DE102022114548A1 - Shrinking device and a method for shrinking thermoplastic packaging material - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a shrinking device (1) and a method for shrinking a thermoplastic packaging material (25) onto at least one article (20). The shrinking device (1) comprises a shrinking space (4) with at least one transport route (TS) for the article (20), the article (20) being conveyed in a transport direction. The shrinking space (4) is laterally delimited by outer shaft walls (3), the outer shaft walls (3) each having an outflow surface (6) directed towards the shrinking space (4) with a plurality of outflow openings, through which outflow openings shrinkage agent (HL) is introduced laterally flows into the shrinking space (4). The shrinking device (1) comprises, between the two outer shaft walls (3), at least one receiving device (7) formed above the transport path (TS) for a further shaft wall, wherein in a first operating mode (BM1) of the shrinking device (1) a top heat shaft wall ( 9) is arranged on the at least one receiving device (7), which top heat shaft wall (9) comprises a bottom (10) with outflow openings (11), via which outflow openings (11) shrinkage means (HL) with a downward movement component into the Shrinkage space (4) flows in.

Description

The present invention relates to a shrinking device and a method for shrinking thermoplastic packaging material onto articles according to the features of the independent claims.

State of the art

Flat material webs made of thermoplastic are used, for example, as foil for shrinkage processes in packaging technology. The respective thermoplastic surface web or the respective shrink film is provided as an endless material on rolls before shrinking, then arranged around a compilation or group of several articles, subsequently guided together with the respective articles through a shrink tunnel and subjected to temperature there for shrinkage. If the articles covered with the flat web or shrink film emerge from the shrink tunnel, a so-called packaging unit is formed from the flat web and the article group, in which the individual articles are held together by means of the shrunk-on thermoplastic flat web or shrink film.

In shrink devices for shrinking materials known from the prior art, the articles, such as PET bottles, wrapped with a thermoplastic packaging material or shrink material, in particular a shrink film, are transported along a transport route through the so-called shrink tunnel. During its transport through the shrink tunnel, the shrink material is heated from the sides and/or from below by applying a shrink agent, in particular hot air or similar, and is thereby shrunk onto the respective articles. Known shrink tunnels include, for example, electrical heaters for heating the thermoplastic packaging material to be shrunk.

As a rule, the shrinking energy is brought to the products from below via shrinking agents from a bottom chamber and via side shaft walls. When producing shrink containers in which a number of items are combined using shrink film, wrinkles can occur if too much shrink agent is blown into the side of the shrink film. If, on the other hand, there is too much supply of shrinking agent via the floor area, then the problem arises that the conveyor chain overheats and the shrink film sticks to the conveyor chain.

A shrink tunnel in which an electric heating device is used is, for example, from the published patent application DE 199 20 057 A1 known. The air heated by the heating devices is led into the interior of the shrink tunnel via hot air outlets.

Description

For this reason, an object of the invention can be seen as providing a possibility with which the shrink quality in the production of packaging units, in particular shrink packs, can be further improved.

The above object is achieved by a shrinking device and a method for shrinking a thermoplastic packaging material, which comprise the features in the independent claims. Further advantageous embodiments are described in the subclaims.

A shrinking device according to the invention is used in particular for shrinking a thermoplastic packaging material onto at least one article.

The articles can preferably be beverage containers, in particular bottles, cans or the like filled and sealed with beverages. However, other items, such as boxes or similar, can also be wrapped with a thermoplastic packaging material. Here, the thermoplastic packaging material can also combine several boxes into a larger packaging unit or the thermoplastic packaging material is arranged around a cardboard packaging as protection and shrunk onto it.

If at least one article is mentioned in the application, this can also involve article compilations or article groups each comprising at least two articles.

The thermoplastic packaging material can in particular be a shrink film. The shrink film can be provided as a flat packaging material that is wrapped around the item in advance. The shrink film can also be provided as a shrink tube or similar, which shrink tube is placed over the article, for example, before shrinking.

If the term shrink film is used below, it means any suitable thermal film moplastic packaging material may be included. In particular, the thermoplastic packaging material does not have to consist of a plastic material, or at least not entirely.

Before handling within the shrinking device, for example, several items are put together in a one-part module to form item combinations or groups of items and wrapped in a wrapping module with a flat thermoplastic packaging material, in particular a blank of shrink film.

The arrangements of at least one article and thermoplastic packaging material are referred to below as wrapped article groups. The appropriately manufactured covered article groups are fed to the shrinking device.

A shrinking device according to the invention comprises at least one shrinking space with at least one transport path for the covered group of articles, the covered group of articles being moved in a transport direction through the shrinking space of the shrinking device.

The transport route is formed, for example, by at least one suitable conveyor device, for example an endless conveyor belt, a mat chain conveyor or similar.

The shrinkage space is laterally limited by external shaft walls. The outer shaft walls are, for example, lateral spraying devices in the form of hollow bodies with holes on one side. In particular, the side surfaces of the outer shaft walls facing the interior of the shrinking device are designed as outflow surfaces and each have a plurality of outflow openings, through which outflow openings the shrinking agent flows laterally into the interior of the shrinking device delimited between the outer shaft walls - the so-called shrinking space.

Hot air, for example, is used as a shrinking agent. To generate the hot air, the shrinking device can comprise at least one heating means. The shrinking agent is blown laterally into the shrinking space via the outer shaft walls, in particular the shrinking agent is blown in in the direction of the covered article group.

In addition, it can be provided that part of the shrinking agent is blown from below onto the underside of the covered article groups. In particular, the transport route is designed to be correspondingly permeable, for example by using a suitable conveyor device in the form of a mat chain conveyor or similar.

The shrink agent causes the shrink wrap to shrink around the items. The shrinking process starts, particularly when using flat film sections, from the initially freely overlapping film projections and continues towards the center of the film. The further the wrapped article group is transported through the shrinking device in the transport direction, the more the shrink film shrinks in accordance with its properties around the article or articles of the wrapped article group onto the outer lateral surfaces of the article or articles. The so-called film eyes form on the side surfaces with the initially freely overlapping film projections. Before the wrapped article group leaves the shrinking device, the shrink film lies largely completely tightly against the outer surface of the article or articles.

In the shrinking device according to the invention it is provided that at least one receiving device for a further shaft wall is provided between the two outer shaft walls and is formed above the transport path.

The receiving device can in particular have fastening devices for fixing a shaft wall arranged on the receiving device

It is provided here that in a first operating mode of the shrinking device, a top heat shaft wall is arranged on the at least one receiving device, which top heat shaft wall comprises a bottom with outflow openings, through which outflow openings shrinking agent flows into the shrinking space with a downward movement component.

The top heat shaft wall arranged on the at least one receiving device is preferably located centrally between the two outer shaft walls.

One embodiment provides that the wrapped article groups are moved centrally between the two outer shaft walls by the shrinking device. Accordingly, in the first operating mode, the covered article groups are additionally subjected to shrinkage agent from above via the top heat shaft wall. In particular, shrinking agent is specifically sprayed from above onto the top of the covered article group via the upper heat shaft wall.

One embodiment provides for a hanging arrangement of the outer shaft walls within the shrinking device. The outer shaft walls are arranged, for example, on fastenings which are at the same height or essentially at the same height above the transport route as the at least one receiving device arranged between the fastenings.

According to one embodiment, the outer shaft walls have a first height. This first height corresponds to the height or a first distance between the transport route and the receiving device. The outer shaft walls particularly preferably have a first height that is slightly less than the first distance. In particular, it can be provided that the first height lies in a range which extends between 90% and 99% of the first distance. In this case, the outer shaft walls, which are suspended inside the shrinking device, do not stand on the transport route, which ensures unhindered movement of the at least one conveyor device.

According to one embodiment, the top heat shaft wall, which is arranged hanging on the receiving device, has a second height, which corresponds to the second height between 5% and 60% of the first distance.

The top heat shaft wall therefore has a second height that is significantly lower than the first height of the outer shaft walls. In particular, the second height of the top heat shaft wall is selected such that the distance between the transport route and the underside of the top heat shaft wall is greater than the height of the wrapped article group moved over the transport route.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the top heat shaft wall is designed to be adjustable and/or is arranged to be adjustable within the shrinking device.

According to one embodiment, it can be provided that the supply of shrinking agent can be controlled via the at least one top heat shaft wall. In particular, it can be provided that the supply of shrinking agent can be switched on or off in a targeted manner via the top heat shaft wall. Also, for example, the amount and/or the temperature of the shrinking agent, which is introduced into the shrinking chamber via the top heat shaft wall, can be regulated using appropriate devices such as valves and additional heating modules or cooling modules or similar.

According to a further embodiment, it can be provided that the position of the top heat shaft wall is adjustable within the shrinking device. In particular, the position of the top heat shaft wall can be designed to be adjustable transversely to the transport direction.

In this context, it can also preferably be provided that the outer shaft walls are also designed to be adjustable. In particular, the amount of shrinking agent supplied laterally can be controlled.

Alternatively or additionally, the position of the outer shaft walls within the shrinking device can be designed to be adjustable transversely to the transport direction.

For example, the at least one receiving device and the fastenings for the outer shaft walls can each be arranged on carriage guides, which are assigned to a rail that extends transversely to the transport direction and can move along it. In particular, the at least one receiving device and the fastenings for the outer shaft walls can be moved transversely to the transport direction by moving along the rail.

The position of the at least one receiving device and the fastenings for the outer shaft walls can be adjusted manually or motorically and/or automatically. For example, the positioning device can include a spindle adjustment with a corresponding crank. An automated adjustment can also be carried out via a control device which, based on certain product parameters, determines the optimal arrangement of the at least one receiving device and the fastenings for the outer shaft walls and controls the positioning device in order to adjust the arrangement of the at least one receiving device and the fastenings for the outer shaft walls accordingly .

As a result, the shrinking space can be easily coordinated and adapted to the respective size of the wrapped article groups; in particular, a width of the shrinking space can be changed or the shrinking space can be divided into several sub-areas for multi-lane processing. Within the various sub-areas, wrapped article groups in particular are transported parallel to one another through the shrinking device.

The shrinking device can continue to be operated in a second operating mode, in which an inner shaft wall with two side Chen outflow surfaces is arranged on the at least one receiving device. This divides the shrinkage space into several sub-areas or partial shrinkage spaces. This means that at least two wrapped article groups can be processed in parallel at the same time with a shrinking device in the second operating mode.

The setting options described above can be used in particular to easily coordinate and adapt the shrinking space, which is divided into several partial areas by at least one inner shaft wall, to the respective size of the covered article groups.

A preferred embodiment of the shrinking device provides a receiving device between the two outer shaft walls. Such a shrinking device can therefore be operated in one lane in the first operating mode and in two lanes in the second operating mode.

A further preferred embodiment of the shrinking device provides three receiving devices between the two outer shaft walls.

Such a shrinking device can therefore be operated in one or two lanes in the first operating mode.

When using the shrinking device for single-lane transport, for example, only the middle of the three receiving devices can be equipped with a top heat shaft wall.

Alternatively, for single-lane transport, all three receiving devices can be equipped with top heat shaft walls. If necessary, it can be provided that, for example, only the middle top heat shaft wall is switched on and the wrapped article group moved by the shrinking device is subjected to shrinking agent from above. It is also conceivable that only the two side top heat shaft walls are switched on and apply shrinking agent to the covered article group moved by the shrinking device from above.

Furthermore, it could be provided that the middle top heat shaft wall applies shrinking agent of a first temperature to a central region of the top of the covered article group, while the side upper heat shaft walls each apply shrinking agent of a second temperature to a lateral region of the top of the covered article group. Depending on the product and the desired shrinkage result, the first temperature can be higher than the second temperature, in particular at least 3 ° C higher, preferably at least 5 ° higher. Alternatively, the second temperature can also be chosen to be higher than the first temperature, in particular at least 3 ° C higher, preferably at least 5 ° higher.

When using the shrinking device in the first operating mode for two-lane transport, an inner shaft wall is arranged on the middle receiving device, which divides the shrinking space into two sub-areas. A top heat shaft wall is arranged on the other receiving devices, via which the wrapped article groups conveyed through the respective sub-areas are each subjected to shrinking agent from above.

To use the shrinking device in a second operating mode, a central shaft wall is arranged on all three receiving devices, so that the shrinking space is divided into four sub-areas. The appropriately equipped shrink device can therefore be used in the second operating mode for four-lane product processing.

A further second operating mode is conceivable, in which a central shaft wall is arranged on the outer of the three receiving devices, so that the shrinkage space is divided into three sub-areas. In this case, no top heat shaft wall is attached to the middle receiving device.

Furthermore, a first operating mode with three-lane processing would be conceivable, in which a top heat shaft wall is attached to the middle receiving device, while an inner shaft wall is arranged on the side receiving devices. In this case, only the wrapped article groups on the middle transport path are subjected to shrinkage agent from above. This embodiment can be used in a sensible manner if, for example, different products are transported in the middle transport path than in the two outer transport paths.

The above-described setting options for the fastenings for the outer shaft walls and the at least one receiving device transverse to the transport direction allow, in all cases described above, when using at least one central shaft wall, the formation of subareas of different widths within the shrinking space, so that different products can be processed simultaneously within the shrinking device .

The invention further relates to a method for shrinking a thermoplastic packaging material onto at least one article or at least one combination of at least articles.

It should be expressly mentioned at this point that all aspects and embodiment variants that were explained in connection with the shrinking device according to the invention equally relate to or can be partial aspects of the method according to the invention. Therefore, if certain aspects and/or connections and/or effects are mentioned at one point in the description or in the claim definitions for the device according to the invention, this applies equally to the method according to the invention.

With the shrinking device described above and the corresponding method, in particular with the method that can be carried out in a shrinking device described above, thick shrink films can also be processed in the desired manner and with good shrinking results.

In addition, all film areas can now be treated with shrinking agent in a better and more targeted manner, especially film areas on the top of the wrapped article groups.

Furthermore, the temperature of the shrinking agent can be reduced, which contributes to energy savings and thus significant cost savings

A temperature reduction within the shrinking device also has a positive effect in that the lower overall heating of the at least one conveyor device reduces sticking of the thermoplastic packaging material to it.

By appropriately selecting the second height of the at least one top heat shaft wall, the shrinkage result can be further optimized by adjusting the distance between the outflow openings on the underside of the top heat shaft wall and the respective top side of the covered article group.

Character description

• 1 zeigt eine erste Ausführungsform einer Schrumpfvorrichtung in einem ersten Betriebsmodus.
• 2 zeigt eine zweite Ausführungsform einer Schrumpfvorrichtung in einem ersten Betriebsmodus.
• 3 zeigt eine Ausführungsform einer Schrumpfvorrichtung gemäß den 1 und 2 in einem zweiten Betriebsmodus.
• 4 zeigt eine weitere Schrumpfvorrichtung in einem ersten Betriebsmodus.
• 5 zeigt eine weitere Ausführungsform der Schrumpfvorrichtung gemäß 4 in einem ersten Betriebsmodus.
• 6 zeigt eine Schrumpfvorrichtung gemäß 4 und 5 in einem zweiten Betriebsmodus.

In the following, exemplary embodiments will explain the invention and its advantages in more detail using the attached figures. The proportions of the individual elements in the figures do not always correspond to the real proportions, as some shapes are simplified and other shapes are shown enlarged in relation to other elements for better illustration.

• 1 shows a first embodiment of a shrinking device in a first operating mode.
• 2 shows a second embodiment of a shrinking device in a first operating mode.
• 3 shows an embodiment of a shrinking device according to 1 and 2 in a second operating mode.
• 4 shows another shrinking device in a first operating mode.
• 5 shows a further embodiment of the shrinking device according to 4 in a first operating mode.
• 6 shows a shrinking device according to 4 and 5 in a second operating mode.

Identical reference numbers are used for elements of the invention that are the same or have the same effect. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only reference numbers that are necessary for the description of the respective figure are shown in the individual figures. The embodiments shown merely represent examples of how the shrinking device according to the invention or the method according to the invention can be designed and do not represent a final limitation.

1 shows a first embodiment of a shrinking device 1 in a first operating mode BM1 and 2 shows a second embodiment of the shrinking device 1 according to 1 in a first operating mode.

Such a shrinking device 1 is used in particular for shrinking a thermoplastic packaging material 25 onto at least one article 20 or onto at least one article combination 21 comprising at least two articles 20.

The thermoplastic packaging material 25 can be, for example, a shrink film 26. The shrink film 26 can be provided as a flat packaging material, which is wrapped around the article 20 in advance. The shrink film 26 can also be provided as a shrink tube, which shrink tube is slipped onto the article 20.

If the term shrink film 26 is used below, it means any suitable one thermoplastic packaging material 25 may be included.

Articles 20, in particular beverage containers, bottles 22, cans or the like, are put together, for example, in a one-piece module (not shown) to form article combinations 21 and wrapped in a wrapping module (not shown) with a flat thermoplastic packaging material 25, in particular with a cut of shrink film 26 .

The arrangements of article combination 21 and shrink film 26 are also referred to as wrapped article groups 30. The wrapped article groups 30 are fed to the shrink device 1, through which they are passed in a transport direction. The transport direction extends perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in all figures. The wrapped article groups 30 are moved in particular on a transport route TS, which is formed by a conveyor belt 2.

The shrinking device 1 comprises at least one heating means (not shown) which, for example, generates hot air HL as a shrinking agent. The hot air HL is blown laterally via outer shaft walls 3 into the shrink space 4 formed between the two outer shaft walls 3 in the direction of the wrapped article group 30. The outer shaft walls 3 are, for example, lateral spraying devices in the form of hollow bodies with holes on one side.

The shrinking device 1 in the first operating mode BM1 according to 1 and 2 shows a single-lane processing of covered article groups 30 between two lateral, outer shaft walls 3. The side surfaces 5 of the shaft walls 3 facing the interior of the shrinking device 1 are designed as outflow surfaces 6 and each have a plurality of outflow openings, through which outflow openings the shrinking agent flows in laterally flows into the interior of the shrinking device 1 limited between the outer shaft walls 3, which interior forms the shrinking space 4.

In addition, it can be provided that part of the shrinking agent generated by the heating medium is blown onto the covered article groups 30 from below. In particular, the conveyor belt 2 is designed to be correspondingly permeable, for example in the form of a mat chain conveyor or similar. The shrinking agent, in particular the hot air HL, causes the shrink film 26 to shrink around the articles 20. The shrinking process starts particularly from the edge of the film and runs towards the center of the film.

The further the wrapped article group 30 is transported in the transport direction through the shrinking device 1, the more the shrink film 26 shrinks around the articles 20 according to its properties. The so-called film eyes form on the side surfaces with the initially freely overlapping film projections. In particular, the shrinking process begins at the film projections, which initially overlap freely on the sides, and continues towards the center of the film.

Before the covered article group 30 leaves the shrinking device 1, the shrink film 26 lies largely completely close to the lateral surfaces of the articles 20.

In the shrinking device 1 according to the invention it is provided that at least one receiving device 7, which is formed above the transport route TS, is provided for a further shaft wall 8 between the two outer shaft walls 3.

In the in the 1 and 2 In the embodiments shown, the shrinking device 1 is each in a first operating mode BM 1, which first operating mode BM1 is characterized in that a top heat shaft wall 9 is arranged on the receiving device 7.

The top heat shaft wall 9 is characterized in that it comprises an underside 10 with outflow openings 11 or outflow nozzles 12 or the like, through which outflow openings 11 shrinking agent, in particular hot air HL, flows into the shrinking space 4 with a downward movement component.

The top heat shaft wall 9 is arranged in particular centrally between the two outer shaft walls 3. The wrapped article groups 30 are preferably moved centrally between the two outer shaft walls 3 by the shrinking device 1. In the first operating mode BM1, the covered article groups 30 are additionally subjected to shrinkage agent in the form of hot air HL from above via the top heat shaft wall 9. In particular, shrinking agent is specifically sprayed from above onto the top of the covered article group 30 via the upper heat shaft wall 9.

It is preferably provided that the outer shaft walls 3 are arranged hanging within the shrinking device 1. Here, the fastenings 13 of the outer shaft walls 3 are preferably at a height H or essentially at the same height H above the transport route TS as the receiving device 7. Ins In particular, it can be provided that the fastenings 13 and the at least receiving device 7 are arranged on a frame element 14, which extends above the transport route TS transversely to the transport direction.

The outer shaft walls 3 have a first height h1, which corresponds approximately to the height H or a first distance a1 between the transport route TS and the receiving device 7. However, the outer shaft walls 3 can also have a slightly lower first height h1, in particular a first height h1 in a range between 90% and 99% of the first distance a1. In particular, the outer shaft walls 3 do not stand on the transport route TS and thus enable unhindered movement of the conveyor belt 2.

The top heat shaft wall 9, which is arranged hanging on the receiving device 7, on the other hand has a second height h2, which corresponds to the second height h2 between 5% and 60% of the first distance a1.

The second height h2 is in particular significantly smaller than the first height h1.

It is preferably provided that the top heat shaft wall 9 is designed and/or arranged to be adjustable.

On the one hand, it can be provided that the supply of shrinking agent can be controlled via the top heat shaft wall 9. In particular, it can be provided that the supply of shrinking agent can be switched on or off in a targeted manner via the top heat shaft wall 9. Also, for example, the amount and/or the temperature of the shrinking agent, which is introduced into the shrinking chamber 4 via the top heat shaft wall 9, can be regulated via appropriate devices such as valves and additional heating modules or cooling modules or the like.

On the other hand, it can be provided that the position of the top heat shaft wall 9 within the shrinking device 1 is adjustable. In particular, the position of the top heat shaft wall 9 can be designed to be adjustable transversely to the transport direction, as described below in particular in connection with 4 until 6 is clarified.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the outer shaft walls 3 can also be designed to be adjustable. In particular, the quantity of the lateral supply of shrinking agent can be controlled. Furthermore, the position of the outer shaft walls 3 within the shrinking device 1 can preferably be adjustable transversely to the transport direction, which is indicated by the double arrows in 2 is pictured.

For example, the receiving device 7 and the fasteners 13 are arranged on carriage guides and the frame element 14 forms a rail extending transversely to the transport direction. Thus, the receiving device 7 and the fasteners 13 can be moved transversely to the transport direction by moving along the frame element 14.

The position can be adjusted manually or motorically and/or automatically. For example, the positioning device can include a spindle adjustment with a corresponding crank. An automated adjustment can also be carried out via a control device (not shown), which uses certain product parameters to determine the optimal arrangement of the outer shaft walls 3 and the top heat shaft wall 3 and controls the positioning device in order to adjust the arrangement of the outer shaft walls 3 and the top heat shaft wall 3 set accordingly.

As a result, the shrinking space 4 can be easily coordinated and adapted to the respective size of the covered article groups 30; in particular, a width of the shrinking space can be changed.

In the first operating mode according to 1 the article group 30 has a large first width B1 transverse to the transport direction TR. The outer shaft walls 3 are essentially at a maximum distance from one another. In this case, a top heat shaft wall 9-1 is used, which has a width similar to the first width B1 of the covered article group 30, so that the covered article group 30 passes through the top heat shaft wall 9-1 substantially over its entire first Width B1 is acted upon from above with shrinking agent, in particular hot air HL.

In the first operating mode BM1 according to 2 the article group 30 has a smaller second width B2 transverse to the transport direction TR.

In order to adapt the shrinking space 4 to the size of the article group 30, the distance between the two outer shaft walls 3 was reduced by moving them further into the interior of the shrinking device 1.

Furthermore, in 2 shown that a less wide top heat shaft wall 9-2 than in the embodiment according to 1 is arranged on the receiving device 7.

3 shows an embodiment of the shrinking device 1 according to 1 and 2 in a second operating mode BM2. In the second operating mode BM2, an inner shaft wall 15 with two lateral outflow surfaces 6 is arranged on the receiving device 7. In particular, the inner shaft wall 15 divides the shrinkage space 4 into two partial areas 4-1, 4-2. Thus, two wrapped article groups 30 can be processed in parallel at the same time with a shrinking device 1 in the second operating mode.

The setting options described above can be used in particular to easily coordinate and adapt the shrinking space 4, which is divided into several partial areas 4-1, 4-2 by at least one inner shaft wall 15, to the respective size of the covered article groups 30.

4 shows another shrinking device 1 in a first operating mode BM1 and 5 shows a further embodiment of the shrinking device 1 according to 4 in a first operating mode BM 1.

Here, three receiving devices 7-1, 7-2 and 7-3 are movably arranged between the two fastenings 13 on a frame element 14.

In the embodiment of the first operating mode BM1 according to 4 A top heat shaft wall 9-1, 9-2, 9-3 is arranged on all three receiving devices 7-1, 7-2 and 7-3, so that a covered article group 30 moved by the shrinking device 1 is covered with shrinking agent from above can be supplied from all three top heat shaft walls 9-1, 9-2, 9-3.

Alternatively (not shown), it can be provided that a top heat shaft wall 9 is arranged only on the middle receiving device 7-2.

According to a further alternative embodiment, it can be provided that a top heat shaft wall 9 is arranged only on the outer receiving devices 7-1 and 7-3.

In an embodiment in which a top heat shaft wall 9-1, 9-2, 9-3 is arranged on all three receiving devices 7-1, 7-2 and 7-3, it can be provided that, for example, only the middle top heat - Shaft wall 9-2 is switched on and the covered article group 30 moved by the shrinking device 1 is subjected to shrinking agent from above. It is also conceivable that only the two side top heat shaft walls 9-1 and 9-3 are switched on and apply shrinking agent to the covered article group 30 moved by the shrinking device 1 from above.

Furthermore, it could be provided that the middle top heat shaft wall 9-2 applies shrinking agent of a first temperature to a central area of the top of the covered article group 30, while the side top heat shaft walls 9-1 and 9-3 each apply shrinking agent of a second temperature to one apply to the side area of the top of the covered article group 30.

Depending on the product and the desired shrinkage result, the first temperature can be higher than the second temperature, in particular at least 3 ° C higher, preferably at least 5 ° higher.

Alternatively, the second temperature can also be chosen to be higher than the first temperature, in particular at least 3 ° C higher, preferably at least 5 ° higher.

At the in 5 In the illustrated embodiment of a first operating mode BM1, an inner shaft wall 15 is arranged on the middle receiving device 7-2, so that products in the form of covered article groups 30 can be moved through the shrinking device 1 in two lanes. In addition, the outer shaft walls 3 and the top heat shaft walls 9-1 and 9-3 are each further spaced apart than in the exemplary embodiment 4 . This is caused by a corresponding movement of the fastenings 13 and the receiving devices 7-1, 7-3 on the frame element 14, as already described in connection with 1 until 3 has been explained.

6 shows a shrinking device 1 according to 4 and 5 in a second operating mode BM2. A central shaft wall 15 is arranged on all three receiving devices 7-1, 7-2 and 7-3, so that the shrinkage space 4 is divided into four sub-areas 4-1, 4-2, 4-3 and 4-4. The shrinking device 1 can thus be used in the second operating mode BM2 for four-lane product processing.

In the 4 until 6 It is also shown that the application of shrinking agent from below can be adjusted in width if necessary. So that only the part of the transport route TS, which is located between the two outer shaft walls 3 and over which wrapped article groups 30 are moved, is subjected to shrinkage from below.

In the manner described above, shrink devices can be used for at least one Two-lane product processing is provided or equipped, by using a top heat shaft wall 9 for processing large or wide product packages. By additionally applying top heat, in particular to a central area of the top of the respective product, the shrinkage result can be improved, since all areas of the thermoplastic packaging material 25 can now be treated with shrinking agent in a more targeted manner. In addition, the volume flows of shrinking agent can be reduced from below and/or from the side if necessary.

With the shrinking device 1 described above and the corresponding method, even thick shrink films 26 can be processed in the desired manner and with good shrinking results.

Furthermore, the temperature of the shrinking agent can be reduced, which contributes to energy savings and thus significant cost savings

A temperature reduction within the shrinking device 1 also has a positive effect in that the lower overall heating of the conveyor belt 2 reduces sticking of the thermoplastic packaging material 25 to it.

By appropriately selecting the second height h2 of the top heat shaft wall 9, the shrinkage result can be further optimized by adjusting the distance between the outflow openings 12 and the respective top of the covered article group 30.

The embodiments, examples and variants of the preceding paragraphs, the claims or the following description and the figures, including their various views or respective individual features, may be used independently or in any combination. Features described in connection with one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments unless the features are inconsistent.

Even though there is generally talk of “schematic” representations and views in connection with the figures, this in no way means that the representations of the figures and their description should be of secondary importance with regard to the disclosure of the invention. The person skilled in the art is quite capable of gleaning enough information from the schematic and abstract drawings to make it easier for him to understand the invention, without having to rely on the drawn and possibly not exactly true-to-scale proportions of Article 20 and/or parts of the Shrinking device 1 or other drawn elements would be impaired in its understanding in any way. The figures thus enable the person skilled in the art as a reader to derive a better understanding of the inventive idea formulated in the claims and in the general part of the description in a more general and/or abstract manner based on the more specifically explained implementations of the method according to the invention and the more specifically explained functionality of the device according to the invention.

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

Reference symbol list

1

shrink device

2

conveyor belt

3

outer shaft wall

4

Shrink room

4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 4-4

Sub-area

5

side surface

6

outflow surface

7, 7-1, 7-2, 7-3

Reception facility

8th

another shaft wall

9, 9-1, 9-2, 9-3

Top heat shaft wall

10

bottom

11

Outflow opening

12

Outlet nozzle

13

Fastening

14

Frame element

15

inner shaft wall

20

Article

21

Article compilation

22

Bottle

25

thermoplastic packaging material

26

Shrink wrap

30

wrapped item group

A1

first distance

B1

first width

B2

second width

BM1

first operating mode

BM2

second operating mode

H

Height

h1

first height

h2

second height

HL

Hot air

T.S

Transport route

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely 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.

Cited patent literature

• DE 19920057 A1 [0005]

Claims (10)

Shrinking device (1) for shrinking a thermoplastic packaging material (25) onto at least one article (20), - wherein the shrinking device (1) comprises a shrinking space (4) with at least one transport route (TS) for articles (20), the articles (20) being conveyed in a transport direction, - the shrinkage space (4) being laterally delimited by outer shaft walls (3), - wherein the outer shaft walls (3) each have an outflow surface (6) directed towards the shrinking space (4) with a plurality of outflow openings, through which outflow openings shrinking agent (HL) flows laterally into the shrinking space (4), - wherein the shrinking device (1) between the two outer shaft walls (3) comprises at least one receiving device (7) formed above the transport route (TS) for a further shaft wall, - wherein in a first operating mode (BM1) of the shrinking device (1), a top heat shaft wall (9) is arranged on the at least one receiving device (7), - which top heat shaft wall (9) comprises a bottom (10) with outflow openings (11), through which outflow openings (11) shrinking agent (HL) flows into the shrinking space (4) with a downward movement component. Shrinkage device (1). Claim 1 , wherein the outer shaft walls (3) are each arranged hanging within the shrinking device (1), the fastenings (13) of the outer shaft walls (3) being essentially at the same height (H) as the receiving device (7) above the transport route (TS ) are formed, wherein the outer shaft walls (3) each have a first height (h1), which first height (h1) corresponds to a first distance (a1) between the transport route (TS) and the receiving device (7) or which first height ( h1) corresponds to a range between 90% and 99% of the first distance (a1), the top heat shaft wall (9) being arranged hanging on the receiving device (7) and having a second height (h2), which second height (h2) between 5% and 60% of the first distance (a1). Shrinkage device (1). Claim 1 or 2 , wherein the top heat shaft wall (9) is designed and / or arranged to be adjustable. Shrinkage device (1). Claim 3 , wherein the supply of shrinking agent (HL) can be controlled via the top heat shaft wall (9), in particular wherein the supply of shrinking agent (HL) can be switched on or off via the top heat shaft wall (9) or its quantity can be controlled. Shrinkage device (1). Claim 3 or 4 , wherein the position of the top heat shaft wall (9) within the shrinking device (1) is adjustable, in particular wherein the position of the top heat shaft wall (9) is adjustable transversely to the transport direction. Shrinking device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer shaft walls (3) are adjustable, in particular wherein the quantity of the lateral supply of shrinking agent (HL) can be controlled, or wherein the position of the outer shaft walls (3) within the shrinking device (1) is adjustable, in particular the position of the outer shaft walls (3) being adjustable transversely to the transport direction. Shrinking device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in a second operating mode (BM2) an inner shaft wall (15) with two lateral outflow surfaces is arranged on the at least one receiving device (7), which inner shaft wall (15) covers the shrinking space (4). divided into two partial shrink rooms. Method for shrinking a thermoplastic packaging material (25) onto at least one article (20), in particular by means of a shrinking device (1) according to one of Claims 1 until 7 , wherein the at least one article (20) covered with thermoplastic packaging material (25) is conveyed over a transport route (TS) in a transport direction by a shrinking device (1), the shrinking device (1) comprising at least two outer shaft walls (3) and at least one receiving device (7) formed between the two outer shaft walls (3) above the transport route (TS) for a further shaft wall, - wherein in a first operating mode (BM1) of the shrinking device (1) a top heat shaft wall (9) on the at least one receiving device (7) is arranged, - via which top heat shaft wall (9) a top side of the at least one article (20) covered with thermoplastic packaging material (25) is subjected to shrinkage agent (HL), which shrinkage agent (HL) from the top heat shaft wall ( 9) flows into the shrinkage space (4) with a downward movement component. Procedure according to Claim 8 , wherein the supply of shrinking agent is regulated by the top heat shaft wall (9) depending on the products to be processed, in particular the at least one article (20) covered with thermoplastic packaging material (25). Procedure according to Claim 8 or 9 , wherein the position of the top heat shaft wall (9) can be adjusted within the shrinking device (1), in particular wherein the position of the top heat shaft wall (9) can be adjusted transversely to the transport direction.

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