EP3288873B1 - Method and device for feeding, providing, and exchanging rolls having packaging material in a packaging machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for conveying, providing, handling and / or exchanging rolls with flat and / or film material wound thereon and serving as packaging material for packing piece goods, bundles or similar article combinations within a packaging machine with the features of the independent method claim 1. The invention also relates to a device for conveying, providing and / or handling and / or exchanging rolls with flat and / or film material wound thereon and used as packaging material for packaging piece goods, bundles or similar article assemblies with the characteristics of the independent Claim 11.

When articles are grouped and compiled into bundles, for example beverage containers or the like, these are often held together in practice by shrink film in order to prevent slipping or detachment from the compilation during further handling or during transport. For example, containers are known from the prior art which comprise four, six or more containers. Such containers form a very common variant of sales units for beverage containers or bottles made of PET plastic. In order to achieve a high throughput during packaging and / or subsequent palletizing, it is desirable to assemble such containers as quickly as possible without interrupting individual process steps.

In order to provide the packaging material or the shrink film for partial or complete wrapping of containers, devices and methods are already known which unwind the material from one roll or from several rolls, convey it within a packaging machine and thus the individual containers or the respective Wrap articles that are to form the respective container with the packaging material. The unwinding of the packaging material from the roll is usually done by machine and can be done in a continuous process. Devices are known in which the packaging material is drawn off the rotating roller via rollers. One roll is unwound and the supply is on If the packaging material of the roll is exhausted, the respective roll must be exchanged or replaced with a new roll. However, such a roll change is associated with an undesirable interruption in the process of assembling and packaging containers.

A method and a device by means of which new rolls can be delivered and used rolls can be exchanged within a packaging machine are, for example DE 40 40 545 A1 known. This known device has several supply rolls with strip material, which are arranged next to one another. The core of each roller is placed on a common pin. A beginning of the strip material is previously connected to a roller which pulls the strip material off the respective roll and guides it in a downward direction away from the device. In order to be able to operate this known device and to unwind the material from the roll, the core of the roll must be placed on the pin in the direction of rotation. The strip material or the first layer of strip material must descend from above in the direction of the rollers. If the roll were placed on the pin with the opposite direction of rotation, the strip material could not or only with difficulty be pulled off the roll, which would result in complications during the unwinding. Depending on the direction of rotation of the new rollers placed on them, manual repositioning and re-positioning in conformity with the direction of rotation are indispensable in these known devices in order to be able to ensure trouble-free operation.

Devices for the automatic supply of material wound on reels and for the exchange of used reels in processing or packaging machines are also known in different design variants, for example by devices for supplying and changing reels with strip material in a processing machine according to DE 32 02 647 A1 or according to DE 41 42 256 A1 .

The DE 34 25 734 A1 discloses an automated system for supplying packaging material to production and / or packaging lines. The system comprises a magazine for the packaging material and a carriage which is equipped with an articulated arm for gripping the packaging material and for feeding it to the processing machines located on the processing lines. The carriage with the articulated arm drives along routes that are determined by a computer system connected to the processing machines.

A device for supplying packaging machines with consumables or packaging material is also from the EP 1 273 541 B1 known. The material webs wound as bobbins are delivered on pallets and distributed to several manufacturing and packaging machines, the pallets being first brought to intermediate storage by pallet conveyors, while individual bobbins are removed by separate bobbin conveyors and transported to a machine to be supplied.

The DE 10 2006 017 379 A1 discloses a device for handling bobbins of packaging material. The facility includes a reel store with a portal in which the reels are held ready on pallets. A portal robot with an articulated arm transfers bobbins as required to winding units arranged outside the portal. From these, the material webs are transported to the consumer machines on opposite sides in a direction parallel to the longitudinal extension of the portal. This is the closest prior art in the EP 1 798 174 A2 disclosed method or the corresponding device viewed.

The known handling methods and devices usually require exact positioning and feeding of new bobbins or rolls with packaging material wound on them. If this exact positioning cannot be guaranteed, the smooth replacement of used rolls is at risk, which means that the functionality of the packaging machine can no longer be guaranteed. In addition, the rolls in known packaging machines must be used in the correct orientation, since the webs to be unwound require precise guidance and for this reason the rolls may only be used in the position in which the web to be unwound can be taken over by the assigned guide, i.e. in one direction of rotation to the left or to the right.

For this reason, an aim of the present invention is to provide a device and a method with a high degree of automation for handling flat and / or film material wound on rolls, by means of which flat and / or film material can be provided without interruption. The device and the method should also enable a positioning of the rolls in a packaging machine in the required direction of rotation in the case of rolls picked up by a gripping and / or handling device that cannot be used in the correct direction of rotation, with the appropriately equipped roll feeders working properly and with to a pronounced degree Fault tolerance function and ensure the smooth exchange of roles under all operating conditions.

This object of the invention is achieved with the subject matter of the independent claims. Features of advantageous developments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims. To achieve the stated aim, the invention proposes a method for conveying, providing and / or exchanging rolls with flat and / or film material wound thereon and serving as packaging material for packaging piece goods, bundles or similar article combinations. In the method, at least approximately completely unwound and / or used up rolls are removed from at least one installation position of a packaging machine and a new roll with flat and / or film material is then inserted into the respective installation position. In particularly preferred embodiments, the device can comprise at least two different installation positions. The at least two different installation positions can lie opposite one another or be arranged adjacent to one another. Each installation position can be designed to accommodate one roller or to accommodate precisely one roller.

Normally, after a new roll has been inserted, an outer layer of the respective new roll is pulled off near or in the area of its free end and connected, in particular welded or glued, to a section of a material web guided in the packaging machine of another roll to form an uninterrupted material web . However, other connection options are also conceivable to ensure the required uninterrupted packaging operation. The method provides that new rolls of the packaging machine are provided in a defined supply, e.g. by means of pallets, shelf systems, AGVs (ie driverless transport systems) or the like and are inserted into the respective installation position there by means of at least one gripping and / or handling device after a used roll was removed there beforehand. The rolls are preferably picked up independently by the orderly feeder by means of handling and gripping devices and inserted into the packaging machine. According to the invention, the method also provides that a rotational direction-conforming position of each new roll to be inserted into the packaging machine is checked during its handling by the gripping and / or handling device and, if necessary, ie in the case of a wrongly positioned roll, a loose material web end is in the wrong direction has to be corrected. To the direction of rotation To be able to correct, the gripping and / or handling device is assigned a suitable intermediate storage for a roll to be inserted in the packaging machine, which serves as a support for the roll, in particular for filing, provisioning in accordance with the direction of rotation and renewed reception by the gripping and / or handling device Transfer to the packaging machine. The intermediate deposit can in particular be formed by a bearing block or the like, which assumes a fixed or variable position within the movement space of the gripping and / or handling device. Optionally, the bearing block can be designed as an autonomously movable shuttle of an AGV or a so-called driverless transport system, which enables it to automatically rotate 180 degrees around its vertical axis when a roll is to be turned, in order to thereby facilitate the gripping and / or handling system to present the roll stored there in the correct position and to have it picked up again by the gripping and / or handling system. Optionally, it can be provided that the clipboard or the bearing block is assigned a camera, whereby an additional optical monitoring on the bearing block can be ensured in order to detect the roller positions etc. and the bearing block or the gripping and / or handling device in the necessary way to control.

It is also conceivable that a core of a respective roll placed on the clipboard is checked for damage by means of an optical detection device, with the respective roll not being transferred to the packaging machine if the core is damaged or damaged and the gripping and / or or handling device picks up the roll again if there is no damage to the core and transfers it to the packaging machine in order to insert it into the respective installation position. In particular, it can be the case here that the optical detection device for checking the core for damage is moved via the gripping and / or handling device in the direction of the core or in the direction of the clipboard. Furthermore, if the core is damaged or damaged, the gripping and / or handling device may place the respective roll with the damaged core on a pallet or receive it from the intermediate storage area and discard it.

Furthermore, the bearing block can be assigned a rotary drive for rotating a roller lying thereon about its horizontal central axis in order to adjust its rotational position and / or an alignment of an edge of an outer material web layer. Regardless of whether the bearing block is stationary or movable, a suitable turning mechanism can be assigned to it, by 180 ° rotation when resting To be able to perform role in order to be able to bring the role into the correct installation position. As mentioned, the clipboard can optionally be formed by a driverless and / or remote-controlled transport system on which the gripping and / or handling device individually places new rolls, the direction of rotation of which is to be changed for insertion into the packaging machine, and after a rotation takes up a vertical axis by 180 degrees and placed it in the packaging machine, now in the correct direction of rotation for the respective installation position, which is required for the exact guidance of the packaging material to be unwound in left or right rotation.

According to a further embodiment variant of the present invention, at least the positions of the rollers in the area of the defined supply and / or provision and / or the gripping and / or handling device and / or their movement space can also be detected by means of suitable optical sensor devices and / or room monitoring devices. In addition, it can be useful to detect the positions of the rolls in the area of the clipboard or while they are being deposited there and then resumed from there by means of suitable optical sensor devices and / or room monitoring devices. Depending on the recorded spatial, movement and / or sensor data, at least the movements of the gripping and / or handling device in the area of the defined supply and / or provision for the rollers or in their respective movement space are controlled. Depending on the recorded spatial, movement and / or sensor data, the control, rotation and / or turning movements of the clipboard or the bearing block that is located in the movement space of the gripping and / or handling device can also be controlled.

The method can also provide that the mentioned space monitoring devices are formed by at least one optical detection device, in particular a camera, which detects at least the movement space of the gripping and / or handling device and depicts this movement space and the movements of the gripping and / or handling device taking place therein Supplies output signals. Here, the at least one optical detection device or the camera can be assigned or mounted there, for example, to the gripping and / or handling device, so that it is able to monitor the movements of the gripping and / or handling device as well as the orientation conforming to the direction of rotation to check the new role before or when inserting it. Optionally, however, the camera can also cover the movement area by being fixed in place in the room or on the packaging machine; also additional or multiple cameras on the gripper and / or handling device are possible. In general, several cameras or optical detection devices can be used, the output signals of which are superimposed and can be used for the exact location determination of all parts to be moved, handling systems and / or rolls with packaging material.

The room monitoring device can also be formed by a camera or by several cameras that are assigned to the clipboard or monitor its spatial surroundings, so that the rolls stored there can be recorded exactly and their position and ideally their direction of rotation can be determined in order to determine the direction of rotation if necessary. to be able to change quickly if this is necessary for the correct installation position in the packaging machine.

In this way, the method according to the invention enables exact positioning and feeding of new rolls with packaging material wound on them to a packaging machine. The exact positioning of the handling devices can ensure the smooth exchange of used rolls, whereby the functionality of the packaging machine is ensured in an ideal way. The method has a high degree of automation in the handling of flat and / or film material wound on rolls for packaging purposes, so that in conceivable embodiments an uninterrupted or at least approximately uninterrupted provision of flat and / or film material can be made possible. The process also works flawlessly with incorrectly positioned roll feeds and with a pronounced degree of error tolerance and can also guarantee smooth roll exchange under all operating conditions.

In the method, the gripping and / or handling device can in particular be formed by a multi-axis robot which picks up new rolls from the defined feed and places them in the packaging machine. As mentioned, the handling robot can optionally be assigned a separate camera, which can for example be attached to its movable arm so that it can capture all movements in space and the rolls to be picked up and positioned in the packaging machine. The handling device or the multi-axis robot preferably has suitable gripping or holding elements in order to be able to pick up the rolls. For example, the handling device or the multi-axis robot can have a holding mandrel which is formed on the end face in a core of a respective hollow body immersed new role, its maximum cross-sectional diameter enlarged or its cross-section enlarged area and hereby fixed the respective new role clamped on the handling device or the multi-axis robot.

Optionally, the gripping and / or handling device in the method according to the invention can also be formed by a driverless and / or remote-controlled transport system (AGV, at least one self-propelled shuttle) that picks up new rolls from the defined feed and places them in the packaging machine. This AGV or the shuttle of the AGV can, for example, have a gripper arm or the like for picking up and handling the rolls, with which it picks up the roll, places it on a transport support, after which it moves with the roll to the packaging machine and uses the roll there . Optionally, the shuttle can be assigned its own camera to control its movements in space.

The method can furthermore provide that the packaging machine itself or its at least one installation position for the exchangeable rolls with packaging material is monitored optically. Additional optical monitoring devices or cameras can be provided in the packaging machine, in particular in the area of the rolls to be replaced or in the area of their installation positions.

In a further variant of the method according to the invention, it can also be advantageous if at least one optical identification is applied to a section of a new roll in the area of the free end of its outer material web and the new rolls are inserted in their respective installation position by means of the handling device or before removing the respective outer layer are aligned in their respective installation position in such a way that the optical markings point in the direction of a respective opposite installation position. This at least one optical identification can be applied to the respective new roll before it is inserted into its respective installation position, for example in such a way that the free end of the outer material web of the respective new roll is at least largely immovably fixed to the respective new roll by means of the optical identification. The method can provide that the optical identification is applied, for example, to a new roll lying on the clipboard, possibly with the support of the camera monitoring the room or the camera arranged on the clipboard. The optical markings can, however, also be attached elsewhere in the area of the feed, if necessary manually by one Machine operator or an auxiliary person. These optical markings can be particularly important in order to indicate the correct direction of rotation of the rolls and to ensure that the rolls are inserted into the packaging machine in their correct orientation.

New rolls can, for example, be moved into the area of the gripping and / or handling device via a horizontal conveying device and can be removed directly from the horizontal conveying device by means of the gripping and / or handling device. A delivery of new rolls on pallets is also possible, so that, for example, four standing rolls are arranged on a pallet, which are brought into the movement space of the gripping and / or handling device by means of a suitable delivery, in order to be picked up there and in the packaging machine to be used, if necessary with the inclusion of the clipboard, as described as an option above.

Furthermore, it can be provided in the method according to the invention that a control unit is coupled and connected to the handling device and the room monitoring device and, taking into account each new roll picked up by the handling device from the feed area and / or a horizontal conveyor, prescribes a clocked operation of the horizontal conveyor. The control unit can also specify the repeated acceptance of new rolls from the delivered pallets.

To achieve the above-mentioned aim, the invention also proposes a device for conveying, providing and / or handling and / or exchanging rolls with flat and / or film material wound thereon and serving as packaging material for packaging piece goods, bundles or similar article combinations with the features of the independent device claim. Features which have already been described above for various embodiments of the method can also be provided in various embodiments of the device and are therefore not mentioned redundantly. Furthermore, features described below, which relate to various embodiments of the device, can be provided in the previously described method.

The device provides that at least approximately completely unwound and / or used rolls are removed from at least one installation position and preferably at least two different installation positions of a packaging machine and can be replaced by new rolls with flat and / or film material for the respective installation position, with Preferably, after each insertion, an outer layer of the respective new roll can be pulled off near or in the area of its free end and connected, in particular welded or glued, to a section of a material web of another roll guided in the packaging machine to form an uninterrupted material web. In this way, a continuous packaging operation can be maintained in conceivable embodiments. In further embodiments, it is conceivable that packaging material is unwound from at least one roll at least one installation position at least approximately without interruption. The unwinding of packaging material can be temporarily suspended for the rolls of the at least two different installation positions during the connection or welding of their flat and / or film material with other flat and / or film material guided or received in the packaging machine.

The device according to the invention comprises devices for providing new rolls for the packaging machine in a defined feed such as pallets, shelf systems, AGVs or the like. and at least one gripping and / or handling device for taking over the rolls from the defined feed and for inserting the new rolls in the respective installation position of the packaging machine and / or for removing used rolls from the at least one installation position of the packaging machine. The rolls can be picked up independently from the orderly feeder, in particular by means of handling and gripping devices, and inserted into the packaging machine.

Regardless of the specific design of the gripping and / or handling device, suitable aids are available according to the invention in order to check and if necessary, that is, in the case of a position of each new roll to be inserted into the packaging machine during its handling by the gripping and / or handling device, that is in conformity with the direction of rotation To be able to correct wrongly lying roll, which has a loose material web end in the wrong direction. These tools are in the present case by one of the gripping and / or Intermediate storage associated with the handling device is formed for a roll to be inserted into the packaging machine, which can serve as a support for the roll, in particular for filing, provision in accordance with the direction of rotation and renewed reception by the gripping and / or handling device for subsequent transfer to the packaging machine. This intermediate deposit located within the movement space of the gripping and / or handling device can be formed, for example, by a bearing block which can assume a fixed or variable position within the movement space of the gripping and / or handling device. It can also be provided that the bearing block can form a movable and self-propelled shuttle of an AGV (driverless and / or autonomously movable transport system). In addition, a camera can optionally be assigned to the bearing block, which enables additional optical monitoring on the bearing block. In addition, the bearing block can be equipped with a rotary drive for rotating a roller lying thereon about a horizontal longitudinal axis in order to adjust its rotational position and / or an alignment of an edge of an outer material web layer. In addition, the bearing block can optionally have a turning mechanism in order to be able to perform a 180 ° rotation with the roller resting on it. This function is already available when the clipboard is designed as a self-propelled shuttle. In this variant, the clipboard is formed by a driverless and / or remote-controlled transport system or comprises one that brings new roles in a defined direction of rotation in controlled interaction with the gripping and / or handling device and returns them to the gripping and / or handling device / or automatically placed in the packaging machine.

In addition, the device according to the invention can be equipped with space monitoring devices for detecting at least the positions of the rollers in the area of the clipboard and / or the positions and / or movements of the clipboard within the movement space and for controlling the alignment of the rollers to change or correct their direction of rotation. In addition, the device can be equipped with space monitoring devices for detecting at least the positions of the rolls in the area of the defined feed and / or provision and / or the positions and / or movements of the gripping and / or handling device within a movement area and for controlling the movements of the gripping devices. and / or handling device in the area of the defined supply and / or provision for the rolls depending on the means of the Room monitoring device recorded room, movement and / or sensor data be equipped.

In a variant of the device, the space monitoring devices can be formed, for example, by at least one optical detection device, in particular a camera, which detects at least the movement space of the gripping and / or handling device and depicts this movement space and the movements of the gripping and / or handling device taking place therein Supplies output signals and makes them available to a control system. The at least one optical detection device or the camera can, for example, be assigned directly to the gripping and / or handling device and / or the surroundings of the clipboard. A camera can be mounted there; This can then check the movements and the direction of rotation conforming orientation of each new roll before or during its insertion and, if necessary, its turning with the help of the clipboard. Optionally, the camera can be arranged in the room or several cameras can be arranged in the room and / or on the robot or the handling device. Optionally, the camera can be arranged in the area or several cameras can be arranged in the area of the clipboard or the bearing block, the output signals of which are used for the exact control of the clipboard and / or the gripping and / or handling device.

The gripping and / or handling device can in particular be formed by a multi-axis robot that picks up new rolls from the defined feed and places them in the packaging machine, possibly with the inclusion of the intermediate tray that brings the roll in the correct direction of rotation. As mentioned, the handling robot or the multi-axis robot can optionally be assigned a camera, which can be arranged, for example, on a movable or articulated gripping or boom arm in order to record all detected objects and the respective environment in order to control the multi-axis robot better and more precisely to be able to.

The handling device or the multi-axis robot has suitable gripping and / or holding means, which can be formed, for example, by a holding mandrel, which dips into the front side of the respective new roll designed as a hollow body, increases its maximum cross-sectional diameter and thereby clamps the respective new roll the gripping and / or handling device or the multi-axis robot fixed.

The gripping and / or handling device can optionally be formed by a driverless and / or remote-controlled transport system (so-called AGV with at least one self-propelled shuttle) that picks up new rolls from the defined feed and places them in the packaging machine. A camera can also optionally be assigned to this shuttle or AGV.

The device can also provide additional optical monitoring devices or cameras in the packaging machine, in particular in the area of the rolls to be exchanged or in the area of their installation positions.

Furthermore, the device can have additional devices in order to apply at least one optical marking to a portion of the new rolls in the area of the free ends of their outer material webs, so that the new rolls can be inserted into their respective installation position by means of the gripping and / or handling device or before the respective outer layer can be aligned in its respective installation position in such a way that the optical markings point in the direction of a respective opposite installation position. It can also be provided that the at least one optical identification is applied to the respective new roll before it is inserted into its respective installation position in such a way that the free end of the outer material web of the respective new roll is at least largely immovable on the respective new roll by means of the optical identification is fixed. The optical identification can particularly advantageously be applied to a new roll lying on the clipboard, if necessary with the support of the respective camera.

With the device, new rolls can optionally be moved into the area of the gripping and / or handling device via pallets or, for example, via a horizontal conveyor device and removed directly from the pallet or from the horizontal conveyor device by means of the gripping and / or handling device. Furthermore, it is preferably provided that a control unit is connected to the gripping and / or handling device as well as the room monitoring device and, taking into account any new rolls from the feed area and / or a pallet or the horizontal conveyor device being picked up by means of the gripping and / or handling device specifies a clocked operation of the horizontal conveyor or the pallet feeder.

In addition, it can be that the device comprises an optical detection device by means of which a core of a respective roll placed on the clipboard can be checked for damage, with gripping and / or handling device in the event of damage being used to sort out the respective roll that has damaged Has core, is controllable and wherein the gripping and / or handling device can be controlled in the case of non-existent or non-formed damage to transfer a respective roll which has the undamaged core into the packaging machine. For example, it can be that the optical detection device is mechanically attached to a movable arm section of the gripping and / or handling device.

Some aspects, special features and details of the method according to the invention and the device according to the invention are summarized again below. Thus, the invention relates to a method for handling flat and / or film material that is wound on rolls and used as packaging material for piece goods, bundles or similar article combinations. The flat and / or film material can be designed as a shrink film or as a conventional plastic film. The rollers can have a core, the geometric shape of which corresponds to a hollow cylinder and which can consist at least partially of cellulose-containing material. In this way, the respective new roll can advantageously be placed on a pin of the packaging machine that corresponds to the core and can rotate on the pin when the packaging material is pulled off or removed from the roll. As part of the method, at least partially unwound and / or used up rolls are removed from at least one installation position of a packaging machine and a new roll with flat and / or film material is then inserted into the respective installation position. In preferred embodiments, at least two different installation positions can be provided. As previously mentioned, each of the at least two installation positions can have a pin on which the new roll is placed and on which the respective roll rotates for unwinding its respective flat and / or film material. In particular, the rollers can be fixed in a clamping manner on the journal in their respective installation position. The pin can be driven to rotate and transmit a torque to the respective seated roller, so that the roller is moved in a rotating manner for unwinding its flat and / or film material via its pin. Each pin can be assigned a drive via which the respective pin is rotated. The drives can be described in more detail below with one of the following are connected or controlled via a control unit described in more detail below for rotating the pin. Before removing a roll with at least partially unwound and / or used up packaging material from its respective installation position, the clamping connection between the pin and the roll can be released so that the roll is then no longer firmly connected to the pin and can be removed from the pin . The rotating movement of the pin can be interrupted until a new roller has been placed on the pin or inserted into the corresponding installation position. After a new roll has been inserted into its respective installation position, an outer layer of the respective new roll near or in the area of its free end is normally removed and connected to a section of a further roll of material in the packaging machine to form an uninterrupted material web.

The outer layer of the respective inserted new roll can after insertion with a suitable gripping element, e.g. by means of a gripping and / or handling device which operates mechanically clamping and / or electrostatically adhering with pneumatic suction pressure and moves back and forth between the at least two installation positions. Thus, the gripping element can alternately pull outer layers of the new rolls from the at least two installation positions. In practice, embodiments have proven to be useful in which the gripping element temporarily fixes the respective external position of a new roll by means of negative pressure. Furthermore, a welding rod can be provided, which is moved in a downward direction and in this case welds the outer layer of the respective new roll to the material web guided in the packaging machine. The respective outer layer can be moved into a working area of the welding rod via the gripping element. The temperature-controlled welding rod can thus move the outer layer of the respective new roll in a clamping manner against the material web guided in the packaging machine. In particular, embodiments have proven to be useful in which the welding rod is moved vertically up and down for this purpose and, during a vertical lowering movement, the respective outer layer of a new roll is welded to a material web guided in the packaging machine.

Normally, the flat and / or film material of the further roll is not yet completely unwound during the insertion of a new roll and during the connection. The new role can advantageously be in conceivable embodiments can accordingly be used while flat and / or film material is still being continuously unwound from the further roll in the packaging machine. Even when removing an at least approximately completely unwound and / or used up roll from the packaging machine, flat and / or film material can be unwound from another roll of the packaging machine. It is conceivable that flat and / or film material from at least one in the packaging machine can be continuously and without interruption positioned roll is unwound. It can also be the case that at the time of connecting the flat and / or film material of a new roll with the flat and / or film material already guided or received in the packaging machine, no flat and / or film material of the rolls received in the at least two installation positions is handled.

In the method described with the present invention, at least approximately unwound and / or applied rolls are detected by sensors and replaced by new rolls with flat and / or film material by means of the gripping and / or handling device described above. Sensory detection can take place, for example, with the aid of optical detectors or an optical detection system, which can be arranged in the area of the at least one installation position. The optical detection system or the optical detector and the gripping and / or handling device can be connected to the control unit, which also controls the movements of the gripping and / or handling device or the multi-axis robot.

In addition, its direction of rotation and / or orientation conforming to the direction of rotation can be determined and / or checked during or before the insertion of the new roller. In practice, embodiments have proven particularly useful in which the determination and / or checking of the direction of rotation and / or orientation conforming to the direction of rotation takes place by means of optical detection. However, the invention is not limited to such exemplary embodiments, so that, for example, haptic and / or further mechanisms can also be provided in order to check the direction of rotation and / or the orientation of the respective new roller in conformity with the direction of rotation. If the recognized direction of rotation and / or direction-conforming orientation is appropriate or corresponds to a predetermined target orientation and / or target direction of rotation, the respective new roller can be inserted into its assigned installation position or remain in its respective assigned installation position. If a wrong direction of rotation and / or an incorrect positioning conforming to the direction of rotation is determined, an alignment correction of the respective new roller can be carried out or a further new rollers with a suitable direction of rotation and / or orientation conforming to the direction of rotation can be selected for insertion and inserted into the respective installation position. According to the invention, this can be done using the above-described clipboard, which is located in the vicinity of the gripping and / or handling device or at least within its range of motion.

It can be the case that a direction of rotation and / or a positioning of a new roller that conforms to the direction of rotation is checked. If an incorrect direction of rotation and / or incorrect positioning conforming to the direction of rotation has been determined, the respective new roll can be placed on the clipboard before being inserted into the packaging machine, separated from the gripping and / or handling device and oriented or aligned in accordance with the direction of rotation or with the appropriate direction of rotation resumed and then used in their respective installation position. The orientation conforming to the direction of rotation or the orientation with the appropriate direction of rotation as well as the insertion of the roll in its respective installation position can then take place before connecting or welding its outer layer to the material web still remaining in the packaging machine. During the alignment of the new roll in conformance with the direction of rotation, flat and / or packaging material can be continuously unwound from a further roll arranged in the packaging machine or in one of the at least two installation positions.

It is also provided that the mentioned optical detectors of the room surveillance system or the optical detection system are in operative connection via the control unit with the gripping and / or handling device and control their exact movements for handling the roll, with the optical detector or the optical detection system In addition, a respective direction of rotation and / or direction of rotation conforming orientation of new rollers can be checked and / or determined and the new rollers can be used by means of the gripping and / or handling device with the direction of rotation and / or direction of rotation conforming to the respective installation position and / or by means of the gripping device and / or handling device can be aligned with a suitable direction of rotation and / or an orientation that conforms to the direction of rotation. In addition, the device can have an optical display unit that is coupled to the control unit, such as a display or the like, via which information on the direction of rotation and / or orientation conforming to the direction of rotation is displayed. For example, if the direction of rotation is incorrect or the orientation conforms to the direction of rotation, new rollers appear via the optical display unit Notice is issued to a user. It is also conceivable that information on the direction of rotation and / or orientation conforming to the direction of rotation is output as an acoustic signal.

In addition, the control unit is preferably coupled to the gripping and / or handling device in such a way that the at least partially unwound and / or used-up rolls can be removed from the respective installation position and new rolls with a suitable direction of rotation and / or a suitable orientation conforming to the direction of rotation are automatically transferred to the in Preferred embodiments existing at least two mounting positions can be used. In this case, an algorithm can be stored on the control unit, with the algorithm taking into account the detected roll positions - these can be on pallets, for example - and the direction of rotation and / or the direction of rotation-conforming orientation of the respective new roll determined by the optical detector. and / or handling device is effected. In addition, the gripping and / or handling device for the clamping fixation of the new rollers, which are designed as hollow bodies, can comprise a preferably cylindrical holding mandrel with an adjustable maximum cross-sectional diameter. The adjustment of the cross-section diameter can take place via the control unit or be specified by the control unit. The handling device can have a movable gripping arm, the holding mandrel being arranged at the free end of the gripping arm.

Optionally, the gripping and / or handling device can be preceded by a horizontal conveying device designed for transporting new rolls, which extends into a work area of the gripping and / or handling device and which is controlled via the control unit, taking into account the removal of new rolls by the gripping and / or or handling device can be controlled with clocked operation. In further embodiments, it is conceivable that the gripping and / or handling device are provided with new rolls on pallets or the like. There is also the possibility of placing new roles in a container or the like, which is located in the work area of the gripping and / or handling area and via which new roles are made available to the gripping and / or handling device. The new rollers can be placed in the container in a disordered manner or with any desired orientation, with the direction of rotation and / or orientation conforming to the direction of rotation being able to be checked and / or ascertained by means of the optical detector.

• Fig. 1 zeigt eine schematische Perspektivansicht einer ersten Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung. Zudem verdeutlicht Fig. 1 eine denkbare Umsetzung einer Ausführungsform für das erfindungsgemäße Verfahren.
• Fig. 2 zeigt eine schematische Perspektivansicht einer zweiten Ausführungsvariante der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung sowie eine sinnvolle Umsetzung einer Ausführungsform für das erfindungsgemäße Verfahren.
• Fig. 3 zeigt insgesamt sieben schematische Ansichten einer Zwischenablage, wie sie bei der zweiten Ausführungsvariante der Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 2 zum Einsatz kommen kann.
• Fig. 4 zeigt eine schematische Perspektivansicht zweier Einbaupositionen für Rollen innerhalb der Verpackungsmaschine, die mit einer Vorrichtung gemäß den Ausführungsbeispielen aus den Figuren 1 und 2 zusammenwirken kann.
• Fig. 5 zeigt die Einbaupositionen der Fig. 4 mit eingesetzter neuer Rolle für die zweite Einbauposition.
• Fig. 6 zeigt die Einbaupositionen der Figuren 4 und 5 mit abgezogener äußerer Lage der in die zweite Einbauposition eingesetzten neuen Rolle.
• Fig. 7 zeigt in insgesamt drei perspektivischen Ansichten eine Ausführungsvariante der Handhabungseinrichtung, die eine neue Rolle von einer Palette aufnimmt, um sie auf eine Zwischenablage abzulegen bzw. um sie in die Verpackungsmaschine einzusetzen.
• Fig. 8 zeigt in zwei weiteren perspektivischen Ansichten die Handhabungseinrichtung beim Einsetzen der neuen Rolle in die Verpackungsmaschine.
• Fig. 9 zeigt in vier Ansichten die Positionierungs- und Entnahmeschritte beim Einsetzen bzw. Entnehmen einer Rolle aus einer Einbauposition innerhalb der Verpackungsmaschine.

In the following, exemplary embodiments are intended to explain the invention and its advantages in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures. The proportions of the individual elements to one another in the figures do not always correspond to the real proportions, since some forms are simplified and other forms are shown enlarged in relation to other elements for better illustration.

• Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention. Also made clear Fig. 1 a conceivable implementation of an embodiment for the method according to the invention.
• Fig. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment variant of the device according to the invention and a useful implementation of an embodiment for the method according to the invention.
• Fig. 3 shows a total of seven schematic views of a clipboard as in the second embodiment of the device according to FIG Fig. 2 can be used.
• Fig. 4 FIG. 13 shows a schematic perspective view of two installation positions for rolls within the packaging machine, which are provided with a device according to the exemplary embodiments from FIG Figures 1 and 2 can work together.
• Fig. 5 shows the installation positions of the Fig. 4 with inserted new roller for the second installation position.
• Fig. 6 shows the installation positions of the Figures 4 and 5 with removed outer layer of the new role inserted in the second installation position.
• Fig. 7 shows, in a total of three perspective views, an embodiment variant of the handling device which picks up a new roll from a pallet in order to place it on a clipboard or to insert it into the packaging machine.
• Fig. 8 shows in two further perspective views the handling device when inserting the new roll into the packaging machine.
• Fig. 9 shows in four views the positioning and removal steps when inserting or removing a roll from an installation position within the packaging machine.

Identical reference symbols are used for identical or identically acting elements of the invention. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only reference symbols are shown in the individual figures which are necessary for the description of the respective figure. The illustrated embodiments merely represent examples of how the device according to the invention and the method according to the invention can be designed and do not represent a final limitation.

The schematic perspective view of the Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a device 10 according to the invention Fig. 1 also a conceivable implementation of an embodiment for the method according to the invention described above.

The device 10 is used to handle flat packaging material, such as, for example, shrink film or packaging films, which is wound on large rolls 12 that are usually not manageable due to their weight. Schematically indicated in Fig. 1 a part of a packaging machine 14 to which new rolls 12 are fed via a gripping and / or handling device 16 to be described in more detail below. The gripping and / or handling device 16, designed as a stationary multi-axis robot 18 in the embodiment shown, inserts the new rolls 12 to be fed to the packaging machine 14 in two different installation positions EB1 and EB2, which are shown in FIG Fig. 1 can only be partially recognized and in the detailed view of the Fig. 4 be exemplified.

The intermediate shelf 60, which forms an important part of the invention and which is used to align the new rolls 12 to be inserted into the packaging machine 14 in accordance with the direction of rotation, is shown in FIG Fig. 1 not shown, but only in the representation of the Fig. 2 .

Like a synopsis of the Figures 4 to 6 with the Figures 1 and 2 shows, by means of the gripping and / or handling device 16 or with the help of the multi-axis or handling robot 18, individual new rollers 12 are inserted into one of the two installation positions EB1 or EB2, while one is still used in the further installation position EB2 or EB1 or partially used roll 20 is located, from which a web of material 22 located thereon continues to be unwound while the new roll 12 is being inserted and is processed as packaging material in the packaging machine 14. During the further unwinding of the material web 22 from the almost applied roll 20, a connection or Welding of the outer layer 24 (cf. Fig. 6 ) of the new roll 12 with the material web 22, whereby the device 10 can run in continuous operation without the packaging process having to be interrupted to replace an applied roll 20 with a new roll 12.

The new rolls 12 are each composed of the rolled-up flat packaging material 22 or the packaging or shrink film and a core 26 on which the packaging material 22 or the shrink film is wound. To receive a new roll 12 from an in Fig. 1 indicated horizontal conveying device 28, the handling device 16 or the handling robot 18 plunges into a core 26 of a new roll 12 at the end via a holding mandrel 32 movably arranged at the end of its movable cantilever arm 30. For this purpose, an arm section 34 of the handling device 16 or of the handling robot 18 can rotate around an axis of rotation 36, as shown in FIG Figure 7A is shown by way of example, are moved in rotation. After the holding mandrel 32 has dipped into the core 26, the cross-sectional diameter of the holding mandrel 32 is increased, so that the new roller 12, as in FIG Figure 7B shown, is fixed by clamping on the retaining mandrel 32. The core 26 is designed as a hollow cylinder, the shape of the retaining mandrel 32 corresponding thereto, so that the retaining mandrel 32 is connected via its outer circumference to an inner jacket surface of the core 26 for the clamping fixation of the new roller 12.

Via the horizontal conveyor device 28, the gripping and / or handling device 16 or the handling robot 18 can be provided with new rolls 12 in uninterrupted sequence, so that when a new roll 12 is removed from the horizontal conveyor device 28, another new roll 12 in the direction of the handling device 16 is moved further or moves up in the direction of the gripping and / or handling device 16. The horizontal conveyor device 28 can be clocked in a desired manner or operated continuously at a constant speed, as required. Its operation is specified by a control unit 38, indicated here only schematically, which not only controls the horizontal conveyor device 28 in terms of its conveyor speed and / or timing, but also the movements of the handling robot 18. The control unit 38 processes the signals 40 of at least one room monitoring device 42, which can in particular be formed by an optical detection device or a camera 44, if necessary also by several cameras 44 that detect at least the movement space 46 of the multi-axis robot 18 and its movements, which also includes the exact movements of the extension arm 30 with the pivotably arranged thereon Retaining mandrel 32 are meant in relation to each new roller 12 to be detected. The movement space 46 that can be optically detected by means of the space monitoring device 42 formed by the camera 44 is shown in FIG Fig. 1 for better illustration indicated by a fan of rays with the broken lines.

In Fig. 1 A manipulator 48 positioned in the area of the horizontal conveyor device 28 can also be seen, which is operated by a user 50 and via which new rollers 12 can be placed standing on the horizontal conveyor device 28. The new rolls 12 can, for example, be delivered upright on a pallet 52, from which they can be received by the user 50 by means of the manipulator 48 whose movements can be controlled by him and placed on the horizontal conveyor 28 by means of a holding mandrel 54 located there. A working area of the manipulator 48 therefore extends over the pallet 52 and over a section of the horizontal conveyor 28. This control and feed variant shown, however, is only one example of many alternatives. Continuous feed variants that do not require manual handling as they do are also possible based on Fig. 1 is described. If the feed is not arranged in this way, it makes sense to provide an intermediate storage area for the new rolls 12 in the movement space 46 of the gripping and handling device 16 in order to be able to place the rolls 12 there if the holding pin 32 of the handling robot 18 does not detect the direction of rotation. to pull the retaining mandrel 32 out of the core 26 and to grasp the roller 12 again at its other end face in order to be able to insert it in the respectively required direction of rotation for the installation positions EB1 or EB2 in the packaging machine 14. Such a clipboard, its function and its interaction with the gripping and / or handling device 16 as well as with the room monitoring device 42 are exemplified on the basis of the embodiment variant of FIG Fig. 2 explained in more detail. At the in Fig. 1 Although the variant of the device 10 shown is not shown, this clipboard 60 is nevertheless an important component of the device 10.

The Fig. 1 also shows a container 56 which is open at the top and is located in the work area 46 of the gripping and / or handling device 16. If the supply of packaging material or shrink film of a roller 12 or 20 placed in the packaging machine 14 is exhausted, the core 26 of an empty roller 20, which is made of cellulose, plastic, wood or cardboard, is removed from the packaging machine 14 by means of the handling robot 18 and placed in the Container 56 deposited. Only after the core 26 has been removed can a new roller 12 be moved into the respective installation position EB1 or EB2 of the packaging machine 14 can be used, so that the gripping and / or handling device 16 or the handling robot 18 first removes the core 26 and subsequently inserts a new roller 12 into the respective installation position EB1 or EB2.

As already mentioned, the horizontal conveyor device 28, the gripping and / or handling device 16 or the multi-axis robot 18 and the packaging machine 14 are connected to the control unit 38. The same applies to the intermediate storage device 60 (cf. Fig. 2 ). This control unit 38 can, in particular, specify the clocked operation of the horizontal conveyor device 28, and initiate an insertion and removal of rollers 12 and 20 by the handling device 16 from the two installation positions EB1 and EB2. In addition, as will be described in more detail below, it can control the unrolling of packaging material or shrink film of the rollers 12 used in the packaging machine 14. It is also essential in the context of the present invention that the room monitoring device 42, in cooperation with the control unit 38, enable movement control of the horizontal conveyor device 28 and in particular of the gripping and / or handling device 16, which enables fault-tolerant positioning and feeding of the new rolls 12 and their handling , since the exact detection of each new roll 12 by the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 can be effectively supported and controlled with the help of the at least one camera 44, so that the exact positioning of the rolls 12 on the horizontal conveyor device 28 becomes less important and is tracked accordingly Movement control of the handling robot 18 can be compensated for within its movement space 46.

In the Fig. 1 The indicated positioning of the camera 44 is only to be understood as an example. Likewise, a camera 44 or several cameras 44 can be positioned at other locations, for example also in the area of the packaging machine 14, in the area of the handling robot 18 or possibly even on its swivel arm 30, provided that the movement space 46 is thereby covered and in the required manner can be captured.

The control unit 38 can also have a display device 58 or a display, via which information on the direction of rotation or the orientation of new rollers 12 and / or other control or movement parameters of the multi-axis robot 18 and / or the horizontal conveyor device 28 can be visualized for the user 50. The direction of rotation or orientation conforming to the direction of rotation of the new rollers 12 is preferably, as follows, by way of example with reference to FIG Figures 4 to 6 described, detected and / or checked by the camera 44 or possibly also by a further camera which is or are connected to the control unit 38. Since the gripping and / or handling device 16 can remove the respective core 26 of an empty roll 20 from the packaging machine 14 and, with the aid of the camera 44 or the other cameras, automatically insert new rolls 12 with a suitable direction of rotation or with an orientation that conforms to the direction of rotation in the packaging machine 14 , the device 10 can be operated in a fully automated manner at least from the start of receiving new rolls 12 from the horizontal conveyor device 28.

The schematic perspective view of the Fig. 2 illustrates a second embodiment variant of the device 10 according to the invention as well as a sensible implementation of an embodiment for the method according to the invention. The packaging machine 14 does not differ significantly from the variant according to FIG Fig. 1 . Here, too, the device 10 is used to handle flat packaging material such as shrink film or packaging films, which are made available to the packaging machine 14 individually on rolls 12 by means of the multi-axis robot 18 designed as a multi-axis robot 18 gripping and / or handling device 16. As with the first variant according to Fig. 1 the gripping and / or handling device 16 inserts the new rolls 12 to be fed to the packaging machine 14 in two different installation positions EB1 and EB2, which are based on the detailed views of FIG Figures 4 to 6 are explained in more detail.

In the Fig. 2 The second variant of the device 10 shown dispenses with a horizontal conveyor, but receives the new rolls 12 each delivered on pallets 52, with four upright rolls 12 on each pallet 52, each of which is picked up individually by the handling robot 18 and inserted into the packaging machine 14. To pick up a new roll 12 from one of the pallets 52 within reach, ie within the movement space 46 of the gripping and / or handling device 16 or the multi-axis robot 18, the handling device 16 or the handling robot 18 dips over the end of its movable extension arm 30 movably arranged retaining mandrel 32 at the end face into a core 26 of a new roller 12, as has already been shown with reference to FIG Fig. 1 was explained. An arm section 34 of the handling device 16 or the Handling robot 18 can for this purpose about an axis of rotation 36, as shown in FIG Figure 7A is shown by way of example, are moved in rotation. After the holding mandrel 32 has dipped into the core 26, the cross-sectional diameter of the holding mandrel 32 is increased, so that the new roller 12, as in FIG Figure 7B shown, is fixed by clamping on the retaining mandrel 32. The core 26 is designed as a hollow cylinder, the shape of the retaining mandrel 32 corresponding thereto, so that the retaining mandrel 32 is connected via its outer circumference to an inner jacket surface of the core 26 for the clamping fixation of the new roller 12.

The gripping and / or handling device 16 or the handling robot 18 are provided with new rolls 12 in an uninterrupted sequence via the pallets 52, each with four new rolls 12, which are regularly delivered to the movement space 46, so that when all new rolls 12 are removed from one of the pallets 52, this empty pallet 52 can be exchanged for a new pallet 52 with four further rollers 12, which in turn is to be placed in the movement space 46 of the gripping and / or handling device. This delivery can take place by means of suitable industrial trucks, e.g. by means of so-called AGVs (driverless transport systems), which are formed by self-driving, remote-controlled transport vehicles and / or with their own sensor systems for steering, each of which, for example, has a pallet 52 with rollers 12 placed on it the movement space 46 can convey. These transport systems or AGVs can be operated in a clocked manner as required. Their operation is preferably specified by the schematically indicated control unit 38, which not only controls the AGVs (not shown) in terms of their conveying speed and / or timing, but also controls the movements of the handling robot 18 for exchanging the rolls 12 in the packaging machine 14. The control unit 38 also processes the signals 40 of at least one room monitoring device 42, which is also used in the variant according to FIG Fig. 2 can be formed in particular by an optical detection device or a camera 44, possibly also by several cameras 44, which detect at least the movement space 46 of the multi-axis robot 18 and its movements, whereby the exact movements of the cantilever arm 30 with the retaining mandrel 32 pivotably arranged thereon in relation to each new role 12 to be detected. The movement space 46 that can be optically detected by means of the space monitoring device 42 formed by the camera 44 is shown in FIG Fig. 1 indicated by an ellipse with broken lines.

Because of the sufficiently dimensioned movement space 46, in the variant of the device according to FIG Fig. 2 not only can the horizontal conveyor device be dispensed with, but also the manipulator which interacts with it and via which new rollers 12 can be placed standing on the horizontal conveyor device (see FIG Fig. 1 ). In contrast, the Fig. 2 In the movement space 46 of the gripping and handling device 16 and in the immediate vicinity of it, an intermediate storage 60 for the new rolls 12 can be seen, which serves to ensure the indispensable rotational direction-conforming positioning of each roll 12 during insertion in the direction of rotation of the rolls 12 which is normally not defined on the pallets 52 to ensure in the packaging machine 14. In practice, the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 detects each individual roller 12 standing on the pallet 52 without the direction of rotation being checked. By suitable optical control or by detection in some other way (eg inductively, by means of a transponder or the like), during the movement of the extension arm 30 with the roller 12 conveyed on the holding mandrel 32 in the direction of the packaging machine 14, it is checked whether the roller 12 is there directly and can be positioned without repositioning or whether the roller 12 may have the wrong direction of rotation. If this is the case, the roll 12 can be placed on the intermediate storage 60 by means of a corresponding movement control of the handling robot 18, after which the holding mandrel 32 is pulled out of the core 26 of the stored roll 12 in order to grasp the roll 12 again at its other end face in order to then be able to use them in the respectively required direction of rotation for the installation positions EB1 or EB2 in the packaging machine 14. The configuration of the intermediate deposit 60, its exact function and its interaction with the gripping and / or handling device 16 and with the room monitoring device 42 are exemplified by the embodiment variant of FIG Fig. 2 as well as the detailed views of the Fig. 3 explained in more detail.

The in Fig. 2 User 50 standing within movement space 46 normally only stays there for maintenance purposes, but not during ongoing operation of the gripping and / or handling device, which can also be controlled by the room monitoring device 42 if necessary.

Also in Fig. 2 the container 56, which is open at the top and is located in the working area 46 of the gripping and / or handling device 16, can be seen. If the supply of packaging material or shrink film of a roll 12 or 20 placed in the packaging machine 14 is exhausted, the core 26, which is made of cellulose, plastic, wood or cardboard, is removed from an empty roll 20 by means of the handling robot 18 The packaging machine 14 is removed and stored in the container 56. Only after the core 26 has been removed can a new roll 12 be inserted into the respective installation position EB1 or EB2 of the packaging machine 14, so that the gripping and / or handling device 16 or the handling robot 18 first removes the core 26 and subsequently a new roller 12 inserts in the respective installation position EB1 or EB2.

As already mentioned, the gripping and / or handling device 16 or the multi-axis robot 18, the controllable intermediate storage 60 for the rolls 12 and the packaging machine 14 are connected to the control unit 38, which can optionally be supplied with the AGVs, not shown here the pallets 52 can control. The control unit 38 can thus, in particular, specify the clocked operation of the AGV, initiate the insertion and removal of rollers 12 and 20 by the handling device 16 from the two installation positions EB1 and EB2, and, if necessary, the clipboard 60 to ensure the correct direction of rotation of one to be inserted new role 12 to use. In addition, as will be described in more detail below, it can control the unrolling of packaging material or shrink film of the rollers 12 used in the packaging machine 14. It is also essential in the context of the present invention that the room monitoring device 42, in cooperation with the control unit 38, enables movement control of the gripping and / or handling device 16 with the inclusion of the clipboard 60 as required, whereby an error-tolerant positioning and feeding of the new rollers 12 on the not precisely positioned pallets 52 as well as the handling of the recorded rolls 12 is enabled, since the exact detection of each new roll 12 can be effectively supported and controlled by the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 with the help of the at least one camera 44, so that the exact positioning of the rolls 12 on the pallets 52 or the pallets 52 themselves on the floor in the area of the movement space 46 becomes less important and can be compensated for by the correspondingly tracked movement control of the handling robot 18 within its movement space 46.

In the Fig. 2 The indicated positioning of the camera 44 is only to be understood as an example. Likewise, a camera 44 or several cameras 44 can be positioned at further locations, for example also in the area of the packaging machine 14, in the area of the handling robot 18 or possibly also on its swivel arm 30, provided that the movement space 46 is thereby covered and in the required manner can be captured. The camera 44 or the room monitoring device 42 can then serve its purpose Fulfill in an optimal manner if it can largely completely cover the movement space 46 and if it can precisely record and track the movements of the gripping and / or handling device 16, its holding mandrel 32 and the various target positions of the holding mandrel 32 when picking up and positioning the rollers 12 . In order to ensure this reliably, it can be useful if the rollers 12, but at least the retaining mandrel 32, optionally also the swivel arm 30 of the handling robot 18, are provided with suitable reference marks, which can be formed, for example, by marks that are clearly visible in space, so that they can serve as clearly recognizable and spatially assignable markings for the camera system 44.

The control unit 38 can also have a display device 58 or a display, via which information on the direction of rotation or the orientation of new rollers 12 and / or other control or movement parameters of the multi-axis robot 18 and / or the AGVS is visualized for the user 50 can be. The direction of rotation or orientation conforming to the direction of rotation of the new rollers 12 is preferably, as follows, by way of example with reference to FIG Figures 4 to 6 described, detected and / or checked by the camera 44 or possibly also by a further camera which is or are connected to the control unit 38. Since the gripping and / or handling device 16 can remove the respective core 26 of an empty roll 20 from the packaging machine 14 and, with the aid of the camera 44 or the other cameras, automatically insert new rolls 12 with a suitable direction of rotation or with an orientation that conforms to the direction of rotation in the packaging machine 14 , the device 10 can be operated largely automatically at least from the beginning of the receipt of new rolls 12 from the respective pallet 52.

With reference to the Figures 1 and 2 It should be added at this point that the shown gripping and / or handling device 16 or the handling robot 18 forming it could optionally also be present in double or triple design, provided that the movement spaces 46 of the two or more handling robots 18 are coordinated with one another in a way that there can be no collisions. However, since longer, uninterrupted operation is normally ensured due to the length of the material web on the rollers 12, the rollers 12 do not have to be replaced so often that the use of two or more handling robots 18 would be necessary.

A sensible variant embodiment can, however, provide that a gripping and / or handling device 16 or a single handling robot 18 can supply two packaging lines or two packaging machines 14, the movement space 46 being located between the two roughly parallel packaging machines 14, see above that the feed area for new rolls 12 with the horizontal conveyor device 28 (cf. Fig. 1 ) or the pallet delivery (cf. Fig. 2 ) is located between the two packaging machines 14 and in the vicinity of the handling robot 18 and within its movement space 46. In this case, the handling robot 18 can alternately supply the two packaging machines 14 in regular operation with new rolls 12 and, if necessary, transfer the used rolls 20 into a common container 56 for subsequent or cyclical disposal. If the movement space 46 cannot be monitored with a single camera 44, because it is, for example, partially shaded, several cameras 44 can optionally be present for space monitoring.

The Fig. 3 shows a total of seven schematic views of the clipboard 60 as they are in both variants of the device 10 according to FIG Fig. 1 such as Fig. 2 is used when the direction of rotation of the roller 12 after it has been picked up by the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 is not correct for the intended installation position in the packaging machine 14. In this case, the handling robot 18 places the roller 12 on the prism-like (cf. Figures 3A to 3C ) removes the upper support surface 62 of the intermediate storage 60 arranged in the movement space 46, pulls the retaining mandrel 32 out of the roller core 26 and reinserts it into the roller core 26 on the opposite end of the roller 12. After the roller 12 has been fixed on the holding mandrel 32, the latter can pick up the roller 12 again by moving the extension arm 30 accordingly and insert it into the intended installation position of the packaging machine 14.

The ones in the Figures 3A to 3C The first variant shown of the intermediate deposit 60 with the prism-like upper support surface 62 ensures that the roller 12 is positioned exactly in the center when it is deposited and prevents it from rolling or twisting laterally. Optionally, the upper support surface 62 can also according to Figure 3D be formed by a plurality of rolls 94 arranged parallel to one another, which are arranged in a row that the inner rolls 94 arranged next to one another are lower than the two higher lying outer rolls 94. This arrangement of the rolls 94 enables the exact Depositing a new roll 12, which can be deposited there by means of the handling robot 18 (cf. Figure 3E ). At least one of these rollers 94, which are rotatably mounted on the front side in vertical frame plates 96, can be provided with a drive in order to rotate the roller 12 by a defined angular amount about its longitudinal axis, for example in order to bring a material web edge into a desired position is favorable for pulling off this material web edge after the roll has been inserted into the correct installation position in the packaging machine 14. These drives can in particular by the rollers 94 shown according to FIG Figures 3D to 3G which are integrated in the support surface 62 or which form this support surface 62. The optional drives are shown in the Figures 3A to 3C however not recognizable, but only in the representations of Figures 3D to 3G .

Like the perspective views of the Figures 3A , 3D , 3E and 3F , the front views of the Figures 3B and 3G and the top view of the Figure 3C can be seen, the intermediate shelf 60 is designed as a bearing block 64, which can optionally be anchored in a fixed manner on the floor in the area of the movement space 46. However, design variants with a movable bearing block 64, which can be rotated about a vertical central axis 66, for example (cf. Figure 3C ) in order to set the direction of rotation of the roller 12 in the desired manner or in order to position the roller 12 in the desired manner for resumption by the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18.

In addition, suitable optical detection means such as a camera or the like can be assigned to the clipboard 60 or the bearing block 64, which are preferably connected to the control unit 38 (cf. Fig. 2 ) is coupled so that the exact positioning of a roller 12 located on the support surface 62, its alignment and its direction of rotation or angle of rotation can be checked and detected in order to move the handling robot 18 and / or the optional drives, turning mechanisms, etc. to the clipboard 60 Taxes.

A further option can provide that the intermediate deposit 60 is movable as a whole, for example if it is also designed as a so-called AGV (driverless transport system). In this variant, its movements and rotations within the movement space 46 can preferably also be controlled by the control unit 38, typically in appropriate coordination with the handling robot 18, which can be useful in particular to accelerate the changing processes of the rollers 12.

The Figures 3A to 3G also reveal clamping jaws 68 which can press on both sides of the end faces of a roll 12 placed on the support surface 62, provided that they are fed there to both end faces of the roll 12. In this way, after the clamping jaws 68 have been moved to the side, the roll 12 can be held in its position until the holding mandrel 32 has been retracted into the roll core 26 to pick up the roll 12 and fixed there, so that the roll 12 is in the installed position in the packaging machine 14 can be promoted. The infeed drive and mechanism 98 for the jaws 68 that can be advanced or opened in the longitudinal direction of the rollers 94 is in the Figures 3D and 3E indicated and is located below the rollers 94 and is screwed on both sides to the frame plates 96, which form the supporting part of the bearing block 64 in this embodiment variant.

The schematic perspective view of the Figure 3E illustrates the process of depositing a new roll 12 on the rotatable and drivable rollers 94, which form the trough-shaped upper support surface 62 of the bearing block 64. The roll 12 is placed on the intermediate storage 60 by means of the handling robot 18, after which the holding mandrel 32 at the end of the gripping arm 34 is pulled out of the roll core 26, the roll 12 is rotated in the desired manner by means of the rollers 94 and / or axially by means of the adjustable clamping jaws 68 Direction on the support surface 62 can be positioned.

The schematic perspective view of the Figure 3F and the schematic front view of FIG Figure 3G illustrate a further embodiment of the intermediate shelf 60, in which instead of the two parallel frame plates 96 (cf. Figures 3D and 3E ) a closed housing 100 for receiving and mounting the rollers 94 and the adjustable clamping jaws 68 together with their feed drive and / or feed mechanism 98 is provided. The rest of the structure of the clipboard 60 according to FIG Figures 3F and 3G largely corresponds to the variant according to Figures 3D and 3E .

The schematic perspective view of the Fig. 4 illustrates the already mentioned installation positions EB1 and EB2 for the rollers 12, which in the packaging machine 14 according to the variants Fig. 1 and or Fig. 2 are defined. Each of the installation positions EB1 and EB2 is defined by its own rotatable receiving mandrel 70. Each of these two horizontally aligned receiving mandrels 70 is handled by means of the gripping and / or handling device (cf. Figures 1 and 2 ) a new roller 12 is attached and by enlarging the The diameter of the receiving mandrel 70 is fixed in a clamping manner by clamping the roller core 26 on the respective receiving mandrel 70. The Fig. 4 also shows a welding bar 72 which is used to connect an outer layer 24 (cf. Fig. 5 , Fig. 6 ) the new roller 12 inserted in the respective installation position EB1 or EB2 (cf. Fig. 5 ) is provided with the material web 22 remaining in the packaging machine 14 and is lowered vertically for this purpose. After connecting the outer layer 24 (cf. Fig. 5 ) With the material web 22 remaining in the packaging machine 14, the temperature-controlled sealing bar 72 is raised vertically and inserted into the in Fig. 4 position shown.

In the representation of the Fig. 4 In the first installation position EB1, an almost used roller 20 sits on the receiving mandrel 70 of the first installation position EB1 and is moved in a rotating manner by the mandrel 70 or by pulling off the material web 22. Here, the packaging material or the shrink film of the roll 20 seated on the receiving mandrel 70 of the first installation position EB1 is unwound. In the second installation position EB2, a used roll 20 has already been completely unwound and the core 26 (cf. Figures 1 and 2 ) removed via the handling device 16, so that the second installation position EB2 or the receiving mandrel 70 of the second installation position EB2 is ready for receiving a new roll 12 with packaging material.

Each of the installation positions EB1 and EB2 can also be assigned its own sensor system or a camera 74, by means of which at least approximately completely unwound and / or used rolls 20 can be optically recognized. If a roll 20 is at least approximately completely unwound and / or used up, the respective camera 74 sends information about the respective at least approximately completely unwound and / or used up roll 20 to the control unit 38. The previously mentioned control unit 38 controls on the basis of numerous data, This also applies to the cameras 74 within the packaging machine 14, the gripping and / or handling device 18 or the handling robot 18 (cf. Figures 1 and 2 ) to remove the respective at least approximately completely unwound and / or applied roll 20 or to remove the core 26 of the respective at least approximately completely unwound and / or used up roll 20. Thus the at least approximately completely unwound and / or used up roll 20 from its respective Installation position EB1 or EB2 can be removed, a clamping end formed between the respective roller 20 and the receiving mandrel 70 is previously used Connection released. This is typically done by reducing the cross-sectional diameter of the respective holding mandrel 70, as a result of which the roll core 26 can be removed. The release of the clamping connection or the reduction in the cross-sectional diameter of the receiving mandrels 70 is further specified by the control unit 38.

To remove the at least approximately completely unwound and / or used up roll 20 from its respective installation position EB1 or EB2, the gripping and / or handling device 16 plunges over its holding mandrel 32 (cf. Figure 7A ) into the core 26 of the at least approximately completely unwound and / or used up roll 20. By increasing the cross-sectional diameter of the receiving mandrel 70, the respective at least approximately completely unwound and / or used up roll 20 is then fixed on the holding mandrel 32 of the handling device 16. An increase in the cross-sectional diameter of the holding mandrel 32 for clamping the roller 20 or the roller core 26 is also specified via the control unit 38. After the at least approximately completely unwound and / or applied roll 20 has been fixed on the holding mandrel 32, the at least approximately completely unwound and / or used roll 20 is moved in the direction of the container 56 by means of the gripping and / or handling device 16 and as specified by the control unit 38 (cf. . Figures 1 and 2 ) moved and stored there by reducing the cross-sectional diameter of the holding mandrel 32.

After the at least approximately completely unwound and / or applied roll 20 or core 26 has been deposited in the container 56 (cf. Figures 1 and 2 ) the gripping and / or handling device 16 is controlled via the control unit 38 to insert a new roll 12 into the respective installation position EB1 or EB2 within the packaging machine 14. Prior to this, the direction of rotation or the orientation of the respective new roller 12 conforming to the direction of rotation can be checked - preferably with the aid of the intermediate storage 60 or the bearing block 64 (see FIG Fig. 3 ), as already described above. The device 10 can be operated in an automated manner in this way. It should be mentioned at this point that the embodiment according to Fig. 4 is to be understood only as an example, so that further embodiments are conceivable in which only one camera 74 is assigned to the two installation positions EB1 and EB2, the detection range of which extends over the two installation positions EB1 and EB2. It is also possible to use the cameras 74 to check a direction of rotation or an orientation that conforms to the direction of rotation of new rollers 12 inserted in the installation positions EB1 and EB2. Became a wrong one Direction of rotation or orientation conforming to the direction of rotation of new rollers 12 in one of the two installation positions EB1 or EB2 is determined, an alignment correction of the respective new roller 12 can be initiated via the gripping and / or handling device 16 via the control unit 38. This can then remove the respective new roller 12 from its respective installation position EB1 or EB2, and place it on the intermediate shelf 60 (cf. Fig. 2 ), take up the roller 12 again with the appropriate direction of rotation and / or orientation conforming to the direction of rotation and then reinsert it in its respective installation position EB1 or EB2 with the appropriate direction of rotation and / or orientation conforming to the direction of rotation.

The further schematic perspective illustration of Fig. 5 shows the installation positions EB1 and EB2 according to the Fig. 4 with inserted new roller 12 for the second installation position EB2. Starting from Fig. 4 was in the representation of the Fig. 5 by means of the gripping and / or handling device 16 (cf. Figures 1 and 2 ) a new roller 12 is pushed onto the receiving mandrel 70 of the second installation position EB2. Furthermore, the packaging material 22 or shrink film is unwound from the almost used or unwound and therefore soon to be removed roll 20 of the first installation position EB1, so that the packaging machine 14 (cf. Figures 1 and 2 ) can continue to operate even when replacing the roller 20 from the first installation position by switching to the new roller 12 of the second installation position EB2. If a new roll 12 is then inserted into the first installation position EB1, packaging material 22 or shrink film can continue to be unwound from the roll 12 of the second installation position EB2, whereby the required continuous and uninterrupted operation of the packaging machine 14 can be ensured.

The new role 12 from the second installation position EB2 Fig. 5 can preferably have an optically recognizable adhesive marking 76, which can in particular be formed by a reflective or inductively or otherwise detectable adhesive marking 76, which is applied to the outer layer 24 of the new roll 12 in the region of its free end. The camera 74 assigned to the second installation position EB2 is now able to use the adhesive marking 76 to check whether the new roller 12 has been pushed onto the receiving mandrel 70 with the appropriate direction of rotation or with an orientation that conforms to the direction of rotation. A synopsis of the Figures 5 and 6th can make it clear that with a new roller 12 of the second installation position EB2, the outer layer 24 is guided from above over the roller 12 and dips downwards. If the roller 12 had been placed on the receiving mandrel 70 of the second installation position EB2 with the wrong direction of rotation or incorrect orientation conforming to the direction of rotation, the outer Point 24 in the downward direction away from the roller 12 and would therefore be difficult or impossible to grasp. In addition, the unwinding behavior within the packaging machine 14 or the course of the material web would possibly be disturbed. Alignment below the welding bar 72 would therefore not be possible. Positioning of new rollers 12 in accordance with the direction of rotation or inserting new rollers 12 in the respective installation position EB1 or EB2 with a suitable direction of rotation is therefore essential in order to ensure trouble-free operation of the device 10 or the packaging machine 14 in the subsequent material conveyance of the material webs 22 can.

If the adhesive marking 76 could be recognized by means of the respective camera 74, the receiving mandrel 70 is moved in a rotating manner until the adhesive marking 76 points in the direction of the opposite installation position EB1 or EB2. Only after this alignment of the adhesive marking 76 can a merely in Fig. 6 Schematically shown gripping rod 78 of a gripping and / or handling device (not shown) movable in the packaging machine 14 between the installation positions EB1 and EB2 and the sealing bar 72 grip the outer layer 24 of the new roll 12 and position it below the sealing bar 72. This gripping rod 78 can suck in and grip the outer layer 24 of the roll 12, for example by means of negative pressure.

However, it should be pointed out that embodiments are also conceivable in which the new rollers 12 do not have such reflective adhesive marking 76 (corresponding to Fig. 5 ) and in which the cameras 74 recognize an outer layer 24 of new rolls 12 or the free end areas of new rolls 12 without additional optical identifications of the new rolls 12. Preferably, however, the optically detectable adhesive markings 76 have a coding, which is not explained in greater detail here and which can be recognized by the cameras 74. In addition to the localization of the end area of the outer layer 24, this coding can also clearly identify the direction of rotation of the roller 12, so that the adhesive marking 76 can be used to determine the direction of rotation and correctly position the end area when the new reel 12 to be used is being handled by the handling robot 18 of the outer layer 24 can be used, possibly with the additional inclusion of the clipboard 60. Here, the adhesive marking 76 can preferably be captured by the room monitoring devices 42 or the camera 44 and the information content can be evaluated and made available to the control unit 38 to guide the handling robot 18 and / or to control the clipboard 60 as needed.

The installation positions EB1 and EB2 of the Figures 4 and 5 with the outer layer 24 of the new roller 12 inserted in the second installation position EB2 removed, the schematic perspective view of FIG Fig. 6 . It can again be seen very clearly here that the outer layer 24 of the roller 12 positioned in the second installation position EB2 descends from above in the downward direction, while the outer layer or material web 22 of the roller 20 inserted into the first installation position EB1 from is down coming. Both rollers 12 and 20 rotate on their respective associated receiving mandrels 70 with the same direction of rotation, here counterclockwise. Insertion of the new rollers 12 in the direction of rotation is necessary to ensure trouble-free and functioning operation of the device 10 or packaging machine 14 (cf. Figures 1 and 2 ) to be able to guarantee.

There is thus both the possibility within the packaging machine 14 of using the cameras 74 to determine a direction of rotation or an orientation that conforms to the direction of rotation, and also of using the cameras 74 to identify at least approximately completely unwound and / or applied rolls 20. Information on the direction of rotation or orientation conforming to the direction of rotation of new rolls 12 as well as information on at least approximately completely unwound and / or used up rolls 20 are passed on by the cameras 74 to the control unit 38, which corrects the alignment of new rolls 12 and replaces at least approximately unwound and / or or used rolls 20 can be given by new rolls 12. In particular, this can be done in a manner as it has already been done using the Figures 2 and 3 with the optional inclusion of the clipboard 60 which can be used for the correction of the direction of rotation. In order to determine the correct direction of rotation, however, it makes sense to primarily use the camera 44 and first of all the cameras 74 in order to then check the correct direction of rotation again after the roll 12 has been inserted into the packaging machine 14.

The schematic representations of the Figures 7A and 7B show a part of the handling robot 18 which forms the gripping and / or handling device 16 for handling the rollers 12 in the device 10. The gripping arm or arm section 34 of the handling robot 18 can be pivoted about the horizontally oriented axis 36 so that the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 can be aligned with its longitudinal axis vertical for dipping into the core 26 of the respective new roll 12. If the respective new roll 12 has been grasped by means of the handling robot 18 or by means of the holding mandrel 32, the new roll 12 can be rotated about the axis 36 by a renewed pivoting movement of the gripping arm 34 and then in their respective assigned installation position EB1 or EB2 (cf. Figures 4 to 6 ) can be used.

In addition, the Figures 7A and 7B an optional further camera 80. This optional camera 80 is permanently mechanically coupled to the gripping arm 34 so that it is guided together with the gripping arm 34 when the latter moves. If the gripping arm 34 is pivoted about the axis 36, a direction of rotation or an orientation that conforms to the direction of rotation of one or more new rollers 12 can be determined by means of the camera 80. In order to enable a corresponding evaluation and movement control for the gripping and / or handling device 16, the camera 80 is connected to the control unit 38, which is used to receive a new roll 12, which has a suitable direction of rotation or orientation conforming to the direction of rotation, by means of the handling device 16 from the pallet 52 controls.

Furthermore shows the Figure 7B the gripping and / or handling device 16 after a new roll 12 has been picked up from a pallet 52 with an orientation conforming to the direction of rotation (cf. Figure 7A ). As in Figure 7B can be seen, the gripping arm 34 starting from the position Figure 7A about the axis 36, which in Figure 7A runs in the direction of the image plane, pivoted. The new roll 12 now has an at least approximately horizontal orientation and can be used in its respective associated installation position EB1 or EB2 in the packaging machine 14. The at least approximately completely unwound and / or used up roll 20 is also removed from the respective installation position EB1 or EB2 with a horizontal orientation. To remove the at least approximately completely unwound and / or used up roll 20 from its respective installation position EB1 or EB2, the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 32 plunges into the core 26 of the at least approximately completely unwound and / or used up roll 20, which is achieved by various aids can be supported, which is based on the Figures 9 and 10 are explained in more detail. By increasing the cross-sectional diameter of the holding mandrel 32, the respective at least approximately completely unwound and / or used roll 20 is fixed on the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18. An increase in the cross-sectional diameter of the holding mandrel 32 is specified via the control unit 38.

The schematic perspective view of the Figure 7C illustrates the process of depositing one on the holding mandrel 32 of the extension arm 34 of the handling robot 18 held new roll 12 on the rotatable and drivable rollers 94, which form the trough-shaped upper support surface 62 of the bearing block 64 of the intermediate storage 60. The roll 12 is placed on the intermediate storage 60 by means of the handling robot 18, after which the holding mandrel 32 at the end of the gripping arm 34 is pulled out of the roll core 26, the roll 12 is rotated in the desired manner by means of the rollers 94 and / or axially by means of the adjustable clamping jaws 68 Direction can be positioned on the support surface 62 in order to then be able to pick it up again in the appropriate direction of rotation with the holding mandrel 32 in order to finally insert it into the packaging machine 14. The clipboard is also in accordance with this embodiment variant Figure 7C again equipped with a closed housing 100 for receiving and mounting the rollers 94 and the adjustable clamping jaws 68 together with their feed drive and / or feed mechanism 98 (cf. Figures 3F and 3G ).

The two schematic perspective views of the Figures 8A and 8B illustrate the positioning process of a new roll 12 in one of the intended installation positions EB1 or EB2 in the packaging machine 14 (cf. Figures 4 to 6 ). So shows Figure 8A a roll 12 with packaging material that is already a short distance onto a receiving mandrel 70 in the packaging machine 14 and which has previously been separated from the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18. The holding mandrel 32 was then provided with a stamp attachment 82 which was temporarily fixed on the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 for the purpose of pushing the roller 12 onto the receiving mandrel 70 against an axial stop 84. This pushing process, with which the punch attachment 82 presses against the end face of the roller 12 until it is pushed against the axial stop 84 and thus into its intended installation position EB1 or EB2, is shown in FIG Figure 8B clarified. After reaching the installation position EB1 or EB2, the handling robot 18 can be released from the roller 12 again and new tasks can be carried out.

The pushing down of a used or nearly used up roll 20 from the receiving mandrel 70 and the takeover by the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 is, however, facilitated by means of a displaceable axial stop 84 and by means of a displaceable mounting of the rotatable receiving mandrel 70, as is the case with the Figures 9A through 9D illustrate.

The two schematic perspective views of the Figures 9A and 9B illustrate the various operating states of a in the intended Installation position EB1 or EB2 in the packaging machine 14 (cf. Figures 4 to 6 ) on the mandrel 70 located roll 12 ( Figure 9A ) or a role removed from there ( Figure 9B ). While the role 12 in the representation of Figure 9A is ready for unrolling in the intended installation position EB1 or EB2, it was shown in the Figure 9B pushed down by moving the axial stop 84 from the receiving mandrel 70 and, for example, taken over by the handling robot 18 (not shown). The displaceable axial stop 84 is located on a base 86 which is movable parallel to the direction of longitudinal extension of the receiving mandrel 70 and which is held and movable in two parallel longitudinal guides 88. When the roller 12 is located on the mandrel 70, the horizontally displaceable base 86 held in the longitudinal guides 88 and with the axial stop 84 is naturally close to a base 90 ( Figure 9A ), which at the same time forms the bearing and a drive 92 for the receiving mandrel 70 which is driven in rotation.

As the two schematic side views of the Figures 9C and 9D To illustrate, the entire base 90 with its drive 92 and the rotatingly driven receiving mandrel 70 can also be designed to be displaceable along the two parallel horizontal guides 88, which is particularly important for the loading of the receiving mandrel 70 with a new roller 12 and the removal of a used roller by the handling robot can facilitate.

The Figure 9C shows a roller 12 positioned on the receiving mandrel 70. The base 90 with the drive 92 is located at a right stop, at which the roller 12 is ready for unwinding in the packaging machine 14. The axial stop 84 has moved with its base 86 against the base 90 so that it is not in touching contact with the roller 12. The Figure 9D also shows the roller 12 positioned on the receiving mandrel 70. The base 90 with the drive 92 is here shifted to the left, as is the axial stop 84, which rests with its base 86 on the base 90 and has thus also moved to the left. The receiving mandrel 70 rotatably mounted on the base 70 together with the roller 12 located on it is moved a little out of the installation position EB1 or EB2, so that the roller 12 is not in a position that is suitable for unwinding, but in a removal or placement position in which it can easily be taken over by the handling robot 18 or transferred to the packaging machine 14. In particular the in Figure 9D The position shown can form the starting position for the roller 12 to be pushed down from the receiving mandrel 70 when the base 90 with the mandrel 70 to the right into the original operating position (corresponding to FIG Figure 9C ) is moved while the base 86 with the axial stop 84 in place (corresponding to Figure 9D ) remains. The mandrel 70 moves out of the roll core 26, while the axial stop 84 rests on the end face of the roll 12 and holds it in place. As a result, the holding mandrel 32 of the handling robot 18 can be pushed into the freed roll core 26 and finally the roll 12 can be taken over from the receiving mandrel 70 and removed.

The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it is conceivable for a person skilled in the art that modifications or changes can be made to the invention without departing from the scope of protection of the following claims.

List of reference symbols

10

contraption

12

Role, new role

14th

Packing machine

16

Gripping device, handling device, gripping and / or handling device

18th

Multi-axis robots, handling robots

20th

Roll, used roll, partially unwound roll

22nd

Material web, packaging material

24

outer layer

26th

Core, core role

28

Horizontal conveyor

30th

Cantilever arm

32

Retaining mandrel

34

Arm section, gripper arm

36

Axis of rotation

38

Control unit

40

Output signals

42

Room monitoring device

44

optical detection device, camera

46

Movement space

48

manipulator

50

User, operator

52

palette

54

Retaining mandrel

56

Container

58

Display device

60

Clipboard

62

Support surface, upper support surface

64

Bearing block

66

Central axis, vertical central axis

68

Jaws

70

Mandrel, receiving mandrel, retaining mandrel

72

Sealing bars

74

camera

76

Adhesive marking, optically recognizable / reflective adhesive marking

78

Grab stick

80

Camera, further camera (of the handling robot)

82

Stamp attachment

84

axial stop

86

sliding base

88

Longitudinal guide, parallel longitudinal guides

90

base

92

drive

94

roller

96

Frame sheet

98

Feed drive, feed mechanism (for the clamping jaws)

EB1

first installation position

EB2

second installation position

Claims (16)

1. A method for the supply, staging, handling, and/or exchange of rolls (12, 20) with flat material and/or film material wound thereonto and serving as packaging material (22) for the packaging of piece goods, bundles, or the like sets of articles, in which method at least approximately completely unwound and/or depleted rolls (20) are removed from at least one installation position (EB1, EB2) of a packaging machine (14), and hereupon a new roll (12)/new rolls (12) with flat material and/or film material is/are in each instance mounted into the particular installation position (EB1, EB2), wherein new rolls (12) are staged to the packaging machine (14) in a defined feeding means, and in each instance one new roll (12) is mounted into the particular installation position (EB1, EB2) by means of at least one gripping device and/or handling device (16) after a used-up roll (20) was previously removed from there, wherein the rotation-direction-conforming position of each roll (12) to be newly mounted into the packaging machine (14) is checked during the handling of the roll and is corrected if required, characterised in that for the change of a direction of rotation, the gripping device and/or handling device (16) deposits the rolls (12) concerned on an intermediate deposit (60) serving as support (62) for the roll (12), whereupon the gripping device and/or handling device (16) picks up the roll (12) again and delivers it to the packaging machine (14) in order to mount it into the particular installation position (EB1, EB2).
2. The method according to claim 1, in which a core (26) of a particular roll (12) deposited on the intermediate deposit (60) is checked for damages by means of an optical detection device (44), wherein the particular roll (12) is not delivered to the packaging machine (14) in the instance of an existing damage to the core (26), and wherein, in the instance of no existing damage to the core (26), the gripping device and/or handling device (16) picks up the roll (12) again and delivers it to the packaging machine (14) in order to mount it into the particular installation position (EB1, EB2), and in which method it is preferably provided that the optical detection device (44) is moved toward the core (26) via the gripping device and/or handling device (16) in order to check the core (26) for damages.
3. The method according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the intermediate deposit (60) is located within a range of movement (46) of the gripping device and/or handling device (16) and, if required, is included there in a loading procedure for the mounting of a new roll (12) in the correct direction of rotation in the packaging machine (14).
4. The method according to one of the claims 1 to 3, in which at least the positions of the rolls (12) in the area of the defined feeding means and/or of the staging and/or the gripping device and/or handling device (16) and/or its range of movement (46) are detected by means of room monitoring devices (42), and at least the movements of the gripping device and/or handling device (16) are controlled based on the detected room data, movement data, and/or sensor data (40) in the area of the defined feeding means and/or of the staging for the rolls (12) and/or in the area of the intermediate deposit (60).
5. The method according to one of the claims 1 to 4, in which the rotation-direction-conforming position of each new roll (12) conveyed and/or handled by the gripping device and/or handling device (16) is detected by means of optical detection devices, in particular by means of at least one camera (44, 80).
6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, in which the room monitoring devices (42) detect at least the range of movement (46) of the gripping device and/or handling device (16) and the intermediate deposit (60) located therein, and provide output signals (40) mapping said range of movement (46) and the movements of the gripping device and/or handling device (16) taking place therein and/or the handling steps taking place therein of the rolls (12) being brought into the correct rotation direction positions on the intermediate deposit (60).
7. The method according to one of the claims 1 to 6, in which the intermediate deposit (60) is formed by a driverless and/or remote-controlled transport system, where the gripping device and/or handling device (16) individually places new rolls (12) whose direction of rotation has to be changed in order to be mounted into the packaging machine (14), and from where, after a rotation of the rolls (12) about a vertical axis, the gripping device and/or handling device (16) picks up the rolls (12) and places them in the packaging machine (14).
8. The method according to one of the claims 1 to 7, in which in each instance at least one optical marker (76) is applied onto a section of the new rolls (12) in the area of the free ends of their outer material webs (24), and the new rolls (12) are mounted into their particular installation position (EB1, EB2) or are aligned in their particular installation position (EB1, EB2) by means of the gripping device and/or handling device (16) before the particular outer layer (24) is extracted in such a manner that the optical markers (76) face toward a particular oppositely located installation position (EB1, EB2).
9. The method according to claim 8, in which the at least one optical marker (76) is applied onto the particular new roll (12) before the new roll (12) is mounted into its particular installation position (EB1, EB2) in such a manner that the free end of the outer material web (24) of the particular new rolls (12) is at least largely immovably fastened to the particular new roll (12) by means of the optical marker (76).
10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, in which the optical marker (76) is applied onto a new roll (12) lying on the intermediate deposit (60).
11. An apparatus (10) for the supply, staging, handling, and/or exchange of rolls (12, 20) with flat material and/or film material wound thereonto and serving as packaging material (22) for the packaging of piece goods, bundles, or the like sets of articles, in which apparatus at least approximately completely unwound and/or depleted rolls (20) are removable from at least one installation position (EB1, EB2) of a packaging machine (14) and replaceable in each instance by new rolls (12) with flat material and/or film material for the at least one particular installation position (EB1, EB2), with devices for the staging of new rolls (12) for the packaging machine (14) in a defined feeding means and with at least one gripping device and/or handling device (16) for the reception of the rolls (12) from the defined feeding means and for the mounting of the new rolls (12) in each instance in the defined direction of rotation in the particular installation position (EB1, EB2) of the packaging machine (14) and/or for the removal of used-up rolls (20) from the at least one installation position (EB1, EB2) of the packaging machine (14), characterised in that the gripping device and/or handling device (16) is assigned an intermediate deposit (60) for a roll (12) to be mounted into the packaging machine (14), which intermediate deposit (60) serves as support (62) for the roll (12), for the deposit, the rotation-direction-conforming staging, and picking up again of the roll (12) by the gripping device and/or handling device (16) for the purpose of the delivery of the roll (12) to the packaging machine (14).
12. The apparatus according to claim 11, in which the intermediate deposit (60) can be formed by a bearing block (64), which takes up a fixed or variable position within the range of movement (46) of the gripping device and/or handling device (16), and wherein it is preferably provided that a rotary drive is assigned to the bearing block (64) for the rotation of a roll (12) lying thereon in order to adjust the angular position of the roll (12) and/or an alignment of an edge of an outer material web layer (24).
13. The apparatus according to claim 11 or claim 12, in which the intermediate deposit (60) is formed by a driverless and/or remote-controlled transport system or comprises such a transport system, which in controlled interaction with the gripping device and/or handling device (16) brings the new rolls (12) into a defined direction of rotation and returns them to the gripping device and/or handling device (16) and/or places them in the packaging machine (14) in a self-acting manner.
14. The apparatus according to one of the claims 11 to 13, which is equipped with room monitoring devices (42) for the detection of at least the positions of the rolls (12) in the area of the intermediate deposit (60) and/or of the positions and/or movements of the intermediate deposit (60) within a range of movement (46) and for the control of the alignment of the rolls (12) in order to change or correct their direction of rotation, and wherein it is preferably provided that

    - the room monitoring devices (42) are equipped for the purpose of the detection of at least the positions of the rolls (12) in the area of the defined feeding means and/or of the staging and/or the positions and/or movements of the gripping device and/or handling device (16) and/or of the intermediate deposit (60) within the range of movement (46), and for the purpose of the control of the movements of the gripping device and/or handling device (16) in the area of the defined feeding means and/or of the staging for the rolls (12) based on the room data, movement data, and/or sensor data (40) detected by means of the room monitoring device (42), and/or wherein it is provided that

    - the room monitoring devices (42) are formed by at least one optical detection device, in particular, by a camera (44, 80), which detects at least the range of movement (46) of the gripping device and/or handling device (16) and which provides output signals (40) mapping said range of movement (46) and the movements of the gripping device and/or handling device (16) and/or of the intermediate deposit (60) taking place therein.
15. The apparatus according to one of the claims 11 to 14, in which he gripping device and/or handling device (16) is formed by a multi-axis robot (18) that picks up new rolls (12) from the defined feeding means and places them in the packaging machine (14).
16. The apparatus according to one of the claims 11 to 15, comprising an optical detection device (44) by means of which a core (26) of a particular roll (12) deposited on the intermediate deposit (60) can be checked for damages, wherein, in the instance of an existing damage, the gripping device and/or handling device (16) is controllable for the removal of the particular roll (12) having the damaged core (26), and wherein, in the instance of no existing damage, the gripping device and/or handling device (16) is controllable for the delivery of a particular roll (12) having the non-damaged core (26) into the packaging machine (14), wherein it is preferably provided that the optical detection device (44) is mechanically fastened to a movable arm section (34) of the gripping device and/or handling device (16).

Images