Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CARTON PACKAGING MACHINE
This invention relates to a carton packagin8 machine
which is operable to cause progressive erection of carton-
forming blanks, to permit loading of the partly erected
blanks with product. to complete the formation of each
carton and to close the latter with the product located
therein, and to discharge each closed carton from the
machine.
The invention is particularly concerned with a machine
for use in forming carton sleeves, such machines being
known as "sleeving machines". In machines of this type, a
stack of blanks is supplied to the machine, and the blanks
are fed singly to the machine and then undergo progressive
erection, loading with product, final formation into sleeve
form, and then discharge of the sleeved product,
Existing designs of sleeving machine wrap the blank
around the product by drawing the blank downwardly onto the
top of the product and by folding sides of the blank
downwardly so as to lie alongside the product, and then by
folding the lower margins of the side of the blank under
the product, followed by sealed closure. This manipulation
of the blank is somewhat complicated, and it is a
particularly difficult part of the operation to ensure that
the blank is folded under the product and then secured by
adhesive in a satisfactory manner.
In the known machine. the wrapping of the blank around
the product is done entirely by the machine, and any
incorrect initial positioning of the product, or improper
presentation of the blank to the product, cannot be
corrected manually by an operator, and the machine is
therefore liable to form sleeved packaging which is not
always satisfactory, and particularly does not hold the
product securely, if the bottom closing and sealing
operation has not been completed satisfactorily.
There are standard tests for packaging, one of which
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requires t.hat the packaging should not be damaged, and
neither should the product become loose or dislodged,
following dropping of the packaging from a standard height
onto a hard surface. Existing designs of sleeving machine
do not always achieve a satisfactory and repeatable
operating performance in the formation of sleeve cartons,
such as to meet the standard tests.
The invention therefore seeks to provide a carton
packaging machine which handles the blanks in a different
way, such that more readily repeatable sleeve closure of
the blank around a product can be achieved.
According to the invention there is provided a carton-
packaging machine which is operable to cause progressive
erection of carton sleeves from a supply of blanks, to
permit loading of partly erected blanks with product, to
complete the formation of a sleeve around each product and
to close the latter with the product located therein, and
to discharge the loaded sleeve from the machine, in which
the machine comprises:
an endless conveyor movable progressively through a
blank-supply station, an erection station, a product-
loading station, a folding station, and a discharge
station;
a magazine arranged at the blank-supply station for
holding a stack of blanks;
a suction device arranged to co-operate with the
magazine and to operate in timed sequence with the
operation of the conveyor in order to engage and to draw
blanks individually in turn, in flat form, into the path of
travel of the conveyor for engagement thereby:
a shaping device arranged at the erection station and
engageable by each blank in order to form the blank into a
U-shape having a base and a pair of side flaps extending
upwardly from the base, each U-shaped blank being then
advanced by the conveyor to the loading station at which
product can be loaded onto the base; and
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a folding device arranged at the folding station above
the conveyor and engageable with the upper portion of the
side flaps, as each loaded blank is advanced to the folding
station, so as to fold the side flaps inwardly into
overlapping relation in order to complete the formation of
the carton sleeve.
The packaging machine according to the invention
operates to form carton sleeves in a novel manne., in that
the product can be loaded downwardly into the partly
erected cartons. and this permits the product to be located
in desired positions readily especially when, as is
preferred, loading takes place by hand.
The formation of the carton sleeve is thus completed
by inwardly folding the side flaps over the top of the
product, and this operation is much more readily carried
out in a satisfactory and repeatable manner, than by the
known technique of underside closure.
Permanent closure of each carton sleeve may take place
in any convenient manner, such as by providing pre-formed
adhesive strips on one or both of the side flaps of each
blank. However, it is preferred that sealed closure takes
place by arranging an adhesive applicator so as to co-
operate with the folding device in order to form a line of
adhesive on the underlying one of the overlapping side
flaps, prior to final pressing-down of the uppermost flap.
One preferred adhesive applicator comprises a hot melt
adhesive Jetting device which delivers, in timed sequence,
a line of adhesive which has the property of forming a
permanent closure fairly rapidly i.e. by the time the
carton sleeve has left the folding station and is on its
way to the discharge station.
In order to achieve an orderly supply of blanks, one
by one, into the path of the conveyor, it is preferred to
arrange the magazine so that it has two separate guide
portions, a first of which extends substantially vertically
upwardly from the path of travel of the conveyor, and a
second of which ex-tends upwardly and rearwardly with
respect to the direction of travel of the conveyor. By
this arrangement of the magazine. the blanks undergo
relative longitudinal displacement as they descend through
the second guide part to the first guide part, and this
feature assists in the separation of the blanks so as to
prevent them from adhering to each other by friction,
partial vacuum, or board interlocking so that they can
readily be discharged one by one from the first guide part
into the path of travel of the conveyor.
In order to advance the blanks through the various
operating stations in a reliable manner, it is preferred
that the conveyor takes the form of a slatted conveyor
having upwardly projecting flights spaced apart along the
length of the conveyor.
Preferably, rails extend alongside an above the upper
run of the conveyor, the rails serving to support the base
of the carton/blank as it undergoes erection during travel
along the conveyor.
The carton sleeves will be shaped into any suitable
form, according to the type of product which is to be
loaded therein. By way of example only, product which can
be loaded in the sleeves include cans. such as tins of cat
food, foil packed product, such as jam sponges, and plastic
containers, such as yoghurt packs. The product may
comprise singie items, each contained in its own sleeved
carton, or a series of product may be loaded into each
carton. Indeed, in a preferred arrangement, two tier
arrangements of product may be arranged in each carton
sleeve.
An embodiment of carton-packaging machine according to
the invention will now be described in detail, by way of
example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which:
Figure 1 is a diagramatic side view of a sleeve-
forming packaging machine according to the invention;
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Figures 2a to 2d show successive stages in the
erection and closure of a carton sleeve by the machine:
Figure 3 is a transverse view of the upstream end of
the machine. adjacent to a magazine for supplying blanks to
the machine;
Figure 4 is a transverse view near to the downstream
end of the machine. and showing the initial part of the
final stage of carton formation:
Figure 5 is a transverse view of the downstream end of
the machine showing the final stage of carton formation;
and,
Figure 6 is a plan view showning guide rods for
deforming the upwardly projecting sides of the blank during
the final stages.
Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, a carton-
packaging machine according to the invention is designated
generally by reference lO, and which is operable to cause
progressive erection of a carton sleeve from a blank 11, as
shown in Figure 2a, to permit loading of partly erected
blanks with product, as shown in Figures 2b and c, to
complete the formation of the sleeve around the product, as
shown in Figure 2d, and to close the carton sleeve with the
product located therein, and to discharge the loaded sleeve
to a discharge station.
The machine 10 comprises an endless conveyor 12 in the
form of a slatted conveyor having upwardly extending
flights 13 which serve to advance each blank 11 through its
various treatment stations. The slatted conveyor 12 runs
below a pair of horizontally spaced rails 12a (see Figures
3, 4 and 5) on which the blank is supported during its
movement by the conveyor from one station to another while
appropriate action takes place at each station. Thus, as
shown in Figure 1, the upper run of the conveyor 12 is
movable progressively through a carton blank-loading
station 14, an erection station 15, a product-loading
station 16, a folding station 17 and a discharge station
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18.
A magazine 19 is arranged at the station 14 for
holding a stack of blanks 11, and a suction device 20 is
arranged to co-operate with the magazine 19 and to operate
in timed sequence with the operation of the conveyor 12 in
order to engage and to draw blanks 11 individually in turn,
in flat form, into the path of travel of the flights 13 of
the conveyor 12 for engagement thereby~
A plough shaped forming device 21 (shown only
diagramatically in Figure 1) is arranged at the erection
station 15 so as to be engaged by each flat blank 11 as it
is advanced by the conveyor 12 to the station 15. and
operates in order to form the blank into a U-shape. The
forming device 21 is a plough-type device known per se in
the erection of cartons from blanks, and it causes the
blanks to fold upwardly about fold lines 22a (see Figures
2a to 2d) extending alongside a base 22, and so as to form
two upwardly extending side flaps 23.
Figure 2b shows the blank 11 is partly erected form,
and also shows a product container 24 thereon. However,
the loading of the erected blank will only take place after
advancement of the blanks by the conveyor 12 to the loading
station 16. This loading can take place by automatic
product-feeding devices (not shown), or by manual insertion
of the product by one of more operators standing at the
station 16.
The product is particularly suitable for loading and
location in position, since it has an essentially stable
shape.
Figure 2b shows a single product 24 in the partly
erected blank, but two or more products can be loaded in a
single row on the base 22. The side flaps 23 can then be
retained in position by folding-over the edge flaps 23a and
23b about fold lines 231 and adhesively securing
together the edge flaps at station 17.
A single row or layer of product can be loaded into
the partly erected carton of Figure 2b, but if two layers
of product are required. then a spacer plate 24a can be
fitted, as shown in Figure 2c, which forms a base onto
which a further layer of product can be loaded, as shown in
Figure 2c. The closure of the carton can be as just
described, and a longitudinal restraint to movement of the
product is obtained by engagement of projecting portions of
the lower rims of the product 24 and 25 through cut-outs 26
and 27 formed in the side walls of the blank.
A folding device 26 is arranged at the folding station
17 and above the conveyor 12, this being engaged by the
upper portion of the side flaps 23, as the loaded partly-
erected carton sleeves are advanced to the station 17, so
as to fold the upper margins of the side flaps 23 inwardly
into overlapping relation in order to complete the
formation of the carton sleeve, as shown in Figure 2d. An
adhesive applicator in the form of a hot jet adhesive
applicator 27 is arranged to co-operate with the folding
device 26, and applies a line of hot melt adhesive on the
underlying side flap 23a of the top closure of the sleeve,
the uppermost side flap 23b being pressed down onto the
line of adhesive during the final stages of treatment of
the carton sleeve by the folding device 26 as it leaves the
latter prior to passage to a discharge chute 31 at the
discharge station 18.
In order to achieve an orderly supply of blanks 11,
one by one, into the path of the flights 13 of the conveyor
12, the magazine 19 has two separate guide portions, in
which a first guide portion 32 extends substantially
vertically upwardly from the path of travel of the conveyor
12, and a second guide part 33 extends upwardly and
rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the
conveyor. By this arrangement of the magazine, the blanks
11 undergo relative longitudinal/horizontal displacement as
they descend through the second guide part 33 to the first
guide part 32, and this feature assists in the separation
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of the blanlcs so as to prevent adhesion (by friction,
partial vacuum, or board interlocking) between them.
whereby they can be readily discharged, one by one, from
the first guide part 32 into the path of travel of the
flights 13 by downward movement of the suction heads 20.
Figure 3 shows in more detail the initial formation of
each blank, which is drawn downwardly from the magazine 19
and is then moved along the upper run of the conveyor 12 by
one of the flights 13 into engagement with the forming
device 21, which takes the form of an inverted generally U-
shaped box member 32. The lower edge 33 of the member 32
tapers so as to approach the rails 12a, in the direction of
motion of the upper run of the conveyor, so as to cause the
base 22 of the blank to approach progressively the rails
12a (the lowest part of ed8e 33 is shown by reference 33
prime). During this downward and forward movement of the
base 22 the side f laps pivot upwardly, and this may be
further assisted by guide bars, rods or plates (not shown)
alongside the member 32, which forms a type of "folding
box". The now U-shaped and partly erected carton is now
delivered to the loading station 16 to have product loaded
therein. After completion of product loading, the partly-
erected carton then travels to the final closing station
17, which is shown in more detail in Figures 4, 5 and 6.
As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the side flaps 23 are
guided by guides 3~, 35 and 36 so as to be brought closer
to each other for the final closing operation, which first
folds the shorter edge flap 23a downwardly to the position
shown in dotted lines in Figure 5, so as to be ready to
receive an adhesive strip from applicator 27, and then the
longer edge flap 23b is folded downwardly to the dotted
position in order to complete the closure of the carton,
ready for discharge down the chute 31. To assist the final
closing action, a horizontal guide plate may be arranged
(not shown) to press the edge strips 23a and 23b together
in the horizontal position.
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The embodiment of sleeving machine is particularly
suitable for the medium-speed packaging of foil, tin-plated
cans, plastics containers, pots, tubs and trays, in a one x
two, one x three, one x four or two on two configuration,
as desired. The machine functions automatically to wrap a
suitable carton sleeve around the product.
Product containers having a diameter or width in the
range 64 millimetres to 134 millimetres, and product height
of 25 millimetres to 114 millimetres can be handled, and
the length of the carton sleeve can be from 64 millimetres
to 340 millimetres. It should be understood that these are
only examples, and that sizes outside these ranges may also
be acceptable subject, if necessary, to minor machine
modifications. The speed of the machine can be selected
from 11 to 55 sleeves per minute, though speed outside this
range may be available subject to machine length for
loading/number of operators required/pitch of
machine/sleeve length.
The magazine can hold approximately 500 to 1000 sleeve
blanks, depending upon the calibre of the blanks, with
automatic vacuum pick-off and placement of the blanks into
the flights of the slatband conveyor 12. The folding unit
21 is referred to as a "folding box unit", which is able to
fold a flat blank into a U-shaped section. A length of
about 1700 millimetres can be made available at the loading
station 16, for two operators to load the partly erected
containers with product. Although not shown in detail in
Figure 1, the folding unit 26 includes an overhead
ploughing unit to partially fold the side flaps of the
sleeve over the containers, and this is followed by hot
melt jetting via the adhesive applicator 27, followed by
final closure of each carton sleeve by an overhead
compression unit (not shown) provided in the folding device
26, prior to discharge of the fully packed carton sleeves.
MACHINE OPERATION
Prior to start-up. the magazine is filled with flat
blanks, and the hot melt jetting unit is brought up to
temperature. Product containers are made available along
one side of the machine. either on a conveyor or in bulk
trays arranged on an inclined stand, and the operators are
positioned so as to be able to pick up and place the
product containers in the partly erected blanks. As the
machine is running. blanks can be fed from the magazine at
the discretion of the operator, or can be left to run
continuously by switching-on or off a vacuum control valve.
As the blanks issue from the magazine, they are folded into
a U-shaped section and pass in front of the operator who
places the product containers into the U-shaped sleeves.
As the sleeves pass down the line, they are wrapped around
the containers, and are held by means of hot melt Jetting,
prior to going through the overhead compression unit to
discharge.
The folding unit 26, shown diagramatically only in
Figure 1, is a static unit, but it may be desirable to
provide moveable carriage type guides and folders, which
travel alongside the moving sleeve, in order to exert a
particularly reliable, and readily repeatable inward
folding and pressing action on the sleeves.
A further advantage of the inclined stacking provided
by the magazine is that it reduces the effect of the full
load of the stack of blanks on the bottom blank which is
about to be withdrawn by the suction unit.
For product loading onto the bases 22 of the blanks,
the product will normally be inverted with the closure tops
facing downwardly ~and projecting laterally through the
cut-outs in the side walls). The partly erected blank will
then travel along the guide rails 12a above the slat band
conveyor 12.
However, for other types of product, it may be
preferable for holes to be formed in the bases 22, through
which the bases of tapering pots can extend so as to be
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supported directly by the slat band conveyor 12. The pots
are then retained in position by a generally similar
folding operation of the blank as described previously, but
the pots are held captive against longitudinal movement by
being seated in the holes in the bases 22.
If so-called double "lane" filling of carton sleeves
is required. suitably larger blanks with pre-formed fold
lines may be provided, with corresponding enlargement in
width of the magazine, and the conveyor track and the
folding device co-operating therewith, so as to form a
wrap-around carton sleeve engaging two lanes of product
i.e. side by side rows of product in one or two layers or
tiers if required.
