Abstract:
The invention relates to a modularly constructed packaging device, comprising: a package feed ( 2 ) for feeding empty packages ( 20 ), a product feed ( 3 ) for feeding products ( 30, 40 ), a loading station ( 4 ), in which the products are packed into the empty package in order to provide a packaging container ( 21 ), and a cardboard-box discharge ( 5 ), which leads away the packaging container.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a packaging device for packaging piece goods, in particular in the field of packaging machines. 
         [0002]    Packaging devices of the prior art generally work with a conveyor chain, which transports packages or trays through the device. This results in a complicated construction as well as large space requirements. In addition, the devices do not have a modular construction, which facilitates a simple, quick and flexible adaptation to different package sizes and package types, for example, having different rankings and layer patterns of the products in the package. Specially constructed packaging devices have, therefore, to be constructed in each case for different applications; thus requiring a considerable investment of both time and money. A complex device for filling cardboard boxes is known from the German patent application DE 37 20638 A1, with which tubes laid in trays are packaged. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The packaging device according to the invention has in contrast the advantage that said device comprises a plurality of modularly arranged, individual component assemblies having few functions, whereby a very robust, simple and cost effective design is achieved. As a result of the modular construction, the packaging device according to the invention facilitates the adaptation to a plurality of rankings and layer patterns, e.g., of products having different tubular shapes, and further facilitates a flexible expansion to other package types. In so doing, the application of the inventive packaging device is possible in particular for the packaging of pillow bags, doy-style packages and stand-up packages in all conventional cardboard boxes or trays. According to the invention, this is achieved by virtue of the fact that the modularly constructed packaging device comprises a package feed for feeding empty packages, a product feed for feeding products and a loading station, in which the products are packed into the empty package in order to provide a packaging container. Provision is furthermore made for a cardboard-box discharge, which leads away the packaging container. By means of the structural design into individual module areas, a small base area having small traveling distances for loading is achieved. Smaller and more energy efficient drive systems can therefore be used. 
         [0004]    According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the loading station has a first space and a second space, wherein the products are packed into the empty package at the second space. 
         [0005]    The first and the second space of the loading station are preferably arranged in a row along an axis. An axial thrust unit is further provided, which acts on the package positioned at the first space in order to push the packaging container situated at the second space onto the cardboard-box discharge by means of an axial thrust. Because the packages push each other onward until they reach the cardboard-box discharge, a conveyor chain is not required. In addition, the simply and cost-effectively constructed loading station facilitates continuous packaging steps having short cycle times. 
         [0006]    The packaging device further preferably comprises a first lateral thrust unit, which pushes the empty package from the package feed onto the first space of the loading station. In so doing, a simple and operationally reliable feeding of the loading station is achieved. The low dead weight of the package as well as the low frictional resistance during horizontal displacement furthermore facilitates the use of small, cost effective drive motors for the first lateral thrust unit. 
         [0007]    In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the loading station comprises tilting equipment, which tilts the package preferably by 90°. In so doing, a horizontal loading of the package without vertical traveling distances can be carried out more simply and more quickly. In addition, a desired horizontal or vertical loading of the package can alternatively occur without retrofitting the packaging device. 
         [0008]    The tilting equipment further preferably comprises a support area, wherein one side of the package rests against the support area. Said support area ensures an operationally reliable support of the package when the horizontal loading process takes place in the tilted position. In addition, a reliable feed of the packaging container is achieved when being pushed in the non-tilted or tilted back position to the cardboard-box discharge. 
         [0009]    The packaging device further preferably comprises a second lateral thrust unit, which pushes the products into an empty package at the second space of the loading station. In so doing, a horizontal loading of the package can be implemented with minimized construction expenditure and with a very short thrust distance. 
         [0010]    In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the packaging device comprises a vibrating unit for vibrating the packaging container. In so doing, a compacting of the products situated in the package, in particular during bagging, is achieved; thus enabling the degree of filling to be increased. The vibrating unit is preferably integrated into the loading station and is thereby arranged under the second space of the loading station. 
         [0011]    The package feed and the product feed are further preferably arranged parallel to one another, and the cardboard-box discharge is preferably arranged parallel to said package feed and said product feed. An optimized integration of lines comprising a minimized base surface of the total packaging device is thereby achieved. 
         [0012]    The second lateral thrust unit further preferably comprises a storage space, whereat a plurality of products is temporarily stored, wherein the second lateral thrust unit pushes the temporarily stored products as a unit into the package at the second space of the loading station. Specially required rankings and/or layer patterns for certain products can therefore already be fashioned at the storage space before insertion into the package. Depending upon the layer pattern, linear suction devices, grippers, stacking boxes and sliders can thereby be used, via which all conventional rankings and loadings can be produced. 
         [0013]    In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the package feed comprises a format-adjusting unit in order to facilitate a changeover to other packaging formats or cardboard-box sizes. In so doing, a simple, time and cost efficient changeover or, respectively, adjustment to other packaging formats is possible. In addition, the installation of format changeover parts, which may be required, can substantially take place without the use of tools. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic perspective view of a packaging device according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic top view of the device from  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the loading station of the device from  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  shows a top view of the packaging device from  FIG. 1  having a changed packaging format. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective partial view of the packaging device according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  shows a schematic perspective view of the packaging device according to a third exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of tilting equipment of the packaging device from  FIG. 5  in a tilted position. 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of the tilting equipment from  FIG. 6  in a non-tilted position. 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  shows a perspective partial view of the packaging device according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the invention, and 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  shows a perspective partial view of the packaging device according to a fifth exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
       [0025]    A modularly constructed packaging device according to a first preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention is described below in detail with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 4 . 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic perspective view of a packaging device  1  according to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention. The packaging device  1  comprises a package feed  2 , a product feed  3 , a loading station  4  and a cardboard-box discharge  5 . By means of the package feed  2 , open, empty packages  20  are transported via a conveyor belt  2   a  in a first axial direction A 1  with respect to a first lateral thrust unit  8  arranged axially at the end of the package feed  2 . The packages  20  are thereby guided on the conveyor belt  2   a  via left and right guide rails  24   a ,  24   b . A format-adjusting unit  22  is further provided at the package feed  2 , By means of spindles  23 , said adjusting unit  22  facilitates an adjustment of the guide rails  24   a ,  24   b  vertically with respect to the first axial direction A 1  in accordance with the width of the package  20 . By means of a further spindle  26 , a stop  25  of the first lateral thrust unit  8  is adjusted in the opposite direction to the first axial direction A 1 . When the package  20  has reached the stop  25  in the first lateral thrust unit  8 , the feed of the package feed  2  is interrupted. Thereafter a push element  8   a  of the first lateral thrust unit  8  pushes the package  20  in a fourth axial direction A 4  up to a stop element  41  on a first space  4   a  of the loading station  4  which is arranged parallel to the first axial direction A 1 . 
         [0027]    The conveyor unit  3  which is arranged parallel to the package feed  2  transports in each case five products  30 , which are accommodated in a tray  33  and are depicted here by way of example in the shape of pillow bags, in a third axial direction A 3  with respect to a removal position  35 . A suction device  32  removes the products  30  from the tray  33  and thereby loads the package  20  positioned on a second space  4   b  of the loading station  4  in a fifth axial direction A 5  and according to a predetermined loading pattern. In so doing, the loading occurs at a drop height of “zero”, i.e. without the products being dropped into the package. 
         [0028]    After loading a package, an axial thrust unit  7  pushes the empty package  20  from the first space  4   a  further in a second axial direction A 2 , said empty package  20  pushing accordingly the loaded package  20  as a packaging container  21  from the second space  4   b  of the loading station  4  further onto the cardboard-box discharge  5 , which leads away the packaging container  21 . As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , the first space  4   a  and the second space  4   b  of the loading station  4  and the cardboard-box discharge  5  are arranged in a row along an axis or, respectively, in the second axial direction A 2 . The top view of the packaging device depicted in  FIG. 2  serves to illustrate in detail the relationship between the individual modules and the substantially horizontal movements of the packages  20  and the products  30  during conveyance. It should be noted here that the suction device  32  in  FIG. 2  is not completely depicted for the sake of better clarity. 
         [0029]    As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , provision is made for a vibrating unit for vibrating the package  20  during loading. In so doing, a compacting of the products  30  in the package as well as a homogenization of the layers occurs, which increase the degree of filling. 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  shows the packaging device from  FIG. 1  having a changed packaging format, wherein the guide rails  24   a  are adjusted vertically with respect to the first axial direction A 1  to the smaller width of the package  20  by means of the spindle  23  of the format-adjusting unit  22  and in the opposite direction of the first axial direction A 1  to the smaller length of the package  20  by means of the spindle  26 . During the format changeover, the push element  8   a  can be changed without the use of tools and the suction unit  32  can be replaced by means of an interchangeable format piece. It should be hereby noted that the axial thrust unit  7  can be identically maintained for all formats and the strokes of the first lateral thrust unit  8  as well the axial thrust unit  7  are the same for all formats. 
         [0031]    A packaging device according to a second preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention is described below in detail with reference to  FIG. 5 . Identical or functionally identical components are denoted here with the same reference numerals as in the first exemplary embodiment. 
         [0032]    In contrast to the first exemplary embodiment previously described, the packaging device  1  of the second exemplary embodiment comprises a gripping device  34  instead of the suction device  32  used in the first exemplary embodiment. The gripping device  34  grips the products  30 , delivered from the product feed in trays  31  in the standing position to the removal position  35  and depicted here by way of example in the form of doy-style packages, and positions said products into the package  20  in the standing position. 
         [0033]    As can be seen from  FIG. 5 , the packaging device  1  according to the invention can only be changed over in a simple manner to the changed product form and to the position and ranking thereof in the package  20  by means of an adaptation of the module of the product feed  3  including the inserted trays  31  as well as the module of the gripping device  34 . The other modules of the packaging device  1  can be retained in an unchanged manner. Besides the very short set-up times, the small base area which remains unchanged is also thereby particularly advantageous for the line integration. 
         [0034]    A packaging device according to a third preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention is described below in detail with reference to  FIGS. 6 to 8 . Identical or functionally identical components are denoted here with the same reference numerals as in the first exemplary embodiment. 
         [0035]    The packaging device according to the third exemplary embodiment substantially comprises the same arrangement as that of the first exemplary embodiment. In contrast to the first exemplary embodiment, the packaging device  1  of the third exemplary embodiment comprises however a second lateral thrust unit  10  having a storage space  10   a , in(to) which the products  30  (pillow bags or doy-style packages) are introduced in a stacked manner or, respectively, temporarily stored by means of the suction device  32 . Provision is further made for tilting equipment  9 , which is provided at the second space  4   b  of the loading station  4 . As can be seen in detail in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , the empty package  20  positioned on the second space  4   b  of the loading station  4  can be tilted by means of the tilting equipment  9  counterclockwise about an angle of 90° in relation to the second axial direction A 2 ; thus enabling the opening of the package  20  to be substantially horizontally positioned. In this tilted position, the second lateral thrust unit  10  inserts the products  30  temporarily stored (stacked) at the storage space  10   a  horizontally into the package  20 . The tilting equipment  9  is thereafter brought again into the non-tilted position depicted in  FIG. 8  for the further transport of the package. The tilting equipment  9  further comprises a support area  9   a , which is arranged perpendicularly to the bottom surface of the package  20  and on which a side of the package abuts and is supported during the tilting movement. In the non-tilted position, the support area  9   a  in the region of the second space  4   b  serves together with a stop element  41   a , which is configured here in a shortened manner, in the region of the first space  4   a  of the loading station  4  as a guide for the displacement of the packages  20  by means of the axial thrust unit  7 . 
         [0036]    By means of the loading station  4  which is expanded by the second lateral thrust unit  10  and the tilting equipment  9 , packaging containers  21  comprising vertically loaded pillow bags or doy-style packages can therefore be produced. As a result, the remaining modules used in the first exemplary embodiment can be maintained unchanged. The conveying or travel distances of the suction device  32  are furthermore substantially simpler and shorter than those of the gripping device  34  in the second exemplary embodiment. The changeover to the changed position and ranking of the products can be carried out with very short downtimes or, respectively, changeover times of the system and with minimal personnel costs and expenses. 
         [0037]    A packaging device according to a fourth preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention is described below in detail with reference to  FIG. 9 . Identical or functionally identical components are denoted here with the same reference numerals as in the previous exemplary embodiments. 
         [0038]    In this fourth exemplary embodiment, products  40  fed in the upright position, in the form of stand-up packages, are delivered from the product feed  3  to the second lateral thrust unit  10  arranged in this case in the third axial direction A 3  at the end of the product feed  3 . A guide rail  37  disposed in the conveyance direction or, respectively, in the third axial direction A 3  aligns the products axially flush to one another. The second lateral thrust unit  10  has an end stop  10   b  and pushes in each case three products in the fifth axial direction A 5  into the package  20  that is similarly tilted as in the third exemplary embodiment. The fully laden package  20  is then turned back into the non-tilted position and led away via the cardboard-box discharge  5  as a packaging container  21  having a horizontal load. In contrast to the exemplary embodiments previously described, a suction device or gripping device is not required in this case: thus enabling shorter clock cycles to be implemented for loading the package  20 . 
         [0039]    A packaging device according to a fifth preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention is described below in detail with reference to  FIG. 10 . Identical or functionally identical components are denoted here with the same reference numerals as in the previous exemplary embodiments, wherein the products are likewise stand-up packages. 
         [0040]    In contrast to the fourth exemplary embodiment previously described, the products  40  delivered horizontally from the product feed  3  are in this case packed horizontally into the tilted package  20 . The packaging container is tilted backwards and is led away as a packaging container  21  having a vertical load. The packaging device  1  of the fifth exemplary embodiment has, with the exception of the width of the guide rail  37 , substantially the same arrangement as well as advantages as those of the fourth exemplary embodiment. Based on the fourth exemplary embodiment, a changeover of the layer pattern of the packaged products  40  can therefore be carried out on short notice without significant effort and expense. 
         [0041]    The packaging devices  1  according to the invention described in the exemplary embodiments have the advantage that essentially all conventional bags or product packages having respectively horizontal as well as vertical ranking and different layer patterns can be packed into all conventional cardboard boxes due to the modular construction with only very few, simple functions. In addition, a flexible format changeover as well as a simplified upgrading to future types of packaging and applications is possible. By the elimination of conveyor chains, short traveling distances as well as a small required base area for line integration can further be implemented.