Packaging machine having a station for folding and closing preformed cartons and method thereof - Patents.com

Abstract

A machine for packaging articles (15, 15') in preformed cartons (18) has a conveyor (19) placed on top of the cartons and for advancing the cartons with the articles partially enclosed by the cartons, and is provided with a closing station, the closing station having first folding means (24) designed in particular to lift a first side wall of the carton arranged transversely to the carton advance direction (A) so that it is positioned relative to the articles, in particular towards the rear of the articles relative to the carton advance direction, the closing station being movable parallel to the carton advance direction, the closing station being characterized in that it is integral with a sliding surface (20) parallel to the machine surface (26) on which the carton advances. A packaging method using the machine described above.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a packaging machine apparatus including a station for folding and closing a preformed carton, and to a method for folding and closing a carton. [Background technology]

[0002] Various types of cartons suitable for packaging and effectively protecting articles are generally known. A particularly advantageous example from these points of view is described in the application EP 3093246 filed in the name of the applicant. Said cartons can be made to the dimensions of the individual articles by a packaging machine apparatus comprising means for measuring the articles to be packaged and for cutting and scoring the carton, in particular starting from a continuous corrugated board web (folded on a reel or fan or produced in any generally known manner), and means for making dies and for positioning the articles on the carton once properly folded and glued, and then closing said carton around the articles. The cutting and creasing are carried out according to the measurements of the articles obtained using suitable means, the articles are placed on the cut and folded carton, which is then closed around the articles by further folding and gluing operations. Human involvement is limited to the loading of the individual articles onto the conveyor belt of the machine.

[0003] Machines of this type are described in the applications EP 3 463 844 A, EP 3 464 085 A and EP 3 464 086 A and in the patents EP 3 464 074 A and EP 3 464 073 A, filed in the name of the applicant, which relate to various solutions suitable therefor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] European Patent Application Publication No. 3093246 [Patent Document 2] European Patent Application Publication No. 3463844 [Patent Document 3] European Patent Application Publication No. 3464085 [Patent Document 4] European Patent Application Publication No. 3464086 [Patent Document 5] European Patent No. 3464074 [Patent Document 6] European Patent No. 3464073 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In particular, specifications EP 3 464 086 and EP 3 464 074 respectively describe folding and closing stations explicitly designed for packaging articles in cartons according to EP 3 093 246. These folding and closing stations require that the articles are stationary relative to the machine during processing at these stations. The cartons and the articles to be packaged are moved by a conveyor unit, usually comprising a conveyor belt on which the bottom of the carton rests and which feeds the carton along the machine. Thus, in existing machines, several independent sections of the conveyor belt are employed, in particular a first folding zone of the folding station, where the side closure walls and the folding tabs (which must be glued to the top of the carton) are folded around the articles to be packaged, and a section resulting from the application of glue to the tabs, in which the cartons advance and where the glueing and folding means work in cooperation with the supply of cartons that does not stop here, and a second section corresponding to a second folding zone, where the cartons must be kept stationary relative to said zone during their processing (enclosing the articles by the third side wall and top). Finally, there is a further section corresponding to a closing station, where a stop of the carton is also required, where the cartons are lifted and glue is applied to the carton walls behind the articles relative to the carton feed direction. This requires a long stop. The independent conveyor belt sections allow other cartons to move in other parts of the machine, including being there during the stops between these stages. However, in the most advanced machines of this type, the need to stop the cartons, especially at the closing station, when the operating speed during the other stages is high causes a significant limit to the hourly productivity that can be achieved. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The above mentioned drawbacks are currently overcome according to the invention by a machine for packaging articles in preformed cartons, comprising a conveyor for feeding the cartons with the articles placed on top of and partially surrounded by the cartons, said machine comprising a closing station, which closing station has in particular first folding means designed to lift a first side wall of the carton so that it is positioned against the articles, said side wall being arranged transversely to the carton feed direction, in particular behind the articles with respect to the carton feed direction, characterized in that said closing station can be moved parallel to the carton feed direction.

[0007] According to a preferred embodiment, the closing station also has means for applying adhesive to said side walls, in particular associated with the first folding means, and according to a further embodiment, said station comprises second folding means designed to press the closure flap against said side walls.

[0008] According to a further aspect, the machine also comprises a folding station having a folding zone with third folding means arranged opposite the first side wall, more particularly with respect to the articles, in front of the articles with respect to the carton feed direction, designed to lift up a second side wall of the carton and fold a top wall hinged to the second side wall onto the articles, said folding zone being movable parallel to the carton feed direction.

[0009] The present invention also relates to a method of packaging articles in a carton, the method comprising the steps of: feeding cartons containing partially enclosed articles in a feed direction by a conveyor; gripping the carton by a folding means and optionally applying adhesive by a closing station; moving the closing station during the gripping phase in the carton feeding direction such that the carton being fed and the station are in a stationary position relative to each other; releasing the carton closed by said means; moving the closing station in a direction opposite to the carton feed direction to return said station to its original position; Includes.

[0010] The invention will now be better explained by illustrating preferred embodiments thereof, given as examples, without limiting the scope of protection of this patent, in particular with reference to the drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an entire machine for forming cartons and packaging articles according to the invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the closing station during closure and gluing of the cartons. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the closing station after releasing the closed carton. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 shows diagrammatically a further view of a closing station with first folding means and glue application means for processing cartons. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] A machine according to the invention is shown in FIG.

[0013] In this machine, the corrugated board web 1 is fed by generally known means, either on a reel or folded into a fan shape, or made in another suitable way, for example as described in application EP 3529050 or IT 102018000009606. A first cutting station 2 separates rectangular sections from the web for the creation of cartons following a further forming step. The cartons proceed on a suitable conveyor (of a generally known kind) and reach a creasing station 3 designed to create suitable creases both longitudinally and transversely relative to the carton feed direction. A second cutting station 4 is designed to perform a series of cuts. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said cutting station may be made, for example, according to the teachings of EP 3464073. According to a further embodiment, this solution may be modified by doubling the number of cutting units. In this way, the transverse cuts of the transverse creases of the cartons produced according to this invention may be made in a single step instead of two, eliminating the need to slow down or stop the carton during its formation. Obviously it should be possible to simultaneously space the various cutting units in an appropriate manner so that they are positioned above the folds at the same time.

[0014] This is followed by a gluing station 16 where adhesive is applied at the appropriate locations, and a folding station 17. The folding station may be similar to that described in one of the above mentioned applications, or it may be made such that it closes all the reinforcing and closure flaps and then reopens the side closure flaps with appropriate reopening means. This makes it possible to create a much simpler folding station where the carton does not have to stop on the conveyor. The carton reaches position 7, where the article to be packaged 15, 15' is placed with the reinforcing flaps glued to the central part and the side closure flaps open to allow the placement of the article.

[0015] The articles may come from a loading station comprising one or more loading belts 6, 6' on which the articles may be loaded by a worker. In the illustrated case there are two loading belts. The articles on the second belt are pushed by suitable means 5 onto the first belt, alternating with the articles loaded directly onto the first belt. A measuring structure 13 measures the position and dimensions of the articles. This data is used to size the carton according to the dimensions of the articles. An alignment system 14 centres the articles appropriately and they move onto a conveyor belt 35 which places the articles on the preformed carton at point 7. The loading and placement of the articles may also be performed in another generally known manner.

[0016] After the articles are placed on the carton, the carton reaches a further folding (and gluing station) 8 as well as a final closing station 9. The final closing station may be followed by further processing stations 10, for example for labelling.

[0017] As mentioned above, the cartons may be made, for example, as described in EP 3093246. However, the machine and method according to the invention is not limited to application to this type of carton, and may be used with other types of cartons having suitable characteristics.

[0018] With reference to FIG. 2, one can see a carton 18 being moved by a suitable conveyor 19 (of a commonly known type) that moves the carton by friction, for example a conveyor belt located underneath the carton.

[0019] The carton encloses the items to be packaged.

[0020] The second folding means 21 (lowered onto the carton) is visible, as is the stop means 22 which holds the carton in position relative to the folding station. A lateral opening 23 is also visible on the first movable sliding surface 20.

[0021] The lateral opening allows the entry of the first folding means 24 during the phase when they are not engaged with the carton, through which the first means may leave the first movable sliding surface 20 in order to process the carton, as shown in figure 4. In the manufacture of the folding station all the solutions described in EP 3464074 can be adopted. The invention, according to one of its aspects, may differ from those described herein only with regard to the features specified below.

[0022] Instead of being fixed relative to the rest of the machinery, the first moveable slide surface 20 is designed to advance in the same feed direction as the carton, as shown in the figure by arrow A.

[0023] It may be parallel to the machine surface 26 and point downwards through a window made in the machine surface, said window having a side indicated at 25, which essentially gives continuity to the surface and also allows the closing station to proceed. The first sliding surface may be mounted on a lower carriage which is moved into the interior of the machine in a generally known manner (via a motor and electric transmission, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders or in other ways). The opening 23, like all the structures of the folding station, is integral with the first sliding surface, said sliding surface being movable between a first position in the direction of the origin of the carton carried by the conveyor belt 19, and a second position in the direction in which the carton leaves the folding station. The conveyor belt may continue to proceed uninterrupted in the feed direction, but the folding station in the first position receives the carton and fixes it with a stop means 22, essentially as described in EP 3464074. The first sliding surface advances at the same speed as the conveyor belt 19, which moves the carton 18 in the same direction while remaining stationary relative to the belt during all the closing steps, including the first folding means leaving through the opening 23, the carton side walls being lifted, adhesive being applied by means 27 in FIG. 4, and the closure flaps of the carton being closed by the second folding means. Once these steps are completed, the carton is released by the folding means and the stop means, the first folding means retreats through the opening 23 under the first sliding surface, and the first sliding surface may advance from the second position (reached by advancing in the carton feed direction) to the first position, where it may receive another carton to be closed. Meanwhile, the just-closed carton may continue to advance towards a further processing step or until it leaves the machine.

[0024] A further difference with respect to EP 3464074 is that a different solution can be adopted for the conveyor, since the cartons no longer need to stop moving, which no longer requires sections, since it is preferable to move the cartons at a constant speed over all stages. For example, the same conveyor belt 18 can be used upstream and downstream of the closing station. To pass through the opening 23, the belt can be entered by an end return roller 28. It can be made to extend under the first movable sliding surface 20 and under all the support and moving structures of the first closing means, by one or more tension rollers supported integrally on the moving sliding surface, in particular on the lower carriage supporting said sliding surface. In this way, while the first movable sliding surface translates towards the second position, the conveyor belt is mutually stationary with it, and the sliding surface is free to proceed towards the machine or remains mutually stationary with the machine, which allows the belt to continue its movement without interference.

[0025] Other solutions are also possible, for example two different conveyor belt sections. In this case the progression of the first moving slide must be taken into account, allowing the belt to cover different lengths over the surface of the machine and the slide. For example, it will generally be necessary to provide a tensioning system on the first moving slide or below the machine, such as a moving roller or other system. This solution may also allow the carton speed to be changed, if desired, for example depending on the dimensions.

[0026] According to one aspect of the invention, upstream of the closing station, the machine has a folding station with a folding zone as described above. It can be manufactured in the same way as the second folding zone described in EP 3 464 086 A1, except that it is integrally attached to the second movable sliding surface. As can be seen in figures 2 and 3, the second folding zone 30 is characterized by a third folding means 32, which is only partially shown. It is integral with a second movable sliding surface 31, which may also face the first sliding surface, from the surface 26 of the machine. In this case, in contrast to the prior art, said conveyor unit, in particular the conveyor belt 19, may extend over the folding zone proceeding at the same speed as the belt while the carton is engaged with the folding means, and then, as soon as the carton is released, is returned to the starting end to repeat the process.

Claims

1. 1. A machine for packaging articles (15, 15') in preformed cartons (18), comprising a conveyor (19) for preparing said cartons to advance with articles placed on and partially enclosed by said cartons, and comprising a closing station for closing, said closing station comprising first folding means (24) designed to lift a first side wall of the carton arranged transversely to a direction of advancement (A) of the carton upwards towards the articles and towards the rear of the articles relative to said direction of advancement of the carton, characterized in that said closing station can be moved parallel to said direction of advancement of the carton.

2. 2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the closing station also comprises means, associated with the first folding means, for applying an adhesive (27) to the first side wall.

3. 3. Machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the closing station comprises second folding means (21) designed to press a carton closure flap against the first side wall.

4. A machine apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a folding station having a folding zone (30) including a third folding means (31) designed to lift a second side wall of the carton opposite the first side wall, positioned in front of the article with respect to the traveling direction of the carton, relative to the article and to fold a top wall hinged to the second side wall onto the article, wherein the folding zone can be moved parallel to the traveling direction of the carton.

5. 5. A machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the closing station is integral with a sliding surface (20) which can be moved in the direction of travel of the carton, parallel to a surface (26) of the machine over which the carton travels.

6. 1. A method of packaging articles in a carton, comprising the steps of: advancing the carton containing the partially enclosed article in a forward direction by a conveyor; gripping said carton by a folding means and optionally applying adhesive by a closing station for closure; moving the closing station in the direction of travel of the carton while gripping the carton such that the carton and the closing station are in stationary positions relative to each other; releasing the carton by the folding means; moving the closing station in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the carton to return the closing station to its original position; A method comprising:

Images