Apparatus and method for discharging guiding elements

1. A discharge apparatus for discharging an assembly of guiding elements, each guiding element configured to carry a row of dispensing spouts and each dispensing spout being associated with a flexible pouch container, the discharge apparatus comprising:

a support comprising at least one support section configured to support the assembly of interconnected guiding elements and the flexible pouch containers carried therein;

a gripping unit configured to grip a first guiding element of the guiding element assembly and displace the first guiding element of the guiding element assembly in a transport direction substantially perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of the first guiding element;

one or more abutment elements, arranged to extend from a contact surface of the support, wherein the abutment elements are configured to have the gripping unit arrange the gripped and displaced first guiding element at a fixed position relative to the support; and

a retaining unit arranged in at least one of the support sections and configured to allow passing of a leading guiding element in the transport direction and block movement of the leading guiding element in an opposite direction;

wherein the gripping unit is configured to further move the first guiding element and the pouch containers carried therein in the transport direction to a discharge position; and

wherein the retaining unit is formed by a disconnection unit configured to disconnect at least the gripped and displaced first guiding element from a neighboring second guiding element, the disconnection unit comprising a movable wedge and a wedge drive unit configured to move the wedge between the first and second guiding elements, thereby disconnecting the first guiding element from the second guiding element.

2. The discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining unit comprises a retainer element accommodated in a recess of a side wall of the support section, the retainer element being pivotable so as to allow the retainer element to rotate between a first position wherein the retainer element is flush with or recessed relative to the surface of a side wall of the support section and a second position wherein the retainer element protrudes from the surface of the side wall, the retainer element preferably comprising a spring to bias the retainer element to the second position.

3. Combination of a discharge apparatus according to claim 1 and a handling station comprising a conveyor for transporting guiding elements carrying pouch containers, wherein the discharge apparatus is configured to be placed on top of at least apart of the handling station.

4. A method of discharging an assembly of guiding elements in a discharge assemble according to claim 1 , each guiding element being configured to carry a row of dispensing spouts and each dispensing spout being associated with a flexible pouch container, the method comprising:

placing the assembly of interconnected guiding elements and the flexible pouch containers carried therein on the support comprising at least one support section;

gripping the first guiding element of the guiding element assembly;

displacing the gripped first guiding element together with one or more interconnected further guiding elements of the guiding element assembly in the transport direction substantially perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the first guiding element, wherein the first guiding element is displaced to abut one or more abutment elements, arranged to extend from the contact surface of the support so as to arrange the first guiding element at a fixed position relative to the support;

passing the first guiding element in the transport direction along the retaining unit arranged in at least one of the support sections and having the retaining unit block the movement of the leading guiding element in the opposite direction; and

further moving the first guiding element and the pouch containers carried therein in the transport direction to a discharge position.