Packaging machine and method for placing articles on preformed cartons - Patents.com

Abstract

A machine for packaging articles (15, 15') having a conveyor designed to feed preformed cartons (14) in a feed direction comprises means (11) for placing articles to be packaged on the cartons and movable article holding means (18, 19) for holding the articles during placement and limiting the speed of the articles to that of the cartons, the machine being characterized in that the placing means comprises a conveyor belt (11) for placement having at least one curved portion (12) designed to transport the articles along a curved path, and an alignment station (34) designed to place articles on the placement conveyor belt in a position that ensures that the articles are placed on the cartons in the correct position from the placement conveyor belt, the alignment means comprising a movable lower carriage (35) that moves transversely to the article feed direction and a conveyor belt (37) above the lower carriage designed to feed the articles in the article feed direction while they are on the movable lower carriage.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a packaging machine and a method for positioning articles to be packaged on the machine for packaging the articles in cartons. [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 creasing the carton, in particular starting from a continuous corrugated board web (folded on a reel or fan or produced in any other 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 goods 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.

[0004] In some of the existing machines, such as the machines mentioned in the above document, the solution adopted for positioning the articles on the cartons includes a conveyor belt arranged transversely to the carton feed direction. The need to position the articles to be packed in a precise position on the carton makes it necessary to use a mobile lower carriage on which a cross belt conveys the articles. The mobile lower carriage comprises a conveyor belt which is also movable transversely to the carton feed direction. The conveyor belt on the lower carriage conveys the articles to a position above (including inside) the carton by means of a holding element positioned by the machine such that the articles have a margin around it relative to the carton. The mobile lower carriage is initially positioned with one end on the holding element, where it receives the articles from the transverse conveyor belt and pushes them to the holding element with its own conveyor belt. The moving lower carriage then, still pushing the article into the holding element with its own conveyor belt, moves back transversely to the direction of the carton (e.g., below the transverse conveyor belt), placing the article on a third conveyor belt, which transports the article parallel to the carton proceeding through the machine below the third conveyor belt. The described system allows for accurate placement as the article is inserted transversely to the carton forming and packaging machine, and the carton follows a straight line path from cutting the corrugated web to closing the carton around the article. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [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]

[0006] However, the presence of a moving lower carriage, especially in a packaging machine, is structurally complex and slows down the feeding of articles into the cartons, reducing the productivity of the machine. It is therefore desirable to have a system for positioning articles and placing them on the cartons that does not stop the feeding of articles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] These objects are now achieved according to the invention by a machine for packaging articles, designed to feed preformed cartons in a feed direction, comprising means for placing the articles to be packaged on said cartons and movable article holding means for holding the articles during placement and limiting their speed to that of the cartons, said machine being characterized in that said placing means comprises a conveyor belt for placement having at least one curved portion for transporting the articles along a curved path, and an alignment station designed to place the articles on said placing conveyor belt in a position ensuring that the articles are placed on the carton in the correct position from the placing conveyor belt, said alignment means comprising a movable lower carriage moving transversely to the article feed direction and a conveyor belt on top of the lower carriage designed to feed the articles in the article feed direction while they are on the movable lower carriage.

[0008] The term "preformed carton" means a properly cut carton, having the appropriate creases for forming the package, and which may already be glued if appropriate, as in the case of the cartons described in the above mentioned documents. In particular, the term "preformed carton" means a carton at any stage of its forming, so that said carton may reach the point where the articles are already properly folded and placed.

[0009] 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]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of the entire machine according to the invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a detail of the machine of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a detail of the machine of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] A machine according to the invention is shown in FIG.

[0012] In this machine, a corrugated board web 1 is fed by commonly 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 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 for example be made according to the teachings of EP 3 464 073 A1.

[0013] According to a further aspect, this solution can be modified by doubling the number of cutting units. In this way, the transverse breaks of the transverse folds of the cartons produced according to the present 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 simultaneously positioned over the folds.

[0014] This is followed by a gluing station where adhesive is applied at the appropriate locations, and a folding station. In the illustrated case, the carton reaches position 7, where the article to be packaged is placed with the reinforcing flaps glued to the central part and with the side closure flaps open to allow placement of the article. The folding station may be similar to the one 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 suitable reopening means. This makes it possible to create a much simpler folding station, where the carton does not have to stop on the conveyor.

[0015] After the articles are placed on the carton, the carton and articles reach a further folding and gluing station 8 and a final closing station 9. The latter can be made as in EP 3464074. According to yet a further embodiment, the closing station can be manufactured on a moving lower carriage with a conveyor belt. In this way, the moving lower carriage allows the closing station to process the articles and cartons while they are stationary relative to the station, but without stopping their movement on the conveyor of the machine.

[0016] Further processing stations 10 may follow, for example for labelling.

[0017] According to the invention, the placement of the articles on the preformed carton takes place at point 7. The articles are transported by a placing conveyor belt so that they are on the conveyor along which the preformed carton is advancing. With reference to Figure 2, the placing conveyor belt 11 comprises a curved portion 12. The placing conveyor belt 11 may also comprise a final straight portion 13 which ends at point 7 for placing the articles on the carton.

[0018] It should be noted that the feeding direction of the carton 14 and the feeding direction of the articles 15 are the same at point 7. The straight section may have a slight downward inclination so that the thickness (in particular the diameter of the tension roller of the conveyor belt 16) is minimal near point 7 and the inclination of the articles is optimal to ensure that the article or its edge 17, whichever is more suitable, is placed on the carton as soon as the article leaves the conveyor belt. A holding element 18 mounted on a moving structure 19 may hold the article at point 7, where it leaves the conveyor belt, so that its edge 17 is aligned with the area of ​​the carton that must remain when packed, for example in line with the fold 21 constituting the fold that separates the side 20 and the bottom 22 of the carton when closed. As the carton advances, the holding element 18 accompanies the article at the same speed as the carton, thanks to the moving structure 19 which may advance in said feeding direction over a sufficient distance until the article has completely left the conveyor belt and is completely placed on the carton. Suitable lifting means 23 are designed to lift the holding element 18 and remove it as the cartons and articles move towards further processing stations. The mobile structure 19 may then proceed in the opposite direction to return the holding element 18 to point 7, where said holding element can be lowered by the lifting means to pick up the following article 15' and repeat the cycle. The mobile structure can be moved in a generally known manner, for example with the aid of a motorized undercarriage and hydraulic or pneumatic systems. The same applies to the means for lifting the holding element.

[0019] Fig. 1 shows a loading station where one or more workers can load the articles to be packaged onto the machine. According to a preferred embodiment, a double loading station is provided, assuming that the high-productivity machine is suitable for processing a large number of articles per unit of time, so that it may be necessary for two workers to load in parallel. The loaded articles are transported by the loading conveyor belts 6, 6'. The articles loaded onto the second loading conveyor belt 6' are then transferred by special means 5 onto the first loading conveyor belt 6, so that they can be alternated with the articles loaded there directly by one of the workers.

[0020] The means 5 may be of a commonly known type: for example a pair of push elements driven by a chain or belt system may push the articles sideways onto the loading conveyor belt 31, using a sensor that detects the presence of an article and moves the chain system.

[0021] The loading conveyor belt 6 with the articles loaded thereon (properly aligned) carries the articles to a measuring station 31 (also of a commonly known type) which measures the dimensions (generally three-dimensional) of each article. This data is used to form the individual cartons, which are made starting from material supplied by reels or fan-folded webs, based on the article measurements. This data is further used in an alignment station 34 to align the articles before the placing conveyor belt.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 3, alignment station 34 is designed to use measurements of each article to properly align, eg, precisely center, the articles relative to the curved conveyor belt.

[0023] As already mentioned, the station may comprise a mobile lower carriage 35. The lower carriage may proceed transversely to the article feed direction. A conveyor belt 37 on the lower carriage allows the articles to continue to proceed in the feed direction in the section between the loading conveyor belt 6 and the placing conveyor belt 11. The transverse movement of the lower carriage moves the article laterally from the position it occupies on the loading conveyor belt (which may for example be a lateral position relative to a lateral stop located along the side edge of the loading conveyor belt, where the article is placed by an operator or pushed by a push element as described above) to a position on the placing belt, for example in its center, allowing for reaching the placing point 7, where the cardboard is preferably cut (and also its width is reduced) and creased symmetrically relative to the conveyor, and thus also positioned centrally relative to the placing belt.

[0024] The placing belt comprises a curved portion 12. Curved conveyor belts are of a commonly known type. According to the invention, this feature allows the articles to be placed on the cartons in the same feeding direction as the cartons without the need to stop the cartons, despite the fact that the loading conveyor belts are oriented in a different direction (in particular transversely or laterally to the carton conveyor) and there are alignment stations that are not directly above the path of the cartons, thereby simplifying the machine structurally. Furthermore, points with right angle turns (which would require complex alignment systems as in the prior art) are avoided.

[0025] The placement conveyor belt comprises at least one curved portion. According to yet a further aspect of the invention, said belt comprises at least two curved portions 12 and 38 with opposite curvatures forming an S-shaped portion of the belt. In this way, as in the case illustrated in the figure, there can be a loading conveyor belt parallel to the carton conveyor, thus reducing the overall dimensions of the machinery.

[0026] The invention also relates to a method for placing articles on a preformed carton, in particular a method carried out in a machine as described.

Claims

1. 1. A machine for packaging articles (15, 15') having a conveyor designed to transport prefabricated cartons (14) in a feed direction, the machine comprising: placing means (11) for placing the articles to be packed on said prefabricated cartons; and movable means (18, 19) for holding said articles, designed to hold said articles during placing and to limit their speed to that of the prefabricated cartons, characterized in that said placing means comprises a placing conveyor belt (11) having at least one curved portion (12) designed to provide a curved path for said articles; and an alignment station (34) designed to enable said placement of said articles on said placing conveyor belt in such a position that said articles are placed on top of said prefabricated cartons in a suitable position from said placing conveyor belt, the alignment station comprising: a lower carriage (35) movable transversely to the feed direction of the articles; and a conveyor belt (37) of said lower carriage designed to transport said articles on top of said lower carriage movable in said feed direction of the articles.

2. 2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the placement conveyor belt comprises at least two curved portions (12, 36) having opposite curvatures.

3. 3. The machine according to claim 2, comprising one or more loading conveyor belts (6, 6') arranged parallel to the feeding direction of the erectable cartons.

4. Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the placement conveyor belt comprises a straight end portion (13).

5. 5. A method of placing an article on top of a knockdown carton comprising loading said article onto a machine device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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