STATIC GUIDING MECHANISM FOR INTERLOCKING CARTON PANELS

MECANISME-GUIDE STATIQUE POUR L'ASSEMBLAGE DES CARTONNAGES A PANNEAUX INTERVERROUILLES

English Abstract

ABSTRACT
A mechanism for interlocking a pair of panels
(f, m) of a wrap-around type carton (c) includes an
elongate central forming block (w) having contoured
opposed side faces (16, 18) about which the panels to be
interlocked are progressively caused to fold during
longitudinal movement relative thereto so that the pan-
els are folded into edge facing relationship with one
another. A pair of elongate flanking blocks (V, VI) are
disposed adjacent the opposed said faces 53 as to pro-
vide a fissure (22, 26) therebetween through which res-
pective ones of the panels are caused to move. The sur-
faces (20, 24) of the flanking blocks juxtapsoed the
side faces of the forming block are contorted to main-
tain the panels in close relationship with respect to
the central forming block and to induce said progres-
sive folding.

Claims

- 5 -
THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A mechanism for interlocking a pair of panels of
a wrap-around type carton, comprising an elongate central
forming block having contoured opposed side faces about
which the panels to be interlocked are progressively
caused to fold during longitudinal movement relative
thereto so that the panels are folded into edge facing
relationship with one another, and by a pair of elongate
flanking blocks disposed adjacent said opposed side faces
so as to provide a fissure there between through which
respective ones of the panels are caused to move, the
surfaces of the flanking blocks juxtaposed said side faces
of the forming block being contoured to maintain the panels
in close relationship with respect to the central forming
block and to induce said progressive folding.
2. A mechanism according to claim 1, in which each
of the said central forming block and said flanking blocks
reduce in cross-sectional thickness towards one and the
same end in the intended direction of carton blank
movement.
3. A mechanism according to claim 1 or claim 2,
in which said opposed side faces of the forming block
progressively become more divergent along the length of the
forming block and in that said juxtaposed surface of the
flanking blocks are contoured such that angle of the planes
passing through said fissures become greater with respect
to the vertical so that the panels adopt a progressively
more horizontal attitude as they follow the folding path
defined by said fissures.
4. A mechanism according to either of claims 1 and 2,
in which said flanking blocks extend beyond the downstream
end of the central forming block in terms of the direction
of carton blank movement.

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5. A mechanism according to claim 1, in which an
elongate platform is disposed atop the central forming
block on which product to be packaged in the carton is
supported during the panel locking operation, said platform
gradually reducing in cross-sectional thickness towards one
end in the intended direction of carton blank movement.
6. A mechanism according to claim 2, in which an
an elongate platform is disposed atop the central forming
block on which product to be packaged in the carton is
supported during the panel locking operation, said platform
gradually reducing in cross-sectional thickness towards one
end in the intended direction of carton blank movement.
7. A mechanism according to either of claims 5 and 6,
in which said platform extends beyond said central forming
block and is substantially co-extensive with said flanking
blocks in the intended direction of carton blank movement
and in that said platform has an undersurface provided by
a pair of convergent faces about which said carton panels
progressively are folded and locked together.

Description

D-7259
~%3~2~32
5 I TIC GUIDING MUSHINESS FOR
_ _ _ _ _
INTERLOCKING CARTON PANELS
_ 1 _
This invention relates to a static guiding echoism
for folding and guiding and thence interlocking the Sot-
Tom panels of a wraparound type cartop.
S The invention is particularly concerned with
interlocking pus of the sort in which one pull has
locking tabs (the Moe paqelJ and another pi ho.,
locking slits the female Allah) which Roy inter engaged
by a relative tiding movement of those p3ne1s so that
the liken tabs are inverted in the lo King slits.
.ln.a.known-guiding.mechanism the panels are fold-
Ed and guided by means of guide- bars and a bottom for-
in' plate positioned between the guide bars so that
; 15 together the panels are folded into their correct rota-
live positions for locking.
However in that construction difficulties have
arisen in adjusting the mechanism correctly. This mainly
is due to the fact that the guide bars have a multiplies-
try of adjustments. Each guide bar is attached to the
frame of a packaging machine at two locations both of
which locations are adjustable in three dimensions.
Moreover the-forming plate also is adjustable indepe.n-
deftly of and relative to the guide bars.
..

232~2
--2--
The present invention provides a mechanism for interlocking a pair of panels of a wrap-around type car-
ton which mechanism comprises an elongate central forming
block having contoured opposed side faces about which the
panels to be interlocked are progressively caused to fold
during longitudinal move.~ont relative thereto so that two
panels are folded into edge facing relationship with on
another and a pair of elongate flanking blocs disposed
adjacent said opposed side faces so as to provide a fists-
1û use there between through which the panels are caused to move; the surfaces of the flaying blocks jJxtapased said
side faces of the furrowing block being contoured to main-
lain the panels in close relationship with respect to Thea
central -forming block an to indJae said progressive
folding.
An embodiment of the invention will now by desert-
bed by way of example with reference to the accompany-
in drawings in which:-
2û
FIGURES 1 to are cross-section31 views taken at
successive locations along the length of the mQcha~.ism in
the direction of travel of a wrap-around cartop and show
the Betty panels of the carton being progressively
folded into position for interlocking. . -
--AL
FIGURE 10 to 13 are sup cessive cross-sectio~al
views similar to FIGURES 1 to 8 but showing the bottom
panels being interlocked one with two other, and
FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of the Messiahs.
in which the flanking blocks are shown detached from the
central forming lock.
Referring to the drawings the machismo comprises
an elongate 'sword' S which is known per so a which his
an upper surface 10 providing a platform on which prod-
vat to be packaged erg plastic cup p is supported dJr-

aye
-3-
in the panel locking operation. The unders;Jrfa-e of the
sword has convergent fazes 12 14 respectively and
gradually reduces in cross sectional thickness toward;
one end (in thy direction of carton movement wren in use)
Thus carton bottom panels progressively are formed await
the undersurface of top sword a looked tooth r an
thereafter the products to be packaged are transferred
from the upper surface of the sword to by supported by
the interlocked cartop bottom panels as thy prodJ-ts and
carton leave the free thin end of two sword.
In FIGURES 1 to 13 of the drawings thy female
bottom Noah of a -wrap-around carton c is desig~atèd
f and includes -lo-Xin3 ~p~rtures-3t a ' . Two male both
Tom panel is designated m and includes locking tats at
its free edgy e .
The sword s is mounted atop a central elongate
forming block w which has side faces 16 on 18 cot-
2û toured such that they progressively become more divergent
along the length of the forming block whose cross-section
also diminishes in like manner to the sword.
I . .
The mechanism further includes a pair of elongate
flanking blocks 'Y' and 'V1 respectively. Franking
block TV -includes--ro7t~Jred Inn-r-face 2û icky is jut-
taposed.the..sid~ face .16 of central pheromone block W so us
to form a fissure 22 thorebetween. Likewise flanking
block V1 includes contoured inure face 24 which is jJX-
3û topside the side face 18 of the central forming block woo as to form fissure 26 therebetweon.
The inner faces of the flanking blocks 2û and 24
are generally parallel to side faces 16 and 18 resect-
lively of the forming block and the relative p~sitioningof the blocks is chosen so that two fissures are wide
enough to receive the thicXne s of thy carton bottom pa-
ens so that they slide restively freely through thy
mechanism but at the same time are caused to phyla thy

~23~
folding path defined by the fissures.
The side face 18 of the central forming block
includes a stepped portion 28 on which an upturned end-
most portion of the female panel slides. The upturned
portion is held thus in order to maintain the locking
apertures at lay in opened condition ready for locking.
The progressive folding of the panels 'm' and
'f' can be seen with particular reference to FIGURES l
to 8 which show the panels at various stages as they
lo move towards one another whilst also folding to adopt
a more horizontal attitude. Of course, this occurs as
the angle of the planes passing through the fissures
becomes greater with respect to the vertical.
At the position shown by FIGURE 8 the panels
'm' and 'f' are about to leave the forward (that is
'upstream' in terms of carton movement) end of the eon-
trial forming block at which moment the panels are in
position for interlocking. FIGURES 9 to 13 showing the
progressive interlocking of the panels about the sword
'w' as the carton continues its forward movement until,
when the Socking components are properly engaged, the
bottom panels (and product) leave the end of the sword.
'Issue occurs immediately after the condition shown by
FIGURE 13.
The mechanism is particularly but not exile-
lively, suitable for use with panels having locking tabs
and locking slits as disclosed in our co-pending Canadian
Patent Application No. 472,410. In this event the eon-
trial forming block may incorporate a static folding
device for folding over portions of such locking tabs
prior to the locking procedure.