Method and device for packaging small-piece products with product transfer within a working station of a rotation head
The rotating head with multiple workstations and dual holding elements addresses the challenge of product control and stress in packaging small items, improving efficiency and reliability by optimizing grip and positioning for secure transfer.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- THEEGARTEN PACTEC GMBH & CO KG
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-09
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-20
AI Technical Summary
Existing packaging technologies face challenges in efficiently handling small products, particularly twin cubes, due to inadequate product control and stress during transfer between rotating heads, leading to reduced functional reliability.
A rotating head with multiple workstations, each equipped with a first and second holding element, allows for simultaneous product handling and transfer without relative movement, optimizing product positioning and contact area for secure grip and reduced stress.
Enhances packaging efficiency and reliability by maximizing contact area and minimizing product stress, especially for brittle items like brewing blocks or cubes, through continuous or discontinuous rotation and coordinated movement of holding elements.
Smart Images
Figure IMGAF001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a method and a device for packaging small products with a rotating head rotatable about a rotational axis, which has a plurality of workstations.
[0002] Packaging methods and equipment of this type are well known from the prior art. In these known methods and equipment, products are typically taken from a product stock and fed into the packaging process in a desired position and orientation. The products are then wrapped in a packaging material, usually in a tubular form. The protruding ends of the tubing are then processed in a desired folding manner, e.g., letter fold, twist fold, or double twist fold, etc., to package the products. Depending on the product type and container, the initially packaged products are then further packaged in secondary or tertiary packaging.
[0003] To package double cubes at an output of up to 3000 pieces per minute, a product feeder using two rotating heads was developed. These heads first arrange the products one behind the other, then rotate them side by side and transfer them to the subsequent packaging process. A corresponding method and an associated device are disclosed in DE 10 2023 119 328.7 (subsequently published). This approach had a weakness, however, in that two grippers had to share a single contact surface on the product, resulting in less than optimal product control.
[0004] The problem to be solved by the present invention is based on this development and consists in reducing product stresses and increasing the functional reliability of a rotary head in a packaging process or in a packaging device.
[0005] The problem is solved by the subject matter of claim 1 (method) and by the subject matter of claim 7 (device).
[0006] A method for packaging small products is disclosed, using a rotating head that preferably rotates continuously around a rotational axis and has a plurality of workstations, each of which has a first and second holding element, wherein each workstation, during preferably continuous rotation of the rotating head around the rotational axis, holds at least one product to be packaged - preferably a product group consisting of two or more products to be packaged: a. picks up the product at a receiving station using the first holding device, b. transports it from the receiving station to a delivery station, transferring it from the first holding device to the second holding device, c. and then delivers it (from or with the second holding device) to the delivery station. A further rotating head is / are preferably located in front of and / or behind the rotating head.
[0007] It is also possible that the rotary head is driven discontinuously and stops, for example, to pick up or dispense product.
[0008] The rotary head according to the invention comprises at least two holding elements at each workstation. This eliminates the need to move the product circumferentially for transfer from one workstation to another. The transfer of the product from one holding element to the other within the same workstation preferably occurs essentially without any relative movement of the product to the rotary head or to the respective workstation. This objective is achieved, in effect, by multiple product transfers within a single workstation. This maximizes the contact area between the products and the holding elements. The advantages of the invention are particularly evident in the packaging of twin cubes, given that two products are handled simultaneously.
[0009] Advantageous further developments of the invention are the subject of the pending claims.
[0010] It can be advantageous if at least one product is rotated during transport from the receiving station to the discharge station about an axis of rotation different from the rotation axis of the rotary head, preferably about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotary head (i.e., radial to the rotation axis), preferably at an angle of 90° or a multiple thereof. With this design, the product can be optimally positioned for a subsequent packaging process.
[0011] It can be advantageous if the second holding element grips at least one product across different product sides (or dimensions) than the first holding element. By repositioning the product, for example from width to length or vice versa, the product can be optimally positioned for subsequent packaging.
[0012] It can be helpful if the first holding element and the second holding element simultaneously hold at least one product, at least temporarily, preferably during the transfer from the first holding element to the second holding element. With this design, the product can be transferred from the first holding element to the second holding element particularly safely and with maximum control over the product.
[0013] It can be advantageous if the products to be packaged are identical in shape, preferably cuboid or cube-shaped. Products of this shape are easy to handle during the packaging process because they have two parallel outer surfaces and can be held securely between opposing clamping jaws. The force exerted by the clamping jaws on the two parallel outer surfaces does not generate any lateral forces that could cause relative movement between the product and the clamping jaws.
[0014] It can be advantageous to package two or more products from the same product group together in a single (primary) package. Packaging several products together in a single package significantly increases packaging efficiency compared to packaging each product individually.
[0015] Another aspect of the invention relates to a device for packaging small products, preferably according to the method of one of the preceding embodiments, comprising: a rotating head, preferably continuously rotatable about an axis of rotation, with a plurality of workstations, each having a first and second holding element, wherein each workstation is configured to, preferably during continuous rotation of the rotating head about the axis of rotation, hold at least one product to be packaged - preferably a product group consisting of two or more products to be packaged: a. to pick up at a receiving station with the first holding device, b. to transport from the receiving station to a delivery station and thereby transfer from the first holding device to the second holding device, c. and subsequently to deliver (from or with the second holding device) to the delivery station.
[0016] The aforementioned advantages of the method also apply to the corresponding device.
[0017] It can be advantageous if the workstation is configured to rotate at least one product relative to the rotary head, preferably about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the rotary head's axis of rotation (i.e., radial to the axis of rotation), preferably at an angle of 90° or a multiple thereof. With this configuration, the product can be optimally positioned for a subsequent packaging process.
[0018] It can be advantageous if the workstation has a base to which the two holding elements are movably attached, the base being rotatably mounted on the rotating head so that the two holding elements rotate together with the base. In this design, transferring the product from the first to the second holding element is facilitated, preferably during continuous rotation of the rotating head around its axis of rotation and simultaneous rotation of the workstation around its axis of rotation, because both holding elements belong to the same rotating system – in the form of the workstation's base.
[0019] It can be practical if the holding elements are configured to hold at least one product simultaneously, at least temporarily, preferably during the transfer from the first holding element to the second. With this design, the product can be transferred particularly safely from the first holding element to the second.
[0020] It can be advantageous if the first holding element and / or the second holding element is / are configured to hold all products of the same product group simultaneously, preferably in such a way that all products of the same product group are arranged in series, contacting each other. With this design, the packaging capacity can increase many times over – corresponding to the number of products per product group.
[0021] It can be advantageous if the second holding element is configured to hold at least one product across different product sides (or product dimensions) than the first holding element, preferably with the first holding element being configured to hold at least one product lengthwise and / or the second holding element being configured to hold at least one product widthwise. This design minimizes product stresses, as the products can be gripped across their entire surface, thus distributing the contact pressure over a large area and reducing point loads. Especially with brittle products, such as brewing blocks or cubes, the reduced contact pressure can significantly increase process reliability.
[0022] It can be advantageous if the workstation is configured to transfer the product from the first holding device to the second holding device without any relative movement to the respective workstation. This measure can further increase process reliability and further reduce product stress.
[0023] It can be advantageous if the movement of the first holding element and / or the movement of the second holding element is / are mechanically coupled to a rotational movement of the rotating head and / or a rotational movement of the workstation, preferably via a cam track sensor. With this design, a reliable and coordinated movement sequence of all holding elements can be achieved even across fluctuations in the rotational speed of the rotating head.
[0024] It can prove practical if the first holding element and / or the second holding element is designed as a gripper pair that clamps the at least one product over two exactly or substantially parallel and mutually repelling outer surfaces, preferably with the contact area between the holding element and the product extending over more than half of the respective product side. With this design, the contact pressure per area can be reduced to a minimum in order to lessen the stress on brittle product types such as stock blocks or stock cubes.
[0025] Further preferred developments result from combinations of the features disclosed in the claims, the description and the formal drawings. Terms and definitions
[0026] The term "small-piece products" refers to confectionery, hard and soft caramels such as hard candies and chewy candies, chocolate pieces, pralines, as well as brewed products such as stock blocks or bouillon cubes made from pressed powder, and household goods such as laundry detergent or dishwashing detergent tablets. The term "small-piece products" specifically excludes cigarettes because, due to their shape, texture, packaging type, and product arrangement, cigarettes are generally handled differently in the packaging process than the aforementioned consumer products. In particular, cigarettes are typically packaged in larger containers and, to avoid pressure marks on the initial packaging, are generally not transported using gripper pairs.
[0027] The terms length, width, and height refer to the original orientation of the products along the product path. Length refers to the dimension of the product along the product path, e.g., within the feeding device. A product jam can occur along the product's length within the feeding device. Width refers to the dimension of the product perpendicular to the product path, e.g., in the transport plane within the feeding device. During transport by one of the rotary heads, the length and width of the product extend in a plane tangent to the rotation axes of the rotary heads. Product height refers to the dimension of the product perpendicular to both its length and width. Product height can be measured radially to the rotation axes of the rotary heads, perpendicular to this tangent plane. Brief description of the characters
[0028] They show: Fig. 1A schematic view of part of a conventional packaging process (prior art), wherein a product group consisting of two products is picked from a product jam formed along a product web by a first pair of grippers (on a pick-up wheel) and clamped across its width, wherein the product group is then (transferred to a rotary head and) clamped again across its width by a second pair of grippers offset from the first pair of grippers on the same product sides, wherein the product group is then (transferred to a packing head and) clamped across its length by a third pair of grippers, so that the products of the product group can then be packed together (on the packing head) in a common primary packaging. Fig. 2A schematic view of part of the packaging method according to the invention, wherein a product group consisting of two products is removed from a product jam formed along a product web by a first pair of grippers (on a pick-up wheel) and clamped across its width, wherein the product group is then (transferred to the rotary head according to the invention and) clamped across its length by the first holding element of the workstation, wherein the product group is then rotated by 90° within the same workstation and thereby transferred from the first to the second holding element, and after temporary simultaneous clamping - across its length with the first holding element and across its width with the second holding element - is clamped across its width solely by the second holding element, wherein the product group is then (transferred to a packing head and) clamped again across its length by a fourth pair of grippers.so that the products of the product group can then be packaged together in a common primary packaging. Fig. 3 a perspective partial view of a rotary head according to the invention, which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, wherein the rotary head has at least one work station with first and second holding elements, wherein the work station is rotatable about an axis of rotation oriented perpendicular (radially) to the axis of rotation of the rotary head (whereby only one work station is shown for the sake of clarity). Fig. 4A schematic perspective view of a packaging process and a packaging device with several rotary heads that work together according to the principle of rolling circles against each other to remove product groups consisting of two products from two parallel product webs with a removal wheel, to align the product groups with a rotary head transversely to the product web, and then to wrap the product groups with a packing head in a tubular shape with packaging material and to pack them in the desired wrapping style. Detailed description of the preferred embodiment
[0029] The preferred embodiment is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying figures.
[0030] The packaging device according to the preferred embodiment comprises a multi-lane product feeder 11 with two parallel product lanes PB in the form of conveyor belts, on which cube-shaped products P, such as bouillon cubes, are initially conveyed singly along the respective product lane PB and then accumulated immediately before the removal wheel 12 by reducing the conveying speed. The removal wheel 12 comprises duplicated pairs of grippers GP1 to grasp a product group PG consisting of two products P across its width and to remove this product group PG from the product accumulation and transfer it to a downstream rotary head 1. The products P of the product group PG are stacked edge to edge and arranged in a stacking direction parallel to the clamping jaws.The rotary head 1 interacts with the upstream removal wheel 12 according to the principle of overlapping circles and comprises a plurality of workstations 2, each with two holding elements 3, 4. Each workstation 2 has a base 5 rotatably mounted on the rotary head 1, to which the two holding elements 3, 4 are movably or pivotably attached. When the base 5 rotates about the axis of rotation Y, the two holding elements 3, 4 rotate together with the base 5 about the axis of rotation Y. Both holding elements 3, 4 are designed as pairs of grippers or clamping jaws, which clamp the products P over two parallel and mutually repelling outer surfaces and move towards each other in a straight line during a linear closing movement or away from each other during a linear opening movement. The directions of movement of the clamping jaws of the first and second holding elements 3, 4 during opening and closing may be opposite.The first holding element 3 and the second holding element 4 are located at the same height or at different heights in parallel (tangential) planes with respect to the rotation axis X of the rotating head 1 and are rotated 90° relative to each other when viewed perpendicular to these (tangential) planes. The opening and closing movements of the first holding element 3 and the second holding element 4 are each mechanically coupled to the rotation of the rotating head 1 about the rotation axis X or to the rotation of the workstation 2 about the rotation axis Y via a cam follower or cam lever running along a cam track. Ideally, the contact area between each holding jaw of the holding element 3, 4 and the product side it contacts extends over more than half of the respective product side. This is possible because – unlike in the [reference] – Fig. 1The state of the art shown – through multiple product transfers within the same workstation 2, the entire product side is available for clamping between the holding jaws of the respective holding element 3, 4. This allows the contact pressure per area to be reduced to such an extent that even brittle products, e.g., pressed powders such as stock blocks or stock cubes, can be reliably transferred to the downstream packaging process without damage.
[0031] In the rotary head 1, the product groups PG are picked up or transferred at a receiving station by the first holding element 3 from the removal wheel 11 and are held along their length by the first holding element 3, as shown in Fig. 2 (b)The product groups PG are then rotated by turning workstation 2 by 90° around the axis of rotation Y, which is radially aligned with the axis of rotation X of the rotating telescope 1, and during this rotation are transferred from the first holding element 3 to the second holding element 4. The second holding element 4 holds the product groups PG across their width, as also shown in Fig. 2 (b) As shown, the product group PG is temporarily held or clamped both lengthwise – by the first holding element 3 – and widthwise – by the second holding element 4. The holding elements 3 and 4 can simultaneously hold the products P of product group PG during the transfer from the first holding element 3 to the second holding element 4, so that all products P of the same product group PG are arranged in series, contacting each other.
[0032] After workstation 2 has completed its rotation, the product groups PG are aligned perpendicular to the direction of movement or product path, as shown in Fig. 2 (c)As shown, in this orientation, the product groups PG are then transferred at a delivery station from the second holding element 4 to a further (fourth) pair of grippers GP4 of the downstream packaging head 13. The stacking axis, along which the products P of the product group PG are arranged and in contact with each other, remains aligned transversely or perpendicular to the product web PB and the transport direction. In the packaging head 13, the product groups PG are then wrapped with packaging material and, after processing the protruding ends of the packaging material, are wrapped in the desired wrapping method, e.g., by letter folding, twist wrapping, double twist wrapping, etc. If expedient, the packaging material can also be wrapped around the product group PG in a tubular shape before the product group PG is transferred to the packaging head 13.
[0033] Depending on the product type and packaging, the product groups PG that are (first-)packaged in this way are then further packaged in second or third packaging.
[0034] The most important advantages of the invention and the process can be summarized as follows: The invention primarily serves the purpose of receiving the products P or product groups PG to be packaged from the product feed 11 and optimally positioning them for the downstream packaging process.
[0035] The disclosed rotary head 1 comprises a plurality of workstations 2, each with two holding elements 3, 4. These workstations 2 represent units for rotating the product P or the product groups PG formed from two products P by 90°. Each of these workstations 2 is equipped with the first holding element 3 and the additional, second holding element 4. This results in the following sequence: 1. During the transfer of product group PG from the upstream pick-up wheel 11 to the rotary head 1, the first holding element 3 takes over product group PG from the gripper pair GP1 of pick-up wheel 11 at a receiving station. The second holding element 4 is open far enough that it cannot collide with the gripper pair GP1 of pick-up wheel 11 or the first holding element 3. 2. After the workstation 2 of the rotary head 1 has left the receiving station or the collision area with the upstream pick-up wheel 11 and begins rotating product group PG around the Y-axis, the second holding element 4 closes. 3. As soon as the second holding element 4 is closed, the first holding element 3 opens. There is a brief period when both holding elements 3 and 4 are closed. There is no "floating zone" as there is during the transfer between two rotary heads. 4.During the subsequent transfer of product group PG from rotary head 1 to the downstream packing head 13 at the transfer station, product group PG is then transferred by the second holding element 4 to a (fourth) gripper pair GP4 of the downstream packing head 13. The first holding element 3 is open sufficiently to allow the fourth gripper pair GP4 to operate without interference.
[0036] The core idea of the invention thus consists of gripping a product P while it is conveyed by a continuously or discontinuously driven rotary head 1 and simultaneously rotated about an axis Y perpendicular to the product or movement path PB.
[0037] The present embodiment is to be understood as merely exemplary and in no way limiting. The devices upstream and downstream of the rotary head are preferably – but not necessarily – also designed as rotary heads. Further embodiments and modifications of the invention are possible within the scope of the appended claims. Reference symbol list
[0038] 1 Rotary head 2 Workstation 3 First holding element 4 Second holding element 5 Base of workstation 10 Packaging device 11 Product feed (conveyor belt, two lanes) 12 Picking wheel 13 Packing head GP1 Gripper pair 1 GP2 Gripper pair 2 GP3 Gripper pair 3 GP4 Gripper pair 4 P Product PB Product lane PG Product group X Rotation axis of the rotary head Y Rotation axis of the workstation
Claims
1. A method for packaging small products (P) with a rotating head (1) preferably rotating continuously about an axis of rotation (X) and comprising a plurality of workstations (2), each of which has a first and second holding element (3, 4), wherein each workstation (2), during preferably continuous rotation of the rotating head (1) about the axis of rotation (X), picks up at least one product (P) to be packaged - preferably a product group consisting of two or more products (P) to be packaged -: a. at a receiving station with the first holding element (3), b. transports from the receiving station to a delivery station and thereby transfers from the first holding element (3) to the second holding element (4), c. and then delivers it to the delivery station.
2. Procedure according to the preceding claim, characterized by the fact thatthat at least one product (P) is rotated during transport from the receiving station to the delivery station about an axis of rotation (Y) different from the axis of rotation (X) of the rotating head (1), preferably about an axis of rotation (Y) oriented perpendicular to the axis of rotation (X) of the rotating head (1), preferably at an angle of 90° or a multiple thereof.
3. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the second holding element (4) which holds at least one product (P) over different product sides than the first holding element (3).
4. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the first holding element (3) and the second holding element (4) hold the at least one product (P) at least temporarily simultaneously, preferably during the transfer from the first holding element (3) to the second holding element (4).
5. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact thatthe products (P) to be packaged are identical in shape, preferably cuboid or cube-shaped.
6. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that two or more products (P) of a product group (PG) are packaged together in a common package.
7. Device for packaging small products, preferably according to the method of one of the preceding claims, comprising: a rotating head (1) preferably continuously rotatable about an axis of rotation (X) with a plurality of workstations (2), each having a first and second holding element (3, 4), wherein each workstation (2) is configured to, when the rotating head (1) preferably rotates continuously about the axis of rotation (X), pick up at least one product (P) to be packaged - preferably a product group consisting of two or more products (P) to be packaged -: a. at a receiving station with the first holding element (3), b. transport from the receiving station to a delivery station and thereby transfer from the first holding element (3) to the second holding element (4), c. and subsequently deliver at the delivery station.
8. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized by the fact thatthe workstation (2) is configured to rotate the at least one product (P) relative to the rotating head (1), preferably about an axis of rotation (Y) oriented perpendicular to the axis of rotation (X) of the rotating head (1), preferably at an angle of 90° or a multiple thereof.
9. Device according to one of the two preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the workstation (2) has a base (5) to which the two holding elements (3, 4) are movably attached, the base (5) being rotatably mounted on the rotating head (1) so that the two holding elements (3, 4) rotate together with the base (5) when the base (5) is rotated.
10. Device according to one of the three preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the holding elements (3, 4) are configured to hold the at least one product (P) at least temporarily simultaneously, preferably during the transfer from the first holding element (3) to the second holding element (4).
11. Device according to one of the four preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the first holding element (3) and / or the second holding element (4) is / are configured to hold all products (P) of the same product group (PG) simultaneously, preferably such that all products (P) of the same product group (PG) are arranged in series in contact with each other.
12. Device according to one of the five preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the second holding element (4) is configured to hold the at least one product (P) over different product sides than the first holding element (3), wherein preferably the first holding element (3) is configured to hold the at least one product (P) over the length and / or the second holding element (4) is configured to hold the at least one product (P) over the width.
13. Device according to one of the six preceding claims, characterized by the fact thatthe workstation (2) is configured to transfer the product (P) from the first holding element (3) to the second holding element (4) without relative movement to the respective workstation (2).
14. Device according to one of the seven preceding claims, characterized by the fact that a movement of the first holding element (3) and / or a movement of the second holding element (4) is / are mechanically coupled to a rotary movement of the rotating head (1) and / or a rotary movement of the work station (2), preferably via a cam sensor running along a cam track.
15. Device according to one of the eight preceding claims, characterized by the fact thatthe first holding element (3) and / or the second holding element (4) is designed as a gripper pair which clamps the at least one product (P) over two exactly or substantially parallel and mutually repelling outer surfaces, wherein preferably the contact surface between the holding element (3, 4) and the product (P) extends over more than half of the respective product side.