FR3089959A1 - Method and device for handling flat and / or film material designed for packaging articles - Google Patents

Abstract

There is disclosed a device for handling flat and/or film material (61) comprising- at least one holding mandrel (41, 43) for a reserve roll (12) on which flat and/or film material is wound. film (61), - at least one holding means (11, 13) for holding a free end zone (47) of flat and/or film material (61), - a connecting device for coupling the zone free end (47). The holding mandrel(s) (41, 43) and the holding means(s) (11, 13), with the free end zone (47) can be moved together from a receiving position (UP1, UP2) to a working position (AP1, AP2) in which the connecting device can couple the free end zone (47) of the flat and/or film material (61) to said other flat and/or film material (62) already received in the device. Figure for abstract: Fig. 3

Description

Description

Title of the invention: Method and device for handling flat and / or film material designed for packaging articles

The present invention relates to a method and a device for handling flat and / or film material designed for packaging articles.

When articles are grouped and assembled to obtain multipacks, for example beverage containers or the like, these are often, in practice, held together by means of a shrink film in order to prevent that they slip or come off from the assembly during other handling or during transport. For example, multipacks which include four, six or more containers are known from the prior art. Such multipacks constitute a very common variant of sales units for beverage containers or PET plastic bottles. In order to achieve a high throughput during packaging and / or subsequent palletizing, assembly of such multipacks as quickly as possible, without interrupting individual process steps, is desirable.

[0003] In order to provide the packaging material or else the shrink film for the partial or complete wrapping of multipacks, devices and methods are already known which unwind the material from one roll or from a plurality of rolls, transport it inside a packaging machine and wrap the individual multipacks or the respective articles intended to form the respective multipack, of said packaging material. Usually, the roll packaging material is unrolled here by machine. Devices are known in which the packaging material is removed via cylinders from the roller which is rotated during this. If a roll is unwound and the supply of packaging material for the roll is used up, the respective roll must be replaced or replaced by a new roll.

A method and a device by means of which new rollers can be brought in and used rollers can be exchanged inside a packaging machine are known, for example, from the document DE 40 40 545 A1. known device comprises a plurality of reserve rolls of strip material which are arranged side by side. The core of the rollers is placed respectively on a common tenon. A start of the strip material is brought into contact beforehand with a cylinder which removes the strip material from the respective roller and transports it down in the opposite direction to the machine.

Beyond this fact, devices intended to automatically feed the material wound on rollers and to exchange worn rollers in processing or packaging machines are known in different embodiments, such as, for example , by devices intended to bring and exchange coils comprising strip material in a processing machine according to document DE 32 02 647 Al, according to document DE 41 42 256 Al, according to document DE 101 09 446 Al or according document DE 693 25 069 T2.

Document DE 34 25 734 A1 discloses an automated installation for supplying packaging material to production and / or packaging lines. Said installation comprises a magazine for the packaging material and a trolley which is equipped with an articulated arm intended to grip the packaging material and to bring the latter to the processing machines located on the processing lines. The carriage comprising the articulated arm moves along paths which are determined by computer equipment communicating with the processing machines.

A device intended to supply packaging machines with consumer or packaging material is also known from document EP 1 273 541 B1. The strips of material wound in the form of coils are supplied on pallets and are distributed on a plurality of production and packaging machines, the pallets being transported first by means of pallet conveyors to an intermediate storage place, while individual reels are removed by separate reel conveyors and are transported to a feeding machine.

Document DE 10 2006 017 379 A1 discloses a device for handling coils of packaging material. Said device comprises a reel storage place with a portal in which the reels are kept available on pallets. A gantry robot with articulated arm transfers coils, as required, to winding groups arranged outside the gate. From these, the strips of material are transported to the consumer machines, to opposite sides in the direction parallel to the longitudinal extension of the gate.

Practice has shown that insertion or introduction of new reserve rollers comprising packaging material wound thereon can be complicated since a mounting position provided for this purpose in the respective packaging machine is often difficult to access. In this case, there are first of all difficulties if a reserve roll comprising packaging material is to be placed on a holding mandrel arranged in the mounting position. In addition, there are difficulties if, afterwards, a free end region of the reserve roll inserted in the mounting position is to be connected to other packaging material already present in the packaging machine.

For this reason, an object of the invention may lie in the fact of providing a corresponding possibility by means of which new reserve rollers can be introduced in a simple manner into a device of this type and the packaging material. wound on them can be easily connected to other packaging material already in the device. In addition, the device must have a simple structure. Beyond this fact, the process must be able to be easy to implement.

The above object is achieved by the objects having the characteristics of the invention. Other advantageous embodiments are also described.

The invention relates to a method of handling flat material and / or film designed for packaging articles. For example, the flat and / or film material can be produced as a thermoplastic packaging material or else as a shrink film. It is also conceivable that the flat and / or film material is produced as a stretch film.

A step in the process provides for removing and aligning a free end region of flat material and / or film from a reserve roll having flat material and / or wound film.

In addition, the free end zone removed and aligned with flat and / or film material from the reserve roll is connected to other flat material and / or film already received in a packaging machine. To this end, a sealing bar can be provided which is moved downward in the vertical direction and which brings into surface contact said free end region withdrawn and aligned with the flat and / or film material already received in the packing machine. Under surface contact, said free end zone of flat and / or film material may preferably be thermally connected to the flat material and / or film already received in the packaging machine.

It is expected that, after removing and aligning the free end region of flat material and / or film of the reserve roll comprising flat material and / or wound film, the reserve roller having flat material and / or in rolled film, with the free end zone already removed and aligned, is moved into a working position of the packaging machine. As will be described further below, it is possible that the reserve roller with its flat and / or rolled-up film material is supported by at least one holding mandrel. A step in the process can therefore provide for the reserve roll with its flat material and / or in wound film to be placed on at least one holding mandrel. It is possible that, after having placed the reserve roller with its flat and / or film material wound on said at least one holding mandrel, the reserve roller is moved by said at least one holding mandrel into the working position of the packaging machine. Said at least one holding mandrel as well as the reserve roller supported by said at least one holding mandrel or else placed on said at least one holding mandrel can be moved if necessary in the horizontal direction in the working position of the packing machine.

It may be that said at least one retaining mandrel is in a receiving position or that said at least one retaining mandrel is brought into a receiving position or is disposed in a receiving position, in which receiving position, said reserve roller with its flat material and / or in wound film is placed on said at least one holding mandrel. The receiving position can be designed so that said at least one holding mandrel is accessible to a user for placing a reserve roll with its flat material and / or in wound film. If a reserve of flat material and / or film of a reserve roller which has hitherto been disposed in the working position is exhausted or at least approximately exhausted, it may be that said at least one holding mandrel with the reserve roller whose the reserve of flat material and / or film is exhausted or at least approximately exhausted is moved from the working position to the receiving position. A core of a respective reserve roll which has therefore been moved into the receiving position and whose reserve of flat material and / or film is exhausted or at least approximately exhausted can then be withdrawn from said at least one holding mandrel in the receiving position.

The packaging machine may have a frame and / or support construction to which said at least one holding mandrel is mechanically coupled and / or which frame and / or support construction surrounds the working position. The receiving position can be designed so that, in the receiving position, said at least one holding mandrel protrudes laterally, at least in sections, beyond the frame and / or support construction. Thanks to the easy access resulting from said at least one holding mandrel, a reserve roll with flat material and / or wound film can be placed without problem on said at least one holding mandrel located in the receiving position. . Then, said at least one holding mandrel with said at least one reserve roll placed and with the flat material and / or in rolled film can be, if necessary, moved from the receiving position to the working position, in which said at least one holding mandrel is removed behind the frame and / or support construction.

In the method, it is expected that, after reaching the working position of the packaging machine, the free end region removed and aligned with flat and / or film material of the reserve roll is connected to the other flat and / or film material already received in the packaging machine.

It may be that the free end region of flat material and / or film of the reserve roll having flat material and / or film is grasped, removed and aligned independently by at least one holding means . After that, the reserve roller having flat and / or film material can be moved, together with said at least one holding means and the free end zone already removed and aligned and, in addition, gripped by said at least holding means, in the working position of the packaging machine. In particular, it is possible that the free end zone of flat and / or film material of the reserve roll having flat and / or film material is grasped, removed and / or aligned independently by at least one means. holding, said at least one holding mandrel being in the receiving position during gripping, removal and / or alignment.

Said at least one holding means can project laterally beyond the frame construction and / or support while the free end region of flat material and / or film of the reserve roll having material flat and / or film is captured, removed and / or aligned. Furthermore, said at least one holding means can be removed behind the frame and / or support construction after gripping, after removal and / or after alignment of the free end region of flat material and / or in film of the reserve roll having flat material and / or in film. Said at least one aforementioned holding mandrel and said at least one holding means can be moved together or else in time synchronism in the direction of the working position.

It has been found useful if at least one sensor system detects the position and / or orientation of the free end region of flat material and / or film of the reserve roll having flat material and / or in rolled up film, after which at least one holding means seizes, removes and aligns independently and in accordance with the respective detected position and / or orientation the free end zone of flat material and / or in film, after which the reserve roll having flat and / or film material can be moved, together with said at least one holding means and the free end zone already removed and aligned and, moreover, gripped by said at least holding means, in the working position of the packaging machine. Said at least one sensor system can be formed, for example, by an optical detection device and in particular by a camera.

The sensor system can be moved into the working position of the packaging machine, if necessary in conjunction with the reserve roller having flat and / or film material as well as in conjunction with said at least one means of holding and the free end zone already removed and aligned and, in addition, gripped by said at least one holding means.

As mentioned above, it may be that the reserve roller with the flat material and / or wound film and a free end area not yet removed and aligned until then is placed on a holding mandrel. In this case, it is conceivable that the free end zone of flat and / or film material of the reserve roller having flat and / or film material and placed on said at least one holding mandrel is withdrawn, aligned and fixed on at least one holding means. In addition, it may be that said at least one holding mandrel and said at least one holding means form a mechanical coupling which is preferably rigid or essentially rigid.

When said mechanical coupling is achieved, said at least one holding mandrel, with the reserve roller placed there and having flat and / or film material, can be moved into the working position of the packaging machine , together with said at least one holding means and the free end zone already removed and aligned and, moreover, gripped or held by said at least one holding means. As a result, it is possible that said at least one holding mandrel is moved from the receiving position to the working position, together with the reserve roller placed there and having flat and / or film material as well as the area d free end already removed and aligned and, moreover, fixed to said at least one holding means or else held by said at least one holding means. In preferred embodiments, it is possible for a user to remove, from the reserve roller placed on said at least one holding mandrel, said free end region of flat and / or film material from the reserve roller having flat and / or film material and placed on said at least one holding mandrel, aligns the latter and fixes the latter on said at least one holding means.

Beyond this fact, the invention relates to a device or a packaging machine for handling flat and / or film material designed for packaging articles. Characteristics which have been described above with regard to various embodiments of the method may also be provided in various embodiments of the device described below and are not mentioned repeatedly. Similarly, the characteristics described below which relate to various embodiments of the device can be provided in the method described above. In conceivable embodiments, the device can be produced to implement the method described above.

The device comprises at least one holding mandrel intended to support a reserve roller, on which the reserve roller is wound with flat material and / or in film. In addition, the device comprises at least one holding means which is designed to keep a free end region withdrawn and aligned from flat and / or film material of a respective reserve roll supported by said at least one holding mandrel. .

A component of the device is also a connecting device intended to couple the free end zone of flat material and / or film removed and maintained by said at least one holding means, to other flat material and / or film already received in the device. The connecting device may comprise a sealing bar which is movable in the vertical direction and which can connect by material bonding the free end zone removed and held by said at least one holding means, to said flat material and / or in film already received in the device.

It is expected that said at least one holding mandrel and said at least one holding means with the free end region of flat material and / or in respective film removed and aligned and maintained by said at least one means of holding can be moved together from a receiving position to a working position of the device, in which working position the connecting device can couple the free end area of flat and / or film material removed, aligned and held by said at least one means for holding said other flat and / or film material already received in the device. The device may include a frame and / or support construction. The receiving position can be designed so that, in the receiving position, said at least one holding mandrel and / or said at least one holding means protrude laterally beyond the frame construction and / or of support.

It may be that said at least one holding means is designed to grasp, withdraw and independently align the free end zone of flat material and / or film of a respective roll of reserve supported by said mandrel holding.

It may also be that a mechanical and preferably rigid or essentially rigid coupling is formed between said at least one holding mandrel and said at least one holding means.

It is conceivable that the device comprises at least one system of sensors which makes it possible to detect the orientation and / or the position of a free end region of flat and / or film material of a respective roll of reserve supported by said at least one holding mandrel being in the receiving position. Said at least one sensor system can be formed by at least one optical detection device and in particular by at least one camera.

Said at least one sensor system can be arranged on said at least one holding means. In particular, said at least one sensor system can be rigidly arranged on said at least one holding means.

Hereinafter, examples of embodiments are intended to explain in more detail the invention and its advantages based on the appended figures. The proportions of the individual elements in relation to each other in the figures do not always correspond to the actual proportions because certain forms are represented in a simplified manner and other forms, for better illustration, are represented in enlarged form in relation to d other elements.

[Fig.l] Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention. In addition, Figure 1 illustrates individual steps as may be provided in various embodiments of the method according to the invention;

[Fig-2] Figure 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of a device according to the invention. In addition, Figure 2 illustrates individual steps as may be provided in various embodiments of the method according to the invention;

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[Fig. 14] FIGS. 3 to 14 show individual aspects such that they can be provided both in the embodiment of a device according to FIG. 1 and in the embodiment of a device according to FIG. 2. In addition, Figures 3 to 14 illustrate individual steps as may be provided in various embodiments of the method according to the invention.

[Fig. 15] Figure 15 shows other individual aspects as they can be provided both in the embodiment of a device according to Figure 1 and in the embodiment of a device according to Figure 2. In addition , Figure 15 illustrates individual steps as may be provided in various embodiments of the method according to the invention;

[Fig. 16] Figure 16 shows in the flowchart of individual steps as they can be provided in various embodiments of the method according to the invention.

Identical reference numerals are used for elements of the invention which are identical or which have the same effect. In addition, for the sake of clarity, only the reference figures are shown in the individual figures which are necessary for the description of the respective figure. The embodiments shown are only examples showing how the invention can be conceived, and do not constitute a definitive limitation.

Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention. In addition, FIG. 1 illustrates individual steps as they can be provided in various embodiments of the method 100 according to the invention (cf. FIG. 16).

The device 10 is used for handling flat material and / or film, such as shrink film or packaging films which are wound on large rolls to reserve 12 which, as a general rule, because of their weight, cannot be handled manually. In FIG. 1, a part of a packaging machine 14 has been schematically sketched out, to which new reserve rollers 12 are brought by means of a gripping and / or handling device 16 to be described more in detail below. Said gripping and / or handling device 16 which, in the illustrated embodiment, is designed as a multi-axis robot 18 arranged in a stationary manner inserts the new rollers 12 to be brought each to the packaging machine 14, in two different working positions API and AP2 which are only visible in the main lines in FIG. 1 and are each illustrated by way of example in the detailed view of FIGS. 3 to 14.

As will be further specified, also in FIGS. 3 to 14 below, new reserve rollers 12 are brought alternately to the working positions API and AP2 using the gripping and / or handling device 16 or else of the multi-axis or handling robot 18. In this way, at any time, a reserve roller 12 is located in at least one of the two working positions API and AP2, this reserve roller is also unwound, still during the feeding of a respective new reserve roll 12, a strip of material which is thereon and which is treated as packaging material in the packaging machine 14.

After a new reserve roller 12 has been introduced into a respective API or AP2 working position, the free end region 24 of thermoplastic packaging material of the new reserve roller 12 is connected or else welded to the strip of material or else packaging material already present inside the packaging machine 14.

The new reserve rollers 12 each consist of the flat material and / or film 61 wound (see Figures 3 to 14) and a core 26 on which the flat material and / or film 61 is wound . In order to receive a new reserve roll 12 coming from a horizontal transport device 28 sketched in FIG. 1, the handling device 16 or else the handling robot 18 plunges on the front side into a core 26 of a new roll of reserve 12 by means of a holding mandrel 32 which is disposed at the end and movably on its cantilever arm 30. To this end, an arm section 34 of the handling device 16 or of the robot manipulation 18 can be rotated about an axis of rotation 36, as illustrated by way of example in FIG. 6. After having immersed the holding mandrel 32 in the core 26, the diameter in section transverse of the retaining mandrel 32 is increased so that the new reserve roller 12, as also shown in FIG. 6, is fixed by clamping on the retaining mandrel 32. Said core 26 is produced in hollow cylinder, the shape of the holding mandrel 32 so as to correspond to this, so that, to fix the new reserve roller 12, the holding mandrel 32 is in contact by its outer periphery with an inner lateral surface of the core 26.

The gripping and / or handling device 16 or the multi-axis robot 18 can be supplied in an uninterrupted sequence, by said horizontal transport device 28, in new reserve rollers 12, so that when a new reserve roller 12 is removed from the horizontal transport device 28, another new reserve roller 12 is transported towards the gripping and / or handling device 16 or else advances towards the gripping and / or handling device 16. As required, the horizontal transport device 28 can be clocked as desired or it can be operated continuously at a constant speed. Its operation is defined by a control unit 38 which, here, is only sketched out schematically and which controls not only the horizontal transport device 28 as regards its transport speed and / or its rate, but also the multi robot -axes 18 as for its movements. The control unit 38 processes the signals 40 from at least one space monitoring device 42 which can be formed in particular by an optical detection device or a camera 44, if necessary also by a plurality of cameras 44 which detect at least the movement space 46 of the multi-axis robot 18 and its movements which also includes the exact movements of the cantilever arm 30 with the holding mandrel 32 disposed thereon in a manner pivotally movable relative to each new reserve roller 12 to be detected. The movement space 46 which can be detected optically by means of the space monitoring device 42 formed by the camera 44 is outlined in the representation of FIG. 1, for a better illustration, by a fan in dotted lines.

As illustrated in particular by means of a comparison of FIGS. 3 to 14, the holding mandrels 41 and 43 produced as a component of the packaging machine 14 can each be driven back and forth. - comes between a working position API or else AP2 in which packaging material is unwound from the reserve roller 12 placed on the holding mandrel 41 or else 43 and a respective receiving position UP1 or else UP2 in which the device gripping and / or handling 16 can place a new respective reserve roller 12 on a holding mandrel 41 or 43 respectively. During this, the movement of the holding mandrels 41 and 43 is also defined by said control unit represented in FIG. 1 by the reference numeral 38.

In Figure 1, we can also see a manipulator 48 which is positioned at the horizontal transport device 28 and which is actuated by a user 50 and by which new reserve rollers 12 can be placed upright on the horizontal transport device 28. For example, the new reserve rollers 12 can be supplied by being placed upright on a pallet 52 from which they can be received by the user 50 by means of the manipulator 48 which he can control as to its movements and be placed by the user on the horizontal transport device 28 by means of a holding mandrel 54 located there. A working area of the manipulator 48 therefore extends on the pallet 52 as well as on a section of the path of the horizontal transport device 28. However, this variant of control and supply shown only represents one example among a plurality of 'alternatives. Variants of continuous feeding which do not require manual manipulation, as described with reference to FIG. 1, are also possible. In the case of an infeed not ordered in this way, it may be useful to provide an intermediate deposit location for the new reserve rollers 12 in the movement space 46 of the gripping and handling device 16 in order to be able to deposit the reserve rollers 12 in the event of improper gripping in the direction of rotation by the holding mandrel 32 of the gripping and / or handling device 16 or else of the multi-axis robot 18, to withdraw the holding mandrel 32 of the core 26 and to grasp the roller 12 again on its other front side so that it can be placed in the direction of rotation respectively desired on the holding mandrel 41 or else 43 of the packaging machine 48.

In addition, Figure 1 shows a container 56 open at the top which is located in the working area 46 of the gripping and / or handling device 16. If the supply of packaging material or heat shrinkable film a reserve roll 12 placed in the packaging machine 14 is exhausted, the core 26 consisting of cellulose, plastic, wood or cardboard from an empty reserve roll 12 or at least approximately empty is removed from the packaging machine 14 by means of the multi-axis robot 18, and is deposited in said container 56. It is only after removing the core 26 that a new reserve roller 12 can be introduced into the working position API or else respective AP2 of the packaging machine 14 so that the gripping and / or handling device 16 or else the multi-axis robot 18 first withdraws the core 26 and then places a new reserve roller 12 on the holding mandrel 41 or 43 respectively of the packaging machine 14.

As already mentioned, the horizontal transport device 28, the gripping and / or handling device 16 or else the multi-axis robot 18 and the packaging machine 14 are in communication with the control unit 38. This can in particular define the clocked operation of the horizontal transport device 28, can initiate the arrangement of a new reserve roller 12 on a holding mandrel 41 or 43 respectively (cf. FIGS. 3 to 14) as well as the removal of a core 26 from a respective reserve roll 12 exhausted by means of the gripping and / or handling device 16. In addition, it can control an unwinding of packaging material or shrink film of the reserve rolls 12 inserted in the respective API or AP2 working position of the packaging machine 14.

The schematic perspective view of Figure 2 illustrates a second alternative embodiment of the device 10 according to the invention as well as a sensible implementation of an embodiment for the method 100 according to the invention (cf. figure 16). The gripping and / or handling device 16 which is provided in the embodiment of a device 10 according to FIG. 1 is not present in the embodiment according to FIG. 2. The second variant of the device 10 illustrated on Figure 2 has also given up a horizontal transport device 28, but the new rollers 12 are each supplied on pallets 52, on each pallet 52 being arranged vertically four rollers 12 which are each received separately and can be placed on a mandrel of holding 41 or 43 respectively (see Figures 3 to 14).

As can be seen from a comparison of Figures 2 to 14, the holding mandrels 41 and 43 of the packaging machine 14 made as a component of the device 10 can be moved into a receiving position UP1 or else UP2, in which position UP1 or UP2, at least approximately spent reserve rollers 12 can be removed from the respective holding mandrel 41 or 43 and new reserve rollers 12 comprising flat and / or wound film material can be placed on the holding mandrel 41 or 43 respectively.

The packaging machine 14 comprises a frame and / or support construction 51 on which the holding mandrels 41 and 43 are mechanically coupled as well as a connecting device 80 which will be described further below. Said frame and / or support construction comprises a plurality of support spacers. So that the holding mandrels 41 and 43 can pass from their respective working position API or else AP2 into their respective transfer position UP1 or else UP2, they are each moved in the axial direction and therefore protrude, in the receiving position UP1 or UP2, respectively laterally beyond the frame and / or support construction 51 or even beyond lateral support spacers of the frame and / or support construction 51. The holding mandrel 41 or 43 respectively disposed then in the receiving position UP1 or UP2 is accessible to the user so that the user can place on the holding mandrel 41 or 42 respectively a reserve roller 12 which has hitherto been on a pallet 52. As already mentioned above, no gripping and / or handling device 16 is provided in the embodiment of a device 10 according to FIG. 2; according to Figure 1, the first is designed as a multi-axis robot. On the other hand, the device 10 of the embodiment according to FIG. 2 comprises a lever 70 by means of which the user 50 can receive a reserve roller 12 from a respective pallet 52 and can therefore place the reserve roller 12 received on the holding mandrel 41 or else 43 disposed in the receiving position UP1 or else UP2 (cf.

Figures 3 to 14). To this end, the handle 70 can comprise, if necessary, a holding mandrel which can be introduced into a respective core 26 of a respective reserve roller 12 disposed until then again on a respective pallet 52, after which the core 26 respective is fixed by clamping on the chuck holding the handle 70. By means of the handle 70, the respective reserve roller 12 with the core 26 fixed by clamping on the chuck holding the handle 70 can be moved in the direction of the holding mandrel 41 or else 43 disposed in the respective UP1 or UP2 receiving position and can be placed or threaded on the holding mandrel 41 or else 43 arranged in the respective UP1 or UP2 receiving position. The respective holding mandrel 41 or 43, together with the reserve roller 12 placed there or threaded therein, is then moved from the respective receiving position UP1 or UP2 to a respective working position API or else AP2 of the packaging machine. 14. The movement takes place in accordance with the description relating to FIGS. 3 to 14. In this case, the respective holding mandrel 41 or 43 moves back laterally behind the frame and / or support construction 51 or else behind the spacers of support of the frame and / or support construction and reached jointly with the reserve roller 12 always located on the holding mandrel 41 or 43 respectively a respective API or AP2 working position.

The schematic representations of Figures 3 to 14 show individual aspects, as they can be provided both in the embodiment of a device 10 according to Figure 1 as in the embodiment of a device 10 according to Figure 2. In addition, Figures 3 to 14 clarify individual steps as they can be provided in various embodiments of the method 100 according to the invention (see Figure 16). The components of a packaging machine 14 represented respectively in FIGS. 3 to 14 thus form part of the device 10 which is described respectively in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Figure 3 further illustrates the construction of frame and / or support 51 of the packaging machine 14 already shown respectively in Figures 1 and 2. The holding mandrel of the packaging machine 14, which is represented by the reference numeral 41 in FIG. 3, is located in the receiving position UP1 in FIG. 3, in which, according to FIG. 3, a new reserve roller 12 has already been placed or threaded on the holding mandrel 4L Flat and / or film material 62 already in the packaging machine 14 is unwound from the reserve roller 12 which, in FIG. 3, is located in the working position AP2. To this end, the holding mandrel 43 is rotated. The holding mandrel 41 which, in FIG. 3, is located in the receiving position UP1 projects laterally beyond the frame and / or support construction 51.

To be able to connect the flat material and / or film 61 of the new reserve roller 12 to the flat material and / or film 62 already present in the packaging machine 14, it is necessary to remove and align it beforehand the free end zone 47 of said new reserve roller 12. For this purpose, a holding means 13 associated with the holding mandrel 41 is provided. Said holding means 13 and the holding mandrel 41 disposed in the receiving position UP1 are in a predetermined relative position which is suitable for the subsequent connection of the flat material and / or film 61 to the flat material and / or film 62 already present in the packaging machine 14. In the embodiment according to FIGS. 3 to 14, the free end zone 47 is removed by a user 50 (cf. FIGS. 1 and 2) from the new reserve roller 12 and is fixed on the retaining means 13. Due to the defined relative position that the retaining means 13 occupies relative to the retaining mandrel 41, the free end region 47 is thus aligned and is prepared for subsequent thermal welding with said other flat and / or film material 62 already present in the packaging machine 14. The holding means 13 and the holding mandrel 41 can be mechanically coupled while being in communication rigidly or essentially rigid. Also, other embodiments are conceivable in which the holding means 13 can independently receive the free end zone 47, remove it from the reserve roller 12 and then align it. In such embodiments, the holding means 13 can be moved relative to the retaining mandrel 41.

In order to be able to heat seal or else connect the free end zone 47 to the flat material and / or film 62 already present in the packaging machine 14, the holding mandrel 41 which, in FIG. 1, is still in the receiving position UP1 must be moved, together with the new reserve roller 12 installed and the free end area 47 already removed and aligned by the holding means 13, in the API working position of the machine d packaging 14. A comparison of FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrates here a start of movement of the holding mandrel 41 in the direction of the working position API of the packaging machine 14. In this case, the holding means 13 is moved together with the holding mandrel 41 or else in time synchronism with the holding mandrel 41 in the direction of the API working position. During this, the holding mandrel 41 and the holding means 13 move parallel to each other and each in the horizontal direction. The holding mandrel 41 moves in its longitudinal direction. During the movement of the holding mandrel 41 and the holding means 13 in the direction of the API working position, the flat and / or film material 62 or else the packaging material already present in the packaging machine 14 is continuously unwound from the reserve roller 12 which is supported by the holding mandrel 43 which, when this is done, is in the working position AP2.

In Figure 4, the holding mandrel 41 and the holding means 13 are moved even more towards the API working position until the holding mandrel 41 reaches the API working position according to the figure 5. Since the free end zone 47 remains fixed to the holding means 13 throughout the movement until the working position API is reached, and that, in this case, the relative position of the holding means 13 and of the holding mandrel 41 relative to each other does not change, the free end region 47 remains aligned by the holding means 13, also when the API working position is reached, and can then be thermally welded or connected to the packaging material 62 already present in the packaging machine 14. Thermal welding or else the connection of the free end zone 47 to the flat and / or film material 62 or else to the material packaging already present in the packaging machine 14 is done in the step according to FIG. 6. To this end, the sealing bar 15 is moved in the direction of the image plane and thus brings the free end zone 47 into surface contact with the flat and / or film material 62 already present. in the packaging machine 14. The movement of the sealing bar 15 is also illustrated in FIG. 15. Since the flat and / or film material 61 and the flat and / or film material 62 already present in the packaging machine 14 are each produced as a thermoplastic packaging film, a material bonding junction between the free end region 47 and the flat and / or film material 62 already present in the packaging machine 14 or else the thermoplastic packaging material already present in the packaging machine 14 is produced by an application of temperature by means of the sealing bar 15. The sealing bar 15 can then be lifted vertically and brought back to a position initial.

A comparison of Figures 6 and 7 further shows that a separation operation according to Figure 7 is implemented after the connection. Thus, a remainder of flat and / or film material 63 which previously formed part of the free end zone 47 (cf. FIG. 6), is always connected to the holding means 13. In addition, the flat material and / or film of the reserve roll 12 which is supported by the holding mandrel 43 which, in Figure 7, is located in the working position AP2, has been separated. The flat and / or film material of this reserve roll 12 is almost exhausted in Figure 7 and, as will be described further below, can be removed from the packaging machine 14, together with a core 26 of this reserve roll.

After the process step according to Figure 7, the flat material and / or film 61 is then unwound from the reserve roller 12 which is in the API working position, and is used by the packaging machine 14 for packing items.

A comparison of FIGS. 7 and 8 then illustrates that the holding mandrel 43 on which the reserve roll 12 with the reserve of almost exhausted packaging material is always placed is moved from the working position AP2 to the position of UP2 reception. The holding means 13 where the said remainder of flat and / or film material 63 is still located remains in its position during this start of movement or is not moved together with the holding mandrel 43. However, a comparison of the figures 7 and 8 shows that a holding means associated with the holding mandrel 43 and designated by the number 11 is moved together with the holding mandrel 43 in the direction of the receiving position UP2. The holding means 11 can be rigidly or essentially rigidly coupled to the holding mandrel 43.

In FIG. 9, the holding mandrel 43 has reached the receiving position UP2 so that, in the receiving position UP2 according to FIG. 10, the reserve roller 12 still supported by the holding mandrel 43 on the FIG. 9 and comprising the almost exhausted reserve of flat and / or film material can be removed from the retaining mandrel 43. The withdrawal of the reserve roller 12 comprising the almost exhausted reserve of flat and / or film material can be carried out by a user 50, as can be seen in the embodiment of a device 10 according to FIG. 2. It is also possible that a gripping and / or handling device 16 or else a multi-axis robot 18 depending on the mode 1 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 removes from the retaining mandrel 43 the reserve roller 12 with the almost exhausted reserve of flat and / or film material.

The holding means 13 on which the rest of the flat material and / or film 63 is still located is moved from the position according to FIG. 10 to the position according to FIG. 11 so that, in FIG. 11, the holding means 13 protrudes laterally beyond the frame and / or support construction 51 and that the rest of the flat and / or film material can be removed, according to FIG. 12, from the holding means 13 by a user 50 (see Figure 2). After removing the remainder of flat and / or film material 63 from the holding means 13, the holding means 13 is moved from the position according to FIG. 12 to the position according to FIG. 13. During this, the holding means 11 which is associated with the holding mandrel 43 remains in its position and waits for a free end zone of a new reserve roller 12 which, in FIG. 13, is not yet placed on the holding mandrel 43 will be received. In FIG. 14, a new reserve roller is placed on the retaining mandrel 43. In a next step, a free end region of the new reserve roller placed on the retaining mandrel 43 is removed and fixed by means of holding 11. The holding means 11 and the holding mandrel 43 are then moved in the direction of the working position AP2. For embodiments according to the description relating to Figures 3 to 14, it is also conceivable that a single holding means 11 or 13 is provided on which is alternately disposed a respective free end area 47 of a new roller respective reserve 12 placed on the retaining mandrel 41 and a new respective reserve roller placed on the retaining mandrel 43. In such embodiments, the retaining means 11 or 13 can be moved back and forth between the holding mandrel 41 and 43. FIG. 15 shows other individual aspects, as they can be provided both in the embodiment of a device 10 according to the figure 1 as in the embodiment of a device 10 according to FIG. 2. In addition, FIG. 15 illustrates individual steps, as may be provided in various embodiments of the method 100 according to the invention (cf. figure 16). Beyond this fact, FIG. 15 shows the holding mandrels 41 and 43 which, according to the description relating to FIGS. 3 to 14, can each be moved back and forth between an API working position or else AP2 and a reception position UP1 or else UP2.

The sealing bar 15 is part of a connecting device 80 which is designed to couple the free end region 47 to the flat material and / or film 62 already received in the device 10. As illustrated in the figure 15 by means of an arrow representation, the sealing bar 15 is lowered for this purpose in the vertical direction whereby the free end zone 47 comes into surface contact with the flat and / or film material 62 already present in the packaging machine 14. By applying temperature via the sealing bar 15, the free end region 47 is then connected by material bond to the flat and / or film material 62 already received in the packaging machine 14.

Figure 16 shows in the flowchart of the individual steps as they can be provided in various embodiments of the method 100 according to the invention. The method can be implemented by means of a device 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and described as regards these. In process step 110, a free end region 47 of flat and / or film material 61 is removed from a reserve roll 12 comprising flat material and / or wound film and is aligned. After removing and aligning the free end zone 47, the process step 120 is carried out in which the reserve roll 12 having flat material and / or wound film is moved, with the free end zone 47 already removed and aligned, in a working position API or else AP2 of a packaging machine 14. Next, the process step 130 is implemented. In process step 130, the free end zone 47 removed and aligned with flat and / or film material 61 of the reserve roll 12 is connected by material bond by means of a sealing bar 15 to other flat and / or film material 62 already received in the packaging machine 14.

The embodiments, examples and variants of the preceding passages, the previous description and the figures, including their different views or respective individual characteristics, and more generally the whole of the application, can be used together. independently of others or in any combination. Features which are described in connection with one embodiment may be applied for all of the embodiments, if the features are not incompatible.

Even if one speaks, in the context of the figures, in general of diagrammatic representations and views, this does not at all mean that the representations of the figures and their description are of minor importance as regards the disclosure of the invention. A person skilled in the art is quite capable of taking sufficient information from the schematic and abstract illustrations which facilitate his understanding of the invention, without being hindered in any way by his understanding, for example due drawn proportions and possibly not exactly to scale. Thus, the figures allow a person skilled in the art as a reader, using the implementations explained more concretely of the method according to the invention and the operating mode explained more concretely of the device according to the invention, to better understand the inventive idea formulated more generally and / or more abstractly in the general part of the description and more generally in the whole application.

[0079]

[Tables 1]

List of reference figures 10 device 11 holding means 12 reserve roll 13 holding means 14 packing machine 15 sealing bar 16 gripping and / or handling device 18 multi-axis robot 22 material strip 24 free end area 26 core 28 horizontal transport device 30 cantilever arm 32 holding chuck 34 arm section 36 rotation axis 38 control unit 40 signal 42 space monitoring device 41 holding mandrel (from packaging machine 14) 43 holding mandrel (from packaging machine 14) 46 movement space 47 free end area 48 manipulator 50 user 51 frame and / or support construction 54 holding chuck 56 container 61 flat and / or film material

62 flat and / or film material (in packaging machine 14) 63 remains of flat material and / or film 70 controller 80 link device 100 process 110 first process step 120 second process step 130 third process step API working position AP2 working position UP1 receiving position UP2 receiving position

Claims (1)

[Claim 1] [Claim 2] Claims Method (100) for handling flat and / or film material designed for packaging articles, said method comprising the following steps: - removing and aligning a free end zone (47) of flat material and / or film (61) of a reserve roll (12) having flat material and / or wound film (61), and - connect the free end zone (47) removed and aligned with flat and / or film material (61) of the reserve roll (12) to other flat and / or film material (62) already received in the packaging machine (14), the method being characterized in that, - after removing and aligning said free end zone (47) of flat material and / or film (61) of the reserve roll (12) having flat material and / or film (61) wound up, the roll of reserve (12) having flat and / or film material (61) wound up is moved, together with the free end zone (47) already removed and aligned, in a working position (API, AP2) of the machine d packaging (14), in which, after reaching the working position (API, AP2) of the packaging machine (14), the free end zone (47) withdrawn and aligned with flat material and / or in film (61) of the reserve roll (12) is connected to the other flat and / or film material (62) already received in the packaging machine (14). Method according to claim 1, in which the free end region (47) of flat and / or film material (61) of the reserve roller (12) having flat and / or film material (61) is grasped, independently removed and aligned by at least one holding means (11, 13), and in which, after that, the reserve roller (12) having flat and / or film material (61) is moved, together with said at least one holding means (11, 13) and the free end zone (47) already removed, aligned and, moreover, gripped by said at least one holding means (11, 13), in the position of work (API, AP2) of the packaging machine (14). [Claim 3] Method according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which a position and / or orientation of the free end region (47) of flat and / or film material (61) of the reserve roll (12) having flat material and / or rolled up film (61) is detected by at least one sensor system, after which at least one holding means (11, 13) seizes, removes and aligns independently and is tuned to the position and / or the orientation detected respectively the free end region (47) of flat and / or film material (61), and in which, after that, the reserve roller (12) having flat and / or film material (61 ) is moved, together with said at least one holding means (11, 13) and the free end zone (47) already removed and aligned and, moreover, gripped by said at least one holding means (11, 13 ), in the working position (API, AP2) of the packaging machine (14). [Claim 4] Method according to claim 3, in which the sensor system is moved to the working position (API, AP2) of the packaging machine (14), together with the reserve roller (12) having flat material and / or in film (61) as well as together with said at least one holding means (11, 13) and the free end zone (47) already removed and aligned and, moreover, gripped by said at least one holding means ( 11, 13). [Claim 5] Method according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which it is intended that - the reserve roller (12) with the flat and / or film material (61) rolled up and a free end zone (47) which, until then has not yet been removed and aligned, is placed on a holding mandrel (41, 43), after which - the free end zone (47) of flat and / or film material (61) of the reserve roller (12) having flat and / or film material (61) and placed on said at least one holding mandrel (41, 43) is removed, aligned and fixed on at least one holding means (11, 13), and in which method (100) is provided that - Said at least one holding mandrel (41, 43) and said at at least one holding means (11, 13) form a mechanical coupling, preferably rigid or essentially rigid, and in which, when said mechanical coupling is carried out, the holding mandrel (41, 43), with the reserve roller (12) [Claim 6] placed there and having flat and / or film material (61) is moved into the working position (API, AP2) of the packaging machine (14), together with said at least one holding means (11, 13) and the free end zone (47) already removed and aligned and, moreover, fixed on said at least one holding means (11, 13). Device (10) for handling flat and / or film material (61) designed for packaging articles, comprising - at least one holding mandrel (41, 43) intended to support a reserve roller (12), on which the reserve roller (12) is wound with flat material and / or in film (61), - at least one holding means (11, 13) which is designed to keep a free end zone (47) removed and aligned with flat and / or film material (61) of a respective reserve roll (12) supported by said at least one holding mandrel (41, 43), as well as - a connecting device (80) intended to couple the free end zone (47) of flat and / or film material (61), which is withdrawn and held by said at least one holding means (11, 13) , to other flat and / or film material (62) already received in the device (10), the device (10) being characterized in that - said at least one holding mandrel (41, 43) and said at least one holding means (11, 13), with the respective free end zone (47) of flat and / or film material (61), which is withdrawn and aligned and held by said at least one holding means (11, 13), can be moved together from a receiving position (UP1, UP2) to a working position (API, AP2) of the device (10 ), in which working position (API, AP2), the connecting device (80) can couple the free end zone (47) of the flat and / or film material (61), which is withdrawn, aligned and maintained by said at least one holding means (11, 13), to said other flat and / or film material (62) already received in the device (10). [Claim 7] Device according to claim 6, in which said at least one holding means (11, 13) is designed to independently grasp, withdraw and align the free end zone (47) of flat and / or film material (61 ) a respective reserve roller (12) supported by said retaining mandrel (41, 43). [Claim 8] Device according to claim 6 or claim 7, in which a mechanical and preferably rigid or essentially rigid coupling is formed between said at least one holding mandrel (41, 43) and said at least one holding means (11 , 13). [Claim 9] Device according to any one of Claims 6 to 8, comprising at least one sensor system which makes it possible to detect an orientation and / or position of a free end zone (47) of flat and / or film material (61 ) of a respective reserve roller (12) supported by said at least one holding mandrel (41, 43) being in the receiving position (UP1, UP2). [Claim 10] Device according to claim 9, wherein said at least one sensor system is arranged on said at least one holding means (11, 13). 1/16