Abstract:
A method and device to form packing units ( 12 ) consisting of at least two packs ( 10, 11 ). To this end, the successively conveyed packs ( 10, 11 ) are tilted by 90° in the region of a turning line ( 20 ) in such a way that the associated packs ( 10, 11 ) are oriented towards each other in the correct relative position for the packing unit ( 12 ). Every second pack ( 11 ) is delayed during the turning process so that it can be oriented towards the associated pack ( 10 ).

Description:
STATEMENT OF RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This patent application is the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Chapter II National Phase of, and claims priority on, PCT International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2005/007027 having an International Filing Date of 30 Jun. 2005, which claims priority on German Patent Application No. 10 2004 036 162.2 having a filing date of 26 Jul. 2004, both of which are incorporated herein by this reference. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Technical Field 
   The invention relates to a method for producing packing units from at least two packs whose design, in particular their geometric form, allows them to be fitted together to form the packing unit, preferably in the form of a trapezoidal pack element and subsequent single-sided tab, with the oriented packs being delivered in close sequence by a feed conveyor. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device for performing the method. 
   2. Related Art 
   For objects, in particular packs, with matching forms it is the object after completion of the objects or packs to assemble two or more objects or packs, allowing for their special form, to produce a (packing) unit. One example of this are packs for modern razor blades (triple blades) that consist of a pack element with a trapezoidal cross-section and a laterally attached tab. Two packs are assembled in an interlocking relative position to thus form a packing unit. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The object of the invention is to change the relative position of the objects or packs arriving with a matching relative position in such a way that at least two associated packs can be assembled in an interlocking formation to form the packing unit. 
   In order to achieve this object, the method according to the invention comprises the following features: 
   a) During the continued transport, the packs are turned in such a way that (two) adjacent packs in each case have a relative position corresponding to the packing unit, 
   b) Every second pack is decelerated or accelerated in its transport speed in such a way that packs assigned to a packing unit are oriented to one another, 
   c) The associated (two) packs of a packing unit are pushed (laterally) and assembled to form a packing unit, 
   d) The packing units formed continuously in this way are transported away at a distance from one another. 
   In the method according to the invention, the preferably upright packs are brought closely together. All the packs are turned during the continuous transport and oriented by decelerating or accelerating into a relative position necessary for the packing unit. The two packs are assembled to form the packing unit by a lateral movement. 
   A special feature of the invention consists in that every second pack is diverted laterally out of the plane or travel route of the arriving packs and transported along a second transport route. In the area of this second transport route, the packs are turned. In a preferred embodiment the packs transported further in continuation of the feed conveyor and the packs of the parallel transport route are each turned by 90° in opposite directions, thereby forming the relative position corresponding to the packing unit. 
   The device according to the invention has in addition to the continued feed conveyor a second, offset conveyor, namely a turning conveyor for every second pack. The packs are thereby turned by means of fixed, correspondingly formed guide organs, in particular by curve-shaped guide rails. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Further special features of the invention are explained in greater detail below by reference to the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  shows an example of a (single) pack in a perspective view, 
       FIG. 2  shows a bulk pack comprising several packing units, also in a perspective view, 
       FIG. 3  shows a device for forming packing units in a diagrammatic side view, 
       FIG. 4  shows the device according to  FIG. 3  in a diagrammatic outline view, 
       FIG. 5  shows a phase in the turning movement of packs corresponding to cross-section V-V in  FIG. 4 , 
       FIG. 6  shows a view of the situation in the section VI-VI of  FIG. 4 , 
       FIG. 7  shows a cross-section in the plane VII-VII in  FIG. 4 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   In the drawings a pack  10 ,  11  is shown as an illustrative embodiment that due to its geometric shape is suitable for forming a compact packing unit  12  by means of an interlocking relative position of two packs  10 ,  11 . The packs  10 ,  11  serve here, for example, to hold triple razor blades. The constructional form is dictated by a pack element  13  and a tab  14  protruding from this element. The pack element  13  has a trapezoidal cross-section with front wall  15 , rear wall  16 , an inclined side wall  17  and a narrow base wall  39 . The relatively rigid protruding tab  14  extends in the extension of the rear wall  16 . The dimension of the tab  14  in this direction is slightly smaller than the width or height of the front wall  15 . 
   The packing unit  12  consists of two interlocking packs  10 ,  11  lying against one another. The inclined side walls  17  of the packs  10 ,  11  lie against one another. 
   The tab  14  of the one pack  10 ,  11  lies against the front wall  15  of the other pack  11 ,  10  ( FIG. 2 ). 
   The packing unit  12  forms an exact cubic block that allows the formation of a stack. A bulk pack ( FIG. 2 ) of several packing units  12  lying on top of one another is suitable for shipment and/or presentation. 
   The packs  10 ,  11  are delivered by a packing machine or a pack stock in a relative position oriented in the same direction. In order to form the packing units  12 , the relative position of the associated packs  10 ,  11  has to be changed. This is performed during the preferably continuous transport of the packs  10 ,  11 . 
   In the device illustrated, the packs  10 ,  11  are delivered by a feed conveyor  19  to form a closely arranged row  18 . This has the form of an endless belt. The packs  10 ,  11  stand in an upright plane with the tab  14  facing upwards, with the base wall  39  resting on the feed conveyor  19 . 
   Downline of the feed conveyor  19 , the packs  10 ,  11  are transferred to a turning line  20 . In this area, the relative position of each pair of associated packs  10 ,  11  is changed in such a way that these are finally oriented in the horizontal plane, corresponding to the formation inside the packing unit  12 . This means that in each case one pack  10  is oriented with the rear wall  16  and tab  14  facing downwards and the other pack  11  with the rear wall  16  and tab  14  facing upwards. The inclined side walls  17  are facing one another. 
   In order to perform the necessary turning movements of the packs  10 ,  11 , these are temporarily transported on different transport routes lying alongside one another. The device is designed for this purpose in such a way that it consists of two turning conveyors  21  and  22 . Both are endless conveyors, namely belts. The two turning conveyors  21 ,  22  lie immediately alongside one another and parallel to one another and can be driven independently of one another. 
   The first turning conveyor  21  extends in continuation of the feed conveyor  19 , and can possibly be formed by this with a corresponding extension. The packs  10  are thus transported further in continuation of the direction of movement of the feed conveyor  19  on the turning conveyor  21 . 
   Every second pack  11  is diverted or discharged out of the closely arranged row  18  in transverse direction and inserted into the transport route of the second turning conveyor  22 . For this purpose, a discharge element is arranged in the inlet area of the turning line  20 , namely a revolving segmented wheel  23  rotating in the horizontal plane with a perpendicular shaft  24 . The disc-shaped segmented wheel  23  has several, in the present case two, projections or segments  25 ,  26 . These each come into contact with one side surface of the packs  11  to be discharged, namely here on the front wall  15 . For this purpose, the segments  25 ,  26  enter the travel path of the feed conveyor  19 . The rotational movement of the segmented wheel  23  is synchronized to the transport speed of the feed conveyor  19  in such a way that one segment  25 ,  26  contacts one pack  11  to be diverted in each case. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the pack  11  in question is moved into an inclined position by the segment  25 ,  26  and thus enters the area of a fixed deflector  27  that with the continued transport by the feed conveyor  19  and subsequently by the turning conveyor  22  diverts the pack  11  into the area of this turning conveyor  22 . 
   The packs  10 ,  11  are guided in the area of the feed conveyor  19  and in particular in the area of the turning line  20  by special fixed guide elements that are formed in such a way that during the continued conveying movement a tilting or turning of the packs  10 ,  11  takes place. In the present illustrative embodiment the process is such that both packs  10 ,  11  are tilted or turned during transport to form the packing unit  12 . Furthermore, the packs  10 ,  11  are transported at different speeds in the area of the turning line  20 , namely in the present case the packs  11  of the turning conveyor  22  are transported at reduced speed in such a way that the associated adjacent packs  10 ,  11  are oriented to one another at the end of the turning line  20 , namely at the transfer point to a discharge conveyor  28 . 
   The guide elements for the packs  10 ,  11  are designed here as guide rods or guide rails. In the area of the feed conveyor  19  there are two guide rails, namely upper rail  29  and lower rail  30  or  31 ,  32  on both sides of the packs  10 ,  11 . The rails facing the rear side  31 ,  32  lie in a common vertical plane, while on the front side the upper rail  29  is offset from the lower rail  30  due to the contact with the tab  14 . The guide rails on the front side, namely upper rail  29  and lower rail  30 , are arranged in the further course of the turning conveyors  21  in continuation or extension of the feed conveyor  19 . In the area of the turning conveyor  21 , the lower rail  30  remains a lower lateral limitation for the packs  10 , namely at a height above the turning conveyor  21  corresponding to that of the base wall  39  of the pack  10 , so that the packs  10  are guided in a horizontal position through the lower rail  30 . The lower rail  30  also continues in the area of the subsequent discharge conveyor  28 . 
   The front-side upper rail  29  has a curved shape in the area of the turning conveyor  21  ( FIG. 4 ) such that a tilting movement is exerted on the packs  10  during the transport. In side view, the upper rail  29  is tilted slightly downwards for this purpose so that guidance is assured during the whole tilting movement of the packs  10  out of the upright position into a horizontal position. In the area of the turning conveyor  21 , a further guide is located on the side facing towards the turning conveyor  22 , namely a supplementary rail  33 . This extends essentially in the conveying direction of the packs  10  and serves as a lower support during the tilting movement ( FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 6 ). The supplementary rail  33  thus runs essentially from top to bottom. The packs  10  or their tabs  14  are consequently secured between two guide elements during the tilting movement. 
   Guide elements of the turning conveyor  22  are designed in a special manner. Upper rail  31  and lower rail  32  from the area of the feed conveyor  19  are deflected outwards at the beginning of the turning line  20  into the area of the turning conveyor  22 . They initially still serve as lateral guides for the discharged packs  11 . The lower guide, namely lower rail  32 , extends at a slight distance above the turning conveyor  22  and acts as an outer guide for the packs  11  in the whole turning area, namely at the height of the base wall  39 . The upper rail  31  lies against the rear side of the tab  14  and causes the tilting movement of the packs  11  by having a correspondingly curved course ( FIG. 4 ), and in addition oriented from top to bottom. An opposite guide is also provided for the packs  11  or their tabs  14  during the turning movement, namely an additional rail  34 . This lies against the front side of the tab  14 . The additional rail  34  also has a downward-oriented course corresponding to the tilting movement. The guide elements for the packs  10 ,  11  correspond insofar as the thin-walled tabs  14  facing upwards are guided on both sides during the whole tilting and turning process. 
   The pack elements  13  of the packs  10 ,  11  are also supported on the inside, namely by supporting rails  35 ,  36 . These extend continuously in the lower area of the packs  10 ,  11 , namely at the height of the lower rails  30 ,  32 . The supporting rails  35 ,  36  are arranged as a continuation of the fork-shaped or wedge-shaped deflector  27 . These supporting rails  35 ,  36  also follow the course of the tilting movements. 
   The inner supporting and guide elements for the packs  10 ,  11  terminate in the area of the turning line  20  after completion of the tilting movements, so that in the end phase the packs  10 ,  11  lie alongside one another with partially overlapping tabs  14 . The form of the lower rails  30 ,  32  brings the associated packs  10 ,  11  together by pushing laterally, with the lower rails  30 ,  32  lying against the base walls  39 . Due to the funnel-shaped arrangement of these guide elements, packing units  12  arrive with exactly oriented packs  10 ,  11  in the area of the discharge conveyor  28 . This extends roughly in the middle of the two turning conveyors  21 ,  22  here with their different widths. 
   The discharge conveyor  28  ensures precise transport of the packing units  12 . For this purpose, an upper belt  37  is provided at least in the starting area. This has (two) stops  38 . The speeds are synchronized in such a way that the incoming packing units  12  run up against one of the stops  38  and are thus aligned at the front side. The upper belt  37  with stop  38  travels part of the conveying distance with the packing unit  12 , thereby stabilizing the position of the packs  10 ,  11 . The packing units  12  are then transported to a packer to form a bulk pack such as that shown in  FIG. 2 . 
   The conveying speeds are synchronized with one another in a special manner. The feed conveyor  19  preferably runs at the same conveying speed as the subsequent turning conveyor  21 . The turning conveyor  22  is driven at a lower speed. The discharge conveyor  28  has a further reduced conveying speed compared with the turning conveyor  22 . The upper belt  37  is driven at the same speed as the discharge conveyor  28 . The lower conveying speed of the discharge conveyor  28  ensures that the two packs  10 ,  11  lying on top of one another run up against the stop  38  of the discharge conveyor  28  and are thus aligned by this stop. 
   The device can also be employed analogously if the packs  10 ,  11  are delivered lying in the horizontal plane. In this case only every second pack has to be turned. 
   
     
       
             
           
             
             
           
         
             
                 
             
             
               List of Reference Numbers 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
                 
             
           
        
         
             
               10 
               Pack 
             
             
               11 
               Pack 
             
             
               12 
               Packing unit 
             
             
               13 
               Pack element 
             
             
               14 
               Tab 
             
             
               15 
               Front wall 
             
             
               16 
               Rear wall 
             
             
               17 
               Side wall 
             
             
               18 
               Closely arranged row 
             
             
               19 
               Feed conveyor 
             
             
               20 
               Turning line 
             
             
               21 
               Turning conveyor 
             
             
               22 
               Turning conveyor 
             
             
               23 
               Segmented wheel 
             
             
               24 
               Shaft 
             
             
               25 
               Segment 
             
             
               26 
               Segment 
             
             
               27 
               Deflector 
             
             
               28 
               Discharge conveyor 
             
             
               29 
               Upper rail 
             
             
               30 
               Lower rail 
             
             
               31 
               Upper rail 
             
             
               32 
               Lower rail 
             
             
               33 
               Supplementary rail 
             
             
               34 
               Additional rail 
             
             
               35 
               Supporting rail 
             
             
               36 
               Supporting rail 
             
             
               37 
               Upper belt 
             
             
               38 
               Stop 
             
             
               39 
               Base wall