Provisioning device for film rolls, system, and method for packaging pallet stacks

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and a method for packaging pallet stacks (12). At least one film layer is wound by means of a winding device (18) around each pallet stack (12) to be packaged. A plurality of provisioning devices (40) for film rolls (36) are stored and provided in a magazine (42). A driverless transport vehicle (44) is provided for receiving provisioning devices (40) for film rolls (36) having a supply of film from the magazine (42) and for transferring same to the winding device (18) and / or for transferring provisioning devices (40) for film rolls (36) having an exhausted supply of film to the magazine (42). The provisioning devices (40) are prepared and equipped accordingly for receiving at least one film roll (36) and for gripping a film end of the supply of film wound thereon and for transferring same to a winding device (18) of the system (10), which winding device interacts with the provisioning device (40). The provisioning devices (40) are each equipped with an interface (46) for handling by means of a driverless transport vehicle (44).

Description

[0001] Supply device for film rolls, system and method for packaging pallet stacks

[0002] The present invention relates to a supply device for film rolls, a system and a method for packaging pallet stacks.

[0003] For processing, assembling, grouping, and packaging similar items such as beverage containers, cans, etc., there are various packaging types, including grouping the items or containers into portable, relatively manageable packaging units or bundles. The individual items, or items grouped together as bundles, can be further grouped and / or stacked in layers and palletized for transport, as such larger packaging units are generally easier and more reliable to handle.

[0004] Unless entire pallet layers are formed from individual items or containers, such larger and stackable packaging units can be formed, for example, by so-called tray packaging, wraparound packaging and / or film packaging.

[0005] To ensure the necessary pallet stability, or to improve and increase pallet stability, it can be beneficial to wrap the stacked pallets again as a whole, particularly using suitable film wrapping. For example, each pallet stack can be wrapped with stretchable film, thus mechanically stabilizing the layers of pallets relative to each other. Shrink film wrapping is also suitable for stabilizing pallet stacks.

[0006] EP 0 392 093 A1 describes a stationary film wrapping machine designed for wrapping pallet loads with film. The machine is equipped with a carrier arm that enables the wrapping of a pallet load positioned in a fixed location. A rotatable extension arm is mounted on the carrier arm, carrying a dispensing device for the packaging film. As the carrier arm rotates around the pallet load, the film is unwound from the dispensing device and wrapped around the pallet. If manual replacement of used film material by inserting new rolls is not desired, appropriately equipped handling robots can be used. However, each roll change requires a certain amount of time and usually involves at least a brief machine downtime.

[0007] A device for handling and transporting consumables is known from EP 3612 481 B3. The consumables can be, in particular, packaging material wound on rolls. A handling unit is equipped with a partially autonomous mobility unit, enabling the handling unit to move. An access opening to a production or packaging machine can be detected and opened by the handling unit in order to supply the consumables and to connect the supplied consumables with other consumables already arranged in the machine.

[0008] Thus, although EP 3612 481 B3 proposes a semi-automated feeding and a semi-automated change of consumables on a production and / or packaging machine, even such semi-automated or automated roll changes can hardly be carried out completely without manual intervention and support, especially since the film ends also have to be threaded into guide elements provided for this purpose after a new film roll has been inserted.Even with a semi-automated or automated change of rolls of packaging material and when joining the webs together, as proposed by EP 3612 481 B3, all these interventions and change processes are associated with a considerable expenditure of time, so that they inevitably lead to a loss of time with regard to the overall operating time of the packaging plant, since a certain downtime of the plant must be taken into account for each change of consumables.

[0009] In view of the disadvantages normally associated with changing used film rolls with regard to a desired high plant throughput, the primary objective of the present invention can be considered to be to provide an improved system, an improved packaging method, and a correspondingly equipped and configured winding device for a packaging machine, which are suitable for carrying out an accelerated roll change under increased safety conditions for persons.

[0010] These objectives of the invention are achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Further advantageous embodiments are described by the respective dependent claims.

[0011] To achieve the aforementioned objective, the present invention first proposes a supply device for film rolls, each with a supply of film wound on it. This supply device is intended, in particular, for use in a packaging device or in a system for film packaging of goods. The supply device according to the invention is prepared and equipped to receive at least one film roll, to grasp one end of the film supply wound on it, and to transfer it—that is, to transfer the grasped end of the film supply wound on the at least one film roll—to a winding unit of the packaging device that interacts with the supply device.

[0012] What is generally referred to in this context as a dispensing device can also be called a winding unit in conventional usage. This unit, as a modular assembly and modularly interchangeable component, can be connected to, inserted into, and removed from a winding device. The films unwound from the film supply are intended for packaging goods by wrapping them. The films are dispensed via the winding unit or via a dispensing device designed, for example, as a winding unit.

[0013] The supply device is designed to receive at least one roll of film with a supply of film wound on it, whereby the receiving of the roll of film into the supply device can optionally take place in an automated or semi-automated manner.

[0014] Furthermore, the dispensing device according to the invention can also automatically or semi-automatically grasp the end of a film roll with a film supply wound onto it, which is inserted into the dispensing device. This refers in particular to threading a film end, so that the film roll is ready for use in a winding device provided for this purpose, for packaging pallet stacks, without requiring any further manual intervention for the correct and precise positioning of the film end (or the film beginning, i.e., the edge of the outer film layer).

[0015] An alternative design of the dispensing device can optionally be provided for holding at least two film rolls and equipped with a mechanism for changing the currently active film roll after the other film roll has been used up. In such a variant of the dispensing device, at least one additional film roll with a further supply of film wound onto it can be held in a rotatable position within the winding unit. In such a dispensing device, an automated film roll changeover can be provided, particularly after one of the at least two film rolls has been used up, so that the additional film roll stored in the winding unit can be used as soon as the other film roll is exhausted.

[0016] Furthermore, the inventive provisioning device is provided with an interface for handling by an automated guided vehicle (AGV). In this context, such an interface is understood to be, in particular, a connection or coupling system that enables automated or semi-automated picking up, handling, coupling, positioning, and disconnection of the provisioning device when its position is to be changed and it is to be moved between different locations using an automated guided vehicle.

[0017] Preferably, the staging device can be equipped with suitable locking elements for releasable locking to an automated guided vehicle (AGV) transporting the staging device. A corresponding locking unit at an interface of the staging device can, in particular, be equipped with remotely controlled and lockable bolts to enable automated coupling and uncoupling to and from the AGV.

[0018] The staging device can be equipped, for example, with receiving elements for interaction with the handling elements of a forklift truck and / or for interaction with the gripping elements of a handling robot. This enables, for example, handling by the forks of a forklift truck. The forklift truck, which can be equipped with suitable handling elements for interaction with the staging device, can in particular be an autonomously driving forklift truck, so that it can also be referred to as an autonomously or semi-autonomously driving driverless transport vehicle. Such forklift trucks, which may resemble conventional forklift trucks, are capable, depending on their configuration, of functioning as driverless transport vehicles and being used accordingly.

[0019] All previously mentioned design variants of the supply device or the winding unit and their individual features can optionally be combined with each other, whereby any combinations should be possible, provided that these combinations appear technically sensible.

[0020] In addition to the provisioning device described in various embodiments, the invention further proposes a system for packaging pallet stacks with stacked unit loads to achieve the above-mentioned goal, wherein the system can be provided in particular for packaging pallet stacks with stacked layer arrangements of unit loads by wrapping the respective pallet stacks with at least one layer of film, optionally with several layers of film placed on top of each other.

[0021] The system according to the invention comprises at least one wrapping device for wrapping the pallet stacks to be packaged with at least one layer of film, in particular a wrapping device as defined above. Furthermore, the system according to the invention comprises at least one magazine for storing and providing several film roll supply devices as described above, and at least one automated guided vehicle for taking film roll supply devices with a film supply from the magazine and transporting them to the wrapping device and / or transporting film roll supply devices with a used film supply back to the magazine.

[0022] In the system according to the invention, at least one first handling robot can be assigned to the winding device for handling and removing film roll supply devices from the winding device and transferring them to the automated guided vehicle (AGV), and / or for taking one film roll supply device from the AGV and transferring it to the winding device. Furthermore, the system can optionally assign at least one second handling robot to the magazine for handling and removing film roll supply devices from the magazine and transferring them to the AGV, and / or for taking one film roll supply device from the AGV and transferring it to the magazine.

[0023] Furthermore, the system can assign a third handling robot to the driverless transport vehicle for handling and taking over supply devices for film rolls from the magazine to the driverless transport vehicle and / or for transferring one supply device for film rolls from the driverless transport vehicle to the magazine.

[0024] In this case, the first, second and / or third handling robot can each be equipped with a movable arm for guiding the movement of the delivery device for film rolls.

[0025] The system according to the invention can further be designed in such a way that several interchangeable and identical supply devices for film rolls are kept in the magazine.

[0026] The magazine can, in particular, include several magazine positions for interchangeable and identical supply devices for film rolls, which can each be kept there with new film rolls for exchange against supply devices with used film rolls taken from the winding device.

[0027] All previously mentioned design variants of the system for packaging pallet stacks and its individual features can optionally be combined with each other, whereby any combinations should be possible, provided that these combinations appear technically sensible.

[0028] A practical embodiment of a system 10 according to the invention can, for example, serve to package pallet stacks, which can each be formed by stacked layers of individual goods. These individual goods can be formed, for example, by containers or packaging units in which several primary packagings are combined into packaging units by means of suitable secondary packaging, which constitute the individual goods referred to herein. The primary packagings can be, for example, beverage containers or the like, which can be combined into packaging units by means of suitable secondary packaging such as shrink films, strapping bands, strapping tapes, packaging blanks, cardboard packaging, or the like.

[0029] Primary packaging, such as beverage containers, which are grouped into containers or packaging units during handling and packaging within the system and can also be referred to as individual items in common parlance, can be filled with a liquid beverage or other liquid, sealed, and possibly labeled in upstream processing stages not shown here, for example, using a filling system. All of these, or other filling, handling, and / or treatment variations, can ultimately lead to the individual items packaged here, but this is not the subject of this discussion.

[0030] In the system according to the invention, the packaging of the pallet stacks formed in this way by stacked layers can be carried out by wrapping the respective pallet stacks with at least one layer of film, optionally with several layers of film placed on top of each other, using the wrapping device provided and equipped accordingly.

[0031] As already indicated above, the system according to the invention can, in particular, be a component of a more complex packaging machine comprising several interacting machine modules, such as a packaging module in which several primary packagings are packed into packaging units or individual items. Downstream of the packaging module, in a defined transport direction, a grouping module can be arranged, in particular, which can serve to order and configure several individual items into an arrangement with which palletizable layer arrangements can be produced in a downstream layer formation module.

[0032] Alternatively, several such grouping modules can be arranged in series, enabling faster handling and the formation of layer arrangements by shifting and / or rotating the unit loads conveyed by the grouping modules in the transport direction. The grouping modules can, for example, each be equipped with suspended grippers that serve to grasp, rotate, and / or shift individual unit loads or multiple unit loads simultaneously within a defined movement area on a grouping surface that forms part of a conveyor level on which the unit loads are transported during handling.

[0033] According to a common design of such grouping modules, these can, for example, have a portal system with a gripper head suspended from it, allowing it to move in three spatial directions and for its tool head to also rotate. Another common design of such a grouping module can, for example, have a gripper head that is movably mounted on a parallel kinematic suspension, thus also providing the desired spatial mobility required for grouping the individual parts and creating palletizable arrangements of the parts relative to each other.

[0034] Alternatively, the grouping modules can also be equipped with associated industrial robots of other or almost any design, whose movably suspended gripper heads can perform the desired manipulation operations described above.

[0035] In a layer formation module, which is arranged downstream of the paired grouping modules in the transport direction, the produced groupings are essentially compacted on their longitudinal and transverse sides, so that the desired layer arrangements are produced with minimal distances between the individual items, which can subsequently be stacked on top of each other and palletized.

[0036] A palletizing station can be further subordinate to such a layer formation module in the downstream direction of transport. In this station, several of the layer arrangements previously formed in the layer formation module, each containing a defined number of individual items, can be palletized, i.e., placed on a provided pallet and stacked on top of each other. The pallets, which serve as a base and facilitate handling of the pallet stacks, can be supplied to the palletizing station as needed from a supply, for example, from a pallet magazine provided for this purpose and connected to the palletizing station.

[0037] Since the pallet stacks formed in this way in the palletizing station, with their large number of individual items, often require additional packaging for subsequent shipping to protect against environmental influences and / or for better stabilization, it can be useful to wrap the pallet stacks in the manner described here with a layer of film or optionally with several layers of film using the wrapping device.

[0038] Such wrapping devices, as already described above and their functionalities explained, can accomplish the wrapping of the respective pallet stacks with one layer of film or with several layers of film placed on top of each other in different ways, for example by rotating the pallet stack and simultaneously bringing a film roll towards a side surface of the pallet stack and by unwinding the film roll during the rotating movements of the pallet stack, whereby the film roll and / or the pallet stack can be usefully changed in height in order to be able to wrap the pallet stack with film along its entire height.

[0039] Another variant of such a wrapping device uses a boom arm to guide the film roll in concentric movements around the outer edges of the stationary pallet stack, simultaneously unwinding the film roll and wrapping the pallet stack. Depending on the desired packaging density, the film roll can be guided around the pallet stack multiple times, resulting in several layers of film being applied.

[0040] Since the at least one film roll, or several film rolls, attached to the wrapping device are unwound after several pallet stacks have been wrapped in the described manner, and the film supply wound onto them is thus exhausted, it must generally (i.e., according to the known state of the art) be replaced manually or with machine assistance with a new film roll containing a fresh supply of unwindable film. Furthermore, it is generally necessary to thread the end of the outer film layer of the film roll into a designated film guide after inserting and activating a new film roll. With currently used wrapping devices, this threading of the film end into the film guide of the wrapping device, which is necessary for each newly inserted film roll, generally has to be done manually, i.e., by a person.

[0041] In order to avoid both the manual replacement of used film rolls and the manual threading of the film end of a newly inserted film roll with fresh film supply, and in order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives of the invention, the system according to the invention works with supply devices for film rolls which are modularly constructed and can each be taken over by the winding device as a ready-made module, so that the winding device is ready for use immediately after taking over such a modular supply device with at least one film roll contained therein, the film end of which is already in the film guide provided for this purpose.

[0042] In this way, immediately after inserting a new modular supply unit into the wrapping machine, the wrapping of the next pallet stack, which may already be in the wrapping machine and require film wrapping, can begin without further delay or manual preparation. Optionally, the supply unit can also be equipped with two identical film rolls, between which the system can switch once the film supply on the first roll has been used up.

[0043] The system can further include a magazine that may be located remotely from the winding device. Such a magazine need not necessarily be a component of the packaging machine, but may nevertheless be a component of the system according to the invention. This magazine, located remotely from the winding device, can contain several identical modular supply devices, each with at least one film roll inserted therein, in order to make them available for transfer to the winding device at the appropriate time, or to receive supply devices with used film rolls that were previously removed from the winding device, having been exchanged there for another supply device with a new film roll.

[0044] The magazine, which is generally considered optional but is preferably included, can be located, for example, within easy reach of the winding device. Such a magazine can contain, for example, three or more adjacent or otherwise arranged dispensing units, each containing a new roll of film. These rolls are ready for removal and can be supplied to the winding device as needed, once the film roll currently in use, which is also located within a modular dispensing unit, has run out. Furthermore, for example, one or two dispensing units can be present whose film roll is missing or has run out, so that they can preferably be refilled with a new film roll at a suitable time. These two dispensing units can, in particular, have been previously removed from the winding device.

[0045] In order to transport the supply devices with the new film rolls from the magazine to the winding device, and to transport other supply devices previously removed from there with used film rolls to the magazine, the system according to the invention is equipped with at least one driverless transport vehicle which can overcome the distances between the magazine and the winding device, which may vary depending on the design of the system, at the appropriate time within a short period of time and which serves to transport supply devices in different states (i.e. with a new film roll or with a used film roll) between the respective storage place in the magazine and the intended place of use on or in the winding device.

[0046] The at least one automated guided vehicle (AGV) is thus used to pick up film roll supply devices from the magazine and transport them to the winding machine. In addition, the at least one AGV can be used to return supply devices with used film rolls to the magazine.

[0047] These automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are industrial trucks with their own drive systems, which are normally automatically controlled and guided without physical contact. Therefore, at least the area between the winding device and the magazine requires a largely smooth and level surface that allows for easy passage by at least one AGV or several AGVs.

[0048] The automated guided vehicle (AGV) or multiple AGVs formed by a suitable automated guided vehicle can generally be assumed to be a known technology, therefore a detailed description is unnecessary here. Instead, it suffices to characterize the AGV based on its transport tasks, which consist of transporting the supply devices between the magazine and the winding device and attaching or detaching them at the respective location.

[0049] Such an automated guided vehicle (AGV) can thus carry at least one supply unit with a used roll of film, enabling it to transport the film from the winding unit to the magazine. To enable these transport tasks in both directions, the supply unit should have a suitable interface to the transport vehicle, while the vehicle should have corresponding coupling elements. This allows the vehicle to easily and quickly pick up and place such a supply unit at the designated location, with the coupling and uncoupling processes also being automated.

[0050] The specific features and design details of such a driverless transport vehicle for the present application and use case, as well as a sensible design of the interface and coupling elements, will be explained in more detail below.

[0051] The described magazine enables the modularly designed dispensing devices to be equipped with new film rolls in a protected environment, and the film ends to be threaded into the film guide. This allows the automated guided vehicle (AGV) to pick up fully prepared dispensing devices from the magazine and feed them directly to the winding device. This has the significant advantage of eliminating all manual interventions, changeovers, handling, and threading steps at the winding device, as virtually all manual and / or preparatory handling steps can be performed within the magazine.

[0052] Another advantage of such a configuration lies in the staggered timing. The magazine's storage and retrieval function allows for a larger number of pre-prepared retrieval devices to be stored and kept ready for pickup by the automated guided vehicle (AGV) or multiple AGVs than would normally be required based on the average film consumption from wrapping pallet stacks. This staggered timing can be advantageously used to equip a sufficient number of retrieval devices with new film rolls at the appropriate time and when time is available, and to store them ready for use in the magazine without requiring these pre-prepared retrieval devices to be immediately transported to the wrapping machine.

[0053] Furthermore, relocating all manual interventions to the magazine or at least to areas far away from the winding device makes it possible to (largely) eliminate any risk of collisions between people and moving parts of the winding device, because no manual interventions or accesses related to the exchange and replacement of used film rolls take place on the winding device when all these exchange and maintenance processes can be moved to the magazine and the area of ​​the supply devices located there.

[0054] In this context, a corresponding system boundary could be considered. Such a system boundary separates the hazardous areas from the safe areas, which can be accessed by people at least during those time intervals when no automated guided vehicle (AGV) is present. Both areas can be easily traversed by the AGV or by multiple AGVs. The system boundary therefore does not normally pose an obstacle for the AGVs. However, if a person is located above the system boundary, access to these areas by an AGV can be prevented, preferably by appropriate evaluation of sensor monitoring elements and the resulting motion control measures for the AGVs.

[0055] The access and handling steps that take place in connection with the transport activities of the driverless transport vehicles can all take place in an automated and machine-monitored manner, so that proper changeover processes can be ensured with minimal downtime of the winding device through appropriate program controls and / or sensor monitoring measures.

[0056] In the system according to the invention, it can optionally be provided that at least the winding device is assigned a suitable handling robot or industrial robot for handling and removing supply devices for film rolls from the winding device and for transferring them to the automated guided vehicle (AGV) and / or for taking one supply device from the AGV and transferring it to the winding device. However, these described handling operations can optionally also be carried out by the AGVs themselves, particularly if they are equipped with appropriate aids.

[0057] Furthermore, it could also be provided that at least one additional handling robot or industrial robot is assigned to the magazine for handling and removing film roll supply devices from the magazine and transferring them to the automated guided vehicle (AGV), and / or for taking one film roll supply device from the AGV and transferring it to the magazine. However, these handling operations can also optionally be performed by the AGVs themselves, particularly if they are equipped with appropriate tools.

[0058] Finally, another advantageous variant of the system according to the invention could also provide that the driverless transport vehicle itself can be assigned its own handling robot, which can be used for handling and taking over supply devices for film rolls from the magazine to the driverless transport vehicle and / or for transferring a supply device for film rolls from the driverless transport vehicle to the magazine.

[0059] However, since it may also be sufficient to equip the coupling elements of the respective driverless transport vehicles that interact with the interface of the provisioning devices in such a way that they can perform all the handling operations mentioned themselves, it is usually possible to do without such a handling robot as might be necessary, for example, for handling loose film rolls and inserting them into the winding device.

[0060] In these optional versions with the described handling robots or industrial robots, it may be provided that these are each equipped with movable arms for guiding the movement of the supply device for film rolls.

[0061] The following section will describe, by way of example, some important components of a driverless transport vehicle that can be used in connection with the system according to the invention, and which can in particular serve to handle the supply devices for film rolls for supplying the wrapping device with film material in order to wrap pallet stacks with film.

[0062] The driverless transport vehicle, which can be equipped with a radio remote control and operated remotely via radio signals, can move on the factory floor between the winding device and the magazine, optionally using three or four rolling wheels. At least one of the wheels of the driverless transport vehicle can be driven, or optionally two wheels. Furthermore, at least one of the wheels is steerable, enabling the transport vehicle to move efficiently on the factory floor. The term "factory floor" here refers to the installation location of the system according to the invention or the packaging machine mentioned above.

[0063] The equipment of the driverless transport vehicle should by no means be understood as restrictive, because depending on the machine environment it may be useful to use track drives instead of wheeled chassis, which in turn requires different steering devices than wheeled chassis with one steered wheel or with two steered wheels.

[0064] The coupling elements of the driverless transport vehicle can each serve to hold a provisioning device, the interface of which is designed in such a way that a coupling of the provisioning device to the transport vehicle and its decoupling from the transport vehicle is enabled as fully automatically controlled as possible.

[0065] The staging device can, for example, carry a new roll of film, allowing the transport vehicle, along with the attached staging device, to move autonomously in the appropriate direction, for example, on its way from the magazine to the winding device. Typically, the driverless transport vehicle can retrieve a staging device that has been prepared in the magazine and previously loaded with a new roll of film at a suitable time by connecting the coupling elements to the interface of the staging device. It can then move across the system boundary to insert the staging device into the winding device and, preferably, to retrieve another staging device with a used supply of film to be replaced.During a return journey of the transport vehicle to the magazine, for example to place the received supply device with the used film roll there, the wrapping device can wrap further pallet stacks with film in uninterrupted packaging operation without a manual exchange of the used film roll being necessary.

[0066] If the provisioning device does not interact with a handling robot for handling and coupling and uncoupling to the driverless transport vehicle, the interface and coupling elements that can engage with each other can preferably be controlled automatically in such a way that the described coupling and uncoupling in the magazine or on the winding device can take place without the intervention of such a handling robot.

[0067] The dispensing device itself can optionally be prepared and equipped to allow the automated or semi-automated grasping of the film end from a film roll with a supply of film wound onto it, which is inserted into the dispensing device. If semi-automated threading of the film end is provided, this can particularly assist a person who is responsible for inserting the film roll into the corresponding holder on the dispensing device and for threading the film end, or who is to monitor these processes.

[0068] Optionally, the dispensing device can also be prepared and equipped to hold two or more film rolls. Such a dispensing device preferably has a mechanism for changing the currently active film roll after the other film roll, or one of several other film rolls, has been used up. Thus, if at least one additional film roll with a further supply of film wound onto it is held in a rotatable position within the dispensing device, the time intervals until the necessary change at the winding device can be extended. In this case, the dispensing device is preferably capable of performing an automated film roll changeover after one of at least two film rolls has been used up.

[0069] It should also be mentioned that the separation of areas where people are temporarily permitted, referred to here as the system boundary, can also be designed as a complete safety zone. If the supply devices, which function as roll-changing units, are located in the magazine or at least beyond the system boundary 50, they are simultaneously outside the danger zone of the winding device. This makes it possible to position new film rolls under safe conditions and insert them into the supply devices, while at the same time an interruption of the packaging machine's operation is never necessary.

[0070] In addition to the supply device described in various embodiments and the system for packaging pallet stacks described in various embodiments, the invention further proposes a method for packaging pallet stacks with stacked unit loads by wrapping the respective pallet stacks with at least one layer of film, optionally with several layers of film, using a wrapping device that is equipped with at least one supply device for film rolls with a film supply wound on each roll according to one of the embodiments described above.

[0071] In the method according to the invention, the respective supply device or winding units used are replaced after the film supply contained therein has been consumed by using a driverless transport vehicle that moves back and forth between a magazine for holding several supply devices for film rolls and the winding device and establishes a transport connection between the magazine and the winding device.

[0072] In this process, the driverless transport vehicle can take delivery devices for film rolls with a supply of film from the magazine and transport them to the winding device.

[0073] Furthermore, in this process, the driverless transport vehicle can take over supply devices for film rolls with used film supply from the winding device and transfer them to the magazine.

[0074] The method may further provide that the film roll supply devices are handled by at least one first handling robot, removed from the winding device and transferred to the automated guided vehicle (AGV), and / or removed from the AGV and transferred to the winding device. In addition, the method may provide that the film roll supply devices are handled by at least one second handling robot, removed from the magazine and transferred to the AGV, and / or removed from the AGV and transferred to the magazine.

[0075] Finally, the procedure can also provide that the supply devices for film rolls are handled by means of at least one third handling robot, which is assigned to the driverless transport vehicle.

[0076] All previously mentioned variants of the method for packaging pallet stacks and its individual features can optionally be combined with each other, whereby any combinations should be possible, provided that these combinations appear technically sensible.

[0077] It should be expressly mentioned here that all aspects and embodiments explained in connection with the inventive system for packaging pallet stacks and / or the inventive staging device equally relate to or can constitute partial aspects of the inventive method. Therefore, whenever certain aspects, relationships, and / or effects are mentioned in the description or in the claim definitions for the inventive staging device or the inventive system, this applies equally to the inventive method.Conversely, the same applies, so that all aspects and embodiments explained in connection with the inventive method for packaging pallet stacks also relate to, or can relate to, aspects of the inventive staging device or system. Therefore, whenever certain aspects, relationships, and / or effects are mentioned in the description or claims definitions of the inventive method, this applies equally to the inventive staging device and the inventive system.

[0078] In a packaging machine that is part of the system, the magazine for exchanging used film rolls and inserting new film rolls can be accessible to personnel, whereby this accessible area is shielded from the movement area of ​​any handling robots that may be present, but in any case from the movement area of ​​the winding device.

[0079] In the case of the packaging machine, production can therefore continue without interruption during the exchange of winding units or supply devices with used film rolls for winding units or supply devices with new film rolls.

[0080] The system described above, which includes at least one driverless transport vehicle, can include a motorized unit that automatically ejects the empty cardboard roll and positions the new film roll for packaging without operator intervention.

[0081] The roll-changing units are located inside the protective devices, but outside the play area (movement space) of the winding device.

[0082] With this type of packaging machine, it is generally possible to position the new rolls under completely safe conditions without interrupting the machine's operation. Furthermore, no operator intervention at the machine is required, as the magazine is spatially separated from the packaging machine and its modules. The supply devices or winding units can be prepared and made ready for use centrally, which can take place directly in the magazine.

[0083] Driverless transport vehicles are particularly suitable if they are typically used in industrial environments and preferably meet common industry standards. If the staging devices or winding units are placed, for example, on supports or fixtures designed like pallets, a suitably equipped transport vehicle, such as an autonomous industrial truck with a lifting fork, can pick up and transport the respective staging device or winding unit using its lifting fork. As a further safety measure, it can be advantageous to secure the staging device or winding unit to the vehicle using at least one locking bolt, preferably two locking bolts, which can be released when the winding device picks up the unit.The following exemplary embodiments of the invention and its advantages will be explained 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 relative sizes, as some shapes are simplified and others are enlarged for better illustration.

[0084] Fig. 1 shows a schematic top view of an embodiment of a system according to the invention for packaging pallet stacks by wrapping them with packaging film.

[0085] Fig. 2 shows a schematic side view of a driverless transport vehicle with a transported supply device for film rolls, which is part of the system according to Fig. 1.

[0086] For identical or similarly acting elements of the invention, the following figure description generally uses the same 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 illustrated embodiments merely represent examples of how the system, the dispensing device, or the method according to the invention may be configured and do not constitute an exhaustive limitation. Moreover, the features described below are not to be understood as closely related to other features of the respective embodiment, but may be provided for or used in a general context.

[0087] The schematic top view in Fig. 1 illustrates, using a practical embodiment, some interacting components of a system 10 according to the invention, which primarily serves to package pallet stacks 12, each of which is formed by stacked layer arrangements 14 containing unit goods 16. The unit goods 16 can be formed, for example, by containers or packaging units in which several primary packagings are combined into packaging units by means of suitable secondary packaging, which together form the unit goods 16 referred to herein as such. The primary packagings can be, for example, beverage containers or the like, which can be combined into packaging units by means of suitable secondary packaging such as shrink films, strapping bands, strapping bands, packaging blanks, cardboard packaging, or the like.

[0088] The primary packaging, for example formed by beverage containers, which are grouped into containers or packaging units within system 10 during handling and packaging and are referred to here as individual items 16, can be filled with a liquid beverage, sealed, and possibly labeled in upstream processing stages not shown here, for example, using a filling system. All of this, or other filling, handling, and / or treatment variations, can ultimately lead to the individual items 16 that are further packaged here, but this is not the subject of the present discussion.

[0089] The packaging of the pallet stacks 12 formed in this way by stacked layer arrangements 14 can be carried out in the system 10 according to the invention by wrapping the respective pallet stacks 12 with at least one layer of film, optionally with several layers of film placed on top of each other, using the wrapping device 18 provided and equipped accordingly.

[0090] As can be seen schematically in Fig. 1, the system 10 according to the invention can be part of a packaging machine 20, which comprises several interacting machine modules, for example a packaging module 22 in which several primary packagings are packed into packaging units or individual items 16. A grouping module 26 can be arranged downstream of the packaging module 22 in a transport direction 24, in particular for arranging and configuring several individual items 16 into an arrangement with which palletizable layer arrangements 14 can be produced in a downstream layer formation module 28.

[0091] Optionally, several such grouping modules 26 can be arranged in series, enabling faster handling and formation of layer arrangements 14 by moving and / or rotating the unit loads 16 conveyed in the transport direction 24 by the grouping modules 26. An example of such an arrangement of two grouping modules 26 connected in series is shown in Fig. 1. The grouping modules 26 can, for example, each be equipped with suspended grippers that serve to grasp, rotate, and / or move individual unit loads 16 or several unit loads 16 simultaneously within a defined movement space on a grouping surface that is part of a conveyor level on which the unit loads 16 are conveyed in the transport direction 24 during handling.

[0092] According to a common design of such grouping modules 26, these can, for example, have a portal system with a gripper head suspended from it, so that the gripper head can be moved in three spatial directions and its tool head can also be rotated. Another common design of such a grouping module 26 can, for example, have a gripper head that is movably mounted on a parallel kinematic suspension, so that the desired mobility in space is also provided, which is necessary for grouping the individual parts 16 and producing palletizable arrangements of the individual parts 16 relative to each other.

[0093] In a layer formation module 28, which is arranged downstream of the paired grouping modules 26 in the transport direction 24, the produced groupings are essentially compacted on their longitudinal and transverse sides, so that the desired layer arrangements 14 are produced with minimal distances between the individual items 16, which can subsequently be stacked on top of each other and palletized.

[0094] Downstream of the layer formation module 28 in the transport direction 24, a palletizing station 30 can be arranged, in which several of the layer arrangements 14 previously formed in the layer formation module 28, each with a defined number of individual items 16, can be palletized, i.e., placed on a provided pallet 32 ​​and stacked on top of each other. The pallets 32, which serve as a base and for easier handling of the pallet stacks 12, can be supplied to the palletizing station 30 as needed from a supply, e.g., from a pallet magazine 34 provided for this purpose and connected to the palletizing station 30.

[0095] Since the pallet stacks 12 formed in the palletizing station 30, with their numerous individual items 16, often require additional packaging for subsequent shipping to protect against environmental influences and / or for better stabilization, it can be advantageous to wrap the pallet stacks with one or, optionally, several layers of film using the wrapping device 18 as described here. Such wrapping devices 18, as shown in Fig.1 are only schematically indicated, the wrapping of the respective pallet stacks 12 with one layer of film or with several layers of film can be accomplished in different ways, for example by rotating the pallet stack 12 and simultaneously bringing a film roll 36 to a side surface of the pallet stack 12 and unwinding the film roll 36 during the rotating movements of the pallet stack 12, whereby the film roll 36 can be usefully changed in height in order to be able to wrap the pallet stack 12 with film over its entire height.

[0096] Another variant of such a wrapping device 18 guides the film roll 36 around the outer sides of the stationary pallet stack 12 in concentric movements by means of a boom arm 38, whereby the film roll 36 is simultaneously unwound and the pallet stack 12 is wrapped with the film. Depending on the desired packaging density, the film roll 36 can be guided around the pallet stack 12 several times, resulting in multiple layers of film being applied.

[0097] Since the at least one film roll 36, or the several film rolls 36, attached to the wrapping device 18 are unwound as described after the packaging of several pallet stacks 12, and the film supply wound on them is thus exhausted, it must generally be replaced manually or with machine assistance with a new film roll 36 containing a fresh supply of unwindable film. Furthermore, it is generally necessary to thread the film end of the outer film layer of the film roll 36 into a film guide provided for this purpose (not shown here) after inserting and activating a new film roll 36. This threading of the film end into the film guide of the wrapping device 18, which is necessary for each newly inserted film roll 36, generally has to be done manually with the wrapping devices 18 currently in use, i.e., it must be carried out manually by a person.

[0098] In order to avoid both the manual replacement of used film rolls 36 and the manual threading of the film end of a newly inserted film roll 36 with fresh film supply, the system 10 according to the invention works with supply devices 40 for film rolls, which are modularly constructed and can each be taken over by the winding device 18 as a ready-made module, so that the winding device 18 is ready for use immediately after taking over such a modular supply device 40 with at least one film roll 36 contained therein, the film end of which is already in the film guide provided for this purpose.

[0099] In this way, immediately after inserting a new modular supply device 40 into the wrapping device 18, the wrapping of the next pallet stack 12, which is already in the wrapping device 18 and requires film wrapping, can begin without further delay or manual preparation. Optionally, the supply device 40 can also be equipped with two identical film rolls 36, between which the film supply on the first film roll 36 can be switched after it has been used up. Fig. 1 shows such a supply device 40, which is currently inserted there to supply the wrapping device 18 and which has two film rolls 36.

[0100] The special features and design details of such a modularly constructed provisioning device 40 will be explained in more detail below with reference to Fig. 2.

[0101] System 10 further comprises a magazine 42 located remotely from the winding device 18. This magazine 42 does not necessarily have to be a component of the packaging machine 20, but nevertheless constitutes a component of the system 10 according to the invention. Several identical modular supply devices 40, each containing at least one film roll 36, can be stored in this magazine 42, located remotely from the winding device 18. This allows them to be made available for transfer to the winding device 18 at the appropriate time, or to receive supply devices 40 with used film rolls 36 that were previously removed from the winding device 18 and exchanged there for another supply device 40 with a new film roll 36.

[0102] The magazine 42, shown only schematically in Fig. 1 and depicted above the winding device 18, currently contains three adjacent supply units 40, each with a new roll of film 36. These rolls are ready for removal and can be supplied to the winding device 18 as needed, once the film roll 36 currently used there, which is also located within a modular supply unit 40, has run out. Furthermore, Fig. 1 shows two supply units 40 (right) whose film roll 36 is missing or has run out, so that they are preferably to be refilled with a new film roll 36 at a suitable time. These two supply units 40 may have previously been removed from the winding device 18.

[0103] In order to transport the supply devices 40 with the new film rolls 36 from the magazine 42 to the winding device 18, and in order to transport other supply devices 40 previously removed from there with used film rolls 36 to the magazine 42, the system 10 according to the invention is equipped with at least one driverless transport vehicle 44, which can overcome the distance between the magazine 42 and the winding device 18, which may vary depending on the configuration of the system 10, at the appropriate time within a short time and which serves to transport supply devices 40 in different states (i.e. with a new film roll 36 or with a used film roll 36) between the respective storage place in the magazine 42 and the intended place of use at or in the winding device 18.

[0104] The at least one driverless transport vehicle 44 thus serves to take staging devices 40 for film rolls with a film supply 36 from the magazine 42 and to transport them to the winding device 18. In addition, the at least one driverless transport vehicle 44 serves to transport staging devices 40 with a used film roll 36 back to the magazine 42.

[0105] Such driverless transport vehicles 44 (so-called AGVs, which are usually referred to as AGVs - Automated Guided Vehicles - in English) are industrial trucks with their own drive systems, which are normally automatically controlled and guided without physical contact. Therefore, at least the area of ​​the system 10 located between the winding device 18 and the magazine 42 requires a largely smooth and level surface that allows for trouble-free passage by the at least one driverless transport vehicle 44 or several driverless transport vehicles 44.

[0106] The driverless transport vehicle 44, or the multiple driverless transport vehicles 44 formed by a suitable automatically controlled industrial truck, can generally be assumed to be a known technology, which is why a detailed description is not necessary here. Instead, it should suffice to characterize the driverless transport vehicle 44 based on its transport tasks, which consist of transporting the supply devices 40 between the magazine 42 and the winding device 18 and coupling or uncoupling them at the respective location.

[0107] Such a driverless transport vehicle 44, which carries a supply device 40 with a used film roll 36 and transports it from the winding device 18 upwards in the direction of the arrow to the magazine 42, is shown schematically in Fig. 1. In order to enable these transport tasks in the direction shown and in the opposite direction in an automated manner, the supply device 40 must have a suitable interface 46 to the transport vehicle 44, while the latter must have corresponding coupling elements 48 so that it can easily and quickly pick up such a supply device 40 and place it at the designated location, with the coupling and uncoupling processes also being carried out in an automated manner.

[0108] The special features and design details of such a driverless transport vehicle 44 intended for the present application and use case, as well as a sensible design of the interface 46 and the coupling elements 48, will be explained in more detail below with reference to Fig. 2.

[0109] The magazine 42 shown enables the modularly constructed supply devices 40 to be equipped with new film rolls 36 in a protected environment, and the film ends to be threaded into the film guide. This allows the driverless transport vehicle 44 to pick up fully prepared supply devices 40 from the magazine 42 and feed them to the winding device 18. This has the significant advantage that all manual interventions, changeovers, handling, and threading steps at the winding device 18 are eliminated, as virtually all manual handling steps can be performed in the magazine 42.

[0110] A further advantage of such a configuration lies in the staggered timing, because the storage and provisioning function of magazine 42 allows a larger number of ready-to-use provisioning devices 40 to be stored there and kept ready for pickup by the automated guided vehicle 44 or by several automated guided vehicles 44 than would normally be necessary based on the average film consumption from wrapping the pallet stacks 12. This staggered timing can be advantageously used to equip a sufficient number of provisioning devices 40 with new film rolls 36 at the appropriate time and when time is available, and to store them ready for use in magazine 42, without these ready-to-use provisioning devices 40 having to be immediately transported to the wrapping device 18.

[0111] Furthermore, relocating all manual interventions to the magazine 42, or at least to areas far away from the winding device 18, makes it possible to eliminate any potential collision hazards between persons and moving parts of the winding device 18, since no manual interventions or accesses related to the exchange of used film rolls 36 and their replacement take place at the winding device 18 if all these exchange and maintenance operations can be relocated to the magazine 42 and to the area of ​​the supply devices 40 located there.

[0112] A corresponding system boundary 50 is indicated by a dashed line in Fig. 1. This system boundary 50 separates the hazardous areas, which are located below the system boundary 50 marked by the line in Fig. 1, from the safe areas above the line, which can be entered by people at least during those time intervals when no driverless transport vehicle 44 is present. Both areas can be easily traversed by the driverless transport vehicle 44 or by several transport vehicles 44.The system boundary 50 therefore does not normally pose an obstacle for the transport vehicles 44, although at times when a person is located above the system boundary 50, it may be possible to prevent a transport vehicle 44 from entering these areas, preferably by appropriate evaluation of sensor monitoring elements and motion control measures derived therefrom for the transport vehicles 44.

[0113] The access and handling steps associated with the transport activities of the driverless transport vehicles 44 can all be carried out in an automated and machine-monitored manner, so that proper changeover processes with minimal downtime of the winding device 18 can be ensured by appropriate program controls and / or sensor monitoring measures. In the system 10 according to the invention, it can optionally be provided that at least the winding device 18 is assigned a suitable handling robot (not shown here) for handling and removing supply devices 40 for film rolls 36 from the winding device 18 and transferring them to the driverless transport vehicle 44 and / or taking one supply device 40 at a time from the driverless transport vehicle 44 and transferring it to the winding device 18.However, these described handling operations can optionally also be carried out by the driverless transport vehicles 44 themselves.

[0114] Furthermore, it could also be provided that at least one additional handling robot (also not shown here) is assigned to magazine 42 for handling and removing supply devices 40 for film rolls from magazine 42 and transferring them to the automated guided vehicle 44 and / or for receiving one supply device 40 for film rolls from the automated guided vehicle 44 and transferring it to magazine 42. However, these described handling operations can also optionally be carried out by the automated guided vehicles 44 themselves.

[0115] Finally, another advantageous variant of the system 10 according to the invention could also provide that the driverless transport vehicle 44 itself can be assigned its own handling robot (this is also not shown here), which can be used for handling and taking over supply devices 40 for film rolls from the magazine 42 to the driverless transport vehicle 44 and / or for transferring one supply device 40 for film rolls from the driverless transport vehicle 44 to the magazine 42.

[0116] However, since it may also be sufficient to equip the coupling elements 48 of the respective driverless transport vehicles 44, which interact with the interface 46 of the provisioning devices 40, in such a way that they can carry out all the handling operations mentioned themselves, it is normally possible to do without such a handling robot as might be necessary, for example, for handling loose film rolls 36 and for inserting them into the winding device 18.

[0117] These optional versions include the

[0118] Handling robots can be provided with movable arms for guiding the movement of the supply device 40 for film rolls.

[0119] The schematic side view of Fig. 2 illustrates the main components of a driverless transport vehicle 44, which serves to handle a supply device 40 for film rolls 36 also shown therein for supplying the wrapping device 18 with film material in order to wrap pallet stacks 12 with film.

[0120] The driverless transport vehicle 44, which can be equipped with a radio remote control 52 and remotely controlled by means of radio signals 54, can move on the hall floor 58 between the winding device 18 (only indicated here schematically) and the magazine 42 (also only shown schematically) using either three or four rolling wheels 56. At least one of the wheels 56 of the driverless transport vehicle 44 is driven, optionally two. In addition, at least one of the wheels 56 is steerable, so that the transport vehicle 44 can move sensibly on the hall floor 58. What is referred to here as the hall floor 58 is the installation location of the system 10 according to the invention or the packaging machine 20 mentioned above (see Fig. 1).

[0121] Fig. 2 shows a provisioning device 40 held on the coupling elements 48 of the driverless transport vehicle 44, the interface 46 of which is designed in such a way that a coupling of the provisioning device 40 to the transport vehicle 44 and its uncoupling from the transport vehicle 44 is enabled as fully automatically as possible.

[0122] In the illustration shown, the staging device 40 carries a new roll of film 36, so that the transport vehicle 44, together with the staging device 40 attached to it, can move automatically to the left in the direction of the arrow, for example, on its way from the magazine 42 (right in Fig. 2) to the winding device 18 (left in Fig. 2). Typically, the driverless transport vehicle 44 can remove a staging device 40, which has been prepared in the magazine 42 and previously loaded with a new roll of film 36 at a suitable time, from the magazine 42 by connecting the coupling elements 48 to the interface 46 of the staging device 40. It then moves horizontally to the left in the direction of the arrow, across the system boundary 50, to insert the staging device 40 into the winding device 18 and preferably to remove another staging device 40 with a used supply of film to be replaced.

[0123] During the return journey of the transport vehicle 44 to the magazine 42 in order to place the received supply device 40 with the used film roll 36, the wrapping device can wrap further pallet stacks 12 with film in uninterrupted packaging operation without a manual exchange of the used film roll 36 being necessary there.

[0124] If the illustrated provisioning device 40 does not cooperate with a handling robot for handling and coupling and uncoupling to the driverless transport vehicle 44, the interface 46 and coupling elements 48 that can engage with each other can preferably be controlled in an automated manner so that the described coupling and uncoupling in the magazine 42 or on the winding device 18 can take place without the intervention of such a handling robot.

[0125] The supply device 40 itself can optionally be prepared and equipped to allow the automated or semi-automated grasping of a film end (not shown) of a film roll 36 with a film supply wound on it, which is inserted into the supply device 40. If semi-automated threading of the film end is provided, this can assist a person who is responsible for inserting the film roll 36 into the corresponding holder on the supply device 40 and for threading the film end, or who is to monitor these processes.

[0126] Optionally, the supply device 40 can also be prepared and equipped to hold two film rolls 36. In such a supply device 40, it preferably has a mechanism for changing the currently active film roll 36 after the other film roll 36 has been used up. Thus, if at least one additional film roll 36 with a further supply of film wound onto it is held in a rotatable position in the supply device 40, the time intervals until the necessary change at the winding device 18 can be longer. In this case, the supply device 40 is preferably capable of performing an automated film roll changeover after one of at least two film rolls 36 has been used up.It should also be mentioned that the separation of areas where persons are permitted to be temporarily present, referred to here as system boundary 50, can also be designed as a complete protective zone. If the supply devices 40, which function as roll-changing units, are located in the magazine 42 or at least to the right of the system boundary 50 (see Fig. 2), they are simultaneously outside the danger zone of the winding device 18. This makes it possible to position new film rolls 36 under safe conditions and insert them into the supply devices 40, while at the same time an interruption of operation of the packaging machine 20 is not necessary at any time. 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 leaving the scope of protection of the following claims.

[0127] List of reference signs

[0128] 10 System, system for packing pallet stacks

[0129] 12 pallet stacks

[0130] 14 layer arrangement

[0131] 16 general cargo, general cargo

[0132] 18 Winding device

[0133] 20 packaging machines

[0134] 22 Packaging module

[0135] 24 Transport direction

[0136] 26 Grouping module

[0137] 28 Layering module

[0138] 30 palletizing stations

[0139] 32 pallets

[0140] 34 pallet magazine

[0141] 36 rolls of foil

[0142] 38 Boom arm

[0143] 40 Provisioning device

[0144] 42 Magazine (for staging devices)

[0145] 44 Driverless Transport Vehicle

[0146] 46 Interface

[0147] 48 coupling elements

[0148] 50 System boundary

[0149] 52 Radio remote control

[0150] 54 radio signals

[0151] 56 Wheel (of the transport vehicle)

[0152] 58 Hall floor

Claims

Claims 1. A supply device (40) for film rolls (36) with film supply wound on each roll, in particular for use in a packaging device (20) or in a system (10) for film packaging of packaged goods, which supply device (40) is prepared and equipped accordingly for receiving at least one film roll (36) and for grasping a film end of the film supply wound on it and for transferring it to a winding device (18) of the packaging device (20) or the system (10) that cooperates with the supply device (40), characterized in that the supply device (40) is equipped with an interface (46) for handling by a driverless transport vehicle (44).

2. Provisioning device (40) according to claim 1, in which the receiving of at least one film roll (36) with film supply wound on it can be carried out in an automated or semi-automated manner.

3. Supply device (40) according to claim 1 or 2, in which the grasping of a film end of a film roll (36) inserted in the supply device (40) with film supply wound on it can be carried out in an automated or semi-automated manner.

4. Provisioning device (40) according to one of claims 1 to 3, which is prepared and equipped to receive at least two film rolls (36) and with a device for changing the currently active film roll (36) after the other film roll (36) has been used up.

5. Provisioning device (40) according to claim 4, in which an automated film roll switching is provided after consumption of one of at least two film rolls (36).

6. Provisioning device (40) according to one of claims 1 to 5, which is equipped with locking elements for releasable locking with a driverless transport vehicle (44) transporting the provisioning device (40).

7. Provisioning device (40) according to one of claims 1 to 6, which is equipped with receiving elements for interaction with the handling elements of an industrial truck, in particular an autonomously driving industrial truck, and / or for interaction with the gripping elements of a handling robot.

8. System (10) for packing pallet stacks (12) with stacked unit loads (16), which system (10) - at least one wrapping device (18) for wrapping each pallet stack (12) to be packaged with at least one layer of film, - at least one magazine (42) for storing and providing several dispensing devices (40) for film rolls (36) according to one of claims 1 to 7 and - at least one driverless transport vehicle (44) for taking over supply devices (40) for film rolls (36) with a film supply from the magazine (42) and for transferring them to the winding device (18) and / or for transferring supply devices (40) for film rolls (36) with used film supply to the magazine (42).

9. System (10) according to claim 8, in which at least one first handling robot is assigned to the winding device (18) for handling and removing supply devices (40) for film rolls (36) from the winding device (18) and for transferring them to the driverless transport vehicle (44) and / or for taking over one supply device (40) for film rolls (36) from the transport vehicle (44) and transferring it to the winding device (18).

10. System (10) according to claim 8 or 9, in which at least one second handling robot is assigned to the magazine (42) for handling and removing staging devices (40) for film rolls (36) from the magazine (42) and for transferring them to the driverless transport vehicle (44) and / or for taking one staging device (40) for film rolls (36) from the driverless transport vehicle (44) and transferring it to the magazine (42).

11. System (10) according to one of claims 8 to 10, in which a third handling robot for handling and receiving staging devices (40) for film rolls (36) is added to the driverless transport vehicle (44). The magazine (42) is assigned to the driverless transport vehicle (44) and / or to the transfer of a provision device (40) for film rolls (36) from the driverless transport vehicle (44) to the magazine (42).

12. System (10) according to one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the first, the second and / or the third handling robot is / are each equipped with a movable arm for guiding the movement of the provision devices (40) for film rolls (36).

13. System (10) according to one of claims 8 to 12, in which several interchangeable and identical supply devices (40) for film rolls (36) are kept in the magazine (42).

14. System (10) according to claim 13, wherein the magazine (42) comprises several magazine positions for interchangeable and identical supply devices (40) for film rolls (36), which are each held there with new film rolls (36) for exchange against supply devices (40) with used film rolls (36) taken from the winding device (18).

15. Method for packaging pallet stacks (12) with stacked unit goods (16) by wrapping the respective pallet stacks (12) with at least one layer of film using a wrapping device (18) which is equipped with at least one supply device (40) for film rolls (36) with film supply wound on it according to one of claims 1 to 7, and in which method the supply device (40) used is replaced after the film supply contained therein has been consumed by using an automated guided vehicle (AGV) which moves back and forth between a magazine (42) for holding several supply devices (40) for film rolls (36) and the wrapping device (18) and establishes a transport connection between the magazine (42) and the wrapping device (18).

16. Method according to claim 15, wherein the driverless transport vehicle (44) takes each provision device (40) for film rolls (36) with a film supply from the magazine (42) and brings it to the winding device (18).

17. Method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the driverless transport vehicle (44) takes provision devices (40) for film rolls (36) with consumed film supply from the winding device (18) and places them in the magazine (42).

Images