HANDLING OF CARDBOARD BLANKS

Abstract

A device for handling cardboard blanks comprises an erecting device with a plurality of engagement elements. The erecting device is configured to transition from a receiving configuration to a forming configuration. The erecting device is configured to move at least several of the engagement elements to transition from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration. In the receiving configuration, the erecting device is configured to receive a group of cardboard blanks each having a bottom region and side regions connected to the bottom region. The engagement elements are configured to erect the side regions of the cardboard blanks when the erecting device transitions from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration. The erecting device is configured to move the bottom regions of the cardboard blanks relative to each other when transitioning from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration.

Claims

1. A device for handling cardboard blanks, comprising: an erecting device with a plurality of engagement elements; wherein the erecting device is configured to transition from a receiving configuration to a forming configuration; wherein the erecting device is configured to move at least several of the engagement elements to transition from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration; wherein the erecting device in the receiving configuration is configured to receive a group of cardboard blanks each having a bottom region and side regions connected to the bottom region; wherein the engagement elements are configured to erect the side regions of the cardboard blanks when the erecting device transitions from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration; and wherein the erecting device is configured to move the bottom regions of the cardboard blanks relative to each other upon transitioning from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the erecting device is configured to receive the group of cardboard blanks in the receiving configuration such that the cardboard blanks lie in a common plane.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein engagement elements of the plurality of engagement elements lying on opposite sides of a cardboard blank are configured to perform a relative movement directed towards each other when the erecting device transitions from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the erecting device is configured to receive the group of cardboard blanks such that four engagement elements of the plurality of engagement elements are arranged around each cardboard blank, wherein two of the four engagement elements are opposite to each other in pairs.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of engagement elements is simultaneously engageable with two cardboard blanks when the erecting device transitions from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the erecting device is configured to move the at least several of the engagement elements at different speeds when transitioning from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of engagement elements are arranged in a grid, and wherein the erecting device is configured to move engagement elements of the plurality of engagement elements located at positions further outward in the grid at a greater speed than engagement elements of the plurality of engagement elements located at positions further inward in the grid when transitioning from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the movement of the at least several of the engagement elements when the erecting device transitions from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration comprises a movement in a common plane.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the movement of the at least several of the engagement elements when the erecting device transitions from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration comprises lifting the at least several of the engagement elements.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the engagement elements each have at least one engagement surface for engagement with a cardboard blank, wherein the engagement surfaces are configured as guide surfaces for erecting the side regions of the cardboard blanks.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the erecting device comprises holding elements configured to hold the bottom regions of the cardboard blanks.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the erecting device is configured to move at least several of the holding elements to transition from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration.

13. A method for handling cardboard blanks, comprising: providing a group of cardboard blanks, wherein the cardboard blanks each have a bottom region and side regions connected to the bottom region; and erecting the side regions of the cardboard blanks; wherein the bottom regions of the cardboard blanks are moved relative to each other when erecting the side regions.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the side regions of the cardboard blanks are erected by engagement with engagement surfaces of engagement elements, wherein at least several of the engagement elements are moved to erect the cardboard blanks.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the bottom regions of the cardboard blanks are each held by a holding element when erecting the side regions, wherein at least several of the holding elements are moved when the cardboard blanks are being erected.

16. A method for handling cardboard blanks by an erecting device, the method comprising: receiving a group of cardboard blanks in receiving stations of the erecting device, wherein the cardboard blanks each have a bottom region and side regions connected to the bottom region; and erecting the side regions of the cardboard blanks by the erecting device; wherein the bottom regions of the cardboard blanks are moved relative to each other during the erecting of the side regions.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the side regions of the cardboard blanks are erected by engagement with engagement surfaces of engagement elements of the erecting device, wherein at least several of the engagement elements are moved to erect the side regions.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the bottom regions of the cardboard blanks are each held by a holding element of the erecting device when erecting the side regions, wherein at least several of the holding elements are moved when the side regions are being erected.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] In the following, the disclosure is further explained by means of embodiments with reference to the Figures.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of a device for handling cardboard blanks according to an embodiment, wherein the erecting device is provided in the receiving configuration;

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of the device in the state shown in FIG. 1 along the section line I-I indicated in FIG. 1;

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a schematic top view of the device according to the embodiment with inserted cardboard blanks;

[0044] FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of the device in the state shown in FIG. 3 along the section line II-II indicated in FIG. 3;

[0045] FIG. 5 shows a schematic top view of the device according to the embodiment after the erecting device has transitioned to the forming configuration;

[0046] FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional view of the device in the state shown in FIG. 5 along the section line III-III indicated in FIG. 5;

[0047] FIG. 7 shows a schematic sectional view of a device according to an alternative embodiment, wherein the erecting device is in the receiving configuration; and

[0048] FIG. 8 shows a schematic sectional view of the device according to the alternative embodiment, wherein the erecting device is in the forming configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of a device 1 for handling cardboard blanks 3. The device 1 comprises an erecting station or erecting device 5 with receiving stations 7 for cardboard blanks 3. In the illustrated embodiment, six receiving stations 7 for cardboard blanks 3 are provided. A different number of receiving stations 7 for cardboard blanks 3 would also be conceivable. The receiving stations 7 for cardboard blanks 3 are arranged in a rectangular grid, which in the illustrated embodiment is a 2×3 grid.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view through the device 1, wherein the section is indicated by the line I-I in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows insertion devices 9 of the device 1. For the sake of clarity, the insertion devices 9 are not shown in FIG. 1. The insertion devices 9 are configured to insert a cardboard blank 3 from above into each receiving station 7 of the erecting device 5. This is shown by the arrows 11 in FIG. 2. The insertion devices 9 can, for example, each be configured to receive a cardboard blank 3 from a supply and deposit it in a receiving station 7. For this purpose, the insertion devices 9 can each have a holding device for a cardboard blank 3, for example a suction device or a gripper. Alternatively, it would be conceivable to provide stacking devices above the receiving stations 7 in order to stack the cardboard blanks 3 directly in the receiving stations 7.

[0051] Each receiving station 7 of the erecting device 5 comprises a holding element 13. The holding elements 13 each define a supporting surface 15 on which a cardboard blank 3 inserted into the respective receiving station 7 rests flat at least in certain regions. At least one suction opening 17 is provided in the supporting surface 15 in each case, through which negative pressure can be applied to the cardboard blank 3 in order to hold the cardboard blank 3 on the holding element 13.

[0052] Each receiving station 7 of the erecting device 5 is surrounded by four engagement elements 19, wherein two adjacent receiving stations 7 are assigned to certain engagement elements 19.

[0053] FIGS. 3 and 4 show the situation after the cardboard blanks 3 have been placed in the receiving stations 7. As can be seen from FIG. 3, each cardboard blank 3 comprises a bottom region 21 and four side regions 23 connected to the bottom region 21. In the situation shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cardboard blanks 3 are in the form of flat cardboard blanks 3. As shown in FIG. 3, boundary lines 25 between the bottom region 21 and the side regions 23 of a cardboard blank 3 can optionally be pre-processed, for example by providing a predetermined knuckle line. The bottom regions 21 of the cardboard blanks 3 rest on the receiving surfaces 15 of the holding elements 13 and are sucked towards the suction openings 17 and thus held on the holding elements 13.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 4, the engagement elements 19 each comprise at least one engagement surface 27. The side regions 23 of the cardboard blanks 3 are each in contact with an engagement surface 27 of the associated engagement element 19. Engagement elements 19 which are assigned to two side regions 23 comprise two opposite engagement surfaces 27.

[0055] In FIGS. 1 to 4, the erecting device 5 is provided in a receiving configuration. After the cardboard blanks 3 have been inserted in the receiving configuration, the erecting device 5 is brought into a forming configuration. To move the erecting device 5 from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration, the engagement elements 19 are moved relative to each other. In addition, the holding elements 13 are moved relative to each other. FIG. 4 schematically shows an engagement element drive arrangement 29 (e.g., one or more electric or pneumatic actuators) for moving the engagement elements 19 and a holding element drive arrangement 31 (e.g., one or more electric or pneumatic actuators) for moving the holding elements 13. The engagement element drive arrangement 29 and the holding element drive arrangement 31 can be controlled by a control device 33.

[0056] Directions of movement of the engagement elements 19 are illustrated by the arrows 35 in FIGS. 3 and 4. Two engagement elements 19 opposite one another with respect to a cardboard blank 3 are always moved towards one another relative to one another in order to transfer the erecting device 5 to the forming configuration. However, this does not necessarily mean that all engagement elements 19 actually perform a movement. In the illustrated example, the engagement elements 19 provided between the two rows of three cardboard blanks 3 remain stationary, while all other engagement elements 19 are moved.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 4, the engagement surfaces 27 of the engagement elements 19 are formed such that, when engagement elements 19 that are opposite each other with respect to a cardboard blank 3 are moved towards each other, they promote erection of opposite side regions 23 of the cardboard blank 3. The side regions 23 of the cardboard blanks 3 are thus erected to form the cardboard blanks 3 into packaging trays.

[0058] When the erecting device 5 is brought into the forming configuration, the holding elements 13 are moved such that adjacent holding elements 13 perform a relative movement towards each other. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the directions of movement of the holding elements 13 are shown by arrows 37. In the illustrated embodiment, all holding elements 13 actually perform a movement in space. However, this is not absolutely necessary. For example, at least one holding element 13 could be stationary in space, but there could still be a relative movement to adjacent holding elements 13, namely due to a movement of the adjacent holding elements 13.

[0059] The movement of the holding elements 13 causes the bottom regions 21 of the cardboard blanks 3, and thus the cardboard blanks 3 as a whole, which are held by the suction effect on the holding elements 13, to move towards each other. The movement of the engagement elements 19 and the movement of the holding elements 13 occur at least partially overlapping in time. The movement of the engagement elements 19 and the movement of the holding elements 13 are coordinated with one another such that the side regions 23 of the cardboard blanks 3 remain in contact with the engagement surfaces 27 of the engagement elements 19 when the erecting device 5 transitions into the forming configuration and are erected by engagement therewith.

[0060] FIGS. 5 and 6 show the situation after the erecting device 5 has transitioned to the forming configuration. The side regions 23 of the cardboard blanks 3 have been erected so that the cardboard blanks 3 have been formed into packaging trays. In FIGS. 1 to 4, the erecting device 5 is in the receiving configuration. In FIGS. 5 and 6, the erecting device 5 is in the forming configuration. In the forming configuration, the cardboard blanks 3 received in the receiving stations 7 are in a narrower format than in the receiving configuration. In the forming configuration, a distance between the bottom regions 21 of adjacent cardboard blanks 3 is smaller than in the receiving configuration. After the erecting device 5 has transitioned to the forming configuration, the formed cardboard blanks 3 can be removed from the receiving stations 7 and fed to further processing steps, for example by means of a gripper device. Alternatively, the formed cardboard blanks 3 received in the receiving stations 7 could be transported further by a movement of the erecting device 5 as a whole and fed to a next processing step.

[0061] FIGS. 7 and 8 show an alternative configuration of the engagement elements 19. In FIG. 7, the erecting device 5 is in the receiving configuration, wherein the cardboard blanks 3 are already received in the receiving stations 7. The state shown in FIG. 7 corresponds to the state shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 8, the erecting device 5 is in the forming configuration. The state shown in FIG. 8 corresponds to the state shown in FIG. 6.

[0062] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, each holding element 19 includes a handle portion 41 and an engagement portion 39 attached thereto. The engagement surface 27 of an engagement element 19 is formed by a surface of the engagement portion 39 of the engagement element 19. In the illustrated embodiment, the engagement portion 39 is spherical. Other shapes of the engagement portions 39 would also be possible, for example, an ellipsoidal form or a trapezoidal form. The engagement portions 39 are each attached to an upper end of the handle portion 41.

[0063] As shown by the arrows 35 in FIG. 7, the engagement elements 19 are moved relative to each other in a horizontal plane when the erecting device 5 transitions from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration. This movement corresponds to the movement of the engagement elements 19 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6. The movement symbolized by arrows 35 is superimposed on a horizontal upward movement of the engagement elements 19 symbolized by arrows 43 in FIG. 7. Lifting the engagement elements 19 promotes erection of the side regions 23 of the cardboard blanks 3. Otherwise, the functionality of the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8 may correspond to the functionality of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 6, in particular with respect to the movement of the holding elements 13.

[0064] As those skilled in the art will understand, the engagement element drive arrangement 29, the holding element drive arrangement 31, the control device 33, as well as any other controller, unit, component, system, subsystem, device, or the like described herein may individually, collectively, or in any combination comprise appropriate circuitry, such as one or more appropriately programmed processors (e.g., one or more microprocessors including central processing units (CPU)) and associated memory, which may include stored operating system software, firmware, and/or application software executable by the processor(s) for controlling operation thereof and for performing the particular algorithm or algorithms represented by the various methods, functions and/or operations described herein, including interaction between and/or cooperation with each other. One or more of such processors, as well as other circuitry and/or hardware, may be included in a single Application-Specific Integrated Circuitry (ASIC) or Electronic Control Unit (ECU), or several processors and various circuitry and/or hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a System-on-a-Chip (SoC).