Handling apparatus and/or packaging apparatus and method used to package article groups in outer packaging
AssigneeKrones AG
InventorsThomas Stadler, Markus Gabler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention includes a method used to place article groups into outer packagings (22) packaging apparatus (10). Article groups are transferred by a handling device (26) from a staging location (46) to a conveyor line (20) and are placed into the outer packagings (22). The conveyor line (20) serves to successively transport outer packagings (22). At least some of the articles (14) of a particular article group are directed and/or guided during a placing procedure by a centering device (32) assigned to the conveyor line (20) and moved along with the outer packagings (22), which are being transported on the conveyor line (20) and which are to be loaded with article groups.
Claims15
A handling apparatus or packaging apparatus (10) used to package article groups in outer packaging or to place article groups into outer packagings (22), comprising:
- a staging location (46) for a plurality of articles (14) in at least one article group;
- at least one conveyor line (20) used to successively transport outer packagings (22);
- at least one handling device (26) that is movable between the staging location (46) and the at least one conveyor line (20), the handling device (26) capable of simultaneously receiving and seizing at least one article group from the staging location (46), transferring the at least one article group to the conveyor line (20), and placing the at least one article group into one of the outer packagings (22), wherein the handling device (26) comprises at least one controllable gripper head (30) with gripping elements that are controllable:
- a) individually or individually in groups and b) independently from the gripper head (30);
- and
- a centering device (32) assigned to the at least one conveyor line (20) and movable along with the outer packagings (22), the centering device (32) capable of directing or guiding at least one of the plurality of articles (14) of a particular article group into the outer packagings (22).
A method used to package article groups in outer packagings or to place article groups into outer packagings (22), comprising:
- transferring a plurality of articles (14) in at least one article group by a handling device (22) from a staging location (46) for the article groups to at least one conveyor line (20) used to successively transport outer packagings (22), wherein the handling device (26) comprises at least one controllable gripper head (30) with gripping elements that are controllable:
- a) individually or individually in groups and b) independently from the gripper head (30), and
- placing the transferred article groups into the outer packagings (22),
- wherein the placing step comprises directing or guiding at least one of the articles (14) of a particular article group into the outer packagings (22) by a centering device (32) assigned to the at least one conveyor line (20) and moved along with the outer packagings (22).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.