Patent Publication Number: US-2022219885-A1

Title: Package for packing consumables, and method for supplying consumables

Description:
The invention relates to a package for packing consumables for use in a machining device, in particular a wood working device, for machining plate-shaped workpieces, as well as a method for supplying consumables. 
     Known from EP 1 860 596 A1 is a cassette for a coating device, which receives an edge coating material for coating the narrow sides of plate-shaped workpieces. Such a standardized cassette enables easy handling of the edge coating material by providing automated insertion of the cassette into the machining device. Due to the advancing complexity of the machining devices and the increasing variety of products, it is necessary to supply the machining device with a variety of different consumables and wear materials in order to machine and process the different workpieces. The required consumables and wear materials have a wide variety of properties, and therefore the use of a standardized cassette is often not practicable or even too expensive for many consumables or wear materials. 
     The object of the present invention is to propose a package for packing consumables for use in a machining device, which allows packing of various consumables as well as easy handling, and a method for supplying consumables. 
     According to the invention, this object is solved by a package according to the features of claim  1  as well as a method for supplying consumables according to the features of claim  13 . Particularly preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims. 
     The package according to the invention for packing consumables for use in a machining device, in particular a wood working device, for machining plate-shaped workpieces comprises a base body formed from at least one packaging material to be used once or repeatedly, wherein the base body at least partially delimits a receiving area for receiving and dispensing the consumables, and the receiving area is at least partially surrounded by the packaging material, and having a dispensing device allowing access to the consumables which can be received in the receiving area, and having at least one identification device for identifying properties of the packaged consumables, wherein the base body is configured to be supplied to the machining device together with the consumables. 
     Packages for packing consumables or wear materials are usually disposed of as soon as the material has been removed from the package and is supplied to the machining device. Information relating to the properties of the material is usually provided on the package, with the result that this information is lost upon disposal. However, this information can relate to important process parameters such as the quantity of the packaged material, chemical or physical properties, or comparable parameters that may be necessary for subsequent processes or further use of the materials. 
     With the package according to the invention, it is provided that said package, together with the consumables, is supplied to the machining device. The package remains in or on the machining device during the machining or processing process such that the at least one identification device provided on the package for detecting properties of the consumables is not lost due to disposal of the package. In this way, the information relating to the properties of the consumables can be permanently available via the identification device during the entire machining or processing process. The package can also provide protection until the consumables are used up completely, wherein the packaged consumables can either be removed from the package as required and supplied to the machining device, or the packaged consumables are removed from the package and supplied to the machining device before the machining or processing process. Where necessary, the consumables can also be repacked in the package after the machining or processing process. This package allows achieving significant advantages, in particular with regard to logistics processes and/or organization of stock-keeping since information regarding the packaged consumables can be quickly and easily recorded by the identification device and, for example, residual materials can also be removed from the processing device after completion of the machining or processing process and can be packaged and stored again with the corresponding package without any loss of information. 
     The type of consumables can be varied in many ways within the scope of the invention. For example, in addition to various coating materials, it can also be bulk material such as granules, individual parts such as fittings or dowels but can also be wearing tools etc. In a preferred further embodiment of the package, it can be provided that the identification device is configured as at least one perforation, preferably as a viewing window, in the base body, wherein the at least one perforation enables optical identification of the properties of the packaged consumables. Such a perforation can allow a user to make a quick and easy visual identification of the packaged consumables without having to use additional technical means. For example, it is possible to visually detect whether consumables are packed in a package, which consumables or which quantity of consumables is packed in the package, if applicable, or even which properties the packaged consumables have. Owing to this, a significant saving of time and effort can be achieved, especially when, for example, specific consumables need to be quickly visually identified among a large number of packaged consumables in a warehouse. 
     In a further embodiment of the package, it can be provided that the identification device is provided as a graphical representation on an outer side of the base body, in particular as a barcode, QR code, symbol, pictogram, image, numbers and/or words printed on the outer side of the base body on the packaging material. Due to their properties or as a protection, it may be necessary with many consumables to configure the package to be completely closed. By providing the identification device as a graphical representation on the outer side of the package, it is nevertheless made possible for a user to be able to make a quick and easy identification of the packaged consumables. If the graphical representation is in the form of a barcode or QR code, a variety of information regarding the properties of the packaged consumables can be stored by the barcode or QR code. These properties can also be, for example, detailed chemical or physical parameters that are taken into account in the machining or processing process in the machining device. This information can be retrieved by the user either through technical means such as a reader; the barcode or QR code also allows the stored information to be readout by a corresponding device on the machining device. This can provide, in particular, automated handling of the package in the machining device. 
     In a preferred further development, it can be provided that the identification device is configured as a wirelessly writable and readable information storage unit, in particular as an RFID device, and the identification device is arranged on or in the base body. Owing to such an information storage unit, not only the storage of a large amount of information can be made possible but also a very convenient readout of this information. The RFID device allows the information to be readout even over greater distances. This can also enable automated reading out of the information. By providing the information storage unit in writable form, further information can also be stored thereon by the user or also by a corresponding device of the machining device. These can be process parameters that result from or during the machining or processing process, for example a remaining quantity of the consumables. 
     An advantageous embodiment of the package provides that a coupling device is provided on the base body or is formed by the base body, wherein the coupling device is provided for engaging at least one coupling element of the machining device such that automated handling of the package in the machining device is made possible. Owing to such a coupling device, it can be provided to supply the package together with the consumables to the machining device, in particular to supply it automatically. By means of the coupling device on the package as well as by a corresponding device of the machining device, automated or mechanical removal, supply and/or processing of the consumables in the machining device can be made possible. This also makes it possible to provide a subsequent return of the consumables to the package after the machining or processing process. 
     In a further embodiment of the package, the coupling device may be configured as a strap, recess, eyelet, or hook on or in the base body. In this manner, a simple and cost-effective structural configuration of the coupling device can be formed. Such a coupling device can also be provided on packages that are configured in various different manners, and therefore automated handling of differently configured packages in the machining device can also be achieved due to the uniform configuration of the coupling device. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the package, the base body may be formed from at least one rigid packaging material which forms a stiff molded body. By using a rigid packaging material, good protection of even sensitive consumables can be achieved by the package. In addition, as a result of the stiff configuration of the base body, simplified automated handling of the package in the machining device is made possible. 
     In an alternative embodiment of the package, the base body may be formed from a flexible packaging material and may adapt, at least in some areas, to the shape of the consumables to be packaged. By providing a flexible packaging material, a low-cost base body can be formed for packing the consumables. In addition, such a basic body can be easily adapted to any geometries of different consumables in order to package them. 
     Preferably, the packaging material can be formed from paper, cardboard, a synthetic material and/or composite material. These packaging materials can be used to form both stiff and flexible basic bodies, wherein the various packaging materials can also be freely combined with one another. Moreover, these packaging materials allow both single and multiple use of the package and can be easily disposed of or recycled. These packaging materials can also be used to form a low-cost package. 
     An advantageous further development of the package provides that the dispensing device is configured as an opening, a slider or a flap on or in the base body, and that dispensing and/or dosing of the consumables is provided by the dispensing device. This dispensing device allows the consumables to be dispensed or removed at a defined point on the package. By providing the position of the dispensing device on the package corresponding to a suitable withdrawal device of the machining device, automated handling of the package in the machining device can be made possible. In particular with a slider or flap, reclosing of the dispensing device can also be made possible, as a result of which the package can be stored together with a residual quantity of the consumables after the machining or processing process. 
     Advantageously, the packaging material, in particular in the area of the dispensing device, can have at least in some areas a tear facilitation device for opening the packaging material. Such a tear facilitation device can be formed, for example, by a perforation or a tear strip incorporated into the packaging material such that an easier and a defined opening of the package is possible. In particular, it can be achieved by means of the tear facilitation device that the package is only opened in the area where dispensing of the consumables should take place. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, the packaging material may include means for indicating a fill level of the consumables provided in the package. This results in even more efficient and reliable handling and supply of the respective consumables. 
     The above advantages are particularly pronounced when use is made of the method for supplying consumables to a machining device, in particular a woodworking device for machining plate-shaped workpieces, according to patent claim  13 . It should be noted that the respective package with consumables may also be supplied to and removed from a machine several times. In this case, the identification device according to the invention enables efficient and reliable intermediate storage of the package in a storage system. 
    
    
     
       The invention as well as further advantageous embodiments and further developments thereof will be described and explained in more detail below on the basis of the examples shown in the drawings. The features that are apparent from the description and the drawings can be applied individually or jointly in any combination in accordance with the invention. The drawings show the following: 
         FIG. 1  a schematic sectional view of a first embodiment of a package, 
         FIG. 2  a detailed view of an alternative embodiment of the package according to  FIG. 1  and 
         FIG. 3  a perspective view of a second embodiment of the package. 
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  shows an exemplary first embodiment of a package  10  according to the invention in a sectional view. This package  10  is intended for packing consumables  13  or a wear material. The consumables  13  are intended for use in a machining device not shown in more detail, in particular a wood working device for machining plate-shaped workpieces. In  FIG. 1 , the consumables  13  are shown, by way of example, in the form of band-shaped consumables  13  wound up in roll form. These band-shaped consumables  13  are, in particular, an edge material for coating narrow sides of plate-shaped workpieces. However, a variety of different consumables  13  and/or wear materials are used in the machining of workpieces in the machining device, and therefore the illustrated package  10  for the band-shaped consumables  13  is only to be regarded as an exemplary embodiment of a package  10  according to the invention. The package  10  may likewise be configured to pack any other type of consumables  13  that are supplied to the machining device for machining or processing the workpieces. These can also be consumables  13  which, for example, are to be packed in piece form, bulk form or also in liquid form. In addition, the package  13  can also be refilled as needed, for example, when a certain amount of consumables has been used up or when different consumables should be provided in the package. 
     The package  10  comprises a base body  11 . This base body  11  forms a solid with a rectangular basic shape. This embodiment of the base body  11  also represents only an exemplary geometric configuration of the package  10 . The base body  11  can also be configured as any other type of solid which in particular can be adapted to the shape of the consumables  13  to be packaged, for example as a cube-shaped, cylindrical, spherical, conical, or similar solid body. 
     The base body  11  forms a receiving area  12  for the consumables  13  to be packaged. This receiving area  12  is delimited by a bottom  14 , side walls  16 , and a cover  15  opposite the base  14 . The cover is not shown in this sectional view. Thus, a closed receiving area  12  is formed in which the consumables  13  are received. The side walls  16  form a substantially annular boundary of the receiving area  12 . This allows the wound band-shaped consumables  13  to be arranged in the receiving area  12 . 
     A dispensing device  20  is provided on the base body  11 . This dispensing device  20  provides access to the packaged consumables  13 . In the package  10  according to  FIG. 1 , the dispensing device  20  is formed as an opening  25  in the base body  11 , in particular as a slit-shaped opening  25 , in one of the side walls  16  of the base body  11 . The consumables  13  can be guided out of the receiving area  12  through this opening  25  in order to be supplied to the machining device. Depending on the packaged consumables, the dispensing device  20  may also be configured differently, such as a flap or a slider. To access the consumables  13 , such a dispensing device  20  can be folded open, pushed open or even torn open. A dispensing device  20  configured as a flap or slider can in particular be provided for consumables  13  that are packaged in piece form, bulk form or liquid form. The dispensing device  20  may also allow dosing of the consumables  13 . In an initial position, the dispensing device  20  is closed off from the receiving area  12  such that the consumables  13  are securely received in the receiving area  12 . The dispensing device  20  may be associated with a tear facilitation device, by which a simplified opening of the dispensing device  20  by the user or also by the machining device is made possible. This tear facilitation device can in particular be formed by a tear strip incorporated into the packaging material or by a perforation. 
     The package  10  shown in  FIG. 1  is formed by a rigid base body  12 . The stiffness of this base body  12  is achieved by the shape of the base body  12  and/or the use of at least one rigid packaging material. The base body  11  is preferably made from paper or cardboard. The packaging material can also be a synthetic material or a composite material. A combination of these packaging materials may also be provided to form the base body  11 . By combining different packaging materials, for example, a particularly stiff and resilient base body  11  can be formed, which provides special protection for the consumables  13  to be packaged. 
     A coupling device  19  is formed on the base body  11 . This coupling device  19  can either be attached to the base body  11 , for example glued on, or can be integrally formed with the base body  11 . This coupling device  19  allows automatic or machine insertion, handling and/or processing of the package  10  in the machining device. For this purpose, the machining device can have coupling elements corresponding to the coupling device  19 , which can engage with the coupling device  19 . The coupling device  19  according to  FIG. 1  is configured as a strap  21  comprising two recesses  22 . The coupling elements of the machining device can engage or engage with this strap  21  or the recesses  22  in order to be able to automatically or mechanically handle the package  10  in the machining device. The coupling device  19  is arranged on a lateral region  23  of the base body  11 . The coupling device  19  can also be provided at a different position on the base body  11 . The strap  21  only represents an exemplary embodiment of the coupling device  19  and can be configured in a wide variety of ways. 
     To allow easy identification of the consumables  13  packaged by the package  10  both for the user but also by the machining device, the package  10  comprises an identification device  18  for identifying properties of the packaged consumables  13 . This identification device  18  may be configured in various different manners, and the various identification devices  18  may be provided individually or in combination with each other on the package  10 . 
     According to  FIG. 1 , two different identification devices  18  are provided on the package  10 . One of the identification devices  18  is configured as a graphical representation  27  through which information regarding properties of the packaged consumables  13  can be visually identified. Such a graphical representation  27  can, for example, be an illustration, symbol, pictogram, or even numbers or words. The graphical representation  27  is printed on the outer side  17  of the package  10 . This graphical representation  27  can also be a barcode or QR code. This barcode or QR code can also store further information about the packaged consumables  13 , which can be readout by a user with a corresponding reader or by a corresponding device of the machining device. This information can [inform] the user, for example, about the type, nature, quantity of the packaged consumables  13 , chemical and/or physical properties, and comparable parameters of the consumables  13  that are important for the machining or processing process. 
     A second identification device  18  is configured as a wirelessly writable and readable information storage unit  28 , in particular an RFID device. This can be attached to the outer side  17  of the package  10  or can be incorporated into the package  10  or into the packaging material. The previously described information can also be stored in this information storage unit  28 . Moreover, the writable information storage unit  28  allows process parameters to be stored in the information storage unit  28  during or after the machining or processing process. Such a process parameter can, for example, relate to information resulting from the machining or processing process, for example a remaining amount of the consumable  13  in the package  10 . 
     The identification device  18  is not restricted to information regarding the packaged consumables  13  being stored directly in the information storage unit or barcode or QR code. It can also be provided that the identification device  18  is connected to an external storage unit not shown in detail, wherein the information about the packaged consumables  13  is stored on the external storage unit. This external storage unit can also be a cloud-based storage unit. By means of such a storage unit, a lot of different information regarding the packaged consumables  13 , in particular also of a plurality of different consumables  13 , can be centrally stored and can also be retrieved by various users or machining device. 
       FIG. 2  shows an alternative further development of the package  10  according to  FIG. 1 . This package  10  differs from the package  10  shown in  FIG. 1  in that a viewing window  26  is formed in a side region  23  of the base body  11 . The viewing window  26  can be closed by a transparent cover such as a clear plastic film. It can also be provided that the viewing window  26  is designed to be open such that access to the consumables  13  is also made possible. This viewing window  26  is provided to allow quick and easy visual identification of the packaged consumables  13  by the user. The viewing window  26  can also be formed at any other position on the base body  11 , for example in the cover  15 , base  14  and/or side walls  16 . 
       FIG. 3  shows an alternative embodiment of the package  10 . This embodiment of the package  10  is also illustrated as an example by means of the packing of the band-shaped consumables  13 ; however, just like the package  10  according to  FIG. 1 , it can also be configured for packing other types of consumables  13  and wear material. This package  10  comprises a base body  11  having a plurality of perforations  24 . The perforations  24  are provided in the corner areas of the base body  11 . The perforations  24  can also be only formed in one, two or three corner areas of the base body  11 , or the corner areas of the base body  11  can also be formed closed, and one or more perforations  24  can be formed in the bottom  14 , cover  15  and/or side walls  16  of the base body  11 . The perforations  24  are in particular provided to allow quick and easy identification of the content, i.e. the packed consumables  13 , by the user. The perforations  24  can also be used to access the consumables  13  in order to guide the consumables  13  out of the package  10  of the machining device. By allowing access to the consumables  13  received in the receiving area  12 , the perforations  24  serve as a dispensing device  20 . 
     The base body  11  of this package  10  may be formed from a packaging material having flexible material properties. This can be, for example, paper, cardboard or a synthetic material. This allows the base body  11  of the package  10  to adapt to the shape of the packaged consumables  13 , with the result that a secure hold of the packaged consumables  13  in the receiving area  12  of the base body  11  is achieved. Also in this package  10 , the coupling device  19  is provided on one of the side areas  23  of the base body  11 , and therefore automatic or mechanical insertion, handling and/or processing of the package  10  in the machining device is made possible. One or more identification devices  18  are also provided on the base body  11 , as these are also described in relation to the package  10  in  FIG. 1 . 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 
     
         
         
           
               10 . package 
               11 . base body 
               12 . receiving area 
               13 . consumables 
               14 . bottom 
               15 . cover 
               16 . side wall 
               17 . outer side 
               18 . identification device 
               19 . coupling device 
               20 . dispensing device 
               21 . strap 
               22 . recess 
               23 . side area 
               24 . perforation 
               25 . opening 
               26 . viewing window 
               27 . graphical representation 
               28 . information storage unit