Method and system for separating multiple packaging blanks intended for packaging articles

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and a system for separating a plurality of packaging blanks intended for packaging articles.

[0002] There are different types of packaging for processing, assembling, grouping, and packaging items such as beverage containers. If certain items, such as beverage containers made of PET containers with thin walls, exhibit low dimensional stability, such beverage containers are often placed on packaging blanks made of cardboard and / or paperboard to prevent accidental damage to such beverage containers during transport. Such packaging blanks are also referred to as trays or PADs and may have edge areas that are folded upwards during packaging of the items or beverage containers.

[0003] Packaging blanks are also known which consist solely of a flat support without edge regions, with the individual articles or, where appropriate, a respective combination formed from several articles resting on the flat support. The respective article standing on the tray or packaging blank, or the respective combination of articles standing on the tray or packaging blank, can then be wrapped with thermoplastic packaging film, after which the respective article standing on the tray or PAD, or the respective combination of articles standing on the tray or PAD, is placed into a shrink tunnel, and the thermoplastic packaging material is shrunk onto the respective article or the respective combination of articles.

[0004] In practice, such packaging blanks are provided as a stack, from which packaging blanks are removed one after the other and then placed on a horizontal conveyor. Groups of items can then be placed on top and, in various designs, provided with thermoplastic packaging material. Handling devices known as cycloid separators are used to remove packaging blanks.

[0005] In order to accommodate a stack of packaging blanks, packaging magazines are known from the prior art, into which each stack is placed lying down. In further embodiments already known from the prior art, packaging magazines can be designed such that they can accommodate an upright stack of packaging blanks. The handling device described above can then receive a front or upper packaging blank from the stack, remove it from the stack, and place it on a horizontal conveyor.

[0006] Until now, it has been assumed that all packaging blanks in stacked form have the same thickness. This thickness is stored by the user in a control and / or regulating device before such a separating device is put into operation. The separating device is then controlled or regulated based on the stored thickness of the packaging blanks.

[0007] However, practice has shown that the specified or known thickness of packaging blanks does not necessarily correspond to the actual thickness of the stacked packaging blanks. If the actual thickness of packaging blanks deviates from the stored thickness, this leads to numerous problems when separating packaging blanks or during subsequent batch production, where items rest on a packaging blank already removed from a stack. For example, the handling device may not be able to precisely grip the respective packaging blank or may lose it during its movement toward the horizontal conveyor.

[0008] This may result in items not fitting exactly at the specified position on the respective packaging blank at a later point in time. This, in turn, can result in a high proportion of defectively produced packages, so that existing packaging systems that use this type of separating device produce a certain amount of package waste.

[0009] For example, trays of a finished package may not be closed or may still be open. Folding fingers, which may be intended for raising the side flaps of a tray, may be in the wrong position, causing problems when folding the tray. Such existing problems are known to the person skilled in the art and are therefore not listed exhaustively.

[0010] EP 1 099 632 A1 discloses a method and device for feeding flat objects to a separating device. The flat objects have an uneven thickness profile and are separated from a horizontal stack, which serves as a buffer between the separating device and a delivery of the objects. Within the stack, the flat objects are guided in a stacking channel.

[0011] One object of the invention can be seen in providing a method and a generic system with which the described problems can be at least partially avoided. Furthermore, the method should be easy to implement, and the corresponding system should have a simple structure.

[0012] The object is achieved by a method and a system comprising the features in the independent claims. Embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

[0013] The invention relates to a method for separating a plurality of packaging blanks intended for packaging articles. The articles packaged using the packaging blanks can, for example, be beverage containers, beverage bottles, and / or beverage cans.

[0014] In a first step, packaging blanks are picked up as an upright or horizontal stack by a packaging magazine. A respective packaging blank positioned at the front or top of the stack is removed from the upright or horizontal stack by a handling device from a predetermined removal position of the packaging magazine and placed on a horizontal conveyor. The packaging magazine can then move another packaging blank positioned at the front or top into the removal position at a predetermined transport speed.

[0015] It is conceivable that the packaging magazine comprises a conveyor belt, by means of which the stack of packaging blanks is pushed toward the removal position. A pushing element can be arranged on the conveyor belt, which is in surface contact with a packaging blank positioned last in the transport direction and pushes the stack of packaging blanks toward the removal position.

[0016] In such embodiments, the packaging magazine can drive the conveyor belt in a rotating manner to advance a packaging blank located at the front into the removal position at a predetermined transport speed. The packaging blanks received as a horizontal stack can thus be advanced, particularly in a horizontal direction, by a rotating drive of the conveyor belt. The packaging magazine can be designed to accommodate precisely one horizontal or upright stack of packaging blanks. In further embodiments, the packaging magazine can also be designed to accommodate multiple, each horizontal or upright stack of packaging blanks.

[0017] In further embodiments, the packaging magazine may comprise a lifting device on which packaging blanks are received as a standing stack, wherein a respective uppermost packaging blank of the stack is removed from a predetermined removal position of the packaging magazine by means of a handling device. In such embodiments, the lifting device of the packaging magazine can lift the packaging blanks received as a standing stack in a vertical direction in order to advance a topmost packaging blank to the removal position at a predetermined transport speed.

[0018] The handling device can comprise at least one pivoting arm, on which at least one pivoting arm is arranged a plurality of suction heads, which establish a connection via negative pressure to the respective packaging blank in order to remove a respective packaging blank arranged at the front or top from the stack.

[0019] After the respective packaging blank removed from the stack has been placed on a horizontal conveyor, the connection to the respective packaging blank can be released via negative pressure and the at least one swivel arm, together with the suction heads arranged on the at least one swivel arm, can be moved back in the direction of the packaging magazine to remove another packaging blank.

[0020] However, the invention is not limited to such embodiments, so that the handling device in further embodiments can, for example, comprise a plurality of clamping and / or gripping elements in order to be able to remove a respective uppermost packaging blank of the stack from a predetermined removal position of the packaging magazine from the upright or lying stack and to place it on a horizontal conveyor device.

[0021] Within the scope of the method according to the invention, it is provided that data on the remaining height or length of the upright or lying stack is determined via at least one sensor and is passed on to a control and / or regulating device, taking into account the data and additionally taking into account a clock frequency of the removal of packaging blanks carried out by the handling device, information on a thickness of the removed packaging blanks is derived and the derived information is output visibly for a user and / or the derived information is taken into account in the context of a further control and / or regulating of the transport speed of the packaging magazine and / or the clock frequency of the handling device.

[0022] It may be that a detection range of the at least one sensor for determining the remaining height or length of the upright or lying stack is directed from behind or from below onto a packaging blank arranged last or at the rear of the upright or lying stack.

[0023] It is also possible for the at least one sensor system to comprise at least three sensors, which are positioned at a distance from one another along the height or length of the upright or lying stack. A respective detection area of ​​the at least three sensors can be directed toward one side of the upright or lying stack.

[0024] Embodiments in which the at least three sensors are each designed as a light barrier have also proven successful. In further embodiments, the at least one sensor system can be designed as a camera system. Accordingly, it is also conceivable for the at least three sensors to each be designed as a camera system. It is also conceivable for the at least three sensors to each be designed as a tactile sensor.

[0025] It is conceivable that the control and / or regulating device uses the information on the thickness of the accepted packaging blanks to check whether the thickness of the accepted packaging blanks is within a specified tolerance range. In this case, the control and / or regulating device may issue an error message to a user if the control and / or regulating device determines during the check that the thickness of the accepted packaging blanks is outside the tolerance range.

[0026] The invention also relates to a system for separating multiple packaging blanks intended for packaging articles. Features that have already been described previously for various embodiments of the method can also be provided in the embodiments of the system described below and will not be mentioned repeatedly. The system comprises a packaging magazine designed to accommodate a vertical or horizontal stack of packaging blanks.

[0027] The system further comprises a handling device that can remove a respective packaging blank located at the front or top of the stack from a predetermined removal position in the packaging magazine, either vertically or horizontally. The handling device can be designed as a so-called cycloid separator. Embodiments in which the handling device is designed as a multi-axis robot or as an industrial robot have proven successful.

[0028] The packaging magazine is designed such that a further packaging blank, which is then arranged at the front or top of the stack, can be advanced via the packaging magazine to the removal position at a predetermined transport speed. To advance the further packaging blank, which is then arranged at the front or top of the stack, to the removal position, the packaging magazine can have at least one conveyor belt.

[0029] The system further comprises a control and / or regulating device connected to the handling device and to at least one sensor system. It is intended that data on the remaining height or length of the upright or horizontal stack can be determined by means of the at least one sensor system and transmitted to the control and / or regulating device.

[0030] It is further provided that the control and / or regulating device is designed in such a way that the control and / or regulating device can derive information on a thickness of the removed packaging blanks, taking into account the data and additionally taking into account a clock frequency of the removal of packaging blanks carried out by the handling device.

[0031] In the system, the control and / or regulating device can be designed to visibly output information regarding the thickness of the removed packaging blanks to a user. For this purpose, the control and / or regulating device can optionally have a display, preferably designed as a touchscreen, or be connected to a display, preferably designed as a touchscreen.

[0032] Alternatively or additionally, the control and / or regulating device may be designed to control and / or regulate the transport speed of the packaging magazine and / or to control and / or regulate the clock frequency of the handling device, taking into account the derived information on the thickness of the removed packaging blanks.

[0033] Embodiments have proven successful in which a detection area of ​​the at least one sensor is aligned such that the at least one sensor looks in the direction from the rear or in the direction from below onto a packaging blank arranged last or at the rear of the upright or lying stack which is received by the packaging magazine.

[0034] It may be that the at least one sensor system comprises at least three sensors, which are positioned at a distance from one another along the height or along the length of a stack of packaging blanks received in an upright or lying position by the packaging magazine.

[0035] The at least three sensors can each be designed as light barriers. It is also conceivable that different measurement principles can be used for the sensors or for individual sensors, such as optical detection and / or ultrasonic measurements, or others.

[0036] Furthermore, the control and / or regulating device may be configured such that the control and / or regulating device can use the information on the thickness of the removed packaging blanks to check whether the thickness of the removed packaging blanks is within a specified tolerance range. Furthermore, the control and / or regulating device may be capable of issuing an error message to a user if the control and / or regulating device determines during the check that the thickness of the removed packaging blanks is outside the tolerance range.

[0037] It should be expressly stated at this point that all aspects and embodiments explained in connection with the system according to the invention equally relate to, or can be, partial aspects of the method according to the invention. Therefore, if certain aspects and / or relationships and / or effects are mentioned at any point in the description or in the claim definitions for the system according to the invention, this equally applies to the method according to the invention. The same applies in reverse, so that all aspects and embodiments explained in connection with the method according to the invention equally relate to, or can be partial aspects of the system according to the invention.Therefore, if certain aspects and / or relationships and / or effects are mentioned at any point in the description or in the claim definitions of the method according to the invention, this applies equally to the system according to the invention. The system can, if appropriate, be designed to carry out the previously described embodiments of the method according to the invention.

[0038] 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. 1shows a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a system according to the invention and illustrates individual steps as they can be provided in various embodiments of the method according to the invention. Fig. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of a system according to the invention and illustrates individual steps as they can be provided in various embodiments of the method according to the invention. Fig. 3 shows individual details of the design of a system according to Figures 1 and 2 . Figures 4 show schematic views ( Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B ) of packaging blanks, as they can be separated with various embodiments of the system and how they can be provided in various embodiments for implementing the method according to the invention. Fig. 5 shows the individual steps in the flowchart as they are carried out individually or in the Fig. 4combination shown can be provided in various embodiments of the method according to the invention.

[0039] 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 implemented and do not constitute an exhaustive limitation.

[0040] The embodiments, examples, and variants of the preceding paragraphs, the claims or the following description and figures, including their various views or respective individual features, may be used independently of one another or in any combination. Features described in connection with one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments, unless the features are incompatible.

[0041] Although the following description of the figures generally refers to "schematic" representations and views, this by no means implies that the figures and their descriptions are of secondary importance with regard to the disclosure of the invention. The skilled person is perfectly capable of deriving sufficient information from the schematic and abstractly drawn representations to facilitate their understanding of the invention, without their understanding being in any way impaired by the drawn proportions, which may not be precisely to scale.The figures thus enable the skilled reader to derive a better understanding of the inventive concept formulated in a more general and / or abstract manner in the claims and in the general part of the description on the basis of the more concretely explained implementations of the method according to the invention and the more concretely explained functioning of the system according to the invention.

[0042] The Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a system 1 according to the invention and illustrates individual steps as they can be provided in various embodiments of the method 100 according to the invention.

[0043] The system 1 comprises a packaging magazine 20, which in the present case is designed to hold a stack of packaging blanks 12 (not shown here) lying down (see, however, Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B). The horizontal stack of packaging blanks can be transported in the transport direction TR by means of system 1.

[0044] For transport, the packaging magazine 20 comprises two conveyor belts 22 and 24, which are driven in a rotating manner and push the respective stack horizontally along the transport direction TR at a predetermined transport speed. A respective frontmost packaging blank is in surface contact with a stop 7 of the packaging magazine 20.

[0045] This front-mounted packaging blank can then be Figures 1 and 2The only schematically indicated handling device 50 removes the articles from the stack, transports them along a predetermined path, and places them on a horizontal conveyor. Articles are then placed on the packaging blank, which remains on the horizontal conveyor, via further devices.

[0046] It is also possible that thermoplastic packaging material is applied to the articles on the packaging blank and that the thermoplastic packaging material is subsequently shrunk onto the articles via a shrink tunnel (not shown).

[0047] After the handling device 50 has removed a packaging blank from the stack, the packaging magazine 20 must move another packaging blank, which is then in surface contact with the stops 7 and is removed from the handling device 50 in a subsequent process step.

[0048] A clock frequency at which the handling device 50 removes packaging blanks from the stack must therefore be set in relation to the transport speed of the packaging magazine 20. The transport speed is thus specified via the control and / or regulating device S in accordance with the clock frequency. The control and / or regulating device S is therefore connected to both the packaging magazine 20 and the handling device 50.

[0049] In embodiments known from the prior art, it has been provided to date that a user stores information on the thickness of the respective packaging blanks in the control and / or regulating device S. However, practice has shown that the actual thickness of packaging blanks can deviate from the expected thickness. As long as the actual thickness is within specified tolerance ranges, there are no problems with regard to the error-free acceptance of packaging blanks via the handling device 50, the subsequent positioning of the packaging blanks on a horizontal conveyor, and the packaging of articles via the packaging blanks that have been deposited on the horizontal conveyor or positioned on the horizontal conveyor.

[0050] If the ratio between the transport speed and the cycle frequency of the handling device 50 deviates from a ratio provided for the thickness of the packaging blanks, it may be the case, for example, that the handling device 50 cannot grasp the respective packaging blanks arranged at the front of the stack or can only grasp them in an incorrect position, so that problems can arise when receiving packaging blanks and when transporting them in the direction of the horizontal conveyor device.

[0051] In these cases, the handling device 50 may also not place packaging blanks precisely at a specified position on the horizontal conveyor, which in turn may result in articles being incorrectly placed on the respective packaging blank at a later time. This already makes it clear that the transport speed at which the packaging magazine 20 moves articles in the transport direction TR and the cycle frequency of the handling device 50 must be coordinated with one another. This coordination must take into account the thickness of the packaging blanks that are accommodated by the packaging magazine 20.

[0052] In order to avoid the problems already described, the system 1 or the packaging magazine 20 formed as a component of the system 1 comprises a sensor system 6, which in this case is designed as a light barrier 8. Fig. 1The arrow shown in the figure illustrates a viewing direction BR, along which the detection range of the sensor 6 or the light barrier 8 is oriented. The sensor 6 or the light barrier 8 looks at a rearmost packaging blank of the Fig. 1 not with the stack shown and picked up by the packaging magazine 20.

[0053] If packaging blanks are removed step by step from the stack via the handling device 50 and the stack is then moved further in the transport direction TR by means of the conveyor belts 22 and 24, the control and / or regulating device S can detect via the sensor system 6 or the light barrier 8 what remaining length the stack still picked up by the packaging magazine 20 has along the transport direction TR.

[0054] In other words, the control and / or regulating device S can carry out a distance measurement via the sensor system 6 or via the light barrier 8 and thereby determine the length of the remaining stack still received by the packaging magazine 20 in the transport direction TR.

[0055] The packaging magazine 20 has in the embodiment according to Fig. 1 a simple structure, since in practice exactly one sensor 6 or exactly one light barrier 8 can be sufficient to detect the length of the remaining stack of packaging blanks in the transport direction TR.

[0056] The exact one sensor system 6 or the exact one light barrier 8 serves as a distance sensor, by means of which distance sensor the control and / or regulating device S can determine the remaining length of the stack of packaging blanks which is received by the packaging magazine 20.

[0057] The control and / or regulating device S is also connected to the handling device 50. The control and / or regulating device S thus knows the clock frequency of the handling device 50 when removing packaging blanks from the stack.

[0058] By means of an algorithmic storage on the control and / or regulating device S, the control and / or regulating device S can deduce an actual thickness of the packaging blanks or derive information on a thickness of the removed packaging blanks, taking into account data on the remaining length of the stack and additionally taking into account a clock frequency of the removal of packaging blanks carried out by the handling device 50.

[0059] The control and / or regulating device S then displays this information on a display, allowing the user to easily determine the actual thickness of the packaging blanks already removed from the stack. This allows the user to react quickly if the thickness of packaging blanks already removed is no longer within specified tolerance ranges.

[0060] In the embodiment according to Fig. 1As well as in further embodiments of the invention, it is additionally provided that information on the tolerance ranges of the thickness of packaging blanks is already stored on the control and / or regulating device S, within which the system 1 can operate without problems and within which tolerance ranges articles can also be packaged without problems using the packaging blanks that have already been accepted. The control and / or regulating device S can thereby check whether the determined thickness of the packaging blanks that have already been accepted is within these tolerance ranges and, if necessary, issue an error message if the determined thickness of the packaging blanks that have already been accepted has left the tolerance range.

[0061] In order to be able to continue packaging operations without interruption even when the tolerance range is exceeded, the design according to Fig. 1It is provided that the control and / or regulating device S regulates the transport speed of the packaging magazine 20 or the cycle frequency of the handling device 50 if the control and / or regulating device S determines that the actual thickness of the packaging blanks already removed is outside the tolerance range. The regulation is carried out in such a way that the insufficient thickness of the packaging blanks or the excessive thickness of the packaging blanks can be compensated by reducing or increasing the transport speed of the packaging magazine 20 and / or by increasing or decreasing the cycle frequency of the handling device 50.

[0062] Thus, such a regulation allows for trouble-free packaging operations even if the thickness of packaging blanks is outside a permissible tolerance range.

[0063] The Fig. 2shows a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of a system 1 according to the invention and illustrates individual steps as they occur in various embodiments of the method 100 according to the invention (cf. Fig. 5 ) may be provided.

[0064] The embodiment from Fig. 2 comprises a packaging magazine 20, which is designed to receive a horizontal stack of packaging blanks 12 (see Fig. 4A, Fig. 4B ). A respective frontmost packaging blank of the lying stack is also in the embodiment according to Fig. 2 removed from the stack by means of a handling device 50 and placed or positioned on a horizontal conveyor device not shown.

[0065] The clock frequency of the handling device 50 and the transport speed of the packaging magazine 20 are initially set by the control and / or regulating device S to an expected or predetermined thickness of packaging blanks 12 (cf. Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B ) which has been stored by a user in the control and / or regulating device S or, if necessary, is obtained independently by means of the control and / or regulating device S during commissioning, taking into account data on a remaining length of the stack and a clock frequency of the handling device 50.

[0066] The embodiment of a system 1 according to Fig. 2 differs from the embodiment of a system 1 according to Fig. 1by the design or positioning of the sensor system 6 and by the manner in which the control and / or regulating device S can determine the length of the remaining stack of packaging blanks 12 with the aid of the sensor system 6.

[0067] Thus, the sensor system 6 from the embodiment according to Fig. 2 several individual sensors 6', which are positioned one after the other along the transport direction TR of the packaging magazine 20 and are each designed as a light barrier 8. A detection area or a viewing direction BR of a respective sensor 6' is oriented obliquely or perpendicularly to the transport direction TR of the packaging magazine 20. If a new stack of packaging blanks is picked up by the packaging magazine 20, all sensors 6' or all light barriers 8 are initially occupied by the stack.

[0068] As the handling device 50 continuously removes packaging blanks arranged at the front, the length of the stack shortens, initially freeing a first sensor 6' previously occupied by the stack. The control and / or regulating device S can then detect that, at a certain point in time, this sensor 6' is no longer occupied by the lying stack of packaging blanks 12. As packaging blanks 12 arranged at the front are further removed from the lying stack, at a certain point in time, another subsequent sensor 6' becomes free or unoccupied.

[0069] This is further detected by the control and / or regulating device S, which is connected to all sensors 6'. Based on the respective configured or unconfigured occupancy of the sensors 6', the control and / or regulating device S can therefore indirectly determine the length of a lying and still remaining stack of packaging blanks, which is received by the packaging magazine 20.

[0070] Also in the example according to Fig. 2The handling device 50 is connected to the control and / or regulating device S, so that the control and / or regulating device S knows a clock frequency with which the handling device 50 removes a respective frontmost packaging blank from the lying stack of packaging blanks. From the respective length of the remaining stack of packaging blanks and from the respective clock frequency with which the handling device 50 has removed packaging blanks from the stack up to that point, the control and / or regulating device S can deduce the actual thickness of the packaging blanks.

[0071] According to the embodiment according to Fig. 1 is also for the embodiment according to Fig. 2 It is provided that the control and / or regulating device S outputs information on the thickness of the packaging blanks in a way that is visible to a user. According to the embodiment according to Fig. 1the control and / or regulating device S of the embodiment according to Fig. 2 compare whether the respective determined thickness of the packaging blanks is within a specified tolerance range. If this is not the case, the control and / or regulating device S can issue an error message to a user or, if necessary, adjust the cycle frequency and / or transport speed of the packaging magazine 20 accordingly.

[0072] The Fig. 3 shows individual details of the embodiment of a system 1 according to Figures 1 and 2 . In particular, Fig. 3 an area of ​​the packaging magazine 20 from which the handling device 50 (cf. Figures 1 and 2 ) Packaging blanks 12 (cf. Figures 4A and 4B ) from the stack picked up horizontally by the packaging magazine 20. Thus, Fig. 3a removal position from which the handling device 50 removes a respective packaging blank arranged at the front, which is in surface contact with the stops 7, from the packaging magazine 20.

[0073] As previously described, a packaging blank arranged at the front of the lying stack rests against a stop 7, whereupon the handling device 50 removes this packaging blank arranged at the front 12 from the stack and guides it away from the packaging magazine 20. In order to be able to remove another packaging blank arranged at the front from the remaining stack by means of the handling device 50, the entire stack is pushed in the transport direction TR with the aid of transport rollers 22 and 24, whereupon the other packaging blank arranged at the front moves into a removal position.

[0074] The Fig. 3shows that a sensor 6' is arranged in an end region of the packaging magazine 20 or in the removal position provided for the respective packaging blank arranged at the front, which sensor is again a light barrier 8.

[0075] In further embodiments, the sensor 6' can also be designed, for example, as a camera system or as a sensor. The sensor 6' is connected to the control and / or regulating device S. Immediately before the handling device 50 removes a packaging blank 12 arranged at the front from the stack, this sensor 6' is occupied by the packaging blank 12 arranged at the front. Immediately after the handling device 50 has removed the packaging blank arranged at the front from the stack, this sensor 6' is unoccupied for a certain period of time until the packaging magazine 20 moves another packaging blank into the removal position by means of the conveyor belts 22 and 24.

[0076] This causes this sensor 6' to be occupied again. The duration of the occupancy of this sensor 6' is therefore always closely related to the thickness of the packaging blanks and the transport speed at which the packaging magazine 20 advances a respective packaging blank located at the front into the removal position. The duration for which the sensor 6' should be occupied by a respective packaging blank located at the front is known to the control and / or regulating device S.

[0077] If the control and / or regulating device S determines via the sensor 6' that the duration of a respective occupancy deviates from a known or predetermined duration, the control and / or regulating device S can inform a user of this. A deviating duration can occur, for example, if a respective packaging blank arranged at the front is curved or not flat, since this increases the duration of occupancy of the sensor 6'. There is then the possibility that the control and / or regulating device will conclude that there is an error and output the error to a user. A user can then check whether further packaging operation is associated with problems due to the curvature or deformation of the packaging blank.

[0078] The position of the sensor 6' is in Fig. 3to be understood merely as an example, so that the sensor 6' can, for example, also be arranged at a position at which the removed packaging blank is moved past the handling device 50.

[0079] It has also proven useful for the control and / or regulating device S to have a database in which previously occurred errors are assigned to a respective error cause. If the control and / or regulating device S then determines that a similar or identical error occurs again, the control and / or regulating device S can display information on the possible error cause on a screen. Thus, the control and / or regulating device S can, for example, inform a user about a possible curvature of a packaging blank, provided the control and / or regulating device detects such a curvature by detecting the presence of sensor 6'.

[0080] It is also possible that the control and / or regulating device S is connected to a control system. If a corresponding error is detected, such embodiments can be used to appropriately control subsequent process steps in such a way that the error can be compensated for, if possible, during the subsequent process steps.

[0081] The Figures 4A and 4B show schematic views of packaging blanks 12 as they can be separated using various embodiments of the system 1 and as they can be provided in various embodiments for implementing the method 100 according to the invention.

[0082] In the Fig. 4A The packaging blank 12 shown is a so-called tray 13, which has several lateral flaps 9 that are folded upwards in order to hold several articles standing on the tray 13 in a form-fitting manner.

[0083] In the Fig. 4BThe packaging blank 12 shown is a so-called pad, which has two parallel wide side surfaces. One of these parallel wide side surfaces or an upper one of these parallel wide side surfaces forms a flat support surface for articles. Number 30 and the corresponding arrow symbol indicate Fig. 4B reference is made to a thickness of the packaging blank 12, wherein information on such a thickness is provided by means of the embodiments of a system 1 according to Figures 1 and 2 and by means of the following Fig. 5 described method 100 can be derived from a remaining length of a stack of packaging blanks and from a clock frequency of a handling device 50.

[0084] The Fig. 5 shows the individual steps in the flowchart as they are carried out individually or in the Fig. 5illustrated combination can be provided in various embodiments of the method 100 according to the invention. In method step 110, a handling device 50 cyclically picks up packaging blanks 12 arranged at the front (cf. Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B ) from a stack. The stack of packaging blanks is transported horizontally through a packaging magazine 20 (see Figures 1 and 2 ), but in other embodiments it can also be held upright by a packaging magazine.

[0085] During this removal, method step 120 is carried out, in which a sensor system 6 determines data on the remaining length of the stack and transmits this data to a control and / or regulating device S. The control and / or regulating device S is connected to the handling device 50, so that the control and / or regulating device S knows a clock frequency with which the handling device 50 removes the packaging blanks 12 arranged at the front from the stack.

[0086] In method step 130, the control and / or regulating device S derives information on a respective thickness of the removed packaging blanks 12, for which purpose the control and / or regulating device S takes into account the data on the remaining length of the lying stack as well as the clock frequency of the removal carried out by the handling device 50.

[0087] In method step 140, the control and / or regulating device S then outputs the derived information on the thickness of the removed packaging blanks 12 via a display so that a user can recognize the derived information on the thickness of the removed packaging blanks.

[0088] The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it is conceivable for 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

[0089] 1System 5Support leg 6Sensor 6Sensor 7Stop 8Light barrier 9Tab 12Packaging blank 13Tray 14Pad 20Packaging magazine 22Packaging magazine 24Packaging magazine 30Thickness 50Handling device 100Process 110Process step, first process step 120Process step, second process step 130Process step, third process step 140Process step, fourth process step BRViewing direction SControl and / or regulating device TRTransport direction

Claims

1. A method (100) for separating a plurality of packaging blanks (12) provided for packaging articles, in which method (100) - a plurality of packaging blanks (12) are received by a packaging magazine (20) as a stack in a standing or lying position, wherein a particular packaging blank (12) arranged foremost or topmost of the stack is removed by means of a handling device (50) from a specified removal position of the packaging magazine (20) from the standing or lying stack and is deposited on a horizontal conveyor device, whereupon the packaging magazine (20) advances a further packaging blank (12) into the removal position at a specified transport speed, which further packaging blank (12) is then arranged foremost or topmost, wherein - data on the remaining height or length of the standing or lying stack is determined via at least one sensor system (6) and transmitted to a control device and / or regulating device (S), characterised in that the control device and / or regulating device (S) derives information on a thickness of the removed packaging blanks (12) in consideration of the data and in additional consideration of a cycle frequency of the removal of packaging blanks (12) carried out by the handling device (50) and outputs the derived information for a user in a visible manner and / or takes the derived information into consideration in the context of a further control and / or regulation of the transport speed of the packaging magazine (20) and / or of the cycle frequency of the handling device (50).

2. The method according to claim 1, in which a detection range of the at least one sensor system (6) is directed from behind or from below towards a packaging blank (12) arranged lattermost or hindmost of the standing or lying stack in order to determine the remaining height or length of the upright or lying stack.

3. The method according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the at least one sensor system (6) comprises at least three sensors (6'), which at least three sensors (6`) are positioned spaced apart from one another along the height or along the length of the standing or lying stack, and wherein a particular detection range of the at least three sensors (6') is directed in each case towards one side of the standing or lying stack.

4. The method according to claim 3, in which the at least three sensors (6') are each designed as a light barrier (8).

5. The method according to one of the claims 1 to 4, in which the control device and / or regulating device (S) checks by means of the information on the thickness of the removed packaging blanks (12) whether the thickness of the removed packaging blanks (12) is within a specified tolerance range, and in which method the control device and / or regulating device (S) outputs an error message for a user if the control device and / or regulating device (S) determines in the context of the check that the thickness of the removed packaging blanks (12) is outside the tolerance range.

6. A system (1) for separating a plurality of packaging blanks (12) provided for packaging articles, the system (1) comprising - a packaging magazine (20) designed to receive a standing or lying stack of packaging blanks, - a handling device (50), which can remove a particular packaging blank (12) arranged foremost or topmost of the stack from a specified removal position of the packaging magazine (20) from the standing or lying stack, wherein the packaging magazine (20) is designed such that via the packaging magazine (20), a further packaging blank (12) of the stack is advanceable into the removal position at a specified transport speed, which further packaging blank (12) is then arranged foremost or topmost, a control device and / or regulating device (S), which is in contact with the handling device (50) and with at least one sensor system (6), characterised in that i) data on the remaining height or length of the standing or lying stack is determinable by means of at least one sensor system (6) and transmittable to a control device and / or regulating device (S), and wherein ii) the control device and / or regulating device (S) is designed such that the control device and / or regulating device (S) can derive information on a thickness of the removed packaging blanks (12) in consideration of the data and in additional consideration of a cycle frequency of the removal of packaging blanks (12) carried out by the handling device (50), and wherein iii) the control device and / or regulating device (S) is designed to output the information for the user on the thickness of the removed packaging blanks (12) in a visible manner, and / or wherein the control device and / or regulating device (S) is designed to control and / or regulate the transport speed of the packaging magazine (20) and / or to control and / or regulate the cycle frequency of the handling device (50 in consideration of the derived information on the thickness of the removed packaging blanks (12).

7. The system according to claim 6, in which a detection range of the at least one sensor system (6) is aligned in such a manner that the at least one sensor system (6) faces in the direction from behind or in the direction from below toward a packaging blank (12) arranged lattermost or hindmost of the standing or lying stack received by the packaging magazine (20).

8. The system according to claim 6 or claim 7, in which the at least one sensor system (6) comprises at least three sensors (6'), which at least three sensors (6') are positioned spaced apart from one another along the height or along the length of a stack of packaging blanks (12) received in a standing or lying position by the packaging magazine (20).

9. The system according to claim 8, in which the at least three sensors (6') are each designed as a light barrier (8).

10. The system according to one of the claims 6 to 9, in which the control device and / or regulating device (S) is designed in such a manner that the control device and / or regulating device (S) can check by means of the information on the thickness of the removed packaging blanks (12) whether the thickness of the removed packaging blanks (12) is within a specified tolerance range, and wherein an error message for a user is outputable via the control device and / or regulating device (S) if the control device and / or regulating device (S) determines in the context of the check that the thickness of the removed packaging blanks (12) is outside the tolerance range.