Device and method for aligning a carton blank

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019337657-A1
Application number	US-201716466338-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 23, 2017
Priority date	Dec 5, 2016
Publication date	Nov 7, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An infeed alignment device (10) for aligning a carton blank (14) such that a picking device can pick the carton blank. The infeed alignment device comprises an upper alignment member (11) for pushing on an upper part of the carton blank, a lower alignment member (12) for pushing on a lower part of the carton blank, and wherein the upper and/or lower alignment member is configured to push in a push direction on the top and/or the bottom of the carton blank such that the carton blank is in a picking position for the picking device.

First claim

1 - 15 . (canceled)

16 . An infeed alignment device for aligning a carton blank such that the carton blank is in a picking position for a picking device, the infeed alignment device comprising:
an upper alignment member configured to push on an upper portion of the carton blank; and a lower alignment member configured to push on a lower portion of the carton blank, wherein at least one of the upper alignment member or the lower alignment member is configured to push in a push direction on at least one of the upper portion of the carton blank or the lower portion of the carton blank to move the carton blank into the picking position for the picking device.

17 . An infeed alignment device according to claim 16 , wherein at least one of the upper alignment member or the lower alignment member includes an inclined pushing surface.

18 . An infeed alignment device according to claim 16 , wherein at least one of the upper alignment member or the lower alignment member is biased toward a center of the infeed alignment device.

19 . An infeed alignment device according to claim 16 , wherein the upper alignment member and the lower alignment member are mechanically connected and configured to push on respective upper and lower portions of the carton blank at the same time.

20 . An infeed alignment device according to claim 19 , wherein the mechanical connection between the upper alignment member and the lower alignment member includes a push member configured to push on both the upper and lower alignment member in the push direction.

21 . An infeed alignment device according to claim 20 , wherein the mechanical connection further includes a circular member configured to be pushed such that the circular member causes the push member to push on the upper and lower alignment members in the push direction.

22 . An infeed alignment device according to claim 16 , wherein the infeed alignment device is connected to a picking device for picking carton blanks such that they can be folded into packages.

23 . An infeed alignment device according to claim 22 , wherein the connection between the infeed alignment device and the picking device is a mechanical connection.

24 . A method of aligning a carton blank such that the carton blank is in a picking position for a picking device, the method comprising:
aligning at least one of an upper portion of the carton blank with an upper alignment member or a lower portion of the carton blank with an lower alignment member; and pushing the carton blank into the picking position for the picking device by at least one of pushing the upper alignment member on the upper portion of the carton blank in a pushing direction or pushing the lower alignment member on the lower portion of the carton blank in the pushing direction.

25 . A method according to claim 24 , further comprising biasing the upper alignment member and the lower alignment member in a direction opposite to the pushing direction.

26 . A method according to claim 24 , further comprising pushing the upper alignment member and the lower alignment member on respective upper and lower portions of the carton blank at the same time.

27 . A method according to claim 26 , further comprising moving a push member such that the push member pushes on both the upper alignment member and the lower alignment member.

28 . A method according to claim 27 , further comprising moving a circular member such that the circular member causes the push member to push on both the upper alignment member and the lower alignment member.

29 . A method according to claim 24 , further comprising synchronizing the upper alignment member and the lower alignment member with the picking device.

30 . A method according to claim 29 , wherein the synchronization is performed by a mechanical connection.

31 . An infeed alignment device for aligning a carton blank such that the carton blank is in a picking position for a picking device, the infeed alignment device comprising:
an upper alignment member configured to push on an upper portion of the carton blank; and a lower alignment member configured to push on a lower portion of the carton blank, the lower alignment member being mechanically connected to the upper alignment member, wherein the upper alignment member and the lower alignment member are configured to push in a push direction on respective upper and lower portions of the carton blank at the same time to move the carton blank into the picking position for the picking device.

32 . An infeed alignment device according to claim 31 , wherein at least one of the upper alignment member or the lower alignment member includes an inclined pushing surface.

33 . An infeed alignment device according to claim 31 , wherein at least one of the upper alignment member or the lower alignment member is biased toward a center of the infeed alignment device.

34 . An infeed alignment device according to claim 31 , wherein the mechanical connection between the upper alignment member and the lower alignment member includes a push member configured to push on both the upper and lower alignment member in the push direction.

35 . An infeed alignment device according to claim 34 , wherein the mechanical connection further includes a circular member configured to be pushed such that the circular member causes the push member to push on the upper and lower alignment members in the push direction.

Assignees

• Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance

Inventors

• Persson Richard
• Carlsson Lars

Classifications

• B65H9/101 Primary

  acting on the edge of the article · CPC title

• B65H2404/72

  Stops, gauge pins, e.g. stationary · CPC title

• B65H2301/4222

  Squaring-up piles · CPC title

• B65H3/66

  Article guides or smoothers, e.g. movable in operation · CPC title

• B65H2404/733

  reciprocating · CPC title