Method of and apparatus for wrapping articles of the tobacco processing industry into blanks of packing material

US6085494A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Topack Verpackungstechnik GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Torsten Lembke · Duvensee, DE
• Wolfgang Schnabel · Shanghai, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 19, 1998
• Grant date: Jul 11, 2000
• Expiry date: Oct 19, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B65B43/24
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Cardboard blanks with fold lines between their panels are partially draped around arrays of cigarette packets in an apparatus wherein successive arrays which are being advanced along an elongated path at a first speed strip discrete blanks off a mouthpiece which is advanced along such path at a lesser second speed. Additional panels of a blank which is being transported by the mouthpiece, and a first panel of which is to be engaged and entrained by the front side of an oncoming array, are pivoted relative to the first panel along the respective fold lines by pivotable prefolding members which share the movement of and are caused to pivot relative to the mothpiece while the latter transports a blank at the second speed. The prefolding members cooperate with further folding members to pivot further panels of a blank relative to the additional panels while the blank is being transported by the mouthpiece.