FOLDING BOX STACK TRANSFERRING DEVICE IN A PACKAGING MACHINE, AND METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING A FOLDING BOX STACK IN A PACKAGING MACHINE

Abstract

A folding box stack transferring apparatus in a packaging machine has a gripping apparatus which is arranged on an adjustable manipulator. The gripping apparatus has at least two gripping jaws which can be moved toward one another in a clamping direction and between which the folding box stack can be clamped. In addition, a suction apparatus is provided which can be adjusted by means of an adjusting apparatus in such a way that the suction apparatus can be brought selectively into or out of contact with the surface of the folding box stack. In the case of the transfer of a folding box stack, the suction apparatus is brought into contact with the surface of the folding box stack, and the suction apparatus is activated at least temporarily during the transfer of the folding box stack.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. The method as claimed in claim 15, further including adjusting the pressure elements by a drive apparatus.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the drive apparatus comprises an electric motor or a hydraulic drive or a pneumatic drive.

13. The method as claimed in claim 18, further including penetrating the pressure elements in the wall of the housing.

14. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the pressure elements have adjustable bolts which penetrate the wall of the housing.

15. A method for transferring a folding box stack in a packaging machine, the method comprising: clamping the folding box stack in between at least two gripping jaws of a gripping apparatus in a clamping direction, then transferring the gripping apparatus together with the folding box stack by a manipulator, bringing a suction apparatus into contact with a surface of the folding box stack, and activating the suction apparatus at least temporarily during the transferring of the folding box stack, compressing and prestressing the folding box stack in the clamping direction by at least two pressure elements before the clamping of the gripping jaws, lowering the suction apparatus onto the folding box stack by an adjusting apparatus after clamping the folding box stack in between the gripping jaws by the gripping apparatus.

16. (canceled)

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the prestressing of the folding box stack takes place in a box-shaped housing.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, further including moving and displacing the pressure elements through a wall of the housing.

19. The method as claimed in claim 15, further including, after the prestressing of the folding box stack by the pressure elements, introducing the gripping jaws into intermediate spaces between end sides of the folding box stack and walls of the housing.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the introducing includes introducing the gripping jaws at the same time into the intermediate spaces.

21. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the pressure elements have adjustable bolts which penetrate the wall of the housing.

22. The method as claimed in claim 17, further including adjusting the pressure elements by a drive apparatus.

23. The method as claimed in claim 18, further including adjusting the pressure elements by a drive apparatus.

24. The method as claimed in claim 13, further including adjusting the pressure elements by a drive apparatus.

25. The method as claimed in claim 14, further including adjusting the pressure elements by a drive apparatus.

26. The method as claimed in claim 17, further including, after the prestressing of the folding box stack by the pressure elements, introducing the gripping jaws into intermediate spaces between end sides of the folding box stack and walls of the housing.

27. The method as claimed in claim 18, further including, after the prestressing of the folding box stack by the pressure elements, introducing the gripping jaws into intermediate spaces between end sides of the folding box stack and walls of the housing.

28. The method as claimed in claim 13, further including, after the prestressing of the folding box stack by the pressure elements, introducing the gripping jaws into intermediate spaces between end sides of the folding box stack and walls of the housing.

29. The method as claimed in claim 14, further including, after the prestressing of the folding box stack by the pressure elements, introducing the gripping jaws into intermediate spaces between end sides of the folding box stack and walls of the housing.

30. The method as claimed in claim 11, further including, after the prestressing of the folding box stack by the pressure elements, introducing the gripping jaws into intermediate spaces between end sides of the folding box stack and walls of the housing.

31. The method as claimed in claim 12, further including, after the prestressing of the folding box stack by the pressure elements, introducing the gripping jaws into intermediate spaces between end sides of the folding box stack and walls of the housing.

Description

[0033] Further details and features of the invention can be seen from the following description of one exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawing, in which:

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a folding box stack transferring apparatus according to the invention,

[0035] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged illustration of the gripping apparatus and the folding box stack in a first phase of the transferring,

[0036] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged illustration of the gripping apparatus and the folding box stack in a second phase of the transferring apparatus,

[0037] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged illustration of the gripping apparatus and the folding box stack in a third phase of the transferring,

[0038] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged illustration of the gripping apparatus and the folding box stack in a fourth phase of the transferring,

[0039] FIG. 6 shows an enlarged illustration of the gripping apparatus and the folding box stack in a fifth phase of the transferring,

[0040] FIG. 7 shows an enlarged illustration of the gripping apparatus and the folding box stack in a sixth phase of the transferring, and

[0041] FIG. 8 shows a gripping apparatus with an alternative embodiment of the suction apparatus.

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a view of a folding box stack transferring apparatus 10, by means of which a folding box stack FSS can be transferred, which folding box stack FSS is received in a box-shaped housing 22 in a horizontal orientation, that is to say with a horizontal stack direction H. In each case two through holes 23 are configured in the side walls of the housing 22, against which side walls the folding box stack FSS bears with its end sides. In each case one pressure element 24 is arranged outside the housing 22 on the opposed end sides of the folding box stack FSS. Each pressure element 24 penetrates the wall of the housing 22 at the through holes 23 and can be moved in the direction of the folding box stack FSS. For this purpose, each pressure element 24 is assigned a drive apparatus 33, by means of which an adjusting force can be applied to the pressure element 24, as indicated by way of the arrow M. If the pressure elements 24 which are arranged on opposed sides of the housing 22 are moved toward one another, the folding box stack FSS can be compressed or prestressed in the stack direction H.

[0043] The folding box stack transferring apparatus 10 is intended to remove the folding box stack FSS from the box-shaped housing 22 and to insert it from above into a vertically oriented shaft V, as indicated by way of the arrow A.

[0044] The folding box stack transferring apparatus 10 has a manipulator 15 in the form of a multiple jointed robot 16 which can be configured as a collaborative robot (cobot). At its front end, the manipulator 15 supports a gripping apparatus 11 for receiving the folding box stack FSS. The gripping apparatus 11 comprises a longitudinal carrier 14, at the one end of which one gripping jaw 12 is attached fixedly. A linear guide 17 is arranged on the underside of the longitudinal carrier 14, on which linear guide 17 a further gripping jaw 13 is seated such that it can be displaced. By means of a drive 18, the further gripping jaw 13 can be displaced along the linear guide 17, with the result that the spacing between the gripping jaws 12 and 13 can be increased or decreased.

[0045] Furthermore, a suction apparatus 19 is provided with a rod-shaped holder 21 which extends parallel to the longitudinal carrier 14 and, on its underside, supports four suckers 20 which are arranged in a row next to one another at a spacing. The suckers 20 can be loaded with a vacuum, as indicated by way of the arrow L (see FIG. 2).

[0046] FIG. 6 shows, in particular, that the holder 21 is connected to an adjusting apparatus 25 via a holding plate 27 which has two vertical holding bars 26 which are guided displaceably into a bearing block 29. A thrust rod 28 is active between the bearing block 29 and the holding plate 27, by way of the activation of which thrust rod 28 the holding plate 27 can be lowered and raised together with the suction apparatus 19 which is fastened to it in the direction of the upper side of the folding box stack FSS, as indicated by way of the double arrow T in FIG. 2.

[0047] In the following text, the individual phases of the transferring of the folding box stack FSS from the box-shaped housing 22 into the shaft V are to be described in detail on the basis of FIGS. 2 to 7.

[0048] FIG. 2 shows the starting position, the folding box stack FSS being arranged in the upwardly open housing 22 in a horizontal orientation, that is to say with a vertical stack direction H, and bearing with its end sides F.sub.1 and F.sub.2 against the side walls of the housing 22. In order to move the end sides F.sub.1 and F.sub.2 of the folding box stack FSS away from the side walls of the housing 22, the drive apparatuses 33 are activated, as a result of which the pressure elements 24 are introduced from outside through the through holes 23 of the housing 22 and the two pressure elements 24 are moved toward one another, as a result of which the folding box stack FSS is compressed within the housing 22 in the stack direction H by a small amount, as shown in FIG. 3. Here, the end sides F.sub.1 and F.sub.2 are lifted up from the side walls of the housing 22, with the result that intermediate spaces 34 are formed between the end sides F.sub.1 and F.sub.2 and the side walls of the housing (see FIG. 3).

[0049] The gripping apparatus 11 is then positioned above the housing 22 in such a way that the vertical gripping jaws 12, 13 are situated in each case precisely above one of the intermediate spaces which are formed between the end sides F.sub.1 and F.sub.2 and the side walls of the housing 22. The gripping apparatus 11 is then lowered by means of the manipulator 15, with the result that the gripping jaws 12 and 13 engage into the intermediate spaces 34 between the end sides F.sub.1 and F.sub.2 of the folding box stack FSS and the walls of the housing 22, as shown in FIG. 4. Here, the suction apparatus 19 is still situated at a spacing above the folding box stack FSS.

[0050] In a further step, the drive 18 is activated, as a result of which the left hand (according to FIG. 4) gripping jaw 13 is moved along the linear guide 17 toward the right hand (according to FIG. 4) gripping jaw. The gripping jaws 12 and 13 come into contact with the end sides F.sub.1 and F.sub.2 of the folding box stack FSS and compress the latter in the stack direction H, with the result that the folding box stack FSS is clamped in between the gripping jaws 12 and 13 with tight packing, as shown in FIG. 5. Here, a clamping direction S coincides with the stack direction H.

[0051] As soon as the gripping jaws 12 and 13 have reached their desired relative position and the folding box stack FSS is compressed and clamped in to a sufficient extent, the suction apparatus 19 is lowered by means of the activation of the adjusting apparatus 25 to such an extent that the suckers 20 lie on the surface of the folding box stack FSS, as shown in FIG. 6. Subsequently, the suckers 20 are loaded with a vacuum (arrow L), with the result that the folding box stack FSS is attracted by suction by way of the suckers 20. Said state is shown in FIG. 6.

[0052] Subsequently, the manipulator 15 is activated which pulls the gripping apparatus 11 vertically upward and therefore removes the folding box stack FSS from the housing 22. In said state which is shown in FIG. 7, the folding box stack FSS is clamped in on its end sides F.sub.1 and F.sub.2 by way of the gripping jaws 12 and 13, and is additionally prevented from falling down by way of the suckers 20 which are placed on the upper surface of the folding box stack FSS. In said state, the folding box stack FSS can be oriented in a desired way by means of the manipulator 15 and can be inserted from above into the shaft V. The pressure elements 24 are withdrawn from the housing 22 by means of the drive apparatuses 33, as indicated in FIG. 7 by way of the arrows M.

[0053] FIG. 8 shows an alternative embodiment of the suction apparatus 19. In the case of the preceding exemplary embodiment, a plurality of individual suckers were provided which are now replaced by way of a suction pad 35 which can consist of foam. The suction pad 35 has a lower-side suction face 35a, with which it is possible to be placed over a large area or even over the full area onto the upper side of the compressed folding box stack FSS in the case of lowering of the suction device 19.

[0054] The suction pad 35 consists of an open-pore and therefore air-permeable foam material; in addition to this, however, through openings 36 can also be made in the suction pad 35.

[0055] A vacuum chamber (not shown) is configured in the holder 21 on that side of the suction pad 35 which faces away from the folding box stack FSS, with the result that a vacuum can be generated on the suction face 35a of the suction pad 35.

[0056] If the suction apparatus 19 is lowered in the stated way onto the upper side of the folding box stack FSS, the suction pad 35 is pressed with its suction face 35a against the upper side of the folding box stack FSS, and a large-area suction and holding force is applied to the folding box stack FSS after a vacuum is applied to the suction face 35a.