Patent Publication Number: US-9834402-B2

Title: Method and device for handling sanitary articles

Description:
STATEMENT OF RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The application is the US PCT National Phase of International Application No. PCT/EP2013/003050 having an International Filing Date of 10 Oct. 2013, which claims priority on German Patent Application No. 10 2012 110 101.9 having a filing date of 23 Oct. 2012. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Technical Field 
     The invention relates to a method for handling (flat) objects, in particular sanitary articles such as diapers, sanitary napkins or the like, wherein the objects are conveyed along a transport section in a product flow and are then put together in a grouping station to form groups of objects. 
     In addition, the invention relates to a corresponding device for handling (flat) objects, in particular sanitary articles such as diapers, sanitary napkins or the like, said device having a transport section for transporting the objects in a product flow in the direction of a grouping station for forming groups of objects. 
     Prior Art 
     Numerous variants of the methods and devices of the type mentioned in the introduction are known in practice. The problem in this case is articles being supplied subsequently to the group. This can be necessary if individual objects have been removed from the packaging flow for testing purposes or if individual objects have proved to be faulty in a possible test and have been discarded. As a rule, it is necessary to replace said objects. In addition, it can be desirable to add objects to the group which differ in one or several features from the remaining objects. Both these things are currently only possible manually or they are not possible at all. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Proceeding from this point, the object underlying the invention is to develop further methods and devices of the type mentioned in the introduction, in particular with regard to adding or supplying objects automatically in as simple a manner as possible. 
     To achieve said object, a method according to the invention is a method for handling (flat) objects ( 10 ), in particular sanitary articles such as diapers, sanitary napkins or the like, wherein the objects ( 10 ) are conveyed along a transport section ( 12 ) in a product flow and are then put together in a grouping station to form groups of objects ( 10 ), characterized in that objects ( 10 ) are introduced into the product flow in the region of an inlet station ( 23 ) before the objects ( 10 ) are put together to form groups. It is accordingly provided that objects are introduced into the product flow in the region of an inlet station before the objects are put together to form groups. 
     Said solution enables objects to be supplied in a comfortable subsequent manner into the product flow. Manual addition is not necessary. Thus, the objects can be put together in a simple manner in the region of the grouping station to form a group corresponding to the pack format without at the same time having to consider missing objects in the product flow. It is also possible to supply different objects, for example as additional packaging, in a simple manner. 
     According to a preferred further development of the invention, it is provided that the objects are made available in a hopper in the region of the inlet station and are removed from the said hopper and introduced into the product flow, wherein the objects are preferably removed from the top of the hopper which is situated below the transport section. The objects are preferably moved upward in the hopper by means of a lifting device, wherein the lifting device is controlled by a control unit in dependence on the thickness of the objects. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that a device for removing the objects from the hopper, in particular a suction belt, is arranged in the region of the inlet station above the hopper or above a removal opening of the hopper, wherein to remove in each case one object from the hopper the removal device is lowered at least in part by means of an adjusting device and after removal is raised again. This enables objects to be supplied in a targeted manner to the product flow. If the removal device is not lowered, the product flow is able to run unaffected through the inlet station. 
     A further characteristic can be that several hoppers are associated with one conveying device, in particular an endless conveyor with receiving means for a plurality of hoppers, and are moved one after another into the region of the inlet station and there are emptied by introducing the products from the hopper into the product flow. This enables a large number of objects to be introduced automatically without interrupting production for the purposes of a change in hopper. 
     A device according to the invention for achieving the object mentioned is a device for handling (flat) objects ( 10 ), in particular sanitary articles such as diapers, sanitary napkins or the like, said device having a transport section ( 12 ) for transporting the objects ( 10 ) in a product flow in the direction of a grouping station for forming groups of objects ( 10 ), characterized in that an inlet station ( 23 ) for introducing objects ( 10 ) into the product flow is provided along the transport section ( 12 ) and at a spacing from the grouping station. Accordingly, an inlet station for introducing objects into the product flow is provided along the transport section and at a spacing from the grouping station. 
     As regards design, a hopper can be provided for the objects in the region of the inlet station, from the top of which hopper said objects are removable, and that a lifting device is provided for transporting the objects inside the hopper, wherein the hopper is closed in part at the top by a cover and a removal opening for objects is formed outside the cover and wherein the cover and/or the objects are preferably arranged at a slight angle. The cover, which can extend, for example, over ¾ of the hopper, prevents the objects being able to escape in an uncontrolled manner from the hopper. As a result of the slight angle of the objects and/or of the cover, it is only possible to remove the topmost object in each case reliably from the hopper in a controlled manner. 
     A further characteristic can be that several hoppers are associated with one conveying device and are transportable one after another into the inlet station for emptying the hoppers, wherein an intermediate hopper is arranged in the inlet station above the hopper, wherein the objects are initially transportable by the lifting device into the region of the intermediate hopper and wherein the objects can be supplied to the removal device from the intermediate hopper by means of a further lifting device whilst the empty hopper is replaced by a filled hopper. A continuous supply of objects in the inlet station can be ensured in this manner. 
     Another advantageous detail of the device is that the hoppers can be tested by means of a testing device for the presence of objects, wherein the conveying device is controllable in such a manner by means of a control unit that only hoppers with objects are held ready in the inlet station. 
     An advantageous characteristic of the hopper can be that the hoppers are releasably fastenable on the conveying device for filling with objects, in particular for cleaning and/or filling with objects and/or stocking outside the conveying device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained below by way of the drawing, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic top view of a production facility for sanitary products, 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic three-dimensional representation of a transport section of the production facility according to arrow II in  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 3  shows a side view of a detail of the transport section in the region of an inlet station for the sanitary products, 
         FIG. 4  shows a vertical section through the inlet station according to the line of intersection IV-IV in  FIG. 3 , 
         FIG. 5  shows a side view analogous to  FIG. 3  of the inlet station when the sanitary products are being introduced, 
         FIG. 6  shows a top view of an inlet station according to a second exemplary embodiment, 
         FIG. 7  shows a three-dimensional representation of the inlet station according to  FIG. 6 , 
         FIGS. 8 and 9  show a side view of the inlet station according to arrow VIII in  FIG. 7  during different phases of the supplying of the sanitary products and 
         FIGS. 10 to 13  show a vertical section through the inlet station along the line of intersection X-X in  FIG. 9  during different phases of the supplying of the sanitary products. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The invention is described below by way of a device for grouping objects  10 . The objects  10  can be sanitary products such as diapers, sanitary napkins or the like. In the present case the objects  10  comprise a flat shape. It is naturally also conceivable to use the device with other products. 
     The objects  10  are transported from a converter  11  along a transport section  12  and are transferred to a further feed conveyor  14  by a filling member  13 . The feed conveyor  14  runs past two packaging machines for wrapping groups  14  of objects  10  in (foil) bags  16 . By means of pushing devices (not shown), groups can be supplied in a selective manner to the one or other packaging machine  15 . The groups can also be conveyed past the packaging machines  15  in a selective manner into the region of a packaging machine (not shown) for collapsible boxes or into the region of a packaging machine (not shown) for sealed packaging. 
       FIG. 2  shows a detail of the transport section  12  which serves for transporting the objects  10  from the converter  11  to the filling member  13 . Several conveying members and other devices are provided in the region of the transport section  12  and are described in detail below: 
     coming from the converter  11 , the objects  10  are transported initially between conveyor runs of a first conveyor  22 . Following the conveyor  22 , the objects  10  run through an inlet station  23  which serves for supplying or introducing objects  10  into the transport section  12 . A further conveyor  24  follows the inlet station  23 . An ejection station follows this, of which only an ejection unit  25  and a collecting container  26  are shown. Following this is a next conveyor  27  for rotating or aligning the objects  10 . Following this in turn is a last conveyor  28  which supplies the objects  10  to the filling member  13 . The filling member  13  serves for pushing objects  10  into compartments of the feed conveyor  14 . The device is controlled by a central control unit  17  which is connected via control lines  18  to a machine control means  19  for the converter  11  and to a control device  20  for the conveyors  22 ,  24 ,  27  and  28 . The inlet station  23  and the ejection unit  25  can also be controlled by the central control unit  17  or the control device  20 . It is also conceivable for the control unit  17  and/or the machine control means  19  and/or the control device  20  to be incorporated in one device. 
       FIG. 3  shows a vertical section through the transport section  12  in the region of the inlet station  23 . The objects  10  are conveyed along the transport section  12  in a packaging flow. A packaging flow is to be understood in the present case as the objects  10  being transported one after another in the plane of the transport section  12 . In the exemplary embodiment shown, the objects  10  are arranged lying flat and in each case at a spacing from the next object  10 . The size of the spacing between consecutive objects can differ, for example according to the conveying speed or other defaults. 
     The two conveyors  22 ,  24  are realized in each case as a pair of endless conveyors, the conveyor runs  29 ,  30  of the same being guided by means of guide rollers  31 . The objects  10  are conveyed in the transport direction according to arrow  32  lying flat between the conveyor runs  29 ,  30  which face one another in each case. 
     The spacing between the conveyors  22 ,  24  is bridged by a further conveying member of the inlet station  23 . In this case, this is a conveyor  33  which is also realized as an endless conveyor and is guided by means of guide rollers  31  such that a bottom conveyor run  34  runs along the transport section  12 . Said conveyor run  34  is acted upon with a negative pressure such that the objects  10  are held on the bottom surface of the conveyor run  34  in the region of the conveyor  33 . The conveyor  33  is therefore realized in the present case as a suction belt  35 , a negative pressure being generated in the region of the conveyor run  34  to hold the objects  10  by means of a vacuum chamber  36 , which is connected to a vacuum source (not shown) by a vacuum connection  37 . At the same time, the conveyor  33  is also part of a removal device  38  which serves for the purpose of removing individual objects  10  from a hopper  39  which is arranged in the inlet station  23  below the conveyor  33  or below the transport section  12 . 
     In the hopper  39  the objects  10  are arranged lying flat one on top of another in a stack  40 . The objects  10  are supported at the side by vertical walls  41  of the hopper  39 . The hopper  39  comprises a cover  42  at the top. The cover  42  does not extend over the entire top surface of the hopper  39  such that a removal opening  43  is formed in the remaining region. The size of the cover  42  preferably corresponds to a large part of the top surface of the hopper  39 , in particular to approximately ¾ of said surface. 
     Inside the stack  40  the objects  10  are arranged at a slight angle, namely ascending in the conveying direction according to arrow  32 . The cover  42  comprises a corresponding inclination. In the present case, the angle of the objects  10  is obtained as a result of the bottommost object  10  in the hopper  39  resting on an inclined surface. In the exemplary embodiment shown, in this case this is a top surface of a lifting part  44 . The lifting part  44  is part of a lifting unit  45  for transporting the objects in the direction of the removal opening  43 . 
     In addition, the hopper  39  is mounted so as to be displaceable transversely with respect to the transporting direction according to arrow  32 . To this end, the hopper  39  is mounted on a pneumatic cylinder  47  by means of a support arm  46  and can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the pneumatic cylinder  47 , as indicated in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 4  shows the design of the lifting device  45  particularly well. A lifting arm  48  is mounted on a vertical upright rail  49  so as to be movable in a corresponding direction. The running rail  49  is mounted in turn on a support wall  50 . A toothed belt  51  runs at the rear of the support wall  50  for driving the lifting arm  48 . The lifting arm  48  reaches through walls of the hopper  39 , namely through corresponding recesses in the region of a bottom wall  52  and a (side) wall  41  of the hopper  39  which faces the support wall ( 50 ). 
     A characteristic is the functioning of the removal device  38  which is explained in particular by comparing  FIGS. 3 and 5 . As described in the introduction, for directing objects  10  through the inlet station  23  the conveyor run  34  of the suction belt  35  extends in the transport section  12 , that is in the present case in a horizontal plane. To remove an object  10  from the hopper  39  and to introduce the same into the product flow in the transport section  12 , the suction belt  35  or the conveyor run  34  thereof can be lowered in the direction of the top surface of the hopper  39  in order to grip the uppermost object  10  in the region of the removal opening  43  of the hopper  39  and to pull it out of the hopper  39 . 
     In the present case, the entire suction belt  35  is pivoted about an axis. The axis is situated in the region of a lateral guide roller  53 . As a result of pivoting the suction belt  35 , its bottom conveyor run  34  is inclined downward in opposition to the transporting direction, namely approximately at an angle which corresponds to the angle of inclination of the objects  10 . The conveyor run  34  is moved in the direction of the hopper  39  in this way in such a manner that the uppermost object  10  in the hopper  39  can be gripped and introduced into the product flow. 
     Once the object  10  has been removed from the hopper  39 , the suction belt  35  is pivoted back such that after this a position according to  FIG. 3  is once again assumed in which further objects  10  coming from the converter  11  are able to be directed through the inlet station  23 . The pivoting movement of the suction belt  35  is also indicated by a double arrow  54  in  FIG. 5 . 
     An adjusting device  65  for pivoting the suction belt  35  is described below: 
     a support plate  55  is mounted on the support wall  50  by means of several running rails  56  so as to be displaceable in the vertical direction. The suction belt  35  can be positioned in the transport section  12  in this way. Two toothed wheels  58 ,  59 , which are coupled together by means of a toothed belt  60 , are driven by means of a drive  57 . The toothed wheels  58 ,  59  are mounted on shafts  61 ,  62  which are guided through the support plate  55 . A lowering lever  63  is mounted in an eccentric manner on the shaft  62  such that when the toothed wheel  59  is rotated, the lowering lever  63  is raised ( FIG. 3 ) or lowered ( FIG. 5 ). The lowering lever  63 , in turn, is coupled with a smaller support plate  64  on which the guide rollers of the suction belt  35  are rotatably mounted. As can be seen from  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the lowering lever  63  is coupled with the support plate  64  approximately in the longitudinal center of the suction belt  35  such that said support plate can be pivoted about an axis of rotation in the region of the guide roller  53 , which leads to the pivoting of the suction belt  35 . 
     The device described so far operates as follows: 
     the objects coming from the converter  11  are transported along the transport section  12  in the direction of the filling member  13  and are put together in a grouping device which is not described in detail to form groups which are subsequently packaged in one of the packaging machines  15 . 
     The grouping device for forming groups of objects can be associated with one of the packaging machines  15  or with the filling member  13 . The grouping device is arranged downstream of the inlet station  23  and is placed such that the groups are formed before the objects  10  are packaged, that is, for example, into the bags  16 . There are numerous examples in the prior art with regard to the design and method of operation of the grouping device. The present invention is not concerned with a specific design. 
     Insofar as necessary, individual objects  10  can be introduced into the packaging flow in the region of the inlet station  23 . To this end, the suction belt  35  is moved into a position according to  FIG. 5  and one or several objects  10  are removed from the hopper  39  and introduced into the packaging flow. The suction belt  35  is then moved back again into the position according to  FIG. 5  such that objects  10  coming from the converter  11  can be directed through. 
     It is naturally also conceivable for objects  10  to be removed from the hopper  39  if the converter  11  is non-operational or is temporarily not delivering any objects  10  on account of a fault. 
     Objects  10  which correspond to the objects  10  which originate from the converter  11  can be situated in the hopper  39 . However, it is also conceivable for them to be objects  10  which deviate from the objects  10  which originate from the converter  11 , which comprise other characteristics, for example. In this way it would be possible to add one or several different objects  10  to a group of objects  10  in order to enable, for example, particular packaging compositions in this manner. Differently printed or colored sanitary products would be conceivable, for example, in order to give the pack contents an interesting appearance. 
     In addition, it is conceivable to use the inlet station  23  in order to replace objects  10  removed from the product flow. This can be necessary, for example, if individual objects  10  are removed for control purposes or are discharged on account of product faults. It is additionally conceivable for additional objects  10  to have to be introduced into the product flow on account of faults in the region of the packaging machine. 
     The following characteristics are to be taken into consideration from a control point of view: 
     when objects  10  are introduced into the product flow, the speeds of the members located upstream and/or downstream of the inlet station  23  have to be adapted. For example, slowing down the converter  11  and at the same time increasing the conveying speed of one, several or all of the conveyors  22 ,  24 ,  27 , and  28  is conceivable. This is effected by means of the different control means  17 ,  19 ,  20 . 
     In addition, it must also be possible to fill in gaps in the packaging flow by means of the control means  17 ,  19 ,  20 . For example, it is conceivable for gaps in the product flow to be signaled by the machine control means  19  of the converter  11  and then to be compensated for by controlling the inlet station  23  in a corresponding manner. In such a case, the conveying speed of the conveyors  22 ,  24 ,  27 ,  28  may not have to be altered. 
     In addition, it is conceivable for one or several objects  10  to have to be separated out from the product flow in the region of the ejection unit  25 . It would be conceivable in this case for the expected gap to be already filled beforehand by the control unit  17  in the region of the inlet station  23  or for an additional object  10  to be introduced which, as a result of controlling the conveyors  22 ,  24 ,  27 ,  28  in a corresponding manner, later takes the place of the discharged object  10 . 
     In the event of the inlet station  23  serving for introducing different objects  10 , the converter  11  can also be controlled such that the product flow comprises gaps into which the different objects  10  are then pushed in the inlet station  23 . However, it is also conceivable for the packaging flow which comes from the converter  11  to be gap-free and for the gaps to be formed by controlling the conveyors  22 ,  24  in a corresponding manner and to be closed in the inlet station  23 . 
     The aim of the control means is that the product flow is supplied regularly or in a gap-free manner to the grouping device. In the present case, the product flow is already gap-free in the region of the filling member  13 . 
     Inside the hopper  39 , the objects  10  are conveyed upward by means of the lifting device  45 . It has been shown that it is advantageous when the travel of the lifting device  45  is controlled in dependence on the thickness of the objects  10 . Said control can be effected by means of the control unit  17 . The solution shown also has the advantage that the objects  10  are able to be pressed at a consistent pressure against the suction belt  35  by the lifting device  45  such that controlled removal is possible. 
     In addition, it has been shown that as a result of the inclined position of the cover  42 , the topmost object  10  escapes slightly from the hopper  39  and can be gripped in a simple manner by the suction belt  35  and removed from the hopper  39 . In this way, removing more than one object  10  at a time from the hopper  29  is also prevented. 
     The hopper  39  can be removed from the inlet station  23  and filled up at a position remote from the feed line. 
     A further exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIGS. 6 to 13 . Said exemplary embodiment differs from the preceding exemplary embodiment however simply with regard to the handling of the hoppers  39 . Apart from that, the design of the inlet station  23  remains unchanged. This applies in particular to the suction belt  35  as removal device  38  and to the adjusting device  65 . These are designed as in the first exemplary embodiment and function in a corresponding manner. Consequently, a description to this effect will not be repeated. 
     A characteristic of the second exemplary embodiment is that several hoppers  39  are arranged on a common conveying device  66  below the transport section  12 . The conveying device  66  in the present case is an endless conveyor which runs round in the horizontal plane. In the exemplary embodiment shown, this is a belt conveyor, the conveyor belt  67  of which is guided around two guide rollers  68 . Receiving means  69  for in each case one hopper  39  are provided at intervals on the outside of the conveyor belt  67 . The hoppers  39  can be fastened in a releasable manner, for example by means of hooking, on the receiving means  69  by means of laterally arranged holders  70 . 
     The conveying device  66  runs transversely with respect to the transport section  12 . 
     The conveying device  66  is positioned in such a manner that the hoppers  39  are able to be positioned on the periphery of the conveyor belt  67  below the suction belt  35 . An intermediate hopper  71  is situated there in this exemplary embodiment. The intermediate hopper  71  is preferably arranged fixed in position below the suction belt  35 , like the hopper  39  in the case of the first exemplary embodiment. It has a cover  42  as in the first exemplary embodiment and a removal opening  43  for the removal of individual objects  10  by means of the suction belt  35 . In addition, as in the first exemplary embodiment, a lifting device  45  is provided for transporting the objects  10  in a vertical direction in the hopper  39 . A second lifting device  72  is provided additionally for transporting the objects  10  in the vertical direction in the intermediate hopper  71 . 
     The second lifting device  72  has a lifting arm  73  for transporting the objects in the vertical direction in the intermediate hopper  71 , namely until removal by means of the suction belt  35  in the region of the removal opening  43  of the intermediate hopper  71 , as in the first exemplary embodiment. 
     The lifting arm  73  of the intermediate hopper  71  is movable in two directions by two drives. The details are described below by way of  FIGS. 8 to 13 . In the present case the drives are, on the one hand, a pneumatic cylinder  74  for moving the lifting arm  73  in the horizontal direction and a servo drive  75  for moving the lifting arm  73  in the vertical direction. In this case, the lifting arm  73  is coupled with the pneumatic cylinder  74  which, in turn, is coupled with the servo drive  75 . 
     In contrast to the first exemplary embodiment, the lifting arm  48  of the lifting device  45  reaches through slot-like recesses  76  in a wall  41  of the hoppers  39  and grips the stack  40  of objects  10  in the hopper  39  at the bottom. To this end, the front free end of the support arm  46  is realized in a tine-like manner, the top surfaces of the tines  77  forming an inclined plane on which the bottommost object  10  rests and is aligned at a correspondingly slight angle. 
     As can be seen in particular in  FIGS. 8 to 13 , the intermediate hopper  71  and a respective hopper  39  are arranged flush one above the other. In this case, the intermediate hopper  71  and the respective hoppers  39  are open at the bottom or at the top such that the objects  10  can be moved out of the respective hoppers  39  into the intermediate hopper  71 , namely by means of the lifting device  45 . The objects  10  are then taken over by the lifting arm  73 . In the present exemplary embodiment, the lifting arm  73  is also realized in a tine-like manner, the tines  78  moving into the intermediate hopper  71  through slot-like recesses  79  and gripping the bottommost object  10 . The top surfaces of the tines  78  are also arranged in a suitable plane, like the tines  77 . 
     The device described so far functions as follows: 
     once a full hopper  39  has been moved below the intermediate hopper  71 , the objects  10  are transported upward by means of the lifting device  45  or the lifting arm  48  until the topmost object  10  of the stack  40  is ready to be removed by the suction belt  35  in the region of the removal opening  43  ( FIG. 8 ). The objects  10  are then gradually conveyed further upward by the lifting device  45  until the hopper  39  is emptied and the stack  40  can be taken over by the lifting arm  73  of the second lifting device  72  ( FIG. 9  or  FIG. 10 ). The tines  78  of the second lifting arm  73 , in this case, are moved into the intermediate hopper  71  by means of the pneumatic cylinder  74  and are then moved upward by means of the servo drive  75  for conveying the objects  10  further. 
     Once the stack  40  has been transferred to the second lifting device  72 , the lifting arm  48  of the first lifting device  45  is moved out of the hopper  39  again ( FIG. 11 ). The conveying device  66  is then moved further by one position such that the next filled hopper  39  is positioned below the intermediate hopper  71 . The lifting arm  48  is then introduced once again into the hopper  39  and the objects  10  are raised and transported upward until the intermediate hopper  71  is completely filled again ( FIG. 12 ). The lifting arm  73  of the second lifting device  72  can then be moved out of the intermediate hopper  71  again ( FIG. 13 ) and the entire stack  40  is transported further by means of the lifting arm  48  of the first lifting device  45  ( FIG. 8 ). 
     The cycle so far described is repeated continuously such that it is not necessary to interrupt the production in order to transfer a new filled hopper  29  into the inlet station  23 . The time necessary to exchange an empty hopper  39  for a full hopper is able to be bridged by the intermediate hopper  71 . 
     The filling of the emptied hoppers  39  is effected in a filling station  80 . In one of the following stations, a test can be run by means of a test device  81 , in particular a sensor  82 , as to whether there are objects  10  situated in the hoppers  39 . If this is not the case, the control unit  17  can control the conveying device  66  such that the non-filled hopper  29  is not stopped below the intermediate hopper  71 , but only the filled hopper  39  following next. 
     The empty or filled hoppers  29  can be filled, cleaned or stored outside of the conveying device  66 . 
     As an alternative to this, it is naturally conceivable not to remove the hoppers  39  from the conveying device  66  for filling. 
     It is also conceivable over and above this to use an intermediate hopper  41  without a conveying device  66  located below it for the hoppers  39 . For example, it would be conceivable for the hoppers  29  to be hooked-in and exchanged manually below the intermediate hopper  71 . 
     LIST OF REFERENCES 
       10  Object 
       11  Converter 
       12  Transport section 
       13  Filling member 
       14  Feed conveyor 
       15  Packaging machine 
       16  Bag 
       17  Control unit 
       18  Control line 
       19  Machine control means 
       20  Control device 
       22  Conveyor 
       23  Inlet station 
       24  Conveyor 
       25  Ejection unit 
       26  Collecting container 
       27  Conveyor 
       28  Conveyor 
       29  Conveyor run 
       30  Conveyor run 
       31  Guide rollers 
       32  Arrow 
       33  Conveyor 
       34  Conveyor run 
       35  Suction belt 
       36  Vacuum chamber 
       37  Vacuum connection 
       38  Removal device 
       39  Hopper 
       40  Stack 
       41  Wall 
       42  Cover 
       43  Removal opening 
       44  Lifting part 
       45  Lifting device 
       46  Support arm 
       47  Pneumatic cylinder 
       48  Lifting arm 
       49  Running rail 
       50  Support wall 
       51  Toothed belt 
       52  Bottom wall 
       53  Guide roller 
       54  Double arrow 
       55  Support plate 
       56  Running rail 
       57  Drive 
       58  Toothed wheel 
       59  Toothed wheel 
       60  Toothed belt 
       61  Shaft 
       62  Shaft 
       63  Lowering lever 
       64  Support plate 
       65  Adjusting device 
       66  Conveying device 
       67  Conveyor belt 
       68  Guide roller 
       69  Receiving means 
       70  Holder 
       71  Intermediate hopper 
       72  Lifting device 
       73  Lifting arm 
       74  Pneumatic cylinder 
       75  Servo drive 
       76  Recess 
       77  Tine 
       78  Tine 
       79  Recess 
       80  Filling station 
       81  Test device 
       82  Sensor