EP1920910B1 - Device and method for inline control of Braille writing for manufacturing folding boxes - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine has conveying belts (3, 4) arranged to deliver blanks through an orienting station (1) and a pre-breaker station (2). A rotational embossing mechanism (6) includes rotating driven upper and lower dies (7, 8) arranged between the stations so as to emboss the blanks. The embossing dies are mounted in the machine and are positioned in a crosswise direction. The dies are constructed to produce a script for the blind. The die (7) includes a product-specific male mold and the die (8) includes a product-neutral female mold. Positions of the dies are adjustable relative to each other.

Description

The invention relates to a device and a method for the in-line control of braille marks in the manufacture of folding cartons according to the preamble of claim 1 or claim 6.

Folding cartons are cardboard or corrugated board packaging, and to a lesser extent plastic, which are glued at one or more points during the folding process, depending on the design. They are usually produced from a blank. The blanks are usually punched out on a sheet punch. The blank must be glued at least at one edge. The folded boxes come out of the carton gluer in the flat state. The placement and filling of the box can be done by machine or manually.

In addition to the folds required to produce the cartons, further creasing lines in the carton gluer are pre-folded (prefolded) to prepare for the subsequent production step. This facilitates the installation of the box and the subsequent filling.

The actual gluing process is just one part of the complex mechanical process involved in the manufacture of folding cartons. Depending on the type of box, various folds are to be made in and across the direction of the machine before the glue is applied in order to prepare the folding box in a manner suitable for erecting and to apply the glue in the right place.

Folding box gluing machines for the production of folded boxes from blanks are known to have a plurality of processing stations, which are traversed successively by the blanks of the folded box, these are, for example:

depositors

The box blanks are placed on the insert between two laterally adjustable stacking walls. Circulating insert belts pull the lowest blank into the machine. Due to the height-adjustable positioning tongues, double feeds can be ruled out, thus ensuring optimal and mark-free feeding of the blanks.

The insert separates the blanks and ensures a defined distance between the blanks.

aligner

In order to align the blanks for the subsequent folding process exactly with parallel to the transport direction score lines, it is known to arrange a so-called alignment station immediately behind the insert. The blanks are aligned on a guide strip which extends in the transport direction and against which the blanks are guided laterally.

primary crusher

In the primary crusher, the crease lines are broken down once and then transferred flat again to the next station. The pre-breaking (folding in and out) of the score lines makes them soft and supple. As a result, glued boxes can be opened more easily later, filling is simplified. The primary crusher also provides the ability to accommodate ancillary equipment.

folding station

Here the blanks are folded and glued. The bottom gluing unit at the beginning of the folding station ensures precise glue application and low-spray work even at the highest production speeds.

transfer station

The glued boxes are prepared in the station for the shingled transfer to the pressing station. When using code reader or glue application control can faulty boxes are discharged in the transfer station by means of additional device. In this station, the boxes are counted and stored individual boxes on a marker laterally offset; Thus, the box stream is optimally prepared for quick and easy manual acceptance.

Collecting and pressing device

In the slower-running pressing station, the shingled boxes are guided, under precisely adjustable pressure, between circulating pressing belts to allow the glue to set even at high production speeds. FaltschachtelKlebemaschinen can be equipped for this purpose with an electronic device for cutting-dependent control of the speed for the collecting and pressing device. This automatically ensures the exact adherence to the set scaling - and thus strand thickness and uniform pressure of the boxes even with different box flow.

Ancillary equipment

Following the collection and pressing device, it is possible to install semi-automatic or fully automatic packaging machines. The glued boxes are then packed by machine directly in cartons or prepared for easier hand picking.

A feeder for feeding a continuous carton blank stream may additionally be attached to the feeder of a carton gluer.

With the option of a pre-feeder and a packaging machine on the folding carton gluer, a comprehensive, fully automatic system for the highest production output and product quality is made available - a highly economical system, precisely tailored to the needs of the professional user.

Furthermore, glue application and control devices, nozzle gluing units (for cold and hot glue) as well as code readers and glue application control devices can be integrated.

The transport of the blanks through the individual processing stations by means of upper and lower conveyor belts, which are each supported on its side facing away from the blanks. Typically, two pairs of narrow belts are used across the machine width, which can be transversely positioned to accommodate different box formats for optimum contact with the blanks. Position indicators for the format-related adjustment of the roller rails ensure short set-up times for settings and repeat jobs. The upper roller rails can be lifted. This simplifies adjustments and reduces set-up times. In addition, the blanks can be easily removed.

Such Faltschachtelklebemaschinen are for example from the EP 10 01 877 B1 known.

If the cartons are used for the packaging of medicines, it is legally required to apply the name of the medicament in Braille (so-called Braille) to the carton (eg by embossing). To this end, the Fachverband Faltschachtel-Industrie (FFI) e.V. issued a technical guideline "Braille in the production of folding cartons", which serves as a guideline for the standardized production of Braille on folding cartons.

In the past, the embossing of Braille was usually done during the punching process in the sheet punch in the manufacture of the blanks. However, this is expensive because a punching sheet contains several benefits (blanks) and for each benefit a pair of tools consisting of die and patrix must be provided. This results in very high tooling costs. Furthermore, it has been shown that the punched sheets tend to stick to the embossing tools for Braille and thus affect the punching process. Furthermore, it is difficult to coining the creasing lines and the Braille simultaneously if the Braille is to be near the creasing lines. The tools for embossing the creasing lines and the braille require a minimum distance from each other. In addition, the required adjustment time increases because of the variety of tools in the die.

Recently, however, devices have become known in which the Braille is impressed during processing in a Faltschachtelklebemaschine. Here, for example, the Braille is applied by means of rotating embossing tools, such as the publication DE-U-202005017869 shows.

In order to meet the high requirements of the pharmaceutical industry, a safe and comprehensible check of the applied Braille embossing is essential.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method for the inline control of braille labels in the manufacture of folding cartons.

This object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1 and the method steps of claim 6.

A folding box gluing machine for producing folded boxes from blanks has a plurality of processing stations and conveying devices for conveying the blanks through the individual processing stations, furthermore an embossing device with rotating embossing tools for introducing embossing into the blanks. Before the embossing device, a setpoint generator for detecting the blank is attached. The signals supplied control the motor control of the embossing device. A blank control device is arranged directly behind the embossing device. In an evaluation unit, the data of the cutting control device and the engine control are evaluated for possible embossing errors. Such a device allows a particularly simple control due to the supplied signals.

In a preferred embodiment, the motor control is additionally controlled by a controller with data on the position of the embossing tool.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the setpoint generator and the cut control device are formed by photocells.

Advantageously, the embossing device is driven by a servomotor.

In a further preferred embodiment, the folding box gluing machine downstream of the embossing device has a lock for the discharge of defective products.

1. a) Vereinzelung der Zuschnitte im Einleger
2. b) Fördern eines Zuschnitts zur Prägeeinrichtung
3. c) Erfassung des Zuschnitts mit einer Fotozelle und Lieferung eines entsprechenden Signals an die Motorsteuerung
4. d) Starten der Prägeeinrichtung
5. e) Erfassung des Zuschnitts mit einer Fotozelle und Lieferung eines entsprechenden Signals
6. f) Überprüfung, ob Prägeeinrichtung aktiv
7. g1.)Ausschleusung des fehlerhaften Zuschnitts und weiter mit Schritt b) oder
8. g2.)Weitertransport des ordnungsgemäß geprägten Zuschnitts
9. h) Überprüfung, ob Zuschnitt zur Probeentnahme vorgesehen ist
10. i1.) Überprüfung des Zuschnitts
11. i2.) Weitertransport des Zuschnitts zur Ablage
12. k) Falls weitere Zuschnitte geprägt werden sollen, weiter mit Schritt b).

A preferred method for inline control of imprints, especially braille marks in carton manufacture, comprises the following steps:

1. a) Separation of the blanks in the depositor
2. b) conveying a blank to the embossing device
3. c) Detection of the blank with a photocell and delivery of a corresponding signal to the motor control
4. d) starting the embossing device
5. e) Detection of the blank with a photocell and delivery of a corresponding signal
6. f) Checking whether embossing device is active
7. g1.) Removal of the faulty blank and continue with step b) or
8. g2.) Further transport of the correctly embossed blank
9. h) Checking whether the blank is intended for sampling
10. i1.) Checking the blank
11. i2.) Further transport of the blank to the tray
12. k) If additional blanks are to be embossed, continue with step b).

1. 1) Überprüfung, ob Prägung an vorgesehener Stelle es Zuschnitts durchgeführt wurde mit Hilfe der Motorregelung.

Another preferred method has an additional font 1) between steps f) and h):

1. 1) Checking whether embossing has been carried out in the intended place of the blank by means of motor control.

With this method, it is possible in a simple manner and inexpensively to carry out the required checks in Braille typefaces.

Fig. 1

zeigt in einer perspektivischen Darstellung einen Teil einer Faltschachtelklebemaschine mit einer Prägeeinrichtung für eine Brailleschrift.

Fig. 2

zeigt in schematischer Darstellung den Ablauf der Inlinekontrolle

Fig. 3

zeigt ein Funktionsdiagramm der Inlinekontrolle

Fig. 4

zeigt ein Zeitdiagramm der Inlinekontrolle

Fig. 5

zeigt ein Ablaufdiagramm zur Durchführung der Inlinekontrolle

Fig. 6

zeigt ein Ablaufdiagramm zur Durchführung einer weiteren Inlinekontrolle.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in simplified form.

Fig. 1

shows in a perspective view a part of a Faltschachtelklebemaschine with an embossing device for a Braille.

Fig. 2

shows a schematic representation of the process of inline control

Fig. 3

shows a function diagram of the inline control

Fig. 4

shows a timing diagram of the inline control

Fig. 5

shows a flowchart for performing the inline control

Fig. 6

shows a flowchart for performing another inline control.

The in the FIG. 1 only partially shown folding box gluing machine contains essentially the usual workstations described above, of which only the alignment station and Vorbrechstation are shown in more detail. An unillustrated depositor sequentially pulls the blanks from a stack one after the other at high speed, so that they are fed individually to the subsequent processing stations. On the depositor follows an alignment station 1, which is shown partially in the figures together with the following Vorbrechstation 2. The alignment station is known to accurately align the blanks so that after aligning the creasing lines run exactly in the transport direction. For this purpose, the alignment station 1 contains a guide rail oriented exactly in the transport direction of the blanks, against which the blanks are guided and aligned. On the alignment station 1 follows a Vorbrechstation 2, which contains folding elements to fold the folding flaps of the blanks back and forth, so that the corresponding Längsrilllinien be made soft and smooth by bending by 180 °. On the primary crusher 2 follows as the next processing station a folding station, not shown.

The conveyor for conveying the blanks through the individual processing stations consists of two pairs of belts 3, 4, which build up according to the individual processing stations of individual segments. Each of the belt pairs 3, 4 of a segment consisting of an upper and a lower conveyor belt is mounted transversely positionable in the frame 22 of the machine for setting the optimum engagement position on the changing blank formats. Between two processing stations 1, 2, a short gap between the conveyor belt pairs 3, 4, in which parts of the blanks are freely accessible and thus can attack processing tools.

In Fig. 1 is between two processing stations 1, 2 a folder gluer an embossing device with embossing tools for embossing a Braille in the blanks arranged. Preferably, the embossing device is arranged between two processing stations 1, 2 in a region in which there is a gap between two conveying belt pairs 3, 4, so that part of the blanks is exposed. In the exposed area, the embossing tools attack.

Advantageously, the embossing device is arranged in the front part of the Faltschachtelklebemaschine even before the first folding station. Since no parts of the blank are folded before the first folding station, the Braille script can be embossed at any position across the width of the blank. The embossing device 6 is designed as a rotary embossing device and includes a rotationally driven upper tool 7 and an associated thereto, also rotationally driven lower tool 8. Since in the box making the printed side of the blank is down and the embossing of the Braille font must be done to the outside, that is Upper tool 7 equipped with a product-specific male. The lower tool 8 contains a product-neutral die, which serves as a counter-mold. Thus, the points of the Braille font from top to bottom are marked by the cut material.

Both the upper tool 7 and the lower tool 8 are connected to a rotary drive, in the embodiment, a servo motor 9. The servomotor 9 is fixed to a side plate 5 of the device. He drives two drive shafts 10, 11 which extend over the entire width of the Faltschachtelklebemaschine and are each mounted at its end in the side plates of the device 5. The drive shaft 10 passes through the upper tool 7, the drive shaft 11 through the lower tool 8, wherein the tools 7, 8 for a transverse positioning freely on their respective drive shafts 10, 11 are displaced. In the exemplary embodiment, the drive shaft 11 of the lower tool 8 is connected directly to the servo motor 9. The drive shaft 10 of the upper tool 7 is mounted on the drive shafts 10, 11, not shown, synchronizing discs and a double toothed belt driven. The double toothed belt ensures a synchronous rotation of the upper and lower tools 7, 8.

Alternatively, the lower embossing tool 8 can be coupled to the drive of the conveyor 3, 4, and the upper embossing tool 7 are provided with a rotary drive.

To accommodate the embossing forces both the upper tool 7, and the lower tool 8 are each mounted in bearing blocks 14, wherein the bearing blocks 14 of the upper tools 7 are supported on an upper cross member 15 and guided by this. The position blocks 14 of the lower tools 8 are based on a lower cross member 16 and are guided by this. The bearing blocks 14 with the attaching tools 7, 8 are perpendicular to the transport direction and thus across the working width of the machine continuously positionable and are fixed in their working position by screws. While the lower cross member 16 is screwed at its ends to the frame walls of the machine frame 22 and thus stored stationary, the upper cross member 15 are pivotally mounted on lateral pivot lever 21. By the pivoting of the upper cross member 15, the distance of the upper tool 7 can be adjusted by the lower tool 8 and thus adapted to the material thickness of the blanks. The settings of the distance is done manually via a hand wheel 17, the rotational movement is converted by a worm gear 18 in the vertical movement of a spindle 19. The vertical movement of the spindle 19 causes a change in the distance of the upper tool 7 from the lower tool eighth

All parts of the embossing device 6 are mounted directly or indirectly in side plates 5, each resting on the frame walls of the frame 22 of the machine and are fastened by means of fastening screws to this. By loosening the fastening screws thus the embossing device 6 can be removed as a whole from the Faltschachtelklebemaschine.

The blanks are transported by the conveyor belt pairs 3, 4 from the inserter into the alignment station 1. There, they are aligned and brought to the embossing tools 7, 8. A photocell, not shown, arranged in front of the stamping tools 7, 8 detects a blank entering the stamping device 6 and triggers the rotational movement of the tools 7, 8. The servomotor 9 accelerates the tools 7, 8 to a circumferential speed which corresponds to the conveying speed of the belt pairs 3, 4. This conveying speed is determined by a tachometer arranged in the machine. Without relative speed to further transported blank shape so the tools 7, 8, the Braille script in the respective blank during its passage. The embossed blanks are then conveyed into the pre-crushing station 2 and then go through the other processing stations of Faltschachtelklebemaschine.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of the basic sequence of the inline control for the embossed Braille. Such control is necessary to meet the high demands of the pharmaceutical industry. The blanks 12 are, as already described, via belt pairs 3, 4, of which in Fig. 2 only one belt of the belt pair 3 is shown schematically, transported in the conveying direction according to arrow A in the embossing device 6. One of the embossing device 6 upstream photocell 23 detects the leading edge of the blank 12 and provides a signal to start the in Fig. 2 Not shown servo motor 9 for driving the upper and / or lower tool (7, 8) of the embossing device 6. The blank 12 is further promoted by the embossing device 6 and detected immediately after the embossing device 6 by another photocell 24. In an evaluation unit, not shown, the signals of the second photocell 24 and the motor control of the servomotor 9 are evaluated to the effect whether the embossing device 6 at the time at which the blank 12 was detected by the second photocell 24 was active. If this is the case, the blank has been properly braille-printed. However, if the evaluation shows that the embossing device 6 was not active, it is a faulty blank, which can then be discharged via a lock not shown in a known manner 25. The properly embossed blanks 13 are then conveyed in a known manner by transport devices to the next processing station.

In the in Fig. 3 shown function diagram, this process of inline control is once again clarified. A photocell 23 supplies the setpoint signal for the motor controller 26 of the servomotor 9. About the photocell 24 is a cut control; the delivered signal is compared in an evaluation unit 27 with the activity of the embossing device 6. In Fig. 3 In addition, a further control option is shown. An essential feature of servo drives is the feedback of the rotor position by encoders on the motor shaft. On the basis of this feedback in conjunction with the signal from the photocell 23, it is possible to check whether the embossing has also been applied to the predetermined location on the blank. If the evaluation shows that this is not the case, the blank can also be discharged as faulty via the lock 25.

The timing of the inline control is in the time chart of Fig. 4 shown. At time t ₁ , the photocell 24 provides a signal; at the same time, it is checked whether the embossing is active at time t ₁ . This is the case, so the blank 12 is properly embossed. At time t ₂ , photocell 24 also provides a signal due to a detected blank 12. At time t ₂ , however, the embossing is not active. The blank 12 was thus not properly embossed and is discharged.

In Fig. 5 an inventive method for inline control is shown in the form of a flow chart. At the start of production, the blanks 12 are separated in the insert and the first blank is conveyed to the embossing device 6. The blank is captured by the photocell 23. Due to the supplied signal of the photocell 23, the motor 9 of the embossing device 6 is started. The blank 12 is further promoted and at the same time the Braille script is engraved into the blank. After the embossing device 6, the blank 12 is detected by the photocell 24. On the basis of the supplied signal, an evaluation unit checks whether the embossing device is active at the same time. If this is not the case, the blank is removed via a lock 25 and the next blank is separated from the depositor. If the check in the evaluation unit reveals that the embossing device is active while the blank 12 is being detected by the photocell 24, a check is made as to whether the embossed blank 13 should be ejected for manual checking on the basis of a stored sample interval. If this is the case, the blank is removed; then the embossing is checked manually. If the embossing is correct, the separation of the next blank into the insert takes place. If the embossing is not correct, the production stops and the blanks are removed since the last check. Alternatively, the check can also be checked inline using a scanner or a camera system. In this known method, the Braille points are recorded, outputted in plain text and compared against the reference. If the blank is in order or is not subject to the test according to the specified sample interval, the blank is further conveyed and stored in the delivery. It is checked whether the required number of blanks has been coined. If this is the case, the production is terminated, otherwise the next cut is separated in the depositor.

In Fig. 6 Another method for inline control is shown in the form of a flow chart. Compared to the method according to Fig. 5 In addition, the position accuracy of the embossing on the blank 13 is checked by utilizing the capabilities of the motor controller.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

aligner

2

prebreaking

3

belt pair

4

belt pair

5

Side panels of the device

6

embosser

7

upper tool

8th

lower tool

9

servomotor

10

drive shaft

11

drive shaft

12

Blank without embossing

13

Blank with embossing

14

bearing block

15

crossbeam

16

crossbeam

17

handwheel

18

worm gear

19

spindle

20

Belleville spring assembly

21

pivoting lever

22

machine frame

23

photocell

24

photocell

25

lock

26

motor control

27

evaluation

28

motor controller

A

transport direction

Claims (7)

1. A folded box gluing machine for making folded boxes from blanks comprising: a plurality of processing stations (1, 2,6) and conveying mechanisms (3, 4) for conveying the blanks through the individual processing stations, and an embossing mechanism (6) with rotating embossing tools (7,8) so as to emboss the blanks, characterized in that a setpoint generator (23) for sensing the blank is arranged in front of the embossing mechanism (6), wherein the supplied signals control the motor control unit (26) of the embossing mechanism; and that a blank monitoring device (24) is arranged directly after the embossing mechanism, wherein the data of the blank monitoring device (24) and of the motor control unit (26) are evaluated for potential embossing errors in an evaluating unit (27).
2. The folded box gluing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the motor control unit (26) is furthermore controlled via a controller (28) using data on the position of the embossing tool.
3. The folded box gluing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the setpoint generator (23) and the blank monitoring device (24) are formed by photocells.
4. The folded box gluing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the embossing mechanism is driven by a servomotor (9).
5. The folded box gluing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that downstream of the embossing mechanism (6) the machine is equipped with a gate (25) for discharging defective products.
6. A method for inline control of embossings, in particular of Braille writing for manufacturing folded boxes comprising the following steps:

   a) separating the blanks in the feeder

   b) conveying a blank to the embossing mechanism (6)

   c) sensing the blank using a photocell (23) and transmitting the corresponding signal to the motor control unit (26)

   d) starting the embossing mechanism (6)

   e) sensing the blank using a photocell (24) and transmitting a corresponding signal

   f) checking whether the embossing mechanism (6) is active

   g1) discharging the defective blank and continuing with step b) or

   g2) onward conveying of the correctly embossed blank

   h) checking whether the blank is intended for sampling

   i1) checking the blank

   i2) onward conveying of the blank to the delivery

   k) in the case further blanks are to be embossed, continuing with step b).
7. The method in accordance with claim 6, characterized by the additional step l) in-between steps f) and h)

   l) checking whether the blank was embossed at the intended position by means of the motor control.

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