Article bundling device, picking system and method for stacking articles and securing the stack of articles with a band

A method for stacking articles and for securing the stacked articles with a band wound around the stack of articles in an article bundling device,

• wherein the article bundling device comprises:
• a banding support defining a support plane, and
• an automatic banding machine with a band guide that guides the band around the stack of articles and defines a band guiding plane intersecting with the support plane along a bottom intersecting line,
• a first conveying system arranged upstream of the automatic banding machine in a first conveying direction and comprising a conveying device having a chute or a driven conveying device, and
• a second conveying system arranged downstream of the banding machine in a second conveying direction,
• the method comprising the steps:
• a) forwarding the articles for forming a stack of articles using the conveying device, wherein an article is discharged from the conveying device such that the article describes a trajectory which passes the band guiding plane before ending on the banding support and the article is moved to the banding support at least in sections of the trajectory without support of the article from below and the movement has a vertical component pointing downward,
• b) stacking the articles to form a stack of articles on the support plane of the banding support, wherein the articles are stacked on the bottom intersecting line,
• c) applying a band around this stack of articles using the banding machine,
• d) discharging the stack secured with the band via the second conveying system, and
• e) transporting the secured stack of articles from the article bundling device to a packing machine for packing the secured stack of articles into a shipping package, wherein the packing machine is connected with the article bundling device via a shipping conveying system adjoining the second conveying system.

A picking system comprising:

• (a) a storage region;
• (b) an article bundling device for stacking articles and securing the stack of articles with a band;
• (c) a supply conveying system arranged between the storage region and the article bundling device, and configured to transport articles to the article bundling device using loading aids;
• and
• (d) a packing machine;
• wherein the article bundling device comprises:
• a banding support which defines a support plane and on which the articles are stackable,
• an automatic banding machine with a band guide, with which the band is guided around the stack of articles to form a secured stack of articles and which defines a band guiding plane which intersects with the support plane,
• a first conveying system for transporting the articles to the banding machine, arranged upstream of the banding machine in a first conveying direction, and comprising a conveying device for discharging the articles onto the banding support, wherein the conveying device defines a discharging plane arranged with an end located downstream in the first conveying direction spaced in vertical direction apart from the banding support and above the banding support, and
• a second conveying system for transporting the secured stack of articles away from the banding machine, arranged downstream of the banding machine in a second conveying direction,
• wherein the banding support has banding support tables, and
• wherein a first banding support table of the banding support tables is arranged at a first side of the band guiding plane and a second banding support table of the banding support tables is arranged at a second side of the band guiding plane opposite the first banding support table;
• wherein the packing machine is configured for packing the secured stack of articles into a shipping package,
• wherein the packing machine is connected with the article bundling device via a shipping conveying system, the shipping conveying system being adjoined to the second conveying system of the article bundling device, and
• wherein the secured stack of articles is transported from the article bundling device to the packing machine by means of the shipping conveying system.

A picking system comprising:

• (a) a storage region;
• (b) an article bundling device for stacking articles and securing the stack of articles with a band;
• (c) a supply conveying system arranged between the storage region and the article bundling device, and configured to transport articles to the article bundling device using loading aids;
• and
• (d) a packing machine;
• wherein the article bundling device comprises:
• a banding support which defines a support plane and on which the articles are stackable,
• an automatic banding machine with a band guide, with which the band is guided around the stack of articles to form a secured stack of articles and which defines a band guiding plane which intersects with the support plane,
• a first conveying system for transporting the articles to the banding machine, arranged upstream of the banding machine in a first conveying direction, and comprising a conveying device for discharging the articles onto the banding support, wherein the conveying device defines a discharging plane arranged with an end located downstream in the first conveying direction spaced in vertical direction apart from the banding support and above the banding support, and
• a second conveying system for transporting the secured stack of articles away from the banding machine, arranged downstream of the banding machine in a second conveying direction,
• wherein the first conveying system is arranged at a first side of the band guiding plane and the second conveying system is arranged at a second side of the band guiding plane opposite the first conveying system;
• wherein the packing machine is configured for packing the secured stack of articles into a shipping package,
• wherein the packing machine is connected with the article bundling device via a shipping conveying system, the shipping conveying system being adjoined to the second conveying system of the article bundling device, and
• wherein the secured stack of articles is transported from the article bundling device to the packing machine by means of the shipping conveying system.