Abstract: Disclosed is a method used to handle outer packages (10) with foldable top flaps (12; 12-v, 12-h, 12-l, 12-r). The handling can be carried out in association with a mechanical removal or introduction of articles (14) out of or into the outer package (10). The method provides the unfolding and/or the holding open of at least one top flap (12; 12-v, 12-h, 12-l, 12-r) in order to at least partly uncover an opening (16) to make accessible an interior space of the outer package (10), as well as providing the application of a tensile force (32) to the at least one top flap (12; 12-v, 12-h, 12-l, 12-r), the tensile force (32) being specified and/or variable over the course of the conveying phase. The invention includes a transport section (20) which carries out the method during the conveyance of outer packages (10).

Abstract: A container treatment system (1, 13) that has at least two working areas (AP). Each of the working areas (AP) respectively comprises at least one exchangeable working tool (2) and/or one adaptable format part. Furthermore, the container treatment system (1, 13) comprises at least one automatic exchange machine (10) which is movable, in particular drivable, to the at least two working areas (AP), which automatic exchange machine (10) can be connected selectively to any of the respective working areas (AP), in particular using centering means (22, 32), and which automatic exchange machine (10) comprises tools for exchanging the working tools (2) and/or for adapting the format parts of the respective working area (AP). The invention further relates to an automatic exchange machine (10) for exchanging working tools (2) and/or for adapting the format parts of at least two different working areas (AP) of a container treatment system (1, 13).

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and an apparatus for supplying, staging, and/or handling, and/or for replacing rolls (12, 20) with flat material and/or film material wound thereonto and serving as packaging material (22) for packaging piece goods, bundles, or the like sets of articles. Depleted rolls (20) are removed from at least one installation position (EB1, EB2) of a packaging machine (14), and new rolls (12) are mounted into the particular installation position (EB1, EB2), with new rolls (12) being staged to the packaging machine (14) in a specified feeder device. Each of the installation positions (EB1, EB2) of the packaging machine (14) includes at least one rotatable receiving mandrel (70) for the rotatable reception and holding of the rolls (12). The at least one receiving mandrel (70) is shiftable in its axial direction upon removing a depleted roll (20) and/or upon mounting of a new roll (12).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus (10) for handling piece goods (2) moved one after another, with the piece goods (2) being transported to a seizing range (4) of a manipulator (5). At least one transported piece good (2) is seized in a clamping and/or force-locking and/or form-locking manner by at least two clamping elements and/or gripping elements (22) located opposite each other. The piece good is spatially separated from the subsequent piece goods (2) and is brought into a specified relative target position (P) and/or target alignment relative to subsequent piece goods (2). A first vertical symmetry plane and which is oriented about perpendicular to a transport direction (TR), is spaced apart from a second vertical symmetry plane aligned about parallel thereto, with the second vertical symmetry plane being defined by the manipulator (5) or by the manipulator clamping elements and/or gripping elements (22).

Abstract: The invention relates to a folding device (10) for transporting an outer cardboard package (20) having folding lines and for folding at least one side flap (21) of the outer cardboard package (20). The folding device (10) comprises at least one conveyor system with a guiding unit (11) and with at least two transporting and folding shuttles (30) disposed on the guiding unit (11) for the transport of the outer cardboard packages (20) in a transport direction (TR). The at least two shuttles (30) are disposed in a row at the conveyor system and are transported in a transport direction (TR) through and/or by the conveyor system. Each shuttle (30) comprises its own, individually controllable drive (32) and further at least one folding unit (35) for folding over at least one side flap (21) of an outer cardboard package (20).

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method and an apparatus (1) for handling flat material and/or film material wound onto rolls (5) and that serves as packaging material. Rolls (5), which are at least partially unwound, are alternately removed from at least one installation position (EB1; EB2) of a packaging machine (3), and in each case a new roll (5) of flat material and/or film material is mounted in the particular installation position (EB1; EB2). After each mounting, an externally arranged layer (15) is extracted from the particular new roll (5) near or in the area of its free end and is attached to a section of a material web being guided in the packaging machine (3). The direction of rotation and/or rotation-direction-conforming orientation of the new roll (5) is determined and/or verified by means of a capture device.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method handling moved piece goods. The apparatus comprises a manipulator for the piece goods, at least one transport device transporting the moved piece goods to a seizing range of the at least one manipulator and at least one horizontal conveying device assigned to the seizing range and/or to a movement range of the at least one manipulator, via which horizontal conveying device the moved piece goods are transported in the seizing range of the at least one manipulator. Furthermore, the apparatus comprises at least one detection device for obtaining space coordinates and/or position data and/or contour data of piece goods to be seized by the manipulator, wherein the at least one horizontal conveying device and the at least one transport device are calibratable and/or controllable based on the space coordinates and/or position data and/or contour data.

Abstract: The disclosed supply roll (5) comprises a roll core (6); flat material and/or strip material (8) being carried on the roll core (6) in a multitude of windings; and at least one functional marker (2). The at least one functional marker (2) is placed in a specified relative position at an externally arranged free end section (7) of the flat material and/or strip material (8) such that information about the relative position of the free end section (7) is optically identifiable by way of the at least one functional marker (2).

Abstract: The invention relates to a palletizing apparatus (10) and a method for conveying articles (16), piece goods, and/or bundles (18) and/or palletizable article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20) with at least two conveyor line sections (12, 14), each in a particular conveying direction (28, 29). Each conveyor line sections include consecutive handling stations, grouping stations, and/or transfer stations (32, 33, 40, 44, 48, 50), which lead to a central loading station (24), where the article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20) are stacked on top of each other and/or palletized in a common loading place (25). The loading station (24) is located between at least two vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52). The common loading place (25) is supplied with article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20).

Abstract: The present invention includes an apparatus (1) and a method for handling articles and comprises an upper suspension (3) with at least three rotatably driven positioning arms (5), where the positioning arms (5) each comprise at least two arm sections (7, 9) that are swivelable relative to each other and operated independently of one another. A manipulator (32) comprises one or more clamping jaws (34, 36) and is mechanically coupled to the positioning arms (5) such the manipulator can be positioned by movement of one or more of the positioning arms (5). At least one drive shaft (12) is linked non-rotatingly to the manipulator, such that the manipulator is rotated by movement of the at least one drive shaft (12). Rotation of the at least one drive shaft (12) also controls the one or more clamping jaws (34, 36) via the at least one actuating shaft (14).

Abstract: The present invention includes a method and an apparatus (1) for handling flat material and/or film material wound onto rolls (5) and that serves as packaging material for the packaging of piece goods, bundles, or the like sets of articles. Rolls (5), which are at least partially unwound, are alternately removed from at least one installation position (EB1; EB2) of a packaging machine (3), and in each case a new roll (5) of flat material and/or film material is mounted in the particular installation position (EB1; EB2). After each mounting, an externally arranged layer (15) is extracted from the particular new roll (5) near or in the area of its free end and attached to a section of a material web of a further roll (5) being guided in the packaging machine (3). This is done in a manner such that flat material and/or film material is unwound interruption-free.

Abstract: The invention relates to device, method and packaging facility having a transport section (17) for feeding article arrangements (5) in a transport direction (TR) to a packaging module (18). The transport section (17) comprises a transfer plate (15), on which the articles (2) of the article arrangements (5) are movable in a sliding manner. Located above the transfer plate (15) are pushing devices (16) for moving the articles (2) on the transfer plate (15), with the pushing devices (16) being movable in transport direction (TR) at least in some areas. The transport section (17) furthermore comprises outer guide elements (20) and inner guide elements (21) disposed on the transfer plate (15), with the outer guide elements (20) laterally delimiting the transport section (17) and, with the inner guide elements (21) being readjustable by at least one readjustment mechanism that is disposed at least partly below the transfer plate (15).

Abstract: The invention is a method and device for reducing bundles (2) being conveyed in a transport direction (TR) in n rows (3) to a smaller number of continuing transport rows, in particular to (n?1) or (n?2) or (n?3) continuing transport rows (3-1, 3-3). A space (8) is formed at least between the individual bundles (2) of at least one incoming and continuing transport row (3-1, 3-3). The size of the space (8) corresponds to at least the value of a longitudinal extent of an individual article or of an individual group (2) in transport direction (TR). At least two bundles (2) of the at least one row (3-2) are transferred simultaneously by a gripper (10) into a number of consecutive spaces (8) between bundles (2) of a continuing transport row (3-1, 3-3) adjacent to the row (3-2).

Abstract: The method of the present invention removes at least a plurality of articles (02) arriving consecutively in a transport direction (FR) from an infeed (03), and subsequently, arranging and grouping the articles (02), while simultaneously lifting and collectively transferring the article (02) from the infeed (03) to a staging surface (04). At the staging area are one or more outer packagings (05), and into which the articles (02) are placed. Individually or groupwise, as seen in a direction in parallel to the transport direction (FR), the individual distances between the articles (02) corresponding to a defined arrangement (20) are increased and/or decreased, and finally, the articles (02) are simultaneously lowered and released into the one or a plurality of outer packagings (05). The apparatus of the present invention comprises an infeed (03) of articles (02) being transported, at least one staging surface (04) arranged next to the infeed (03).

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and a device (1) for handling individual intermediate layers (5). The method involves removing from each of at least two separate stacks of intermediate layers (7) an individual intermediate layer (5) arranged topmost on the particular stack of intermediate layers (7). The removed individual intermediate layers (5) are moved into a detection range of a sensor system (13) of its own and the particular own sensor system (13) identifying, preferably by means of optical detection, an outer edge (6) of the particular intermediate layer (5). Subsequently, the removed individual intermediate layers (5) move toward a particular target location (Z1, Z2), the particular, preferably optical detection thereby being taken into account, such that the intermediate layers (5) reach their particular target location (Z1, Z2) in a predetermined position.

Abstract: The present invention includes an apparatus (01) and a method for expanding and erecting collapsed or folded cardboard packagings (02) to a standing position. The method includes holding the topmost cardboard packaging (02), coming from above, at its top flat side (23) of a cardboard packaging wall (22) and removing it from a stack (41) of flatly collapsed cardboard packagings (02). Subsequently also holding the cardboard packaging (02), at its bottom flat side (24) from below, and increasing the vertical distance between the top flat side (23), and the bottom flat side (24), by oppositely pulling so far until the cardboard packaging (02) has been expanded. Then releasing the top flat side (23) of the cardboard packaging (02), and rotating the lying, expanded set of cardboard packaging (02) still being held at its bottom flat side (24), where the rotating is about a horizontal pivoting axis (13).

Abstract: The invention relates to a handling apparatus (1) for piece goods (2) that comprises at least one divider finger (14, 46, 51), which is introducible to a transport plane (5), largely perpendicular, from below, with the at least one divider finger being connected to a divider bar element (13, 13*, 43, 50). The divider bar element is movably arranged below the transport plane (5) and is guided in a specified movement path. The divider bar element is detachably connected to a profile element (11, 41). During a format change, the divider bar element is toolessly detached and interchanged for another divider bar element, which has divider fingers that are positioned differently and/or spaced apart differently from the divider fingers of the removed divider bar element.