Method and device for forming package bodies open at one end from package sleeves open at both ends

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11203448-B2
Application number	US-201716090387-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2017
Priority date	Apr 4, 2016
Publication date	Dec 21, 2021
Grant date	Dec 21, 2021

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for forming package bodies open at one end from package sleeves open at both ends for the manufacture of filled packages. In order to allow packages with a cross section which is neither square nor rectangular to be formed more simply and reliably, the package sleeves are kept ready for further processing in a stack, folded flat along at least two folded edges running in the longitudinal direction of the package sleeve, the flat-folded package sleeves are transferred in succession from the stack to a forming station, the package sleeves are unfolded in a forming station and the unfolded package sleeves are, in the forming station, pushed onto a mandrel in order to close, in particular seal, a longitudinal end of the package sleeve.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for forming package bodies open at one end from package sleeves open at both ends for the manufacture of filled packages, comprising keeping the package sleeves ready for further processing in a stack, folded flat along at least two folded edges running in the longitudinal direction of the package sleeves,
transferring at least one flat-folded package sleeve in succession from the stack to a forming station,
unfolding the at least one package sleeve in the forming station,
drawing the at least one package sleeve through a channel that is in contact with at least two opposite folded edges of the package sleeve and narrows in a transverse direction to the at least one package sleeve,
engaging the at least one package sleeve at the end of the channel in grooves arranged in opposite sides of the channel, and
pushing the at least one unfolded package sleeve from the forming station onto a mandrel to close or seal, a longitudinal end of the package sleeve.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one package sleeve is folded flat along exactly two folded edges and/or no fold line running between the folded edges that extends in a straight line over an entire longitudinal extension of the package sleeve is provided for folding the package sleeves.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, in the forming station, in order to enlarge a free cross section of the package sleeve, a pressure is applied from opposite sides of the package sleeve against the at least two folded edges such that the at least two folded edges of the package sleeve are moved towards one another.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein when unfolding the at least one package sleeve in the forming station, the package sleeve is positioned between at least two mould halves of a mould and the package sleeve is unfolded by closing the mould with the package sleeve lying at least substantially circumferentially against the inside of the mould.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a side of the at least one package sleeve forming the front side of the stack is seized and drawn from the stack and/or the package sleeve is in a pre-folding device, drawn through the channel.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein, as the at least one package sleeve is being drawn through, lateral boundaries of the channel press against the at least two folded edges of the package sleeve such that the folded edges of the package sleeve are moved towards one another.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one package sleeve engages with the at least two folded edges at the end of the channel in grooves arranged in opposite sides of the channel and the at least one package sleeve is transported further in a longitudinal direction of the grooves, in the grooves and/or together with the grooves, into an unfolding device.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one package sleeve is moved through a pre-folding device and the at least one package sleeve is moved into the unfolding device at least substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement within the pre-folding device.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one package sleeve is pushed onto the mandrel with the folded edges spaced at a distance from an edge of a sleeve of the mandrel and/or a corner of a top of the mandrel, and wherein a distance from the folded edge to an adjacent edge and/or a corner of the mandrel amounts to at least a tenth of the distance between the adjacent edges and/or corners.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the folded edges are arranged on flat and/or convex sides of a sleeve of the mandrel.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, to close the package sleeve, a longitudinal end of the package sleeve is pressed against a pressing surface of the mandrel which is only formed after the at least one package sleeve has been pushed onto the mandrel and after the closing of the at least one package sleeve and before the removal of the at least one package sleeve from the mandrel, the mandrel is returned to the starting position before the at least one package sleeve is pushed on.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein, for the purpose of closing, a width of a free end of the mandrel is enlarged in at least one direction transverse to the at least one package sleeve and is reduced in order to push on and/or remove the at least one package sleeve.

13. A device for forming package bodies open at one end from package sleeves open at both ends for the manufacture of filled packages, for the manufacture of filled packages according to claim 1 , comprising
a magazine,
a stack comprising at least one package sleeve,
a transfer device,
a forming station,
a placement device, and
a mandrel,
wherein the at least one package sleeve in the stack is folded flat along at least two folded edges running in the longitudinal direction of the package sleeve, the transfer device transfers the at least one package sleeve from the stack in succession to the forming station for unfolding, the forming station comprising a channel for the partial unfolding of the at least one package sleeve moved through the channel and at the end of the channel, opposing grooves are provided to receive the at least two folded edges of the at least one package sleeve, and the placement device pushes the at least one unfolded package sleeve from the forming station onto the mandrel,
wherein a pre-folding device has the channel comprising lateral boundaries for partial unfolding of the package sleeves moved through the channel, the width of the channel narrowing in a transport direction of the package sleeves to a dimension less than the width of the flat-folded package sleeves as they are held in the magazine, such that, as the package sleeves are moved through, the lateral boundaries of the channel press against the at least two folded edges of the package sleeve and move the folded edges of the package sleeve towards one another.

14. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the forming station has at least two stamps which simultaneously press together and unfold the at least one package sleeve and, the at least two stamps are designed as at least two mould halves, wherein by closing the mould the at least one package sleeve is unfolded, coming at least substantially circumferentially into contact with the inside of the mould.

15. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the lateral boundaries of the channel are fixed in place, at least when the at least one package sleeve moves through the channel.

16. The device according to claim 15 , further comprising a feed device to feed the package sleeves to the unfolding device in a longitudinal extension of the grooves in the grooves and/or together with the grooves.

17. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the transfer device further comprises a gripper arm and a feed device to move the package sleeve through a pre-folding device in a first direction of transport and into an unfolding device in a second direction of transport oriented substantially perpendicular to the first direction of transport.

18. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the mandrel is designed to be adjusted between a wider pressing position and a narrower starting position for pushing on and removing package sleeves, and that in the pressing position the mandrel provides a pressing surface for pressing a longitudinal end of the package sleeve against the mandrel.

19. The device

Assignees

• Sig Technology Ag
• Heil Andrea

Inventors

• Vetten Thomas
• Marx Johannes
• Heil Michael
• Breitmar Felix
• Dammers Matthias
• Richter Jürgen

Classifications

• B31B50/28

  around mandrels, e.g. for forming bottoms · CPC title

• B31B50/006

  Controlling; Regulating; Measuring; Improving safety · CPC title

• B65B7/16

  Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons · CPC title

• B31B50/788

  by introducing the blanks into undeformable holders, e.g. on a drum or on chains · CPC title

• B31B2105/0022

  Making boxes from tubular webs or blanks, e.g. with separate bottoms, including tube or bottom forming operations · CPC title