EP3441315B1 - Method and packaging system for producing containers - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a packaging system for producing bundles.

For the purpose of transport, beverage containers are usually grouped together in handy bundles with, for example, four, six or more containers, with the containers in these bundles being wrapped and held together, for example, with shrink film. For easier handling, containers with such so-called one-way secondary packaging made of PE shrink film or the like often have handles made of flexible material, which can be made of sufficiently stable film, cardboard, paper, plastics such as PVC or mixed materials. Optionally, such carrying handles can also be equipped with a grip area reinforced with paper and/or cardboard. The ends of the carrying handle strips can be fixed to the side surfaces of the container, for example by welding or gluing. For this purpose, the ends of the carrying handle can optionally have self-adhesive areas.

A container, which is provided with an envelope formed by thermoplastic packaging material, for example, by the DE 693 11 338 T2 disclosed. A flexible carrying handle is fixed to the outside of the multiple pack, with the connection points each forming and covering an area in which the ends of the carrying handle are fixed both to the banderole and to the container jacket surfaces.

To an envelope for a container according to the DE 693 11 338 T2 provide, are separated in previously known packaging machines flat blanks from an uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material. The severed blanks are then applied to assemblies of articles, after which the assemblies are moved into a shrink tunnel along with a respective sheet blank. There, the respective flat blank applied to a combination of articles is shrunk onto the respective combination.

Thus, a respective flat blank separated from the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material with regard to its dimensioning is precisely aligned to the respective combination of articles to which the respective flat blank is to be applied, the uninterrupted web has hitherto been printed and the printing recorded by a suitable sensor system. The sensor system is connected to the cutting and/or separating device, so that the cutting and/or separating device for the defined separation of flat blanks is controlled with the aid of information provided by the sensor system with regard to a position of the printing on the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material .

Printing stations, which allow such printing, have high acquisition costs and a high space requirement and can often only be integrated into the respective packaging machine with great difficulty. Furthermore, a print job that can still be recognized even after a flat blank has been shrunk onto a combination of articles can be undesirable for various containers to be produced. This can be the case in particular if the thermoplastic packaging material of a respective container is to have a homogeneous and continuously transparent impression.

Packaging systems for the production of bundles from combinations of articles of the type mentioned above are still from the documents WO91/12176 A1 and DE102011015343 A1 famous.

A primary object of the present invention can therefore be seen as providing a corresponding possibility for the production of containers which does not have the disadvantages mentioned, or only has them to a reduced extent.

The object is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Further advantageous configurations are described by the dependent claims.

The invention relates to a method for producing bundles from combinations of articles. The articles of a respective assembly can be formed, for example, by beverage containers and in particular by PET bottles.

As part of a step provided for the method, respective actual positions of reference markings are recognized, which are formed from an uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material. The web of thermoplastic packaging material can be provided from a supply roll and unwound from the supply roll. It may be that the reference markings described below have already been applied to the thermoplastic packaging material that has not yet been unwound from the supply roll. It is also conceivable that the reference markings described below are applied to a portion of the web of thermoplastic packaging material that has already been unwound and is still connected to the supply roll. The uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material can move continuously while the reference markings are being applied or can be unwound continuously from the supply roll.

For a further step, a separation of individual flat packaging blanks from the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material is provided, taking into account the recognized actual positions of the reference markings.

In addition, the flat packaging blanks separated from the uninterrupted web are applied to assemblies of articles.

A further step provides for the flat packaging blanks applied to combinations of articles to be subjected to heat, as a result of which the flat packaging blanks are shrunk onto a respective combination of articles. In this case, the assemblies of articles can be moved into a shrink tunnel together with their applied packaging blank, in which a respective flat packaging blank is shrunk onto a respective assembly of articles.

In addition, it is provided that the reference markings are designed as openings in the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material, the actual positions of which for separating the individual flat packaging blanks from the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material are preferably recognized optically.

In preferred embodiments it can be provided that an adhesive and/or adhesive application is applied to an article or several articles of a respective assembly of articles via at least one opening in a packaging blank shrunk onto a respective assembly of articles. It can be the case here that at least one end of the carrying handle is materially fixed by means of the adhesive and/or adhesive applied to the one or more articles. It can also be the case that at least one carrying handle end of at least one carrying handle has an adhesive and/or adhesive application includes, via which adhesive and/or adhesive application the at least one carrying handle is fixed in the area of a respective opening on an article or on several articles of a respective combination of articles. In particular, it can be the case here that the respective at least one carrying handle or the at least one carrying handle end is fixed directly to an article or to several articles of a respective combination of articles via the adhesive and/or adhesive application.

As already mentioned, it can be provided that the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material is unwound from a supply roll and the reference markings are introduced as openings into a portion of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material that has already been unwound from the supply roll. Here, embodiments have proven themselves in which the reference markings are punched as openings and/or introduced by means of a laser cut into the portion of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material that has already been unwound from the supply roll.

It can also be the case that the actual positions of the openings are detected by means of at least one ultrasonic sensor. It is also conceivable that at least one optical sensor or at least one camera is provided, with the actual positions of the openings being detected by means of the at least one optical sensor or by means of the at least one camera.

The invention also relates to a packaging system for producing bundles from combinations of articles. Features that have already been described above for various embodiments of the method can also be provided in the embodiments of the packaging system described below and are therefore not mentioned redundantly. Furthermore, features described below, which relate to various embodiments of the packaging system, can optionally be used for embodiments of the method already described above. The method already described above can, if necessary, be implemented or carried out using the packaging system described below.

The packaging system includes a provision through which a web of thermoplastic packaging material can be presented without interruption. The provision can have a mandrel on which a supply roll comprising the web of thermoplastic packaging material is arranged or on which a supply roll comprising the web of thermoplastic packaging material Supply roll can be attached. The mandrel can be driven in rotation so that the continuous web of thermoplastic packaging material is unwound from the supply roll.

The packaging system also includes a sensor system that can detect the actual positions of reference markings on the web on thermoplastic packaging material.

In addition, a cutting and/or separating device is provided, which is designed to separate flat packaging blanks from the web of thermoplastic packaging material, taking into account the actual positions detected by the sensors.

A component of the packaging system is also a film wrapping module for applying the flat packaging blanks, separated from the web of thermoplastic packaging material, to assemblies of articles. The film wrapping module can comprise a large number of wrapping rods which are moved in a rotating manner, via which the two-dimensional packaging blanks separated from the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material can be applied to assemblies of articles.

A shrink tunnel is also provided for shrinking the applied flat packaging blanks onto the combinations of articles. In the shrink tunnel, the flat packaging blanks can therefore be subjected to a defined temperature and shrunk onto assemblies of articles.

In the packaging system according to the invention, the sensors are designed to detect the actual positions of reference markings on the web of thermoplastic packaging material, which reference markings are designed as openings in the web of thermoplastic packaging material.

The film wrapping module already mentioned and designed to apply the two-dimensional packaging blanks separated from the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material to combinations of articles can thus be used to at least partially or sectionally wrap the article combinations with a two-dimensional packaging blank.

The packaging system can include an application device which can apply an adhesive and/or adhesive agent to an article or several articles of a respective combination of articles via at least one opening designed as a reference mark and which can be used to firmly fix at least one handle end of a handle to the container by means of the over at least one opening designed as a reference mark and an application of adhesive and/or adhesive applied to an article or to a plurality of articles of a respective combination of articles. Thus, the carrying handle or the at least one end of the carrying handle can be formed directly on the one article or the several articles of a respective combination of articles via the adhesive and/or adhesive application.

In conceivable embodiments, the packaging system can thus include an application device for applying carrying handles while fixing the ends of the carrying handles to article lateral surfaces in the area of the openings by means of adhesive and/or welded connections.

In addition Z, the packaging system contains a punching and/or hole-forming device which can introduce the reference markings designed as openings into a portion of the web of thermoplastic packaging material presented without interruption from the provision.

Provision can thus be made for the cutting and/or separating device and/or the punching and/or hole-forming device for making the openings in the web of thermoplastic packaging material conveyed to the film-wrapping module to be arranged between the provision and the film-wrapping module.

It is conceivable that the punching and/or hole-forming device for introducing the reference markings designed as openings comprises at least one mechanically working punching tool and/or at least one laser, i.e. a laser cutting device or a laser cutting system or the like. In addition, other hole formation systems can be used sensibly, e.g.

Ultrasonic cutting devices, water jet cutters or the like.

Embodiments in which the sensor system comprises at least one ultrasonic sensor have also proven themselves. The ultrasonic sensor can thus, if necessary, be used as breakthroughs in the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic Packaging material introduced reference markings are recognized.

Of course, instead of such ultrasonic sensors, optically operating sensors can also be usefully used.

When producing the openings, it may be the case that the openings in the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material are not consistently identical or are not consistently introduced homogeneously into the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material. Rather, a type of pattern can be created by means of the punching and/or hole-forming device already mentioned, so that on each later flat packaging blank, i.e. in the film wrapping module, there are two openings at a specific distance and in a specific position in relation to the cutting and/or separating device caused separating cut are located.

In this way, a hole pattern can be produced on the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material with alternately shorter and longer distances between the openings relative to one another. Furthermore, several rows oriented in the longitudinal direction of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material, each with a large number of openings, can be provided. The number of rows or rows of holes required can be selected depending on later use (one-, two- or three-lane processing in the packaging machine).

The openings can be produced by different methods or steps. In principle, the openings can have the most varied of contours; thus rectangular openings, rectangular openings with rounded corners, oval openings, circular openings or openings having a different geometry are possible. The apertures are cut or machined into the continuous web of thermoplastic packaging material during continuous movement of the continuous web of thermoplastic packaging material to avoid performance-reducing stop-and-go operation. Certain speed fluctuations that occur during the manufacturing process can be compensated for by detecting the current actual speed of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material and, if necessary, by controlling the controllable punching and/or hole-forming device in a coordinated manner, by using a cutting or punching or The punching time is adjusted to the optimal position. At all Advantageous embodiments of the cutting method can provide for waste or residues produced during the making of the openings to be disposed of, for example by suction. Embodiments of the packaging system can therefore include a device which is designed to reject or remove residues of thermoplastic packaging material that are produced by the introduction.

In the thermal processes or steps described below, which can work, for example, using laser cutting processes or using heated wire loops or the like, the edge of the hole is also reinforced because the temperature causes a small bulge to form on the cut edge. In the case of the thermal processes, the vapors produced can preferably be removed using a suitable suction device.

The punching and/or hole-forming device can be, for example, a mechanical or mechanically movable device that uses a suitable blade, a heating wire or the like to make openings of the desired size and at the desired locations in the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic bring packaging material.

The punching and/or hole-forming device can be a punching device with an oscillating or rotating punching tool, which is used to make the openings in the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material. Optionally, several such punching devices can also be arranged in parallel in order to introduce several parallel rows of holes or several parallel rows of openings or rows with recesses in the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material, the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material being used, for example, for multi-web film transport after insertion the breakthroughs and before or after the separation of the flat blanks of packaging material can be divided into several webs along their running direction.

If the punching and/or perforating device is designed as a punching device, it can be provided that at least one rotating punching tool of the punching device can be rotated at a variably controllable speed relative to the conveying speed of the transported uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material. In this way, in particular, different distances between the recesses can be realized will. For example, a punching cylinder cannot always move out synchronously with the web of thermoplastic packaging material, but the punching cylinder is synchronized with a speed or actual speed of the web of thermoplastic packaging material shortly before the punching process.

The following statements again summarize some aspects of the invention previously explained in different embodiment variants, specify some aspects, but should not be seen as contradicting the statements already made. Rather, the following statements should be viewed in conjunction with the statements made previously, in the event of doubt possibly as more specific variants or modifications. Thus, the packaging system according to the invention for the production of containers and for attaching handles to these containers can also be generally referred to as a packaging machine. The system or the machine comprises a transport route for transporting combinations of articles, a film wrapping module for at least partially or partially wrapping the combinations of articles with a stretchable and/or heat-shrinkable film supplied from a supply to form film bundles, which are each provided with openings on at least two opposite side surfaces of the container. In the preparation area, the shrinkable film is designed as an uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material.

Furthermore, the packaging system or the packaging machine comprises a shrinking module downstream of the film wrapping module in the conveying or transport direction, in which the bundles are subjected to heat in order to shrink the film wrappings tightly around the assemblies of articles and in this way to hold the articles contained therein together and fix to each other. In addition, the packaging system or the packaging machine includes an application device for applying handles to the containers while fixing the ends of the handles to the article jacket surfaces in the area of the openings by means of adhesive and/or welded connections and penetrating the enveloping film and/or producing an adhesive connection with the shrinkable film. The application device can be located, for example, in the area of the transport path and behind the shrink module in the conveying direction. However, it can also be located immediately after the film wrapping module and thus optionally also before the shrink module in the transport direction. It is also provided that between the provision and the film wrapping module at a suitable point Foil promotion is arranged a controllable punching and / or perforating device for introducing the breakthroughs in the transported to the film wrapping module uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material. After passing through the application device, packaging blanks separated from the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material can be fed in the transport direction by means of a container transport section to further packaging and/or processing stations, such as a palletizing device or the like.

As already explained several times, the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material can be provided with suitable openings in the area before the film wrapping module, between provision and a cutting and/or separating device. These openings, which are indispensable for attaching the carrying handles, can be made using the aforementioned punching and/or perforating device, in particular immediately after the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material has been unwound from its endless supply and before the article groups are wrapped in the respectively unwound and used for the cutting and/or separating device transported uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material are introduced. After the article groups have been wrapped with the film in the film wrapping module, in particular after going through the shrink module, the carrying handle can be applied with its ends over the openings with at least partial overlapping or covering of the openings, namely by gluing or welding, after which the items produced in this way can then be attached and containers provided with carrying handles can be transported further and, for example, can be palletized. A suitable application device for fixing the carrying handles on the bundles can be arranged downstream (or also upstream) of the shrink module before the bundles are then transported further in the conveying direction.

A sensor, which can be embodied as an ultrasonic sensor, for example, is able to detect a respective actual position of the openings made in the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material. The previously mentioned cutting and/or separating device is operatively connected to the sensor or ultrasonic sensor, so that a cutting and/or separating instrument designed as part of the cutting and/or separating device detects depending on the respective via the sensor or ultrasonic sensor Actual positions of Breakthroughs is controlled. This can ensure that the cutting and / or separating device from the provided on the provision uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material separates packaging blanks, the respective dimensions of which are exactly adapted to the respective combination of articles to which the respective packaging blank is to be applied. The openings, which the packaging blank applied to a respective combination of articles and shrunk in the shrinking module continues to form, are located at a designated position due to the exact cutting off of flat packaging blanks by the cutting and/or separating device. As a result, the application device can fix or apply carrying handles in a targeted manner to the openings or in the area of the openings on the respective foil pack. A renewed detection or checking of the flat packaging blanks for compliance of the position of the openings with a predetermined target position can be dispensed with as a result.

In the method according to the invention for equipping shrink-wrap packs with carrying handles, it is therefore provided that the carrying handle is adhesively attached to the correspondingly prepared flat packaging blank provided with openings, so that the carrying handle can then be fixed by gluing or welding through the openings to the respective article lateral surfaces of the compilations of articles combined into bundles is sufficient. The film wrapping module ensures that the collection of articles is wrapped with the appropriately cut packaging blanks before further transport through the shrink oven or the shrink module and the subsequent pack transport section takes place.

In the area of the application device, the carrying handle can be attached, for example, by transporting the packs that are covered with flat packaging blanks and that have already passed through the shrink module in such a way that the long sides of the packs that are on the sides in the transport direction Have punching device introduced breakthroughs. After wrapping the assemblies of articles, the flat packaging blanks encasing the assemblies of articles are shrunk under heat in the shrink oven or in the shrink module, after which the carrying handle can be applied to the outer surfaces of the articles in the areas of the openings. During the further transport in the container transport section, the containers can first be rotated by a suitable handling device by approx. 90° or 270° around a vertical axis or by an angle of 90° or 270° transversely to the conveying direction, so that the carrying handle can be removed by means of the downstream Application device can be applied by making contact with the outsides of the container, which are provided with the openings and are arranged at the front and rear in the conveying direction. The rotation described is to be understood as optional, so that alternative embodiments are also conceivable in which the rotation described for individual containers or all containers is omitted. In this variant of the method, for example, shrink film, adhesive film or a thin and stretchable, well-adherent film web can be used as the outer packaging as a cover or flat packaging blanks for the compilation of articles to form film bundles. With this variant of the application method for the carrying handles, it is important or at least preferable to rotate the container, whereby the respective openings are directed in or against the direction of travel of the transported container, which would not necessarily be the case after wrapping using the film wrapping module. For this purpose, the containers can be rotated, for example, by 90° or 270° around their vertical axis.

In further embodiment variants of the packaging system, which is designed in particular as a packaging machine, two or more film rolls can be formed or contained in a so-called staging area or section, on each of which an uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material is wound and which, after their respective unwinding can be activated alternately, so that an uninterrupted conveying process for supplying the film wrapping module with flat packaging blanks is made possible. What is generally referred to here as a continuous web of thermoplastic packaging material is normally formed by a shrink film, as has already been characterized above on the basis of its typical physical properties.

The punching and/or perforating device is subordinate to the provision with its conveyor devices for continuous film transport, which are not specified in more detail here. The punching and/or perforating device preferably comprises a cutting blade that can be moved in the conveying process of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material in the transverse direction to the transport and/or feed direction of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material, which preferably has a support device arranged below the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material or a Counter bearing is assigned, which (s) prevents the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material from evading downwards when the cutting blade of the cutting and/or separating device is moved vertically or diagonally downwards and dips into the continuous web of thermoplastic packaging material to create the apertures. Optionally, the punching and/or perforating device can be formed by a curved blade or comprise such a curved blade that can be moved approximately transversely to the transport and/or feed direction of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material and cuts out film sections when the openings are made . The punching and/or punching device can in particular comprise a heating wire, which facilitates the cutting of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material.

The punching and/or perforating device can also optionally be assigned a receiving and/or collecting device for detecting, receiving and/or collecting film sections that have been cut out. This optional receiving and/or collecting device can be formed, for example, by a suction device assigned to the punching and/or perforating device for collecting and transporting the film sections that have been cut out. A mouth opening of a suction hose can be arranged directly behind the movable cutting blade of the punching and/or perforating device in the transport or feed direction of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material, so that all film sections cut out are reliably sucked up and picked up by the receiving and/or collecting device and can be separated from the continuous web of thermoplastic packaging material. A variant of the packaging system would also be conceivable in which the receiving and/or collecting device has, instead of a suction device, a blower assigned to the punching and/or perforating device for collecting and/or removing and/or transporting the film sections cut out.

A further advantageous variant of the packaging system or the packaging machine according to the invention can have several parallel transport routes or film transport tracks, with several parallel film wrapping modules and punching and/or perforating devices assigned to them for making the openings in each of the parallel uninterrupted webs of thermoplastic packaging material also having to be provided . In this way, a multi-lane processing and packaging of streams of articles or bundles transported in several transport lanes arranged in parallel can take place.

The punching and/or perforating device is downstream of the preparation and can be arranged approximately centrally in the area of the film transport, so that the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material is also provided with the openings approximately centrally. Optionally, the punching and/or perforating device can also be a punching device with a rotating punching roller with at least one, but optionally two or more punching tools arranged on it, which are used to make the openings in the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material or in sections of it Material serves/serve.

Optionally, several such punching devices can also be arranged in parallel in order to introduce several parallel rows of holes or rows with openings in the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material, with this uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material being used, for example, for multi-web film transport after the openings have been made and before or after the Can be cut to length in required film sections in several lanes. Optionally, the rotating die-cutting roller can be equipped with several die-cutting tools, so that several parallel rows of holes can later be introduced into an uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material, the distance between which corresponds to the distance between the die-cutting tools on the die-cutting roller.

An optional electromotive drive for the rotating die-cutting roller can be located, for example, on a suitable frame on which a counter-pressure roller rotating parallel to the die-cutting roller is mounted, which can be equipped with its own electromotive drive. With the rotating die-cutting roller, the holes are created by suitable punching tools that are located on the cylindrical die-cutting roller. During the punching process, the punching tools press against the cylindrical counter-pressure roller or dip into a die that is located in the synchronously rotating counter-pressure roller. This punching device with the rotating punching roller and the counter-pressure roller rotating parallel thereto is preferably in turn assigned a suction device 50, with which the pieces of film punched out of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material can be sucked off and removed from the area of further film conveyance.

A spindle format adjustment, which may be arranged on the side of the frame and is to be regarded as an optional, but in practice very useful equipment variant of the punching device, enables the distances between the punching tools to be adjusted from each other by positioning them along the longitudinal axis of the die-cutting roller by means of a spindle adjustment mechanism. The outlet openings of the suction device assigned to the individual punching tools are preferably also adjusted in a corresponding manner at the same time, so that they remain spatially assigned to the corresponding punching tools on the punching roller and can ensure reliable removal of the film sections punched out of the film web by them at any time.

In principle, it can be provided that the rotating punching roller with the punching tools of the controllable punching device arranged thereon can be rotated at a variably controllable speed relative to the conveying speed of the transported uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material. In this way, different distances between the openings can be realized. For this purpose, it may be the case that the punching tool is not always rotated at a constant speed over the course of time or that its rotational speed varies. It is thus conceivable that a rotational speed of the punching tool varies over the course of time during a rotating movement, coordinated with the different spacings between the openings. It may be that shortly before the punching process, the punching cylinder has to be synchronized with the film speed, which is done by adjusting the rotational speed of the punching roller, which can be controlled by the electric motor drive, to the film speed, whereby the peripheral speed of the rotating punching roller largely corresponds to the conveying speed of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material matches. This synchronous speed can usefully be maintained throughout the entire die cut. In particular, it must be ensured that during each punching process in which the punching tool dips perpendicularly to the film surface, there are no speed differences between the peripheral speed of the rotating punching roller and the conveying or feed speed of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material, otherwise clean punching processes cannot be guaranteed are.

Since the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material is divided into individual film sections or flat packaging blanks by means of the cutting and/or separating device after the required hole pattern has been introduced, the distances between the pairs of holes or groups of holes are also variable and must be dimensioned in such a way that these distances are the required length of one is matched by separation of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material formed individual flat packaging blank. These distances between the pairs of holes or groups of holes can also be varied in the manner described. A separating cut should be placed at least approximately in the middle between each pair of holes, so that the dimensioning of a flat packaging blank cut from the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material is coordinated with the dimensioning of the respective combination of articles to which the respective flat packaging blank is to be applied. With the help of the above-mentioned sensor or ultrasonic sensor, it is also possible to detect a pair of holes or a group of holes and to control the cutting and/or separating device in such a way that the separating cut can be made exactly in the middle between two consecutive pairs of holes or groups of holes. The number of rows of holes required in each case depends on the subsequent use (one, two or three lane processing in the packaging machine). In any case, the perforation must be created at an exact distance (transverse to the running direction), as explained above.

A variant of a container with a handle, which can be produced with a packaging system according to one of the embodiment variants described above, can, for example, have a total of six PET beverage containers, which are grouped in a so-called rectangular arrangement and have an enveloping disposable outer packaging in the form of a flat packaging blank , In particular a PE shrink film are held together. The carrying handle is fixed at defined contact points on the outside of at least two oppositely arranged beverage containers of the container. According to the present invention, these contact points coincide at least partially with openings in the outer packaging or the flat packaging blank, so that the contact points reach through the openings and at least partially touch the edges of the respective opening. The rectangular end of the carrying handle, which adheres to the contact point and extends longitudinally in the vertical direction along a lateral surface of the respective container, not only covers the likewise elongated opening, but also its edge area and a part of the film surface surrounding the edge, whereby, however, due to the in the contact point concentrating the penetration and having an adhesive connection or a welded connection largely takes place the entire flow of force directly from the carrying handle through the penetration to the lateral surface of the contacted container. At the same time, the film surface and thus the area of the outer packaging or the flat packaging blank surrounding the contact point is relieved of tensile forces when carrying the container, since the relatively small contact area outside the edge cannot introduce any significant tensile forces into the outer packaging or the flat packaging blank. Optionally, the contact point can also be designed in such a way that the adhesive connection or welded connection is limited to the area or the surface extent of the opening, whereas the edge area and the area outside this edge has no adhesive, whereby the flat packaging blanks or the outer packaging are completely be kept free from tensile forces that are applied via the carrying handle.

• Fig. 1 zeigt eine Ausführungsvariante eines erfindungsgemäßen Verpackungssystems zur Herstellung von Gebinden mit Tragegriffen.
• Fig. 2A zeigt eine schematische Seitenansicht einer Ausführungsvariante des Verpackungssystems gemäß Fig. 1.
• Fig. 2B zeigt eine detailliertere Seitenansicht des Verpackungssystems gemäß Fig. 1.
• Fig. 3A zeigt eine schematische Draufsicht auf einen Teil des Verpackungssystems gemäß Fig. 1, Fig. 2A und Fig. 2B.
• Fig. 3B zeigt eine weitere, detailliertere Draufsicht des Verpackungssystems gemäß Fig. 1.
• Fig. 3C zeigt eine schematische Perspektivansicht einer Ausführungsvariante einer Stanzvorrichtung zur Einbringung von Durchbrüchen in eine unterbrechungsfreie Bahn an thermoplastischem Verpackungsmaterial.
• Fig. 4 zeigt in drei schematischen Draufsichten verschiedene Ausführungsvarianten von in die unterbrechungsfreie Bahn an thermoplastischem Verpackungsmaterial eingebrachten Durchbrüchen bei einbahniger Folienführung (Fig. 4A), bei zweibahniger Folienführung (Fig. 4B) und bei dreibahniger Folienführung (Fig. 4C).
• Fig. 5A und Fig. 5B zeigen zwei verschiedene Seitenansichten auf ein Gebinde mit Tragegriff, das mit einem Verpackungssystem gemäß Figuren 1 bis 3C hergestellt wurde.
• Fig. 6 zeigt eine schematische Perspektivansicht einer weiteren Variante des Gebindes.
• Fig. 7 zeigt eine schematische Detailansicht einer Verbindungsstelle zwischen einem Tragegriffende und einer Außenfläche des Gebindes.

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

• 1 shows an embodiment of a packaging system according to the invention for the production of containers with handles.
• Figure 2A shows a schematic side view of an embodiment variant of the packaging system according to FIG 1 .
• Figure 2B shows a more detailed side view of the packaging system according to FIG 1 .
• Figure 3A shows a schematic plan view of part of the packaging system according to FIG 1 , Figure 2A and Figure 2B .
• Figure 3B shows a further, more detailed plan view of the packaging system according to FIG 1 .
• Figure 3C shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment variant of a punching device for making openings in an uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material.
• 4 shows in three schematic top views different design variants of openings made in the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material with single-web film guidance ( figure 4A ), with two-lane film guide ( Figure 4B ) and with three-lane film guidance ( Figure 4C ).
• Figures 5A and 5B show two different side views of a container with a carrying handle, with a packaging system according to Figures 1 to 3C was produced.
• 6 shows a schematic perspective view of a further variant of the container.
• Figure 7 shows a schematic detailed view of a connection point between a carrying handle end and an outer surface of the bundle.

For the same or equivalent elements of the invention use the Figures 1 to 7 identical reference numerals. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only reference symbols are shown in the individual figures that are necessary for the description of the respective figure. The illustrated embodiments only represent examples of how the invention can be configured and do not represent any final limitation. It should therefore be emphasized at this point that the exemplary embodiments described in a relatively concrete and objective manner with the aid of the figures correspond to those laid down in the claims and in the general part of the In no way should the abstract inventive ideas defined by the description in the most diverse embodiment variants be detracted from or restricted. Also, the features described below are not to be understood in close connection with further features of the respective exemplary embodiment but can, if necessary, be provided in a general connection with various exemplary embodiments of the invention.

The schematic representation of 1 illustrates the functioning of the packaging system according to the invention for the production of containers and for attaching handles to these containers using an exemplary embodiment. The packaging system 10 shown for producing containers with handles, which can also be referred to generally as a packaging machine 12, includes a transport line 14 for conveying assemblies of articles 16, a film wrapping module 18 for at least partially or sectionally wrapping the assemblies of articles 16 a stretchable and/or heat-shrinkable film fed from a supply 20 to form film packs 24, which are each provided with openings on at least two opposite side surfaces of the pack 24. In the area of provision 20, the shrinkable film is designed as an uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22.

Furthermore, the packaging system or the packaging machine 12 comprises a shrinking module 28 downstream of the film wrapping module 18 in the conveying or transport direction 26, in which the bundles 24 are subjected to heat in order to shrink the film wrappings tightly around the assemblies of articles 16 and onto them Ways to hold the items inside together and fix them together.

In addition, the packaging system 10 or the packaging machine 12 comprises an application device 30 for applying carrying handles to the containers 24 while fixing the carrying handle ends to article lateral surfaces in the area of the openings by means of adhesive and/or welded joints and with penetration of the enveloping film 22 and/or with production an adhesive connection with the shrinkable film 22. In the embodiment shown 1 the application device 30 is located in the area of the transport path 14 and behind the shrink module 28 in the conveying direction 26. However, it can also be located immediately after the film wrapping module 18 and thus optionally also in the transport direction 26 before the shrink module 28. It is also provided that a controllable punching and/or perforating device 32, indicated only schematically here, is arranged at a suitable point of the film conveyance between the provision 20 and the film wrapping module 18 for making the openings in the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 conveyed to the film wrapping module 18 .

After passing through the application device 30, packaging blanks 41 separated from the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 can be fed in the transport direction 26 by means of a container transport section 34 to further packaging and/or processing stations, not shown here, such as a palletizing device or the like.

Like it the 1 only indicates that the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 in the area in front of the film wrapping module 18, between the provision and a cutting and/or separating device 36, can be provided with suitable openings. This indispensable for the attachment of the handles in the manner described below breakthroughs can by means of the mentioned in the representation of 1 punching and/or perforating device 32 not yet specified in more detail, in particular immediately after the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 has been unwound from its endless supply 20 and before the article groups 16 are wrapped in the respectively unwound and into the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 conveyed to the cutting and/or separating device 36 . After the article groups 16 have been wrapped with the film 22 in the film wrapping module 18, in particular after passing through the shrinking module 28, the carrying handle can be applied with its ends over the openings with at least partial overlapping or covering of the openings, namely by gluing or welding, after which then the bundles 24 produced in this way and provided with carrying handles are transported further and, for example, palletized. A suitable application device 30 for fixing the carrying handles on the bundles 24 can be arranged downstream (or also upstream) of the shrink module 28 before the bundles 24 are then transported further in the conveying direction 26 .

A sensor is also shown with reference to number 35 , which in the present case is embodied as an ultrasonic sensor 37 . The sensor 35 or ultrasonic sensor 37 can detect a respective actual position of the openings made in the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 . The previously mentioned cutting and/or separating device 36 is operatively connected to the sensor 35 or ultrasonic sensor 37, so that a cutting and/or separating instrument designed as a component of the cutting and/or separating device, depending on the respective or ultrasonic sensor 37 detected actual positions of the openings is controlled. This can ensure that the cutting and/or separating device separates packaging blanks 41 from the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 20 provided via the provision 20, the respective dimensioning of which is precisely adapted to the respective combination of articles 16 on which the respective packaging blank 41 should be applied. The openings, which are further formed by the packaging blank 41 applied to a respective combination of articles 16 and shrunk in the shrink module 28, are located in an intended position due to the exact cutting off of flat packaging blanks 41 by the cutting and/or separating device. As a result, the application device 30 can fix carrying handles in a targeted manner at the openings or in the area of the openings on the respective foil pack 24 . A renewed detection or checking of the flat packaging blanks for compliance of the position of the openings with a predetermined target position can be dispensed with as a result.

In the method according to the invention for equipping foil shrink packs 24 with carrying handles, it is therefore provided that the carrying handle described in more detail in the following figures is adhesively attached to the correspondingly prepared flat packaging blank 41 provided with openings, so that the fixing by gluing or welding of the carrying handle then extends through the openings to the respective article lateral surfaces of the assemblies of articles 16 combined into bundles 24. The film wrapping module 18 beforehand ensures that the assemblies of articles 16 are wrapped with the suitably cut packaging blanks 41 before further transport through the shrink oven or the shrink module 28 and the subsequent pack transport section 34 takes place.

In the area of the in 1 Application device 30, indicated only schematically and identified by a rectangular box with broken lines, can be used to attach the carrying handle as follows. This variant of the method described provides that the bundles 24, which are wrapped with flat packaging blanks 41 and have already passed through the shrink module 28, are conveyed in such a way that the longitudinal sides of the bundles 24 located laterally in the transport direction 26 are each introduced by means of the punching and/or perforating device 32 have breakthroughs. After the assemblies of articles 16 have been wrapped, the flat packaging blanks 41 encasing the assemblies of articles 16 are shrunk on in the shrink oven or in the shrink module 28 under the action of heat, after which the carrying handle can be applied to the outer surfaces of the articles in the areas of the openings. During the further transport in the pack transport section 34, the packs 24 can first be rotated by a suitable handling device by about 90° or 270° about a vertical axis or by an angle of 90° or 270° transversely to the conveying direction 26, so that the carrying handle can be of the downstream application device 30 by contacting the outsides of the pack, which are provided with the openings and are arranged at the front and rear in the conveying direction 26 . The rotation described is to be understood as optional in the present case, so that embodiments are conceivable in which the rotation described for individual containers 24 or all containers 24 is omitted. In this variant of the method, shrink film, adhesive film or a thin and stretchable, well-adhering film web can be used as the outer packaging or flat packaging blanks 41 for the compilation of articles 16 to form film bundles 24 . Important or at least to be preferred in this variant of the application method for the Carrying handles the rotation of the container 24, whereby the respective openings are directed in or against the running direction of the transported container 24, which would not necessarily be the case after wrapping by means of the film wrapping module 18. For this purpose, the containers 24 can be rotated, for example, by 90° or 270° about their vertical axis.

the Figures 2A and 2 B show schematic views of further details of an embodiment variant of the packaging system 10 designed as a packaging machine 12. There, two film rolls 38 are formed or contained in the preparation area 20, on each of which an uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 is wound, and which, after their respective unwinding in the Change can be activated, so that an uninterrupted conveying process to supply the film wrapping module 18 (cf. 1 ) with flat packaging blanks 41 is made possible. What is generally referred to here as a continuous web of thermoplastic packaging material is normally formed by a shrink film, as has already been characterized above on the basis of its typical physical properties.

The punching and/or perforating device 32 is arranged downstream of the provision 20 with its conveyor devices for continuous film transport, which are not explained in any more detail here. Like it the Figures 2A and 2 B indicate, the punching and/or perforating device 32 in the exemplary embodiment shown here comprises a cutting blade 42, which can be moved in the conveying process of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 in the transverse direction to the transport and/or feed direction 40 of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 and which preferably has a below associated with the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 supporting device 44, which prevents the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 from deviating downwards when the cutting blade 42 of the cutting and/or separating device, only indicated here, is moved vertically downwards in the direction of arrow 46 and dips into the continuous web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 to create the apertures. As cannot be seen in detail here, the punching and/or perforating device 32 can be formed by an arcuate blade 42 or comprise such an arcuate blade 42 which is approximately transverse to the transport and/or feed direction 40 of the uninterrupted web thermoplastic packaging material 22 is movable and cuts out film sections when the openings are made. The punching and/or punching device 32 can in particular a heating wire, which facilitates the cutting of the continuous web of thermoplastic packaging material 22.

The punching and/or perforating device 32 is also assigned a receiving and/or collecting device 48 for detecting, receiving and/or collecting film sections that have been cut out. In the exemplary embodiment shown, this receiving and/or collecting device 48 is formed by a suction device 50 assigned to the punching and/or perforating device 32 for collecting and conveying the cut-out film sections. A mouth opening 52 of a suction hose 54 is here arranged in the transport or feed direction 40 of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 directly behind the movable cutting blade 42 of the punching and/or perforating device 32, so that all film sections cut out are reliably sucked in and removed from the receiving and/or accumulator 48 and separated from the continuous web of thermoplastic packaging material 22.

A variant of the packaging system 10 would also be conceivable in which the receiving and/or collecting device 48 instead of a suction device 50 has a blower assigned to the punching and/or perforating device 32 for collecting and/or removing and/or transporting the film sections cut out.

An advantageous variant of the packaging system 10 or the packaging machine 12 according to the invention, not shown here, can have several parallel transport sections or film transport tracks, with several parallel film wrapping modules 18 and punching and/or perforating devices 32 assigned to them for making the openings in each of the parallel uninterrupted Webs are to be provided on thermoplastic packaging material. In this way, a multi-lane processing and packaging of streams of articles or bundles transported in several transport lanes arranged in parallel can take place.

The schematic plan views of Figures 3A and 3B show again some of the Figures 2A and 2 B described details of the embodiment variant of the packaging system 10 according to the invention shown there for the production of the container 24 (cf. 1 ) or the packaging machine 12 according to the invention. There it can be seen that the punching and/or perforating device 32 of the provision downstream and is arranged approximately in the center in the area of the film transport, so that the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 is also provided with the openings approximately in the center.

The schematic perspective view of the Figure 3C shows in detail a further embodiment variant of a punching device 33, which is part of a punching and/or perforating device 32 for making openings in the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 (cf. 1 ). Like it the Figure 3C indicates, the punching and/or perforating device 32 can be a punching device 33 with a rotating punching roller 331 with at least one, but optionally two or more punching tools 332 arranged thereon, which are used to make the openings in the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 or in sections of this material 22 is used.

Optionally, several such punching devices 33 can be arranged in parallel in order to introduce several parallel rows of holes or rows with openings in the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22, with this uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 being used, for example, for multi-web film transport after the openings have been made and before or can be divided into several webs after cutting to length into the required film sections. Like it the Figure 3C However, as indicated, the rotating punching roller 331 can also be equipped with a plurality of punching tools 332, so that later on an uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 can be made with a plurality of parallel rows of holes, the distance between which corresponds to the distance between the punching tools 332 on the punching roller 331.

An electric motor drive 333 for the rotating punching roller 331 is located on a frame 334 on which a counter-pressure roller 335 rotating parallel to the punching roller 331 is mounted, which is equipped with its own electric motor drive 336 . With the rotating punching roller 331, the holes are created by suitable punching tools 332 which are located on the cylindrical punching roller 331. During the stamping process, the punching tools 332 press against the cylindrical counter-pressure roller 335 or dip into a die that is located in the synchronously rotating counter-pressure roller 335 . This punching device 33 with the rotating punching roller 332 and the counter-pressure roller 335 rotating parallel thereto is preferably in turn assigned a suction device 50 with which the material from the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 (cf. 1 , Figures 2A to 3B ) punched-out foil pieces (not shown) can be sucked off and removed from the area of further foil transport.

one in the Figure 3C The spindle format adjustment 337, which can be seen on the side of the frame 334 and is to be regarded as an optional, but in practice very useful equipment variant of the punching device 33 shown, enables the distances between the punching tools 332 to be adjusted by positioning them along the longitudinal axis of the punching roller 331 by means of a spindle adjustment mechanism. At the same time, the outlet openings 52 of the suction device 50, which are assigned to the individual punching tools 332, are preferably also adjusted in a corresponding manner, so that they remain spatially assigned to the corresponding punching tools 332 on the punching roller 331 and are always available for reliable removal of the latter from the film web 22 punched-out film sections can provide.

the Figures 4A, 4B and 4C show, in schematic top views, different embodiment variants of hole patterns introduced into the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 and formed by means of openings with single-web film guidance ( Figure 4A ), with two-lane film guide ( Figure 4B ) and with three-lane film guidance ( Figure 4C ). Starting with the schematic plan view of the Figure 4A control variants for the coordinated control of the punching and/or perforating device 32 or the punching device 33 as well as the film transport are to be implemented below, so that the distances between the openings 62 in the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 and the entire formation of the uninterrupted web hole pattern 63 applied to thermoplastic packaging material 22 meets the requirements of the carrying handles to be positioned using application device 30 .

In principle, it can be provided that the rotating punching roller 331 with the punching tools 332 arranged thereon of the controllable punching device 33 (cf. Figure 3C ) can be rotated at a variably controllable speed relative to the conveying speed 23 of the transported uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 . In this way, different distances between the openings 62 can be realized. For this purpose, it may be the case that the punching tool 332 is not always rotated at a constant speed over the course of time or that its rotational speed varies. It is therefore conceivable that a The rotational speed of the punching tool 332 varies over the course of time in a rotating movement matched to the different distances between the openings 62 . It may be that shortly before the punching process, the punching cylinder has to be synchronized with the film speed 23, which is done by tuning the rotational speed 338 of the punching roller 331, which can be controlled by the electric motor drive 333, to the film speed 23, whereby the peripheral speed 338 of the rotating punching roller 331 largely the conveying speed 23 of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 corresponds. This synchronous speed can usefully be maintained throughout the entire die cut. In particular, it must be ensured that during each punching process in which the punching tool dips into the film surface perpendicularly to the film surface, there are no speed differences between the peripheral speed 338 of the rotating punching roller 331 and the conveying or feed speed 23 of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22, otherwise there would be no clean punching processes are to be guaranteed. This coupling is indicated by the double arrow in Figure 4A between the conveying speed 23 of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 and the rotational speed 338 of the die-cutting roller 331 are identified.

Each of the Figure 4A The pairs of holes 631 shown with recesses or openings 62 have a defined distance 632 between the two openings 62 forming the pair of holes 631, which corresponds to the opposite positions of the carrying handle ends on the container 24. Since different container sizes and different sizes and/or heights of the articles or containers combined into containers 24 require different positions of the openings 62 and thus also different distances 632 of the openings 62 from one another, the above-described coordination of the rotational speeds 338 of the punching roller 331 and the Conveying speeds 23 of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22, the desired hole pattern 63 with the desired distances 632 of the individual recesses 62 of each pair of holes 631 are produced.

Since the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 after the required hole pattern 63 has been introduced by means of the cutting and/or separating device 36 (cf. 1 ) is divided into individual film sections or flat packaging blanks 41, the distances 633 between the pairs of holes 631 variable from one another and to be dimensioned in such a way that these distances 633 are matched to the respectively required length of an individual flat packaging blank 41 formed by separation from the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 . These distances 633 between the pairs of holes 631 can also be varied in the manner described. The positioning of such a separating cut 634 is in Figure 4A indicated schematically, such a separating cut 634 having to be made by the film separating station 36 approximately in the middle between each pair of holes 631 . As before 1 already mentioned, it is necessary to place the separating cut 634 at least approximately centrally between each pair of holes 631, so that a dimensioning of a flat packaging blank 41 separated from the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material corresponds to a dimensioning of the respective combination of articles 16 (cf. 1 ) is matched to which the respective flat packaging blank 41 is to be applied. Figure 4A shows the in again 1 already shown and too 1 described sensor 35, which is designed as an ultrasonic sensor 37. A respective actual position of the openings 62 can be detected by means of the sensor 35 or ultrasonic sensor. With the help of the sensor 35 or ultrasonic sensor 37, there is also the possibility of detecting a pair of holes 631 and controlling the cutting and/or separating device 36 in such a way that the separating cut 634 can be made exactly in the middle between two consecutive pairs of holes 631.

Based on Figure 4B the same relationship is illustrated in the case of a two-web uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22, which after the production of the hole pattern 63 is divided into two separate sections, which is indicated by the dividing line 635, which is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 and approximately centrally to the two longitudinal sides of the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 runs. There, the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 is divided into two separate sections for delivery to two parallel packaging lines.

In addition, based on Figure 4C the same relationship is illustrated for a three-web continuous web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 which, after the hole patterns 63 have been produced, is divided into three separate sections, which is indicated by the two parallel dividing lines 635, which are parallel to the longitudinal direction of the continuous web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 and approximately midway between longitudinally adjacent ones Rows of holes in the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 runs. There, the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22 is divided into a total of three separate sections for delivery to three parallel packaging lines. In order to detect the hole pattern or actual positions of the openings 63, a sensor 35 or ultrasonic sensor 37 can also be provided in such embodiments. It is conceivable that the sensor 35 or ultrasonic sensor 37 recognizes the respective actual positions of the openings 63 before the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material is subdivided along the dividing lines 635 into three sections, and that a common cutting and/or or separator 36 (cf. 1 ) controls or controls several cutting and/or separating devices 36 provided for a respective section. A separate sensor 35 or ultrasonic sensor 37 can also be provided for each of the three sections formed from the uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material 22, which detects the actual positions of the openings 63 formed as part of a respective section and for the defined separation of flat packaging blanks 41 (see. 1 ) is connected to a cutting and/or separating device 36 .

The number of rows of holes required in each case depends on the later use (one, two or three lane processing in the packaging machine 12). In any case, the perforation must be created at an exact distance (transverse to the running direction), as shown in the Figures 3C and 4A to 4C in detail.

The schematic side views of the Figures 5A and 5B show an example of a variant of a container 24 with handle 56, which can be produced with a packaging system 10 according to one of the previously described variants.

In the embodiment variant shown, the container 24 comprises a total of six PET drinks containers 58, which are grouped in a so-called rectangular arrangement and held together with an enveloping disposable outer packaging in the form of a flat packaging blank 41, in particular a PE shrink film. The carrying handle 56 is fixed at defined contact points 60 on the outsides of at least two oppositely arranged beverage containers 58 of the container 24 . According to the present invention, these contact points 60 coincide at least partially with openings 62 in the outer packaging or the flat packaging blank 41, so that the contact points 60 in the exemplary embodiment shown can pass through the openings 62 reach through and touch the edges 64 of the respective opening 62 at least partially, as is the enlarged view of 7 clarified.

The rectangular carrying handle end 68 adhering to the contact point 60 and extending longitudinally in the vertical direction along a lateral surface 66 of the container 58 not only covers the opening 62, which is also elongated, but also its edge region 64 and part of the film surface 70 surrounding the edge 64 (see. 7 ), but due to the contact point 60, which is concentrated in the opening 62 and has an adhesive connection 72 or welded connection 74, the entire flow of force takes place largely directly from the carrying handle 56 through the opening 62 to the lateral surface 66 of the contacted container 58. At the same time, the film surface 70 and thus the area of the outer packaging or the flat packaging blank 41 surrounding the contact point 60 is relieved of tensile forces when carrying the container 24, since the relatively small contact area outside the edge 64 does not transfer any appreciable tensile forces 76 into the outer packaging or the flat Packaging blank 41 can initiate.

Optionally, the contact point 60 can also be designed in such a way that the adhesive connection 72 or welded connection 74 is limited to the area or the surface extent of the opening 62, whereas the edge area 64 and the area outside this edge 64 have no adhesive, whereby the flat Packaging blanks 41 or the outer packaging are kept completely free of tensile forces 76 that are applied via the carrying handle 56.

The schematic perspective view of the 6 shows a further embodiment of the container 24 according to the invention with a carrying handle 56 which forms a grip loop 78 located above the top of the container for carrying the container 24 . In this variant, too, the container 24 comprises a total of six articles in the form of PET beverage containers 58, which are grouped in a so-called rectangular arrangement and held together with an enveloping disposable outer packaging in the form of a flat packaging blank 41, in particular a PE shrink film. The carrying handle 56 is fixed at defined contact points 60 in the area of the outsides of at least two articles or beverage containers 58 of the container 24 arranged opposite one another.

According to one variant of the invention, these contact points 60 include the outer packaging or the flat packaging blank 41, so that the Carrying handle ends 68 are applied to the outside of the outer packaging. However, the contact points 60 at least partially coincide with the openings 62 in the outer packaging or the flat packaging blank 41, so that the contact points 60 reach through the openings 62 and at least partially touch the edges 64 of the openings 62, as is shown in the enlarged view of the 7 clarified. Nevertheless, with reference to the 6 pointed out that in this variant the carrying handle 56 is first applied to the flat packaging blank 41 or outer packaging, even if the carrying handle ends 68 are applied adhesively to the container casing surfaces 66 using suitable connection techniques, penetrating the flat packaging blank 41 or outer packaging.

The rectangular carrying handle end 68 adhering to the contact point 60 and extending longitudinally in the vertical direction along the lateral surface 66 of the container 58 or the article completely covers the longitudinal or punctual opening 62 as well as its edge region 64 and part of the edge 64 surrounding film surface 70, although due to the contact point 60 concentrating in the opening 62 and having an adhesive connection 72 and/or a welded connection 74, largely the entire flow of force takes place directly from the carrying handle 56 through the recess 62 onto the lateral surface 66 of the contacted article or container 58 takes place (cf. 7 ). At the same time, the film surface 70 and thus the area of the outer packaging or the flat packaging blank 41 surrounding the contact point 60 is relieved of tensile forces 76 when carrying the container 24, since the relatively small contact surface 60 outside the edge 64 does not transmit any significant tensile forces 76 into the outer packaging or the flat packaging blank 41 initiates.

Optionally, the contact point 60 can also be designed in such a way that the adhesive connection 72 or welded connection 74 is limited to the area of the opening 62, whereas the edge area 64 and the area outside this edge 64 have no adhesive or are not welded, whereby the flat packaging blank 41 or the outer packaging is kept completely free of tensile forces 76 that are applied via the carrying handle 56.

In the 6 The variant of the container 24 shown has two openings 62 arranged one above the other with corresponding contact points 60 for the carrying handle ends 68 . The contact points 60 can be in the in 7 be designed in the manner shown. These multiple openings 62 are vertically in a row arranged on top of each other. These recesses 62 each form the adhesive connections 72 or welded connections 74 to the lateral surfaces 66 of the articles or beverage containers 58, with the adhesive connections 72 or welded connections 74 optionally extending into the carrying handle end 68 resting on the film surface 70 in the area outside the edges 64 or into these areas can be kept free of adhesive.

The following is given as a supplementary note to the above statements: Even if "schematic" representations and views are generally spoken of in connection with the figures and their above descriptions, this in no way means that the figure representations and their description with regard to the disclosure of the invention should be of secondary importance. The person skilled in the art is quite capable of extracting enough information from the diagrammatically and abstractly drawn illustrations to make it easier for him to understand the invention, without having to learn from the drawn and possibly not exactly true-to-scale proportions of the packaging system 10 or other drawn elements in would be affected in any way in his understanding. Rather, the figures enable the person skilled in the art as a reader to derive a better understanding of the inventive concept formulated more generally and/or more abstractly in the claims and in the general part of the description on the basis of the more specifically explained implementations of the method according to the invention and the more specifically explained structure of the packaging system 10 according to the invention.

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

reference list

10

packaging system

12

packaging machine

14

transport route

16

Item group, container group

18

Foil wrapping module, wrapping module

20

Deployment, supply roll

22

uninterrupted web, uninterrupted web of thermoplastic packaging material

23

Film speed, conveyor speed, feed speed (of the film web)

24

Bundles, foil bundles, shrink bundles

26

conveying direction, transport direction

28

Shrink module, shrink oven, shrink tunnel

30

Application device (to attach the carrying handles)

32

Cutting device, punching device, punching device

33

punching device

331

Die-cutting roller, rotating die-cutting roller

332

Punching tool, oscillating punching tool

333

Drive, electromotive drive (punch roller)

334

frame (punching device)

335

backing roller

336

Drive, electromotive drive (counter pressure roller)

337

Spindle format adjustment

338

Rotational speed, peripheral speed (punch roller)

34

pack transport section

35

sensor

36

film cutting station

37

ultrasonic sensor

38

Foil roll, storage roll

40

Transport direction, feed direction (of the film)

41

flat packaging blank

42

blade, cutting blade

44

support device

46

Cutting and/or separating device, direction of arrow

48

reception and/or collection facility

50

suction device

52

muzzle opening

54

suction hose

56

carrying handle

58

Containers, beverage containers, PET beverage containers

60

contact point

62

breakthrough

63

Hole pattern (of the recesses)

631

Pair of holes, pair of recesses

632

Distance (of the recesses of each pair of holes from each other)

633

Distance (of the pairs of holes from each other)

634

parting cut

635

parting line

64

Edge (of the recess), edge area

66

Lateral surface, container lateral surface, article lateral surface

68

handle end

70

foil surface

72

Adhesive joint, splice

74

Welded connection, weld point

76

traction

78

grip loop

Claims (9)

1. A method used to produce packs (24) of article sets (16), the method comprising at least the following steps:

   - detection of particular actual positions of reference markers, which are formed by an interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22), and/or which are applied onto the web, as well as

   - separation of individual planar packaging blanks (41) from the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22) in consideration of the detected actual positions of the reference markers, and

   - positioning of the planar packaging blanks (41) separated from the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22) onto article assemblies (16), as well as

   - temperature application to the planar packaging blanks (41) positioned on the particular article assemblies (16), with the result that the planar packaging blanks (41) are shrunk onto the particular article assembly (16),

   characterised in that

   the method furthermore provides that the reference markers are formed as apertures (62) in the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22), the actual positions of which apertures (62) are detected for the purpose of the separation of the individual planar packaging blanks (41) from the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22), wherein a cutting and separating apparatus (36) is in operative connection with a sensor (35) such that a cutting and separating instrument formed as a part of the cutting and separating apparatus (36) is controlled depending on the particular actual positions of the apertures (62) detected via the sensor (35),

   wherein the apertures (62) are cut or introduced into the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22) during a continuous movement of the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22),

   and wherein certain speed fluctuations occurring during the manufacturing process are compensated through a detection of the current actual speed of the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22) and a thereto adapted control of a controllable die-cutting device and/or perforating device (32) by a time point of cutting or of die-cutting or of perforating being adapted to the optimal position.
2. The method according to claim 1, in which

   - an application of glue and/or adhesive is positioned onto an article or onto a plurality of articles of a particular article assembly (16) via at least one aperture (62) of a packaging blank (41) shrunk onto a particular article assembly, and in which at least one carrying handle end (68) of a carrying handle (56) is fixed to the pack (24) in a material-bonded manner by the application of glue and/or adhesive onto the one or onto the plurality of articles, and/or in which

   - at least one carrying handle end (68) of at least one carrying handle (56) comprises an application of glue and/or adhesive, via which application of glue and/or adhesive the at least one carrying handle (56) is fixed to an article or to a plurality of articles of a particular article assembly (16) in the area of a particular aperture (62).
3. The method according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22) is unwound from a supply roll (20), wherein the reference markers are introduced as apertures (62) into a section of the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22) that has already been unwound from the supply roll (20).
4. The method according to claim 3, in which the reference markers are die-cut and/or introduced by a laser cut as apertures (62) into the section of the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22) that has already been unwound from the supply roll (20).
5. The method according to one of the claims 1 to 4, in which the actual positions of the apertures (62) are detected by at least one ultrasonic sensor (37).
6. A packaging system (10) used to produce packs (24) of article sets (16), the packaging system (10) comprising at least

   - a supply (20), via which a web of thermoplastic packaging material (22) can be staged in an interruption-free manner;

   - a sensor system (35), which can detect actual positions of reference markers of the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22);

   - a cutting and separating apparatus (36), which is configured for the separation of planar packaging blanks (41) from the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22) in consideration of the actual positions detected by the sensor system (35),

   - a film wrapping module (18) for the positioning of the planar packaging blanks (41) separated from the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22) onto article assemblies (16), as well as

   - a shrink tunnel (28) for the heat shrinkage of the positioned planar packaging blanks (41) onto the article assemblies (16),

   - characterised in that the system furthermore comprises a die-cutting device and/or perforating device (32), which can introduce reference markers formed as apertures (62) into a section of the web of thermoplastic packaging material (22) staged in an interruption-free manner by the supply (20), wherein

   the sensor system is configured to detect the actual positions of reference markers of the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22), which reference markers are formed as apertures (62) in the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22), and wherein the cutting and separating apparatus (36) is in operative connection with a sensor (35) such that a cutting and separating instrument formed as a part of the cutting and separating apparatus (36) is controlled depending on the particular actual positions of the apertures (62) detected via the sensor (35),

   wherein the apertures (62) are cut or introduced into the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22) during a continuous movement of the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22),

   and wherein certain speed fluctuations occurring during the manufacturing process are compensated through a detection of the current actual speed of the interruption-free web of thermoplastic packaging material (22) and a thereto adapted control of the controllable die-cutting device and/or perforating device (32) by a time point of cutting or of die-cutting or of perforating being adapted to the optimal position.
7. The packaging system according to claim 6, comprising an application apparatus (30), which can position an application of glue and/or adhesive onto an article or onto a plurality of articles of a particular article assembly (16) via at least one aperture (62) formed as a reference marker, and which is configured to fix at least one carrying handle end (68) of a carrying handle (56) to the pack in a material-bonded manner via the application of glue and/or adhesive positioned onto an article or onto a plurality of articles of a particular article assembly (16) via the at least one aperture (62) formed as a reference marker.
8. The packaging system according to claim 6 or 7, in which the die-cutting device and/or perforating device (32) used to introduce the reference markers formed as apertures (62) comprises at least one cutting die and/or at least one laser cutting system or laser cutting device.
9. The packaging system according to one of the claims 6 to 8, in which the sensor system (35) comprises at least one ultrasonic sensor (37).

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