Apparatus for packaging an object with a tubular film

Abstract

An apparatus for packaging an object with a tubular film, includes: a main frame, a stretch frame for stretching the tubular film and for applying the tubular film to the object, and a top frame having a feeding device for delivering a tubular film from a film magazine to the stretch frame and having a cutting device to cut the tubular film to a predetermined length. The top frame is moveable at the main frame between a working position and a maintenance position. In the maintenance position the top frame is located outside the work space.

Claims

1. An apparatus for packaging an object with a tubular film, the apparatus comprising: a main frame, a stretch frame for stretching the tubular film and for applying the tubular film to the object, and a top frame having a feeding device for delivering a tubular film from a film magazine to the stretch frame and having a cutting device to cut the tubular film to a predetermined length, wherein the top frame is moveable along two guide tracks at the main frame, each of the guide tracks adjacent to one side of the top frame, between a horizontal working position and a vertical maintenance position, wherein in the maintenance position the top frame is at least substantially located outside a work space.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the working position the top frame is in an upper position above the work space in which the object to be packaged is to be arranged and that in the maintenance position the top frame is in a lower position accessible for an operator.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the working position the top frame is orientated horizontally and in the maintenance position the top frame is orientated vertically.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the maintenance position the top frame is arranged at the same side of the main frame as the film magazine.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a maintenance space for personnel is arranged between the film magazine and the top frame in its maintenance position.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a hoist device for moving the top frame.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the hoist device comprises a motor being attached to the main frame or to the top frame.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the hoist device comprises a belt or chain to which the top frame is coupled or along which the top frame is moved.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the hoist device moves the top frame along the two guide tracks between the horizontal working section and the vertical maintenance section.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stretch frame is moveable at the main frame in a vertical direction.

11. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the maintenance position of the top frame is at floor level.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for packaging an object with the top frame in its working position;

(2) FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the apparatus according to FIG. 1 with the top frame being in a maintenance position;

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the top frame; and

(4) FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed view of the hoist device for moving the top frame.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) The apparatus according to FIG. 1 is used for packaging objects or stacks of goods arranged on a pallet (not shown). The apparatus comprises a main frame 1 which stands on the ground and defining a work space 7. A stretch frame 2 is guided at the main frame 1 and can be moved up and down in the direction of a vertical axis Z. Further, a top frame 3 is provided which can be moved between a working position as shown in FIG. 1 and a maintenance position as shown in FIG. 2. On the ground and adjacent to the main frame 1 the apparatus comprises a film magazine 4 for receiving a film roll 50. From the film magazine 4 a tubular film 5 of the film roll 50 is guided to the top frame 3, wherein at the top frame 3 there is a feeding device 6 for supplying the tubular film 5 from the top into the work space 7.

(6) The main frame 1 has four vertical posts 8, 9, 10, 11 which are parallel to the vertical axis Z. At a top end the posts 8, 9, 10, 11 are connected to each other via a support frame 12 which has a rectangular form and which is orientated horizontal. The work space 7 is basically defined by the posts 8, 9, 10, 11 and the support frame 12 wherein the work space 7 is the space enclosed by the posts 8, 9, 10, 11 and the support frame 12 and the ground.

(7) The apparatus further comprises a pallet conveyor system 13 for conveying pallets with stacked objects (not shown) through the work space 7 of the main frame 1. For this purpose the pallet conveyor system 13 reaches from a first side of the main frame between two of the posts 8, 9 into the work space 7 and between the two other posts 10, 11 out of the work space 7. Accordingly, a pallet can be moved into the work space 7 on a first side of the main frame 1 and can be moved out of the work space 7 on an opposite second side of the main frame 1 in the conveying direction P.

(8) The top frame 3 is now described in a detail with reference to FIG. 3. The top frame 3 has a generally rectangular form and is orientated substantially horizontal when in the working position (FIG. 1). The top frame 3 has two parallel side bars 14, 15 (longitudinal profiles) and two parallel front bars 16, 17 (longitudinal profiles) which together form a rectangular frame. The feeding device 6 reaches the two side bars 14, 15 and is fixed to the side bars 14, 15 and is arranged parallel to the front bars 16, 17 between them. The feeding device 6 comprises two feeding rolls 18, 19 which are driven by a feeding motor 22. The tubular film can be inserted between the two feeding rolls 18, 19 clamping the tubular film between the feeding rolls 18, 19 so that by driving the feeding rolls 18, 19 in opposite rotational directions the tubular film can be fed from above the feeding device 6 downwardly into the work space 7 below the top frame 3.

(9) The feeding device 6 further comprises two guiding rolls 20, 21 for guiding the tubular film from the film magazine upwardly passing the top frame 3 at one of the front bars 17 to the area above the top frame then in direction towards the feeding rolls 18, 19.

(10) The top frame 3 further comprises an opening device 23 for opening the flattened tubular film 5. The opening device 23 is arranged below the feeding device 6 and has two pairs of holding elements 24, 24, 25, 25. The holding elements 24, 24, 25, 25 are moveable parallel to the side bars 14, 15. The holding elements 24, 24, 25, 25 of each pair can be moved in opposite longitudinal directions. The holding elements 24, 24, 25, 25 of each pair are arranged on different bars, namely a first bar 26 and a second bar 27, which bars 26, 27 can be moved in opposite directions. The bars 26, 27 are driven by a motor 28 which drives two belt drives 29 arranged adjacent to the side bars 14, 15. The first bar 26 and the second bar 27 are connected to a belt 30 of the belt drive 29 in such a way that the bars 26, 27 are moved in opposite directions when the belt 30 is driven by the motor 28. Hence, the holding elements 24, 24, 25, 25 of each pair can be opened and closed. First, the holding elements 24, 24, 25, 25 are opened while the tubular film 5 is conveyed through the feeding rolls 18, 19 downwardly into the work space 7 and between the holding elements 24, 24, 25, 25. Afterwards, the holding elements 24, 24, 25, 25 are closed and the holding elements are actuated such that they get hold of a layer of the tubular film. By opening the holding elements 24, 24, 25, 25 the layers of the tubular film is attached to the holding elements and the tube is opened.

(11) For cutting and sealing the tubular film 5 the top frame 3 comprises a cutting and sealing device 31 having two cutting and sealing bars, one of which can be seen in FIG. 3. The cutting and sealing bars 34 are parallel to the front bars 16, 17 of the top frame 3 and can be moved parallel to the side bars 14, 15. When conveying the tubular film 5 downwardly from the feeding device 6 the cutting and sealing device 31 is open, i.e. the cutting and sealing bars 34 are moved apart. After a predetermined amount of tubular film has been conveyed downwardly the cutting and sealing bars 34 are moved towards each other so that the cutting and sealing device 31 is closed. Then, heat is applied to the tubular film 5 via the cutting and sealing bars 34 in order to cut the tubular film 5 and to seal it to form a hood which is closed at the top end. This hood then can be pulled over the objects on the pallet.

(12) After the tubular film 5 has been opened by the opening device 23 grippers 35 which are arranged on the stretch frame 2 (FIG. 1) are moved into the opened tubular film 5 from below. Four grippers 35 are arranged on the stretch frame 2, one at each edge, i.e. one at each post 8, 9, 10, 11 of the main frame 1. After inserting the grippers 35 into the opened tubular film 5 the grippers 35 are moved apart stretching the tubular film 5. Therefore, the grippers 35 are moved towards the respective post 8, 9, 10, 11. Then rollers 36, associated to each of the grippers 35, are pulling down a predetermined amount of tubular film 5. Then, the tubular film 5 is cut and sealed by the aforementioned cutting and sealing device of the top frame 3. Then, the stretch frame 2 is moved downwardly in the direction of the vertical axis Z in order to pull the tubular film 5 in form of a hood over the object to be packaged.

(13) For moving the top frame 3 four track rollers 37, 38, 39 are provided (three of which are shown in FIG. 3). At each edge of the top frame 3 one of the track rollers 37, 38, 39 is arranged. The track rollers 37, 38, 39 are rotatably connected to the side bars 14 wherein the track rollers 37, 38, 39 of each side bar 14, 15 are orientated to rotate about parallel axes. The track rollers 37, 38, 39 project from the respective side bar 14, 15 so that they can be guided in a guiding device having guide tracks 40, 41 of a hoist device which guide tracks 40, 41 are mounted to the main frame 1.

(14) The guide tracks 40, 41 are made of profiled rails having a U-shaped cross section. The openings of the U-shaped cross sections are facing each other and facing the top frame 3 so that the track rollers 37, 38, 39 can enter the guide tracks 40, 41 to be guided therein. The guide tracks 40, 41 are parallel to each other. Each of the guide tracks 40, 41 has a horizontal section 42 (orientated at least substantially horizontal) which continuous into a vertical section 43. The horizontal sections 42 (orientated at least substantially horizontal) of the guide tracks 40, 41 are located right below the support frame 12 of the main frame 1 in the upper part of the main frame 1. In the working position of the top frame 3 the track rollers 37, 38, 39 are arranged in the horizontal sections 42 of the guide tracks 40, 41.

(15) The vertical sections 43 of the guide tracks 40, 41 are located outside of the work space 7 adjacent to the main frame 1 on the side of the film magazine 4 of the main frame 1. The vertical sections 43 of the guide tracks 40, 41, hence, are located between the main frame 1 and the film magazine 4 and receive the top frame 3 in its maintenance position.

(16) A chain 44 is associated to each of the guide tracks 40, 41. The chain 44 is arranged in an endless loop substantially parallel to the respective guiding track 40, 41. Both chains 44 are driven by a motor 45 wherein the motor directly drives one of the chains 44 and drives the other chain (not shown) via a shaft 46.

(17) The top frame 3 is provided with attachment devices 47, 48 for coupling the top frame 3 with the chains 44.

(18) Adjacent the main frame 1 between the guiding tracks 40, 41 and the film magazine 4 there is provided a maintenance space accessible for personnel for maintaining the top frame or to insert a new tubular film to the feeding device 6 of the top frame 3.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

(19) 1 main frame 2 stretch frame 3 top frame 4 film magazine 5 tubular film 6 feeding device 7 work space 8 post 9 post 10 post 11 post 12 support frame 13 pallet conveyor system 14 side bar 15 side bar 16 front bar 17 front bar 18 feeding roll 19 feeding roll 20 guide roll 21 guide roll 22 feeding motor 23 opening device 24 holding element 25 holding element 26 first bar 27 second bar 28 motor 29 belt drive 30 belt 31 cutting and sealing device 32 drive 33 drive 34 cutting and sealing bar 35 gripper 36 roller 37 track roller 38 track roller 39 track roller 40 guide track 41 guide track 42 horizontal section 43 vertical section 44 chain 45 motor 46 shaft 47 attachment device 48 attachment device 49 maintenance space 50 film roll P conveying direction Z vertical axis