Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B53/00—Shrinking wrappers, containers, or container covers during or after packaging
  • B65B53/02—Shrinking wrappers, containers, or container covers during or after packaging by heat
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B21/00—Packaging or unpacking of bottles
  • B65B21/24—Enclosing bottles in wrappers
  • B65B21/245—Enclosing bottles in wrappers in flexible wrappers, e.g. foils
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
  • B65B9/10—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs
  • B65B9/13—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the preformed tubular webs being supplied in a flattened state
  • B65B9/14—Devices for distending tubes supplied in the flattened state

Definitions

• the invention relates to an apparatus and a method for packaging containers with the features of the preambles of claims 1 and 18.
• the invention also relates to an apparatus and a method for packaging containers with the features of the preambles of claims 19 and 36.
• a film sleeve When packaging containers from piece goods, such as bottles, a film sleeve is usually pushed over the container, which surrounds and holds the piece goods.
• a so-called shrink film is often used to secure the packaging, which shrinks around the container under the influence of heat and thus surrounds it firmly.
• a so-called stretch film can also be used, which is stretched a little before packing and contracts around the container during packing.
• the use of a film that combines the aforementioned properties, i.e. which is both stretchable and shrinkable is also possible.
• the problem with the use of a film sleeve for packaging containers is in principle to transfer the stretched film sleeve from the tensioning device to the container and to pack the container in a visually appealing and at the same time tightly without impairing the film sleeve or the container.
• the generic DE-OS 26 04 729 provides a packaging device with a tensioning device which is moved in the vertical direction from above onto a container which is brought under the tensioning device on a conveyor belt.
• This tensioning device comprises two feed units arranged downstream in the vertical direction, each of which transports a film tube or a sleeve cut by the film tube downwards in the direction of the conveyor belt.
• the two feed units have circulating belts which run downwards in the direction of the conveyor belt and which are arranged symmetrically and are inclined in sections obliquely outwards with respect to the axis of symmetry.
• a film tube is fed from a packaging material feed to the first of the two feed units, which transports the film tube further and unfolds it through the outwardly inclined circulating belts.
• the unfolded film tube is then passed on to the downstream second feed unit.
• a cutting unit is provided, which cuts off sleeves from the film tube, which are conveyed further downwards in the direction of the conveyor belt by the second feed unit and are further unfolded by their circulating belts, which are also inclined outwards.
• the second feed unit can be moved in the direction of the conveyor belt in order to put the individual film sleeves over a container located on the conveyor belt.
• pulleys are provided in the lower area of the circulating belts of the second feed unit, which are attached to a frame.
• This frame and thus the pulleys attached to it can be moved vertically in the direction of the conveyor belt. In this way, the lower region of the circulating belts of the second feed unit can be moved in the direction of the conveyor belt.
• a film sleeve spanned by the circulating belts in this lower, vertically displaceable area is taken along when the frame is moved downward and is slipped over from above via a container located under the second feed unit.
• the frame and thus the lower region of the circulating belt is moved upward, the circulating belt simultaneously rotating downwards.
• This combined movement of the circulating belts causes the film sleeve to be stripped from the lower region of the circulating belts onto the container without changing the position with respect to the container. at In this known device, the film sleeve is thus placed onto the container from above in the vertical direction.
• the displaceable frame required for the vertical movement of the tensioning device with the pulleys attached to it makes the construction of the feed unit of this known device complex.
• the lower pulleys rub against the bottles arranged on the outside, which scratch them as a result.
• EP 0 461 461 AI Another device for packaging containers is known from EP 0 461 461 AI.
• This device comprises a multi-part clamping frame, the parts of which can be moved towards or away from one another, as a result of which the circumference of the clamping frame is changed.
• a sleeve is cut from a film tube with the aid of a cutting mechanism arranged upstream of the stenter. With the help of grippers, this sleeve is pulled over the underside of the multi-part clamping frame. The stenter is then pulled together with the stretched film sleeve over the container from above, the film sleeve being pulled off the stenter and tightly wrapping around the container.
• the cutting mechanism is between the clamping frame and Packaging supply arranged.
• the film tube is not under tension while the cut is being made, since part of the film tube is gathered along the tenter in the direction of advance. There is a risk that the film tube will twist during cutting, so that an uneven cutting edge is generated.
• the invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a device and a method which allow safe and firm packaging of containers in a simple and reliable manner.
• This object is achieved according to the invention by a device according to claim 1 and by a method according to claim 18. Furthermore, this object is achieved according to the invention by a device according to claim 19 and a method according to claim 36.
• the tensioning device of the device according to claim 1 can be moved in the horizontal direction. This makes it possible to put the packaging material, in particular the film tube, laterally onto the container.
• the shrink tunnel becomes superfluous with the aid of the invention, the production costs and the energy costs for operating the device according to the invention or for using the method according to the invention are reduced. In addition, the overall length of the device is shortened.
• the conveying device for the packs, the tensioning device and the packaging material supply can essentially be in one plane, i.e. horizontal, arranged, which simplifies the construction of the device.
• the horizontal mobility of the tensioning device and the consequent lateral fitting of the packaging material simplify the removal of the packaging material from the tensioning device and the transfer to the container. Due to the lateral fitting, the packaging material is guided along the bottle bottoms and bottle heads, particularly when packaging bottle containers, and not along the smooth side walls, as in the prior art.
• the bottle bottoms and bottle heads offer greater resistance than the smooth side walls and therefore hold the film sleeve better when it is removed from the tensioning device, this makes it easier to remove the film sleeve from the tensioning device.
• the disadvantageous use of the vertically movable pulleys can be dispensed with, so that scratching of the side walls of the bottles arranged outside in the container is largely avoided.
• the invention prevents the container from slipping, since the openings of the film sleeve are no longer located on the top or bottom of the container as before, but on the side of the container. This also makes it easier to attach a handle to the top of the container.
• the cutting device is provided between the tensioning device and the conveying device in the device according to claim 19, which also simplifies the construction of the device.
• the film tube located between the container and the tensioning device is only cut after being slipped on.
• the arrangement according to the invention of the cutting device between the conveyor device and the tensioning device or by cutting after the film tube has been placed over the container advantageously means that the film tube is held on one side by the container and on the other side by the tensioning device.
• the section of the film tube located between the container and the tensioning device can thus be tensioned by a corresponding movement of the tensioning device and then cut. This ensures in a very simple way that a smooth and even cut can be made in any case.
• a first and second feed unit, as described in DE-OS 26 04 729, between which the film tube is stretched for cutting, is not required according to the invention. Rather, the function of the second feed unit is performed according to the invention by the container that holds the film tube on one side.
• the film tube can be tensioned without additional components. This simplifies the construction of the device according to the invention.
• the packaging material feed can be moved horizontally and synchronously with the tensioning device. It is thereby achieved that the supply of packaging material follows the horizontal movement of the tensioning device, which improves a uniform supply of packaging material between the supply of packaging material and the tensioning device. This can be achieved in a simple manner in that the
• Packaging supply and the tensioning device are mounted on a horizontally movable carriage.
• the conveying device preferably comprises a holding device which is provided in a region of the conveying device which interacts with the tensioning device.
• the holding device prevents the container from being shifted when the packaging material is slipped on from the side.
• the holding device comprises movement means between which the tensioning device can be moved such that the packaging material comes into contact with the movement means, the movement means supporting a forward movement of the packaging material between the movement means.
• the advantage of this embodiment is that the packing material is securely guided between the tensioning device and the moving means.
• the fact that the forward movement of the packing material is supported by the moving means makes it easier to put the packing material over the container.
• the movement means preferably counteract a backward movement of the packing material, that is to say a movement opposite to the forward movement, so that the tensioning device can be withdrawn more easily without taking the film tube put over the container with it.
• the movement means can comprise two parallel, opposite circulating belts, each rotating in a direction corresponding to the forward movement of the packaging material.
• the circulating belts can have a backstop which prevents movement of the circulating belts corresponding to the backward movement of the packing material. With the help of the circulating belt, the movement means can be realized in a simple manner.
• the holding device comprises a slide plate which supports a pack to be packaged or a packaged container, the slide plate being movable horizontally and synchronously with the tensioning device.
• the slide plate of the Horizontal movement of the clamping device is tracked, the container is supported evenly by the slide plate and the clamping device during the entire slip-on or pull-off process.
• the holding device furthermore has two opposing and counter-rotating clamping bars which clamp the packing material put over the container.
• the holding device can comprise a stop which supports a container lying against it against the forward stroke movement of the tensioning device.
• the container is advantageously held in position during the forward stroke movement of the tensioning device, that is to say when the container is put over with packing material.
• the stop can be axially movable to carry out a return stroke movement when the clamping bars fix the container.
• the conveying device can preferably have at least one driver frame that transports a packaged container from the holding device. In this way, the holding device for a new package to be packed is cleared.
• the tensioning device comprises a mandrel with at least three fingers, the two lower fingers spanning an essentially horizontal plane.
• the mandrel advantageously offers a simple possibility to clamp the film tube in a suitable manner in order to then push it over the container.
• the mandrel can be adapted to different container formats.
• a mandrel with 6 fingers is particularly suitable for packaging containers made of PET bottles.
• the upper fingers of the mandrel can have inward-inclined end sections on the side facing the packaging material feed, thereby facilitating the unfolding of the packaging material.
• At least two local heat sources are preferably provided, with the aid of which the film eyes formed during packaging can be shrunk. This allows the device to be operated in an energy-saving manner.
• FIG. 1 shows a cross section through a device according to an embodiment of the invention, the tensioning device being in the starting position A;
• Fig. 2 shows the device of FIG. 1, the
• Clamping device is in working position B;
• FIG. 3 shows the device according to FIG. 1, with the clamping bars fixing the container;
• Fig. 4 shows the device of FIG. 1, the
• Tensioning device is again in the starting position A and the film tube is slipped over the container;
• Fig. 5 shows the device of FIG. 1, the
• Cutting device is in cutting position
• FIG. 6 shows the device according to FIG. 1, the packaging of the container being completed
• FIG. 7 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 1,
• FIGS 8A to 8D four steps of the method according to an embodiment of the invention.
• Fig. 9 shows the device of FIG. 2 against
• a device according to an embodiment of the invention is shown in cross section and in a schematic manner.
• This device is particularly suitable for packaging bottle containers. Of course, other piece goods can also be packed into bundles with the aid of this device.
• An expandable and / or shrinkable film tube is used as packaging material.
• the device comprises a tensioning device 2, a packaging material feed 4 and a conveying device 5, the tensioning device 2 and the packaging material feeding 4 being essentially perpendicular to the conveying device 5.
• This basic structure can be seen particularly well in FIG. 7.
• the packaging material here a film tube 3
• the tensioning device 2 which unfolds and tensions the film tube 3.
• the unfolded film tube 3 is moved in the horizontal direction by means of the tensioning device 2, so that the film tube 3 stretched by the tensioning device 2 is placed laterally over a container 1 located on the conveying device 5.
• the packaging material feed 4 has two pinch rollers 41, 42.
• Two guide rollers 43 and 44 are arranged on the circumference of the one clamping roller 41.
• two guide rollers 45 and 46 are also arranged on the circumference of the other pinch roller 42.
• the guide rollers 43, 44, 45, 46 are arranged symmetrically, the guide rollers 43, 44 and 45, 46 assigned to a pinch roller 41, 42 being arranged on an axis which extends transversely to the feed direction C.
• the associated guide rollers 43, 44 and 45, 46 are each provided on the directly opposite circumferential halves of the pinch rollers 41, 42.
• Both pinch rollers 41, 42 have a backstop.
• the still folded film tube 3 is unfolded at the edge 47 of the packaging material feed 4 and guided in each case between the pinch rollers 41, 42 and the associated guide rollers 43, 44 and 45, 46 in the feed direction C.
• the tensioning device 2 is provided, which comprises a mandrel 21.
• the mandrel 21 has 6 fingers 22, 23, 24, which is shown in particular in FIGS. 8A and 8B.
• the lower fingers 22, 23 span a substantially horizontal plane, as shown in Fig. 8A.
• the upper fingers 24 of the mandrel 21 have end sections 25 which are inclined inwards on the side facing the packaging material supply 4 and which favor the unfolding of the film tube 3.
• mandrel 21 can also have a different number of fingers, which essentially depends on the format of the pack to be packed.
• the clamping device 2 with the mandrel 21 can be moved in the horizontal direction.
• the packaging material feed 4 can also be moved horizontally and is tracked by the horizontally movable tensioning device 2. This is achieved in that the tensioning device 2 and the packaging material feed 4 are mounted on a common carriage which is horizontally displaceable. This ensures that the same distance is always maintained between the tensioning device and the packaging material feed 4, so that the film tube 3 can be fed evenly to the tensioning device 2.
• the packaging material feed 4 can also track the tensioning device 2 separately, which requires control of the respective movement sequences of the tensioning device 2 and the packaging material feed 4.
• the conveyor device 5 comprises a bottle feed 9, which in the present example has three rows. Of course, bottle feeders with more or fewer rows can also be selected.
• the bottle feeder 9 has controlled stops 10 which are arranged upstream of the holding device 51 and are used for grouping bottle bundles. In Fig. 7, following the controlled stops 10, a bottle bundle 1 is shown for packaging, which consists of six bottles. A different number of bottles per container is possible depending on the bottle size.
• the conveyor device 5 also has a holding device 51, which is provided opposite the clamping device 2, as shown in FIG. 7.
• the structure of this holding device 51 is shown in particular in FIG. 1 with a bottle container 1 located therein.
• the holding device 51 comprises movement means 52, which in the present exemplary embodiment have circulation belts 53, 54.
• These circulating belts 53, 54 are arranged in parallel and opposite one another.
• the distance between the circulating belts 53, 54 depends on the dimensions of the mandrel 21 and thus essentially on the height of the pack 1 to be packaged.
• the distance between the circulating belts 53, 54 is selected such that the mandrel 21 is connected to a stretched film tube 3 can be moved between the parallel circulation belts 53, 54, the film tube 3 coming into contact with both circulation belts 53, 54.
• the circulating belts 53, 54 rotate in the direction the forward stroke movement C.
• a backstop 55 prevents rotation in the direction of the return stroke movement D.
• rollers or rollers can also be used.
• the holding device 51 has two clamping bars 57, 58, which lie opposite one another in parallel and work in opposite directions.
• the clamping bars 57, 58 can be driven hydraulically, pneumatically or mechanically.
• the two clamping bars 57, 58 can be moved towards one another by a feed movement in order to clamp a film tube 3 placed over the container 1. To release the two clamp bars 57, 58 are moved away from each other.
• the holding device 51 further comprises a stop 59, which in the axial direction, i.e. can be moved in the feed direction C or in the return stroke direction D.
• the stop 59 comprises an elongated bar which can be moved hydraulically, pneumatically or mechanically.
• a slide plate 56 of the holding device 51 is provided, as shown in FIG. 1, in order to support a pack 1 to be packaged or a packaged pack 1.
• This slide plate 56 can be moved horizontally and synchronously with the tensioning device 2.
• a driver frame 511 of the conveying device 5 adjoins the holding device 51 in the conveying direction, with the aid of which a packaged container 1 is transported out of the holding device 51 and other possible ones Processing stations is fed.
• These can be, for example, two local heat sources 7, 8 that shrink film eyes that arise during packaging.
• a cutting device 6 with foil knives is provided between the holding device 51 and the tensioning device 2 (see FIG. 9).
• These four foil knives 60 which are arranged in a frame-like manner, in each case rotated by 90 ° with respect to one another, can be fed radially and thereby move into the path of the foil tube 3 between holding device 51 and tensioning device 2.
• FIGS. 1 and 7 the mandrel 21 is in the initial exhibition A.
• the film tube 3 fed and unfolded from the packaging material supply 4 is stretched over the fingers 22, 23, 24 of the mandrel 21.
• FIG. 8A shows a front view of the mandrel 21. While the tensioning device 2 is in the starting position A, the holding device 51 is equipped with a container 1, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7.
• the slide with the mandrel 21 and the packaging material feed 4 has carried out a forward stroke movement in the direction of arrow C.
• This forward stroke movement runs, as can be seen in FIG. 2, in the horizontal direction.
• the mandrel 21 is placed together with the film tube 3 stretched by the fingers 22, 23, 24 over the container 1.
• Fig. 8B This can also be seen in Fig. 8B.
• the carriage with the mandrel 21 and the packaging material feed 4 executes the horizontal forward movement
• the mandrel 21 is moved between the circulating belts 53, 54.
• the film tube 3 clamped on the fingers 22, 23, 24 comes into contact with the surfaces of the circulation belts 53, 54.
• the circulation belts 53, 54 run in the feed direction C and thereby support the movement of the film tube 3 between the circulation belts 53, 54 and thus via the container 1.
• the container 1 bears against the stop 59 during the forward stroke movement of the slide, so that the container 1 cannot avoid the forward stroke movement of the mandrel 21.
• the slide plate 56 is pulled back horizontally, so that the slide plate 56 is gradually replaced by the following fingers 22, 23 until the container 1 is completely supported by the fingers 22, 23. In this way, the container 1 remains supported evenly throughout the pre-stroke movement of the mandrel 21.
• the container 1 is fixed in that the clamping bars 57, 58 are advanced. A slight pressure is exerted on the bottles and the film tube 3 located between the circulating belts 53, 54 and the fingers 22, 23, 24 of the mandrel 21. As can also be seen in FIG. 3, the stop 59 is withdrawn and thus releases the container 1.
• the slide plate 56 tracks the return stroke movement of the mandrel 21, so that the container 1 is supported again by the slide plate 56.
• the film tube 3 Since the film tube 3 is prevented from moving backwards in the direction of the arrow D in the area of the container 1 by the circulating belts 53, 54 provided with the backstop 55 as well as by the clamps 57, 58, the film tube 3 is pulled off by the backward moving mandrel 21 and thus brought from the mandrel 21 to the container 1. The film tube 3 is thus placed over the container 1 and already partially surrounds it. As shown in FIG. 8C, a film eye is formed on one side of the container 1, and in FIGS. 3 and 4 on the left side. The formation of this film eye is not hindered by the stop 59, since this, as shown in FIG. 3 and in FIG. 4, is withdrawn and releases the container 1.
• the film tube 3 placed over the container 1 still remains connected to the section of the film tube 3 spanned by the mandrel 21.
• the foil knives are fed to the cutting device 6 and thereby move into the path of the foil tube 3.
• the portion of the foil tube 3 surrounding the container 1 is separated from the portion of the foil tube located on the mandrel 21 by the delivery of the foil knife 3 separated.
• a further film eye is formed, in FIG. 5 on the right side of the container 1, which corresponds to the film eye shown in FIG. 8C.
• the film knives of the cutting device 6 are arranged closer to the mandrel 21 than to the container 1.
• the mandrel 21, as shown in FIG. 6, is automatically covered with the film tube 3 and is ready for the packaging of another container.
• the packaged container 1 is then pushed out of the holding device 51, the stop 59 executing a forward stroke movement and serving as a guide when pushing out the container 1.
• the packaged container 1 is transported with the aid of the driver frame 511 between two local heat sources 7, 8, which irradiate the structure 1 laterally in the area of the film eyes, so that the film eyes shrink.
• the essential simplification or the omission of the shrink tunnel is achieved in particular by the fact that the tensioning device can be moved in the horizontal direction or that the film tube is put over the container essentially in the horizontal direction. Due to the horizontal direction of movement, the film tube is brought laterally over the container, so that on both sides of the container and not on the top and bottom of the container. These film eyes can be shrunk in a simple manner without the shrink tunnel using local heat sources.
• a simplification of the device or the method is achieved in that in the device the cutting device 6 is provided between the tensioning device 2 and the conveying device 5, or in the case of the movement between the container 1 of the Clamping device 2 located film tube 3 is cut after being slipped on.
• This special arrangement of the cutting device or the time of cutting after the slipping over advantageously ensures that the film tube is held on one side by the container 1 and on the other side by the tensioning device 2 and tensioned by a movement of the tensioning device 2 can.
• the film tube is cut in advance and the cut sleeve is slipped over the container. Due to the late cutting or the arrangement of the cutting device 6 between the conveying device 5 and the tensioning device 2, the film tube 3 can be tensioned in a simple manner with the aid of already existing means, so that a smooth cut can be made. Furthermore, a next section of the film tube 3 is automatically drawn onto the mandrel 21 and is ready for further packaging.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)
• Supplying Of Containers To The Packaging Station (AREA)
• Wrapping Of Specific Fragile Articles (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=32478082

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (6)

Family Cites Families (10)

• 2002
  • 2002-12-23 DE DE10262028A patent/DE10262028A1/de not_active Ceased
• 2003
  • 2003-12-23 DE DE50309223T patent/DE50309223D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2003-12-23 AU AU2003293975A patent/AU2003293975A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-12-23 WO PCT/EP2003/014769 patent/WO2004058569A2/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2003-12-23 EP EP03789389A patent/EP1575831B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2003-12-23 AT AT03789389T patent/ATE386685T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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