Patent Publication Number: US-6910849-B2

Title: Method and device for turning over stacks of products on a cartoning machine

Description:
The present invention relates to a method of turning over stacks of products on a cartoning machine, i.e. a machine for conditioning one or more stacks of products in a single wrapping. 
   The present invention, which can be used for conditioning any type of “stackable” product, is particularly advantageous for use on machines for cartoning packets of cigarettes, to which the following description refers purely by way of example. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   In the tobacco industry, a cartoning machine is supplied with a succession of packets of cigarettes, which are laid flat one on top of the other to form a succession of stacks, each comprising a given number of packets. The stacks are formed into orderly groups, each of which comprises a given number of side by side stacks, and forms the content of a carton obtained by means of a packaging operation wherein a sheet or blank of packaging material is folded about the relative group. Prior to performing the packaging operation, it is often necessary or convenient to turn the stacks over through 90° so that the packets in the groups are positioned on edge. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of turning over stacks of products, which is straightforward and easy to implement. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of turning over stacks of products, which provides for minimizing downtime. 
   According to the present invention, there is provided a method of turning over stacks of products on a cartoning machine, as claimed in Claim  1  and, preferably, in any one of the Claims depending directly and/or indirectly on Claim  1 . 
   The present invention also relates to a device for turning over stacks of products on a cartoning machine. 
   According to the present invention, there is also provided a device for turning over stacks of products on a cartoning machine, as claimed in Claim  9  and, preferably, in any one of the Claims depending directly and/or indirectly on Claim  9 . 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A non-limiting embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which  FIGS. 1  to  6  show schematic views in perspective, with parts removed for clarity, of a preferred embodiment of the turnover device according to the present invention in respective different operating positions. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Number 1 in the accompanying drawings indicates as a whole a cigarette cartoning machine comprising a turnover device  2  for turning over groups  3  of packets  4  of cigarettes arranged in stacks  5 . In the example shown, turnover device  2  provides for turning over, through 90° and about a substantially horizontal axis  6 , a succession of groups  3 , each of which is originally defined by two side by side stacks  5  of five packets, in which packets  4  are laid flat horizontally. 
   Turnover device  2  comprises a turnover station  7 , to which groups  3  are fed, in their original configuration and by means of a push device  8 , in a horizontal direction  9  parallel to axis  6 , and from which groups  3  are expelled, in a second substantially horizontal direction  10  perpendicular to axis  6 , and by means of a further push device  11 , in a configuration turned over through 90°, and in which packets  4  are positioned on edge. 
   Turnover station  7  is defined by a box  12  in the form of a rectangular prism and sized to accommodate one group  3 . More specifically, box  12  comprises two major lateral walls  13  parallel to each other and to axis  6 , and which are connected, at a lateral end opposite that facing push device  8 , by a minor lateral wall  14 , to the outer surface of which is connected integrally a shaft  15  coaxial with axis  6  and fitted with a crank  16  connected to the output of an actuating device  17  for oscillating box  12 , by 90° about axis  6 , between a loading position, in which major lateral walls  13  are positioned vertically, and a turned-over unloading position, in which major lateral walls  13  are positioned horizontally. 
   The ends of the two major lateral walls  13  located at the bottom when major lateral walls  13  are positioned vertically, are connected by a bottom wall  18 , and the ends of major lateral walls  13  opposite minor lateral wall  14  and opposite bottom wall  18  define respective openings  19  and  20  for the passage of group  3  in direction  9  and direction  10  respectively. 
   Push device  11  comprises an L-shaped push member  21 , in turn comprising a push arm  22  parallel to axis  6  and movable through turnover station  7  and box  12 , and an actuating arm  23  parallel to direction  10  and movable back and forth along a path P parallel to direction  10  and extending outside the end of box  12  facing push device  8 . 
   For push arm  22  to move through box  12 , box  12  is provided with two passages  24  and  25 ; passage  24  is formed through bottom wall  18 , and is defined by a slot parallel to axis  6  and communicating with opening  19  at the end facing push device  8 ; and passage  25  is defined by two slots  26  formed, facing each other, through major lateral walls  13  and aligned with direction  10  when box  12  is in the loading position with bottom wall  18  positioned horizontally. Each of slots  26  is substantially similar to the slot defining passage  24 , is parallel to axis  6 , and communicates with opening  19  at the end facing push device  8 . 
   In actual use, box  12 , which is initially empty, is set to a loading position with opening  20  facing upwards (FIG.  1 ), and receives a group  3  (FIG.  2 ), the packets  4  of which are laid flat, and which is pushed by push device  8  into box  12  through opening  19  in direction  9 . At this point, actuating device  17  is operated to turn box  12  ( FIG. 3 ) over through 90° (anticlockwise in the drawings), so that packets  4  are positioned on edge, bottom wall  18  is positioned vertically, and opening  20  faces in direction  10 ; and push member  21  of push device  11  ( FIG. 4 ) is moved in direction  10  from a rest position outside box  12 , so that push arm  22  engages the passage  24  slot and pushes group  3  out of box  12  through opening  20  in direction  10 . 
   When push arm  22  comes out of box  12  in direction  10 , box  12 , which is completely free (on account of actuating arm  23  extending alongside the outside of box  12 ), can be restored ( FIG. 5 ) to the initial loading position to receive the next group  3 . And only at this point is push arm  22  ( FIG. 6 ) withdrawn through slots  26  of passage  25  back into the initial rest position. 
   As will be clear from the above description, if passage  25  were not provided, box  12  could only be rotated back into the loading position after push arm  22  is withdrawn, and not, as described, as push arm  22  completes the forward movement and begins the return movement, thus greatly increasing the downtime involved.