Abstract
Described and depicted is a method for forming package bodies open on one side from package sleeves open on both sides for the manufacture of filled packages, in which the package sleeves are folded flat and held ready for further processing in a stack around at least two folding edges running in the longitudinal direction of the package sleeves, in which the flat-folded package sleeves are transferred successively from the stack to a forming station, in which the package sleeves are unfolded in the forming station, in which the package sleeves are pulled in the forming station through a channel coming into contact with the two opposite folding edges of the package sleeve and tapering transversely to the package sleeve and/or the package sleeves are positioned in the forming station between at least two form halves of a form and unfolded by closing the form, and in which the unfolded package sleeves are slid from the forming station onto a mandrel for closing, in particular sealing, a longitudinal end of the package sleeve.
Claims
1.-20. (canceled)
21. A method of forming package bodies open on one side from package sleeves open on both sides for the manufacture of filled packages, comprising: folding a package sleeve flat around at least two folding edges running in a longitudinal direction of the package sleeve and holding them in a stack, transferring the flat-folded package sleeve successively from the stack to a forming station, unfolding the package sleeve in the forming station, by positioning the package sleeve in the forming station between at least two form halves of a form, pulling the package sleeve from the forming station through a channel coming into contact with the two opposite folding edges of the package sleeve and tapering transversely to the package sleeve, and unfolding the package sleeve by closing the form, sliding the unfolded package sleeve from the forming station onto a mandrel, and closing or sealing a longitudinal end of the package sleeve.
22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the package sleeve is folded flat around exactly two folding edges, and/or no folding line running straight along the entire length of the package sleeve is provided between the folding edges for folding the package sleeve.
23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the at least two folding edges are pressed against from opposite sides of the package sleeve such that the at least two folding edges of the package sleeve are moved towards each other to enlarge a free cross-section of the package sleeve in the forming station.
24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the package sleeve is unfolded by being at least substantially circumferentially applied to the inside of the form.
25. The method according to claim 21, wherein a side of the folded package sleeve forms a front side of the stack, the package sleeve is pulled from the stack by suction cups and/or the package sleeve is pulled in a pre-folding unit for partial unfolding of the package sleeve in a straight line through the channel.
26. The method according to claim 25, wherein, when the package sleeve is being pulled through it, at least one lateral boundary of the channel presses against the at least two folding edges of the package sleeve in such a manner that the folding edges of the package sleeve are moved towards each other.
27. The method according to claim 25, wherein the package sleeve, together with the at least two folding edges, engages associated grooves at the end of the channel in opposite sides of the channel and is transported further in the longitudinal direction of the grooves into an unfolding unit.
28. The method according to claim 21, wherein the package sleeve is moved in one direction through a pre-folding unit and is moved at least substantially perpendicularly to a direction of movement in the pre-folding unit to an unfolding unit.
29. The method according to claim 21, wherein the package sleeve, together with the at least two folding edges, is spaced away from an edge of a sleeve of the mandrel and/or a corner of a head of the mandrel and is slid onto the mandrel, and the distance from the at least two folding edges to the edge of the sleeve and/or the at least one corner of the head, is at least one tenth of the distance between an adjacent edge and/or corners, and/or the folding edges are arranged on flat and/or outwardly arched sides of the sleeve of the mandrel.
30. The method according to claim 27, wherein the package sleeves slide with a feeding unit in the longitudinal direction of the grooves to the unfolding unit and the feeding unit is engaged positively with at least one finger on a longitudinal end of the package sleeve during the sliding of the package sleeve.
31. The method according to claim 21, wherein the package sleeves comprising the stack are successively gripped by a gripping arm with suction cups and are pulled through the channel unfolded and/or the package sleeves that are unfolded and held between the closed form halves slide with a transfer unit onto the mandrel in each case.
32. The method according to claim 21, wherein the package sleeves, during the transfer from the channel to the form halves, are received at least in sections by two groove elements and wherein the groove elements are moved towards each other against a restoring force of at least one spring during the closing of the form halves, and after the transfer of the package sleeve to the mandrel, the form halves are parted by the restoring force of the at least one spring to receive a further package sleeve.
33. A device for forming package bodies open on one side from package sleeves open on both sides for the manufacture of filled packages, comprising a magazine comprising a stack formed from package sleeves, wherein the package sleeves of the stack are folded flat around at least two folding edges running in a longitudinal direction of the package sleeves, a transfer unit for transferring the package sleeves from the stack, successively to a forming station, wherein the forming station has at least two form halves of a form for simultaneously compressing and unfolding the package sleeves and a channel for at least partly unfolding the package sleeves moved through the channel, and a sliding unit for sliding the unfolded package sleeves in the forming station onto a mandrel.
34. The device according to claim 33, wherein the at least two form halves are designed in such a manner that the package sleeve is unfolded by the closing of the form, and comes in contact with an inside of the form in at least a substantially circumferential manner.
35. The device according to claim 33, wherein a pre-folding unit has the channel and/or the channel is designed to move the package sleeves through it in a straight line and the width of the channel tapers in a transport direction of the package sleeves to a degree which is smaller than the width of the flat-folded package sleeves, which are received in the magazine, such that at least one lateral boundary of the channel presses against the at least two folding edges of the package sleeve and moves the folding edges of the package sleeve towards each other.
36. The device according to claim 33, wherein at least one lateral boundary of the channel, at when the package sleeve is being moved through it, is stationary and/or the end of the channel, grooves situated opposite are provided to receive the folding edges of the package sleeves.
37. The device according to claim 36, wherein a feeding unit feeds the package sleeves into an unfolding unit in the longitudinal direction of the grooves, either in the grooves and/or with the grooves and the feeding unit comprises at least one finger that engages a longitudinal end of the package sleeve and positively slides the package sleeve towards the unfolding unit.
38. The device according to claim 33, wherein a gripping arm grips a package sleeve of the stack and pulls the package sleeve through the channel, up to the grooves and/or the transfer unit slides the package sleeve unfolded between the closed at least two form halves onto the mandrel.
39. The device according to claim 33, wherein at least two groove elements receive the at least two folding edges of the package sleeves during the transfer of the package sleeves from the channel to the at least two form halves, and the at least two groove elements are engaged with the form halves in at least the closed position of the form halves, and the groove elements are spring-loaded and arranged in such a manner that they move towards each other against a restoring force of at least one spring means during the closing of the at least two form halves.
40. The device according to claim 39, wherein the restoring force of the at least one spring means of the at least two groove elements causes the at least two form halves to open after the transfer of the package sleeve to the mandrel.
Description
[0061] Below, the inventions disclosed in the present case are explained in further detail using a drawing depicting merely one exemplary embodiment. In the drawing
[0062] FIG. 1A-B shows a blank of a packaging material and a package sleeve formed from a blank of the prior art in a top view in each case,
[0063] FIG. 2 a package formed from the package sleeve according to FIG. 1B of the prior art in a perspective view,
[0064] FIG. 3 a device for manufacturing the package according to FIG. 2 from a package sleeve according to FIG. 1B of the prior art in a schematic view,
[0065] FIG. 4A-C a blank of a packaging material and a package sleeve formed from the blank in a top view,
[0066] FIG. 5 a package formed from the package sleeve according to FIG. 4B-C in a perspective view,
[0067] FIG. 6 a device for manufacturing the package according to FIG. 5 from a package sleeve according to FIG. 4B-C in a schematic view,
[0068] FIG. 7 the unfolding of the package sleeve in a forming station in a schematic side view,
[0069] FIG. 8 the pre-folding of the package sleeve in a sectional view according to the sectional plane VIII-VIII of FIG. 7,
[0070] FIG. 9A-B the forming of the package sleeve in a sectional view according to the sectional plane IX-IX of FIG. 7,
[0071] FIG. 10A-B the forming station of FIG. 7 in a perspective and a side view,
[0072] FIG. 11A-B the pre-folding unit of the forming station of FIG. 10 in a perspective view and a sectional view from above,
[0073] FIG. 12A-B the feeding unit of the forming station of FIG. 10 for feeding package sleeves from the pre-folding unit to the unfolding unit in a perspective view and a sectional view from above,
[0074] FIG. 13A-B the unfolding unit of the forming station of FIG. 10 in an opened and a closed position in a perspective view,
[0075] FIG. 14 a detail of the unfolding unit of FIG. 13 in a perspective view,
[0076] FIG. 15A-C the unfolding unit of the forming station of FIG. 10 in an opened and a closed position along horizontal sectional planes from above and
[0077] FIG. 16 the transfer unit of the forming station of FIG. 10 for transferring the package sleeves to the mandrels of the mandrel wheel in a perspective view.
[0078] FIG. 1A describes a blank 1 of a packaging material 2 as known from the prior art. The packaging material 2 is designed as a laminate made from multiple material layers arranged on top of each other. In particular, this is a cardboard/plastic composite. The packaging material 2 depicted has two outer layers of a thermoplastic plastic, preferably polyethylene (PE), which enable sealing, that is fusing, of the outer layers of the packaging material 2. Between them, a structure-lending cardboard layer with a relatively high bending stiffness for the packaging material 2 is provided. In addition, at least one barrier layer can also be provided which is preferably made from aluminium, polyamide and/or an ethylene vinyl alcohol. Further layers are also conceivable.
[0079] The blank 1 is used to manufacture a package sleeve 3 which is formed by the outer and opposite longitudinal borders 4 of the blank 1 being bent over towards each other and connected to each other, in particular sealed on top of each other. The blank 1 has a row of folding lines 5,6 on which the blank 1 can be folded in order to form the desired package 7. In this regard, the folding lines 5,6, which are crease lines if required, simplify the folding and additionally ensure reliable folding. Most folding lines 5,6 are provided on the upper edge 8 and the lower edge 9 of the blank 1, which are later folded to form the base and the head as well as the gable of the package 7. In addition, the blank 1 has four substantially parallel folding lines 6 on which the blank 1 is pre-folded before the package sleeve 3 is formed or thereafter. If the packaging material 2 is bent over once on the folding lines 5,6, further folding of the packaging material 2 at the same point will only be opposed by a lower resistance which is in any case significantly lower than along folding lines 5,6 which have not been previously folded.
[0080] FIG. 1B depicts the package sleeve 3 after the longitudinal borders 4 of the blank 1 are sealed on top of each other. In this regard, the corresponding sealed seam 10 is provided near one of the folding lines 6 of the package sleeve 3 for optical reasons. The package sleeve 3 has, on its longitudinal edges, folding edges 6 around which the package sleeve 3 has been folded flat so that the front section 11 and the rear section 12 of the package sleeve 3 lie on top of each other. The package sleeves 3 can in such a manner be easily stored when folded flat. The subsequent unfolding around the four pre-folded folding lines 6 is then still easily possible. A package sleeve 3 with a rectangular cross-section is then obtained.
[0081] Below, the package 7 depicted in FIG. 2 can be obtained using the corresponding package sleeve 3. In the package 7, the four pre-folded folding lines 6 then form, in the region of the sleeve 13 of the package 7, the edges of the package 7 as the pre-folded folding lines 6 previously formed the edges of the package sleeve 3. The longitudinal ends 14,15 of the package sleeve 3 are folded and sealed to form the base 16 of the package 7 and to form the head 17 of the package 7. In this regard, so-called package ears 18 are formed on the head 17 of the package, said package ears being folded downwards and applied to the sleeve 13 of the package 7 and sealed or stuck to it. In the base 16, the corresponding package ears are folded inwards and are therefore no longer discernible as such after the base 16 is formed.
[0082] FIG. 3 depicts a device 20 for filling package bodies 21, in particular with flowable foods, for forming packages 7, i.e. a so-called filling machine, comprising a magazine 22 for holding package sleeves 3 ready and a device for forming package bodies 21 from the package sleeves 3, which are closed on one side and can thus receive, for example, a flowable foodstuff through the remaining opening. The device 20 depicted and in this respect preferred has a row of parallel processing lines, of which only one processing line 23 is depicted in FIG. 3. Each processing line 23 is assigned a magazine 22 with a stack 24 and a bundle of package sleeves 3 folded flat around two of the folding lines 6. As described above, the package sleeves 3 have been formed from blanks 1 of a packaging material 2 whose longitudinal borders 4 are sealed to each other. The package sleeves 3 are unfolded by a feeding unit 25. In this regard, the package sleeves 3 are unfolded by pulling a subsequent side surface of the corresponding package sleeve 3 away from the stack 24 without further action around the pre-folded folding lines 6 which form the edges of the package sleeve 3 and the subsequent package 7. If required, an application unit could also be provided for applying spouts that are not depicted to the package sleeves 3.
[0083] The device 26 for forming the package 7 has a mandrel wheel 27 which in the case depicted and in this respect preferred comprises six mandrels 28 and rotates cyclically, i.e. gradually, anti-clockwise. Devices of the type described are also known in which the mandrel wheel only has four mandrels and/or four different mandrel wheel positions. The corresponding processing units and the corresponding processing steps can then be condensed accordingly.
[0084] In the depicted device 26, a package sleeve 3 is slid onto the mandrel 28 in the first mandrel wheel position I. The mandrel wheel 27 is then rotated further into the next mandrel wheel position II, in which the longitudinal end 15 of the package sleeve 3, which protrudes opposite the mandrel 28, is heated with hot air by a heating unit 29. In the next mandrel wheel position III, the heated longitudinal end 15 of the package sleeve 3 is pre-folded by a press 30 and in the following mandrel wheel position IV, said longitudinal end is tightly closed in the folded position by a sealing unit 31, in particular into a base 16. In this way, a package body 21 closed on one side is obtained which is removed from the mandrel 28 in the following mandrel wheel position V and transferred to a cell 32 of a circulating endless transport unit 33. In the next mandrel wheel position VI, the mandrel 28 is not assigned any work step. If required, the number of mandrel wheel positions and mandrels 28 and the processing steps provided there can differ from the representation according to FIG. 3 and the associated description. In addition, a spout can be connected to the packaging material in at least one (further if required) mandrel wheel position. The longitudinal end of the package sleeve closed on the mandrel wheel is then preferably the head of the subsequent package. Whether the package body is filled through the subsequent head or through the subsequent base plays only a minor role in the present case.
[0085] The package body 21 taken from the mandrel wheel is transported, with the open longitudinal end pointing upwards, in the associated cell 32, in particular a cell chain, through a filling machine 34. In this way, the package body reaches an aseptic chamber 35, which comprises a sterilisation zone 36 and a filling and sealing zone 37, through which the package bodies 21 are transported from left to right in the transport direction symbolised by the arrows. The package bodies 21 do not have to be transported in a straight line but can also transported in at least an arc or even in a circle.
[0086] The aseptic chamber 35 is fed sterile air via corresponding sterile air connections 38. The package bodies 21 are successively pre-heated by a pre-heating unit 39 by hot sterile air being blown onto them. The package bodies 21 are then sterilised by means of a sterilisation unit 40, preferably by means of hydrogen peroxide, whereupon the package bodies 21 are dried through application of sterile air by a drying unit 41 and, after the transition from the sterilisation zone 36 into the filling and sealing zone 37, brought into a filling position 42 below a filling outlet 43. There, the package bodies 21 are successively with food 44. The filled package bodies 21 are then closed with a closing unit 45 through folding of the upper region of the package body 21 and sealing. The filled and sealed packages 7 are then removed from the cells 32 of the transport unit 33. With the transport unit 33, the now empty cells 32 are moved further towards the mandrel wheel 27 in order to receive further package bodies 21 there.
[0087] FIG. 4A depicts a further blank 50 of a packaging material 51 which generally resembles the blank 50 in terms of the packaging material 51, the blank 50 and the folding lines 52,53,54. However, the difference is that the folding lines 52,53,54, in particular crease lines, are arranged and designed differently. In particular, only two folding lines 52 are thus provided which extend in a straight line in the longitudinal direction and along the entire length of the blank 50. Two further folding lines 53 are distributed in sections in the longitudinal direction of the blank 50 and enclose a section of the blank there. In the corresponding region, the folding lines 53 run parallel to each other, which is not, however, mandatory. In addition, the upper border 55 and the lower border 56 of the blank 50 are provided with folding lines 54. The folding lines 54 of the lower border 56 are used to form a base 57, whereas the folding lines 54 of the upper border 55 are used to form a head 58 of a package 59.
[0088] The blank 50 is sealed along the longitudinal edges 60, making a sealed seam 61, in order to form a package sleeve 63 whose front side 64 and rear side 64 are depicted in FIGS. 4B-C. The package sleeve 63 is folded on both folding lines 52 running in a straight line in the longitudinal direction of the package sleeve 63, forming the folding edges 65, such that the front side 64 and the rear side 64 of the package sleeve 63 contact one another.
[0089] Using the corresponding package sleeve 63, the package 59 depicted in FIG. 5 can be formed. The package 59 has a flat base 57 which is perpendicular to the length of the package 59. In contrast, the head 58 of the package 59 is oblique to the length of the package 59 and thus forms a package gable 66. In this regard, the package gable 66 has a larger front gable surface 67, which is larger than the rear, smaller gable surface 71 arranged on the other side of the sealed seam 68. The sealed seam 68 and adjacent sections of the head 58 form, on opposite sides of the package 59, package ears 69, which are folded downwards and applied and sealed to the sleeve 70 of the package 59. If required, a larger opening section, a larger weakness and/or a larger spout can be provided on the larger gable surface 67. For the sake of simplicity, neither an opening section nor a weakness or a spout is depicted. It is significant in the package 59 that no continuous folding lines 52 or folding edges 65 are provided on the front longitudinal borders of the package 59. Furthermore, a special aspect of the package 59 is that the folding edges 65 are not provided for folding the package sleeve 63 flat on any longitudinal border of the package 59. Rather, the folding edges 65 are received in the surfaces between the longitudinal borders or longitudinal edges of the package 59. The folding edges 65 of the package sleeve 63 are, in other words, folded back again and thus no longer form any folding edges of the package 59. In addition, on the rear edges of the sleeve 70 of the package 59, no folding lines 52,53,54 extending in a straight line in the longitudinal direction of the package are provided. Due to the distribution of the folding lines 53, these do not run in a straight line along the entire length of the sleeve 70 of the package 59 and also at least not in sections along the edges of the sleeve 70 of the package 59, but rather in regions beside it.
[0090] FIG. 6 depicts the device 80 for filling such packages 59. In this regard, the device 80 corresponds to a large extent to the device 20 depicted in FIG. 3, and consequently the differences between the device 80 depicted in FIG. 6 and the device 20 depicted in FIG. 3 are essentially described below in order to avoid unnecessary repetition. For these reasons, identical components in FIGS. 3 and 6 are labelled with identical reference signs. In the device depicted in FIG. 6, a mandrel wheel could also alternatively be provided with a different number of mandrels and/or a different number of mandrel wheel positions. In this context, it would be particularly preferable, for example, to provide a mandrel wheel with only four mandrels and/or only four mandrel wheel positions.
[0091] One difference is, for example, that the package sleeves 63 depicted in FIG. 4B-C are prepared in the magazine 22 of the device 80 in the form of the stack 81 and are thus only pre-folded on two folding lines 52 extending in a straight line along the entire length of the package sleeve, with these folding lines 52 forming the folding edges 65 of the package sleeves 63 around which the package sleeves 63 are folded flat. Furthermore, provision is also made in the device 80 depicted in FIG. 6, in addition to the device 20 depicted in FIG. 3, for a pre-folding unit 82 for pre-folding the package sleeves 63 after removal of the package sleeves 63 from the stack 81 of package sleeves 63, and for an unfolding unit 83 for unfolding the package sleeves 63 which are removed from the stack 81 of package sleeves 63 of the magazine 22. The pre-folding unit 82 and the unfolding unit 83 are combined in the device 20 depicted and in this respect preferred to make a forming station for forming the unfolded package sleeve 63 to be transferred to the mandrel wheel 85. However, it would also be possible to provide only the pre-folding unit 82 or the unfolding unit 83. Only after running through the forming station 84 are the package sleeves 63 slid onto the mandrels 86. In this regard, the mandrels 86 are also designed differently from the mandrels 28 depicted in FIG. 3. The mandrels 86 can be namely spread, i.e. moved from a narrower starting position into a wider pressing position, with a pressing surface being provided in the pressing position of the mandrel 86, against which the corresponding longitudinal end 87 of the package sleeve 63 can be folded and pressed in order to close the longitudinal end 87, in particular to seal it in a fluid-tight manner. In this manner, package bodies 88 are finally formed which are delivered to the cells 32 of the transport unit 33, which is in the form of a cell chain here.
[0092] Moreover, in the device 80 depicted in FIG. 6, compared to the device 20 depicted in FIG. 3, provision is made, after a sealing unit 89 for sealing the sealed seam 68 of the package gable 66, for a gable pre-folding unit 90 for pre-folding the package gable 66 and a sealing-on unit 91 for sealing the package ears 69 onto the sleeve 70 of the package 59. In addition, in the device 80 depicted and in this respect preferred, a forming unit 92 is provided for the subsequent forming of the filled and closed package 59. The package 59 obtains its final form in this forming unit 92. To ensure greater understanding, the forming unit 92 is depicted in such a manner that the package 59 protrudes at the top and bottom in relation to the forming unit 92. However, the entire length of the package 59 is preferably received in the forming unit 92.
[0093] FIG. 7 provides a schematic view of the forming station 84 of the device 80 depicted in FIG. 6. The forming station 84 makes use of the package sleeves 63, which, folded together in a stack 81 of package sleeves 63 in a magazine 22, are held ready around two folding lines 52 and folding edges 65. In this regard, the forming station 84 comprises a gripping arm 93 with suction cups 94 which grips the front side of the front flat-folded package sleeve 63 of the stack 81 and pulls the package sleeve into and through the channel 95 of the pre-folding unit 82. The pre-folding unit 82 is in particular depicted in the side view of the forming station 84 according to FIG. 8. The gripping arm 93 is depicted in dashes to show how it grips a package sleeve 63 of the stack 81. The gripping arm 93 then moves backwards in a straight line together with the package sleeve 63 and pulls the package sleeve 63 in a straight line into a channel 95 tapering transversely to the package sleeve 63. In the channel 95, the folding edges 65, around which the package sleeve 63 has been folded flat, come into contact with the boundaries 96 of the channel 95. The folding edges 65 finally press from the inside against the channel 95, which in turn unfolds the package sleeve 63 slightly, the more the further the package sleeve 63 is pulled and transported through the channel 95. Provision is made on the rear end of the channel 95, on both sides of the channel 95, for grooves 97 oriented in the longitudinal direction of the folding edges 65 into which the package sleeve 63 engages in the corresponding position with the folding edges 65. The suction cups 94 are then released, as is the gripping arm, from the package sleeve 63. The package sleeve 63 remains in the channel 95, held in the grooves 97.
[0094] Two fingers 98 are arranged above the package sleeve 63 positioned in this manner, as depicted in FIG. 7 in particular. These fingers 98 now drive the package sleeve 63 downwards and press the package sleeve 63 downwards into a form 99 of the unfolding unit 83 to unfold the package sleeve 63. The form 99 of the unfolding unit 83 is depicted in the section in FIG. 9A-B in particular. As an example, the form 9 is depicted in FIG. 9A with two form halves 100,101 in an opened position. The pre-folded package sleeve 63 is taken from the form 99 in this position, for which purpose provision is also made in the form 99 depicted and in this respect preferred for grooves 102 into which the folding edges 65 of the package sleeve 63 engage. The form 99 is then closed and reaches the closed position depicted in FIG. 9B as an example. The package sleeve 63 is unfolded and applies itself at least substantially to the inner contour 103 of the form 99. In this manner, the package sleeve 63 can be at least approximately brought into the later form of the package 59. Instead of the depicted form of the contour, contours of other forms can also be provided if required depending on the form in which the packages are to be manufactured. In FIG. 7, the double arrow and the mandrel 86 of a mandrel wheel 85 provided under the form 99 indicate that after closing, the form 99 moves downwards over the mandrel 86 and transfers the unfolded package sleeve 63 to the mandrel 86 or slides it onto the mandrel 86.
[0095] FIG. 10A-B depicts in detail the forming station 84, which has only been schematically represented in FIG. 7 for the sake of greater clarity. A stack 81 of package sleeves 63 is stored in the magazine 22. This is also depicted in detail in FIG. 11A-B. Provision is made behind the stack 81 for a slider 110 which presses the stack 81 against stops 111 on both sides of the stack 81 in order to position each front package sleeve 63 in an exact manner. In this regard, if required the slider 110 is pressed against the rear side of the stack 81 by the restoring force of a spring means and also if the length of the stack 81 decreases. However, the spring means is also dispensable or can be replaced by other devices. The front side of the respective front package sleeve 63 can be gripped by a gripping arm 93. For this purpose, the gripping arm 93 depicted and in this respect preferred has suction cups 94 which are placed on the front side of the respective front package sleeve 63. The suction cups 94 are closed by this and can be at least partly evacuated, forming a vacuum. As the package sleeves 63 are held on the suction cups 94 in this manner, the package sleeves 63 can be pulled forwards off the stack 81. In this regard, the package sleeves 63 are pulled past the stops 111. The gripping arm 93 depicted and in this respect preferred moves in a straight line away from the stack 81 and through a channel 95. For this purpose, the gripping arm 93 is held on a slide 113. The slide 113 can be moved along guides 114 and held on the guides 114, which have a rod-shaped design. The slide 113 moves forwards and back via a rotating motor drive 115, which is linked to the slide 113 via a lever mechanism 116, with the rotation of the drive 115 being realised in a linear movement of the slide 113 forwards and back.
[0096] The channel 95 depicted and in this respect preferred is formed by two channel elements 117 laterally bordering the channel 95. The gripping arm 93 can be moved through the channel elements 117. The channel elements 117 form a channel 95 tapering away from the stack 81, in whose rear region, viewed from the stack 81 of the package sleeves 63, a groove 97 is provided in each case which extends substantially parallel to the folding lines 65 of the package sleeves 63 in the stack 81 and in the vertical direction. In addition, the grooves 97 extend all the way to the lower border of the channel elements 117 and thus of the channel 95. The channel elements 117 form the boundaries 96 of the channel 95, which is formed between the channel elements 117. In addition, the channel elements 117 provide sliding surfaces 118 pointing to the inside of the channel 95. If the package sleeves 63 are pulled from the stack 81 through the channel 95, the folding edges 65 of the package sleeves 63 slide off the sliding surfaces 118 until the package sleeves 63, together with the folding edges 65, engage into the grooves 97 of the channel elements 117. The gripping arm 93 is then released from the package sleeves 63 because the underpressure in the suction cups 94 is then automatically removed. The width of the channel 95 is slightly greater at the end facing the stack 81 of package sleeves 63 than the package sleeves 63 themselves. Further in the channel 95, the folding edges 65 press against the sliding surfaces 118, which equals the pressing of the sliding surfaces 118 against the folding edges 65 of the package sleeve 63. In this manner, the folding edges 65 are pressed towards each other and the package sleeve 63 partly unfolded. This is also referred to as pre-folding of the package sleeves 63. Due to the folding edges 65 engaging into the grooves 97, the pre-folding takes place in a defined and reproducible manner. The system part comprising the channel 95 can therefore be referred to as the pre-folding unit 82.
[0097] FIG. 12A-B particularly depicts a feeding unit 98 of the forming station 84, whose object is to pass the package sleeves 63 held in the grooves 97 of the channel 95 down on to an unfolding unit 83 in which the package sleeves 63 are then fully unfolded. The feeding unit 98 is held on a traverse 119 which is held by slides 120 on lateral vertical guides 121 and can be moved up and down in the vertical direction. For this purpose, the slides 120 have rolls 123 which can roll down the lateral guides 121, which have a rod-shaped design. In addition, the feeding unit 98 has two fingers 124 which are arranged in an upper position above the channel 95 or at least above the package sleeves 63 pulled through the channel 95 and held in the grooves 97. The feeding unit 98 can be moved up and down in a controlled manner by a belt drive 125 which is motor-driven by a drive 126. The belt 127 is arranged as a closed belt 127 circumferentially around two guide rollers 128, of which one guide roller can be driven by the motor drive 126 in opposite directions as needed. If the package sleeves 63 are held in the grooves 97 of the channel 95, the feeding unit 98 or rather the fingers 124 move downwards. In this regard, the fingers 124 grip onto the upper longitudinal end of the package sleeve 63 from above and press the package sleeve 63 downwards along the grooves 97. The fingers 124 then move back upwards and a further package sleeve 63 is pulled through the channel 95 into the grooves 97.
[0098] On leaving the channel 97 downwardly, the package sleeve 63 is received by the groove elements 129 depicted in FIG. 13A-B in particular, which at least directly join the channel 95 in the forming station 84 depicted and in this respect preferred, even if the groove elements 129 are separate elements. The groove elements 129 provide grooves 130 which align with the grooves 97 of the channel 95. In this manner, after leaving the channel 95, the package sleeve 63 is guided with its folding edges 65 further into the grooves 130 of the groove elements 129. In addition, in the device depicted and in this respect preferred, the groove elements 129 extend down into the two form halves 100,101 of the unfolding unit 83. The form halves 100,101 are initially arranged with the groove elements 129 in an open position in which the package sleeve 63 is slid, along the grooves 97,130 by means of the feeding unit 98, from the channel 95 down between the form halves 100,101. Once the package sleeve 63 has arrived there, the form halves 100,101 are closed, with the groove elements 129 and the form halves 100,101 being moved towards each other. The grooves 130 of the groove elements 129 press against the folding edges 65 of the package sleeve 63, which is unfolded in this way and thereby engages from the inside against the inner contour of the form 99 made by the form halves 100,101.
[0099] The groove elements 129 are, as depicted in FIG. 14 in particular, pressed together against the restoring force of two spring elements 131 provided between the groove elements 129. It is ensured in this way that when the form 99 is opened and when the form halves are parted, the groove elements 129 are moved apart into the starting position again.
[0100] FIG. 15A-C depicts the unfolding unit in horizontal sections from above. In FIGS. 15A-B, the form halves 100,101 or rather the form 99 is in the open position. Two positioning cylinders 132 are provided on top of each other, each of which has a plunger 133 that is slidable in the positioning cylinder 132, said plunger being connected by a rod 134 to one form half 100,101. In this regard, the positioning cylinders 132 are designed such that they can pneumatically or hydraulically move the associated form halves 100,101 into the closed position. The form halves 100,101 thereby reach the position depicted in FIG. 15C with the unfolded package sleeve 63 between them, said package sleeve applying itself to the inner contour of the form 99 made by the form halves 100,101. The form halves 100,101 are held together with the positioning cylinders 132 on a traverse 135 which can be moved vertically up and down by slides 136 on the lateral guides 121. In this way, the form 99 or rather the form halves 100,101 can be moved downwards in the closed position and upwards in the open position. For this purpose, the slides 136 run via rolls 137 up and down on the rod-shaped guides 121. The traverse 135 is driven by a belt drive 138, which is driven by a motor drive 139. The belt 140 is arranged as a closed belt 140 circumferentially around two guide rollers 141, of which one guide roller 141 can be driven by the motor drive 139 in opposite directions as needed. The corresponding unit can be understood as the transfer unit 144.
[0101] The lateral guides 121, the belt drives 125,138 and the motor drives 126,139 are held and mounted on a common frame 142. Furthermore, a traverse 143 holding the groove elements 129 is fixed in a stationary manner in the common frame 142. The groove elements 129 can thus be moved together and apart again but not up and down. The groove elements 129 thus retain their position when the form 99 moves downwards.
[0102] When the form 99 moves down, as depicted in particular in FIG. 16, the package sleeve 63 unfolded therein is slid onto the mandrel 86 of the mandrel wheel 85 arranged under it. The form 99 can then be opened, which can be done by the restoring force of the spring means 131 arranged between the groove elements 129 rather than by the positioning cylinders 132. However, this is not essential. After opening or during opening, the form halves 100,101 are moved upwards by the traverse in order to receive a further package sleeve 63 for unfolding. As the groove elements 129 are not adjusted vertically, the groove elements 129 can, if required, already receive a new package sleeve 63 after the form 99 is opened, while the form 99 is moved back into its upper position in order to receive and unfold the package sleeve 63 in this position.
