EP0239507B1 - Magazine for feeding a horizontal loader of a machine processing sheet-like products, and its utilization method - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Loader intended to feed a horizontal magazine of a machine for handling sheet-like products, intended to form packages, the loader taking the form of a removable sleeve containing packagings (49), characterized in that it takes the form of a parellelepiped box of semi-rigid material, the upper surface of which has a longitudinal central groove (51) over a middle portion of its length, with pre-cutting lines (19, 20, 21, 22) connecting the four corners of the groove (51) to the corresponding four corners of the said upper surface, and of which at least the front surface comprises a bottom central opening (39) with two pre-cutting lines (41, 42) connecting this opening (39) to the top two corners of the said surface.

Description

The present invention relates to a loader intended for supplying a horizontal magazine to a machine for processing plate products, intended to form packaging, such as for example a packaging machine for pharmaceutical products.

On a packaging machine packaging (cases, easels or other), are put in the presence of various elements which, joined and arranged together, form a whole at the outlet of the machine, the finished product being intended for sale and l 'use.

Thus on a machine of this type, a supply of the product to be packaged is generally ensured mechanically. The same is true of the packaging, but the supply thereof is however carried out, first of all, by a manual operation. This manual operation consists of the transfer from the delivery box to the store of the packaging machine. This store constitutes a reserve of packaging which is mechanically routed from this station on the machine circuit. The invention relates to a loader intended to provide the link between the packaging delivery case and the machine store, in other words the transfer mentioned above.

Generally in the case of materials known on the market, one or more people draw from a box of packages, whether they are folding cases, flat blanks, easels or the like, and by handles arrange these packages in the machine store. The store empties mechanically, the faster the faster the packaging machine.

On these modern machines, the production rates having become very fast, the operation of manual transfer and supply of packaging has become very restrictive, the staff not succeeding in many cases in ensuring this supply correctly, or else this Supply operation mobilizing one or more full-time people for this task. Production is therefore penalized.

The object of the invention is to facilitate this transfer and supply operation by bringing, using a removable prepackaging called a "loader", into the machine store a large quantity of packaging at once. , thus avoiding multiple manual operations. It can therefore run out with the reserve thus constituted of several minutes of production, which leaves time for the person in charge of the supply to better organize himself or to engage in the meantime in other tasks around or on the machine. .

• - des magasins dits "verticaux", où les emballages sont empilés les uns sur les autres entre des guides verticaux et descendent par gravité au fur et à mesure que le système mécanique les prélève à la base un par un. Pour de tels magasins verticaux, on connaît plusieurs types de chargeurs d'approvisionnement. Ils sont en général constitués par des fourreaux fermés à leurs deux extrémités, que l'on reverse dans le magasin vertical, après avoir supprimé une des obturations d'extrémité et en maintenant les emballages pendant la mise en place. Il suffit ensuite de retirer le fourreau en le tirant par le haut, et les emballages demeurent dans le magasin;
• - des magasins dits "horizontaux", où les emballages sont disposés sur chant en colonne, les uns derrière les autres, et avancent horizontalement, vers le système de préhension de la machine, entraînés par un tapis. On ne peut utiliser aisément, pour de tels magasins un chargeur de modèle connu, construit pour alimenter un magasin vertical.

There are currently two main types of stores supplying machines for processing plate products:

• - so-called "vertical" magazines, where the packages are stacked on top of each other between vertical guides and descend by gravity as the mechanical system takes them from the base one by one. For such vertical stores, several types of supply loaders are known. They are generally constituted by sheaths closed at their two ends, which are reversed in the vertical magazine, after having removed one of the end closures and maintaining the packaging during the positioning. Then simply remove the sheath by pulling it from the top, and the packaging remains in the store;
• - so-called "horizontal" magazines, where the packages are arranged on a column edge, one behind the other, and move horizontally, towards the gripping system of the machine, driven by a belt. It is not easy to use, for such magazines, a charger of known model, constructed to supply a vertical magazine.

The subject of the invention is therefore a charger in the form of a closed sheath containing a certain number of packages, and intended to make it possible to supply a magazine of the horizontal type, such a charger being characterized in that it is in the form a parallelepiped box of semi-rigid material, the upper face of which has a central longitudinal groove over a central portion of its length, with precut lines connecting the four corners of the groove to the corresponding four corners of said upper face, and at least the front face of which has a central lower opening, with two precut lines connecting this opening to the two upper corners of said face.

• Figure 1 est une vue en plan du chargeur de l'invention, totalement déplié à plat avant son assemblage en une boîte parallélépipédique,
• Figure 2 montre le chargeur de la figure 1 en cours d'assemblage autour d'un paquet d'emballages sur chant,
• Figure 3 montre le chargeur assemblé et rempli du paquet d'emballages sur chant,
• Figure 4 montre le magasin horizontal en train d'alimenter la machine à l'aide d'une colonne horizontale d'emballages sur chant,
• Figure 5 montre la mise en place dans le magasin du chargeur de l'invention,
• Figure 6 montre l'opération suivante de libération de la partie avant du chargeur,
• Figure 7 montre l'opération suivante de libération de la partie arrière du chargeur,
• Figure 8 montre le début de la phase d'extraction du chargeur,
• Figure 9 montre le chargeur en cours d'extraction,
• Figure 10 est une vue en perspective du magasin horizontal de la machine, avec le chargeur en début de phase d'extraction.

The invention will be better understood using the following description of an exemplary embodiment, with reference to the appended schematic drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is a plan view of the charger of the invention, completely unfolded flat before being assembled in a parallelepipedic box,
• Figure 2 shows the loader of Figure 1 being assembled around a package of packaging on edge,
• Figure 3 shows the loader assembled and filled with the packaging package on edge,
• Figure 4 shows the horizontal magazine feeding the machine with a horizontal column of edge packaging,
• FIG. 5 shows the installation in the magazine of the charger of the invention,
• Figure 6 shows the following operation to release the front part of the charger,
• Figure 7 shows the following operation to release the rear part of the magazine,
• Figure 8 shows the start of the magazine extraction phase,
• Figure 9 shows the magazine being extracted,
• Figure 10 is a perspective view of the horizontal magazine of the machine, with the loader at the start of the extraction phase.

• - une plaque de fond 2, en forme de rectangle très allongé comme représenté, délimité par quatre lignes de pliage 3, 4, 5, 6,
• - deux rabats transversaux 7, 8 prolongeant le rectangle 2 au-delà de ses lignes de pliage longitudinales 3, 5 formant ses grands côtés; chacun de ces rabats 7, 8 est divisé par des lignes de pliage longitudinales 9 et 10 en un premier rabat, respectivement 11,12, contigu au plan de fond 2, dit rabat transversal inférieur, et un deuxième rabat, respectivement 13, 14 dit rabat transversal supérieur; conformément à l'invention, la somme (2a) des largeurs (a) des deux rabats transversaux supérieurs 13, 14 est inférieure à celle 1 de la plaque de fond rectangulaire 2; par ailleurs, chaque rabat transversal supérieur 13, 14 est muni, à chacune de ses deux extrémités longitudinales, d'une patte transversale, respectivement 15, 16, 17, 18 séparées chacune de la partie centrale du rabat transversal supérieur par une ligne de prédécoupe oblique, respectivement 19, 20, 21, 22 joignant comme représenté l'extrémité associée, respectivement 23, 24, 25, 26, de la ligne de pliage longitudinal, respectivement 9 et 10 délimitant le rabat transversal supérieur au point de départ intérieur, respectivement 27, 28, 29, 30 de la patte; enfin, la largeur transversale hors-tout b de chaque patte est égale, dans l'exemple non limitatif considéré, à la moitié de la largeur 1 de la plaque de fond 2, en remarquant toutefois qu'elle pourrait, en variante, être inférieure à cette valeur ou même supérieure a celle-ci;
• - deux rabats longitudinaux 31, 32 prolongeant la plaque de fond 2 au-delà de ses lignes de pliage transversales 4, 6 formant ses petits côtés; chacun de ces rabats 31, 32 est divisé par des lignes de pliage transversales 33, 34 en un premier rabat, respectivement 35 et 36, contigu à la plaque de fond 2, dit rabat longitudinal inférieur, et un deuxième rabat, respectivement 37 et 38, dit rabat longitudinal supérieur: la longueur h de chacun des rabats 35 et 36 est égale à la largeur h de chacun des rabats 11 et 12, et définira la hauteur de la caisse formant le chargeur; comme on le voit sur le dessin, chaque rabat 35 et 36 est percé d'une ouverture rectangulaire 39, 40 centrale et s'appuyant sur les lignes de pliage 4 et 6; sur chacun des rabats 35 et 36, deux lignes de prédécoupe 41, 42 et 43, 44 relient comme représenté les coins extérieurs de chaque rectangle 39, 40 à ceux associés des rabats 35 et 36; avantageusement par ailleurs, des lignes de pliage 45, 46 et 47, 48 sont prévues sur les rabats 37 et 38 de manière symétrique par rapport aux lignes 33 et 34 respectivement des lignes de prédécoupe 41, 42 et 43, 44.

Figure 1 shows the charger of the invention, fully unfolded and laid flat before assembly. It consists of a flat blank 1 of semi-rigid material such the only of the cardboard of which the various constituent parts are the following:

• - a bottom plate 2, in the shape of a very elongated rectangle as shown, delimited by four fold lines 3, 4, 5, 6,
• - two transverse flaps 7, 8 extending the rectangle 2 beyond its longitudinal fold lines 3, 5 forming its long sides; each of these flaps 7, 8 is divided by longitudinal fold lines 9 and 10 into a first flap, respectively 11.12, contiguous to the bottom plane 2, called the lower transverse flap, and a second flap, respectively 13, 14 said upper transverse flap; in accordance with the invention, the sum (2a) of the widths (a) of the two upper transverse flaps 13, 14 is less than that 1 of the rectangular bottom plate 2; in addition, each upper transverse flap 13, 14 is provided, at each of its two longitudinal ends, with a transverse tab, respectively 15, 16, 17, 18 each separated from the central part of the upper transverse flap by a pre-cut line oblique, respectively 19, 20, 21, 22 joining as shown the associated end, respectively 23, 24, 25, 26, of the longitudinal fold line, respectively 9 and 10 delimiting the upper transverse flap at the interior starting point, respectively 27, 28, 29, 30 of the paw; finally, the overall transverse width b of each leg is equal, in the nonlimiting example considered, to half the width 1 of the bottom plate 2, however noting that it could, as a variant, be less at this value or even greater than this;
• - two longitudinal flaps 31, 32 extending the bottom plate 2 beyond its transverse fold lines 4, 6 forming its short sides; each of these flaps 31, 32 is divided by transverse fold lines 33, 34 into a first flap, respectively 35 and 36, contiguous to the bottom plate 2, called the lower longitudinal flap, and a second flap, respectively 37 and 38 , said upper longitudinal flap: the length h of each of the flaps 35 and 36 is equal to the width h of each of the flaps 11 and 12, and will define the height of the box forming the loader; as seen in the drawing, each flap 35 and 36 is pierced with a central rectangular opening 39, 40 and based on the fold lines 4 and 6; on each of the flaps 35 and 36, two precut lines 41, 42 and 43, 44 connect, as shown, the outer corners of each rectangle 39, 40 to those associated with the flaps 35 and 36; advantageously moreover, fold lines 45, 46 and 47, 48 are provided on the flaps 37 and 38 symmetrically with respect to lines 33 and 34 respectively of the precut lines 41, 42 and 43, 44.

In general therefore, all the dimensions of the flaps and lugs of the blank 1 are such that they allow the making by folding, then fixing by gluing or the like, from the blank 1, of a rectangular box as shown in the figures 2 and 3 to which we will now refer.

As shown in Figure 2, to make from the blank 1 a loader filled with packaging 49 on edge, the packaging column 49 is placed on edge on the bottom plate 2 of the box, then as indicated by the arrows f, the longitudinal flaps 31, 32 are first of all folded down on the packages 49 and, as indicated by the arrows F, the transverse flaps 7 and 8 are folded over the assembly. The loader of the invention then shown is obtained on FIG. 3, which is fixed to prevent it from spreading using two pieces of adhesive tape 50.

As seen in Figure 3, the charger of the invention is completely symmetrical with respect to its transverse median plane.

As can be seen on its front part fully visible in FIG. 3, each of its ends reveals the central lower opening 39 with the precut lines 41, 42 connecting this opening 39 to the two associated upper corners of the front face. Furthermore, the loader has on its upper face a central longitudinal groove 51 over a median portion of its length, with precut lines 19, 20, 21, 22 connecting the four corners of the groove 51 to the corresponding four corners of the face superior.

We will now describe, with reference to schematic figures 4 to 10, the method of using the charger of FIG. 3, that is to say the way in which the packages 49, which the charger contains, are transferred to the horizontal magazine. of the machine.

FIG. 4 very schematically represents the horizontal magazine of an automatic cartoner for pharmaceutical products. It essentially consists of an endless belt 52 on which an operator places these tabs 53 used to hold the packaging 54 on edge on the machine placed horizontally against each other as shown to form a horizontal column 56 and carry on. On either side of the endless belt 52, the packages 54 in place on the machine are guided in the magazine by two longitudinal plates 55 (see also in FIG. 10) forming side rails. The device for gripping the packages 54 in place on the machine one by one in the column 56 is represented diagrammatically by a rotary cylinder 57 provided with suction cups 58.

To transfer the charger of the invention to the horizontal magazine of the machine, it is first determined, by looking through one of the openings 39, where the part of the packages 49 to be presented downstream is located, and we orient the charger accordingly. It is indeed important that the packaging 49, or the like, is presented the right way in the machine store.

Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the loader is placed on the endless belt 52, as close as possible to the cleat 53, behind the column 56 already in place. As shown in FIG. 6, the fingers are then slid into the front opening 39, and suddenly pulled upwards. This movement causes the four pre-cut lines 41, 42, 19, 21 to yield so that, as will be understood with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, almost all of the front longitudinal flap 31 is torn off, as are the two tabs 15 and 17.

As can be seen in FIG. 7, the packages 49 located at the front of the charger then come to bear on the cleat 53, moreover still weakly supported by the two remaining tabs of the flap 31. Passing the fingers under the rear side of the upper central opening 51, and by abruptly pulling up as shown in FIG. 7, the two lines 20 and 22 are made to yield, allowing the flap 32 to be released towards the rear, as shown see in Figure 8. The side flaps 7 and 8 are held in a vertical position by the two side guides 55 of the magazine. In these two tearing operations, the folds 45 to 48 come, forming a corner, to aid in the operation of cutting the precut lines 41 to 44. These folds are however optional, although advantageous.

At the same time, as can be seen in FIG. 8, that the flap 32 is pulled back, the packaging column 49 is retained with the other hand, pushing advantageously downstream with it. ci, and, as can be seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, the magazine is pulled back by the flap 32, until it is completely removed. Finally, another push and hold stopper is placed behind the packaging column 49, and the operation is finished. It is very clearly seen in FIG. 10 that the opening 51 is essential to allow passage of the fingers holding the packages 49 while the loader is pulled back by the flap 32.

Claims (5)

1. Loader intended to feed a horizontal magazine of a machine for handling sheet-like products, intended to form packages, the loader taking the form of a removable sleeve containing packagings (49), characterised in that it takes the form of a parallelepiped box of semi-rigid material, the upper surface of which has a longitudinal central groove (51) over a middle portion of its length, with pre-cutting lines (19, 20, 21, 22) connecting the four corners of the groove (51) to the corresponding four corners of the said upper surface, and of which at least the front surface comprises a bottom central opening (39) with two pre-cutting lines (41, 42) connecting this opening (39) to the top two corners of the said surface.

2. Loader according to Claim 1, characterised in that its front and rear parts are symmetrical in relation to its transverse median plane.

3. Loader according to Claim 2, characterized in that it is produced from a single flat blank (1), this blank comprising:

- a bottom sheet (2),

- two transverse flaps (7, 8) each of which is divided in a transverse direction into two parts (11, 13 and 12, 14) which form flaps, the upper transverse flaps (13, 14) being provided at both ends with tabs (15,16 and 17,18) each defined by an oblique pre-cutting line (19, 20 and 21, 22);

- two longitudinal flaps (31, 32) which are themselves each divided in a longitudinal direction into two parts (35, 37 and 36, 38) forming a flap, the bottom longitudinal flaps (35, 36) incorporating a central rectangular opening (39, 40) adjacent to the bottom sheet (2) and pre-cutting lines (41, 42 and 43, 44) connecting the outer corners of each opening (39, 40) to the associated outer corners of the bottom longitudinal flaps (35, 36).

4. Loader according to Claim 3, characterised in that the upper longitudinal flaps (37, 38) of the longitudinal flaps (31, 32) comprise fold lines (45, 46 and 47, 48) which are symmetrical in relation to the fold lines (33, 34) of the two bottom and top flaps of the associated longitudinal flap (31, 32).

5. Method of using a loader according to one of Claims 1 to 4 for transferring a stack of edge-wise disposed packagings (49) which it contains into a horizontal magazine in a processing machine, characterised in that after the loader has been placed horizontally into the magazine, the method of use consists of tearing off that front part of the loader which can be torn away after one or a plurality of fingers has/have been inserted into the central bottom opening (39) of the front face, followed by the insertion of one or a plurality of fingers into the rear part of the upper longitudinal groove (51) and tearing away the top rear tear-off part, and then with the same hand closed at the same place, pulling the loader towards the rear until it is completely extracted, the other hand supporting the back of the stack of edge-wise disposed packagings (49).

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