METHOD FOR PACKAGING ARTICLES IN BOXES AND PACKAGING DEVICE OPERATING ACCORDING TO SUCH A METHOD

Abstract

A method for packaging articles in a box includes the steps of depositing at least one article in a mandrel, and folding a blank around the mandrel in correspondence with at least one folding line of the blank. The blank is folded along the folding line abutting the folding line and an edge of the mandrel only for a first part of the folding line, while a second part of the folding line remains not abutted by the mandrel.

Claims

1.-18. (canceled)

19. A method for packaging articles in a box comprising: (a) depositing at least one of said articles in a mandrel, and (b) folding a blank around said mandrel in correspondence with a folding line of said blank to form the box, a first part of said folding line abutting an edge of said mandrel and a second part of said folding line not abutting said mandrel, said box containing said at least one of said articles.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein said first part of said folding line has a length equal to at least 20% of a length of said folding line.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein said first part of said folding line has a length between 50% and 80% of a length of said folding line.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein said second part of said folding line not abutting said mandrel comprises an end region of said folding line.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein said second part of said folding line not abutting said mandrel comprises a median region of said folding line.

24. The method according to claim 19, the folding further comprising: abutting said edge of said mandrel and a first panel of said blank, and abutting a folding element, spaced from said edge of said mandrel, and a second panel of said blank, wherein the first panel of said blank and the second panel of said blank are divided by the folding line.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said folding line is entirely abutting said folding element.

26. The method according to claim 19, wherein said folding line is formed on said blank by at least one of: a creasing, a scoring line, and a line of holes.

27. A packaging device for packaging articles in boxes, comprising: a mandrel configured to accommodate one of said articles inside the mandrel and to abut a blank when said blank is wrapped at least partially outside said mandrel to form one of said boxes, a folding element comprising an abutment region, the abutment region configured to abut said blank and to fold said blank around said mandrel when: (i) said blank is positioned between said mandrel and said folding element and (ii) said mandrel and said folding element are positioned relative to each other in a folding configuration, and a movement member configured to move said mandrel with respect to said folding element towards said folding configuration, wherein, in said folding configuration, said abutment region of said folding element comprises: a first zone spaced from a first edge of said mandrel facing said abutment region by a first distance, the first distance being greater than a thickness of said blank, and a second zone, adjacent to said first zone, spaced from any edge of said mandrel facing said abutment region by a second distance, the second distance being greater than said first distance.

28. The packaging device according to claim 27, wherein said first distance is less than 10 times the thickness of the blank and said second distance is greater than 10 times the thickness of the blank.

29. The packaging device according to claim 27, wherein said mandrel comprises a side wall configured to abut said blank in said folding configuration and said side wall comprises said first edge which, in said folding configuration, faces said first zone of said abutment region of the folding element.

30. The packaging device according to claim 27, wherein, in said folding configuration, said abutment region faces said first edge at said first zone and said second zone is defined by a zone of said abutment region protruding longitudinally from said mandrel.

31. The packaging device according to claim 27, wherein, in said folding configuration, said abutment region faces said first edge at said first zone and said second zone is defined by a zone of said abutment region facing a recess edge at a recess on said side wall.

32. The packaging device according to claim 31, wherein said recess edge, in said folding configuration, faces said second zone of said abutment region at a distance greater than 20 mm.

33. The packaging device according to claim 27, wherein, in said folding configuration, said abutment region faces said first edge at said first zone and said second zone is defined by a zone of said abutment region facing an opening interrupting said side wall.

34. The packaging device according to claim 33, wherein said mandrel is formed by several separate units and said opening extends along an entire perimeter of a cross-section of said mandrel.

35. The packaging device according to claim 31, comprising an article feeder provided with a gripping member of said one of said articles, said gripping member being configured to deposit said one of said articles in said mandrel by passing through said recess.

36. The packaging device according to claim 31, comprising an article feeder provided with a gripping member of said one of said articles, said gripping member being configured to deposit said one of said articles in said mandrel by passing through said opening.

37. The packaging device according to claim 27, further comprising a blank feeder arranged to position the blank between said mandrel and said folding element at a folding line on said blank.

Description

[0125] FIG. 1 is a partial schematic and perspective view from above of a first example of a device for packaging articles in boxes made in accordance with the present solution;

[0126] FIG. 2 is a partial schematic view from above and from the front of the packaging device of FIG. 1;

[0127] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a detail of the packaging device of FIG. 1 in a folding configuration;

[0128] FIG. 4 is a front view of a side wall of the mandrel of the packaging device of FIG. 1;

[0129] FIG. 5 is a front view of a first embodiment variant of the packaging device of FIG. 1;

[0130] FIG. 6 is a front view of a second embodiment variant of the packaging device of FIG. 1.

[0131] Referring initially to FIGS. 1 to 4, number 100 globally denotes a packaging device made in accordance with the present solution.

[0132] The packaging device 100 is arranged to package one or more articles 1 in boxes 2.

[0133] The articles 1 are, in this preferred embodiment, bags of granular, loose food products, e.g. cereal flakes, in particular bags with a longitudinal dimension of about 300 mm (exemplary value).

[0134] The packaging device 100 comprises, in its most general units, an article feeder 3, a blank feeder 4 and a packaging unit 5.

[0135] The article feeder 3 may be made in any form that is suitable to take an article 1 from an upstream work station (or a warehouse) and deliver it to the packaging unit 5. For example, the article feeder 3 may comprise a plurality of gripping members 3a, mounted on a vertical axis carousel 3b. The gripping members 3a may comprise fixed suction cups 6a and a gripper provided with a pair of movable prongs 6b, extended towards each other to hold and support the article 1 laterally and from below.

[0136] The blank feeder 4, is in turn configured to take a single blank 7 from a set of blanks stacked in a hopper and bring it to the packaging unit 5. For example, the blank feeder 4 may comprise a plurality of gripping members 4a mounted on a carousel 4b rotatable around an axis substantially parallel to a vertical direction, generically indicated in the Figures by Z.

[0137] The packaging unit 5 is arranged to receive articles 1 from the article feeder 3 and form a box 2 around them from a blank 7 supplied by the blank feeder 4.

[0138] For this purpose, the packaging unit 5 comprises a plurality of mandrels 10 all mounted on a carousel 8, rotatable around a vertical axis, so as to be moved along a displacement direction F defining a substantially circular path.

[0139] Thus, each mandrel 10 is led along the circular path between a receiving zone, in which the mandrel 10 receives an article 1 from the article feeder 3, an abutment zone, in which the mandrel 10 abuts a blank 7 supplied by the blank feeder 4, a forming zone, in which the blank 7 is folded to form a box 2 containing the article 1, an unloading zone, in which the box 2 containing the article 1 is delivered to the next processing stations and, finally, a return zone in which the mandrel 10 is returned to the receiving zone.

[0140] In the first embodiment described herein, shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, each mandrel 10 comprises a first unit 11 and a second unit 12, distinct and separate from each other, both mounted on an arm 14 radially extended from the carousel 8 and passing below a fixed working surface 9 of the packaging unit 5.

[0141] Specifically, the first unit 11 and the second unit 12 are mounted on the arm 14 by means of a respective upright 11a, 11b erected by the arm 14 so as to support the units 11 and 12 on opposite sides of the working surface 9 and above the level defined by it.

[0142] Referring to the vertical axis around which the carousel 8 rotates, the first unit 11 is in a radially inward position relative to working surface 9, while the second unit 12 is in a radially outward position relative to working surface 9.

[0143] The first unit 11 and the second unit 12 are substantially identical to each other and are arranged facing each other symmetrically in relation to the working surface 9.

[0144] The first unit 11 and the second unit 12 may be displaced with respect to each other between an operating position, wherein the two units 11, 12 are brought closer to each other, and a non-operating position wherein they are moved away from each other, so as to decompose the mandrel 10.

[0145] In particular, the first unit 11 and the second unit 12 may be displaced along a radial direction of the carousel 8, which, in this case, also corresponds to a longitudinal direction defined on the mandrel 10.

[0146] In the embodiment herein described and shown, the two units 11 and 12 are brought closer to each other to a distance of about 100-120 mm, thus defining an opening 17 extending along the entire perimeter of the mandrel 10.

[0147] On the mandrel 10, composed of the two units 11 and 12 brought closer to each other, a bottom 13 is identified, defining a support surface on which the article 1 is deposited, as well as a pair of side walls 15 and 16, which delimit the bottom 13 at the opposite longitudinal sides.

[0148] Both the bottom 13 and the side walls 15, 16 are therefore formed by respective portions provided in the first unit 11 and second unit 12. In particular, the side walls 15 and 16 comprise respective pairs of portions 15a, 15b and 16a, 16b, wherein the portions of each pair are separated from each other by the opening 17.

[0149] On each side wall 15, 16 a lower edge 18a is also identified that is substantially coplanar with the bottom 13 and an upper edge 18b, spaced from and substantially parallel to the bottom 13.

[0150] In each of the first unit 11 and second unit 12, there is also provided a positioning element 19, of the piston type, which longitudinally delimits the bottom 13 of the mandrel, so as to define in the mandrel 10 a chamber for accommodating the article 1 delimited by the bottom 13, the side walls 15 and 16 and the positioning elements 19.

[0151] The blank 7 is made of cardboard with a thickness of between 0.4 and 0.8 mm, in this case about 0.5 mm, and is suitably shaped to form a box 2 when folded around the mandrel 10.

[0152] For this purpose, folding lines 7a are cut on the blank 7 which divide the blank 7 into a plurality of panels 7b, 7c intended to form, alone or in combination, the different faces of the box 2.

[0153] The folding lines 7a are preferably creases and each pair of adjacent panels 7b, 7c may be swung around a respective folding line 7a separating them.

[0154] In particular, a central panel 7b, intended to be first abutted by the mandrel 10, as well as two panels 7c, extending from the upper and lower sides of the central panel 7b respectively, and separated from it by respective folding lines 7a are identified in the blank 7.

[0155] The packaging unit 5 further comprises at least one folding element 20 configured to cooperate with the mandrel 10 to fold the blank 7 around the mandrel.

[0156] In particular, the packaging device 100 may comprise several folding elements 20, each one intended to fold one or more panels 7b of the blank.

[0157] A first example of a folding element 20 is represented by a pair of plates 21 positioned on the circular path of the mandrels 10 immediately downstream of the point where the blank 7 is delivered to the packaging unit 5 by the blank feeder 4.

[0158] The plates 21 are parallel to and spaced from each other so that the mandrel 10 can pass between them at a close distance H, of about 1 mm between the two plates 21 and the lower and upper edges 18a, 18b of the side walls 15, 16 of the mandrel 10.

[0159] On each plate 21 an abutment region 22 is defined which is intended to abut the blank 7 when it is displaced by the mandrel 10 against the plates 21.

[0160] The abutment region 22 extends parallel to the upper and lower edges 18a, 18b of the side walls 15, 16 of the mandrel 10, in other words parallel to the longitudinal direction of the mandrel 10.

[0161] In particular, in the abutment region 22 of each plate 21, two first zones 23 are defined which are spaced from a respective lower or upper edge 18a, 18b of the mandrel 10 by a first distance H, equal to about 1 mm, and a second zone 24, interposed between the two first zones 23, which faces the opening 17 obtained in the mandrel 10.

[0162] It will be noted that the second zone 24, since it does not face any edge of the mandrel 10, may be considered to be placed at an infinite distance from any edge of the mandrel facing it.

[0163] The packaging device 100 operates as described hereinafter.

[0164] The carousel 8 rotates around its vertical rotation axis Z in a continuous motion, leading the mandrels 10 along a circular path with the first and second units 11 and 12 on radially opposite sides of the support plane 9.

[0165] Before the receiving zone, the first and second units 11, 12 are brought closer to each other to the distance indicated above so as to form a suitable seat to accommodate an article 1 deposited on the bottom 13 by means of a gripping member 3a.

[0166] It will be noted that, thanks to the opening 17, the prongs 6b of the gripper can access the inside of the mandrel 10 to gently lay the article 1 on the bottom 13 without having to drop it from above.

[0167] In the example herein described, only one article 1 is intended to be contained in the box 2, however, it is also possible to introduce in the box 2 a plurality of articles 1, all of which, in this case, would be deposited inside the mandrel 10 before being wrapped in the blank 7.

[0168] Once the item 1 has been deposited, the mandrel 10 is led towards the abutment zone with a blank 7, which is brought by the blank feeder 4 into the path of the mandrel 10, at an interruption point of the working surface 9, right at the entrance of the plates 21.

[0169] The blank 7 is positioned on a vertical plane substantially perpendicular to the displacement direction F, such that the central panel 7b is abutted by the side wall 15 of the mandrel 10 (FIG. 2).

[0170] In particular, the central panel 7b is abutted from the side wall 15 so that the lower and upper edges 18a, 18b are at a respective folding line 7a (spaced at most a few tenths of a millimetre apart) separating the central panel 7b from the lower and upper panels 7c.

[0171] The mandrel 10 then pushes the central panel 7b of the blank 7 against the abutment region 22 of the plates 21, and then enters the space between the two plates, dragging the central panel 7b with it, causing the panels 7c to fold towards the mandrel 10 (FIG. 3).

[0172] It follows that, when the mandrel 10 is between the entrance of the plates 21 and then within the space defined between the plates 21, the mandrel 10 and the plates 21 may be defined in the folding configuration of the blank 7.

[0173] As visible in the accompanying Figures, each folding line 7a is entirely abutted by the abutment region 22 of the plates 21, while, on the mandrel side 10, it is only abutted at the lower and upper edges 18a and 18b, while it is not abutted at the opening 17.

[0174] In particular, each folding line 7a is abutted by the mandrel 10 in its opposite end regions 7a, corresponding to about 70% of the total extension of the folding line, while it remains not abutted in a median region 7a thereof, corresponding to about 30% of the total extension of the folding line.

[0175] When exiting from the pair of plates 27, respective closing members, mounted on the mandrel 10 or on the working surface 9, fold the lower flap 7d and the upper flap 7e protruding respectively from the lower and upper panels 7c of the blank 7 against the side wall 16 of the mandrel 10 so as to laterally close the box 2, thanks to glue dots being provided on one of the two flaps.

[0176] Such closing members may be configured in the form of bars (strips) that go vertically up and down with respect to the mandrel.

[0177] It will be noted that such closing members constitute additional folding elements 20 of the packaging device 100 on which respective abutment regions may be identified, that are configured to abut a respective folding line throughout its inner extension, similarly to the abutment regions 22 of the plates 21.

[0178] Still similarly to the plates 21, in this case also in each of the abutment regions of the closing members, two first zones are defined that face a lower or upper edge of the side wall 16 and a second zone that faces the opening 17.

[0179] In particular, the first two zones are, in the folding configuration, at a distance less than 10 mm, more preferably less than 5 mm, even more preferably less than 3 mm, and most preferably about 1 mm.

[0180] Having completed the lateral closure of the box 2, the first and second units 11 and 12 are then extracted longitudinally from the box 2, and this is delivered to the next work stations, while the mandrel 10 is returned to the receiving zone. FIG. 5 shows a first embodiment variant of the packaging device described above, globally indicated by 200.

[0181] Compared to the packaging device 100 described in the previous example, the mandrel 10 has differently-shaped side walls 15 and 16, which are continuous and rectangular in shape, and both the blank 7 and the plates 21 extend longitudinally more than the side walls of the mandrel, so that they protrude longitudinally from one end of the mandrel 10.

[0182] In this case, the first zone 23 of the abutment region 22 corresponds to the lower or upper edge 18a, 18b of the side wall 15, while the second zone 24 is defined by the portion of abutment region 22 protruding longitudinally from the side wall 15.

[0183] Each folding line 7a is thus entirely abutted by the abutment region 22 of the plates 21, while, on the mandrel side 10, it is only abutted at the lower and upper edges 18a and 18b, but remains not abutted at its end region 7a which is only abutted by the second zone 24 of the abutment region 22.

[0184] FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment variant of the packaging device described above, globally indicated by 300.

[0185] Compared to the packaging device 100 described in the previous example, the mandrel 10 has differently-shaped side walls 15 and 16, which have a recess 301 at one of its longitudinal sides, in this case the upper side.

[0186] It follows that the lower edge 18a is continuous and straight, while the upper edge 18b comprises a first portion 18b close to the abutment region 22 and a second portion 18b, at the recess 301, where the abutment region 22 is spaced apart.

[0187] For example, the first portion 18b is at a distance from the abutment region 22 of about 1 mm, while the second portion 18b is at a distance from the abutment region 22 of about 40 mm.

[0188] In this case, the first zone 23 of the abutment region 22 of the upper plate 21 is defined by the portion of abutment region 22 facing the first portion of the upper edge 18b, while the second zone 24 is defined by the portion of abutment region 22 facing the second portion 18b.

[0189] Each folding lines 7a is thus entirely abutted by the abutment region 22 of the plates 21, while, on the mandrel 10 side, it is only abutted at the lower edge 18a and the first portion 18b of the upper edge 18b, while it remains not abutted in a median region 7a thereof, corresponding to the second portion 18b of the upper edge 18b.

[0190] Obviously, one skilled in the art may, in order to meet specific and contingent application requirements, make further modifications and variants to the solution described above that nevertheless fall within the scope of protection as defined by the following claims.