EP1798174B1 - Device and method for the manipulation of bobbins within an automatisation cell and automation cell - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an automation cell according to claim 1 and a method according to claim 23.

Such automation cells are used in particular in the tobacco processing industry. The automation cells serve to provide various materials. The wound on rolls, the so-called bobbins, wound material, such. Cigarette paper, tipping paper and other windable materials are continuously processed. In order to allow the most consistent processing, full bobbins of the Bobinenwechselvorrichtung be supplied. At this Bobinenwechselvorrichtung full bobbins are handled for processing. As soon as a reel has run almost empty, the bobbin change device is fed another full reel, the web of which is connected to the path of the expiring reel. After completion of this Splicevorgangs the residual materials are removed.

The handling of the reels within the automation cells is performed by the device for handling the reels. Automation cells are known with devices for handling the bobbins, in which the Bobinenwechselvorrichtung is spanned by a portal. The portal also spans a loading area in which the full bobbins are stored on pallets or the like. A gantry robot picks up the bobbins from the loading area, transports them to the bobbin changing device and delivers them to them. The gantry robot is moved in three directions. The portal or arranged on the portal handling element has three freely movable axes of movement, in a horizontal plane in the X direction and in the Y direction and in the vertical plane in the Z direction. Such a device is for example the DE 40 18 266 A1 refer to. The device described therein has a portal comprising three freely movable axes. The handling element is firmly connected to the axles. This means that, for example, a movement of the handling element in the Z direction results in the Z axis moving upwards out of the portal in an upper position. This has the disadvantage that a large space is required, in particular in the vertical direction, which considerably limits the field of use of such handling devices.

Other devices are eg in the EP 0 944 057 A1 , of the EP 1 273 541 A2 or the EP 0 936 172 A disclosed.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a compact and safe automation cell. Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to propose a corresponding method.

This object is achieved by the characterizing features of claims 1 and 23, respectively.

In a first preferred embodiment of the invention, the handling device is designed as a gantry robot. A gantry robot is a particularly simple and stable and therefore safe construction, which allows a compact design.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the handling device is designed as Schwenkarmroboter. This design is also flexible and safe in operation and allows the handling of reels within automation cells with multiple reel change devices in a particularly reliable manner.

The advantages resulting from the method according to the invention and the automation cell according to the invention have already been described above, so that a repetition at this point is dispensed with.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Darstellung einer Automatisierungszelle mit zwei Bobinenwechselvorrichtungen und zugehörigen Beschickungsbereichen sowie einer als Portalroboter ausgebildeten Handhabungseinrichtung,

Fig. 2

eine Seitenansicht der Automatisierungszelle gemäß Figur 1,

Fig. 3

eine Rückansicht der Automatisierungszelle gemäß Figur 1,

Fig. 4

eine Draufsicht auf die Automatisierungszelle gemäß Figur 1, und

Fig. 5

eine perspektivische Darstellung einer Automatisierungszelle mit zwei Bobinenwechselvorrichtungen und zugehörigen Beschickungsbereichen sowie einer als Schwenkroboter ausgebildeten Handhabungseinrichtung.

Further advantageous or preferred features and embodiments and method steps emerge from the subclaims and the description. Particularly preferred embodiments and the method will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawing shows:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of an automation cell with two Bobinenwechselvorrichtungen and associated feed areas and designed as a portal robot handling device,

Fig. 2

a side view of the automation cell according to FIG. 1 .

Fig. 3

a rear view of the automation cell according to FIG. 1 .

Fig. 4

a plan view of the automation cell according to FIG. 1 , and

Fig. 5

a perspective view of an automation cell with two Bobinenwechselvorrichtungen and associated feed areas and designed as a pivoting robot handling device.

The apparatuses shown and described below serve to change bobbins on one or more bobbin changing devices within automation cells, which are preferably used within a production line for the production of products of the tobacco processing industry.

The in the FIGS. 1 to 4 shown automation cell 10 is designed for handling reels 11. The automation cell 10 comprises at least two bobbin change devices 12 with a respectively associated loading area 13. The loading area 13 to each Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12 is a kind of separate memory for a plurality of bobbins 11, which are preferably arranged on pallets 14 or the like in stacks 15. In the described embodiment, each loading area 13 is designed to receive a pallet 14. Of course, the loading areas 13 can also be dimensioned differently and designed to accommodate more than one pallet 14. Furthermore, a device 16 for handling the bobbins 11, more particularly for receiving the bobbins 11 from the pallet 14, for transporting the bobbins 11 from the loading area 13 to the Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12 and for dispensing the bobbins 11 to the Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12 part of the automation cell 10th

Adjacent feed areas 13 of the automation cell 10 are spatially separated from each other. This separation may be exemplified by a partition 17 or the like. Each loading area 13 is accessible via a gate 18 or the like. These usually trained as automatic gates accesses are u.a. by industrial trucks, operators or otherwise operable. The working area of the bobbin changing device 12 is accessible to the operators via a door 19. In the area of the door 19, a collecting container 20 for residual materials (such as Bobinenkeme, remainders of material or the like) arising when changing the reels 11 is arranged.

In the area of each bobbin changing device 12, an additional bobbins storage 21 is arranged or formed. The memory 21 is independent of the actual loading area 13 and lying outside of it. This memory 21 serves to ensure the supply of the Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12 during the pallet change within the loading area 13. The two areas, ie the working area of the bobbin change device 12 and the loading area 13 are separated by a light barrier 22. This serves primarily to recognize whether an operator has moved from the working area of the reel-change device 12 into the loading area 13.

Optionally, one or each Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12 a Bobinenwender 23 be assigned. This Bobinenwender 23 is designed so that wrongly positioned bobbins 11, for example, with incorrect tearing direction, can be rotated by 180 °, so that it is then in the correct position.

In the preferred embodiment, the automation cell 10 has a measuring element for detecting the height of the stacks 15 in the respective feed area 13. With the measuring element, the individual stack heights can be determined on the pallet 14 and used to control the device 10 for handling the reels 11. This control can also serve to provide an operative connection between the device 16 for handling the bobbins 11 on the one hand and the entrances, namely the gate 18 and the door 19, on the other hand, so that as soon as one of the entrances is opened, the device 16 Safety reasons can be switched off.

The device 16 for handling the reels 11 for the automation cell 10 described above will now be described. The device 16 comprises a handling device 24 with a handling element 25 arranged thereon. In order to be able to carry out the desired and / or required movements for picking up, transporting and dispensing, the handling device 24 or the handling element 25 is movable within the automation cell 10 along several axes. As can be seen from the figures, the device 14 for handling bobbins 11 can be formed within an automation cell 10 with two bobbin change devices 12 and two loading regions 13. This embodiment is purely exemplary and does not preclude the handling of bobbins 11 within automation cells 10 with one or more bobbin change devices 12.

The handling element 25 is designed as a bobbin-gripper unit. The bobbin-gripper unit is used in particular for receiving, fixing, transporting and delivering a bobbin 11 and is for receiving the bobbins 11 in Bobinenkem 26th educated. The bobbin-gripper unit is preferably associated with a gripper cylinder, by means of which segments within the gripper are radially displaceable. The gripper cylinder is connected to the preferred common control of the device 16 and the automation cell 10. Furthermore, the gripper unit is associated with at least one element for detecting the position of the reels 11. This element may for example be a laser sensor, by means of which the center of the reel 11 or of the reel core 26 can be found.

The handling device 24 may be formed in different embodiments. In a first embodiment, the handling device 24 is designed as a gantry robot 27. The portal robot 27 has a portal 28, which has two movable axes, namely an X-axis and a Y-axis. The portal 27 is in the horizontal direction on guides which are arranged above the Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12 and part of a frame / frame 29, movable in the X direction and Y direction. Along the guides, the portal 28 is thus linearly movable in two mutually perpendicular directions. The portal 27 also has a vertical axis, namely a Z-axis. This Z-axis is movable in X-direction and Y-direction, with respect to the Z-direction, however, the Z-axis is immovable. This means that the Z-axis at no time and in any position does not protrude upwards out of the portal robot 27 and more precisely out of the framework / frame 29. The Z-axis is associated with the handling element 25.

For the up and down movement of the handling element 25, a carriage 30 is provided, which is movable along the Z-axis in the Z direction. On this carriage 30, a transport arm 31 is arranged. At the free end of the transport arm 31, the handling element 25 is pivotally mounted. This designated as Bobinenschwenker unit of transport arm 31 and pivotally arranged thereon handling element 25 allows pivoting lying within the feed area 13 in a horizontal position bobbins 11 by 90 ° in a vertical position for delivering the bobbins 11 to the Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12. The pivot unit is pneumatic or operable in another known manner. To deliver the reels 11 to the Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12 is the Handling element 25, a likewise preferably pneumatically operating element 32 for pushing the bobbin 11 from the handling element 25 to a horizontally oriented receiving mandrel 33 of the Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12th

All axes, namely the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis, or the movements in the direction of the respective axis are independently controllable, whereby the handling bobbins 11 is ensured within the automation cell 10 for the required purposes.

The embodiment according to the FIG. 5 is essentially similar to the one in the FIGS. 1 to 4 constructed embodiment, so that the directed to the automation cell 10 description in the same way to the automation cell 34 according to the FIG. 5 true. For the same parts, therefore, the corresponding reference numerals are used. At the in FIG. 5 shown automation cell 34 is the handling device 24 in contrast to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4 designed as Schwenkarmroboter 35.

The Schwenkarmroboter 35 also has a vertical axis, namely the Z-axis. The Z axis is immovable in the Z direction. This means that the Z-axis does not protrude up out of the automation cell 34 at any time and in any position. The Z-axis is placed stationary, whereby the Z-axis is not movable in linear and horizontal X-direction nor in linear and horizontal Y-direction. The Z-axis is associated with the handling element 25.

More specifically, the Z-axis is associated with a carriage 36 which is movable along the Z-axis in the Z-direction. On the carriage 36, a pivot arm 37 is arranged. This pivot arm 37 is pivotable about a vertically oriented axis, namely the φ-axis. In the embodiment shown, the φ-axis and the Z-axis are identical. In other words, the pivot arm 37 is pivotable about the Z-axis. However, the φ-axis may also be offset from the Z-axis.

The pivot arm 37 is radially aligned and defines the horizontal R axis. The R-axis is immovable in the R direction and has a Carriage 38, which in turn is movable along the pivot arm 37 in the radial R-direction. On this carriage 38, the handling element 25 is arranged, which is formed in the manner described for the first embodiment. With the carriage 38, the handling element 25 is movable in the R direction.

In the case of using a gantry robot 27 of the embodiment described above, the Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12 on the mandrel 33, which is aligned horizontally, so that the bobbins 11 in the vertical position to the Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12 can be transferred. In the case of using a Schwenkarmroboters 35 of the embodiment described above, the Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12 is associated with a gripping ring 39. The gripping ring 39 serves to receive the bobbins 11 and on the one hand rotatable through 180 °, so that incorrectly positioned bobbins 11 can be brought into the correct position, and on the other hand rotatable by 90 °, so that the bobbins 11 after horizontal placement in the vertical Position can be brought. For fixing the reels 11, the gripping ring 39 has clamping elements 40, which are e.g. are pneumatically actuated. With these clamping elements 40, the bobbins 11 are gripped from the outside on its peripheral surface.

• Für den Fall, dass die Handhabungseinrichtung 24 als Portalroboter 27 ausgebildet ist, befindet sich das Portal 28 zunächst in Warteposition. Sobald eine Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12 einen Wechsel einer Bobine 11 initiiert hat, bewegt sich das Portal 28 aus der Warteposition. Die Bewegungen des Portals 28 zur Handhabung der Bobinen 11 erfolgen entlang der X-Achse und der Y-Achse in horizontaler Richtung. Die Bewegungen des Schlittens 30 erfolgen in vertikaler Richtung entlang der in Z-Richtung unbeweglichen Z-Achse. Das Portal 28 mit dem Handhabungselement 25 bewegt sich in den Beschickungsbereich 13, um eine volle Bobine 11 von der Palette 14 aufzunehmen. Dabei wird der Bobinenstapel angefahren, von dem die letzte Bobine 11 entnommen wurde. Ist die angefahrene Stapelposition leer, bewegt sich die Handhabungseinrichtung 24 zum nächsten Stapel 15. Alternativ können die Stapel 15 einer Reihe auch wechselseitig abgearbeitet werden. Wenn die vorderen Stapelpositionen leer sind, wird die nächste Zeile auf der Palette 14 angefahren. Wenn die letzte Bobine 11 von der Palette 14 entnommen wurde, wird eine neue Palette 14 angefordert. Wenn keine Bobine 11 auf der Palette 14 liegt, wird der Speicher 21 angefahren. Zum Aufnehmen einer Bobine 11 von der Palette 14 oder aus dem Speicher 21 wird die Bobine 11 angefahren und deren Mitte ermittelt. Dies erfolgt in üblicher Form mittels eines geeigneten Elementes zur Lageerkennung. Sobald die Aufnahmeposition ermittelt wurde, taucht die Bobinen-Greifereinheit in den Bobinenkern 26. Durch Ansteuern des Greiferzylinders werden Segmente im Greifer radial verschoben, so dass der Bobinenkem 26 geklemmt wird. Dabei können die Segmente an unterschiedliche Kerndurchmesser der Bobine 11 angepasst werden. Die nun mit dem Handhabungselement 25 verbundene Bobine 11 wird.dann zur Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12 transportiert.

The method principle for the two embodiments shown is explained in more detail below:

• In the event that the handling device 24 is designed as a gantry robot 27, the portal 28 is initially in the waiting position. Once a Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12 has initiated a change of a reel 11, the portal 28 moves from the waiting position. The movements of the portal 28 for handling the reels 11 take place along the X-axis and the Y-axis in the horizontal direction. The movements of the carriage 30 take place in the vertical direction along the Z axis immovable in the Z direction. The portal 28 with the handling element 25 moves into the loading area 13 to receive a full reel 11 from the pallet 14. The stack of bobbins is approached, from which the last bobbin 11 was removed. If the started stacking position is empty, the handling device 24 moves to the next stack 15. Alternatively, the stacks 15 of a row can also be processed alternately. When the front stack positions are empty, the next row on the pallet 14 is approached. If the last bobbin 11 has been removed from the pallet 14, a new pallet 14 is requested. If no reel 11 is on the pallet 14, the memory 21 is started. To pick up a reel 11 from the pallet 14 or from the memory 21, the reel 11 is approached and determined its center. This is done in the usual form by means of a suitable element for position detection. As soon as the receiving position has been determined, the bobbin-type gripper unit dives into the bobbin core 26. By activating the gripper cylinder, segments in the gripper are displaced radially, so that the bobbin core 26 is clamped. The segments can be adapted to different core diameter of the reel 11. The bobbin 11, which is now connected to the handling element 25, is then transported to the bobbin-changing device 12.

In the event that the bobbin 11 has an incorrect position (for example, in the wrong tearing position), it is first fed to the Bobinenwender 23 and rotated by 180 ° of this. The Bobinenwender holds to the bobbin 11 on its peripheral surface and then rotates the bobbin 11. Then the handling device 24 moves back to Bobinenwender and takes over the bobbin 11 again. The now correctly aligned reel 11 is transported to the Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12. The handling device 24 waits with the 90 ° pivoted, vertically upright bobbin 11 in front of the receiving position of a turntable Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12. When the turntable has reached the correct Auflegeposition, the bobbin is pushed by the element 32 for pushing on the mandrel 33. Following the portal 28 moves to the waiting position.

The method principle with a swivel robot 35 as a handling device 24 substantially corresponds to the principle just described. However, the movements of the Schwenkarmroboters 34 in the horizontal plane as pivotal movement about the φ-axis and as a linear movement by means of the carriage 38 along the R-axis and in linear, vertical direction by means of the carriage 36 along the Z-axis. The bobbin 11 removed by the swivel arm robot 34 from the pallet 14 or from the store 21 is positioned centrally in the grip ring 39, which is horizontally aligned so as to be folded away from the bobbin change device 12 for this purpose. The reel 11 is fixed by the gripping ring 39 or its clamping elements 40. As soon as the Greifiing 39 the Bobine 11 has gripped, the Schwenkarmroboter 34. By means of the gripping ring, the Bobine 11 left or right around 90 ° in the correct position (for example, in the wrong tearing position) are rotated. The gripping ring 39 with the bobbin 11 now waits for the Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12 has the bobbin turntable in the receiving position. Then, the bobbin 11 can be pivoted by the gripping ring 39 by 90 ° in the vertical position and pushed onto the mandrel 33.

Upon a renewed request for a new bobbin 11 by the bobbin changing device 12, the process described above is repeated. If the pallet 14, from which the reel 11 is to be gripped, be empty, the handling device 24 removes the reel 11 from the memory 21.

When a pallet 14 needs to be replaced, the handling device 24 moves to the waiting position. Only then is the access (gate 18) to the loading area 13 automatically opened. The empty pallet 14 is removed and the new full pallet 14 is positioned. By an acknowledgment, e.g. can be done manually by the operator or automatically by autonomous vehicles, we closed the gate 18 again. The handling device 24 then begins to approach the new pallet 14 and to fill the memory 21. Prior to loading the memory 21, however, the loading of the bobbin change devices 12 has priority.

For safety reasons, the handling device 24 is switched off with the handling element 25 as soon as an access, namely a gate 18 and / or a door 19, is opened. In this case, the Bobinenwechselfunktion is stopped while the normal Abspulbetrieb the Bobinenwechselvorrichtung 12 continues to run.

The stack 15 on the pallet 14 and in the memory 21 must be measured after starting the automation cell 10, 34 in terms of their height. The same applies in case an access has been opened. In the latter case, however, the calibration is only necessary if an operator has entered the loading area 13 and thus triggered the light barrier 22. When using the gantry robot 27, due to the fixed Z-axis, the first stack 15 viewed in the Y direction first becomes measured and then worked off. The rear stack 15 in the Y direction can only be measured after the front stack 15 has been processed. It can also be a measurement and processing in progressing X-direction. In use of the robotic arm robot 35, the carriage 36 is moved along the Z-axis to its upper position. Then, the carriage 38 is moved along the R axis. Only then does the pivoting arm 37 pivot about the φ-axis to the respective stacking position.

Claims (27)

1. Automation cell (10, 34) for the automated handling of bobbins (11), comprising at least two bobbin change-over apparatuses (12), each with one corresponding loading region (13) for the storage of several bobbins (11), and at least one apparatus (16) for handling the bobbins (11), wherein the apparatus (16) for handling bobbins (11) is arranged within the automation cell (10, 34) between at least one of the bobbin change-over apparatuses (12) and at least one of the loading regions (13) and includes a handling device (24) with a handling element (25) for the bobbins (11) arranged thereon, the handling element (25) being movable along several axes for receiving, transporting and discharging the bobbins (11) within the automation cell (10, 34), wherein at least one of the axes, namely a vertical axis (Z axis), is immovable in the Z direction, the handling element (25) being arranged on a carriage (30, 36) movable along the vertical axis (Z axis) for vertical movement thereof in the Z direction, characterized in that the respective loading regions (13) are spatially separated from each other, wherein the automation cell (10, 34) has a separate access (door 19) for the working region of each bobbin change-over apparatus (12) and a separate access (gate 18) to each loading region (13), and wherein a light barrier (22) is arranged between each bobbin change-over apparatus (12) and the associated loading region (13).
2. Automation cell (10, 34) according to claim 1, characterised in that the handling device (24) is designed for handling bobbins (11) for several bobbin change-over apparatuses (12) each with its own loading region (13).
3. Automation cell (10, 34) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the handling element (25) is designed as a bobbin gripper unit.
4. Automation cell (10, 34) according to claim 3, characterised in that the bobbin gripper unit is designed to receive the bobbins (11) in the bobbin core (26).
5. Automation cell (10, 34) according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the handling device (24) is designed as a gantry robot (27).
6. Automation cell (10, 34) according to claim 5, characterised in that in addition to the vertical Z axis the gantry robot (27) has two freely movable horizontal axes (X axis, Y axis) for linear movement of the handling element (25) in the X direction and in the Y direction.
7. Automation cell (10, 34) according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that all the axes (X, Y, Z) or movements in the direction of the axes (X, Y, Z) can be controlled independently of each other.
8. Automation cell (10, 34) according to any of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that on the carriage (30) is arranged a transport arm (31).
9. Automation cell (10, 34) according to claim 8, characterised in that the handling element (25) is arranged pivotably at the free end of the transport arm (31).
10. Automation cell (10, 34) according to claim 9, characterised in that associated with the handling element (25) is an element (32) for sliding a bobbin (11) off onto a support shaft (33) of the bobbin change-over apparatus (12).
11. Automation cell (10, 34) according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the handling device (24) is designed as a pivoting-arm robot (35).
12. Automation cell (10, 34) according to claim 11, characterised in that in addition to the vertical Z axis the pivoting-arm robot (35) has a horizontal axis (R axis).
13. Automation cell (10, 34) according to claim 11 or 12, characterised in that the Z axis is fixed.
14. Automation cell (10, 34) according to claim 12 or 13, characterised in that a pivoting arm (37) is arranged on the carriage (30) which is movable up and down in the Z direction.
15. Automation cell (10, 34) according to claim 14, characterised in that the pivoting arm (37) is pivotable about a vertically oriented axis (ϕ axis).
16. Automation cell (10, 34) according to claim 15, characterised in that the Z axis and the ϕ axis are identical.
17. Automation cell (10, 34) according to any of claims 14 to 16, characterised in that associated with the pivoting arm (37) is a further carriage (38) which is movable along the pivoting arm (37) in a radial direction (R direction).
18. Automation cell (10, 34) according to claim 17, characterised in that the R axis is immovable in the R direction, the handling element (25) being arranged on the carriage (38) which is movable along the horizontal R axis, for movement in the R direction.
19. Automation cell according to claim 1 or 18, characterised in that it comprises a measuring element for detecting the height of the stacks (15) of stacked bobbins (11) in the respective loading region (13).
20. Automation cell according to any of claims 1 to 19, characterised in that directly in the region of each bobbin change-over apparatus (12) and outside the loading region (13) is provided an additional reservoir (21) for bobbins (11).
21. Automation cell according to any of claims 1 to 20, characterised in that associated with each bobbin change-over apparatus (12) is an element (23, 39) for turning the bobbins (11).
22. Automation cell according to any of claims 1 to 21, characterised in that in each loading region (13) is arranged at least one pallet (14), the or each pallet (14) being designed to receive several bobbin stacks.
23. Method for handling bobbins (11) within an automation cell (10, 34) between one of at least two bobbin change-over apparatuses (12), each with a corresponding loading region (13) for storing several bobbins (11), and one of the loading regions (13), comprising the steps of:

    a) initiating a bobbin change-over by a bobbin change-over apparatus (12),

    b) starting an automated apparatus (16) for handling bobbins (11),

    c) taking a bobbin (11) from the loading region (13),

    d) transporting the bobbin (11) to the bobbin change-over apparatus (12),

    e) discharging the bobbin (11) to the bobbin change-over apparatus (12),

    wherein steps c) to e) being carried out by means of the handling device (24) movable along several axes or a handling element (25) of the apparatus (16) for handling the bobbins (11) which is arranged thereon,
    and wherein a movement of the handling element (25) along a vertical axis (Z axis) is carried out by a carriage (30, 36) movable in the Z direction on the Z axis, characterized in that the height of the bobbin stacks is determined at least before starting the automation cell (10, 34), wherein the height of the bobbin stacks is determined again if a light barrier (22) arranged between the working region of the bobbin change-over apparatus (12) and the loading region (13) is triggered.
24. Method according to claim 23, characterised in that, when taking a bobbin (11) from the loading region (13), first the bobbin stack from which a bobbin (11) was last taken is approached.
25. Method according to claim 23 or 24, characterised in that a bobbin (11) is taken from a reservoir (21) associated with the bobbin change-over apparatus (12) if the loading region (13) is empty.
26. Method according to any of claims 23 to 25, characterised in that a new pallet (14) with bobbins (11) is requested as soon as the last bobbin (11) has been taken from the loading region (13).
27. Method according to any of claims 25 to 26, characterised in that loading of the bobbin change-over apparatuses (12) takes priority over loading of the reservoirs (21).

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