Apparatus and method for strapping packaged goods

A method for strapping packaged goods with a strapping band-established on a band guide, wherein the band guide is configured to be deployed by a conveying assembly, wherein a guide carriage, releasably connected to the band guide, conjointly with the band guide is configured to be guided below the packaged goods and deployed up to a deflection point, wherein a length-limitation band coupled to the guide carriage is configured to be extracted by the guide carriage, wherein a nominal deployment length of the guide carriage up to the deflection point is adjustable by adjusting an extractable length of the length-limitation band, the method comprising:

• determining an actual deployment length of the guide carriage during deployment of the guide carriage;
• and
• stopping an extraction movement of the length-limitation band upon reaching the nominal deployment length of the guide carriage;
• wherein at least one of (i) a deployment speed of the band guide in a last portion of the nominal deployment length of the guide carriage prior to reaching the deflection point is reduced in comparison to a deployment speed prior to reaching the last portion of the nominal deployment length, and (ii) the deployment speed of the band guide upon reaching the deflection point is increased in comparison to the deployment speed of the band guide in the last portion of the nominal deployment length of the guide carriage.

A computer program product having a program code that, when executed on a controller of an apparatus for strapping packaged goods with a strapping band, the apparatus comprising (a) a band guide for guiding the strapping band, (b) a conveying assembly for deploying and retracting the band guide, (c) a guide carriage, which conjointly with the band guide by a nominal deployment length is deployable up to a deflection point, (d) a length-limitation band which is connected to the guide carriage and extractable by the guide carriage, and (e) an adjustment installation for adjusting the nominal deployment length of the guide carriage up to the deflection point,

• wherein the guide carriage has a deflection unit which is capable of deflecting the band guide at the deflection point, and
• wherein the adjustment installation is configured to determine an actual deployment length of the guide carriage and, as a function of the nominal deployment length of the guide carriage, is further configured to control a fixing assembly which stops an extraction movement of the length-limitation band,
• causes the adjustment installation to determine the actual deployment length of the guide carriage during deployment of the guide carriage;
• and
• causes the extraction movement of the length-limitation band to be stopped upon reaching the nominal deployment length of the guide carriage;
• wherein at least one of (i) a deployment speed of the band guide in a last portion of the nominal deployment length of the guide carriage prior to reaching the deflection point is reduced in comparison to a deployment speed prior to reaching the last portion of the nominal deployment length, and (ii) the deployment speed of the band guide upon reaching the deflection point is increased in comparison to the deployment speed of the band guide in the last portion of the nominal deployment length of the guide carriage.