METHOD OF PROVIDING ERECTED FOLDING BOXES AT THE EXIT OF A MANUFACTURING MACHINE AND APPARATUS FOR ERECTING FOLDING BOXES FROM FLAT FOLDING BOX SHEATH

Abstract

An apparatus for assembling folding boxes from flat folding box shells has a gripping unit, movable in at least one direction of motion, for grasping the folding box shells and having a suction gripping device and an assembly unit for assembling the folding box shells, and a bottom flap folding tool which is pivotable relative to the assembly unit being mounted thereon, and by which the bottom flap, trailing in the direction of motion of the gripping unit, of the folding box intermediate product resulting from assembly of the folding box shell and having open bottom flaps may be folded by swiveling the pivotable bottom flap folding tool. The assembly unit includes a support element on which the gripping unit is supported, and an assembly tool which is pivotable relative to the support element mounted thereon for assembling the folding box shell.

Description

I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for providing assembled folding boxes at the exit of a production machine, an apparatus for assembling folding boxes from flat folding box shells, a palleting cell in which a corresponding apparatus is situated, and an apparatus for aligning articles relative to at least one reference edge. The production machine may be an envelope manufacturing machine or a pizza carton manufacturing machine, for example, which produces products in the form of envelopes or pizza cartons which are to be packed in folding boxes. The folding boxes may be made of paperboard or cardboard, for example. The articles to be assembled may be flat folding box shells, interlayers or cover layers necessary for palleting, or similar articles.

II. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

The packaging of stacks of finished envelopes, which are present at the end or exit of an envelope manufacturing machine, in folding boxes is known. The envelopes packaged in this manner are then supplied to a so-called palleting cell, in which an automatically controlled palleting robot arranges the filled folding boxes on a pallet at a palleting station. The palleting cell is generally located in the vicinity of the exit of the envelope manufacturing machine.

In order to package the envelopes at the exit of the envelope manufacturing machine, at the exit it is necessary to provide assembled folding boxes having closed bottom flaps but open closing flaps. For this purpose, so-called folding box assemblers are known which automatically produce assembled folding boxes from flat folding box shells as needed at the exit of the envelope manufacturing machine. The folding box assembler, the same as for the palleting cell, is located in the vicinity of the exit of the envelope manufacturing machine, or is located at a specified site in the production room, and at that location provides folding boxes for multiple envelope manufacturing machines. The folding boxes assembled by the folding box assembler are usually transported by an operator, optionally using a ground conveyor or the like, from the folding box assembler to the exit of the envelope manufacturing machine.

A disadvantage of the known folding box assemblers is that space, which is often limited, must be provided for installing same in the end region of the envelope manufacturing machine or at a specified site in the production room. Furthermore, an operator must always make sure that the fully assembled folding boxes are transported, as needed, to the end of the envelope manufacturing machine.

An apparatus for assembling folding boxes from flat folding box shells is known from EP 1 357 038 A1, and includes a gripping unit for grasping the flat folding box shells, the gripping unit having a first and a second suction gripping device which are pivotably joined together for assembling the folding box shell, so that one of the two suction gripping devices acts as an assembly unit for assembling the folding box shell. In the known apparatus, all of the bottom flaps are closed, i.e., folded, by moving the assembled folding box, assembled by the gripping unit, at its still open bottom flaps toward static bottom flap tools which are stationary relative to their surroundings. For folding of the various bottom flaps the gripping unit travels in various directions toward the various bottom flap folding tools.

It has proven to be disadvantageous that the process of folding all the bottom flaps takes a relatively long time and has a complicated sequence.

In the known folding box assemblers which are separately installed, it is always necessary for the operator to manually introduce the flat folding box shells into a magazine, which forces the folding box shells into a specified aligned position from which they can be pulled in for assembly of the folding boxes. This disadvantageously represents an additional expenditure of labor for the operator, since the flat folding box shells are frequently provided in the form of unaligned piles situated on pallets.

III. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

a) Technical Object

The object of the present invention, therefore, is to a provide a method for providing assembled folding boxes at the exit of a production machine, an apparatus for assembling folding boxes from flat folding box shells, and an apparatus for aligning articles relative to at least one reference edge, which ensures that assembled folding boxes are provided at the exit of the production machine with the greatest possible economy of space, and which allows the folding box shells to be assembled in the quickest and most uncomplicated way possible, and which makes the alignment of articles by introduction into a magazine unnecessary.

b) Achievement of the Object

This object is achieved by means of a method having the features of claim 1, by means of an apparatus having the features of claim 9, by means of palleting cells having the features of claims 19 and 20, by means of an apparatus having the features of claim 21, by means of methods having the features of claims 23 and 24, and by means of a robotic head having the features of claim 26. Further embodiments of the present invention result from the subclaims.

According to the invention, a method is proposed for providing assembled folding boxes at the exit of at least one production machine, wherein the assembled folding boxes are formed within the palleting cell in which the finished products, which are packaged in folding boxes, are placed on pallets. In the sense of the present invention, forming of an assembled folding box is understood to mean the sum total of the work step of assembling the flat folding box shell and the work steps of folding all the bottom flaps of the folding box. The fully assembled folding box has a closed bottom and unfolded, and therefore open, closing flaps.

To this end, within the palleting cell flat folding box shells are kept ready at a supply station. According to the invention, the assembly of the folding box shells and the closing, i.e., folding, of all the bottom flaps of the folding boxes are performed within the delimiting means, relevant to occupational safety, which separate the palleting cell from the surroundings. These delimiting means include the floor or room spaces in which a palleting robot or a separate gripping unit for assembling the folding box shells properly moves in the sense of the present invention.

Lastly, the fully assembled folding boxes are transported through the delimiting means, and thus out of the palleting cell, to the end or exit of the at least one production machine, where they are filled with the products manufactured by the production machine. The filled folding boxes are conveyed back through the delimiting means, and thus back into the palleting cell, where they are palleted by use of a palleting robot.

Within the scope of the present invention, a single palleting cell may also be associated with multiple production machines. This means that, on the one hand, filled folding boxes arriving from various production machines are palleted in the palleting cell, and on the other hand, fully assembled folding boxes are transported from the palleting cell to various production machines.

It is particularly advantageous to carry out the assembly of the folding box shells and the folding of the bottom flaps by use of a gripping unit, which may be mounted on the palleting robot which is present in the palleting cell anyway. The palleting robot can assemble folding boxes during periods when it is not occupied with palleting. In the mounting of the gripping unit on the palleting robot, the gripping unit may advantageously make use of the X, Y, and Z motion axes and rotational axes of the palleting robot. This results in savings in expenditure of effort and cost for an independent motion axis system for the gripping unit.

However, the gripping unit may also be mounted on a linear gantry which is present in the palleting cell in addition to the palleting robot. In this case, the gripping unit has an independent motion system in the vertical Z axis and the horizontal X and Y axes.

According to the invention, the advantage is realized that a separate folding box assembler outside the palleting cell is no longer necessary, so that space may be saved outside the palleting cell. It is only necessary for an operator to load the supply station located in the palleting cell with flat folding box shells, for example by providing a pallet containing at least one stack of folding box shells. The folding box shells are then assembled automatically within the palleting cell, and the assembled folding boxes are likewise automatically conveyed from the palleting cell to the end of the production machine, using transport means.

Considerable flexibility is achieved according to the invention in cases where stacks of folding box shells having various shapes are provided. This may be carried out on separate pallets (one shape per stack), or in the form of multiple stacks of different shapes on a single pallet. The robotic control system is able to automatically take the shape-related parameters into account when assembling the folding box shells and folding the bottom flaps thereof. In this manner various production lines can be provided with different sizes of folding boxes.

The flat folding box shells may be provided to the supply station in the form of an unaligned stack of folding box shells, or in the form of folding box shells which are already aligned and which are present in a magazine, for example. If the folding box shells are supplied unaligned, an alignment device is provided within the palleting cell which allows a folding box shell picked up by the gripping unit to be aligned relative to at least one reference edge. The alignment device may be a stop device, having two angular legs at right angles to one another, which is moved with assistance from the gripping unit in such a way that one or two edges of the folding box shell that are to be aligned contact the angular leg or legs as needed.

The apparatus according to the invention for assembling folding boxes has a movable gripping unit for grasping the folding box shells, the gripping unit including a suction gripping device for holding the flat folding box shells and an assembly unit for assembling the folding box shells. The assembly unit assembles the folding box shell while it is held by the suction gripping device. The gripping unit may be moved in at least one direction of motion of an orthogonal X, Y, Z motion system. A bottom flap folding tool which is pivotable relative to the assembly unit is mounted thereon.

After the folding box shell is assembled, an assembled folding box intermediate product is obtained which has open bottom flaps and open closing flaps. The pivotable bottom flap folding tool may be actively actuated so that it folds the bottom flap of the folding box intermediate product trailing in the direction of motion of the gripping unit essentially by 90°. Thus, in order to fold the trailing bottom flap it is not necessary to move a stationary, static folding tool using the gripping unit, thereby noticeably speeding up the folding box assembly process.

The suction gripping device preferably has a first and a second suction region. These suction regions may be independently impinged on by a vacuum and lie essentially in the same plane, so that the folding box shell may be picked up by the suction gripping device in such a way that the first suction region is situated on one side, and the second suction region is situated on the opposite side, of a fold line for the folding box shell. Both suction regions are impinged on by a vacuum for as long as the folding box shell is transported prior to assembly. In order to perform assembly, the vacuum is switched off for one of the two suction regions so that the assembly unit can assemble the folding box shell.

The assembly unit includes a support element as well as an assembly tool for assembling the folding box shell. The support element is connected to a support arm which preferably is movable in an orthogonal X, Y, Z motion system. The entire gripping unit is thus supported by the support arm which is engaged with the support element. The assembly tool is mounted on the support element so that it is pivotable essentially by at least 90° relative to the support element. The bottom flap folding tool for folding the trailing bottom flap is pivotably mounted on the assembly tool, and can be pivoted essentially by at least 90°.

The support element is connected to the suction gripping device via a compensating element which is preferably rod-shaped. A first articulated joint between one end of the compensating element and the support element and a second articulated joint between the other end of the compensating element and the suction gripping device are provided. In addition, a translational degree of freedom is provided between the suction gripping device and the support element, thus enabling the suction gripping device and the support element to move toward or away from one another.

By use of the gripping unit the fully assembled folding boxes are moved past an adhesive unit in such a way that two oppositely situated bottom flaps are adhesively joined at least to one another, preferably also adhesively joined to folding box walls. The adhesive unit may, for example, be an adhesive tape unit which adhesively joins at least the bottom flaps with adhesive tape, or may be a hot-setting adhesive unit which adhesively joins at least the bottom flaps with hot-setting adhesive. In addition, by use of the gripping unit the assembled folding boxes may be led past an automatic labeling unit.

If the folding box shells are provided to the supply station in unaligned form, it is necessary to align the folding box shells relative to at least one reference edge. For this purpose, with the assistance of its suction gripping device the gripping unit picks up the top folding box shell, and the control system for the apparatus according to the invention moves the support element toward the reference edge in a fixed spatial orientation relative to the reference edge itself. One of the border edges of the folding box shell strikes the reference edge, so that the folding box shell undergoes rotational and/or translational compensating motions until the border edge lies parallel against the reference edge, and therefore in alignment.

Because the folding box shell is held only by the suction gripping device, and the suction gripping device is connected in an articulated manner, via the compensating element and the first and second articulated joint, to the support element, and is thus connected to the entire assembly unit, and in addition a translational degree of freedom is provided between the suction gripping device and the support element, during the compensating motion the folding box shell may be moved away beneath the support element or the assembly unit, whereas the support element or the assembly unit remains in a fixed spatial orientation relative to the reference edge. Of course, the suction gripping device takes part in the rotational and/or translational compensating motion of the folding box shell.

The first and the second articulated joint are each provided with a locking device for rotationally fixed or rotationally rigid locking of the respective articulated joint. A locking device for fixing the translational degree of freedom is also present between the suction gripping device and the support element. As soon as the alignment process is concluded, the first and the second articulated joint are locked in a rotationally rigid manner and the translational degree of freedom is fixed, so that the support element and the suction gripping device are no longer movable relative to one another, thereby fixing the aligned position of the folding box shell.

The folding box shell may then be assembled. For this purpose, first the vacuum is switched off for one of the two suction regions of the suction gripping device, so that under the force of gravity the folding box shell may be at least partially assembled. The assembly tool of the assembly unit is then pivoted essentially by 90° and is held in this pivoted position. The folding box shell is then fully assembled. For folding the trailing bottom flap, the pivotable bottom flap folding tool is likewise pivoted essentially by 90° relative to the alignment tool, thereby folding the trailing bottom flap. Lastly, the gripping unit moves past stationary, static bottom flap folding tools for folding the bottom flap advancing in the direction of motion and for folding the side bottom flaps.

Thus, it is clear that the entire operation for alignment and assembly of the folding box shells according to the invention requires that the respective folding box shell be picked up only once by the suction gripping device. Depositing the folding box shell and picking it up again in a shifted position of the suction gripping device after the alignment, as carried out in the prior art, is unnecessary. Thus, according to the invention, the operation for alignment and assembly of the folding box shells may be carried much more quickly.

According to the invention, an apparatus is also provided for aligning articles, in particular flat articles such as folding box shells, interlayers, cover layers, or the like relative to one or more reference edges. This apparatus has a gripping unit for grasping the articles to be aligned, the gripping unit including a suction gripping device for holding the articles, a support element, and a support arm. The support arm bears the support element, and is movable in the at least one direction of motion of the gripping unit. A compensating element which is preferably rod-shaped connects the support element to the suction gripping device, the compensating element being mounted on the support element via a first articulated joint and mounted on the suction gripping device via a second articulated joint. The suction gripping device together with an article which it holds may undergo a compensating rotational motion when the support element is moved on the reference edge by the support arm in a fixed spatial orientation relative to the reference edge itself in order to align the article held by the suction gripping device at or along the reference edge.

According to the invention, a method is also provided for assembling folding boxes from flat folding box shells, according to which the folding box shells to be assembled are provided in the form of a stack, and in each case a folding box shell is picked up using a robotic head which is movable in at least three rotational axes. The particular advantage of this procedure is that the folding box shells do not have to be processed from a magazine, as is the case for the separate folding box assemblers known from the prior art, for example. According to the invention, it is necessary only to provide a stack of folding box shells, preferably on a pallet which is easy to manipulate. The entire three-dimensional flexibility of the robotic head, which is movable in at least three rotational axes, may be utilized for processing into assembled folding boxes.

The open bottom flaps on the assembled folding box shell may be closed either by having the robotic head move the static bottom flap tools to close all of the bottom flaps, or for closing one bottom flap, by using a bottom flap folding tool mounted on the robotic head tool and folding the remaining bottom flaps by once again moving static bottom flap folding tools.

Lastly, according to the invention a robotic head is also provided for mounting on a robotic arm of a robot which is movable in at least three spatial axes, the robotic arm having a gripping unit for grasping flat folding box shells, the gripping unit including a suction gripping device for grasping the folding box shells, and an assembly unit for assembling the folding box shells. The robotic head according to the invention realizes the advantage that any given robot, whether it is a palleting robot that is already present or optionally a separate gantry robot to be installed outside a palleting cell, among other possibilities, may be equipped with the robotic head.

c) Exemplary Embodiment

One embodiment according to the invention is described in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show the following:

FIG. 1: shows a perspective view of a palleting cell having an apparatus according to the invention for assembling folding boxes;

FIG. 2: shows an apparatus according to the invention for assembling folding boxes; and

FIGS. 3a, b, c: shows various states during the alignment and assembly of a folding box from a flat folding box shell.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a palleting cell 1. The palleting cell is separated from its surroundings, which are accessible to operators, by delimiting means in the form of a rack frame 30 having picket barriers 31 and a security fence 32.

Located in the right foreground of FIG. 1 are the exits (not illustrated) of two production machines at which the products manufactured therein, such as envelopes or pizza cartons, for example, are present. The products are packed in stacks in folding boxes at the ends of the two production machines, and via the two roller conveyors 33 and 34 are delivered to the section of the palleting cell 1 defined by the rack frame 30. Provided at that location is a palleting robot 7 in a gantry design which stacks the filled and sealed folding boxes on pallets. For this purpose the palleting head 35 of the palleting robot 7 is movable in at least four axes.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, in addition to the palleting robot 7 an apparatus 25 according to the invention for assembling folding boxes from flat folding box shells 3 and having a linear gantry 4 is provided. From flat folding box shells 3 provided in stacked form on a pallet the apparatus 25 produces fully assembled folding boxes 2 having open closing flaps (see FIG. 2). The open folding boxes 2 are preferably led from the palleting cell 1 by means of a gravity roller conveyor 18 and transported to the region of the ends of the two production machines. At that location the open folding boxes are filled with the products manufactured by the production machines and sealed, then placed on the roller conveyors 33, 34, which ultimately transport them into the palleting cell 1 for palleting by the palleting robot 7.

FIG. 2 shows the apparatus 25 illustrated in FIG. 1 in an enlarged detail view, in addition to the gravity roller conveyor 18 and the roller conveyor 34. Shown are the flat folding box shells 3, arranged in stacks on a pallet 36, which are to be assembled to form the folding boxes 2. FIG. 2 also shows a fold line 10, illustrated by a solid line, which divides the folding box shell 3 into a short section (left side in FIG. 2) and a long section (right side in FIG. 2). Thus, in the embodiment shown, cuboidal folding boxes 2 having a rectangular base are formed from the folding box shells 3. Of course, square folding boxes are also possible in which the fold line 10 divides the folding box shell 3 into two sections of equal size.

Handling and transport of the folding box shells 3 or folding boxes 2 in the apparatus 25 are performed using a gripping unit 6 which is mounted on a support arm 26 that is shown in FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c, but not in FIG. 2. The support arm 26 is mounted so that it is movable along the X as well as the Y axis on the gantry support 37 for the linear gantry 4. The gantry support 37 itself may be moved vertically upward or downward along the Z axis. Thus, the gripping unit 6 supported by the support arm 26 is also movable along the orthogonal axes X, Y, and Z.

The gripping unit 6 includes a suction gripping device 8, and also an assembly unit 9 for assembling the folding box shells 3. The underside of the suction gripping device 8 is provided with multiple suction heads, not visible in FIG. 2, which may be impinged on by a vacuum for picking up and holding the folding box shells 3. The suction heads are provided on the suction gripping device 8 in two suction regions, lying essentially in the same plane, which may be impinged on by a vacuum independently of one another. The first and the second suction region may either be impinged on by a vacuum simultaneously, or one of the two suction regions may be impinged on by a vacuum while the other suction region has no vacuum.

The assembly unit 9 includes a support element 20, and an assembly tool 21 which is mounted on the support element 20 so as to be pivotable by at least 90°. FIG. 2 shows the associated swivel axis 38 about which the assembly tool 21 may be swiveled from a first position, in which it lies in the same plane as the support element 20, into a second position in which it forms an angle of essentially 90° with respect to the plane of the support element 20. As shown in FIGS. 3a-3c, the support arm 26 is attached to the support element 20.

Mounted on the assembly tool 21 is an actively actuatable or actively movable bottom flap folding tool 12 which may be swiveled about a swivel axis 39 from a first position, in which it lies in the same plane as the assembly tool 21, into a second position in which it is swiveled essentially by 90° with respect to the plane of the assembly tool 21.

The suction gripping device 8 is connected to the support element 20, and thus to the assembly unit 9, via a compensating rod 22 which functions as a compensating element. The compensating rod 22 is mounted on the support element 20 via a first articulated joint 23, and is connected to the suction gripping device 8 via a second articulated joint 24. The swivel axes of the articulated joints 23, 24 extend in the vertical direction Z in FIG. 2. A translational degree of freedom is provided between the suction gripping device 8 and the support element 20, so that the suction gripping device and the support element are additionally able to undergo translational motions toward or away from one another. For this purpose, for example, the articulated joint 24 may be designed to undergo translational motion relative to the articulated joint 23 by providing the compensating rod 22 with a telescoping design. Alternatively, one of the two articulated joints 23 or 24 may be supported in an oblong hole guide provided in the support element 20 or the suction gripping device 8.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the flat folding box shells 3 are provided in a stack on a pallet 36. In such stacks the folding box shells 3 generally lie unaligned on top of one another. In this case, it is therefore necessary to align the folding box shells 3 before assembly into a folding box 2. To this end, in the embodiment shown a stop bracket 40 is provided which has a first leg 41, and a second leg 42 at right angles to the first leg 41. The first leg 41 forms a first reference edge, whereas the second leg 42 forms a second reference edge. The process for aligning the folding box shells 3 is described below with reference to FIGS. 3a and 3b.

In FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c, identical parts are denoted by the same reference numerals as in FIG. 2. Therefore, the features of the gripping unit 6 described in conjunction with FIG. 2 may be used as reference with regard to FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c.

FIG. 3a illustrates a top view of the top unaligned folding box shell 3, above which the gripping unit 6 held on the support element 20 by the support arm 26 is located (see FIG. 2). To align the folding box shell 3 at the legs 41, 42 which form the reference edges, the folding box shell is first picked up using the suction gripping device 8, which for this purpose is impinged on by vacuum in both of its suction regions. The folding box shell 3 is gripped in such a way that the first suction region of the suction gripping device 8 in FIG. 3a comes to rest above the fold line 10, and the second suction region of the suction gripping device 8 in FIG. 3a comes to rest below the fold line 10. As shown in FIG. 3a, the suction gripping device 8 is preferably placed on the folding box shell 3 in such a way that its suction effect also acts on both sides of the fold line 50 which separates the closing flaps 51, 52, which form the subsequent lid of the folding box, from the subsequent body walls 53, 54 of the folding box.

As shown in FIG. 3a, in the unaligned position of the folding box shell 3 the swivel axis 38 of the assembly tool 21 is not congruent with the fold line 10. In addition, the swivel axis 39 of the bottom flap folding tool 12 is not congruent with the fold line 55 which separates the bottom flaps 56, 57, which form the subsequent base of the folding box, from the body walls 53, 54. In this unaligned position, therefore, assembly of the folding box shell 3 is not possible.

To bring the folding box shell 3 into the aligned position along legs 41 and 42 shown in FIG. 3b, the support element 20 held by the support arm 26 is moved in the X and Y directions at the location—whose absolute coordinates are a function of the shape of the folding box shell 3—which causes the swivel axes 38 or 39 to come to rest on the fold lines 10 or 55, respectively. In this manner the support element 20 is held in a correspondingly fixed spatial orientation relative to the leg 41 or 42. The control system for the gripping unit 6 thus moves the particular shape-dependent target position of the support element 20, the assembly tool 21, and the bottom flap folding tool 12 which results from the imaginary aligned position of two border edges of the folding box shell 3 along leg 41 or 42. The coordinates of this target position may be preprogrammed or stored in the control system of the gripping unit 6 for various shapes of folding box shells 3.

While the folding box shell 3 is being moved into the aligned position shown in FIG. 3b, together with the suction gripping device 8 it undergoes rotational or translational compensating motions about the swivel axes of the articulated joints 23 and 24, i.e., in the longitudinal direction of the compensating rod 22. The folding box shell 3 moves away beneath the support element 20, the assembly tool 21, and the bottom flap folding tool 12, which remain in a fixed spatial orientation. As shown in FIG. 3b, during the alignment motion of the folding box shell 3 the relative position of the suction gripping device 8 with respect to the fold line 50 has not changed.

After the folding box shell 3 is in the aligned position shown in FIG. 3b, the articulated joints 23, 24, i.e., the translational degree of freedom between suction gripping device 8 and support element 20, are rotationally locked or fixed by use of locking devices (not shown in the figure), so that the suction gripping device 8, support element 20, assembly tool 21, and bottom flap folding tool 12 are immovably held by the support arm 26 in a fixed relative position with respect to one another. Lastly, in this state the folding box shell 3 may be assembled to form the folding box 2 shown in FIG. 2.

To this end, first the vacuum is switched off in the first suction region of the suction gripping device 8, which holds the folding box shell 3 in FIGS. 3a and 3b above the fold line 10. This causes the folding box shell 3 to open, at least partially, under the force of gravity. Lastly, the precise right-angled assembly of the folding box shell 3 is carried out by swiveling the assembly tool 21 about the swivel axis 38 by essentially 90°, resulting in the assembled state shown in FIG. 3c. A sleeve-shaped or tubular folding box intermediate product having open bottom flaps and open closing flaps is then present, only the closing flaps 51, 52 or the bottom flaps 56, 57 being shown in FIG. 3a or 3b, respectively. The swivel axis 39 of the bottom flap folding tool 12 then extends perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIG. 3c.

The bottom flap 57 is then folded by pivoting the bottom flap folding tool 12 about the swivel axis 39 essentially by 90°, into the plane of the base of the subsequent folding box 2. The bottom flap folding tool 12 is shown in the corresponding pivoted position in FIG. 3c. Thus, while the gripping unit 6 holds the folding box shell 3 or the folding box intermediate product, not only assembly of the folding box shell 3 but also folding of the bottom flap 57 is performed, so that folding thereof no longer requires moving the gripping unit 6 past a static folding tool.

In the semi-finished state of the folding box 2 shown in FIG. 3c, three bottom flaps are still open, only the side bottom flaps 56 being shown in FIGS. 3a-3c. Folding of the bottom flap opposite from the bottom flap 57 and of the two side bottom flaps is performed by the gripping unit 6 moving the semi-finished folding box toward stationary, static bottom flap folding tools 13, 14, 15 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The gripping unit 6 in FIG. 2 is able to move in the positive Y direction toward the bottom flap folding tool 13 while the folding box shell 3 is being assembled using the assembly tool 21, or while the bottom flap 57 is being folded using the active bottom flap folding tool 12. As soon as the assembly and folding of the bottom flap 57 are fully completed, the remaining bottom flaps may be folded by continued motion of the gripping unit 6 in the positive Y direction along the bottom flap folding tools 13, 14, 15. Due to the motion of the gripping unit 6 in the positive Y direction, the bottom flap 57 shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b is referred to as a trailing or lagging bottom flap. The bottom flap opposite thereto, which is folded by means of the static bottom flap folding tool 13, is correspondingly referred to as a leading bottom flap.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 2, an adhesive unit in the form of an adhesive tape unit 16 is located in the positive Y direction, behind the static bottom flap folding tools 14, 15, past which the completely folded base of the folding box is guided by means of the gripping unit 6. The oppositely situated side bottom flaps, of which only the side bottom flap 56 is shown in FIGS. 3a, 3c, are adhesively joined to one another and to the oppositely situated body walls, of which only the body wall 54 is shown in FIGS. 3a, 3b. One end of the applied adhesive tape 58 is shown in FIG. 2. If necessary, after the bottom flaps are adhesively joined the folding box 2 may then be led past a labeling unit (not illustrated in the figure) which provides the folding box with a label containing information about the subsequent contents of the folding box 2.

In the embodiment shown, the static bottom flap folding tools 13, 14, 15 and the adhesive tape unit 16, as well as the optional labeling unit, are positioned in a straight line one behind the other. For this purpose, a linear support (not illustrated in the figure) is provided which extends parallel to the gantry support 37 for the linear gantry 4. Alternatively, in a departure from the embodiment shown the static bottom flap folding tools 13, 14, 15 and the adhesive tape unit 16 as well as the gripping unit 6 and optionally the labeling unit may be mounted on the gantry support 37. In this variant, in FIG. 2 the top side of the folding box 2, which remains open, would point in the opposite direction, i.e., in the positive X direction.

Alternatively, in a departure from the embodiment shown the gripping unit 6 may be mounted on the palleting head 35 of the palleting robot 7, so that the separate linear gantry 4 is unnecessary. In this variant the motion axis system for the palleting robot 7, which is present anyway, may advantageously be used as well for the operation of assembling folding boxes. The static bottom flap folding tools 13, 14, 15, the adhesive tape unit 16, and the stop bracket 40 as well as the optional labeling unit would then be mounted at a suitable location on the palleting cell 1 that was accessible to the palleting robot 7.

Alternatively, in another departure from the embodiment shown the flat folding box shells 3 may be provided to the gripping unit 6 from a magazine in which they are already in an aligned position. In this case, the procedure described in conjunction with FIGS. 3a and 3b for alignment of the folding box shells 3 would be omitted.

The alignment of the folding box shells 3 described in conjunction with FIGS. 3a and 3b may also be used for articles which are to be aligned in preparation for carrying out operations other than assembly of folding boxes. For example, interlayers or cover layers must be aligned within the palleting cell 1 as part of the palleting process. For such articles, the apparatus described in conjunction with FIGS. 2, 3a, and 3b may be used, without the assembly tool 21 and the bottom flap folding tool 12, for alignment along at least one reference edge. In this case, the gripping unit 6 by necessity has only the suction gripping device 8 for holding the articles, as well as the support element 20 to which the support arm 26 is mounted.

Of course, the apparatus described as an embodiment may be used to align articles other than folding box shells 3 when the apparatus still has the assembly tool 21 and the bottom flap folding tool 12. These components are then inactive, and play no role in the alignment of the other articles.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

• 1 Palleting cell
• 2 Folding box
• 3 Folding box shell
• 4 Linear gantry
• 6 Gripping unit
• 7 Palleting robot
• 8 Suction gripping device
• 9 Assembly unit
• 10 Fold line
• 12 Bottom flap folding tool
• 13, 14, 15 Static bottom flap folding tools
• 16 Adhesive tape unit
• 17 Labeling unit
• 18 Gravity roller conveyor
• 19 Linear support
• 20 Support element
• 21 Assembly tool
• 22 Compensating rod
• 23 First articulated joint
• 24 Second articulated joint
• 25 Apparatus
• 26 Support arm
• 30 Rack frame
• 31 Picket barrier
• 32 Security fence
• 33, 34 Roller conveyors
• 35 Palleting head
• 36 Pallet
• 37 Gantry support
• 38 Swivel axis of assembly tool 21
• 39 Swivel axis of bottom flap folding tool 12
• 40 Stop bracket
• 41 First leg
• 42 Second leg
• 50 Fold line
• 51, 52 Closing flaps
• 53, 54 Body walls
• 55 Fold line
• 56 Side base flap
• 57 Bottom flap
• 58 Adhesive tape

Claims

1. A method for providing assembled folding boxes at an exit of a production machine at which manufactured products are present and which are to be packaged by introduction into the folding boxes, the method comprising

keeping ready flat folding box shells at a supply station;

forming assembled folding boxes from the flat folding box shells within a palleting cell;

transporting the assembled folding boxes through delimiting means and out of the palleting cell to the exit of the production machine,

filling the assembled folding boxes with the products manufactured by the production machine, resulting in filled folding boxes;

conveying the filled folding boxes through the delimiting means and back into the palleting cell; and

palleting the filled folding boxes in the palleting cell at the palleting station by use of a palleting robot.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of forming the assembled folding boxes from the flat folding box shells is carried out using a gripping unit which is mounted on the palleting robot.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of forming the assembled folding boxes from the flat folding box shells is carried out using a gripping unit which is mounted on a gantry support for a linear gantry which is provided in addition to the palleting robot.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the flat folding box shells are provided at the storage station in the form of a stack of unaligned folding box shells, and the gripping unit takes the top folding box shell from the stack and aligns it relative to at least one reference edge.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the flat folding box shells are provided at the storage station in a magazine in which they are already in an aligned position relative to a reference edge, and the gripping unit withdraws an aligned folding box shell from the magazine.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of leading the assembled folding box past an adhesive unit by means of the gripping unit in such a way that two oppositely situated bottom flaps of the folding box are adhesively joined at least to one another.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of leading the assembled folding box past a labeling unit by means of the gripping unit in such a way that the folding box is identified by at least one label.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of delivering the assembled folding boxes within the palleting cell on a transport means by which the folding boxes are transported to the exit of the production machine for filling with the products.

9. An apparatus for assembling folding boxes from flat folding box shells, comprising:

a gripping unit, movable in at least one direction of motion, for grasping the folding box shells and having a suction gripping device and an assembly unit for assembling the folding box shells, and

a bottom flap folding tool which is pivotable relative to the assembly unit being mounted thereon, and by which the bottom flap, trailing in the direction of motion of the gripping unit, of the folding box intermediate product resulting from assembly of the folding box shell and having open bottom flaps may be folded by swiveling the pivotable bottom flap folding tool,

wherein the assembly unit includes a support element on which the gripping unit is supported, and an assembly tool which is pivotable relative to the support element is mounted thereon for assembling the folding box shell, the bottom flap folding tool being mounted on the assembly tool so as to be pivotable relative thereto, and the support element being connected to the suction gripping device via a compensating element, the compensating element being mounted on the support element via a first articulated joint and mounted on the suction gripping device via a second articulated joint, and a translational degree of freedom being provided between the suction gripping device and the support element, thus enabling the suction gripping device together with a folding box shell held thereon to undergo at least one of rotational and translational compensating motions when the support element is to be moved on the reference edge in a fixed spatial orientation relative to at least one reference edge in order to align the folding box shell with the reference edge.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the suction gripping device has a first suction region and a second suction region which may be independently impinged on by a vacuum and which lie essentially in the same plane, so that the flat folding box shell may be picked up by the suction regions in such a way that the flat folding box shell is held on different sides of a fold line by the first and the second suction regions.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein locking devices are provided by which the first articulated joint and the second articulated joint may be locked in a rotationally fixed manner and the translational degree of freedom may be fixed.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said apparatus includes a magazine which contains flat folding box shells that are already in an aligned position relative to a reference edge, so that aligned folding box shells may be withdrawn from the magazine by the gripping unit.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a static bottom flap folding tool for folding the bottom flap advancing in the direction of motion on the one hand, and static bottom flap folding tools for folding the side bottom flaps on the other hand, are situated one behind the other in the direction of motion of the gripping unit.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said apparatus has an adhesive unit past which the assembled folding box having four folded bottom flaps may be moved by the gripping unit in such a way that two oppositely situated bottom flaps are adhesively joined at least to one another.

15. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said apparatus has a labeling unit past which the assembled folding box may be moved by the gripping unit in such a way that the folding box may be identified by at least one label.

16. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the static bottom flap folding tool for folding the bottom flap advancing in the direction of motion, the static bottom flap folding tools for folding the side bottom flaps, and the adhesive unit are mounted on a linear support.

17. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the labeling unit is mounted on the linear support.

18. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the gripping unit is mounted on the linear support, and the linear support is a gantry support for a linear gantry.

19. A palleting cell for paltering folding boxes, filled with products, at a palleting station, the products being present at the exit of at least one production machine, and after introduction into the folding boxes being deliverable to the palleting cell, and the palleting cell having a paltering robot and a supply station for keeping ready flat folding box shells, wherein an apparatus according to claim 9 provided in the palleting cell, at least one transport means being provided by which the assembled folding boxes may be transported from the palleting cell to the exit of the least one production machine in order to be filled with the products.

20. A palleting cell for palleting folding boxes, filled with products, at a palleting station, the products being present at the exit of at least one production machine, and after introduction into the folding boxes being deliverable to the palleting cell, and the palleting cell having a palleting robot and a supply station for keeping ready flat folding box shells, wherein an apparatus according to claim 9 is provided in the palleting cell, the gripping unit being mounted on the palleting robot, and at least one transport means being provided by which the assembled folding boxes may be transported from the palleting cell to the exit of the least one production machine in order to be filled with the products.

21. An apparatus for aligning articles relative to at least one reference edge, including:

a gripping unit, which is movable in a direction of motion, for grasping the articles,

wherein the gripping unit has a suction gripping device for holding the articles, a support element, and a support arm,

wherein the support arm bears the support element and is movable in the at least one direction of motion,

wherein the support element is connected to the suction gripping device via a compensating element,

wherein the compensating element is mounted on the support element via a first articulated joint and mounted on the suction gripping device via a second articulated joint, and

wherein a translational degree of freedom is provided between the suction gripping device and the support element, thus enabling the suction gripping device together with an article mounted thereon to undergo at least one of rotational and translational compensating motions when the support element is to be moved on the reference edge in a fixed spatial orientation relative to the reference edge in order to align the article with the reference edge.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein locking devices are provided by which the first articulated joint and the second articulated joint may be locked in a rotationally fixed manner and the translational degree of freedom may be fixed.