Apparatus for forming packaging units

Abstract

Rotating conveyor circuits that carry containers to be formed into packaging units to a binding-and-packing station that has parallel binding guides supported by carriers. Each binding guide has a deflection element facing the circuits. Coupling elements provide jointed connections between the binding guides and the circuits. An adjustment mechanism adjusts a channel width between the binding guides such that the binding guides remain parallel.

Claims

1. An apparatus for forming packaging units from containers, said apparatus comprising a transport-and-treatment station, a binding-and-packing station, coupling elements, and a first adjustment mechanism, wherein said transport-and-treatment station comprises conveyor circuits, wherein said conveyor circuits are driven to rotate, wherein each of said conveyor circuits comprises receivers at a circumference thereof, wherein said receivers being configured to receive said containers that are to be formed into packaging units after being guided during transfer from said conveyor circuits to said binding-and-packing station, wherein said binding-and-packing station comprises binding guides and carriers, wherein said binding guides are disposed downstream of said conveyor circuits, wherein there exists an opening between said conveyor circuits and said binding guides, wherein said binding guides are parallel to each other, wherein each of said binding guides comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said each of said proximal ends faces said transport-and-treatment section, wherein each of said binding guides comprises a first deflection element at said proximal end, wherein said carriers are arranged next to each other, wherein each carrier supports a corresponding one of said binding guides, wherein each of said coupling elements comprises first and second joints for connecting a structure from said binding-and-packing station to one of said conveyor circuits that said transport-and-treatment station comprises, wherein said structure from said binding-and-packing station is selected from the group consisting of the binding guide and the carrier that supports said binding guide, wherein each of said first joints is concentric with an axis of rotation of a corresponding one of said conveyor circuits, wherein each of said second joints is concentric with a corresponding one of said first deflection elements, wherein, as a result of said first and second joints, each of said coupling elements pivots relative to said corresponding one of said first deflection elements of a corresponding one of said conveyor circuits, wherein said first adjustment mechanism adjusts a channel width between said binding guides such that said binding guides remain parallel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said coupling elements comprise a first coupling element and a second coupling element, wherein said apparatus further comprises a second adjustment mechanism, wherein said first adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust said first coupling element, and wherein said second adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust said second coupling element.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a positioning device configured for enabling adjustment along first and second directions of said binding guides relative to said carriers that support said binding guides, wherein said first and second directions are transverse to one another.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said binding guides comprise a first binding guide and said carriers comprise a first carrier, wherein said apparatus further comprises a positioning device, wherein said positioning device holds said first carrier on said first binding guide, and wherein said positioning device enables adjustment of said first binding guide along a first direction relative to said first carrier.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cross-carriage, wherein said cross carriage is configured to move said binding guides relative to said carriers that support said binding guides along a horizontal direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first adjustment mechanism causes said coupling elements to pivot synchronously and in opposite directions.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first adjustment mechanism is configured to move said binding guides together.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said coupling elements is formed by a longitudinal brace.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said conveyor circuits comprise a first conveyor circuit, wherein said coupling elements comprise a first coupling element, wherein said first adjustment mechanism engages said first joint of said first coupling element onto a ring section connected to said first coupling element.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said coupling elements is mounted to said transport-and-treatment station by a corresponding one of said first joints, wherein each of said first joints is concentric with an axis of rotation of a corresponding one of the conveyor circuits.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first adjustment mechanism comprises a linear drive wherein said linear drive is configured to adjust said channel width.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transport-and-treatment station comprises an assembly frame and wherein each of said first joints provides a jointed connection to said assembly frame.

13. The apparatus claim 1, wherein said transport-and-treatment station comprises a gluing station.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising application stations, wherein each of said conveyor circuits has at least one of said application stations on a circumferential region thereof and wherein each of said application stations is configured to apply adhesive to containers.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said first joints provides a jointed connection to a carrier of one of said rotating conveyor circuits.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and its accompanying figures, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gluing station with two binding guides that are held on separate carriers at an adjustable mutual spacing interval;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the connection of the carriers of two binding guides with the assembly frame of a gluing station, and

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative drive for the transverse adjustment of the binding guides.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows an apparatus 10 for forming packaging units from containers, such as bottles or cans. The apparatus 10 includes a transport-and-treatment station having a gluing station 12 at which first and second conveyor circuits 14, 16 are mounted so as to rotate relative to first and second assembly frames 18, 19. In some embodiments, the first and second assembly frames 18, 19 are parts of a common carrying-and-supporting structure. To avoid visual clutter, details of the carrying and supporting structural parts have been omitted.

(6) The first and second conveyor circuits 14, 16 each take up containers at circumferences thereof and provide the containers with adhesion points so that they can ultimately be connected to form a packaging unit. Once the containers have been provided with adhesion points, a deflection arrangement transfers them from the gluing station 12 onto first and second parallel binding guides 22, 24 of a binding-and-packing station 20. It is here that the containers are joined together to form the packaging unit.

(7) Each binding guide 22, 24 has a guide path that extends along a longitudinal direction X for circulating, holding, and carrying carriages. Alternatively, each binding guide 22, 24 has a circulating endless guide belt 26 that is guided about first and second deflection elements 28, 30. The first deflection element 28 has its axis of rotation 29 at the beginning of the binding-and-packing station 20. The second deflection element 30 has it axis of rotation 31 at the end of the binding-and-packing station 20.

(8) The various driven carriers, guide elements, and movers, such as carriages, are omitted from the figure in the interest of clarity. For similar reasons, the figure omits holding devices, and/or forming bodies for stabilizing the locations of grouped containers.

(9) First and second cross-carriages 36, 38 hold the binding guides 22, 24 to corresponding carriers 32, 34. A guide device defines a connecting segment between the two binding guides 22, 24. At least two containers are arranged on this connecting segment next to one another or behind one another with their adhesion points facing each other. The binding guides 22, 24 press these containers against each other to form groups of containers. A typical group has six containers.

(10) As the containers are transported down the connecting segment, the adhesive hardens. Thus, by the time the containers reach the end of the connecting segment, a packaging unit will have formed. This packaging unit consists of several containers. In particular, the packaging unit includes at least the two containers arranged in the connecting segment next to one another or behind one another.

(11) Each carrier 32, 34 has a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end faces the gluing station 12. The distal end faces away from the gluing station 12. The first deflection elements 28 are disposed at the proximal ends and the second deflection elements 30 are disposed at the distal ends.

(12) Coupling elements 40, 42 couple corresponding ones of these proximal ends to the first assembly frame 18 of the gluing station 12.

(13) Each coupling element 40, 42 has a first end and a second end. A first joint connects the first end of the coupling element 40, 42 to the first assembly frame 18. This first joint permits the coupling element 40, 42 to pivot about the first assembly frame 18 coaxially with the axis of rotation 15, 17 of a conveyor circuit 14, 16. A second joint connects the second end of the coupling element 40, 42 to the proximal end of a corresponding carrier 32, 34, so that the second joint's axis is coaxial with the axis of a corresponding one of the first deflection elements 28.

(14) The two coupling elements 40, 42 are adjustable about the axis of rotation 15, 17 of their respective conveyor circuits 14, 16. It is particularly useful if two coupling elements 40, 42 are adjustable together but in opposite directions along a transverse direction Y. This permits adjustment of space between the two carriers 32, 34 of the binding-and-packing station 20, and therefore also the space between the two binding guides 22, 24. This also maintains the arrangement of the connecting segment relative to the conveyor circuits 14, 16, and therefore of the transfer points for a guide device that transfers the containers from the conveyor circuits 14, 16 onto the connecting segment.

(15) At the distal end of the binding-and-packing station 20, a spacer 44 adjusts the space between the two carriers 32, 34. By controlling the spacer 44 and the adjustment mechanism for the counter-directional pivot position of the two coupling elements 40, 42 together, it becomes possible to maintain parallelism of the two binding guides 22, 24 or their carriers 32, 34 regardless of the space between them.

(16) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an apparatus 50 for forming packaging units. Components that are identical or or have the same function as corresponding components in FIG. 1 are provided with the same reference numbers.

(17) The apparatus 50 from FIG. 2 has a first gluing station 12 and a second gluing station 20. The first gluing station 12 is associated with two conveyor circuits 14, 16. The second gluing station 20 is associated with two binding guides 22, 24 that are held on allocated carriers 32, 34.

(18) Coupling elements 52, 54 connect the two carriers 32, 34 to the assembly frame 18 of the first gluing station 12. Each coupling element 52, 54 connects via first pivot joints 56, 58 so as to be able to pivot about the assembly frame 18. Each first pivot joint 56, 58 is concentric with a corresponding conveyor circuit 14, 16.

(19) On the side of the binding-and-packing station 20, second pivot joints 60, 62 hold each coupling element 52, 54. Each second pivot joint 60, 62 is preferably arranged concentrically with a corresponding first deflection element 28 of the binding guide 22, 24 at the gluing station-side end of the binding-and-packing station 20.

(20) In the region of the two first pivot joints 56, 58, an adjustment drive 64, 66 is formed at the assembly frame 18. A microprocessor adjusts the adjustment drive 64, 66 to cause synchronous counter-directional pivoting of the two coupling elements 52, 54.

(21) FIG. 3 shows an arrangement analogous to the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 2. In this situation, however, first and second motors 70.1, 70.2 provide the drive and rotation of the two conveyor circuits 14, 17.

(22) A linear drive 69 adjusts the binding guides 22, 24 or the carriers 32, 34. This linear drive 69 extends in the transverse direction Y and displaces the two cross-carriages 36.1, 36.2 in the transverse direction Y and does so in such a way that the cross-carriages 36.1, 36.2 move together. The rotary drive of the threaded rod is not represented.

(23) In addition, the carriers 32, 34 on the cross-carriages 36.1 and 36.2, as well as the cross-carriers 38, not represented, are mounted in such a way that the force resulting from the rigid pivotable coupling elements 40, 42 when the drive 69 adjusts in the transverse direction Y also causes a compensating thrust in the longitudinal direction X.

(24) The invention therefore provides a way to automatically adjust the binding-and-packing station to accommodate different container diameters and to do so in a simple way.