METHOD FOR PACKAGING ARTICLES OR PIECE GOODS, STRETCH PACKAGES PRODUCED USING A METHOD OF THIS TYPE, ORDERED ASSEMBLY OF MULTIPLE STRETCH PACKAGES OF THIS TYPE, AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ORDERED ASSEMBLIES OF THIS TYPE

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for packaging articles, piece goods, or containers (12) and/or for grouping the articles, piece goods, or containers (12) to form bundles (32) by way of helically wrapping the articles, piece goods, or containers (12) and/or the groupings, which are transported in a conveying direction (18) in an article flow or piece goods flow (14), into multiple layers of an elastic film about a longitudinal axis extending through the article flow or piece goods flow (14), with the elastic film being applied under tension. A film packaging (30) for the articles, piece goods, or containers (12) that moves continuously in conveying direction (18) is formed thereof, which film packaging (30) is provided with perforations (42) in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and/or is severed in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis between consecutive articles, piece goods, containers (12), or, as the case may be, between article pairs, piece good pairs, or container pairs, or between groups of a plurality of articles, piece goods, or containers (12) that are being conveyed next to each other, thereby forming bundles (32) that are conveyed one after the other.

The bundles (32) that have been separated from each other are sorted, assembled into layers, palletized, and/or stacked in transport stations and/or in handling stations (34) disposed downstream, with the film packaging (30) being severed at in each case specified and/or variable spacings to preceding separating locations for the purpose of separating bundles (32) of variable sizes or, as the case may be, bundles (32) with a variable number of articles, piece goods, or containers (12) gathered together by means of film.

Claims

1. A method for packaging articles (12) to form bundles (32, 44, 46, 48) comprising: while being transported in a conveying direction (18), wrapping one or more articles (12), from an article flow (14), with elastic film (40), applied under tension to form a multi-layer packaging film (30), wherein the multi-layer packaging film (30) moves continuously in the conveying direction (18), and is provided with perforations (42) in planes perpendicular to a longitudinal axis extending through the article flow (14) or is otherwise severable in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; severing the multi-layer packaging film (30) between consecutive articles (12), between article pairs, or between groups of a plurality of articles (12) that are being conveyed next to each other, to form a plurality of bundles (32, 44, 46, 48) with a variable number of articles (12); and sorting, assembling into layers, palletizing, and/or stacking the separated bundles in transport stations and/or handling stations located downstream from severing step.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising conveying the articles (12) in an infeed with at least two parallel rows to at least one wrapping module (22, 26) for applying the elastic film (40) to the articles (12) to produce the film packaging (30).

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising perforating the film packaging (30) after the wrapping step.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the severing step occurring after every second, third, fourth, or further article pairs.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the severing step comprises cutting the multi-layer packaging film (30) or comprising tearing the multi-layer packaging film (30) at perforations (42).

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the severing step comprises pulling apart the bundles (32, 44, 46, 48) with a handling device (34) with gripping elements.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein with the handling device (34) with gripping elements pulls apart the bundles (32, 44, 46, 48) by tearing multi-layer packaging film (30) at perforations (42).

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising further conveying the bundles (32, 44, 46, 48) in a turning station and/or in a distribution station.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising conveying the bundles (32, 44, 46, 48) to a palletizing station.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each bundle (32, 44, 46, 48) has a length to equal to a longitudinal or a transverse dimension of a pallet (50).

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising palletizing the with bundles (32, 44, 46, 48) without gaps on a pallet (50).

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising palletizing the bundles (32, 44, 46, 48) in interlocking layers.

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. An apparatus (10) comprising: at least one wrapping module (20, 24) for wrapping a plurality of articles (12) with a film material (40); at least one transport apparatus (16) or at least one feed module (22, 26) for transporting the articles through the at least one wrapping module (20, 24); at least one perforating device for perforating the film material (40), wherein said perforating device is disposed upstream or downstream of the wrapping module (20, 24).

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the perforating device has a cyclical operation or a continuous operation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0033] In the following passages, the attached figures further illustrate exemplary 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.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a stretch packaging machine for producing stretch-wrapped bundles of variable sizes.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a film-packaged article flow that is separable into bundles of different sizes, illustrated by a total of four schematic views (FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, FIG. 2C, and FIG. 2D).

[0036] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary assembly of a plurality of different bundles that can be arranged without gaps on a pallet, illustrated in two schematic views (FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B).

[0037] 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 of the embodiments of the method and of the layer assembly from multiple bundles according to the invention are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] The schematic top view of FIG. 1 shows a section of a packaging machine, more precisely of a stretch packaging machine 10, serving for packaging articles or piece goods, for example beverage containers 12, which are conveyed as an article flow or piece goods flow 14 in a two-lane infeed by a first horizontal conveying device 16, for example, by a conveyor belt, a modular belt conveyor, or the like, in conveying direction 18 to a first wrapping module 20, with the articles or piece goods there being wrapped into at least one layer of a stretchable film, a so-called stretch film. In an essentially known manner, the stretch film is wrapped helically around the articles or beverage containers 12 that are conveyed in pairs next to each other, with a sufficient tension of the film to provide a stable mechanical cohesion of the article flow or piece goods flow 14. In order to provide for the disruption-free transport of the article flow or piece goods flow 14 in the first wrapping module 20 in conveying direction 18, circulating feeder belts, for example, which are not shown here, can engage laterally with the article flow or piece goods flow 14 and convey the containers 12 through the first wrapping module 20 while the containers 12 are being wrapped at the same time. In the first wrapping module 20, the containers 12 can typically slide on a lower slide plate that is likewise wrapped. In the further conveying process, however, the already wrapped article flow or piece goods flow 14 is pulled across the slide plate, whereby the stretch film, due to being pre-tensed, also settles against the bottom side of the containers 12 after leaving the slide plate.

[0039] A first feed module 22 disposed downstream from the first wrapping module 20 provides for the further transport of the article flow or piece goods flow 14, which is already wrapped into at least one layer of stretch film, the further transport being typically provided by upper and lower feeder belts or feeder straps which continuously circulate along the length of the first feed module 22 at the top sides and bottom sides of the article flow or piece goods flow 14 and which provide for the further conveyance of the article flow or piece goods flow 14 to the subsequent second wrapping module 24. The lateral guiding can be achieved, for example, by suitable guide bars that support and laterally guide the article flow or piece goods flow 14 on the right and left side.

[0040] The article flow or piece goods flow 14 that is conveyed further in conveying direction 18 in this manner, subsequently passes a second wrapping module 24 where at least one second layer of stretch film is helically wrapped around the article flow or piece goods flow 14, expediently in a different wrapping angle than in the first wrapping module 20. A second feed module 26 disposed downstream from the second wrapping module 24 in turn provides for the further transport of the article flow or piece goods flow 14, which is now wrapped into multiple layers of stretch film, the further transport likewise being typically provided by upper and lower feeder belts or feeder straps which continuously circulate along the length of the second feed module 26 at the top sides and bottom sides of the article flow or piece goods flow 14 and which provide for the further conveyance of the article flow or piece goods flow 14 to the subsequent second horizontal conveying device 28. The lateral guiding in the second feed module 26 can again be achieved preferably by suitable guide bars that support and laterally guide the article flow or piece goods flow 14 on the right and left side.

[0041] With the transport onto the second horizontal conveying device 28, a film packaging 30 with packaged containers 12 therein has been formed, for which film packaging 30, containers 12 are helically wrapped into multiple layers of stretch film, and which film packaging 30 with packaged containers 12 initially move continuously in conveying direction 18, with the film packaging 30 subsequently being optionally provided with perforations in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and to the conveying direction 18 and/or with the film packaging 30 being severed in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and to the conveying direction 18 between consecutive containers 12 or container pairs or between groups of multiple containers 12 that are being conveyed next to each other, thereby forming bundles 32 that are conveyed one after the other. The bundles 32 that have been separated from each other are subsequently sorted, assembled into layers, palletized, and/or stacked in transport stations and/or in handling stations 34 disposed downstream. Prior to or during the further treatment of the bundles 32, the method provides that the film packaging 30 is severed at in each instance specified and/or variable spacings to preceding separating locations for the purpose of separating bundles 32 of variable sizes or bundles 32 with a variable number of containers 12 gathered together by film.

[0042] The severing of the film packaging 30 moving continuously on the second horizontal conveying device 28 can be carried out, in particular, in the first and/or second cutting modules 36, 38merely indicated in FIG. 1that are disposed downstream in conveying direction 18 to the second feed module 26. There, the bundles 32 can be predefined to the desired size by the arrangement of the mentioned perforations or the bundles 32 can be produced by cutting the film packaging 30. The separation of the film packaging 30 and the production of the bundles 32 by pulling apart the film packaging 30 at the perforations can optionally also be carried out in the transport station and/or handling station 34 with suitable gripping devices by which the bundles 32 can be separated off one after the other from the continuously conveyed film packaging 30.

[0043] As is indicated in the schematic top views of FIG. 2, the method according to the invention thus allows production of different bundle formations in continuous alternation in a stretch packaging machine 10. In this way, it is possible to produce different bundle sizes according to requirements without any conversion procedures, for example, two-pack bundles, four-pack bundles, six-pack bundles, eight-pack bundles, etc., that is to say, bundles 32 with two, four, six, eight, or more containers 12 in each instance standing in pairs next to each other. In this manner, it is also possible to bring mixed bundle sizes together in a layer assembly and to form and subsequently stack pallet layers using different bundle sizes.

[0044] If articles or piece goods are referred to in the present context, this is intended to comprise, in particular, the mentioned containers 12, beverage containers, PET containers, or the like. Generally, however, the method according to the invention is suitable for stretch-wrapped bundles 32 formed from almost any type of articles that are held together by being wrapped into elastic film. In particular, an elastic stretch foil or stretch film of a typical foil thickness in a range of around 10 m can be used for the method. The film can stretch while being wrapped around the articles, with the expansion typically amounting to less than 20 percent of the length of the relaxed film. If the production of the helical winding or the helical wrapping around the articles or piece goods or containers 12 is referred to, this can mean, in particular, a so-called cross wrapping, where the helical windings around the articles or piece goods or containers 12 are applied in at least two layers that cross each other.

[0045] As is discernible in FIG. 2A, the containers 12 are conveyed in an infeed with at least two parallel rows to a wrapping station for applying the film packaging 30 in the method according to the invention. The film 40 wrapped around the containers 12 is only indicated here. The film 40 wraps around the containers 12 such as to form a film packaging 30 that is continuously conveyed in conveying direction 18. In one of the cutting modules 36, 38, or optionally in both cutting modules 36 and 38, circumferential perforations 42, which are each indicated by arrows in FIG. 2B, are cut into the film packaging 30. The perforations 42 each run in planes perpendicular to the conveying direction 18 and they can be optionally arranged after each pair of consecutive containers 12, as is exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 2B. According to expediency, however, the perforations 42 can also be arranged in each instance after two, three, four, or more container pairs.

[0046] The continuous film packaging 30 is subsequently separated at the perforations 42, whereby it is possible to form individual bundles 32 of variable sizes and variable numbers of containers. The FIG. 2C shows, for example, the film packaging 30 (FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B) being divided into a plurality of four-pack bundles 44, as well as into six-pack bundles 46. In the four-pack bundles 44, four containers 12 are in a 22 arrangement, while in the six-pack bundles 46, a total of six containers 12 are in a 23 arrangement. The containers 12 in the bundles 32, 44, 46 continue to be held together by the film 40 that, although separated at the perforations 42 between the bundles 32, continues to have a mechanically stabilizing effect.

[0047] On the basis of ten-pack bundles 48, in which the containers 12 are gathered together in rectangular 25 arrangements, the schematic view of FIG. 2D shows that the bundles 32, 48 can be brought into almost any formations and assemblies of sizes, according to requirements.

[0048] The FIGS. 3A and 3B exemplarily illustrate a pallet 50 with bundles 32 placed thereon without gaps, where the bundles 32 each have different sizes and assemblies. The FIG. 3A shows an exemplary arrangement of bundles 32 formed by four-pack bundles 44, by six-pack bundles 46, and by ten-pack bundles 48, while the FIG. 3B in a schematic manner illustrates the possible arrangement of the bundles on the pallet 50 such that there are no gaps between the bundles 32, 44, 46, and 48. Of course, numerous other arrangements can be envisaged that can likewise result in palletizing without gaps.

[0049] 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

[0050] 10 Packaging machine, stretch packaging machine [0051] 12 Container [0052] 14 Article flow, piece goods flow, article flow or piece goods flow [0053] 16 First horizontal conveying device [0054] 18 Conveying direction [0055] 20 First wrapping module [0056] 22 First feed module [0057] 24 Second wrapping module [0058] 26 Second feed module [0059] 28 Second horizontal conveying device [0060] 30 Film packaging, continuous film packaging [0061] 32 Bundle [0062] 34 Transport station and/or handling station [0063] 36 First cutting module [0064] 38 Second cutting module [0065] 40 Film, stretch wrap, stretch film [0066] 42 Perforation, circumferential perforation [0067] 44 Four-pack bundle, 22 bundle [0068] 46 Six-pack bundle, 23 bundle [0069] 48 Ten-pack bundle, 25 bundle [0070] 50 Pallet