US 6,282,868 B1Granted

Method and device for strapping or wrapping objects

AssigneeFerag Verpakkingstechniek B.V.

InventorHenk De Vlaam

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Abstract

Objects are conveyed to a strapping position (U) along a conveying path (F), are strapped in this strapping position and are conveyed away from it. For the strapping a strapping material (4) is positioned curtain-like across the conveying path (F) and is drawn along by an object to be strapped such that it is placed around the downstream side of the object and can be positioned on the upstream side of the object and be connected and separated producing a connection point in the strapping closed around the object and in the strapping material (4) again extended across the conveying path for the next object to be strapped. For producing strappings with either one connection point or with two connection points and for allowing the strapping material to be supplied from only one side of the conveying path, shifting steps are carried out alternatingly with strapping steps or with groups of strapping steps in which shifting steps the strapping material (4) is shifted actively across the conveying path (F).

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method for wrapping a material around an object or a group of objects, the method comprising the steps of:

conveying the objects in succession along a conveying path to a strapping position and away from the strapping position,
at the entry of the strapping position supplying a strapping material from a supply side of the conveying path and extending across the conveying path to an opposite side of the conveying path,
drawing the strapping material along with each object being conveyed to the strapping position and thereby placing the strapping material around a downstream side of the object and connecting and separating the strapping material on an upstream side of the object, said strapping material extending around the object and being closed with a connection point and wherein, for strapping a following object, the strapping material extends again across the conveying path having a further connection point,
wherein, before strapping one object or a group of objects, a predetermined length of the strapping material is shifted from said supply side of the conveying path to said opposite side of the conveying path;
wherein, for positioning the strapping material (4) on the upstream side of the object (G) to be strapped, strapping material is drawn from the opposite side of the conveying path and wherein the shifting steps are controlled in dependence of the length (Z″) of the drawn strapping material and in dependence of the extent of the connection points in the direction of the strapping material length;
and,
wherein, before each group of n strapping steps, wherein n is an integer, one shifting step is carried out wherein a length (V′) of strapping material (4) being shifted across the conveying path is at least as long as n times the drawn length (Z″), whereby in each first strapping step of said group of n strapping steps a strapping with one connection point (20′) is produced and in further strapping steps of the group of n strapping steps a strapping with two connection points (21′/20) is produced.

4 more elements

A device from strapping or wrapping objects, the device comprising:

conveying means (1/2) for conveying objects along a conveying path (F) to a strapping position (U) and away from the strapping position (U),
supply means (5/6) for supplying a strapping material (4) to the strapping position (U) from a supply side of the conveying path,
handling means (7, 8) for handling the strapping material on said supply side and on a side of the conveying path opposite the supply side and for extending the strapping material across the conveying path from the supply side to the opposite side,
connecting/separating means (9) for positioning the strapping material on an upstream side of an object (G) to he strapped and for connecting and separating the strapping material (4), and
control means for controlling the conveying means (1/2), the supply means (5/6), the connecting/separating means (9) and the handling means (7, 8), wherein said control means is operable to bring said handling means (7,8) into a shifting configuration for actively drawing a length of strapping material from the supply means and shifting the strapping material (4) across the conveying path, and wherein, before each group of n strapping steps, wherein n is an integer, said control means initiates one shifting step wherein a length (V′) of strapping material (4) being shifted across the conveying path is at least as long as n times a drawn length (Z″), as a result of which in each first strapping step of a group of n strapping steps a strapping with one connection point (20′) is produced and in further strapping steps of the group of n strapping steps a strapping with two connection points (21′/20) is produced.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.