Application apparatus and method for producing packaging units

Abstract

Disclosed are an application apparatus and a method for producing packaging units which are in each case formed by at least two articles which are grouped and held together by at least one strap. A strap is provided and is fixed in an application head (34) which is positioned, together with the strap, over an available article grouping. The strap is applied to the article grouping, wherein simultaneously or beforehand, the article grouping is stabilised by means of support elements (52) arranged in the application head (34). Then, the application head (34) is distanced from the article grouping, wherein simultaneously the stabilising and / or if necessary contacting of the strapped article grouping is maintained by means of the support elements (52). The support elements (52) hold the strapped article grouping at its location and stabilise it in the defined position relative to the application head (34).

Description

[0001] Application device and method for producing packaging units

[0002] The present invention relates to an application device for producing packaging units, each formed by at least two grouped articles held together by at least one strapping band. Furthermore, the present invention concerns a method for producing such packaging units.

[0003] Users have various options available for combining individual items into larger bundles or packaging units. For example, beverage containers are often combined and packaged using shrink film to form bundles of four, six, or more beverage containers. The production of such packaging units is usually unavoidable in practice, as bundles are the most common type of sales unit for beverage containers. The containers are sometimes combined again for transport and / or stacked in layers and palletized.

[0004] The shrink films used to produce common containers require specific production steps, which, overall, have a relatively high energy consumption. Furthermore, the shrink film used incurs costs for production, supply, handling, and subsequent disposal, as it is no longer needed after sale. The machinery for the film wrapping modules and other handling stations also entails high investment costs. Finally, the provision of the shrink tunnel, in which the shrink film wrapped around the containers is shrunk around the bottles using hot air, also requires a relatively high capital investment.

[0005] As an alternative to this, strapping packages are known in which a plurality of articles are held together with a strapping band stretched horizontally around the outer sides of the articles. This strapping band is placed around the articles during a continuous conveying process and then secured. The strapping is formed by at least one band stretched around the outer sides of the articles and then connected at its ends under pre-tension.

[0006] For example, in continuously or intermittently operating strapping machines, containers, articles or bottles are grouped into formations and then strapped with one or more straps using strapping units.

[0007] Typical formations can be, for example, 1x2 arrangements (two containers in a row), 2x2 arrangements (four containers in a square or diamond formation), 3x2, 4x3 or basically also variable nxm arrangements.

[0008] The production of strapping bundles is described, for example, in the published patent application DE 10 2009 040 700 A1. The connection of the respective straps to form a closed strapping ring typically occurs only at the item groupings. The strapping heads used for this purpose are usually supplied with strapping material from a continuous supply and are equipped with suitable sealing tools for producing the closed strapping immediately after wrapping the item groupings.

[0009] In addition to these known strapping units, closed, particularly prefabricated strapping rings or so-called banderoles can also be used, which are pulled along an article's longitudinal axis over pre-arranged article groups. If the banderole or strapping ring used does not have the necessary longitudinal stretchability to stretch it over the article group, it can be advantageous, especially for flexible containers, such as thin-walled PET containers, to compress them slightly during the strapping process.

[0010] Strapping units with application heads are also normally used for this type of strapping using closed strapping rings or closed, particularly pre-assembled banderoles.

[0011] After application of such a strapping ring and after completion of the packaging units or bundles strapped with it, further processing and / or packaging steps can be carried out, such as the top-side application of cardboard packaging blanks that can be locked to the neck or head sections of the containers held together in the strapping bundle.

[0012] It has been shown that it can generally be critical for subsequent processes if the strapping packages do not assume a predetermined position or if they are slightly delocalized compared to a position expected for subsequent processing, as this can, for example, disrupt application processes for applying packaging blanks, because the application heads used for this require an exact placement position in order to work smoothly.

[0013] The primary objective of the present invention can be seen as optimizing a packaging process for producing packaging units, in particular strapping packages, such that subsequent handling and / or processing steps are not impaired as far as possible, but can be carried out with the highest degree of precision. Furthermore, the objective of the invention can be seen as providing an application device for strapping articles so that, after the use of such an application device, subsequent handling and / or processing steps can be carried out and carried out with as little disruption as possible.

[0014] These objectives are achieved by a method and an application device for producing packaging units, which comprise the features of the respective independent claims. Further advantageous embodiments are described by the respective dependent claims.

[0015] To achieve at least some of the aforementioned objectives, the present invention proposes an application device having the features of the independent claim, which serves for the production of packaging units, each formed by at least two grouped articles held together by at least one strapping band. The strapping band can, for example, hold together two, four, or six grouped articles, or optionally a different number of articles.

[0016] The application device according to the invention comprises at least one application head with a cage with a variable opening width for receiving the strapping band and for encircling the grouped articles on the casing side. The cage of the application head can contact the grouped articles on their casing sides for applying the at least one strapping band and can transfer the strapping band from the cage to the grouped articles during this process.

[0017] What is referred to here as a cage can also be considered a frame, without this entailing a significant shift in meaning. The terms cage and frame of the application head used here may therefore be viewed and understood as synonyms. The invention provides that the cage of the application head is equipped with support elements for contacting several of the grouped articles as required. These support elements arranged in the cage are intended to hold the grouped articles equipped with the strapping band in place when the cage opens, provided that the formed packaging unit threatens to slip, which can occur in particular when the cage is opened or during the opening process of the cage and its distancing from the strapped article grouping.Since it is not possible to ensure that the cage segments are spaced exactly synchronously from the article grouping equipped with the strapping or from the packaging unit formed thereby under all circumstances, it is advantageous to limit the twisting or slipping of the packaging unit at least to a certain extent by using the support elements arranged in the cage.

[0018] It can therefore generally be assumed that the support elements arranged in the cage do not contact the grouped articles equipped with the strapping band, but are merely available as an aid if, for example, the application head does not open completely synchronously, causing the grouped articles equipped with the strapping band to slip or jump. Essentially, the support elements limit the maximum range of movement of the grouped articles within the application head.

[0019] Normally, the support elements are not intended to secure the article grouping or the packaging unit within the application head and fix the resulting packaging unit in a precisely defined position relative to the application head, as the article grouping to be strapped is primarily secured via the cage segments that can be applied to the article's casing side. However, if these segments open unevenly, the support elements can at least ensure that the strapped packaging unit is not twisted or shifted excessively, as this could disrupt or impair subsequent handling steps.

[0020] It may be expedient to equip the cage or frame of the application device according to the invention with fastening devices for the strapping band, which hold the strapping band in the application head while it is pulled over or slipped onto the compressed articles. These fastening devices can, for example, be formed by clamping devices that can be activated and deactivated by means of suitable control devices and / or actuators in order to reliably hold the strapping band during its application, and to release it after it has been positioned on an article group and detach it from the application head.

[0021] It is also conceivable to use the support elements provided according to the invention with an application head that processes an endless strapping band, which is only fixed in place after the strapping band has been applied to the article grouping and then cut off. With such strapping heads, compressing the articles or containers is normally not required. Nevertheless, it may be useful to use the support elements to define and maintain the exact position of the packaging unit produced in this way, both during and after the application head is removed from the packaging unit.

[0022] If the application head includes a cage or frame that compresses the article grouping, this cage or frame can have a contoured guide on its inner circumference, which is shaped at the corner segments so that the cage or frame can be more easily slipped over the article grouping, allowing the articles to be compressed at least slightly. Optionally, the inner contour of the cage or frame can be beveled in the direction of lowering onto the article grouping or in the application direction of the application head.

[0023] Since the articles to be combined may, in particular, be plastic containers filled with a fluid content whose walls are deformable, these articles or containers are compressible to a certain extent when external forces act on the outer sides of the articles or containers. Containers or beverage containers made of elastically deformable plastic material exhibit the deformability or compressibility required here to form the packaging units. The containers can, for example, be made of thin-walled PET plastic, in which the containers can be molded into the desired shape, in particular by a blow molding process, and then filled with a beverage.

[0024] In the application device according to the invention, the frame parts or cage segments of the application head can optionally also comprise a plurality of cooperating clamping devices which can be jointly controlled for the compression of a plurality of articles of the article grouping, in particular by a controllable mobility and deliverability perpendicular to the article or container shell sides.

[0025] Again, with regard to the terms frame parts and cage segments used here, what has already been said above applies, namely that there should be no difference in meaning, so that these terms can also be considered and understood as synonyms.

[0026] These optionally provided clamping devices of the application head can be designed in such a way that they can hold the strapping band clamped at least during its application to the article grouping, whereby they can preferably release the strapping band again after the application to the article grouping has been completed.

[0027] In particular, the clamping devices of the application head can each be assigned to corner segments which can exert a compressive effect on the article grouping at opposite corners of the article grouping at least during or at least during the application of the strapping band.

[0028] In addition, each of the clamping devices can be equipped with an adjustable compression element which, at least during or during the application of the strapping band, acts on the jacket side of the article of the article group assigned to it and compresses it, so that the entire article group can be compressed in the desired manner through the coordinated action of several of these adjustable compression elements.

[0029] The compression elements can be designed in different ways. For example, clamping jaws with a concave or rounded outer contour are suitable. These are drawn along the surface of the article or container, compressing it while the strapping is applied. However, such compression processes with sliding contact can, under certain circumstances, lead to damage to the container surfaces or even to label damage, which is why a more gentle compression process may be advisable.

[0030] To achieve this, it can be provided, for example, to provide rotatable rollers on the compression element, which roll on the article or container shell surfaces when compressing the containers during the movement of the application head parallel to the article or container longitudinal axes, without the need for grinding movements.Optionally, it can be provided that the rotatable rollers of each clamping device each have outer jacket surfaces with contours which correspond to a single-shell hyperboloid of revolution, wherein the constrictions in the central region with their smaller diameter as well as the outer regions of larger diameter adjoining them on both sides in the direction of the axis of rotation are contoured in such a way that the jacket surfaces lie almost flush with the cylindrical outer jacket surface of the associated article or container and can roll there in a rotating manner with a defined feed when the application head with the strapping band held in several clamping devices is pulled in the application direction over the articles or containers of the group which are slightly compressed by the rollers.

[0031] Instead of such rotatable rollers, compression slopes can also be provided within the cage segments or the frame parts for the purpose of compressing the article surface areas of the article grouping to be strapped, which essentially serve the same purpose.

[0032] According to one embodiment of the application device according to the invention, the support elements can be arranged in a fixed position in the cage of the application head. Adjustment of the support elements can enable adaptation to different container sizes, provided the dimensions and spacing of the cage segments allow this. This adjustability of the support elements can be achieved, in particular, mechanically and with manual assistance in order to adjust the size of the application head during a product change.

[0033] In such a case, we can speak of passively operating support elements.

[0034] According to an alternative embodiment of the application device according to the invention, the support elements can also be arranged movably in the cage of the application head, in particular adjustable, to enable the desired adaptability to the respective packaging units or strapping bundles to be strapped. The optional adjustability of the support elements can be achieved, in particular, using motorized assistance. The support elements can optionally be designed to be movable relative to the cage and openable independently of the cage. Thus, the support elements can be designed to be variable, in particular with regard to their distance from the lateral surfaces of the grouped articles.

[0035] Optionally, the application device can be provided with a device that allows the support elements to be opened in stages, particularly with a time delay, depending on an opening movement of the cage. This opening of the support elements or their distancing from one another can occur, in particular, at a time when the cage has already been opened. The mounting of the support elements in the application head and their mobility independent of the frame require that the support elements are not attached or anchored to the frame or to the mutually adjustable frame segments, but can be moved relative to the cage segments.

[0036] The use of such support elements can effectively prevent the strapped packaging units from shifting or slipping after the application head is opened. The support elements can be opened or closed using pneumatic actuators, for example, to release the packaging unit with a time delay and hold it in place while the cage segments of the application head are opened.

[0037] The application device can also be designed such that the support elements are each formed by pairs of strips that engage with individual articles of the article group to be strapped. These pairs of strips can be fixed to suitable holders in the cage. The pairs of strips are, in particular, provided with individual strips that engage with or can approach areas of the article's outer surfaces where no strapping is present.

[0038] In the application device, the pairs of strips of the support elements can each be arranged at the same height within the cage of the application head, whereby they can be rigidly fastened in the cage.

[0039] However, the application device can optionally also be designed in such a way that the support elements are each formed by pairs of strips that can be placed on individual articles or brought close to the articles, which pairs can be mounted in the cage by means of holders and can be either rigid or movable relative to the cage. The pairs of strips are in particular provided with individual strips that can be placed on areas of the article's outer surfaces where there is no strapping. In the application device, the pairs of strips of the support elements can each be arranged so as to be movable within a plane, wherein this plane of movement is oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the articles encompassed by the cage of the application head. The directions of movement of the frame segments are also located in this plane.

[0040] Instead of such pairs of strips, the support elements can also be formed by rollers, by suitably shaped 3D-printed parts or by other position-defining components that are arranged on movable holders and can thus be controlled together to fix the packaging units.

[0041] Preferably, the strips located in the cage can each have smooth and burr-free surfaces and side edges so that the lowest possible mutual resistance occurs during sliding contact between articles, containers or packaging units located within the application head.

[0042] In addition, at least some of the slats of the slat pairs arranged in the cage can be provided with friction-reducing coatings. If this is the case, preferably all slats in all existing slat pairs can be provided with such a friction-reducing coating. Such coatings can significantly reduce or completely eliminate adverse friction effects on the contacted articles or containers and / or the strapping or strapping band.

[0043] A further useful embodiment of the application head according to the invention can provide that rollers or other rolling elements are present on the surfaces of the strips, which can each be rotatably mounted in the strips in order to enable easier and as low-friction as possible rolling of the articles, containers or packaging units contacted by the strips.

[0044] Such rolling elements include the aforementioned rollers, which can have cylindrical or barrel-shaped outer surfaces. Balls, which can optionally be rotatably mounted in the strips, can also be used as rolling elements, which can serve the same purpose.

[0045] Such rolling elements could, in principle, also be used instead of the aforementioned strips, which would require correspondingly adapted holder elements. The holders could thus feature corresponding bearings for rolling elements such as balls or rollers, which essentially serve the same purpose as the aforementioned pairs of strips, but which could overall provide a welcome reduction in any friction phenomena during all relative movements of the cage or application head to the articles, containers, or strapped packaging unit to be strapped.

[0046] When, in this context, it is stated that the support elements or pairs of strips located in the application head only approach or contact the article's outer surfaces when necessary, this primarily refers to a limitation of the permissible positional changes of the strapped article grouping or of the strapping unit produced using the application head. Such undesirable or only partially permissible positional and / or orientational changes of the packaging unit or the strapping unit can be caused in particular by irregularities during the opening of the application head's cage, for example, cage segments opening unevenly and not exactly synchronously and diverging on all sides.

[0047] This limitation of the position and / or location changes of the respective packaging unit or strapping unit that can be tolerated can preferably be coordinated with the subsequent handling and / or processing steps, so that, for example, displacements of the packaging unit or strapping unit by a few millimeters or rotations by minimal angular degrees can still be tolerated if the packaging unit or strapping unit is subsequently gripped and moved by means of a gripper head, for example in order to insert the packaging unit or strapping unit into a layer pattern for subsequent palletizing.

[0048] However, displacements or twists of this magnitude may no longer be tolerable in the case of subsequent tertiary packaging, for example by applying a packaging blank with lid areas latched on the top to the strapping unit, if the most precise possible latching of punched openings in the packaging blank with the neck or head areas of the individual items in the packaging unit or strapping unit represents a critical process in which exact alignment of the components to be joined is necessary in order to avoid a faulty tertiary packaging step. While for the first case mentioned - gripping the packaging unit or strapping unit using a gripper head - it may certainly be sensible to select somewhat larger distances between the support elements and the casing sides of the group of items to be strapped, e.g.in the order of one to three millimetres on each side, it may be necessary for the second case mentioned - the application of a packaging blank as a tertiary packaging step - to set the distances of the support elements from the casing sides of the article grouping to be strapped smaller, for example in the order of less than two millimetres on each side, preferably of approximately one millimetre.

[0049] If, from the point of view of the person skilled in the art, they can be combined with one another in a meaningful way, some or all of the above-mentioned variations or embodiments of the application device according to the invention can optionally also be combined with one another in order to at least partially achieve the aim formulated above and / or to achieve the desired effect of the invention.

[0050] In addition to the application device according to the invention explained in various embodiments, the invention further proposes a method for producing packaging units with the features of the independent method claim to achieve at least some of the above-mentioned objectives. The packaging units are each formed by at least two grouped articles held together by at least one strapping band. The method provides at least the following method steps.

[0051] First, a strapping band is prepared and secured in an application head. The application head, with the strapping band held within it, can then be positioned over a ready group of articles.

[0052] The strapping is then applied to or on the article grouping, with support elements contacting the article grouping as needed, either simultaneously or beforehand. These support elements are arranged in the application head. Demand-based contacting of the article grouping by the support elements does not mean simultaneous contact on all sides of the article grouping, but generally one- or two-sided contact, as the support elements are not normally intended to fix or clamp the article grouping between them. The application head can then be moved away from the article grouping, while at the same time the contact between the strapped article grouping – which may exist at one or several points – can be maintained by means of the support elements.The support elements thus hold the strapped article grouping in place and prevent the article grouping from slipping or twisting if there is a risk of disruptions or irregularities when opening the application head.

[0053] Normally, the support elements do not fix the article grouping in a precisely defined position relative to the application head, but are slightly spaced from the article grouping or only lightly touch it, so that they prevent displacement or rotation of the article groupings if these would assume larger dimensions.

[0054] In the method, it can optionally be provided that during the strapping of the article grouping and / or when opening the cage after strapping has taken place, at least some of the support elements arranged in the cage of the application head remain slightly spaced from the articles to be strapped and / or the packaging unit equipped with the strapping band.

[0055] Depending on the sequence of the final opening step of the application head, it may also happen that the support elements arranged in the cage of the application head remain slightly spaced from the packaging unit at least on two long sides of the packaging unit, whereby these two long sides are normally adjacent long sides, so that the packaging unit was pushed towards these two long sides when the cage of the application head was opened, which can occur in particular in the case of uneven opening.

[0056] Finally, the application head can be lifted off the strapped article grouping that forms a finished packaging unit.

[0057] Normally, the method provides that the support elements initially remain in place when a cage of the application head enclosing the article grouping is opened, and hold the packaging unit in place if the packaging unit threatens to slip. In an alternative embodiment, the method can further provide that the support elements are spaced apart from the packaging unit after the cage has been opened. This optional opening preferably occurs subsequently, i.e., as soon as the frame segments are at a defined minimum distance from the container or have been removed from the container.

[0058] Optionally, the method can provide for the support elements to be opened in stages depending on an opening movement of the cage, in particular with a time delay after the cage has been opened. The mounting of the support elements in the application head and their mobility independent of the frame or cage requires that the support elements are not permanently attached or anchored to the frame or to the mutually adjustable frame segments, but rather are movably mounted there.

[0059] The method can further provide for the support elements to be formed by pairs of strips that can be applied to individual articles or positioned close to the articles. These pairs of strips are mounted in the cage by means of holders and can be moved relative to the cage. The pairs of strips can, in particular, be applied to or approach those areas of the article's outer surfaces where there is no strapping.

[0060] In the method, the pairs of strips of the support elements can each be fixed in place in the cage so that they are only distanced from the packaging unit when the application head is removed from the packaging unit.

[0061] Optionally, in another process variant, the pairs of bars of the support elements can each be moved within a plane oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the articles enclosed in the cage. These directions of movement are preferably parallel to a plane in which the directions of movement of the frame segments also lie.

[0062] Provided that they can be sensibly combined with one another from the point of view of the person skilled in the art, some or all of the aforementioned variations or embodiments of the method according to the invention can optionally also be combined with one another in order to at least partially achieve the above-mentioned aim and / or to achieve the desired effect of the invention. In principle, the banderoles, the strapping rings or the strapping bands, as used in the packaging machine according to the invention, in the application device according to the invention and in the method according to the invention, can be made of any paper or cardboard material, optionally from a paper-like material, a plastic material, a composite material or the like. The strapping ring spans the group of articles, wherein the strapping ring is arranged tensioned around suitable areas of the outer circumferential surfaces of the articles.

[0063] The circumference of the strapping rings or strapping bands can be sensibly selected in such a way that a single paper or cardboard ring can be pulled over a certain number of provided items, whereby these are pressed together in such a way that a compact bundle or strapping bundle is created.

[0064] When we refer to individual strapping rings or strapping bands here, we can also refer to multiple strapping rings or bands that are pulled and tensioned at appropriate intervals over individual article groups. To apply the strapping ring or strapping band to the article group, it is compressed and slightly pressed together as described above, which is technically feasible with flexibly deformable plastic containers.

[0065] It should also be noted that the present invention also relates to a packaging machine comprising at least one application device according to one of the aforementioned embodiments. This packaging machine serves to form and produce strapping packages using at least one application device.

[0066] The compression means can in particular be part of the contoured guide.

[0067] The fixing or clamping devices can also optionally be part of the contoured guide.

[0068] The compression means and / or the fixing or clamping devices can be adapted to an outer diameter of the article assembly or to an outer diameter of individual articles, as seen in a horizontal sectional plane through the contact points with the articles. If adapted to the outer diameter of the article assembly, the compression means and / or the fixing or clamping devices can have an inward radius whose center lies within (within the subsequent strapping band - projected onto the above-mentioned horizontal sectional plane) of the article assembly, preferably at the center point (center of gravity in the above-mentioned horizontal sectional plane) of the article assembly.

[0069] In the case of adaptation to the outer diameter of articles, the radii of the inner contours of the compression means and / or the fixing or clamping devices can be arranged within those articles which are touched by the respective compression means and / or the respective fixing or clamping device, preferably in the centre of the respective article (centre of gravity of the article in the above-mentioned horizontal section plane).

[0070] It should be expressly noted at this point that all aspects and embodiments explained in connection with the application device according to the invention equally relate to or can form partial aspects of the method according to the invention. Therefore, if certain aspects and / or relationships and / or effects are mentioned at any point in the description or in the claim definitions for the application device according to the invention, this applies equally to the method according to the invention.

[0071] The same applies in reverse, so that all aspects and embodiments explained in connection with the method according to the invention equally relate to or can be partial aspects of the application device according to the invention. Therefore, if certain aspects and / or relationships and / or effects are mentioned at any point in the description or in the claim definitions for the method according to the invention, this applies equally to the application device according to the invention.

[0072] In the following, exemplary embodiments will explain the invention and its advantages in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures. The relative sizes of the individual elements in the figures do not always correspond to the actual sizes, as some shapes are simplified and others are shown enlarged relative to other elements for better illustration. Fig. 1 shows a highly schematic view of some components of an embodiment of a packaging machine according to the invention, which is used to produce strapping packages.

[0073] Fig. 2A shows a schematic perspective view of a variant of an application head that can be used for the production of strapping packages.

[0074] Fig. 2B shows the application head according to Fig. 2A in use when placed on a container grouping which is equipped with a strapping band.

[0075] Figures 3A to 3G show, in a total of seven schematic plan views, successive process phases in the production of a strapping package using an application head equipped with support elements for supporting the strapping package.

[0076] Fig. 4 shows a schematic and perspective view of parts of a variant of an application head for equipping article groups with a strapping band.

[0077] Fig. 5A shows a schematic and perspective view of the parts of the application head shown in Fig. 4, which is equipped with support elements for supporting a strapping bundle.

[0078] Fig. 5B shows a schematic and perspective view of a variant of the support elements arranged in the application head.

[0079] Fig. 5C shows a schematic and perspective view of a further embodiment of the support elements arranged in the application head.

[0080] For identical or identically acting elements of the invention, the following description of the figures generally uses identical reference numerals. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, in many cases only those reference numerals are used in the individual figures that are necessary for the description of the respective figure. The embodiments illustrated merely represent examples of how the application device according to the invention or the method according to the invention can be designed and do not represent an exhaustive limitation. Furthermore, the features described below are not to be understood in close connection with other features of the respective embodiment, but can each be provided in a general context or used for this purpose.

[0081] Figure 1 shows, in a highly schematic view, the basic sequence of a possible embodiment of a method according to the invention for producing packaging units 12, as well as the structure of a packaging machine 10 in which an application device according to the present invention can be used. At least some of the components or subassemblies interacting in the method and in the packaging machine 10 are shown schematically.

[0082] It should be noted that some of the aspects essential to the invention cannot be illustrated in Fig. 1, but these will be pointed out in the following explanations in individual cases so that additional information can be given.

[0083] The packaging machine 10 is intended to produce packaging units 12 (only indicated here) or bundles, wherein these packaging units 12 or bundles are each formed by at least two articles 16 combined by means of a strapping 14. Normally, such a packaging machine 10 comprises, as schematically indicated here, a dividing and / or grouping module 18, in which at least two individual articles 16 are combined as an article grouping 20.

[0084] As schematically indicated in Fig. 1, the individual articles 16 can be fed from the outside, for example, by means of suitable conveyor devices (not shown here) to reach the handling area of ​​the dividing and / or grouping module 18. The dividing and / or grouping module 18 can essentially be considered a component of the packaging machine 10.

[0085] When reference is made here to a supply of the articles 16 from outside, this may, for example, mean a filling system or the like arranged upstream of the packaging machine 10 in terms of conveyor technology, which can be used to fill a large number of articles 16 with liquid, in particular with a liquid beverage.

[0086] The articles 16 to be combined and grouped in the area of ​​the dividing and / or grouping module 18 can thus preferably be containers 22 filled with a fluid content, for example bottles or cans, in particular beverage containers 22. In particular, these can be containers or beverage containers 22 whose walls are deformable under external influences, so that they are compressible to a certain extent when external adjusting or compressive forces act on the shell sides of the articles 16 or containers 22. Such containers 22 or beverage containers 22 made of elastically deformable plastic material have a deformability or compressibility that may be required here - depending on the design of the application method for applying the strapping 14 - to form the packaging units 12.

[0087] The containers 22 can, for example, be made of thin-walled PET plastic, in which the containers 22 can be brought into the desired shape, in particular by a blow molding process, and can then be filled with a liquid beverage.

[0088] In principle, the containers or beverage containers 22 can also be dimensionally stable containers, which can be made either from thick-walled plastic, from a composite material or from mineral glass, so that the outer surfaces of the containers are subject to only slight or no changes in shape when subjected to external pressure.

[0089] The deformable or dimensionally stable bottles, beverage containers 22, cans, or similar containers 22 can also be filled, for example, with liquid cosmetics such as shampoo or similar. Optionally, the bottles, beverage containers 22, cans, or similar containers 22 can also contain granular filling material. The reference to a liquid filling of the containers 22 or Article 16 is therefore in no way intended to be restrictive.

[0090] As the directional arrows in Fig. 1 indicate, a conveying or transport direction TR of the articles 16 or beverage containers 22, the article groups 20 formed by means of the dividing and / or grouping module 18 and the strapped packaging units 12 or bundles within the packaging machine 10 is to be assumed from left to right.

[0091] Furthermore, the packaging machine 10 comprises a feed area 24 for providing strapping material from a supply (not shown here). Such a supply of strapping material can, in particular, be a continuous supply that contains and provides the strapping material in a quantity corresponding to a plurality of individual straps 14 to be produced therefrom.

[0092] The feed area 24 can, for example, be formed by a magazine or the like or comprise one in which magazine packaging material is provided, in particular as strip material.

[0093] However, this reference to an endless supply in the feed area 24 is again not meant to be restrictive, since the strappings 14 can also be provided in pre-assembled and suitably cut-to-length form, so that the assembly module 26 mentioned below does not necessarily have to be a component of the packaging machine 10, but can optionally be located at another location and can prepare and produce the pre-assembled strappings 14 at other times.

[0094] A preferred embodiment of the packaging machine 10 is characterized in that the feed area 24, with the supply of strapping material provided there, can communicate or communicates with a packaging module 26. The feed area 24 communicating with the packaging module 26 is supplied with strapping material from the supply (not shown or designated in detail here), which is kept ready there and preferably provided to the feed area 24 in a suitable manner.

[0095] The magazine supplying the feed area 24 with strapping material can, for example, comprise one magazine unit or, optionally, two or more magazine units that can be removed individually and independently of one another from the magazine. These magazine units can, for example, be formed by suitable magazine drawers. These magazine units, also not shown in detail here, can be refilled with new consumable units of strapping material when removed from the magazine, and in particular after the supply of strapping material previously contained therein has been used up.

[0096] Preferably, the strapping material is wound on a roll and kept ready as a supply in the magazine and provided to the feed area 24, such a roll being unwound during operation of the packaging machine 10 to supply the feed area 24 and the processing module 26 communicating therewith, with the strapping material constantly being consumed. An embodiment not shown in detail here can optionally provide for a buffer area for the variable intermediate buffering of strapping material to be located between the feed area 24 and the processing module 26, which buffer area combines irregular, clocked, and / or regularly or irregularly intermittent operation of the processing module 26 with a continuous supply and provision of the strapping material from the supply stored in the magazine.A further embodiment may also provide that such a buffer area is assigned to the magazine.

[0097] In the assembly module 26 described here, individual strappings 14 in the form of individual pre-assembled and closed strapping rings 28 are formed from the supply or endless supply with the strapping material provided, wherein the circumferential length of each individual closed strapping ring 28, which each forms a strapping 14 for the article groupings 20, corresponds to the circumference of the respective article grouping 20 or to the circumference of the respective packaging unit 12 to be formed in such a way that the circumference of the individual strapping ring 28 is minimally smaller than the horizontal outer circumference of the respective article grouping 20, in which the individual containers 22 are not compressed.

[0098] If the articles 16 from which the packaging units 12 are produced by grouping and applying at least one strapping 14 are compressible containers 22, the respective strapping ring 28 is applied while simultaneously compressing the respective article grouping 20 by pressing the individual containers 22 together on their shell sides so that the strapping ring 28 can be pulled over the article grouping 20.

[0099] When referring to strapping rings 28 in this context, which form the closed strapping 14 for the packaging units 12, the term "strap band" can also be used instead. Even when using this term, it is normally assumed that the strapping is either a closed and pre-assembled strapping 14 or a closed or pre-assembled strapping ring 28, so the terms can normally be understood as synonyms and considered interchangeable.

[0100] Optionally, the packaging machine 10 can also be operated without such a

[0101] Assembly module 26 and instead remove the strapping material from the supply or continuous supply and fix the straps 14 at overlapping points only during their application to the article groupings 20 in order to thus form the closed strapping rings 28. Such a strapping variant is particularly useful for article groupings with non-compressible or only slightly compressible containers 22, since such article groupings 20 can hardly be compressed.

[0102] If the articles 16 from which the packaging units 12 are produced by grouping and applying at least one strapping 14 are non-compressible or only slightly compressible containers 22, the respective strapping ring 28 is only produced during its application and processed into a closed strapping ring, typically with a continuous supply of additional strapping material, which is cut off after the closed strapping ring has been formed.

[0103] Here too, in connection with the use of the term strapping ring 28, it should be noted that this is a closed strapping ring 28, which, however, does not necessarily have to be prefabricated, but can also be connected to form a closed ring during the application phase.

[0104] The horizontal circumference of each article group 20 or the horizontal circumference of the packaging unit 12 to be formed depends in particular on a number and size of the articles 16 or containers 22 combined in the packaging unit 12 and also corresponds to a dimension of the packaging unit 12 to be formed.

[0105] Since in the present context we are talking about the horizontal circumference of the article groups 20 or packaging units 12, this necessarily means strapping rings 28 that are tensioned horizontally around the article groups 20, i.e. horizontally running straps 14. This does not exclude the possibility of further straps being tensioned vertically or diagonally around the article groups 20, but the method explained here only deals with the application of at least one horizontally running strap 14, which is applied by means of an application device to be explained in more detail below, while the individual articles 16 of the article group 20 are deformed and compressed in order to impart a desired, defined pre-tension to the strap 14.The alternative option of strapping by feeding continuous strap material up to the application phase will only be discussed briefly here, since the application head 34 explained as an example in the following Figures 2A to 5C is not intended for this process variant, but rather processes prefabricated strapping bands 28 and applies them to the article groupings 20. The strapping method used previously and known from the prior art, on the other hand, provides for a connection between free end regions of the strapping material on the article group 20.

[0106] The strapping material for the pre-assembled closed strapping rings 28 (optionally also for the endless strap material) can in particular be made of a paper material, a cardboard material, a paper- or cardboard-like material, a plastic material, a composite material or the like.

[0107] For each finished packaging unit 12, the strapping 14 spans the article grouping 20 equipped with the strapping ring 28, wherein the strapping ring 28 forming the strapping 14 is arranged tensioned around regions of the outer surface of the articles 16 or containers 22. The strapping ring 28 or the strapping 14 has a circumference that provides sufficient strap tension to hold together and mechanically stabilize the article group 20 and thus the packaging unit 12 thus formed.

[0108] Preferably, the assembly module 26 can be assigned a cutting unit (not shown in Fig. 1) for cutting the strapping sections required for individual strappings 14 from the continuously provided strapping material. Optionally, such a cutting unit can be arranged upstream of the assembly module 26 in a conveying direction of the strapping material.

[0109] In such a cutting unit—which is optional but preferably present—strapping sections of suitable length can be formed, wherein the strapping sections should each have a length suitable for producing the straps 14. The length of the strapping sections is preferably longer than the circumferential length of the prefabricated straps 14 by an overlap area. The overlap area corresponds to the area of ​​the beginning and end regions of the strapping section that are connected to one another in a closed prefabricated strap 14.

[0110] Preferably, the assembly module 26 comprises at least one winding device (also not shown here), wherein such a winding device can be designed to join the strapping band sections of the strapping band material together to form pre-assembled and closed strapping rings 28, wherein the meeting or partially overlapping start and end regions of the strapping band sections are connected to one another, for example by gluing and / or clamping or possibly in another suitable manner.

[0111] Furthermore, it can be provided that two or more winding devices in the assembly module 26 are supplied by means of a distribution device, which distribution device can expediently be located between the cutting unit and the winding devices, wherein the distribution device can supply the winding devices with appropriately cut strapping band sections as required.

[0112] The packaging machine 10 further comprises an application module 30, which is only indicated schematically here and is preferably designed and equipped to apply the pre-assembled closed strapping rings 28 produced in the assembly module 26 to article groups 20 provided for that purpose.

[0113] The application module 30 communicates with the assembly module 26 and is supplied by the assembly module 26 with appropriately prepared straps 14, each formed by the pre-assembled closed strapping rings 28. The application module 30 comprises at least one application device 32 with an application head 34. This application device 32, also indicated only schematically here, is designed to equip a respectively prepared and provided article grouping 20 with at least one pre-assembled strap 14 and thus to form the required packaging units 12, which ultimately form the finished strapping packages 36.

[0114] This configuration is not intended, however, to preclude the alternative process variant in which no prefabricated strapping bands 28 are processed in the application head 34 of the application device 32, since the article groupings 20 are formed by dimensionally stable containers 22. As Fig. 1 indicates, the strapping bundles 36 thus completed, which form the packaging units 12 to be produced, can be conveyed out of the packaging machine 12 to undergo further handling and / or packaging processes, for example, by being assembled into palletizable layers and subsequently palletized.

[0115] It can be provided that the packaging machine 10 comprises a defined number of such application devices 32, wherein the number of application devices 32 in the at least one application module 30 preferably corresponds to the number of winding devices in the at least one packaging module 28, wherein two or more application devices 32 communicate with the corresponding winding devices. Optionally, several application modules 30, each with at least one associated application device 32, can also be present.

[0116] Preferably, it can be provided that the packaging machine 10 comprises at least one tensioning device (not shown in Fig. 1) for receiving the straps 14 or the individual strapping rings 28, which tensioning device brings the respective strap 14 or the respective strapping ring 28 into a shape that enables the assembly with the prepared and provided article grouping 20.

[0117] The tensioning device can transfer the correspondingly shaped strapping 14 to the application device 32 in the application module 30, so that the application head 34 can complete the individual strapping package 36 by applying the strapping ring 28 while simultaneously compressing the article grouping 20 to be equipped with the strapping 14. Alternatively, the tensioning device can also be configured as a component of the application device 32, so that the strapping 14 is converted into the applicable form within the application module 30.

[0118] As will be explained in more detail below, the application device 32 (not specified in more detail here) preferably comprises at least one application head 34 or tool head that is movable within a defined movement space and is equipped with controllable manipulation tools to pull the straps 14 over the respective article groupings 20 that are ready and to process them into strapping bundles 36. The application head 34 can also be equipped with frame or cage parts (not shown in more detail here), which surround the casing side of each article grouping 20 to be strapped in order to apply the strapping 14 there, while simultaneously compressing the article grouping 20 or individual articles 16 of the article grouping 20, in particular by means of the frame parts, the cage segments and / or by means of compression devices or compression elements located there (see Figures 2A to 5C).

[0119] With reference to Fig. 1, a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention for producing packaging units 12 using the described packaging machine 10 can also be explained. In the method, strapping material is provided in a supply, in particular as an endless supply, which contains and provides the strapping material in a quantity corresponding to a plurality of individual straps 14.

[0120] The strapping material is fed from the supply to the assembly module 26, preferably via a continuous conveying process and / or via the feed area 24. Within the assembly module 26, individual strapping rings 28 are formed from the provided strapping material, wherein the circumferential length of each individual strap 14 or each individual strapping ring 28 corresponds to the circumference, in particular to a number of articles 16 to be combined in a packaging unit 20 or to a dimension of the packaging unit 12 to be formed in each case.

[0121] In this length adjustment of the individual straps 14, the compression of the article groups 20 when applying the straps 14 must be taken into account in order to be able to ensure the desired strapping tension in the finished strapping packages 36, which is necessary for reliable mechanical cohesion of the articles 16 in the packaging unit 12.

[0122] In the application module 30 already mentioned above, the article groups 20 provided by the dividing and / or grouping module 18 are mechanically combined with a strapping 14 provided by the assembly module 26 by slipping the strapping 14 over the article grouping 20 using suitable devices or manipulation tools of the application module 30 and thereby securing it to the articles 16 of the article group 20. The packaging units 12 formed in this way are generally referred to as strapping packages 36, as well as in the present description context.

[0123] In this context, it is intended that the article group 20 is positioned in the movement and handling space of an application head 34 of the application module 30. At least one prefabricated closed strapping ring 28 is inserted into this application head 34 and fixed in a defined position so that it can be pulled over the compressed article group 20 and slipped over it.

[0124] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the application head 34 comprises a cage 38, frame or clamping frame with a variable opening width, so that the cage 38, frame or clamping frame can surround the article group 20 on the shell side (cf. Figures 2A to 5C).

[0125] The application head 34 of the application device 32, equipped with at least one prefabricated strap 14, can be advanced over the article group 20 by means of a feed movement, wherein the feed movement runs approximately parallel to the longitudinal center axes of the articles 16, which are preferably formed by deformable and compressible containers 22. During this feed movement, the cage or frame of the application head 34 contacts the grouped articles 16 at their shell sides and ensures at least slight compression of the contacted articles 16 or containers 22.

[0126] The contacting and compression of the articles 16 or containers 22 to be strapped in the respective groupings 20 can optionally be carried out according to Figures 2A to 3G by the sliding movement of jaw-shaped compression elements 42 (see Figures 2A and 2B there). However, it is also conceivable to use rolling elements with rollers instead of such compression elements 42 sliding along the outer surfaces of the containers 22, as shown by way of example in Figures 4 to 5C and explained in detail below.

[0127] When reference is made to the positioning of the application head 34 toward the articles 16 or to the articles 16 or container 22, this generally means lowering the application head 34, equipped with at least one strapping 14, over the articles 16. Alternatively, this positioning of the application head 34 toward the article grouping 20 could also describe a relative movement between the application head 34 and the article group 20, which can be achieved by lifting the article group 20 and threading it from below into the application head 34.

[0128] In conjunction with the use of the application head 34, it is logically provided that, with a defined lowering of the application head 34, the compression applied to the outer surfaces of the articles 16 increases with increasing depth of the stroke until the desired compression is achieved. The stroke required for this is determined, for example, by the design of a compression bevel on contoured sections of the application head 34 or by the corresponding positions of rolling elements rolling on the container outer surfaces. As the downward movement progresses, the strapping 14 inserted into the application head 34 is pushed over the compressed article group 20.

[0129] A further embodiment may provide for the article group 20 to be inserted from above into a clamped strapping 14 or into a clamped strapping ring 28. The above also applies analogously if the article group 20 is inserted into the application head 34 by lifting it from below.

[0130] By a defined delivery of the application head 34, which simultaneously compresses the articles 16, the strapping ring 28 is positioned at a predetermined position on the articles 16 of the article group 20, for example in the area of ​​a recessed handle or similar of the beverage containers 22 forming the articles 16. In addition, a necessary or technically expedient strap tension of the strapping 14 is ensured.

[0131] Particularly preferably, it can be provided that the assembly module 26 and the application module 30 are combined as an integrated assembly-application module, wherein, for example, the assembly area for producing a pre-assembled strap 14 can be arranged below or next to a transport device for the article groups 20. In this case, it can be provided that the integrated assembly-application module is equipped with at least one application head 34, which can receive a pre-assembled strap 14 from the assembly area and can slip it over an article group 20 arranged on the transport device.

[0132] Figures 2A and 2B illustrate, in perspective views obliquely from above, an exemplary embodiment of an application head 34, which as such can be an essential component of the aforementioned application device 32 (see Fig. 1). The application head 34 can be used for the production of packaging units 12 in the form of strapping bundles 36.

[0133] Fig. 2B shows the application head 34 with article grouping 20 arranged therein, which is to be strapped to produce a packaging unit 12 or a strapping bundle 36, while Fig. 2A shows the application head 34 without such an article grouping.

[0134] The application head 34 shown in Figures 2A and 2B, whose structural design is to be understood merely as an example, is intended and constructed to apply at least one strapping band or a prefabricated closed strapping ring 28 to an article group 20, which here is formed by a total of six articles 16 in the form of beverage containers 22. With the aid of the application head 34, the strapping ring 28 can be applied to the outer circumferential surfaces of the articles 16, which are at least slightly compressible in their circumference, in such a way that they are at least partially encompassed by the strapping ring 28, whereby the entire article group 20 is also encompassed and held together by the strapping ring 28.

[0135] The application head 34 shown here has a cage 38 with a variable opening width that can be adjusted using suitable actuators and can completely enclose the grouped articles 16 on the shell side. In particular, the opening width of the cage 38 can be changed by advancing movements of several corner segments 40 that are coupled to one another but adjustable in their relative positions. These four corner segments 40 are each located at the corners of the cage 38 and their shape corresponds to the outer contours of the article grouping 20 to be processed with the application head 34, i.e., the outer radius of the articles 16 or beverage containers 22 located at the corners of the article grouping 20.

[0136] The corner segments 40 are each equipped with compression slopes 42, referred to here as such, the geometry of which is selected such that a downward movement of the application head 34 with its cage 38 in a direction parallel to the article longitudinal axes 44 or an upward movement of the article group 20 in a direction parallel to the article longitudinal axes 44 exerts compression on the grouped articles 16 arranged within the cage 38 of the application head 34, and in the course of this, a closed, pre-produced strapping ring 28 can be applied to the grouped articles 16. This means that the compression slopes 42 form an overall conical profile of the opening cross-section of the cage 38 or one that widens towards a lower opening.

[0137] The typical lowering movement of the cage 38 in the direction of the article longitudinal axes 44 over the article grouping 20 standing on a base or support not shown here is illustrated in Fig. 2B by directional arrows pointing downwards on both sides of the cage 38.

[0138] In the example shown, the cage 38 of the application head 34 comprises not only the corner segments 40, but also the cage elements 46 located therebetween. The corner segments 40 and the cage elements 46 arranged therebetween are interconnected but can move relative to one another in order to vary the opening width of the cage 38 as needed. In particular, the cage 38 has a contoured guide on its inner circumference, which is formed in particular at the corner radii of the corner segments 40. Furthermore, the inner contour of the cage 38 is chamfered, at least in the region of the corner segments 40, in the lowering direction onto the article group 20.

[0139] The positioning and fixing of the strapping ring 28 held in the cage 38 can be carried out in different ways, for example by suction elements or the like. In particular, the fixing of the strapping ring 28 forming the strapping 14 can be carried out by mechanical clamping in the area of ​​all four corner segments 40.

[0140] In addition, the cage 38 of the application head 34 is equipped with support elements 48, which, however, are not identified in Figures 2A and 2B for the sake of clarity, since these figures are intended only to explain the basic mode of operation of the application head 34. A possible arrangement of the support elements 52 and their mode of operation, however, is illustrated in the seven schematic plan views of Figures 3A to 3G and explained below.

[0141] The schematic top view of Fig. 3A shows an exemplary article grouping 20, which is formed by a total of six articles 16 in the form of beverage containers 22 arranged next to one another in a 2x3 rectangular arrangement. The top view shows the containers 22 with their cylindrical outer surfaces 48 and with the respective top container lids 50. The container lids 50 can, for example, be designed as screw caps, so that they are suitable for closing a top opening of the respective container 22.

[0142] Fig. 3B illustrates a schematic top view of a cage 38 of an application head 34 with the four corner segments 40 already explained with reference to Figs. 2A and 2B, each with its contours adapted to the dimensions and radii of the lateral surfaces 48 of the containers 22 to be encompassed. In addition, the cage 38 comprises the aforementioned cage elements 46, which are located on the narrow sides and the long sides of the cage 38 between the corner segments 40.

[0143] In addition, a strapping band 28 is inserted into the cage 38, which can be held or clamped in particular at the corner segments 40 and / or at the cage elements 46, so that it is held in the cage 38 when the cage is moved from above in a direction parallel to the container or article longitudinal axes 44 (cf. Fig. 2B) over the article grouping 20, as shown in Fig. 3C. The cage segments 40 and 46 are pushed together, so that the inner opening width of the cage 38 approximately corresponds to the outer contour of the article grouping 20.

[0144] As already explained above, the containers 22 can, in particular, be those with flexible outer surfaces 48, which are thus compressible in their outer circumferences. These container properties are utilized in the application device described here to be able to stretch the strapping band 28, whose circumference is adapted to the outer contour of the article grouping 20, over the grouping 20 by slightly compressing the containers 22 of the grouping 20 as the strapping band 28 is slipped over it. This application phase is illustrated schematically in Fig. 3C.

[0145] After the strapping 28 has been applied, it can be detached from the cage 38 and the cage 38 can be opened (see Fig. 3D) to release the packaging unit 12 produced in this way or the finished strapped bundle 36. However, not least due to the compression of the containers 22 of the article grouping 20 thus equipped with the strapping band 28, it cannot be ruled out that the strapped bundle 36 will change its position and become slightly tilted and / or slip slightly laterally.

[0146] Particularly when cage segments 40 and 46 do not open exactly synchronously, it may happen that the strapping unit 36 ​​changes its position and becomes slightly tilted and / or slips slightly sideways. However, such a change in position can be undesirable and, in individual cases, obstructive with regard to subsequent handling steps, for example, if, in a subsequent packaging step, a packaging blank made of cardboard material that is to be placed on top of the strapping unit 36 ​​cannot be placed in the correct alignment because the container lids 50 are not exactly in the expected position in which they are to be locked into the corresponding openings of the packaging blank to be placed.

[0147] For this reason, it is sensible and provided according to the present invention to limit the strapping bundle 36 equipped with the strapping 28 in its relative movements to the cage 38 by means of suitable support elements 52 from all sides at least during the opening phase of the cage 38 according to Fig. 3D and to hold it in approximately its original position.

[0148] As can be seen from the enlarged schematic plan view of Fig. 3D, the support elements 52 are located on both longitudinal and narrow sides of the strapping bundle 36, expediently on the outer surfaces 48 of the four corner-side containers 22, but preferably do not contact the outer surfaces 48, but leave a small distance, which can be determined according to the respective practical requirements.

[0149] Thus, a total of eight such support elements 52 can be arranged opposite one another in pairs and approach the container shell surfaces 48 with their widened support strips or, if necessary, also contact individual or multiple shell surfaces 48, whereby an approximate retention of the previous position of the strapping bundle 36 can be maintained even when the cage segments 40 and 46 diverge in the direction of the arrow (see arrows in Fig. 3D).

[0150] When it is mentioned here that the support elements 52 should only approach the container shell surfaces 48 or contact them only when necessary, this essentially means a limitation of the permissible position changes of the strapping bundles 36 or packaging units 12 produced using the application head 34. Such undesirable or only partially permissible position and / or orientation changes of the respective packaging unit 12 or the respective strapping bundle 36 can be caused in particular by irregularities when opening the cage 38 of the application head 34, for example by cage segments 40 and 46 opening unevenly and not exactly synchronously and diverging on all sides.

[0151] This limitation of the position and / or location changes of the respective packaging unit 12 or the strapping unit 36 ​​that can be tolerated can preferably be coordinated with the subsequent handling and / or processing steps, so that, for example, displacements of the packaging unit 12 or the strapping unit 36 ​​by a few millimeters or rotations by minimal angular degrees can still be tolerated if the packaging unit 12 or the strapping unit 36 ​​is subsequently to be gripped and moved by means of a gripper head (not shown here), for example in order to insert the packaging unit or the strapping unit into a layer pattern for subsequent palletizing.

[0152] However, displacements or twists of such a magnitude may no longer be tolerable in the case of subsequent tertiary packaging, for example by applying a packaging blank that is latched to the top with lid areas to the strapping unit 36 ​​(not shown here), if the most precise possible latching of punched-out openings of the packaging blank with the neck or head areas of the individual articles 16 of the packaging unit 12 or of the strapping unit 36 ​​represents a critical process in which an exact coincidence of the components to be joined is required in order to avoid a faulty tertiary packaging step.

[0153] In order to ensure a sufficiently precise localization of the strapped article groups, ie the finished strapping packages 36, for each application, the distances between the support elements 52 must be selected appropriately and, if necessary, adjusted by adjustment in the cage 38 of the application head 34.

[0154] This optional adjustment option relative to a support frame 54 arranged in the cage 38, to which the support elements 52 can each be anchored, is illustrated by the double arrows on the individual support elements 52, each aligned perpendicular to the article's outer surfaces 48, in the schematic top view of Fig. 3E. The support elements already clearly identified in Fig. 3D by means of the reference numerals 52 are the same in Fig. 3E, but are not provided with reference lines and reference numerals there in the interest of better clarity. According to an alternative embodiment, the support elements 52 can also be adjustable during use of the application head 34, which will be illustrated by way of example using the schematic top view of Fig. 3F.

[0155] As soon as the cage 38 is fully opened in this embodiment, after the completed strapping bundle 36 has been stabilized, the support elements 52 can also be moved away from their original positions in the immediate vicinity of the outer surfaces 48 of the respective containers 22 (cf. Figures 3D and 3E), as is illustrated in the schematic plan view of Fig. 3F. The individual support elements 52 are each displaced in the direction of the arrow (cf. the arrows in Fig. 3F) in a horizontal direction, i.e. perpendicular to the respective previously approached or, if necessary, contacted outer surface 48 of the corresponding container 22, so that opposite support elements 52 are each moved away from one another and their distances from one another are increased.

[0156] For this purpose, the support elements 52 can each be guided on the aforementioned support frame 54 and adjustable relative to it. This support frame 54, which is a component of the application head 34, is indicated in the schematic representations of Figures 3D to 3F by a broken line, without this being intended to make any statement about the positioning or design of the support frame 54. Examples of useful structural designs of the support frame 54 or its components can be found in the perspective representations of Figures 5A to 5C.

[0157] In principle, however, it is not necessary for the support elements 52 shown to be movable outwardly in the respective arrow direction relative to the support frame 54 in the manner shown in Fig. 3F. It is also conceivable to anchor the support elements 52 rigidly to the support frame 54 (see Fig. 3D) or to make them adjustable (see Fig. 3E) and to remove the support frame 54 as a whole, including the cage 38 of the application head 34, from the packaging unit 12 or from the strapping unit 36, in particular by pulling it upwards.

[0158] The finished strapping unit 36, which forms the packaging unit 12 or the strapping unit 36 ​​according to Fig. 1, is illustrated in the schematic plan view of Fig. 3G. The strapping band 28 is tensioned around the total of six containers 22, so that they are held together in a stable formation in their relative positions to one another. Due to the mode of operation of the support elements 52, as illustrated in Figs. 3D to 3F, the position of the strapping unit 36 ​​on a support plane or conveyor plane (not shown here) corresponds exactly to the expected position and orientation, for example, in order to be able to carry out subsequent handling, treatment, and / or processing steps without disruption.

[0159] Such a handling, treatment and / or processing step can be, for example, the top-side placement and locking of a packaging blank made of cardboard (not shown here), which can be placed onto the strapping bundle 36 provided in each case by means of suitable gripping or manipulation devices.

[0160] Fig. 4 shows a schematic and perspective view of parts of an embodiment variant of the application head 34 for equipping article groupings 20 with a strapping band 28. The variant of the application head 34 shown here is intended to process pre-assembled and appropriately dimensioned strapping bands 28 and, for this purpose, to compress the respective article grouping 20 in its circumference in order to be able to apply the strapping band 28 and, after the strapping bundle 36 produced in this way has been released, to be able to imprint the strap tension required for the firm cohesion of the articles 16 or containers 22 in the bundle 36 on the strapping band 28.

[0161] The schematic perspective view of Fig. 4 is primarily intended to illustrate the components of the embodiment variant of the application head 34 and their interaction during the application of the strapping bands 28, but should not be understood as limiting. It is neither absolutely necessary to deform the article's outer surfaces to produce strapping packages 36, as other application techniques are also possible, nor does the deformation have to be carried out using the compression elements with the rotatable rollers, explained below as an example and shown in Fig. 4. Equally possible, for example, would be the use of compression slopes 42, as explained above and shown as an example in Fig. 2A.

[0162] As can be seen from the schematic perspective view of Fig. 4, a total of four clamping devices 58, which essentially form the aforementioned corner segments 40, can be positioned on a flat holding frame 56 of the application head 34 in such a way that they can fix and hold the strapping 28 (not shown here) when the application head 34 is pushed from above over the ready article grouping 20 (see also Figures 2B and 3C). The clamping devices 58 hold the strapping band 28 at the lower edges of its rounded corner areas.

[0163] The holding frame 56 has a lower, flat frame plate 60, the upper side of which accommodates a total of four clamping devices 58 as shown in Fig. 4. A recessed interior area 62 is sufficiently large to allow the holding frame 56 to be moved from above over a waiting article grouping 20 until the clamping devices 58 are positioned at the correct height. Column-like connecting struts 64 extend vertically and connect the frame plate 60 to an upper flange plate 66 arranged above it, which is smaller than the frame plate 60 suspended from it by means of the connecting struts 64.

[0164] The upper flange plate 66 can, in particular, enable connection and suspension to a robot arm of a gantry robot, a multi-joint robot, or, for example, a parallel kinematic robot, although this is not shown in detail here. Preferably, the flange plate 66 can be connected to a movable tool head of a suitable robot, in particular by means of screw connections not shown in detail here.

[0165] It should be noted that the columnar connecting struts 64 together form the above-mentioned support frame 54, from which the adjustable support elements 52 are suspended and anchored, which will be explained in more detail below with reference to Figures 5A to 5C. To clarify this functionality of the columnar connecting struts 64, they are each additionally identified in Fig. 4 with the reference numeral 54, which designates the support frame.

[0166] The functionalities and the mode of operation of the interacting assemblies of the preferably approximately synchronously operating clamping devices 58 of all four corner segments 40 in connection with the fixing and application of a strapping ring 28 need not be described in detail at this point, especially since the application head 34 can be considered as a possible alternative design to an application head 34 according to Figures 2A and 2B.

[0167] However, since the exact synchronous operation of the clamping devices 58 and the compression elements arranged at the corner regions 40 cannot be guaranteed under all occurring conditions, the support elements 52 explained below ensure that the strapping unit 36 ​​does not shift in an undesired manner when the application head 34 is separated from the finished strapping unit 36.

[0168] On the front sides facing the outside of the strapping ring 28, the corner segments 40 are each equipped with compression elements 68, which, as needed, ensure the compression of the articles 16 or containers 22 located on the corner segments 40 during the application of the strapping ring 28 to the article grouping 20. The compression element 68 shown in Fig. 4 comprises two rotatable rollers 70, which are mounted on a holder in such a way that their axes of rotation meet at an angle of approximately 90° in the region of the holder. Furthermore, the axes of rotation are aligned perpendicular to the respective longitudinal center axis of the container 22 to be contacted, which can be deduced from Fig. 4 but is not described in more detail there.

[0169] The rotatable rollers 70 of each of the clamping devices 58 can each have outer circumferential surfaces with contours which correspond to a single-shell hyperboloid of revolution, wherein the constrictions in the central region with their smaller diameter as well as the outer regions of larger diameter adjoining them on both sides in the direction of the respective roller rotation axis are contoured in such a way that the circumferential surfaces lie approximately flush against the cylindrical outer circumferential surface of the associated container 22 and can roll there in a rotating manner with a defined feed when the application head 34 with the strapping band 28 held in the four clamping devices 58 is pulled in the application direction (cf. Fig. 2B) over the containers 22 of the group 20 which are slightly compressed by means of the rollers 70.

[0170] Due to the described shape of the outer surfaces of the eight rotatable rollers 70 of the four compression elements 68 and their free rotation about their respective axes of rotation, the compression processes when lowering the application head 34 equipped with the strapping 14 or the strapping band 28 over the article grouping 20 can be carried out gently and in a way that protects the material.

[0171] However, in addition to the arrangement shown, in which each of the compression elements 68 acting as part of the clamping devices 58 is formed by a pair of rotatable rollers 70, the axes of rotation of which are arranged in particular at an angle of approximately 90° to one another and in the same plane, which plane is perpendicular to the downward application direction of the application head 34 moved over a group of articles 20 to be strapped, other configurations are also conceivable and practically applicable.

[0172] Essentially, with an arrangement such as that formed by the roller pairs shown in Fig. 4, the friction during compression of the containers 22 is significantly reduced compared to a compression slope 42 sliding along the container shell surfaces (see Fig. 2A). Furthermore, the rolling elements formed by the rollers 70 or rollers have the advantage that they can roll on the container shell surfaces without any grinding or rubbing effects, thereby largely avoiding the risk of damage or visual impairment of the containers 22 in the form of disturbing grinding marks or even label damage.

[0173] After positioning the strapping ring 28 at the correct height on the outer surface of the containers 22, the clamping devices 58 can be released from the strapping ring 28 again before the application head 34 can detach from the finished strapping container 36 and equip further article groups 20 with straps 14 in the same manner. These individual application steps have already been explained in some detail above with reference to Figures 3A to 3F, so reference can be made to the corresponding description passages.

[0174] The schematic perspective views of Figures 5A to 5C are intended to illustrate technically useful embodiments of the support elements 52, the operating principles of which are illustrated in Figures 3D, 3E and / or 3F, as well as their arrangement within the variant of the application head 34 shown in Figure 4.

[0175] The application head 34 according to Fig. 5A and the support frame 54 arranged therein for rigidly anchoring the support elements 52 or for anchoring the support elements 52 which are suspended therein in a fixed manner or which may also be designed to be movable, essentially corresponds to the embodiment variant of the application head 34 shown in Fig. 4. For this reason, in Figs. 5A, 5B and 5C, mainly those elements which are directly related to the support elements 52 and their function are identified by reference numerals.

[0176] Thus, the support elements 52, which are designed in particular as flat pairs of strips 72, can each be held on the total of four or six column-like connecting struts 64 of the application head 34, which together form the support frame 54. The pairs of strips 72 of the support elements 52 are each formed by two parallel and spaced-apart elongated strips 74, the longitudinal extension directions of which run vertically and the flat sides of which each point towards the container shell surfaces of the article grouping or of the strapping package 36 equipped with the strapping band 28 (not shown here) to be supported as required.

[0177] The pairs of strips 72 can either be arranged stationary on the connecting struts 64 of the support frame 54 or, optionally, can be positioned against each other in pairs, thereby securing the strapping unit 36 ​​in place when the cage 38 of the application head 34 is opened (see Fig. 3D). To allow them to be distanced from the strapping unit 36 ​​as needed (see Fig. 3E), the pairs of strips 72 are each equipped with holders 76 that can ensure their adjustability in the horizontal direction, i.e., perpendicular to the container shell surfaces (not shown here).

[0178] This adjustability (cf. Fig. 3F) can optionally be provided by means of actuators (not shown here) on the respective holders 76, wherein these actuators can allow adjustability and changes in distance to the cage segments 40, 46 (cf. Figures 2A to 3F).

[0179] However, if the pairs of strips 72 are not to be distanced from the strapping bundle 36 (see Fig. 3D), the pairs of strips 72 are each equipped with holders 76 which are anchored in a fixed position to the connecting struts 64 of the support frame 54.

[0180] However, if adjustability is required, the holders 76 together with the pairs of strips 72 attached thereto can be mounted in an adjustably manner in the column-like connecting struts 64 so that they can be distanced from them (see Fig. 3E) to fix the strapping bundle 36 (see Fig. 3D) or can be brought closer to the respective column-like connecting strut 64 to release the strapping bundle 36 (see Fig. 3F).

[0181] The holders 76 can, for example, be equipped with suitable adjustment elements (not shown here), which can be formed by linear motors, by electromagnetically actuated actuating elements, by hydraulically or pneumatically actuated adjustment units or the like, which allow horizontal adjustability of the holders 76 together with the pairs of strips 72 arranged thereon.

[0182] Figures 5B and 5C illustrate two different designs of the strip pairs 72 and their holders 76. While Fig. 5B shows a variant with strips 74 made of sheet metal, which are fastened to holders 76 made of metal or plastic, Fig. 5C shows integrated strip pairs, in which the holders 76 are formed in one piece with the two strips 74 arranged thereon, which can be realized, for example, by an injection molding process or by a 3D printing process for producing the integrated component.

[0183] In the variant shown in Fig. 5C, the holder 76 with the pair of strips 72 arranged thereon in one piece can, for example, consist of a suitable plastic material, but also of a suitable metal material or of a composite material.

[0184] The end faces of the strips 74 facing the article surface areas are preferably designed to be sufficiently wide and long so that a sufficient support surface for the interacting strips 74 is provided if the strapping bundle 36 is in danger of being displaced.

[0185] The end faces of the strips 74 can in particular have the rectangular design shown, wherein the circumferential side edges can each be angled obliquely according to Fig. 5B or can be provided with rounding radii according to Fig. 50 in order to avoid tilting with the strapping bundle which is in contact with and to be stabilized.

[0186] Preferably, the strips 74 each have smooth and burr-free surfaces and side edges in order to have to expect the lowest possible mutual resistance during a sliding contact of articles 16, containers 22 or packaging units 12 located within the application head 34.

[0187] It should also be noted that at least some of the strips 74 of the strip pairs 72 can be provided with friction-reducing coatings. If this is the case, preferably all existing strips 74 in all existing strip pairs 72 can be provided with such a friction-reducing coating. By means of such coatings (not shown in the drawing here), adverse friction effects on the contacted articles 16 or containers 22 and / or on the strapping 14 or the strapping band 28 can be reduced or completely avoided.

[0188] A further useful embodiment of the application head 34 according to the invention, which is not shown in the drawing here, can provide for rollers or other rolling elements to be present on the surfaces of the strips 74, which can each be rotatably mounted in the strips 74 in order to enable easier and as low-friction as possible rolling of the articles 16, containers 22 or packaging units 12 contacted by the strips 74.

[0189] Such rolling elements include, for example, the aforementioned rollers, which may have cylindrical or barrel-shaped outer surfaces. However, balls, which can optionally be rotatably mounted in the strips 74, are also suitable as rolling elements, which can serve the same purpose.

[0190] Such rolling elements could in principle also be used instead of the strips 74 shown, which would require correspondingly adapted holders 76. The holders 76 could thus have corresponding bearings for rolling elements such as balls or rollers, which essentially serve the same purpose as the pairs of strips 72 shown, but which can overall ensure a welcome reduction in any friction phenomena during all relative movements of the cage 38 or the application head 34 to the articles 16 to be strapped, containers 22, or the strapped packaging unit 12. The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it is conceivable for a person skilled in the art that modifications or changes to the invention can be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

[0191] List of reference symbols

[0192] 10 packaging machines

[0193] 12 packaging units, containers

[0194] 14 Strapping, strapping band

[0195] 16 articles

[0196] 18 dividing module, grouping module, dividing and / or grouping module

[0197] 20 article grouping

[0198] 22 containers, beverage containers

[0199] 24 Feeding area

[0200] 26 Assembly module

[0201] 28 strapping ring, strapping band

[0202] 30 Application module

[0203] 32 Application device

[0204] 34 Application head

[0205] 36 strapping containers

[0206] 38 cage, strapping cage

[0207] 40 corner segment, cage segment

[0208] 42 compression slope

[0209] 44 Article longitudinal axis, container longitudinal axis

[0210] 46 Cage element, cage segment

[0211] 48 Shell surface, vessel shell surface

[0212] 50 container lids

[0213] 52 Support element

[0214] 54 support frames

[0215] 56 holding frames

[0216] 58 clamping device

[0217] 60 frame plate, lower frame plate

[0218] 62 Interior, recessed interior

[0219] 64 connecting strut, columnar connecting strut

[0220] 66 Flange plate, upper flange plate

[0221] 68 compression element

[0222] 70 roller, rotating roller

[0223] 72 pairs of strips

[0224] 74 bar

[0225] 76 holders

Claims

Claims 1. Application device (32) for producing packaging units (12) which are each formed by at least two grouped articles (16) held together by at least one strapping band (14, 28), - wherein the application device (32) has at least one application head (34) with a cage (38) with a variable opening width for receiving the strapping band (14, 28) and for enclosing the grouped articles (16) on the casing side, - wherein the cage (38) of the application head (34) for applying the at least one strapping band (14, 28) contacts the grouped articles (16) at their casing sides and transfers the strapping band (14, 28) from the cage (38) to the grouped articles (16), - wherein the cage (38) of the application head (34) is equipped with support elements (52) for contacting several of the grouped articles (16) as required, - and wherein the support elements (52) arranged in the cage (38) hold the grouped articles (16) provided with the strapping band (14, 28) which form the packaging unit (12) in place when the cage (38) opens.

2. Application device (32) according to claim 1, wherein the support elements (52) are arranged in a fixed position in the cage (38) of the application head (34).

3. Application device (32) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least some of the support elements (52) arranged in the cage (38) of the application head (34) remain slightly spaced from the articles (16) to be strapped and / or the packaging unit (12) each equipped with the strapping band (14, 28).

4. Application device (32) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the support elements (52) arranged in the cage (38) of the application head (34) remain slightly spaced from the packaging unit (12) at least on two longitudinal sides of the packaging unit (12).

5. Application device (32) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the support elements (52) are movably arranged in the cage (38) of the application head (34).

6. Application device (32) according to one of claims 1 or 3 to 5, wherein the support elements (52) are movable relative to the cage (38) and can be opened independently of the cage (38).

7. Application device (32) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the support elements (52) can be opened in stages depending on an opening movement of the cage (38) after the cage (38) has been opened.

8. Application device (32) according to one of claims 1 to 7, in which the support elements (52) are each formed by pairs of strips (72) which can be placed on individual articles (16) or brought closer to the articles (16), which pairs are mounted in the cage (38) by means of holders (76) and are arranged there in a fixed position or are movable relative to the cage.

9. Application device (32) according to one of claims 1 to 8, in which the pairs of strips (72) of the support elements (52) are each movable within a plane which is oriented perpendicular to the article longitudinal axes (44) of the articles (16) enclosed by the cage (38).

10. A method for producing packaging units (12) each formed by at least two articles (16) grouped together and held together by at least one strapping band (14, 28), the method comprising at least the following method steps: - Providing a strapping band (14, 28) and fixing it in an application head (34) and positioning the application head (34) with the strapping band (14, 28) over a ready article grouping (20), - application of the strapping band (14, 28) to the article grouping (20) with simultaneous or prior approach or contact of the article grouping (20) by means of support elements (52) arranged in the application head (34), - distancing the application head (34) from the article grouping (20) when required, stabilising the position or position of the strapped article grouping (20) by means of the support elements (52), - Lifting the application head (34) from the strapped article grouping (20) forming a finished packaging unit (12).

11. Method according to claim 10, wherein the support elements (52) when opening a Article grouping (20) encompassing cage (38) of the application head (34) initially remain in place and stabilize the packaging unit (12) in place if necessary.

12. Method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein during the strapping of the article grouping (20) and / or during the opening of the cage (38) after the strapping has taken place, at least some of the support elements (52) arranged in the cage (38) of the application head (34) remain slightly spaced from the articles (16) to be strapped and / or the packaging unit (12) each equipped with the strapping band (14, 28).

13. Method according to one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the support elements (52) arranged in the cage (38) of the application head (34) remain slightly spaced from the packaging unit (12) at least on two longitudinal sides of the packaging unit (12).

14. Method according to one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the support elements (52) are spaced from the packaging unit (12) after the cage (38) has been opened.

15. Method according to one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the support elements (52) are opened in stages depending on an opening movement of the cage (38) after the cage (38) has been opened.

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