Abstract:
A method and device for filling packages with a bulk cushioning material, in particular foam peanuts, where the cushioning material is conveyed to the package by a feed unit. In order to be able to easily fill the packages in an automated fashion, according to this invention, a measuring device is used to determine a volume of the package to be filled, a variable quantity of cushioning material is poured into a receiving container of the feed unit by a quantity-varying unit, and the poured quantity is poured into a package.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a method and device for filling packages with a bulk cushioning material, particularly foam peanuts, where the cushioning material is conveyed to the package by a feed unit. This invention also relates to a device that can be used to execute the method of this invention. 
     Discussion of Related Art 
     Particularly at mail-order companies, packages are usually individually filled according to customer orders at a fully automated high bay warehouse. The articles ordered by the customer are placed into the package. Different package sizes are used depending on the number of articles to be placed in them. In order to prevent the articles inside from being damaged during postal transport, the remainder of the package is then filled with bulk cushioning material. Particularly, foam peanuts are used. These foam peanuts are composed of a biodegradable material and are poured into the package. The excess quantity is swept off so that the top surface is level with the top of the package. The package is then closed, labeled, and shipped. The swept-off cushioning elements are collected and prepared for filling subsequent packages. This manually executed packaging process is time-consuming and involves a significant amount of effort for collecting the excess foam peanuts. 
     Also, this known method requires the cardboard flaps forming the cover to be folded outward. In this position, however, they cannot be grasped by an automated cover closer, thus requiring further effort. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One object of this invention is to provide an effective method for filling packages with cushioning material without bending the flaps of the box outward in order to sweep off the excess quantity of peanuts. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide a device for filling packages that can be used to individually fill packages with cushioning material in a time-optimized fashion. 
     The above and other objects of this invention relating to the method are attained with a measuring device used to determine a volume of the package to be filled, wherein a variable dispensable quantity of cushioning material is poured into a receiving container of the feed unit by a quantity-varying unit, and this poured quantity is then poured into a package. 
     The measuring device measures the interior of the package. This measurement takes into account an occupied volume that results from the filling with the individual articles. The result determined by the measuring device is sent to the quantity-varying unit that then prepares the volume of cushioning material individually required for the respective package. The feed unit then pours the cushioning material into the receiving container. This cushioning material is then poured into the package and the filling process is complete. If a larger volume than the maximum volume of the dispensing container is required, it can be filled multiple times. 
     This method can be used in a fully automated fashion for filling packages. 
     According to one embodiment of this invention, the measuring device can be a line scanner that scans at least some regions of the interior of the package to be filled. The values determined by the measuring device are evaluated in a computing unit and converted into a filling instruction for the quantity-varying unit. The line scanner requires very little time to measure the package to be filled. It scans the package three-dimensionally from above, for example. 
     In some filling situations, the package is filled in such a way or so that individual items in the package are placed on top of one another in an offset arrangement, producing cavities that the line scanner cannot detect. The computing unit can be designed so that such filling situations can be taken into account by empirical values stored in a database in the computing unit. In principle, the computing unit determines the required filling quantity of cushioning material and sends this filling value to the quantity-varying unit. 
     One conceivable way to carry out the method of this invention is for the quantity-varying unit to be equipped with or have an adjusting device that changes the filling volume of the receiving container. This makes it possible to easily control the filling of the receiving container without requiring complex measuring devices in the feed unit. The measured volume is used to dynamically control the filling time and release time of the foam peanuts. It is thus possible to optimize and individually control the amount of time the package remains in the filling position. 
     In one embodiment of this invention, the receiving container is moved between a filling position and a release position, and the cushioning material is poured into it in the filling position and the cushioning material is poured into the package in the release position. Separating the filling position and the release position makes it possible to simply and precisely control the dispensing of cushioning material into the receiving container. 
     Thus, it is possible for the receiving container to have a closing part directly or indirectly coupled to it, which closes a dispensing opening of the feed unit when the receiving container is moved from the filling position to the release position and opens the dispensing opening when the receiving container is moved from the release position to the filling position. 
     Another time optimization for the package-filling procedure of this invention can be achieved if as the receiving container is moved from the filling position into the release position, it is moved in the transport direction of the package. 
     For time optimization reasons, it is also possible, in a movement of the receiving container from the release position into the filling position, to use the return path to adjust the quantity-varying unit. 
     In one embodiment of this invention, after the package is filled, a vibrating unit sets it into a vibrating motion. Then the cushioning material is compressed, which achieves a compact fixing of the products in the box. 
     The above and other objects of this invention relating to the device are attained with a filling quantity that is determined by a measuring device and that can be poured into the receiving container by the quantity-varying unit. 
     The measuring device can automatically determine the partial volume of the package to be filled and can transmit this to the quantity-varying unit. The quantity-varying unit can then adjust the filling quantity. 
     Thus, it is possible for the receiving container to have an adjusting device by which it is possible to change the filling volume of the receiving container. 
     It is possible in this embodiment for the adjusting device to adjust the bottom of the receiving container which makes it possible to quickly achieve a volume adjustment with a small amount of control effort. 
     A quick release of the cushioning material into the package is successfully achieved if the bottom of the receiving container has at least one shutter element that spatially connects the container interior to the package in the release position. 
     The cushioning material, particularly foam peanuts, has a low specific weight and thus it is necessary to provide an optimized air flow path so that the cushioning elements fall into the package in the fastest possible time. In order to prevent a vacuum from building up in the receiving container that would impede a release of the cushioning elements, in one embodiment of this invention, the receiving container is delimited by side walls provided with a perforation. The perforation opens an air flow path which ensures that the cushioning elements are able to fall out freely. 
     It is advantageous if the foam peanut is of a recyclable foam material, for example a cornstarch which is cylindrical, and has a diameter ≧10 mm, and preferably a diameter in the range between 13 mm and 19 mm, and has an axial length in the range between 10 mm and 50 mm, preferably in the range between 20 mm and 40 mm. The foam peanuts are easy to dispense and do not have a tendency to jam in the mechanism of the receiving container. 
     When there are large differences between box heights, the falling position of the foam peanuts is preset by a vertically adjustable bellows, which can be adjusted between the package and the release opening of the receiving container. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       This invention is explained in greater detail below in view of an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective side view of a device for filling packages with a cushioning material; 
         FIG. 2  shows an enlarged detail from  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the depiction according to  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective side view of a receiving container. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a device for filling packages with a cushioning material, in particular foam peanuts. This device has a base frame  10  that is composed of or of frame profiles. The base frame  10  has a built-in feed unit  11 . The feed unit  11  includes a multitude of transport rollers via which packages  14  can be guided. The feed unit  11  is laterally delimited by two guide rails  12  in order to prevent packages  14  from falling off of the feed unit  11 . 
     The base frame  10  also has a built-in filling unit  20 . The filling unit  20  includes a receiving container  23  that is shown in greater detail in  FIG. 4  which shows the receiving container  23  delimited by four vertical side walls  23 . 1 . The side walls  23 . 1  are provided with or have a perforation  23 . 2 . The perforations  23 . 2  are embodied in the form of openings that produce an air-conveying connection between the receiving container interior and the surroundings. 
     The front and rear side walls  23 . 1  have a slot  23 . 5  that extends in the vertical direction. At the bottom, the side walls  23 . 1  are attached to a support frame  23 . 3 . The support frame  23 . 3  has guide lugs  23 . 4 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the receiving container  23  is coupled to an adjusting unit  24 . 2 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the adjusting unit  24 . 2  includes a quantity-varying unit  24 . This quantity-varying unit  24  has a support frame that includes the receiving container  23 . The support frame has an axle  24 . 1  coupled to it, which extends through both slots  23 . 5  of the receiving container  23 . The axle  24 . 1  has shutter elements  24 . 3  in the form of flaps coupled to it. 
       FIG. 3  shows such flap embodied as a shutter element  24 . 3  that extends from the axle  24 . 1  on each of its two sides. The shutter elements  24 . 3  are supported so that they can pivot around the axle  24 . 1  and can be swung downward out of the closed position shown in  FIG. 3 , in which they form the bottom of the receiving container  23 . This downward swinging motion is carried out by an electric motor or is produced in a pneumatically controlled way. Correspondingly, in the swung downward position, the shutter elements  24 . 3  can open the bottom of the receiving container  23 , producing a release opening. The electric motor or a pneumatic drive can move the shutter elements  24 . 3  back into the starting position shown in  FIG. 3  individually or together, in a synchronous fashion. 
     The support frame of the quantity-varying unit  24  is coupled to the adjusting unit  24 . 2 . The adjusting unit  24 . 2  can adjust the support frame and with it, the two shutter elements  24 . 3 , in the vertical direction. It is thus possible to vary the height of the bottom of the receiving container  23 . The available filling volume of the receiving container  23  can thus be changed with infinite variability. The adjusting unit  24 . 2  thus constitutes or forms a linear guide in the vertical direction. In addition, the adjusting unit  24 . 2  also has a horizontal guide. With this horizontal guide, the receiving container  23  can be moved in linear fashion between a filling position and a release position. For this purpose, the guide lugs  23 . 4  of the receiving container  23  have sliders connected to them, which can slide in the guides  21 . 2  of a guide plate  21 . The guide plate  21  has an opening  21 . 1  that is shown in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  shows the receiving container  23  just before it arrives at the release position. The receiving container  23  is in its release position when it covers the opening  21 . 1 . Starting from the release position, the adjusting unit  24 . 2  can move the receiving container  23  toward the left until it is in the filling position. In the filling position, the receiving container  23  is situated or positioned below a filling opening  22 . 1  of a plate-shaped stripper  22 . 
     The stripper  22  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The filling opening  22 . 1  is coupled to a supply line, such as a tube of a feed unit. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the receiving container  23  has a closing part  22 . 2  in the form of a plate coupled to it. The cover side of the receiving container  23  is closed with a cover part  22 . 3  that has an opening  22 . 4 . In the filling position, the opening  22 . 4  coincides with the filling opening  22 . 1 . 
     The function of the device shown in the drawings is described below. 
     Packages  14  are supplied to the filling unit  20  via the feed unit  11 . Before reaching the filling unit  20 , the packages  14  are conveyed past or beyond a measuring device. The measuring device, which is not shown in the drawings, has a line scanner that takes measurements by scanning into the open package  14  from above. This generates a three-dimensional scan image of the package interior and thus determines the volume in the package  14  that is to be filled with cushioning material. This is calculated based on the total available package volume minus the volume occupied by products. In some cases, the products with which the package is filled may be placed into the package in a partially overlapping way, producing undercuts that the line scanner cannot detect. The filling volume can be determined with an external computing unit to which the results of the line scanner are conveyed and by accounting for empirical values stored in a database. If necessary, the filling volume can be varied by correction factors in order to adapt to the cushioning material used. 
     This setpoint value is sent to the quantity-varying unit  24 . Correspondingly, the quantity-varying unit  24  sets the adjusting height of the shutter elements  24 . 3  so that a volume in the receiving container  23  is produced, which corresponds to the package volume to be filled. This adjusting procedure preferably occurs as the receiving container  23  is moved from the release position back into the filling position. In the filling position, the opening  22 . 4  is aligned with the filling opening  22 . 1 . Then, the foam peanuts can fall into the receiving container  23 . When the filling procedure is complete, the receiving container moves from its filling position into the release position. As a result, the closing part  22 . 2  is moved over the filling opening  22 . 1  so that the latter is closed and no more foam peanuts can fall out of the feed unit. If the receiving container  23  reaches its release position, then the two shutter elements  24 . 3  are swung downward and the foam peanuts can fall through the dispensing opening  21 . 1  into the package  14  to be filled. Then the shutter elements  24 . 3  are moved back to their initial position so that they once again form the closed the bottom of the receiving container  23 . The package  14  is then released and is transported into the vicinity of or near an output unit  13 . This area can have a removing unit for NIO-measured packages integrated into it. 
     The next package  14  to be filled is then positioned under the dispensing opening  21 . 1  again. The next package  14  has already been measured ahead of time in the measuring device and the volume to be filled has been determined. The support frame of the quantity-varying unit  24  then moves into the required position, which determines the filling volume for the package  14  in a time-optimized fashion during the movement of the receiving container  23  into the filling position. The above-described sequence can then be carried out again. 
     A vibrating unit  15  is coupled to the feed unit  11 . During the filling or at the end of the filling procedure, this vibrating unit  15  vibrates the package  14 , causing the foam peanuts to flow into all of the cavities. The vibrating unit  15  is also associated with a centering device which centers the package  14  under the release opening of the receiving container  23 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the feed unit  11  is also equipped with or has a stopping device, by which the package  14  to be filled is stopped under the receiving container  23 .