Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FEEDER MECHANISM AND HOPPER FOR TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF CARTONS
This invention relates to packaging of primary articles such as cans and
bottles in multiple packaged cartons and is more particularly concerned with
feeding such cartons in collapsed condition from a hopper and for initiating
and
then completing a set up operation of cartons in sequence.
The majority of known packaging machines are dedicated machines which
construct only one size of one type of carton. Therefore, modern bottling
plants
are required to use a plurality of packaging machines to package different
carton
types, each machine taking up considerable floor space and being expensive to
both
purchase and operate.
A limited number of packaging machines are capable of packaging different
sizes of cartons, for example six, eight or twelve packs of a wraparound
carton.
All such machines require adjustment when switching from one size or type of
carton to another. This adjustment includes the manual removal of all of the
cartons within the packaging machine and possible the mechanical adjustment of
components in the machine. During this change over period, which can be thirty
minutes or more, a machine cannot be used (known as "downtime"), which is an
expensive delay in a bottling plant. Such a delay may even result in downtime
for
the entire bottling line, not just the packaging machine, if problems arise
during the
changeover period.
The prEaent invention seeks to overcome the commercial disadvantages of
known packaging machines by providing a feeder mechanism which is able to set
up more than one type of carton. Further, the invention is capable of
switching
from one carton type to another, or between sizes with minimum downtime. The
modular nature of the present invention enables a "fully flexible" machine to
be
constructed which overcomes, or at least mitigates, the problems of known
machines.
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rv. ~ t varai 17~L.~
The present invention can be used with a packaging machine
described in RCT Publication WO 99/1120_ ~ft is envisaged that the present
invention can be used with various other types of packaging machine.
Attematively, the erecting mechanism of the present invention can be sold as
an individual module to be fitted to new equipment or to existing equipment on
a retro fit basis.
One aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for storing two
different Types of carton, and for selecting and transferring cartons to be
packaged, which apparatus comprises a first hopper for storing a first carton
type, a second hopper for storing a second carton type, carton engaging
means incorporating means to provide a first position for engaging cartons
from the first hopper and a different second position for engaging cartons
from
the second hopper and transfer means to transfer the carton from its
respective first or second hopper from the infeed end of a packaging machine.
According to an optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the
apparatus may further comprise means to place one of said hoppers in an
operative position and control means to select the position of carton
engagement corresponding to the operative hopper selected.
According to another optional feature of this aspect of the invention,
said carton pick up and transfer means may be rotatable about a fixed axis in
an orbital path.
According to a further optional feature of this aspect of the invention,
the first and second pick up positions may be Located at different points on
said orbital path.
According to yet a further optional feature of this aspect of the
invention, means to place one of said hoppers in an operative position may
comprise a frame mounted to a second fixed axis and wherein said first and
second hoppers are mounted to the frame each hopper may be oppositely
2
s
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WO 99114126
disposed about the second fixed axis.
According to another optional feature of this aspect of the invention,
said operative hopper may be adjacent the orbital path of said carton pick up
and transfer means.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is a method of
selecting cartons held in first or second hoppers and transferring said
cartons
to the infeed end of a packaging machine which method comprises the steps
of selecting one of said hoppers to be operative, placing said hopper in an
operative position, positioning a carton engaging means to engage a carton
stored in the operative hopper and transferring the engaged carton to said
infeed end.
A third aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for storing two
different types of carton, comprising a first hopper and a second hopper
oppositely disposed about a fixed axis and rotatable between a first position
whereby one of said first and second hoppers is in an operative position and a
second position whereby the other of said first and second hoppers is in an
operative position.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of
example with n:ference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGURE la is a side view of a basket type carton supplied in a flat
collapsed condition suitable for use with the machine according to the
invention;
FIGURE Ib is a perspective view of a basket type carton suitable for use
with the machine according to the invention;
3
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FIGUF:E 2a is a perspective view of a fully enclosed carton blank suitable
for use with the machine according to the invention;
FIGURE 2b is a perspective view of an erected and loaded carton of the
type illustrated in Figure 2a;
FIGURE 3 is a. perspective view of the infeed of a packaging machine
illustrating the hopper unit and feed mechanism of a preferred embodiment of
the
invention;
FIGURE 4 is a perspective view from the opposing side of the packaging
machine illustrated in Figure 3;
FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the invention illustrating the hopper unit
in a first position;
FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the invention illustrating the hopper unit
in a second position;
FIGUIL~E 7 is a perspective view of the feeder assembly shown in Figure 3 ;
and
FIGURE 8 is an exploded view of the feeder assembly of Figure 7 .
A mechanism according to the present invention is capable of storing and
feeding a variety of carton types, for example wraparound, fully enclosed and
basket type cartons. Any reference in this specification to carton type
includes
different sizes of any particular carton style, for example fully enclosed
cartons for
eight or twelve articles.
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Referring to the: drawings, and in particular Figures la and lb thereof,
carton 10 is a basket type carrier shown in Figure lb in a set up condition
ready
for lowering onto articles. The carton 10 includes opposed side wall panels
12, 14
and opposed end wall panels 16, 18 hingeably connected one to the next. The
carton further includes a handle structure ZO which inter-connects end wall
panels
16, 18 and comprises transverse partition panels 22 inter-connecting each side
wall
12, 14. Base panels 24, 26 are hingeably connected to each side wall panel 12,
14
respectively.
Referring now ~.o Figure 2a and b of the drawings carton 30 is a fully
enclosed carton, shown in Figure 2a in its flat collapsed form. The carton
blank
includes opposed side wall panels 32,34 and opposed end wall panels 36, 38
hingeably comiected one to next. The carton further comprises top panels 40,
42
and base panels 44, 46 hingeably connected to respective side walls 32, 34.
Articles A are inserted into the carton from above or, as the case may be,
from
below and the top and base panels are then secured together to provide a fully
enclosed carton.
It is envisaged that the cartons will vary depending upon the shape and or
quantity of articles to be packaged and accordingly, a machine in accordance
with
the present invention is adjustable in numerous respects so that it can
process a
wide variety o~f such cartons. The principal arrangements which are likely to
be
varied are shown in Figures la and 2a in which "H" is the overall height of
the set
up carton equivalent to the distance between the upper edge of the side wall
and
base panel, "I~" is the overall length of the carton when the base panels have
closed.
Referriing to Figures 3 to 4 of the drawings there is shown a machine 50 for
processing canons of the type outlined above. The upstream end of the machine
includes a dual hopper 52 in which a multiplicity of basket type and fully
enclosed
cartons 10, 30 in a collapsed condition are held ready for processing. A back
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feeder 54 of the type referred to in corresponding PCT Publication WO 99/14127
and a rotary vacuum feeder 55 are positioned adjacent the dual hopper 52. A
paper feed chain 56 is provided to transfer cartons downstream to the loading
station 57.
s
The hopper unit 52 comprises two or more separate hoppers 58, 60 in
adjacent positions described in more detail with reference to Figures 3 to 6.
Each
hopper 58, 60 is mounted onto a frame 62, as shown in Figure 3. The frame 62
is
mounted onto a main shaft 64 which can be rotated about axis X - X shown in
to Figure 5. Each hopper 58, 60 is a gravity feed type whereby the carton
blanks
are held in their respective hoppers at an incline to provide a positive feed.
It is
envisaged that the hopper unit can comprise more hoppers adapted to receive
different carton types or sizes which are preferably located surrounding the
rotary
feeder hereinafter described.
~s
In order for the blank to be transferred from the inclined position to a
vertical plane, it is necessary to offset the axis of rotation of the rotary
feeder 55
from the vertical plane, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.
2o In this embodiment, a pneumatic cylinder (not shown) is used to rotate the
frame 62 between two positions: the first position, as shown in Figure 5, with
the
first hopper 58 placed in an operative position ready for fully enclosed
cartons 30
held in the first hopper 58 to be fed into the packaging machine. Figure 6
illustrates the frame 62 in a second position with the second hopper 60,
2s containing the basket type cartons 10 in an operative position.
Each hopper 58, 60 includes spaced support members 61, 63 respectively,
to hold the cartons in a flat collapsed condition. The support members 61, 63
are
fully adjustable to support different sizes and types of carton.
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The position of the hopper is controlled by a control system described in
corresponding PCT Publication WO 99114120.
The construction of the rotary feeder 55 is illustrated in Figures 7 and 8.
The feeder mechanism 55 according to this invention includes a main shaft 70
s rotatable about a fixed axis. The shaft 70 is generally supported at its end
by a
suitable bearing structure 71, 73 but which is conventional and which is
mounted to a side frame 72. Suitable driving mechanism, such as a servo motor
74 is provided to rotate shaft.
to For withdrawing the lower most collapsed carton from the hopper unit, a
pick up device 68 is provided including carton engaging means, for example
suction cups 80 which are supported on cup holders and a frame 82 and 84
respectively. The cup holder frames 84 are preferably fixedly mounted
respectively on an elongate support rod 86 which is slidably mounted
~s respectively on a collar structure 88. The collar structure 88 is
preferably rigidly
secured to main rotatable shaft 70. The frames 84 are mounted onto cam rods
76 extending into the side frame 72 housing a cam track 78 hereinafter
described. As illustrated from Figure 7, in this embodiment there are three
sets
of carton pick up devices 67, 68, 69 provided in association with the main
2o rotatabie shaft 70. Only one set of such devices such as those indicated at
68
are described in detail because all three sets of pick up devices are of the
same
construction operating in an identical fashion.
Figure 8 serves to illustrate an exploded view of the internal components
2s of the side frame 72 the rotary vacuum feeder. In this embodiment a fixed
cam
plate 77 is mounted on the inner surface of side frame 72 and is provided with
an aperture 79 through which the drive shaft 70 extends. A cam track 78 is
formed in the fixed cam plate 77 with cam followers (not shown) disposed
within
the cam track 78. The purpose of the cam track 78 is to facilitate the cam
rods
30 76 to be extended away from the main shaft 70 so that the suction cups come
into contact
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_g_
with the carton thereby to remove one of the cartons from the operative hopper
58
and to rotate the carton in a uniform path to the paper feed chain 56. As the
carton
is rotated from its hopper 58, a back feeder 54 is used to separate opposing
side
panels and to assist in the erection of the carton.
A vacuum break 90 is provided in the feeder mechanism 55 which is used in
conjunction with a vacuum supply to set the vacuum connection and cut off
points,
described below.
In use, the hopper unit is positioned so that one of the hoppers is in an
operative position for example, the first hopper 58. Thereafter, the canons
are
continuously and sequentially fed from the hopper 52 to the paper feed chain
56 by
the main shaft 70 rotating the pick up device 68 in the direction indicated by
the
arrow, shown in figure 5. As the pick up devices 67, 68, 69 rotate, the
suction
cups 82 are extended to be moved into contact with a side wall 32 of the
carton 30
by the path of the cam track. A vacuum is then applied to the set of suction
cups
80. Thus, the carton 30 is withdrawn and then transferred to the paper feed
chain
56. The vacuum is maintained during this transfer stage so that the suction
cups 80
hold the carton wall 30. When the carton is deposited at the paper feed chain
56, a
vacuum break 90 disconnects the vacuum supply from the suction cups to release
the carton.
If it is desired to package a different carton type, for example a basket type
carton 10 held in the second hopper, a number of adjustments are made to the
machine. The second hopper 60 is rotated by the pneumatic cylinder about shaft
64 and placed in an operative position and corresponding hopper 58 is moved to
a
non-operative position. As the position of the second hopper 60 relative to
the
rotary feeder _'i5 is different to the first hopper 58, it is necessary to
move the pick
up (or carton engaging) point 91 of the suction cups shown in Figure 8 and to
alter
the "on" and "'off' positions of the vacuum supply. These changes are carried
out
by moving the: cam track 78 and/or the vacuum breaks 90 controlling the supply
of
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a vacuum to a second position. Suitable drive means, for example a servo motor
92 controlled b~y the control system moves these sub-assemblies between the
two
positions. It is. preferred to include a third position for the vacuum supply:
this
position being the "def;~ult setting" whereby the vacuum supply is
disconnected
throughout the rotation of the suction cups 80. The default position is
adopted
during carton changeover or if there is a fault in the machine.
Accordiing to this invention the speed of operation of the apparatus is
improved as well as its efficiency and durability as the carton is moved from
a
collapsed position to a fully set up condition. Of course, the final set up
operation
is due in part to engagement with a back feeder and a corner of the carton
with the
lugs which then affects complete and final set up of a carton whilst being
held by
the suction cup.
While the preferred embodiment described herein is for loading bottles into
cartons, it will be recognised that the invention is not limited to cartons
for bottles.
The invention may be used with machines for packaging cans, paperboard
"bricks"
and other containers into cartons.
Moreover, while the preferred embodiment described herein is shown as
part of a machine for loading containers into vertically-loaded sleeve-type
carton,
the invention is not limited to cartons of this type. As will be recognised by
those
skilled in the art, the invention may be used with wrap-around or end-loaded
cartons.
It will be understood that the hopper and feeder mechanism of the invention
has been illusl:rated with reference to a specific embodiment and that
numerous
modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. The hopper and
feeder mechanism is able to process cartons comprising numerous configurations
of
groups of articles covering a range of carton size and shape, for example,
four, six,
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eight and twelve bottles. without undue time being spent in adjusting the
mechanism.
