Multi-head multiformat box forming machine

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multi-head multiformat box forming machine, using die-cut cardboard sheets, having three differentiated areas: a feeding area, a shaping area and a discharge area, wherein the multi-head multiformat box forming machine enables the shaping of different cardboard box formats using the same machine and at greater speed than simple multiformat box forming machines, saving down times and costs associated thereto.

Claims

1. A multi-head multiformat box forming machine which comprises, at least: one storage unit for die-cut cardboard sheets, two or more feeders wherein each one of said feeders dispenses the die-cut cardboard sheets unit by unit, means for guiding and positioning the die-cut sheets, means for supplying an adhesive substance on the die-cut cardboard sheet, two or more shaping units, each of which comprises at least one vertically displaceable inner mould and one outer die, and means for discharging the formed box being perpendicular to the feeders, wherein the mould and the die of each shaping unit are divided into four segments, respectively, which enable the horizontal displacement and positioning thereof at the points which coincide with the lower corners of the box when a format changing mechanism that comprises four arms displaces the four arms to position them in a new box format, wherein each one of the of mould-die segments and of each shaping unit moves solidly joined together so as to maintain the tolerances between the mould and the die; wherein each shaping unit comprises actuation means for the vertical and alternate displacement of the four segments that shape the inner mould, and wherein the segments of the die of at least one of the shaping units are displaceable with respect to the arms of said shaping unit once the box has been formed, such as to clear a box discharge path in a direction parallel to the direction in which the cardboard sheets are dispensed by the feeders.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein each one of the segments of the die of a shaping unit disposed on each of the sides of the machine are displaceable with respect to the arms of said shaping unit once the box has been formed, such as to clear the box discharge path in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the cardboard sheets are dispensed by the feeders.

3. The machine of claim 1, wherein each one of the segments of each die comprises an articulated lateral blade which comprises actuation means for folding the inner flaps of the box.

4. The machine of claim 3, further comprising curved plates disposed on the sides of each one of the segments of the die, wherein each one of the curved plates is mounted on a platform, and joined to the sides of each one of the segments of the die, wherein the platforms also comprise a press with actuation means for folding and pressing the lateral flaps of the box.

5. The machine of claim 4, further comprising a chassis which comprises the four arms of the format changing mechanism for each shaping unit, on the lower ends of which the die segments are mounted, with their respective articulated lateral blades and presses.

6. The machine of claim 5 wherein the articulated lateral blades are mounted on each one of the die segments by means of a guided support that can be actuated by means of a guided cylinder that linearly displaces the die segment blade press assembly to clear the box discharge path.

7. The machine of claim 5 wherein the articulated lateral blades are mounted on the chassis by means of one of the four arms of the shaping unit by means of an articulated support which can be actuated by means of a rotating cylinder that displaces the die segment blade assembly at an angle to clear the box discharge path.

8. The machine of claim 5, wherein the arms are hung by their upper ends from a set of transverse rails assisted by motorised spindles for the transverse displacement of the arms and, therefore, of the die segments.

9. The machine of claim 8 wherein the transverse rails are mounted on a second set of longitudinal rails, solidly joined to the general chassis of the machine.

10. The machine of claim 9 wherein the motorised spindles comprise a threaded axis with two equivalent portions of spiral in each direction, i.e. one left-hand threaded and another right-hand threaded, such that when the motor makes the spindle rotate, the respective mould-die segment assemblies move in the opposite direction, moving further apart or closer together to position the four mould-die segment assemblies on each of the lower corners of the box for shaping thereof.

11. The machine of claim 10, wherein the four segments of the inner mould are mounted on the upper ends of the arms through a guided rod for the horizontal displacement thereof, accompanying their respective die segments in order to maintain a constant distance between the mould and the die.

12. The machine of claim 11, wherein the inner mould composed by its four segments moves vertically and alternately inside the die composed by its four segments to form the box.

13. The machine of claim 12, wherein the four segments that compose the inner mould are actuated by means of an electric motor and a connecting rod-crank mechanism that transforms the rotating movement into an alternate linear movement, wherein the connection of the end of the connecting rod to the guiding rods of the inner mould segments, for transmitting the vertical and alternate movement, is performed by means of four articulated arms connected by their upper end to the upper ends of the guided rods and by their inner end on two sliders that slide over a transverse rail connected to the lower end of the connecting rod.

14. The machine of claim 13, wherein the four arms are articulated by means of vertical rotation axes to enable the horizontal displacement of the mould segments, such that when the format change mechanism displaces the arms to position them in the new format, the arms are articulated and slide to adapt to the new configuration, without losing their connection to the connecting rod-crank mechanism.

15. The machine of claim 1, further comprising first transfer means disposed at the front of the machine for transferring the boxes discharged in a direction parallel to the direction in which the cardboard sheets are dispensed by the feeders, and, optionally, second transfer means disposed on at least one of the sides of the machine for transferring the boxes discharged in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the cardboard sheets are dispensed by the feeders.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In order to complement the description being made and with the object of helping to better understand the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof, said description is accompanied, as an integral part thereof, by a set of drawings where, in an illustrative and non-limiting manner, the following has been represented:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the multi-head multiformat box forming machine object of the present invention, being in this case dual-head;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the heads of the machine of the present invention with the inner mould inlaid in the die-cut cardboard sheet on the die;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the heads of the machine of the present invention with the die moving to enable the formed box to be discharged;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the heads of the machine of the present invention with the box already formed disposed on transfer means of the boxes disposed on the front of the machine;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a detail of the mould-die segment assembly for a first example of embodiment, in a closed position, wherein the confluence of the mould, die and press can be observed on the corner of the box;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a lateral view of FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a detail of the mould-die segment assembly for a first example of embodiment, in the box discharge position, wherein the die has moved with respect to the arm of the shaping unit;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a detail of the mould-die segment assembly for a second example of embodiment, in an open position, prior to the closed box forming position; and

(10) FIG. 9 shows a plan view of the multi-head multiformat box forming machine of the present invention, being in this case dual-head and wherein one of the heads is a lateral discharge head, wherein the arrows show the discharge direction of each head.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

(11) Following is a detailed description of the multi-head multiformat box forming machine. A dual-head multiformat box forming machine has been represented in the figures but, by extension, it is understood that the machine can also comprise three or more heads.

(12) In light of the aforementioned figures, it can be observed how the multiformat box forming machine comprises, for each of the heads, a die-cut cardboard sheet (2) storage unit (1), a feeder (3) for dispensing the die-cut cardboard sheets (2) unit by unit, means for guiding and positioning (4) the die-cut sheet (2), a pair of guns (not shown) for supplying an adhesive substance on the die-cut cardboard sheet (2) which, once the box is formed (10), will fix its walls by overlapping of the corresponding flaps, a shaping unit (6) that comprises an inner mould divided into four segments (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) and an exterior die also divided into four segments (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) and an articulated arm (9) having a suction pad for discharging the formed box (10), all integrated in a general chassis (11).

(13) The box (10) forming process begins by placing the corresponding die-cut cardboard sheets (2) in the storage units (1), wherefrom the feeders (3), consisting of an articulated arm provided with suction pads, extract a cardboard sheet (2) and deposit it on the guiding and positioning means (4), provided with a fastening pin, which positions them inside of each shaping unit (6).

(14) Once the die-cut cardboard sheet (2) has been positioned inside the shaping unit (6), the actual shaping of the box (10) is initiated, by means of the descent of the inner mould composed of its four segments (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d), which coincide with each one of the lower corners of what will be the formed box (10), as can be observed in FIG. 4. The inner mould, composed of its four segments (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) inlays the die-cut cardboard sheet (2), inside the die composed of its four segments (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d), so that the lateral walls are raised from the body of the die-cut cardboard sheet (2).

(15) As can be observed in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the descent of the inner mould composed of its four segments (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) is initiated, the lateral articulated blades (12) mounted on each one of the die segments (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) are actuated for the folding of the inner flaps (13), which will constitute part of the lateral walls of the box (10). In the present example of embodiment, said blades (12) are articulated from their lower end on the side of the corresponding die segment (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) and actuated by a pneumatic cylinder (14).

(16) To finalise the shaping of the box (10), the lateral flaps (15) of the box (10) are folded and pressed by actuation of curved plates (31) disposed on the sides of each one of the die segments (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d). These curved plates (31) are mounted on folding platforms (32) joined to the sides of each one of the die segments (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) or to the chassis (11) through one of the arms (18) of the shaping unit that will be described later on. The folding platforms (32) further comprise a press (16) actuated by a pneumatic cylinder (17), which strengthens the joining of the inner flaps (13) against the lateral flaps (15), by means of the adhesive substance previously deposited on the common contact areas.

(17) In FIGS. 1 to 4, the die segments (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) are displaceable with respect to the arms (18) of the shaping unit (6) so that, once the box has been formed, the die segments (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) can be retracted so as to clear the box discharge path in a direction parallel to the direction in which the cardboard sheets are dispensed by the feeders, i.e. through the front part of the machine.

(18) In FIG. 9, the segments (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) of the die of one of the shaping units are displaceable with respect to the arms (18) of the shaping unit (6) so that, once the box has been formed, the die segments can be retracted to clear the box discharge path in a direction parallel to the direction in which the cardboard sheets are dispensed by the feeders, i.e. through the front part of the machine, while the segments (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) of the die of the other shaping unit are displaceable with respect to the arms (18) of the shaping unit (6) so that, once the box is formed, the die segments can be retracted to clear the box discharge path in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the cardboard sheets are dispensed by the feeders, i.e. through the lateral part of the machine.

(19) The displaceable die segments are retracted by means of actuation means that may be pneumatic, hydraulic or electric, preferably pneumatic.

(20) In a first example of embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the articulated lateral blades (12) are mounted on each one of the die segments (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) by means of a guided support (35) that can be actuated by means of a guided cylinder (36) that linearly displaces the die segment (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d)-blade (12)-press (16) assembly to clear the box discharge path (10) in a direction parallel to the direction in which the cardboard sheets (2) are dispensed by the feeders, i.e. through the front part of the machine.

(21) In a second example of embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the articulated lateral blades (12) are mounted on the chassis (11) by means of one of the four arms (18) of the shaping unit by means of an articulated support (37) which can be actuated by means of a rotating cylinder (38) that displaces the die segment (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d)-blade (12) assembly at an angle to clear the box (10) discharge path in a direction parallel to the direction in which the cardboard sheets (2) are dispensed by the feeders, i.e. through the front part of the machine.

(22) Once the box has been discharged by the forming machine to first transfer means (40) for transferring the boxes (10) disposed at the front of the machine for the boxes discharged in a direction parallel to the direction in which the cardboard sheets are dispensed by the feeders, and to second transfer means (not shown) of the boxes (10) disposed on the side of the machine for the boxes discharged in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the cardboard boxes are dispensed by the feeders, a new cycle for shaping other boxes (10) with the same characteristics would be initiated, until reaching a de-sired number of boxes (10).

(23) Due to the fact that the transfer means have a maximum displacement speed that cannot be exceeded so that lightweight boxes (10) are not displaced or fall from the first or second transfer means, the presence of the first transfer means (40) and the second transfer means make it possible to increase the speed at which the formed boxes (10) are discharged from the machine without having to stop the heads until the box (10) has abandoned the front or side of the machine. Optionally, the first transfer means (40) deposit the formed boxes (10) on the second transfer means or vice versa.

(24) When the packaging needs require another box (10) format, the parameters of the new box only need to be entered in the control panel, for the format changing mechanism of the shaping unit (6) to position the four inner mould segment (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d)-die segments (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) assemblies at the points corresponding to the lower corners of the new box (10). Once the machine has been adjusted, the die-cut cardboard sheets (2) in the storage unit (1) are changed.

(25) As can be observed in FIGS. 1 to 4, the format changing mechanism comprises four arms (18), on whose lower ends the die segments (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) are mounted, with their respective lateral articulated blades (12) and lateral folding presses (16), whose arms (18) are hung by their upper ends from a set of transverse rails (19) assisted by motorised spindles (20), for the transverse displacement of the arms (18) and, therefore, from the die segments (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d). The transverse rails (19) are mounted on a second set of longitudinal rails (21), solidly joined to the general chassis (11) of the machine, assisted by another pair of motorised spindles (22), for the longitudinal displacement of the arms (18) and, therefore, of the die segments (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d).

(26) The motorised spindles (20, 22) comprise a threaded shaft (23) with two equal spiral portions in each direction, i.e. one left-hand threaded and another right-hand threaded, so that when the motor makes the spindle rotate, the respective mould-die segment assemblies move in the opposite direction, moving further apart or closer together. Therefore, by actuating the different motorised spindles (20, 22), we achieve the positioning of the four mould-die segment assemblies on each one of the lower corners of the box (10) for shaping thereof.

(27) The four inner mould segments (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) are mounted on the upper ends of the arms (18), through a guided rod (24), so that they move horizon-tally, accompanying their respective die segments (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) in order to maintain a constant distance between the mould and the die.

(28) As mentioned earlier, the inner mould composed of its four segments (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) moves vertically and alternately inside the die composed of its four segments (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) to shape the box (10). In the present example of embodiment, the actuation of the four segments (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) that shape the inner mould is performed by means of an electric motor (26) and a rotating connecting rod-crank mechanism which transforms the rotational displacement into an alternate linear displacement. The connection of the end of the crank (26) to the guiding rods (24) of the inner mould segments (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) for the transmission of the vertical and alternate displacement is performed through four articulated arms (27), connected by their outer end to the upper ends of the guided rods (24), and by their lower end on two slides (28) which slide along a transverse rail (29), connected to the lower end of the crank (26). The four arms (27) are articulated by means of vertical rotation axes to enable the horizontal displacement of the mould segments (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d). Therefore, when the format changing mechanism displaces the arms (18) to position them in the new format, the arms (27) will articulate and slide to adapt to the new configuration, without losing their connection to the connecting rod-crank mechanism (26).