PACKAGING DEVICE FOR PACKAGING ARTICLES INTO BOXES AND RELATIVE PACKAGING METHOD

Abstract

A packaging device for packaging articles in boxes includes a mandrel adapted to be wrapped at least partially by a blank to form a partially closed box, and a closing group arranged to at least partially overlap and fix an outer flap of the blank onto an inner flap of the blank. The closing group includes an abutting element and a displacement member. The abutting element is movable with respect to the mandrel between a rest position, in which the abutting element is in a remote position with respect to the mandrel, and a pressing position, in which the abutting element is in an abutting position to press the outer flap on the inner flap and against an abutment surface of said mandrel. The displacement member is configured to displace the abutting element between the rest position and the pressing position. The abutting element includes at least one contact surface intended to abut the mandrel at said abutment surface and one or more compensating elements configured to compensate for a misalignment between the abutment surface of the mandrel and the at least one contact surface of the abutting element.

Claims

1.-17. (canceled)

18. A packaging device for packaging articles into boxes comprising: a mandrel configured to accommodate therein one or more of said articles, the mandrel adapted to be at least partially wrapped by a blank to form a partially closed box, and a closing group arranged to at least partially overlap and fix an outer flap of the blank onto an inner flap of the blank when the blank is at least partially wrapped on the mandrel, the closing group comprising: an abutting element movable with respect to the mandrel between a rest position and a pressing position, the abutting element comprising: i) at least one contact element having at least one contact surface to abut the mandrel at an abutment surface of said mandrel, ii) one or more compensating elements configured to compensate for a misalignment between the abutment surface of the mandrel and the at least one contact surface of the abutting element, and a displacement member configured to displace the abutting element between the rest position and the pressing position, wherein: in the resting position, the abutting element is in a remote position with respect to the mandrel, and in the pressing position, the abutting element is in an abutted position to press the outer flap on the inner flap against the abutment surface of the mandrel, and the abutment surface of the mandrel and the at least one contact surface of the abutting element are parallel one to another.

19. The packaging device according to claim 18, wherein said one or more compensating elements comprise at least one of: joints and elastically deformable elements.

20. The packaging device according to claim 19, wherein said one or more compensating elements comprise elastically deformable elements and said elastically deformable elements comprise at least one of: springs, cylinder-piston members, and inserts of polymeric material.

21. The packaging device according to claim 19, wherein said one or more compensating elements comprise elastically deformable elements and said elastically deformable elements comprise cylinder-piston members.

22. The packaging device according to claim 21, wherein said cylinder-piston members comprise pneumatic cylinder-piston members.

23. The packaging device according to claim 21, wherein said cylinder-piston members are connected to a compressed air circuit to keep said at least one contact surface of the abutting element pressed on said overlapped outer flap and said inner flap of the blank against the abutment surface of the mandrel with a predetermined pressure in the pressing position.

24. The packaging device according to claim 19, wherein said one or more compensating elements comprise joints and the joints comprise at least one of: ball joints and hinges.

25. The packaging device according to claim 18, wherein said one or more compensating elements are at least two compensating elements.

26. The packaging device according to claim 25, wherein the said at least two compensating elements are distributed along a longitudinal direction of the abutting element.

27. The packaging device according to claim 18, said abutting element further comprising a support element engaged with the displacement member and with said at least one contact element, wherein said one or more compensating elements is interposed between said support element and said at least one contact element.

28. The packaging device according to claim 18, wherein said one or more compensating elements are positioned at opposite end regions of said at least one contact surface.

29. The packaging device according to claim 18, the packaging device further comprising a moving unit configured to move the mandrel, wherein the closing group is mounted on the moving unit.

30. The packaging device according to claim 29, wherein the moving unit is configured to move both the mandrel and the closing group along a circular trajectory.

31. The packaging device according to claim 29, wherein the moving unit comprises a carousel.

32. The packaging device according to claim 18, the packaging device further comprising a plurality of mandrels and a closing group for each mandrel.

33. A method for packaging articles into boxes comprising: a) arranging a blank at least partially around a mandrel, the mandrel containing one or more of said articles therein to form a partially closed box around said mandrel, an outer flap of the blank being at least partially overlappable on an inner flap of the blank, the outer flap and the inner flap being fixable on each other when pressed against each other; b) arranging an abutting element movable with respect to the mandrel between a rest position in which the abutting element is in a remote position with respect to the mandrel, and a pressing position in which the abutting element is in an abutting position to press the outer flap on the inner flap and against an abutment surface of said mandrel, the abutting element comprising at least one contact surface to abut the mandrel at said abutment surface; c) folding the inner flap at least partially towards the abutment surface of said mandrel; d) folding the outer flap on the inner flap and against said abutment surface of said mandrel; e) pressing the outer flap onto the inner flap and against said abutment surface of said mandrel by moving the abutting element to the pressing position, wherein, as a result of said pressing, the at least one contact surface of the abutting element is arranged parallel to the abutment surface of the mandrel to exert a substantially uniform pressure on said outer flap and on said inner flap.

34. The method for packaging articles in boxes according to claim 33, wherein: at least one of said outer flap and inner flap bears an adhesive on an overlapping surface overlapping with the other flap, said adhesive being a glue, and the pressing further comprises the abutting element pressing in the pressing position the outer flap on the inner flap and against the abutment surface of said mandrel for a time equal to or longer than a drying time of the glue.

35. The method for packaging articles into boxes according to claim 33, further comprising the abutting element pressing, in the pressing position, the outer flap onto the inner flap and against the abutment surface of said mandrel with a predetermined pressure.

Description

[0135] The characteristics and advantages of the present solution will become clearer from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings wherein:

[0136] FIG. 1 is a partial schematic and perspective view from above of an example of packaging device for packaging articles in boxes made in accordance with this solution;

[0137] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a blank;

[0138] FIG. 3 is a partial schematic and left side perspective view of a detail of the packaging device for packaging articles in boxes of FIG. 1;

[0139] FIG. 4 is a partial schematic view and right side perspective view of the detail of FIG. 3;

[0140] FIG. 5 is a partial schematic and left side perspective view of a detail of FIG. 3;

[0141] FIG. 6 is a partial schematic view and right side perspective view of the detail of FIG. 5;

[0142] FIG. 7 is the same view as FIG. 5 in which some elements are represented in transparency;

[0143] FIG. 8 is the same view as FIG. 6 in which some elements are represented in transparency, and

[0144] FIGS. 9a to 9f are respective schematic representations of a method for packaging articles in boxes made in accordance with this solution.

[0145] With initial reference to FIG. 1, an example of a packaging device made in accordance with this solution is indicated as a whole with 100.

[0146] The packaging device 100 is arranged to package one or more articles 1 into boxes 2.

[0147] The articles 1 are, in this preferred embodiment example, bags of granular, loose or bulk food products, for example corn flakes, in particular bags with a longitudinal dimension of about 300 mm (exemplary value).

[0148] The packaging device 100 comprises a plurality of mandrels 10 and a moving unit 50 for moving such mandrels 10. Such a moving unit 50 comprises a carousel 51 rotatable around a vertical axis.

[0149] The moving unit 50 moves the plurality of mandrels 10 along a displacement direction F defining a substantially circular path.

[0150] Each mandrel 10 has its own closing group 30; each closing group 30 is mounted on the moving so unit 50, so that said moving unit 50 moves both each mandrel 10 and the corresponding closing group 30 along the displacement direction F.

[0151] The mandrel 10 is configured to accommodate one or more such articles 1 therein. It is furthermore adapted to be wrapped at least partially by a blank 20 of cardboard so as to form a partially closed box 210.

[0152] The blank 20, an example of which is shown in FIG. 2, provides a series of panels 23 adapted to form the sides of the box 2 and of the flaps 24,241,242 adapted to overlap with other flaps 24,241,242.

[0153] The flaps 24,241,242 and the panels 23 may be creased along a folding line 25,251,252 so as to be more easily folded to form the box 2.

[0154] In particular, the blank 20 is shaped such that, once wrapped at least partially around the mandrel 10, the two flaps 241,242 are overlappable on each other when folded towards each other along the corresponding folding line 251,252.

[0155] The blank 20 is shaped such that, once wrapped at least partially around the mandrel 10, the two flaps 241,242 overlap on each other abutting the mandrel 10 on an abutment surface 10a thereof, as shown in FIG. 9e.

[0156] The flap 241, once this overlap has been made, will be located outside the partially closed box 210; this flap 241 is the so-called outer flap 241.

[0157] In a completely similar way, the flap 242, once such an overlap has been made, will be located between the outer flap 241 and the inside of the partially closed box 210; such flap 242 is the so-so called inner flap 242.

[0158] At least one of the two flaps 241,242 also bears an adhesive 40 on an overlapping surface 222 with the other flap 241,242.

[0159] The adhesive 40 is a glue 41 distributed in glue points 411.

[0160] Still with reference to FIG. 2, the glue points 411 are spaced apart stepwise along an axis X parallel to the folding lines 251 and 252.

[0161] In some embodiment variants, the glue points 411 can only be located at the end regions of the flaps 241,242.

[0162] Still with reference to FIG. 2, it is the outer flap 241 that bears, on its overlapping surface 222, such glue points 411.

[0163] FIGS. 3 and 4 relate to a detail of the packaging device 100 in which the closing group 30 and the mandrel 10 are visible.

[0164] Each closing group 30 comprises a displacement member 32 and an abutting element 31 movable with respect to the mandrel 10 between a rest position in which the abutting element 31 is in a so remote position with respect to the mandrel 10 and a pressing position, in which the abutting element 31 is in a position such to press the outer flap 241 on the inner flap 242 and against an abutment surface 10a of the mandrel 10.

[0165] The displacement member 32 moves the abutting element 31 between the rest and pressing positions.

[0166] Said displacement member 32 comprises an articulated arm 321 that actuates the displacement of the abutting element 31 between the rest and pressing positions.

[0167] With reference to FIGS. 5-8, the abutting element 31 comprises a support element 311 engaged to the displacement member 32, two compensating elements 312, in particular two cylinder-piston members 312a as visible in FIGS. 7 and 8, and a contact element 313, in particular a plate 3131 having a contact surface 3131a intended to abut the mandrel 10 in its abutment surface 10a.

[0168] Such cylinder-piston members 312a are located between the support element 311 and the plate 3131 at the opposite end regions of the contact surface 3131a of the plate 3131.

[0169] The contact surface 3131a of the plate 3131 has a longitudinal extension at least equal to or greater than the longitudinal length of the abutment surface 10a of the mandrel 10.

[0170] The abutting element 31, in passing from the rest position to the pressing position, approaches the mandrel 10 from the side of the outer 241 and inner 242 flaps of the blank 20 until it meets the outer flap 241.

[0171] Continuing its approach towards the mandrel 10, the abutting element 31 folds the outer flap 241 against the mandrel 10 along a corresponding folding line 251. The outer flap 241, by folding against the mandrel 10 along the folding line 251, meets the inner flap 242, which is already preliminarily at least partially folded along a corresponding folding line 252 towards the mandrel 10 itself.

[0172] Continuing further its approach to the mandrel 10, the abutting element 31 continues to fold the outer flap 241 towards the mandrel 10; in turn the outer flap 241, in its folding movement, further folds the inner flap 242 against the mandrel 10 until it abuts the mandrel 10 itself on an abutment surface 10a thereof.

[0173] The approach of the abutting element 31 to the mandrel 10 from the rest position to the pressing position takes place with a straight trajectory D that is inclined with respect to the abutment surface 10a of the mandrel 10.

[0174] As soon as the abutting element 31, and in particular the plate 3131 with its contact surface 3131a, contacts the mandrel 10 on its abutment surface 10a, by pressing the outer flap 241 on the inner flap 242 and against the abutment surface 10a, the two cylinder-piston members 312a orient the abutting element 31 in such a manner that the contact surface 3131a and the abutment surface 10 so abut so as to be parallel.

[0175] In this way, any misalignments between the abutment surface 10a of the mandrel 10 and the abutting element 31 are corrected in the pressing position.

[0176] Moreover, with this solution the pressure of the abutting element 31 is homogeneously distributed on the upper flap 241 overlapped on the lower flap 241 and against the mandrel 10.

[0177] Finally, FIGS. 9a to 9f illustrate different steps of the method according to the innovation.

[0178] FIG. 9a shows the blank 20 partially wrapped around the mandrel 10 to form a partially closed box 210.

[0179] The mandrel 10 contains one or more articles 1 therein; with reference to FIGS. 9a-9f, only one article 1 is depicted.

[0180] The blank 20 partially wrapped around the mandrel 10 to form a partially closed box 2 210 has two partially overlappable flaps 241,242, the outer flap 241 and the inner flap 242.

[0181] FIG. 9b depicts the step in which the inner flap 242 is at least partially folded towards the mandrel 10 along the corresponding folding line 251.

[0182] FIG. 9c depicts the step in which the abutting element 31 is in a remote position with respect to the mandrel 10 and is about to move along a straight trajectory D that is inclined with respect to an abutment surface 10a of the mandrel 10 by an angle of about 30.

[0183] FIG. 9d depicts a step in which the abutting element 31 passes from the rest position, represented in FIG. 9c, to the pressing position, represented in the corresponding FIG. 9e, moving along the straight trajectory D; the abutting element 31 in its movement along the straight trajectory D, folds the outer flap 241 along the corresponding folding line 251 towards the abutment surface 10a of the mandrel 10. During the folding thereof by the abutting element 31, the outer flap 241 meets the inner flap 242 and completes the folding thereof along the corresponding folding line 252 until it abuts the abutment surface 10a of the mandrel 10.

[0184] As soon as the abutting element 31 touches the outer flap 241 on the inner flap 242 against the abutment surface 10a of the mandrel 10, the compensating elements 312, not depicted in FIGS. 9a-9f, make sure that the contact surface 3131a of the abutting element 31 and the abutment surface 10a of the mandrel 10 abut one another so as to be parallel; in particular the compensating elements 312 orient the contact surface 3131a of the abutting element 31 so that it is parallel to the abutment surface 10a of the mandrel 10 ensuring a homogeneous pressure on the overlapped flaps 241,242 and against the mandrel 10.

[0185] Subsequently, the closing group 31 can possibly return to the rest position with respect to the mandrel 10 (FIG. 9f).

[0186] It goes without saying that, in order to meet specific and contingent application needs, a person so skilled in the art will be able to make further modifications and variants to the solution described above that are nevertheless within the scope of protection as defined by the following claims.