Device for handling piece goods with associated production and handling of intermediate layers

Abstract

Device (10) for handling piece goods (2a) and for the associated production and handling of intermediate layers (1), comprising - at least one loading station (18, 19) which can receive layers (2) from several piece goods (2a) and transfer them to a stacking location (21), - a supply device (40) by means of which flat strip material (5) can be unwound from a supply roll (7), - a belt guide (15), by means of which unwound flat belt material (5a) can be guided in the direction of the at least one loading station (18, 19), so that flat belt material (5a) unwound from the supply roll (7) passes in the region of the at least one loading station (18, 19) over a respective layer (2) of piece goods (2a) which is at least partially transferred to the stacking station (21), - a separating device (50) which is arranged in the region of the at least one loading station (18, 19) in such a way that a specific portion of the unwound flat strip material (5a), which is located at least partially above the layer (2) of piece goods (2a) transferred at least partially to the stacking station (21), can be separated from the unwound flat strip material (5a) via the separating device (50) and can be deposited as an intermediate layer (1) on the respective layer (2) of piece goods (2a) transferred at least partially to the stacking station (21), characterized in that - the at least one loading station (18, 19) comprises at least one carriage (18a, 19a) which can be moved up and down in the vertical direction in order to deposit a respective layer (2) of piece goods (2a) at the stacking location (21), wherein the separating device (50) is mechanically coupled to the at least one carriage (18a, 19a) so that the separating device (50) can be moved up and down in the vertical direction together with the at least one carriage (18a, 19a).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for handling piece goods and a related production and handling of intermediate layers.

[0002] Automated palletizing devices are already known from the state of the art, which arrange several items on a pallet and then wrap the items of the respective pallet with film.

[0003] With such pallets, several layers of items are preferably arranged one above the other on the respective pallet in order to be able to place a large number of items on the respective pallet. The items can, for example, be formed by containers containing several beverage containers. Such items often have a complex geometry, so stacking them in multiple layers is not always possible without associated problems with the stability of the entire pallet assembly. Particularly during transport of the pallet, it is necessary to be able to guarantee a certain level of stability for the pallet assembly in order to be able to rule out with certainty that the respective items will tip over.

[0004] In order to increase the stability of the pallet assembly or to ensure sufficient stability for the pallet assembly, it is known from the prior art to provide so-called intermediate layers for articles placed on top of one another. Such intermediate layers can extend at least approximately across the entire pallet width, so that all articles rest on such an intermediate layer. Known intermediate layers are made of, for example, paper, cardboard, paperboard, corrugated cardboard or similar materials. Due to their rigidity, the intermediate layers provide a stable contact surface for layers of articles arranged one above the other. It is also possible for several intermediate layers to be provided for one level of the pallet or for one level of the pallet to be formed by several intermediate layers on which the articles rest.

[0005] For automated palletizing processes, it is necessary that layer pads are available quickly and in large quantities. In practice, layer pads are therefore provided using a layer pad stack comprising a large number of such layer pads. Before or in order to place the respective layer pad on a respective pallet, the layer pads must be separated from the stack and then moved towards the respective pallet. In practice, various handling devices are known for this purpose, which enable the transfer or supply of the respective layer pads to a pallet.

[0006] For example, DE 10 2004 031 301 A1 discloses such a device. In the device of the DE patent application, a stack of intermediate layers is provided and picked up by a gripper with suction cups. The intermediate layer is then lifted by the gripper and placed on the respective pallet. After placement, the gripper is retracted to pick up the next intermediate layer. The gripper can receive the intermediate layer pneumatically or via negative pressure. In this case, the intermediate layer may detach from the gripper if it could not be grasped precisely by the gripper. Furthermore, adjacent intermediate layers may stick to one another - for example due to electrostatic adhesion or mechanical wedging - which makes it difficult to consistently receive intermediate layers and subsequently transfer them to the respective pallet.

[0007] Devices according to DE 10 2004 031 301 A1 also involve higher economic costs, as handling devices with corresponding grippers are more expensive to purchase. Since the interlayer stacks are initially produced separately from the palletizing device, they must then be transported to the destination or to the respective palletizing device. This entails a logistical effort that is undesirable in practice.

[0008] DE 37 20 933 A1 discloses a device for loading pallets layer by layer using a palletizer with a pivoting and bendable boom arm. The boom arm also places intermediate layers on the cardboard layers using a suction cup. Sections of a continuous material web unwinding from a reel are pulled onto the finished cardboard layers and then cut off from the material web to size.

[0009] Utility model DE 295 20 244 U1 discloses another device for palletizing piece goods into a stack. A piece goods stacking device has a vertically movable pressing element. A paper sheet applicator places paper sheets onto previously stacked layers of piece goods. A paper sheet feeder has a cutting device for cutting each paper sheet to the desired length. The paper sheet applicator has a continuously rotating conveyor belt with suction openings, which is arranged at the end of the pressing element. Furthermore, the paper sheet applicator has a guide device for the paper sheets, which is arranged below the cutting device and opens into the area of the conveyor belt.

[0010] Finally, DE 10 2009 003 820 A1 discloses a device and a method for transferring grouped bundles or article layers into a loading station of a transport device. This transport device has a feed device for a flat support element for placement beneath the respective bundle or article layer during its transfer into the loading station. The flat support element can, in particular, be unwound from a roll and cut into suitable sizes.

[0011] It has also been shown that handling devices according to DE 10 2004 031 301 A1 have a limited throughput when providing intermediate layers. Since very high cycle frequencies or a very high throughput are advantageous for palletizing, devices or methods would be desirable that do not require the cycle frequency or throughput to be dependent on the upper performance limit of such a handling device.

[0012] For this reason, one object of the present invention is to provide a device that can support palletizing with high throughput and low error rates. Furthermore, the device should have low acquisition costs.

[0013] The above objects are achieved by a device comprising the features of claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments are described by the subclaims.

[0014] The invention relates to a device for handling piece goods and for the associated production and handling of intermediate layers.

[0015] The intermediate layers, to which the following description refers, can each form a complete support plane for a layer of piece goods and, if appropriate, have a rectangular perimeter. In further conceivable embodiments, the intermediate layers can be designed as half-layers, so that several, and at least two, intermediate layers together provide a support plane for a layer of piece goods.

[0016] The piece goods that the device according to the invention can handle or that can be handled within the scope of the method according to the invention can, for example, be designed as beverage containers, which may be combined into a bundle. Thus, a layer of piece goods in the present case can consist of several beverage containers or of several beverage containers combined into a respective bundle. In particularly preferred embodiments, the device according to the invention and the method according to the invention can thus be used in the field of packaging and palletizing technology for beverage containers.

[0017] The device comprises at least one loading station, which can receive layers from a plurality of piece goods and transfer them to a stacking location. Therefore, the at least one loading station can receive layers from a plurality of piece goods, move them towards a stacking location and deposit them at the stacking location. For example, a first loading station and a second loading station can be provided, which are operatively connected to one another for moving the layer towards the stacking location and depositing the layer at the stacking location. The first loading station can be directly connected to at least one horizontal conveyor and receive palletizable layers from the at least one horizontal conveyor. On the at least one horizontal conveyor, at least one manipulator can select from a plurality of piece goods orA palletizable layer is created from the containers, which is then transported via the at least one horizontal conveyor device in the direction of the first loading station.

[0018] Furthermore, the first loading station can be designed to be vertically raised and lowered, so that the first loading station can specify a specific vertical height level for the respective layer of piece goods received by the at least one horizontal conveyor. For this purpose, the first loading station can have a carriage with a conveyor belt, which carriage and conveyor belt can be moved vertically in order to specify a specific vertical height level for the respective layer or to vertically raise or lower a layer of piece goods. A respective layer can transfer from the at least one horizontal conveyor directly to the conveyor belt of the first loading station. The conveyor belt of the first loading station can thus connect directly to the at least one horizontal conveyor.

[0019] The conveyor belt of the first loading station can transport the layer of piece goods towards a second loading station according to the specification or adjustment of their vertical height. The conveyor belt of the first loading station can move the layer of piece goods horizontally for this purpose. The second loading station can be located immediately downstream of the first loading station, so that the second loading station receives each layer of piece goods from the first loading station at a specific vertical height level or at the level specified by the first loading station. It is conceivable that the second loading station deposits the respective layer of piece goods received from the first loading station at the stacking location or on an intermediate layer.

[0020] The device according to the invention also comprises a supply device by means of which flat strip material can be unwound from a supply roll. To unwind flat strip material from the supply roll, the supply device can have a mandrel on which the supply roll rests. If the flat strip material from a supply roll has been used up or at least almost used up, the applied or at least almost used up supply roll can be replaced with another new supply roll and, if necessary, removed from the mandrel.

[0021] Furthermore, a belt guide is provided, by means of which unwound flat belt material can be guided in the direction of the at least one loading station, so that flat belt material unwound from the supply roll passes over a respective layer of piece goods that has been transferred at least partially to the stacking location in the region of the at least one loading station. For example, it can be the case that the at least one loading station deposits a layer of piece goods at the stacking location and, at the same time, flat belt material passes over the layer of piece goods. In further conceivable embodiments, the respective layer of piece goods can be moved via the at least one loading station in the direction of the stacking location, wherein at the same time or during a movement of the layer of piece goods in the direction of the stacking location, flat belt material is guided over the layer of piece goods or passes over the layer of piece goods.The belt guide may comprise at least one deflection roller, via which the unwound flat belt material is guided in the direction of the at least one loading station.

[0022] In addition, a separating device is provided which is arranged in the area of the at least one loading station in such a way that a specific portion of the flat strip material, which is located at least partially above the layer of piece goods transferred at least partially to the stacking location, can be separated from the flat strip material via the separating device and can be deposited as an intermediate layer on the respective layer of piece goods transferred at least partially to the stacking location.

[0023] Advantageously, the separation process or burning can be carried out in such a way that the intermediate layer, after being deposited on the respective uppermost layer at the stacking location, extends completely or at least approximately completely over the respective layer of piece goods deposited at the stacking location.

[0024] Furthermore, the at least one loading station comprises at least one carriage that can be moved up and down in the vertical direction in order to deposit a respective layer of piece goods at the stacking location. The separating device and / or the at least one horizontally movable clamping and / or gripping means and / or the at least one holding and / or clamping means are mechanically coupled to the carriage, so that the separating device and / or the at least one horizontally movable clamping and / or gripping means and / or the at least one holding and / or clamping means can be moved up and down in the vertical direction together with the at least one carriage. The carriage can be a component of the second loading station already described above.

[0025] In conceivable embodiments, the intermediate layer can first be applied to a respective layer of piece goods, after which the layer of piece goods is subsequently deposited at the stacking location together with the intermediate layer applied to this layer. In further embodiments, a respective layer of piece goods can first be deposited at the stacking location, after which an intermediate layer is subsequently applied to the respective layer of piece goods.

[0026] Since, with the device according to the invention, intermediate layers can be produced in the area of a palletizing device or directly during palletizing, prefabricated intermediate layers positioned on an intermediate layer stack are not necessary to form respective standing levels for layers of piece goods on a pallet. Transferring individual intermediate layers to a respective layer arranged on top of a pallet is also not necessary, so that the device according to the invention has a high throughput and the method according to the invention can be implemented at a high cycle frequency. Furthermore, with the device according to the invention, there is no need to transfer prefabricated intermediate layer stacks with a large number of intermediate layers to a palletizing device, so that the device according to the invention can also contribute to reducing or minimizing the logistical effort involved in palletizing.

[0027] Embodiments have proven particularly useful in which the device comprises at least one horizontally movable clamping and / or gripping means, via which a respective free end region of the unwound flat strip material can be temporarily received and whose horizontal travel path is configured such that, by means of horizontal movement of the at least one clamping and / or gripping means, the flat strip material can be aligned over the layer of piece goods that has been at least partially transferred to the stacking location. In particular, the alignment can be carried out such that the flat strip material extends completely or at least approximately completely over the respective layer of piece goods.

[0028] The at least one clamping and / or gripping means can be moved back and forth along the horizontal travel path in order to temporarily receive each flat strip material and to align it with piece goods by means of a horizontal movement above the respective layer. After the flat strip material has been aligned above the respective layer and after a specific section of the flat strip material has been severed from the flat strip material by means of the separating device, a connection between the at least one horizontally movable clamping and / or gripping means and the free end region of the flat strip material can be removed, so that the flat strip material or the severed section of the flat strip material is placed as an intermediate layer on the respective layer positioned at the top of the stacking station.

[0029] For example, cellulose-containing materials can be used for the flat strip material. Furthermore, the flat strip material can be in the form of a film or a thermoplastic film. It is clear to the person skilled in the art that the flat strip material can also be made of other materials, provided they are suitable for forming an intermediate layer or supporting surface for a particular layer of piece goods.

[0030] The at least one clamping and / or gripping means can have at least one gripper finger and / or at least one pneumatic suction head to temporarily receive the respective free end region of the unwound flat strip material. The at least one pneumatic suction head can pneumatically secure the free end region of the unwound flat strip material via negative pressure. It is also conceivable that at least two spaced-apart and simultaneously, horizontally and parallel movable gripper fingers are provided to clamp a respective free end region of the unwound flat strip material and subsequently align it in the region of the at least one loading station above a respective layer of piece goods.

[0031] Furthermore, the device can comprise at least one holding and / or clamping means which can temporarily fix a free end region of the flat strip material in a stationary manner in the region of the horizontal travel path of the at least one clamping and / or gripping means. A stationary fixation via the at least one holding and / or clamping means can exist or be formed if a section of the unwound flat strip material is severed from the flat strip material by means of the separating device. A free end region of the flat strip material which is still connected to the supply roll can then be temporarily fixed in a stationary manner via the at least one holding and / or clamping means. The previously described at least one clamping and / or gripping means can then temporarily receive the free end region of the unwound flat strip material, after which the connection orThe stationary fixation between the at least one holding and / or clamping means and the free end region of the flat strip material still connected to the supply roll is released. The at least one clamping and / or gripping means can then be used, as previously described, to align or position the unwound flat strip material over a respective layer of piece goods.

[0032] In addition, the device can have an intermediate storage device via which flat strip material unwound from the supply roll can be received and released. In particular, the intermediate storage device can be designed as a dancer. Accordingly, the intermediate storage device can comprise several rollers which can be moved relative to one another and over which the flat strip material is guided. By a certain relative movement of rollers to one another, flat strip material can be released from the dancer or intermediate storage device as required or can be received by means of the intermediate storage device or dancer. The intermediate storage device can be arranged downstream of the supply roll in the running direction and upstream of a free end region of the flat strip material unwound from the supply roll.

[0033] Furthermore, the separating device can comprise at least one cutting instrument movable in the vertical direction. It is conceivable that the cutting instrument mechanically separates a respective portion of the flat strip material from the flat strip material. Further separating devices can also be provided if necessary to effect separation of the respective portion of the flat strip material from the flat strip material.

[0034] Furthermore, a method not belonging to the invention for handling piece goods with the associated production and handling of intermediate layers is disclosed. Features previously described for various embodiments of the device can also be provided in conceivable embodiments of the method described below. Furthermore, features described below for various embodiments of the method can be provided in conceivable embodiments of the device according to the invention.

[0035] Within the scope of the method not forming part of the invention, a layer is formed from a plurality of piece goods. In this case, a plurality of piece goods can be aligned relative to one another on at least one horizontal conveyor in order to form the layer from the plurality of piece goods. In particular, at least one manipulator can be provided which can selectively displace and, if necessary, rotate piece goods in order to form a layer from a plurality of piece goods.

[0036] During a transfer process, the layer of piece goods is guided towards a stacking location and deposited at the stacking location. In this case, another layer may already be arranged on or in the area of the stacking location, on which an intermediate layer rests, so that the layer is deposited on the further layer or the intermediate layer resting on the further layer after movement towards the stacking location. During the transfer process, the vertical level of the layer can be adjusted to the vertical level of several layers of piece goods already stacked on top of each other in the area of the stacking location. In this case, the respective layer to be guided towards the stacking location can be raised vertically and / or lowered vertically. Raising and lowering can take place using the at least one loading station or first and second loading stations described above.

[0037] It is also intended that flat strip material is pulled or unwound from a supply roll and guided in the direction away from the supply roll, so that the flat strip material passes over the layer in sections during and / or after the transfer process.

[0038] Subsequently, a specific section of the flat strip material, which is located at least partially above the layer of piece goods, is separated from the flat strip material. The section located at least partially above the layer and separated from the flat strip material is applied or placed on the layer as an intermediate layer, so that it forms a base for a further layer of several piece goods to be placed subsequently on the intermediate layer.

[0039] In accordance with the device according to the invention, the method not according to the invention offers the advantage that stacks of intermediate layers do not have to be formed, but that intermediate layers can be generated and used, if necessary, in the area of a palletizing device or when stacking multiple layers of piece goods. A reduction in logistical and economic expenditure as well as higher cycle frequencies when handling piece goods can also be achieved by means of the method according to the invention.

[0040] In further embodiments, it can also be provided that the flat strip material passes through an intermediate storage device, which is arranged between the supply roll and a free end or end region of the flat strip material in the running direction of the flat strip material. In conceivable embodiments of the method, the intermediate storage device can also be designed as a dancer. Thus, the flat strip material can be guided in the intermediate storage device over several rollers, which are moved relative to one another in order to selectively increase or decrease the amount of flat strip material received via the intermediate storage device by changing the relative distance between individual rollers.

[0041] Furthermore, it is possible for a free end region of the flat strip material to be received via at least one clamping and / or gripping means and to be aligned over the layer of piece goods during or after the transfer process. The at least one clamping and / or gripping means can be moved horizontally for this purpose. It is also conceivable for the at least one clamping and / or gripping means to receive a free end region of the flat strip material using at least one gripper finger and to clamp it in place. In further conceivable embodiments, the at least one clamping and / or gripping means can secure the free end region using negative pressure.

[0042] In addition, a free end region of the flat strip material still connected to the supply roll may be secured by means of at least one holding and / or clamping means after the specific section of the flat strip material has been severed. The at least one holding and / or clamping means may provide the free end region, wherein the at least one clamping and / or gripping means, which has already been described above, subsequently receives the free end region, after which the flat strip material is aligned by a horizontal movement of the at least one clamping and / or gripping means over the layer of piece goods during the transfer process.

[0043] For example, a horizontal movement of the at least one clamping and / or gripping device can occur after a respective layer of piece goods has been deposited at the stacking location. It is also conceivable for a horizontal movement of the at least one clamping and / or gripping device to occur while a respective layer of piece goods is being moved toward the stacking location or while a respective layer of piece goods is being deposited at the stacking location. A horizontal movement of the at least one clamping and / or gripping device and the transfer process can thus overlap or overlap in time.

[0044] It is also possible for the specific portion of the flat strip material that is located at least partially above the layer to be separated from the flat strip material by means of a cutting instrument, which is moved in a vertical direction for this purpose. The cutting instrument can comprise at least one cutting blade or at least one cutting knife, which causes the specific portion to be separated from the flat strip material.

[0045] In the following, exemplary embodiments will explain the invention and its advantages in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures. The relative sizes of the individual elements in the figures do not always correspond to the actual sizes, as some shapes are simplified and others are enlarged relative to other elements for better illustration. Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a palletizing device already known from the prior art; Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a device according to the invention for handling piece goods and for the associated production and handling of intermediate layers; Fig. 3 shows individual steps as they can be provided in a conceivable embodiment of the method according to the invention.

[0046] Identical reference numerals are used for identical or equivalently functioning elements of the invention. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only those reference numerals are shown in the individual figures that are necessary for the description of the respective figure. The illustrated embodiments merely represent examples of how the invention can be configured and do not constitute an exhaustive limitation.

[0047] Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a palletizing device 100 already known from the prior art. Fig. 1, a stack of intermediate layers 13 can be seen on the right-hand side, from which a respective intermediate layer 1 positioned at the top of the stack of intermediate layers 13 is separated and transported in the direction of the stacking location 21. For this purpose, a transfer unit 8, which has at least one suction head (not shown here), lifts an intermediate layer 1 lying at the top of the stack of intermediate layers 13 from the stack of intermediate layers 13 and guides it in the direction of the stacking location 21. At a specific position, which can be found between the stacking location 21 and the stack of intermediate layers 13, the transfer unit 8 meets the gripping device 6, which receives a respective intermediate layer 1 from the transfer unit 8, guides it further in the direction of the stacking location 21 and places it on a layer 2 of piece goods 2a located at the stacking location 21 (cf. Fig. 2). The intermediate layer 1 forms a support level for a further layer 2 of piece goods 2a, which is placed on the intermediate layer 1 at a later time.

[0048] In phantom lines and with reference to paragraph 3, Fig. 1 indicates a transport route which the intermediate layer 1 can take when transferred to the stacking location 21 or until it is placed on a respective upper layer 2 of piece goods 2a.

[0049] A respective transfer of intermediate layers 1 to the stacking location 21 and a layer 2 of piece goods 2a to the stacking location 21 therefore takes place alternately, so that two stacked layers 2 of piece goods 2a are each separated from one another by an intermediate layer 1. A plurality of intermediate layers 1 together with a plurality of layers 2 of piece goods 2a form a stack 22, which has a very high level of stability due to the standing levels formed by intermediate layers 1.

[0050] In order to supply the transfer unit 8 and the gripping device 6 with intermediate layers 1, intermediate layer stacks 13 must be prefabricated and then brought to the workstation of the palletizing device 100. This entails both a high manufacturing effort for the intermediate layer stack 13 and a high logistical effort to transport the intermediate layer stack 13 to the workstation of the palletizing device 100. Practice has also shown that in palletizing devices 100 according to the embodiment known from the prior art Fig. 1 a throughput is limited due to a respective performance limit of the gripping device 6 and the transfer unit 8.

[0051] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a device 10 according to the invention for handling piece goods 2a and for the associated production and handling of intermediate layers 1 (cf. Fig. 1).

[0052] A horizontal conveyor 30 can be seen, on which piece goods 2a combined into layers 2 are transported. The layers 2 are formed by a manipulator (not shown), which selectively rotates individual piece goods 2a and / or displaces them obliquely to a transport direction of the horizontal conveyor 30 in order to form a layer 2 from several piece goods 2a.

[0053] A first loading station 18 is directly adjacent to the horizontal conveyor 30 in a transport direction of the horizontal conveyor 30. Layers 2 of piece goods 2a are thus passed on to the first loading station 18 via the horizontal conveyor 30. The first loading station 18 comprises a carriage 18a with a conveyor belt 28 and a column 27. The carriage 18a, together with the conveyor belt 28, is designed to be vertically raised and lowered along the column 27.

[0054] Furthermore, a second loading station 19 is shown, which is directly connected to the first loading station 18 and transfers a respective layer 2 of piece goods 2a to the stacking location 21 or deposits it at the stacking location 21. In order to load a pallet or a stack 22 (cf. Fig. 1), several layers 2 of piece goods 2a are placed one after the other at the stacking point 21. In Fig. 2, the layers 2 of piece goods 2a already located on the stacking area 21 are not shown for reasons of clarity. For this purpose, Fig. 1, which shows a stack 22 as it is correspondingly produced by the device 10 of the embodiment of Fig. 2 can be formed.

[0055] The second loading station 19 or the carriage 19a of the second loading station 19 can also be moved vertically and along a column 29. With increasing height of a stack 22 formed in the area of the stacking station 21 via the device 10 (cf. Fig. 1), the second loading station 19 must be moved vertically upwards in order to successively place layers 2 of piece goods 2a on the stack 22 (cf. Fig. 1). The resulting height difference between the second loading station 19 or the carriage 19a of the second loading station 19 and the horizontal conveyor 30 is overcome by means of the first loading station 18. For this purpose, the first loading station 18 receives layers 2 of piece goods 2a from the horizontal conveyor 30, adjusts the vertical level for the respective layer 2 of piece goods 2a by means of a vertical movement of its carriage 18a and its conveyor belt 28 to the vertical level of the carriage 19a of the second loading station 19 and passes the respective layer 2 on to the second loading station 19 by means of the conveyor belt 28 or by driving the conveyor belt 28. Via the second loading station 19, the respective layer 2 of piece goods 2a is subsequently deposited at the stacking location 21 or on an upper intermediate layer 1 lying on a layer 2 of the stacking location 21.In connection with the transfer of layer 2 of piece goods 2a to the stacking location 21, an intermediate layer 1 is formed and, as described below, placed on the respective layer 2 of piece goods 2a.

[0056] For this purpose, the device 10 comprises a supply device 40, by means of which flat strip material 5 can be unwound from a supply roll 7. The supply roll 7 is seated on a mandrel 44.

[0057] The flat strip material 5a unwound from the supply roll 7 is guided toward the second loading station 19 by means of a strip guide 15, which in this case comprises a deflection roller 14. Furthermore, the unwound flat strip material 5a is guided with the aid of the strip guide 15 or the guide roller 14 such that the flat strip material 5a unwound from the supply roll 7 passes over a respective layer 2 of piece goods 2a to be transferred to the stacking station 21 in the region of the second loading station 19.

[0058] A clamping and / or gripping means 42 can be seen, which receives the unwound flat strip material 5a at its free end region and is subsequently moved horizontally in order to align the unwound flat strip material 5a above the respective layer 2 on piece goods 2a, which is at least partially transferred to the stacking location 21.

[0059] During the horizontal movement of the clamping and / or gripping means 42, the layer 2 of piece goods 2a is also moved horizontally via the conveyor belt 28 or forwarded to the second loading station 19. A movement of the layer 2 of piece goods 2a toward the stacking location 21 or toward the second loading station 19 and a horizontal movement of the clamping and / or gripping means 42 are thus temporally superimposed. Such embodiments have proven effective in achieving particularly high throughput.

[0060] After the unwound flat strip material 5a has been aligned above the respective layer 2 on piece goods 2a by means of the clamping and / or gripping means 42, the unwound flat strip material is fixed in place with the aid of a holding and / or clamping means 60.

[0061] Also shown is a separating device 50 which, after aligning the unwound flat strip material 5a above the layer 2 of piece goods 2a located at least partially on the second loading station 19 and after fixing the unwound flat strip material 5a by the holding and / or clamping means 60, separates a specific portion of the unwound flat strip material 5a from the unwound flat strip material 5a. For this purpose, the separating device 50 comprises a cutting instrument which can be moved vertically in order to separate the specific portion of the flat strip material 5a from the flat strip material 5a. The separated portion is then placed on the respective layer 2 of piece goods 2a as an intermediate layer 1 (cf. Fig. 1), whereby the intermediate layer 1 forms a support level for a further layer 2 of piece goods 2a to be subsequently transferred to the stacking location 21. A free end region of the unwound flat strip material 5a still connected to the supply roll 7 continues to be secured by the holding and / or clamping means 60 even after the specific batch has been severed.

[0062] After the respective intermediate layer 1 has been placed on the respective layer 2 of piece goods 2a, the clamping and / or gripping means 42 can receive the free end region of the unwound flat strip material 5a, which is fixed by the holding and / or clamping means 60, and align or position it by means of a horizontal movement over a further layer 2 of piece goods 2a.

[0063] In conceivable embodiments, the layer 2 of piece goods 2a can first be deposited completely at the stacking location 21 or on an intermediate layer 1 at the stacking location 21 before the specific portion of the flat strip material 5a is separated from the flat strip material 5a by means of the separating device 50. It is also conceivable that the layer 2 of piece goods 2a is still located at the second loading station 19 or has not yet been deposited on an intermediate layer 1 or at the stacking location 21 when the separating device 50 separates the specific portion of the flat strip material 5a from the flat strip material 5a.

[0064] Furthermore, an intermediate storage device 70 for unwound flat strip material 5a can be seen. The intermediate storage device 70 is arranged downstream of the supply roll 7 in the running direction of the unwound flat strip material 5a and upstream of the strip guide 15 or deflection roller 14 in the running direction of the unwound flat strip material 5a. In the present case, the intermediate storage device 70 is designed as a dancer 72 and comprises a plurality of rollers 74 that can be moved relative to one another in order to increase or decrease an amount of the unwound flat strip material 5a stored via the intermediate storage device 70 or dancer 72.

[0065] Practice has shown that during a horizontal movement of the clamping and / or gripping means 42 for aligning or positioning unwound flat strip material 5a above a respective layer 2 of piece goods 2a, the supply roll 7 must be rotated very quickly in order to be able to provide a sufficient amount of unwound flat strip material 5a. Embodiments with an intermediate storage device 70 or 72 have therefore certainly proven particularly useful if the device 10 is to be operated at high throughput. Even at high cycle frequencies, a sufficient amount of unwound flat strip material 5a can be continuously made available via the intermediate storage device 70 or dancer 72 in order to align it above a respective layer 2 of piece goods 2a by means of the clamping and / or gripping means 42.

[0066] Fig. Figure 3 shows individual steps as they may be provided in a conceivable embodiment of the method according to the invention. The method according to Fig. 3 is intended for handling piece goods 2a with the associated production and handling of intermediate layers 1.

[0067] Thus, in a first method step, which precedes all subsequent steps, a layer 2 is formed from a plurality of piece goods 2a. The piece goods 2a can be formed by beverage containers and can be brought into a predetermined relative orientation to form the layer 2. After the respective complete layer 2 has been formed from piece goods 2a, the layer 2 is guided toward a stacking location 21 as part of a transfer process.

[0068] Furthermore, flat strip material 5 is unwound from a supply roll 7 and guided away from the supply roll 7, so that the unwound flat strip material 5a passes in sections over the layer 2 of piece goods 2a. Subsequently, a specific portion of the unwound flat strip material 5a, which is at least partially located above the layer, is severed from the unwound flat strip material 5a. The severed portion is then applied as an intermediate layer 1 to the layer 2 of piece goods 2a. Subsequently, the layer 2 of piece goods 2a, with the applied intermediate layer 1, is deposited at the stacking location 21.

[0069] The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it is conceivable to a person skilled in the art that modifications or variations of the invention can be made without departing from the scope of the following claims. List of reference symbols 1 intermediate layer 2 Location of general cargo 2a General cargo 3 Route of transport 5 Flat strip material 5a Unwound flat strip material 6 gripping device 7 supply roll 8 Transfer unit 10 Device 13 interlayer stacks 14 pulley 15 Belt guide 18 First loading station 18a Sled (First loading station) 19 Second loading station 19a Sled (Second loading station) 21 stacking space 22 stacks 27 Column (First Loading Station) 28 Conveyor belt 29 Column (Second Loading Station) 30 horizontal conveyor system 40 supply facility 42 clamping and / or gripping devices 44 Thorn 50 separating device 60 holding and / or clamping devices 70 cache 72 dancers 74 roll 100 palletizing device (state of the art)

Claims

[1] Device (10) for handling piece goods (2a) and for the associated production and handling of intermediate layers (1), comprising - at least one loading station (18, 19) which can receive layers (2) from several piece goods (2a) and transfer them to a stacking location (21), - a supply device (40) by means of which flat strip material (5) can be unwound from a supply roll (7), - a belt guide (15), by means of which unwound flat belt material (5a) can be guided in the direction of the at least one loading station (18, 19), so that flat belt material (5a) unwound from the supply roll (7) passes in the region of the at least one loading station (18, 19) over a respective layer (2) of piece goods (2a) which is at least partially transferred to the stacking station (21), - a separating device (50) which is arranged in the region of the at least one loading station (18, 19) in such a way that a specific portion of the unwound flat strip material (5a), which is located at least partially above the layer (2) of piece goods (2a) transferred at least partially to the stacking station (21), can be separated from the unwound flat strip material (5a) via the separating device (50) and can be deposited as an intermediate layer (1) on the respective layer (2) of piece goods (2a) transferred at least partially to the stacking station (21), characterized by , that - the at least one loading station (18, 19) comprises at least one carriage (18a, 19a) which can be moved up and down in the vertical direction in order to deposit a respective layer (2) of piece goods (2a) at the stacking location (21), wherein the separating device (50) is mechanically coupled to the at least one carriage (18a, 19a) so that the separating device (50) can be moved up and down in the vertical direction together with the at least one carriage (18a, 19a). [2] Device according to claim 1, which comprises at least one horizontally movable clamping and / or gripping means (42), via which a respective free end region of the unwound flat strip material (5a) can be temporarily received and whose horizontal travel path is designed such that, by means of horizontal movement of the at least one clamping and / or gripping means (42), unwound flat strip material (5a) can be aligned over the layer (2) of piece goods (2a) which has been transferred at least partially to the stacking location (21). [3] Device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one clamping and / or gripping means (42) has at least one gripping finger and / or at least one pneumatic suction head in order to temporarily receive the respective free end region of the unwound flat strip material (5a). [4] Device according to claim 2 or claim 3, comprising at least one holding and / or clamping means (60) which can temporarily fix a free end region of the unwound flat strip material (5a) in a stationary manner in the region of the horizontal travel path of the at least one clamping and / or gripping means (42). [5] Device according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, comprising an intermediate storage device (70) via which flat strip material (5a) unwound from the supply roll (7) can be received and discharged. [6] Device according to claim 5, wherein the intermediate storage (70) is designed as a dancer (72). [7] Device according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, wherein the separating device (50) comprises at least one cutting instrument movable in the vertical direction. [8] Device according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, in which the at least one horizontally movable clamping and / or gripping means (42) and / or the at least one holding and / or clamping means (60) are mechanically coupled to the at least one carriage (18a, 19a), so that the at least one horizontally movable clamping and / or gripping means (42) and / or the at least one holding and / or clamping means (60) can be moved up and down in the vertical direction together with the at least one carriage (18a, 19a). [9] Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, comprising - at least one horizontal conveyor device (30) and a first loading station (18) and a second loading station (19), which are operatively connected to one another for moving the layer (2) in the direction of the stacking location (21) and depositing the layer (2) at the stacking location (21), wherein - the first loading station (18) is directly connected to the horizontal conveyor (30) and is designed to receive palletizable layers (2) from the horizontal conveyor (30), and wherein - the first loading station (18) comprises a carriage (18a) with a conveyor belt (28), which carriage (18a) and which conveyor belt (28) are vertically movable in order to specify a specific vertical height level for the respective layer (2), and wherein - the layer (2) of piece goods (2a) can be further conveyed by the conveyor belt (28) in the direction of the second loading station (19) according to the specification of its vertical height level, and wherein - the second loading station (19) is designed to deposit a respective layer (2) of piece goods (2a) received from the first loading station (18) at the stacking location (21). [10] Device according to claim 9, wherein the carriage (19a), to which the separating device (50) is mechanically coupled, is designed as a component of the second loading station (19).

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