IP Library Granted Patent US 7,565,786
Granted Patent B2
US 7,565,786 · App. 11/037,327 · Granted Jul 28, 2009

Method and device for removing a cover from a storage box

Assignee: Groninger & Co. GmbH
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,565,786
App. No.
11/037,327
Granted
Jul 28, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and a device for removing a cover from a storage box that is closed using a lid-like cover attached thereto at the edges. For removal, the adhesive strength of the cover is reduced in the region of a few of the sealed edges and the cover is then removed by peeling it off the storage box, whereby the cover is peeled off by rolling it onto a roller.

Claims (17)

1. A device for removing two covers ( 11 , 12 ) from a storage box ( 13 ),

comprising

a transport device ( 17 ) transporting the storage boxes ( 13 ) with space between each one and along a path, and at least one roller station ( 18 ) with two suction devices ( 19 , 24 ) which lift and securely hold the two covers ( 11 , 12 ) using suction force, and two rollers ( 20 , 21 ) which roll up the securely-held covers ( 11 , 12 ) and are located one behind the other, with space between them, in the transport direction, with associated drives ( 22 , 23 ), each of which includes a separate, controllable suction device ( 19 , 24 ), said suction device ( 19 , 24 ) on each roller ( 20 , 21 ) includes suction devices ( 19 ), with suction openings which are in at least one row with the roller and are connected to a vacuum source, at least one heating device ( 30 ) is located above a track, via which first one of the covers ( 11 ), sealed on the particular storage box ( 13 ) at the edge, is acted upon with radiant heat—as the storage boxes ( 13 ) pass through—in the region of a few of the sealed edges ( 15 ), in particular transverse edges, to reduce an adhesive strength and therefore to reduce resistance to separation by peeling, wherein

a first one of the rollers ( 20 ) is designed with a suction device ( 19 ) for removing and rolling up the first top, sealed-on cover ( 11 ) and is located as the first roller ( 20 ) upstream of a second one of the rollers, as viewed in the transport direction, and a second roller ( 21 ) is designed with a suction device ( 24 ) for the subsequent removal and rolling up of a second cover ( 12 ) which is placed loosely in the storage box ( 13 ), and both rollers ( 20 , 21 ) rotate in the same direction of rotation for rolling up, and wherein the heating device ( 30 ) is located upstream of the roller station ( 18 ), as viewed in the transport direction

wherein

the roller station ( 18 ), the cover ( 11 , 12 ) and the drive ( 22 , 23 ) are configured so that after the cover ( 11 , 12 ) is rolled up, the roller station ( 18 ), together with the rollers ( 20 , 21 ), is swiveled away from the region of the track and the storage boxes ( 13 ), by approximately 90°, into a discard position and over a discard opening ( 33 ),

at least one roller ( 20 , 21 ) is driveable in the discard position using the particular associated drive ( 22 , 23 ) in a direction opposite to the rolling-up position and, when the particular suction device ( 19 , 24 ) is turned off, discards the particular rolled-up cover ( 11 , 12 ) by unrolling it into the discard opening ( 33 ), and

after the covers ( 11 , 12 ) are discarded, the roller station ( 18 ) is swiveled out of the discard position and back into its starting position.

2. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the heating device ( 30 ) includes two radiant heaters ( 31 , 32 ) located with space between them in the transport direction.

3. The device as recited in one of the claim 1 , wherein the transport device ( 17 ) includes a roller track ( 9 ) which extends in a straight line in particular, on which the storage boxes ( 13 ) lie with their longitudinal edges and are capable of being moved forward in the transport direction.

4. A device for removing two covers ( 11 , 12 ) from a storage box ( 13 ),

comprising

a transport device ( 17 ) transporting the storage boxes ( 13 ) with space between each one and along a path, and at least one roller station ( 18 ) with two suction devices ( 19 , 24 ) which lift and securely hold the two covers ( 11 , 12 ) using suction force, and two rollers ( 20 , 21 ) which roll up the securely-held covers ( 11 , 12 ) and are located one behind the other, with space between them, in the transport direction, with associated drives ( 22 , 23 ), each of which includes a separate, controllable suction device ( 19 , 24 ), said suction device ( 19 , 24 ) on each roller ( 20 , 21 ) includes suction devices ( 19 ), with suction openings which are in at least one row with the roller and are connected to a vacuum source, at least one heating device ( 30 ) is located above a track, via which first one of the covers ( 11 ), sealed on the particular storage box ( 13 ) at the edge, is acted upon with radiant heat—as the storage boxes ( 13 ) pass through—in the region of a few of the sealed edges ( 15 ), in particular the transverse edges, to reduce an adhesive strength and therefore to reduce resistance to separation by peeling, wherein a first one of the rollers ( 20 ) is designed with a suction device ( 19 ) for removing and rolling up a first top, sealed-on cover ( 11 ) and is located as the first roller ( 20 ) upstream of a second one of the rollers, as viewed in the transport direction, and a second roller ( 21 ) is designed with a suction device ( 24 ) for the subsequent removal and rolling up of a second cover ( 12 ) which is placed loosely in the storage box ( 13 ), and both rollers ( 20 , 21 ) rotate in the same direction of rotation for rolling up, wherein the heating device ( 30 ) is located upstream of the roller station ( 18 ), as viewed in the transport direction, and wherein the heating device ( 30 ) is located transverse to the transport direction and extends at least across the entire track width such that, when the storage boxes ( 13 ) pass through, a cover ( 11 ) is acted upon and warmed up in the region of the front and rear transverse edge

wherein

the roller station ( 18 ), the cover ( 11 , 12 ), and the drive ( 22 , 23 ) are configured so that after the cover ( 11 , 12 ) is rolling up, the roller station ( 18 ), together with the rollers ( 20 , 21 ), is swiveled away from the region of the track and the storage boxes ( 13 ), by approximately 90°, into a discard position and over a discard opening ( 33 ),

at least one roller ( 20 , 21 ) is driveable in the discard position using the particular associated drive ( 22 , 23 ) in a direction opposite to the rolling-up position and, when the particular suction device ( 19 , 24 ) is turned off, discards the particular rolled-up cover ( 11 , 12 ) by unrolling it into the discard opening ( 33 ), and

after the covers ( 11 , 12 ) are discarded, the roller station ( 18 ) is swiveled out of the discard position and back into its starting position.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NAME OF THE CITY FOR THE ASSIGNEE SHOULD BE CRAILSHEIM PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 016208 FRAME 0056. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ORIGINAL NOTICE OF RECORDATION HAS THE CITY BEELEN FOR THE ASSIGNEE. Recorded Jul 20, 2005
From: MIKSCH, RUPERT
To: GRONINGER & CO. GMBH
Reel/Frame 016288/0598 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 18, 2005
From: MIKSCH, RUPERT
To: GRONINGER & CO. GMBH
Reel/Frame 016208/0056 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2004 003 232 · Jan 22, 2004 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20050160704A1 · Jul 28, 2005