Strapping device for strapping strip coils and associated method

Abstract

The object of the invention is a strapping device for strapping strip coils (1), in particular metal strip coils (1), having a receiving device (3) for predominantly vertical alignment of the strip coil (1) in question. A strapping robot (4) and an articulated robot (5) are also provided, wherein the strapping robot (4) feeds a strap (2) to the articulated robot (5) and / or a hold-down device (7, 8), and wherein both robots (4, 5) circumnavigate the strip coil (1) at least on the circumferential side and connect associated strap ends to one another in a closing position. According to the invention, the receiving device (3) is designed as an arm (3) for receiving the strip coil (1) in question in a suspended manner. The arm (3) engages through an eye (1a) of the strip coil (1) for this purpose.

Description

1 STRAPPING DEVICE FOR STRAPPING STRIP COILS AND ASSOCIATED METHOD Description 5 The invention relates to a strapping device for strapping strip coils, in particular metal strip coils, having a receiving device for predominantly vertical alignment of the strip coil in question, and having a strapping robot and an articulated robot, wherein the strapping robot feeds a strap to the articulated robot and / or a hold10 down device, and wherein both robots circumnavigate the strip coil at least on the circumferential side and connect associated strap ends to one another in a closing position. Such strapping devices are typically used to prevent associated strips from 15 unwinding in produced strip coils and in particular metal strip coils. For this purpose, the strap in question is usually wrapped around the strip coil or metal strip coil on the circumferential side and the strap ends are connected to one another. This can take place by a crimp connection for straps made of steel or by a friction-welded connection for straps made of plastic. 20 In the generic and closest prior art according to US 8 051 770 B1, the metal strip coil or strip coil to be strapped is placed in a vertical orientation on foot-side supports acting as a receiving device. As a result, it is generally possible to carry out both circumferential strapping and so-called eye strapping through the eye of 25 the strip coil. However, this sometimes requires the strip coil in question to be lifted from the foot-side supports and repositioned because otherwise, for example, circumferential strapping cannot be carried out in the region of the supports in question. Industrial trucks, such as forklifts, usually have to be used for such work due to the high weight of such strip coils and in particular metal 30 strip coils. In addition, the known teaching proceeds in such a manner that a single strip coil or a single metal strip coil is respectively handled. This is time-consuming overall. The invention aims to remedy the situation. CA 3303938 Date reçue / Received date 2026-03-05 2 The object of the invention is to further develop such a strapping device such that handling of the strip coil and in particular the metal strip coil for applying regular circumferential strapping is simplified. In addition, a particularly suitable method for 5 this purpose should be provided. In order to achieve this object, a generic strapping device within the scope of the invention is characterised in that the receiving device is designed as an arm for receiving the strip coil in question in a suspended manner, wherein the arm 10 engages through an eye of the strip coil for this purpose. Unlike the closest prior art according to US 8 051 770 B1, which proposes receiving the strip coil in question in a supporting manner, the invention expressly refers to receiving the strip coil in a suspended manner. For this purpose, the 15 receiving device is designed as an arm for receiving the strip coil in question in a suspended manner. In detail, the arm engages through an eye of the strip coil for this purpose. As a result, the strip coil is held by the arm in a vertical orientation, effectively “in the air” at a distance from the floor, such that the subsequent application of the strap, in particular in the circumferential direction, is easy to 20 carry out without the need to manipulate the strip coil in question, for example with an industrial truck, in particular a forklift. Any “unwinding” of the strip coil is avoided thanks to the strapping, as already explained in the introduction. In addition, it is usually the case that the arm is 25 designed as part of a rotary assembly. The rotary assembly preferably has three other arms, which are generally connected to a common vertical post at respectively 90° intervals in a respective horizontal orientation. The vertical post is accommodated in a foot-side pivot bearing or itself has such a pivot bearing. As a result, rotations of this vertical post or the arms about the fixed post 30 correspond to the individual arms of the rotary assembly optionally being able to be moved into a working position or strapping position. The vertical post is usually also equipped with a cross-member, to which the aforementioned hold-down device can advantageously be attached. The cross- CA 3303938 Date reçue / Received date 2026-03-05 3 member is stationary in the working position or strapping position. By contrast, the arms can be respectively rotated in a horizontal plane about the vertical post as a vertical axis, as described in general terms in DE 35 43 692 A1. As a result, it is possible to place or suspend a strip coil to be strapped in a receiving position on the corresponding arm. Starting from this receiving p 5 osition, the arm can then be moved into the strapping position or working position by horizontally rotating the rotary assembly. A metal strip coil or a corresponding strip coil previously equipped in the strapping position with one or more straps can then be moved from the strapping position to a removal position simultaneously in the course of 10 the horizontal rotation of the rotary assembly. As a result, complex transport measures are not required and the strip coil in question can be handled quickly. This means that the usually four arms of the rotary assembly respectively assume the strapping position, the receiving position and the removal position. A further fourth position may then function as reserve position, i.e. for example optionally 15 as a receiving position or removal position. As already mentioned, the arm of the rotary assembly is assigned the crossmember in its strapping position for the hold-down device arranged thereon. For this purpose, the hold-down device advantageously has at least one hold-down 20 shoe which can be displaced along the cross-member. The hold-down shoe is mounted on a longitudinal guide. The longitudinal guide extends in the longitudinal direction of the cross-member, such that the hold-down shoe can be displaced along the longitudinal guide along this longitudinal direction of the cross-member. The hold-down shoe and the longitudinal guide collectively define 25 the hold-down device. Thanks to the hold-down device or hold-down shoe, the aforementioned “unwinding” of the strip coil or metal strip coil received on the arm is usually prevented until the circumferentially attached strap prevents unwinding. The hold30 down shoe can then be removed. In most cases, the design is such that the arm is designed to receive a plurality of metal strip coils. In fact, according to the invention, the usual procedure is that a so-called master coil is first split and divided into individual coils produced in CA 3303938 Date reçue / Received date 2026-03-05 4 this manner. The individual coils are then respectively equipped with circumferential strapping using the strapping device according to the invention. This prevents the individual coils from "unwinding”. In principle, continuous strip coils or metal strip coils can of course also be strapped in this way. 5 In the case of a plurality of individual coils or a plurality of strip coils or metal strip coils received in a suspended manner on the arm, it is usually the case that the strip coils are arranged concentrically with one another. The respective eye is collectively engaged through by the arm. In addition, it is proven useful in this 10 context if a measuring device is provided to measure the distance and / or measure the gap between the individual strip coils. The measuring device in question is typically designed as a laser distance meter. In addition, it has proven useful if the measuring device is arranged on one of the robots and preferably on the articulated robot. As a result, the measuring device can not only be used to 15 measure the distance between the robot in question or its articulated arm and the strip coil to be strapped. But it is also possible to detect a gap and its size and position between the individual coils. Depending on these values, a control unit controlling the two robots and evaluating the values from the measuring device ensures that the robots are respectively controlled in a coordinated manner with 20 one another and together ensure that the strip coil in question is circumferentially strapped. It is usually the case that the strapping robot and the articulated robot start from the hold-down device and strap the strip coil in question around the circumference substantially in phase and in opposite directions. In addition, the design is such that the two robots meet near a low point of the strip coil to connect 25 the strap ends of the strap wrapped around the strip coil in this manner. At this low point, the strap ends are finally connected to one another. The two robots move according to signals from the measuring device. Because the measuring device is used to transmit the position or distance of the robot and 30 in particular articulated robot equipped with the measuring device from the strip coil to be detected or the gap between two strip coils to a control unit. The spatial position of the strip coil to be strapped can be derived from this distance measurement. For this purpose, a plurality of distance measurements may be performed by the measuring device attached to the articulated robot. CA 3303938 Date reçue / Received date 2026-03-05 5 The measuring device can also be used to detect any gap between individual coils, such that in this way the spatial position of the adjacent or plurality of adjacent individual coils in a suspended alignment on the arm can ultimately be determined by the control unit and implemented 5 accordingly for controlling the robot arms. In this way, individual coils of practically any width and any width configuration can also be equipped with the desired circumferential strapping. In particular, the generic prior art according to US 8 051 770 B1 does not allow this, because the foot-side supports prevent placement of the respective strip coil. 10 This also makes it possible to flexibly attach the two robots to a fixed position on a floor. By contrast, the known procedure according to US 8 051 770 B1 requires a respective rail guide for the robots, which significantly increases the design effort and thus the manufacturing costs. As a result, the strapping device 15 according to the invention can be flexibly accommodated in a factory hall, even and in particular in confined spaces. This is further facilitated by the fact that a strap supply for the strapping robot, as well as the robot in question itself, can be placed flexibly and practically anywhere, as the rail guide required in the prior art is dispensed with. This illustrates the main measures. 20 The strapping robot in question is generally designed with a strap unit with at least one strap feeding unit and a strap closing unit. The strap feeding unit transports and feeds the strap and cuts it to length. By contrast, ends or strap ends of the strap to be connected are connected to one another using the strap 25 closing unit, whether by crimping as is the case for metallic straps or by a frictionwelded connection as is the case for plastic straps. This is, of course, only an example and should not be understood as limiting. Another object of the invention is a method for strapping strip coils and in 30 particular metal strip coils. The procedure is that the strapping robot feeds a strap to the articulated robot and / or the hold-down device. Provided that the strapping robot feeds the strap to the articulated robot, the articulated arm of the articulated robot grabs the strap end in question and then the two robots can strap the strip coil in question around the circumference substantially in phase and in opposite CA 3303938 Date reçue / Received date 2026-03-05 6 directions. Strapping usually takes place starting from the hold-down device, with whose help not only is unwinding of the strip coil prevented, but which may also ensure that the strap is held in abutment against the strip coil to be strapped. Starting from the hold-down device, both robots then carry out the described circumferential movement in phase and in opposite 5 directions, i.e. respectively complete approximately a semicircle. As a result, the two robots can meet near the low point in order to couple the strap ends of the strap to one another at the low point. 10 The invention is explained in more detail below based on a drawing illustrating just one exemplary embodiment, in which: Fig. 1 show the strapping device according to the invention, for example, in a starting position, 15 Fig. 2 shows the object according to Fig. 1 at the start of a strapping process with the two robot arms in the region of the hold-down device, Fig. 3 shows the end of the strapping process based on Fig. 2 and the meeting 20 of the two robot arms near a low point for connecting strap ends, Fig. 4 shows the object according to Fig. 1 to 3 in the course of a movement of both robot arms in the direction of an adjacent individual coil and 25 Fig. 5 shows the end of the strapping process of the rear individual coil, for example. The figures show a strapping device for strapping strip coils 1. Within the scope of the exemplary embodiment, the strip coils 1 are respectively metal strip coils 30 and specifically so-called individual coils 1, and namely four individual coils 1, which are strapped one after the other circumferentially using a strap 2. For this purpose, the strapping device according to Fig. 1 shown in an overview has a receiving device 3, which is used for predominantly vertical alignment of the strip coil 1 in question. In addition, a strapping robot 4 and an articulated robot 5 with CA 3303938 Date reçue / Received date 2026-03-05 7 articulated arms 6 connected to the end and capable of bending are provided. Both robots 4, 5 are permanently mounted on a floor. Using the two robots 4, 5, the strip coil or the individual coils 1 are circumnavigated at least on the circumferential 5 side and strapped with the strap 2, as shown in Fig. 2 and 4, and in a closing position according to the illustrations in Fig. 3 and 5, the associated strap ends are connected to one another. According to the invention, the receiving device 3 is designed as an arm 3 for 10 receiving the strip coil 1 in question in a suspended manner, wherein the arm 3 engages through an eye 1a of the strip coil 1 or of the respective individual coil 1 for this purpose. Based on the exemplary embodiment, it can be seen that in this context, a total of four individual coils 1 are received in a suspended manner on the arm 3 in question. This is, of course, only an example and is in no way limiting. 15 The individual coils 1 may have previously been produced from a so-called master coil by splitting. It can be seen that the individual coils 1 are received on the arm 3 in question in a suspended manner taking into account respective distances A. A hold-down device 7, 8 is also provided here. 20 The hold-down device 7, 8 is attached to a cross-member 9. In fact, the holddown device 7, 8 is composed of a hold-down shoe 8 and a longitudinal guide 7, along which the hold-down shoe 8 can be displaced. The longitudinal guide 7 extends along the longitudinal direction of the cross-member 9. The crossmember 9 with the hold-down device 7, 8 arranged thereon is arranged above 25 the arm 3, specifically in the strapping position shown by way of example in Fig. 1. The two robots 4,5 are stationary in the aforementioned strapping position and are fixed to the floor for this purpose. In addition, both robots 4,5 have an arrangement on both sides next to the strip coils or individual coils 1. 30 The cross-member 9 and also the arm 3 are connected to a vertical post 10. The vertical post 10 and the cross-member 9 attached thereto with the hold-down device 7, 8 are designed to be stationary overall in this context. By contrast, the arm 3 constitutes part of a rotary assembly, which is composed of a total of four arms 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d. The four arms 3a to 3d are oriented overall in a horizontal CA 3303938 Date reçue / Received date 2026-03-05 8 plane and arranged at respectively 90° intervals from one another. Because this is a rotary assembly 3a to 3d, the arms 3a to 3d in question can perform a rotary movement about a vertical axis defined by the vertical post 10 in a horizontal plane. As a result, the individual coils 1 received by the arm 3 or 3a can, for example, be moved from the strapping position 5 in accordance with the illustration in Fig. 1 to a removal position 3b, 3c. In this removal position 3b, 3c, the individual coils 1 equipped with the strap 2 can be removed from the arm 3 in question, for example with a forklift or another industrial truck. A further fourth position of the rotary assembly 3a to 3d, which belongs to the position of the arm 3d, may, by 10 contrast, function as a receiving position in which previously unstrapped individual coils 1 are placed on the arm 3d in question in order to then be able to reach the strapping position with arm 3a when the rotary assembly 3a to 3d is rotated through 90° in the anticlockwise direction indicated in the illustration according to Fig. 1. One of the two removal positions 3b, 3c can also be designed 15 as a reserve position 3b in this case, in which the individual coils 1 are optionally removed or suspended. However, this is not shown in detail. It can be seen that the metal strip coils or individual coils 1 are arranged concentrically with one another. In addition, the design is such that their 20 respective eye 1a is collectively engaged through by the arm 3 or 3a in the strapping position according to Fig. 1. In addition, a measuring device 11 is provided, which, according to the exemplary embodiment, is arranged on the articulated robot 5 and more specifically on the end of its articulated arm 6. The measuring device 11 is used to measure the distance between the robot 5 in 25 question and the individual coils 1, or to measure the aforementioned gap with the distance A between the respective individual coil 1 and the adjacent individual coil 1. Within the scope of the exemplary embodiment, the measuring device 11 is a laser distance measuring device or laser distance meter. The measuring device 11 is not only connected to one of the two robots 4, 5 and specifically the 30 articulated robot 5, but also electrically connected to a control unit 12 indicated in Fig. 1. The two robots 4, 5 are controlled using the control unit 12. In addition, the control unit 12 can deduce the spatial position of the respective individual coil 1 from values from the measuring device 11, as well as values of the distance A between adjacent individual coils 1. As a consequence, the control unit 12 is CA 3303938 Date reçue / Received date 2026-03-05 9 capable of precisely controlling the two robots 4 and 5 in such a manner that their respective front ends can be employed for strapping the desired individual strip coil 1. In addition, the control unit 12 ensures that the hold-down shoe 8 is displaced along its longitudinal guide 7 according to signals from the measuring device 11. For this purpose, the hold-down 5 shoe 8 or a corresponding drive for the hold-down shoe 8 is also connected to the control unit 12. The strapping robot 4 is designed with a strap feeding unit 13 and a strap closing unit 14. The strap 2 is fed via the strap feeding unit 13. For this purpose, the strap 10 2 is wounded onto a coil supply 15 and can be unwound therefrom and fed to the individual coil 1 to be strapped using the strap feeding unit 13. The strap closing unit 14 ensures in the closing position in accordance with Fig. 3 and 5 respectively that strap ends of the strap 2 are coupled to one another. For this purpose, the strap feeding unit 13 may not only ensure that the strap 2 is fed, but also be 15 equipped with a separating device, which separates the respective strap end from the supply on the coil 15. The procedure is as follows. Starting from the starting position or basic position shown in Fig. 1, the transition from the illustration in Fig. 1 to Fig. 2 is initially 20 carried out in such a way that both robots 4, 5 are moved with their front ends in the direction the hold-down shoe 8 of the hold-down device 7. In fact, the holddown shoe 8 ensures in this context that the front individual coil 1 to be strapped is not unwound. The position of the front ends of the robots 4, 5 may be detected beforehand using the measuring device 11 and evaluated by the control unit 12, 25 as has already been described above. For this purpose, the measuring device 11 can, for example, perform various distance measurements along the circumference of the individual coil 1 to be strapped and, for example, also detect the position of the eye 1a there. As a result, three-dimensional data of the individual coil 1 to be strapped is available in the control unit 12 and can be 30 aligned with the position of the hold-down shoe 8. In any case, at the start of the strapping process, the two robots 4, 5 move to the position in accordance with the illustration in Fig. 2, in which both robot arms 4, 5 are arranged with their front ends in the region of the hold-down shoe 8 of the hold-down device 7, 8. CA 3303938 Date reçue / Received date 2026-03-05 10 Starting from this position in Fig. 2, the strapping robot 4 now ensures that the strap 2 is dispensed and gripped by the front end on the articulated arm 6 of the articulated robot 5. At the same time, the strap 2 may be passed under the holddown shoe 8, which may have been slightly lifted or moved to the side for this purpose. In any case, the strap 2 is held 5 in place by the hold-down shoe 8 on the circumferential side of the individual coil 1 to be strapped, starting from the position shown in Fig. 2, for example. If, during the transition from Fig. 2 to Fig. 3, both robots 4, 5 now strap the 10 individual coil 1 to be strapped around the circumference substantially in phase and in opposite directions, the two robots 4, 5 meet with their respective front ends near a low point of the individual coil 1 to be strapped in order to connect associated strap ends. For this purpose, the front end of the articulated robot 5 first grips the strap end dispensed by the strapping robot 4 and then the 15 articulated robot 5 is moved into the position shown in Fig. 3 and at the same time the strapping robot 4, while feeding strap 2, also moves into the position in accordance with the illustration in Fig. 3 near the low point of the circular discshaped individual coil 1. In this case, the hold-down shoe 8 has been lifted slightly or moved along its longitudinal guide 7 so that the strap 2 can be moved 20 accordingly along the circumference of the individual coil 1 to be strapped. At the same time, the strap 2 held taut around the circumference of the individual coil 1 during this process with the aid of the two robots 4, 5 ensures that the individual coil 1 in question is not “unwound”. The hold-down device 7, 8 is therefore already dispensable during this process. 25 After the strap ends of the strap 2 have been connected to one another in the position according to the illustration in Fig. 3 or near the low point of the discshaped individual coil 1 to be strapped, and after the strap 2 has previously been fed using the strap feeding unit 13 and cut and tensioned using the strap closing 30 unit 14 and the strap ends have been connected, the two robots 4, 5 can now be displaced in order to strap an adjacent individual coil 1 in the suspended orientation on the arm 3. This displacement procedure is shown in Fig. 4. It can be seen that initially the hold-down shoe 8 has been displaced along the longitudinal guide 7 in the direction of the rear individual coil 1 in this case. This CA 3303938 Date reçue / Received date 2026-03-05 11 requires that the measuring device 11 has not only detected the distance A in the gap beforehand, but also the position of the rear individual coil 1. During the transition from the illustration in Fig. 4 to Fig. 5, it can now be seen that the rear individual coil 1 is in 5 turn strapped around the circumference in phase and in opposite directions using the two robot arms 5 and both robot arms 4, 5 move with their front ends along the circumference of the individual coil 1 in question until they have reached the collective low point shown in Fig. 5 for connecting strap ends of the strap 2 and meet at this low point. The strap ends 10 are finally connected to one another. After some or all of the individual coils 1 have consequently been equipped with the strap 2 on the circumference in the strapping position, the rotary assembly 3a to 3d can be displaced into the position 3b or 3c, in which the individual coils 1 15 strapped in this way are subsequently removed from the arm 3 in question. This can take place using a forklift (not shown). CA 3303938 Date reçue / Received date 2026-03-05

Claims

12 Claims 1. Strapping device for strapping strip coils (1), in particular metal strip coils (1), having a receiving device (3) for predominantly vertical alignment of the strip coil (1) in question, and having a strapping 5 robot (4) and an articulated robot (5), wherein the strapping robot (4) feeds a strap (2) to the articulated robot (5) and / or a hold-down device (7, 8), and wherein both robots (4, 5) circumnavigate the strip coil (1) at least on the circumferential side and connect associated strap ends to one another in a closing position, 10 characterised in that the receiving device (3) is designed as an arm (3) for receiving the strip coil (1) in question in a suspended manner, wherein the arm (3) engages through an eye 15 (1a) of the strip coil (1) for this purpose.

2. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the arm (3) is designed as part of a rotary assembly (3a to 3d). 20 3. Device according to Claim 2, characterised in that the rotary assembly (3a to 3d) is preferably equipped with three other arms (3b to 3d) at respectively 90° intervals.

4. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the arm (3) 25 is assigned a cross-member (9) in its strapping position for the hold-down device (7, 8) arranged thereon.

5. Device according to Claim 4, characterised in that the hold-down device (7, 8) has at least one hold-down shoe (8) which can be displaced along the 30 cross-member (9) and is mounted on a longitudinal guide (7).

6. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the arm (3) is designed to receive a plurality of strip coils (1) and in particular individual strip coils (1). CA 3303938 Date reçue / Received date 2026-03-05 13 7. Device according to Claim 6, characterised in that the strip coils (1) are arranged concentrically with one another and their respective eye (1a) is collectively engaged through by the arm (3). 5 8. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that a measuring device (11) is provided to measure the distance and / or measure the gap between individual strip coils (1). 10 9. Device according to Claim 8, characterised in that the measuring device (11) is designed as a laser distance meter.

10. Device according to Claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the measuring device (11) is arranged on a robot (4, 5), preferably on the articulated robot (5). 15 11. Device according to one of Claims 8 to 10, characterised in that the holddown shoe (8) is displaced along its longitudinal guide (7) according to signals from the measuring device (11). 20 12. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterised in that the respective strip coil (1) has circumferential strapping.

13. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 12, characterised in that the strapping robot (4) is designed with a strap unit (13, 14) with at least one strap 25 feeding unit (13) and strap closing unit (14).

14. Method for strapping strip coils (1), in particular metal strip coils (1), having a receiving device (3) for predominantly vertical alignment of the strip coil (3) in question, and having a strapping robot (4) and an articulated robot (5), whereby 30 the strapping robot (4) feeds a strap (2) to the articulated robot (5) and / or a holddown device (7, 8), and whereby both robots (4, 5) circumnavigate the strip coil (1) at least on the circumferential side and connect associated strap ends to one another in a closing position, CA 3303938 Date reçue / Received date 2026-03-05 14 characterised in that the strip coil (1) is suspended on an arm (3) as a receiving device (3), by the arm (3) engaging through an eye (1a) of the strip coil (1) for this purpose. 5 15. Method according to Claim 14, characterised in that the strapping robot (4) and the articulated robot (5) start from the hold-down device (7, 8) and strap the strip coil (1) in question around the circumference substantially in phase and in opposite directions, meeting near a low point to connect the strap ends. CA 3303938 Date reçue / Received date 2026-03-05