|
(11) | EP 1 378 451 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | Locating device for cartoning machines and similar |
| (57) A locating device (1) for cartoning machines and similar, having an actuating slide
(12) movable vertically on command; a rectangular supporting frame (13) projecting
from the slide (12) so as to be positioned horizontally; and a number of flexible
blades fixed to the supporting frame (13) to define a substantially truncated-pyramid-shaped
hopper converging vertically downwards, and the bottom outlet of which engages the
opening of a generic box container (3); the locating device (1) also having a number
of blade-holder angles (16, 27), which are fitted movably to the supporting frame
(13) so as to be located at all times at the vertices of a horizontal rectangle varying
in size as required, and each of which supports at least two flexible blades (22)
defining a respective lateral edge of the hopper. |
[0002] More specifically, the present invention relates to a device for locating cardboard boxes and similar containers, and which is normally used on cartoning machines to hold the containers stationary in a predetermined position as they are being filled; to which application the following description refers purely by way of example.
[0003] As is known, cartoning machines are automatic machines for receiving at the input a succession of loose products together with a succession of cardboard boxes or similar containers, and for supplying at the output a succession of cardboard boxes or similar containers, each filled with one or more orderly, compact layers of products.
[0004] In other words, cartoning machines are automatic machines for fully automatically depositing one or more orderly, compact layers of products inside a series of cardboard boxes or similar containers fed successively through the machine on a belt conveyor or similar.
[0005] The cartoning machines still most commonly used substantially comprise a linear container conveyor for step-feeding a succession of cardboard boxes or similar containers, with the opening facing upwards, along a straight path through a filling station, where one or more orderly layers of products are deposited in rapid succession inside each box; a linear loose product conveyor for feeding a succession of loose products alongside the filling station; and a forming and transfer unit for arranging the incoming loose products from the linear loose product conveyor into a series of orderly, compact layers of products, and then depositing one or more layers of products in rapid succession inside the cardboard boxes arrested successively at the filling station.
[0006] The forming and transfer unit normally comprises a loose product accumulating surface located alongside the filling station to receive the incoming loose products from the linear product conveyor; a product orienting and compacting devices for orienting and compacting the products on the accumulating surface successively into layers of products to be deposited inside the boxes; and a transfer head, which moves horizontally and vertically over the filling station and product accumulating surface to successively pick up the layers of products and deposit them inside the boxes successively arrested temporarily at the filling station.
[0007] The forming and transfer unit also comprises a container locating device for temporarily locating and locking each cardboard box at the filling station, so that each box standing at the filling station is aligned perfectly with the transfer head when this is lowered to deposit a layer of products inside the box.
[0008] The locating device currently comprises an actuating slide movable vertically on command alongside the filling station; a rectangular locating frame fitted to and projecting from the actuating slide so as to be positioned horizontally exactly over the filling station, with the long sides aligned with and parallel to the sides of the linear container conveyor; and four flexible blades extending downwards from the four sides of the rectangular locating frame to form a truncated-pyramid-shaped funnel or hopper converging vertically downwards. The bottom end of the funnel or hopper is sized to temporarily engage the opening of the cardboard box, so as to locate and lock the cardboard box in a predetermined position at the filling station.
[0009] The shape of the rectangular locating frame and flexible blades being determined by the shape and size of the cardboard boxes, packaging machine manufactures, to cater to different requirements, are forced to produce locating devices that can be dismantled to remove the rectangular locating frame from the slide and replace it with another rectangular locating frame specially sized for a different type of box.
[0010] Such a solution obviously involves a considerable increase in machine set-up time, and in the number of rectangular locating frames originally supplied with each machine.
[0011] In some cases, to cater to a reasonable number of container sizes, cartoning machines must be supplied by the makers with over a dozen rectangular locating frames, which, given the size of the frames and relative flexible blades, poses serious space problems.
[0012] It is an object of the present invention to provide a locating device for cartoning machines and similar, designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks.
[0013] According to the present invention, there is provided a locating device for cartoning machines and similar, comprising an actuating slide movable vertically on command; a supporting frame projecting from the slide so as to be positioned horizontally; and a number of flexible blades fixed to said supporting frame to define a substantially truncated-pyramid-shaped hopper converging vertically downwards, and the bottom outlet of which engages the opening of a generic box container; the locating device being characterized by comprising a number of blade-holder angles, which are fitted movably to the supporting frame so as to be located at all times at the vertices of a horizontal rectangle varying in size as required, and each of which supports at least two flexible blades defining a respective lateral edge of said hopper.
[0014] A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figures 1 and 2 show a front and side view respectively of a cartoning machine featuring a locating device in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;
Figures 3, 4 and 5 show a plan, front, and side view respectively of the locating device in Figures 1 and 2;
Figure 6 shows a plan view of a variation of the locating device in Figures 1 to 5.
[0015] Number 1 in Figures 1 to 5 indicates a locating device particularly suitable for a cartoning machine 2 for fully automatically depositing one or more orderly, compact layers of products (not shown) inside a series of cardboard boxes or similar box containers step-fed successively into the machine.
[0016] In the following description, specific reference is made to a succession of cardboard boxes 3, though this in no way excludes other types of box containers.
[0017] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, in the example shown, cartoning machine 2 substantially comprises:
- a linear container conveyor 4 for step-feeding a succession of boxes 3, with the opening facing upwards, along a preferably, though not necessarily, straight path through a filling station 5;
- a linear loose product conveyor 6 for feeding a succession of loose products (not shown) alongside filling station 5; and
- a forming and transfer unit 7 for arranging the incoming loose products from linear conveyor 6 into a series of orderly, compact layers of products (not shown), and then depositing one or more of the layers in rapid succession inside boxes 3 arrested successively at filling station 5.
[0018] Linear container conveyor 4 and linear loose product conveyor 6 are both defined by known belt conveyors, while forming and transfer unit 7 comprises:
- a loose product accumulating surface 8, which is located immediately alongside linear conveyor 4, at filling station 5, to receive the incoming loose products from linear conveyor 6, and which, in the example shown, is defined by the end portion of linear conveyor 6;
- a product orienting and compacting device 9 (only shown partly in Figures 1 and 2) for orienting and compacting the products on accumulating surface 8 into a succession of orderly, compact layers of products to be deposited inside boxes 3;
- a supporting frame 10 straddling linear conveyor 4, at filling station 5, and loose product accumulating surface 8; and
- a transfer head 11 (only shown partly in Figures 1 and 2) for picking up one orderly, compact layer of products at a time off accumulating surface 8, and then depositing the layer inside box 3 temporarily arrested at filling station 5.
[0019] More specifically, transfer head 11 is fitted to frame 10 to move freely, both horizontally and vertically, over accumulating surface 8 and the portion of linear conveyor 4 corresponding to filling station 5, and selectively grips and retains a whole orderly, compact layer of products to transfer the layer into box 3 standing at filling station 5.
[0020] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, forming and transfer unit 7 also comprises locating device 1, which provides, on command, for locating and locking each box 3 in a predetermined reference position at filling station 5, to ensure perfect alignment at all times between box 3 standing at filling station 5, and transfer head 11 as it is lowered vertically to deposit the layer of products inside box 3.
[0021] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, device 1 for locating boxes 3 is located just over the portion of linear conveyor 4 corresponding to filling station 5, and is movable vertically, on command, along frame 10 between a lowered position, at a minimum distance from linear conveyor 4, to locate and lock the box 3 standing at filling station 5, and a raised position, at a maximum distance from linear conveyor 4, to allow box 3 to travel freely through filling station 5.
[0022] With reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5, locating device 1 comprises an actuating slide 12 mounted to slide vertically along frame 10 alongside the portion of linear conveyor 4 corresponding to filling station 5; and a rectangular or U-shaped supporting frame 13 projecting from slide 12 so as to be positioned horizontally exactly over filling station 5, with the long sides aligned with and parallel to the sides of linear conveyor 4, and with the short sides perpendicular to the travelling direction of boxes 3 on linear conveyor 4.
[0023] In the example shown, slide 12 is defined by a horizontal cross member extending parallel to the side of linear conveyor 4, i.e. to the travelling direction of boxes 3 along linear conveyor 4, and fitted at the two axial ends to slide along two vertical guides 10a forming part of frame 10.
[0024] In the example shown, frame 13 is defined by the central portion of horizontal cross member 12, and by two horizontal arms projecting from, close to the two axial ends of, and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of, horizontal cross member 12, i.e. perpendicular to the travelling direction of boxes 3 along linear conveyor 4, so as to form said U shape.
[0025] The two horizontal arms, hereinafter indicated 14, are obviously parallel and face each other, and are defined by two flat rectangular plates positioned vertically, and each with a short lateral edge fixed rigidly to horizontal cross member 12.
[0026] With reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5, locating device 1 also comprises a number of horizontal guide rods 15 arranged on frame 13 in parallel, facing pairs to form a horizontal rectangle having two long sides parallel to the longitudinal axis of horizontal cross member 12, and two short sides perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of horizontal cross member 12.
[0027] Horizontal rods 15 are fitted to frame 13 to translate freely in a horizontal direction perpendicular to their longitudinal axes L, and locating device 1 also comprises four blade-holder angles 16, each of which is mounted to slide along all the horizontal rods 15 intersecting at a corresponding vertex of the horizontal rectangle defined by horizontal rods 15.
[0028] In other words, the four blade-holder angles 16 are fitted movably to frame 13, so as to be located at all times at the vertices of a horizontal rectangle, which is variable in size as required, and the four sides of which are parallel or perpendicular, in pairs, to horizontal cross member 12, i.e. to the travelling direction of boxes 3 along linear conveyor 4.
[0029] With reference to Figures 4 and 5, in the example shown, locating device 1 comprises four pairs of circular-section horizontal guide rods 15, which are arranged on frame 13 in parallel, facing pairs to form, as stated, a horizontal rectangle having two long sides parallel to the longitudinal axis of horizontal cross member 12, and two short sides perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of horizontal cross member 12.
[0030] In the example shown, each of the two pairs of horizontal rods 15 defining the two long sides of the horizontal rectangle is defined by two parallel circular-section horizontal rods 15 located one over the other, offset vertically with respect to each other, and each fitted at both axial ends to slide inside respective horizontal slots 14a formed in the two horizontal arms 14. Each horizontal arm 14 therefore has two pairs of parallel, aligned horizontal slots 14a.
[0031] In the example shown, each of the two pairs of horizontal rods 15 defining the two short sides of the horizontal rectangle is defined by two parallel circular-section horizontal rods 15 located one over the other, offset vertically with respect to each other, and each fixed rigidly at one axial end to the same body of a rod-holder slide 17, which in turn is mounted to slide along a straight rail or guide 18 extending horizontally along the side of horizontal cross member 12, between the two horizontal arms 14.
[0032] Each pair of horizontal rods 15 defined by two circular-section horizontal rods 15 may obviously be replaced by a single horizontal rod 15 with an oval, rectangular, polygonal, or any other shaped section allowing angle 16 to slide freely along, but not rotate about, the body of the rod.
[0033] With reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5, in the example shown, each blade-holder angle 16 comprises a parallelepiped-shaped supporting body 19 having four circular-section through holes 19a, each engaged in sliding manner by a respective horizontal rod 15; and two blade-holder assemblies 20 fixed rigidly to the sides of supporting body 19, so that each directly faces the blade-holder angle 16 located at the adjacent vertex of the horizontal rectangle.
[0034] More specifically, each blade-holder assembly 20 is fixed to a lateral face of supporting body 19, and substantially comprises a blade-holder plate 21 bolted to supporting body 19 so as to straddle both the horizontal rods 15 in a pair of horizontal rods 15, i.e. inclined by a given angle with respect to the vertical; a flexible, substantially trapezoidal blade 22, the top portion of which rests on the top face of blade-holder plate 21, and the bottom portion of which projects beneath frame 13; and a locking device 23 for selectively locking the top end of flexible blade 22 to blade-holder plate 21.
[0035] In the example shown, locking device 23 comprises an L-shaped cover plate 24 located at the top edge of blade-holder plate 21, astride the top end of flexible blade 22; and a bolt 25 for tightening cover plate 24, and so locking flexible blade 22, to the body of blade-holder plate 21.
[0036] With reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5, it should be pointed out that each of the four blade-holder angles 16 comprises two flexible blades 22 positioned in space to define the two sides of a V-section chute, and that each of the two flexible blades 22 is coplanar with a corresponding flexible blade 22 of the adjacent blade-holder angle 16, so that the eight flexible blades 22 define in space the four lateral edges of a truncated-pyramid-shaped funnel or hopper converging vertically downwards, and the bottom outlet of which is shown by the dash line in Figures 3, 4 and 5.
[0037] With reference to Figures 1 to 5, in the example shown, locating device 1 is moved between the lowered position (Figures 1 and 2) - in which the bottom ends of flexible blades 22 are inserted inside box 3 to locate and lock box 3 standing at filling station 5 - and the raised position - in which the bottom ends of flexible blades 22 are located a maximum distance from linear conveyor 4 to allow boxes 3 to travel freely through filling station 5 - by a known linear actuator 25 positioned vertically beneath horizontal cross member 12, with a first end fixed to frame 10, and a second end connected to the bottom end of a vertical rod 26, in turn connected to horizontal cross member 12 by a known screw-nut screw assembly.
[0038] Operation of locating device 1 is easily deducible from the foregoing description with no further explanation required.
[0039] Device 1 for locating boxes 3 has numerous advantages. In particular, locating device 1 as described adapts to boxes 3 of any size, thus eliminating the current necessity to equip cartoning machines with a fairly bulky set of rectangular locating frames specially designed for more widely used box 3 sizes.
[0040] Locating device 1 also has the advantage of being reconfigurable extremely rapidly, by eliminating retooling of the cartoning machine at each changeover from one box 3 size to another.
[0041] Clearly, changes may be made to locating device 1 as described and illustrated herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0042] In particular, with reference to Figure 6, locating device 1 may have a further two blade-holder angles 27 mounted to slide along horizontal rods 15 at the centre of the two long sides of the rectangle formed by horizontal rods 15. Like blade-holder angles 16, blade-holder angles 27 are both fitted to slide along a further pair of horizontal rods 15' parallel to the horizontal rods 15 defining the short sides of the rectangle, but, unlike blade-holder angles 16, both have four blade-holder assemblies 20 defining, with blade-holder assemblies 20 of blade-holder angles 16, the four lateral edges of two truncated-pyramid-shaped funnels or hoppers converging downwards, and the bottom outlets of which are shown by the dash line in Figure 6.
1. A locating device (1) for cartoning machines and similar, comprising an actuating
slide (12) movable vertically on command; a supporting frame (13) projecting from
the slide (12) so as to be positioned horizontally; and a number of flexible blades
fixed to said supporting frame (13) to define a substantially truncated-pyramid-shaped
hopper converging vertically downwards, and the bottom outlet of which engages the
opening of a generic box container (3); the locating device (1) being characterized by comprising a number of blade-holder angles (16, 27), which are fitted movably to
the supporting frame (13) so as to be located at all times at the vertices of a horizontal
rectangle varying in size as required, and each of which supports at least two flexible
blades (22) defining a respective lateral edge of said hopper.
2. A locating device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized by also comprising a number of horizontal guide rods (15, 15') arranged on the supporting
frame (13) in parallel facing pairs to form said horizontal rectangle, and fitted
movably to the supporting frame (13) to translate freely in a horizontal direction
perpendicular to their longitudinal axes (L); each said blade-holder angle (16, 27)
being mounted to slide along the horizontal rods (15, 15') intersecting at a respective
vertex of the horizontal rectangle formed by said horizontal rods (15, 15').
3. A locating device as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that each said blade-holder angle (16, 27) comprises a supporting body (19) having a number
of through holes (19a), each engaged in sliding manner by a respective horizontal
rod (15, 15'); and at least two blade-holder assemblies (20) fixed rigidly to the
sides of said supporting body (19) so that each directly faces a second blade-holder
angle (16, 27) located at the adjacent vertex of the horizontal rectangle.
4. A locating device as claimed in Claim 3, characterized in that each said blade-holder assembly (20) comprises a blade-holder plate (21) fixed rigidly
to the supporting body (19) so as to slope by a predetermined angle with respect to
the vertical; a flexible blade (22) positioned with its top portion resting on the
top face of said blade-holder plate (21); and a locking device (23) for selectively
locking the top end of the flexible blade (22) to said blade-holder plate (21).
5. A locating device as claimed in Claim 4, characterized in that said flexible blade (22) is substantially trapezoidal.
6. A locating device as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said locking device (23) comprises an L-shaped cover plate (24) located at the top
edge of said blade-holder plate (21), astride the top end of the flexible blade (22);
and a bolt (25) for tightening the cover plate (24) to the body of the blade-holder
plate (21) and so locking the flexible blade (22) to the body of said blade-holder
plate (21).
7. A locating device as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized by having actuating means for moving the blade-holder angles (16, 27), on command, along
the horizontal rods (15, 15').
8. A cartoning machine (2), characterized by having a locating device (1) as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims.