US 9,789,983 B2 · Method and apparatus for inserting packages into cartons

Abstract

For the automatic insertion of packs (11) into a large-volume carton (10), two work tools are used, namely, a pack robot (33) with carton holder (30) for holding the cartons (10) ready and a pack robot (33) with head (37) for inserting the individual packs (11) one after another into the carton (10) in the region of a packing station (33). Through relative movement of carton (10) and pack (11), different pack formations are created within the carton (10).

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Drawings

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method for inserting packs into a carton to create an orderly formation of packs within the carton, comprising:

feeding the packs one after another or in groups to a packing station, the packs being inserted by at least one pack robot into the carton, wherein an empty carton is movable into different filling positions in the packing station by a carton robot which grasps the empty carton, wherein a head of the pack robot is displaceable, in coordination with the movements of the carton robot (26), along three coordinates, and is pivotable about three axes, such that, by rotation and/or tilting and/or linear movement of the empty carton, on the one hand, and by lifting and lowering movement of the packs and/or rotary movement or by insertion of these same, on the other hand, the empty carton is filled with different packing formations, resulting in a filled carton;
inserting by transport the empty carton into an open carton holder of the carton robot and fixing the empty carton in place through closure of the carton holder by mechanical and/or pneumatic holding members;
and
when the empty carton is introduced into the region of the carton holder, conveying the filled carton out of the region of the carton holder at the same time, the filled carton being conveyed by pushing the filled carton out of the region of the carton holder and the empty carton being conveyed by pulling the empty carton into the region of the carton holder by means of a pusher, wherein, the filled carton is pushed out of the region of the carton holder at the same time as the empty carton is pulled into the region of the carton holder.

1 more element

An apparatus for inserting packs into a carton to create an orderly formation within the carton, comprising:

a packing station;
a carton robot for grasping an empty carton and holding the empty carton in the packing station for the reception of the packs, the relative position being altered during the packing process;
a pack robot for inserting the packs individually following one upon the other into the empty carton to create the formation, the pack robot comprising a pack holder having a head which transports the packs, in coordination with movements of the carton robot, by virtue of linear mobility, along a plurality of coordinates and/or, by virtue of rotatability, about a plurality of axes, involving take-up in the packing station and delivery to a carton held ready by the carton robot;
a carton station, wherein the empty carton is grasped by the carton robot in the carton station and is fed to the packing station for filling, and a filled carton is conveyed by the carton robot back into the carton station, wherein the filled carton is pushed by a pusher out of a carton holder of the carton station to a removal conveyor;
a carton conveyor for transporting the empty carton to the carton station;
and
a delivery member for introducing the empty carton into the region of the carton holder adjoining the carton conveyor, by the pusher, wherein, when the filled carton is pushed out of the region of the carton holder, at the same time the empty carton is introduced into the region of the carton holder.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description4,545 words

Summary755 words

#Technical Field

#The invention relates to methods and apparatuses for inserting items into containers, in particular for filling larger cartons with packs, such as foil packs or soft packs.

#Prior Art

Brief description of the drawings14 figures

#Details of the method and illustrative embodiments of the apparatus are explained in greater detail below with reference to the drawings, wherein:

#FIG. 1 shows a (foil) pack, by way of example, in perspective representation,

#FIG. 2 shows an open, partially broken carton containing packs arranged in complex formation, in perspective representation,

Detailed description3,488 words

#FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show a preferred example of use of the present technology, namely the filling of large-volume containers or cartons 10 with a plurality of individual items, namely packs 11. The latter can be configured as bags or can have a quadrilateral, in the present case flat shape. The example of FIG. 1 relates to a pack 11 having a foil wrapping, in particular for cellulose products, such as sanitary towels.

#A (greater) number of packs 11 can be accommodated in different formations in the carton 10 such that this is optimally filled. The quadrilateral carton forms a bottom wall 12, lateral or vertical longitudinal walls 13, 14, (smaller) transverse walls 15, 16, as well as a top wall made up of longitudinal tabs 17, 18 and transverse tabs 19, 20.

#In the example of FIG. 2, a number of packs 11 is arranged resting in upright position on the bottom wall 12, wherein the packs 11 of this group adjoin one another with large-area pack sides. Further packs 11 are likewise in upright position, but arranged crosswise in contact against the longitudinal wall 13. In the region of the upright packs 11 are positioned flat-lying packs 11, which lie with the large-area pack sides against the upright packs 11.

Facts

Application

14/384,819Filed 22 Feb 2013

Priority

DE 10 2012 006 27829 Mar 2012

Published

US 2015/0013277 A115 Jan 2015

Granted

17 Oct 2017

Term ends

5 Jun 2034

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 468 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification4 codes

B65B 5/105
Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles: by grippers
B65B 35/18
By grippers: by suction-operated grippers
B65B 35/52
Stacking one article, or group of articles, upon another before packaging: building-up the stack from the bottom
B65B
Machines, apparatus or devices for, or methods of, packaging articles or materials

Timeline

29 Mar 2012Priority claimedDE 10 2012 006 278
22 Feb 2013Application filedUS 14/384,819
15 Oct 2014Assigned to Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co. KG)assignment of assignor's interest
15 Jan 2015PublishedUS 2015/0013277 A1
17 Oct 2017GrantedUS 9,789,983 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
5 Jun 2034Term endsEstimated, includes 468 days of adjustment

Method and apparatus for inserting packages into cartons

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for inserting packages into cartons

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims12

Description4,545 words

Drawings

Classification4 codes

Life of this patent

Description4,545 words