Unit for forming a plate element for manufacturing folding boxes

Abstract

The unit (2) for forming a plate element for continuous flow manufacturing of folding boxes (CA1, CA2) from plate elements (3), the plate elements (3) being successively inserted into the unit (2) and moving in a transport direction (FD), comprising pairs of rotary cylindrical shafts (2001 - 2031, 2002 - 2032), supporting forming tooling, which forms the plate elements (4) using slitting, creasing and cutting operations, comprises a cutting unit (21) and the pairs of rotary cylindrical shafts (2001 - 2031, 2002 - 2032).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of packaging. More particularly, the invention relates to a plate element shaping unit for the manufacture of folding boxes, from plate elements, for example, corrugated cardboard.

[0002] In the packaging industry, cardboard boxes are commonly made from sheet materials in the form of cardboard or corrugated cardboard sheets. The sheet materials are processed in a continuous flow in a packaging manufacturing line where they are printed, die-cut and embossed, folded and glued together to form the boxes. State of the art

[0003] In reference to the Fig. 1 , in a known type of packaging manufacturing line, the plate elements 1 are introduced into the manufacturing line in a so-called "transverse" arrangement and are continuously driven in a drive direction DA. The plate element 1 is successively processed by a printing unit, a plate element shaping unit formed here by a so-called "slotter" unit in English, and a folder-gluer unit. The printing unit ensures the printing, typically by flexography, of the plate element 1. The printed plate element 1 a is then processed by the plate element shaping unit which essentially performs slits 10 and upsets 11 for folding lines, in order to create box sides 12 and box flaps 13.The cut plate element 1 b , supplied by the plate element shaping unit, is then folded and glued in the folder-gluer unit to obtain a packaging 1 c in the form of a folding box. A counting-ejection unit receives the folding boxes 1 c and forms a stack of folding boxes 1 d which is then tied. The tied stack 1 e then goes to a palletizer, at the end of the packaging production line.

[0004] In the prior art packaging manufacturing line described above, the integration of a plate element shaping unit of the type described in WO 2013 / 029768 makes it possible to achieve high production rates of folding boxes, up to approximately 20,000 boxes / hour. This plate element shaping unit comprises four pairs of rotating cylindrical shafts which are arranged transversely to the drive direction of the plate elements. The cylindrical shafts rotate at high speed and carry out the various processing operations on the plate elements. The majority of the cuts are made in the drive direction of the plate elements in the unit. The shapes and dimensions of the slits are determined by cutting tools, mounted on cylindrical tool-holder shafts, which provide rotary cutting.The movement of the plates is continuous between the cylindrical tool-holder shafts and the cylindrical counter-tool shafts. The cylindrical counter-tool shafts are arranged in parallel and opposite the cylindrical tool-holder shafts, to cooperate with the latter. The rotary cutting tools have blades spaced laterally and arranged so as to create the slits at and from the front and rear edges (see references 14 and 15 in the . Fig. 1 ) of the plate element. In addition to the rotating cutting tools, the plate element shaping unit also comprises laterally spaced rotating upsetting tools arranged to create the fold lines on the plate element. A control unit controls the rotational drive motors of the cylindrical shafts, such that, for processing a plate element, the tools are in contact with corresponding predetermined regions of the plate element and are driven at a processing speed whose tangential component is equal to the drive speed of the plate element. The drive speed of the plate element is substantially constant between the entry and the exit of the plate element shaping unit.

[0005] In the plate element shaping unit, a side gluing tab 16 ( Fig. 1 ) is also cut from the plate element, as an extension of the body sides 12 ( Fig. 1 ). After folding, this tab is glued to the opposite side of the box, in order to form the folding box 1 c ( Fig. 1 ). For the production of the lateral gluing tab, a specific tool is provided in the plate element shaping unit, arranged so as to make two transverse or oblique cuts relative to the direction of feed of the plate element, as well as a first slit from the rear edge and a second slit from the front edge.

[0006] The arrangement of several poses in the same sheet element is a solution which makes it possible to substantially increase the production of folding boxes in a packaging manufacturing line having a determined sheet processing rate. Thus, the possibility of processing a sheet element in order to carry out two poses, while maintaining the same machine pitch, would make it possible to double the production rate of folding boxes in a packaging manufacturing line of the type described above.

[0007] Document EP2228206 describes a packaging manufacturing line comprising a forming unit having several rotating shafts, on which forming tools are arranged. In particular, each forming shaft comprises several forming tools. This allows each forming cylinder to perform several spatially separated cuts on a cardboard sheet. This device presents a complexity when it comes to changing the format of folding boxes, and requires the operator of the packaging machine to change the positions of the cutting elements (the knife blades) on the rotating shafts.

[0008] JP2002067190 describes a packaging manufacturing machine, configured to produce folding cartons from sheets. In order to produce small-sized cartons, the machine comprises several spindles provided with tools that allow the cutting tools to be individually adjusted. Statement of the invention

[0009] It is desirable to provide a plate member shaping unit of the aforementioned rotating cylindrical shaft pair type, which is capable of producing shaped plate members with two poses, so as to allow an increase in the production rate of folding boxes up to approximately 40,000 boxes / hour.

[0010] According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a plate element shaping unit for the continuous flow production of folding boxes from plate elements, the plate elements being successively inserted into the shaping unit and moving in a drive direction, comprising pairs of rotating cylindrical shafts, carrying shaping tooling, which shapes the plate elements by slitting, upsetting and cutting operations, according to claim 1.

[0011] The fact that each slitting shaft carries only one slitting tool and the angular position is adjustable allows the folding box sizes to be changed. Preferably, the angular position of all slitting shafts is adjustable.

[0012] The angular position of the cylinder can be defined as the position of a (predefined) reference point on the circumference of the slitting cylinder in relation to the feed surface on which the plate elements are transported. This angle is measured between the reference point on the slitting cylinder, the axis of the slitting cylinder and the feed surface of the plate. The angular position can be adjusted by rotating the cylinder with the tools remaining stationary on the cylinder. This rotation can be done automatically by a position controller. The feed position of the plate element can be defined by the current position of the first leading edge of the plate element (the cardboard sheet) in the feed direction.

[0013] In one variant, the cutting unit comprises a perforating blade perpendicular to the drive direction, and which allows the first and second juxtaposed folding box positions to be associated in series, and connected to each other by attachment points.

[0014] In one embodiment, the plate member forming unit comprises a pair of rotating cylindrical shafts arranged to perform operations of cutting a body leg of a rear lay and operations of pre-upsetting fold lines in both lays.

[0015] In one embodiment, the plate member forming unit comprises a pair of rotating cylindrical shafts arranged to perform operations of cutting a body leg of a front lay, and operations of upsetting fold lines in both lays, and a pair of rotating cylindrical shafts arranged to perform operations of crushing the two lays.

[0016] In another variant, the second and fourth pairs of rotating cylindrical shafts of the first plate element processing unit cooperate to produce in the processed plate element central slits aligned with a longitudinal central axis of the processed plate element, the second pair of rotating cylindrical shafts comprising a rotating cylindrical tool-holder shaft carrying a first slitting tool, arranged so as to produce first central slitting portions, and the fourth pair of rotating cylindrical shafts comprising a rotating cylindrical tool-holder shaft carrying a second rotary tool, arranged so as to produce second central slitting portions,each central slit being formed from the combination of a first central slit portion and a second central slit portion and having a length determined by an overlapping area between the first and second central slit portions which is defined by angular position settings of the first and second rotary tools.,

[0017] The shafts are preferably independent and for a chosen blade length, the system has no limitation on the portions to be cut, due to the independence of the shafts (a single blade on each shaft), and due to the angular position of each of the shafts. This allows an infinite number of overlapping zones ranging from the minimum length of a blade, up to the maximum length of the sum of the 2 blades.

[0018] In another variation, the plate member shaping unit comprises a first body leg cutting device mounted on the third pair of rotating cylindrical shafts of the first plate member processing unit, the body leg cutting device performing cutting operations of a first body leg on a proximal side edge of the processed plate member.

[0019] In another embodiment, the plate member forming unit comprises a pre-upsetting device mounted on the third pair of rotating cylindrical shafts of the first plate member processing unit, the pre-upsetting device performing pre-upsetting operations on the processed plate member to produce folding lines in the first and second folding box poses.

[0020] In another variation, the second pair of rotating cylindrical shafts of the second plate element processing unit (20 2 ) comprises a rotating cylindrical tool-holder shaft carrying a third slitting tool, arranged to make trailing edge slits in the processed plate element, and the fourth pair of rotating cylindrical shafts of the second plate element processing unit comprises a rotating cylindrical tool-holder shaft carrying a fourth slitting tool, arranged to make leading edge slits in the processed plate element.

[0021] In another embodiment, the plate member shaping unit comprises a second body leg cutting device mounted on the third pair of rotating cylindrical shafts of the second plate member processing unit, the body leg cutting device performing operations of cutting a second body leg on the proximal side edge of the processed plate member.

[0022] In another embodiment, the plate member forming unit comprises a final upsetting device mounted on the third pair of rotating cylindrical shafts of the second plate member processing unit, the final upsetting device performing final upsetting operations on the processed plate member to complete the production of the folding lines in the first and second folding box poses.

[0023] In another variant, the plate element shaping unit comprises an edge cutter mounted in one of the first and second plate element processing units and arranged to perform an edge cutting operation on a distal side edge of the processed plate element, the first pair of rotating cylindrical shafts of the first plate element processing unit comprises means for driving the processed plate element, and the first pair of rotating cylindrical shafts of the second plate element processing unit comprises a crushing device arranged to crush in thickness a proximal side strip and a distal side strip of the processed plate element.

[0024] In one variant, the cutting unit is a rotary cutter with rotating cylindrical shafts. Brief description of the drawings

[0025] Other advantages and characteristics of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the detailed description below of a particular embodiment of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: there Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a process for manufacturing prior art folding box packaging; Fig. 2 is a diagram showing different processing states of a plate member in a process for manufacturing packaging in the form of folding boxes using the unit according to the present invention; Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a general architecture of a plate element shaping unit according to the present invention; Fig. 4 is a diagram showing examples of central slits of different lengths achievable in a plate element with the plate element shaping unit of the Fig. 3 ; and the Fig. 5 is a diagram showing examples of plate elements that can be produced with the plate element shaping unit of the Fig. 3 for the manufacture of folding boxes of different formats.

[0026] The longitudinal direction is defined by referring to the direction of travel or drive of the sheet elements in the packaging manufacturing line, along their median longitudinal axis. The transverse direction is defined as the direction perpendicular in a horizontal plane to the direction of travel of the sheet elements. The upstream and downstream directions are defined by referring to the direction of movement of the sheet elements, following the longitudinal direction in the entire packaging manufacturing line, from the entry of the line to the exit of the line. The proximal and distal edges of the sheet element are defined in this non-limiting example relative to the conductive side and the opposite conductive side of the machine and the sheet processing unit during the travel of the sheet in the horizontal plane. Detailed disclosure of preferred embodiments

[0027] In reference to the Figs. 2 à 5 , a particular embodiment 2 of a plate element shaping unit according to the invention, in the form of corrugated cardboard sheets, is now described by way of example.

[0028] The general architecture of the plate element shaping unit 2 is visible in the Fig. 3 . To the Fig. 3 , the plate element shaping unit 2 is shown associated with a cutting unit 21 whose function will appear clearly in the remainder of the description.

[0029] The plate elements in their different treatment states are globally referenced by the reference 3 at Figs. 2 And 3 , with index letters A, B0, B and C associated with reference 3 which indicate the treatment status of the plate element considered.

[0030] Plate element 3 is shown in Fig. 2 in different processing states explained above, with the references 3 A, 3 B, and 3 C.

[0031] The direction of drive of the plate elements 3 in the plate element shaping unit 2, and in the packaging manufacturing line in which it is included, from upstream to downstream is indicated by the arrow FD at Figs. 2 And 3 . The plate elements 3 are conveyed and processed in the plate element shaping unit 2 keeping a transverse arrangement, that is, with their longitudinal central axis AL which is perpendicular to the driving direction FD.

[0032] The plate element 3 A, shown in the Fig. 2 , is typically formed from a rectangular plate, for example here made of corrugated cardboard, which is to be processed to form two folding boxes CA1 and CA2. The plate element 3 A , is for example here a plate element which has been printed by a printing unit placed upstream of the plate element shaping unit 2 in a packaging manufacturing line.

[0033] As visible at the Fig. 2 , the printed plate element 3 A here comprises two printed areas 30 1 and 30 2 , located on either side relative to the longitudinal central axis AL of the plate element. The printed areas 30 1 and 30 2 belong respectively to two poses P1 and P2 in the plate element. The two poses P1 and P2, correspond respectively to the folding boxes CA1 and CA2, to be produced from the plate element, using the plate element shaping unit 2. In the plate element, the poses P1 and P2 are arranged transversely, in juxtaposition, relative to the drive direction FD.

[0034] The plate element shaping unit 2 receives as input the printed plate element 3 A, processes it and delivers as output a shaped plate element 3 B in which processing operations have been carried out to obtain the two poses P1 and P2. The processing operations include in particular slitting, cutting and upsetting operations, to form body sides 31, body flaps 32 and two body tabs 33 1 and 33 2 for the poses P1 and P2 of the plate element.

[0035] The shaped plate element 3 B comprises central slits 34 12 and front edge slits 34 1 and rear edge slits 34 2 . The central slits 34 12 are aligned along the longitudinal central axis AL and participate in the formation of the body sides 31 and the body flaps 32 of the layers P1 and P2. The front edge slits 34 1 are made on a longitudinal front edge 35 AV of the plate element and participate in the formation of the body sides 31 and the body flaps 32 of the layer P1. The rear edge slits 34 2 are made on a longitudinal rear edge 35 AR of the plate element and participate in the formation of the body sides 31 and the body flaps 32 of the layer P2. The body legs 33 1 and 33 2 are made on the proximal lateral edge 38 of the plate element.

[0036] The shaped plate element 3 B also comprises upsettings 36 for the production of future folding lines, produced by upsetting operations in the plate element shaping unit 2.

[0037] The plate element 3 C is obtained after the processing operation carried out by the cutting unit 21 on the plate element 3 B. The cutting unit 21 makes selective cuts to form attachment points 37. The plate element 3 C thus comprises the poses P1 and P2 which are no longer connected except by the attachment points 37.

[0038] The plate element 3 C is then processed by a folder-gluer unit (not shown) which performs folding and glues the box legs 33 1 and 33 2 onto corresponding box sides to obtain a folded assembly 4 formed of the two folding boxes CA1 and CA2 connected by the attachment points 37, the two folding boxes CA1 and CA2, corresponding respectively to the positions P1 and P2. The breaking of the attachment points 37, later in the manufacturing process, makes it possible to separate the folding boxes CA1 and CA2.

[0039] The angular position of at least one of the slitting shafts 201 1 , 203 1 , 201 2 , 203 2 is adjustable relative to the feed position in the feed direction (FD) of the plate element. The angular position α can be defined as the position of a (predefined) reference point P on the circumference of the slitting shaft 201 1 , 203 1 , 201 2 , 203 2 in relation to the feed surface S on which the plate elements 3 are transported. This angle α is measured between the reference point P on the slitting cylinder / shaft 201 1 , 203 1 , 201 2 , the axis of the slitting cylinder X, and the feed surface of the plate S.

[0040] The general architecture and operation of the plate element shaping unit 2 are now described in detail below with particular reference to the Fig. 3 .

[0041] The plate elements are inserted successively, one by one, into the plate element shaping unit 2 to be processed there, with an insertion rate corresponding to a machine step on which the different equipment of the packaging manufacturing line is synchronized, different equipment of which unit 2 is part.

[0042] According to the invention, the plate element shaping unit 2 is formed by the series association of two plate element processing units 20 1 and 20 2 , called "slotters", having the same general architecture. The first unit 20 1 is crossed before the second plate element processing unit 20 2 by the plate element moving in the drive direction FD. The two plate element processing units 20 1 and 20 2 are of the type described in document WO 2013 / 029768.

[0043] In the plate element shaping unit 2, the performance of the processing operations on the plate element is optimized, by judiciously distributing these processing operations between the two plate element processing units 20 1 and 20 2 .

[0044] The plate element processing units 20 1 and 20 2 here each comprise four pairs of rotating cylindrical shafts. The plate element shaping unit 2 formed by the combination of the plate element processing units 20 1 and 20 2 therefore comprises eight pairs of rotating cylindrical shafts, referenced 200 1 to 203 1 for the first plate element processing unit 20 1 and 200 2 to 203 2 for the second unit 20 2 . The eight pairs of rotating cylindrical shafts, 200 1 to 203 1 and 200 2 to 203 2 , are spaced apart by the same center distance AX. The length of the center distance AX typically corresponds to a minimum format of plate element that can be processed in the plate element shaping unit 2.

[0045] The first plate element processing unit 20 1 processes the plate element 3 A to produce a pre-shaped plate element 3 B0 visible at the Fig. 3 . In the first unit 20 1 , the first pair of rotating cylindrical shafts 200 1 is dedicated to driving the plate element.

[0046] The pre-shaped plate element 3 B0 comprises the central slots 34 12 which have been cut by adapted tools 51 1 and 53 1 equipping respectively the second and fourth pairs of rotating cylindrical shafts 201 1 and 203 1 . The tools 51 1 and 53 1 are carried respectively by rotating tool holder shafts (upper cylindrical shafts) of the second and fourth pairs of rotating cylindrical shafts 201 1 and 203 1 .

[0047] The tools 51 1 and 53 1 typically each comprise cutting blades conforming to the cylindrical shape of the rotary tool shafts. In each rotary tool shaft, a plurality of cutting blades are transversely spaced and mounted in correspondence with central positions PC1 to PC4 defined in the plate member 3 B0, on the longitudinal central axis AL, at which the central slits 34 12 are to be made.

[0048] The tools 51 1 and 53 1 are arranged and mounted on their respective rotary tool shafts in such a way that a length L of the central slots 34 12 in the plate element 3 B0 can be adjusted, and thus the unit 2 can be configured for different folding box formats. The length L of the central slots 34 12 is adjusted by changing the angular position (α) of the tools 51 1 and 53 1 on their respective rotary tool shafts.

[0049] As an example, it is shown in the Fig. 4 three central slits 34A 12 , 34B 12 and 34C 12 , having respective lengths LA , LB and LC , produced by unit 2 with the same set of tools 51 1 and 53 1 . These three central slits 34A 12 , 34B 12 and 34C 12 , are obtained with three distinct adjustment configurations of the tools 51 1 and 53 1 for different folding boxes, respectively.

[0050] The tools 51 1 and 53 1 are similar and respectively cut slit portions PR 1 and PR 3 , having the same length LO. For example, the length LO is considered here equal to 150 mm. The tools 51 1 and 53 1 can also have a different development.

[0051] The central slit 34A 12 of length LA is the slit of maximum length that can be achieved with the tools 51 1 and 53 1 . In this first adjustment configuration, the tools 51 1 and 53 1 are mounted on their respective rotary tool-holder shafts at first angular positions which make it possible to obtain the central slit 34A 12 without overlapping between the slitting portions PR 1 and PR 3 . The length LA obtained here is LA = 2.LO = 300 mm.

[0052] The central slit 34B 12 of length LB is a slit of intermediate length which can be produced with the tools 51 1 and 53 1 . In this second adjustment configuration, the tools 51 1 and 53 1 are mounted on their respective rotary tool-holder shafts at second angular positions which make it possible to obtain the central slit 34B 12 with a partial overlap of LO / 3 between the slitting portions PR 1 and PR 3 . The length LB obtained here is LB = 2.LO - LO / 3 = 250 mm.

[0053] The central slit 34C 12 of length LC is a slit of minimum length which can be achieved with the tools 51 1 and 53 1 . In this third adjustment configuration, the tools 51 1 and 53 1 are mounted on their respective rotary tool holder shafts at third angular positions which make it possible to obtain the central slit 34C 12 with a total overlap of LO between the slitting portions PR 1 and PR 3 . The length LC obtained here is LC = LO = 150 mm.

[0054] The plate element shaping unit 2 according to the invention therefore allows, with different angular settings of the same set of tools 51 1 and 53 1, the production of central slits 34 12 having a length L between 2.LO and LO, i.e., in the example above, a length L between 150 mm and 300 mm.

[0055] With reference again more particularly to the Fig. 3 , the first plate element processing unit 20 1 also carries out first complementary processing operations which are carried out by tool devices associated with the third pair of rotating cylindrical shafts 202 1 . These first complementary processing operations comprise operations for cutting the body tab 33 2 of the P2 position and pre-upsetting operations for carrying out the pre-upsettings 36 of the future folding lines in the P1 and P2 positions.

[0056] A cutting device 52 1 , mounted on the tool holder shaft of the third pair of rotating cylindrical shafts 202 1 , is provided for performing the cutting operations of the body leg 33 2 on the proximal lateral edge 38 of the plate member. The cutting device 52 1 provides slanted cuts of the front and rear edges of the body leg 33 2 , as seen on the pre-shaped plate member 3 B0 at Fig. 3 .

[0057] A pre-upsetting device (not shown) is also mounted on the third pair of rotating cylindrical shafts 202 1 . This pre-upsetting device performs pre-upsetting operations 36 on the plate element. The plate element is thus partially crushed in thickness along continuous lines, in order to produce the folding lines in the poses P1 and P2. The pre-upsetting is adjusted with an upsetting rate TR, to obtain a pre-upset cardboard thickness E PR =TR.EN , with EN being the nominal thickness of the cardboard.

[0058] The second plate element processing unit 20 2 processes the plate element 3 B0 and outputs the shaped plate element 3 B visible to the Figs. 2 And 3The second plate member processing unit 20 2 supplements the processing operations performed in the first plate member processing unit 20 1 with further processing operations to complete the shaping of the plate member.

[0059] The second plate element processing unit 20 2 performs the front edge slits 34 1 and the rear edge slits 34 2 , as well as second complementary processing operations.

[0060] The front edge slits 34 1 and the rear edge slits 34 2 are cut respectively by suitable tools 53 2 and 51 2 , visible in the Fig. 3 , respectively equipping the fourth and second pairs of rotating cylindrical shafts 203 2 and 201 2 of the second plate element processing unit 20 2 . The tools 53 2 and 51 2 are carried respectively by rotating tool holder shafts (upper cylindrical shafts) of the fourth and second pairs of rotating cylindrical shafts 203 2 and 201 2 of the second plate element processing unit 20 2 , and are similar to the tools 51 1 and 53 1 , used for the center slits 34 12 .

[0061] The tools 51 2 and 53 2 are arranged and mounted on their respective rotary tool shafts in such a way that a length of the front and rear edge slits 34 1 and 34 2 can be set equal to half L / 2 of the length L of the central slits 34 12 . The length L / 2 of the front and rear edge slits 34 1 and 34 2 , between LO and LO / 2 depending on the length of the central slits 34 12 , is set by changing the angular position of the tools 51 2 and 53 2 , on their respective rotary tool shafts, so as to configure the unit 2 for different folding box formats.

[0062] The second complementary processing operations include operations for cutting the body tab 33 1 of the P1 set, final upsetting operations for completing the upsettings 36 of the fold lines in the P1 and P2 sets, a first body tab crushing operation, a second distal side edge crushing operation 39, and an edge cutting operation on a distal side edge 39 of the plate member. The second complementary processing operations use tool devices associated with the third pair of rotating cylindrical shafts 202 2 and the first pair of rotating cylindrical shafts 200 2 of the second plate member processing unit 20 2 .

[0063] A cutting device 52 2 , mounted on the tool holder shaft of the third pair of rotating cylindrical shafts 202 2 , is provided for performing the cutting operations of the body leg 33 1 on the proximal lateral edge 38 of the plate member. The cutting device 52 2 provides slanted cuts of the front and rear edges of the body leg 33 1 , as seen on the pre-shaped plate member 3 B at Fig. 3 .

[0064] A final upsetting device (not shown) is mounted on the third pair of rotating cylindrical shafts 202 2 . This final upsetting device complements the pre-upsetting operations carried out in the first plate element processing unit 20 1 in order to obtain a desired final value for the upsetting rate TR of the folding lines.

[0065] A first body tab crushing device (not shown) is mounted on the first pair of rotating cylindrical shafts 200 2 of the second plate element processing unit 20 2 . This first body tab crushing device crushes in thickness a proximal lateral strip of the plate element, at the proximal lateral edge 38, the width of this proximal strip being substantially equal to the width of the body tabs 33 1 and 33 2 . A second crushing device crushes in thickness a distal lateral strip of the plate element, at the distal lateral edge 39. The crushings of this proximal strip and this distal strip make it possible to obtain body tabs 33 1 and 33 2 and the opposite distal lateral edge 39 having a reduced thickness, in order to subsequently avoid an excess thickness in the folded assembly 4 (cf. Fig. 2 ), at the level of the gluing of the legs on the corresponding sides of the body.

[0066] The edge cutting operation on the distal side edge 39 of the plate element is performed by an edge cutter (not shown) installed in the second plate element processing unit 20 2 .

[0067] As visible at the Fig. 3 , the cutting unit 21 is located downstream of the second plate element processing unit 20 2 to receive the shaped plate element 3 B . The cutting unit 21 is typically a rotary cutter with cylindrical shafts. The cutting unit 21 outputs the plate element 3 C incorporating the attachment points 37 between the poses P1 and P2.

[0068] The plate element shaping unit 2 according to the present invention is designed with a modular approach. Indeed, the plate element shaping unit 2 is made by associating two similar plate element processing units which can be modular equipment of packaging manufacturing line.

[0069] The plate element shaping unit 2 according to the present invention is designed to allow maximum flexibility for the manufacture of folding boxes of different formats. By way of illustration, the Fig. 5 shows three shaped plate elements, FC1, FC2 and FC3, which can be produced with the plate element shaping unit 2 and correspond to folding boxes of different formats.

[0070] The FC1 and FC2 plate elements have different widths, 800 mm and 650 mm respectively, but with the same dimensions of the slots, 240 mm and 120 mm respectively for the central slots and the edge slots.

[0071] FC2 and FC3 plate elements have the same width of 650 mm, but with different sized slots, FC3 having central slots and edge slots of 160 mm and 80 mm respectively.

[0072] The association with the plate element shaping unit 2 of the cutting unit 21 makes it possible to form a plate element shaping assembly capable of providing a plate element, with two poses and their attachment points, ready to be folded and glued for the production of two folding boxes.

[0073] The shaping unit and the plate element shaping assembly according to the invention make it possible to substantially increase the production rate of folding boxes compared to the prior art.

[0074] The invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described herein by way of example. Those skilled in the art, depending on the applications of the invention, may make various modifications and variations falling within the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

1. Unit for forming a plate element (2) for continuous flow manufacturing of folding boxes (CA1, CA2) from plate elements (3), the plate elements (3) being successively inserted into the unit (2) and moving in a transport direction (FD), comprising pairs of rotary cylindrical shafts (2011, 2031, 2012, 2032), supporting forming tooling (511, 531, 512, 532), which forms the plate elements (4) using slitting, creasing and cutting operations, and a cutting unit (21), and in which the pairs of rotary cylindrical shafts (2011, 2031, 2012, 2032) and the cutting unit (21) engage to produce, in the formed plate element (3), first and second juxtaposed blanks of folding boxes (P1, P2), and comprising first and second plate element processing units (201, 202), associated in series, and having one same architecture with the pairs of shafts (2001 - 2031, 2002 - 2032), in which the first and second processing units (201, 202) each comprise four pairs of shafts (2001 - 2031, 2002 - 2032), aligned and disposed transversally with respect to the transport direction (FD), the first and second processing units (201, 202) being associated, so as to form an alignment of eight pairs of shafts (2001 - 2032), characterized in that in which two pairs of shafts (2011, 2031) of the first plate element processing unit (201) engage to produce, in each plate element (3), central slits (3412), aligned on a transverse central axis (AL) of the plate element (3), and two pairs of shafts (2012, 2032) of the second plate element processing unit (202) engage to respectively produce rear edge slits (342) of a rear blank (P2) and front edge slits (341) of a front blank (P1), and in which said shafts (2011, 2031, 2012, 2032) each only support slitting tooling (511, 531, 512, 532), and in which the angular position (a) of at least one of the shafts (2011, 2031, 2012, 2032) is adjustable with respect to the forward position in the transport direction (FD) of the plate element, and in which the first plate element processing unit (201) is arranged upstream of the second plate element processing unit (202) in the transport direction (FD).

2. Forming unit according to claim 1, wherein the cutting unit (21) comprises a perpendicular perforation strip of the transport direction, and which enables the first and the second juxtaposed folding box blanks (P1, P2) to be associated in series, and connected to one another by attachment points (37).

3. Forming unit according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a pair of shafts (2021) arranged so as to perform operations of cutting a box tab (332) of a rear blank (P2) and operations of pre-creasing folding lines (36) in the two blanks (P1, P2).

4. Forming unit according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a pair of shafts (2022) arranged so as to perform operations of cutting a box tab (331) of a front blank (P1) and operations of creasing folding lines (36) in the two blanks (P1, P2), and a pair of shafts (2302) arranged so as to perform operations of flattening the two blanks (P1, P2).

5. Forming unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second and fourth pairs of shafts (2011, 2031) of the first processing unit (201) engage to produce, in the processed plate element (3), central slits (3412), aligned on a longitudinal central axis (AL) of the processed plate element (3), the second pair of shafts (2011) comprising a tool supporting shaft, supporting first slitting tooling (511), arranged so as to produce first central slit portions (PR1), and the fourth pair of shafts (2031) comprising a tool supporting shaft, supporting second rotary tooling (531), arranged so as to produce second central slit portions (PR2), each central slit (3412) being formed from the combination of a first central slit portion (PR1) and of a second central slit portion (PR2) and having a length (L, LA, LB, LC) determined by a recutting zone between the first and second central slit portions (PR1, PR2), which is defined by angular position adjustments of the first and second rotary toolings (511, 531).

6. Forming unit according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a first box tab cutting device (521) mounted on a third pair of shafts (2021) of the first processing unit (201), the box tab cutting device (521) performing operations of cutting a first box tab (332) on a proximal side edge (38) of the processed plate element (3).

7. Forming unit according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a pre-creasing device mounted on the third pair of shafts (2021) of the first processing unit (201), the pre-creasing device performing pre-creasing operations on the processed plate element (3), in order to produce folding lines in the first and second folding box blanks (P1, P2).

8. Forming unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second pair of shafts (2012) of the second processing unit (202) comprises a tool supporting shaft, supporting third slitting tooling (512), arranged so as to produce rear edge slits (342) in the processed plate element (3), and the fourth pair of shafts (2032) of the second processing unit (202) comprises a tool supporting shaft, supporting fourth slitting tooling (532), arranged so as to produce front edge slits (341) in the processed plate element (3).

9. Forming unit according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a second box tab cutting device (522) mounted on the third pair of shafts (2022) of the second processing unit (201), the box tab cutting device (522) performing operations of cutting a second box tab (331) on the proximal side edge (38) of the processed plate element (3).

10. Forming unit according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a final creasing device mounted on the third pair of shafts (2022) of the second processing unit (202), the final creasing device performing final creasing operations (36) on the processed plate element (3), of folding lines in the first and second folding box blanks (P1, P2).

11. Forming unit according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an edge cutter in one of the first and second processing unit (201, 202) and arranged so as to perform an edge cutting operation on a distal side edge (39) of the processed plate element (3), in that the first pair of shafts (2001) of the first processing unit (201) comprises means for transporting the processed plate element (3), and in that the first pair of shafts (2002) of the second processing unit (202) comprises a flattening device, arranged so as to flatten, by thickness, a proximal side band and a distal side band of the processed plate element (3).

12. Forming unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cutting unit (21) is a rotary cutter with rotary cylindrical shafts.

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