Method and device for forming packaging stacks

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for forming packaging stacks by stacking infusion bags.

[0002] A method for handling a chain of bags is known from EP 3 341 400 A1. A method having the preamble features of claim 1 is known from EP 2 812 250 B1. In this prior art method, individual infusion bags are removed from a conveyor line that interacts with a circulating conveyor belt that feeds the individual, previously produced infusion bags from a bag-making device to a stacking station, where the bags are stacked to form a packaging stack. The aforementioned prior art has a feed line formed by two parallel conveyor belts that clamp the respective infusion bag between them. The feed line removes the individual infusion bag from a conveyor line and feeds it to an insertion station, where several infusion bags are stacked to form a packaging stack.For this purpose, a pivoting arm is provided which removes the individual infusion bag from the feed line at right angles to the direction of movement of the conveyor belts and feeds it to a stack holding device which holds the stack of infusion bags with a stacking axis corresponding to the horizontal.

[0003] An alternative solution is known from DE 10 2015 115 732 A1. In this prior art, infusion bags are separated on a horizontally extending production line by cutting a bag material that forms the wrapping for the infusionable material. Immediately behind the corresponding cutting device, the individual infusion bags fall into a rotatably mounted holder. From there, the individual bags are pressed via a stamp into a stacking device located below the holder, in which the bags are stacked one above the other with a stacking axis in the vertical direction. The holder has wedge surfaces, via which the ejected infusion bag is centered within the holder. Slides are provided below the holder. These slides close the underside of the holder to prevent the infusion bags from accidentally falling out of the holder and are opened synchronously with the advancing stamp.

[0004] In this state-of-the-art technology, the holder also serves as a temporary storage area for discarded infusion bags in the event that the stacking device is not provided below the holder and the stacked packaging stack is removed from the stacking device. In this case, the slides are retracted and close the lower opening of the holder.

[0005] The previously known solutions still leave something to be desired.

[0006] The present invention is based on the object of providing a device for forming packaging stacks containing infusion bags that is compact in design and allows for simple and reliable stacking of infusion bags. The method should allow for the rapid formation of packaging stacks by stacking infusion bags and should therefore be carried out economically and in a space-saving manner.

[0007] To solve the method aspect of the above problem, the present invention provides a method having the features of claim 1. The device according to the invention is defined in claim 7.

[0008] The method is based on EP 2 812 250 B1 as generic. In the method according to the invention, the infusion bag is placed in a stack-holding device during the removal movement from the conveyor line to form the packaging stack. Accordingly, the infusion bag is transferred directly from the conveyor line to the stack-holding device. The conveyor line is the line that discharges the finished infusion bag from the bag-making device and directly feeds it to a removal station, where the infusion bag is removed from the conveyor line. Removal is carried out by a removal device that acts on the infusion bag to place it into the stack-holding device. The removal device can also cause the bags to be stacked in the stack-holding device.

[0009] As with prior art solutions, the stack-holding device is movable to transfer it from the insertion station to a removal station, where the packaging stack is removed from the stack-holding device. The packaging stack consists of a predetermined number of infusion bags. The packaging stacks produced one after the other each consist of an identical number of infusion bags.

[0010] In the solution according to the invention, the removal device can be equipped with a counter and a sensor, which is connected to a control system for the removal device in terms of data, in order to activate the removal device only when a receiving location on the conveyor line is actually occupied by a finished infusion bag. Thus, the signal from the sensor and / or the actuation of the removal device can serve as a counter for those infusion bags entering a machine control system, which transfers the packaging stack from the input station to the output station when the required number of infusion bags is reached.

[0011] In the method according to the invention, the finished bag is fed from the bag-making device directly via one conveyor line to the removal station, where the infusion bag is removed from the conveyor line. Removal occurs in a predetermined, controlled manner by the removal device. Transferring the bag directly into the stacking device during the removal movement shortens the movement paths. The infusion bag is handled only once after removal from the conveyor line to transfer it to the stacking device.

[0012] The method according to the present invention proves to be time- and space-saving. Compared to the prior art, fewer system components are required to form a packaging stack.

[0013] Compared to the prior art according to DE 10 2015 115 732 A1, the infusion bags do not fall into a receptacle under gravity. The method according to the invention is typically carried out such that the bags are aligned with their main direction of extension in the vertical direction. Accordingly, the bags are preferably positioned in the stacking device. The stacking axis of the infusion bags arranged one behind the other then preferably extends horizontally. The infusion bags are accordingly inserted into the stacking device in a horizontal movement.

[0014] The device according to the invention, which is also based on EP 2 812 250 B1 as the generic prior art, is characterized by a removal device which is designed to transfer the infusion bag from the conveyor line to the stack holding device.

[0015] The buffer can have a capacity for temporarily storing between one and four, preferably three, infusion bags. In the buffer, the at least one infusion bag is preferably arranged in an orientation that corresponds to the orientation of the infusion bag in the packaging stack. This orientation is preferably a vertical orientation, in which the surfaces of the infusion bag with the largest area extend substantially vertically. The infusion bag accordingly stands on one edge. The largest area of the bag accordingly serves as a bearing surface for the infusion bags resting against one another in the stack-holding device.

[0016] In the method according to the invention, the infusion bag located on the conveyor line is deflected downwards by a deflection wheel from a substantially horizontal orientation to a substantially vertical orientation. The centrifugal force generated during this deflection is used to separate the infusion bag from the conveyor line with a horizontal speed component. The conveyor line can additionally be deflected beyond the vertical via the deflection wheel, so that this also creates an additional distance between the conveyor line and the infusion bag during the separation of the infusion bag and the conveyor line. The conveyor line is preferably formed by a circulating belt on which the infusion bag rests. The horizontal speed component moves the infusion bag in the direction of the stack holding device.In this way, part of the kinematic energy of the infusion bag is used to transfer the infusion bag from the conveyor line towards the stacking device during removal.

[0017] In this process, the infusion bag is preferably removed from the conveyor line in a continuous movement and fed to the stacking device. This device is typically located tangentially to the conveyor line. The stacking direction specified by the stacking device therefore runs approximately orthogonally to the conveyor line. The stacking direction is the direction in which the respective infusion bags are placed against one another in the stacking device. The stacking direction corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the stacking device, in particular the longitudinal direction of a shaft for stacking the individual infusion bags.

[0018] Continuous movement within the meaning of this development is understood in particular to mean a movement of the infusion bag that occurs without interruption, so that the infusion bag remains in motion from its removal from the conveyor line until its insertion into the stacking device. Typically, a predominantly horizontal movement of the mass point of the infusion bag is continuously redirected into a predominantly vertical movement, so that the bags are stacked in a vertical direction. During this continuous movement, the infusion bag preferably maintains its orientation.

[0019] In the intermediate storage unit, the at least one infusion bag is held by clamps. The clamping is typically a passive clamp. For this purpose, a clamping device is provided in which the opposing clamping surfaces are spaced apart by a distance that is less than the associated dimension of the infusion bag. The corresponding dimension is typically the height and / or width of the infusion bag. The infusion bag is then held clamped in the clamping device in a vertical orientation. The clamping surfaces are preferably formed by ribs extending in the insertion direction, i.e., essentially horizontally, and located opposite one another.The ribs are preferably made of a plastic, in particular a hard plastic or metal, so that the respective infusion bag can slide past the ribs with little friction when the infusion bag is moved - as is usually the case - by the removal device from the conveyor line directly into the stack holding device.

[0020] The ribs are typically curved, with the front end of the ribs, which first comes into contact with the infusion bag, having a more vertical orientation than a rear region of the ribs, so that the infusion bag is imposed with a more horizontal direction of movement as it slides past the ribs and is guided by the ribs. The device according to the invention has a bag guide. This bag guide is designed to impose an increasingly horizontal movement component on an essentially vertically moving infusion bag that is standing upright. The corresponding bag guide is located between the conveyor line and the stack holding device. The bag guide can simultaneously also form the clamping device. The bag guide can form or comprise the previously discussed ribs.Thus, bags transferred directly from the conveyor line to the stacking device are transferred by the bag guide into a horizontal movement, in which the bags are stacked one behind the other within the stacking device. If the stacking device is emptied, the respective infusion bags are clamped in the clamping device. Thus, in this specific design, the bag guide is also provided within the intermediate storage area.

[0021] The ribs can preferably be provided with notches. The notches usually extend vertically. For each bag, at least one notch is provided on opposite sides of each rib. Occasionally, several notches can be assigned to one side of an infusion bag provided in the intermediate storage unit. If the infusion bag is designed as a double-chamber bag, then preferably a notch is provided on opposite sides of each chamber, in which the edge of the corresponding chamber can be received. In any case, the notches also temporarily store the infusion bags in the intermediate storage unit in a certain way with a positive fit.

[0022] In the method according to the invention, the infusion bags are preferably removed from the conveyor line in a substantially vertical orientation, preferably deposited in front of the intermediate storage area. As a result, the infusion bags move toward the intermediate storage area with a vertical velocity component, which is determined by the inertia of the infusion bags and the corresponding kinematic constraints of the conveyor line and / or gravity. As discussed above, the infusion bags can have a vertical and a horizontal velocity component upon separation from the conveyor line, with the horizontal velocity component also being determined by the kinematic constraints of the conveyor line.Additionally or alternatively, a guide can also be provided that forces the infusion bag to move increasingly horizontally as it is separated from the conveyor and moved toward the stack-holding device. The drop path is typically limited at the sides and bottom. The drop occurs in such a way that each infusion bag essentially assumes the same orientation in the Earth's gravitational field as the infusion bag in the packaging stack.

[0023] The arrangement of the infusion bag in front of the intermediate storage means that the infusion bag is located in front of the intermediate storage in the stacking direction. The stacking direction preferably extends horizontally.

[0024] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the infusion bag in the fall is carried along by a stacking ram. The approximately vertical trajectory of the infusion bag is altered by a horizontal component applied by the stacking ram, which brings the infusion bag closer to the inlet of the intermediate storage unit.

[0025] For this purpose, the conveyor line, which is preferably formed by a conveyor belt, is deflected immediately upstream of the removal station, so that the conveyor belt is deflected downwards from a substantially horizontal orientation beyond the vertical. The conveyor belt is preferably delimited on the outside by a deflection hood, so that the individual infusion bags remain in the respective compartment of the conveyor belt even in the deflection area. The compartment is preferably formed between two webs of the conveyor belt, each of which can accommodate an infusion bag between them and protrudes from the conveyor belt.

[0026] Due to the deflection of the conveyor belt, the bags separate from the conveyor belt after the deflection into a receptacle designed to accommodate the infusion bag. This receptacle is located between the intermediate storage unit and the stacking ram, which is part of the removal device and can be moved alternately into the intermediate storage unit and usually beyond it into the stacking holding device. The stacking ram preferably has two stacking jaws that accommodate the conveyor belt between them and are movable toward the intermediate storage unit, carrying the infusion bag with them.

[0027] To ensure that the individual infusion bags stacked in the stack-holding device are securely held, the device has a stacking housing on which latches are pivotably mounted. The corresponding latches are pivotably mounted opposite one another. The corresponding latches form a stop for a frontmost infusion bag held in a stacking shaft. This stacking shaft forms the receptacle for the stacked infusion bags. The stacking shaft is formed by and surrounded by the stacking housing. The stacking shaft is provided with at least one stop on the underside in the insertion station to prevent individual infusion bags from slipping through during stacking. The corresponding stop is located in the insertion station in the base of the stacking housing.However, this floor is also permeable for a dispensing device which engages in the stacking housing in the dispensing station, usually after the stack holding device has been pivoted by 90° about a pivot axis which extends horizontally, so that an opening pointing upwards in the insertion station comes downwards, through which the packaging stack as a whole is dispensed from the stack holding device, for example directly into a cardboard packaging which receives the packaging stack.

[0028] Further details and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment in conjunction with the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 a slightly perspective top view of an operating side of an embodiment of a bag manufacturing device; Fig. 2a side view of a removal station for infusion bags used in the bag manufacturing device according to Fig. 1 have been manufactured; Fig. 3 a detail after Fig. 2 in an enlarged view with an enlarged detail of the ribs; Fig. 4 the detail after Fig. 3 in a perspective side view; Fig. 5A-5C a perspective side view of a first embodiment of a stack holding device during emptying; Figures 6a / b a perspective side view of a second embodiment of a stack holding device; Fig. 7A-7C which in Fig. 6 shown stack holding device in operation with a device for forming a carton packaging and Fig. 8 a perspective view of a device according to the Figures 1 to 7C manufactured bag.

[0029] Figure 1shows the top view of an embodiment of a device for producing bags filled with infusible material, which essentially has three areas, namely a storage area 2 on the left edge, a product area 4 on the right edge and a work area 6 between the storage area 2 and the product area 4.

[0030] The bags are produced by removing consumables from the storage area 2, which are then processed into bags in the work area 6. An example of such a bag is shown in Figure 4. There, the bag is identified by reference numeral 8. Reference numeral 10 denotes a label, which is connected to the bag 8 via a thread 12. The unit consisting of bag 8, label 10, and thread 12 is accommodated in an aroma package 14, which is formed by a moisture-impermeable film material that is wrapped around the bag 8 at an edge 16 and sealed by a U-shaped weld seam 18.

[0031] The Figure 8 The product shown is referred to below as the finished infusion bag 20. The finished infusion bag 20 is conveyed along a conveyor line 22 in the form of a schematically illustrated conveyor belt, details of which Figures 2 ff., from the working area 6 to the product area 4. At the end of this conveyor line 22, which is in the Figures 2 ff. is marked with reference number 100, there is a Figure 1 not shown extraction station according to the Figures 2 ff.

[0032] In the storage area 2, a supply 24 for bag material 25, a supply 26 for the labels 10, a supply 28 for the thread 12, and a supply 30 for the aroma packaging 14 can be seen, which are used as consumables in the production of the finished infusion bags 20. These respective consumables are each provided on a roll and are unrolled from it during production.

[0033] The storage area 2 has guides for the individual webs of consumable material. The consumable material is guided between the storage area 2 and the work area 6 through a first partition 32. This partition 32 has various openings, designated by reference numeral 34, for the passage of the respective consumable material. The dimensions of each opening 34 are selected such that the respective consumable material can be guided straight through the first partition 32. Each opening 34 can be assigned an air curtain, through which an undesired passage of air from the work area 6 into the storage area 2 or the product area 4 can be prevented. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the partition 32 bordering the work area 6 on the left has an opening 34a for the bag material 25, an opening 34b for the labels 10, and an opening 34d for the aroma packaging 14.

[0034] In the work area 6, the bag material 25 is loaded with a batch of infusible material at the level of a portioning device 36 with a supply 37 for infusible material. The bag material 25 is guided along a horizontal path 38. After the bag material 25 has been loaded, it is formed into a tube, enclosing the batch. The bag material 25, fed in as continuous material, is cut into lengths and thus separated. At the end of the horizontal path 38, the thus prepared lengths of bag material 25 are transferred to a first transport wheel 40a.

[0035] At the level of an insertion station 42a, the bag material 25 is moved radially inward toward the central longitudinal or rotational axis of the first transport wheel 40a to form the bag 8, which is designed as a double-chamber bag. The first transport wheel 40a rotates clockwise and feeds the respective bag material 25 to various stations, where the bag is closed at the top and connected to the thread 12 and the label 10.

[0036] The bag 8 thus created and processed on the head side is transferred from the first transport wheel 40a to a second transport wheel 40b rotating counterclockwise, wherein the bag 8 is pivoted between the two transport wheels 40a, 40b so that the bag 8 is introduced with its base first in the radial direction into the second transport wheel 40b. There, the bag 8 is connected to the label 10 and rotated within the second transport wheel 40b so that the base of the bag 8, which was oriented radially inwards during insertion, is oriented radially outwards. In this orientation, i.e. pivoted by 180° relative to the insertion direction, the bag 8 prepared in this way is conveyed out of the second transport wheel 40b with the base facing forward and fed to a third transport wheel 40c.The bag is fed to a wrapping station 42b, in which the aroma packaging 14 is placed around the bag 8, the label 10, and the thread 12 while forming the edge 16. The aroma packaging 14 is then sealed in a sealing station 44, forming the U-shaped seam 18. The sealing station 44 is associated with a third transport wheel 40c, on which the bag 8 is held and transported during the sealing process.

[0037] The finished bag 20 thus produced is finally placed on the conveyor line 22 and fed to the product area 4. For this purpose, a second partition wall 46 has a bag passage opening 48 and a return opening 49 for the conveyor line 22.

[0038] The components previously described as part of the work area 6 are located in front of a base plate 50, which supports the individual components and, if necessary, separates them from drives provided on the opposite side of the base plate 50. The area of the base plate 50 facing the user separates an operating side 52 provided there from a drive side 54 on the rear of the device.

[0039] The Fig. 2 shows parts of the transport route 22 to Figure 1 training conveyor belt, which is located in the Figures 2 ff is marked with reference number 100, which is a Figure 1connects the bag manufacturing device, designated by reference numeral 101, to a removal station 102. In the removal station 102, the conveyor belt 100 is deflected via a deflection wheel 104, so that a substantially horizontally extending section of the conveyor belt 100, designated by reference numeral 106, is deflected in a vertical direction. The deflected section 106 provided behind the deflection wheel 104 in the conveying direction is deflected beyond the vertical, which is designated by reference numeral 110. The conveyor belt 100 is surrounded on the outside by a deflection hood 112, which forms a gap between itself and the deflection wheel 104, into which the conveyor belt 100 and the webs 114 projecting therefrom, which form a compartment 116 between them for receiving the Figures 2 to 7The gap is dimensioned such that the infusion bags cannot be ejected from their respective compartments 116 when the conveyor belt 100 is deflected. At a rear end in the conveying direction F, the gap has an approximately vertical extension.

[0040] In Fig. 2 Within the deflection wheel 104, two pivot arms 118 extending essentially parallel can be seen, which carry a stacking punch 120, which is movable back and forth cyclically and essentially in a horizontal direction by pivoting the pivot arms 118 and in the present case forms an example of a removal device 121. The Fig. 2 and 3 a starting position in which the stacking punch 120 is moved maximally to the left, ie away from a stack holding device 122.

[0041] An intermediate storage unit 124 is provided upstream of the stack holding device 122 in the insertion direction. A receptacle 126 adapted to receive an infusion bag is formed between the intermediate storage unit 124 and the deflection wheel 104. This receptacle 126 is bounded on the underside by a receiving base 128, which is ramp-shaped and slopes toward the stack holding device 122. In the illustrated embodiment, the receiving base 128 is provided with a concave surface in a cross-sectional view in a plane containing the direction of movement of the stacking stamp 120.

[0042] The buffer 124 has two opposite wall segments 130, of which in the Fig. 2 and 3The front wall segment in the drawing has been removed. Typically, the intermediate storage 124 is formed by a rectangular frame-shaped component. The opposing, vertically extending inner surfaces of the wall segments 130 have a plurality of ribs 132 that project inwardly from the respective wall segments 130. As Fig. 3As illustrated, the plurality of ribs 132 are arranged parallel to one another. The ribs 132 are each inclined downwards in the direction of the stack holding device 122. The ribs 132 are curved. A front end of the ribs 132, facing the receptacle 126, has a more vertical orientation than a rear end, facing the stack holding device 122. Thus, the corresponding ribs 132 form an embodiment of a bag guide 133 in the sense of the present invention. The more vertical orientation of the front end of the ribs clamps the infusion bag 140 dropped from the conveyor belt 100 when it is moved downwards with a predominantly vertical speed component after the infusion bag 140 has passed the deflection wheel 104. Due to the centrifugal force, the infusion bag 140 then also has a certain horizontal movement component.The inclination of the ribs 132 at their front end is adapted to the resulting movement of the infusion bag 140. This is also influenced by the stacking plunger 120, which rests against a main side surface of the infusion bag 140 within the receptacle 126 to push it horizontally toward the stacking holding device 122.

[0043] For the temporary storage of several infusion bags 140 one after the other between the ribs 132, these have a plurality of notches 134, each provided one after the other in the longitudinal direction of the ribs 132 and extending in the vertical direction (cf. Fig. 4 ). The concavely curved receiving base 128 can also be considered part of the aforementioned bag guide 133. However, the bag can also be transferred into the stacking device 122 without touching the receiving base 128.

[0044] The opposing wall segments 130 with the associated ribs 132 form a clamping device 136 within the receptacle 126 for upright infusion bags. A single infusion bag 140 can also be positively clamped and held in one of the notches 134 of the opposing ribs 132. Figs. 3 and 4, such an upright, finished infusion bag 140 can be seen, already received in the stack holding device 122. This infusion bag 140 is held in its upright orientation in the stack holding device 122 by a holding punch 142, which is movable in a stacking shaft 144 in the stacking direction S. The holding punch 142 can, for example, be a pneumatically preloaded punch that retracts passively with the number of infusion bags 140 stacked in the stacking shaft 144. On the opposite side, the infusion bag 140 that was last inserted into the stacking shaft 144 and is therefore the frontmost infusion bag in the stack rests against a stop 146. This stop 146 has stop surfaces distributed over the entire height of the infusion bag 140 and is formed by a latch 150 pivotably mounted on a stacking housing 148.The surfaces of the segments of the latch 150 forming the stop 146 are tapered toward the end defining the entrance to the stacking shaft 144. This results in a funnel-shaped constriction whose clear width is larger on the entrance side than immediately adjacent to the stops 146.

[0045] To stack the previously produced infusion bags 140, the products fed into the respective compartments 116 while the conveyor belt 100 continuously rotates are released vertically downward at the end of the deflection hood 116. Since the conveyor belt 100 is deflected beyond the vertical V, the conveyor belt 100 and also the webs 114 are located behind the vertical V in the area of the holder 126.

[0046] The stacking ram 120 is synchronized with the conveyor belt 100 and the corresponding ejection of the individual infusion bags 140 such that, as the infusion bag 140 is flowing, the stacking ram 120 moves into the receptacle 126, taking the infusion bag 140 with it. The infusion bag 140, which falls freely in the vertical direction, is accordingly imparted a horizontal velocity component by the stacking ram 120. As part of this feed movement, the infusion bag 140 is forced toward the stack-holding device 122 between the opposing ribs 132 of the intermediate storage device 144 and clamped there. During the usual course of the process, the stacking ram 142 is pivoted into the stack-holding device 122. Opposite side edges of the infusion bag 144 thereby push the latches 150 apart. Once the infusion bag 140 has passed the latches 150, the movement of the stacking stamp 120 is reversed.The stacking plunger 142 pushes the last inserted infusion bag 140 against the stop 146 after the latches 150 have springed back, which stop is accordingly held in its upright position in the stacking shaft 144 (cf. . Fig. 3, 4 ).

[0047] Once the number of infusion bags 140 forming a packaging stack 152 has been introduced into the stacking shaft 144 in this way, the stacking shaft is emptied, which is described in detail below.

[0048] The rotational movement of the conveyor belt 100 is maintained even when the stacking device 122 is emptied. Infusion bags 140 continue to be ejected from the conveyor belt 140 into the receptacle 126. In this case, the stacking plunger 120 performs only a reduced horizontal movement, during which the respective infusion bag 140 is introduced into the intermediate storage unit 144. There, the infusion bag 140 is temporarily stored in an upright position between the ribs 132 and, in particular, in a form-fitting manner by inserting the opposite edges of the infusion bag 140 into the notches 134.

[0049] In the illustrated embodiment, the stacking plunger 122 is only actuated when the respective compartment 116 is also filled with an infusion bag 140. Thus, the actuation of the stacking plunger 120 also serves to count the infusion bags pushed toward the stacking holding device 122.

[0050] The emptying of the stack holding device according to the previously shown embodiment is described below using the Fig. 5A to 5C explained.

[0051] In the embodiment according to the Fig. 5A to 5C The stack holding device 122 is emptied without changing its position. For this purpose, a pusher 200 is provided, which is firmly connected to a guide fork 202 and is vertically movable. When the number of infusion bags 140 forming the packaging stack 152 is reached, the pusher 200 is moved downward. In this case, the guide fork 202 is guided in advance between the intermediate storage unit 124 and the stacking shaft 144, directly adjacent to the stops 146 and thus to the foremost infusion bag 140 in the stacking direction S. The guide fork 202 is inserted into a cardboard packaging 206 (cf. Fig. 5B). During the lowering movement of the pusher 200, a bottom flap 208 which defines the bottom of the stacking shaft 144 is pivoted downwards and into the cardboard packaging 206. The Figures 5b and 5c The cardboard packaging 206, shown partially removed, is held by a holding plate 210, which is vertically movable on a pivot arm 212. This pivot arm 212 is mounted on a rail 214 for translational movement.

[0052] The descending pusher 200 presses the packaging stack 152 into the carton package 206. As the lowering movement of the pusher 200 increases, the holding plate 210 is lowered together with the carton package 206. Once the packaging stack 152 is completely received in the carton package 206, the pusher 200 and the holding plate 210 move in opposite directions.

[0053] During this emptying of the stacking shaft 144, the guide fork 202 simultaneously closes the intermediate storage 420. The stacking plunger 120 continues to move continuously while the stacking holding device 122 is emptied. During the emptying process, up to three infusion bags 140 are stored in the intermediate storage. When the fourth infusion bag 140 is pushed out toward the intermediate storage 124, the emptying of the stacking holding device 122 is already complete. The guide fork 202 has cleared the passage into the stacking shaft 144. The bottom flap 208 is closed again, so that the fourth infusion bag is pushed into the stacking shaft 144 by appropriate control of the stacking plunger 120 and pushes the three infusion bags previously held in the intermediate storage 124 ahead of it into the stacking shaft 144.

[0054] Meanwhile, the holding plate 210 with the filled carton package 206 can be moved translationally along the rail 214 and pushed off the holding plate 210 at another position for further processing, which then supports the production of a new carton package 206 and places it under the stacking shaft 144 in a next cycle.

[0055] An alternative stack holding device 122 is shown in the Figures 6a and b shown, which is designated there by reference numeral 300. This stack holding device 300 has two discs 302, of which Figures 6a / 6bonly a single disc 302 is shown, which receives and holds two stacking shafts 144 between them. The stacking holding device 300 thus formed is pivotable or rotatable about a horizontal axis that intersects the center point of the two discs 302. Thus, the stacking holding device can be pivoted from an insertion station 304 of the respective stacking shaft 144 to a discharge station 306, in which the respective stacking shaft 144 is emptied. It is understood that the stacking shaft 144 is directed downwards in the discharge station 306. The Fig. 6 The stacking shaft 144 shown at the front shows a slotted bottom 308 which is designed to accommodate the insertion of the pusher 310 into the stacking shaft 144. Thus, the pusher 310 can push the packaging stack 152 downwards out of the stacking shaft 144 into a Figures 6a and 6bconvey out the cardboard packaging 206 (not shown) and thus empty the stack holding device 122 at the discharge station 306.

[0056] Further details of the device for transferring the packaging stack into a cardboard package can be seen in Figs. 7A to 7D. Reference numeral 312 denotes a holding plate on which a cardboard package 314 can be supported. This holding plate 314 is pivotally mounted on a pivot arm 316, which is provided as an extension of the stack holding device 300. A pusher 318 is assigned to the pivot arm 316, which pushes the cardboard package filled with the packaging stack 152 from the holding plate 312 onto a transport path for further processing of the cardboard package 314.

[0057] Reference numeral 320 designates a blank feeder that holds a plurality of blanks 322 for producing the cardboard packaging 314. The blanks 322 are fed via the blank feeder 320 to a folding station 324 with a forming die 326. On the way there, the blanks 322 are provided with adhesive where necessary. In the drop station 324, the forming die 326 moves down. Folding surfaces are activated, forming a cardboard packaging 314 from the initially flat blank 322, which is placed on the holding plate 312 ( Fig. 7A ).

[0058] Meanwhile, the stack holding device 300 rotates in order to move the stacking shaft 144 filled with the packaging stack 152 into the discharge station 306 (cf. Fig. 7B ).

[0059] After the holding plate 312 with the cardboard packaging 314 has been positioned below the stacking shaft 144, the pusher 310 moves down and pushes the packaging stack 152—as previously described—into the cardboard packaging 314 provided below. In this embodiment, the cardboard packaging 314 is also lowered when filled with the packaging stack 152. The slider 318 pushes the cardboard packaging 314 filled with the packaging stack 152 off the holding plate 312. List of reference symbols

[0060] 2Storage area 4Product area 6Working area 8Bag 10Label 12Thread 14Aroma packaging 16Edge 18Sealing seam 20Finished infusion bag 22Conveyor section 24Supply for bag material 25Bag material 26Supply for labels 10 28Supply for thread 12 30Supply for aroma packaging 14 32First partition 34aOpening for bag material 34bOpening for labels 34cOpening for thread 34dOpening for aroma packaging 36Portioning device 37Supply for infusion material 38Horizontal section 40aFirst transport wheel 40bSecond transport wheel 40cThird transport wheel 42aInfeed station 42bWrapping station 44Sealing station 46Second partition 48Bag feed-through opening 49Return opening 50Base plate 52Operating side 54Drive side 56Protective door 58Panel 60Funnel 62Suction opening 64Blowing device 66Blowing arm 67Blowing nozzles 68Working area 70Cover 72Suction opening 74Aeration device 76Separator 78Quick release 80Accumulator 100Conveyor belt 101Bag making device 102Removal station 104Deflection wheel106 horizontal section 108 deflected section 112 deflection hood 114 web 116 compartment 118 pivot arm 120 stacking stamp 121 removal device 122 stack holding device 124 buffer 126 holder 128 holder base 130 wall segment 132 rib 133 bag guide 134 notch 136 clamping device 140 infusion bag 142 holding stamp 144 stacking shaft 146 stop 148 stacking housing 150 latch 152 packaging stack 200 pusher 202 guide fork 206 carton packaging 208 bottom flap 210 holding plate 212 pivot arm 214 rail 300 stack holding device 302 disc 304Infeed station 306Outfeed station 308Floor 310Pusher 312Holding plate 314Carton packaging 316Swivel arm 318Slider 320Blank feed 322Blank 324Drop station 326Forming stamp FConveying direction SStacking direction VVertical

Claims

1. Method for forming packaging stacks (152) by stacking infusion bags (140), in which the infusion bags (140) are removed individually from a conveyor belt (100) on which the infusion bags (140) are supplied one behind the other to a removal station (102) in which the infusion bags (140) are removed from the conveyor belt (100) and are arranged in a stack-holding device (122; 300) so as to rest against one another in order to form the packaging stack (152), which is emptied when a number of infusion bags (140) forming the packaging stack (152) is reached, wherein the removal of the infusion bags (140) from the conveyor belt (100) is not being interrupted during the emptying of the stack holding device (122; 300) and at least one infusion bag (140) removed in the process being arranged upstream of the stack holding device (122; 300), characterized in that the infusion bag (140) located on the conveying path (100) is deflected downwards by way of a deflecting wheel (104) from a substantially horizontal orientation into a substantially vertical orientation and, owing to the centrifugal force generated in that case, is separated from the conveying path (100) with a horizontal speed component and is moved in the direction of the stack holding device (1 22; 300).

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the infusion bag (140) located on the conveyor belt (100) is introduced in a vertical orientation and in a continuous movement from the conveyor belt (100), which is guided past the stack holding device (122; 300) essentially tangentially, into the stack holding device (122; 300).

3. Method according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the at least one infusion bag (140) removed from the conveyor belt (100) during the emptying of the stack holding device (133; 300) is arranged upstream of the stack holding device (122; 300) in an orientation that corresponds to the orientation of the infusion bag (140) in the packaging stack (152), the infusion bag (140) preferably being in an upright position in the orientation, and that the at least one infusion bag (140) located upstream of the stack holding device (122; 300) is pushed into the stack holding device (122; 300) after the stack holding device (122; 300) has been emptied by an infusion bag (140) removed from the conveyor belt (100) and transferred directly into the stack holding device (122; 300).

4. Method according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the infusion bag (140), which is mounted in front of at least one of the stack holding devices (122; 300), is held clamped in a vertical orientation in a clamping device (136) acting on opposite edges of the infusion bag (140).

5. Method according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the infusion bag is removed from the conveyor belt (100) in a substantially vertical orientation in the stacking direction (S), in particular is discharged in front of the intermediate store (124).

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the infusion bag (140) is carried by a stacking plunger (120) in a direction substantially in the stacking direction (S).

7. Device for forming stacks of packages (152) by stacking infusion bags (140), having a conveyor belt (100) on which infusion bags (140) are conveyed from a bag manufacturing device (101) to a removal station (102), a removal device (121) associated with the removal station (102) and a stack holding device (122; 300), wherein the removal device (121) is designed to move the infusion bags (140) from the conveying path (100) to a stack holding device (122; 300) located in an introduction station (304) and with an intermediate store (124), which is mounted in front of the stack holding device (122; 300) located in the insertion station (304) and is designed to temporarily store at least one infusion bag (140), characterized in that the conveying section is formed by a conveyor belt (100) which is directly upstream of the removal station (102) is deflected downwards from a substantially horizontally extending orientation beyond the vertical (110), and that a receiver (126) adapted to receive an infusion bag (140) is formed below the point of deflection of the conveyor belt (100), which receiver is provided between the intermediate store (124) and a stacking plunger (120) which is movable in alternation through the intermediate store (124).

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the intermediate store (124) comprises a clamping device (136) acting on opposite edges of the infusion bag (140).

9. Device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by a bag guide (133) provided between the conveyor belt (100) and the stack holding device (122, 300), which forces an increasingly horizontal movement component on to an upright, substantially vertically moved infusion bag (140).

10. A device according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the clamping method (136) has opposing ribs (132) that act on the opposing edges of the infusion bag (140) while deforming the infusion bag (140).

11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the ribs (132) are provided with notches (134).

12. A device according to one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the stack holding device (122, 300) has opposing latches (150) on the input side, which are pivotally attached to a stack housing (148) which forms a stacking shaft (144) and which form a stop (146) for a front-most infusion bag (140) held in the stacking shaft (144).