EP3423361B2 - Section of a packaging line for beverage containers and method for handling beverage containers during their transport along a packaging line - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a section of a packaging line for beverage containers and to a method for handling beverage containers during their transport along a packaging line.

When packaging articles, particularly beverage containers, bottles, etc. into containers, the articles are put together in the desired manner and wrapped in shrink film. The shrink film is shrunk around the articles by supplying hot air in a shrink tunnel. The articles enter the shrink tunnel with the shrink film through an entrance and leave the shrink tunnel after the shrinking process through an exit. A conveyor device or horizontal conveyor device can extend through the shrink tunnel to move the articles through the shrink tunnel during the shrinking process.

Before the items are fed into the shrink tunnel, thermoplastic packaging material is applied to a group of items in order to create a container from the respective group via the thermoplastic packaging material in the shrink tunnel.

The EN 10 2007 062 329 A1 discloses a device for handling objects, in particular packaged containers. The device comprises a first and a second handling device for the objects and in particular a packaging machine and a palletizing machine, wherein the packaging machine can be formed by a shrink tunnel. In order to prevent objects from being damaged in the first handling device in the event of a downstream conveyor stop in a structurally simple and space-saving manner, the device is provided with a storage device which has a plurality of receiving locations for temporarily receiving objects which can be moved about a substantially horizontal axis between a receiving position for receiving the objects and a storage position.

Such a shrinking device as mentioned above is known, for example, from the German utility model with the publication number DE 20 2007 018 402 U1 known. The shrink tunnel of the DE utility model is connected to a gas supply device, via which the packaging materials are exposed to a fluid, tempered medium. The fluid, tempered medium passes through a flow chamber and is guided in the direction of several outlet openings. By exposing the packaging material to the gaseous medium, the packaging material can be shrunk onto articles.

In generic devices according to the German utility model, the shrink tunnel is followed by a horizontal conveyor on which the articles stand after leaving the shrink tunnel and are possibly moved towards further work stations. The articles then cool down on the horizontal conveyor or during their transport through the respective horizontal conveyor and can then be manipulated by the other work stations. Before feeding them to the other work stations, it may be necessary to group or distribute the articles so that the containers reach the respective work station with a specific distribution or grouping. For this purpose, a grouping or distribution device can be arranged upstream of the work station.

If a shrink tunnel is taken out of service, all items are moved out of the shrink tunnel to avoid damage due to the temperature level in the shrink tunnel. The horizontal conveyor connected to the shrink tunnel can serve as a buffer, which can accommodate all the containers in the shrink tunnel when the shrink tunnel is taken out of service. If the shrink tunnel or the packaging line is put back into service, the containers on the horizontal conveyor or the buffer can then be moved towards a respective work station.

Such devices or sections of a packaging line require a lot of space. It may also be necessary for the containers to be reoriented or grouped in order to be processed by the work station. Based on the current state of the art, devices that are highly flexible would therefore be desirable.

One object of the invention is therefore to provide a generic section of a packaging line or a generic method which requires little space and has a high degree of flexibility. The device should also be characterized by a simple structure. The method should be easy to implement.

The above objects are achieved by a device and a method which comprise the features in claims 1 and 9. Further advantageous embodiments are described by the subclaims.

The invention relates to a section of a packaging line for beverage containers. The beverage containers can be formed, for example, by bottles or PET bottles or cans.

The section comprises a shrink tunnel, by means of which thermoplastic packaging material can be shrunk onto assemblies of beverage containers to produce packages. For this purpose, the shrink tunnel can have a housing with two openings aligned with one another, with the beverage containers entering the housing through one of the two openings, then being moved through the shrink tunnel and leaving the shrink tunnel as a package through a further opening or being removed from the shrink tunnel through the further opening. In order to transport the beverage containers or packages through the shrink tunnel, a horizontal conveyor device is positioned within the shrink tunnel. At least two opposing shaft walls can be arranged in the shrink tunnel, between which the beverage containers are moved. The shaft walls can each have openings through which tempered air exits and is moved in the direction of the thermoplastic packaging material.

The section of the packaging line can usefully include a work station which is arranged upstream of the shrink tunnel in the direction of flow of the beverage containers and via which work station thermoplastic packaging material can be applied to assemblies of beverage containers. The work station can be arranged immediately upstream of the shrink tunnel in the direction of flow of the beverage containers.

Furthermore, an inlet for beverage containers can be arranged upstream of the work station, via which the beverage containers are fed to the work station. The inlet can comprise several lane plates oriented parallel to one another, over which the beverage containers are fed in parallel rows.

The section also comprises at least one manipulator, which is designed for receiving and handling, preferably in a clamping and/or form-fitting manner, containers produced via the shrink tunnel. The at least one manipulator follows directly downstream of the shrink tunnel.

Furthermore, in preferred embodiments, the section of the packaging line can comprise at least one working device downstream of the shrink tunnel, via which further packaging material can be applied to the containers produced by means of the shrink tunnel. It is conceivable, for example, that the at least one working device downstream of the shrink tunnel can provide the respective containers with a tray or an outer packaging made of plastic and/or cardboard and/or other materials. The at least one working device downstream of the shrink tunnel can thus be designed to apply a respective outer packaging containing cellulose or made of cardboard and/or paperboard and/or plastic and/or other materials to the containers. It is also conceivable that the at least one working device downstream of the shrink tunnel is designed as a stretch wrapper. The at least one working device downstream of the shrink tunnel can thus be designed to apply a further packaging material in the form of stretch film to containers.

A detection area of the at least one manipulator thus extends to an opening in the shrink tunnel, from which opening the containers emerge from the shrink tunnel. The at least one manipulator can thus receive and manipulate containers immediately or at least approximately immediately after they leave the shrink tunnel. The term "immediately" is understood in the context of the present invention to mean that no further station or work device, such as a horizontal conveyor device, is arranged between the at least one manipulator and the shrink tunnel.

In particularly preferred embodiments, it can also be provided that the at least one working device is directly connected downstream to the at least one manipulator. Such embodiments are also characterized by a small space requirement of the section of the packaging line.

Furthermore, embodiments have proven to be useful in which at least one device for cooling the containers is assigned to the shrink tunnel and/or the at least one manipulator. It is conceivable that the at least one device for cooling the containers comprises at least one fan, via which at least one fan the containers can be exposed to an air volume flow coming from above and another coming from below. The containers can be exposed to the air volume flow coming from above and the air volume flow coming from below in the area of an exit of the shrink tunnel. The device can be positioned in such a way that the containers can be cooled or exposed to an air volume flow before being received by the at least one manipulator.

It may also be the case that the at least one manipulator has a device for cooling the containers or that the at least one manipulator is assigned a device for cooling the containers. If the at least one manipulator, as described below, is designed as a parallel kinematics robot or as an industrial robot, it may be that an air volume flow is directed onto the containers by means of a coordinated movement of several working arms and the at least one manipulator subsequently receives containers. and manipulated. The device for cooling the containers can have at least one nozzle through which an air volume flow can emerge to cool the containers and which nozzle is mechanically connected to the several working arms so that the nozzle can be moved or displaced by means of a coordinated movement of the several working arms.

As just mentioned, the at least one manipulator can be designed as a parallel kinematics robot. In particular, the at least one manipulator can be designed as a tripod and thus have three working arms that can be moved independently of one another. Embodiments in which the at least one manipulator is designed as a parallel kinematics robot have proven to be effective in achieving a high throughput when handling containers along the packaging line.

It is also conceivable that the at least one manipulator is designed as an industrial robot. In further embodiments, the at least one manipulator can comprise at least two hanging gripping arms that work together to handle containers and can be moved along the packaging line and at an angle to the flow direction of the containers.

It is also conceivable that the section comprises a storage area for temporarily receiving containers, into which storage area containers can be transferred by a movement oriented at an angle to their flow direction and brought about by the at least one manipulator. The shrink tunnel, the at least one manipulator and the at least one work station can thus be positioned in a linear arrangement. The storage area can be connected to the linear arrangement at the side. In particular, the storage area can be connected to the linear arrangement at the side in the area of the at least one manipulator.

A capacity of the storage area for beverage containers can correspond at least to a capacity of the shrink tunnel for beverage containers. If the shrink tunnel is taken out of operation, in practice all containers or beverage containers received in the shrink tunnel at a certain point in time are removed from the shrink tunnel, so that there are no containers in the shrink tunnel after this time. In embodiments known from the prior art, these containers removed from the shrink tunnel are temporarily stored on a horizontal conveyor device which is directly connected to the shrink tunnel and which is designed as an empty travel section. Advantageously, in the described embodiment with a storage area, such an empty travel section can be dispensed with, whereby the section of the packaging line can be designed to be compact and space-saving. The storage area can be arranged laterally offset or positioned at an angle to the flow direction of the containers along the packaging line. The at least one manipulator has its own horizontal conveyor device, above which a clamping and/or gripping device designed as a component of the at least one manipulator can be movably suspended. The own horizontal conveyor device of the at least one manipulator can optionally be designed as a storage area.

Furthermore, the section of a packaging line can comprise a control device coupled to the at least one manipulator, via which the at least one manipulator can be controlled to produce an arrangement and/or orientation of the containers provided for the at least one work device. It is conceivable that the at least one manipulator can rotate selective containers and/or move them at an angle to their flow direction to produce the respective arrangement and/or orientation provided for the at least one work device. The at least one manipulator can also optionally form a container stream with a number of m parallel rows from a container stream with a number of n parallel rows, where the number n is different from the number m.

Furthermore, the section can comprise at least one optical sensor for detecting the condition of containers, wherein the at least one manipulator is operatively connected to the at least one optical sensor, so that containers whose actual condition deviates from a target condition can be sorted out by the at least one manipulator, if necessary, before being fed to the at least one work device. The at least one optical sensor can be designed as a camera system. Furthermore, the at least one optical sensor or the camera system can be coupled to the previously described control device, wherein the control device causes the respective container to be sorted out by the at least one manipulator if the respective actual condition deviates from the target condition. For example, the target condition can be specified as the quality of the shrinking of the thermoplastic packaging material onto assemblies of beverage containers. If the quality of the shrink fit does not correspond to the specified target quality or if the actual quality deviates from the specified target quality, the respective container can be rejected via at least one manipulator, as previously described.

It is also conceivable that the at least one manipulator is coupled to a control device which, when a respective container is rejected, causes it to be replaced by another container via the at least one manipulator, whereby the actual condition of the other container corresponds to the desired condition. The other containers can, for example, be in the previously described be positioned in a storage area into which the at least one manipulator transfers a separated container and subsequently receives a further container, wherein the further container is moved in the direction of the at least one working device instead of the separated container.

It is also conceivable that containers whose actual condition deviates from a target condition can be transferred to the storage area via a movement oriented obliquely to their flow direction via the at least one manipulator.

It is also possible for the section to comprise at least one horizontal conveyor, via which manipulated containers can be fed to the at least one work device, the at least one manipulator being designed to stack the containers on the at least one horizontal conveyor. As mentioned below, for example for the purposes of maintenance, repair or decommissioning, it can be provided that all beverage containers located in the shrink tunnel at a certain point in time are removed from the shrink tunnel. In this case, the beverage containers located in the shrink tunnel at the certain point in time can be received and stacked at least in part by the at least one manipulator after being removed from the shrink tunnel. As already mentioned above, the at least one manipulator can have its own horizontal conveyor. The containers can be stacked on its own horizontal conveyor. When the shrink tunnel is put into operation again, the containers can be moved on to the at least one work device in stacked form. It is also possible that when the shrink tunnel is put into operation again, a stacked formation of the containers is removed via the at least one manipulator and the containers are passed on to the at least one work device in an unstacked formation.

In addition, embodiments have proven to be useful in which the at least one manipulator is designed to stack the containers on the at least one horizontal conveyor device and in which at least one working device is provided downstream of the at least one manipulator, via which further packaging material can be applied to the containers in stacked formation.

It is also conceivable that the at least one manipulator is designed to produce a specific target alignment of several containers relative to one another, corresponding to a palletizable layer. After the target alignment has been produced, the several containers can be compressed, resulting in a palletizable layer. The palletizable layer can then be placed on an assigned pallet or transferred to an assigned pallet.

It is also conceivable that the section comprises a horizontal conveyor device, which is connected to a grouping station, by means of which grouping station a certain alignment of the containers to one another can be established for a position that can be palletized. In this case, the at least one manipulator can be designed to position the containers on the horizontal conveyor device. The at least one manipulator can thus be designed as a rotating and/or distribution system for containers.

The invention further relates to a method for handling beverage containers during their transport along a packaging line. Features which have already been described previously for various embodiments of the section according to the invention can also be provided in conceivable embodiments of the method according to the invention and are therefore not mentioned redundantly. In addition, the following features, which relate to conceivable embodiments of the method according to the invention, can be provided for the section of a packaging line according to the invention.

As part of a first step of the method, beverage containers are fed into a shrink tunnel, in which thermoplastic packaging material is shrunk onto assemblies of beverage containers, thereby producing respective containers from the assemblies. In the shrink tunnel, the thermoplastic packaging material can be exposed to a tempered fluid flow in order to shrink the thermoplastic packaging material onto the respective assemblies of beverage containers. For example, assemblies made up of two, four or six beverage containers can be produced, onto which thermoplastic packaging material is applied, with the assemblies with their respective thermoplastic packaging material entering the shrink tunnel or being fed to the shrink tunnel at the same time.

Before the assemblies are formed, the beverage containers can be guided in parallel rows. The assemblies can be formed by slowing down or accelerating leading beverage containers compared to beverage containers following them in the direction of flow.

In a further step of the method according to the invention, the containers are removed from the shrink tunnel. In this case, the containers can be moved in the direction of at least one working device following the shrink tunnel in the direction of flow. In the shrink tunnel, the containers can be moved in a linear direction and, if necessary, via a horizontal conveyor device.

It is further provided that the containers, after being removed from the shrink tunnel, enter a detection area of at least one manipulator immediately following the shrink tunnel, which has at least A manipulator immediately following the shrink tunnel receives and handles containers, preferably in a clamping and/or form-fitting manner.

Furthermore, the containers may be fed to a working device following the at least one manipulator in a flow direction of the containers, which applies further packaging material to the containers.

In particularly preferred embodiments, the containers can be cooled by means of an air volume flow before being received by the at least one manipulator. It is conceivable that the containers are cooled by an air volume flow coming from below and by another air volume flow coming from above. In this case, containers in the area of the shrink tunnel and/or in the area or detection area of the at least one manipulator can be cooled by means of the air volume flow. In particular, respective containers can be cooled before being received by the at least one manipulator.

Practice has shown that containers can have a high temperature immediately after leaving the shrink tunnel. The cooling described makes it possible to receive containers at least approximately immediately after leaving the shrink tunnel using at least one manipulator.

It can also be the case that all of the beverage containers located in the shrink tunnel at a specific point in time are removed from the shrink tunnel, so that there are subsequently no beverage containers in the shrink tunnel. In addition, the beverage containers or packs located in the shrink tunnel at a specific point in time can be received at least in part by the at least one manipulator after being removed from the shrink tunnel and transferred to a storage area at an angle to their flow direction using the at least one manipulator. This can be necessary, for example, if the shrink tunnel is to be temporarily taken out of service or if there are faults that need to be remedied. After at least a portion of the packs located in the shrink tunnel at a specific point in time have been transferred to the storage area, the respective packs located in the storage area can be removed from the storage area using the at least one manipulator and moved further in the direction of the at least one work device.

In further embodiments, it may also be the case that the containers are brought into an arrangement and/or new orientation intended for the previously mentioned at least one work device via the at least one manipulator. For example, containers can be selectively rotated and/or offset at an angle to their flow direction and/or delayed or accelerated relative to subsequent containers.

In addition, the quality of containers can be checked using sensors, whereby containers whose actual quality deviates from a target quality are separated out before being fed to the at least one work device via the at least one manipulator. The target quality can, as already described above, be designed as the quality of the shrink-fitting of the thermoplastic packaging material onto assemblies of beverage containers.

• Figur 1 zeigt eine schematische Ansicht einer denkbaren Ausführungsform eines Abschnittes einer Verpackungslinie;
• Figur 2 zeigt eine schematische Ansicht einer weiteren denkbaren Ausführungsform eines Abschnittes einer Verpackungslinie;
• Figur 3 zeigt einzelne Schritte, wie sie bei einer denkbaren Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens vorliegen können.

In the following, embodiments are intended to explain the invention and its advantages in more detail with reference to the attached figures. The size relationships of the individual elements to one another in the figures do not always correspond to the actual size relationships, since some shapes are simplified and other shapes are shown enlarged in relation to other elements for better illustration.

• Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a conceivable embodiment of a section of a packaging line;
• Figure 2 shows a schematic view of another conceivable embodiment of a section of a packaging line;
• Figure 3 shows individual steps as they may be present in a conceivable embodiment of a method according to the invention.

Identical reference numerals are used for identical or equivalent elements of the invention. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only reference numerals are shown in the individual figures that are necessary for the description of the respective figure. The embodiments shown are merely examples of how the invention can be designed and do not represent an exhaustive limitation.

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a conceivable embodiment of a section 1 of a packaging line for beverage containers 3.

Section 1 comprises in the exemplary embodiment Figure 1 an inlet 7, via which individual beverage containers 3 are conveyed in the flow direction SR indicated by an arrow. The inlet 7 comprises several lane plates, via which parallel tracks are formed for guiding the beverage containers 3 in parallel rows.

The inlet 7 is immediately followed in the flow direction SR by a work station 9. When the beverage containers 3 pass from the inlet 7 into the work station 9, preceding beverage containers 3 can be following beverage containers 3 are accelerated so that a certain distance is formed between the leading beverage containers 3 and the respective following beverage containers 3. Leading beverage containers 3 and trailing beverage containers 3 then form a respective set of beverage containers 3 in the area of the work station 9. The distance between leading beverage containers 3 and trailing beverage containers 3 can also be formed in the work station 9 itself. Thermoplastic packaging material is applied to the respective sets of beverage containers 3 via the work station 9.

Figure 1 shows, with reference to number 13, a shrink tunnel which is directly connected to the work station 9. In order to form a respective container 5 from the combinations of beverage containers 3 and their respective thermoplastic packaging material, the thermoplastic packaging material in the shrink tunnel 13 is subjected to heat energy, whereby the thermoplastic packaging material shrinks onto the respective combination and a container 5 is thereby formed from the respective combination and its thermoplastic packaging material.

The shrink tunnel 13 comprises a device 14 for cooling the containers 5. Before leaving the shrink tunnel 13, the containers 5 pass through the device 14. The containers 5 are each subjected to an air volume flow coming from below and one from above via the device 14 for cooling. After passing through the device 14 or after cooling, the containers 5 leave the shrink tunnel 13.

The section 1 also comprises at least one working device 30 which follows the shrink tunnel 13 downstream or in the direction of flow SR, via which further packaging material or stretch film is applied to the containers 5 produced by means of the shrink tunnel 13. The working device 30 which follows the shrink tunnel 13 in the direction of flow SR is therefore designed as a stretch wrapper. In the embodiment from Figure 1 an outer packaging is applied to the containers 5 by means of the working device 30. The outer packaging can be designed, for example, as a tray or as an outer packaging made of cardboard and/or paperboard.

A manipulator 20 is arranged between the working device 30 and the shrink tunnel 13, which is directly connected to the shrink tunnel 13 or which immediately follows the shrink tunnel 13 without any further stations arranged between the working device 30 and the shrink tunnel 13. The shrink tunnel 13 can be formed by a first module, the manipulator 20 by a second module, with the second module directly connected to the first module.

The manipulator 20 comprises its own horizontal conveyor, which is directly connected to the shrink tunnel 13. The manipulator 20 detects and manipulates containers 5 standing on its own horizontal conveyor. The detection range of the manipulator 20 extends to an opening of the shrink tunnel 13, through which opening containers 5 leave the shrink tunnel 13.

The manipulator 20 is in the embodiment of Figure 1 designed as a parallel kinematic robot 21 or tripod and has several working arms whose movements are coordinated for receiving and handling containers 5.

A storage area of section 1 is shown with reference to number 17. The manipulator 20 or the parallel kinematics robot 21 can receive containers 5, bring about a movement oriented obliquely to the flow direction SR for the respective containers 5 received and thereby transfer the containers 5 into the storage area 17 and set them down in the storage area 17. The transfer of the containers 5 into the storage area 17 by the manipulator 20 can be specified via a control device S which is coupled to the manipulator 20 or the parallel kinematics robot 21. This prevents the respective containers 5 from being passed on to the work device 30, at least temporarily. If the shrink tunnel 13 is taken out of operation, all containers 5 or beverage containers 3 that are in the shrink tunnel 13 at a certain point in time must be removed from the shrink tunnel 13, since the temperature level in the shrink tunnel 13 is high, which would lead to damage to the respective containers 5 if the containers 5 remained in the shrink tunnel 13 for too long.

In this case, the containers 5 located in the shrink tunnel 13 at a specific time and subsequently removed from the shrink tunnel 13 may be received by the manipulator 20 or the parallel kinematics robot 21, transferred to the storage area 17 and deposited in the storage area 17. If the shrink tunnel 17 is subsequently put back into operation, the containers 5 transferred to the storage area 17 and deposited in the storage area 17 can be removed from the storage area 17 via the manipulator 20 or the parallel kinematics robot 21 and moved further in the direction of the work device 30. It may also be necessary to remove all containers 5 from the shrink tunnel 13 in the event of malfunctions. Transfer to the storage area 17 can then take place via the manipulator 20, as previously described.

In Figure 1 Stretch film can be applied to the respective containers 5 via the working device 30, as previously mentioned. The working device 30 is thus designed as a stretch wrapper. For this purpose, it is necessary to bring the containers 5 into a corresponding predetermined alignment and orientation before feeding them to the work device 30. Information on a target alignment and target orientation of the containers 5 intended for the work device 30 can be stored on the control device S. The control device S can use the information to handle the containers 5 or align the containers 5 via the manipulator 20 or the parallel kinematics robot 21 in such a way that the containers 5 reach the work device 30 in the predetermined target alignment and target orientation.

In addition, section 1 has an optical sensor 23, which is designed as a camera system 24 and is connected to the control device S. The optical sensor 23 or the camera system 24 supplies information to the control device S on the actual condition of containers 5 that leave the shrink tunnel 13. For example, the optical sensor 23 or the camera system 24 can supply information on the quality of the shrinking of the thermoplastic packaging material onto the respective combination of beverage containers 3. The control device S compares the actual condition of containers 5 with a predetermined target condition. If the actual condition of a container 5 or several containers 5 deviates from a predetermined target condition, the control device S can cause the respective one container 5 or the respective several containers 5 whose actual condition deviates from the predetermined target condition to be separated out via the manipulator 20 or via the parallel kinematics robot 21. For example, separated containers 5 can be transferred from the manipulator 20 or the parallel kinematics robot 21 to the storage area 17. For various embodiments, it is also conceivable that the manipulator 20 replaces a separated container 5 with another container 5 whose actual condition corresponds to the target condition. The other containers 5 can optionally be stored in the storage area 17 or be located in the storage area 17.

In particular, in the case of embodiments according to Figure 1 , in which the containers 5 are provided with stretch film by means of the working device 30, an additional grouping and/or distribution system can be dispensed with, so that the section 1 has a high degree of flexibility while still requiring little space in the flow direction SR of the containers 5.

Figure 2 shows a schematic view of another conceivable embodiment of a section 1 of a packaging line. The section 1 from the embodiment of Figure 2 has according to section 1 of the embodiment from Figure 1 an inlet 7, a work station 9, a shrink tunnel 13 and a device 14 for cooling the containers 5. In addition, section 1 has a manipulator 20, which is designed as a parallel kinematics robot 21. The manipulator 20 or the parallel kinematics robot 21 is directly connected to the shrink tunnel 13. The components mentioned are identical to the embodiment from Figure 1 designed so that with regard to the structural and functional design, Figure 1 is referred back.

In the example from Figure 2 a layer-forming belt 18 is also provided, which is directly connected to the manipulator 20 or the parallel kinematics robot 21. By means of the manipulator 20, containers 5 can be positioned on the layer-forming belt 18 in a specific alignment to one another, which is intended for a palletizable layer. Information on the specific alignment is stored on the control device S, which controls the at least one manipulator 20 for the corresponding positioning of the containers 5. Furthermore, two movable feed elements 6 are provided in the area of the layer-forming belt 18, which can compress the containers 5 located on the layer-forming belt 18 and aligned via the manipulator 20, and thereby produce a palletizable layer from the containers 5. Compared to the flow direction SR along which the containers 5 move in the shrink tunnel 13, a further flow direction SR' of the containers 5 on the layer-forming belt 18 is offset by 90°. After a palletizable layer has been formed from the containers 5 on the layer-forming belt 18 by means of compression by the feed elements 6, the palletizable layer is passed on to a palletizing device 22. The palletizing device 22 then places the palletizable layer on an associated pallet (not shown in the figures of the patent application).

A working area of the manipulator 20 can extend at least partially over the layer-forming belt 18 in order to pass on bundles 5 in the specific orientation to the layer-forming belt 18 or to deposit them on the layer-forming belt 18. The manipulator 20 has its own horizontal conveyor device, which can be accessed in Figure 2 by way of example, reference is made to number 60. The manipulator 20 can produce a specific alignment of the containers 5 for a palletizable layer on its own horizontal conveyor device 60 and then pass the containers 5 on to the layer-forming belt 18 by means of its own horizontal conveyor device 60 or move them in the direction of the layer-forming belt 18.

Figure 3 shows individual steps as they may be present in a conceivable embodiment of a method according to the invention. In a first step, beverage containers 3 are fed to a shrink tunnel 13, in which thermoplastic packaging material is shrunk onto assemblies of beverage containers 3. In this way, several beverage containers 3 are combined to form a package 5.

Subsequently, or after the thermoplastic packaging material has been shrunk, the containers 5 are removed from the shrink tunnel 13, whereupon the containers 5 enter the detection area of at least one manipulator 20 immediately following the shrink tunnel 13. The at least one manipulator 20 receives containers 5 and handles the respective containers 5 after receiving them. As a result of the receiving and handling by the at least one manipulator 20, the containers 5 can be brought into an orientation and/or arrangement intended for a work device 30. Subsequently, the containers 5 are guided further in the direction of the work device 30. The work device 30 then applies stretch film to the containers 5.

List of reference symbols

1

Section

3

Beverage containers

5

Container

6

Delivery element

7

Intake

9

Workstation

13

Shrink tunnel

14

Cooling facility

17

Storage area

18

Layering tape

20

manipulator

21

Parallel kinematics robot

22

Palletizing device

23

Optical sensor

24

Camera system

30

Work equipment

32

Horizontal conveyor

S

Control device

SR

Flow direction

Claims (14)

1. A section (1) of a packaging line for beverage containers (3), which section comprises:

   - a shrinking tunnel (13), via which shrinking tunnel (13) thermoplastic packaging material can be shrunk onto assemblies of beverage containers (3) in order to produce packs (5), wherein a horizontal conveying device is arranged within the shrinking tunnel for enabling transportation of beverage containers and packs through the shrinking tunnel, as well as

   - at least one manipulator (20), which manipulator (20) is preferably designed for the clamping and/or form-fitting reception and handling of packs (5) produced via the shrinking tunnel (13), the manipulator comprising a dedicated horizontal conveying device immediately adjacent to the shrinking tunnel, thereby enabling the manipulator to seize and manipulate packs standing on the dedicated horizontal conveying device, wherein the seizing range of the manipulator extends to an opening of the shrinking tunnel, at which packs exit the shrinking tunnel,

   - wherein

   - the at least one manipulator (20) is located downstream of the packs (5), directly following the shrinking tunnel (13), so that no a further station or working device such as a horizontal conveying device is arranged between the at least one manipulator (20) and the shrinking tunnel (13).
2. The section of a packaging line according to claim 1, comprising at least one working device (30) located downstream of the at least one manipulator (20), via which working device (30) further packaging material can be applied to the packs (5), which are produced via the shrinking tunnel (13).
3. The section of a packaging line according to claim 2, in which the at least one working device (30) is immediately adjoining the at least one manipulator (20) downstream.
4. The section of a packaging line according to one or more of the claims 1 to 3, comprising a storage area (17) for temporarily receiving packs (5), into which storage area (17) packs (5) can be transferred by a movement, which movement is oriented obliquely to their flow direction (SR) and which movement is effected by the at least one manipulator (20)
5. The section of a packaging line according to claim 4, in which a capacity of the storage area (17) for beverage containers (3) corresponds to at least a capacity of the shrinking tunnel (13) for beverage containers (3).
6. The section of a packaging line according to one of the claims 2 to 4, comprising a control device (S), which control device (S) is coupled to the at least one manipulator (20), via which control device (S) the at least one manipulator (20) can be controlled to produce an arrangement and/or orientation of the packages (5), which arrangement and/or orientation is provided for the at least one working device (30).
7. The section of a packaging line according to one of the claims 1 to 6, comprising at least one horizontal conveying device, via which horizontal conveying device manipulated packs (5) can be fed to the at least one working device (30), wherein the at least one manipulator (20) is designed for stacking packs (5) on the at least one horizontal conveying device.
8. The section of a packaging line according to one of the claims 1 to 7, in which the at least one manipulator (20) is designed to produce a specific nominal alignment of a plurality of packs (5) relative to one another corresponding to a palletizable layer.
9. A method for handling beverage containers (3) during their transport along a packaging line, the method comprising the following steps:

   - feeding of beverage containers (3) into a shrinking tunnel (13), in which shrinking tunnel (13) thermoplastic packaging material is shrunk onto assemblies of beverage containers (3) and whereby respective packs (5) are produced from the assemblies, wherein a horizontal conveying device is arranged within the shrinking tunnel for enabling transportation of beverage containers and packs through the shrinking tunnel,

   - removing the packs (5) from the shrinking tunnel (13),

   - wherein the packs (5), after being removed from the shrinking tunnel (13), pass into the seizing range of at least one manipulator (20), which manipulator (20) is located directly downstream of the shrinking tunnel (13), wherein no a further station or working device such as a horizontal conveying device is arranged between the at least one manipulator (20) and the shrinking tunnel (13), and said manipulator (20) located directly downstream of the shrinking tunnel (13) receives and handles packs (5) preferably in a clamping and/or form-fitting manner

   - wherein the manipulator comprises a dedicated horizontal conveying device immediately adjacent to the shrinking tunnel, and wherein the manipulator seizes and manipulates packs standing on the dedicated horizontal conveying device, wherein the seizing range of the manipulator extends to an opening of the shrinking tunnel, at which packs exit the shrinking tunnel.
10. The method according to claim 9, in which the packs (5) are fed to a working device (30) located downstream of the at least one manipulator (20) in a flow direction (SR) of the packs (5), which working device (30) applies further packaging material onto the packs (5).
11. The method according to one of the claims 9 and 10, in which all beverage containers (3) located in the shrinking tunnel (13) at a certain moment in time are removed from the shrinking tunnel (13), so that no beverage containers (3) are subsequently located within the shrinking tunnel (13), and in which the beverage containers (3) located in the shrinking tunnel (13) at the specific moment in time are, after removal from the shrinking tunnel (13), at least proportionally seized by the at least one manipulator (20) and transferred obliquely to their direction of flow (SR) into a storage area (17) by means of the at least one manipulator (20).
12. The method according to one or more of the claims 10 and 11, in which packs (5) are brought via the at least one manipulator (20) into an arrangement and/or new orientation provided for the at least one working device (30).
13. The method according to one of the claims 10 to 12, in which the packs (5), after removal from the shrinking tunnel (13), are stacked by means of the at least one manipulator (20) and are fed to the working device (30) in a stacked arrangement.
14. The method according to one or more of the claims 9 to 13, in which the packs (5) are brought into a nominal alignment with respect to one another via the at least one manipulator (20), which alignment is intended for a palletizable layer.

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