ES2939963T3 - Device and method for the orientation of folding box cutouts - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for aligning cartons is described, comprising first means of transport and second means of transport, the first means of transport and the second means of transport being separated and the drives of the first means of transport and the second means of transport having each one a speed controller. A method for aligning cartons is also described. (Automatic translation with Google Translate, without legal value)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Device and method for the orientation of folding box cutouts

The invention relates to a device and a method for orienting blanks from folding boxes, hereinafter also called cardboard boxes.

In many areas where carton boxes are further processed, for example to manufacture packaging, it is necessary to orient the cartons exactly before they are transported to a processing station. Only if the cartons are oriented exactly when they enter the processing station is it guaranteed that the cartons can continue to be processed with precision and accuracy in the processing station. For example, folding a folding box cutout requires exact orientation. Something similar happens when two folding boxes have to be glued together. So the orientation and relative position must be correct.

An example of the transport of cardboard boxes to a processing station is known from the document EP2072241B1. There, various cartons are transported from a chute module to a gluing and joining module with the help of cam belts. It is easy to imagine that only an exactly oriented and positioned carton can be accurately glued in the glue and seam module. The exact orientation is therefore decisive for the quality of the boxes.

The orientation of the cardboard boxes is carried out in the document EP2072241B1 by means of a pair of cam belts arranged in parallel. Cam belts are conveyor belts that have cams at regular distances. These cams are n stops that rotate with the belt and orient the cartons exactly the way you want. This principle has been well established in practice for many years.

However, a tendency to have to transport and process ever smaller cardboard boxes can be detected. In addition, cardboard boxes are increasingly irregularly shaped, ie their shape often differs greatly from a rectangle or a square. Both of these effects make it difficult to accurately orient the cartons with the help of known and proven cam belts.

Furthermore, the conveying performance of these conveying devices is not optimal, especially in the case of small cartons, because only one carton can be conveyed between two cams arranged one behind the other on the cam belt, the distance of which it is relatively big. It is not possible to increase the conveying performance arbitrarily by increasing the speed of the cam belt, otherwise the cams of the belt would impinge at too high a speed against the rear edge of the carton to be conveyed and oriented . In this way, damage to the carton can occur and due to the high dynamics or the large impulse that the cam introduces into the carton, the rear edge of the carton bounces off the cams, so that the orientation is not consistently good.

From WO2017/021886A1 a slotting machine with two independently controllable drives for the plates to be slotted is known. If the two drives are controlled so that they have different speeds, a conveyed plate must be rotated and oriented.

From DE19821875A1 a corresponding control for a cardboard processing machine is known. Similar controls are described in US2002/077236A1 and JP2012213874A.

The invention has the object of providing a device and a method that also allows to accurately orient and transport even small and/or irregularly shaped cardboard boxes. In this way, it is intended to improve the precision of the orientation and achieve the most careful treatment possible of the cardboard boxes. Finally, it is also intended to increase the transport capacity of the device.

Another object of the claimed invention is that two or more cartons are not only oriented, but also positioned relative to each other in such a way that they can, for example, be glued or joined with positional accuracy in a gluing module. and joint.

This object is achieved according to the invention by means of a device for the orientation of cardboard boxes according to subclaims 1 and 2.

According to the invention, the orientation of the cardboard boxes is carried out by driving the two transport means at different speeds for a determined time or a determined transport path. Thus, if, for example, the left side of the box "leads slightly to the rear" in the conveying direction, the conveying means arranged on the right side are actuated slightly slower than the conveying means arranged on the right side. left, so that the right side of the carton "rolls" back until it is level with the left side, and therefore the leading or other reference edge of the carton is perfectly oriented . Alternatively, the means of transport arranged on the left side they can also be sped up a bit for carton orientation.

The slight change in the conveying speed of one of the two conveying means or of both conveying means required for this is easy to master in terms of regulation technology. In this way, the forces acting on the carton are minimal, so that the orientation process can be carried out at a very high total transport speed.

Due to the efficiency of the device according to the invention, it is also possible to feed a multiplicity of cartons to the device according to the invention at a very small distance from each other, so that the utilization of the device is very high and thus the output or performance of the device according to the invention is further increased.

In order to feed the orientation device according to the invention with cartons and transport the subsequently oriented cardboard boxes out of the device, a feeding device is arranged before the device according to the invention, seen in the direction of transport, and after the orientation device according to the invention, viewed in the transport direction, a transport device is arranged.

The feeding device and the transport device are substantially identical in construction. They are structured symmetrically with respect to the orientation device. Both the feeding device and the transport device have two mutually parallel conveyor belts. Above or at a distance from the conveyor belts are arranged the pressure belts. In a gap formed by the conveyor belts and the pressure belts, the carton is "clamped" in such a way that it is pressed against the conveyor belts with a predefined and constant normal force. As a consequence, the speed of the conveyor belts is transmitted to the cardboard without slipping.

The device according to the invention is relatively simple in structure, because it only requires transport means, sensors, separately adjustable drives for the transport means and a control. This makes it economical and robust.

The configuration of these means of transport can be carried out in the most diverse ways. For example, the conveyance may have a drive wheel or a drive belt. In order to ensure that the carton to be transported and oriented is pressed against the drive wheel or the drive belt with a sufficient normal pressure force, a counter wheel and/or a counter belt are provided. This counter-wheel or counter-belt ensures that a predetermined pressure force is guaranteed between the carton and the drive wheel or drive belt and that no slipping occurs between the carton and the drive wheel or drive belt.

It has turned out to be advantageous if the counter wheels or the counter belts are each arranged on a swinging arm. It is also possible that the counter wheels and/or counter belts also have a speed regulated drive. The speeds of the drives for a drive wheel or for a drive belt and the corresponding counter-wheel or counter-belt are then coupled to each other in such a way that they drive the carton at the same conveying speed. This variant is somewhat more expensive in terms of equipment. However, it can also be used to transport and orient cardboard boxes or very large and heavy plates.

To detect the actual orientation of a cardboard box, at least two sensors are provided. The sensors are preferably arranged at a distance from one another transversely to a transport direction of the device, so that by the time lag with which a front edge or another easily detectable geometric feature of a carton is detected by the two sensors the oblique position of the carton can be determined. This oblique position is then corrected by means of a corresponding control according to the invention of the drive wheels or drive belts of the two conveying means.

The object mentioned at the beginning is also achieved by a method according to subclaim 14. The same advantages are obtained as with the device according to the invention according to independent claims 1 and 2.

The device according to the invention can also be used not only for orienting, but also for joining several cartons, so that they can be glued together or joined in another way, for example in a gluing or jointing device.

For this purpose, two devices according to the invention are used. Each of these devices orients a cardboard box and positions it in the desired manner with respect to the other box, seen in the direction of transport. If, for example, a first carton is slightly too advanced in the direction of transport in front of the second carton with which it is to be joined, the first carton is not only oriented in the first device, but also which is slowed down slightly until the front edges of the two cardboard boxes have the desired distance from each other. Both cartons are then supplied, for example, to a joining or gluing module where they are joined.

Thus, by means of the device according to the invention, it is possible not only to orient a single carton perfectly and with high performance, but also to position and join two or more cartons relative to each other using two devices coupled together.

The constructional details of the feeding device and the transport device are apparent from the figures and their description.

In principle, other feeding devices and transport devices can also be arranged in front of or behind the device according to the invention.

Further advantages and advantageous embodiments of the invention emerge from the following drawing, its description and the claims. All the features described in the drawing, its description and the claims can be essential for the invention both individually and in any combination with each other.

Drawing

Show:

Figure 1, a schematic side elevation and a plan view from above of an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention,

figure 2, different settings of the device according to the invention in side elevation,

figure 3 a view from above of a device according to the invention,

figure 4 a further view from above of the device according to the invention,

figure 5, a view from above with the sensors drawn,

6 is an isometric representation of another exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention and

7 a sequence diagram of a process according to the invention.

figure 8, a plan view from above of a first and two second cartons before they are joined;

Figure 9, a plan view from above of the cardboard boxes according to Figure 1 after joining, and Figure 10, a combination of two devices according to the invention.

Description of Design Examples

In the upper part of FIG. 1, a side elevation of a device 2 for orientation according to the invention is shown in a highly simplified and essentially reduced form.

In this simplified representation, the device according to the invention comprises a drive wheel 1 and a counter wheel 3. A cardboard box 13 is transported and oriented between the drive wheel 1 and the counter wheel 3. For this purpose, the drive 39 ( see plan view from above in figure 1) of the drive wheel 1 is provided with a speed control, so that the speed of rotation of the drive wheel 1 and thus the conveying speed can be controlled of the carton 13. The drive 39 is generally a speed-regulated electric motor.

In figure 1, a feeding device 5 is arranged to the left of the orientation device 2 itself. To the right of the device 2, a transport device 7 is arranged for the next transport of the carton 13, which is provided as a whole by the reference sign 7. The feeding device 5 and the transport device 7 have a very similar concept. In a certain way, they are structured in mirror symmetry with respect to the device 2 for the orientation of the cartons.

The feeding device 5 comprises a conveyor belt 9 which is guided, among other things, by a deflection roller 11. This deflection roller 11 is located in the immediate vicinity of the drive wheel 1, so that a cardboard box 13 can be transported within the range of action of the driving wheel 1 with the help of the conveyor belt 9.

In order for the drive power required to transport the carton 13 to be transferred from the conveyor belt 9 to the carton 13 reliably without slipping, a pressure belt 15 is arranged above the conveyor belt 9. The belt The conveyor 9 and the pressure belt 15 form a gap, through which the carton 13 is conveyed. The pressure belt 15 provides a sufficient normal force between the carton 13 and the conveyor belt 15, so that the carton 13 is transported by the conveyor belt 9 without slipping.

The carton 13 is transported in the direction of an arrow 17. This means that, in figure 1, the carton 13 is transported from left to right through the devices 5, 2 and 7 shown.

The pressure belt 15 is guided through a combination of two deflection rollers 19 and 21. These deflection rollers 19 and 21 are in turn mounted on a carriage 23. The carriage 23 can be moved in the conveying direction. For this purpose, a linear drive 25 is provided to move the carriage 23. As a drive Linear 25 Many commercial drives are suitable, in particular rack drives or ball screw drives. By displacing the carriage 23, a distance A is established between the deflection roller 21 and the counter wheel or drive wheel 1. Due to the illustrated guidance of the pressure band 15, the tension of the pressure band 15 is independent of the position of the carriage 23, so that it is not necessary to retension it when the carriage 23 moves.

In the lower part of figure 1, a plan view from above of the device according to the invention is also shown in a highly simplified form. In this plan view from above, a distance A between the deflection roller 21 and the counter wheel 3 or drive wheel 1 is shown.

Looking now at the top of figure 1, it becomes clear that the transport device 7 is structured very similarly to the feeding device 5. It also comprises a deflection roller 27, a conveyor belt 29, a pressure belt 31 , as well as deflection rollers 33 and 35 arranged on a carriage 37. The transport device 7 is structured, as already mentioned, symmetrically to the feeding device 5. Depending on the shape of the cartons 13, frequently even the distance A between the orientation device 2 according to the invention and the deflection roller 33 of the conveying device 7 is substantially the same as the distance A between the deviation roller 21 of the feeding device 5 and the orientation device 2 according to the invention. the invention.

In the top plan view of the lower part of figure 1 it becomes clear that in the feeding device 5, the orientation device 2 and the transport device 7, all important components are duplicated: Two conveyor belts 9 are present parallel to each other, two pressure belts 15, as well as two carriages 23 with deflection rollers 19 and 21.

The same is valid for the driving wheel 1, the drive 39 and the counter-wheel 3 of the orientation device 2 according to the invention. The transport device 7 also comprises two conveyor belts 29, two deflection rollers 27, two carriages 37 with deflection rollers 33 and 35, as well as two pressure belts 31.

The distance of the conveyor belts 9 running parallel to each other, of the pressure belts 15, as well as of the carriages 23, the drive wheels 1, the counter-wheels 3 of the orientation device 2 according to the invention and the conveyor belts 29 , the carriages 37 with deflection rollers 33 and 35 as well as the two pressure belts 31 are selected in such a way that the carton can be safely transported and oriented on them. This means that the distance is less than the width of the carton 13.

In this exemplary embodiment, the device 2, but also the feeding device 5 and the transport device 7, are structured symmetrically with respect to an axis of symmetry indicated as a dot-dash line 41.

With the help of the feeding device 5, the orientation device 2 and the transport device 7, it is possible to transport and orient the carton 13 in the direction of transport, i.e. from left to right through the entire arrangement. . If the carton 13 enters the feeding device 5 in an ideally oriented manner and is then transported through the feeding device 5, through the device 2 according to the invention, and then through of the transport device 7, the cardboard box remains perfectly oriented and the device 2 according to the invention would be without function.

In the illustrated exemplary embodiment of a rectangular carton 13, "perfectly oriented" means that a front edge 43 of the carton 13 runs at right angles to the direction of transport 17. In practice, this ideal situation is more the exception than the rule. In order that the obliquely positioned cartons 13 which come to the orientation via the feeding device 5 can be oriented according to the invention, sensors 45 are arranged between the feeding device 5 and the device 2 according to the invention. These sensors 45 can be light barriers or the like. They serve to detect the front edge 43 or any other suitable geometric feature of the cardboard boxes 13.

If a carton 13 arrives slightly rotated from the feeding device 5 to the sensors 45 (not shown in FIG. 1), this means that one of the two sensors 45 detects the front edge 43 of the carton. at an earlier time. The other sensor 45 detects the arrival of the leading edge 43 a little later.

From this difference in time and from the transport speed, the oblique position of the leading edge 43 can be calculated. This oblique position (in millimeters) is now compensated in the inventive orientation device 2 by operating the drives 39 of the drive wheels at different speeds, so that the cardboard box 13 presents a perfectly oriented front edge 43 when it has passed through the device 2 according to the invention. Details on this will be explained later. At this point, only the constructive features of the arrangement according to the invention will be explained.

The orientation of the cardboard box 13 with the help of the two drive wheels 1, which are driven at speeds different, occurs when the carton 13 is driven solely by the two drive wheels 1. During orientation, the carton 13 can no longer be driven by the conveyor belts 9 of the feeding device 5 or by the conveyor belts 29 of the transport device. This would cause the carton 13 to deform and, at the very least, make it difficult to orient.

In order to guarantee this, the distance A between the deflection roller 21 of the feeding device 5 and the drive wheel 1 is chosen in such a way that it is slightly less than a length L of the carton. For example, if the carton 13 has a length of 500 mm, the distance A is about 480 mm. The same is true for the distance A between the drive wheel 1 and the deflection roller 33 of the conveying device 7.

This means that during a short distance of 20 mm (= 500 mm to 480 mm) the carton 13 is transported by the feeding device 5 as well as by the drive wheels 1 and counter wheels 3.

Afterwards, a rear edge of the carton is no longer clamped between the conveyor belt 9 and the pressure belt 15, so that the conveyor belt 9 no longer has any influence on the transport of the carton 13. It is then transported exclusively by the two driving wheels 1 of the device according to the invention. If, in this state, one of the drive wheels 1 rotates slightly slower or faster than the other drive wheel 1, then the carton 13 is rotated slightly and the desired orientation of the front edge 43 is produced. Once after orientation, the cardboard box 13 is transferred to the transport device 7. This is done by the fact that, for a short time or a short stretch, both the drive wheels 1 and the conveyor belts 29 of the transport device 7 They transport the cardboard box. Therefore, the distance A between the roller 33 that deflects the pressure belt 31, and the drive wheels 1 is slightly less than the length L of the carton 13.

Returning to the numerical example introduced above, for the orientation of the carton 13 a path of approximately 460 mm (= 500mm - 2 x 20 mm) is available. If an oblique position of the carton 13 of, for example, 2 mm is to be corrected in this path, this means that one drive wheel 1 covers a path of 460 mm and the other drive wheel 1 covers a path of only 458mm. Alternatively, it is also possible for one drive wheel 1 to travel a distance of 462 mm and the other drive wheel 1 to travel a distance of 460 mm at the same time. Combinations of both variants are also possible. What is decisive is that the orientation of the carton 13 takes place at different lengths of the transport paths.

This numerical example alone makes it clear that the orientation of a cardboard box according to the invention takes place very smoothly and without major adjustment interventions.

With the aid of figure 2, the transport of cardboard boxes 13 of different lengths via the feeding device 5, the orientation device 2 according to the invention and the transport device 7 is schematically represented by way of example. For clarity, not all components are represented (eg sensors 45) and not all components are provided with reference signs. In this regard, reference is made to the other figures.

In figure 2a), the feeding device 5 and the transport device 7 are designed in such a way that a very short carton 13 with the length L can be oriented. The carton 13 assumes a position in which the feeding device 5 just still holds the carton 13 between the deflection roller 21 and the conveyor belt 9, so that the carton 13 is conveyed from left to right at the speed of the conveyor belt 9 in figure 2 At the same time, the carton 13 is clamped, with the leading edge 43, between the drive wheel 1 and the counter wheel 3, so that the drive wheel 1 also drives the carton 13. Therefore, in this brief moment, the speed of rotation of the conveyor belt 9 and the speed of rotation of the driving wheel 1 must be (approximately) the same.

If now, the carton 13 is conveyed a little further (to the right), it leaves the gap between the deflection roller 11 and the conveyor belt 9, so that it is driven exclusively by the drive wheel 1. In this state, the orientation of the carton 13 takes place if necessary.

In FIG. 2b) a situation comparable to that of FIG. 2a) is represented. However, the carton 13 is much longer. As a consequence, both the deflection rollers 21 of the feeding device 5 and the deflection roller 33 of the transport device 7 are arranged at a greater distance from the drive wheel 1 or from the counter-wheel 3.

Also in this case, it is valid that the length L of the carton 13 is slightly greater than the distance A between the deflection rollers 21 or 33 and the drive wheel 1. The distance A is adjusted by the displacement of the carriages 23 or 37.

In figure 2c) a situation is represented in which a length L of the carton 13 is much greater than the maximum distance A. This means that over a relatively long distance, the carton 13 is transported simultaneously from the feeding device 5 by the driving wheel 1. In this state, the orientation of the carton 13 is not possible or only to a very limited extent. Only when the cardboard box 13 has exited the feeding device 5 with its trailing edge can orientation take place. This must take place before the front edge 43 of the carton 13 is again clamped and thus clamped between the deflection roller 33 or the pressure belt 31 and the conveyor belt 29 of the conveying device 7.

In Figure 2c), the path available for orienting the front edge or the carton 13 is designated "D".

Figures 3 and 4 show, in plan view from above, how the device according to the invention fits when non-rectangular cartons 13 are to be oriented. Here too, all components and reference signs are not represented.

At the top left in figure 3 a cardboard box 13 is shown which is approximately in the shape of a "T". This means that, in the conveying direction 17, on the left side it has a length L1 and on the right side it has a length L2, where L1 > L2.

Also this type of cardboard boxes 13 can be transported and oriented without problems with the device according to the invention. As can be seen in the plan view from above according to FIG. 3, the deflection rollers 21 and 33 or the pressure belts 15 and 31 are positioned differently on both sides of the axis of symmetry 41.

Next, the components arranged next to each other are given the index "l" or "r".

For the 9l conveyor belt or the 15l pressure belt to the left in the conveying direction, the distance A1 to the drive wheel 11 applies that it is slightly less than the length L1 of the carton 13. Consequently , the distance A2 between the deflection roller 21r or the end of the pressure belt 15r and the drive wheel 1r is slightly less than the length L2 of the carton 13.

The same also applies to the pressure belts 311 and 31r of the conveying devices 7.

An L-shaped cardboard box 13 is shown in FIG. 4. The corresponding adjustments of the deflection rollers 11l, 11r, 33l, and 33r and of the pressure belts 15l, 15r, 31l, and 31r are shown in FIG. 4. In this exemplary embodiment, the leading edge 43 is a continuous straight line. On the rear edge, in the area to the right in the direction of transport 17, a flap is arranged so that the lengths L1 and L2 are different on the left and right sides of the carton 13.

For this reason, the distance A2 on the right conveyor belt 9r in the conveying direction is greater than the distance A1 on the left conveyor belt 9l in the conveying direction. Also in this case, A1 < L1 and A2 < L2 are valid in turn.

However, since the front edge 43 of the carton 13 is a continuous line, the pressure tapes 31l and 31r are set to the distance A1 on both sides of the axis of symmetry 41, which means that the front edge 43 to the right and to the left of the axis of symmetry 41 is simultaneously gripped and transported by the straps 29 of the transport device 7.

From figures 1 to 4 it is clear that the installation and the devices 5, 2, 7 according to the invention can be adjusted to transport and orient differently shaped cartons 13, by simple changes of position of the carriages 23, 37. The movement of the carriages can be carried out automatically, so that changeover times are reduced to a minimum and, at the same time, the quality of the adjustment is optimal.

Figure 5 shows different views of an exemplary embodiment of an orientation device according to the invention. In these views, a cardboard box 13 is also shown in each case. Obviously, this cardboard box 13 does not form part of the device according to the invention.

In the isometry according to FIG. 5a) it can be clearly seen that the counter wheel 3 is rotatably mounted on a oscillating arm 47. The oscillating arm 47 is in turn pivotally mounted with its pivot point 49 on a frame of machine not shown.

In order to generate a uniform and controlled pressure force between the counter wheel 3 and the drive wheel 1, a prestress can be generated. This can be done via a spring device and/or a damper. It is important that the counter wheel 3 presses the carton 13 against the drive wheel 1 with a constant force and also that it does not lose contact with the carton 13 even briefly. A spring device can therefore be advantageous. and/or damping, which is only represented schematically and is designated by 51.

In FIG. 5b) a view from behind is represented.

In FIG. 5c) a plan view is shown from above and in FIG. 5d) a side elevation of the orientation device according to the invention is shown.

In the isometry according to FIG. 5a) it can be seen particularly well that the device according to the invention is constructed in mirror symmetry to the axis of symmetry 41 and all important components (drive 39, drive wheel 1, counterwheel 3, ...) they are present respectively once to the right and to the left of the axis of symmetry 41.

With the aid of FIGS. 6 and 7, the orientation method according to the invention is explained by way of example. In FIG. 6a) a plan view from above of the arrangement according to the invention is represented. A rectangular cardboard box 13 is shown which is positioned obliquely on the conveyor belts 9l and 9r. This means that the front edge 43 presents an angle other than 90° with respect to the direction of transport 17. Thus, where the sensors 45l and 45r are arranged, in this example above the conveyor belts 9l and 9r it results a misalignment AS which is represented in FIG. 6a. This misalignment AS is a measure of length and is stated in millimeters. The aim of the orientation device 2 according to the invention and of the corresponding method is that the carton 13 is oriented by the drive wheels 1l and 1r in such a way that the front edge 43 runs exactly orthogonal to the transport device 17 after passing through the device 2 according to the invention and entering the transport device 7.

In FIG. 6b) the response of the sensors 45l and 45r is represented in diagram form. The sensor 45r detects the arrival of the front edge 43 of the cardboard box 13 before the sensor 45l, starting from the position of the cardboard box 13 shown in FIG. 6a).

In figure 6b), the detection of the leading edge 43 is characterized in that the output signal of the sensors jumps from 0 to 1. Since in the area of the sensor 45.2 the leading edge 43 lags behind the leading edge in In the area of the sensor 45.1, the arrival of the leading edge 43 is detected at the sensor 45.2 at a later time. The time lag between the detection of the leading edge 43 by the sensor 45.1 and by the sensor 45.2 is represented in FIG. 6b) with At [in milliseconds].

The conveying speed of the conveyor belts 9l and 9r is the same. From the known speed of the conveyor belts 9l and 9r and the time offset At, the misalignment AS of the leading edge 43 in millimeters can be calculated.

As an example, assume a transport speed V = 1 m/s and At = 0.02 sec. So, it turns out AS 2.0 mm.

AS = 0.002 s x 1000 mm/s = 2.0 mm.

Thus, misalignment AS is known.

This misalignment must be compensated by the drive wheels 1l and 1r during the short period in which the carton 13 is driven solely by the drive wheels 1.

In other words: To compensate for misalignment AS, a path slightly shorter than path A is available (see, for example, Figure 1).

According to the invention, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, this compensation is carried out in such a way that the drive wheel 1l is driven, for a short time, slightly slower or faster than the drive wheel 1r, so that after Since the carton has been transported by the device 2 according to the invention, the edge 43 in the region of the drive wheel 1l has been conveyed more by misalignment AS than the edge 43 in the region of the drive wheel 1r. The cardboard box 13 is then exactly oriented after passing through the device 2 according to the invention.

In figure 7, this orientation process is likewise represented in the form of a diagram. Only the period of time is considered, during which the carton 13 is transported exclusively by the drive wheels 1. The transport path is represented as a function of time t. A line 53 shows the transport path that the drive wheel 1r imposes on the carton 13 and a line 55 shows the transport path that the drive wheel 1l imposes on the carton 13.

The two lines 53 and 55 are straight from origin, line 55 having a slightly greater slope than line 53 because drive wheel 1l is driven slightly faster than drive wheel 1r, so that gearbox cardboard 13 is moved slightly faster in the area of the drive wheel 1l than in the area of the drive wheel 1r. This transport path difference is determined such that it is equal to the misalignment AS before a path A has been traversed.

Once this misalignment AS has been compensated, the drive wheels 1l and 1r are driven at the same speed, so that the oriented front edge 43 no longer undergoes a translational movement anymore.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, at time t = T1, the misalignment AS is compensated and for t > T1 the speed of the drive wheels 1l and 1r is the same, so that the lines 53 and 55 run parallel to each other for times t > T1.

After the leading edge 43 of the carton 13 reaches the feed area of the conveying device 7, the perfectly oriented leading edge according to the invention is kept in contact with the conveying belts 29 of the conveying device 7 by means of the pressure belts 31 and a perfectly oriented cardboard box 13 is supplied to a subsequent processing station.

In FIG. 8, the reference sign 10b designates a first carton and the reference sign 10a designates a second carton. The direction of transportation of the cartons 10a and 10b is designated by 18.

In FIG. 9, the second cardboard box 10a is shown laid on top of the first cardboard box 10b and glued to it, for example by means of gluing points 20.

It goes without saying that the cartons 10a and 10b must not only be exactly oriented before gluing, but also their positions relative to one another must be correct. The positioning of two or more cartons 10a, 10b relative to one another can be carried out with great precision and in a very short time by means of several coupled orientation devices 2 .

Figure 10 shows a highly simplified side elevation view of an embodiment example for two coupled devices 2.1 and 2.2. For reasons of space, the sensors 45 are not represented. In terms of construction and control technology, the two devices are designed in the same way as the devices 2 represented and described in figures 1 to 6.

With two devices 2.1 and 2.2 according to the invention, two cartons 10a, 10b can not only be oriented independently of each other, but at the same time the positions of the cartons 10a, 10b with respect to each other can be adjusted or corrected by slightly braking the box that is too "in front" and/or slightly accelerating the box that is too "back" until both cartons 10a, 10b have the desired distance from each other.

Acceleration and/or deceleration overlaps the orientation process. The sensors 45 present per se in both devices provide the information necessary for this regarding the position of the cartons 10a, 10b. The common control of both devices can determine the appropriate control of the drives 39 of both devices 2.1 and 2.2. When the cartons have been positioned and joined in the desired manner, they can be fed, for example, to a gluing or joining device (not shown) where they can be joined together in the correct position.

Therefore, with the device according to the invention, it is possible not only to orient an individual carton perfectly and with high performance, but also to position and join two or more cartons relative to each other using two devices coupled together.

In all illustrations, only the parts and modules relevant to the function according to the invention are represented. In particular, only parts of the conveyor belts 9, 29 and the pressure belts 15, 31 are shown. Neither are all the deflection pulleys nor the tensioning devices for adjusting the belt tensions shown. This is well known to the expert and therefore needs no explanation.

Claims (15)

1. Device for the orientation of cardboard boxes (13), comprising first means of transport and second means of transport, the first means of transport and the second means of transport being arranged at a distance from each other, having a drive (39 .l) of the first means of transport and a drive (39.r) of the second means of transport respectively a regulation of number of revolutions, comprising a feeding device (5) preconnected with two conveyor belts (9) running parallel one with the other, characterized in that the feeding device (5) comprises two pressure belts (15) running parallel to one another and means for adjusting the effective length of the pressure belts (15). 2. Device for orienting cardboard boxes (13), comprising first means of transport and second means of transport, the first means of transport and the second means of transport being arranged at a distance from each other, presenting a drive (39 .l) of the first means of transport and a drive (39.r) of the second means of transport respectively a regulation of number of revolutions, comprising a transport device (7) downstream connected to two conveyor belts (29) running parallel one with the other, characterized in that the conveying device (7) comprises two pressure belts (31) running parallel to one another and means for adjusting the effective length of the pressure belts (31). Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the conveying means have a drive wheel (1) and/or a drive belt. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the transport means comprise a counter wheel (3) and/or a counter-belt. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the counter wheels (3) and/or the counter belts are arranged on an oscillating arm (47). Device according to Claim 5, characterized in that the counterwheels (3) or counterbelts likewise have a speed-regulated drive, and in that the speeds of the drives (39) for a drive wheel (1 ) or a driving belt and the counter-wheel (3) or associated counter-belt are coupled together in such a way that they provide the same conveying speed. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has at least two sensors (45) for detecting the orientation of the cardboard boxes (13). Device according to one of Claims 1 and 3 to 7, characterized in that the means for adjusting the effective length of the pressure belts (15) comprise at least one deflection roller (19, 21), the position of which can be changed. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the at least one deflection roller (19, 21) is arranged on a sliding carriage (23). Apparatus according to one of Claims 2 to 9, characterized in that the means for adjusting the effective length of the pressure belts (31) comprise at least one deflection roller (33, 35), the position of which can be changed. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the at least one deflection roller (33, 35) is arranged on a sliding carriage (37). Device according to at least one of Claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the two sensors (45) are arranged at a distance from one another transversely to a conveying direction (17) of the device. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for positioning at least two cardboard boxes (10a, 10b) relative to one another it comprises two devices (2.1, 2.2) for orientation according to one of the preceding claims, and in that the Drives (3) of both devices (2.1,2.2) are coupled to each other in such a way that the at least two cartons (10a, 10b) are located at the desired distance from one another in the direction of transport (17). A method for orienting a cardboard box (13) with an orientation device (2) according to one of claims 1 to 12, comprising the steps of detecting the actual orientation of a cardboard box (13). ), the comparison of the actual orientation of a box (13) with a theoretical orientation or the determination of a misalignment AS of the cardboard box (13), controlling the drives (39l, 39r) of the conveying devices as a function of the misalignment (AS). A method according to claim 14, wherein for positioning at least two cartons (10a, 10b) relative to each other two devices (2.1, 2.2) are included for orientation according to one of claims 1 to 13, comprising the steps of detecting the real positions of both boxes (10a, 10b), the comparison of the real relative position of both cardboard boxes (10a, 10b) with a theoretical position, the control of the drives (39) of the transport means of both devices (2.1,2.2) depending on the deviation of the actual relative position of both cardboard boxes (10a, 10b) with respect to the theoretical position.