EP2648981A1

EP2648981A1 - A method and a tool for manually bundling goods on a pallet

Info

Publication number: EP2648981A1
Application number: EP11847580.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Niklas Eriksson
Original assignee: Produkten I Sverige HB
Current assignee: Produkten I Sverige HB
Priority date: 2010-12-07
Filing date: 2011-12-05
Publication date: 2013-10-16
Also published as: SE535292C2; EP2648981A4; SE1001167A1; WO2012078086A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a tool for facilitating manual strapping of goods and articles on a pallet (8). The tool includes a shaft (1) and a bar (3) arranged to pass a strap band (9) in under the pallet (8) for securing the goods or articles on the pallet. The shaft (1) and the bar (3) are connected to each other by means of a pivot (4) to allow the bar (3) to be folded out downwards from a folded, preferably locked, position, into a folded-out, substantially horizontal, position in which the bar can be pushed in under the pallet (8) while the shaft (1) takes an upright, substantially vertical, position. The tool allows that the work, when the strap-band is passed in under the pallet, is performed in a more upright position, which increases efficiency and reduces wear on the human body.

Description

A method and a tool for manual ly bundling goods on a pallet Technical field The present invention relates to a method and a tool to ensure a simple bundling or strapping of goods and articles so that they can be transported securely. The tool includes a shaft and a bar being connected by means of a pivot in order to facilitate manual bundling or strapping of goods on a pallet. Technical background

In the strapping of packages on a pallet a packaging band, strap band, is passed around the pallet and the goods or articles placed on the pallet so that the band embraces the pallet as well as the goods. In order to carry out such a strapping operation the person doing the job has to stand on his knees or sit on his heels in order to pass the strap band under or through the pallet, which is a laborious and difficult operation for the person that strains his back, knees and joints.

To facilitate this type of operations it is previously known to use more or less fully automatic strapping machines, see for instance SE 464 128 and US 3,899,963. Such machines may in itself facilitate the critical work to bring the band under the pallet and then capture the band end, but the disadvantage of the automatic machines is of course that they are complicated, expensive and bulky. So instead of simplifying the strapping, the operator has to deal with a heavy machine which perhaps has to be moved away after the work has been finished and that will probably require maintenance and control. Therefore, such machines are best suited for large cargo and shipment terminals.

It has also been suggested other types of strapping devices with guide and drive means to provide strapping of pallets on a smaller scale, see for instance SE 419 961 and SE 8008872- 7. These devices are certainly less complex compared to the previous mentioned fully automatic strapping machines, but they are still too heavy and bulky to handle in case of a more manual strapping. In case of manual strapping on a smaller basis, when you cannot invest in expensive machines, it is previously known to use so-called strap rods marketed by packaging and office suppliers such as Forankra AB and Beson AB. A strap rod of this type sold on the market today consists of an elongated, tubular part to handle the strap band, and such a device is of course easy to lift and take away after the work has been finished. The strap rod might be useful also when pushing the band forward, but still the operator has to bend his knees or stand on his knees at the critical moment when the band is passed under the pallet.

Statement of the invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and a tool which makes it more easy to secure goods for transport and which substantially removes the disadvantages of the strapping methods discussed so far. The tool should have a simple and compact design, and it should be quick and easy to handle. In particular, the tool should be ergonomically adapted so that the work can be performed by the operator in a more upright position, which increases efficiency and reduces wear on the human body.

This object is achieved by a method and a tool as defined in the characterising portions of the following claims.

According to the invention the tool comprises a foldable member in which the shaft and the bar are connected by means of a pivot, in which the free end portion of the bar is provided with a fastening device for attaching a strap band and in which the bar is arranged to be passed and run under or through the pallet until the band is visible on the other side of the pallet.

In the following the invention will be described more in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which figure 1 shows an example of a suitable design of a tool according to the invention and figures 2-5 describe the various steps of a bundling or strapping method according to the invention.

Description of the drawings

Figure 1 shows an example of a tool according to the invention. Figure 2 shows the initial, starting position of the tool for bundling or strapping of goods on pallets wherein the tool takes an upright, folded position. The figure also includes a more detailed view A of the upper part of the tool,

Figure 3 shows the next step wherein the bar is lowered to the ground,

Figure 4 shows how the tool has been carried forwards and the bar runs through the pallet with the packaging strap band attached to the fastening device arranged at the forward end portion of the bar,

Figure 5 shows the final step where the tool has been pushed backwards and the bar is folded up to a raised position just by pressing the shaft downwards so that the tool returns to its initial, upright position again, see figure 2, and

Figure 6 shows a case in which the tool is used in conjunction with an extra wide or long pallet, in which case the tool has been lowered to a 180° position so that also a part of the shaft has been pushed in under the pallet. Description of a preferred embodiment

Figure 1 shows an example of a tool according to the invention, which tool includes a tubular, elongated shaft 1 made of a rigid material such as plastic, steel, aluminium or the like. One end of the shaft is connected with an elongated bar 3 by means of a pivot 4. The bar 3 is made of a rigid/robust material and is made for a proper function, i e to forward a packaging or strap band down in under a pallet for securing/bundling of goods or articles placed on the pallet. For that reason each end portion of the bar has an upwards bent, curved form 5, 6. The curved end portion 5 of the bar facilitates the function when the bar is moved along the ground surface. The end of the curved portion 5 is bent downwards and has a fastening device 7 for attaching one end of the packaging or strap band for securing the goods on the pallet. The fastening device may be of a type known by itself, for instance a slit, a clip or the like, and will not be described in any detail here. In connection with the pivot 4 the bar 3 is further provided with an upwards bent, curved portion 6 that facilitates the folding function of the tool (see below). The length of the bar is adapted to the width of a standardized pallet so that the free end of the bar becomes available on the other side of the pallet when the bar has been pushed in under the pallet with its full length during the strapping operation.

The pivot 4 is designed in such a way that the bar is allowed to be angled out to a 1 80° position or more relative to the shaft, for full flexibility. The pivot might be adjustable to provide a desired friction during the folding movement. The tool is provided with a snap, clip, buckle or the like 2 in order to hold the two parts of the tool, i e the shaft and the bar, together in its folded-together position. In figure 1 the tool is illustrated in an upright, substantially vertical position, and with dashed lines in a partially raised position as well as a position in which the shaft has been folded out 180°.

Figures 2-5 describes the various steps of a bundling or strapping operation with the tool. Figure 2 shows the initial, starting position of the tool for bundling or strapping of goods on pallets 8 according to the invention and wherein the tool takes an upright, folded position in which position the bar 3 and the shaft 1 are substantially parallel to each other and hold together by means of the clip or buckle 2. At this moment the packaging or strap band 9 is attached to the fastening device 7 at the free end portion of the bar 3, which is illustrated in a more detailed view A of the upper part of the tool. In figure 3 the bar 3 is lowered to the ground for securing the goods while the operator keeps the shaft 1 in an upright position. The bar 3 is released from the shaft and is folded out downwards by gravity without any need for pressure on the bar itself from the operator.

Thanks to the curved portion 6 of the bar 3 the lowering speed of the bar can be easily controlled by the operator just by a gentle pressure downwards of the shaft. Thanks to the curved free upward-bent end portion 5 of the bar the fastening device will be located somewhat above the ground surface so that this free end of the bar can be easily passed in under the pallet together with the attached strap band 9.

In figure 4 it is illustrated how the tool has been pushed forwards and the bar 3 runs through the pallet 8 until the band is visible and accessible on the other side of the pallet. It is also illustrated how the operator keeps one of his hands on the shaft 1 and his other hand on the extended strap band 9. During the working steps described so far the operator has maintained an upright working position for an increased working efficiency and a reduced wear and tear of the human body. When the band is visible on the other side of the pallet the operator leaves the shaft upraised against the goods (as illustrated with dashed lines in the figure) and then walks around the pallet to pick up the band for the final securing in the usual manner. This is the only moment where the operator may need to bend his knees, but in this case the band end is easily accessible as it is located a bit above the ground level thanks to the upward bent, curved portion 5 of the free end of the bar.

In figure 5 the operator takes hold on the still upraised shaft 1 and the tool is pushed backwards so that the bar 3 goes free from the pallet with the secured goods. By pressing the shaft downwards (see the vertical arrow in the figure) the bar is folded up - thanks to its curved end portion 6 - so that the tool returns to its initial, upright position again, in which the bar is hold together substantially parallel to the shaft 1 .

In figure 6 it is illustrated a special case in which the tool is used in conjunction with an extra wide or long pallet which does not meet current standard dimensions. Since the length of the bar is adapted to the width of a standardized pallet, in this case the tool allows that also a part of the shaft is pushed in under the pallet as the shaft can be lowered to a 1 80° position or more relative to the shaft. By this measure the flexibility for securing different kinds of goods is increased. The invention is not limited to the embodiment as shown above but can be varied within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating manual strapping of goods and articles on a pallet (8) by means of a tool comprising a shaft (1) and a bar (3) connected to each other by a pivot (4), characterized by the following steps:

(a) the operator attaches a strap band (9 to the free end of the bar (3) with the tool in an upright, folded position,

(b) then the bar (3) is lowered to the ground for securing the goods while the operator keeps the shaft (1) in an upright position,

(c) then the tool is pushed forwards so that the bar (3) runs through the pallet (8) until the band (9) attached to the free end of the bar is visible or accessible on the other side of the pallet,

(d) when the band (9) is visible on the other side of the pallet the operator leaves the shaft upraised against the goods and walks around the pallet to pick up the band for the final securing of the goods or articles in the usual manner, whereupon

(e) the operator takes hold on the still upraised shaft (1) and the tool is pushed backwards so that the bar (3) goes free from the pallet with the secured goods, and whereupon

(f) the operator is pressing the shaft (1) downwards and the bar returns to its initial, upright position again, in which the bar is substantially parallel to the shaft.

2. A tool for facilitating manual strapping of goods and articles on a pallet (8) comprising a shaft (1) and a bar (3) which bar (3) is arranged to pass a strap band (9) in under the pallet (8) for securing the goods or articles on the pallet, characterized i n that the shaft (1) and the bar (3) are connected to each other by means of a pivot (4) to allow the bar (3) to be folded out downwards into a substantially horizontal position in which the bar can be pushed in under the pallet (8) while the shaft (1 ) takes an upright, substantially vertical, position.

3. A tool according to claim 2, characterized in that the pivot (4) is designed in such a way that the bar (3) is allowed to be folded out 180° or more for strapping of extra large pallets or goods.

4. A tool according to claim 2, characterized in that a snap, clips or buckle (2) is arranged to hold the shaft and the bar of the tool together in its folded position.

5. A tool according to claim 2, characterized in that the free end of the bar (3) is provided with a fastening device (7) for attaching one end of the strap band for securing the goods on the pallet.

6. A tool according to claim 5, characterized in that the fastening device (7) comprises a slit, clip or buckle.

7. A tool according to claim 2, cha racterized in that the free end of the bar has an upward-facing curved portion (5) to facilitate the function of the tool when the bar is passed along the ground.

8. A tool according to claim 2, characterized in that the bar (3) in connection with the pivot (4) has an upward-facing curved portion (6) so that by pressing the shaft (1) downwards the bar (3) is folded up to an upright position.