Abstract:
An assembly device for plate elements such as sheets of paper, cardboard, corrugated cardboard or similar material, for subsequent operation thereon in a processing machine. A feed station feeds elements to a positioning station for the plate elements. The positioning station for the plate elements includes a lower part equipped with first conveyors arranged side by side and an upper part including a second conveyor movable transversely with respect to the first conveyors. The second conveyor include grippers for the plate elements. The positioning station has a device for assembling the plate elements with respect to each other and an aligning device for longitudinally and transversely aligning the plate elements.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention refers to an assembly device for plate elements such as sheets of paper, cardboard, corrugated cardboard or similar material, for a processing machine.  
         [0002]     Generally, the processing machine of plate elements which uses an assembly device is a folder-gluer which comprises a feed station followed by a breaking and prebreaking section for creasing lines of a folding box blank. The breaking and prebreaking section precedes a folding section, which includes a gluing device, followed by an ejection section for the box blanks which have been folded and glued, so as to bring these folded boxes, in a shingle stream, into a delivery station where the are pressed to ensure the glue setting. A folder-gluer is designed for processing box blanks of various sizes between a minimum size and a maximum size. For example, the width of a not yet folded corrugated cardboard box blank can reach up to three meters fifty to obtain a folded box having a width of one meter seventy. Assuming that the section of the mounted box is square-shaped, a parallelepiped box with sides of seventy centimeters would be obtained. For large-sized packaging requiring a quality printing, the size of the printing machines determines the maximum width of the blank. The printing of these blanks is normally carried out on machines allowing a maximum width of about two meters.  
         [0003]     The market needs box blanks which are much larger-sized, for example three meters fifty, as mentioned above. In this case, cardboard articles in a plurality of pieces should be used, and these are generally assembled at the time of the packaging. Another solution is to connect two or more cardboard pieces by their lateral edges, so as to obtain a final blank of very large width. Cases can also arise wherein a box must be provided with a reinforcement or protection piece for the product to be packaged. Solutions for connecting two cardboard pieces have already been developed. One solution is described in patent FR 2 816 879 which refers to assembly equipment including a feed station comprising two magazines arranged on both sides of the median axle of the equipment. Each magazine is equipped with a blank picker for feeding two parallel conveyor belts provided with drive pins having to be implanted onto the conveyor belts at intervals corresponding to the dimension of the panels to be conveyed. Therefore, it is necessary to modify the position of the pins at each size change of the panels which are driven by the support of these pins onto their rear edges. This equipment also includes a gluing station of a linking strip of one of the panels as well as a connecting station, of the two panels, comprising two conveyor belts of the two panels and a transverse alignment means. This connecting station includes a rest surface having a ramp for raising the lateral edge of one of the panels and positioning it, in the alignment area, in a plane such that the lower surface of the panel is slightly raised with respect to the upper surface of the other panel which has a glued lateral strip. The transverse alignment is performed by a cylinder, or an equivalent means, which acts on the lateral edge of the panel to be connected to the other panel. Before connecting, a glue strip has been deposited on the linking strip of one of the panels. After connecting the two panels, pressure is exerted, on the two panels at the level of the linking strip.  
         [0004]     This kind of equipment enables assembly of two cardboard panels and cannot be used for a different purpose such as inserting a reinforcement piece into a large-sized panel. Inserting is frequently required for increasing the protective effect of the packaging on the product it contains. Such a device for inserting a reinforcement into a box blank is described in detail in Swiss patent CH  575   826 .  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The aim of the present invention is to at least partly obviate the drawbacks of the equipment known to practical workers of skill in the art and to provide a multi-functional device adaptable to a multitude of conditions.  
         [0006]     To this end, the invention relates to an assembly device of plate elements, for a processing machine, according to the invention, which concerns an assembly device for plate elements such as sheets of paper, cardboard, corrugated cardboard or similar material, for enabling operation thereon in a processing machine. A feed station feeds elements to a positioning station for the plate elements. The positioning station for the plate elements includes a lower part equipped with first conveyors arranged side by side and an upper part including a second conveyor movable transversely with respect to the first conveyors. The second conveyor includes grippers for the plate elements. The positioning station has a device for assembling the plate elements one with respect to the other and an aligning device longitudinally and transversely aligning the plate elements.  
         [0007]     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     The present invention will be more clearly understood from the description of an embodiment given by way of non-limitative example which refers to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic front view of an assembly device of the invention,  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a schematic plan view of  FIG. 1 , and  
         [0011]      FIGS. 3   a  to  3   f  illustrate a plurality of assembly and inserting variants which can be carried out using of the assembly device of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a schematic front view of an assembly device  1  comprising a feed station  2  including conveying means  3  for sheets  4  taken from one or a plurality of piles  5 . These sheets  4  are introduced into the assembly device  1  by an introduction member  6  comprising one or a plurality of front gauges  7  for which lets only one sheet at a time pass under the lower part of the front gauges  7 . The lateral arrangement of this feed station  2  will be described in greater detail in relation to  FIG. 2 . The sheets  4  are then brought one by one into a positioning station  8 . This positioning station  8  comprises conveyors equipped with perforated conveyor belts  9  moving above a suction chamber  10 . Preferably, a plurality of conveyors of this kind are arranged side by side over the width of the positioning station  8 . The positioning station  8  is equipped, in its upper part, with a conveyor member  11  comprising a frame formed by vertical bars  12  linked by crossbars  13  supporting a slide  14 , and on which one or two tables  15  and  23  move. Each table supports a series of telescopic suction heads  16  and  17 . In this example, two tables  15  and  23  are provided. Preferably, movement of the tables  15  and  23  is obtained with a linear motor, and the movement of the table  15  is controllable independently of the movement of the table  23 . The lower part of the positioning station  8  is provided with a series of front stops  18 , which can be retracted, and with a series of lateral stops  19  some of which can be moved laterally and vertically.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a schematic plan view of  FIG. 1  wherein an inserting operation of a reinforcement  20  into a box blank  21  has been illustrated. In the embodiment illustrated in this Figure, the feed station  2  comprises three introduction members or adjustable feeders  6   a,    6   b  and  6   c  arranged side by side across the width of the assembly device  1 . These adjustable feeders  6   a  to  6   c  are adaptable to the size of the plate elements to be assembled or inserted. In the present example, the feeder  6   b  may be adjusted according to a box blank, whereas the feeders  6   a  and  6   c  each may be adjusted according to an insert. The feeder  6   b  is intended to successively deliver box blanks  21   a  to  21   c  on the central belt conveyors  9  whereas the feeders  6   a  and  6   c  are intended to deliver inserts or reinforcements  20   a  to  20   c  on the laterally positioned conveyor belts  9 . The plate elements, i.e. the box blanks and the inserts, are alternately delivered two by two by the feeders  6   b  and  6   a  and by the feeders  6   b  and  6   c,  as illustrated by the plate elements  20   a  and  21   a  as well as by the plate elements  20   b  and  21   b.  In the positioning station  8 , an insert  20   c ′, shown in dot-and-dash lines, has been transported by the lateral conveyor belts  9  until coming into contact with the front stops  18   a  then in their high positions. In the same time, a box blank  21   c  has also been transported by the central conveyor belts  9  so as to come into contact with the front stops  18   b  then in their high positions. This box blank  21   c  is laterally aligned by the movable stops  19   c.  The insert  20   c ′ is then aligned against a fixed lateral stop  19   a  by the movable stop  19   b,  then seized by the suction heads  16   a  and  17   a  of the table  15 , shown here in the position  15   a,  which bring the insert  20   c ′ above the box blank  21   c,  previously glued by means of the gluers  24  which, in the case of the assembly of an insert, can advantageously be glue guns. However, the use of any other gluing device is possible. It is also possible to use a gluing device for gluing perpendicularly to the cardboard passage direction by mounting glue guns on the tables  15 ,  23 . The gluing can be applied either on the box blanks or on the inserts. In the case of the assembly of two blanks, the gluing can also be made over or under the gluing area. The gluing can be made obliquely as well by combining the movement of the tables  15 ,  23  with the forward motion of the cardboard. In the case of the assembly of two box blanks by their lateral edge, the gluers could possibly be replaced by fastening heads. Thus, the suction heads  16   a  and  17   a  are deactivated and the insert  20   c  is deposited on the box blank  21   c.  The front stops  18   b  are retracted and the whole  22  consisting of the insert  20   c  and the box blank  21   c  is removed from the device by the central conveyor belts  9  towards a machine for processing blanks, such as a folder-gluer. The movement of the table  15   a  in the direction of the box blank  21   c  causes the movement of the second table  23  into a position above the lateral conveyor belts  9  located at the left of the figure so that the insert  20   b  and the box blank  21   b  can be superposed in the same manner as the insert  20   c  and the box blank  21   c.  This superposition of the two plate elements occurs once on the right and once on the left of the assembly device, due to the simultaneous feed of an insert and a box blank.  
         [0014]     Inserting of a reinforcement by the assembly device  1  is described above. Now the manner of joining together, by their lateral edges, two or a plurality of box blanks (see  FIGS. 3   b,    3   d  and  3   f ) with the same assembly device  1  is described. It is sufficient to act on the programming of the movements and strokes of the two tables  15  and  23 . In fact, the program used by the assembly device  1  allows to adapt at will the movements and displacements of the various components of the device, either for acting upon the feeders  3   a  to  3   c,  the conveyor belts  9 , the gluing or fastening devices  24 , the tables  15  and  23 , the suction heads  16  and  17  or the central or lateral stops  19   a,    19   b  and  19   c.    
         [0015]      FIGS. 3   a  to  3   f  illustrate a plurality of assembly and inserting variants which can be carried out by the assembly device of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3   a  illustrates insertion obtained by using plate elements delivered by the feeders  6   a  and  6   b,  i.e. the positioning of an insert  20   a  on a blank  21   a  in the direction shown by arrow  25 .  FIG. 3   b  illustrates the assembly of two box blanks  26  and  27  delivered by the feeders  6   a  and  6   b,  in the direction of arrow  28 . It will be noted that for assembly of these two blanks, the translational motion of the tables  15  and  23  has been adapted in accordance with the covering  29  required by this operation.  FIG. 3   c  illustrates insertion by the feeders  3   b  and  3   c,  i.e. in the direction of arrow  30 , which is in opposition to the direction shown on  FIG. 3   a.    FIG. 3   d  illustrates assembly of two box blanks  31  and  32  delivered by the feeders  6   b  and  6   c,  in the direction of arrow  33 .  FIG. 3   e  illustrates an additional inserting variant which can be carried out by the assembly device  1 . In this Figure, an insert  34  is delivered by the feeder  6   a,  another insert  35  is delivered by the feeder  6   c,  this simultaneously with the delivery of a box blank  36  by the feeder  6   b.  The inserts  34  and  35  are simultaneously brought on the box blank  36  by the tables  15  and  23  respectively moving in the directions shown by arrows  37  and  38 .  FIG. 3f  shows assembly of three plate elements  39 ,  40  and  41  for obtaining a very large-sized box blank, still by means of the same assembly device  1  having been programmed in appropriate manner. It is to be noted that during all the operations carried out on the various plate elements, the movement of the conveyor belts  9  has not been interrupted and these belts rub against the plate elements, creating a friction which could be controlled by adjustment of the suction force provided by the suction chamber  10 . Moreover, during assembly of two or a plurality of blanks, the stops  19   b  and  19   c  are moved with an additional vertical movement so as to position the one or the other box blank in a plane allowing the covering of the concerned lateral edges by the assembly to be made.  
         [0016]     Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.