Punch for forming boxes and / or trays with an upper perimeter flap

Abstract

The present invention relates to a punch for a forming machine for forming boxes / trays (30) with an upper perimeter flap (32). The punch (1) moves in a main direction (D1) and comprises an upper assembly (10) and a lower assembly (20) that move relative to each other in a secondary direction (D2). The lower assembly (20) comprises first and second stops (22a, 22b) with recesses (23). The upper assembly (10) comprises additional movement means; a frame (11) to which are joined, by means of joining means (13), first and second plates (12a, 12b) that are housed in the recesses (23) during the movement of the upper assembly (10); and third plates (12c) with a chamfered stop (15). The plates comprise height-adjusting means (14) which, in conjunction with the joining means (13), allow the relative position of the plates (12a, 12b, 12c) to be adapted with respect to the frame (11), adapting the size and shape of the punch (1).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] BOX AND / OR TRAY FORMING MALE WITH UPPER PERIMETER FLAP

[0003] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention belongs to the technical field of manufacturing boxes and / or trays such as, for example, cardboard boxes and / or trays.

[0005] More specifically, it refers to a box and / or tray forming male with a top perimeter flap.

[0006] TECHNICAL PROBLEM AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0007] In the current state of the art, various machines are used for forming cardboard boxes / trays. These machines incorporate an input area for die-cut cardboard sheets (from which the boxes / trays are obtained) and a system for conveying said sheets to a forming area containing: at least one forming die (whose configuration determines the size and shape of the box / tray) located in a resting position at an upper level, above the die-cut sheet; and at least one forming mold located in a lower area, below the sheet, and in the same vertical alignment as the die.

[0008] When the die is activated, it moves vertically toward the mold, pressing on the sheet placed between the die and the mold. It pushes it downward into the mold, forming the shape of the box / tray. During the box / tray forming process, glue is first applied to specific sections of the sheet from which the cardboard box / tray is formed.

[0009] When these cardboard box / tray forming machines are used to form small products of various sizes and shapes, they are not very versatile when it comes to adapting the different mechanisms responsible for assembling the boxes / trays. Therefore, it is very important to equip the machines with means that allow for adjustment and adaptation of these mechanisms to manufacture boxes / trays in different formats.

[0010] On the other hand, cardboard boxes / trays with a top perimeter flap at the mouth have been around for a long time, but only now, in light of the social rejection of some materials such as plastic, are they becoming increasingly popular in the food distribution sector. Current sealing technologies allow for the creation of boxes / trays that can be sealed with a sealing film or sheet over the top perimeter flap, creating a hermetic seal. The cardboard can also be coated with a waterproof material to allow for use with moist / hydrated products such as meat, fish, etc.

[0011] In all known box / tray forming machines, the box / tray is formed by pressing the die, preferably cardboard, against the die (as the die moves downward in a main direction until it enters the mold). Additionally, the machines generally have four press mechanisms with respective bearing plates, each configured to form a side wall of the box / tray. Some boxes / trays have side walls with specific inclinations, which requires adapting the forming machines by changing the bearing plates, which are usually fixed elements and are usually made of polymeric materials such as Teflon, polyamides, etc.

[0012] Document ES1273399Y1 discloses a box-forming machine, preferably cardboard boxes of the type with a truncated-pyramidal configuration formed by a bottom, two first side walls and two second side walls (all four) converging towards the bottom, and an upper perimeter flap around the mouth of the box. The upper perimeter flap is formed by portions that are a continuation of the side walls and said upper perimeter flap is configured to be able to glue a closing lid to the mouth in order to preserve the product contained inside the box. The described machine comprises a die arranged in a folding and assembly station where the die comprises a lower sector, in accordance with the interior space of the box to be formed, and an upper sector configured to be connected to a drive means of the machine.The upper section comprises a fixed frame and a movable frame, configured to move relative to the lower section. This movable frame allows the box to be assembled by pressing part of the cardboard sheet onto the edges of the dies of side presses to form the upper perimeter flap. This operation is performed by lowering the movable frame with the die in its maximum insertion position within the machine's folding and assembly station (i.e., in the lower position).

[0013] This document represents an initial improvement to existing equipment, allowing the die to perform an additional operation (in addition to longitudinal movement in one main direction to enter the mold) to form the upper perimeter flap of the box. However, the machine described has a significant technical problem: it cannot be adapted to different models of boxes / trays to be formed, and the entire die must be replaced when changing the type of box / tray to be formed. The need for different frames for each application leads to increased costs, work limitations, and difficulties associated with the manufacture and storage of different frames and the need to change frames on each occasion.

[0014] DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The present invention describes a box and / or tray forming die with an upper perimeter flap, which is preferably installed in a box and / or tray forming machine. The advantage of this die is that it allows for more effective and versatile folding of an upper perimeter flap on the box / tray to be formed when installed in a box / tray forming machine. To this end, the die comprises a plurality of adjustable elements that allow adaptation to different shapes and sizes of boxes / trays to be formed. This avoids the need to change the die in the forming machine every time the model or size of the box / tray to be formed is changed.

[0016] The die is movable in a primary direction and comprises an upper assembly and a lower assembly, connected so that they can be moved relative to each other in a secondary direction. The lower assembly has a body that, when the die is installed in a box and / or tray forming machine, determines the shape and size of the box / tray receptacle to be formed when the die moves in a primary direction. Furthermore, the lower assembly comprises first and second stops with recesses. The stops are configured to form a top flap on the box / tray when the die is installed in a box and / or tray forming machine.

[0017] The upper assembly comprises additional movement means configured to drive the upper assembly in a secondary direction to move said upper assembly closer to / further from the lower assembly. This secondary direction coincides with the primary direction. Thus, when the die is installed in a forming machine and the machine is in operation, the die moves in the primary direction toward a sheet from which the box / tray is formed. When it has reached its maximum travel (in cases where the first direction is vertical, the die is in its lowest position), the upper assembly then moves in the secondary direction toward the lower assembly.

[0018] The upper assembly also comprises a frame, to which first and second plates are attached, which are parallel in pairs and which, during the movement of the upper assembly, are housed, at least partially, in the recesses of the stops. Preferably, the first and second plates comprise projections, and said projections are those that are housed in the recesses of the stops of the lower assembly.

[0019] Likewise, the upper assembly comprises third plates arranged in chamfered areas between the first and second plates. When the die is installed in a box and / or tray forming machine, these third plates allow the corners / chamfers of an upper perimeter flap of the box / tray to be formed to be glued. The third plates comprise a lower section containing a chamfer stop. This chamfer stop is what, when the die is installed in a box and / or tray forming machine, comes into contact with the sheet from which the box / tray is formed. In order to adapt the die to different shapes and sizes, the plates comprise height adjustment means and joining means, by combining which the height at which the plates are joined to the die frame can be selected and modified.

[0020] The present invention also encompasses a box and / or tray forming machine comprising a die as described.

[0021] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0022] To complete the description and in order to help better understand the characteristics of the invention, a set of drawings is attached to this specification, as an integral part thereof, in which the following has been represented for illustrative and non-limiting purposes:

[0023] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the male of the invention.

[0024] Figure 2 shows the male (1) installed in a box and / or tray forming machine (not shown) forming a tray with an octagonal prismatic configuration receptacle.

[0025] Figures 3A-3B show front views of the male with the upper assembly in a first position and with the upper assembly in a second position respectively.

[0026] Below is a list of the different elements represented in the figures:

[0027] 1 : male; 2: fixed frame; 3: upper male frame; 4: columns; D1 : main direction; D2: secondary direction; 10: upper assembly; 11 : frame; 12a: first plate; 12b: second plate; 12c: third plate; 13: upper joining means; 14: height adjustment means; 15: chamfer stop; 20: lower assembly; 21 : body; 22a: first stop; 22b: second stop; 23: recess; 24: lower joining means; 30: tray; 31 : cavity; 32: flap DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The present invention should not be limited to the embodiment described herein. Other configurations may be realized by those skilled in the art in light of this description. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is defined by the following claims.

[0029] Figure 1 represents a view of the die (1) of the invention that solves the previously mentioned limitations of the dies of the box and / or tray forming machines. In addition, the die (1) simplifies the forming machine in which it is installed since, as it can be adapted to different sizes and / or shapes of boxes / trays to be formed, the rest of the folding and gluing devices of the machine can be regulated independently. This simplifies the chassis and improves the versatility of both the die and the equipment itself, having a wide range of geometries that can be materialized with a single piece of equipment.

[0030] The boxes / trays (30) that are formed with the male (1) are of the type that comprise at least one receptacle (31) and an upper perimeter flap (32) on the upper perimeter of the mouth of the receptacle (31).

[0031] The present invention relates to a die (1) for forming boxes and / or trays with an upper perimeter flap from a die-cut sheet. The die (1) can be moved in a main direction (D1) and comprises:

[0032] - a lower assembly (20) with:

[0033] • a body (21) (which determines the shape and size of the receptacle (31) of the box / tray (30) to be formed); and

[0034] • first and second stops (22a, 22b) comprising recesses (23);

[0035] - an upper assembly (10), connected to the lower assembly (20) with the possibility of relative movement between both, where said movement occurs in a secondary direction (D2) coinciding with the main direction (D1) and comprising:

[0036] • additional moving means configured to regulate the relative movement of the upper assembly (10) with respect to the lower assembly (20); • a frame (11) to which first and second plates (12a, 12b) are attached, which plates are parallel in pairs, and which during the movement of the upper assembly (10) are housed, at least partially, in the recesses (23) of the first and second stops (22a, 22b), such that they can move through said recesses (23) when the upper assembly (10) moves in the secondary direction (D2) approaching the lower assembly (20);

[0037] • third plates (12c) arranged in chamfered areas between the first plates (12a) and the second plates (12b) and where said third plates (12c) comprise a lower section in which there is a chamfered stop (15);

[0038] • and where the plates (12a, 12b, 12c) comprise height adjustment means (14) and are joined to the frame (11) by means of joining means (13) which, in combination with the height adjustment means (14) allow the relative position of the plates (12a, 12b, 12c) to be adapted with respect to the frame (11), thus allowing the male (1) to be adapted to different size and shape configurations which, in turn, allow obtaining boxes / trays with different sizes and shapes.

[0039] Figure 2 shows an embodiment in which the male (1) has been installed in a machine for forming boxes and / or trays (not shown) and is being used to form a tray (30) with a receptacle (31) of octagonal prismatic configuration and with an upper perimeter flap (32).

[0040] Figures 3A-3B show front views of the male (1), in which the upper assembly (10) and the lower assembly (20) can be seen, in which the upper assembly (10) is in a first position and in a second position respectively where, in the second position, the upper assembly (10) has moved in a secondary direction (D2) approaching the lower assembly (20) such that the plates (12a, 12b) have moved through the recesses (23) of the corresponding stops (22a, 22b).

[0041] Figure 2 shows an embodiment in which the male (1) can be seen and a tray (30) formed by said male (1) installed in a box and / or tray forming machine, also object of the invention, which has not been represented. As can be seen, in said figure 3, the male (1) has been used for the formation of a tray (30) with a receptacle (31) with octagonal prismatic configuration and with upper perimeter flap (32).

[0042] When the male (1) is installed in a box and / or tray forming machine and moves in the main direction (D1), the lower assembly (20) is the first to come into contact with the sheet from which the box / tray is formed. When the lower assembly (20) moves in the main direction (D1) and pushes the sheet that will form the box / tray such that said lower assembly (20) performs the bending, giving the sheet the shape of the box / tray.

[0043] The stops (22a, 22b) of the lower assembly (20) have been designed such that the sections of the sheet that are going to remain inside the box / tray (30) (that is, forming the receptacle (31)) are bent before the sections of the sheet that are going to remain outside said box / tray (30) forming the upper perimeter flap (32). To this end, the stops (22a, 22b) have been designed and installed in shape and height to fix, when the mold (1) is installed in a box and / or tray forming machine, with the help of a counter mold or female of the corresponding forming machine, the position of the upper perimeter flap (32).

[0044] As previously described, the lower assembly (20) comprises a body (21), and said body (21) comprises at least four sides, parallel two by two, these being two first sides and two second sides. In the embodiment of the invention, the first sides are shorter than the second sides. Preferably, the stops (22a, 22b) of the lower assembly (20) are arranged in correspondence with the sides of the body (21) such that the lower assembly (20) comprises at least first stops (22a) arranged on the first sides and second stops (22b) arranged on the second sides. Thus, the lower assembly (20) comprises at least two pairs of stops (22a, 22b), facing each other two by two. These stops (22a, 22b) are attached to the body (21) of the lower assembly (20) by means of mechanical fasteners (24) in a removable manner such that they can be changed if necessary.

[0045] In the embodiments in which the body (21) is octagonal prismatic and the box / tray (30) to be formed therefore has a receptacle with eight sides, to form the flap (32) in the chamfered areas (joining areas between the first sides and the second sides), the male (1) comprises, in the upper assembly (10), third plates (12c) arranged in chamfered areas between the first plates (12a) and the second plates (12b) and said third plates (12c) comprise a lower section in which there is a chamfered stop (15). Preferably the chamfered stops (15) have a wedge-shaped configuration.

[0046] The chamfer stops (15), in the embodiments in which the male (1) is installed in a box and / or tray forming machine, contact the cardboard sheet from which the box / tray is formed, with a certain inclination, exerting pressure on the sheet in proportion to the movement of the upper assembly (10) in the secondary direction (D2) towards the lower assembly (20). In the lowest position of the upper assembly (10) the chamfer stops (15) will press the entire surface of the sheet corresponding to the flap in the chamfer area. In an exemplary embodiment two third plates (12c) are arranged in each chamfer area (therefore there are four pairs of third plates (12c)).Each of said third plates (12c) in turn has a chamfer stop (15) such that each chamfer stop (15) comes into contact with an area of ​​the sheet in which a drop of glue has previously been applied (for joining the parts of the sheet that make up the flap (32)) to ensure uniform distribution.

[0047] The male (1), as described, has the possibility of relative movement of the upper assembly (10) with respect to the lower assembly (20). When the male (1) is installed in a box and / or cardboard tray forming machine, after moving in the main direction (D1) towards the sheet, pressing it, and being in the maximum lower position having formed the receptacle (31) of the box / tray (30), the upper assembly (10) moves in the second direction (D2) towards the lower assembly (20) such that the plates (12a, 12b, 12c) come into contact with the sheet forming the perimeter flap (32) of the box / tray (30).

[0048] In this regard, it should be noted that, to ensure proper bonding of the corresponding sections of the sheet for forming the box / tray, the entire bonding surface must be covered. Therefore, by adjusting the position of the plates (12a, 12b, 12c) with respect to the frame (11), the surface that will come into contact with the surface of the sheet to be bonded can be adjusted, applying pressure over the entire area.

[0049] Both the stops (22a, 22b) and the plates (12a, 12b, 12c) of the male (1) are interchangeable, and their geometry can be modified as required or some of the plates (12a, 12b, 12c) or the stops (22a, 22b) can be omitted if they are not necessary.

[0050] The male (1) comprises a fixed frame (2) that is connected to the lower assembly (20), preferably by means of columns (4) (preferably four) on which the upper assembly (10) is mounted, which has the possibility of moving along said columns, approaching / moving away from the lower assembly (20).

[0051] In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3, the male comprises a plurality of columns (4), which form part of the lower assembly (20), and the upper assembly (10) comprises a plurality of through holes in which the columns are housed such that the movement of the upper assembly (10) in the secondary direction (D2) is carried out on said columns (4). When the male (1) is installed in a box and / or tray forming machine, the forces of the main arm of the machine are transmitted through said columns.

[0052] The upper assembly (10) of the male (1) comprises secondary movement means that can be actuating cylinders, configured to allow said movement, in a secondary direction (D2), which is a movement of the upper assembly (10) with respect to the lower assembly (20) in the same longitudinal direction as that of the forward movement of the male (1), that is, the main direction (D1).

[0053] The fixed frame (2) is configured to be attached to the main shaft of a box and / or tray forming machine. When the male (1) is installed in a box and / or tray forming machine, the main shaft of the machine is the element that transmits movement to it in the main direction (D1).

[0054] In one embodiment, the body (21) of the lower assembly (20) of the male (1) has an octagonal configuration such that, when installed in a box and / or tray forming machine, the formed boxes and / or trays comprise a receptacle with an octagonal prismatic configuration. This embodiment of the male (1) can be seen in Figure 2, where the male (1) of the invention can be seen in an embodiment in which it is used to form a cardboard tray (30) with a receptacle (31) with an octagonal prismatic configuration and with an upper perimeter flap (32). Likewise, the male (1) comprises an upper frame (3) in which the secondary movement means are located. In one embodiment, the secondary movement means comprise two hydraulic servomotors.

[0055] In this exemplary invention, the second stops (22b) (which, in one embodiment, are arranged on the long sides) have a contact section configured to come into contact with the cardboard sheet from which the box / tray is formed when the die (1) is installed in a box and / or tray forming machine. Said contact section is preferably wedge-shaped in at least the second stops. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the contact section of the second stops (22b) is located above the contact section of the first stops (22a). That is, the contact section of the second stops (22b) is arranged higher than the contact section of the first stops (22a) with respect to the body (21).

[0056] With this embodiment, when the male (1) is installed in a box and / or tray forming machine, it can be used to form boxes of the type that require the contact and folding of two of its sides (long sides) to be on the outside and therefore, in the folding sequence during the forming of the box / tray, the folding of said sides is carried out after the folding of the other two sides parallel to each other (short sides).

[0057] The upper assembly (10) comprises a frame (11), which in one embodiment has an octagonal geometry, to which plates (12a, 12b, 12c) are connected. When the secondary movement means (which may be, for example, hydraulic servomotors) are activated, the upper assembly (10) moves in the second direction (D2) towards the lower assembly (20).

[0058] The first stops and the second stops (22a, 22b) comprise recesses (23) configured to receive the first plates and the second plates (12a, 12b) of the upper assembly (10) when the secondary movement (D2) of the upper assembly (10) to bring it closer to the lower assembly (20) is carried out. All the plates (12a, 12b, 12c) comprise height adjustment means (14), which are preferably slots arranged in an upper section of the plates (12a, 12b, 12c). The upper section faces the frame (11) such that, by means of first joining means (13), linked to the height adjustment means (14), the plates (12a, 12b, 12c) are joined to the frame (11).The height adjustment of the plates (12a, 12b, 12c) with respect to the frame (11) is achieved thanks to the height adjustment means (14), vertically moving the plates (12a, 12b, 12c) to the desired position with respect to the frame (11) along the slots, and thanks to the joining means (13), housed inside said slots, and which ensure the union between both elements (plates (12a, 12b, 12c) and frame (11)) in the desired relative position. The joining means (13) can be, for example, threaded screws such that the position is adjusted by screwing them to the frame (11), passing through the height adjustment means (14) (preferably a slot) of the corresponding plate (12a, 12b, 12c), moving it through said slot to the desired position in which it is fixed.

[0059] In the case of the first and second plates (12a, 12b) these are preferably flat pieces whose geometry comprises two extensions intended to be housed in the recesses (23) of the corresponding stops (22a, 22b). The third plates (12c) are arranged in the free areas between parallel sides and comprise, in an exemplary embodiment, two independent plates that work in parallel, their position being able to be adjusted independently, that is to say, each of them comprises a height adjustment means (14) (columiso) and is joined to the frame (11) by means of a corresponding joining means (13).

[0060] Thus, the present invention makes it possible to modify the height of the die, which when installed in a box and / or tray forming machine determines the depth of the receptacle (31) of the formed box / tray (30). It also makes it possible to adapt the position in which the plates (12a, 12b, 12c) are placed in a vertical direction with respect to the frame (11) thanks to the height adjustment means (14) (colisos) and the joining means (13). In this way, when the die (1) is installed in box and / or tray forming machines, said same die (1) can be configured, adapting its height and arrangement of the first stops and the second stops (22a, 22b), for the forming of different types of box. This avoids the need to change the die (1) of the machine with each different type of box / tray to be formed.

[0061] Additionally, the upper assembly (10) can be completely sectorized as needed, including more or less plates (12a, 12b, 12c) or using plates (12a, 12b, 12c) with different geometries as needed. In this way, the invention is very versatile, the die being able to be used for installation in box and / or tray forming machines in which, without changing the die (1), multiple different box / tray geometries and assemblies can be formed.

[0062] Likewise, an object of the invention is a box and / or tray forming machine comprising a male (1) as previously described.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Male for a box and / or tray forming machine (30) with upper perimeter flap (32) where the male (1) has the possibility of movement in a main direction (D1) and comprises an upper assembly (10) and a lower assembly (20) with relative movement between them, and the male (1) is characterized in that: - the lower assembly (20) comprises: • a body (21); and • first and second stops (22a, 22b) comprising recesses (23); - the upper assembly (10) is connected to the lower assembly (20) with the possibility of relative movement between both, where said movement occurs in a secondary direction (D2) coinciding with the main direction (D1) and the upper assembly (10) comprises: • additional displacement means configured to regulate the relative displacement of the upper assembly (10) with respect to the lower assembly (20); • a frame (11) to which first and second plates (12a, 12b) are attached, which are parallel two by two, and which during the movement of the upper assembly (10) are housed, at least partially, in the recesses (23) of the first and second stops (22a, 22b) respectively, such that they can move through said recesses (23) when the upper assembly (10) moves in the secondary direction (D2) approaching the lower assembly (20); • third plates (12c) arranged in chamfered areas between the first plates (12a) and the second plates (12b) and where said third plates (12c) comprise a lower section in which there is a chamfered stop (15); • and where the plates (12a, 12b, 12c) comprise height adjustment means (14) and are joined to the frame (11) by means of joining means (13) which, in combination with the height adjustment means (14), allow the relative position of the plates (12a, 12b, 12c) to be adapted with respect to the frame (11), thus allowing the male (1) to be adapted to different size and shape configurations.

2. Male according to claim 1, wherein the height adjustment means (14) are slots arranged in an upper section of the plates (12a, 12b, 12c).

3. Male according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second stops (22a, 22b) are connected to the body (21) of the lower assembly (20) by means of threaded joints and are interchangeable.

4. Plug according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first stops and the second stops (22a, 22b) comprise a contact section and the contact section of the second stops (22b) is located above the contact section of the first stops (22a).

5. Male any one of the preceding claims wherein the second stops (22b) comprise a contact section and said contact sections are wedge-shaped.

6. Male according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body (21) of the lower assembly (20) has an octagonal prismatic configuration.

7. Male according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a plurality of columns (4), which form part of the lower assembly (20), and the upper assembly (10) comprises a plurality of through holes in which the columns are housed such that the movement of the upper assembly (10) in the secondary direction (D2) is carried out on said columns (4).

8. Box and / or tray forming machine comprising a male (1) as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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