Patent ID: 6536194
Filing Date: 2003-03-25
Classification: B65B

Abstract:
Apparatus for feeding DVD or CD boxes, empty and closed, to means for opening, customizing externally, filling and closing said boxes, comprising:a magazine (1) in which the empty and closed boxes (C), consisting of two portions (C1, C2) interconnected like a book by means of a back (D), are placed horizontally and piled one onto the other with a pre-established orientation; means (8, 18) to extract from said magazine (1) the bottom box and to transfer said box to an opening station (2); means (14-17) to keep temporarily lifted from the bottom (201) of the magazine (1) all the boxes lying over the bottom one which is cyclically extracted, so as to enable the free return movement of the extraction means of said last box; means (18-33, 36-42, 36â€²-42â€²) to open the box in the opening station (2), placing the two portions (C1, C2) of said box with their inside upwards and resting externally on two underlying planes (36, 36â€²) located so as to form a double slope, with the back (D) of the box placed between the high portions of said planes, means (38, 38â€²) being provided to keep the box onto said resting planes, with the possibility to slide on said planes, parallel to the back; means (43-46) to transfer the open box from the opening station (2) to an adjacent parking station (3) provided with parallel guides (47, 47â€²) supporting the box on its long sides and equipped with contrast means (48, 48â€²) to keep said box on said guides; means (61) which are temporarily introduced into the central portion and on an end of the external pocket (T) of the box transferred to the parking station, and which thereafter are lowered to stretch downwards the transparent cover (A) defining said pocket, so as to give a lozenge-shaped section to the latter; means (66) which introduce into the open pocket of the box, within the parking station, a customizing insert sheet (L), which can be seen through the transparent cover (A) defining said pocket, and which then go back to their rest position together with said opening means (61) for said pocket; means (49-60) to move apart said guides (47, 47â€²) supporting the box in the parking station, to allow said box to fall open and horizontally into underlying conveying means (5) which will then transfer it into following filling (6) and closing (7) stations.