Patent Application
20190225358
The present invention relates generally to a machine for automatically placing a packaging article, such as a sleeve or carton, around a pack.
There are many circumstances in which a final product is placed in a sleeve; for example food packs such as trays, cartons and the like. Machines for automating the process of placing the product in the sleeve (or the sleeve around the product) are known.
An aspect of the present invention provides a packaging machine hopper for holding a stack of packaging articles (for example with each article in a generally horizontal orientation), the hopper comprising a support for holding at least part of the stack at an angle to vertical.
The hopper support may hold at least part of the stack at an angle in the range 40 degrees to 50 degrees; for example the hopper support may holds at least part of the stack at approximately 45 degrees.
In some embodiments the hopper support includes an inclined section and generally vertical terminal section.
The support may comprise a plurality of hopper rods, bars or the like defining a channel for receiving sleeves.
The hopper rods may include an inclined portion and terminal cranked portion.
The hopper may comprise a removable support plate, with the support carried on or by the plate.
A low-level alert function may be provided.
The present invention also provides a packaging machine having a hopper as described herein. The hopper may be filled with a plurality of cartons or sleeves.
The present invention also provides a sleeving machine having a hopper as described herein.
Some aspects and embodiments of the invention are configured for use with a 4, 5 or 6 panel packaging sleeve. In some embodiments the sleeves are generally flat or planar.
The present invention also provides a machine as described herein, in which the hopper is filled with a plurality of cartons or sleeves.
The cartons or sleeves may be oriented so as to be generally horizontal and generally flat in the hopper.
The present invention also provides a sleeving machine hopper arrangement, the arrangement being formed as a change part which is securable and removable from a sleeving machine, the arrangement comprising a support plate, a plurality of hopper rods are carried on or by said support plate, each of said hopper rods including a major rod portion which is inclined with respect to said plate, each of said rods further comprising a terminal crank portion, said terminal crank portions extending generally orthogonally to said plate.
The support plate may include a main plate portion which is securable to a sleeving machine, and a minor plate portion, said minor plate portion being sunken with respect to the major plate portion, said hopper rods being carried on or by said minor plate portion.
The arrangement may further comprise one or more guide bars, said bar being secured to a hopper rod and extending generally parallel to the major rod portion.
The present invention also provides a hopper rod having a major rod portion and a terminal crank portion, said major rod portion being an elongate rod, said crank portion extending from one end of said major rod portion, said crank portion being angled with respect to said major rod portion.
Different aspects and embodiments of the invention may be used separately or together.
Further particular and preferred aspects of the present invention are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. Features of the dependent claims may be combined with the features of the independent claims as appropriate, and in combinations other than those explicitly set out in the claims.
The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which.
The example embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to embody and implement the systems and processes herein described. It is important to understand that embodiments can be provided in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein.
Accordingly, while embodiment can be modified in various ways and take on various alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and described in detail below as examples. There is no intent to limit to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims should be included. Elements of the example embodiments are consistently denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings and detailed description where appropriate.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein are to be interpreted as is customary in the art. It will be further understood that terms in common usage should also be interpreted as is customary in the relevant art and not in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
In the following description, all orientational terms, such as upper, lower, radially and axially, are used in relation to the drawings and should not be interpreted as limiting on the invention.
Vertical hoppers 5 (see
Referring to
In
In use a stack of sleeves (for example flat, pre-glued sleeves) is loaded into the hopper from the “top”. An associated packaging machine can then take sleeves from the “bottom” of the stack i.e. the first sleeve in the stack.
In the embodiment of
The hopper 225 includes a plate 224a which carries the rods. The plate 224a is removably secured to the machine by a nut 224b, and is removable from the rest of the machine so that the hopper can be removed and easily replaced with a different hopper (e.g. for different types of sleeves).
In this embodiment a short section of sleeves at the bottom of the stack 220 are substantially vertical. This is achieved by providing a spacer block 260 at the base of each bar, which effectively provide a cranked lower/terminal portion (although in this embodiment the spacer block is formed as a separate component). This is a key feature to keeping the front sleeve 227 in registration and stops sideways movement when feeding.
The orientation of the carton/sleeve hopper 225 also allows better access from the side of the machine for sleeve loading.
The hopper 225 also keeps the sleeve in the same orientation through the entire sleeving operation without needing to rotate it through angles as it would be with a rotary feeder.
Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiments shown and that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.
