Device for producing and palleting packaging boxes

For the dispatch-ready packing of, in particular, cigarette packs or cigarette bundle packs (12), a device is provided, in which the box packer (14) and the palleting station (29) are combined, in order to introduce the bundle packs (12) into boxes (10) and to deposit the latter on pallets (11). The structurally combined units form an overall device which can be operated jointly.

This Application is the U.S. national phase of International Application No. PCT/EP2005/001530, filed on Feb. 16, 2005, which claims priority to German Application No. 10 2004 009 584.1, filed on Feb. 25, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for producing large packs having a plurality of objects as pack contents, in particular folded boxes for cigarette bundle packs, the objects or bundle packs being fed to a box packer and, with the formation of a pack group as box contents, it being possible to introduce them into the folded box and it being possible to feed the filled and closed folded boxes to a palleting station for transfer to a pallet.

For the dispatch of cigarette packs, bundle packs, what are known as cigarette cartons, are usually formed and these are introduced into a larger packing container, namely into a folded box. The closed folded boxes are then placed on pallets by a palletizer for transport. Firstly the box packer and secondly the palletizer form the independent technical units which have previously been separated spatially from one another. EP 1 067 050 A2 shows one example for a box packer. In the exemplary embodiment according to EP 0 949 169 A1, the finished packs are fed to a palletizer via relatively long conveying tracks, in particular on roller tracks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is based on the object of improving the construction and mode of operation of a device for producing, in particular, box packs for cigarettes and for palleting the latter, with regard to construction and mode of operation.

In order to achieve this object, the device according to the invention is distinguished by the fact that the box packer and the palleting station or palletizer form one technical unit, the box packer being arranged directly in front of the palleting station.

Accordingly, according to the invention, the units which were previously separated structurally and functionally for producing the box packs and for loading pallets are combined to form a common device, the former forming one unit in structural and control technology terms. A portal robot which takes the boxes from a depositing position and deposits them on a pallet by transverse displacement is used in the region of the palleting station. As an alternative, boxes can be transported beyond the depositing position past the pallet.

Further special features of the invention relate to the relative position of the individual assemblies with respect to one another, namely an L-shaped or U-shaped layout and the configuration of the palletizer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

One object of the exemplary embodiment in the drawings is the production of large packs for cigarettes, namely boxes10, and the provision of the latter for dispatch by arranging a plurality of boxes10on the pallet11.

The contents of the boxes10are bundle packs12for cigarettes, what are known as cigarette cartons. In practice, the bundle packs12are delivered on a feed conveyor13coming from a bundle packer. The bundle packs12pass through the latter into the region of a box packer14. The latter comprises a plurality of units which are combined structurally, to be precise by carrying frames comprising longitudinal carriers15, crossmembers16and vertical supports17. A first unit in the functional sequence is a grouping station18. The feed conveyor13opens into the region of the former. A pack group19is assembled from the bundle packs12. Said pack group19, as the contents of a box10, is pushed by a slide20out of the region of the grouping station18into a packing station21.

A partially folded box10which is assembled into a three-dimensional shape is provided in the packing station21, to be precise with one open side oriented toward the grouping station18. Folding tabs22of the box10are situated in the unfolded, open position, with the result that the pack group19can be inserted as a unit into the box10which is folded in the manner of a sleeve.

A blank magazine23is part of the packing station21. Said blank magazine23comprises a plurality of blanks for boxes10, which blanks are folded flat and are provided as a folded tube. One after another, the blanks are removed from the blank magazine23, assembled and made available in the manner shown in the packing station21.

After a pack group19has been introduced into the box10, the latter is conveyed out of the packing station21by a conveyor24into the region of a closing station25. On the transport path, the folding tabs22are folded over by folding members26, to be precise into closing planes of the box10which are oriented laterally. In the closing station25, the folding tabs22are fixed in the closed position, in the present exemplary embodiment by adhesive tapes27which are applied to the adjacent folding tabs22by tape guides28which are attached on both sides of the movement path of the boxes10. The boxes10are then filled and closed, and can therefore be dispatched.

After the packing station21and after the closing station25, the boxes10are introduced into a palleting station29. The latter forms a technical unit with the packing station21and/or the closing station25. A carrying frame comprising longitudinal carriers30and crossmembers31is connected to the correspondingly configured carrying frame of the adjacent unit.

The boxes10which come from the closing station25are conveyed onto a box receptacle32and deposited here. The box receptacle32comprises a conveyor, to be precise a section of a roller track33. The latter is configured in such a way that a plurality of, namely (at least) two, boxes10can be made available on the box receptacle32following one another in the conveying direction. The position of the two boxes10is determined by stops, to be precise firstly by a central stop34which enters the movement path of the boxes10as a transverse web which can move up and down and determines the end position of the second box10. At the end of the box receptacle32or the roller track33, a likewise movable end stop35is provided as a stop for the box10which was conveyed onto the box receptacle32first.

The end stop35is configured in a special way and has a dual function. It is a track piece, namely a pivotable section of the roller track33. In its function as an end stop35, said track section is oriented upward (FIG. 4). In another position (FIG. 5), the end stop35forms a continuation of the box receptacle32or of the roller track33, to be precise as a bridge to a discharge conveying path36. The latter is likewise configured as a roller track here and is oriented obliquely downward. In conjunction with the end stop35which is configured as a track, the discharge conveying path36opens up the possibility of conveying boxes through the palleting station29, for example identified faulty packs or in the case of temporary operational interruption of the palleting station29.

The palleting station29is oriented transversely with respect to the packing station21and the closing station25during the execution of the main function. A lifting conveyor, namely a portal robot37, in each case grips a box10in the region of the box receptacle32. A pallet11is loaded by raising, transverse movement and depositing on the pallet11next to the box receptacle32.

For handling the boxes10in the region of the palleting station29, the portal robot37is configured in a special way with regard to construction and function. A lifting head38, in particular a suction head, grips in each case one box10on its upper side. The lifting head38is attached to a carrying arm39which is mounted as a projecting arm on a supporting framework. The carrying arm39extends over the full width of a basic surface area of the palleting station29defined by the pallets11. The lifting head38can be moved with a moving mechanism40in the longitudinal direction of the carrying arm39. Furthermore, the lifting head39is attached to a vertical carrying rod42which can be rotated by the motor41, with the result that the boxes10which are gripped by the lifting head38can be rotated about a vertical axis.

The carrying arm39is mounted such that it can move up and down, to be precise on a vertical loadbearing column43. For this purpose, the carrying arm39is attached to a moving frame44which can be displaced on the loadbearing column43, to be precise by a motor45via an (endless) pulling member such as a toothed belt. The carrying arm39is connected to the moving frame44via a special supporting framework, namely by means of the corner component46, in order to transmit the loads of the carrying arm39which act on one side to the moving frame44and therefore to the loadbearing column43without problems.

For its part, the vertical loadbearing column43can be displaced in the horizontal direction, to be precise along a rectilinear movement path next to the pallets11which are to be loaded. On one longitudinal side of the rectangular palleting station29, a lower carrying beam47and an upper carrying beam48are attached in a stationary manner, in particular by connection (not shown) to the machine frame, for example to longitudinal carriers of the palleting station29. The loadbearing column43is connected to the lower carrying beam47and the upper carrying beam48in such a way that the loadbearing column43can be displaced on the two carrying beams47,48. In the case of a vertical position of the end stop35, the portal robot37, namely the loadbearing column43, can be displaced as far as the region of the box receptacle32.

A motor49which is arranged on the upper carrying beam48serves for driving, which motor49drives a drive means within the (hollow) carrying beam48and a drive member in the lower carrying beam47via a vertical shaft50. Here, these are preferably in each case belts, in particular toothed belts, which extend within the carrying beams47,48over their length and to which a guide is attached which is connected to the loadbearing column43and can be displaced with the latter. Each box10can be gripped on the box receptacle32and deposited in a desired position on the pallet11by means of the lifting conveyor or portal robot37which is configured in this way, with short transport paths. As can be seen, the boxes10are positioned one above another in a plurality of layers on a pallet.

The pallets11are fed and kept available in a plane which is offset downward with respect to the conveying and provision plane of the boxes10. The empty pallets11are introduced into the region of the palleting station29on one side (on the left inFIG. 1) on rail-like underlying surfaces51, and are displaced below the box receptacle32into a loading position next to the box receptacle32. The dimensions are selected in such a way that a further empty pallet11is kept ready (FIG. 2) next to the pallet11in the loading position. The loaded pallet is subsequently transported further from the loading position in the same movement direction (arrows) out of the region of the palleting station29, in particular for being received by a suitable transport unit (not shown).

The device is distinguished by a compact construction, in particular also by the L-shaped or U-shaped layout. The units which are combined to form one, common device are connected to a common controller, in particular also to a common switch cabinet52for the electrical and electronic control units. The entire device can be operated by a common control device53having a display screen. The control device53can be a standard (industrial) PC which controls the functions of the part assemblies of the device.

LIST Of DESIGNATIONS