Packaging device and method for packaging articles

Abstract

A packaging device (1) for producing packs each comprising several articles is disclosed. The packaging device (1) comprises at least one horizontal conveying device and at least one manipulator (25, 35). Article groups are moved via the at least one horizontal conveying device into a working area (AP1, AP2) of the at least one manipulator (25, 35). The at least one manipulator (25, 35) is designed to combine respective articles of a respective article group, which are moved into its working area (AP1, AP2) via the at least one horizontal conveying device, and for this purpose can apply at least one packaging material (40) to the respective article group.Furthermore, the packaging device (1) comprises at least one supporting beam and/or pushing beam provided for rear-side contact with a respective article group, which at least one supporting beam and/or pushing beam provided for rear-side contact with a respective article group is guided along a preferably circulating movement path, which preferably circulating movement path runs through the working area (AP1, AP2) of the at least one manipulator (25, 35).

1 . A method ( 100 ) for combining a plurality of articles ( 2 ) via at least one packaging material ( 40 ) to form a pack ( 4 ), comprising:
 forming an article group from the plurality of articles ( 2 ) to form a pack ( 4 ) and   temporally following the forming step, applying, with at least one manipulator ( 25 ,  35 ), at least one packaging material ( 40 ) to the article group to form a pack ( 4 ), and   while the at least one manipulator is applying the at least one packaging material ( 40 ) to the article group, contacting at least one supporting beam or pushing beam ( 6 ) with a rear side of the article group with respect to a direction of movement (BR) of the article group.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one supporting beam or pushing beam ( 6 ) slidably pushes the article group along a transfer plate or along a support surface. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one supporting beam or pushing beam ( 6 ) is guided along a circulating movement path by an endless traction device ( 15 ,  17 ) and wherein the supporting beam or pushing beam ( 6 ) is brought into contact with the rear side of the article group along the circulating movement path, and then is in continuous contact with the rear side of the article group while the at least one manipulator ( 25 ,  35 ) is applying the at least one packaging material ( 40 ). 
     
     
         4 . to the method of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one manipulator ( 25 ,  35 ) is a component of at least one working module ( 20 ,  30 ) wherein the at least one endless traction means ( 15 ,  17 ) operates outside a periphery of the working module ( 20 ,  30 ) defined by a carrying construction or supporting construction ( 22 ,  32 ). 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one endless traction device ( 15 ,  17 ) operates in sections above or in a vertical direction above the periphery defined by the carrying construction or supporting construction ( 22 ,  32 ). 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the endless traction device ( 15 ,  17 ) is guided inaccessibly from the outside through an enclosure or is guided inaccessibly from the outside through a channel. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising providing at least one first manipulator ( 25 ) and at least one second manipulator ( 35 ), wherein:
 the at least one first manipulator ( 25 ) and the at least one second manipulator ( 35 ) cooperate to apply a plurality of different packaging materials ( 40 ) to the article group, or wherein:   the at least one first manipulator ( 25 ) and the at least one second manipulator ( 35 ) are assigned different article groups, such that the at least one first manipulator ( 25 ) applies at least one packaging material ( 40 ) to first article groups contacted at a rear side of the article group by at least one supporting beam or pushing beam ( 6 ) and wherein the at least one second manipulator ( 35 ) applies at least one packaging material ( 40 ) to second article groups contacted at a rear side of the   article group by at least one supporting beam or pushing beam ( 6 ).   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of articles ( 2 ) are beverage containers, and wherein the at least one packaging material ( 40 ) comprises at least one flat packaging blank ( 41 ) providing at least one opening ( 42 ) for a beverage container, and wherein the at least one manipulator ( 25 ,  35 ) applies the at least one flat packaging blank ( 41 ) to a beverage container group in the direction coming from above, so that the beverage containers of insert into a respective opening ( 42 ), and are subsequently held together in a form-fitting manner via applied flat packaging blank ( 41 ) to form the pack ( 4 ). 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein an article group moves onto a tray, wherein subsequently the at least one manipulator ( 25 ,  35 ) applies the at least one packaging material ( 40 ) to the article group on the tray, wherein the article group continuously remains on the tray. 
     
     
         10 . A packaging device ( 1 ) for producing packs ( 4 ), each pack ( 4 ) comprising a plurality of articles ( 2 ), the packaging device ( 1 ) comprising:
 at least one horizontal conveying device ( 54 ) and   at least one manipulator ( 25 ,  35 ),   
       wherein article groups are movable via the at least one horizontal conveying device ( 3 ) into a working area (AP 1 , AP 2 ) of the at least one manipulator ( 25 ,  35 ), and wherein the at least one manipulator ( 25 ,  35 ) is adapted to apply at least one packaging material ( 40 ) to each article group for combining respective articles ( 2 ) to form a pack ( 4 ), and
 at least one supporting beam or pushing beam ( 6 ) provided for rear-side contact with an article group, wherein the at least one supporting beam or pushing beam ( 6 ) is guided along a circulating movement path, which extends through the working area (AP 1 , AP 2 ) of the at least one manipulator ( 25 ,  35 ). 
 
     
     
         11 . The packaging device ( 1 ) according to  claim 10 , further comprising a transfer plate ( 52 ) positioned within the working area (AP 1 , AP 2 ) of the at least one manipulator ( 25 ,  35 ), along which the at least one supporting beam or pushing beam ( 6 ) can push an article group slidingly through the working area (AP 1 , AP 2 ) of the at least one manipulator ( 25 ,  35 ) while being in rear-side contact with the article group. 
     
     
         12 . The packaging device ( 1 ) of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one supporting beam or pushing beam ( 6 ) is connected to at least one endless traction device ( 15 ,  17 ). 
     
     
         13 . The packaging device ( 1 ) of  claim 12 , further comprising at least one working module ( 20 ,  30 ), of which the at least one manipulator ( 25 ,  353 ) is a component, and which comprises at least one carrying construction or supporting construction ( 22 ,  32 ), which defines a periphery of the at least one working module ( 20 ,  30 ), and wherein the circulating movement path runs in sections outside the periphery of the at least one working module ( 20 ,  30 ). 
     
     
         14 . The packaging device ( 1 ) of  claim 13 , wherein the circulating movement path runs in sections outside and in doing so runs in sections above or in the vertical direction above the periphery defined by the at least one carrying construction or supporting construction ( 22 ,  32 ). 
     
     
         15 . The packaging device ( 1 ) of  claim 14 , wherein a section of the circulating movement path, which section is extending outside the at least one carrying construction or supporting construction ( 22 ,  32 ), extends through an enclosure or a channel. 
     
     
         16 . The packaging device ( 1 ) of  claim 15 , comprising at least one first manipulator ( 25 ) and at least one second manipulator ( 35 ), which are associated with a control device or regulating device (S), wherein:
 the at least one first manipulator ( 25 ) and the at least one second manipulator ( 35 ) can be actuated or controlled via the control device or regulating device (S) for applying a plurality of different packaging material ( 40 ) to an article group, or wherein:   different article groups can be assigned to the at least one first manipulator ( 25 ) and the at least one second manipulator ( 35 ) via the control device or regulating device (S), wherein the at least one first manipulator ( 25 ) and the at least one second manipulator ( 35 ) are adapted to be actuated by the control device or regulating device (S), and wherein the at least one supporting beam or pushing beam ( 6 ) is guided along the circulating movement path, which runs both through a working area (AP 1 ) of the at least one first manipulator ( 25 ) and through a working area (AP 2 ) of the at least one second manipulator ( 35 ).   
     
     
         17 . The packaging device ( 1 ) of  claim 16 , adapted to produce packs ( 4 ) a plurality of beverage containers, wherein
 the at least one manipulator is adapted to apply flat packaging blanks ( 41 ) onto article groups moved into its working area (AP 1 , AP 2 ) in a force-fit manner, wherein the flat packaging blanks ( 41 ) have assigned openings ( 42 ) for each beverage container of an article group that is moved via the at least one horizontal conveying device ( 3 ).   
     
     
         18 . A packaging device ( 1 ) for applying packaging material ( 40 ) to at least one article group, comprising:
 at least one supporting beam or pushing beam ( 6 ) adapted to contact the rear side of an article group,   at least two working modules ( 20 ,  30 ), each comprising a manipulator ( 25 ,  35 ) adapted to apply packaging material ( 40 ) to article groups moving within a working area (AP 1 , AP 2 ) in each of the least two working modules ( 20 ,  30 ), and   an endless traction device ( 15 ,  17 ) connected to the supporting beam or pushing beam ( 6 ) wherein the endless traction device ( 15 ,  17 ), viewed in the direction of movement (BR), extends along at least both working areas (AP 1 , AP 2 ) of the two working modules ( 20 ,  30 ).   
     
     
         19 . A method of applying packaging material ( 40 ) to at least one article group, comprising:
 pushing article groups through two working modules ( 20 ,  30 ) by at least one supporting beams or pushing beams ( 6 ), wherein the at least one supporting beams or pushing beams ( 6 ) contact the rear side of the article groups, each of which working module ( 20 ,  30 ) comprises a manipulator ( 25 ,  35 ) with a respective working area (AP 1 , AP 2 ),   applying packaging material ( 40 ) with both manipulators in their respective working area (AP 1 , AP 2 ) onto the article groups moved by the supporting beams or pushing beams ( 6 ), and   maintaining a rear-side contact of the at least one supporting beam or pushing beam ( 6 ) against an article group throughout at least both work modules ( 20 ,  30 ) and work areas (AP 1 , AP 2 ).