Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
l 2110766
The present invention relates to a method
and apparatus for forming packages, and more parti-
cularly, to forming a tray from a blank.
There are many mechanical devices for
handling paperboard blanks and forming various types of
packaging. However, such equipment is often complex
while using many moving parts.
It is an aim of the present invention to
provide a simple apparatus for forming paperboard
trays, such as trays for packaging a plurality of
individual-serving yogurt containers.
It is a further aim of the present invention
to provide an improved method of drawing paperboard
blanks from a stack and forming the blank into a tray.
A construction in accordance with the
present invention comprises a substantially upright
magazine for storing a stack of paperboard blanks,
wherein each blank includes a first rectangular panel
to define a bottom wall of the tray and second and
third panels adjacent the first panel and joined
thereto by fold lines. The second and third panels
define side and end walls of the tray, and glue flaps
are associated with one of the second and third panels.
A feeding means is provided beneath the magazine for
advancing the blanks one by one horizontally to a form-
ing station. Forming and gluing means are provided for
simultaneously folding and gluing the blank to form an
upright tray. The forming and gluing means includes a
plunger moving in a vertical axis, wherein the plunger
includes a flat plate having dimensions corresponding
to the dimensions of said first panel. The forming
station includes a frame having upwardly and outwardly
sloped walls surrounding an opening having dimensions
to receive the first panel of the blank and the plate
of the plunger and the sloped walls engage the second
and third panels of the blank to form the side and rear
panels of the tray. Means are associated with the
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sloped walls to apply glue to the glue flaps and to
fold the glue flaps onto the other of the second and
third panels in order to complete the formation of the
tray. Means are provided for advancing the tray from
the forming station.
In a more specific embodiment of the present
invention, the magazine is supported on a horizontal
frame, and the means for advancing the blanks one by
one to the forming station includes a carriage provided
below the magazine and movable for a limited distance
in a horizontal plane in a track provided on the frame,
between a first position directly underneath the maga-
zine and a second position adjacent the forming
station. The carriage includes a tractive roller which
is driven by a motor, and the tractive roller is effec-
tive for engaging a blank on the carriage and
discharging it from the carriage to the forming station
when the carriage has reached its second position.
In another more specific embodiment, the
forming station includes a further frame to which the
plunger means is mounted. The plunger means includes a
piston and cylinder arrangement to which the plate is
mounted for reciprocal movement through and away from
the opening along a vertical axis.
Having thus generally described the nature
of the invention, reference will now be made to the
accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration,
a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an embodiment
of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in cross-
section, similar to Fig. 1 and showing the apparatus in
a different operative position;
Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section, taken
along line 3-3 of Fig. l;
Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross-section, taken
along line 4-4 of Fig. l;
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..
Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of
a detail of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4;
Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view,
similar to Fig. 5, but showing the detail in a
different operative position; and
Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view
showing the detail of Fig. 5 in a still different
operative position.
Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4, there is
shown an apparatus for handling blanks B of relatively
stiff paperboard material and advancing these blanks
from a magazine 10, in which the blanks B are stacked,
to a forming station 12.
A carriage 14 is associated with the maga-
zine 10 to advance the paperboard blanks B one by one
to the forming station 12 where the blank B is engaged
by a plunger 18 to pass the blank B through forming
walls 20, associated with glue applicators 22 to erect
and form the tray T which is then advanced from the
forming station 12 on conveyor 24.
The magazine 10 is mounted on a frame 26 and
includes, in the present embodiment, four corner mem-
bers 28, each of which includes two strips at right
angles to form a corner and which includes a vertical
component and a component 28a extending at an angle.
The corner members 28 align and maintain the blanks B.
By providing the magazine 10 with an angle, the weight
of the stack of blanks B is somewhat alleviated. In
addition, an adjustable stack separator 29 is provided
in order to interrupt the stack of blanks B in order to
further alleviate the pressure on the blanks to be fed
from the weight of the stack.
Each blank B, as shown in Fig. 4, includes a
bottom panel 2. Fold lines separate end panels 6 on
opposite edges of the panel 2, and likewise side panels
4 are separated from the panel 2 by means of fold
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lines. Glue flaps 8 are also hinged to the side panels
4.
Below the magazine 10, and mounted to the
frame 26, is a carriage 14 which is adapted to move in
a horizontal plane on the frame 26 in a reciprocating
movement towards and from the forming station 12.
The track 32 includes elongated slots on
each side of the frame 26 relative to the magazine 10.
A carriage tray 34 is adapted to slide in the track 32.
The carriage tray 34 mounts idler rollers 36 and a
driven roller 38. A piston and cylinder arrangement 40
is mounted to the frame 26 at one end and to the tray
34 by means of bracket 42 at the other end. The driven
roller 38, as shown in Fig. 2, is driven by a small
pneumatic motor 38a mounted on the end of the shaft
driving the roller 38. The motor 38a is shown in Fig.
1.
An adjustable lip 30 is mounted on the
magazine 10 at the discharge end and can be adjusted to
accommodate different thicknesses of blanks B so that
only one blank is sent forward at a time.
In operation, the carriage 14 on which the
stack of blanks B is supported, is moved forward by
operating the cylinder 40 while the roller 38 rotates
counterclockwise by motor 38a, to advance a single
blank B underneath lip 30, and catapults the blank B
towards its position in the forming station 12 as will
be described further. When the carriage 14 has reached
its limit of travel towards the forming station 12, as
shown in Fig. 2, the idler rollers 36 continue to sup-
port the bottom of the stack of blanks B and allow a
smooth return of the carriage 14, with a minimum of
friction, towards its initial position, as shown in
Fig. 1. The driven roller 38 will be idle when the
carriage 14 is retracted by means of the cylinder and
piston arrangement 40.
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The forming station 12 is best shown in
Figs. 1 to 3. The forming station 12 includes a frame
16. The frame 16 includes uprights 52 and a transverse
member 54 to which the plunger 18 is mounted, as shown
in the drawings. The plunger 18 includes a cylinder
and piston arrangement 44 which is fixed to the trans-
- verse member 54 of the frame 16. In fact, there are
two cylinders 44a and 44b in series for operating
piston 45. The piston 45 mounts a plate 46 having
dimensions which correspond with the panel 2 of the
blank B. Plate 46 also mounts adjustable angle members
46a which can be adjusted to the dimension of the blank
B.
The frame 16 also includes a bottom support
member 56 to which are mounted guideways 50 in the form
of tubes for accommodating sliding rods 48 which are
fixed to the plate 46. Thus, on operation of the pis-
ton and cylinder arrangement 44 to move the plate 46 in
a vertical axis, the tubes 50 and rods 48 ensure smooth
sliding of the piston 45 and the stability of the plate
46 during this movement.
The forming walls 20 are located below the
support plate 56 and include sloped side walls 60.
Although the side walls 60 are illustrated in Figs. 2,
3, and 4, they are best shown in Figs. 5 through 7. As
can be seen, the side walls 60 are mounted to frame
elements 26a, 26b of horizontal frame 26 and include a
sloped portion as well as a vertical skirt portion 60a.
The top of the sloped side wall 60 may be integral with
a side channel 58 which is tapered, as shown in Figs. 2
and 5 to 7. End walls 62 are similar to the side walls
60, and the end walls including skirts 62a and side
walls with skirts 60a define an opening 65. The open-
ing 65 is only slightly larger in dimension than the
plate 46 of the plunger 18.
Gates 59 are located beyond the forming wall
section 20. Horizontal projecting plates 64 are
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provided at each corner. Guide plates 59a are also
provided upstream of end walls 62a in order to allow
the blank to enter forming station 12 but to prevent
rebounding of the blank B and thus, with gates 59,
maintain the blank in place.
Glue applicators 22 are mounted to the frame
16 and are located, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, in
such a position as to be able to inject a dab of adhe-
sive on the end walls 6 of the blank B at glue spot 9.
Each glue applicator includes a gluing head 66, a feed
tube 68 which conducts the glue to the head, and a noz-
zle 70 which enables a jet of adhesive to be produced
onto the glue spot 9 of the end wall 6 of the blank B.
In operation, when a blank is catapulted
from the magazine 10 by means of roller 38 on carriage
14, the blank B will be guided by the channel 58 and
will stop when the leading edge of the blank B hits the
gates 59. Channels 58, gates 59, and plates 59a locate
the blank B in the forming station 12 aligned over the
opening 65. The plunger 18 is then operated by
activating the cylinder 44a which in turn moves the
piston 45 and plate 46 to engage the bottom panel 2 of
blank B. This movement downwardly entrains the blank B
in such a manner that the side walls 4 and end walls 6
of the blank B will engage the sloped side walls 60 and
end walls 62 respectively, thereby forcing the side
panels 4 and end panels 6 to fold upwardly. Projecting
plate 64 causes flap 8 to fold more quickly and thereby
extend inwardly of the end flap 6 in the succeeding
forming steps, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.
Simultaneously, a dab of glue is shot through the
nozzle 70 onto glue spot 9 on the end walls 6 so that
when the flap 8 comes in contact with the glue spot 9,
it will affix itself to end wall 6. The piston 45 and
plate 46 will stop for 0.5 seconds in order to allow
the glue to set. This is also at the end of travel of
cylinder 44a.
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The cylinder 44b is then activated to
extrude the tray T so formed onto the conveyor 24 and
will be brought to a yogurt container filling station.
The plunger 18 is then retracted, and the cycle can be
repeated.
