Method and device for filling a container with stacked, flat products

Abstract

In a method for filling a container (2) with stacked, flat products (3, 3'), an open container (2) is positioned in a loading position (26) in which the container base (15) has a gradient extending from an upper to a lower end wall (16, 17) of the container (2). A manipulator (5) is provided with a gripper (21) having gripper jaws (22) that can be adjusted between an open and a closed position. A product stack (20) with a predetermined number of the flat products (3') is provided at a provision position (13). The product stack (20) is picked up by means of the gripper (21) and transferred by means of the manipulator (5) from the provision position (13) to a free storage location in the container (2) in such a way that the surfaces spanned by the products (3) located in the product stack (20) are arranged orthogonally to the container bottom and face the end walls (16, 17).The gripper (21) is then moved into a delivery position and removed from the transferred product stack (20) such that the product stack (20) rests against the lower end wall (17) and is spaced from the upper end wall (16) by a clearance. Furthermore, a device (1) for carrying out the method is specified.

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for filling a container with stacked, flat products.Such devices are used as connection modules of paper folding machines, for machine folding of paper and serve for the automated packaging of a plurality of folded paper products, such as brochures and the like, in corresponding containers. The folded brochures are frequently papers printed with information, as are produced in printing plants. Complex folds are known, for example, in the pharmaceutical field in the production of packing inserts. The brochures are either folded open or closed with a label or a banderole. The individual brochures are laid out by the folding machine in the form of an endless stack. This sequence of brochures, also referred to as delivery, is present in different forms depending on the folding machine. Typically, display forms referred to as "overlapping" are used in which the brochures are laid out from a folding machine horizontally, lying and partially overlapping one another. Alternatively, the brochures are vertical and are designed as continuous stacks. Corresponding devices are referred to in this context as vertical stackers. Vertical stackers have suitable means for preventing undesired tipping over of the individual brochures or brochures during the transport process.In principle, the packaging process should be synchronized with the folding process in order to package the folded brochures into corresponding containers without standstill of the line for the removal and further transport. This requires a process sequence which is as free of interference as possible and which can be simultaneously adapted to different brochure formats and / or container sizes and types.The publications WO 2014 / 075 151 A1, DE 94 00 777 U1, DE 10 2010 049 376 A1, CN 1 05 292 634 B, DE 10 2022 104 177 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,193 A disclose methods and apparatuses in which products are likewise converted into containers.EP 3 530 576 B1 discloses a device and a method of the type mentioned at the beginning, by means of which brochures can be packaged in a container. The apparatus has a platform for the containers and a manipulator arm with grippers in order to deposit the brochures picked from a feeding device in the container. The position in the container on which the brochures are deposited is accomplished by the further transport of the container by means of a brochure buffer and a casing holder. For guiding the container, the platform has container shells into which the container slides in each case during loading. For this purpose, the container shell must be exactly adapted to the dimensions of the containers to be filled. This situation is disadvantageous with regard to the flexibility of the device for filling different container sizes, since the platform has to be re-fitted in a complicated manner for each container format. The device is also limited in its flexibility with regard to loading with different brochure formats, since both the casing holder and the brochure buffer must be adapted to the brochure format. A further disadvantage of the proposed device is that neither a multi-layer filling nor a filling with parallel stack rows of the container with brochures is possible.WO 2012 / 034591 A1 discloses an apparatus and a method in which the brochures are divided into a predetermined number at regular intervals by supporting elements and are conveyed to a packaging position clamped between two supporting elements in each case by a conveying device. A reciprocating pusher member forces the stack of clamped brochures, then into a container provided beneath. This device also has the disadvantages mentioned in the area of flexibility and with regard to multilayer ones, and also filling with parallel stack rows.It is an object of the invention to specify a method and a device of the type mentioned at the beginning, by means of which product stacks can be reliably converted from a supply position at a high packing density into a container in a simple manner and with little effort.This object is achieved with respect to the method of the type mentioned at the beginning with the features of claim 1. Advantageously, the product stack transferred into the container comes to rest on the lower end wall of the container by gravity after the gripper has been removed from the product stack, whereby tilting of the products located in the product stack into the free space is easily avoided. In addition, the space between the lower and upper end walls can be filled with stacked products throughout. The upsetting of the product stack makes it possible to arrange the products in the container with a high packing density.In an expedient embodiment of the method, it is provided that at least two product stacks are transferred successively by means of the manipulator from the processing point into the container located in the loading position in such a way that they are arranged offset next to one another in the container in the direction of a straight line running parallel to the end walls and parallel to the container base, and that the holding-down device is dimensioned in such a way that, when it is displaced in step p) of patent claim 1 and optionally in step r) of patent claim 1 towards the lower end wall, all product stacks located in the container are simultaneously compressed. As a result, a uniform filling level of the container is made possible in the product stacks arranged next to one another in the container.In an advantageous embodiment of the method, the gripper is brought into the delivery position in step i) and / or in step m) by moving the gripper jaws away from one another. As a result, the product stacks can be deposited into the container in a simple and particularly gentle manner. In a further development of the method, the gripper has a feed element which can be adjusted relative to the gripper jaws between a rest position in which it is pulled back from the space between the gripper jaws and a working position in which it engages in the space between the gripper jaws, wherein the feed element is moved into the delivery position in step i) of claim 1 and / or in step n) of claim 1 in that, while the gripper jaws are moved away from the container base, the feed element is adjusted from the rest position relative to the gripper jaws towards the container base into the working position. As a result, only little space is required for depositing the product stack in the container.In an advantageous embodiment of the method, a first layer of product stacks is first deposited in the container, covering the container bottom. Thereafter, at least one further layer of product stacks is deposited on the first layer. It is even possible to stack more than two layers of product stacks one above the other in the container. This makes it possible to accommodate a large number of products in a container of compact dimensions.In another embodiment of the method, a first layer of product stacks is first deposited in the container, covering the container bottom, wherein a separating sheet is then applied to the first layer, and a further layer of product stacks is deposited on the separating sheet. The separating sheet enables a clean separation of the individual product stack layers and the individual products cannot get into another position in the container due to slipping between the different layers.In a preferred embodiment of the method, the following further steps are carried out: i) an endless stack with stacked, flat products is produced, ii) an spreading arm which can be adjusted between a rest position and a spread position is provided, iii) the predetermined number of products is added to the endless stack and the endless stack is moved along a transport path in a conveying direction by the predetermined number of products towards the provision position, iv) the spreading arm which is in the rest position is positioned transversely to the conveying direction between two products of the endless stack which are adjacent to one another in such a way that the endless stack has the predetermined number of products behind the spreading arm in the conveying direction, v) the spreading arm is then spread open in the conveying direction in order to position a product stack having the predetermined number of products at the provision position, vi) and if necessary, the spreading arm is removed from the endless stack to provide further product stacks and brought into the rest position and steps iii) to vi) are repeated.In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the plane spanned by the container bottom includes an angle of inclination of between 20° and 70°, in particular between 30° and 60° and preferably between 40° and 50°, with a horizontal plane in the loading position.In a variant of the method, the container is arranged on the holding device in the loading position in such a way that the line of intersection between the plane spanned by the container base and the plane spanned by the lower end wall encloses an angle with a horizontal line lying in the plane spanned by the container base. This method is preferably used when at least a first and a second product stack are transferred with the aid of the manipulator one after the other from the processing point into the container located in the loading position in such a way that they are arranged next to one another offset from one another in the direction of a straight line in the container running parallel to the end walls and parallel to the container base, and when, after the first product stack has been transferred and before the second product stack has been transferred, a separating strip is to be arranged orthogonally to the container base between the depositing point of the first product stack and the depositing point of the second product stack. Due to the angle between the line of intersection of the plane spanned by the container bottom and the plane spanned by the lower end wall with the horizontal line lying in the plane spanned by the container bottom, the separating strip is tilted towards the first product stack-when it is positioned in the container between the depositing points. As a result, it comes to rest against the latter by gravity. This measure prevents the separating strips from tilting towards the depositing location of the second product stack as long as the second product stack has not yet been deposited in the container.In a preferred embodiment of the method, it is provided that a holding device with an inclined surface having a gradient is provided, and that the container base is positioned on the inclined surface in the loading position. As a result, the method can be carried out in a simple manner with containers having different dimensions.Expediently, the container is moved, in particular displaced, along the inclined surface transversely to the direction of the gradient from a receiving position into the loading position and from the latter into a delivery position by means of a transport device. As a result, a plurality of containers can be filled successively with product stacks in a simple manner.With respect to the device of the type mentioned at the beginning, the aforementioned object is achieved with the features of claim 12.Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.It shows: FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a device for filling a container with stacked, flat products, FIGS. 2 to 13 show a longitudinal section through a container arranged on a holding device in a loading position during the loading with a product stack, wherein different steps during the execution of the method are shown in the individual figures, FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 13, but with two layers of product stacks being arranged one above the other in the container during filling of the container, FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the product stacks deposited in two rows and two columns on the bottom of the container, the product stacks deposited in the container being only partially shown; and FIG. 16 shows a schematic view of a holding device which has an inclined surface with a slope descending towards its lower horizontal edge, wherein a container rests on the inclined surface in such a way that the lower edge of the container bottom encloses an angle β with the lower edge of the inclined surface.An apparatus, denoted overall by 1 in FIG. 1, for filling open containers 2 with stacked, flat products 3 has a feed device 4 for the products 3, a manipulator 5 for transferring the products 3, a holding device 6 for positioning the container 2, a hold-down device 7 for the products 3, a positioning device 8 for the hold-down device 7, and a transport device 9 for transporting the containers 2. In addition, the apparatus has a control device 10, which is only schematically illustrated in the drawing and is a control connection to the feed device 4, the manipulator 5, the positioning device 8 and the transport device 7. The products 3 can be in particular paper products such as brochures or folded leaflet articles.The feed device 4 has a transport section for an endless stack 11 with stacked, flat products 3, which are fed to the device 1 as a delivery point of an upstream installation. The feed device 4 has conveying means, not shown in detail in the drawing, by means of which the endless stack 11 can be moved along the transport path in the conveying direction 12 towards a provision position 13. The feeding of the products 3 takes place in a clocked manner such that the endless stack is moved further by the thickness of a product 3 in the conveying direction 12 during each clocked step. The feeding device 4 further comprises an expanding arm 14 which can be positioned from a rest position, in which it is pushed together and arranged outside the transport section, transversely to the conveying direction 12 between two products 3 of the endless stack 11 adjoining one another into a working position. In the working position, the spreading arm 14 can be spread open in the conveying direction 12.The containers 2 each have a container base 15, two mutually opposite end walls 16, 17 and two mutually opposite side walls 18, 19 extending transversely to the end walls 16, 17.The feed device 4 is designed in such a way that, depending on a machine cycle predefined by the control device 10, it provides a product stack 20 at a provision position 13, which stack has a predetermined number of the flat products 3. In the product stack 20, the products 3 are stacked in vertical planes running substantially parallel to one another.The manipulator 5 is designed as an articulated arm robot, the articulated arm of which carries a gripper 21 which has two gripper jaws 22 which can be moved towards one another and away from one another between an open position and a closed position. In addition, the gripper 21 has a feed element 23 which can be adjusted between a rest position, in which it is withdrawn from the space provided for receiving the product stack 20 between the gripper jaws 22, into an operating position relative to the gripper jaws 22, in which it engages into the space between the gripper jaws 22.As can be seen particularly well in FIG. 1, the holding device has a plate 24 which has an inclined surface 25 with a gradient on the top side lying in a plane. The container 2 can be positioned on the inclined surface 25 in a loading position 26 in the working region of the manipulator 5. The angle of inclination which the inclined surface 25 encloses with a horizontal plane is denoted by α in the drawing. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, it is approximately 45°.The hold-down device 7 mentioned above can be moved towards and away from the inclined surface 25 by means of the positioning device 8 only schematically shown in the drawing and can be displaced parallel to the inclined surface in and counter to the direction of the gradient of the inclined surface 25. The positioning device 8 is in control connection with the control device 10.With the aid of the transport device 9, the containers 2 can be transported along the inclined surface 25 in a transport direction 25 running transversely to the direction of the gradient from a receiving position into the loading position 26 and from there into a delivery position. In order to synchronize the transport movement with the clock of the product stacks 20 provided at the provision position 13, the transport device 9 is in control connection with the control device 10. The transport device 9 has cam belts 28 which rotate via deflection means and engage in slots of the plate 24 which extend in the transport direction 28. The cams of the cam belts 28 project beyond the inclined surface 25 and serve as drivers for the containers 2. In the position of use, the vacuum suction devices 29 come to rest against the side wall 18 of the container 2 to be transported, which side wall points in the transport direction 27.The individual method steps during the filling of the container 3 with the product stacks 20 are explained in more detail below.First, the endless stack 11 is positioned so that its front end is arranged in a straight extension of the spreader arm 14 in the resting position. Then, the continuous stack 11 is transported further by the predetermined number of products 3 along the transport path in the conveying direction 12. The pushed-together spreading arm 14 is now positioned parallel to the planes spanned by the products 3 contained in the endless stack 11 between two products 3 of the endless stack 11 adjoining one another. For this purpose, the spreading arm 14 is connected in a control manner to a counting device for the products 3 delivered by the endless stack 11.When the spreading arm 14 is positioned between the products 3 of the endless stack 11, a counter of the counting device, which counts the products 3, is reset to a starting value. A product stack 20 comprising the predetermined number of products 3 is now located upstream of the spreading arm 14 in the conveying direction 12, and the spreading arm 14 is then spread open in the conveying direction 12 in order to separate the product stack 20 from the endless stack 11 and to position it at the provision position 13.In a further method step, a container 2 is positioned on the holding device 6 in the loading position 26 with the aid of the transport device 9 in such a way that the container base 15 rests on the inclined surface 25 of the plate 24 and has a gradient which extends from an upper end wall 16 to a lower end wall 17 of the container 2. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the positioning device 8 has, on the lower edge of the inclined surface 25, a strip-shaped stop 30, against which the lower end wall 17 of the container 2 is positioned in the loading position 26.In a further method step, the gripper is positioned at the supply position 13 in a receiving position in which the product stack 20 is arranged between the gripper jaws 22 located in the open position and the surfaces spanned by the products 3 located in the product stack 20 face the gripper jaws 22. The product stack is then picked up by the gripper 21 by adjusting the gripper jaws 22 into the closed position. The product stack 20 is held between the gripper jaws 22 by a clamping force.The product stack 20 is then transferred from the supply position 13 to a free depositing location in the container 2 in such a way that the surfaces spanned by the products located in the product stack 20 are arranged orthogonally to the container base 15 and face the end walls. The products 3 are arranged with their lower edge approximately parallel to the container bottom 15. The free depositing point is located on the container base 15 adjacent to the lower end wall 17, but is spaced apart from the lower end wall 17 by a working space which is required for adjusting the lower gripper jaw 22 (FIG. 2 ).As can be seen in FIG. 3, in a further method step the gripper jaws 22 are moved away from each other in order to bring the gripper 21 into a delivery position. In addition, the feed element 23 is adjusted from the rest position into the working position (FIG. 4 ). For this purpose, the feed element 23 is displaced relative to the gripper jaws 22 toward the container base 15, while at the same time the gripper jaws 22 are moved away from the container base 15. Then, the gripper 21 is removed from the product stack 20 transferred into the container 2.As can be seen in FIG. 5, the product stack 20 now comes to bear against the lower end wall 17 and is spaced apart from the opposite upper end wall 16 by a free space which serves for depositing a wide product stack 20 in the container 2.In a further method step, the holding-down device 7 is positioned in the space between the product stack 20 transferred into the container 2 and the upper end wall 16 of the container 2 in such a way that the plane spanned by the holding-down device 7 is arranged approximately parallel to the planes spanned by the products 3 contained in the product stack 20 (FIG. 6 ). The holding-down device 7 is then moved parallel to the container base towards the lower end wall 17 in order to clamp and compress the product stack 20 between the lower end wall 17 and the holding-down device 7 (FIG. 7 ).A further product stack 20' is then arranged at the provision position 13 with the aid of the feed device 4. The gripper 21 is then positioned at the supply position 13 in a receiving position in which the further product stack 20' is arranged between the gripper jaws 22 located in the open position and the surfaces spanned by the products 3' located in the further product stack 20' face the gripper jaws 22. By adjusting the gripper jaws 22 into the closed position, the further product stack 20' is picked up by the gripper 21.The further product stack 20' is then transferred from the supply position 13 to the next free depositing location in the container 2, which is arranged between the holding-down device 7 and the upper end wall 16. As can be seen in FIG. 8, the transfer of the further product stack 20' takes place in turn in such a way that the surfaces spanned by the products 3 located in the further product stack 20' are arranged orthogonally to the container base 15 and face the end walls 16, 17. The gripper 21 is then brought into the delivery position and removed from the transferred further product stack 20' (FIGS. 9 to 11 ).In a further method step, the holding-down device 7 is positioned in the space between the further product stack 20' converted into the container 2 and the upper end wall 16 of the container 2 in such a way that the plane spanned by the holding-down device 7 is arranged approximately parallel to the planes spanned by the products 3 contained in the further product stack 20' (FIG. 12 ). The holding-down device 7 is then moved parallel to the container base towards the lower end wall 17 in order to compress the product stacks 20, 20' located between the holding-down device 7 and the lower end wall 17 (FIG. 13 ).The above-mentioned steps are repeated until the entire space arranged between the lower product stack 20 and the upper end wall is filled with products 3.After transferring a product stack to the uppermost free depositing location in the container 2, only the feed element 23 is displaced relative to the gripper jaws 22 towards the container base 15 for adjusting the gripper into the delivery position, while at the same time the gripper jaws 22 are moved away from the container base 15. Moving the gripper jaws towards each other is avoided. This enables the container 2 to be filled with the products 3 to be highly filled.As can be seen in FIG. 14, the product stacks 20, 20' can also be deposited in the container 2 in a plurality of layers 31, 32. For this purpose, a first layer 31 with product stacks is initially deposited on the container base 15 in such a way that the first layer 31 completely covers the container base 15. Thereafter, a release sheet 33 is deposited on the first sheet 31. A further layer 32 with product stacks is applied to the separating sheet 33, which layer completely covers the separating sheet 33. If necessary, further layers with product stacks can be transferred in a corresponding manner into the container 2, if this has a corresponding height.In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 15, the product stacks 20, 20' are arranged in a matrix in the container 2 in a plurality of rows and columns. In this case, a first product stack 20 is first deposited on the first side wall 18 and the lower end wall 17. A further product stack 20' is then positioned between the first product stack 20 and the second side wall 19. The holding-down device 7 is then positioned between the product stacks 20, 20' and the upper end wall 16 in the container 2 and is then moved towards the lower end wall 17 in order to compress both product stacks 20, 20'. The dimensions of the hold-down 7 are selected for this purpose such that it extends over both product stacks 20, 20'. This ensures that both gaps of the container 2 after the upsetting have exactly the same filling height with products 3, 3'.A further product stack is now deposited between the first product stack and the upper end wall in order to fill the first column of the container 2 completely with products. Finally, a further product stack is positioned between the product stack positioned last in the container 2 and the second side wall 19 in order to also fill second gaps of the container 2 completely with products. Thereafter, the holding-down device 7 is removed from the container 2.It should also be mentioned that in the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 15, the product stacks are deposited in the container 2 rotated by an angle of approximately 90° with respect to the conveying direction 12 of the endless stack 11 in a plan view of the apparatus 1. This enables compact dimensions of the device 1.It can be seen in FIG. 16 that the container 2 can also be arranged on the inclined surface 25 in the loading position 26 in such a way that the line of intersection between the plane spanned by the container base 15 and the plane spanned by the lower end wall 17 encloses an acute angle β with a horizontal line lying in the plane spanned by the container base 15. This is particularly advantageous if a plurality of columns with product stacks are to be deposited next to one another in the container 2 and a separating strip, for example made of paper or cardboard, is to be arranged between the columns.

Claims

Method for filling a container (2) with stacked, flat products (3, 3'), in particular with paper products, comprising the following steps: a) providing at least one open container (2) which has at least one container base (15), mutually opposite end walls (16, 17) and mutually opposite side walls (18, 19) running transversely to the end walls (16, 17), wherein the container (2) has a plurality of free depositing points for depositing product stacks (20, 20'), which each have a predetermined number of the flat products (3'), b) positioning the container (2) in a loading position (26) such that the container base (15) has a gradient which extends from an upper end wall (16) to a lower end wall (17) of the container (2), c) providing a holding-down device (7), which is arranged parallel to the plane spanned by the lower end wall (17) of the container (2) arranged in the loading position (26) and can be moved towards and away from the container base (15) by means of a positioning device (8) and can be displaced parallel to the container base (15) along the gradient, d) providing a manipulator (5) which has a gripper (21) with gripper jaws (22) which can be moved towards and away from one another between an open position and a closed position, e) providing at least one product stack (20) having the predetermined number of the flat products (3') at a provision position (13), f) positioning the gripper (21) at the provision position (13) in a receiving position, in which the product stack (20) is arranged between the gripper jaws (22) located in the open position and the surfaces spanned by the products (3) located in the product stack (20) face the gripper jaws (22), g) picking up the product stack (20) by adjusting the gripper jaws (22) into the closed position, h) transferring the product stack (20) from the supply position (13) to a free depositing position in the container (2) such that the surfaces spanned by the products (3) located in the product stack (20) are arranged orthogonally to the container base (15) and face the end walls (16, 17), i) adjusting the gripper (21) into a delivery position and removing the gripper (21) from the transferred product stack (20) such that, the product stack (20) coming to rest on the lower end wall (17) and being spaced apart from the upper end wall (16) by a free space, j) arranging a further product stack (20') at the supply position (13), k) positioning the gripper (21) at the supply position (13) in a receiving position in which the further product stack (20') is arranged between the gripper jaws (22) located in the open position and the surfaces spanned by the products (3') located in the further product stack (20') face the gripper jaws (22), I) receiving the further product stack (20') by adjusting the gripper jaws (22) into the closed position, m) transferring the further product stack (20') from the supply position (13) to the next free depositing position in the container (2), wherein this depositing point is arranged between the product stack (20, 20') previously transferred into the container (2) and the upper end wall (16), and the transfer is effected in such a way that the surfaces spanned by the products (3') located in the product stack (20') are arranged orthogonally to the container base (15) and face the end walls (16, 17), n) adjusting the gripper (21) into the dispensing position and removing the gripper (21) from the transferred further product stack (20'), wherein o) the hold-down device (7) is positioned between steps i) and m) with the aid of the positioning device (8) into the space between the product stack (20) converted into the container (2) and the upper end wall (16) of the container (2) and is then moved parallel to the container base (15) toward the lower end wall (17) in order to compress this product stack (20), and p) the hold-down device (7) is removed from the compressed product stack (20) with the aid of the positioning device (8) during and / or after step n), and / or q) steps j) to n) are repeated for at least one further free deposition point in the container (2), r) in the case of at least one execution of step q) before repeating step j), the hold-down means (7) is positioned with the aid of the positioning device (8) in the space between the product stack (20, 20') which was deposited last in the container (2) and the upper end wall (16) of the container (2) and is then displaced parallel to the container base (15) toward the lower end wall (17) with the aid of the positioning device (15) in order to compress this product stack (20') and at least one further product stack (20, 20') arranged between this and the lower end wall, and s) the hold-down means (7) is removed from the compressed product stacks (20, 20') with the aid of the positioning device (8) during and / or after step r).Method according to claim 1, characterised in that at least two product stacks (20, 20') are transferred successively with the aid of the manipulator (5) from the processing point (13) into the container (2) located in the loading position (26) in such a way that they are arranged offset next to one another in the container (2) in the direction of a straight line running parallel to the end walls (16, 17) and parallel to the container base (15), and in that the holding-down device (7) is dimensioned in such a way that, when it is displaced in step p) and optionally in step r) of claim 1 towards the lower end wall (17), all product stacks (20, 20') located in the container (2) are compressed simultaneously.Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the gripper (21) is brought into the delivery position in step i) of claim 1 and / or in step n) of claim 1 by moving the gripper jaws (22) away from one another.Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the gripper (21) has a feed element (23) which is adjustable relative to the gripper jaws (22) between a rest position in which it is withdrawn from the space between the gripper jaws (22, 22) into a working position in which it engages into the space between the gripper jaws (22), and in that the feed element (23) is brought into the delivery position in step i) of Patent Claim 1 and / or in step n) of Patent Claim 1 ) in that, while the gripper jaws (22) are moved away from the container base, the feed element (23) is adjusted from the rest position relative to the gripper jaws (22) towards the container base (15) into the working position.Method according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the container (2) firstly stores a first layer (31) of product stacks (20, 20') which covers the container base (15), and in that at least one further layer (32) of product stacks (20, 20') is then deposited on the first layer (31).Method according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the container (2) firstly stores a first layer (31) of product stacks (20, 20'), which layer covers the container base (15), in that a separating sheet (33) is then applied to the first layer (31), and in that a further layer (32) of product stacks (20, 20') is deposited on the separating sheet (33).Method according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that i) an endless stack (11) with stacked, flat products (3, 3') is produced, ii) in that an spreading arm (14) which can be adjusted between a rest position and a spread position is provided, iii) in that the predetermined number of products (3, 3') is added to the endless stack (11) and the endless stack (11) is moved along a transport path in a conveying direction (12) by the predetermined number of products (3, 3') towards the provision position (13), iv) in that the spreading arm (14) which is in the rest position is positioned transversely with respect to the conveying direction (12) between two products (3, 3') of the endless stack (11) which adjoin one another in such a way that the endless stack (11) has the predetermined number of products (3, 3') downstream of the spreading arm (14) in the conveying direction, v) in that the spreading arm (14) is then spread open in the conveying direction (12) in order to position a product stack (20, 20') having the predetermined number of products (3, 3') at the provision position (13), vi) and in that, if required, the spreading arm (14) is removed from the endless stack (11) in order to provide further product stacks (3, 3'), is brought into the rest position and steps iii) to vi) are repeated.Method according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the plane spanned by the container base (15) encloses an angle of inclination (α) between 20° and 70°, in particular between 30° and 60° and preferably between 40° and 50°, with a horizontal plane.Method according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the container (2) is arranged in the loading position (26) in such a way that the line of intersection between the plane spanned by the container base (15) and the plane spanned by the lower end wall (17) encloses an angle (β) with a horizontal line lying in the plane spanned by the container base (15).Method according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a holding device (6) having an inclined surface (25) which has a gradient is provided, and in that the container base (15) is positioned on the inclined surface (25) in the loading position (26).Method according to claim 10, characterised in that the container (2) is moved by means of a transport device (27) along the inclined surface (25) transversely to the direction of the gradient from a receiving position into the loading position (26) and from this into a delivery position and is in particular displaced.Apparatus (1) for filling a container (2) with stacked, flat products (3, 3'), in particular with paper products, having: - a feed device (4) for feeding product stacks (20, 20') which each have a predetermined number of the flat products (3, 3') to a supply position (13), - a holding device (6) for positioning an open container (2) in a loading position (26), wherein the holding device (6) has an inclined surface (25) with a gradient on which the container (2) can be positioned in the loading position, - a manipulator (5) which has a gripper (21) with gripper jaws (22) which can be moved towards and away from one another and is designed to pick up a product stack (20, 20') at the supply position (13) of the feed device (4), to transfer the surfaces spanned by the gripper jaws (6) and deposit them at a depositing location, and - a control device (10) connected to the feed device (4) and the manipulator (5), wherein the manipulator (5) is configured such that the surfaces spanned by the gripper jaws (22) are arranged orthogonally to the inclined surface (25) and are inclined in the direction downward of the gradient when the gripper (21) is positioned at the depositing location for depositing the product stack in the container (2), and wherein the holding device (6) has a holding-down device (7) for upsetting at least one product stack (20, 20') deposited in the container (2), which holding-down device can be moved towards the inclined surface (25) and away from the latter by means of a positioning device (8) in control connection with the control device (10) and can be displaced parallel to the inclined surface (25) in one and opposite a displacement direction, the at least one component oriented in the direction of the gradient.Device (1) according to claim 14, characterised in that the plane spanned by the inclined surface (25) of the holding device (6) encloses an angle of inclination (α) between 20° and 70°, in particular between 30° and 60° and preferably between 40° and 50°, with a horizontal plane.Device (1) according to claim 12 or 13, characterised in that the gripper (21) has a feed element (23) which is adjustable relative to the gripper jaws between a rest position, in which it is withdrawn from the space between the gripper jaws (22), into a working position, in which it engages into the space between the gripper jaws (22) for depositing a product stack (20, 20') held between the gripper jaws (22).Apparatus (1) according to one of Claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the apparatus (1) has a transport device (9) for transporting the container (2) along the inclined surface (25) in a transport direction (27) running transversely to the direction of the gradient, from a receiving position into the loading position (26) and from this into a delivery position, and in that the transport device (9) is in control connection with the control device (10).Device (1) according to one of Claims 12 to 15, characterized in that the transport device (9) for transporting the container (2) has at least one cam belt (28) and / or at least one movable vacuum suction device (29).Device (1) according to one of Claims 12 to 16, characterized in that the positioning device (8) has, on the lower edge of the inclined surface (25), a mechanical stop (30), against which the container (2) can be positioned, and in that the stop (30) is preferably designed as a strip extending in the transport direction (27) of the transport device (9).

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