EP3812288A1 - Procédé et dispositif de rétractation destinés à la rétractation d'une matière d'emballage thermoplastique sur des articles - Google Patents

Procédé et dispositif de rétractation destinés à la rétractation d'une matière d'emballage thermoplastique sur des articles Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3812288A1
EP3812288A1 EP20201689.5A EP20201689A EP3812288A1 EP 3812288 A1 EP3812288 A1 EP 3812288A1 EP 20201689 A EP20201689 A EP 20201689A EP 3812288 A1 EP3812288 A1 EP 3812288A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
shrinking
temperature
medium
article
packaging material
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP20201689.5A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP3812288B1 (fr
Inventor
Peter Haidacher
Marcus Renz
Marcus KREIS
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Krones AG
Original Assignee
Krones AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from DE102019128873.8A external-priority patent/DE102019128873A1/de
Priority claimed from DE102020120705.0A external-priority patent/DE102020120705A1/de
Application filed by Krones AG filed Critical Krones AG
Publication of EP3812288A1 publication Critical patent/EP3812288A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP3812288B1 publication Critical patent/EP3812288B1/fr
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B53/00—Shrinking wrappers, containers, or container covers during or after packaging
    • B65B53/02—Shrinking wrappers, containers, or container covers during or after packaging by heat
    • B65B53/06—Shrinking wrappers, containers, or container covers during or after packaging by heat supplied by gases, e.g. hot-air jets
    • B65B53/063—Tunnels
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B21/00—Packaging or unpacking of bottles
    • B65B21/24—Enclosing bottles in wrappers
    • B65B21/245—Enclosing bottles in wrappers in flexible wrappers, e.g. foils
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B57/00—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B65/00—Details peculiar to packaging machines and not otherwise provided for; Arrangements of such details
    • B65B65/003—Packaging lines, e.g. general layout
    • B65B65/006—Multiple parallel packaging lines

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method and a shrink tunnel for shrinking thermoplastic packaging material onto articles according to the features of the independent claims.
  • thermoplastic sheet or the respective shrink film is provided as an endless material on rolls before shrinking, then arranged around a compilation or group of several articles, subsequently guided together with the respective articles through a shrink tunnel and there subjected to shrinkage with temperature. If the articles wrapped in the sheet or shrink film exit the shrink tunnel, a so-called packaging unit is formed from the sheet and the group of articles, in which the individual articles are held together by means of the shrunk-on thermoplastic sheet or shrink film.
  • shrinking devices known from the prior art for shrinking materials
  • the articles such as PET bottles, wrapped with a thermoplastic packaging material or shrink material, in particular a shrink film
  • a shrinking medium in particular with hot air or the like
  • shrink tunnels include, for example, electrical heaters for heating the thermoplastic packaging material to be shrunk.
  • a shrink tunnel in which an electrical heating device is used is, for example, from the laid-open specification DE 199 20 057 A1 known.
  • the air heated by the heating devices is fed into the interior of the shrink tunnel via hot air outlets.
  • shrinking devices are known from the prior art, in which the thermoplastic packaging material already applied to the article passes through different temperature zones within the shrink tunnel in the transport direction, which is for example in the laid-open specification US 2010/0059036 A1 is described.
  • one object of the invention can be seen as providing a possibility with which the shrinkage quality in the production of packaging units, in particular shrinkable packs, can be further improved.
  • the invention relates to a method for shrinking a thermoplastic packaging material onto an article or onto an assembly of articles.
  • the articles for example beverage containers such as bottles or cans or the like
  • a grouping device for example beverage containers
  • a thermoplastic packaging material for example with a flat packaging blank made of a shrink material, which is also referred to as shrink film.
  • the shrink film is wrapped around the article assembly in the wrapping device.
  • thermoplastic packaging material shrinks onto the items of the compilation when a shrinking medium, for example hot air, is supplied, so that the articles are held together within the compilation.
  • a shrinking medium for example hot air
  • the packaging unit produced in this way is also referred to as a shrink pack.
  • the shrinking device comprises an interior space with at least one transport path.
  • the shrinking device comprises a shrinking tunnel and a housing surrounding the interior of the shrinking tunnel with an entry area and an entry opening as well as an exit area and an exit opening for the articles wrapped with the thermoplastic packaging material or compilations of articles. Between the inlet opening and the outlet opening there extends at least one transport path for the articles wrapped with shrink material, on which the articles are transported in the transport direction through the shrink tunnel.
  • the transport route is formed in particular by a transport device or a partial area of a transport device which is delimited on both sides by shaft walls.
  • Each of the shaft walls has at least one outflow surface or nozzle surface for shrinking medium directed towards the transport path, which is applied to the articles wrapped with the thermoplastic packaging material via the nozzles of the nozzle surface or the like.
  • the shrinking medium is preferably formed by warm air.
  • the shrinking device comprises a lower spraying device and an upper spraying device, which are assigned in particular to the transport path of the shrink tunnel.
  • the number of shaft walls defines the number of transport routes formed.
  • so-called outer shaft walls are provided on both sides of the transport path on or above the transport device, each having an outflow surface or nozzle surface facing the interior of the shrinking device and a closed side surface facing the housing of the shrinking device.
  • the two transport routes in the vicinity of the housing of the shrinking device are each delimited by outer shaft walls.
  • an inner shaft wall Arranged centrally or approximately in the middle between the two outer shaft walls is an inner shaft wall, the two essentially vertical side surfaces of which are each designed as outflow surfaces or nozzle surfaces parallel to the transport direction.
  • the middle or inner shaft wall thus in particular feeds shrinking medium to the two parallel transport routes, wherein the application of shrinking medium to the two parallel transport routes is or can have approximately the same order of magnitude.
  • the article wrapped with thermoplastic packaging material or the wrapped combination of articles is at least partially exposed to shrinking medium from above and / or from below, which has a first temperature.
  • the article wrapped with thermoplastic packaging material or the wrapped assembly of articles is acted upon at least in regions from the side and / or from below with shrinking medium which has a second temperature. It is provided that there is a temperature difference of at least three degrees Celsius between the first temperature and the second temperature. There is preferably a temperature difference of at least five degrees Celsius, particularly preferably there is a temperature difference of at least ten degrees Celsius.
  • a preferred embodiment provides that the first temperature is higher than the second temperature, in particular that the first temperature is at least three degrees Celsius higher than the second temperature.
  • the difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is at least five degrees Celsius, in particular that the value of the first temperature is at least five degrees Celsius above the value of the second temperature.
  • the temperature difference is particularly preferably at least ten degrees Celsius.
  • the value of the second temperature is approximately 180 degrees Celsius and the value of the first temperature is at least 190 degrees Celsius or higher.
  • the value of the second temperature is approximately 180 degrees Celsius and the value of the first temperature is approximately 230 degrees Celsius.
  • warm air is sucked out of an interior of the shrinking device, in particular from the interior of the shrink tunnel, and is divided into at least one first partial flow and at least one second partial flow.
  • the first partial flow is then heated by a heating device.
  • the article wrapped with the thermoplastic packaging material or the compilation is at least partially exposed to the heated first partial flow from above.
  • the second partial flow is fed directly to the shaft walls and to the at least one lower spray device of the shrinking device.
  • the article wrapped with the thermoplastic packaging material or the compilation is thus at least partially exposed to the side and from below with a second partial flow of warm air, which has a lower second temperature than that from above onto the article or the Compilation directed first substream.
  • the method can in particular be carried out in a shrinking device which comprises at least one first device for supplying a shrinking medium subjected to a first temperature to an upper spraying device and / or a device for supplying a shrinking medium subjected to a first temperature to a lower spraying device.
  • the upper spraying device is formed, for example, by what is known as an upper hood, which is arranged above the transport path and has spraying openings on its underside through which the shrinking medium is sprayed downwards into the interior of the shrink tunnel and thus onto the top of the article or article combination wrapped in thermoplastic packaging material can.
  • the lower spraying device is formed, for example, by a so-called floor chamber which is arranged below the transport path.
  • the bottom chamber is arranged below the transport device, which is formed, for example, by an endless conveyor belt.
  • the bottom chamber has nozzle openings on its upper side, via which the shrinking medium, directed upward, through openings in the transport device, can be sprayed onto the lower side of the article wrapped with thermoplastic packaging material.
  • the shrinking device comprises at least one second device for feeding a shrinking medium subjected to a second temperature to lateral spraying devices and / or a device for feeding a shrinking medium subjected to the second temperature to the lower spraying device, in particular to the shaft walls and / or the bottom chamber of the shrinking device or to areas of the chess walls and / or the bottom chamber of the shrinking device.
  • the shrinking device preferably comprises at least one suction device for sucking in or sucking off air from the interior of the shrinking device.
  • the suction device is preferably formed by a fan.
  • a distribution device can be assigned to the fan, which divides the sucked-in air into at least two partial flows, wherein in particular a first partial flow is assigned to the first device and a second partial flow is assigned to the second device.
  • each device is assigned its own fan for supplying air from the interior of the shrink tunnel.
  • the at least one first device is a first heating device or comprises a first heating device.
  • the first heating device can be a first heating register. A part of the air sucked in from the interior of the shrink tunnel is heated to the desired first temperature via the first heating register and fed to the upper spraying device and / or the lower spraying device. The air heated to the first temperature is introduced as a shrinking medium into the interior of the shrink tunnel, the shrinking medium at the first temperature being directed, in particular, to the top and / or the bottom of the article or article combination wrapped with thermoplastic packaging material.
  • At least one second device is a second heating device or comprises a second heating device.
  • the second heating device can be a second heating register. Via the second heating register, part of the air sucked in from the interior of the shrink tunnel is heated to the desired second temperature and fed to the shaft walls and / or the lower spraying device and fed back into the interior of the shrink tunnel as a shrinking medium, the shrinking medium in particular affecting the Manhole walls directed towards side surfaces and / or the bottom surface of the article wrapped with thermoplastic packaging material is guided.
  • the provision of shrinking medium at a first temperature and shrinking medium at a second temperature takes place independently of one another.
  • the air sucked out of the shrink tunnel can be used directly as a shrinking medium for application from the side and / or from below via the shaft walls without further heating.
  • the second device is formed by the line system between the fan and the shaft walls and the second partial flow is sucked out of the interior via the fan. Air is introduced directly into the shaft walls and / or the floor chamber.
  • the shrinking device comprises a first heating device which is assigned to the first device and the second device and wherein the Shrink device comprises a second heating device which is assigned to the first device.
  • the air sucked out by the fan is first brought to the second temperature by a heating device.
  • a second partial flow of the air heated in this way is introduced directly into the shaft walls and / or the lower spray device.
  • Another part of the air heated in this way is further heated to the higher first temperature in a further heating device and then fed to the upper spraying device and / or the lower spraying device.
  • the provision of shrinking medium at a first temperature and shrinking medium at a second temperature takes place via a step-by-step heating of the air sucked out of the interior.
  • the application of shrinking medium of a first temperature from above and / or below and the application of shrinkage medium of a second, in particular lower, temperature from the sides and / or from below take place at the same time.
  • An alternative embodiment provides that the articles or article combinations wrapped with thermoplastic packaging material are first acted upon from above and / or from below with shrink medium of the first temperature and then from the side and / or from below with shrink medium of the second, in particular lower, temperature .
  • Another embodiment can provide that the articles or article combinations wrapped with thermoplastic packaging material are first acted upon laterally and / or from below with shrinking medium of the second, in particular lower, temperature and then are acted upon from above and / or from below with shrinking medium of the higher first temperature .
  • first temperature zone it is provided, for example, that the articles or article assemblies wrapped with thermoplastic packaging material are simultaneously exposed to shrinking medium at the first temperature and shrinking medium at the second temperature, while the wrapped articles or article assemblies within a second temperature zone from above, in particular via the upper spraying device, and / or from below, in particular via the lower spray device, as well as laterally, in particular via the shaft walls, or all around, with shrinking medium of a third temperature.
  • Another embodiment can provide that the articles or article combinations wrapped with thermoplastic packaging material are acted upon in a first temperature zone from above and / or from below with shrinking medium of the first temperature.
  • shrink medium of the second, in particular lower, temperature is introduced into the interior of the shrink tunnel from the side and / or from below, while in a third temperature zone shrink medium with a third temperature is introduced from above and / or from below and from the side.
  • the first temperature zone and the second temperature zone can also be interchanged.
  • the third temperature is preferably above the second temperature.
  • the third temperature can be higher than the first temperature or else lower than the second temperature.
  • the third temperature is preferably between the first temperature and the second temperature.
  • each of the temperature zones has a first device for providing a shrinking medium to which a first temperature is applied and / or a second device for providing a shrinking medium to which a second temperature is applied and / or a third device for Providing a shrinking medium etc. to which a third temperature is applied.
  • a device for providing a shrinking medium to which a third temperature is applied is preferably provided, which device is in particular assigned to the corresponding temperature zone.
  • the different temperatures in the different temperature zones are each generated and / or controlled independently of one another.
  • the air sucked in from the interior is divided into a first partial flow and a second partial flow, the first volume of the first partial flow being greater than the second volume of the second partial flow.
  • the amount of shrinking medium that is applied over the shaft walls and from below onto the article or the article assembly that is at least partially encased with thermoplastic packaging material is thus significantly reduced compared to known shrinking devices.
  • the first partial flow is inflated from above over a large area, so that the shrinking medium of the first partial flow also has a the lowest possible flow velocity flows into the interior of the shrinking device.
  • first partial flow and the second partial flow are designed to be approximately the same in terms of volume.
  • first partial flow provides a smaller volume than the second partial flow.
  • the air is sucked out of areas behind the outer shaft walls, which areas are assigned to the side surfaces of the shaft walls that are not facing the transport path.
  • the suction device of the shrink device has at least one suction opening arranged above the transport path and above the at least two outer shaft walls.
  • the suction panel Associated with the suction opening is at least one suction panel above the transport path, which extends across a width transverse to the transport direction, which is greater than a width of the suction opening and which extends in particular over a width between the outflow surfaces of the two outer shaft walls.
  • the suction panel preferably extends transversely to the transport direction over the total width of all transport routes subdivided by inner shaft walls and beyond.
  • the air is thus sucked in from an area between a housing delimiting the interior of the shrinking device and the, in particular closed, side surface of the outer shaft walls facing away from the transport path.
  • the air can thus be sucked out of an area in which no articles wrapped with packaging material are arranged. There is thus also no risk of the packaging material being blown and not shrinking onto the articles or article combinations in the desired manner.
  • the shrinking device comprises a control device and at least one sensor assigned to the upper spraying device and / or at least one sensor assigned to the lower spraying device and / or at least one sensor assigned to the shaft walls.
  • the sensors are in each case temperature sensors that determine the temperature of the shrinking medium which is applied to the thermoplastic via the respective spraying device or shaft wall Packaging material wrapped articles or article assemblies is applied.
  • an actual value of the supplied shrinking medium is determined in an upper and / or a lower area and / or in a lateral area of the shrinking device.
  • the data determined by sensors are transmitted to the control device and the first device and / or the second device are regulated and / or controlled on the basis of the data determined by sensors.
  • the control device compares in particular the at least one measured actual value with a defined setpoint value.
  • the heating of the sucked in air via the first heating device and / or the second heating device can be adapted accordingly.
  • One embodiment provides, for example, that the heating device through which the first partial flow is passed is regulated and / or controlled on the basis of the data determined by sensors in order to adapt the temperature of the air of the first partial flow accordingly.
  • the shrinking process takes place in the reverse order than with conventionally known shrinking processes.
  • the shrinkage takes place from the center of the film outwards in the direction of the edge of the film.
  • the side spraying and / or the spraying from below takes place with shrinking medium, the temperature of which is lower than the mean process temperature in the interior of the shrink tunnel, while the spraying takes place from above and / or below with shrinking medium, the temperature of which is above the mean process temperature or interior temperature.
  • the mean process temperature or interior temperature represents a mixed temperature between the first and the second temperature Shrink material applies wrinkle-free around the article or since the formation of wrinkles when shrinking the shrink material is significantly reduced compared to known processes. A clean design of the foil eye is also guaranteed here.
  • the packaging units produced in this way are then sent for further processing. It can be provided that the packaging units After leaving the shrink tunnel, a coolant, for example cooling air, can still be applied in order to cool the packaging units more quickly, which further increases the stability of the shrunk-on thermoplastic packaging material.
  • a coolant for example cooling air
  • a plurality of packaging units are put together, for example in a layer formation module, to form a palletizable layer.
  • the layers are preferably formed by means of at least one suitable manipulator, for example by means of a gantry robot, a tripod or the like.
  • the layers prepared in this way can be stacked on top of one another in a palletizing module for subsequent storage and / or transport.
  • An alternative embodiment which also serves to optimize the shrinking process, can provide that the different areas of the articles or article assemblies wrapped with packaging material are each acted upon with different volume flows of shrinking agent in order to achieve a different energy input.
  • the different energy input can also be achieved, for example, if, for example, IR radiation or the like is used as the shrinkage means. It can be provided here that the different areas of the articles or article combinations wrapped with packaging material are each irradiated with different IR radiation.
  • FIG. 1 shows a cross section of a shrinking device 1 and schematically demonstrates a shrinking process according to the known prior art.
  • Article 2 in particular beverage containers, bottles 3, cans or the like are put together in article groups in a dividing module (not shown) and wrapped in a wrap-around module (not shown) with a flat thermoplastic packaging material, in particular a cut of shrink film 4.
  • shrink film 4 is mostly used in the following, it is intended to encompass any suitable thermoplastic packaging material.
  • the arrangements of articles 2 and shrink film 4 are also referred to as wrapped article groups 5.
  • the wrapped article groups 5 are transported in a transport direction on a transport path TS, which is formed in particular by a conveyor belt 6, through the shrink tunnel of the shrinking device 1.
  • At least one heating means (not shown) is arranged in the shrink tunnel that generates hot air HL as the shrinking medium.
  • the shaft walls 7 are, for example, lateral spraying devices in the form of perforated hollow bodies.
  • the shrinking device 1 shown shows a single-lane shrink tunnel with two lateral shaft walls 7, the side surfaces of the shaft walls 7 facing the interior 8 of the shrink tunnel being designed as outflow surfaces 9.
  • the two shaft walls 7 are also referred to as so-called outer shaft walls 7a.
  • part of the shrinking medium generated by the heating means is blown onto the wrapped article groups 5 from below in the form of hot air HL.
  • the conveyor belt 6 is designed to be correspondingly permeable, for example in the form of a mat chain conveyor or the like.
  • the shrinking medium, in particular the hot air HL causes the shrink film 4 to shrink around the article 2.
  • the shrinking process starts in particular from the edge of the film and runs in the direction of the center of the film.
  • the starting areas are marked in the drawing by the reference symbol "S", while the center of the film is marked by the reference symbol "M".
  • FIGs 2A to 2D represent the shrinking of the shrink film 4 around the bottles 3 of the wrapped article group 5 in different areas along the transport route TS within the shrink tunnel of the shrinking device 1 according to Fig. 1 represent.
  • Figure 2A shows the situation in the starting area of the shrink tunnel 1.
  • the shrink film 4 was wrapped around the bottles 3 by means of a film wrapping device or a wrapping module (not shown), for example.
  • the schematic view of the Fig. 3 Fig. 10 shows a shrinking device 10 and a shrinking process according to the present invention. It is provided here that shrinking medium, in particular hot air HL, at a first temperature T1 is applied from above to the wrapped article group 5 and that further, in particular simultaneously, via the shaft walls 7, shrinking medium, in particular hot air HL, of a second temperature T2 from the sides forth is applied to the wrapped article group 5.
  • shrinking medium in particular hot air HL
  • the first temperature T1 is at least three degrees Celsius higher than the second temperature T2.
  • the shrinking medium from the shaft walls 7 has a second temperature T2 of approximately 160 to 180 degrees Celsius, while the shrinking medium supplied from above has a first temperature T1 that is at least five degrees Celsius above the second temperature T2.
  • the first temperature T1 is preferably at least ten degrees Celsius above the second temperature T2.
  • the shrinking medium of the first temperature T1 is inflated from above onto at least in a middle area between the two shaft walls 7 delimiting the transport path TS for the wrapped article group 5, so that the shrinking process does not begin at the film protrusions FÜ, but in central areas in which the shrink film 4 rests above the article 2 of the wrapped article group 5.
  • This ensures that the shrinking process takes place from the inside out, i.e. the shrink film 4 first shrinks in the middle area and attaches itself firmly to the article 2 from above before the shrink film 4 shrinks in the lateral area, especially in the area of the film protrusions FÜ.
  • the formation of wrinkles is reduced or completely prevented, and particularly uniform film eyes are formed.
  • shrinking medium in particular hot air HL
  • shrinking medium at a first temperature T1 is applied to the wrapped article group 5 from below.
  • shrinking medium, in particular hot air HL, at a second temperature T2 is applied to the wrapped article group 5 from below.
  • the shrink film 4 below the article 2 is also shrunk from the inside out.
  • the shrinking medium fed in from below can also be a third one Have temperature T3.
  • the third temperature T3 is preferably also above the second temperature T2.
  • the third temperature T3 can be higher than the first temperature T1.
  • the third temperature T3 is preferably between the first temperature T1 and the second temperature T2.
  • an average process temperature or interior temperature is obtained in the interior 8 of the shrink tunnel of the shrinking device 10, which is between the first temperature T1 and the second temperature T2.
  • At least two temperature zones are formed within the shrink tunnel.
  • the wrapped article groups 5 are acted upon from above and / or below with shrinking medium of a first temperature T1 and laterally and / or from below with shrinking medium of a second, in particular lower, temperature T2.
  • the wrapped article groups 5 are exposed to shrinking medium of the same temperature on all sides before they exit the shrink tunnel, i.e. there is no temperature difference between the shrinking medium supplied from above and / or below and the laterally supplied shrinking medium.
  • FIGS. 4A to 4C each show a partial area of a shrinking device 10 according to the present invention.
  • Figure 4A in particular an upper portion of a shrink device 10 according to the present invention, which Figure 4B shows a lower portion and Figure 4C shows an upper portion of a further embodiment of a shrink device 10 according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 4A the upper hood 11 of the shrinking device 10 is shown.
  • Three shaft walls 7 are arranged on this so that wrapped article groups (not shown) can be processed in two lanes within the shrinking device 10 shown.
  • two outer shaft walls 7 a and a central inner shaft wall 7 i are arranged on the upper hood 11.
  • the inner shaft wall 7i has outflow surfaces with shrink medium outlet openings on both side wall surfaces arranged parallel to the transport direction TR, so that shrink medium flows into the interior of the shrink tunnel on both sides and thus for the lateral application of the Item with hot air or similar.
  • the known shaft walls 7 are walls with an inner cavity into which the shrinking medium is blown.
  • the shaft walls 7 each have at least one air inlet opening, preferably arranged in the upper area, through which the shrink medium is blown into the shaft wall 7 from above and then flows through the shrink medium outlet openings of the at least one outflow surface into the interior of the shrink tunnel.
  • the shrinking device 10 comprises a fan 12 as a suction device, which draws in air from the interior of the shrink tunnel laterally via a suction panel 13. A first part of the air sucked in by the fan 12 is fed to a heating register 14 and heated in this to a first temperature T1.
  • the hot air HL heated to a first temperature T1 is applied via the upper hood 11 from above into the interior of the shrink tunnel and from above onto the wrapped article groups, in particular inflated. Furthermore, some of the hot air HL heated to the first temperature T1 can be inflated from below onto the underside of the wrapped article groups via the bottom chamber of the shrinking device 10.
  • a second part of the air sucked in by the blower 12 is fed directly back into the shaft walls 7 and thus subsequently serves to act on the enveloped article groups conveyed through the shrink tunnel from the side with warm or hot air HL at a second temperature T2, which is in particular lower than that first temperature T1 (compare Fig. 3 ).
  • the transport path TS for the wrapped article groups can be seen, which is preferably formed by a conveyor belt 6 which is motor-driven by a suitable drive 20.
  • first temperature zone TZ1 which is for example according to Figure 4A over approximately 70 percent of the transport route TS or which extends according to Figure 4B extends over approximately 50 percent of the transport path TS
  • first temperature zone TZ1 which is for example according to Figure 4A over approximately 70 percent of the transport route TS or which extends according to Figure 4B extends over approximately 50 percent of the transport path TS
  • the wrapped article groups are acted upon from above and / or below with shrinking medium of a first temperature T1 and from the side with shrinking medium of a second, in particular lower, temperature T2 (cf. Fig. 3 ).
  • the wrapped article groups are exposed to shrinking medium at a first temperature or a second temperature or with shrinking medium at a third temperature on all sides.
  • the third temperature T3 can either be below the second temperature or above the first temperature or between the first and the second temperature.
  • each of the three temperature zones extends over approximately one third of the entire transport route.
  • the fan 12 is assigned a distribution device 21 which divides the sucked air into a first partial flow HL1 and a second partial flow HL2.
  • the first partial flow HL1 of the air sucked in by the fan 12 is fed to a heating register 14 and heated in this to a first temperature T1.
  • the first partial flow HL 1 heated to a first temperature T1 is applied, in particular inflated, via the upper hood 11 from above into the interior of the shrink tunnel and from above onto the wrapped article groups.
  • the second partial flow HL2 of the air sucked in by the blower 12 is introduced directly into the shaft walls 7 and into a floor chamber (not shown) and is therefore subsequently used to apply hot or cold water to the wrapped article groups conveyed through the shrink tunnel from the side and from below.
  • the suction panel 13 is preferably designed in such a way that the air is sucked out of areas behind the outer shaft walls 7a, which are each assigned to the side surfaces of the outer shaft walls 7a that are not facing the transport path.
  • the suction panel extends across a width transverse to the transport direction TR, which is greater than a width of the suction opening of the fan 12 and which extends in particular over a width between the outflow surfaces of the two outer shaft walls 7a.
  • the suction panel 13 extends transversely to the transport direction TR over the total width of all transport routes subdivided by inner shaft walls 7i and beyond.
  • the air from an area between the housing delimiting the interior of the shrinking device 10 and the, in particular closed, side surface facing away from the transport path is the outer Manhole walls 7a sucked in.
  • the air can thus be sucked out of an area in which no articles wrapped with packaging material are arranged. There is thus also no risk of the packaging material being blown and not shrinking onto the articles or article combinations in the desired manner.
  • the Fig. 5 shows in a schematic manner a first embodiment of a shrinking device 10 with differently tempered shrinking medium, in particular analogous to FIG Figure 4A .
  • the different temperatures are generated in that part of the air sucked in is blown directly back into the shaft walls 7 of the shrink tunnel of the shrinking device 10 as a shrinking medium with the second temperature T2 without being heated again.
  • the other part of the sucked in air is heated by a heating register 14 to an increased first temperature T1 and blown into the interior of the shrink tunnel from above via the upper hood 11.
  • part of the hot air HL with the increased first temperature T1 is fed to a floor chamber 15 of the shrink tunnel.
  • the bottom chamber 15 is arranged in particular below the transport path TS for the wrapped groups of articles and has an outflow surface on its upper side so that hot air HL of the first temperature T1 can be sprayed onto the wrapped groups of articles from below via the bottom chamber 15.
  • the Fig. 6 shows in a schematic way a second embodiment of a shrinking device 10 with differently tempered shrinking medium.
  • the upper hood 11 is supplied with further heated hot air HL at the higher first temperature T1
  • both the shaft walls 7 and the bottom chamber 15 are supplied with hot air HL at the second, in particular lower, temperature T2.
  • some of the air sucked in from the interior of the shrink tunnel by the blower 12 is introduced again directly into the shaft walls 7 and into the floor chamber 15.
  • the Fig. 7 shows a further embodiment of the shrinking device 10 according to FIG Figure 4C with shrinking medium at different temperatures.
  • the hot air HL drawn in is divided into a first partial flow HL1 and a second partial flow via the distribution device 21.
  • the different temperatures are generated by the fact that the second substream HL2 as a shrinking medium with the second temperature T2 directly back in without re-heating the shaft walls 7 and the bottom chamber 15 of the shrink tunnel of the shrink device 10 is blown.
  • the bottom chamber 15 is arranged in particular below the transport path TS for the wrapped groups of articles and has an outflow surface on its upper side so that hot air at the second temperature T2 can be sprayed onto the wrapped groups of articles from below via the bottom chamber 15.
  • the first partial flow HL1 is heated to an increased first temperature T1 by a heating register 14 and blown into the interior of the shrink tunnel from above via the upper hood 11.
  • a first volume of the first partial flow HL1 is greater than a second volume of the second partial flow HL2.
  • the amount of shrinking medium that is applied laterally via the shaft walls 7 and from below via the bottom chamber 15 to the article or the article assembly that is at least partially wrapped with thermoplastic packaging material is significantly reduced compared to known shrinking devices.
  • the first partial flow HL1 is inflated from above over a large area of the upper hood 11, so that the shrinking medium of the first partial flow HL1 also flows into the interior of the shrinking device 10 at the lowest possible flow rate.
  • the Fig. 8 shows in a schematic manner a fourth embodiment of a shrinking device 10 with differently tempered shrinking medium
  • the Fig. 9 shows schematically a fifth embodiment of a shrinking device 10 with shrinking medium at different temperatures.
  • two heating registers 14, 16 are used to control the temperature of the shrinking medium.
  • the heating registers 14, 16 are connected in parallel. A first part of the air sucked in by the fan 12 from the interior of the shrinking device 10 is heated by a first heating register 14 to a first temperature T1 and sprayed onto the wrapped groups of items via the top hood 11 and from below via the bottom chamber 15.
  • a second part of the air sucked in by the fan 12 from the interior of the shrinking device 10 is heated to a second temperature T2 by a second heating register 16, the second temperature T2 preferably being lower than the first temperature T1.
  • the hot air to which the second temperature T2 is applied HL is introduced into the shaft walls 7 of the shrinking device 10 and laterally sprayed onto the wrapped groups of articles.
  • the embodiment shown here are two heating registers 14, 16 connected in series.
  • the air sucked in by the fan 12 from the interior of the shrinking device 10 is heated to a temperature T2 by a first heating register 14.
  • a part of the hot air HL heated to temperature T2 is introduced into the shaft walls 7 of the shrinking device 10 and is sprayed laterally onto the wrapped groups of articles.
  • the remaining part of the hot air HL heated to the temperature T2 is heated to an increased temperature T1 by a second heating register 16.
  • the hot air HL to which the increased temperature T1 is applied is sprayed onto the enveloped groups of articles via the upper hood 11 from above and via the bottom chamber 15 from below.
  • the Fig. 10 shows a shrinking device 10 analogous to FIG Fig. 3 .
  • the Fig. 11 shows a further embodiment of a shrinking device 10 analogous to FIG Fig. 3 without a wrapped article group, whereby the wrapped article group has not been shown for reasons of clarity.
  • a fan 12 By means of a fan 12, air is sucked in from the interior space 8 of the shrink tunnel of the shrinking device 10, preferably via a suction panel (not shown).
  • a distribution device 21 is assigned to the fan 12, which divides the sucked air into at least two partial flows.
  • a first partial flow is assigned to a first device for feeding a shrinking medium HL subjected to a first temperature T1 to an upper spraying device, in particular to the upper hood 11, and / or for feeding to a lower spraying device, in particular the bottom chamber 15.
  • a second partial flow is assigned to a second device for supplying a shrinking medium HL to which a second temperature T2 is applied to the shaft walls 7.
  • a second temperature T2 is applied to the shaft walls 7.
  • part of the air is fed directly back into the shaft walls 7 in order to be injected laterally into the interior space 8 via the shaft walls 7 and in particular in the direction of the wrapped group of articles.
  • a first temperature sensor 18 is assigned to the bottom chamber 15. This determines the temperature of the hot air HL supplied from the heating register 14. The determined value is transmitted to a control device 17, which compares the determined value with the desired target value, in particular a temperature T1. If the comparison results in a deviation of the determined actual value from the setpoint value T1, then the control device 17 regulates the heating register 14.
  • a temperature sensor (not shown) assigned to the upper hood 11 can be provided.
  • At least one second temperature sensor 19 can be assigned to the shaft walls 7, which sensor determines the temperature of the hot air HL fed into the shaft walls 7. If the determined value is below the desired target temperature value T2, a second heating register 16 is activated, which heats the air sucked in by the fan 12 to the desired temperature T2 before it is fed into the shaft walls 7.
  • a first partial flow HL1 is assigned to a first device for supplying a shrinking medium to which a first temperature T1 is applied to an upper spray device, in particular to the upper hood 11.
  • a second partial flow HL2 is assigned to a second device for supplying a shrinking medium HL to which a second temperature T2 is applied to the shaft walls 7 and for supplying the lower spraying device, in particular the bottom chamber 15.
  • the second partial flow HL2 of the air is fed directly back into the shaft walls 7 and the bottom chamber 15, to be injected laterally and from below into the interior 8 and in particular in the direction of the wrapped group of articles.
  • the first partial flow HL1 of the sucked in air is heated to a temperature T1 via a heating register 14 and injected into the interior 8 from above.
  • a first temperature sensor 18 is assigned to the bottom chamber 15. This determines the temperature of the second partial flow HL2 in hot air. The determined value is transmitted to a control device 17, which compares the determined value with the desired target value, in particular a temperature T2. If the comparison results in a deviation of the determined actual value from the setpoint value T2, then the control device 17 regulates the heating register 14 in order to increase the temperature of the first partial flow HL1, which enters the interior 8 of the shrinking device 10 from above via the upper hood (not shown) is introduced and thus to increase the temperature of the process air in the interior 8 of the shrinking device 10.
  • a temperature sensor 25 assigned to the upper hood (not shown) can be provided.
  • At least one second temperature sensor 19 can be assigned to the shaft walls 7, which sensor determines the temperature of the second partial flow HL2 fed into the shaft walls 7. If the determined value is below the desired target temperature value T2, a second heating register 16 can be activated, if necessary, which heats the air sucked in by the fan 12 to the desired temperature T2 before it is fed into the shaft walls 7. Alternatively, the heating register 14 can again be regulated and the first partial flow HL1 can be heated further.
  • the Fig. 12 shows a further embodiment of a shrinking device 10 with differently tempered shrinking medium in a schematic manner.
  • air is sucked in from the interior of the shrinking device 10 via a first fan 12-1, heated to a first temperature T1 by means of a heating register 14 and fed to the top hood 11 and the bottom chamber 15 and to act on the wrapped groups of items from above or below used.
  • FIGS 13A through 13D show the shrinkage process at different points in time, in particular the shrinkage behavior of the shrink film 4 around the articles 2 of the article group 5 is shown.
  • Figure 13A shows a first state when the article group 5 wrapped with shrink film 4 enters the shrink device 10
  • Figure 13B shows a subsequent second state in which the shrinking process has already started.
  • Figure 13C shows another later point in time at which the shrinking process has already progressed and
  • Figure 13D shows a point in time shortly before or when leaving the shrinking device 10, at which the shrinking process is complete.
  • the shrink film 4 protrudes laterally over the article 2 beyond ( Figure 13A ).
  • the Shrink film 4 With increasing energy supply in the form of shrink agent, the Shrink film 4 together, the shrinkage taking place in particular from the center of the film outwards in the direction of the edge of the film.
  • the shrink film 4 attaches itself more and more to the article 2 ( Figures 13B and 13C ) until it finally rests firmly against the outer circumferential surfaces of the article 2 at least in some areas and thus securely holds the article 2 together.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)
  • Shaping By String And By Release Of Stress In Plastics And The Like (AREA)
EP20201689.5A 2019-10-25 2020-10-14 Procédé et dispositif de rétractation destinés à la rétractation d'une matière d'emballage thermoplastique sur des articles Active EP3812288B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102019128873.8A DE102019128873A1 (de) 2019-10-25 2019-10-25 Verfahren und Schrumpfvorrichtung zum Aufschrumpfen eines thermoplastischen Verpackungsmaterials auf Artikel
DE102020120705.0A DE102020120705A1 (de) 2020-08-05 2020-08-05 Verfahren und Schrumpfvorrichtung zum Aufschrumpfen eines thermoplastischen Verpackungsmaterials auf Artikel

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EP3812288A1 true EP3812288A1 (fr) 2021-04-28
EP3812288B1 EP3812288B1 (fr) 2023-09-06

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EP (1) EP3812288B1 (fr)
CN (1) CN215098710U (fr)
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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP4067247A1 (fr) * 2021-03-31 2022-10-05 KRONES Aktiengesellschaft Procédé de transfert d'un dispositif de contraction en mode veille et dispositif de contraction

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19920057A1 (de) 1999-05-03 2000-11-09 Kallfass Gmbh Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Verpackung von Gegenständen in Schrumpffolie
WO2002036436A1 (fr) * 2000-11-01 2002-05-10 Claude Andrew Neagle Tunnel de retraction pour machine d'emballage adaptable
US20100059036A1 (en) 2007-03-20 2010-03-11 Hiroyuki Inoue Air injection nozzle, and tenter oven using the nozzle
EP2835317A1 (fr) * 2013-08-06 2015-02-11 Krones Aktiengesellschaft Procédé et dispositif de rétrécissement de matériau sur un article et/ou sur une composition d'articles
CN207208656U (zh) * 2017-09-20 2018-04-10 富茂(上海)包装器材贸易有限公司 一种分段式热风循环收缩炉
EP3446991A1 (fr) * 2017-08-22 2019-02-27 Krones Aktiengesellschaft Dispositif de rétractation et procédé d'aspiration d'air à partir d'un espace intérieur d'un dispositif de rétractation

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19920057A1 (de) 1999-05-03 2000-11-09 Kallfass Gmbh Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Verpackung von Gegenständen in Schrumpffolie
WO2002036436A1 (fr) * 2000-11-01 2002-05-10 Claude Andrew Neagle Tunnel de retraction pour machine d'emballage adaptable
US20100059036A1 (en) 2007-03-20 2010-03-11 Hiroyuki Inoue Air injection nozzle, and tenter oven using the nozzle
EP2835317A1 (fr) * 2013-08-06 2015-02-11 Krones Aktiengesellschaft Procédé et dispositif de rétrécissement de matériau sur un article et/ou sur une composition d'articles
EP3446991A1 (fr) * 2017-08-22 2019-02-27 Krones Aktiengesellschaft Dispositif de rétractation et procédé d'aspiration d'air à partir d'un espace intérieur d'un dispositif de rétractation
CN207208656U (zh) * 2017-09-20 2018-04-10 富茂(上海)包装器材贸易有限公司 一种分段式热风循环收缩炉

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP4067247A1 (fr) * 2021-03-31 2022-10-05 KRONES Aktiengesellschaft Procédé de transfert d'un dispositif de contraction en mode veille et dispositif de contraction

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EP3812288B1 (fr) 2023-09-06
CN215098710U (zh) 2021-12-10
PT3812288T (pt) 2023-11-16

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