Provided is a method for packaging piece good groupings, in which a plurality of piece goods, particularly containers, are at least partially interconnected by a first connector, wherein at least two-piece goods of this plurality are directly interconnected by the connector. According to the embodiment, this plurality of piece goods connected by the connector is packaged with a second connector in the form of a second wrapping element, and said plurality of piece goods connected by a first connector is conveyed by a conveyor device to a packaging device and enclosed, particularly wrapped, with the second wrapping element by said packaging unit.

Machine for packaging piece good combinations with a transport device which transports a plurality of piece goods in a predetermined transport direction, with a first wrapping device which is suitable and intended for wrapping the piece goods with a film element, wherein this first wrapping device has a dispensing unit revolving around the piece goods, wherein the piece goods can be delivered to the first wrapping device in order be wrapped by the film element, and with at least one separating device arranged downstream of the first wrapping device in the transport direction of the piece goods, which separates portions of the stream of piece goods wrapped with the first film element from one another and/or promotes a separating process. According to the invention the machine has a decorating device which provides the piece goods with at least one decoration.

Packaging material may be profiled to generate an incremental containment force per revolution (ICF) attribute that is represented by a function that is variable as a function of wrap force. Moreover, the performance of different packaging materials, e.g., in terms of speed or cost, may be compared for a particular load through simulation of wrap operations based upon dimensions of the load and a desired load containment force requirement for the load.

A cutting method in a packaging machine using extensible film includes feeding products, wound in a continuous packaging or in a bundle of products, to a cutting unit; cutting the continuous packaging into finished groups of products using a movable cutting device that advances with the packaging to be cut and makes a transversal cut along the perimeter of the packaging; and bringing the movable cutting device back and performing a new cutting step simultaneously in two points of the packaging spaced from each other, with two vertical sections cut at a first point and two horizontal sections are cut at a second point to create a finished packaging. The packaging machine includes a cutting device, a slide moving forward and backward, and a side cutting device and an upper and lower cutting device spaced apart and acting simultaneously on the packaging to cut in two points vertically and horizontally.

A label-affixing machine affixes a label, which is conveyed by a label conveying body, to the back surface of a product being conveyed. The label-affixing machine includes a label holding unit configured to hold a label so that an adhesive surface of the label faces outward, a pressing mechanism configured to press a label conveying body, which is disposed on a side facing the label holding unit, against the adhesive surface of the held label by moving the label conveying body toward the label holding unit, and a controller that controls the drive of the label conveying body and the pressing mechanism to affix the label to the back surface of the product.

Disclosed is a method for packaging articles, piece goods, or containers (12) and/or for grouping the articles, piece goods, or containers (12) to form bundles (32) by way of helically wrapping the articles, piece goods, or containers (12) and/or the groupings, which are transported in a conveying direction (18) in an article flow or piece goods flow (14), into multiple layers of an elastic film about a longitudinal axis extending through the article flow or piece goods flow (14), with the elastic film being applied under tension. A film packaging (30) for the articles, piece goods, or containers (12) that moves continuously in conveying direction (18) is formed thereof, which film packaging (30) is provided with perforations (42) in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and/or is severed in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis between consecutive articles, piece goods, containers (12), or, as the case may be, between article pairs, piece good pairs, or container pairs, or between groups of a plurality of articles, piece goods, or containers (12) that are being conveyed next to each other, thereby forming bundles (32) that are conveyed one after the other.

The bundles (32) that have been separated from each other are sorted, assembled into layers, palletized, and/or stacked in transport stations and/or in handling stations (34) disposed downstream, with the film packaging (30) being severed at in each case specified and/or variable spacings to preceding separating locations for the purpose of separating bundles (32) of variable sizes or, as the case may be, bundles (32) with a variable number of articles, piece goods, or containers (12) gathered together by means of film.

A packaging method includes feeding products, ordered into two rows, into a first ring winding unit of extensible film and winding the products in a first film having a first rotation direction to form a continuous packaging or bundle; feeding the wound products to a second ring winding unit of extensible film in a second film having a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction to form a continuous packaging or bundle with two layers of film; and feeding the continuous packaging or bundle into a cutting unit, which moves in synchrony with, and cuts, the continuous packaging or bundle transversely into finished groups of products. A ring winding machine is provided at each of the two ring winding units, obtaining a continuous winding also when the film becomes exhausted in at least one of the two ring winding machines. A packaging machine is also provided.

Packaging method using extensible film and machine therefor includes feeding the groups of products, spaced apart and separate from each other, into a first and a second winding units to wind the groups of products with a first and a second extensible film disposed in opposite rotation directions to form a continuous packaging wrapped in two layers of film in opposite directions; and advancing the continuous packaging into a cutting unit, which cuts the continuous packaging transversally into finished groups of products. The winding step in each of the two ring winding units is selectively and alternately actuated with one of two ring winding machines provided at each of the two ring winding units, thereby achieving a continuous winding of groups of products even when the extensible film in at least one of the two ring winding machines at each of the two ring winding units is exhausted.

An apparatus for packaging piece goods compilations includes a first wrapping device for wrapping up the piece goods with a film element, and a further wrapping device for wrapping up the piece goods with a film element, wherein the piece goods can be fed to the first wrapping device so as to be wrapped up with a film element, and wherein during working operation of the apparatus, the first wrapping device and the further wrapping device can be selectively used in order to wrap the piece goods up.

An orbital stretch wrapping apparatus is provided and includes a base frame, a circular ring mounted on the base frame and rotatable with respect to the base frame about an axis of rotation, a stretch film dispenser mounted on the circular ring and rotatable with the circular ring about the axis of rotation, the stretch film dispenser having a subframe fixed to the circular ring, a roll of stretch film mounted to the subframe and rotatable with respect to the subframe, a first feed roller mounted to the subframe and rotatable with respect to the subframe, a second feed roller mounted to the subframe and rotatable with respect to the subframe, and a brake member connected to the first feed roller and the second feed roller.