Abstract:
A device and method are provided for transferring foldable blanks used in the tobacco-processing industry for cigarette hard-shell packs that are pre-embossed or pre-stamped along folding lines, from a transfer station to a processing station. At least one fixing element is movable from a transfer position to a fixing position during the transfer to secure a collar on a block-shaped article group deposited on the foldable blank.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    Priority is claimed herein to German application No. 100 46 121.2 filed in the Federal Republic of Germany on Sep. 15, 2000, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The invention relates to a device and a method for transferring foldable blanks used in the tobacco-processing industry, particularly box blanks for hard-shell cigarette packs that are pre-embossed or pre-stamped along folding lines, from a transfer station to a processing station, in particular with the aid of a rotary table. A method and a device of this type are known, for example, from published German application DE 197 03 069 A1 and corresponding U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/010,166, filed Jan. 21, 1998 in the names of Juergen Grossmann and Frank Bley and co-owned by the present assignee, as well as the unpublished German application DE 199 44 812.4 and corresponding U.S. application Ser. No. 09/663,442 filed Sep. 15, 2000 in the names of Karsten Meinke, Juergen Grossmann and Frank Bley, also owned by the assignee of the present application. The contents of the foregoing U.S. patent applications are fully incorporated herein by reference.  
           [0003]    As a result of the method and device described in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/010,166 and its German counterpart DE 197 03 069 A1, and corresponding to the device described in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/663,442 and its German counterpart DE 199 44 812.4, the options for assembling and joining box blanks and block-shaped article groups and for transferring foldable box blanks are known per se in the tobacco-processing industry.  
           [0004]    U.S. application Ser. No. 09/010,166 and its German counterpart DE 197 03 069 A1 disclose the basic operation of a lower folding table for assembling box blanks and block-shaped article groups of the tobacco-processing industry. A foil envelope is previously affixed to the block-shaped article group on an upper folding table, a transfer station or a joining and folding station. Some folding of the respectively supplied box blanks occurs in the joining and folding station. Following another conveying operation, the box blanks are then folded further in a second folding station or a processing station by folding them over. For this, the components to be joined, which are conveyed jointly in a clocked rhythm along a uniform conveying path, are folded around the article groups, with the exception of an outer, adhesive coated side flap of the box blank that forms an end cap for the pack. This operation occurs during a maximum of three stopping positions that are linked together through conveying steps.  
           [0005]    Box blanks of this type are used for producing hard-shell packs in the form of so-called hinged-lid boxes for cigarettes. The box blanks are folded around the pack content comprised of a cigarette block wrapped in an inside envelope of foil, for example of aluminum or tin, or any other foil, to form a box part and a hinged-on lid in the back region of the box part.  
           [0006]    U.S. application Ser. No. 09/663,442 and its German counterpart DE 199 44 812.4 relate to an improvement of the aforementioned device, wherein the goal is achieved of securely holding the box blanks and to supply the box blanks exactly aligned to the processing station. This is achieved in that opposite-arranged side holders are provided, which can be pivoted in and pivoted out on one side and are provided with holding grooves. Any bulges in the box blanks due to the acceleration and delay of the rotary table are prevented in this way.  
           [0007]    A U-shaped collar is often arranged on the envelope of the block-shaped article groups. Further, a coupon or booklet can be arranged between the collar and the envelope of the block-shaped article group. As a result of the incremental rotational movement of the rotary table, involving acceleration and delay phases and therewith associated centrifugal forces, displacements, especially vertical displacements, of the collar arranged on the block-shaped article groups can obstruct the packaging operation. Accordingly, displacements of the coupon or booklet arranged between the collar and the block-shaped article group can also occur and can hinder the packaging operation.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    It is an object of the invention to provide a secure transfer operation and positioning of the collar and, if necessary, the coupons arranged underneath or at another location.  
           [0009]    The above and other objects are achieved according to the invention by the provision of a device for transferring foldable blanks used in the tobacco-processing industry for cigarette hard-shell packs that are pre-embossed or pre-stamped along folding lines, from a transfer station to a processing station, comprising: a mechanism for transferring the foldable blanks from the transfer station to the processing station, wherein a block-shaped article group at least partially surrounded by a collar is deposited on the foldable blank at the transfer station; and at least one fixing element arranged on the transferring mechanism and movable from a transfer position to a fixing position to secure the collar on the block-shaped article group during the transfer.  
           [0010]    In a preferred embodiment, the transferring mechanism is a rotary table and the fixing element is arranged on the rotary table. The foil-wrapped cigarette group is provided with a collar and arranged in a holding pocket of an upper rotary table and at a transfer location is transferred to a pocket of a lower rotary table that is aligned with the upper pocket. Folding operations for the outer wrapper of the foldable blank can be carried out during the transfer, as described and illustrated in the aforementioned U.S. application Ser. No. 09/010,166 and its German counterpart DE 197 03 069 A1. The at least one fixing element is pivoted out of the way and does not present an obstruction during the transfer of the cigarette group with the associated collar from the upper holding pocket to the holding pocket of the lower rotary table. In order to secure the collar, the fixing element is moved to the fixing position to secure the collar against the block-shaped article group. With the fixing element in this position, the collar cannot slip during the rotational table movement, in particular, during rotational movement from the transfer station to the processing station or the second folding station. It is advantageous if two fixing elements are provided, one on each side of the foil-wrapped cigarette group, wherein at least one of the fixing elements is indirectly movable. A particularly secure fixation of the collar is possible as a result of this advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention.  
           [0011]    According to a cost-effective embodiment, the at least one fixing element is made to be indirectly movable by arranging the fixing element or elements on at least one lever that can be pivoted around a rotational axis and which, in particular, includes a side holder for holding one side of the foldable blank. Such a lever is known from the aforementioned U.S. application Ser. No. 09/663,442 and its German counterpart DE 199 44 812.4, and can be provided with corresponding fixing elements, so that no additional parts are required, thus saving material and costs. It is advantageous if at least one lever additionally comprises a bottom holder for holding the bottom end of the foil wrapped cigarette group. The fixing elements and/or the side holders and/or the bottom holders are preferably pivotally arranged with respect to the lever, thereby making it possible to design the side holder, the fixing elements and/or the bottom holder such that they can pivot separately.  
           [0012]    A particularly easy option for securing the collar is provided if the at least one fixing element is a pressing element. The pressing element preferably has a foot-shaped design. Owing to this preferred design of the pressing element, a defined force can be directed toward the collar, so that neither the collar nor the cigarettes in the cigarette group can be damaged by the pressure force. Within the context of this invention, foot-shaped also means hand-shaped. In particular, foot-shaped should be understood to mean that the foot or hand has a slanted or convex surface that pushes against the collar. The pressure is preferably exerted at a slant from above onto the collar. It is furthermore advantageous if pressure can be applied from the side against the side flaps of the collar, wherein a type of stamp is used as the fixing element for this preferred exemplary embodiment.  
           [0013]    The fixing element can also secure at least one coupon or corresponding booklet, arranged between the collar and the block-shaped article group.  
           [0014]    According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for transferring foldable material blanks used in the tobacco-processing industry, especially box blanks for hard-shell cigarette packs that are pre-embossed or pre-stamped along folding lines. According to the inventive method, the foldable blanks are transferred from a transfer station to a processing station, in particular by means of a rotary table, such that during the transfer operation, at least one collar is secured on a block-shaped article group with at least one fixing element.  
           [0015]    The method according to the invention permits a secure realization of the transfer operation and the positioning of the collar. In particular, the fixing of the collar occurs preferably only during the transfer and does not cause a lasting change in the box blank, the collar or the block-shaped article group that is wrapped, for example, in tin foil. It is also not necessary to provide stampings or the like, especially for securing the collar.  
           [0016]    To secure the collar, the at least one fixing element preferably presses the collar onto the block-shaped article group or the foil or the tin foil in which the block-shaped article group is wrapped. The increased friction caused by the pressure or the force exerted by the collar onto the foil or the tin foil in particular is used for this. Furthermore, at least one coupon arranged between the collar and the block-shaped article group is preferably secured during the transfer. As a result of this preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the transfer operation and the positioning of coupons or booklets can be designed securely.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    In the following, the invention is described with exemplary embodiments and without limiting the general inventive idea by referring to the drawings, to which reference is made to all details of the invention, which are disclosed but are not described further in the text.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 is a partial view from above of the transfer elements of a dual-line cigarette packaging machine.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 is a sectional representation along the line A-A according to FIG. 1.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 is a sectional representation of the transfer device along the line B-B as shown in FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 shows a box cutout or blank  1 , for making a hinged-lid pack that serves as outer wrapper for a block-shaped cigarette group  4 , provided with an inner wrapping foil  2  and a fitted-on collar  3 , which may have, for example, a U-shape.  
         [0022]    According to FIG. 1, the machine for packaging the cigarette groups  4  is provided with a conveying means in the form of a lower rotary table  22 , which can be driven so as to rotate with incremental speed around a vertical axis  23  and is provided with four sets of respectively two holding pockets  24 . The rotary table  22  operates jointly with a conveying means in the form of an upper rotary table, which is not shown in FIG. 1. This upper rotary table is given the reference number  26  in FIG. 1 of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/010,166 and its German counterpart DE 197 03 069 A1. The upper rotary table partially overlaps the lower rotary table  22  and is provided with holding pockets, respectively in a dual arrangement, which can be closed off with support slides. The upper table is also driven so as to rotate at incremental speed around a vertical axis.  
         [0023]    A first station in the form of a support station S 1 , a second station in the form of an assembly and folding station or transfer station S 2 , a third station in the form of a second folding station or processing station S 3  and a fourth station in the form of a removal station S 4  correspond to the respective stopping positions of the rotary table  22 . These positions are respectively connected through conveying sections. FIG. 1 only shows the conveying section F 1 . Additional conveying sections are shown, for example, in FIG. 1 of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/010,166 and its German counterpart DE 197 03 069 A1, respectively as F 2  and F 3 . The processing station S 3  and the removal station S 4  are not shown fully in FIG. 1, but are only indicated. However, with respect to their features, these stations essentially have the same features as the supporting station S 1  and the transfer station S 2 .  
         [0024]    In addition, rotary table  22  is provided in the region of and above the holding pockets  24  with respectively one holding platform  29  for the box blanks  1 . The platform contains suction openings  31  for securing the box blanks  1 , to which the side holders  32  and  33  that are offset relative to each other are assigned for securing the position of the box blanks. Side holders  32  and  33  are mounted, preferably pivotally, on a lever  38  articulated to rotary table  22  for pivoting around an axis  37 . The rotary table  22  is furthermore provided with bottom holders  36  on both sides of the holding pockets  24  for holding the bottom ends of the foil wrapped cigarette groups. Bottom holders  36  are also respectively mounted, preferably pivotally, on levers  38 . pockets, respectively in a dual arrangement, which can be closed off with support slides. The upper table is also driven so as to rotate at incremental speed around a vertical axis.  
         [0025]    A first station in the form of a support station S 1 , a second station in the form of an assembly and folding station or transfer station S 2 , a third station in the form of a second folding station or processing station S 3  and a fourth station in the form of a removal station S 4  correspond to the respective stopping positions of the rotary table  22 . These positions are respectively connected through conveying sections. FIG. 1 only shows the conveying section F 1 . Additional conveying sections are shown, for example, in FIG. 1 of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/010,166 and its German counterpart DE 197 03 069 A1, respectively as F 2  and F 3 . The processing station S 3  and the removal station S 4  are not shown fully in FIG. 1, but are only indicated. However, with respect to their features, these stations essentially have the same features as the supporting station S 1  and the transfer station S 2 .  
         [0026]    In addition, rotary table  22  is provided in the region of and above the holding pockets  24  with respectively one holding platform  29  for the box blanks  1 . The platform contains suction openings  31  for securing the box blanks  1 , to which the side holders  32  and  33  that are offset relative to each other are assigned for securing the position of the box blanks. Side holders  32  and  33  are mounted, preferably pivotally, on a lever  38  articulated to rotary table  22  for pivoting around an axis  37 . The rotary table  22  is furthermore provided with bottom holders  36  on both sides of the holding pockets  24  for holding the bottom ends of the foil wrapped cigarette groups. Bottom holders  36  are also respectively mounted, preferably pivotally, on levers  38 .  
         [0027]    Locally fixed lower supports for stabilizing the blank  1  during the pivoting operation additionally extend into the region of support station S 1  of the rotary table  22 , in the plane for the holding platform  29 . However, only the outer support  41  of the locally fixed lower supports is shown in FIG. 1. An additional stationary lower support  42  and stationary upper supports extend into the conveying section F 1  between the support station S 1  and the transfer station S 2 . Two stationary upper supports are not shown in FIG. 1. These supports are provided with the reference numbers  44  and  46  in FIG. 1 of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/010,166 and its German counterpart DE 197 03 069 A1.  
         [0028]    Holders  39  are furthermore provided on the levers  38 , which for this exemplary embodiment are all designed to be movable or can be pivoted. In the pivoted out position, these holders do not interfere with the cigarette group provided with collar  3  during the transfer from the upper rotary table to the lower rotary table. Following the transfer of the foil-wrapped cigarette group provided with collar  3  to the lower rotary table and the holding pocket  24  therein, the levers  38  with the holders  39  pivot in the direction of the collar or cigarette group. The levers secure the collar for the continued transport or the transfer to the processing station S 3  by respectively pressing against the collar. A coupon, not shown in FIG. 1, can be arranged, for example, underneath the collar  3  and above the cigarette group  4 , that is between the collar and the cigarette group, and is respectively secured in this way.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 2 shows a sectional representation along the section A-A in FIG. 1 in which holder  39  is not yet engaged with the collar  3 . FIG. 3, which is a sectional representation along the line B-B of FIG. 1, shows the holder  39  engaged with the collar  3 , and via the collar  3  also with the cigarette group  4 .  
         [0030]    The mode of operation for the packaging machine and the method of transfer for the packaging machine is as follows:  
         [0031]    The foldable box blanks  1  on the holding platform  29  in the support station S 1  are transferred while the rotary table  22  is stopped, such that their already folded-over lid inside flaps are oriented toward the rotational axis  23  of rotary table  22 . Blanks  1  are thus secured by the suction air generated at the suction openings  31 , and are held in place between the adjacent side holders  32  and  33 . The upper wall flaps of the lid inside are pre-broken toward the box inside as a result of the raised areas in the holding platform  29 , which are not shown in FIG. 1 but are given the reference number  34  in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/010,166 and its German counterpart DE 197 03 069 A1.  
         [0032]    The box blank  1  on the conveying section S 1  is subsequently transferred during a conveying cycle of the rotary table  22  to the transfer station S 2 . At the same time, the upper rotary table, not shown in FIG. 1, transfers cigarette groups  4  wrapped in foil  2  and provided with a pre-positioned collar  3 , to the folding station or transfer station S 2 . The holding pockets of the two rotary tables in this case are aligned.  
         [0033]    Following the transfer of the foil-wrapped cigarette groups provided with the pre-positioned collar, the levers  38  pivot toward the respective cigarette groups, thus causing the holders  39  to press against the respective collars  3 . The force of the exerted pressure consequently is configured such that no lasting deformation of the collar  3 , the foil  2  or the cigarette group  4  with cigarettes occurs. In order to achieve this, the holder  39  must preferably be foot-shaped, as shown in FIG. 3, wherein the foot pressure engages with the collar  3 , thus securing the collar on the cigarette group  4 . It is obvious that the holders initially extend past the collar and then push the collar against the wrapped inside block as a result of the geometry.  
         [0034]    Arms or holders are preferably attached to the levers  38 , known from U.S. application Ser. No. 09/010,166 and its German counterpart DE 197 03 069 A1, and U.S. application Ser. No. 09/663,442 and its German counterpart DE 199 44 812.4, which in particular can be retro-fitted with the fixing elements according to the invention. When using this preferred embodiment of the invention, a coupon can also be secured underneath the collar. In this case, the device does not need to be modified if the operation is expanded to include coupons.  
         [0035]    Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of the above outlined contribution to the art of manipulating cigarette packets and blanks for cigarette packets or the like and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the appended claims.