EP4063284B1 - Apparatus for removing film wrapping from palletized product stacks - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device and a method for automatically removing a film wrapping from palletized product stacks according to claim 1.

To secure the load, products stacked on pallets are often wrapped with stretch film or shrink-wrapped after the stack has been formed so that the products do not slip during transport.

However, it is difficult to remove this foil wrapping later when unpacking. Therefore, this is often still done manually.

EP 0 720 564 A1 describes a device and a method in which, to remove a film hood pulled over a stack of goods, in which the film hood is cut vertically on one side of the stack of goods, a cut edge is detected and attached to a winding mandrel and then the winding mandrel is guided around the stack of goods and thereby the film is wound onto the winding mandrel rotating around its longitudinal axis. To do this, the film is cut vertically using a knife and then lifted off the stack in sections using a suction device.

Out of US 2004/0099110 A1 It is known to arrange corresponding devices on opposite sides of the wrapped stack, which are analogous EP 0 720 564 A1 cut on both sides at the same time.

In principle, these devices can automatically process homogeneous pallets wrapped in film.

The DE 10 2014 003 652 A1 discloses a device for opening a container, for example plastic bags, for transporting valuables, comprising a suction device for sucking in the container and a separating device for separating the container in a suctioned area of the container.

However, there is still a need for better-functioning mechanisms, especially for inhomogeneous or mixed-stacked pallets, as these have not yet been easy to process due to the uneven contour.

In contrast, the object of the present invention is to provide an improved alternative that works better, particularly with inhomogeneous or mixed-stacked pallets.

This object is achieved by the cutting head reproduced in claim 1 and the device specified in claim 7. Advantageous refinements result from the subclaims and the description.

According to the invention, it has been recognized that when the cutting head is designed for cutting a film wrapping of palletized product stacks with a cutting element for cutting through the film, the cutting element is arranged between at least two opposite contact elements and is set back relative to the film contact plane formed by the opposite contact elements to form a cutting cavity is, and with a vacuum unit for sucking the area of the film wrapping to be cut locally into the cutting cavity for interaction with the cutting element, it is possible, both manually and automatically, to always move the cutting head along the surface of the film-wrapped stack and the film only in the area of the cutting element, so that a safe and reliable separation is achieved.

In other words, when cutting, the cutting head is always in contact with the film surface of the stack via the contact elements.

This is particularly important for mixed stacks, i.e. stacks of different items, since these form an irregular outer contour and the film therefore also forms an irregular contour and the contact enables safe and reliable separation.

The recessed cutting cavity hides the cutting tool or cutting element from accidental contact.

The contact elements are preferably designed as sliding elements and/or rolling elements. The sliding elements can z. B. be skids, which, for example, have a friction-reducing surface. This is an advantage because the films are often "sticky".

The rolling elements can z. B. be roles.

It is also conceivable to use more than two opposing contact elements. So it can be advantageous to place the cutting cavity between two pairs to arrange opposing contact elements. The cutting head can then tip less easily because it is guided at four points.

The cutting head has a cutting element for actually cutting the film. The cutting element can be, for example, a rigid or rotating knife, a glow wire or an arc torch. The arc torch is preferred because it cuts all types of foil particularly reliably.

According to the invention, when the film is separated with a vacuum unit, it is only sucked locally into the cutting cavity for interaction with the cutting element. For this purpose, the vacuum unit can have at least one suction opening, next to which the cutting element is placed. Preferably, two (or more) suction openings can also be provided, between which the cutting element is arranged (if necessary centrally).

The invention also relates to the use of at least one corresponding cutting head in an automated device with a pallet space for the arrangement of the pallet wrapped in foil, the cutting head being arranged at one end of a movable support arm in such a way that the cutting head is always above the two opposite contact elements Contact with the film when cutting.

In a preferred embodiment, the support arm is designed to be movable both vertically and horizontally, controlled by a motor via a controller, in such a way that the cutting head always rests against the film when cutting. This has the particular advantage that the support arm can always keep the cutting head in contact with the film thanks to its multiple mobility, even if the contour is irregular.

For this purpose, the control can have a device that determines the pressure force of the cutting head on the film and allows regulation.

The facility can e.g. B. have a tactile sensor, the data of which is fed into the controller to allow regulation. Alternatively or additionally, the motor drive of the support arm can have a torque monitor, the data of which is fed into the control to allow regulation.

The device can have a wide variety of configurations. In a preferred one In this embodiment, the device is designed in a portal-like manner, so that the support arm is part of a portal frame, on which the support arm can then be adjusted in a motor-driven manner, with the pallet staging area being arranged on a conveyor which runs through the portal. Alternatively, the support arm can also be designed as part of a multi-axis industrial robot.

It is understood that the term pallet also includes other similar loading aids.

Fig. 1

eine schematische perspektivische Ansicht einer automatisierten Vorrichtung mit einem Schneidkopf zum automatischen Entfernen einer Folienumwicklung von palettierten Produktstapeln;

Fig. 2

eine schematische perspektivische Ansicht eines ersten erfindungsgemäßen Schneidkopfes zum Auftrennen einer Folienumwicklung, insbesondere in einer Vorrichtung nach Figur 1; und

Fig. 3

eine schematische perspektivische Ansicht eines weiteren erfindungsgemäßen Schneidkopfes zum Auftrennen einer Folienumwicklung, insbesondere in einer Vorrichtung nach Figur 1; und

Fig. 4

eine Schnittansicht durch den Schneidkopf aus Figur 3 zeigen.

Further details of the invention result from the following description of exemplary embodiments based on the drawing, in which

Fig. 1

a schematic perspective view of an automated device with a cutting head for automatically removing a film wrap from palletized product stacks;

Fig. 2

a schematic perspective view of a first cutting head according to the invention for cutting a film wrapping, in particular in a device according to Figure 1 ; and

Fig. 3

a schematic perspective view of a further cutting head according to the invention for cutting a film wrapping, in particular in a device according to Figure 1 ; and

Fig. 4

a sectional view through the cutting head Figure 3 show.

In Figure 1 1 shows a device designated as a whole for automatically removing a film wrapping from palletized product stacks.

For this purpose, the device has a cutting head 2 for cutting the film which is wrapped around a stack 3A on a pallet 3B.

The pallet 3B with the wrapped stack 3A is provided for the assembly on a pallet place 4 lying on a roller conveyor 5 which passes through the gantry frame 6 of the device.

The cutting head 2 is arranged to be movable on a carriage 13 at one end of an L-shaped support arm 7 in such a way that it is designed to be movable both vertically and horizontally, controlled by a motor via a controller 10, in such a way that the cutting head 2 always rests against the film when cutting . This is indicated by arrows 11, 12. In addition, the support arm 7 is articulated to the portal head via a rotating device 8, so that the entire support arm 7 can be pivoted around the pallet 3B or stack 3A, for example. B. to remove the severed film at the end.

The motorized adjustment of the carriage 13 has a torque monitor 21, which supplies the controller 10 with data on the contact force of the cutting head 2, so that the concern can be regulated.

A vacuum hose 9 runs from the cutting head 2 along the support arm 7 to the rotating device 8 and is acted upon by a pump 14, which is accommodated in the rotating device 8 and is also regulated by the controller 10.

The cutting head 2 is in detail in the Figures 2 and 3 shown in two different versions. These are largely the same, but differ in the specific design of the cutting element itself.

In Figure 2 the cutting element for cutting through the film is an arc torch 15, while in the variant according to Figure 3 the cutting element consists of fixed knives 15*.

The respective cutting element 15 is arranged between two opposite rollers 16 as a contact element and opposite the film contact plane 20 formed by the opposite rollers 16 (cf. Figure 4 ) to form a cutting cavity 17 set back.

The rollers 16 and the cutting element 15 are attached to a housing 18 which provides the spaced axes for the rollers 16 and the clearance for the cutting cavity 17.

The housing 18 is connected to the vacuum hose 9 at the end facing away from the cutting cavity 17, so that the cutting cavity 17 has a grid-like structure Suction opening 19 is connected to the vacuum pump 14 for sucking the area of the film wrapping to be cut locally into the cutting cavity 17 for interaction with the cutting element.

The respective cutting element 15 is arranged centrally on the grid of the suction opening 19. Suction openings are therefore arranged around the respective cutting element 15.

To separate the film wrapping, the pallet 3B with the wrapped stack 3A is first positioned below the portal 6 on the staging area 4 on the conveyor 5.

Then the cutting head 2 is positioned at the upper edge of the stack 3A and moved to the film via the support arm 7 or carriage 13.

The vacuum is then applied to the cutting head 2 via the pump 14 and the cutting element 15 cuts through the film when the head 2 moves down.

The contact force of the cutting head 2 is constantly checked and adjusted via the torque monitoring 21 and the control 10 so that it is in contact despite the irregular contour.

Arrived at the bottom, i.e. H. After the entire film has been separated, the cutting element 15 may be turned off (arc torch), but the vacuum is left and the support arm 7 is now pivoted around the stack 3A using the rotating device, so that the film is removed.

Ultimately, the removed film is then disposed of.

Claims (11)

1. Cutting head (2) for cutting a film wrapping from palletised stacks of products (3A), having a cutting element (15, 15*) for cutting through the film, wherein the cutting element is disposed between at least two opposing contact elements (16) and is set back with respect to the film contact plane (20) formed by the opposing contact elements in order to form a cutting recess (17), and having a vacuum unit (9, 14, 19) to suck the region of the film wrapping to be cut locally into the cutting recess for interaction with the cutting element.
2. Cutting head as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the contact elements are sliding elements and/or rolling elements.
3. Cutting head as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the sliding elements are runners.
4. Cutting head as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the rolling elements are rollers.
5. Cutting head as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cutting element comprises a rigid or rotating knife, a glow wire or an arc torch.
6. Cutting head as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the vacuum unit comprises at least one suction opening (19), next to which the cutting element is placed.
7. Device for automatically removing a film wrapping from palletised stacks of products, having at least one cutting head as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and having a pallet place for the arrangement of the pallet (3B) correspondingly wrapped with film, wherein the cutting head is disposed at one end of a support arm (7) which can travel in such a way that the cutting head is always in contact with the film via the two opposing contact elements during cutting.
8. Device as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the support arm is designed to be able to travel both vertically and horizontally in a motorised manner controlled by a controller (10) in such a way that the cutting head is always in contact with the film during cutting.
9. Device as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the controller is fed with data relating to the pressing force via a tactile sensor (21) on the support arm.
10. Device as claimed in claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the motorised drive of the support arm comprises a force or torque monitor which feeds the controller with data relating to the pressing force.
11. Device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 7 to 10, characterised in that the support arm is a component of a gantry frame (6) or industrial robot.

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