Patent Publication Number: US-7219485-B2

Title: Semi-automatic boxing machine

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to packaging of products, with a particular reference to a semiautomatic boxing machine. 
   DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
   The semiautomatic boxing machines are fed manually by an operator, who previously erects the blanks to obtain the boxes. 
   Generally, the operator folds the lower flaps of each blank, so as to close the bottom of a carton, leaving the upper flaps open, substantially spread out, to allow introduction of products. 
   At the inlet of the boxing machines, the so obtained boxes, open in the upper part and with the closed bottom are positioned on a first conveying belt. 
   The latter cooperates with associated means for automatic taping of the box lower flaps, in closing configuration. 
   The first conveying belt feeds a work station, in which the boxes are turned laterally by 90°, so as to turn their openings facing the groups of products defined in a corresponding piling station. 
   The piling station is fed continuously by a second conveying belt, situated parallel to the first belt, near thereto, and conveying products to be introduced into boxes. 
   Generally, the piling station cooperates with means, usually frusto-pyramidal means, which keep spread out the closing flaps of the turned boxes, and guide the groups of piled up products during the introduction thereof into the boxes. 
   The groups of products are moved into the turned boxes by suitable pusher means, cooperating with the frusto-pyramidal means. 
   When the filling is completed, the boxes are turned again by an angle of 90°, in order to be brought back to their initial configuration, with the openings oriented upwards, then moved away toward the outlet of the boxing machine by the first conveying belt. 
   At the outlet, the operator folds manually the upper flaps of the boxes, and possibly applies tape to them, so as to complete the boxes closing. 
   In many cases the products require a particular orientation inside the boxes, as it often happens with the bottles, which must be positioned with the closing caps turned toward the upper flaps, thus directly accessible to the operator or the user. 
   In this case, the forming station has means for turning the bottles, fed vertically by the second conveying belt, by a substantially right angle, in order to allow a correct orientation before their introduction into the boxes. 
   The versatility of the boxing machines of the prior art is extremely limited and they are characterized by a particularly reduced flexibility during the boxes filling, allowing only the introduction of pre-stratified and pre-piled up products, which results in serious instability of the latter during the transferring inside the boxes. 
   Moreover, it is very difficult to treat the products, which require a particular orientation inside the boxes, in particular in case of bottles, which must be positioned with the closing caps turned toward the upper flaps of the boxes. 
   In most cases, the frusto-pyramidal guiding means, associated to the forming station, are necessary to the correct and safe filling of the boxes, and to prevent the products from interfering with the closing flaps. 
   Another drawback of the prior art machines lies undoubtedly in the presence at the work station of means for a first lateral turning of the boxes, so as to allow the filling of the latter, and for a second turning, with which the filled boxes are brought back to their original orientation, that is with the opening turned upwards. 
   The second turning is particularly difficult, because the stability of the products inside the boxes is not assured, which results in all the disadvantages connected to a probable going out or displacement of the products. 
   Moreover, the above turnings reduce strongly the machines production rate, prolonging the boxing time. 
   Further, it is difficult to use the semiautomatic boxing machines of the prior art for packaging particular types of products. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The object of the present invention is to avoid the above mentioned drawbacks by proposing a semiautomatic boxing machine, which assures high versatility and flexibility standards during the boxes filling, independently from the type of the treated products. 
   Another object of the present invention is to propose an extremely compact and strong machine, which allows an utmost reduction of the components and the corresponding maintenance and installation steps, and which assures high production rate in any operation conditions. 
   A further object of the present invention is to propose a machine, which assures the correct filling of the boxes, preventing any interfering and going out of the products during the introduction step. 
   The above mentioned objects are obtained, in accordance with the contents of the claims, by a semiautomatic boxing machine for inserting products into erected boxes having lower flaps folded to define a closed bottom, and with upper flaps substantially spread out and oriented upwards, so as to define an inlet section for the introduction of the products, the machine including:
     first conveying means for receiving and moving a plurality of said erected boxes, substantially aligned;   a work station situated along the conveyor means;   second conveying means for receiving and moving a plurality of products;   a station situated along said second conveying means for forming groups of products;   manipulating means operated in step relation with said first and second conveying means to pick up groups of products situated in said forming station and to release them into boxes dwelling in said work station.   

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The characteristic features of the invention will be pointed out in the following description of some preferred but not limited embodiments, with reference to the enclosed figures, in which: 
       FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3  are schematic, respectively lateral, front and top views of the proposed semiautomatic boxing machine; 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  are schematic, relative front view of the boxing machine in subsequent working steps. 
   

   DISCLOSURE OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Regards the above drawings, the general reference number  100  indicates the proposed semiautomatic boxing machine, which includes a first conveying belt  1 , receiving a plurality of erected blanks, substantially aligned boxes  2 , and moving the latter to a work station  3  ( FIG. 3 ). 
   Each box  2  is erected with its lower flaps folded, to define a closed bottom, and with its upper flaps  20  spread out and turned upwards, so as to define an inlet mouth  22  for the introduction of products  4 . 
   In case of semiautomatic boxing machines, the blanks are erected manually by an operator, before their positioning on the first conveying belt  1 . 
   Means  17  for taping the lower flaps of each box  2  are situated below the first conveying belt  1 . 
   The proposed boxing machine  100  has also a second conveying belt  41 , preferably operated continuously to receive a plurality of products  4  and moving the latter toward a station  5  for forming groups of products  4 . 
   For example, the conveying belts, first  1  and second  41 , are situated substantially coplanar and operated in the same feeding direction W ( FIG. 3 ). 
   The proposed boxing machine  100  has also manipulating means  6  for picking up groups of products  4  positioned in the forming station  5  and releasing them into corresponding boxes  2 , dwelling in the work station  3 . 
   The manipulating means  6  are preferably operated, in step relation with the conveying belts  1 ,  41 , along the cartesian axes X, Y, orthogonal to the feeding direction W of the belts  1 ,  41 . 
   The forming station  5 , advantageously situated beside the work station  3 , includes abutment means  50 , connected to the second conveying belt  41 , e.g. near its terminal portion, so as to define, by abutment, a series of rows of products  4  on the second conveying belt  41 . 
   Advantageously, the forming station  5  includes also a storage plate  42 , situated near the second conveying belt  41 , beside it and substantially coplanar therewith, for receiving products  4  picked up by the manipulating means  6 , from the second conveying belt  41 , preferably near the abutment means  50 . 
   For example, the second conveying belt  41  is situated laterally with respect to the storage plate  42 , in particular, it is situated between the storage plate  42  and the first conveying belt  1 . 
   The operation of the proposed machine, as easily understood, will be described in the following. 
   The first conveying belt  1  allows each empty box  2  to dwell in the work station  3 , until it is filled to a desired degree, partially or completely. 
   The second conveying belt  41 , operated continuously, brings the products  4  to abut against the abutment means  50 , so as to define a series of products  4  ( FIG. 3 ). 
   As soon as the formation of the row of products  4  against the abutment means  50  is completed, the manipulating means  6  are first operated along the first Cartesian axis Y, in order to pick up the row, and then, the manipulating means  6  are operated along the second Cartesian axis X, in order to position, due to a further operation of the manipulating means  6  along the first Cartesian axis Y, the row of products into the box  2 , or onto the storage plate  42 , in function of the production specifics ( FIGS. 2 ,  3 ). 
   Consequently, the manipulating means  6  can proceed, picking up the rows of products  4 , which are formed periodically on the second conveying belt  41 , to put them into the box  2 , dwelling in the work station  3 , until the layer is completed, or to put them onto the storage plate  42 , until the layer is completed. 
   In the last case, the manipulating means  6  can pick up one or more rows of products  4  situated on the storage plate  42  and release them into the box  2 , or they can pick up the whole layer of products  4 , formed previously. 
   In most cases, the filling of the box  2  includes the introduction of one or more layers of products  4  ( FIG. 4 ,  5 ). 
   As soon as the box  2  is filled, the first conveying belt  1  conveys it toward the outlet of the boxing machine  100 , to allow the operator to fold manually the upper flaps and tape them, so as to complete the closing of the box  2 . 
   Consequently, a new empty box  2  is situated in the work station  3 , waiting for the preset filling cycle. 
   It is easy to understand from the above description, that the proposed boxing machine assures high versatility and flexibility standards during the boxes filling, independently from the type of the treated products. 
   Actually, the groups of products to be introduced, can include only one row, or a series of rows, or even a complete layer, depending on the specifics. 
   This is possible due to the presence of the storage plate, which allows to accumulate products, or to form a transitory magazine thereof. 
   Thanks to the innovating way of filling the boxes, assured by a manipulator with two Cartesian axes X, Y, it is possible to handle, in a versatile way, also bottles, without the necessity to turning them first in the forming station, as it occurs in prior art. 
   What above avoids any hindrance and going out of the products during the introduction into the boxes. 
   The boxing machine proposed by the present invention is extremely compact and strong, and allows un utmost reduction of the number of components and corresponding maintenance and installation steps, and it assures high productivity in any working conditions. 
   Actually, the proposed machine does not include the most relevant feature of the prior art machines, that is it does not have the means for overturning the bottles, or the means for overturning the boxes, together with the frusto-pyramidal guiding means for facilitating the boxes filling. 
   It is understood that the proposed invention has been described, with reference to the enclosed figures, as a mere, not limiting example. Therefore, it is obvious that any changes or variants applied thereto remain within the protective scope defined by the following claims.