METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC FILLING OF A TRANSPORT BOX AND MANIPULATOR DEVICE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for automatically filling a transport container with a bundle of individual goods that are combined into the bundle by means of a goods ring. The invention also relates to an associated manipulator device.

[0002] EP 2 516 300 A1 describes a device with a loading station for automatically filling cylindrical capsules with objects that have been assigned addresses. The capsules are intended for pneumatic tube transport systems and have two openable end pieces and a transponder with readable information about the identity of each individual capsule. A loading station comprises a gripping device and a transmission unit via which the gripping device can be moved automatically. The gripping device is moved relative to a capsule, initially in a first direction through the first end piece opening and the second end piece opening of the capsule. The object is then gripped via the second end piece opening of the capsule. The object is then pulled into the capsule in an opposite direction through the second end piece opening.The gripping device can then release the object within the capsule and move out of the capsule relative to the capsule via the first end piece opening.

[0003] EP 2 565 036 A1 describes a packaging material for producing packaging for products, in particular pharmaceutical or medical products.

[0004] WO 2014 / 207507 A1 describes a carrier for a single-dose medicament and comprises a relatively rigid, planar body that has an elongated shape in a first direction and a thickness that is relatively smaller in relation to a surface. A receptacle for a single-dose medicament is provided on a portion of the surface, wherein this region is shifted completely to one side relative to a centerline of the surface transversely to the first main direction. Furthermore, a hole is provided for suspending the medicament carrier. Several single-dose medicaments can be combined into a bundle, optionally together with other individual items, by means of a common merchandise ring.

[0005] The advertising video of Ing. Sumetzberger GmbH discloses a method according to the preamble of claim 1. The video shows a fully automated hospital pharmacy in which a device is shown which fills a transport box with individual objects to be transported, wherein the objects are grouped together on a holding device.

[0006] US 6 477 442 B1 discloses a manipulator device according to the preamble of claim 5. The document shows a pneumatic tube station which removes and loads the cans by means of robotic support.

[0007] The object of the invention is to be able to insert a bundle of individual goods, which are combined into the bundle by means of a goods ring, into a transport box in a simple and reliable manner using an automated process.

[0008] The object is achieved according to the invention by a method for automatically filling a transport box with a bundle of individual goods which are combined into the bundle by means of a goods ring, comprising the steps: Automatic gripping of the goods ring by means of a gripping tool of an automatically controllable manipulator device, so that the goods ring is held by the gripping tool, Automatic movement of the gripping tool along a first movement path by automatically controlling the manipulator device such that, while the goods ring is being held and moved by means of the gripping tool, the individual goods hanging on the bundle are guided over a retaining device so that the individual goods are aligned counter to the direction of movement of the goods ring along the first movement path, Subsequent automatic insertion of the bundle into the transport sleeve by means of the gripping tool along a second movement path by automatically controlling the manipulator device such that,that the bundle is inserted into the transport sleeve with its product ring first and the individual items grouped on the bundle follow the product ring in the direction of movement of the product ring into the transport sleeve, characterized in that the automatic movement of the gripping tool along the first movement path is a pivoting movement about a horizontal pivot axis or about an at least substantially horizontal pivot axis, the product ring being positioned at the end of the first movement path (P1) above an open opening of the transport sleeve.

[0009] The transport box can be a container that is particularly designed for transporting objects or goods within a pneumatic tube system. The objects or goods to be transported can be of any type. The pneumatic tube system can be used, for example, within a logistics center, a production facility, or a medical facility such as a hospital. The invention is described below using a pneumatic tube system in a hospital, wherein the bundle of individual goods can be a combination of, for example, a tag with personal data, an individual blister pack of a medication, a sample bag, and / or another medication bag. Especially with sample bags or individual blister packs of a medication as representative examples, particularly careful handling of the objects or goods is necessary to prevent damage.For example, up to three bundles of individual goods, each grouped together on a goods ring, can be automatically inserted one after the other into a transport box of conventional design.

[0010] In an example process, an empty transport container is sent to a pneumatic tube station to collect one or more bundles of individual goods grouped together in a goods ring. Once the transport container arrives at the pneumatic tube station, it is moved to a filling position. In the filling position, the transport container is held and positioned by a holder. The transport container can be rotated to a desired position, and an upper lid of the transport container can be opened automatically, leaving one opening in the transport container free to allow a bundle to be automatically inserted into the cavity of the transport container.

[0011] Each individual bundle is individually pre-assembled in a separate assembly device and is then prepared by this assembly device. The arm of the manipulator device pivots out and into the assembly device to pick up the pre-assembled bundle using its gripping tool. The gripping tool automatically grips the bundle by grasping the ring of goods. The arm, i.e. the gripping tool, together with the bundle held by the gripping tool, is then fed into the pneumatic tube station. During the pivoting movement, the individual items hanging on the ring of goods slide over a deflector edge and align themselves accordingly. At the end of the pivoting movement, the ring of goods is positioned directly above the opening of the transport sleeve. The individual items are pivoted sideways away from the opening of the transport sleeve due to the deflector edge.In a linear downward movement, the product ring is inserted from top to bottom into the cavity of the transport sleeve by means of the gripping tool and the linearly adjustable front arm of the arm. The individual items follow this linear movement of the product ring and slide behind the product ring into the cavity of the transport sleeve, after the product ring has already been inserted into the cavity of the transport sleeve. For example, up to three bundles of individual items, each grouped on a product ring, can be automatically inserted one after the other into the transport sleeve in this way.

[0012] In the method, the automatic movement of the gripping tool along the first movement path in the form of the pivoting movement about the horizontal pivot axis or about the at least substantially horizontal pivot axis can be carried out in such a way that in an initial sequence of the first movement path the individual goods grouped on the goods ring hang vertically downwards due to gravity and in an end sequence of the first movement path the individual goods grouped on the goods ring are brought into a horizontal orientation or into an at least substantially horizontal orientation by means of the retaining device before the goods ring is pushed into the transport sleeve along the second movement path.

[0013] In the method, the automatic insertion of the bundle into the transport sleeve along the second movement path can be a vertical pushing movement or an at least substantially vertical pushing movement, wherein the transport sleeve is arranged with its open opening below the product ring in such a way that the product ring together with the gripping tool is pushed downwards against the direction of gravity over the open opening of the transport sleeve into the hollow space of the transport sleeve and the individual products grouped on the bundle follow the product ring in the downward direction of movement of the product ring into the transport sleeve.

[0014] In the method, the bundle can be automatically inserted into the transport sleeve along the second movement path in such a way that the product ring is released from the gripping tool when a residual distance to a bottom wall of the transport sleeve opposite the opening of the transport sleeve is reached, even before the product ring, which is automatically fed and held by the gripping tool, touches the bottom wall of the transport sleeve.

[0015] The object is further achieved by a manipulator device, comprising a gripping tool which is designed to receive a ring of goods of a bundle of individual goods in an open state of the gripping tool and to hold the ring of goods of the bundle of individual goods on the gripping tool in a closed state of the gripping tool, and comprising an arm with an automatically pivotably mounted base arm and with a front arm which is automatically linearly adjustable on the base arm and which has the gripping tool, comprising a stationary holder for holding a transport sleeve in a vertical orientation in which an opening of the transport sleeve is arranged open at the top, and comprising a deflection edge which is located in the opening plane of the opening or at least substantially in the opening plane of the opening and which is designedto align the individual items hanging on the bundle along a first movement path, counter to a direction of movement of the goods ring, while the goods ring is guided by means of the gripping tool over the deflecting edge to the opening of the transport sleeve, characterized in that the deflecting edge has a central section which is aligned at least substantially in the manner of a passer-by to the opening of the transport sleeve (4), which is delimited by two opposite edge sections, wherein the two edge sections extend from the central section, continuously widening in their mutual distance from one another, counter to the feed movement of the individual items of the bundle to the opening of the transport sleeve.

[0016] The front arm carries the gripping tool. To pivot the base arm, it can be attached to a shaft of a pivot motor, in particular a pneumatically driven one. A pneumatic cylinder can be provided to mount the front arm on the base arm in a linearly adjustable manner. Compressed air can be supplied to the gripping tool via, for example, a coiled compressed air supply line, in order to be able to open and close the gripping tool automatically, for example by compressed air. The gripping tool can have a first gripper jaw and a second gripper jaw. Each gripper jaw can have a projection, whereby the projections can be designed to grip the ring of goods in a form-fitting manner when the gripper jaws are in a closed position. The projections can be designed to be free of undercuts so that when the gripper jaws are open, a ring of goods that was previously held and then released can easily be released from the gripper jaws by means of gravity.

[0017] In the manipulator device, the deflecting edge can be arranged at least substantially in a manner aligned with the opening of the transport sleeve. This means that the deflecting edge can extend with its longitudinal extent in the plane of the opening of the transport sleeve. In this position of the deflecting edge, it can preferably be oriented at right angles to a radius of the preferably circular opening of the transport sleeve.

[0018] The deflection edge has a central section that is aligned at least essentially in the manner of a passer-by toward the opening of the transport sleeve. This central section is delimited by two opposing edge sections. The two edge sections, with their mutual distance from one another continuously widening, extend away from the central section against the feed movement of the individual goods of the bundle to the opening of the transport sleeve. The two edge sections can thus form a V-shaped centering element, due to which the individual goods are centered, solely through the movement of the gripping tool with the goods ring held thereon.

[0019] In all embodiments, the manipulator device can have a sensor device which is designed to monitor the opening plane of the opening of the transport sleeve to determine whether one or more individual items of a bundle inserted into the transport sleeve are still located in the opening plane of the opening of the transport sleeve.

[0020] The sensor device can be designed, for example, in the form of a light barrier, a laser scanner, an optical sensor such as a camera or in the form of a near-field sensor.

[0021] A specific embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the accompanying figures. Regardless of the specific context in which they are mentioned, specific features of this exemplary embodiment may represent general features of the invention, even when considered individually or in further combinations.

[0022] They show: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a pneumatic tube station designed to transport transport boxes, Fig. 2 a side view of the pneumatic tube station according to Fig. 1 with a view of a manipulator device according to the invention, Fig. 3 the pneumatic tube station according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 in a front view with horizontally swung out arm, Fig. 4 the pneumatic tube station according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 in a front view with the arm pivoted vertically in, Fig. 5 a side view of the manipulator device according to the invention in isolation, Fig. 6 the manipulator device according to the invention according to Fig. 5 in a standalone position from the front, Fig. 7 a view of an exemplary bundle of individual goods which are combined into the bundle by means of a goods ring, Figs. 8 to 10 a schematic representation of a sequence along the first movement path for the bundle of individual goods guided by the gripping tool, Figs. 11 to 13 a schematic representation of a sequence along the second movement path for the bundle of individual goods guided by the gripping tool, and Fig. 14 a vertical plan view from above of the opening of the transport sleeve together with the deflector edge.

[0023] In the Fig. 1 An exemplary pneumatic tube station 1 is shown. This pneumatic tube station 1 can be part of a pneumatic tube system (not shown in detail) with several pneumatic tube stations 1. The pneumatic tube station 1 is connected to a pipeline network of the pneumatic tube system via a connecting piece 2. Access to the interior of the pneumatic tube station 1 can be created via a door 3, for example, for the manual removal or manual insertion of a transport container 4.

[0024] As from Fig. 2 As can be seen, a manipulator device 5 according to the invention is arranged within the exemplary pneumatic tube station 1. An arm 7 of the manipulator device 5 can be pivoted out of the interior of the pneumatic tube station 1 via a window cutout 6, for example in order to pick up a bundle 8 ( Fig. 7 ) to be able to automatically move from outside the pneumatic tube station 1 into the interior of the pneumatic tube station 1.

[0025] The pneumatic tube station 1 comprises a stationary holder 9 for holding a transport container 4 when it has arrived at the pneumatic tube station 1. Above the stationary holder 9, the arm 7 of the manipulator device 5 is arranged within the pneumatic tube station 1, as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 is evident.

[0026] In its swung-out orientation, the arm 7 is aligned horizontally, as shown in Fig. 3 is shown, so that a bundle 8 from outside the pneumatic tube station 1 can be automatically grasped by a gripping tool 10 of the arm 7. The arm 7 then pivots back into the pneumatic tube station 1 in a vertical orientation. During the pivoting process of the arm 7, the individual items 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 are automatically reoriented, as shown in the sequence of Fig. 8 bis Fig. 13 is shown.

[0027] The Fig. 5 and the Fig. 6 show the manipulator device 5 in a standalone position. The manipulator device 5 has a gripping tool 10, which is designed to receive a product ring 11 of a bundle 8 of individual products 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 in an open state of the gripping tool 10 and to hold the product ring 11 of the bundle 8 of individual products 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 on the gripping tool 10 in a closed state of the gripping tool 10. The bundle 8 with the product ring 11 and the individual products 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 suspended thereon is shown in FIG. 1 with reference to a specific embodiment in Fig. 7 shown in isolation. In a specific embodiment, the individual items 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 are provided, for example, as a tag with personal data (12.1), a single blister pack of a medication (12.2), a sample bag (12.3), and another medication bag (12.4).

[0028] The manipulator device 5 according to Fig. 5 und Fig. 6 In the illustrated embodiment, the arm 7 comprises an automatically pivotable base arm 7a and a front arm 7b mounted on the base arm 7a so that it can be automatically adjusted in a linear manner. The front arm 7b carries the gripping tool 10. In order to pivot the base arm 7a, the front arm 7b is attached to a shaft 13 of a pivot motor 14, which is in particular pneumatically driven. A pneumatic cylinder 15 is provided in order to mount the front arm 7b on the base arm 7a so that it can be adjusted in a linear manner. Compressed air is supplied to the gripping tool 10 via a coiled compressed air supply line 16 in order to be able to open and close the gripping tool 10 automatically using compressed air. The gripping tool 10 can have a first gripper jaw 10.1 and a second gripper jaw 10.2. Each gripper jaw 10.1, 10.2 may have a projection 17.1, 17.2, wherein the projections 17.1, 17.2 are formed in a closed position of the gripper jaws 10.1, 10.2 to be able to positively grip the product ring 11. The projections 17.1, 17.2 can be designed free of undercuts, so that when the gripper jaws 10.1, 10.2 are open, a previously held product ring 11 can easily be released from the gripper jaws 10.1, 10.2 by means of gravity.

[0029] The Fig. 8 bis Fig. 13 each show one of the stationary holder 9 ( Fig. 3 ) held transport sleeve 4. The transport sleeve 4 is held in a vertical orientation and a cover, not shown in detail, of the transport sleeve 4 is opened, so that an opening 18 of the transport sleeve 4 is arranged open at the top.

[0030] The manipulator device 5 also comprises a deflection edge 19 which is located in the opening plane of the opening 18 or at least substantially in the opening plane of the opening 18 and which is designed to align the individual goods 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 hanging on the bundle 8 counter to a direction of movement R1 of the goods ring 11 along a first movement path P1, while the goods ring 11 is guided by means of the gripping tool 10 over the deflection edge 19 to the opening 18 of the transport sleeve 4.

[0031] As from Fig. 14 As can be seen, in a special embodiment, the deflecting edge 19 can be arranged at least substantially in the manner of a passer-by to the opening 18 of the transport sleeve 4. The opening 18 of the transport sleeve 4 can accordingly preferably be a circular opening.

[0032] The deflector edge 19 can, as in Fig. 14 shown, have a central section 19b which is aligned at least substantially in the manner of a passer-by to the opening of the transport sleeve 4 and which is delimited by two opposite edge sections 19a and 19c, wherein the two edge sections 19a, 19c extend from the central section 19b in a manner which continuously widens in their mutual distance from one another, counter to the feed movement (first movement path P1) of the individual goods 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 or of the entire bundle 8 to the opening 18 of the transport sleeve 4.

[0033] The manipulator device 5 may have a sensor device 20 (see Fig. 11 bis Fig. 13 ), which is designed to monitor the opening plane of the opening 18 of the transport sleeve 4 to determine whether one or more individual items 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 of a bundle 8 inserted into the transport sleeve 4 are still located in the opening plane of the opening 18 of the transport sleeve 4. The sensor device 20 can, for example, be designed in the form of a light barrier, a laser scanner, an optical sensor such as a camera, or in the form of a near-field sensor.

[0034] The method according to the invention is now based on the Fig. 8 bis Fig. 13 explained in the form of an example possible process.

[0035] First, the product ring 11 is automatically gripped by means of the gripping tool 10 of the automatically controllable manipulator device 5, so that the product ring 11 is held by the gripping tool 10 ( Fig. 8 ).

[0036] The gripping tool 10 is then automatically moved in the direction of movement R1 along the first movement path P1 by automatically controlling the manipulator device 5 such that, while the goods ring 11 is held and moved by means of the gripping tool 10, the individual goods 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 hanging on the bundle 8 are guided over the retaining device 19, so that the individual goods 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 are aligned counter to the direction of movement R1 of the goods ring 11 along the first movement path P1 in the form of an alignment movement A ( Fig. 9, Fig. 10 , Fig. 11 ).

[0037] Subsequently, the bundle 8 is automatically inserted into the transport sleeve 4 by means of the gripping tool 10 along a second movement path P2 by automatically controlling the manipulator device 5 in such a way that the bundle 8 is inserted into the transport sleeve 4 with its product ring 11 leading ( Fig. 12 ) and the individual goods 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 grouped together on the bundle 8 follow the goods ring 11 in the direction of movement R2 of the goods ring 11 into the transport box 4.

[0038] The automatic movement of the gripping tool 10 along the first movement path P1 can be a pivoting movement about a horizontal pivot axis or an at least substantially horizontal pivot axis, wherein the goods ring 11 is positioned at the end of the first movement path P1 above the open opening 18 of the transport sleeve 4.

[0039] The automatic movement of the gripping tool 10 along the first movement path P1 in the form of the pivoting movement about the horizontal pivot axis or the at least substantially horizontal pivot axis can be carried out in such a way that, in an initial sequence of the first movement path P1, the individual goods 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 combined on the goods ring 11 initially hang vertically downwards due to gravity ( Fig. 8 ) and in a final sequence of the first movement path P1, the individual goods 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 combined on the goods ring 11 are arranged by means of the retaining device 19 in a horizontal orientation ( Fig. 10 , Fig. 11 ) or into an at least substantially horizontal alignment before the goods ring 11 is inserted into the transport sleeve 4 along the second movement path P2 ( Fig. 11 ).

[0040] The automatic insertion of the bundle 8 into the transport sleeve 4 takes place as in Fig. 12 und Fig. 13is shown, along the second movement path P2 in a vertical pushing movement or an at least substantially vertical pushing movement, wherein the transport sleeve 4 with its open opening 18 is arranged below the goods ring 11 in such a way that the goods ring 11 together with the gripping tool 10 is pushed downwards against the direction of gravity over the open opening 18 of the transport sleeve 4 into the cavity 21 of the transport sleeve 4 and the individual goods 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 combined on the collar 8 follow the goods ring 11 in the downward direction of movement R2 of the goods ring 11 into the transport sleeve 4.

[0041] The automatic insertion of the bundle 8 into the transport sleeve 4 along the second movement path P2 can be carried out in such a way that the product ring 11 is released from the gripping tool 10 when a residual distance to a bottom wall of the transport sleeve 4 opposite the opening 18 of the transport sleeve 4 is reached, even before the product ring 11, which is automatically fed and held by the gripping tool 10, touches the bottom wall of the transport sleeve 4.

Claims

1. Method for automatically filling a transport box (4) with a bunch (8) of individual articles (12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4) which have been grouped together by means of an article ring (11) to form the bunch (8), comprising the steps of: - automatically gripping the article ring (11) by means of a gripping tool (10) of an automatically controllable manipulator apparatus (5) such that the article ring (11) is held in place by the gripping tool (10), - automatically moving the gripping tool (10) along a first movement path (P1) by automatically controlling the manipulator apparatus (5) in such a way that, while the article ring (11) is being held and moved by means of the gripping tool (10), the individual articles (12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4) hanging at the bunch (8) are guided across a restraining device (19) such that the individual articles (12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4) become oriented counter to the movement direction (R1) of the article ring (11) along the first movement path (P1), - subsequently automatically pushing the bunch (8) into the transport box (4) along a second movement path (P2) by means of the gripping tool (10) by automatically controlling the manipulator apparatus (5) in such a way that the bunch (8) is pushed into the transport box (4) with its article ring (11) in front and the individual articles (12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4) grouped together at the bunch (8) follow the article ring (11) into the transport box (4) in the movement direction (R2) of the article ring (11), characterized in that the automatic movement of the gripping tool (10) along the first movement path (P1) is a pivoting movement about a horizontal pivot axis or about an at least substantially horizontal pivot axis, wherein the article ring (11) is positioned above an open opening (18) of the transport box (4) at the end of the first movement path (P1).

2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the automatic movement of the gripping tool (10) along the first movement path (P1) in the form of the pivoting movement about the horizontal pivot axis or about the at least substantially horizontal pivot axis is performed in such a way that, in an initial sequence of the first movement path (P1), the individual articles (12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4) grouped together on the article ring (11) hang vertically downwards due to gravitational force and, in an end sequence of the first movement path (P1), the individual articles (12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4) grouped together on the article ring (11) are brought into a horizontal orientation or into an at least substantially horizontal orientation by means of the restraining device (19) before the article ring (11) is pushed into the transport box (4) along the second movement path (P2).

3. Method according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the automatic pushing of the bunch (8) into the transport box (4) along the second movement path (P2) is a vertical pushing movement or an at least substantially vertical pushing movement, wherein the transport box (4) is arranged with its open opening (18) below the article ring (11) in such a way that the article ring (11) is pushed, together with the gripping tool (10), into the hollow space (21) of the transport box (4) across the open opening (18) of the transport box (4) in a downward direction counter to the direction of gravitational force and the individual articles (12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4) grouped together at the bunch (8) follow the article ring (11) into the transport box (4) in the downwardly directed movement direction (R2) of the article ring (11).

4. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the automatic pushing of the bunch (8) into the transport box (4) along the second movement path (P2) is realized in such a way that the article ring (11) is released by the gripping tool (10) when a remaining distance from a bottom wall of the transport box (4), which is situated opposite the opening (18) of the transport box (4), is reached, even before the automatically fed article ring (11) held by the gripping tool (10) makes contact with the bottom wall of the transport box (4).

5. Manipulator apparatus having a gripping tool (10) which is configured for receiving an article ring (11) of a bunch (8) of individual articles (12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4) in an open state of the gripping tool (10) and for holding the article ring (11) of the bunch (8) of individual articles (12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4) on the gripping tool (10) in a closed state of the gripping tool (10), and having an arm (7) with an automatically pivotally mounted base arm (7a) and with a front arm (7b) which is mounted on the base arm (7a) so as to be automatically linearly adjustable and which has the gripping tool (10), having a stationary holder (9) for holding a transport box (4) in place in a vertical orientation, in which an opening (18) of the transport box (4) is arranged so as to be upwardly open, and having a deflecting edge (19) which lies in the opening plane of the opening (18) or lies at least substantially in the opening plane of the opening (18) and which is configured to orient the individual articles (12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4) hanging at the bunch (8) counter to a movement direction (R1) of the article ring (11) along a first movement path (P1) while the article ring (11) is being brought by means of the gripping tool (10) to the opening (18) of the transport box (4) across over the deflecting edge (19), characterized in that the deflecting edge (19) has a middle portion (19b) which is oriented at least substantially in the manner of a passing straight line in relation to the opening (18) of the transport box (4) and which is bounded by two oppositely situated edge portions (19a, 19c), wherein the two edge portions (19a, 19c) extend away from the middle portion (19b) counter to the feed movement of the individual articles (12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4) of the bunch (8) to the opening (18) of the transport box (4) so as to widen continuously in terms of their mutual distance from one another.

6. Manipulator apparatus according to Claim 5, characterized in that the deflecting edge (19) is arranged so as to be oriented at least substantially in the manner of a passing straight line in relation to the opening (18) of the transport box (4).

7. Manipulator apparatus according to either of Claims 5 and 6, having a sensor device (20) which is configured to monitor the opening plane of the opening (18) of the transport box (4) as to whether one or more individual articles (12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4) of a bunch (8) pushed into the transport box (4) are still in the opening plane of the opening (18) of the transport box (4).