EP3643626B1 - Method and device for manufacturing packaging for cigarette industry products - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing packs for products in the cigarette industry, several groups of products being wrapped in a common envelope together with a separating element at least partially separating the groups, the separating element being first inserted into a receptacle in a pocket and then the groups of products are introduced into receiving spaces in the pocket, in such a way that a partition of the partition element is arranged between at least two groups of products, and finally the groups of products with the partition element are pushed out of the pocket together and wrapped in an envelope, according to the The preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to a corresponding device according to the preamble of claim 6.

The invention is concerned with the manufacture of a certain type of pack for products in the cigarette industry. In this type of pack known from practice, several, in particular two, groups of products are arranged together with a separating element in a common envelope. The separating element is arranged at least partially between the or some groups of products. The package contents created in this way can be arranged in an outer package, for example of the hinge-lid type, optionally together with a collar.

In the context of the application, products of the cigarette industry are understood to mean tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigarillos and the like, but also novel tobacco products such as heat-not-burn products or liquid carriers for e-cigarettes.

A method and an apparatus according to the preamble of claims 1 and 6 are from FIG WO 2015/192925 A1 known.

The production of such packs is complex with the methods and devices currently available.

Proceeding from this, the invention is based on the object of further developing devices and methods of the type mentioned at the beginning, in particular with regard to a higher production speed.

A method for solving this problem has the features of claim 1.

A device according to the invention has the features of claim 6.

Fig. 1

eine Packung für Produkte der Zigarettenindustrie in räumlicher Darstellung mit geöffnetem Deckel,

Fig. 2

einen Horizontalschnitt durch die Packung entlang Schnittlinie II - II in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

eine Vorrichtung zur Herstellung der Packung in schematischer, räumlicher Darstellung,

Fig. 4

eine Einzelheit der Vorrichtung im Bereich IV der Fig. 3 in vergrößerter Darstellung,

Fig. 5

einen Vertikalschnitt durch die Vorrichtung entlang Schnittlinie V - V in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6

einen Vertikalschnitt durch die Vorrichtung entlang Schnittlinie VI - VI in Fig. 4,

Fig. 7

einen Vertikalschnitt durch die Vorrichtung entlang Schnittlinie VII - VII in Fig. 4,

Fig. 8

einen Vertikalschnitt durch die Vorrichtung entlang Schnittlinie VIII - VIII in Fig. 4,

Fig. 9

eine Einzelheit der Vorrichtung im Bereich IX der Fig. 3 in vergrößerter Darstellung,

Fig. 10

eine vergrößerte Einzelheit der Vorrichtung im Bereich X in Fig. 9,

Fig. 11

einen Vertikalschnitt durch die Vorrichtung entlang Schnittlinie XI - XI in Fig. 10,

Fig. 12

einen Vertikalschnitt durch die Vorrichtung entlang Schnittlinie XII - XII in Fig. 10,

Fig. 13

einen Vertikalschnitt durch die Vorrichtung entlang Schnittlinie XIII - XIII in Fig. 10,

Fig. 14

einen Vertikalschnitt durch die Vorrichtung entlang Schnittlinie XIV - XIV in Fig. 10, und

Fig. 15

einen Vertikalschnitt durch die Vorrichtung entlang Schnittlinie XV-XV in Fig. 9.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the drawing. In this shows:

Fig. 1

a pack for products of the cigarette industry in a spatial representation with the lid open,

Fig. 2

a horizontal section through the pack along section line II - II in Fig. 1 ,

Fig. 3

a device for the production of the pack in a schematic, spatial representation,

Fig. 4

a detail of the device in area IV of Fig. 3 in an enlarged view,

Fig. 5

a vertical section through the device along section line V - V in Fig. 4 ,

Fig. 6

a vertical section through the device along section line VI - VI in Fig. 4 ,

Fig. 7

a vertical section through the device along section line VII - VII in Fig. 4 ,

Fig. 8

a vertical section through the device along section line VIII - VIII in Fig. 4 ,

Fig. 9

a detail of the device in area IX of Fig. 3 in an enlarged view,

Fig. 10

an enlarged detail of the device in area X in FIG Fig. 9 ,

Fig. 11

a vertical section through the device along section line XI - XI in Fig. 10 ,

Fig. 12

a vertical section through the device along section line XII - XII in Fig. 10 ,

Fig. 13

a vertical section through the device along section line XIII - XIII in Fig. 10 ,

Fig. 14

a vertical section through the device along section line XIV - XIV in Fig. 10 , and

Fig. 15

a vertical section through the device along section line XV-XV in Fig. 9 .

The invention is explained below using variants of a pack 10 for cigarettes 11. It goes without saying that the invention is not restricted to the specifically shown pack variants, pack types and products, but that these are only to be understood as examples. As far as specific terms are used in the following, it goes without saying that these are only used as an example of correspondingly generalized terms.

1. Structure of the packs

The packs 10 shown are packs 10 of the hinge-lid type with a box part 12 and a lid 13 arranged in an articulated manner on the box part 12. A package content 14 is arranged in the box part 12, which is open at the top.

The package content 14 consists of two groups 15 of products, namely in the present case of two groups 15 of cigarettes 11. The cigarettes 11 or products are arranged in an orderly formation, namely in the present case in two rows with five cigarettes 11 each that the formation can also differ from the embodiment shown. In particular, the formation of the cigarettes 11 in the groups 15 does not have to match. The arrangement of more than two groups 15 is also conceivable.

The cigarettes 11 or products are, as is customary with such packs 10, arranged in the box part 12, namely upright. In the present case, the products are cigarettes 11 with a filter piece 16, which points upwards and is grasped by the consumer to remove the cigarettes 11.

A first special feature is that the or all groups 15 of products are arranged within a common inner casing 17. The inner casing 17 can be formed from a packaging material customary in such packs 10, for example from tinfoil, paper or the like. The groups 15 of products are therefore, unlike otherwise usual in the prior art, not packaged separately in their own inner wrappings 17.

The inner wrapping 17 is formed from a (single) sheet or blank of packaging material and is closed in the usual way by folding folding flaps, so that the inner wrapping 17 surrounds or envelops the package contents 14 on all sides.

In the area of a top side 18 of the inner cover 17, folding tabs 19, 20 are folded like an envelope, namely a folding tab 19 of the blank which extends from a front side 21 of the inner cover 17 in the direction of the upper side 18 and a folding tab 20 which extends from a rear side 22 of the inner casing 17 extends in the direction of the top 18. The folding flap 19 is folded over the folding flap 20.

In the context of this application, terms such as top side, bottom side, front side and rear side are used in accordance with the arrangement of the packs 10 in the drawings.

A further element of the packs 10 can be a collar 30, for example in an embodiment as an inner collar, ie arranged within the inner casing 17 ( Figs. 1 and 2 ) or in an embodiment as an outer collar, ie surrounding the inner casing 17 and partially protruding from the box part 12. In some variants of the packs 10, the collar 30 can also be indicated by a marking 32 on the inner casing 17, for example by printing and / or embossing. The marking 32 can also be used in addition to an inner collar ( Fig. 2 ). Finally, a collar 30 can also be dispensed with entirely.

Another special feature consists in a separating element 33 within the inner casing 17, which is arranged between the (two) groups 15 of products and separates them. The separating element 33 is preferably formed from a separate blank 42 of packaging material which has individual walls which are delimited from one another by fold lines around which the blank 42 is folded into a three-dimensional shape.

At the in Figs. 1 and 2 shown pack 10, the collar is designed as an inner collar 30, which extends along three sides of the inner casing 17, namely in the area of the front 21 and the two adjacent narrow sides 34. The collar 30 is formed by the separating element 33, so that on an additional Blank 42 for the collar 30 can be dispensed with.

The separating element 33 is formed by waste-free separation from a continuous web of material. Correspondingly, the contour of the cut edges in the area of an upper side and an underside of the blank 42 runs in a matching manner.

The separating element 33 has six walls which are separated from one another by fold lines 46. The fold lines 46 can be in the form of lines of weakness such as perforation lines or grooves or scores.

The walls are two large-area walls 43 and two walls 44 arranged next to them. Furthermore, further walls 60 are arranged on both sides of the large-area walls 43. The blank 42 becomes so folded that the separating element 33 in cross section accordingly Fig. 2 has a substantially T-shape. The walls 44 are folded onto one another to form a double-walled partition 45. The large-area walls 43 are directed transversely thereto at an angle of 90 °. Furthermore, the walls 60 are again folded by 90 ° to the walls 43, so that they extend along the narrow sides 34.

The separating element 33 is arranged in the box part 12 in such a way that the large-area walls 43 extend along the front side of the inner casing 17. The partition 45 is directed transversely to this and is arranged between the two groups 15 in order to separate them. The dividing wall 45 and the walls 60 extend over essentially the entire depth of the interior of the box part 12 and the two large-area walls 43 over essentially the entire width of the interior of the box part 12. The dimensions of the dividing element 33 are thus chosen such that this the width and depth of the box part 12 substantially corresponds (apart from a usual game).

Furthermore, the separating element 33 is arranged in the box part 12 in such a way that it is flush with the cigarettes 11 on the top.

Furthermore, the separating element 33 has recesses 47 in the area of the upper side of the walls 43. The recesses 47 extend until just before the walls 60. A web 48 is arranged here in each case. The partition wall 45 is designed with a slope sloping towards the front, so that the recesses 47 run continuously. The walls 43 accordingly only have a web 48 on one side.

The inner casing 17 has the marking 32 in the form of a collar with a recess, at least in the visible area above the box part 12. The marking 32 extends over the entire width of the front side 21 and the narrow sides 34 of the inner casing 17.

The marking 32 can be created by embossing and / or printing the material of the inner casing 17. Other methods are also conceivable.

2. Structure of the device

The device for producing this or such packs 10 is in the Figures 3 to 15 and is described below.

Fig. 3 shows an overview drawing of the device with a feed of the blanks 42 at the top left, a feed for the cigarettes 11 or products at the top right and the removal and further processing of the products and separating elements 33 combined with one another at the bottom left.

Fig. 4 shows the feeding of the blanks 42 in detail. A continuous web of material 70 is fed in, from which blanks 42 are cut off and singulated in a cutting apparatus 71.

The separated blanks 42 are first transported along a separating element web 72 and then transversely to the direction in which they are fed to the cutting apparatus 71 are transported away laterally onto a transverse removal path 73. The blanks 42 are transported in the area of the separating element web 72 with their longitudinal extent pointing transversely to the transport direction. In the area of the transverse push-off path 73, the blanks 42 are transported with their longitudinal extension pointing in the transport direction.

In the area of the transverse push-off path 73, the blanks 42 are transported by a conveyor 74. The conveyor 74 has a conveyor strand 75 which runs parallel to the transverse pushing path 73 and which has (external) drivers 76 which protrude from the conveying strand 75 and grasp the blanks 42 at the rear in the conveying direction and push them in the transport direction according to arrow 77 along the transverse pushing path 73.

The blanks 42 reach the work area of a folding station 78 in which the blanks 42 are (pre) folded in the area of the separating element web 72. To fold the blanks 42, a folding member 79 is provided which can be moved transversely to the web of separating elements 72.

Fig. 5 shows that the folding element 79 has a thin-walled cross section and is intended to fold the walls 44 for the partition 45 against one another. For this purpose, the folding member 79 is moved against the blank 42 at the level of the fold line between the two walls 44 and the corresponding blank 42 is thus folded. Then the folding member 79 is moved back again or pulled out between the folded walls 44 and after the folded blank has been transported away 42 the next blank 42 is supplied. In the present case, with the separating element web 72 directed horizontally, the folding element 79 is accordingly moved up and down in the vertical direction.

Fig. 5 further shows that the blank 42 takes place during the transport in the region of the folding station 79 by means of drivers 80 which act on a rear edge of the blank 42. Furthermore, guides 81, 82 are provided which run parallel to the separating element web 72 and between which the walls 44 for the separating wall 45 are guided. The guides 81, 82 converge in the transport direction of the blanks 42 in order to move the two walls 44 of the partition 45 together during the transport of the blanks 42, preferably until they rest against one another.

Another important aspect of this approach is that the width of the blank 42 is reduced by folding the walls 44. Accordingly, in Fig. 5 indicated how the side edges of the blank 42 are moved together by the folding (arrows 83). The importance of this aspect will be explained in connection with the description of the spacing of the pockets 85 below.

How Fig. 6 4 shows the at least partially folded blanks 42 are pushed into the drivers 76 of the conveyor 74, which transports the at least partially folded blanks 42 along the transverse push-off path 73. A special feature here is that the drivers 76 are set up to grasp the blanks 42 on the partition 45 and to transport them on the partition 45 along the transverse push-off path 73.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the drivers 76 have a slot-like receptacle 84 in which an (upper) end of the partition 45 is received. Of course, other methods of gripping the blank 42 are also conceivable, such as, for example, other mechanical means or pneumatic means or the like.

The blanks 42 are then conveyed with the aid of the conveyor 74 forward into the area of pockets 85 into which the blanks 42 are pushed with the aid of slides 86.

The function of the slide 86 is in Fig. 7 to recognize. A slide 86 is provided for each lane, which pushes a folded blank 42 into a pocket 85 held ready in an insertion station 87. The slides 86 transport the blanks 42 parallel (but opposite) to the original transport direction to the cutting apparatus 71. The device then works with multiple lanes, in the present case two lanes.

The slides 86 each rest with projections 88 of a slide plate 89 on the edge side against the cut edges of the large-area walls 43. Furthermore, the slides 86 rest on the edge of the cut edges of the walls 44 or the partition 45 of the respective partition elements 33.

When the blanks 42 are being transported, the projections 88 engage in the pockets 85 in recesses 90 in a track plate 91 on which the blanks 42 rest on the underside. After the folded blanks 42 have been fed to the pockets 85, the slides 86 are moved back into an initial position for feeding the next blanks 42.

The construction of the pockets 85 is also a special feature. The pockets 85 each have receptacles 92 for the walls 43, 60 and a guide 93 for the partition 45.

The receptacles 92 are designed as slots in the walls 94 of the pockets 85, into which the walls 43, 60 are pushed when the blanks 42 are pushed into the pockets 85. The walls 43, 60 are located in one plane (transverse to the partition 45).

The guide 93 is designed in such a way that it laterally holds or stabilizes an end region of the partition wall 45.

Means are also provided to hold the folded blanks 42 or separating elements 33 in the pockets 85. In the present case, elastic spring elements 95 are provided in the area of the walls 94, with which the walls 94 are held in the slot-like receptacles 92.

Furthermore, the guides 93 for the partition walls 45 are part of elastic spring elements 96 which protrude into the interior spaces of the pockets 85.

The spring elements 95, 96 can be formed from spring steel, for example as spring steel sheet. Other elastic constructions are also conceivable.

On the one hand, the spring elements 96 have the guide 93 and, on the other hand, the spring elements 96 rest against the groups 15 of products which are pushed into the pockets 85 on both sides of the partition walls 45. For this purpose, the pockets 85 on both sides of the partition walls 45 have receiving spaces 97 for each group 15 of products. It should be noted that the guides 93 also protrude into the receiving spaces 97, namely on both sides of one end of the partition walls 45. The significance of this construction will become clear later in connection with the supply of the groups 15 of products.

The spring elements 96 accordingly have, on the one hand, a guide 93 for the partition 45, which can be formed, for example, as a slot in the spring element 96. In addition, holders 98 are formed on both sides of the guide 93 and bear against the groups 15. The spring element 96 can be formed in one piece or in one piece or in several parts, as in FIG Fig. 8 .

Fig. 7 also shows a stop 99 which is arranged on the front side of the pockets 85 in order to prevent the separating elements 42 and / or the groups 15 of products from being pushed too far through the pockets 85.

The pockets 85 are arranged on a conveyor 100 and are displaceable by the conveyor 100 transversely to the supply of the separating elements 33. In the present case, the conveyor 100 is designed as a pocket chain conveyor with an endless toothed belt, on which the pockets 85 are arranged on the outside at a uniform distance from one another. It goes without saying that the pockets 85 can also be arranged on a conveyor configured in a different manner, for example on a rotating folding turret.

After the separating elements 33 have been fed to the pockets 85, they are moved on to a filling station 101. In the filling station 101 there is a cigarette magazine 102 from which groups 15 of cigarettes 11 are pushed out in the usual manner by means of pusher 103.

How Fig. 9 shows, the groups 15 of products are pushed into the pockets 85 in the area of the upper run of the conveyor 100. The later pushing out of the groups 15 of products together with the separating element 33, however, takes place in the area of the The lower run of the conveyor 100. The arrangement of the separating element 33 and the spring elements 95, 96 take this into account.

The spring elements 96 with the guide 93 are located near a (cover) wall of the pocket 85 facing away from the conveyor 100. In the opposite wall 94, the slot-like receptacles 92 for the walls 43 are arranged, between which a slot 104 for the partition wall 45 is formed.

The supplied groups 15 of products completely fill the receiving spaces 97 on both sides of the partition 45, the groups 15 of products resting on the underside against the wall 94 and on the sides against the walls 105 of the pocket 85 or the partition 45. On the upper side, the groups 15 of products rest against the spring element 96 or are pressed by it against the wall 94 ( Fig. 12 ).

Technically, the folded blank 42 or the separating element 33 is first pushed into the pocket 85, the walls 43 being inserted into the slot-like receptacles 92 and an upper end of the separating wall 45 into the guide 93. A lower end of the separating wall 45 protrudes through the slot 104 into the interior of the pocket 85. When feeding the groups 15 of products by means of the ram 103 ( Fig. 13 ) the groups 15 of products move the spring element 96 with the guide 93 (gradually) out of the receiving space 97, the partition 45 then being laterally supported by the groups 15 or held in its position. In this way, the function of the guide 93 when inserting the groups 15 of products is taken over by the same.

Fig. 15 shows a section similar to Fig. 11 but upstream to show another detail of the device. As already described, two groups 15 of products are pushed out of the cigarette magazine 102 by means of the plunger 103. A separating element 115 is arranged between the two groups 15 of products, on which the two groups 15 rest laterally and which defines the distance between the two groups 15 from one another.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the separating element 115 is designed as a continuous separating plate which extends to the insertion station 87. Instead of a partition plate, other structures can also be used, such as one or more guides, guide rails or the like.

The separating element 115 preferably adjoins a separating wall of the cigarette magazine 102, which separates the shafts for products of the two groups 15. It is also conceivable that the separating element 15 and the corresponding separating wall are formed in one piece.

The dividing element 115 preferably has a width which is somewhat greater than the width of the dividing wall 45 of the inner collar 30. In this way, a collision of the groups 15 of products with the dividing wall 45 during insertion can be counteracted.

Fig. 13 shows the ejection of the groups 15 of products together with the separating element 33 from the pocket 85 by means of a slide 106 which is arranged on a (cranked) driver 107. The slide 106 only rests against the groups 15 of products and the partition 45, but not against the walls 43.

Incidentally, the spring element 96 is designed in two parts here in order to be able to provide a slot 108 for the driver 107. The driver 107 is not arranged centrally on the slide 106, but is offset laterally. The larger of the two parts of the spring element 96 has the guide 93.

After the separation element 33 and the groups 15 of products have been brought together in the pockets 85 ( Fig. 12 or 14) the conveyor 100 is moved on until pockets 85 reach a push-out station 109. This is arranged in the area of the lower run of the conveyor 100. It goes without saying that the extension can also take place at another point, the arrangement of the elements of the pocket 85 possibly having to be adapted.

The separation elements 33 and groups 15 are also pushed out in two parallel tracks on separate conveyors 110 Walls 60 are folded against the groups 15 of products. This is done as in Fig. 14 shown, with the help of lateral guides 113 in the further transport. The walls 60 rest against the lateral guides 113 and are gradually placed or folded against the groups 15 of products during transport by the corresponding course of the guides 113.

The package contents 14 formed in this way are then fed via a stage 111 to a two-lane folding turret 112 in which the package contents 14 are packed in an outer package. This can be done according to the EP 2 093 146 B1 or EP 2 125 573 B1 take place, the content of which is referred to for the purpose of a complete disclosure.

As already described several times, the device has a double track design, for example with a track spacing of 120 mm.

On the one hand, the path distance is found in the distance between the conveyors 110, the center distance of which corresponds to the path distance. The pockets 85 are also arranged at a track spacing, as are the pockets of the folding turret 112.

The original width of the blanks 42 on the separator web 72 is greater than the web spacing of the device. By folding the walls 44, the width of the blank 42 becomes smaller than the web spacing, so that the blanks 42 are then conveyed in front of adjacent pockets 85 and simultaneously pushed into them, which is a width or length of the blanks 42 that is greater than the web spacing , would not be possible.

Claims (7)

1. Method for producing packs (10) for products in the cigarette industry, wherein a plurality of groups (15) of products are wrapped in a common wrapper (17) together with a separating element (33), which at least partially separates the groups (15), wherein first of all the separating element (33) is introduced into a mount in a pocket (85) and then the groups (15) of products are introduced into accommodating spaces in the pocket (85) such that a separating wall (45) of the separating element (33) is arranged between at least two groups (15) of products, and wherein, finally, the groups (15) of products, together with the separating element (33), are pushed out of the pocket (85) and are wrapped in a wrapper (17), and wherein the method is implemented on multiple tracks, wherein in each case separating elements (33) and groups (15) of products are fed simultaneously into at least two adjacent pockets (85) and/or in each case separating elements (33) and groups (15) of products are pushed out simultaneously from at least two adjacent pockets (85), and wherein the pockets (85) are arranged at a track spacing apart, and wherein non-folded blanks for the separating elements (33) have a length which is greater than the track spacing, and wherein the length of the blanks (42) in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction is reduced, by the operation of folding the walls (44) for the separating walls (45), to an extent which is smaller than the track spacing, characterized in that a blank (42) for a separating element (33) is transported along a separating-element track (72) and then pushed off, in a direction transverse to the separating-element track (72), onto a transverse push-off track (73) and transported along the transverse push-off track (73) and fed to the pocket (85) and pushed into the same, and in that, prior to the transverse transportation to the pocket (85), the blank (42) is at least partially folded in the separating-element track (72) by a folding member (79) for the purpose of at least partially forming the separating wall (45), and in that the at least partially folded blank (42) is transported in the region of the transverse push-off track (73) by a conveyor (74), wherein the at least partially folded blank is gripped by the separating wall (45) and is pushed along the transverse push-off track (73) in the transporting direction by the conveyor (74), and in that drivers (76) arranged on the conveyor (74) have an in particular slit-like mount (84) for a respective separating wall (45), and in that the blanks (42) are transported along the transverse push-off track (73) by virtue of a respective separating wall (45) of the blank (42) being positioned in the in particular slit-like mount (84) of a driver (76) and of the blank (42) being pushed along the transverse push-off track (73) by the separating wall (45).
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that two adjacent walls (44) of the blank (42) for the separating element (33) are folded out of the plane of the separating-element track (72) by the folding member (79) for the purpose of at least partially folding the blank (42) or the walls (44) for the separating wall (45) .
3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, following the preferably partial folding of the separating wall (45), the at least partially folded blank (42) is transported onwards along the separating-element track (72), wherein the two adjacent walls (44) for the separating wall (45) are moved towards one another by two converging guides (81, 82) for the purpose of forming the double-walled separating wall (45).
4. Method according to Claim 2 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that separating elements (33) and groups (15) of products are pushed out of the pockets (85) together in each case, and in that, once they have been pushed out of the pockets (85), (further) walls (60) of the separating elements (33) are folded.
5. Method according to Claim 4 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the (further) walls (60) of the blanks (42) or of the separating elements (33) are folded during the transporting operation once the separating elements in groups of products have been pushed out of the respective pocket (85), in particular they are folded by guides (113), against which the walls (60) butt during the transporting operation and by means of which the walls (60) are folded during the transporting operation.
6. Apparatus for producing packs (10) for products in the cigarette industry, wherein a plurality of groups (15) of products are wrapped in a common wrapper (17) together with a separating element (33), which at least partially separates the groups (15), having a pocket (85) for accommodating the separating element (33) and the groups (15) of products so that a separating wall (45) of the separating element (33) is arranged between at least some groups (15) of products, and having a pusher (86) for pushing the groups (15) of products, together with the separating element (33), out of the pocket (85), and wherein the apparatus is of multi-track design, wherein in each case separating elements (33) and groups (15) of products can be fed and/or pushed out simultaneously in at least two adjacent pockets (85), and wherein the pockets (85) are arranged at a track spacing apart, and wherein non-folded blanks (42) for the separating elements (33) have a length in a direction transverse to the conveying direction which is greater than the track spacing, and the apparatus is designed to reduce the length of the blanks (42), by the operation of folding the walls (44) for the separating walls (45), to an extent which is smaller than the track spacing, characterized in that a folding member (79) is arranged in the region of a separating-element track (72) and is designed to fold walls (44) of the blanks (42) out of the separating-element track (72) for the purpose of at least partially folding the walls (44) for the separating walls (45), and wherein, following the folding member (79), guides (81, 82) are provided in the region of the separating-element track (72), the at least partially folded walls (44) for the separating walls (45) butting against said guides, wherein the guides (81, 82) converge and are designed to move the at least partially folded walls (44) for the separating walls (45) towards one another during the transporting operation along the separating-element track (72), and wherein the separating-element track (72) is followed by a transverse push-off track (73), which is directed transversely to the separating-element track and is intended for the purpose of transporting the at least partially folded blanks (42) in the direction of the pockets (85), wherein a conveyor (74) is provided for the purpose of transporting the at least partially folded blanks (42) along the transverse push-off track (73), and wherein the conveyor grips the partially folded blanks (42) by the at least partially folded walls (44) for the separating wall (45) and pushes them along the transverse push-off track (73), and wherein the mounts are designed to accommodate walls (60) of the blanks (42), and in that the folding members (114) are provided once the groups (15) of products located in the pockets (85), together with separating element (33), have been pushed out, and these folding members are designed to fold the walls (60) of the blanks (42) during the transporting operation.
7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, characterized in that the folding members are designed in the form of guides (113), against which the walls (60) butt and which are designed to fold the walls (60) laterally, during the transporting operation, against the groups (15) of products such that the groups (15) of products butt against the separating element (33) on three side surfaces.

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