EP2809506B1 - Device and method for preparing packaging boxes with vertical unstacking - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for forming a packaging box from at least one storage magazine of a stack of corrugated cardboard cuts, comprising means for advancing the stack as and when unstacking and means for unstacking the cuts by suction.

It also relates to a method of forming a packaging box from such a device.

Numerous devices and methods for forming corrugated cardboard boxes are already known.

• Après une prise du flan de carton par ventouse à partir d'un magasin incliné, on encolle le flan ou découpe, puis on le met en volume avant de fermer par rabattement les volets formant le fond et les parois de la boîte ainsi constituée.

Such methods generally comprise the following steps:

• After taking the cardboard blank by suction from an inclined magazine, the blank is slotted or cut, then it is set volume before closing by folding the shutters forming the bottom and the walls of the box thus formed.

Such methods require regular filling of the magazine.

To do this, the most common magazine loading mode uses the manual intervention of operators from pallets on which the blanks are stacked.

However, this repetitive manual loading proves to be very difficult in the long run, especially when the loading frequency of the magazines is high, the weight and / or dimensions of the cuts are important, and when it is possibly necessary to use several magazines in parallel. to form boxes from two or more blanks or blanks.

For example, a machine operating at a rate of thirty cases per minute to form packages of 300 grams requires the handling of about four tons of cartons per day (over eight hours).

Such manipulation poses health problems for operators who experience musculoskeletal disorders as a result.

It has therefore been sought solutions for loading the magazines automatically, without an operator having to lift cardboard loads.

Thus known gripping systems capable of simultaneously lifting and moving several sheets of cardboard packets, which will allow to transfer an entire stack of cartons from a pallet to the store.

A difficulty in the implementation of such systems lies in the gripping of the battery.

Taking a stack that is made by side clamps is indeed difficult to achieve accurately and repeatedly.

For example, needles inserted between two cardboard plates are used on one side of the stack to be moved, the latter slightly raising the stack obliquely to the side and then allowing the introduction of one or more thin plates or shovels under the pile to lift

With such a system, the gripping of an exact number of plates is however not guaranteed.

We can also mention the document GB 2,059,390 which describes a device for forming a packaging box from at least one storage magazine of a stack of corrugated cardboard cuts, comprising means for advancing the stack as it is unstacked and means for unstacking the cuts by suction.

The known solutions have the following disadvantages.

They first limit the possibilities of gripping cutouts.

Indeed it is necessary that two opposite edges of the cuts are accessible so that they can be taken with clamps.

They are also unsuitable if the shapes of the cuts allow their nesting on pallets preventing their quick and reliable grip.

Another disadvantage lies in the impossibility of reaching the cuts located at the bottom of the pallet, impossible to extract automatically. They are therefore often lost, which generates a significant waste, or must be entered manually with the disadvantages mentioned above.

Finally, if the pallets were shaken during the manipulations that precede their positioning in the unstacking zone, the cuts of one and the same pallet will have moved and will often be nested one with the other, which prevents their correct entry. .

With regard to the latter drawback, a method consisting in accurately measuring, by optical means, the position of the blanks on the top of a stack is easily known to facilitate their capture, but it then requires specific lighting and sophisticated sensors which are often considered too expensive or too complex.

The present invention aims to overcome these disadvantages, by proposing a device and a method that better than those previously known to the requirements of the practice, in particular in that it allows the formation of a high-speed and uninterrupted packaging box while proposing a system of feeding cuts to significantly improve the working conditions of operators .

The invention finds a particularly important, although not exclusive, application in the field of can forming from blanks or corrugated board plates of low grammage (<120 g / m ² ) for industry or agro-industry. food, said cuts having a tendency to stick to each other and thereby prevent a gripping cuts at high rate without error.

With the invention it will be possible to automatically unstack cuts without having to extract them from their last handling pallet, subject to prior visual verification by an operator of the character correctly stacked vertically cutouts.

By correctly stacked vertically, one hears stacked with a tolerance of positioning in the lateral offset of the cuts of ± 1 cm, which is the general case with the cuts of a pallet rimmed in the usual way for its transport. By then proposing a system allowing a unitary taking of each cut from such a pallet with properly stacked cutouts, it also allows an optional setting volume after gluing of said cut by the same tool, the registration of a code bar by inking and / or fixing an RFID chip or any other means of tracking, which can also be done at the same time and in the continuity of the movement.

It also allows access to all the cutouts of the pallets without losing the last cuts.

To do this, the invention notably starts from the idea of no longer shifting the packs of plates in pieces to a feed store in general inclined but to leave them on their pallet handling, or what amounts to the same, the simply push a block of their pallet towards a vertical movement magazine, then treat the cuts one by one after having advanced them vertically for example by means of a lifting plate up to a plane of taking of the cut , where they are tapped, framed and held one by one in a gripping position.

The unstacking from above allows the lightening of the mechanics and adjustment by use of eg servo motors, removing the transfer channel and the mobile frame of the stores known under the name klik / klok of the prior art.

For this purpose, the invention notably proposes a device for forming a packaging box from at least one storage magazine for a stack of corrugated cardboard cuts, comprising means for advancing the stack as and as it is unstacked and means for unstacking the cuts by suction, the stack of cuts being vertical, the means for advancing the stack comprise a lifting plate of the stack vertically up to a catch plane for the cutting of the top characterized in that the device comprises means X, Y, Z of the position (pi) of the cutout of the top in the magazine, said locating means comprising means for measuring the position (pi) ) of the cut-out of the top and means for calculating the trajectory in x, y, z, comprising a vertical component, unstacking means according to said position (p _i ) arranged to control the displacement of said unstacking means between a cutting input position and a position of positioning on a determined work station also marked X, Y, Z, said calculating means being arranged to calculate the trajectory for the next position during the travel time (p _{i + 1} ) cutting and so on.

• y est égal à 0. Par y on entend la composante horizontale dans le sens de l'axe Oy du repère X, Y, Z. ;
• la pile de découpes étant verticale, les moyens d'avancée de la pile comportent un plateau élévateur de la pile verticalement jusqu'à un plan de prise pour la découpe du dessus, le dispositif comporte des moyens de pré-dépilage agencés pour séparer la découpe du dessus du reste de la pile et des moyens de taquage de ladite découpe pour la cadrer et la maintenir séparée du reste de la pile en position de préhension par les moyens de dépilage après effacement des moyens de pré-dépilage ;
• le dispositif comporte des moyens de maintien en partie haute de la pile lorsque la découpe du dessous de la pile a atteint un niveau déterminé et des moyens de mise en place automatique d'une nouvelle pile en dessous de la partie restante de la précédente pile, propre à garantir la continuité du dépilage ;
• les moyens de maintien en partie haute comprennent des taquets libres pivotant entre une position de glissement le long du bord la pile de découpes et une position de soutien du fond de la pile sous l'effet de la gravité ;
• les moyens de taquage comprennent un premier jeu de griffes à une hauteur X de référence de la pile et un second jeu de griffes à une hauteur Y situé à une distance en hauteur comprise entre 1 et 20 mm de la référence X, pour séparation de la découpe de dessus d'avec la découpe suivante ;
• le dispositif comporte des moyens d'aide au décollement de la découpe du dessus du reste de la pile, par soufflage d'air rasant sur le dessus de la découpe ;
• l'air soufflé est injecté par des buses inclinées par rapport à la surface de la découpe du dessus à une pression comprise entre 1 et 2 bars relatifs ;
• les moyens de dépilage comportent un système embarqué muni d'un bras robotisé de déplacement de ladite découpe à un poste suivant, en vue de son formage, avant retour à vide pour saisir la découpe de dessus suivante ;
• le dispositif comporte de plus des moyens d'encollage de ladite découpe avant le poste suivant ;
• il comporte au moins deux magasins et/ou piles de découpes à partir desquels au moins deux découpes du dessus sont saisies pour être encollés et placées l'une sur l'autre pour former une boîte en au moins deux parties ;
• il comporte plusieurs bras robotisés travaillant en parallèle ;
• le magasin de découpes comprenant une palette, le plateau élévateur est agencé pour déplacer verticalement ladite palette et les découpes qu'elle supporte jusqu'à un plan d'observation et de prise, et le dispositif comporte des moyens de détection visuelle ;
• le dispositif comporte un poste de formage par enroulement des découpes autour d'un volume déterminé, par exemple un mandrin.

In advantageous embodiments, one and / or the other of the following provisions is also used:

• y is equal to 0. Y is the horizontal component in the direction of the axis Oy of the X, Y, Z.
• the stack of cuts being vertical, the advancing means of the stack comprises a lifting plate of the stack vertically to a gripping plane for cutting the top, the device comprises pre-unstacking means arranged to separate the blank from above the remainder of the stack and means for jogging said cutout to frame it and keep it separated from the remainder of the stack in the gripping position by the unstacking means after erasing the pre-unstacking means;
• the device comprises holding means in the upper part of the stack when the cut of the bottom of the stack has reached a predetermined level and means for automatically placing a new stack below the remaining part of the previous stack, to ensure the continuity of unstacking;
• the holding means in the upper part comprise free tabs pivoting between a sliding position along the edge of the stack of cuts and a support position of the bottom of the stack under the effect of gravity;
• the jogging means comprise a first set of claws at a reference height X of the stack and a second set of claws at a height Y located at a distance in height of between 1 and 20 mm from the reference X, for separation of the cutting from above with the following cutout;
• the device comprises means for assisting in detaching the cutout from above the remainder of the stack, by blowing rasping air on the top of the cutout;
• the blown air is injected by nozzles inclined relative to the surface of the top cutout at a pressure of between 1 and 2 bar relative;
• the unstacking means comprise an embedded system provided with a robotic arm for moving the said cutting at a next station, for its forming, before empty return to enter the next top cutout;
• the device further comprises means for gluing said cutout before the next station;
• it comprises at least two magazines and / or stacks of cut-outs from which at least two cut-outs of the top are seized to be glued and placed one on the other to form a box in at least two parts;
• it has several robotic arms working in parallel;
• the cutter magazine comprising a pallet, the lift plate is arranged to vertically move said pallet and the cutouts it supports to an observation and setting plane, and the device comprises visual detection means;
• the device comprises a forming station by winding the blanks around a determined volume, for example a mandrel.

It also proposes a method for making polygonal section packaging boxes from a device as described above.

The invention also proposes a method for producing polygonal-section packaging boxes from a magazine formed of at least one vertical stack of blanks made of cardboard or corrugated cardboard, characterized in that
the stack being vertical, the cutting of the top of the stack is brought to a determined height by means of a vertical elevator,
said cutout is separated from the remainder of the stack by means of pre-unstacking,
said cut is tapped to fit it and keep it separated from the rest of the stack in the gripping position,
the pre-unstacking means are erased,
said cutting is grasped by suction using unstacking means,
said cut is moved by means of said unstacking means comprising a robotic arm,
it is released at a next station, for example for forming,
and the above cycle of steps is repeated with the next overhead cut.

Advantageously, the stack is maintained at the top when the cutout of the bottom of the stack has reached a predetermined level, the vertical elevator is lowered, it is automatically placed on said elevator a new battery below the remaining portion of the previous stack and the vertical elevator is raised so that the cutout of the bottom of the stack at the top rests on the cutout of the top of the new stack, to ensure the continuity of unstacking.

Also advantageously, the invention proposes a method in which several robotic arms are used to work in parallel and / or the position (p _i ) of the cut-out of the top is measured telemetrically by calculating the trajectory of the unstacking means as a function of this position and by controlling the unstacking means between the gripping position and the positioning position on a specific workstation such as a chuck, calculating during the masked time displacements the trajectory for the next position (p _{i + 1} ) cutting and the operation is repeated for each of the cuts that follow.

Advantageously, the cut is cut using a first set of claws at a reference height X of the stack and the cutout is separated from above according to the following cut by a second set of claws at a height Y located at a distance in height between 1 and 20 mm from the reference X.

Advantageously, the top cut is blown off by blowing air on the top of the cut.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of embodiments given below by way of non-limiting examples.

• La figure 1 est une vue schématique en perspective éclatée et partielle d'un premier mode de réalisation d'un dispositif selon l'invention.
• Les figures 1A, 1B et 1C illustrent les étapes suivantes de formation d'une boîte avec une partie du dispositif de la figure 1.
• Les figures 2 à 6 montrent des vues latérales des moyens d'avancée, des moyens de pré-dépilage et des moyens de dépilage d'une pile, selon le mode de réalisation de l'invention plus particulièrement décrit ici.
• Les figures 7A et 7B sont des vues schématiques en coupe illustrant un autre mode de réalisation des moyens de taquage selon l'invention.
• Les figures 8A et 8B montrent schématiquement une vue latérale et une vue de dessus d'un autre mode de réalisation d'un dispositif selon l'invention, à deux piles de découpes.
• Les figures 9, 9A et 9B illustrent successivement un ensemble de découpes séparées, accolées puis formées en une boîte à l'aide d'une machine selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention.
• La figure 10 est une vue en plan d'un autre mode de réalisation de découpe utilisable avec l'invention.
• Les figures 11 à 13 montrent partiellement et schématiquement, en perspective axonométrique, les étapes principales de mise en oeuvre du dispositif des figures 8A et 8B à partir des découpes décrites en référence aux figures 9,9A, pour former la boîte de la figure 9B.

It refers to the accompanying drawings in which:

• The figure 1 is a schematic perspective exploded and partial view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention.
• The FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C illustrate the following steps of forming a box with a part of the device of the figure 1 .
• The Figures 2 to 6 show side views of the advancing means, pre-unstacking means and unstacking means of a stack, according to the embodiment of the invention more particularly described here.
• The Figures 7A and 7B are schematic sectional views illustrating another embodiment of the jogging means according to the invention.
• The Figures 8A and 8B schematically show a side view and a top view of another embodiment of a device according to the invention, two stacks of cutouts.
• The Figures 9, 9A and 9B illustrate successively a set of separate cutouts, contiguous and then formed into a box using a machine according to one embodiment of the invention.
• The figure 10 is a plan view of another embodiment of cutting used with the invention.
• The Figures 11 to 13 partially and schematically show, in axonometric perspective, the main stages of implementation of the device of the Figures 8A and 8B from the cuts described with reference to Figures 9.9A , to form the box of the Figure 9B .

The figures 1 , 1A, 1B and 1C show in whole or in part schematically a device 1 for forming a box 2 from at least one magazine 3 with a constant level for storing a stack 4 of corrugated cardboard blanks 5, comprising means 6 for advancing of the stack as and when unstacking and means 7 unstacking the cuts by suction.

The stack 4 of cuts being vertical, the advancing means comprise a lifting plate 8 (shown in phantom) of the stack vertically to a plane 9 for taking the cut from above.

The device 1 comprises means 10 pre-unstacking, again symbolized in phantom on the figure 1 , and which will be more particularly detailed with reference to Figures 2 to 6 .

The unstacking means 7 comprise a system 11 formed by a partially horizontal arm 12 provided, for example, with three parallel branches for supplying compressed air and for positioning six suction cups (two per branch) 13, known in themselves. -Same.

The arm is movable horizontally for example by means of a chain and / or electric motors (not shown), between the gripping position of the blanks above the store and the next step, for example winding around a mandrel 14, after gluing by guns 15 of pressurized liquid glue of the type known under the name "hot melt", the box being formed by compression on the mandrel by pressing means 16 (lower push plate) 17, vertically deployable, side push cylinders 18 etc ...).

In the example more particularly described here, the blank 5 comprises eight flaps, namely four main flaps 19 separated by small intermediate flaps 20 forming cut corners and terminated by a tongue 21 of bonding on the intermediate end flap.

The shutters are provided on both sides and in known manner with flaps 22 intended to form the bottoms and above the box 2.

In the remainder of the description, the same reference numbers will be used to designate the same elements or similar elements.

The Figures 2 to 6 show more precisely in lateral view the means 6 for advancing the stack 4, and the means 10 for pre-unstacking according to the method of embodiment of the invention more particularly described here.

The means 6 for advancing the stack comprises a lifting plate 8, for example formed by two angles 23 for horizontal support of the last cut of the bottom of the stack 4, and a vertically pushing cylinder 24, controlled by a controller 25 allowing a raising of the programmed plateau as and when the removal of the cuts, controlled by optical measuring means 26.

More specifically, these optical means are associated in a manner known per se to means 27 for laser reader-type telemetry measurement of the position p (i) of the cutout 28 of the top and the calculation means 29 (microprocessor) of the trajectory unstacking means 7 according to said position (p _i ) arranged to control the displacement of the unstacking means between a gripping position (plane 9) of the blank, and a positioning position on a given work station, and for calculate during the movement time (in masked time) the trajectory for the next position (p _i + 1) of cutting and so on.

• Initialisation avec choix des valeurs de décalage selon un format stocké en base de données,
• déplacement du bras robotisé à la référence du magasin et en fonction des décalages du format,
• lecture par télémétrie de la position initiale s'il y a lieu et/ou calcul de la position initiale,
• calcul de la trajectoire aller
• retaquage sur la référence du magasin de découpes,
• une fois la position atteinte, calcul puis descente sur la découpe selon des valeurs prédéterminées ou suivant des valeurs qui sont mesurées grâce à la télémétrie,
• mise sous vide des ventouses pour aspirer la découpe,
• exécution de la trajectoire puis s'il y a eu lecture de la hauteur de télémétrie,
• calcul de la trajectoire retour et sinon retrait des paramètres de la trajectoire dans la base de données,
• arrêt du vide pour larguer la découpe à l'endroit adéquat,
• exécution de la trajectoire de retour,
• et recommencement du cycle.

The diagram of the followed times is for example of the following type:

• Initialization with choice of offset values according to a format stored in the database,
• moving the robotic arm to the magazine reference and depending on the offset of the format,
• telemetry reading of the initial position if applicable and / or calculation of the initial position,
• trajectory calculation go
• Re-marking on the reference of the cut-off magazine,
• once the position is reached, calculation and descent on the blank according to predetermined values or according to values that are measured by telemetry,
• vacuuming the suction cups to suck the cut,
• execution of the trajectory then if there was reading of the telemetry height,
• calculation of the return trajectory and if not withdrawal of the parameters of the trajectory in the database,
• stop the vacuum to drop the cut at the right place,
• execution of the return trajectory,
• and restarting the cycle.

The pre-unstacking means 10 comprise a horizontal robotic arm 30 provided with at least four suction cups 31 for gripping the cutout 28, the arm being fixed to a vertical rod 32 which is eccentric relative to the stack, arranged next to the latter .

Said rod 32 is guided and fixed by a sleeve 33 to a chain 34 actuating between a position 35 (in dashed line on the figure 2 ), a position 36 ( figure 3 ) of the outlet of the cutout over means 37 for jogging, a position 38 ( figure 4 ) of the cutting on said gripping means 37 for gripping in the plane 9, and a position 39 ( figure 5 ) Escape height and lateral allowing the means 7 unstacking to come take the cut 28 stamped.

More precisely, the jogging means 37 comprise, on either side of the volume occupied by the stack 4 of vertically movable blanks, two chutes 40, for example formed by two tubes having a C-shaped cross section whose opening of the branches is located on the side of the stack and in which are mounted movable in translation parallel to the branches of C, respectively at least two sliding lugs 41 formed by metal tongues provided in the upper portion 42 of a stop lug 43 of the periphery 44 of the blank 28, to precisely frame and maintain it on said stops in abutment position once they moved from their exhaust position (mixed line 45).

The cleats 41 are for example activated by a system of small cylinders with return springs (not shown) to return to the nominal exhaust position at rest.

They are controlled by the controller 25 to move said tabs between their stop position and their exhaust position.

As operation of the pre-unstacking and unstacking means, the stack 4 of blanks empties and the plate formed by the brackets 23, which supports the last cut 46, rises. There comes a time when it is in such a position that can automatically trigger the holding means 47 in the upper part of the stack.

These means are for example constituted by free tabs 48 pivoting between a position 49 (cf. Figures 2 to 5 ) sliding along the edge 50 of the cutting stack and a position 51 (cf. figure 6 ) of support from the bottom of the pile under the effect of gravity.

More specifically, the holding means 47 comprise the tabs 48 formed by a free piece and / or idling in rotation relative to an axis 52 integral with a height adjustment rod 53 fixed to the frame 54 of the device.

The cleats have an end lug 55 arranged to slide along the edge of the stack.

The lug 55 has for example a substantially triangular section forming a point 56 of contact with the edge of the stack.

When the tip of the lug 55 is no longer in contact with the edge of the stack, because it is too high, said edge is no longer retained and the cleat pivots about its axis 52 by gravity.

It is then arranged to be placed in a position 57 horizontal abutment on which the last cut 46 can come to rest releasing the plate formed by the angles 23.

It is then possible to lower it by actuating the pusher cylinder vertically to its initial low position. One can then put back on said tray a new stack of cuts for example by pushing it from a pallet.

It is then sufficient to raise the stack until it comes into contact with the pins 55, which will then rotate until the last cut of the rest of the top stack comes into contact with the first cut of the stack from below.

A complete stack is thus reconstituted without breaking the load in order to produce boxes according to the invention.

We have shown on Figures 7A and 7B another embodiment of the means 58 for jogging the cutout 59 from above.

They comprise a first set of claws 60 at a reference height X of the stack and a second set of claws 61 at a height Y located at a distance in height d between 1 and 20 mm from the reference X, for separation of the cutting from above 59 with the following cut 62.

This claw game works in the following way.

When the cutout of the top 59 of the stack comes into contact with the first set of claws it escapes outwards (arrow 63). The cutout can then rise pushed by the jack 24 and be positioned between the two sets of claws. Then the first set of claws 60 gets back in place as shown on the Figure 7B , this game being sized and cut to come automatically between the two successive cuts.

The cutting of the top 59 is thus isolated while being jogged between two rods 63 of control / reframing cutouts, also adjustable in translation relative to the stack.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the device also comprises means 64 for assisting the separation of the top cut by blowing rasping air 65 on the top of the stack.

Here the blown air is injected by nozzles 66 inclined relative to the surface of the top cutout at a pressure between 1 bar and 2 bar relative.

We have shown on Figures 8A and 8B in a side view and in plan view, schematically, an embodiment of a device 67 according to the invention here comprising two vertical stacks 68, 69 of cutouts (with the batteries 68 ', 69' waiting to prevent breaks in loads), a robotic arm 70 for moving a first cut 71 from the stack 68, to a next station 72, for example assembly formed by a suction gripping system 73 and then tilting as will be detailed by following with reference to Figures 11 to 13 .

The other cut pile 69 is emptied by means of another robotic arm (not shown), which will allow the formation of the package 74 in two parts of the Figure 9B , thus obtained from the cuts 75 and 76 (cf. Figure 9 and 9A ) for gluing the first cutout 75 on the second cutout 76 to form the assembly 77 and mounting around a mandrel 78.

There are thus here two robotic arms working in parallel which will make it possible to obtain the box 74 after coating around a mandrel.

In this embodiment, the cutout 75 is formed of three rectangular flaps 80 interconnected by parallel fold lines 81 and provided on each side with rectangular flaps 82 in a manner known per se to form the cover and the cover. background of the packaging.

The cutout 76 is itself formed similarly but to form a lower tray.

It is also possible to use only one cutout 83 as shown in FIG. figure 10 . In this case, only one stack of cuts is implemented.

We have shown on figures 11 , 12 and 13 more precisely the forming system of the box with the two cutouts 75, 76, from the two stacks 68, 69 fed by the two vertical constant level vertical stores 84, 85 of the type described above, for example with reference to the Figures 2 to 6 .

The implementation of the method and the device according to the invention will now be described with particular reference to the Figures 2 to 6 and 11 to 13.

From the two magazines 84 and 85 respectively comprising the vertical stacks 68 and 69 of blanks, the top cutout 38 of each magazine is brought to a given height ( figure 2 , figure 11 ), the said cuts are tapped to fit them and keep them separated from the rest of the stack by the pre-unstacking means ( figure 4 ), then after erasing the pre-unstacking means, figure 5 , figure 12 ) the suction cuts using unstacking means which are themselves secured to a fixed part 86 by means of two systems 87 and 88 which will allow the displacement of the cuts thus captured at the assembly station 72.

Specifically the system 87 comprises two articulated arms 89 and 90, for bringing in a single movement, after tearing the cutout, the latter at its assembly station, while simultaneously the system 88 just lift (arrow 91 ) by cylinder vertical 92 cutting the stack 69 and then horizontally remove (arrow 93) by a carriage 94 movable along the beam 86 at its removal station before lowering in position (arrow 95) on the cutout 75 to form the assembly 77 after sizing (not shown) on their respective path in a manner known per se.

The assembly 77 is then transferred (arrow 96) to the assembly station 97 for example around a mandrel 98.

As shown in the figures, and when the lower cut of the batteries exceed a certain level, the controller detects the tilting of the cleats, in a manner known per se.

Without stopping the device, which continues to empty the batteries over said tabs, the carriage 24 descends, and moves into position to receive the battery (68 ', 69') pending.

It is then pushed (arrows 99) in a known manner and automatically to position itself under the rest of previous stack.

Then the new battery is reassembled to integrate with the rest of the previous stack, thus avoiding any break in the rate of formation of the boxes.

Claims (22)

1. Device (1) for forming a packaging box (2, 74) from at least one storage magazine (3) of a stack (4, 68, 69) of cutouts made of corrugated cardboard, comprising means (6) for advancing the stack progressively as it is unstacked and means (7) for unstacking the cutouts by suction, the stack of cutouts being vertical, the means (6) for advancing the stack include a plate (8) for elevating the stack vertically up to a plane (9) for taking the top cutout (28), characterised in that the device includes
   means (27) for X, Y, Z indexing of the position (p_i) of the top cutout (28) in the magazine, said indexing means including means (27) for telemetric measurement of the position (p_i) of the top cutout (28),
   and means (29) for calculating the x, y, z trajectory, including a vertical component, of said unstacking means as a function of said position (p_i) arranged to order the displacement of said unstacking means between a position of capture (9) of the cutout and a position of positioning on a determined workstation also X, Y, Z, indexed,
   said calculation means being arranged to calculate the trajectory for the following cutout position (p_i+1) and so on.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that y is equal to 0.
3. Device according to claim 2, characterised in that the device includes pre-unstacking means (10) arranged to separate the top cutout from the rest of the stack and means (37, 58) for jogging said cutout to square it and keep it separated from the rest of the stack in a position for handling by the unstacking means after removal of the pre-unstacking means.
4. Device according to claim 3, characterised in that it includes retaining means (47) in the upper part of the stack when the bottom cutout of the stack has reached a determined level and means for automatic placing in position of a new stack beneath the remaining part of the preceding stack, suitable to guarantee the continuity of unstacking.
5. Device according to claim 4, characterised in that the retaining means (47) in the upper part comprise free stops (48) pivoting between a position of sliding along the edge (50) of the stack of cutouts and a position (51) for supporting the bottom of the stack under the influence of gravity.
6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the stop means (58) comprise a first set of grippers (60) at an index height X of the stack and a second set of grippers (61) at a height Y situated at a height distance of between 1 and 20 mm from the index X, for separation of the top cutout from the following cutout.
7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it includes means (64) for assisting detachment of the top cutout from the rest of the stack, by low-angle blowing of air on the top of the cutout.
8. Device according to claim 7, characterised in that the blown air is injected by nozzles (66) inclined relative to the surface of the top cutout at a relative pressure of between 1 and 2 bars.
9. Device for forming a box according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the unstacking means (7) include an on-board system provided with a robotic arm (70, 87, 88) for displacement of said cutout to a following station, for the purpose of setting it up, before returning empty to capture the next top cutout.
10. Device according to claim 9, characterised in that it includes in addition, means (15, 16) for glueing said cutout before the following station.
11. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it includes at least two magazines and/or stacks (68, 69) of cutouts from which at least two top cutouts (70, 71) are captured to be glued and placed one on the other to form a box in at least two parts.
12. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that it includes a plurality of robotic arms (87, 88) working in parallel.
13. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that the magazine of cutouts, comprising a plate,
    the elevator plate is arranged to displace said plate and the cutouts which it supports vertically up to a plane of observation and of taking, and in that it includes means for visual detection.
14. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterised in that it includes a station (97) for forming by winding of the cutouts around a determined volume.
15. Process for making packaging boxes of polygonal section from a magazine formed of at least one vertical stack of cutouts made of cardboard sheet material or corrugated cardboard, characterised in that the position (p_i) of the top cutout is measured telemetrically, the trajectory of the unstacking means is calculated as a function of said position (p_i) and the displacement of said unstacking means is ordered between a position of capturing the cutout, and a position of positioning on a determined workstation, while calculating during the displacement time the trajectory for the following cutout position (p_i+1) and so on.
16. Process according to claim 15, characterised in that
    the stack being vertical, the top cutout of the stack is brought to a determined height,
    said cutout is separated from the rest of the stack by pre-unstacking means,
    said cutout is jogged to square it and keep it separated from the rest of the stack in a handling position,
    the pre-unstacking means are removed,
    said cutout is displaced by means of said unstacking means comprising a robotic arm,
    it is released at a following station,
    and the above cycle of steps is repeated with the following top cutout.
17. Process according to claim 16, characterised in that the stack is retained in the upper part when the bottom cutout of the stack has reached a determined level, the vertical elevator is lowered, a new stack is placed in position automatically under the remaining part of the preceding stack, and the vertical elevator is raised again for the bottom cutout of the stack in the upper part to rest on the top cutout of the new stack, to guarantee the continuity of unstacking.
18. Process according to any one of claims 15 to 17, characterised in that it includes more than thirty cycles per minute.
19. Process according to any one of claims 15 to 18, characterised in that a plurality of robotic arms is used working in parallel.
20. Process according to any one of claims 15 to 19, characterised in that the cutout is jogged by means of a first set of grippers at an index height X of the stack and the top cutout is separated from the following cutout by a second set of grippers at a height Y situated at a distance in height of between 1 and 20 mm from index X.
21. Process according to any one of claims 15 to 20, characterised in that the detachment of the top cutout from the rest of the stack is assisted by low-angle blowing of air on the top of the cutout.
22. Process according to any one of claims 15 to 21, characterised in that the box is formed at a forming station by winding of the cutouts around a determined volume.

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