Device for removing and disposing a stack of flat products

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for removing and disposing a stack of flat products from a stacking device into a bundling device, in particular, in a folding box manufacturing machine, wherein the stack is grasped in the stacking device by a gripper mounted to a robot arm, and is disposed in the bundling device, wherein the first stack grasped by the gripper and/or the subsequent second stack is/are rotated before being disposed in the bundling device.

1 . A method for transporting, stacking and removing L-shaped folded boxes and for disposing a stack of L-shaped folded boxes in a bundling mechanism for use in a folding box manufacturing machine, the L-shaped folded boxes having a thicker base portion and a thinner lid portion extending at right angles to the base portion, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) transporting the L-shaped folded boxes with the base portion leading in a transport direction and the lid portion trailing;   b) stacking a number of the L-shaped folded boxes;   c) grasping the stack of folded boxes generated in step b) using a robot arm having a gripping means;   d) rotating said robot arm and said gripping means through an angle;   e) depositing said stack of folded boxes in a bundling device; and   f) repeating steps a) through e) while maintaining an orientation of the folded boxes in steps a) through c) and changing an orientation of the stack of folded boxes in steps d) and e) to create a substantially cuboid combined stack of folded boxes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step d) comprises the step of rotating a first stack of folded boxes through an angle of plus 90 degrees with respect to a vertical and subsequently rotating a second stack of folded boxes through an angle of minus 90 degrees with respect to the vertical. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step d) comprises the step of rotating a first stack of folded products through a first angle with respect to vertical and subsequently rotating a second stack of folded boxes through a second angle with respect to the vertical, wherein the second angle differs from the first angle by 180 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein removal, rotation and disposal are effected in parallel planes. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stack is rotated about a horizontal axis. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, in step b), the folded boxes are stacked in two removal planes. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, during step d), the robot arm pivots through an angle which differs from 180 degrees. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gripper means disposes the grasped stack in the bundling device parallel to a longitudinal axis of a stacking device or next to a stacking device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the robot arm receives the gripping means, the gripping means being adjusted to a format of the folded boxes. 
     
     
         10 . A device for transporting, stacking and removing L-shaped folded boxes and for disposing a stack of L-shaped folded boxes in a bundling mechanism for use in a folding box manufacturing machine, the L-shaped folded boxes having a thicker base portion and a thinner lid portion extending at right angles to the base portion, the device comprising:
 means for transporting the L-shaped folded boxes with the base portion leading in a transport direction and the lid portion trailing;   means for stacking a number of the L-shaped folded boxes;   means for grasping the stacked number of folded boxes using a robot arm having a gripping means;   means for rotating said robot arm and said gripping means through an angle;   means for depositing said stack of folded boxes in a bundling device; and   means for alternately changing an orientation of the stack of folded boxes during deposition thereof to create a substantially cuboid combined stack of folded boxes.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein a first stack of folded boxes is rotated through an angle of plus 90 degrees with respect to a vertical and a second stack of folded boxes is rotated through an angle of minus 90 degrees with respect to the vertical and disposed upon said first stack of folded boxes. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein a first stack of folded products is rotated through a first angle with respect to vertical and a second stack of folded boxes is subsequently rotated through a second angle with respect to the vertical and disposed upon said first stack of folded boxes, wherein the second angle differs from the first angle by 180 degrees. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein removal, rotation and disposal are effected in parallel planes. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the stack is rotated about a horizontal axis. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the folded boxes are stacked in two removal planes. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the robot arm pivots through an angle which differs from 180 degrees. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the gripper means disposes the grasped stack in the bundling device parallel to a longitudinal axis of a stacking device or next to a stacking device. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the robot arm receives the gripping means, the gripping means being adjusted to a format of the folded boxes.