DE102018131988A1 - Device and method for handling and / or packaging articles - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for packaging and / or bundling articles (14) by combining several articles (14) into bundles and / or for transferring several articles (14) into outer packaging (22) is disclosed. In the method, at least one article group is detected by means of a manipulator (28) and fed to a packaging and / or container formation station (10) and / or inserted into a ready outer packaging (22). It is provided that at least one of the manipulators (28 ) Applied articles (14) before being passed on to the packaging and / or container formation station (10) or before being inserted into the prepared outer packaging (22) at least at one point on its outside with printing ink and / or a permanently adhering coating and / or is provided with at least one equipment element adhering to the outside of at least one article (14). In addition to the method, a packaging and / or container formation device (10) is also disclosed which is particularly suitable for carrying out the method.

Description

The present invention relates to a packaging and / or container formation device with the features of independent claim 1. The invention also relates to a method for packaging or bundling articles or for transferring several articles into outer packaging with the features of the independent method claim.

Specially equipped handling devices are used for the automated loading of outer packaging with article groups, such as for filling or loading beverage crates or cartons with beverage containers or bottles, which have, for example, movable tool heads or gripper heads with controllable bottle grippers or are formed by. These gripper heads are to be positioned above the outer packaging to be loaded during the insertion process of the articles, containers or bottles so that the articles, containers or bottles can be inserted from above without risk of collision. The bottle grippers in the gripper heads of the handling devices can be formed, for example, by suction grippers or the like.

Increasing demands are being placed on the positioning accuracy of the handling devices, since the requirements regarding the product throughput to be achieved with modern packaging machines are also increasing. The increasing handling, processing and packaging speeds in turn result in higher demands on the precision of all acquisition and positioning processes.

However, it turns out that an isolated view of the ever increasing product throughput in packaging machines can lead to losing sight of other technical aspects, especially if this can lead to conflicting goals. Such an important technical aspect when filling liquids into containers, in particular when filling drinks into PET containers or bottles, consists in the external appearance and / or the equipment of these containers or bottles, especially since this external appearance and / or equipment in As a rule, the focus is on the end customer, while manufacturing parameters such as packaging that is as quick and easy as possible for the filling and packaging companies hardly need to interest the end customer.

Every treatment step that has to take place between the filling of the containers with liquid and the container formation, packaging and / or palletizing, for example by labeling the containers, is inevitably associated with additional expenditure, which usually also leads to a loss of speed and must therefore lead to a reduction in the product throughput that can be achieved with the respective packaging process.

In addition to known labeling processes, alternative treatment processes for the design and coloring of containers are also known. For example, containers and bottles can also be supplied with printing ink by means of so-called direct printing processes, which can be applied directly to the surface of the container or optionally sprayed onto labels previously attached there. However, there are no other important considerations to be taken into account here as with labeling, since the various direct printing processes also result in reduced product throughput due to the associated handling effort compared to not using such printing.

The significantly increased handling effort can be traced, for example, on the basis of known publications. For example, in this context DE 10 2014 218 361 A1 , on the WO 2017/032553 A1 , on the WO 2017/084804 A1 , on the WO 2018/108361 A1 or on the WO 2018/114097 A1 to get expelled. Each of these documents shows that the containers for an error-free printed image have to be guided precisely and brought to the print heads with comparatively considerable additional expenditure and only then can further processing and / or packaging steps be added.

In view of the potentially occurring trade-offs in the handling and packaging of articles, such as containers, which are to be subjected to additional treatment steps in connection with influencing or changing the external appearance or design, it can be regarded as a primary aim of the invention to use established packaging processes suitable place to add additional procedural steps with which the articles to be packaged and / or to be combined can be subjected to further treatments without significantly reducing the processing speed.

This object of the invention is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are described by the respective dependent claims.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned aim, the present invention proposes in addition to the packaging and / or described in various design variants below Container formation device a method for packaging and / or bundling articles by combining several articles into containers and / or for transferring several articles into outer packaging. The packages mentioned here and those combined by at least two packages or article combinations can be formed, for example, by so-called strapping packages, by film packages, by shrink film packages, by so-called adhesive packages, etc.

A strapping pack means, for example, an article grouping, which is combined by a horizontal strapping stretched around the article or by several strapping tapes. A film package can be produced, for example, by wrapping a group of articles with a stretchable and / or heat-shrinkable film web, a shrink film package normally already being subjected to a heat treatment, so that the film wraps the articles held together in this way under a pretension. Adhesive containers can in particular be formed by grouping articles with articles adhering to one another on their lateral surfaces.

On the one hand, the types of containers mentioned here are not to be understood as conclusive in connection with the present invention, since there are further types of containers with alternative connection and / or liability options. On the other hand, the container variants mentioned here can also occur in a variety of combinations, since, for example, an article grouping can be formed by articles adhesively attached to one another, which are then wrapped with stretch or shrink film and, if necessary, a heat treatment for curing the adhesive points and / or for shrinking the enveloping film can be subjected.

The containers or receptacles referred to here as outer packaging are intended to hold at least one article group formed from several articles. Such outer packaging can be formed, for example, by simple cardboard boxes, optionally with compartments arranged therein, by beverage crates or crates or by other suitable containers. Also so-called trays, i.e. Cardboard underlays with the edges of the articles or containers that are folded upwards at the side can fall under the term packaging used here.

The method according to the invention provides that in each case at least one article group is detected by means of at least one manipulator and fed to a packaging and / or container formation station and processed into a container by combining the articles of the article group and / or inserted or inserted into a ready outer packaging. This means that the bundles can be packed separately after they have been combined by inserting them into an outer packaging. Repeat packaging of this type is frequently used in order to accommodate a plurality of containers in a regular arrangement there, in order to subsequently feed them to a further handling and / or packaging step, such as palletizing.

The special feature that characterizes the method according to the invention is that at least one of the articles detected by the at least one manipulator is passed on to the outside of the packaging and / or container formation station or before it is inserted into the available outer packaging with printing ink and / or a permanently adhesive coating is applied and / or is provided with at least one equipment element adhering to the outside of the at least one article. Here, the technically achievable control and positioning accuracy of the available manipulators is used, as they are not only able to transfer the recorded items with high precision into the available packaging or a packaging and / or container formation station while maintaining strict compliance to provide spatial tolerances. The positioning performance achievable with the manipulators can also be used to advantage to move the articles transferred to a destination on their way past the printing and / or application devices prepared for this purpose, so that they have a coating, printing and / or other equipment can be provided. This means that print images, barcodes, spray labels, individual labels, so-called tracking IDs, RFIDs or the like can be applied to the articles as required.

While it is known from the prior art to transport circular containers received in container receptacles of a transport device along a transport path to a direct print head or to several direct print heads of a direct printing press and there to apply a flat direct print thereon in cooperation with a rotational movement of the containers, whereby for one multi-color printing the containers are usually transported to several direct print heads, the present invention provides a novel and previously unknown and therefore also practically unused application of the known direct printing method and / or a known application method in connection with article handling in the field of packaging technology. Since it was important when packaging items such as bottles and containers of all kinds, they were filled and labeled or directly printed To have printed containers or bottles available in order to combine them into containers without interference and / or to pack them in any other way, it did not seem sensible to intervene in the packaging process in order to carry out the labeling or printing of the containers or bottles only there.

For this purpose, the invention can provide an advantageous method for transferring outer packaging located in a preparation position and / or transported in mass flow and / or in series transport into stationary or continuously or intermittently moving outer packaging, these outer packaging being provided for this purpose, at least one each include multiple article groups. The process variant described here provides for at least one article group to be formed using at least one manipulator, e.g. by or having a gripper head, to be grasped and lifted from the supply position and / or from the mass flow and / or the row transport and inserted from above into one of the outer packaging that is ready or that is moving alongside or along the conveyor line or alongside the mass flow or the row transport of the articles or use, after which the outer packaging can be removed. The method variant described here also provides that at least one of the articles detected by the manipulator is subjected to printing ink and / or a permanently adhering coating on at least one location on its outside and / or at least one outside of the at least one article before being inserted into the outer packaging provided adhesive equipment element is provided.

The method according to the invention can in particular provide for the at least one manipulator to be able to pack the at least one article to be packaged and / or to be combined with other articles to form a container before being passed on to the packaging and / or container formation station or before being inserted into the available outer packaging on at least one stationary print and / or application head moves past, which acts on the outside of the article with printing ink and / or a coating and / or provides the equipment element. As mentioned, the manipulator can comprise, for example, a gripper head which is provided and equipped to simultaneously grasp several articles in order to guide them past or along the print heads before they are placed or inserted into downstream handling stations.

The manipulator can have a wide variety of configurations. Thus, in particular, the gripper heads mentioned can be used as manipulators, which, for example, have a portal suspension which allows them to be moved and moved in at least two, but in particular three, directions of movement. Optionally, the manipulators can also have multi-axis robots or so-called parallel kinematics robots, which can have a tool head that is movable in this way in space with a gripper head that is movable and possibly rotatable. The gripper head can be designed, for example, as a bottle gripper with a plurality of suction grippers or with other mechanically acting gripping and / or locking devices for gripping, handling and positioning the articles, containers or bottles.

The at least one print and / or application head can be formed, for example, by a stationary direct print head, past which the at least one article can be moved past and / or can be moved past several times in different directions to produce a print image. The application and / or print heads are, for example, direct print heads; the articles can be moved up and down and / or rotated by means of the manipulator at a defined short distance from them while they are being printed.

If, in this context, there is talk of a stationary print and / or application head or of several stationary print and / or application heads, past which the articles are moved, this also means height-adjustable print and / or application heads, to which the Articles are brought by means of the manipulator and held there, while the print and / or application head or the print and / or application heads could be moved up and down with a movement along the surface to be printed.

Optionally, the at least one article can also be moved in succession past two or more printing and / or application heads, each of which can apply different printing inks and / or different substances to the outside of the article. For example, this successive passing of several print heads for different colors can enable multi-color printing with several transfer positions. It is also conceivable to apply the most varied variants of barcodes or other markings when using print heads. Using so-called application heads, labels or e.g. RFID tags or the like can be attached to the outside of the articles.

Another method variant is also conceivable, in which at least two articles captured by the manipulator at the same time by different treatments, each with different print and / or application images and / or with each different equipment elements are loaded or equipped. For example, individual bottles of a batch, ie within the manipulator or gripper head, can be printed differently, which provides great degrees of freedom when compiling batches to be designed individually. For each pallet layer, for example, different article or container combinations can be created, which can be done by appropriate program controls when printing the articles contained in each individual cycle of manipulator handling or implementation.

A further option of the method according to the invention can provide an intermediate step in that the at least one article is first transferred from the manipulator to a turntable and placed and fixed there, in order to be able to rotate and / or lift and lower at least one stationary pressure and / or or to be moved past the application head, which applies printing ink and / or a coating to the outside of the article and / or provides the equipment element, after which the at least one article is passed on to the packaging and / or container formation station and / or to the available outer packaging .

Here, too, it should be mentioned in addition that the turntables are usually not moved along the stationary, stationary printing and / or application heads by lifting and lowering movements, but that in such a case the turntables normally only rotate and remain unchanged in height, while the pressure and / or application head can be height-adjustable.

In the case of such a method variant, it can be provided that the articles are first placed on a turntable before being conveyed on, where the printing ink or the equipment are applied to them. Again, stationary printing units are used for this, so that the turntables can be made height adjustable. Usually, however, the print and / or application heads are adjustable in height, while the turntables only rotate. I.e. the turntables can at least rotate and optionally be moved up and down in relation to the printheads or equipment applicators. The use of the turntable provided in this variant of the method can have different advantages, such as the particularly exact printing or the possibility of using the turntable as an intermediate store in order to be able to dry the article or container printing better before the articles or containers are removed from the turntable be removed and carried on.

In order to create sufficient space for the manipulator to place the articles on the turntables and to remove them from the turntables, it may be sensible to remove the print and / or application heads at least slightly from the manipulators during the placement and / or removal process Distance turntables to bring them closer again for the actual printing or application process. This can also be done from several sides if a corresponding number of print and / or application heads are grouped at several locations around the rotary plate or, for example, are arranged on opposite sides of the latter. In this case, it can be useful to distance the print and / or application heads somewhat from one another and thus to give the manipulator enough room for movement, thereby reducing the risk of collisions between the articles and / or the manipulator and the print and / or application heads can be.

In addition, it can be provided in the method that the articles are dried by means of suitable devices, i.e. by means of suitable devices, prior to the application of their outer sides with printing ink and / or a permanently adhesive coating and / or before they are equipped with at least one equipment element adhering to the outside of the respective article. any remaining liquid or moisture residues, if any, must be removed. To dry the outer surfaces of the articles before further processing, they can e.g. be exposed to hot air, electromagnetic radiation, etc. to ensure reliable drying and dehumidification. For this purpose, a drying device can optionally be used in front of the machine and / or immediately before printing or application, since wet bottles / cans can possibly be a problem when printing and / or applying applications.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned aim, in addition to the method described in various design variants and modifications, the present invention furthermore proposes a packaging and / or container formation device with the features of the independent device claim, which in particular involves packaging and / or bundling articles by combining several articles Containers, ie For example, of strapping containers, film containers, shrink film containers, adhesive containers etc., and / or the transfer of several articles into outer packaging, these outer packaging in each case receiving at least one article group formed from several articles.

This packaging and / or container formation device according to the invention comprises at least one transport section or staging area for in particular grouped articles, a handling and / or packaging station for packaging and / or bundling articles by combining several articles into bundles and / or for transferring several articles into outer packaging, each of which can accommodate at least one article group formed from several articles, and at least a manipulator which can be moved between the transport section or staging area and the handling and / or packaging station and which can capture at least one article group and feed it to the handling and / or packaging station and / or insert or insert the at least one article group into a ready-made outer packaging.

In addition, the packaging and / or container formation device according to the invention comprises at least one direct printing and / or application station located between the transport section or staging area and the handling and / or packaging station and accessible by the at least one manipulator for loading the articles or at least one of the articles on at least one Place their respective outer sides with printing ink and / or a permanently adhesive coating and / or for attaching at least one equipment element adhering to the outside of the at least one article. For example, print images, barcodes, spray markings, tracking codes, RFID tags or other markings, e.g. individual markings for individual printing or application processes, can be attached to or attached to the articles.

In the packaging and / or container formation device according to the invention, the direct printing and / or application station can optionally comprise at least one fixed direct printing head which can be reached by the manipulator, which manipulator together with the detected articles or with the at least one detected article on its movement to the at least one Direct print head can be moved in order to move the at least one article to be printed and / or coated past the at least one direct print head and / or to move past several times in different directions in order to generate a print image. The movements of the manipulator with the articles held on it depend on the print image to be achieved in each case; the articles can be moved up and down and / or rotated as needed using the manipulator while the direct print head generates the print image on the article.

It is also conceivable, depending on the degree of complexity of the printed image, to move the at least one article in succession past two or more printing and / or application heads of the direct printing and / or application station, these two or more printing and / or application heads each having different printing colors and / or can apply different substances to the outside of the article. E.g. For example, the articles can be moved past one another in succession at several print heads for different colors, as a result of which, for example, multicolor printing with several transfer positions is made possible. Optionally, barcodes or other markings can also be applied; RFID tags or other equipment elements can also be attached to the articles.

The device can also be equipped in such a way that at least two articles simultaneously gripped by the manipulator are acted upon or equipped by different treatment, each with different print and / or application images and / or with different equipment elements. In this way, for example, individual bottles of a batch, i.e. can be printed differently within the manipulator or gripper head.

A further embodiment variant of the device according to the invention can optionally have at least one, in particular a plurality of turntables for receiving, fixing and for rotating and / or lifting and lowering movement of the article to be coated on its outer sides with printing ink and / or a coating and / or to be equipped with an equipment element exhibit. These turntables are assigned to the direct printing and / or application station and are operatively connected to it. Normally, however, it will make more sense not to make the turntable itself liftable and lowerable, but rather the print and / or application heads, so that sufficiently large print images can be carried out on the articles rotatably fixed on the turntables.

In this or a similar variant of the device, the article or articles can be transferred from a manipulator to a turntable in a conveying section between a take-over position and a depositing position, and can be placed and fixed there in order to be rotated on at least one stationary and possibly to be moved past in relation to the turntable, which can be raised and lowered, by means of a printing and / or application head which applies ink and / or a coating to the outside of the article and / or provides the equipment element, after which the at least one article is passed on to the packaging - And / or container formation station and / or to the available packaging. The turntable can at least rotate and optionally also move up and down, and in relation to the printheads or equipment applicators.

In order to prevent articles with residual moisture still adhering to their outer sides being treated with inadequate print quality, the device according to the invention can, for example, also be preceded by a drying station for drying the outer surfaces of the articles to be treated. It is also conceivable that this drying station for drying the outer surfaces of the articles to be treated is arranged at least upstream of the direct printing and / or application station, in particular in the immediate vicinity. This can ensure that the articles are dried before they are applied to their respective outer sides with printing ink and / or a permanently adhering coating and / or before they are equipped with at least one equipment element adhering to the outside of the respective article. These drying stations can work, for example, with hot air, with electromagnetic radiation, etc., so that wet articles, containers, bottles or cans cannot pose a problem.

At this point, it should be expressly mentioned that all aspects and design variants that were explained in connection with the packaging and / or packaging device according to the invention equally relate to or can form partial aspects of the method according to the invention. Therefore, if at one point in the description or also in the definition of claims for the packaging and / or container formation device according to the invention, certain aspects and / or relationships and / or effects are mentioned, this applies equally to the method according to the invention. Conversely, the same applies, so that all aspects and design variants that have been explained in connection with the method according to the invention also relate to or can be partial aspects of the packaging and / or packaging device according to the invention. If, therefore, at one point in the description or also in the definition of claims for the method according to the invention, certain aspects and / or relationships and / or effects are mentioned, this applies equally to the packaging and / or packaging device according to the invention.

• 1 zeigt anhand einer schematischen Draufsicht den grundsätzlichen Aufbau einer Ausführungsvariante einer erfindungsgemäßen Verpackungs- und/oder Gebindebildungsvorrichtung.
• 2 zeigt in insgesamt sechs schematischen Ansichten (2A bis 2F) eine erste Variante eines erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens zur Verpackung von Artikeln zur Aufbringung von Druckbildern auf die Artikel mittels eines Direktdruckverfahrens.
• 3 zeigt in insgesamt sechs schematischen Ansichten (3A bis 3F) eine alternative Variante des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens zur Verpackung von Artikeln zur Aufbringung von Druckbildern auf die Artikel mittels eines Direktdruckverfahrens.

In the following, exemplary embodiments are intended to explain the invention and its advantages 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 real 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 top view of the basic structure of an embodiment of a packaging and / or packaging device according to the invention.
• 2nd shows a total of six schematic views ( 2A to 2F) a first variant of a method according to the invention for packaging articles for applying printed images to the articles by means of a direct printing process.
• 3rd shows a total of six schematic views ( 3A to 3F) an alternative variant of the method according to the invention for packaging articles for applying printed images to the articles by means of a direct printing process.

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 which are necessary for the description of the respective figure. The illustrated embodiments merely represent examples of how the packaging and / or container formation device according to the invention or the method according to the invention for packaging or bundling articles or for transferring several articles into outer packaging can be designed and do not represent a final limitation.

The schematic top view of the 1 merely the basic structure of a packaging and / or packaging device according to the invention 10th clarify, which serves to summarize and / or repackaging article groups, which is to be illustrated in the exemplary embodiment described below by transferring beverage containers into beverage crates serving as overpacks. These beverage crates are each suitable and provided for receiving a defined number of regularly arranged or appropriately grouped beverage containers on the top side.

The packaging and / or packaging device, which is only indicated schematically here 10th is a first conveyor line 12 for transporting a variety of upright items 14 assigned. This article 14 are in the present context in particular by upright beverage containers 16 formed in the mass flow and / or in series transport in a defined conveying direction 18th going to the device 10th leads, transported. In addition, the device 10th one close to the first conveyor line 12 located and in the embodiment shown running parallel to this second conveyor line 20th for the successive transport of outer packaging 22 in the form of beverage crates 24th that as outer packaging 22 for inclusion at least one of several articles 14 or beverage containers 16 formed article group are provided and prepared.

Basically, the outer packaging 22 also be formed by other boxes or crates or containers of the most varied types, for example by boxes made of simple cardboard or, for example, also by film wrappings, shrink films or other wrappings made of flat packaging material. Since the present context does not refer to a packaging device, but also to a device 10th which can be used to manufacture or form containers, ie from a so-called container formation device 10th , can on the second conveyor line 20th optionally also strapping, film sections or other packaging and the device 10th be made available for further processing.

As this is already the schematic top view of the 1 can also be recognized, for example through the beverage crates 24th formed packaging 22 (or other packaging if necessary) on the second conveyor line 20th in the same direction 18th to the device 10th moved like that through the beverage containers 16 formed article 14 on the first conveyor line 12 . This parallel alignment of the two conveyor lines 12 and 20th to each other, however, is not absolutely necessary, but can also vary in practice if necessary, so that, optionally, non-parallel conveying directions 18th of the two conveyor lines 12 and 20th for the articles 14 or beverage container 16 or for the outer packaging 22 or beverage crates 24th are conceivable and manageable.

Furthermore, the in 1 Packaging and / or packaging device shown in a schematic manner 10th one of the two conveyor lines 12 and 20th spatially and functionally equally assigned handling and / or packaging station 26 . This handling and / or packaging station 26 either serves to pack the in the conveying direction 18th on the first conveyor line 12 transported article 14 or beverage container 16 by transferring them to the outer packaging 22 or beverage crates 24th , each at least one of several articles 14 or beverage containers 16 can include the formed article group or container group. This packaging or transfer of the item 14 or beverage container 16 in the outer packaging 22 or beverage crates 24th always includes a handling process, which is why this section of the device 10th also as a handling and / or packaging station 26 can be designated.

Optionally, the handling and / or packaging station 26 also the bundle formation by bundling the in the conveying direction 18th on the first conveyor line 12 transported article 14 or beverage container 16 by combining several articles 14 or beverage container 16 for containers, for example for strapping containers, for foil containers, for shrink-film containers, for adhesive containers etc. Also this summary of the articles 14 or beverage container 16 Containers also always include a handling process.

The handling and / or packaging station 26 is with a manipulator 28 , for example with at least one gripper head 30th or optionally with several gripper heads that can be controlled in parallel 30th equipped for the simultaneous recording and recording of an article group with each existing gripper head 30th from the first conveyor line 12 and for their transfer to the second conveyor line 20th inside the device 10th and to insert the article group, ie the group of articles 14 or beverage containers 16 , in one of the outer packaging transported there 22 or beverage crates 24th are provided. Likewise, the through at least one gripper head 30th or by several gripper heads 30th formed manipulator 28 also be provided for the articles 14 or beverage container 16 from the first conveyor line 12 to be recorded and the further formation of bundles by grouping articles together 14 or containers 16 to be fed into containers.

Even if in the present context generally from a first conveyor line 12 is in place, then instead of such a conveyor line designed, for example, as a horizontal conveyor 12 also an almost arbitrarily designed storage space for the articles 14 or beverage container 16 available and used, of which the article 14 or beverage container 16 by means of the manipulator 28 recorded and fed to the container formation or in the available packaging 22 can be inserted or inserted.

The in the 1 only schematically indicated handling and / or packaging station 26 with the manipulator 28 or with the at least one gripper head 30th or with several gripper heads that can be moved and controlled almost synchronously 30th can, for example, be formed by a portal robot, a multi-axis robot, a parallel kinematics robot or another suitable handling device, its manipulator 28 , Gripper head 30th or their gripper heads 30th between the staging area not shown here or the two conveyor lines 12 and 20th for transferring several articles at the same time 14 or beverage containers 16 to the available or alternatively in the parallel conveying direction 18th moved Outer packaging 22 or beverage crates 24th can be moved back and forth while being raised and lowered as needed.

The one on a movable tool head (not shown in detail) on the preferably in the handling and / or packaging station 26 manipulator used 28 controllable gripper head 30th or the multiple gripper heads 30th serve the simultaneous inclusion of several articles 14 , Beverage container 16 or bottles. The gripper head is for this purpose 30th or are the gripper heads 30th equipped with controllable suction pads or with controllable gripping tulips or the like, with which the articles 14 , Beverage container 16 or bottles in their neck or head area and for transfer and almost vertical insertion into the open top packaging 22 or beverage crates 24th held securely and to be placed in the respective outer packaging intended for this purpose 22 or in the beverage crate provided for this purpose 24th can be released reliably.

If the handling and / or packaging station 26 in the simplest configuration with only one gripper head 30th as a manipulator 28 is usually a repackaging at the same time 22 or a beverage crate 24th with a defined number of articles 14 , Beverage containers 16 or bottles can be loaded, for example with a number of beverage containers arranged in a rectangular connection 16 of a total of twenty or twenty-four or more beverage containers 16 or bottles. Preferably, the handling and / or packaging station 26 but also with two or three identical gripper heads 30th be equipped, which allow a correspondingly larger number of articles 14 or beverage containers 16 to be recorded simultaneously and, for example, in two or three outer packaging conveyed in succession 22 or beverage crates 24th to discontinue. The possibility created in this way of equipping several outer packaging at the same time 22 or beverage crates 24th with respective groups of articles 14 or beverage containers 16 is a correspondingly high throughput when loading outer packaging 22 with articles 14 or containers 16 possible.

The schematic representation of the 1 also leaves the from the packaging and / or packaging device 10th in the conveying direction 18th leading to the right or in the conveying direction 18th continuing second conveyor line 20th recognize their direction of conveyance 18th to remove the in the station 26 formed containers or for the removal of articles 14 stocked packaging 22 or the one with beverage containers 16 stocked beverage crates 24th for their further handling, such as palletizing, is unchanged. Typically, the can move right out of the device 10th leading section of the second conveyor line 20th form their continuation since the beverage crates 24th when loading them with beverage containers 16 not from the second conveyor line 20th must be taken down or removed.

The reference number 32 referred to in the 1 a direct printing and / or application station located between the transport section of the first conveyor line 12 or the staging area and the handling and / or packaging station 26 located and by the at least one manipulator used 28 with the gripper heads 30th or the at least one gripper head 30th can be achieved. This direct printing and / or application station 32 serves the loading of the articles 14 or at least one of the articles 14 on at least one point on their respective outer sides with printing ink and / or a permanently adhering coating, but can optionally or additionally also attach at least one outside to the at least one article 14 adhesive equipment element serve.

The schematic top view of the 2A leaves an arrangement of the device 10th recognize for printing on the outside of articles, in which a larger number of articles or beverage containers, not shown here, using a manipulator 28 from a first conveyor line 12 in a direct printing station 32 can be lifted in and printed there before the articles or beverage containers are lifted out again, in order then to be inserted into outer packaging, likewise not shown here, on a second conveyor line 20th to get promoted.

Optionally, according to 2 B also two such direct printing stations 32 be arranged side by side, to which the beverage containers or articles to be printed are fed one after the other. So can the manipulator 28 For example, a defined number of articles in the first direct printing station 32a in so that the articles are printed there by one in the neighboring second printing station 32b to lift out printed articles with a second printing ink and to the second conveyor line 20th with the available packaging. Possibly. can the manipulator 28 previously or afterwards unprinted articles in the first direct printing station 32a add it as soon as it is ready to accept the articles.

The schematic side views of the 2C to 2F illustrate a printing process of a defined number of beverage containers 16 using suitable gripper heads 30th of a manipulator 28 a direct printing station 32 are fed. The gripper heads 30th lift the Beverage containers 16 each on their neck or head areas, for example with suction pads 34 can be done with which the gripper heads 30th are equipped. It is important here that the suction pads 34 the gripper heads 30th not only can make rotating movements around the beverage container 16 due to the need for rotational movements on the fixed printing units 36 the direct printing station 32 with the desired print images 38 (see. 2F) to be able to provide. A very precise guidance of the beverage containers is equally important 16 using the suction pads 34 to avoid unclean printing due to undesired movements or insufficiently precise positioning of the beverage containers 16 on the print heads of the printing units 36 to be able to avoid.

The 2C illustrates the recording of article groups of four beverage containers each 16 on a gripper head 30th , with a total of four rotatable suction pads 34 Is provided. A total of three gripper heads 30th are located on a common manipulator 28 , which can be raised and lowered and which is the beverage container 16 from the first conveyor line (not shown here) to the direct printing station 32 transport and after printing from this to the second conveyor line (also not shown here) with the outer packaging or optionally to a container formation station.

The total of twelve beverage containers shown here using the example shown 16 by lowering the manipulator 28 together in the direct printing station 32 lifted to the printing units there 36 to be fed. In the embodiment shown, several printing units can be 36 are on top of each other, on which the beverage containers 16 successively by vertical movements of the manipulator 28 with the gripper heads 30th guided past and, if necessary, rotated in order to successively print different printing inks on the lateral surfaces of the beverage containers 16 to apply.

So the direct printing station 32 for example a first printing unit 36a for a first printing ink, a second printing unit 36b for a second printing ink and a third printing unit 36c for a third printing ink, which are each arranged one above the other, so that the beverage containers 16 only by means of the gripper heads 30th adjusted in height, but not between several printing stations 32 have to be moved or implemented.

The 2D shows those in the area of the top two printing units 36a and 36b brought beverage container 16 while the 2E the even lower beverage containers 16 shows whose outer sides to be printed within the printing range of the third printing unit 36c brought so that they can be printed there.

The 2F illustrates that with the manipulator raised 28 from the direct printing station 32 lifted beverage container 16 , a print image on the outer surface of each 38 was applied by direct printing.

The schematic top view of the 3A leaves an alternative arrangement of the device 10th recognize for printing on the outside of articles, in which a larger number of articles or beverage containers, not shown here, using a manipulator 28 from a first conveyor line 12 in a direct printing station 32 can be lifted in and printed there before the articles or beverage containers are lifted out again, in order then to be inserted into outer packaging, likewise not shown here, on a second conveyor line 20th to get promoted. In this alternative variant are the direct printing station 32 each turntable 40 assigned to which the articles or beverage containers are each placed and held during printing in order to rotate them on the print heads of the direct printing station 32 to be able to move past.

As is the schematic side view of a direct printing station of the 3B illustrates the printing units 36 the direct printing station 32 be adjustable in height in this variant, so as not the turntable 40 to have to adjust the height. As with the first variant 2nd can also print multiple units in this variant 36 be arranged one above the other, which is activated after corresponding vertical movements and for the successive application of different printing inks to the lateral surfaces of the articles to be printed 14 or beverage container 16 can be used.

The manipulator can also be used in this second variant 28 For example, a defined number of articles in the direct printing station 32 lift in and onto the turntables located there 40 place so that the articles are printed there, then lift the finished printed articles out and onto the second conveyor line 20th with the available packaging.

The schematic side views of the 3C to 3F illustrate a printing process of a defined number of beverage containers 16 using suitable gripper heads 30th of a manipulator 28 a direct printing station 32 with turntables 40 are fed. The gripper heads 30th lift the beverage containers 16 each on their neck or head areas, for example with suction pads 34 (see. 3C ). The gripper heads are in this variant 30th with the suction pads 34 only responsible for the transfer movement, but not for the exact positioning of the beverage containers 16 on the printheads 36 . This takes place in the interaction of the height-adjustable printing units 36 and the rotating turntable 40 on which the beverage container to be printed 16 are fixed.

According to 3D become the beverage containers 16 each on the turntable 40 put on and fixed there. Then the suction pads 34 can be deactivated and the manipulator 28 corresponding 3E be lifted off.

Corresponding 3F can the turntable 40 be rotated so that the beverage container 16 by rotating the turntable as required 40 on the height-adjustable printing units 36 the direct printing station 32 with the desired print images 38 (see. 2F) can be provided.

The direct printing station can also be used with this variant 32 a first printing unit 36a for a first printing ink, a second printing unit 36b for a second printing ink and a third printing unit 36c for a third printing ink, which are arranged one above the other and are jointly adjustable in height (cf. 3F) so the beverage container 16 not between multiple printing stations 32 have to be moved or implemented.

The schematic views of the 1 to 3F illustrate the peculiarities and new aspects that distinguish the method according to the invention by several from the manipulator 28 recorded articles 14 or beverage container 16 before being passed on to a packaging and / or container formation station arranged downstream of the transport route or before being inserted into the outer packaging available for this purpose 22 or beverage crates 24th at least one point on their respective outer sides with printing ink and / or a permanently adhering coating and / or with at least one outside on the at least one article 14 adhesive equipment element (not shown here).

In this new method, the high control and positioning accuracy of the available manipulators are particularly important 28 used because these manipulators 28 not only are able to get the items included 14 with high precision in the available packaging 22 to transfer or a packaging and / or container formation station 10th available in compliance with tight spatial tolerances. The one with the manipulators 28 Achievable positioning services are used in the present application for the articles transferred to a destination 14 to move past printing and / or application devices prepared for this purpose on their way, so that they can be provided with a coating, with printing and / or with other equipment. Ie, on the articles 14 can print images as required 38 , Barcodes, spray labels, individual labels, so-called tracking IDs, RFIDs or the like.

The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it is conceivable for a person skilled in the art that modifications or changes of the invention can be made without leaving the scope of the following claims.

Reference symbol list

10th

Packing device, packaging device, packaging and / or packaging device

12

first conveyor line

14

items

16

Containers, beverage containers

18th

Direction of conveyance

20th

second conveyor line

22

Outer packaging

24th

Crate, beverage crate

26

Handling station, packaging station, handling and / or packaging station

28

manipulator

30th

Gripper head

32

Direct printing station, application station, direct printing and / or application station

32a

first direct printing station (for applying a first printing ink)

32b

second direct printing station (for the application of a second printing ink)

34

Suction cup

36

Printhead, printing unit

36a

first printing unit (for first printing ink)

36b

second printing unit (for second printing ink)

36c

third printing unit (for third printing ink)

38

Printed image

40

Turntable

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent literature cited

• DE 102014218361 A1 [0007]
• WO 2017/032553 A1 [0007]
• WO 2017/084804 A1 [0007]
• WO 2018/108361 A1 [0007]
• WO 2018/114097 A1 [0007]

Claims (13)

Packaging and / or packaging device (10), at least comprising: - a transport section or staging area for in particular grouped articles (14), - A handling and / or packaging station (26) for packaging and / or bundling articles (14) by combining several articles (14) into bundles and / or for transferring several articles (14) into outer packaging (22), each at least can accommodate an article group formed from several articles (14), - At least one manipulator (28) movable between the transport section or staging area and the handling and / or packaging station (26), each of which detects at least one article group and feeds the handling and / or packaging station (26) and / or the at least one article group can insert or insert into a prepared outer packaging (22), and - At least one direct printing and / or application station (32) located between the transport section or staging area and the handling and / or packaging station (26) and reachable by the at least one manipulator (28) for loading the articles (14) or at least one of the articles (14) with printing ink and / or a permanently adhering coating and / or for attaching at least one equipment element adhering to the outside of at least one article (14) on at least one point of their respective outer sides. Device after Claim 1 , in which the direct printing and / or application station (32) comprises at least one stationary direct printing head (36) which can be reached by the manipulator (28), said manipulator (28) on the direct printing head (36) having the at least one article to be printed and / or coated (14) can be moved past and / or can be moved past several times in different directions in order to generate a printed image (38). Device after Claim 1 or 2nd , in which the at least one article (14) can be moved in succession past two or more printing and / or application heads (36; 36a, 36b, 36c) of the direct printing and / or application station (32), each of which has different printing colors and / or can apply different substances to the outside of the article (14). Device according to one of the Claims 1 to 3rd , the at least one, in particular a plurality of turntables (40) for receiving, fixing and for rotating and / or lifting and lowering movement of the article (14) to be loaded with printing ink and / or a coating on its outer sides and / or to be equipped with an equipment element which rotary plates (40) are assigned to the direct printing and / or application station (32) and are operatively connected to the latter. Device according to one of the Claims 1 to 4th , which is preceded by a drying station for drying the outer surfaces of the articles (14) to be treated. Device according to one of the Claims 1 to 5 , in which at least the direct printing and / or application station (32) is preceded by a drying station for drying the outer surfaces of the articles (14) to be treated. Method for packaging and / or bundling articles (14) by combining several articles (14) into bundles and / or for transferring several articles (14) into outer packaging (22), each of which accommodates at least one article group formed from several articles (14) , - In each case at least one article group is detected by means of at least one manipulator (28) and fed to a packaging and / or container formation station (10) and / or inserted or inserted into a ready outer packaging (22), - And wherein at least one of the articles (14) detected by the at least one manipulator (28) before being passed on to the packaging and / or container formation station (10) or before being inserted into the prepared outer packaging (22) at least at one point on its outside Printing ink and / or a permanently adhering coating is applied and / or is provided with at least one equipment element adhering to the outside of the at least one article (14). Procedure according to Claim 7 , in which the at least one manipulator (28) the at least one article (14) to be packed and / or combined with other articles (14) to form a container before being passed on to the packaging and / or container formation station (10) or before insertion in the prepared outer packaging (22) past at least one stationary printing and / or application head (36) which applies printing ink and / or a coating to the outside of the article (14) and / or provides the equipment element. Procedure according to Claim 8 , in which the at least one print and / or application head (36) is formed by a stationary direct print head, past which the at least one article (14) is moved and / or is moved several times in different directions to produce a print image (38). Procedure according to Claim 8 or 9 , in which the at least one article (14) is successively moved past two or more print and / or application heads (36; 36a, 36b, 36c), the different printing inks and / or different substances on the outside of the article (14 ) apply. Procedure according to one of the Claims 7 to 10th , in which at least two articles (14) detected simultaneously by the manipulator (28) are acted upon or equipped with different treatment with different print and / or application images and / or with different equipment elements. Procedure according to one of the Claims 7 to 11 , in which the at least one article (14) is transferred from the manipulator (28) to a turntable (40) and placed and fixed there in order to be rotated and / or lifted and lowered on at least one stationary and / or lifting and to be moved past the lowerable print and / or application head (32), which applies printing ink and / or a coating to the outside of the article (14) and / or provides the equipment element, after which the at least one article (14) is passed on the packaging and / or container formation station (10) and / or to the outer packaging (22) provided. Procedure according to one of the Claims 7 to 12 , in which the articles (14) are dried before they are applied to their outer sides with printing ink and / or a permanently adhering coating and / or before they are equipped with at least one equipment element adhering to the outside of the respective article (14).

Images