DE102015208102B4 - Method and device for feeding, providing and exchanging rolls of packaging material in a packaging machine - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for feeding, providing and/or for largely uninterrupted handling and/or exchanging rolls (12, 20) with flat and/or film material wound thereon and used as packaging material (22) for packaging piece goods, containers or similar article assemblies, in which at least approximately completely unwound and/or used rolls (20) are alternately removed from at least two different installation positions (EB1, EB2) of a packaging machine (14) in order to maintain a continuous packaging operation and a new roll (12) with flat and/or film material is/are inserted into the respective installation position (EB1, EB2), wherein new rolls (12) of the packaging machine (14) are provided in a defined feed and inserted into the respective installation position (EB1, EB2) after a used roll (20) has previously been removed there, wherein the installation positions (EB1, EB2) in the packaging machine (14) are each defined by rotatable receiving mandrels (70) are defined for the rotatable reception and centered holding of the rolls (12) with flat and/or film material to be unwound in the packaging machine (14), and wherein the rotatable receiving mandrels (70) are adjusted in their respective axial direction when an at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up roll (20) is removed from one of the installation positions (EB1, EB2) and/or when a new roll (12) is inserted into one of the installation positions (EB1, EB2) and are at least partially moved out of the respective installation position (EB1 or EB2) out of the packaging machine (14) and in the direction of the defined feed.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for feeding, providing and/or for largely uninterrupted handling and/or for exchanging rolls with flat and/or film material wound thereon and serving as packaging material for packaging piece goods, bundles or similar article assemblies within a packaging machine with the features of independent method claim 1. The invention also relates to a device for feeding, providing and/or for largely uninterrupted handling and/or for exchanging rolls with flat and/or film material wound thereon and serving as packaging material for packaging piece goods, bundles or similar article assemblies with the features of independent claim 10. The invention also relates to a receiving mandrel for the rotatable receiving and holding of rolls with packaging material wound thereon with the features of independent claim 17.

When articles are grouped and assembled into containers, e.g. drinks containers or similar, these are often held together in practice using shrink film to prevent them from slipping or coming loose from the assembly during further handling or transport. Containers that contain four, six or more containers are known from the state of the art. Such containers are a very common variant of sales units for drinks containers or bottles made of PET plastic. In order to achieve a high throughput during packaging and/or subsequent palletizing, it is desirable to assemble such containers as quickly as possible without interrupting individual process steps.

In order to provide the packaging material or shrink film for partial or complete wrapping of containers, devices and methods are already known which unwind the material from a roll or from several rolls, transport it within a packaging machine and thus wrap the individual containers or the respective articles that are to form the respective container with the packaging material. The unwinding of the packaging material from the roll is usually done mechanically and in a continuous process. Devices are known in which the packaging material is pulled off the rotating roll via rollers. If a roll has been unwound and the supply of packaging material on the roll has been exhausted, the respective roll must be replaced or a new roll must be made. However, such a roll change is associated with an undesirable interruption in the process of assembling and packaging containers.

A method and a device by means of which new rolls can be supplied and used rolls can be changed within a packaging machine are known, for example, from EN 40 40 545 A1 This known device has several supply rolls with strip material that are arranged next to each other. The core of each roll is placed on a common pin. The beginning of the strip material is first connected to a roller, which pulls the strip material off the respective roll and guides it downwards away from the device. In order to be able to operate this known device and unwind the material from the roll, the roll with its core must be placed on the pin in the same direction of rotation. The strip material or the first layer of the strip material must descend from above towards the rollers. If the roll were placed on the pin in the opposite direction of rotation, the strip material could not be pulled off the roll or could only be pulled off with difficulty, which would cause complications during unwinding. Depending on the direction of rotation of the new rolls that have been placed on, manual repositioning and repositioning in the same direction of rotation is essential for these known devices in order to ensure trouble-free operation.

Devices for the automatic feeding of material wound on rolls and for exchanging used rolls in processing or packaging machines are also known in different design variants, for example through devices for feeding and exchanging reels with strip material in a processing machine according to DE 32 02 647 A1 or according to EN 41 42 256 A1 .

The DE 34 25 734 A1 discloses an automated system for supplying packaging material to production and/or packaging lines. The system comprises a magazine for the packaging material and a carriage which is equipped with an articulated arm for picking up the packaging material and for supplying it to the processing machines located on the processing lines. The carriage with the articulated arm travels along routes which are determined by a computer system connected to the processing machines.

A device for supplying packaging machines with consumables or packaging material is also included in the EP 1 273 541 B1 The material webs wound as bobbins are delivered on pallets and distributed to several production and packaging machines, whereby the pallets are first transported to intermediate storage by means of pallet conveyors, while individual bobbins are removed by separate bobbin conveyors and transported to a machine to be supplied.

The EN 10 2006 017 379 A1 discloses a device for handling reels of packaging material. The device comprises a reel store with a portal in which the reels are kept ready on pallets. A portal robot with an articulated arm transfers reels as required to winding units arranged outside the portal. From these, the material webs are transported to opposite sides in a direction parallel to the longitudinal extension of the portal to the consumption machines.

The known handling processes and devices generally require precise positioning and feeding of new reels or rolls with packaging material wound on them. If this precise positioning cannot be guaranteed, the smooth exchange of used rolls is at risk, which also means that the functionality of the packaging machine can no longer be guaranteed.

For this reason, one aim of the present invention is to provide a device and a method with a high degree of automation for handling flat and/or film material wound on rolls, by means of which flat and/or film material can be provided without interruption. The device and the method should enable fast and precise roll feeding, function with a high degree of error tolerance and ensure smooth roll replacement under all operating conditions.

These aims of the invention are achieved with the subject matter of the independent claims. Features of advantageous further developments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims. To achieve the stated aim, the invention proposes a method for the feeding, provision and/or largely uninterrupted handling and/or exchange of rolls with flat and/or film material wound on them and used as packaging material for packaging piece goods, containers or similar article assemblies. In the method, at least approximately completely unwound and/or used rolls are alternately removed from at least two different installation positions of a packaging machine in order to maintain continuous or largely uninterrupted conveying and/or packaging operations, and a new roll of flat and/or film material is then inserted into the respective installation position. Normally, after each new roll has been inserted, an outer layer of the respective new roll is pulled off near or in the area of its free end and connected, in particular welded or glued, to a section of a material web of another roll guided in the packaging machine to form an uninterrupted material web. However, other connection options are also conceivable to ensure the required uninterrupted packaging operation. The method provides for new rolls to be provided to the packaging machine in a defined feed, e.g. using pallets, shelving systems, AGVs (i.e. driverless transport systems) or the like, and to be inserted into the respective installation position either by means of at least one gripping and/or handling device or, if necessary, by direct delivery and takeover by the packaging machine after a used roll has been removed from there. The rolls can optionally be picked up independently from the orderly feed and inserted into the packaging machine using suitable handling and gripping devices. However, variants are also conceivable in which the rolls can be transferred directly from the feed devices into the packaging machine with the aid of the receiving mandrels that can be moved axially out of the installation positions, without the need for separate gripping and/or handling devices. The installation positions of the rolls in the packaging machine are each defined by rotatable receiving mandrels for the rotatable reception and centered holding of the rolls to be unwound in the packaging machine with the flat and/or film material on them.

The method according to the invention provides that the rotatable mandrels are adjusted in their respective axial direction when removing an at least approximately completely unwound and/or used roll from one of the installation positions and/or when inserting a new roll into one of the installation positions by means of the gripping and/or handling device and are at least partially moved out of the respective installation position out of the packaging machine and in the direction of the gripping and/or handling device or the feed devices for the rolls. In this way, a simple and smooth roll change is possible without the gripping and/or handling device requiring additional aids or grippers or the like with which the rolls len can be pushed from the receiving mandrel in the machine onto the holding mandrel of the gripping and/or handling device and vice versa. Since the rolls are not normally held, moved and handled by external gripping, but are most easily gripped by a receiving or holding mandrel and moved into the machine or conveyed from a feeder with new rolls to the machine and/or to a storage area for used rolls, which grips the rolls centrally by being pushed into the roll core and fixed there, easy-to-handle measures are required in order to push the rolls from the holding mandrel of the gripping and/or handling device onto the receiving mandrel of the packaging machine and vice versa without intermediate steps. This can be achieved by an axially displaceable holding mandrel, as provided for in the method according to the invention.

Preferably, the rotatable mandrels are moved by motor in their respective axial direction as required, which makes it easy to automate the roll change. The method sensibly provides for the rotatable mandrels to be moved by motor in their respective axial direction in coordination with the respective movements of the gripping and/or handling device.

In the method, the gripping and/or handling device can be formed in particular by a multi-axis robot that picks up new rolls from the defined feed and places them in the packaging machine. Optionally, the handling robot can be assigned a camera or similar optical detection device, which can be attached, for example, to its movable boom arm, so that it can detect all movements in the room as well as the rolls to be picked up and positioned in the packaging machine. Preferably, the handling device or the multi-axis robot has suitable gripping or holding elements in order to be able to pick up the rolls. The handling device or the multi-axis robot can in particular have a holding mandrel, which dips into the center of the new roll designed as a hollow body on the front side, increases its maximum cross-sectional diameter and thereby clamps the respective new roll to the handling device or the multi-axis robot.

Optionally, the gripping and/or handling device in the method according to the invention can also be formed by a driverless and/or remote-controlled transport system (FTS, at least one self-driving shuttle) that picks up new rolls from the defined feed and places them in the packaging machine. This FTS or the shuttle of the FTS can, for example, have a gripping arm or the like for picking up and handling the rolls, with which it picks up the roll, places it on a transport support, after which it travels together with the roll to the packaging machine and inserts the roll there. Optionally, the shuttle can be assigned its own camera in order to control its movements in space.

The method can also provide that, in order to insert a new roll into the packaging machine, the respective roll is transferred to the receiving mandrel, which has been moved at least partially out of the packaging machine, by means of the gripping and/or handling device or by means of the handling robot, and is pushed onto the latter, after which the receiving mandrel is moved back in the axial direction into its installation position intended for unwinding the roll. In order to replace a roll in the packaging machine that has been at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up, the receiving mandrel can also be moved out of the respective installation position in the axial direction and the roll is transferred to the gripping and/or handling device by a stop element that can be moved in a direction parallel to the receiving mandrel pushing the roll at least partially off the receiving mandrel and pushing it onto a receiving or holding mandrel of the gripping and/or handling device, after which the receiving mandrel is moved back in the axial direction towards its installation position at least until the roll has been almost completely stripped off.

The method can optionally provide that, in order to insert a new roll into the packaging machine, the respective roll is transferred directly by means of the feed device, for example by means of a feed conveyor belt or the like, to the receiving mandrel, which has been moved a sufficient distance out of the packaging machine, and is pushed onto it, after which the receiving mandrel is moved back in the axial direction to its installation position intended for unwinding the roll. In order to replace a roll in the packaging machine that has been at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up, the receiving mandrel can also be moved out of the respective installation position in the axial direction and the roll is transferred to a handling device for disposal of the used rolls, in that a stop element that can be moved in a direction parallel to the receiving mandrel pushes the roll at least partially off the receiving mandrel and pushes it onto a suitable handling means, for example a handling device equipped for this purpose, after which the receiving mandrel is moved back in the axial direction towards its installation position at least until the roll has been almost completely stripped off.

The method can further provide that at least the positions of the rolls in the area of the defined feed and/or provision and/or the gripping and/or handling device and/or their movement space are recorded by means of suitable optical sensor devices and/or space monitoring devices. Depending on the recorded space, movement and/or sensor data, at least the movements of the gripping and/or handling device in the area of the defined feed and/or provision for the rolls or in their respective movement space can be controlled. In addition, depending on the sensor data, the axially movable receiving mandrels in the packaging machine can be controlled in coordination with the movements of the gripping and/or handling device in order to enable an automated roll change in the packaging machine.

The space monitoring devices mentioned can be formed in particular by at least one optical detection device, in particular a camera, which detects at least the movement space of the gripping and/or handling device and delivers output signals depicting this movement space and the movements of the gripping and/or handling device taking place therein. The at least one optical detection device or the camera can be assigned to the gripping and/or handling device or mounted there, for example, so that it is able to check the movements of the gripping and/or handling device and the orientation of each new roll in accordance with the direction of rotation before or during its insertion. Alternatively, the camera can also cover the movement space by being mounted in a fixed position in the room or on the packaging machine; additional or multiple cameras on the gripping and/or handling device are also possible. In general, multiple cameras or optical detection devices can be used, the output signals of which can be superimposed and used to determine the exact location of all parts to be moved, handling systems and/or rolls of packaging material.

The method according to the invention enables, in the manner described, an exact positioning and feeding of new rolls with packaging material wound on them to a packaging machine and the precisely controlled transfer to the receiving mandrels that can be moved axially out of the machine. The exact positioning of the handling devices can ensure smooth replacement of used rolls, which ideally ensures the functionality of the packaging machine. The method has a high degree of automation in the handling of flat and/or film material wound on rolls for packaging purposes, so that an uninterrupted supply of flat and/or film material is possible. The method also works perfectly with roll feeds that are not positioned precisely and with a high degree of error tolerance and can also ensure smooth roll replacement under all operating conditions.

The method also makes sense for the position of each new roll to be inserted into the packaging machine to be checked in accordance with the direction of rotation during its handling by the gripping and/or handling device and corrected if necessary, i.e. in the case of a roll that is positioned incorrectly and has a loose end of the material web lying in the wrong direction. In order to be able to correct the direction of rotation, the gripping and/or handling device can be assigned, for example, an intermediate storage area for a roll to be inserted into the packaging machine, which serves as a support for the roll, in particular for storage, provision in accordance with the direction of rotation and re-pickup by the gripping and/or handling device for transfer to the packaging machine. The intermediate storage area can in particular be formed by a bearing block or the like, which assumes a fixed or variable position within the movement space of the gripping and/or handling device. Optionally, the bearing block itself can be designed as a shuttle of an AGV or driverless transport system, which enables it to automatically rotate 180 degrees around its vertical axis when a roll needs to be turned, in order to allow the gripping and/or handling system to pick up the roll deposited there in the correct position. Here, too, a camera can be assigned to the intermediate storage area or the bearing block, which can ensure additional optical monitoring of the bearing block in order to record the roll positions, etc. and to control the bearing block or the gripping and/or handling device as required.

Furthermore, the bearing block can be assigned a rotary drive for rotating a roll lying on it around its horizontal central axis in order to adjust its rotational position and/or the alignment of an edge of an outer layer of material web. Regardless of whether the bearing block is fixed or movable, it can be assigned a suitable turning mechanism in order to be able to perform a 180° rotation with the roll lying on it in order to be able to bring the roll into the correct installation position.

The method can further provide that the packaging machine itself or its installation positions for the exchangeable rolls with packaging material and also the movements of the axially displaceable mandrels are optically monitored. In this case, additional optical monitoring devices or cameras can be provided in the packaging machine, in particular in the area of the rolls to be exchanged or in the area of their installation positions.

New rolls can, for example, be moved into the area of the handling device via a horizontal conveyor and removed directly from the horizontal conveyor by means of the handling device. It is also possible to deliver new rolls on pallets, so that, for example, four standing rolls are arranged on a pallet, which are brought into the movement area of the gripping and/or handling device by means of a suitable delivery device in order to be picked up by it and inserted into the packaging machine, if necessary including the intermediate storage, as described as an option above.

Furthermore, in the method according to the invention, it can be provided that a control unit is coupled to and connected to the handling device and the room monitoring device and specifies a synchronized operation of the horizontal conveyor device, taking into account the respective pickup of new rolls from the feed area and/or a horizontal conveyor device by means of the handling device. The control unit can also specify the repeated pickup of new rolls from the delivered pallets.

To achieve the above-mentioned aim, the invention further proposes a device for feeding, providing and/or for largely uninterrupted handling and/or exchanging rolls with flat and/or film material wound on them and used as packaging material for packaging piece goods, containers or similar article assemblies, with the features of the independent device claim. The device provides that at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up rolls are alternately removed from at least two different installation positions of a packaging machine in order to maintain a continuous packaging operation and can be replaced by new rolls with flat and/or film material for the respective installation position, wherein preferably after each insertion an outer layer of the respective new roll can be pulled off near or in the area of its free end and connected, in particular welded or glued, to a section of a material web of another roll guided in the packaging machine in order to form an uninterrupted material web. The device according to the invention comprises devices for providing new rolls for the packaging machine in a defined feed, such as pallets, shelving systems, AGVs or similar, and optionally a gripping and/or handling device for taking over the rolls from the defined feed and for inserting the new rolls into the respective installation position of the packaging machine and/or for removing used rolls from the respective installation positions of the packaging machine. Variants are also possible in which the new rolls are conveyed directly from a feed device, such as a feed belt conveyor, to the packaging machine and can be brought into the respective installation positions there in cooperation with the receiving mandrels that can be moved axially out of the machine. The rolls can be picked up independently from the organized feed and inserted into the packaging machine, in particular by means of handling and gripping devices. The organized feed can also be designed in such a way that it reaches right up to the packaging machine and is suitable for feeding the new rolls directly to the installation positions.

According to the invention, in the device the installation positions in the packaging machine are each defined by rotatable receiving mandrels for rotatably receiving and centering the rolls of flat and/or film material to be unwound in the packaging machine. In addition, the rotatable receiving mandrels are adjustable in their respective axial direction for removing an at least approximately completely unwound and/or used roll from one of the installation positions and/or when inserting a new roll into one of the installation positions by means of the gripping and/or handling device or by means of suitable means for transferring the rolls from the feed to the respective installation positions and can be moved at least partially from the respective installation position out of the packaging machine and in the direction of the gripping and/or handling device or the ordered feeds. The axially movable mandrels of the packaging machine can thus interact in a suitable manner with the gripping and/or handling device or with the feeders or feed belts, which enables an automated exchange of used rolls with new rolls containing flat or film material for packaging purposes. light without the need for any further intermediate steps.

Depending on the design variant, the gripping and/or handling device can change the rolls much more easily with the help of the axially movable mandrels, as it does not have to penetrate as deeply into the packaging machine. The same applies to the alternative design variant, in which the orderly feed for new rolls can interact with the axially movable mandrels in such a way that the new rolls are brought directly from the feed - this can be formed, for example, by a feed belt or a suitable horizontal conveyor device for the rolls - into the respective installation positions by means of the mandrels that can be moved axially out of the packaging machine.

In the device according to the invention, the rotatable mandrels are each assigned motor drives for their respective axial adjustment. In addition, the rotatable mandrels can each be assigned separately adjustable axial stop elements that can be adjusted by motor with the mandrels or against their axial direction of movement and parallel to them. These stop elements make it easier in particular to strip used rolls when they are transferred to the gripping and/or handling device, which can in particular have a holding mandrel that is aligned with the machine's mandrel during the transfer of rolls to the packaging machine, onto which the roll is pushed or from which the roll is pulled. The removal can be made significantly easier by the axial stop element, since this can be moved against the retracting mandrel.

The gripping and/or handling device can in particular be formed by a multi-axis robot that picks up new rolls from the defined feed and places them in the packaging machine. Optionally, the handling robot or the multi-axis robot can be assigned a camera, which can be arranged, for example, on a movable or articulated gripping or boom arm in order to capture all the objects gripped and the respective surroundings in order to be able to control the multi-axis robot better and more precisely. The handling device or the multi-axis robot has suitable gripping and/or holding means, which can be formed, for example, by a holding mandrel, which dips into the front of the new roll designed as a hollow body, increases its maximum cross-sectional diameter and thereby clamps the respective new roll to the handling device or the multi-axis robot.

The gripping and/or handling device is equipped and controlled in such a way that it introduces a new roll into the packaging machine by pushing this roll onto the receiving mandrel that can be moved at least partially out of the packaging machine. The receiving mandrel is then moved in the axial direction into its installation position in the packaging machine intended for unwinding the roll. To replace a roll that has been at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up in the packaging machine, the receiving mandrel can be moved in the axial direction out of the respective installation position in order to transfer the roll to the gripping and/or handling device by a stop element that can be moved in a direction parallel to the receiving mandrel pushing the roll at least partially off the receiving mandrel and onto a receiving mandrel of the gripping and/or handling device, after which the receiving mandrel is moved back in the axial direction towards its installation position at least until the roll has been almost completely stripped off.

Optionally, the device according to the invention can be equipped with space monitoring devices for detecting at least the positions of the rolls in the area of the defined feed and/or provision and/or the positions and/or movements of the gripping and/or handling device within a movement space and for controlling the movements of the gripping and/or handling device in the area of the defined feed and/or provision for the rolls depending on the space, movement and/or sensor data detected by the space monitoring device. In a variant of the device, the space monitoring devices can be formed, for example, by at least one optical detection device, in particular a camera, which detects at least the movement space of the gripping and/or handling device and delivers output signals depicting this movement space and the movements of the gripping and/or handling device taking place therein and makes them available to a control system. The at least one optical detection device or the camera can, for example, be assigned directly to the gripping and/or handling device. A camera can be mounted there; this can then check the movements and the orientation in accordance with the direction of rotation of each new roll before or when it is inserted. Optionally, the camera or several cameras can be arranged in the room and/or on the robot or the handling device. In addition, if a camera or optical room monitoring systems are present, the entire roll change is monitored by evaluating the image signals provided by these controlled, including the axial displacement of the mandrels and/or the axial stop elements assigned to them.

Optionally, the gripping and/or handling device can be formed by a driverless and/or remote-controlled transport system (so-called AGV with at least one self-driving shuttle) that picks up new rolls from the defined feeder and places them in the packaging machine. A camera can also optionally be assigned to this shuttle or AGV.

Regardless of the specific design of the gripping and/or handling device, suitable aids are preferably available to check that each new roll to be inserted into the packaging machine is in the correct position in terms of the direction of rotation during its handling by the gripping and/or handling device and to be able to correct it if necessary, i.e. if a roll is positioned incorrectly and has a loose end of the material web lying in the wrong direction. For example, the gripping and/or handling device can be assigned an intermediate storage area for a roll to be inserted into the packaging machine, which can serve as a support for the roll, in particular for storage, provision in accordance with the direction of rotation and re-pickup by the gripping and/or handling device for subsequent transfer to the packaging machine. This intermediate storage area, which is optionally located in the movement space, can be formed, for example, by a bearing block that can assume a fixed or variable position within the movement space of the gripping and/or handling device. It can also be provided that the bearing block itself can form a movable and self-propelled shuttle of an AGV.

In addition, a camera can optionally be assigned to the bearing block, which enables additional optical monitoring of the bearing block. In addition, the bearing block can be equipped with a rotary drive for rotating a roll lying on it around a horizontal longitudinal axis in order to adjust its rotational position and/or the alignment of an edge of an outer layer of material web. In addition, the bearing block can optionally have a turning mechanism in order to be able to perform a 180° rotation with the roll lying on it. This function is already available when the intermediate storage is designed as a self-propelled shuttle.

The device can further provide additional optical monitoring devices or cameras in the packaging machine, in particular in the area of the rolls to be replaced or in the area of their installation positions.

Optionally, new rolls can be moved into the area of the handling device via pallets or, for example, via a horizontal conveyor device and can be removed directly from the pallet or from the horizontal conveyor device using the handling device. Furthermore, it is preferably provided that a control unit is connected to the handling device and the room monitoring device and specifies a synchronized operation of the horizontal conveyor device or the pallet feed, taking into account the respective pickup of new rolls from the feed area and/or a pallet or the horizontal conveyor device by means of the handling device.

Some aspects, special features and details of the method according to the invention and the device according to the invention are summarized again below. The invention relates to a method for the uninterrupted handling of flat and/or film material wound on rolls and used as packaging material for piece goods, containers or similar article assemblies. The flat and/or film material can be designed as shrink film or as conventional plastic film. The rolls can have a core whose geometric shape corresponds to a hollow cylinder and which can consist at least partially of cellulose-containing material. Advantageously, the respective new roll can be placed on a pin on the packaging machine that corresponds to the core and can rotate on the pin when packaging material is pulled off or removed from the roll. As part of the method, at least partially unwound and/or used up rolls are alternately removed from at least two different installation positions of a packaging machine to maintain a continuous packaging operation, and a new roll with flat and/or film material is then inserted into the respective installation position, whereby this exchange of the rolls is facilitated and supported by an axial displacement of the so-called pins or the receiving mandrels of the packaging machine. Each of the at least two installation positions has its own receiving mandrel or pin, which can be moved axially out of the machine and onto which the new roll is placed and on which the respective roll rotates to unwind its respective flat and/or film material. In particular, the rolls can be clamped onto the pin of their respective installation position. The pin can be driven in rotation and pass on a torque to the respective roll sitting on it, so that the roll is rotated via its pin to unwind its flat and/or film material. Each pin can be assigned a be assigned a drive, via which the respective pin is rotated. The drives can be connected to a control unit described in more detail below, or can be controlled via a control unit described in more detail below to rotate the pins. Before removing a roll with at least partially unwound and/or used up packaging material from its respective installation position, the clamping connection between the pin and the roll can be released, so that the roll is then no longer firmly connected to the pin and can be removed from the pin. The rotating movement of the pin can be interrupted until a new roll has been placed on the pin or inserted into the corresponding installation position. After each new roll has been inserted into its respective installation position, an outer layer of the respective new roll is normally pulled off near or in the area of its free end and connected to a section of a material web of another roll guided in the packaging machine to form an uninterrupted material web.

The outer layer of the respective new roll used can be pulled off after insertion with a suitable gripping element, e.g. by means of a gripping and/or handling device that works with pneumatic suction pressure, mechanical clamping and/or electrostatic adhesion, which moves back and forth between the at least two installation positions. The gripping element can thus alternately pull outer layers of the new rolls from the at least two installation positions. In practice, embodiments have proven successful in which the gripping element temporarily fixes the respective outer layer of a new roll using negative pressure. A welding rod can also be provided, which is moved downwards and in doing so welds the outer layer of the respective new roll to the material web guided in the packaging machine. The respective outer layer can be moved into a working area of the welding rod via the gripping element. The tempered welding rod can thus move the outer layer of the respective new roll in a clamping manner against the material web guided in the packaging machine. In particular, embodiments have proven to be effective in which the welding rod is moved vertically up and down and, during a vertical lowering movement, the respective outer layer of a new roll is welded to a material web guided in the packaging machine.

Normally, when a new roll is inserted and during the connection, the flat and/or film material of the additional roll is not yet completely used up, so that for continuous packaging operation, flat and/or film material is unwound without interruption from at least one roll of the at least two installation positions. Advantageously, the new roll can therefore be inserted while flat and/or film material is still being continuously unwound from the additional roll in the packaging machine. Even when a roll that is at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up is removed from the packaging machine, flat and/or film material can be unwound from another roll of the packaging machine, so that flat and/or film material is unwound continuously and without interruption from at least one roll positioned in the packaging machine. In the method described with the present invention, rolls that are at least approximately unwound and/or applied are detected by sensors and replaced by new rolls of flat and/or film material using the gripping and/or handling device described above. Sensory detection can be carried out, for example, with the aid of optical detectors or an optical detection system, which can be arranged in the area of the at least two installation positions. The optical detection system or the optical detector and the handling device can be connected to the control unit, which also controls the movements of the gripping and/or handling device or the multi-axis robot as well as the movements of the axially displaceable mandrels or rotatable pins.

Optionally, the gripping and/or handling device can be preceded by a horizontal conveyor designed to transport new rolls, which extends into a working area of the gripping and/or handling device and which can be controlled in cyclical operation via the control unit, taking into account the removal of new rolls by the gripping and/or handling device. In further embodiments, it is conceivable that new rolls are provided to the gripping and/or handling device on pallets or the like. It is also possible to place new rolls in a container or the like, which is located in the working area of the gripping and/or handling area and via which new rolls are provided to the gripping and/or handling device. The new rolls can be placed in the container in an unordered manner or with any orientation, whereby the direction of rotation and/or orientation in accordance with the direction of rotation can be checked and/or determined using the optical detector.

In an alternative embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention, the gripping and/or handling device mentioned or the optionally present handling robot can even be dispensed with if the rolls are conveyed directly to the packaging machine by means of a suitable feed device and are picked up there, if necessary, by means of the receiving mandrels designed as active roll pick-ups and pulled and conveyed into the respective installation positions. When feed devices are mentioned in this context, these can be formed by feed belts, horizontal conveyor devices, mat chain conveyors or the like. The feed devices can also be formed by suitable AGVs (driverless, preferably autonomous or semi-autonomous transport systems, so-called shuttles), which convey the new rolls directly to the packaging machine and, if necessary, make the rolls available to the receiving mandrels, which in this case act as active roll pick-ups and pick up the new rolls from the AGVs and pull them into the respective installation positions in the packaging machine.

To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the invention finally proposes a rotatable mandrel that is motor-adjustable in its axial longitudinal direction within the packaging machine and that defines one of several installation positions for rolls with flat and/or film material wound on them and used as packaging material for packaging piece goods, containers or similar article assemblies. The rotatable mandrel can be adjusted in its respective axial direction for the purposes of removing an at least approximately completely unwound and/or used roll from one of the installation positions and/or for inserting a new roll into one of the installation positions and can be moved at least partially from the respective installation position out of the packaging machine and in the direction of the defined feed. In addition, the mandrel can be adjusted in the axial direction to align and position a newly inserted roll as precisely as possible in the middle in relation to the packaging material to be unwound from the roll. In this way, the axial adjustability of the mandrels mentioned above in connection with the easier insertion of new rolls into the packaging machine can also be used to position the newly inserted rolls exactly in the middle in relation to the material web to be unwound. This means that it is not necessary to push the roll onto the mandrel by a precisely defined amount, since after the roll has been pushed on approximately the right amount, the mandrel can itself ensure the exact fine adjustment in order to feed the material web into the machine in exactly the right alignment.

Optionally, the axial position of the mandrel can be readjusted several times during the ongoing unwinding of the packaging material from the roll, in particular to compensate for winding inaccuracies and/or changes in the position of the packaging material during the packaging process. This readjustment can be monitored and initiated using cameras or suitable optical sensor devices, for example. The adjustability or readjustment of the mandrel can be achieved using a pneumatic, hydraulic or electric motor drive, for example.

Furthermore, it should be mentioned that the receiving mandrel according to the invention can be part of a device already described previously with reference to several embodiments for feeding, providing and/or for largely uninterrupted handling and/or for exchanging rolls with flat and/or film material wound on them and used as packaging material for packaging piece goods, containers or similar article assemblies, wherein the device has a number of identical, each axially adjustable and finely adjustable receiving mandrels corresponding to the number of installation positions.

• 1 zeigt eine schematische Perspektivansicht einer ersten Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung. Zudem verdeutlicht 1 eine denkbare Umsetzung einer Ausführungsform für das erfindungsgemäße Verfahren.
• 2 zeigt eine schematische Perspektivansicht einer zweiten Ausführungsvariante der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung sowie eine sinnvolle Umsetzung einer Ausführungsform für das erfindungsgemäße Verfahren.
• 3 zeigt eine schematische Perspektivansicht zweier Einbaupositionen für Rollen innerhalb der Verpackungsmaschine, die mit einer Vorrichtung gemäß den Ausführungsbeispielen aus den 1 und 2 zusammenwirken kann.
• 4 zeigt die Einbaupositionen der 3 mit eingesetzter neuer Rolle für die zweite Einbauposition.
• 5 zeigt die Einbaupositionen der 3 und 4 mit abgezogener äußerer Lage der in die zweite Einbauposition eingesetzten neuen Rolle.
• 6 zeigt in zwei perspektivischen Ansichten eine Handhabungseinrichtung, die eine neue Rolle von einer Palette aufnimmt, um sie in die Verpackungsmaschine einzusetzen.
• 7 zeigt in zwei weiteren perspektivischen Ansichten die Handhabungseinrichtung beim Einsetzen der neuen Rolle in die Verpackungsmaschine.
• 8 zeigt in vier Ansichten die Positionierungs- und Entnahmeschritte beim Einsetzen bzw. Entnehmen einer Rolle aus einer Einbauposition innerhalb der Verpackungsmaschine.
• 9 zeigt in insgesamt sechs schematischen Seitenansichten die Verfahrensabläufe beim Einsetzen einer neuen Rolle mit Flach- oder Folienmaterial in eine Verpackungsmaschine.
• 10 zeigt in insgesamt sechs schematischen Seitenansichten die Verfahrensabläufe beim Abgeben einer verbrauchten Rolle aus der Verpackungsmaschine.
• 11 zeigt in insgesamt sechs schematischen Seitenansichten die exakte axiale Ausrichtung einer neuen Rolle auf einem Aufnahmedorn zur exakten Positionierung in der Verpackungsmaschine.

In the following, embodiments will explain the invention and its advantages in more detail with reference to the attached figures. The size relationships of the individual elements to one another in the figures do not always correspond to the actual size relationships, since some shapes are simplified and other shapes are shown enlarged in relation to other elements for better illustration.

• 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention. In addition, 1 a conceivable implementation of an embodiment of the method according to the invention.
• 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of the device according to the invention as well as a useful implementation of an embodiment for the method according to the invention.
• 3 shows a schematic perspective view of two installation positions for rollers within the packaging machine, which can be equipped with a device according to the embodiments of the 1 and 2 can work together.
• 4 shows the installation positions of the 3 with new roller inserted for the second installation position.
• 5 shows the installation positions of the 3 and 4 with the outer layer of the new roll inserted into the second installation position removed.
• 6 shows in two perspective views a handling device that picks up a new roll from a pallet to insert it into the packaging machine.
• 7 shows in two further perspective views the handling device when inserting the new roll into the packaging machine.
• 8th shows in four views the positioning and removal steps when inserting or removing a roll from an installation position within the packaging machine.
• 9 shows in a total of six schematic side views the process sequences when inserting a new roll of flat or film material into a packaging machine.
• 10 shows in a total of six schematic side views the process sequences when discharging a used roll from the packaging machine.
• 11 shows in a total of six schematic side views the exact axial alignment of a new roll on a mandrel for exact positioning in the packaging machine.

Identical reference numerals are used for identical or identically acting elements of the invention. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only reference numerals are shown in the individual figures that are required for the description of the respective figure. The embodiments shown are merely examples of how the device according to the invention and the method according to the invention can be designed and do not represent an exhaustive limitation.

The schematic perspective view of the 1 shows a first embodiment of a device 10 according to the invention. In addition, the 1 also a conceivable implementation of an embodiment for the above-described method according to the invention. The device 10 is used for handling flat packaging material such as shrink film or packaging films, which are wound on large rolls 12 which, due to their weight, are generally not manually handled. Schematically indicated in 1 a part of a packaging machine 14, to which new rolls 12 are fed via a gripping and/or handling device 16 to be described in more detail below. The gripping and/or handling device 16, which in the embodiment shown is designed as a stationary multi-axis robot 18, places the new rolls 12 to be fed to the packaging machine 14 in two different installation positions EB1 and EB2, which in 1 are only partially visible and in the detailed view of the 3 be illustrated by example.

As a summary of the 3 to 5 with 1 shows, individual new rolls 12 are inserted into one of the two installation positions EB1 or EB2 by means of the gripping and/or handling device 16 or with the aid of the multi-axis or handling robot 18, while in the other installation position EB2 or EB1 there is still a used or partially used roll 20, from which a material web 22 located thereon is unwound while the new roll 12 is being inserted, which is processed in the packaging machine 14 as packaging material. During the further unwinding of the material web 22 from the almost used roll 20, the outer layer 24 is connected or welded (cf. 5 ) of the new roll 12 with the material web 22, whereby the device 10 can run in a continuous operation without the packaging process having to be interrupted to exchange a used roll 20 for a new roll 12.

The new rolls 12 are each composed of the wound flat packaging material 22 or the packaging or shrink film and a core 26 on which the packaging material 22 or the shrink film is wound. To receive a new roll 12 from a 1 The handling device 16 or the handling robot 18 dips into the front side of a core 26 of a new roll 12 via a holding mandrel 32 movably arranged at the end of its movable boom arm 30. An arm section 34 of the handling device 16 or the handling robot 18 can be rotated about a rotation axis 36, as shown in 6A shown as an example. After the holding mandrel 32 has been inserted into the core 26, the cross-sectional diameter of the holding mandrel 32 is increased so that the new roll 12, as in 6B shown, is clamped to the holding mandrel 32. The core 26 is hollow-cylindrical, the shape of the holding mandrel 32 corresponding thereto, so that the holding mandrel 32 is connected to an inner surface of the core 26 via its outer circumference for clamping the new roll 12.

New rolls 12 can be made available to the gripping and/or handling device 16 or the handling robot 18 via the horizontal conveyor device 28 in an uninterrupted sequence, so that when a new roll 12 is removed from the horizontal conveyor device 28, another new roll 12 is moved in the direction of the handling device 16 or follows in the direction of the gripping and/or handling device 16. The horizontal conveyor device 28 can be operated in a timed manner as required or continuously at a constant speed. Its operation is determined by a control unit 38, only indicated schematically here, which not only controls the horizontal conveyor device 28 in its conveying speed and/or timing, but also the handling robot 18 in its movements and parts of the packaging machine 14, as will be explained below with reference to the 8th ff. is described in more detail.

The control unit 38 can, for example, process the signals 40 of at least one space monitoring device 42, which can be formed in particular by an optical detection device or a camera 44, possibly also by several cameras 44, which at least record the movement space 46 of the multi-axis robot 18 and its movements, which also means the exact movements of the boom arm 30 with the pivotally arranged holding mandrel 32 in relation to each new roll 12 to be recorded. The movement space 46 that can be optically recorded by means of the space monitoring device 42 formed by the camera 44 is shown in the illustration of the 1 For better illustration, it is indicated by a fan of rays with broken lines.

In 1 Also visible is a manipulator 48 positioned in the area of the horizontal conveyor 28, which is operated by a user 50 and via which new rolls 12 can be placed standing on the horizontal conveyor 28. The new rolls 12 can, for example, be delivered standing on a pallet 52, from which the user 50 can receive them using the manipulator 48, whose movements he can control, and place them on the horizontal conveyor 28 using a holding mandrel 54 located there. A working area of the manipulator 48 therefore extends over the pallet 52 and over a section of the horizontal conveyor 28. This control and feed variant shown, however, represents only one example of numerous conceivable alternatives. Continuously operating feed variants that do not require any supporting manual handling, as can be seen from the 1 is described. If the feed is not arranged in this way, it may be useful to provide an intermediate storage area for the new rolls 12 in the movement space 46 of the gripping and handling device 16, in order to be able to deposit the rolls 12 there if the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 does not grasp the rolls in the correct direction of rotation, to pull the holding mandrel 32 out of the core 26 and to grasp the roll 12 again at its other end face in order to be able to insert it in the required direction of rotation for the installation positions EB1 or EB2 in the packaging machine 14. Such an intermediate storage area 60, its function and its interaction with the gripping and/or handling device 16 and with the space monitoring device 42 are described by way of example using the design variant of the 2 explained in more detail. In the 1 In the variant of the device 10 shown, it is the task of the user 50 to ensure the correct positioning of the rollers 12 on the horizontal conveyor 28, in particular with regard to their correct direction of rotation in the respective installation position EB1 or EB2 (cf. 3 to 5 ).

The 1 also shows a container 56 which is open at the top and is located in the working area 46 of the gripping and/or handling device 16. If the supply of packaging material or shrink film of a roll 12 or 20 placed in the packaging machine 14 is exhausted, the core 26 of an empty roll 20 consisting of cellulose, plastic, wood or cardboard is removed from the packaging machine 14 by means of the handling robot 18 and placed in the container 56. Only after the core 26 has been removed can a new roll 12 be inserted into the respective installation position EB1 or EB2 of the packaging machine 14, so that the gripping and/or handling device 16 or the handling robot 18 first removes the core 26 and then inserts a new roll 12 into the respective installation position EB1 or EB2.

As already mentioned, the horizontal conveyor device 28, the gripping and/or handling device 16 or the multi-axis robot 18 and the packaging machine 14 are connected to the control unit 38. This can in particular specify the cyclic operation of the horizontal conveyor device 28, initiate an insertion and removal of rolls 12 and 20 by the handling device 16 from the two installation positions EB1 and EB2. In addition, as described in more detail below, it can control the unrolling of packaging material or shrink film from the rolls 12 used in the packaging machine 14. In addition, the room monitoring device 42 can, in cooperation with the control unit 38, control the movement of the horizontal conveyor device 28 and in particular of the gripping and/or Handling device 16, which allows error-tolerant positioning and feeding of the new rolls 12 as well as their handling, since the exact detection of each new roll 12 by the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 can be effectively supported and controlled with the aid of the at least one camera 44, so that the exact positioning of the rolls 12 on the horizontal conveyor device 28 becomes less important and can be compensated for by the correspondingly tracked motion control of the handling robot 18 within its movement space 46.

In the 1 The positioning of the camera 44 indicated is to be understood as an example only. A camera 44 or several cameras 44 can also be positioned at other locations, for example in the area of the packaging machine 14, in the area of the handling robot 18 or possibly even on its swivel arm 30, provided that the movement space 46 can be covered and recorded in the required manner.

The control unit 38 can also have a display device 58 or a display, via which information on the direction of rotation or the orientation of new rollers 12 in accordance with the direction of rotation and/or other control or movement parameters of the multi-axis robot 18 and/or the horizontal conveyor device 28 can be visualized for the user 50. The direction of rotation or the orientation of new rollers 12 in accordance with the direction of rotation is preferably, as described below by way of example with reference to the 3 to 5 described, detected and/or checked by the camera 44 or possibly also by another camera that is connected to the control unit 38. Since the gripping and/or handling device 16 can remove the respective core 26 of an empty roll 20 from the packaging machine 14 and, with the aid of the camera 44 or the other cameras, independently inserts new rolls 12 with the appropriate direction of rotation or with an orientation that conforms to the direction of rotation into the packaging machine 14, the device 10 can be operated fully automatically, at least from the start of receiving new rolls 12 from the horizontal conveyor device 28.

The schematic perspective view of the 2 illustrates a second embodiment of the device 10 according to the invention as well as a useful implementation of an embodiment for the method according to the invention. The packaging machine 14 does not differ significantly from the previously described variant according to 1 Here too, the device 10 is used to handle flat packaging material such as shrink film or packaging films, which are made available to the packaging machine 14 individually on rolls 12 according to the consumption-related replenishment requirement by means of the gripping and/or handling device 16 designed as a multi-axis robot 18. As with the first variant according to 1 the gripping and/or handling device 16 places the new rolls 12 to be fed to the packaging machine 14 in two different installation positions EB1 and EB2, which can be determined based on the detailed views of the 3 to 5 be explained in more detail.

In the 2 The second variant of the device 10 shown does not have a horizontal conveyor, but instead receives the new rolls 12 on pallets 52, with each pallet 52 having four rolls 12 arranged upright, which are each picked up individually by the handling robot 18 and inserted into the packaging machine 14. To pick up a new roll 12 from one of the pallets 52 within reach, i.e. within the movement space 46 of the gripping and/or handling device 16 or the multi-axis robot 18, the handling device 16 or the handling robot 18 dips into the front of a core 26 of a new roll 12 via the holding mandrel 32 movably arranged at the end of its movable boom arm 30, as already shown in the 1 An arm section 34 of the handling device 16 or the handling robot 18 can be rotated about a rotation axis 36, as shown in 6A shown as an example. After the holding mandrel 32 has been inserted into the core 26, the cross-sectional diameter of the holding mandrel 32 is increased so that the new roll 12, as in 6B shown, is clamped to the holding mandrel 32. The core 26 is hollow-cylindrical, the shape of the holding mandrel 32 corresponding thereto, so that the holding mandrel 32 is connected to an inner surface of the core 26 via its outer circumference for clamping the new roll 12.

The pallets 52, each containing four new rollers 12, are regularly delivered to the movement area 46, and new rollers 12 are made available to the gripping and/or handling device 16 or the handling robot 18 in an uninterrupted sequence, so that when all new rollers 12 are removed from one of the pallets 52, this empty pallet 52 can be exchanged for a new pallet 52 with a further four rollers 12, which in turn must be placed in the movement area 46 of the gripping and/or handling device. This delivery can be made using suitable industrial trucks, for example using so-called FTS (driverless transport systems), which are formed by self-driving, remote-controlled and/or transport vehicles with their own sensor systems for steering, which can, for example, transport a pallet 52 with rollers 12 placed on it into the movement area 46. These transport systems or AGVs can be operated in a cyclic manner as required. Their operation is preferably specified by the schematically indicated control unit 38, which not only controls the AGVs (not shown here) in their conveying speed and/or cyclicity, but also controls the handling robot 18 in its movements for exchanging the rolls 12 in the packaging machine 14. The control unit 38 can also process the signals 40 of at least one room monitoring device 42, which also in the variant according to 2 in particular by an optical detection device or a camera 44, possibly also by several cameras 44, which at least record the movement space 46 of the multi-axis robot 18 and its movements, which also means the exact movements of the boom arm 30 with the pivotally arranged holding mandrel 32 in relation to each new roll 12 to be detected. The movement space 46 which can be optically detected by means of the space monitoring device 42 formed by the camera 44 is shown in the illustration of the 2 indicated by an ellipse with broken lines.

Due to the sufficiently dimensioned movement space 46, the variant of the device according to 2 not only the horizontal conveyor is dispensed with, but also the manipulator that interacts with it, via which new rolls 12 can be placed standing on the horizontal conveyor (see 1 ). In contrast, the 2 In the variant of the device 10 shown, an intermediate storage area 60 for the new rolls 12 is provided in the movement space 46 of the gripping and handling device 16 and in its immediate vicinity, which serves to ensure the indispensable positioning of each roll 12 in accordance with the direction of rotation when it is inserted into the packaging machine 14, given the direction of rotation of the rolls 12 on the pallets 52, which is normally not defined. In practice, the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 detects each individual roll 12 that is on the pallet 52, without the direction of rotation being checked at the same time. By means of suitable optical control or by detection in some other way (e.g. inductively, by means of a transponder or similar), a check is carried out during the movement of the boom arm 30 with the roll 12 conveyed on the holding mandrel 32 in the direction of the packaging machine 14 to determine whether the roll 12 can be positioned there directly and without being moved, or whether the roll 12 may be rotating in the wrong direction. If this is the case, the roll 12 can be deposited on the intermediate storage 60 by a corresponding movement control of the handling robot 18, after which the holding mandrel 32 is pulled out of the core 26 of the deposited roll 12 in order to grasp the roll 12 again at its other end face in order to be able to subsequently insert it in the required direction of rotation for the installation positions EB1 or EB2 in the packaging machine 14.

The 2 The user 50 standing within the movement space 46 normally stays there only for maintenance purposes, but not during the ongoing operation of the gripping and/or handling device 16, which can also be controlled by the space monitoring device 42 if necessary.

Also in 2 the container 56 which is open at the top and is located in the working area 46 of the gripping and/or handling device 16 can be seen. If the supply of packaging material or shrink film of a roll 12 or 20 placed in the packaging machine 14 is exhausted, the core 26 of an empty roll 20 made of cellulose, plastic, wood or cardboard is removed from the packaging machine 14 by means of the handling robot 18 and placed in the container 56. Only after the core 26 has been removed can a new roll 12 be inserted into the respective installation position EB1 or EB2 of the packaging machine 14, so that the gripping and/or handling device 16 or the handling robot 18 first removes the core 26 and then inserts a new roll 12 into the respective installation position EB1 or EB2.

As already mentioned, the gripping and/or handling device 16 or the multi-axis robot 18, the controllable intermediate storage 60 for the rolls 12 and the packaging machine 14 are connected to the control unit 38, which can also optionally control the AGVs (which are to be understood as optional and not shown here) for delivering the pallets 52. The control unit 38 can thus in particular specify the clocked operation of the AGVs, initiate an insertion and removal of rolls 12 and 20 by the handling device 16 from the two installation positions EB1 and EB2, and if necessary use the intermediate storage 60 to ensure the correct direction of rotation of a new roll 12 to be inserted. In addition, it can, as described in more detail below, control the unrolling of packaging material or shrink film from the rolls 12 used in the packaging machine 14. The space monitoring device 42 can, in conjunction with the control unit 38, enable movement control of the gripping and/or handling device 16, including the intermediate storage 60 as required, which allows error-tolerant positioning and feeding of the new rolls 12 on the pallets 52 that are not positioned exactly, as well as handling of the picked-up rolls 12, since the exact detection of each new roll 12 by the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 can be effectively supported and controlled with the aid of the at least one camera 44, so that the exact positioning of the rollers 12 on the pallets 52 or the pallets 52 themselves on the floor in the area of the movement space 46 becomes less important and can be compensated for by the correspondingly tracked movement control of the handling robot 18 within its movement space 46.

In the 2 The positioning of the camera 44 indicated is to be understood as an example only. Likewise, a camera 44 or several cameras 44 can be positioned at other locations, for example in the area of the packaging machine 14, in the area of the handling robot 18 or possibly also on its swivel arm 30, provided that the movement space 46 can thereby be covered and recorded in the required manner. The camera 44 or the space monitoring device 42 can then fulfill its purpose in an optimal manner if it can largely completely cover the movement space 46 and if it can precisely record and track the movements of the gripping and/or handling device 16, its holding mandrel 32 and the various target positions of the holding mandrel 32 when picking up and positioning the rolls 12. In order to ensure this reliably, it may be useful if the rollers 12, or at least the holding mandrel 32, and optionally also the swivel arm 30 of the handling robot 18 are provided with suitable reference marks, which can be formed, for example, by marks that are clearly visible in space, so that they can serve the camera system 44 as clearly recognizable and spatially assignable markings.

The control unit 38 can also have a display device 58 or a display, via which information on the direction of rotation or the orientation of new rollers 12 in accordance with the direction of rotation and/or other control or movement parameters of the multi-axis robot 18 and/or the AGV can be visualized for the user 50. The direction of rotation or the orientation of new rollers 12 in accordance with the direction of rotation is preferably, as described below by way of example with reference to the 3 to 5 described, detected and/or checked by the camera 44 or possibly also by another camera that is connected to the control unit 38. Since the gripping and/or handling device 16 can remove the respective core 26 of an empty roll 20 from the packaging machine 14 and, with the aid of the camera 44 or the other cameras, independently inserts new rolls 12 with the appropriate direction of rotation or with an orientation that conforms to the direction of rotation into the packaging machine 14, the device 10 can be operated in a largely automated manner, at least from the start of receiving new rolls 12 from the respective pallet 52.

With reference to the 1 and 2 It should be added at this point that the gripping and/or handling device 16 shown or the handling robot 18 forming it could optionally also be present in double or triple versions, provided that the movement spaces 46 of the two or more handling robots 18 are coordinated with one another in such a way that no collisions can occur. However, since the length of the material web on the rollers 12 normally ensures longer, uninterrupted operation, the rollers 12 do not have to be replaced so frequently that the use of two or more handling robots 18 would be necessary.

However, a useful design variant can provide that a gripping and/or handling device 16 or a single handling robot 18 can supply two packaging lines or two packaging machines 14, wherein the movement space 46 is sensibly located between the two packaging machines 14 arranged approximately parallel, so that the feed area for new rolls 12 can also be connected to the horizontal conveyor device 28 (cf. 1 ) or pallet delivery (cf. 2 ) between the two packaging machines 14 and in the vicinity of the handling robot 18 as well as within its movement area 46. In this case, the handling robot 18 can alternately supply the two packaging machines 14 in regular operation with new rolls 12 and transfer the used rolls 20 to a common container 56 for subsequent or cyclical disposal. If the movement area 46 cannot be monitored with a single camera 44, for example because it is partially shaded, several cameras 44 can be present for monitoring the area.

In an alternative embodiment of the arrangement or device 10 according to the invention, which is not shown here, the gripping and/or handling device 16 mentioned or the 1 and 2 The handling robot 18 shown can even be completely dispensed with if the rolls 12 are fed by means of a suitable feeding device, which can be provided, for example, by the correspondingly extended horizontal conveyor device 28 (cf. 1 , 2 ) directly to the packaging machine 14 and, if necessary, by means of the mandrels 70 designed as active roll receivers (see the 3 ff.) and pulled and transported to the respective installation positions EB1, EB2. When feeding devices are mentioned in this context, these can be Feed belts, horizontal conveyors 28, mat chain conveyors or the like. The feed devices can also be formed by suitable AGVs (driverless, preferably autonomous or semi-autonomous transport systems, so-called shuttles), which transport the new rolls 12 directly to the packaging machine 14 and, if required, make the rolls 12 available to the receiving mandrels 70, which in this case act as active roll pick-ups and can pick up the new rolls 12 from the AGVs and bring them into the respective installation positions EB1, EB2 in the packaging machine 14.

The schematic perspective view of the 3 illustrates the previously mentioned installation positions EB1 and EB2 for the rollers 12, which are installed in the packaging machine 14 according to the variants 1 and or 2 Each of the installation positions EB1 and EB2 is defined by its own rotatable mandrel 70. Each of these mandrels 70, each of which is assigned a separate drive for rotating these mandrels 70, is also movable in the axial direction, in particular by means of motor drives, as will be explained below with reference to the 7 ff. is explained in more detail. Each of these two horizontally aligned mandrels 70 is acted upon by means of the gripping and/or handling device (cf. 1 and 2 ) a new roller 12 is put on and fixed by increasing the diameter of the receiving mandrels 70 by clamping the roller core 26 to the respective receiving mandrel 70. According to the invention, the replacement of the rollers 12 or 20 is supported and facilitated by corresponding axial movements of the receiving mandrels 70, as will be explained in more detail below.

The 3 also shows a welding bar 72, which is used to connect an outer layer 24 (cf. 4 , 5 ) of the new roller 12 inserted into the respective installation position EB1 or EB2 (cf. 4 ) with the material web 22 remaining in the packaging machine 14 and is lowered vertically for this purpose. After connecting the outer layer 24 (cf. 4 ) with the material web 22 remaining in the packaging machine 14, the tempered sealing bar 72 is raised vertically and into the 3 shown position.

In the presentation of the 3 In the first installation position EB1, a nearly used roll 20 sits on the mandrel 70 of the first installation position EB1 and is rotated by the mandrel 70 or by pulling off the material web 22. In this process, the packaging material or the shrink film of the roll 20 sitting on the mandrel 70 of the first installation position EB1 is unwound. In the second installation position EB2, a used roll 20 has already been completely unwound and the core 26 (cf. 1 and 2 ) via the handling device 16, so that the second installation position EB2 or the receiving mandrel 70 of the second installation position EB2 is ready to receive a new roll 12 with packaging material.

Each of the installation positions EB1 and EB2 can also be assigned its own sensor system or a camera 74, by means of which at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up rolls 20 can be optically detected. If a roll 20 is at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up, the respective camera 74 sends information about the respective at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up roll 20 to the control unit 38. The previously mentioned control unit 38 controls the gripping and/or handling device 18 or the handling robot 18 on the basis of numerous data, including the cameras 74 within the packaging machine 14 (see. 1 and 2 ) for removing the respective at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up roll 20 or for removing the core 26 of the respective at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up roll 20. In order for the at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up roll 20 to be able to be removed from its respective installation position EB1 or EB2, a clamping connection formed between the respective roll 20 and the receiving mandrel 70 is released beforehand. This is typically done by reducing the cross-sectional diameter of the respective receiving mandrel 70, whereby the roll core 26 can be pulled off. The release of the clamping connection or the reduction of the cross-sectional diameter of the receiving mandrels 70 is also specified by the control unit 38, as is the axial displacement of the mandrels 70 for better communication with the gripping and/or handling device 16 or with the handling robot 18 and its holding mandrel 32.

In order to remove the at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up roll 20 from its respective installation position EB1 or EB2, the receiving mandrel 70 is moved axially out of the packaging machine 14 and the gripping and/or handling device 16 is immersed over its holding mandrel 32 (cf. 6A) into the core 26 of the at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up roll 20. This is supported by an axial stop, explained in detail below, which interacts with the axially movable receiving mandrel 70 in such a way that the roll 20 is stripped off. By increasing the cross-sectional diameter of the receiving mandrel 32, the respective at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up roll 20 is then fixed to the holding mandrel 32 of the handling device 16 after it has been stripped from the receiving mandrel 70 of the packaging machine 14. An increase in the cross-sectional diameter of the holding mandrel 32 for clamping the roll 20 or the roll core 26 is also specified via the control unit 38. After fixing the at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up roll 20 to the holding mandrel 32, the at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up roll 20 is moved by means of the gripping and/or handling device 16 and under the specification of the control unit 38 in the direction of the container 56 (cf. 1 and 2 ) and deposited there by reducing the cross-sectional diameter of the holding mandrel 32.

After depositing the at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up roll 20 or core 26 in the container 56 (cf. 1 and 2 ), the gripping and/or handling device 16 is controlled via the control unit 38 to insert a new roll 12 into the respective installation position EB1 or EB2 within the packaging machine 14. Before this, a check of the direction of rotation or orientation in accordance with the direction of rotation of the respective new roll 12 can be carried out - preferably with the aid of the intermediate storage device 60 (cf. 2 ), as previously described. The device 10 can be operated automatically in this way. It should be mentioned at this point that the embodiment according to 3 is to be understood merely as an example, so that further embodiments are conceivable in which only one camera 74 is assigned to both installation positions EB1 and EB2, the detection range of which extends over the two installation positions EB1 and EB2. It is also possible to use the cameras 74 to check the direction of rotation or the orientation of new rolls 12 inserted into the installation positions EB1 and EB2 in accordance with the direction of rotation. If an incorrect direction of rotation or the orientation of new rolls 12 in accordance with the direction of rotation is determined in one of the two installation positions EB1 or EB2, the control unit 38 can initiate an alignment correction of the respective new roll 12 via the gripping and/or handling device 16. This can then remove the respective new roll 12 from its respective installation position EB1 or EB2 and place it on the intermediate storage 60 (cf. 2 ), pick up the roller 12 again with the appropriate direction of rotation and/or orientation that conforms to the direction of rotation and then reinsert it into its respective installation position EB1 or EB2 with the appropriate direction of rotation and/or orientation that conforms to the direction of rotation.

The further schematic perspective representation of the 4 shows the installation positions EB1 and EB2 according to the 3 with new roller 12 inserted for the second installation position EB2. Starting from 3 was presented in the 4 by means of the gripping and/or handling device 16 (cf. 1 and 2 ) a new roll 12 is pushed onto the mandrel 70 of the second installation position EB2 after the latter has been moved axially out of its installation position EB2 and, after the new roll 12 has been placed, moved back into the packaging machine 14. Furthermore, packaging material 22 or shrink film is unwound from the almost used or unwound and therefore soon to be removed roll 20 of the first installation position EB1, so that the packaging machine 14 (cf. 1 and 2 ) can continue to operate even when the roll 20 is replaced from the first installation position by switching to the new roll 12 in the second installation position EB2. If a new roll 12 is then inserted into the first installation position EB1, packaging material 22 or shrink film can continue to be unwound from the roll 12 in the second installation position EB2, whereby the required continuous and uninterrupted operation of the packaging machine 14 can be ensured.

The new roller 12 of the second installation position EB2 from 4 can optionally have an optically recognizable adhesive marking 76, which can be formed in particular by a reflective or inductively or otherwise detectable adhesive marking 76, which is applied to the outer layer 24 of the new roll 12 in the area of its free end. The camera 74 assigned to the second installation position EB2 is now able to check by means of the adhesive marking 76 whether the new roll 12 has been pushed onto the receiving mandrel 70 with the appropriate direction of rotation or with an orientation that conforms to the direction of rotation. A summary of the 4 and 5 can illustrate that with a new roll 12 in the second installation position EB2, the outer layer 24 is guided over the roll 12 from above and dips downwards. If the roll 12 were placed on the mandrel 70 in the second installation position EB2 with the wrong direction of rotation or with the wrong orientation in accordance with the direction of rotation, the outer layer 24 would point downwards away from the roll 12 and would therefore be difficult or impossible to grasp. In addition, this could potentially disrupt the unwinding behavior within the packaging machine 14 or the path of the material web. Alignment below the sealing bar 72 would therefore not be possible. Positioning new rolls 12 in accordance with the direction of rotation or inserting new rolls 12 in the respective installation position EB1 or EB2 with the appropriate direction of rotation is therefore indispensable in order to be able to ensure trouble-free operation of the device 10 or the packaging machine 14 in the subsequent material conveyance of the material webs 22.

If the adhesive marking 76 could be detected by the respective camera 74, the mandrel 70 is rotated until the adhesive marking 76 points in the direction of the opposite installation position EB1 or EB2. Only after this alignment of the adhesive marking 76 can a 5 A schematically illustrated gripping rod 78 of a gripping and/or handling device (not shown) movable in the packaging machine 14 between the installation positions EB1 and EB2 and the sealing bar 72 can grip the outer layer 24 of the new roll 12 and position it below the sealing bar 72. This gripping rod 78 can suck in and grip the outer layer 24 of the roll 12, for example by means of negative pressure.

However, it should be noted that embodiments are also conceivable in which the new rollers 12 do not have such a reflective adhesive marking 76 (corresponding to 4 ) and in which the cameras 74 detect an outer layer 24 of new rolls 12 or the free end areas of new rolls 12 without additional optical markings of the new rolls 12. Preferably, however, the optically detectable adhesive markings 76 have a coding not explained in more detail here, which can be detected by the cameras 74. In addition to locating the end region of the outer layer 24, this coding can preferably also clearly identify the direction of rotation of the roll 12, so that the adhesive marking 76 can already be used when handling the newly inserted roll 12 with the handling robot 18 to determine the direction of rotation and for the correct positioning of the end region of the outer layer 24, if necessary with additional inclusion of the intermediate storage 60. In this case, the adhesive marking 76 can preferably be detected by the room monitoring devices 42 or the camera 44 and the information content can be evaluated and made available to the control unit 38 in order to control the handling robot 18 and/or the intermediate storage 60 as required.

The installation positions EB1 and EB2 of the 3 and 4 with the outer layer 24 removed of the new roll 12 inserted into the second installation position EB2 shows the schematic perspective view of the 5 . It can be clearly seen here again that the outer layer 24 of the roll 12 positioned in the second installation position EB2 descends downwards from above, while the outer layer or material web 22 of the roll 20 inserted in the first installation position EB1 is guided from below. Both rolls 12 and 20 rotate on their respective associated mandrels 70 in the same direction of rotation, here anti-clockwise. Inserting the new rolls 12 in the correct direction of rotation is necessary to ensure trouble-free and functional operation of the device 10 or packaging machine 14 (see. 1 and 2 ) to ensure that it is possible to guarantee the highest possible quality of life.

It is therefore possible to use the cameras 74 to determine a direction of rotation or orientation that conforms to the direction of rotation within the packaging machine 14, and also to use the cameras 74 to detect rolls 20 that are at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up. Information on the direction of rotation or orientation that conforms to the direction of rotation of new rolls 12, as well as information on rolls 20 that are at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up, are passed on by the cameras 74 to the control unit 38, which can specify an alignment correction of new rolls 12 and a replacement of rolls 20 that are at least approximately unwound and/or used up with new rolls 12. This can be done in particular in a manner that is already described using the 2 with optional inclusion of the intermediate storage 60 which can be used to correct the direction of rotation. In order to determine the correct direction of rotation, however, it is advisable to use the camera 44 primarily and only secondarily the cameras 74 in order to then check the correct direction of rotation again after inserting the roll 12 in the packaging machine 14.

The schematic representations of the 6A and 6B show a part of the handling robot 18, which forms the gripping and/or handling device 16 for handling the rolls 12 in the device 10. The gripping arm or the arm section 34 of the handling robot 18 can be pivoted about the horizontally oriented axis 36, so that the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 can be aligned with a vertical orientation of its longitudinal axis for immersion in the core 26 of the respective new roll 12. If the respective new roll 12 has been grasped by means of the handling robot 18 or by means of the holding mandrel 32, the new roll 12 can be rotated about the axis 36 by a renewed pivoting movement of the gripping arm 34 and then moved into its respective assigned installation position EB1 or EB2 (cf. 3 to 5 ) can be used.

In addition, the 6A and 6B an optional additional camera 80. This optional camera 80 is mechanically coupled to the gripper arm 34 so that when the gripper arm 34 is guided together with it. If the gripping arm 34 is pivoted about the axis 36, a direction of rotation or orientation in accordance with the direction of rotation of one or more new rolls 12 can be determined by means of the camera 80. In order to enable appropriate evaluation and movement control for the gripping and/or handling device 16, the camera 80 is connected to the control unit 38, which controls the receipt of a new roll 12, which has a suitable direction of rotation or orientation in accordance with the direction of rotation, from the pallet 52 by means of the handling device 16.

Furthermore, the 6B the gripping and/or handling device 16 after picking up a new roll 12 with orientation conforming to the direction of rotation from a pallet 52 (cf. 6A) . As in 6B To recognize, the gripping arm 34 was moved from the position 6A around the axis 36, which in 6A in the direction of the image plane. The new roll 12 now has an at least approximately horizontal orientation and can be inserted into its respective associated installation position EB1 or EB2 in the packaging machine 14. Removal of the at least approximately completely unwound and/or used roll 20 from the respective installation position EB1 or EB2 also takes place with a horizontal orientation. To remove the at least approximately completely unwound and/or used roll 20 from its respective installation position EB1 or EB2, the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 32 dips into the core 26 of the at least approximately completely unwound and/or used roll 20, which can be supported by various aids, which are described below with reference to the 8th and 9 will be explained in more detail. By increasing the cross-sectional diameter of the holding mandrel 32, the respective at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up roll 20 is fixed to the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18. An increase in the cross-sectional diameter of the holding mandrel 32 is specified via the control unit 38.

The two schematic perspective views of the 7A and 7B illustrate the positioning process of a new roll 12 in one of the intended installation positions EB1 or EB2 in the packaging machine 14 (cf. 3 to 5 ). The 7A a new roll 12 with packaging material, which has already been pushed a short distance onto a receiving mandrel 70 in the packaging machine 14 and which has previously been separated from the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18. The holding mandrel 32 was then provided with a stamp attachment 82, which was temporarily fixed to the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 for the purpose of pushing the roll 12 onto the receiving mandrel 70 against an axial stop 84. This pushing process, with which the stamp attachment 82 presses against the front side of the roll 12 until it is pushed against the axial stop 84 and thus into its intended installation position EB1 or EB2, is in 7B After reaching the installation position EB1 or EB2, the handling robot 18 can be released from the roll 12 and assigned to new tasks.

The pushing down of a used or almost used up roll 20 from the receiving mandrel 70 and the takeover by the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 is, however, facilitated by means of a displaceable axial stop 84 and by means of a displaceable bearing of the rotatable receiving mandrel 70, as is shown in the 8A to 8D illustrate.

The two schematic perspective views of the 8A and 8B illustrate the different operating states of a device in the intended installation position EB1 or EB2 in the packaging machine 14 (cf. 3 to 5 ) on the mandrel 70 located roller 12 ( 8A) or a role removed from there ( 8B) While roll 12 is in the representation of the 8A ready for unrolling in the intended installation position EB1 or EB2, it was shown in the illustration of the 8B by moving the axial stop 84 from the receiving mandrel 70 and taken over, for example, by the handling robot 18 (not shown). The movable axial stop 84 is located on a base 86 that is movable parallel to the longitudinal direction of the receiving mandrel 70 and is held and movable in two parallel longitudinal guides 88. When the roller 12 is located on the receiving mandrel 70, the base 86, which is held in the longitudinal guides 88 and is horizontally movable, with the axial stop 84 is naturally close to a base 90 ( 8A) , which simultaneously forms the bearing and a drive 92 for the rotatingly driven mandrel 70.

As the two schematic side views of the 8C and 8D As can be seen from the drawings, the entire base 90 together with its drive 92 and the rotationally driven mandrel 70 is preferably designed to be displaceable along the two parallel horizontal guides 88, which facilitates the loading of the mandrel 70 with a new roll 12 and the removal of a used roll by the handling robot 18 according to the method according to the invention.

The 8C shows a roller 12 positioned on the mandrel 70. The base 90 with the drive 92 is located on a right ten stop, where the roll 12 is ready for unwinding in the packaging machine 14. The axial stop 84 has moved with its base 86 against the base 90 so that it is not in contact with the roll 12. The 8D also shows the roll 12 positioned on the mandrel 70. The base 90 with the drive 92 is shifted to the left, as is the axial stop 84, which rests with its base 86 on the base 90 and has thus also moved to the left. The mandrel 70, which is rotatably mounted on the base 70, together with the roll 12 located on it, has moved out a little from the installation position EB1 or EB2, so that the roll 12 is not in a position suitable for unwinding, but in a removal or loading position, in which it can easily be taken over by the handling robot 18 or transferred to the packaging machine 14. In particular, the 8D The position shown can form the starting position for pushing the roller 12 down from the mandrel 70 when the base 90 with the mandrel 70 is moved to the right into the original operating position (according to 8C ) while the base 86 with the axial stop 84 remains in place (according to 8D ). The mandrel 70 moves out of the roll core 26, while the axial stop 84 rests against the front of the roll 12 and holds it in place. This allows the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 to be pushed into the released roll core 26 and the roll 12 can finally be taken over from the receiving mandrel 70 and pulled off.

In addition, it should be noted that the receiving mandrel 70 can be adjusted in the axial direction to align and centrally position a newly inserted roll 12 as precisely as possible in relation to the packaging material to be unwound from the roll 12. This can be done by adjusting the base 90 accordingly using the drive 92. In this way, the axial adjustability of the receiving mandrels 70 defined in connection with the easier insertion of new rolls 12 into the packaging machine 14 can also be used to position the newly inserted rolls 12 exactly in the middle in relation to the material web to be unwound. It is therefore not always absolutely necessary to push the roll 12 onto the receiving mandrel 70 by a precisely defined amount, since after the roll 12 has been pushed on approximately the right amount, the latter can itself ensure the exact fine adjustment in order to convey the material web into the packaging machine 14 in exactly the right alignment.

Optionally, the axial position of the mandrel 70 can be readjusted several times during the ongoing unwinding operation of the packaging material from the roll 12, in particular to compensate for winding inaccuracies and/or changes in the position of the packaging material during the packaging operation. This readjustment can be monitored and initiated, for example, by means of cameras or suitable optical sensor devices. The adjustability or readjustment of the mandrel 70 can be carried out, for example, by means of a pneumatic, hydraulic or electric motor drive 92.

The 9 shows in a total of six schematic side views ( 9A to 9F) the process sequences when inserting a new roll 12 with flat or film material into a packaging machine 14, into one of the installation positions EB1 or EB2. The gripping and/or handling device 16 or the handling robot 18 delivers a new roll 12, which is pushed onto the center of the holding mandrel 32, to the packaging machine 14 in order to be able to push it onto the respective receiving mandrel 70 of the installation position EB1 or EB2 ( 9A) . The holding mandrel 32 is completely immersed in the core 26 of the new roll 12 and extends approximately one third over the entire length of the core 26 and thus the width of the roll 12, which makes it possible to push the roll 12 onto the receiving mandrel 70 by two thirds of its width. While the handling robot 18 approaches the packaging machine 14 ( 9A) , the base 90 together with the pivoted mandrel 70 moves along the longitudinal guide 88 to the left in the direction of the roller 12 (cf. 9B) , the core 26 of which is already exactly aligned with the receiving mandrel 70, whereby the handling robot 18 can push the roll 12 onto the receiving mandrel 70 by further movement to the right to approximately two thirds of its width (cf. 9C ).

The base 90 is still in its position extended to the left, which is maintained until the roller 12 is completely pushed onto the receiving mandrel 70. This pushing on is carried out by placing the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 off-center on the front side of the roller 12 facing away from the receiving mandrel 70 (cf. 9D ) and by further pushing the roller 12 to the right onto the receiving mandrel 70 until the opposite end face of the roller 12 facing the base 90 has reached the axial stop 84 which is arranged close to the base 90 (cf. Fig. E). As soon as this is the case, the roller 12 has reached the intended axial position on the receiving mandrel 70, so that the base 90 together with the receiving mandrel 70 and the roller 12 positioned on it can move back into the intended installation position EB1 or EB2 in the packaging machine 14 (cf. 9F) , where the film or flat material is pulled off the roll 12 and used for packaging objects, piece goods, etc. (not shown; see the 3 to 5 ) can be used.

In principle, it would also be possible to extend the mandrel even further than in 9C shown, so that the handling device 16 does not have to perform any further stroke in the direction of the mandrel. However, the range of motion of the gripping and/or handling device 16 or the handling robot 18 is normally sufficient to be able to place the roll 12 on the receiving mandrel 70 in the manner shown. The particular advantage of the method shown and the device according to 9 is that the robot 18 disappears completely from the operating area and can devote itself to preparing the next rolls 12. This means that another manipulator for picking up the rolls 12 for the buffer system can be saved.

It is not necessary to mention at this point that the roll 12 with its roll core 26 is clamped onto the holding mandrel 32 as long as it is to be fixed there ( 9A , 9B , 9C ). This clamp is then opened to release the core 26 when the roll 12 has been pushed onto the mandrel 70 ( 9C ). Only after the roll 12 has been completely pushed onto the mandrel 70 is the roll core 26 firmly clamped there ( 9E , 9F) .

The 10 shows in a total of six schematic side views ( 10A to 10F) the process sequences when discharging a used roll 20 from the packaging machine 14 from one of the installation positions EB1 or EB2. The roll 20 to be replaced, which is located on the receiving mandrel 70, is moved to the left by moving the base 90 on the longitudinal guides 88 (cf. 10A) , in the direction of the gripping and/or handling device (not yet visible here). As soon as the base 90 has reached the left stop, the axial stop 84, which is also guided so as to be movable on the longitudinal guides 88, remains in its leftmost position, while the base 90 moves away to the right from the axial stop 84, so that the latter strips or pushes the roller 20 off the mandrel 70 to the left (cf. 10B) . The base 90 with the pivotally mounted mandrel 70 is moved further to the right in the direction of the installation position EB1 or EB2, while the axial stop 84 with the roller 20 held thereon remains in the left stop position (cf. 10C ).

Only when the mandrel 70 is pulled out of the roll core 26 by about half ( 10C ), the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 is inserted there (cf. 10D ) and is clamped in the core 26 in order to be able to pull the roll 20 off the mandrel 70. This pulling process is in 10E The used roll 20 can then be disposed of. The 10F shows how the base 90 together with the pivoting mandrel 70 mounted on it after the roller 20 has been removed (cf. 10E) is moved all the way to the left to the axial stop 84 which is still there, which is a ready position for taking over a new roll 12 (cf. 9B and 9C ) forms.

It is not necessary to mention at this point that the roll 20 with its roll core 26 is clamped onto the mandrel 70 as long as it is to be fixed there ( 10A) . This clamp is then opened to release the core 26 when the roller 20 is to be moved relative to the mandrel 70, as shown in the 10B and 10C the case. The holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 is also initially loosely inserted into the core 26 ( 10D ) before it is clamped to take over the roll 20 and thus firmly fixes the roll 20 ( 10E) .

The 11 shows in a total of six schematic side views ( 11 A until 11 F) the exact axial alignment of a new roll 12 on the mandrel 70 for the exact positioning of the roll 12 in one of the installation positions EB1 or EB2 in the packaging machine 14. The 11 A shows the mandrel 70 positioned to match the machine center (dash-dotted vertical line), on which the roll 12, also positioned in the center, should sit so that it assumes its optimal position for smooth unwinding of the material web.

To take over a new roll 12, the base 90 with the mandrel 70 and the axial stop 84 are moved to the left along the guide rails 88 (cf. 11B) . When the roller 12 is completely pushed on (see the 9E) , it may be in a non-optimal axial position on the mandrel 70; for example, it may be pushed onto it a little too far, as shown in the 11C This inappropriate positioning can be corrected by pulling the base 90 back to the right with the axial stop 84 fixed, whereby the mandrel 70 is also displaced by a defined amount relative to the roller 12 fixed by the stop 84 (cf. 11D ). As soon as the desired adjustment of the roller 12 on the mandrel 70 is achieved, the latter is moved back to the left by moving the base 90 to the axial stop 84 (cf. 11E) , whereby the roller 12 is removed from the axial stop 84. By moving the base 90 together with the axial stop 84 to the right into the installation position EB1 or EB2, the roll 12 is brought into an exact alignment with the machine center (dash-dotted vertical line), which corresponds to the desired final installation position EB1 or EB2, at which the roll 12 can be unwound in the packaging machine 14.

At this point, with particular reference to the 7 ff. it is emphasized again that the gripping and/or handling device 16 shown or the handling robot 18 shown is not absolutely necessary for inserting and removing new rolls 12. In a corresponding manner, the exchange of the rolls 12 or 20 is also possible by means of an interaction of the axially movable receiving mandrels 70 and the horizontal conveyor device 28 extending to the packaging machine 14 for the delivery of new rolls 12 or also by interaction of the receiving mandrels 70 with AGVs, which can travel directly to the packaging machine 14, as already indicated above.

The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that modifications or variations of the invention can be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

List of reference symbols

10

contraption

12

Role, new role

14

Packaging machine

16

Gripping device, handling device, gripping and/or handling device

18

Multi-axis robots, handling robots

20

Roll, used roll, partially unwound roll, partially used roll, empty roll

22

Material web, packaging material

24

outer layer, outer material web

26

Core, roll core

28

Horizontal conveyor

30

boom arm, swivel arm

32

Retaining pin

34

Arm section, gripper arm

36

Rotation axis, horizontally oriented axis

38

Control unit

40

Output signals, signals, spatial data, motion data, sensor data

42

Room monitoring device

44

optical detection device, camera

46

Movement space

48

manipulator

50

User, operator

52

palette

54

Retaining pin

56

Container

58

Display device

60

Clipboard

70

Mandrel, receiving mandrel, holding mandrel

72

Welding bar

74

camera

76

Adhesive marking, optically recognizable/reflective adhesive marking

78

Grab bar

80

Camera, additional camera (of the handling robot)

82

Stamp attachment

84

axial stop

86

movable base

88

Longitudinal guide, parallel longitudinal guides

90

base

92

Drive

EB1

first installation position

EB2

second installation position

Claims (20)

Method for feeding, providing and/or for largely uninterrupted handling and/or exchanging rolls (12, 20) with flat and/or film material wound thereon and used as packaging material (22) for packaging piece goods, containers or similar article assemblies, in which at least approximately completely unwound and/or used rolls (20) are alternately removed from at least two different installation positions (EB1, EB2) of a packaging machine (14) in order to maintain a continuous packaging operation and a new roll (12) with flat and/or film material is then inserted into the respective installation position (EB1, EB2), wherein new rolls (12) of the packaging machine (14) are provided in a defined feed and inserted into the respective installation position (EB1, EB2) after a used roll (20) has previously been removed there, wherein the installation positions (EB1, EB2) in the packaging machine (14) are each defined by rotatable receiving mandrels (70) for rotatably receiving and centering the rolls (12) with flat and/or film material to be unwound in the packaging machine (14), and wherein the rotatable receiving mandrels (70) are adjusted in their respective axial direction when an at least approximately completely unwound and/or used roll (20) is removed from one of the installation positions (EB1, EB2) and/or when a new roll (12) is inserted into one of the installation positions (EB1, EB2) and at least partially moved out of the respective installation position (EB1 or EB2) from the Packaging machine (14) and moved in the direction of the defined feed. Procedure according to Claim 1 in which at least new rolls (12) are conveyed directly to the packaging machine (14) and are made available for insertion into the respective installation position (EB1, EB2) and for takeover by the respective rotatable receiving mandrel (70). Procedure according to Claim 1 or 2 , in which the rotatable receiving mandrels (70) are moved by a motor in their respective axial direction, in particular for taking over a new roll (12). Method according to one of the Claims 1 until 3 , in which the rotatable receiving mandrels (70) are moved by a motor in their respective axial direction in coordination with the movements of the gripping and/or handling device (16). Method according to one of the Claims 1 until 4 , in which the gripping and/or handling device (16) is formed by a multi-axis robot (18) which picks up new rolls (12) from the defined feed and places them in the packaging machine (14). Method according to one of the Claims 1 until 5 , in which, for inserting a new roll (12) into the packaging machine (14), the roll (12) is transferred by means of the defined feed and/or a handling device associated therewith to the receiving mandrel (70) which has been moved at least partially out of the packaging machine (14) and is pushed onto the latter, after which the receiving mandrel (70) is moved in the axial direction into its installation position (EB1, EB2) provided for unwinding the roll (12). Method according to one of the Claims 1 until 5 , in which, for inserting a new roll (12) into the packaging machine (14), the roll (12) is transferred by means of the gripping and/or handling device (16) to the receiving mandrel (70) which has been moved at least partially out of the packaging machine (14) and is pushed onto the latter, after which the receiving mandrel (70) is moved in the axial direction into its installation position (EB1, EB2) provided for unwinding the roll (12). Method according to one of the Claims 1 until 7 , in which, in order to replace an at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up roll (20) in the packaging machine (14), the receiving mandrel (70) is moved out of the respective installation position (EB1, EB2) in the axial direction and the roll (20) is transferred to the gripping and/or handling device (16) by a stop element (84) movable in a direction parallel to the receiving mandrel (70) pushing the roll (20) at least partially off the receiving mandrel (70) and onto a holding mandrel (32) of the gripping and/or handling device (16), after which the receiving mandrel (70) is moved back in the axial direction in the direction of its installation position (EB1, EB2) at least so far until the roll (20) is almost completely stripped off. Method according to one of the Claims 1 until 8th , in which a position in accordance with the direction of rotation of each roll (12) to be newly inserted into the packaging machine (14) is checked during its handling by the gripping and/or handling device (16) and corrected if necessary. Device (10) for feeding, providing and/or for largely uninterrupted handling and/or exchanging rolls (12, 20) with flat and/or film material wound thereon and used as packaging material (22) for packaging piece goods, containers or similar article assemblies, in which at least approximately completely unwound and/or used rolls (20) can be removed alternately from at least two different installation positions (EB1, EB2) of a packaging machine (14) in order to maintain a continuous packaging operation and can be replaced by new rolls (12) with flat and/or film material for the respective installation position (EB1, EB2), with devices for providing new rolls (12) for the packaging machine (14) in a defined feed and for taking over the rolls (12) from the defined feed and for inserting the new rolls (12) into the respective installation position (EB1, EB2) of the packaging machine (14) and/or for removing used rolls (20) from the respective installation positions (EB1, EB2) of the packaging machine machine, wherein the installation positions (EB1, EB2) in the packaging machine (14) are each defined by rotatable receiving mandrels (70) for the rotatable receiving and centered holding of the rolls (12) with flat and/or film material to be unwound in the packaging machine (14), and wherein the rotatable receiving mandrels (70) for the removal of an at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up roll (20) from one of the installation positions (EB1, EB2) and/or when inserting a new roll (12) into one of the installation positions (EB1, EB2) are adjustable in their respective axial direction and at least partially movable from the respective installation position (EB1, EB2) out of the packaging machine (14) and in the direction of the defined feed. Device according to Claim 10 , in which the rotatable mandrels (70) are each assigned motor drives for their respective axial adjustment. Device according to Claim 10 or 11 , in which the rotatable receiving mandrels (70) are each assigned separately adjustable axial stop elements (84) which are motor-adjustable with the receiving mandrels (70) or against their axial direction of movement parallel to them. Device according to one of the Claims 10 until 12 , in which the gripping and/or handling device (16) is formed by a multi-axis robot (18) which picks up new rolls (12) from the defined feed and places them in the packaging machine (14). Device according to Claim 13 , in which the handling device (16) or the multi-axis robot (18) has a holding mandrel (32) which dips into the front side of the new rolls (12) designed as a hollow body, increases its maximum cross-sectional diameter and hereby fixes the respective new roll (12) by clamping it to the handling device (16) or the multi-axis robot (18). Device according to one of the Claims 10 until 14 , in which the gripping and/or handling device (16) for inserting a new roll (12) into the packaging machine (14) is equipped for transferring this roll (12) to the receiving mandrel (70) which can be moved at least partially out of the packaging machine (14) and for sliding it onto the latter, wherein the receiving mandrel (70) can then be moved in the axial direction into its installation position (EB1, EB2) provided for unwinding the roll (12). Device according to one of the Claims 10 until 15 , in which, in order to replace an at least approximately completely unwound and/or used up roll (20) in the packaging machine (14), the receiving mandrel (70) can be moved out in the axial direction from the respective installation position (EB1, EB2) in order to transfer the roll (20) to the gripping and/or handling device (16) by a stop element (84) movable in a direction parallel to the receiving mandrel (70) pushing the roll (20) at least partially off the receiving mandrel (70) and onto a receiving mandrel (32) of the gripping and/or handling device (16), after which the receiving mandrel (70) can be moved back in the axial direction in the direction of its installation position (EB1 EB2) at least so far until the roll (20) has been almost completely stripped off. Rotatable receiving mandrel (70) which is motor-adjustable in its axial longitudinal extension direction within a packaging machine (14) and which is designed to define one of several installation positions (EB1, EB2) for rolls (12, 20) with flat and/or film material wound thereon and used as packaging material (22) for packaging piece goods, containers or similar article assemblies, wherein the rotatable receiving mandrel (70) is adjustable in its respective axial direction for the removal of an at least approximately completely unwound and/or used roll (20) from one of the installation positions (EB1, EB2) and/or when inserting a new roll (12) into one of the installation positions (EB1, EB2) and is at least partially movable from the respective installation position (EB1, EB2) out of the packaging machine (14) and in the direction of a defined feed, and wherein the receiving mandrel (70) is designed to align and centrally position a newly inserted roll (12) is adjustable in the axial direction with respect to the packaging material (22) to be unwound from the roll (12). Mandrel according to Claim 17 , the axial position of which can be readjusted when unwinding the packaging material (22) from the roll (12) to compensate for winding inaccuracies and/or changes in the position of the packaging material (22) during the packaging operation. Mandrel according to Claim 17 or 18 which is adjustable and/or readjustable in the axial longitudinal direction by means of a pneumatic, hydraulic or electric motor drive (92). Mandrel according to one of the Claims 17 until 19 , which is part of a device (10) according to one of the Claims 10 until 16 is, where the device (10) has a number of identical receiving mandrels (70) corresponding to the number of installation positions (EB1, EB2).