Packing device

Abstract

To provide a packing device for producing a paper-made packed article such as a corrugated cardboard, especially a thin packed article with good quality.SOLUTION: A packing device which produces a packed article capable of storing an article, comprises: a box body conveyance part which conveys a rectangular parallelepiped box body opened at the upper side in a horizontal direction; a front and rear lids folding part which folds front and rear lids of four side surfaces of the box body in a conveyance direction; a right and left lids folding part which folds the right and left lids of the four side surfaces of the box body in the conveyance direction; a sealing part which seals folded end parts of the right and left lids; and right and left lids support parts that extend into the sealing part so as to support the right and left lids above the front and rear lids and below the right and left lids in the sealing process.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a packaging device for producing paper packages such as cardboard boxes, and particularly to a packaging device for producing thin packages. [Background technology]

[0002] With the expansion of Internet shopping and the exchange of goods between individuals, the number of orders for small items (books, supplements, etc.) and their packaging (also called wrapping) has increased dramatically.

[0003] In particular, demand is rapidly increasing due to the low fees for packages that are thick enough to fit through mailboxes and the convenience of being able to drop them in a mailbox without having to take them to a counter.

[0004] Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram of the process of manufacturing paper packages (also called cartons) such as cardboard. (a) Prepare a flat blank that is cut into a desired shape and has perforations for folding. This blank is preferably, but not limited to, a GF grade of corrugated cardboard.

[0005] (b) The center of this material is pressed down to create the bottom and four sides, forming a container (box) with an open top. Patent Document 1 is an example of a device that automates this process, and discloses a technology that automatically folds adjacent sides together to form a sturdy box.

[0006] (c) The boxes are continuously fed into an article input process, where the items to be packed in the boxes and the delivery note with the bar code (or product label) are manually input. This process may also be automated or performed by a robot.

[0007] (d) In the next process, the barcode on the delivery note is read. This is preferably done automatically using a laser scanner or the like, but a hand scanner may also be used. This reading process is carried out in order to reflect the presence or absence of an item and item information on the shipping note when items are randomly placed in an empty box and then lined up and sent to the next process in order. If the barcode cannot be read (including when the box is empty), the box is rejected manually or automatically.

[0008] (e) In the next packaging process, first, the two sides (front and back) of the box are folded along the perforations that make it easier to fold.

[0009] (f) Next, fold the other two sides (left and right sides) of the box in the same way along the perforations.

[0010] (g) Next, the adjacent left and right sides of the box are sealed by adhering them with adhesive tape or the like, completing the box shape.

[0011] (h) Next, a waybill is created that includes the barcode information that was previously read and delivery address information provided by a WMS (warehouse management system) or the like, and is affixed to the packaging box.

[0012] It should be noted that the flow of these operations is not limited to the above description, and various methods are possible. Also, it is possible to automate part or all of the series of operations.

[0013] For example, with regard to steps (e) to (g), Patent Document 2 discloses the technical concept of a sealing tape application device that folds a pair of inner flaps and a pair of outer flaps provided on a box body such as a cardboard box, and then applies a sealing tape across the pair of outer flaps.

[0014] According to this, a box (box body) with an open top, made of cardboard or the like, is fed into the device with its long side in the transport direction and its short side perpendicular to the transport direction, and after items are placed inside, the device automatically folds a pair of lids (inner flaps) in the short direction of the box body, and then automatically folds a pair of lids (outer flaps) in the long direction of the box body to complete the box, and the butt joints of the outer flaps are sealed with tape.

[0015] In particular, in Patent Document 2, in order to prevent the butted portions of the outer flaps from overlapping each other, the outer flaps are configured to be lifted and supported automatically by flap support members.

[0016] In addition, in the step (h), a labeling machine capable of printing and attaching labels, such as that sold by Lintec Corporation, may be used.

[0017] In this way, using conventional technology, it is now technically possible to form an open-topped box (container) from a paper blank such as cardboard, place items to be shipped inside the box, fold back the lid, seal the joint, and then print and affix labels such as waybills, making a significant contribution to labor savings in the logistics industry. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0018] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-123864 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-85856 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0019] However, the techniques described so far do not adequately address the growing need for thin packages (wrapped items).

[0020] In other words, when creating thin packages, the items to be stored in the thin packages are generally small and lightweight, so the boxes used are also lightweight and relatively weak, taking into consideration shipping costs, etc., and when the sides of the box are folded and sealed, the height of the remaining vertical part of the side is very small, so that the remaining part of the side can deform (buckle) due to the pressure applied when sealing, resulting in the finished package being unsuitable for practical use.

[0021] Incidentally, the support members for the outer flaps in Patent Document 2 are intended to prevent overlapping of the butted portions of the outer flaps, and are not intended to prevent deformation of the thin package.

[0022] The present invention is intended to solve the problems associated with the conventional technical concepts, and has as its object to provide a packaging device that can create paper packages such as cardboard boxes, particularly thin packages, with good quality. [Means for solving the problem]

[0023] In order to solve the above problems, a first aspect of the present invention is a packaging device that creates a package capable of containing an article, comprising: - a box transport unit that transports a rectangular parallelepiped box with an open top in a horizontal direction; -Front and rear lid folding sections for folding the front and rear lids in the conveying direction among the four sides of the box body; - a left and right lid folding section for folding the left and right lids in the conveying direction among the four side surfaces of the box body; - a sealing portion for sealing the folded ends of the left and right lids; - Left and right lid support parts are provided above the front and rear lids and below the left and right lids during the sealing process, and extend into the sealing part so as to support the left and right lids. The present invention is characterized by having the following.

[0024] Here, the material of the box is preferably made of paper such as cardboard, but is not limited to this, and may be any material that can be folded to form a box shape. Also, it is effective that the target package is thin, but is not limited to this.

[0025] Further, the box transport section preferably transports the boxes by bringing a roller conveyor into contact with the side surface of the box in the traveling direction, but other transport means such as a belt conveyor may also be used.

[0026] In addition, in order to complete the box body, the front and rear lid folding section folds the front and rear lids (also called flaps) in the transport direction, which have been made easier to fold using perforations or the like.It is preferable that the front lid is folded as the box body is transported using a front lid folding means which is an approximately flat plate and is provided at a predetermined height in the horizontal direction so as to face the transport direction.

[0027] For the rear lid, the folding means is preferably an arm-shaped folding member having an appropriate shape for completing the folding, which is rotated from above to below. The front lid folding means and the rear lid folding means are collectively referred to as the front and rear lid folding section.

[0028] In addition, it is preferable that the left and right lid folding sections in the conveying direction are configured so that after the front and rear lids are folded, the left and right lids, which have similarly been made easier to fold using perforations or the like, are folded using a pair (2) of rod-shaped guides that extend in the conveying direction and are arranged so that the gap between them gradually narrows.

[0029] The sealing unit seals the tip portions (seams) of both the left and right flaps by pulling out a roll of sealing tape (adhesive tape); this is also described as a tape application device in Patent Document 2, and is also in practical use in equipment from other manufacturers.

[0030] Although the hot melt method is also used for the sealing section, it has drawbacks such as a complicated mechanism, clogging of the spray nozzle, and contamination of the contents due to incorrect spraying, so the tape method is simpler and easier to introduce.

[0031] The left and right lid support portions are provided above the front and rear lids and below the left and right lids, i.e., between the front and rear lids and the left and right lids, and extend into the interior of the sealing portion so as to support the left and right lids when sealing.It is desirable for them to be thin metal plates strong enough to withstand the pressing force applied when sealing. Effect of the Invention

[0032] According to the present invention, a packaging device can be provided that can prevent the remaining portions of the sides of a box body from deforming when folding and sealing the sides of the box body to create thin packages, thereby producing packages with a good finish. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an overview of a packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a perspective view showing a front and rear lid folding section of a packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 4 is a perspective view showing the left and right lid folding units of the packaging device according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view showing a sealing unit 5 of a packaging device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 1 is an explanatory diagram of a process for producing a package. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] Hereinafter, a packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, the scope necessary for the explanation to achieve the object of the present invention will be shown diagrammatically, and the scope necessary for the explanation of the relevant parts of the present invention will be mainly explained, and the parts where explanation is omitted will be based on publicly known technology.

[0035] <Configuration> FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overview of a packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The packaging device 1, which creates packages capable of containing items, has a box transport section 2 that transports a rectangular box with an open top horizontally, a front and rear lid folding section 3 that folds the front and rear lids of the four sides of the box in the transport direction, a left and right lid folding section 4 that folds the left and right lids of the four sides of the box in the transport direction, and a sealing section 5 that seals the folded ends of the left and right lids.

[0036] Here, the box body conveying section 2 conveys the box body in a horizontal state in the direction of the arrow in the figure, and is configured to convey the box body by contacting the left and right side surfaces of the box body in the height area of ​​the remaining folded part using a pair of conveying belts wound around cylindrical rollers that can be rotated by a motor around a vertical axis provided on the left and right sides of the traveling direction.

[0037] The conveyor belt may be a pair of belts covering the entire area of ​​the packaging device 1, or may be divided into several pairs. Idle rollers are provided on the horizontal surface to ensure smooth conveyance. Although not shown, if necessary, a width adjustment mechanism may be provided before the box enters the conveyor belt, a detector for detecting the arrival or passage of the box may be provided, and a stopper or brake mechanism for stopping the box may be provided.

[0038] The front and rear lid folding sections 3 and the left and right lid folding sections 4 form a single block, and the block is fixed to a horizontal beam (not shown) that spans between a pair of pillars 6 on the left and right in the conveying direction, which are part of the structural body of the packaging device 1.

[0039] If the block is configured so that the horizontal beam can be moved up and down between the supports 6, it can accommodate boxes with different height dimensions.

[0040] The sealing section 5 also constitutes a single block, which is fixed to a horizontal beam (not shown) spanning between a pair of pillars 6 on the left and right sides of the conveying direction, which are part of the structural body of the packaging device 1.

[0041] If the block is configured so that the horizontal beam can be moved up and down between the supports 6, it can accommodate boxes with different height dimensions.

[0042] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the front and rear lid folding section 3 of the packaging device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The front and rear lid folding section 3 is made up of a front lid folding section 31 and a rear lid folding section 32. As shown in FIG.

[0043] Of these, a fixed horizontal plate 311 extending in the transport direction of the box body is used as the front lid folding section 31. By setting the position (height) of the horizontal plate 311 at a position linked to the folding height, the front lid is folded appropriately according to the box body as it is transported.

[0044] The rear cover folding unit 32 has a rotating arm 321, and the rear cover is folded by rotating the arm 321 from position A to position B shown in Fig. 1 using a drive mechanism (not shown). The height of the arm tip at position B is set to a position linked to the folding height, so that the rear cover is folded appropriately.

[0045] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the left and right lid folding section 4 of the packaging device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The left and right lid folding section 4 is made up of a left lid folding section 41 and a right lid folding section 42. As shown in FIG.

[0046] Both have their ends near the seam where the left and right lids are folded, and the left lid folding section 41 has its starting point extending left and upward from there on the rear side in the conveying direction, while the right lid folding section 42 has its starting point extending right and upward on the rear side in the conveying direction.At the starting points, the left and right lids are upright and the box body can enter without resistance, and as the box body is conveyed from there, it is gradually folded until it becomes an approximately sealed box shape as shown in the figure.

[0047] In addition, the front and rear lid folding parts 3 and the left and right folding parts 4 are provided at approximately the same position in the conveying direction, and therefore have shapes of members that do not interfere with each other.

[0048] 4 is a perspective view showing the sealing unit 5 of a packaging device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The sealing unit 5 is composed of a tape supply unit 52 that supplies sealing tape 51 (typically OPP tape made of polypropylene material coated with an adhesive, but is not limited to this, and may be craft tape, etc.), a first pressure roller 53 that presses the tape when the tape is applied to the box body, a second pressure roller 54, a tape cutter (not shown), and the like.

[0049] When applying the tape to the box, it is necessary to apply a strong pressure to prevent wrinkles, overlaps, missing tape, and peeling.

[0050] However, when doing so, particularly in the case of creating thin packages, the items to be stored in the thin packages are generally small in size and lightweight, so that the boxes used are also light in weight and relatively weak. Also, when the sides of the box are folded and sealed, the height of the remaining vertical portion of the side is very small, so that the remaining portion of the side may deform (buckle) due to the pressure applied when sealing, and the finished package may not be fit for practical use.

[0051] Therefore, in the present invention, the left and right lid support parts 6, which are made up of a left lid support part 61 and a right lid support part 62, extending from the front lid folding part 31 to the sealing part 5, are provided.

[0052] The left lid support portion 61 and the right lid support portion 62 are approximately horizontal thin metal plates, which extend into the interior of the sealing portion 5 below the left and right lids so as to support the lids when sealing.

[0053] Although the left lid support part 61 and the right lid support part 62 are described as extending from the front lid folding part 31, they may be provided as independent members. Also, the material and shape are not limited to those described above.

[0054] <Operation> The operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described. (a) Prepare a flat blank that is cut into a desired shape and has perforations for folding. This blank is preferably, but not limited to, a GF grade of corrugated cardboard.

[0055] (b) The center of this material is pressed down to create the bottom and four sides, forming a container (box) with an open top. Patent Document 1 is an example of a device (box making machine) that automates this process, and discloses a technology that automatically folds adjacent sides together to form a sturdy box.

[0056] (c) The boxes are continuously fed into an article input process, where the items to be packed in the boxes and the delivery note with the bar code (or product label) are manually input. This process may also be automated or performed by a robot.

[0057] (d) In the next process, the barcode on the delivery note is read. This is preferably done automatically using a laser scanner or the like, but a hand scanner may also be used. This reading process is carried out in order to reflect the presence or absence of an item and item information on the shipping note when items are randomly placed in an empty box and then lined up and sent to the next process in order. If the barcode cannot be read (including when the box is empty), the box is rejected manually or automatically.

[0058] It should be noted that the specific method of manufacturing the box and the method of loading the items in the processes up to this point may differ from those described above. Regardless of the method, it is sufficient that the box with the open top has the items (goods) to be delivered loaded into it and is then sent to the next process.

[0059] (e) The following steps are the operation of the packaging device of the present invention. When a rectangular box containing items and open at the top is placed on the packaging device, the box transport unit 2 grasps the left and right sides of the box in the moving direction and transports it forward, and at the first station, the front and rear lid folding unit 3, which folds the front and rear lids in the conveying direction, folds the front and rear lids at the perforations that make them easier to fold. Note that the means for making them easier to fold is not limited to perforations, and any means, such as pressing (crushing) them in advance, may be used.

[0060] The operation of the front lid folding portion 31 and the rear lid folding portion 32 of the front and rear lid folding portion 3 is as described above in the explanation of the configuration.

[0061] The front and rear cover folding section 3 may have a different configuration as long as the front and rear covers are folded automatically or manually.

[0062] (f) With the front and rear lids folded in the conveying direction, the left and right lids in the conveying direction are folded at the perforations by the left and right lid folding unit 4 in the same manner as the front and rear lids. Note that the means for making the lids easier to fold is not limited to perforations, and any means may be used, such as pressing (squashing) the lids in advance.

[0063] The left and right lid folding unit 4 operates in such a way that the left and right lids are gradually closed as the box body is transported by the action of the members described in the configuration.

[0064] In the above description, the order of operations is such that the front and rear lids are folded before the left and right lids are folded. However, as shown in FIG. 1, the front and rear lid folding section 3 and the left and right lid folding section 4 may be provided in approximately the same position (station) structurally, and it is sufficient that the front and rear lids and the left and right lids are folded using a structure and operation that avoids mutual interference.

[0065] In addition, the left and right lid folding sections 4 may be configured differently from those described above, and the lid is not limited to being closed as the box body is transported, but may be closed by a different means for closing the lid.

[0066] (g) The box transport section 2 transports the box to the next station (sealing section 5). In the sealing section 5, both ends of the left and right flaps of the box are sealed with sealing tape 51 as the box is transported.

[0067] When applying the sealing tape 51 to the box body, in order to seal it correctly and beautifully, it is necessary to press the sealing tape 51 firmly against the box body using the first pressure roller 53 and the second pressure roller 54, etc., and this may damage the finish of the package.

[0068] Therefore, between the front and rear lids and the left and right lids, a support section (the left and right lid support section 6 consisting of the left lid support section 61 and the right lid support section 62) is provided that extends from the front lid folding section 31 into the sealing section 5, preventing strong pressure from being applied to the box body, and improving the finished state of the package with the box body sealed. This completes the operation of the packaging device, and the box is sent to the next process.

[0069] (h) The next process is a labeling device (also called a labeler or labeling machine) that affixes a label (waybill) to the package. It is preferable that the package is automatically fed into the labeling device, but it may also be fed to the labeling device by hand, robot, conveyor, unmanned guided vehicle, etc. This allows a waybill (label) containing delivery information to be affixed, and the package is sent to the next process (delivery preparation, etc.).

[0070] In this way, according to the packaging system including the packaging device of the present invention, the processes of making the box, placing the items into the box, sealing the box, and attaching labels to the completed packages are all carried out in a consistent manner, and the finish is particularly good for thin packages, which is highly effective in improving the efficiency of logistics operations. [Industrial Applicability]

[0071] The packaging device according to the present invention can complete paper packages, especially thin packages, for which demand is increasing, with good quality. In addition, since the package can be manufactured industrially and can be traded commercially, the invention has economic value and can be used industrially. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1 Packaging equipment 2 Box transport section 3 Front and rear lid folding parts 4. Left and right lid folding parts 5 Sealing Department 6 pillars

Claims

[Claim 1] - a box transport unit that transports a rectangular box with an open top in a horizontal direction; - front and rear lid folding parts for folding the front and rear lids in the conveying direction among the four side surfaces of the box body; - a left and right lid folding section for folding the left and right lids in the conveying direction among the four side surfaces of the box body; - a sealing portion for sealing the folded ends of the left and right lids; - right and left lid support parts extending into the sealing part so as to support the left and right lids above the front and rear lids and below the left and right lids during the sealing; A packaging device that creates a package capable of containing an item having the above structure.

Images