Method, device and system for grouping, in particular palletizing, product blanks

1. A method for grouping, palletizing or pre-palletizing oblong products ( 4 ) realized as cans, tubes or cartridges, comprising:

delivering the products ( 4 ) by a delivering conveyor device ( 5 ), a cylindrical, lateral surface of the products ( 4 ) being placed onto a conveyor belt ( 3 ) such that there are no gaps, and

conveying the products by means of the conveyor belt in a conveyor direction (F) at a conveyor speed, wherein

simultaneously removing a product group which is made up of the products ( 4 ) conveyed without gaps and comprises several products ( 4 ) which adjoin one another without gaps from the conveyor belt ( 3 ) using transfer means ( 7 ), wherein

during the removing, the transfer means ( 7 ) are displaced along the conveyor line (S) in the conveyor direction (F) from a starting position ( 24 ) to a removal position in synchronization with the conveyor belt ( 3 ) and the product group to be removed and conveyed thereon, and wherein

after the removing, the products ( 4 ) of the product group are simultaneously erected perpendicular to the conveyor direction (F) via a pivoting movement, and are placed on a storage area in an erected row without gaps which extends in the conveyor direction.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the delivering step comprises placing the products ( 4 ) in a row without gaps which extends in the conveyor direction (F) on a compaction conveyor belt which moves perpendicular to the conveyor direction (F) and transporting the products away in a row from the compaction conveyor belt in the direction of a stop of the compaction conveyor belt.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising returning the transfer means ( 7 ) to the starting position ( 24 ) after placing the product group onto the compaction conveyor belt, the period of time for again returning to the starting position ( 24 ) being shorter than or as long as the ratio of the distance between the longitudinal axes (L) of the outer products ( 4 ) of the product group and the conveyor speed.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the period of time between two subsequent placements of the transfer means ( 7 ) at the starting position ( 24 ) is shorter than 10 s.

5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein in the course of the removal of the products ( 4 ), the product groups to be removed are detachably connected, individually, to bonding means ( 19 ) of the transfer means ( 7 ) and the connection is not dissolved until the product group is placed on the compaction conveyor belt.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein in the course of the removal of the products ( 4 ), the bonding means ( 19 ) establish a connection with the products ( 4 ) by means of a vacuum which is generated by the bonding means ( 19 ).

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein in the course of the removal, the product group is simultaneously lifted from the conveyor belt ( 3 ) by the transfer means ( 7 ), wherein, during the lifting, the transfer means ( 7 ) are displaced along the conveyor line (S) in the conveyor direction (F) from a lifting position ( 25 ) to a removal position in synchronization with the conveyor belt ( 3 ) and the product group to be removed and conveyed thereon.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer means ( 7 ) place the product group onto the storage area, in an alternating manner so as to be at an offset by a radius of the lateral surface of the products ( 4 ).

9. A grouping device for palletizing or pre-palletizing oblong products ( 4 ) realized as cans, tubes or cartridges, the grouping device comprising:

a conveyor device ( 5 ) delivering the products ( 4 ), transfer means ( 7 ) for transferring a product group without gaps from the conveyor device ( 5 ) onto a storage area whilst erecting the products ( 4 ),

a conveyer belt ( 3 ),

drive means and control means for the drive means, the control means being configured to control the drive means in such a manner that the products ( 4 ) are delivered and are placed without gaps onto the conveyor belt ( 3 ) on a lateral surface of the products ( 4 ) and conveyed by means of the conveyor belt ( 3 ) in a conveyor direction (F) at a conveyor speed,

wherein a product group which is made up of the products ( 4 ) conveyed without gaps and comprising several products ( 4 ) which adjoin one another without gaps is simultaneously removed from the conveyor belt ( 3 ) using the transfer means ( 7 ), wherein, during the removal, the transfer means ( 7 ) are displaced along the conveyor line (S) in the conveyor direction (F) from a starting position ( 24 ) to a removal position in synchronization with the conveyor belt ( 3 ) and the product group to be removed and conveyed thereon, and, after the removal, the products ( 4 ) of the product group are simultaneously erected perpendicular in relation to the conveyor direction (F) via a pivoting movement, and are placed on the storage area in an erected row without gaps which extends in the conveyor direction (F).

10. The grouping device according to claim 9 , wherein the storage area comprises a compaction conveyor belt which moves perpendicular to the conveyor direction (F), the products ( 4 ) are placed on the compaction conveyor belt ( 20 ) in a row without gaps which extends in the conveyor direction (F), and the products ( 4 ) are transported away in a row in the direction of a stop of the compaction conveyor belt.

11. The grouping device according to claim 9 , wherein the transfer means ( 7 ) have a robot arm ( 16 ) which has at least two articulated arms ( 23 ) connected to one another via a joint ( 22 ), a changeable group reception device ( 18 ) being disposed on the freely movable end of said joint ( 22 ).

12. The grouping device according to claim 11 , wherein the group reception device ( 18 ) is configured to be reduced in vibration and/or is made of a rigid material.

13. The grouping device according to claim 11 , wherein the group reception device ( 18 ) has a weight of less than 2000 g.

14. The grouping device according to claim 11 , wherein the group reception device ( 18 ) has a length of 100 cm to 130 cm.

15. The grouping device according to claim 11 , wherein the group reception device ( 18 ) comprises bonding means ( 19 ) which are configured to establish and disengage an individual, detachable connection with the products ( 4 ) of the product group.

16. The grouping device according to claim 9 , further comprising two bonding means ( 19 ) for establishing a detachable connection to each product ( 4 ).

17. The grouping device according to claim 15 , wherein the group reception device ( 18 ) has a plurality of predefined fastening points which are distributed along its length for fastening the bonding means ( 19 ).

18. The grouping device according to claim 15 , wherein the bonding means ( 19 ) are disposed at a distance in the longitudinal direction of the group reception device ( 18 ) which corresponds to the distance of the longitudinal axes (L) of the products ( 4 ) on the conveyor belt ( 3 ).

19. The grouping device according to claim 15 , further comprising vacuum means ( 21 ) for generating a vacuum which effects a connection between the products ( 4 ) and the bonding means ( 19 ).

20. The grouping device according to claim 9 , further comprising sensor means which are connected to the control means in a signal-conducting manner and which are configured for detecting the position and/or speed of the conveyor belt ( 3 ) and for detecting the state of the transfer means ( 7 ).

21. A system comprising a grouping device ( 1 ) according to claim 9 and a production device for producing the products ( 4 ) to be grouped and for supplying the delivering conveyor device ( 5 ) with the products ( 4 ).

22. The system according to claim 21 , further comprising a storage area system for receiving a layer of erected and compacted products ( 4 ) from the compaction conveyor belt ( 20 ) and for placing the layer of products ( 4 ) onto a storage area device.