Banding unit for applying a band to a product or a product group and method for banding a product or a product group

Abstract

The invention relates to a banding unit (1) for applying a band to a product group (100) transported in a conveying direction (F), wherein the banding unit (1) comprises: a first band dispensing device (2) for providing a first band (101); a second band dispensing device (3) for providing a second band (102); a first band feed (4) for feeding the first band (101) to a first side of the product conveying path; a second band feed (5) for feeding the second band (102) to a second side of the product conveying path opposite the first side; a first cutting device (6) for severing, as required, the first band (101) transported along with the product group (100) in the conveying direction (F) of the product group (100);and a second cutting device (7) for severing, as needed, the second banderol band (102) transported along the product group (100) in the conveying direction (F) of the product or the product group (100). According to the invention, it is particularly provided that the second cutting device (7) is arranged downstream of the product conveying path with respect to the first cutting device (6).

Description

The present invention relates generally to packaging methods and machines. The packaging systems can be, for example, packaging machines of a packaging line.More particularly, the invention relates to a plant for bandrolling products. Banding is a process of the packaging technique, in which articles (products) of the same or different type are combined / bundled together into one unit with a band (a band) made of paper or plastic materials (for example polypropylene and polyethylene films).A disadvantage of the previously known systems for bandaging products is that the folding / turnover of the banderols around the product to be banded is relatively complex and time-consuming.Accordingly, the object of the invention is to specify an apparatus and a method for bandering products, wherein in particular an increased cycle number can be achieved in low-interference operation.With regard to the device, the object on which the invention is based is achieved by the subject matter of independent claim 1, advantageous developments of the banding unit according to the invention being specified in dependent claims 2 to 17.With regard to the method, the object on which the invention is based is achieved by the subject matter of the subordinate patent claim 19.Accordingly, the invention relates in particular to a banding unit for applying a banderole to a product transported or conveyed in a conveying direction or to a product group transported or conveyed in a conveying direction. The band-drawing unit according to the invention has a corresponding transport device for transporting the product to be band-drawn or the product group to be band-drawn along a product conveying path.In contrast to conventional banderolizing units known from the prior art, however, it is not provided in the solution according to the invention that the product to be banded or the product group to be banded is transported into a banderole band which is stretched transversely to the product conveying path, so that the product or the product group is banded with the banderole band at least in regions as a result and by the further transport of the product or the product group along the product conveying path.Rather, it is provided according to the invention that the banderolizing unit has a first banderole dispensing device for providing a first banderole band and a second banderole dispensing device for providing a second banderole band.For supplying the first banderole strip to a first side of the product conveying path, a first banderole feed is used, which is designed to supply the first banderole strip to a first side of the product conveying path in such a way that the first banderole strip adheres or can adhere to a first side face of the product to be banded or of the product group to be banded and is carried along with the product or the product group in the conveying direction of the product or the product group.Likewise, a second banderole feed is used, which serves to feed the second banderole band to a second side of the product conveying path opposite the first side in such a way that the second banderole band adheres or can adhere to a second side surface of the product to be banded or of the product group to be banded opposite the first side surface and is transported or can be transported along with the product or the product group in the conveying direction of the product or the product group.The banding unit according to the invention further comprises a first cutting device for cutting through the first banderole band that is carried along by the product or the product group in the conveying direction of the product or the product group as required. In addition, the banding unit comprises a second cutting device for cutting through the second banderole band that is carried along by the product or the product group in the conveying direction of the product or the product group as required.In particular, in this context, it is provided that the second cutting device is arranged downstream of the product conveying path with respect to the first cutting device.According to preferred implementations of the banding unit according to the invention, it is provided that - as seen in the conveying direction of the product or of the product group - a distance of the first cutting device from a region in which the first banderole band is supplied to the first side of the product conveying path by the first banderole supply is greater than a length of the product or of the product group as seen in the conveying direction of the product or of the product group.Alternatively or additionally, it is provided that - as seen in the conveying direction of the product or of the product group - a distance of the first cutting device from the region in which the first banderole strip is supplied to the first side of the product conveying path from the first banderole feed is smaller than or equal to the sum of the length of the product or of the product group as seen in the conveying direction of the product or of the product group and an end side of the product or of the product group.With this measure, it is achieved in an easily realizable but nevertheless effective manner that the first and second banderole bands are each cut to size such that during bandrolling of the product or the product group the corresponding ends of the first and second banderole bands can overlap sufficiently without, however, consuming too much banderole material.In this context in particular, it is also possible that, as seen in the conveying direction of the product or of the product group, a distance of the second cutting device from the first cutting device is less than or equal to 3.0 times, preferably less than or equal to 2.5 times and even more preferably less than or equal to 2.0 times an end-side width of the product or of the product group as seen in the conveying direction of the product or of the product group.A particularly efficient banding with the banding unit according to the invention is possible if, as seen in the conveying direction of the product or of the product group, the distance of the second cutting device from the first cutting device is at least as great as the front-side width of the product or of the product group as seen in the conveying direction of the product or of the product group.In embodiments of the banding unit according to the invention, it is provided that the first cutting device and the second cutting device each have a cutting blade which during a cutting process is moved at least partially or in regions into the product conveying path, namely preferably into a gap between two adjacent products or product groups transported or conveyed along the product conveying path.In particular in this context, it is appropriate that the first cutting device and the second cutting device each have a rotating cutting blade, preferably with a circular, circular-eccentric, oblique, curved or elliptical cutting blade guide. The cutting blade guide has the purpose and is correspondingly designed so that during a cutting process the cutting blade is guided in the workpiece path / product conveying path only as long as the cut requires.Preferably, the first cutting device and the second cutting device are each configured to press a leading band end formed during a cutting operation onto the rear side of a leading product or a leading product group and / or to press a trailing band end formed during a cutting operation onto the end side of a trailing product or a trailing product group.In other words, it is preferred that the first and second cutting devices fulfil a dual function: on the one hand, the cutting devices serve to cut the respective banderole bands into corresponding banderole band sections. On the other hand, with the aid of the cutting devices, the banderole band ends formed during the cutting operation are already pressed against the end face or rear face of the product to be banded or of the product group to be banded.To implement this aspect, it is conceivable that the first cutting device and the second cutting device each have a pressing unit which, during a cutting process, is preferably moved together with the cutting blade at least partially or in regions into the product conveying path, namely preferably into a gap between two adjacent products or product groups which are transported or conveyed along the product conveying path.In this context, it is conceivable for the pressing unit to have a first punch or a first punch pad preferably made of an elastic material, in particular of a rubber-elastic material, or of foam, which is designed to press a leading band end formed during a cutting operation onto the rear side of a leading product or a leading product group.Alternatively or additionally, the pressing unit can also have a second punch or a second punch pad, preferably made of an elastic material, in particular of a rubber-elastic material, or of foam, which is designed to press a trailing band end formed during a cutting operation onto the end face of a trailing product or a trailing product group.Alternatively to corresponding punches or punch cushions, it is also conceivable, however, for the first cutting device and the second cutting device to each have an air nozzle system which is designed to press a leading band end formed during a cutting process onto the rear side of a leading product or a leading product group with the aid of an air jet and / or to press a trailing band end formed during a cutting process onto the end side of a trailing product or a trailing product group with the aid of an air jet.Of course, a combination of these two solutions is also conceivable.In order to ensure that the banderole band ends formed during the cutting process are pressed firmly against the rear side or end side of the products or product groups to be banded, in a development of the banderole unit according to the invention, the latter can furthermore have at least one pressing device which is arranged downstream of the product conveying path with respect to the second cutting device and is designed to press the leading and / or trailing banderole band ends formed during the cutting processes effected with the first and second cutting devices against the rear side and / or end side of the corresponding products or product groups.According to implementations of this embodiment variant of the banding unit according to the invention, it is provided that the pressing device has a first group of pressing elements, in particular in the form of rollers or brush strips, which rotate clockwise about a vertical axis and are arranged on one side of the product conveying path in such a way that, during the rotation of the pressing elements, these press the banderole band ends against the rear sides of the products or product groups transported past the pressing device.Alternatively or additionally, the pressing device can have a second group of pressing elements, in particular in the form of rollers or brush strips, which rotate counterclockwise about a vertical axis and are arranged on one side of the product conveying path in such a way that, during the rotation of the pressing elements, these press the banderole band ends against the end faces of the products or product groups transported past the pressing device.As in the pressing unit of the first and second cutting devices, it is also conceivable with regard to the pressing device to implement it as an air nozzle system.The banding unit preferably further comprises a first lateral guide system which is provided on the first side of the product conveying path and is configured to guide the first band band supplied by the first band supply and / or the products or product groups along the product conveying path.It is thereby expedient that, alternatively or in addition to the first lateral guide system, the banderizing unit further comprises a second lateral guide system which is provided on the second side of the product conveying path and is designed to guide the second banderol band supplied by the second banderol supply and / or the products or product groups along the product conveying path.In order that different types of banderols can be formed with the banderolizing unit, in particular in the case of products or product groups of different sizes, it is furthermore provided according to one aspect of the invention that the first banderole feed and the second banderole feed can be adjusted in the vertical direction in such a way that the products or product groups can be banded at different heights with the first banderole band and the second banderole band.According to preferred realizations of the band-drawing unit according to the invention, it is provided that the band-drawing unit is further assigned a product feed for feeding the products or product groups to be band-drawn. In particular, the product feed is designed in such a way that a gap is provided between two adjacent products or product groups.Preferably, a length of the gap as seen in the conveying direction of the products or product groups is at least 0.5 times an end-face width of the product or product group as seen in the conveying direction of the product or product group.Of course, however, other gap lengths are also conceivable.According to further developments of the last-mentioned embodiment variant of the banding unit according to the invention, it is provided that the product feed is designed to feed the products or product groups to the banding unit in one row or in multiple rows.Preferably, the first and second banderole strip is each designed as a self-adhesive banderole strip and has a self-adhesive or activatable adhesion layer on a banderole top side. The opposite second banderole top side of the banderole band, on the other hand, does not have such an adhesion layer.In this case, the first banderole strip is supplied from the first banderole feed to the first side of the product conveying path in such a way that the first banderole top side of the first banderole strip faces the first side face of the product to be banded or the product group to be banded. On the other hand, the second banderole strip is supplied from the second banderole supply to the second side of the product conveying path such that the first banderole top side of the second banderole strip faces the second side face of the product to be banded or the product group to be banded.Although the banderole bands may be made of plastic, metal or composite material, it is particularly preferred that the banderole bands are made of a paper material or a paper-like material.It is particularly advantageous to use a reusable material which, for example, also consists of a material of the same type or of a defined metal.In particular, biodegradable material can also be used, for example cellulose-based material.For positioning the banderole bands on the side surfaces of the products or product groups to be banded, it is conceivable that the corresponding banderole feeds are configured to perform such a positioning either mechanically or by means of air pressure support. Variants are also conceivable in which the banderole bands are conveyed by means of air pressure over parts of their transport path.One advantage of the invention compared with known prior art is that the banderole bands are more favorable than a film. No shrink tunnel is required, as a result of which a high energy saving and a reduction in investment costs are possible.It is also conceivable to configure the banding unit as a module, so that a relatively small installation area is required.In particular, the invention makes it possible to avoid plant downtime and to increase efficiency.However, it is also conceivable in this context that the banding unit according to the invention is part of a packaging machine for packaging products or product groups in, in particular, paper or cardboard material or alternatively in film material.In this connection, it is conceivable for the packaging machine to have at least one paper or cardboard packaging station and / or at least one film packaging station, specifically in addition to at least one banding unit of the type according to the invention described above, which is connected downstream of the at least one paper or cardboard packaging station or the at least one film packaging station, as viewed in the conveying direction of the products or product groups.Accordingly, the invention also relates to such a packaging machine for packaging products or product groups.The paper or carton packaging station of the packaging machine can be configured to package the products or product groups supplied to the paper or carton packaging station with paper or carton material, for example by wrapping the product or products into one or more carton blanks.In the same way, the optionally provided film packaging station of the packaging machine can be designed to wrap the products fed to the film packaging station with a shrink or stretch film.Finally, the invention further relates to a method for bandering a product transported or conveyed in a conveying direction or a product group transported or conveyed in a conveying direction, in particular a product package transported or conveyed in a conveying direction, in particular a film tube package, wherein for this purpose a bandering unit of the type according to the invention described above is preferably used. The method according to the invention is distinguished in particular by the following method steps:First, a first banderole strip is provided by a first banderole dispensing device and supplied to a first side of a product conveying path by means of a first banderole feed in such a way that the first banderole strip adheres to a first side surface of the product to be banded or of the product group to be banded, while preferably simultaneously a second banderole strip is provided by a second banderole dispensing device and supplied to a second side of the product conveying path by means of a second banderole feed in such a way that the second banderole strip adheres to a second side surface, opposite the first side surface, of the product to be banded or of the product group to be banded.Subsequently, the product or product group is transported or conveyed along the product conveying path in the conveying direction along the product conveying path to a first cutting device, where the first band or product group is separated by means of a first cutting device and a leading band or product strip end formed in this cutting process is pressed against the rear side of a leading product or a leading product group and a trailing band or product strip end formed in the cutting process is pressed against the end side of a trailing product or a trailing product group.After that, the product or the product group together with the second banderole strip adhering to the second side surface is transported or conveyed further along the product conveying path in the conveying direction to a second cutting device, where the second banderole strip is also separated with the aid of the second cutting device and a leading banderole strip end formed in this cutting operation is pressed against the rear side of a leading product or a leading product group and a trailing banderole strip end formed in the cutting operation is pressed against the end side of a trailing product or a trailing product group. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows schematically and in a plan view a first exemplary embodiment of the banding unit according to the invention; FIG. 2 shows schematically and in a plan view the first exemplary embodiment of the banding unit according to the invention according to FIG. 1, namely in a state in which the product groups to be banded are transported / conveyed further along a product conveying path; FIG. 3 shows schematically and in a plan view a second exemplary embodiment of the banding unit according to the invention; and FIG. 4 shows schematically and in a plan view the second exemplary embodiment of the banding unit according to the invention according to FIG. 3, namely in a state in which the product groups to be banded are transported / conveyed further along a product conveying path.The exemplary embodiments of the banding unit 1 according to the invention shown in the drawings are each a banding unit 1 for applying a banderole to a product transported or conveyed in a conveying direction F or to a product group 100 transported or conveyed in a conveying direction F. In the exemplary embodiments, product groups 100 are each banded.For this purpose, the band-drawing unit 1 comprises a transport device for transporting or conveying the product group 100 to be band-drawn along a product conveying path.Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiments of the banding unit 1 according to the invention, a first banderole dispensing device 2 is used in each case in order to provide a first banderole band 101. In addition to the first banderole dispensing device 2, a second banderole dispensing device 3 is used, which provides a second banderole band 102.The first and second banderole bands 101, 102 are each preferably a self-adhesive banderole band made of a paper material or a paper-like material or of a cellulose-based material. Each banderole strip 101, 102 has a self-adhesive or activatable adhesion layer on a banderole top side.With the aid of a first banderole feed 4, the first banderole band 101 provided by the first banderole dispensing device 2 is fed to a first side of the product conveying path in such a way that the first banderole band 101 adheres or can adhere with its banderole top side, which has a self-adhesive or activatable adhesion layer, to a first side face of the product group 100 to be banded and is transported along or can be transported along with the product group 100 in the conveying direction F of the product group 100.Similarly, the banding units of the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings each include a second band supply 5 for supplying the second band band 102 provided by the second band dispenser 3 to a second side of the product conveying path opposite the first side.The second banderole strip 102 is supplied in such a way that the second banderole strip 102 adheres or can adhere with its banderole top side, which has a self-adhesive or activatable adhesion layer, to a second side surface of the product group 100 to be banded, said second side surface being opposite the first side surface, and is transported with the product group 100 in the conveying direction F of the product group 100 or can be transported with it.In addition, the banding unit 1 comprises in each case a first cutting device 6 for cutting through the first banderole band 101 carried along by the product group 100 in the conveying direction F of the product group 100 as required, and a second cutting device 7 for cutting through the second banderole band 102 carried along by the product group 100 in the conveying direction F of the product group 100 as required.In each exemplary embodiment of the banding unit 1 according to the invention, it is provided that the second cutting device 7 is arranged downstream of the product conveying path with respect to the first cutting device 6.As can be seen in particular from the illustrations in FIGS. 1 and 3, a distance A 2 of the first cutting device 6 from a region in which the first banderole strip 101 is fed to the first side of the product conveying path from the first banderole feed 4 is greater than a length L of the product group 100 as seen in the conveying direction F of the product group 100.In particular, in this context, it is provided that, as seen in the conveying direction F of the product group 100, a distance A 2 of the first cutting device 6 from the region in which the first banderole strip 101 is supplied from the first banderole feed 4 to the first side of the product conveying path is smaller than or equal to the sum of the length L of the product group 100 as seen in the conveying direction F of the product group 100 and an end-face width B of the product group 100.On the other hand, it is preferred that - as seen in the conveying direction F of the product group 100 - a distance of the second cutting device 7 from the first cutting device 6 is less than or equal to 3.0 times, preferably less than or equal to 2.5 times and even more preferably less than or equal to 2.0 times an end-side width B of the product group 100 as seen in the conveying direction F of the product group 100.In this context, it is particularly expedient that a distance A 1 of the second cutting device 7 from the first cutting device 6 is at least as great as the front width B of the product group 100 viewed in the conveying direction F of the product group 100 when viewed in the conveying direction F of the product group 100.The first cutting device 6 and the second cutting device 7 in the exemplary embodiments of the banding unit 1 according to the invention shown in the drawings each have a cutting blade which during a cutting operation is moved at least partially or in regions into the product conveying path, namely into a gap between two adjacent product groups 100 which are transported or conveyed along the product conveying path.It is thereby expedient that the first cutting device 6 and the second cutting device 7 each have a rotating cutting blade preferably with a circular, circular-eccentric, oblique, curved or elliptical cutting blade guide. Of course, however, other embodiments for the first and / or second cutting device 7 are also conceivable.The drawings indicate that the first cutting device 6 and the second cutting device 7 are each designed to press a leading band end formed during a cutting operation onto the rear side of a leading product group 100'', and to press a trailing band end formed during a cutting operation onto the end side of a trailing product group 100'.For this purpose, the first cutting device 6 and the second cutting device 7 each have a pressing unit 8, which during a cutting process is moved together with the cutting blade at least partially or in regions into the product conveying path, namely into a gap between two adjacent product groups 100 transported or conveyed along the product conveying path.The pressing unit 8 has in each case a first punch or a first punch pad preferably made of an elastic material, in particular of a rubber-elastic material, or of foam, which is designed to press a leading band end formed during a cutting operation onto the rear side of a leading product group 100".In addition, the pressing unit 8 comprises a second stamp or a second stamp pad, likewise preferably made of an elastic material, in particular of a rubber-elastic material, or of foam.Like the first punch or the first punch pad, the second punch or the second punch pad is designed to press a trailing band end formed during a cutting process onto the end face of a trailing product group 100'.In addition to this, in the exemplary embodiments of the banding unit 1 according to the invention shown in the drawings, it is provided that the banding unit 1 has a pressing device 9 which is arranged downstream of the product conveying path with respect to the second cutting device 7 and which are each designed to press the leading and trailing band ends formed during the cutting processes effected by the first and second cutting devices 6, 7 onto the rear side and end side of the corresponding product groups 100, 100', 100".As can be seen in particular from the representations in FIGS. 1 to 4, the pressing device 9 can have a first group of pressing elements, in particular in the form of rollers or brush strips, which rotate clockwise about a vertical axis and are arranged on one side of the product conveying path in such a way that, during the rotation of the pressing elements (rollers or brush strips), they press the banderole band ends against the rear sides of the product groups 100 transported past the pressing device 9.On the other hand, the pressing device 9 comprises a second group of pressing elements, likewise in particular in the form of rollers or brush strips, which rotate counterclockwise about a vertical axis and are arranged on one side of the product conveying path in such a way that, during the rotation of these pressing elements, these press the banderole band ends against the end sides of the product groups 100 transported past the pressing device 9.It can likewise be seen in particular from the representations in FIGS. 1 to 4 that the banding unit 1 has a first lateral guide system 10, which is provided on the first side of the product conveying path and is designed to guide the first band 101 supplied by the first band supply 4 and the product groups 100 along the product conveying path.Furthermore, the banding unit 1 has a second lateral guide system 11 which is provided on the second side of the product conveying path and is designed to guide the second band band 102 supplied by the second band supply 5 and the product groups 100 along the product conveying path.The bander unit 1 is also assigned a product feed 20 for feeding the product groups 100 to be banded.The product supply 20 is configured such that a gap is provided between two adjacent product groups 100. A length LL of the gap, as seen in the conveying direction F of the product groups 100, is preferably at least 0.5 times an end-side width B of the product group 100, as seen in the conveying direction F of the product group 100.The first exemplary embodiment of the banding unit 1 shown schematically in FIGS. 1 and 2 differs from the second exemplary embodiment of the banding unit 1 according to the invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 in that in the first exemplary embodiment of the banding unit 1 according to the invention the product feed 20 is designed to feed the product groups 100 in one row to the banding unit 1, while in the second exemplary embodiment of the banding unit 1 according to the invention the product feed 20 is designed to feed the product groups 100 in two rows to the banding unit 1.The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, but rather results from a combination of all features disclosed herein.List of reference characters1 Banding unit 2 First banderole dispensing device 3 Second banderole dispensing device 4 First banderole feed 5 Second banderole feed 6 First cutting device 7 Second cutting device 8 Pressing unit of the cutting device 9 Pressing device 10 First lateral guide system 11 Second lateral guide system 20 Product feed 100 Product group 100' Trailing product group 100" Leading product group 101 First banderole band 102 Second banderole band A 1 Distance between the first cutting device and the banderole feed region A 2 Distance between the first and second cutting devices B Width of the product group F Conveying direction L Length of the product group LL Gap length

Claims

A banding unit (1) for applying a banderole to a product transported or conveyed in a conveying direction (F) or to a product group (100) transported or conveyed in a conveying direction (F), wherein the banding unit (1) comprises: - a transport device for transporting or conveying the product to be banded or the product group (100) to be banded along a product conveying path; - a first banderole dispensing device (2) for providing a first banderole band (101); - a second banderole dispensing device (3) for providing a second banderole band (102); a first banderole feed (4) for feeding the first banderole band (101) to a first side of the product conveying path such that the first banderole band (101) adheres or can adhere to a first side surface of the product to be banded or of the product group (100) to be banded and is carried along with or can be carried along with the product or the product group (100) in the conveying direction (F) of the product or the product group (100); a second banderole feed (5) for feeding the second banderole band (102) to a second side of the product conveying path opposite the first side in such a way that the second banderole band (102) adheres or can adhere to a second side surface of the product to be banded or of the product group (100) to be banded opposite the first side surface and is transported with or can be transported with the product or the product group (100) in the conveying direction (F) of the product or the product group (100); a first cutting device (6) for severing, as required, the first banderole band (101) transported with the product or the product group (100) in the conveying direction (F) of the product or the product group (100); a second cutting device (7) for severing, as required, the second band (102) which is transported along by the product or the product group (100) in the conveying direction (F) of the product or the product group (100), wherein the second cutting device (7) is arranged downstream of the product conveying path with respect to the first cutting device (6).Banding unit (1) according to claim 1, wherein - as seen in the conveying direction (F) of the product or product group (100) - a distance (A2) of the second cutting device (7) from the first cutting device (6) is less than or equal to 3.0 times, preferably less than or equal to 2.5 times and even more preferably less than or equal to 2.0 times an end-face width (B) of the product or product group (100) as seen in the conveying direction (F) of the product or product group (100).Banding unit (1) according to claim 1 or 2 and in particular according to claim 2, wherein - as seen in the conveying direction (F) of the product or the product group (100) - a distance (A2) of the second cutting device (7) from the first cutting device (6) is at least as great as the front width (B) of the product or the product group (100) as seen in the conveying direction (F) of the product or the product group (100).Banding unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first cutting device (6) and the second cutting device (7) each have a cutting blade which during a cutting process is moved at least partially or in regions into the product conveying path, namely preferably into a gap between two adjacent products or product groups (100) which are transported or conveyed along the product conveying path.Banding unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4 and in particular according to claim 4, wherein the first cutting device (6) and the second cutting device (7) each have a rotating cutting blade, preferably with a circular, circular-eccentric, oblique, curved or elliptical cutting blade guide.Banding unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first cutting device (6) and the second cutting device (7) are each configured to press a leading banderole band end formed during a cutting operation onto the rear side of a leading product or a leading product group (100") and / or to press a trailing banderole band end formed during a cutting operation onto the end side of a trailing product or a trailing product group (100').Banding unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6 and in particular according to claim 6, wherein the first cutting device (6) and the second cutting device (7) each have a pressing unit (8), which during a cutting process is preferably moved together with the cutting blade at least partially or in regions into the product conveying path, namely preferably into a gap between two adjacent products or product groups (100) that are transported or conveyed along the product conveying path, wherein the pressing unit (8) preferably has a first punch or a first punch pad preferably made of an elastic material, in particular of a rubber-elastic material, or of foam, which is configured to press a leading banderole band end formed during a cutting process onto the rear side of a leading product or a leading product group (100"), and / or wherein the pressing unit (8) preferably has a second punch or a second punch pad preferably made of an elastic material, in particular of a rubber-elastic material, or of foam, which is designed to press a trailing band end formed during a cutting process onto the end face of a trailing product or a trailing product group (100').Banding unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6 and in particular according to claim 6, wherein the first cutting device (6) and the second cutting device (7) each have an air nozzle system which is designed to press a leading band end formed during a cutting operation onto the rear side of a leading product or a leading product group (100") with the aid of an air jet and / or to press a trailing band end formed during a cutting operation onto the end side of a trailing product or a trailing product group (100') with the aid of an air jet.Banding unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the banding unit (1) further comprises at least one pressing device (9) arranged downstream of the product conveying path with respect to the second cutting device (7) and configured to press the leading and / or trailing band ends formed during the cutting operations effected by the first and second cutting devices (6, 7) onto the rear side and / or end side of the corresponding products or product groups (100, 100', 100").Banding unit (1) according to claim 9, wherein the pressing device (9) has a first group of pressing elements, in particular in the form of rollers or brush strips, which rotate clockwise about a vertical axis and are arranged on one side of the product conveying path in such a way that, during the rotation of the pressing elements, they press the band strip ends against the rear sides of the products or product groups (100, 100', 100") transported past the pressing device (9); and / or wherein the pressing device (9) has a second group of pressing elements, in particular in the form of rollers or brush strips, which rotate counterclockwise about a vertical axis and are arranged on one side of the product conveying path in such a way that, during the rotation of the pressing elements, these press the banderole band ends against the end faces of the products or product groups (100, 100', 100") transported past the pressing device (9).The banding unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the banding unit (1) further comprises a first lateral guiding system (10) provided on the first side of the product conveying path and configured to guide the first banderole band (101) supplied from the first banderole supply (4) and / or the products or product groups (100) along the product conveying path; and / or wherein the banding unit (1) further comprises a second lateral guiding system (11) provided on the second side of the product conveying path and configured to guide the second banderole band (102) supplied from the second banderole supply (5) and / or the products or product groups (100) along the product conveying path.The banding unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the first banderole feed (4) and / or the second banderole feed (5) are adjustable in the vertical direction such that the products or product groups (100) can be banded at different heights with the first banderole band (101) and / or the second banderole band (102).The banding unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the banding unit (1) is further assigned a product supply (20) for supplying the products or product groups (100) to be banded, wherein the product supply (20) is configured such that a gap is provided between two adjacent products or product groups (100), wherein a length (LL) of the gap as seen in the conveying direction (F) of the products or product groups (100) is preferably at least 0.5 times an end-face width (B) of the product or product group (100) as seen in the conveying direction (F) of the product or product group (100).Banding unit (1) according to claim 13, wherein the product feed (20) is configured to feed the products or product groups (100) to the banding unit (1) in one row or in multiple rows.The banderole unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the first and second banderole bands (101, 102) are each designed as a self-adhesive banderole band and have a self-adhesive or activatable adhesion layer on a banderole top side, wherein the opposite second banderole top side does not have such an adhesion layer, wherein the first banderole band (101) is supplied from the first banderole supply (4, 5) to the first side of the product conveying path in such a way that the first banderole top side of the first banderole band (101) faces the first side surface of the product to be banded or the product group (100) to be banded, and wherein the second banderole band (102) is supplied from the second banderole supply (4, 5) to the second side of the product conveying path, the first banderole top side of the second banderole band ( 102) faces the second side face of the product to be banded or the product group ( 100) to be banded.The banding unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein - as seen in the conveying direction (F) of the product or the product group (100) - a distance (A1) of the first cutting device (6, 7) from a region in which the first banderole band (101) is supplied to the first side of the product conveying path from the first banderole supply (4) is greater than a length (L) of the product or the product group (100) as seen in the conveying direction (F) of the product or the product group (100).Banding unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 16 and in particular according to claim 16, wherein - as seen in the conveying direction (F) of the product or the product group (100) - a distance (A1) of the first cutting device (6) from the region in which the first banderole feed (4) feeds the first banderole band (101) to the first side of the product conveying path is smaller than or equal to the sum of the length (L) of the product or the product group (100) as seen in the conveying direction (F) of the product or the product group (100) and an end-face width (B) of the product or the product group (100).Packaging machine for packaging products or product groups (100) in, in particular, paper or board material or in film material, wherein the packaging machine has for this purpose at least one paper or board packaging station and / or at least one film packaging station, wherein the packaging machine further has at least one banding unit (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 17, which is connected downstream of the at least one paper or board packaging station or the at least one film packaging station - as seen in the conveying direction (F) of the products or product groups (100).Method for bandering a product transported or conveyed in a conveying direction (F) or a product group (100) transported or conveyed in a conveying direction (F), in particular a product bundle transported or conveyed in a conveying direction (F), in particular a tubular film bundle, wherein for this purpose preferably a bandering unit (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 17 is used, and wherein the method has the following method steps: (i) a first banderole belt is provided by a first banderole dispensing device (2, 3) and is supplied to a first side of a product conveying path with the aid of a first banderole feed (4) in such a way that the first banderole belt (101) adheres to a first side face of the product to be banded or of the banderole product group (100), while preferably simultaneously a second banderole strip is provided by a second banderole dispensing device (3) and is supplied to a second side of the product conveying path by means of a second banderole feed (5) in such a way that the second banderole strip (102) adheres to a second side face, opposite the first side face, of the product to be banded or of the product group (100) to be banded; (ii) the product or product group (100) is transported or conveyed along the product conveying path in conveying direction (F) along with the banderole bands adhering to the side surfaces to a first cutting device (6), where the first banderole band (101) is separated with the aid of a first cutting device (6) and a leading banderole band end formed in this cutting operation is pressed against the rear side of a leading product or a leading product group (100") and a trailing banderole band end formed in the cutting operation is pressed against the end side of a trailing product or a trailing product group (100'); (iii) the product or product group (100) is transported or conveyed further along the product conveying path in conveying direction (F) together with the second banderole strip (102) adhering to the second side face to a second cutting device (6, 7), where the second banderole strip (102) is also separated with the aid of the second cutting device (7) and a leading banderole strip end formed during this cutting operation is pressed against the rear side of a leading product or a leading product group (100") and a trailing banderole strip end formed during the cutting operation is pressed against the end side of a trailing product or a trailing product group (100').

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