METHOD AND DEVICE USED TO HANDLE AND PRINT ON PACKAGING BLANKS PROVIDED FOR THE PACKAGING OF ARTICLES

Abstract

Disclosed are a method and a device (1) used to package articles into printed packaging blanks (2). In the method, a plurality of packaging blanks are first positioned in a magazine (4) and subsequently extracted from the magazine (4).

Subsequently, articles are brought together with the packaging blanks (2) extracted from the magazine (4) such that a particular packaging blank (2) hereby forms a particular packaging or a particular component of a particular packaging for in each instance at least one article.

It is moreover provided that the packaging blanks (2) are printed onto, with the printing onto a packaging blank (2) being carried out temporally after the positioning of the packaging blank (2) in the magazine (4) and temporally before the particular bringing together of the packaging blank (2) with the particular at least one article.

The device (1) can be operated in a corresponding manner.

Claims

1. A method (10) used to package articles into printed packaging blanks (2), comprising: positioning of a plurality of packaging blanks (2) in a magazine (4); extracting the packaging blanks (2) from the magazine (4); and bringing together of the extracted packaging blanks (2) with at least one article, and further comprising printing onto the packaging blank (2), wherein the printing step is carried out temporally after the positioning of the packaging blank (2) in the magazine (4) and temporally before the bringing together of the extracted packaging blank (2) with the at least one article.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of packaging blanks (2) are positioned in the magazine (4) in an upright standing manner and arranged one after the other, and wherein at least one printhead (15) prints onto a packaging blank (2) while the packaging blank (2) is located inside the magazine (4).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the extracting step comprises extracting the packaging blank (2) from the magazine (4) by a suction device or gripping device (8) temporally after the printing, wherein a movement of the suction device or gripping device (8) and a travel movement of the at least one printhead (15) are temporally coordinated with each other such that the suction device or gripping device (8) and the at least one printhead (15) do not collide with each other.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one printhead (15) comprises a first printhead and a second printhead or is formed by a first printhead and a second printhead, and wherein: the first printhead and the second printhead print onto the packaging blank (2) or the first printhead prints onto the packaging blank (2), while the second printhead remains in a waiting position temporally during the printing onto the packaging blank (2) by the first printhead.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising sensing, with a sensor system, whether a packaging blank (2) is located within a defined print range of the at least one printhead (15), and enabling or disabling approval for the at least one printhead (15) to print onto the packaging blank (2) depending on whether the packaging blank (2) is located within the print range.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising sensing, with the sensor system, a position or orientation of the packaging blank (2) and coordinating a travel movement of the at least one printhead (15) with the position or orientation of the packaging blank (2) as determined by the sensor system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the packaging blanks (2) are printed onto temporally after the positioning of the packaging blanks (2) in the magazine (4) and temporally before the extraction of the packaging blanks (2) from the magazine (4).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the packaging blanks (2) are printed onto temporally during extraction of the packaging blank (2) or temporally during a transport of the extracted packaging blank (2) toward the articles.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the packaging blank (2) is extracted from the magazine (4) by a suction device or gripping device (8) and transported toward the particular articles with which the extracted packaging blank (2) is then brought together, wherein the suction device or gripping device (8) prints onto the particular packaging blank (2) temporally during the extracting of the packaging blank (2) or temporally during the transport of the extracted packaging blank (2) toward the particular articles.

10. A device (1) used to handle packaging blanks comprising: a magazine (4) for packaging blanks (2); a transfer apparatus (6) adapted to extract packaging blanks (2) from the magazine (4) and transport the packaging blanks (2) toward articles to be packaged into the packaging blanks (2); and at least one printing apparatus (12) used to print onto packaging blanks (2), wherein the at least one printing apparatus (12) is adapted to print onto packaging blanks (2) stored in the magazine (4), or wherein the at least one printing apparatus (12) is arranged at, or supported by, the transfer apparatus (6).

11. The device of claim 19, wherein the at least one printing apparatus (12) comprises at least one printhead (15) which can print onto a packaging blank (2) located in the magazine (4).

12. The device of claim 16, wherein the transfer apparatus (6) comprises a suction device or gripping device (8) wherein: a travel movement of the at least one printhead (15) is coordinated with a movement of the suction device or gripping device (8) such that the suction device or gripping device (8) and the at least one printhead (15) do not collide with each other.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the at least one printing apparatus (12) comprises a first printhead and a second printhead, wherein: the first printhead and the second printhead print onto a packaging blank (2) or the first printhead or the second printhead prints onto the packaging blank (2) while the other printhead is in a waiting position.

14. The device of claim 16 further comprising a control apparatus or regulating apparatus (S) and a sensor system in operative connection with the control apparatus or regulating apparatus (S), wherein the control apparatus or regulating apparatus (S) can check, by the sensor system, whether a packaging blank (2) positioned in the magazine (4) is located within a defined print range, and wherein the control apparatus or regulating apparatus (S) is designed so that the control apparatus or regulating apparatus (S) issues an approval for the at least one printhead (15) to print onto a particular packaging blank (2) if the control apparatus or regulating apparatus (S) determines that a packaging blank (2) is located within the print range, and wherein control apparatus or regulating apparatus (S) is designed so that the control apparatus or regulating apparatus (S) disables an approval for the at least one printhead (15) to print onto a particular packaging blank (2), if the control apparatus or regulating apparatus (S) determines that no packaging blank (2) is located within the print range.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the sensor system and the at least one printing apparatus (12) are in operative connection with each other such that a travel movement of the at least one printhead (15) is coordinated with a particular position or orientation of a particular packaging blank (2) positioned in the magazine (4).

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one printhead (15) prints onto a foremost packaging blank (2) while the packaging blank (2) is located in the magazine (4).

17. The method of claim 3, wherein the extracting step comprises extracting a foremost packaging blank (2) from the magazine (4).

18. The method of claim 4, wherein the first printhead and the second printhead interact in order to print onto a foremost packaging blank (2) in the magazine (4), or wherein the first printhead prints onto a foremost packaging blank (2), while the second printhead remains in a waiting position temporally during the printing onto the foremost packaging blank (2) by the first printhead.

19. The device of claim 10, wherein the packaging blanks (2) can be supplied by the magazine (4) in an upright standing manner and arranged one after the other.

20. The device of claim 11, wherein the at least one printhead (15) can print onto the packaging blank (2) located foremost in the magazine (4).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0053] In the following passages, the attached figures further illustrate typical embodiments of the invention and their advantages. The size ratios of the individual elements in the figures do not necessarily reflect the real size ratios. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged in relation to other elements to facilitate an understanding of the invention.

[0054] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a device according to the invention.

[0055] FIG. 2 shows a schematic top view of the embodiment of a device according to FIG. 1.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows individual aspects such as can be provided in various embodiments of the device according to the invention and in various embodiments of the method according to the invention.

[0057] FIGS. 4A-4D show exemplary embodiments of packaging blanks such as can be provided in various embodiments of the device according to the invention for the implementation of the method according to the invention and such as can be stored in a magazine in various embodiments of the device according to the invention.

[0058] FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of individual steps such as can be provided individually or in the illustrated combination in various embodiments of the method according to the invention.

[0059] The embodiments, examples and alternatives of the preceding paragraphs, the claims, or the following figures and description, including any of their various aspects or respective individual features, may be taken independently or in any combination. Features described in connection with one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments, unless such features are incompatible.

[0060] If illustrations and aspects are generally referred to as being “schematic” in the context of the figures, this is by no means intended to imply that the illustration of the figures and their description are of inferior significance with regard to the disclosure of the invention. The person skilled in the art is fully capable of gathering sufficient information from the schematically and abstractly drawn illustrations for facilitating the understanding of the invention without the understanding being in any way impaired by, for example, the size ratios being drawn and being potentially not precisely true to scale. On the basis of the more concretely explained realizations of the method according to the invention and on the basis of the more concretely explained functionality of the device according to the invention in the figures, the person skilled in the art as a reader is thus enabled to derive a better understanding of the inventive idea, which is formulated in a more general and/or more abstract manner in the claims and in the general part of the description.

[0061] The same or equivalent elements of the invention are designated using identical reference characters. Furthermore and for the sake of clarity, only the reference characters relevant for describing the individual figures are provided. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0062] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a device 1 according to the invention. The device 1 is designed to handle packaging blanks 2, with the packaging blanks 2 being provided to accommodate beverage containers, which are not illustrated in the figures of the present patent application.

[0063] The device 1 comprises a magazine 4, by which a plurality of packaging blanks 2 are stored in an upright standing manner and in a collapsed state. It is moreover discernible from FIG. 2 that a plurality of magazines 4, or, more precisely in the present case, three magazines 4 are provided, which each store packaging blanks 2.

[0064] Moreover, a transfer apparatus 6 is provided, which is designed as suction device and/or gripping device 8. The suction device and/or gripping device 8 can extract a particular packaging blank 2 positioned in the magazine 4, foremost in an upright standing manner and in a collapsed state, from the magazine 4, unfold the packaging blank 2, and then transfer it to a target location 20 illustrated in FIG. 2 and deposit it there. In the area of the target location 20, a horizontal conveying device can be provided, for example, onto which the suction device and/or gripping device 8 deposits expanded packaging blanks 2, whereupon the suction device and/or gripping device 8 is returned toward the magazine 4. On the horizontal conveying device, the deposited packaging blank 2 is then brought together with articles. For this purpose, a plurality of beverage containers are placed into the packaging blank 2, which continues to be expanded. Together with the beverage containers placed thereinto, the packaging blank 2 is then removed by the horizontal conveying device and closed, for which purpose a top and/or lateral flap of the packaging blank 2 can be folded in and can be secured, for example, by an adhesive.

[0065] In devices as known from the prior art, it is up to now provided that packaging blanks 2 are printed onto and are only temporally thereafter placed into a magazine 4. Such a printing can contain information, for example, on the particular beverage containers accommodated by the packaging blank 2. Printings can also display QR codes or information about the particular producer. Furthermore, printings can contain graphic illustrations intended to lend an attractive visual appearance to the packaging blanks 2.

[0066] Since packaging blanks that have already been printed onto and adapted to the particular accommodated beverage containers are frequently not available in the required quantity, the device 1 comprises a printing apparatus 12 with a printhead 15. By a particular magazine 4, a particular, upright standing packaging blank 2 is supplied in a still collapsed state. The foremost, up to then still collapsed packaging blank 2 supplied by the magazine 4 in an upright standing manner is then printed onto by the printing apparatus 12 or by the printhead 15 of the printing apparatus 12 while the particular packaging blank 2 is still located in the magazine 4 during the printing. Only temporally after the printing onto a particular packaging blank 2 is fully completed can the particular packaging blank 2 then be extracted from the magazine 4, expanded, and brought to the particular target location 20 by the transfer apparatus 6 or by the suction device and/or gripping device 8. In order to prevent a collision of the suction device and/or gripping device 8 with the printing apparatus 12 or with the printhead 15 a travel movement of the printhead 15 and a movement of the suction device and/or gripping device 8 are coordinated with each other. For this purpose, the printing apparatus 15 and the suction device and/or gripping device 8 are in communication with the control apparatus and/or regulating apparatus S, which specifies the travel movement of the printhead 15 and the movement of the suction device and/or gripping device 8.

[0067] In additional consideration of FIG. 2, it is discernible that a plurality of magazines 4 are provided, in which in each instance packaging blanks 2 are stored in an upright standing manner and in a collapsed state. The transfer apparatus 6 can comprise an own suction device and/or gripping device 8 for each magazine 4, by which suction device and/or gripping device 8 the transfer apparatus 6 can extract packaging blanks 2 from the particular magazine 4 and deposit them at an own target location 20. In this instance, the printhead 15 or a single printhead 15 can be previously moved along the plurality of magazines 4 and can apply a particular print image onto packaging blanks 2 positioned in the magazines 4 foremost in an upright standing manner and in a collapsed state. A single printhead 15 can thus be sufficient to apply a particular print image onto packaging blanks 2 that are arranged in a plurality of magazines 4.

[0068] In addition to the already illustrated components, the device 1 illustrated in the FIGS. 1 and 2 can comprise further components that are not shown here. For example, the control apparatus and/or regulating apparatus S can be in communication with a sensor system, which detects whether a particular packaging blank 2 of the particular magazine 4 is ready for printing. Only if this is the case can the control apparatus and/or regulating apparatus S control the printing apparatus 12 to move the printhead 15. If the control apparatus and/or regulating apparatus S detects that due to an error or due to a depleted supply of packaging blanks 2 in a magazine 4, there is no packaging blank 2 supplied for printing, the control apparatus and/or regulating apparatus S can disable a movement for the printhead 15. It can hereby be prevented that the printhead 15 is inadvertently damaged or that problems occur during the packaging of articles due to the lack of packaging blanks 2 at the target location 20.

[0069] Instead of the one printhead 15 designed as component of the printing apparatus 12 as shown in the FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be provided that the printing apparatus 12 has a plurality of printheads 15, which interact in printing onto a particular packaging blank 2 or which print onto a packaging blank 2 together.

[0070] FIG. 3 shows individual aspects such as can be provided in various embodiments of the device 1 according to the invention and in various embodiments of the method 10 according to the invention. In particular, FIG. 3 shows a particular packaging blank 2 arranged foremost in a particular magazine 4 according to FIG. 2. The packaging blanks 2 in FIG. 3 are each designed as an outer packaging, and they are located in a collapsed state in their particular magazine 4. By a suction device and/or gripping device 8 as shown in FIG. 1, the packaging blanks 2 are extracted from the particular magazine 4 and subsequently expanded or unfolded for which purpose the packaging blanks 2 each comprise defined folding lines and bending lines.

[0071] In their unfolded orientation, the outer packagings to be formed by unfolding the packaging blanks 2 each have a front side and a side wall. The front side is referred to as reference number 22 in FIG. 3 and the side wall with the number 24. If the particular packaging blank 2 is positioned in the particular magazine 4 as a collapsed outer packaging (cf. FIG. 2), the front side 22 and the side wall 24 are located on one plane and next to each other, as is discernible from the schematic illustration according to FIG. 3. Both the front side 22 and the side wall 24 of a particular packaging blank 2 can hereby be advantageously printed onto by a single printhead 15, with the printhead 15 having to be moved exclusively in horizontal direction corresponding to the arrow-based illustration. It is also not necessary to turn around the packaging blank 2 in order to print onto both the front side 22 and the side wall 24. The printing can thus be carried out by a device 1 with a simple and uncomplicated structure because it is possible to dispense with devices that are up to now necessary for turning around the packaging blanks 2.

[0072] In FIG. 3, a print image 27 has already been applied onto each particular front side 22 and onto each particular side wall 24, as is merely schematically indicated in FIG. 3. During or after the extraction of the particular collapsed packaging blank 2 from the particular magazine 4, the particular packaging blank 2 is expanded, in which process the front side 22 and the side wall 24 are bent, or, more precisely, swiveled relative to each other about a vertically oriented axis. The dimensioning of the front side 22 and the side wall 24 illustrated in FIG. 3 is to be understood merely as an example. It is possible, for example, that an extension of the front side 22 in relation to an extension of the particular side wall 24 in horizontal direction is designed larger, or that an extension of the front side 22 and an extension of the side wall 24 in horizontal direction are designed at least approximately identical.

[0073] FIGS. 4 show exemplary embodiments of packaging blanks 2 such as can be provided in various embodiments of the device according to the invention for the implementation of the method 10 according to the invention (cf. FIG. 5) and such as can be stored in a magazine 4 (cf. FIGS. 1 and 2) in various embodiments of the device 1 according to the invention. The packaging blank 2 illustrated in FIG. 4A is designed as a so-called tray. The tray can form an outer packaging for a plurality of articles, and it comprises a plurality of lateral edge areas 7 (cf. FIG. 4A). By a printing apparatus 12, a printing can be applied in each instance onto the outside of the lateral edge areas 7. The packaging blank 2 illustrated in FIG. 4B is designed as a so-called pad and comprises two broadside surfaces on oppositely located sides, an upper one of which broadside surfaces forms a support surface for articles. The pad or one or both of the two broadside surfaces located opposite each other can furthermore be printed onto by a printing apparatus 12 or by a printhead 15.

[0074] Discernible in FIG. 4C is a packaging blank 2 designed as cardboard packaging, which can accommodate a plurality of beverage containers or into which a plurality of beverage containers can be placed. In the context of an embodiment of the method 10 according to the invention, it can be provided, in particular, that a packaging blank 2 designed as cardboard packaging according to FIG. 4C is printed onto on at least one outside arranged side while the packaging blank 2 designed as cardboard packaging is located in a magazine 4 (cf. FIGS. 1 and 2) in a collapsed state.

[0075] FIG. 4D shows another embodiment of a packaging blank 2, which in FIG. 4D is holding together a plurality of beverage cans 9. In this context, the packaging blank 2 and the beverage cans 9 form a bundle 17. A packaging blank 2 corresponding to the embodiment according to FIG. 4D can also be printed onto in some areas or completely in various embodiments of the method 10 according to the invention by various embodiments of the device 1 according to the invention. It can be provided in this context that the packaging blank 2 according to FIG. 4D is printed onto while the packaging blank 2 is located in a magazine 4 (cf. FIGS. 1 and 2). The printed packaging blank 2 can subsequently be extracted from the magazine 4 and brought together with the beverage cans 9 such that the packaging blank 2 hereupon holds together the beverage cans 9 in a form-locking manner according to FIG. 4D.

[0076] FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of individual steps such as can be provided individually or in the illustrated combination in various embodiments of the method 10 according to the invention. The method 10 described with FIG. 5 can be carried out by a device 1 corresponding to the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2. Furthermore, it is possible to use packaging blanks 2 as illustrated in the FIGS. 4 to carry out the method 10.

[0077] In a first step of method 10, the step being referred to with number 110 in FIG. 5, a plurality of packaging blanks 2 are positioned in a magazine 4 in an upright standing manner and arranged one after the other. A manipulator can be provided for this purpose to receive the plurality of packaging blanks 2 and then position them in the magazine 4 in an upright standing manner and arranged one after the other. It is also possible that a user positions the plurality of packaging blanks 2 in the magazine 4 in an upright standing manner and arranged one after the other.

[0078] In step 120, a packaging blank 2 arranged in the magazine 4 foremost in an upright standing manner is printed onto while this packaging blank 2 arranged in the magazine 4 foremost in an upright standing manner is still inside the magazine 4. The printing can be carried out according to the description for FIG. 3, for example, with a single printhead 15 applying a particular print image onto a front side 22 and onto a side wall 24 of a particular folded packaging blank 2. When the printing is fully completed, step 130 is carried out, in which the packaging blank 2, by then printed onto and up to then still arranged in an upright standing manner in the magazine 4, is extracted from the magazine 4 and deposited at a target location 20.

[0079] The method step 140 follows hereupon, in which the packaging blank 2 already deposited at the target location is brought together with a plurality of articles, with the plurality of articles being placed in a direction coming from above into the packaging blank 2 already deposited at the target location 20. In step 150, the packaging blank 2 is then closed and hereby forms a packaging unit together with the articles placed therein.

[0080] The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous changes and modifications can be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention and that such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended that the appended claims cover all such equivalent variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0081] 1 Device

[0082] 2 Outer packaging

[0083] 4 Magazine

[0084] 6 Transfer apparatus

[0085] 7 Lateral edge area

[0086] 8 Suction apparatus and/or gripping apparatus

[0087] 9 Beverage can

[0088] 10 Method

[0089] 12 Printing apparatus

[0090] 15 Printhead

[0091] 17 Bundle

[0092] 20 Target location

[0093] 22 Front side

[0094] 24 Side wall

[0095] 27 Print image

[0096] S Control apparatus and/or regulating apparatus

[0097] 110 First method step

[0098] 120 Second method step

[0099] 130 Third method step

[0100] 140 Fourth method step

[0101] 150 Fifth method step