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US 6,622,461 B2Granted
Method and system for closure of the flaps of the end sides of a package in the form of a sleeve
AssigneeBaumer S.R.L.
InventorMario Gambetti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sleeve-type half package is closed by applying two beads of glue on each of two flaps on each end of the sleeve, folding those flaps inwardly by engagement with a nonglued strip between the beads and then folding the other two flaps at each end inwardly to engage a bead of glue on each of the two first-folded flaps at each end. The folding is done by thrust members as the half package is displaced linearly along a transport path.
Claims23
A method for closure in succession of closure flaps of two ends of a half-package in the form of a rectangular sleeve, wherein said half-package comprises:
- a front end having a first front flap attached at a first front edge to said sleeve, a second front flap attached at a second front edge perpendicular to said first front edge of said sleeve, a third front flap attached at a third front edge parallel to said first front edge of said sleeve and a fourth front flap attached at a fourth front edge parallel to said second front edge of said sleeve, and
- a rear end side having a first rear flap attached at a first rear edge of said sleeve and parallel to said first front edge, a second rear flap attached at a second rear edge perpendicular to said first rear edge of said sleeve, a third rear flap attached at a third rear edge of said sleeve parallel to said first rear edge and a fourth rear flap attached at a fourth rear edge of said sleeve parallel to said second rear edge, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) displacing a succession of said half-packages in succession linearly along a closure path with respective front end side facing downstream and respective rear end side facing upstream;
- (b) applying two transversely spaced longitudinal beads of glue defining between the strips a first front longitudinal strip without glue onto an outer surface of the second front flap in an open position thereof, and applying two transversely spaced longitudinal beads of glue defining between one another a second front longitudinal strip without glue onto an outer surface of the fourth front flap in an open position thereof;
- (c) folding inwardly at the front end the second and fourth front flaps by engagement with the first and second longitudinal strips without glue;
- (d) thereafter folding inwardly the first and third front flaps to engage them with respective beads of glue on the second and fourth front flaps;
- (e) applying two transversely spaced longitudinal beads of glue defining between one another a first rear longitudinal strip without glue onto an outer surface of the second rear flap in an open position thereof, and applying two transversely spaced longitudinal beads of glue defining between one another a second rear longitudinal strip without glue onto an outer surface of the fourth front flap in an open position thereof;
- (f) folding inwardly at the rear end the second and fourth rear flaps by engaging the respective rear longitudinal strips without glue;
- and
- (g) folding inwardly at the rear end the third and fourth rear flaps to engage them with respective beads glue on of the second and fourth rear flaps.
7 more elements
An apparatus for closure in succession of the closure flaps of the two ends of half-packages (S) in the form of a sleeve, wherein each half-package comprises a first front flap (5I-5II), a first rear flap (6I-6II), a second front flap (7I), a second rear flap (8), a third front flap (9I-9II), a third rear flap (10I-10II), a fourth front flap (11) and a fourth rear flap (12), said apparatus comprising:
- first thrust means (50-54a-54b;
- 40-44a-44b;
- 30a-30b;
- 32a-32b) for supplying a sequence of said half-packages (S) in succession along a transport path along a translation-closure line (Y1);
- first gluing means (110a-110b) along said transport path and in the vicinity of the second front flaps (7) and of the second rear flaps (8) for applying glue on outer surfaces of the second front flaps (7) and on outer surfaces of the second rear flaps (8) while the half-packages (S) are moved in a downstream direction in succession;
- second gluing means (120a-120b) disposed along said path and in the vicinity of the fourth front flaps (11) and of the fourth rear flaps (12) for applying glue on outer surfaces of the fourth front flaps (11) and on outer surfaces of the fourth rear flaps (12), whilst the half-packages (S) are moved in said direction in succession;
- first thrust-folder means (70, 71, 74I-74II), comprising first thrust-folder posts (74I-74II), which move longitudinally in the vicinity of the area said second front flaps (7) and of the second rear flaps (8) along said path for folding inwardly the second front flaps (7) and the second rear flaps (8), during movement of the half-packages (S) in said direction;
- second thrust-folder means (60, 61, 64I-64II) along said path comprising second thrust-folder posts (64I-64II), which move longitudinally in the vicinity of the fourth front flaps (11) and of the fourth rear flaps (12) for folding inwardly the fourth front flaps (11) and the fourth rear flaps (12) during movement of the half-packages (S) in the downstream direction;
- third thrust-folder means (100a, 80a, 90a, 84a, 94a) along said path comprising third thrust-folder posts (84a, 94a), which move longitudinally in the vicinity of the third front flaps (9I-9II) and of the third rear flaps (10I-10II) for folding inwardly the third front flaps (9I-9II) and the third rear flaps (10I-10II), during movement of the half-packages (S) in the downstream direction;
- fourth thrust-folder means (100b, 80b, 90b, 84b, 94b) along said path comprising fourth thrust-folder posts (84b, 94b), which move longitudinally in the vicinity of the first front flaps (5I-5II) and of the first rear flaps (6I-6II) for folding inwardly the first front flaps (5I-5II) and the first rear flaps (6I-6II), during movement of the half-packages (S) in the downstream direction;
- and
- support means (30a, 30b) along said path, which extend longitudinally, in order to support the half-packages (S) during movement thereof in the downstream direction.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.