Device and Method for Producing Bundles of Individual Packages

Abstract

An apparatus includes a folding unit and a transport unit that transports a package assembly on a transport plane towards the folding unit, the package assembly comprising containers that have been wrapped in a paper blank that comprises tabs that project past the containers. The tabs comprise a lower tab that is coplanar with the transport plane. The folding unit comprises a folding-device that folds lower tabs with plates arranged on both sides of the transport unit. The plates move with three degrees-of-freedom: along the transport unit, towards the package assembly, and perpendicular to the transport plane.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. An apparatus for forming a package assembly that comprises containers that have been wrapped in a paper blank that comprises tabs that project past said containers, wherein said tabs comprise a lower tab that is coplanar with a transport plane along which said package assembly is moved, said apparatus comprising a folding unit and a transport unit that transports said package assembly on said transport plane towards said folding unit, wherein said folding unit comprises a first folding-device for folding said lower tab, said first folding-device comprising plates for folding said lower tab, said plates being arranged on both sides of said transport unit, wherein said plates are movable along said transport unit, wherein said plates are adjustable so as to be brought into engagement with said lower tab by movement towards said package assembly, and wherein said plates are displaceable in a direction that is perpendicular to said transport plane.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said plates are pivotable about a longitudinal axis aligned parallel to said transport direction.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said tabs further comprise front and rear tabs that are perpendicular to said transport plane and wherein said folding unit comprises a second folding-device that brings said front and rear tabs into contact with said lower tab.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said tabs comprise front and rear tabs that are perpendicular to said transport plane and an upper tab that is parallel to and above said transport plane and wherein said folding unit comprises a second folding-device that brings said front and rear tabs into contact with said lower tab and a third folding device that brings said upper tab into contact with said lower tab, with said front and rear tabs, and with said package assembly.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said tabs further comprise front and rear tabs that are perpendicular to said transport plane and wherein said apparatus further comprises a first adhesive unit that is configured to apply adhesive onto regions of said front and rear tabs that are to be in contact said lower tab.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said tabs comprise front and rear tabs that are perpendicular to said transport plane and an upper tab that is parallel to and above said transport plane, wherein said apparatus further comprises a first adhesive unit that is configured to apply adhesive onto regions of said front and rear tabs that are to contact said lower tab and a second adhesive unit that is configured to apply adhesive onto said lower tab as well as onto said front and rear tabs at those regions that are to contact said upper tab.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a dispensing and application unit for a closure band for providing additional closure and/or wrapping of said package assembly with a closure band when completely introduced into said blank.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a carriage that moves in said transport direction, wherein said folding plate is adjustably mounted on said carriage.

26. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said folding plates comprises adhesive coatings in a contact regions with said lower tab.

27. A method comprising producing a bundle of individual liquid containers by introducing a package assembly in which a group of liquid containers is wrapped in a paper blank, wherein producing said bundle comprises using a transport unit to transport said package assembly in a transport direction along a transport plane through a wrapping unit and a folding unit, wrapping said package assembly with said blank, thereby forming tabs that project over said package assembly in a direction transverse to said transport direction, and attaching said tabs to said package assembly, wherein said tabs include a lower tab that is coplanar with said transport plane, front and rear tabs that are perpendicular to said transport plane, and an upper tab that is parallel to and above said transport plane, wherein attaching said tabs comprises bringing said lower tab into contact with said package assembly, bringing said front and rear tabs into contact with said lower tab and in contact with said package assembly, and bringing said upper tab into contact with said lower tab, said front and rear tabs, and said package assembly.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising applying adhesive to a contact region of said lower tab prior to causing contact between said lower tab and said front and rear tabs.

29. The method according to claim 27, further comprising applying adhesive to a contact region of said lower tab prior to causing contact between said lower tab and said front and rear tabs and applying adhesive to a contact region of said lower tab prior to causing contact between said lower tab and said front and rear tabs and applying adhesive onto said front and rear tabs.

30. The method of claim 18, further comprising drawing said lower tab, said front and rear tabs, and said upper tab in a direction of their respective free ends when bringing said tabs into contact with said package assembly.

31. The method of claim 18, further comprising, prior to folding said upper tab, applying an adhesive to a region of said upper tab that is to contact said lower tab and to regions of said upper tab that are to contact said front and rear tabs, respectively.

32. The method of claim 18, further comprising, prior to folding said upper tab, applying an adhesive to a region of said upper tab that is to contact said lower tab and to regions of said upper tab that are to contact said front and rear tabs, respectively and applying adhesive onto said lower tab as well as onto said front and rear tabs.

33. The method of claim 18, further comprising wrapping said package assembly with a closure band.

34. The method of claim 18, further comprising, prior to said blank being introduced, arranging said package assembly onto a tray made of a board material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] These and other features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying figures, in which:

[0035] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first device for producing bundles of individual packages;

[0036] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a device for producing bundles of individual packages; and

[0037] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first part of a folding unit for a device for producing bundles of individual packages.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a bundling machine 1a for bundling packages to form a package assembly 2. The bundling machine 1a comprises a transport unit having a belt 14 that moves a package assembly 2 through a folding unit 9a in a transport direction.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 1, the packages arrive after having already been wrapped in a paper blank 3 by an upstream wrapping unit. However, although the package has been wrapped, it has not yet been folded. As a result, the paper blank 3 still has upper tabs 4, lower tabs 5, front tabs 6, and rear tabs 7 that project laterally beyond the package assembly 2 in a direction that is transverse to the transport direction. To actually complete the process of forming a bundle, the upper tabs 4, lower tabs 5, front tabs 6, and rear tabs 7 must all be folded and attached to the package assembly 2. These operations are carried out by a folding unit 9a that includes a first folding device 8a, a second folding device 11, and a third folding device 12.

[0040] The first folding device 8a attaches the lower tabs 5 to the package assembly 2. It does so by using folding plates 10 that are arranged on a carriage 18a that moves along a conveyor belt 13. As the package assembly 2 moves through the folding unit 9a, each folding plate 10 comes into engagement with a corresponding lower tab 5. The movement path of the carriage 18a matches that of the package assembly 2 along its transport plane in such a way that, as the folding plate 10 moves in the transport direction, it engages the lower tab 5 and folds it into contact with the package assembly 2 by moving it in a direction towards the package assembly 2.

[0041] Because of the route followed by the conveyor belt 13, the folding plate 10 also moves vertically relative to the transport plane. This draws the lower tab 5 in a direction onto the upper side. Following this, the route followed by the conveyor belt 13 dips slightly downward, thus causing the folding plate 10 to move vertically downwards. This partially releases the lower tab 5. It also allows a first adhesive unit 16 to apply adhesive onto the inner sides of the front tabs and rear tabs 7.

[0042] The package assembly 2 continues into a second folding device 11. The second folding device 11 folds the front and rear tabs 7. It does so while the folding plate 10 maintains contact with part of the lower tab 5 in the direction onto the package assembly 2 in such a way that the front and rear tabs 7 come in contact with the folded lower tab 5.

[0043] The second folding device 11 includes moving combs 15 and stationary combs 20. The moving combs 15 are carried by a transport belt 14 in the transport direction of the package assembly 2. As they move, the moving combs 15 press the rear tabs 7 onto the package assembly 2. Meanwhile, the stationary combs 20 bring the front tabs 6 into contact with the package assembly 2 as a result of the package assembly's continued movement in the transport direction.

[0044] In a last folding step, the upper tabs 4 come in contact with the lower tabs 5, front tabs 6, and rear tabs 7. Before the upper tabs 4 are folded, a second adhesive unit 17 applies adhesive to those regions of the front, lower, and rear tabs 5, 6, 7 that are to come into contact with the lower tabs 4.

[0045] A third folding device 12 brings stationary guide plates 19 into engagement with the upper tabs 4 to fold them. The guide plates 19 are shaped and arranged in such a way that, as the package assembly 2 continues to move in the transport direction, the upper tabs 4 come into engagement with the guide plates 19, which then draw the upper tabs 4 over the sides of the package assembly 2.

[0046] In an alternative folding unit 9b, which can be seen in FIG. 2, the folding plate 10 pivots about a longitudinal axis that is oriented in a direction parallel to the transport direction. This can be seen in FIG. 2 by comparing the orientation of the leftmost plate 10 in the figure with that of the plate 10 to its right.

[0047] The connection between the carriage 18b and the plate 10 that rides with the carriage 18b is configured such that a linear drive can move the folding plate 10 relative to the carriage 18b in a direction that is parallel to the sides of the package assemblies 2 as well as perpendicular to the transport plane. The lower tabs 5 are then folded by pivoting the folding plate 10 towards the sides of the package assembly 2 and vertically adjusting the folding plate 10 to cause tension on the lower tab 5. The remaining tabs, i.e., the front tab 6, the rear tab 7, and the upper tab 4, are folded in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 1.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows a transport system 25 for the carriages 18b of a second alternative folding unit 9c. An identical transport system 25 is present on the other side of the transport unit.

[0049] The transport system 25 includes a rail 22 upon which carriages 18b travel. Each carriage 18b has its own individual-actuatable drive 23 for enabling it to move independently of other carriages 18b. The carriages 18b are freely programmable so as to accommodate folding of package assemblies 2 that are distributed in different ways.

[0050] To fold a lower tab 5, the first folding device 8c of the folding unit 9c comprises two carriages 18b that are connected to a folding plate 10 by a scissor drive 21. The scissor drive 21 allows for a vertical adjustment of the folding plate 10, which is also pivotable in the manner shown in FIG. 2.

[0051] To fold the rear tabs 7, some of the carriages 18b carry a support 24 that supports a moving combs 15. The moving combs 15 folds the rear tabs 7 in the manner described in connection with FIG. 1.

[0052] Having described the invention and a preferred embodiment thereof, what is new and secured by letters patent is: