Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
  • B65B9/10—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs
  • B65B9/13—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the preformed tubular webs being supplied in a flattened state
  • B65B9/135—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the preformed tubular webs being supplied in a flattened state for palletised loads
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B53/00—Shrinking wrappers, containers, or container covers during or after packaging
  • B65B53/02—Shrinking wrappers, containers, or container covers during or after packaging by heat
  • B65B53/06—Shrinking wrappers, containers, or container covers during or after packaging by heat supplied by gases, e.g. hot-air jets
  • B65B53/066—Mobile frames, hoods, posts or the like

Definitions

• This invention relates to a method of packing stack ⁇ ed goods with a shrink foil which shrinks under the influence of heat, by which a stack is surrounded by the foil and thereafter heated with a shrink frame, said frame being arranged to move up and down around the stack.
• the object of the present invention is to rational ⁇ ize the method to the widest possible degree, thus enabling it to be carried out at one station and without any significant effort on the part of the operating personnel.
• the method according to the invention is character ⁇ ized by the fact that the foil is in the form of a flexible tube, or a flexible tube provided with equidistant, transverse perforations/weakenings or transverse sealings, possibly both, which from a supply roll is fed to the shrink frairie *.from above, that the free end of the tubular foil is secured to the shrink frame, cut off or torn over to length and drawn down over the stack (or vice versa) during the downwards movement of the shrink frame, and that the shrinking commences during the susequent upwards movement of the frame.
• OMPI One can thus in a simple manner make use of both the upwards and the downwards movement of the shrink frame, in that the downwards movement of the shrink frame is now used for drawing down the foil, or ra- ther the foil hood, over the stacked goods.
• the op ⁇ erator needs merely to fasten the lower edge of that foil which is to be drawn down over the stacked goods to the shrink frame, in that the frame can be provid ⁇ ed with grippers or hook arrangements which grip the lower edge during the drawing down.
• the foil is drawn down, there can also be car ⁇ ried out a feeding forward of that foil which is to be used in the subsequent operation.
• This method en ⁇ ables the use of several types of foil in tubular form, namely and firstly a simple tube which is pres ⁇ sed flat, or a tube which in its folded-together state has a double fold in each side, i.e., an in ⁇ wardly-bent edge and two outwardly-turning edges in each side.
• a tube which is either cut off to. length and wel ⁇ ded at the top or a tube which has already been pro ⁇ vided with equidistant, transverse perforations/weak ⁇ enings or transverse sealings.
• the method in accordance with the invention can be characterized in that a hood part is closed at the top by transverse welding together before the foil is drawn down over the stack and before being cut off.
• the method according to the invention can be furth ⁇ er characterized by the free end of the tube being secured to the edges of the shrink frame.
• this is one of the expedient embodiments for the method according to the invention, in that it must
• One embodiment for the method according to the inven ⁇ tion can be characterized in that when the shrinking process itself is taking place, one effects a shield ⁇ ing of that foil which is not yet to be shrunk.
• One can thus in a simple manner avoid that this foil is exposed to so much upwardly-flowing heat that it is shrunk too early.
• Still a further embodiment for the method is charact ⁇ erized in that a preliminary spreading of the tube is effected by means of one or more suction blowers which are mounted on the frame, in that use is here ⁇ with made of the suction effect, while the final spreading of the foil is effected by the blowing-up of air from below by one or more of the suction blow- ers.
• a preliminary spreading of the tube is effected by means of one or more suction blowers which are mounted on the frame, in that use is here ⁇ with made of the suction effect, while the final spreading of the foil is effected by the blowing-up of air from below by one or more of the suction blow- ers.
• the method according to the invention can be characterized in that gas burners are used for the shrinking. Achieved hereby is a reduction of the risk that the foil which is situated above that foil which is to be shrunk is not exposed to heat at a time at which this is undesirable, in that contrary to other means of heating gas burners can namely very quickly be shut down after the end of the operation and do not leave any residual heat.
• the invention also relates to apparatus for the exe- cution of the method, and which is of that type on
• OMPI which is mounted a vertically movable shrink frame, said frame being substantially rectangular.
• this apparatus is char- acterized in that the column is connected to a supply roll of shrink foil which, in its folded-together state, has a double fold in each side, i.e., an in ⁇ wardly-bent edge and two outwardly-turning edges in each side ?
• One embodiment of the apparatus is characterized in that the suction boxes are connected to one or more suction blowers, the pressure sides of which are connected to one or more nozzles or nozzle slots which are directed upwards in the area within and
• a further development of this embodiment is charact ⁇ erized by providing each suction box with a suction blower and a horizontal nozzle slot which is disposed in the area under the suction box, and which can possibly be horizontally movable.
• the shrink frame can be of the type which is equipped with gas burners.
• the most possible energy is herewith saved for the shrink ⁇ ing, in that the gas burners do not heat the surround ⁇ ing material to any noteworthy degree, and in that among others things they do not give rise to an re- sidual heat which could contribute towards inadvert ⁇ ent shrinking of that foil which is pulled down from above in the middle of the area where the heating has taken place.
• Another embodiment can be characterized by mounting a cutting-off mechanism and a welding mechanism above the shring frame. It is herewith possible to cut the foil to length, so that with the same machine one can alternately effect the packing of high and low stacks of goods.
• a further development of the apparatus can be char ⁇ acterized by the welding mechanism comprising a pair of welding jaws which are arranged to close together during the shrinking.
• the welding mechanism comprising a pair of welding jaws which are arranged to close together during the shrinking.
• a further development of this embodiment can be char- acterized by heat-screening plates or shields being disposed over the welding mechanism, thus making a feeding of the foil possible even during the shrink ⁇ ing process, so that a new length of foil is already hanging ready when the shrinking process is conclud- ed.
• the apparatus according to the invention can be characterized by a rectangular frame which is horizontally disposed above and preferably in connec ⁇ tion with the shrink frame, the sides of this frame being parallel with those of the shrink frame, and having plane, vertical inner surfaces, in that the frame is vertically movable.
• a rectangular frame which is horizontally disposed above and preferably in connec ⁇ tion with the shrink frame, the sides of this frame being parallel with those of the shrink frame, and having plane, vertical inner surfaces, in that the frame is vertically movable.
• fig. 1 shows an apparatus for the execution of the method according to the invention, seen obliquely in perspective from the front
• fig. 2 is an embodiment of the apparatus accord ⁇ ing to the invention, seen obliquely in perspective from the front,
• fig. 3 shows this apparatus seen from the side
• fig. 4 shows this apparatus seen from the side
• fig. 5 shows this apparatus seen from the side, but with the movable parts in another position
• fig. 6 is a cutting-off and welding mechanism for the apparatus, shown in schematic form and partly in section,
• fig. 7 seen from above and in schematic form, shows how the pre-spreading of the foil is effected by means of movable suction boxes and a set of small -grippers, and
• fig. 8 shows a gripper of the type shown in fig. 7, in double right-angled configuration and on a larger scale.
• FIG. 1 there is shown an apparatus consisting of a horizontal shrink frame 1 which is vertically mov ⁇ able on a column 2, said frame being designed to pack a box-shaped stack 3 with shrink foil.
• the foil is in the form of a tube and comes from a supply roll 4 at the back of the apparatus.
• the foil or tube is fed from here via rollers or slide rails up over the apparatus and out into a console 5 which ends above the shrink frame 1.
• the console 5 can have built-in mechanisms for the cutting-off and the welding-toge- ther of the tube, but as an alternative there can also be used a tube which has already been provided with transverse weakening slits and welded seams at suitable distances.
• the console 5 will al- so contain a pair or rollers for the feeding of the foil.
• the inner edges of the shrink frame 1 are equipped with heating elements. With the present in ⁇ vention it can be expedient for these elements to be gas burners.
• the shrink frame 1 is at its inner edges provided with grippers or hooks, whereby the lower edge of that foil which is to be drawn down over the stack 3 can be secured.
• the apparatus has a control panel 6 with a programme control arrangement.
• This apparatus which is semi-automatic, operates in the following manner:
• the feeding of the foil is effected either manually by an operator or mechanically by means of the men- tioned but not shown pair of rollers.
• the foil is then spread manually and secured to the shrink frame 1, said frame being disposed in that position shown.
• the cutting-off and the welding mechanism is then activated or, if the foil being used is of the type already provided with weakening slits, a hood is torn off.
• the operator now sets the shrink frame 1 in its downwards movement, which is expediently ef ⁇ fected mechanically, and during this movement the foil hood is drawn down over the stack 3.
• the foil is released from the grippers or the hooks and the shrinking commences, i.e., the shrink frame is set in its upwards movement at the same time that the heating elements are activated.
• the shrink frame 1 has returned to the position shown, the op-
• OMPi eration has been completed and can recommence with a new stack.
• Figs . 2, 3, 4 and 5 show a further development of the apparatus shown in fig. 1.
• the spreading and the securing of the foil is automated, i.e., the ap ⁇ paratus is fully automatic.
• Corresponding parts have the same reference numbers .
• the apparatus is equip- ped with a pair of suction boxes 7 and 8 mounted on the bottom of the shrink frame 1, and which on rails are controlled for synchronous movement towards each other and away from each other.
• On the suction boxes 7 and 8 are mounted elements which lie below the suc- tion surfaces, but which extend towards thev*corresp ⁇ onding element on the other suction box. However, these elements are offset from each other in such a way that the suction surfaces of the suction boxes can still lie almost or completely up against each other..
• suction blowers 9, 10 are mounted on each of the suction boxes 7 and 8, as shown in. fig. 3 in association with the suction box 7.
• the suction side of these blowers is naturally connected to the suc ⁇ tion boxes, while the pressure side is connected to the drawer-like elements 11 and 12 which extend und ⁇ er each suction box and can be pushed in under this, or be in a half-drawn-out position in a direction to- wards each other or in towards the middle of the shrink frame 1. This results in the provision of up ⁇ wardly-inclined nozzle slots.
• the suction blowers is effected in another manner.
• the drawer-like elements can also be mounted on the suction boxes in a fixed way.
• these grippers are not shown in the foregoing drawings.
• These grippers have the double right-angled config ⁇ uration as shown in fig. 8.
• Fig. 7 also shows a tube 17 of shrink foil which in its folded-together state has a double fold in each side, i.e., an inwardly -bent edge and two outwardly-turning edges in each side.
• suc ⁇ tion boxes 7 and 8 have a second set of large grip ⁇ pers 18, 19, 20 and 21 in the form of pivotable stays capable of swinging between a horizontal and a vert ⁇ ical position around horizontal axes.
• the stays 19 and 20 are in the horizontal position, in that the stays run at right angles to the plane of the paper.
• a second horizontal frame 22 sup ⁇ ported underneath by a column 23 is mounted above and in connection with the shrink frame 1 .
• the column 23 can have a built-in telescopic part, thus enabling the distance of the frame 22 from the shrink frame 1 to be varied.
• Fig. 6 shows a cutting-off and welding mechanism which is built into the outer end of the console 5.
• a pair of rollers 24 and 25 feed the foil 26 to a slot between two pairs of holding jaws 27, 28, 29 and 30, of which the last-mentioned and lower pair also serve as welding jaws.
• a knife 31 is fastened to an endless chain 32, 33 and is driven forwards and backwards by a not-shown motor in the suggested sup ⁇ ports. The knife can also be driven in the same dir- ection the whole way around..
• the shrink frame will be in its upper position, e.g., the position shown in the drawings.
• the feeding of the foil now takes place by means of the pair of rollers 24 and 25 until the lower edge of the foil is level with the lower edges of the suction boxes 7 and 8.
• the suction boxes 7 and 8 are, of course, moved into a position away from each other, so that the foil can pass freely.
• the length of the foil hanging downwards is naturally adjusted in accordance with the height of the stack to be packed. This length can be measured off by means -of the programme control arrangement, but it can also be effected automatically with sensors already known within the art.
• the suction boxes 7 and.8 are fed in towards each other so that they surround the lower edge of the foil.
• the suction blowers 9, 10 and others are then started, and the suction boxes 7 and 8 are withdrawn a small distance away from each other and stopped.
• OMPI ternally -The suction boxes 7 and 8 are then made to continue their movement until the foil cross section is opened so much that the second set of grippers 18, 19, 20 and 21 can safely swing up inside the foil. This happens at the same time that the first set of small grippers 13, 14, 15 and 16 swing back into the start position as shown in fig. 7. It should be men ⁇ tioned here that the second set of grippers 18, 19, 20 and 21 are disposed a good distance from the suc- tion surfaces to ensure a correct upswing, and that this distance takes on significance in the following step, during which the suction boxes move further away from each other and thus through the grippers 18, 19, 20. and 21 tighten the lower part of the foil cross section to form a rectangle.
• the frame 22 is of significance, in that the size of the frame 22 is of such dimensions that it can prevent the upper part of the now form ⁇ ed foil hood from swinging from side to side or flap- ping as a result of turbulence in the air.
• the frame 22 can be adjustable in height if stacks of varying heights are being worked with..
• the foil hood can be drawn down over the stack 3 without being damaged by the upper corners or edges of the stack. This is carried out by feed- ing the frames and the parts mounted thereon down the column 2.
• the suction boxes are moved so much in towards each other that the grippers 18, 19, 20 and 21 relieve the foil to such an extent that the grippers can swing down into the horizontal position free of the foil, after which the shrinking can be ⁇ gin during the upwards movement of the shrink frame.
• the jaws 27,28 and 29,30 can have been moved towards each other into the closed position, thus shielding-off the foil which must not be shrunk prematurely.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
• Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)
• Stacking Of Articles And Auxiliary Devices (AREA)
• Container Filling Or Packaging Operations (AREA)
• Making Paper Articles (AREA)
• Closing Of Containers (AREA)
• Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=6131382

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (7)

Families Citing this family (15)

Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 1981
  • 1981-05-04 DE DE19813117531 patent/DE3117531A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 1982
  • 1982-04-30 WO PCT/DK1982/000038 patent/WO1982003833A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1982-04-30 EP EP87110175A patent/EP0252527A3/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1982-04-30 AT AT82901411T patent/ATE33601T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1982-04-30 EP EP82901411A patent/EP0078284B1/en not_active Expired
  • 1982-04-30 DE DE8282901411T patent/DE3278353D1/de not_active Expired
  • 1982-04-30 JP JP57501527A patent/JPS58500992A/ja active Pending
  • 1982-04-30 DE DE19823242677 patent/DE3242677T1/de active Granted
  • 1982-04-30 DE DE198787110175T patent/DE252527T1/de active Pending
  • 1982-12-09 DK DK546582A patent/DK161880C/da active

Patent Citations (2)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events