WO2023237240A1

WO2023237240A1 - Apparatus and method for manipulating and conveying containers along a transport section

Info

Publication number: WO2023237240A1
Application number: PCT/EP2023/057425
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Haidacher; Marcus KREIS
Original assignee: Krones Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2022-06-09
Filing date: 2023-03-23
Publication date: 2023-12-14
Also published as: DE102022114565A1

Abstract

A method for conveying and manipulating containers (4) is disclosed, in which containers (4) which each comprise a flat packaging blank (5) are conveyed along a transport section. Provision is made in the method for a respective contact bar (8) to accompany a respective container (4), in contact therewith on the rear side, as the container is being conveyed along a portion of the transport section. The flat packaging blanks (5) of the containers (4) are temporarily contacted by the contact bars (8) as the blanks are being conveyed along the transport section. In addition, an apparatus (1) for manipulating and conveying containers (4) along a transport section is disclosed. The apparatus (1) has contact bars (8) for accompanying the containers (4), with contact therewith on the rear side, as they are being conveyed along a certain portion of the transport section. A movement path of the contact bars (8) is coordinated with the containers (4) to be conveyed and to be manipulated such that conveying a respective container (4) along the transport section outside the certain portion leads to temporary contacting of a respective flat packaging blank (5) which is designed as part of a respective container (4).

Description

Device and method for manipulating and conveying containers along a transport route

The present invention relates to a device and a method for manipulating and conveying containers along a transport route.

Containers, which can be formed by beverage bottles, beverage cans or the like, are often sold as containers in which several containers are put together and combined with the help of a packaging material. In practice, such packaging means can be formed, for example, by strapping or shrink film, with the containers of a respective container being held firmly together as a finished sales unit. In addition, so-called bottle clips have existed for some time, which are designed as flat packaging blanks, have an assigned opening for each container of a respective container and hold the respective containers of a respective container together in a form-fitting manner.

For example, it can be provided that a bottle clip is applied to containers in different formations, whereby the containers are connected to form containers. Such bottle clips are designed, for example, in the form of a perforated plate, as a multi-connected lid or similar.

Bottle clips often fulfill an additional carrying handle function. To transport several groups of containers grouped together using a bottle clip, these are put together into larger groups in a box or on a pallet, whereby the box is closed for further transport and the grouping on the pallet is wrapped, for example, with shrink film.

It is also known to place several groups of containers combined using bottle clips on a so-called tray for transport, which tray has an edge folded upwards for positively holding the beverage containers, which have already been combined into containers using bottle clips.

Flat packaging blanks are also known which have an associated opening for each container as well as two front tabs and two rear tabs that are to be folded in and glued together. Such Flat packaging blanks offer additional protection for the containers of the container, as the glued front and rear flaps partially cover a front and a rear side of the respective container against unwanted contact. Flat packaging blanks, which have such front and rear flaps, are preferably applied to the respective containers in the direction from above and in particular attached and can be formed from cardboard or cardboard.

So that packaging materials can be applied to the respective containers, it is often provided in practice that a container group is first formed from several containers and the container group formed is then fed to an application device. During the application of the respective packaging material, the respective container group in the prior art is accompanied on the back by contact bars. This is intended to ensure that containers of a respective container group are very precisely in an expected target position when a respective packaging material is applied to the containers of a respective container group.

If the respective packaging material is not properly applied to the respective containers or if the respective packaging material is damaged or does not have the expected desired quality, it may be that the entire container is unstable and individual containers may unintentionally detach from the respective packaging material . It would therefore be desirable if such errors in the respective container were detected at an early stage in order to be able to correct an error in the respective container or to eject the respective container if the respective container tends to be unstable.

An object of the invention can therefore be seen in providing a simple way with which insufficient cohesion between containers of a respective container and the respective flat packaging means can be concluded.

The above object is solved by the subjects comprising the features in the independent claims. Further advantageous embodiments are described by the dependent claims.

To solve the stated problem, the invention proposes a method for conveying and manipulating containers. In the process, containers, each comprising a flat packaging blank, are transported along a transport route conveyed, with a respective contact bar accompanying a respective container in the course of its conveyance along a section of the transport route with rear contact.

The containers can include several items formed by beverage containers as well as a flat packaging blank, via which the several items formed by beverage containers are held together. The beverage containers can be beverage cans or beverage bottles or PET bottles.

It can be the case that a respective contact bar initially accompanies an article group intended to form a respective container in the course of its conveyance along a section of the transport route with rear contact, while at least one manipulator cuts a flat packaging blank onto the articles of a respective article group, in particular in the direction coming from above is attached, as a result of which the articles of the article group together with the attached flat packaging blank form a respective container.

Alternatively or in addition to this, it can be that containers, each of which comprises a flat packaging blank, are conveyed between different work stations along a transport route, with a respective contact bar accompanying a respective container under rear contact during this conveyance between the different work routes.

The flat packaging blank can be made, for example, from plastic and/or from cellulose-containing material. Furthermore, the flat packaging blank for each article of a respective article group can comprise a corresponding opening into which a respective article of the article group can be inserted, so that the articles of the respective article group are held together via the respective flat packaging blank and the respective flat packaging blank together with the articles held together forms a respective container.

The items in a respective container can be beverage cans. The flat packaging blank can comprise a plurality of clamping tongues in the area of a respective corresponding opening, which can be positioned below a flanged edge of a respective beverage can in order to hold a respective beverage can. The respective flat packaging blank, which comprises a respective container, can comprise at least one front flap and at least one rear flap, wherein the at least one front flap and the at least one rear flap can each be folded in and glued to one another and/or to articles of the respective container .

The at least one front tab and the at least one rear tab can be designed such that the at least one front tab and the at least one rear tab form a completely circumferential lateral edge region for the respective article group when the at least one front tab and the at least one rear Each tab is hammered in.

It is envisaged that the flat packaging blanks of the containers are temporarily contacted via the contact beams during the course of conveyance along the transport route or during the course of conveyance along a specific section of the transport route.

Since such contact beams are provided in devices already known in practice in order to accompany containers along a certain section of a transport route with contact on the back, a simple check can be carried out without additional or further components as to whether the respective items of a respective package are being transported via the respective flat packaging blank Group of items are held together with sufficient stability.

If appropriate contacting results in a flat packaging blank becoming detached from the articles of a respective article group, an error can be concluded with regard to the stability of the respective container and the container can be removed from the transport route either manually or, in further embodiments, by means of a manipulator be taken.

It may be that the respective contact beam initially accompanies the respective container in the course of its conveyance along the section of the transport route. Furthermore, it can be the case that the respective contact bar temporarily contacts the flat packaging blank of the respective container for the first time following the accompanying of the respective container with rear contact. If the flat packaging blank is designed according to the previous description and includes at least one front tab and at least one rear tab, it may be that the respective contact bar covers the flat packaging blank respective container following the accompanying of the respective container under rear contact is temporarily contacted for the first time in the area of the at least one rear tab.

In addition, embodiments have proven useful in which a respective container is conveyed in a horizontal direction via a transport device with a revolving transport means on which the respective container stands, while the respective contact bar temporarily contacts the flat packaging blank of the respective container.

The circumferentially guided means of transport can be formed, for example, by a circumferentially guided mat chain and/or by a circumferentially guided conveyor belt. A transport speed of the transport device can correspond to a movement speed which the contact bars have during their rear contact with the containers or which the contact bars form during their rear contact with the containers.

It can also be that a transport speed of the transport device is designed to be greater or smaller than a movement speed which the contact bars have during their rear contact with the containers or which the contact bars form during their rear contact with the containers.

It has also proven useful if a respective contact bar is moved in an upward direction and, during this movement, temporarily contacts a respective flat packaging blank of the respective container in the course of its conveyance along the transport route. Such embodiments have proven particularly useful when a respective container comprises a respective flat packaging blank which is attached to the articles of the respective container.

It has been shown that this makes it possible to determine with a high degree of certainty that a flat packaging blank may not be sufficiently attached to the respective items in the container in order to be able to guarantee sufficient stability for the respective container.

It can be the case that a respective contact bar is moved obliquely in an upward direction with a directional component that is along the horizontal direction runs along which the containers are conveyed via the transport device. It may therefore be the case that a respective contact bar is moved obliquely in an upward direction with a first directional component that runs along the horizontal direction along which the containers are conveyed via the transport device and at the same time with a second directional component that is vertical has orientation.

This makes it possible to increase the period of time over which the flat packaging blank is contacted via the contact bar, which in turn results in a high probability that a flat packaging blank that is not sufficiently attached to the articles can be recognized.

Furthermore, it may be that a respective contact bar is in surface contact with at least one article of the respective container if the respective contact bar accompanies the respective container with rear contact. In this case, it may be that the surface contact with the respective at least one article is removed before the respective flat packaging blank is temporarily contacted and the respective container is conveyed in the horizontal direction via the transport device at the latest when the surface contact is removed.

It is also conceivable that a respective contact bar is rotated while the respective contact bar temporarily contacts the flat packaging blank of the respective container. The respective contact beam can be rotated about an axis which has a horizontal orientation or a substantially horizontal orientation. Due to the static friction between the respective contact bar and the flat packaging blank, the flat packaging cut can be pulled over the contact beam at least with little force, which can further increase the security that a flat packaging cut that is not sufficiently attached to the articles comes away from the articles.

In various embodiments, the contact beams may have a polygonal cross section. As a result, the static friction between the contact beam and the flat packaging blank can be increased, whereby the contact beam can exert a higher force on the flat packaging blank.

Furthermore, it may be that the flat packaging blanks are formed from cellulose-containing material, with a respective flat packaging blank formed from cellulose-containing material due to the temporary contact with the respective contact beam is preferably bent upwards. As already mentioned above, the flat packaging blanks can each comprise at least one front flap and at least one rear flap, whereby the at least one front flap and the at least one rear flap can each be folded in.

It may be the case that the flat packaging blanks are formed from cellulose-containing material, with the at least one rear flap of a respective flat packaging blank formed from cellulose-containing material being preferably bent upwards by its temporary contact with the respective contact bar. The temporary contact with the at least one rear tab can be canceled, as a result of which the at least one rear tab moves back at least approximately to a starting position that was already assumed before the temporary contact was made via the contact beam.

The invention also relates to a device for manipulating and conveying containers along a transport route. Features that have already been mentioned previously for various embodiments of the method can also be provided in the following embodiments of the device according to the invention without being mentioned again here. Likewise, the features described below for the embodiments of the device can be provided in the embodiments of the method already described above without being mentioned again.

The device comprises contact beams, of which a respective contact beam is designed to accompany a respective container with rear contact in the course of its conveyance along a specific section of the transport route. It is envisaged that a movement path for the contact beams is coordinated with the containers to be conveyed and manipulated in such a way that conveying a respective container along the transport route outside the specific section leads to a temporary contact with a respective flat packaging blank, which is part of a respective one Container is formed.

The contact beams can be arranged on endless traction means, which are designed as part of an application device provided for applying a respective packaging blank to a respective group of articles. The application device can include at least one manipulator, which for Attachment of a respective flat packaging blank to a respective article group is formed. In particular, the at least one manipulator can be configured and equipped in such a way that the at least one manipulator can attach a respective flat packaging blank onto a respective article group in the direction coming from above, with a respective article of the respective article group being immersed in a respective corresponding opening of the respective flat packaging blank .

The device can comprise a transport device with a revolving means of transport, via which revolving means of transport a respective container can be conveyed in the horizontal direction when its flat packaging blank is temporarily contacted. The circumferentially guided transport means can be formed, for example, by a circumferentially guided conveyor belt or by a circumferentially guided link chain or a circumferentially guided mat chain.

Furthermore, the movement path for the contact bars can be designed in such a way that the respective contact bar can be moved in the upward direction and preferably obliquely in the upward direction when the respective flat packaging blank is temporarily contacted, with a directional component being oriented along a horizontal direction, which is a Transport direction of the transport device corresponds.

It can also be that the contact beams are arranged on at least one revolving endless traction means, which is designed in particular as a chain and/or as a belt, with the at least one revolving endless traction means being deflected so that a respective contact beam is rotated over the at least one revolving endless traction center when the respective contact bar temporarily contacts the respective flat packaging blank.

In various embodiments of the device according to the invention, the contact beams can have a polygonal cross section.

Furthermore, it may be that the contact beams are arranged on endless traction means, which are part of an application device which is designed to apply flat packaging blanks to article groups comprising several articles. The device can also include a closure module, which has front and rear tabs of applied flat packaging blanks can hit. It may be that a respective range of the endless traction means ends in front of the closing module or that the endless traction means ends at

Cannot reach the locking module.

At this point it should be additionally emphasized that features that were previously mentioned for the embodiment of the method according to the invention equally relate to or can be partial aspects of the device according to the invention. Therefore, if one of the methods according to the invention is mentioned at one point in the description or in the definitions of the claims, this applies equally to the embodiments of the device according to the invention without being mentioned again. The same applies in the opposite way, so that all aspects and embodiment variants that were explained in connection with embodiments of the device according to the invention equally relate to or can be partial aspects of the method according to the invention. Therefore, if certain aspects and/or connections and/or effects are mentioned at one point in the description or in the claim definitions for the device, this applies equally to the method according to the invention. In various embodiments, the described device according to the invention can be designed to implement or carry out the previously described embodiments of the method according to the invention. It may also be the case that the method is carried out using an embodiment of the device described above.

In the following, exemplary embodiments will explain the invention and its advantages in more detail using the attached figures. The proportions of the individual elements in the figures do not always correspond to the real proportions, as 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 an embodiment of a device according to the invention and illustrates individual steps as can be provided in various embodiments of the method according to the invention.

Figures 2 to 4 show further details of a device according to the invention and illustrate further steps as can be provided in various embodiments of the method according to the invention. 5 shows several steps as they can be provided individually or in accordance with the combination and sequence shown in FIG. 5 in various embodiments of the method according to the invention.

Identical reference numbers are used for elements of the invention that are the same or have the same effect. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only reference numbers that are necessary for the description of the respective figure are shown in the individual figures. The illustrated embodiments merely represent examples of how the invention can be designed and do not represent a final limitation.

1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a device 1 according to the invention and illustrates individual steps as can be provided in various embodiments of the method 100 according to the invention (cf. in particular FIG. 5).

The device 1 shown here in a schematic side view is designed for producing, conveying and manipulating containers 4 each containing several items (cf. Figures 2 to 4). The articles form a respective article group 2 and are held together via a flat packaging blank 5 designed as part of the respective container 4 (see Figures 2 to 4). The items in this case are beverage cans. However, for embodiments of a device corresponding to FIGS. 1 to 4, the articles can also be formed by other articles, for example beverage containers, beverage bottles or the like.

In order to package the articles and for this purpose to provide them with a respective flat packaging blank 5 and/or to at least partially wrap them, the articles are transported by means of the device 1 along a transport route in the transport direction TR (pointing from right to left in FIGS. 1 to 4). promoted. In the device 1, the articles never stand still, so that the device 1 can produce and manipulate numerous containers 4 within short periods of time, i.e. with high throughput.

In order to be able to apply a respective flat packaging blank 5 (cf. Figures 2 to 4) to several articles, which are thereby combined into a container 4, it is first necessary that the previously mentioned article group 2 (cf. Figures 2 to 4) is formed, which article group 2 is all for a respective container 4 includes the intended article. For this purpose, the packaging device 1 has a grouping device 10.

For this purpose, the grouping device 10 is able to briefly accelerate several articles intended for a respective container 4 compared to subsequent articles, so that a gap is created between the accelerated articles and subsequent articles and the already accelerated articles form an article group 2, which at least is slightly separated and spaced from subsequently transported items.

In practice, there are numerous conceivable embodiments for such a grouping device 10. In various embodiments, it may be the case that the grouping device 10 comprises several conveyor belts that can be driven and/or operated intermittently at different transport speeds and thereby form a respective article group 2 from several articles. Known grouping devices 10 can also have retaining elements which allow articles of an article group 2 to be formed to pass through and briefly delay subsequent articles in order to create a distance between article groups 2.

Regardless of the design of the grouping device 10, it is provided in the device 1 according to FIG. 1 that a contact bar 8 (see Figures 2 to 4) comes into contact with a respective article group 2 on the back and the respective article group 2 during its further movement in the transport direction TR accompanied under rear attachment.

On schematically indicated endless traction means 15 and 17, which run parallel or essentially parallel and are designed as part of an application device 19, a plurality or plurality of such contact bars 8 are arranged in such a way that a longitudinal extension of a respective contact bar 8 runs perpendicular to the transport direction TR of the articles .

It may be that a contact bar 8 comes into contact with a respective article group 2 on the back before a respective article group 2 leaves the grouping device 10. Alternatively, it can also be that an article group 2 leaves the grouping device 10, whereupon a respective contact bar 8 is brought into contact with a respective article group 2 on the back. In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the article group 2 is fed via the grouping device 10 to a first work module 20 of the application device 19, which has a first manipulator 25. In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the first manipulator 25 is designed as a portal system or forms part of a portal system.

In further embodiments, the first manipulator 25 can also be designed as a delta kinematics robot or as a further handling device. For example, the first manipulator 25 could be formed by a multi-axis robot.

The flat packaging blank 5 (cf. Figures 2 to 4) can be applied to an article group 2 via the first manipulator 25 of the first work module 20. For this purpose, the article group 2 is moved into a working area of the first manipulator 25, whereupon the first manipulator 25 presses a respective flat packaging blank 5 in the direction from above onto the respective article group 2, whereby the articles are combined into a container 4 via the flat packaging blank 5 become. During the pressing process, the respective article group 2 continues to be contacted on the back via a respective contact bar 8. Even after the flat packaging blank 5 has been pressed onto the respective article group 2, the contact bar 8 contacts the back of the container 4 then produced during further movement through the first work module 20.

The first manipulator 25 of the first work module 20 is also arranged hanging on a support and/or support structure of the first work module 20 via a linear guide. The first manipulator 25 can be moved along the linear guide during the application of the respective flat packaging blank 5 onto an article group 2 together with the respective article group 2 in the transport direction TR.

In such embodiments, there is therefore no need for the article group 2 to be stopped in order to apply the flat packaging blank 5 or for the article group 2 to stand still in order to apply the flat packaging blank 5. The production of containers 4 can therefore be carried out via the device 1 with a high throughput and with uninterrupted further transport of the article groups 2 and containers 4.

In order to move the flat packaging blank 5 over the first manipulator 25 in

To be able to apply direction from above to an item group 2, you have to the articles are in an arrangement in which the articles 2 are aligned with openings in the flat packaging blank 5.

Problems often arise with devices known from the prior art, since it cannot always be guaranteed with certainty that the articles of a respective article group 2 are located exactly in a position intended for applying the flat packaging blank 5, in which the articles with the Openings of the flat packaging blank 5 are aligned.

Due to the force-loaded application of flat packaging blanks 5, it can also happen in devices known from the prior art that individual items tip unintentionally when a respective flat packaging blank 5 is applied.

As already mentioned above, in the device 1 it is provided that a contact bar 8 accompanies a respective article group 2 with rear contact during their movement in the transport direction TR in order to avoid unwanted tipping of articles during the application of a flat packaging blank 5.

The application of a respective flat packaging blank 5 thus takes place in terms of time, while the respective contact bar 8 is in contact or in contact with the respective article group 2 on the back with regard to the transport direction TR of the respective article group 2. The contact beam 8 can thus support the respective article group 2 through its rear contact during the force-applied application of the flat packaging blank 5, so that the risk of articles accidentally tipping over is thereby kept low.

Due to the rear contact with the respective article group 2, the position of the articles of a respective article group 2 corresponds exactly to a predetermined target position, so that the flat packaging blank 5, when applied to the article group 2, with its openings precisely targets the articles of the respective article group 2 meets.

Such contact beams 8 are also advantageous in practice in order to support the articles of a respective article group 2 during the application of a respective flat packaging blank 5. The respective contact bar 8, which is in contact with the articles of a respective article group 2 on the back, can thus reduce the risk that articles of the respective article group 2 will unintentionally tip over during the application of the respective flat packaging blank 5. The first work module 20 is followed in the transport direction TR by the second work module 30, which has a second manipulator 35 and is also designed as a component of the application device 19. Both the first manipulator 25 of the first work module 20 and the second manipulator 35 of the second work module 30 are connected to a control and/or regulating device S, which is only symbolically indicated here.

The control and/or regulating device S assigns different article groups 2 to the first manipulator 25 and the second manipulator 35. Furthermore, the first manipulator 25 and the second manipulator 35 are actuated or controlled via the control and / or regulating device S in such a way that the first manipulator 25 only applies flat packaging blanks 5 to individual article groups 2, which are then provided to him by means of the control and / or or control device S were assigned.

The second manipulator 35 only applies flat packaging blanks 5 to further article groups 2, which were assigned to the second manipulator 35 by means of the control and/or regulating device S, and which were not previously assigned to the first manipulator 25, i.e. which passes through the first manipulator 25 have. The first manipulator 25 and the second manipulator 35 thus work together to apply at least one respective flat packaging blank 5 to all article groups 2.

Such article groups 2, which have been assigned to the second manipulator 35, can therefore pass through the working area of the first manipulator 25 without a flat packaging blank 5 being applied to these article groups 2 via the first manipulator 25.

A respective contact bar 8 pushes a respective article group 2 or a container 4 already formed by applying a flat packaging blank 5 by the first manipulator 25 through the working area of the second manipulator 35 with rear contact. If the article group 2 has not yet been combined into a container 4, The second manipulator 35 then applies a flat packaging blank 5 to this article group 2, while a respective contact bar 8 continues to be in contact with the article group 2 on the back.

Due to the rear contact of the contact beam 8, the article group 2 is located exactly in a position that is expected for the application of the flat packaging blank 5. In embodiments which have a first Working module 20 and a second working module 30, containers 4 can be produced with high throughput.

However, a first work module 20 and a second work module 30 are not absolutely necessary for all embodiments. An application device 19 can therefore only have one work module 20 or 30, which applies flat packaging blanks 5 to article groups 2.

The respective article group 2 forms a container 4 with the applied flat packaging blank 5, which leaves the second working module 30 and is fed to a closing module 50. In the closing module 50, the front and rear flaps of the flat packaging blank 5 are closed and glued.

The procedure for this is illustrated in Figures 2 to 4. Here, Figures 2 to 4 also represent successive steps and show further advantages that the device 1 has compared to devices already known from the prior art.

The schematic representations of Figures 2 to 4 each show an adhesive nozzle 18, via which an adhesive application is applied to the front and rear flaps of a respective flat packaging blank 5. When the front and rear tabs are subsequently folded in via the closure module 50, the application of adhesive causes the front and rear tabs to be locked in the folded position.

After the containers 4 have then left the closing device 50, the containers 4 are transported away via the discharge conveyor 60, which can be a conveyor belt, for example, whereby the respective adhesive application can dry out completely.

2, reference number 32 denotes a transport device which transports the article groups 2 and the containers 4 in the horizontal direction through the application device 19, while a respective contact bar 8 is in contact with a respective container 4 on the back. The transport device 32 includes a transport means 34, which is designed as a rotating conveyor belt and on which the containers 4 stand.

As is clear from the other figures 2 to 4, one ends

The range of the endless traction means 15 and 17 is already in front of the closing module 50, so that the contact bars 8 no longer contact the back of the container 4 during their movement through the closing module 50. It is also clear from the other Figures 2 to 4 that a range of the endless traction means 15 and 17 ends in front of the adhesive application device 18, so that the contact bars 8 no longer contact the back of the container 4 during the application of a respective adhesive application. The range of the endless traction means 15 and 17 can be clearly seen in particular in FIG. 3, in which the respective range is indicated by the bar shown at right angles.

The movement of the containers 4 through the closing module 50 takes place via a horizontal conveyor 52 designed as part of the closing module 50, to which the discharge conveyor 60 is directly connected.

Before the containers 4 enter the closing module 50, it is checked whether the articles of a respective container 4 are firmly held together via the respective flat packaging blank 5. During such a check, the front and rear tabs of the flat packaging blank 5 still protrude from the respective container 4 or have not yet been folded in and not yet glued.

With a view to Fig. 2 it can be seen here that a tight fit of the respective flat packaging blank 5 on the respective articles is checked with the help of the contact bars 8, which for this purpose temporarily contact the respective flat packaging blank 5.

The contact bars 8 are each moved obliquely to the transport direction TR in the upward direction, with a respective contact bar 8 coming into surface contact with a respective rear and not yet folded tab of a respective flat packaging blank 5 and the respective flat packaging blank 5 or the respective rear one Tab of the flat packaging blank 5 bends upwards during further movement.

In the present case, the flat packaging blanks 5 are formed from cellulose-containing material and are reversibly elastically deformed when contacting via the respective contact beam 8. If a connection existing between the articles of a respective article group 2 and a respective flat packaging blank 5 is faulty, the respective flat packaging blank 5 detaches from at least individual articles of the respective article group 2 when contacted via the respective contact bar 8. In simple embodiments, a user can then remove the respective defective container 4 or the respective container 4 in which the flat packaging blank 5 has detached from articles of a respective article group 2 from the device 1.

In the case of the device 1 according to FIG. 2 it is additionally provided that this device 1 can react to a faulty container 4. The schematic representation of FIG. 2 shows that the device 1 includes a sensor system 22, which is designed as a camera 24 and is connected to the control and/or regulating device S.

With the aid of the sensor system 22 or the camera 24, the control and/or regulating device S can detect when a flat packaging blank 5 has become detached from items in the respective container 4 through contact via a contact bar 8. If this is the case, the control and/or regulating device S can output an optical or an acoustic error message.

Alternatively or in addition to this, it may be that the control and/or regulating device S issues further instructions and, for example, causes a temporary standstill in the conveyance of articles along the transport direction TR until the faulty container 4 is removed from the device 1 manually or by means of a handling robot was removed.

Since corresponding contact bars 8 are already provided in devices known from the prior art, for example to accompany article groups 2 during the application of a respective flat packaging blank 5 with rear contact, the device 1 provides a simple way to detect additional faulty containers 4 by checking a tight fit of flat packaging blanks 5 can be recognized by means of the contact beams 8.

If a range of the endless traction means 15 and 17 is designed in such a way that an extension of the endless traction means 15 and 17 in the transport direction TR ends before the closure module 50, there are further advantages which become clear when looking at Figures 2 to 4 together.

Figures 2 to 4 represent a procedure when the operation of the device 1 is interrupted. In Fig. 2, in a first step, the application device 19 came to a standstill via the control and / or regulating device S caused, whereby the rotating drive for the endless traction means 15 and 17 is adjusted.

Article groups 2 or containers 4, which have already been picked up by the application device 19, can remain in the application device 19 until the device 1 is put into operation again. Containers 4, to which an adhesive application has already been applied using the adhesive nozzle 18, still have to be moved completely through the closing module 50, since the applied adhesive application hardens and the containers 4 become unusable if the tabs of the respective packaging blank 5 are not folded in via the closing module 50 or closed and fixed using the adhesive that has already been applied.

3 shows that all of these containers 4, to which an adhesive application has already been applied, are moved out of the closing module 50 and the closing module 50 is thus emptied. In Fig. 4, all containers 4 have left the closing module 50, so that the operation of the device 1 in Fig. 4 is completely interrupted. Until then, containers 4 still held in the application device 19 can remain in the application device 19 even while the device 1 is at a standstill or during an interruption in the operation of the device 1.

In devices known from the prior art, on the other hand, it is the case that the endless traction means 15 and 17 extend completely through the closing module 50, with the contact beams 8 containers 4 while the front and rear tabs of the flat packaging blanks 5 are being folded in in the area of the closing module 50 contact on the back. If the operation of such devices is to be interrupted, the closing module 50 must continue to be drained. Since the endless traction means 15 and 17 extend through both the application device 19 and the closing module 50, a movement of the containers 4, which are received by the closing module 50, is linked to a movement of the containers 4 or article groups 2, which are carried out by the application device 19 are recorded, coupled.

There is therefore a need to move all containers 4 that are received by the closing device 50 and all containers 4 that are received by the application device 19 through the closing module 50 when such devices are interrupted. An interruption in the operation of such Device therefore requires more time. Such devices also require a higher space requirement in order to be able to temporarily store this higher number of containers 4 after an interruption in the operation of the device before the containers 4 can be further handled after a renewed operation of such a device.

The device 1 according to the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4 is therefore characterized by a space-saving structure and the possibility of simply interrupting the operation of the device 1.

The greatly simplified flowchart of FIG. 5 shows several steps as they can be provided individually or in accordance with the combination and sequence shown in FIG. 5 in various embodiments of the method 100 according to the invention. In the first method step 110, an article group 2, which consists of several articles, is contacted on the back by a contact bar 8.

With further contact on the rear of the respective article group 2 via the respective contact bar 8, an application device 19 applies a flat packaging blank 5 to the articles of a respective article group 2 in the next method step 120, whereby the articles of the respective article group 2 together with the respective applied flat packaging blank 5 form a respective container 4. In step 120, the flat packaging blank 5 is attached to the articles of a respective article group 2 in the direction from above. The articles of a respective article group 2 are immersed in openings of the respective flat packaging blank 5 and are held together in a form-fitting manner via the respective flat packaging blank 5 after the respective flat packaging blank 5 has been attached.

The second method step 120 is followed by the third method step 130. In this third step 130, the rear contact of the respective container 4 via the respective contact bar 8 is canceled and the contact bar 8 assigned to the respective container 4 is brought into surface contact with the respective flat packaging blank 5, so that the respective contact bar 8 bends a rear tab of the respective flat packaging blank 5 in the upward direction.

In the next method step 140, a check is made as to whether the respective flat packaging blank 5 has become detached from articles of the respective article group 2 as a result of step 130. If this is the case, the respective container becomes 4 in step 140 separated out, which in practice can be done manually or using a handling robot or partially or fully automated.

Reference character list

1 device

2 Item group, item grouping

4 containers

5 flat packaging cuts, flat packaging cuts

8 investment bars

10 grouping device

15 endless traction devices

17 endless traction devices

18 adhesive nozzle

19 Application setup

20 first work module

22 Sensors

24 camera

25 first manipulator

30 second work module

32 transport facility

34 means of transport

35 second manipulator

50 closing module

52 horizontal conveyor device

60 conveyors

100 procedures

110 step, procedural step, first step, first procedural step

120 step, process step, second step, second process step

130 step, process step, third step, third process step

140 step, process step, fourth step, fourth process step

S Control and/or regulating device

TR transport direction, conveying direction

Claims

Expectations

1. Method (100) for conveying and manipulating containers (4), in which containers (4), each comprising a flat packaging blank (5), are conveyed along a transport route, with a respective contact bar (8) holding a respective container ( 4) in the course of its conveyance along a section of the transport route with rear contact, characterized in that the flat packaging blanks (5) of the containers (4) are temporarily contacted in the course of conveyance along the transport route via the contact beams (8).

2. The method according to claim 1, in which the respective contact bar (8) initially accompanies the respective container (4) in the course of its conveyance along the section of the transport route, and wherein the respective contact bar (8) supports the flat packaging blank (5) of the respective container (4) is contacted temporarily for the first time following the accompanying of the respective container (4) with rear contact.

3. Method according to one of claims 1 to 2, in which a respective container (4) is conveyed in the horizontal direction via a transport device (32) with a revolving transport means (34) on which the respective container (4) stands, while the respective contact bar (8) temporarily contacts the flat packaging blank (5) of the respective container (4).

4. The method according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which a respective contact bar (8) is moved in an upward direction and during this movement a respective flat packaging blank (8) of the respective container (4) is temporarily supported in the course of its conveyance along the transport route contacted.

5. The method according to claim 3 and / or 4, in which a respective contact bar (8) is moved obliquely in the upward direction with a directional component which runs along the horizontal direction along which the containers (4) are moved over the transport device (32). be promoted.

6. The method according to one of claims 3 to 5, in which a respective contact bar (8) with at least one article of the respective container (4) in Surface contact occurs when the respective contact bar (8) accompanies the respective container (4) in rear contact and the surface contact with the respective at least one article is removed before the respective flat packaging blank (5) is temporarily contacted and the respective container (4) is conveyed in the horizontal direction via the transport device (32) at the latest when the surface contact is removed.

7. The method according to one of claims 1 to 6, in which a respective contact bar (8) is rotated while the respective contact bar (8) temporarily contacts the flat packaging blank (5) of the respective container (4).

8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7 with contact beams (8) which have a polygonal cross section.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in which the flat packaging blanks (5) are formed from cellulose-containing material, a respective flat packaging blank (5) formed from cellulose-containing material being preferably in place by the temporary contact with a respective contact bar (8). Direction is bent upwards.

10. Device (1) for manipulating and conveying containers (4) along a transport route, which device comprises contact beams (8), of which a respective contact beam (8) for accompanying a respective container (4) under rear contact during its conveyance is formed along a specific section of the transport route, characterized in that a movement path for the contact beams (8) is coordinated with the containers (4) to be conveyed and manipulated in such a way that a respective container (4) is conveyed along the transport route outside the certain section leads to temporary contacting of a respective flat packaging blank (5), which is designed as a component of a respective container (4).

11. The device according to claim 10, comprising a transport device (32) with a circumferentially guided transport means (34), via which circumferentially guided transport means (34) a respective container (4) with a respective temporary contact of its flat packaging blank (5) in the horizontal direction is eligible for funding. Device according to claim 10 or claim 11, in which the movement path for the contact beams (8) is designed such that the respective contact beam (8) when temporarily contacting the respective flat packaging blank (5) in an upward direction and preferably obliquely in a downward direction above, wherein a directional component is oriented along a horizontal direction which corresponds to a transport direction (TR) of the transport device (32). Device according to one of claims 10 to 12, in which the contact beams (8) are arranged on at least one revolving endless traction means (15, 17), which is designed in particular as a chain and/or as a belt, the at least one revolving endless traction means (15 , 17) is deflected so that a respective contact bar (8) is rotated via the at least one rotating endless traction means (15, 17) when the respective contact bar (8) temporarily contacts the respective flat packaging blank (5). Device according to one of claims 10 to 13, in which the contact beams (8) have a polygonal cross section. Device according to one of claims 10 to 14, in which the contact beams (8) are arranged on endless traction means (15, 17) which are part of an application device (19) which is used to apply flat packaging blanks (5) to article groups comprising several articles (2) is formed, and wherein the device (1) comprises a closure module (50), which can hammer in front and rear flaps of applied flat packaging blanks (5), and in which device (1) it is provided that a respective range of the Endless traction means (15, 17) ends in front of the closing module (50).