| Cartoning machine -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Cartoning machineRelated Patent Categories: Package Making, Depositing Articles And Arranging Material In Preformed ReceptaclesCartoning machine description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070186508, Cartoning machine. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to European Patent Application No. EP 05258032.1 filed Dec. 23, 2005, entitled "CARTONING MACHINE". This reference is expressly incorporated by reference herein, in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a cartoning machine, and in particular to a tissue cartoning machine for placing stacks, or "clips" of tissues into cartons. [0003] In conventional cartoning machines, stacks of tissues, known as clips, are received and conveyed to the tissue cartons by a bucket conveyor. The cartons are moved adjacent the conveyor in a phased relationship with the clips. Once a clip is adjacent a carton, it is pushed sideways into the carton. [0004] Tissue cartons generally come in two different styles. The first style is known as a regular, rectangular or flat carton. In this style of carton, clips of rectangular tissues are inserted in a substantially flat configuration into the carton. The second style is known as a boutique, cubic or upright carton. In this second style of carton, tissue clips are bent into a U-shape prior to insertion into the carton. [0005] When regular cartons are filled, tissue clips are pushed lengthwise into the carton through an open end of the carton. Thus, it is necessary for regular tissue clips to be orientated on the conveyor with their long side leading. By contrast, when boutique cartons are filled, the clips are bent into a U-shape, and then pushed sideways into an open-sided boutique carton. Thus it is necessary for boutique tissue clips to be oriented on the conveyor with their short side leading. WO 01/19679 discloses a cartoning machine which can handle both flat and boutique configured clips. According to WO 01/19679 a transfer guide bucket conveyor is provided, which includes a plurality of buckets for transferring the tissue clips to the cartons. Each bucket has a transverse channel in the bucket floor. The channel is narrower than the length of the clips, but wider than the width of the clips. [0006] In the system of WO 01/19679, all clips are initially fed into the buckets so as to span the transverse channels in the bucket floors. Clips which are to be fed into regular cartons are then turned so that they drop into the channels. From there, they are pushed lengthwise into the cartons. Clips which are to be fed into boutique cartons remain spanning the channels, and are pushed down in the middle into the channels to form a U-shape. From this position the U-shape clips are pushed sideways into the boutique cartons. [0007] A problem in the system of WO 01/19679 is that it is not able to handle clips of different widths, without changing the buckets. It may be desirable to handle various sizes of tissue clips, in order to fill cartons of different sizes. [0008] According to the present invention there is provided a tissue handling apparatus for receiving tissue clips and transferring the clips into positions suitable for insertion selectively into flat or cubic tissue cartons, the apparatus comprising a plurality of movable buckets for transferring clips for flat and cubic tissue cartons, the buckets having substantially flat bucket floors. [0009] By providing buckets with substantially flat bucket floors, the present invention may provide the advantage that the apparatus can handle tissue of different widths, since the tissues do not have to be of the same width as a channel in the bucket floor. Furthermore, the present invention may allow a greater degree of flexibility in the length of tissues for boutique cartons, since these tissues do not have to be long enough to span a channel in the bucket floors. Thus the present invention may allow tissues of different sizes to be handled by the same machine. [0010] The apparatus may further comprise means for selectively turning tissue clips for insertion respectively into flat or cubic tissue cartons. Preferably, tissue clips for insertion into flat cartons are rotated through approximately 90.degree. with respect to tissue clips for insertion into cubic cartons. This can allow tissue clips for flat cartons to be inserted lengthways into the cartons, and tissue clips for cubic cartons to be inserted sideways into the cartons. [0011] The turning means may comprise a pusher which is arranged to push against one side only of a tissue clip. This can allow a clip to be turned using a simple mechanism. A plurality of pushers may be provided, and the or each pusher may move in synchronism with a respective bucket. [0012] Each bucket may include an upright member about which a tissue clip can be turned. This can allow the tissue clip to be rotated in the bucket using a single side pusher. Furthermore, since the bucket has a flat floor, a tissue clip is free to rotate about the upright member without impedance. [0013] The upright member may be, for example, a rounded wall, or it could be a post or upright rod. In the case of a post or rod, the post or rod itself may rotate to aid the turning of the clip. [0014] The position of the upright member on the bucket may be adjustable. For example, the bucket and the upright member may be arranged so that the upright member can be slid into different positions, or it may be possible to press or bolt the upright member into different positions. This can allow the bucket to be adapted for tissue clips of different sizes. However in some circumstances it may be possible to keep the upright member in the same position for tissue clips of different sizes. [0015] The apparatus may further comprise a transfer guide for guiding a tissue clip as it is transferred into a carton. This may help to ensure a smooth transfer of the tissue clip into the carton. In addition, the transfer guide may be shaped so as to assist in the bending of a clip for a cubic carton. This may help to ensure that a tissue clip for a cubic carton is fully bent into a U-shape before being inserted into the carton. For example, the transfer guide may have at least one of: side walls which slope outwards; side walls with rounded tops; and side walls which increase in height in the direction of transfer of a clip into a carton. [0016] Preferably a plurality of transfer guides are provided each of which moves in synchronism with a bucket. [0017] In some embodiments the transfer guide itself may provide the main means for bending a tissue clip into a U-shape, and thus the apparatus may be arranged such that at least some tissues in a tissue clip are substantially flat before the tissue clip enters the transfer guide. This may reduce the complexity of the apparatus, in comparison to the situation where pre-bending occurs. [0018] The apparatus may further comprise a folding knife for bending clips for cubic cartons. The folding knife may act in combination with a transfer guide to bend a clip for a cubic carton into a U-shape. The folding knife may press against a tissue clip before or as the clip passes into a transfer guide. The folding knife may cause some of the upper tissues in the tissue clip to bend while the clip is on the flat bucket floor, and before insertion into the transfer guide, but does not necessarily provide any substantial pre-bending of the whole tissue clip. [0019] The apparatus may further comprise a compression plate for compressing clips for flat cartons. This may assist with the insertion of tissue clips into flat cartons. [0020] The compression plate may have side walls, which may help to ensure that the tissue clip is correctly aligned as it is inserted into the carton. Where side walls are provided, the spacing of the side walls preferably corresponds to the width of a tissue clip. The height of the side walls may be approximately the same as or slightly less than that of a compressed clip, or some other height. In order to allow tissue clips of different sizes to be used, the side walls may be adjustable, and/or the compression plate may be removable. However, in some embodiments the compression plate is flat and no side walls are provided. [0021] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of transferring tissue clips into positions suitable for insertion selectively into flat or cubic tissue cartons, the method comprising transferring the tissue clips in a plurality of moving buckets, the buckets having substantially flat bucket floors. [0022] Any of the apparatus features may also be provided as method features, and vice versa. Continue reading about Cartoning machine... Full patent description for Cartoning machine Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Cartoning machine patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Cartoning machine or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Structural assemblies and preforms therefor formed by linear friction welding Next Patent Application: Method for producing prefillable syringes Industry Class: Package making ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Cartoning machine patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.14534 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Electronics: Semiconductor , Audio , Illumination , Connectors , Crypto , 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
