Apparatus and method for expanding and erecting collapsed or folded cardboard packagings to standing arranged compartments and/or outer packagings

Abstract

The present invention includes an apparatus (01) and a method for expanding and erecting collapsed or folded cardboard packagings (02) to a standing position. The method includes holding the topmost cardboard packaging (02), coming from above, at its top flat side (23) of a cardboard packaging wall (22) and removing it from a stack (41) of flatly collapsed cardboard packagings (02). Subsequently also holding the cardboard packaging (02), at its bottom flat side (24) from below, and increasing the vertical distance between the top flat side (23), and the bottom flat side (24), by oppositely pulling so far until the cardboard packaging (02) has been expanded. Then releasing the top flat side (23) of the cardboard packaging (02), and rotating the lying, expanded set of cardboard packaging (02) still being held at its bottom flat side (24), where the rotating is about a horizontal pivoting axis (13). The bottom flat side (24) is subsequently also released to achieve an expanded and now erected set of compartments and/or the outer packagings (03). The apparatus (01) comprises a cardboard packaging supply (04) comprising at least one stack (41) of flatly collapsed cardboard packagings (02) arranged lying on top of each other, an erecting device (05) arranged next to the cardboard packaging supply (04) as seen in the direction of a horizontal axis (11), and a gripping device (06) for simultaneously seizing respectively one topmost cardboard packaging (02) from each stack (41) of the cardboard packaging supply (04).

Claims

1. An apparatus (01) for expanding and erecting collapsed or folded cardboard packagings (02) to standing compartments and/or outer packagings (03), comprising: a cardboard packaging supply (04) comprising at least one stack (41) of flatly collapsed cardboard packagings (02) arranged lying on top of each other, an erecting device (05) arranged next to the cardboard packaging supply (04) as seen in the direction of a horizontal axis (11), and a gripping device (06) for the simultaneous seizing one topmost cardboard packaging (02) from each stack (41) of the cardboard packaging supply (04), wherein: the cardboard packagings (02) comprise a plurality of cardboard packaging walls (22) interconnected with each other, one forming a top flat side (23) and one forming a bottom flat side (24) of a flatly collapsed cardboard packaging (02), the gripping device (06) has at least one tool (61) for holding the top flat side (23) of the cardboard packaging wall (22), the gripping device (06) has at least one manipulator (62) with a manipulator head (63) that is at least movable along a horizontal axis (11), wherein the at least one tool (61) is arranged at the manipulator head (63) so that the at least one tool (61) is movable at least horizontally between the cardboard packaging supply (04) and the erecting device (05), the erecting device (05) has at least one carrier (51) that is rotatable about a horizontal pivoting axis (13) from a horizontal position to a vertical position and vice versa, the erecting device (05) has at least one tool (52), arranged at its at least one carrier (51), for each cardboard packaging (02) that is simultaneously seizable by the gripping device (06), the at least one tool (52), in its horizontal position, seizes each cardboard packaging (02), at its bottom flat side (24), each cardboard packaging (02) is expanded to a set of compartments and/or to an outer packaging (03) by an increase of the distance between the at least one tool (61) of the gripping device (06) and the at least one tool (52) of the erecting device (05) along a vertical axis (12), and the at least one tool (52) holds each cardboard packaging (02) at least until the at least one carrier (51) has rotated about the horizontal pivoting axis (13) from its horizontal position into its vertical position so that access openings through which articles can be introduced into the expanded compartments and/or outer packaging (03) are in a vertical plane.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the erecting device (05) has at least one carrier (51) that is rotatable about a horizontal pivoting axis (13) that is orthogonal to the horizontal axis (11) and orthogonal to the vertical axis (12).

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the manipulator head (63) is movable along the vertical axis (12).

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein an increase of the distance between the at least one tool (61) of the gripping device (06) and the at least one tool (52) of the erecting device (05) is carried out by a vertical lifting of the at least one tool (61) of the gripping device (06) arranged at the manipulator head (63).

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the erecting device (05) is vertically movable.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein an increase of the distance between the at least one tool (61) of the gripping device (06) tools (61) and the at least one tool (52) of the erecting device (05) is carried out by a vertical lowering of the at least one tool (52) of the erecting device (05).

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the cardboard packaging supply (04) comprises an uprightly standing magazine (42) accommodating one or more stacks (41) wherein the magazine (42) is accessible from its top side.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the cardboard packaging supply (04) has two or more stacks (41) of cardboard packagings (02) wherein the stacks (41) are adjacent to each other as seen in a horizontal direction parallel to the horizontal pivoting axis (13), and wherein the gripping device (06) and the erecting device (05) each have a plurality of tools (61, 52), which are arranged next to each other and parallel to the horizontal pivoting axis (13), and wherein the plurality of tools (61) of the gripping device (06) and the plurality of tools (52) of the erecting device (05) cooperate with each other to simultaneously expand a set of cardboard packagings (02).

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the erecting device (05) has at least two carriers (51) with at least one tool wherein the carriers (51) are each rotatable about their own pivoting axes (13), wherein: the pivoting axes (13) of the carriers (51) are parallel to each other, and the gripping device (06) has a plurality of tools (61) that are arranged next to each other and orthogonal to the pivoting axes (13).

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 9 wherein the erecting device (05) has at least two carriers (51), which are respectively rotatable about their own horizontal pivoting axes (13) in opposite directions from a horizontal position to a vertical position and vice versa, wherein the cardboard packagings (02) of a first stack (44) of the two stacks (41), are stacked, as seen in relation to a mirror axis running in parallel to the horizontal pivoting axes (13) between the two stacks (41), mirror-invertedly with respect to cardboard packagings (02) of a second stack (45) of the two stacks (41).

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 9 wherein the at least two carriers (51) of the erecting device (05) are movable in a horizontal direction.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein: the gripping device (06) has at least one tool (61) for each simultaneously seized cardboard packaging (02), and has at least one downwardly directed suction cup (64), which, in combination with a vacuum, is able to hold a cardboard packaging (02) at its top flat side (23), or the at least one tool (52) of the erecting device is one or more suction cups (53).

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a control device that, at least: controls the at least one manipulator (62) of the gripping device (06) such that it carries out a cyclical movement path, in the course of which the manipulator head (63) traverses in parallel to the horizontal axis (11) from above the cardboard packaging supply (04) over the erecting device (05) and back again, controls the gripping device (06) and/or the erecting device (05) such that each carry out a recurring movement path relative to the other as seen in direction of the vertical axis (12), in the course of which movement path, the distance between the gripping device (06) tools (61) and the erecting device (05) tools (52) is increased at least so far that a cardboard packaging (02) being held between the tools (61, 52) is expanded to a set of compartments and/or to an outer packaging (03), and in the further course of which movement path the vertical distance between the tools (61, 52) is again reduced to at least a thickness dimension measured normal to the top and bottom flat sides (23, 24) of a lying, flatly collapsed cardboard packaging (02), controls the at least one tool (61) of the gripping device (06) such that, when it is located above the at least one stack (41) of the cardboard packaging supply (04), it seizes the top flat side (23) of a cardboard packaging (02) lying topmost on at least one stack (41) of the cardboard packaging supply (04) and holds it until it is located above the erecting device (05) and the distance between the gripping device (06) tools (61) and the erecting device (05) tools (52) has been increased at least so far that the cardboard packaging (02) is expanded to a set of compartments and/or to an outer packaging (03) in the course of the recurring movement path of the gripping device (06) and the erecting device (05), controls the at least one carrier (51) of the erecting device (05) such that it carries out a cyclical rotating movement path, in the course of which it is rotated about its horizontal pivoting axis by 90 degrees from its horizontal position into its vertical position and back again, wherein the carrier (51) takes up a horizontal position at the latest when the at least one manipulator head (63) is located, during its course of movement along the horizontal axis (11), above the erecting device (05), and maintains the horizontal position until the distance between the gripping device (06) tools (61) and the erecting device (05) tools (52) has been increased at least so far that a cardboard packaging (02) is expanded to a set of compartments and/or to an outer packaging (03) in the course of the recurring movement path of the gripping device (06) and the erecting device (05), in order to hereafter take up a vertical position by swinging down and/or rotating about its horizontal pivoting axis (13), and controls the at least one tool (52) of the erecting device (05) such that, as soon as the manipulator head (63) is located above the erecting device (05), the tool (52) seizes the bottom flat side (24) of the at least one cardboard packaging (02) being held by the at least one tool (61) of the gripping device (06) and holds it at least until the cardboard packaging (02), which was initially expanded to a set of compartments and/or an outer packaging (03), has been erected to a standing position and is available for its further use by swinging down and/or rotating the at least one carrier (51) of the erecting device (05) by 90 degrees about its horizontal pivoting axis (13) from its horizontal position to its vertical position.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the surface of the cardboard packaging supply (04) formed by the topmost cardboard packaging (02) of the at least one stack (41) is located at a level that is higher, by at least the height of a lying, expanded set of compartments and/or of a lying outer packaging (03), than a level of the erecting device (05) formed by the at least one tool (52) of the erecting device (05) in the horizontal position of its at least one carrier (51) during the seizing of a cardboard packaging wall (22) of the bottom flat side (24) of a cardboard packaging (02).

15. A method for expanding and erecting collapsed or folded cardboard packagings (02) to standing compartments and/or outer packagings (03), comprising: removing a topmost cardboard packaging (02) at a cardboard packaging wall (22) of its top flat side (23), from a stack (41) of flatly collapsed cardboard packagings (02) arranged on top of each other of a supply (04) of cardboard packagings (02), while holding the cardboard packaging (02) at a cardboard packaging wall (22) of its bottom flat side (24) from below, increasing the vertical distance between the top flat side (23) and the bottom flat side (24), by oppositely pulling on the cardboard packaging walls until the cardboard packaging (02) has been expanded to a set of compartments and/or to a lying outer packaging (03), releasing the expanded cardboard packaging (02) at its top flat side (23), and rotating the expanded cardboard packaging (02) about a horizontal pivoting axis (13) so that access openings through which articles can be introduced into the compartments and/or outer packaging (03) are in a vertical plane and then releasing the expanded and now erected cardboard packaging (02) at its bottom flat side (24).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) 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. The same or equivalent elements of the invention are designated by identical reference characters. Furthermore and for the sake of clarity, only the reference characters relevant for describing the respective figure are provided. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples of the device and method according to the invention, while indicating preferred embodiments, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The schematic illustrations show as follows:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a snapshot illustration recurring after the snapshot illustration in FIG. 14 of an apparatus according to the invention for expanding and erecting collapsed or folded cardboard packagings to standing compartments and/or outer packagings, the apparatus carrying out a method according to the invention for expanding and erecting collapsed or folded cardboard packagings to standing compartments and/or outer packagings.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a snapshot illustration temporally immediately following the snapshot illustration in FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a snapshot illustration temporally immediately following the snapshot illustration in FIG. 2.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a snapshot illustration temporally immediately following the snapshot illustration in FIG. 3.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a snapshot illustration temporally immediately following the snapshot illustration in FIG. 4.

(7) FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a snapshot illustration temporally immediately following the snapshot illustration in FIG. 5.

(8) FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a snapshot illustration temporally immediately following the snapshot illustration in FIG. 6.

(9) FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a snapshot illustration temporally immediately following the snapshot illustration in FIG. 7.

(10) FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a snapshot illustration temporally immediately following the snapshot illustration in FIG. 8.

(11) FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a snapshot illustration temporally immediately following the snapshot illustration in FIG. 9.

(12) FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a snapshot illustration temporally immediately following the snapshot illustration in FIG. 10.

(13) FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of a snapshot illustration temporally immediately following the snapshot illustration in FIG. 11.

(14) FIG. 13 shows a perspective view of a snapshot illustration temporally immediately following the snapshot illustration in FIG. 12.

(15) FIG. 14 shows a perspective view of a snapshot illustration temporally immediately following the snapshot illustration in FIG. 13.

(16) FIG. 15 shows a flatly collapsed cardboard packaging in a top view onto its top flat side formed by two cardboard packaging walls as seen in FIG. 15 a) and in a side view in FIG. 15 b).

(17) FIG. 16 shows a top view of a facility for handling articles.

(18) FIG. 17 shows a perspective view of a representation of an additional exemplary embodiment corresponding the snapshot illustration in FIG. 6.

(19) FIG. 18 gives an enlarged view of a part according to a further exemplary embodiment, the view showing a carrier, which is rotatable back and forth about a horizontal pivoting axis from a horizontal position to a vertical position and vice versa, as seen in a perspective view at an angle from above along the horizontal pivoting axis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(20) An apparatus 01 as illustrated entirely or in parts in FIG. 1 to FIG. 14 as well as in FIG. 17 and FIG. 18 for expanding and erecting collapsed or folded cardboard packagings 02 to standing compartments and/or outer packagings 03, comprising:

(21) a cardboard packaging supply 04 consisting of at least one stack 41 of flatly collapsed cardboard packagings 02 arranged lying on top of each other,

(22) an erecting device 05 arranged next to the cardboard packaging supply 04 as seen in the direction of a horizontal axis 11 indicated by a dashed line, and

(23) a gripping device 06 for simultaneously seizing one respective top cardboard packaging 02 after the other from each stack 41 of the cardboard packaging supply 04 of flatly collapsed cardboard packagings 02 arranged on top of each other.

(24) The number of stacks 41 of the cardboard packaging supply 04 of flatly collapsed cardboard packagings 02 arranged lying one on top of each other preferentially corresponds to the number of cardboard packagings 02 respectively simultaneously seizable or seized, as the case may be, by the gripping device 06.

(25) The cardboard packaging supply 04 of an apparatus 01 for expanding and erecting collapsed or folded cardboard packagings 02 to standing compartments and/or outer packagings 03, can comprise, for instance, twelve stacks 41 of flatly collapsed cardboard packagings 02 arranged lying on top of each other, as illustrated in FIG. 1 to FIG. 14. The gripping device 06 of a corresponding apparatus 01 is accordingly designed for simultaneously seizing a total of twelve cardboard packagings 02 correspondingly respectively of one top cardboard packaging 02 from each stack 41 of the cardboard packaging supply 04 of flatly collapsed cardboard packagings 02 arranged on top of each other.

(26) As illustrated in FIG. 15, the cardboard packagings 02 respectively consist of a plurality of cardboard packaging walls 22 interconnected with each other, for instance, by bending edges 21 and/or adhesive joints and/or slot-in connections, which cardboard packaging walls 22 can be cut out and/or punched out from sheet-formed material, for example, and of which at least two cardboard packaging walls 22 connected with each other form a top flat side 23 and a bottom flat side 24, respectively, of a flatly collapsed cardboard packaging 02.

(27) Per each cardboard packaging 02 simultaneously seizable or seized, as the case may be, by the gripping device 06, the gripping device 06 has at least one preferentially downwardly directed tool 61 with which a cardboard packaging 02 lying topmost on a stack 41 of the cardboard packaging supply 04 can be seized and held at a cardboard packaging wall 22 of its top flat side 23.

(28) The gripping device 06 has at least one manipulator 62 with a manipulator head 63 that is at least horizontally movable along a horizontal axis 11, and preferentially also vertically movable along a perpendicular vertical axis 12 indicated by a dashed line, at which manipulator head 63 the at least one tool 61 of the gripping device 06 is arranged. By means of the manipulator 62 and its manipulator head 63 respectively, the at least one tool 61 of the gripping device 06 can be moved at least horizontally between the cardboard packaging supply 04 and the erecting device 05, and preferentially, for bridging height differences and/or for expanding cardboard packagings 02 to compartments and/or outer packagings 03, also vertically in space.

(29) The erecting device 05 has at least one carrier 51, which is rotatable back and forth, for instance, by swinging down and back up again, about a horizontal pivoting axis 13, indicated by dashed lines, from a horizontal position, as illustrated in FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 6, FIG. 7, FIG. 8, into a vertical position, as illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 10, FIG. 11, FIG. 12, FIG. 13, FIG. 14 and vice versa.

(30) Per each cardboard packaging 02 that is simultaneously seizable or seized, as the case may be, by the gripping device 06, the erecting device 05 has one tool 52 arranged at its at least one carrier 51, which tool 52 is preferentially upwardly directed in the horizontal position of the carrier or carriers 51. With the at least one tool 52, at least one cardboard packaging 02 having been brought onto the erecting device 05 by means of the gripping device 06 is seized in the horizontal position of the carrier 51 and held at a cardboard packaging wall 22 of its bottom flat side 24 at least until after the rotating of the at least one carrier 51 from its horizontal position into its vertical position. This rotating of the at least one carrier 51 from its horizontal position into its vertical position is here only carried out subsequently to the expanding of the cardboard packaging 02 to a lying set of compartments and/or to an outer packaging 03 as carried out by an increase of the distance between the tools 61, 52 of the gripping device 06 and the erecting device 05 along a vertical axis 12 and the release of the at least one tool 61 of the gripping device 06 after the expanding. The lying, expanded set of compartments and/or the outer packaging 03 is erected to a standing position by the rotating.

(31) The erecting device 05 together with the gripping device 06 thus at the same time forms an expanding device, which, by increasing the distance between a cardboard packaging wall 22 of a top flat side 23 of a flatly collapsed cardboard packaging 02 being held by at least one tool 61 of the gripping device 06 and a cardboard packaging wall 22 of a bottom flat side 24 of a flatly collapsed cardboard packaging 02 being held by at least one tool 52 of the erecting device 05, expands these to a lying set of compartments and/or to an outer packaging 03.

(32) The erecting device thus at the same time forms a particularly compact expanding and erecting station with extremely small space requirement in a horizontal direction. A particularly high pacing is furthermore achieved by the simultaneous expanding and erecting of a plurality of cardboard packagings being removed from a plurality of stacks of the cardboard packaging supply arranged next to each other and/or one after the other in relation to the horizontal axis.

(33) In the instance of compartments and/or outer packagings 03 arranged in a standing position, the access openings 31 through which articles can be introduced into the compartments and/or outer packagings 03, are in a horizontal plane running in parallel to the pivoting axis 13 of the at least one carrier 51 and in parallel to the horizontal axis 11 as well as normal to the vertical axis 12.

(34) In the instance of compartments and/or outer packagings 03 arranged in a lying position, the access openings 31 through which articles can be introduced into the compartments and/or outer packagings 03 are, in contrast to those of compartments and/or outer packagings 03 arranged in a standing position, not in a horizontal, but rather in a vertical plane.

(35) The at least one tool 61 of the gripping device 06 arranged at the manipulator head 63 of the at least one manipulator 62 is horizontally movable back and forth between the cardboard packaging supply 04 and the erecting device 05, which is arranged next to the cardboard packaging supply 04 as seen in the direction of a horizontal axis 11, as well as being, preferentially, liftable and lowerable. The at least one manipulator 62 can be, for instance, a multi-axis robot arm, for example with six axes, or a gantry or a tripod or quadropod, which is laterally movable back and forth along a horizontal axis as well as being liftable and lowerable along a vertical axis, to name but a few conceivable manipulators 62.

(36) The at least one carrier 51 of the erecting device 05 can be rotatable back and forth about any pivoting axis running in the horizontal. Preferentially, however, the erecting device 05 has at least one carrier 51, which is rotatable back and forth from a horizontal position to a vertical position and vice versa about a horizontal pivoting axis 13 running orthogonal to the horizontal axis 11 and orthogonal to the vertical axis 12, as is the case for the apparatus 01 illustrated in FIG. 1 to FIG. 14.

(37) If the manipulator head 63 is not only movable along the horizontal axis 11, but additionally also vertically along a vertical axis 12, the increase of the distance between the tools 61, 52 of the gripping device 06 and the erecting device 05, as seen along the vertical axis 12, as is necessary for the expanding of cardboard packagings 02 to lying compartments and/or outer packagings 03, is preferentially carried out by vertically lifting the tool 61 of the gripper device 06 arranged at the manipulator head 63.

(38) Alternatively or in addition to a vertically movable manipulator 62, the erecting device 05 can be designed to be vertically movable by a vertically movable arrangement of the at least one carrier 51 in relation to its pivoting axis 13 or together with its pivoting axis, for instance.

(39) An increase of the distance between the tools 61, 52 of the gripping device 06 and the erecting device 05, as seen along the vertical axis 12, as is necessary for the expanding of cardboard packagings 02 to lying compartments and/or outer packagings 03 can be carried out, in an apparatus 01 with an erecting device 05 designed to be vertically movable, by vertically lowering the at least one tool 52 of the erecting device 05 arranged at the at least one carrier 51.

(40) If the erecting device 05 is designed to be vertically movable, it is possible to omit a vertically movable manipulator head 63, by the gripping device only horizontally transferring cardboard packagings 02 from the cardboard packaging supply 04 to the erecting device 05, and the erecting device 05 increasing the distance between its tools 52 and the tools 61 of the gripping device 06 for expanding the cardboard packagings 02 to lying compartments and/or outer packagings 03 by moving downward.

(41) At its at least one carrier 51, the erecting device 05 can have at least one device 54 (FIG. 2) designed, for instance, as a folding flap, which holds in form, at until after the rotating, expanded compartments and/or outer packagings 03 being erected after the rotating of the at least one carrier 51 of the erecting device 05 about its horizontal pivoting axis 13 running, for instance, orthogonal to the horizontal axis 11 and orthogonal to the vertical axis 12 from a horizontal position into a vertical position, and, as the case may be, prevents them from slipping off the carrier 51 when the at least one tool 52 of the erecting device 05 releases a set of compartments and/or an outer packaging 03 held at least by it until the end of the expanding.

(42) In order to ensure that such sets of compartments and/or outer packagings 03 remain in an expanded state, as would entirely or partly collapse again after the expanding on being released, a holding device 55 can be provided for each carrier 51, which holding device 55 is arranged at the carrier 51 and rotatable together with it about the pivoting axis 13, as illustrated in FIG. 17, or, as illustrated in FIG. 18, is arranged to be rotatable independently of the carrier 51, synchronously together with it and/or time-delayed in relation to it, about an own pivoting axis 14 running in parallel to or coinciding with the pivoting axis 13.

(43) By a rotating of the holding device 55 about the pivoting axis 14 independently of the rotating of the carrier 51 about the pivoting axis 13, the holding device 55 can be rotated away independently of the carrier 51 after the erecting of the compartments and/or outer packagings 03 such that, in an arrangement of the holding device 55 below the compartments and/or outer packagings 03 after the erecting, the expanded and erected compartments and/or outer packagings 03 can also be passed on downward.

(44) In an arrangement of the holding device at the carrier 51 and/or in a synchronous rotating together with the carrier 51 about the pivoting axis 13, the expanded and erected compartments and/or outer packagings 03 can either be only removed toward the top, if the holding device 55 is arranged below the compartments and/or outer packagings 03 after the erecting, or they can only be passed on downward, if the holding device 55 is arranged above the compartments and/or outer packagings 03 after the erecting.

(45) Each holding device 55 assigned to a carrier 51 comprises at least one actuator 56 per each set of compartments and/or each outer packaging 03 erected by means of the carrier 51. The actuator or actuators 56 are preferably arranged at a bar 57 running in parallel to the pivoting axis and particularly preferentially arranged adjustable along the bar 57. The arrangement being adjustable along the bar 57 allows adapting the positions of the actuators 56 along the bar 57 to different dimensions of the compartments and/or outer packagings 03.

(46) The bar 57 can be arranged at least one cantilever arm 58, which holds the bar 57 in a required or desired relative position in relation to the carrier 51. In the instance of a plurality of cantilever arms 58 being provided, they can form a truss structure of a stability that is increased in relation to an individual cantilever arm 58.

(47) Each actuator 56 can have at least one pin 59, which is pneumatically or electromagnetically extractable and retractable again, and which, after the erecting of compartments and/or outer packagings 03, is insertable into respectively one set of compartments and/or one outer packaging 03 and thus prevents the set of compartments and/or the outer packaging 03 from entirely or partly collapsing again to a collapsed or folded cardboard packaging 02 even after a force providing for the expanding has been removed. When the set of compartments and/or the outer packaging 03 is expanded and erected, the pin 59 can be retracted again such that it withdraws again from the set of compartments and/or from the outer packaging 03. In an upright position with the carrier 51 being swung down about the pivoting axis 13, the influence of gravity, which promotes a re-collapsing of the expanded set of compartments and/or of the expanded outer packaging 03, is nullified because the erecting causes the direction of the effect of gravity on the expanded compartments and/or on the expanded outer packaging 03 to change. In this manner, the risk of re-collapsing is averted, and the holding device 55 has fulfilled its task.

(48) Alternatively or additionally, a device 54 designed as previously described as at least one folding flap, for example, can secure the expanded compartments and/or outer packagings 03 in an expanded state at the same time as preventing them from slipping off the carrier 51 after being released.

(49) The cardboard packaging supply 04 can comprise an uprightly standing magazine 42 accommodating one or more stacks 41, which magazine 42 is accessible from its top side for removing cardboard packagings 02.

(50) If a plurality of stacks 41 are accommodated in the magazine 42, as is the case for the apparatus 01 illustrated in FIG. 1 to FIG. 14, they are preferentially at least partly separated from each other by magazine partition walls 43 and/or accommodated in the magazine 42 spaced apart such as will exclude any contact of the individual cardboard packagings 02 of adjacent stacks 41 in the magazine 42. In this way, the topmost cardboard packagings 02 simultaneously removed from a plurality of stacks 41 of the supply 04 of cardboard packagings 02 are prevented from getting caught, thus increasing the operating safety of the apparatus 01.

(51) As for the apparatus 01 illustrated in FIG. 1 to FIG. 14, the cardboard packaging supply 04 can have two or more stacks 41 of flatly collapsed cardboard packagings 02 arranged lying stacked on top of each other, which stacks 41 are adjacent next to each other as seen in a horizontal direction in parallel to the pivoting axis 13 of the at least one carrier 51 of the erecting device 05.

(52) The gripping device 06 here has a plurality of tools 61 arranged next to each other as seen in parallel to the pivoting axis of the at least one carrier 51 of the erecting device 05 for simultaneously seizing the respectively topmost cardboard packaging 02 one after another from each of the stacks 41 adjacent next to each other as seen in parallel to the pivoting axis 13 of the at least one carrier 51 of the erecting device 05. Likewise, the erecting device 05 here correspondingly has a plurality of tools 52 arranged next to each other as seen in parallel to the pivoting axis of the at least one carrier 51 of the erecting device 05 for the compartments and/or outer packagings 03 to be expanded and erected next to each other as seen in parallel to the pivoting axis 13 of the at least one carrier 51 of the erecting device 05 from the then simultaneously seized cardboard packagings 02.

(53) The cardboard packagings 02, which are adjacent to each other as seen along the pivoting axis 13 and which are to be simultaneously expanded and erected to compartments and/or outer packagings 03, can be arranged aligned or offset to each other prior to the expanding. Alternatively or additionally, the cardboard packagings 02, which are adjacent to each other as seen along the pivoting axis 13 and which are to be simultaneously expanded and erected to compartments and/or outer packagings 03, can be arranged twisted relative to each other by 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees, for example, and/or mirror-invertedly to a mirror axis or a mirror point prior to the expanding.

(54) The simultaneously expanded and erected compartments and/or outer packagings 03, which are adjacent to each other as seen along the pivoting axis 13, can be arranged aligned or offset to each other after the expanding. Alternatively or additionally, the simultaneously expanded and erected compartments and/or outer packagings 03, which are adjacent to each other as seen along the pivoting axis 13, can be arranged twisted relative to each other by 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees, for example, and/or mirror-invertedly to a mirror axis or a mirror point after the expanding.

(55) Alternatively or additionallyas for the apparatus 01 illustrated in FIG. 1 to FIG. 14it can be provided for an apparatus 01 for expanding and erecting collapsed or folded cardboard packagings 02 to standing compartments and/or outer packagings 03 that the erecting device 05 has at least two carriers 51, which are rotatable from a horizontal position to a vertical position and vice versa respectively about an own pivoting axis with tools 52 arranged at the carriers 51 for seizing and holding, per carrier 51 in its horizontal position, at least one cardboard packaging 02 having been brought onto the erecting device 05 by means of the gripping device 06 at a cardboard packaging wall 22 of its bottom flat side 24. In this connection:

(56) the pivoting axes 13 of the carriers 51 run in parallel,

(57) the cardboard packaging supply 04 has a number of adjacent stacks 41, as seen in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the pivoting axes 13, of flatly collapsed cardboard packagings 02 arranged lying on top of each other, the number of stacks 41 corresponding to the number of carriers 51 that are respectively rotatable about their own pivoting axes 13, and

(58) the gripping device 06 for the simultaneous seizing of one respectively topmost cardboard packaging 02 after the other from each of the stacks 41, which are adjacent next to each other as seen orthogonal to the pivoting axes 13 of the at least two carriers 51 of the erecting device 05, correspondingly has a plurality of tools 61, which are arranged next to each other as seen orthogonal to the pivoting axes 13 of the at least two carriers 13 of the erecting device 05, for the compartments and/or outer packagings 03 then to be simultaneously expanded and erected, from the seized cardboard packagings 02, next to each other as seen orthogonal to the pivoting axes 13 of the at least two carriers 51 of the erecting device 05.

(59) The cardboard packagings 02, which are adjacent to each other as seen orthogonal to the pivoting axes 13 and which are to be simultaneously expanded and erected to compartments and/or outer packagings 03, can be arranged aligned or offset to each other prior to the expanding. Alternatively or additionally, the cardboard packagings 02, which are adjacent to each other as seen orthogonal to the pivoting axes 13 and which are to be simultaneously expanded and erected to compartments and/or outer packagings 03, can be arranged twisted relative to each other by 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees, for example, and/or mirror-invertedly to a mirror axis or a mirror point prior to the expanding.

(60) The simultaneously expanded and erected compartments and/or outer packagings 03, which are adjacent to each other as seen orthogonal to the pivoting axes 13, can be arranged aligned or offset to each other after the expanding. Alternatively or additionally, the simultaneously expanded and erected compartments and/or outer packagings 03, which are adjacent to each other as seen orthogonal to the pivoting axes 13, can be arranged twisted relative to each other by 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees, for example, and/or mirror-invertedly to a mirror axis or a mirror point after the expanding.

(61) Particularly preferentially, the apparatus 01, as illustrated in FIG. 1 to FIG. 14, is equipped with an erecting device 05 having two carriers 51, which are rotatable in opposite directions from a horizontal position to a vertical position and vice versa respectively about an own pivoting axis 13. As seen in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the pivoting axes 13, the cardboard packaging supply 04 of such an apparatus 01 has two adjacent stacks 41 of flatly collapsed cardboard packagings 02 arranged lying on top of each other. The lying, stacked cardboard packagings of a first stack of the two stacks, which are adjacent next to each other as seen in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the pivoting axes, are preferentially stacked, as seen in relation to a mirror axis running in parallel to the pivoting axes between the two stacks, mirror-invertedly with respect to the also lying cardboard packagings of a second stack of the two stacks, which are adjacent as seen in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the pivoting axes.

(62) Here, the pivoting axes 13 of the carriers 51 also run in parallel.

(63) The at least two carriers 51 of the erecting device 05 can be movably arranged in a horizontal direction such that they can be moved apart from each other during their preferably simultaneous rotating about their pivoting axes 13 in order to prevent a clashing of expanded compartments and/or outer packagings 03 during the rotating and/or such that they can be moved toward each other and/or in parallel to each other after reaching the vertical position, thus enabling a grouping of the expanded and erected compartments and/or outer packagings 03. An adaptation to compartments and/or outer packagings 03 with different external dimensions is thus moreover possible.

(64) As at least one tool 61 per each simultaneously seized cardboard packaging 02, the gripping device 06 can have at least one downwardly directed suction cup 64, which, by impingement with a vacuum, is able to hold a cardboard packaging 02 lying respectively topmost on a stack 41 of the cardboard packaging supply 04 at one of the cardboard packaging walls 22 of its top flat side 23 by means of the vacuum.

(65) A suction cup 64 has a downwardly open sleeve of an elastic, airtight material as well as a connection leading upward and away from the sleeve for a vacuum source, such as, for instance, a vacuum pump or a negative pressure pump, or a vacuum accumulator connected with a vacuum pump or a negative pressure pump. Preferably, a control opening and closing valve is arranged between each suction cup assigned to a cardboard packaging and the vacuum source. The vacuum source communicates with the suction cup when the valve is opened. In the instance of the downwardly open sleeve not being covered, air flows through the suction cup to the vacuum source, which, strictly speaking, thus represents a drain for the air that is under ambient pressure. In the instance of the downwardly open sleeve being blocked by a cardboard packaging wall, a vacuum forms in the suction cup, and the cardboard packaging wall together with the associated cardboard packaging are held.

(66) Preferably, the gripping device 06 has at least four downwardly directed suction cups 64 as tool per each simultaneously seized cardboard packaging 02, which suction cups 64 can hold a cardboard packaging 02 lying respectively topmost on a stack 41 in the area of the corners of one of the cardboard packaging walls 22 of its top flat side 23 by means of the vacuum. In comparison to only one suction cup 64 per each simultaneously seized cardboard packaging 02, this has the advantage of greater redundancy and, at the same time, a greater holding force, which is required for expanding the folded cardboard packagings 02 to initially lying compartments and/or outer packagings 03, which are than erected to a standing position by means of the erecting device 05 by rotating its at least one carrier 51 about its pivoting axis 13 after the expanding.

(67) In this context, the at least one suction cup 64, which is provided per stack 41 of the cardboard packaging supply 04, is arranged at the manipulator head 63 of the at least one manipulator 62 of the gripping device 06, whereby the suction cup 64in the instance of the manipulator head 63 being movable not only horizontally, but also verticallycan be lowered onto the cardboard packaging supply 04, lifted back up again with a suction-held cardboard packaging 02, be laterally traversed to the erecting device 05 and lowered onto it and lifted back up again as well as traversed back to the cardboard packaging supply 04 after the release of the cardboard packaging 02, which has then been expanded to a set of compartments and/or to an outer packaging 03.

(68) The at least one tool 52 of the erecting device 05 can, alternatively or additionally to the design of the at least one tool 61 of the gripping device 06, also be one or more suction cups 53.

(69) Preferably, the erecting device 05 has at least four suction cups 53 as tool 52 per each simultaneously seized cardboard packaging 02, which suction cups 53 are upwardly directed in the horizontal position of their at least one carrier 51, and which suction cups 53 can hold a cardboard packaging 02 having been brought onto it by means of the gripping device 06 in the area of the corners of one of the cardboard packaging walls 22 of its bottom flat side 24 by means of the vacuum. In comparison to the use of only one suction cup 63 per each simultaneously seized cardboard packaging 02, this has the advantage of greater redundancy and, at the same time, a greater holding force, which is required for expanding the folded cardboard packagings 02 to initially lying compartments and/or outer packagings 03, which are than erected to a standing position by means of the erecting device 05 by rotating its at least one carrier 51 about its pivoting axis 13 after the expanding.

(70) The apparatus 01 can comprise a control device, which at least:

(71) controls the at least one manipulator 62 of the gripping device 06 such that it carries out a cyclical movement path, in the course of which the manipulator head 63 traverses in parallel to the horizontal axis 11 from above the cardboard packaging supply 04 over the erecting device 05 and back again,

(72) controls the gripping device 06 and/or the erecting device 05 such that they carry out a recurring movement path relative to each other as seen in direction of the vertical axis 12, in the course of which movement path the distance between the tools 61, 52 of the gripping device 06 and the erecting device 05 is increased at least so far that a cardboard packaging 02 being held between the tools 61, 52 of the gripping device 06 and the erecting device 05 is expanded to a lying set of compartments and/or to an outer packaging 03, and in the further course of which movement path the vertical distance between the tools 61, 52 of the gripping device 06 and the erecting device 05 is again reduced to at least a thickness dimension measured normal to the top and bottom flat sides 23, 24 of a lying, flatly collapsed cardboard packaging 02,

(73) controls the at least one tool 61 of the gripping device 06 such that, when it is located above the at least one stack 41 of the cardboard packaging supply 04, it seizes a cardboard packaging wall 22 of the top flat side 23 of a cardboard packaging 02 lying topmost on at least one stack 41 of the cardboard packaging supply 04 and holds it for as long as until it is located above the erecting device 05 and the distance between the tools 61, 52 of the gripping device 06 and the erecting device 05 has been increased at least so far that the cardboard packaging 02 is expanded to a lying set of compartments and/or to an outer packaging 03 in the course of the recurring movement path of the gripping device 06 and the erecting device 05,

(74) controls the at least one carrier 51 of the erecting device 05 such that it carries out a cyclical rotating movement path, in the course of which it is rotated about its pivoting axis by 90 degrees from its horizontal position into its vertical position and back again, wherein the carrier 51 takes up a horizontal position at the latest when the at least one manipulator head 63 is located, during its course of movement along the horizontal axis 11, above the erecting device 05, and maintains the horizontal position for as long as until the distance between the tools 61, 52 of the gripping device 06 and the erecting device 05 has been increased at least so far that a cardboard packaging 02 being held by the tools 61, 52 of the gripping device 06 and the erecting device 05 is expanded to a lying set of compartments and/or to an outer packaging 03 in the course of the recurring movement path of the gripping device 06 and the erecting device 05, in order to hereafter take up a vertical position by swinging down and/or rotating about its pivoting axis 13, and

(75) controls the at least one tool 52 of the erecting device 05 such that, as soon as the manipulator head 63 with the at least one cardboard packaging having been seized and being held by the at least one tool 61 arranged at the manipulator head 63 is located above the erecting device 05, the tool 52 seizes a cardboard packaging wall 22 of the bottom flat side 23 of the at least one cardboard packaging 02 being held by the at least one tool 61 of the gripping device and holds it at least for as long as until the cardboard packaging 02, which was expanded to a set of compartments and/or an outer packaging 03 by a vertical distance increase between the tools 61, 52 of the gripping device 06 and the erecting device 05, has been erected by swinging down and/or rotating the at least one carrier 51 of the erecting device 05 by 90 degrees about its pivoting axis 13 from the horizontal position to the vertical position, and the cardboard packaging 02 is available for its further use, for instance, for transfer to a transfer device 07.

(76) For instance, in connection with a manipulator head 63, which is not only movable horizontally, but also vertically, the apparatus 01 can comprise a control device, which at least:

(77) controls the at least one manipulator 62 of the gripping device 06, which manipulator 62 is also mentioned as representative of its manipulator head 63 in the following, such that it carries out a cyclical movement path, in the course of which the manipulator 06 lowers the at least one tool 61 of the gripping device 06 onto a cardboard packaging wall 22 of the top flat side 23 of a cardboard packaging 02 lying topmost on at least one stack 41 of the cardboard packaging supply 04, lifts it up again, traverses to the erecting device 05, lowers it onto the erecting device 05 and lifts it back up again and finally traverses over the cardboard packaging supply 04 again,

(78) controls the at least one tool 61 of the gripping device 06 such that it, after being lowered, seizes and holds a cardboard packaging wall 22 of the top flat side 23 of a cardboard packaging 02 lying topmost on at least one stack 41 of the cardboard packaging supply 04 until the tool 61 of the gripping device 06, in the course of the cyclical movement path, has been lifted back up again from the erecting device 05 for at least so far that the cardboard packaging 02 is expanded to a set of compartments and/or to an outer packaging 03,

(79) controls the at least one carrier 51 of the erecting device such that it carries out a cyclical rotating movement path, in the course of which it is rotated about its pivoting axis 13 by 90 degrees from the horizontal or its horizontal position, as the case may be, to the vertical or its vertical position, as the case may be, and back again, wherein the carrier 51 takes up a horizontal position at the latest when the at least one manipulator 62, during its course of movement, lowers or has lowered the at least one tool 61 of the gripping device 06 onto the erecting device 05 and maintains the horizontal position for as long as until the tool of the gripping device 06, in the course of the cyclical movement path of the manipulator 62, has been lifted back up again from the erecting device 05 for at least so far that the cardboard packaging 02 is expanded to a set of compartments and/or to an outer packaging 03, in order to hereafter take up a vertical position by swinging down and/or rotating about its pivoting axis 13, and

(80) controls the at least one tool 52 of the erecting device 05 such that, after lowering the at least one manipulator 62 onto the erecting device 05, the tool 52 seizes a cardboard packaging wall 22 of the bottom flat side 24 of the at least one cardboard packaging 02 being held and having been brought to the erecting device 05 by the at least one tool 61 of the gripping device 05 and holds it at least for as long as until the cardboard packaging 02, which is expanded to a set of compartments and/or to an outer packaging 03, has been erected and is available for its further use by swinging down and/or rotating the at least one carrier 51 of the erecting device 05 by 90 degrees about its pivoting axis 13 from its horizontal position to its vertical position.

(81) In dependence on the configuration of the cardboard packagings 02 and of the compartments and/or outer packagings 03 expandable therefrom, the control device can cause the manipulator 62 or its manipulator head 63, respectively, to carry out a horizontal movement running in parallel and/or orthogonal to the horizontal axis 11 at the same time while the tool 61 of the gripping device 06 is lifted, at the end of which horizontal movement the cardboard packaging wall 22 previously assigned to the top flat side 23 of the cardboard packaging 02 having been seized by at least one tool 61 of the gripping device 06 and the cardboard packaging wall 22 previously assigned to the bottom flat side 24 of a cardboard packaging 02 having been seized by at least one tool 52 of the erecting device 05 are arranged superposed upon each other as seen from a top view in a horizontal direction along the vertical axis 12, corresponding to two opposite walls of an expanded set of compartments and/or an outer packaging 03.

(82) Preferably, however, the cardboard packagings are configured such that they can be expanded by a mere increase of distance between the tools 61, 52 of the gripping device 06 and the erecting device 05. This is possible, for instance, by way of an accordion-like structure with an even number of cardboard packaging walls 22 connecting the cardboard packaging walls 22 being held by the tools 61, 52 at respectively one of their narrow sides in the area of, for instance, a bending edge 21 with each other, as this is illustrated in FIG. 15 using the example of a cardboard packaging 02 with respectively two cardboard packaging walls 22 forming a top flat side 23 and a bottom flat side 24 as well as respectively one further cardboard packaging wall 22 connecting the top flat side 23 with the bottom flat side 24. In the instance of such a cardboard packaging 02, the two cardboard packaging walls 22, which are lying on top of each other, however, are not immediately connected with each other at a common bending edge 21 in the folded state, are seized by the tools 61, 52 of the gripping device 06 and the erecting device 05 and can be expanded in a direction running exclusively along the vertical axis 12 standing normal upon the surfaces of the cardboard packaging walls 22 seized by the tools.

(83) In dependence on the design of the cardboard packaging 02, the lifting following the lowering onto the erecting device 05 can thus be carried out exclusively in a vertical direction.

(84) In order to achieve an as high as possible pacing, the control device can cause combined relative movements between the gripping device 06 and the erecting device 05 in a horizontal and a vertical direction before and after the erecting of cardboard packagings 02 to compartments and/or outer packagings 03.

(85) The apparatus 01 can comprise an already mentioned transfer device 07, for instance, which is also controlled by a control device, and which receives expanded and erected compartments and/or outer packagings 03 from the erecting device 05, preferentially from the vertical position of the carrier 51 of the erecting device 05, and supplies them to their further use, for instance, by subsequent inserting of expanded and erected compartments into outer packagings staged elsewhere and/or by the placing of articles into compartments and/or outer packagings 03.

(86) The transfer device 07 can comprise at least one tool 73 arranged at a head 71 of a transfer device manipulator 72, which tool 73 receives expanded and erected compartments and/or outer packagings 03 from the erecting device 05, for instance, by dipping into the access openings 31 of the compartments and/or outer packagings 03, which access openings 31 are located in a horizontal plane after the erecting, and seizing the compartments and/or outer packagings 03 from inside, for instance, by lateral pressure, and discharging them by way of a vertical and/or horizontal movement of the head 71 of the transfer device manipulator 72.

(87) Alternatively, the compartments and/or outer packagings 03, which are erected to a standing position after the rotating of the at least one carrier 51 of the erecting device 05, can also be released by simply disengaging the at least one tool 52 of the erecting device 05 and thus be transferred, for instance, to a horizontal conveyor passing immediately below the erecting device 05. In this instance, the vertical distance between such a horizontal conveyor and the erecting device 05 can be adjusted such that the compartments and/or outer packagings 03, which are erected to a standing position after the rotating of the at least one carrier 51 about its pivoting axis 13 from its horizontal position to its vertical position, take up an as small as possible distance to the surface of the horizontal conveyor, for instance, grazing the surface. Furthermore conceivable is a set down movement of the erecting device 05 in a vertical direction prior to the release.

(88) Preferentially, the erecting device 05 as well as the surface of the cardboard packaging supply 04 formed by the topmost cardboard packaging 02 of the at least one stack 41 of cardboard packagings 02 are located at least approximately at the same level, at least in a starting position.

(89) Particularly preferentially, however, the surface of the cardboard packaging supply 04 formed by the topmost cardboard packaging 02 of the at least one stack 41 is located at a level that is higher by at least the height of a lying, expanded set of compartments and/or of a lying, expanded outer packaging 03 than a level of the erecting device 05 formed by the at least one tool 52 of the erecting device 05 in the horizontal position of its at least one carrier 51 during the seizing of a cardboard packaging wall 22 of the bottom flat side 24 of a cardboard packaging 02. In this way, a vertical stroke, for instance, of the manipulator head 63 in a return movement of the manipulator head 63 from the erecting device 05 to the cardboard packaging supply 04, which is required for seizing the next cardboard packagings 02 after expanding a cardboard packaging to a lying set of compartments and/or to an outer packaging 03, is not needed, thus increasing the achievable pacing.

(90) The mentioned horizontal and vertical axes 11, 12 are geometric axes, whereas the mentioned pivoting axis or pivoting axes 13 can also be machine axes.

(91) The apparatus allows carrying out a method for expanding and erecting collapsed or folded cardboard packagings 02 to standing compartments and/or outer packagings 03 in a recurring sequence as illustrated in the FIG. 1 to FIG. 14.

(92) Starting in FIG. 12, the method provides to hold the topmost cardboard packaging 02, coming from above, at a cardboard packaging wall 22 of its top flat side 23 from a stack 41 of flatly collapsed cardboard packagings 02 arranged on top of each other of a supply of cardboard packagings 02, and to remove it from the stack 41, for instance, in movement shown by the sequence of the FIG. 13, FIG. 14, FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3.

(93) The method subsequently provides to also hold the cardboard packaging 02, which is being held at a cardboard packaging wall 22 of its top flat side 23, at a cardboard packaging wall 22 of its bottom flat side 24 from below, as well, as is carried out, for instance, in FIG. 4, and to increase the vertical distance between the cardboard packaging wall 22, at which the cardboard packaging 02 is being held at its top flat side 23, and the cardboard packaging wall 22, at which the cardboard packaging 02 is being held at its bottom flat side 24, by oppositely pulling so far until the cardboard packaging 02 has been expanded to a lying set of compartments and/or to a lying outer packaging 03.

(94) The method then provides to release the expanded set of compartments and/or the outer packaging 03 at its cardboard packaging wall 22 that was previously assigned to the top flat side 23 of the cardboard packaging 02, as is exemplarily illustrated in the sequence of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7.

(95) The method finally provides to tilt the lying, expanded set of compartments and/or the outer packaging 03 still being held at its cardboard packaging wall 22 that was previously assigned to the bottom flat side 24 of the cardboard packaging 02 about a horizontal pivoting axis 13, as is, for instance, illustrated in the sequence of FIG. 8, FIG. 9, and FIG. 10.

(96) Finally, the method subsequently provides to also release the expanded and now erected set of compartments and/or the outer packaging 03 at its cardboard packaging wall 22 that was previously assigned to the bottom flat side 24 of the cardboard packaging 02 to a discharge for the further use, as is, for instance, illustrated in the sequence of the FIG. 11, FIG. 12, FIG. 13, FIG. 14, and FIG. 1.

(97) The method preferably provides to simultaneously expand and erect a plurality of cardboard packagings 02 to compartments and/or outer packagings 03 in the manner described.

(98) In this case, respectively two cardboard packagings 02 can form a pair of cardboard packagings 02 to be simultaneously expanded and erected to compartments and/or outer packagings 03, which, after having been expanded to lying compartments and/or outer packagings 03, are erected to standing compartments and/or outer packagings 03 in the same or the opposite rotating direction about respectively own horizontal pivoting axes 13 running in parallel.

(99) In addition, a plurality of cardboard packagings 02 or pairs of cardboard packagings 02 can be simultaneously expanded next to each other, as seen in a direction in parallel to the pivoting axis or pivoting axes 13, to lying compartments and/or outer packagings 03 and subsequently be erected to standing compartments and/or outer packagings 03.

(100) While or after the expanded set of compartments and/or the outer packaging 03 is being or has been erected to a standing position, the compartments and/or outer packagings 03 can be moved relatively toward each other along and/or orthogonal to the horizontal axis 11 and thus be grouped in the instance of a simultaneous expanding and erecting of a plurality of cardboard packagings 02 to standing compartments and/or outer packagings 03, as is, for instance, illustrated in the sequence of the FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 using the example of a movement toward each other along the horizontal axis 11 of two groups of pairs of two cardboard packagings 02 expanded and erected next to each other as seen in the direction of the horizontal axis 11 to compartments and/or outer packagings 03.

(101) It is obvious that the invention can be realized by an erecting of compartments and/or outer packagings 03 expanded from previously lying cardboard packagings 02, by continuing, even after releasing their cardboard packaging walls 22 previously assigned to the top flat sides 23 of the cardboard packagings 02, to hold the expanded compartments and/or outer packagings 03 at their cardboard packaging walls 22 previously assigned to the bottom flat sides 24 of the cardboard packagings 02, and subsequently rotating them by 90 degrees about a horizontal pivoting 13 axis of an erecting device 05 still holding the compartments and/or outer packagings 03 at their cardboard packaging walls 22 previously assigned to the bottom flat sides 24 of the cardboard packagings 02.

(102) Both the apparatus 01 and the method can alternatively or additionally have individual or a combination of a plurality of features initially described in connection with the prior art and/or in one or more documents mentioned regarding the prior art.

(103) Moreover, the apparatus 01 can alternatively or additionally have individual or a combination of a plurality of features previously described in connection with the method, as well as the method can alternatively or additionally have individual or a combination of a plurality of features previously described in connection with the apparatus 01.

(104) A facility 100 for handling articles 200, which facility 100 is entirely or partly illustrated in FIG. 16, and to which facility compartments and/or outer packagings 03 can be supplied for further use, the compartments and/or outer packagings 03 having previously been expanded and erected by means of a previously described apparatus 01 according to a previously described method for expanding and erecting collapsed or folded cardboard packagings 02 to standing compartments and/or outer packagings 03, can be equipped with:

(105) a first conveyor 300 for the supply of articles 200,

(106) a second conveyor 400 for the supply of outer packagings 031,

(107) a third conveyor 600 for the discharge of outer packagings 31 with articles 200 placed therein, termed for short, filled outer packagings 700, and

(108) a placing surface 800 arranged between the second conveyor 400 and the third conveyor 600, as well as

(109) a device 900, illustrated by a dashed line, for the transfer indicated by arrows 910 of supplied outer packagings 031 from the second conveyor 400 to the placing surface 800,

(110) a device 1000, illustrated by a dashed line, for the transferring indicated by arrows 1010 of articles 200 from the first conveyor 300 into outer packagings 031 having been transferred onto the placing surface 800, and

(111) a device 1100, illustrated by a dashed line, for the transfer indicated by arrows 1110 of filled 700, from the placing surface 800 onto the third conveyor 600.

(112) The device 1000 for the transferring indicated by arrows 1010 of articles 200 first seizes the articles 200 staged by means of the first conveyor 300, then transfers the seized articles 200 from the first conveyor 300 to the placing surface 800 and, in the process, places the articles 200 having been seized and having been transferred from the first conveyor 300 to the placing surface 800 by it into the outer packagings 031 having been transferred onto the placing surface 800.

(113) The facility 100 allows carrying out a method for handling articles 200, which method provides that articles 200 are placed into outer packagings 031 staged on a placing surface 800, which articles 200 are supplied in one or in a plurality of article flows of articles 200 lined up one after the other uninterruptedly and/or with gaps between them and/or grouped, which outer packagings 031 themselves in turn are supplied independently of the articles 200 in a transport direction indicated by arrows 410 and are transferred, as indicated by arrows 910, onto the placing surface 800 individually or groupwise transversely to the transport direction indicated by arrows 410 and, after the articles 200 have been placed therein, they are transferred from there, as indicated by arrows 1110, in turn individually or groupwise transversely to the transport direction indicated by arrows 410now provided with articles 200 placed thereinin order to be subsequently discharged in the direction of the transport direction indicated by arrows 410 or opposite to it in parallel to the transport direction indicated by arrows 410 independently of the supply indicated by arrows 310 of articles 200, independently of the supply indicated by arrows 410 of outer packagings 031, and independently of the placing indicated by arrows 410 of articles 200 into the outer packagings 031.

(114) Both the facility 100 and the method can be further developed as explained in the following.

(115) The device 900 for the transfer indicated by arrows 910 of outer packagings 031 from the second conveyor 400 onto the placing surface 800 can comprise the device 1100 for the transfer indicated by arrows 1110 of filled outer packagings 700, from the placing surface 800 onto the third conveyor 600 or one or more parts of the device 1100 for the transfer indicated by arrows 1110 of filled outer packagings 700, from the placing surface 800 onto the third conveyor 600.

(116) Alternatively, the device 900 for the transfer indicated by arrows 910 of outer packagings 031 from the second conveyor 400 onto the placing surface 800 can be completely or partly comprised by the device 1100 for the transfer indicated by arrows 111 of filled outer packagings 700, from the placing surface 800 onto the third conveyor 600.

(117) The device 900 for transferring supplied outer packagings 031 from the second conveyor 400 to the placing surface 800 and the device 1100 for transferring filled outer packagings 700 from the placing surface 800 onto the third conveyor 600 thus each in themselves or together form at least one transfer device 1200 that is formed and operatable independently of the device 1000 for transferring articles 200 from the first conveyor 300 into outer packagings 031 having been transferred onto the placing surface 800.

(118) The placing surface 800 in connection with the at least one transfer device 1200 that is independent of the device 1000 for transferring articles 200 from the first conveyor 300 into outer packagings 031 having been transferred onto the placing surface 800 results in an increase in performance with regard to the pacing that is achievable based on an apparatus without placing surface 800. The higher pacing is achieved, because, by means of the placing surface 800 in connection with the at least one transfer device 1200 that is independent of the device 1000 for transferring articles 200, articles 200 supplied by means of the first conveyor 300 can be seized by the device 1000 for transferring articles 200 in a first cycle, and the device 1000 for transferring articles 200 can begin with transferring the seized articles 200 by starting a movement of the seized articles 200 from the first conveyor 300 to the placing surface 800 while outer packagings 031 that are still empty are simultaneously transferred, for instance, by pushing off or over, from the second conveyor 400 to the placing surface 800 and filled outer packagings 700 are transferred by pushing off or over from the placing surface 800 onto the third conveyor 600, and in a second cycle new, empty outer packagings 031 can be supplied by means of the second conveyor 400 and filled outer packagings 700 can simultaneously be discharged from the third conveyor 600, while the transferring of the articles 200 having been seized in the first cycle is simultaneously completed by placing articles 200 by means of the device 1000 for transferring articles 200 into the outer packagings 031 staged on the placing surface 800.

(119) In this context, the transferring of the articles 200 seized in the first cycle is concluded by placing the articles 200 having been seized by the device 1000 for transferring articles 200 into the empty outer packagings 031 having been transferred by pushing off or over onto the placing surface 800 in the first cycle, and by a return of the device 1000 for transferring articles 200 from the placing surface 800 to the first conveyor 300 at least being started, in order to again seize and, in a repetition of the first cycle, transfer articles 200 supplied from the first conveyor 300.

(120) The transfer indicated by arrows 910 from the second conveyor 400 to the placing surface 800 can be carried out by pushing over supplied outer packagings 031.

(121) The transferring as indicated by arrows 1010 can be carried out by gripping the articles 200, pushing the gripped articles over the edge of the first conveyor 300 or by slightly lifting the gripped articles from the first conveyor 300 as well as lowering them into the outer packagings 031 staged on the placing surface 800.

(122) The transfer indicated by arrows 1110 from the placing surface 800 to the third conveyor 600 can be carried out by pushing over filled outer packagings 700.

(123) Preferentially, at least the second conveyor 400 and the third conveyor 600 are arranged in parallel to each other along the placing surface 800, at least in the area of their portions 320, 420, 620 abutting on the placing surface 800 or, in other words, the second conveyor 400 and the third conveyor 600 run in parallel to each other at least in the area of their portions 320, 420, 620 abutting on the placing surface 800.

(124) In addition, the first conveyor 300 can run in parallel to the second conveyor 400 and in parallel to the third conveyor 600.

(125) In the arrangement in parallel to each other, the transport directions indicated by arrows 310, 410, 610 of the conveyors 300, 400, 600 run in parallel to each other at least in the area 820 located between the arrows 810 of their portions 320, 420, 620 abutting on the placing surface 800, or, as the case may be, of their portions 320, 420, 620 overlapping each other in the area of the placing surface 800. This applies to transport directions of all conveyors 300, 400, 600 running in the same direction as well as to transport directions of at least two conveyors 300, 400, 600 running in opposite directions.

(126) The parallely arranged portions 320, 420, 620 of the conveyors 300, 400, 600 can overlap one another by a distance indicated by the double arrow 830 of the length of at least two, preferably at least three outer packagings 031 staged on the placing surface 800.

(127) In this way, two or more outer packagings 031 can be simultaneously transferred from the second conveyor 400 onto the placing surface 800 and two or more filled outer packagings 700 can be simultaneously transferred from the placing surface 800 to the third conveyor 600, and likewise articles 200 can be simultaneously placed into the plurality of outer packagings 031 that are thus staged on the placing surface 800. The pacing can thus be further increased.

(128) The direction of the transfer of outer packagings 031, termed for short transfer direction, indicated by arrows 910, and being carried out by the device 900 for transferring empty outer packagings 031 from the second conveyor 400 to the placing surface 800, runs, in a horizontal direction, preferably transversely, preferentially orthogonal to the transport direction indicated by arrows 410 of the second conveyor 400.

(129) The direction of the transfer of filled outer packagings 700, which direction is termed for short transfer direction, is indicated by arrows 1110, and is being carried out by the device 1100 for transferring filled outer packagings 700, from the placing surface 800 to the third conveyor 600, runs, in a horizontal direction, preferably transversely, preferentially orthogonal to the transport direction indicated by the arrow 610 of the third conveyor 600.

(130) In the transfer from the second conveyor 400 to the placing surface 800 and in the transfer from the placing surface 800 to the third conveyor 600, the transfer direction indicated by arrows 910 and by arrows 1110 of the device or the devices 900 for transferring preferably both the empty outer packagings 031 and the filled outer packagings 700, thus preferentially runs, in a horizontal direction, preferably transversely, preferentially orthogonal to the transport directions indicated by arrows 410 and 610 of both the second conveyor 400 and the third conveyor 600.

(131) By the transversal and preferably orthogonal horizontal transfer direction indicated by arrows 910 and by arrows 1110 in relation to the transport directions indicated by arrows 410 and 610 of the second conveyor 400 and the third conveyor 600, one or more empty outer packagings 031 as well as one or more filled outer packagings 700, can be respectively simultaneously transferred from the second conveyor 400 to the placing surface 800 as well as from the placing surface 800 to the third conveyor 600, whereby articles 200 can be simultaneously placed into a plurality of outer packagings 031 that have been put down on the placing surface 800. The pacing can thus be significantly increased.

(132) For instance, the device 900 for transferring outer packagings 031 from the second conveyor 400 onto the placing surface 800 and/or the device 1100 for transferring filled outer packagings 700, from the placing surface 800 onto the third conveyor 600 can comprise at least one slider.

(133) The second conveyor 400 and the third conveyor 600 as well as the placing surface 800 are preferentially located on a common, first level.

(134) The first conveyor 300 is preferably located on a higher, second level.

(135) A vertical stroke of the device 1000 for transferring articles 200, which vertical stroke is necessary for placing articles 200 into outer packagings 031, can thus be reduced to the essential, whereby the pacing can be further increased.

(136) The second level can be located above the first level by at least the height of an outer packaging 031, which is initially open and to be closed after placing the articles 300 therein, as the case may be.

(137) In the instance of flaps for closing that protrude to the top from an outer packaging 031 designed as a closable cardboard packaging, the second level is preferentially located accordingly higher, by the height of the flaps protruding above the first level, than in the instance of the outer packagings 031 being closed, for instance, with a separately provided lid.

(138) The closing of the filled outer packagings 700, can be carried out while still on the placing surface 800, for instance, together with or subsequent to placing the articles 200 into the outer packagings 031, or in a separate treatment step, for instance, subsequent to or in the further course of the third conveyor 600 of the facility 100 for handling articles 200.

(139) For instance, the filled outer packagings 700, can be closed with lids in the further course of the third conveyor 600.

(140) Prior to placing the articles 200 into outer packagings 031 having been transferred onto the placing surface 800, compartments 032, also termed so-called baskets, can be inserted into the outer packagings 031, which compartments 032 assign fixed positions to the articles 200 within the outer packagings 031 and thus protect them, during the further transport of the outer packagings 031 with articles 200 placed therein until the articles 200 are withdrawn and consumed, from colliding with each other and rubbing against each other, which otherwise would lead to a negative impression of the quality by scuffing, for instance, of information applied onto the articles 200 in the form of labels, for example, and/or by the articles 200 damaging each other.

(141) The compartments 032 can already have been or be inserted into the outer packagings 031 prior to the transfer of the outer packagings 031 to the placing surface 800, or the compartments 032 can be inserted into the outer packagings 031 prior to or together with or after the articles 200 being placed into the outer packagings 031.

(142) The compartments 032 can be staged, for instance, by a separate device 1400, which can simultaneously erect the compartments 032, for instance.

(143) The subsequent introduction of compartments 032, in particular with lightweight articles 200 that are shiftable with little effort within the outer packagings 031, has the advantage of a simplified placing of the articles 200 in the outer packagings 031, along with a reduced controlling effort for the device 1000 for transferring the articles 202, because articles 200 with a shape, for example, tapering conically or in a similar manner toward their oppositely located contact surfaces, such as beverage bottles with a bottle neck widening at least sectionwise from the top downward, can be horizontally shifted within the outer packagings 031 by the compartments 032 when these are inserted.

(144) The compartments 032 can be introduced into the outer packagings 031, for instance, while still on the second conveyor 400, or they can be introduced into the outer packagings 031, for instance, already together with or subsequent to erecting these, or they can already be integrated into an according cardboard packaging, wherein the compartments 032 unfold within the outer packaging 031 with the cardboard packaging being erected.

(145) In connection with introducing compartments 032 prior to or after placing articles 200 into the outer packagings 031, a separate introduction surface can alternatively be provided between the second conveyor 400 and the placing surface 800 in the instance of the introduction of compartments 032 prior to placing the articles 200, or between the placing surface 800 and the third conveyor 600 in the instance of the introduction of compartments 032 after placing the articles 200.

(146) In this context, an additional device can be provided for the transfer of outer packagings 031 provided with compartments 032 from the introduction surface to the placing surface 800 or from the placing surface 800 to the introduction surface, which additional device can also be part of a transfer device 1200 or be comprised by it.

(147) In the further course of the third conveyor 600 of the facility 100 for handling articles 200, a stacking station can be provided, where, for instance, filled outer packaging items 700 designed as closed outer packagings 031, with articles 200 placed therein, are grouped into stack layers and stacked onto a stack, which is then discharged in order to make room for stacking up a new stack after reaching a specified stacking height according to a specified number of stack layers stacked on top of each other at the stacking station.

(148) The articles 200 supplied by means of the first conveyor 300 are preferentially already sorted into article groups 210 to be respectively placed into an outer packaging 031. The articles 200 supplied by means of the first conveyor 300 can abut on each other or they can be supplied lined up one after the other with gaps between them. The articles 200 supplied by means of the first conveyor 300 can be supplied in one row or in a plurality of rows running in parallel. For this purpose, the articles 200 can be transferred to the first conveyor 300 via a suitable infeed, and be guided in one or in a plurality of lanes oriented in parallel to each other after the transfer to the first conveyor 300.

(149) The articles 200 supplied by means of the first conveyor 300 accordingly form a single- or multiple-row article flow of articles 200 lined up one after the other uninterruptedly and/or with gaps between them.

(150) Before the articles 200 are subsequently placed into the outer packagings 031 by means of the facility 100 for handling articles 200, the said articles 200 can have been previously treated along an infeed to the first conveyor 300, for instance, by producing a container and/or cleaning an outer and/or inner surface and/or cooling and/or filling and/or closing, in order to name only a few examples of treating articles 200 without claim to completeness of the list, and/or the articles 200 can have been previously handled along an infeed to the first conveyor 300, for instance, by separating a number of articles 200 from one or more article flows of articles being transported immediately following each other and/or grouping a number of articles 200 into article groups 210 and/or compiling and assembling a number of articles 200 into bundles, in order to name only a few examples of handling articles 200 without claim to completeness.

(151) The conveyors 300, 400, 600 preferentially comprise at least one horizontal conveyor device, such as, for instance, a belt conveyor and/or a roller conveyor.

(152) The outer packagings 031 can preferentially be cardboard packagings, for instance, in the form of cardboard boxes with or without compartments 032 arranged or arrangeable therein for separating and/or keeping apart individual articles 200 from each other.

(153) It is obvious that a facility 100 for handling articles 200, to which facility 100 compartments and/or outer packagings 03 can be supplied for further use, the compartments and/or outer packagings 03 having previously been expanded and erected by means of a previously described apparatus 01 according to a previously described method for expanding and erecting collapsed or folded cardboard packagings 02 to standing compartments and/or outer packagings 03, can be equipped with:

(154) a first conveyor 300 supplying articles 200 in a first transport direction indicated by arrows 310,

(155) a second conveyor 400 supplying outer packagings 031 in a second transport direction indicated by arrows 410 and preferentially directed in parallel to and running in the same direction as or opposite to the first transport direction indicated by arrows 310,

(156) a third conveyor 600 discharging filled outer packagings 700, in a third transport direction indicated by an arrow 610 and preferentially directed in parallel to and running in the same direction as or opposite to the first transport direction indicated by arrows 310 and to the second transport direction indicated by arrows 410,

(157) a placing surface 800 arranged between the second conveyor 400 and the third conveyor 600,

(158) a device 900 for the transfer indicated by arrows 910 of supplied outer packagings 031 from the second conveyor 400 to the placing surface 800,

(159) a device for the transferring indicated by arrows 1010 of articles 200 from the first conveyor 300 into outer packagings 031 having been transferred onto the placing surface 08, and

(160) a device 1100 for the transfer indicated by arrows 1110 of outer packagings 700 with articles 200 placed therein, also termed outer packagings items 700, from the placing surface 800 onto the third conveyor 600,

(161) wherein the device 900 for the transfer of supplied outer packagings 031 from the second conveyor 400 to the placing surface 800 and the device 1100 for the transfer of filled outer packagings 700, from the placing surface 800 onto the third conveyor 600 can be combined in one common transfer device 1200.

(162) The described facility 100 can be part of an apparatus 01 or comprise an apparatus 01 or be comprised by an apparatus 01.

(163) 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

(164) 01 Apparatus 02 Cardboard packaging 03 Compartments and/or outer packaging 04 Cardboard packaging supply 05 Erecting device 06 Gripping device 07 Transfer device 11 Horizontal axis 12 Vertical axis 13 Pivoting axis 14 Pivoting axis 21 Bending edges 22 Cardboard packaging wall 23 Top flat side 24 Bottom flat side 31 Access opening 41 Stack 42 Magazine 43 Magazine partition wall 44 First stack 45 Second stack 51 Carrier 52 Tool (of the erecting device) 53 Suction cup 54 Device 55 Holding apparatus 56 Actuator 57 Bar 58 Cantilever arm 59 Pin 61 Tool (of the gripping device) 62 Manipulator 63 Manipulator head 64 Suction cup 71 Head 72 Transfer device manipulator 73 Tool 100 Facility 200 Article 300 First conveyor 400 Second conveyor 031 Outer packaging 600 Third conveyor 700 Filled outer packagings (outer packaging with articles placed therein) 800 Placing surface 900 Device for transfer 1000 Device for transferring 1100 Device for transfer 1200 Transfer device 032 Compartments 1400 Device 210 Article group 310 Arrow 320 Portion 410 Arrow 420 Portion 610 Arrow 620 Portion 810 Arrow 820 Area 830 Double arrow 910 Arrow 1010 Arrow 1110 Arrow