Apparatus for forming packaging units

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9561876-B2
Application number	US-201214361836-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2012
Priority date	Dec 2, 2011
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

A handling apparatus includes a container input, a furnishing carousel, a furnishing module, an application element, and a grouping device. The furnishing carousel rotates about a central axis and has the furnishing module and application element nearby. The furnishing module applies a furnishing feature to a surface of a container, and the application element applies adhesive to the container on a surface outside that surface of a container that is provided with a furnishing feature. The grouping device, which is either a compartmenting or compacting device, is immediately after the furnishing carousel and/or an outlet apparatus. The grouping device groups, compacts, or temporary presses together containers. The container input is either a single-track container feed, a multi-track container feed, a single-track container stream, or a multi-track container stream.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for handling containers and/or for producing bundles from labeled and/or decorated containers said apparatus comprising a handling apparatus, said handling apparatus comprising a container input, a furnishing carousel, a furnishing module, an application element, and a grouping device, wherein said furnishing carousel rotates about a central axis, wherein said furnishing module is in a region of said furnishing carousel, wherein said application element is in said region of said furnishing carousel, wherein said furnishing module applies a furnishing feature to a surface of a container, wherein said application element applies adhesive to said container on a surface outside that surface of a container that is provided with a furnishing feature by said furnishing module, and wherein said grouping device is selected from the group consisting of a compartmenting unit and a compacting section, wherein said grouping device is provided immediately after said furnishing carousel and/or an outlet apparatus, wherein said grouping device causes grouping, compacting, and temporary pressing together of a predetermined number of containers, and wherein said container input is selected from the group consisting of a single-track container feed, a multi-track container feed, a single-track container stream, and a multi-track container stream, whereby said containers are combined to form a bundle and transported onward.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said handling apparatus further comprises a dispenser head for furnishing features of said furnishing module, wherein said application element is offset in a vertical direction relative to said dispenser head.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said furnishing carousel comprises a labeling carousel, wherein said furnishing module is a labeling module, and wherein said furnishing feature includes a label.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said furnishing carousel comprises a printing carousel, wherein said printing carousel comprises circulating print stations and print heads, wherein said furnishing module is said one or a plurality of print stations, and wherein said furnishing feature comprises at least one of a print image and a décor image.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each circulating print station comprises a plurality of print heads for application of different inks and/or fluids.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said outlet apparatus is disposed downstream of said furnishing carousel, and wherein said outlet apparatus comprises holding elements for anti-rotational discharge of said containers.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said outlet apparatus comprises a star-shaped outlet apparatus, wherein said holding elements comprise suction elements to prevent rotation, wherein said holding elements are disposed on a periphery of said star-shaped outlet apparatus, and wherein said suction elements are connected to a vacuum pump.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said holding elements comprise holding-and-centering tulips that prevent rotation, wherein said tulips are disposed on a head transport arranged above said containers, and wherein said tulips can be driven by said head transport.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , said furnishing carousel comprises a plurality of guides for containers.

10. The apparatus claim 9 , wherein said guides comprise a bottom guide and a top guide, wherein said bottom guide comprises a turntable, and wherein said top guide comprise a packing-and-centering tulip.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said grouping device comprises a linear transporter that is arranged downstream of said outlet apparatus, wherein said containers can be combined on said linear transporter to form bundles and to be transported onward.

12. The apparatus claim 1 , wherein said handling apparatus comprises plural application elements, wherein said application elements are disposed one after another in a direction of rotation of said furnishing carousel.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said handling apparatus further comprises plural application elements, and wherein at least two of said application elements are arranged one above the other.

14. A method of using an apparatus for handling containers and/or for producing bundles from labeled and/or decorated containers said apparatus comprising a handling apparatus, said handling apparatus comprising a container input, a furnishing carousel, a furnishing module, an application element, and a grouping device, wherein said furnishing carousel rotates about a central axis, wherein said furnishing module is in a region of said furnishing carousel, wherein said application element is in said region of said furnishing carousel, wherein said furnishing module applies a furnishing feature to a surface of a container, wherein said application element applies adhesive to said container on a surface outside that surface of a container that is provided with a furnishing feature by said furnishing module, and wherein said grouping device is selected from the group consisting of a compartmenting unit and a compacting section, wherein said grouping device is provided immediately after said furnishing carousel and/or an outlet apparatus, wherein said grouping device causes grouping, compacting, and temporary pressing together of a predetermined number of containers, and wherein said container input is selected from the group consisting of a single-track container feed, a multi-track container feed, a single-track container stream, and a multi-track container stream, whereby said containers are combined to form a bundle and transported onward, said method comprising using said apparatus to produce bundles from labeled containers, wherein using said apparatus to produce bundles from labeled containers comprises, on said furnishing carousel, providing said containers with a furnishing feature, said furnishing feature being one of a label and a print image, applying adhesive to said containers, discharging said containers out of said furnishing carousel by way of said outlet apparatus, and, in said grouping device, forming container bundles from a number of containers by sticking said containers to each other using said adhesive.

Assignees

• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• Ehmer Wilfried

Classifications

• B65B61/20

  for adding cards, coupons or other inserts to package contents (adding unpacking elements B65B61/18) · CPC title

• B65B27/04

  Bundling groups of cans or bottles · CPC title

• B65B35/54

  Feeding articles along multiple paths to a single packaging position · CPC title

• B65C3/14

  the container being positioned for labelling with its centre-line vertical · CPC title

• B65B17/02 Primary

  Joining articles, e.g. cans, directly to each other for convenience of storage, transport, or handling · CPC title