Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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APPARATUS FOR RFPOSIT'IONING CARTON FLAPS
Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a repositioning apparatus and in particular to an
apparatus arranged to reposition substantially forward and rear facing flaps
on a carton
automatically.
Background of the Invention
It has become common practice in the retail trade when selling multiples of
individual products, such as beverage cans and bottles, to produce multi-packs
containing several individual units. With cans and bottles of beverages in
particular
it is common to produce cartons containing six, eight, twelve or even twenty-
four
individual bottles or cans. The size of the mufti-pack and form of carton or
carrier
used to contain the individual units depends on the product being sold and to
a degree
on national preferences for different carton styles.
One requirement of all of these types of cartons is to ensure that the bottles
or
cans therein are retained securely and are prevented from moving significantly
with
respect to each other, as this could cause damage to the individual units.
Further, the
bottles or cans must be securely retained to ensure that they are not easily
removed
or do not fall from the carton.
To address this requirement, various carton designs have been developed. For
example, with open-ended cartons of the wraparound type, corner gussets may be
provide extending between the carton side walls and the bottom andlor top
carton
walls, as can be seen in EP-A-0 459 658. Alternatively, retention panels may
be
provided to extend across the upper end and/or lower end of the carton, as can
be seen
in EP-A-0 560 658. Still further, wraparound cartons may be provided with end
doors
which are folded to a closed position. As can be seen in EP-A-0 499 426, when
such
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cartons are for use with bottles having tapered necks, the doors may be
provided with
upper portions that are angled against the necks of the outermost bottles.
In all of these examples, the wraparound cartons are typically applied to the
container group by automated packaging machinery, in which the container group
moves along a conveyor. The carton blank is applied to the top or bottom of
the
group, with the side walls extending transversely of the conveyor direction.
The
carton is then wrapped around the group. The retention structure is typically
folded
into position either during or subsequent to the wrapping operation.
With fully-enclosed, sleeve-type cartons for bottles, upper portions of the
end
walls may also be angled against the necks of the outernnost bottles. Such
cartons are
also loaded on automated packaging machinery, in which the container group
moves
along one or more conveyors. If the sleeve is applied vertically to the group,
such as
by lowering from above, the angled upper portions may be folded into position
after
the carton has been applied to the group.
In all of the above examples, the positioning of the flaps comprising the
retention structure is made difficult because the flaps are located at both
the forward
and trailing ends of the carton as it is moved along the conveyor. Thus, both
forward
and rearward folding of the flaps are required. As packaging machines operate
at
extremely high speeds, with container packaging machines commonly packaging
250
containers per minute, there is a requirement foi a means of positioning these
flaps
which can be automated without either damaging the containers or cartons, or
slowing
down the packaging machine.
Summar~r of the Invention
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of and apparatus for
automatically repositioning flaps on a carton at processing speeds comparable
with that
of container loading machines.
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A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for
loading
containers into cartons, which includes an apparatus for repositioning flaps
on the
cartons in order to secure the containers in place in the carton.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an
apparatus arranged to reposition substantially front and rear facing flaps on
cartons
being transported along a feed path, the apparatus comprising one or more
movable
lugs arranged to move around a predetermined locus, the apparatus being
operable
such that a lug is periodically positioned in the feed path in front of a
carton causing
the carton to contact the lug and reposition the front flap on said carton,
the apparatus
being further operable periodically to increase the velocity of the or a lug
so as to
bring the or a lug into contact with the rear of the carton, thus
repositioning the rear
flap thereon.
Preferably, the locus is defined by a single variable speed continuous belt to
which the lug or lugs are attached.
Preferably, the apparatus comprises a control means arranged to control the
speed of said lug or lugs.
More preferably, the control means comprises means for receiving information
regarding the speed of cartons in the feed path. Preferably, said control
means
comprises a manual input means. Alternatively, said control means comprises a
sensor arranged to measure the speed of cartons in the feed path.
Preferably, the apparatus has a sensor arranged to measure the speed of the
lug
or lugs.
Preferably, said control means varies the speed of the lug or lugs to lie
within
the range plus or minus 1-30% of the speed of said cartons traversing said
feed path.
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Most preferably, the control means causes the lug or lugs to move at a speed
20 % less than the speed of the cartons on said feed path when the apparatus
is
arranged to close a front flap on said carton and at a speed 20 % greater than
the speed
of said cartons when the apparatus is arranged to close the rear flap on a
carton.
Preferably, the apparatus comprises three equally spaced lugs arranged on said
continuous belt.
Preferably, the or each lug is substantially T-shaped, the base of the T being
attached to the continuous belt and the substantially front and rear facing
edges of the
T having resilient, preferably rubber, portions formed thereon.
Preferably, the continuous belt is a friction belt, which is moved due to
friction
between the belt and a feed roller. Alternatively, the continuous belt
contains recesses
which engage correspondingly shaped protrusions on a feed roller, during use.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a
method of repositioning substantially forward and rear facing flaps on cartons
being
transported along a feed path, utilising an apparatus having one or more
moveable lugs
arranged to move around a predetermined locus, the method comprising
periodically
positioning the or a lug in the path of a carton such that the carton contacts
the lug and
repositions the front flap thereon, the velocity of said lug or lugs being
increased so
as to bring the or a lug into contact with the rear of the carton, thus
repositioning the
rear flap thereon.
Preferably, the method includes the speed of the cartons in said feed path
being
received by a control means which controls the repositioning apparatus.
Preferably, the speed of said cartons is entered manually. Alternatively, the
speed of said cartons is sensed automatically.
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Preferably, the speed of the or each lug is varied by said control means to
lie
within the range plus or minus 1-30% of the speed of the cartons traversing
said feed
path.
More preferably, the or each lug is moved at a speed 20°b less than
the speed
of the cartons in said feed path when a front flap is being repositioned and
at a speed
20 ~ greater than the speed of the cartons in the feed path when a rear flap
is being
repositioned.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided an
apparatus for loading containers having an angled neck into cartons being
transported
along a feed path, the apparatus including means for repositioning flaps on
said cartons
adjacent the necks of said containers, said repositioning apparatus being
arranged to
reposition substantially front and rear facing flaps on said cartons the
repositioning
apparatus comprising one or more movable lugs arranged to move around a
predetermined locus, the apparatus being operable such that the or a lug is
periodically
positioned in the feed path in front of a carton causing the carton to contact
the or a
lug and reposition the front flap thereon, the apparatus being further
operable
periodically to increase the velocity of the or a lug so as to bring the or a
lug into
contact with the rear of the carton, thus repositioning the rear flap thereon.
Preferably, the locus is defined by a single variable speed continuous belt to
which the lug or lugs are attached.
Preferably, the apparatus comprises a control means arranged to control the
speed of said lug or lugs.
More preferably, the control means comprises means for receiving information
regarding the speed of cartons in the feed path. Preferably, said control
means
comprises a manual input means. Alternatively, said control means comprises a
sensor arranged to measure the speed of cartons in the feed path.
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Preferably the apparatus has a sensor arranged to measure the speed of said
lug
or lugs.
Preferably, said control means varies the speed of the lug or lugs to lie
within
the range plus or minus 1-309b of the speed of said cartons traversing said
feed path.
Most preferably, the control means causes the lug or lugs to move at a speed
201 less than the speed of the cartons on said feed path when the apparatus is
arranged to close a front flap and at a speed 20 % greater than the speed of
said
cartons when the apparatus is arranged to close the rear flap on a carton
Preferably, the apparatus comprises three equally spaced lugs arranged on said
continuous belt.
Preferably, the or each lug is substantially T-shaped, the base of the T being
attached to the continuous belt and the substantially front and rear facing
edges of the
T having resilient, preferably rubber, portions formed thereon.
Preferably, the continuous belt is a friction belt, which is moved due to
friction
between the belt and a feed roller. Alternatively, the continuous belt
contains recesses
which engage correspondingly shaped protrusions on a feed roller, during use.
Brief Descriution of the Drawings
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of
example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus in accordance with the present
invention adjacent a feed path of an apparatus for loading containers into
cartons;
FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1;
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FIGURE 3 is an perspective view of an alternative roller and continuous belt
which may be utilised in the apparatus of Figure 1;
FIGURE 4 is an illustration of a carton with which the present invention may
be utilised;
FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the operation of a dual apparatus at specific
intervals throughout the repositioning process;
FIGURE 6 is an electrical block diagram of the apparatus of Figure 1; and
FIGURE 7 is a schematic block diagram of a container loading apparatus
incorporating the apparatus of Figure 1.
Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment
Figures 1 and 2 illustrate an apparatus 10 arranged to reposition
substantially
front and rear facing flaps 12 and 14 on a carrier 16 being transported along
a feed
path 18 of a standard apparatus for loading bottles into a carton. The
apparatus 10
comprises a continuous belt 20 having, in this embodiment, three lugs 22
attached
thereto. The belt is placed around a drive roller 24 and a follower roller 26.
Controlled movement of the drive roller 24 powered by a drive motor 28 (Figure
6)
under the control of a control means 30 (Figure 6) causes the drive roller 24
to rotate
causing the continuous belt 20 to move which in turn causes the follower
roller 26 to
rotate. Preferably, the drive motor 28, is a servo motor. The continuous belt
20 may
be manufactured from a frictional material such as rubber and may be caused to
move
due to friction between the roller 24 and the continuous belt 20.
Alternatively, the
drive motor may have a toothed section as illustrated in Figure 3 each of the
teeth
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being received in co-operating recesses 27 in the continuous belt 20, during
use, in
order to move the belt 20.
The rollers 24 and 26 are positioned adjacent a feed path 18 in a bottle
loading
apparatus such that movement of the belt 20 will periodically bring lugs 22
into the
feed path 18.
The apparatus 10 is operable such that the individual lugs 22 are periodically
positioned in the feed path 18 in front of cartons 16 causing each carton 16
to contact
the lug 22 and in so doing to reposition the front facing flap 12 on the
carton 16.
The continuous belt 20 is positioned at a height such that the lugs 22, when
in
use, will contact the front and rear flaps 12 and 14 of the cartons 16 so as
to move the
flaps. This is explained further with reference to Figures 4 and 5.
The apparatus 10 is further operable to increase the velocity of the lugs
periodically so as to bring the individual lugs 22 into contact with the rear
facing flaps
14 of the cartons 16, thus repositioning the rear facing flap 14. In the
present
embodiment, a single variable speed continuous belt 20 is utilised. However, a
plurality of belts may be utilised. In addition, a single roller with one or
more lugs
22 attached thereto may be utilised without the use of a continuous belt.
As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the lugs ~ are preferably in the form of a T-
shaped member, positioned at equal intervals around the continuous belt 20.
The base
32 of each lug 22 is connected to the continuous belt 20 such that the first
arm 34 of
the T will project forward of the base 32 and the second arm 36 of the T will
project
rear of the base 32 with respect to the feed path 18, when in use. The end
portion of
the front and rear facing arms of the T are provided with resilient portions
38 and 40,
formed for example from rubber, so as to minimise the likelihood of damage to
the
bottles within the cartons 16 during use.
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The apparatus 10, as illustrated in Figure 6 includes a control means 30
arranged to control the speed of the continuous belt 20 during use. This
control means
may be a dedicated processor or may be a control means for a packaging machine
with
which the apparatus 10 is used, which is adapted to control the apparatus 10.
Alternatively, the control means may preferably be a known, programmable servo
control system.
The control means 30 receives information from a sensor 42 arranged to detect
the speed of the continuous belt 20; which may detect the speed of the belt
directly or
may detect the speed of the drive roller 24. In addition the apparatus 10
includes
IO means in the form of a sensor 44 for receiving information regarding the
speed of the
cartons on the feed path 18 which is transmitted to the control means 38.
Alternatively, there may be manual input means 46 through which the speed of
the
cartons 16 on the feed path may be input into the control means 30.
As is illustrated in Figure 2, the apparatus 10 is mounted on a pair of rails
48
which run perpendicular to the feed path 18 thus enabling the apparatus 10 to
be rolled
into an operating position wherein the or a lug 22 projects into the feed path
18, when
in use, and rolled out of this position to a rest position in which the or a
lug 22 does
not extend into the feed path 18. Thus, the apparatus 10 can be withdrawn when
the
packaging machine with which it is used is loading cartons which do not
require the
repositioning of flaps.
Before discussing the method of operation of the apparatus 10, it may be
useful
to detail, by way of example, a carton 16 with which the apparatus 10 may be
used.
Figure 4 illustrates such a carton 16 having a front wall 50 and a rear wall
52
each of which are divided into a lower portion 54 and an upper flap 12 and 14.
The
flaps 12 and 14 and the lower portions 54 of the front and rear walls 50 and
52 are
each separated by a crease (or fold) 56 which allows the flaps to pivot with
respect to
the lower portion 54 of each wall. A second crease (or fold) 58 is located on
each of
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the side faces 60 of the carton between the point where the crease 56 joins
the side
wall of the carton and the top surface 62 of the carton. This crease is
provided so
that the side wall can bow out slightly allowing the flaps 12 and 14 to
reposition
against the neck 62 of the bottle 64 within the carton 16, as illustrated by
the dashed
lines 63 and 65. With such a carton 16 it would be appropriate for the or a
lug 22 to
strike the flaps generally centrally. However, if the flaps are not completely
forward
and rear facing and are angled in some way then it may be appropriate for the
or a lug
22 to contact some other portion of the flaps. Also, two apparatuses may be
used, as
illustrated in Figure 5, in which case each of the lugs 22 will be arranged
not to
contact the flap centrally, but instead to contact the flaps at a
predetermined position
closer to the sides 60 of the cartons 16.
When in use, the apparatus 10 is rolled into a position wherein the lugs 22
will
project into the feed path 18 as illustrated in Figure 1. When starting up the
apparatus
the continuous state speed of the conveyor means which transports the cartons
16 is
input into the control means 30 using the manual input means 46 (Figure 6).
Thus
when the apparatus 10 is input into the in use position a iug 22 will be
arranged to
contact the appropriate flap 12 or 14 of the carton 16 at a specific
percentage above
or below the speed of the feed path, as will be discussed in detail below.
During the initial start up process both the conveyor means used to propel the
cartons 16 along the feed path 18 and the continuous belt 20 will increase
gradually
in speed to a standard running speed. Both of these apparatuses will be
controlled
such that this process will be gradual and no damage will occur to the cartons
16 or
their contents.
If we first discuss an embodiment of the invention in which two apparatuses
10 are used and consider the action of a single lug 22 there are two ways of
considering the repositioning process depending upon whether or not you
consider the
lug to strike the front or rear facing flaps first. For example, if the lug 22
is
positioned in the feed path in front of a carton 16 at a speed less than that
of the
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cartons 16 on the feed path then a carton 16 will contact the lugs 22 and the
front flap
12 will be repositioned. Thereafter, the control means 30 will increase the
speed of
the motor 28 which will cause the lug 22 to increase in speed and to make a
revolution
around the locus of the continuous belt 20 causing the lug 22 to contact the
rear flap
14 of the same carton.
However, if you consider that the lug 22 strikes the rear flap of a first
carton
initially and the speed of the lug 22 is then reduced to less than that of the
speed of
the cartons in the feed path 18 then the lug 22 will then contact the front
flap 12 of
the subsequent carton to be propelled along the feed path 18. These two
processes are
essentially the same the difference depending on the point in the cycle at
which the
analysis is begun. If you then consider an embodiment having a plurality of
lugs after
a first lug 22 is slowed to cause the repositioning of the front flap 12 of a
carton 16,
the increase in speed of the lugs 22 causes the first lug to be moved out of
the cartons
way and causes a second lug 22 to be brought into contact with the rear facing
flap
of the carton as illustrated sequentially in Figure 5.
Figure 5 illustrates one embodiment of the apparatus and five steps of
repositioning the front and rear facing flaps on cartons being transported on
a feed
path. in step 1, the lugs move into the feed path. Then, the lugs are
accelerated
relative to the feed path velocity to be brought into contact with and to
reposition the
rear facing flaps, shown as step 2. Thereafter, as the carton leaves the
apparatus, the
lugs are decelerated relative to the feed path velocity, so that the lugs are
brought into
contact with the front facing flaps of the next succeeding carton and the
flaps are
repositioned, shown in step 3. In steps 4 and 5 the lugs are accelerated to be
moved
out of the feed path. Rear lugs are then moved into the feed path behind the
carton
and the above procedure is repeated.
It is most efficient to have three lugs 22 on a continuous belt 20 as a carton
16
can be located between two lugs 22; one at the front and one at the rear of
the carton,
without causing interference with the remaining cartons 16 in the feed path
18, the
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third lug 22 being at a point on the continuous belt 20 remote from the feed
path 18
at that time. As the forward most of these lugs 22 is accelerated the carton
16 in front
thereof is moved along the feed path 18 out of the path of the lug 22. No more
than
two lugs can be used in the feed path 18 in any one time as a third lug 22
would
require a carton 16 to be maintained in front of the middle lug 22 while the
rear most
lug 22 is accelerated to contact the rear flap 14 of the rear most carton 16.
However,
this would mean the repeated contact of the second lug 22 with the second
carton 16
which may cause damage.
When the foremost lug 22 is slowed to cause a carton 16 to contact the lug 22
the speed of the continuous belt 20 is within 1 to 30 % less than that of the
cartons 16
progressing along the feed path 18. Likewise, when the lug 22 is accelerated
to cause
contact with the rear most flap 14, the speed of the continuous belt 20 is
between 1
and 30 % greater than that of the cartons 16 in the feed path 18. Preferably,
the
continuous belt is moved at a speed 20 % less than the speed of the cartons 16
in the
first instance and at a speed 20 % greater than the speed of the cartons 16 in
the feed
path in the second instance, as this provides a sufficient force to reposition
each of the
flaps without damaging the carton 16.
As the speed of the cartons in the feed path is varied to accommodate the
speed
of bottling of other parts of a bottling process the speed of the continuous
belt 20 is
also varied so that the speed of the continuous belt 20 is maintained within
these
percentage variations. However, there may be some situations in which a faster
or
slower speed is required, for instance if a particularly thick caliper of
board is used
to produce the carton then a greater variation may be required to cause
sufficient force
to reposition the flaps thereon. Also, the speed may be varied if one or two
apparatuses are used.
Figure 7 is a schematic representation of an apparatus 70 for loading bottles
into cartons 16, which illustrates the position in the apparatus 70 of the
apparatus 10
for repositioning flaps, in accordance with the present invention. The
apparatus 70
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includes a carton hopper and feeder mechanism (block 72) from where cartons 16
are
taken and fed to a mechanism (block 74) which combines bottles and cartons
either by
wrapping cartons around the bottles or placing bottles in the cartons
depending on the
type of carton used. Bottles are fed into this mechanism at a predetermined
rate and
in a predetermined arrangement, from a storage area (block 76). Once the
cartons and
bottles are united the carton is locked in place by suitable locking means,
usually in
the base of the carton, (block 78) in a known manner. Thereafter, the flaps 12
and
14 in the carton are repositioned in accordance with the present invention
(block 80),
and the cartons are fed to a storage area (block 82) from where they can be
crated for
shipping. The order of the processes detailed in blocks 78 and 80 can be
reversed in
some apparatuses in accordance with the present invention.
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 bottles into cartons.
Moreover, while the preferred embodiment described herein is shown as part
of a machine for loading bottles into a 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 wraparound or end loaded cartons,
and
may be used to reposition various carton flaps used for retention and other
purposes.
Modifications may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the
present invention as defined in the accompanying claims.
