WO2013004341A1

WO2013004341A1 - Pack and method for producing such a pack

Info

Publication number: WO2013004341A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/002561
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christopher Stuhlmann; Volker Zahn
Original assignee: Khs Gmbh
Priority date: 2011-07-05
Filing date: 2012-06-15
Publication date: 2013-01-10
Also published as: PL2729377T3; EP2729377A1; BR112013030449A2; MX2014000005A; US20140238881A1; CN103648915A; ES2638491T3; EP2729377B1; RU2014103813A

Abstract

The invention relates to a pack (2) without a wrapping film, which pack is formed in each case from a group of articles comprising at least two, preferably at least four articles (4) disposed in a non-nesting position, wherein neighbouring articles (4) touch one another in at least one spherically designed contact region (12) of the articles in one or more contact or touching surfaces (13). The contact and touching surfaces (13) of each article interrupt the spherical contact region (12) in the radial direction viewed in the circumferential direction, preferably in a positive manner, wherein at least a part of the contact and touching surfaces (13) and/or a sub-region thereof is provided with an application of adhesive (8).

Description

Container and method for producing such

[0001] The invention relates to a container according to the preamble of patent claim 1, wherein the container is formed in each case from an article group with at least two articles, wherein at least one axially aligned contact region, which defines the region of greatest approximation, extends between adjacent articles is, in which also one or more contact or contact surfaces lie. The articles of the container can be wrapped in a strapping formed by at least one strapping element, which strapping is looped around the article group and holds it together to form the container. The strapping can have at least one closure with at least one closure element. Articles within the meaning of the invention are in particular containers, i. For example, bottles, cans, tubes, pouches, each made of metal, glass and / or plastic, so for example PET bottles, but also other packaging, especially those that are suitable for filling liquid or viscous products, but also already Groups (multipack) combined articles. Such articles, e.g. PET bottles have a contact area which is of a spherically curved design, so that the articles or containers can virtually roll around one another around a circumferential path, that is to say on a "rolling ring." In the case of glass bottles, this is usually the case with repeated use of the bottle In contrast, the wear ring can be seen in a clear and prominent manner, such "collars" can be arranged on PET bottles not only in the head area but also in the foot area.

In detail, the production of the container is carried out, for example, in such a way that the container on a transport plane of a transporter rising and oriented with its container axis in the vertical direction or substantially vertical direction in a mass transport or in a wide container stream, in the containers have an arbitrary orientation with regard to distinctive containers and / or features. This wide container stream is then converted by lane division into several single-lane container streams. In further process steps, the compartments of the single-track container streams, which form the later containers or their container groups, are separated and the necessary number of containers are brought together to form a single container. sealed container group, in which the container with several lateral or circumferential surfaces, ie with the contact or contact surfaces abut each other, and that connecting the container of each group of containers to the compact and solid or stable container.

[0004] It is known to group together or formulate a plurality of articles each into a group of articles, and to manufacture solid or transportable storage and transport units or packages from the article groups using shrink films (for example, US 7,726,464 A1). The disadvantage here is, inter alia, that the films used in this case and in particular the shrinking of the films caused by heat or energy input not inconsiderable costs.

[0005] It is known from DE 23 31 193 A1 to form a plurality of articles comprising at least one cylindrical region, such as bottles or cans, exclusively by adhesive, or a plurality of adhesive dots, to form a container. Furthermore, it is known from EP 2 096 039 A1 to provide adhesive dots between containers which are looped around by means of a shrink or stretch film and held together. It has also been proposed to produce transportable containers in that each article formed into a group of articles is packed by strapping around the article group (DE 10 2009 025 824 A1, DE 10 2009 044 271 A1, DE 41 26 212 A1) ie be connected together to form a container, which is a particularly cost-effective and easy way to produce containers or transport and storage units. The strapping can also be glued to the containers. A disadvantage of the strapping, however, is that the first removal of an article from such a container the remaining in the container items are no longer held together by the strapping. This is true not only when the strapping is separated or cut, but also when it is possible to remove an article from the bundle without severing the strapping.

Furthermore, the transport of such containers on a belt conveyor always involves the risk that cylindrical or largely cylindrical articles, such as cans, bottles or containers, assume a nesting position due to vibration, impact, etc., ie slip into the gap of the adjacent row , To do this In the case of known containers, it is necessary to prevent a very great tension from being exerted on the circumference.

The object of the invention is to give containers of the aforementioned type, in which is always avoided in a simple way that the articles arrive in the transport in a nesting position, whereby even after the removal of one or more articles from a Container the cohesion of the remaining items in the container is retained or can be restored. To solve this problem, a container is designed according to claim 1.

According to the invention it is provided that the contact or contact surface the spherical contact area, ie the "Abrollring", viewed in the circumferential direction in the radial direction negative and / or positive interrupts and that the contact or contact surface with an adhesive or adhesive It is advantageous that the articles are then joined together to form the solid and stable container by bringing together and pressing the other articles or the articles or containers directly adjacent to the "adhesive" article via this adhesive or adhesive application, although the other articles of the container need not necessarily have this adhesive application. It is favorable if each article or container has an adhesive application to its directly adjacent article or container. So an article could be taken, whereby the cohesion would be maintained even without strapping.

Articles within the meaning of the invention are in particular containers, e.g. PET bottles, i. et al Bottles, cans tubes, pouches, each made of metal, glass and / or plastic, but also other packaging, especially those that are suitable for filling of liquid or viscous products, but also already to groups (multiple pack) combined articles. In the following, the articles are also referred to as containers. The containers of the container are arranged in a non-nesting position.

"Adhesives" within the meaning of the invention include all materials or compounds with which an adhesive bond between containers is possible, in particular compounds, materials or compounds that form a self-adhesive order applied in the liquid or viscous state and / or under In the sense of the invention, "adhesives" within the meaning of the invention are, inter alia, also multilayer materials, eg those of at least one carrier material which coat with a material In the sense of the invention, an "adhesive" container has adhesives or adhesives, or is provided with an adhesive and adhesive coating Mistake. The adhesive or adhesive is preferably chosen such that the containers are detachable from the container by hand and non-destructively.

A negative interruption of the Abrollrings seen in the radial direction means in the context of the invention that the originally spherical, ie curved Abrollbereich is flattened, that is flat. In this respect, the contact or contact area has a smaller outer diameter than the rest of the spherically configured Abrollring. Due to the flattening of the Abrollrings also quasi measures are taken, which hinder unimpeded unrolling, if not only allow sections and then prevent when two flats of adjacent containers or items together. A positive interruption of the Abrollrings seen in the radial direction means in the sense of the invention, however, that the contact or contact surfaces have a larger diameter or radius than the rest of Abrollring. In this respect, the contact or contact surfaces are quasi out of the Abrollring, or project beyond it. Even with this preferred measure, it is conceivable that unhindered unrolling of adjacent containers to one another is made more difficult. It is also within the meaning of the invention, when the adhesive application is applied to the circumferentially spherically continuous contact area, ie on the Abrollring so that seen in the radial direction positive interruption is formed. Very generally, the advantage of a container according to the invention is that this is very stable in the production and conveying process and shows no tendency to fall into a nesting arrangement and this at lower contact forces, even by the strapping, compared to known Solutions. Furthermore, there is an advantage that after the first release of the group of articles, these, also by the strapping or in the interaction of strapping or by the respective adhesive cohesion without strapping with a carrying handle or loop, these combined again into a stable unit who- which the end user can transport easily and as a group of articles.

[0015] It is expedient for the article or container to have the contact or contact surface, preferably provided with the adhesive agent application, on its head region and on its foot region or on one of the regions. In a further preferred embodiment, the two head-side and foot-side contact and contact surfaces are arranged vertically one above the other on a common vertical axis.

It is useful in the context of the invention, when each article or container of the container at its head portion and at its foot has at least two offset in the circumferential direction by 90 ° arranged contact and contact surfaces, wherein it is preferably provided that head-side and foot-side Contact and contact surfaces of a common vertical axis are aligned. Thus, each article or container may have enough "splices" to the adjacent article or container to hold the package together sufficiently, so that strapping can be maintained while maintaining the integrity of the package, even if one or more of the articles from the package In this case, it can be ensured that the contact and contact surfaces of adjacent articles or containers are oriented toward one another so that they can then also lie exactly next to one another. where the contact and contact surfaces can form the alignment features, the orientation will not be discussed further.

Surprisingly, it has thus been found that it is sufficient of the contact and Berührflächen or -breichen adjacent articles or containers, only a very small number of these contact and Berührflächen or - areas namely four contact and contact surfaces to provide each container and to provide them with an adhesive or adhesive to achieve this in several ways beneficial effect. In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that all contact and contact surfaces of the containers of a container or of the container are identical in their dimension and design. Of course, not all containers must have an adhesive application. It is within the meaning of the invention, when the container to be provided with adhesive or adhesive to be selected so that all containers of the container are glued together. Targeting is that the contact and contact surfaces may be different in their geometric design. Thus, the contact and contact surfaces may be circular or polygonal, for example quadrangular in each case opposite sides of the quadrangle may be slightly rounded. On this as a flattening or preferably as a survey, so as a negative or preferably positive interruption of the Abrollrings running contact and contact surfaces, the adhesive and adhesive can be applied. However, it is also conceivable, as already mentioned, to apply the adhesive and adhesive in such a layer thickness that the positive elevation results, so that the rolling ring is positively interrupted in the circumferential direction.

In a further possible embodiment can be provided to apply the adhesive application as a thin film, ie as a thin layer which wets the entire contact and contact surface. But it is also possible to apply the adhesive particularly thick, so quasi Pilskopfartig.

The respective container can be formed, for example, four, six or nine articles or containers, said number is of course not limiting but only to be understood as an example, each of the container or a selected number of more than one container with may be provided an adhesive application.

[0021] If the container is formed from four containers with the contact and contact surfaces and has strapping, it makes sense if only one of the containers, that is to say a single container which has the adhesive agent application, is a corner container. This container has direct contact with two adjacent containers, which are thus glued to the "adhesive" container It is of course also possible to provide two containers with adhesive. [0022] If the container is formed from six containers with the contact and contact surfaces, then it has a strapping, wherein the containers are arranged in two rows of three containers or in three rows of two containers, is expediently provided with a single container from a central position with the adhesive This "sticky" container has direct contact with the other containers of the central and adjacent corner containers. With a container of six containers, only 16.67% of the containers or a single container are advantageous. container provided with adhesive and adhesive. Of course it is also possible to provide two or three containers with adhesive.

Is the container of nine containers formed with the contact and contact surfaces, and has a strapping, wherein the containers are arranged in three rows to three containers, it is in the context of the invention purposeful if only the central container as " With a container of nine containers only 11, 11% or a single container is provided with adhesive It is of course also possible to provide two, three or four or more containers with adhesive.

It is therefore sufficient that only one of the containers of the container provided with the strapping is designed as an "adhesive container." If the container has more than nine bottles, then only a single container, a maximum of 50% of the containers, can be used , ideally a maximum of 25% of the containers should be "sticky".

If, however, a strapping of the container is dispensed with, it is purposefully provided for each of the containers to "stick" to its directly adjacent container. Of course, this can also be provided if the strapping is used.

If the adhesive application is provided in strip form on the contact and contact surface area, it makes sense to arrange the strip extending in the vertical direction. Of course, the strip can also be provided extending in the circumferential direction.

In order to ensure a point-shaped or strip-shaped arrangement of the adhesive on the contact surface or on the contact surface, that also the "adhesive" contact region rests against the adjacent container, it can be provided, the container by means of a respective alignment feature, which is a distinctive container or container equipment feature or to match such a feature or to inspect, so that the container in each container thus produced have a desired orientation, ie are oriented with their container or equipment features in a given direction. Glue dots "or the" adhesive strips "in a desired orientation to the adjacent containers. As already mentioned, the containers can be aligned with each other. This results in a harmonious, visually appealing appearance, which, among other things, promotes an additional purchasing incentive, in particular also with respect to containers with containers arranged in an arbitrary orientation.

It is possible to use a particularly simple strapping, which must apply a not so great tension, as a decline in a nesting position of the container by means of preferably a single "sticky" container of the container in question is purposefully avoided.

An advantageous embodiment is when the respective strapping of the container can be opened and closed several times and, moreover, the loop length of the loop formed by the strapping is arbitrarily often changed, so after removing an article or container from a container through Shortening of the loop length or by re-tightening the strapping remaining in the container items or containers are kept there or fixed.

In the context of the present invention, the wording that "the strapping of the packages can be opened and closed several times" is to be understood as meaning that an extension of the length of the loop formed by the strapping already leads to its opening Surrounding or loosening the ends of the loop is possible, but not mandatory.

Further developments, advantages and applications of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures. In this case, all described and / or illustrated features alone or in any combination are fundamentally the subject of the invention, regardless of their summary in the claims or their dependency. Also, the content of the claims is made an integral part of the description.

In an advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, this includes, inter alia, a conveyor, oriented on the container with their container axes in the vertical direction or substantially in the vertical direction stand up and in mass transport, ie fed in a disordered amount and with a relatively large conveying width in a transport direction on a first section of the conveyor. In a second section of the conveyor by external and inner guide railing initially a lane division of the container flow in such a way that several, ie in the illustrated embodiment, three separate by the inner guide rails streets are formed, in which the containers each have a single-lane container stream form.

In a third in the direction of transport A subsequent section or in a local workstation, the application of the adhesive or adhesive orders and the merging and pressing together of the container to form the container takes place. At the same time, the application of the carrying handles to the containers takes place in the workstation by gluing or by application of adhesive or adhesive jobs corresponding to the adhesive or adhesive jobs.

In a variant of the method and the device, the single-lane container streams are first moved apart in the streets, by a corresponding course of the outer and inner guide railing, so that the streets and thus the local container streams perpendicular to the transport direction clearly from each other are spaced. As an option, in a further section of the conveyor also extending through this station, a separation of the containers in each alley can take place so that the containers then have a predetermined distance from each other in a further section adjoining in the transport direction in each passage. By means of applicators, the adhesive or adhesive jobs are laterally applied to the passing containers. applied to the perpendicular to the transport direction oriented side portions of the container outer surfaces. Following this, the containers provided with the adhesive and adhesive applications are treated by suitable means, i. rotated with suitable rotating means about its vertical or substantially vertical container axis by 90 ° so that the adhesive and adhesive orders in the transport direction, before the container another applicator for applying adhesive or adhesive orders to other, oriented perpendicular to the direction of transport areas pass the container outer surface.

In this embodiment, the adhesive or adhesive jobs are applied to the applicators in pairs in the form of an upper and a lower adhesion or adhesive applied. Following this, a turning device rotates the containers about their container axis by 90 °, so that the last applied adhesive or adhesive jobs are located on the leading edge in the transport direction of the respective container outer surface.

Of course, depending on the desired container shape or container arrangement, the containers are only rotated about the respectively required angular degree about the container axis, e.g. if they should take a nesting position in the container.

In one possible variant of the method, in each section of the conveyor, two containers belonging to one container are first brought together and pressed against each other, so that these containers are connected to one another via the adhesive or adhesive jobs and form a container subgroup. Following this, these container sub-groups are brought together in the transverse direction to the transport direction and pressed together, so that then the container groups forming the respective container is obtained. The strapping then takes place in a suitable strapping station. The possibly desired or required rotation and alignment of the containers at the rotating means is preferably controlled by opto-electrical sensors, for example in the form of cameras or camera systems and using a sensor or image signals of the sensors evaluating computer, the respective rotating device controls. The orientation feature used is the adhesive or adhesive agent applied to the containers.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures of an embodiment. Show it:

1 shows a device for producing a container with six articles or containers,

2 a container with six articles or containers in a perspective view, 3 a container with six articles or containers without strapping in perspective view,

FIGS. 4 to 6 a, b are each a single article or container with contact and contact surfaces according to the invention, in different designs

In the different figures, the same parts are always provided with the same reference numerals, which is why these are usually described only once. In the following, articles are referred to as containers.

Figure 7 shows a known bottle according to the prior art.

FIG. 1 shows a device 1 for producing the containers 2. The device 1 comprises a conveyor 3 on which the containers 4 with their container axes project in the vertical direction or substantially in the vertical direction and in the mass transport, i. be supplied in a disordered amount and with a relatively large conveying width in a transport direction A on a section 3.1 of the conveyor. In a subsequent to the section 3.1 section 3.2 of the conveyor 3 is carried out by outer and inner guide railing 5 first a lane division of the container stream in such a way that several, i. E. in the illustrated embodiment, three are formed by the inner guide rails 5 separate lanes 6, in which the container 4 each form a single-lane container stream.

In a section 3.3 following in the direction of transport A or in a working station 7 reproduced there schematically by the block in FIG. 1, the adhesive or adhesive jobs 8 are applied and the containers 4 are pressed together to form the container Container 2. In the workstation 7 also takes place at the same time the application of the carrying handles 10 and the strapping 11. A strapping does not necessarily take place, as will be described below.

The operation and general training of the workstation 7 will not be described further. As can be seen from Figure 2 and Figure 3, the container 2 is formed in each case from a container group with example six, arranged in non-nesting position containers 4, wherein between adjacent articles or containers 4 at least one axially aligned Contact area 12 extends, which is defined by the area of closest approach, in which also one or more contact or contact surfaces 13 (Figures 4 to 6) lie.

The contact and contact surfaces 13 are designed as a negative or preferably positive (elevation, FIGS. 4 to 6) interruption of the head and foot-side spherical region 14 or 15, ie of the respective unrolling ring 14 or 15 of the container 4 , At the contact and contact surfaces 13 of the adhesive and adhesive coating 8 is arranged, which will be discussed in more detail.

In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the strapping 11 is arranged in a foot region of the article or container 4. The carrying handle 10 is attached to central containers 4 respectively at an outer periphery of the container or article 4, e.g. glued. The strapping 11 has a discharge loop 9, a region of the strapping 1, in which it is laid in duplicate and fixed by a loop securing 9.1, which is designed as an adhesive strip. Alternatively, the relief loop may also be made by gluing or welding e.g. Ultrasonic welding to the strapping 11 are fixed. If this relief loop 9 is released, the strapping 11 forms a single ring or hoop and the container 4 can be easily removed without the strapping 11 having to be destroyed. At the position of the discharge loop, a closure element which can be opened and / or closed several times could alternatively be arranged, for example comparable to a cable tie closure, in particular an unlockable closure, or comparable to a hook-and-loop fastener.

As can be seen further from FIG. 2, only a single container 4 has at its contact or contact surface 13 an adhesive application 8 which is merely strip-shaped by way of example and extends parallel to the container vertical axis BA.

The adhesive application 8 can also be punctiform or seen in the circumferential direction over the entire surface or interrupted applied to the contact or contact surface 13. Targeting is that only a single container 4 must be provided with a single adhesive application 8 to avoid deterioration of the container 4 within the container 2 with strapping 11 in a nesting position. Of course, all containers 4 of the container each have a plurality, preferably four contact and contact surfaces 13.

A strapping is not present in the embodiment of Figure 3. In order to be able to maintain the cohesion of the container 1, four contact and contact surfaces 13 are preferably provided on the respective container 4, of which in each case two on a common vertical axis HA are preferably arranged in alignment with each other. In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the so arranged in the vertical direction of contact and contact surfaces 13 preferably at an angle of 90 ° (seen in the circumferential direction) to each other staggered (Figures 4 to 6). Thus, two contact and contact surfaces, viewed in the circumferential direction on the head side, are offset by 90 ° relative to each other. The same applies to the foot-side contact and contact surfaces 13. This arrangement of the contact and contact surfaces 13 is sufficient to contact the respectively adjacent container 4. It can be seen that the contact and contact surfaces 13 need not necessarily be provided with an adhesive and adhesive application 8. By running in the radial direction negative or preferably positive interruption of the "Abrollrings" quasi rotation prevention measures are taken which allow a displacement of the container 4 relative to each other only to a slight extent, namely until the time at which adjacent container 4 with their contact and Touching surfaces 13 abut each other, which largely prevents further rotation.

The contact and contact surfaces 13 nevertheless usefully carry an adhesive and adhesive application 8. be dispensed with a strapping, yet the cohesion of the container 1 during transport but also after removal of one or more containers 4 is maintained.

Furthermore, an advantageous variant of the adhesive application 8 is shown in Figures 2 and 3, which has an adhesive and adhesive portion and a handle and manipulation section. The adhesive and adhesive portion is arranged substantially between the adjacent containers, wherein the handle and manipulation section protrudes into the space of the container or beyond it, so that it is detected manually by the end user and released by train can. An example is here a frictionless, adhesive application, as it is known as a Power Trip ^®. Also conceivable is an adhesive and adhesive with comparable properties. The contact and contact surfaces 13 of each container 4 are designed identical in a preferred embodiment.

4, the contact and contact surfaces 13 are polygonal, for example quadrangular, wherein mutually opposite sides may be rounded, which is clearly visible in the enlargement on the right side of FIG. The contact and contact surfaces 13 are designed as a negative interruption of the "unrolling ring" in the radial direction, that is to say as a flattening.The contact and contact surfaces 13 can be provided with the adhesive application 8, which can be applied over the entire surface as an adhesive film.

5, the contact and contact surfaces 13 have a circular configuration, and are designed as a positive interruption of the "rolling-off ring", that is to say as a circular-plate-like elevation The contact and contact surfaces 13 are on two height lengths of the container axis As shown in FIGURE 6a, however, the layer thickness of the adhesive application 8 may also have an amount such that the adhesive application 8 is pilgrim-like and further projects beyond the unwinding ring to the elevation. In the process for forming the containers, this is ideally softened or melted by means of external energy, for example by means of a laser beam or infrared waves, a method in which one or more motor-driven laser emitters facilitates the movement of the container and thereby focus on the adhesive application 8, and these at least partially the adhesive jobs 8 aufwei or melt or soften. This energy input can also be made after the compression of the container 4.

It is also possible, instead of the special design of the contact and contact surface 13, to provide an elevation from the unrolling ring, merely to provide the adhesive application 8, which would then protrude in the radial direction as in FIGS. 5 and 6, the unrolling ring, so that the contact and contact surface 13 is formed. This can, as indicated in Figure 2 and 3, also be designed strip-shaped, with a punctiform configuration is possible. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the container has two containers 4 in three rows (or three containers 4 in two rows). Each two outer container with their contact or contact surfaces 13 abut each other and to middle containers.

Targeting is when only one of the middle container 4 is provided with the adhesive application 8. Particularly preferred is when the adhesive application 8 is applied as a single adhesive dot or tape, as dargstellt in Figure 2, at the head-side contact or contact surface 13.

The container 2 according to FIG. 2 or its container 4 can remain in its non-nesting position during transportation on account of the inventive arrangement of the single adhesive application 8 on a single container 4, and can also maintain this stability if e.g. one of the container 4 is removed from the container 2.

3), which is why each container 4 of the container 2 is "glued" to the respectively adjacent container 4. By the advantageous arrangement of the contact and contact surfaces, which are seen in the circumferential direction are preferably arranged offset by 90 ° to each other, it is also ensured that they are always arranged in the "inner" of the container 2, as can also be seen in Figures 2 and 3, in which the outer surfaces of the container 1 and after outwardly facing surfaces of the container 4 contact and berührflächen- or klebemittelauftragsfrei are.

Targeting is that only a few, namely only four contact and contact surfaces are provided, which are also arranged either in the head area or foot area only in a handling angle of 90 ° to each other. Of course, only two contact and contact surfaces 13 either in the head area, or in the foot area or on a common vertical axis (HA) would be sufficient to achieve the many advantages of the invention. In the bottle (DE 403 04 978) shown in the prior art in FIG. 7, planar quadrilaterals are arranged in the top and bottom area of the wavy surface structure, which have different dimensions in their dimension and are evenly distributed in the circumferential direction, and which clearly shows the diameter dert hold, wherein in the head and foot area probably each of four such configurations are available. These can be identically shaped or complement each other in a complementary way. FIG. 6b shows such a complementary design. In a complementary complementary form is particularly advantageous if the container 4 both slightly radially outwardly projecting contact and contact surfaces 13.1 in the dressing analogous slightly radially inwardly facing contact and contact surfaces 13.2 facing the adjacent bottle or the contact and Berührflä- 13.2. only plan is executed, so the convex curvature interrupts (not shown). For this purpose, the containers are ideally formed on their circumference at least at a height of the container axis BA with these two types of contact and contact surfaces, alternating 90 ° each angular distance. In the manufacturing or packaging process, the containers 4 are then aligned so that the respective complementary contact and contact surfaces face each other before the containers are finally compacted into the container.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 Device for the production of containers

2 containers

3 transporter (3.1 to 3.3 sections thereof)

4 containers / article

5 guide railings

6 lanes

7 workstation

8 adhesive application

9 Relief loop / 9.1 Loop safety

10 carrying handles

11 strapping

12 contact area

13 contact or contact surfaces

13.1, 13.2 contact or contact surfaces (complementary)

14 foot-side roll-off ring

15 head-side roll-off ring

vertical axis

container axis

Claims

claims:

1. Foil-free container, which is formed in each case from an article group with at least two, preferably with at least four, arranged in non-nesting position cylindrical or spherical regions having containers (4), in particular bottles, cans and the like, wherein between adjacent containers ( 4) at least one contact region (12) extends, in which also one or more contact or contact surfaces (13) lie, characterized in that the contact and contact surfaces (13) the spherical contact area (12) in the circumferential direction seen in the radial direction negatively and / or positively interrupt in the form of a flattening and that at least part of the contact and contact surfaces (13) and / or a portion thereof is provided with an adhesive application (8) by at least one of the container (4) the adhesive application ( 8).

2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that a selected number of containers (4) have an adhesive application (8).

3. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each container (4) has an adhesive application (8).

4. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact and contact surfaces (13) on the head-side Abrollring (15) and / or on its foot-side Abrollring (14) are arranged.

5. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact and contact surfaces (13) are arranged aligned in the vertical direction.

6. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that four contact and contact surfaces (13) on a container (4) are provided, of which two are each arranged on a common vertical axis (HA), wherein on a vertical axis ( HA) arranged to those on the other vertical axis (HA) arranged in the circumferential direction are offset by 90 °.

7. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact and contact surfaces (13) are identical to each other or complement each other.

8. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact and contact surfaces (13) from an adhesive application (8) are formed, and form the positive interruption.

9. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a strapping (11) is provided, wherein only one of the container (4) an adhesive application (8) is arranged.

10.Verfahren for producing a container (2) from an article group, esp.

Containers (4), from an article flow or container stream, in which the container (4) with respect to their containers and / or equipment features an arbitrary orientation, subjected to a lane formation to form single-lane container streams in streets (6) and then by dividing a predetermined Number of containers (4) in the lanes (6) are each not yet finally formed, provisional container groups and from these by merging the container (4) respectively formed, compressed container groups formed and summarized below to the respective container (1), wherein the respective container group of a container (1) forming container are aligned with respect to a distinctive container and / or equipment feature, so that the container (4) in the finished container (1) have a predetermined desired orientation, wherein a separation of the container (4) in each alley (6) is done in such a way that in Tra nsportrichtung the container (4) in each alley (6) have a predetermined distance from each other, characterized in that subsequently the alignment of the respective container (4) by controlled rotation takes place about its container axis, with respect to an alignment feature, namely with respect desired position of the at least one on the respective container (4) applied adhesive or adhesive application (8) after the lane division takes place, and that after aligning the container formed by these respective compacted and formed container group together to the container (1) be, by means of adhesives or adhesives or Adhesive or adhesive application (8), wherein the container (4) are subsequently separated manually and non-destructively from the container group or from each other, and wherein a container (1) is formed according to one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 11, characterized in that the container (4) of the container stream, in which the container (4) with respect to their container and / or equipment features have an arbitrary orientation, before connecting to the respective container (2) are each aligned with respect to a distinctive container and / or equipment feature so that the containers (4) in the finished container (2) have a predetermined orientation, wherein the alignment of the container (4) preferably after a draft of the container stream he follows.

12. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the bonding of the respective container group of the container (1) forming container at least by at least one container group enclosing and adhering to this by an adhesive or adhesive strapping (11) and or be connected to one another in that at least a subset of the containers (4) forming the formed container group of a container (1) is provided with at least one adhesive or adhesive application (8) on at least one partial surface of its container surface, and in that the containers (4 ) of the container group are brought together and pressed against each other in such a way that they are connected to one another via the adhesive and adhesive jobs (3).

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the alignment of the respective container (4) takes place by controlled rotation about its container axis, in relation to an alignment feature, in particular with regard to the desired position and / or orientation of a container or equipment feature and / or with respect to the desired location of the at least one applied to the respective container (4) adhesive or adhesive application (8).

14. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the approaching and / or pressing and / or aligning the respective container (4) by means of at least one method holding and gripping head, which is movable in and / or against the main transport path ,

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the holding and gripping head, the gripped container (4) moves individually in the X-Y direction relative to each other.

16. The method of claim 10 or 15, characterized in that the holding and gripping head comprises motor-driven gripping elements, whereby the grasped container (4) can be rotated about their respective container axis independently or rotationally aligned.

17. The method according to claim 10 or 15, characterized in that in each case from an article or container group with at least four, arranged in non-nesting position articles or containers (4), wherein the container or article (4) of the container (2) from a strapping formed by at least one strapping element (11) are wrapped, in particular according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a maximum of 50%, ideally not more than 25% of the article (4) of the respective container (2) or the corresponding article group forming articles ( 4) at least partially at least a portion of the contact or contact surface (13) with an adhesive or adhesive application (8) are provided.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that only a single container (4) of the container (2) is provided with an adhesive application (8). 9. The method according to any one of claims 17 or 18, characterized in that at the respective contact or contact surface (13) only a single adhesive application (8) is applied.

20. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that the adhesive application (8) is applied punctiform or strip-shaped.