DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING PACKAGES FOR CIGARETTES

• US 20120037020A1
• Filed: 02/19/2010
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Focke & Company
• Original Assignee: Focke & Company
• Inventors: Häfker, Thomas, Köhler, Heiko
• Application Number:
  US13/260,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20120037020A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 101/216
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/202 for attaching articles to the outside of a container B65B61/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 1/025 the label being picked up by the article to be labelled, i.e. the labelling head remaining stationary
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 1/028 the labelling head and the article both being moved towards each other

Abstract

A method of, and an apparatus for, producing packs for cigarettes, having a continuously driven conveyor, such as a transporting belt with drivers, for transporting the packs, and having an arrangement for applying printing carriers, such as labels, coupons or the like, to a side surface of the packs, the arrangement for applying the printing carriers being arranged in the region of the conveyor, for the purpose of applying the printing carriers to a side surface of the pack, this side surface being directed toward the arrangement, during transportation along the conveyor. A pivoting arrangement for altering the relative position of the packs is arranged in the region of the conveyor and/or of the arrangement for applying the printing carriers, wherein the pivoting arrangement is set up for receiving a respective pack in a relative position appropriate for transportation on the conveyor, and for rotating the pack into a relative position suitable for applying the printing carrier, and for further rotating the pack into a relative position appropriate for further transportation on the conveyor.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing packs (10) for cigarettes, comprising:

a continuously driven conveying means (32), in the form of a transporting belt (42) with drivers (43), for transporting the packs (10);

an arrangement (31) for applying printing carriers, such as labels (26) or coupons, to a side surface of the packs (10), wherein the arrangement (31) for applying the printing carriers is arranged in the region of the conveying means (32), for the purpose of applying the printing carriers to a side surface of the pack (10), this side surface being directed toward the arrangement (31), during transportation along the conveying means (32); and

a pivoting arrangement (30) for altering the relative position of the packs (10), wherein the pivoting arrangement (30) is arranged in the region of the conveying means (32) and/or of the arrangement (31) for applying the printing carriers, and wherein the pivoting arrangement (30) is set up for receiving a respective pack (10) in a relative position appropriate for transportation on the conveying means (32), and for rotating the pack (10) into a relative position suitable for applying the printing carrier, and for further rotating the pack (10) into a relative position appropriate for further transportation on the conveying means (32).

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the pivoting arrangement (30) comprises a holder (49) for a pack (10), into which the pack (10) can be pushed by the conveying means (32), and

the holder (49) can be rotated by a gear mechanism (50) such that the side surface of the pack (10) which is to be provided with the printing carrier can be directed toward the arrangement (31) for applying the printing carriers and, once the printing carrier has been applied, can be rotated back into the original relative position, and the pack (10) can be transferred onto the conveying means (32).

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein:

the packs (10) are arranged on the conveying means (32) in a state in which they lie flat and have a narrow side surface (22) oriented in the conveying direction, and,

by means of the pivoting arrangement (30), the packs (10) can be directed, with a narrow side surface (22) oriented upward, toward the arrangement (31) for applying the printing carriers, this arrangement being arranged above the conveying means (32).

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising an entry station (74) and a turning arrangement (29), wherein the packs (10) are accumulated in the region of the entry station (74) and can be fed individually to the turning arrangement (29) for rotating and separating the packs (10) and transferring the packs (10) onto the conveying means (32).

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a rocker (53), wherein:

the holder (49) for the pack (10) is mounted on the rocker (53) such that the holder (49) can be pivoted on either side of the conveying means (32),

the rocker (53) is mounted in a pivotable manner on rocker bearings (56) and can be moved along an imaginary curve, together with the holder (49), via a drive, and

the holder (49) for the packs (10) can be rotated about the bearing point on the rocker (53) via a lever (55).

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the lever (55) for rotating the holder (49) and a lever (57) for moving the rocker (53) can be driven by a gear mechanism (50) with a common drive.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the lever (55) for rotating the holder (49) and a lever (57) for moving the rocker (53) can be driven by separate drives.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein, once the printing carrier has been applied, the packs (10) can be fed to an arrangement (33) for wrapping the packs (10) in an outer wrapper.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the separate drives are individually actuable servomotors (72, 73).

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the outer wrapper is transparent.

9. A method of producing packs (10) for cigarettes, comprising:

transporting the packs (10) continuously along a conveying means (32) in the region of an arrangement (31) for applying printing carriers, such as labels (26) or coupons, to side surfaces of the packs (10);

rotating the packs (10) in respect of their relative position in the region of a pivoting arrangement (30), during transportation along the conveying means (32), such that the side surfaces of the packs (10) which are to be provided with the printing carriers are directed toward the arrangement (31) for applying the printing carriers; and

rotating the packs (10) using the pivoting arrangement (30), once the printing carriers have been applied, into a relative position for further transportation on the conveying means (32) into the original relative position on the conveying means (32).

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

pushing the packs (10) from the conveying means (32) into a holder (49) of the pivoting arrangement (30); and

by virtue of the holder (49) being rotated in relation to the conveying means (32), moving the packs (10) into a relative position for applying the printing carriers with a corresponding side surface of the pack (10) oriented upward in the direction of the arrangement (31) for applying the printing carriers.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

in addition to being rotated, accelerating the holder (49) in relation to the conveying means (32) in order to move the pack (10) into the relative position for applying the printing carriers; and

once the printing carriers have been applied and the packs (10) have been transferred onto the conveying means (32), moving the holder (49) back into a starting position for receiving the next pack (10).

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising, once the printing carriers have been applied, transferring the packs (10) once again onto the conveying means (32) in order to be fed to a wrapping machine (33) for an outer wrapper.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9, 10, 11, or 12, further comprising:

transporting the packs (10) closely together; and

then

by means of a turning arrangement (29), separating and rotating and transferring the packs (10) onto the conveying means (32) for applying the printing carriers.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9, 10, 11, or 12, further comprising, for the purpose of producing packs (10) without printing carriers, positioning the holder (49) for the packs (10) on the conveying means (32) at a fixed location in the conveying path of the packs (10) such that the packs (10) are conveyed through the fixed-location holder (49) by way of the conveying means (32).

17. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the corresponding side surface of the pack (10) is a narrow side surface (22) of the pack (10).