Abstract:
In order to insert packages, particularly bags ( 10 ) having fragile packaging goods into containers or cartons ( 14 ), the carton ( 14 ) is held ready in a packing station ( 16 ) such that the bags ( 10 ) can be inserted into the carton ( 14 ) by means of a delivery device, particularly a pusher ( 56 ). In order to create different, ordered formations of the bags ( 10 ) within the carton ( 14 ), said carton can be moved during the filling or packing process such that the packing formation is created due to a corresponding relative positioning of the carton ( 14 ) at a predetermined feed plane.

Description:
STATEMENT OF RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application is the Patent Cooperation Treaty Chapter II National Phase of Patent Cooperation Treaty International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2009/000908 having an International Filing Date of 10 Feb. 2009, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a method for the introduction of items into a container, especially packs such as (tube) bags into a carton, involving the creation of an ordered formation of the items or packs inside the container or carton, the items or packs being fed on a feed conveyor individually one after the other or in (small) groups to a filling station and being introduced into the container or carton that is open on at least one side. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is concerned primarily with the filling of (tube) bags with fragile consumer goods such as (potato) chips into shipping cartons. The pillow-shaped bags are positioned in a predetermined formation, that is to say in rows, layers, etc., inside the carton. 
     Because of the different size of the items, especially bags, and/or because of the different dimensions of the cartons, it is necessary to provide different formations of the bags inside the carton, taking into account the given dimensions, so that optimal filling is assured. 
     The object of the invention is accordingly to configure the introduction of items into containers, especially bags into cartons, in such a way that the formation of the items/bags inside the carton can be changed by simple means involving its adaptation to the predetermined dimensions at the same time associated with gentle handling of the contents of the pack. A further object of the invention is to improve the process of closing the filled carton. 
     In order to achieve this object, the method according to the invention is characterized in that, for the purpose of filling the items or packs, the container or carton is capable of movement into a relative position corresponding to the formation to be produced. 
     The invention is accordingly based on the assumption that the items or bags to be packed are held ready in a predetermined position in the packing station, and that the container or carton is brought into a relative position which corresponds to the formation to be produced, for example an upright longitudinal row, a transverse row or a position in which the bags are lying flat. The procedure adopted according to the invention is for the carton to change its relative position a number of times during a filling phase, as appropriate, in order to permit complex, but ordered, formations of the bags inside the carton without changing the position of the bags during the filling process. For the purpose of introducing the bags into the carton, according to the invention the bags are introduced into the carton lying flat on a feed plane that is preferably inclined in the direction of the carton opening with the bag in a predetermined relative position. 
     The device according to the invention is equipped in the vicinity of the filling station with at least one handling unit, which brings about the different relative positions of the carton that is open on one side corresponding to the formation of the filling to be produced. Provided in particular for this purpose is a robot with a holding head for gripping the carton and for executing the movements for different relative positions. 
     An additional handling unit for the cartons, and especially an additional robot, are provided in order to increase the operating output. The two robots are positioned in such way inside a common machine frame that they alternately pick up cartons in the vicinity of a carton station and feed them to the filling station. The filled cartons are placed on a carton conveyor by the robots. 
     The invention is also concerned with the further processing of the filled cartons, and especially with measures for closing the cartons involving the folding of folding flaps in such a way that these are arranged in a fanfold formation. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further characterizing features and details of the invention are explained below in greater detail with reference to the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a (tube) bag as an example of an item to be processed in a perspective view; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a carton as a container intended to receive bags according to  FIG. 1  in a predetermined formation, also in a perspective view; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a second embodiment of the formation of bags inside a carton; 
         FIG. 4  depicts a device with a filling station and a closing station for cartons in a simplified side view; 
         FIG. 5  depicts the device according to  FIG. 4  in a plan view and as a horizontal section in the plane V-V in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  depicts a transverse view and a transverse section of the device in a sectional plane VI-VI in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  depicts a detail of the device in a representation analogous to  FIG. 6 , on an enlarged scale; 
         FIG. 8  depicts the detail according to  FIG. 7  with a changed relative position of the devices; 
         FIG. 9  depicts the detail according to  FIG. 8  in a bottom view and as a horizontal section of the sectional plane IX-IX in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  depicts the detail according to  FIG. 9  as a vertical section corresponding to sectional plane X-X in  FIG. 9 , on an enlarged scale; 
         FIG. 11  to  FIG. 13  depict different positions in the course of filling a carton in a side view corresponding to a part of the representation in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 14  depicts a detail of a closing station for cartons in a transverse view corresponding to sectional plane XIV-XIV in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 15  depicts the detail according to  FIG. 14  in a side view; 
         FIG. 16  depicts the detail according to  FIG. 14  in a top view according to the arrow  16  in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 17  to  FIG. 19  depict representations of  FIG. 14  to  FIG. 16  with folding flaps of the carton in different folding positions; 
         FIG. 20  depicts a detail XX of  FIG. 17  on an enlarged scale; and 
         FIG. 21  to  FIG. 27  depict different representations of the folding step for the folding flaps of the carton analogous to  FIG. 17  to  FIG. 19 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The examples in the drawings are concerned with the handling of bags  10  made of foil in an embodiment as a tube bag. This consists of a tube section of the packaging material with upper and lower closure seams  11 ,  12 . This bag  10  is executed in addition with gusset folds  13 . The bag  10  is intended to receive different products. In the present case, the bags  10  are used to receive potato chips, for example, i.e. fragile products. 
     An important consideration is the introduction of the bags  10  into a container, in this case into a (folding) carton  14 . A number of bags  10  is positioned inside the carton  14  in an ordered formation. The intention is to fill cartons  14  of different sizes completely with bags  10  and/or to position them properly having regard for the product, the bags  10  also being capable of exhibiting different dimensions. In the example according to  FIG. 2 , the bags  10  are arranged in two lower rows in an upright orientation and are offset in relation to one another from row to row, together with one upper flat row. The carton  14  according to  FIG. 3  the bags  10  are arranged adjacent to one another in two rows, the bags in one row being oriented transversely, and the bags in the other row being oriented longitudinally. A plurality of other formations is possible in order to adapt on the one hand to the size of the bags  10  and on the other hand to that of the carton  14  to be filled. 
     The bags  10  are introduced into the cartons  14  by mechanical means, that is to say by appropriate filling devices, in order to produce the one or the other formation. For this purpose, the bags  10  arriving from a bag packer (not illustrated here), for example, are fed one after the other, in this case separated by a distance, onto a feed conveyor  15  of a packing station  16 . In the region of the latter, bags  10  are introduced one after the other (and also as small groups in each case with a number of bags  10  arranged adjacent to and/or above one another) into a waiting carton  14 , simultaneously producing the one or the other ordered formation. In the packing station  16 , the bags  10  are made available on a predefined introduction plane and are introduced into the open carton  14 . The positions of the bags  10  inside the carton  14 —depending on the formation to be produced—are brought about by the variable relative position of the carton  14 . The carton is accordingly positioned in such a way that, as the bags  10  enter the carton  14 , the required relative position corresponding to the formation to be produced is adopted. The carton  14  is capable of being moved for this purpose in the vicinity of the packing station  16 , that is to say it can be rotated, tilted and displaced in all directions. 
     The packing station  16  is present together with the associated devices and units inside a linear machine frame with upright supports  17 , upper longitudinal beams  18  and transverse beams  19 . Lower longitudinal members  20  for connecting the supports  17  are provided in order to stabilize a frame structure of this configuration. 
     At least one handling device is assigned to the packing station  16  for the purpose of holding and moving the carton  14  during filling. In the case of the present illustrative embodiment, a (first) robot  21  is provided as a handling device. This is a six-axis robot, which is mounted in an upper swivel  22  on a supporting element of the machine frame. The robot  21  is capable of rotating about a vertical axis in the vicinity of the swivel  22 . Two articulated arms  23 ,  24  form a boom for the robot  21 . A holding head  25  is installed on the handling device or at the end of the articulated arm  24 . This head is configured in such a way that an (open) carton  14  can be gripped. The holding head  25  is capable of movement in such a way that the for the filling of the carton  14  with a predetermined formation of the bags  10  is able to take place automatically. 
     The carton  14  consists as standard of one bottom wall  26  (consisting of folding flaps), two mutually opposing (upright) longitudinal walls  27 ,  28 , two transversely oriented transverse walls  29 ,  30  and closing flaps, that is to say longitudinal flaps  31 ,  32  and transverse flaps  33 ,  34  on the upper side of the carton  14 . 
     The holding head  25  of the handling device is configured in such a way that the open carton  14  is kept stable and the folding flaps  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34  are fixed preferably in the open position or the spread position. Furthermore, the holding head  25  is configured in such a way that at least one main area of an (upper) open side of the carton  14  is free for the introduction of the bags  10 . 
     The holding head  25  in the present illustrative embodiment is of U-shaped configuration when viewed from the side ( FIG. 10 ). A supporting element connected to the handling device or the robot  21  exhibits transversely oriented holding devices, which grip the carton  14  on two opposing sides, in the present case on the (downward-facing) open side and, opposite thereto, in the vicinity of the bottom wall  26 . The holding head  25  subjects the carton  14  to a holding or clamping force, which produces a sufficient holding effect for the performance of the movements without causing mechanical damage to the carton  14 . 
     The holding head  25  is rotatably connected to the robot  21  or its boom via a transversely oriented connection or via a transversely oriented shaft journal  41 . The holding head  25  exhibits a supporting device connected to the robot  21 , that is to say a transverse profile  40 . The shaft journal  41  is positioned on this profile. Transversely oriented support legs  37  (in  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 8  upright) are in turn positioned on both sides at the ends of the transverse profile  40 . The supporting frame connected to the robot  21  is accordingly of H-shaped configuration when viewed from the side. The holding devices for gripping the carton  14  on mutually opposing sides are positioned at the free ends of the (two) support legs  37 . 
     In the present illustrative embodiment, the carton  14  is held ready with downward-facing closure flaps  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34  in a carton station  42 . A lower supporting device is configured as a projecting support arm  38 , and two support arms  38 , gripping the carton  14  along its edge are in fact provided, upon which the carton  14  is supported with free edges in the vicinity of the open side. Arranged in each case at the ends of the support arms  38  are angle pieces  39 , which secure the associated closure flaps, in this case the longitudinal flaps  31 ,  32 , in an open position or in a transversely oriented spread position. The transverse flaps  33 ,  34  are held in the open position by the support arms  38 . The flaps  31 ,  32 ;  33 ,  34  are oriented horizontally. 
     Corresponding, movable holding devices, especially folding legs  36 , are arranged lying opposite the support arms  38 . These are positioned on the upper ends of the support legs  37  (in the position ready to accept a carton  14  according to  FIG. 10 ) and are in fact articulated, that is to say capable of pivoting. The upper, upright, initial position is illustrated in  FIG. 7 , and the holding position is illustrated in  FIG. 10 . The folding legs  36  are of angular configuration in their cross-section and grip the carton in the vicinity of the bottom wall and the side walls at the corners ( FIG. 11  to  FIG. 13 ). The mutually opposing angle pieces  39  are configured in such a way that they enter the carton  14  in the corner area with a leg  35 . As a result, the carton  14  is held securely on the holding head  25  against movements in every direction. 
     The empty cartons  14  are supplied to the carton station  42  and are held ready there for gripping by the holding head  25  of the robot  21 . The carton station  42  is arranged approximately in the middle of the machine frame. The empty cartons  14  are supplied with their open side facing upwards from a position above the machine frame, that is to say from above. A vertical conveyor for the cartons  14  is provided for this purpose in the vicinity of the carton station  42 . In the present case, this is a servo axis  43 , which is arranged in an upright position on the machine frame, in this case on a longitudinal beam  18 . A servo axis is a familiar device for the linear transport of items. A sledge is capable of displacement inside a hollow profile, for example by means of a spindle. This is driven by a servo motor. A carton carrier  44  is capable of upward and downward movement on the servo axis, that is to say on its sledge (not illustrated here), and in addition it is capable of rotating about a swivel  45 . The carton carrier  44  exhibits a (rotating) supporting element  46 , on which there are arranged holding arms  47 , which grip the carton  14  on both sides, in this case in the vicinity of the transverse walls  29 ,  30 . Each holding arm  47  preferably exhibits a plurality of suction grippers  48 , which grip and hold the carton  14  by means of a partial vacuum or suction air. The carton  14  is caused to rotate through 180° during the downward movement and, with its open side facing downwards, is set down on supporting elements in the vicinity of the carton station  42 . 
     Before the carton  14  is picked up by the holding head  25  of the handling device, steps are taken to ensure that the closure flaps  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34  lie outside the carton  14 . Folding devices enter the carton  14  for this purpose. Fixed folding levers  49  are arranged in the vicinity of the carton station  42 . These are mounted in a pivoting fashion on a bracket  50  connected to the machine frame. The carton  14  is moved or placed over the inward-pivoted folding levers  49  in the course of the downward movement. The folding levers  49  exhibit transversely oriented folding heads  51 . The movement of the folding levers  49  against the inside of the side walls of the carton  14  causes the transversely oriented, web-like folding heads  51  to arrive in the vicinity of approximately inward-folded folding flaps or closure flaps  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34  in contact with the side walls. The flap concerned is gripped and is caused to pivot outwards from the carton  14  by relative movement, especially by the upward movement of the carton  14 . The folding heads  51  are arranged in such away that, as a consequence of their corresponding relative position, they grip a free, upward-facing edge of a closure flap  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34  remaining inside the carton  14  where appropriate. The upward and downward movement of the carton  14  occurring in this case is brought about by the carton carrier  44 , which is thus utilized as a handling device for the carton  14  in the vicinity of the carton station  42 . 
     Once all the folding flaps have been moved out of the carton  14  and—as in the present case—are facing downwards, the carton  14  is held ready in a transfer position for the robot  21 . The outward-pivoted folding levers  49  are utilized together with the folding heads  51  as supporting devices for the carton  14  ( FIG. 8 ,  FIG. 9 ). The folding heads  51  are positioned in such a way, because of the corresponding position of the folding levers  49 , that they are in contact with the formed edges of the carton  14 , at least in the vicinity of the longitudinal flaps  31 ,  32 , and act as a supporting device. Furthermore, the folding flaps  31 ,  32  are caused to move into a transversely oriented or horizontal position and are held in this position. The folding levers  49  arranged transversely hereto are arranged in such a way that they lie with the folding heads  51  outside the carton  14  and support only the folding flaps  33 ,  34  in a horizontal position. 
     The carton  14  is held in the carton station  42  in a predetermined relative position ready for take-up by the holding head  25 . This is brought into position by horizontal movement with the folding leg  36  facing upwards. In the process, the carton  14  is fixed in position by a holding device. This task is undertaken in the present case by the carton carrier  44  with the holding arms  47 . A relative movement may be necessary in conjunction with the take-up of the carton by the holding head  25 , especially a downward movement of the carton  14  for the introduction of the legs  35  into the carton  14 . This movement is also performed by an actuating device, in the present case by the carton carrier  44 . After take-up of the carton  14  by the holding head  25 , the holding arms  47  are released from the carton  14 . The carton carrier  44  can now be moved in an upward direction ready for the take-up of the next carton  14 . 
     The carton  14  is caused to move into the packing station  16  by the handling device or the robot  21 . The open side of the carton  14  faces towards a filling unit for the introduction of the items or bags  10 . 
     The packing station  16  exhibits a notably horizontally oriented intermediate conveyor  52  in conjunction with the feed conveyor  15 . The bags  10  are also positioned and aligned in the vicinity thereof. Units or groups are formed as appropriate. In the present illustrative embodiment, two consecutive bags  10  in each case are collected on the intermediate conveyor  52  for common transfer to a carton  14 . The bags  10  (either individually or as a group) are then transported to a transfer device arranged adjacent to the carton  14  or the carton opening. 
     The transfer device for introducing the bags  10  into the carton  14  consists essentially of a platform or a transfer belt  53 . This adjoins the intermediate conveyor  52  in such a way that the individual or collected bags  10  are kept ready as a filling unit on the transfer belt  53  (on an upper run). The bags  10  in the present illustrative embodiment come up against a stop  54 , which determines the position of the bags  10  on the transfer device  53 . 
     The bags  10  in the arrangement according to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6  are introduced into the carton  14  transversely to the direction of feed of the transfer belt  53 . For this purpose, a pusher  56  is capable of back-and forth movement above the transfer belt  53  in order to push the bags  10  into the carton  14 . The particularly angular pusher  56  is mounted on a linear unit  57  and is capable of back-and-forth movement along the same. The pusher  56  is capable of movement in a plane parallel to the plane of the platform or the transfer belt  53 . 
     One characterizing feature is that the transfer device or the transfer belt  53  for introducing the bags  10  into the carton  14  is capable of movement into an inclined position, that is to say it is tiltable, so that an inclined supply plane for the bags  10  is created ( FIG. 11  to  FIG. 13 ). The transfer belt  53  is in a horizontal position when supplying the bags  10 , and in an inclined position for the purpose of transferring them to the carton  14 . The movements of the transfer belt  53  between the horizontal position and the inclined position are effected by a drive mechanism, and especially by a crank mechanism  58 , which operates synchronously with the loading procedure and the supply of the bags  10 . The drive or the crank mechanism  58  engages along the edge on the transfer belt  53  and in so doing influences the tilting positions. 
     Also provided is an auxiliary device entering into the carton  14 , which device acts as a guide for the bags inside the carton and/or a guard for any bags  10  that have already been deposited there. This is a guide device or guiding plate  55 , which extends in the plane of the transfer belt  53  (beneath the upper run) and is preferably connected to it. The guiding plate  55  can be extended laterally, so that it extends all the way into the carton  14  while forming a continued or parallel movement plane for the bags  10 , and more particularly in a plane slightly above the bags  10  that have already been deposited there. As the guiding plate  55  is withdrawn, the bag  10  in each case is deposited accurately in the carton  14 . The guiding plate  55  in this respect interacts with the pusher  56 , which pushes or slides the one or more bags  10  into position in each case from the guiding plate  55 . The difference in the extended position of the guiding plate  55  defines the position in which the bag  10  is deposited in the carton  14 . 
     The position and/or design of the guide device or the guiding plate  55  can be selected so that, in the extended position in which it projects into the carton  14 , an influence is exerted on the bags  10  that have already been deposited there. The guiding plate  55  is capable, through an appropriate relative position, of exerting a (small) pressure on the bags  10 , so that their formation inside the carton  14  is stabilized. Furthermore, the guiding plate  55  can also perform minor displacements of the bags  10  inside the carton  14 , if required. 
     The relative position of the carton  14  can be varied, if required, during the filling process. According to  FIG. 11  to  FIG. 13 , the carton  14  is first positioned in an inclined position, so that a carton wall, especially a transverse wall  29 , is obliquely aligned and serves as a support for the bags  10 . The first bag  10  is thus placed on the obliquely aligned transverse wall  29 , which is also notably oriented parallel to the plane of the transfer belt  53  ( FIG. 11 ). The bags  10  are then set down on the bags  10  that are already present inside the carton  14 , while maintaining the position of the carton  14 . The bottom  26  serves as a support. A stable position of the bags  10  inside the carton  14  is assured by the inclined orientation of the carton  14 . 
     If an additional, upper layer of bags  10  lying flat is to be introduced, as illustrated by way of example in  FIG. 13 , the carton  14  is turned accordingly, essentially with its open side facing upwards. A certain amount of inclination is retained in order to ensure the stable position of the bags  10  also during this filling process. The carton  14  is positioned in such a way at all times that the placement position for the bags  10  lies in the plane (with inclined orientation) of the transfer belt  53  and the guiding plate  55 . 
     The introduction of the bags  10  into the carton  14  with the help of transfer belt  53  can also take place in such a way that the bags  10  are fed into the carton  14  by the conveying movement of the transfer belt  53 , that is to say in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the pusher  56 . The direction of feeding and filling can accordingly be provided by the transfer belt  53  or some other device, and especially by a platform that is capable of appropriate movement. 
     The device for keeping the bags  10  ready for introduction into the carton  14 , and especially the transfer belt  53 , can be configured and/or activated in such a way that the bags  10  can be fed into the appropriately positioned carton  14  in different conveying directions. In particular, the bags  10  on the transfer belt  53  can be transported by this in such a way that the bags are deposited at the redirection end of the upper run and, more particularly, either indirectly or directly into the carton  14  as it is kept ready in an appropriate position. The device is accordingly configured in such a way that the bags  10  can be introduced into the carton  14  in the case of a different relative position—having regard for the closure seams  11 ,  12 . 
     On completion of the filling process, the carton  14 , which is notably still open, is transferred to a closing station  59  and is deposited for this purpose in particular on a discharge conveyor  60 , which transports the cartons  14  to the vicinity of the closing station  59 . 
     In order to increase the operating output of the packing station  16 , at least one further handling device for cartons  14  is provided, in the present case a (second) robot  61 . These two similar robots  21 ,  61  are arranged on mutually opposing edge regions of the machine frame, that is to say on both sides of the packing station  16 . The function of the robot  61  in the present case corresponds to that of the robot  21 . The same is true of the holding head  25  and additional items. The robots  21 ,  61  are controlled by a preferably central control system in a coordinated manner, so that one of the robots faces towards the packing station  16  and the other robot at the same time faces towards the carton station  42  with the respective holding head  25 . 
     One distinctive feature is the closing process for the cartons  14  after filling. The closing station  59  in the vicinity of the discharge conveyor  60  is arranged directly adjacent to the machine frame and is connected to it. The closing station  59  is configured for a dual function. The cartons  14  first pass through a folding station  62  and then a tape station  63 . The former is used to fold the closure flaps  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34  into the closing position. An adhesive tape is then applied to the closed carton  14  in the vicinity of the tape station  63 . 
     The folding station  62  can differ in its configuration. In the case of the present illustrative embodiment ( FIG. 14  to  FIG. 27 ), a particular form of folding known as “fanfold” is produced, in which the folding flaps  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34  are positioned alternately on the under side and on the upper side of neighboring folding flaps. 
     Arranged in the folding station  62  for this purpose are fixed folding devices, which bring about automatic folding of the flaps  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34  by creating the fanfold position. The carton  14  is brought to a halt inside the folding station  62  for the folding process, and more particularly by stoppers  64 ,  65 , act on the front side and the rear side of the carton  14 , in the present case on the transverse walls  29 ,  30 . In this position, that is to say with the longitudinal walls  27 ,  28  facing in the transport direction, the longitudinal flaps  31 ,  32  attached to these walls are erected during the transport of the carton  14  by folding devices, that is to say by a helical folder  66  to either side of the movement path of the carton  14 . The longitudinal flaps  31 ,  32  are in an essentially upright position when the carton  14  arrives at the folding station  62 . In this position, the folding flaps  31 ,  32  are retained or supported on both sides. Hook-shaped, pivotable flap holders  67 ,  68 , which grip or support the folding flaps  31 ,  32  by means of a downward-oriented leg  69 , act on the inside. A retaining bar  70  is present on the outside as a continuation of the helical folder  66 . 
     The stoppers  64 ,  65  are positioned diametrically opposite one another, that is to say on mutually opposing sides of the carton  14 . The flap holders  67 ,  68  are similarly positioned above these on diagonally opposing sides of the carton  14 , in such a way that the downward-facing leg  69  can make contact on one side in an area of the longitudinal flaps  31 ,  32  towards the rear in the conveying direction and on the other side in an area of the longitudinal flaps towards the front in the conveying direction. Arranged on the outside of the folding flaps  31 ,  32  are folding or forming devices, which become effective at the start of the folding process. The folders in this case are pivoting folders  71 ,  72 , which also lie diametrically opposite one another on the outside of the longitudinal flaps  31 ,  32 , that is to say in an area towards the front in the conveying direction on the one hand and in an area towards the rear on the other hand. 
     The first folding step is illustrated in  FIG. 17  to  FIG. 20  and relates to the folding flaps  31 ,  32  facing in the longitudinal direction. These are retained in an upright position in an end area and are folded inwards in an opposing end area, that is to say into a (horizontal) closing plane. The aforementioned folding or helical forming runs in opposing directions in relation to the flaps  31 ,  32 . The helical forming of the folding flaps  31 ,  32  is achieved accordingly by fixing the folding flaps at one end and by pressing down the folding flaps at the respective opposite end into a horizontal closing plane. Fixing takes place by means of the hook-shaped flap holders  67 ,  68 . Forming by pressing down into the closing plane is effected by the pivoting folders  71 ,  72 , which in each case press the folding flap  31 ,  32  downwards with a pivoting folding leg  73 . 
     The transversely oriented folding flaps, that is to say transverse flaps  33 ,  34 , are not involved in the forming of the longitudinal flaps  31 ,  32 , and to begin with, for example, they remain in horizontal alignment ( FIG. 15 ). The transverse flaps  33 ,  34  are erected after forming the folding flaps  31 ,  32 . The stoppers  64 ,  65  are utilized for this purpose in the present illustrative embodiment. These are configured as angular devices having a transversely or horizontally oriented supporting leg  74 . The stoppers  64 ,  65  are movable as a whole, that is to say pivotable. In a first position (stop function), the supporting legs  74  are effective as stop devices lying in a lower area of the carton  14 , approximately at half the height of the carton  14  ( FIG. 14 ). In order to erect the transverse flaps  33 ,  34 , the stoppers  64 ,  65  are caused to pivot as a whole about a horizontal axis, so that the transversely oriented supporting legs  74  are moved upwards out of the lower stop position taking the associated transverse flaps  33 ,  34  with them in each case until these have been erected ( FIG. 24 ,  FIG. 25 ). 
     In the erected position, the transverse flaps  33 ,  34  are gripped by a separate activating device and are folded into the closing plane. The transverse flaps  33 ,  34  themselves must not be deformed in the course of the folding process. The predetermined opposing twisted position of the longitudinal flaps  31 ,  32  causes one of the transverse flaps  33  in the erected area of the longitudinal flap  31  to be folded into the closing plane and, in the end area of the other longitudinal flap  32 , to be folded onto this because of the spiral orientation ( FIG. 26 ). Analogously, the opposing transverse flap  34  is folded onto a horizontally oriented area of the longitudinal flap  31  and into the closing plane next to the erected area of the longitudinal flap  32 . 
     The folding, forming and holding devices, that is to say the folding legs  73  and the flap holders  67 ,  68 , are then withdrawn. The longitudinal flaps  31 ,  32  arrive in the (horizontal) closing position in this way, provided that the longitudinal flaps  31 ,  32  lie with a final amount above and respectively diagonally opposite the other end area underneath the associated transverse flaps  33 ,  34  in each case ( FIG. 27 ). 
     The actuating device for the transverse flaps  33 ,  34  is arranged above the movement path of the carton  14  in the vicinity of the folding station  62 . In this case these are transverse folders  75 ,  76  assigned to each transverse flap  33 ,  34 . These grip the two transverse flaps  33 ,  34  on the outside at roughly the same time and bring about the folding into the closing plane of the carton  14 . The angular transverse folders  75 ,  76  are capable of downward displacement from a horizontal starting position ( FIG. 18 ) for this purpose, and in particular they are pivotable in an opposite direction to one another, so that angled folding pieces  77  make contact with the transverse flaps  33 ,  34  and fold inwards as the movement continues. The transverse folders  75 ,  76  are mounted on an elongated fold carrier  78  rigidly arranged above the carton  14 , that is to say at the ends thereof. 
     On completion of the aforementioned steps, the folding flaps are in the fanfold formation. The pivoting folders  71 ,  72  or their folding legs  73  are displaced away from the folding position in the vicinity of the carton  14  by appropriate movement ( FIG. 27 ), so that the folding flaps  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34  bear against one another. The carton  14  can now be transported onwards by the discharge conveyor  60  and through the tape station  63  in conjunction with the folding described above, without the application of a tape. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE DESIGNATIONS 
     
         
           10  bag 
           11  closure seam 
           12  closure seam 
           13  gusset fold 
           14  carton 
           15  feed conveyor 
           16  packing station 
           17  support 
           18  longitudinal beam 
           19  transverse beam 
           20  longitudinal member 
           21  robot 
           22  swivel 
           23  articulated art 
           24  articulated arm 
           25  holding head 
           26  bottom wall 
           27  longitudinal wall 
           28  longitudinal wall 
           29  transverse wall 
           30  transverse wall 
           31  longitudinal flap 
           32  longitudinal flap 
           33  transverse flap 
           34  transverse flap 
           35  leg 
           36  folding leg 
           37  support leg 
           38  support art 
           39  angle piece 
           40  transverse profile 
           41  shaft journal 
           42  carton station 
           43  servo axis 
           44  carton carrier 
           45  swivel 
           46  supporting element 
           47  holding arm 
           48  suction grippers 
           49  folding lever 
           50  bracket 
           51  folding head 
           52  intermediate conveyor 
           53  transfer belt 
           54  stop 
           55  guiding plate 
           56  pusher 
           57  linear unit 
           58  crank mechanism 
           59  closing station 
           60  discharge conveyor 
           61  robot 
           62  folding station 
           63  tape station 
           64  stopper 
           65  stopper 
           66  helical folder 
           67  flap holder 
           68  flap holder 
           69  leg 
           70  retaining bar 
           71  pivoting folder 
           72  pivoting folder 
           74  supporting leg 
           75  transverse folder 
           76  transverse folder 
           77  folding pieces 
           78  fold carrier