o o WO 2013/ Al 3 January 2013 ( ) P O P C T

Transcription

1 (12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (10) International Publication Number (43) International Publication Date WO 2013/ Al 3 January 2013 ( ) P O P C T (51) International Patent Classification: AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BR, BW, BY, BZ, B31B 1/90 ( ) CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HN, (21) International Application Number: HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KM, KN, KP, KR, PCT/EP20 11/ KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, (22) International Filing Date: MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, 28 June ( ) OM, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, RU, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, (25) Filing Language: English UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW. (26) Publication Language: English (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every (71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): SCA kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, PACKAGING HUNGARY KFT [HU/HU]; Kozponti GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, Iroda/Central Office, Zahony u. 7. (Graphisoft Park), H- ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, 1031 Budapest (HU). TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV, (72) Inventor; and MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM, (75) Inventor/Applicant (for US only): FEKETE, Zsolt TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW, [HU/HU]; c/o SCA Packaging Hungary Kft, Zahony u. 7. ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). (Graphisoft Park), H Budapest (HU). Published: (74) Agents: Peter Wiedemann (HOFFMANN EITLE) et al; Arabellastrasse 4, Munich (DE). with international search report (Art. 21(3)) (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, (54) Title: METHOD AND MACHINE FOR MAKING A REINFORCED CARDBOARD BOX PRECURSOR o o (57) Abstract: A method for making a cardboard box precursor comprises the steps of feeding a precursor blank (1) to a first area (10) of a box-making machine, feeding one or more inserts (2, 2') to a second area (20) within the box-making machine, positioning and aligning the in serts (2, 2') on the second area (20) accord ing to their final position and alignment on the precursor blank (1), transferring the in serts (2, 2') onto the precursor blank (1) while maintaining their relative position and alignment, and fixing the inserts (2, 2') on the blank (1) so as to obtain the precurs or. A machine for making a cardboard box comprises a first area (10) for receiving a box-precursor blank (1), a second area (20) for positioning and aligning inserts (2), and a feeding arrangement (23, 24) for feeding the inserts (2, 2') to the second area (20), wherein the second area (20) comprises po sitioning and alignment elements (22) that are placed on the second area (20) accord ing to the final position and alignment of the inserts (2, 2') on the precursor blank

2 Method and machine for making a reinforced cardboard box precursor Field o f the invention The present invention relates to a method and a machine for making a cardboard box precursor, in particular a reinforced cardboard box precursor. Prior art In the packaging industry, buffer materials are generally used to protect packaged items from damage during transport and handling. One type o f buffer material is polystyrene foam, with packaging inserts made o f such material often shaped to provide an item to be packaged in a cardboard box with a protective holding structure. As polystyrene foam inserts have many environmental disadvantages, paper-based inserts have been developed, in particular such inserts based upon so-called honeycomb boards which, due to their honeycomb- like structure, provide outstanding rigidity and torsional stability. In order to efficiently use this second type o f environmentally friendlier material, the inserts need to be positioned and fixed appropriately in the box before the article is packaged, if not by filling up from wall to wall, so for example by gluing. In particular, the inserts need to be positioned at predetermined positions on the box precursor in order to provide, in the finished box, the necessary structural reinforcement for the box and/or holding structure for the item to be packaged.

3 A machine for producing a packaging for books and other products which need to be held and cushioned during transport is known from DE A l. In the machine disclosed therein, cardboard blanks arrive in sequence at a joining station where to b e joined with end pads (inserts) previously made on a separate manufacturing line. The end pads arrive at the station provided with glue and with a specified spacing between successive pads, and are led onto the bottom of the cardboard box blank by means of guides. The final positioning of the inserts is only achieved on the blank itself, and the machine is only adapted to position inserts o f simple (linear) geometry which are adapted to hold the product to be packaged only from one direction. The machine disclosed in WO 01/00511 A 2 continuously positions a carton blank delivered from one feed stream relative to an insert blank delivered from a second feed stream. Since the insert and the blank have in general different dimensions, they have to travel with different distances between successive blanks and inserts, respectively as well as different velocities on their feed streams in order to be properly aligned once the feet streams are joined. Moreover, slippage due to frictional engagement between the conveyors o f the continuous machine and the blanks or inserts will introduce further differences between the individual pitches o f blanks and inserts. To correct these tolerances, it is necessary to provide a correction device that measures the actual position o f each blank by a photo-cell or a sensor to detect the present position o f the blanks, and which adjusts the conveying speed o f the inserts by accelerating or decelerating correction belts and, thus advancing or retarding particular inserts relative to a blank. This correction device therefore enlarges the length o f the continuous box making machine, thus leading to longer processing times and increased costs both in terms o f machine outlay and maintenance. Moreover, the machine described is

4 only capable of correctly positioning one insert on the blan. Summary o f the invention It is therefore an object o f the present invention to provide a method and a machine for making a cardboard box precursor which is simple to implement and which provides a high accuracy o f positioning inserts while at the same time avoiding positioning and/or alignment errors or missing inserts without wasting raw materials such a s glue, inserts and blanks. This object is achieved by a method for making a cardboard box precursor according to claim 1 and a machine for making a cardboard box precursor according to claim 10. Preferred embodiments o f the invention are defined in the dependent claims. The method for making a cardboard box precursor o f the invention comprises the following steps: feeding a precursor blank to a first area o f a box-making machine, feeding one or more inserts to a second area within the box-making machine, positioning and aligning the inserts on the second area according to their final position and alignment on the precursor blank, transferring the inserts onto the precursor blank while maintaining their relative position and alignment, and fixing the inserts on the blank so as to obtain the precursor. The precursor blank is, for example, a generally rectangular piece o f cardboard, such a s corrugated cardboard, to which optionally folding lines and/or further cut-out features have been provided. The precursor blank is fed to the first area in a step-wise fashion from a precursor blank storage, for example a storage hopper. The inserts to be positioned at specific location on the precursor blank may, preferably, be reinforcing inserts which provide structural rigidity to the finished cardboard box as well a s positioning

5 and holding the object to be packaged. An example o f such reinforcing inserts are inserts made o f honeycomb boards (uncrushed, partially crushed or crushed), but also other types o f reinforcing inserts. Some inserts need not have any reinforcing function but may be provided only for positioning the article to be packaged or for separating plural articles to be packaged in the same box, such as an electronic equipment and associated accessories. The inserts are fed to the second area either individually or collectively, and originate from, for example, hoppers or another type of storage/delivery device, or from a conveyor belt. The inserts are positioned and aligned on the second area according to the final position and alignment on the precursor blank. This means that, on the second area, the inserts are arranged and oriented with the same relative distances between inserts as when they take up their final position and alignment on the precursor blank. The transfer o f the inserts onto the precursor blank may be effected by any means known in the art for that purpose, such a s grippers or the like. It is important that during the step o f transferring the inserts maintain their relative position and alignment so as to avoid erroneous positioning on the blank and to achieve high precision in the positioning o f the inserts. Fixing can be effected by any common and known means, such as by glue having an appropriate setting time of, for example, about five seconds. By the method o f the invention it becomes possible to align and position the inserts "off -blank" so that the machine can be stopped upon an error condition before actually fixing the inserts and possible applying fixing means/glue to the precursor blank. Thus, even in the case that an error is detected in the position and/or alignment o f the inserts on the second area, no blanks, inserts or glue are wasted. Additionally, because the alignment and

6 positioning on the second area is performed according to their final position and alignment on the precursor blank and the obtained relative position and alignment o f the inserts is maintained during transfer, a very high accuracy o f placement/alignment can be achieved in a reproducible manner. According to a preferred embodiment, the presence o f the inserts at the second area i s controlled prior to the step o f transferring, and the box-making machine is stopped i f one or more inserts are not present at the second area. Accordingly, the method makes it possible to avoid producing precursors with missing inserts, on the one hand, but also to avoid wasting blanks, inserts and/or glue a s well as avoiding downtime due to removal o f the incomplete precursor, the presence o f the inserts may be detected by any suitable means such a s optical sensors, electro-mechanical switches or the like which produce a signal in correspondence to the presence or absence o f the insert. In another preferred embodiment the position and/or alignment o f the inserts o f the second area is controlled prior to the step o f transferring, and the box-making machine is stopped i f one or more inserts are not properly positioned or aligned at the second area. This advantageous embodiment o f the inventive method does not only prevent wasting raw material due to missing inserts but also allows to ensure extremely high accuracy o f positioning and alignment in the finished precursor since cardboard box precursors are only produced by the method i f optimum positioning/alignment is provided for. Again, control or detection of the position and/or alignment o f the inserts may be effected by optical, mechanical or electrical means which generate a signal a s a function o f the position/alignment o f the inserts. Preferably, the step o f positioning and aligning comprises abutting the inserts against abutment surfaces provided on the second area. These abutment surfaces are

7 placed according to the final position and alignment o f the precursors on the blank and are particularly simple manner to ensure proper positioning and alignment, and to save costs for the necessary hardware. In a preferred embodiment, the inserts are fed together in the same stroke. This means that the inserts are fed in a single simultaneous movement by the machine, which speeds up both the feeding step itself and the subsequent positioning and aligning, and thus reduces the total production time. The feeding may be performed to that end by feeding belt or plate, or by a pusher, to name but a few examples. In a preferred embodiment o f the invention the step o f transferring comprises suctioning the inserts by a suctioning device, and moving the inserts with the suction device onto the precursor blank. The suctioning and subsequent moving o f the inserts altogether allows to maintain the relative position and alignment o f the inserts in a particularly simple and secure manner and thus to reduce the possibility of errors. Preferably, the method further comprises applying glue to the precursor blank at the final positions o f the inserts on the precursor blank. The application of glue is a particularly simple and well-known means o f fixing the inserts, and applying it to the precursor blank at the final positions rather than to the inserts simplifies the necessary applicator device. The step o f fixing preferably comprises pressing the inserts onto the precursor blank by means o f the suctioning device. In other words, the suctioning device used for transferring and placing the inserts to their proper position and alignment may also aid in fixing the inserts, thus greatly contributing to the precision and durability o f the insert placement.

8 Finally, the method may preferably further comprise, after the step fixing the inserts, the step o f folding and gluing the edges of the precursor blank partly around the inserts fixed in the final position. This allows to achieve, building upon the preceding precise positioning and alignment, an extremely stable and well reinforced structure o f the cardboard box once the box is erected. It allows for the formation o f frame-like support portions in the box made up o f the (reinforcing) insert and the surrounding folded cardboard. According to a second aspect o f the present invention, a machine for making a cardboard box is provided, wherein the machine comprises a first area for receiving a box precursor blank, a second area for positioning and aligning inserts, and a feeding arrangement for feeding inserts to the second area, wherein the second area comprises positioning and alignment elements that are placed on the second area according to the final position and alignment o f the inserts on the precursor blank. By providing a second area for positioning and aligning the inserts, which comprises the mentioned positioning and alignment elements, it is advantageously possible to implement an accurate and easy to check machine construction that is capable to place and fix inserts on a cardboard box precursor blank in a highly precise and reproducible manner. This leads, a s mentioned above with respect to the method, to a more efficient production with less rejections and wasted or discarded material, thus ultimately shortening production times and lowering costs. Again, the inserts are preferably reinforcing inserts that not only provide positioning to the items to be packaged, but also structural rigidity to the box, once finished. The positioning and alignment elements preferably comprise abutment surfaces for the reinforcing inserts. The

9 use o f abutment surfaces provides a particularly simple and economic way to implement positioning and alignment elements, thereby reducing possibilities for error and saving costs for the machine outlay. Advantageously, the alignment elements are stops, rails and/or protrusions. Other alignment elements, such a s appropriately placed pins, are equally envisioned. In a preferred embodiment, the feeding arrangement comprises a pusher that has a pushing surface shaped according to the outline o f the final position and alignment of the inserts on the precursor blank. The pushing surface does not need to b e uninterrupted, in a single piece, but can consist o f an adequate number of contact pins or other contact elements. In this manner, the pusher can feed the inserts in one stroke, that is with one simultaneous movement o f all inserts, onto the second area. This reduces the necessary processing time. Moreover, by having a pushing surface shaped according to the outline o f the final position and alignment o f the inserts on the precursor blank, a prepositioning and pre -alignment is already effected by the feeding arrangement, which in conjunction with the positioning and alignment elements on the second area will achieve an optimum position and alignment o f the inserts "of f-blank". The feeding arrangement preferably comprises one or more cassettes for holding available the inserts. The cassettes may have a directional -forcing form so that the insert cannot be inadvertently loaded the wrong way. Cassettes are a particularly simple and cheap manner for storing and holding available the inserts, and can moreover be easily changed or reconfigured for different inserts. It is o f course equally possible to provide other feeding arrangements such a s those based on belt feeders or hoppers. It is also conceivable to provide a pre- feeder belt that replenishes the cassettes during the process run.

10 Finally, in a preferred embodiment o f the machine, the first area is a folding area and is provided with folding devices (12) for at least partially folding portions of the precursor blank. This folding area, to which the precursor blank is fed in order to receive the ready positioned and aligned inserts, and which are fixed on the blanks, can thus be provided with a second function, that is folding a t least partially portions o f the blank without the need to provide a separate area to which the blanks provided with their insert need to be transported. This reduces the overall machine length and, consequently, reduces processing times because less areas (stations) need to be run through. Brief description o f drawings Figure 1 shows a plan view o f a machine for making cardboard box precursors, Figure 2 shows a plan view o f the plate feeder on the second area o f the machine o f Figure 1, Figures 3a to 3d show, in side view, a sequence o f processing steps applied by the plate feeder to the inserts, and Figure 4 shows a front view o f the machine, with the suctioning device operating between the first and second areas. Detailed description Figure 1 shows an embodiment o f the machine for making a reinforced cardboard box o f the invention in plan view. The machine is operating in stepwise mode rather than continuously, and has cycle length o f about 3 seconds, i.e. every 3 seconds a blank is processed and completed. The travel direction o f the blanks to be processed through the

11 machine is indicated by the right arrow in Figure 1. A cardboard box precursor blank 1 is fed through a sheet feeder 11 from a hopper magazine (not shown), in which the blanks 1 are stored, to a first area 1 0 o f the machine in which they are briefly stopped, and where they will undergo the step o f fixing the inserts 2 thereon and the step o f folding and gluing the edges o f the precursor blank 1 around the those reinforcing inserts 2 that are fixed close to the edges in their final positions. To that end, folding devices 12 may be provided laterally along the first area 1 0. Downstream o f the first area there is a further, third area 4 0 for feeding out the finished cardboard box precursors. Additional folding devices (not shown) may be provided at the downstream end o f the first area across its width. These additional folding devices serve for folding the cardboard precursor blanks along their front edges, preferably in an analogous manner as effected by the lateral folding devices, i.e. around the inserts. It is o f course possible to provide still further folding devices, such a s for the rear edges o f the blanks. On the left and right sides o f the first area 10 with respect to the transport (feed) direction o f the blanks (see right arrow in Figure 1 ) there are two second areas 2 0 for positioning and aligning reinforcing inserts 2 that are to be placed and fixed to the precursor blank 1. Each second area 20, shown in more detail in Figure 2, comprises a positioning and alignment surface 2 1 that is provided with a plurality o f stops in form o f guide plates 22 which provide abutment surfaces and have the function to guide the inserts 2 fed to the second area 20 into the correct position and alignment according to their final position and alignment on the precursor blank 1. These two second areas 20, shown to the above and below the first area 1 0 in figure 1, have associated storage cassettes 2 3 for the reinforcing inserts 2, each cassette with a shape adapted to the outline shape o f a given type of insert. There may be several, or just one, type o f insert according to the packaging requirements o f the

12 box and the item to be packaged. The cassette 2 3 itself consists o f upright angle plates 23a that delimit the inserts 2 a t their corners and allow them to glide vertically within. It is to be understood that different types o f insert storage, such as suitably configured hoppers or conveyors are equally utilizable. A pusher device is provided beneath the cassettes 2 3 at the second area 20, which consists o f a pusher plate 24 and the associated drive mechanism (not shown). The shape o f the front face 24a o f the pusher plate 2 4 see Figures 1 and 2 ), which comes nto engagement with the inserts, is shaped according to the overall outline that is produced by the inserts 2, 2 ' in their final position on the precursor blank. In this way, when the pusher plate 2 4 engages the inserts 2, 2 ' and starts pushing them into position on the second area 20, the inserts 2 get pre-aligned and pre -positioned relative to each other. Although not shown in the figures, the second area 2 0 is provided with optical sensors arranged above the alignment surface 21 which control the presence, position and alignment o f the inserts 2 once they are positioned and aligned, and transmit a signal to the machine control that stops the machine if one or more inserts are either not present or not positioned and/or aligned in the predetermined manner. On each lateral side o f the machine (left and right in Fig. 1 ) a suctioning device 30 for transferring the inserts 2, 2 ' from the second area 20 onto the precursor blank 1 on the first area 1 0 is provided. The suctioning device 30 comprises vacuum cups 31 connected by hoses 34 to a vacuum source and mounted on a longitudinal beam 32 (in the machine direction) which itself is movably supported on two crossbeams 3 3 that can travel between the first and second areas 10, 20. The vacuum cups 31 can be lowered from the longitudinal beam 32 onto the first and second areas 10, 2 0

13 to pick up the inserts 2. To that end, the vacuum cups 31 are disposed in an arrangement in which each vacuum cup 3 1 can be lowered and engaged with an insert 2, 2 ' on the second area 20, that is the vacuum cups are arranged in positions which correspond to the positions o f the individual inserts 2, 2 ' that are positioned and aligned on the second area 20. In operation, a set o f reinforcing inserts 2, 2 ' is fed from the storage cassettes 23 to the second area 20 and is aligned as will be described in detail below. When the inserts are checked to be properly aligned, and are moved to above the first area 10, a cardboard box precursor blank 1 is fed by the sheet feeder 1 1 to the first area 10. During this feeding motion o f the blank 1 glue i s applied thereon. To that end, a gluing device (not shown) applies a therm o setting glue o f about two seconds curing time onto the blank at the positions where the reinforcing inserts are to be placed and fixed. Figures 3a) to e ) show the feeding o f the inserts 21 to the first area 1 0 in detail. The lowermost inserts 2 in the cassettes 23 fall, due to their own weight and the weight o f the inserts above them, onto the surface 2 1 o f the second area 20 (Fig. 3a), where they are engaged by the pusher 24 and pushed simultaneously, in the same stroke, to their positions on the second area 2 0 predetermined by the plurality o f stops/guide plates 22 (Figs. 3b) and 3c). During the pushing movement, the reinforcing inserts 2, 2 ' are already pre-positioned and pre-aligned with respect to each other by virtue o f the shaped front face 24a o f the pusher plate 24, and they are definitely aligned and positioned by the guide plates 22 that correct positional and alignment inaccuracies thereby allowing the inserts 2, 2 ' to reach a precisely defined position and alignment on the second area 20. This precisely defined position and alignment corresponds to the final position and alignment on the precursor blank 1.

14 Once the inserts 2, 2 ' are so positioned and aligned, the vacuum cups 31 o f the suctioning device 30 are lowered onto them (Fig. 2 and 3d), with each insert 2, 2 ' being adhered to by one or more o f the vacuum cups 3 1 (according to the size and weight o f the inserts). The suctioning device 3 0 then lifts the inserts 2, 2 ' from the surface 2 1 o f the second area 20, with the inserts 2, 2 ' remaining in the same relative position and alignment with respect to each other, and are moved along the crossbeams 33 from above the second area 2 0 to above the first area 1 0 with the blank 1 in waiting (Fig. 3e). Once the inserts are lifted and transported by the suction cups, the next set o f inserts is fed from the cassettes. The suctioning device 3 1 that has moved the inserts 2,2', locked into their predetermined relative positions, to a position above the blank 1, is now lowered and the inserts 2, 2 ' are placed onto the blank 1 at their predetermined positions. The suctioning device 30 does not immediately release the inserts 2, 2 ' but pushes them onto the blank while the glue is hardening (see arrow in Fig. 3e}, both to ensure maximum fixing strength and to avoid mxspositioning or misalignment. Only after a predetermined pressing time o f about 1 second the suctioning device 30 is lifted off and returns to its position above the second area 20. With the inserts 2, 2 ' now securely and precisely fixed to the precursor blank 1, the folding devices 12 to the left and right o f the precursor blank 1 on the first area 1 0 are operated to fold the blank 1 along one or more fold lines around those reinforcing inserts 2 ' that are provided in proximity to the lateral edges o f the blank 1. Similarly, an additional folding device may perform the same action along the front and/or rear edge of the blank. Thus, by providing a reinforcing insert surrounded by cardboard, a particularly rigid and torsionally stable structure o f the future cardboard box can be provided. One type o f box that could

15 advantageously b e made with this method is one for packaging e.g. flat-panel TV screens, which need a box with good torsional stiffness. Such a box could be o f double-tray type with one tray serving a s a bottom and the other a s an upper part or a lid. Since the structural rigidity critically depends on accurate positioning and alignment o f the inserts on the blank, the method and machine o f the invention contribute to a great extent to the manufacture of a precursor blank having optimum mechanical properties. In fact, even slight misalignments o f the reinforcing inserts would lead to gaps and incomplete gluing/adhering o f the surrounding cardboard to the insert, with consequential loss o f rigidity and torsional sti f ess. These issues can safely b e avoided by the present invention.

16 Claims 1. A method for making a cardboard box precursor, comprising the following steps: feeding a precursor blank 1 ) to a first area (10} o f a box-making machine, feeding one or more inserts (2, 2') to a second area (20) within the box-making machine, positioning and aligning the inserts (2, 2') on the second area (20) according to their final position and alignment on the precursor blank (1), transferring the inserts (2, 2') onto the precursor blank (1) while maintaining their relative position and alignment, and fixing the inserts (2, 2') on the blank 1 ) so a s to obtain the precursor. 2. The method o f claim 1, wherein the presence o f the inserts (2, 2') at the second area (20) is controlled prior to the step of transferring, and the box-making machine is stopped i f one or more inserts (2, 2') are not present at the second area. 3. The method o f claim 1 or 2, wherein the position and/or alignment of the inserts (2, 2') at the second area {20} is controlled prior to the step o f transferring, and the boxmaking machine is stopped if one or more inserts (2, 2') are not properly positioned or aligned a t the second area (20). 4. The method o f claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the step o f positioning and aligning comprises abutting the inserts (2, 2') against abutment surfaces (22) provided on the second area 2 0 ). 5. The method o f any o f the preceding claims, wherein the inserts {2, 2 ' are fed together in the same stroke.

17 6. The method o f any o f the preceding claims, wherein the step o f transferring comprises suctioning the inserts (2, 2') by a suctioning device (30), and moving the inserts (2, 2'} with the suction device (30) onto the precursor blank (1). 7. The method o f any o f the preceding claims, wherein the method further comprises applying glue to the precursor blank (1) at the final positions o f the inserts (2, 2') on the precursor blank (1). 8. The method o f any o f the preceding claims, wherein the step o f fixing comprises pressing the inserts (2, 2') onto the precursor blank (1) by means of the suctioning device {30). 9. The method o f any o f the preceding claims, wherein the method further comprises, after the step o f fixing the inserts (2, 2'), the step o f folding and gluing the edges of the precursor blank (1) partly around the inserts (2') fixed in their final position. 10. A machine for making a cardboard box, wherein the machine comprises a first area (10) for receiving a box-precursor blank (!), a second area (20) for positioning and aligning inserts (2), and a feeding arrangement (23, 24) for feeding the inserts {2, 2') to the second area (20), wherein the second area (20) comprises positioning and alignment elements (22) that are placed on the second area (20) according to the final position and alignment o f the inserts (2, 2') on the precursor blank (1).

18 11. The machine o f claim 10, wherein the positioning and alignment elements (22) comprise abutment surfaces for the inserts (2, 2 '). 12. The machine o f claim 1 0 or 11, wherein the alignment elements (22) are stops, guide plates, rails and/or protrusions. 13. The machine o f any o f claims 10 to 12, wherein the feeding arrangement comprises a pusher (24) that has a pushing surface (24a) shaped according to the outline o f the final position and alignment o f the inserts (2, 2 ' on the precursor blank (1). 14. The machine o f any o f claims 10 to 13, wherein the feeding arrangement comprises one or more cassettes (23) for holding available the inserts (2, 2') 15. The machine o f any o f claims 1 0 to 14, wherein the first area (10) is a folding area and is provided with folding devices (12) for at least partially folding portions o f the precursor blank.

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23 A. CLASSIFICATION O F SUBJECT MATTER INV. ADD. B31B1/90 According to International Patent Classification (IPC) or to both national classification and IPC B. FIELDS SEARCHED Minimum documentation searched (classification system followed by classification symbols) B31B Documentation searched other than minimum documentation to the extent that such documents are included in the fields searched Electronic data base consulted during the international search (name of data base and, where practicable, search terms used) EPO-Internal, WPI Data C. DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT Category* Citation of document, with indication, where appropriate, of the relevant passages Relevant to claim No. X EP Al (GHELFI ONDULATI S R L 1,4,6-8, [IT] ) 2 December 2009 ( ) Y paragraph [0015] - paragraph [0022] ; 2, 3, 5, 9, f i gures /00511 A2 (MEAD CORP [US] ; CHALENDAR 2, 3, 5, 9, ERIC [FR] ; BENNEVAULT FRANCIS [FR] ; P0UT0T B) 4 January 2001 ( ) f i gures 3-5 EP Al ( L C R MACCHINE 1-15 AUT0MATICHE S R L [IT] ) 24 August 2011 ( ) paragraph [0028] - paragraph [0070] ; f i gures 1-17 Further documents are listed in the continuation of Box C. See patent family annex. * Special categories of cited documents : "A" document defining the general state of the art which is not considered to be of particular relevance "T" later document published after the international filing date or priority date and not in conflict with the application but cited to understand the principle or theory underlying the invention "E" earlier application or patent but published o n or after the international "X" document of particular relevance; the claimed invention cannot be filing date considered novel or cannot be considered to involve an inventive "L" documentwhich may throw doubts on priority claim(s) orwhich is step when the document is taken alone cited to establish the publication date of another citation or other "Y" document of particular relevance; the claimed invention cannot be special reason (as specified) considered to involve an inventive step when the document is "O" document referring to an oral disclosure, use, exhibition or other combined with one o r more other such documents, such combination means being obvious to a person skilled in the art "P" document published prior to the international filing date but later than the priority date claimed "&" document member of the same patent family Date of the actual completion of the international search Date of mailing of the international search report 15 May /05/2012 Name and mailing address of the ISA/ Authorized officer European Patent Office, P.B Patentlaan 2 NL HV Rijswijk Tel. (+31-70) , Fax: (+31-70) Bevi l acqua, Vi ncenzo

24 Patent document Publication Patent family Publication cited in search report date member(s) date EP A l NONE WO A A R A l AT T AU A CA A l DE D l DE T EP A ES T P A MX PA A O A EP A l NONE