Operating group for a cartoning machine, cartoning machine and method for forming a carton

{
  "publication_number": "US10919251B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Operating group for a cartoning machine, cartoning machine and method for forming a carton",
  "abstract": "An operating group for a cartoning machine is arranged to move a blank that is intended to form a carton adapted to contain one or more products, and includes a magazine suitable for housing a plurality of blanks folded in a planar manner; gripping arrangement that is configured for retaining the blank and is movable at least between a removing position in which the gripping arrangement removes the blank arranged in the magazine in a planar configuration, which is horizontal, and a delivery position in which the gripping arrangement delivers the blank arranged in a tridimensional unfolded configuration, which is vertical with respect to the planar configuration; in which the gripping arrangement is rotated around a rotation axis such as to travel along a closed loop path; the removing position from the magazine being arranged above the closed loop transfer path travelled by the gripping arrangement, such that the gripping arrangement can remove directly from the magazine said blank in the horizontal folded planar configuration.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An operating group for a cartoning machine of the vertical type arranged for moving a blank adapted to form a carton for containing one or more products, said operating group including: a) a magazine for housing a plurality of blanks folded in a planar manner and for feeding a folded blank of said plurality of blanks along a folded blank feeding direction; b) gripping arrangement that is configured for retaining a blank and is movable at least between a removing position, in which said gripping arrangement removes said blank arranged in the magazine in a folded planar configuration, which is horizontal, and a delivery position, in which said gripping arrangement delivers said blank arranged in a tridimensional unfolded configuration, which is vertical to said planar configuration; c) said gripping arrangement being rotated around a horizontal rotation axis along a closed loop transfer path; d) wherein the magazine is shaped for housing said blanks in a horizontal position at the removing position; and e) the removing position from said magazine being arranged above the closed loop transfer path travelled by the gripping arrangement, such that the gripping arrangement can remove directly from the magazine said blank in the horizontal folded planar configuration; wherein said gripping arrangement is configured for travelling a portion of said closed loop transfer path subtended by an angle of substantially 270° between the removing position and the delivery position; and wherein said folded blank feeding direction of said magazine, said rotation axis of said gripping arrangement, and an advancement direction of said blank arranged in said tridimensional unfolded configuration are parallel to each other, said advancement direction being defined by a conveying system of a packaging machine that moves said blank away from said operating group.",
    "2. The operating group according to claim 1, wherein the magazine has an outlet, at which the blank is arranged on a horizontal plane in said removing position, said outlet being arranged above the loop transfer path.",
    "3. The operating group according to claim 1, wherein said gripping arrangement comprises a body that is rotatable around said horizontal rotation axis, one or two gripping elements coupled with said body, and motion transmitting device.",
    "4. The operating group according to claim 3, wherein said one or two gripping elements, along the closed loop transfer path, are movable between a position that is further from said horizontal rotation axis and a position that is nearer said rotation axis.",
    "5. The operating group according to claim 3, wherein said motion transmitting device comprises epicyclic gearing, is associated with the body and can transmit motion to said one or two gripping elements.",
    "6. The operating group according to claim 3, wherein said motion transmitting device comprises, for each of said one or two gripping elements, a crank that connects said one or two gripping elements to said body and is rotatable about a secondary axis of rotation, the latter being arranged parallel to said horizontal rotation axis.",
    "7. The operating group according to claim 6, wherein said crank is in a first dead centre position at least when said gripping elements are in said removing position and in said delivery position, said crank returning to said first dead centre position when said gripping elements have travelled a portion of said transfer path subtended by an angle of substantially 90°.",
    "8. The operating group according to claim 1, further including a pushing device arranged for receiving from said gripping arrangement said blank in said tridimensional and vertical configuration when said gripping arrangement reaches said delivery position, and to retain and push said blank away said gripping arrangement, said pushing device being movable along an insertion path.",
    "9. The operating group according to claim 8, wherein said pushing device further includes a pusher device that is movable between a retracted position, in which said pusher device is arranged to receive said blank in the vertical tridimensional configuration from said gripping elements in said delivery position, and an advanced position, in which said pusher device is arranged to deliver said blank to said conveying system, said pusher device being movable with reciprocating motion between said retracted position and said advanced position along said insertion path.",
    "10. The operating group according to claim 9, wherein said pusher device is configured to retain the blank at a second gripping face, adjacent to a first gripping face.",
    "11. The operating group according to claim 1, further including a main unfolding device arranged to cooperate with said gripping arrangement such that a corresponding reciprocal movement enables said blank to move from the folded planar configuration to the tridimensional unfolded configuration of said blank.",
    "12. The operating group according to claim 11, and wherein said main unfolding device includes a suction device for retaining through a vacuum a third gripping face of the blank, which is on an opposite side to a first gripping face which is retained by the gripping arrangement, such that said gripping arrangement and said main unfolding device simultaneously retain said blank on opposite sides, to take said blank from said planar configuration to said tridimensional unfolded configuration when said gripping arrangement moves away from said main unfolding device.",
    "13. The operating group according to claim 11, further including an auxiliary unfolding member that is configured for assisting said main unfolding device to take said blank from said planar configuration to said tridimensional unfolded configuration, said auxiliary unfolding member being configured as a fixed laminar element, in which said laminar element is oriented in space according to a set tilt, such that said laminar element contacts said blank laterally during the corresponding reciprocal movement of said main unfolding device and said gripping arrangement.",
    "14. The operating group according to claim 11, wherein said main unfolding device is fixed to a fixed support structure, with which an adjusting device is associated that is arranged to adjust the position of said main unfolding device."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The invention relates to an operating group for a cartoning machine, in particular an operating group arranged to remove a blank, increase a volume of the blank to erect a carton, and deliver the carton to a conveying system.\n\nThe invention further relates to a cartoning machine for packaging one or more products, such as, for example, vials, bottles, jars, or the like, inside a single carton.\n\nThe invention further relates to a method for forming a carton.\n\nIn cartoning machines of known type an operating group is provided that removes a blank from a magazine and the blank is delivered as an erected carton to a conveying system, which is movable along a conveying direction, which advances the erected blank as far as a product inserting station. The operating group removes the blank in a planar configuration or flat configuration and delivers the blank to a tridimensional configuration, in which the blank has increased its volume becoming an erected carton. The operating group thus also has, further to the function of transferring the blank, also the function of erecting a carton from the blank increasing its volume.\n\nThe blank in the tridimensional (or erected) configuration defines a carton, which is conveyed in such a manner as to have an opening arranged frontally to the products to be packaged, which are in turn conveyed so as to face the opening of a respective carton into which they have to be introduced. A mechanical element, such as for example a pusher, moves the product to the carton until the product enters the carton through the opening, which is subsequently closed.",
  "cpc": [
    "B31B 50/804",
    "B31B 2100/0022",
    "B31B 2120/30",
    "B31B 50/06",
    "B31B 50/062",
    "B31B 50/07",
    "B31B 50/802",
    "B65B 43/185",
    "B65B 43/265",
    "B65B 43/285",
    "B65G 47/848"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B31B 100/00",
    "B31B 120/30",
    "B31B 50/06",
    "B31B 50/07",
    "B31B 50/80",
    "B65B 43/18",
    "B65B 43/26",
    "B65B 43/28",
    "B65G 47/84"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "IMA Industria Macchine Automatiche SpA"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Pierpaolo DI MAIO"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-10-14",
  "publication_date": "2021-02-16",
  "grant_date": "2021-02-16",
  "priority_date": "2015-10-16",
  "application_number": "US-201615768613-A",
  "family_id": "55315564",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
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    "FR2675077A1",
    "WO1998057857A1",
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    "US20160107779A1"
  ]
}