EP2636605B1 - Blank prefolding unit and method - Google Patents
Blank prefolding unit and method Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP2636605B1 EP2636605B1 EP13158057.3A EP13158057A EP2636605B1 EP 2636605 B1 EP2636605 B1 EP 2636605B1 EP 13158057 A EP13158057 A EP 13158057A EP 2636605 B1 EP2636605 B1 EP 2636605B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- packing
- blank
- station
- insertion station
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Not-in-force
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B19/00—Packaging rod-shaped or tubular articles susceptible to damage by abrasion or pressure, e.g. cigarettes, cigars, macaroni, spaghetti, drinking straws or welding electrodes
- B65B19/02—Packaging cigarettes
- B65B19/22—Wrapping the cigarettes; Packaging the cigarettes in containers formed by folding wrapping material around formers
- B65B19/228—Preparing and feeding blanks
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B41/00—Supplying or feeding container-forming sheets or wrapping material
- B65B41/02—Feeding sheets or wrapper blanks
- B65B41/04—Feeding sheets or wrapper blanks by grippers
- B65B41/06—Feeding sheets or wrapper blanks by grippers by suction-operated grippers
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H3/00—Separating articles from piles
- B65H3/08—Separating articles from piles using pneumatic force
- B65H3/0808—Suction grippers
- B65H3/085—Suction grippers separating from the bottom of pile
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H5/00—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines
- B65H5/04—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by movable tables or carriages
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H5/00—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines
- B65H5/36—Article guides or smoothers, e.g. movable in operation
- B65H5/38—Article guides or smoothers, e.g. movable in operation immovable in operation
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
- B31B—MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
- B31B50/00—Making rigid or semi-rigid containers, e.g. boxes or cartons
- B31B50/002—Prebreaking
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
- B31B—MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
- B31B50/00—Making rigid or semi-rigid containers, e.g. boxes or cartons
- B31B50/02—Feeding or positioning sheets, blanks or webs
- B31B50/04—Feeding sheets or blanks
- B31B50/042—Feeding sheets or blanks using rolls, belts or chains
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
- B31B—MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
- B31B50/00—Making rigid or semi-rigid containers, e.g. boxes or cartons
- B31B50/02—Feeding or positioning sheets, blanks or webs
- B31B50/04—Feeding sheets or blanks
- B31B50/06—Feeding sheets or blanks from stacks
- B31B50/062—Feeding sheets or blanks from stacks from the underside of a magazine
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
- B65H2404/30—Chains
- B65H2404/31—Chains with auxiliary handling means
- B65H2404/312—Pockets, containers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
- B65H2404/60—Other elements in face contact with handled material
- B65H2404/61—Longitudinally-extending strips, tubes, plates, or wires
- B65H2404/611—Longitudinally-extending strips, tubes, plates, or wires arranged to form a channel
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a blank prefolding unit and method.
- the present invention may be used to advantage for prefolding a cigarette packet blank at a packing conveyor of a cigarette packing machine, to which the following description refers purely by way of example.
- Some cigarette packets are made from blanks with outer panels located at the ends of the blank, and which must be folded 180° and gummed onto corresponding inner panels. In which case, it has been proposed to prefold the outer panels of the blank, by means of a prepacking unit, before applying the blank to (i.e. folding the blank about) the group of cigarettes.
- Known prepacking units comprise a packing conveyor with a number of packing pockets, each for housing and feeding a blank along a packing path between an insertion station and an output station.
- a hopper containing a stack of blanks feeds the blanks cyclically from a bottom outlet into the packing pockets on the packing conveyor. More specifically, each blank at the bottom outlet of the hopper is withdrawn by a suction gripping head moving vertically up and down, and is deposited inside a packing pocket on the packing conveyor, arrested at the insertion station and aligned beneath the bottom outlet.
- the packing conveyor is equipped with at least one gumming device located along the packing path, downstream from the insertion station, and which gums at least one outer panel; and at least one folding device located downstream from the gumming device, along the packing path, and which folds the gummed outer panel to gum it onto a corresponding inner panel.
- the blank is positioned inside the packing pocket so that at least one outer panel of the blank projects from the packing pocket. This makes the outer panel easier to fold later on using a fixed folding device, as the packing pocket travels along the packing path, as opposed to a movable folding device.
- Patent specification GB1571465A describes the closest prior art, viz. a blank transfer conveyor equipped with a succession of pockets, each for retaining a respective blank.
- each transfer conveyor pocket is stopped to receive a respective blank from a hopper over the transfer conveyor; and, once inserted inside the transfer conveyor pocket, each blank is fed in steps to an output station where the blank is expelled and continues on to a packing station. Between the insertion station and the output station, each blank undergoes a prefolding step.
- Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates as a whole a prefolding (prepacking) unit forming part of a cigarette packing machine, and which provides for prefolding a blank 2 (shown more clearly in Figure 2 ) from which to form a packet of cigarettes.
- blank 2 comprises inner panels 3; outer panels 4 at the left-hand end of inner panels 3; and an outer panel 5 at the right-hand end of inner panels 3.
- outer panels 4 and 5 are located at opposite ends of inner panels 3.
- prefolding unit 1 provides for folding 180° and gumming some of outer panels 4 and 5 onto corresponding inner panels 3.
- prefolding unit 1 comprises a packing conveyor 6, which moves in steps (i.e. cyclically alternating stop-go steps) along a packing path P.
- Packing conveyor 6 comprises a number of packing pockets 7, each for housing and feeding a blank 2 along packing path P, which extends between an insertion station S1, where a feed unit 8 inserts blanks 2 successively inside packing pockets 7, and an output station S2, where the partly folded blanks 2 are expelled from packing pockets 7 and fed to a follow-up packing unit.
- Packing conveyor 6 is a belt conveyor, and comprises a flexible belt 9 fitted with packing pockets 7 and looped endlessly about two end pulleys 10.
- Feed unit 8 is located at insertion station S1 and comprises a hopper 11, which contains a stack of blanks 2 and has a bottom outlet facing packing pocket 7 of packing conveyor 6 stopped at insertion station S1.
- feed unit 8 comprises a transfer device 12, which withdraws each blank 2 at the bottom outlet of hopper 11, and inserts blank 2 into a packing pocket 7 of packing conveyor 6 stopped at insertion station S1 and aligned beneath the bottom outlet.
- Transfer device 12 comprises a number of suction gripping heads 13 fitted to a shared support, which moves up and down in a vertical transfer direction D perpendicular to packing path P. In other words, suction gripping heads 13 of transfer device 12 move up and down, in transfer direction D, between insertion station S1 and a pickup station located over insertion station S1 and defined by the bottom outlet of hopper 11.
- packing conveyor 6 is equipped with a gumming device 14 located at a work station S3 downstream from insertion station S1 along packing path P, to deposit gum on some of outer panels 4, 5 of each blank 2; and a folding device 15 located at a work station S4 downstream from gumming device 14 along packing path P, to fold 180° and gum the gummed outer panels 4 and 5 of each blank 2 onto corresponding inner panels 3.
- the Figure 1 embodiment only has two work stations S3 and S4, though other embodiments not shown may obviously comprise additional work stations for performing additional gumming and/or folding operations on blanks 2.
- each blank 2 is positioned inside respective packing pocket 7 so that outer panels 4 and 5 (forming the opposite ends of blank 2) project from opposite sides of packing pocket 7. This makes outer panels 4 and 5 easier to fold later on using fixed folding devices, as packing pocket 7 travels along packing path P, as opposed to movable folding devices.
- prefolding unit 1 comprises two guide devices 16 located at insertion station S1, in fixed positions on opposite sides of the stationary pocket 7, and by which the corresponding outer panels 4, 5 of blank 2 projecting from pocket 7 (and forming the opposite ends of blank 2) are maintained in predetermined positions as conveyor 6 moves pocket 7 out of insertion station S1.
- each guide device 16 is located in a fixed position directly downstream from insertion station S1 along packing path P of conveyor 6, and, as conveyor 6 moves pocket 7 out of insertion station S1, provides for maintaining in a predetermined position the corresponding outer panels 4 or outer panel 5 of blank 2 projecting from pocket 7. It is important to note that each guide device 16 is located in a fixed position between insertion station S1 (i.e.
- Each guide device 16 comprises a top guide member 17 located above packing path P of conveyor 6 to prevent the corresponding outer panels 4 or outer panel 5 of blank 2, projecting from pocket 7, from lifting up with respect to packing path P as conveyor 6 moves pocket 7 out of insertion station S1; and a bottom guide member 18 located below packing path P of conveyor 6 to prevent the corresponding outer panels 4 or outer panel 5 of blank 2, projecting from pocket 7, from dropping with respect to packing path P of conveyor 6 as conveyor 6 moves pocket 7 out of insertion station S1.
- Top guide member 17 and bottom guide member 18 of each guide device 16 are located above and below packing path P of conveyor 6, and define a gap 19 through which corresponding outer panels 4 or outer panel 5, projecting from pocket 7, travel as conveyor 6 moves pocket 7 out of insertion station S1.
- guide members 17 and 18 of each guide device are triangular on the side facing insertion station S1, so an inlet portion of gap 19 decreases gradually in size (i.e. is 'funnel-shaped') to act as a lead-in for the corresponding outer panels 4 or outer panel 5 of blank 2 projecting from pocket 7.
- each guide device 16 is U-shaped, i.e. top and bottom guide members 17 and 18 are U-shaped to define between them a gap 19 located downstream from insertion station S1 along packing path P of conveyor 6, and a gap 19 located upstream from insertion station S1 along packing path P of the conveyor.
- the gap 19 upstream from insertion station S1 along packing path P of the conveyor is of 'no use', in that, upstream from insertion station S1, packing pockets 7 contain no blanks 2.
- the symmetrical U-shape of guide devices 16 simplifies and strengthens assembly of guide devices 16 to the packing machine frame.
- prefolding unit 1 Operation of prefolding unit 1 will now be described, particularly as regards feeding a blank 2 into a packing pocket 7 of packing conveyor 6.
- packing conveyor 6 moves one step forward along packing path P to move packing pocket 7 into insertion station S1, and then stops for a given length of time to arrest packing pocket 7 at insertion station S1.
- suction gripping heads 13 of transfer device 12 (which are initially positioned beneath packing pocket 7, as shown in Figures 3 and 4 ) move up and down together in transfer direction D to withdraw blank 2 from the pickup station located over insertion station S1 and defined by the bottom outlet of hopper 11, and to insert blank 2 into packing pocket 7 arrested at insertion station S1.
- the outer panels 4, 5 of blank 2 (forming the opposite ends of blank 2) project from opposite sides of packing pocket 7 (as shown in Figures 3 and 5 ).
- packing conveyor 6 moves forward another step along packing path P to move packing pocket 7 containing blank 2 out of insertion station S1, to move another empty packing pocket 7 into insertion station S1, and to move packing pocket 7 containing blank 2 into work station S3 (where blank 2 is gummed by gumming device 14).
- packing pocket 7 containing blank 2 moves out of insertion station S1 (i.e. before blank 2 reaches work station S3), at least some of outer panels 4, 5 of blank 2 (forming the opposite ends of blank 2) engage corresponding gaps 19 in guide devices 16 (insertion of outer panels 4, 5 inside gaps 19 is aided by the 'funnel-shaped' inlet portions of gaps 19).
- outer panels 4, 5 forming the opposite ends of blank 2 and projecting from opposite sides of packing pocket 7 tend to vibrate (oscillate) perpendicular to packing path P (i.e. vertically) as they move out of insertion station S1.
- This vibration (oscillation) of outer panels 4, 5 of blank 2 projecting from opposite sides of packing pocket 7 may have negative effects, by impairing interaction of outer panels 4, 5 with gumming devices 14 and/or folding devices 15, and so resulting in poor-quality (inaccurate) gumming and/or folding, or even in jamming.
- Prefolding unit 1 described has numerous advantages.
- prefolding unit 1 described provides for better (more accurately) gumming and/or folding outer panels 4, 5 forming the opposite ends of blank 2 and projecting from opposite sides of packing pocket 7. This is achieved by providing guide devices 16, to prevent the outer panels 4, 5 of blank 2 projecting from opposite sides of packing pocket 7 from vibrating (oscillating) as they move out of insertion station S1.
- prefolding unit 1 described is cheap and easy to implement, by guide devices 16 comprising small fixed sections (i.e. with no moving parts) fixed at insertion station S1, which is a normally 'clear', easily accessible part of the packing machine.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Wrapping Of Specific Fragile Articles (AREA)
- Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)
- Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
- Supplying Of Containers To The Packaging Station (AREA)
Description
- The present invention relates to a blank prefolding unit and method.
- The present invention may be used to advantage for prefolding a cigarette packet blank at a packing conveyor of a cigarette packing machine, to which the following description refers purely by way of example.
- Some cigarette packets are made from blanks with outer panels located at the ends of the blank, and which must be folded 180° and gummed onto corresponding inner panels. In which case, it has been proposed to prefold the outer panels of the blank, by means of a prepacking unit, before applying the blank to (i.e. folding the blank about) the group of cigarettes.
- Known prepacking units comprise a packing conveyor with a number of packing pockets, each for housing and feeding a blank along a packing path between an insertion station and an output station. At the insertion station, a hopper containing a stack of blanks feeds the blanks cyclically from a bottom outlet into the packing pockets on the packing conveyor. More specifically, each blank at the bottom outlet of the hopper is withdrawn by a suction gripping head moving vertically up and down, and is deposited inside a packing pocket on the packing conveyor, arrested at the insertion station and aligned beneath the bottom outlet. The packing conveyor is equipped with at least one gumming device located along the packing path, downstream from the insertion station, and which gums at least one outer panel; and at least one folding device located downstream from the gumming device, along the packing path, and which folds the gummed outer panel to gum it onto a corresponding inner panel.
- In a preferred embodiment, the blank is positioned inside the packing pocket so that at least one outer panel of the blank projects from the packing pocket. This makes the outer panel easier to fold later on using a fixed folding device, as the packing pocket travels along the packing path, as opposed to a movable folding device.
- Known prepacking units of the above type, however, do not always provide for accurately folding the outer panels, and are subject to frequent stoppages due to jamming caused by the outer panel, projecting from the pocket, interacting wrongly with the gumming device and/or folding device.
- Patent specification
GB1571465A - It is an object of the present invention to provide a blank prefolding unit and method designed to eliminate the above drawbacks, and which, in particular, are cheap and easy to implement.
- According to the present invention, there are provided a blank prefolding unit and method as claimed in the accompanying Claims.
- A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
-
Figure 1 shows a schematic view in perspective, with parts removed for clarity, of a prefolding unit forming part of a cigarette packing machine and in accordance with the present invention; -
Figure 2 shows a plan view of a blank, which is folded on theFigure 1 prefolding unit; -
Figure 3 shows a schematic side view, with parts removed for clarity, of a feed station of theFigure 1 prefolding unit; -
Figures 4 and5 show two schematic views in perspective, with parts removed for clarity, of theFigure 3 feed station; -
Figure 6 shows a schematic section, with parts removed for clarity, of a guide device of theFigure 1 prefolding unit. -
Number 1 inFigure 1 indicates as a whole a prefolding (prepacking) unit forming part of a cigarette packing machine, and which provides for prefolding a blank 2 (shown more clearly inFigure 2 ) from which to form a packet of cigarettes. - As shown in
Figure 2 , blank 2 comprisesinner panels 3;outer panels 4 at the left-hand end ofinner panels 3; and anouter panel 5 at the right-hand end ofinner panels 3. In other words,outer panels inner panels 3. And prefoldingunit 1 provides for folding 180° and gumming some ofouter panels inner panels 3. - As shown in
Figure 1 , prefoldingunit 1 comprises apacking conveyor 6, which moves in steps (i.e. cyclically alternating stop-go steps) along a packing pathP. Packing conveyor 6 comprises a number ofpacking pockets 7, each for housing and feeding a blank 2 along packing path P, which extends between an insertion station S1, where afeed unit 8 inserts blanks 2 successively insidepacking pockets 7, and an output station S2, where the partly foldedblanks 2 are expelled from packingpockets 7 and fed to a follow-up packing unit.Packing conveyor 6 is a belt conveyor, and comprises aflexible belt 9 fitted withpacking pockets 7 and looped endlessly about twoend pulleys 10. -
Feed unit 8 is located at insertion station S1 and comprises ahopper 11, which contains a stack ofblanks 2 and has a bottom outlet facingpacking pocket 7 ofpacking conveyor 6 stopped at insertion station S1. As shown inFigure 3 ,feed unit 8 comprises atransfer device 12, which withdraws each blank 2 at the bottom outlet ofhopper 11, and inserts blank 2 into apacking pocket 7 ofpacking conveyor 6 stopped at insertion station S1 and aligned beneath the bottom outlet.Transfer device 12 comprises a number ofsuction gripping heads 13 fitted to a shared support, which moves up and down in a vertical transfer direction D perpendicular to packing path P. In other words,suction gripping heads 13 oftransfer device 12 move up and down, in transfer direction D, between insertion station S1 and a pickup station located over insertion station S1 and defined by the bottom outlet ofhopper 11. - As shown in
Figure 1 ,packing conveyor 6 is equipped with agumming device 14 located at a work station S3 downstream from insertion station S1 along packing path P, to deposit gum on some ofouter panels folding device 15 located at a work station S4 downstream fromgumming device 14 along packing path P, to fold 180° and gum the gummedouter panels inner panels 3. TheFigure 1 embodiment only has two work stations S3 and S4, though other embodiments not shown may obviously comprise additional work stations for performing additional gumming and/or folding operations onblanks 2. - As shown in
Figures 3 and5 , each blank 2 is positioned insiderespective packing pocket 7 so thatouter panels 4 and 5 (forming the opposite ends of blank 2) project from opposite sides ofpacking pocket 7. This makesouter panels pocket 7 travels along packing path P, as opposed to movable folding devices. - As shown in
Figures 3-6 , prefoldingunit 1 comprises twoguide devices 16 located at insertion station S1, in fixed positions on opposite sides of thestationary pocket 7, and by which the correspondingouter panels conveyor 6 movespocket 7 out of insertion station S1. In other words, eachguide device 16 is located in a fixed position directly downstream from insertion station S1 along packing path P ofconveyor 6, and, asconveyor 6 movespocket 7 out of insertion station S1, provides for maintaining in a predetermined position the correspondingouter panels 4 orouter panel 5 of blank 2 projecting frompocket 7. It is important to note that eachguide device 16 is located in a fixed position between insertion station S1 (i.e. directly downstream from insertion station S1 along packing path P) and work station S3 (i.e. directly upstream from work station S3 along packing path P). Eachguide device 16 comprises atop guide member 17 located above packing path P ofconveyor 6 to prevent the correspondingouter panels 4 orouter panel 5 of blank 2, projecting frompocket 7, from lifting up with respect to packing path P asconveyor 6 movespocket 7 out of insertion station S1; and abottom guide member 18 located below packing path P ofconveyor 6 to prevent the correspondingouter panels 4 orouter panel 5 of blank 2, projecting frompocket 7, from dropping with respect to packing path P ofconveyor 6 asconveyor 6 movespocket 7 out of insertion station S1.Top guide member 17 andbottom guide member 18 of eachguide device 16 are located above and below packing path P ofconveyor 6, and define agap 19 through which correspondingouter panels 4 orouter panel 5, projecting frompocket 7, travel asconveyor 6 movespocket 7 out of insertion station S1. - As shown more clearly in
Figure 6 ,guide members gap 19 decreases gradually in size (i.e. is 'funnel-shaped') to act as a lead-in for the correspondingouter panels 4 orouter panel 5 of blank 2 projecting frompocket 7. - In a preferred embodiment shown in
Figures 4 and5 , eachguide device 16 is U-shaped, i.e. top andbottom guide members gap 19 located downstream from insertion station S1 along packing path P ofconveyor 6, and agap 19 located upstream from insertion station S1 along packing path P of the conveyor. Obviously, thegap 19 upstream from insertion station S1 along packing path P of the conveyor is of 'no use', in that, upstream from insertion station S1,packing pockets 7 contain noblanks 2. But the symmetrical U-shape ofguide devices 16 simplifies and strengthens assembly ofguide devices 16 to the packing machine frame. - Operation of prefolding
unit 1 will now be described, particularly as regards feeding a blank 2 into apacking pocket 7 ofpacking conveyor 6. To begin with, packingconveyor 6 moves one step forward along packing path P to movepacking pocket 7 into insertion station S1, and then stops for a given length of time to arrestpacking pocket 7 at insertion station S1. When packingpocket 7 is arrested at insertion station S1,suction gripping heads 13 of transfer device 12 (which are initially positioned beneathpacking pocket 7, as shown inFigures 3 and4 ) move up and down together in transfer direction D to withdraw blank 2 from the pickup station located over insertion station S1 and defined by the bottom outlet ofhopper 11, and to insert blank 2 intopacking pocket 7 arrested at insertion station S1. When blank 2 is inserted inside packingpocket 7 arrested at insertion station S1, theouter panels Figures 3 and5 ). - Once blank 2 is inserted inside packing
pocket 7 arrested at insertion station S1, packingconveyor 6 moves forward another step along packing path P to movepacking pocket 7 containing blank 2 out of insertion station S1, to move anotherempty packing pocket 7 into insertion station S1, and to movepacking pocket 7 containing blank 2 into work station S3 (where blank 2 is gummed by gumming device 14). Aspacking pocket 7 containing blank 2 moves out of insertion station S1 (i.e. before blank 2 reaches work station S3), at least some ofouter panels corresponding gaps 19 in guide devices 16 (insertion ofouter panels gaps 19 is aided by the 'funnel-shaped' inlet portions of gaps 19). - Without
guide devices 16,outer panels outer panels packing pocket 7 may have negative effects, by impairing interaction ofouter panels gumming devices 14 and/orfolding devices 15, and so resulting in poor-quality (inaccurate) gumming and/or folding, or even in jamming. - Prefolding
unit 1 described has numerous advantages. - Firstly, prefolding
unit 1 described provides for better (more accurately) gumming and/or foldingouter panels packing pocket 7. This is achieved by providingguide devices 16, to prevent theouter panels pocket 7 from vibrating (oscillating) as they move out of insertion station S1. - Secondly, prefolding
unit 1 described is cheap and easy to implement, byguide devices 16 comprising small fixed sections (i.e. with no moving parts) fixed at insertion station S1, which is a normally 'clear', easily accessible part of the packing machine.
Claims (9)
- A prefolding unit (1) for prefolding a blank (2); the prefolding unit (1) comprising:a packing conveyor (6) with a packing pocket (7) which is fed along a packing path (P);an insertion station (S1) where the packing pocket (7) of the packing conveyor (6) is stopped to receive the blank (2);a transfer device (12), which transfers the blank (2), in a transfer direction (D), into the packing pocket (7) of the packing conveyor (6) stopped at the insertion station (S1), so that at least one end (4; 5) of the blank (2) projects from the packing pocket (7);an output station (S2) where the partly folded blank (2) is expelled from the packing pocket (7);at least one work station (S3, S4) located along the packing path (P), between the insertion station (S1) and the output station (S2), and which comprises an operating member (14, 15) for operating on the blank (2); andat least one guide device (16), which is located in a fixed position between the insertion station (S1) and the work station (S3, S4), is perpendicular to the packing path (P), and holds the end (4; 5) of the blank (2), projecting from the packing pocket (7), in a predetermined position as the packing conveyor (6) moves the packing pocket (7) out of the insertion station (S1) to the work station (S3, S4);the prefolding unit (1) being characterized in that:the guide device (16) comprises a top guide member (17) and bottom guide member (18), which are located above and below the packing path (P), and define a gap (19) through which the end (4; 5) of the blank (2) projecting from the packing pocket (7) passes; andfacing the insertion station (S1), the top and bottom guide members (17, 18) are triangular, so an inlet portion of the gap (19) decreases gradually in size to act as a lead-in for the end (4; 5) of the blank (2) projecting from the packing pocket (7).
- A prefolding unit (1) according to Claim 1, wherein the top guide member (17) prevents the end (4; 5) of the blank (2) projecting from the packing pocket (7) from lifting up with respect to the packing path (P) and the bottom guide member (18) prevents the end (4; 5) of the blank (2) projecting from the packing pocket (7) from dropping with respect to the packing path (P).
- A prefolding unit (1) according to Claim 1 to 2, wherein the top and bottom guide members (17, 18) are U-shaped, and define a first gap (19) located downstream from the insertion station (S1) along the packing path (P), and a second gap (19) located upstream from the insertion station (S1) along the packing path (P).
- A prefolding unit (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein:at the insertion station (S1), two opposite ends (4; 5) of the blank (2) project from opposite sides of the packing pocket (7); andthe prefolding unit (1) comprises two guide devices (16) located in fixed positions on opposite sides of the packing pocket (7), and which hold the two corresponding ends (4; 5) of the blank (2), projecting from the packing pocket (7), in predetermined positions as the packing conveyor (6) moves the packing pocket (7) out of the insertion station (S1) to the work station (S3, S4).
- A prefolding unit (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the transfer device (12) comprises at least one suction gripping head (13) movable up and down, in the transfer direction (D), between the insertion station (S1) and a pickup station located over the insertion station (S1).
- A prefolding unit (1) according to Claim 5, and comprising a hopper (11), which contains a stack of blanks (2), is located over the insertion station (S1), and has a bottom outlet defining the pickup station.
- A prefolding unit (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the guide device (16) is located in a fixed position directly downstream from the insertion station (S1) along the packing path (P), and directly upstream from the work station (S3) along the packing path (P).
- A prefolding unit (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the guide device (16) is located between the insertion station (S1) and the work station (S3).
- A method of prefolding a blank (2); the method comprising the steps of:feeding a packing pocket (7) on a packing conveyor (6) along a packing path (P);stopping the packing pocket (7) at an insertion station (S1);transferring the blank (2), in a transfer direction (D) and by means of a transfer device (12), into the packing pocket (7) of the conveyor (6) stopped at the insertion station (S1), so that at least one end (4; 5) of the blank (2) projects from the packing pocket (7);expelling the partly folded blank (2) from the packing pocket (7) at an output station (S2);performing at least one operation on the blank (2) by means of an output member (14, 15) at a work station (S3, S4) located along the packing path (P), between the insertion station (S1) and the output station (S2); andholding the end (4; 5) of the blank (2), projecting from the packing pocket (7), in a predetermined position as the packing conveyor (6) moves the packing pocket (7) out of the insertion station (S1) to the work station (S3, S4), and by means of at least one guide device (16), which is located in a fixed position between the insertion station (S1) and the work station (S3, S4), and is perpendicular to the packing path(P)the method being characterized in that:the guide device (16) comprises a top guide member (17) and bottom guide member (18), which are located above and below the packing path (P), and define a gap (19) through which the end (4; 5) of the blank (2) projecting from the packing pocket (7) passes; andfacing the insertion station (S1), the top and bottom guide members (17, 18) are triangular, so an inlet portion of the gap (19) decreases gradually in size to act as a lead-in for the end (4; 5) of the blank (2) projecting from the packing pocket (7).
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
IT000115A ITBO20120115A1 (en) | 2012-03-07 | 2012-03-07 | UNIT AND METHOD OF FEEDING OF A BLEED OF A DRAWER OF A CONVEYOR. |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP2636605A1 EP2636605A1 (en) | 2013-09-11 |
EP2636605B1 true EP2636605B1 (en) | 2015-10-28 |
Family
ID=46028041
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP13158057.3A Not-in-force EP2636605B1 (en) | 2012-03-07 | 2013-03-06 | Blank prefolding unit and method |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP2636605B1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN103303513B (en) |
IT (1) | ITBO20120115A1 (en) |
Family Cites Families (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE1251141B (en) * | 1967-09-28 | FMC Corporation, San Jose, Calif (V St A) | Device for removing folding box blanks | |
GB1075583A (en) * | 1965-03-18 | 1967-07-12 | Imp Tobacco Co Ltd | Improvements in machines for packing rod like articles e.g. cigars |
IT1069483B (en) * | 1976-05-06 | 1985-03-25 | Gd Spa | CONVEYOR DEVICE FOR THE FEEDING OF SHEETS OF MATERIAL IN SHEET..PARTICULARLY OF CARDBOARD OR CARDBOARD CUTS AND SIMILAR..TO A MACHINE USING..PARTICULARLY TO A MACHINE CONDITIONING MACHINE IN A PACKAGING MACHINE |
IT1252926B (en) * | 1991-08-29 | 1995-07-05 | Gd Spa | OVER-WRAPPING DEVICE FOR PACKAGING PACKAGES, IN PARTICULAR CIGARETTES, IN GROUPS |
DE4404278A1 (en) * | 1994-02-10 | 1995-08-17 | Focke & Co | Device for forming blanks for hinged boxes, in particular with rounded longitudinal edges |
IT1294186B1 (en) * | 1997-09-04 | 1999-03-22 | Gd Spa | METHOD AND UNIT OF FEEDING BLANK BLANKS TO A USING MACHINE |
IT1309305B1 (en) * | 1999-06-30 | 2002-01-22 | Gd Spa | UNIT OF TRANSFER OF STACKS OF BLINDS TO AN ENTRANCE OF A CIGARETTE PACKING MACHINE. |
ITBO20020096A1 (en) * | 2002-02-27 | 2003-08-27 | Gd Spa | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE FEEDING OF SHEET ELEMENTS TO A PRODUCT WRAPPING UNIT |
DE102008005407A1 (en) * | 2008-01-21 | 2009-07-23 | Focke & Co.(Gmbh & Co. Kg) | Method and device for producing packages for cigarettes |
ITBO20080092A1 (en) * | 2008-02-13 | 2009-08-14 | Gd Spa | CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A RIGID PACKAGE WITH HINGED LID. |
-
2012
- 2012-03-07 IT IT000115A patent/ITBO20120115A1/en unknown
-
2013
- 2013-03-06 EP EP13158057.3A patent/EP2636605B1/en not_active Not-in-force
- 2013-03-07 CN CN201310073488.6A patent/CN103303513B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
ITBO20120115A1 (en) | 2013-09-08 |
CN103303513A (en) | 2013-09-18 |
CN103303513B (en) | 2016-12-28 |
EP2636605A1 (en) | 2013-09-11 |
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