of an elongated (soft) pack, namely a series of stacked cups,





FIG. 2

shows a pack in a different form, namely a short series of stacked cups,





FIG. 3

shows amplified plan view of an apparatus, namely packaging machine,





FIG. 4

shows a side view of a subregion of the apparatus according to

FIG. 3

corresponding to arrow IV in

FIG. 3

,





FIG. 5

shows a detail of the packaging shown in cross-section along the section plane V—V in

FIG. 4

,





FIG. 6

shows a cross-sectional view of a detail of the packaging machine, namely a collecting station for packs,





FIG. 7

shows the detail according to

FIG. 6

with changed relative positioning,





FIG. 8

shows the detail according to

FIGS. 6 and 7

during the formation of a group of packs,





FIG. 9

shows the detail according to

FIGS. 6

to


8


as a completed group of packs is pushed off, namely a view corresponding to arrow IX in

FIG. 3

,





FIG. 10

shows the station according to

FIGS. 6

to


9


in an embodiment for (small and/or short) packs according to

FIG. 2

,





FIG. 11

shows a transverse view of the station according to

FIG. 10

along a section plane XI—XI in

FIG. 10

,





FIG. 12

shows the apparatus according to

FIG. 3

in a side view or along a section plane XII—XII in

FIG. 3

, and





FIG. 13

shows a plan-view illustration of

FIG. 12

as seen along section plane XIII—XIII.











The apparatus shown serves for the packaging of specific articles, in particular elongate, more or less cylindrical packs


10


and


11


which can only be subjected to low mechanical loading and are not of rigid form. The actual example in hand deals with series of stacked cups, that is to say a group of (drinking) cups


12


made of plastic, paperboard or similar material. The, for example, frustoconical cups


12


are inserted one inside the other to give elongate, more or less cylindrical structure. The group of cups


12


is enclosed by an outer wrapper, in the present case by a sheet-material bag


13


, which is closed by a clip


14


or the like at one end, in the present case in the region of an outer, exposed end cup


12


.




The pack


11


according to

FIG. 2

is designed in the same way. The cups


12


are of a lesser size and/or height. It is also the case that the number of cups


12


making up a unit is smaller than in the case of the example of FIG.


1


. This results in a considerably shorter pack


11


.




The packs


10


,


11


are intended to be packaged in a large container, namely in a carton


15


. The procedure in this case is such that first of all a group


16


of packs


10


,


11


is formed and this group


16


, which forms the contents of the carton


15


, is then pushed into the open carton


15


. The group


16


comprises a plurality of packs


10


,


11


which are arranged one above the other in layers


17


. For example, a group


16


comprises three layers


17


formed one above the other. Each layer comprises a plurality of, for example five, packs


10


,


11


located one beside the other.




The packs


10


,


11


are set individually, and at a spacing from one another, to the packaging machine, to be precise a collecting station


19


, on a feed conveyor


18


. The feed conveyor


18


comprises a bottom belt


20


, on which the packs


10


,


11


rest with their longitudinal extent oriented in the conveying direction. Side guides


21


serve for securing an aligned, correct position of the packs


10


,


11


on the feed conveyor


18


. On account of the packs


10


,


11


being particularly sensitive, there is also provided a top belt


22


, which extends, at least in a subregion of the conveying path, above the bottom belt


20


, to be precise at a spacing therefrom which corresponds approximately to the height dimension or the diameter of the packs


10


,


11


. The top belt


22


forms a top guide and is driven in the same way as the bottom a belt


20


.




In the case of the present example (FIG.


4


), the bottom belt


20


and top belt


22


comprise a plurality of conveying belts which follow one after the other as sections and are driven together or separately. In particular, the conveying belts may be driven such that the packs


10


,


11


reach the collection station


19


at certain, predetermined spacings. Moreover, the top belts


22


can be adjusted in height by an adjustment gear mechanism


23


for adaptation to different dimensions of the packs


10


,


11


.




In the region of the collection station


19


, the packs


10


,


11


are pushed off one after the other from the feed conveyor


18


in the direction transverse to their axis and deposited on a collecting and lifting element, namely on a platform


24


. The latter is a carrying plate which can be moved up and down by a push rod


24


which is provided on the underside.




On the platform


24


, completed loads


17


are formed one after the other by virtue of a corresponding number of incoming packs


10


,


11


being displaced. In this case, the packs


10


,


11


are pushed out sideways between the bottom


20


and top belt


22


by a pack pusher


26


. Via a bridge plate


27


, the packs


10


,


11


pass one after the other onto the platform


24


, on which they are aligned and positioned closely one beside the other.




A completed layer


17


is introduced into a grouping subassembly


28


by virtue of the platform


24


being moved upwards. Said grouping subassembly collects a plurality of layers


17


one above the other in order to form a group


16


.




The packs


10


,


11


are introduced into the grouping subassembly


28


in layers, by the platform


24


, from beneath, subsequent layers


17


correspondingly raising those which have already been fed beforehand until the group


16


is completed. The grouping subassembly


28


has retaining elements for retaining the packs


10


,


11


or the layers


17


. The respectively bottom layer


17


is retained by supporting elements acting on the ends of the packs


10


, to be precise by supporting angles


29


,


30


. Ends of the packs


10


,


11


are borne by in each case one transversely directed leg


31


. The supporting angles


29


,


30


can be moved, namely pivoted, transversely such that, when a layer


17


is pushed into the region of the grouping subassembly


28


, the legs


31


are drawn back from the movement region of the packs


10


,


11


. For this purpose, the supporting angles


29


,


30


are provided on pivotable, two-armed levers


32


. The latter can be pivoted in opposite directions and, for this purpose, rest, by way of supporting rollers


33


, on a support which can be moved up and down, namely on an actuating plate


34


. The latter can be raised when the supporting angles


29


,


30


and/or the legs thereof


31


are moved out of the supporting position (FIG.


7


).




The platform


24


and the push rod


25


as well as the supporting means


29


,


30


move in a coordinated manner by way of a common (mechanical) gear mechanism


35


.




Elements are made to move up and down by eccentric plates


36


,


37


. A front eccentric plate


36


, which can be seen

FIGS. 6

to


9


, controls the movement of the push rod


25


. The latter is supported, by way of a contact roller


38


, on the surface of the rotationally driven eccentric plate


36


. The latter can be moved such that, in an extreme position (FIG.


7


), the packs


10


,


11


or the layer


17


are/is introduced into the grouping subassembly


28


. In the other end position, the platform


24


is located in the bottom position for the feeding of the packs


10


,


11


. The contact roller


38


is forced against the circumference of the eccentric plate


36


by way of a spring


39


which is subjected to tensile loading.




The other eccentric plate


37


serves for moving the actuating plate


34


up and down (FIG.


11


). The latter is provided on a support


40


which, for its part, butts against the circumference of the eccentric plate


37


by way of a contact roller


41


. The latter is forced against the circumference by a further spring


42


.




The two eccentric plates


36


,


37


, are mounted on a common shaft


43


, that is to say they are provided at the ends of the latter. Said shaft is driven in rotation in time with the packaging machine, in this case via a toothed belt


44


.




The Supporting means


29


,


30


or the angled levers


32


of the latter are each provided on an upright carrying framework


45


,


46


. The two carrying frameworks


45


,


46


can be moved in opposite directions by a suitable adjustment gear mechanism, for example by a manually operable spindle


47


, and can thus be moved into a precise position relative to the packs


10


,


11


and can also be adapted to different pack sizes (FIG.


10


).




Furthermore, upright guide plates


47


,


48


are provided on the carrying frameworks


45


,


46


. These guide plates form upright guides for the packs


10


,


11


on the platform


24


, in particular during the upward movement of the latter.




The grouping subassembly


28


has at least two mutually opposite retaining elements, namely retaining plates


49


,


50


. These elements are arranged at a spacing from one another which corresponds to the length of the articles or packs


10


,


11


. The packs


10


,


11


butt against the retaining plates


49


,


50


by way of their end surfaces, which in this case are the base wall, on the one hand, and open wall, on the other hand, of the cup


12


. The dimensions are selected such that a longitudinally acting axial pressure is exerted on the packs


10


,


11


.




In addition, the packs


10


,


11


may be retained in the region of the grouping subassembly


28


by suction air. In the case of the exemplary embodiment shown, a row of suction bores


51


is provided on the retaining plate


50


, to be precise level with a top, third or fourth layer


17


. The suction bores


51


are provided such that in each case one suction bore


51


is assigned to one pack


10


,


11


and transmits suction air to the packs


10


,


11


in the region of the end surfaces. For this purpose, the retaining plate


50


is designed as a hollow body. The suction bores


51


are connected to a negative-pressure source via the hollow retaining plate


50


and a likewise hollow push rod


52


. As an alternative, it is also possible for the retaining plate


50


to be designed such that a row of suction borer


51


is provided for each layer


17


. Moreover, in order to improve the retaining function, it is also possible for the opposite retaining plate


49


to be designed with suction bores.




When a completed group


16


has been formed within the grouping subassembly


28


(FIGS.


9


and


12


), this group


16


in pushed, as a unit, out of the grouping subassembly


28


along a horizontal conveying path and fed to the carton


15


which has been kept at the ready. In this case, a retaining plate


50


serves as pusher. The latter butts against the larger end surfaces of the packs


10


,


11


, while conically tapering ends, with the base wall of the cups


12


, are located at the front in the conveying direction. The retaining plate


50


is connected to a linear drive


54


via an angled arm


53


. Said linear drive causes the retaining plate


50


to move as a pusher in the pushing direction of the group


16


.




The retaining plate


49


, which is located opposite the retaining plate


50


, is moved out of the upright retaining position before the group


16


is pushed off (FIG.


12


). The retaining plate


49


is provided on a carrying arm


55


, which can be pivoted about a rotary bearing


56


. Accordingly, the retaining plate


49


is moved out of the movement path of the group


16


by virtue of upwardly directed pivoting.




The carton


15


is removed from a carton magazine


57


. The cartons


15


are prepared to the extent where they can be folded from a flat, collapsed position into a three-dimensional tubular form. In the region of a filling station


58


, the erected carton


15


is kept at the ready with an open side directed towards the fed group


16


. The group


16


is pushed into the end position within the carton by the retaining plate


50


, which acts as a pusher (FIGS.


12


and


13


). In order to ensure that the group


16


, which essentially fills the interior of the carton


15


, is pushed into the carton without disruption, a mouthpiece


59


is arranged, as a funnel-like filling element, in the region between the collecting station


19


and/or the grouping subassembly


28


, on the one hand, and the filling station


58


, on the other hand. The mouthpiece


59


comprises a plurality of, namely two, guide elements


60


,


61


. These are essentially U-shaped in cross section, but are designed with converging, that is to say funnel-like, walls in the movement direction of the group


16


. Accordingly, the mouthpiece


59


is open centrally in the lateral region (FIG.


12


). The mouthpiece


59


and/or the guide elements


60


,


61


are/is provided on a common carrier


62


, namely on a carrying arm. The latter can be moved back and forth in the conveying direction of the group


16


in accordance with the arrow. Once the group has been pushed into the mouthpiece


59


, the latter is moved on into the carton


15


with the group


16


. The end position (dashed lines in

FIG. 12

) is located in the region of folding flaps of the carton, namely upright, inner flaps


63


and transversely, that is to say horizontally, directed top and bottom, outer flaps


64


. These folding flaps are brought into a funnel-like position by the mouthpiece


59


, with the result that the group


16


can be pushed in correctly.




Once the group


16


has been introduced into the carton


15


, the mouthpiece


59


returns into a starting position (FIG.


12


), outside the region of the folding flaps


63


,


64


. The pusher or the retaining plate


50


likewise returns into the starting position. It is necessary beforehand to fold the folding flaps


63


,


64


on the mutually opposite sides. First of all, the inner flaps


63


on the opposite side from the mouthpiece


59


are folded, to be precise by laterally arranged, pivotable folding elements


65


. The latter are pivotable folding plates


66


which are positioned approximately half way up the carton


15


and are pivoted through approximately 90° out of a starting position outside the region of the carton


15


(

FIG. 13

, dashed lines), the inner flaps


63


, which are arranged laterally in an upright position, being carried along in the process. These inner flaps are folded into the plane of the relevant carton wall (FIG.


13


). The inner flaps


63


on the opposite side from the push-in side are folded before the group


16


is pushed in and thus from a stop wall for the group


16


.




Further plate-like guide plates


67


are connected to the folding elements


65


. Said guide plates are arranged in the plane of the folding plates


66


when the latter are located in the folding position. The guide plates


67


ensure precise guidance of the partially folded carton


15


when the latter, together with its contents, is transported away transversely to the feeding direction of the group


16


(FIG.


13


). The guide plates


67


retain the inner flaps


63


in the folded position.




The outer flaps


64


, which are directed sideways at the top and bottom, are folded by stationary folding elements, namely by so-called folding diverters


68


, in a manner known per se during the transportation of the carton


15


.




Once the carton


15


has been completed, that is to say once the folding thereof has been finished, said carton is moved past a tape subassembly


69


of known construction. Such a tape subassembly


69


is provided on both sides of the movement path of the carton


15


in order to apply an adhesive strip along a central abutment edge between the top and bottom outer flaps


64


. The carton


15


is then ready to despatch.




The entire apparatus is set up such that adaptation to packs


10


,


11


of different sizes, that is to say, for example, to shorter packs


11


(FIG.


2


), is easily possible.

FIGS. 10 and 11

show the details for processing this type of pack. Essentially, for this purpose, the adjustment gear mechanism


23


is used to change the spacing of elements in the region of the grouping subassembly. For this purpose, the carrying frameworks


45


,


46


are moved-towards one another, this resulting in a spacing of the upright guide plates


47


,


48


and of the further elements which corresponds to the dimensioning of the pack


11


. However, the platform


24


has to be exchanged for a platform


70


of smaller dimensioning and with a contour which is adapted to the form of the packs


11


. The retaining plates


49


,


50


in the region of the grouping subassembly


28


can be adapted to the dimensions of the packs


11


. The retaining plate


50


is moved into a position in which it is at a smaller spacing from the opposite retaining plate


49


(FIG.


10


). The latter remains in the predetermined, non-changeable position.



Claims
  • 1. An apparatus for forming a group of articles lying in rows one above another and for introducing the group of articles into a container, the apparatus comprising:(a) a feed conveyor of a collecting station, wherein the articles can be fed individually to the feed conveyor; (b) a horizontal platform in the region of the collecting station, means for vertically moving the platform; a transversely displaceable pack pusher for pushing the articles onto the platform in order to form layers of articles lying adjacent one another; (c) a grouping subassembly, wherein the layers of articles can be fed successively on the grouping subassembly by an upward movement of the platform, and wherein positioned within the grouping subassembly are a plurality of layers of the articles positioned one above another to form a group of articles; and (d) a vertical first vertical retaining plate in the region of the grouping subassembly, wherein articles of the group abut with one end of the first retaining plate, and means for pushing the group of articles in a conveying direction from the platform into the container by the first retaining plate; the first retaining plate being a first suction plate with at least one row of suction bores means for providing negative pressure to said bores for retaining facing ends of the articles to the suction plate, wherein each article within a layer is assigned to at least one suction bore, and wherein the group of articles are pushed from the platform into the container by means of the first suction plate while maintaining negative pressure at the suction bores.
  • 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the articles are elongate, approximately cylindrically configured soft packs.
  • 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the soft packs are cups.
  • 4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second retaining plate opposite the first retaining plate, the second retaining plate adapted to pivot upward to permit the group of articles to be pushed off the platform.
  • 5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a mechanical gear mechanism, the mechanical gear mechanism having a push rod on the outer circumference of a rotating eccentric plate for moving the platform up and down.
  • 6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising opposing supporting angles alongside the platform, each supporting angle comprising a transversely directed leg for supporting articles on the platform, the supporting angles adapted to pivot to draw back the transversely directed legs to no longer support the articles on the platform.
  • 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the supporting angles are pivoted by an actuating plate adapted to move up and down.
  • 8. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising an adjustment gear mechanism wherein the supporting angles are adapted to accommodate packs of articles differing in length on the platform.
  • 9. The apparats of claim 1 further comprising a moveable funnel-like mouthpiece through which the group of articles are pushed in a conveying direction from the platform into the container by the first retaining plate, said mouthpiece moveable in the conveying direction of the group of articles to position folding flaps of the container into a funnel-like position and to introduce the group of articles into the container.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
198 38 076 Aug 1998 DE
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2937482 Lazott et al. May 1960 A
2941339 Salwasser Jun 1960 A
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3570209 Salwasser Mar 1971 A
4517791 Focke May 1985 A
5136826 Carson et al. Aug 1992 A
5794417 Mohrman Aug 1998 A
5809745 Reinert Sep 1998 A
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