METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING A PACKAGED UNIT

Abstract

A packaged unit includes a cluster of products and a shrink film that secures the products to each other. The shrink film is wrapped around the cluster, thereby forming a lateral opening that would otherwise result in a shrink eye. A closure formed by placing a portion of the shrink film against the cluster at in the region of the lateral opening forms a closed surface with overlapping fold regions of the shrink film, thus avoiding the shrink eye.

Claims

1. A manufacture comprising a packaged unit, said packaged unit comprising a cluster of products and a shrink film, wherein said shrink film comprises a closure, wherein said shrink film secures said products to each other, wherein said shrink film is wrapped around said cluster thereby forming at least one lateral opening, wherein said closure is a result of placing a portion of said shrink film against said cluster at in a region of said lateral opening thereby forming a closed surface with overlapping fold regions of said shrink film.

2. The manufacture of claim 1, wherein said closure comprises two narrow side folds and two broad side folds, wherein said broad side folds cover said two narrow side folds to form said overlapping fold regions.

3. The manufacture of claim 1, wherein said closure comprises two narrow side folds and two broad side folds, wherein said broad side folds that are secured together to said narrow side folds, and wherein said broad side folds cover said narrow side folds to form said overlapping fold regions.

4. The manufacture of claim 1, wherein said closure comprises two narrow side folds and two broad side folds, wherein said broad side folds cover said narrow side folds to form said overlapping fold regions, and wherein said overlapping fold regions are bonded together.

5. The manufacture of claim 1, wherein said closure comprises two narrow side folds and two broad side folds, wherein said broad side folds cover said narrow side folds to form said overlapping fold regions, wherein said narrow side folds are produced before said broad side folds.

6. The manufacture of claim 1, wherein said shrink film wrapped around said product cluster overlaps at its edges.

7. The manufacture of claim 1, wherein said products are containers that are standing upright on bases thereof on directly said shrink wrap.

8. The manufacture of claim 1, wherein said products are cans that are standing upright on bases thereof on directly said shrink wrap.

9. The manufacture of claim 1, wherein said packaged unit lacks a shrink eye.

10. The manufacture of claim 1, wherein said packaged unit omits additional stabilizers and packaging-reinforcement measures.

11. The manufacture of claim 1, wherein said closure comprises two narrow side folds and two broad side folds, wherein said broad side folds cover said narrow side folds to form said overlapping fold regions, and wherein said overlapping fold regions are electrostatically bonded together.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0045] These and other features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying claims, in which:

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a packaged unit,

[0047] FIG. 2 shows an apparatus for preparing the package unit of FIG. 1 for shrink wrapping, and

[0048] FIG. 3 shows a finished packaged.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a packaged unit that comprises a shrink film 1 and a product cluster 2 that is encased by the shrink film 1. The product cluster 2 is formed from individual products 3 that are best seen in FIG. 3.

[0050] In the exemplary embodiment, the products 3 are cans. These cans can be beverage cans. Alternatively, the cans are rotationally symmetric and cylindrical containers. The containers can accommodate beverages, as well as foodstuffs. The products 3 are combined to form a packaged unit in the manner described below.

[0051] The products 3 are initially separated from a product stream by a separating device, which is conventional and therefore need not be shown. The products 3 are then combined to form the product cluster 2. During this process, they are aligned and compacted to the extent where they abut against each other. A shrink film 1 then secures the products 3 or the product cluster 2 so that packaged units that have been produced in this manner can be better stored and/or conveyed.

[0052] Initially, the shrink film 1 is loosely wrapped around the product cluster 2, as is shown in FIG. 1. Loosely wrapping the shrink film can be carried out by a winding machine, which is conventional and therefore need not be shown. In the case of this operation, the shrink film 1 is wrapped around the product cluster 2 such that respective edges 1a, 1b overlap, as can be seen in FIG. 1. In the exemplary embodiment the edges 1a, 1b are longitudinal edges 1a, 1b of the shrink film 1. However this configuration is only an example and is not limiting.

[0053] In the illustrated embodiment, the shrink film 1 is wrapped around the product cluster 2 in the longitudinal direction L such that the lateral faces 2a face the direction L. However, this is not mandatory.

[0054] A packaged unit formed in this manner has lateral protrusions 4a, 4b that protrude beyond an associated lateral face 2a of the product cluster. In this case, the lateral protrusions 4a, 4b of the shrink film 1 are dimensioned such that the shrink film 1 closes the lateral face 2a when the lateral protrusions 4a, 4b are placed against the lateral face 2a or the product cluster 2.

[0055] The shrink film 1 is initially wrapped in a hose-shaped manner around the product cluster 2, as shown in FIG. 1. When wrapped, the shrink film 1 forms an opening 5 that exposes the two lateral faces 2a. The opening 5 has only one closure 6, which is seen in FIG. 2.

[0056] The closure 6 is defined such that the shrink film 1 or its lateral protrusions 4a, 4b can be placed against the product cluster 2 in the region of the opening 5 thereby forming a closed surface. For this purpose, along with the aformentioned separating device and a conventional shrinking device placed at the end of the production path for the final mutual securing of the products 3 by way of the shrink film 1, an apparatus for producing a packaged unit has a plurality of manipulation elements 7, which are shown in FIG. 2, for producing the packaged unit shown in FIG. 3.

[0057] Each manipulation unit 7 has at least one brush 7a that is supported by a pivot arm 7b. In some embodiments, the brush 7a rotates about an axis defined by the pivot arm 7b. However, there are embodiments where this is not the case.

[0058] Using the brush 7a or the manipulation units 7, the lateral protrusions 4a, 4b of the shrink film 1 are placed against the product cluster 2 in the region of the opening 5. At the same time, overlapping fold regions 8a, 8b, as shown in FIG. 2, are formed. In one embodiment, there are four brushes 7a. This configuration is useful for block-shaped product clusters since there will then be one brush 7a per lateral face of the product cluster 2.

[0059] The lateral protrusions 4a, 4b include narrow side protrusions 4a and broad side protrusions 4b. The broad side protrusions 4b are placed against the lateral faces 2a by associated manipulation units 7 on the corresponding broad sides of the block-shaped product cluster 2. The fold regions 8b according to FIG. 2 in the exemplary embodiment are formed in this way.

[0060] The fold regions 8b corresponding to FIG. 2 may be secured or become secured to the lateral face 2a by the shrink film 1 having been completely charged electrostatically beforehand and the manipulation units 7 being responsible for moving the associated lateral protrusions nearer until they are attracted by the electrostatically charged lateral face 2a. As an alternative or in addition to this, it is also possible for the fold regions 8b to be bonded together, or bonded to the product cluster 2. The same is also true for the narrow protrusions 4a and the resultant fold regions 8a.

[0061] In each case, the placing of the narrow side protrusions 4a is carried out first such that initially the two associated narrow side folds 8a are placed against the lateral face 2a to be covered. The two broad side protrusions 4b are then placed against the lateral face 2a and there form the broad side folds 8b. In the case of this operation, the broad side folds 8b are connected to the narrow side folds 8a. This can be effected by having a conventional electrostatic unit carry out electrostatic charging of the shrink film 1 in its entirety or at least of the lateral protrusions 4a, 4b and/or by bonding the fold regions 8a, 8b.

[0062] After the described operations, the packaged unit corresponding to FIG. 2 is moved into a shrink tunnel or a comparable shrinking device in which the shrink film 1 is shrunken onto the product cluster 2. At the same time, the products are secured to each other because the size of the shrink film 1 is reduced during this operation.

[0063] As a result, the lateral faces that were formerly open due to the shrink eyes are covered by a closed surface through the interaction of the narrow side folds 8a and broad side folds 8b. The disclosed apparatus and its method of operation thus close the shrink eyes. The shrink film 1 therefore completely encases the product cluster 2 after the shrinking-on operation. As a result there is no express need to attach additional stabilizing elements such as, for example, cardboard covers, etc. This reduces the production costs and the expenditure.

[0064] As already represented, in the case of many other applications where additional stabilizing elements cannot be dispensed with entirely, the dimensions of the stabilizing elements can be reduced, for example the material thickness can be reduced, thereby producing a cost saving even in such applications.

[0065] The electrostatic charging of the shrink film 1 including at least the lateral protrusions 4a, 4b can be performed before, during, or after the described folding operation. This means that the narrow side folds 8a and broad side folds 8b can be electrostatically charged after their production as in FIG. 2 to prevent them coming unfolded again. In each case, the shrink film 1 remains in its position after the described operations, also, in particular in the region of the closure 6, and is also not displaced by a possible hot air fan in the interior of the shrink tunnel. This means that it is possible for the shrink film 1 to surround the product cluster without any gaps and, in particular, to also obtain a reliable closure 6 for the lateral faces that were formerly open.

[0066] Having described the invention, and a preferred embodiment thereof, what is claimed as new, and secured by letters patent is: