METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKING GOODS

Abstract: Packing method and apparatus for packing consumer packings (1) directly onto a pallet (10). First the packings are arranged to form a load layer (6) onto a support plate (8), which plate is supported at its sides by means of a support frame (9). Then the support frame is removed, so that the load layer is immediately slid onto the empty pallet located below the support plate, or on top of the previous load layer located on the pallet. Now the pallet, together with its load layer, is lowered down the height of one load layer, so that the load layers are supported on all sides and, as new packings emerge from below the support frame, they are simultaneously wrappped in the final wrapping material (13). The method can be modified so that after the load layer (6) supported by the support frame (9) is formed on the support plate (8), the support plate (8) is lowered and removed, so that the load layer (6) is slid onto the pallet located at a standard height below the support plate (8), or on top of the previous load layer on the pallet. Thereafter the support frame (9) is lifted up the height of one load layer, and simultaneously the packings are wrapped as before.

Description: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKING GOODS The object of the present invention is a method for packing consumer packages or equivalent directly onto pallets. Another object of the invention is an apparatus for ap¬ plying the aforementioned method. The apparatus compri¬ ses a conveyor or other'similar device for conveying the packings, means for forming the load layer and for gra¬ dually lowering and supporting the load. In the previous art are known packing methods where re¬ latively small consumer packings are packed into so-cal¬ led group packings, and the group packings further onto pallets. The group packings contain generally 10-20 con¬ sumer packings. Recently, however, the need has arisen to pack consumer packings directly onto pallets, which can as such be placed in supermarkets. In this case the use of group packings is not possible. Moreover, nowadays smaller sizes of pallets have become popular, for example 600 x 800 mm; the pallets of these sizes are small enough to fit in and out of doors and are generally easy to handle. The piling of consumer packings or other similar small packings directly onto a pallet is, however, problemati¬ cal. Normally it is not possible to pile a full load of small consumer packings onto a pallet and only there¬ after wrap the whole pallet, together with the packings, with for example shrink-wrap. The small packings tend to fall off the pallet, and therefore it is necessary to form the separate load layers so that they are piled in a mutually supporting fashion. But the need to vary O PI the piling forms sets up considerable requirements for the packing machine. The purpose of the present invention is to realize a packing system where each load layer can be formed by using a similar piling form, and where, irrespective of this, a palletful of consumer packages can be packed without any disorder among the packages. An additional advantage of the present invention is the fact that the required packing machine has a simple structure as re¬ gards the devices for forming the package layers. In order to achieve the aforementioned advantages the meth¬ od according to the invention is characterized by the novel features presented in the patent claims 1 and 3. As regards the characteristic features of the apparatus according to the invention, they are presented in the patent claims 2 and 4. In the following the invention is explained in detail with reference to the appended drawing, which is a sche- matical illustration of one applicable packing method according to the invention. According to the illustration, the consumer packings 1 are transported forward (direction A) by the conveyor 2, and by means of the g " uiding plates 3 they are ar¬ ranged to form the packing line 4. By means of the - thrusting apparatus 5 (direction B) the packing line 4 is row by row arranged to form the load layer 6. The thrusting apparatus 5 is run by the pneumatic cylinder 7 The load layer 6 is formed on top of a platform or a support plate 8. The load layer is surrounded on -all sides by the fixedly adjusted support frame 9, the form of which support frame confirms exactly to that of the load layer 6 to be formed. The height of the support frame 9 is about twice the height of the load layer 6. Below the support plate 8 there is located the pallet 10. In the beginning phase of the loading, while the pallet is empty, it is located immediately below the sup¬ port plate 8. After the first load layer has been for¬ med, the support plate 8 is drawn out by means of the pneumatic cylinder 7. Now the load layer remains res¬ ting on the pallet 10. Thereafter the pallet 10 is lowered (direction C) as much as is the height of one load layer, and the support plate 8 is again slid to its place in order to form a new load layer. While the pallet 10 is lowered, the packings belonging to the layer in question remain exactly in their places, because they are surrounded by the support frame 9. It is only in the next lowering phase that the load layer 6a emerges from below the lower edge of the support fra¬ me 9. Now the wrapping device 11 starts operation. The wrapping machine consists of a roller 12 arranged to ro¬ tate around a slightly inclined or almost vertical axis (direction D) . Round the roller 12 is located the supply of the wrapping material, which is for example elastic plastic band 13. The band is wrapped around the packings at the same pace as new load layers appear from below the ' support frame 9. The wrapping material 13 is spread so quickly that a whole, load layer 6a has not totally appeared from below the guiding frame before it has al¬ ready been wrapped in plastic. Thus it is possible to ensure that not one single consumer package falls off the pallet and that the layer does not get into disorder before the wrapping. The loading can also be carried out so that the pallet 10 is located at the same standard height throughout the. packing operation. In this case the height of the sup¬ port frame is the total height of the desired load lay¬ ers, i.e. the height of a plurality of layers, for ins¬ tance 10 load layers. The load layer 6 is preferably formed at the height of the uppermost possible load layer, onto the support plate 8. After this load layer has been completed, the support plate 8 is lowered onto the pallet 10 or onto the ' uppermost load layer resting on it. The support plate 8 is drawn out, and the load layer 6 is shifted to its place. Thereafter the support frame 9 is lifted the height of one load layer and the support plate 8 is lifted in or¬ der to form a new load layer 6. The wrapping device starts operation as the load layer emerges from below the lower edge of the support frame 9. The above de¬ scribed phases of operation are repeated ' until the de¬ sired amount of load layers, or such amount as is pos¬ sible when employing the support frame in question, is achieved. It is pointed out that the adjusting height of the con¬ veyor 2 can be adjusted according to the needs of the situation, as well as the height of the thrusting appa¬ ratus 5 - and consequently the height at which the for¬ ming of the load layer takes place. The wrapping of the packings in both of the above de¬ scribed performance forms of the packing method can be carried out so that the support frame 9 and the pallet 10 rotate around their axes (direction E) , whereas the wrapping device 11 is fixedly mounted on its place. The invention has above been explained with reference to only one preferred embodiment. It is naturally clear that the invention is not limited exclusively to this example, but can be modified in many different ways without deviating from the scope of the following patent claims. For example, the forming of the load layers can be carried out in other ways. Furthermore, the wrap¬ ping material can be dosed for instance from rollers rotating around horizontla axes, and heat-seamed at the edges. The wrapping material can also be for example shrink-wrap plastic.

Claims: PATENT CLAIMS 1. A packing method for packing consumer packings CO or equivalent directly onto a pallet (10), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the packings are arranged in a generally known manner onto a support plate (8) to form a load-layer (6), which load layer is supported on all sides, preferably by means of a specific support frame (9) , and wherein - the support plate (8) is removed, so that the load layer (6) is immediately slid onto the empty pallet located below the support plate, or onto the previous load layer (6a) located on the pallet (10) . - the pallet (10), together with its load layers, is lowered down the height of one load layer, so that the layers are supported on all sides, and wherein the pack¬ ings are wrapped with the final wrapping material (13-) simultaneously as new packings emerge from below the support. 2. An apparatus for applying the method of claim 1, the said apparatus consisting of a conveyor (2) or equivalen for transporting the packings (1), means (5, 6) .for for¬ ming the load layer and means for supporting and gradu¬ ally lowering the pallet, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the apparatus comprises a support frame (9) , the form of which support frame conforms to that of the load layers fromed by the packings to be loaded onto the pal¬ let, and a support plate (8) located within the said support frame (9) ' , onto which support plate the load lay er is formed or shifted, and which plate (8) , after the load layer is formed, can be shifted aside so that the new load layer slides on top of the previous layer, as well as means (11, 12) for continually spreading the wrapping material (13) around the outer surface of the load at the same rate as new packings emerge from below the support edge while the pallet is lowered down. . 3. A packing method for packing consumer packings (1) or equivalent directly onto a pallet (10), c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the packings are arranged in a generally known manner onto a support plate (8) to form ' a load layer (6) , which load layer is supported on all sides, preferably by means of a specific support frame, and wherein - the support plate (8) is lowered and drawn aside, so that the load layer (6) slides onto the empty pallet (10) placed at a standard height below the support pla¬ te (8) or on top of the previous load layer (6a) loca¬ ted on the pallet. - the support frame (9) is lifted up the height of one load layer and simultaneously, as new packings emerge from below the support frame (9) , the packings are wrap¬ ped in the final wrapping material (13). 4. An apparatus for applying the method of claim 3, the said apparatus consisting of a conveyor (2) or equi¬ valent for transporting the packings (1), means (5, 6) for forming the load layer and means for supporting the pallet, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the appara¬ tus comprises a support frame (9) , the form of which sup¬ port frame conforms to that of the load layers formed by the packings to be loaded onto the pallet, and a support plate (8) located within the said support frame, onto which support plate the load layer is formed or shifted and which support plate (8) , after each load layer has been formed, can be lowered and shifted aside so that the load layer slides onto the empty pallet below or on top of the previous layer located on the pallet, as well as means (11, 12) for continually spreading the wrapping material (13) on the outer surface of the load at the same rate as new packings emerge from below the support frame(9) while it is lifted up. 5. The apparatus of claim 2 or 4, c h a r a c t e r i ¬ z e d in that the means for spreading the wrapping ma¬ terial comprise at least one roller 12) rotating around one roughly vertical axis, on which roller (12) the wrap¬ ping material is stored in the form of a band, and which roller can be rolled around the support frame (9) . 6. The apparatus of claim 2 or 4, c h a r a c t e r i ¬ z e d in that the means for spreading the wrapping ma¬ terial comprise at least one fixedly mounted roller (12) rotating around a roughly vertical axis, on which roller (12) the wrapping material is stored in the form of a band, and wherein the support frame (9) and the pallet (10) can be rotated around their axes.

Inventors: MATTILA J
Applicants: MATTILA J
Application year: 1981
Main classification: B65B35
IPC codes: B65B11, B65B35, B65G57