# US 10,279,937 B2 · Device for wrapping a stack of goods with a tubular hood and method for changing the tubular film stock in an appropriate device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,279,937 B2 - Document ID: US10279937B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/671,505 - Filed: 2017-08-08 - Published: 2018-02-15 - Granted: 2019-05-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-10 - Assignees: Maschinefabrik Mollers GmbH - Applicants: Maschinenfabrik Mollers GmbH - Inventors: Norbert Frenzel; Ludger Schwarte - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10279937B2 ## CPC - B65B 9/135: {for palletised loads} - B65B 35/405: {linked to endless conveyors} - B65B 41/12: Feeding webs from rolls - B65B 61/00: Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages - B65B 35/50: Stacking one article, or group of articles, upon another before packaging - B65B 2220/06: Cutting webs along their longitudinal direction - B65D 2571/0003: Mechanical characteristics of the stretch film - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES ## Abstract The present invention relates to a device for wrapping a piece item stack, which is formed of a plurality of piece item parts that are disposed on top of one another, with a tubular film, wherein the device has a tubular film stock, a conveyor device for pulling a predetermined length of tubular film out of the tubular film stock, a cutting device for cutting the pulled-off tubular film for the formation of a tubular hood and a fitting device, which is arranged downstream of the cutting device in the conveying direction of the tubular film, for pulling the tubular hood over the piece item stack, as well as a method for changing the tubular film stock in such a device. For enhanced safety and guarantee of a disturbance-free operation, a discharge device, which can discharge a length piece (L) of the tubular film, is proposed with the present invention as a part of the device for wrapping the piece item stack. In the method for changing the tubular film stock according to the invention, a lagging end of a consumed tubular film stock is connected to the leading end of a new tubular film stock, wherein the leading end and the lagging end are conveyed in the direction onto the cutting device in order to laterally discharge a length section (L) that bears the leading and the lagging end on top of an intake area for the piece item stack. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for wrapping of a piece item stack, which is formed of a plurality of piece item parts that are disposed on top of one another, with a tubular film, the apparatus comprising: a tubular film stock, a conveyor device for pulling a predetermined length of tubular film out of the tubular film stock, a cutting device for cutting pulled-off tubular film for the formation of a tubular hood, a fitting device, which is positioned downstream of the cutting device in a conveying direction of the tubular film, for pulling the tubular hood over the piece item stack, and a discharge device for discharging a length section of the tubular film, wherein the discharge device is adapted to divert the length section above an intake area for the piece item stack and laterally convey said length section out of the apparatus, wherein the discharge device has a conveyor element that can be moved from a resting position into a discharge position in which the conveyor element is disposed below the cutting device so that the length section, that is conveyed in the conveying direction toward the fitting device, comes in contact with the conveyor element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discharge device is arranged downstream of the cutting device in the conveying direction of the tubular film. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discharge device is disposed upstream of a spreading device for spreading the tubular film for the encroachment of the fitting device into the tubular film that is open on a bottom side in the conveying direction of the tubular film. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the discharge device is disposed between the cutting device and the spreading device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor device has conveyor rollers that clamp the tubular film and that are disposed on top of the cutting device and that convey the tubular film in the conveying direction onto the cutting device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor element has a continuously circulating conveyor element that is deflected around a return pulley on a discharge side that is disposed on a edge of a rack that frames a piece item stack to be wrapped. ### Claim 7 An apparatus for wrapping of a piece item stack, which is formed of a plurality of piece item parts that are disposed on top of one another, with a tubular film, the apparatus comprising: a tubular film stock, a conveyor device for pulling a predetermined length of tubular film out of the tubular film stock, a cutting device for cutting the pulled-off tubular film for the formation of a tubular hood and a fitting device, which is positioned downstream of the cutting device in a conveying direction of the tubular film, for pulling the tubular hood over the piece item stack, and a discharge device for discharging a length section of the tubular film, wherein the discharge device is arranged downstream of the cutting device in the conveying direction of the tubular film, wherein the discharge device is disposed upstream of a spreading device for spreading the tubular film for the encroachment of the fitting device into the tubular film that is open on a bottom side in the conveying direction of the tubular film, wherein the discharge device has a conveyor element that can be moved from a resting position into a discharge position in which the conveyor element is disposed below the cutting device so that the length section, that is conveyed in the conveying direction toward the fitting device, comes in contact with the conveyor element, and wherein the discharge device is adapted to divert the length section above an intake area for the piece item stack and laterally convey said length section out of the apparatus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the conveyor element has a continuously circulating conveyor element that is deflected around a return pulley on a discharge side that is disposed on an edge of a rack that frames a piece item stack to be wrapped.