DE102022106309B3 - Method and device for feeding products from a first process to a second process and for forming product stacks in a packaging line - Google Patents

Abstract

In a device (1) and a method for feeding products (2) from a first to a second process and for forming product stacks (3) in a packaging system, the products (2) from the first process are grouped into product groups (6 ) are provided in a clocked manner, having a predetermined number of positions, each of which has either a product (2) or is an empty position (8). A buffer device (9) with a conveyor section (10) is provided between the processes. The buffer device (9) has several conveyor units (11A ... 11C) which can be driven independently of one another. The conveyor section (10) has a transfer area (15) for transferring product groups (6) provided by the first process to the conveyor units (11A ... 11C) and a buffer area (16) upstream of the transfer area (15). Setting pattern data are provided for product groups (6) to be positioned in the transfer area (15). So that the products (2) can be transferred to the conveyor units (11A ... 11C) when an empty space (8) occurs in such a way that in all conveyor units (11A ... 11C) product stacks (3) with a predetermined number of products ( 2) are formed, the conveyor units (11A ... 11C), depending on the setting pattern data and stacking status values of the conveyor units (11A ... 11C), if necessary counter to a forward travel direction from the transfer area (15) into the buffer zone (16) and thereafter moved in the forward direction from the buffer zone (16) in the transfer area (15).

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for feeding products from a first process to a second process and for forming product stacks in a packaging plant.

Such a method and such a device are from DE 10 2009 022 820 A1 known. The products, which can be blisters, for example, are fed to a transfer area in endless rows of individual products on two feed conveyors running parallel to one another. Each feeder has a clocked conveyor belt on which the products are transported separated from each other by cell walls.

A further conveying device is arranged parallel to the feed conveyors and has a bucket chain which is driven continuously in a conveying direction and runs parallel to the transport directions of the feed conveyors. The cells of the bucket chain are arranged with a constant offset to one another in the conveying direction.

Two articulated-arm robots are provided for transferring the products delivered on the conveyor belts of the feeder to the further conveying device, each of which has a gripper block with a rod-shaped gripper arm that extends in the transport directions of the feeder. A plurality of grippers are provided on each of the gripper arms, which are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the gripper arm at a constant offset from one another, which corresponds to the offset of the products on the conveyor belts and the offset of successive cells of the bucket chain. The articulated-arm robots can be moved in and against the conveying device relative to the continuing conveying device with the aid of linear guides. This allows the articulated arm robots to follow the continuous movement of the bucket chain.

In the previously known method, a first group of several products is removed from the first feed conveyor with the aid of the first articulated-arm robot and deposited in the cells of the continuously driven conveying device. The second articulated-arm robot then removes a second group of several products from the second infeed conveyor and positions them on top of the products previously placed in the cells by the first articulated-arm robot to form product stacks. The above steps are repeated to similarly form further stacks of products in the chain of buckets.

It can happen that a so-called bad product, for example an incompletely filled blister, is rejected upstream of the feeder. In order to avoid a gap or empty space in the product line, the feed conveyor is not clocked any further in the previously known method if a bad product is ejected. However, this has the disadvantage that the feeders have to be driven independently of one another if a bad product occurs on one feeder during a cycle step and not on the other. Another disadvantage is that the articulated arm robots are relatively sluggish. Therefore, the previously known device allows only a correspondingly low working speed.

From the DE10 2018 215 854 A1 a method for feeding products, such as closed and filled plastic capsules, from a first process to a second process in a packaging plant is also known. The products are made available in cycles from a first process in product groups that have a number of products. Each product group has a predetermined number of locations, each of which either has a product or is a blank. The voids are caused by defective products being sorted out.

• - Bereitstellen leerer Fördereinheiten im Übergabebereich der Puffervorrichtung zur Übergabe der Produkte-Gruppe an die Fördereinheiten, wobei für jede umzusetzende Produkt-Gruppe Fördereinheiten in Anzahl und Anordnung dem zugehörigen ersten Setzmuster entsprechend bereitgestellt werden und jede Fördereinheit an der Übergabeposition jeweils mit einem einzelnen Produkt beladen wird.
• - Verfahren beladener Fördereinheiten in Transportrichtung entlang der Puffervorrichtung zur Bildung eines Produktstroms unter Auflösung der Produkt-Gruppe.
• - Bereitstellen beladener Fördereinheiten im Weitergabebereich der Puffervorrichtung, wobei für jede umzusetzende Produkt-Gruppe beladene Fördereinheiten in Anzahl und Anordnung einem zugehörigen zweiten Setzmuster entsprechend bereitgestellt werden.
• - Wiederholden der vorgenannten Schritte für jede weitere Produkt-Gruppe des ersten Prozesses, deren Produkte an den zweiten Prozess übergeben werden sollen.

A buffer device with a closed conveying section is provided between the first and the second process. The buffer device has a plurality of conveying units which can be driven independently of one another, at least in sections, along the conveying path in a transport direction. The conveyor section has a transfer area for transferring the product groups provided by the first process to the conveyor units. In addition, the conveyor section has a transfer area that is at a distance from the transfer area and in which the products located on the conveyor units are transferred to the second process. The previously known method comprises the following method steps:

• - Providing empty conveyor units in the transfer area of the buffer device for transferring the product group to the conveyor units, with the number and arrangement of conveyor units being provided for each product group to be transferred corresponding to the associated first setting pattern and each conveyor unit being loaded with a single product at the transfer position .
• - Process loaded conveyor units in the direction of transport along the buffer device to form a product flow while separating the product group.
• - Providing loaded conveyor units in the transfer area of the buffer device, loaded conveyor units being provided in number and arrangement corresponding to an associated second setting pattern for each product group to be converted.
• - Repeat the above steps for each additional product group of the first process whose products are to be transferred to the second process.

In the method, the products are transferred in the transfer area by means of a gripping device and arranged in a matrix in several rows and several columns next to one another. The products are then transported to a cartoner to be packed in folding boxes. In the process, the products are transferred to the second process in a single layer.

There is therefore the task of creating a method and a device of the type mentioned that make it possible to stack products that are provided clocked by the first process in product groups with different setting patterns, and in product stacks that have a predetermined have a number of products that is independent of the betting patterns, to be handed over to the second process. The method and the device should enable a high working speed and be able to transport the products with great dynamics. The device should enable compact dimensions and an energy-saving transfer of the products from the first to the second process.

• - einen Übergabebereich zur Übergabe von vom ersten Prozess bereitgestellten Produkt-Gruppen an die Fördereinheiten und
• - einen dem Übergabebereich vorgelagerten Pufferbereich für die Fördereinheiten

aufweist, dass für die aktuellen Förderstreckenpositionen, an denen sich die Fördereinheiten befinden, Ist-Positionswerte bereitgestellt werden, dass die Fördereinheiten jeweils zur Aufnahme eines Produktstapels von N Produkten ausgestaltet sind, wobei N eine ganze Zahl ist, die größer oder gleich zwei ist, und dass das Verfahren folgende Schritte umfasst:

1. a) Setzen eines Stapelzustandswerts für jede Fördereinheit in einem Datenspeicher,
2. b) Bereitstellen von Setzmusterdaten für eine im Übergabebereich der Förderstrecke zu positionierende Produkt-Gruppe,
3. c) nach Maßgabe der Setzmusterdaten
   1. i) Ermitteln von Positionswerten für jede Förderstreckenposition, an der die Produkt-Gruppe ein Produkt aufweist, wenn sie im Übergabebereich positioniert ist,
   2. ii) Ermitteln von Positionswerten für jede Förderstreckenposition, an der die Produkt-Gruppe - wenn sie im Übergabebereich positioniert ist - eine Leerstelle aufweist, die in Vorwärtstransportrichtung der Fördereinheiten vor einer Stelle angeordnet ist, an der die Produkt-Gruppe ein Produkt aufweist,
4. d) wobei für den Fall, dass die aktuellen Ist-Positionswerte der Fördereinheiten
   • iii) nicht alle in Schritt i) ermittelten Positionswerte umfassen, und/oder
   • iv) mindestens einen in Schritt ii) ermittelten Positionswert umfassen, die Fördereinheiten derart angeordnet werden, dass an jedem in Schritt i) ermittelten Positionswert eine Fördereinheit positioniert ist und an jedem in Schritt ii) ermittelten Positionswert ein leerer Platz vorgesehen ist, an dem sich keine Fördereinheit befindet,
   • v) wobei für den Fall, dass die Anzahl der in Schritt i) ermittelten Positionswerte größer ist als die Anzahl der aktuell im Übergabebereich befindlichen Fördereinheiten, mindestens eine Fördereinheit in Vorwärtstransportrichtung aus dem Pufferbereich in den Übergabebereich hinein bewegt wird,
   • vi) wobei für den Fall, dass die Anzahl der in Schritt ii) ermittelten Positionswerte größer ist die Anzahl der Stellen der Produkt-Gruppe abzüglich der Anzahl der aktuell im Übergabebereich befindlichen Fördereinheiten, mindestens eine Fördereinheit entgegen der Vorwärtstransportrichtung aus dem Übergabebereich in den Pufferbereich bewegt wird,
5. e) Positionieren der Produkt-Gruppe am Übergabebereich der Förderstrecke und Übergabe jedes in der Produkt-Gruppe befindlichen Produkts an die ihm zugeordnete Fördereinheit,
6. f) Inkrementieren des Stapelzustandswerts jeder Fördereinheit, die in Schritt e) ein Produkt übernommen hat,
7. g) falls in Schritt e) mindestens ein Produkt übernommen wurde, nach Maßgabe der gespeicherten Stapelzustandswerte Ermitteln eventueller im Übergabebereich angeordneter Fördereinheiten, die einen Stapelzustand von N aufweisen,
8. h) falls in Schritt g) mindestens eine solche Fördereinheit ermittelt wurde, Entfernen der mindestens einen Fördereinheit aus dem Übergabebereich durch Bewegen der mindestens einen Fördereinheit in Vorwärtstransportrichtung, und
9. i) falls in Schritt g) keine Fördereinheit ermittelt wurde, Wiederholen der Schritte b) bis h) wenn der erste Prozess eine weitere Produkt-Gruppe bereitstellt.

With regard to the method, this object is achieved with the features of patent claim 1 . These provide that the products are provided by the first process in product groups clocked, that the individual product groups have a predetermined number of positions, each of which either has a product or is a gap between the first and the second process a buffer device with a conveyor section is provided, that the buffer device has several conveyor units that can be driven at least in sections independently of one another along the conveyor section in a forward transport direction and counter to the forward transport direction, that the conveyor section

• - a transfer area for the transfer of product groups provided by the first process to the conveyor units and
• - a buffer area for the conveyor units upstream of the transfer area

has that actual position values are provided for the current conveyor line positions at which the conveyor units are located, that the conveyor units are each designed to receive a product stack of N products, where N is an integer that is greater than or equal to two, and that the procedure includes the following steps:

1. a) setting a stack status value for each transport unit in a data memory,
2. b) Provision of setting pattern data for a product group to be positioned in the transfer area of the conveyor line,
3. c) in accordance with the setting sample data
   1. i) determining position values for each conveyor line position at which the product group has a product when it is positioned in the transfer area,
   2. ii) Determination of position values for each conveyor line position at which the product group - if it is positioned in the transfer area - has a void that is arranged in the forward transport direction of the conveyor units in front of a point at which the product group has a product,
4. d) where in the event that the current actual position values of the CUs
   • iii) do not include all position values determined in step i), and/or
   • iv) include at least one position value determined in step ii), the conveyor units are arranged in such a way that a conveyor unit is positioned at each position value determined in step i) and an empty space is provided at each position value determined in step ii), at which there are no conveyor unit is
   • v) in the event that the number of position values determined in step i) is greater than the number of conveyor units currently located in the transfer area, at least one conveyor unit is moved in the forward transport direction from the buffer area into the transfer area,
   • vi) in the event that the number of position values determined in step ii) is greater than the number of positions in the product group minus the number of conveyor units currently located in the transfer area, at least one conveyor unit is moved counter to the forward transport direction from the transfer area into the buffer area becomes,
5. e) Positioning of the product group at the transfer area of the conveyor line and transfer each product in the product group to the conveyor unit assigned to it,
6. f) incrementing the stack status value of each transport unit that has accepted a product in step e),
7. g) if at least one product was accepted in step e), on the basis of the stored stack status values, determining any conveyor units that are arranged in the transfer area and have a stack status of N,
8. h) if at least one such conveyor unit was determined in step g), removing the at least one conveyor unit from the transfer area by moving the at least one conveyor unit in the forward transport direction, and
9. i) if no delivery unit was determined in step g), repeating steps b) to h) if the first process provides a further product group.

In the method according to the invention, the conveyor units are positioned in the transfer area in such a way that a conveyor unit is arranged at all points at which a product group to be transferred to the conveyor section has a product. Thus, all products of the product group can each be transferred to a conveyor unit assigned to them.

However, no conveyor units are arranged at the points of the transfer area mentioned in step ii) of patent claim 1, i.e. the corresponding points remain free. This ensures that the conveyor units are loaded in the correct sequence so that stacks with N products are formed in all conveyor units and in the transfer area in the forward transport direction there is never a stack with a number of products that is smaller than the number of products , which are stacked in a transport unit, which is further back.

If at the beginning of the process all CUs are empty and then M ≥ 2 CUs are positioned in the transfer area and loaded with N ≥ 2 groups of products each having M locations where either a product is located or the spaces are empty, and while loading of the conveyor units in a product group an empty space occurs and a product is arranged at all other positions of the product groups, regardless of where in the product group the empty position was arranged, after the loading of the N product Groups load the front M-1 conveyor units with N products and the last conveyor unit in the forward transport direction with N-1 products. To ensure that the M-1 conveyor units, which have stacks of N products, are not overloaded when the next product group to be positioned in the transfer area is loaded, these conveyor units are first moved out of the transfer area in the forward transport direction and, if necessary, replaced by at least one empty conveyor unit that is the buffer area is moved into the transfer area in the forward transport direction.

So that N products can also be stacked in the conveyor unit that only contains N-1 products, this conveyor unit must remain in the transfer area when the conveyor units in the stacked state N are moved out of the transfer area in order to then load another product into this conveyor unit. If M > 2, the conveyor unit containing N-1 products must be arranged behind the last-mentioned conveyor units when the conveyor units having the stacks with N products are moved out of the transfer area. Correspondingly, if M=2, the conveyor unit containing N-1 products must be located behind the last-mentioned conveyor unit when the conveyor units comprising the stack of N products leave the transfer area. This is achieved by features ii) and vi) of claim 1.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that if the product group has at least one empty space behind which the product group has no product, the conveyor path position at which the empty space is located is determined for at least one such empty space if the product group is positioned in the transfer area, and that in step d), e), f), g) or h) of claim 1, a conveyor unit is positioned at at least one such conveyor line position. Although the product group has an empty space at this position, a conveyor unit is nevertheless positioned at this position in step d), e), f), g) or h) of patent claim 1. If, in a later method step, another product group is positioned in the transfer area, which has a product at the point where the conveyor unit is located, this product can be loaded onto the conveyor unit immediately. As a result, time for positioning this conveyor unit and possibly other conveyor units in the transfer area can be saved.

The products are expediently transported hanging from the first process to the transfer area in such a way that they are each arranged above a conveyor unit positioned there in the transfer area, and that for the transfer of the products to the conveyor units in the transfer area rich an impulse is pneumatically exerted on the products, through which the products are ejected onto the conveyor units. This enables the products to be transferred to the conveyor units easily, quickly and gently.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the conveyor line is a self-contained conveyor line which has a transfer area spaced apart from the transfer area, wherein in step h) of patent claim 1 conveyor units moved in the forward transport direction from the transfer area are transported into the transfer area, and wherein the product stacks arranged on these conveyor units are passed on to the second process in the transfer area. It is even possible for a closed transport route to be provided between the transfer area and the second process, which has conveyor elements for transporting the product stacks, which can be positioned independently of one another at least in sections along the transport route.

It is advantageous if the second process is a packaging process in which the product stack is packed in a folding box. The product stack can in particular have blister packs that are filled with tablets or similar goods.

In an expedient embodiment of the invention, the conveyor units in step a) of patent claim 1 are empty. This is particularly advantageous if the method is carried out successively with different types of products and all the products in the product stacks (e.g. tablets packed in blisters) must have the same product type. If the conveyor units are empty in step a), products of the first product type cannot inadvertently end up in the packaging of the second product type when changing from a first to a second product type.

In principle, however, the conveyor units in the method according to the invention can also be filled in step a). It is advantageous if the stacking condition of the conveyor units is less than N in each case and does not decrease at any point, starting from the point in the buffer area that is furthest away from the transfer area to the front end of the transfer area in the forward transport direction.

If required, step a) of patent claim 1 can include a starting procedure in which all conveyor units are positioned at least once in the transfer area in order to transfer any products located in or on the conveyor units to the second process. This allows the conveyor units to be emptied easily at the beginning of the process before product groups are transferred from the first process to the conveyor units in the transfer area.

• - eine zwischen dem ersten Prozess und dem zweiten Prozess vorgesehene Puffervorrichtung, die eine Förderstrecke und mehrere unabhängig voneinander entlang der Förderstrecke in eine Vorwärtstransportrichtung und entgegen der Vorwärtstransportrichtung antreibbare Fördereinheiten hat, wobei die Puffervorrichtung Mittel zur Erfassung von Ist-Positionswerten für die aktuellen Förderstreckenpositionen der Fördereinheiten aufweist, wobei die Fördereinheiten jeweils zur Aufnahme eines Produktstapels von N Produkten ausgestaltet sind, wobei N eine ganze Zahl ist, die größer oder gleich zwei ist, und wobei die Förderstrecke
  • - einen Übergabebereich zur Übergabe der vom ersten Prozess bereitgestellten Produkt-Gruppen an die Fördereinheiten und
  • - eine dem Übergabebereich vorgelagerten Pufferbereich für Fördereinheiten aufweist,
• - eine Steuereinrichtung mit einem Datenspeicher, die eingerichtet und ausgebildet ist, um
  1. A) Stapelzustandswerte für die Fördereinheiten zu erfassen und im Datenspeicher abzulegen,
  2. B) Setzmusterdaten für eine im Übergabebereich der Förderstrecke zu positionierende Produkt-Gruppe zu erfassen, und
  3. C) die Fördereinheiten nach Maßgabe der Setzmusterdaten, der Ist-Positionswerte und der Stapelzustandswerte derart anzusteuern,
     • - dass, bei jedem Positionieren einer Produkt-Gruppe im Übergabebereich
       • - an jeder Förderstreckenposition, an der die Produkt-Gruppe ein Produkt aufweist, eine Fördereinheit angeordnet ist, und
       • - an jeder Förderstreckenposition, an der die Produkt-Gruppe eine Leerstelle aufweist, die in Vorwärtstransportrichtung der Fördereinheiten vor einer Stelle angeordnet ist, an der die Produkt-Gruppe ein Produkt aufweist, ein leerer Platz vorgesehen ist, an dem sich keine Fördereinheit befindet,
       • - wobei falls die Anzahl der in der Produkt-Gruppe enthaltenen Produkte größer ist als die Anzahl der aktuell im Übergabebereich befindlichen Fördereinheiten mindestens eine Fördereinheit in Vorwärtstransportrichtung aus dem Pufferbereich in den Übergabebereich hinein bewegt wird,
       • - wobei falls die Anzahl der in der Produkt-Gruppe enthaltenen Leerstellen größer ist die Anzahl der Stellen der Produkt-Gruppe abzüglich der Anzahl der aktuell im Übergabebereich befindlichen Fördereinheiten, mindestens eine Fördereinheit entgegen der Vorwärtstransportrichtung aus dem Übergabebereich in den Pufferbereich bewegt wird,
     • - dass danach jedes im Übergabebereich positionierte Produkt der Produkt-Gruppe in die ihm jeweils zugeordnete Fördereinheit eingeladen wird,
  4. D) die Schritte A) bis C) zu wiederholen, bis der Stapelzustand mindestens einer im Übergabebereich angeordneten Fördereinheit den Wert N aufweist,
  5. E) im Übergabebereich angeordnete Fördereinheiten, die einen Stapelzustand von N aufweisen, durch Bewegen in Vorwärtstransportrichtung aus dem Übergabebereich zu entfernen, und
  6. F) die Schritte A) bis E) bei Bedarf einmal oder mehrmals zu wiederholen.

With regard to the device of the type mentioned above, the above-mentioned object is achieved with the features of patent claim 8 . These provide that the products can be provided by the first process in product groups in cycles such that the individual product groups have a predetermined number of positions, each of which either has a product or is an empty position

• - A buffer device provided between the first process and the second process, which has a conveyor section and several conveyor units that can be driven independently of one another along the conveyor section in a forward transport direction and counter to the forward transport direction, the buffer device having means for detecting actual position values for the current conveyor section positions of the conveyor units comprises, wherein the conveyor units are each designed to receive a product stack of N products, where N is an integer that is greater than or equal to two, and wherein the conveyor section
  • - a transfer area for transferring the product groups provided by the first process to the conveyor units and
  • - has a buffer area for conveyor units upstream of the transfer area,
• - A control device with a data memory, which is set up and designed to
  1. A) to record stack status values for the conveyor units and to store them in the data memory,
  2. B) to record setting pattern data for a product group to be positioned in the transfer area of the conveyor line, and
  3. C) to control the conveyor units according to the setting pattern data, the actual position values and the stack status values in such a way,
     • - that, each time a product group is positioned in the transfer area
       • - A conveyor unit is arranged at each conveyor line position at which the product group has a product, and
       • - at each conveyor line position at which the product group has an empty place, which is arranged in the forward transport direction of the conveyor units before a place at which the product group has a product, an empty one space is provided where there is no conveyor unit,
       • - where if the number of products contained in the product group is greater than the number of conveyor units currently located in the transfer area, at least one conveyor unit is moved in the forward transport direction from the buffer area into the transfer area,
       • - whereby if the number of empty spaces contained in the product group is greater than the number of spaces in the product group minus the number of conveyor units currently located in the transfer area, at least one conveyor unit is moved counter to the forward transport direction from the transfer area into the buffer area,
     • - that each product of the product group positioned in the transfer area is then loaded into the conveyor unit assigned to it,
  4. D) to repeat steps A) to C) until the stacking status of at least one conveyor unit arranged in the transfer area has the value N,
  5. E) to remove conveyor units arranged in the transfer area, which have a stacking state of N, from the transfer area by moving in the forward transport direction, and
  6. F) repeating steps A) through E) one or more times as needed.

The device is thus designed and configured in such a way that a conveyor unit is arranged at all points at which a product group to be transferred to the conveyor section has products. Thus, all products of the product group can each be transferred to a conveyor unit assigned to them. In addition, the device is designed and configured in such a way that at each conveyor line position at which a product group positioned in the transfer area has an empty space, which is arranged in the forward transport direction of the conveyor units in front of a point at which the product group has a product Space is provided where there is no conveyor unit. This ensures that the conveyor units are loaded in the correct order, so that stacks with N products are formed in all conveyor units and a stack with a number of products that is smaller than the number of products that is never present at the front in the forward transport direction are stacked in a conveyor unit that is further back.

The control device is preferably set up and configured in such a way that if a product group positioned in the transfer area has at least one empty space behind which the product group has no product, a conveyor unit is positioned at the conveyor line position of this at least empty space. The corresponding conveyor unit is therefore positioned as early as possible in the transfer area, which saves time when loading this conveyor unit with another product.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the device for transporting the product groups from the first process to the transfer area has a feed device with at least one downward-facing contact surface for the products in the product group, with the at least one contact surface for each product in the product group each has at least one opening which can be or is connected to a pneumatic vacuum source in order to suck the product onto the contact surface, and wherein the feed device for transferring the products to conveyor units located in the transfer area has a discharge device, by means of which the products are discharged from the at least one contact surface into Can be dropped in the direction of conveyor units positioned in the transfer area. This enables the products to be transferred easily, quickly and gently from the infeed device to the conveyor units. In the simplest case, the products thrown off the contact surface can be loaded into the conveyor units by gravity. However, the ejection device is preferably designed in such a way that, in order to eject the products, it exerts an impulse on the products pointing in the direction of the conveyor units. As a result, the transfer of the products to the conveyor units can be accelerated.

The discharge device preferably has at least one exit point for a gas which interacts with the at least one contact surface of the feed device and which is or can be connected to a pneumatic overpressure source. The products located on the at least one contact surface of the feed device can then be transferred quickly and gently from the feed device to the conveyor units in the transfer area, for example by means of a blast of compressed air or a stream of compressed air. The opening for sucking in the product preferably serves as the exit point for the gas. In this case, the opening can be connected alternately to the negative pressure source and the pneumatic positive pressure source, for example with the aid of a three-way valve.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the feed device device has a carousel that can be driven in rotation about a vertical axis of rotation, which has several product holders that are spaced apart from the axis of rotation and offset from one another in the direction of rotation, on which at least one contact surface is arranged that points downwards, and that the product holders for gripping the products of a product group on one Pick-up point and for transferring the product group to the conveyor units can be positioned in the transfer area of the conveyor line. The carousel can have several arms pointing away from the axis of rotation in a star shape, on which the product holders are arranged. The carousel preferably has at least three product holders offset from one another in the direction of rotation, so that three or more product groups can be arranged on the carousel at the same time. In this case, at least one work station can be arranged on the carousel between the point at which the product groups are gripped by the product holders and the transfer area of the conveyor line. The work station can be a knock-off station, for example, at which bad products are removed from the carousel. A magazine for buffering or storing products can also be provided as a work station. The magazine is preferably located at a point where the product groups are moved past after they have passed through the knock-off station. If necessary, gaps in the product flow that have arisen, for example, because bad products have been removed from the carousel at the knock-off station, can be filled with products from the magazine. In this way, the feeding of the products to the second process can be accelerated.

The product holders preferably each have an adjusting device, by means of which the distance between the products of a product group held by the product holder can be adjusted during the transport of the product group to the transfer area. This makes it possible to adapt and in particular to increase the distance between the products of the product group to the distance by which the conveyor units are offset from one another in the transfer area.

The conveyor section is expediently designed as a self-contained conveyor section, which has a transfer area spaced apart from the transfer area, on which a transfer device is arranged, by means of which product stacks arranged on the conveyor units can be passed on to the second process. After the product stacks have been unloaded in the forwarding area, the conveyor units can then be transported further in the forward transport direction to the buffer zone and then be loaded with products again.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the conveyor units each have a lower part and a receiving device that can be releasably connected thereto for receiving a product stack of N products, where N is an integer that is greater than or equal to two. The device can be easily adapted to products with different formats and/or dimensions due to the receiving device that can be detachably connected to the lower part of the conveyor unit. It is even possible that at least two receiving devices are assigned to the individual lower parts, the dimensions of which are adapted to products with different formats, and that these receiving devices can be selectively or alternately connected to the lower part of the conveyor unit.

The invention thus relates to a device and a method for feeding products from a first to a second process and for forming stacks of products in a packaging system, with the products being made available in product groups from the first process in a clocked manner. The product groups have a predetermined number of locations, each of which either has a product or is a blank. A buffer device with a conveyor section is provided between the processes. The buffer device has a plurality of conveyor units which can be driven independently of one another in and against a forward transport direction. The conveyor section has a transfer area for transferring product groups provided by the first process to the conveyor units and a buffer area upstream of the transfer area. Setting pattern data is provided for product groups to be positioned in the transfer area. So that the products can be transferred to the conveyor units when a vacancy occurs in such a way that product stacks with a predetermined number of products are formed in all conveyor units, the conveyor units, depending on the setting pattern data and stack status values of the conveyor units, are moved counter to the forward travel direction from the transfer area into the buffer zone and then in the forward direction from the buffer zone to the transfer area.

• 1 bis 23 eine schematische Darstellung eines ersten Ausführungsbeispiels einer Vorrichtung zum Zuführen von Produkten von einem ersten Prozess zu einem zweiten Prozess und zur Bildung von Produktstapeln in einer Verpackungsanlage, wobei die Figuren die Vorrichtung bei unterschiedliche Taktschritten zeigt, die ausgehend von der 1 zur 23 nacheinander durchlaufen werden,
• 24 eine Aufsicht auf ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel einer Vorrichtung zum Zuführen von Produkten von einem ersten Prozess zu einem zweiten Prozess und zur Bildung von Produktstapeln in einer Verpackungsanlage,
• 25 einen vergrößerten Ausschnitt von 24, der einen Arm eines getaktet antreibbaren Karussells zeigt, an dem ein Produkthalter angeordnet ist, der zum Halten einer Gruppe von drei Produkten geeignet ist,
• 26 eine perspektivische Ansicht der in 24 gezeigten Vorrichtung, und
• 27 einen vergrößerten Ausschnitt von 26, auf dem drei Fördereinheiten zu sehen sind, über denen ein Produkthalter des Karussells positioniert ist.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. Show it

• 1 until 23 a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a device for feeding products from a first process to a second process and for forming product stacks in a packaging system, the figures showing the device at different cycle steps ten shows starting from the 1 to the 23 be run through one after the other
• 24 a top view of a second embodiment of a device for feeding products from a first process to a second process and for forming product stacks in a packaging system,
• 25 an enlarged section of 24 , which shows an arm of a carousel that can be driven in a clocked manner, on which a product holder is arranged, which is suitable for holding a group of three products,
• 26 a perspective view of in 24 shown device, and
• 27 an enlarged section of 26 , on which three conveyor units can be seen, above which a product holder of the carousel is positioned.

A device, denoted as a whole by 1, for feeding products 2 from a first process to a second process and for forming product stacks 3 in a packaging system has a feed device 4, by means of which a product flow from the first process can be transported in a clocked manner in a feed direction 5. As in the 1 until 23 As can be seen, the product flow has a large number of product groups 6 which are arranged one behind the other in a row and which are offset in relation to one another in a constant grid in the conveying direction 5 .

Each time a cycle occurs, the product stream is transported further in the feed direction 5 by a distance that corresponds to the offset 7 in which product groups 6 that are adjacent to one another in the row are offset from one another.

It can happen that a so-called bad product, ie a defective product, is rejected in quality assurance measures in a previous process before or on the feed conveyor 5 . This creates a void 8 in the product line. As in 1 As can be seen, the individual product groups 6 contained in the product stream have a predetermined number of positions at which either a product is arranged or which are empty positions. It is also possible for a product group 6 to have several blanks 8 or even only blanks 8 .

The device 1 also has a buffer device 9, which is between the feed device 4 and in the 1 until 23 not shown further conveyor is arranged, which transports the product stack 3 to the second process. In the second process, the product stacks 3 are packed in folding boxes.

The buffer device 9 has an in 1 until 23 only partially shown, self-contained conveyor section 10 and several conveyor units 11A to 11K, which can be driven independently of one another along the conveyor section in a forward transport direction 12 and counter to the forward transport direction 12 with the aid of linear drives.

The linear drives, the infeed device 4 and the continuing conveying device have a control device 13 which controls the transport movements of the conveying units 11A to 11K, the infeed device 4 and the continuing conveying device depending on the product groups provided in the transfer area. The control device 13 is set up and designed to record setting pattern data for product groups that can be positioned in the transfer area.

The buffer device includes means for detecting actual position values for the current conveyor section positions of the conveyor units 11A to 11K. The actual position values can be determined, for example, in the control device from measurement signals from reference value transmitters of the conveyor section, control signals from the linear drives and design-related parameters of the conveyor section.

Each conveyor unit 11A to 11K has an upwardly open cage 14 for receiving a product stack with a number of N=3 products 2 . The dimensions of the cage 14 are adapted to the dimensions of the products 2 in such a way that they cannot fall off the conveyor units 11A to 11K when the conveyor units 11A to 11K accelerate, decelerate and move.

For the transfer of product groups 6 provided by the first process to the conveyor units 11A to 11K, the conveyor section 10 has a transfer area 15, which is preceded by a buffer area 16 for the conveyor units 11A to 11K. The transfer area 15 is located on the conveyor section 10 in the forward transport direction 12 of the conveyor units 11A to 11K in front of the buffer area 16. In 1 it can be seen that the transfer area 15 is below the level in which the products 2 rest on the feed device 4 . The distance between this level and the conveyor line 10 is dimensioned such that the level is arranged above the conveyor units 11A, 11B, 11C when they are positioned in the transfer area 15 of the conveyor line 10 .

In a first method step a), it is first checked whether all conveyor units 11A to 11K located on the conveyor section are empty. If conveyor units 11A to 11K are loaded, who which this empties. If necessary, this can be done manually by the user of the device 1 . In addition, for each conveyor unit 11A to 11K, a memory location for a stack state value, which is set to zero, is provided in a data memory of the control unit 13, which is not shown in detail in the drawing.

In a further method step b), setting pattern data are provided for a product group 3 to be positioned in the transfer area 15 of the conveyor line 10, which has the value logical 1 for each point at which the product group 6 has a product and for each point which the product group 6 has a gap contain the value logical 0. The setting pattern data can be generated using image processing methods from image data provided by a camera or in some other way. At the in 1 In the example shown, the setting pattern data has the value 111 because a product 2 is arranged at all three points of the next product group 6 to be positioned in the transfer area 15 .

In a first partial step i) of a method step c), position values for each conveyor line position at which the product group 6 has a product 2 when it is positioned in the transfer area 15 are determined according to the setting pattern data. In the example in 1 these conveyor line positions are denoted by P1, P2 and P3.

In addition, in a second sub-step ii) of method step c), position values are determined for each conveyor line position at which the product group 6 - if it is positioned in the transfer area 15 - has a void 8 which, in the forward transport direction 12 of the conveyor units 11A to 11K, is in front of a Position is arranged at which the product group 6 has a product 2. In the example in 1 no such conveyor line position is determined because there is a product 2 at all points in the product group 6.

• iii) nicht alle in Schritt i) ermittelten Positionswerte und/oder
• iv) mindestens einen in Schritt ii) ermittelten Positionswert umfassen.

In a further method step d), it is checked whether the current actual position values of the conveyor units 11A to 11K located on the conveyor section 10

• iii) not all position values determined in step i) and/or
• iv) include at least one position value determined in step ii).

If this is the case, the conveyor units 11A to 11C are arranged on the conveyor section 10 according to the position values determined in steps i) and ii). Since in the example in 1 neither condition iii) nor condition iv) is fulfilled, the conveyor units 11A to 11C located in the transfer area 15 each remain in place in method step d).

In a further method step e), the product group 6 is positioned at the transfer area 15 of the conveyor section 10 and the products 3 of the product group 6 are transferred to the conveyor unit 11A to 11C assigned to them. As in 2 and 3 As can be seen, the products 2 fall into the upwardly open cages 14 of the conveyor units 11A to 11C, supported by gravity.

In a further method step f), the stack status value of each conveyor unit 11A to 11C which has accepted a product in step e) is incremented to the value 1.

In a further method step g), any conveyor units 11A to 11C which are arranged in the transfer area 15 and have the stacking state 3 are determined. Since the stack status value for the conveyor units 11A to 11C is 1 in each case, no conveyor units are determined in method step g).

Steps b) to h) of claim 1 are now run through in a corresponding manner ( 3 until 5 ). As in 3 As can be seen, the next product group 6 to be positioned in the transfer area 15 has only two products 2 and one space 8. Accordingly, the setting pattern data in method step b) is set to the value 101, with 1 indicating the products and 0 indicating the space .

In the first partial step i) of a method step c), position values for each conveyor line position at which the product group 6 has a product 2 when it is positioned in the transfer area 15 are determined according to the setting pattern data. In the example in 3 these conveyor line positions are denoted by P1 and P3.

In the second sub-step ii) of method step c), position values are determined for each conveyor line position at which the product group 6—when it is positioned in the transfer area 15—has a void 8 that is located in front of a point in the forward transport direction 13 of the conveyor units 11A to 11K is where the product group 6 has a product 2. In the example in 3 the conveyor line position P2 is determined because the empty space 8 and a product 2 to the right are arranged at this position when the product group 6 is positioned in the transfer area 15 (see 4 ).

• iii) nicht alle in Schritt i) ermittelten Positionswerte und/oder
• iv) mindestens einen in Schritt ii) ermittelten Positionswert umfassen.

In method step d), it is checked whether the current actual position values of the conveyor units 11A to 11K located on the conveyor section 10

• iii) not all position values determined in step i) and/or
• iv) include at least one position value determined in step ii).

Since condition iv) is met, the conveyor units 11A to 11C are arranged on the conveyor section 10 according to the position values determined in steps i) and ii).

Since the number of position values determined in step ii) is equal to 1 and is therefore 1 greater than the number 0 of vacancies currently in the transfer area where there is no conveyor unit 11A to 11K, in method step vi) of claim 1 a conveyor unit 11C moved counter to the forward transport direction 12 from the transfer area 15 into the buffer area 16. The number of currently free places in the transfer area can be determined, for example, from the number of places in the product group minus the number of conveyor units currently located in the transfer area, namely 3 - 3 = 0. In addition, the conveyor unit 11B is moved by one place counter to the forward transport direction 12 shifted backwards to fill the space at the conveyor line position P2, at which in 4 the void 8 is positioned to release.

In method step e), the product group 6 is positioned at the transfer area 15 of the conveyor section 10 and the products 2 of the product group 6 are transferred to the conveyor unit 11A or 11C assigned to them ( 4 and 5 ). The products fall onto the products already in the corresponding conveyor unit 11A or 11C and form a product stack with it, the stack status of which is 2 ( 5 ). No product is loaded into the conveyor unit 11C that has been shifted into the buffer area 16 . This conveyor unit 11C therefore continues to have stacking status 1.

In method step f), the stack status values stored in the data memory are updated accordingly.

Steps b) to h) of claim 1 are now run through again ( 5 until 7 ). In step b), the setting pattern data according to 5 determined as follows: 111, ie a product 2 is arranged at all points of the product group 3 to be positioned next in the transfer area 15 of the conveyor line 10 . In method step c) of claim 1, the conveyor line positions P1, P2 and P3 are determined according to the setting pattern data in sub-step i) and no conveyor line position is determined in sub-step ii).

because in 5 only at the positions P1 and P3 conveyor units 11A, 11C are arranged, the check in method step d) of claim 1 shows that the condition for sub-step v) is met. Therefore, the conveyor unit 11B is shifted by one position in the forward transport direction 12 and the conveyor unit 11C is moved in the forward transport direction 12 from the buffer area 16 into the transfer area 15 . Since the condition for sub-step vi) of method step d) of patent claim 1 in 3 is not fulfilled, in this partial step no conveyor unit is moved counter to the forward transport direction 12 from the transfer area 15 into the buffer area 16 ( 5 and 6 ).

In method step e) of claim 1, the foremost product group 6 is positioned at the transfer area of the conveyor line ( 6 ) and the three products 2 of this product group 6 are loaded into the conveyor units 11A, 11B, 11C ( 7 ). The products 2 are each deposited on the products already located in the conveyor units 11A, 11B, 11C.

The stack status value of each conveyor unit 11A, 11B, 11C which has taken over a product in method step e) is incremented according to method step f) of patent claim 1. After that, the stack status value of the conveyor unit 11A, 11B stored in the data memory has the value 3 and the stack status value of the conveyor unit 11C has the value 2 ( 7 ). As in 7 As can be seen, three empty conveyor units 11D to 11F are also moved into the buffer area 16 in the forward transport direction 12 and set down there.

Since in method step e) at least one product 2 was transferred to a conveyor unit 11A to 11C located in the transfer area 15, it is determined in method step g) based on the stored stack status values that the conveyor units 11A and 11B arranged in the transfer area 15 have the stack status value 3 and that therefore the intended number of N products 2 is stacked in these conveyor units 11A and 11B.

According to method step h), these conveyor units 11A, 11B are moved out of the transfer area 15 by moving in the forward transport direction 12 ( 7 and 8th ). In addition, the conveyor units 11C to 11F are shifted by one position in the forward transport direction 12. Conveyor unit 11C is now at conveyor line position P2 and conveyor unit 11D is at conveyor line position P3 ( 8th ).

Steps b) to h) of claim 1 are now run through again ( 8th until 11 ). In step b), the setting pattern data according to 8th determined as follows: 010, ie a product 2 is only arranged at the middle point of the product group 3 to be positioned next in the transfer area 15 of the conveyor section 10 . There is a space 8 in front of and behind this product 3.

In method step c) of claim 1, the conveyor line position P2 is determined in sub-step i) and in sub-step ii) the conveyor line position P1 according to the setting pattern data.

• iii) nicht alle in Schritt i) ermittelten Positionswerte und/oder
• iv) mindestens einen in Schritt ii) ermittelten Positionswert umfassen.

In method step d), it is checked whether the current actual position values of the conveyor units 11A to 11K located on the conveyor section 10

• iii) not all position values determined in step i) and/or
• iv) include at least one position value determined in step ii).

there in 8th neither of the two conditions is met, no conveyor units 11A, 11B, 11E to 11K are moved into or out of the transfer area 15 in method step d).

It should also be mentioned that the conveyor unit 11D in 8th does not necessarily have to be arranged at the conveyor line position P3, because the product group to be positioned next in the transfer area 15 has an empty space at this point, ie no product 2 is transferred there. Nevertheless, a conveyor unit 11D is positioned at the conveyor section position P3 because this speeds up the further course of the process.

In method step e), the foremost product group 3 of the product flow is positioned at the transfer area 15 of the conveyor line 10 ( 9 ) and the only product 2 of this product group 3 is transferred to the conveyor unit 11C ( 10 ). The stack status value of this conveyor unit 11C is incremented to the value 3 in method step f).

Since a product 2 was transferred to the conveyor unit 11C in method step e), method step g) checks whether the stack status value stored for this conveyor unit 11C corresponds to the number N=3 of the products 2 to be stacked in the conveyor units 11A to 11K. Since this is the case, the conveyor unit 11C is moved out of the transfer area 15 by moving in the forward transport direction 12 ( 11 ). At the same time or thereafter, two empty conveyor units 11E and 11F are shifted from the buffer area 16 in the forward transport direction 12 into the transfer area 15 in order to stack the products 2 of further product groups 3 . The corresponding process steps are in the 11 until 23 shown.

The 24 until 26 show a further exemplary embodiment of the device 1′ according to the invention, which is used to feed products 2, namely blisters, from a punching station 17 to a bucket chain 18 of a cartoner, not shown in detail in the drawing. At the punching station 17, the blisters or the products 3 are punched out of a blister band in a manner known per se.

As in 24 and 26 As can be seen, the infeed device 4 has a carousel 20 which can be driven in rotation about a vertical axis of rotation 19 in cycles and which has a plurality of product holders 21 spaced apart from the axis of rotation 19 and offset relative to one another in the infeed direction 5, which are arranged on carousel arms 22 pointing radially away from the axis of rotation. The product holders 21 are arranged on the free ends of the carousel arms 22 in such a way that the product holders 21 can each be positioned or moved past the transfer area 15 of the conveyor line 10 to receive a product group 6 at the punching station 17 and to deliver the product group 6 . When a product holder 21 is arranged at the punching station 17, another product holder 21 is positioned at the transfer area 15 at the same time. In this way, the carousel 20 can simultaneously receive a product group 6 and deliver another product group 6 to the conveyor line 10 .

For each product 2 arranged in a product group 6 , the product holders 21 each have a downward-pointing contact surface 23 , on which the product 2 comes to rest when it is held by the product holder 21 . Within the contact surface 23, the product holder 21 has two openings, which are spaced from the outer edge of the contact surface 23 and can be optionally or alternately connected to a pneumatic vacuum source and a pneumatic excess pressure source via a flow channel. All of the openings of the product holder 21 are pneumatically connected to one another via the flow channel. As in 25 and 27 can be seen, a plug-in coupling 24 is provided in the flow channel for each product holder 21, to which a compressed air hose not shown in the drawing is connected, which can be connected via valves to the vacuum source or the overpressure source.

During the transport of the product 2 from the punching station 17 to the point at which the product 2 is dropped into a conveyor unit 11A to 11K provided at the transfer area, the opening for sucking the product 2 is at the contact surface 23 connected to the vacuum source. To eject the product 2 into the conveyor unit 11A to 11K, the opening is disconnected from the vacuum source and briefly connected to the positive pressure source to transmit a pneumatic pulse to product 2, through which the product 2 away from the contact surface 23 in the direction of the dem Product 2 associated conveyor unit 11A to 11K is accelerated.

In 27 it can be seen that the conveyor units 11A to 11C each have a lower part 25A to 25C and a receiving device 26A to 26C that can be releasably connected thereto for receiving a product stack 4 of a plurality of products 2 . The receiving devices 26A to 26C each have four stanchions designed as angle profiles and running in the vertical direction, which are fastened to the lower part 25A to 25C and are arranged in the use position at the corners of the m essentially rectangular products 2. In addition, the receptacles 26A to 26C each have a bottom plate. The stanchions and the base plate form a cage which is open at the top and whose internal dimensions are adapted to the dimensions of the product stack 4 .

The receiving device 26A to 26C can be detachably connected to the lower part 25A to 25C of the conveyor unit 11A to 11C. To transport products 2 with different formats or dimensions, the receiving devices 26A to 26C can be exchanged for corresponding receiving devices with different dimensions.

In 26 it can be seen that the conveyor section 10 is designed as a self-contained conveyor section which has a transfer area 27 which is spaced apart from the transfer area 15 and on which a transfer device is arranged, by means of which product stacks 3 arranged on the conveyor units 11A to 11K can be transferred to the second process . Conveyor units 11A to 11K that have been loaded in the transfer area 15 with a product stack 3 that has the predetermined number N of products 2 are each transported over the conveyor section 10 in the forward transport direction 12 from the transfer area 15 to the transfer area 27 .

In the transfer area 27 the product stacks 3 are transferred to a transfer device 28 which has a plurality of conveying elements 29 which can be driven independently of one another along a closed transport route 30 with the aid of linear drives. The transport section 30 extends in a plane that runs orthogonally to the plane spanned by the conveyor section 10 and orthogonally to the forward transport direction 12 in which the conveyor units 11 to 11K are moved in the transfer area 15 . The product stacks 3 delivered in the transfer area 27 are removed from the conveyor units 11A to 11K with the aid of the conveyor elements 29 and arranged between the cell brackets 31 of the bucket chain 18 .

The process steps in forming the product stack 3 with in the 24 until 27 shown device corresponding method steps of the device according to the 1 until 23 . The description of 1 until 23 therefore applies to them 24 until 27 accordingly.

Claims (16)

A method for feeding products (2) from a first process to a second process and for forming product stacks (3) in a packaging system, the products (2) being provided clocked from the first process in product groups (6), the individual product groups (6) have a predetermined number of positions, each of which either has a product (2) or is an empty position (8), with a buffer device (9) with a conveyor section (10) between the first and the second process is provided, the buffer device (9) having a plurality of conveyor units (11A to 11K) which can be driven independently of one another at least in sections along the conveyor section (10) in a forward transport direction (12) and counter to the forward transport direction (12), the conveyor section (10 ) - a transfer area (15) for transferring product groups (6) provided by the first process to the conveyor units (11A to 11K) and - a buffer area (16) upstream of the transfer area (15) for the conveyor units (11A to 11K). , actual position values being provided for the current conveyor line positions (P1, P2, P3) at which the conveyor units (11A to 11K) are located, the conveyor units (11A to 11K) each being designed to receive a product stack (3) from N Products are designed, where N is an integer greater than or equal to two, and wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) setting a stack status value for each conveyor unit (11A to 11K) in a data memory, b) providing setting pattern data for a product group (6) to be positioned in the transfer area (15) of the conveyor line (10), c) according to the setting pattern data i) determination of position values for each conveyor line position at which the product group (6) has a product (2), when it is positioned in the transfer area (15), ii) determining position values for each conveyor line position at which the product group (6) - when it is positioned in the transfer area (15) - has a blank (8) which is in the forward transport direction direction (12) of the conveyor units (11A to 11K) is arranged in front of a point at which the product group (6) has a product (2), d) in the event that the current actual position values of the conveyor units (11A to 11K) iii) do not include all position values determined in step i), and/or iv) include at least one position value determined in step ii), the conveyor units (11A to 11K) are arranged in such a way that at each position value determined in step i). a conveyor unit is positioned and at each position value determined in step ii), an empty space is provided at which no conveyor unit (11A to 11K) is located, v) in the event that the number of position values determined in step i) is greater than the number of conveyor units (11A to 11K) currently located in the transfer area (15), at least one conveyor unit (11A to 11K) is moved in the forward transport direction from the buffer area (16) into the transfer area (15), vi) wherein for the case that the number of position values determined in step ii) is greater than the number of positions in the product group (6) minus the number of conveyor units (11A to 11K) currently located in the transfer area (15), at least one conveyor unit (11A to 11K) is moved counter to the forward transport direction (12) from the transfer area (15) into the buffer area (16), e) positioning of the product group (6) at the transfer area (15) of the conveyor line (10) and transfer of each product in the product group ( 6) located product (2) to the conveyor unit (11A to 11K) assigned to it, f) incrementing the stack status value of each conveyor unit (11A to 11K) which has accepted a product (2) in step e), g) if in step e ) at least one product (2) has been accepted, determining any conveyor units (11A to 11K) arranged in the transfer area (15) in accordance with the stored stack status values and having a stack status of N, h) if in step g) at least one such conveyor unit (11A to 11K) has been determined, removing the at least one conveyor unit (11A to 11K) from the transfer area (15) by moving the at least one conveyor unit (11A to 11K) in the forward transport direction (12), and i) if in step g) no conveyor unit ( 11A to 11K), repeating steps b) to h) if the first process provides another product group (2). procedure after claim 1 , characterized in that if the product group (6) has at least one empty space (8) behind which the product group (6) has no product (2), the conveyor line position is determined for at least one such empty space (8), at which the empty space (8) is arranged when the product group (6) is positioned in the transfer area (15), and that in step d) or e) or f) or g) or e) or f) or g) or h) from Claim 1 a conveyor unit (11A to 11K) is positioned at at least one such conveyor line position. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 or 2 , characterized in that the products (2) are transported hanging from the first process to the transfer area (15) in such a way that they are arranged in the transfer area (15) above a conveyor unit (11A to 11K) positioned there, and that for the transfer of the products (2) to the conveying units (11A to 11K) in the transfer area (15) a pulse is exerted pneumatically on the products (2), as a result of which the products (2) are ejected onto the conveying units (11A to 11K). Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that the conveyor section (10) is a self-contained conveyor section (10) which has a transfer area (27) spaced apart from the transfer area (15), that in step h) of Claim 1 conveyor units (11A to 11K) moved in the forward transport direction (12) out of the transfer area (15) are transported into the transfer area (27), and that the product stacks (3) arranged on these conveyor units (11A to 11K) in the transfer area (27). be passed on to the second process. procedure after claim 4 , characterized in that the second process is a packaging process in which the product stack (3) is packed in a folding box. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 5 , characterized in that in step a) of Claim 1 the conveyor units (11A to 11K) are empty. Procedure according to claims 4 and 6 , characterized in that step a) of Claim 1 comprises a starting procedure in which all conveyor units (11A to 11K) are positioned at least once in the transfer area (27) in order to transfer any products located in or on the conveyor units (11A to 11K) to the second process. Device (1, 1') for feeding products (2) from a first process to a second process and for forming product stacks (3) in a packaging system, in particular for carrying out the method according to one of Claims 1 until 7 , Wherein the products (2) can be provided in such a clocked manner by the first process in product groups (6). are that the individual product groups (6) have a predetermined number of positions, each of which either has a product (2) or is an empty position (8), comprising - a buffer device (9 ) which has a conveyor section (10) and a plurality of conveyor units (11A to 11K) which can be driven independently of one another along the conveyor section (10) in a forward transport direction (12) and counter to the forward transport direction (12), the buffer device (9) having means for detecting Actual position values for the current conveyor line positions of the conveyor units (11A to 11K), the conveyor units (11A to 11K) each being designed to receive a product stack (3) of N products, where N is an integer greater than or equal to two and wherein the conveyor section has - a transfer area (15) for transferring the product groups (6) provided by the first process to the conveyor units (11A to 11K) and - a buffer area (16) for conveyor units (11A to 11K), - a control device (13) with a data memory, which is set up and designed to A) detect stack status values for the conveyor units (11A to 11K) and store them in the data memory, B) setting pattern data for one in the transfer area (15) to detect the product group (6) to be positioned on the conveyor section (10), and C) to control the conveyor units (11A to 11K) in accordance with the setting pattern data, the actual position values and the stack status values in such a way - that, with each positioning of a product Group (6) in the transfer area (15) - at each conveyor line position at which the product group (6) has a product (2), a conveyor unit (11A to 11K) is arranged, and - at each conveyor line position at which the product - Group (6) has an empty place (8) which is arranged in the forward transport direction (12) of the conveyor units (11A to 11K) in front of a place at which the product group (6) has a product (2), an empty place provided, on which there is no conveyor unit (11A to 11K), - whereby if the number of products (2) contained in the product group (6) is greater than the number of conveyor units (11A to 11K) currently located in the transfer area at least one conveyor unit (11A to 11K) is moved in the forward transport direction (12) from the buffer area (16) into the transfer area (15), - in which case the number of empty spaces (8) contained in the product group (6) is greater the number of positions in the product group (6) minus the number of conveyor units (11A to 11K) currently located in the transfer area (15), at least one conveyor unit (11A to 11K) counter to the forward transport direction (12) from the transfer area (15) in is moved into the buffer area (16), - that each product (2) of the product group (6) positioned in the transfer area (15) is then loaded into the conveyor unit (11A to 11K) assigned to it, D) steps A) to C) to repeat until the stacking status of at least one conveyor unit (11A to 11K) arranged in the transfer area has the value N, E) transport units (11A to 11K) arranged in the transfer area (15) which have a stacking status of N, by moving in the forward transport direction (12) to remove from the transfer area (15), and F) to repeat steps A) to E) one or more times if necessary. Device (1, 1 ') after claim 8 , characterized in that the control device (13) is set up and designed such that if a product group (6) positioned in the transfer area (15) has at least one empty space (8), behind which the product group (6 ) has no product (2), a conveyor unit (11A to 11K) is positioned at the conveyor line position of this at least empty space (8). Device (1, 1 ') after claim 8 or 9 , characterized in that the device (1, 1') for transporting the product groups (6) from the first process to the transfer area (15) has a feed device with at least one downward-pointing contact surface for the products (2) of the product group ( 6) has that the at least one contact surface (23) for each product (2) of the product group (6) has at least one opening which can be connected to a pneumatic vacuum source for sucking the product (2) onto the contact surface (23). or connected, and that the feed device (4) for transferring the products to the conveyor units (11A to 11K) located in the transfer area (15) has a discharge device, by means of which the products (2) are discharged from the at least one contact surface (23) in the direction of conveyor units (11A to 11K) positioned in the transfer area (15) can be ejected. Device (1, 1 ') after claim 10 , characterized in that the ejection device has at least one outlet point for a gas which interacts with the at least one contact surface (23) of the feed device (4) and which is or can be connected to a pneumatic overpressure source. Device (1, 1 ') after claim 10 or 11 , characterized in that the feed device (4) has a rotary driveable carousel (20) clocked about a vertical axis of rotation (19). which has a plurality of product holders (21) spaced apart from the axis of rotation (19) and offset relative to one another in the direction of rotation, on which at least one contact surface (23) pointing downwards is arranged, and that the product holders (21) have the means for gripping the products (2nd ) of a product group (6) at a receiving point and for transferring the product group (6) to the conveyor units (11A to 11K) in the transfer area (15) of the conveyor line (10) can be positioned. Device (1, 1 ') according to one of Claims 8 until 12 , characterized in that the product holders (21) each have an adjustment device, by means of which the distance between the products (2) of a product group (6) held by the product holder (21) during the transport of the product group (6) to the Transfer area (15) is adjustable. Device (1, 1 ') according to one of Claims 8 until 13 , characterized in that the conveyor line (10) is designed as a self-contained conveyor line (10) which has a transfer area (27) at a distance from the transfer area (15) and on which a transfer device (28) is arranged, by means of which the conveyor units (11A to 11K) arranged product stacks (3) can be passed on to the second process. Device (1, 1 ') according to one of Claims 8 until 14 , characterized in that the conveyor units (11A to 11K) each have a lower part (25A ... 25C) and a receiving device (26A ... 26C) which can be releasably connected thereto for receiving a product stack (3) of N products, N having one is an integer greater than or equal to two. Device (1, 1 ') according to one of Claims 8 until 15 , characterized in that the individual lower parts (25A ... 25C) are each assigned at least two receiving devices (26A ... 26C), which are adapted to products (2) with different formats in terms of their dimensions, and in that these receiving devices (26A ... 26C) can be optionally or alternately connected to the lower part (25A ... 25C) of the conveyor unit (11A to 11K).

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