Method and device for inserting (tube) bags into cartons

1. A method for the introduction of packs in the form of bags ( 10 ) into a carton ( 14 ) as a container, involving the creation of an ordered formation of the bags ( 10 ) inside the carton ( 14 ), the bags ( 10 ) being fed on a feed conveyor ( 15 ) one after the other or in groups to a packing station ( 16 ) and being introduced into the carton ( 14 ) that is open on at least one side, with the carton ( 14 ), for the purpose of introducing the bags ( 10 ), being moved into a relative position corresponding to the formation of the bags ( 10 ) to be produced, comprising:

a) providing at least two handling devices, namely two robots ( 21 , 61 ) of matching configuration, the robots ( 21 , 61 ) being controlled with regard to their movements in such a way that one of the robots ( 21 , 61 ) is assigned to the packing station ( 16 ) and another of the robots ( 61 , 21 ) is assigned to a carton station ( 42 ) at about the same time;

b) gripping the carton ( 14 ) using a holding head ( 25 ) on the robot ( 21 , 61 ), with the holding head ( 24 ) having holding devices in the vicinity of a bottom ( 26 ) or in the vicinity of carton bottom edges and in the vicinity of edges or rims of an open carton ( 14 ) lying opposite, and with the holding head ( 25 ) having a U-shaped configuration when viewed from the side, with the holding devices in the vicinity of the bottom ( 26 ) being executed as folding legs ( 36 ) which are pivotable against the carton ( 14 ) as the carton ( 14 ) is taken up by the holding head ( 25 );

c) holding the carton ( 14 ) ready in the vicinity of the packing station ( 16 ) by means of a robot ( 21 , 61 ) as a handling device in such a way that the open side of the carton ( 14 ) faces towards a filling device for the bags ( 10 );

d) retaining the bags ( 10 ) on a support or platform for introduction into the carton ( 14 ), with the carton ( 14 ) being positioned with the open side adjacent to the support or platform; and

e) introducing the bags ( 10 ) into the carton ( 14 ) by means of a pusher ( 56 ), which is capable of back-and-forth movement, as an additional aid, with the pusher ( 56 ) pushing the bags ( 10 ) from the support or platform into the carton ( 14 ).

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the relative position of the carton ( 14 ) is varied repeatedly during the filling process having regard for the relative position, wherein the bags ( 10 ), in a predetermined horizontal or inclined filling plane, are supplied to or introduced into the carton ( 14 ).

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, for the production of a row of bags ( 10 ), arranged in an upright orientation, the carton ( 14 ) is retained in an inclined position such that the supplied bags ( 10 ), in a similarly obliquely downward-facing plane, make contact on a downward-facing obliquely oriented side wall ( 29 ) of the carton ( 14 ), and the row is formed by the positioning of a corresponding number of the bags ( 10 ) one above the other bearing against an upward-facing bottom wall ( 26 ) in an inclined plane.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, for the formation of a layer or row of bags ( 10 ) from transversely or horizontally arranged bags ( 10 ), the carton ( 14 ) is moved into a position in which the bottom wall ( 26 ) is slightly inclined in relation to a line horizontal to the filling side.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bags ( 10 ) are introduced into the carton ( 14 ) on a guiding plate ( 55 ) as a supporting device that is horizontal or inclined in the conveying direction, the supporting device being introduced partially into the carton ( 14 ) corresponding to a depositing point for the respective bag ( 10 ).

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising pushing the bags ( 10 ) from a transfer belt ( 53 ) into the carton ( 14 ) in a transverse direction by means of a pusher ( 56 ).

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising introducing the bags ( 10 ) into the carton ( 14 ) by means of a guiding plate ( 55 ) as a guide device which enters at least partially into the carton ( 14 ), which guiding plate ( 55 ) determines the position in which the bag ( 10 ) is set down as it is introduced into the carton ( 14 ) depending on the position relative to the carton ( 14 ), the guiding plate ( 55 ) being arranged in such a way that the guiding plate ( 55 ) is inserted and retracted on the transfer belt ( 53 ) immediately beneath an upper run and the guiding plate ( 55 ) is guided in the angle of inclination of the transfer belt ( 53 ).

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the bags ( 10 ) are transported to the carton ( 14 ) in different directions on the transfer belt ( 53 ), or with different relative positions of the bags ( 10 ) alternatively by means of the pusher ( 56 ) or by conveyor movement of the transfer belt ( 53 ).

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising retaining the carton ( 14 ) in the carton station ( 42 ) that is formed above and offset in relation to the packing station ( 16 ) ready to be taken up by the holding head ( 25 ), such that the carton ( 14 ) has a downward-oriented open side, the holding head ( 25 ) gripping the carton ( 14 ) in a transverse movement.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising filling the carton ( 14 ) from a position above the carton station ( 42 ) by means of a linear, downward movement, with the carton ( 14 ) being transported in a position with the opening facing upwards and of being rotated through 180° during the downward movement, in such a way that the opening is oriented downwards, the carton ( 14 ) being transported by a carton carrier ( 44 ) that is movable on an upright servo axis ( 43 ), the carton carrier ( 44 ) being rotatable during the downward movement, such that the carton ( 14 ) is gripped by the carton carrier ( 44 ) with the help of holding arms ( 47 ), which holding arms ( 47 ) engage on upright side walls of the carton ( 14 ) with suction grippers ( 48 ) as holding means.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the cartons ( 14 ) are set down by the carton carrier ( 44 ) in the carton station ( 42 ) on carrier devices, namely on folding levers ( 49 ) in the carton station ( 42 ) serving as support devices, the folding levers ( 49 ) having transversely oriented folding heads ( 51 ), on which the carton ( 14 ) is supported with edges in the vicinity of the open side, with the folding levers ( 49 ) being introduced into the carton ( 14 ) and, as the result of relative movement of the carton ( 14 ), causing any inward-facing folding flaps to move into a position outside the carton ( 14 ) being folded, by means of the appropriate upward and downward movement of the carton ( 14 ) by the carton carrier ( 44 ).

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the filled carton ( 14 ) in each case is set down by the robot ( 21 , 61 ) in each case on a common discharge conveyor ( 60 ), which conveys the cartons ( 14 ) through a folding station ( 62 ).

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the common discharge conveyor ( 60 ) conveys the cartons ( 14 ) through a tape station ( 63 ).

14. A device for the insertion of packs in the form of bags ( 10 ) into a carton ( 14 ) as a container, involving the creation of an ordered formation of the bags ( 10 ) inside the carton ( 14 ), the bags ( 10 ) being fed on a feed conveyor ( 15 ) one after the other or in groups to a packing station ( 16 ) and the bags ( 10 ) being introduced in the vicinity of the packing station ( 16 ) into the carton ( 14 ) that is open on at least one side, wherein:

a) the carton ( 14 ) is held ready in the vicinity of the packing station ( 16 ) by means of a robot ( 21 , 61 ) as a handling device in such a way that the open side of the carton ( 14 ) faces towards a filling device for the bags ( 10 ), the carton ( 14 ) being variable with regard to the relative position by means of the robot ( 21 , 61 ) during the filling process corresponding to the formation of the bags ( 10 ) to be produced inside the carton ( 14 );

b) the bags ( 10 ) are retained on a support or platform for introduction into the carton ( 14 ), with the carton ( 14 ) being positioned with the open side adjacent to the support or platform;

c) the bags ( 10 ) are introduced into the carton ( 14 ) by means of a pusher ( 56 ), which is capable of back-and-forth movement, as an additional aid, with the pusher pushing the bags ( 10 ) from the support or platform into the carton ( 14 );

d) the robot ( 21 , 61 ) comprises a holding head ( 25 ) for the purpose of gripping a carton ( 14 ) to be filled, with the holding head ( 24 ) having holding devices in the vicinity of a bottom ( 26 ) or in the vicinity of carton bottom edges and in the vicinity of edges or rims of the open carton ( 14 ) lying opposite, and with the holding head ( 25 ) having a U-shaped configuration when viewed from the side, with the holding devices in the vicinity of the bottom ( 26 ) being executed as folding legs ( 36 ) which are pivotable against the carton ( 14 ) as the carton ( 14 ) is taken up by the holding head ( 25 ); and

e) at least two handling devices, namely two of the robots ( 21 , 61 ) of matching configuration, are assigned to the packing station ( 16 ), the robots ( 21 , 61 ) being controlled with regard to their movements in such a way that one of the robots ( 21 , 61 ) is assigned to the packing station ( 16 ) and the other robot ( 61 , 21 ) is assigned to a carton station ( 42 ) at about the same time.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the support or platform is a movable, tiltable, transfer belt ( 53 ).

16. The device as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the transfer belt ( 53 ) is driven by means of a drive mechanism ( 58 ) parallel to the carton ( 14 ) in the packing station ( 16 ) and is tiltable transversely to the conveyor direction.

17. The device as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the bags ( 10 ) are pushed from the transfer belt ( 53 ) into the carton ( 14 ) in a transverse direction by means of the pusher ( 56 ).

18. The device as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the bags ( 10 ) are introduced into the open carton ( 14 ) by means of a guiding plate ( 55 ) as a guide device which enters at least partially into the open carton ( 14 ), which guiding plate determines the position in which the bag ( 10 ) is set down as it is introduced into the carton ( 14 ) depending on the position relative to the carton ( 14 ), the guiding plate ( 55 ) being arranged in such a way that the guiding plate ( 55 ) is inserted and retracted on the transfer belt ( 53 ) immediately beneath an upper run and the guiding plate ( 55 ) is guided in the angle of inclination of the transfer belt ( 53 ).

19. The device as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the bags ( 10 ) are transported to the carton ( 14 ) in different directions on the transfer belt ( 53 ), or with different relative positions of the bags ( 10 ) alternatively by means of the pusher ( 56 ) or by conveyor movement of the transfer belt ( 53 ).

20. The device as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the carton ( 14 ) is retained in a carton station ( 42 ) that is formed above and offset in relation to the packing station ( 16 ) ready to be taken up by the holding head ( 25 ), such that the carton ( 14 ) has a downward-oriented open side, the holding head ( 25 ) gripping the carton ( 14 ) in a transverse movement.

21. The device as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the carton ( 14 ) to be filled is fed from a position above the carton station ( 42 ) by means of a linear, downward movement, with the carton ( 14 ) being transported in a position with the opening facing upwards and of being rotated through 180° during the downward movement, in such a way that the opening is oriented downwards, the carton ( 14 ) being transported by a carton carrier ( 44 ) that is movable on an upright servo axis ( 43 ), the carton carrier ( 44 ) being rotatable during the downward movement, such that the carton ( 14 ) is gripped by the carton carrier ( 44 ) with the help of holding arms ( 47 ), which holding arms ( 47 ) engage on upright side walls of the carton ( 14 ) with suction grippers ( 48 ) as holding means.

22. The device as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the cartons ( 14 ) are set down by the carton carrier ( 44 ) in the carton station ( 42 ) on carrier devices, namely on folding levers ( 49 ) in the folding station ( 62 ) serving as support devices, the folding levers ( 49 ) having transversely oriented folding heads ( 51 ), on which the carton ( 14 ) is supported with edges in the vicinity of the open side, with the folding levers ( 49 ) being introduced into the carton ( 14 ) and, as the result of relative movement of the carton ( 14 ), causing any inward-facing folding flaps to move into a position outside the carton ( 14 ) being folded, by means of the appropriate upward and downward movement of the carton ( 14 ) by the carton carrier ( 44 ).

23. The device as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the filled carton ( 14 ) in each case is set down by the robot ( 21 , 61 ) in each case on common discharge conveyor ( 60 ), which conveys the cartons ( 14 ) through a folding station ( 62 ).

24. The device as claimed in claim 23 , wherein the common discharge conveyor ( 60 ) conveys the cartons ( 14 ) through a tape station ( 63 ).