Handle applicator for applying handles to flat packaging

Abstract

A handle applicator for applying a handle to a flat package is provided, the handle applicator comprising: a frame designed to suspend a rotating handle applicator on a conveyor belt for transporting packages; a handle dispensing device, a handle handling device and a U-shaped waiting track, which are placed along one side of the bridge; a glue applying device, which is arranged at the handle handling device; a control station; a plurality of actuators; a plurality of position sensors, which are used for handles and packages; wherein the rotating applicator has a main body connected to one or more of the actuators, and wherein, at the upper end of the applicator, some rods are fixed to rotate integrally with the main body, and the rods can rotate by themselves through mechanical connections; each rod is equipped with a row of suction cups, which are designed to pick up handles from a position defined by the waiting track and connect the handles to the packages moving on the conveyor belt.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a handle applicator equipped with a frame, which suspends the rotating handle applicator above a conveyor belt for conveying packages. A rod equipped with a suction cup is connected to the handle applicator and is rotatable. Background Art

[0002] In the packaging production sector, an essential step in the production of the finished packaging itself is the application of handles to the flat packaging before folding; this is performed by a device usually called a handle applicator, placed near a conveyor (the conveyor is also part of a larger machine that folds and glues the flat packaging until the finished packaging is obtained), which applies the handle to the flat packaging using an adhesive, ensuring that the application of the handle is performed in the correct position and that the pressure received is such as to ensure a stable bond. This application process is performed by an applicator suspended above the conveyor of flat packaging, which usually receives a single handle to be applied by a handle handling device, which in turn takes this single handle from a loader or dispenser in which a stack of handles is stored.

[0003] For example, in patent application CA1,283,319, a handle application device is disclosed, in which the applicator is designed to be processed on a moving base, i.e., on a conveyor. In this device, the loader, the handle processing device and the applicator itself are placed one above the other, in an area defined above the conveyor, while the glue application device is placed directly on the conveyor upstream of the device. This construction just described is due to the nature of the processing device and the applicator, in which the processing device is characterized by a head that is basically able to pick up the handle by a suction system and rotate it towards the applicator. In turn, the applicator consists of a partially hollow cylinder, in which the hollow part is used to accommodate a part of the handle until the rotation of the applicator crushes the handle itself, while the entire part on the flat package moves along the conveyor.

[0004] In patent application WO 89 / 02362, a device operating in the same technical field just described is disclosed. This device is characterized by a handle treatment device consisting of an arm that picks up the handle from a loader and a door in direct contact with a rotating applicator, the rotating applicator comprising a rotating cylinder having an arm equipped with a suction system that stops the handle thereon during the rotation of said applicator. In the present invention, the adhesive is also applied to moving flat packages.

[0005] Both solutions described above have significant drawbacks; in both cases, the pneumatic circuit must be connected to the moving part, whether it is the handling device or the handle applicator itself, which complicates the manufacture of these parts and makes the machine structure less simple.

[0006] Considering the device described in patent CA|1,283,319, a clear disadvantage is the possibility of soiling the glue roller when the handling device causes the handle to be positioned incorrectly. Considering that these machines produce about 10,000 pieces per hour, this can lead to considerable machine downtime and considerable costs.

[0007] On the other hand, with reference to the device disclosed in WO 89 / 02362, this device has the already mentioned complexity of connecting the pressure circuit to the rotating element, and in addition, the handling device consists of a complex articulated arm that has to pick up the handle from the loader and place it in the appropriate position on the rotating element (applicator), which has to be stopped to allow this, which again causes downtime in the process.

[0008] Another problem with both solutions is that they are not easily mobile, since they have complex equipment with very limited dimensional tolerances and, above all, the equipment is not mounted on a single structure (see WO 89 / 02362, where the applicator and the handling device are not connected to a rigid frame and, moreover, the gluing device is placed separately on a conveyor belt). Summary of the invention

[0009] In this context, the technical task of the present invention is to design a handle applicator that is particularly designed for simple and comfortable movement on any packaging transport line (conveyor), since it is equipped as a whole with all the components required for production operation on the line. More specifically, a handle applicator consisting of multiple components mounted on a common frame equipped with wheels will be shown.

[0010] Another important object of the present invention is to provide an applicator of simple structure that is quick and accurate in applying handles to mobile packaging. At the same time, the present invention aims to provide an applicator that can apply more than one handle during a full 360° rotation around its axis.

[0011] Another object of the invention is to provide a handle treatment device that allows accurate and uncomplicated positioning of identical handles before they are collected by an applicator and applied to mobile packaging.

[0012] Still further, it is another object of the present invention to provide an applicator that does not require a suction system with a pressure circuit to apply the handle to the moving packages on a conveyor belt.

[0013] The technical problem and specific objectives are achieved by a handle applicator for applying handles to moving flat packages, comprising a rotating applicator equipped with a central body and several rods equipped with suction cups. Said rods equipped with suction cups rotate integrally with the body of the applicator, picking up handles from positions and coupling them to the moving packages on a conveyor. Preferably, said rods with suction cups rotate parallel to the axis of rotation of the central body, but can also rotate freely to keep the suction cups in place.

[0014] Preferably, the applicator has a central body shaped according to the number of rods involved in a particular application.

[0015] Even more preferably, the rotary applicator is connected to several actuators that control its movement, the actuators being connected to a programmable logic controller (PLC) and to one or more sensors that control the operation of the actuators.

[0016] Preferably, the handle applicator has a movable frame that can be adjusted to more than one size.

[0017] Even more preferably, the applicator picks up the single handle to be applied from the area where the single handle is rigidly held in a predetermined position by means of a rod with a suction cup.After this operation, the rod with the suction cup and the handle bring the handle to the mobile packaging together.

[0018] Even more preferably, the glue applying device applies said glue to the handle rather than to the moving package.

[0019] Even more preferably, the handle applicator is easily movable.

[0020] Preferably, the handle applicator of the present invention is coupled to a conveyor belt conveying cardboard flat packages.

[0021] The technical task and the specific purpose are achieved with a handle applicator for applying a handle to a flat package. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Features and advantages of the present invention are explained below in the detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0023] Figure 1 a perspective view of a handle applicator for applying a handle to a flat package showing a frame and components mounted thereon;

[0024] Figure 2 A top view of a handle applicator for applying a handle to a flat package mounted on a conveyor belt is shown, showing the frame, handle treatment device, actuator, photocell sensor and rotating applicator in one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 is a side view of a handle applicator for applying a handle to a flat package, showing a frame, an adjustment device connected thereto, a handle dispensing device, a handle handling device, and a glue applying device;

[0026] Figure 4 an enlarged perspective view showing the rotary applicator alone in one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention; and

[0027] Figure 5 Shows Figure 4 Top view of the rotary applicator in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] In this document, when measurements, values, shapes and geometric references (such as perpendicularity and parallelism) are associated with words such as "approximately" or other similar words such as "almost" or "substantially", they should be understood to mean that except for measurement errors or inaccuracies due to production and / or manufacturing errors, and most importantly, except for minor differences in the value, measurement, shape or geometric reference associated with it. For example, if associated with a value, it is preferred that such terms mean a difference of no more than 10% from the value itself.

[0029] Furthermore, when terms such as “first,” “second,” “upper,” “lower,” “primary,” and “secondary” are used, they do not necessarily identify an order, relationship priority, or relative position, but may simply be used to more clearly distinguish different components.

[0030] Unless otherwise stated, the measurements and data reported herein should be considered to have been made in the International Standard Atmosphere ICAO (ISO 2533:1975).

[0031] With reference to the drawings, reference numeral 1 generally designates a handle applicator for applying a handle to a flat package according to the present invention.

[0032] A handle applicator 1 for applying a handle to a flat package moving along a conveyor belt 4 is described herein. The handle applicator 1 is coupled to the conveyor belt 4 ( Figure 2 ) above so that a rotating handle applicator 3 for applying a handle by gluing is suspended on a conveyor belt 4. In a preferred embodiment, the handle applicator 1 and the conveyor belt 4 are connected so that data can be transmitted using an encoder (not shown).

[0033] The handle applicator 1 is connected to an external power supply and pressure circuit, both not shown.

[0034] The handle applicator 1 according to the invention consists of a frame 2, on which several components are mounted due to positions 24, which are used to fix the components of the handle applicator 1 on the frame 2. Secondly, the frame 2 consists of a base 21 and a bridge 22, the base 21 extending vertically and the bridge 22 forming a horizontal plane on which the handle applicator components can be mounted. In addition, the frame 2 is also equipped with wheels 25 and brakes 26, not shown in the figure, which are designed to be able to handle the handle applicator 1. Secondly, the frame 2 is equipped with an adjustment device 23, which is used to adjust the height of the base and the position of the bridge in space. The adjustment device 23 can be pneumatic or mechanical; in Figure 3 In the embodiment shown, the adjustment device 23 is envisaged as a threaded connection (e.g. an adjustment screw) that is adjusted using a knob. The adjustment device 23 is used in this embodiment of the handle applicator 1 because the handle applicator 1 is designed so that it can be connected to different types of conveyor belts 4 and, since the entire machine is mounted on a movable frame, it can be connected to different areas of the conveyor belt 4 without the need to connect the device to external elements. The adjustment device 23 is used in this embodiment of the handle applicator 1 so that the handle applicator 3 can be positioned in a plane that is substantially parallel to the conveying plane of the conveyor belt. The degree of freedom of the adjustment device 23 when adjusting the position of the handle applicator 3 allows the machine to have an even greater application flexibility, not only with respect to conveyor belts 4 of different sizes, but also with respect to sudden changes in the packaging to be processed.

[0035] Secondly, on the horizontal plane defined by the bridge 22 of the handle applicator 1, there are the handle dispensing device 5, the handle processing device 6, and the U-shaped waiting track 7. These handle applicator 1 components are arranged and installed along one side of the bridge 22, such as Figure 2 As shown (handle dispensing device 5 is not in Figure 2 More specifically, in a preferred embodiment, the handle dispensing device 5 consists of a pair of corrugated steel plates surrounding the stack of handles. The pair of corrugated steel plates is open at the top for re-storing the handles and at the bottom to enable the processing device 6 to pick up the last handle in the stack to send to the waiting track 7. Secondly, the size of the handle dispensing device 5 can be adjusted so that the handle applicator 1 can operate different types of handles. Figure 2 , in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a handle handling device 6 is shown in detail. The handling device 6 picks up the last handle in the handle pile to be sent to the waiting track 7. Figure 2, within the handle dispensing device 5 there is a handle handling device 6 in contact with the last handle in the stack of handles; the handle handling device comprises a belt working by friction, which is able to extract the last handle in the stack and send it to a pair of rollers, which are moreover able to transfer the handle itself to the waiting track 7. Said passage of the handles is controlled thanks to sensors 30 (e.g. photocells) arranged along the path of the handles, and the same passage is driven thanks to actuators 10, which in a preferred embodiment are physically and functionally connected (see Figure 3 ) to the handle treatment device 6, and may be an electric motor 13. Another feature of the handle treatment device 6 is that its lower part is open so that a layer of glue can be applied to the handle by means of a glue application device 8 before the handle reaches the waiting track 7. The glue application device 8 is arranged at the handle treatment device 6, and in a preferred embodiment may be a hot melt system. Specifically, the above-mentioned glue application device 8 is located below the plane along which the handle is moved by the treatment device 6, so that a layer of glue can be applied to the lower surface of the handle conveyed by the handle treatment device 6. The last component of the handle treatment device 6 is the waiting track 7, in which a single handle with glue on its lower surface is carried by the treatment device 6. In a preferred embodiment, the waiting track 7 is U-shaped and consists of two plates connected to each other, the connection being closed at the distal end of the track 7 and open relative to the handle treatment device 6 at the proximal end of the track 7. Both plates have a U-shape, in which the width of each individual plate is capable of accommodating a handle sent by the handle treatment device 6, and in which the space between the two plates is capable of releasing the handle from the waiting track 7 when the rotating applicator 3 passes by. In this way, the waiting track 7 ensures a stable position, without the inaccuracies of previous prior art devices, with which the rotating applicator 3 can interact, maintaining a high degree of precision when arranging the handle on the package.

[0036] Furthermore, the handle applicator 1 for applying a handle to a flat package comprises, outside the horizontal plane defined by the bridge 22, said rotating handle applicator 3. Said rotating applicator 3 has a body 31 connected to one or more actuators 10, in which some rods 34 are fixed at the upper end and can rotate on a mechanical connection 33. Each rod is equipped with a row of suction cups 35. Preferably, there are two rods 34, equipped with suction cups 35. In a preferred embodiment, the actuator 10 is a pair of electric motors, and in particular, a so-called main motor 11 and a so-called CAM motor 12 for generating an electronic cam drive, both motors in this brushless embodiment. Said rod 34 equipped with suction cups 35 rotates integrally with the applicator body, picks up a handle from a position on the waiting track 7, and couples it to the moving package on the conveyor 4. Preferably, said rod 34 with suction cups 35 rotates parallel to the axis of rotation of the body 31, but can also rotate freely to keep the suction cups 35 in place.

[0037] The main body 31 of the rotary applicator 3 is provided at one lower end with a mounting pulley 32 which is connected by means of a gear train, a chain or a belt (the belt is Figure 1 ) and the like are connected to the actuators 11 and 12 for power transmission. Secondly, the main body 31 of the rotating applicator 3 is equipped with a plurality of upper ends, and rods 34 are connected to these upper ends via mechanical connectors 33. Each of the above-mentioned rods 34 has a row of suction cups 35; due to the nature of the mechanical connector 33 in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, this feature is composed of spherical or roller mechanical bearings, so that a portion of the side surface of the rod has a serious unbalanced weight, which corresponds to the surface equipped with a row of suction cups 35. Therefore, during the rotation of the applicator 3, the suction cups 35 are always facing downwards to connect to the upper surface of the handle. Figure 4 In one of the embodiments of the rotary applicator 3 shown, the rotary applicator 3 is arranged adjacent to the waiting track 7 and has a T-shaped body 31, at the base of which there is a pulley 32 mounted to the body 31, and in which two rods 34 are fixed to the upper end of the T via a mechanical connection 33. Each rod is equipped with a suction cup 35; in this embodiment, the suction cups 35 have the same orientation as described above.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment of the handle applicator 1 for applying a handle to a flat package, the size relationship of the rod 34, the body 31 of the rotary applicator 3, and the U-shaped waiting track 7 enables the rod 34 to pass through a groove formed in the center of the U-shaped waiting track 7, and wherein the distance between the groove formed in the center of the waiting track 7 and the rotation axis of the rotary applicator 3 is equal to the distance between the rotation axis of the rotary applicator 3 and the rod 34.

[0039] The last dimensional feature of the handle applicator 1 described in this document is due to the need for the applicator to transfer the handle, which has been glued and is waiting on the waiting track 7, to the moving package below the rotating applicator 3 and the entire handle applicator 1. The suction cup 35 of the above-mentioned rod 34 hooks the handle, which is partially held on the side by the waiting track 7 (the central cross-section of the U-shape is slightly smaller than the width of the handle), which provides a resistance to create a physical connection between the handle and the suction cup 35. Due to this resistance, the handle can be transferred to the moving package on the conveyor belt 4 via the integral rotation of the suction cup 35, the rod 34, and the body 31 of the rotating applicator 3. The size of the body 31 of the rotating applicator 3 can ensure the correct pressure between the handle and the package so that the glue can adhere the handle to the package. The distance between the rotation axis of the rotating applicator 3 and the center of the waiting track 7 is approximately equal to the distance between the rotation axis of the rotating applicator 3 and the conveyor belt 4. In this embodiment of the invention, since there are two or more upper ends, the rotating applicator 3 can place two or more handles on the package every 360° rotation of the applicator 3.

[0040] The handle applicator 1 described herein for applying a handle to a flat package also includes a plurality of handle and package position sensors 30, including a photoelectric cell sensor 300, which is placed upstream of the handle applicator 1 and checks the conveyor belt 4 to identify the moment when a package passes, thereby activating both the handle handling device 6 and the rotating applicator 3 when the package passes. In addition, the sensor 30 can be used along the handle handling device 6 to time the extraction of the handle by the handle dispensing device 5, and also to time the glue application device 8.

[0041] This type of connectivity and interoperability between the components of the handle applicator 1 can occur because the handle applicator 1 itself is equipped with a PLC 91 forming part of a control station 9, which in turn is equipped with a control panel 92 and a touch screen 93 (not shown in the figure) to allow adjustments and any human-machine interaction or human-machine process interaction. Each component of the handle applicator 1 is operably connected and used to transmit data to the PLC 91. The PLC 91 adjusts and times the operation of the handle applicator 1 via the plurality of actuators 10 and according to the parameters set in the PLC 91 or according to the parameters detected by the plurality of sensors 30.

[0042] It should be noted that only a few preferred embodiments are described and illustrated herein, but various variations, additions, modifications, and / or different combinations of the various elements may be made without departing from the general innovative concept and without exceeding the scope of protection thereof.

[0043] The handle applicator according to the invention for applying a handle to a flat pack achieves important advantages.

[0044] In fact, the handle applicator described above is designed to be able to apply the handle to flat packages moving along a conveyor, wherein a layer of adhesive is applied to the handle during its conveyance to the applicator, thereby performing positioning and pressure application between two consecutive applications with the help of a structurally simple, precise and very fast applicator.

[0045] The invention is susceptible to variations which fall within the scope of the inventive concept.

[0046] In this case, all the details may be replaced by equivalent elements and the materials, shapes, and sizes may be any.

Claims

1. A handle applicator (1) for applying a handle to a flat package, the handle applicator (1) comprising: a frame (2) designed to suspend the rotary handle applicator (3) on a conveyor belt (4) for transporting the packages; A handle dispensing device (5), A handle processing device (6) and a U-shaped waiting track (7), wherein the handle processing device (6) and the U-shaped waiting track (7) are placed along one side of the bridge frame (22); a glue applying device (8), wherein the glue applying device (8) is arranged at the handle processing device (6); Control station (9); a plurality of actuators (10); A plurality of sensors (30), the plurality of sensors (30) being used to locate the handle and the package; The rotating handle applicator (3) has a body (31) connected to one or more of the actuators (10), and at the upper end of the rotating handle applicator (3), a plurality of rods (34) are connected to rotate integrally with the body (31), and the plurality of rods (34) can rotate by themselves through mechanical connections (33); each rod is equipped with a device designed to pick up the handle from a position defined by the waiting track (7) and connect the handle to the package moving on the conveyor belt (4), And it is characterized by: The rod (34) extends parallel to the rotation axis (31a) of the body (31) and is equidistantly spaced from the body (31). The means for picking up the handle is a row of suction cups (35), And the rod (34) connected to the main body (31) of the rotating handle applicator (3) includes the suction cup (35), and the size of the rod (34) enables the rod (34) to pass through a groove formed in the center of the U-shaped waiting track (7), wherein the distance between the groove formed in the center of the waiting track (7) and the rotation axis of the rotating handle applicator (3) is equal to the distance between the rotation axis of the rotating handle applicator (3) and the rod (34).

2. A handle applicator (1) for applying a handle to a flat package according to claim 1, wherein the U-shaped waiting track (7) consists of two plates connected to each other, the connection being closed at the distal end of the track (7) and open relative to the handle treatment device (6) at the proximal end of the track (7), the two plates being U-shaped plates, wherein the width of each individual plate enables the accommodation of a handle sent by the handle treatment device (6), and wherein the space between the two plates enables the release of the handle from the waiting track (7) into the channel of the rod (34) of the rotating handle applicator (3) having the suction cup (35).

3. A handle applicator (1) for applying a handle to a flat package according to claim 1, wherein the glue application device (8) arranged at the handle processing device (6) is a hot melt system and is located below the plane along which the processing device (6) moves the handle.

4. A handle applicator (1) for applying a handle to a flat package according to claim 1, wherein one of the multiple sensors (30) for locating the handle and the package is defined as a photoelectric tube sensor (300) for the package, which is positioned upstream of the handle applicator (1) pointing to the package conveyor belt (4) and is connected to a PLC (91) to detect the position of the package and transmit it to the PLC (91), and the PLC (91) further controls the timing of the rotational movement of the rotating handle applicator (3) with the aid of the actuator (10).

5. The handle applicator (1) for applying a handle to a flat package according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of actuators (10) comprises: a main electric motor (11) and a CAM electric motor (12), the main electric motor (11) and the CAM electric motor (12) being electrically connected to the PLC (91) and physically connected to the mechanical connector (33) connected to the body (31) of the rotary handle applicator (3); and An electric motor (13) is physically connected to the handle treatment device (6) and electrically connected to the PLC (91).

6. A handle applicator (1) for applying a handle to a flat package according to claim 4, wherein the PLC (91) regulates and times the operation of the handle applicator (1) with the aid of the multiple actuators (10) according to parameters set in the PLC (91) or according to parameters for positioning the handle and the package detected by the multiple sensors (30).

7. A handle applicator (1) for applying a handle to a flat package according to claim 1, wherein the frame (2) is equipped with wheels (25) and brakes (26) for handling the handle applicator (1) so as to apply the handle to the flat package anywhere on the conveyor belt (4).

8. The handle applicator (1) for applying a handle to a flat package according to claim 1, wherein the handle applicator (1) and the conveyor belt (4) are connected to transmit data by means of an encoder (40).

9. A handle applicator (1) for applying a handle to a flat package according to claim 1, wherein the rotating handle applicator (3) is positioned adjacent to the waiting track (7), the body (31) of the rotating handle applicator (3) being a T-shaped body, at the base of which a pulley (32) is mounted to the T-shaped body, and at the upper end of the T-shaped body two rods (34) are fixed, each rod being equipped with the suction cup (35), wherein the rod (34) passively holds the suction cup (35) facing downwards during the rotation of the T-shaped body of the rotating handle applicator (3) due to a mechanical connection (33).

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