EP0581690A1 - Machine for applying gummed tape to cartons - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine for (arrangement) applying a gummed tape to a carton. The machine is of the type comprising at least one module for applying an upper gummed tape (3) for bonding the upper flaps of the carton, which includes a device for unwinding gummed tape from a reel (15), a track for transporting the cartons (10), a track for conveying the unwound tape as far as into the track for transporting the cartons, a device (29) for cutting the tape and a device (30) for moistening the tape (20). The machine is characterised in that the means for unwinding and conveying the tape include means (42) for gripping the tape (20) in the said track for conveying and transporting the latter over a predetermined distance along a rectilinear trajectory until the front end of the tape reaches a predetermined position in the transport path (25) of the cartons (10) in which this end can be applied against the top part of the front face (AV) of the carton (10), and for releasing the tape when it has reached this position, and means for unwinding the tape from the said reel (15) during the advance movement of the carton, after application of the said front end of the tape on the front face (AV) of the carton. The invention can be used for applying gummed tapes to cartons of parallelepipedal shape. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to an arrangement for applying a gummed strip to a box, in particular of rectangular shape, comprising at least at the top foldable flaps in a closed position of the box and retained in this position by gluing the strip in a configuration. U-shaped, on the upper face of the body and the upper parts of the front and rear faces thereof, of the type comprising a device for unwinding a reel of gummed tape, a channel for transporting the boxes provided with a portion d application of the strip, a route for the unwinding of the strip as far as the crate transport route, a device for cutting the strip to the lengths necessary for the U-shaped configuration and a device for wetting the strip.

Arrangements of this type, which are known, have the major drawback that their structure is complex, largely due to the use of motors and guide rollers for the unwinding and conveying of the strip.

The object of the present invention is to propose an arrangement which overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks of known arrangements.

To achieve this object, the arrangement according to the invention is characterized in that the means for unwinding and conveying the strip comprise means for gripping the strip in said path for transporting and transporting it on a predetermined distance along a rectilinear trajectory until the front end of the strip reaches a predetermined position in the crate transport path in which this end can come into application against the upper part of the front face of the body, and loosening of the strip when the latter has reached this position, and means of unwinding the strip of said reel, by traction, during the movement of advancement of the boxes, after the application of said front end tape on the front of the body.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the means for gripping, transporting and releasing the strip comprise a clamp mounted on a displacement device in a rectilinear reciprocating movement, such as a pneumatic cylinder.

According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the unwinding device comprises means for adjusting the tensile force of the strip during its unwinding of the reel, which comprise a pivoting lever carrying at one end a friction brake pad of the support of the reel during the rotation thereof, and at its other end a member such as a deflection roller, on which passes said strip when it is routed towards the transport path of the boxes so as to rotate the lever in the direction of a reduction in the friction braking effect, against a return force of the lever in its braking position.

According to yet another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the arrangement comprises a device for applying the gummed strip on the front and upper faces of a box, which comprises a roller arranged in the path for transporting the boxes on the side opposite to the side of arrival of these, with respect to the end of the gummed strip extending in this way, and is mounted at the end of a lever with two arms, the other end of which is connected to a lever return spring in the position of application of the strip against the front face of the boxes.

According to yet another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the arrangement comprises a device for applying the gummed strip against the rear face of a box, which comprises a lever with two arms, carrying at one end a roller mounted so to be applied against the rear face of a box by a force produced by the advancing movement of this box.

• La figure 1 est une vue latérale d'un agencement d'application d'une bande gommée selon la présente invention ;
• La figure 2 est une vue frontale selon la ligne II-Il de la figure 1 ;
• La figure 3 est une vue latérale à plus grande échelle de la partie supérieure de l'agencement représentée à la figure 1 ;
• Les figures 4 et 5 sont des vues latérales du dispositif applicateur de la bande gommée contre la face arrière des caisses, selon la présente invention, qui montrent ce dispositif dans deux positions différentes ;
• La figure 6 est une vue latérale, en coupe, du dispositif de coupe, selon la présente invention, de la bande gommée, qui est montée dans la partie inférieure de l'agencement représenté à la figure 1 ;
• La figure 7 est une vue de dessus du dispositif de coupe selon la figure 6 ; et
• La figure 8 est une vue de dessus du détail VIII de la figure 6.

The invention will be better understood and other objects, characteristics, details and advantages thereof will appear more clearly during the explanatory description which follows, made with reference to the appended schematic drawings given solely by way of example illustrating a mode of the invention and in which:

• Figure 1 is a side view of an arrangement for applying a rubberized strip according to the present invention;
• Figure 2 is a front view along the line II-II of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of the upper part of the arrangement shown in Figure 1;
• FIGS. 4 and 5 are side views of the device for applying the gummed strip against the rear face of the boxes, according to the present invention, which show this device in two different positions;
• Figure 6 is a side view, in section, of the device for cutting, according to the present invention, the gummed strip, which is mounted in the lower part of the arrangement shown in Figure 1;
• Figure 7 is a top view of the cutting device according to Figure 6; and
• FIG. 8 is a top view of detail VIII of FIG. 6.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the arrangement according to the invention for the application of a gummed strip to boxes, in particular of parallelepiped shape, of the type known as American corrugated boxes essentially comprises a vertical mast 1 implanted in a base 2 and on which are mounted an upper applicator module 3 and a lower application module 4. The upper module is variable in height teur on the mast 1 using a rack and pinion assembly 6 and pinion 7 capable of being driven by a crank 8. In Figure 1 there is also shown a box 10 which moves horizontally on a motor conveyor device 11 This conveyor device is also carried by the mast 1. To complete the general description, reference 12 indicates the electrical cabinet of the arrangement according to the invention.

Each gummed tape applicator module 3, 4 comprises substantially the same devices which emerge clearly from FIG. 3. Thus, it can be seen that the module 3 comprises a device 14 for supporting a coil of gummed tape 15 generally made of paper. The reel with its support, produced in the form of two flanges 16 (FIG. 1) is free to rotate about a horizontal fixed axis 17. The strip of paper 20 which is unwound from the reel 15 passes over a guide roller and return 21 which is part of a brake device 22 and through a vertical guide channel formed between two vertical sheets 23, 24 as far as the transport path of the boxes 10 displaced by the conveyor device 11, delimited at the top by a wall substantially horizontal upper 26 and below by a floor at the level of the conveyor 11. The module 3 further comprises a device 28 for transferring the unwound strip 20 towards the transport path 25 of the boxes 10, a strip cutter device 29 thus a device for moistening the strip 30, located just above the ceiling wall 26. To ensure the application of the gummed strip to the boxes 10 in a U-shaped configuration, that is to say against the upper part of the front face AV and upper face FS, on the one hand, of a body and against the upper part of the rear face AR of a body, the module is equipped with two applicator devices bearing the references 32 and 33 respectively.

The various devices of the upper module 3, which also equips the lower module 4, will be described below in more detail.

The braking device 22 comprises a lever with two arms 35 which is pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis 36 implanted in a fixed support structure 37. One end of this lever carries a braking pad 38 which comes into friction application on the wafer surface of one of the flanges 16 of the reel of gummed tape 15. The other end carries the guide and return roller of the tape 20. A return spring 39 is provided which has the function of returning the lever 22 in its braking position, the strip 20 passing over the roller 21 so that a pulling force F1 on the strip 20 separates the brake shoe 38 from the spool flange 16.

The device for transferring the strip to the transport path 25 for the boxes essentially comprises an advantageously pneumatic cylinder 41, the rod of which performs a straight back and forth movement. The piston rod of the jack carries a clamp device 42 which is provided with a fixed jaw 43 and a movable jaw 44, arranged on either side of the gummed strip 20 in order to be able to grip it. The stroke of the movable jaw is a few millimeters. The guide plates 23 and 24 are provided with vertical slots 45 (Figure 2) allowing the vertical movement in translation of these jaws. The clamp device 42 is adapted to grip the strip in its upper position represented in FIG. 3 by solid lines and moves the strip thus gripped up to the position indicated in broken lines. In this position the clamp device releases the band and returns to its original gripping position. The length of this stroke is chosen so that the free end indicated at 46 of the gummed strip is transferred from the level a of cutting of the strip to the level b of application of the strip against the front face AV of the boxes 10, inside the transport path thereof.

The cutting device 29 comprises, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a movable blade 47 and a fixed counter blade 49, the level a above mentioned being the level of cutting of the two blades. The strip is cut by a horizontal rectilinear movement in the direction of arrow F3, for example under the effect of a pneumatic cylinder 50. Of course the movement can be controlled by any other suitable drive means. The band-cutting device 29 includes springs 51 which have the function of pressurizing the blade 47 on the counter blade 49 to ensure a scissor effect. The movable blade 47 and the fixed counter blade 49 are associated respectively with impression jaws 52 and 53 which have the function of imprinting in the strip 20 impressions such as vertical grooves which deform the strip slightly and thus give it better rigidity in the vertical direction.

The device 30 for moistening the gummed face of the strip can be produced in any suitable manner and could for example include a piece of foam 54 with a low coefficient of friction and high capillarity and arranged so as to be able to come into contact with the rubberized face of the strip when the latter passes in front of this foam. The rear part of the foam part can be immersed in a tank 55 filled with water. An electronic or mechanical float device, bearing the general reference 56 is provided to ensure the constant level of water in the tank 55. The water is maintained at temperature by a resistance and an appropriate regulation. The moistening could also be carried out, alternatively, by water vaporized in mist or steam.

The applicator device 32 of the gummed strip essentially comprises an applicator roller 55 which is mounted at the level of level b inside the passageway 25 for boxes 10, on the end of a lever with two arms 56, capable of pivoting about an axis 57 and on the other end of which acts a return spring 57. The function of this spring 57 is to rotate the lever 56 in the direction of the arrow F4 so as to ensure that the roller 55 is applied under pressure against the walls of the boxes 10.

The applicator device 33 of the strip against the rear faces AR of the boxes essentially comprises, as shown in more detail in FIGS. 4 and 5, a first lever with two arms 60 which is pivotally mounted around an axis 62 and carries its end extending inside the passageway 25 of the boxes 10 a roller 63 arranged so that the front faces of the boxes abut against this roller during their forward movement. The pivot axis 62 is located above the upper wall 26 of the transport or passage way 25. The applicator device 33 comprises a second lever with two arms 65 which is pivotally mounted around a fixed axis 66 located at above the wall 26 and which includes an arm which can be penetrated into the passageway 25. The end of this arm carries an applicator roller 67 which is capable of coming into application against the rear wall AR of the boxes 10, as shown Figure 5, but normally occupies the position shown in Figure 4, just outside of this transport path 25. The two free ends of the two levers 61 and 65 are interconnected by a spring 68 and the lever 61 is associated with a spring 69 for returning this lever to its position in which its roller 63 is located inside the passageway 25 (FIG. 4).

The arrangement also comprises a control device for the jack 41 which imparts its linear advance movement to the gummed strip. This device essentially comprises a sensor, for example of the photoelectric cell type, known per se, which is mounted upstream of the application module in the path of the boxes. The sensor which has the function of detecting the passage of the boxes can be placed laterally with respect to the trajectory of the boxes or, when the conveyor 11 consists of two parallel strips laterally offset, in the space between these two strips.

The operation of the arrangement according to the present invention will be described below.

To put the arrangement in the working state, first unroll one end of the strip 20 and then unroll the strip by pulling on it while passing the strip over the deflection roller 21 until the front end of the strip reaches level a, in front of the counter blade 49 of the strip cutting device 29. The conveyor device 28 of the strip ensures the transport of the front end from level a to level b, the paper then passing in front of the moistening device 30. During its transfer, the strip is pinched between the fixed and movable jaws 43 and 44 of the clamp device 42. This device is moved under the effect of the pneumatic cylinder 28 to the position indicated on the interrupted line. When the clamp reaches this position and the end of the moistened gummed strip is at level b in front of the applicator roller 55, the clamp opens and is brought back by the linear actuator 28 to its original position where it remains open. . However, the clamp could again be closed to use it as a means ensuring a non-return effect of the strip. It is obvious that the transfer of the strip using the actuator 28 can be controlled as a function of the arrival of the cases 10, using the case passage sensor, which is mounted upstream of the applicator module . Indeed, when the sensor detects the passage of a box, it sends a control signal to the actuator 28 which causes the advancement of the gummed strip in its position b. When such a box is advanced by the conveyor device 11 in the direction of arrow F5, the front face of the box abuts against the roller 55 so that the part of the strip located in the passageway of the boxes is applied against the front face by the roller on which the spring 58 acts. Continuing the stroke, the roller 55 while erasing ensures application under pressure of the strip also on the upper face of the body, then returns to the position shown in Figure 3, under the effect of its return spring 58. During the advancing movement of the body, the front face thereof has also abuts against the roller 63 and pushes it to the against the spring 68. The roller 67 is held on the upper face of the body and can come into application against the rear face after the passage of the body, as shown in FIG. 5, and this always under the effect of the spring 68. Roller 67 can thus if applying the rear part of the strip against the rear face of the body, this strip having been cut to the appropriate length by the strip-cutting device 29. It should be noted that the unwinding of the strip from the reel 15 takes place under the effect of the advancing movement of the body, the front part of the strip being glued to it. During its unwinding of the reel 15, the strip is maintained under a controlled tension using the brake device 22. In fact, the lever 35 of this device, by its pivoting either under the effect of the traction force F1 , or under the effect of its return spring 39 in its braking position of the rotational movement of the coil, ensures "balanced" operation.

The structure and the operation of the upper applicator device 3 have just been described above. As described above, the lower module 3 has the same structure and operates in the same way in order to be able to apply, simultaneously, a predetermined length of rubber band on the upper and lower parts of the boxes. As shown in FIG. 1, the lower applicator module 4 is offset with respect to the upper module 3, in the direction of advancement of the boxes 10. This makes it possible to apply gummed strips at the top and at the bottom boxes of a relatively low height, without the rollers of the applicator devices of the upper and lower modules interfering with each other. Given the offset of the two applicator modules, a box passage detector sensor is also provided for controlling the lower applicator module which will be offset accordingly with respect to the passage detector sensor, which controls the transfer cylinder for the gummed tape from the upper applicator module.

Claims (13)

1. Arrangement for applying a gummed strip to a box, in particular of rectangular shape, comprising at least at the top foldable flaps in a closed position of the box and retained in this position by gluing the strip in a U-shaped configuration , on the upper face of the body and the upper parts of the front and rear faces thereof, of the type comprising at least one upper gummed tape applicator module for bonding the upper body flaps, which comprises a dispenser device a reel of gummed tape, a transport path for the boxes provided with a portion for applying the tape, a path for transporting the tape unwound into the transport path for the cases, a device for cutting the tape at lengths necessary for the U-shaped configuration and a device for moistening the strip, characterized in that the means for unwinding and conveying the strip comprise means for p rehension (42) of the strip (20) in said conveying and transport path thereof for a predetermined distance along a straight path until the front end of the strip reaches a predetermined position (b) in the transport path (25) of the boxes (10) in which this end can come into application against the upper part of the front face (AV) of the box (10), and of loosening of the strip when that -ci has reached this position, and means for unwinding the strip of said reel (15) during the advancing movement of the body, after the application of said front end of the strip on the front face (AV) of the box. 2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the gripping, transport and release means (42), of the strip (10) comprise a clamp having a fixed jaw (43) and a movable jaw (44), mounted on a movement device (28) of the clamp, in a rectilinear back and forth movement, such as a pneumatic cylinder. 3. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the tape unwinding device (20) comprises adjustment means (22) of the tensile force of the tape during its unwinding of the reel ( 15), which comprises a pivoting lever (35) carrying at one end a shoe (38) for braking by friction of the support of the coil during the rotation of the latter, and at its other end a member (21), such that a deflection roller, on which said strip (20) passes when it is conveyed to the transport path (25) of the cases (10), so as to pivot the lever (36) in the direction of reduction of the friction braking force during the unwinding of the strip, against the force of a return means (39) of the lever in its braking position. 4. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an application device (32) of the gummed strip (20) on the front and upper faces of a box, which comprises a roller (55 ) disposed in the path (25) of the boxes (10), on the side opposite to the arrival side of the latter, relative to the end (46) of the gummed strip extending in this way, and mounted at the end of a lever (56) with two arms, the other end of which is connected to a return spring (58) of the lever in the rest position. 5. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an applicator device (33) of the gummed strip (20) against the rear face (AR) of a box (10), which comprises a lever (65) with two arms which carry at one end a roller (67) and is mounted so that this roller is applied against the rear face (AR) of a box by a force produced by the advancing movement of the box . 6. Arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the applicator device (33) comprises a second lever (61) with two arms, which is pivotally mounted around a fixed axis (62) and carries at one end a roller ( 63) arranged so as to be in the transport path (25) of the boxes (10), the ends of the two free arms of the two levers (65 and 60) being interconnected by a spring (68), and in that the two levers are arranged so that the pivoting of the lever (61) under the effect of the advancing movement of a box (10) produces said force for applying the roller (67) against the rear face of the boxes. 7. Arrangement according to one of the pre claims cédentes, characterized in that the band-cutting device (29) comprises a movable blade (47) and a fixed counter blade (49), held in position relative to each other, by springs (51) , the movable blade (47) being movable by a drive means such as a pneumatic cylinder (50). 8. Arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that the movable (47) and fixed (49) blades are associated with jaws with imprints (52) and (53) adapted to print in the strip (20) stiffening imprints in its longitudinal direction. 9. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the moistening device (30) of the gummed face of the strip (20) comprises a piece of foam (54) with a low coefficient of friction and a high capillarity , the rear part of which is immersed in a tank (55) filled with water, a device (56) being able to be provided for maintaining a constant level of water in the tank (55). 10. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises, in addition to the module (3) for applying a section of gummed strip on the upper face of a box (10) and the part top of the front and rear faces thereof, an applicator module (4) of a section of gummed strip against the underside of a box and the lower parts of the front and rear faces thereof, the lower applicator module (4) having substantially the same structure as the upper applicator module (3). 11. Arrangement according to claim 10, characterized in that the applicator (3) and lower (4) modules are mounted on a vertical support mast (1), the upper module being adjustable in height. 12. Arrangement according to claim 11, characterized in that the lower applicator module (4) is offset relative to the upper applicator module (3), in the direction of movement of the boxes (10), so that the applicator devices (32 , 33) of the two upper and lower modules are offset, with respect to each other, in the direction of movement of the boxes, to allow the application of the gummed strips on boxes of a relatively low height. 13. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a device for controlling the means of unwinding and conveying the strip, which comprises at least one cash flow detector, disposed upstream of the module applicator in the box routing path and adapted to produce an actuation control signal of the routing means during the passage of a box.

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