U.S. patent application number 11/080564 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-22 for carton orientation system.
Invention is credited to Tremblay, Andre.
Application Number | 20050279052 11/080564 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34976934 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050279052 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tremblay, Andre |
December 22, 2005 |
Carton orientation system
Abstract
There is provided a system for re-orienting erected cartons
having an opening through which primary containers, such as bottles
or cans, in a "unit" are to be inserted. The erected cartons are
adapted to rotate to make the opening accessible to bottle loading
equipment only in a manner which ensures that the geometry of the
opening is not deformed from that of the originally erected
carton.
Inventors: |
Tremblay, Andre; (Ste-Barbe,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
James W. Kerr
Labatt Brewing Company Limited
303 Richmond Street
London
ON
N6B 2H8
CA
|
Family ID: |
34976934 |
Appl. No.: |
11/080564 |
Filed: |
March 16, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/398 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 21/242 20130101;
B65B 43/42 20130101; B65G 23/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
053/398 |
International
Class: |
B65B 021/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 5, 2004 |
CA |
2,459,810 |
Claims
1. A device for re-orienting erected cartons having a base wall,
side walls, end walls and an opening remote from said base and
through which primary containers can be introduced, said device
comprising means for transporting erected cartons lying on an end
or side wall thereof to an orientation station which includes first
support means adapted to support a carton along a longitudinal zone
of said end or side wall laterally spaced from a longitudinal plane
containing a centre of gravity of the said carton and carton
restraining means adapted to prevent said carton from rotating off
said first support means under gravity to a second support means
until upon rotation of said carton, a longitudinal zone of a base
wall thereof which first contacts said second support is
substantially parallel thereto as said contact is made.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention pertains to the handling of cartons
used to contain articles including bottled beverages and the like.
More particularly, the present invention relates to the handling of
cartons during the packing process from them being erected to being
filled with articles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Many businesses need to fill and ship large quantities of
goods such as bottled beverages and in doing so utilize cartons to
hold the goods during shipment from the production facility to
retail outlets and onward to the consumer. The cartons are usually
supplied to the user business in the form known as "flats" which
are flat, glued, folded paperboard, often corrugated, cartons. Such
businesses need to be able to rapidly and economically erect, fill,
close and seal the cartons. In many bottling facilities, 24-pack
cartons and some other sizes are "top filled", i.e. the complement
of filled beverage bottles, in this case, 24-341 ml. bottles filled
with beer, are gently inserted, i.e. "dropped" into the open carton
from above. Moreover, the modern trend is toward cartons not having
a traditional bottle divider unit. Such cartons are designed to
having interior dimensions, and in particular, length and width
forming a rectangular area, only marginally larger than that
occupied by the assembled 24 bottles in a 6.times.4 unit format
which are to be inserted into the carton. It will be appreciated
that, with so little tolerance, a virtually exact alignment of the
24 bottle "unit" with the top (open) area of the carton is
essential if the bottles are to be successfully inserted into a
carton. This must be effected at high speed, about 2,000 such
cartons an hour are routinely filled in modern facilities. It is,
therefore, clear that any deviation of the carton from being a
regular rectangle would result in the unsuccessful filling with its
complement of bottles. This is extremely serious from an economic
viewpoint since it results in the production line being halted
while the carton in question and its proposed contents are
removed.
[0003] The cartons obviously must be transported between the
stations where the above activities, filling, sealing, etc, are
carried out and in particular, between the machine which erects the
blanks and the filler. There are many commercially available box or
carton erecting machines. Refer, for example to U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,269,741 and 6,467,241. Many such machines used to erect the
"flat" blank result in the erected carton lying on its side,
especially with 24 container cartons, and there is consequently a
need to rotate the carton 90.degree. so that it rests on its base
to be top filled. At this point, the carton is, structurally,
somewhat fragile since the top is completely open and contributes
little, if anything, to the ridgity of the carton structure.
Consequently, the travelling carton is quite susceptible to being
distorted, especially as it is being rotated into a vertical
orientation, and it only takes one such problem to prevent the
carton being successfully filled. The reorientation through
90.degree., i.e. from lying or a side to lying on the base is
usually effected by allowing the erected carton to rotate off one
conveyor onto another, usually located below the first. The end
result is a costly shutdown of the production line until the
defective carton and any associated bottles have been removed from
the line.
[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a carton
orientation system involving rotation of an erected empty container
to a condition it can accept a complement of containers from above
without the carton being distorted.
STATEMENT OF INVENTION
[0005] It has now been found that the objective can be achieved by
ensuring that the erected carton lying on a side can be re-oriented
to lie on another side such as the base by rotating under the
influence of gravity off a first conveyor and to the desired
orientation on a second conveyor whilst maintaining the
longitudinal axis of the erected carton parallel to that of the
second conveyor. Under this condition, the force of the carton
striking the second conveyor surface is spread over at least the
full length and preferably, substantially all of the base of the
carton, substantially simultaneously and the structural
configuration of the carton opening is maintained.
[0006] The present invention is used to advantage in a system where
articles travelling on a conveyor are required to be rotated from
resting on one wall to resting on another. For example, secondary
cartons in a beverage packaging facility are obtained as "flats",
and are erected, filled with filled primary containers, e.g.
beverage bottles, sealed and introduced to the market. In many
cases, the cartons when erected lie on a side wall but need to be
vertically oriented, i.e. rest on the base wall to be top filled.
The carton contents such as beverage bottles or cans are then
inserted through the top opening in a block or unit. For example, a
carton containing 24 bottles first requires that the bottles are
formed into a 6.times.4 "block" or "unit" which is lifted via
readily commercial available packing machines into the carton
through the top opening. There is very little difference between
the rectangular area or footprint of the unit of bottles and the
carton opening especially in cartons having no bottle divider.
Consequently, it is important that the carton opening retain its
rectangular configuration following re-orientation onto its base.
Consequently, each erected carton is required to be rotated through
90.degree. so as to rest on its base whilst being transported on
the conveyor to the packer.
[0007] The present invention provides a device for re-orienting
articles such as cartons having a base side walls and an opening
remote from said base and through which containers can be
introduced, said device comprising means for transporting erected
cartons lying on a wall thereof to an orienting station which
includes first [carton] support means adapted to support a carton
along a longitudinal zone thereof laterally spaced from a
longitudinal plan containing a centre of gravity of the said carton
and carton restraining means adapted to prevent said carton from
rotating off said first support means under gravity to a second
support means until rotation of said carton, a longitudinal zone of
a wall thereof which first contacts said second support is
substantially parallel thereto as said contact is made.
[0008] More specifically, the present invention provides a device
for re-orienting cartons by rotating the cartons traveling on a
conveyor comprising means for transporting said cartons in one
orientation to a station which station includes first means to
support each said carton only laterally of a vertical plane
containing a centre of gravity of each said carton such that each
said carton may rotate off said support under gravity and descend
to and rest on a second support and means to ensure that at least a
longitudinal zone the length of a wall of each said carton which
first contacts said second support, is substantially parallel
thereto as said contact is made.
[0009] Preferably, the means provided to prevent the carton from
rotating until the longitudinal axis of the article such as a
carton is parallel to the second support is adopted to maintain
contact with the outside of the wall opposite that upon which the
carton is supported and for a distance sufficient to prevent carton
rotation until rotation occurs when the longitudinal axis of the
carton is parallel to the first support means. More preferably, the
two supports are arranged so that the carton is able to rotate so
that its base is substantially parallel to the second support as it
initially contacts same. In this way, there is little tendency for
the carton to distort as it connects with the second support and
the carton top is fully available for being top filled.
[0010] The present invention also provides a method of reorienting
articles and especially cartons using the above-described
device.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The present invention will be further described but not
limited by reference to the specific embodiment shown in the
accompanying drawings in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing showing the route taken by
beverage carton flats on a packaging line in a brewing
facility.
[0013] FIG. 2 is an angled perspective view of a system of the
present invention, showing a number of 24-bottle cartons exiting
the erector and traveling on a conveyor surface to the inventive
transfer station.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a similar view to FIG. 2 but with a carton at the
transfer station just prior to it commencing to rotate.
[0015] FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C are schematic views showing the progress of
a carton resulting in transfer of the open carton from one conveyor
surface to another according to the present invention.
[0016] Turning to the drawings and FIG. 1 in particular, carton
flats (not shown) from storage are transported via moving conveyor
12 to a carton erection station 14. Following their being erected
in known manner, they are transported via moving conveyor 15 to and
through rotation station 16 to a third conveyor 18 and on to packer
20 where each open carton is top filled with a complement of 24-341
ml filled bottles in a 6.times.4 configuration and the carton
sealed by securing overlapping flaps in the usual manner. The
filled cartons exit the packer and are transported via conveyor 22
to palletizer 23 where they are loaded onto pallets and taken to
storage.
[0017] Turning to FIGS. 2 through 4, beer cartons 24 are shown
erected and each has a base 27, top side and end sealing flaps, 26
or 29 respectively extending from side walls 30, the carton lying
on one of latter as it travels on conveyor 12 in the direction of
the arrow to carton support rod 36 and corner 33. Rod 36 is,
effectively, an extension of conveyor surface 12. The rotation
station functions as follows:
[0018] The carton 24 is erected from a carton flat in known manner
by erector 14 and then travels on conveyor 12 to the rotation
station 16 which includes carton support rod 36. Carton 24 is moved
along support 36 by being urged by the following cartons 24 which
are still being moved along conveyor surface 12. Carton 24 travels
along support 36 until more than about half its length passes the
end 27 of the conveyor 12 when, because the carton centre of
gravity 50 is laterally spaced from support rod 50 (and away from
the viewer), carton 12 would be inclined to rotate and topple off
the support rod 36 probably, in the absence of any restraint, with
the front corner 33 descending first. If that happens, and the
corner 33 strikes the lower support conveyor 18 first, there is a
real possibility of the carton distorting due to the impact, the
weight of the carton acting solely through that location. To
prevent the carton from taking that route, carton restraining
means, namely brush-like member 40, is located above the carton
path, its bristles 42 being adapted to lightly contact the side
walls 30. This contact with carton side walls 30 is maintained and
prevents the front end of carton 24 from descending until most or
all of the whole longitudinal edge 31, shown in phantom in FIG. 3,
of the carton, including the front corner 33, can rotate and edge
31 remains generally parallel to support rod 36 and lower conveyor
18 during such rotation. In this way, at least substantially the
full longitudinal edge 31 will contact the conveyor 18
simultaneously--see FIG. 4B--and then the carton 24 will have
completed a 90.degree. rotation to sit on conveyor 18. In a
preferred situation--refer to FIG. 4C--the whole base 27 becomes
parallel to conveyor 18 and then descends to contact conveyor 18 at
the same time. In either of these two cases, the forces on the
carton are more evenly spread compared to those produced if the
carton contacts the conveyor 18 first at an angle and with only a
corner or the like part of base 27.
[0019] Turning to FIG. 2 of the drawings, a carton erecting station
is generally designated 14. This machine is a standard item of
commerce, for example Model REVCASEFORM 151 of the International
Paper Company of Miami. Its mode of operation is well known to a
man skilled in the art and need not be detailed here. However, in
summary, a batch of carton flats (not shown), in this case for top
filling 24-bottle pack corrugated beer cartons, having a carton
base 27 pre-formed from flaps glued together, are introduced via a
conveyor 12 to the erection station 10. The flats are separated
from each other and each individually erected to form an empty
carton 24 having side walls 30; upper side flaps 26 and upper end
flaps 29, extending in approximately the same plane as their
associated side walls 30, and end walls 32 respectively, the latter
extending so as not to overlap the carton opening 34. The preformed
carton base is indicated at 25. At this point, the carton 25 and
opening 34 has a regular rectangle cross-section and a major object
of the present invention is to ensure carton 24 is transferred to
second conveyor 18 having been rotated through 90.degree. and
without distorting that rectangular structure. Prior to the present
invention, carton 24 would be urged along conveyor 12 to and along
support arm or support 36 by following sequentially erected cartons
which are urged by their supporting conveyor. As can be seen,
conveyor extension arm 36 is located longitudinally to the side of
the centre of gravity of the empty carton 24. As carton 24 travels
along arm 36, it is progressively less supported by conveyor 34
until it reaches a point that it is able to commence to rotate
about arm 36 and fall downwardly toward conveyor 18. By the time it
leaves the support of conveyor 34 and arm 36, ideally it has
completed 90.degree. of rotation and its base 27 contacts conveyor
38. The carton is then transported to the bottle packer 20 where it
is filled with a complement of 24 bottles, sealed and transported
via conveyor 22 to the palletizer 23. The problem with this system
is that each carton 24 can, and does, rotate and fall in a less
than ideal manner and can contact conveyor 38 with one of its
corners or only part of the base 27, that type of contact in
combination with the weight of the carton resulting in it being
forced "out of square". When such a carton 24 reaches the packer,
the rectangular-configured 24 bottle unit does not coincide with
the open top of the carton; the unit cannot enter; bottles fall
over, etc. and the packaging line is required to be shut down. It
will be appreciated that this happening, even only sporadically,
results in significant disruption and economic loss.
[0020] Turning to the system of the present invention utilizing the
novel transfer system, a carton restraining device 40 comprising a
block 42 of flexible bristles secured in a housing 41 is located
above and parallel to the conveyor 12 and rod 36. The device 40 is
carried by a support 46 to which it is adjustably locked in place
via clamping arrangement 48. Support 46 is similarly adjustably
secured via clamp 45 to a part of the frame (see FIG. 2 of guide
rail 47) supporting conveyor 18. Consequently, the location both
laterally across and longitudinally along the direction of the
conveyor 18 and support rod or arm 36 combination can be varied as
desired. Its height vertically above the plane including arm 36 is
approximately equal to the width of a carton 24 so that the
bristles maintain contact with the side walls 30 of each carton 25,
lightly enough to prevent rotation and not appreciably hinder the
carton's progress along the conveyor.
[0021] Its position longitudinally along each carton 24 in the
direction of the conveyor 34/arm 36 combination is chosen so that
the bristles remain in contact with each passing carton 24 long
enough to ensure the carton 24 rotates with its longitudinal axis
in an approximately horizontal plane. This ensures that the base 27
of each carton 24 is substantially horizontal and contacts the
lower conveyor 18 substantially only via its base 27 and generally,
at least a full longitudinal edge and, preferably all thereof
simultaneously. This greatly reduces or even eliminates any
tendency for a carton 24 to contact conveyor 18 in a manner which
impacts a force to the carton which would result in it being
deformed and lose its rectangular cross-section. In the specific
embodiment shown, the strip or block 42 of bristles is located
about one-third of the height of the carton inwardly of the base 27
and has a length of about 17 cm and a width of about 2.5 cm. The
carton 24 has a length of about 40 cm and a height (excluding top
flap) of about 27 cm. The precise location required to ensure the
carton is in the correct portion to rotate in the desired manner is
readily found by a few experiments wherein the position of the
bristle unit is adjusted for location longitudinally along conveyor
34/arm 36 combination; height above the arm 24 and location
inwardly over the carton.
[0022] It is contemplated that the inventive concepts herein
described may be variously otherwise embodied and it is intended
that the appended claims be construed to include alternative
embodiments of the invention except insofar as limited by the prior
art.
* * * * *