Application device for applying additional elements to packages

Abstract

Described and depicted is an application device for applying additional elements, in particular straws, to packages, preferably cardboard composite packages, having at least one transport device for transporting the packages along a transport track having at least one applicator adjustable, from a pick-up position for picking up the additional elements, to an application position for applying the additional elements to the packages and back. To facilitate the application of the additional elements at a higher application speed without having to take on considerable losses with regard to the reliability of the application of the additional elements or the complexity of the equipment, it is provided that at least one positioning belt extending at least in sections along the transport track of the packages is provided such that the additional elements applied to the packages are held on the packages, in particular pressed onto the packages along at least a part of the transport track by the positioning belt.

Claims

1. An application device for applying additional elements to packages having at least one transport device for transporting the packages along a transport track, having at least one applicator adjustable, from a pick-up position for picking up the additional elements, to an application position for applying the additional elements to the packages and back, wherein at least one positioning belt extending at least in sections along the transport track of the packages is provided such that the additional elements applied to the packages are held on the packages along at least a part of the transport track by the positioning belt and the at least one positioning belt revolves around a deflection rotatable about an axis of rotation of the at least one applicator, and in that, the axis of rotation of the deflection and the axis of rotation of the at least one applicator are spaced apart from one another in that the distance between the axis of rotation of the deflection and the axis of rotation of the applicator wheel, is less than the width, of the packages transverse to the transport track of the packages.

2. The application device according to claim 1, wherein at least one transportation belt of the transport device is designed to be moved at least in sections along the transport track in at least substantially the same direction and/or at least substantially at the same speed as the packages and/or in that the at least one positioning belt is designed as a belt and/or as a chain.

3. The application device according to claim 1, wherein in the region where the additional elements are held on the packages and/or in the region where the at least one positioning belt approaches the transport track of the packages, a guide device guiding the positioning belt in the transport direction is provided, and in that, the guide device is in contact with the positioning belt on the side of the positioning belt facing away from the packages.

4. The application device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one applicator is provided pivotably about a pivoting axis of rotation, and in that, a plurality of applicators designed as an applicator wheel, is uniformly distributed around the axis of rotation.

5. The application device according to claim 1, wherein the axis of rotation of the deflection and the pivoting axis or axis of rotation of the applicator wheel are spaced apart in a direction at least substantially perpendicular to the transport track of the packages at the point of application of the additional elements on the packages.

6. The application device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one applicator comprises an applicator finger adjustable and pivotable, in the direction of an additional element guide and/or a package, for at least partially receiving the additional element, for applying the additional element and/or for holding the additional element, and in that, the application finger is spring-loaded and/or preloaded in the direction of the additional element guide and/or the package.

7. The application device according to claim 6, wherein the at least one applicator comprises, at least adjacent to the application finger, a guide finger for guiding the additional element at least partially held and received by the application finger in an interlocking manner in the transport direction of the additional element, and/or in that the application finger of the applicator and the additional element guide are designed such that the additional element is in contact with both the application finger as well as the additional element guide at least in sections before the application of additional elements to the packages.

8. The application device according to claim 6, wherein the additional element guide is at the rear end in the transport direction at least substantially in contact with a package at least substantially adjacent to the surface section to be provided with the additional element.

9. The application device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one transport device comprising a transportation belt comprising a recess is provided for transporting the packages along the transport track, and in that the transportation belt is provided on the side of the packages facing away from the at least one positioning belt.

10. The application device according to claim 1, wherein the additional elements applied to the packages are held on the packages along at least a part of the transport track by the at least one positioning belt and a second positioning belt, the second positioning belt extending at least in sections along the transport track such that the additional elements applied to the packages are held on the packages along at least a part of the transport track by the positioning belt and the second positioning belt is provided respectively on opposite sides of the applicator.

11. The application device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one positioning belt comprises holding cams for holding the additional elements on the packages and in that, the holding cam extends from a belt section extending at least substantially in the transport direction of the positioning belt to the side and at least in sections in the direction of the transport track of the packages.

12. The application device according to claim 1, wherein a belt section of the positioning belt extending at least substantially in the transport direction of the at least one positioning belt, at least one holding cam of the positioning belt and a package respectively define at least one receiving space for an additional element at least in sections along the transport track of the packages, and in that, the belt section and the holding cam are in contact, respectively in sections along the transport track of the packages, on different side surfaces of the package.

13. The application device according to claim 1, wherein the packages comprise at least one surface section oriented at least in sections along the transport track inclined in the transport direction of the transport track and inclined in at least one transport direction of the at least one positioning belt, and in that the application device is provided for attaching the additional element on the inclined surface section, and in that the holding cams are provided for holding the additional elements on the inclined surface sections.

14. The application device according to claim 13, wherein the at least one inclined surface section is inclined at least in sections along the transport track of the packages by between 25° and 65 in relation to the transport track and/or the at least one transport direction of the at least one positioning belt.

15. The application device according to claim 13, wherein the at least one inclined surface section is provided in the edge region of the packages, and in that the inclined surface section is inclined between 25° and 65° in relation to at least one adjacent side surface of the package.

16. The application device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one positioning belt and the transport track of the packages approach one another in sections along the transport direction, the approaching of the positioning belt and the transport track of the packages is provided subsequently to the point of application of the additional elements to the packages.

17. A method for applying straws, to cardboard composite packages having an application device according to claim 1, in which the straws guided toward the packages are held on the packages, along at least one part of the transport track by the at least one positioning belt.

18. The method according to claim 17, in which the at least one positioning belt is moved at least in sections along the transport track in at least substantially the same direction and/or at least substantially at the same speed as the packages.

19. The method according to claim 17, in which the at least one applicator is pivoted about a pivoting axis, in particular rotated about an axis of rotation, and/or in which the additional element to be applied by the applicator is held on an additional element guide at least in sections during a pivoting movement or rotating movement of the applicator, and/or guided along the additional element guide.

20. The method according to claim 17, in which a belt section of the positioning belt extending at least substantially in the transport direction of the at least one positioning belt, at least one holding cam of the positioning belt and a surface section of the package inclined in relation to the transport track of the packages at least in sections along the transport track of the packages respectively form at least one receiving space for an additional element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is explained in greater detail below by means of a drawing merely depicting exemplary embodiments, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a first application device according to the invention in a schematic top view,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a detail of the application device from FIG. 1 in a schematic top view,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a detail of the application device from FIG. 1 in a schematic side view,

(5) FIGS. 4A-B show an applicator of the application device from FIG. 1 in a top view and in a perspective view,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a second application device according to the invention in a schematic top view,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a detail of the application device from FIG. 5 in a schematic top view, and

(8) FIG. 7 shows a detail of the application device from FIG. 5 in a schematic side view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) In FIG. 1, an application device 1 for applying additional elements 2 in the form of straws is depicted. The application device 1 is supplied with a belt 3 made of two sealed-together, in particular transparent, plastic films, between which straws are provided at regular intervals. Accordingly, the belt 3 is formed by an interconnected series of blister packs 4 and drawn in by a supply device 5 which comprises a supply carousel 6 having recesses 7 distributed over the circumference and a belt guide 8 arranged at least partially around the supply carousel 6. The supply carousel 6 rotates about a central axis of rotation 9 in a stepwise manner in a clockwise direction. With each rotation step, another straw is received in a recess 7 of the supply carousel 6. The belt 3 of plastic films and straws remains held between the supply carousel 6 and the belt guide 8. After each rotation step of the supply carousel 6, the belt 3 of plastic films and straws is separated in a cutting position 10 by a separating device 11 by means of a cutting blade 12. In this way, the straws are separated in a stepwise manner.

(10) Each straw, together with the plastic films, between which the straws are respectively sealed, forms an additional element 2 which is provided for application on a package 13. The corresponding packages 13 are transported at another point of the application device 1 by a transport device 14 successively along a transport track 15 along or through the application device 1. For this purpose, the transport device 14 comprises a transportation belt 16 with a series of cams 17 which extend in the direction of the transport track 15 of the packages 13. The transportation belt 15 extends laterally to the packages 13 and laterally to the transport track 15 of the packages 13. It is not shown in detail that the transportation belt 16 is formed as a continuous belt and continuously revolves around guide rollers.

(11) After further rotation steps, the separated additional elements 2 are relayed to a delivery device 18 from the supply carousel 6 of the supply device 5. The individual additional elements 2 each pass into a recess 19 of a delivery wheel 20, which turns in a swelling manner, i.e. with repeatedly varying speed, in an anti-clockwise direction and cooperates in sections with a radially adjacent delivery guide 21 to hold the additional elements 2 in the recesses 19 and thus to accelerate to the circumferential speed of applicators 22 of an applicator wheel 23, from which the additional elements 2 are picked up at a pick-up position 24. Thus, the applicators 22 engage in the delivery wheel 20 and thus create an interlocking with the additional elements 2. As a result of the interlocking between the applicators 22 and the additional elements 2, the additional elements 2 are removed from the delivery wheel 20 and then moved between the corresponding applicator 22 and an additional element guide 25 in the direction of the packages 13.

(12) In FIG. 2 it is shown in detail how the additional elements 2 are transported between the applicators 22 and the additional element guide 25 along an arc-shaped section to the packages 13. The applicator wheel 23 preferably rotates continuously in a clockwise direction about an axis of rotation 26. Subsequently, the applicators 22 are moved continuously and circularly about the axis of rotation 26 of the applicator wheel 23. The applicators 22 comprise a guide finger 27 which engages in the delivery wheel 20 and behind the additional elements 2 in an interlocking manner. The guide finger 27 is arranged fixed on the depicted and insofar preferred applicators 22. The guide finger 27 presses the additional elements 2 out of the delivery wheel 20 and against the additional element guide 25. The additional elements 2 are thus partially held by an application finger 28, in particular at least partially received in a recess of an application finger 28. The application finger 28 is provided pivotably on the applicator 22 and can be pivoted radially inwards against the restoring force of a spring means 29. This is achieved with the pick-up of the additional elements 2 from the delivery wheel 20 in the pick-up position 24. As a result of the restoring force, the application finger 28 presses the additional elements 2 radially outwards against the additional element guide 25. The additional elements 2 can in this case not slip off the applicators 22 because the additional elements 2 are held in an interlocking manner by the guide fingers 27 of the applicators 22.

(13) The additional element guide 25 ends on or just before the application position 30 of the applicators 22, at which the applicators 22 deliver or apply the additional elements 2 to the packages 13. The packages 13 can already be provided with adhesive for this purpose. If the additional elements 2 are no longer guided by the additional element guide 25, the application finger 28 pivots radially outwards about its pivoting axis 31 and presses the additional element 2 onto the package 13 guided past the application position 30, and preferably against the adhesive provided on the package 13. The packages 13 are guided past the application position 30 of the applicators 22 at a speed which at least substantially corresponds to the circumferential speed of the applicators 22, in particular the transport speed of the additional elements 2. Before the application of the additional elements 2, the packages 13 are also in contact with the additional element guide 25, but on another guide surface 32 than the additional elements 2, specifically an outer guide surface 32 and not on the inner guide surface 33 coming into contact with the additional elements 2. In the depicted and insofar preferred application device 1, this is provided such that the packages 13 only come into contact with the corresponding guide surface 32 of the additional element guide 25 along the transport track 15 of the packages 13 just before the application of the additional elements 2. Thus, the additional elements 2 and the packages 13 are oriented to one another.

(14) The packages 13 to be provided with additional elements 2 comprise bevelled edge regions 34 which comprise surface sections 37 both inclined towards the adjacent side surfaces 35, 36 and also towards the transport track 15 of the packages 13. The additional elements 2 are to be attached on one of these surface sections 37, namely on the surface sections 37 associated with the applicators 22 and at the rear in the transport direction of the packages 13. The application finger 28 presses the additional elements 2 in the application position 30 onto these surface sections 37. Subsequently, the additional elements 2 are held in the corresponding position by positioning belts 38 until an adhesive bond is established between the package 13 and the additional element 2.

(15) In FIG. 2, the positioning belts 38 are arranged overlapping one another so that only one of the positioning belts 38 is depicted. The positioning belts 38 are designed as a continuous belt which continuously revolves about deflections 39. Thus, the positioning belts 38 in the depicted and insofar preferred application device 1 gradually approach the transport track 15 of the packages 13 and therefore the packages 13 themselves via a guide device 40. The positioning belts 38 thus slide on the guide device 40 until a belt section 41 of the positioning belts 38 rests at least substantially on the packages 13.

(16) The positioning belts 38 also respectively comprise holding cams 42 protruding from a belt sections 41 in the direction of the packages 13 or in the direction of the transport track 15 of the packages 13. The holding cams 42 are approached from the side and from the rear in the transport direction of the packages 13 to the rear side of the packages 13 seen in the transport direction of the packages 13. The belt section 41, respectively one holding cam 42 and one package 13 thus form a receiving space 43 in the edge region 34 of the respective package 13 for receiving the additional elements 2. The additional elements 2 are in this way held on the packages 13 and pressed onto the packages 13. This takes place over a determined distance along the transport track 15 of the packages 13. Subsequently, the positioning belts 38 are retracted from the packages 13 again. The positioning belts 38 are then guided back to be able to position and hold further additional elements 2 on further packages 13.

(17) To ensure that the additional elements 2 arrive in the receiving spaces 43 between the packages 13 and the positioning belts 38 after the application by the applicators 22 onto the packages 13, in the depicted and insofar preferred application device 1, a comb device 62 is provided. The comb device 62 is spaced apart from the additional element guide 25 so that the applicators 22 can deliver or apply the additional elements 2 to the packages 13 in the intermediate space between the additional element guide 25 and the comb device 62. In any case, additional elements 2 applied by the applicators 22 not in their final position but displaced to the side surface 35 of the packages 13 facing the positioning belt 38 come in the transport direction of the packages 13 into contact with a guide surface 63 of the comb device 62. The additional element 2 is thus pressed against the guide surface 63 or guided by the guide surface 63 into the receiving space 43 between the package 13 and the positioning belts 38. Once there, the additional element 2 is then pressed on the further transport path of the package 13 by the positioning belts 38 at the designated point on the package 13, so that a permanent bonding between the additional element 2 and the package 13 can be achieved.

(18) In the region of the application position 30 of the additional elements 2 to the packages 13, the positioning belts 38 are deflected about a deflection 39 which rotates about an axis of rotation 44. This axis of rotation 44 is spaced apart from the axis of rotation 26 of the applicator wheel 23 in the direction of the application position 30 of the additional elements 2 to the packages 13. However, the axes of rotation 26, 44 are aligned at least substantially in parallel to one another. Thereby and by the radius of the deflection 39 it is achieved that the holding cams 42 neither hinder the guiding of the additional elements 2 to the packages 13 along the additional element guide 25, nor the actual application of the additional elements 2 by the applicators 22 in the application position 30. Rather, the holding cams 42 are slowly guided to the additional elements 2 so that the holding cams 42 are only brought into contact with the additional elements 2 upon the application of the additional elements 2 to the packages 13.

(19) In FIG. 3, a side view of the deflection 39 of the positioning belts 38, the applicator wheel 23, the transportation belt 16 for transporting the packages 13 and the transport track 15 of the packages 13 are depicted. The transportation belt 16 is provided on the side of the packages 13 facing away from the applicator wheel 23 and with its cams 17 forms an interlocking with the packages 13, which comprise bevelled edge regions 34. An additional element 2 is respectively attached at the edge region 34, which is the rear in the direction of view and is associated with the applicator wheel 23. The additional elements 2 are guided from the applicators 22, which are arranged on an applicator wheel 23 which continuously rotates about an axis of rotation 26. The additional elements 2 are respectively held between the guide finger 27 and the application finger 28 of the applicators 22. For better clarity, the associated additional element guide 25 and the delivery wheel 20 are not shown. In the depicted and insofar preferred application device 1, respectively a positioning belt 38 is deflected above and below the applicators 22 by a deflection 39. The deflection 39 rotates about an axis of rotation 44 which is offset in relation to the axis of rotation 26 of the applicator wheel 23 to the transport track 15 of the packages 13 or to the application position 30 of the applicators 22. Therefore, the holding cams 42 of the positioning belts 38 approach along the circumference of the deflection 39 the additional elements 2. The applicator wheel 23 and the deflection 39 are driven together in the depicted and insofar preferred application device 1. In addition, the applicator wheel 23 and the deflection 39 have at least substantially the same diameter.

(20) An applicator 22 is shown from different perspectives in FIGS. 4A-B. The applicators 22 comprise a base 45 with which the applicators 22 are secured to the applicator wheel 23. The guide finger 27 extends outwards in relation to the base 45. The application finger 28 is provided adjacent to the guide finger 27, which application finger is pivotably secured on the base 45 of the applicator 22 about a pivoting axis 31. In addition, a spring means 29 is provided between the base 45 and the application finger 28, which spring means provides the pivoting of the application finger 28 to an outer position as long as the application finger 28 is not blocked by an interlocking. This is the case if the applicator 22 holds an additional element 2 and the application finger 28 presses the additional element 2 outwards against the additional element guide 25.

(21) An alternative application device 46 is shown in FIG. 5. This corresponds in many parts to the application device 1 according to FIG. 1. Therefore, the same reference signs are used for the same components and only certain components are described again. A substantial difference from the application device 1 of FIG. 1 is that only one positioning belt 47 is provided and that this positioning belt 47 does not require a holding cam 42. This is due to the fact that, with the depicted and insofar preferred application device 46, additional elements 2 are applied to cuboid packages 48, specifically on a side surface 49 of the packages 48, which are oriented at least substantially parallel to the transport track 15 of the packages 48 in the application position 30 of the applicators 50.

(22) The application of the additional elements 2 is shown in detail in FIG. 6. The additional elements 2 are held by the applicators 50 and guided along an additional element guide 51 on an arc-shaped track to the application position 30 or the packages 48. At the end of the additional element guide 51, the additional elements 2 are guided from the additional element guide 51 at an inner guide surface 52 and the packages 48 are guided at an outer guide surface 53, on which the packages 48 slide along and thus are oriented correspondingly to the additional elements 2. The additional elements 2 then directly arrive from the additional element guide 51 in the application position 30 of the applicators 50 at the packages 48. In the process the applicators 50 press the additional elements 2 by means of the spring-loaded application fingers 28 onto the packages 48, which are provided with an adhesive at corresponding points. With this delivery of the additional elements 2, the positioning belt 47 is brought into contact with the additional elements 2 and is moved at the same speed and in the same direction as the packages 48. The packages 48 are transported by a transportation belt 54 along a transport track 15, in which each package 48 is in interlocking engagement with the cams 55. However, two cams 55 per package 48 could also be provided, as is the case with the application device 1 according to FIG. 1. A slow approaching of the positioning belt 47 after the application of the additional elements 2 by the applicators 50 to the package 48 here is as unnecessary as is the use of a guide device for the positioning belt 47.

(23) Similar to the application device 1 according to FIG. 1, the applicators 50 are combined to form an applicator wheel 57 rotating about an axis of rotation 56. In contrast to the applicator wheel 23 of FIG. 1, the applicators 50 are rotated about a further axis of rotation 58 when rotating about the axis of rotation 56. This is achieved by a cam disc by means of a corresponding coupling of the applicators 50 to the cam disc. A roller rolls on the cam disc, which is moved upwards and downwards again corresponding to the inclinations of the cam disc. Via a coupling lever, this movement is converted into a rotary movement of the applicators 50 and a bearing of the applicators 50. The coupling and the cam disc are not shown for the sake of clarity. As a result of the rotation of the applicators 50, the additional elements can be picked up by the applicators 50 in an orientation parallel to the axis of rotation 56 of the applicator wheel 57 and applied to the packages 48 in an orientation inclined relative to the axis of rotation 56. The additional elements 2 can thus be applied diagonally to the corresponding side surface 49 of the package 48. Thus, straws can be applied which are longer than the height of the package 48 without problems.

(24) The positioning belt 47 revolves about a deflection 59, which also rotates about an axis of rotation 58, wherein this axis of rotation 58 is offset in relation to the axis of rotation 56 of the applicator wheel 57 in the direction of the packages 48 or the application position 30 of the applicators 50. In this way and due to the radius of the deflection 59, between the additional element guide 51 and the positioning belt 47, a gap 61 tapering in the direction of the application position 30 of the applicators 50 is provided which corresponds at least substantially to the width of the additional elements 2 in the application position 30 of the applicators 50. Thus, the additional elements 2 come at least substantially at the point of application of the additional elements 2 by the applicators 50 into contact with the positioning belt 47, which then holds the additional elements 2 on the package 48 or presses them against the package 48. However, the positioning belt 47 does not also press the additional elements 2 against the additional element guide 51, which may lead to increased friction and thus to damage to the additional elements 2, in particular the plastic film. At the same time, the additional element 2 is held on the package 48 during the application to the package 48 and not only at a considerable distance of the package 48 later.

(25) In FIG. 7, the transportation belt 54, the packages 48, the applicator wheel 57 and the deflection 59 are shown in detail. The packages 48 are transported past the applicator wheel 57 by the transportation belt 54 with a side surface 49 parallel to the transport direction. The applicators 50 rotate about a common axis of rotation 56 and thus pivot about a pivoting axis 60 perpendicular to this axis of rotation 56. Thus, the applicators 50 pick up the additional elements 2 in an orientation parallel to the axis of rotation 56 and then rotate about a longitudinal axis so that the additional elements 2 are applied in the application position 30 diagonally to the adjacent side surface 49 on the packages 48. In the depicted and insofar preferred application device 46, the positioning belt 47 is deflected above the applicators 50 by a deflection 59. The axis of rotation 58 of the deflection 59 is offset laterally in the direction of the packages 48 or the application position 30 of the applicators 50. The applicator wheel 57 and the deflection 59 may have at least substantially the same diameter. At the time of the delivery of the additional elements 2, the positioning belt 47 is at least substantially spaced apart from the packages 48 by the width of the additional elements 2. The distance of the positioning belt 47 from the packages 48 may, as required, be somewhat less than the width of the additional elements 2 so as to be able to press the additional elements 2 onto the corresponding side surfaces 49 of the packages 48.

(26) For simultaneous rotation of the applicators 22 about the axis of rotation 56 and pivoting about the pivoting axis 60, the application device 46 is provided with a control cam 64. Rollers 65 run on the control cam 64 engaged via spring means, which rollers are adjusted up and down parallel to the axis of rotation 56. This adjustment of the rollers 65 is converted via a lever means into a pivoting of the applicators 22 about the pivoting axis 60. Cam discs having similar control cams 64 are generally known from the prior art.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(27) 1 Application device

(28) 2 Additional element

(29) 3 Belt

(30) 4 Blister pack

(31) 5 Supply device

(32) 6 Supply carousel

(33) 7 Recess

(34) 8 Belt guide

(35) 9 Axis of rotation

(36) 10 Cutting position

(37) 11 Separating device

(38) 12 Cutting blade

(39) 13 Packages

(40) 14 Transport device

(41) 15 Transport track

(42) 16 Transportation belt

(43) 17 Cams

(44) 18 Delivery device

(45) 19 Recess

(46) 20 Delivery wheel

(47) 21 Delivery guide

(48) 22 Applicator

(49) 23 Applicator wheel

(50) 24 Pick-up position

(51) 25 Additional element guide

(52) 26 Axis of rotation

(53) 27 Guide finger

(54) 28 Application finger

(55) 29 Spring means

(56) 30 Application position

(57) 31 Pivoting axis

(58) 32 Guide surface

(59) 33 Guide surface

(60) 34 Edge region

(61) 35 Side surface

(62) 36 Side surface

(63) 37 Surface section

(64) 38 Positioning belt

(65) 39 Deflection

(66) 40 Guide device

(67) 41 Belt section

(68) 42 Holding cam

(69) 43 Receiving space

(70) 44 Axis of rotation

(71) 45 Base

(72) 46 Application device

(73) 47 Positioning belt

(74) 48 Package

(75) 49 Side surface

(76) 50 Applicator

(77) 51 Additional element guide

(78) 52 Guide surface

(79) 53 Guide surface

(80) 54 Transportation belt

(81) 55 Cams

(82) 56 Axis of rotation

(83) 57 Applicator wheel

(84) 58 Axis of rotation

(85) 59 Deflection

(86) 60 Pivoting axis

(87) 61 Gap

(88) 62 Comb device

(89) 63 Guide surface

(90) 64 Control cam

(91) 65 Rollers