UNIT AND METHOD FOR PACKAGING ARTICLES IN BOXES

Abstract

A packaging unit of articles in boxes includes a mandrel, a movement device, a feeding device, a folding device, and a first retaining device. The mandrel is configured to accommodate at least one of the articles therein. The movement device is configured to move the mandrel along a movement trajectory. The feeding device is configured to feed at least one blank towards the mandrel. The folding device is configured to cooperate with the mandrel to fold at least one panel of the blank being wound around the mandrel, and to form one of the boxes. The first retaining device is movably guided parallel to the movement trajectory and is configured to cooperate with the mandrel, along a section of the movement trajectory, retaining the at least one panel of the blank, wound on the mandrel, against an abutment surface of the mandrel extended parallel to the movement trajectory. A packaging method of articles into boxes by means of such a unit is also described.

Claims

1.-20. (canceled)

21. A packaging unit for packaging articles in boxes, comprising: a mandrel configured to accommodate at least one of said articles therein, a movement device configured to move said mandrel along a movement trajectory, a feeding device configured to feed at least one blank towards said mandrel, a folding device configured to cooperate with said mandrel to fold at least one panel of said blank being wound around said mandrel, to form one of said boxes, and a first retaining device movably guided parallel to said movement trajectory and configured to cooperate with the mandrel along a section of said movement trajectory, the first retaining device retaining said at least one panel of the blank wound on said mandrel against an abutment surface of the mandrel, the abutment surface of the mandrel extended parallel to the movement trajectory.

22. The packaging unit according to claim 21, further comprising a second retaining device, arranged downstream of the first retaining device, and configured to retain said at least one panel of the blank against said abutment surface of the mandrel in an advancement movement of the mandrel downstream of said section of said movement trajectory.

23. The packaging unit according to claim 22, wherein the second retaining device is spaced apart from the folding device along said movement trajectory and the first retaining device is movable between the folding device and the second retaining device.

24. The packaging unit according to claim 22, wherein the first retaining device is mounted on the second retaining device.

25. The packaging unit according to claim 22, wherein said second retaining device comprises a pair of spaced apart plates, parallel, and constrained to a fixed structure of said packaging unit.

26. The packaging unit according to claim 21, further comprising an actuation device configured to displace said first retaining device along a first stroke of said section of said movement trajectory towards the folding device with approach to the mandrel, and along a second stroke in an opposite direction.

27. The packaging unit according to claim 26, wherein, along at least part of the second stroke, the first retaining device is carried to accompany the mandrel with a same advancement speed as the mandrel.

28. The packaging unit according to claim 26, wherein the first stroke extends along at least part of the section of the movement trajectory between the folding device and the second retaining device.

29. The packaging unit according to claim 26, wherein: the actuation device is further configured to displace the first retaining device along the first stroke between a first position and a second position, in the first position the first retaining device is spaced apart from the advancing mandrel, and in the second position the first retaining device is positioned in proximity to a first folding edge of the mandrel facing the folding device.

30. The packaging unit according to claim 29, wherein: in said first position, said first retaining device approaches the second retaining device, and in said second position, said first retaining device is displaced to a remote position from said second retaining device.

31. The packaging unit according to claim 26, wherein said first retaining device comprises an arm operatively associated with the actuation device, said arm bearing at one end thereof a head capable of retaining the at least one panel of the blank against the abutment surface of the mandrel.

32. The packaging unit according to claim 31, wherein said head is configured to extend, in contact with the blank, along the at least one panel of the blank and a first folding edge of the mandrel.

33. The packaging unit according to claim 21, said mandrel comprising a pair of abutment surfaces parallel and opposed to each other with respect to a median plane of the mandrel extended parallel to the trajectory, wherein: said blank is wound against each of said abutment surfaces, and said first retaining device is configured to retain said blank against each of said abutment surfaces.

34. The packaging unit according to claim 26, wherein the folding device comprises an abutment element, wherein: the abutment element is configured to retain the at least one panel of the blank against the abutment surface of the mandrel in an advancement of said mandrel at least up to a third position along the first stroke, the third position located between said first position and second position, and the first retaining device reaches the mandrel and contacts the at least one panel of the blank.

35. A method for packaging articles in boxes comprising: (a) providing a mandrel and accommodating at least one of said articles in said mandrel, (b) moving said mandrel along a movement trajectory, (c) feeding at least one blank towards the mandrel, (d) providing a folding device configured to cooperate with said mandrel to fold at least one panel of said blank around the mandrel for the formation of one of said boxes, (e) moving a first retaining device to cooperate with the mandrel along a section of the movement trajectory, and (f) retaining said at least one panel of the blank, wound on the mandrel, against an abutment surface of the mandrel extended parallel to the movement trajectory, by said first retaining device.

36. The packaging method according to claim 35, further comprising: (g) providing a second retaining device arranged downstream of the first retaining device, to retain the at least one panel of the blank against said abutment surface of the mandrel, during an advancement movement of the mandrel downstream of said section of movement trajectory.

37. The packaging method according to claim 36, further comprising: (h) spacing the second retaining device from the folding device along said section of movement trajectory and moving the first retaining device between the folding device and the second retaining device.

38. The packaging method according to claim 35, further comprising: (e1) moving the first retaining device along said section of movement trajectory, in a first stroke, towards the folding device, with approach to the mandrel being advanced, and continuing said moving in a second return stroke, in the opposite direction.

39. The packaging method according to claim 38, further comprising: (e2) carrying the first retaining device, along at least part of the second stroke, accompanying the mandrel with the same speed as the mandrel.

40. The packaging method according to claim 38, further comprising: (e3) moving said first retaining device, along said first stroke, between a first position, in which the first retaining device is spaced apart from the advancing mandrel, and a second position, in which the first retaining device is positioned in proximity to a first folding edge of the mandrel facing the folding device.

Description

[0097] The features and advantages of the present solution will become clearer from the detailed description of an embodiment shown, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0098] FIGS. 1 and 2 are partial schematic and plan perspective views of an example of a unit for packaging articles in boxes made in accordance with the present invention;

[0099] FIG. 3 is a partial schematic, perspective view of a mandrel of the packaging unit of FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0100] FIG. 4 is a schematic front elevation view of a blank intended to be wound on the mandrel shown in FIG. 3;

[0101] FIGS. 5 and 6 are partial schematic, perspective views of a detail of the packaging unit of the previous figures, depicted in two distinct operating positions;

[0102] FIGS. 7 to 9 are schematic side views of the detail of FIG. 5, shown in cooperation with the mandrel, in respective and distinct operating positions,

[0103] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of the detail of FIG. 5, shown in cooperation with the mandrel, in a further operating position.

[0104] With initial reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, 100 overall indicates a packaging unit made in accordance with the present invention.

[0105] The packaging unit 100 is arranged to package one or more articles 1 inside boxes 2.

[0106] The articles 1 are, in this preferred example embodiment, bags containing granular, loose or bulk food products, e.g., cereal flakes.

[0107] The packaging unit 100 comprises, in its most general components, an article feeder, a blank feeding device 4 and a folding device 5 of the blanks.

[0108] The article feeder can be made in any form adapted to pick up an article 1 from an upstream work station (or from a warehouse) and deliver it to the devices of the packaging unit.

[0109] The blank feeding device 4, in turn, is configured to pick up a single blank 7 from a group of blanks stacked in a stacking zone and bring it in the packaging unit. For example, the feeding device 4 can comprise a plurality of gripping members 4a mounted on a carousel 4b rotatable around a substantially vertical axis.

[0110] The packaging unit 100 is arranged to receive each article 1 from the article feeder and form a respective box 2 around the same, starting from a blank 7 supplied by the blank feeding device 4. For this purpose, the packaging unit 100 comprises a mandrel 10 mounted on a carousel 8, rotatable around a vertical axis, so that the mandrel is moved along a circular trajectory in an advancement direction F. The trajectory is conveniently contained in a horizontal plane.

[0111] Thereby, the mandrel 10 is carried along the circular trajectory between a receiving zone, in which the mandrel 10 receives an article 1 from the article feeder, an abutment zone, in which the mandrel 10 abuts a blank 7 supplied by the blank feeding device 4, a forming zone, in which the blank 7 is folded, being wound around the mandrel 10, so as 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.

[0112] In the embodiment described here, the mandrel 10 consists of a pair of separate and distinct units, both mounted on an arm radially extended from the carousel 8.

[0113] With reference to the vertical axis around which the carousel 8 rotates, the two units forming the mandrel 10, which are substantially identical to each other, are arranged facing each other in a radial direction, and along such a radial direction they are displaceable with respect to each other, between an operating position, in which the two units are approached to each other, and a non-operating position in which they are spaced apart from each other, so as to break up the mandrel 10. The radial direction also identifies a direction of longitudinal extension of the mandrel 10, and the advancement direction F of the mandrel 10, along the circular trajectory, is thus directed transversely, and in particular is perpendicular, to the aforementioned radial direction.

[0114] On the mandrel 10, in its configuration with the two units approached, a lower wall 13 is identified, defining the bottom surface on which the article 1 is deposited, as well as a pair of side walls 15 and 16, delimiting the lower wall 13 at the opposite longitudinal sides.

[0115] A lower edge 18a is also identified on each side wall 15, 16, which is substantially coplanar with the lower wall 13, and an upper edge 18b, spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the lower wall 13.

[0116] The pairs of lower edges 18a and upper edges 18b form the folding edges around which the blank 7 is folded for the formation of the box 2. In this embodiment example, the pairs of folding edges are configured to make the box 2 assume a parallelepiped shape with pairs of opposite side faces parallel to each other.

[0117] The pair of upper edges 18b defines an upper abutment surface for the blank 7, which is extended parallel to the lower wall 13.

[0118] Similarly, the side walls 15,16 and the bottom wall 13 define, on the corresponding outer sides of the mandrel 10, respective abutment surfaces of the blank folded in winding around the mandrel 10.

[0119] The blank 7 is made of cardboard and is suitably shaped to form a box 2 when folded around the mandrel 10.

[0120] For this purpose, folding lines 7a are obtained in the blank 7 which divide the blank 7 into a plurality of panels intended to form, alone or in combination, the different faces of the box 2.

[0121] The folding lines 7a are preferably creases, and each pair of adjacent panels can be oscillated around a respective folding line 7a separating them.

[0122] In particular, a central panel 7b is identified in the blank 7, which is intended to be abutted first by the mandrel 10 in the formation of box 2, as well as two panels 7c, 7d extended from the upper and from the lower sides of the central panel 7b, respectively, and separated therefrom by respective folding lines 7a. A further panel 7e is extended from the panel 7c, intended for the partial closure of the box in the tubular shape, which, when the box is formed, is parallel and opposite the central panel 7b. The panel 7e is also referred to as the rear panel, as it is opposite the central panel 7b frontally abutted first by the mandrel 10 in the advancement movement thereof.

[0123] For the formation of the opposite bases of the box 2, respective base panels are extended from opposite sides of each of the panels 7b, 7c, 7d and 7e, which can oscillate with respect to the respective side panel at the crease joining them.

[0124] The tubular shape assumed by the partially closed box is obtained by joining the rear panel 7e with a flap 7f protruding from panel 7b, which are brought into relative overlapping and then joined together, e.g., by gluing.

[0125] The folding device 5 is of the type comprising a pair of plates 21 positioned on the circular trajectory of the mandrel 10 immediately downstream of the point where the blank 7 is delivered to the packaging unit by the blank feeding device 4.

[0126] The plates 21 are parallel and opposite each other as well as mutually spaced so that mandrel 10 can be dragged therebetween at an approached distance between each of the two plates 21 and the lower and upper edges 18a, 18b of the side walls 15, 16 of the mandrel 10.

[0127] At the mouth defined between the plates 21, further folding members can be provided, intended to impact the blank, for folding the panels being wound on the mandrel, before the latter is carried between the plates 21.

[0128] Upon exiting the pair of plates 21, the blank 7 thus assumes a folded configuration, in partial winding on the mandrel 10, in which the central panel 7b is abutted against the side wall 15 of the mandrel 10, while the upper 7c and lower 7d panels are folded against the respective upper and lower abutment surfaces of the mandrel 10. Such a conformation is schematically shown in FIG. 7.

[0129] Downstream of the pair of plates 21, along the movement trajectory of the mandrel 10, it is provided that a closing member 22, mounted on the mandrel 10, cooperates with the mandrel 10 so as to fold the rear panel 7e against the side wall 16 of the mandrel 10, bringing said panel overlapping the flap 7f, for their gluing, for example by means of the prevision of glue points, so as to obtain the side closure of the box wound around the mandrel.

[0130] The closing member 22, for example configured in the form of a bar, is controlled in a movement with which it is lowered from above onto the trajectory of the mandrel 10 to perform the folding of the rear panel 7e, following the mandrel 10 in its advancement. This folding step is carried out in a section of the trajectory of the mandrel 10, extended downstream of the folding device 5, with respect to the advancement direction F of the mandrel 10.

[0131] The packaging unit 100 further comprises a first retaining device 25, movably guided along said trajectory section, and configured to cooperate with the mandrel 10 so as to retain the opposite upper and lower panels 7c, 7d of the blank against the respective abutment surfaces of the mandrel, in the advancement movement of the mandrel along the trajectory, and in particular during the folding step carried out by the closing member 22.

[0132] A second retaining device 26 is arranged downstream of the first retaining device 25, in a distanced position from the folding device 5 along the trajectory of the mandrel, and the first retaining device 25 is therefore movable between the folding device 5 and the second retaining device 26.

[0133] The second retaining device 26 comprises a pair of plates 27 parallel and opposite as well as mutually spaced apart so that the mandrel 10, in the advancement movement thereof, can be carried therebetween at an approached distance between each of the two plates 27 and the lower and upper edges 18a, 18b of the side walls 15, 16 of the mandrel 10.

[0134] In more detail, the first retaining device 25 comprises a pair of opposite arms 28, parallel and spaced apart, each arm being mounted, in a movably guided manner, on the respective plate 27, so as to be displaced along the trajectory section between a first position (FIG. 5), in which it is approached to the corresponding plate 27 and a second position in which it is spaced apart in a remote position from the plate 27 (FIG. 6). The movements of the arms 28 occur in respective planes parallel to each other as well as parallel to the plane containing the movement trajectory of the mandrel 10. Conveniently, the movement trajectory of the mandrel is contained in a horizontal plane.

[0135] The arms 28 are driven in a synchronous movement, along a first stroke extended from the first to the second position, in approaching the mandrel 10, continued in a second return stroke, in the opposite direction, in which the arms 28 are driven accompanying the mandrel, in the same advancement direction and preferably with the same speed as the mandrel.

[0136] The distance between the arms 28 is chosen so that the mandrel 10, in the advancement movement thereof, can slide therebetween at an approached distance between each arm 28 and the folding edges of the mandrel 10 facing it.

[0137] Each arm 28 is fitted with an end head 29 capable of retaining, in the accompanying movement of the mandrel, the corresponding panel of the blank in contact against the corresponding abutment surface of the mandrel. In other words, the head 29 above the mandrel 10 retains the upper panel 7c of the blank against the corresponding upper abutment surface of the mandrel and the other head 29 below the mandrel retains the lower panel 7d of the blank against the corresponding lower abutment surface of the mandrel.

[0138] With reference to the sequence of operating positions of FIGS. 7 to 9, in FIG. 7 the arms 28 are shown in the first position, close to the respective plates 27.

[0139] In FIG. 8 the arms 28 are shown in the second position, having reached the end of the first stroke. The movements of the arms and mandrel along the trajectory section are configured in so that in the second position both heads 29 are positioned in proximity of the respective folding edges 18a, 18b of the mandrel facing towards the folding device 5.

[0140] In FIG. 9, the arms are shown again in the first position, reached at the end of the second stroke, after the accompanying movement of the mandrel has finished. The latter, continuing along its trajectory, is carried between the plates 27, to be delivered to an unloading station where the box, having completed the side closure, is extracted from the mandrel 10, and the mandrel is returned to the loading zone.

[0141] FIG. 10 shows a further position reached within the first stroke, in which the arms 28 reach the advancing mandrel 10, coming into contact with the corresponding panels of the blank 7.

[0142] Each head 29 has a substantially T shape, in which the enlarged portion extends along a prevalent part of the longitudinal dimension of the panels in the contact zone with the blank 7, developed along the folding edges.

[0143] The number 30 denotes a respective plate-like element, extended in extension of each head 29 along the longitudinal extension of the corresponding arm 28. The plate-like element 30 is configured to cooperate with the head 29 in retaining the corresponding panel of the blank against the corresponding abutment surface of the mandrel.

[0144] Each arm 28 is carried in its movement along the trajectory section by means of a respective actuation device comprising an articulated quadrilateral kinematic system, indicated with 31, by means of which the corresponding arm 28 is carried in an oriented manner along the trajectory section. The kinematic system 31 allows to convert a rotational motion entering the system into an alternating movement of the arm 28 to travel, along the trajectory section, the first stroke in one direction and the second stroke in the opposite direction.

[0145] In an embodiment variant, not illustrated in the figures, the actuation device can comprise a mechanism for transmitting the motion of each arm 28 of the rack-and-pinion type, in which a rack made integral with arm 28 is coupled to a pinion driven in rotation by a motor member.

[0146] The number 32 denotes an abutment element integral with the plates 21 of the folding device, which is arranged at an exit section from the plates 21. Said abutment element 32 is configured to retain the upper panel 7c against the corresponding abutment surface of the mandrel 10, during the advancement of the mandrel exiting from the plates 21, so as to exert a retaining action at least up to a position (shown in FIG. 10) along the first stroke, in which the arms 28 reach the mandrel coming into contact with the panels of the blank 7. This thereby ensures that the upper panel 7c of the blank is always held abutted against the mandrel 10, even during the time it takes the arms 28 to travel the part of the first stroke required to reach the mandrel 10.

[0147] It is observed that the retaining action of the panels of the blank 7 in abutment against the mandrel 10 exerted by the arms 28, during the folding step of the rear panel performed by the closing member 22, ensures that the folding of the rear panels occurs accurately along the folding edges of the mandrel 10, ensuring the correct overlapping of the flaps provided for gluing, and also allows that such folding operations and subsequent closure of the box are performed by accompanying the mandrel 10 along its trajectory after it has been abutted upon exiting the folding device 5, so as to free the suitable space to allow the operating movement of the closing member 22 relative to the mandrel 10.