METHOD FOR MOVING A STACK OF FLAT LAMINAR PRODUCTS, AND MOVING DEVICE FOR MOVING A STACK A FLAT LAMINAR PRODUCTS

Abstract

In order to move a stack of flat laminar products, a carrying device is used which has a support part, which is positioned above the stack, and a strap, which is secured to the support part. The strap is guided around the stack on the lower face and is secured to the support part, whereupon the support part is pressed against the stack by tensioning the strap and the stack, surrounded by the strap on the lower face, is then lifted. The stack is subsequently placed on a target storage area, and the strap is then released from the stack. The strap is gripped by a gripping device and is drawn from a strap storage spool, mounted on the support part, and the strap is placed around the stack. The strap is wound onto the strap storage spool in order to tension the strap.

Claims

1. A method for moving a stack of flat laminar products via a carrying device which has a support part, which is positioned above the stack, and has a strap, which is securable to the support part, the method comprising: guiding the strap around the stack on a lower face; and securing the strap to the support part; pressing the support part against the stack by tensioning the strap; lifting the stack, which is surrounded by the strap on the lower face; placing the stack on a target storage area; and releasing the strap from the stack, wherein the strap is gripped by a gripping device and is drawn from a strap storage spool that is mounted on the support part and the strap is placed around the stack, and wherein the strap is wound onto the strap storage spool for tensioning.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the strap is gripped by the gripping device on an upper side of the support part, which side faces away from the stack.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein an end of the strap, said end facing away from the strap storage spool, is secured to a 1.sup.st holding part on the support part, and wherein the strap is gripped by the gripping device in a strap section between the strap storage spool and the 1.sup.st holding part.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the strap is guided around at least two deflection rollers, which are mounted on the support part, and wherein the strap is gripped by the gripping device in a strap section between the two deflection rollers.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the strap is placed around the stack on its lower face in a double layer or in a quadruple layer.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the support part is placed on the upper side of the stack so that it is completely disposed on the upper side of the stack.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the stack is pressed together and compressed via a compression device before the strap is wrapped around the stack.

8. A moving device for moving a stack of flat laminar products, the moving device comprising: a carrying device that comprises a support part and a strap that is adapted to be placed around the stack on a lower face thereof; a rotatably mounted strap storage spool is arranged on an upper side of the support part, from which spool the strap is adapted to be drawn and onto which the strap is adapted to be wound; and a gripping device via which the strap is gripped and drawn from the strap storage spool and placed around the stack on its lower face and secured in a releasable manner.

9. The moving device according to claim 8, wherein the strap storage spool has a drive device.

10. The moving device according to claim 8, wherein an end of the strap facing away from the strap storage spool, is secured to a first holding part on the support part.

11. The moving device according to claim 10, wherein the first holding part is arranged on the upper side of the support part.

12. The moving device according to claim 8, wherein the strap is adapted to be secured in a releasable manner via the gripping device to a second holding part arranged on the support part.

13. The moving device according to claim 12, wherein the second holding part is arranged on the upper side of the support part.

14. The moving device according to claim 8, wherein the strap is guided around at least two deflection rollers that are mounted on the support part, and wherein the strap is adapted to be gripped by the gripping device in a strap section between the two deflection rollers.

15. The moving device according to claim 8, further comprising a compression device via which the stack is pressed together and compressed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

[0033] FIG. 1 shows the essential elements of a moving device in a schematic diagram in a first phase of the method;

[0034] FIG. 2 shows the moving device according to FIG. 1 in a second phase of the method;

[0035] FIG. 3 shows the moving device according to FIG. 1 in a third phase of the method;

[0036] FIG. 4 shows the moving device according to FIG. 1 in a fourth phase of the method;

[0037] FIG. 5 shows the moving device according to FIG. 1 in a fifth phase of the method;

[0038] FIG. 6 shows the moving device according to FIG. 1 in a sixth phase of the method;

[0039] FIG. 7 shows the moving device according to FIG. 1 when the stack is being set down;

[0040] FIG. 8 shows the moving device according to FIG. 1 when the strap is being pulled out; and

[0041] FIG. 9 shows the moving device according to FIG. 1 after the moving has ended.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a stack S of flat laminar products P, for example, newspapers, wherein stack S is positioned on a staging area 21 and is to be moved from there. In the example shown, staging area 21 has an L-shaped positioning part 22 on which stack S is arranged in a predetermined orientation.

[0043] A moving device 10 has a plate-shaped support part 12, on the upper side of which a strap storage spool 13 is rotatably mounted. Strap storage spool 13 can be rotated by means of a drive device 23, shown only schematically, as indicated by the double arrow D. A strap 24, which may be a plastic strap or a fabric-plastic strap, is wound on strap storage spool 13. One end of strap 24 is attached to strap storage spool 13. Strap 24 runs starting from strap storage spool 13 over a 1.sup.st deflection roller 15a, which is arranged on the upper right side of support part 12 according to FIG. 1, and from there to a further 2.sup.nd deflection roller 15b arranged at a distance below, and from this to a 1.sup.st holding part 16, with which another end of strap 24 or the free end of strap 24 is fixed and in particular clamped on the upper side of support part 12. In the section of strap 24 lying between strap storage spool 13 and 1.sup.st deflection roller 15a, the force of a displaceably mounted and, in particular, spring-loaded tensioning roller 14 acts on strap 24, as a result of which strap 24 is held under tension.

[0044] On the side of support part 12, said side being opposite deflection rollers 15a, 15b, a 2.sup.nd holding part 17 is arranged on the upper side of support part 12.

[0045] Support part 12 can be moved in space together with strap storage spool 13, deflection rollers 15a, 15b, tensioning roller 14, 1.sup.st holding part 16, and 2.sup.nd holding part 17, as indicated by the arrows R. For this purpose, carrying device 11 can be connected to an articulated robot, for example.

[0046] Furthermore, a gripping device 18 is provided, comprising a gripper 19 movable in space, as indicated by the double arrows T. Gripper 19 carries a gripper roller 20 at its front end.

[0047] The process of moving stack S is described below in individual steps.

[0048] First, carrying device 11 is positioned so that gripping device 18 can engage with gripping roller 20 between the two deflection rollers 15a, 15b, as shown in FIG. 2. Stack S can be compressed by a compression device 26, which is shown only symbolically. Gripping device 18 is then moved so that strap 24 is pulled off strap storage spool 13 by means of gripping device 18. Because the free end of strap 24 is fixed to 1.sup.st holding part 16, a loop or double layer of strap 24 is formed, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0049] Carrying device 11 lies with the plate-shaped support part 12 on the upper side of stack S and thereby stabilizes and/or compresses it.

[0050] The gripping device then passes under stack S and under positioning part 22 while strap 24 is simultaneously drawn from strap storage spool 13, as indicated by the arrow H in FIG. 4, wherein strap 24 continues to be drawn from strap storage spool 13 and held in a double layer.

[0051] Gripping device 18 moves with strap 24 around stack S until it is located close to the 2.sup.nd holding part 17 attached to support part 12, as shown in FIG. 5. Strap 24 is then secured to 2.sup.nd holding part 17 by gripping device 18, so that strap 24 wraps around stack S in a double layer. Then strap storage spool 13 is rotated (see arrow K in FIG. 6) so that strap 24 is drawn in. However, because strap 24 is secured to 2.sup.nd holding part 17, strap 24 is tensioned and support part 12 is clamped against stack S from above, so that stack S is clamped and fixed between strap 24 and support part 12.

[0052] Carrying device 11 is then lifted together with stack S and placed on a target storage area. According to FIG. 7, it is provided that a stack S is already present from a previous moving operation, onto which stack S gripped by carrying device 11 is to be placed. A cover 25, for example, in the form of a cardboard intermediate layer, onto which carrying device 11 places the stack S, is arranged on the upper side of stack S already present at the target storage area, as shown in FIG. 7.

[0053] After stack S reaches the desired position, the engagement between strap 24 and 2.sup.nd holding part 17 is released and strap 24 is pulled through under stack S by activating strap storage spool 13 (arrow M) and wound onto strap storage spool 13, as shown in FIG. 8.

[0054] Strap 24 is now no longer engaged with stack S, so that carrying device 11 can be lifted off placed stack S and moved to another stack to be moved, as shown in FIG. 9.

[0055] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.