MACHINE FOR PACKAGING PIECE GOOD COMBINATIONS WITH ADDITIONAL DECORATING DEVICE

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. 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, characterised in that the machine has a decorating device which provides the piece goods with at least one decoration.

2. Machine according to claim 1, wherein the decorating device is a printing device which provides the piece good groupings or the piece good combinations with an imprint, and/or a labelling device which provides the piece good groupings or the piece good combinations with labels.

3. Machine according to claim 1, wherein the separating device is suitable and intended to detach piece good groupings or piece good combinations in variable grouping sizes.

4. Machine according to claim 1, wherein the decorating device applies the respective decorations to the piece good groupings or piece good combinations taking into consideration a respective size of the piece good combinations to be decorated.

5. Machine according to claim 1, wherein the machine has a sensor device which detects at least one parameter relevant for a separate piece good grouping or piece good combination and in particular detects a size of this piece good grouping or piece good combination.

6. Machine according to claim 1, wherein the transport device has an advancing device which pushes the piece goods into a working region of at least one of the wrapping devices.

7. Machine according to claim 1, wherein the machine has a second wrapping device which in an operating mode of the machine can be operated, at least at times, simultaneously with the first wrapping device.

8. Machine according to claim 1, wherein the decorating device is arranged in the transport direction of the piece goods after the separating device.

9. Method for packaging piece good combinations, wherein a transport device transports a plurality of piece goods in a predetermined transport direction, and wherein a first wrapping device wraps 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 are delivered to the first wrapping device in order be wrapped by the film element, and wherein with at least one cutting device arranged downstream of the first wrapping device in the transport direction of the piece goods, portions of the stream of piece goods wrapped with the first film element are separated from one another, wherein the machine has a decorating device which provides the piece goods with at least one decoration.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein a size of the piece good groupings is varied.

Description

[0030] Further advantages and embodiments are apparent from the appended drawings.

[0031] In the drawings:

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a machine according to the invention with a decorating device in the form of a printing unit;

[0033] FIGS. 2a-2c show a machine according to the invention with a decorating device in the form of a delivery unit which can deliver additional elements individually;

[0034] FIGS. 3a-3c show an embodiment of the invention, wherein a continuous additional element can be delivered;

[0035] FIGS. 4a, 4b show a further embodiment according to the invention in which labelling takes place as the decoration; and

[0036] FIGS. 5a-5c show three possible representations of piece good combinations provided with an additional element.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a machine 1 according to the invention. In this embodiment an individualised printing of packages is possible. In this case the reference numeral 2 relates to a first wrapping device by which piece goods 10 delivered by a transport device 3 in a transport direction T are wrapped with a first film element 12. In this case the reference numeral 11 designates a film roll which revolves around the stream of piece goods or, here, the containers 10 in a plane which is perpendicular to the drawing. In this case a roll support (not shown) can be provided, on which a film roll 11 is rotatably arranged. The reference numeral S designates the stream of piece goods 10.

[0038] The reference numeral 22 designates a further transport unit of the transport device designated overall by 3, which in this case removes the wrapped containers from the first wrapping device 2. The reference numeral 34 designates a lateral guiding device which laterally guides the stream of containers. In addition, a likewise stationary carrier 32 can be provided, on which the containers are located during wrapping. This stationary carrier is likewise wrapped by the film element 12.

[0039] The reference numeral 6 designates a second wrapping device, which here is designed substantially corresponding to the first wrapping device 2. This also again has a film roll 13 as well as a second film element 14 with which the piece goods are wrapped. Advantageously, however, the two wrapping devices 2 and 6 wrap the piece goods in opposite revolving directions. Within the context of the invention, however, it is pointed out that here too on the second wrapping device could be omitted. The film roll 13 can be rotatably mounted on a roll carrier (not shown).

[0040] A further transport unit 26 which removes the piece goods from the second wrapping device is again likewise located downstream of the second wrapping device.

[0041] The reference numeral 4 designates a separating unit or a cutting unit, which cuts the continuously produced and wrapped piece good combinations in a defined manner. For this purpose this separating unit can have a separating element which can be guided with the container groupings along the transport direction T and so can make a cut along the arrow P2, i.e. in the vertical direction. However, other movements of the cutting element would also be possible, for example in a direction extending perpendicularly to the drawing plane.

[0042] The reference numeral 8 designates a decorating device, wherein in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 this decorating device is a printing unit which applies imprints to the piece good combinations (not shown) which are now already detached.

[0043] In this case the separating element or cutting element of the separating unit 4 is capable of detaching piece good combinations of different sizes from the stream of piece goods. These can be provided with individual imprints by means of the printing device 8. The reference numeral 24 designates a sensor device or detection device which in each case for example detects the size of detached piece good combinations. In reaction to such a size the decorating device 8 can also be correspondingly controlled in order to apply corresponding prints (and in particular the sizes thereof) to the piece good combinations. In this connection it is pointed out that with the machine shown in FIG. 1 an individual printing of each single piece good combination is possible.

[0044] In a further advantageous embodiment the decorating device 8 can also have a printing element, such as a print head, which at least at times moves with the containers. In addition, printing elements can be provided which move both in the transport direction and also for example perpendicular thereto, in order to apply a print.

[0045] FIG. 2a shows a further embodiment of the present invention. The basic construction of the two wrapping devices and the transport units 22 and 24 arranged between them corresponds to that shown in FIG. 1 and therefore is not explained more precisely. In this case FIGS. 2a-2c show a clock-driven or clocked introduction of additional elements 40. These additional elements 40 can be for example advertising items or the like. The decorating device 8 here can be a device which has a receiving element 82 to accommodate the additional elements.

[0046] In this case this receiving element 82 can be for example a suction head which can remove individual additional elements for instance from a store (not shown). In addition, the receiving element could also have a gripping element which serves for gripping the additional elements. In addition, this decorating device 8 has a moving device 84, which enables substantially free movement in space of the receiving device 8. In the embodiment illustrated here this moving device can be a so-called tripod system. However, the receiving device 82 is preferably movable substantially freely in space in a specific circle or radius of movement.

[0047] In this case for control of this movement moving devices are provided which enable a movement in three directions perpendicular to one another. The driving devices can be for example electric motors, in particular linear motors, but also pneumatic or hydraulic drives.

[0048] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2a the additional element is introduced after the first wrapping module or the first wrapping device 2 and before the second wrapping device 6. In this way it is possible that the introduced advertising is protected by the second film element 14, which is only applied subsequently.

[0049] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2b the advertisement is also inserted before the first wrapping device 2. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2c the additional element is inserted after the second wrapping device 6. In this case it would be conceivable for instance that the additional element is adhered from the exterior onto the second film element. It is pointed out that the invention described here can also operate with only one wrapping device, wherein here the additional element 40 can then be inserted before or also after this one wrapping device.

[0050] This additional element can be for example advertising which is printed on the actual element, for example a paper, cardboard or film element. The decorating device 8, which here can be a robot, can operate from a store. Advantageously, however, the additional elements are inserted before the separating device 4. The insertion of the additional elements can be carried out in different ways, for example by mere insertion, application, pre-fixing, simple adhesion or also by the use of different adhesive forces. Optionally, spraying with water can also already be sufficient in order to arrange the additional element securely on for example the first film element.

[0051] As also already explained with reference to FIG. 1, additional elements of different sizes can also be inserted. In particular this can be made dependent upon how large the piece good combinations to be detached later are or should be. Furthermore, it is also possible that the decorating device 8 predetermines the later pack sizes and/or also the location at which the additional element is placed inside the piece good combination. Furthermoreas mentioned abovethe additional element can also be a stabilisation element, for instance a tray or the like. However, in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b the additional element is protected by at least one wrapping element. At the same time the additional element is visible through this (usually transparent) wrapping element.

[0052] FIGS. 3a -3c illustrate a continuous introduction of additional elements, for example advertising. In FIG. 3a a roll element 92 is illustrated, from which advertising is delivered to the containers, for example introduced below the containers. Cutting of these continuously delivered additional elements can already take place here before the wrapping with the first wrapping device, but it would also be possible that first of all the additional elements are delivered as a strip and then the entire product, i.e. both the film element and also the additional element, is cut by the separating device 4.

[0053] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3b a continuous element 94 is likewise delivered, wherein however this can already have a fold. With this fold this additional element 94 can be folded and can be delivered in this folded state 96. Here too the cutting again takes place with the separating device 4. By this procedure the product can also already have fold lines when it is removed from the roll 92. In this way overall the stability of the piece good combinations thus produced can be increased. However, instead of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3b, here too the film element could also be introduced from above, i.e. in particular from above the containers 10. Such a procedure is illustrated in FIG. 3c. In FIG. 3c several film elements are even delivered from above as well as from below.

[0054] FIGS. 4a and 4b illustrate a further procedure for introduction of an additional element. The additional element here is a label (not shown), which can be applied in addition to the film element 12 and/or 14.

[0055] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4a such a label is adhered to the containers before they are wrapped by the first wrapping device 2. In this case it would be possible that a label is adhered individually on each container, but also a label could be adhered on several containers or beyond several containers (wherein this label is then preferably also cut by the separating device).

[0056] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4b this labelling takes place between the first wrapping device 2 and the second wrapping device 6. Therefore in this embodiment the labels are applied to the first film element 12 which already wraps the containers 10. It would also be conceivable here to deliver the labels after the second wrapping device. Labels or generally additional elements could also be delivered at several locations. These additional elements are preferably self-adhesive labels, i.e. labels which already have an adhesive coating.

[0057] The drawings 5a-5c show three examples of piece good combinations 20 with additional elements. In the illustration in FIG. 5a a print is arranged on the elements, such as for example an advertising print 56, a barcode 54 or even a combination of digits, such as for instance a best before date 52. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5b an additional element 40 of large surface area is arranged on the containers 10 and is wrapped by the first film element 12. In this case this additional element 40 is visible through the film element 12.

[0058] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5c an additional element 40 in the form of a strip is introduced. As mentioned above, these can be the most varied additional elements, such as for example a direct print, a banderole, a stamped print, advertising already applied to a film element and the like. Advantageously, however, the advertising is introduced in such a way that it is held by the packaging or the wrapping.

[0059] The applicant reserves the right to claim all the features disclosed in the application documents as essential to the invention in so far as they are individually or in combination novel over the prior art. Furthermore it is pointed out that features which may be advantageous per se have also been described in the individual drawings. The person skilled in the art recognises immediately that a specific feature described in a drawing may also be advantageous without the incorporation of further features from this drawing. Furthermore the person skilled in the art recognises that advantages may also result from a combination of several features shown in individual drawings or in different drawings.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0060] 1 machine [0061] 2 first wrapping device [0062] 3 transport device [0063] 4 separating device [0064] 6 second wrapping device [0065] 8 decorating device/receiving device/printing device [0066] 10 piece goods [0067] 11 film roll [0068] 12 film element [0069] 13 film roll carrier [0070] 14 second film element [0071] 20 piece good combination [0072] 22 further transport unit [0073] 24 sensor device/detecting device [0074] 26 transport unit [0075] 30 dispensing unit [0076] 32 stationary carrier [0077] 34 lateral guiding device [0078] 40 additional elements [0079] 52 best before date [0080] 54 barcode [0081] 56 advertising print [0082] 82 receiving element [0083] 84 moving device [0084] 92 roll [0085] 94 continuous element/additional element [0086] 96 folded additional element [0087] P arrow, direction of movement of the separating element of the separating device [0088] T transport direction [0089] S stream of piece goods