Method for creating at least one clearance in a sheathing that consists of shrink film and secures a stack of items arranged on a pallet, and shaping apparatus for carrying out the method

Abstract

A method for creating at least one clearance in a sheathing consists of shrink film and secures a stack of items arranged on a pallet. The pallet has a top standing surface for the stack of items and a plurality of spaced bottom legs forming leg clearances. The sheathing engages under the legs in the region of the four outer edges of the pallet. At least one clearance is introduced into the sheathing region located between two legs. At least one clearance is intended to be created such that the sheathing region is first of all pulled away from the pallet in the still-hot state and is subsequently displaced upwards in the still-hot state, wherein the upwardly displaced sheathing region is then fixed in its upwardly displaced position by cooling. The invention also relates to a shaping apparatus for carrying out the method.

1 . Method for creating at least one clearance in a sheathing ( 17 ) that consists of shrink film and secures a stack of items arranged on a pallet ( 2 ), wherein the pallet ( 2 ) has a top standing surface ( 23 ) as a support for the stack of items and a plurality of bottom legs ( 19 ,  20 ,  21 ) that are arranged in a manner spaced apart from one another, forming leg clearances ( 16 ), and wherein the sheathing ( 17 ) engages at least partially under the underside of the legs ( 19 ,  20 ,  21 ) arranged in the region of the four outer edges of the pallet ( 2 ), and wherein at least one clearance is introduced into the sheathing region ( 18 ) located between two legs ( 19  and  20 , and  20  and  21 ) which are arranged in a row having at least two legs ( 19 ,  20 ,  21 ), wherein at least one clearance is created such that the sheathing region ( 18 ) is first of all pulled away from the pallet ( 2 ) in the still-hot state and is subsequently displaced upwards in the still-hot state, wherein the upwardly displaced sheathing region ( 18 ) is then fixed in its upwardly displaced position by cooling. 
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the upward displacement takes place as far as the region of the standing surface ( 23 ), preferably as far as slightly above the standing surface ( 23 ). 
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein during the upward displacement of the sheathing region ( 18 ), the sheathing ( 17 ) is pulled around the respective lower inner edge of the two legs ( 19  and  20 , and  20  and  21 ). 
     
     
         4 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the two legs ( 19 ,  20 ,  21 ) are directly adjacent or are the outermost legs of a row. 
     
     
         5 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheathing ( 17 ) is fixed to the underside of the two legs ( 19 ,  20 ,  21 ) before and/or after the sheathing region ( 18 ) is pulled away from the pallet ( 2 ) and/or before and/or after the sheathing region ( 18 ) is displaced upwards. 
     
     
         6 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheathing region ( 18 ) is pulled away and/or displaced upwards from the pallet ( 2 ) such that the sheathing ( 17 ) remains fixed to the underside of the two legs ( 19 ,  20 ,  21 ). 
     
     
         7 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein a shrink hood is used as the sheathing ( 17 ). 
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one subregion of the sheathing ( 17 ) is fixed above the sheathing region ( 18 ) from the outside in the horizontal direction with respect to the pallet ( 2 ), at least in at least one region close to a leg clearance ( 16 ), preferably by pressure exertion, at least temporarily while the sheathing region ( 18 ) is being pulled away and/or displaced upwards. 
     
     
         9 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the upwardly displaced sheathing region ( 18 ) that is in the still-hot state is displaced in the direction of the pallet ( 2 ) again before cooling. 
     
     
         10 . Method according to  claim 9 , wherein the displacement at least of the upwardly displaced sheathing region ( 18 ) that is in the still-hot state back in the direction of the pallet ( 2 ) takes place to such an extent in the direction of the pallet ( 2 ) before cooling that the stretched sheathing region ( 18 ) and/or those subregions of the sheathing ( 17 ) that respectively adjoin the sheathing region ( 18 ) laterally is/are pressed at least slightly at the rear against at least one leg ( 19 ,  20 ,  21 ) and/or the standing surface ( 23 ) of the pallet ( 2 ). 
     
     
         11 . Shaping apparatus ( 7 ) for carrying out a method for creating at least one clearance in a sheathing ( 17 ) that consists of a shrink film and secures a stack of items arranged on a pallet ( 2 ), wherein the pallet ( 2 ) has a top standing surface ( 23 ) as a support for the stack of items and a plurality of bottom legs ( 19 ,  20 ,  21 ) that are arranged in a manner spaced apart from one another, forming leg clearances ( 16 ), and wherein the sheathing ( 17 ) engages at least partially under the underside of the legs ( 19 ,  20 ,  21 ) arranged in the region of the four outer edges of the pallet ( 2 ), and wherein at least one clearance is introduced into the sheathing region ( 18 ) located between two legs ( 19  and  20 , and  20  and  21 ) which are arranged in a row having at least two legs ( 19 ,  20 ,  21 ), wherein, in order to carry out the method according to  claim 1 , at least two shaping fingers ( 12 . 1 ) are provided which are displaceable in the vertical direction for the upward displacement of the sheathing region ( 18 ) and are preferably also displaceable in the horizontal direction for pulling the sheathing region ( 18 ) away from the pallet ( 2 ), preferably beforehand. 
     
     
         12 . Shaping apparatus ( 7 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein at least one shaping finger ( 12 . 1 ) is mounted so as to be pivotable about a pivot pin ( 14 ) oriented parallel to the horizontal travel path, such that, for shaping, this shaping finger ( 12 . 1 ) is pivotable upwards and outwards by means of a drive. 
     
     
         13 . Shaping apparatus ( 7 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein the shaping apparatus ( 7 ) has at least two shaping fingers ( 12 ) which are displaceable in the horizontal direction to pull the sheathing region ( 18 ) away from the pallet ( 2 ). 
     
     
         14 . Shaping apparatus ( 7 ) according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one shaping finger ( 12 . 1 ) is formed and/or arranged in such a way with respect to the shaping finger(s) ( 12 ) assigned to this shaping finger ( 12 . 1 ) that this shaping finger ( 12 . 1 ) is not in contact with the sheathing region ( 18 ) during the pulling away operation. 
     
     
         15 . Shaping apparatus ( 7 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein the shaping apparatus ( 7 ) has a guide ( 8 ) and a drive for a horizontal displacement and/or the shaping apparatus ( 7 ) has a vertical guide and a drive for a vertical displacement. 
     
     
         16 . Shaping apparatus ( 7 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein the end of at least one shaping finger ( 12 ,  12 . 1 ) is configured as a tab and/or as a hook ( 24 ,  24 . 1 ). 
     
     
         17 . Shaping apparatus ( 7 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein, in the case of at least one shaping finger ( 12 ,  12 . 1 ), at least one, preferably each, region that comes into contact with the sheathing ( 17 ) and/or with the sheathing region ( 18 ) is coated and/or provided with a non-stick and/or heat-resistant material ( 27 ). 
     
     
         18 . Shaping apparatus ( 7 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein the shaping apparatus ( 7 ) consists of two halves, wherein each half has at least one shaping finger ( 12 . 1 ) in each case and optionally also at least one shaping finger ( 12 ), and preferably each half is constructed in a mirror-inverted manner and wherein preferably both halves are displaceable synchronously. 
     
     
         19 . Shaping apparatus ( 7 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein at least one shaping finger ( 12 . 1 ) is assigned a stop ( 15 ) that limits the pivoting travel of this shaping finger ( 12 . 1 ), said stop ( 15 ) extending parallel to the horizontal travel path and in a manner protruding in the opposite direction beyond the shaping finger(s) ( 12 ) assigned to this shaping finger ( 12 . 1 ). 
     
     
         20 . Shaping apparatus ( 7 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein, in order to adapt the orientation of the shaping apparatus ( 7 ) with respect to the pallet ( 2 ), an angle compensation element ( 11 ), preferably configured as a vertically oriented peg, is provided. 
     
     
         21 . Shaping apparatus ( 7 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein, to fix the sheathing ( 17 ) while the sheathing region ( 18 ) is being pulled away and/or displaced upwards with respect to the pallet ( 2 ), preferably in the region of that side of the sheathing ( 17 ) that is to be shaped, a fixing element ( 25 ) that is displaceable in the direction of the pallet ( 2 ) is provided. 
     
     
         22 . Shrink machine comprising a hot-air frame which is movable vertically along a stack of items arranged on a pallet ( 2 ) and provided with a sheathing ( 17 ) that consists of a shrink film, and also at least one shaping apparatus ( 7 ) according to  claim 11 .