WO2017025222A1

WO2017025222A1 - Installation and method for producing and moving packages that consist of several articles

Info

Publication number: WO2017025222A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/063500
Authority: WO
Inventors: Simon SCHMIDT; Herbert Spindler; Juergen Werner; Peter Koch
Original assignee: Krones Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2015-08-12
Filing date: 2016-06-13
Publication date: 2017-02-16
Also published as: DE102015215379A1

Abstract

An installation (1) and a method for producing and moving packages (3) that consist of several articles are disclosed. The installation (1) comprises a shrinking apparatus (5) which comprises at least one transport belt (9) and by means of which flat thermoplastic packaging material can be shrunk onto a plurality of articles while they are being transported, in order to form a package (3). Furthermore, at least one first horizontal conveying device (11) which is arranged downstream of the shrinking apparatus (5). Moreover, at least one device (15) by means of which packages (3) transported onwards by the at least one first horizontal conveying device (11) can be accumulated. The at least one first horizontal conveying device (11) has a transport speed (V_G) which is increased compared with a transport speed (V_T) of the at least one transport belt (9), in order to increase a relative spacing, oriented in the conveying direction (FR), of successive packages (3).

Description

Equipment and processes for manufacturing and moving multi-item containers

The present invention relates to a system for producing and moving multi-article containers with the features of independent claim 1. In addition, the invention relates to a corresponding method for producing and moving containers consisting of several articles with the features of the independent method claim 1 1.

Various methods are known for combining several articles into containers. A frequently used variant of such containers are

Shrink film packaging, as they emerge together with a system for their production, for example from DE 31 20 215 A1.

Occurs in known from the prior art shrinking devices

If there are any problems, containers that are still in a shrink tunnel will be removed from this shrink tunnel, as residual heat from the

Shrink tunnels can lead to damage of containers, provided that they remain in the shrink tunnel or in the shrinking device after standstill. Even with a regular decommissioning of shrinking equipment containers must

Leave the shrink tunnel to avoid being damaged. Since these containers are initially not further processed at a standstill of the shrink tunnel, in practice, a so-called. Leerfahrstrecke is provided, which initially caches the container. At the empty route the containers are introduced via a horizontal conveyor, which is arranged downstream of the shrink tunnel. The containers of the horizontal conveyor must therefore be stored in or with the help of the empty route, if a defect or a fault for the shrink tunnel can be found or the shrink tunnel is temporarily taken out of service.

Such an apparatus with empty travel path is known for example from EP 1 693 300 B1. This known device has a functional unit, are used in the packaging units in a container carrier and provided with shrink film. Subsequently, the packaging units are fed to a shrink tunnel and there applied with temperature to the packaging units by means of

To summarize shrink film. The shrink tunnel is a cooling section downstream. The cooling section is adjoined by an empty travel path whose longitudinal extension or absorption capacity is equal to or slightly greater than the transport length or the capacity or the capacity of the shrink tunnel.

In such devices, the empty route is usually very large dimensions and has a corresponding longitudinal extent to ensure that all containers that are in the shrink tunnel and on a shrinking tunnel downstream horizontal conveyor or cooling section can be stored. On the other hand, such large sizing may be undesirable for regular operation as there is often not the appropriate capacity available to install large sizing empty runs.

An object of the invention is therefore to provide such a system which has a compact structure. Next, a method for producing and transporting containers is to be made available, which in case of failure or Au commissioning a shrinking device allows a compact and damage-free storage of containers. The system should also have a simple structure. Next, the process should be easy to implement.

The above objects are achieved by a plant having the features of independent claim 1 and by a method having the features of

independent method claim 1 1 solved. Further advantageous embodiments are described by the subclaims.

The invention relates to a system for producing and moving containers consisting of several articles. The articles can be formed, for example, by containers or beverage containers and combined by means of the system into a respective container.

Part of the system is a shrinking device, the at least one

Includes conveyor belt and by means of which sheet thermoplastic

Packaging material can be shrunk onto a plurality of articles or beverage containers during their transport in order to form a container from the plurality of articles. The shrinking device may include a housing having an input and an output. The articles or containers can enter the housing via the entrance and exit through the exit from the housing. Within the housing, one or more tempering may be arranged to the Thermoplastic packaging material with temperature to apply. As a result, can be shrunk onto a plurality of articles thermoplastic packaging material, so that in each case a container is formed from the plurality of articles. The shrinking device can therefore be designed as a shrink tunnel. It is conceivable, moreover, that the shrinking device is preceded by a transport unit or horizontal conveying device which moves the articles or containers onto or away from the shrinking tunnel. The at least one conveyor belt of the shrinking device can in this case to the transport unit or

Connect the horizontal conveyor directly. On the conveyor belt or the

Horizontal conveyor, the articles may already be pre-grouped to shrink the respective sheet-like thermoplastic packaging material to a pre-grouped composition by means of the shrinking device and thereby form a respective container.

The system also includes at least one first horizontal conveyor, which is arranged downstream of the device, so that by means of at least one first

Horizontal conveyor to a respective container summarized articles can be transported in a particular direction of conveyance. The particular conveying direction, in which articles combined to form a respective container are transported further, can in particular be oriented parallel to the conveying direction of the at least one conveyor belt of the shrinking device. The shrinking device and the at least one first horizontal conveying device can therefore be positioned or set up in a linear arrangement.

In addition, at least one device is preferably provided, by means of which containers which are transported further through the at least one first horizontal conveying device can be dammed up, so that leading packs each directly

lagging containers in plant, ie follow each other in direct contact. The device may have one or more retaining elements or stops in order to effect a corresponding damming of the containers. The containers can for example be dammed up on a storage belt, which connects directly to the at least one first horizontal conveyor. Furthermore, the at least one first horizontal conveying device can be designed as a storage belt or empty travel path, which optionally connects directly to the shrinking device or the shrinking tunnel. In particularly preferred embodiments, it may be that the at least one device, by means of which by the at least one first

Horizontal conveyor further transported containers can be dammed, at least one grouping comprises. The at least one grouping station can connect directly or directly to the at least one first horizontal conveyor device. The at least one grouping station may comprise a conveyor belt which is stopped to receive packages on the at least one first

Accumulate horizontal conveyor. Is the at least one

Grouping station in operation or containers are not dammed, the at least one grouping station can position containers accordingly to form a multi-packs a palettierfähige position. For this purpose, the at least one grouping station may comprise one or more manipulators.

In addition, embodiments have proven in which the at least one device, by means of which can be dammed by the at least one first horizontal conveyor further transported container, at least one other

Conveyor belt, which directly to the at least one first

Horizontal conveyor connects and is in communication with a control device. It is conceivable that via the controller selectively a

Transport speed of the at least one further conveyor belt can be predetermined, which is designed to be reduced in size compared to a transport speed of the at least one first horizontal conveyor. Alternatively or in addition, it is conceivable that the at least one further control device

Conveyor belt can be stopped to accumulate further transported containers on the at least one further conveyor belt directly upstream of at least one first horizontal conveyor.

It may also be that a plurality of directly adjacent further conveyor belts are provided, whose transport speeds are reduced compared to the transport speed of the at least one first horizontal conveyor. The several immediately adjacent further conveyor belts may have different transport speeds, which gradually decrease in the conveying direction, so that a gradual delay of containers takes place. Damage to containers, which are formed unstable, is thereby counteracted in an effective manner. Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the at least one first horizontal conveying device has a transport speed for the articles combined into a bundle, which are opposite one another Transport speed of the at least one conveyor belt is increased in order to increase a relative and oriented in the conveying direction spacing of successive containers.

In this way, it is possible to increase a relative spacing of a leading pack to a directly following pack. Since the relative

Spacing of containers is increased, the relative number of containers, which can each stand on the at least one first horizontal conveyor, reduced. For this reason, an extension of an empty travel path or a storage belt can be kept very small in order to absorb with its capacity all the containers of the shrinking device as well as the at least one horizontal conveyor device when the shrinking device is disturbed or taken out of service.

In meaningful embodiments, a control device may be present, which is in operative connection with the shrinking device, so that all items are guided out of the shrinking device at a fault and / or a commissioning operation of the shrinking device and no articles in the shrinking device or in a housing of the shrinking device remain. The control device can also be designed in such a way that, when the shrinking device is completely emptied, it causes a damming of containers via the previously described device. Damage of articles due to a in the

Shrinking device remaining temperature can be prevented by means of a complete emptying of the shrinking device. After emptying the

Shrinking device can be the article about the at least one first

Horizontal conveyor be continued. It is also conceivable that the shrinking device has one or more movable cover elements or doors to close an input and / or an output of a housing of the shrinking device after all the articles have been guided out of the shrinking device or out of the housing of the shrinking device , A movement of the one or more cover elements or doors can furthermore be predetermined or initiated via the control device. For preferred embodiments, it is also conceivable that at least one further horizontal conveying device is interposed between the at least one conveyor belt and the at least one first horizontal conveying device. The at least one further horizontal conveying device can in this case have a transport speed for the articles combined into a bundle, which a) relative to a transport speed of the at least one

Increased conveyor belt and b) compared to a transport speed of at least a first

Horizontal conveyor is formed reduced in size. Practice has shown that containers after leaving a shrink tunnel due to the still highly heated film material have a relatively low mechanical stability. By the stepwise and multiple acceleration by means of the at least one first horizontal conveyor and the at least one further horizontal conveyor having different transport speeds, the risk of damage to form unstable containers and / or their dissolution by overstretching of the film or its tearing can be kept very low.

It may further be the case that the at least one further horizontal conveying device matches the at least one conveyor belt and the at least one first conveyor belt

Horizontal conveyor is interposed such that connects the at least one further horizontal conveyor directly to the at least one conveyor belt and the at least one first horizontal conveyor. Accordingly, the articles combined to form a container can directly transfer from the at least one conveyor belt of the shrinking device to the at least one further horizontal conveyor, thereby experiencing an acceleration, so that the relative distance between the accelerated container and a directly following container is thereby increased. Subsequent to time, the articles combined to form a bundle can directly transfer from the at least one further horizontal conveying device to the at least one first horizontal conveying device, thereby experiencing a further acceleration, so that the relative distance between the further accelerated

Container to a directly subsequent container thereby further increased.

It is also conceivable that the transport speed of the at least one further horizontal conveyor is designed such that between directly successive containers at the latest after passing on the at least one first horizontal conveyor a defined spacing of successive containers in the conveying direction, which at least the amount of in

Conveying direction oriented maximum longitudinal extent of a container corresponds. The defined spacing in the conveying direction can therefore be designed such that between consecutive containers another container can or could accommodate.

In conceivable embodiments, the at least one further

Horizontal conveyor operated clocked. The at least one further horizontal conveying device can in this case be connected to a control device, which controls the timed operation of the at least one further

Horizontal conveyor pretending. The clocked operation can in this case by means of

Control device are predetermined such that the control device initiates operation of the at least one further horizontal conveyor after passing a container from at least one conveyor belt of the shrinking device on the at least one further horizontal conveyor. Before the transfer or until the complete transfer of a respective container to the at least one further horizontal conveyor device, the at least one further horizontal conveyor device can stand still or may not be operated. In addition, it may be that the at least one more

Horizontal conveyor is operated continuously or does not stand still. Also, the at least one first horizontal conveyor, which is optionally downstream of the at least one further horizontal conveyor in the conveying direction, can be operated continuously. Advantageously, such embodiments have a high throughput in the manufacture and transportation of containers.

Furthermore, for various embodiments, it is conceivable that the at least one further horizontal conveyor device comprises at least one first belt which directly adjoins the at least one conveyor belt of the shrinking device and comprises at least one second belt which is adjacent to the at least one first belt and to the at least one first horizontal conveyor device directly connects, with a

Transport speed of the at least one second band relative to a transport speed of the at least one first band is formed enlarged. This makes it possible to achieve a gradual acceleration of containers after leaving the shrinking device to a certain transport speed. With a gradual acceleration by means of several bands the risk of a

Damage to unstable containers, as previously mentioned, be kept low. Furthermore, it may be that the at least one first horizontal conveyor device comprises a storage belt whose storage capacity corresponds to the containers transported by the at least one conveyor belt, the at least one first horizontal conveyor device and the at least one further horizontal conveyor device. If necessary, the storage tape can be connected directly to the shrinking device. Furthermore, the storage belt or the empty travel path can be arranged downstream of a first horizontal conveyor device in the conveying direction.

Also, an extension oriented in the conveying direction of the at least one further horizontal conveying device can be made smaller than an extension of the at least one first horizontal conveying device oriented in the conveying direction. This makes it possible to achieve a compact design of the system with reduced risk of damage to containers after leaving the shrinking device.

The invention further relates to a method for producing and moving containers consisting of several articles. Features that have been previously described may also be provided for conceivable embodiments of the method. In addition, features described below can be provided in conceivable embodiments of the device described above.

The method is intended for producing and moving containers consisting of several articles. The procedure will involve several

Assemblies of articles together with respective thermoplastic

Packaging material or shrink film introduced into a shrinking device, wherein the assemblies are transported continuously. The shrinking device can be designed as a shrink tunnel. During transport or in the shrinking device, thermoplastic packaging material is shrunk onto the respective composition in order to form a container from a respective composition. The thermoplastic packaging material can be applied for this purpose with a certain temperature.

After leaving the shrinking device, the containers are transported further in a specific conveying direction. The specific conveying direction and a conveying direction of the shrinking device can run parallel to one another.

Also, further transported containers are dammed up, so that lagging containers come into contact with their directly leading container. For example If the shrinking device is disturbed or if the shrinking device is to be taken out of service, all the packs or articles can be removed from the machine

Shrinking out and subsequently dammed. After repairing the fault or when restarting, further processing of the dammed up containers can take place and the shrinking device or the shrinking tunnel can be put into operation again.

In addition, it is provided that anticipatory containers are accelerated against lagging containers in the context of their further transport in order to achieve a higher transport speed and in this case to increase a certain direction of travel oriented relative distance to lagging containers time before their damming.

Due to the relative spacing or enlargement of the relative spacing between successive containers, an empty travel path or a

Memory tape, as previously mentioned, are formed with small dimensions, so that the process can be easily implemented even in a small space.

It may also be that leading packs are accelerated over time in succession at least twice and preferably at least three times in order to achieve a respective higher transport speed and in each case one oriented in a specific conveying direction relative distance to lagging containers time before their Increase damming.

In practice, containers have low stability after leaving a shrink tunnel or a shrinking device. Due to the gradual and multiple acceleration or at least two times acceleration, the risk of damage to form unstable containers can be kept very low. In practice, therefore, have proven to be advantageous in which leading pack opposite their respective trailing containers at least three times with a

Acceleration can be applied and after at least three times with a certain conveying speed in the specific conveying direction

be transported further.

In addition, the containers can have substantially identical dimensions. For example, all packages may include an identical number of articles. Conceivable here are embodiments in which all containers have two, four, six or another identical number of beverage containers.

Accelerating containers can be subjected to an acceleration in such a way that their relative spacing in the conveying direction corresponds at least to the amount of a maximum longitudinal extension of a container oriented in the conveying direction.

It may also be that containers are initially not dammed or

to be dammed only at a standstill of the shrinking device and / or a defect of the shrinking device and are moved continuously during operation of the shrinking device. If containers are initially not to be dammed, it can be provided that a transport speed of containers is reduced in time after increasing their relative distance to lagging containers to the relative distance in the conveying direction between the containers again

out. An empty route can hereby continue to be kept very short. In particularly preferred embodiments, the relative and in the conveying direction oriented distance between containers can be formed after their delay substantially identical to a relative and oriented in the conveying direction distance of containers in the shrinking device. The delay can be in preferred

Embodiments, as described above, take place by at least one further conveyor belt, which is immediately downstream of the at least one first horizontal conveyor or to the at least one first

Horizontal conveyor immediately connected.

In the following, embodiments of the invention and their advantages with reference to the accompanying figures will be explained in more detail. The proportions of the individual elements to one another in the figures do not always correspond to the actual size ratios, since some shapes are simplified and other shapes are shown enlarged in relation to other elements for better illustration.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a first embodiment of a system according to the invention. Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of a second embodiment of the system according to the invention.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic view of another embodiment of the system according to the invention. 4 illustrates further aspects of the embodiments of the respective system according to FIGS. 1, 2 or 3.

Fig. 5 shows individual steps, as they may be present in conceivable embodiments of a method according to the invention. The same or equivalent elements of the invention will use the

Figures 1 to 5 each identical reference numerals. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only reference symbols are shown in the individual figures, which are required for the description of the respective figure. The illustrated embodiments are merely examples of how the invention may be configured and are not an exhaustive limitation.

The schematic view of FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a system 1 according to the invention. The schematically indicated plant 1 has a shrinking device 5 and a shrink tunnel 6 with a conveyor belt 9 and a housing 7. By means of the conveyor belt 9 3 containers are guided through the housing 7 and pressurized within the housing 7 with elevated temperature to thermoplastic packaging material on a Shrink a plurality of articles and in this case to form a container 3.

To the shrinking device 5 and the shrink tunnel 6 includes a

Horizontal conveyor 1 1, so that container 3 after leaving the

Shrinking device 5 and the shrink tunnel 6 on the horizontal conveyor 1 1 pass. The horizontal conveyor 1 1 moves the respective articles combined into a container 3 in a specific conveying direction FR. A transport or conveying speed of the conveyor belt 9 agrees approximately or exactly with a transport or conveying speed of the horizontal conveyor 1 1, so that formed on the conveyor belt 9 relative spacing of

successive containers 3 after crossing on the horizontal conveyor 1 1 is maintained.

If a disturbance of the shrinking device 5 or of the shrinking tunnel 6 is present or the shrinking device 5 or shrinking tunnel 6 is taken out of operation, all the packages 3 or articles must be moved out of the shrinking device 5 or out of the shrinking tunnel 6 in order to avoid damage to avoid the container 3 or article. Subsequently, the container 3 are cached until the system 1 is put into operation again. The reference numeral 15 refers to in Fig. 1 a device for damming of containers 3 on the horizontal conveyor 1 first The horizontal conveyor 1 1 is designed as a storage tape or empty route. A dimensioning or capacity of the horizontal conveyor 1 1 must in

Conveying direction FR be designed so that all can be found on the conveyor belt 9 and on the first horizontal conveyor 1 1 container 3 on the first horizontal conveyor 1 1 place. An extension of the first

Horizontal conveyor 1 1 is formed relatively large in practice. In order to reduce this space, it is desirable to accommodate more containers 3 on the first horizontal conveyor 11 or to space them more closely apart, whereby the system 1 can be installed without problems even in a very small available space and has a corresponding empty travel distance Article or container 3 at a

Decommissioning of the shrinking device 5 and the shrinking tunnel 6

Caching can. Such a plant 1 provides the invention.

The schematic view of FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the system 1 according to the invention. Again, the system 1 is designed for producing and moving containers consisting of several articles 3 and for this purpose comprises a shrinking device 5 or a shrink tunnel 6. Part of the

The housing 7 has an input not shown in the figures 1 to 5, via which compilations of articles in the housing 7 arrive, as well as an output, on which compilations Articles leave the housing 7.

After entering the housing 7 of the shrinking device 5 and des

Shrink tunnels 6 will be thermoplastic packaging material to the respective

Shrunk composition to form a container 3 from the respective composition. For this purpose, tempering in the housing 7 of

Shrinking device 5 is positioned to supply thermal energy to the thermoplastic packaging material.

A horizontal conveyor 1 1 connects directly to the conveyor belt 9 of the shrinking device 5 and the shrinking tunnel 6, so that container 3 after

Leaving the shrinking device 5 and the shrinking tunnel 6 directly on the

Horizontal conveyor 1 1 transgressed. The horizontal conveyor 1 1 then transports the container 3 in the conveying direction FR, for example in the direction of a Grouping (not shown) to form of several containers 3 a palettierfähige position.

In a case of commissioning operation of the shrinking device 5 and des

Shrink tunnels 6, all items or containers 3, the shrinking device 5 and the shrink tunnel 6 leave because in the housing 7 high temperatures prevail, which can lead to damage of articles or containers 3 with a long residence time.

2 shows, as indicated, a device 15, by means of which the containers 3 standing on the conveyor belt 9 or conveyed there are dammed up after leaving the shrinking device 5 or the shrinking tunnel 6 on the horizontal conveyor 11. The horizontal conveyor itself 1 1 is thus as

Empty route or storage tape formed, which can 3 caches until 3 re-commissioning of the shrinking device.

In the present case, the device 15 is shown as a "black box", so that there are a number of different possibilities for forming the device 15 in order to store containers 3 on the horizontal conveyor 11. For example, the device 15 can be designed as a grouping station 18 and one or more manipulators (not shown) The grouping station 18 may comprise a conveyor belt which directly adjoins the horizontal conveyor 11 1. If the shrinking device 5 or the shrinking tunnel 6 is taken out of service, the grouping station 18 or the conveyor belt of the grouping station 18 be stopped, so that accumulate container 3 on the horizontal conveyor 1 1.

It is also conceivable that the device 15 or "black box" is formed by one or more further conveyor belts 17, which are connected to the horizontal conveyor 1 1 and stopped, if the shrinking device 5 or the

Shrink tunnel 6 is taken out of service and cans 3 on the

Horizontal conveyor 1 1 are to be dammed. In particular, a plurality of further conveyor belts 17 may be provided, which connect to the horizontal conveyor 1 1 and decrease their transport speeds in the conveying direction FR. The relative distance of successive containers 3 in the conveying direction FR is thereby reduced stepwise, unstable containers 3 not being damaged. The several further conveyor belts may be in communication with the control device S, which causes a stop of the plurality of conveyor belts 17 for damming the container 3.

The horizontal conveyor 1 1 has a transport speed VG for the container 3, which is formed enlarged relative to a transport speed VT of the conveyor belt 9. As a result, the relative distance of containers 3 when passing from the conveyor belt 9 of the shrinking device 5 on the

Horizontal conveyor 1 1 increased. As just mentioned, the device 15 may be formed by a plurality of conveyor belts 17, which are opposite to the

Horizontal conveyor 1 1 have lower transport speeds. The relative distance between successive bundles 3, which is increased in transit from the conveyor belt 9 to the horizontal conveyor 1 1, can be reduced in time following this on passage from the horizontal conveyor 1 1 on the plurality of conveyor belts 17 in turn. In particular, the relative distance between directly successive containers 3 of the conveyor belt 9 can essentially correspond to the relative distance between directly successive containers 3 of the several further conveyor belts 17.

A comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2 reveals that, as a result of the increase in the relative spacing of successive bundles 3, an extent of the horizontal conveying device 11 or of the empty travel path can be greatly shortened. If containers 3 are dammed up by means of the device 15, then all containers 3 of the horizontal conveyor 11 and of the conveyor belt 9 can stand on the horizontal conveyor 11 or be stored by means of the horizontal conveyor 11, the horizontal conveyor 11 of FIG Fig. 1 indicated horizontal conveyor 1 1 a much lower

Extension in the conveying direction FR has. It is clear that the system 1 can also be installed in smaller rooms, since the system 1 requires a small space requirement for this purpose.

The schematic view of FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of the system 1 according to the invention. The device of FIG. 3 also has a shrinking device 5 or a shrinking tunnel 6 with a housing 7 and a conveyor belt 9. A device can be further recognized by reference numeral 15 by means of which containers 3 are dammed up on the horizontal conveyor 11 can be. Compared to the second embodiment of FIG. 2 has the

Embodiment of FIG. 3, two bands 12 and 14, which are interposed between the conveyor belt 9 and the horizontal conveyor 1 1. The first band 12 connects directly to the conveyor belt 9 of the shrinking device 5 and des

Shrink tunnels 6 on. The second band 14 directly adjoins the first band 12 and the horizontal conveyor 11. The first band 12 and the second band 14 together form a further horizontal conveyor 16 which is interposed between the conveyor belt 9 and the horizontal conveyor 1 1.

Leaving container 3, the shrinking device 5, they first pass over to the first band 12 and are temporally following this to the second band 14th

continued. About the second band 14, the container 3 then go to the

Horizontal conveyor 1 1.

Practice has shown that containers 3 after leaving the shrinking device 5 and the shrinking tunnel 6 have a low stability. If the containers 3 are greatly accelerated after leaving the shrinking device 5 or the shrinking tunnel 6, damage to the respective dimensionally unstable container 3 may possibly result

accompanied. Advantageously, an increase in distance successive container 3 via an acceleration of each leading pack 3 is present stepwise. The first belt 12 has a transport speed, which is formed enlarged relative to the transport speed VT of the conveyor belt 9. Thus, packages 3, when transferred to the first band 12, therefore, with a first

Acceleration applied to these at the transport speed of the first belt 12 in the direction of the second belt 14 to lead. The relative distance of the respective container 3, which passes from the conveyor belt 9 to the first belt 12, is increased compared to a subsequent container 3.

The second belt 14 has a transport speed, which is formed enlarged relative to the transport speed of the first belt 12. If containers 3 pass from the first band 12 to the second band 14, they are accelerated again and subsequently with the aid of the second band 14

Transport speed of the second band 14 in the direction of

Horizontal conveyor 1 1 out. In this case, there is a further enlargement of the relative distance of respective directly consecutive packs 3 when passing from the first band 12 to the second band 14. The horizontal conveyor 11 has a transport speed VG, which is opposite to a transport speed of the second band 14 is formed enlarged. Thus, the container 3 are accelerated again even when passing from the second belt 14 on the horizontal conveyor 1 1, wherein a relative distance of each of the horizontal conveyor 1 1

trespassing container 3 against a container 3 immediately following further container 3 is increased again.

Due to the respective acceleration is thus the relative distance of a respective container 3 to a lagging or subsequent container 3 at each transfer from the conveyor belt 9 on the first band 12 and from the first band 12 to the second band 14 and the second band 14 on the Horizontal conveyor 1 1 each increased. Due to the increased relative distance of successive containers 3, an extension of the horizontal conveyor 11 in the conveying direction FR with respect to the first embodiment variant of the system 1 shown in FIG. 1 can be kept very short. Furthermore, form unstable container 3 after leaving the

Shrinking device 5 and the shrinking tunnel 6 due to the gradual

Acceleration not damaged.

For reasons of completeness it should also be mentioned that in various other embodiments, more than two bands 12 and 14 may be provided or only a band 12 or 14 may be provided to accelerate container 3 accordingly and their relative distance to lagging containers 3 to enlarge. The device 15 is formed according to the previous description of FIG. 2 as a grouping station 18 or by a plurality of other conveyor belts 17.

FIG. 4 illustrates further aspects of the embodiments of a respective installation 1 according to FIGS. 1, 2 and / or 3. For clarification, in FIG

Conveyor belt 9, the horizontal conveyor 1 1 and the transported with the conveyor belt 9 and the horizontal conveyor 1 1 3 containers shown.

The number I here refers to an amount of longitudinal extension of a respective container 3 in the conveying direction FR. All containers 3 have a substantially identical dimension or a substantially identical amount of a longitudinal extent I in the conveying direction FR. As for the figures 2 and 3 already

described, the relative spacing of successive container 3 on the horizontal conveyor 1 1 and empty route is significantly increased, in order to reduce in this way an extension or the total length of the horizontal conveyor 1 1 or Leerfahrstrecke in the conveying direction FR. As shown in FIG. 4, the amount of the relative spacing X of successive packages 3 in the conveying direction FR on the horizontal conveyor 11 corresponds to at least the amount of a maximum longitudinal extent I of a container 3 in the conveying direction FR. It follows that: X> I. Such embodiments have been proven in practice to an extension of the horizontal conveyor 1 1 and the

Optimized empty travel distance in conveying direction FR.

FIG. 5 shows individual steps as they may be in conceivable embodiments of a method 20 according to the invention. The method 20 according to FIG. 5 can be used for installations 1 according to FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively, and is implemented if a shrinking device 5 is to be taken out of operation temporarily.

As part of a first step, a plurality of assemblies of articles together with respective thermoplastic packaging material in a shrinking device 5 are introduced. For example, this may be provided a conveyor belt, which pre-grouped compilations of articles of

Shrinking device 5 feeds.

After leaving the shrinking device 5 or after shrinking the thermoplastic packaging material, the containers 3 are accelerated in each case, with a relative distance of leading packs 3 compared to subsequent packs 3 is increased. An acceleration of leading packs 3 with respect to subsequent containers 3 can, as already mentioned in FIGS. 2 and 3, take place via a horizontal conveyor 11 or via several others

Horizontal conveyors 16 take place, the different

Have transport speeds for the container 3.

Since a high temperature in the shrink tunnel 5 may be accompanied by damage of containers 3, the shrinking device 5 is completely emptied, so that after complete emptying no articles in a housing 7 of the

Shrinking device 5 are located. A conveyor belt 9 of the shrinking device 5 can in this case lead all articles or containers 3 out of the shrinking device 5 or out of the housing 7 of the shrinking device 5. Container 3, which have already left the shrinking device 5, are transported on and then dammed up temporarily, so that lagging container 3 with their respective directly leading pack 3 come into contact. The containers 3 can in this case on a horizontal conveyor 1 1 or a Leerfahrstrecke and possibly be dammed by a device 15. This can be done for example via a plurality of conveyor belts 17, which are arranged downstream of the horizontal conveyor 1 1 and stopped. If the shrinking device 5 or the shrinking tunnel 6 is to be put into operation again, the device 15 can be brought out of abutment with the container 3 transported first, the accumulation being canceled and the containers 3 moving further in the direction of one in the figures

Do not move the patent application with the palletizer shown

The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it is conceivable for a skilled person that modifications or changes of the embodiments can be made without the

To leave the scope of the following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCES

1 plant

3 containers

5 shrinking device

6 shrink tunnel

7 housing

9 conveyor belt

1 1 First horizontal conveyor

12 First volume

14 Second volume

15 device for damming of containers

16 Further horizontal conveyor

17 Further conveyor belt

18 grouping station

20 procedures

FR conveying direction

L Amount of longitudinal stretch of container

S control device

VG Transport speed of the first horizontal conveyor VT Transport speed of the conveyor belt

X Amount of relative distance between successive containers

Claims

1 . Plant (1) for manufacturing and moving multi-article packages (3) comprising:

a shrinking device (5) which comprises at least one conveyor belt (9) and by means of which flat thermoplastic packaging material can be shrunk onto a plurality of articles during their transport in order to form a container (3) out of the plurality of articles,

- At least a first horizontal conveyor (1 1), the

Shrinking device (5) is arranged downstream, so that by means of at least one first horizontal conveying device (1 1) to a respective container (3) summarized articles in a particular conveying direction (FR)

can be transported further,

- At least one device (1 5), by means of which by the at least one first horizontal conveyor (1 1) further transported container (3) can be dammed, so that leading pack (3) with each directly

lagging containers (3) are in Appendix, characterized in that the at least one first

Horizontal conveyor (1 1) has a transport speed (VG) for the combined to form a container (3) article, compared to a

Transport speed (VT) of the at least one conveyor belt (9) magnification ßert to ßern a relative and in the conveying direction (FR) oriented spacing of successive containers (3) ßern.

2. Plant according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first

Horizontal conveyor (1 1) and the at least one conveyor belt (9) at least one further horizontal conveyor (1 6) is interposed, wherein the at least one further horizontal conveyor (16) a

Transport speed for the combined to a container (3) article has a) compared to a transport speed (VT) of the at least one

Transport belt (9) enlarged and b) with respect to a transport speed (VG) of the at least one first horizontal conveyor (1 1) is formed reduced in size.

3. Plant according to claim 2, wherein the at least one further

Horizontal conveyor (1 1) the at least one conveyor belt (9) and the at least one first horizontal conveyor (1 1) is interposed such that the at least one further horizontal conveyor (16) directly to the at least one conveyor belt (9) and the at least one first

Horizontal conveyor (1 1) connects.

4. Plant according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the at least one further

Horizontal conveyor (16) clocked or operated continuously or

can be.

5. Plant according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the at least one further

Horizontal conveyor (1 1) comprises at least a first band (12) which connects directly to the at least one conveyor belt (9) of the shrinking device (5) and at least a second band (14), which at the at least one first band (12) and to which at least one first horizontal conveying device (1 1) directly adjoins, wherein a transport speed of the at least one second belt (14) relative to a transport speed of the at least one first belt (12) is increased.

6. Plant according to one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the at least one first

Horizontal conveyor (1 1) comprises a storage tape and / or is designed as a storage tape, the storage capacity of which by the at least one

Conveyor belt (9) corresponding to at least a first horizontal conveyor (1 1) and the at least one further horizontal conveyor (16) transported containers (3).

7. Installation according to one of claims 2 to 6, wherein a in the conveying direction (FR)

oriented extension of the at least one further horizontal conveying device (16) with respect to a in the conveying direction (FR) oriented extension of the at least one first horizontal conveyor (1 1) is formed reduced in size.

8. Plant according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the transport speed (VG) of the at least one first horizontal conveyor (1 1) and / or the at least one further horizontal conveyor (16) are designed such that the Amount (X) of a relative and in the conveying direction (FR) oriented spacing of successive containers (3) at least the amount (I) of a in the conveying direction (FR) oriented maximum longitudinal extent of a container (3).

9. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the at least one means (15) by means of which at least one first horizontal conveyor (1 1) further transported container (3) can be dammed, at least one

Grouping station (18) includes.

10. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the at least one means (15), by means of which by the at least one first horizontal conveyor (1 1) further transported container (3) can be dammed, at least one further conveyor belt (17) , which directly to the at least one first

Horizontal conveyor (1 1) connects and with a control device (S) is in communication, via the control device (S) selectively a) a transport speed of the at least one further conveyor belt (17) can be specified, which compared to a transport speed

(VG) of the at least one first horizontal conveyor (1 1) is formed reduced in size, or b) the at least one further conveyor belt (17) can be stopped to further transported containers (3) on the at least one further

Conveyor belt (17) directly upstream at least a first

Accumulate horizontal conveyor (1 1).

1 1. Method (20) for producing and moving containers made of multiple articles (3), which method comprises at least the following steps:

Introducing a plurality of assemblies of articles together with respective thermoplastic packaging material in a shrinking device (5), wherein the assemblies are transported continuously and in this case the thermoplastic packaging material is shrunk onto the respective composition to form a container (3) from a respective composition, - further transport the container (3) in a specific conveying direction (FR) after leaving the shrinking device (5), - Damming the further transported container (3), so that lagging container (3) with their directly anticipatory container come into contact, characterized in that leading packs (3) against lagging containers (3) are accelerated as part of their further transport to a higher To achieve transport speed and thereby in a certain conveying direction (FR) oriented relative distance to lagging containers (3) to increase in time before their damming.

12. The method of claim 1 1, in the anticipatory container (3) opposite

lagging containers (3) in the context of their further transport in temporal succession be accelerated at least twice to a respective higher

To achieve transport speed and in each case one in certain conveying direction (FR) oriented relative distance to lagging containers (3) to increase in time before their damming.

13. The method of claim 1 1 or 12, wherein the container (3) substantially

have identical dimensions and in which leading container (3) with respect to their respective directly trailing containers (3) so with a

Acceleration be charged that an amount (X) of their relative

Spacing in the conveying direction (FR) at least the amount (I) of a in

Conveying direction (FR) oriented maximum longitudinal extent of a container (3) corresponds.