US20090211464A1 - Method of operating a multiple container shrink wrapping machine having a printing arrangement to print on the shrink wrap material simultaneously while wrapping containers and a multiple container shrink wrapping machine therefor - Google Patents

Method of operating a multiple container shrink wrapping machine having a printing arrangement to print on the shrink wrap material simultaneously while wrapping containers and a multiple container shrink wrapping machine therefor Download PDF

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Publication number
US20090211464A1
US20090211464A1 US12/202,610 US20261008A US2009211464A1 US 20090211464 A1 US20090211464 A1 US 20090211464A1 US 20261008 A US20261008 A US 20261008A US 2009211464 A1 US2009211464 A1 US 2009211464A1
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Prior art keywords
film material
wrap film
shrink wrap
shrink
printing
Prior art date
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Abandoned
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US12/202,610
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English (en)
Inventor
Volker Till
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KHS GmbH
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KHS GmbH
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Publication date
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Assigned to KHS AG reassignment KHS AG ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: TILL, VOLKER
Publication of US20090211464A1 publication Critical patent/US20090211464A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • 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
    • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
    • B65B61/02—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for perforating, scoring, slitting, or applying code or date marks on material prior to packaging
    • B65B61/025—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for perforating, scoring, slitting, or applying code or date marks on material prior to packaging for applying, e.g. printing, code or date marks on material prior to packaging
    • 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
    • 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

Definitions

  • the present application relates to a method for the formation of bundles comprising a plurality of containers.
  • the present application also relates to a device for the performance of this method.
  • Devices for the formation of bundles consisting of a plurality of containers by wrapping them with a shrinkable film material that is extracted from a storage unit, i.e. from a roll, and by shrinking the film material to form a shrink wrapping in the form of a shrink-wrapped film that holds the bundles together are known in a wide variety of realizations.
  • the containers are thereby filled with a product, for example, and closed packages such as bottles, cans and packages of a single-ply or multi-ply flats, etc.
  • a plurality of containers are assembled into a pack and then wrapped with shrinkable film material.
  • the packs can be assembled, for example, in or on pan-shaped or flat carriers (e.g. on trays) made of a suitable material.
  • conventional practice also includes the use as the film material of a pre-printed material, the impression or pattern on which, in terms of the pictorial and/or graphic and/or color and/or textual features can be related to the product and/or brand can be very different from one product or container to another, so that it can be desired, among other things, to change the film material when containers with different products are packaged into bundles.
  • the prior art also describes a printhead which is intended for the printing of flat print stock and with which a plurality of printed dots can be produced in a line adjacent to one another or at a very slight distance from one another, for example one hundred fifty printed dots per inch on a surface of the print stock to be printed, and namely by a plurality of individually controllable nozzles.
  • the active printing width of this printhead which is also known by the name “Tonejet,” may be dependent on the capacity of the computer power of a computer that controls the printhead. For example, printheads with printing widths of 1.7-6.8 inches (corresponding to a 256-hit control or a 1204-hit control) can be used. With this printhead, a two-dimensional impression with a significantly large surface area can be printed by a relative movement between the surface to be printed and the printhead in possibly one axial direction.
  • the object of the present application is to indicate a method with which bundles, each consisting of a plurality of containers and held together by a printed, shrunk film, can be formed efficiently with different packaging or different printing.
  • This object can be accomplished by a method for the formation of bundles, such as, in one possible embodiment, the bundles comprising a plurality of containers are wrapped together by a strip-format film material in a packaging station to which the film material taken from a supply is fed.
  • the film material is printed at least partly in one or more colors at a printing unit, which is upstream of the packaging station in the direction of transport of the film.
  • the film material pulled off the supply is a neutral film with or without an imprint and is printed on using at least one printing unit, which produces the print and/or the printed image as a function of an electronic actuator device, by generating the printed image as a function of templates that are stored electronically or in the form of software in the control device.
  • the printing takes place during relative movement between the film material and the printing unit or at least one printhead of the printing unit.
  • Another object of the present application is to indicate a device for the performance of the method, such as, in one possible embodiment, for the formation of bundles consisting of a plurality of containers which wraps bundles with a film material in a wrapping or packaging station to which film material pulled from a supply is fed in a feed direction.
  • At least one printing unit for the printing of the film material, in which the at least one printing unit is realized for a single-color or multiple-color printing of the film material and the image is produced as a function of an electrical control unit.
  • Means are provided to produce the relative movement between the film material and the at least one printing unit or at least one printhead of this printing unit during the printing.
  • One feature of a method according to one possible embodiment is that not only information for the overall appearance of the bundle in question, but also at least a significant portion of the printing on the film that surrounds the containers and holds the bundle together, and thus the packaging of the bundle, is printed immediately or substantially immediately before the formation of the respective bundle in a printing unit on the film material that is extracted from a supply roller. It is thereby possible, using one and the same primary or film material to modify the packaging of the bundle by a corresponding adjustment or conversion.
  • the printing unit is realized so that it produces the respective image on the film material as a function of its actuation by an electronic control unit or a computer, and possibly on the basis of a dataset formed electronically or by software and a template that can be stored, for example in a memory of the control device or of the computer.
  • a template that can be stored, for example in a memory of the control device or of the computer.
  • the present application also makes it possible, among other things, to easily modify and/or update as desired the respective packaging of the bundle, and possibly also as a function of the respective product and/or of the respective brand. It is also possible to select and to use the product packaging desired for printing the film material, to adjust the size of the printing to the size of the bundle and/or also to vary the printed image or parts of the printed image during the process.
  • the printing unit may have at least one printhead, which is possibly realized in the form of a “Tonejet” printhead and/or in the form of a printhead that is equivalent to such a “Tonejet” printhead.
  • a print-head of this type has, in a printing area which, during the printing of the area to be printed, is located facing and at a slight distance from this surface, a plurality of individual nozzles which are provided close after one another in a longitudinal axis of the printhead, and each of which is formed by a nozzle aperture and by an electrode that corresponds to each nozzle aperture.
  • the ink that is present in the printhead is released from each individual nozzle or from the corresponding nozzle aperture when, for the activation of an individual nozzle, an electrical voltage is applied to the electrode corresponding to said individual nozzle, the polarity and/or potential of which differs from the polarity and/or potential of the printhead or of the ink in the printhead, so that a certain quantity of ink is ejected or expelled from the nozzle aperture of the activated individual nozzle.
  • a printhead of this type is referred to below as an “electrostatic printhead”.
  • Containers within the meaning of the present application are in turn any packages that are filled with a product and closed, including but not limited to bottles, cans, boxes, cartons, tubes made of cardboard or another flat material, for example packages manufactured from a multiple-ply flat material, etc.
  • Bundling units within the meaning of the present application are a plurality of containers combined into a group with or without a carrier that supports or partly comprises these containers.
  • Bundles within the meaning of the present application are packs of the type described above which are held together or fixed in position by a shrinkable film material by wrapping them with this material and then shrinking this material, i.e. by shrink wrap.
  • inventions or “embodiment of the invention”
  • word “invention” or “embodiment of the invention” includes “inventions” or “embodiments of the invention”, that is the plural of “invention” or “embodiment of the invention”.
  • inventions or “embodiment of the invention”
  • the Applicant does not in any way admit that the present application does not include more than one patentably and non-obviously distinct invention, and maintains that this application may include more than one patentably and non-obviously distinct invention.
  • the Applicant hereby asserts that the disclosure of this application may include more than one invention, and, in the event that there is more than one invention, that these inventions may be patentable and non-obvious one with respect to the other.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a device for the manufacture of packs each comprising a plurality of containers
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration showing the printheads of a printing unit which is realized in the form of electrostatic printheads together with the film material to be printed;
  • FIG. 3 shows one of the printheads of the printing unit illustrated in FIG. 2 .
  • 1 is a device for the manufacture of bundles by combining a plurality of bundling units by combining a plurality of containers 2 into individual bundle arrangements and assembling each bundle arrangement 3 into a bundle 4 by means of a shrunken film 5 which surrounds the bundle arrangement 3 .
  • the device 1 has, on an equipment frame 6 , among other things, a conveyor 7 which forms an internal horizontal conveyor line with which the containers 2 are moved in a horizontal transport direction A through the device, and possibly in a multi-lane conveyor flow in which at least two containers 2 are located next to each other at a right angle to the direction of transport A.
  • a conveyor 7 which forms an internal horizontal conveyor line with which the containers 2 are moved in a horizontal transport direction A through the device, and possibly in a multi-lane conveyor flow in which at least two containers 2 are located next to each other at a right angle to the direction of transport A.
  • the packs 2 are fed to the device 1 at an inlet 8 . 1 as a multi-lane conveyor flow, and then proceed to a buffer line 9 formed by the conveyor 7 , in which the containers 2 are also close together in the direction of transport A.
  • a divider unit 10 that is downstream of the buffer line 9 , individual groups of containers are formed, which then travel as a bundling unit 3 to a station 11 , in which each bundling unit 3 is wrapped with a length of film material that has been separated from the film material 5 . 1 , which then, by shrink wrapping in a shrink tunnel 12 , forms the shrink wrap 5 that holds the respective bundle 4 together.
  • the finished bundles 4 are fed to another application via a conveyor that is not shown but is adjacent to the outlet 8 . 2 of the device 1 .
  • an additional conveyor 13 which in the illustrated embodiment comprises two conveyor belts 14 , each of which forms a closed loop and is driven in circulation. These conveyor belts are oriented with the planes of their loops in the vertical direction and are located on both sides of the conveyor line formed by the conveyor 7 . Between the conveyor belts 14 , there are a plurality of webs or bars or arms 15 at intervals which act as pushers for the containers 2 and are separated from one another at a distance such that with each web 15 , one bundling unit 3 from the buffer line 9 is driven in the direction of transport A.
  • the strip-format film material 5 . 1 is supplied in the form of a roll 5 . 2 that is held on a mandrel or a bracket 5 . 3 and is pulled off this roll in a direction of movement or transport B during the operation of the device 1 .
  • the film material 5 . 1 is transported by means of a plurality of deflector pulleys first through various devices 16 and 17 , among others, to define the correct length and/or to maintain a specified strip tension opposite to the direction of transport A, to a printing station 18 , through which the strip-format film material 5 . 1 , after a deflection in the direction of transport A, is moved, in which this material is printed in the manner described in greater detail below.
  • a cutting station 19 In the direction of travel B of the film material 5 . 1 , downstream of the printing station 18 is a cutting station 19 , in which the length of the printed film material 5 . 1 desired to wrap one bundling unit 3 is separated and then transported by means of a conveyor 20 to the wrapping station 11 .
  • the supply roll 5 . 2 , the units 16 and 17 , the printing station 19 and the conveyor element 20 are located inside the equipment frame 6 below the conveyor line formed by the conveyor 7 .
  • a first characteristic of the present application is that the printing of the film material 5 . 1 in the device 1 takes place immediately or substantially immediately before the use of this material. It is thereby possible to use, as the film material 5 . 1 , a neutral film which is then provided with the printed impression desired for the bundle 4 .
  • the printing station 18 comprises, viewed sequentially in the illustrated embodiment in the direction of travel or transport B of the film material 5 . 1 , a pre-heater unit 21 , a printer unit 22 which is adjacent to the pre-heater unit 21 , a unit 23 that follows the printing unit 22 for the drying of the individual impression or printed image, and possibly as a function of the ink used for the printing by heating or heat treatment or UV treatment, etc.
  • the printing unit 22 comprises a plurality of printheads 24 which are oriented at a right angle or virtually perpendicular to the direction of travel B of the film material 5 . 1 at a short distance above this material or above the printing plane formed by the film material 5 . 1 .
  • this printing plane is a horizontal plane.
  • the print heads 24 are realized in the form of electrostatic printheads.
  • the printing heads may be at least three printheads, each of which is used to print one color set of a multi-color printing.
  • the printing heads thus comprise, in their coloring, different colors of ink, e.g. red, blue and yellow.
  • additional print-heads 24 on the printing unit 22 for example a fourth printhead 24 for black ink.
  • the printhead 24 comprises of a housing 25 which forms, among other things, a closed interior compartment 26 which holds the liquid or viscous ink.
  • Each housing 25 is designed so that the interior compartment 26 tapers in a cone or wedge shape toward a lower housing segment 25 . 1 . On this housing segment 25 .
  • each printhead 24 which extends over the entire length of each printhead 24 or its housing 25 and is oriented parallel or virtually parallel to a longitudinal axis DL of the housing or printhead and thus also parallel or virtually parallel to the printing plane, there are a plurality of individually activated nozzles 27 for the controlled dispensing of the ink, and possibly in at least one row sequentially in the direction of the longitudinal axis DL of the printhead and arranged close together, so that, for example, one hundred and fifty individual nozzles 27 per inch or more are formed on the housing segment 25 . 1 .
  • each printhead 24 With the housing segment 25 . 1 that has the individual nozzles 27 , each printhead 24 is located at the above mentioned short distance above the film material 5 . 1 to be printed or the printing plane.
  • the film material 5 is provided to be printed or the printing plane.
  • the direction of forward movement or travel B is at a right angle, that is perpendicular or virtually perpendicular to the printhead longitudinal axis DL of the printheads 24 .
  • the printheads 24 are arranged with their longitudinal axes DL of the printheads parallel or virtually parallel to one another in the horizontal direction, and in at least one embodiment in a common horizontal plane.
  • Each individual nozzle 27 comprises an aperture 28 and a needle-shaped electrode 29 that corresponds to this aperture 28 .
  • the axis of the electrode 29 is oriented equi-axially with the axis of the respective aperture 28 and ends at a slight distance from this aperture 28 inside the housing interior compartment 26 .
  • Each printhead 24 is also realized so that, at least during the printing process, the ink that is in the housing interior compartment 26 is pressed at a certain hydrostatic pressure toward the apertures 28 of the individual nozzles 27 .
  • the cross section of the openings 28 is selected taking the viscosity and/or the surface tension of the ink into consideration so that when the individual nozzle 27 is not activated, ink does not exit the apertures 28 in spite of the hydrostatic pressure.
  • the electrodes 29 can be actuated individually by means of a control device 30 , and possibly so that when the individual nozzle 27 is not activated, the corresponding electrode 29 is at the same electrical potential as the ink in the interior 26 of the housing.
  • the potential of the corresponding electrode 29 is varied briefly or in a pulsed fashion by a corresponding activation or actuation by the control device 30 , so that ink is dispensed via the aperture 28 to produce a printed dot 31 on the film material 5 . 1 .
  • the printheads 24 are oriented with the longitudinal axis DL of their printhead at a right angle or perpendicular or virtually perpendicular to the direction B of forward travel of the film material 5 . 1 , the printing on the film material 5 . 1 is often done in rows that run perpendicular or virtually perpendicular to the longitudinal direction or direction of forward travel B of the film material 5 . 2 over the entire width of the area to be printed, e.g. over a large part of the width of the film material 5 . 1 , and possibly progressively in the direction of forward travel B of the film material 5 . 1 .
  • the individual nozzles 27 can be activated at high speed. For the printing, moreover, a single relative movement between the film material 5 .
  • the respective image is generated digitally in the control device 30 by a corresponding actuation of the individual nozzles 27 and is stored in the control device 30 or in a memory of the control device in the form of a digital dataset.
  • the film material 5 . 1 is printed in the printing unit 22 so that the imprint and/or the graphic and/or color layout or decoration of the film material 5 . 1 is produced completely by the printing unit 22 on the neutral film material 5 . 1 and/or an imprint that is already present on the film material 5 . 1 is supplemented in a desired fashion with the printer unit 22 , e.g. text, colors or graphics can be added.
  • Various advantageous capabilities i.e. among others the ability to rapidly convert the device 1 to different products, to set and/or adjust the size of the current printed impression to the size of the bundle 4 , etc., become possible because the film material is printed in the device 1 , i.e.
  • the forward movement of the film material 5 . 1 is regulated by the electronic control device 30 , and possibly in synchronization with the actuation of the printheads 24 , to thereby achieve a clear, high-quality printed image.
  • centering and guide means for the film material 5 . 1 are provided in the vicinity of the printheads 24 to optimally orient this material with reference to the printheads 24 , and/or to comply with the specified distance between the printheads 24 and the film material 5 . 1 .
  • the film material 5 . 1 is preheated so that the ink of the ink sets produced by the individual printheads 24 sets or bonds to the surface at least to the extent that an undesirable mixing of the individual inks is restricted.
  • the pre-heater device 21 can have additional elements, for example a corona element (not shown), with which the film material 5 . 1 is electrostatically charged before printing, at least on the side that will be printed.
  • the ink is dried or set in the unit 23 that is downstream of the printing unit 22 in the direction of forward travel B, namely by heating or in another suitable manner, e.g. by setting under UV light, etc.
  • the film material is printed immediately or essentially immediately before the wrapping by at least one printing unit which is provided in the direction of travel of the film material between the supply and the packaging station.
  • One feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside broadly in a method for the formation of bundles 4 consisting of a plurality of containers 2 by wrapping with a printed, strip-format film material 5 . 1 in a packaging station 11 to which the film material taken from a supply 5 . 2 is fed, whereby the film material 5 . 1 is printed at least partly in one or more colors at a printing unit 22 which is upstream of the packaging station 11 in the direction of transport B of the film 5 and the film material 5 . 2 pulled off the supply 5 .
  • 2 is a neutral film with or without an imprint is done using at least one printing unit 22 which produces the print and/or the printed image as a function of an electronic actuator device 30 , by generating the printed image as a function of templates that are stored electronically or in the form of software in the control device 30 , wherein the printing takes place during relative movement between the film material 5 . 1 and the printing unit 22 or at least one printhead 24 of the printing unit 22 .
  • the at least one printing unit 22 has at least one electrostatic printhead 24 with a plurality of individually activatable individual nozzles 27 for the controlled dispensing of ink, and the individual nozzles 27 are arranged in at least one row one after another in a longitudinal axis DL of the printhead.
  • Still another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside broadly in the method, wherein the printed image is modified at least partly during the formation of the bundle 4 .
  • a further feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside broadly in the method, wherein the film material 5 . 1 is printed in lines at a right angle to a longitudinal direction of the film material or at a right angle to the direction of transport B of the film material 5 . 1 , and possibly, for example, over the entire width or a major portion of the width of the film material 5 . 1 .
  • Still another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside broadly in the method, wherein the at least one printhead 24 is located above the film material 5 . 1 to be printed.
  • a further feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside broadly in the method, characterized by at least two and preferably at least three printheads 24 .
  • Another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside broadly in the method, wherein for the production of a multi-color impression, one color set of this impression is produced with each printhead 24 .
  • Still another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside broadly in the method, wherein the individual length of film material for the formation of a bundle 4 is separated in a cutting station 19 from the film material 5 . 1 , and the printing of the film material takes place after the separation.
  • a further feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside broadly in the method, wherein the film material 5 . 1 , after the winding for the formation of a shrunk film or wrapping 5 that surrounds the containers 2 is shrunk by the application of heat.
  • Another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside broadly in a device for the formation of bundles 4 consisting of a plurality of containers 2 by wrapping with a film material in a wrapping or packaging station 11 , to which film material pulled from a supply 5 . 2 is fed in a feed direction B, whereby between the supply 5 . 2 and the packaging station 11 there is at least one printing unit 22 for the printing of the film material 5 . 1 , in which the at least one printing unit 22 is realized for a single-color or multiple-color printing of the film material 5 . 1 and the image is produced as a function of an electrical control unit, wherein means are provided to produce the relative movement between the film material and the at least one printing unit 22 or at least one printhead 24 of this printing unit 22 during the printing.
  • the at least one printing unit 22 has at least one electrostatic printhead 24 with a plurality of individually activated individual nozzles 27 for the controlled dispensing of ink, and the individual nozzles 27 are arranged in at least one row one after another in a longitudinal axis DL of the a printhead.
  • a further feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside broadly in the device, wherein the at least one printhead 24 is oriented with a printhead longitudinal axis DL at a right angle or perpendicular to the feed direction B of the film material 5 . 1 .
  • Yet another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside broadly in the device, wherein the printing unit 22 or at least one printhead 24 of this unit prints the strip-format film material 5 . 1 by rows at a right angle to the longitudinal direction of the strip, and possibly over the entire width or a major portion of this width.
  • Still another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside broadly in the device, characterized by at least two and preferably by at least three printheads 24 .
  • each printhead 24 corresponds to one color set of the impression.
  • Still another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside broadly in the device, characterized by a cutting station 19 for the separation of a length of the film material 5 . 1 that is fed to the packaging station 11 for the production of a bundle, whereby the at least one printing unit 22 is provide upstream of the cutting station 19 or downstream of the cutting station 19 in the direction of transport B of the film material 5 . 1 .
  • a further feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside broadly in the device, characterized by a conveyor line formed by at least one conveyor 7 , on which the containers 2 that are fed to the device at an inlet 8 . 1 are combined into a pack 3 , which is then wrapped in the packaging station 11 with the film material 5 . 1 , and the at least one printing unit 22 is located underneath the conveyor line, and in particular preferably together with the supply of the film material 5 . 1 formed by a supply roller 5 . 2 and/or a holder 5 . 3 for this supply.
  • At least one feature or aspect of an embodiment of the German application No. 10 2006 009 348.8 was believed at the time of the filing of the German application to possibly reside broadly in a method for the formation of bundles 4 consisting of a plurality of containers 2 by wrapping with a printed, strip-format film material 5 . 1 in a packaging station 11 to which the film material taken from a supply 5 . 2 is fed, wherein the film material 5 . 1 is at least partly printed in a printing unit 22 that is upstream of the packaging station 11 in the direction of transport B of the film 5 . 1 .
  • At least one feature or aspect of an embodiment of the German application was believed at the time of the filing of the German application to possibly reside broadly in the method, wherein the film material 5 . 1 pulled off the supply 5 . 2 is a neutral film without printing.
  • At least one feature or aspect of an embodiment of the German application No. 10 2006 009 348.8 was believed at the time of the filing of the German application to possibly reside broadly in the method, wherein the film material pulled off the supply 5 . 2 is preprinted, and the printing of the film material 5 . 1 is an addition to the printed image that is already present on this material.
  • At least one feature or aspect of an embodiment of the German application No. 10 2006 009 348.8 was believed at the time of the filing of the German application to possibly reside broadly in the method, wherein the film material 5 . 1 is printed in multiple colors.
  • At least one feature or aspect of an embodiment of the German application No. 10 2006 009 348.8 was believed at the time of the filing of the German application to possibly reside broadly in the method, wherein the film material 5 . 1 is printed using at least one printing unit 22 which generates the print or the printed image as a function of an electronic actuation unit 30 .
  • At least one feature or aspect of an embodiment of the German application No. 10 2006 009 348.8 was believed at the time of the filing of the German application to possibly reside broadly in the method, wherein the printing unit 22 generates the printed image as a function of templates stored electronically in the control device 30 or by means of software.
  • At least one feature or aspect of an embodiment of the German application No. 10 2006 009 348.8 was believed at the time of the filing of the German application to possibly reside broadly in a device for the formation of bundles 4 consisting of a plurality of containers 2 by wrapping with a film material in a wrapping or packaging station 11 , to which film material pulled from a supply 5 . 2 is fed in a feed direction B wherein, between the supply 5 . 2 and the packaging station 11 there is at least one printing unit 22 for the printing of the film material 5 . 1 .
  • At least one feature or aspect of an embodiment of the German application No. 10 2006 009 348.8 was believed at the time of the filing of the German application to possibly reside broadly in the device, wherein the at least one printing unit 22 is realized for a multi-color printing of the film material 5 . 1 .
  • At least one feature or aspect of an embodiment of the German application No. 10 2006 009 348.8 was believed at the time of the filing of the German application to possibly reside broadly in the device, characterized by means for the production of the relative movement between the film material 5 . 1 and the at least one printing unit 22 or at least one printhead 24 of this printing unit 22 during printing.
  • At least one feature or aspect of an embodiment of the German application No. 10 2006 009 348.8 was believed at the time of the filing of the German application to possibly reside broadly in the device, characterized by feed means, with which the film material 5 . 1 is moved relative to the at least one printing unit 2 or to the at least one printhead 24 located in it.
  • the Innopack packaging machine manufactured by KHS Maschinen und Anlagenbau AG, is an example of a packaging machine which may possibly be utilized or adapted for use in at least one possible embodiment.
  • Some other examples of packaging machines which may possibly be utilized or adapted for use in at least one possible embodiment may possibly be found in the following U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,260, entitled “Packaging machine for cardboard boxes and process for packaging articles in cardboard boxes;” No. 4,785,610, entitled “Automatic machine for packaging products of different kinds in boxes;” No. 5,265,398, entitled “Automatic counting and boxing machine;” No. 5,943,847, entitled “Packaging machine for multi-packs;” No. 5,937,620, entitled “Packaging machine for multi-packs;” No. 5,711,137, entitled “Packaging machine and method of packaging articles;” and No. 5,706,633, entitled “Packaging machine and method of packaging articles.”
  • shrink wrapping machines or machines for wrapping items in plastic film which may possibly be utilized or adapted for use in at least one possible embodiment may possibly be found in the following U.S. Pat. No. 6,826,893, entitled “Apparatus for wrapping products with plastic film;” No. 6,739,115, entitled “Equipment for wrapping groups of products in plastic film;” No. 5,878,555, entitled “Apparatus for wrapping articles in plastic film;” No. 5,787,691, entitled “Apparatus for wrapping articles in plastic film;” No. 5,519,983, entitled “Shrink wrap packaging system with an ultrasonic side sealer;” No. 4,956,963, entitled “Method of sealing a shrink wrap package;” No.
  • the Innopack Kisters ST shrink tunnels is an example of a shrink tunnel which may possibly be utilized or adapted for use in at least one possible embodiment.
  • Some other examples of shrink tunnels which may possibly be utilized or adapted for use in at least one possible embodiment may possibly be found in the following U.S. Pat. No. 7,363,728, issued Apr. 29, 2008, entitled “Shrink Wrap Tunnel with Variable Set Points;” U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,041, issued May 5, 1998, entitled “Shrinking Selected Portions of Film Wrapped Around a Product;” No. 5,740,659, issued Apr. 21, 1998, entitled “Shrink Tunnel and Methods Relating Thereto;” and No. 5,546,677, issued Aug. 20, 1996, entitled “Apparatus and Method forshrinking Film Wrapped Around a Product.”
  • shrink film that may possibly be utilized or adapted for use in at least one possible embodiment may possibly be found in the following U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,237, issued Feb. 25, 1992, entitled “Transparent Shrink Film Based on Polypropylene, Process for Its Manufacture, and Its Use for Shrink Labels;” No. 5,480,945, issued Jan. 2, 1996, entitled “Amorphous Nylon Copolymer and Copolyamide Films and Blends;” No. 6,479,138, issued Nov. 12, 2002, entitled “Low Shrink Tension Film;” and No. 6,344,250, issued Feb. 5, 2002, entitled “Multi-layered Polyolefin High Shrinkage, Low Shrink Force Shrink Film.”
  • the “Tonejet” printhead developed by The Technology Partnership plc, is an example of a printhead which may possibly be utilized or adapted for use in at least one possible embodiment.
  • Some examples of printheads that may possibly be utilized or adapted for use in at least one possible embodiment may possibly be found in the following U.S. Pat. No. 7,387,366, issued Jun. 17, 2008, entitled “Printhead;” No. 6,820,965, issued Nov. 23, 2004, entitled “Drop-on-Demand Printer;” No. 7,407,271, issued Aug. 5, 2008, entitled “Self-Cooling Thermal Ink Jet Printhead;” and No. 7,380,906, issued Jun. 3, 2008, entitled “Printhead.”
  • drying units that may possibly be utilized or adapted for use in at least one possible embodiment may possibly be found in the following U.S. Pat. No. 7,416,294, issued Aug. 26, 2008, entitled “Image Forming Apparatus and Liquid Control Method;” No. 7,413,278, issued Aug. 19, 2008, entitled “Image Forming Apparatus and Ejection Determining Method;” and No. 7,357,473, issued Apr. 15, 2008, entitled “Inkjet Recording Apparatus and Method.”

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)
  • Ink Jet (AREA)
  • Printing Methods (AREA)
US12/202,610 2006-03-01 2008-09-02 Method of operating a multiple container shrink wrapping machine having a printing arrangement to print on the shrink wrap material simultaneously while wrapping containers and a multiple container shrink wrapping machine therefor Abandoned US20090211464A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

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DE102006009348A DE102006009348A1 (de) 2006-03-01 2006-03-01 Verfahren zur Bildung von Gebinden sowie Vorrichtung zum Durchführen des Verfahrens
DE102006009348.8 2006-03-01
PCT/EP2007/000888 WO2007101517A2 (fr) 2006-03-01 2007-02-02 Procédé de formation de packs et dispositif permettant la mise en oeuvre dudit procédé

Related Parent Applications (1)

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US (1) US20090211464A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP1993915A2 (fr)
JP (1) JP2009528225A (fr)
CN (1) CN101395061A (fr)
AU (1) AU2007222722A1 (fr)
BR (1) BRPI0707051A2 (fr)
DE (1) DE102006009348A1 (fr)
MX (1) MX2008011117A (fr)
WO (1) WO2007101517A2 (fr)
ZA (1) ZA200806967B (fr)

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US20090109275A1 (en) * 2007-10-29 2009-04-30 Suntory Limited Laser printing system and laser printing method
US20100307947A1 (en) * 2009-06-08 2010-12-09 C-P Flexible Packaging Extended text shrink sleeve
US20130055682A1 (en) * 2010-05-12 2013-03-07 Avery Dennison Corporation Heat Shrink Packaging System and Method
US20220111989A1 (en) * 2019-02-26 2022-04-14 Krones Aktiengesellschaft Method and device used to handle and print on packaging blanks provided for the packaging of articles

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DE102008044519A1 (de) 2008-09-12 2010-03-18 Krones Ag Verfahren und Einrichtung zur Herstellung von Gebinden
DE102011013117A1 (de) * 2011-03-04 2012-09-06 Krones Aktiengesellschaft Verpackungsmodul für mit Verpackungs- und/oder unter Erwärmung schrumpfbarer Schrumpffolie zu umhüllende Gebinde oder Artikelgruppen
DE102012000340A1 (de) * 2012-01-11 2013-07-11 Khs Gmbh Verfahren zur Herstellung von Gebinden
CN103112657B (zh) * 2013-03-04 2014-09-03 金红叶纸业集团有限公司 多盒盒装物品及其包装装置和方法
DE102014106906A1 (de) 2013-06-18 2014-12-18 Khs Gmbh Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur Bildung von Verpackungseinheiten
CN104229181B (zh) * 2014-08-20 2016-08-17 河北汇金机电股份有限公司 纸币塑封包装机

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DE10312889B3 (de) * 2003-03-22 2004-08-05 CSAT Gesellschaft für Computer-Systeme und Automations-Technik mbH Vorrichtung zum positionsgenauen Bedrucken einer markierungsfreien Folie
DE102005036335A1 (de) * 2005-04-29 2006-11-09 Fritz Egger Gmbh & Co. Verpackung mit dekorativer Folie

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Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20090109275A1 (en) * 2007-10-29 2009-04-30 Suntory Limited Laser printing system and laser printing method
US8199183B2 (en) * 2007-10-29 2012-06-12 Suntory Holdings Limited Laser printing system and laser printing method
US20100307947A1 (en) * 2009-06-08 2010-12-09 C-P Flexible Packaging Extended text shrink sleeve
US20130055682A1 (en) * 2010-05-12 2013-03-07 Avery Dennison Corporation Heat Shrink Packaging System and Method
US10059477B2 (en) * 2010-05-12 2018-08-28 Avery Dennison Corporation Heat shrink packaging system and method
US20220111989A1 (en) * 2019-02-26 2022-04-14 Krones Aktiengesellschaft Method and device used to handle and print on packaging blanks provided for the packaging of articles
US12060189B2 (en) * 2019-02-26 2024-08-13 Krones Aktiengesellschaft Method and device used to handle and print on packaging blanks provided for the packaging of articles

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WO2007101517A3 (fr) 2007-12-27
ZA200806967B (en) 2010-03-03
WO2007101517B1 (fr) 2008-02-21
MX2008011117A (es) 2008-09-08
DE102006009348A1 (de) 2007-09-06
BRPI0707051A2 (pt) 2011-04-19
WO2007101517A2 (fr) 2007-09-13
EP1993915A2 (fr) 2008-11-26
AU2007222722A1 (en) 2007-09-13
JP2009528225A (ja) 2009-08-06
CN101395061A (zh) 2009-03-25

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