Package making – Methods – Group forming of contents into a unit
Patent
1999-01-21
2000-10-10
Dickson, Paul N.
Package making
Methods
Group forming of contents into a unit
53542, 53544, 198374, B65B 3556, B65G 4724
Patent
active
06128887&
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method for packaging flat articles. The invention relates also to a packaging apparatus. This application is a 371 of PCT/F197/00557 filed Sep. 18, 1997.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Upon packaging large series of flat articles. The articles are formed into stacks of suitable size which are moved into the package. In these stacks, the articles are parallel, and the goal is to place them tightly against each other in the direction transverse to their planes. A typical example of articles of this kind is envelopes. The handling and packaging of envelopes is described e.g. in the Finnish Patent No. 94042 and in the Finnish published specification No. 97355 by the applicant.
Some articles have such a structure that the thickness of the article is not constant in the direction of its plane. A good example of such a product is envelopes and bag covers which are filled in from the short end, at which there is a closing flap and possibly also a paper covering the adhesive area on it, whereby the product is clearly thicker at one end. If the closing flap is folded out, it forms the thinnest end of the article. When articles of this kind are packaged with an automatic packaging apparatus, in which the articles run in a continuous stack, such constructional features cause more thickness at one end of the stack, which may hamper space utilization.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of the invention is to present an improvement to the above-mentioned prior art. From the continuous stack entering the handling step, the product batch to be packaged is not separated and moved as such into the package, but stack portions smaller than the product batch are separated from it and placed next to each other so that the second stack portions come into a 180.degree. rotated position in relation to the first ones, and the adjacent stack portions so handled constitute the product batch, in which the thicker ends point at opposite directions.
The apparatus comprises means for separating a stack portion from the continuous stack, a gripper which is suspended in a rotation axle and which effects a rotation of 180.degree. of the stack portions in relation to each other, as well as a product batch forming device in the area of motion of the gripper for arranging the stack portions next to each other.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings, in which
FIG. 1 illustrates the handling of articles,
FIG. 2 shows the apparatus of the invention from the front,
FIG. 3 shows the apparatus of the invention from the side,
FIG. 4 shows the operating principle of the product batch forming device, and
FIG. 5 shows an alternative way of handling of the articles to FIG. 1.
The apparatus shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 comprises a gripper 1 comprising a pair of fingers 1a on both sides of the gripping point. The fingers 1a are directed in each pair preferably obliquely away from each other, i.e. they make a V opening in the gripping direction. The gripper is suspended at the lower end of a vertical arm 2 to be rotatable around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the arm. In this rotating part, indicated in the figure with the reference number 3, there is still another rotation axis B arranged perpendicular to the axis A and extending roughly through the gripping space between the pairs of fingers. The arm 2 is arranged to be movable in the vertical direction in a guide 4 (in this case a roller plate, the upper end of the arm being guided between the rollers) which, in turn, is fixed to a horizontal bar 5 fixed to the body of the apparatus. The gripping and rotating device is placed at a suitable height above the level for handling articles, such as a table for handling envelopes.
Axes A and B constitute the rotating axes for effecting suitable turning movements of stack portions held by the gripper 1.
In the starting position, the element 3 has been turned in a receiving positi
REFERENCES:
patent: 4015724 (1977-04-01), Spencer
patent: 4043461 (1977-08-01), Castro
patent: 4155133 (1979-05-01), Timson
patent: 4354787 (1982-10-01), Gensike et al.
patent: 4384813 (1983-05-01), Smith et al.
patent: 4616821 (1986-10-01), Boeve et al.
patent: 4655663 (1987-04-01), Rosati
patent: 4861213 (1989-08-01), Fuchs
patent: 5002456 (1991-03-01), Gosslinghoff
patent: 5417037 (1995-05-01), Osti et al.
patent: 5447013 (1995-09-01), Boriani et al.
Heikkila Kari
Suokas Jouni
Dickson Paul N.
Jomet Oy
Luby Matthew
LandOfFree
Method for packaging flat articles does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method for packaging flat articles, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for packaging flat articles will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2248461