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AssigneeKHS GmbH
InventorsJohannes Look, Alexander Hermsen
Estimating the term…
A tray packer includes a positioning-and-folding unit, an application unit, and a storage-and-feed unit. The positioning-and-folding unit arranges a container group on a packaging blank's bottom and places its sides against the group. The application unit places a material blank on the group opposite the bottom portion such as to form a bundle. The storage-and-feed unit stores and provides the material blanks to the application unit. The application unit comprises a pressing element that comprises a tool plate that moves continuously on a circular path in such a way that the tool plate adjusts between engagement positions with the containers. The circular path spans a plane oriented parallel to a transport plane along which the groups travel.
An apparatus comprising a packaging machine, said packaging machine comprising a tray packer for packing a container group that includes containers in a packaging blank, said packaging blank including a bottom portion and side portions, wherein said tray packer comprises a positioning-and-folding unit, a transport unit, an application unit, and a storage-and-feed unit, wherein said positioning-and-folding unit is configured for arranging said container group on said bottom portion and for laterally placing said side portions against said container group, wherein said transport unit comprises a transport belt that is configured for conveying said container group along a transport plane in a transport direction through said packaging machine, wherein said application unit is configured for placing a material blank on said container group opposite said bottom portion such as to form a bundle, wherein said storage-and-feed unit is configured for storing and providing said material blanks to said application unit, wherein said application unit comprises a pressing element that comprises a tool plate that moves continuously on a circular path in such a way that said tool plate transitions between an outer engagement position and an inner engagement position with said containers, and wherein said circular path lies in a plane that is oriented perpendicular to said transport plane, wherein said application unit comprises a drive unit that is configured such as to move said pressing element in such a way that said tool plate transitions between an outer engagement position and an inner engagement position with said containers, wherein said drive unit comprises a first drive disk and a second drive disk, said first and second drive disks being parallel and separated from each other by a distance, wherein said first and second drive disks are rotatable about respective first and second rotation axes that are oriented perpendicular to said transport direction, parallel to said transport plane, separated from said transport plane by an interval, and offset from each other along said transport direction, wherein said pressing element comprises first and second jointed axles, wherein said pressing element is connected by said first jointed axle in a jointed manner to said first drive disk, and wherein said pressing element is connected by said second jointed axle in a jointed manner to said second drive disk in such a way that, at a rotation of said two drive disks about said respective rotation axes, said tool plate is oriented parallel to said transport plane.
A method comprising packing a container group of several containers in a packaging blank that has a bottom portion and side portions, wherein packing said container group comprises using a packaging machine to carry out steps of arranging said container group on said bottom portion, laterally placing said side portions against said container group, conveying said container group on a transport belt along a transport plane in a transport direction through said packaging machine, providing a material blank to an application unit, and applying said material blank to a region of said container group, which is opposite said bottom portion, using said application unit, thereby forming a bundle, wherein said application unit comprises a drive unit and a pressing element that comprises a tool plate that moves continuously on a circular path in such a way that said tool plate transitions between an outer engagement position and an inner engagement position with said containers and wherein said circular path lies in a plane that is oriented perpendicular to said transport plane, and wherein said drive unit moves said pressing element, wherein said drive unit comprises a first drive disk and a second drive disk, said first and second drive disks being parallel and separated from each other by a distance, wherein said first and second drive disks are rotatable about respective first and second rotation axes that are oriented perpendicular to said transport direction, parallel to said transport plane, separated from said transport plane by an interval, and offset from each other along said transport direction, wherein said pressing element comprises first and second jointed axles, wherein said pressing element is connected by said first jointed axle in a jointed manner to said first drive disk, and wherein said pressing element is connected by said second jointed axle in a jointed manner to said second drive disk in such a way that, at a rotation of said two drive disks about said respective rotation axes, said tool plate is oriented parallel to said transport plane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.