Plant and method for forming a box packaging Technical field

The present invention relates to a forming plant for forming a packaging and a device for filling said packaging.

Prior art

There are known cardboard box forming systems comprising a first slide on which a cardboard blank (flat) is placed; the slide moves the blank from a blank pick-up area to an unloading area in which the blank is formed so as to lend it a box shape. During the movement of the first slide, a layer of glue is applied, which enables the cardboard box to be sealed.

The cardboard box is subsequently transferred onto a second movable slide located on a second conveyor line distinct from the first one. A filling station is located along this second line. The passage of the cardboard box from the forming station to the second slide takes place by means of a robotic arm.

A drawback of this solution is tied to the structural complexity of the system, which determines an increase in costs and penalises speed.

Aim of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a forming plant for forming a packaging which allows maximum operating flexibility and an optimisation of times. In particular, the object of the present invention is to resolve the above-mentioned technical drawbacks.

The stated technical task and specified objects are substantially achieved by a forming plant comprising the technical features disclosed in one or more of the appended claims.

Brief description of the drawings

Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the approximate, and thus non-limiting, description of a forming plant as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: -figure 1 shows a perspective view of a plant according to the present invention;

-figure 2 shows a perspective view, from a different angle, of a portion of the plant in figure 1 ;

-figure 3 shows a top view of the plant in figure 1 ;

-figure 4 shows a view of a component of the plant in figure 1 ;

-figure 5 shows a perspective view of a further component of the plant in figure 1 ;

-figure 6 shows a sectional view of the component in figure 5;

-figure 7 shows a view of two components which may be used in the plant in figure 1.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

In the accompanying figures, the reference number 1 denotes a forming plant for forming a box packaging obtained from a body to be folded. The body to be folded is identified by the reference C in the accompanying figures. The body to be folded is typically a sheet, typically flat. The body to be folded is suitably made of cardboard or substantially of cardboard. The box packaging that is formed usually, but not necessarily, has no lid. The forming plant 1 comprises a conveyor line 2.

The conveyor line 2 is advantageously a path 200 that is closed on itself (a circuit). It is therefore annular. Conveniently, the path 200 imposes on the carriage 3 a displacement along a horizontal direction.

The plant 1 further comprises a carriage 3 movable along the conveyor line 2 and intended to convey a body to be folded intended to form a packaging.

The carriage 3 is slidable along the conveyor line 2. The plant 1 further comprises a forming station 4 for forming a packaging. The forming station 4 is located along the conveyor line 2. In the preferred solution, the path 200 is annular. If, by contrast, the path 200 extends between two ends, the forming station 4 is not located in any end positions of the path 200. The carriage 3 is positionable in said forming station 4. In particular, the carriage 3 can stop in said forming station 4. The forming station 4 comprises a punch 41 and a die 42 for forming a box packaging starting from a body to be folded located on the carriage 3.

The plant 1 further comprises an unloading station 9 for unloading the packaging from said carriage 3 (schematically illustrated in figure 3). The unloading station 9 is located downstream of the forming station 4 (considering the advancement of the carriage 3 along the conveyor line 2; the carriage 3 typically moves in the same direction of movement). The unloading station 9 is not in the same position as the forming station 4. The unloading station 9 allows the packaging to be removed from the conveyor line 2.

The punch 41 and the die 42 assume a configuration in which they are moved away from one another and a configuration in which they are moved towards one another. Conveniently, the configuration in which they are moved away from one another and the configuration in which they are moved towards one another correspond to two end-of-stroke positions of the punch 41 and the die 42. In order to pass from the configuration in which they are moved away from one another to the configuration in which they are moved towards one another, the punch 41 and the die 42 move towards the carriage 3 from opposite sides. In the configuration in which they are moved towards one another, said carriage 3 is at least partly interposed between the punch 41 and the die 42.

The conveyor line 2 comprises guide means 20 for guiding said carriage 3. For example, said guide means 20 comprise a rail or a track, which conveniently extends annularly following the extension of the conveyor line 2. Conveniently, the carriage 3 follows the trajectory imposed by the rail. The guide means 20 enable the carriage 3 to get past the curved portions of the trajectory defined by the line 2. For example, the carriage 3 could comprise wheels that facilitate the sliding of the carriage 3 along the rail. For example, it could comprise at least one pair 71 of wheels straddling the rail (preferably a plurality of pairs of wheels straddling the rail).

The carriage 3 comprises a support 31 on which the packaging is intended to rest. The carriage 3 further comprises a base 32 which surmounts the guide means 20. The base 32 enables the carriage 3 to be constrained to the conveyor line 2. The carriage 3 comprises an arm 33 which connects (or contributes to connecting) the base 32 and the support 31. Conveniently, the arm 33 and the support 31 extend in a cantilever-like fashion from the base 32. The support 31 is on an outer side of the conveyor line 2 (assuming that the conveyor line 2 is a circuit closed on itself). In said forming station 4, the support 31 is vertically alignable with said punch 41 and said die 42. In the configuration in which they are moved towards one another, the support 31 is interposed between the punch 41 and the die 42.

The die 42 comprises a slot 420 which enables the passage of said arm 33 in the configuration in which the punch 41 and the die 42 are moved towards one another. The slot 420 thus allows the accommodation of a cross section of the arm 33. With reference to what was indicated previously, in place of the arm 33 there could be more generic means for connecting the support 31 and the base 32.

In the configuration in which they are moved away from one another, the die 42 is below the punch 41. In the configuration in which they are moved towards one another, the punch 41 penetrates into the die 42, thus forming the packaging, which remains interposed. Therefore, the die 42 externally embraces the punch 41. In other words, the punch is inserted into the die 42. The die 42 is distinct and separate from the carriage 3.

The die 42 can comprise a platform 421 , from which projections 422 extend upwards (typically vertically), the projections 422 enabling the shaping of the packaging. The slot 420 is defined by a space interposed between the two projections 422. Conveniently, at least one of said projections 422 is shaped like a corner piece. Advantageously, four corner pieces are present. The platform 421 is preferably quadrilateral. The punch 41 has a shape that substantially mates with that of the die 42 in order to shape the interposed packaging. In a particular solution the punch 41 is expandable. In particular, it comprises expandable lateral portions (walls). The expansion takes place transversely (preferably orthogonally) to a raising/lowering direction of the punch 41. In this manner, it is possible to better compress the packaging between the punch 41 and the die 42. This enables a better adhesion of the spots of glue previously applied to the packaging.

Conveniently, means 428 for vertically raising/lowering the die 42 and means 429 for vertically raising/lowering the punch 41 are illustrated in figure 1.

Conveniently, the plant 1 comprises means 8 for applying a layer of glue on the body to be folded located on the carriage 3 (the means 8 are schematically illustrated in figure 3). This could take place, for example, by directing a jet of glue from above downwards. Conveniently, the means 8 for applying a layer of glue are located upstream of the forming station 4. The conveyor line 2 conveniently comprises a linear motor 30. The carriage 3 comprises generating means 21 for generating a magnetic field, for example a permanent magnet. The linear magnetic motor 30 interacts with the generating means 21 for generating a magnetic field in order to determine the displacement of the carriage 3 along the conveyor line 2.

The motor 30 is therefore a linear magnetic motor, in particular a linear servomotor. It is typically linear brushless motor. The linear motor 30 conveniently defines an adjustable, scalable intelligent plant magnetically propelled on a rail.

The motor 30 conveniently interacts with the generating means 21 for generating the magnetic field in order to determine a linear displacement of the carriage 3 along the conveyor line 2.

The linear motor 30 is in itself known. While in traditional electric motors the rotor and stator are circular, in a linear motor the stator is extended along the line 2 and, in place of the rotor, the generating means 21 for generating the magnetic field are present on-board the carriage 3 (or any other conveyors). The linear motor 30 therefore has the effect of displacing the carriage 3. Conveniently, the conveyor line 2 could comprise at least one portion that follows a curvilinear trajectory. As mentioned previously, the conveyor line 2 can be a circuit that is closed on itself (it thus defines a circuital trajectory for the first conveyor 2).

The plant 1 further comprises electrical power supply means 49 for powering an electrical utility 22 located on-board the carriage 3. The means 49 comprise contactless electrical power supply means 419 for powering the carriage 3. The contactless means 419 enable the transfer of energy to the carriage 3.

The contactless means 419 in turn comprise stator means 40 that extend along the conveyor line 2 and a slider 400 integral with the carriage 3 and interacting with the stator means 40. The slider 400 moves along the stator means 40 (which are by definition external to the carriage 3). The stator means 40 can comprise at least one electric cable 403. The slider 400 faces opposite a cross section of the stator means 40. The slider 400 preferably extends around a cross section of the electric cable 403 by more than 160°, preferably by more than 180°. Conveniently, the slider 400 comprises an electrical device (known in the technical field as a“pick up”) which enables electric current to be received contactlessly and the current travelling in the stator means 40 to be transformed so as to be adapted to the specific needs (in terms of voltage and/or intensity and/or frequency) of the electrical utility 22. For example, it enables the electric current to be rectified, thus transforming the alternating current of the stator means 40 into direct current. The stator means 40 extend for the whole extent of the line 2 (as better explained below, they preferably comprise various stators, preferably annular, in succession). The contactless means 419 can therefore be understood as means for transferring electricity from at least one part of the stator means 40 to the first conveyor 2 in order to be able to power the utility 22. The contactless means 419 enable the transmission of energy without any contact between the two parts between which the transmission of energy takes place. The contactless system can thus be defined as an individual system for contactless transmission of energy for industrial applications. The contactless means 419 are advantageously magnetic induction means. Therefore, they exploit the principle of magnetic induction to transfer electricity to the carriage 3. The electricity in turn made available on-board the carriage 3 can be used to drive said electrical utility 22, which can be of various types. The electricity can also be used to power a number of electrical utilities that are on-board the carriage 3.

The electrical utility 22 can advantageously comprise suction means 23 which retain the packaging article on the carriage 3. Therefore, the electricity transferred to the carriage 3 via the contactless means 419 is used to power the suction means 23. This enables the packaging article packaging to be stabilised on the carriage 3, preventing it from falling or coming detached. Furthermore, the carriage 3 can convey packaging articles of various shapes or sizes without there being any need to replace mechanical coupling elements.

The electrical utility 22 could in addition or instead comprise a LED or mechanical gripping means (for example a gripper) or suchlike.

The electrical utility 22 is not responsible, however, for the displacement of the carriage 3 along the conveyor line 2. The advancement of the carriage 3 is thus entrusted to the interaction between the linear motor 30 and the generating means 21 for generating a magnetic field located on the carriage 3.

The base 32 of the carriage 3 surmounts and interacts with the linear motor 30.

The support 31 of the carriage advantageously comprises a flat upper surface intended to face the body to be folded.

The support 31 comprises one or more holes 250 which enable, by suction, the packaging article to be kept adherent to the support 31 itself. The holes 250 are advantageously oriented upwards. In particular, the holes 250 are fashioned on the upper surface of the support 31. The support 31 projects laterally relative to the base 32.

The stator means 40 comprise at least a first and a second stator ring 401 , 402 which extend in succession along the line 2; that does not preclude there possibly being overlaps of the two rings in the areas of junction. The first stator ring 401 , for example, can comprise:

- two sections located, for example, one higher than the other (advantageously, they are substantially horizontal and, conveniently, they are substantially parallel to each other); and

- two connecting portions located at opposite ends of said sections.

The first stator ring 401 can be/is powered independently of the second stator ring 402. The powering of the first and the second stator ring 401 , 402 determines the powering of the electrical utility 22 located on the carriage 3 when the carriage 3 is positioned, respectively, at the first and the second stator ring 401 , 402; the lack of power to the first and the second stator ring 401 , 402 determines a lack of power to the electrical utility 22 when the carriage 3 is positioned, respectively, at the first and the second stator ring 401 , 402.

Conveniently, the stator means 40 are at a lower height than the support 31.

Conveniently, the apparatus 1 comprises a conveyor 5 movable along the line 2 (the conveyor 5 is conveniently an additional carriage). The conveyor 5 also comprises means for generating a magnetic field (typically a permanent magnet). The linear motor 30 interacts with the means for generating a magnetic field of the conveyor 5 so as to determine a displacement of the latter along the line 2.

One or more features described with reference to the carriage 3 and/or the interaction thereof with the remaining parts of the plant 1 can be repeated for the conveyor 5.

The stator means 40 can interact with both the carriage 3 and the conveyor 5 so as to be able to transfer electricity as needed to both the carriage 3 and the conveyor 5. The plant 1 comprises control means 6 for controlling the linear motor 30 and which enable an independent movement of the carriage 3 and the conveyor 5.

For example, the first stator ring 401 could be positioned along a section of the line 2 in which the conveyor 5 must advance whilst the second stator ring 402 can be positioned at a section of the line 2 in which the unloading station 9 for unloading the packaging from the carriage 3 is present. Consequently, it can be decided to power the first stator ring 401 to allow the advancement of the conveyor 5 and at the same time not power the second stator ring 402, for example so as not to allow the suction means 23 to operate and facilitate unloading of the packaging article located on the carriage 3 that is positioned in said unloading station 9. Conveniently, the stator means 40 can also comprise a third stator ring and possibly many others as well. This in order to be able to control conveyors operating simultaneously along the various sections of the conveyor line 2 with maximum flexibility.

Furthermore, the first and the second stator ring 401 , 402 can be powered with an adjustable electric current so as to be able to drive the electrical utility 22 (in the case of the example, the suction means 23) more or less energetically.

The apparatus 1 can comprise further conveyors (in addition to the carriage 3 and the conveyor 5 described above) which move simultaneously on the line 2. What was described with reference to the carriage 3 can also be repeated for them.

The plant 1 can further comprise an additional forming station located along the conveyor line 2; the additional forming station can be used to form packaging in a format which is different from that of the forming station 4.

What was described previously with reference to the forming station 4 can be repeated for the additional forming station (not illustrated).

The forming station and the additional forming station can be considered a first and a second forming station, respectively.

The plant 1 can comprise a filling station 1 1 for filling a packaging located on said carriage 3. The filling station 1 1 is positioned along the conveyor line 2 downstream of the forming station 4. The carriage 3 is movable along the conveyor line 2 from said forming station 4 to the filling station 1 1. The filling station 1 1 is interposed between the forming station 4 and the unloading station 9 for unloading the packaging from the carriage 3. In a particular solution, the filling station 11 could also be absent. In such a case, the packaging could be removed empty.

The subject matter of the present invention further relates to a method for forming a box packaging obtained from a body to be folded. The method is conveniently implemented by a forming plant having one or more of the features described previously.

The body to be folded is typically made of cardboard or substantially of cardboard. It is denoted by the reference C in the accompanying figures. The method comprises the step of positioning said body to be folded on a carriage 3 movable along a conveyor line 2 (for example, it can be picked up from a stack). The body to be folded is substantially spread out on the carriage 3. In this situation, it assumes a substantially horizontal configuration.

Conveniently, the carriage 3 can retain the body to be folded. For example, this can take place by suction.

The method conveniently comprises the step of advancing the carriage 3 along the conveyor line 2 up to a forming station 4 which shapes the box packaging from said body to be folded.

The method further comprises a step of applying glue at predetermined areas of said body before tightening the punch 41 and the die 42 on said body. Conveniently, spots and/or stripes of glue are applied on said body to be folded. The step of applying glue can take place by spraying. This preferably takes place from above downwards. In the preferred solution, the step of applying glue takes place during the step of advancing the carriage 3 along the conveyor line 2. Therefore, the application of glue takes place with carriage 3 moving. This enables time to be optimised.

The method comprises a step of forming the body to be folded. This comprises a step of tightening the punch 41 and the die 42 on said body located on said carriage 3, thereby obtaining said box packaging. In particular the forming (the step of tightening the punch 41 and the die 42 on the body to be folded) takes place by drawing said body located on the carriage 3.

The step of tightening the punch 41 and the die 42 on said body comprises the step of folding peripheral flaps of said body by means of the die 42, said peripheral flaps enveloping the punch 41 , which compresses a central portion of the body against the carriage 3. The step of tightening the punch 41 and the die 42 enables a layer of glue previously placed on the body to be folded to be compressed. The layer of glue enables different flaps of the body to be folded to be connected so as to obtain the packaging. Conveniently, the step of tightening the punch 41 and the die 42 on said body comprises the step of raising the die 42 and lowering the punch 41.

The carriage 3 does not comprise a concavity into which the punch 41 penetrates during the step of tightening the punch 41 and the die 42. Conveniently, the punch 41 does not descend below a zone in which the body to be folded rests on the carriage 3. The punch 41 pushes a central portion of the body to be folded against a part of the carriage 3 with which the central portion was already in contact. The raising of the die 42 determines a raising of the peripheral flaps of the body to be folded. In this manner the body to be folded defines a concavity facing upwards, enveloping the punch 41. The step of tightening the punch 41 and the die 42 causes the die 42 to envelop a portion of the carriage 3 intended to support the body to be folded.

After the step of tightening the punch 41 and the die 42 on said body located on the carriage 3, thereby obtaining the box packaging, the method comprises the step of moving the carriage 3 with said box packaging along the conveyor line 2. Conveniently, the step of moving the carriage 3 with the packaging along the conveyor line 2 comprises the step of moving the carriage 3 towards an unloading station 9 for unloading the packaging from the carriage 3. This step can comprise a step of positioning (preferably stopping) the carriage 3 at a filling station, wherein the method comprises the step of introducing one or more objects to be packaged into the packaging located on the carriage 3. Conveniently, said one or more objects could be introduced into the packaging from above. This can take place by dropping them from above if the type of said one or more objects allows this without damaging them. After the possible filling of the packaging, the latter is sent to an unloading station 9 in which the packaging and the contents thereof, if any, are removed from the carriage 3. After the step of introducing one or more objects into the packaging, the method comprises the step of sending the carriage 3 into an unloading station 9 in which the method comprises the step of removing the packaging from the carriage. After the step of removing the packaging from the carriage 3, the method comprises the step of loading a new body to be folded onto the carriage 3. The above-described method can thus be repeated iteratively.

The present invention achieves important advantages.

First of all, it makes it possible to speed up the process (the body to be folded in order to obtain the packaging always remains on a same carriage, even after forming, without the need for time-consuming transfers).

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept which characterises it. Furthermore, all the details may be replaced by other technically equivalent elements. In practice, all the materials used, as well as the dimensions, can be any whatsoever, according to need.