Device and Method for Forming Bundles of Individual Packages

Abstract

A transport unit transports a package combination through a wrapping unit that wraps it with a cutout such that a front end of the cutout and a rear end of the cutout are arranged to overlap each other while lying on the transport unit. The transport unit includes a wrapping belt that passes through the wrapping unit for conveying the combination along a transport plane from an inlet to an outlet. The wrapping belt comprises long belts and short belts that are parallel to each other and that circulate in a transport direction. The long belts extend from the wrapping-belt inlet to the wrapping-belt outlet and the short belts extends from the wrapping-belt inlet as far as an end region that falls short of the wrapping-belt outlet. Each of the short belts is arranged between a pair of the long belts, thereby forming free spaces between the long belts.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. An apparatus for forming bundles of liquid-filled containers by wrapping a combination of grouped packages in a cutout, said apparatus comprising a wrapping unit and a transport unit that transports said combination in a transport direction through said wrapping unit, wherein said wrapping unit wraps said combination with said cutout such that a front end of said cutout and a rear end of said cutout are arranged to overlap each other while lying on said transport unit, wherein said transport unit comprises a wrapping belt that passes through said wrapping unit for conveying said combination along a transport plane from a wrapping-belt inlet to a wrapping-belt outlet, wherein said wrapping belt comprises long belts and short belts that are parallel to each other and that circulate in a transport direction, wherein said long belts extend from said wrapping-belt inlet to said wrapping-belt outlet and said short belts extends from said wrapping-belt inlet as far as an end region that falls short of said wrapping-belt outlet, and wherein said each of said short belts is arranged between a pair of said long belts, thereby forming free spaces between said long belts.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said short belts are shorter than said long belts by between 10% and 50%.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said short belts are shorter than said long belts by between 20% and 40%.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said short belts are shorter than said long belts by between 25% and 35%.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a function space and a function unit that is received within said function space, wherein said function space extends transverse to said transport direction upstream of a removal belt between a working strand and an empty strand of said long belts.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a function space, an adhesive applicator within said function space, and a sensor, wherein said sensor is configured to detect an end of said cutout and to provide a signal for use in causing said adhesive applicator to apply adhesive to said cutout.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an adhesive applicator below said transport plane, said adhesive applicator being configured to apply adhesive through said free spaces onto an underside of said combination.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a protective plate that screens the short belts and an adhesive applicator below said transport plane, said adhesive applicator being configured to apply adhesive through said free spaces onto an underside of said combination and said protective plate being configured to protect said short belts from stray adhesive.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a sensor that is configured to detect presence of said combination in a working region of an adhesive applicator that is disposed to apply adhesive to said cutout.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said transport unit further comprises a removal belt downstream of said wrapping belt in said transport direction, wherein said wrapping belt runs up to twice as fast as said removal belt thereby creating a speed differential and wherein said rear end of said cutout is pre-tensioned when being transferred to said removal belt as a result of said speed differential.

23. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an optical sensor that is configured to detect presence of said combination in a working region of an adhesive applicator that is disposed to apply adhesive to said cutout.

24. A method of using an apparatus for forming bundles of liquid-filled containers by wrapping a combination of grouped packages in a cutout, said apparatus comprising a wrapping unit and a transport unit that transports said combination in a transport direction through said wrapping unit, wherein said wrapping unit wraps said combination with said cutout such that a front end of said cutout and a rear end of said cutout are arranged to overlap each other while lying on said transport unit, wherein said transport unit comprises a wrapping belt that passes through said wrapping unit for conveying said combination along a transport plane from a wrapping belt inlet to a wrapping belt outlet, wherein said wrapping belt comprises long belts and short belts that are parallel to each other and that circulate in a transport direction, wherein said long belts extend from said wrapping-belt inlet to said wrapping-belt outlet and said short belts extends from said wrapping-belt inlet as far as an end region that falls short of said wrapping-belt outlet, and wherein said each of said short belts is arranged between a pair of said long belts, thereby forming free spaces between said long belts, wherein said method includes arranging a function unit at said end region in a function space on a side of said wrapping belt that faces away from said cutout and that interacts with said cutout through said free spaces between said long belts.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising sensing a displacement between a package and a side of said cutout and forwarding data indicative of said displacement to a controller.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising sensing a displacement between adhesive applied to said cutout and a package and forwarding data indicative of said displacement to a controller.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising sensing a displacement between adhesive applied to said cutout and a side of said cutout and forwarding data indicative of said displacement to a controller.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising adjusting said function unit in relation to said cutout.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising detecting a signal indicative of presence of said cutout in said free spaces and applying adhesive onto said cutout using said function unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] These and other features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying figures, in which:

[0032] FIG. 1 is perspective view of a bundling machine;

[0033] FIG. 2 is a side view of the bundling machine shown in FIG. 1;

[0034] FIGS. 3a-3c show different stages in the operation of the wrapping unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0035] FIG. 4 shows the bundling machine of FIG. 1 with a sensor to detect the presence of a package combination; and

[0036] FIG. 5 shows the bundling machine of FIG. 1 with a protective plate to protect the belts against stray adhesive.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view bundling machine 1 having of a transport unit 10. FIG. 2 shows a side view of the bundling machine 1 shown in FIG. 1.

[0038] The transport unit 10 comprises a conveyor belt 14, a wrapping belt 12 downstream from the conveyor belt 14, and a removal belt 13 downstream from the wrapping belt 12. These belts 14, 13, 23 all run in a transport direction 7.

[0039] The conveyor belt 14 transports a package combination 2, which comprises individual packages, to the wrapping belt 12. The wrapping belt 12 transports the combination 2 through a wrapping unit 6 between a wrapping-belt inlet 26 and a wrapping-belt outlet 27. At the wrapping-belt outlet 27, the removal belt 13 receives the now wrapped combination 2.

[0040] The wrapping unit 6 wraps the combination 2 in a paper cutout 3. The cutout 3 has a front end 5 and a rear end 4. The front end 5 lays on the wrapping belt 12. During the wrapping process, the combination 2 stands upright on this front end 5.

[0041] As the combination 2 moves through the wrapping unit 6, a guide rod 9 wraps a rear end 4 of the cutout 3 around the combination 2. Guide rails 8 arranged on either side of the wrapping belt 12 guide the guide rod 9 as it does so.

[0042] As can be seen in FIGS. 3a-3c, the guide rod 9 guides the rear end 4 of the cutout 3 through a gap 17 between the wrapping belt 12 and the removal belt 13 into a region below a transport plane 11 defined by the top surface of the wrapping belt 12. The rear end 4 is eventually laid onto the front end 5 at the combination's underside, as can be seen in FIG. 3c.

[0043] The wrapping belt 12 comprises long belts 21 and short belts 22 that are arranged parallel to one another in alternating order, as a result of which a pair of long belts 21 will have a short belt 22 between them. The short belts 22 and the long belts 21 all move together in the transport direction 7.

[0044] The long belts 21 extend as far as the wrapping-belt outlet 27. The short belts 22 fall short of reaching the wrapping-belt outlet 27. As a result, in an end region 28 of the wrapping belt 12, there will be free spaces 24 between long belts 21. As is apparent from the figures, some of the long belts 21 support a combination 2 and others do not. These are referred to herein as “working strands” and “empty strands.”

[0045] A function unit 18 lies in a function space 29 that is under the long belts 21 within the end region 28. In the illustrated embodiment, the function unit 18 is an adhesive applicator 18. A pump 19 pumps the adhesive to the adhesive applicator 18 from a tank 20, shown in FIG. 3a. However, other kinds of function unit 18 can be placed in the function space 29.

[0046] Using nozzles that are aligned with the free spaces 24 and directed upwards towards a combination 2 that passes across the end region 28, the adhesive applicator 18 applies adhesive through the free spaces 24 to the cutout 3 on the underside of the combination 2. This occurs as the combination 2 is being transferred to the removal belt 13. At this time, the rear end 4 is fixed to the front end 5 of the cutout.

[0047] Referring now to FIG. 4, a sensor unit 15 directed to look through the free spaces 24 detects the arrival of a package combination 2 at the end region 28 and provides a signal to a controller 16 that then causes the adhesive applicator 18 to apply adhesive. The controller 16 also controls movement of the wrapping belt 12 and the removal belt 13.