METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FLEXIBLE STRAPPING

Abstract

Strapping goods with a strap is provided by using a strap guide frame to which the strap is fed to form a loop around the goods. The strap guide frame has an upper horizontal section which is formed by a horizontally displaceable and height-adjustable lance which can be displaced from a strapping position closing the strap guide frame into an opening position outside the strap guide frame. A strapping device having a strap guide frame operates reliably with an adjustable height of the displaceable upper horizontal portion of the strap guide frame. A first vertical section of the strap guide frame has a plurality of swivel segments arranged one above the other, and in that the lance is coupled to a vertically acting displacement drive configured to align the lance with one of the swivel segments prior to horizontal insertion into the strapping position.

Claims

1. A device for strapping goods with a strap, comprising: a strap guide frame to which the strap is fed to form a loop around the goods; a horizontally displaceable and height-adjustable lance provided in an upper horizontal section of the strap guide frame and which can be displaced from a strapping position closing the strap guide frame into an opening position outside the strap guide frame; and a plurality of swivel segments arranged in a first vertical section of the strap guide frame one above the other, wherein the lance is coupled to a vertically acting displacement drive configured to align the lance with one of the swivel segments before horizontal insertion of the lance into the strapping position.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of swivel segments are coupled to a lift drive which is configured to displace the swivel segments vertically at least by a height of the swivel segments.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the lance is coupled to an insertion drive which displaces the lance horizontally, and wherein the displacement drive is configured to move the insertion drive vertically.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein each swivel segment has a guide surface for the strap on a side facing a central region of the strap guide frame, wherein the guide surface is covered by at least one swivel flap.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein a first corner guide element is fastened to the lance and forms an upper end of the first vertical section of the strap guide frame when the lance is inserted and wherein the first corner guide can be pushed with the lance through the first vertical section of the strap guide frame in the region of one of the swivel segments.

6. The device according to any claim 5, wherein a second vertical portion of the strap guide frame includes a second corner guide element having a receiving area for receiving a free end of the lance in the strapping position, and wherein a height adjustment drive is coupled to the second corner guide element and is configured to align the second corner guide element with a height of the lance.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the displacement drive and the height adjustment drive are coupled to each other for aligning a height of the second corner guide element with the height of the lance using either a mechanical coupling mechanism which, when the lance is moved vertically, causes a corresponding vertical height adjustment of the second corner guide element or using an electronic coupling mechanism, wherein a measuring device determines the height of the lance and a control device controls the height of the adjustment drive in order to move the second corner guide element to a corresponding height.

8. The device according to any claim 1, wherein the lower horizontal portion of the strap guide frame is formed by either a second horizontally displaceable lance or a stationary lower frame section.

9. A method for strapping goods with a strap, comprising: feeding a strap to a strap guide frame to form a loop around the goods, the strap guide frame having an upper horizontal section which is formed by a horizontally displaceable and height-adjustable lance which is displaceable from an open position outside the strap guide frame into a strapping position which closes the strap guide frame, wherein a first vertical section of the strap guide frame has a plurality of swivel segments arranged one above the other; and aligning the lance with one of the swivel segments using a vertically acting displacement drive before the lance is pushed horizontally into the strapping position.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of swivel segments are coupled to a lift drive that vertically displaces the swivel segments to a desired position when needed.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the lance is coupled to an insertion drive which displaces the lance horizontally, and wherein the displacement drive moves the insertion drive vertically.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein a first corner guide element is fastened to the lance and forms an upper end of the first vertical section of the strap guide frame when the lance is inserted, the first corner guide element being pushed together with the lance through the first vertical section of the strap guide frame in a region of one of the swivel segments.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein a second vertical section of the strap guide frame includes a second corner guide element having a receiving area for receiving a free end of the lance in the strapping position, wherein a height adjustment drive is coupled to the second corner guide element and aligns the second corner guide element to a height of the lance.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the displacement drive and the height adjustment drive are coupled together for aligning the height of the second corner guide element with the height of the lance using either a mechanical coupling mechanism which, when the lance is moved vertically, causes a corresponding vertical height adjustment of the second corner guide element or using an electronic coupling mechanism, wherein a measuring device determines the height of the lance and a control device controls the height of the adjustment drive in order to move the second corner guide element to a corresponding height.

15. The device according to claim 3, wherein a first corner guide element is fastened to the lance and forms an upper end of the first vertical section of the strap guide frame when the lance is inserted and wherein the first corner guide can be pushed with the lance through the first vertical section of the strap guide frame in the region of one of the swivel segments.

16. The device according to any claim 15, wherein a second vertical portion of the strap guide frame includes a second corner guide element having a receiving area for receiving a free end of the lance in the strapping position, and wherein a height adjustment drive is coupled to the second corner guide element and is configured to align the second corner guide element with a height of the lance.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the displacement drive and the height adjustment drive are coupled to each other for aligning a height of the second corner guide element with the height of the lance using either a mechanical coupling mechanism which, when the lance is moved vertically, causes a corresponding vertical height adjustment of the second corner guide element or using an electronic coupling mechanism, wherein a measuring device determines the height of the lance and a control device controls the height of the adjustment drive in order to move the second corner guide element to a corresponding height.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein a first corner guide element is fastened to the lance and forms an upper end of the first vertical section of the strap guide frame when the lance is inserted, the first corner guide element being pushed together with the lance through the first vertical section of the strap guide frame in a region of one of the swivel segments.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein a second vertical section of the strap guide frame includes a second corner guide element having a receiving area for receiving a free end of the lance in the strapping position, wherein a height adjustment drive is coupled to the second corner guide element and aligns the second corner guide element to a height of the lance.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the displacement drive and the height adjustment drive are coupled together for aligning the height of the second corner guide element with the height of the lance using either a mechanical coupling mechanism which, when the lance is moved vertically, causes a corresponding vertical height adjustment of the second corner guide element or using an electronic coupling mechanism, wherein a measuring device determines the height of the lance and a control device controls the height of the adjustment drive in order to move the second corner guide element to a corresponding height.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0019] Further practical embodiments and advantages of the system described herein are described below in connection with the drawings.

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a strapping device for pallets with goods according to the state of the art;

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a strap guide frame according to the system described herein;

[0022] FIG. 3 shows a top view of the strap guide frame from FIG. 2;

[0023] FIG. 4 shows a side view of the strap guide frame from FIG. 2 in the open position;

[0024] FIG. 5 shows a complete side view of the lances of the strap guide frame from FIG. 4;

[0025] FIG. 6 shows a first three-dimensional side view of the displacement drive for the upper lance from FIG. 5;

[0026] FIG. 7 shows a second three-dimensional side view of the displacement drive for the upper lance from FIG. 5;

[0027] FIG. 8 shows a first three-dimensional view of the height adjustment drive for a corner guide element of the strap guide frame;

[0028] FIG. 9 shows a second three-dimensional view of the height adjustment drive for a corner guide element of the strap guide frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

[0029] FIG. 1 shows the strapping station 1 from the prior art according to DE 10 2019 118 307 A1. In the strapping station 1, there is a bundle consisting of two pallets 2, 3 and goods 4, 5 stacked thereon. A support table 6 is shown schematically, on which the lower pallet 2 is placed, for example, by a fork-lift truck. In practice, a roller conveyor can alternatively be arranged at the height of the support table 6, which automatically conveys the lower pallet 2 into the strapping station 1.

[0030] A horizontal lance 7 projects through the lower pallet 2. A further lance 8 projects through the upper pallet 3. The pallets may be so-called EURO pallets or WORLD pallets, which have skid boards on the underside and deck boards on the upper side. The lances 7, 8 protrude through a space between the skid board and the deck board. However, other pallet constructions can also be used. The pallets have a free space through which one of the two lances 7, 8 can be passed. In FIG. 1, it can be seen that two mutually parallel strap guide frames 9, 10 are provided. Both strap guide frames 9, 10 are constructed identically to each other, so that in the following only the strap guide frame 9 lying in front for the viewer is described.

[0031] The lower lance 7 forms the lower leg of the strap guide frame. In a known manner, the strap guide frame has a strap channel through which a strap can be guided. The strap is wound on a strap coil 11. It can be seen that a second strap coil 12 is assigned to the second strap guide frame 10.

[0032] A drive and tensioning unit 13 pulls the strap from the strap coil 11 and feeds the strap to the strap channel in the lower lance 7. In the closed position of the strap guide frame 9, the lower lance 7 extends to a corner guide element 20 on the rear fixed frame member 14, which forms a vertically extending section of the strap guide frame 9. A horizontal section of a tape channel is arranged in the lance 7. The corner guide element 20 has a concave curved surface which deflects the strap from the horizontal to the vertical direction. In the vertical frame member 14, the strap is guided vertically upward. At the top, the strap exits the vertical section of the strap channel in the vertical frame member 14 and is deflected by an upper corner guide element 21 of the strap guide frame 9 into the horizontal direction to the front end of the upper lance 8. The upper lance 8 also has a horizontal section of strap channel that guides the strap back through the upper pallet 3 to the side of the drive and tensioning unit 13. From the strap channel in the lance 8, the strap enters a vertical section 19 that guides the strap back to the drive and tensioning unit 13. The drive and tensioning unit 13 then pulls the strapping back so that the formed strap loop is pulled together and tensioned around the strapped goods. For this purpose, the inside of the strap guide frame 9, 10 has swivel flaps which open when the strap loop is contracted and allow the strap to exit from the strap guide channel. The tensioned strap loop is then closed. The drive and tensioning unit 13 also houses the connecting device which, after the strap loop has been pulled tight and tensioned, seals the strap loop. For this purpose, two overlapping ends of the strap loop are usually welded together.

[0033] It can be seen that by passing two lances 7, 8 through two pallets 2, 3, a secure and firm connection of the pallets 2, 3 can be created, especially because tape loops are created by two strap guide frames 9, 10 in two parallel and spaced vertical planes.

[0034] The upper pallet 3 can be strapped in the same manner before the upper pallet 3 is placed on the lower pallet 2. In this way, the entire pack is completely secured.

[0035] It should be noted that FIG. 1 does not fully show the support structures for all components of the strapping device. For example, no support structure for the insertion drives 15, 16 for the two lances 7, 8 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Behind the insertion drives 15, 16 for the two lances 7, 8, support profiles 17, 18 are shown, the attachment of which is also not shown in FIG. 1. The support profiles 17, 18 are fastened to a usual supporting frame. The components which enable the height adjustment of the upper lance 8 are also missing in FIG. 1 and are shown in FIGS. 2 to 9, as explained below.

[0036] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a strap guide frame with height adjustment of the upper lance 8. The strap guide frame can form both the front strap guide frame 9 and the rear strap guide frame 10 in the device of FIG. 1. For reasons of clarity, the goods are not shown in FIGS. 2-4. The positions of the pallets 2, 3 are drawn for orientation.

[0037] In particular, it can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4 that the upper section of the vertical section 19 of the strap guide frame located on the right side is formed by a segment section 22, which has eight successive swivel segments 23 vertically one above the other. The swivel segments 23 allow the upper lance 8 to be inserted through the vertical section 19 into the interior of the strap guide frame 9, 10.

[0038] Corner guide elements 24, 25 are also arranged on the vertical section 19 of the strap guide frame 9, 10, which guide the strap. The lower corner guide element 25 is permanently installed. The upper corner guide element 24 is attached to the upper lance 8. This can be seen in FIG. 5. When the upper lance 8 is pushed into the strap guide frame 9, 10, the corner guide element 24 attached to the upper lance 8 is pushed with the upper lance 8 through the swivel segment 23. Consequently, the height of a swivel segment 23 corresponds to the total height of the upper lance 8 and the corner guide element 24 attached thereto. The height of a swivel segment 23 is therefore several centimeters. The height displacement of the upper lance 8 relative to the segment section 22 is thus only possible in steps corresponding to the height of a swivel segment 23.

[0039] In order to achieve a stepless height adjustment of the upper lance 8, a height displacement of the segment section 22 can also be provided. The segment section 22 can be vertically displaced in a range which corresponds at least to the height of a swivel segment 23.

[0040] FIGS. 6 and 7 show the parts of an exemplary embodiment of the displacement drive 26 for the upper lance 8 and the lift drive 27 for the segment section 22. The coupling of the displacement drive 26 and the lift drive 27 with the lance 8 and the segment section 22 is not shown in the preceding FIGS. 2-5 for reasons of clarity. The displacement drive 26 is an electric motor that acts via a gear wheel 28 on a toothed rack 29 that is attached to a support member 30. The support member 30 supports the insertion drive 16 of the upper lance 8. The displacement drive 26 can be supported by a suitable support frame, which is not shown in the figures. The displacement drive 26 can be used to align the insertion drive 16 with the upper lance 8 coupled thereto to the height of one of the swivel segments 23. This can be seen, for example, in FIG. 7, in which the upper lance 8 is aligned with the third swivel segment 23 from below and the swivel segment 23 is pivoted open, the upper lance 8 projecting through the vertical plane of the vertical section 19 of the strap guide frame 9, 10 in the height region of the pivoted-open swivel segment 23.

[0041] The lift drive 27 in turn effects a height adjustment of the segment section 22 of the vertical section 19 of the strap guide frame 9, 10. The lift drive 27 acts on a support frame 31 to which the segment section 22 is attached. The lower end 32 of the segment section 22 is telescopically displaceable relative to the vertical section 19 of the strap guide frame 9, 10 (see FIGS. 2, 4, 5).

[0042] In FIG. 7, the sides of the swivel segments 23 facing the center of the strap guide frame 9, 10 can be seen. The swivel segments 23 have a swivel flap 35 which swings open when the strap is pulled out of the section of the strap guide channel formed by the respective swivel segment 23. The swivel flap 35 may be elastically deformable or rigid and designed to swivel about an axis. Examples of elastically deformable swivel flaps are disclosed in DE 10 2014 213 791 A1. Rigid swivel flaps are known, for example, from DE 25 07 717 C3. Magnetic swivel flaps 35 are also known, for example from EP 1 702 844 B1.

[0043] FIGS. 8 and 9 show the height adjustment drive 33 for the upper corner guide element 21 of the strap guide frame 9, 10. In the embodiment shown, the height adjustment drive 33 is again an electric motor that acts on a threaded rod 34 via a gear train. The threaded rod 34 causes a vertical displacement of the corner guide element 21. The height of the upper lance 8 can be measured by a suitable sensor, and a control device adjusts the corresponding height of the corner guide element 21 via the height adjustment drive 33. As an alternative to such an electronic coupling of the height of the lance 8 and the corner guide element 21, a mechanical coupling can of course also take place, in which, for example, a chain or an inextensible drive belt indirectly transmits the movement of the lance 8 to the corner guide element 21.

[0044] It should be noted that the drive mechanism for the height adjustment are only presented as examples. Instead of the electric motors shown, linear drives can also be used for the height adjustment. The motion coupling between the drives and the previously adjusting elements (lance 8 and corner guide element 21 as well as segment section 22) also does not have to be effected via gear wheels but can be effected by any other known coupling elements. Finally, it is also possible to make the lower lance 7 height-adjustable by an analog drive mechanism if this is required for a particular application.

[0045] The features of the invention disclosed in the present description, in the drawings as well as in the claims may be essential, both individually and in any combination, for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described. It may be varied within the scope of the claims and with due regard to the knowledge of the person skilled in the art.