The present invention relates to the technical sector concerning machines for packing stacks of tiles using cardboard blanks.

A perimeter pack of a stack of tiles is known, also known as "wrap around" packs, which consists in applying one or more folded cardboard blanks to the flanks of a stack of tiles.

The machine which carries out the perimeter packing comprises a first store containing a plurality of flattened cardboard blanks, stacked on one another, which exhibit logos and/or writings on the surfaces which will be in view once they have been folded against a stack of tiles.

These logos and/or writing reported on the cardboard blanks can be different according to the production batches of the tile stacks. Such printing means for cardboard blanks are known from EP 0 650 893 A1.

For a first production batch of tile stacks it might be necessary for the cardboard blanks to be applied to the stack of tiles to exhibit writings and/or logos which are at least in part different with respect to the writings and/or logos which instead must exhibit the cardboard blanks to be applied to the tile stacks of a second production batch. Therefore the cardboard blanks dedicated to the first production batch will have to be substituted after by cardboard blanks dedicated to the second production batch; the operator will therefore have to empty the first store of the residual cardboard blanks, dedicated to the first production batch, and load it with the cardboard blanks dedicated to the second production batch.

During this operation, which requires a certain amount of time, the packing machine must remain unemployed, which hampers productivity.

The aim of the invention consists in obviating the above-mentioned drawback.

The aim is attained by a machine for packing a tile or stack of tiles with one or more cardboard blanks, according to claim 1, and a method that can be actuated by the machine for printing a cardboard blank during the pathway thereof from a first store towards a folding station, according to claims 6.

In the present invention, the cardboard blanks loaded in the first store can be unused or partially provided with writings and/or logos the same for all production batches to be realised; the cardboard blanks therefore do not have to be substituted when a new production batch of stacks of tiles is to be realised; in this case, it will be sufficient to command the printing head such as to print, on the cardboard blanks, the new logos and/or writings which are required for the new production batch. This is particularly advantageous in those cases in which a plurality of production batches is to be realized, each formed by a limited number of stacks of packed tiles.

The packing machine can thus function continuously, without undesired pauses when a new production batch is to be started.

Specific embodiments of the invention will be described in the following part of the description, according to what is set down in the claims and with the aid of the accompanying tables of drawings, in which:

• figures from 1 to 6 are six lateral and schematic views of a first embodiment of a machine for packing a tile or stack of tiles with one or more cardboard blanks, object of the present invention;
• figure 7 is the view of section VII-VII of figure 2, in which for illustrative reasons the cardboard blank borne by the collecting member has been omitted;
• figure 8 is a perspective view of the part of the machine sectioned in section line VII-VII of figure 2, in which for illustrative and functional reasons some characteristics have been omitted in order better to evidence others and the printing head occupies a different position;
• figure 8A is a larger-scale view of detail K of figure 8;
• figure 9 is a lateral and schematic view of a second embodiment of the machine of the invention during the printing of a cardboard blank;
• figure 10 is a lateral and schematic view of a third embodiment of the machine of the invention during the printing of a cardboard blank.

With reference to the appended tables of drawings, (1) denotes in its entirety a machine for packing a tile or stack of tiles with one or more cardboard blanks, object of the present invention.

The machine (1) comprises: a first store (2) containing cardboard blanks (3); a folding station (4) for folding a cardboard blank (3) against a tile or a stack of tiles (5); transfer means (6) for transferring a cardboard blank (3) from the first store (2) to the folding station (4) along a pathway; and a printing head (7) arranged along the pathway and activated in phase relation with the transfer means (6) such as to print on the cardboard blank (3) when the cardboard blank (3) is positioned along the pathway between the first store (2) and the folding station (4).

For the sake of clarity in illustration only one cardboard blank (3) is shown, contained in each store; in general, a store can contain some hundreds of flattened cardboard blanks (3) internally thereof.

The machine (1) can comprise a printer (40), preferably ink jet, which in turn comprises the printing head (7).

The cardboard blanks (3) contained in the first store (2) are preferably previously unused.The cardboard blanks (3) contained in the first store (2) can alternatively be provided with writings and/or logos; in this case, the printing head (7) can print further writing and/or logos which are specific for a determined production batch, so that when the production batch of tilesor stacks of tiles (5) to be realized is to be changed, it is no longer necessary previously to unload the first store (2) with the residually cardboard blanks (3) destined to the previous production batch, already completed.

The following description relates to a first embodiment of the machine (1) of the invention, illustrated infigures 1-8, 8A.

The first store (2) provides at an outlet thereof a cardboard blank (3) which is flattened and orientated in such a way that the larger side develops substantially horizontally and the smaller side is inclined by an angle with respect to a vertical plane; the printing head (7) is arranged below the first store (2) and above the folding station (4); the machine (1) comprises: a frame (8); an aspirating mouth (9); a collecting member (10) which bears the aspirating mouth (9) and which is hinged to the frame (8) such as to collect the cardboard blank (3) from the outlet of the first store (2) (figure 1), such as to rotate it up until it assumes a first vertical position (A) (figure 2) and to release it (figure 3). The transfer means (6) comprise gripping means (6) that are vertically mobile such as to collect the cardboard blank (3) from the collecting member (10) (figure 2), in order to lower the cardboard blank (3) into a second vertical position (B) so that the blank (3) can be printed upon by the printing head (7) (figure 4) and in order to further lower the cardboard blank (3), once printed, into a third vertical position (C) (figure 6) which is at the folding station (4), in order to be folded against a tile or a stack of tiles (5).

The printing head (7) can for example be composed of one or more printing heads which are vertically regulatable independently; each printing head can provide a different colour and the vertical regulation of the relative position enables printing on the whole height of the cardboard blank.

The method for printing a cardboard blank (3) during a pathway thereof from a first store (2) towards a folding station (4), also object of the present invention with reference to the first embodiment of the machine (1), comprises steps of:making a cardboard blank (3) available at the outlet of the first store (2), the blank (3) being flattened and orientated such that the larger side thereof develops substantially horizontally and the smaller side thereof is inclined by an angle with respect to a vertical plane (figure 1);activating the collecting member (10) such as to collect the cardboard blank (3) from the outlet of the first store (2) (figure 1) and such as to rotate the blank (3) until it assumes the first vertical position (A) (figure 2);activating the collecting member (10) such as to release the cardboard blank (3) in phase relation with the collecting of the cardboard blank (3) by the gripping means (6) (figure 2); activating the gripping means (6) such as to lower the cardboard blank (3) into the second vertical position (B);printing the cardboard blank (3) (figure 4);lowering the cardboard blank (3) into the third vertical position (C) (figure 5, 6).

The tiles or stacks of tiles (5) advance along an advancing direction (O); the cardboard blank (3) is arranged transversally to the advancement direction (O) when in the third vertical position (C).

This first embodiment is very compact and includes a substantially vertical pathway of the cardboard blank (3).

The collecting member (10) can swing between a first angular position (E) in which it collects a cardboard blank (3) from the first store (2) and a second angular position (F) in which it arranged the cardboard blank (3) in the first vertical position (A).

The machine (1) also comprise a second store (31) arranged facing the first store (2) and substantially identical to the first store (2); in this case the collecting member (10) can rotate such as further to reach a third angular position in which it collects a cardboard blank (3) from the second store (31). In the illustrated example, the second angular position (F) coincides with the third angular position.

The collecting member (10) can comprise (figures 7, 8) two arms (12) hinged to a horizontal hinge axis and perpendicular to the advancement direction (O) of the stacks of tiles (5), and a crosspiece (13) fixed to the free ends of the two arms (12). The machine (1) can comprise aspirating means which in turn comprise an aspirating source (not illustrated), a plurality of aspirating mouths (9), a plurality of suckers (11) each fixed at an aspirating mouth (9) and a plurality of aspirating conduits (50) (figure 8A) which connect the aspirating source with the aspirating mouths (9). In particular the presence can be noted of a first row of aspirating mouths (9) - suckers (11) for collecting a cardboard blank (3) from the first store (2) and a second row of aspirating mouths (9) - suckers (11), opposite the first row of aspirating mouths (9) - suckers (11), for collecting a cardboard blank from the second store (31). These rows of aspirating mouths (9) - suckers (11) are borne by the crosspiece (13).

The printer (40) can comprise a portal structure (16) which surmounts the folding station (4); the portal structure (16) can comprise, in turn: a guide structure (15) which extends transversally of the advancement direction (O) of the stacks of tiles (5) to be packed; and a first carriage (14) which bears the printing head (7) and which can slide along the guide structure (15) such as to enable the printing head (7) to print on all the surface of the cardboard blank (3) facing it when the cardboard blank (3) is in the second vertical position (B).

The guide structure (15) extends such that the printing head (7) can have an overall run which goes from a first endrun (figures from 1 to 7) to a second endrun (figure 8) guaranteeing the printing of the cardboard blank (3) stationary in the second vertical position (B). When the printing head (7) is at the first endrun or the second endrun it cannot interfere with the stems (32) of the first linear actuator (28) and the second linear actuator (29). For example the printing head (7) performs a run which goes from the first endrun to the second endrun in order to print a first cardboard blank (3) and a run which goes from the second endrun to the first endrun to print a second cardboard blank (3) successive to the first cardboard blank (3).

As specified, figure 8 is a perspective view of the part of machine sections along section line VII-VII of figure 2. For illustrative reasons, however, there are differences: in fact, figure 8 does not include the second row of aspirating mouths (9) - suckers (11); neither does it include the cardboard blank (3) which is collected by the gripping means (6); further, figure 8 illustrates the printing head (7) when it occupies the second endrun and not when it occupies the first endrun.

The machine (1) preferably comprises an aspirating vertical surface (17) which faces the printing head (7) and which is mobile horizontally nearingly-distancingly with respect to the printing head (7) such as to receive the cardboard blank (3) from the gripping means (6) when the cardboard blank (3) reaches the second vertical position (B), ensuring, thanks to the relative aspirating action, a laying-out of the cardboard blank (3) against the vertical aspirating surface (17). In this way, a complete stretching of the cardboard blank (3) to be printed is advantageously guaranteed. The cardboard blank (3) will thus assume the second vertical position (B), resulting parallel to a vertical plane, and will be free of creases by effect of the aspirating action of the vertical aspirating surface (17). In particular the aspirating vertical surface (17) receives the cardboard blank (3) to be printed in such a way that the lower edge (27) thereof exits, and therefore inferiorly projects, from the vertical aspirating surface (17) in order to be easily gripped by the gripping means (6).

For this reason the method includes steps of: moving the vertical aspirating surface (17) nearingly to the printing head (7) in phase relation with the lowering of the gripping means (6) for bringing the cardboard blank (3) into the second vertical position (B), up until the vertical aspirating surface (17) contacts the cardboard blank (3) in the second vertical position (B), causing the laying of the cardboard blank (3) against the vertical aspirating surface (17).

The vertical aspirating surface (17) can be the surface of an aspirating plane (18) which is a part of the machine (1), connected to a depression source (not illustrated); alternatively, it can be defined by a plurality of suckers (11) (not illustrated) flanked to one another (including without reciprocally contacting; a solution not shown in the figures).

In the illustrated case, the machine (1) can comprise two pneumatic cylinders (19) fixed to the frame (8), which pneumatic cylinders (19) move the aspirating plane (18) (figure 4) nearingly-distancing with respect to the printing head (7), in a horizontal direction which is parallel to the advancement direction (O) of the stack of tiles (5) to be packed.

The gripping means (6) comprises (figures 7, 8, 8A): a first pliers (20), a first horizontal abutting surface (21), a first pliers support (22) which bears the first pliers (20) and the first horizontal abutting surface (21), the first horizontal abutting surface (21) being arranged with respect to the first pliers (20) in such a way that when the jaws (26) of the first pliers (20) are open the cardboard blank (3) can be arranged in such a way that the lower edge (27) thereof is interposed between the jaws (26) of the first pliers (20) and can abut the first horizontal abutting surface (21); a second pliers (20), a second horizontal abutting surface (21), a second pliers support (22) which bears the second pliers (20) and the second horizontal abutting surface (21), the second horizontal abutting surface (21) being arranged with respect to the second pliers (20) in such a way that when the jaws (26) of the second pliers (20) are open the cardboard blank (3) can be arranged in such a way that the lower edge (27) thereof is interposed between the jaws (26) of the second pliers (20) and can abut the second horizontal abutting surface (21). The first pliers support (22) and the second pliers support (22) are positionable between them in such a way that the first horizontal abutting surface (21) is aligned to the second horizontal abutting surface (21) when the first pliers (20) and the second pliers (20) are gripping the lower edge (27) of the cardboard blank (3) arranged in the first vertical position (A), such that a temporary opening of the jaws (26) of the first pliers (20) and the second pliers (20) can determine the abutting of the lower edge (27) of the cardboard blank (3) against the first horizontal abutting surface (21) and against the second horizontal abutting surface (21) with a consequent orientation of the cardboard blank (3) such that the larger side thereof is parallel to a horizontal plane.

In the illustrated example the first pliers (20), the first horizontal abutting surface (21) and the first pliers support (22) are respectively equal to the second pliers (20), to the second horizontal abutting surface (21) and to the second pliers support (22); for this reason the same numerical references are used.

In the method of the invention the above-mentioned step of collecting the cardboard blank (3) by the gripping means (6) comprises the following further steps of: regulating the reciprocal position of the first pliers support (22) and the second pliers support (22) such that the first horizontal abutting surface (21) is aligned to the second horizontal abutting surface (21); moving the first pliers support (22) and the second pliers support (22) towards the cardboard blank (3) arranged in the first vertical position (A) such that the first horizontal abutting surface (21) is maintained aligned to the second horizontal abutting surface (21), and activating the jaws (26) of the first pliers (20) and the second pliers (22) such as to block the lower edge (27) of the cardboard blank (3);opening the jaws (26) of the first pliers (20) and the second pliers (20) for a sufficient time for the cardboard blank (3) to rest against the first horizontal abutting surface (21) and the second horizontal abutting surface (21) with a consequent orientation of the cardboard blank (3) such that the larger side thereof is parallel to a horizontal plane;newly activating the jaws (26) of the first pliers (20) and the second pliers (20) such as to block the lower edge (27) of the cardboard blank (3).

This procedure is very advantageous because it enables correcting the orientation of the cardboard blank (3) in the eventuality that it has assumed a wrong arrangement, in which the larger side is not parallel to a horizontal plane, due to an imprecise collection of the cardboard blank (3) by the collecting member (10); in fact, the collecting member (10) does not guarantee high precision in the collecting of the cardboard blank (3) from the first store (2) (or from the second store (31)), such that it is not possible to know the precise orientation which time by time the cardboard blank (3) assumes when it is collected from the first store (2) (or from the second store (31)) and brought into the first vertical position (A).

The first pliers (20) and the second pliers (20), thereafter, perform a vertical run to bring thecardboard blank (3) into the second vertical position (B) with the aim of printing and then to take the cardboard blank (3), once printed, into the third vertical position (C) in which the cardboard blank (3) is applied to a tile or stack of tiles (5) to be packed. The cardboard blank (3) thus arrives in the second vertical position (B) orientated correctly, with the larger side parallel to a horizontal plane. Thevertical run which the cardboard blank (3) has to make from the first vertical position (A) to the third vertical position (C) enables much reducing the volumes of the machine (1), making the machine (1) particularly compact.

If the above-described procedure were not carried out, and the cardboard blank (3) not correctly orientated, there would be the risk to carry out a printing action on the "skewed" cardboard blank (3), i.e. with writings and/or logos inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cardboard blank (3), or even only partially printed, which would compromise the aesthetics and legibility of the writings and/or logos written on the pack of tiles.

The machine (1) can further comprise: a first linear actuator (28) having a stem (32) which performs vertical runs and which bears at a free end thereof the first plier support (22); and a second linear actuator (29) having a stem (32) which performs vertical runs and which bears at a free end thereof the second plier support (22) (figure 8). The first linear actuator (28) and the second linear actuator (29) are arranged such that the first pliers (20) and the second pliers (20) can act on the lower edge (27) of the cardboard blank (3) in symmetrical positions with respect to the transversal axis (arranged vertically) of the cardboard blank (3); in particular the first pliers (20) and the second pliers (20) must be adequately distanced from one another in order to guarantee the correct vertical movement of the cardboard blank (3), which as known has a much greater longitudinal extension than transversal extension.

The machine (1) can comprise entries (30), and thus guide elements, interposed between the first store (2) and the second store (31) and between the first vertical position (A) assumed by the cardboard blank (3) and the second vertical position (B) to guide the cardboard blank (3) from the first vertical position (A) towards the second vertical position (B) when the cardboard blank (3) is moved by the gripping means (6).

Further, the machine (1) can comprise two horizontal abutments (60) (illustrated only in figure 6) which are arranged at the folding station (4) such as to restingly receive the cardboard blank (3) when the blank reaches the third vertical position (C) and the jaws (26) of the first pliers (20) and the second pliers (20) are opened; the horizontal abutments (60) maintain the cardboard blank (3) orientated such that the larger side thereof is parallel to a horizontal plane for the purpose of the correct and subsequent step of folding the cardboard blank (3) against a stack of tiles (5).

Figure 1 shows the step in which the collecting member (10) collects a flattened cardboard blank (3) from the first store (2); for the sake of clarity (as already specified in the foregoing) a single cardboard blank (3) has been represented time by time both in the first store (2) and in the second store (31).

Subsequently, see figure 2, the collecting member (10) bears the cardboard blank (3) thus collected into the first vertical position (A); in the meantime the first pliers (20) and thesecond pliers (20) have reached the cardboard blank (3) and in pahse relation with the release of the cardboard blank (3) by the collecting member (10) the relative jaws (26) are activated to grip thelower edge (27) of the cardboard blank (3). For the sake of clarity the entries (30) have not been illustrated. The collecting member (10) thus occupies the second angular position (F) in which it can collect a cardboard blank (3) from the second store (31).

The cardboard blank (3) is then taken from the first vertical position (A) to the second vertical position (B), see figure 3; during this step the first pliers (20) and the secondpliers (20) are activated to open and close rapidly such as to correctly orientate the cardboard blank (3), as above-specified. In suitable phase-relation, see figure 4, the aspirating plane (18) is moved such as to receive the cardboard blank (3) and the first pliers (20) and the second pliers (20) are activated to open (opening the jaws (26)) and moved downwards so as not to obstruct the printing head (7) which has to perform the printing on the cardboard blank (3). The printing of the cardboard blank (3) is printed and the printing head (7) is arranged thereafter at the first endrun or second endrun such as not to obstruct the following intervention of the first pliers (20) and the second pliers (20).

Thereafter the first pliers (20) and the second pliers (20) are activated to move upwards and collect the cardboard blank (3) from the second vertical position (B), once it has been printed, blocking the lower edge (27) thereof and drawing the cardboard blank (3) towards the third vertical position (C), see figure 5. In the meantime the collecting member (10) has brought a cardboard blank (3) collected from the second store (31) to the first vertical position (A) and has intercepted a further cardboard blank (3) into the first store (2).

Thereafter the first pliers (20) and the second pliers (20) take the cardboard blank (26) into the third vertical position (C) and release it (opening of the jaws (26)) restingly on thehorizontal abutments (60) so that it is folded against a stack of tiles (5) which proceeds along the advancing direction (O).

Figure 9 illustrates a second embodiment of the machine (1) of the present invention, which differs from the first embodiment for the reasons set out below. Similar characteristics have been denoted using the same numerical references.

The first store (2) and the second store (31) are flanked and provide in outlet a cardboard blank (3) which is arranged parallel to a horizontal plane. The aspirating plane (18) is moved by a second carriage (44) which from the first store (2) and second store (31) collects a cardboard blank (3) (the activation of the pneumatic cylinders (19) enables raising the aspirating plane (18) to collect a cardboard blank (3) from the outlet of the first store (2) or the second store (31) and moves it, following a trajectory which is initially straight-horizontal, then curved and finally straight-vertical until the cardboard blank (3) reaches a vertical position that is suitable to be printed by the printing head (7).

The cardboard blank (3) is printed when it is arranged in a vertical position.

Figure 10 shows a third embodiment of the machine (1) of the present invention, which is distinct from the second embodiment in that the cardboard blank (3) is printed when it is arranged in a horizontal position. The printing head (7) is in fact positioned such as to print the cardboard blank (3) when it is on the straight-horizontal trajectory.

The above has been described by way of non-limiting example, and any eventual constructional variants are understood to fall within the protective scope of the present technical solution, as claimed in the following.