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 . A method for creating at least one clearance in a sheathing comprising a shrink film for securing a stack of items arranged on a pallet, wherein the pallet has a top standing surface as a support for the stack of items and a plurality of bottom legs arranged in a manner spaced from one another to form leg clearances, and wherein the sheathing is arrayed along a bottom of the pallet and engages at least partially under the underside of the legs arranged in a region of four outer edges of the pallet, and wherein at least one of the leg clearances is located in a sheathing region located between two legs which are arranged in a row, the method comprising the following sequential steps
 a) providing a shaping apparatus comprising a plurality of pivotable fingers having ends for grasping the sheathing;   b) shrinking the shrink film by heating to a hot state;   c) positioning the fingers proximate the film in the sheathing region;   d) pulling the sheathing region away from the pallet while the sheathing region is in the still-hot state by moving the fingers away from the pallet;   e) displacing the sheathing region upwardly while the sheathing region is in the still-hot state by pivoting the fingers upwardly; and   f) fixing the sheathing region in its upwardly displaced position by cooling.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein during the displacing step, the sheathing region is displaced upwardly to the top standing surface. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein during the displacing step, the sheathing region is displaced upwardly above the top standing surface. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein during the displacing step, the sheathing is pulled around respective lower inner edges of the two legs. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the two legs are directly adjacent or are the outermost legs of the row. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sheathing is fixed to an underside of the two legs before and/or after the pulling step, and/or before and/or after the displacing step. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sheathing remains fixed to the underside of the two legs during the pulling and/or displacing step. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a shrink hood is used as the sheathing. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one subregion of the sheathing is fixed above the sheathing region from an outside in a horizontal direction with respect to the pallet. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one subregion of the sheathing is fixed above the sheathing region from an outside in a horizontal direction with respect to the pallet by application of pressure during the pulling and/or displacing step. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of displacing the sheathing region in the direction of the pallet before the fixing step. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of displacing the sheathing regions in the direction of the pallet involves pressing the sheathing region against at least one leg and/or the top standing surface of the pallet. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ends of the fingers comprises hooks for grasping and engaging the sheathing. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fingers are coated or provided with a non-stick and/or heat-resistant material. 
     
     
         15 . A method for sheathing a pallet with at least one clearance, comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a sheathing apparatus including a shrink film positioning and heating assembly, and a shaping apparatus comprising a plurality of pivotable fingers having ends engageable with shrink film;   b) providing a pallet having a top standing surface as a support for a stack of items and a plurality of bottom legs arranged in a manner spaced from one another to form leg clearances;   c) providing a supply of shrink film;   d) positioning the pallet in operable association with the shrink film so that the film is arrayed along a bottom of the pallet and engages at least partially under the underside of legs arranged in a region of four outer edges of the pallet, and wherein at least one of the leg clearances is located in a sheathing region located between two adjacent legs;   e) shrinking the shrink film by heating to a hot state;   f) positioning the fingers proximate the film in the sheathing region;   g) pulling the sheathing region away from the pallet while the sheathing region is in the still-hot state by moving the fingers away from the pallet;   h) displacing the sheathing region upwardly while the sheathing region is in the still-hot state by pivoting the fingers upwardly toward the pallet; and   i) fixing the sheathing region in its upwardly displaced position in engagement with a bottom of the pallet by cooling and thereby creating a clearance.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the ends of the pivotable fingers comprises hooks for grasping and engaging the sheathing. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of displacing the sheathing region in the direction of the pallet before the fixing step. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of displacing the sheathing regions in the direction of the pallet involves pressing the sheathing region against at least one leg and/or the top standing surface of the pallet. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the fingers are coated or provided with a non-stick and/or heat-resistant material. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the fingers comprises a first finger and a second finger configured to engage the shrink film during the step of pulling the sheathing region away from the pallet, and a third finger configured to engage the shrink film during the step of pulling the sheathing region away from the pallet.