# US 2013/0152512 A1 · Method and folding device for handling l-boards

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- Number: US 2013/0152512 A1
- Document ID: US20130152512A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/716,393
- Filed: 2012-12-17
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-19
- Assignees: Multivac Sepp HaggenmüLler SE & Co. KG
- Inventors: Michael Sdahl; Elmar Ehrmann; Gunnar Kurz
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130152512A1

## CPC

- B65B 11/06: Wrapping articles, or quantities of material, by conveying wrapper and contents in {common} defined paths
- B65B 9/04: one or both webs being formed with pockets for the reception of the articles, or of the quantities of material
- B65B 25/065: {of meat}
- B65B 49/10: Folders movable in closed non-circular paths
- B65B 49/12: Rotary folders
- B65B 61/20: for adding cards, coupons or other inserts to package contents (adding unpacking elements B65B61/18)
- B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00)

## Abstract

The invention relates to a folding device and a method for a deep-drawing packaging machine for automatically folding over limbs of L-boards upstream of the sealing station in the production direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for handling in a deep-drawing packaging machine one or more L-boards, each having a product region and a limb pivotable relative to the product region, the method comprising the following steps:
moving troughs in a production direction into a working area of a folding device;
folding over in the production direction the limbs of the L-boards located in the folding device;
holding down the folded over limbs by a hold down device; and
moving the troughs with the L-boards, each L-board having a folded over limb, in the production direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the troughs with the L-boards, whose limbs are folded over, are moved into a sealing station immediately after the folding over of the limbs.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the folded over limbs are held down by the hold down device from the folding device to the sealing station.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the hold down device is already activated during the folding over.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the limbs are folded over while the troughs do not perform a motion relative to the folding device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the limbs are folded over while the troughs perform a motion relative to the folding device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the folding over of the limbs is synchronized with the motion of the troughs.

### Claim 8

A folding device for a deep-drawing packaging machine for handling one or more L-boards, each L-board having a limb pivotable relative to a product region, the folding device comprising at least one folding member for folding over the limb in a production direction.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The folding device of claim 8, wherein the at least one folding member comprises a servo motor drive which can be controlled by a controller.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The folding device of claim 8, wherein the drive of the at least one folding member is provided mechanically by means of the motion of the troughs.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The folding device of claim 8, wherein the folding device is adapted to fold over the limbs of a row or group of L-boards simultaneously.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The folding device of claim 8 further comprising a hold down device for holding down the folded over limbs.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The folding device of claim 12, wherein the hold down device can be placed onto the folded over limbs of the L-boards.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The folding device of claim 12, wherein the hold down device can be activated by means of a pneumatic cylinder.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The folding device of claim 8, wherein the folding member is a bar.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The folding device of claim 15, wherein the bar runs across all tracks of a group of adjacent packages.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The folding device of claim 15, wherein the bar is movable on a circular path about an axis oriented transversely to the production direction and horizontally.

### Claim 18 (depends on 8)

The folding device of claim 8, wherein the folding member may be moved along a variable path curve to allow an adaptation to different positions and dimensions of the limb of different L-boards.