Apparatus and method for handling articles
The invention includes an apparatus ( 01 ) and a method for handling articles ( 02 ). The apparatus ( 01 ) includes a first conveyor ( 03 ) for supplying articles ( 02 ), a second conveyor ( 04 ) for supplying outer packagings ( 05 ), a third conveyor ( 06 ) for discharging filled outer packagings ( 07 ), and a placing surface ( 08 ) arranged between the second conveyor ( 04 ) and the third conveyor ( 06 ). The apparatus also includes a device ( 09 ) for transferring supplied outer packagings ( 05 ) from the second conveyor ( 04 ) to the placing surface ( 08 ), a device ( 10 ) for transferring articles ( 02 ) from the first conveyor ( 03 ) into outer packagings ( 05 ), and a device ( 11 ) for transferring filled outer packagings ( 07 ) from the placing surface ( 08 ) onto the third conveyor ( 06 ). The method places articles ( 02 ) into outer packagings ( 05 ), staged on a placing surface ( 08 ), from one or more article flows lined up one after the other uninterruptedly and/or with gaps between them and/or grouped. The outer packagings ( 05 ) themselves in turn are supplied independently of the articles ( 02 ) in a transport direction ( 41 ) and are transferred ( 91 ) onto the placing surface ( 08 ) individually or groupwise transversely to the transport direction ( 41 ). After the articles ( 02 ) have been placed in the outer packagings ( 05 ), they are transferred ( 111 ), in turn individually or groupwise, transversely to the transport direction ( 41 ) in order to be subsequently discharged in the direction of the transport direction ( 41 ) or opposite to it in parallel to the transport direction ( 41 ).
1. A method for handling articles ( 02 ), comprising:
supplying, on a first conveyor ( 03 ), articles ( 02 ) from one or more article flows of articles ( 02 ) wherein the articles are lined up one after the other uninterruptedly or with gaps between individual articles ( 02 ) or the articles are grouped,
supplying, on a second conveyor ( 04 ), empty outer packages ( 05 ) in a transport direction ( 41 ) and transferring the empty outer packages ( 05 ) onto a placing surface ( 08 ) individually or groupwise, orthogonally to the transport direction ( 41 ),
seizing articles ( 02 ) from the one or more article flows,
transferring the seized articles ( 02 ) into empty outer packages ( 05 ) staged on the placing surface ( 08 ) by moving the articles, individually or groupwise, orthogonally to the transport direction ( 41 ),
transferring the filled outer packages ( 07 ) from the placing surface ( 08 ) to a third conveyor ( 06 ), individually or groupwise, orthogonally to the transport direction ( 41 ), and
discharging, on the third conveyor ( 06 ), the filled outer packages ( 07 ) in the direction of the transport direction ( 41 ) or in parallel to the transport direction ( 41 ), wherein the third conveyor ( 06 ), is independently operable of the first conveyor ( 03 ), is independently operable of the second conveyor ( 04 ), and is independently operable of a device for the transferring of the seized articles ( 02 ) into the outer packages ( 05 ), and further comprising:
inserting compartments ( 13 ) into the outer packages ( 05 ) staged on a separate introduction surface, prior to or after the seizing and transferring steps,
wherein, in a first cycle, the transferring of the seized articles begins while the empty outer packages ( 05 ) are simultaneously transferred to the placing surface ( 08 ) and while the filled outer packages ( 07 ) are simultaneously transferred to the third conveyor ( 06 ), and in a second cycle, the transferring of the seized articles of the first cycle ends while empty outer packages ( 05 ) are simultaneously transferred to the placing surface ( 08 ) from the second conveyor ( 04 ) and while the outer packages ( 07 ) filled in the first cycle are simultaneously transferred to the third conveyor ( 06 ),
wherein during the transferring of the seized articles, the seized articles are transferred over the third conveyor and to the placing surface.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring the outer packages ( 05 ) with compartments ( 13 ) from the introduction surface to the placing surface ( 08 ) or from the placing surface ( 08 ) to the introduction surface.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first conveyor ( 03 ) is independently operable of the second conveyor ( 04 ).
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first conveyor ( 03 ) and the second conveyor ( 04 ) are arranged in parallel to each other, at least in an area that abuts the placing surface ( 08 ).
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the third conveyor ( 06 ) is arranged in parallel to the first conveyor ( 03 ) and to the second conveyor ( 04 ), at least in an area that abuts the placing surface ( 08 ).
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the second conveyor ( 04 ), the third conveyor ( 06 ), and the placing surface ( 08 ) are on a common, first level, and the first conveyor ( 03 ) is on a higher, second level.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the second level is located above the first level by at least the height of an open outer packaging ( 05 ).
8. The method of claim 5 wherein the second level is located above the first level by at least the height of an open outer packaging ( 05 ).
9. The method of claim 4 wherein the second conveyor ( 04 ), the third conveyor ( 06 ), and the placing surface ( 08 ) are on a common, first level, and the first conveyor ( 03 ) is on a higher, second level.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising a closing step carried out while the filled outer packages ( 07 ) are still on the placing surface ( 08 ).
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising stacking the closed filled outer packages ( 07 ).
12. A method for handling articles ( 02 ), comprising:
supplying, on a first conveyor ( 03 ), articles ( 02 ) from one or more article flows of articles ( 02 ) wherein the articles are lined up one after the other uninterruptedly or with gaps between individual articles ( 02 ) or the articles are grouped,
supplying, on a second conveyor ( 04 ), empty outer packages ( 05 ) in a transport direction ( 41 ) and transferring the empty outer packages ( 05 ) onto a placing surface ( 08 ) individually or groupwise, orthogonally to the transport direction ( 41 ),
seizing articles ( 02 ) from the one or more article flows,
transferring the seized articles ( 02 ) into empty outer packages ( 05 ) staged on the placing surface ( 08 ) by moving the articles, individually or groupwise, orthogonally to the transport direction ( 41 ),
transferring the filled outer packages ( 07 ) from the placing surface ( 08 ) to a third conveyor ( 06 ), individually or groupwise, orthogonally to the transport direction ( 41 ), and
discharging, on the third conveyor ( 06 ), the filled outer packages ( 07 ) in the direction of the transport direction ( 41 ) or in parallel to the transport direction ( 41 ), wherein the third conveyor ( 06 ), is independently operable of the first conveyor ( 03 ), is independently operable of the second conveyor ( 04 ), and is independently operable of a device for the transferring of the seized articles ( 02 ) into the outer packages ( 05 ), and further comprising:
inserting compartments ( 13 ) into the outer packages ( 05 ) staged on a separate introduction surface, prior to or after the seizing and transferring steps,
wherein, in a first cycle, the transferring of the seized articles begins while the empty outer packages ( 05 ) are simultaneously transferred to the placing surface ( 08 ) and while the filled outer packages ( 07 ) are simultaneously transferred to the third conveyor ( 06 ), and in a second cycle, the transferring of the seized articles of the first cycle ends while empty outer packages ( 05 ) are simultaneously transferred to the placing surface ( 08 ) from the second conveyor ( 04 ) and while the outer packages ( 07 ) filled in the first cycle are simultaneously transferred to the third conveyor ( 06 ),
wherein a portion of the third conveyor is located between a portion of the first conveyor and a portion of the second conveyor along a direction orthogonal to the transport direction.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising transferring the outer packages ( 05 ) with compartments ( 13 ) from the introduction surface to the placing surface ( 08 ) or from the placing surface ( 08 ) to the introduction surface.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein the first conveyor ( 03 ) is independently operable of the second conveyor ( 04 ).
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first conveyor ( 03 ) and the second conveyor ( 04 ) are arranged in parallel to each other, at least in an area that abuts the placing surface ( 08 ).
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the third conveyor ( 06 ) is arranged in parallel to the first conveyor ( 03 ) and to the second conveyor ( 04 ), at least in an area that abuts the placing surface ( 08 ).
17. The method of claim 12 further comprising a closing step carried out while the filled outer packages ( 07 ) are still on the placing surface ( 08 ).
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising stacking the closed filled outer packages ( 07 ).