Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6397567
-
Patent Number
6,397,567
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, August 10, 199925 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, June 4, 200222 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Deveau; Todd
- Schneider; Ryan A.
- LLP; Troutman Sanders
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 053 447
- 053 540
- 053 541
- 414 7903
- 414 7953
-
International Classifications
-
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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