Method and apparatus for erecting and filling a folding box

Abstract

For the purpose of erecting and filling a folding box which has closure flaps on two opposite sides, the folding box is removed from a store and erected such that the closure flaps are arranged on its upper side and its underside. The lower closure flaps are folded over and the underside of the folding box is thus closed, whereupon products are introduced into the folding box. Then, the upper closure flaps are folded over, as a result of which the upper side of the folding box is closed. Thereafter, both the upper closure flaps and the lower closure flaps are fixed in their closed position in a downstream fixing apparatus.

1 . Method for erecting and filling a folding box which has closure flaps on two opposite sides, the method comprising: removing the folding box in flat form from a store and erecting the folding box by an erecting apparatus such that the closure flaps are arranged on an upper side and an underside thereof, wherein the lower closure flaps, which are arranged on the underside of the folding box, are folded over and the underside of the folding box is thus closed, and thereafter introducing products into the folding box, and then folding the upper closure flaps, which are arranged on the upper side of the folding box, over and thus closing the upper side of the folding box, and thereafter fixing both the upper closure flaps and the lower closure flaps in a closed position in a fixing apparatus. 
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein fixing the closure flaps in the fixing apparatus takes place by adhesive bonding and/or stapling and/or by an adhesive tape. 
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein fixing the upper closure flaps takes place at least to some extent at the same time as the operation of fixing the lower closure flaps. 
     
     
         4 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the folding box has the underside thereof resting on a bearing surface during the step of introducing the products. 
     
     
         5 . Method according to  claim 4 , wherein the bearing surface is formed on a conveying apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the folding box is retained by a positioning device during the step of introducing the products. 
     
     
         7 . Method according to  claim 6 , wherein the positioning device has at least one sucker and/or at least one stop. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus for erecting and filling a folding box which has closure flaps on two opposite sides, the apparatus comprising a store, in which the folding box is accommodated in flat form, a removal apparatus, by which the folding box can be removed from the store, an erecting apparatus, by which the folding box can be erected such that the closure flaps are arranged on an upper side and an underside thereof and the lower closure flaps, which are arranged on the underside of the folding box, are folded over and the underside of the folding box is thus closed, a filling apparatus, by which products can be introduced into the folding box, a closure apparatus, by which the upper closure flaps, which are arranged on the upper side of the folding box, can be folded over and the upper side of the folding box can thus be closed, and a fixing apparatus, which has an upper fixing unit, by which the upper closure flaps can be fixed in an upper closed position and which is arranged downstream of the closure apparatus, and has a lower fixing unit, by which the lower closure flaps can be fixed in a lower closed position, wherein the lower fixing unit is arranged downstream of the closure apparatus. 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the upper fixing unit and the lower fixing unit are arranged one above the other. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the folding box can be guided through between the upper fixing unit and the lower fixing unit. 
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the upper fixing unit and/or the lower fixing unit are/is designed in the form of an adhesive-bonding unit and/or of a stapling unit. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , further including a conveying apparatus, by which the folding box can be transported through the fixing apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , further including a positioning device, by which the folding box can be positioned, and fixed, in the filling apparatus. 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the positioning device has at least one sucker and/or at least one stop.