FOLDING DEVICE FOR A FLAT BLANK

Abstract

A folding device for a flat blank has a plurality of bearing blocks arranged in a row in a first direction, the mutual distance of which can be changed by a drive device and each of which has a support surface for the blank by a holding device. A plurality of folding blades are arranged at a distance next to one another in the first direction, at least one of the folding blades being arranged between immediately adjacent bearing blocks. The folding blades can be adjusted by changing a mutual distance with an additional movement component perpendicular to the blank. Adjacent bearing blocks are coupled in terms of movement via a linkage. The folding blade arranged between adjacent bearing blocks is connected to the linkage so a change in distance between the bearing blocks can be transferred by the linkage to the folding blade for the adjustment thereof.

Claims

1. A folding device for a flat blank, comprising: a plurality of bearing blocks arranged in a row, at a distance next to one another in a first direction, a mutual distance of which can be changed by drive device and each of which has a support surface for the blank; a holding device, by which the blank is held on the support surfaces; a plurality of folding blades which are arranged at a distance next to one another in the first direction, at least one of the plurality of folding blades being arranged between immediately adjacent bearing blocks and the plurality of folding blades being adjustable by changing mutual distance therebetween in the first direction and with a movement component perpendicular to the blank; and a plurality of linkages; wherein immediately adjacent bearing blocks are each coupled in terms of movement to one another via one of the linkages and one of the folding blades arranged between the bearing blocks coupled in terms of movement is connected to the one of the linkages in such a way that a change in distance between the bearing blocks in the first direction can be transferred by the one of the linkages to the one of the folding blades for adjustment movement thereof.

2. The folding device according to claim 1, wherein all of the bearing blocks are coupled in terms of movement to the immediately adjacent bearing block thereof via one of the linkages.

3. The folding device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the folding blades is arranged between all immediately adjacent bearing blocks.

4. The folding device according to claim 1, further including a support frame which has at least one linear guide for at least some of the bearing blocks and/or for at least some of the folding blades.

5. The folding device according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the bearing blocks is held immovably relative to the support frame and at least some of the bearing blocks are adjustable relative to the support frame.

6. The folding device according to claim 1, wherein the drive device engages one of the bearing blocks which is arranged at an end of the row of the bearing blocks.

7. The folding device according to claim 1, wherein the drive device engages in each case on both of the bearing blocks which are arranged at an end of the row of the bearing blocks.

8. The folding device according to claim 1, wherein the drive device is a piston-cylinder unit or a continuously rotating belt or a servomotor or a linear motor.

9. The folding device according to claim 1, wherein the holding device has at least one suction cup.

10. The folding device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one suction cup is integrated into the support surface of an associated one of the bearing blocks.

11. The folding device according to claim 1, wherein each of the linkages has at least one toggle lever.

12. The folding device according to claim 11, wherein the at least one toggle lever has two pendulum rods mounted in an articulated manner on both sides, each first ones of the pendulum rods being connected in an articulated manner at a first axial end thereof in a connecting joint to each second ones of the pendulum rods and at a second axial end thereof in a bearing joint to one of the bearing blocks.

13. The folding device according to claim 12, wherein each of the linkages has two toggle levers arranged at a distance one above the other.

14. The folding device according to claim 12, wherein the folding blade is connected to one of the linkages in the connecting joint.

15. The folding device according to claim 1, wherein each of the folding blades has a folding blade carrier attached to one of the linkages and has a folding blade head.

16. The folding device according to claim 15, wherein the folding blade head is held exchangeably on the folding blade carrier.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Further details and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawing. In the drawing:

[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a folding device according to the invention,

[0025] FIG. 2 shows the folding device according to FIG. 1 in a side view having the blank placed thereon,

[0026] FIG. 3 is an enlarged section of the folding device according to FIG. 2,

[0027] FIG. 4 shows the folding device according to FIG. 2 during the adjustment of the bearing blocks, and

[0028] FIG. 5 shows the folding device according to FIG. 4 in the completely pushed together position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 show a folding device 10 for a flat blank Z made of cardboard or carton, which has a transportable support frame 11 which is provided with handles 28 for handling. A linear guide 13 having a plurality of guide rods 24 arranged parallel and at a distance next to one another is mounted on the support frame 11. The guide rods 24 run in a straight line in a first direction R, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1.

[0030] On the guide rods 24, a plurality of bearing blocks 12.1 and 12.2 are arranged in a row, at a distance next to one another in the first direction R. The central bearing block 12.1 is mounted immovably on the guide rods 24. The other bearing blocks 12.2 are displaceable along the guide rods 24.

[0031] Between two immediately adjacent bearing blocks 12.1, 12.2, a folding blade 19 is arranged, which is also guided displaceably on the guide rods 24. Each folding blade 19 consists of a folding blade carrier 23 (see FIG. 3) and a folding blade head 25 which is held exchangeably on the folding blade carrier 23. The folding blade carrier 23 is formed by a vertically aligned plate and the folding blade head 25 has a configuration that tapers to a point and may be formed by a bar with a triangular cross-section.

[0032] Immediately adjacent bearing blocks 11.1, 11.2 are each coupled in terms of movement to one another via a linkage 20. The linkage 20 comprises two toggle levers 21 arranged at a distance vertically one above the other. Each toggle lever 21 has two pendulum rods 22 mounted in an articulated manner on both sides. Each pendulum rod 22 is connected in an articulated manner at the one axial end thereof in a connecting joint 26 to the other pendulum rod 22 and at the other axial end thereof in a bearing joint 27 to the respective bearing block 12.1, 12.2.

[0033] Each folding blade 19 is connected in the connecting joint 26 to the associated toggle levers 21. In particular, the folding blade carrier 23 is connected in an articulated manner to the two toggle levers 21, the folding blade head 25 being able to be removed from the folding blade carrier 23 at any time without having to dismount the linkage 20.

[0034] Two drive devices 14 in the form of piston-cylinder units 15 are arranged on the underside of the support frame 11. The piston-cylinder units 15 are each firmly connected at the cylinder thereof to the support frame 11, the free end of the piston being connected to that bearing block 12.2 which is arranged at the end of the row of bearing blocks, i.e., on the one hand, to the left-hand bearing block according to FIG. 2 and, on the other hand, to the right-hand bearing block 12.2 according to FIG. 2.

[0035] A holding device 17 for the blank Z is formed on the upper side of the bearing blocks 12.1, 12.2, each of which is formed by two suction cups 18 which are integrated into each bearing block 12.1, 12.2. The suction cups 18 are connected in the usual way via lines 29 to a negative pressure source.

[0036] FIG. 2 shows the bearing blocks 12.1, 12.2 in their most expanded state, with a folding blade 19 being arranged between two adjacent bearing blocks 12.1, 12.2. The central bearing block 12.1 is held immovably on the support frame 11.

[0037] When the two drive devices 14 are activated, both the left bearing block 12.2 according to FIG. 2 and the right bearing block 12.2 according to FIG. 2 are moved inwardly towards one another along the guide rods 24. This movement is transmitted via the linkage 20 to the bearing blocks 12.2, which are not directly driven. The fixed central bearing block 12.1 remains in place.

[0038] Due to the drive movement of the two outer bearing blocks 12.2, the mutual distance between the bearing joints 27 of the respective toggle levers 21 is reduced, as a result of which the toggle levers 21 deflect upwards, i.e. the respective connecting joint 26 executes an upward movement. As a result, the folding blades 19 articulated to the connecting joints 26 also perform an upward movement, whereby each folding blade head 26 comes into contact with the blank Z resting on the support surfaces 16 and exerts a deforming force thereon perpendicular to the blank plane. The deformation of the blank Z is further supported by moving together the bearing blocks 11.1 and 11.2. This state is shown in FIG. 4.

[0039] FIG. 5 shows the bearing blocks in their completely pushed together state in which the folding blades 19 protrude upwards and have deformed the blank Z. When the final deformation of the blank Z is achieved, the negative pressure on the suction cups 18 of the holding device 17 is switched off so that the deformed blank Z can be removed from the folding device 10 in an upward direction.