PACKING METHOD AND UNIT FOR FOLDING A BLANK ON A PACKING MACHINE

• US 20150031517A1
• Filed: 07/22/2014
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: G.D. Societa per Azioni.
• Original Assignee: G.D. Societa per Azioni.
• Inventors: BIONDI, Andrea, ZANETTI, Umberto, CAVAZZA, Luca
• Granted Patent: US 9,821,526 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 493/124
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/06 from stacks
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/062 from the underside of a magazine
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/07 by air pressure or suction
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/52 by reciprocating or oscillating members, e.g. fingers by plungers moving through folding dies B31B50/44
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/58 by moving endless belts or chains
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/788 by introducing the blanks into undeformable holders, e.g. on a drum or on chains
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/804 using two or more suction devices on a rotating element
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 2220/16 Packaging contents into primary and secondary packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/30 Arranging and feeding articles in groups
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/185 specially adapted for carton blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/305 specially adapted for boxes, cartons or carton blanks

Abstract

A packing method and unit for folding a blank on a packing machine; a first suction pickup head engages a first panel of the blank inside a store; a second suction pickup head engages a second panel of the blank inside the store; the pickup heads are moved from a withdrawal position at the store to a release position at a packing conveyor, insert the blank inside a pocket on the packing conveyor; and the blank, folded into a ‘U’, is released inside the pocket on the packing conveyor; as the pickup heads are moved from the withdrawal position to the release position, a relative movement between the first pickup head and the second pickup head is produced to fold the blank into a ‘U’ before the blank is inserted into the pocket on the packing conveyor.

Claims

1. A packing method for folding a blank (4) on a packing machine (1);

the packing method comprising the steps of;

engaging a first panel (11) of the blank (4), inside a store (20), by means of a first suction pickup head (21);

engaging a second panel (13) of the blank (4), inside the store (20), by means of a second suction pickup head (22); and

moving the pickup heads (21, 22) from a withdrawal position at the store (20) to a release position at a packing conveyor (17), to insert the blank (4) inside a pocket (18) on the packing conveyor (17); and

releasing the blank (4), folded into a ‘

U’

, inside the pocket (18) on the packing conveyor (17);

the packing method being characterized by comprising the further step, as the pickup heads are moved from the withdrawal position to the release position, of producing a relative movement between the first pickup head (21) and the second pickup head (22) to fold the blank (4) into a ‘

U’

before the blank (4) is inserted into the pocket (18) on the packing conveyor (17).

2. A packing method according to claim 1, wherein the relative movement between the first pickup head (21) and the second pickup head (22) comprises rotating the first pickup head (21) 180°

with respect to the second pickup head (22).

3. A packing method according to claim 1, wherein:

a third panel (12) is interposed between the first panel (11) and the second panel (13); and

the blank (4) is folded into a ‘

U’

by rotating the first panel (11) 90°

with respect to the third panel (12), and rotating the second panel (13) 90°

with respect to the third panel (12).

4. A packing method according to claim 3, and comprising the further steps of:

rotating the first and second panel (11, 13) by more than 90°

with respect to the third panel (12) before the U-folded blank (4) is inserted into the pocket (18) on the packing conveyor (17); and

rotating the first and second panel (11, 13) in the opposite direction with respect to the third panel (12), to position the first and second panel (11, 13) perpendicular to the third panel (12) once the U-folded blank (4) is inserted inside the pocket (18) on the packing conveyor (17).

5. A packing method according to claim 4, and comprising the further step of folding down at least one flap (16), connected to the third panel (12), once the U-folded blank (4) is inserted inside the pocket (18) on the packing conveyor (17).

6. A packing method according to claim 5, wherein the flap (16) is folded down by a movable folding device (47) located alongside the packing conveyor (17) and which rotates about an axis of rotation (48) parallel to the packing path (P) of the packing conveyor (17).

7. A packing method according to claim 6, wherein the movable folding device (47) remains in a position engaging the flap (16) until, the movement of the packing conveyor (17) extracts the flap (16) from the movable folding device (47).

8. A packing method according to claim 6, wherein, downstream from the movable folding device (47) along the packing path (P) of the packing conveyor (17), a fixed folding device (50) keeps the flap (16) in a down-folded position.

9. A packing method according to claim 1, wherein:

the first pickup head (21) is fitted to a first actuating device (33), which controls the movement of the first pickup head (21);

the second pickup head (22) is fitted to a second actuating device (34), which controls the movement of the second pickup head (22); and

the first and/or second actuating device (33, 34) are/is moved perpendicularly to the packing path (P) of the packing conveyor (17) to adjust the position of the first and/or second pickup bead (21, 22) to the format of the blank (4).

10. A packing method according to claim 1, wherein the first pickup head (21) is moved by means of two degrees of rotational freedom.

11. A packing method according to claim 10, wherein:

the first pickup head (21) is mounted for rotation on a supporting plate (35), and is rotated, with respect to the supporting plate (35), about a first axis of rotation (39) by a first motor (40); and

the supporting plate (35) is mounted for rotation on a fixed frame, and is rotated, with respect to the fixed frame, about a second axis of rotation (36), parallel to the first axis of rotation (39), by a second motor (37).

12. A packing method according to claim 1, wherein the second pickup head (22) is moved by means of two degrees of rotational freedom.

13. A packing method according to claim 12, wherein:

the second pickup head (22) is fitted rigidly to one end of a first arm (44);

the first arm (44) is fitted in rotary manner to a second arm (41), and is rotated, with respect to the second arm (41), about a third axis of rotation (45) by a third motor (46); and

the second arm (41) is fitted in rotary manner to a fixed frame, and is rotated, with respect to the fixed frame, about a fourth axis of rotation (42), parallel to the third axis of rotation (45), by a fourth motor (43).

14. A packing method according to claim 13, wherein the fourth motor (43) is coaxial with the third motor (46), and is connected mechanically to the first arm (44) by a mechanism comprising two mutually hinged third arms.

15. A packing method according to claim 1, wherein the packing conveyor (17) comprises:

at least a first conveyor belt (23) defining a bottom wall of the pocket (18);

a first retaining member (25), which projects perpendicularly from the first conveyor belt (23) and defines a front wall of the pocket (18)

at least a second conveyor belt, which is separate from the first conveyor belt (23), is parallel to and positioned alongside the first conveyor belt (23), and, together with the first conveyor belt (23), defines the bottom wall of the pocket (18); and

a second retaining member (26), which projects perpendicularly from the second conveyor belt and defines a rear wall of the pocket (18).

16. A packing unit (10) for folding a blank (4) on a packing machine (1);

the packing unit (6) comprising;

a packing conveyor (17) with a pocket (18) for receiving the blank (4) folded into a ‘

U’

;

a first suction pickup head (21), which engages a first panel (11) of the blank (4) inside a store (20);

a second suction pickup head (22), which engages a second panel (13) of the blank (4) inside the store (20); and

actuating devices (33, 34) for moving the pickup heads (21, 22) from a withdrawal position at the store (20) to a release position at a packing conveyor (17), to insert the blank (4) inside the pocket (18) on the packing conveyor (17), and then release the blank (4), folded into a ‘

U’

, inside the pocket (18) on the packing conveyor (17);

the packing unit (10) being characterized in that the actuating devices (33, 34), as the pickup heads are moved from the withdrawal position the release position, produce a relative movement between the first pickup head (21) and the second pickup head (22) to fold the blank (4) into a ‘

U’

before the blank (4) is inserted into the pocket (18) on the packing conveyor (17).