Device for applying ribbons to box-like packages

Abstract

 The package (C) is mounted on a rotary table (3) and the ribbon (N) to be applied thereto is dispensed by a head (10) with respect to which the package (C) is able to move vertically so as to guide the ribbon (N) in the formation of loops extending, sequentially, along the upper surface and the lower surface of the package (C).

Description

[0001] The present invention concerns a device for applying ribbons to box-like packages according to the preamble of Claim 1.

[0002] Packages of this type are used, for example, in the food industry, especially the confectionery field, for products such as chocolates, sweets etc.

[0003] The application of ribbons having loops which extend sequentially along the two opposite surfaces of the package is both aesthetic and functional: in fact, the ribbon holds the box closed, especially when it is formed from two complementary half shells.

[0004] Until now, the aforesaid ribbons have been almost exclusively applied manually. This arrangement, which arose from limited production levels is, however, difficult to apply to and, in fact, impractical for industrial scale production, where there is a large number of packages to be subjected to the ribbon-applying operation (so-called "ribboning").

[0005] The object of the present invention is that of providing a device which enables this operation to be performed entirely automatically with, consequently, application to industrial production cycles being possible, without any reduction in quality of the final result.

[0006] According to the present invention, this object is achieved by virtue of a device having the characteristics referred to in the characterising part of Claim 1.

[0007] The invention will now be described, purely by way of non-limitative example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate two packages to which a ribbon has been applied using a device according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a general perspective view of the device according to the invention, shown in a first position of its operating cycle; and

Figures 4 to 12 are schematic views of the device according to the invention, from the same viewpoint as Figure 3; in particular, Figures 4 to 12 show the device in successive stages of the operating cycle, until completion of the cycle.

[0008] In Figures 1 and 2, the reference C indicates two generally flat box-like packages to which a ribbon N has been applied using a method that will be better illustrated in the following.

[0009] Box-like packages of the type used, for example, in the food industry and, in particular, the confectionery field for products such as chocolates, sweets, etc. are considered. The term "box-like package" is used here in its widest sense. It therefore includes, for example, packages such as that shown in Figure 1, formed from two half shells (typically of moulded plastics material one of the two half shells of which may be transparent) provided with rounded corners and angles and joined together at their respective mouth parts, as well as the more traditional cardboard or paper packages such as that shown in Figure 2, formed from a card box having sharp corners and angles.

[0010] The reference to generally flat box-like packages is to be taken as being purely indicative. In fact, the invention is also suitable for application to thicker packages.

[0011] In general, packages having at least two generally and/or substantially parallel opposite surfaces, indicated F1 and F2 respectively in Figures 1 and 2 are considered. The ribbon N is applied by forming respective consecutive loops N_I..N_IV (for the box of Figure 1, which has four sides), and N_I...N_VI (for the box of Figure 2, which has six sides), extending over the surfaces F1 and F2 in alternate sequence.

[0012] Therefore, in the case of the box of Figure 1, the loops N_I and N_III lie on the surface F1, in the upper part of the drawing, while the loops N_II and N_IV (generally indicated in broken line as they are at least partly hidden by the body of the box C) lie on the lower surface F2.

[0013] Similarly, in Figure 2, the loops N_I, N_III, N_V lie on the upper surface F1, while the loops N_II, N_IV and N_VI (these also being represented generally in broken line) lie on the opposite surface F2, which is in the lower part of Figure 2.

[0014] From the foregoing it is clear that both the shape and the number of sides of the box may vary. For example, a package with four sides is not necessarily square: the invention may well be applied to rectangular, rhomboid or even trapezoidal boxes (even though these latter shapes are not particularly common). The same is true as regards the hexagonal shape of the box of Figure 2: the fact that a regular hexagon has been illustrated must not be seen as limiting in any way; the invention can be used not only on packages having a different number of sides or a shape other than a regular polygon, but also on boxes having a circular, oval, elliptical or lobed shape.

[0015] The device according to the invention, generally indicated 1, is intended usually to be used adjacent a conveyor belt (indicated schematically L in Figure 3) upon which, upstream of the device 1, advance packages C yet to be subjected to the "ribboning" operation and, downstream of the device 1, advance packages that have already been subjected to this operation and which are to be transferred to the final stages of the packing process.

[0016] Reference numeral 2 indicates a transfer device of known type which transfers the boxes C from the conveyor belt L to a rotary table 3, of which more will be said later on when describing the ribbon-applying operation. Once this operation is complete, the device 2 returns the packages C from the table 3 to the conveyor belt L.

[0017] The transferer device 2 may be of any known type and may include, for example, a horizontally-movable gripper member, or a bridge or flag robot transfer device which operates above the packages C, for example, by means of gripper elements such as suckers and the like. In any case, the structural and functional characteristics of the transfer device 2 are not relevant for understanding the invention.

[0018] The table 3 is essentially a platform, usually round and, in this case, substantially horizontal. The table 3 is intended to receive the packages C and be rotated about a vertical axis X3 by an associated motor 4. The motor 4, as with all of the other motor/actuator elements included in the device 1 and, in particular, those which will be described in the following, are controlled in a timed sequence synchronised with the operation of the conveyor belt L by a process control device such as, for example, a so-called PLC. The specific criteria that may be adopted for (i) connecting the process controller to the various motor/actuator elements of the device 1, and (ii) programming the process controller in order to achieve the operational cycle described in detail in the following are all known to experts in the field, especially those experts in automatic packaging plants. These criteria do not require illustration here as they are not essential or relevant for understanding the invention.

[0019] Returning to the table 3, it may be substantially incorporated on the flat part of a turntable of known type on which the packages C taken from the conveyor belt L are deposited by the device 1, to be rotated about the axis X3. In particular, the loading of the packages C on the table 3 is controlled such that the axis X3 coincides substantially with the central region and, preferably, with the geometric centre or the projection of the centre of gravity of the package C seen in plan. Advantageously, the table 3 is provided with retaining elements on its upper surface that are intended to act such that the rotation of the table 3 about the axis X3 caused by the motor 4 is transferred to the package C located thereon without any sliding or displacement. This may be achieved simply by friction, for example, by covering the top of the table 3 with a rubberised coating of a generally soft material, possibly provided with irregularities such as embossings etc or, as in a currently preferred embodiment, by providing the upper part of the table 3 with suction outlets 5 connected through the hollow vertical shaft 6 which supports the table 3 about the axis X3, to a source 7 of subatmospheric pressure (depression) such as a vacuum pump. The pump 7 is activated when a package C is loaded on the table 3 and is kept in the activated state during the entire cycle of ribboning the package C itself, during which the package C remains firmly anchored to the table 3 due to the suction effect of the outlets 5.

[0020] The other principal element of the device 1, in addition to the rotary table 3, is a device for dispensing the ribbon N, generally indicated 8.

[0021] The dispenser in question includes, as well as a support 9 upon which is mounted a reel of the ribbon N (the ribbon may be of any type, for example, textile based or in the form of a sheet of, for example, plastics material etc.), a dispensing head 10 whose principal characteristic is its capacity to move vertically under the action of a control device such as an hydraulic actuator 11, this being controlled by the PLC which also controls the operation of the motor 4 of the plate or table 3.

[0022] The extent of the movement imparted to the dispensing head 10 by the actuator 11 is such that the head 10 itself may be brought selectively to a position above the package C on the plate 3 (as illustrated in Figures 3, 4, 7, 8, 11 and 12), or a position generally lower than the package C (as illustrated, for example, in Figures 5, 6, 9 and 10).

[0023] An element 12 which is selectively operable to apply droplets of adhesive material, for example, of the type currently known as "hot-melt", to the package C, preferably along its upper surface F1 is also associated with the dispenser 8. The device 1 is completed by a pressure element 13 (illustrated in Figures 4 and 12) which can be moved selectively from above to be brought into contact with the upper surface F1 of the package C for reasons that will be better illustrated later on, as well as a cutter device 14 (shown in Figure 12 only), for example, of the hot-wire type, which cuts the ribbon N when the ribboning of a package C is completed so as to form the free end of a new section of ribbon intended to be applied to the package C that is subsequently introduced into the device 1.

[0024] It is, however, to be noted that the embodiment illustrated here with reference to Figures 3 to 12 represents just one of the many possible ways in which the principle of the invention can be applied.

[0025] In particular, in the currently preferred embodiment the package C is disposed on the table 3 so that it can be turned, while the device 8 which dispenses the ribbon N is held in a fixed position (apart from the vertical movement of the head 10).

[0026] By retaining the principle of having a relative orbital movement between the package C and the ribbon-dispenser device 8, it is also possible to employ a complementary solution in which the aforesaid relative orbital movement is achieved by holding the package C in a fixed position and moving the dispenser 8 around it, or by moving both the package C and the dispenser 8, thereby reducing the respective movements.

[0027] The same also applies as regards the vertical movement of the dispensing head 10. In the embodiment illustrated the head 10 moves vertically, that is, in a direction substantially parallel to the axis X3, to be positioned alternatively above and below the package C. The same effect of relative vertical movement may thus be achieved by holding the dispensing head 10 still and moving the package C vertically, for example, by providing the table 3 with the ability to move vertically (according to the preferred embodiment for large scale application), or even by moving both the head 10 and the table 3.

[0028] The use of the adhesive dispenser device 12, although preferred, is not imperative. This depends, in the first instance, on the nature of the adhesive (which may be other than the hot-melt type of adhesive referred to earlier), and the method of attaching the ribbon N to the box C: the attachment in question could be achieved instead of using adhesive, for example, by local thermalfusion in the presence of an ultrasound source.

[0029] It is also possible to use a ribbon N that has already been provided with adhesive patches in predetermined positions, so as to secure the ribbon N on the package C without bringing adhesive from the outside.

[0030] Returning to the operation of the embodiment referred to in Figures 3 to 12, Figure 3 shows the situation corresponding to the start of the ribboning operation. In this starting situation, the following conditions are seen:

• a new package C to "ribbon" has been disposed on the table 3 by the transfer device 2,
• the element 12 is lowered on to the upper surface F1 of the package C in question, depositing, usually at a corner thereof, a droplet H of adhesive, for example, of the "hot-melt" type; this occurs in a position which may be considered to correspond to the position occupied by the dispensing head 10 in the sense of rotation of the table 3, which is clockwise in Figures 3 to 10;
• the head 10 is located at the vertex or corner of the package C on which the member 12 has deposited the droplet of adhesive H, with an end N1 of the ribbon N projecting from the head 10 itself; this occurs taking into consideration the relative horizontal forward motion of the unit 10 and the particular corner of the package C so as to ensure that the end N1 of the ribbon is applied to the upper surface of the package C in correspondence with the droplet of adhesive H; and
• for the reasons explained above, the hydraulic actuator 11 holds the head 10 at a height corresponding approximately with the upper surface of the package C; all of this is such that, when the table 3 turns in the clockwise direction, the corner on which the droplet of adhesive H has been deposited is intercepted by the end N1 of the ribbon which is thus pulled by the package with a movement assisted by a propulsion action exerted, for example, by one or more motorised traction wheels (not shown) in the dispensing head 10.

[0031] The net result is shown schematically in Figure 4, in which the end N1 of the ribbon N can be seen adhesively fixed in position on the upper surface of the package C by the pressure member 13 which descends from above. As has already been noted, the attachment point H is preferably formed from an adhesive of the so-called "hot-melt" type: on achieving the condition schematically illustrated in Figure 4, or immediately following this, the droplet H has set sufficiently to ensure that the end N1 of the ribbon is firmly attached to the package C.

[0032] At this point, after the pressure element 13 has returned upwards (Figure 5), the PLC processor drives the motor 4 causing the table 3 to rotate, and moving the package C with it. The rotation is usually continuous, and the conditions illustrated in Figures 3 to 12, in fact, constitute a continuous situation and not conditions corresponding to breaks in the movement of the package C. In a way that is coordinated with the rotation of the package C, the dispensing head 10 is lowered by the hydraulic actuator 11 so that it is lower than the package C or, more correctly, lower than the ideal horizontal plane of the package C.

[0033] This lowering movement of the head 10 pulls the ribbon N with it which, leaving the end N1 attached to the upper surface F1 of the package C, starts to extend along the package itself, winding around the lateral surfaces thereof and thus forming, due to the subsequent lifting of the head 10, the first ribbon loop N_II extending along the lower surface F2 of the package C (Figures 6 and 7) and then, due to the rotation of the package C, forming the loop N_III along the upper surface F1 of the package C, as illustrated schematically in the sequence of Figures 8 and 9.

[0034] After the condition shown in Figure 8, the head 10 is again lowered below the plane of the package C, completing the loop N_III and forming the loop N_IV on the lower surface of the package C (Figure 10). The head 10 is then again raised, as illustrated schematically in Figure 11, to complete the loop N_IV on the surface F2 and, returning the ribbon N to the upper surface of the package C, completes the loop N_I.

[0035] From a comparative observation of Figures 11 and 12 it can be noted how, before the ribbon N is brought back above the upper surface of the package to complete the loop N_I, the adhesive dispenser 12 has deposited a further droplet H1 of adhesive on the upper surface of the end N1 of the ribbon.

[0036] In this way, when the ribbon N completes the loop N_I (see Figure 12 in particular), the pressure member 13 may again be lowered from above to press down on the ribbon N passing over the upper surface of the package 1, pressing on the droplet of adhesive H1 to ensure that the ring of ribbon around the package C is closed.

[0037] At this point, the cutter element 14 which cuts the ribbon N intervenes to separate the ring of ribbon used to ribbon the package C from the remaining ribbon on the reel 9, thereby forming a new free end N1.

[0038] The package C that has been ribboned may thus be returned to the conveyor belt L by the transfer device 2 which takes another package C to be ribboned, positioning it on the table 3. At this point, the sequence of operations illustrated in Figures 3 to 12 is repeated on the new package.

[0039] The ribboning operation illustrated in Figures 3 to 12 with reference to a package having four sides (square or rectangular), and therefore having four corners (or vertices), may be applied identically to the hexagonal package of Figure 2. In this case, instead of the two cycles of lowering/raising the head 10 illustrated in Figures 3 to 12, three such cycles will be necessary. In practice, a complete cycle of lowering/raising (or raising/lowering, the two being equivalent) takes place, bringing the head 10 to a position facing the surfaces F1, F2 of the package in turn, substantially in the same time interval in which the head 10 delivers a quantity of ribbon equal to the length of two consecutive ribbon loops. It is therefore clear that, where the length of the loops in question have to vary along the perimeter of the package, with longer or shorter loops (for example, due to the general asymmetry of the package C), it is necessary to intervene - in known way - on the PLC element to modify the movement of the head 10 accordingly.

[0040] It will be appreciated that the winding of the ribbon N about the package C is achieved always keeping the same surface of the ribbon N in contact with the surface of the package C. This means that the surface in question faces downwards in the loops indicated N_I and N_III (and N_V, in the case of the package of Figure 2), and faces upwards, and therefore turned through 180°, in the loops N_II and N_IV (and N_VI in the case of the package of Figure 2). Notwithstanding this, by using the device according to the invention, which does not envisage any inversion of the head 10 during operation, the operation to apply the ribbon takes place in a regular manner without twisting the ribbon.

Claims

1. A device for applying ribbons to box-like packages (C) having first (F1) and second (F2) opposite surfaces, the ribbon (N) forming, on the outline of the package (C), loops which extend in succession along the first (F1) and second (F2) surfaces respectively, characterised in that it includes:

- support means (3) for holding the package (3) during the application of the ribbon (N),

- dispenser means (10) for dispensing the ribbon (N) which is applied to the package (C),

- first motor means (4) for causing a relative orbital movement of the ribbon-dispenser means (10) with respect to the package (C), and

- second motor means (11) for causing, in a coordinated manner to the said relative orbital movement, a further relative movement of the support means (3) with respect to the dispenser means (10) generally at right angles to the said surfaces (F1, F2) of the package (C), so that the dispenser means (10) successively adopts positions facing the said first (F1) and second (F2) surfaces of the package (C) alternatively.

2. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the first motor means (4) acts on the support means (3), causing it to rotate about a predetermined axis (X3).

3. A device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterised in that the support means comprises a table (3) provided with retaining means (5) able to retain on the table (3) the package (C) to which the said ribbon (N) is to be applied.

4. A device according to Claim 3, characterised in that the retaining means comprises suction means (5) connected to a source (7) of subatmospheric pressure.

5. A device according to any of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the second motor means comprises an hydraulic actuator (11).

6. A device according to any of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the ribbon-dispenser means includes a dispensing head (10) for effecting the said further relative movement of the support means (3) and the dispenser means; storage means (9) for a certain quantity of ribbon (N) being associated with the dispensing head (10).

7. A device according to any of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that it further includes an adhesive dispenser (12) for selectively applying at least a respective quantity (H, H1) of adhesive substance to the package (C) for holding the ribbon (N) on the package (C) located on the support means (3).

8. A device according to Claim 7, characterised in that the dispensing device (12) dispenses adhesive of the hot-melt type.

9. A device according to any of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that it further includes pressure means (13) which is selectively operable to press respective portions of ribbon (N) against the package (C) on the support means (3).

10. A device according to any of Claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the dispensing means (10) carries a cutter member (14) which cuts the ribbon (N) on completion of the operation of applying the ribbon (N) to the package (C) on the support means (3); activation of the cutter member (14) separating a respective section of ribbon applied to the said package (C) and forming a new free end (N1) of the ribbon in the dispensing means (10).

11. A device according to Claim 10, characterised in that the cutter member (14) is a thermal cutter, for example, a hot-wire.

12. A device according to any of Claims 1 to 11 , characterised in that the said first motor means (4) is activated substantially continuously during the operation of applying the ribbon (N) to the package (C) on the support means (3).

13. A device according to any of Claims 1 to 12, characterised in that the second motor means (11) are operated alternately so as to bring about a cycle of oscillation substantially in the time interval in which the dispensing means (10) delivers a quantity of ribbon (N) corresponding to the length of a pair of the said loops (3).

14. A device according to any of Claims 1 to 13, for use along a conveyor belt (L) along which, in use, the said packages (C) advance, characterised in that it further includes a transfer device (2) for selectively removing the packages (C) from the said belt (L) and locating them on support means (3) for the operation of applying the ribbon (N), and for selectively replacing the packages (C), with the ribbon (N) applied thereto, on the said conveyor belt (L).

Drawing