A method and a machine for realising a blank from a cardboard for packaging to be used for boxing an article

Abstract

In a method for making a packaging blank, dimensions are detected and memorized, of an upper face, a bottom face and lateral faces of an article to be boxed using the blank. On the basis of the dimensions, a first and a second longitudinal score line, parallel to one another, and a first and a second transversal score line, parallel to one another and perpendicular to the first and second longitudinal score lines, are made on the cardboard packaging blank so as to define a main portion, a first, a second, a third and a fourth lateral portion, and a first, a second, a third and a fourth reinforcing portion. A laser beam is used to make a first, a second, a third and a fourth incision on the first, second, third and fourth reinforcing portions, respectively.

1 . A method for realising a blank from a cardboard for packaging in which to box an article, comprising following steps:
 infeeding a cardboard for packaging;   detecting and memorising the dimensions of the upper face, of the bottom and of the lateral faces of a article to be boxed using the blank;   on the basis of the values of the detected and memorised dimensional values, making on the cardboard for packaging a first longitudinal score line and a second longitudinal score line, parallel to one another, and a first transversal score line and a second transversal score line, parallel to one another and perpendicular to the first longitudinal score line and to the second longitudinal score line, so as to define on the cardboard for packaging:   a central sector comprised between the first longitudinal score line and the second longitudinal score line; a first lateral sector comprised between the first longitudinal score line and a first longitudinal end of the cardboard for packaging; a second lateral sector comprised between the second longitudinal score line and a second longitudinal end of the cardboard for packaging;   the two longitudinal score lines and the two transversal score lines respectively crossing, longitudinally and transversally, the cardboard for packaging and being distanced from one another in such a way as:   to identify in the central sector:   a main portion, which is comprised between the first transversal score line and the second transversal score line and which has dimensions such as to cover the bottom of the article to be boxed; a first lateral portion and a second lateral portion, on opposite sides of the main portion with respect to the first transversal score line and to the second transversal score line;   to identify in the first lateral sector:   a third lateral portion comprised between the first transversal score line, the second transversal score line, the first longitudinal end of the cardboard for packaging and the first longitudinal score line; a first reinforcing portion and a second reinforcing portion, on opposite sides of the third lateral portion with respect to the first transversal score line and to the second transversal score line; and   to identify in the second lateral sector:   a fourth lateral portion which is comprised between the first transversal score line, the second transversal score line, the second longitudinal score line and the second longitudinal end of the cardboard for packaging; a third reinforcing portion and a fourth reinforcing portion, on opposite sides of the fourth lateral portion with respect to the first transversal score line and to the second transversal score line;   the first lateral portion, the second lateral portion, the third lateral portion and the fourth lateral portion having dimensions such as to cover the lateral faces of the article to be boxed;   the method further comprising the following steps:   using a laser beam and make, with the laser beam:   a first incision on the first reinforcing portion starting from the point of intersection between the first longitudinal score line and the first transversal score line;   a second incision on the second reinforcing portion starting from the point of intersection between the first longitudinal score line and the second transversal score line;   a third incision on the third reinforcing portion starting from the point of intersection between the second longitudinal score line and the first transversal score line; and   a fourth incision on the fourth reinforcing portion starting from the point of intersection between the second longitudinal score line and the second transversal score line;   wherein the first incision, the second incision, the third incision and the fourth incision are realised by means of the laser beam so as to have a smaller depth with respect to the thickness of the cardboard for packaging.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising following steps:
 on the basis of the dimensional values detected and memorised, making a third transversal score line which is parallel and adjacent to the second transversal score line so that the following are identified:   in the central sector, a fifth lateral portion that is adjacent to the second lateral portion and which has dimensions such as to cover the upper face of the article to be boxed;   in the first lateral sector, a first flap that is adjacent to the second reinforcing portion; and   in the second lateral sector, a second flap that is adjacent to the fourth reinforcing portion;   making a first cut on the first lateral sector, which extends in a transversal direction, from the first longitudinal end of the cardboard for packaging to the first longitudinal score line so as to separate the first flap from the second reinforcing portion; and   making a second cut on the second lateral sector, which extends, in a transversal direction, from the second longitudinal end of the cardboard for packaging to the second longitudinal score line so as to separate the second flap from the fourth reinforcing portion.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first cut and the second cut have a depth that is equal to the thickness of the cardboard for packaging. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of infeeding a cardboard for packaging comprises a step of infeeding a cardboard strip for packaging and wherein the method further comprises the step of cutting the cardboard strip for packaging so as to obtain a cardboard sheet for packaging. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of infeeding a cardboard for packaging comprises a step of infeeding a cardboard sheet for packaging and wherein the method further comprises a step of cutting the cardboard sheet for packaging if the dimensions of the cardboard sheet for packaging that are detected are greater than the dimensions of the blank to be obtained. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of using a laser beam for making, using the laser beam, the first longitudinal score line, the second longitudinal score line, the first transversal score line and the second transversal score line. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of using a laser beam to make, using the laser beam, the third transversal score line, the first cut and the second cut. 
     
     
         8 . A machine for realising a blank from a cardboard for packaging to box an article comprising:
 supply means for infeeding a cardboard for packaging;   the cardboard for packaging being flat;   a control unit for memorising the dimensions of the upper face, of the bottom and of the lateral faces of an article to be boxed using the blank;   scoring means which are activated by the control unit, on the basis of the dimensional values detected and memorised, in order to make on the cardboard for packaging a first longitudinal score line and a second longitudinal score line, parallel to one another, and a first transversal score line and a second transversal score line, parallel to one another and perpendicular to the first longitudinal score line and to the second longitudinal score line, so as to define on the cardboard for packaging:   a central sector comprised between the first longitudinal score line and the second longitudinal score line;   a first lateral sector comprised between the first longitudinal score line and a first longitudinal end of the cardboard for packaging; and   a second lateral sector comprised between the second longitudinal score line and a second longitudinal end of the cardboard for packaging;   the two longitudinal score lines and the two transversal score lines transversally crossing the cardboard for packaging and being distanced from one another in such a way as:   to identify in the central sector:   a main portion, which is comprised between the first transversal score line and the second transversal score line and which has dimensions such as to cover the bottom of the article to be boxed; a first lateral portion and a second lateral portion, on opposite sides of the main portion with respect to the first transversal score line and to the second transversal score line;   to identify in the first lateral sector:   a third lateral portion, which is comprised between the first transversal score line, the second transversal score line, the first longitudinal end of the cardboard for packaging and the first longitudinal score line; a first reinforcing portion and a second reinforcing portion, on opposite sides of the third lateral portion, with respect to the first transversal score line and the second transversal score line; and   to identify in the second lateral sector:   a fourth lateral portion which is comprised between the first transversal score line, the second transversal score line, the second longitudinal score line and the second longitudinal end of the cardboard for packaging; a third reinforcing portion and a fourth reinforcing portion, on opposite sides of the fourth lateral portion with respect to the first transversal score line and to the second transversal score line;   the first lateral portion, the second lateral portion, the third lateral portion and the fourth lateral portion having dimensions such as to cover the lateral faces of the article to be boxed;   cutter means, which are of a laser type and which are activated by the control unit, on the basis of the dimensional values detected and memorised, in order to make, using a laser beam:   a first incision on the first reinforcing portion starting from the point of intersection between the first longitudinal score line and the first transversal score line;   a second incision on the second reinforcing portion starting from the point of intersection between the first longitudinal score line and the second transversal score line;   a third incision on the third reinforcing portion starting from the point of intersection between the second longitudinal score line and the first transversal score line; and   a fourth incision on the fourth reinforcing portion starting from the point of intersection between the second longitudinal score line and the second transversal score line;   wherein the first incision, the second incision, the third incision and the fourth incision are realised by means of the laser beam so as to have a smaller depth with respect to the thickness of the cardboard for packaging.   
     
     
         9 . The machine of  claim 8 , comprising a detecting sensor for detecting the dimensions of the upper face, of the bottom and of the lateral faces of the article to be boxed and wherein the control unit receives and memorises the dimensions detected so as to activated the cutter means. 
     
     
         10 . The machine of  claim 8 , wherein scoring means are of the laser type and are activated by the control unit. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the step of using a laser beam to make, using the laser beam, the third transversal score line, the first cut and the second cut. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising the step of using a laser beam to make, using the laser beam, the third transversal score line, the first cut and the second cut. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the step of using a laser beam to make, using the laser beam, the third transversal score line, the first cut and the second cut.