Filling machine for filling packaging containers with products, and method therefor

Abstract

A filling machine for filling packaging containers made of cardboard composite material with products, in particular liquid foods, includes a gripper that removes a packaging jacket from a magazine only partially erected in the manner of a parallelogram by a guide and at least one of two retaining elements for accommodating an outer fold edge of the partially erected packaging jacket can be move back and forth between an initial position and an end position. The cross-section of the packaging jacket accommodated by the two retaining elements is rectangular in the end position of the movable retaining element.

Claims

1. A filling machine for filling packaging containers with products, comprising a magazine for receiving folded-flat packaging jackets for manufacture of the packaging containers, wherein each folded-flat packaging jacket has four packaging walls which are separated from one another by respective parallel outer and inner fold edges, and an acute internal angle is formed in each case between the packaging walls at the outer fold edges, two of the four packaging walls of a first packaging jacket in the magazine are exposed at a removal side of the magazine; a gripper for taking hold of one of the two exposed packaging walls of the first packaging jacket at the removal side of the magazine and for moving the first packaging jacket out of the magazine along a path of motion; a guide arranged along the path of motion and guiding the first packaging jacket such that the internal angles, which are formed at the outer fold edges between the packaging walls, increase as the packaging jacket moves along the path of motion, the guide is configured such that the internal angles increase to an amount of less than 90 during movement of the first packaging jacket along the path of motion; holding elements for receiving the outer fold edges of the first packaging jacket, at least one of the two holding elements being movable to and fro between an initial position and an end position, the holding elements being arranged downstream of the guide in a direction of the path of motion such that, after the movement by the gripper along the path of motion is complete, the holding elements receive the outer fold edges of the first packaging jacket, and a subsequent movement, without further movement of the gripper, of the at least one of the holding elements from the initial position to the end position after the outer fold edges of the first packaging jacket are received fully unfolds the first packaging jacket to a rectangular cross-section.

2. The filling machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the two holding elements is movable to and fro between the initial position and the end position and receives a first guided outer fold edge, and the other holding element is stationary and receives a second guided fold edge that is diametrically opposed to the first outer fold edge.

3. The filling machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the initial position of the at least one of the holding elements that is movable to and fro, the cross section of the packaging jacket received by the two holding elements forms a non-rectangular parallelogram.

4. The filling machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the path of motion of the gripper is rectilinear.

5. The filling machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the path of motion of the gripper extends at a right angle to the exposed packaging wall at the removal side of the magazine.

6. The filling chine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gripper is a suction gripper.

7. The filling machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide includes a guide surface for guiding an outer packaging edge.

8. The filling machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the guide surface is planar, and the spacing between the planar guide surface and the path of motion of the gripper decreases continuously in the direction from the removal side of the magazine to the holding elements for receiving the outer fold edges.

9. The filling machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each holding element has two surfaces arranged at an angle to one another and which abut against the packaging walls in the end position of the at least one of the holding elements that is movable to and fro.

10. The filling machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of the holding elements has an angled profile.

11. The filling machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first holding element of the two holding elements is arranged on the guide.

12. The filling machine as claimed in claim 11, wherein the one of the holding elements that is movable to and fro from the initial position and the end position is the first element and the guide moves with the first element.

13. The filling machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide and the holding elements are configured so that the guide does not contact the first packaging jacket during the subsequent movement of the at least one of the holding elements.

14. A method for removing and unfolding packaging jackets from a magazine of a filling machine for filling packaging containers with products, including the method steps of: introducing folded-flat packaging jackets into the magazine, wherein each folded-flat packaging jacket has four packaging walls separated from one another by parallel outer and inner fold edges, and an acute internal angle is formed in each case between the packaging walls at the outer fold edges; exposing two of the four packaging walls of a first packaging jacket at a removal side of the magazine; taking hold of one of the two exposed packaging walls of the first packaging jacket by a gripper at the removal side of the magazine and moving the first packaging jacket along a path of motion; guiding the packaging jacket along a guide causing the internal angles, which are formed at the outer fold edges between the packaging walls, to increase to an amount of less than 90 as the first packaging jacket moves along the path of motion, thereby forming an unfolded first packaging jacket; receiving by holding elements, after the gripper has finished the movement along the path of motion and the increase of the internal angles by the guide to an amount of less than 90, by holding elements the outer fold edges of the unfolded first packaging jacket, at least one of the holding element of the holding elements is movable to and fro between an initial position and an end position, at least one of the two outer fold edges is received in the initial position of the at least one of the holding element, wherein, in the initial position of the at least one holding element the internal angles are the amount of less than 90 such that the cross section of the unfolded first packaging jacket received by the holding elements forms a non-rectangular parallelogram; and moving the at least one holding element from the initial position into the end position, wherein the cross section of the unfolded first packaging jacket that is received by the holding elements forms a rectangle in the end position of the at least one holding element.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the path of motion is a rectilinear path of motion and the first packaging jacket is moved along the rectilinear path of motion by the gripper.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the gripper is moved at a right angle to the packaging wall of the first packaging jacket that is exposed at the removal side of the magazine and is taken hold of by the gripper.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the guide surface is a planar guide surface and the step of guiding includes guiding one of the outer fold edges of the first packaging jacket in a sliding manner along the planar guide surface.

18. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first packaging jacket does not contact the guide during the step of moving the at least one holding element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures, in which:

(2) FIG. 1a-1d shows a series of views illustrating a method according to the prior art,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective partial view of a filling machine in the region of the removal and unfolding device, during removal of a folded-flat packaging jacket from a magazine,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a partial view of the filling machine according to FIG. 2, during transfer of the unfolded packaging jacket to a transport wheel that is arranged downstream, as seen along the conveying line, and

(5) FIG. 3a shows a detail view of a jacket pushing means of a filling machine according to FIGS. 2 and 3,

(6) FIGS. 4 a-d show a series of schematic views illustrating the method for removing and unfolding packaging jackets from a magazine of a filling machine according to FIGS. 2 and 3, and

(7) FIGS. 5 a-e show a series of schematic views illustrating the method for removing and unfolding packaging jackets from a magazine of a second exemplary embodiment of a filling machine according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(8) Where the filling machines according to the invention for filling packaging containers with liquid foods, which are partly illustrated in FIGS. 2-5, include components that correspond to the filling machine of the prior art that is partly illustrated in FIGS. 1a-1d, corresponding reference numerals are used. Moreover, for supplementary information explicit reference is made to the explanation of the filling machine illustrated in FIGS. 1a-1d.

(9) On a frame (18) of the filling machine, at the input side of the conveying line, there is arranged the magazine (2) for receiving the folded-flat packaging jackets (1) for manufacturing the packaging containers. The magazine (2) includes holding profiles (19a, b) which abut against the outer fold edges (3a, b) of the packaging jackets (1). At the end sides of the free limbs of the holding profiles (19a, b) are the retaining elements (8a, b), which take the form of projections. The retaining elements (8a, b) prevent the upright stack of packaging jackets (1) which is received by the magazine (2) from falling out of the magazine (2) at the removal side (7).

(10) The removal side (7) of the magazine (2) exposes the two front packaging walls (5a, b) of the, in total, four packaging walls (5a, b, 6a, b) of the respectively front packaging jacket (1). The removal and unfolding device which is downstream of the magazine (2), as seen along the conveying line of the filling machine, includes a suction gripper (9) having three pneumatic suction elements for taking hold of the packaging wall (5a) which is exposed at the removal side (7). The suction gripper (9) is secured to an actuator (20) that is arranged such that it may be shifted along a rectilinear path of motion (21) perpendicular to the exposed packaging wall (5a) of the packaging jacket (1). The shifting motion is performed using a linear system.

(11) The removal and unfolding device moreover has a planar guide surface (23) as a guide for the outer fold edge (3b), (see FIGS. 4a-4d) of the other of the two exposed packaging walls (5b) of the packaging jacket. The planar guide surface (23) serves to guide the outer fold edge (3b) in sliding manner.

(12) Downstream of the planar guide surface (23), as seen in the direction of the path of motion (21), there is a stationary holding element (17) for receiving the outer fold edge (3a). The holding element (24) for receiving the diametrically opposed outer fold edge (3b) is movable to and fro by means of a linear drive, between an initial position, illustrated in FIGS. 4 a-c, and an end position illustrated in FIG. 4 d. Both the stationary holding element (17) and the movable holding element (24) take the form of an angled profile. The two surfaces of the angled profile which are arranged at an angle to one another abut against the packaging walls (5a, 6a and 5b, 6b) in the end position, illustrated in FIG. 4 d.

(13) As can be seen in particular from FIGS. 4 a-d, the spacing between the planar guide surface (23) and the path of motion (21) of the suction gripper (9) diminishes continuously from the removal side (7) of the magazine (2) in the direction of the holding elements (17, 24).

(14) In order to transfer the packaging jacket (1), which is held completely erect by the holding elements (17, 24), to a transport means (22) of the filling machine, downstream of the removal and unfolding device, a jacket pushing means (28) which may be moved vertically up and down by means of a circulating belt (30) is provided.

(15) The transport means (22) includes a transport wheel (26) which is rotatable about an axis (25) and has four radially outwardly extending parallel receivers, each of which has a plurality of profiles (27) that abut against the inner fold edge (4a) and the packaging walls (6a, b). The profiles (27) form cells into which the unfolded packaging jackets (1) of rectangular cross section may be pushed by the actuator (20). The axis of rotation (25) of the transport wheel (26) extends in a horizontal plane, transversely to the conveying line (21) of the filling machine. The transport wheel (26) is rotated stepwise about the axis of rotation (25) of the transport wheel (26) by a drive (not illustrated), in each case by 90 degrees. The unfolded packaging jackets are transferred from the illustrated transport wheel (26) to further transport means (not illustrated in the figures) in order to perform operational steps on the packaging jackets (1) for the manufacture of the packaging container.

(16) The magazine (2) of the partly illustrated filling machine according to FIG. 5 corresponds to the magazine (2) of the filling machine according to FIGS. 2 to 4, so reference is made to the explanations there.

(17) The removal side (7) of the magazine (2) exposes the two front packaging walls (5a, b) of the, in total, four packaging walls (5a, b, 6a, b) of the respectively front packaging jacket (1). The removal and unfolding device, which as seen on the conveying line of the filling machine is downstream of the magazine (2), includes a suction gripper (9) having three pneumatic suction elements for taking hold of the packaging wall (5a) which is exposed at the removal side (7). The suction gripper (9) is secured to an actuator (20) that is arranged such that it may be shifted along a rectilinear path of motion (21) perpendicular to the exposed packaging wall (5a) of the packaging jacket (1). The shifting motion is performed using a conventional linear drive, in particular a pneumatic cylinder.

(18) The removal and unfolding device moreover has a curved guide surface (23) as a guide for the other of the two exposed packaging walls (5b) of the packaging jacket (1). The curved guide surface (23) serves to guide first the packaging wall (5b) (cf. FIG. 5 b) and then (cf. FIG. 5 c) the outer fold edge (3b) in sliding manner. The transfer to the fold edge guide has the effect that, at least in an end portion of the guide surface (23), in which the restoring forces caused by the packaging jacket (1) have already increased sharply, only the outer fold edge (3b) is guided, rather than the packaging wall (5b) of the packaging jacket (1). Thus, the guide surface (23) and the packaging wall (5b) do not touch one another, at least in the end portion, with the result that abrasion marks on the packaging wall (5b) as a result of powerful contact pressure forces in the final phase of motion along the guide surface (23) are reliably avoided. At the same time, the holding forces of the suction gripper (9) are further reduced during the critical final phase of the unfolding motion by the guide.

(19) Downstream of the curved guide surface (23), as seen in the direction of the path of motion (21), in this embodiment of the invention too there is a stationary holding element (17) for receiving the outer fold edge (3a) (cf. FIG. 5 d). The stationary holding element (17) takes the form of an angled profile. In this embodiment, the holding element (24) for receiving the diametrically opposed outer fold edge (3b) is arranged on the guide itself. The holding element (24) has two surfaces which are arranged at a right angle to one another and which, as an integral component of the guide element (13), spring back in relation to the curved guide surface (23) which is also arranged on the guide element (13).

(20) The guide element (13) including the guide surface (23) and the holding element (24) is movable to and fro by means of a linear drive between the initial position, illustrated in FIGS. 5 a-d, and the end position illustrated in FIG. 5 e. The two surfaces of the integrated holding element (24) which are arranged at a right angle to one another abut against the packaging walls (5b, 6b) in the end position, illustrated in FIG. 5 e).

(21) In order to transfer the packaging jacket (1), which is held completely erect by the holding elements (17, 24), to a transport means (22) of the filling machine, downstream of the removal and unfolding device, in this embodiment too a jacket pushing means (28) which may be moved vertically up and down by means of a circulating belt (30) is provided.

(22) The transport means (22) is constructed in a manner corresponding to the illustration in FIGS. 2 to 4, so reference is made to the statements there.

(23) The method for removing and unfolding the packaging jackets (1) from the magazine (2) of the filling machine will be explained below in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2-4:

(24) First, the magazine (2) is filled with a stack of folded-flat packaging jackets (1), which in the exemplary embodiment illustrated stand upright. The magazine (2) exposes the two front packaging walls (5a, b) at the removal side (7) of the magazine (2), for the suction gripper (9) to take hold of them. The suction gripper (9) is moved by the actuator (20) in the direction of the removal side (7), into a front position of the path of motion (21), and takes hold of the exposed front packaging wall (5a) with the aid of the three suction elements of the suction gripper (9), by a negative pressure being generated pneumatically in the suction elements. Then, the suction gripper (9) is moved along the path of motion (21), out of the front position of the path of motion (21) in the direction of its rear position, with the aid of the actuator (20). During this, first the outer bend edge (3a) is freed from the retaining element (8a), while the outer bend edge (3b) is still retained at the removal side (7) by the retaining element (8b). During this, the packaging jacket opens in the manner of a parallelogram, as can also be seen in particular from the perspective illustration according to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 a), As the packaging jacket (1) continues to move along the path of motion (21) with the aid of the suction gripper (9), the outer bend edge (3b) is also freed from the retaining element (8 b) and slides along the planar guide surface (23), as a result of which the acute internal angles (15a, b) between the packaging walls (5b, 6b and 5a, 6a respectively) continuously increase in size until these internal angles (15a, b) are around 50 at the end of the guide surface (23), in the exemplary embodiment illustrated (cf. FIG. 4 c).

(25) At this time, the guided outer bend edge (3b) reaches the operating region of the movable holding element (24), which is still in the initial position (cf. FIG. 4 c). The diametrically opposed outer bend edge (3a) is at this time received in the stationary holding element (17). The cross section of the packaging jacket (1) received by the two holding elements (24, 17) forms a non-rectangular parallelogram.

(26) The movable holding element (24) is now moved out of the initial position (FIG. 4c) and into the end position illustrated in FIG. 4 d, wherein the cross section of the packaging jacket (1) received by the holding elements (17, 24) forms a rectangle as soon as the movable holding element (24) has adopted the end position (cf. FIG. 4d).

(27) As soon as the movable holding element (24) has adopted the end position illustrated in FIG. 4 d, the two holding elements (17, 24) are located flush with one of the receivers of the transport wheel (26) that are formed by the profiles (27). The suction elements of the suction gripper (9) are switched off. The erected packaging jacket (1) can now be pushed onto the receiver with the aid of the jacket pushing means (28), which takes hold of the packaging jacket (1) at its lower edge (29). As soon as the packaging jacket (1) is located in the profiles (27) of the receiver, the suction gripper (9) moves in the direction of the stack front side again, toward the removal side (7) of the magazine (2), in order to take hold of the next packaging jacket (1). Meanwhile, the jacket pushing means (28) moves downward on the belt (30) in order to take hold of the next erected packaging jacket (1) at its lower edge (29) and to push it onto the receiver.

(28) TABLE-US-00001 List of reference numerals No. Item 1 Packaging jacket 2 Magazine 3 a, b Outer bend edges 4 a, b Inner bend edges 5 a, b Packaging walls 6 a, b Packaging walls 7 Removal side 8 Retaining elements 9 Suction gripper 10 Axis 11 Pivotal arm 12 Guide surface 13 Guide elements 14 Path of motion 15 a, b Internal angles 16 Holding element 17 Holding element 18 Frame 19 a, b Holding profiles 20 Actuator 21 Path of motion 22 Transport means 23 Planar guide surface 24 Holding element (movable) 25 Axis of rotation of transport wheel 26 Transport wheel 27 Profiles 28 Jacket pushing means 29 Lower edge 30 Belt