DE102022115966A1 - Device and method for packaging goods, especially general cargo - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for packaging goods, in particular piece goods, in a tube- and/or net-like packaging material, which has at least one upper and one lower gathering tool, each with at least a first and a second pair of gathering elements. The first and second pairs of gathering elements of the first and second gathering tools are each arranged complementary to one another, so that the gathering tools form an upper and a lower opening for receiving and enclosing a tubular and/or net-like packaging material introduced into the device. The device according to the invention is set up to move the upper pairs of gathering elements and the lower pairs of gathering elements towards and away from each other and to advance the gathering elements of one of the pairs of one of the gathering tools towards one another and to open them one after the other. In addition, the invention relates, based on the device according to the invention, to a packaging system having a device according to the invention and furthermore to a method for closing a packaging material and for producing packaging as well as a method for packaging goods in a packaging.

Description

The invention relates to a device for packaging goods, in particular piece goods, in a tube- and/or net-like packaging material and a packaging system comprising a device according to the invention and furthermore a method for closing a packaging material and for producing packaging as well as a method for packaging Goods in one package.

Tubular film packaging, especially those made of plastic, and mesh packaging have long been known as suitable packaging materials for goods, especially general cargo, such as fruit, vegetables or other foodstuffs. It is common practice not only to produce the packaging mechanically from a packaging material, but also to fill it mechanically with the goods, in particular the piece goods.

Packaging machines are known which gather the tubular and/or net-like packaging material together using a gathering tool in such a way that a free cross section of the material is reduced by the gathering, and which tightly close the material near the gathered point.

Such a packaging machine or a corresponding packaging process is, for example, from DE 295 04 482 U1 known. The packaging machine disclosed there has a gathering tool which is arranged on a welding device as a closure tool and is positively controlled by this. The gathering tool and closing tool are located on movable slides and are positively connected to each other. In this respect, it is not possible to influence or control the gathering process in such a machine.

A similar packaging machine, in which the gathering elements are firmly and completely dependently coupled to the closure tools, is also from the DE 197 25 377 A1 known, with the focus being on increasing packaging speed. For this purpose, gathering and closing tools are designed to be movable along a direction of movement of a quasi-endless packaging material in such a way that gathering and closing of the packaging material can be realized by the device during the movement of the packaging material. With each gathering and welding process, an upper closure of an already filled packaging bag and at the same time a lower closure of a packaging bag that has yet to be filled is created.

Other conceptually similar packaging machines are also available EP 0 823 376 B1 , the DE 4 421 366 A1 and the DE 10 2011 015 297 A1 known.

The task is therefore to overcome the disadvantages of the packaging machines known in the prior art, or methods for packaging or producing packaging, and in particular to make the gathering more controlled.

This object is achieved by a device for packaging goods, in particular piece goods, in a tube- and/or net-like packaging material according to claim 1. Advantageous developments of the device according to the invention are described in claims 2 to 5. Furthermore, the object is achieved by a system with a device according to the invention and a feed device according to claim 6 and its further embodiments. The object is also achieved by a method according to the invention for closing a tube- and/or net-like packaging material according to claim 7 and its advantageous developments according to claims 8 to 10 and in particular its design as a method for producing packaging and as a method for packaging goods, especially bulk goods, in packaging.

A device according to the invention for packaging goods, in particular piece goods, in a tube- and/or net-like packaging material initially has at least one upper and one lower gathering tool, each with at least a first and a second pair of gathering elements. The first and second pairs of gathering elements of the first and second gathering tools are each arranged complementary to one another, so that the gathering tools form an upper and a lower opening for receiving and enclosing a tubular and/or net-like packaging material introduced into the device.

Encompassing the packaging material is understood to mean, in particular, not only complete enclosing by the gathering tools alone, but also joint enclosing using the gathering tools or gathering elements and other components of the device according to the invention.

The same gathering elements of the same pair of gathering elements of the upper and lower tools are arranged in particular in such a way that these are oriented, in particular aligned, stacked on top of each other.

In particular, the orientation of the gathering elements or pairs of gathering elements of the gathering tools relative to one another can be described using virtual planes. The first and second pairs of gathering elements of the upper gathering tool are oriented and/or arranged in or on an upper level, as are the pairs of gathering elements of the lower gathering tool in or on a lower level. In particular, these virtual planes are not to be viewed as infinitesimally flat, but rather have a volume such that the gathering elements can be arranged in or on the plane with an offset from one another orthogonally to the propagation extent of a corresponding infinitesimally flat plane within the volume.

The device according to the invention is set up to move the upper pairs of gathering elements and the lower pairs of gathering elements towards and away from each other and to bring the gathering elements of one of the pairs of one of the gathering tools towards each other and to open them one after the other. For this purpose, the orientation of the gathering elements, in particular in or on the corresponding virtual planes, is selected such that the individual gathering elements of a gathering tool can be moved into a position in which they at least partially overlap one another, with preferably a gap between the corresponding, overlapping gathering elements is as small as possible.

Closing is understood in particular to mean that a, in particular common and/or funnel-shaped, front surface is created from the two gathering elements of a pair of gathering elements or that this front surface is adapted in its shape. The delivery can in particular include a rotation of the corresponding gathering elements relative to one another, in particular within the corresponding virtual plane, or can be accomplished by such a rotation, in particular within the corresponding virtual plane. Opening can then be achieved by opposite rotation.

The front surfaces of the two gathering elements of a pair of gathering elements are arranged in a maximally open position, in particular before the gathering elements are closed, at an angle of 120 to 170°, preferably 140 to 160°, to one another. After complete closing, especially in the closed position, the corresponding angle is 90° to 130°, preferably 110° to 120°, or by closing the angle can be increased to 90° to 130°, preferably 110° to 120°, and/ or reduced by 10° to 40°. The device is in particular formed in such a way that the corresponding angle is halved by a straight line, in particular by the axis of rotation of the closing and/or opening and/or in a direction that corresponds to a direction of movement when moving the gathering elements. In particular, the front surfaces of the gathering elements are arranged symmetrically about the corresponding straight line, especially when projected along the axis of rotation.

The device according to the invention, in particular gathering tools according to the invention, is also designed to change an opening area of the upper and lower opening by the method and / or advancing and / or opening of the respective pairs of gathering elements. In particular, the upper opening is changed by the method and/or advancing and/or opening the pairs of gathering elements of the upper gathering tool and the lower opening is changed by the method and/or advancing and/or opening the pairs of gathering elements of the lower gathering tool. In particular, the respective opening area of the respective opening is reduced by the closing and/or the closing of the corresponding gathering elements. In particular, delivery and procedures can take place at least partially simultaneously but also successively. If an introduced packaging material is now located in one of the openings or in the openings whose opening area is/are reduced, this packaging material is gathered by the gathering elements due to the reduction in the opening area in the opening. This creates bottlenecks in the packaging material with regard to its cross section, so that this cross section is smaller than a free cross section of a corresponding unshirred packaging material.

The device according to the invention also has at least one welding tool, each with two welding elements, which is set up to close a tube-like and/or net-like packaging material introduced into the device. The welding elements are preferably in particular anvil and sonotrode. The closing is then preferably carried out in particular by ultrasonic welding of the introduced packaging material. The device is set up to move the welding elements, in particular the anvil and sonotrode, towards one another by means of a feed movement. A first of the welding elements, in particular the sonotrode, is arranged between the first pairs of gathering elements of the upper and lower gathering tools and a second of the welding elements, in particular the anvil, is arranged between the pairs of gathering elements of the upper and lower gathering tools. In particular, that stacked arrangement of first pairs of gathering elements and first welding element is on a first carriage and that is stacked Arrangement of second pairs of gathering elements and second welding element attached to a second carriage, the carriages being designed and arranged to be movable towards one another. In this respect, the gathering elements and welding elements are moved in particular simultaneously with the help of the carriages.

A special aspect of the device according to the invention is that the upper and/or lower gathering tool is/are set up to enable the gathering elements to be advanced and/or opened independently of the feed movement of the at least one welding tool. In particular, all gathering tools are advantageously set up in this way. With particular advantage, the device is also set up to enable the closing and opening of the pairs of gathering elements independently of the movement of the pairs of gathering elements towards and away from one another.

The feeding and/or opening of the gathering elements, which is independent of the feed movement of the closing tools and in particular the method of the gathering elements, makes it possible in particular to be able to control the process of gathering the packaging material more flexibly, in particular with regard to different packaging materials and requirements for gathering these packaging materials. In this way, the gathering process can be carried out more evenly and, as a result, particularly controlled gathering of the packaging material can be achieved.

At the same time, in an advantageous development of a device according to the invention, regulating elements can be provided, which can in particular be pneumatic cylinders. The regulating elements serve to deliver and/or open and/or move the gathering elements, or are involved in them and/or control and/or monitor and/or control them. In particular, the same gathering elements of the individual pairs of gathering elements of the gathering tools can advantageously be provided on a single regulating element. In particular, a first of the gathering elements of the upper gathering tool can be arranged and/or fixed and/or connected to a common regulating element, in particular a pneumatic cylinder, with the first of the gathering elements corresponding thereto in a particularly stacked arrangement. In particular, this preferably applies to all corresponding gathering elements of the gathering tools, in particular with regard to an individual regulating element, in particular pneumatic cylinders.

The regulating elements, in particular pneumatic cylinders, are advantageously set up to enable a countermovement of the respective gathering elements connected to one of the regulating elements, in particular pneumatic cylinders, which is directed in the opposite direction to the process and/or delivery, if during the process and/or delivery the packaging material introduced is at least The counterforce exerted by one of the gathering elements exceeds a limit value. This makes it possible in particular to prevent damage to the packaging material, for example due to excessive force exerted by the gathering elements on the packaging material. This can also advantageously be used to control and/or determine and/or specify a degree of gathering, in particular defining the extent to which the opening area of the individual openings can be reduced by the gathering tools against a counteracting force. This can be achieved in particular by overpressure elements in the pneumatic circuit

In particular, the regulating elements can be designed in such a way that a maximum delivery force for delivering the gathering elements is between 1 and 65 Newtons and/or is adjustable.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of a device according to the invention, it has a further, middle gathering tool, which also has a first and second pair of gathering elements, which are each arranged between the first and second pairs of gathering elements of the upper and lower gathering train. The device is set up to move the pairs of gathering elements of the middle gathering tool towards and away from each other and to move the gathering elements of one of the pairs of the middle gathering tool towards each other and open them. The pairs of gathering elements of the third gathering tool are set up to form a central opening for receiving and enclosing the packaging material introduced into the device.

In particular, the individual gathering elements of the middle gathering tool are arranged in such a way that they, like the corresponding gathering elements of the upper and lower gathering tool, are stacked and in particular oriented in alignment with one another, in particular analogous to the orientation of the individual corresponding gathering elements in an arrangement without a middle gathering tool.

With particular advantage, all of the gathering elements corresponding to one another and/or all of the gathering elements of pairs of gathering elements corresponding to one another of the three gathering tools are then moved and/or delivered and/or opened together, in particular controlled and/or monitored and/or controlled by a single regulating element, in particular pneumatic cylinder milder. In particular, all gathering elements which are located on a single carriage are advantageously controlled together, in particular independently of the gathering elements on another of the carriages.

The device particularly advantageously has an upper and a lower welding tool and/or an upper and a lower welding element section, each with two welding elements, in particular an anvil and a sonotrode. A first of the welding elements, in particular the sonotrode, of the upper welding tool or the upper welding tool section is arranged between the first pairs of gathering elements of the upper and middle gathering tool and a second of the welding elements, in particular an anvil, of the upper welding tool or welding tool section is arranged between the second pairs of gathering elements of the upper and middle gathering tool . At the same time, a first of the welding elements, in particular sonotrode or sonotrode leg, of the lower welding tool or welding tool section is between the first pairs of gathering elements of the middle and lower gathering tool and a second of the welding elements, in particular anvil, of the lower welding tool or welding tool section is between the second pairs of gathering elements of the middle and lower gathering tool arranged.

In a further advantageous embodiment of a device according to the invention, at least one of the pairs of gathering elements, at least one of the gathering tools, has a holding end face for pressing a label against a pressure surface of the device, in particular of the at least one welding tool, in particular one of the welding elements. The holding end face is formed by a respective end face of the gathering elements of one pair of gathering elements, in particular during the delivery of the corresponding gathering elements. The front part surface is designed as a, in particular exposed, projection on the gathering element and, in particular, no further projection of the respective gathering element is arranged and/or formed perpendicular to a longitudinal extent of the respective projections. In particular, the gathering elements do not have a slot for receiving the label. The at least one holding end face is designed to fix the label when the label is pressed in such a way that at least one surface of the label is not enclosed and/or encompassed by the holding end face and/or end face surfaces of the gathering elements of the respective pair of gathering elements. A surface of a label is understood to mean, in particular, its surface in a plane containing its largest surface area. In this respect, this surface of the label that is not enclosed and/or gripped is particularly exposed, particularly in the area of the corresponding pair of gathering elements.

A concept for holding a label as described above enables the label to be placed easily before the packaging is closed and in particular the possibility of fixing the corresponding label to the packaging material, in particular permanently, and/or connecting it to it by means of welding. In addition, the corresponding label can be introduced in a simple manner, for example by shooting, in particular perpendicular to the gathering elements and/or parallel to their axes of rotation. In particular, the label does not have to be inserted precisely, in particular shot in, in such a way that a slot is hit within a holding element, in particular the gathering elements, or the label is passed through this slot.

The holding end face, in particular the partial end faces, are advantageously arranged behind the front surfaces of the gathering elements, in particular in relation to a direction of the movement of the respective gathering element when the gathering elements are moved relative to one another. In particular, the partial end face and the front surface of the gathering element, part of which is the partial end face, are preferably oriented to one another at an angle of 20 to 45°, in particular 25 to 35°, in particular when projected along the axes of rotation of the gathering elements. Advantageously, the holding end face or the partial end faces, in a closed position of the gathering elements or after the gathering elements have been advanced, are essentially perpendicular to one another in the direction of the movement of the gathering elements.

A device according to the invention can advantageously also have a separating device. Such a separating device is set up for separating introduced packaging material into individual packages, in particular between the upper and lower openings, in particular near the third opening or between an upper constriction of the packaging material created by the upper opening or the upper gathering tool and a lower one caused by the lower one Opening or the lower gathering tool creates a constriction of the packaging material, in particular in the area of a central constriction of the packaging material created by the middle opening or the middle gathering tool.

The device advantageously has guide elements in which the gathering elements are moved, in particular designed and arranged in such a way that the opened gathering elements are in contact with the outer ones Ends of the front surfaces and / or gathering elements are each enclosed and / or guided on three sides in a guide element. This prevents packaging material from getting outside the front surfaces. The guide elements are in particular made of plastic, while the gathering elements are in particular metallic. The guide elements are designed in particular as plates with straight grooves provided therein for receiving the gathering element ends.

A system according to the invention has a device according to the invention as described above and a feed device for storing and providing packaging material and goods, in particular piece goods. The described advantages of a device according to the invention are also valid with regard to a system according to the invention and vice versa.

In particular, the packaging material can be provided as a quasi-endless material. A quasi-endless material is understood to mean a packaging material that can be provided in a continuous form based on a material supply and in particular has an expansion in one direction of the material, which many times exceeds any other expansions in other directions of the material. Such a quasi-endless material can be, for example, a material hose, which typically has a length of several tens to several hundred meters and is stored, for example, in rolled-up form.

In a system according to the invention, the feed device has at least one rod-shaped element, in particular a tube, and rolling wheels. The rod-shaped element, in particular a tube, is designed to push on net and/or tubular packaging material. The roll-off wheels are set up to push off packaging material that has been pushed on. In particular, the rolling wheels are advantageously also set up to push packaging material that has been pushed back on, in particular to tighten packaging material that has been pushed off. For this purpose, the rolling wheels can in particular bring about a movement of the introduced packaging material that is essentially orthogonal to the openings formed by the gathering tools. In particular, the method is carried out in such a way that the pushed-off packaging material is tightened before welding, in particular by using the rollers and pushing the packaging material back on. The tightening can in particular ensure that the quality of the gathering of the packaging material is increased, in particular by ensuring that possibly too much packaging material that has been pushed off does not hinder the gathering process, in particular is not located within and/or between the openings. In addition, packaging material consumption can also be reduced.

A method according to the invention for welding a tubular and/or net-like packaging material can be carried out in particular with a device according to the invention and/or with a system according to the invention. In this respect, advantages and embodiments of a device according to the invention and/or a system according to the invention that have already been described can be transferred to a method according to the invention and vice versa.

In such a method according to the invention, the packaging material initially has a first free cross section. The packaging material is encompassed by at least one upper and a lower gathering tool, each with a first and a second pair of gathering elements, and an upper and lower constriction is formed by moving and/or advancing the gathering elements. A cross section of the constriction is smaller than the first free cross section of the packaging material, is in particular reduced by at least 50%, preferably at least 75%, in particular at least 90%, and/or to a width, in particular perpendicular to the feed direction, in the range from 10 to 20mm, especially 10 to 15mm, gathered. This reduction of the cross section by the gathering tools represents the gathering of the packaging material.

After gathering, the packaging material is fixed between the first and second bottlenecks by means of at least one welding tool, each with two welding elements, in particular an anvil and sonotrode, by a feed movement of the welding elements relative to one another between the welding elements and, in particular permanently, closed, in particular welded, preferably by ultrasonic Welding.

During the process, the gathering elements are advanced independently of the feed movement of the at least one welding tool. In particular, the gathering elements can also be delivered towards one another independently of a method.

Closing is to be understood in particular as a rotational movement of the gathering elements of a pair of gathering elements towards one another.

Advantageously, in a method according to the invention, a central bottleneck can also be used Lich the cross-sectional extent of the packaging material can be formed by a medium gathering tool. The packaging material is then closed between the first and third and the third and second bottlenecks, in particular by two, in particular separate, welding tools. This creates a first closure between the first and third bottlenecks and a second closure between the third and second bottlenecks. Advantageously, in a method according to the invention, before closing the packaging material, a label can be introduced into an area between one of the welding elements, in particular the sonotrode, the welding tool and packaging material become. The label is held on the packaging material by the welding element, in particular the sonotrode, and/or a part of the gathering elements, in particular by means of a holding end face, and the label is connected to the packaging material, in particular permanently, by closing it.

The packaging material is advantageously tightened before closing, in particular after the formation of the constrictions or during the formation of the constrictions, in particular after an at least partial reduction of the cross section of the constrictions compared to the free cross section of the packaging material. This optimizes the gathering, since, for example, an amount of packaging material that is too large for the gathering can be removed again from the area in which the gathering takes place and/or in particular the gathering is carried out more evenly.

A further advantageous embodiment of a method according to the invention consists of a method for producing individual packaging based on the method for closing a packaging material. The packaging material is provided as a quasi-endless material. After closing between the first and second constriction, in particular in the area of the third constriction and/or between the first and second closure, the packaging material is further divided into individual packages by a separating device. In addition, such a procedure is carried out several times. Each time the method is carried out, the first closure of a first package and the second closure of a second package are created.

Based on this, a method for producing a packaging represents an advantageous development. To produce a packaging, the method for producing individual packaging is carried out several times in such a way that the first closure of the packaging is first produced in a first implementation of the method for producing individual packaging and the second closure of the packaging is then produced in a second implementation of the method for producing individual packaging. At the same time, during the first implementation, in particular, the second closure of a first different packaging is produced and, during the second implementation, in particular, the first closure of a second, different packaging is produced. In this respect, for each implementation of the method there is a packaging with both a first and a second closure, but each finished packaging is completed by the first and second implementation following the second implementation with regard to the respective packaging.

A further development based on the methods described above forms a method for packaging goods, in particular piece goods, in such packaging. In this case, goods, in particular general cargo, are filled into the packaging or the packaging is filled with goods, in particular general cargo, after or during the first implementation of the method for producing packaging. Following the filling, the second implementation of the method according to the invention for producing packaging takes place.

The methods described above offer the possibility of producing appropriate packaging, in particular with goods, in particular piece goods, in an efficient and simple manner, in particular with high-quality closures and / or in particular with labels attached in a simple manner. In particular, productivity can be increased in terms of the time required to produce the, especially filled, packaging and thus optimize the corresponding process. In particular, the gathering according to the invention can increase the quality of the packaging produced, especially with regard to the closures.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung mit drei Raffwerkzeugen mit jeweils zwei Raffelementpaaren; und
• 2 schematische Darstellungen einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung in Aufsicht mit verschiedenen Positionen der Raff- und Schweißwerkzeuge, nämlich in offener Grundposition (2A), mit geschlossenen Raffelementen (2B), beim Zufahren der Raffelemente und Schweißelemente (2C), in geschlossener Position (2D) bzw. in einer Position mit geschlossenen Schweißelementen und offenen Raffelementen (2E).

The figures described below merely serve to understand and explain advantages with regard to the invention, show a certain advantageous embodiment of a device according to the invention or a system according to the invention or serve to explain a certain advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention and in no way limit it. This shows:

• 1 a schematic representation of a device according to the invention with three gathering tools, each with two pairs of gathering elements; and
• 2 Schematic representations of a device according to the invention in top view with ver different positions of the gathering and welding tools, namely in the open basic position ( 2A) , with closed gathering elements ( 2 B) , when closing the gathering elements and welding elements ( 2C ), in closed position ( 2D ) or in a position with closed welding elements and open gathering elements ( 2E) .

1 shows schematically a device according to the invention in a particularly advantageous embodiment.

The device shown has gathering elements 1A', 1A'', 1B', 1B'', 2A', 2A'', 2B', 2B'' (not visible in the view), 3A', 3A'', 3B ',3B''. The gathering elements 1A' and 1A'' form a first gathering element pair 1A and the gathering elements 1B' and 1B'' form a complementary gathering element pair 1B, and the gathering element pairs 1A and 1B form the upper gathering tool 1. In addition, the gathering elements form 2A' and 2A ''a first pair of gathering elements 2A and the gathering elements 2B' and 2B'' a complementary pair of gathering elements 2B, and the pairs of gathering elements 2A and 2B form the lower gathering tool 2. In addition, the gathering elements 3A' and 3A'' form a first pair of gathering elements 3A and the gathering elements 3B' and 3B'' a complementary pair of gathering elements 3B, and the pairs of gathering elements 3A and 3B form the middle gathering tool 3. The respective gathering elements of one of the pairs of gathering elements are aligned along a first, second or third plane, with all such planes being parallel are aligned with each other.

In addition, the device has two welding devices 4 and 4', each with two welding elements in the form of an anvil 4A, 4A' and a sonotrode 4B, 4B', which are set up in particular to carry out ultrasonic welding. Anvil 4A and sonotrode leg 4B are arranged within a fourth level relative to one another and anvil 4A' and sonotrode leg 4B' are arranged relative to one another within a fifth plane. The fourth and fifth levels are also arranged parallel to one another and also parallel to the first, second and third levels.

The pairs of gathering elements 1A, 2A, 3A and the anvils 4A and 4A' are located on a common first carriage 5, while the complementary pair of gathering elements 1B, 2B, 3B and the trouser leg sonotrode with their legs 4B and 4B' are on a common second carriage 5 ' are arranged.

The arrangement of the individual aforementioned components on the carriages 5 and 5 'is stacked. This results in a vertical stacking, in particular oriented perpendicular to the first, second, third, fourth and fifth levels, in the order of gathering element pair 1A, anvil 4A, gathering element pair 3A, anvil 4A' and gathering element pair 2A for the first carriage 5 as well as gathering element pair 1B, anvil 4B, pair of gathering elements 3B, anvil 4B' and pair of gathering elements 2B for the second carriage 5'.

The carriages 5 and 5' are mounted on guide rods 6, with movement of the carriages 5 and 5' towards and away from one another being possible along the guide rods 6.

By positioning the welding elements anvil 4A, 4A 'or sonotrode 4B, 4B' together with the gathering element pairs 1A, 2A, 3A or 1B, 2B, 3B on the carriage 5 or 5', an embodiment according to the invention is achieved in the embodiment shown Device always moves the respective elements simultaneously. Regardless of this method of components, the gathering tools 1, 2, 3 or pairs of gathering elements 1A, 2A, 3A and 1B, 2B, 3B can also be advanced or opened. Said closing or opening takes place by means of the control elements 7, in the embodiment shown by means of pneumatic cylinders 7A, 7A ', 7B and 7B'. The gathering elements 1A', 2A', 3A' are attached to a common pneumatic cylinder 7A, the gathering elements 1A'', 2A'', 3A'' are attached to the pneumatic cylinder 7A', and the gathering elements 1B', 2B', 3B' are attached to the pneumatic cylinder 7B and the gathering elements 1B'', 2B'', 3B'' on the pneumatic cylinder 7B'. The pneumatic cylinders are not used to advance and open the gathering elements, but also serve to regulate maximum delivery force. This maximum delivery force can limit a degree of compression of a packaging material to be gathered and can therefore also predetermine which cross section the corresponding packaging material has after gathering at a narrow point created by the gathering. The limited maximum delivery force can also ensure that the packaging material is not damaged by excessive force applied to it. The maximum delivery force is always selected such that the gathering elements or pairs of gathering elements, in the present case the pairs 1A, 2A and 3A, can press a label 8 onto a pressure surface 9 of the anvil 4A, 4A '. For this purpose, the gathering elements have a projection 10, which each forms a partial end face 11. The two partial end faces 11 of a pair of gathering elements can form a common holding end face 12 after the gathering elements have been advanced (see, among others 2 B until 2D ).

The above-described movements, delivery and opening of the components of the device according to the invention are described in the 2A until 2E explained in more detail.

They show 2A until 2E the device 1 in supervision, so that only the gathering tool 1 can be seen, but not the other gathering tools 2 and 3.

2A shows a basic position of the device. The gathering elements 1A', 1A'', 1B' and 1B'' of the gathering tool 1 are in an open position. Their front surfaces 13 enclose an angle of approximately 145° for each pair of gathering elements 1A or 1B. The carriages 5 are each in a position that spaced the welding elements anvil 4A and sonotrode 4B as well as the gathering element pairs 1A and 1B from one another. Also visible is a network pipe 14, which is used to supply the packaging material, particularly in a system according to the invention. At the same time, the diameter of the network tube 14 corresponds to a free cross section of the packaging material, which is reduced by gathering the material into a constriction.

Starting from the shown open position of the gathering tool 1 in 2A the gathering elements 1A', 1A'', 1B' and 1B'' are first brought into a closed position by means of the pneumatic cylinders 7A and 7B by rotating the gathering elements relative to one another, in which the angle enclosed by the front surfaces 13 is approximately 115° was reduced (cf. 2 B) . A label 8 can have been inserted, which is pressed against the pressure surface 9 by the holding end face 14, which is formed from the partial end faces 11 by the rotation of the gathering elements 1A 'and 1A'' relative to one another.

2C shows the next process step, the movement of the carriages 5 and 5 'and thus also the gathering element pairs 1A and 1B and the welding elements anvil 4A and sonotrode 4B towards each other. During the process or at the beginning of the process of the carriage, the packaging material is also supplied from the network pipe 14. This packaging material is then gathered by closing the carriages 5 and 5 'or the pairs of gathering elements 1A and 1B, thereby creating a bottleneck in its cross section.

2D shows the device in the closed welding position, which is reached as the end position of the movement of the carriages 5 and 5 'to each other. In this position, the anvil 4A and sonotde 4B lie directly on the packaging material so that it can be closed by ultrasonic welding, although other types of closure or welding are also possible. The gathering element pairs 1A and 1B were moved in such a way that the front surfaces were pushed past one another. The front surfaces 12 or projections 10 of the gathering elements 1A' and 1A'' of the pair 1A as well as 1B' and 1B'' of the pair 1B do not abut one another even in the closed position of the gathering elements, but rather leave a gap between them. The gathered packaging material can be passed through this gap during the process. The packaging material then lies against the partial end faces 11 or the holding end faces 12 or is held by them.

After the packaging material has been welded, the gathering elements 1A', 1A'', 1B' and 1B'' are opened, as shown in 2E . When the gathering elements are opened, the carriages 5 and 5 'are then moved back to the basic position 2A .

The regarding the 2A until 2E The method steps described with regard to the gathering tool 1, the gathering element pairs 1A and 1B as well as the gathering elements 1A', 1A'', 1B' and 1B'' apply equally to the other gathering tools 2 and 3, the gathering element pairs 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B as well as the gathering elements 2A', 2A'', 2B', 2B'', 3A', 3A'', 3B' and 3B''.

Reference symbol list

1

upper gathering tool

1A

first pair of gathering elements

1A, 1A''

Gathering element

1B

second pair of gathering elements

1B', 1B'

Gathering element

2

lower gathering tool

2A

first pair of gathering elements

2A', 2A''

Gathering element

2 B

second pair of gathering elements

2B', 2B''

Gathering element

3

medium gathering tool

3A

first pair of gathering elements

3A', 3A''

Gathering element

3B

second pair of gathering elements

3B', 3B''

Gathering element

4, 4'

Welding device

4A, 4A'

anvil

4B, 4B'

sonotrode

5, 5'

Sleds

6

guide rod

7

control

7A, 7A', 7B, 7B'

Pneumatic cylinder

8th

label

9

pressure surface

10

head Start

11

Partial face

12

holding face

13

Front surface

14

Mesh tube

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 29504482 U1 [0004]
• DE 19725377 A1 [0005]
• EP 0823376 B1 [0006]
• DE 4421366 A1 [0006]
• DE 102011015297 A1 [0006]

Claims (10)

Device for packaging goods, in particular piece goods, in a tube- and/or net-like packaging material, the device having: first and second gathering tools are each arranged complementary to one another, so that the gathering tools form an upper and a lower opening for receiving and enclosing a tubular and/or net-like packaging material introduced into the device, the device being set up to contain the upper pairs of gathering elements as well as the lower ones To move pairs of gathering elements towards and away from each other and to move the gathering elements of one of the pairs of one of the gathering tools towards each other and to open them, the device, in particular gathering tools, being designed to have an opening area of the upper and lower opening in each case by the method and/or To change the delivery and/or opening of the respective pairs of gathering elements, and • at least one welding tool, each with two welding elements, in particular an anvil and sonotrode, set up to close a tube-like and/or net-like packaging material introduced into the device, the device being set up to contain the welding elements to move towards each other by a feed movement, a first of the welding elements, in particular sonotrode, being arranged between the first pairs of gathering elements of the upper and lower gathering tool and a second of the welding elements, in particular an anvil, being arranged between the second pairs of gathering elements of the upper and lower gathering tool, characterized in that that the upper and/or lower gathering tool is/are set up, in particular all gathering tools are set up, to enable the gathering elements to be advanced and/or opened independently of the feed movement of the at least one welding tool and in particular independently of the movement of the gathering element pairs toward and away from one another . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a middle gathering tool, also comprising a first and second pair of gathering elements, each arranged between the first and second pairs of gathering elements of the upper and lower gathering train, the device being set up to move the pairs of gathering elements of the middle gathering tool towards one another and to move away from each other and to move the gathering elements of one of the pairs of the middle gathering tool towards each other and open them, the pairs of gathering elements of the third gathering tool being set up to form a central opening for receiving and enclosing the packaging material introduced into the device. Device according to Claim 2 , characterized by an upper and a lower welding tool, each with two welding elements, in particular anvil and sonotrode, a first of the welding elements, in particular sonotrode, of the upper welding tool between the first pairs of gathering elements of the upper and middle gathering tool and a second of the welding elements, in particular anvil, of the upper welding tool is arranged between the second pairs of gathering elements of the upper and middle gathering tools and a first of the welding elements, in particular sonotrode, of the lower welding tool between the first pairs of gathering elements of the middle and lower gathering tools and a second of the welding elements, in particular anvil, of the lower welding tool between the second pairs of gathering elements the middle and lower gathering tool is arranged. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by regulating elements, in particular pneumatic cylinders, for delivering and/or opening and/or moving the gathering elements, wherein the regulating elements, in particular pneumatic cylinders, are set up to produce a countermovement of the respective one which is directed in the opposite direction to the method and/or delivery to enable gathering elements connected to the regulating elements, in particular pneumatic cylinders, if a counterpressure exerted on at least one of the gathering elements by the introduced packaging material during the process and / or delivery exceeds a limit value. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the pairs of gathering elements has at least one of the gathering tools a holding end face for pressing a label against a pressure surface of the device, in particular of the at least one welding tool, in particular one of the welding elements, the holding end face being provided by one in each case Front face surface of the gathering elements of one pair of gathering elements is formed, wherein the front face surface is designed as a, in particular exposed, projection on the gathering element and, in particular, no further projection of the respective gathering element is arranged and/or formed perpendicular to a longitudinal extent of the respective projections, wherein the at least one holding end face is set up to hold the label in place when pressing on it in such a way that at least one surface of the label does not come off the holder The test face and/or end faces of the gathering elements of the respective gathering element pair are enclosed and/or encompassed. System with a device according to one of the preceding claims and a feed device for the storage and provision of packaging material, in particular as a quasi-endless material, as well as goods, in particular piece goods, the feed device having at least one rod-shaped element, in particular a tube, set up for pushing on net - and/or tubular packaging material and rolling wheels, which are set up to push off pushed-on packaging material and in particular to push back pushed-off packaging material, in particular for tightening pushed-off packaging material, in particular by bringing about a movement of the introduced packaging material that is essentially orthogonal to the openings formed by the gathering tools . Method for welding a tubular and/or net-like packaging material having a first free cross section, the packaging material comprising at least one upper and one lower gathering tool, each with a first and a second pair of gathering elements, and by moving and/or advancing the gathering elements, an upper and lower one Constriction is formed, a cross section of the constrictions being smaller in each case than the free cross section of the packaging material, the packaging material between the first and second constriction by means of at least one welding tool, in particular with two welding elements each, in particular an anvil and sonotrode, by a feed movement of the at least one Welding tool, in particular the welding elements, is fixed to one another, in particular between the welding elements, and, in particular permanently, closed, characterized in that the feeding of the gathering elements takes place independently of the feed movement of the at least one welding tool. Procedure according to Claim 7 , characterized in that an additional central constriction with respect to the cross-sectional extent of the packaging material is formed by a central gathering tool and the packaging material is closed between the first and third and the third and second constriction, in particular by two, in particular separate, welding tools, thereby creating a first closure between the first and third bottlenecks and a second closure between the third and second bottlenecks is created. Procedure according to Claim 7 or 8th , characterized in that before closing the packaging material, a label is introduced into an area between one of the welding elements, in particular the sonotrode, the welding tool and packaging material, the label being attached by the welding element, in particular the sonotrode, and / or part of the gathering elements is held on the packaging material and the label is connected to the packaging material, in particular permanently, by closing it. Procedure according to one of the Claims 7 until 9 , characterized in that the packaging material is tightened before closing, in particular after the formation of the bottlenecks or during the formation of the bottlenecks, in particular after an at least partial reduction of the cross section of the bottlenecks compared to the free cross section of the packaging material.

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