DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING FOLDING BOXES

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (10) for producing folding boxes. The device (10) has a processing module (12) for producing at least one blank (16) from a web-shaped packaging material (18), wherein the processing module (12) has a packaging-material-web holding apparatus (20) for supporting the web-shaped packaging material, a packaging-material-web transporting apparatus (22) for transporting the web-shaped packaging material (18), and at least one working apparatus (24), by means of which the at least one blank (16) can be produced from the web-shaped packaging material (18), wherein the working apparatus (24) comprises at least one laser apparatus (26) for ablating packaging material substance. Furthermore, the device (10) has a folding module (14) for folding the at least one blank (16) into a folding box. The invention further relates to a method for producing a folding box.

Claims

1. A device for producing folding boxes comprising: a processing module for producing at least one blank from a web-shaped packaging material, wherein the processing module comprises a packaging-material-web holding apparatus for supporting the web-shaped packaging material, a packaging-material-web transporting apparatus for transporting the web-shaped packaging material, and at least one working apparatus, by means of which the at least one blank can be produced from the web-shaped packaging material, wherein the working apparatus includes at least one laser apparatus for ablating packaging material substance; and a folding module for folding the at least one blank to a folding box.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the laser apparatus includes at least one of a UV laser, an IR laser, a laser operable in pulsed manner, and/or a laser having a power of at least 1 W.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the laser apparatus is movable relative to a transport direction of the web-shaped packaging material (18).

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the working apparatus includes at least one mechanical tool in addition to the laser apparatus, by means of which the web-shaped packaging material is to be at least one of grooved, scribed, cut, perforated, punched, embossed, and/or broken out.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processing module includes synchronizing means for synchronizing the packaging-material-web transporting apparatus and the working apparatus.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein an inserting module is disposed between the processing module and the folding module, which is formed to collect multiple blanks from the processing module and/or to supply them to the folding module in isolated manner.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the folding module includes an applying apparatus for applying adhesive to a flap area of the at least one blank.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least the packaging-material-web holding apparatus, the packaging-material-web transporting apparatus and the working apparatus are accommodated in a common housing.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the packaging-material-web holding apparatus is formed for retaining a reel of the web-shaped packaging material.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein a suction apparatus is provided, by means of which excess packaging material can be removed from the at least one blank.

11. A method for producing a folding box, comprising: supporting a web-shaped packaging material in a packaging-material-web holding apparatus of a processing module; transporting the web-shaped packaging material along a transport direction by means of a packaging-material-web transporting apparatus of the processing module; producing at least one blank from the web-shaped packaging material by means of a working apparatus of the processing module, wherein the production includes at least ablation of packaging material substance by means of at least one laser apparatus of the working apparatus; and folding the at least one blank to a folding box by means of a folding module.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the web-shaped packaging material is disposed as a reel in the packaging-material-web holding apparatus.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the web-shaped packaging material is printed before disposing in the packaging-material-web holding apparatus.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the web-shaped packaging material is printed before disposing in the packaging-material-web holding apparatus.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the laser apparatus includes a controllable and/or adjustable optical system for deflecting and/or focusing its laser beam.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the laser apparatus includes a CO2 laser.

Description

[0020] FIG. 1 a schematic representation of a device according to the invention for producing folding boxes according to a first embodiment; and

[0021] FIG. 2 a schematic representation of a device according to the invention for producing folding boxes according to a second embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a device 10 according to the invention for producing folding boxes according to a first embodiment. The device 10 is modularly constructed and includes a processing module 12 and a folding module 14. The processing module 12 serves for producing one or more blanks 16 from a web-shaped packaging material 18 and includes a packaging-material-web holding apparatus 20 for holding and supporting the web-shaped packaging material 18 in the processing module 12, a packaging-material-web transporting apparatus 22 for transporting the web-shaped packaging material 18 and at least one working apparatus 24, by means of which the at least one blank 16 can be produced from the web-shaped packaging material 18. For this purpose, the working apparatus 24 includes at least one laser apparatus 26 for ablating packaging material substance from the packaging material 18. In the shown embodiment, the working apparatus 24 additionally includes a basically optional mechanic tool 28, which is presently formed as a rotary punch. The folding module 14 is disposed downstream of the working apparatus 24 with respect to a transport direction T of the packaging material 18 and folds the blanks 16 produced from the packaging material 18 to corresponding folding boxes. The folding boxes are for example cigarette boxes.

[0023] The processing module 12 and the folding module 14 are accommodated in respective housings 12a, 14a, wherein a common housing can basically also be provided.

[0024] As one recognizes in FIG. 1, the web-shaped packaging material 18 is inserted into the packaging-material-web holding apparatus 20 as a reel 30 (parent roll) and processed to corresponding blanks 16 without further intermediate steps such as for example sheet punching or the like. Therein, the packaging material 18 can be printed or unprinted and is composed of cardboard with a grammage of about 150 g/m.sup.2 in the present embodiment, wherein other materials such as chipboard or solid board and paper sorts, respectively, with grammages between 40 g/m.sup.2 and 1000 g/m.sup.2, in particular between 120 g/m.sup.2 and 250 g/m.sup.2, can basically also be provided.

[0025] With the aid of the working apparatus 24, the web-shaped packaging material 18 unwound from the reel 30 is grooved and/or scribed and/or cut and/or perforated and/or punched and/or embossed and/or broken out as needed. It is the aim to generate the required contour of the blank 16 and to produce bending locations, which set the location of bending, allow hinge-like movement of the bending location and weaken the rigidity of the packaging material 18 at this location such that undisturbed folding to the folding box is ensured in the folding module 14. In the shown embodiment, the laser apparatus 26 includes a CO.sub.2 laser operable in pulsed manner in the picosecond range with a power of 50 W and predominantly serves for cutting, grooving and perforating the packaging material 18. The mechanical tool 28 supports the laser apparatus 26 in producing the contours of the blanks 16. The laser apparatus 26 is movable relative to the transport direction of the web-shaped packaging material 18. In addition, the laser beam 32 can be deflected and focused via an adjustable optical system (not shown) such that particularly complex cutting and grooving lines can be generated in the packaging material 18. Correspondingly complex and optionally multi-part folding boxes can be subsequently produced from these blanks 16 with the aid of the folding module 14.

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a device 10 according to the invention for producing folding boxes according to a second embodiment. The basic construction of the device 10 is already known from the preceding description of the first embodiment. In contrast to the first embodiment, the device 10 shown in FIG. 2 includes a mechanical tool 28 formed as an embossing tool, by means of which Braille can for example be produced in the packaging material 18. Similarly, it can be provided that the mechanical tool 28 is used for pressing the blanks 16 out of the remaining packaging material 18, whereby the blanks 16 can be isolated at the same time. A further difference to the first embodiment is in that an inserting module 34 is disposed between the processing module 12 and the folding module 14, which is formed to collect multiple blanks 16 from the processing module 12 and to supply them to the folding module 14 in isolated manner. This is advantageous in cases, in which continuous forwarding of the blanks 16 produced in the processing module 12 to the folding module 14 is not possible or desirable. Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that a suction apparatus (not shown) is disposed downstream of the working apparatus 24, by means of which excess packaging material 18 is sucked from the produced blanks 16. Alternatively or additionally to the suction apparatus, a depaneling apparatus known per se can basically also be provided.

[0027] The parameter values indicated in the documents for the definition of process and measurement conditions for the characterization of specific characteristics of the inventive subject matter are to be considered as encompassed by the scope of the invention also within the scope of deviationsfor example due to measurement errors, system errors, weighing errors, DIN tolerances and the like.