Device and method for attaching carrying handles to packaging means or groups of packaging means

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11753199-B2
Application number	US-201917286613-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2019
Priority date	Nov 7, 2018
Publication date	Sep 12, 2023
Grant date	Sep 12, 2023

Abstract

An applicator for attaching a handle comprises three arms, each of which extends radially from the horizontal axis along an arm axis. Each of the arms comprises a cutter, a holder, and a displacer. The holder comprises a pneumatic interface for using negative pressure to hold or guide an endless band as well as the carrying handle that results therefrom. The displacer displaces the pneumatic interface along a direction defined by the arm axis.

First claim

Having described the invention and a preferred embodiment thereof, what is claimed as new and secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for attaching a handle to a bundle that is being conveyed in a transport direction by a transporter, said handle being a self-adhesive carrying handle, wherein said apparatus comprises an applicator that is driven by a motor to rotate about a horizontal axis that is transverse to said transport direction, wherein said applicator is a carrying-handle applicator configured to convey an endless band over a package and to detach said endless band to form a carrying handle having an adhesive section on a free end thereof, wherein said band has sections of adhesive layer, wherein said applicator comprises three arms, wherein each of said arms extends radially from said horizontal axis along an arm axis, each pair of arms being separated by a corresponding bend, wherein each of said arms comprises a cutter, a holder, and a displacer, wherein said holder comprises a pneumatic interface for using negative pressure to hold or guide said endless band as well as said carrying handle that results therefrom, and wherein said displacer is configured to displace said pneumatic interface along a direction defined by said arm axis.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said displacer is configured to displace said pneumatic interface along an adjustment path that extends between first and second distances from said horizontal axis.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of said holders is configured to be displaced by said displacer along said arm's axis.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said arm comprises proximal and distal arm sections, wherein said holder is disposed at said distal arm section, and wherein said displacer causes relative movement between said proximal and distal arm sections.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said displacer causes said arm to transition between extended and retracted positions, wherein said transition includes changing a length of said arm.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said displacer is configured to cause a length of said arm to change continuously between a first length and a second length, whereby said arm is able to assume any intermediate length therebetween.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said displacer comprises a right-angle gear and a worm gear, wherein said work gear converts rotational motion of said right-angle gear into translational movement of a distal section of said arm relative to a proximal section of said arm.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustable stop, wherein said stop has a perpendicular extension that extends radially way from said horizontal axis, wherein said stop is disposed at a proximal end of said arm.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a stop disposed at one of a proximal end of said arm and a bend section disposed between adjacent arms, said stop comprising a pneumatic coupler configured to apply a negative pressure to hold said handle.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a stop disposed at one of a proximal end of said arm and a bend section disposed between adjacent arms, said stop comprising a pneumatic coupler, said apparatus further comprising a pressure distributor configured to apply either a negative pressure and a positive pressure to said pneumatic coupler based on a rotational position of said applicator.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a mover and a stop disposed at one of a proximal end of said arm and a bend section disposed between adjacent arms, said stop comprising a pneumatic coupler, wherein said mover is configured to displace said pneumatic coupler perpendicular to said horizontal axis and parallel to said arm axis.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a stop disposed at one of a proximal end of said arm and a bend section disposed between adjacent arms, said stop comprising a pneumatic coupler that is separated from said horizontal axis by a distance, wherein said distance is adjustable.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustable stop, wherein said stop has a perpendicular extension that extends radially way from a bend section between two arms, wherein said stop is disposed at a said bend section.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a replaceable stop disposed at one of a proximal end of said arm and a bend section disposed between adjacent arms.

15. A method for comprising using an apparatus to attach a handle, said apparatus comprising an applicator that is driven by a motor to rotate about a horizontal axis-of-rotation that is transverse to said transport direction, wherein said applicator is a carrying-handle applicator configured to convey an endless band, which has sections of adhesive layer, over a package and to detach said endless band to form a carrying handle having an adhesive section on a free end thereof, wherein said applicator comprises three arms, each of which extends radially from said axis-of-rotation along a arm axis, each pair of arms being separated by a corresponding bend section, wherein each of said arm comprises a displacer, a holder, and a cutter, wherein said holder is configured to hold and/or press, wherein said holder comprises a pneumatic interface, wherein said holder uses negative pressure to holds and/or guide said endless band as well as said carrying handle that results therefrom, wherein said displacer is configured to displace said pneumatic interface along a direction defined by said arm's arm axis, said method comprising conveying said endless band over said package, cutting said band to form said carrying handle, which has an adhesive section on a free end thereof, and pressing said handle onto said package.

Assignees

• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• Nitsch Thomas
• Van Heukelum Stefan
• Wagner Stefan

Classifications

• B65B61/14 Primary

  for incorporating, or forming and incorporating, handles or suspension means in packages (attaching, or forming and attaching, string handles or tags to tea-bags B65B29/04) · CPC title

• B65H35/0013

  and applying the article or the web by adhesive to a surface (B65H35/002 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65B59/001

  Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the product to be packaged · CPC title

• B65H2801/81

  Packaging machines · CPC title