EP2328811B1 - Strapping machine for packages - Google Patents

Abstract

Strapping machine (10) for packages (11) that are brought into the range of action of a strapping device (18 to 23) by way of a conveyor (17), said packages provided there with a strapping (14). The strapping machine is provided with an application device (30) for edge protection elements (16) placed between the package and the strapping belt before the tensioning and closure thereof around the package. According to the invention, a transfer device (34) of the application device, said transfer device removing the edge protection elements from a storage (31) and transferring said elements to the package, is aligned at an angle (α) that is oblique relative to the transport direction (22), whereby the total width of the machine can be reduced compared to known machines.

Description

The invention relates to a strapping machine for packages, comprising a transport device for the packages to be strapped, with a strapping device wrapping the packages with at least one strapping transversely to the transport direction of the transport device and with at least one application for edge protection elements, which protect the edges of the packages in the the package wrap around strapping between this and the package are attached, the applicator having a memory device for the edge protection elements and the edge protection elements from the storage device individually removing and transferring to the package and / or Umreifungseinrichtung transfer device, which is aligned at an angle obliquely to the transport direction is and an obliquely to the transport direction between the storage device and a transfer point on the strapping M displaceable having takers for a single edge protection element.

Packages such as on a pallet stacked cardboard or squared timbers are often provided for their transport straps with plastic straps, which are placed around the package by means of a strapping machine and securely hold together during subsequent transport. Especially packs of pressure-sensitive materials are provided at their edges before strapping and closing the strapping with edge protection elements, which usually consist of a kinked, thick cardboard and prevent the strapping in the edge region, the packages in harmful and undue pressure and thereby damage. The edge protection elements are using an applicator applied to the edges of the packages before the strap is wrapped around the package and firmly clamped before welding.

Such a strapping machine is for example in the DE 20 2007 018 468-U the applicant described. The Appliziereinrichtung in this strapping machine consists essentially of a storage device with a magazine for the stacked edge protection elements, which are individually removed from a arranged below the memory slide and advanced parallel to the transport direction of the packages up to the level of strapping, where they are taken from suckers and be placed transversely to the transport direction against the edges of the package. Although the known machine has proven itself in practice, it has the disadvantage that it must have a comparatively large overall width which is at least as great as the width of the package plus the space which the applicator requires laterally next to the supplied package. In addition, the transfer of the edge protection elements from the feed slide to the suction pads, which then create the edge protection elements transversely against the edges of the package, relatively expensive and the mechanical and control effort required for this large. Also at the time of the DE 31 10 061 A1 known device are the magazines for the edge protection angle laterally next to the package to be strapped in the working area of the strapping device with the above-mentioned disadvantage that the machine must have a relatively large width, which is at least as large as the width of the package plus the square, the the applicator for the edge protection elements including the magazine provided for receiving them is needed laterally next to the package to be strapped.

The DE-U 80 18 309 discloses a device for supplying strips for protecting a transported goods to be strapped with two feeders arranged on slide rails, which are designed in the form of a double slide and are each provided with a magazine for holding protective strips and a supply unit, which is designed in the form of a movable table. In this case, the arrangement is such that the feed devices are arranged by means of a linkage horizontally movable horizontally on the slide rails and the supply unit is equipped with a pneumatic cylinder for the strip delivery.

The from the DE 100 12 484 A1 or the corresponding one EP 1 136 360 A Known device uses grippers to remove edge protection angle from a magazine and apply it to the edges of a package to be strapped. Thus, the edge protection angle in the transfer process from the gripper does not fall, it is proposed in this document to design the gripper as a needle gripper. It is envisaged that the grippers are in a plane parallel to the strapping plane and work, being worn on portal inwardly facing arms of the vertical columns of the strapping and a telescopic arm seats, which in turn is rotatably guided horizontally. In this case, the relatively heavy gripper must be moved on its way from the acquisition of the edge protection angle from the magazine for transfer to the package about several axes translational and rotational. The actual driver for the edge protection angle, which is formed by a claw jaw forming cutout, is rigidly mounted on the transfer device.

A completely different way will be with the US 4,587,791 taken in the fact that the complete magazine with which the edge protection elements are held, is brought by a suitable handling unit to the edges of the package to be strapped, which not only means a much greater effort to handle the comparatively large and heavy magazine, but what it also requires sufficient space in the machine so that collisions between the reciprocating magazine and the package or the rest of the machines can not occur.

A device according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from DE-93 11 406-U known. In this known device, the driver for the edge protection elements is part of a slider, having a stepped support surface with an angular stop surface on which the respective lowest edge protection element, which is removed from a magazine, abuts with a corner. This embodiment makes it necessary that the edge protection elements received in the storage device must already be correctly aligned with the package in the storage device.

The object of the invention is to design a strapping machine of the generic type such that the collated edge protection elements need not already be accommodated in the storage device for the package.

This object is achieved with the invention in that the driver between the storage device and the transfer point is pivotable by an angular amount corresponding to the angle between the transport direction or the package edge and the obliquely aligned transfer device.

Due to the oblique orientation of the transfer device, it is achieved that the storage device can be arranged laterally offset from the transport path of the packages and thus in a region in which collisions between the package and the applicator can not occur if the package along the transport direction with the Transport device is conveyed to Umreifungsstation. The obliquely oriented to the transport direction transfer device takes from the storage device an edge protection element and transports this at an angle obliquely to the transport direction to Umreifungseinrichtung where the edge protection element then comes into contact with the protected edge of the package and upon actuation of the strapping between the strapping and the package is trapped. Due to the oblique transport of the edge protection elements, which takes place in the described, preferred manner up to the edges of the package, an additional takeover of the edge protection elements by means of a suction pad or the like. Is unnecessary to make the edge protection elements transversely to the transport direction against the package , The transfer device according to the invention has an obliquely to the transport direction between the storage device and a transfer point on the strapping device slidable driver for a single edge protection element. The driver drives under the storage device and pushes out the bottom of the stacked in a shaft edge protection element and takes this on his way with, until it can be handed over at the transfer point on the strapping and applied to the edge of the package to be protected. Since the driver according to the invention between the storage device and the transfer point is pivotable by an angular amount corresponding to the angle between the transport direction or the package edge and the obliquely aligned transfer device, recorded in the memory device edge protection elements are not already taken aligned in the storage device to the package be, but causes the pivotable carrier that the removed from him edge protection element, which was received obliquely aligned in the storage device to the package, pivots after its removal from the memory of the driver and thereby aligned in its correct position.

As already indicated, the storage device can have a stacking shaft for the edge protection elements with individual discharge on the underside. The driver is preferably displaceable by means of a arranged on the storage device and / or on the underside of the stacking shaft, preferably a cylinder-operated slide. The driver is preferably aligned in the region of the storage device to the feed direction of the transfer device, while it is aligned in the region of the transfer point to the transport direction of the package or its package edge.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the driver is pivotally mounted on a holding and advancing element about an axis perpendicular to the feed direction and / or to the transport direction of the packages. In this case, preferably provided for pivoting the driver relative to the holding and advancing element during the movement of the transfer device, a drive be, which is advantageously formed essentially of a laterally arranged on the travel path of the transfer device, between the storage device and the transfer point and the driver in the storage device in a position parallel to the feed direction guiding and one between the driver and the holding and advancing element effective, the driver outside the range of action of the guide element in a position parallel to the transport direction or the package edge pivoting spring. This arrangement causes an automatic pivoting of the driver, as soon as it passes out of the effective range of the guide element during the movement process of the transfer device, in the position aligned parallel to the transport direction. When returning the transfer device, the driver is then pivoted back into the position, which is aligned parallel to the feed direction of the transfer device, as soon as the driver comes back into the sphere of action of the guide element.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the drawing, wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail by way of example. It shows:
be received, but causes the pivotable carrier, that removed from it edge protection element, which was received obliquely aligned in the storage device to the package, pivoted after its removal from the memory of the driver and thereby aligned in its correct position.

As already indicated, the storage device can have a stacking shaft for the edge protection elements with individual discharge on the underside. The driver is preferably displaceable by means of a arranged on the storage device and / or on the underside of the stacking shaft, preferably a cylinder-operated slide. The driver is preferably aligned in the region of the storage device to the feed direction of the transfer device, while it is aligned in the region of the transfer point to the transport direction of the package or its package edge.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the driver is pivotally mounted on a holding and advancing element about an axis perpendicular to the feed direction and / or to the transport direction of the packages. In this case, preferably for pivoting the driver relative to the holding and advancing element during the movement of the transfer device, a drive may be provided which is expediently essentially formed by a laterally arranged on the travel path of the transfer device, ending between the storage device and the transfer point and the driver in the area the storage device in a position parallel to the feed direction aligning guide and an effective between the driver and the holding and advancing element, the driver outside the effective range of the guide into a position parallel to the transport direction or the package edge pivoting spring. This arrangement causes an automatic pivoting of the driver, as soon as it passes out of the effective range of the guide element during the movement process of the transfer device, in the position aligned parallel to the transport direction. When returning the transfer device, the driver is then pivoted back into the position, which is aligned parallel to the feed direction of the transfer device, as soon as the driver comes back into the sphere of action of the guide element.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the drawing, wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail by way of example. It shows:

Fig. 1 a strapping machine according to the invention in a view in the transport direction of the packages;

Fig. 2 the object of Fig. 1 in a side view;

Fig. 3 the strapping machine according to the invention in a plan view in a simplified, not to scale representation;

Fig. 4 the applicator used in the strapping machine according to the invention with completely zurückverfahrener transfer device in a side view;

Fig. 5 the object of Fig. 4 in a perspective view;

Fig. 6 the object of Fig. 4 in section along the line BB;

Fig. 7 the object of Fig. 4 in section along the line AA;

Fig. 8 the applicator for the strapping machine according to the invention with partially extended transfer device in one Fig. 4 otherwise appropriate representation;

Fig. 9 the object of Fig. 8 in perspective view; and

Fig. 10 the object of Fig. 8 in a section along the line CC.

The designated in the drawing in its entirety with 10 unruly machine is used, packages 11, which are, for example, on a pallet 12 stacked cardboard boxes 13 or the like. can act to secure in their stacked position on the pallet with strapping 14, which consist of a plastic band, which is looped around the package, tensioned and then welded. To protect the upper longitudinal edges 15 of the package 11 edge wrapping elements 16 are laid out of thick cardboard when wrapping the package with the strapping between this and the package in the region of the longitudinal edges 15, which prevent the strained strapping 14 in the stacked on the pallet goods can impress.

The strapping machine 10 has a transport device in the form of a roller conveyor 17, a conveyor frame 17 portal-like machine frame 18 with two upstanding side panels 19 and an upper, vertically mounted on the side panels mounted pressure bar 20 (not shown) with guide channels are part of a strapping, with the strap is wrapped around the package, as is known in the art. To the strapping further includes a lower guide lance 21, which moves after correct positioning of the package in the strapping machine transversely to the transport direction 22 in a space in the pallet 12 and thereby, together with the trained on the side panels and the pressure bar strip guide channels surrounding the package Band guide channel forms. In this tape guide channel then stored on a supply roll 23 strapping belt is pushed by a motor until the front end of the belt arrives at a welding station, not shown, and is held there, while the rear end is retracted by the tape guide lance again. To the to the package side facing the band guide channel then open spring-loaded flap elements or a flexible band channel cover so that the strapping out of the band channel and can create the package. As soon as the required belt tension is reached, the two belt ends are welded together in the welding station.

The exact mode of action of such strapping machines is known and will not be explained in detail here.

As can be seen from the drawings, the strapping machine also includes two applicators 30, by means of which the edge protection elements 16 are applied to the upper longitudinal edges 15 of the package 11 before the strapping 14 wraps around the package, thereby clamping the edge protection elements between itself and the package. The Appliziereinrichtungen 30 essentially consist of a memory device 31 with an upstanding stacking shaft 32, in which the edge protection elements 15 are received as storage stack 33, and from a transfer device 34, with the aid of the stockpiled in the stack shaft edge protection elements can be removed individually and transferred to the package. In this case, the arrangement according to the invention is such that the transfer device 34 at an angle α obliquely to the transport direction 22, that is aligned obliquely to the package edge 15 to which the edge protection element 16 is to be applied.

Due to the oblique arrangement of the transfer device 34 of the application station 30, it is achieved that, in particular, their storage device 31 lies outside the passage 35 laterally bounded by the side parts 19 for the package in the machine so that, given a passage width, the overall width of the machine defined by the side parts becomes smaller can be, as was possible with known machines.

It can be seen from the drawings, in particular from Fig. 3 also that due to the oblique arrangement of the transfer device, an additional gripper is unnecessary, with the help of which transferred from the transfer device in the sphere of the Umreifungseinrichtung edge protection in the previously known machines in which the transfer device transported parallel to the transport direction of the packages, and then transversely is employed against the protected edge of the package. This is due to the fact that the oblique arrangement of the transfer device, the supplied edge protection element is moved simultaneously in two directions, namely parallel to the transport direction 22 and transversely thereto against the package until it applies in the region of the strapping device to the package edge to be protected. In order to be able to optimally adapt the machine for different package sizes, the application devices can the machine frame laterally adjustable and be laterally displaced, for example by means of adjusting spindles 36 so that the edge protection elements, which have been advanced by the transfer devices of the Appliziereinrichtungen invest in the area of the strapping to the protected edges of the package, as in Fig. 3 is indicated. Of course, it is equally possible to take over the edge protection elements as usual with separate grippers from the transfer devices and make a piece far across the strapping area against the package edges.

In the Fig. 4 to 10 is the structural design of one of the two in the machine after the Fig. 1 to 3 used Appliziereinrichtungen and their mode of action shown in more detail. The Fig. 4 to 10 show the in the Fig. 1 and 3 Applicator arranged on the left side of the machine; the right-hand application device is correspondingly designed mirror-inverted.

It can be seen from the figures that the applicator 30 has a holding plate 37, on which the stacking shaft 32 is mounted towering. The holding plate 37 also carries the transfer device 34, which consists essentially of a rodless pneumatic cylinder 38, which is provided at its front end with a driver 39 for a single edge protection element 16. The pneumatic cylinder 38 forms a holding and advancing element for the driver, which is in the fully retracted state of the pneumatic cylinder in a position below the memory device 31, in which he can take a single edge protection element on a bottom side of the stacking shaft 32 arranged single trigger 40 and hold , The holding device used for this purpose is not shown in detail in the figures; it may be a mechanical device or also a suction device formed on the carrier, which holds the edge protection element by means of negative pressure. Other holding means can be used here.

It can be seen from the drawings further that the driver 39 is pivotally connected to the holding and advancing element or slide, which is formed by the pneumatic cylinder 38 and about an axis 41 perpendicular to the feed direction 42 of the transfer device 34 is a piece pivot. In this case, the arrangement is such that the pivoting movement is automatically effected by a drive, which is formed essentially by a lateral guide element 43 for the transfer device 34, in particular for the driver 39, and a tensioned between the driver and the pneumatic cylinder arranged tension spring 44th , which pivots the driver by a limited by an oblique stop 45 angular amount β, as soon as the driver during advancement of the pneumatic cylinder in the direction of the Umreifungsstation from the sphere of action of the guide element 43rd comes ( Fig. 8 to 10 ). The pivot angle, by which the driver is swung back and forth again when the pneumatic cylinder is being retracted or retracted, corresponds to the angle α around which the transfer device 34 is arranged obliquely with respect to the transport direction 22. In this way, it is achieved in a particularly advantageous manner that the driver is aligned parallel to the feed direction 42 in the area of the storage device and thus can take the lowest edge protection element from the stacking shaft in position and has pivoted in the region of the transfer point on the strapping in a position parallel to the transport direction, so that a positionally accurate transfer of the edge protection element can be made to the edge to be protected.

In particular from the 6 and 7 It can be seen that the guide element 43 is designed curved at its outlet region 46, so that the pivotal movement of the driver when extending and retracting the transfer device is not abrupt, but a relatively gentle operation is guaranteed with little wear.

The invention is not limited to the illustrated and described embodiment, but various changes and additions are conceivable without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, can also be dispensed with the pivoting mobility of the driver of the transfer device, especially if the storage device is not aligned with the feed direction 42 of the transfer device, but rises at an angle over the transfer device, which corresponds to the angle between the transport direction and feed direction. In such a construction, therefore, the storage device would be arranged from the outset so that the position of the edge protection elements received therein is already adapted to the situation that should have the edge protection elements in their transfer to the package edge to be protected. The edge protection elements must not be applied directly to the package edges by the transfer device, but it is also conceivable to advance the edge protection elements of the transfer device initially to a transfer point, where they are detected by additional grippers and then applied to the transport direction of the packages to this before the strapping device winds the strapping band around the package while clamping the applied edge protection element between itself and the package.

Claims (8)

1. Strapping machine for packages, comprising a conveying device for the packages to be strapped, comprising a strapping device which wraps at least one strapping tape around the package, transverse to the conveying direction of the conveying device, and comprising at least one application device for edge protection elements, which can be fitted between the strapping tape and the package to protect edges of the packages in the region of the strapping tape which wraps around the package, the application device comprising a storage device for the edge protection elements and a transfer device which removes the edge protection elements individually from the storage device and transfers them to the package and/or to the strapping device, which transfer device is oriented at an angle oblique to the conveying device and comprises a carrier for an individual edge protection element, which carrier is displaceable oblique to the conveying direction, between the storage device and a transfer location on the strapping device, characterised in that, between the storage device and the transfer location, the carrier (39) is pivotable through an angle (β), which corresponds to the angle (α) between the conveying direction (22) or the package edge and the transfer device (34) oriented oblique thereto.
2. Strapping machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the storage device (31) comprises a stack compartment (32) for the edge protection elements (16) which comprises a single outlet (40) at the bottom.
3. Strapping machine according to either claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the carrier (39) can be displaced by means of a slider (38) which is arranged on the storage device (31) and/or on the bottom of the stack compartment and is preferably cylinder-operated.
4. Strapping machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that, in the region of the storage device (31), the carrier (39) is aligned with the feed direction (42) of the transfer device (34) and, in the region of the transfer location, with the conveying direction (22) of the package (11) or the package edges (15) thereof.
5. Strapping machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the carrier (39) is arranged on a retaining and feed element (38) so as to be pivotable about an axis (41) perpendicular to the feed device (42) and/or to the conveying direction (22).
6. Strapping machine according to claim 5, characterised by a drive (43, 44, 45) for pivoting the carrier (39) relative to the retaining and feed element (38) during the travel action of the transfer device.
7. Strapping machine according to claim 6, characterised in that the drive is formed substantially by a leading member (43), which is arranged laterally on the travel path of the transfer device (34), ends between the storage device (31) and the transfer location, and, in the region of the storage device (31), aligns the carrier (39) into a position parallel to the feed direction (42), and an adjustment spring (44), which acts between the carrier (39) and the retaining and feed element (38) and pivots the carrier out of the sphere of action of the leading member (43) into a position parallel to the conveying direction (22) of the package edge (15).
8. Strapping machine according to claim 7, characterised in that the leading member (43) is curved in its projection region (46).

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