JP2000095340A - Article handling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To converge multiple transporting lines to a single shipping line by shifting timings for feeding packages from first and second transporting means to a shipping means and preventing packaged articles from overlapping on the shipping means. SOLUTION: Operations of two pick-up heads 28, 28, one for each packaging machine, are controlled, concretely by synchronizing timing for releasing vacuum, and thereby packaged articles 4 are fed onto a shipping conveyer 10 alternately, preferably in a constant interval. In this example, it is assumed that first and second conveyer devices 8, 8 have a same length and travel at a same speed, two vacuum pick-up heads 28, 28 are operated alternately displacing their phases by 180 deg., and therefore, mutually different desired feeding timings are provided. In this example, the packaged articles 4 are alternately fed to the shipping conveyer 10 from the conveyer devices 8, 8.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to an article handling apparatus. More specifically, it is an apparatus that combines articles discharged from a number of packaging apparatuses and sends out the articles to a single unloading line.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION British Patent No. 1587715 describes a known arrangement for forming a single line of articles from a series of parallel transport lines. Four substantially identical packaging machines form packaging bags containing the products, pack the products, and discharge these packaging bags onto their respective output conveyors. At the first alignment station, the four packaging bag transport lines on the unloading conveyor converge to two parallel transport lines, and at the second alignment station, these two rows of transport lines are combined.
Each alignment station has a vertically opposed pair of rollers, one for each transport line. Downstream of this roller pair there are two vertically arranged belts converging in the downstream direction on each side of the conveyor carrying the packaging bags.

[0003] In operation, a roller pair of this known configuration pushes the packaging bag onto a downstream conveyor. By controlling the timing of this extrusion, an arbitrary interval is provided between the packaging bags on the adjacent transport lines so that the packaging bags can be converged by the downstream belt without colliding with each other.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a main object of the present invention to provide a new and effective article handling apparatus which converges a multiplex transport line of packages discharged from each packaging machine into a single unloading line. It is to provide.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article handling apparatus comprising: a carrying-out means; first and second carrying means for carrying a packaged article from each outer end region to the carrying-out means; First and second wrapping means for discharging packages onto the respective outer end regions so that the packages are transported to the unloading means by the second transport means, and the first and second packaging means Control means for controlling the operations of the first and second transport means so as to make the timing of sending out the packaged goods from the first and second transport means to the carry-out means different from each other so that the packaged goods do not overlap on the carry-out means.

[0006] Thus, in contrast to the known arrangement described above, in which the packaging machines are separate from one another but operated at the same rated speed, the apparatus controls the packaging means itself. For example, they are operated with their phases shifted from each other, and are arbitrarily sent out onto the unloading means at mutually different timings.
An advantage is that the present invention does not require complex downstream transport configuration control of the wrapping means, as found in GB 1587715, and a simple, conventional, relatively inexpensive transport. Means are available.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the carrying-out means carries the package in a first carrying direction, and the first and second carrying means are respectively arranged in a straight line on both sides of the carrying-out means. Then, the package is conveyed in the opposite direction from the respective outer end regions to the carrying-out means. With this configuration of the transport means, the floor area for the article handling device in the factory can be significantly reduced. Preferably, this configuration is used in combination with the control of the packaging means described above. However, if necessary, this configuration is also effective in an apparatus that arbitrarily sends out packages at mutually different timings by controlling the operations of the first and second transporting means in another manner.

Further, the article handling apparatus according to a second configuration of the present invention is provided with an unloading means for transporting the packaged article in the first transport direction, and linearly disposed on both sides of the unloading means, so that the packaged article is arranged. First and second transport means for transporting in opposite directions from the respective outer end regions to the unloading means, and packaged articles so that the packaged articles are transported to the unloading means by the first and second transport means. And first and second wrapping means for discharging the above on the respective outer end regions.

Both the first and second configurations have a function of controlling the first and second wrapping means and sending out the wrapped articles onto the carrying-out means with different timings. This can also be realized by controlling the respective discharging means of the first and second packaging means and discharging the packaged goods on the outer end regions of the first and second conveying means at predetermined time intervals.

A first preferred embodiment of the discharge means which can be controlled in this way comprises a vacuum pick-up device. The package is picked up by the vacuum head of the pickup device, transferred to a position above one outer end region of each of the first and second transfer means, and then the vacuum is released to place the package on the transfer means. Place. By controlling the timing at which the vacuum is released, it is possible to arbitrarily control the timing at which the package is sent out to the unloading means.

In the second embodiment for controlling the timing at which the package is placed on the first and second transport means, a holding flap can be used. These flaps
Located above the outer end area of the transport means, each flap has a holding position for holding the packages supplied to it on the flap, for example by means of a distribution chute or using a vacuum pick-up device. The flap is
Since the package can be tilted and slid from the flap onto the transporting means, the package can be lowered onto the transporting means by tilting the flap from the holding position. By controlling the timing of inclining the flap, that is, the timing of placing the package on the first and second transport means, the timing of sending the package to the unloading means can be arbitrarily controlled.

In a third embodiment for controlling the discharge of the package from the packaging means onto the outer end regions of the first and second transport means, a variable speed transport means is used as the discharge means from each packaging means. I do. By controlling the speed of the variable speed transport means,
At predetermined time intervals, the package can be discharged from the variable speed transport means to the outer end region.

Regardless of the manner in which the packages are discharged onto the outer end regions of the first and second transport means, each of these transport means is provided with a respective first discharge means from which the package is discharged from the packaging means.
It is preferred to have a conveyor and a second conveyor from which the packages are sent out onto the unloading means. With such a configuration, the first conveyor is driven at a relatively low speed,
The package can be easily transported smoothly from the packaging means onto the conveyor. On the other hand, the second conveyor can be run at a slightly higher speed to make it easier to send out the packaged goods to the carrying-out means.

[0014] Advantageously, a system for eliminating defective packages can be incorporated into the packaging means. The rejection system is preferably configured to reject defective packages before they are discharged onto the first and second transport means, and may for example be incorporated in the discharge means. Any suitable exclusion system can be used, and many examples are known. Typically, the rejection system includes some sensor that detects the characteristics of each package, for example, the length, weight, completeness of the seal, etc., and means for rejecting defective packages detected by this sensor. . In addition, defective packaging is
A package that has been detected not to meet the desired criteria for properties.

[0015] A drop plate arrangement may be used to smoothly transfer the package from the first and second transport means to the unloading means and / or to control the timing of this transfer. The package is delivered from the first and second transport means onto the drop plate when the drop plate is in a high position and forms a platform for holding the package thereon above the unloading means. Thereafter, the drop plate descends and places the package on the unloading means. If necessary, the timing of lowering the drop plate can be controlled, for example, to control the spacing of the packages on the unloading means. To facilitate the operation of the drop plate configuration, the unloading means may be formed on a multi-strand belt conveyor. The drop plate is formed of a plurality of portions that project upward between the strands of the conveyor.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1A to 1D of the present invention.
The article handling apparatus according to the embodiment includes, for example, a vertical filling machine (VFFM) and a horizontal filling machine (HFFM).
It is provided with two packaging machines 2 and 2. These packaging machines 2,2
Forms a packaging bag, and packs the product into the packaging bag to form a packaging product.
It is discharged onto the outer ends 6, 6 of the conveyor devices (conveying means) 8, 8. The conveyor devices 8, 8 transfer the packaged products 4, 4 to the first
And the second conveyor device 8, 8 in a direction orthogonal to the
Are conveyed in opposite directions X1 and X2 toward a central unloading conveyor (unloading means) 10 extending in the Y direction. That is, the first and second conveyor devices 8, 8
Are arranged in a straight line on both sides of the unloading conveyor 10, respectively, and the packaged goods 4, 4
To the conveyor 10.

Each of the first and second conveyor devices 8, 8 is provided with two continuously running conveyor belts. First
The belt (first conveyor) 12 is a belt on which the packaged articles are discharged from the packaging machine 2, and the second belt (second conveyor) 14 is a belt from which the packaged articles are fed onto the unloading conveyor 10. . The first belt 12 is driven at a relatively low speed, and smoothly transports the package 4 from the packaging machine 2.
After that, the package is transferred to the second belt 14. This second
The belt 14 travels at a higher speed than the first belt 12 to reliably transfer the packaged goods onto the unloading conveyor 10.

The configuration of the two belts 12, 14 is not necessarily required in all cases. For example, a single relatively high-speed traveling belt may be used as long as the package can be smoothly transferred from the packaging machine and onto the unloading conveyor. A drop plate 16 combined with a multi-strand belt conveyor is used as an unloading conveyor to transfer the packaged goods from the first and second conveyor devices 8 and 8 to the unloading conveyor 10. Drop plate 16
Is installed between the first and second conveyor devices 8, 8 below the unloading conveyor 10. This plate can be moved vertically to a higher position 17 and forms an elevated platform above the conveyor 10 on which the packages are fed from one of the first or second conveyor devices 8,8. At that position, a plurality of spaced-apart platform portions of the drop plate protrude upward between the strands of the discharge conveyor 10. That is,
In this state, each platform of the drop plate 16 has moved upward, penetrating each space between the strands extending along the running direction Y of the belt of the unloading conveyor 10.

When the package arrives on the drop plate 16, usually within a few milliseconds after the package has arrived, the plate is lowered and the platform element is retracted under the unloading conveyor 10 to remove the package. The package is placed on the conveyor 10 to be carried out.

If necessary, the transfer of the package 4 by the drop plate 16 can be controlled by controlling the timing at which the drop plate 16 is lowered, that is, the timing at which the package 4 is placed on the carry-out conveyor 10. It can be used to control the spacing of the packages 4 on the unloading conveyor 10.

The presence or absence of the package on the drop plate 16 can be detected by, for example, an optical element. The operation of the drop plate 16 can be activated using the package detection signal.

In some cases, the drop plate 1
6 can be omitted. In this case, the unloading conveyor 10
It is not important that is a multi-strand. When the drop plate is not used, the speed of the high-speed belt 14 is
Preferably, it is sufficient to propel the package 4 from the end of the belt 14 against the wall opposite the recess 18. In the recess 18, an unloading conveyor 10 is arranged between the first and second conveyor devices 8, 8. Thus, the impact of the package 4 on the wall helps to align the direction of the package 4 that is not correctly aligned on the first and second conveyor devices 8,8.

The discharge of the package 4 from the packaging machine 2 to the outer end 6 of the first low-speed belt 12 is performed by a controllable discharge device, in this embodiment, a pickup device 20. FIG.
Once the packages 4 have been formed and sealed, as shown in (c), they are thrown into the chute 22. At the lower end of the chute 22, the package 4 is held in a holding position 26 by an upwardly bent lip 24, from which it is picked up by a vacuum pick-up head 28 of the discharge device. Thereafter, the head 28 transports the package 4 to a position above the outer end 6 of the first belt 12 and releases the vacuum, that is, releases the negative pressure, thereby moving the package 4 on the belt 12. Lower.

By controlling the operation of the two pickup heads 28, 28, one for each packaging machine, specifically the timing of releasing the vacuum, in synchronism with each other, it is preferable to alternately pack the packages 4. Are at equal intervals, and
Send it up. In the example here, it is assumed that the first and second conveyor devices 8, 8 are of the same length and run at the same speed, so that the two vacuum pickup heads 28, 28 By shifting them by 180 °, different desired feeding timings are obtained. In this example, the packaged goods 4 are alternately sent out from the conveyor devices 8 and 8 to the carry-out conveyor 10.

As shown in FIG. 1C, the chute 22 is provided with a reject flap (removal means) 30 at the lower end.
In a normal state, the flap 30 is at a position shown by a solid line in FIG. 1C, and is received when the package 4 slides down on the chute 22. However, when a predetermined characteristic of the package 4 is detected by a detection unit (not shown) incorporated in the packaging machine 2 and a defective package 32 that does not meet a desired standard is detected, for example, the package is too long. When it is detected that the weight is too heavy, the exclusion flap 30
Rotates downward to remove the package 32 from the chute 22 and drop it.

FIG. 5 shows an operation mechanism of the vacuum pickup head 28 for transferring the package 4 from the holding position 26 at the bottom of the chute 22 to the first belt 12. The link mechanism 34
As will be described later, a third lever arm 36 for reciprocating the vacuum pickup head 28 between two desired positions.
Used to drive.

Next, the link mechanism 34 will be described.
The link mechanism 34 has a first lever arm 61 rotatable about a shaft 61 a, a cam track 62 formed of a linear groove provided on the first lever arm 61, and a rotating arm 63. The rotating arm 63 is driven by a driving device 68 and rotates about a rotating shaft 63a. With this rotation, a cylindrical slider 63b attached to one end slides on the cam track 62. I do. By this slide, the first lever arm 61
It rotates around the shaft 61a and moves from a position A shown by a solid line to a position B shown by a two-dot chain line.

The link mechanism 34 includes a second lever arm 64, a first lever arm 61 and a second lever arm 6.
4 and a third lever arm 36. One end of each of the second lever arm 64 and the third lever arm 36 is fixed to a common connection shaft 64a, and the second and third lever arms 64 and 36
It always rotates at a certain angle. First lever arm 6
When 1 moves from position A to position B, the second lever arm 64 moves from position C to position D. Therefore, the third
The vacuum pickup head 28 attached to the end of the lever arm 36 opposite to the connection shaft 64a is connected to the outer end 6
Can be moved from a position E above to a position F vertically above the holding position 26 of the chute 22.

When the package 4 at the holding position 26 of the chute 22 is transferred onto the first belt 12, the link mechanism 34 is used.
When the first lever arm 61 is moved from the position B to the position A, the vacuum pickup head 28 moves from the position F to the position E.

When the vacuum pickup head 28 is in the holding position 2
At a position F vertically above 6, the vacuum mechanism is turned on, that is, the package 4 waiting is picked up by the negative pressure. Thereafter, the head 28 moves in an arc, moves to a position E above the conveyor belt 12, and appropriately turns off the vacuum mechanism at a predetermined time, that is, releases the negative pressure, and moves the package 4 to the belt 12 It is lowered and discharged onto the unloading conveyor 10 at a desired time.

In order to synchronize the two delivery devices 20, the operation mechanism of the ejection device 20 can be directly mechanically linked. Alternatively, the ejection devices 20 can be driven separately. In this case, two discharging devices 2
0 and 20 are synchronously controlled by a central processing unit (CPU). In the latter case, the position information is preferably fed back to the central processing unit using a sensor 66 for detecting the rotation of the third lever arm 36 for operating the vacuum head 28, for example.

The article handling apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2 has many points in common with the apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 (a) to 1 (d). Therefore, the details will not be described. However, in this apparatus, the means for discharging the packaged goods from each of the packaging machines 2 and 2 includes the controllable belts (variable speed conveying means) 40 and 40 with variable speed.

The packages discharged from the packaging machines 2 and 2 are fed, for example, by a vacuum pick-up device having a vacuum pick-up head 28 or directly from the chute 22.
The belt is placed on the variable speed belts 40
By controlling the speeds of the first and second conveyor belts 12, 12 of the respective conveyor devices 8, 8 at predetermined times by controlling the speeds of 0, 40.
6. Discharge on top. Thereby, the packages can be alternately arranged on the unloading conveyor 10 as desired. In this way, the two speed-variable belts 40, 40 are controlled synchronously, and the packages can be alternately discharged onto the respective conveyor devices 8, 8 at regular intervals. To send out.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show a third embodiment of the present invention.
1 shows an article handling device according to an embodiment. This device does not include the vacuum pickup head 28 (FIG. 1C), but includes a holding flap 42 located above the outer end 6 of the first belt 12. When the holding flap 42 is at a substantially horizontal position, the package is supplied to the holding flap 42 and held above the first belt 12. Thereafter, the flap 42 is inclined, and the package 4 slides down on the first belt 12. Holding flaps 42 of each of the packaging machines 2 and 2,
The timing of inclining 42 is controlled in synchronism, and packages 4 and 4 are sent out on carry-out conveyor 10 so as to be arranged alternately. A vacuum pickup head can be used to supply the package to each holding flap 42, 42, and the chute 44 can also send the package directly to the flap 42, as shown in FIG. it can.

As in the case of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 (c), the reject flap 45 shown by a solid line rotates in a normal state as shown by a two-dot chain line, and
Dropped from 4.

FIG. 4 shows an improved variant of the article handling device of FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b). Here, the package 4 is directly held from the packaging machine 2 (FIG. 3A) by the holding flap 42.
The intermediate conveyor device 46 is used to transfer from the packaging machine 2 to the discharge position, that is, the outer end portion 6 instead of transferring to the outer end portion 6. The intermediate conveyor device 46 is for conveying the package 4 sent from, for example, a horizontal filling machine (HFFM). The package 4 is transferred from the intermediate conveyor device 46 to the holding flap 42 by the vacuum pickup device 48.

The present invention is not limited to a configuration using only two packaging machines. Three, four, five or more packaging machines may be configured in accordance with the present invention to deliver packages in a controlled time interval and to deliver them to a single transport line without overlapping. 6 (a) to 6 (d)
Shows some of such configurations. The operation of these devices is similar to that of the devices already described, with a central controller being provided to control the operation of the discharge means connected to each packaging machine 50.

First, the article handling apparatus shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C will be described. 6B is different from the apparatus according to the first embodiment in that the intermediate units 81, 81 of the first and second conveyor apparatuses 8, 8 are also provided with the packaging machine 5.
The package is supplied from 0,50. In this configuration, control is performed so that the package transferred from the outer end portion 6 and the package supplied to the conveyor device 8 at the intermediate portion 81 do not overlap.

The article handling apparatus shown in FIG. 6C differs from the apparatus according to the first embodiment in that the packaged articles are directly discharged to the unloading conveyor 10 without passing through the first and second conveyor apparatuses 8 and 8. The packaging machine 50 is also provided.

The article handling apparatus shown in FIG.
This is a combination of the apparatus shown in FIG. 6B and the apparatus shown in FIG. 6C, and the packages from the five packing machines 50 are discharged onto the unloading conveyor 10.

FIG. 6 (d) shows two stages of the article handling apparatus according to the first embodiment, and the packages conveyed from the unloading conveyors 11 of the two first-stage apparatuses 70, 70. The product is discharged to the second-stage device 71.

The above-described various article handling apparatuses include a plurality of low-speed, high-efficiency, and low-cost packaging machines (for example, VFFM).
And HFFM) can be integrated into one high-speed system, so that difficult-to-pack products can be packaged at high speed while keeping the cost of main equipment low. Further, with this configuration, the floor area utilization rate of the factory can be increased.

The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the various article handling apparatuses described above, and various changes can be made without departing from the object of the present invention. For example, in the system
It is also possible to use one or more belts, for example the first low speed belt of each conveyor device, as the weight belt of the weight suppression device, which can further reduce the floor space required for the entire device.

[0044]

As described above, according to the article handling apparatus according to the first configuration of the present invention, since the packaging means itself is controlled, the packaging apparatus as disclosed in British Patent No. 1587715 is used. No complicated downstream transport configuration control of the means is required, and simple, conventional, relatively inexpensive transport means can be utilized.

Further, according to the article handling apparatus according to the second configuration of the present invention, the floor area for the article handling apparatus in a factory can be significantly reduced by the configuration of the transport means.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 (a) is a front view of an article handling apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 (b) is a plan view, and FIG. 1 (c) is (a)
(D) is a cross-sectional view along the line BB of (a).

FIG. 2 is a front view of an article handling apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3A is a front view of an article handling apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a front view of an improved variant of the device of FIG.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view showing an operation mechanism of a vacuum pickup device used in the device of FIG.

6 (a) to 6 (d) are plan views of four devices, respectively, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

2, 50: packaging means, 4: packaged goods, 6: outer end, 8: transport means, 10: unloading means, 12: first conveyor, 14 ...
2nd conveyor, 16 ... holding plate, 17 ... high position,
20: discharging means, 28: vacuum pickup head, 3
0, 45: Excluding means, 32: Defective packaged product, 42: Holding flap, 40: Transport means with variable speed, Y: First transport direction.

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A carrying-out means, first and second carrying means for carrying packaged goods from respective outer end regions to the carrying-out means, respectively, and the first and second carrying means allow the packaged goods to be carried out by the carrying-out means. First and second wrapping means for discharging a packaged article onto the respective outer end regions so that the first and second wrapping means are conveyed to the first and second wrapping means. (2) An article handling apparatus comprising: a controller configured to control a timing at which a package is sent from the transporting unit to the unloading unit at a different timing so that the package does not overlap on the unloading unit. 2. The transporting device according to claim 1, wherein the unloading unit transports the packaged product in a first transport direction, and the first and second transport units are linearly arranged on both sides of the unloading unit, respectively. And an article handling apparatus for transporting the packaged goods in the opposite direction from the respective outer end regions to the unloading means. 3. An unloading means for transporting the packaged goods in a first transport direction, and arranged in a straight line on both sides of the unloading means, so that the packaged goods are transferred in opposite directions from the respective outer end regions to the unloading means. First and second transport means for transporting the package to the respective outer end regions such that the package is transported to the unloading means by the first and second transport means. And an article handling device provided with a second packaging means. 4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising controlling the first and second wrapping means and / or the first and second conveying means to wrap from the first and second conveying means to the unloading means. An article handling apparatus comprising control means for controlling the timing at which articles are sent out differently from each other so as to prevent packages from overlapping on the unloading means. 5. The package according to claim 1, wherein the first and second wrapping means discharge the wrapped product onto an outer end region of each of the first and second transporting means. An article handling apparatus, comprising: a discharge unit, wherein the discharge unit is controlled by the control unit, and sends the packaged article onto the unloading unit at the different timings. 6. The vacuum pickup device according to claim 5, wherein each of the discharging means has a vacuum pickup device for transferring a packaged product above the outer end region, and thereafter lowering the packaged product on the outer end region. The control means controls the operation of the pickup heads of both of the vacuum pickup devices, and lowers the package on the outer end region at predetermined time intervals, and places the package on the unloading means at the different timings. An article handling device to send out. 7. The discharge means according to claim 5, wherein each of the discharge means has a holding flap which can be tilted above the outer end area, and the flaps move the package sent to the flap above the outer end area. In, take the holding position to hold on the flap,
Tilting and lowering the packaged product from the holding position onto the outer end region, the control means controls the tilting of the two holding flaps and moves the packaged product at a predetermined time interval to the outer end region. An article handling apparatus which unloads the package and sends out the package at different timings to the unloading means. 8. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the discharging means has a variable speed conveying means for discharging the package onto the outer end region, and the control means includes both of the variable speed conveying means. An article handling apparatus for controlling the speed of the means, discharging the package at a predetermined time interval onto the outer end region, and sending the package at the different timing to the discharge means. 9. The first conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the first and second transporting means respectively include a first conveyor on which the packaged goods are discharged from each packaging means, and a first conveyor. An article handling device comprising: a second conveyor for delivering the packaged article therefrom onto the unloading means at a higher speed. 10. The method according to claim 1, wherein
Further, detecting means incorporated in each packaging means to detect a predetermined property of each package, and means for eliminating defective packages that do not meet a desired standard of the properties from the article handling apparatus, An excluding unit configured to eliminate the defective package before discharging the defective package onto the first or second transport unit. 11. The drop plate according to claim 1, further comprising: a drop plate configured to transfer the packaged goods from the first and second transport units to the unloading unit, wherein the first and second drop units are disposed at a high position. (2) receiving the package from the transporting means, holding the package above the carrying-out means,
An article handling apparatus comprising a drop plate for moving a received package to a lower position so as to place the package on the unloading means. 12. A carrying-out means, first and second carrying means for carrying the packaged goods from the outer end region to the carrying-out means, respectively, and the package is carried by the first and second carrying means to the carrying-out means. To operate an article handling device having first and second wrapping means for discharging a packaged article onto the outer end region, respectively, comprising controlling the first and second wrapping means. Operating method of the article handling apparatus, comprising the steps of controlling the packages so that they do not overlap on the unloading means by making the timings at which the packages are sent from the first and second transport means to the unloading means different from each other. .