EP3212508B1 - Method and device for attaching a bottleclip - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for attaching a bottle clip and a packaging device according to the features of the preambles of claims 1 and 9.

Containers, in particular beverage bottles or the like, are often sold as containers in which several containers are put together and combined with the aid of a packaging material. For example, a bottle clip is applied to containers in different formations, as a result of which the several containers are connected to form containers. Bottle clips are, for example, in the form of a perforated plate, as a multiply connected lid or the like. educated. Bottleclips often have an additional carrying function. To transport several groups of containers combined by means of a bottle clip, these are put together, for example, into larger groups in a box or on a pallet, the box being closed for further transport and the assembly on the pallet being wrapped, for example, with shrink film.

Bottleclips are usually applied to the respective container group in a separate machine. The packaging process and the associated machine areas are divided by the stand-alone, independent machine.

The bottle clips are usually applied after the articles have been grouped into larger containers and / or after the articles have been inserted into a box or onto a so-called tray. This breaks the usual process chain in the packaging machines. For the subsequent process, for example sealing the outer carton or wrapping the grouped articles with a film outer packaging, the grouped articles must be brought to a fixed machine division again and fed to the machine for applying the bottle clips. Only then can the carton be closed or wrapped in foil. Further disadvantages are an increased space requirement for the entire system, the integration of an external control and additional possible malfunctions in the packaging process due to an increased number of module interfaces.

Solutions are already known which integrate the application of bottle clips into the process sequence. The DE 102009026220 A1 describes a method and a device for grouping and connecting articles, in which at least two articles are combined to form a container unit by applying a first packaging means. In the course of a continuous conveying movement, the individual packaging units are connected to form a larger unit with an additional second packaging means. A push-over device with a rotating traction device and dividing bars is provided, with which articles to be packed can be grouped.

The EP 2 298 651 A2 describes a grouping device for forming groups of articles with a first and a second conveyor belt and a retaining device which has traction means and dividing webs and which is designed as a retaining device. The dividing bars move more slowly than the second conveyor belt and hold back the articles to be grouped compared to the faster running conveyor belt.

The object of the invention is to optimize the packaging of articles, in particular the packaging process should not be interrupted and the solution should in particular be space-saving.

The above object is achieved by a method and a packaging device which comprise the features in claims 1 and 9. Further advantageous configurations are described by the subclaims.

The invention relates to a method for combining and packaging an article group of at least two articles, a bottle clip being arranged on at least one article. The articles are moved in a continuous, at least one-row article flow on at least one means of transport in a transport direction to a grouping device for dividing the article group. The grouping device comprises a restraint device. The retaining device comprises a rotating conveyor chain with one-piece fingers arranged thereon or rotating endless traction devices with one-piece webs guided thereon. The one-piece fingers or one-piece webs serve as retaining means for separating a defined number of articles forming the article group, thereby forming a gap. The bottle clip is applied to the at least one article within an area which is defined by the extent of the restraining device, while a speed of the at least two articles forming the article group compared to a speed of the transport means for the articles in the area of the grouping device by the restraining means at least temporarily and is reduced in some areas. Furthermore, an outer packaging on and / or on and / or around the articles of the Item group applied.

According to a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a method for summarizing and packaging a second group of articles. The method includes, in particular, attaching a bottle clip to a compilation of at least two articles to form a first article group. The second article group is formed from at least one first article group, preferably from a plurality of first article groups. The articles are fed to a grouping device in a continuous, at least one-row article flow on at least one transport means in a transport direction. The grouping device is used to divide the articles into second article groups, which are then fed to further packaging machines and combined by means of packaging, in particular by means of a so-called secondary packaging. For example, the articles of the second article group are combined with a cardboard outer packaging or a film outer packaging. The second article group divided by the grouping device comprises at least one first article group, but preferably the second article group comprises a plurality of first article groups.

According to a first embodiment, a first article group comprises two articles. The second article group formed by means of the grouping device comprises a multiple thereof, in particular the second article group each comprises one, two or three first article groups, i.e. accordingly, the second group of articles comprises two, four or six articles.

According to a second embodiment, a first article group comprises three articles. The second article group formed by means of the grouping device comprises a multiple thereof, in particular the second article group each comprises one, two or three first article groups, i.e. accordingly, the second group of articles comprises three, six or nine articles, etc.

The grouping device comprises at least one retaining means for separating a defined number of articles forming the second article group, thereby forming a gap between the grouped second article groups. The bottle clips are applied to the corresponding number of articles forming the first article group, while a speed of the at least two articles forming the first article group is at least temporarily and partially reduced compared to a speed of the transport means in the area of the grouping device by the restraining means.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the bottle clip is applied to the at least one article largely at the same time as the articles are divided into the article group. According to a further embodiment, this is done Applying the bottle clip to the compilation of the at least two articles largely simultaneously with the division of the articles into the second article group. According to a further embodiment of the invention, the article group comprising the at least one article equipped with a bottle clip is combined with a packaging means or the divided second article group comprising at least one first article group is combined with a further packaging means. For example, the first article groups forming a second article group are combined in a cardboard packaging or wrapped with shrink film or the like.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of articles within the grouping device are separated as an article group and then combined with a packaging means. During the division of the articles into an article group by the grouping device, the at least one bottle clip is attached to the at least one article. Alternatively, a plurality of first article groups within the grouping device are separated from the subsequent articles as a second article group and then combined with a packaging means. In this case, the at least one bottle clip is attached to at least two articles to form a first article group during the division of the articles by the grouping device as a second article group.

For example, the at least one bottle clip is removed from a magazine by a handling device and placed on the at least one article, preferably on at least two articles forming the first article group, while the at least one article or while the articles are within the grouping device.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the bottle clip is removed from a magazine by a handling device and applied to a subgroup of the second article group of articles and fastened to the latter after the grouping device has divided the articles into a second article group. That is, in this embodiment, the formation of first article groups within the second article group follows the grouping of the articles as a second article group. However, the bottle clips are attached in an area of the grouping device in which the second article group is retained by the retaining means of the grouping device, so that the speed of the articles of the second article group is reduced compared to the speed of the transport means for the articles.

Furthermore, it can be provided that two grouping devices, each with an associated handling device for applying bottle clips in the transport direction for the articles, are arranged one after the other. This allows the back pressure to be reduced by the incoming articles. In particular, it is provided that a first grouping device divides several article groups. A first handling device for applying bottle clips is assigned to the first grouping device. With the help of the first handling device, a bottle clip is applied to at least one article in every second of the article groups within the first grouping device, while the speed of the articles or article groups is reduced by a restraining device of the first grouping device compared to the speed of the transport means for the articles and article groups. This means that article groups with bottle clip and article groups without bottle clip alternate from the first grouping device.

At a second grouping device, which is arranged downstream for the articles in the transport direction, the article groups are again accumulated and again divided into article groups with and without a bottle clip. Here, at least one article from the remaining, intermediate article groups is provided with a bottle clip. I.e. the second handling device now applies a bottle clip to the article groups without a bottle clip, while the speed of the articles or article groups is reduced by a restraining device of the second grouping device compared to the speed of the transport means for the articles and article groups. Thus, all the article groups running out of the second grouping device each have a bottle clip.

When using a packaging machine with only one grouping device, the positioning accuracy for the transport direction may not be achieved. Problems arise especially when container tolerances add up. The existing dynamic pressure compresses the containers or bottles differently and increases the positioning inaccuracy. When using two grouping devices, the two handling devices result in almost identical boundary conditions for the application of the bottle clips. In particular, the influence of the container tolerance is minimized since the bottle clip is applied directly to the grouping position.

The invention further relates to a packaging device for packaging article groups of at least two articles with a packaging means, wherein at a bottle clip can be attached to at least one article of the article group. The packaging device comprises at least one grouping device for dividing at least two articles into an article group. The grouping device comprises a restraint device. The retaining device comprises a rotating conveyor chain with one-piece fingers arranged thereon or rotating endless traction devices with one-piece webs guided thereon. The one-piece fingers or one-piece webs serve as retaining means for separating a defined number of articles forming the article group, thereby forming a gap. Furthermore, the grouping device comprises a handling device for applying the bottle clips to at least one article of the article group and a packaging module for applying a packaging on and / or on and / or around the articles of the article group.

The packaging device further comprises a control unit. At least the grouping device and the handling device for applying the bottle clips are connected to the control unit and can be controlled and checked accordingly by the control unit.

The handling device for applying the bottom clips is arranged inside or in an area of the grouping device, in particular within an area which is defined by the extent of the retention device. The handling device is controlled as a function of the position of the retaining means of the grouping device in such a way that the bottle clips are applied to articles, while the articles are arranged behind the retaining device of the grouping device in the transport direction.

According to a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a packaging device for packaging second article groups with a packaging means, for example with a cardboard packaging, a shrink film, a tensioned tether, etc. The second article groups each comprise at least one first article group consisting of at least two articles combined by means of a bottle clip . The handling device for applying the bottle clips is arranged inside or in a region of the grouping device. The handling device is controlled as a function of the position of the retaining means of the grouping device in such a way that the bottle clips are applied to articles to form the first article groups, while the articles are arranged behind the retaining device of the grouping device in the transport direction.

The packaging device comprises a grouping device for dividing at least two articles into a second article group. Furthermore, the packaging device comprises a handling device for applying the bottle clips to at least two articles to form the first article groups, and an outer packaging module, in particular a cardboard packaging module or a film wrapping module with subsequent shrinking device or the like. The outer packaging module combines the articles of the second article group into so-called containers using a packaging material.

The grouping device comprises at least one restraining device for temporarily restraining articles. With the help of the restraining device, article groups, each comprising a defined number of articles, are formed. In particular, it is provided that gaps arise between the second article groups within the grouping device. The second article groups spaced apart in this way are then fed to the outer packaging module and / or further devices. The distance between the second groups of articles is preferably maintained.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, a bottle clip is applied to only one article or only to a part of the articles of an article group, which bottle clip serves in particular as a handle for the container.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, an individual bottle clip is attached to each individual article in the article group. The articles with bottle clips are put together to the article groups and preferably combined with another packaging. The bottle clips serve as a carrying aid for the individual items. This embodiment is particularly advantageous for articles with a relatively high volume and thus weight, which can be better transported individually. For example, bottles with a volume of approx. 4 liters are provided with appropriate carrying clips and then combined as a six-pack with shrink packaging.

The packaging device is particularly suitable for carrying out the method described above. Due to the arrangement of the handling device for applying the bottle clips inside or in an area of the grouping device, which is defined by the extent of the retaining device, the space requirement of the packaging device is minimized. In particular, the space requirement or the so-called footprint of the packaging device also corresponds Handling device for applying bottle clips largely the space requirement of an equally dimensioned packaging device without a handling device. This solution is therefore significantly smaller than conventional stand-alone machines. By integrating the application of the bottle clips into the grouping device, the process flow is also not interrupted and no additional means of transport or the like are used. needed. In particular, it can be provided that the handling device for applying bottle clips within the packaging device is optionally operated depending on the desired product combination. This means that the handling device can be taken out of operation for a specific product combination without influencing and / or disrupting the other packaging process.

• Figuren 1 zeigen schematisch den Verfahrensablauf bei der Gruppierung von Artikelzusammenstellungen mittels einer ersten Gruppiereinrichtung gemäß dem Stand der Technik.
• Figuren 2 zeigen schematisch den Verfahrensablauf bei der Gruppierung von Artikelzusammenstellungen mittels einer Gruppiereinrichtung, wobei gemäß Figur 2A erfindungsgemäß zeitgleich zumindest ein Teil der gruppierten Artikel mittels eines sogenannten Bottleclips zusammengefasst wird.
• Figuren 3 zeigen schematisch den Verfahrensablauf bei der Gruppierung von Artikelzusammenstellungen mittels einer weiteren Ausführungsform einer Gruppiereinrichtung, wobei gemäß Figur 3B erfindungsgemäß zeitgleich zumindest ein Teil der gruppierten Artikel mittels eines sogenannten Bottleclips zusammengefasst wird.
• Figur 4 zeigt eine Verpackungsmaschine, bei der eine Applikationsvorrichtung für Bottleclips erfindungsgemäß derart integriert ist, dass die Bottleclips auf den laufenden Behälterstrom aufgesetzt werden können.
• Figuren 5 zeigen einen Applikationskopf zum Anbringen von Bottleclips.
• Figuren 6 zeigen schematisch das Aufbringen von Bottleclips in einer Verpackungsmaschine umfassend zwei Einteiler.

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

• Figures 1 schematically show the process flow when grouping article assemblies by means of a first grouping device according to the prior art.
• Figures 2 schematically show the process flow in the grouping of article assemblies by means of a grouping device, according to Figure 2A According to the invention, at least some of the grouped articles are combined at the same time by means of a so-called bottle clip.
• Figures 3 schematically show the process flow when grouping article assemblies by means of a further embodiment of a grouping device, whereby according to Figure 3B According to the invention, at least some of the grouped articles are combined at the same time by means of a so-called bottle clip.
• Figure 4 shows a packaging machine in which an application device for bottle clips is integrated according to the invention in such a way that the bottle clips can be placed on the running container stream.
• Figures 5 show an application head for attaching bottle clips.
• Figures 6 schematically show the application of bottle clips in a packaging machine comprising two one-piece.

Identical reference numerals are used for identical or identically acting elements of the invention. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only reference numerals are shown in the individual figures which are necessary for the description of the respective figure. The illustrated embodiments merely represent examples of how the device according to the invention or the method according to the invention can be designed and do not constitute a final limitation.

Figures 1 schematically show the process sequence when grouping article groups 4 by means of a first grouping device 9. The articles 1, for example bottles or the like, are transported on a conveyor belt 2 in the transport direction TR to the grouping device 9. The conveyor belt 2 has a first conveyor speed v (2).

The grouping device 9 is arranged in the region of a second conveyor section II. This grouping device 9 comprises a retaining device 10 for the articles 1. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the retaining device 10 of the grouping device 9 comprises in particular a revolving conveyor chain 11, on which one-piece fingers 12 are arranged. The conveyor chain 11 with the one-piece fingers 12 has a second retention speed v (11) which is lower than the first conveying speed v (2) of the conveyor belt 2. The one in the second conveying section II in the direction of transport TR behind an engaging finger engaging in the transport path of the article 1 12 * arranged articles 1 * are thus held back to the second restraint speed v (11). I.e. in the second conveyor section II the articles 1 * are moved at a speed v (1 *) which corresponds to the second retention speed v (11). After the one-piece finger 12 * has descended, the articles 1 in the third conveyor section III are again transported at the conveyor speed v (2) of the conveyor belt 2.

By holding back the articles 1 * in the second conveying section II and then accelerating the articles 1 in the third conveying section III, the restraint device 10 causes a defined number of articles 1 to be separated, thereby forming gaps 3, and thus the formation of article groups 4-1 spaced apart from one another , 4-2, 4-3.

Figures 2A to 2C schematically show the process flow when grouping item assemblies 4-1, 4-2, 4-3 by means of a grouping device 9 *, wherein according to the invention Figure 2A at the same time, at least some of the grouped articles 1 are combined using a bottle clip. The already in Figure 1 reference numerals shown are in Figure 2 not shown for the sake of clarity. The Figures 2 show three different areas 15-1, 15-2, 15-3, in each of which at least one bottle clip can be attached. In particular, the Figure 2A that according to the invention at least one bottle clip is always attached to articles 1 *, the position of which is determined by the retaining device 10 of the grouping device 9 in the second conveying section II. The articles 1 to be summarized by the bottle clip are therefore always in the second conveying section II.

The distance between the individual part fingers 12 of the retaining device 10 is known. Likewise, the first conveyor speed v (2) of the conveyor belt 2 and the second retention speed v (11) of the conveyor chain 11 with the one-piece fingers 12 are known. On the basis of these parameters, the exact position of the articles 1, 1 * in the area of the grouping device 9 * is known at all times. The bottle clips can be attached to the items 1,1 * by means of a device, not shown, without the position of the items 1,1 * having to be checked by sensors.

At least one bottle clip can thus be attached in parallel to the division of the articles 1, 1 * into article groups 4-1, 4-2, 4-3 by means of the grouping device 9 *. In particular, in one embodiment of the device in which at least one bottle clip is attached in the second conveying area II, it can be provided that the device, not shown, when the bottle clips are attached, at least in regions parallel to the conveyor belt 2, at a third application speed, for example the second retention rate v (11) corresponds to being moved.

Figures 3 schematically show the process flow when grouping article assemblies, in particular bottle groups 18, by means of a further embodiment of a grouping device 20 in five successive process steps, according to the invention according to Figure 3B at the same time, at least some of the grouped articles 1, 17 are combined using a bottle clip.

The second grouping device 20 comprises a first conveyor element 21 in the form of a first conveyor belt 22, a second conveyor element 23 downstream of this and moving faster than the first conveyor belt 22 in the form of a second Conveyor belt 24 and a retaining device 30 assigned to the second conveyor belt 24 for separating a defined number of articles 1 - here upright bottles 17 - forming a gap 3 between successive bottle groups 18-1, 18-2 and delaying the separated bottle group 18- 2 compared to the leading bottle group 18-1. The restraint device 30 moves and guides a plurality of dividing webs 32 which are guided in a closed curve above a conveying plane of the second conveyor belt 24 by means of continuous endless means 33. The dividing webs 32 dip from above between the bottles 17 and influence the movement of the subsequent bottles 17 over a defined distance in the transport direction TR of the conveyor belts 22 and 24. The movement speeds v (32) of the dividing webs 32 can be controlled variably. The restraint device 30 comprises a plurality of partitions 32. Each successive partitions 32 can be guided at different or variable relative speeds to one another.

The representation of the Figure 3A shows an initial state in which an uninterrupted row 40 of bottles 17 are moved in a first conveyor section I on the first conveyor belt 22 at the first conveyor speed v (22) in the transport direction TR. The first dividing web 32a abuts the first bottle 17 of the uninterrupted row 40 for a short time and ensures that this bottle 17 is not accelerated immediately when it passes over the faster-running second conveyor belt 24, but is held back in a controlled manner. That is, while the second conveyor belt 24 is moving at a second conveying speed v (24), the bottles 17 are moving in the second conveying section II at a reduced speed v (17 *), which corresponds in particular to the instantaneous speed v (32a) of the one leading the way Bottle 17 of each bottle group 18 adjoining one-piece web 32a. At each point in time considered, the second conveying speed v (24) of the second conveyor belt 24 is greater than the first conveying speed v (22) of the first conveyor belt 22, so that:
v (24)> v (22).

In the representation of the Figure 3B it can be seen that the bottles 17 are grouped in pairs. The bottle group 18-1 is separated from the row 40, since the second conveying speed v (24) is faster and therefore ensures acceleration. At the same time, however, the first dividing web 32a provides a slight deceleration of the bottle group 18-1 with respect to the running second conveyor belt 24. The one formed Gap 3 must be at least so wide that the second dividing web 32b can dip into the gap 3 from above. While the bottle 17 following the bottle group 18-1 when it passes onto the second conveyor belt 24 in one of the Figure 3A is braked accordingly, the first dividing web 32a is accelerated with respect to the bottle group 18-1 and detaches therefrom; see. Figure 3C . It is immediately clear in this illustration that the first dividing web 32a and the second dividing web 32b are guided at different speed profiles and are therefore preferably to be assigned to different endless traction means 33.

The representations of the Figures 3D and 3E illustrates the subsequent step of detaching the next bottle group 18-2 on the second conveyor belt 24. The third dividing web 32c can be guided synchronously with the speed of the first dividing web 32a and can thus be driven by a common endless traction means 33, while the fourth dividing web 30d synchronously Speed of the second dividing web 30b guided and can in turn be driven with a common endless traction means 33.

The Figures 3 show three different areas 15-1 (compare Figures 3A and 3D ), 15-2 (compare Figure 3B ) and 15-3 (compare Figure 3D ), in which at least one bottle clip can be attached. In particular, the Figure 3B that according to the invention at least one bottle clip is always attached to articles 17, the position of which is determined by the dividing webs 32 of the grouping device 20 in the second conveying section II (cf. Figure 3A ) is set. The articles 17 to be summarized by the bottle clip are therefore always in the second conveying section II.

The position of each dividing web 32 of the retaining device 30 of the grouping device 20 is known. Likewise, the first conveying speed v (22) of the conveyor belt 22, the second conveying speed v (24) of the conveyor belt 24 and the respective one of the dividing webs 32 and thus the respective speed of the bottles 17 arranged behind a dividing web 32 are known. On the basis of these parameters, the exact position of the bottles 17 is defined at all times. The bottle clips can be attached to the bottles 17 by means of a device, not shown, without the position of the bottles 17 having to be checked by sensors.

According to Figures 3A to 3E the bottles 17 are fed in a row 40 to the grouping device 20. Each two bottles 17 are through the Grouping device 20 separated, provided with a bottle clip and fed to another packaging machine, for example. Alternatively, it would be conceivable that the bottles 17 are fed to the grouping device 20 in two parallel rows. The grouping device 20 would then separate a total of four bottles 17 as a bottle group 18 or bundle. At the same time, for example, a bottle clip could be attached to the two bottles 17 arranged one behind the other, so that the two bottles 17 arranged one behind the other are connected by the bottle clip to form a first article group. The two bottles arranged one behind the other in the parallel row (not visible) are also connected to a further first article group by a bottle clip. The grouping device then divides or at the same time divides two first article groups as a bundle, which is fed, for example, to further packaging machines for applying secondary packaging. The pack of 2x2 bottles or two first article groups is further summarized, for example, by a carton or by means of a foil packaging.

Alternatively, the two bottles 17 arranged side by side in the parallel rows can also be connected to a first article group by a bottle clip.

Figure 4 shows a packaging machine 50, in which an application device 60 for bottle clips 70 is integrated according to the invention in such a way that the bottle clips 70 can be placed on the running bottle stream. In the present example, bottles 17 are fed to a grouping device 52 in two parallel rows 40-1-40-2 via an inlet area 51. In the normal process flow of the packaging machine 50, the application unit (s) 60 are integrated as an additional module, so that the bottle clips 70 can be attached without changing or tearing apart the other functional sequences of the packaging machine 50. The bottle clips 70 are removed from the adjacent magazine 68 by robots or linear axis systems before the actual secondary packaging, in particular cardboard and / or film, and placed on the current container flow by means of an application head 62. In the exemplary embodiment shown, two application heads 62 are provided, with which first subgroups are formed at the same time as the grouping of bottles 17 into second article groups by applying bottle clips 70 within the second article groups. The modular structure of a plurality of application modules 62 arranged one behind the other means that higher machine outputs can also be covered.

The second article groups formed from subgroups are then fed to further devices for applying secondary packaging, in particular via a feed area 54 to a cardboard packaging module 56 and / or to a film packaging module 58 or the like.

By integrating the bottle clip application device 60 into the packaging machine 50 as an additional module, no additional machine has to be integrated into the packaging process. The usual process flow of the packaging machine 50 is retained. The space requirement for the packaging machine 50, i.e. the so-called machine footprint remains approximately the same as the execution of a packaging machine without a bottle clip application device 60.

Figures 5 show an application head 62 for attaching bottle clips 70 to form first article groups, the first article group comprising two bottles 17 each, within one by the grouping device 52 (cf. Figure 4 ) separated second article group 4 or bottle group 18, the second article group 4 comprising a total of eight bottles. That is, in the grouped arrangement of eight bottles 17, which leaves the grouping device 52, there are four sub-groups, one sub-group consisting of two bottles 17 combined by means of a bottle clip 70.

The application head 62 shown can at least largely apply four bottle clips 70, each of which connects two bottles 17 to one another, onto the pre-grouped bottle group 18. Depending on the design and rigidity of Bottleclips 70, high application forces of up to 50N per bottle 17 are required. Given the high placement speeds due to the machine performance, this leads to increased stress and wear on all mechanical assemblies involved in the process. In order to reduce these loads, the application head 62 comprises adjustable pressure pieces 64. The height of the adjustable pressure pieces 64 can in particular be changed, as a result of which the positions of the individual bottle clips 70 can be set in a targeted manner. Advantageously, the time at which the individual bottle clips 70 are applied can also be slightly shifted or delayed, so that the entire application force is introduced into the system not at the same time but at different times.

It can further be provided that the fit of the bottle clips 70 on the bottles 17 is checked by sensors. Second article groups 4 or bottle groups 18, the first Containing article groups with incorrectly fitting bottle clips 70 are removed, for example, from the packaging device before the secondary packaging is applied.

Figures 6A to 6D schematically show the application of bottle clips in a packaging machine 80 comprising two dividers 81-1, 81-2. Figure 6A shows that the bottles 42 are fed to a first divider 81-1 in the transport direction TR in a row 40 as a bottle flow. The bottles 42 are dammed up on the first divider 81-1 until the minimum filling of the first divider 81-1 is reached. After the minimum filling is reached, the first one-piece 81-1 begins to work and gives in accordance Figure 6B individual bottle groups 44-1, 44-2 free. A first application module 83-1 assigned to the first divider 81-1 places a bottle clip 70-1 on every second bottle group 44-1 in parallel. The bottle groups 44-1 with bottle clip 70-1 and the respective intermediate bottle groups 44-2 without bottle clip are transported to a second divider 81-2. As in Figure 6C shown, the bottle groups 44-1 with Bottleclip 70-1 and the bottle groups 44-2 without Bottleclip. pent up again on the second one-piece 81-2. After the minimum filling level has also been reached on the second divider 81-2, a bottle clip 70-2 is placed there on the previously unconnected bottles 42 of the bottle groups 44-2 and the bottle groups 44-1, 44-2 * (each with a bottle clip 70-1, 70-2) released for further processing. The subsequent bottles 42 are processed in a common mode of operation of the two dividers 81-1, 81-2 and the two application modules 83-1, 83-2.

When using a packaging machine with only one piece, the positioning accuracy for the application module may not be achieved. Problems arise especially when container tolerances add up. The existing dynamic pressure compresses the containers or bottles differently and increases the positioning inaccuracy. When using two dividers 81-1, 81-2, there are almost identical boundary conditions for the application of the bottle clips 70-1 by the application module 83-1 and for the application of the bottle clips 70-2 by the application module 83-2. In particular, the influence of the container tolerance is minimized since the bottle clip 70-1, 70-2 is applied directly to the one-piece position. There is a similar number of bottles 42 on each of the two dividers 81-1, 81-2, so that the same dynamic pressure conditions prevail on both dividers 81-1, 81-2.

The invention is not restricted to the above exemplary embodiments. Rather, a large number of variants and modifications are conceivable which make use of the idea according to the invention and therefore also fall within the scope of protection.

The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it is conceivable for a person skilled in the art that modifications or changes of the invention can be made without leaving the scope of the following claims.

Reference list

1

items

2nd

Conveyor belt

3rd

gap

4th

Item group

9

Grouping device

10th

Restraint

11

circulating conveyor chain

12th

One-finger

15

Bottle clip application area

17th

bottle

18th

Bottle group

20th

Grouping device

21

first conveyor element

22

first conveyor belt

23

second conveyor element

24th

second conveyor belt

30th

Restraint

32

One-piece web

33

Endless traction means

40

line

42

bottle

44

Bottle group

50

Packaging machine

51

Infeed area

52

Grouping device

54

Feed area

56

Carton packaging module

58

Foil packaging module

60

Application device

62

Application head

64

Pressure piece

68

magazine

70

Bottleclip

80

Packaging machine

81

One piece

83

Application module

EGG)

End area of the first conveyor section

I.

first funding stage

II

second funding section

III

third funding section

TR

Direction of transport

U (I-II)

Transitional area between the first and second funding section

v (x)

speed

Claims (12)

1. A method used to gather together and package an article group (4-n, 18-n) of at least two articles (1, 17, 42), wherein a bottle clip (70) is disposed on at least one article (1, 17, 42), which bottle clip (70) is designed in the form of a perforated plate or as a multiply connected cap, and which serves for the purpose of connecting a plurality of containers to an article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n) or to a bundle, as applicable, and for the purpose of carrying this article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n) or these bundles, as applicable, or for the purpose of carrying individual articles (1, 17, 42) or containers, as applicable, wherein the articles (1, 17, 42) are moved in a continuous article flow (40) of at least one row on at least one transport means (2, 22, 24) in a transport direction (TR) to a grouping device (9, 20, 52, 81) for the dividing into article groups (4-n, 18-n, 44-n), wherein the grouping device (9, 20, 52, 81) comprises a retaining device (10, 30) with a circulating conveyor chain (11) and divider fingers (12) disposed thereon, or with circulating endless traction means (33) and divider bars (32) guided thereon, wherein the divider fingers (12) or the divider bars (32) serve as retaining means for the separation of a specified number of articles (1, 17, 42) forming an article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n), thereby forming a space (3) between the article groups (4-n, 18-n, 44-n), wherein the application of the bottle clip (70) on the at least one article (1, 17, 42) is carried out within the area defined by the extension of the retaining device (10, 30), while a speed of the at least two articles (1, 17, 42) forming an article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n) is reduced in the area of the retaining device (10, 30) by the retaining means (12, 32), at least temporarily and in some areas, in relation to the speed of the transport means (2, 24), and wherein an outer packaging is applied by means of an outer packaging module onto and/or to and/or around the articles (1, 17, 42) of the article groups (4-n, 18-n, 44-n).
2. The method according to claim 1 used to gather together and package a second article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n) of at least one first article group, wherein the first article group comprises at least two articles (1, 17, 42), which are gathered together with a bottle clip (70), wherein the articles (1, 17, 42) are moved in a continuous article flow (40) of at least one row on at least one transport means (2, 22, 24) in a transport direction (TR) to a grouping device (9, 20, 52, 81) for the dividing into second article groups (4-n, 18-n, 44-n), wherein the grouping device (9, 20, 52, 81) comprises at least one retaining means (12, 32) for the separation of a specified number of articles (1, 17, 42) forming the second article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n), thereby forming a space (3), wherein the application of the bottle clip (70) on at least two articles (1, 17, 42) is carried out for the formation of the first article group, while a speed (v1*, v17*) of the at least two articles (1, 17, 42) is reduced in the area of the grouping device (9, 20, 52, 81) by the retaining means (12, 32), at least temporarily and in some areas, in relation to the speed of the transport means (2, 24) for the articles (1, 17, 42).
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the application of the bottle clip (70) on the at least one article (1, 17, 42) is carried out largely simultaneously with the dividing of the articles (1, 17, 42) into the article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n), or wherein the application of the bottle clip (70) on the assembly of the at least two articles (1, 17, 42) of the first article group is carried out largely simultaneously with the dividing of the articles (1, 17, 42) into the second article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n).
4. The method according to one of the previous claims, wherein the article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n) comprising the at least one article (1, 17, 42) provided with a bottle clip (70) is gathered together with a packaging means, or wherein the second article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n) comprising the at least one first article group is gathered together with a packaging means.
5. The method according to one of the previous claims, wherein a plurality of articles (1, 17, 42) is separated within the grouping device (9, 20, 52, 81) as one article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n) and subsequently gathered together with a packaging means, wherein the fitting of the at least one bottle clip (70) onto the at least one article (1, 17, 42) is carried out during the dividing of the articles (1, 17, 42) to an article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n) by the grouping device (9, 20, 52, 81), or wherein a plurality of first article groups is separated within the grouping device (9, 20, 52, 81) as a second article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n) and subsequently gathered together with a packaging means, wherein the fitting of the at least one bottle clip (70) onto the at least two articles (1, 17, 42) is carried out during the dividing of the articles (1, 17, 42) to a second article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n) by the grouping device (9, 20, 52, 81).
6. The method according to one of the previous claims, wherein the at least one bottle clip (70) is removed from a magazine (68) by a handling device (60) and is placed on the at least one article (1, 17, 42) in the moving container flow (40).
7. The method according to one of the previous claims, wherein the at least one bottle clip (70) is removed from a magazine (68) by a handling device (60), wherein a second article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n), comprising at least two articles (1, 17, 42), is separated from the article flow (40) by the grouping device (9, 20, 52, 81), and wherein a bottle clip (70) is fitted onto at least one subgroup within the second article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n), the subgroup comprising at least two articles (1, 17, 42), while the speed of the second article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n) is reduced by a retaining means (12, 32) of the grouping device (9, 20, 52, 81) in relation to the speed of the transport means (2, 24) for the articles (1, 17, 42).
8. The method according to one of the previous claims, wherein a dividing of articles (42) into article groups (44) is carried out in a first grouping device (81-1), and wherein a bottle clip (70-1) is fitted onto at least one article (42) of every other article group (44) by means of a first handling device (83-1), while the speed of the articles (42) or article groups (44) is reduced by a retaining means of the first grouping device (81-1) in relation to the speed of the transport means for the articles (42) and article groups (44), and wherein the article groups (44) are banked up at a downstream second grouping device (81-2) and are again divided into article groups (44), wherein a bottle clip (70-2) is fitted onto at least one article (42) of the article groups (44-2) by means of a second handling device (83-2), which article groups (44-2) are disposed between the article groups (44-1) and have already been provided with a bottle clip (70-1), while the speed of the articles (42) or article groups (44) is reduced by a retaining means of the second grouping device (81-2) in relation to the speed of the transport means for the articles (42) and article groups (44).
9. A packaging apparatus (50, 80) used to package article groups (4-n, 18-n, 44-n) of at least two articles (1, 17, 42) with a packaging means, the packaging apparatus (50, 80) comprising a grouping device (20, 52, 81) for the dividing of at least two articles (1, 17, 42) into an article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n), a handling device (60) for the application of the bottle clips (70) on at least one article (1, 17, 42) of the article group (18-n, 44-n), an outer packaging module (56, 58) for the application of an outer packaging onto and/or to and/or around the articles (1, 17, 42) of the article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n), and at least one transport means (2, 22, 24), wherein the articles (1, 17, 42) are moved in a continuous article flow (40) of at least one row on the at least one transport means (2, 22, 24) in a transport direction (TR) to a grouping device (20, 52, 81) for the dividing into the article groups (18-n, 44-n), wherein a bottle clip (70) is fittable to at least one article (1, 17, 42), which bottle clip (70) is designed in the form of a perforated plate or as a multiply connected cap, and which serves for the purpose of connecting a plurality of containers to an article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n) or to a bundle, as applicable, and for the purpose of carrying this article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n) or these bundles, as applicable, or for the purpose of carrying individual articles (1, 17, 42) or containers, as applicable, wherein the grouping device (9, 20, 52, 81) comprises a retaining device (10, 30) with a circulating conveyor chain (11) and divider fingers (12) disposed thereon, or with circulating endless traction means (33) and divider bars (32) guided thereon, wherein the divider fingers (12) or the divider bars (32) function as retaining means (12, 32) to temporarily retain articles (1, 17, 42) in order to form spaced-apart article groups (4-n, 18-n, 44-n), wherein the application of the bottle clip (70) on the at least one article (1, 17, 42) is carried out within the area defined by the extension of the retaining device (10, 30), while a speed of the at least two articles (1, 17, 42) forming the article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n) is reducible in the area of the retaining device (10, 30) by the retaining means (12, 32), at least temporarily and in some areas, in relation to the speed of the transport means (2, 24) for the articles (1, 17, 42), wherein the packaging apparatus (50, 80) comprises a control unit, wherein at least the grouping device (9, 20, 52, 81) and the handling device (60) for the application of the bottle clips (70) are actuable and controllable by the control unit, wherein the handling device (60) for the application of the bottle clips (70) is disposed within or in an area of the grouping device (9, 20, 52, 81), and wherein the handling device (60) is controllable depending on the position of the retaining means (12, 32) of the grouping device (9, 20, 52, 81) in such a manner that the bottle clips (70) are applicable to articles (1, 17, 42) being retained by the retaining means (12, 32).
10. The packaging apparatus (50, 80) according to claim 9 used to package second article groups (4-n, 18-n, 44-n) of at least two articles (1, 17, 42) with a packaging means, the second article groups (4-n, 18-n, 44-n) comprising at least one first article group of at least two articles (1, 17, 42) gathered together by means of a bottle clip (70), the packaging apparatus (50, 80) comprising a grouping device (9, 20, 52, 81) for the dividing of at least two articles (1, 17, 42) into a second article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n), a handling device (60) for the application of the bottle clips (70) on the at least two articles (1, 17, 42) forming the first article group, and an outer packaging module (56, 58) for the application of an outer packaging onto and/or to and/or around the articles (1, 17, 42) of the second article group (4-n, 18-n, 44-n), wherein the grouping device (9, 20, 52, 81) comprises at least one retaining means (12, 32) to temporarily retain articles (1, 17, 42) in order to form spaced-apart second article groups (4-n, 18-n, 44-n).
11. The packaging apparatus (50, 80) according to claim 9 used for a method according to one of the claims 1 to 8.
12. The packaging apparatus (50, 80) according to one of the claims 9 to 11, wherein the packaging apparatus (80) comprises two grouping devices (81-1, 81-2) disposed one after another in a transport direction (TR) for the articles (1, 17, 42), wherein in each instance a handling device (83-1, 83-2) for the application of bottle clips (70) is assigned to each grouping device (81-1, 81-2), and wherein in each instance only every other article to be processed or every other article group (44) is processable by the handling device (83-1, 83-2), wherein the two handling devices (83-1, 83-2) are coupled such that in each instance different articles or article groups (44), as applicable, are processable by the handling devices (83-1, 83-2).

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