Device and method for rotating packaging containers
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-04-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-04
AI Technical Summary
Existing devices for rotating packaging containers, such as shipping bags, face challenges in reliably rotating them by a predetermined angle during forward movement to maintain a high throughput rate in automated production processes.
A device with a mechanical drive, transport carriage, turntable, suction device, and mechanical cam plate is used to rotate shipping bags by a predetermined angle while moving along a processing path, ensuring reliable and efficient rotation through the interaction of vacuum fixation and cam-guided movement.
This solution enables precise and repeatable rotation of shipping bags during production, minimizing tilting and wear, and allowing for continuous processing with various product formats, enhancing the reliability and speed of transferring bags between stations.
Smart Images
Figure EP2024061473_31102024_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Description
[0002] Device and method for rotating packaging containers
[0003] The invention relates to a device and a method for rotating packaging containers, in particular shipping bags.
[0004] Devices for producing packaging containers, in particular in the form of mailing bags, also called shipping pouches, are known in the art. The essentially flat mailing bags are usually produced on a processing line in individual steps by folding and gluing at various processing stations. The processing stations are set up one after the other along a constant transport direction. Since not every processing station can receive the intermediate product in the same orientation, the mailing bags have to be rotated between the various individual steps. The rotation often takes place through an angle of 90°, for example in order to change from a longitudinal to a transverse orientation. This is the case, for example, between a separating station, which cuts individual pieces from long material webs, and a folding station, which folds the individual pieces. In order to ensure an essentially continuous orTo ensure a uniformly timed feed of the intermediate products, the shipping bags should be rotated during the forward movement between the individual stations.
[0005] In order to achieve highly automated and efficient production with high throughput rates, the reliable rotation of the mailing bags during the forward movement is particularly beneficial.
[0006] Task:
[0007] The object of the present invention is to reliably rotate mailing bags by a predetermined angle during their forward movement at a high throughput rate. For this purpose, a suitable device and a method that can be implemented with it are to be provided. Solution:
[0008] This problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous developments of the subject matter of the independent claims are characterized in the subclaims. The wording of all claims is hereby incorporated by reference into this description. The use of the singular is not intended to exclude the plural, which also applies in the reverse sense, unless otherwise disclosed. Individual method steps are described in more detail below. The steps do not necessarily have to be performed in the specified order, and the method to be described may also include additional, unmentioned steps.
[0009] With regard to the device, the object is achieved according to the invention by a device having the features of claim 1. Accordingly, a device is provided which rotates packaging containers, in particular shipping bags, by a predetermined angle of rotation while the shipping bags are moved forward on a processing path, with a mechanical drive, wherein the mechanical drive drives a rotating transport track, and with a transport carriage which has at least two carriage axes and is mechanically connected to the transport track.
[0010] The device further comprises a turntable, wherein the turntable is rotatably arranged on the transport carriage. The device further comprises a suction cup, wherein the suction cup is designed to fix the shipping bag on the turntable, and further comprises means for supplying vacuum, wherein the means for supplying vacuum are designed to supply the suction cup with vacuum. The device further comprises a processing section, wherein the shipping bag fixed on the turntable is moved along the processing section in the transport direction and is rotated in the process. The device further comprises a return section, wherein the turntables are moved along the return section counter to the transport direction and are rotated back into the starting angular position.
[0011] Additionally, the device comprises a mechanical cam plate, wherein the mechanical cam plate has a guide cam, and wherein the turntable is guided by the guide cam of the mechanical cam plate. The mechanical cam plate is designed to cause a rotational movement of the turntable when traveling through the processing section in the predetermined direction of rotation. The mechanical cam plate is further designed to cause the turntable to rotate back to its initial angular position when traveling through the return section, wherein the rotation of the shipping bag occurs parallel to the transport path about a rotation axis perpendicular to the transport direction while traveling through the processing section and the return section.
[0012] The rotation axis is preferably located in a central area near the center of gravity of the surface of the envelope resting on the turntable, ideally eliminating the need for realignment or centering after rotation. Since the rotation occurs during movement in the transport direction, the rotation axis also moves with the envelope during rotation, as seen in the transport direction. The use of transport carriages with at least two carriage axes minimizes the tilting movements of the transport carriage during entry and exit.
[0013] The rotation is preferably performed by 90° to transition from a longitudinal to a transverse orientation for rectangular envelopes. However, other angles may also be advantageous for non-rectangular formats. The rotation can be performed by any other angle and from any orientation, both clockwise and counterclockwise.
[0014] Arranging several turntables at appropriate intervals along the conveyor belt ensures continuous transport of the mailing bags along the processing line. A toothed belt drive with two toothed belts is preferred as the mechanical drive, although chain drives or toothed belt drives with a different number of toothed belts are also conceivable.
[0015] The means for supplying vacuum to the suction cups can provide either a permanent or sporadic supply, whereby, in combination with an appropriate control system, the strength and duration of the hold can be specifically influenced. The use of suction cups eliminates complex mechanics below the conveyor belt and simultaneously facilitates accessibility, particularly from above. The shipping bag can thus be reliably and quickly secured to the turntable and, if necessary, released again. This improves reliability and increases the speed of transfer from one processing station to the next. Compensating for different product thicknesses is also simplified, since the condition of the underside is primarily decisive for hold-down using vacuum, with product thickness playing only a minor role.The reliable fixation combined with the repeatable rotational movement achieved through the interaction of the turntable and the mechanical cam plate simplifies the rotation of soft products, or even makes it possible in the first place. Additionally, the mailing bag can be secured to the turntable by a hold-down device that engages from above, or possibly from the side or bottom.
[0016] If the device has an infeed section before the beginning of the processing section (viewed in the transport direction) and an outfeed section behind the end of the processing section (viewed in the transport direction), and the infeed and outfeed sections are arranged such that the end facing away from the processing section is at a lower height than the end facing the processing section, the angle at which the transport carriage emerges is reduced. This minimizes tilting movements of the transport carriage and reduces the relative speed of the transport carriage relative to the shipping bag, which minimizes wear on the suction cups and ensures that the suction cups do not lift the shipping bag during transfer. This would be less precise and more prone to errors.
[0017] If the transport carriages preferably have two carriage axes, the tipping of the external suction cups along the transport path is prevented. If the preferably two carriage axes of the transport carriage are connected in the transport direction via preferably two linear joints or two sliding-mounted rigid axes in such a way that the distance between the carriage axes, the so-called guide distance, is variable, the path difference between the transport path and the transport carriage can be compensated, particularly at deflection points. Since at the concentric deflection points between the processing section and the return section, the transport path describes an arc, while the transport carriage describes a chord, a path difference exists between the two. For reliable and as uniform as possible operation, it is particularly advantageous to compensate for this path difference by means of the variable guide distance using linear joints or sliding-mounted rigid axes.
[0018] If the transport carriage is provided with a lever arm, which preferably has several cam rollers that can be guided along the guide curve of the mechanical cam plate, the reliability of the guide is increased and the rotational movement of the turntable is initiated particularly reliably and efficiently.
[0019] If the guide curve is designed such that at least one cam roller is in contact with the guide curve on both outer walls simultaneously, i.e., the guide is provided in a circumferential manner, the repeatability of the movement effected on the lever arm is increased by this circumferential guide. A combination of circumferential guide and inner guide is particularly preferred, with a cam roller resting on the guide curve on both outer walls as well as on at least one inner wall. Purely inner or outer guides, and combinations of the guide types mentioned here, are also conceivable.
[0020] If the angle of rotation corresponds to the angle enclosed by two adjacent sides of the mailing bag, a variety of different formats of mailing bags can be rotated without the mechanical cam plate having to be adjusted or even replaced.
[0021] If the device has an overhead guide and the overhead guide has a surface parallel to the processing path, which is positioned such that a shipping bag moving beneath it comes into contact with the parallel surface as soon as the shipping bag bulges, excessive deformation of the shipping bags, which would make safe rotation of the shipping bag more difficult, is prevented. In a preferred embodiment, the vacuum supply to the suction cups is via a toothed belt with a flattened area in which suction holes are located and vacuum cams on the carriage axes of the transport carriage. This takes place from a vacuum source that is connected to at least one control valve, via a vacuum rail, wherein the vacuum rail is provided with at least one preferably slot-shaped supply bore. The supply bore is connected to the control valve. The vacuum rail is preferably arranged below the toothed belt.During operation, the toothed belt is preferably guided tightly over the vacuum rail so that the suction holes are at least temporarily located above the supply bore of the vacuum rail.
[0022] Starting from the vacuum source, a continuous air channel is formed via the control valve, the supply hole in the vacuum rail, and the suction holes in the flattened part of the timing belt when the suction hole is located above the supply hole. At this point, a continuous air channel is created between the stationary part of the device (vacuum rail, etc.) and the linearly moving subsystem (timing belt, transport carriage, etc.).
[0023] This air duct extends via a passage in the vacuum cam on a carriage axis, which is preferably designed as a hollow shaft, through the carriage axis itself, to a hollow cylinder in the turntable, which is located in the center of the turntable and aligned parallel to its axis of rotation. The hollow cylinder, in turn, has several recesses. These recesses are arranged circumferentially so that, regardless of the orientation of the turntable, there is always a continuous connection between the hollow cylinder of the turntable and the hollow carriage axis. Finally, the individual suction cups are each connected to the hollow cylinder itself via their own air duct. If a suction hole is located above a supply bore, the resulting air duct connects the stationary part of the device to the linearly moving subsystem via the vacuum cam and the linearly moving subsystem to the rotating suction cups via the recesses in the hollow cylinder.In practice, the pressure level at the paper-covered suction cups is preferably around 200-300 mbar. Lower or higher pressures are also conceivable. The leakage volume flow created by this design at the contact between the timing belt and the vacuum rail also cools the timing belt.
[0024] By appropriately positioning the supply holes and valve control, the vacuum supply can be specifically influenced at any point along the processing line. This allows the securing of the mailing bag during processing to be variably, precisely, and reliably controlled.
[0025] The object is further achieved according to the invention by a method having the features of claim 10, according to which the shipping bag is first fixed on the turntable of a transport carriage by means of negative pressure, then the transport carriage is moved through a continuous processing section and the shipping bag is rotated during the passage parallel to the transport path by a predetermined angle of rotation about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the transport direction and the turntable is rotated back to the starting angular position when passing through a return section.
[0026] Furthermore, the features and advantages relating to the device can be transferred to the method and vice versa, so that further repetition can be dispensed with at this point.
[0027] Further details and features will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment in conjunction with the figures. The respective features can be implemented individually or in combination with one another. The possibilities for solving the problem are not limited to the embodiment. For example, range specifications always include all intermediate values (not mentioned) and all conceivable subintervals.
[0028] The exemplary embodiment is illustrated schematically in the figures. Identical reference numerals in the individual figures denote identical or functionally identical elements, or elements that correspond to one another in terms of their functions. Specifically: Fig. 1 shows an oblique view from above of the device according to the invention for rotating packaging containers;
[0029] Fig. 2 is a view obliquely from above of a transport carriage of the device from Fig. 1;
[0030] Fig. 3 is a plan view of the processing section of the device from Fig. 1;
[0031] Fig. 4 is a detailed view of the cross section of the processing section of the device from Fig. 1 concerning the start-up and run-out sections;
[0032] Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the cross-section of the device from Fig. 1 concerning the guide of the turntable, and
[0033] Fig. 6 is a detailed view from above of the device from Fig. 1 concerning the vacuum supply of the suction cups.
[0034] Fig. 1 shows a device 100 according to the invention for rotating mailing bags 110. The device 100 has a mechanical drive 120 that drives a circulating transport track 130 with the aid of two toothed belts 230. The transport track 130 (not explicitly labeled in Fig. 1) is formed by the toothed belts 230 and guided over two deflection pulleys. The transport track 130 essentially corresponds to the area enclosed by the toothed belts, but can extend beyond the area enclosed by the toothed belts. The transport carriages 140 are mechanically connected to the transport track 130, more precisely to the toothed belts 230, and are moved on the transport track 130 in a circulating manner around the device 100. Rotating plates 150 are arranged on the top side of the transport carriages 140. The device 100 further comprises suction cups 152 which fix the shipping bag 110 on the turntable 150 (means for supplying negative pressure 200 not shown in Fig.1). On the upper side of the device 100, a processing path 160 is formed by the transport path 130, preferably in a horizontal position.
[0035] The transport carriages 140 are moved within the processing path 160 in the transport direction (in this example from right to left), wherein the processing path 160 is aligned along the longitudinal direction of the device 100, preferably in a horizontal position. On the underside of the device 100, a return path 170 is formed by the transport track 130. The transport carriages 140 are moved within the return path 170 counter to the transport direction, wherein the return path 170 is aligned along the longitudinal direction of the device 100, preferably in a horizontal position. A mechanical cam plate 180 with a guide cam 190 is arranged below the transport path 130. The mechanical cam plate 180 is preferably designed to be continuous and positioned below the transport path 130. The guide cam 190 is preferably designed to be uninterrupted.It is also conceivable that the guide curve 190 is not realized as a continuous body over the entire processing section 160, but has interruptions.
[0036] As they travel along the transport path 130, the turntables 150 are guided by the guide curve 190, preferably with the aid of cam rollers (see Fig. 2). The translational movement of the transport carriages 140 is converted into a rotational movement of the turntables 150. As they travel along the processing path 160, the turntables 150 and the mailing bag 110 secured on the turntable 150 are rotated in a predetermined direction of rotation and by a predetermined angle of rotation. As they travel along the return path 170, the turntables 150 are rotated back to their original angular position. The rotation occurs parallel to the transport path 130 about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the transport direction. The axis of rotation is preferably located in a central region close to the center of gravity of the surface of the mailing bag 110 that rests on the turntable 150.
[0037] The start, end, direction, extent, and timing of each rotary movement are determined by the interaction of the rotary table 150 with the path of the guide curve 190. In this way, the rotation of the mailing bag 110 on the processing path 160 can be individually adjusted. Due to the continuous design of the transport path 130 and the mechanical cam plate 180, the rotary tables 150 are ready to receive the next mailing bag 110 after being rotated back to their initial angular position on the return path 170. In this way, the rotation of the mailing bag 110 can be performed with high repeatability and a high throughput rate.
[0038] Fig. 2 shows a transport carriage 140 of the device 100. The turntable 150 is rotatably mounted on the top side of the transport carriage 140. The turntable 150 is preferably connected to a lever arm 154, which preferably has two cam rollers 156. The cam rollers 156 are attached to the two outermost corners of the lever arm 154, which are furthest from the axis of rotation of the turntable 150. The cam rollers 156 are spaced at a fixed distance. In the individual sections, particularly in those intended to rotate the mailing bag, the guide curve 190 is adapted in its extension orthogonal to the transport direction to the spacing of the cam rollers 156 and the respective angular position. The cam rollers 156 bear against opposite walls of the guide curve 190 at least temporarily simultaneously and can roll against them. The extension of the guide curve 190 orthogonal to the transport direction is therefore not constant.The individual cam rollers 156 can, for example, be designed as eccentric rollers or as fixed rollers. The use of eccentric rollers makes it possible to precisely position the outer surface of the corresponding cam roller 156 against the surface of the inner or outer wall of the guide curve 190. In this way, larger manufacturing tolerances, for example in the guide curve 190, are compensated for. The turntable 150 further has four suction cups 152, which fix the shipping bag 110 (not shown in Fig. 2) on the turntable 150 by applying negative pressure. The suction cups 152 are arranged with the suction surface facing upwards on the top side of the transport carriage 140 on a circle whose center lies on the axis of rotation and whose diameter is less than or equal to the distance between the carriage axes 142.The suction cups 152 are arranged such that a rectangle with sides of different lengths is formed by the suction cups 152, with the short sides of the rectangle being several times shorter than the long sides. During operation, the center of the rectangle is ideally located near the center of gravity of the surface of the mailing bag 110 (not shown in Fig. 2) that rests on the turntable 150.
[0039] The carriage axes 142 of the transport carriage 140 are arranged parallel to one another at opposite ends of the transport carriage 140 and are each mechanically connected to both toothed belts 230. The carriage axes 142 are preferably implemented as rotatably mounted hollow shafts (see Fig. 6). The turntable 150 is rotatably mounted on the surface between the carriage axes 142. The carriage axes 142 are preferably connected by a linear joint 144, wherein the linear joint 144 can be implemented, for example, by a spring. This allows the distance between the carriage axes 142, the so-called guide distance, to be variable. When traveling along the transport path 130, the rear carriage section is thus extended or contracted at the deflections, i.e., the sections between the processing section 160 and the return section 170.Since at the concentric deflection points between processing section 160 and return section 170, the transport path 130 describes an arc, while the transport carriage 140 describes a chord, a path difference exists between the two. If this path difference is not compensated, the connection between the carriage axis 142 and the transport path 130 may, for example, break. The guide distance, which can be adjusted by means of the linear joint 142, makes it possible to compensate for this path difference. To achieve a comparable effect, a design with a connection of the carriage axes 142 by means of a rigid axis that is slidably mounted, for example, in a cam that connects the carriage axes 142 to the transport path 130, is also conceivable.
[0040] Fig. 3 shows the processing section 160 of the device 100. The inlet section 162 is located before the beginning of the processing section 160 as seen in the transport direction (here in the example from right to left), the outlet section 164 is located after the end of the processing section 160. With regard to a device for producing packaging containers, the inlet section 162 serves to receive the intermediate product from a previous processing station and the outlet section 164 in turn serves to transfer it to a subsequent processing station.
[0041] The mechanical cam plate 180 has a guide cam 190 with a preferred path that causes the shipping bag 110 to rotate 90° counterclockwise as it travels through the processing section 160. At the beginning of the processing section 160, the shipping bag 110 is aligned longitudinally to the transport direction and is rotated until it is aligned transversely to the transport direction.
[0042] Fig. 4 shows the start-up section 162 of the device 100. The start-up section 162 is inclined relative to the processing section 160, which is implemented by additional deflection or guide rollers, whereby the end facing away from the processing section 160 is at a lower height than the end facing the processing section 160. When traveling through the start-up section 162 in the transport direction (in this example from right to left), the trailing end of the transport carriage 140 in the transport direction is initially below the level of the leading end. Only after traveling through the start-up section 162 are both ends at the same level. Due to this "emergence" of the transport carriage 140 at a shallow angle, the relative speed of the transport carriage 140 relative to the shipping pocket 110 perpendicular to the transport direction is minimized.The transport carriage 140 is moved accordingly gently towards the shipping bag 110 and a striking of the suction cups 152 (not shown in Fig. 4) against the shipping bag 110 is avoided.
[0043] The run-out section 164 (not shown in Fig. 4) is inclined relative to the processing section 160 in the same way as the run-up section, whereby the end facing away from the processing section 160 is at a lower height than the end facing the processing section 160.
[0044] Fig. 5 shows the guidance of the turntable 150. The turntable 150 is rotatably mounted on the transport carriage 140 and connected to a lever arm 154, which preferably has two cam rollers 156. The guide curve 190 on the mechanical cam plate 180 preferably consists of a closed housing or of solid material, wherein two outer walls running in the transport direction are preferably available for internal guidance of the turntable 150. With such a preferred internal guidance, the cam rollers 156 are positioned such that at least one cam roller 156 is in contact with an outer wall of the guide curve 190; preferably, at least shortly before the initial region of the run-up section 162 (not shown in Fig. 5) and shortly after the end region of the run-out section 164 (not shown in Fig. 5), both outer walls are in contact with at least one cam roller 156.Equally conceivable is an external guide for the turntable 150, in which the guide curve 190 does not consist of a closed housing or solid material, e.g., in an upwardly open LI shape. This provides internal surfaces along which cam rollers 156 can travel. Combinations of the described guide types are also conceivable. Fig. 6 shows the vacuum supply to the suction cups 152. The suction cups 152 are supplied via a control valve 210 that is connected to a vacuum source (not shown in Fig. 6). The control valve 210 further comprises a vacuum rail 212 with several slot-shaped supply bores 220 located at the top, wherein the supply bores 220 are connected to the control valve 210. The vacuum rail 212 is arranged below the toothed belt 230. The toothed belt 230 has a flattened region 240 with suction holes 250. Each suction hole 250 is connected to a passage in a vacuum cam 260.The vacuum cam 260 is a projection attached to the top of the toothed belt 230 or formed by the belt itself. The vacuum cam 260 has a recess into which a carriage shaft 142 extends and is secured in this position within the vacuum cam. The recess is simultaneously connected to a suction hole 250. This creates a continuous air channel from the suction hole 250 to the interior of the carriage shaft 142, which is designed as a hollow shaft.
[0045] During operation, the toothed belt 230 is guided tightly over the vacuum rail 212 in such a way that the suction hole 250 is at least temporarily located above the supply holes 220 in such a way that a continuous air channel is created from the suction device 152 to the control valve 210. The air duct can be conceptually divided into two parts: In the stationary part of the device 100, it runs from the vacuum source through the control valve 210 and further through the slot-shaped supply bores 220 in the vacuum rail 212. In the subsystem moved linearly via the vacuum rail 212, it runs through the suction hole 250 in the flattened part of the toothed belt 230, the vacuum cam 260 and the corresponding hollow carriage axis 142 of the transport carriage 140 to the suction cup 152. If the suction hole 250 is located above a supply bore 220 during operation, the two described air ducts form a single continuous air duct.
[0046] In this way, the suction cups 152 on the processing section 160 can be supplied with negative pressure in a targeted manner. The shipping bag 110 (not shown in Fig. 6) can thus be securely fixed on the turntable 150 and, if necessary, the fixation can be released again. In the simplest case, the fixation can be released by no longer having a supply bore 220, thus preventing a continuous air channel from being formed to supply the suction cups 152. This can be the case, in particular, at the end of the processing section 160. However, the strength of the fixation can also be regulated or completely removed by deliberately reducing the negative pressure applied to the corresponding supply bores 220 using a control valve 210.
[0047] List of reference symbols
[0048] 100 device
[0049] 110 shipping bags
[0050] 120 Mechanical drive
[0051] 130 transport track
[0052] 140 transport sleds
[0053] 142 carriage axis
[0054] 144 Linear joint
[0055] 150 turntables
[0056] 152 vacuum cleaners
[0057] 154 lever arm
[0058] 156 Cam roller
[0059] 160 processing line
[0060] 162 run-up track
[0061] 164 run-off section
[0062] 170 return section
[0063] 180 mechanical cam plate
[0064] 190 guide curve
[0065] 200 negative pressure supply devices
[0066] 210 control valve
[0067] 212 vacuum rail
[0068] 220 supply borehole
[0069] 230 timing belt
[0070] 240 flattened area
[0071] 250 suction holes
[0072] 260 vacuum cams
[0073] 270 air duct
[0074] 300 procedures
Claims
Claims 1. Device (100) for rotating packaging containers, in particular shipping bags (110), by a predetermined angle of rotation while the shipping bags (110) are moved forward on a processing path (160), the device (100) comprising the following components: 1 .1 a mechanical drive (120), wherein the mechanical drive (120) drives a circulating transport track (130); 1.2 a transport carriage (140), 1.2.1 wherein the transport carriage (140) has at least two carriage axes (142) and is mechanically connected to the transport track (130); 1.3 a turntable (150), 1.3.1 wherein the turntable (150) is rotatably arranged on the transport carriage (140); 1.3.2 a suction cup (152), the suction cup (152) being designed to fix the shipping bag (110) on the turntable (150); 1.4 means for supplying negative pressure (200), wherein the means for supplying negative pressure (200) are designed to supply the suction device (152) with negative pressure; 1.5 a processing path (160), wherein the shipping bag (110) fixed on the turntable (150) is moved on the processing path (160) in the transport direction and is thereby rotated; 1.6 a return path (170), wherein the turntable (150) is moved on the return path (170) opposite to the transport direction and is thereby rotated back into the starting angular position; 1.7 a mechanical cam plate (180), 1.7.1 wherein the mechanical cam plate (180) has a guide cam (190); and 1.7.2 the turntable (150) is guided by the guide curve (190) of the mechanical cam plate (180); and 1.7.3 wherein the mechanical cam plate (180) is designed to cause a rotational movement of the turntable (150) when passing through the processing section (160) in the predetermined direction of rotation; and 1.7.4 wherein the mechanical cam plate (180) is designed to cause the turntable (150) to rotate back to the initial angular position when traveling through the return path (170); and 1.8 wherein the rotation of the shipping bag (110) takes place while passing through the processing section (160) and the return section (170) parallel to the transport path (130) about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the transport direction.
2. Device (100) according to claim 1, with a start-up section (162) in front of the start of the processing section (160) as seen in the transport direction and an outlet section (164) behind the end of the processing section (160) as seen in the transport direction, wherein the start-up section (162) and the outlet section (164) are arranged such that the end of the start-up or outlet section facing away from the processing section (160) is at a lower height than the end facing the processing section (160).
3. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the carriage axes are connected to one another via at least one linear joint (142) or via at least one slidingly mounted rigid axis such that the distance between the carriage axes (142) is variable.
4. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the transport carriage (140) has at least one lever arm (154); and wherein the lever arm (154) has at least one cam roller (156) designed to be guided along the guide curve (190) of the mechanical cam plate (180).
5. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the angle of rotation corresponds to the angle enclosed by two adjacent sides of the shipping bag (110).
6. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the device (100) has an upper guide and wherein the upper guide has a surface parallel to the processing path (160) which is positioned such that a shipping bag (110) moving underneath it comes into contact with the parallel surface as soon as the shipping bag (110) bulges.
7. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the mechanical drive (120) is a toothed belt drive and the device (100) has means for supplying negative pressure (200), and wherein the means for supplying negative pressure (200) has the following components: - a toothed belt (230), wherein the toothed belt (230) has a flattened region (240) and wherein the flattened region (240) has at least one suction hole (250); and - a negative pressure source; - a control valve (210), wherein the control valve (210) is connected to the vacuum source; - a vacuum rail (212), wherein the vacuum rail (212) has at least one supply bore (220), and wherein the supply bore (220) is connected to the control valve (210); and wherein the toothed belt (230) is guided over the vacuum rail (212) such that the suction hole (250) is temporarily located above the supply bore (220) of the vacuum rail (212).
8. Device (100) according to claim 7, wherein - the device (100) has a vacuum cam (260) on at least one carriage axis (142) of the transport carriage (140), wherein the vacuum cam (260) has a passage for negative pressure and is connected to a suction hole (250); and wherein a continuous air channel (270) is formed from the control valve (210) to the suction device (152) when the suction hole (250) is located above the supply bore (220).
9. Method (300) for rotating packaging containers, in particular shipping bags (110), by a predetermined angle of rotation while the shipping bag (110) is moved forward on a circulating processing path (160), in particular with a device (100) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 8, in which 9.1 first, the shipping bag (110) is fixed on a turntable (150) of a transport carriage (140) by means of negative pressure; 9.2 the transport carriage (140) is moved through a processing section (160); 9.3 and the shipping bag (110) is rotated by a predetermined angle of rotation about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the transport direction while passing parallel to the transport path (130); 9.4 and the turntable (150) is rotated back to an initial angular position when traveling through a return path (170), wherein the initial angular position corresponds to the orientation of the turntable (150) which existed before the rotation in step 9.3.