A METHOD OF PACKAGING TOGETHER SERIES OF CONTAINERS, PARTICULARLY BOTTLES, AS WELL AS A DEVICE AND A HOLDER DESIGNED TO CARRY OUT THE METHOD

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of packaging together series of bottles (6) by means of holder blanks (4), which each one is to hold a number of bottles. The holder blanks (4) are provided in stacks (8) and are fed via a separation unit (9) to an application unit (3), into which bottles are fed on a conveyor (5) in a required formation (27). When a holder blank is applied, its laterally disposed flaps (39) are bent downwards, and at the same time fingers (44), integrated with the flaps and possibly additional fingers are pressed upwards by the bottle caps (26) and the bottle flanges (26) respectively, and are moved downwards below their level. At the same time the holder blank is cut through to obtain individual holders or rows of holders. The invention also relates to a device (1) designed to carry out this method and a holder (4), to be used when carrying out said method and with said device (1) respectively.

Description: A METHOD OF PACKAGING TOGETHER SERIES OF CONTAINERS, PAR¬ TICULARLY BOTTLES, AS WELL AS A DEVICE AND A HOLDER DE¬ SIGNED TO CARRY OUT THE METHOD The present invention relates to a method of packaging to¬ gether series of containers, particularly bottles, accor¬ ding the preamble of patent claim 1. The invention also re¬ lates to a device designed to carry out the method according to the preamble of the first device claim. The invention- also relates to a holder, which is used when carrying outthe method according to the preamble of the first claim, which relates to such a holder. As an alternative to boxes and crates particularly dispo¬ sable holders for series of bottles have become customary in recent years. Such disposable holders consist of a blank provided with punchings and perforations and groovings re¬ spectively, possibly a folded blank made of particularly cardboard or corrugated cardboard and package together e.g. 2, 3, 4 or 6 bottles to be shipped from the producer or the distributor to the consumers. It is true that such holders generally are adapted to their purpose and advantageous, but in certain cases strength and fatigue problems respectively do still arise, particularly in case it is desirable to combine minimal use of material with a maximal number of bottles, which accounts for a sub¬ stantial total weight. Another problem or at least a wish exists primarily among the producers, i.e. a simultaneous packaging together and handling of a maximal number of bottles, which is quick, re¬ liable and economic. Special machine elements and special machine operations have been required so far in order to bring every part of a holder into the appropriate locking position. The machine equipment is often complicated and expensive and the application process slow and not entire- ly reliable . Examples of already known holders and machine equipment de¬ signed to apply them onto containers are described in W0- 9302941, EP-A3-150 944, NO-B127 963 and SE-B-356 479. The subject of the last document is extremely simple and has no special gripping means. The subject of the Norwegian docu¬ ment is limited to a continuous single-row-formation of con¬ tainer cans with a bead. An exact synchronization of the mu¬ tual position of the containers and the application ele¬ ments is necessary for a functioning process. The fit and the tolerances have to be precise. The holder probably is not generally suitable for bottles and absolutely not for bottles having varying shapes. No special gripping means are used. The European patent document relates to an applica¬ tion of three-dimensionally shaped fairly complicated con¬ tainers, which nevertheless have no locking means. The PCT document relates to a folding of a relatively complicated holder blank according to Fig. 1 into a shape shown in Fig. 2 with gluing, after which containers can be introduced in a way not described in detail. This is of course time con¬ suming and does not allow a use of fast mechanical applica¬ tion equipment, and also, the reliability of the holders can be questioned. Special gripping means are not used in this case either. The object of the present invention is to solve these prob¬ lems, to counter-act them and to eliminate them as much as possible. Another object of the invention is also to develop the state of the art in this field in various respects. Still another object of the invention is to develop the use of safety and holding devices and vice versa in order to achieve a particularly fast and reliable application of hol¬ ders onto a holder series formation. Another object is to be able to use in a very reliable way the same holders and the same equipment for different holder shapes and sizes. These objects are attained according to the present inven¬ tion by using a method of the type described in the intro¬ ductory part of this text and mainly as set forth in the characterizing clause of patent claim 1. Said objects are attained according to the invention also by means of a de¬ vice of the type described in the introduction and as is mainly set forth in the characterizing clause of the first device claim. Finally, said objects are attained according to the invention also by means of a holder of the type de¬ scribed in the introduction and as is mainly set forth in the characterizing clause of the first holder claim. Additional characterizing features and advantages of the present invention are set forth in the following descrip¬ tion, reference being made to the enclosed drawings, which show a few preferred but not limiting embodiments. The draw¬ ings show in detail : Fig. 1 a lateral view of a device according to the inven¬ tion m a phase before the application of a holder accor¬ ding to the invention onto a series of bottles; Fig. 2 a top view of the device according to Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 a view from the left in Fig. 1 in a phase after the application of a holder according to the invention ; Fig. 4 a perspective top view of a multiple function plate according to the invention ; Fig. 5 a lateral view of a multiple function unit accor¬ ding to the invention ; Fig. 6 a lateral view in detail of a phase just before the application of a holder according to the invention onto a series of bottles; Fig. 7 a top view of a plate, which constitutes a part of a multiple function unit according to Figs. 1-6 ; and Figs. 8-18 top views of blanks, designed for various hol¬ ders according to the invention. A device 1 according to the present invention is shown in its entirety in Fig. 1. The device comprises a machine frame 2 with a unit 3, designed to apply holder blanks 4 and shown in its entirety . A conveyor 5 is attached to the machine frame 2 and designed to feed containers 6, particularly bottles, which are to be packed together, and possibly to remove a series of bottles packed together in this way. A storage and feeding conveyor 7 for holder blanks is at¬ tached to machine frame 2 in a perpendicular direction to¬ wards bottle conveyor 5, which blanks are stored in several stacks 8, of which the one, which is placed adjacent machine frame 2 is arranged in a separation unit 9, designed to feed separate blanks or sheets forming holders according to the invention into application unit 3 in mounting condition. It is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, that a certain number of bottles is fed, in this case 8 x 6 bottles for 8 packs and holders with 6 bottles in each respectively, 6 bottles for a total of 2 packs e.g. being arranged close to each other transversely to the conveyor and 8 bottles for a total of 4 packs in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor . The feeding conveyor 7 comprises e.g. three endless chains or the like 10, driven by an electric motor 11, which can be switched on manually, when required, or mechanically during automatic operation. Separation unit 9 is driven by an electric motor 12, which drives a feeding device 13, similar to an elevator, designed to successively lift the carried stack 8 to a working level for e.g. six pneumatically functioning suction devices 14, designed to separate and lift a holder blank and transfer it to a transfer device 15, designed to transfer it in a horisontal direction centrally into application unit 3 and in this position into a multi-functional unit 16, which has lateral carrying hooks 17, which in their lower part have bent horisontal surfaces 18, turned towards each other, for the lateral edges of the holder blank, and which in their upper parts are rotatably fastened to two pivots 19 in such a way, that simultaneous movements of the pivots with oppo¬ site swinging movements are possible, e.g. by fixedly at¬ taching a control arm 20 to one of said pivots, from which arm in its turn a swingably attached transfer arm 21 issues, which via a joint or the like 22 influences carrying hook 17, attached to the other one of said pivots, or said second pi¬ vot via an arm (not shown) , e.g. swingably attached to said second pivot. In this way the two hooks 17 and their bent surfaces 18 perform separating movements, when control arm 20 is rotated counter-clockwise according to Fig. 7 and when they are rotated counter-clockwise towards each other. In the latter case a holder blank can be seized and held. In the former case the blank can be lowered onto a series of bottles according to Figs. 1 and 2. As depicted in Fig. 7 a horisontal multiple function plate 23 is positioned between bent surfaces 18 and pivots 19, which plate preferably is fastened to the lower ends of co¬ lumns 24, which in their upper parts carry pivots 19. This plate is replaceable and has a pattern of vertical, prefe¬ rably through holes 25, designed to be pressed downwards over e.g. screw caps 26 on bottles 6, arranged on assembly line 5. The bottles preferably also have a flange 28 below the cap and the holes in the plate are , particularly in this case, designed with a stop or an upper constriction 29 , which will allow the caps to pierce the upper more narrow hole section but not the flanges. The hole pattern corre¬ sponds to bottle series formation 27 on assembly line 5. Adjacent e.g. the two short sides of the plate said carry¬ ing hooks 17 are positioned, whereas along the two long sides of the plate fastened folding flanges 30 extend. These folding flanges project downwards over the plate and their width are e.g. the same as the thickness of the plate. On the lower face 34 of the plate there are e.g. two downward- ly projecting positioning pins 36, which preferably are mu¬ tually diagonally arranged . Free ends 31 of the pins pre¬ ferably are cone-shaped and designed to be able to pierce grip holes 32 (described in the following text) in a holder blank. Bases 33 of the pins preferably are cylindrical and has a diameter , which roughly corresponds to the diameter of said holes. Also, a number of knives 35 are fastened to the lower face of the plate, which are positioned exactly above bridges 37 in a holder blank and designed to cut through these bridges, in order to divide up the holder blank into separate holders, which will pack together a se¬ ries of bottles. Said knives can of course be left out part¬ ly , in case the purpose is to keep together a row of two, three or four holders having the same number of series of bottles. Multiple function unit 16 is positioned below a hydraulic or pneumatic press cylinder 38 with an associated equipment in the application unit and is moved up and down by means of the press cylinder. A lateral displacement can possibly also be used, in case a small multiple function plate is to pack together a large number of bottles without moving the bott¬ les. Said equipment comprises of course elements etc. de¬ signed to regulate the cylinder stroke and to adjust the plate in the longitudinal and lateral directions etc. Final¬ ly, the invention relates to a particularly designed hol¬ der blank according to Figs. 8-18. Each holder blank 4, which preferably is made of corrugated cardboard preferably compri¬ ses several , e.g. two, four, six or eight separate holders, which are kept together by means of bridges 37, alternative¬ ly perforations or the like. Each holder has flaps 39, ar¬ ranged on at least two mutually opposite sides, which are marked off from main area 40 of the blank by means of e.g. a perforation line 41. Narrow sides 42 of the flaps prefer¬ ably are oblique. Two through grip holes 32 are arranged in the blanks , perpendicular to it, e.g. roughly centrally lo¬ cated in it and designed to be used, when a packed together series of bottles is to be carried by a person, by inser¬ ting fingers in the grip holes. A number of locking holes 43 are distributed in a suitable fashion along the main area of the blank and corresponds to the number of bottles in a packed together series thereof. Holes 43 are surroun¬ ded all around or on only one or two sides by locking fing¬ ers 44 according to the drawings. One of said fingers is connected to the adjacent flap, whereas the rest of them, if any, are marked off from the main area via perforations 45. The corrugations in the cardboard in this case prefer¬ ably are arranged perpendicular to the flaps and thus ex¬ tend in the longitudinal direction of said one finger, a stiffening av the finger being obtained. It is suitable to use only two additional fingers, each of which extends around 1/3 of the periphery . In this way the corrugations in the cardboard material will not in any finger run per¬ pendicular thereto, which means that none of the fingers can be easily broken around a corrugation formation in the material . The design of the various holder blanks, flaps, holes, fingers etc. is clearly shown in the drawings. The mode of operation according to the invention is as fol¬ lows : When the bottles are fed on bottle conveyor 5, pre¬ ferably without spaces between them or with such spaces, which correspond to desired formations, holder blank con¬ veyor 7 is provided with packs 8 of holder blanks and such a pack is present in separation unit 9, in which suction de¬ vices 14 lift the uppermost blank from the pack and pass it to the transfer unit, to be transported to the application unit , in which the blank is seized by multiple function unit 16, which is lowered onto a bottle series formation. During this movement the blank is held and positioned by means of bent surfaces 18 along two mutually opposite sides, whereas the folding flanges are situated at a distance from the blank above the two other sides. When subsequently the blank collides wtih bottle caps 26 with its fingers still in the same plane as the main area, it substantially is stopped, while pins 31 in a position-locking way penetrate some grip holes and the knives soon thereafter cut through said bridges 37. This position is shown in Figs. 6 and 7, in which the distance between the holder blank and the bottle caps solely has been chosen for the purpose of illustration. Subsequently the folding flanges collide with the blank and fold its flaps 39 downwards, at the same time as plate 23 contacts the holder blank around its locking holes and moves main area 40 past the bottle caps and possibly also bottle flanges 28. During this latter movement the fingers are fol¬ ded upwards by means of the bottle caps and will slide past the latter och possibly the bottle flanges, the wider lower portion of plate holes 25 allowing such a folding upwards. Finally, the free end edges of the flaps end up below the bottle flanges and in some cases only the bottle caps re¬ spectively, a self-locking of the holder blank on the bottle series being obtained. Subsequently the multiple function unit can start its movement upwards again and recieve a new holder blank to be applied to one or several new bottle se¬ ries. It is to be particularly noted , that the fingers, which are integrated with the flaps obtain an extension thanks to the flaps, which are retained by means of the fingers , the main area becoming stiffer and its bending be¬ ing counter-acted, since the flaps are arranged at an angle of e.g. roughly 80° in relation to the main area . Also, the described application of a holder blank onto the bottles is very careful or cautious with all the parts, since e.g. the deflecting influence of the folding flanges on the flaps corresponds to the lifting of the fingers by means of the bottle caps. Thus, these two different folding and holder functional form-creating means assist each other, which to a high degree guarantees, that disadvantageous foldings, e.g. in inappropriate locations or where the material is thinner and for other reasons are prevented. It is easy and simple to replace the multiple function plates with other plates and this can be done quickly, in case a new type of bottle is to be packed. Also, the rest of the parts can quickly be adjusted to changed operation conditions, client preferences etc. As can be seen, there are differently designed holder blanks available, which how¬ ever all have a common characteristic : fingers integrated with the flaps and/or several holders fastened to each oth¬ er via bridges in the same blank. In case very wide flaps are required , then it is possible either to temporarily position the bottles in the applica¬ tion unit at a certain mutual distance, so that the locking holes, despite the wider flaps, will end up just above the bottle caps or to just before or in connection with the app¬ lication of the holder blank fold the inner flaps fully or partly in order to position the locking holes just above the bottle caps. This folding may be carried out e.g. by early pressing the knives and/or projections against the blank. On the whole a barrier or some other type of projec¬ tion 46 can, within the area for the inner flaps, like the folding flanges, be pressed against the flaps in the blank and bend them downwards into the required useful shape, which preferably is done simultaneuos with the cutting of the holder blank into individual holders. Also, the flaps can at their free ends be provided with e.g. inward bends, designed to hold a portion of the bottle neck. In connection with Figs. 6 and 7 it should be noted, that either the carrying hooks can be actively moved aside, when the holder blank is pressed against the bottle caps and du¬ ring the ensuing continued movement downwards of the mul¬ tiple function unit or the downwardly and outwardly diver¬ ging carrying hooks can be passively moved aside due to translational movements, caused by the holder blank, ofthe described and shown mechanism, which via arm 20 e.g. can stop the movement downwards of the unit and initiate said movements upwards. What has been described can of course be integrated into one appropriate automatic mechanism. It is also possible to design the outer flaps with such a very large length perpendicular to the main area, possibly perforations etc., that such a flap can be folded around all the series of bottles and be connected to the shorter flap on the other side of the series. The invention is not limited to what has been described above and as to the embodiments shown in the enclosed draw¬ ings, but it can be modified and supplemented in an arbitra¬ ry manner within the scope of the inventive idea and the enclosed patent claims.

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. A method of packaging together series of containers (6) provided with a cap (26) and/or a neck flange (28) , particu¬ larly bottles, by means of holders (4) having punched and/or perforated holes (43) and flaps (39) and fingers (44) re¬ spectively, which holders in the form of flat blanks are provided in stacks (8) and are fed from the stacks separa¬ tely by means of a separation unit (9) to an application unit (3) , to which containers (6) are fed on a container conveyor (5) in a certain series or row formation (27) , the lateral flaps (39) of a holder blank (4) , when it is applied, being folded downwards to contact said formation from out¬ side, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at the same time as and due to the fact that said flaps (39) are folded down¬ wards fingers (44) , integrated with said flaps and designed as stiff units, and possibly additional fingers, are pressed and turned upwards by ■ means of the caps (26) and the flanges (28) respectively, and the holder blanks are moved down¬ wards to a level below the lower limitation of the caps and the flanges respectively in order to subsequently, thanks to their inherent elasticity, independently spring back into locking positions below the caps and the flanges respective¬ ly. 2.Amethod according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a holder blank (4) , which is fed to the application unit (3) is seized by a multiple function unit (16) , which constitutes a part of the application unit (3) and jointly with the blank is lowered onto a formation series of contai¬ ners (6) , during which movement the blank is held and posi ¬ tioned by means of positioning pins (36) and horizontal carrying surfaces (18) along two mutually opposite sides, whereas the two other sides of the blank are held below fol¬ ding flanges, which are parts of the multiple function unit, after which the blank, in certain cases , is cut through in¬ to separate holders and the flaps (39) are folded downwards, at the same time as the plate (23) of the multiple function unit is pressed against the holder blank around its locking holes and moves the main area (40) of the holders past the caps (26) and the flanges (28) respectively, the flaps (44) being bent upwards to be able to slide past the latter and spring into their locking positions after the removal of the multiple function unit (16) . 3. A device (1) designed to carry out the method according to claim 1 or 2, which comprises a separation unit (9) , de¬ signed to separate and feed individual holder blanks (4) ha¬ ving punched and/or perforated holes (43) and flaps (3) and fingers (44) respectively to an application unit (3) , de¬ signed to apply said blanks into a certain series or row formation (27) of containers (6) , provided with caps (26) and/or neck flanges (28) , particularly bottles, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that a multiple function unit (16), which is a part of the application unit, is designed to, when it is lowered with a holder blank onto said formation (27) , fold said flaps (39) downwards and in this way press and bend fingers (44) and possibly additional fingers, integrated with the latter and formed as stiff units, upwards jointly with the caps (26) and the flanges (28) respectively and move the free end edges of said fingers to a level below the lower limitation of the caps and the flanges respecti¬ vely, in order to subsequently , with a returning movement upwards, allow the fingers to, thanks to their inherent elasticity, independently spring into locking positions be¬ low the caps and the flanges respectively . 4. A device according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the multiple function unit (16) has lateral carrying hooks (17) , which in their lower part have horizontal sur¬ faces (18) , directed against each other and designed to hold lateral edges of the holder blank, and which in their upper part are rotatably fastened to pivots (19) in such a way, that simultaneous movements between the pivots with mutual¬ ly opposite rotational movements are possible, particularly because a control arm (20) is non-rotatably connected to one of said pivots, from which control arm in its turn a movement transfer arm (21) projects with a rotatable con¬ nection, which via a joint or the like (22) influences the carrying hook (17) , which is suspended in the other pivot, or said pivot via an arm, which is e.g. rotatably connected to the latter pivot. 5. A device according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that between the horizontal srufaces (18) and the pivots (19) a horizontal multiple function plate (23) is arranged, which particularly is fastened to the lower parts of co¬ lumns (24) , which in their upper parts carry the pivots (19) , in that this plate is replaceable and has a pattern of vertical, preferably through holes (25), which corre¬ spond to the formation series of bottles (27) on the assemb¬ ly line (5) , and are designed to be pressed downwards over e.g. screw caps (26) on bottles (6) and in that, in case there is a flange (28) below the cap (26) , the holes inthe plate have a step or an upper constriction (29) , which al¬ lows the caps, but not the flanges, to pierce the upper hole section. 6. A device according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said carrying hooks (17) are arranged adjacent the two small sides of the plate (23), whereas along the two long sides of the plate (23) folding flanges (30) , attached to the plate, extend and project downwards above the plate, preferably having a width, which is the same as the thick¬ ness of the plate, and in that on the lower side (34) of the plate there are e.g. two downwardly projecting posi¬ tioning pins (36) , which preferably are diagonally disposed and the ends (31) of which are cone-shaped and designed to pierce grip holes (32) in a holder blank (4) as well as in that the bases (33) of the pins (36) suitably are cylindri¬ cal with a diameter, which roughly is the same as the grip hole diameter , in addition to which a number of knives (35) are arranged along holders (4) , which are to be sepa ¬ rated after the application in the application unit (3) on the lower side of the plate and which are arranged above bridges (37) in a holder blank and designed to cut through said bridges in order to separate the blank into individu¬ al holders, which each one is to package together a series of containers (6) . 7. A holder (4) , used to carry out the method according to claim 1 or 2 and with a device (1) according to any of claims 2-6 respectively , which comprises a flat blank, which is provided with holes (43) and fingers (44) , which surround the holes, perforations and/or grooves and the like as folding nicks as well as downwardly foldable lateral flaps (39) also being provided, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least one of said fingers (44) is conencted to the adjacent flap (39) , which parts jointly form a stiff unit, whereas possible additional fingers (44) are separa¬ ted from a main area (40) of the holder via perforations or the like (45) . 8. A holder according to claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the holder blank (4) is made of corrugated card¬ board and comprises several holders, which are connected to each other by means of bridges (37) or via perforations, in that each holder has flaps (39) on at least two mutual¬ ly opposite sides, which are separated from the main area (40) by means of a perforation line or the like (41) , and in that preferably along a central line there are two grip holes (32) through the main area. 9. A holder according to claims 7 or 8, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d in that the main area (40) holds a number of holes (43) for the containers , which holes correspond to the number of containers in a holder (4) and are limited, preferably all around, by locking fingers (44), of which one is integral with the adjacent flap (39) , two additio¬ nal fingers (44) also being provided and each finger exten¬ ding along 1/3 of the periphery of the hole. 10. A holder according to any of claims 7-9, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that in case very wide flaps (39) bet¬ ween laterally arranged holder blanks (4) are used, these inner flaps are arranged in a foldable condition, comple¬ tely or partially, before or in connection with the appli¬ cation of the holder blank, a barrier or a similar projec¬ tion (46) being arranged and designed to be moved against said inner flaps and downwardly fold and possibly cut through the same by means of knives (35) , fastened to the projec¬ tion.

Inventors: GRANBAKKEN TORE, HANSEN FINN R, SKOGLY ERIK HARALD, GRANBAKKEN, TORE, HANSEN, FINN, R., SKOGLY, ERIK, HARALD
Applicants: DALWELL AB, GRANBAKKEN TORE, HANSEN FINN R, SKOGLY ERIK HARALD, GRANBAKKEN, TORE, HANSEN, FINN, R., SKOGLY, ERIK, HARALD
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B65B17
IPC codes: B65B17, B65D71