Automatic strapping equipment for bundling goods with integrated cable ties.

Abstract

This disclosure relates to an automatic strapping tool device (1) ABT for strapping goods (2) with an integrated cable tie (3) OPT, the device comprising: a guiding device (1a) configured to guide an end portion (3a) of the OPT strap around the strapped goods (2) through a window (3c) in an OPT head (3b); and a tensioning device (1b) configured to i) tighten the OPT (3) by pulling the end portion (3a) of the OPT strap guided through the window (3c) in a tensioning direction (S+), and i i) for pushing the end (3a) of the OPT tape portion in the pushing direction (S-) against the tensioning direction (S+) after the OPT (3) has been tensioned; and a control device (1c) configured to i) determine characteristic parameters for pushing the end (3a) of the OPT tape portion in the reverse tensioning direction (S+), and ii) output a quality inspection signal in relation to the characteristic parameters for pushing in the reverse tensioning direction (S+) and a predetermined reference value for the characteristic parameters, so as to improve the production process in which the automatic strapping tool equipment straps goods with integrated cable ties.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an automatic bundling tool (ABT) for bundling a bundled good with an integrated strapping or integrated fixed strapping (OPT), the automatic bundling tool (ABT) comprising a guiding device configured for guiding an end of a strap portion of the OPT around the bundled good through a window in a head of the OPT, and a tensioning device configured for tensioning the OPT by pulling the end of the strap portion of the OPT guided through the window in a tensioning direction and configured for pushing the end of the strap portion of the OPT against the tensioning direction after the OPT has been tensioned. Here, integrated strapping, as a general concept of strapping, comprises a normal strapping. BACKGROUND

[0002] Generally, in the application cycle of an automatic bundling tool device, an integrated strapping, also generally referred to as a strapping, is moved in a guide rail of a guiding device, which guide rail defines a closed path around the bundled good or the bundled material. When the pushing device pushes forward, the integrated strapping forms a loop around the bundled good to be bundled with the integrated strapping. In this process, a tip of the strap portion arranged at one strap portion end of the OPT is generally guided by a narrowing guide rail towards a head of the OPT arranged at the other strap portion end of the OPT and subsequently pushed through an opening of the head of the OPT, which opening is often referred to as a window. Subsequently, the tensioning device grabs the end of the strap portion of the OPT that has been pushed through the window and tensions the OPT around the bundled good by pulling the end of the strap portion of the OPT that has passed through the window in a tensioning direction. Generally, the end of the strap portion of the OPT protruding behind the head after tensioning is cut off with a cutting device.

[0003] In a normal integrated strapping, the head has a locking claw that is locked onto the strap portion of the OPT with a corresponding locking tooth and thereby prevents the strap portion from being pulled out of the window after tensioning (against the tensioning direction) and thereby being pulled back. This ensures that the OPT remains closed and the bundled good is kept tight as desired.

[0004] It is possible to (indirectly) adjust the force exerted for tensioning by influencing the motor current of the tensioning motor associated with the tensioning using some of the available automatic strapping tools (e.g. the Heidtman Autotool 2000CPK). For this purpose, during tensioning by the tensioning device, the tensioning gear engages with its teeth in the stop teeth of the strap portion, whereby the tensioning gear is driven by the tensioning motor (e.g. a stepper motor or a pulse-controlled DC motor) assigned to the tensioning. The tensioning motor is controlled independently of other applications. This is done by an electronic control unit (ECU) of the control device, which regulates the motor speed and / or the motor current, i.e. monitors, adjusts and, if necessary, limits or increases it. This can be achieved, for example, in relation to a user input via an input unit of the control device. By controlling the motor speed and / or the motor current, the tensioning force can be indirectly checked by using a previously known mathematical relationship between the measured motor current, the torque generated on the tensioning gear and the force transmitted to the strap portion.

[0005] Some of the available automatic strapping tool devices, including the Heidtman Autotool 2000CPK, also use a control device with an ECU for other applications: for example, it can be set so that

[0006] - the integrated tie is not completely closed, i.e. not tensioned with a significantly non-zero tensioning force, in order to create a predetermined size of a loose loop, for example for sensitive strapping or loose strapping;

[0007] - a loop with a defined length with the end of the OPT strap portion protruding from the window is created by the tensioning gear running backwards after tensioning and before cutting off the end of the OPT strap portion, whereby the tensioning gear ejects a part of the end of the OPT strap portion that is pushed through the window again;

[0008] - the protruding end of the OPT strap portion is not completely cut off after tensioning by completely ejecting the end of the OPT strap portion before cutting in the application cycle; or

[0009] - a combination of the above or other possibilities is implemented.

[0010] Exemplary automatic strapping tool devices are described in EP 3 466 819 B1, EP 3 483 075 B1, EP 3 068 693 B1, WO 2015 067 444 A1, US2017 334 587 A1 or CN 108 791 998 B.

[0011] There are two particularly relevant problems here: on the one hand, the OPT can tear due to the tension being set too high, and on the other hand, the head of the OPT can be defective. The latter can be caused, for example, by insufficient stability of the locking jaws, either due to a production defect or other properties of the OPT such as too high humidity or temperature.

[0012] In the case of a tear, the OPT can no longer be tensioned further, and the strapped goods immediately loosen, i.e. no longer remain together. Such a fault can easily be detected. During tensioning, the motor current increases as the end of the strap is pulled through the window until a set maximum value is reached. If the OPT breaks, on the one hand the set maximum value is not reached, and on the other hand the motor current will suddenly drop, i.e. at the point of breakage since there is no tensioning force and thus no torque that has to be applied any more. The control device can therefore output a quality check signal in the form of an error message and stop further processing.

[0013] The situation is more difficult in the case of a defective head. Since the tensioning force to be applied is virtually independent of the condition of the locking jaws or detent jaws, the motor current / tensioning distance relationship, i.e. the relationship between the motor current applied during tensioning and the distance covered by the end of the OPT strap portion, will essentially be the same with defective locking jaws as with functioning locking jaws. Thus, even if the OPT cannot permanently maintain the tensioning force, monitoring the motor current will give no indication of a fault.

[0014] Both errors cause great difficulties in the production process, for example of a wiring harness, since they directly affect process stability and product quality. This is particularly true for automated applications, so that additional process steps for manual checking become necessary. SUMMARY

[0015] The invention thus serves the task of improving the production process in which an automatic strapping tool device straps goods by means of an integrated strap, and in particular to improve process stability and product quality with the same effort or to maintain them with reduced effort.

[0016] This task is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments result from the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

[0017] One aspect relates to an automatic banding tool, or ABT, for banding banded goods or banded material with an integrated tie (OPT). In the context of the present disclosure, an OPT is a generalization of a standard tie-wrapping band. Such a standard tie-wrapping band has a tie-wrapping band head with a window, and a tie-wrapping band or tie that slides through the window to form an end portion that can be used to tie a loop for banding a tie or the like. The integrated tie or integrated fixing tie (OPT) further comprises a neck connecting a foot to the head, the foot comprising an additional fastening means (e.g. a mushroom head) that can be used to fasten the OPT to an object (in the example of a mushroom head that is typically located in a hole of the object). Due to the different possible feet, the shape or geometry of the OPT can thus have a complexity that significantly exceeds the standard geometry of a standard tie-wrapping band.

[0018] The banding tool device can also be referred to as a banding tool, and the integrated tie can also be referred to as a tie-wrapping band. The ABT has a guiding device configured for guiding the end of the OPT band portion, the tie-wrapping band end, around the banded goods through the opening in the OPT head, referred to as the window. For this purpose, the guiding device can comprise a corresponding guide rail that is suitable for the OPT used. The ABT also has a tensioning device designed for i) tensioning the OPT by pulling the end of the OPT band portion guided through the window in a tensioning direction, and ii) pushing the end of the OPT band portion in a direction opposite to the tensioning direction after the OPT has been tensioned. Here, the tensioning direction can correspond to a forward direction of an associated tensioning motor, and the pushing direction opposite to the tensioning direction can correspond to a backward direction of the tensioning motor.

[0019] A part of the ABT is a control device designed for i) determining or quantifying a characteristic parameter of the pushing of the end of the OPT band portion in the direction opposite to the tensioning direction, and ii) outputting a quality check signal in relation to the characteristic parameter for the pushing in the direction opposite to the tensioning direction and a reference value predetermined for the characteristic parameter.

[0020] The determination and the outputting can be referred to as a quality test cycle or a part of such a quality test cycle. In the quality test cycle, two cases can occur and are identified by the control device based on the determined parameter: case a) of a faultless head with a correct pawl, and case b) of a faulty head with a non-pawl or unreliable pawl. Thereby, the quality of the test is the product quality, i.e. the quality of the OPT head.

[0021] In case a), the pawl engages properly with the OPT band portion and thereby prevents the band portion from sliding through the head in the direction opposite to the tensioning direction. This results in a force being established upon the pushing in the direction opposite to the tensioning direction that has to be overcome by the tensioning means to move the band portion. If the force is overcome, the OPT band portion will break transversely and thereby allow the pushing in the direction opposite to the tensioning direction.

[0022] In case b) the locking pawl does not correctly lock with the OPT band portion so that no force or only a greatly reduced force compared to case a) is generated when pushed in the counter-tensioning direction. Cases a) and b) can thus be distinguished on the basis of a characteristic parameter of the tensioning mechanism during the pushing. The control device can thus be configured for determining the characteristic parameter during the pushing, i.e. after the tensioning, which is characteristic for the pushing of the OPT band portion end.

[0023] This parameter can thus be monitored by the control device, which outputs a quality check signal accordingly, whether it is an OK signal with the continuation of the application cycle or a NOK or warning signal with the stop of the application cycle. The OK signal and / or the warning signal can be a visual signal and / or an acoustic signal and / or an electronic signal intended for a monitoring device.

[0024] In the continuation of the application cycle, after the OPT band portion end has been pushed in the counter-tensioning direction, the OPT band portion end can be pulled back in the tensioning direction to the starting position before the pushing, if necessary. In this way, the cutting of the OPT band portion end provided in the application cycle can be performed without being influenced by the quality test cycle.

[0025] In the method described here, a function that is already known and available, namely the ejection of the OPT band portion end, is used in a new way. By means of the quantitatively monitored pushing of the OPT band part end back in the counter-tensioning direction, defects that have hitherto not been able to be detected automatically, i.e. defective heads, can be detected. The quality monitoring or checking takes place "in line" with the tensioning of the OPT, which makes subsequent monitoring steps such as optical and / or haptic monitoring superfluous. This leads to an increased process stability and product quality or eliminates the need for monitoring steps that would otherwise be required after the bundling. This can be achieved by a relatively inexpensive firmware update compared to the complete development of a tool or additional tool used in the application cycle.

[0026] In an advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the control device is configured for determining the characteristic parameter for an OPT band portion end that has not been ejected, in particular not yet completely, from the tensioning device. This has the advantage that the further processing of the OPT band portion end is not influenced by the determination, since after the determination of the OPT band portion end it can either be pulled back again in the tensioning direction or be cut off at the desired point, i.e. it can also be ejected completely to remain untrimmed.

[0027] In a further advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the tensioning device comprises an electric motor, in particular a tensioning or drive motor. The electric motor can be a stepper motor. The tensioning motor can drive a tensioning gear which is configured for engaging, preferably in a form-fit engagement, with the end of the belt portion being pulled / pushed through the window during tensioning. The characteristic parameter here comprises the motor current of the tensioning device during pushing or is or comprises a variable derived from the motor current during pushing. This effectively results in the power used for pushing being taken into account by the control device. In particular, the characteristic quantity can be or comprise a force derived from the motor current, which is required for pushing the OPT belt portion end after the OPT has been tensioned in the reverse tensioning direction.

[0028] This has the advantage that the characteristic parameter can be determined particularly precisely and easily since the motor current has been controlled and thereby monitored for tensioning with a predetermined tensioning force during pulling of the OPT belt portion end being guided through the window. The motor current or a variable derived from the motor current is thereby easily measurable and particularly suitable for monitoring the pushing.

[0029] It is particularly advantageous if the electric motor is a DC motor, preferably a DC motor controlled via a pulse-counting encoder, and the tensioning device is configured for controlling the DC motor using a predetermined number n of control pulses which can correspond to n motor steps when pushing in the reverse tensioning direction. Such a DC motor can be referred to as a pulse-controlled DC motor. Alternatively, the electric motor can also be a stepper motor. Thereby, the pushing corresponds to control pulses, possibly motor steps, in the reverse direction of the electric motor corresponding to the reverse tensioning direction, and the pulling corresponds to control pulses, possibly motor steps, in the forward direction of the electric motor in the tensioning direction. When using a "normal" DC motor, experience has shown that a sufficiently precise control and thereby positioning can have been specified so that the determined parameter is determined sufficiently precisely and easily, and the quality of the locking in the head can be reliably checked.

[0030] In a further advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the control device is configured for determining the characteristic parameter once during pushing in the reverse tensioning direction. In particular, the characteristic parameter can be determined exactly once or from a single measurement selected from several individual measurements. The determination can refer to determining a single point in time as a sufficiently short time interval. Preferably, such a time interval can be predetermined by a (preselected) i-th control pulse (0 < i < n + 1) of a predetermined number n of control pulses. This has the advantage that the determination can be mathematically performed in a particularly simple, and thereby fast and reliable, manner with low requirements on the control device used.

[0031] In another advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the control device is configured to determine the characteristic parameter for a series of time points during the pushing in the reverse tensioning direction and to compare a course of the characteristic parameter with a course of a reference value specified for the output of the quality check signal. This has the advantage that the behavior of the OPT and the locking of the end of the OPT band portion in the head of the OPT can be analyzed particularly precisely and a particularly precise statement about the quality of the locking can thereby be made by the control device.

[0032] In another advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the control device is configured to determine the characteristic parameter for a predetermined time period, in particular for a predetermined number of control pulses or motor steps during the pushing or for the entire pushing, wherein the characteristic parameter or a measured value on which the characteristic parameter is based is integrated over the predetermined time period. This has the advantage that the determination requires little computing effort, but implicitly averages several measurements and thereby the reliability is improved compared to a single measurement.

[0033] In a further advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the reference value specified for the characteristic parameter, in particular the course of the reference value specified for the characteristic parameter, is automatically specified by the control device itself on the basis of a statistical evaluation of the determined characteristic parameters. In particular, this can be done on the basis of a desired value determined for the characteristic parameter, for example, as twice or three times the standard deviation of the characteristic parameter. This has the advantage that the reference value does not have to be calculated and specified manually, but a reference value adapted to the desired confidence value is automatically used without the operator having to deal more closely with the amplitudes of the forces occurring in the respective application cycle. Subsequently, the operator only has to check at the beginning of the production that the desired tensioning force with the loadable locking is actually achieved by a statistically significant number of passes, for example, 10 or 100 passes.

[0034] The reference value can also be determined and stored individually for different application cycles. For example, it can be determined automatically for different positions on the product for which the respective OPT is used where the reference value is applied. In combination with the described automatic specification of the reference value, a robust and dispersed monitoring of the tensioning force actually achieved via the loadable locking of the different positions in the work process is thereby achieved.

[0035] In a further advantageous embodiment it is provided that the predetermined reference value is a threshold value and that the control device is configured to compare the characteristic parameter with the predetermined threshold value and in particular to output a positive quality check signal if the characteristic parameter is greater than the threshold value and / or a negative quality check signal if the characteristic parameter is smaller than the threshold value. Especially when the characteristic parameter is the motor current, it is thereby possible to check whether the motor current required for the push is greater than a threshold value which is associated with a reliable locking in the head. This has the advantage that the quality of the locking can be monitored particularly easily and reliably.

[0036] In an advantageous embodiment it is provided that the guiding device has a holding or fixing element which is configured to hold or fix the OPT head in a predetermined position when the OPT strap portion end is pushed and thereby, when the OPT is faultless, also in the counter tensioning direction, in particular in the same position as when the OPT is tensioned. The fixing element fixes the head in at least one direction in space, in the tensioning direction and during the pulling and pushing in the counter tensioning direction. For example, the fixing element can be in the form of a corresponding protrusion or fixing claw which prevents the head from moving in the counter tensioning direction at least during the duration of the pushing. This has the advantage that the deflection of the head during the pushing is prevented by design, independently of the contact pressure of the ABT on the strapped goods and the stability of the strapped goods. This ensures a constant determination of the characteristic parameter and increases the reliability of the quality monitoring.

[0037] Another aspect relates to operating an ABT of any one of the described embodiments.

[0038] Yet another aspect relates to a method of strapping a strapped good with an OPT or strapping strap by an ABT, comprising the following steps:

[0039] a) guiding, by a guiding device of the ABT, the OPT / strapping strap end around the strapped good and through a window in a head of the OPT / strapping strap;

[0040] b) tensioning, by a tensioning device of the ABT, the OPT / strapping strap by pulling the OPT / strapping strap end in a tensioning direction;

[0041] c) pushing, by the tensioning device of the ABT, the OPT / strapping strap end in a counter tensioning direction after the OPT / strapping strap has been tensioned;

[0042] d) determining, by a control device of the ABT, a force or other characteristic parameter required for the pushing of the end of the OPT / strapping strap in the counter tensioning direction;

[0043] e) outputting, by the control device, a quality check signal which depends on the force or other characteristic parameter required for the pushing in the counter tensioning direction and a predetermined reference force or reference value.

[0044] As a further optional process step, the following can be performed:

[0045] f1) (fully) ejecting the OPT / tie tape end by the tensioning device without cutting it off; or

[0046] f2) cutting off the OPT / tie tape end by the cutting device, preferably after the OPT / tie tape end has been pulled back to the starting position before being pushed.

[0047] The advantages and advantageous embodiments of the method correspond to the advantages and advantageous embodiments of the automatic bundling tool device.

[0048] The features described above and combinations of features (including those in the claims and the specification as well as those of the figures) can be used, individually, or in any combination, without excluding other features not expressly mentioned or "hidden" in more broadly formulated features and combinations, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, embodiments and combinations of features not expressly mentioned or "hidden" in more broadly formulated features and combinations, but which can be derived from the individual features disclosed in the figures by separately combining them, are also part of the present disclosure. Therefore, embodiments and combinations of features that do not include all the features of the independently formulated claims are to be considered disclosed. Furthermore, embodiments and combinations of features deviating or going beyond the combinations of features described by the dependencies of the claims are to be considered disclosed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] The exemplary embodiments are described in more detail below with reference to the schematic drawings. Shown are:

[0050] Figure 1 Views of exemplary embodiments of an automatic bundling tool device;

[0051] Figure 2 When pushing the end of the OPT tape part with a defect-free OPT head, Figure 1 Tensioning device of an automatic bundling tool; and

[0052] Figure 3 When pushing the end of the OPT tape part with a defect-free OPT head, Figure 1 Tensioning device of an automatic bundling tool device.

[0053] In the drawings, identical or functionally identical features are provided with the same reference signs.

[0054] Figure 1 An exemplary embodiment of an automatic bundling tool 1, automatic bundling tool (ABT), for bundling a bundle of goods 2 with an integrated tie tape 3 (OPT) is schematically shown. In this example, the OPT is a classic standard tie tape.

[0055] The ABT 1 has a guiding device 1 a which is configured for guiding the OPT band portion end 3a around the strapped goods 2 through a window 3c in the OPT head 3b. The ABT 1 further has a tensioning device 1 b which is designed for tensioning the OPT 3 by pulling the OPT band portion end 3a guided through the window 3c in the tensioning direction S+ and for pushing the OPT band portion end 3a in the counter-tensioning direction (i.e. in the pushing direction S-) Figure 2 and Figure 3 ) after the OPT 3 has been tensioned. Furthermore, the ABT 1 also has a control device 1 c which is configured for determining a characteristic parameter of the pushing of the OPT band portion end 3a in the counter-tensioning direction S+ on the one hand and for outputting a quality check signal tensioning in relation to the characteristic parameter of the pushing in the counter-tensioning direction S+ and a reference value predetermined for the characteristic parameter on the other hand.

[0056] In the example shown, the tensioning device 1 b comprises an electric motor 1 b’ which is here a stepper motor or a pulse motor which drives a tensioning gearwheel 1 b*. The tensioning gearwheel 1 b* engages with its teeth 1 b# in detent teeth 3a# of the OPT band portion end 3a and thereby achieves the tensioning of the OPT 3 in the tensioning direction S+ when the electric motor 1 b’ is rotated in the forward direction F and the pushing of the OPT 3 in the pushing direction S- in the counter-tensioning direction S+ when the electric motor 1 b’ is rotated in the reverse direction R Figure 2 and Figure 3 ).

[0057] The characteristic parameter for the pushing is thus here the electric motor current of the electric motor 1 b’ which is regulated by the control device 1 c and determined during the pushing. As explained in Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the electric motor current is equivalent to the force required for the pushing.

[0058] In order to determine the force required for the pushing particularly reliably on the basis of the electric motor current, the guiding device 1 a in the present example also has a holding element 1 a’ which is designed as a push-counter-hold to prevent a movement of the OPT head 3b during the pushing in the pushing direction S-. For this purpose, the holding element 1 a’ holds the OPT head 3b in a (unchangeable) predetermined position.

[0059] Figure 2An example of the case of a fault-free OPT head 3b during pushing is shown. Since the locking in the OPT head 3b here reliably functions, the OPT belt portion end 3a is laterally deflected out of the initial position 3a' when the motor 1 b' and thus the tensioning gear 1 b* is rotated in the reverse direction R and thus pushes the OPT belt portion end 3a in the pushing direction S-.

[0060] Since the lateral deflection is accompanied by a considerable deformation of the OPT 3, a force F must be applied to push the OPT belt portion end 3a in the pushing direction S-. This force F is shown in Figure 2 in the exemplary course of a fault-free OPT head 3b over the rotation angle of the tensioning gear 1 b*. The rotation angle thus corresponds to the path length of the OPT belt portion end 3a pushed in the pushing direction S-. The force F to be applied by the motor 1 b' for the pushing is greater than a force threshold value F*. In the example shown, it has a non-linear course which monotonically increases as the rotation angle of the tensioning gear 1 b* increases, as illustrated by the curve nl.

[0061] The force F to be applied is thus a possible characteristic parameter for the pushing. Since the force F to be applied is directly related to the motor current, the motor current is also a characteristic parameter for the pushing. The motor current can in turn be easily determined by the control device 1 c and is thus particularly suitable for checking the quality of the locking in the OPT head 3b.

[0062] Figure 3 An example of the case of a faulty OPT head 3b during pushing is shown. Since the locking in the OPT head 3b here does not function, the OPT belt portion end 3a is not laterally deflected in contrast to the case of a reliable locking. Rather, the OPT belt portion end 3a is pushed back through the window 3c when the motor 1 b' and thus the tensioning gear 1 b* is rotated in the reverse direction R and thus pushes the OPT belt portion end 3a in the pushing direction S-. This means that the OPT 3 is no longer tensioned in the initial position 3' on the strapped load 2 and the strapped load 3 is not properly strapped.

[0063] The pushing back of the OPT belt portion end 3a in the pushing direction S- through the window 3c is not accompanied by any considerable deformation of the OPT 3, so that only a very small constant force F must be applied for pushing the OPT belt portion end 3a in the pushing direction S-. In the example shown, it has a constant course, as illustrated by the curve k.

[0064] Thereby, the force threshold F* can be easily selected in such a way that during a push in the push direction S, the control device can reliably distinguish between a faulty head with a non-functioning lock and a non-faulty head with a functioning lock. Thereby, the motor current determined during the push corresponding to the force F applied can be compared as a characteristic parameter to a motor current threshold which in turn corresponds to the force threshold F*. If the determined motor current is greater than the motor current threshold, the lock is non-faulty and a positive ("OK") quality check signal can be output. If the determined motor current is smaller than the motor current threshold, the lock is faulty and a negative ("not OK", NOK) quality check signal can be output.

Claims

1. An automatic banding tool apparatus, ABT, (1) for banding a banded cargo (2) with an integrated banding strap, OPT, (3), said ABT (1) comprising: - a guiding device (la) configured for guiding an end portion (3a) of a strap of the OPT around the banded cargo (2) through a window (3c) in a head portion (3b) of the OPT; - a tensioning device (lb) configured i) for tensioning the OPT (3) by pulling the end portion (3a) of the strap of the OPT guided through the window (3c) in a pulling direction (S+), and ii) for pushing the end portion (3a) of the strap of the OPT against the pulling direction (S+) in a pushing direction (S-) after the OPT (3) has been tensioned; characterized in that - a control device (lc) configured i) for determining a characteristic parameter for pushing the end portion (3a) of the strap of the OPT against the pulling direction (S+), and ii) for outputting a quality check signal in relation to the characteristic parameter for pushing against the pulling direction (S+) and a reference value predetermined for the characteristic parameter.

2. The ABT (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the control device (lc) is configured for determining the characteristic parameter of the end portion (3a) of the strap of the OPT not being completely pushed out of the tensioning device (lb).

3. The ABT (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that - the tensioning device (lb) comprises an electric motor, and - the characteristic parameter comprises or is a motor current of the electric motor of the tensioning device (lb), or the characteristic parameter comprises or is a variable derived from the motor current of the electric motor.

4. The ABT (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that - the tensioning device (lb) comprises a stepper motor, and - the variable is a force (F) required for pushing the end portion (3a) of the strap of the OPT against the pulling direction (S+) after tensioning of the OPT (3) has occurred.

5. The ABT (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the electric motor is a pulse-controlled DC motor, and the tensioning device (lb) is configured for controlling the DC motor with a predetermined number of control pulses while pushing against the pulling direction (S+).

6. The ABT (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (lc) is configured for determining the characteristic parameter once for an i:th control pulse of a predetermined number n of control pulses during pushing against the pulling direction (S+), where 0 < i < n + 1.

7. The ABT (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that The control device (1c) is configured to determine the characteristic parameter only once for an i-th control pulse of a predetermined number n of control pulses during the pushing against the tensioning direction (S+).

8. The ABT (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The control device (1c) is configured to determine the characteristic parameter for a series of times during the pushing against the tensioning direction (S+) and to compare a course of the characteristic parameter with a predetermined reference value of the characteristic parameter for the output of the quality check signal.

9. The ABT (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The control device (1c) is configured to determine the characteristic parameter for a predetermined time period during the pushing against the tensioning direction (S+), wherein an integral is formed over the predetermined time period of the characteristic parameter or of a measured value, the characteristic parameter being based on the measured value.

10. The ABT (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that The control device (1c) is configured to determine the characteristic parameter for a time period of a predetermined number of motor steps during the pushing or the entire pushing.

11. The ABT (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The reference value predetermined for the characteristic parameter is predetermined by the control device (1c) itself based on a statistical evaluation of the determined characteristic parameter as twice or three times the standard deviation of the characteristic parameter.

12. The ABT (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that The course of the reference value predetermined for the characteristic parameter is predetermined by the control device (1c) itself based on an expectation value of the characteristic parameter as twice or three times the standard deviation of the characteristic parameter.

13. The ABT (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The predetermined reference value is a threshold value, and the control device (1c) is configured to compare the characteristic parameter with the predetermined threshold value, to output a positive quality check signal if the characteristic parameter is greater than the threshold value and / or to output a negative quality check signal if the characteristic parameter is less than the threshold value.

14. The ABT (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The guide device (1a) comprises a holding element (1a') configured to hold the head (3b) of the OPT in a predetermined position, in particular in the same position as when the OPT (3) is tensioned, when the belt portion end (3a) of the OPT is pushed against the tensioning direction (S+).

15. A method for bundling a bundled good with an integrated strapping tape OPT (3) by an automatic strapping tool device ABT (1), comprising the following steps: a) guiding a belt end of the OPT around the bundled good and through a window in the head of the OPT by a guide device of the ABT; b) tensioning the OPT by a tensioning device of the ABT by pulling the strap end of the OPT in a tensioning direction; c) pushing the strap end of the OPT against the tensioning direction by the tensioning device of the ABT after the OPT has been tensioned; d) determining by a control device of the ABT a force or other characteristic parameter required for pushing the end of the OPT against the tensioning direction; e) outputting by the control device a quality check signal dependent on the force or the other characteristic parameter required for pushing against the tensioning direction and a predetermined reference force.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that the following method steps: ejection of the OPT end by the tensioning device without cutting off the OPT end; or cutting off the strap end of the OPT by a cutting device.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that , the method steps include that cutting off the strap end of the OPT by a cutting device is performed after the strap end of the OPT has been pulled back to a starting position before being pushed.

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