CN118770641A - System and method for creating bundles - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for creating bundles. In particular, it relates to a system for creating bundles including two or more different products, the system comprising: a packaging device for creating bundles, comprising two or more feed sections for feeding products, and designed to create two or more different products into one bundle; and a product storage section, comprising two or more buffer rows for storing products, and designed and/or arranged so that a feed section of the packaging device can be filled with products of at least one buffer row of the product storage section, characterized in that the system comprises a control section, the control section comprises a control section for the product storage section, and is designed to control the process of storing products in the product storage section so that when filling with a single type of product, the number of products filling at least one buffer row of the product storage section is less than the buffer capacity of the corresponding buffer row.

Description

System and method for creating bundles

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system and method for creating a bundle including two or more different products.

Background Art

It is known to create bundles of two or more different products by producing the corresponding products in advance, storing them and then assembling and packaging them. In this case, packaging materials may be required in particular for transport, since production usually takes place at a different location than storage. In addition, large storage capacities are required, which in turn results in high acquisition and logistics costs.

Summary of the invention

The present invention now aims to provide an improved system and method for creating such a bundle comprising two or more different products.

The invention comprises a system according to claim 1 and a method according to claim 7. Further embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

In this case, the product may in particular be a container with a liquid or pasty content. If two products are described as different products, they may comprise different containers and/or different contents and/or different container configurations.

In this case, the container configuration may in particular include or may be a container marking such as a label and/or direct printing and/or a closure or the like, wherein different contents of the container marking may also be regarded as different container markings. The term "different" here in particular means that the container and/or the contents and/or the container configuration are intentionally designed to be different. Small deviations, for example due to the manufacturing method of the container, the contents or the container configuration, which are common and would not be recognized by the skilled person as differences but rather as unintentional deviations, are not taken into account here, and corresponding products with such deviations are not regarded as different.

Two different products may, for example, have two different containers, for example containers of different materials, shapes, sizes or colors, and/or the two different products may contain different contents. The different products may comprise the same or different container configurations. In particular, the different products may be different contents in the same container, in particular with different container markings; or the same contents in different containers, in particular with the same container markings; or different containers with different contents, in particular with different container markings. The product type may be identifiable, for example, by the container configuration, in particular the container marking (e.g. a label), or by the container, i.e. the container configuration or the container may make it possible to unambiguously assign it to a certain product type.

The container may be a plastic container or a glass container, in particular a glass bottle or a plastic bottle, for example made of PET or PE.

The system comprises a packaging device for creating bundles. The packaging device comprises two or more feeds for feeding in products. These feeds can be designed, for example, as lanes or other feeds. The feeds can allow feeding in products separately by type, in particular in single file. The fed products can then be packed together in the packaging device to form a bundle.

The packaging device is designed for creating a bundle of two or more different products. In particular, the packaging device can be designed so that each feed section can be fed with a single type of product, and then several single type products thus fed can be packed together in the packaging machine to form a bundle. Single type means that these products are not different, i.e. in particular the same container with the same content, in particular with the same container configuration.

The system also includes a product storage section, which includes two or more buffer rows for storing products. The buffer rows are also referred to as "rows" below. Such a product storage section can be designed so that each row can be filled in sequence and can be conveyed through the buffer section. The distance between rows can be variable. Filling the product storage section can be carried out in particular through the product inlet. The buffer rows can be filled through the product inlet, wherein in particular one or several buffer rows can be filled simultaneously. The product storage section can be designed in particular as a device for buffering containers in a container handling system, as described in WO 2021/259525 A1 or DE 10 2018 211 859 A1, wherein the columns described in these documents can correspond to the (buffer) rows mentioned in this document.

The product storage is designed and/or arranged in such a way that a feed section of the packaging device can be filled with products from at least one buffer row of the product storage. In this case, the feed section can be filled directly from a buffer row or via an intermediate conveying device, such as a conveyor belt, a chain conveyor, a transfer star wheel, a buffer section or the like.

The product storage can be arranged in such a way that (in principle) the products of each buffer row of the product storage can be directed to each infeed of the packaging device, either directly or via an intermediate conveying device, wherein feeding from each buffer row to each infeed does not necessarily have to be possible at all times, and whether feeding is possible at this moment can depend in particular on the position of the buffer row. The buffer storage can be designed in such a way that at a time in each case only the products of one buffer row can be directed to one infeed or can be filled.

The product storage may have a product outlet at which products of one or several buffer rows can be removed from the product storage at the same time. The buffer rows can in particular be arranged parallel to one another. The product outlet of the product storage can be arranged (directly or via an intermediate conveyor) at the infeed of the packaging device in such a way that products of one buffer row can be introduced into exactly one infeed. In particular, several infeeds can be filled simultaneously from several buffer rows via the product outlet.

The system also includes a control section including a control section for the product storage section.

The control unit including a control unit for the product storage unit is designed to control the process of storing products in the product storage unit in such a way that when filling with a single type of product, the number of products filling at least one buffer row of the storage unit is less than the buffer capacity of the corresponding buffer row.

The control unit can be designed in such a way that it controls the system in such a way that the buffer rows of the product storage unit are filled with products of a single type. To this end, the system can in particular include an identification device for the products, which is in particular arranged at the entrance of the product storage unit and makes it possible for the control unit to identify each product fed in, in particular to identify its type. The identification device can in particular be designed as a camera, or can include a camera, the identification device having access to the image of the camera or results derived therefrom. From the image of the camera, in particular, it can be possible to identify the type of each product photographed, for example based on the container characteristics and/or the container configuration. The control unit can then control the system in such a way that the products are fed into a buffer row in which there are more products of the same type, or, if there is no buffer row that can be filled with products of the same type, the products are fed into a new buffer row.

The control can be designed in such a way that it controls the system in such a way that the number of products that fills an average buffer row of the product storage (for example, taking into account the average case of 10, 20 or 30 buffer rows) is less than the buffer capacity of this buffer row. As a result, space can be reserved in the average buffer row, which can be used, for example, if additional products of this type are to be added. In particular, the control can be designed in such a way that it controls the system in such a way that the same number of each type of different products, or the corresponding desired ratio of the numbers of different products that are to be packed into a bundle, is supplied to the packaging device over a longer period of time.

The system can include a check possibility for the product, which in particular includes a diversion possibility for rejecting the product if the check result is unacceptable. The unacceptable check result can be due, for example, to a filling problem (e.g. overfilling or underfilling), an incorrect container and/or container configuration, in particular an incorrect capping, contamination or the like.

The inspection may be performed by an inspection device, which may be included in the system. The inspection device may, for example, include a camera or a sensor that detects characteristics of the product. The inspection device may be designed so that it can inspect the product when it enters the product storage section, leaves the product storage section or at other locations. For example, it may be arranged so that products taken out of the storage rows of the product storage section can be inspected, and if these products meet the inspection requirements, they are then returned to the corresponding storage rows. This device for taking out and returning the product storage section may be designed, for example, as depicted in WO 2021/259525 A1, for example, in Figures 5 and 6, or in a similar manner, wherein the inspection device may be arranged, for example, as devices 16, 42, 43 and 44 in that document.

The inspection device can in particular include a rejection option, from which products with unacceptable inspection results can be rejected. In this case, this can be, for example, a conveyor belt for diverting the products, an ejection device for the products (for example in the form of a push rod), a gripper for grabbing and removing the products or other diverting options.

The control comprising the control for the product reservoir may be connected to or comprise the control of the checking device and thus be designed in particular for detecting when the product is diverted.

The control unit can control the product storage unit in such a way that when a product, in particular a single type of product, is stored in a row of the product storage unit, an additional product, in particular a product of the same type, is fed in for a rejected product. This feeding usually takes place at a later time than when the product is rejected. Thus, when considering a longer period of time, in particular when feeding from at least two or more buffer rows to each feeding unit of the packaging device, the number of products of the same type fed in for each type can remain unchanged, or the ratio between products of the same type fed in for different types can remain unchanged.

For example, if a certain type of product is rejected after inspection, the control unit can control the product storage unit in such a way that, when depositing, a product of the same type is additionally added to a buffer row of the same type.

The control unit can in particular be designed such that it determines the number of products of each type which is filled into a buffer row on average, based on the expected or known probability of an unacceptable inspection result occurring for products of this type during the inspection process.

Alternatively, the number of products of each type that is filled on average into a buffer row can be determined by another unit outside the control unit, based on the expected or known probability of a non-conforming inspection result for a product of this type during the inspection, and used by the control unit. The average value for each type can be determined, for example, taking into account 10, 20 or 30 buffer rows filled with the respective product type. The higher the probability that a product of this type must be rejected, the more space should be reserved for the buffer row filled on average so that more products of the same type can be added when appropriate, that is, the fewer products in the buffer row should be in relation to its buffer capacity.

Alternatively or additionally, the control unit may be designed so that it determines the number of products that can be filled into a buffer row without products being rejected, based on the expected or known probability of a non-conforming inspection result for that type of product during the inspection process. Alternatively or additionally, the control unit may be designed so that the number of products that can be filled into a buffer row without products being rejected is determined by another unit outside the control unit, based on the expected or known probability of a non-conforming inspection result for that type of product during the inspection process, and is used by the control unit.

The system may include one or several filling machines. One or several filling machines may in particular be designed as variable filling machines, which make it possible to fill different contents, such as the filling machines described in EP 38 388 33A1 or DE 10 2017 120762A1.

The system may comprise one or several container manufacturing devices, wherein one or several of the container manufacturing devices may in particular be variable container manufacturing devices which make it possible to manufacture different containers, as described, for example, in DE 10 2017 120 762 A1.

The system may comprise one or several container configuration devices, in particular one or several variable container configuration devices. The container configuration device may in particular comprise a container marking device, or be designed as such a container marking device, such as a labeler and/or a direct printing device. The variable container configuration device may in particular be designed to be equipped with different container configurations and to switch between different container configurations during a product manufacturing run, so that different container configurations can be set for different products using the (variable) container configuration device. Examples of variable container configuration devices are described, for example, in DE 10 2017 120 762 A1. During a product manufacturing run, this in particular includes: stopping and refitting of the container configuration device is not performed during this period.

The system may include one or more container handling devices, in particular variable container handling devices, which in particular make it possible to manufacture different products. Such variable container handling devices are, for example, flexible systems for handling containers, as described in DE 10 2017 120 762 A1.

The control unit including the control unit for the product storage unit can be connected to or include the control unit of one or several filling machines, in particular variable filling machines.

Additionally or alternatively, the control unit may be connected to or include the control units of one or several container manufacturing devices (in particular variable container manufacturing devices).

Alternatively or additionally, the control unit can be connected to or comprise the control unit of one or several container arranging devices, in particular variable container arranging devices.

In particular, the control unit can be connected to or comprise the control units of one or several container handling devices, in particular variable container handling devices.

Such a connection of the control part as described above or including other control parts in particular realizes an integrated system, which controls the entire system for creating the bundle.Such a system in particular can take into account and compensate for spontaneous changes, for example due to containers being rejected.

The control unit can be designed to control the system in such a way that for each rejected product an additional product, in particular a product of the same type, is fed in (in particular produced in addition). In this case, the quantity of other product types can be reduced in particular for the product produced in addition at the same time, in particular taking into account the quantity of other product types present in the feed section and the buffer row, or the product produced in addition can be inserted without changing the quantity of other products. The control unit can be designed to control the system in such a way that the product produced in addition is added to a row of the same product type in the product storage section at a later point in time, so that over a longer period of time the total number of fed products of each type is the same, or the quantity ratio of the different product types remains unchanged. In this case, the control unit can in particular control the system in such a way that the product produced in addition is produced directly before, after or between products of the same type, so that easy feeding into a buffer row is possible.

The control unit can, for example, control the container manufacturing device in such a way that it additionally manufactures containers required for a product identical to the rejected product, in particular directly before, after or between identical containers also required for the product. Alternatively or additionally, the control unit can control the filling machine in such a way that it fills the corresponding additionally produced containers with the contents required for the product. Additionally, the control unit can be designed in such a way that it controls the product configuration device in such a way that it sets the required container configuration for the additional container. Alternatively or additionally, the control unit can control the container handling device in such a way that an additional product of the same type as the rejected product is additionally manufactured, in particular directly before, after or between identical containers also required for the product.

The invention also includes a method of creating a bundle comprising two or more different products. The method in particular comprises: filling a first row of a product storage section with a first product of a single type, and filling a second row of the product storage section with a second product of a single type. If the bundle also contains other products, such as a third, fourth, etc. product, the method may also correspondingly comprise: filling a third, fourth, etc. row of the product storage section with the third, fourth, etc. products of a single type.

In the method, the number of products filling at least one row of the product storage is less than the buffer capacity of the corresponding buffer row. This can especially reserve space, where more products, especially more products of the same type, can be fed in if necessary.

The method further comprises: filling two feed sections of the packaging device with products of two rows of the product storage section, the two rows having two different single types of products; and creating a bundle in the packaging device containing two or more different products. If the bundle comprises more than two products, the method may also correspondingly comprise: filling the third, fourth, etc. feed sections of the packaging device with products of the third, fourth, etc. rows of the product storage section, the third, fourth, etc. rows having third, fourth, etc. different single types of products, and then also using these products when creating the bundle.

The method may comprise: inspecting one or several products, in particular using an inspection device. Optionally, in case of unsatisfactory inspection results, the method may comprise: rejecting one or several products, in particular for example on a diverting device, as described above for the system.

The method may comprise, when subsequently depositing the product in the row of the product storage, feeding an additional product, in particular a product of the same type, for a rejected product. For this purpose, in particular the remaining capacity of the buffer row may be utilized.

The method may comprise: producing two or more different products, in particular producing one or several, in particular different containers, and/or filling the containers with one or several, in particular different contents, and/or equipping one or several, in particular different container configurations. In particular, in a method, all different products can be produced in the same method run, in particular with a flexible container handling system, as described in DE 10 2017 120 762 A1, or with a variable container production device, for example as described in DE 10 2017 120 762 A1, and/or with a variable filling machine, for example as described in DE 10 2017 120 762 A1 or EP 3 838 833 A1, and subsequently equipping the product configurations with one or several product arranging devices, in particular variable product arranging devices, so that intermediate storage other than storage in a product storage section becomes unnecessary.

The method may include producing an additional product of the same type for each rejected product. In this way, in particular the number of products of each type fed to the packaging unit or the corresponding ratio of the number of different products may remain constant over a longer period of time. In particular, the method may also include adding the additionally produced product to a row of the same product type in the product storage at a later point in time.

In particular, due to the control by means of the control as described above, different method steps can be performed, and the method may include each of the steps controllable by the control for the system. The method may be performed in the system as described above. Alternatively, the method as described above and the steps of the method as described below may also be performed in the system. In particular, the control may be designed so that it controls the system to perform the method steps described above and below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

More details of the present invention will be explained with reference to the following schematic diagram (not drawn to scale). It shows:

FIG1 shows an exemplary system;

FIG. 2 shows another exemplary system,

3a and 3b illustrate an exemplary control portion of a system.

FIG4 schematically illustrates the steps of an exemplary method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Fig. 1 shows a system 1 for creating bundles with different products, here three different products. Exemplarily, the different products are schematically drawn as squares, circles and triangles.

The system 1 comprises a product storage 2 with buffer rows 2a-2h. In this exemplary embodiment, the buffer rows can be moved in parallel through the product storage, wherein the order of the buffer rows can be maintained. The product storage comprises a product inlet 2i, through which products can be introduced into the product storage. In the example shown, the product inlet is designed so that products can be introduced into one row of the product storage. In other examples, the product inlet can be designed so that products can be introduced into several buffer rows at the same time.

The product storage part 2 also includes a product outlet 2k, which is designed in this case so that several rows of products can be simultaneously fed into the feeding parts 3a, 3b, 3c of the packaging device 3 through the product outlet 2k of the product storage part, and the number of these rows is the same as the number of different products contained in the bundle, which is three in this example. In other examples, the product outlet can be designed differently.

In the example shown, products can be transferred from the buffer storage 2f to the feed 3a, from the buffer storage 2g to the feed 3b, and from the buffer storage 2h to the feed 3c. Typically, the feeding takes place or the system is controlled in such a way that the same product type is fed into one feed of the packaging device in each case, i.e. the products are fed as a single type into the feeds 3a, 3b, 3c, which can in particular be designed as lanes.

Before the products are fed into the product storage 2, they can be checked in the checking device 4, which in this example is arranged before the product inlet 2i. In case of unsatisfactory checking, the products can be directed to the diversion possibility 4a for rejecting the products instead of to the product storage.

As schematically shown in the figure, the system can be controlled in such a way that, in the normal case, products of a single type are fed into the buffer row, but the buffer capacity is not completely used up, i.e., for example, there is still space for one, two, three or more products. If, during the method, the number of products in the buffer row (and therefore the packaging device filled from the buffer row) is low, for example due to the rejection of products as a result of the inspection, this shortage can be compensated by another product of a single type in the buffer row that is filled later: by way of example, in the example shown, the number of products in row 2g is one less than the number of products in rows 2f and 2h.

In the example shown, the system is controlled in such a way that three buffer rows each with three different products are fed simultaneously into the feed section of the packaging device. Therefore, one product is missing in the feed section 3b. Since the capacity of the buffer row is usually not completely used up, this shortage can be compensated by an additional product in the buffer row that is filled later (in this case, buffer row 2d). Therefore, in this example, it can be included: filling the packaging device with the same number of different types of products over a longer period of time. In other examples (not shown here), the same number of different types of products can be replaced so that the corresponding quantity ratio of different products remains unchanged.

FIG. 2 shows an alternative exemplary system. In FIG. 2 , in addition to the product storage section 2, the system also includes a container manufacturing device 6, a filling machine 5, a product configuration device 7 and an inspection device 4. In the example shown, the inspection device is arranged so that it can check the products diverted from the buffer row of the product storage section and, if the inspection result is satisfactory, the products can be returned to the corresponding buffer row via path 4b at a later point in time. In the event of an unqualified inspection result, the product can be removed via the diversion possibility 4a, so that the corresponding buffer row is missing products. Since the buffer row is usually, that is, in particular on average, not completely filled with products according to its capacity, it is easy to load additional (e.g., supplementary production) products of the respective missing type into the buffer row at a later point in time and thus into the packaging device 3.

3a and 3b show two different exemplary controls for the system.

3 a shows a control unit 8 which comprises a control unit 9 for the product storage unit and is connected to a control unit 10 for the inspection device, a control unit 11 for the filling machine, a control unit 12 for the container manufacturing device and a control unit 13 for the product configuration device.

In the example shown, the connections between the control parts each allow a bidirectional exchange of information, so that the control part 8 can receive information from the control parts 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 and can then also control them according to the coordination between the different information. It is thus possible to create in particular an integrated system and method that can flexibly respond to changes, such as those caused by the rejection of products, and for example keep the number of each type of product or the corresponding ratio of the number of different products provided to the packaging unit over a period of time constant.

FIG. 3 b shows an alternative control unit 8 which comprises control units 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 and 13 and whose components can be coordinated with one another in such a way that changes, such as those caused by product rejection, can be flexibly responded to and the quantity of each type of product provided to the packaging unit remains constant over a period of time.

In other embodiments (not shown here), the control unit 8 may also be connected to certain control units and include other control units. The control unit 8 may also include an enterprise resource planning and/or a manufacturing execution system, or exchange data with one or both of these systems.

The control unit 8 (particularly the control unit in FIG. 3 a and FIG. 3 b ) can be connected to or exchange data with other components (eg, warehouse software), so that the data stored in the warehouse software can be kept up to date (not shown).

FIG4 exemplarily shows the steps of the method. In particular,

- in step 41 , filling a first row of the product storage with a first product of a single type, wherein the number of products filling this row is less than the buffer capacity of the corresponding buffer row;

- In step 42, a second row of the product storage is filled with a second product of a single type, wherein the number of products filling this row is less than the buffer capacity of the corresponding buffer row.

In other examples (not shown here), the number of products filling only one of the two rows is less than the buffer capacity of the corresponding buffer row, or more rows are filled with more products of a single type.

In step 43 , the two infeeds of the packaging device are filled with products of two rows of the product storage, the two rows having two different single types of products.

Then, in step 44, a bundle containing two or more different products is created in a packaging device.

Claims (11)

1. A system (1) for creating a bundle comprising two or more different products, in particular a container with a liquid or pasty content, wherein the system comprises a packaging device (3) for creating a bundle, wherein the packaging device comprises two or more feeding portions (3 a,3b,3 c) for feeding the products,

Wherein the packaging device (3) is designed for creating two or more different products into one bundle,

Wherein the system comprises a product reservoir (2) comprising two or more buffer rows (2 a,2b,2c,2d,2e,2f,2g,2 h) for storing products, wherein the product reservoir (2) is designed and/or arranged such that one feed (3 a,3b,3 c) of the packaging device can be filled with products of at least one buffer row (2 a,2b,2c,2d,2e,2f,2g,2 h) of the product reservoir (2),

It is characterized in that the method comprises the steps of,

The system (1) comprises a control part (8) comprising a control part (9) for the product storage part (2), wherein the control part (8) is designed for

The process of storing the product in the product storage (2) is controlled such that, when filling with a single type of product, the quantity of product filling at least one buffer row (2 a,2b,2c,2d,2e,2f,2g,2 h) of the product storage (2) is less than the buffer capacity of the corresponding buffer row (2 a,2b,2c,2d,2e,2f,2g,2 h).

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises inspection means (4) for the products, in particular comprising a split possibility (4 a) for rejecting the products when the inspection result is not acceptable.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control part (8) is further connected to or comprises a control part (10) of the inspection device, and the control part (8) controls the product storage part (4) such that, when storing products, in particular single types of products, in one row (2 a,2b,2c,2d,2e,2f,2g,2 h) of the product storage part (2), an additional product, in particular of the same type, is fed for one rejected product.

4. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the system further comprises one or several filling machines (5), in particular variable filling machines, and/or wherein the system further comprises one or several container manufacturing devices (6), in particular variable container manufacturing devices, and/or one or several product configuration devices (7), in particular variable product configuration devices.

5. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control part (8) is connected to or comprises one or several filling machines, in particular a control part (11) of a variable filling machine and/or one or several container manufacturing devices, in particular a control part (12) of a variable container manufacturing device and/or one or several product configuration devices, in particular a control part (13) of a variable product configuration device.

6. The system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control section (8) is designed for controlling the system such that one additional product, in particular the same type of product, is produced for each rejected product, wherein the control section (8) is in particular designed for adding the produced product in addition to one row of the product store (2) having the same product type at a later point in time.

7. A method of creating a bundle comprising two or more different products, the method comprising:

filling a first row of product reservoirs with a single type of first product and a second row of product reservoirs with a single type of second product, wherein the number of products filling at least one row of the product reservoirs is smaller than the buffering capacity of the respective buffer row (2 a,2b,2c,2d,2e,2f,2g,2 h);

filling two infeed portions of a packaging device with two rows of products of said product storage portion, said two rows having two different single types of products,

A bundle comprising two or more different products is created in a packaging device.

8. The method of claim 7, the method further comprising: one or more products are inspected and optionally rejected when the inspection results are not acceptable.

9. The method of claim 7 or 8, the method further comprising: in a subsequent row of products stored in the product store, an additional product, in particular of the same type, is fed for a rejected product.

10. The method according to one of claims 7 to 9, the method further comprising: two or more different products are produced, in particular one or several different containers are manufactured and/or one or several different contents are filled into the containers and/or one or several different product configurations are provided.

11. The method according to one of claims 7 to 10, the method further comprising: an additional product of the same type is produced for each rejected product and optionally added to a row of the product store of the same product type at a later point in time.