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US 12,577,003 B2Granted
Closing device and method for closing foldable packages
AssigneeUhlmann Pac-Systeme GmbH & Co. KG
InventorWolfgang Rodi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for closing foldable packages and a closing device has a first support element having a first support surface on which a bottom flap of a package can be arranged, and a second support element having a second support surface on which a top flap of the package can be arranged. A first push-in bar and a second push-in bar of the closing device are moveable along a movement path which has in some portions a component parallel to a first transverse direction in order to push the package in the first transverse direction. By doing so, the bottom flap and the top flap are folded towards a frame of the package.
Claims16
A closing device for closing foldable packages, each package having a frame, a bottom flap and a top flap, the closing device comprising:
- a conveying device for conveying the packages along a conveying path in a conveying direction, wherein the conveying device comprises a plurality of receivers, wherein each receiver has a bearing surface which delimits the receiver in a first transverse direction perpendicularly to the conveying direction and on which a package can be arranged;
- a first support element having a first support surface, and a second support element having a second support surface, wherein the first support surface and the second support surface are arranged in one plane and spaced apart from the bearing surfaces of the plurality of receivers, and wherein the first support element and the second support element are arranged spaced apart from one another in a second transverse direction, wherein the bottom flap of an open package is arrangeable on the first support surface, the top flap of the open package is arrangeable on the second support surface, and the frame of the open package is arrangeable above the bearing surface, wherein the second transverse direction is oriented perpendicularly to the first transverse direction and to the conveying direction;
- and
- a first push-in bar and a second push-in bar each extending substantially parallel to the conveying direction, wherein each of the first push-in bar and the second push-in bar is cyclically movable along a movement path which has at least in some portions a component parallel to the first transverse direction in order to push the package in the first transverse direction and, at the same time, to fold the bottom flap and the top flap towards the frame.
1 more element
A method for closing foldable packages, each package having a frame, a bottom flap and a top flap, the method comprising the steps of:
- arranging an open package such that the bottom flap of the package bears against a first support surface of a first support element, the top flap of the package bears against a second support surface of a second support element, and the frame of the package is arranged above and spaced apart from a bearing surface of a receiver for the package in a first transverse direction;
- arranging a first push-in bar above the bottom flap and a second push-in bar above the top flap;
- moving each of the first push-in bar and the second push-in bar along a respective movement path which has at least in some portions a component parallel to the first transverse direction;
- and
- pushing the package in the first transverse direction towards the bearing surface by means of the first push-in bar and the second push-in bar during their movement along the movement path, wherein the bottom flap and the top flap are folded towards the frame by the first support element and the second support element, respectively;
- wherein the step of arranging the first push-in bar and the second push-in bar comprises the steps of moving the first push-in bar above the bottom flap and moving the second push-in bar above the top flap along a first movement portion of the movement path, in which the movement path has a component parallel to a second transverse direction which is oriented perpendicularly to the first transverse direction;
- and
- the step of moving the first push-in bar and the second push-in bar comprises a movement along a second movement portion of the movement path in which the movement path has the component parallel to the first transverse direction.
5 more elements
A method for closing foldable packages, each package having a frame, a bottom flap and a top flap, the method comprising the steps of:
- arranging an open package such that the bottom flap of the package bears against a first support surface of a first support element, the top flap of the package bears against a second support surface of a second support element, and the frame of the package is arranged above and spaced apart from a bearing surface of a receiver for the package in a first transverse direction;
- arranging a first push-in bar above the bottom flap and a second push-in bar above the top flap;
- moving each of the first push-in bar and the second push-in bar along a respective movement path which has at least in some portions a component parallel to the first transverse direction;
- and
- pushing the package in the first transverse direction towards the bearing surface by means of the first push-in bar and the second push-in bar during their movement along the movement path, wherein the bottom flap and the top flap are folded towards the frame by the first support element and the second support element, respectively;
- wherein the packages are foldable trays each comprising a frame having at least four side walls, at least a first bottom flap and a second bottom flap and at least a first top flap and a second top flap, wherein in an erected state of the package adjacent side walls of the frame are oriented substantially perpendicularly to one another, wherein the first bottom flap and the first top flap each adjoin a first side wall of the frame along a fold, and the second bottom flap and the second top flap each adjoin a second side wall opposite the first side wall along a fold, wherein, in an open state of the package, the first bottom flap and the first top flap are arranged substantially in one plane with the first side wall.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.