EP4396090A1 - Dispositif d'emballage, unité d'emballage et procédé de production d'unités d'emballage - Google Patents

Dispositif d'emballage, unité d'emballage et procédé de production d'unités d'emballage

Info

Publication number
EP4396090A1
EP4396090A1 EP22738366.8A EP22738366A EP4396090A1 EP 4396090 A1 EP4396090 A1 EP 4396090A1 EP 22738366 A EP22738366 A EP 22738366A EP 4396090 A1 EP4396090 A1 EP 4396090A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
packaging
articles
strapping
sections
packaging blank
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP22738366.8A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Thomas HENSEL
Marcus KREIS
Johann LUBER
Herbert Spindler
Thomas Wimmer
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Krones AG
Original Assignee
Krones AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Krones AG filed Critical Krones AG
Publication of EP4396090A1 publication Critical patent/EP4396090A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D71/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottles; Bales of material
    • B65D71/40—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottles; Bales of material comprising a plurality of articles held together only partially by packaging elements formed by folding a blank or several blanks
    • B65D71/42—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottles; Bales of material comprising a plurality of articles held together only partially by packaging elements formed by folding a blank or several blanks formed by folding a single blank into a single layer element
    • 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
    • B65B17/00—Other machines, apparatus, or methods for packaging articles or materials
    • B65B17/02—Joining articles, e.g. cans, directly to each other for convenience of storage, transport, or handling
    • B65B17/025—Joining articles, e.g. cans, directly to each other for convenience of storage, transport, or handling the articles being joined by a top carrier element
    • 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
    • B65B27/00—Bundling particular articles presenting special problems using string, wire, or narrow tape or band; Baling fibrous material, e.g. peat, not otherwise provided for
    • B65B27/04—Bundling groups of cans or bottles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
    • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
    • B65D2571/00129—Wrapper locking means
    • B65D2571/00135—Wrapper locking means integral with the wrapper
    • B65D2571/00141—Wrapper locking means integral with the wrapper glued
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
    • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
    • B65D2571/00648—Elements used to form the wrapper
    • B65D2571/00654—Blanks
    • B65D2571/0066—Blanks formed from one single sheet

Definitions

  • beverage cans are one of the most important commercial packaging for beverages produced and used in large numbers, especially since they can also serve as drinking vessels.
  • Beverage cans are mainly used for carbonated drinks such as canned beer and soft drinks such as cola drinks, all kinds of lemonades and energy drinks. Beverage cans are typically opened for the purpose of consumption by means of tear-off tabs arranged on the lid.
  • packaging units which combine different types of secondary packaging and combine the majority of the articles with a first packaging and a second packaging, in particular with a first secondary packaging in the form of an upper grip cardboard packaging and with a second secondary packaging in the form of strapping and/or in Form of at least one adhesive bond between adjacent and touching items.
  • the published application DE 25 31 325 A1 describes container packaging with a carrying element made of plastic film.
  • An upper support member includes first end portions of each container and a second sheet or foil support member includes interconnected portions and supports each group of containers.
  • the published application DE 10 2006 028661 A1 shows a packaging unit with bottles and a bottle carrier, so that the packaging units can also be safely stacked in large numbers.
  • the bottles are combined in the packaging units by a supporting body with a carrying handle and at least one banderole.
  • Utility model DE 202012 103 324 U1 discloses a container template for assembling packaging units, in particular beverage bottles, to form containers.
  • the container template shows recesses Recording of one part of a packaging unit and centrally arranged incisions to form a carrying handle, the incisions being symmetrically surrounded by the recesses.
  • DE 1 457489 A also discloses a container with several bottles, which are held together in the form of a package by means of endless belts. A handle allows you to carry the package.
  • Upper grip carton packs are known for combining standard cans, which packs have a number of passage openings for the standard cans, whereby the positions of the cans within the packaging unit are defined at the same time.
  • the cardboard packaging is pressed onto a combination of standard cans from above, so that the lid area of the standard cans can pass through an assigned passage opening.
  • the grip carton is preferably anchored below the lid area of the standard cans, particularly in the area with the reduced diameter. Within the packaging unit produced in this way, the cans are arranged in close proximity to each other. On the other hand, the use of such grab carton packaging is usually not useful for so-called slim cans or sleek cans.
  • WO 2021/043632 A1 proposes a combination of a cardboard packaging acting as the primary packaging means with an additional packaging means. This further packaging, referred to as secondary packaging means, is then attached to the packaging already equipped with the cardboard packaging. Strapping bands, adhesive connections between the articles or shrink film connections are proposed as secondary packaging means.
  • multi-phase manufacturing processes are required, since there are fundamentally different types of packaging and therefore also different mechanical production and packaging steps.
  • the invention proposes a packaging device for producing packaging units, which packaging units comprise at least two essentially identical articles, and which at least two articles are held together by at least one packaging blank with primary and secondary fixing means.
  • This packaging device comprises at least one feed device for the at least two articles or for groups of at least two articles each, an application device for applying a main surface of the packaging blank to first end faces of the grouped articles and for producing a connection between the articles and the primary fixing means of the packaging blank. This essentially serves to fix the positions of the articles relative to one another by means of the primary fixing means.
  • the feed device can be formed, for example, by a horizontal conveyor device for transporting articles in a mass flow or in several lanes or the like.
  • the application device is formed by a handling device, to be explained in more detail below, with complex, interlocking functions and functionalities and/or functions and functionalities that can be carried out one after the other in a predetermined sequence.
  • the application head is equipped with a fixing device for establishing a mechanical connection of the packaging blank to the group of articles or between the packaging blank and the respective group of articles.
  • connection of the tool section to the base section is preferably elastically deformable, which can ensure a defined deformation behavior when the tool section is pressed against the longitudinal side of the article grouping in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the first leg connected to the base section.
  • the application head lifted from the article grouping equipped with the packaging blank and mechanically held together by this and can then be removed from the article grouping in order to pick up another packaging blank from a staging area or a store and to repeat the process steps described for another item grouping.
  • the application head can thus be moved within its movement space between a supply or a staging area for the flat and normally unfolded packaging blanks, but provided with the necessary punched-out portions and openings, and a staging area or a conveyor section with the article grouping located there. It is provided here that the application head is lowered onto the article grouping as a whole together with the packaging blank held therein.
  • the articles or rows of articles of the respective grouping are subjected to a further handling step which, inter alia, provides for the articles or rows of articles of the grouping to be brought closer to touching contact, so that the usual rectangular arrangement of the grouping is produced, which also corresponds to the arrangement within the packaging units to be completed later.
  • a ramped bevel on the folding elements can assist in pushing the previously spaced articles or rows of articles together when the knife-like or sword-shaped shaping element is activated.
  • the corresponding suction elements, movable contact plates and other tool elements of the application head can also be controlled synchronously, where the contact plates that can be raised and lowered in parallel movements are typically equipped with separate motor drive units, while a central vacuum supply for feeding the controllable suction elements together is a sensible option Represents an option because the suction elements can each be coupled to a common feed line via hose lines without any problems.
  • the strapping sections are produced and formed using a strapping head.
  • the strapping sections each comprise overlapping areas of the foldable sections which are pressed and adhesively connected to one another and to the article grouping by means of elastically deformable moldings of the strapping head.
  • the strapping sections which form the secondary fixing means of the packaging units, are each formed by means of controllable handling elements of the strapping head that can be advanced towards one another, with molded parts arranged on them.
  • the foldable sections of the packaging blank of each of the article groupings equipped with the secondary fixing means are pressed at least temporarily against the lateral surfaces of the respective articles by means of the molded parts surrounding the packaging unit from several sides and are formed there into the strapping sections become.
  • the method can provide for the strapping head to be lowered onto an article grouping equipped with a prepared packaging blank and to produce the strapping sections by infeed movements of the handling elements and the action of the mold parts arranged on them.
  • synchronously controlled strapping heads can act simultaneously on article groupings located next to one another in order to produce the strapping sections there in the desired manner.
  • the spatial assignment term used here for the article groupings located next to one another means an arrangement in relation to a transport direction of the article groupings. If the strapping heads used are designed in such a way or are coordinated with one another and coupled with one another in terms of control technology, so that several directly adjacent article groups can be processed at the same time, whether next to one another (in relation to the transport direction) or one behind the other (in relation to the transport direction), it is It is also conceivable to process several article groupings at the same time, which are located one behind the other or are transported one after the other in relation to the transport direction.
  • this usually relates to multi-lane processing and conveyance of article groupings conveyed next to one another, which are accessed by strapping heads arranged next to one another, which can work in corresponding synchronous movement control.
  • each formed by strapping sections, several successively conveyed article groupings, on the upper sides of which packaging blanks have been placed can reach the respective manipulation areas of strapping heads suspended above the conveyed article groupings. While the placement of the packaging blanks on the tops of the article groupings to form the primary fixation means not specified here and in their Details of application heads that are not detailed can be carried out, the secondary fixation means can be formed and finished by means of the strapping heads.
  • the strapping heads can each be arranged in areas above a conveying plane for the article groupings conveyed one behind the other in the transport direction with the primary fixing means placed on top and preferably with previously manufactured or formed primary fixing means, so that they can access the article groupings from above.
  • a plurality or a large number of strapping heads can be guided endlessly in a circulating movement in one direction of rotation, so that each of the many strapping heads can accompany exactly one article grouping over a limited section of the respective transport section and can act on this article grouping to form the secondary fixing means.
  • the direction of rotation naturally runs transversely to the direction of longitudinal extent of the respective cross member.
  • the crossbeams can be guided in suitable rail systems and circulate there endlessly, so that the strapping heads can be guided at suitable distances above the conveying plane for the article groupings, at least over the aforementioned limited area of the respective transport section, in order to bring the strapping heads into engagement with the article groupings .
  • Suitable handling elements can be used to form the first fixing means mentioned, which are intended to cause the packaging blank to latch with the upper regions of the article grouping.
  • Such handling elements can, for example, by appropriately equipped application heads with suitable devices for holding and / or receiving packaging blanks, for applying the packaging blanks to the Article groupings and, if necessary, for the appropriate folding of the packaging blanks can be formed in folding areas prepared for this purpose.
  • these first handling elements can preferably have suitable devices for folding over the side surfaces on both sides of the main surface of the packaging blank, as a result of which the article groupings are prepared in order to place the side surfaces folded over in this way completely against the outer sides of the article groupings and to transform the strip sections into strapping sections, whereby the secondary fixatives are formed.
  • the strapping head can in particular have handling elements that can be advanced towards one another, which are used to position the foldable side surfaces of the packaging blank that adjoin the longitudinal sides of the main surface of the packaging blank and protrude laterally beyond the top of the article grouping and to prepare and form the outer surfaces of the articles interacting secondary fixatives.
  • these secondary fixing means are formed by strapping sections, which are formed from the overlapping strip sections extending the side surfaces, which are joined and connected to one another by means of suitable adhesion points such as adhesive bonds, preferably with the application of a defined pretension.
  • the handling elements of the strapping head which act on the two long sides of the article grouping at the level of the folded side surfaces and are in contact with the lateral surfaces of the articles and can be advanced towards one another, can be shaped in such a way that their inner sides, which contact the lateral surfaces and strip sections of the packaging blank, are in contact with the lateral surfaces of the articles and there can be pressed, with elastically deformable molded parts can be provided for pressing and producing adhesive connections between the respective overlapping strip sections to form the strapping sections.
  • suitable adhesion points are preferably to be applied to at least one of the respectively overlapping strip sections.
  • a packaging unit that comprises at least two substantially similar articles that are held together by at least one packaging blank, this packaging blank forming a connection between the articles and primary fixing means of the packaging blank with a main surface first end faces of the grouped articles is applied, whereby positions of the articles are fixed relative to one another by means of the primary fixing means.
  • the packaging blank used for the packaging unit according to the invention has an adjoining side surface on at least one long side of the main surface, which is folded over and applied to the respective lateral surfaces of the articles, forming secondary fixing means interacting with lateral surfaces of the articles.
  • the packaging blank has strapping sections which form the secondary fixing means. These strapping sections each enclose defined areas of the lateral surfaces of the articles and thereby fix the articles in a substantially parallel orientation to one another.
  • two side surfaces adjoining opposite long sides of the main surface of the packaging blank can preferably be folded over to form secondary fixing means which interact with the lateral surfaces of the articles.
  • secondary fixing means which interact with the lateral surfaces of the articles.
  • a symmetrical structure with two folded side surfaces and strapping sections formed from them can offer a more stable cohesion for the articles, so that this embodiment variant is to be preferred in practice.
  • An embodiment variant of the packaging unit can in particular provide that the strapping sections of the secondary fixation means each through Strip sections of the packaging blank are formed, which each extend the side surfaces in directions along the longitudinal extension directions of the side surfaces. These strip sections can be laid or stretched around the lateral surfaces of the articles and connected to one another, as a result of which the strapping sections are formed, which hold the articles firmly together in the bundle.
  • adjacent primary fixing means, together with the articles held therein are brought closer together, in particular with the formation of touching contact between the respectively adjacent articles.
  • the packaging unit according to the invention can optionally also be combined with one another in order to at least partially achieve the goal(s) formulated above, and/or to achieve the desired effect of the invention.
  • the present invention offers an effective way of handling articles, containers or cans that have so-called slim formats, smaller diameters or generally almost continuous cylindrical lateral surfaces without major diameter differences along their longitudinal axes.
  • Such cans can, for example, have diameter differences of less than one millimeter and can still be processed and combined into packaging units without any problems.
  • packaging unit used here is intended to describe the complete unit that can be handled as a complete unit, possibly also stacked and/or can be purchased and used in retail by the end customer and consists of at least two articles and the packaging means that mechanically combine them.
  • the packaging units discussed herein and considered part of the invention will normally comprise an even number of articles.
  • the packaging units can thus comprise, for example, two, four, six, eight or more articles of the same type, which are held together in a rectangular arrangement by a flat packaging blank. These packaging blanks are first placed or applied to the article grouping with a main surface covering the first or upper end faces or lid sides of the articles grouped in a 2 ⁇ 2 or 3 ⁇ 2 rectangular arrangement, for example.
  • the primary fixation means determine the positions of the articles relative to one another, since the dimensions of the main surface of the packaging blank and the positions of the fixation means are coordinated with the dimensions of the articles and the article group consisting of several articles.
  • the side surfaces can be folded over to both long sides of the article grouping and applied to the lateral surfaces of the articles, but without following the curved contours of the usually cylindrically shaped lateral surfaces.
  • the side surfaces each form a continuation of the main surface of the packaging blank and are located on both longitudinal sides of the main surface.
  • the packaging blank could also be equipped with just one side surface that can be folded over, which would also work for the production of the packaging units according to the invention.
  • the two side surfaces adjoining the main surface of the packaging blank form the secondary fixing means which interact with the articles when they are placed on the lateral surfaces.
  • the secondary fixing means are formed by strapping sections by fixing overlapping end regions of the strip sections to one another and/or by fixing them to the lateral surfaces of the articles. This means that the strapping sections encompass defined areas of the lateral surfaces of the articles, namely on both opposite narrow sides of the article grouping. However, this only applies if it is not a 1x2 grouping, because there the strapping sections enclose the long sides, while the side surfaces are folded down over the narrow sides.
  • the strip sections that extend the side surfaces on both opposite narrow sides of the side surfaces of the packaging blank to be folded over towards both narrow sides can be quite different be designed.
  • the strip sections starting on both sides of the narrow sides of the lateral surfaces to be folded to form the lateral surfaces of the articles and extending them in both directions parallel to their longitudinal directions can either all be of the same length.
  • the strip sections of one side surface can be made shorter, while the two strip sections on the other side surface must be correspondingly longer so that the overlapping strip sections on both narrow sides of the article grouping can be connected to form the strapping sections that are intended to form the secondary fixation means.
  • the two strip sections of each of the two side surfaces can be of different lengths.
  • the strip sections of different lengths overlap on both narrow sides of the article grouping eccentrically to the corresponding narrow side, but are long enough overall to be able to be connected to form the strapping sections, which are intended to form the secondary fixation means.
  • the articles can in particular be beverage cans.
  • the beverage cans combined by means of the packaging units according to the invention are in particular so-called slim cans or sleek cans made from a suitable sheet metal, in particular from a suitable aluminum alloy.
  • These beverage cans have a hollow-cylindrical shape and are closed on all sides. They also each have a flat or slightly concave arch circular bottom areas on their lower end faces and a mostly flat circular upper lid area on the opposite end face. This upper lid area forms the already mentioned upper face of the article formed by the beverage cans.
  • the flat or slightly concave base area on the lower end face can typically be connected in one piece to the cylindrical lateral surface, which can usually be realized in the case of tin cans by a deep-drawing process.
  • the lid itself can, for example, be connected to the upper edge of the cylindrical jacket of the beverage can by flanging, so that a can that is closed on all sides is produced.
  • a tear-off lid or tear-off closure with a tear-off tab or the like can be incorporated into the lid, whereby there can be scored lines as predetermined breaking points in the metal or aluminum sheet, which enable the tear-off closure to be opened to remove the liquid in the beverage can.
  • the cylinder diameter in the area of the cylindrical lateral surface and the outer circular diameters of the base area and the lid area of the beverage cans are essentially the same or approximately the same, with the base area and/or the lid area being slightly different than the cylindrical lateral surface may be drawn in or tapered.
  • Such a can shape with an almost uniformly cylindrical outer contour from the base to the lid is a characteristic of such so-called slim cans or sleek cans, while conventional (standard) cans normally have significantly smaller diameters in the base area and in the lid area than in their cylindrical shell areas . Therefore, when cans or beverage cans are mentioned in the present context, such slim cans or sleek cans can be meant in principle and in all the cases mentioned.
  • the articles or beverage cans of the article grouping used here as preparation for the packaging units to be produced are spaced apart from one another at least in one of the horizontal main axes of the article grouping. This means that a defined horizontal distance between the adjacent items or beverage cans (here: slim or sleek can) in a direction parallel to the second main axis of the item grouping is useful or necessary.
  • the horizontal spacing of the rows of cans is also to be understood as parallel to the second main axis.
  • the packaging blank that has been prepared for this purpose and, in particular, pre-punched, although there is not enough space between the upper lid areas of the adjacent beverage cans in the slim or sleek cans explained here and most commonly used, which form the beverage cans, it is in In the initial phase of equipping the article grouping, it is necessary to create the defined distance between the two rows of beverage cans parallel to the first main axis.
  • This arrangement with rows of beverage cans spaced by the horizontal distance makes it possible to press in a fold area of the packaging blank between the upper lid areas of the pairs of beverage cans initially spaced by the distance, whereby these beverage cans are brought together in pairs at the same time until their lateral surfaces make contact in line contact.
  • the extensions of the two side surfaces that protrude significantly beyond the length of the main surface in the direction of both narrow sides of the main surface of the packaging blank should also be referred to as strip sections or as extended strip sections, since they have a specific function in connection with the production and formation of the secondary Fixing elements have to fulfill.
  • the strip sections are normally not attached to the side surfaces, but are an integral part of the side surfaces, with the strip sections, like all other components and functional elements of the packaging blank, being produced from a sheet of cardboard or similar flat packaging material in a single, possibly also in a multi-stage stamping process could be.
  • the two parallel pivot axes about which the two pivot brackets are each pivoted are slightly above a plane through which the upper end faces 16 of the articles of the article grouping are defined.
  • the pivot axes run parallel to the fold edges between the main surface and side surfaces and thus also run parallel to the first main axis mentioned above.
  • FIGS. 15A to 15C show, in schematic top views, different embodiment variants of a packaging blank as it can be used for the production of the packaging units.
  • the articles 12 can in particular be beverage cans 34, which is why the articles 12 marked in this way here are also consistently marked with the reference number 34 in the present context.
  • the beverage cans 34 used here are, in particular, so-called slim cans or sleek cans made from a suitable sheet metal, in particular from a suitable aluminum alloy.
  • the cans or beverage cans 34 can also be made from plastic or from a composite material, in particular from a multi-layer composite material.
  • Such a can shape with an almost uniformly cylindrical outer contour and a largely constant cylinder diameter from the base 36 to the lid 40 is a characteristic of such so-called slim cans or sleek cans, while conventional (standard) cans normally have significantly smaller diameters in the base area and in the lid area than in their cylindrical shell areas.
  • the packaging blanks 14 made of thin cardboard material that are normally used for the described purpose generally do not have a high degree of flexural rigidity, initially only the positions of the beverage cans 34 relative to one another are fixed. However, this does not necessarily apply to their alignments with respect to the respective longitudinal center axes of the articles 12 or beverage cans 34, since these can generally still be tilted relative to one another due to the flexibility of the packaging blank 14, with the lower areas, i.e. the base areas 36 of the beverage cans 34 migrating apart can.
  • the invention provides secondary fixing means 30 which, like the primary fixing means 22, are equally characterized by the shape and additional functional elements of the packaging blank 14 as its integral components can be formed.
  • the bond 54 indicated only schematically in FIGS. 1E and 1F by a broken line in the overlapping area of the strip sections 28 can be produced, for example, by prepared adhesive surfaces on the strip sections 28.
  • a sufficient amount of cold or hot melt glue or other adhesive may be applied to one or both of the overlapping portions of the superimposed strip portions 28 that may provide a strong mechanical bond of the strip portions 28 together.
  • the overlapping strip sections 28 can also be connected to one another in other ways, e.g. by clamping, by a stamped connection or the like.
  • a sufficiently stable and mechanically resistant cardboard as packaging blank 14, on the other hand, will allow the width of the strapping sections 32 to be set at a value of about one quarter or less of the height of the cylindrical lateral surfaces 26 of the beverage cans 34 held together in this way, as is shown by the figures 1A to 1F shows an exemplary illustrated variant. There, the width of the strapping sections 32 is even less than one fifth of the respective height of the cylindrical lateral surfaces 26 of the beverage cans 34.
  • folding tools 60 which are formed here by collar-like stripping tools 62 with beveled lower longitudinal edges 64 rigidly anchored to the base plate 58 .
  • the lower longitudinal edges 64 which are bevelled towards the outside of the base plate 58, are thus spaced further apart than the flanks 66 of the wiping tools 62, which are located above and are arranged closer to the base plate 58.
  • the flanks 66 of the wiping tools 62 which are oriented parallel to one another, have an inner distance from one another which corresponds approximately to the total width of two beverage cans 34 standing next to one another, so that they can ensure that the side surfaces 24 are folded over and pressed on when the handling tool 56 is placed in the infeed direction 68. when the base plate 58 is lowered onto and/or placed on top of the package blank 14.
  • the downwardly diverging lower longitudinal edges 64 of the flanks 66 of the stripping tools 62 which are lengthened in this way, also ensure that the side surfaces 24 are folded over gently and precisely guided when the base plate 58 approaches the main surface 18 of the packaging blank 14 or when the base plate 58 is placed on.
  • a sword-like folding stamp 70 also protrudes from the underside of the base plate 58 and ensures that the folding area 46 is pressed in within the main surface 18 of the packaging blank 14 as soon as the base plate 58 is either placed on the packaging blank 14 or is at a defined vertical distance B (cf 2D) is located above the packaging blank 14.
  • the folder 70 which preferably corresponds to the dimensions and in particular the length of the folding area 46 extending from the narrow side to the opposite narrow side of the main surface 18 of the packaging blank 14, presses the packaging blank 14 in the intended area - this is the folding area 46 - between the initially by the horizontal distance A spaced-apart rows of three of the beverage cans 34 thereby activates the primary fixing means 22 (together with the folding over of the side surfaces 24) and reduces the horizontal distance A to a value of zero or almost zero, so that the beverage cans 34 all line up on their lateral surfaces 26 touch.
  • the sword-like folder 70 can be anchored rigidly and immovably in the base plate 58 of the handling tool 56, as indicated by FIG. 2A.
  • a lifting movement of the folder 70 transverse to the underside surface of the base plate 58 which, depending on the embodiment variant, can thus be moved downwards out of the base plate 58 by a defined stroke in the lifting direction 74 by means of an adjusting lever 72 in order to place the folding region 46 deeper between the to be able to depress neighboring rows of cans. If, however, folder 70 cannot move relative to base plate 58 in lifting direction 74, adjusting lever 72 is used to guide entire handling tool 56.
  • FIGS. 2B and 2C show the same article grouping 20, consisting of six articles 12 in the form of beverage cans 34, which can be processed with a second embodiment variant of a handling tool 56 and equipped with a packaging blank 14. While this second embodiment variant of the complete handling tool 56 is shown in FIG. 2C together with the article arrangement 20 but without the packaging blank 14, FIG. 2B shows the packaging blank 14 placed on the article arrangement 20 with the side surfaces 24 already folded over and part of these side surfaces 24 folding tools 60 that fold or fold over, but without the other components of the handling tool 56.
  • the folding tools 60 are formed here by swivel brackets 76 which are articulated on both sides to the base plate 58 (cf. Fig. 2C) and are pivotably mounted there, which according to Main surface 18 of the packaging blank 14 fold down and can create the lateral surfaces 26 of the article 12 or 34 beverage cans.
  • the two parallel pivot axes 78 about which the two pivot brackets 76 can each pivot lie slightly above a plane which is defined by the packaging blank 14 placed on the upper end faces 16 of the articles 12 of the article grouping 20 .
  • the pivot axes 78 run parallel to the fold edges between the main surface 18 and side surfaces 26 and thus also run parallel to the first main axis 42 (cf. FIG. 1C in this regard).
  • FIG. 2C also shows the base plate 58 positioned above the main surface 18 of the packaging blank 14 .
  • the pivotable folding tools 60 are mounted and held on the two opposite longitudinal sides of the base plate 58 and are shown in FIG. 2C in the same active operating state as in FIG. 2B.
  • the two side surfaces 24 of the packaging blank 14 are folded down by means of the pivot brackets 76 lying there and thus form the collar section 52 for the formation of the secondary fixing means 30 or prepare these secondary fixing means 30 (cf. Figures 1E and 1F).
  • FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C illustrate different options for transporting the article groupings 20 prepared for conversion into packaging units 10 in the transport direction TR.
  • 3A and 3B show first and second variants of a transport module 84, which includes a base plate 86 and shell-like receptacles 88 placed thereon for cylindrical articles 12 such as beverage cans 34, for example.
  • 3A shows an empty, still unequipped transport module 84
  • FIG. 3B shows a very similar one Transport module 84 shows, which is equipped with a total of six beverage cans 34 and is therefore fully occupied.
  • FIG. 3C shows a further transport module 84 which, however, has a different structure than the transport modules 84 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B and which is based on a different functional principle.
  • the transport module 84 (according to FIG. 3A, FIG. 3B or FIG. 3C) can be transported in the transport direction TR on a defined transport path (not shown here) by means of the preferably flat design on its underside and suitable driver recesses, projections or similar elements while the article grouping 20 located on the respective transport module 84 can be equipped with a packaging blank 14 (cf. FIGS. 1A to 2E) and converted into a packaging unit 10 (cf. FIGS. 1E and 1F) or into a bundle.
  • a packaging blank 14 cf. FIGS. 1A to 2E
  • a packaging unit 10 cf. FIGS. 1E and 1F
  • the transport modules 84 which can also be referred to as a shuttle or as a transport shuttle, can be supported floating on the transport path and each centered and aligned by means of the handling tools 56 shown in Figures 2A to 2C (cf. Fig. 4 in addition). .
  • the shell-like receptacles 88 of the transport modules 84 according to Figures 3A and 3B are connected to one another in such a way that only an outer web-like edge 90 is adapted to the contours of the beverage cans 34 to be accommodated, the edge 90 being the contour of a plurality of circular segments connected to one another at their ends with segment angles of approximately 100° for the two central edge segments to slightly more than 120° for the four edge segments at the corners.
  • edge segments are connected to one another in such a way that the lower, ground-level areas of the lateral surfaces 26 of the beverage cans 34 are accommodated therein in a form-fitting manner, with the three beverage cans 34 in each case in the left and right row (relative to the transport direction TR or to the first main axis 42 according to Fig 1C) are in line contact of their lateral surfaces 26 contacting each other.
  • the left and right rows are initially separated from one another by the vertical separation plane (not shown) running longitudinally centrally through the transport module 84 and containing the first main axis 42, and by the horizontal distance A.
  • 3A shows two separating webs 92, which are each located in the middle between four adjacent beverage cans 34 in a square arrangement and initially for this horizontal distance A (cf. FIG. 1B) between the beverage cans located on both sides of the vertical separating plane 34 in that separating wings 94 suspended resiliently on the separating webs 92 anchored in a columnar manner on the base plate 86 press the beverage cans 34 against the outer web-like edge 90 in each case.
  • Additional delimiting webs 96 are located on the front and rear narrow side (in relation to the transport direction TR) of the article grouping 20, which are also equipped with such resiliently suspended separating wings 94 which press the beverage cans 34 lying against them to the outer web-like edge 90.
  • the vertically extending and vertically extending spring connections on the column-like separating webs 92 and on the column-like delimiting webs 96, which are resiliently flexible inwards in the direction of the separating plane, can be used when reducing the horizontal distance A by activating the folder 70, which cuts the fold area 46 in the parting plane between the adjacent rows of three of the beverage cans 34 located in the transport module 84 (cf. FIGS. 2C to 2E), yield inwards and are thereby elastically deformed into the parting plane.
  • a transport module 84 in which an item grouping 20 with a total of six items 12 or beverage cans 34 is transported in two separate rows of three, these rows of three are held and guided in transport aisles 100 .
  • a dividing web 102 located in the middle between the rows of three separates the two transport aisles 100, while outer delimiting webs 104 define the width of each of the two transport aisles 100.
  • the distances between the separating web 102 and the outer boundary webs 104 on both longitudinal sides of the transport module 84 define the width of the transport aisles 100 and are based on the outer diameters of the articles 12 or beverage cans 34 to be handled and transported.
  • the width of the central separating web 102 also defines the horizontal distance A between the two rows of three.
  • the beverage cans 34 must be brought together so that there can no longer be a separating web 102; the two previously separate transport lanes 100 are brought together to form a common transport track, which will be explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 14B and 14C.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates the interaction of some of the previously explained components and individual elements, namely the transport module 84 according to FIG. 3A with a total of six receiving areas and beverage cans 34 inserted therein and the handling tool 56 according to FIG Folding tools 60 and on the underside of the base plate 58 adhering, not yet deformed packaging blank 14 is located at a distance above the article grouping 20 located in the transport module 84.
  • the adjusting lever 72 with the folder 70 attached there on the underside has been pulled out of its guide in the base plate 58 upwards in the illustration in FIG.
  • the handling tool 56 In order for the handling tool 56 to function properly, it would have to be used there in the vertical direction in order to be able to be moved downwards in the lifting direction 74 during the shaping of the packaging blank 14 .
  • the pivot brackets 76 which are pivoted apart laterally and are mounted in the pivot axes 78 on both longitudinal sides of the base plate 58, are in a raised position which does not yet deform or press down the side surfaces 24 of the packaging blank 14.
  • FIG. 4 reveals two centering pins 106 which are fastened to front and rear extensions on the narrow sides of the base plate 58 and protrude perpendicularly from the underside of the base plate 58 so that they intended use of the handling tool 56 vertically downwards in the direction of the transport module 84.
  • the centering pins 106 are each positioned on the extensions of the narrow sides of the base plate 58 in such a way that they do not touch or collide with the main surface 18 of the packaging blank 14 to be arranged between them, i.e. they are at a distance from one another that is greater than the length of the main surface 18 between the centering pin 106.
  • the centering pins 106 can engage in corresponding receiving holes 108, so that the transport module 84 can be positioned and centered exactly relative to the handling tool 56.
  • 3A shows that one of the receiving holes 108 can be formed by an elongated hole, which can prevent the centering pins 106 from jamming or tilting in the receiving holes 108 when the handling tool 56 is pulled upwards again.
  • the two receiving holes 108 are each located in sockets which are arranged close to the narrow sides of the base plate 86.
  • the delimiting webs 96 which ensure the guidance of the beverage cans 34 lying there.
  • FIG. 5A The schematic perspective views of Figures 5A and 5B show further embodiment variants of folding tools 60 (Fig. 5A) and a handling tool 56.
  • FIG. 5A shows folding tools 60 that can be moved parallel to the longitudinal center axes and the lateral surfaces 26 of the beverage cans 34 in the article grouping 20, which can thus be lowered synchronously with the infeed directions 68 when used as intended perpendicular to the surface or main surface 18 of the packaging blank 14.
  • the folding tools 60 ensure that the side faces 24 can be folded down in the manner shown and placed on the lateral faces 26 of the beverage cans 34 .
  • FIG. 5B corresponds in terms of its folding tools 60 rigidly anchored to the base plate 58 to the embodiment variant already shown in FIG. 2A and explained in detail further above in all details.
  • FIG. 5B shows additional components, namely vacuum grippers or suction grippers 110, with which the packaging blank 14 can be grasped and positioned and held in the handling tool 56 in order to be able to place it exactly at the desired point on the upper side of the article grouping 20.
  • the main surface 18 of the packaging blank 14 can be detached and separated from the base plate 58 of the handling tool 56 as required, in order to subsequently lower the handling tool 56 to carry out the forming and manipulation steps provided (and described above) for formation of the container or the packaging unit 10 to carry out.
  • FIG. 6 shows an optional but useful equipment variant of the pivotable folding tools 60 according to FIGS. 2B to 2E and FIG. 4.
  • additional molded parts 112 are attached to the swivel brackets 76 .
  • the molded parts 112 are each located on the lateral edges of the swivel brackets, so that when they are delivered to the article grouping 20, they partially encompass the lateral surfaces 20 of the beverage cans 34 standing at the corners, so that they already cover the strip sections while the lateral surfaces 24 are being placed and folded over 28 to the narrow sides of article grouping 20.
  • the overlapping areas of the strip sections 28 can be fixed to one another by means of additional fastening and/or application tools (not shown here), for example by gluing after applying a sufficient volume of adhesive.
  • additional fastening and/or application tools can be, for example, cold glue, hot glue or a self-adhesive surface on one of the strip sections 28 or another fixing aid.
  • FIG. 7 shows a conceivable embodiment variant of a folding tool 114 together with its control elements for controlling the movement of several folding fingers 116, which in particular can replace such molded parts 112 as are shown in FIG.
  • the endless traction means 120 is guided over two separate guide wheels 122, at least one of which is motor-driven.
  • the folding fingers 116 can be moved in pairs towards one another or apart, i.e. they can be moved transversely to the crossbar 118 via defined adjustment paths, while the latter is moved in its defined plane of movement by means of the endless traction means 120 along or counter to the transport direction TR of the packaging units 10.
  • This transverse mobility of the folding fingers 116 is controlled by guide links 124, each including straight and parallel sections where the folding fingers 116 are spaced less apart and other straight and parallel sections where the folding fingers 116 are spaced further apart.
  • FIG. 8A to 8D illustrate an embodiment variant of a handling tool 56, which is represented here by an application head 130 with a total of four integrated application units 132 for the simultaneous and in particular synchronous handling of four article groupings 20, with each of the application units 132 being provided for one of the in the Figures 1A to 1F example groupings 20 shown with a flat packaging blank 14 to equip.
  • a handling tool 56 which is represented here by an application head 130 with a total of four integrated application units 132 for the simultaneous and in particular synchronous handling of four article groupings 20, with each of the application units 132 being provided for one of the in the Figures 1A to 1F example groupings 20 shown with a flat packaging blank 14 to equip.
  • the application head 130 which is equipped with the four application units 132, can be moved within its movement space between a supply (not shown here) or a staging area for the flat and normally unfolded, but with packaging blanks 14 provided with the necessary punched-out sections and openings and a staging area or a conveyor section with the article groupings 20 held ready there.
  • the four application units 132 anchored in defined positions and defined distances from one another in a rectangular arrangement on the support frame 134 of the application head 130 require a corresponding arrangement of the four article groupings 20 kept ready with the same defined distances from one another and in the same defined orientations, so that the four application units 132 are each exactly above of properly aligned article groupings 20 can be positioned.
  • the application head 130 On the raisable and lowerable arm section 136, the application head 130 with its four application units 132 and together with the packaging blanks 14 accommodated there and held therein can be positioned over the article groupings 20 or in a flowing movement after approaching the in suitable positions and orientations held ready article groupings 20 are lowered.
  • Fig. 8D which shows one of the application units 132 diagonally from below without the packaging blank 14 held there
  • the packaging blanks 14 can be picked up from the supply stack or from a staging area suitable and equipped for this purpose and their temporary retention in the respective Application unit 132 carried out with the help of suitable suction elements 138, several of which are located in the application head 130 and which can each be acted upon to accommodate the flat packaging blanks 14 with negative pressure.
  • FIGS. 8A to 8D show two such suction elements 138 formed by suction plungers 140 in each of the four application units 132, so that there are a total of eight such suction elements 138 or suction plungers 140 in the application head 130.
  • the suction elements 138 or suction plungers 140 each have vacuum lines 142 for the controllable and/or switchable supply of vacuum, which can be supplied to the vacuum lines 142 via a central supply line in the arm section 136 (not shown in detail here).
  • the packaging blanks 14 after being positioned over the article groupings 20 and/or after synchronizing with the article groupings 20 conveyed or further conveyed, for example on a horizontal conveying device, and after the application head 130 has been lowered, placed on the article groupings 20 and there, forming the primary fixing means 22 ( 1A to 1F) are to be pressed open and latched, it makes sense and is necessary to deactivate the negative pressure applied to the suction elements 138 or suction rams 140, whereby the respective two suction elements 138 or suction rams 140 are held Packaging blanks 14 are released and their previously temporarily maintained fixation in the application head 130 can be lifted.
  • the vertical surfaces of the lateral folding elements 158 adjoining the ramp-like bevels 162 at the top have a reasonable distance which corresponds approximately to the width of the two rows of articles pushed against one another in the article grouping 20, the previously existing distance A between the rows of articles (cf. Fig 1 B) is repealed.
  • grouping module 174 in particular for the formation of the 3x2 rectangular arrangement of the article groupings 20 according to the exemplary embodiment shown above (cf. Figures 1A to 1F) and for the spacing and arrangement of four such article groupings 20 corresponding to the dimensions and positioning of the application units 132 in Application head 130 (cf. FIGS. 8A to 8D) can be provided.
  • the band sections can be connected to one another and formed into strapping sections 32, which means that the secondary fixing means 30 can be produced by folding over, prestressing and fixing the overlapping strip sections 28 and forming them into the strapping sections 32 (cf. Fig. 1E and Fig 1 F) means.
  • This reshaping can take place in particular in what is referred to here as a strapping module 178, which can be equipped, for example, with a folding tool 114 according to FIG. 7, with a folding element 158 or folding tool 160 (see FIGS. 8A to 8E) or with another tool or handling combination can.
  • three strapping heads 180 are suspended at lateral distances from one another on a revolving crossbeam 182 in the direction of circulation UR, with a plurality of crossbeams 182 each having three strapping heads 180 suspended thereon at distances from one another which correspond in each case to the distances between the article groupings conveyed one behind the other 20 correspond, are moved in succession in the direction of rotation UR parallel to the transport direction TR.
  • the direction of rotation UR naturally runs transversely to the direction of longitudinal extension of the cross member 182.
  • the rail system mentioned for guiding the rollers 186 rotatably mounted in the suspensions 184 is not shown in FIG. 10B, but can be seen more clearly in FIGS. 12, 13A and 13B.
  • the orientation and course of the rail system and thus the movement of the endlessly revolving crossbeams 182 together with the strapping heads 180 suspended thereon can also be clearly seen there.
  • Fig. 10C shows the most important components of the strapping head 180 in a schematic and perspective representation as well as their interaction with an article grouping 20, which is equipped with a packaging blank 14 on the upper side, the main surface 18 of which is on the top sides or upper end faces 16 of the articles 12 forming the article grouping 20 or beverage cans 34 and is preferably latched there, forming the primary fixing means 22.
  • the on the opposite long sides of the main surface 18 of the packaging blank 14 The side surfaces 24 that attach and are separated from the main surface 18 there by kinked edges are already pivoted downwards by approx. 45° ... 60°, but are not yet on the respective lateral surfaces 26 of the article grouping 20 in the illustration in FIG. 10C Article 12 or beverage cans 34.
  • the strapping head 180 is in a comparable angular position to the still inclined strapping head 180 according to FIG corresponds to the strapping head 180 held thereon at the exit of the deflection of the rail system guiding the crossbeam 182 (cf. FIGS. 12, 13A and 13B). Since the rail system describes deflections of 180° in front of and behind the section that runs in a straight line and parallel to the transport direction TR, within which the strapping heads 180 are located exactly above the respective article groupings 20, the strapping heads 180 emerge in the deflection sections at an angle and becoming ever flatter upwards onto the upper sides of the article groupings 20 and also lift off from there again at the other 180° deflection at an angle that is initially flat and then becomes steeper.
  • the strapping head 180 shown comprises further or second handling elements 188, each of which can be advanced towards one another and which enable the positioning of the foldable side surfaces 24 of the packaging blank 14, which adjoin the longitudinal sides of the main surface 18 of the packaging blank 14 and protrude laterally beyond the top of the article grouping 20 and serve to prepare and form the secondary fixation means 30 interacting with the lateral surfaces of the articles 12.
  • these secondary fixing means 30 are formed by strapping sections 32, which are formed from the overlapping strip sections 28 that extend the side surfaces 24 in each case, which are joined together and connected to one another by means of suitable adhesive points such as adhesive bonds 54 , preferably with the application of a defined bias.
  • FIG. 11A illustrates a plan view of one possible embodiment of one of the four elastically deformable molded parts 190 with which each individual strapping head 180 is equipped.
  • the molded part 190 has a base section 192 with which it can be anchored in a holder 194 of the associated handling element 188 .
  • the perspective view of FIG. 10C shows the two holders 194 of the handling element 188 which can be advanced towards one another and in which two such molded parts 190 are anchored in each case.
  • a tooling portion 196 for acting on the article groupings 20 and cooperating to form the strapping portions 32 from the superimposed strip portions 28 of the side panels 24 in the desired manner.
  • the tooling section 196 of the molding 190 has an L-shaped contour with a rounded transition between the two legs 198 and 200 of the L-shaped tooling section 196, the rounded area, hereinafter referred to as the strip sections 28 of the packaging blank 14 and the article grouping 20 covered by it, which is to be referred to as a shaping element 202 or as an elastic shaping element 202, appropriately corresponds to the contour of the article grouping 20 to be processed in its respective corner area. That is, the radius of curvature of the shaping element 202 of the tool section 196 corresponds approximately to the outer diameter of one of the articles 12 or one of the beverage cans 34 from which the article grouping 20 is formed.
  • the body of the tool section 196 resembles a hollow body in sections, since at least the second leg not facing the base section 192 200 does not consist of solid material, but is formed by a box-shaped body 204 with open end faces, which gives the entire tool section 196 of the molded part 190, in connection with a sensible choice of material as an elastic plastic material, deformability transversely to the outer walls of the body 204.
  • the outer walls of the body 204 forming the second leg 200 of the tool section 196 preferably have a sufficient height that makes the body 204 torsion-resistant and allows it to be deformed essentially only transversely to the outer walls.
  • the thickness or strength of the strip-like outer walls is preferably significantly less than the height of the strips, which gives the body 204 the desired torsional rigidity.
  • the strip-like outer walls of the body 204 of the second leg 200 enclose an elongated cavity 206, which becomes somewhat wider in the direction of the first leg 198, while in the direction of the free end of the second leg 200 becomes narrower.
  • This free end of the second leg 200 has the greatest distance between the tool section 196 and the base section 192 .
  • connection of the tool section 196 to the base section 192 is not formed by solid material, but via a plurality of connecting strips 208, which can preferably each have the same height as the body 204 of the tool section 196, but which are formed as relatively thin-walled strips 208 compared to their height.
  • the alignment of the two, three or four spaced-apart connecting strips 208, which connect the first leg 198 of the tool section 196 to the base section 192, ensures a defined deformation behavior when the tool section 196 is pushed in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the base section 192 in connecting first leg 198 is pressed against the long side of the article grouping 20 (see FIGS. 11 B and 11 C).
  • molded part 190 which is preferably designed and manufactured in one piece and which can be formed in particular by an elastically deformable thermoplastic or by a suitable elastomer material, optionally equipped with incorporated fiber reinforcement, ensures the desired deformability when using the strapping head 180 when the two holders 194 of the second handling elements 188 with the molded parts 190 fastened therein are placed against one another and in this way form the strapping sections 32 .
  • two such molded parts 190 are arranged with their respective base sections 192 in the two holders 194 of the handling elements 188, with the tool sections 196 of the molded parts 190 with their concavely rounded shaping elements 202 point towards the corner regions of the respective article grouping 20 to be handled, and since the two holders 194 of the handling elements 188 can be advanced towards one another in an infeed direction C perpendicular to the longitudinal directions of the holders 194 (cf. Fig.
  • the shaped parts 190 Due to the pure infeed movement in the infeed direction C (Fig. 11 B) of the two holders 194 of the handling elements 188, which are placed on the longitudinal sides of the article grouping 20, the shaped parts 190 are not yet deformed, but they initially only come into contact with their shaping elements 202 the article grouping 20 as well as the already partially folded side faces 24 and the strip sections 28, as indicated schematically by FIG. 11C.
  • the handling elements 188 preferably remain positioned towards one another during a longer transport section (cf. Fig. 12 and Figs. 13A and 13B) and the shaped parts 190 therefore also remain in their changed contours, which are elastically deformed and pressed against the side surfaces of the article groupings 20 , the adhesion points 54 can harden and ensure permanent prestressing of the secondary fixing points 30 formed by the strapping sections 32 (cf. FIGS. 1E and 1F).
  • FIG. 11D illustrates the structural deformations of the various areas of the molded part 190 when it was pressed against the article grouping 20 in the infeed direction C and when an additional actuating force D is applied, which acts in the infeed direction C.
  • the first leg 198 connected to the base section 192 via the strip sections 208 is pushed back in the opposite direction to the actuating force D, since the side walls of the article grouping 20 hardly or only minimally yield to the actuating force D or give way.
  • This backward or evasive movement of the first leg 198 in the opposite direction to the actuating force D towards the base section 192 is indicated by the arrow E in FIG. 11D.
  • the strip sections 208 deform so that the first leg 198 approaches the base section 192 .
  • the parallel pivoting movements of the strip sections 208 in the direction of the arrow F are also illustrated in FIG. 3D by arrows F pointing obliquely downwards from the strip sections 208 to the base section 192 .
  • the transverse displacement G of the first leg 198 and thus the entire tool section 196 causes the second leg 200 to yield in approximately the opposite direction H to the transverse displacement G, which also leads to the compression of the body 204, reducing the width and volume of the cavity 206.
  • the superimposed evasive and deforming movement of the second leg 200 and the body 204 is indicated by the arrow H.
  • this evasive and deforming movement H of the second leg 200 and the body 204 which is maintained for a certain period of time, ensures that the adhesive or adhesive points 54 are pressed against the overlapping areas of the strip sections 28, so that the strapping sections formed in this way are thereby formed 32 of the secondary fixation points 30 a defined bias can be impressed.
  • FIG. 12 A part of such a strapping module 178 is illustrated in a schematic manner by the perspective illustration in FIG. 12 .
  • This strapping module 178 shown here has a larger number of endlessly circulating crossbeams 182, which with their lateral suspensions 184 and rollers 186 mounted thereon (cf. Fig. 10B) can be guided in rail systems 210 on both sides in order to circulate there in the direction of rotation UR and with interact in the manner described with the article groupings 20 conveyed in the transport direction TR in order to convert them into packaging units 10 .
  • three strapping heads 180 are suspended at lateral intervals on each of the crossbeams 182 guided one behind the other on the rail system 210 in the direction of rotation UR, with the plurality of crossbeams 182 each having three strapping heads 180 suspended therefrom at distances from one another which correspond to the distances between the article groupings 20 conveyed one behind the other, are successively moved in the direction of rotation UR.
  • the direction of circulation UR runs in the lower section of the rail system 210, in which the strapping heads 180 come into engagement with the article groupings 20, parallel to the transport direction TR.
  • the return movement of the crossbeams 182 with the respective strapping heads 180 suspended thereon takes place in the upper section of the rail system 210 shown in FIG. 12.
  • the two circulating rails of the rail system 210 can be arranged and suspended in sheet metal holders 212, for example, as is also shown by way of example in FIG.
  • the electric drive motors 214 can also be fastened there, which can ensure the drive of the crossbeams 182 in the direction of rotation UR along the rail system 210 .
  • FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate the slotted guides for controlling the infeed movements C for the holders 194 of the second handling elements 188, which can be inflated against one another, with the molded parts 190 attached thereto (cf. FIGS. 11B and 11C).
  • the suspension of the holders 194, which can be advanced towards one another and moved apart, in the strapping head 180 has already been illustrated by FIG. 10C, so that in the following explanation reference can again be made to this representation of FIG. 10C.
  • the guide pins 216 dip into the mouth areas 222 at the respective ends of the guide links 218 or run out of the guide links 218 again.
  • FIGS. 14A, 14B and 14C show possible embodiment variants of transport sections 230, which can have the modules indicated schematically in FIG. 9 in a combined and sequential form.
  • FIG. 14A illustrates a first section that can be formed by the divider module 170 .
  • Articles 12 or beverage cans 34 are conveyed there in two parallel lanes in the transport direction TR by means of a horizontal conveying means, not described in any more detail here, which is why the divider module 170 is also combined with the lane guide 172 .
  • the division into the two parallel lanes had already taken place beforehand, i.e. in an area not shown here to the left of the detail of the transport section 230 shown in Fig. 14A.
  • the grouping module 174 adjoins the dividing module 170 and the aisle guide 172 in the transport direction TR (from left to right in FIG. 14A), where by means of suitable dividing devices, which can be formed here by push rods or by other slides 232, the articles 12 or beverage cans 34 previously conveyed in an uninterrupted sequence are grouped and divided into two parallel rows of three.
  • suitable dividing devices which can be formed here by push rods or by other slides 232
  • the articles 12 or beverage cans 34 previously conveyed in an uninterrupted sequence are grouped and divided into two parallel rows of three.
  • 14B also illustrates a more efficient variant of such a transport section 230, in which the formation of grouped article arrangements 20 and their further processing takes place in two transport tracks 146 processed in parallel, so that the processing capacity can be doubled in the same processing time.
  • the transport section 230 shown includes a first section, which may be formed by the divider module 170 .
  • Articles 12 or beverage cans 34 are conveyed there in two parallel lanes in the transport direction TR by means of a horizontal conveying means, not described in any more detail here, which is why the divider module 170 is also combined with the lane guide 172 .
  • the division is made into a total of four parallel aisles, each combined in pairs in the two transport tracks 236 which are spaced apart but run parallel.
  • the aisle guide 172 arranged in pairs can have a mass flow 238 for the articles 12 or beverage cans 34 be prior.
  • the grouping module 174 adjoins the dividing module 170 and the aisle guide 172, which is duplicated by the two parallel transport tracks 236, in the transport direction TR (in Fig. 14B from left to right or from bottom to top), where suitable dividing devices such as slides 232, the articles 12 or beverage cans 34 previously conveyed in an uninterrupted sequence are grouped and divided into two parallel rows of three, and this in each of the two parallel transport tracks 236.
  • the article groupings 20 consisting of a total of six articles grouped in a rectangular arrangement, are formed in the grouping module 174 12 or 34 beverage cans formed.
  • these article groupings 20 are suitably equipped with the packaging blanks 14 taken from a magazine 234 or supplied or provided in some other way, with the primary fixing means 22 normally being produced and formed in the application module 176. This also takes place in parallel in the two transport tracks 236 running next to one another.
  • the secondary fixation means 30 are produced, in particular by producing the strapping sections mentioned many times above by means of the strapping heads 180.
  • the packaging units 10 equipped in this way with primary and secondary fixation means 22, 30 and thus completed can then be conveyed further in the transport direction TR, which is not shown in detail here, but is only indicated by the two parallel directional arrows on the packaging units 10 shown on the far right.
  • FIGS. 15A to 15C show different embodiment variants of a packaging blank 14 as it can be used for the production of the packaging units 10 shown above.
  • the variant of the packaging blank 14 already shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C is shown again in FIG. 15A, together with all the corresponding reference numbers.
  • Figures 15B and 15C can make it clear that the strip sections 28, the side surfaces 24 on the two opposite narrow sides of the side surfaces 24 to be folded onto the lateral surfaces 26 of the articles 12 or beverage cans 34 (cf. Fig. 1C in this regard) of the packaging blank 14, the side surfaces 24 on both narrow sides extend towards each, can be designed quite differently.
  • the strip sections 28 of one side surface 24 can be made shorter, while the two strip sections 28 on the other side surface 24 must be correspondingly longer so that the overlapping strip sections 28 become both Let the narrow sides of the article grouping 20 connect to the strapping sections that are to form the secondary fixation means (cf. FIGS. 1E and 1F).
  • the left and right side surfaces 24, which adjoin the longitudinal sides of the main surface 18 of the packaging blank 14, are denoted by different reference numbers for better clarification.
  • the side face on the left with respect to the transport direction TR is denoted by the reference numeral 24L, while the right side face is denoted by the reference numeral 24R.
  • the longer strip portions 28 on the left side surface 24L are therefore denoted by the reference numeral 28-I, while the shorter strip portions on the right side surface 24R are denoted by the reference numeral 28-k. Due to the different lengths of the respective pairs of strip sections 28-I and 28-k on the left and right side surfaces 24L and 24R, the packaging blank 14 shown in FIG runs transversely to the transport direction TR. A mirror symmetry to the first main axis 42, which runs exactly through the folding area 46 and is parallel to the transport direction TR, no longer exists here.
  • the first variant of the packaging blank 14 according to FIG. 15A in which all strip sections 28 are dimensioned the same, is mirror-symmetrical to both the first main axis 42 and the second main axis 44.
  • the two strip sections 28-k and 28-I of each of the two side surfaces 24L and 24R are of different lengths.
  • the two side surfaces 24L and 24R differ in terms of the length of the strip sections 28 adjoining the respective narrow sides of the side surfaces 24L, 24R.
  • the strip section 28- I made longer on the left side surface 24L than in the variant according to FIG. 15A.
  • the front strip section 28-k pointing in the direction of transport TR is longer on the right-hand side surface 24R than in the variant according to Fig. 15A, while the strip section pointing in the opposite direction (pointing backwards with respect to transport )
  • Strip section 28-k on the right-hand side surface 24R is shorter than in the variant according to FIG. 15A.
  • Carrier frame (application head)

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Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé de production d'unités d'emballage et des unités d'emballage produites à l'aide d'un tel procédé, comprenant au moins deux articles sensiblement identiques, lesdits au moins deux articles étant maintenus ensemble au moyen d'au moins une découpe d'emballage (14). Dans le procédé, la surface principale de la découpe d'emballage (14) est appliquée sur des premières faces d'extrémité d'un groupement d'articles (20), formant ainsi une liaison entre les articles et des moyens de fixation primaires de la découpe d'emballage (14). Dans le procédé, les moyens de fixation primaires fixent des positions des articles les uns par rapport aux autres dans le groupement d'articles (20). Des surfaces latérales (24) de la découpe d'emballage (14) sont ensuite repliées, des moyens de fixation secondaires qui interagissent avec des surfaces latérales des articles étant formés. Les moyens de fixation secondaires sont formés par des sections de cerclage qui entourent des régions définies des surfaces latérales du groupement d'articles (20) et qui fixent les articles dans une orientation sensiblement parallèle les uns par rapport aux autres. La présente invention concerne également un dispositif d'emballage pour une mise en œuvre du procédé.
EP22738366.8A 2021-08-30 2022-06-21 Dispositif d'emballage, unité d'emballage et procédé de production d'unités d'emballage Pending EP4396090A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102021122384.9A DE102021122384A1 (de) 2021-08-30 2021-08-30 Verpackungsvorrichtung, Verpackungseinheit und Verfahren zur Herstellung von Verpackungseinheiten
PCT/EP2022/066876 WO2023030718A1 (fr) 2021-08-30 2022-06-21 Dispositif d'emballage, unité d'emballage et procédé de production d'unités d'emballage

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4396090A1 true EP4396090A1 (fr) 2024-07-10

Family

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP22738366.8A Pending EP4396090A1 (fr) 2021-08-30 2022-06-21 Dispositif d'emballage, unité d'emballage et procédé de production d'unités d'emballage

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US12448191B2 (fr)
EP (1) EP4396090A1 (fr)
CN (1) CN117440912A (fr)
DE (1) DE102021122384A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2023030718A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (5)

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DE102022115414A1 (de) 2022-06-21 2023-12-21 Krones Aktiengesellschaft Verfahren und Verpackungsvorrichtung zur Herstellung von Verpackungseinheiten sowie Umreifungskopf zur jeweiligen Verwendung hierbei
DE102022115413A1 (de) 2022-06-21 2023-12-21 Krones Aktiengesellschaft Verfahren und Verpackungsvorrichtung zur Herstellung von Verpackungseinheiten sowie Applikationskopf zur jeweiligen Verwendung hierbei
EP4588813A1 (fr) * 2022-09-13 2025-07-23 Herrera Muñoz, Jorge Fundador Système applicateur pour accoupler au moins un support à un ensemble de canettes de boissons pour former un ou plusieurs paquets
PY2501441A (es) * 2024-01-11 2025-08-01 Westrock Packaging Systems Llc Aparato para formar un portador de artículos
DE102024109923A1 (de) * 2024-04-10 2025-10-16 Krones Aktiengesellschaft Verpackungsvorrichtung zur Herstellung von Verpackungseinheiten und Verfahren zur Herstellung von Verpackungseinheiten

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN117440912A (zh) 2024-01-23
US12448191B2 (en) 2025-10-21
US20240253883A1 (en) 2024-08-01
WO2023030718A1 (fr) 2023-03-09
DE102021122384A1 (de) 2023-03-02

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