Method of operating a packaging apparatus and packaging apparatus for articles such as beverage containers

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a packaging apparatus (1). Therein, articles (3) are moved by means of a horizontal conveying device (13). Furthermore, packaging blanks (7) are moved along a defined movement path by means of a transport device (50), wherein the packaging blanks (7) are thereby fed into the transport path of the articles (5) moved by means of the horizontal conveying device (13), and the articles (5) moved by means of the horizontal conveying device (13) are moved onto the packaging blanks (7) fed into the transport path. In the method, sensors (52, 54) and open- and / or closed-loop control devices (S) are used. The sensors (52, 54) are arranged in the region of the transport device (50) in such a way that the respective packaging blanks (7) temporarily occupy at least one sensor (52, 54) during the respective movement along the defined movement path. Furthermore, the open- and / or closed-loop control devices (S) generate operating information which takes into account the occupancy data of the sensors (52, 54) and the transport speed of the transport device (50). The open- and / or closed-loop control devices (S) output the operating information. Alternatively or additionally, the open- and / or closed-loop control devices (S) close-loop control the transport speed of the transport device (50) taking into account the operating information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method for operating a packaging device and a packaging device for articles such as beverage containers. Background Technology

[0002] There are different types of packaging for the processing, assembly, grouping, and packaging of items such as beverage containers. If certain items, such as beverage containers made from thin-walled PET containers, have low shape stability, they are often placed on a packaging preform made of cardboard and / or paperboard in practice to prevent unintended damage during transport. This packaging preform is also called a tray or pad and may have edge areas, which are folded upwards when packaging the items or beverage containers.

[0003] Similarly, a packaging blank formed solely from a flat pad without edge regions is known, on which individual items, or, depending on the case, corresponding combinations of multiple items, are placed vertically. Subsequently, the corresponding items or combinations of items placed vertically on the tray or packaging blank can be wrapped with a thermoplastic packaging film. Then, the corresponding items or combinations of items placed vertically on the tray or pad are fed into a heat-shrink tunnel, and the thermoplastic packaging material is heat-pressed onto the corresponding items or combinations of items.

[0004] For example, German patent application publication number DE 10 2014 112 341 A1 discloses a device for placing articles on a flat packaging blank or tray. This known packaging device includes a first endless conveyor having an upper return section and a lower return section. This first endless conveyor includes at least one circular conveyor chain for transporting articles arranged on a tray in a first operating mode. In a second operating mode, this packaging device is adapted to transport articles and / or groups of articles without a packaging base plate.

[0005] If problems arise during the supply of the packaging blanks, such as those disclosed in this German patent application, the device may be prone to malfunction. The cause of such malfunctions is often difficult to determine quickly. It is also desirable that the packaging device and method can mitigate or even eliminate certain malfunctions during operation. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, the object of the present invention is to provide a better solution for handling failures related to the supply of packaging blanks in similar devices.

[0007] This invention relates to a method of operating a packaging apparatus for articles such as beverage containers. The packaging apparatus can be constructed, for example, such that it packages beverage containers formed from beverage bottles and / or cans during operation. Outer packaging can be formed by means of the packaging apparatus, each comprising a plurality of beverage containers formed from beverage bottles and / or cans.

[0008] According to the first step of the method, articles are moved via at least one horizontal conveying device. The at least one horizontal conveying device may, depending on the situation, include an inlet through which at least one row of articles is transported. During this process, consecutive articles may abut against each other or have surface contact with each other.

[0009] Furthermore, the method may include a separating device that accelerates a certain number of leading items relative to lagging items, thereby forming a corresponding combination of items. This separating device may include a pusher chain with a separating strip attached to it, adapted to abut against the items to be accelerated on its back side, and the pusher chain causes the separating strip attached thereto to move circumferentially.

[0010] According to another step of the method, the packaging blank is moved along a defined travel route by a transport device, wherein the packaging blank is thereby fed into the transport path of articles conveyed by at least one horizontal conveyor, and the articles moved by the horizontal conveyor are moved onto the packaging blank that has been fed into the transport path.

[0011] The apparatus for applying planar thermoplastic packaging material to the article then allows the article to move together with its corresponding packaging blank. The article can then pass through a heat-shrink tunnel along with the applied thermoplastic packaging material, which is then heat-pressed onto the article. During this process, the article remains on its already-mounted packaging blank.

[0012] An implementation in which the transport device is arranged below a transport plane provided by at least one horizontal conveyor for moving articles or for moving combinations of articles formed therefrom has proven feasible.

[0013] The stack of package blanks can be arranged within the area of ​​the transport device. Several package blanks placed on top of the stack can be removed from the stack and then moved along a defined route by means of the transport device.

[0014] The method further includes at least one sensor and open-loop and / or closed-loop control devices. The at least one sensor is arranged within the area of ​​the transport device such that it temporarily occupies the at least one sensor during the corresponding movement of the package blank along a defined travel path.

[0015] In addition, open-loop and / or closed-loop control devices generate operational information that takes into account the occupancy data of at least one sensor and the transport speed of the transport device.

[0016] The at least one sensor can be connected wirelessly or wired to an open-loop and / or closed-loop control device. The transport device can also be controlled wirelessly or wiredly via the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device to move the packaged preform along a defined route at a certain transport speed.

[0017] Open-loop and / or closed-loop control devices output operational information to the user. As an alternative or supplementary solution, open-loop and / or closed-loop control devices perform closed-loop control of the transport speed of the transport device, taking into account the operational information.

[0018] Open-loop and / or closed-loop control devices may have a display or be connected to a display, through which the open-loop and / or closed-loop control devices output operation information to the user.

[0019] Furthermore, the following implementation has proven feasible: the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device takes into account data related to the duration for which at least one sensor is occupied by the packaging blank as the corresponding packaging blank moves along a defined movement path.

[0020] The open-loop and / or closed-loop control device can infer the length of the corresponding packaging blank from the duration of occupation of the at least one sensor and the transport speed of the transport device, and output fault information in the form of operation information when the corresponding length of the corresponding packaging blank deviates from the preset nominal length.

[0021] Fault information can continue to be output via the aforementioned display, which may be integrated into, or connected to, an open-loop and / or closed-loop control device. If the length of the corresponding packaging blank deviates from a preset nominal length, problems may arise during packaging. In this implementation where fault information is output in the form of operational information, the user can be informed of the deviation between the actual length of the corresponding packaging blank and the preset nominal length, and the fault can be resolved before further problems occur during packaging.

[0022] However, in a preferred embodiment, the transport speed of the transport device can be controlled in a closed loop, taking into account operational information. This ensures that, even if the length of the packaging blank deviates from the preset nominal length, the corresponding packaging blank can still be delivered into the transport path of the goods at a preset time. In this case, in this embodiment, even if the length of the packaging blank deviates from the preset nominal length, the user does not need to intervene.

[0023] The at least one sensor can be occupied by multiple packaging blanks for a corresponding duration in sequence. During this process, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device can generate an arithmetic mean of the average length of the packaging blanks from the occupancy duration and the corresponding transport speed of the transport device during the occupancy process, and define the arithmetic mean of the generated average length of the packaging blanks as the nominal length of the packaging blanks.

[0024] This implementation proves feasible if the packaging device needs to be trained when converting a packaging blank with a first size to a packaging blank with a second size. In this implementation, the packaging device can determine the corresponding size or length on its own and automatically determine the arithmetic mean of the nominal lengths of the packaging blanks without requiring the user to preset the actual length of the corresponding packaging blank.

[0025] Furthermore, the transport device can be closed-loop controlled by open-loop and / or closed-loop control devices, taking into account the corresponding length of the corresponding packaging blank, so that the corresponding packaging blank is delivered into the transport path of the article at a certain point in time.

[0026] The packaging blank can also be moved by a transport device via at least one circular conveyor return section. In a preferred embodiment, the packaging blank can be moved by a transport device via at least one first circular conveyor return section and at least one second circular conveyor return section, wherein the at least one first circular conveyor return section and the at least one second circular conveyor return section have mutually parallel packaging blank transport directions. A plurality of vacuum suction heads can be arranged on the at least one circular conveyor return section, which hold the packaging blank during its movement through the at least one circular conveyor return section.

[0027] In addition, at least one first sensor and at least one second sensor may be provided, wherein the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor are respectively arranged in the area of ​​the transport device, such that the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor are temporarily occupied sequentially during the corresponding movement of the package blank along the defined travel route.

[0028] In this process, an open-loop and / or closed-loop control device can be used to monitor the time required for the package blank to occupy the at least one first sensor and then the at least one second sensor relative to the corresponding transport speed, wherein if the time increases by a certain value relative to the transport speed, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device determines that the at least one circular transport return segment has elongated.

[0029] Furthermore, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device can output an alarm signal upon determining that the at least one circular conveyor return section has elongated, and / or perform closed-loop control of the transport speed of the transport device considering that the at least one circular conveyor return section has elongated. Additionally, closed-loop control can be performed such that the corresponding package blank is fed into the transport path of the article moving via at least one horizontal conveyor at a certain point in time.

[0030] This invention also relates to a packaging apparatus for articles such as beverage containers. Features previously mentioned regarding different embodiments of the method of this invention can also be used in embodiments of the packaging apparatus of this invention described below, and will not be repeated hereafter. The following description of embodiments of the packaging apparatus of this invention can also be used in embodiments of the method of this invention mentioned above.

[0031] The packaging apparatus includes at least one horizontal conveying device adapted to move articles, and a transport device that can move a packaging blank along a defined travel route and thereby feed it into a transport path of articles moved by the at least one horizontal conveying device, such that the articles moved by the at least one horizontal conveying device are moved onto the packaging blank fed into the transport path.

[0032] The at least one horizontal conveying device may have a first conveying device and a second conveying device, wherein a gap is formed between the first conveying device and the second conveying device, through which the transport device can feed the package blank into the transport path of the article being transported by the at least one horizontal conveying device.

[0033] The packaging device also includes at least one sensor, which is positioned such that the corresponding packaging blank temporarily occupies the at least one sensor during movement along a defined path of action.

[0034] The packaging apparatus also includes an open-loop and / or closed-loop control device connected to at least one sensor and a transport device. The open-loop and / or closed-loop control device is adapted to generate operational information that takes into account the occupancy data of the at least one sensor and the transport speed of the transport device. Furthermore, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device is adapted to output the operational information to the user, and / or to perform closed-loop control of the transport speed of the transport device in consideration of the generated operational information. The open-loop and / or closed-loop control device can be reasonably configured as a computer-aided system for generating the aforementioned operational information.

[0035] Open-loop and / or closed-loop control devices are adapted to generate operational information that takes into account data related to the duration for which at least one sensor is occupied by the packaging blank as the corresponding packaging blank moves along a defined path of action.

[0036] Similarly, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control devices are constructed such that the length of the corresponding packaging blank is inferred from data related to the duration for which at least one sensor is occupied by the packaging blank as it moves along a defined path, and from the corresponding transport speed of the transport device. During this process, if the length of the corresponding packaging blank deviates from the preset nominal length, fault information can be output through the open-loop and / or closed-loop control devices.

[0037] Furthermore, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control devices are configured such that they can generate an arithmetic mean of the average length of the packaging blank from multiple lengths inferred by the open-loop and / or closed-loop control devices. Subsequently, the generated arithmetic mean of the average length of the packaging blank can be specified as the nominal length by the open-loop and / or closed-loop control devices.

[0038] Furthermore, the transport device can be closed-loop controlled by open-loop and / or closed-loop control devices, taking into account the corresponding length of the corresponding package blank, so as to deliver the corresponding package blank into the transport path of the article at a certain point in time.

[0039] In different embodiments, the packaged blanks can be moved by a transport device via at least one circular conveyor return section. In a preferred embodiment, the transport device may have at least one first conveyor return section and at least one second conveyor return section, whose transport directions are parallel to each other, so as to move the respective packaged blanks together.

[0040] The packaging device may further include at least one first sensor and at least one second sensor respectively connected to open-loop and / or closed-loop control devices, wherein the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor are spaced apart from each other along a defined travel path, such that the corresponding packaging blank temporarily occupies the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor sequentially during movement along the defined travel path. Therefore, a region is constructed along the defined travel path between the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor, within which the corresponding packaging blank transported along the defined travel path is at least partially outside the detection area of ​​the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor.

[0041] The open-loop and / or closed-loop control device can be configured such that it can monitor the time required for the package blank to occupy the at least one first sensor and then the at least one second sensor over time relative to the transport speed.

[0042] Furthermore, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device can be configured such that it determines that the at least one circular transport return segment has been elongated when the time increases by a certain value relative to the transport speed. Additionally, by means of the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device, an alarm signal can be output upon determining that the at least one circular transport return segment has been elongated.

[0043] As an alternative or supplementary solution, if it is determined that the at least one circular transport return segment has an extension, the transport speed of the transport device can be controlled in a closed loop by means of the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device.

[0044] The embodiment in which the at least one sensor is formed by at least one light barrier has proven feasible. In other embodiments, the at least one sensor may also be formed by at least one probe or a similar sensor.

[0045] In the following, embodiments of the invention and their advantages will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensional proportions of individual elements in the drawings do not always correspond to actual dimensional proportions, as some shapes are simplified and others are enlarged for better illustration compared to other elements.

[0046] It should be clearly stated at this point that all aspects and embodiments explained in connection with the apparatus of the present invention also relate to or may be part of the methods of the present invention. Therefore, if any aspect and / or interrelationship and / or effect is mentioned at any point in the description of the packaging apparatus of the present invention, this also applies to the methods of the present invention. The same principle applies in reverse, such that all aspects and embodiments explained in connection with the methods of the present invention also relate to or may be part of the packaging apparatus of the present invention. Therefore, if any aspect and / or interrelationship and / or effect is mentioned at any point in the description of the methods of the present invention, this also applies to the packaging apparatus of the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0047] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing a first embodiment of the packaging device of the present invention is provided.

[0048] Figure 2 Schematic diagrams are shown of embodiments of the transport device that can be provided in different embodiments of the packaging apparatus of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 3 Flowcharts are shown illustrating the steps that can be implemented in different embodiments of the method of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0050] The solutions according to the present invention include different combinations of features, particularly defined by the following sequentially numbered embodiments:

[0051] 1. A method (100) for operating a packaging device (1) for articles (5) such as beverage containers, said method comprising the following steps: - Moving an article (5) via at least one horizontal conveying device (13), and - moving a package blank (7) along a defined travel path via a transport device (50), wherein the package blank (7) is thereby fed into the transport path of the article (5) conveyed by the at least one horizontal conveying device (13), and the article (3) moved by the at least one horizontal conveying device (13) is moved onto the package blank (7) fed into the transport path, and in the method (100) - at least one sensor (52, 54) and an open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) are provided, wherein a) the at least one sensor (52, 54) is arranged in the area of ​​the transport device (50) such that the corresponding package blank (7) temporarily occupies the at least one sensor (52, 54) during the corresponding movement along the defined travel path, and wherein b) the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) generates operating information, the operating information causing the at least one sensor (52, 54) to be moved along the defined travel path. The occupancy data of 54) and the transport speed of the transport device (50) are taken into account, and wherein b1) the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) outputs the operation information to the user, and / or wherein b2) the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) performs closed-loop control of the transport speed of the transport device (50) in consideration of the operation information.

[0052] 2. According to the method of embodiment 1, wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) takes into account data related to the duration of time that the at least one sensor (52, 54) is occupied by the corresponding packaging blank (7) as the corresponding packaging blank moves along the defined movement path.

[0053] 3. According to the method of embodiment 2, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) infers the length of the corresponding packaging blank (7) from the duration of occupancy of the at least one sensor (52, 54) and the transport speed of the transport device (50), and outputs fault information in the form of the operation information when the corresponding length of the corresponding packaging blank (7) deviates from the preset nominal length.

[0054] 4. According to the method of embodiment 3, wherein the at least one sensor (52, 54) is occupied for a corresponding duration by a plurality of packaging blanks (7) in sequence, and wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) generates an arithmetic mean of the average length of the packaging blanks (7) from the occupancy duration and the corresponding transport speed of the transport device (50) in the process, and defines the arithmetic mean of the generated average length of the packaging blanks (7) as the nominal length of the packaging blanks (7).

[0055] 5. The method according to any one of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein, taking into account the corresponding length of the corresponding packaging blank (7), the transport device (50) is closed-loop controlled by the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) so as to deliver the corresponding packaging blank (7) into the transport path of the article (5) at a certain time.

[0056] 6. The method according to any one of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein - the packaging blank (7) is moved by the transport device (50) by means of at least one annular transport return section (62, 72), and wherein - at least one first sensor (62) and at least one second sensor (72) are provided, wherein the at least one first sensor (62) and the at least one second sensor (72) are respectively arranged in the area of ​​the transport device (50) such that the corresponding packaging blank (7) temporarily occupies the at least one first sensor (52) and the at least one second sensor (54) during corresponding movement along the defined travel route, and wherein, - By means of the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S), the duration required for the package blank (7) to occupy the at least one first sensor (52) to occupy the at least one second sensor (54) over time relative to the transport speed is monitored, wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) determines that the at least one circular transport return segment (62, 72) has elongated when the duration increases by a certain value relative to the transport speed, and wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) outputs an alarm signal when it determines that the at least one circular transport return segment (62, 72) has elongated, and / or performs closed-loop control of the transport speed of the transport device (50) in consideration of the determination that the at least one circular transport return segment (62, 72) has elongated.

[0057] 7. According to the method of embodiment 5, in the method - the packaging blank (7) is moved by the transport device (50) by means of at least one circular transport return section (62, 72), and in the method - at least one first sensor (62) and at least one second sensor (72) are provided, wherein the at least one first sensor (62) and the at least one second sensor (72) are respectively arranged in the area of ​​the transport device (50) such that the corresponding packaging blank (7) temporarily occupies the at least one first sensor (52) and the at least one second sensor (54) during the corresponding movement along the defined travel route, and in the method, - By means of the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S), the duration required for the package blank (7) to occupy the at least one first sensor (52) to occupy the at least one second sensor (54) over time relative to the transport speed is monitored, wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) determines that the at least one circular transport return segment (62, 72) has elongated when the duration increases by a certain value relative to the transport speed, and wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) outputs an alarm signal when it determines that the at least one circular transport return segment (62, 72) has elongated, and / or performs closed-loop control of the transport speed of the transport device (50) in consideration of the determination that the at least one circular transport return segment (62, 72) has elongated.

[0058] 8. A packaging apparatus (1) for articles (5) such as beverage containers, the packaging apparatus comprising: - at least one horizontal conveying device (13) adapted to move the articles (5); - a transport device (50) capable of moving a packaging blank (7) along a defined travel path and thereby feeding it into a transport path of the articles (5) moved by the at least one horizontal conveying device (13), such that the articles (5) moved by the at least one horizontal conveying device (13) are moved onto the packaging blank (7) fed into the transport path; - at least one sensor (52, 54) positioned such that the corresponding packaging blank (7) temporarily occupies the at least one sensor (52, 54) during movement along the defined travel path; and - an open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) connected (50) to the at least one sensor (52, 54), wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) a) is adapted to generate operation information that takes into account the occupancy data of the at least one sensor (52, 54) and the transport speed of the transport device (50), and wherein b) the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) is adapted to output the operation information to the user, and / or is adapted to perform closed-loop control of the transport speed of the transport device (50) in consideration of the generated operation information.

[0059] 9. The packaging apparatus according to embodiment 8, wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) is adapted to generate operation information that takes into account data related to the duration of time that at least one sensor (52, 54) is occupied by the packaging blank (7) as the corresponding packaging blank moves along the defined movement path.

[0060] 10. The packaging apparatus according to embodiment 9, wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) is configured such that - the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) infers the length of the corresponding packaging blank (7) from data related to the duration for which the at least one sensor (52, 54) is occupied by the corresponding packaging blank (7) while the corresponding packaging blank moves along the defined travel path, and from the corresponding transport speed of the transport device (50), and wherein - in the event that the length of the corresponding packaging blank (7) deviates from the preset nominal length, fault information can be output through the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S).

[0061] 11. The packaging apparatus according to embodiment 10, wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) is configured such that - the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) generates an arithmetic mean of the average length of the packaging blank (7) from a plurality of lengths of the packaging blank (7) inferred by the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S), and wherein the arithmetic mean of the average length of the generated packaging blank (7) can be specified as a nominal length by the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S).

[0062] 12. The packaging apparatus according to embodiment 10, wherein the transport device (50) can be closed-loop controlled by the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) in such a way as to deliver the corresponding packaging blank (7) into the transport path of the article (3) at a certain point in time, taking into account the corresponding length of the corresponding packaging blank (7).

[0063] 13. The packaging apparatus according to embodiment 11, wherein the transport device (50) can be closed-loop controlled by the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) in such a way as to deliver the corresponding packaging blank (7) into the transport path of the article (3) at a certain point in time, taking into account the corresponding length of the corresponding packaging blank (7).

[0064] 14. A packaging apparatus according to any one of embodiments 8 to 13, wherein the packaging blank (7) can be moved by the transport device (50) by means of at least one annular transport return segment (62, 72), and the packaging apparatus includes at least one first sensor (52) and at least one second sensor (54) respectively connected to the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S), wherein the at least one first sensor (52) and the at least one second sensor (54) are spaced apart from each other along the defined travel path, such that the corresponding packaging blank (7) temporarily occupies the at least one first sensor (52) and the at least one second sensor (54) sequentially during movement along the defined travel path, and wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) is configured such that i) the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) can control the packaging blank (7) over time relative to the... The transport speed is monitored from the time required to occupy the at least one first sensor (52) to the time required to occupy the at least one second sensor (54), and wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) is configured such that ii) the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) determines that the at least one circular transport return segment (62, 72) has been extended when the time is increased by a certain value relative to the transport speed, and wherein iii) an alarm signal can be output by means of the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) when it is determined that the at least one circular transport return segment (62, 72) has been extended, and / or wherein the transport speed of the transport device (50) can be closed-loop controlled by means of the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) when it is determined that the at least one circular transport return segment (62, 72) has been extended.

[0065] 15. The packaging apparatus according to any one of embodiments 8 to 13, wherein the at least one sensor (52, 54) is formed by at least one light barrier (53, 55).

[0066] 16. The packaging apparatus according to embodiment 14, wherein the at least one sensor (52, 54) is formed by at least one light barrier (53, 55).

[0067] The same reference numerals are used for elements of the same invention or those having the same effect. Furthermore, for clarity, only reference numerals necessary for the description of the corresponding figure are depicted in a single drawing. The embodiments shown are merely examples of inventive designs and do not represent conclusive limitations.

[0068] The embodiments, examples, and variations described in the preceding paragraphs, or the descriptions and drawings that follow, including their various views or corresponding individual features, may be used independently or in any combination thereof. Features described in conjunction with one embodiment apply to all embodiments, unless these features are contradictory.

[0069] Although the accompanying drawings and views are generally “schematic”, this in no way implies that the drawings and their descriptions are secondary to the disclosure of the invention. Those skilled in the art are fully capable of obtaining sufficient information from the schematic and abstractly drawn drawings to simplify their understanding of the invention without being affected, for example, by the dimensional relationships of the drawn parts of articles and / or devices or other drawn elements, which may not be exactly to scale. Therefore, these drawings enable those skilled in the art, as readers, to better understand the ideas of the invention presented in a more general and / or more abstract manner in the claims and the general section of the specification, by means of a specific explanation of the implementation of the method of the invention and the functional principles of the device according to the invention.

[0070] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the packaging apparatus 1 of the present invention is shown. The packaging apparatus 1 is adapted to place an assembly 3 of articles 5 on a packaging blank 7 formed of cardboard and / or paperboard. Figure 1 In the embodiments described, these packaging blanks 7 are provided by the providing device 11 as a stack 9. Figure 1 In the embodiments described, articles 5 are formed from beverage containers. Beverage containers refer to beverage bottles here. In other embodiments, beverage containers may also be constructed as beverage cans.

[0071] To make item 5 along Figure 1 The packaging path VS, indicated by arrows, moves along a route with multiple horizontal conveyor devices 13 interconnected along it. One of these horizontal conveyor devices 13 is configured as an inlet 15 for the item 5 or beverage container. The other horizontal conveyor devices 13 moving the item 3 along the packaging path VS follow the inlet 15.

[0072] The horizontal conveyor 13 or inlet 15 first causes the articles 5 to move sequentially in a row, wherein the articles 5 are formed into several combinations 3 by means of a pusher chain 19. For this purpose, the pusher chain 19 has a large number of annular dividers (not shown in the drawings of this patent application), which abut against the articles 5 behind or following each corresponding combination 3 on their back side, and cause the articles 5 for each corresponding combination 3 to be briefly accelerated relative to the articles 5 moving in a row through the horizontal conveyor 13 or inlet 15. For this purpose, the dividers of the pusher chain 19 push the combinations 3 of articles 5 along... Figure 1The transfer plate, represented by the number 14, slides.

[0073] Therefore, the push chain 19, its separator and transfer plate 14 form a horizontal conveying device 13 connecting the inlet 15.

[0074] Furthermore, a gap 8 is shown directly between the transfer plate 14 and the next horizontal conveyor, which is still indicated by the number 13. After the assembly 3 of the articles 5 crosses the gap 8, the assembly 3 of the articles 5 is transported to the device 20 by means of the next horizontal conveyor 13.

[0075] The apparatus 20 applies thermoplastic packaging material to the assembly 3 of articles 5. Subsequently, the assembly 3 of articles 5 and the thermoplastic packaging material are moved together into a heat shrink tunnel (not shown), in which the thermoplastic packaging material is heat-pressed onto the assembly 3 of articles 5.

[0076] The planar packaging blank 7 formed from cardboard and / or paperboard can also be constructed as a PAD or base plate without side panels, front panels, and / or rear panels, wherein the PAD or base plate provides a flat or substantially flat support surface for the assembly 3 of the respective articles 5. In other embodiments, the packaging blank 7 can be constructed as a tray with upwardly folded side panels.

[0077] from Figure 1 It can also be seen that a transport device 50 is provided below the transport plane formed by the horizontal conveying device 13. After the packaging blank 7 is removed from the supply device 11, the packaging blank 7 is moved toward the gap 8 by means of the transport device 50, and then passes through the gap 8 into the transport path of the article 5, so that the combination 3 of the article 5 moved by the horizontal conveying device 13 is moved onto the corresponding packaging blank 7 that is fed into the transport path through the gap 8.

[0078] In packaging apparatuses known in the prior art, packaging blanks 7 are periodically fed into the transport path of the assembly 3 of articles 5. Problems may arise, for example, when the actual position of the corresponding packaging blank 7, which is moved by means of the transport device 50, deviates from the desired nominal position, because as a result, the assembly 3 of articles 5 may not be accurately moved onto the corresponding packaging blank 7.

[0079] In practice, the packaged blanks 7 are transported via a transport device 50, using a circularly moving conveyor or chain and / or belt. This will also be determined according to... Figure 2 The embodiments are described in more detail. If the conveying components or chains and / or belts wear or stretch after prolonged operation of the packaging device 1, the transport of the packaging blank 7 may cause further problems, making it impossible or impossible for the corresponding packaging blank 7 to meet the corresponding combination 3 of the articles 5 in a precise position.

[0080] Practice also shows that the packaging blank 7 has dimensions that match the combination 3 of the corresponding articles 5. However, this dimension may have certain deviations, which may cause problems in the process of transferring the combination 3 of the corresponding articles 5 onto the corresponding packaging blank 7 if it exceeds or falls below a certain tolerance range.

[0081] To avoid such problems, the transport device 50, which is part of the packaging device 1, has a first sensor 52 and a second sensor 54. The first sensor 52 and the second sensor 54 are respectively configured as light barriers 53 and 55, and are connected to an open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S.

[0082] Figure 2 A schematic perspective view of the transport device 50 is shown, which can be used in different embodiments of the invention, and may also be used as appropriate. Figure 1 The packaging device 1 shown is an embodiment. The transport device 50 is connected to the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S wirelessly or via wired connection. Figure 1 The transport device has been schematically shown.

[0083] Subsequently, from Figure 2 It can be seen that the transport device 50 includes a first transport unit 60 and a second transport unit 70, wherein a pad 17 is provided between the first transport unit 60 and the second transport unit 70. Figure 2 This embodiment of the transport device shown can be used for Figure 1 An embodiment of the packaging device 1 shown.

[0084] Transport device 50 can be independent of Figure 1 Other embodiments of the packaging apparatus shown in the example are therefore applicable to... Figure 2 The described features do not need to be based on Figure 1 The packaging device 1 of the illustrated embodiment is closely related.

[0085] The first conveying unit 60 has a conveying return section 62 that moves in a ring and can be configured, for example, as a chain or belt. The second conveying unit 70 also has such a conveying return section 72 that moves in a ring and can be configured, for example, as a chain or belt. The direction of travel of the first conveying return section 62 is parallel to the direction of travel of the second conveying return section 72.

[0086] Figure 2 As shown, when the packaging blank 7 moves in the direction of the gap 8 (see...) Figure 1 The packaging blank is supported on both the first conveying unit 60 and the second conveying unit 70. Therefore, the corresponding packaging blank 7 is transported towards the gap 8 via the conveying return section 62 of the first conveying unit 60 and the second conveying return section 72 of the second conveying unit 70, and is fed into the transport path of the combination 3 of the corresponding items 5.

[0087] In practice, vacuum suction heads can be arranged on the corresponding conveyor return section 62 or 72 to temporarily hold the corresponding packaging blank 7 while it is moving through the transport device 50.

[0088] The first sensor 52 and the second sensor 54 are components of the transport device 50, and these two sensors are positioned offset from each other along the direction of movement of the package blank 7. Here, both the first sensor 52 and the second sensor 54 are arranged within the area of ​​the second transport unit 70. However, in other embodiments, the first sensor 52 and the second sensor 54 may also be arranged within the area of ​​the first transport unit 60, or the first sensor 52 may be arranged within the area of ​​the first transport unit 60, while the second sensor 54 may be arranged within the area of ​​the second transport unit 70.

[0089] The first sensor 52 and the second sensor 54 are configured here as light barriers 53 and 54, but in other embodiments they may also be configured as probes or other alternative sensors. Furthermore, the first sensor 52 and the second sensor 54 are respectively connected to an open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S.

[0090] If the return section 62 of the first conveying unit 60 and the return section 72 of the second conveying unit 70 move in a circular motion, the packaging blank 7 is first conveyed to the detection area of ​​the first sensor 52, which is then temporarily occupied by the packaging blank 7. This occupancy is detected by the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S. Furthermore, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S is connected to one or more actuators that cause the return section 62 of the first conveying unit 60 and the return section 72 of the second conveying unit 70 to move in a circular motion.

[0091] The connection between the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S and these one or more actuators enables the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S to perform open-loop control of the transport speed of the transport device 50 via the actuators and, as needed, closed-loop control. Therefore, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S also understands the needs of the transport device 50 to ensure that the transport device 50 causes the packaged blank 7 to travel along a defined path or toward the gap 8 at a certain point in time (see...). Figure 1 The speed of transport.

[0092] Since the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S knows the corresponding transport speed of the transport device 50, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S can infer the length of the corresponding packaging blank 7 by means of the corresponding transport speed, taking into account the occupancy time of the first sensor 52. The length of the corresponding packaging blank 7 is equivalent to the product of the occupancy time of the first sensor 52 and the corresponding transport speed at which the corresponding packaging blank 7 moves during the period when the first sensor 52 is occupied by the transport device 50. Figure 2 The arrow shown on the packaging blank 7 illustrates this length.

[0093] Therefore, the length of the corresponding packaging blank determined by the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S corresponds to the operation information that the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S can display on the display as appropriate. Since the packaging blank 7 continuously passes through the detection area of ​​the first sensor 52, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S can, in different embodiments, continuously display the corresponding length of the corresponding packaging blank 7 that has just passed through the detection area of ​​the first sensor 52 as operation information on the display.

[0094] Therefore, the user can easily identify whether the length of the packaging blank 7 is uniform or continuously changing. Thus, in this embodiment, the user can change the stack 9 of the packaging blank 7 as needed (see...). Figure 1 And replace it with a new stack 9, the length of which is within a certain tolerance range.

[0095] The aforementioned method of operation also has other advantages in practice. For example, before packaging the articles 5, it has proven feasible to first allow a large number of packaging blanks 7 to pass sequentially through the detection area of ​​the first sensor 52, and to determine the corresponding lengths of the packaging blanks 7 during this process. The packaging blanks 7 are characterized by slightly different lengths from one another.

[0096] When the combination 3 of item 5 is moved onto the corresponding packaging blank 7 and then fitted with thermoplastic packaging material, there is no problem if the deviation is within a certain tolerance range.

[0097] If the length of the corresponding packaging blank 7 exceeds a certain tolerance range, problems may occur when packaging the item 5 with the corresponding packaging blank 7.

[0098] Therefore, as previously described, multiple packaging blanks 7 are first passed through the detection area of ​​the first sensor 52 by means of the transport device 50, wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S measures the corresponding length of the packaging blanks during this process. Subsequently, an arithmetic mean is generated from the measured lengths of the packaging blanks 7, which specifies the nominal length of the corresponding packaging blank 7 in the transport path of the combination 3 of articles 5.

[0099] Therefore, the packaging device 1 is first trained or calibrated fully or semi-automatically, during which the nominal value of the average length of the packaging blank 7 is calculated by the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S. After the training of the packaging device 1 or the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S is completed, the packaging process can begin.

[0100] During the packaging process, the transport device 50 moves the continuous packaging blanks 7 toward the gap 8 and feeds the packaging blanks 7 into the transport path of the combination 3 of the articles 5 through the gap 8. The corresponding length of the packaging blanks 7 transported by the transport device 50 is determined by the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S, and as mentioned above, by means of the first sensor 52 and its occupied duration, and can be output as operation information.

[0101] In addition, there are other solutions for compensating for erroneous lengths of packaging blanks without human intervention. If the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S detects that the length of the corresponding packaging blank 7 exceeds a preset tolerance range, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S can perform closed-loop control on the transport speed of the transport device 50, taking into account the length of the corresponding packaging blank 7 outside the tolerance range.

[0102] Closed-loop control can be achieved by aligning the assembled item 5 (3) onto the corresponding packaging blank 7 as precisely as possible. In practice, it is necessary to avoid the corresponding packaging blank 7 protruding to one side by a relatively large margin to ensure that the subsequent thermoplastic packaging material is not wrinkled during heat pressing and to provide an outer packaging with the greatest possible stability. If such a protrusion exists, numerous other problems will arise when packaging item 3. The thermoplastic packaging material or film may be damaged due to this lateral protrusion and may need to be cut, depending on the circumstances.

[0103] During further movement toward the heat shrink channel, the combination 3 of the packaging blank 7 and the item 5 that is subsequently erected above it may get stuck or clamped at some point, thus preventing it from moving further forward.

[0104] All of the above problems will not be encountered when the transport speed of the transport device 50 is controlled in a closed loop. Therefore, it is preferable to perform closed-loop control such that the assembly 3 of the articles 5 is located within the center of gravity area of ​​the packaging blank 7 after being moved onto the packaging blank 7.

[0105] By implementing closed-loop control of the transport speed of the transport device 50 accordingly, it can be ensured that even if the length deviation exceeds the predetermined tolerance range, the outer packaging formed by the packaging device 1 remains stable and does not unintentionally form wrinkles or damage. Similarly, it is at least largely ensured that during further movement, the combination 3 of the corresponding packaging blank 7 and the articles 5 subsequently erected on it will not be unintentionally obstructed by the horizontal transport device 13 (see...). Figure 1 One of them gets stuck or clamped.

[0106] In an embodiment of the present invention, the packaging device 1 may have only one sensor 52, which may be constructed as a light barrier 53, thereby taking advantage of the aforementioned advantages over known embodiments in the prior art. Figure 2 The embodiment of the packaging apparatus 1 or transport apparatus 50 shown also includes a second sensor 54, which is also connected to the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S. This provides further advantages compared to embodiments of packaging apparatus known in the prior art.

[0107] As previously mentioned, the return transport section 62 of the first conveying unit 60 and the second return transport section 72 of the second conveying unit 70 can be constructed as chains or belts. If the packaging device 1 or the transport device 50 operates for an extended period, it can be assumed that such chains or belts will stretch after prolonged operation. In this case, the corresponding chains or belts must be replaced to ensure that the packaging blank 7 is further fed into the transport path of the assembly 3 of the articles 5 through the gap 8 in a defined manner. In the case of chain or belt stretching, the packaging blank 7 is delayed in entering the transport path of the articles 5. Thus, when the articles 5 are moved onto the packaging blank 7, the articles are not in the predetermined position.

[0108] To prevent this problem, the first sensor 52 and the second sensor 54 are arranged separately along the travel path used to transport the packaging blank 7 towards the gap 8 by means of the transport device 50. Thus, the packaging blank 52 first enters the detection area of ​​the first sensor 52, and after a period of time, enters the detection area of ​​the second sensor 54.

[0109] Since the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S is connected to the first sensor 52 and the second sensor 54 respectively, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S can monitor the time required for the package blank 7 to enter the detection area of ​​the first sensor 52 and then the detection area of ​​the second sensor 54.

[0110] If this duration increases over time, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S can thus infer that the transport return segment 62 of the first transport unit 60 and / or the second transport return segment 72 of the second transport unit 70 has been extended. Subsequently, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S can output the extension operation information to the user through the display screen.

[0111] As an alternative or supplementary solution, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S can increase or in some way control the transport speed of the transport device 50 when the elongation is determined as operational information, thereby continuing to feed the package blank 7 through the gap 8 into the transport path of the combination 3 of the articles 5 at the desired time point.

[0112] The open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S may also have a memory in which information is stored if a fault or problem occurs related to the movement of the combination 3 of the article 5 to the corresponding packaging blank 7. The memory may contain a database in which past faults are matched with their corresponding causes. If the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S identifies a corresponding fault, it can output information about the fault and the possible causes to the user, allowing the user to clear the fault.

[0113] Suction devices may be arranged on the transport return sections 62 and 72, which hold the corresponding packaging blanks 7 by negative pressure. If the packaging blanks 7 fail multiple times over time in the transport path of the combination 3 containing the articles 5, it can be inferred from such failures that the suction devices may be worn or even damaged.

[0114] The open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S may also have information about the type of the corresponding item 5 to be packaged. If, at a later point in time, another type different from the type packaged so far needs to be packaged, in practice, several components of the packaging device 1 need to be replaced, or adjustments must be made for the type change. The packaging blank 7 usually also needs to be replaced, and replaced with a larger or smaller packaging blank 7 to match the corresponding type to be packaged. Therefore, in Figure 2 In the embodiment of the transport device 50 shown, the relative distance between the transport units 60 and 70 needs to be increased or decreased when the type is changed.

[0115] exist Figure 1 and Figure 2In the illustrated embodiment, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S is further configured such that it can infer damage to certain components or incorrect adjustments to different components when multiple failures occur after a change in type. For this purpose, self-learning intelligence can be stored in the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device. Corresponding faults can also be selectively matched with corresponding causes in the database. Furthermore, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S can display information about the corresponding fault and its cause on a display screen, enabling the user to identify the fault and its cause, and manually resolve the problem as needed.

[0116] at last, Figure 3 The flowchart illustrates different embodiments of the method 100 of the present invention, which may be implemented individually or in accordance with Figure 3 The steps for each successive combination setting shown are as follows.

[0117] In the first method step, indicated by the number 110, the packaging blank 7 is transported along a defined route by the transport device 50, during which the sensor 52 is temporarily occupied by the corresponding packaging blank 7. In the subsequent step 120, the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device S generates operational information that takes into account the corresponding occupancy duration of the first sensor 52 and the transport speed at which the packaging blank 7 moves via the transport device 50 during the occupancy period.

[0118] In step 130, which typically follows process step 120, the transport speed of the transport device 50 is closed-loop controlled in such a way that the packaged blank 7 passes through the gap 8 (see step 130) at a certain point in time, taking into account the operational information generated by the open-loop and / or closed-loop control devices S. Figure 1 ) The transportation route for item 5.

[0119] Subsequently, in the next method step 140, the assembly 3 of articles 5 is moved onto the packaging blank 7, which is fed into the transport path through the gap 8, and then the packaging blank 7, together with the assembly 3 of articles 5 standing above it, is transported to the device 20 (see...). Figure 1 The device applies thermoplastic packaging material to the assembly 3 of articles 5, during which the assembly 3 of articles 5 continues to stand upright on the packaging blank 7.

[0120] List of icon numbers

[0121] 1 Packaging equipment

[0122] 3 combinations

[0123] 5 items

[0124] 7 Packaging blanks

[0125] 8 gaps

[0126] 9-Stack

[0127] 11. Providing device

[0128] 13 Horizontal Conveying Device

[0129] 14 push plates

[0130] 15 entrances

[0131] 17 pads

[0132] 19 closed chains

[0133] 20 devices

[0134] 50 transport units

[0135] 52 sensors

[0136] 53 light barriers

[0137] 54 sensors

[0138] 55 light barrier

[0139] 60 First Conveying Unit

[0140] 62 Conveyor Return Section (First Conveyor Unit)

[0141] 70 Second Conveying Unit

[0142] 72 Conveyor Return Section (Second Conveyor Unit)

[0143] 100 methods

[0144] 110 First Method Steps

[0145] 120 Second Method Steps

[0146] 130 Third Method Steps

[0147] 140 Fourth Method Steps

[0148] S Open-loop and / or closed-loop control device

[0149] VS Packaging Route

Claims

1. A method (100) for operating a packaging device (1) for articles (5), characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: - The article (5) is moved by at least one horizontal conveying device (13), and - The packaging blank (7) is moved along a defined travel route by a transport device (50), wherein the packaging blank (7) is thereby fed into the transport path of the article (5) conveyed by the at least one horizontal conveyor (13), and the article (5) moved by the at least one horizontal conveyor (13) is moved onto the packaging blank (7) that has been fed into the transport path, and in the method (100) - It is equipped with at least one sensor (52, 54) and an open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S), wherein a) The at least one sensor (52, 54) is arranged within the area of ​​the transport device (50) such that the corresponding package blank (7) temporarily occupies the at least one sensor (52, 54) during its corresponding movement along the defined travel route, and wherein b) The open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) generates operating information that takes into account the occupancy data of the at least one sensor (52, 54) and the transport speed of the transport device (50), wherein b1) The open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) outputs the operation information to the user, and / or wherein b2) The open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) performs closed-loop control on the transport speed of the transport device (50) taking into account the operational information, wherein, The open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) takes into account data related to the duration of time that at least one sensor (52, 54) is occupied by the corresponding packaging blank (7) as the corresponding packaging blank moves along the defined movement path, wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) infers the length of the corresponding packaging blank (7) from the duration of time that at least one sensor (52, 54) is occupied and the transport speed of the transport device (50), and outputs fault information in the form of the operation information if the corresponding length of the corresponding packaging blank (7) deviates from the preset nominal length.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor (52, 54) is occupied for a corresponding duration by a plurality of packaging blanks (7) in sequence, and wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) generates an arithmetic mean of the average length of the packaging blanks (7) from the occupancy duration and the corresponding transport speed of the transport device (50) in the process, and defines the arithmetic mean of the average length of the generated packaging blanks (7) as the nominal length of the packaging blanks (7).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, taking into account the corresponding length of the respective packaging blank (7), the transport device (50) is closed-loop controlled by the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) so as to deliver the respective packaging blank (7) into the transport path of the article (5) at a certain point in time.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the method -The package blank (7) is moved by the transport device (50) by means of at least one annular conveyor return section (62, 72), and in the method - At least one first sensor (52) and at least one second sensor (54) are provided, wherein the at least one first sensor (52) and the at least one second sensor (54) are respectively arranged within the area of ​​the transport device (50), such that the at least one first sensor (52) and the at least one second sensor (54) are temporarily occupied by the corresponding package blank (7) during its corresponding movement along the defined travel route, and in the method, - By means of the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S), the duration required for the package blank (7) to occupy the at least one first sensor (52) to occupy the at least one second sensor (54) over time relative to the transport speed is monitored, wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) determines that the at least one circular transport return segment (62, 72) has elongated when the duration increases by a certain value relative to the transport speed, and wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) outputs an alarm signal when it determines that the at least one circular transport return segment (62, 72) has elongated, and / or performs closed-loop control of the transport speed of the transport device (50) in consideration of the determination that the at least one circular transport return segment (62, 72) has elongated.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein in the method -The package blank (7) is moved by the transport device (50) by means of at least one annular conveyor return section (62, 72), and in the method - At least one first sensor (52) and at least one second sensor (54) are provided, wherein the at least one first sensor (52) and the at least one second sensor (54) are respectively arranged within the area of ​​the transport device (50), such that the at least one first sensor (52) and the at least one second sensor (54) are temporarily occupied by the corresponding package blank (7) during its corresponding movement along the defined travel route, and in the method, - By means of the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S), the duration required for the package blank (7) to occupy the at least one first sensor (52) to occupy the at least one second sensor (54) over time relative to the transport speed is monitored, wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) determines that the at least one circular transport return segment (62, 72) has elongated when the duration increases by a certain value relative to the transport speed, and wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) outputs an alarm signal when it determines that the at least one circular transport return segment (62, 72) has elongated, and / or performs closed-loop control of the transport speed of the transport device (50) in consideration of the determination that the at least one circular transport return segment (62, 72) has elongated.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the article (5) comprises a beverage container.

7. A packaging device (1) for an article (5), characterized in that, The packaging device includes - At least one horizontal conveying device (13) suitable for moving items (5), and - A transport device (50) capable of moving a package blank (7) along a defined route and thereby feeding it into a transport path of an article (5) moving via the at least one horizontal conveyor (13), such that the article (5) moving via the at least one horizontal conveyor (13) is moved onto the package blank (7) fed into the transport path, and - At least one sensor (52, 54), said at least one sensor (52, 54) being positioned such that the corresponding packaging blank (7) temporarily occupies said at least one sensor (52, 54) during movement along the defined path of action, and - An open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) connected to the at least one sensor (52, 54) and the transport device (50), wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) a) Suitable for generating operational information that takes into account the occupancy data of the at least one sensor (52, 54) and the transport speed of the transport device (50), wherein b) The open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) is adapted to output the operation information to the user, and / or to perform closed-loop control of the transport speed of the transport device (50) in consideration of the generated operation information, wherein, The open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) is adapted to generate operational information that takes into account data related to the duration for which at least one sensor (52, 54) is occupied by the packaging blank (7) as the corresponding packaging blank moves along the defined movement path, wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) is configured such that... - The open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) infers the length of the corresponding packaging blank (7) from data related to the duration for which the at least one sensor (52, 54) is occupied by the corresponding packaging blank (7) as the corresponding packaging blank moves along the defined travel path, and from the corresponding transport speed of the transport device (50), and wherein - In the event that the length of the corresponding packaging blank (7) deviates from the preset nominal length, fault information can be output through the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S).

8. The packaging apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) is configured such that... - The open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) generates an arithmetic mean of the average length of the packaging blank (7) from multiple lengths of the packaging blank (7) inferred by the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S), and the arithmetic mean of the average length of the generated packaging blank (7) can be specified as a nominal length by the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S).

9. The packaging apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the transport device (50) can be closed-loop controlled by the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) in such a way as to deliver the corresponding packaging blank (7) into the transport path of the article (5) at a certain point in time, taking into account the corresponding length of the corresponding packaging blank (7).

10. The packaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the transport device (50) can be closed-loop controlled by the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) in such a way as to deliver the corresponding packaging blank (7) into the transport path of the article (5) at a certain point in time, taking into account the corresponding length of the corresponding packaging blank (7).

11. The packaging apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the packaging blank (7) can be moved by the transport device (50) via at least one annular transport return segment (62, 72), and the packaging apparatus includes at least one first sensor (52) and at least one second sensor (54) respectively connected to the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S), wherein the at least one first sensor (52) and the at least one second sensor (54) are spaced apart from each other along the defined travel path, such that the corresponding packaging blank (7) temporarily occupies the at least one first sensor (52) and the at least one second sensor (54) sequentially during movement along the defined travel path, and wherein the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) is configured such that... i) The open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) can monitor the packaging blank (7) over time relative to the transport speed from occupying the at least one first sensor (52) to occupying the at least one second sensor (54), and the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) is configured such that ii) The open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) determines that the at least one circular transport return segment (62, 72) has elongated when the duration increases by a certain value relative to the transport speed, and wherein iii) An alarm signal may be output by means of the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) when it is determined that the at least one annular transport return section (62, 72) has been extended, and / or the transport speed of the transport device (50) may be closed-loop controlled by means of the open-loop and / or closed-loop control device (S) when it is determined that the at least one annular transport return section (62, 72) has been extended.

12. The packaging apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the at least one sensor (52, 54) is formed by at least one light barrier (53, 55).

13. The packaging apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor (52, 54) is formed by at least one light barrier (53, 55).

14. The packaging apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the article (5) comprises a beverage container.

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