EP2460734A1 - Device for treating and/or fitting containers and method for fitting a carrying handle to a container - Google Patents

Abstract

The treatment or configuration device (30) comprises a device for guiding multi-part strip-like handle sections (62) of defined length made of two layers. The handle sections have foil strips (35) provided with an adhesive layer and the labels (42,43) applied on the adhesive layer of the foil strip. The continuous supply units are coupled with each other for the foil strips and the labels. An adhesive applicator (52) is provided for application of adhesive on the foil strips and on the label material (45). The labels comprise Radio-frequency identificationchips. An independent claim is also included for a method for attaching a strap-like handle at a container.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for treating and / or equipping containers with the features of the preamble of the independent claim 1 and to a method for attaching a carrying handle to a container with the features of the independent method claim 8.

In the packaging of article groups, in particular of a plurality of bottles or similar containers, these are often wrapped with a shrink film and thus summarized or provided with a strapping. In order to be able to transport these shrinkage containers or strapped containers easier, handles are often attached to them.

In the case of shrinkage packages, methods are conventionally used which apply the carrying handle before or after the shrinking process. That the carrying handle is either first applied to the flat film web and this is then wrapped around the article group and shrunk, or the carrying handle is applied only after the shrinking process on the finished shrink container.

Conventionally, handles are used which consist of tape and a desired label and must be pre-assembled. That the label is already printed and applied to tape and is generally on rolls. Furthermore, it is possible for the labels to already be present as blanks on adhesive tape and to be applied to the latter before application of the carrying handle.

The DE 38 71 697 T2 describes a method and apparatus for attaching handles to heat shrinkable film wrapped bodies. In this case, a paper label is connected to an adhesive strip and forms the handle band.

The object of the invention is to provide a device and a method, with the cost of carrying handles on article compilations can be attached, the carrying handles should be quickly and easily customizable for each article to be edited article composition.

The object of the invention is achieved by a device having the features of claims 1 and 8. Further advantageous embodiments are described by the subclaims.

The invention relates to a device for the treatment and / or equipment of containers or other article assemblies and / or held together packing units. Such a container typically consists of a plurality of articles wrapped with foil and / or held together by at least one horizontal and / or vertical strapping (s). The device according to the invention has a device for feeding multi-part, formed from at least two layers strip-like handle grip portions of defined length, which are preferably attached by means of an adhesive attachment to the outer sides of the container.

The carrying handle sections consist of at least one film strip provided on one side with an adhesive layer and at least one label applied to the adhesive layer of the film strip. According to the invention, the film strips and the labels are provided on coupled endless storage units - usually these are drums for unwinding or unwinding the endless supplies.

The film strips and / or the labels can already be present on the endless storage units with the adhesive layer, ie in prefabricated form. According to a preferred embodiment, the film strip is present on the endless supply roll without adhesive. This has the advantage that the film rolls are better stored, as they tend in particular less soiling. Accordingly, the device has at least one separate adhesive applicator for applying adhesive to the foil strip and / or to the label. This has the advantage that the adhesive is freshly applied at any time and is not already on the rollers, where it could be subject to prolonged storage on the one hand a barely controllable aging with the associated quality losses. In addition, there is a risk of contamination of the rollers provided with adhesive during storage and during transport.

Furthermore, the device comprises a device for merging the film strips with the labels. This device may be, for example, a suitable pressing device or the like. act in which the film strip and the label are pressed together and glued together. The resulting adhesive bond can be a releasable as well as a permanent solid adhesive bond.

Furthermore, the device has at least one cutting device for separating the previously present as an endless supply strip-like handle portions in a defined length. The pre-fabricated double carrier strip is cut with this cutter in the required length.

According to an alternative embodiment, the device comprises at least one first cutting device for the lengthening of the labels and at least one second cutting device for the lengthening of the film strips. The two cut-to-length strips are then joined together, for example with a suitable pressing device, for example with continuously operating pressure rollers, to the double-layered carrying handle and fastened to the container after attachment of an adhesive tape strip. Here, the label strip is first cut to length, while the tape strip is attached later, to promote the handle in an endless form to the intended application point on the container can.

Another embodiment of the invention may provide that the device is associated with a printer for printing the labels. The printer can be prepared, for example, for direct printing. This makes it possible to customize the labels as needed. The labels are preferably made of paper. However, labels made of plastic, foam or similar suitable materials may be used. Furthermore, the labels RFID chips o. The like. Include, whereby an identification of the summarized articles, facilitated tracking, etc. is possible.

Preferably, therefore, the labels are in the form of white paper endless stock, which can then be individually printed, cut to size and glued to the film strip.

Furthermore, the invention comprises a method for attaching a carrying handle formed from at least two layers to a container. First, label stock is fed from an endless stock unit to a printer and printed there. At the same time, a film strip is fed from an endless supply unit to an adhesive applicator and adhesive is applied to the film strip. The printed label and the adhesive film strip are brought together and bonded together via the adhesive. This can be done, for example, in a press-on roller of a suitable pressing device, which must / have to be able to press the printed label material and the film strip together. The resulting two-layer carrying handle is then cut to length by means of a cutting device and attached by adhesive connection to the container. In this case, for example, other splices, which were also applied by the above-described adhesive applicator on the film strip can be used, or the adhesive is applied by a second adhesive applicator on the outer surfaces of the container or on the foil strip of the handle and the carrying handle is then attached.

According to an alternative embodiment, the device comprises two adhesive applicators. In this embodiment, the labels are printed, provided with an adhesive layer, cut to length and glued to the film strip. Subsequently, a second adhesive applicator applied adhesive in the region of the two handle ends. The thus prepared two-layer carrying handle is cut to size and attached to the container.

Since both the cut length of the foil strip and the label length are variable, the system is very flexible and quickly adaptable to a wide variety of products and product sizes. Since both the film strip and the label material are provided on an endless roll and do not sit in a stacking magazine, longer run times are possible without material replenishment and / or a smaller design of the entire device. Optionally, the device can also be coupled with changing magazines for two, three or more endless supply rolls, which allow an automatic roll change without production interruptions.

Due to the possibility of printing the labels in the device, the system has a high degree of flexibility, since during a product change, the printed image of the label material can be changed without the roll material having to be changed. All you have to do is set a new print image.

Since the adhesive layer can be applied by the device, it is easily possible to process a variety of carrying handle materials, without having to be prefabricated by a third party company. Thus, it is not necessary to provide and store pre-assembled labels for various products since these are produced directly in the device.

Furthermore, instead of paper labels and foam tapes o.ä. used, which increases the wearing comfort, especially since the labels are usually mounted in the region of the handle that the consumer touches while wearing.

A useful option in the method according to the invention for attaching the carrying handle formed from at least two layers to the container can be to provide the film strips unwound from the endless storage unit and fed to the application devices with an additional fold or loop before the adhesive layer is applied. A disadvantage of applying adhesive tape without such loops or folds may be that in some containers, which are later subjected to a heating and shrinking process for fixing a foil packaging, no easily tangible carrying tabs can be formed. In this case, it is difficult to reach between the carrying handle and the container top by hand. In order to avoid this disadvantage, a suitable folding device can be provided in the application device used for the carrying handle, which folds up the handle, for example in the form of a paper strip, in the running direction or provides it with a loop before the adhesive strip or the adhesive layer is applied. Optionally, this fold can be provided with an additional splice or with appropriately positioned adhesive dots to hold the folded sections in position during transport of the bundles. In this context, it is useful to perforate the unfolded portion of the film web or the associated label so that the film web or the label breaks or ruptures in the region of this perforation and releases the underlying fold. If the folding is later released by manual pulling, possibly with break-up of the adhesive dots, the user receives a well-grasped, sufficiently large carrying loop. When comparing the above variants, a folded and possibly fixed handle section should be given preference over a looped handle, since a flat-fitting folded label in some handling devices, such as, for example, in a wrapping module for Attaching the shrinkable packaging film should show a lower potential for interference than a loose loop that could possibly straighten up on the impact bar and thus could lead to disruptions in the packaging process. Instead of the film web and the label can be folded in the manner described, in which case the film web should be provided with a perforation.

If, in the present context, in particular in connection with the folded portions of the handle, the film web and / or the label, of splices is mentioned, they may optionally be replaced by welds. In particular, in the case of film sections to be joined, welding is possibly better for bonding the film surfaces as splices.

The mentioned folding is expediently introduced in the course of the bringing together of the handle materials. Preferably, the folding takes place before the pressing of the joined, glued and / or welded band sections.

• Fig. 1 und Fig. 2 zeigen jeweils eine Vorrichtung zum Anbringen eines Tragegriffs an Gebinde gemäß dem vorbekannten Stand der Technik.
• Fig. 3 zeigt eine erste Ausführungsform einer Vorrichtung zum Anbringen eines Tragegriffs an einem Gebinde gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung.
• Fig. 4 zeigt eine zweite Ausführungsform einer Vorrichtung zum Anbringen eines Tragegriffs an einem Gebinde gemäß vorliegender Erfindung.
• Fig. 5 zeigt eine perspektivische Detailansicht einer ersten Ausführungsvariante eines mit einer Schlaufe versehenen Griffabschnitts des Tragegriffs.
• Fig. 6 zeigt eine perspektivische Detailansicht einer zweiten Ausführungsvariante des mit einer Schlaufe versehenen Griffabschnitts des Tragegriffs.
• Fig. 7 zeigt eine perspektivische Detailansicht einer dritten Ausführungsvariante des mit einer Schlaufe versehenen Griffabschnitts des Tragegriffs.
• Fig. 8 zeigt eine Seitenansicht der dritten Variante gemäß Fig. 7.
• Fig. 9 zeigt eine perspektivische Detailansicht einer vierten Ausführungsvariante des mit einer Schlaufe versehenen Griffabschnitts des Tragegriffs.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention and their advantages with reference to the accompanying figures will be explained in more detail. The proportions of the individual elements to one another in the figures do not always correspond to the actual size ratios, since some shapes are simplified and other shapes are shown enlarged in relation to other elements for better illustration.

• Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 each show a device for attaching a carrying handle to containers according to the known prior art.
• Fig. 3 shows a first embodiment of a device for attaching a carrying handle to a container according to the present invention.
• Fig. 4 shows a second embodiment of a device for attaching a carrying handle to a container according to the present invention.
• Fig. 5 shows a perspective detail view of a first embodiment of a provided with a loop handle portion of the handle.
• Fig. 6 shows a perspective detail view of a second embodiment of the provided with a loop handle portion of the handle.
• Fig. 7 shows a detailed perspective view of a third embodiment of the provided with a loop handle portion of the handle.
• Fig. 8 shows a side view of the third variant according to Fig. 7 ,
• Fig. 9 shows a detailed perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the provided with a loop handle portion of the handle.

For identical or equivalent elements of the invention, identical reference numerals are used in the rule. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only reference symbols are shown in the individual figures, which are required for the description of the respective figure. The illustrated embodiments are merely examples of how the device or method of the invention may be configured and are not an exhaustive limitation.

The FIGS. 1 and 2 show in different variants in each case a device 1 for attaching a two-layer carrying handle 11 to a container 2, as is known from the prior art. The container 2 in this case consists of a collection of several bottles 3, which are summarized by a shrink film 4 and held together.

At the in Fig. 1 As shown in Fig. 1, the film tape 7c is provided as a tape roll 7a on which labels 8a provided in and supplied from a magazine 8b are attached. The adhesive film strip 7c with applied label 9 forms the carrying handle 11, is conveyed in the direction of the container 2, cut by a cutting device 10 in the required length and attached to the container 2 via the adhesive side K.

The containers 2 are each moved via a transport device 5 in the transport direction TR. As a transport device 5 is usually a revolving conveyor belt 6 is used. The carrying handle 11 is first attached to the front in the transport direction TR side vS of the container 2. During further transport of the container 2, the carrying handle 11 is pulled over the container 2 and then fastened on the rear side hS of the container 2.

At the in Fig. 2 shown variant of the device 1, the single-sided adhesive film strip 7d already pre-assembled as adhesive tape roll 7b already applied labels 9 provided. The film strip 7d with applied labels 9 forms the carrying handles 11, which are cut by means of a cutting device 10 in the required length and attached to the container 2 via the adhesive side K.

The schematic representation of Fig. 3 shows a first variant of a device 30 for attaching a carrying handle 62 to containers 2 according to the present invention. Here, the film strip 35 and the label material 45 are each provided as an endless supply 32, 42. Preferably, the label material 45 is provided as a white continuous paper stock 43 and the film tape 35 as an endless supply of plastic tape without adhesive 33. The label material 45 is preferably fed to a printing device 50 and printed there according to the container 2 to which the carrying handle 62 is to be attached. The printed label 46 is cut by a cutting device 54 of appropriate length.

At the same time, the film strip 35 is fed to an adhesive applicator 52, which provides the film strip 35 with an adhesive layer. Subsequently, the adhesive-provided film strip 36 and the printed cut-to-length label 46 are pressed together by means of a pressing device 56 and glued together. The film sections with applied label 60 are then cut by a second cutting device 10 in the appropriate length and attached to the containers 2 via the adhesive layer.

The schematic representation of Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment of the device 30 for attaching a carrying handle 62 to 2 containers according to the present invention. Here, the film strip 35 and the label material 45 are each provided as an endless supply 32, 42. Preferably, the label material 45 is provided as a white continuous paper stock 43 and the film tape 35 as an endless supply of plastic tape without adhesive 33. The label material 45 is fed to a printing device 50 and printed there according to the default. The printed label 46 is then provided with an adhesive layer by an adhesive applicator 52 and cut to length by a cutter 54.

The film strip 36 and the printed, adhesive-coated, cut-to-length label 46 are pressed together by means of the pressing device 56 and glued together. The film sections with applied label 60 are then provided by a second adhesive applicator 53, each with at least one glue point at the ends of the handle and cut by a second cutter 10 of appropriate length. The attachment to the container 2 via the adhesive applied by the second adhesive applicator 53 dots. Of course, it is clear to the person skilled in the art that it can not only be adhesive dots, but also strip-like splices, a multiplicity of adhesive spots, etc. are possible.

It should be noted that the pressing device 56 can certainly be set up so that it simultaneously takes on the task of the cutting device 54, so that the cutting of the labels 46 can optionally take place simultaneously with the connection to the film strip 36. In this case, the pressing device 56 may, for example, comprise components of a punching device.

One in the following FIGS. 5 to 9 shown in various variants equipment variant of the device 1 may consist of the unrolled from the endless storage unit 32 or 33 and supplied to the application devices film strips 35 to be provided with an additional fold 64 or a loop before the adhesive layer is applied. Optionally, this fold can be provided with an additional splice or with suitably positioned adhesive dots to keep the folded portions in the transport of the container 2 in position. Later, the fold 64 is released by manual tension, possibly with breaking the adhesive dots, the user receives a well-tangible, sufficiently large strap. Such a variant is in the Fig. 9 clarified. An alternative variant, which in the FIGS. 5 to 8 is clarified, provides to be applied to the unfolded film strip 35 applied label 45 and 46 with a fold 66. The respective unfolded element, ie either the film strip 35 connected to the folded label 45 or 46 or the label 45 or 46 connected to the folded film strip 35, in this case preferably has a suitably placed perforation 68, thus the element This point breaks up or tears when the fold is dissolved and the carrying handle is brought into its operating position.

In detail, the shows Fig. 5 in a perspective detailed view of a first embodiment of a provided with a loop handle portion 70 of the handle 62 according to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 , The grip portion 70 comprises the foil strip 35, on the underside of which the printed fold provided with a double fold 66 Label 46 or paper tape 45 is stapled, for example, with flat or selectively applied adhesive layers. In the area of a 180 ° folding of the label 45 or 46, the film strip 35 is provided with a perforation 68 extending transversely to the direction of elongation, which serves to tear the film strip 35 at this point as soon as the handle section 70 is received from below and the Container 2 is to be raised thereby. By separating the perforation 68, the label 45 and 46 unfold and remains at least at the end-side first and second splices 72 and 73 on the underside of the film strip 35 adhere and fixed so that the handle 62 remains stable and can fulfill its purpose. As mentioned, further splices may be present in the region of the fold 66, which however may have a lower adhesion in these areas than at the end regions of the label 45 or 46, since these splices 72 and 73 must be suitable for the whole Weight of the container 2 to carry.

While the folded label 45 and 46 in its first variant according to Fig. 5 is arranged asymmetrically and folded, shows the perspective detail view of Fig. 6 a second embodiment of the provided with a symmetrical loop handle portion 70 of the handle. The multiple folding 66 of the label 45 and 46 allows when picking up the handle 62, the tearing of the perforation 68 in the film strip 35 and the simultaneous unfolding of the fourfold and symmetrically folded label 45 and 46, after the dissolution of the fold 66 only to his the underside of the film 35 adjacent end portions with its first splice 72 and its second splice 73 remains fixed to the film 35. The other splices, with which the superimposed portions of the label 45 and 46 are glued together, are solved.

The Fig. 7 shows a further perspective detail view of a third embodiment of the provided with a symmetrical loop handle portion 70 of the handle 62. The also four-fold folded label 45 and 46 is shorter in this variant than that of the second variant (see. Fig. 6 ). The side view of the third variant according to Fig. 8 illustrates the arrangement of the splices and the perforation 68. While the label 45 and 46 is glued on the sufficiently stable and flat second and third splices 72 and 73 to the underside of the film strip 35, the other adhesive dots 74 may be applied only selectively, since they only have to keep the fold 66 in place as long as the pack 2 has not yet been lifted on the carrying handle 62. The perforation 68, which when lifting the Bundle 2 is to tear, is located centrally between the two symmetrical halves of the folded label 45 and 46 and above the bridging portion 76 at the bottom of the label 45 and 46th

The perspective detail view of Fig. 9 shows an alternative fourth embodiment variant of the provided with a loop handle portion 70 of the handle 62. In this variant, the fold 64 is not in the label 45 and 46, but in the region of the film strip 35, in a symmetrical manner, similar to the third Variant is folded in quadruple, while the perforation 68 is in unfolded, relatively short paper tape 45 or printed label 46. In this fourth variant, if the container 2 is lifted by gripping the carrying handle 62, the perforation 68 of the label 45 or 46 ruptures, as a result of which the film band 35 unfolds and the handle portion 70 can lengthen in the desired manner to the extent that the carrying handle 62 grips comfortably can be.

In all variants, it is equally useful to provide the folding 64 or 66 with additional splices or appropriately positioned adhesive dots to keep the folded sections during transport of the container 2 in position. As shown, it is necessary to perforate the unfolded portion of the film web 35 or the unfolded portion of the label 45 or 46, so that the film web 35 or the label 45, 46 breaks or tears in the region of this perforation 68 and the underlying fold 64 or 66 releases. If the folding 64 or 66 is later released by manual pulling, possibly with the adhesive dots breaking open, the user receives a well-gripped, sufficiently large carrying loop.

If, in the present context, in particular in connection with the folded portions of the carrying handle 62, the film web 35 and / or the label 45 or 46, of splices is mentioned, they may optionally be replaced by welds. In particular, in the case of film sections to be joined, welding is possibly better for bonding the film surfaces as splices.

The mentioned folding 64 or 66 is expediently introduced in the course of the bringing together of the handle materials. Preferably, the folding 64 or 66 takes place before pressing the joined, glued and / or welded band sections, in particular in the area of the pressing device 56 according to FIG Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 ,

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

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

contraption

2

container

3

bottle

4

shrink film

5

transport device

6

conveyor belt

7a

tape roll

7b

with tape pre-assembled adhesive tape roll

7c

adhesive foil tape

7d

adhesive foil tape

8a

label

8b

magazine

9

applied label

10

cutter

11

Applicated carrying handle

30

contraption

32

Endless supply of foil tape

33

Endless supply of foil tape without adhesive

35

foil tape

36

Foil tape with adhesive

42

Endless supply of label material

43

Endless stock of white paper

45

white paper tape

46

printed label

50

printing device

52

adhesive applicator

53

adhesive applicator

54

cutter

56

pressing device

60

Foil tape with applied label

62

handle

64

Folding (foil strip)

66

Folding (tape or label)

68

perforation

70

handle portion

72

first splice

73

second splice

74

more glue dots

76

bridging section

hS

rear side

TR

transport device

vS

front side

K

adhesive side

Claims (10)

Apparatus (1, 30) for treating and / or equipping containers (2) each comprising a plurality of articles (3) enveloped with film (4) and / or held together by at least one strapping, with a device for feeding multipart , strip-shaped carrying handle sections (11, 62) of defined length formed from at least two layers and for their adhesive attachment to the outer sides (hS, vS) of the containers (2), the carrying handle sections (11, 62) comprising at least one film strip provided on one side with an adhesive layer (7c, 7d) and at least one applied to the adhesive layer of the film strip (7c, 7d) label (9), characterized in that the device (30) coupled to each other endless supply units for the film strips (32, 33) and the labels (42 , 43) and at least one adhesive applicator (52) for applying adhesive to the foil strip (35) and / or to the label material (45). Apparatus (30) according to claim 1, comprising means (56) for merging film strip and label. Device (30) according to claim 1 or 2, which comprises at least one cutting device (10) for separating the strip-like carrying handle sections (62) in a defined length. Device (30) according to claim 1 or 2, which has at least one first cutting device for the lengthening of the labels (45) and at least one second cutting device for the lengthening of the film strips (35). Device (30) according to one of claims 1 to 4, which comprises a printing device (50) for printing on the label material (45). Device (30) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the labels are paper labels or plastic labels. Apparatus (30) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the labels comprise RFID chips. Method for attaching a carrying handle (11, 62) formed from at least two layers to a container (2) which comprises a plurality of articles (3) enveloped with film (4) and / or held together by at least one strapping, characterized by the following Steps: Feeding label material (45) from an endless storage unit (42, 43) to a printing device (50); • printing the label material; Feeding a film strip (35) from an endless storage unit (32, 33) to an adhesive applicator (52); Applying adhesive to the film strip (35); • merging and bonding of printed label material (46) and film strips (35) via the adhesive layer applied to the film strip; • Lengthening of the two-layer carrying handle (62) by means of a cutting device (10) and • Attach the carrying handle (62) to the container (2) by means of an adhesive connection. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one RFID chip is applied to the film strip (35) with the label material (45). A method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the film strip (35) supplied by the endless storage unit (32, 33) is provided with a fold or loop before the adhesive layer is applied.

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