METHOD FOR PACKAGING PRODUCTS AND PACKAGING INSTALLATION

Abstract

In a method for packaging products, the products are packaged with a packaging material on a packaging line. The packaging material is first of all drawn off a first packaging-material reel and fed to the packaging line. When the first packaging-material reel has been at least partially used up, an initial portion of a second packaging-material reel is made to overlap with a packaging-material portion already drawn off the first packaging-material reel and is joined to the latter packaging-material portion. After the two packaging-material portions have been joined together, the packaging material is drawn off from the second packaging-material reel and fed to the packaging line. The two above-mentioned packaging-material portions are joined together by a stamping operator of a stamping device. There is also described a packaging installation for carrying out the method.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A method for packaging products, the method comprising: drawing off packaging material from a first packaging material reel, and conveying the packaging material to a packaging line where the products are packaged with the packaging material; when the first packaging material reel is at least partially used up, bringing an initial portion of packaging material of a second packaging material reel into congruent overlap with an already drawn off packaging material portion of the first packaging material reel; and using a stamping device for joining the initial portion with the already drawn off packaging material portion in a stamping operation; and subsequent to joining the two packaging material portions, drawing off the packaging material from the second packaging material reel and conveying the packaging material to the packaging line,

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the packaging material is paper.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the packaging material is a film material.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the packaging material is a shrink film.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the initial portion of the second packaging material reel is connected directly or substantially directly at a transverse edge thereof to the packaging material portion of the first packaging material reel.

21. The method according to claim 16, which comprises, subsequent to the joining step, separating the packaging material portion of the first packaging material reel, which is joined to the initial portion of the second packaging material reel, from a part of the first packaging material reel which is still wound up, and, after the separation, replacing the first packaging material reel by a third packaging material reel.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the third packaging material reel is an unused material reel.

23. The method according to claim 16, which comprises packing a product composition with the packaging material in the packaging line in such a way that the packaging which is formed for the product composition from the packaging material includes a joint at which the packaging material portions from the first and second packaging material reels are connected to one another.

24. The method according to claim 23, which comprises packing the product composition in such a way that, with the packaging formed from the packaging material, the initial portion of the second packaging material reel lies farther outside than the packaging material portion of the first packaging material reel which overlaps with the initial portion of the second packaging material reel.

25. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first packaging material reel is arranged on a first rotatably mounted mandrel, the second packaging material reel is arranged on a second rotatably mounted mandrel, and the method comprises: after joining of the packaging material portions, exchanging relative positions of the mandrels by a pivoting movement of the mandrels, to thereby bring the first mandrel into a previous position of the second mandrel and to bring the second mandrel into the previous position of the first mandrel.

26. The method according to claim 16, which comprises, during the stamping operation, pressing the packaging material portions between a rotating stamping roller of the stamping device and a counter-surface of the stamping device.

27. The method according to claim 26, which comprises: before and/or after the stamping operation, transporting the packaging material in a region of the stamping device along a conveying direction; and during the stamping operation, moving the stamping roller perpendicular to the conveying direction while the counter-surface remains stationary; or providing the stamping roller with an axis which is aligned perpendicular to the conveying direction, and the counter-surface being a circumferential surface of a further rotating stamping roller, with an axis thereof aligned perpendicular to the conveying direction.

28. In a packaging installation for packaging products at a packaging line with a packaging material from a supply device for supplying the packaging line with the packaging material, the supply device comprising: a first rotatably mounted mandrel for holding and unwinding a first packaging material reel; a second rotatably mounted mandrel for holding and unwinding a second packaging material reel; and a joining device for joining an initial portion of the second packaging material reel with a packaging material portion of the first packaging material reel, which has already been drawn off and overlaps with the initial portion of the second packaging material reel; said joining device being a stamping device disposed and configured to join the packaging material portions of the first and second packaging material reels together by way of a stamping operation.

29. The packaging installation according to claim 28, wherein said first and second mandrels are mounted to be changeable in position, with said mandrels being able to change positions with one another by way of a pivot movement of said mandrels.

30. The packaging installation according to claim 28, wherein said stamping device comprises a rotatably mounted stamping roller and a counter-surface, and said stamping device is configured, during the stamping operation, to press the packaging material portions that are to be joined in between the stamping roller and the counter-surface.

31. The packaging installation according to claim 30, wherein said supply device comprises a conveying device for conveying the packaging material in a region of said stamping device along a conveying direction, wherein said stamping roller of said stamping device is movably perpendicular to the conveying direction, and said stamping device is configured such that, during the stamping operation, the packaging material portions that are to be joined are pressed in between said stamping roller and the counter-surface, with the counter-surface being fixed in position.

32. The packaging installation according to claim 30, wherein said stamping device comprises a further rotatably mounted stamping roller, said counter-surface is a circumferential surface of said further stamping roller, and said stamping rollers are movable relative to one another.

Description

[0062] The figures show:

[0063] FIGS. 1-4 a first exemplary embodiment of a packaging installation according to the invention, in four different states;

[0064] FIGS. 5 & 6 a second exemplary embodiment of a packaging installation according to the invention, in two different states.

[0065] FIG. 1 shows schematically a packaging installation 1 for the packaging of products 2, in particular of beverage containers, with a packaging material 3.

[0066] The packaging installation 1 comprises a packaging line 4 with a conveying means 5, on which the products 2 to be packed are transported along a transport direction 6, a wrapping module 7, and a folding and adhesive bonding module 8. The packaging installation 1 further comprises a supply device 9 for supplying the packaging line 4 with the packaging material 3.

[0067] In the present exemplary embodiment, the packaging material 3 is paper, in particular printed paper. The products 2 which are to be packed are, in this present example, beverage cans, wherein the packaging installation 1 can in principle also be suitable for the packaging of other beverage containers, such as glass or plastic bottles.

[0068] By means of the conveying means 5 of the packaging line 4, product combinations 10 which are to be packed are transported one behind another at a predetermined distance interval along a said transport direction 6. Each product combination 10 comprises several grouped products 2, as well as a product underlay 11, on which the grouped products 2 are arranged. The product underlay 11 can be configured, for example, as what is referred to as a tray.

[0069] The respective product combination 10 which is to be packed is conveyed, with the aid of the conveying means 5, as an unpacked product combination 10a to the wrapping module 7 of the packaging line 4. In the wrapping module 7, the respective product combination 10 is wrapped around with the packaging material 3 in such a way that the packaging material 3 encloses the upper side, the under side, and, related to the transport direction 6, the front and rear sides of the product combination 10. Laterally, related to the transport direction 6, the packaging material 3 stands at a distance from the respective product combination 10, and forms what are referred to as folding tabs. Next, the respective product combination 10 is transported with the aid of the conveying means 5 to the folding and adhesive bonding module 8, in which the folding tabs are provided with adhesive, in particular by means of adhesive nozzles, and are folded with the aid of folding devices. Downstream of the folding and adhesive application module 8, the respective product composition 10 leaves the packaging line 4 as a packed product combination.

[0070] The packaging line 4 is provided by the supply device 9 of the packaging installation 1 with the packaging material 3 with which the products 2 and the product combinations 10 are packed.

[0071] The supply device 9 comprises a first mandrel 12, mounted such as to rotate, and a second rotatably mounted mandrel 13. For each of the two mandrels 12, 13, the supply device 9 comprises an individual drive motor (not represented in the Figures), in particular a servomotor, for driving the respective mandrel 12, 12.

[0072] As can be seen from FIG. 1, on the first mandrel 12 a first packaging material reel is arranged, while a second packaging material reel 15 is arranged on the second mandrel 13. In the state which is represented in FIG. 1, the second packaging material reel 15 forms a storage reel. That is to say, the first packaging material reel 14 forms that reel from which the packaging material 3 is drawn off and conveyed to the packaging line 4.

[0073] The two packaging material reels 14, 15 have the same width, wherein this is greater than the width of the product combinations 10 which are to be packed. In the present case, the width of the packaging material reels 14, 15, or of the product combinations 10 which are to be packed is to be understood to mean that dimension which extends perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIG. 1.

[0074] Both mandrels 12, 13 are mounted such as to pivot about a fixed pivot axis 16, arranged between the two mandrels 12, 13, which runs parallel to the two mandrel axes. With the aid of a drive unit (not represented in the Figures), the two mandrels 12, 13 are pivoted in a common or simultaneous pivot movement about the said pivot axis 16.

[0075] In order to be able to join a packaging material portion of the first packaging material reel 14 to a packaging material portion of the second packaging material reel 15, the supply device 9 comprises a stamping device 17, which is described in greater detail hereinafter.

[0076] In order to draw off the packaging material 3, and convey the packaging material 3 to the packaging line 4, the supply device 9 comprises a conveying device 19, in turn comprising several driven conveying rollers 18. In the region of the stamping device 17, the packaging material 3 is transported with the aid of the conveying device 19 along a predetermined conveying direction 20, in particular horizontal.

[0077] Downstream of the stamping device 17, the supply device 9 comprises a buffer device 21 for the intermediate storage of the packaging material 3. In the present exemplary embodiment, the buffer device 21 comprises several upper deflection rollers 22a, as well as several lower deflection rollers 22b, at which the packaging material 3 is deflected on its way to the packaging line 4, wherein the distance interval between the upper deflection rollers 22a and the lower deflection rollers 22b is adjustable. In order to increase the amount of the packaging material 3 in intermediate storage in the buffer device 21, the distance interval between the upper deflection rollers 22a and the lower deflection rollers 22b is enlarged. Conversely, the distance interval between the upper deflection rollers 22a and the lower deflection rollers 22b is decreased in order to reduce the quantity of packaging material 3 in intermediate storage in the buffer device 21.

[0078] In addition, the supply device 9 can comprise a dancing roller (not represented in the Figures). This is a device which serves to hold the packaging material 3 under tension. Typically, a dancing roller comprises two deflection roller units which can be pivoted relative to one another. In order to impose greater tension on the packaging material 3, these two units are pivoted away from one another. Conversely, the two units are pivoted towards one another in order to reduce the tension on the packaging material 3.

[0079] Upstream of the buffer device 21, the supply device 9 comprises a cutting station 23. This serves the purpose of cutting the packaging material 3, which up as far as the cutting station 23 is present in the form of an uninterrupted web, into individual packaging material pieces, with which in each case the products 2 or product combinations 10 which are to be packaged are packed on the packaging line 4.

[0080] The stamping device 17 referred to heretofore comprises a guide rail 24, of which the longitudinal extension runs perpendicular to the said conveying direction 20 in the region of the stamping device 17. That is to say, the longitudinal extension of the guide rail 24 runs perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIG. 1. As well as this, the stamping device 17 comprises a stamping roller 25 and a carriage 26, which can be moved in linear fashion along the guide rail 24, on which the stamping roller 25 is rotatably mounted. The axis 27 of the stamping roller 25 runs along the said conveying direction 20. In addition to this, the stamping device 17 comprises a beam-shaped underlay 28, made, for example, of aluminium. The stamping roller 25 is mounted, for example by means of one or more springs, in such a way that the stamping roller 25 presses with a predetermined pressing force against a surface of the underlay 28, designated hereinafter as the counter-surface 29. The stamping device 17 further comprises a drive unit (not represented in the Figures) for driving the carriage 26. This can be, for example, a working cylinder or comprise a working cylinder.

[0081] Optionally, the underlay 28 comprises on its counter-surface 29 a number of suction openings, and is connected to a negative pressure source 30, for example in the form of a vacuum pump. The negative pressure source 30 produces a negative pressure at the suction openings, with which the packaging material 3 is suctioned to the counter-surface 29.

[0082] The supply device 9 further comprises, upstream of the stamping device 17, a separating device 31, which in each case comes into use after the joining of the twp packaging material portions by means of the stamping device 17.

[0083] The supply device further comprises a measuring sensor 32 for measuring the diameter of a packaging material reel, and a control device 33 connected to the measuring sensor 32, in the data memory of which a control algorithm is stored. In the state represented in FIG. 1, the diameter of the first packaging material reel 14 is monitored with the aid of the measuring sensor 32. In this situation the measuring sensor 32 generates a measuring signal, which is dependent on the diameter of the first packaging material reel 14, and sends this to the control device 33. The control device 33 controls, among other items, the stamping device 17, the conveying device 19, the buffer device 21, the separating device 30, the cutting station 23, the drive motors for the mandrels 12, 13, and the drive units referred to heretofore, as a function of the measuring signal generated by the measuring sensor 32.

[0084] As mentioned heretofore, in the state of the packaging installation 1, as represented in FIG. 1, the first packaging material reel 14 forms the active reel. That is to say, the packaging material 3 is drawn off from the first packaging material reel 14 and conveyed to the packaging line 4. In this situation, the first mandrel 12 rotates at a predetermined rotation speed in the draw-off rotation direction (anti-clockwise in the view from FIG. 1), wherein the rotation speed is dependent on the diameter of the first packaging material reel 14. Conversely, the second mandrel 13 remains stationary. In the state from FIG. 1, the first packaging material reel 14 has a diameter which still approximates the original diameter.

[0085] When it is determined with the aid of the measuring sensor 32 that the diameter of the first packaging material reel 14 has fallen below a predetermined diameter limit value (in other words, the first packaging material reel 14 is at least partially used up), the quantity of the packaging material 3 stored in the buffer device 21 is increased, in that the distance interval is increased between the upper deflection rollers 22a and the lower deflections rollers 22b of the buffer device 21.

[0086] The first mandrel 12 is then brought to a standstill. Next, an initial portion 23 of the second packaging material reel 15, in the region of the stamping device 17, is brought into congruency above a packaging material portion 35 of the first packaging material reel 14 which has already been drawn off (see FIG. 2).

[0087] Next, the initial portion 34 of the second packaging material reel 15 and the packaging material portion 35 of the first packaging material reel 14, already drawn off, are joined to one another by means of the stamping device 17 by a stamping operation. For this purpose, the carriage 25, together with the stamping roller 25 mounted on the carriage 26, with the aid of the drive unit (not shown) of the stamping device 17, is moved over the entire width of the two packaging material portions 34, 36 which are to be joined, perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIG. 1. In this situation, the packaging material portions 34, 36 which are to be joined are pressed between the rotating stamping roller 25 of the stamping device 17 and the counter-surface 29 of the stamping device 17. Preferably, the initial portion 34 of the second packaging material reel 15 is connected directly to the other packaging material portion 35 at a transverse edge.

[0088] FIG. 2 shows the packaging installation 1 from FIG. 1 in a state in which the two said packaging material portions 34, 35 have been brought into congruency overlap with one another in the region of the stamping device 17.

[0089] While the first mandrel 12 is at a standstill, the packaging line 4 is supplied by means of the buffer device 21 with the packaging material 3, wherein the distance interval between the upper deflection rollers 22a and the lower deflection rollers 22b of the buffer device 21 is continuously reduced.

[0090] After the joining of the two packaging material portions 34, 35, the said packaging material portion 35 of the first packaging material reel 14 is separated by means of the separation device 31 from the part of the first packaging material reel 14 which is still wound up. Next, the first mandrel 12 is rotated counter to its original direction of rotation (i.e. clockwise in the view from FIG. 2), until the packaging material portion 36, which, up until before the separation process from the first packaging material reel 14 extended as far as the separation device 21, is again wound up on the packaging material reel 14.

[0091] After the separation procedure, the second packaging material reel 15 forms the active reel. That is to say, the packaging material 3 is now drawn off from the second packaging material reel 15 and conveyed to the packaging line 4. In order to unwind the packaging material 3 from the second packaging material reel 15, the second mandrel 13 is now rotated. In this situation, the second mandrel 13 is first accelerated from a standstill until a predetermined rotation speed has been reached.

[0092] Furthermore, after the second packaging material reel 15 has become the active reel, the positions of the two mandrels 12, 13, and therefore also the positions of the two packaging material reels 14, 15, are exchanged. In this situation, the first mandrel 12 is brought into the previous position of the second mandrel 13, while the second mandrel 13 is brought into the previous position of the first mandrel 12. The position exchange of the two mandrels takes place by a mutual pivot movement of the two mandrels 12, 13 about the pivot axis 16 referred to heretofore. In the view from FIG. 2, the two mandrels 12, 13 are pivoted in the clockwise direction about the pivot axis 16. During the pivot movement, the second mandrel 13 is driven in such a way that the tension of the packaging material 3, which is drawn off from the second packaging material reel 15 and conveyed to the packaging line 4, remains constant or essentially constant.

[0093] The part piece of the packaging material 3, which comprises the joining point at which the two said packaging material portions 34, 35 are joined to one another, is not screened out, but is used in order to pack a product composition 10 on the packaging line 4. This product composition 10, with the said part piece of the packaging material 3 which comprises the joining point, is packed on the packaging line 4 in such a way that, with the packaging formed from the packaging material 3, the initial portion 34 of the second packaging material reel 15 lies further outside than the said packaging material portion 35 of the first packaging material reel 14.

[0094] FIG. 3 shows the packaging installation 1 from FIGS. 1 & 2 after the position change of the two mandrels 12, 13. In this state, the diameter of the second packaging material reel 15 is now monitored by means of the measuring sensor 32.

[0095] After the position change of the two mandrels 12, 13, the first packaging material reel 14 is replaced by a third, unused packaging material reel 37 (see FIG. 4), which forms the new store reel.

[0096] FIG. 4 shows the packaging installation from FIGS. 1-3 after the replacement of the first packaging material reel 14 against the third packaging material reel 37.

[0097] When the second packaging material reel 15 has been used up (i.e. its diameter has fallen below the predetermined diameter limit value), the process which has been described heretofore with the second packaging material reel 15 and the third packaging material reel 37 is repeated, and so on.

[0098] The following description of a further exemplary embodiment is restricted primarily to the differences in relation to the preceding exemplary embodiment, to which reference is made with respect to the features and functions which remain the same. Elements which are the same and/or correspond to one another are, inasmuch as serves the purpose, are designated by the same reference numbers. Features of the foregoing exemplary embodiment which are not referred to hereinafter are adopted in the further exemplary embodiment without them being described once again.

[0099] FIG. 5 shows schematically a further packaging installation 38 for the packaging of products 2, in particular of beverage containers, with a packaging material 3.

[0100] In the present exemplary embodiment, the packaging material 3 is a shrinkable film, in particular printed shrink film. Unlike in the exemplary embodiment from FIGS. 1-4, in this present exemplary embodiment the product compositions 10 which are to be packed do not comprise a product underlay, arranged on which are the products 2 to be packed. In principle, however, it would also be possible for a product underlay to be provided in this present exemplary embodiment 10 with the respective product composition 10.

[0101] Instead of a folding and adhesive application module, in the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 5 the packaging line 4 comprises, downstream of the wrapping module 7, a shrink tunnel 39, in which the packaging material 3 is thermally shrunk.

[0102] With the packaging installation 38 from FIG. 5, provision is also made for a stamping device 40. This comprises a first stamping roller 41, mounted such as to rotate, and a second stamping roller 42, mounted such as to rotate. The axis of the respective stamping roller 41, 42, runs perpendicular to the conveying direction 20, along which the packaging material 3 is conveyed in the region of the stamping device 40. Both stamping rollers 41, 42 exhibit a width which is at least as large as the width of the two packaging material reels 14, 15.

[0103] The first stamping roller 41 is coupled to a drive unit 43, for example in the form of a working cylinder. With the aid of the drive unit 43, which is controlled by the control device 33, the first stamping roller 41 is moved towards the second stamping roller 42 and away from it respectively. In order to join two packaging material portions to one another with the stamping device 40 by a stamping operation, the two packaging material portions to be joined are pressed between the two stamping rollers 41, 42. This is achieved by the first stamping roller 41 being moved against the second stamping roller 42 when the two packaging material portions to be joined are located between the stamping rollers 41, 42. In this situation, the second stamping roller 42 forms the counter-surface 29 required for the stamping operation.

[0104] During the stamping operation, the packaging material portions which are to be joined to one another advantageously run between the two stamping rollers 41, 42. With the aid of the stamping device 40 it is therefore possible for two packaging material portions which are to be joined, from the two packaging material reels 14, 15, to be joined to one another without it being necessary, during the stamping operation, to interrupt the unwinding of the packaging material 3 from the respective packaging material reels 14, 15. As a result, it is in principle possible to do without the buffer device of the type described heretofore. Nevertheless, in the present exemplary embodiment provision can also be made for such a buffer device, in order for packaging material 3 to be temporarily stored if the need arises.

[0105] In the state of the packaging installation 20 which is represented in FIG. 5, the first packaging material reel 14 is the active reel, wherein the first packaging material reel 14 has a diameter which still corresponds approximately to its original diameter. As can be seen from FIG. 5, the two stamping rollers 41, 42 are in this situation spaced at a distance apart from one another.

[0106] FIG. 6 shows the packaging installation 38 from FIG. 5, after the diameter of the first packaging material reel 14 has fallen below a predetermined diameter limit value, during a stamping operation, in which an initial portion 34 of the second packaging material reel 15 is joined to an already drawn off packaging material portion 35 of the first packaging material reel 14. In this state, the two said packaging material portions 34, 35 are pressed between the two stamping rollers 41, 42.

[0107] In principle, with the packaging installation 1 from FIG. 1-4, it is possible for its stamping device 17 to be replaced by the stamping device 40 of the packaging installation 38. Conversely, it is possible, with the packaging installation 38 from FIGS. 5 & 6, for its stamping device 40 to be replaced by the stamping device 17 from the packaging installation 1 from FIGS. 1-4, wherein, in this case, the packaging installation 38 from FIGS. 5 & 6 also to be advantageously equipped with a buffer device of the type described heretofore.

[0108] It is further possible, with each of the two packaging installations 1, 38, for the packaging line 4 to comprise both a folding and adhesive application module as well as a shrink tunnel. This is particularly advantageous when the respective packaging installation 1, 38 is intended to be suitable for processing both paper as well as shrinkable film as the packaging material.

REFERENCE NUMBER LIST

[0109] 1 Packaging installation [0110] 2 Product [0111] 3 Packaging material [0112] 4 Packaging line [0113] 5 Conveying means [0114] 6 Transport direction [0115] 7 Wrapping module [0116] 8 Folding and adhesive application module [0117] 9 Supply device [0118] 10 Product composition [0119] 10a Unpacked product composition [0120] 10b Packed product composition [0121] 11 Product underlay [0122] 12 First mandrel [0123] 13 Second mandrel [0124] 14 First packaging material reel [0125] 15 Second packaging material reel [0126] 16 Pivot axis [0127] 17 Stamping device [0128] 18 Conveying roller [0129] 19 Conveying device [0130] 20 Conveying direction [0131] 21 Buffer device [0132] 22a Upper deflection roller [0133] 22b Lower deflection roller [0134] 23 Cutting station [0135] 24 Guide rail [0136] 25 Stamping roller [0137] 26 Carriage [0138] 27 Axis [0139] 28 Underlay [0140] 29 Counter-surface [0141] 30 Negative pressure source [0142] 31 Separating device [0143] 32 Measuring sensor [0144] 33 Control device [0145] 34 Initial portion, packaging material portion [0146] 35 Packaging material portion [0147] 36 Packaging material portion [0148] 37 Third packaging material reel [0149] 38 Packaging installation [0150] 39 Shrink tunnel [0151] 40 Stamping device [0152] 41 First stamping roller [0153] 42 Second stamping roller [0154] 43 Drive unit