Method and machine for producing packages

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for producing, in particular, cuboid-shaped packages (11) for products in a packaging machine (10), wherein in the packaging machine (10), during normal operation, print carriers (12) are applied to at least one side surface of the packages (11) to be produced, by conveying the print carriers (12) one after the other with a conveying element (17) along an adhesive application station (39) of the packaging machine (10), in which adhesive is applied on the print carriers (12), and by conveying the print carriers (12) provided with adhesive into the region of a placement station (38), in which the print carriers (12) are applied one after the other to the respective side surface of the packages (11) and attached thereto. In the event of a machine stoppage of the packaging machine (10), a check is carried out to determine whether a print carrier (12), which is on its way to the adhesive application station (39) or is already in the latter and is still to be applied to a side surface of a package (11), has or has not already been provided with adhesive in the adhesive application station (39), and / or a downtime of the packaging machine (10) after the machine stoppage is compared with a predetermined setting time of the adhesive.

Description

[0001] Method and machine for producing packages

[0002] Description

[0003] The present invention relates to a method and a (packaging) machine for producing, in particular, cuboid-shaped packs for preferably smokable products, wherein in the packaging machine, in normal operation, printing media, such as banderoles, coupons or the like, are applied to at least one side surface of the packs to be produced by conveying the printing media one after the other with a preferably rotating conveyor element, preferably using suction openings subjected to negative pressure to hold the respective printing media on the conveyor element, along an adhesive application station of the packaging machine, in which adhesive is applied to the printing media, and in that the printing media provided with adhesive are then conveyed, preferably with the same conveyor element, into the area of ​​a feed station, in which the printing media,preferably by applying compressed air to the suction openings to release the print media from the conveying element, are successively applied to the respective side surface of the packages and attached to it.

[0004] If a machine stoppage occurs during such a process, the adhesive on print media that has already been coated with adhesive usually sets very quickly. This means that subsequent attachment of the print media to the respective package, once the packaging machine has returned to normal operation, may no longer be possible, or at least not with guaranteed strength of the adhesive bond. In particular, but not only for this reason, such print media are usually sorted out by hand by the workers operating the packaging machine after a machine stoppage before the machine is restarted or returned to normal operation. This is complex and cost-intensive. Proceeding from this, the object of the present invention is to further develop the method and the packaging machine mentioned above.

[0005] This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1 and a packaging machine having the features of claim 17.

[0006] Accordingly, a method according to the invention is characterized in that in the event of a machine stoppage of the machine, triggered in particular by a machine stop signal, a check is carried out to determine whether a printing carrier, which is preferably being conveyed by the conveying element at this time and is on its way to the adhesive application station or is already in this station and is still to be applied to a side surface of a package, in particular a printing carrier to be applied next immediately before the machine stoppage, has already been (fully or partially) provided with adhesive in the adhesive application station or not, in particular before a final standstill of the packaging machine, and / or that in the event of such a machine stoppage of the packaging machine, a standstill time of the packaging machine after the machine stoppage is compared with a predetermined setting time of the adhesive, which is preferably stored in a data memory.

[0007] According to the first variant of the invention, the intended test provides the information as to whether the print carrier to be applied has already been provided with adhesive or not. This creates the basis for taking measures depending on this information in the event of a machine stoppage, which measures can, for example, result in an automatic ejection of print carriers that have already been fully or partially provided with adhesive or in a subsequent application of adhesive to print carriers that have not yet been, or at least not yet completely, provided with adhesive.

[0008] Additionally or additionally, according to the second variant of the invention, the downtime of the packaging machine after the machine stoppage is compared with a predetermined setting time of the adhesive, which is stored in particular in an (electronic) data storage device of the packaging machine. If, for example, the setting time of the adhesive is longer than or equal to the downtime, the printing substrate to be applied could be automatically rejected based on this information, since proper bonding would no longer be possible anyway. In such a case, an additional check, if any, to determine whether the printing substrate to be applied is actually already (fully or partially) coated with adhesive would even be unnecessary.

[0009] Accordingly, according to a first preferred development of the invention, it can be provided that, depending on whether the printing carrier to be applied has already been provided - completely or partially - with adhesive or not, in particular additionally depending on one or more further parameters, this printing carrier is either automatically removed from the production process, in particular outside of normal operation before the packaging machine is returned to normal operation, or, in particular after the packaging machine is returned to normal operation, is reused in the production process during normal operation of the packaging machine.

[0010] Furthermore, if this has not already been provided for or done according to the second variant of the invention, cf. above, in the event that the printing carrier to be applied has already been provided with adhesive in the adhesive application station, it can be checked whether the downtime is greater than or equal to the predetermined setting time of the adhesive.

[0011] In the event that the downtime is greater than or equal to the specified setting time of the adhesive, the printing substrate to be applied can, for example, be automatically removed from the production process, particularly outside of the normal operation of the packaging machine before the packaging machine is returned to normal operation.

[0012] In the event that the downtime is shorter than the specified setting time of the adhesive, it can be provided that the printing medium to be applied continues to be used in the production process, in particular either outside of normal operation before the packaging machine is returned to normal operation or during normal operation after the packaging machine is returned to normal operation. This is particularly the case in such a way that the printing medium to be applied is applied to the respective package while resting against the side surface of the package.In the event that, on the one hand, the downtime is shorter than the specified setting time of the adhesive and, on the other hand, that adhesive portions are still missing from the printing carrier to be applied, it can be provided that, in particular outside of normal operation before the packaging machine is returned to normal operation, the missing adhesive portions are applied to the printing carrier to be applied in the adhesive application station and then the printing carrier to be applied is applied to the side surface of a package while resting on the side surface of the package.

[0013] As far as the examination of whether the print substrate to be applied has been provided with adhesive or not is concerned, it can also be examined in detail whether the print substrate has actually been completely provided, i.e. in all the places provided for it and / or with all the adhesive portions intended for this print substrate, or whether it has only been partially provided with adhesive portions, so that portions of adhesive actually intended are still missing.

[0014] For example, target data on the target adhesive application for the print carrier to be applied could be stored in a data memory assigned to the control device of the packaging machine, which are then compared, in particular during (normal) operation of the packaging machine, with corresponding actual data of the actual adhesive application on the print carrier recorded (during operation).

[0015] The target data can be, for example, target adhesive portion positions and / or target adhesive portion count values ​​and / or other target parameters, while the actual data can be corresponding actual adhesive portion positions and / or actual adhesive portion count values ​​and / or other actual parameters.

[0016] In this context, it is conceivable to use at least one sensor to record the actual data. For example, a camera, such as a thermal imaging camera. This could be arranged downstream of the adhesive application station or in the area thereof. In the event that the test according to the invention shows that the print carrier to be applied has not been provided with adhesive (i.e. not even partially), it can be provided for this to be provided with adhesive, in particular either outside of normal operation before the packaging machine is returned to normal operation or during normal operation after the packaging machine has been returned to normal operation, and for it to be applied to the side of a pack while resting on the side of the pack.

[0017] Furthermore, regarding the check to determine whether the print substrate to be applied has already been coated with adhesive in the adhesive application station, this may include, preferably mathematically, determining the remaining distance traveled by the print substrate to be applied from the moment the machine stops until the final stop of the packaging machine and / or the remaining distance of the conveyor element conveying the print substrate at the moment the machine stops. This is preferably determined as the angle of rotation of a real or virtual axis of rotation around which the packaging machine and / or the conveyor element continues to rotate after the machine stop (signal) until the final stop.

[0018] For example, the machine speed of the packaging machine at the moment the machine stops can be included in this calculation of the remaining distance.

[0019] Based on the remaining travel and / or signals from the adhesive application station and / or one or more other packaging machine parameters, it can then be determined whether or not the print carrier to be applied was coated with adhesive before the conveyor finally came to a standstill. This is done, in particular, by determining, based on the remaining travel, whether the print carrier to be applied was conveyed by the conveyor at least as far as a designated application position in the area of ​​the adhesive application station, where the print carriers are coated with adhesive. Alternatively or additionally,determine whether an application valve of the adhesive application station, which is intended for applying adhesive to the printing carrier to be applied, was still in operation when the printing carrier to be applied was conveyed into one or the intended application position in the area of ​​the adhesive application station in which the printing carriers are provided with adhesive.

[0020] According to a further embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the conveyor element, with which the printing carriers are each conveyed into the area of ​​the adhesive application station for application of the adhesive, is designed to be rotating, that the adhesive application station is arranged in the peripheral area of ​​the rotating conveyor element and that, in the event that the printing carrier to be applied has not been provided with adhesive, the printing carrier to be applied is either, in particular during normal operation of the packaging machine after the packaging machine has been transferred back into normal operation, conveyed for the first time with the rotating conveyor element into the area of ​​the adhesive application station and provided with the adhesive there, or, if it had already been conveyed there previously, in particular outside of normal operation before the packaging machine has been transferred back into normal operation,is conveyed back to this area by the rotating conveyor and is provided with the adhesive there.

[0021] In this case, the printing carrier to be applied can be conveyed along the application station by the rotating conveyor element as part of the renewed conveying of the printing carrier to be applied to the adhesive application station, wherein the printing carrier to be applied is not applied to the respective side surface of the respective package there - in contrast to normal operation - by applying compressed air to the suction openings, but is held further on the rotating conveyor element by continuously applying negative pressure to the suction openings, is moved forward at the application station and is conveyed further downstream of the application station to the adhesive application station.

[0022] Furthermore, it can be provided that a rotating transfer conveyor element is arranged upstream of the rotating conveyor element, which has a plurality of carrier elements distributed over the circumference, in particular for carrying a print medium with negative pressure, preferably suction rollers, which are guided one after the other along a print medium magazine during the rotation of the transfer conveyor element, each carrying at least one print medium of the print medium magazine and conveying it to a transfer area in which the print medium is transferred to the rotating conveyor element.In the event that the printing carrier to be applied is conveyed back into the area of ​​the adhesive station by the rotating conveyor element outside of normal operation of the machine, at least one of the carrier elements is blocked from carrying a printing carrier during the movement of the transfer conveyor element along the printing carrier magazine, in particular by temporarily switching off the negative pressure for the carrier element to be blocked.

[0023] Furthermore, it can be provided that, in the event that the downtime is greater than or equal to the predetermined setting time of the adhesive, a) the printing carrier to be applied is conveyed along the application station, b) the printing carrier to be applied is not applied there - in contrast to normal operation - to the respective side surface of the respective package by applying compressed air to the suction openings of the conveyor element, but is held further on the rotating conveyor element by further applying negative pressure to the suction openings and then c) the printing carrier to be applied is detached from the rotating conveyor element downstream of the application station by applying compressed air to the suction openings and is discharged. This is particularly in the area of ​​a collecting container, preferably above the latter, to which the printing carrier is fed after being detached from the rotating conveyor element.

[0024] As for the packaging machine according to the invention, this naturally has a control device which is then designed and configured in such a way that, in the event of a machine stoppage of the packaging machine, it checks whether a printing medium which is preferably conveyed by the conveyor element at this time, is on its way to the adhesive application station or is already in this station and is still to be applied to a side surface of a package, in particular a printing medium which is to be applied next immediately before the machine stoppage, has already been provided with adhesive in the adhesive application station or not, in particular before a final standstill of the packaging machine, and / or that, in the event of a machine stoppage of the packaging machine, it compares a standstill time of the packaging machine after the machine stoppage with a predetermined,The setting time of the adhesive, preferably stored in a data memory associated with the control device, can be determined. The packaging machine can have a collecting container downstream of the application station, adjacent to the rotating conveyor, for collecting printing media that are to be removed from the production process and released from the rotating conveyor.

[0025] In this case, an electro-optical sensor, in particular a contrast sensor, can be arranged downstream of the collecting container, with which it can be detected whether a printing carrier is held on the conveying element downstream of the collecting container and / or whether a printing carrier has been discharged from the production process in the direction of the collecting container.

[0026] The application station can be assigned an electro-optical sensor, in particular a contrast sensor, with which it can be detected whether a printing carrier was attached to the respective side surface of the respective package in the application station while being released from the rotating conveyor element, or whether this printing carrier was conveyed by the conveyor element along the application station without being released from the conveyor element, without being placed and attached to the respective side surface there.

[0027] As regards the device for applying printing media to the packaging machine, this can, as already explained above, comprise a preferably rotating transfer conveyor element which is arranged in the region of a printing media magazine and with which at least one printing media can be taken from the printing media magazine and conveyed to a transfer area in which the respective printing media can be transferred to the rotating conveyor element.

[0028] The device for applying print media can have a sensor, in particular an electro-optical sensor, preferably assigned to the transfer area, preferably a contrast sensor, with which it can be detected whether a print media can be transferred in the transfer area.

[0029] Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the appended claims, the following description of preferred embodiments, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0030] Fig. 1 - 3 each show a cigarette pack with a printing carrier formed as a banderole placed on different side surfaces, which can be produced with the packaging machine according to the invention or the method according to the invention, each in an oblique view,

[0031] Fig. 4 shows a part of the packaging machine, comprising in particular a device designed as a banding device for applying the printing media to the respective package, with an adhesive application station to which individual printing media are conveyed by means of a (rotating) conveyor and in which adhesive is applied to the printing media, as well as with a feed station arranged downstream of the adhesive application station, to which the conveyor conveys the printing media and in which the printing media are transferred to the packages while resting against the respective package, in an oblique view,

[0032] Fig. 5 is a side view of the device for applying the printing media in normal operation, viewed from the direction V in Fig. 4,

[0033] Fig. 6 is a side view of the device for applying the printing media from Fig. 5 in normal operation, but without a pressure conveyor of the application station,

[0034] Fig. 7a is a representation corresponding to Fig. 6, in which the packaging machine is shown at a time after a machine stop, after it has covered a remaining distance until a final stop, wherein a printing carrier conveyed by the conveyor element and to be applied next to a package was no longer provided with adhesive before the machine stop,

[0035] Fig. 7b is a representation of the packaging machine according to Fig. 7a at a later point in time compared to Fig. 7a, at which the packaging machine is in a special mode after the machine stop, in which the printing medium to be applied has previously been conveyed along the application station by the conveyor element as part of a conveying movement serving to feed it back to the adhesive application station, but without applying the printing medium to be applied to the corresponding package there,

[0036] Fig. 7c is a representation of the packaging machine according to Fig. 7a at a later point in time compared to Fig. 7b, at which the packaging machine, after the machine stop, is still in the special mode in which the printing carrier to be applied is conveyed to the adhesive application station as part of the conveying movement serving to feed it back to the adhesive application station,

[0037] Fig. 8a is a representation of the packaging machine corresponding to Fig. 7a, also at a time after a machine stop, after it has covered a remaining distance until a final standstill, but in an alternative scenario in which the printing carrier to be applied has already been provided with adhesive in the adhesive application station,

[0038] Fig. 8b is a representation of the packaging machine according to Fig. 8a at a later point in time compared to Fig. 8a, at which the packaging machine is in a special mode after the machine stop, in which the printing carrier to be applied and already provided with adhesive was previously conveyed along the feed station to a discharge station - due to the exceeding of a predetermined adhesive setting time by the conveyor element - without transferring the printing carrier to the corresponding package in the feed station,

[0039] Fig. 8c shows a representation of the packaging machine corresponding to Fig. 8a at a later point in time compared to Fig. 8b, at which the packaging machine is still in special mode after the machine stop and at which the printing carrier to be applied, provided with the already cured adhesive, is about to be discharged from the process and transferred to the collecting container. A packaging machine 10 as shown in Figs. 4-8c can produce packs 11 as shown in Figs. 1-3. In the present case, the packs 11 are packs for smokable products, such as cigarettes. However, the present application is naturally not limited to such packs.

[0040] The cuboid-shaped packs 11 in this embodiment have printing carriers 12, in the present case banderoles, which are attached to side surfaces 13 of the packs 11, for example to an upright narrow side 13 a, an upright large-area side 13 b or to an end face 13 c of the packs 11, see Fig. 1.

[0041] The printing supports 12 can also be attached at an angle, so that a first section of the printing support 12 is located on a respective narrow side 13 a, large-area side 13 b or end face 13 c, and a second section is located on a respective other narrow side 13 a, large-area side 13 b or end face 13 c, see Figs. 2 and 3.

[0042] The or such a packaging machine 10 comprises various sections and units (not shown) which are well known in the prior art in order to initially produce the packs 11 largely from one or more folded blanks, so that they can then be conveyed by means of a conveyor device 41 along a device 14 for applying print media - hereinafter referred to as application device 14 for short - which is designed here as a so-called banding device, and by means of which the print media 12 are then applied to one of the side surfaces 13 of the packs 11.

[0043] After the printing carriers 12 have been applied to the side surfaces 13 of the packages 11, the packages 11 are then conveyed to further, also known, units for the final completion of the packaging machine 10.

[0044] The movements and activities of the individual conveying elements and the other units and elements of the attachment device 14 are synchronized or coordinated with one another in the manner described below, for example depending on a higher-level central real or virtual machine axis.

[0045] In the present case, the focus is primarily on the banding device or the application device 14 of the packaging machine 10 and its control system.

[0046] As can be seen, the application device 14 comprises, among other things, a print carrier magazine 15 in which a stack of print carriers 12 is located, from which a print carrier 12 is removed from the print carrier magazine 15 by a rotating transfer conveyor element 16 and, after a partial rotation of 90° in this case, is transferred to a (further) rotating conveyor element 17 which, after taking over the respective print carrier 12, conveys it through a first partial rotation (of 120° in this case) to or along an adhesive application station 39 comprising an adhesive application device 18, in which one or more adhesive portions 19 are applied to the respective print carrier 12 in a normal operation or normal operating mode of the packaging machine 10 or the application device 14, see Figs. 5 and 6.

[0047] The respective printing carrier 12 provided with the adhesive portions 19 is then guided in normal operation by the rotating conveyor member 17 into the area of ​​a placement station 38, in which it is then placed on a side surface 13, in this case the narrow side 13a, of a pack 11 provided for the respective printing carrier 12 and conveyed along the placement station 38 by a pack conveyor 41a of the conveyor device 41 having a rectilinear conveying path, and is attached to this by gluing.

[0048] By means of a circulating pressure belt 20 of the application station 38, the freshly applied printing carriers 12 are provided with suitable contact pressure in order to ensure an optimal connection with the respective side surface 13.

[0049] In the present embodiment, the rotating transfer conveyor element 16 comprises a rotatably driven rotary star 21 with, in this case, four rotary star arms 22 arranged at an angular spacing (in this case of 90° each) along the circumference of the transfer conveyor element 16, on each of which a suction roller 23 is rotatably mounted. The transfer conveyor element 16 further comprises a stationary control disc 27, which has two vacuum channels 24a and 24b, respectively, and two compressed air channels 25a and 25b, respectively.

[0050] The vacuum channel 24 a is assigned to a transfer area 28 in which the transfer conveyor element 16 removes a printing carrier 12 from the printing carrier magazine 15.

[0051] In normal operation, as soon as a suction roller 23 is located in the transfer area 28, a medium channel of the suction roller 23 connected to one or more suction openings of the suction roller 23 is connected to the vacuum channel 24a in a medium-conducting manner, so that the at least one suction opening of the suction roller 23 can then be or will be subjected to negative pressure from a vacuum source (not shown) and can suck in a ready-to-use print carrier 12 and in this way carry it along.

[0052] The vacuum channel 24 b is arranged downstream of the vacuum channel 24 a and then, in normal operation, supplies the one or more suction openings of the suction roller 23 in an analogous manner following the transfer of the print medium 12 from the print medium magazine 15 up to a further transfer area 29 with vacuum and holds the respective print medium 12 in this way on the suction roller 23 until the respective print medium 12 is transferred from the transfer conveyor element 16 to the conveyor element 17 in the transfer area 29.

[0053] By means of the compressed air channels 25 a or 25 b, the then empty suction roller 23 is then pressurized with compressed air in order to free the one or more suction openings of the suction roller 23 from any contamination.

[0054] In the present embodiment, the supply to the vacuum channels 24a, 24b and the compressed air channels 25a, 25b is controlled by a control device 30 with corresponding switching units 31 for the controlled blocking or release of vacuum or compressed air. Similarly, the conveying element 17, which has a rotating rotary cylinder 34, also has vacuum channels 32 and compressed air channels 33, which can also be switchably supplied with vacuum or compressed air by means of switching units 31 connected to the control device 30. With these, one or more suction openings of holding elements 35 arranged on the rotary cylinder 34 at an angular distance (in this case 120°) distributed over the circumference of the rotary cylinder 34 can each be supplied with vacuum or compressed air.

[0055] During normal operation, a holding member 35 located in the transfer area 29 is subjected to negative pressure by the negative pressure channel 32, so that the print carrier 12 located in the transfer area 29 is transferred by suction from the transfer conveyor member 16 to the conveyor member 17.

[0056] Subsequently, the conveying member 17 and the holding member 35 having the received printing carrier 12 are conveyed into an application area 36 of the adhesive application station 39 within the scope of a first rotational movement (in this case by 120°) and, accordingly, are conveyed into an application area 36 of the adhesive application station 39 and there provided with the adhesive portions 19 by one or more application valves 37 of the adhesive application device 18.

[0057] During a further rotational movement of the conveying member 17 (in this case by 120°), the subsequent vacuum channel 32 ensures that the printing carrier 12 provided with the adhesive portions 19 continues to be held on the holding member 35 until the holding member 35 or the printing carrier 12 is located in the area of ​​the application station 38.

[0058] There, the suction opening(s) of the holding member 35 is / are pressurized with compressed air from the compressed air channel 33 in order to detach the printing carrier 12 and apply it to the narrow side 13 a of the corresponding packing 11.

[0059] As the rotation of the conveying member 17 continues, the one or more suction openings of the (then empty, i.e., no longer occupied by a print carrier 12) holding member 35 are then pressurized with compressed air through the compressed air channel 33, which ensures that any contamination from the one or more suction openings is removed. The packaging machine 10, or in particular the application device 14, is controlled in a special manner in the event of a machine stoppage, depending on the process situation within normal operation of the packaging machine 10 in which the machine stoppage occurred or on the process situation after the packaging machine 10 has been stopped.

[0060] The special control is carried out in particular, but not only, with a view to avoiding, as far as possible, the need for a worker to manually remove from the packaging machine 10 a printing carrier 12 which is actually to be applied next to a respective pack 11 in the process, which printing carrier 12 has not yet been provided with adhesive portions 19 before the machine was stopped, or on which adhesive portions 19 which have already been applied have already set due to a machine stop being too long, so that subsequent attachment to the respective pack 11 after restarting the packaging machine 10 or a later transfer to normal operation is not possible or is no longer possible with sufficient strength.

[0061] For this purpose, the control device 30 can first calculate, on the basis of the machine speed at the moment of machine stop, the remaining distance that the next printing carrier 12 to be applied will then travel until the machine finally comes to a standstill.

[0062] When a machine stops, the packaging machine and, accordingly, its attachment device 14, in particular a central mechanical or virtual machine axis of the packaging machine 10 as well as the dependent machine axes of the individual devices and units, usually continue to move or overrun a certain residual distance after the machine stop signal. This residual distance then leads, among other things, to subsequent residual rotations of the transfer conveyor element 16 and the conveyor element 17.

[0063] According to the invention, based on this remaining travel and, if applicable, the resulting final standstill position of the printing carrier 12, it can be determined whether or not the printing carrier 12 was still provided with adhesive portions 19 before the final standstill of the packaging machine 10 after the machine stop in the adhesive application station 39. In addition to the remaining travel and / or the final standstill position, this determination can also include, among other things, information about the time (during or after the machine stop) at which the adhesive application device 18 was switched off and / or last dispensed adhesive portions 19.

[0064] It is understood that theoretically, alternatively or additionally, it is also conceivable to determine by means of one or more, in particular, electro-optical sensors whether the next print carrier 12 to be applied has been completely or partially provided with adhesive portions 19 before the final standstill.

[0065] Furthermore, the control device 30 determines a downtime of the packaging machine 10 elapsed after the machine stop, for example, since the machine stop (signal) and / or since the final stop of the packaging machine 10, and compares this with a setting time of the adhesive used, stored in a data memory assigned to the control device 30. In this way, conclusions can be drawn as to whether a print carrier 12 to be applied next, which may have already been provided with adhesive before the final stop, could still be used or attached to a package 11, or whether this would no longer be feasible due to the setting time being reached or exceeded for this reason alone.

[0066] Figs. 7a - 7c show a first scenario in which the above determinations of the control device 30 have shown that the next print substrate 12.1 to be applied (before the machine stop) is located in the application area 36 of the adhesive station 39 at the final stop of the packaging machine 10, but was no longer provided with adhesive portions 19 before the final stop of the packaging machine 10 because the adhesive application device 18 was already switched off immediately at the machine stop, i.e., before the final stop. In this scenario, the determined downtime of the packaging machine 10 is therefore no longer relevant.

[0067] At the time shown in Fig. 7a, the application device 14 and, among other things, the next printing carrier 12.1 to be applied are in their final end position, which has been set following the machine stop, in which, in this case, the packaging machine 10 or the application device 10 has moved further by a certain residual distance 40 after the machine stop signal.

[0068] For the configuration shown in Fig. 7a, the control method of the packaging machine 10 provides for the next printing carrier 12.1 to be applied, which is not provided with adhesive portions 19, not to be ejected, but to be reused, unlike in the prior art.

[0069] For this purpose, the packaging machine 10 or the application device 14 is transferred into a special operation before being transferred back into normal operation, in which the printing carrier 12.1 to be applied is conveyed past the application station 18 by the conveying element 17 - unlike in normal operation - without pressurizing the holding element 35, which holds the printing carrier 12.1, with compressed air for detaching it or applying it to the side surface 13a of the corresponding package 11.

[0070] Rather, the holding member 35 continues to be subjected to negative pressure during a subsequent "circular travel" (or - depending on the position of the holding member 35 upon final standstill of the packaging machine 10 - "partial circular travel") of the conveying member 17, with which the holding member 35 together with the printing carrier 12.1 is again fed to the adhesive application station 39, in order to hold the printing carrier 12.1 to be applied to the holding member 35.

[0071] During the special operation, before and during a first partial rotation of the conveyor element 17 (in this case by 120°), the package conveyor 41a guiding the packages 11 along the feed station 38 remains in its standstill state and - unlike in normal operation - is not moved synchronously with the conveyor element 17, see Fig. 7a and 7b.

[0072] During this first partial rotation, the printing carrier 12.2 following upstream of the printing carrier 12.1 to be applied is properly fed to the adhesive application station 39 and provided there with adhesive portions 19, see Fig. 7b, which shows the application device 14 after the first partial rotation of 120°.

[0073] After the first partial rotation, the conveyor 41 is returned to its position with the conveyor element

[0074] 17, so that the printing carrier 12.2 can be placed on a package 11 assigned to it, see Fig. 7c, in which the application device 14 is shown after the second partial rotation of 120°. Thereafter, the printing carrier 12.3 following upstream of the printing carrier 12.2, which has meanwhile been transferred by the transfer conveyor element 16, is provided with adhesive portions 19 and then placed on the respective package 11.

[0075] Furthermore, during the special operation, after the first partial rotation of the conveyor element 17, the suction roller 23 of the transfer conveyor element 16 located next in the transfer area 28 is blocked, i.e., is not subjected to negative pressure, so that the transfer conveyor element 16 cannot remove any further printing medium 12 from the printing medium magazine 15. This prevents a further printing medium 12 from being transferred to the holding element 35 holding the printing medium 12.1 to be applied or to the holding element 35 occupied by it during its additional circular travel in the transfer area 29.

[0076] The printing carrier 12.1 to be applied, however, is fed to the adhesive application station 39 at the end of its circular travel and is then properly provided with adhesive portions 19 in this station (not shown).

[0077] Fig. 8a - 8c show a second scenario in which the determinations of the control device 30 have shown that the next printing carrier 12.1 to be applied has already been provided with adhesive portions 19 by the adhesive station 39 before the final stop of the packaging machine 10.

[0078] In this scenario, the determination of the downtime of the packaging machine 10 at the time shown in Fig. 8a and the comparison with the stored setting time of the adhesive have also shown that the adhesive portions 19 have already set, so that proper bonding of the print carrier 12.1 to be applied next (before the machine stop) to the respective package 11 can no longer be guaranteed.

[0079] For such a case, the control device 30 is configured to eject the relevant print carrier 12.1 within a special operation before the packaging machine 10 subsequently returns to normal operation. At the time shown in Fig. 8a, the application device 14 and, among other things, the next print carrier 12.1 to be applied are in their final end position, which was established following the machine stop.

[0080] In the aforementioned special operation, see Fig. 8 b, the print carrier 12.1 to be applied is again initially conveyed past the application station 18 by the conveying member 17 during a first partial rotation (in this case by 120°) - unlike in normal operation - without pressurizing the holding member 35, which holds the print carrier 12.1, with compressed air there for detaching it or applying it to the side surface 13 a of the corresponding package 11.

[0081] Accordingly, the holding member 35 holding the pressure carrier 12.1 to be attached continues to be subjected to negative pressure during this first partial rotation.

[0082] In addition, during this first partial rotation, another printing carrier 12.2 is guided along the adhesive application station 39 and provided with adhesive portions 19 there.

[0083] The package conveyor 41 a, in turn, remains stationary during the first partial rotation and, accordingly - unlike in normal operation - is not set in motion synchronously with the conveyor element 17 or is not moved along with it, since the package 11 which was intended for the print carrier 12.1 to be discharged and applied is to be provided with the next print carrier 12.2.

[0084] In this second scenario - unlike in the first scenario - due to the lack of an additional partial circular travel of the print carrier 12.1 to be applied, which would feed it again to the adhesive application station 39, it is not necessary to block the suction roller 23 of the transfer conveyor member 16, which is next located in the transfer area 28, after the first partial rotation of the conveyor member 17, so that the transfer conveyor member 16 can be or will be moved synchronously.

[0085] During a first subsequent, not shown second partial rotation (by 120° in the present case), the print carrier 12.1 to be applied is then discharged by applying compressed air to the holding member 35 holding it in the region of a collecting container 43, so that it is released from the holding member 35 and falls into the collecting container 43.

[0086] The printing carrier 12.2 immediately following the printing carrier 12.1 to be applied is fed to the application station 38 in the usual way during the second partial rotation and applied to the package 11, which was conveyed to the application station 38 for the purpose of application by the package conveyor 41a, which has meanwhile been put back into synchronous operation (see Fig. 8c).

[0087] Following the second partial rotation within the special operation, the packaging machine 10 can or could then be transferred back to normal operation.

[0088] As can be further seen in Figs. 5 - 8 c, three contrast censors 42 a, 42 b, 42 c are provided, with each of which the presence or absence of print media 12 can be checked.

[0089] The first sensor 42a is located directly downstream of the transfer area 29, in which the respective print carrier 12 is transferred from the suction roller 23 to the conveyor element 17. If no print carrier 12 is detected here, the adhesive application station 39 is blocked so that the corresponding holding element 35 not occupied by a print carrier 12 is not contaminated by a subsequent adhesive application in the synchronously moving or synchronously activated adhesive application station, as planned in operation.

[0090] The other two sensors 42 b and 42 c are located upstream and downstream of the collecting container 43, respectively, adjacent to the latter.

[0091] Using sensor 42b upstream of the collection container 43, the control device 30 checks, in normal operation and in special operation according to the first scenario, whether a printing carrier 12 provided with adhesive portions 19, or in particular the printing carrier 12.1, has also been placed on a package 11. In special operation according to the second scenario, the control device 30 uses sensor 42b to check, in particular, whether the printing carrier 12.1 to be ejected and applied in this case has actually passed the application station 38 as desired without being applied to a package 11. Using sensor 42c downstream of the collection container 43, the control device 30 checks, in special operation according to the first scenario, whether the printing carrier 12.1 to be applied was able to complete its circular movement successfully. In special operation according to the second scenario, the control device 30 uses sensor 42c to check, in particular, whether the printing carrier 12.1 to be ejected and applied1 was actually properly disposed of in the collection container 43.

[0092] *****

[0093] List of reference symbols

[0094] 10 Packaging machine 30 Control device

[0095] 11 packs 31 switching units

[0096] 12 pressure carriers 32 vacuum channel

[0097] 12.1 next to be installed 33 compressed air duct pressure carrier 34 rotary cylinder

[0098] 12.2 following pressure carrier 35 holding element

[0099] 12.3 subsequent print medium 36 application area

[0100] 13 side surfaces 37 application valves

[0101] 13 a narrow side packs 38 placement station

[0102] 13 b large-area page 39 adhesive application station

[0103] 13 c front side 40 remaining path

[0104] 14 Attachment device 41 Conveyor device

[0105] 15 Print media magazine 41 a Packing conveyor

[0106] 16 Transfer conveyor 42 a Sensor

[0107] 17 rotating conveyor element 42 b sensor

[0108] 18 Adhesive application device 42 c Sensor

[0109] 19 Adhesive portion 43 Collection container

[0110] 20 pressure band

[0111] 21 rotating star

[0112] 22 rotating star arms

[0113] 23 suction roll

[0114] 24 a vacuum channel

[0115] 24 b vacuum channel

[0116] 25 a compressed air duct

[0117] 25 b compressed air duct

[0118] 27 Control disc

[0119] 28 Transfer area print media magazine to transfer conveyor

[0120] 29 Transfer area transfer conveyor to rotating conveyor

Claims

Patent claims 1. A method for producing, in particular, cuboid-shaped packs (11) for preferably smokable products in a packaging machine (10), wherein in the packaging machine (10) during normal operation, printing media (12), such as banderoles, coupons or the like, are applied to at least one side surface of the packs (11) to be produced, by the printing media (12) being conveyed one after the other with a preferably rotating conveyor element (17), preferably using suction openings subjected to negative pressure for holding the respective printing media (12) on the conveyor element (17), along an adhesive application station (39) of the packaging machine (10), in which adhesive is applied to the printing media (12), and by the printing media (12) provided with adhesive are then conveyed, preferably with the same conveyor element (17), into the area of ​​a feed station (38), in which the printing media (12),preferably by applying compressed air to the suction openings to detach the printing carriers (12) from the conveying member (17), are successively applied to the respective side surface of the packs (11) and attached thereto, characterized in that in the event of a machine stop of the packaging machine (10), a check is carried out to determine whether a printing carrier (12) which is preferably being conveyed by the conveying member (17) at this time, is on its way to the adhesive application station (39) or is already in the latter and is still to be attached to a side surface of a pack (11), has already been provided with adhesive in the adhesive application station (39) or not, in particular before a final stop of the packaging machine (10), and / or that in the event of a machine stop of the packaging machine (10), a stoppage time of the packaging machine (10) after the machine stop is compared with a predetermined setting time of the adhesive.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that depending on whether the printing carrier (12) to be applied has already been (fully or partially) provided with adhesive or not, preferably additionally depending on one or more further parameters, this printing carrier (12) is either, in particular outside of normal operation before the packaging machine (10) is transferred back into normal operation, automatically from the production process or, in particular during normal operation of the packaging machine (10), is reused in the production process.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the event that the printing carrier (12) to be applied has already been provided with adhesive in the adhesive application station (39), it is checked whether the downtime is greater than or equal to the setting time of the adhesive.

4. Method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that in the event that the printing carrier (12) to be applied is already provided with adhesive, it is checked whether the printing carrier (12) is provided with all the adhesive portions intended for it or whether adhesive portions are still missing, in particular with at least one sensor with which adhesive portions already located on the printing carrier (12) can be detected, such as a camera, preferably a thermal imaging camera.

5. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, at least according to claim 3, characterized in that in the event that the downtime is greater than or equal to the predetermined setting time of the adhesive, the printing carrier (12) to be applied is automatically removed from the production process, in particular outside of normal operation before the packaging machine (10) is transferred back into normal operation.

6. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, at least according to claim 3, characterized in that in the event that the downtime is shorter than the predetermined setting time of the adhesive, the printing carrier (12) to be applied continues to be used in the production process, in particular either outside of normal operation before the packaging machine (10) is returned to normal operation or in normal operation after the packaging machine (10) is returned to normal operation.

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the printing carrier (12) to be applied is applied to a respective pack (11) in this case, bearing against the side surface of the latter.

8. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, at least according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that in the event that, on the one hand, the downtime is shorter than the predetermined setting time of the adhesive and, on the other hand, adhesive portions are still missing on the printing carrier (12) to be applied, in particular outside of normal operation before the packaging machine (10) is transferred back into normal operation, the missing adhesive portions are applied to the printing carrier (12) to be applied in the adhesive application station (39) and then the printing carrier (12) to be applied is applied to a pack (11) while resting against the side surface of the pack.

9. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printing carrier (12) to be applied, in the event that it has not yet been provided with adhesive, in particular either outside of normal operation before the packaging machine (10) is returned to normal operation or in normal operation after the packaging machine (10) is returned to normal operation, is provided with adhesive and is applied to a pack (11) in contact with the side surface of the pack.

10. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the check as to whether the printing carrier (12) to be applied has already been provided with adhesive in the adhesive application station (39) or not comprises, in particular, calculating a residual distance which the printing carrier (12) to be applied still travels from the moment of the machine stop until the final standstill of the packaging machine (10) and / or of the conveyor element (17) which conveys the printing carrier (12) at the moment of the machine stop, preferably as a rotation angle value of a rotation axis around which the packaging machine (10) and / or the conveyor element (17) is / are further rotated after the machine stop until the final standstill.

11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that the machine speed of the packaging machine (10) at the moment of machine stoppage is included in the calculation of the remaining distance.

12. Method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that based on the remaining path and / or based on signals from the adhesive application station (39) and / or one or more other packaging machine parameters, it is determined whether the printing carrier (12) to be applied was provided with adhesive before the final stop of the conveyor (17) or not, in particular by determining on the basis of the remaining path whether the printing carrier (12) to be applied was conveyed by the conveyor (17) on its remaining path at least to a provided application position in the area of ​​the adhesive application station (39) in which the printing carriers (12) are provided with adhesive, and / or whether an application valve of the adhesive application station (39) provided for applying adhesive to the printing carrier (12) to be applied was still in operation,when the printing carrier (12) to be applied was conveyed into one or the intended application position in the area of ​​the adhesive application station (39) in which the printing carriers (12) are provided with adhesive.

13. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, at least according to claim 9, characterized in that the conveyor element (17), with which the printing carriers (12) are each conveyed into the area of ​​the adhesive application station (39) for application of the adhesive, is designed to be rotating, that the adhesive application station (39) is arranged in the peripheral area of ​​the rotating conveyor element (17), and that in the event that the printing carrier (12) to be applied has not been provided with adhesive, the printing carrier (12) to be applied is either, in particular during normal operation of the packaging machine (10) after the packaging machine (10) has been transferred back into normal operation, conveyed for the first time with the rotating conveyor element (17) into the area of ​​the adhesive application station (39) and provided with the adhesive there, or, if it had already been conveyed there previously,in particular outside of normal operation before the packaging machine (10) is returned to normal operation, is conveyed again into this area by the rotating conveyor element (17) and is provided with the adhesive there.

14. Method according to claim 13, characterized in that the printing carrier (12) to be applied is conveyed along the application station (38) by the rotating conveyor member (17) as part of the renewed conveying of the printing carrier (12) to be applied to the adhesive application station (39) and that the the printing carrier (12) to be applied there - in contrast to normal operation - is not applied to the respective side surface of the respective package (11) by applying compressed air to the suction openings, but is held further on the rotating conveyor element (17) by continuously applying negative pressure to the suction openings, is moved forward at the application station (38) and is conveyed further downstream of the application station (38) to the adhesive application station (39).

15. Method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that upstream of the rotating conveyor member (17) a rotating transfer conveyor member (16) is arranged, which has a plurality of carrier members distributed over the circumference, in particular for carrying a printing medium (12), which can be subjected to negative pressure, preferably suction rollers, which are guided one after the other along a printing medium magazine (15) during the rotation of the transfer conveyor member (16), each carrying at least one printing medium (12) of the printing medium magazine (15) and conveying it to a transfer area in which the printing medium (12) is transferred to the rotating conveyor member (17), wherein in the event that the printing medium (12) to be applied is conveyed again into the area of ​​the adhesive application station (39) by the rotating conveyor member (17) outside of normal operation of the packaging machine (10),at least one of the carrier elements is blocked during the movement of the transfer conveyor element (16) along the print carrier magazine (15) for carrying a print carrier (12), in particular by temporarily switching off the negative pressure for the carrier to be blocked.

16. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, at least according to claim 5, characterized in that in the case where the downtime is greater than or equal to the predetermined setting time of the adhesive, the printing carrier (12) to be applied is conveyed along the application station (38), there - deviating from normal operation - not by applying compressed air to the suction openings of the conveying element (17) to the respective side surface of the respective package (11), but is held further on the rotating conveyor element (17) by further applying negative pressure to the suction openings and is then released and discharged from the rotating conveyor element (17) downstream of the application station (38) by applying compressed air to the suction openings, in particular in the area of ​​a collecting container, preferably above the same, to which the printing medium (12) after being released from the rotating conveyor element (17).

17. A packaging machine for producing, in particular, cuboid-shaped packs (11) for preferably smokable products, in particular for carrying out the method according to one or more of the preceding claims, with a device for applying printing media, such as banderoles, coupons or the like, to at least one side surface of the packs (11), which comprises a preferably rotating conveyor element (17) having suction openings, preferably capable of being subjected to negative pressure, for holding the respective printing media (12), with which the printing media (12) can be conveyed one after the other along an adhesive application station (39) of the device for applying printing media, in which adhesive can be applied to the printing media (12), and with which the printing media (12) provided with adhesive can then be conveyed into the area of ​​a feed station (38) of the device for applying printing media,in which the printing carriers (12) can be applied one after the other to the respective side surface of the packs (11), preferably by applying compressed air to the suction openings to detach the printing carriers (12) from the conveying member (17), characterized in that the packaging machine (10) has a control device which is designed and configured such that, in the event of a machine stop of the packaging machine (10), it checks whether a printing carrier (12) which is preferably being conveyed by the conveying member (17) at this time, is on its way to the adhesive application station (39) or is already in this station and is still to be applied to a side surface of a pack (11), has already been provided with adhesive in the adhesive application station (39) or not, in particular before a final standstill of the packaging machine (10),and / or that in the event of a machine stop of the packaging machine (10), it compares a downtime of the packaging machine (10) that has elapsed after the machine stop with a predetermined setting time of the adhesive., 18. Packaging machine according to claim 17, characterized in that the packaging machine (10) has a collecting container downstream of the application station (38) adjacent to the conveyor member (17) for collecting printing media to be discharged from the production process and to be released from the conveyor member (17).

19. Packaging machine according to claim 18, characterized in that downstream of the collecting container there is arranged an in particular electro-optical sensor, preferably a contrast sensor, with which it can be detected whether a printing carrier (12) is held on the conveying member (17) downstream of the collecting container and / or whether a printing carrier (12) has been discharged from the production process in the direction of the collecting container.

20. Packaging machine according to claim 17, 18 or 19, characterized in that the application station (38) is assigned a sensor, in particular an electro-optical sensor, preferably a contrast sensor, with which it can be detected whether a printing carrier (12) was attached to the respective side surface of the respective pack (11) in the application station (38) while being released from the conveyor member (17) or whether this printing carrier (12) was conveyed by the conveyor member (17) along the application station (38) without being released from the conveyor member (17) and without being placed and attached to the respective side surface there.

21. Packaging machine according to one or more of the preceding claims 17-20, characterized in that the device for applying printing carriers has a preferably rotating transfer conveyor element (16) which is arranged in the region of a printing carrier magazine (15) and with which at least one printing carrier (12) can be taken from the printing carrier magazine (15) and conveyed to a transfer area in which the respective printing carrier (12) can be transferred to the conveyor element (17).

22. Packaging machine according to claim 21, characterized in that the device for applying printing carriers has a sensor, in particular an electro-optical sensor, preferably assigned to the transfer area, with which it can be detected whether a printing carrier (12) can be transferred in the transfer area.

23. Packaging machine according to one or more of the preceding claims 17-22, characterized by one or more features of claims 1-16.

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