Apparatus and method for handling articles

1. An apparatus ( 01 ) for the handling of articles ( 02 ), which handling provides to simultaneously remove a plurality of articles ( 02 ) from an infeed ( 03 ) and to transfer them into at least one outer packaging ( 05 ) staged on a staging surface ( 04 ), comprising:

an infeed ( 03 ) of articles ( 02 ) being transported in a transport direction (FR);

at least one staging surface ( 04 ) arranged next to the infeed ( 03 ) as seen in the direction of a horizontal axis ( 06 ), on which staging surface ( 04 ) one or more outer packagings ( 05 ) have been and/or are being staged, which the one or more outer packagings ( 05 ) are to be filled with articles ( 02 ) having been removed from the infeed ( 03 ), and from which staging surface ( 04 ) the one or more outer packagings ( 05 ) are discharged after the articles ( 02 ) have been placed therein;

a gripping device ( 07 ) for the simultaneous seizing of a plurality of articles ( 02 ) from the infeed ( 03 ), wherein the gripping device ( 07 ) has at least one manipulator ( 71 ) with a manipulator head ( 72 ) that is at least horizontally movable along a horizontal axis ( 06 ), and vertically movable along a vertical axis ( 08 ), with a plurality of gripper heads ( 70 ) arranged on the manipulator head ( 72 ) and with one gripper head ( 70 ) per article, and wherein the plurality of gripper heads ( 70 ) are individually and/or groupwise movable relative to each other in a first horizontal direction that is parallel to the transport direction (FR) and wherein the plurality of gripper heads ( 70 ) are individually and/or groupwise movable relative to each other in a second horizontal direction that is orthogonal to the transport direction (FR); and

a detection means ( 17 ) for detecting the actual positions of the articles ( 02 ) in the infeed ( 03 ).

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of gripper heads ( 70 ) are collectively movable in a first horizontal direction that is parallel to the transport direction (FR) of the infeed ( 03 ).

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the manipulator head ( 72 ) is additionally movable in the transport direction (FR) of the infeed.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein the detection means ( 17 ) comprises:

one or more imaging sensors; and

a control unit carrying out an image recognition algorithm, wherein control unit analyzes, in real time, an image of the articles ( 02 ) in the infeed ( 03 ) provided by the one or more imaging sensors with regard to the actual positions of the successively, as seen from the end ( 31 ) of the infeed ( 03 ) opposite the transport direction (FR) of the infeed ( 03 ), consecutively arriving and/or accumulated articles ( 02 ), and wherein the control unit produces control signals therefrom, which cause individual, translational movements in a direction in parallel to the transport direction (FR) of the individual gripper heads ( 70 ) at the manipulator head ( 72 ) in order to adapt the removal positions of the individual gripper heads ( 70 ) to the actual positions of the articles ( 02 ) in the infeed ( 03 ).

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein the plurality of gripper heads ( 70 ) are individually, rotationally movable relative to each other about rotational axes parallel to the vertical axis ( 08 ).

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein all of the plurality of gripper heads ( 70 ) are collectively pivotable about a pivoting axis parallel to the vertical axis ( 08 ).

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein the staging surface ( 04 ) comprises at least one conveyor ( 40 ).

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein the staging surface ( 04 ) is arranged next to an infeed conveyor and/or to a discharge conveyor or between an infeed conveyor and a discharge conveyor, wherein the one or more outer packagings ( 05 ) are pushed over onto the staging surface ( 04 ) and/or wherein the outer packagings ( 05 ), after the articles ( 02 ) have been placed therein on the staging surface ( 04 ), are pushed over for their discharge from the staging surface ( 04 ) onto a discharge conveyor.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein the infeed ( 03 ) comprises at least one conveyor ( 30 ).

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein a subset of the plurality of gripper heads ( 70 ) are groupwise pivotable about one pivoting axis parallel to the vertical axis ( 08 ).

11. A method for the handling of articles ( 02 ), which handling provides to simultaneously remove a plurality of articles ( 02 ) from an infeed ( 03 ) and to transfer them into at least one outer packaging ( 05 ) staged on a staging surface ( 04 ), comprising:

removing a plurality of articles ( 02 ), arriving consecutively in a transport direction (FR), from the infeed ( 03 ) by seizing and/or gripping the plurality of articles from above, and then lifting the articles,

transferring the articles ( 02 ), while they are simultaneously being lifted up and collectively moving the articles from the infeed ( 03 ) toward the staging surface ( 04 ),

during the transferring step, arranging the articles ( 02 ), individually or groupwise, by increasing and/or decreasing individual distances between the articles ( 02 ) parallel to the transport direction (FR) and orthogonally to the transport direction (FR) to produce an arrangement ( 20 ) of articles ( 02 ) prior to placing the articles ( 02 ) into the outer packagings ( 05 ), this arrangement ( 20 ) being defined by the one or more outer packagings ( 05 ) staged on the staging surface ( 04 ), and

placing the articles ( 02 ) into the outer packagings ( 05 ) by simultaneously lowering and releasing the articles ( 02 ) into the one or more outer packagings ( 05 ) staged on the staging surface ( 04 ).

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein a plurality of articles ( 02 ) is removed simultaneously from the infeed ( 03 ) as seen orthogonally to the transport direction (FR).

13. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising removing the one or more outer packagings ( 05 ), into which articles ( 02 ) have already been placed from the staging surface ( 04 ) and staging one or more new, empty outer packagings ( 05 ) on the staging surface ( 04 ), while the removing and arranging steps are being carried out.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein, during the transferring step, rotating individual articles about individual rotational axes parallel to a vertical axis ( 08 ).

15. The method of claim 11 wherein, during the transferring step, aligning the articles ( 02 ) by collectively rotating all the articles or groups of articles about one or more pivoting axes parallel to a vertical axis ( 08 ).

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the removing step comprises simultaneously removing all of the articles ( 02 ) from the infeed ( 03 ).

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising detecting the actual positions of the articles ( 02 ) in the infeed ( 03 ) prior to the removing step.

18. An apparatus ( 01 ) for the handling of articles ( 02 ), which handling provides to simultaneously remove a plurality of articles ( 02 ) from an infeed ( 03 ) and to transfer them into at least one outer packaging ( 05 ) staged on a staging surface ( 04 ), comprising:

an infeed ( 03 ) of articles ( 02 ) being transported in a transport direction (FR);

at least one staging surface ( 04 ) arranged next to the infeed ( 03 ) as seen in the direction of a horizontal axis ( 06 ), on which staging surface ( 04 ) one or more outer packagings ( 05 ) have been and/or are being staged, which the one or more outer packagings ( 05 ) are to be filled with articles ( 02 ) having been removed from the infeed ( 03 ), and from which staging surface ( 04 ) the one or more outer packagings ( 05 ) are discharged after the articles ( 02 ) have been placed therein;

a gripping device ( 07 ) for the simultaneous seizing of a plurality of articles ( 02 ) from the infeed ( 03 ), wherein the gripping device ( 07 ) has at least one manipulator ( 71 ) with a manipulator head ( 72 ) that is at least horizontally movable along a horizontal axis ( 06 ), and vertically movable along a vertical axis ( 08 ), with a plurality of gripper heads ( 70 ) arranged on the manipulator head ( 72 ) and with one gripper head ( 70 ) per article, and wherein the plurality of gripper heads ( 70 ) are individually and/or groupwise movable relative to each other in a first horizontal direction that is parallel to the transport direction (FR) of the infeed ( 03 ) and wherein the plurality of gripper heads ( 70 ) are individually and/or groupwise movable relative to each other in a second horizontal direction orthogonal to the transport direction (FR) of the infeed ( 03 ).

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a detection means ( 17 ) for detecting the actual positions of the articles ( 02 ) in the infeed ( 03 ).