Bundled object, bundling method, and bundling apparatus

A bundling method for manufacturing a bundled object, said bundled object comprising a body-to-be-bundled which is made by overlapping a plurality of articles and has four marginal portions each extending in a direction orthogonal to an overlapping direction, and a strip-shaped plastic tape which bundles the body-to-be-bundled by winding around the body-to-be-bundled once so as to pass over the four marginal portions,

• said method comprising:
• storing the plastic tape, which has been elongated, in a storage unit;
• drawing a leading end of the plastic tape in a longitudinal direction;
• putting the drawn plastic tape over a side plate having a flat upper surface, and an article placement table;
• stacking up and placing a plurality of articles on the article placement table with the plastic tape put over the article placement table interposed therebetween, thereby forming the body-to-be-bundled;
• moving the plastic tape on the leading end side so as to be separated upward from the article placement table and be returned farther to the storage unit side than the side plate, thereby bringing an upper end of the body-to-be-bundled moving upward, into contact with up-and-down position defining unit, and also bringing a side surface of the body-to-be-bundled moving to the storage unit side, into contact with the side plate;
• making a force to tighten the body-to-be-bundled act on the plastic tape;
• welding two plastic tapes to each other on the upper surface of the side plate in a state where the force acts on the plastic tape and the two plastic tapes are placed on the upper surface;
• and
• thereafter, cutting the plastic tape between a portion in which the welding is made and the storage unit,
• wherein the bundled object has superimposed portions in which both ends of the plastic tape are overlapped on each other from a position of one marginal portion among the four marginal portions in a state of being away from the body-to-be-bundled, and
• wherein the superimposed portions are welded to each other at a plurality of places arranged at intervals from each other in a tape width direction, at end portions on the body-to-be-bundled side.

A bundling apparatus for manufacturing a bundled object, said bundled object comprising a body-to-be-bundled which is made by overlapping a plurality of articles and has four marginal portions each extending in a direction orthogonal to an overlapping direction, and a strip-shaped plastic tape which bundles the body-to-be-bundled by winding around the body-to-be-bundled once so as to pass over the four marginal portions,

• wherein the apparatus comprises:
• a storage unit for storing the plastic tape, which has been elongated;
• a tape drawing unit for drawing a leading end of the plastic tape in a longitudinal direction;
• an article set holder having a side plate having a flat upper surface, and an article placement table which is located on the side opposite to the storage unit with respect to the side plate;
• a tape putting-over unit for putting the drawn plastic tape over the upper surface of the side plate and the article placement table;
• a body-to-be-bundled supply unit for stacking up and placing a plurality of articles on the article placement table, thereby forming the body-to-be-bundled;
• an up-and-down position defining unit disposed above the body-to-be-bundled formed on the article placement table, at a distance from the body-to-be-bundled;
• a tape moving unit for moving the plastic tape on the leading end side so as to be separated upward from the article placement table and be returned farther to the storage unit side than the side plate, thereby bringing an upper end of the body-to-be-bundled into contact with the up-and-down position defining unit and also bringing a side surface of the body-to-be-bundled into contact with the side plate;
• a tape tightening unit for making a force to tighten the body-to-be-bundled act on the plastic tape;
• a welding unit for welding two plastic tapes to each other on the upper surface of the side plate in a state where the force acts on the plastic tape and the two plastic tapes are placed on the upper surface;
• and
• a tape cutting unit for cutting the plastic tape between a portion in which the welding is made and the storage unit,
• wherein the bundled object has superimposed portions in which both ends of the plastic tape are overlapped on each other from a position of one marginal portion among the four marginal portions in a state of being away from the body-to-be-bundled, and
• wherein the superimposed portions are welded to each other at a plurality of places arranged at intervals from each other in a tape width direction, at end portions on the body-to-be-bundled side.