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DE-102024132724-A1 - Folding device and method for folding and/or erecting container blanks into containers, as well as a packaging machine with a folding device

DE102024132724A1DE 102024132724 A1DE102024132724 A1DE 102024132724A1DE-102024132724-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a folding device for folding and/or erecting container blanks (12) into containers, in particular boxes or cartons, preferably folding boxes, with at least one folding guide unit (14) comprising at least one folding and/or erecting surface (16), and with at least one holding unit (18), in particular movably mounted, which comprises at least one suction gripper element (22, 24, 26, 28) arranged in particular on a base body (20) of the holding unit (18) and which cooperates with the folding guide unit (14) for folding and/or erecting a container blank (12), in particular being movable into the folding guide unit (14). It is proposed that the holding unit (18) comprises at least one erecting element (30, 32, 34, 36) which, as a result of an action of the suction gripper element (22, 24, 26, 28) on the container blank (12), is designed to erect at least one side flap (38, 40) of the container blank (12), in particular as a result of a relative movement between the erecting element (30, 32, 34, 36) and the container blank (12) caused by an action of the suction gripper element (22, 24, 26, 28) on the container blank (12).

Inventors

  • Manuel Wied
  • Sebastian Kuehne
  • Jürgen Mack
  • Bernhard Vaihinger

Assignees

  • SYNTEGON PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY GMBH

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241108

Claims (10)

  1. Folding device for folding and/or erecting container blanks (12) into containers, in particular boxes or cartons, preferably folding boxes, with at least one folding guide unit (14) comprising at least one folding and/or erecting surface (16), and with at least one holding unit (18), in particular movably mounted, comprising at least one suction gripper element (22, 24, 26, 28), in particular arranged on a base body (20) of the holding unit (18), and which cooperates with the folding guide unit (14) for folding and/or erecting a container blank (12), in particular being movable into the folding guide unit (14), characterized in that the holding unit (18) comprises at least one erecting element (30, 32, 34, 36) which, as a result of an action of the suction gripper element (22, 24, 26, 28) on the Container blank (12) is provided for an erection of at least one side flap (38, 40) of the container blank (12), in particular as a result of a relative movement between the erection element (30, 32, 34, 36) and the container blank (12) caused by an action of the suction gripper element (22, 24, 26, 28) on the container blank (12).
  2. Folding device according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the holding unit (18) comprises at least one, in particular the, base body (20) and at least one support plate (42) which forms a support surface (44) against which an outer surface (46) of the container blank (12) can be applied, in particular as a result of an action of the suction gripper element (22, 24, 26, 28) on the container blank (12), wherein the erecting element (30, 32, 34, 36) extends, in particular in at least one state, along a direction (48) extending at least substantially perpendicular to the support surface (44) over the support surface (44).
  3. Folding device according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the erecting element (30, 32, 34, 36) is arranged on a, in particular the, base body (20) of the holding unit (18), wherein the erecting element (30, 32, 34, 36) is arranged in a positionally adjustable manner on the base body (20).
  4. Folding device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holding unit (18) comprises at least one, in particular the, base body (20) and at least one support plate (42) which forms a support surface (44) on which an outer surface (46) of the container blank (12) can be applied, in particular as a result of an action of the suction gripper element (22, 24, 26, 28) on the container blank (12), wherein the support plate (42) is arranged on the base body (20) in a position adjustable relative to the erecting element (30, 32, 34, 36) and/or relative to the base body (20).
  5. Folding device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holding unit (18) comprises at least one support plate (42) which forms a contact surface (44) against which an outer surface (46) of the container blank (12) can be applied, in particular as a result of an action of the suction gripper element (22, 24, 26, 28) on the container blank (12), wherein the support plate (42) defines at least one recess (50, 52, 54, 56) through which the suction gripper element (22, 24, 26, 28), in particular at least one bellows (58, 60, 62, 64) of the suction gripper element (22, 24, 26, 28), extends through the support plate (42) at least in one operating state, in particular to allow the suction gripper element (22, 24, 26, 28) to act on the to realize the container blank (12) to a movement of the container blank (12) relative to the erecting element (30, 32, 34, 36).
  6. Folding device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holding unit (18) is movably mounted relative to the folding guide unit (14) such that a tensile force can be exerted on the container blank (12) arranged on a, in particular the, base body (20) of the holding unit (18) by moving the holding unit (18) relative to the folding guide unit (14) in order to pull the container blank (12) into the folding guide unit (14) to fold and/or erect it, wherein the base body (20), the erecting element (30, 32, 34, 36) and the suction gripper element (22, 24, 26, 28) are jointly movable relative to the folding guide unit (14).
  7. A method for folding and/or erecting container blanks (12) into containers, in particular boxes or cartons, preferably folding boxes, by means of a folding device, in particular by means of a folding device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in at least one method step (68) a container blank (12) arranged on a base body (20) of a holding unit (18) of the folding device is moved relative to at least one erecting element (30, 32, 34, 36) of the holding unit (18) by an action of a suction gripper element (22, 24, 26, 28) of the holding unit (18) on the container blank (12), wherein at least one side flap (38, 40) of the container blank (12) is moved, in particular as a result of the relative movement between the container blank (12) caused by the action of the suction gripper element (22, 24, 26, 28) on the container blank (12). the erecting element (30, 32, 34, 36) and the container blank (12), is erected by the erecting element (30, 32, 34, 36).
  8. Procedure according to Claim 7 , characterized in that in at least one process step (70) a tensile force is exerted on the container blank (12) by means of the holding unit (18) in order to pull the container blank (12) into the folding guide unit (14).
  9. Procedure according to Claim 7 or 8 , characterized in that in at least one process step (72), in particular after deactivating a vacuum on the suction gripper element (22, 24, 26, 28), a movement of the erecting element (30, 32, 34, 36) out of a recess (74, 76) of the container blank (12) takes place, in particular by a bellows (58, 60, 62, 64) of the suction gripper element (22, 24, 26, 28) moving the container blank (12) down from the erecting element (30, 32, 34, 36).
  10. Packaging machine for at least one packaging of products, especially foodstuffs, with at least one folding device according to one of the Claims 1 until 6 .

Description

State of the art The invention relates to a folding device and a method for folding and/or erecting container blanks into containers, in particular boxes or cartons, preferably folding boxes, wherein the folding device comprises at least one folding guide unit having at least one folding and/or erecting surface, and at least one holding unit, in particular movably mounted, which has at least one suction gripper element, in particular arranged on a base body of the holding unit, and which cooperates with the folding guide unit for folding and/or erecting a container blank, in particular being movable into the folding guide unit. Such a folding device and such a method are, for example, made of GB 2565312 A A folding device is already known, wherein the previously known folding device comprises at least one folding guide unit having at least one folding and/or erecting surface, and at least one holding unit comprising at least one suction gripper element, which interacts with the folding guide unit to fold and/or erect a container blank. The suction gripper element is designed to hold the container blank against an underside of the holding unit. An erecting element of the holding unit is designed to erect at least one snap-lock tab of the container blank, wherein the erecting element is mounted for translational movement by means of a drive additional to the suction gripper element. Thus, additional units and additional energy are required to actively drive or move the erecting element so that individual parts of the container blank can be folded and/or erected. This, in turn, can lead to additional costs during assembly, maintenance, and/or operation. The object of the invention is, in particular, to provide a generic folding device, a generic method, and a generic packaging machine with improved characteristics with regard to an efficient, cost-effective, and compact design. This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1, claim 7, and claim 10, respectively, while advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims. Disclosure of the invention The invention relates to a folding device for folding and/or erecting container blanks into containers, in particular boxes or cartons, preferably folding boxes, with at least one folding guide unit comprising at least one folding and/or erecting surface, and with at least one holding unit, in particular movably mounted, comprising at least one suction gripper element, in particular arranged on a base body of the holding unit, and which cooperates with the folding guide unit for folding and/or erecting a container blank, in particular being movable into the folding guide unit. It is proposed that the holding unit comprise at least one erecting element which, as a result of the action of the suction gripper element on the container blank, is designed to erect at least one side flap of the container blank, in particular as a result of a relative movement between the erecting element and the container blank caused by the action of the suction gripper element on the container blank. By means of the inventive design of the folding device, a structurally simple action of the erecting element on container blanks to fold and/or erect the container blanks into containers can be advantageously achieved by means of the suction gripper element already present on the holding unit for holding the container blank. It is advantageously possible to achieve an action of the erecting element on container blanks without a separate drive for the erecting element. The erecting element can advantageously contribute to a folding and/or erecting process without requiring its own active movement, in particular without requiring an active lifting, gripping, or spreading movement. A folding device can advantageously be provided that has a small footprint and enables safe, reliable, and cost-effective folding and/or erecting of container blanks. The holding unit preferably comprises at least the suction gripper element, in particular a vacuum gripper, preferably a bellows suction gripper, designed to handle flat container blanks and/or folded and/or erected containers. "Designed" is understood to mean, in particular, specifically programmed, specially configured, specially designed, and/or specially equipped. The fact that an object is designed for a specific function is understood to mean, in particular, that the object fulfills this specific function in at least one application and/or operating state. and/or executes. The suction gripper element is preferably arranged on the base body of the holding unit. The base body is preferably designed as a base plate. The holding unit is specifically designed to move the container blanks along the folding and/or erecting surface of the folding guide unit, particularly to fold and/or erect the container blanks into containers. Preferably, in addition to holding the containe