Device for guidance of objects connected in strip form

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for guidance of objects 2 connected in strip form, intended to be applied individually to packaging containers. A guide plate 7 wholly or partly surrounds one end of a drive mechanism 1 for onward feed of the objects for application. The guide plate 7 is adjusted in height with the aid of an adjustment knob 10 placed at one end of an adjustment screw 9.

Description: The present invention concerns a device for guiding objects connected in strip form when appyling the said objects to packaging containers according to the preamble of claim 1. Within the packaging industry, e.g. in the manufacture of parallelepiped-shaped packagings with liquid foodstuffs, objects e.g. straws or spoons will often be applied to the packaging container. These various objects for application are often found in connected strip form where each single object is individually prepacked between two thin plastic films. The object is separated from the connected strip and applied to each packaging container. Within the packaging industry various types of straws were later brought out such as straight tubes of various lengths or various diameters, U-shaped tubes or telescopic tubes. The different tubes often require an individual height positioning on the packaging container for each type of tube and for each size of packaging container, so that the tube does not project outside the packaging container, which entails a disadvantage when the packaging container is often collectively distributed in some form of collective container. Hitherto in order to satisfy the requirement for different straws on the packaging containers a number of different feed wheels has been used, i.e. drive mechanisms for onward feed of the connected straw strip, according to e.g. US-A-4 584 819. The feed wheel has been adjusted in height with a spring-loaded plate placed under the feed wheel. This has entailed an ever greater requirement for different spare parts and also difficulties when it is wished to change the feed wheel quickly in order to change the length of straw when production is in progress. An object of the present invention is to make possible the use of a small number of different feed wheels for many types of straw known today. A further object of the present invention is that the adjustment of the application height should be carried out with a single screw adjustment, without the necessity of changing parts in the application machine. These and other applications are achieved according to the invention as claimed in claim 1 and in sub-claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the enclosed drawings showing in figure 1 a perspective drawing of the device with the path of the connected strip of straws into the drive mechanism, in figure 2 the guide device in plan and in figure 3 partly in section a side view of the drive mechanism. The drawings only show those details essential for understanding the invention, and other parts of the application machine which are well known to the specialist are left out. A complete description of an application machine can be seen e.g. from Swedish patent SE 424847. The drive mechanism, or feed wheel 1, which brings forward the connected strip 2 of straws to be position of application is set up on an application machine in the middle of a conveyor belt where the packaging containers which are to be provided with straws or similar objects are brought forward. The feed wheel 1 is fastened on a plate 3 which can be fixed or can be turned for different angles, so that the application can be done at different angles on the packaging container. Under the plate 3 the feed wheel 1 is connected via a drive axle 4 to a stepped motor 5 for intermittent feeding forward of the feed wheel 1 for each appplication of straws or similar objects to the packaging machine. The feed wheel 1 also has in its immediate vicinity a mechanism for separating the various straws from the connnected strip. This mechanism most frequently consists of a knife which is controlled by some form of pneumatically controlled piston and cylinder unit. Further the feed wheel 1 is surrounded by various forms of press-on devices for pressing the straw, after it has been separated from the connected strip 2, fixedly on to the packaging container. As shown in fig. 1, the plate 3 on which the feed wheel 1 is mounted is fitted at the top with a guide plate 7. This plate 7 can be of various materials such as plastic, hard rubber, metal or the like. In the preferred embodiment the plate 7 is made of plastic. The form of the plate 7, which can be seen from fig. 2, can be varied and its appearance is in principle unimportant. It should surround the feed wheel 1 as much as possible without encroaching on the space for keeper 16, separator or press-on device 6. The guide plate 7 must also be delimited so that it does not interfere with the movement of the conveyor. It should also have room for guide axles 8 for adjustment of the plate 7 in height. In the preferred embodiment the adjustment plate 7 has two guide axles 8 and an adjustment spindle 9 situated between them which at one end, where it engages the adjustment plate 7, is threaded and at its other end exhibits an adjustment knob 10 for setting the height of the adjustment plate 7. The adjustment knob or similar can of course be placed under the plate 3, but owing to lack of space the preferred embodiment is placed above the plate 3. The adjustment plate 7 surrounds almost the whole feed wheel 1, but in the preferred embodiment it has a cut-out 11 where the separating device which separates the individual objects from the connected strip 2 can go in towards the feed wheel 1 and separate the objects. Fig. 3 shows how the adjustment plate 7 is situated very close to the feed wheel 1, which is possible if the adjustment plate 7 is made of a material with low friction, preferably plastic. The guide plate 7 in the preferred embodiment is placed at a distance of 0.1 - 0.8 mm from the feed wheel 1, preferably at a distance of 0.35 mm from the feed wheel 1. The feed wheel 1 is recess-turned at one end of it, where the adjustment plate 7 bears against the feed wheel 1. This is done so that the straw shall not be able to stick between feed wheel 1 and the adjustment plate 7. The two guide axles 8 which are to be found in the preferred embodiment can be completely surrounded by the guide plate 7 or provided with a bushing 12 where they go into the guide plate 7. If the guide plate 7 is made of a material with low friction, such as plastic, it is not necessary to provide the guide axles 8 with bushings 12. The guide axles 8 must see to it that the guide plate 7 is adjusted straight in the longitudinal direction of the feed wheel 1. Therefore only a single adjustment is required with the adjustment knob 10 which is fixed on the adjustment screw 9 which is preferably located between the two guide axles 8, for a more even guiding of the plate 7. Fig. 1 shows how the connected strip of straws 2 passes through the guide axles 8 via a guide roller 13 and via a further guide roller 14 approaches the feed wheel 1 where each straw is placed in a cut-out 15 provided for the purpose in the feed wheel 1. The straws are then fed round intermittently by the feed wheel 1, cut off from the strip 2 and held fast against the feed wheel 1 and finally applied to the individual packaging containers which are brought forward one by one on a conveyor right opposite the feed wheel 1. During the whole of this process the strip 2 of straws is kept at the same height by the guide plate 7 even during the whole time when the straws are carried round by the feed wheel 1 by said strip 2 or after they have been cut off from the connected strip 2. Regardless of whether the feed wheel 1 is horizontal in the application machine or it slants for a slanting attachment of straws, the connected strip 2 of straws will be kept at the same height position the whole time. As could be seen from the above description a simple and sure holding of the height position of the connected strip 2 of straws when it passes through the feed wheel 1 is achieved with the present invention. Furthermore with the present invention one and the same feed wheel 1 can be used for different lengths of straw and minimise the requirement for feed wheels 1 for the different types of straw which are to be found on the market. The invention makes possible a simple and quick adjustment of the height position of the straw.

Claims: Device for guiding objects connected together by a strip (2) when applying the said objects to packaging containers with this device containing a rotatable feed wheel (1) for onward feed of the objects and a guide plate (7) for guiding said strip (2), characterized by the fact that one end of the feed wheel (1) is wholly or partly enclosed by said guide plate (7) which is adjustable in the longitudinal (i.e. axial) direction of the feed wheel (1). Device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the feed wheel (1) is notched at the same end where the guide plate (7) encloses the feed wheel (1) so that the guide plate (7) lies placed closer to the centre of the feed wheel (1). Device accordin to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that the guide plate (7) is situated at a distance of 0.1 - 0.8 mm from the feed wheel (1). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the guide plate (7) is adjustable by a screw (9) in the longitudinal direction of the feed wheel (1). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the feed wheel (1) is provided with cut-outs (15) for receiving said objects. Device according to claim 5, characterized by the fact that a separating tool is situated in the immediate vicinity of said feed wheel (1) in order to separate various objects from said strip (2). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said guide plate (7) is made of plastic material of low friction.

Inventors: AKESSON MICAEL, PERSSON GOERAN, AKESSON, MICAEL, PERSSON, GOERAN, Persson, Göran 
Applicants: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE, TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B65B61
IPC codes: B65B61, B65B19