Patent ID: 8899001
Filing Date: 2014-12-02
Classification: B65B,B65G

Abstract:
1. A process for outer packaging, in a dynamic way, of lots (L) of articles (A) in an outer-packaging blank (F), the articles (A) being arranged on pallets (P), the articles (A) being of a same length in a direction of travel, plural of the articles (A) being arranged on each of the pallets (P) in at least one column or in at least one line on each pallet (P), each lot (L) of the articles (A) comprising at least one layer of the pallets (P), the method comprising the steps of: A) starting from a random incoming axial stream of the pallets (P) moving in the direction of travel, with the articles (A) each having the same length in the direction of travel, and with the articles (A) arranged on each of pallets (P) in the at least one column or in the at least one line, composing the pallets (P) into the lots (L) of the articles (A) ; B) starting from a stack of the outer-packaging blanks (F) arranged flat, successively unstacking the outer-packaging blanks (F) as flat unstacked individual outer-packaging blanks (F); C) putting together each lot (L) of the articles (A) with a corresponding individual outer-packaging blank (F), and then folding the corresponding individual outer-packaging blank (F) around each lot (L) of the articles (A) and make each lot (L) of the articles (A) and the corresponding individual outer-packaging blank (F) into a single unit of outer-packaged lots (L) of the articles (A); D) evacuating an exiting axial stream of the units of the outer-packaged lots (L) of the articles (A), wherein based on a desired format of the outer-packaged lots (L) of the articles (A), each of the units of the outer-packaged lots (L) of the articles (A) comprises a number of the articles (A) per pallet, an arrangement of the articles (A) on each pallet, and a selected number of pallets (P), stacked one pallet (P) on another pallet (P), wherein said step A) of composing the pallets (P) into the lots (L) of the articles (A) comprises the sub-steps of i) regulating and synchronizing the pallets (P) of the articles (A) of the random incoming axial stream to a spacing of a machine to form a synchronized axial stream of the pallets (P) of the articles (A), ii) transferring all of the pallets (P) of the articles (A) from the synchronized axial stream to constitute another synchronized axial stream of the lots (L) of the articles (A) according to the desired format of the outer-packaged lots (L) of the articles (A) and an operating rate, and iii) within the other synchronized axial stream of the lots (L) of the articles (A), providing first empty axial spaces ( wherein said step B) of unstacking the outer-packaging blanks (F) as flat unstacked individual outer-packaging blanks (F) comprises a sub-step iv) of unstacking the flat outer-packaging blanks (F) upon demand based on the pallets (P) of the articles (A) that are thus transferred in constituting the other synchronized axial stream, with the unstacked individual outer-packaging blanks (F) forming a further synchronized axial stream of the unstacked individual outer-packaging blanks (F) corresponding exactly to the other synchronized axial stream of the lots (L) of the articles (A) such that each unstacked individual outer-packaging blank (F) is thus separated from a preceding unstacked individual outer-packaging blank (F) and from a following unstacked individual outer-packaging blank (F) by a second empty axial space ( wherein said step C) of putting together comprises i) starting from the other synchronized axial stream of the lots (L) of the articles (A) and ii) starting with the further synchronized axial stream of the unstacked individual outer-packaging blanks (F), putting together each lot (L) of the articles (A) other synchronized axial stream with the corresponding individual outer-packaging blank (F) from the further synchronized axial stream of the unstacked individual outer-packaging blanks (F) to form each single unit of the outer-packaged lots (L) of the articles (A).