EP1396430A2 - Procedure for the production of hinged lid boxes - Google Patents

Abstract

The procedure for the manufacture of the folding type of cigarette packets involves having unfolded, flat blanks (10) preformed in the region of the round edges (14,15) or angled edges by means of rounding or angle forming tools and then processed in a packing machine. The blanks during continuous transportation are shaped to form round or angled edges and then formed back in the flat initial position. The preformed, flat again blanks are gathered into a stack (37) which as a unit is then subjected to counter-forming of the preformed round or angled edges. An Independent claim is included for a system for the manufacture of folding cigarette packets in accordance with the proposed procedure.

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing (cigarette) packs of the folding box type with upright round or beveled cross-sections Pack edges - round edges or bevelled edges - with unfolded, flat Pre-shaped blanks in the area of the round edges or bevel edges to be produced are made using rounding or beveling tools and then in a packaging machine in the usual way for producing the hinged box are processed. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device for performing Process.

Hinged boxes for cigarettes in the form of round edge packs (US 4753383) and octagonal packs (US 4753384) are increasingly found Spreading on the market. In order to manufacture this type of pack, in particular the round edge pack, using a conventional packaging machine for To obtain hinged boxes with precisely shaped rounded edges or bevelled edges, it is known to unfold the blanks before insertion into the packaging machine to undergo preforming by using rounding or Inclined edge molding tools preformed the relevant packaging edges and then the blank is inserted into the packaging machine (US 5549537).

With this known device, individual cuts are made in the area of a packaging line leading to the packaging machine during a standstill phase subjected to this preprocessing. This makes the performance of the Packaging machine affected.

The invention has for its object the performance of a packaging machine for the production of hinged boxes with round edges or To improve bevelled edges while also increasing the quality of the shaped packaging edges.

To achieve this object, the method according to the invention is characterized in that that the blanks are formed during continuous transportation deformed by round edges or inclined edges and then essentially into the flat starting position be reshaped.

In the method according to the invention, the pre-deformation of the Packing edges during the transport of the blanks, i.e. during the conveying movement, after the preforming process the cut into the (approximately) flat starting position is reshaped so that essentially flat Cuts from thin cardboard are available to the packaging machine whose structure is changed in the area of the round edges.

The device according to the invention is preferably rotating continuously Cutting conveyor, in particular equipped with a revolver, the has a plurality of receptacles or holders for one blank each, tools or organs are assigned to each holder or holder are the pre-deformation during the conveying or rotating movement of the turret the cutting, especially a complete rounding process.

Another special feature of the invention is that the blanks according to Completion of the preforming process will be handed over to a stacker for education of a blank stack. This is in the total of a deformation in the Area of the package edges subjected, in particular one of the preforming the reverse deformation of the round edges or inclined edges, so that stacks of blanks are formed from pre-treated, flat blanks.

Fig. 1

eine Verpackungsmaschine in schematischem Grundriss,

Fig. 2

eine Einzelheit der Verpackungsmaschine gem. Fig. 1 in Seitenansicht gem. Pfeil II in Fig. 1, bei vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 3 bis Fig. 6

Ausschnitte des Rundungsrevolvers mit Rundungswerkzeugen in verschiedenen Bearbeitungsphasen eines Zuschnitts, bei nochmals vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 7

eine Stapelstation für Zuschnitte in Seitenansicht bzw. in Vertikalschnitt der Schnittebene VII-VII der Fig. 1, bei vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 8

die Stapelstation gem. Fig. 7 bei veränderter Stellung von Organen,

Fig. 9

die schematische Darstellung einer Einzelheit eines (Rundungs-)Revolvers mit Getriebe zur Betätigung von Rundungsorganen in Seitenansicht.

Further special features of the method and the device are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. It shows:

Fig. 1

a packaging machine in a schematic plan,

Fig. 2

a detail of the packaging machine acc. Fig. 1 in side view. Arrow II in Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale,

3 to 6

Cut-outs of the rounding turret with rounding tools in various processing phases of a cut, with a further enlarged scale,

Fig. 7

4 shows a stacking station for cuts in side view or in vertical section of section plane VII-VII of FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 8

the stacking station acc. 7 with changed position of organs,

Fig. 9

the schematic representation of a detail of a (rounding) turret with gear for actuating rounding elements in side view.

The drawings relate to the processing of blanks 10 for the Manufacture of round edge packs (US 4753383). In Fig. 1 is the floor plan a packaging machine 11 shown for the manufacture of (cigarette) packs of the folding box type. The packaging machine 11 has as Folding unit a plate-shaped, rotatable about an upright axis Folding turret 12. These are the blanks 10 for producing the hinged boxes supply.

For the production of folding boxes of the type round edges (or bevelled edges) the blanks 10 are pretreated in the area of a molding unit 13. It is about round edges 14, 15 of the blanks 10 by appropriate bending preform (Fig. 5). The molding unit 13 is designed as an independent unit at a spatial distance from the packaging machine 11. The treated Blanks 10 or stacks of blanks are fed by a blank conveyor, namely by a stack conveyor 17 from the molding unit 13 to the packaging machine 11 or transported to the folding turret 12. The independent arrangement of the molding unit 13 thus alternatively enables the operation of the packaging machine 11 for the production of conventional folding boxes. In this case the molding unit 13 can be dismantled or possibly moved.

The molding unit 13 is designed in a special way. Most important detail is an endless conveyor, namely a rounding turret 18. This is preferred driven continuously rotating, namely around a horizontal axis. The cuts 10 are fed individually, one after the other, to the rounding turret 18 and funded along a part of the scope. During this transport route the blanks 10 processed, namely the round edges 14, 15 shaped. To this The purpose is the rounding revolver 18 along the circumference with a plurality of in Equipped spaced brackets for one (or more) Blanks 10. These are radially directed suction holders 19, which Detect blank 10 in a central area and fix it with suction air. The Suction cups 19 are designed such that the area of the blank 10 is exposed on the side, in particular the area of the round edges 14, 15.

Shaped elements belong to the holder or to each suction holder 19, namely Molded webs 20, 21, which are positioned on both sides of the suction holder 19 and which (temporarily) extend exactly in the area of the round edges 14, 15, specifically in the axis-parallel direction according to the orientation of the elongated blanks 10. Each shaped web 20, 21 has a sideways curve 16 around which a laterally projecting free edge strip of the blank 10 is formed around to form the round edge 14, 15 (Fig. 5). The free margins the blanks 10 are deformed so far that they are under one acute angles to the plane of the blank 10 are directed.

18 are tools on the rounding turret for deforming the blanks 10 attached, namely assigned to each suction holder 19. It is about Rounding rollers 22, 23 on both sides of the suction holder 19. The rounding rollers 22, 23 are aligned axially parallel and in the radial direction to the rounding turret 18 and laterally movable. A starting position is shown in FIG. 3. The rounding rollers 22; 23 have a distance from each other that is larger than the transverse dimension or width of the blank 10, so that this to the suction holder 19 without being impaired by the rounding rollers 22, 23 can be created. The rounding rollers 22, 23 are in one Position at a greater distance from the round turret 18 or on the radially outer one Side of the blank 10. The rounding rolls 22, 23 are then in a position closer to each other and in contact with the radial outer side of the blank 10 moves (Fig. 4). Then comes one Movement of the rounding rollers 22, 23 deforming a free edge strip of the blank 10 around the shaped webs 20, 21. With rounding deformation of the blank 10 accordingly the rounding rollers 22, 23 essentially guide a radial movement from the outside in, so that due to the formed round edges 14, 15 resulting edge legs of the blank 10 point radially inwards (Fig. 5). The rounding rollers run during this Rounding process a rotary motion, thus generating a rolling process on the outside of the blank 10. In the end position, the Rounding rollers 22, 23 in an area between the webs 20, 21 and the rounding turret 18 (FIG. 5) while reducing the distance again from each other, so that the free lateral strips of the blank 10 "arch" become.

The rounding rollers 22, 23 are then moved in the opposite direction at least at a greater distance from one another, such that lateral edge edges 24, 25 of the blank are supported on the circumference of the rounding rollers 22, 23 (Fig. 6). The shaped webs 20, 21 act in this phase when the Cut 10 in the (flat) starting position with. The shaped webs 20, 21 are closed This purpose namely in the opposite direction movable apart, whereby the blank 10 is brought into the extended position. This backforming movement of the Form webs 20, 21 is matched to the movement of the rounding rollers 22, 23. The preformed blank 10 can now be removed from the rounding turret 18 become.

The rounding rollers 22, 23 are attached to suitable holders that described Carry out movements. In the embodiment shown the rounding rollers 22, 23 are attached to angled support arms 26, namely on a leg 27 of the support arm 26 directed towards the suction holder 19. The support arms 26 are by means of suitable gears within the rounding turret 18 movable over curves with the help of cam rollers in the manner described during the rotation of the round turret 18. The deformation of the blank 10 takes place in a rotating area of the rounding turret 18, which is approximately three quarters corresponds to one revolution.

9 shows an exemplary embodiment of an essentially inside the rounding turret 18 housed gearbox for actuating the rounding rollers 22, 23. The support arm 26 is angled (within the round turret 18) to form of a leg 52 pointing in the direction of movement. Its free leg The end is connected to a drive lever 53 via a joint. This is for Actuation of the support arm 26 essentially in the radial direction of the rounding turret 18 can be moved back and forth (positions according to dash-dotted lines). The Movement of the drive lever 53 can be via a (not shown) guide roller take place, which rotates in a groove of the rounding turret 18. The leg 52 of the Support arm 26 is connected to an articulated lever 54, which has a fixed pivot bearing 55 having. Fig. 9 also shows the movement curve 56 of the rounding member during the deformation of the blank 10, namely on the basis of an axis of rotation 57 Rounding roller 22, 23 on the support arm 26.

Individual blanks 10 are passed through in the area of a loading station 28 a transfer conveyor 29 to the rounding turret 18 or to one Transfer suction holder 19. The transfer conveyor 29 consists of (continuous) circumferential holding arms 30 for one blank each. On the radially outside At the end of the holding arm 30, a suction member 31 is attached to hold the Blank 10 on one (printed) outside of the same. The holding arms 30 are attached to a circumferential holding disk 32 such that the holding arms 30 when taking over a blank 10 and when handing it over to the rounding revolver 18 perform a pivoting movement (and a radial movement) as compensation. In this example, the transfer conveyor 29 is equipped with four holding arms 30, of which in each case a holding arm 30 after delivery of a blank 10 the round turret 18 is free (Fig. 2).

The blanks 10 are successively removed from the transfer conveyor 29 from a feed conveyor 33. On this, the blanks 10 are positioned in the sealing position, in an upright plane with the longitudinal extent transverse to the direction of movement. The blanks 10 are arranged such that in each case the printed outside is captured by the transfer conveyor 29 or the suction member 31. The blanks 10 are transported along a three-quarter circle and transferred to the rounding turret 18.
In the area of a removal station 34, the preformed blanks 10 are removed from the rounding turret 18 by a removal conveyor 38 and fed to a stacking unit 36. The removal conveyor 35 is designed in an analogous manner to the transfer conveyor 29, that is to say with holding arms 30 and suction members 31. When a blank is taken over, it is positioned by the suction holders 19 of the rounding turret 18, the shaped webs 20, 21 and the rounding rollers 22, 23 in such a way that that a movement opposite to the rounding process takes place, so that the blanks 10 are more or less formed back into the original stretched position (FIG. 6).

The stacking unit 36 is a special feature with regard to its structure and mode of operation. On the one hand, it serves to create blank stacks 37 as a unit for further processing the blanks 10. On the other hand, the stacking unit 36 serves (Additional) deformation of the blanks 10, namely by deforming a complete blank stack 37 (Fig. 7). In the present embodiment the blank stack 37 is subjected to a deformation, that of the pre-deformation counteracts the individual blanks 10 in the area of the rounding turret 18, thus makes an additional contribution to the reshaping of the blanks 10 in a substantially flat starting position.

The stacking unit 36 consists of an upright stacking tower 38 with an upright one Guide walls 39, 40, which run in the longitudinal direction of the blanks Border edges 24, 25 of the blanks 10 rest. Between the guide walls 39, 40, the blank stack 37 is built up, namely by feeding individual blanks 10 on the top. Lower limit of the stacking tower 38 is a supporting tongue or support wall 41. This can be moved transversely to the stacking tower 38, can be shifted from the area of the stacking tower 38 or out the supporting position between the guide walls 39, 40 are pulled out, such that the blank stack 37 formed above the support wall 41 is facing downward can be removed. A peculiarity is that stack of blanks 37 are successively formed in the stacking tower 38. As soon as one Filling level corresponding to a blank stack 38 in the stacking tower 38 has been reached, is a second support wall 42 by moving above the blank stack 37 moved transversely into the stacking tower 38, so that subsequently supplied blanks 10 to form a subsequent blank stack 37 on the second Support wall 42 serve.

The finished blank stack 37 is moved to a conveyor by downward movement handed over, namely to a conveyor shaft 43. This consists of upright Shaft walls 44, 45, which in a receiving position on the guide walls 39, Connect 40 of the stacking tower 38. The blanks 10 or the blank stack rest at the bottom 37 on support members, namely on support legs 46 of the shaft walls 44, 45.

The transfer of the blank stack 37 from the stacking tower 38 to the conveyor shaft 43 is effected by moving the lower support wall 41, 42 downwards. The Support walls 41, 42 and the guide walls 39, 40 are designed to Example by comb-like training, so coordinated that the Support walls 41, 42 moved downward within the stacking tower 38, in a lower one End position (Fig. 7) laterally from the stacking tower 38 or from the conveyor shaft 43 pulled out and outside of these organs in an upper starting position can be moved back (Fig. 2). The guide walls 39, 40 of the stacking tower 38 are oscillatory transverse to the stacking and downward movement of the blank stack 37 to facilitate transfer to the conveyor shaft 43.

The conveyor shaft 43 is part of a stacking conveyor. In the embodiment shown the conveyor shaft 43 is movable laterally and for this purpose attached to a carriage 47. This is on a guide with guide rods 48 reciprocable in the horizontal direction, namely from a starting position of the conveyor shaft 43 below the stacking tower 38 in an offset Position (Fig. 7). From here, the blank stack 37 is transported on and closed for this purpose lifted out of the conveyor shaft 43 by a lifting member 49. This is with support pieces 50, 51 on the top and bottom of the blank stack 37 equipped. The support pieces are relative to each other and relative to the conveyor shaft 43 movable. To capture a blank stack 37 in the conveyor shaft 43 are the support pieces 50, 51 from above and below the blank stack 37 moved up.

A special feature is that the support pieces 50, 51 have a double function exercise, namely also as forming tools for the blanks 10 or for the stack of blanks Serve 37 in total. As can be seen from FIG. 7, this is initially only the upper support piece 50 is lowered onto the blank stack 37. Since this one the opposite, lower side is supported only at the edges, namely through the support leg 46, results in the transmission of pressure through the support piece 50 a downward deformation in the central region of the blank 10 of the entire blank stack 37 and thus a reshaping of the Blanks 10 in the flat starting form.

The finished blank stack 37 is now the packaging machine 11 or the folding turret 12, in particular via the stacking conveyor 17th

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

cut

11

packaging machine

12

folding turret

13

shaping subassembly

14

round edge

15

round edge

16

curve

17

stackers

18

rounding revolver

19

Suction cup

20

lobe

21

lobe

22

rounding role

23

rounding role

24

edge

25

edge

26

Beam

27

leg

28

loading station

29

Transfer conveyor

30

holding arm

31

suction element

32

retaining washer

33

feeder

34

receiving station

35

off conveyors

36

stacking unit

37

blank stacks

38

stacking tower

39

guide wall

40

guide wall

41

supporting wall

42

supporting wall

43

production well

44

shaft wall

45

shaft wall

46

supporting leg

47

carriage

48

guide rod

49

lifting member

50

supporting piece

51

supporting piece

52

leg

53

drive lever

54

articulated lever

55

pivot bearing

56

motion curve

57

pivot bearing

Claims (16)

Process for the production of (cigarette) packs of the folding box type with upright packing edges round or beveled in cross section - round edges (14, 15) or inclined edges -, unfolded, flat blanks (10) in the region of the round edges (14, 15) or Beveled edges are preformed using rounding or beveling tools and then processed in a packaging machine (11) in the usual way to produce the hinged box, characterized in that the blanks (10) are formed during continuous transport to form rounded edges (14, 15 ) or bevelled edges are deformed and essentially shaped back into the flat starting position. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the preformed, substantially (again) flat blanks (10) are collected to form a blank stack (37) and the blank stack (37) is subjected to a counter-deformation as a unit with regard to the preformed round edges (14, 15) or bevelled edges. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the blanks (10) after the (pre-) shaping of the round edges (14, 15) or oblique edges are deformed back in the opposite sense beyond the flat starting position. Device for producing (cigarette) packs of the hinged box type with upright packing edges which are round or beveled in cross-section - round edges (14, 15) or oblique edges - with flat blanks (10) in the region of the round edges (14, 15) or oblique edges can be preformed with the help of rounding or beveling tools and then fed to a packaging machine (11) with a folding element for producing the hinged box, characterized by a molding unit (13) with an endless conveyor for the transport of the blanks (10) during the preforming, in particular with a Rounding turret (18), which has receptacles for a blank (10) and shaping tools assigned to each receptacle along the circumference, wherein blanks (10) can be formed during the preferably continuous rotary movement of the rounding turret (18) to form the round edges (14, 15) , Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that each holder for a blank (10), in particular in each case a suction holder (19), molds arranged on both sides are assigned, in particular movable and rotatable rounding rollers (22, 23) which during the rotational movement of the Form the round turret (18) together with other shaping tools round edges (14, 15). Apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that each holder or each suction holder (19) on both sides of the same arranged webs (20, 21) are assigned, each having a sideways curve (16) corresponding to the shape of the round edge to be formed (14, 15), the rounding rollers (22, 23) forming the blank (10) in the region of the round edges (14, 15) around the rounding (16) of the shaped webs (20, 21). Device according to claim 6 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the shaped webs (20, 21) can be moved transversely in a plane parallel to the blank (10) or approximately tangentially to the rounding turret (18), in particular can be moved apart for the reshaping of the blank ( 10) in a substantially flat starting position. Device according to claim 4 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the rounding rollers (22, 23) are mounted on holders, in particular on support arms (26) connected to the rounding turret (18), which carry out rounding movements in the radial direction and transversely thereto are movable. Device according to Claim 4 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the blanks (10) can be fed to the rounding turret (18) by a transfer conveyor (29) in the area of a loading station (28) and by a removal conveyor () in the area of a removal station (34). 35) can be removed, each in an essentially flat form. Device according to claim 4 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the blanks (10) in the region of the removal station (34) by means of a corresponding relative position of the rounding rollers (22, 23) and / or of the shaped webs (20, 21) in the substantially flat initial shape can be reshaped, in particular in cooperation with the removal conveyor (35). Device according to Claim 4 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the blanks (10) can be stacked in the region of a stacking unit (36) to form blanked stacks (37), the stacking unit (36) having an upright stacking tower (38), the blanks can be fed via an upper, open side. Device according to claim 11 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the stacking tower (38) consists of lateral, upright guide walls (39, 40) and at least one (lower) supporting wall (41, 42) as a support for the blank stack (37 ), the support wall (41, 42) for removing the stack of blanks (37) being pulled out laterally from the stacking tower (38). Apparatus according to claim 12 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the stacking tower (38) is assigned at least two supporting walls (41, 42) which alternately serve as the lower boundary or support for a blank stack (37), the lower one in each case The support wall (41, 42) with the stack of blanks (37) can be moved downwards to transfer the stack of blanks (37) to a conveyor, in particular to a conveyor shaft (43). Device according to claim 13 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the conveyor shaft (43) can be moved to remove the stack of blanks (37), in particular in the (horizontal) transverse direction while taking the stack of blanks (37) with the conveyor shaft (43) out lateral shaft walls (44, 45) with lower support members, namely support legs (46) for the stack of blanks. Device according to claim 11 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the blank stack (37) is deformable overall, in particular in the sense of a reshaping of the blanks (10), with at least one pressure element, in particular a support piece () in the region of the conveyor shaft (43). 50), is approximately centrally effective on the free upper side of the stack of blanks for transmitting pressure to the stack of blanks (37) when the same is supported on the underside at the edge. Apparatus according to claim 11 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the blank stack (37) can be transported out of the conveyor shaft (43) by a lifting member (49) with supporting pieces (50, 51) which grasp the blank stack (37) at the top and bottom.

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