DEVICE FOR LIFTING PACKING MATERIAL

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a device for automatically lifting a packing material comprising a lifting element movable between a lower removal position and an upper transfer position, a vacuum source configured to create a negative pressure, a drive element, and a suction element, which has at least one opening of a vacuum line and is mechanically connected to the lifting element and is fluidically connected to the vacuum source by means of the vacuum line. The lifting element is configured to place the suction element on an uppermost packing material of a stack of packing materials by its weight force in the lower removal position, wherein the opening of the vacuum line can be closed in an airtight manner, and wherein the lifting element is configured to move together with the sucked packing material into the upper transfer position.

Claims

1. A device for automatically lifting a packing material, comprising: a lifting element movable between a lower removal position and an upper transfer position; a vacuum source configured to create a negative pressure; a drive element for driving the lifting element to the upper transfer position; and a suction element, which has an opening of a vacuum line and is mechanically connected to the lifting element and is fluidically connected to the vacuum source by the vacuum line, wherein the lifting element is configured to place the suction element on an uppermost packing material of a stack of packing materials by its weight force in the lower removal position, the opening of the vacuum line can be closed in an airtight manner when the packing material is sucked by the suction element, and the lifting element is configured to move together with the sucked packing material into the upper transfer position, driven by the drive element.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the drive element is actuatable by means of negative pressure.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the drive element is connected to the vacuum line.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein by releasing the opening of the vacuum line at the suction element by removing the packing material, the lifting element can be lowered into the lower removal position by its weight force.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein a throttle element is fluidically connected to the drive element on a side facing away from and/or towards the vacuum source.

6. The device according to claim 1 further comprising an additional suction element, wherein the suction element and the additional suction element are movable relative to one another.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the suction elements are configured and arranged to engage a same side of the packing material.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the additional suction element has an additional opening fluidically connected to the vacuum source, and, in the lower removal position of the lifting element, the opening of the suction element and the additional opening of the additional suction element point downwards.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the device is configured to operate so that relative movement of the suction elements is coupled with a lifting movement of the lifting element.

10. The device according to claim 9, further comprising a coupling gear configured to couple the relative movement of the suction elements with the lifting movement of the lifting element.

11. A method of operating a device for automatically lifting a packing material, comprising: placing a suction element arranged on a lifting element onto the packing material by at least weight force of the lifting element in a lower removal position; sucking the packing material by the suction element comprising at least one opening of a vacuum line, by negative pressure of a vacuum source connected to the vacuum line; moving the lifting element by a drive element to an upper transfer position to lift the packing material from a stack of packing materials; and removing the packing material from the suction element.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein by sealing the vacuum line through the packing material, the vacuum source acts on the drive element.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein by removing the packing material from the suction element the vacuum line is opened towards the environment and the weight force acting on the lifting element exceeds force acting on the lifting element from the drive element.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the device comprises an additional suction element, the suction element and the additional suction element perform a relative movement to each other and the relative movement is performed simultaneously with movement of the lifting element.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the relative movement is carried out by a coupling gear between the suction elements and the lifting element.

16. A device for automatically lifting a packing material, the device comprising: a lifting element movable between a lower removal position and an upper transfer position; a vacuum source configured to create a negative pressure; a drive element configured to drive the lifting element to the upper transfer position; and a suction element mechanically connected to the lifting element and defining an opening that is fluidically connected to the vacuum source, wherein the lifting element is configured to place the suction element on an uppermost packing material of a stack of packing materials by its weight force in the lower removal position, the opening can be closed in an airtight manner when the packing material is in contact with the suction element, and the lifting element is drivable by the drive element to move together with the packing material into the upper transfer position when the packing material is in contact with suction element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In the following, a preferred embodiment of the disclosure is shown in more detail with reference to a drawing. In detail:

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a device according to the disclosure in the lower removal position;

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the device according to the disclosure in the upper transfer position;

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the device according to the disclosure

[0032] FIG. 4A shows a top view of the device according to the disclosure in the lower removal position;

[0033] FIG. 4B shows a front view of the opening of a packing material in the lower removal position;

[0034] FIG. 5A shows a top view of a device in the upper transfer position; and

[0035] FIG. 5B shows a front view of the opening of the packing material in the upper transfer position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a device 100 according to the disclosure in the lower removal position. A lifting element 1 with a suction element 4 attached to it rests on an uppermost packing material 6 of a stack of packing materials 7. The lifting element 1, which may be a pivotable arm, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, is mechanically connected to a drive element 3, such as a pneumatic drive (e.g., pneumatic cylinder). A vacuum line 5 connects the drive element 3 to the suction element 4, which may be a suction cup, vacuum cup, plunger, aspirator, suction housing or suction bell, for example. In addition, the vacuum line 5 is connected to a vacuum source 2. Furthermore, the drive element 3 is connected to a throttle element 8 or a throttle element 8 is present in the vacuum line 5.

[0037] A vacuum is constantly present at the vacuum source 2. As long as no packing material 6 is in contact with the suction element 4, the vacuum line 5 is open to the surrounding area U. The force generated by the drive element 3 on the lifting element 1 is significantly smaller than the weight force acting on the lifting element 1. If the opening 10 of the vacuum line 5 is now closed by the packing material 6, the vacuum line 5 and also the drive element 3 are no longer ventilated. The vacuum source 2 now acts on the drive element 3. The force acting on the drive element 3 on the lifting element 1 is now greater than the weight force acting on the lifting element 1. The lifting element 1 moves upward, in this case by means of a pivoting movement about a pivot axis 11.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the device 100 according to the disclosure in the upper transfer position. As long as the packing material 6 is in contact with the suction element 4, the lifting element 1 remains in the upper transfer position.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of the device 100 according to the disclosure in a perspective view. Here, the vacuum line 5 has three openings 10 at three suction elements 4. In addition, the outer two suction elements 4 are each mounted movably about an axis of rotation 12, 12′. By means of a coupling gear 9, the suction elements 4 are coupled to the lifting element 1. A movement of the lifting element 1 causes a movement of the suction elements 4 through the coupling gear 9. The suction elements 4 move about their respective axis of rotation 12, 12′. The two suction elements 4 move relative to each other.

[0040] FIG. 4A shows a top view of a preferred embodiment of the device 100 according to the disclosure in the lower removal position. The outer two suction elements 4 are at a distance D from each other.

[0041] FIG. 4B shows a front view of the packing material 6, in particular the opening of a bag. The upper side of the bag is sucked by all three suction elements 4.

[0042] FIG. 5A shows a top view of a preferred embodiment of the device 100 according to the disclosure in the upper transfer position. The outer two suction elements 4 have been moved—by the coupling gear 9—relative to each other to the distance D′, which is smaller than the distance D.

[0043] FIG. 5B shows a front view of the packing material 6, in particular the opening of a [0044] now opened—bag. The relative movement of the two outer suction elements 4 to the distance D′ compresses the upper side of the packing material 6. The lower side of the packing material 6 is also deformed by the movement of the suction elements 4. This causes the packing material 6 to open slightly. Thus, the packing material 6 can be easily removed by an operator in an open state.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0045] 1 lifting element [0046] 2 vacuum source [0047] 3 drive element [0048] 4 suction element [0049] 5 vacuum line [0050] 6 packing material [0051] 7 stack of packing material [0052] 8 throttle element [0053] 9 coupling element (coupling gear) [0054] 10 opening vacuum line [0055] 11 pivot axis [0056] 12, 12′ axes of rotation [0057] U environment [0058] D first distance of the suction elements [0059] D′ second distance of the suction elements [0060] 100 device