GB2238033A - Apparatus for strapping up packing units with a tape - Google Patents

Abstract

A packing unit deposited on a table surface 16 is strapped up by means of a strapping tape (22) fed around a tape guide duct 18. A device 50 is provided for locating the hole of a label in the path of the tape so that the latter is threaded through the label hole on feeding of the tape. The device includes a rounded projection 72 adapted to enter the label hole to position the same. <IMAGE>

Description

APPARATUS FOR STRAPPING UP PACKING UNITS WITH A TAPE The invention relates to an apparatus for strapping up packing units with a tape, having a tape guidance duct spanning a bearing surface for the packing unit in the manner of a portal, and a cutting and tape-end joining device. The strapping tape is fed round the space intended for the packing unit and is released from the tape guidance duct, while being tightened by means of a tightening device. The invention also relates to the use of such apparatus.

The packing units to be strapped up can be packages, or open objects such as items of clothing, or objects to be tied up in bundles, or bags to be closed.

Such an apparatus is generally designed as a machine that automatically performs the strapping operation after the actuation of a control button or pedal. In this process, the strapping tape, as a rule a tape made of a synthetic material, is drawn off from a stock roll, fed in the tape guidance duct round the unit to be packed, clamped at the leading end, released from the tape guidance duct, tightened by being pulled back round the unit to be packed, cut off, and bonded together at its ends. Such an apparatus is, for example, an automatic strapping machine of known by the name "Solomat" available from the Strapex group of companies, If an additional item, for example a label, is to be added to the unit to be packed, such an item is either stuck or tied on by means of a separate tape, wire or string.As a rule, the sticking of labels is only suitable in the case of objects, such as packages, having an at least partially smooth surface. Other objects, such as items of industrial clothing or bags, are as a rule less suitable for the sticking of labels because of their rough surface, or because the items in question cannot be easily removed. It is therefore necessary to tie the labels on in a separate operation. This entails a considerable additional input of labour, in particular, in the case of mass consignments.

Moreover, with tied on labels, there is a considerable risk that they may be ripped off.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for strapping up items to be packed, that allows an additional item, for example a label, to be tied to the unit to be packed in an efficient manner and without the risk of loss.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, we provide apparatus for strapping up packing units with a tape comprising:- a tape guidance duct spanning a bearing surface for the packing unit in the manner of a portal, the strapping tape being fed round the space intended for the packing unit and being released from the tape guidance duct while being tightened by means of a tightening device; a cutting and tape-end joining device; and a device arranged in the zone of the tape guidance duct, for feeding an additional item including a through hole to be tied on to the packing unit and for passing the strapping tape through a said through hole as the tape is advanced.

A second aspect of the invention provides the use of the apparatus of the first aspect for strapping up and making objects by means of punched tag-on labels.

Preferably the packing units are post bags.

The apparatus in accordance with the invention allows an additional item to be securely fastened to the packing unit without additional fastening means. The additional item is securely held by the strapping tape. If this additional item is a label, this label is applied flat by the strapping tape to the unit to be packed, at least in the region of the hole through the label so that it is unlikely to be lost by being torn off.

The use of the apparatus in accordance with the invention is particularly advantageous for affixing punched tag-on labels, in particular to textile objects such as full or empty post bags.

Preferably the additional item feeding device has a positioning device for the positioning of the additional item in the movement path of the strapping tape. This ensures that the additional item assumes a predetermined position for the threading of the strapping tape.

Advantageously the positioning device has a positioning projection immediately adjoining the movement path of the strapping tape, said projection being intended to engage in the through hole of the additional item, so as to centre it with its through hole in said movement path.

This ensures correct positioning when the strapping tape is threaded into the opening of the additional items, especially even when the openings inside the additional items vary in their arrangement with respect to each other.

More advantageously the positioning projection is convergently rounded off at its end and has, on its side facing the movement path of the strapping tape, a flat tape guidance section. This facilitates, on the one hand, the entry of the positioning projection into the through hole and, on the other hand, the removal of the additional item from the positioning zone. Moreover, the flat tape guidance section of the positioning projection ensures that the start of the strapping tape is securely threaded into the through hole.

Suitably, a further bearing surface intended for feeding a said additional item extends into the range of the positioning projection, and wherein the positioning projection and the further bearing surface can be moved relative to each other parallel to the tape direction. This facilitates the feeding of the additional object and moreover, the positioning, in that the additional object advanced on the further bearing surface is caused to engage with the positioning projection with its through hole.

More suitably, the positioning projection is fixed in place and the further bearing surface is movable. This arrangement has the advantage that the additional object can be moved together with the further bearing surface towards the positioning projection and be moved away therefrom. A separate movement of the positioning projection is obviated thereby.

Still more suitably, the further bearing surface is spring loaded towards the positioning projection. With this arrangement it is sufficient merely to push down the additional item together with the further bearing surface, to allow this item to be fed beneath the positioning projection. The positioning is effected on release.

Most suitably, the further bearing surface is arranged on an at least approximately U-shaped bent spring plate.

Desirably, the additional item feeding device has tape guidance means, in the tape feeding direction ahead of the feeding point for the additional item, and adapted to centre the start of the strapping tape. This ensures a trouble-free threading of the strapping tape into the through hole of the additional object.

Conveniently, the device has a magazine for the automatic feeding of the additional items. This allows automatic operation with the feeding of additional items.

In order that the invention may more readily be understood the following description is given, merely by way of example, of one embodiment of the invention. Reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an overall perspective view of an automatic strapping machine for tapes made of synthetic materials, with a device for the feeding and attachment, to a packing unit to be strapped up, of a label as the additional item; Figure 2 shows a strapped up packing unit in the form of a folded textile object with an attached label; Figure 3 shows the device for feeding and attaching a label; Figure 4 illustrates the device of Figure 3 with a manually fed label and with a packing unit intended to be strapped up; and Figure 5 shows the device of Figure 3 on an enlarged scale.

The automatic strapping machine represented partly schematically in Figure 1 has a machine frame 10 with four legs 14 on casters 12. A table surface 16 of the machine frame 10 serves as the bearing surface for packing units to be strapped up. For convenience the packing units themselves are not represented in this Figure. The table surface 16 is spanned by a tape feeding duct 18 in the manner of a portal.

A stock roll 20 is arranged below the machine frame 10, and from this roll the synthetic strapping tape 22 is drawn off via a tension compensator 24. The tension compensator 24 has a tensioning arm 28 provided with guide rollers 26. The strapping tape 22 passes inside the machine frame 10 via a tape magazine 30 and between a roller 32 and a guide plate 34.

The strapping tape 22 is fed in the machine frame 10 and in the tunnel-type tape guidance duct 18, along the dashed line 36; inside the tunnel-type tape guidance duct 18 the tape passes in the direction of arrow 38 round the space 40 for the packing unit to be strapped.

After a packing unit has been placed on the table surface 16 in the space 40 provided for this purpose, and after the actuation of a control push button 42 on the operating panel 44, the loop of the strapping tape 22 is closed round the packing unit, unless this closure has been effected at an earlier stage. In this process, the leading edge of the strapping tape 22 is gripped in a cutting and tape-end joining device 46. Subsequently the strapping tape 32 is pulled back in a tightening device towards the tape magazine 30 and is thereby tightened round the packing unit. The release of the strapping tape 22 from the machine frame 10 and from the tape guidance duct 18, towards the packing unit to be strapped is effected via a peripherally arranged slot 48.Immediately after being tightened, the strapping tape surrounding the packing unit is severed from the stock of the tape 22 and is bonded together at its ends. The separation and bonding are effected automatically in the cutting and tape-end joining device.

Thus the packing unit has been strapped up by the strapping tape, and the process corresponding to the prior art is completed.

In accordance with the invention, the apparatus described above as an automatic strapping machine is provided with a device 50 for the feeding and attachment of an additional item 56, having a through hole 54 and intended to be tied on to the packing unit 52 as shown in Figure 2.

The strapping tape 22 surrounding the unit 52 to be packed, in this case a folded textile article, can during the strapping up operation described above be passed through the through hole 54, so that the additional item in the form of a tag-on label is securely joined to the packing unit 52 without any additional connecting element.

The device 50, represented on an enlarged scale in Figure 3, is arranged in the vicinity of the tape feeding duct 18. That Figure shows the bearing surface 16 for the packing unit and a portion of the peripherally disposed tape releasing slot 48.

The front side 58 of the tape feeding duct 18 has a horizontal slot 60 open towards the space 40, intended for the packing unit, for the feeding of a tag-on label into the movement path 62 of the strapping tape designated by an arrow. A further bearing surface 64, directed into the slot 60 for the feeding of the labels, is arranged on an at least approximately U-shaped bent spring plate 66. This bearing surface 64 can have lateral stop tabs 68, for at least the pre-positioning of the labels to be fed.

The side 70 of the spring plate 66 having the further bearing surface 64 is spring-loaded towards a downwardly pointing positioning projection 72 arranged in the movement path 62, so as to position the manually fed label, on being released, with its through hole exactly in the movement path 62.

Figure 4 shows the label 56, positioned on the further bearing surface 64, through whose opening 54 the strapping tape 22 has already been advanced.

Figure 4 moreover shows a cant 74, pointing towards the space 40 intended for the packing unit, and following the slot 60 in the tape guidance duct 18. This cant 74 serves primarily to facilitate the withdrawal movement of the label 56 from the slot 60 when the strapping tape 22 is tightened round the packing unit 52, and the label 56 is thereby drawn towards the packing unit 52.

In the still further enlarged representation of the device in Figure 5, it is in particular possible to recognize clearly the positioning projection 72 engaging in the through hole 54 of the label 56. Its end points downwards and is convergently rounded off, and it has a flat tape guidance section 76 on the side facing the movement path 62 of the strapping tape 22. Bearing on this tape guidance section, the start 78 of the strapping tape 22 is pushed through the through hole 54 of the label 56.

Figure 5 also shows tape guidance means in the form of converging guide surfaces 80 centering the start 78 of the strapping tape 22; the left front guide surface has been represented in a cut away form for greater clarity.

These guide surfaces 80 are preferably arranged together with the positioning projection 72 on a common component 82 serving as a centering member, thereby ensuring a particularly satisfactory conformity in the positioning of the label 56 and the centering of the tape start 78.

Figure 3 shows, furthermore, that the spring plate 66 may have a closed design. In this arrangement, a bent end 67 may serve as a bottom stop for the side 70 having the further bearing surface 64 so as to prevent the side 70 from being unduly pushed down.

Whilst the side 70 with the further bearing surface 64 extends towards the positioning projection 72, it does however terminate, ahead of the movement path 62 so as not to impede the strapping tape 22 while it is being tightened and moved away towards the packing unit.

During operation of the device 50, it is necessary for the strapping tape 22 with its start 78 to be stopped ahead of this device, if its feeding is already effected before the strapping operation. For this purpose a switch 84 as shown in Figure 1, scanning the start 78 of the tape, is required at the appropriate point in the tape guidance duct 18.

With an appropriate modification of existing strapping apparatus, the device 50 can also be added subsequently as a retro-fit feature.

The scope for applications is not limited to use with the labels described above, but other items having a through hole may be secured to the packing unit in the way described.

Claims (13)

1. Apparatus for strapping up packing units with a tape comprising:- a tape guidance duct spanning a bearing surface for the packing unit in the manner of a portal, the strapping tape being fed round the space intended for the packing unit and being released from the tape guidance duct while being tightened by means of a tightening device; a cutting and tape-end joining device; and a device arranged in the zone of the tape guidance duct, for feeding an additional item including a through hole to be tied on to the packing unit and for passing the strapping tape through a said through hole as the tape is advanced.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the additional item feeding device has a positioning device for the positioning of the additional item in the movement path of the strapping tape.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the positioning device has a positioning projection immediately adjoining the movement path of the strapping tape, said projection being intended to engage in the through hole of the additional item, so as to centre it with its through hole in said movement path.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the positioning projection is convergently rounded off at its end and has, on its side facing the movement path of the strapping tape, a flat tape guidance section.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein a further bearing surface intended for feeding a said additional item extends into the range of the positioning projection, and wherein the positioning projection and the further bearing surface can be moved relative to each other parallel to the tape direction.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the positioning projection is fixed in place and the further bearing surface is movable.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the further bearing surface is spring loaded towards the positioning projection.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the further bearing surface is arranged on an at least approximately U-shaped bent spring plate.

9. Apparatus according to one of claims 3 to 8, wherein the additional item feeding device has tape guidance means, in the tape feeding direction ahead of the feeding point for the additional item, and adapted to centre the start of the strapping tape.

10. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device has a magazine for the automatic feeding of the additional items.

11. Apparatus for strapping up packing units with a tape and for including an additional item, constructed and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

12. The use of the apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11 for the strapping up and marking of objects by means of punched tag-on labels.

13. The use according to claim 12, for the closing and marking of post bags.