Patent Publication Number: US-11390405-B2

Title: Method and apparatus for producing a multipack with several beverage containers

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     The present application claims priority to German Application DE 10 2019 135 254.1, filed Dec. 19, 2019, German Application DE 10 2019 128 874.6, filed Oct. 25, 2019, and German Application DE 10 2019 113 176.6, filed May 17, 2019, which are incorporated by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention concerns a method and an apparatus for producing a multipack comprising a plurality of beverage containers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     For the packaging of beverage containers, the beverage containers or bottles can be grouped on horizontal conveying devices and combined into groupings via a packaging material, each grouping comprising a defined number of containers. Well-known examples of such packaging material are strappings, which strappings are applied to a group of beverage containers and which hold the beverage containers of a respective group together. Also known are packaging materials, which consist of thermoplastic material and are shrunk onto a group of articles. Such packaging materials, which are also known as shrink film, are applied to the respective group of articles before being exposed to temperature and thereby shrinking onto the respective group of articles. 
     Since in practice the consumption of packaging material should be kept as low as possible, packs are also known, in which several beverage containers are held together by a flat packaging blank, which packaging blank is designed with several openings. Through each opening passes the upper part of an assigned beverage container. By such a packaging blank, the beverage containers are held together in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner and form a respective multipack. Multipacks of this type are known, for example, to comprise four, six or eight beverage containers. 
     A multipack, in which the beverage containers are held together by such a packaging blank, is disclosed, for example, in document EP 0 456 357 A1. During production of the multipack disclosed in the EP application, beverage containers are divided into several rows via guide rails. Furthermore, a retaining element is placed in contact with a foremost located beverage container of a respective grouping, and another retaining element is arranged in contact to a beverage container, which beverage container is located at the back of the respective grouping. The beverage containers of a respective grouping are brought into a defined alignment with respect to one another via the guiding rails and the retaining elements, so that a packaging blank can subsequently be placed on the beverage containers via its several openings. Due to the necessary alignment of the beverage containers by guiding rails and retaining elements, it is possible that the beverage containers are unintentionally damaged due to the surface contact with the guiding rails and retaining elements or that the visual appearance of the beverage containers is unintentionally impaired by scratches or deformation due to the surface contact with the guiding rails and retaining elements. Furthermore, the apparatus for producing such multipacks according to the EP application has a complex structure. 
     For this reason, one task of the invention can be seen as being to provide a generic apparatus and a generic method, with which apparatus and method, the risk of unintentional damage or unintentional impairment of the optical appearance of beverage containers can at least be reduced. Furthermore, one task of the invention can be seen in providing a generic apparatus, which is characterized by a simplified construction. In addition, a task can be seen in providing a method, which can be implemented with reduced constructional effort. 
     The above task is solved by a method and an apparatus, which include the features in the independent claims. Further advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a method for producing a multipack comprising several beverage containers. A multipack produced by the method can, for example, comprise exactly four, exactly six or exactly eight beverage containers. 
     One step of the method involves aligning several beverage containers intended for a respective multipack with respect to one another, so that a packaging blank can subsequently be applied to the aligned beverage containers. The aligned beverage containers provided for a respective multipack can form a respective grouping, to which grouping a packaging blank is subsequently applied, so that the packaging blank holds the beverage containers of a respective grouping together in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner. In particular, a respective lateral surface area of a respective aligned beverage container of a respective grouping can be in contact or surface contact with a lateral surface area of at least one further aligned beverage container of the respective grouping. 
     Furthermore, a packaging blank is applied to the several aligned beverage containers, which beverage containers are intended for a respective multipack, whereby the aligned beverage containers of the respective grouping pass through openings of the packaging blank and are subsequently held together by the packaging blank. 
     A respective packaging blank can thus comprise two opposite broadside surfaces and be interspersed with several openings. In particular, a respective packaging blank may consist of plastic material or cellulose-containing material. 
     It is provided that several groupings with several beverage containers each are placed or deposited on a horizontal conveying device via at least one handling apparatus in such a way, that the several beverage containers of a respective grouping are in an alignment with respect to one another in order to receive a respective packaging blank, which packaging blank is applied immediately upon placement of the beverage containers on the horizontal conveying device. It is conceivable hereby, that at least approximately simultaneously a plurality of groupings, each grouping comprising a plurality of beverage containers, are placed or deposited on the horizontal conveying device via at least one handling apparatus in such a manner, that the plurality of beverage containers of a respective grouping are aligned with respect to one another for the immediate application of a respective packaging blank to the groupings, when they are placed on the horizontal conveying device. 
     In practice, embodiments have been proven, in which several groupings, each grouping comprising several beverage containers, are set down or deposited on a horizontal conveying device spaced apart from one another or at a distance from one another by at least one handling apparatus in such a way, that the several beverage containers of a respective grouping are aligned with respect to one another for the subsequent application of a respective packaging blank, which application takes place immediately upon placement of the groupings placed on the horizontal conveying device. Alternatively, it can be provided, that a plurality of groupings, each comprising a plurality of beverage containers, are placed on a horizontal conveying device without a spacing between the groupings by at least one handling apparatus, wherein the plurality of beverage containers of a respective grouping are aligned with respect to one another for the immediate application of a respective packaging blank, which application takes place as soon as the groupings are placed on the horizontal conveying device. It is possible that the groupings are only spaced apart from one another after they have been placed on the horizontal conveying device, wherein the spacing is done in such a manner that the plurality of beverage containers of a respective grouping are still aligned with respect to one another for the application of a respective packaging blank after the respective distancing. In particular, embodiments have proven to be useful, in which groupings, which groupings are located ahead of the other groupings, are accelerated in order to be distanced, thereby maintaining the alignment of their respective beverage containers in relation to the groupings that are lagging behind. 
     Also, a respective packaging blank is applied to the beverage containers of a respective grouping, which beverage containers are placed on the horizontal conveying device and which beverage containers are aligned with respect to one another. 
     The method may also provide that the application of a respective packaging blank to the aligned beverage containers, which are intended for a respective multipack, is carried out without the lateral surface areas of the aligned beverage containers bearing against any retaining element and/or guiding element, which retaining element and/or guiding element is designed to maintain alignment. Alternatively or in addition to this, it may be provided, that a movement of the aligned beverage containers, which are intended for a respective multipack, is effected by the horizontal conveying device, wherein the movement takes place without contact of lateral surface areas of the aligned beverage containers with any retaining element and/or guiding element, which retaining element and/or guiding element is normally designed to maintain the alignment. It is therefore possible that during the time of the movement over the horizontal conveying device all beverage containers of a respective grouping exclusively have contact with at least one further beverage container of the grouping and with the horizontal conveying device, and/or that during the time of the movement over the horizontal conveying device all beverage containers of a respective grouping have exclusively only contact to the horizontal conveying device. 
     It is conceivable, that the beverage containers, which are in an alignment with respect to each other and which are intended for a respective multipack, are moved in time by the horizontal conveying device during the application of the respective packaging blank without interruption and preferably at an at least approximately constant transport speed. Such embodiments are characterized by a high throughput and gentle handling of the beverage containers. 
     It is also possible, that a respective packaging blank is applied to the aligned beverage containers of a respective grouping via at least one application head, wherein the at least one application head performs a lowering movement for applying packaging blanks to groupings, which lowering movement is oriented in the direction of a respective grouping. The beverage containers of a respective grouping can be moved forward in time during the application of the respective packaging blank, the at least one application head moving along in time with the respective beverage containers of a respective grouping during the application of the respective packaging blank. 
     It is conceivable, that the at least one application head receives or picks up at least one packaging blank from a stack of several packaging blanks, which stack is positioned laterally beside the horizontal conveying device, then the application head positions the respective at least one packaging blank received from the stack above at least one grouping, which grouping is comprising several beverage containers placed or disposed on the horizontal conveying device in an aligned arrangement, and then the application head executes a lowering movement, which lowering movement is oriented in the direction of the respective grouping. In this manner, the at least one application head can be moved back and forth between the stack and the horizontal conveying device. 
     It is possible, that the at least one application head, after executing a respective lowering movement, applies several packaging blanks to several different groupings, which several different groupings each comprise several beverage containers, which beverage containers have been placed on the horizontal conveying device and which beverage containers have been aligned with respect to one another. In this way, the at least one application head can, if appropriate, simultaneously hold a plurality of packaging blanks, execute a lowering movement and, after execution of this respective lowering movement, apply the plurality of packaging blanks held by the at least one application head to a plurality of different groupings, which plurality of different groupings each comprise a plurality of beverage containers set down on the horizontal conveying device and aligned with respect to one another. It is possible, that the several groupings, each comprising several beverage containers, are set down on the horizontal conveying device at a distance from one another via the at least one handling apparatus and that the several groupings maintain their distance from one another at least until the respective packaging blank is applied. Thus, the plurality of groupings, each comprising a plurality of beverage containers, can be arranged at a distance from one another on the horizontal conveying device, especially temporarily during the application of a respective packaging blank, or the groupings can be moved at a distance from one another by the horizontal conveying device. 
     It can also be provided, that the at least one application head, after executing a respective lowering movement, applies packaging blanks to the several different groupings or to the several beverage containers of the several different groupings with a time delay. In this way, a force can be kept low, which force must be provided at a certain point in time by the at least one application head for applying packaging blanks. 
     Embodiments in which the at least one application head executes the lowering movement oriented in the direction of the respective grouping and, in doing so, applies the respective packaging blank to the beverage containers already aligned with respect to one another by the at least one application head pressing a respective beverage container of a respective grouping into a respective opening of the respective packaging blank, so that the beverage containers of a respective grouping pressed into the openings of the respective packaging blank are held together via the respective packaging blank in a non-positive and/or positive-locking manner. It is possible in this case that the at least one application head for pressing the beverage containers into the openings applies a respective defined force to the packaging blank in the region of a respective opening, the respective defined force being applied to the packaging blank with a time offset along the circumferential course of a respective opening. 
     It is possible that the packaging blank is aligned horizontally oriented above the respective beverage containers of a particular grouping before the beverage containers of a particular grouping are pressed into the openings via at least one application head. It is also possible that the at least one application head has several manipulation elements. A respective manipulation element can be guided in the area of a respective opening against the packaging blank, which is oriented horizontally at least up to that point, in order to press a respective beverage container into a respective opening via a contact surface under the application of force. The contact surface can have a curved and/or an inclined course relative to the packaging blank which is oriented horizontally at least up to that point. 
     It may be that the packaging blank has for at least one of its openings and preferably for each of its openings a plurality of retaining tabs which, when the beverage containers of a respective grouping are pressed into the openings, are arranged below a respective upper edge of a respective beverage container, so that the packaging blank is thereupon held on the beverage containers substantially immovably in the axial direction relative to the beverage containers via its retaining tabs. It is possible that the retaining tabs are aligned or pre-bent before the beverage containers are pressed into the openings, so that the retaining tabs point away from the packaging blank in an upward direction. 
     In various designs, one step of the process can include pretreatment of the packaging blank to reduce a respective resistance force, which respective resistance force the packaging blank forms in an edge area of the openings when applied to the respective multiple beverage containers of a respective grouping. It may be that a respective mean diameter of the openings is increased during pretreatment to reduce a respective resistance. Alternatively or in addition to this, it is possible that during pre-treatment fixing tabs or holding tabs formed in a respective edge region of the openings are bent or pre-bent at least in some areas so that the fixing tabs or holding tabs then project from a plane in which the openings are arranged. It is also conceivable that the packaging blank is pressed onto a device with at least one expansion die during pretreatment. In this case, it is possible that the number and arrangement of the expansion dies corresponds to the number and arrangement of the openings of the packaging blank, the packaging blank being pressed onto the at least one expansion die in such a way that the at least one expansion die passes through the openings at least in some areas. If a plurality of expansion matrices are provided, the plurality of expansion matrices can be combined to form a format part. 
     One aspect may therefore concern a format part for the pretreatment of flat packaging blanks each having several openings, which format part has a carrier preferably in the form of a support plate and comprises a plurality of expansion matrices, wherein it is provided that the plurality of expansion dies are each arranged on the support preferably designed as a support plate and each taper at least in sections in the opposite direction to the support preferably designed as a support plate. 
     It is also conceivable that during the pre-treatment, incisions and/or perforations are made in the edge areas of the openings. In particular, it is possible that radial incisions and/or radial perforations are made in the edge areas. 
     Alternatively, or in addition to this, it is conceivable that during the pretreatment the respective edge area of the several openings is moistened or acted upon with liquid. Furthermore, it is possible that during the pre-treatment the respective edge area of the several openings is heated. 
     The application head can also have several manipulation elements, wherein a respective manipulation element is placed on the packaging blank in the region of a respective opening and, when placed on the packaging blank, is rotated in the region of the respective opening, as a result of which the respective defined force provided for pressing the respective beverage container into the respective opening is applied to the packaging blank with a time offset along the circumferential course of the respective opening. 
     It has proved to be successful if the at least one application head has at least one suction and/or gripping instrument, which at least one suction and/or gripping instrument holds the packaging blank at the at least one application head temporally before and/or temporally during the pressing of the beverage containers of a respective grouping into the openings. In particular, it is possible that the at least one suction and/or gripping instrument holds the packaging blank on the at least one application head via negative pressure temporally before and/or temporally during the pressing of the beverage containers of a respective grouping into the openings. 
     In various forms of embodiments, the at least one application head can comprise at least one centering device, which centering device restores, if required, the alignment of the several beverage containers of a respective grouping with respect to one another in a timely manner prior to the application of a respective packaging blank, which alignment is formed immediately upon placement of the beverage containers on the horizontal conveying device. The at least one centering device can be formed by a rigid frame, which frame is coming from above and is guided around a respective grouping, and which frame, as a result of this, restores, as required, the alignment of the several beverage containers of a respective grouping with respect to one another, which alignment is required for the application of a respective packaging blank and which alignment is formed immediately upon placement of the grouping on the horizontal conveying device. The at least one centering device can also be formed by a plurality of centering elements, which centering elements perform a closing and opening movement and thereby restore, as required, the alignment of the plurality of beverage containers of a respective grouping with respect to one another, which alignment is provided for the application of a respective packaging blank and which alignment is formed immediately upon placement of the beverage containers on the horizontal conveying device. 
     Within the context of the method, the beverage containers can be formed by beverage cans. It is also possible that the beverage containers are formed by beverage bottles and especially by glass bottles and/or PET bottles. 
     The invention furthermore concerns an apparatus for producing a multipack made of several beverage containers. The apparatus may, if necessary, be designed for the implementation of the previously described embodiments of the method according to the invention. Features which have already been described above for various embodiments of the method may also be provided for embodiments of the apparatus described below and are not mentioned several times. Likewise, features which are described below, which concern various embodiments of the apparatus, may be provided for in the method described above. The apparatus comprises a horizontal conveying device for moving groupings each comprising several beverage containers. 
     Furthermore, the apparatus comprises at least one working device, which working device can apply a respective packaging blank to the groupings, each grouping comprising a plurality of beverage containers, so that the beverage containers of a respective grouping pass through openings in the packaging blank and are held together by the respective packaging blank. 
     The apparatus comprises at least one handling apparatus, by which the beverage containers of a respective grouping can be deposited or placed on the horizontal conveying device in such a way, that the beverage containers of a respective grouping are already in an alignment with respect to one another upon placement on the horizontal conveying device, which alignment is required and/or provided for the immediate application of the respective packaging blank. In various embodiments, the apparatus can comprise at least one handling apparatus, by which handling apparatus the beverage containers of a respective grouping can be placed or deposited on the horizontal conveying device in such a way that 
     the beverage containers of a respective grouping, immediately upon placement on the horizontal conveying device, have an orientation and/or alignment provided and required for the application of the respective packaging blank, and wherein it is provided that the beverage containers of a respective grouping can be placed or deposited on the horizontal conveying device by the at least one handling apparatus in such a way that the groupings are spaced apart from one another in a transport direction or in a conveying direction of the horizontal conveying device immediately upon placement on the horizontal conveying device. 
     The groupings can therefore be set down or placed on the horizontal conveying device by the at least one handling apparatus, if necessary, the groupings are placed on the horizontal conveying device in a conveying direction at a distance from one another. 
     The at least one horizontal conveying device can have a circumferential conveyor belt or an endless circumferential traction device, on which circumferential conveyor belt or endless circumferential traction device the beverage containers of a respective grouping are deposited. 
     The apparatus can be designed or equipped in such a way, that the groupings, each comprising several beverage containers, can be moved via the horizontal conveying device into a working area of the at least one working device consistently without surface contact of their lateral surface areas to any retaining elements and/or guiding elements or guiding rails. 
     Embodiments have been proven useful, in which the at least one handling apparatus is formed by at least one multi-axis robot or by at least one industrial robot. 
     The apparatus may optionally comprise a control and/or regulating device connected to the horizontal conveying apparatus, the control and/or regulating device being able to control the horizontal conveying apparatus for the uninterrupted movement of the groupings placed or deposited thereon. 
     Furthermore, the working device can have at least one application head, whereby the at least one application head can perform a lowering movement oriented in the direction of a respective grouping, in order to apply packaging blanks to groupings. 
     It is conceivable, that the at least one application head can be moved back and forth between the horizontal conveying device and a stack of several packaging blanks positioned laterally beside the horizontal conveying device. 
     Furthermore, the at least one application head can be designed in such a way, that the at least one application head can apply several packaging blanks to several groupings with a time delay after performing a respective lowering movement. 
     It is also conceivable, that the at least one application head comprises at least one centering device, which centering device can restore, if required, an alignment of the several beverage containers of a respective grouping with respect to one another, which alignment is provided for the application of the respective packaging blank. 
     It may be that the at least one application head comprises a carrier as well as a plurality of manipulation elements suspended from the carrier, via which the packaging blank can be subjected to a defined force in the region of a plurality of openings, so that a respective beverage container of a respective grouping is pressed into a respective opening of the packaging blank. The plurality of manipulation elements arranged suspended on the carrier can be designed in such a way that the plurality of manipulation elements arranged suspended on the carrier can apply a respective defined force to the packaging blank along the respective circumferential course of the respective opening with a time offset for pressing a respective beverage container into a respective opening. 
     It may be that the several manipulation elements each form a contact surface via which the respective manipulation element can apply the defined force in the area of the respective opening to the packaging blank and which contact surface in the area of the respective opening is oriented obliquely relative to the packaging blank and/or can be placed on the packaging blank with a curved course. 
     Furthermore, it is conceivable that the several manipulation elements can each perform a rotational movement to apply the defined force along the circumferential course of the respective opening with a time offset. 
     It is possible that the at least one application head comprises at least one suction and/or gripping instrument, via which at least one suction and/or gripping instrument the packaging blank can be releasably fixed to the at least one application head during the pressing of a respective beverage container into a respective opening. It has proved to be particularly useful in this respect when the at least one suction and/or gripping instrument can fix the packaging blank detachably and via negative pressure to the at least one application head while a respective beverage container is pressed into a respective opening. 
     The at least one application head may comprise several lateral partitions between which a respective packaging blank intended for application to beverage containers of a respective grouping may be arranged positively or with little clearance. 
     Furthermore, it is possible that the device comprises a pretreatment module for preparing the packaging blank for application to the beverage containers of a respective grouping. The pretreatment module may comprise at least one device designed to reduce a resistance force occurring in a respective edge region of the openings when the packaging blank is applied. It is conceivable that the at least one device of the pretreatment module comprises at least one expansion die. The at least one expansion die can be detachably arranged in the pretreatment module. Furthermore, the at least one device of the pretreatment module may comprise a plurality of expansion matrices, wherein the plurality of expansion matrices may be arranged in different arrangements and/or in different numbers in the pretreatment module. It is also possible that the at least one device of the pretreatment module comprises at least one cutting device and/or at least one perforating device. Furthermore, it is possible that the at least one device of the pretreatment module comprises at least one cutting device and/or at least one perforating device. It is also conceivable that the at least one device of the pretreatment module comprises at least one moistening device, in particular at least one vaporization device, and/or that the at least one device of the pretreatment module comprises at least one heating device. 
     Furthermore, it may be the case, that the apparatus is designed to assemble several beverage containers into a respective multipack, which several beverage containers are formed by several beverage cans and/or by several beverage bottles. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       In the following passages, the attached figures further illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and their advantages. The size ratios of the individual elements in the figures do not necessarily reflect the real size ratios. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention and illustrates individual steps as they may be provided for in various embodiments of the method according to the invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows further aspects of the embodiment of an apparatus according to  FIG. 1  and illustrates further steps, which may be provided for in various embodiments of the method according to the invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows a further embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention and illustrates further aspects as they may be provided for in various embodiments of the method according to the invention. 
         FIGS. 4 to 6  each show a schematic view of an embodiment of an application head as it may be provided for various embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention; 
         FIGS. 7 to 9  show individual details of a manipulation element of the application head according to the embodiment from  FIGS. 2 to 4 ; 
         FIG. 10  shows a schematic view of a multipack, which can be produced with various embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention and with various embodiments of the method according to the invention. 
         FIG. 11  shows a schematic perspective view of a further embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention. 
         FIGS. 12 and 13  show individual details of the design of the apparatus according to  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 14  shows, in a flowchart, individual steps, which steps may be provided for in various embodiments of the method according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     The same or equivalent elements of the invention are designated by identical reference characters. Furthermore, and for the sake of clarity, only the reference characters relevant for describing the respective figure are provided. It should be understood, that the embodiments described are only examples describing an embodiment of the apparatus and/or method according to the invention. They are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. 
     The embodiments, examples and variants described in the preceding paragraphs, the claims or in the following description of the figures and in the figures themselves, including their different views or respective individual features, may be used independently or in any combination. Features described in connection with a specific embodiment are applicable to all other embodiments as well, unless the features are incompatible. 
     Even if in the context of the figures in general the terms “schematic” representations and views are used, this does not in any way mean that the figure representations and their description should be of secondary importance with regard to the disclosure of the invention. The person skilled in the art is quite capable of extracting enough information from the schematic and abstract representations, in order to facilitate his understanding of the invention, without his understanding being impaired in any way by the illustrated and possibly not exactly scaled proportions. The figures thus enable the person skilled in the art as reader to derive a better understanding of the idea according to the invention, which is described in the claims as well as in the general part of the description in more general and/or abstract terms, on the basis of the more specifically explained implementations of the method according to the invention and the more specifically explained functioning of the apparatus according to the invention. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the apparatus  1  according to the invention and illustrates individual steps as they may be provided for in various embodiments of the method  100  according to the invention. 
     Apparatus  1 , which is shown in the embodiment according to  FIG. 1 , can produce a multipack  4  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 10 . Such a multipack  4  comprises several beverage containers  2  and a packaging blank  41 . For each of the beverage containers  2  the packaging blank  41  has an assigned opening  42 , through which opening  42  the respective beverage container  2  passes with an upper part, so that all beverage containers  2  of the respective multipack  4  are held together form-fittingly and/or force-fittingly by the common packaging blank  41 . 
     The embodiment of a multipack  4  as shown in  FIG. 10  comprises eight beverage containers  2 , each of which is designed as a beverage can. In further embodiments it can be provided, for example, that a multipack  4  comprises only two beverage containers  2 , four beverage containers  2  or six beverage containers  2 . As an alternative to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 10 , the beverage containers  2 , which are components of a respective multipack  4 , can also be beverage bottles or PET bottles. The beverage bottles or PET bottles can pass with an upper head area and/or upper neck area through a respective assigned opening  42  of a packaging blank  41  and be held together form-fittingly and/or force-fittingly by the respective packaging blank  41 . A multipack not shown in the figures of the present patent application may therefore, for example, be designed as a six-pack. 
     In  FIGS. 1 to 3  the beverage containers  2  are only shown schematically for reasons of clarity. In order to assemble or produce the respective multipack  4 , the apparatus  1  comprises a first module  10 , a second module  20  and a horizontal conveying device  5 , which horizontal conveying device  5  can transfer beverage containers  2  from the first module  10  to the second module  20 . In the conveying direction FR of the horizontal conveying device  5  the second module  20  is arranged downstream of the first module  10 . 
     In order to be able to produce multipack  4  according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 10 , beverage containers  2 , which are provided for the respective multipack  4 , must have a relative arrangement with respect to each other, in which arrangement the openings  42  of the packaging blank  41  are aligned with the beverage containers  2  in such a way that an upper area of the beverage containers  2  can subsequently be pushed through the openings  42 . If the beverage containers  2  are not aligned with respect to one another appropriately, the beverage containers  2  do not or only partially meet the openings  42  when the packaging blank  41  is applied, thereby causing problems during the application of the respective packaging blank  41 . 
     In the case of the apparatus known from the prior art, groupings  3  are often formed from several beverage containers  2  using dividers, which groupings  3  each comprise the number of beverage containers  2  intended for the respective multipack  4 . In order to be able to guarantee that the beverage containers  2  of such a grouping  3  are in an alignment with respect to each other upon application of a respective packaging blank  4 , so that the packaging blank  41  can be applied to the beverage containers  2 , apparatuses known from the prior art have guiding rails, which guiding rails extend in the conveying direction FR along the horizontal conveying device  5 . Furthermore, retaining elements are known and provided, of applicable, which retaining elements are designed as a component of the respective divider, which retaining elements are moved together with the beverage containers  2  and which support the beverage containers  2  of a respective grouping  3  during their movement along the horizontal conveying device  5 . In contrast, the apparatus  1  according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  has a simplified structure. In apparatus  1  according to  FIG. 1  corresponding retaining elements and/or guide rails are not provided for. Thus, the beverage containers  2  of a respective grouping  3  contact the horizontal conveying device  5  exclusively via their respective base area, whereby during a movement of the beverage containers  2  by the horizontal conveying device  5 , the lateral surface areas of the beverage containers  2  are at no time in contact with any guide rails and/or retaining elements. 
     In order to be able to guarantee that a respective packaging blank  41  can be applied to the beverage containers  2  without any problems or to ensure that the beverage containers  2  of a respective grouping  3  are in a suitable alignment with respect to each other for the application of the packaging blank  41 , the first module  10  comprises a handling apparatus  15 , which comprises one gripping head  17  in the embodiment shown and which can comprise more than one gripping head  17  in further embodiments (see  FIG. 11 ). The handling apparatus  15  is only shown schematically in  FIG. 1  and can be designed in practice, for example, as an industrial robot or multi-axis robot. By the handling apparatus  15  or by the gripping head  17 , the beverage containers  2  are received from a supply unit  72  (see  FIG. 11 ), then the beverage containers  2  are moved in the direction of the horizontal conveying device  5  and deposited or placed on the horizontal conveying device  5  from above. 
     The deposition or placement of the beverage containers  2  on the horizontal conveying device  5  takes place via the handling apparatus  15  in such a way, that immediately during the deposition a grouping  3  of beverage containers  2  is formed on the horizontal conveying device  5 , wherein the number of beverage containers  2  within the grouping directly corresponds to the number of beverage containers  2  of the respective multipack  4  to be produced (see  FIG. 10 ). In addition, the beverage containers  2  are deposited or placed on the horizontal conveying device  5  by the handling apparatus  15  in such a way, that the beverage containers  2  within a respective grouping  3 , which is formed on the horizontal conveying device  5 , immediately upon deposition on the horizontal conveying device  5  already are in alignment with respect to one another, which alignment is suitable for the application of the respective packaging blank  41 . Since this type of grouping requires no division with retaining elements and/or guidance by rails, there is no risk of the beverage containers  2  being scratched or damaged due to surface contact with any guiding rails and/or retaining elements. In the design according to  FIG. 1 , the beverage containers  2  are placed on the horizontal conveyor  5  so that a surface contact is formed between the beverage containers  2  and the horizontal conveyor  5 . However, it is also possible that an outer packaging, such as a tray, is transported by the horizontal conveyor  5 , wherein the beverage containers  2  of a respective grouping  3  are deposited on the outer packaging transported by the horizontal conveyor  5  in such a way that the beverage containers  2  of a respective grouping  3  have an alignment to one another provided for the application of the respective packaging blank  41  immediately when deposited on the outer packaging transported by the horizontal conveyor  5 . 
     Temporally, after the groupings  3  have been formed on the horizontal conveying device  5 , each grouping  3  comprising several beverage containers  2  aligned with respect to each other for the application of packaging blanks  41 , the groupings  3  are moved via the horizontal conveying device  5  in a conveying direction FR. The horizontal conveying device  5  is connected to a control and/or regulating device S, which control and/or regulating device S controls the horizontal conveying device S for the uninterrupted movement of groupings  3  at the same or a constant conveying speed over the course of time, which groupings  3  have been deposited or placed on the horizontal conveying device  5 . The groupings  3  then leave the first module  10  and reach the second module  20 , which is located downstream of the first module  10  in conveying direction FR. 
     In order to reduce the risk that the beverage containers  2 , which are aligned with respect to one another for the application of a packaging blank  41  immediately upon placement on the horizontal conveying device  5 , unintentionally shift relative to one another during a movement in the conveying direction FR, it may be provided that the horizontal conveying device  5  has an endless circumferential traction device or a circulating conveyor belt, wherein between the endless circumferential traction device or circulating conveyor belt and the beverage containers  2  a high static friction is provided. For example, the endless circumferential traction device or the circulating conveyor belt can have a plurality of studs and/or consist of a material, over which plurality of studs and/or material a high level of static friction can be provided between the beverage containers  2  and the endless circumferential traction device or the beverage containers  2  and the circulating conveyor belt. 
     The schematic view in  FIG. 2  further illustrates, that the second module  20  has a working device  25 , which includes an application head  26  and which is only shown schematically in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The detailed construction of such an application head  26 , as it may also be intended for apparatus  1  according to the design example in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , is shown in the following  FIGS. 4 to 9 . The working device  25  can also be designed as a multi-axis robot or industrial robot which comprises at least one application head  26  and which is capable of simultaneously receiving several packaging blanks  41  from a stack, which stack is not shown in the figures. After receiving or picking up several packaging blanks  41 , the application head  26  is moved in the direction of the horizontal conveying device  5 , so that the application head  26 , together with the several packaging blanks  41  still held by the application head  26  up to this point, is located above the several groupings  3 , onto which the packaging blanks  41  are to be applied. Following this, the application head  26  is lowered in the direction of groupings  3  and subsequently applies the packaging blanks  41  to groupings  3 . For the design example shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , it is not absolutely necessary for the application head to take  26  packaging blanks  41  directly from a magazine  48  (see  FIG. 11 ). It is also possible that a transfer tool  90  is provided which takes packaging blanks  41  from a magazine  48  and initially places them on several dies  18 . The application head  26  can then pick up the packaging blanks  41  placed on the several dies  18  and apply them to groupings  3 . 
     Since the groupings  3  are moved in time without interruption by the horizontal conveying device  5  in the conveying direction FR during the application of the packaging blank  41 , the application head  26  is moved along with the groupings  3  in the conveying direction FR after lowering and until the packaging blanks  41  are completely applied to the groupings  3 . When all packaging blanks  41  have been applied to the groupings  3 , the beverage containers  2 , which are part of a respective grouping  3 , together with the respective packaging blank  41  form a multipack  4  (see  FIG. 10 ). 
     In order to apply the packaging blanks  41  to the groupings  3 , the packaging blanks  41  must be pressed onto the respective beverage containers  2  in the direction of the respective beverage containers  2 . Accordingly, the working device  25  or the application head  26  must apply a certain force to the respective packaging blank  41  for the application of each packaging blank  41  to the beverage containers  2 , which force acts in a downward direction or in the direction of the respective beverage containers  2 . In order to avoid that the working device  25  or the application head  26  has to apply a relatively high total force at a certain point in time, embodiments according to  FIG. 2  have proven to be successful, in which embodiments the working apparatus  25  or the application head  26  applies the different packaging blanks  41  to the different groupings  3  with a time delay. In the embodiment according to  FIG. 2 , a packaging blank  41  is first applied to a grouping  3 , which, in view of the conveying direction FR of the horizontal conveying device  5 , is arranged at the front. Following this in a timely manner, packaging blanks  41  are successively applied to subsequent groupings  3  that are following the grouping  3 , which is located foremost in view of the conveying direction FR of the horizontal conveying device  5 . 
     As already mentioned in the context of  FIG. 1 , the beverage containers  2  of a respective grouping  3  are deposited or placed on the horizontal conveying device  5  by the handling apparatus  15  or a gripping head  17  in such a way, that the beverage containers  2  of a respective grouping  3  are in an alignment with respect to each other immediately upon deposition or placement on the horizontal conveying device  5 , in order that packaging blanks  41  can be applied to the beverage containers  2  of a respective grouping  3  by the application head  26 . In order to further reduce the risk, that beverage containers  2 , which are already aligned for the application of a packaging blank  41 , will unintentionally shift relative to one another during a movement from the first module  10  in the direction to the second module  20  and that subsequently a packaging blank  41  cannot be applied to a respective grouping  3  or will be applied to a respective grouping  3  only with problems, the working apparatus  25  or the application head  26  can comprise a centering device. If required, the centering device restores the alignment of the beverage containers  2  relative to one another, which alignment has already been formed immediately upon placement of the beverage containers  2  on the horizontal conveying device  5 . 
     Furthermore,  FIG. 2  illustrates once again that also in the area of the second module  20  no guiding rails or retaining elements extending in the conveying direction FR are provided, which guiding rails or retaining elements may be moved together with groupings  3 , if applicable. Thus, also in the area of the second module  20  groupings  3  or beverage containers  2  are at no time in any surface contact with any guiding rails and/or retaining elements. 
     In the design according to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , it is intended that the handling device  15  or the gripping head  17  places beverage containers  2  as a grouping  3  on the horizontal conveyor  5 . In alternative designs, however, it may also be provided that the application head places  26  beverage containers  2  as a grouping  3  on the horizontal conveyor  5  so that the beverage containers  2  of a respective grouping  3  are already in an alignment with one another intended for the application of the respective packaging blank  41  immediately when they are placed on the horizontal conveyor  5 . Following this, the application head  26  can receive a packaging blank  41  and then apply it to the respective grouping  3  still arranged on the horizontal conveyor  5 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a further embodiment of an apparatus  1  according to the invention and illustrates further aspects, which may be provided for in various embodiments of the method  100  according to the invention (see  FIG. 5 ). The application head  26  can also have a structure for the design according to  FIG. 3 , as illustrated by the design example shown in the following  FIGS. 4 to 9 . The horizontal conveying device  5 , as well as the first module  10 , is designed here according to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , therefore reference is made to the previous description. Compared with the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the embodiment according to  FIG. 3  differs in the way the flat packaging blanks  41  are applied via the working apparatus  25  or via the application head  26 . As already mentioned in the description of  FIG. 2 , the packaging blanks  41  must be pressed onto the respective beverage containers  2  via the application head  26  in the direction of the respective beverage containers  2 . 
     Thus, in order to apply each packaging blank  41 , the application head  26  must apply a certain force to the respective packaging blank  41 , which force acts in a downward direction or in the direction of the respective beverage containers  2 . In the embodiment according to  FIG. 3 , in order that the application head  26  does not have to apply a relatively large force at a certain point in time, the packaging blanks  41  are applied to the groupings  3  via the application head  26  successively with a time delay. 
     An overview of  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  shows, that the order, in which the packaging blanks  41  are applied to the groupings  3 , differs in  FIG. 3  from the embodiment described in  FIG. 2 . In  FIG. 2 , a packaging blank  41  is first applied to a grouping  3  arranged at the foremost position in view of the conveying direction FR of the horizontal conveying device  5  and the other groupings  3  follow subsequently. In contrast to this, in  FIG. 3  a respective packaging blank  41  is arranged at least approximately simultaneously on a foremost located grouping  3  in view of the conveying direction FR and on a grouping  3  arranged at the rearmost in view of the conveying direction FR. Only following this in time, in  FIG. 3 , a respective packaging blank  41  is applied to the other groupings  3 , which are located between the foremost located grouping  3  in view of the conveying direction FR and the rearmost located grouping  3  in view of the conveying direction FR. 
     Also for the groupings  3 , which are located between the foremost located grouping  3  in view of the conveying direction FR and the rearmost located grouping  3  in view of the conveying direction FR, the application of packaging blanks  41  is carried out in pairs, so that two packaging blanks  41  are applied at least approximately simultaneously to two groupings  3  at a time. 
     Also in the embodiment according to  FIG. 3 , no guiding rail or guiding rails and/or retaining elements are provided within the area of the second module  20 , which guiding rails and/or retaining elements could come into contact with the lateral surface areas of beverage containers  2 . The movement of the beverage containers  2  in the area of the second module  20  takes place via the horizontal conveying device  5  without contact of lateral surface areas of the beverage containers  2  with any guiding rails and/or retaining elements. 
       FIGS. 4 to 6  each show a schematic view of an embodiment of an application head  26 , as it may be provided for various embodiments of the apparatus  1  according to the invention. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates that the application head  26  has a carrier  34 , which is designed as a carrier plate  35  and to which several manipulation elements  37  are suspended. If the application head  26  is moved by an industrial robot  30 , the carrier  34  or the carrier plate  35  remains in a horizontal orientation throughout. 
     For all beverage containers  2  of each multipack  4  to be produced, the application head  26  comprises its own manipulation element  37 , the design of which is shown in detail in  FIGS. 7 to 9  and which comes into surface contact with the packaging blank  41  when it is applied to the beverage container  2  under the application of force. Via the application head  26 , as shown in  FIGS. 4 to 6 , three packaging blanks  41  can be applied to beverage containers  2  at least approximately simultaneously, so that several beverage containers  2  can be combined into three Multipacks  4  via three packaging blanks  41  at least approximately simultaneously via the application head  26 . 
     The perspective view according to  FIG. 4  also shows that the application head  26  comprises several lateral partitions  43  and a rear wall  46 . The side partitions  43  and the back wall  46  are oriented perpendicular to each other. The side partitions  43  and the rear wall  46  are also suspended from the support  34  and the support plate  35 , respectively, from which support  34  and support plate  35  the handling elements  37  are also suspended. 
     The spacing between two adjacent lateral partitions  43  is selected in such a way that a respective packaging blank  41  can be arranged between two adjacent partitions  43  with a positive fit or with little play. The rear wall  46  defines a position for a packaging blank  41  arranged between adjacent partitions  43  in a further spatial direction. A packaging blank  41  can therefore be in contact with the rear panel  43  and with two adjacent side partitions  43  or only slightly spaced from the side partitions  43  or slightly spaced from the rear panel  46 . Since the lateral partitions  43  and the rear wall  46  prevent a relative movement of a picked-up packaging blank  41  relative to the manipulation elements  37  in several spatial directions, it can be ensured with a high degree of certainty that the manipulation elements  37  hit a predetermined position of the packaging blank  41  precisely when the packaging blank  41  is applied. 
     The side partitions  43  also have another function, which becomes clear from a summary of  FIGS. 1 and 4 . As mentioned before, in the area of the first module  10  groupings  3  are formed from beverage containers  2 , whereby these formed groupings  3  are moved at a distance from each other in the conveying direction FR via the horizontal conveyor  5  and in doing so enter the area of the second module  20 . In order to be able to apply packaging blanks  41  precisely onto the groupings  3  so that the beverage containers  2  meet the openings  42 , it is necessary that a relative spacing formed between successive groupings  3  corresponds very precisely to a specified nominal spacing. In the event that a beverage container  2  slips unintentionally during its movement over the horizontal conveyor  5 , it is possible that this beverage container  2  is too close to an advancing grouping  3  or too close to a lagging grouping  3 . In order to correct such an error or to then move the beverage containers  2  into a position where the beverage container  2  hits a particular opening  42  precisely when the packaging blank  41  is applied, the respective beverage container  2  is moved over the lateral partitions  43  as required. As  FIG. 4  shows, the lateral partitions  43  taper in the opposite direction to the carrier  34 . To apply the packaging blank  41 , the application head  26  is moved in the direction of the beverage containers  2  or in the direction of the respective groupings  3 , whereby the lateral partitions  43  are immersed in a free space formed between successive groupings  3 . If a beverage container  2  is located in this free space, which has slipped unintentionally or whose position does not correspond to a desired position, a lateral partition wall  43  pushes this beverage container  2  back into an intended desired position. In this way, the beverage containers  2  hit the openings  42  of the packaging blank  41  exactly on target, which additionally reduces the risk of a crack in the packaging blank  41  occurring during the pressing of the beverage containers  2  into the openings  42 . The shape of the side partitions  43  tapering in the opposite direction to the carrier  34  has also proved to be effective in preventing damage to the beverage containers  2  during contact with the side partitions  43  and in preventing the beverage containers  2  from tilting during pushing. 
     In order to be able to remove a packaging blank  41  from a magazine  48  or from dies  18  (cf.  FIG. 11 ), to be able to move the packaging blank  41  then removed in the direction of the groupings  3  and to be able to hold the respective packaging blank  41  moved in the direction of the groupings  3  firmly on the gripper head  26  until it is applied to a respective grouping  3 , the gripper head  26  comprises several suction instruments  39 . The suction instruments  39  can each be subjected to negative pressure or can fix flat packaging blanks  41  to the working tool  15  via negative pressure. For this purpose, the working tool  15  comprises several suction instruments  39  for each flat packaging blank  41  to be accepted, so that the respective flat packaging blank  41  can be held securely on the working tool  15  via the respective several suction instruments  39 . 
     In  FIG. 5  the suction instruments  39  are shown enlarged again.  FIG. 5  also shows a further enlargement of the support  34  and the support plate  35 , to which the manipulation elements  37 , the side partitions  43  and the rear wall  46  are suspended. 
     From the perspective view shown in  FIG. 6 , which shows the application head  26  from below, it can be seen that the lateral partitions  43  are oriented parallel to each other. On the right-hand side,  FIG. 6  shows a packaging blank  41 , which is held by the application head  26  between two side partitions  43 . For each beverage container  2 , the packaging blank  41  already forms a respective opening  42  into which the respective beverage container  2  can be inserted or pressed. To illustrate,  FIG. 6  already shows a beverage container  2  which has been pressed into an opening  42  of the packaging blank  41  via the application head  26  and is now fixed to the packaging blank  41 . 
     With the design shown in the figures of the present patent application, the packaging blank  41 , when applied to a respective grouping  3 , already forms an assigned opening  42  for each beverage container  2   2  of the respective grouping  3 . In further embodiments, however, it is also possible that an area in packaging blank  41  intended to form the openings  42  is pre-punched and that the openings  42  are only formed when packaging blank  41  is applied to the beverage containers  2 . The beverage containers  2  can be guided against the pre-punched area under the action of force, the pre-punched area being at least partially separated from the packaging blank  41  and openings  42  thereby being formed in the flat packaging blank  41 . Such designs of a packaging blank  41  can also be applied to several beverage containers  2  by the design of an application head  26  as shown in  FIGS. 4 to 6 . 
       FIG. 7  shows an example of a manipulation element  37 . The manipulation element  37  is part of the design type application head  26  according to  FIGS. 4 to 6 , but can be used in a general context independently of this design type or, if necessary, be part of other design types. The manipulation element  37  comprises a contact surface  38  which is brought into surface contact with the packaging blank  41  for pressing a beverage container  2  into an associated opening  42  under the application of force. The contact surface  38  has a curved shape. From an overview of  FIGS. 7 and 8 , it is clear that the contact surface  38  of the manipulation element  37  does not lie completely or only in areas against the packaging blank  41  immediately upon impact with the packaging blank  41 . If the manipulation element  37  is moved further in the direction of the beverage container  2  starting from its position according to  FIG. 8 , the contact surface  38  of the manipulation element  37  comes into contact with the packaging blank  41  at a certain point in time along the entire circumferential course of the respective opening  42  formed in the packaging blank  41  due to elastic deformation of the packaging blank  41  and then presses the beverage container  2  through the opening  42  until the beverage container  2  is firmly held on the packaging blank  41 . Due to the curved shape of the contact surface  38 , a force required to press a respective beverage container  2  into a respective opening  42  is applied to the packaging blank  41  with a time offset along the circumferential course of the opening  42 . Thus, when a beverage container  2  begins to be pressed into a respective opening  42 , the manipulation element  37  first comes into surface contact with the packaging blank  41  at several areas offset along the circumferential course of the respective opening  42 . It is only during the further pressing of the respective beverage container  2  into the respective opening  42  that an area with which the manipulation element  37  comes into contact with the packaging blank  41  via the contact surface  38  is increased in area, whereby the risk of unintentional tearing of the packaging blank  41  in the area of the respective opening  42  can be kept very low. Apart from the curved course of the contact surface  38 , there are further designs for forming the contact surface  38  of the manipulation element  37 , with which the force required to press a respective beverage container into a respective opening  42  can be applied to the packaging blank  41  along the circumferential course of the respective opening  42  with a time delay. For example, the contact surface  38  can be designed in a straight line and set at an angle to the packaging blank  41 . Other designs have also proved successful in which the manipulation elements  37 , which are designed as part of an application head  26 , are rotated for the staggered application of a force intended to press a particular beverage container  2  into a particular opening  42 . An axis of rotation can run along a longitudinal axis of the respective beverage container  2 . The shape of the contact surface  38  of the respective manipulation element  37  can still have a curved course or be set at an angle to the packaging blank  41 . 
     In  FIG. 9 , individual aspects of the illustration in  FIG. 8  are again shown in detail or enlarged. The curved or curvilinear course of the contact surface  38  of the manipulation element  37  can still be seen.  FIG. 7  also shows that the packaging blank  41  has several retaining tabs  49  in the area of a respective opening  42 . A respective beverage container  2  also forms an upper edge  51  or seam (see  FIG. 10 ), which runs around a closure of a respective beverage container  2  designed as a beverage can. 
     After a respective beverage container  2  has been pressed into a respective opening  42 , the retaining tabs  49  are each arranged below the respective upper edge  51  and fix the packaging blank  41  immovably in the axial direction to the respective beverage container  2 , which is designed as a beverage can. In order to keep the force required to press the beverage containers  2  into the openings  42  to a minimum, designs have proved effective in which the retaining tabs  49  are pre-bent before the beverage containers  2  are pressed into the openings  42  or, if necessary, converted to an upright orientation as shown in  FIG. 8 . For this purpose, apparatus  1  can comprise several dies  18  as described below. 
       FIG. 10  shows a schematic view of a multipack  4 , which can be produced from different embodiments of the apparatus  1  according to the invention and with different embodiments of the method  100  according to the invention. The multipack  4  according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4  comprises eight beverage containers  2 , each of which is designed as a beverage can, as well as a packaging blank  41 , by which packaging blank  41  the beverage containers  2  are held together. The packaging blank  41  can, for example, be made of plastic material or cellulose-containing materials. 
       FIG. 10  shows that the packaging blank  41  is designed with a respective opening  42  for each beverage container  2 , through which opening  42  the respective beverage container  2  passes with an upper section. In order to apply the packaging blank  41  to the beverage containers  2 , the packaging blank  41  is pressed onto the beverage containers  2  with a defined force in the direction from above; thereby the beverage containers  2  pass through the openings  42  with their upper section.  FIG. 4  furthermore illustrates, that the beverage containers  2  must be aligned with respect to one another, so that the upper part of the beverage containers  2  can pass through the respectively assigned openings  42  of the packaging blank  41  when the packaging blank  41  is applied. 
     The alignment of the beverage containers  2  with respect to one another is such that the beverage containers  2  along their respective longitudinal direction are in alignment with the respective assigned opening  42  of the packaging blank  41 . After having applied the packaging blank  41  to the beverage containers  2  according to  FIG. 4 , the beverage containers  2  are held together by the packaging blank  4  in a form-fitting and force-fitting manner. It is conceivable, that the beverage containers  2  of the multipack  4  are held together via further connection elements, which are not shown in  FIG. 4 . In particular, an adhesive joint may be formed between lateral surface areas of immediately adjoining beverage containers  2 . 
       FIG. 11  shows a schematic perspective view of a further embodiment of the apparatus  1  according to the invention and illustrates individual steps as they may be provided for in various embodiments of the procedure  100  according to the invention (see  FIG. 14 ). The apparatus  1  comprises a staging  72  which transports beverage containers  2  in several parallel rows. For transport in several parallel rows, the feeder  72  has several guide rails  21 , whereby a single-row beverage container flow is moved between directly adjacent guide rails  21 . 
     The design according to  FIG. 11  also includes a horizontal conveyor  5 , which moves beverage containers  2  set down on it in conveying direction FR. The conveying direction FR and the direction of movement, by which the staging unit transports  72  beverage containers  2  in several parallel rows, are oriented parallel to each other. 
     Furthermore, the apparatus  1  comprises a handling device  15  with several gripper heads  17 , by which the handling device  15  can receive beverage containers  2  which have been moved up to that point in several parallel rows via the staging  72  and deposit them on the horizontal conveyor  5  as a grouping  3 . The apparatus  1  according to  FIG. 11  also provides that the beverage containers  2  of a respective grouping  3  have an alignment to one another that is provided for the application of the respective packaging blank  41  or is suitable for this purpose immediately when they are set down on the horizontal conveyor  5 . 
     Furthermore, apparatus  1  includes a magazine  48 , which picks up the packaging blanks  41  not yet applied to grouping  3 . For this purpose the magazine  48  comprises several tines  19 , whereby a respective tine  19  grips through a respective opening  42  of a respective packaging blank  41  picked up in the magazine  48 . The packaging blanks  41  are thus held in magazine  48  by the tines  19 . 
     In practice, it may be that the gripper heads  26  have to apply a relatively high force to apply a respective packaging blank  41  to a respective grouping  3 . Taking Multipack  4  from  FIG. 10  into account, it can be seen here that an upper edge  51  of a respective beverage container  2  designed as a beverage can must be inserted through a respective opening  42  if a respective packaging blank  41  is to be applied to a respective grouping  3 . Since the packaging blank  41  must be elastically deformed in this process, it is possible that individual or several of the beverage containers  2  will inadvertently tip over when the packaging blank  41  is applied to a respective grouping  3 . In order to reduce the resistance of the packaging blanks  41  in the area of the openings  42 , the packaging blanks  41  are first placed on dies  18  in the apparatus according to  FIG. 11 , with a respective die  18  dipping into a respective opening  42  of a respective packaging blank  41 . It is possible for the gripper heads  26  to remove a respective packaging blank  41  from the magazine  48 , followed in time by the dies  18  plunging into the openings  42  of the respective packaging blank  41  and then using the dies  18  to elastically deform or stretch a respective edge region of a respective opening  42 , so that the resistance force to be overcome to apply the packaging blank  41  to a respective grouping  3  is reduced. In the case of design form  1  according to  FIG. 11 , however, it is intended that a transfer tool  90 , shown in detail in  FIG. 12 , takes a respective packaging blank  41  from the magazine  48  and then places it on the dies  18  so that a respective die  18  is immersed in a respective opening  42  of a respective packaging blank  41 . The transfer tool  90  then leaves a close range of the dies  18  and is moved back towards the magazine  48 . Superimposed on the movement of the transfer tool  90  in the direction of the magazine  48 , the gripper heads  26  are moved in the direction of the packaging blanks  41  placed on the dies  18  and then come into contact with the packaging blanks  41  that are still resting on the dies  18 . The packaging blanks  41  are then pressed down onto the matrices  18  via the application heads  26  in the direction of the matrices  18 , whereby the edges of the openings  42  are stretched. Subsequently, the application heads  26  remove the packaging blanks  41  from the dies  18 , move the packaging blanks  41  removed from the dies  18  in the direction of the groupings  3  arranged on the horizontal conveyor  5  and then apply the packaging blanks  41  to the groupings  3 . Since the edge areas of the openings  42  were previously stretched by the dies  18 , a resistance force which must be overcome in order to apply the packaging blanks  41  to groupings  3  is reduced in comparison with designs without a previous such stretching of the edge areas. 
     As already mentioned above, the packaging blanks  41  are placed on the dies  18  by a transfer tool  90 , whereby a respective die  18  dips into a respective opening  42  of a respective packaging blank  41 . The number of dies  18  must therefore be at least equal to the number of openings  42  formed by the packaging blanks  41 . In order to enable the dies  18  to dip into the openings  42 , the arrangement or position of the dies  18  must also be matched to the respective arrangement or position of the openings  42  which form the packaging blanks  41 . In order to produce different Multipacks  4 , it is possible that packaging blanks  41  may be required for this purpose, which differ with regard to the respective number of openings  42  and/or their respective position or arrangement in packaging blank  41 . It may therefore be necessary to exchange the dies  18  if different multipacks  4  are to be produced in consecutive packaging processes using apparatus  1 . 
     In order to be able to exchange dies  18  quickly and easily, several dies  18  are combined to form a respective format part in the design shown in  FIG. 11 . If packaging blanks  41  are changed on the apparatus  1 , which differ in terms of the number and/or arrangement of the openings  42 , format parts are exchanged, which format parts each comprise several dies  18 . The exchange of format parts comprising several matrices  18  can be carried out by a user or an industrial robot, for example. There are also designs in which format parts comprising several dies  18  can be exchanged by a driverless transport system if necessary. 
       FIGS. 12 and 13  show individual details of the design of a apparatus  1  according to  FIG. 11 .  FIG. 12  shows the previously mentioned transfer tool  90 , which can take packaging blanks  41  from a magazine  48  and place them on the dies  48 . For each packaging blank  41 , the transfer tool  90  has four assigned supporting tappets  92 , which are each spring-mounted and can pneumatically grip a respective packaging blank  41 . 
       FIG. 13  shows in particular once again the gripper heads  17  already shown in  FIG. 11 , which pick up beverage containers  2  from a supply unit  72  (cf.  FIG. 11 ) and place them as grouping  3  on the horizontal conveyor  5 . The beverage containers  2  of each grouping  3  are already aligned with each other immediately when they are set down on the horizontal conveyor  5  so that the respective packaging blank  41  can be applied. 
       FIG. 14  shows, in a flowchart, individual steps, which steps may be provided for in various embodiments of the method  100  according to the invention. The method  100  according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 14  can be implemented by an apparatus  1  according to a previously described embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3  or in  FIG. 11 . 
     In the context of a first step of the method  100 , which is referred to by reference number  110 , several groupings  3 , each comprising several beverage containers  2 , are deposited or placed on a horizontal conveying device  5  by a handling apparatus  15 , which handling apparatus  15  is coming from above. Deposition or placement takes place by the handling apparatus  15  in such a way, that the several beverage containers  2  of a respective grouping  3  are aligned with respect to one another for the application of a respective packaging blank  41  immediately upon placement on the horizontal conveying device  5 . 
     Method step  110  is temporally followed by method step  120 , in which the groupings  3  with the beverage containers  2 , which are arranged in an alignment with respect to one another, are moved via a horizontal conveying device  5  in the direction of a working device  25 . During the movement of the groupings  3  with beverage containers  2 , which beverage containers  2  are already arranged in an alignment with respect to one another, in the direction of the working device  25 , the beverage containers  2  of the groupings  3  are at no time in contact with any guiding elements extending along a conveying direction FR of the horizontal conveying device  5  or retaining elements, which guiding elements or retaining elements are designed for contacting lateral surface areas of beverage containers  2 . During the movement of the groupings  3  over the horizontal conveying device  5  directly adjacent beverage containers  2 , which are arranged in an alignment with respect to one another for the application of the packaging blank  4 , may be in surface contact with one another via their lateral surface areas. In addition to this surface contact, the beverage containers  2  of each grouping  3 , which beverage containers  2  are arranged in an alignment with respect to one another, only have one further contact with the horizontal conveying device  5 . Therefore, for the implementation of the method  100  no guiding elements are required to be arranged along a conveying direction FR (see  FIGS. 1 to 3 ) of the horizontal conveying device  5 . Also no retaining elements moving along with the groupings, as known from generic prior art apparatuses, are necessary or provided in apparatus  1  according to the invention. 
     Temporally, after a respective grouping  3  with its beverage containers  2  has entered the working area of the working device  25  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), whereby the beverage containers  2  of the grouping are still arranged in alignment with respect to one another up to that point, method step  130  is carried out. In the method step  130 , a respective packaging blank  41  is applied to a respective grouping  3  in such a way, that the respective beverage containers  2  of the respective grouping  3  are held together form-fittingly and force-fittingly by the respective packaging blank  41 . The application of packaging blanks  41  to groupings  3  can be carried out according to the previous description regarding  FIG. 2  or  FIG. 3 . During the entire movement of the groupings  3  into the working area of the working device  25  and during the application of the packaging blanks  41  onto the groupings  3 , the beverage containers  2  of a respective grouping  3 , which beverage containers  2  are arranged in alignment with respect to one another, are at no time in contact with (any) guiding rails extending along the conveying direction FR. Also, the beverage containers  2  of a respective grouping  3 , which beverage containers  2  are arranged in alignment with respect to one another, do not at any time during the entire movement into the working area of the working device  25  and during the application of packaging blanks  41  contact any retaining elements with their lateral surface areas. 
     The invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments. To the expert it is also conceivable, however, to make changes and modifications without leaving the scope of protection of the appended claims. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 
     
         
         
           
               1  apparatus 
               2  beverage container 
               3  grouping 
               4  multipack 
               5  horizontal conveying device 
               10  first module 
               15  handling device 
               17  gripping head 
               19  tine 
               20  second module 
               25  working device 
               26  application head 
               34  carrier 
               35  carrier plate 
               37  manipulation element 
               38  contact surface 
               39  suction instrument 
               41  packaging blank 
               42  Opening 
               43  Side partition 
               46  Rear wall 
               48  Magazine 
               49  Retaining tab 
               51  Upper edge 
               72  Supply unit 
               90  Transfer tool 
               92  Supporting tappet 
               100  method 
               110  first method step 
               120  second method step 
               130  third method step 
             FR conveying direction 
             S control and/or regulating device