FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the technical sector of packing flat articles, in particular ceramic articles, with particular reference to a packing method of the flat articles.

The invention relates to flat articles having a polygonal shape, in particular quadrangular, such as for example ceramic slabs and tiles, as well as materials that can be arranged stacked.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART A method is known for packing stacks of tiles having a square and/or rectangular geometry which uses pre-scored blanks, having lengths that are slightly greater than the lateral extension of the stacks, comprising a central zone to which four pairs of lower and upper flaps are hinged by score lines.

The central zone of the blank is wound on the lateral flanks of the stack and blocked at the ends, generally by means of a spot of glue.

The folding of the lower and upper flaps of the blank on the lower and upper faces of the stack is done in phase with the folding of the central zone of the lateral flanks of the stack, partially covering the faces.

The flaps that superpose at the corners of the stack are glued using a number of glue points to stabilise the perpendicular configuration with respect to the central zone of the blank.

In this way a perimeter band of protection is achieved of the lateral flanks of the stack and the corresponding corners, as well as the corners of the upper face and the lower face of the stack. The method is not recommended for packing stacks of tiles having medium- to-large dimensions as the large longitudinal extension of the blanks makes the folding operations on the lateral flanks of the tiles extremely difficult. In this case also the matching-up of the ends of the central zone of the blanks during the step of superposing and closing thereof is extremely problematic.

Also of importance is the fact that the smaller thickness of the blanks can generate damage thereof during the steps of folding on the lateral flanks of the stack.

To this can be added the problem connected with a format change of the tiles, which requires a particularly large storage zone provided with a number of formats of blanks that is equal to the number of stacks of tiles to be packed.

In the case of tiles having especially large dimensions, the stack is often in actual fact one tile alone.

By way of example, for packing a square tile having sides of 800 mm and thickness of 12 mm, a blank of greater than 3600 mm would be necessary which with the plant at present available would not be realisable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to obviate the above problems by providing a method which enables packing flat articles having relatively high dimensions, preventing any phenomenon of mechanical failure of the blanks used.

A further aim is to provide a method able to limit the use of packing material and glue with respect to the known art.

A further aim is to propose a method able to reduce the size of the storage area needed for the blanks. The above-indicated aims are obtained by means of a method for packing at least a flat article, the flat article comprising two opposite faces, upper and lower, and a plurality of lateral flanks, characterised in that it comprises following steps:

- positioning a flat article at an inlet of a first station comprising first folding means and a first blank interposed between the first folding means and the flat article; the first blank comprising a central region to which a plurality of lower flaps and upper flaps are hinged; the central region comprising a front portion to which two opposite lateral portions are hinged; the flat article being orientated with a first lateral flank facing the first blank;

- conveying the flat article into the first station such as to enable a preliminary interception of the front portion of the central region of the first blank by the first lateral flank of the article; subsequent intercepting of the lateral portions of the central region of the first blank by the first folding means up to folding the lateral portions against the lateral flanks of the article that are adjacent to the first flank such as to enable at least a partial covering thereof; folding the lower flaps and upper flaps of the first blank against the lower and upper surfaces of the article which is realised in phase with the intercepting of the front portion of the first blank by the first lateral flank of the article;

- positioning a semi-finished pack comprising the flat article and the first blank folded thereon, at an inlet of a second station positioned in cascade to the first station, which comprises second folding means and a second blank interposed between the second folding means and the semi-finished pack; the article being orientated with a second lateral flank, opposite the first flank, facing the second blank; the second blank comprising a central region to which a plurality of lower flaps and upper flaps are hinged; the central region comprising a front portion to which the opposite lateral portions are hinged;

- conveying the semi-finished pack into the second station in order to enable a preliminary intercepting of the front portion of the central region of the second blank by the second lateral flank of the article; subsequent intercepting of the lateral portions of the central region of the second blank by the second folding means, up to folding the lateral portions against the lateral flanks of the article, which flaps are adjacent to the second flank, such as to superpose the ends (64a) of the lateral portions (64) of the second blank with the ends of the lateral portions of the first blank, enabling the peripheral covering of the lateral flanks of the flat article in cooperation with the first blank; folding the lower flap and upper flap of the second blank against the lower and upper surfaces of the flat article which is realised in phase with the intercepting of the front portion of the second blank by the second lateral flank of the article, in such a way that the flaps, upper and lower, of the lateral portions of the central region of the second blank superpose the flaps, upper and lower, of the lateral portions of the central region of the first blank; - conveying the pack, comprising the flat article and the blanks folded thereon in outlet from the second station.

In further embodiments the method of the invention comprises one or more of the following characteristics, considered singly or in combination:

• conveying the flat article into the first station comprises at least a translation of the article in a substantially perpendicular direction to the central region of the first blank;

• conveying the semi-finished pack into the second station comprises at least a translation of the semi-finished pack in a substantially perpendicular direction to the central region of the second blank; · positioning the semi-finished pack at the inlet of the second station comprises at least a rotation of the semi-finished pack with respect to a perpendicular direction to the upper and lower surfaces of the flat article, such as to orientate the second lateral flank of the flat article facing the second blank; • the semi-finished pack is set in rotation solidly together with the first folding means;

• the first station and the second station are in a line and the rotation of the semi-finished pack is substantially by 180° · the first station and the second station are squared to one another and the rotation of the semi-finished pack is substantially by 90°;

• the positioning of the semi-finished pack at the inlet of the second station comprises at least a translation of the semi-finished pack, such as to orientate the second lateral flank of the article facing the second blank; · the semi-finished pack is translated solidly with the first folding means;

• the translation of the semi-finished pack is done in a perpendicular direction with respect to the inlet direction of the article into the first station;

• the translation of the semi-finished pack is done on a horizontal plane coplanar to the stations;

• the translation of the semi-finished pack is done on a vertical plane, with the stations at different heights;

• the flat article comprises a ceramic tile or slab, i.e. a stack of ceramic tiles and/or slabs, the flat article preferably exhibiting a quadrangular geometry.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the invention will be set out in the following, in which some preferred but not exclusive embodiments are described by way of example, with reference to the appended tables of drawings, in which: - figures from 1 to 9 illustrate a succession of operating steps of a first embodiment of the proposed packing method; - figures from 10 to 18 represent a succession of operating steps of a second embodiment of the packing method of the invention;

- figures from 19 to 27 illustrate a succession of operating steps of a third embodiment of the packing method of the invention; - figures 23A, 24A show corresponding variants of the operating steps denoted in figures 23, 24;

- figures 28, 29 illustrate the blanks used in the method of the invention, in a flat configuration.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to the tables of drawings, general reference number 2 denotes a flat article comprising two opposite faces, upper and lower, and a plurality of lateral flanks.

The flat article 2 preferably exhibits a quadrangular geometry and comprises a ceramic tile or slab, i.e. a stack of ceramic tiles and/or slabs. The method for packing at least a flat article 2 comprises following steps:

- positioning a flat article 2 at an inlet of a first station S1 comprising first folding means 3 and a first blank 4 interposed between the first folding means 3 and the flat article 2; the first blank 4 comprising a central region 40 to which a plurality of lower flaps 42 and upper flaps 41 are hinged; the central region 40 comprising a front portion 43 to which two opposite lateral portions 44 are hinged; the flat article 2 being orientated with a first lateral flank 20 facing the first blank 4; (figures 1 , 10, 19);

- conveying the flat article 2 into the first station SI such as to enable a preliminary interception of the front portion 43 of the central region 40 of the first blank 4 by the first lateral flank 20 of the article 2; subsequent intercepting of the lateral portions 44 of the central region 40 of the first blank 4 by the first folding means 3 up to folding the lateral portions 44 against the lateral flanks of the article 2 that are adjacent to the first flank 20 such as to enable at least a partial covering thereof; folding the lower flaps 42 and upper flaps 41 of the first blank 4 against the lower and upper surfaces of the article 2 which is realised in phase with the intercepting of the front portion 43 of the first blank 4 by the first lateral flank 20 of the article 2 (figures 2-4, 11-13, 20-22); positioning a semi-finished pack 100 comprising the flat article 2 and the first blank 4 folded thereon, at an inlet of a second station S2 positioned in cascade to the first station S1 , which comprises second folding means 5 and a second blank 6 interposed between the second folding means 5 and the semi-finished pack 100; the article 2 being orientated with a second lateral flank 25, opposite the first flank 20, facing the second blank 6; the second blank 6 comprising a central region 60 to which a plurality of lower flaps 62 and upper flaps 61 are hinged; the central region 60 comprising a front portion 63 to which the opposite lateral portions 64 are hinged (figures 5-6, 14-15, 22-24); conveying the semi-finished pack 100 into the second station S2 in order to enable a preliminary intercepting of the front portion 63 of the central region 60 of the second blank 6 by the second lateral flank 25 of the article 2; subsequent intercepting of the lateral portions 64 of the central region 60 of the second blank 6 by the second folding means 5, up to folding the lateral portions 64 against the lateral flanks of the article 2, which flaps are adjacent to the second flank 25, such as to superpose the ends 64a of the lateral portions 64 of the second blank 6 with the ends 44a of the lateral portions 44 of the first blank 4, enabling the peripheral covering of the lateral flanks of the flat article 2 in cooperation with the first blank 4; folding the lower flap 62 and upper flap 61 of the second blank 6 against the lower and upper surfaces of the flat article 2 which is realised in phase with the intercepting of the front portion 63 of the second blank 6 by the second lateral flank 25 of the article 2, in such a way that the flaps, upper 61 and lower 62, of the lateral portions 64 of the central region 60 of the second blank 6 superpose the flaps, upper 41 and lower 42, of the lateral portions 44 of the central region 40 of the first blank 4 (figures 7-9, 16-18, 25-27);

- conveying the pack 101 , comprising the flat article 2 and the blanks 4, 6 folded thereon in outlet from the second station S2.

In a preferred actuation mode of the proposed packing method, the conveying of the flat article 2 into the first station S1 comprises at least a translation W1 of the article 2 in a substantially perpendicular direction to the central region 40 of the first blank 4 (figures 2-3, 1 1-12, 20-21 ), and the conveying of the semi-finished pack 100 into the second station S2 comprises at least a translation W2 of the semi-finished pack 100 in a substantially perpendicular direction to the centra! region 60 of the second blank 6 (figures 7-8, 16-17, 25-26).

In a preferred actuation mode of the proposed packing method, the positioning of the semi-finished pack 100 at the inlet of the second station S2 comprises at least a rotation Y1 , Y2 of the semi-finished pack 100 with respect to a perpendicular direction to the upper and lower surfaces of the flat article 2, such as to orientate the second lateral flank 25 of the flat article 2 facing the second blank 6 (figures 5, 14). According to the actuation modes illustrated in figures 5 and 14, the semifinished pack 100 is set in rotation Y1 , Y2 solidly together with the first folding means 3.

In figure 5, concerning a first embodiment, the first S1 and second stations S2 are in line with one another and the rotation Y1 of the semi-pack 100 is substantially 180°.

In figure 14, concerning a second embodiment, the the first S1 and second stations S2 are squared to one another and the rotation Y2 of the semifinished pack 00 is substantially by 90°. In a further embodiment of the provided packing method (figures 19-27), the positioning of the semi-finished pack 100 at the inlet of the second station S2 comprises at least a translation W3 of the semi-finished pack 100, such as to orientate the second lateral flank 25 of the article 2 facing the second blank 6 (figures 23, 24 e 23A, 24A).

In figures 23, 24, concerning a third embodiment, the semi-finished pack 100 is moved in free translation W3 solidly together with the first folding means 3.

In figures 23A, 24A, concerning a variant of the third embodiment, the semi- finished pack 100 is translated W3 solidly with the first folding means 3.

In the figures, the first S1 and second S2 stations are de-aligned and the translation W3 of the semi-finished pack 100 is carried out in a perpendicular direction to the translation W1 of the article in inlet in the first station S1. In figures 19-27, the translation W3 takes place on a horizontal plane that is coplanar to the stations S1 , S2.

This does not exclude that in a further actuation mode the translation W3 might take place on a vertical plane, with the stations S1 , S2 located at different heights. The above description has been made with reference to a flat article 2, though it is understood that the inventive concept is also applicable to piles of flat articles.

From the foregoing it can easily be understood how the method of the invention enables packing flat articles having relatively large dimensions, preventing any phenomenon of mechanical failure of the blanks used.

The method for packing flat articles further enables limiting the use of packing material and glue with respect to the prior art. This method is particularly recommended for packing stacks of tiles of average-to-large dimensions as the limited longitudinal extension of the blanks used facilitates the folding operations on the lateral flanks of the tiles, while providing a continuous peripheral protection on the lateral flanks. The limited longitudinal extension of the two blanks enables preventing damage of the blanks that can be attributed to their slimness during the step of folding on the lateral flanks of the stack.

During the step of format change of the tiles the disclosed packing method enables reducing the size of the storage zone of the blanks, which can be adapted to a plurality of formats according to the degree of superposing of the ends of the blanks.

With reference to the example reported in the introductory preamble, the method enables packing a square tile having a side of 800 mm and a thickness of 12 mm by means of the use of two blanks having longitudinal dimensions of barely more than 1800 mm, which is well within the limits of present plant technology.