PACKAGING DEVICE AND PACKAGING METHOD

Abstract

A packaging device (2) and a packaging method are for highly compressed bales (3) on a baling press (1). The packaging device (2) has a supply device (9) for a web-shaped packaging material (8) and a wrapping device (10) for attaching an annularly surrounding wrapping web (7) on the free side surfaces (32) of the compressed bale (3) which is held between compression rams (31). The wrapping device (10) is arranged with a transport device (20) movably relative to the compressed bale (3). The supply device (9) is arranged in a spatially and kinematically separate manner from the wrapping device (10), in particular in a stationary manner.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a U.S. National Phase Application of International Application PCT/EP2014/056032, filed Mar. 26, 2014, and claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of German Application 20 2013 101 316.1, filed Mar. 26, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a packaging device for highly compressed bales on a baling press and a packaging method for packaging highly compressed bales on a baling press by means of a packaging device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A packaging device for highly compressed bales on a baling press is known from EP 0 294 820 B1. The packaging device has a supply device for a film web and a wrapping apparatus for applying a surrounding film sleeve to the compressed bale held between press rams, said supply device and wrapping apparatus forming a spatial and kinematic unit and being arranged together on a transport means. The packaging device tautens a film curtain and lays it laterally around the compressed bale as a belt.

EP 0 528 892 B1 shows a variant of such a packaging device having a different structural configuration of the supply device and the wrapping apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention to present improved packaging technology.

The packaging technology according to the invention, in particular the packaging device and the packaging method, have the advantage of enhanced efficiency and improved safety.

As a result of the spatial separation, the supply device can be arranged at a distance from the compressed bale and from the baling press and thus outside a safety region on the baling press. This makes it possible to change or provide a fresh supply of packaging material, in particular rolls or coils, without disrupting or shutting down the baling press for safety reasons.

The supply device can be arranged in a stationary manner, thereby making accessibility, handling and changing of the packaging material, in particular coils, easier. In this case, the storage capacity can be considerably increased. Sufficient space is available for replacement coils. The diameter and the weight of the coils and replacement coils can be much greater than in the prior art mentioned at the beginning. Furthermore, web ends can be connected much more easily and quickly during a coil change.

Further advantages reside in the saving of space and weight on the transport means which now only has to transport the wrapping apparatus. This can furthermore result in improvements in the acceleration and traveling speed of the transport means, this likewise having a performance-enhancing effect. Furthermore, improved accommodation facilities for one or more additional devices on the transport means, for example a strapping apparatus, are favorable.

The packaging technology according to the invention is suitable in particular for high-performance baling presses. In this case, a baling press can also be subdivided into a preliminary pressing and main pressing region. The packaging technology according to the invention can furthermore be added to for the attachment of additional packaging means, for example a stretch hood. In addition, it is possible to apply an upper and/or lower cover film to the compressed bale, and this can take place during pressing.

The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a baling press having a packaging device with a supply device and a wrapping apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the feed device of a wrapping apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a wrapping apparatus with two feed devices arranged on either side of the compressed bale in the viewing direction III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a feed apparatus along arrow IV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section through a feed apparatus on the section line V-V in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a supply device;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the supply device in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a front view of the supply device along arrow VIII in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a section through the supply device on section line IX-IX in FIG. 8, and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the packaging device in FIGS. 1 to 9 and a part of the baling press.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, the invention relates to a packaging device (2) and a packaging method for highly compressed bales (3) on a baling press (1). The invention also relates to the baling press equipped with a packaging device (2).

The compressed bales (3) are produced from textile fibers, in particular natural fibers or synthetic fibers, and subsequently packaged by way of the packaging device (2).

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a baling press (1) which is configured for example as a vertical press and has a filling region and optionally preliminary pressing region and also a final pressing or main pressing region. It can be a carousel press, shown in FIG. 1, which has the filling and preliminary pressing region on the left-hand side and the final pressing region on the right-hand side.

FIG. 10 likewise shows a broken-away illustration of the carousel press (1) with the rotary table, the lower press rams (31) and a compressed bale (3) in a perspective view as seen from the other side.

The baling press (1) has a high pressing capacity. It can be configured for example as in WO 2012/101250 A1 and have two parallel feed shafts for filling one or more press boxes (4). In the press box (4), the compressed bale (3) can be compressed with a high pressure between upper and lower press rams (31). The baling press (1) is assigned a packaging device (2) by way of which the compressed bale (3) held between the press rams (31) is packaged after the removal of the press box (4).

By way of the packaging device, the compressed bale (3) receives bale packaging (5) which covers a plurality or all of the sides of the compressed bale (3) and which consists at least in part of a web-like packaging material (8). The bale packaging (5) is formed at least by an annular sleeve web (7) of packaging material (8) laid around the lateral bale faces (32), said sleeve web (7) also being referred to as a belt. It wraps around and covers the lateral bale faces (32) which lie freely and are accessible between the press rams. In addition, a cover film (6) can be applied to the top side and/or underside of the compressed bale (3).

The application of such cover films (6) can take place for example as in EP 0 528 893 B1 by the introduction of a film cut at the press ram (31) prior to the compression of the bale and by the subsequent wrapping and application of the cover film (6) around the lateral faces of the compressed bale (3). Alternatively, it is possible to dispense with one or more cover films (6).

The packaging device (2) has a supply device (9) for the web-like packaging material (8) and a wrapping apparatus (10) for applying the annular sleeve web (7) to the compressed bale (3) held between the press rams (31). The web-like packaging material (8) is preferably configured as a flexurally elastic film web made of a plastics material, for example of polyethylene or polypropylene. Alternatively, web-like packaging materials made of other materials, for example also metal materials or composite materials, are possible.

The exemplary embodiments illustrated below contain and describe film webs and sleeve films (7). They can also be adapted in an appropriate manner to other web-like packaging materials (8), material webs, web curtains and sleeve webs (7).

The wrapping apparatus (10) is arranged so as to be movable relative to the compressed bale (3) and to the stationary baling press (1) by way of a transport means (20) indicated in FIG. 1. The supply device (9) is arranged in a manner separated spatially and kinematically from the wrapping apparatus (10). Preferably, the supply device (9) is arranged in a stationary manner.

The supply device (9) has at least one receptacle (12) for a web supply (11) of packaging material (8). This web supply (11) is formed as a roll or coil in the exemplary embodiments shown, wherein the receptacle (12) is configured as a rotatable coil receptacle for unrolling the coil. In the exemplary embodiments shown, the supply device (9) has two coil receptacles (12) for a coil (11) in an operating position and for a replacement coil (11) in a standby position. The receptacles (12) are arranged on a frame (14) on which controllable and drivable conveying means (16), for example driving rollers, for taking off the coil and transporting the packaging material (8) are also arranged. An apparatus for joining the web ends during a coil change can also be arranged in the region of the receptacles (12).

The receptacle(s) (12) is/are arranged at a spatial distance from the compressed bale (3) and optionally from the baling press (1) and preferably in a stationary manner. In order to feed the packaging material (8) from the receptacle (12) to the wrapping apparatus (10), a web guide (13) is provided. The latter bridges the distance from the held compressed bale (3) and has a high guide arm (15), arranged above the held compressed bale (3) and the wrapping apparatus (10), for the packaging material (8). Supporting and guide means (33), for example freely rotatable rollers, and optionally conveying means (16) can be arranged on the guide arm (15).

The web guide (13), in particular the guide arm (15), is on the one hand a constituent part of the frame (14) or is arranged on the latter and has on the other hand a connection at its front free end for fastening to a supporting part of the baling press (1), in particular to a press column (17). At the free end, deflection rollers (33) for the packaging material (8) can furthermore be provided. From the stationary free end, the film web (8) is fed to an inlet (29) of the movable wrapping apparatus (10).

The coils (11) are arranged in a lying manner, in particular horizontally, wherein the taken-off packaging material (8) also takes up a lying position on the preferably horizontally oriented guide arm (15). In this position, it is fed to the wrapping apparatus (10). The high arrangement of the guide arm (15) and of the packaging material (8) in this region leaves lateral access to the held compressed bale (3) at the baling press (1). This access can be used on the one hand for manual handling or for other manual work on the compressed bale (3). On the other hand, a removal device (not illustrated) or other automatic devices for bale handling can also be arranged here. The transport means (20) can likewise be moved from this access region into a rest position and clear the access.

The wrapping apparatus (10) has a variable web store (23) for the fed packaging material (8). As a result, the traveling movement of the transport means (20) and the feed of the packaging material (8) can be matched to one another by the supply device (9), such that low-stress, safe transport of the packaging material (8) is possible. This applies in particular when, as in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the direction of travel of the transport means (20) during the application of the sleeve film (7) and the feed direction of the packaging material (8) are in opposite directions.

The web store (23) receives for example the film-web length that is required for the associated sleeve film region and is emptied during the application of the sleeve film (7). This takes place during the forward movement of the wrapping apparatus (10) and the transport means (20) thereof. During this movement, the supply device (9) can supply more packaging material (8), which is filled back into the web store (23) during the reverse movement.

In the preferred embodiment, the web store (23) is configured as a controllable dancer (24) having tensioning rollers (25, 26) for the packaging material (8) that are adjustable relative to one another. FIG. 5 illustrates this arrangement in section and with a viewing direction from above. In the dancer (24), a plurality of tensioning loops of the web-like packaging material (8) are formed between the stationary tensioning rollers (25) and the movable tensioning rollers (26) arranged on a controllable tensioning carriage.

On the inlet side, a web deflector (22) is connected upstream of the web store (23), in particular the dancer (24), the film web (8) fed in a lying manner being rotated through 90° into an upright position by way of said web deflector (22), the sleeve film (7) being laid around the compressed bale (3) in said position. The tensioning rollers (25, 26) are likewise in an upright position. The web deflection (22) can take place for example via an inclined and rounded guide rail illustrated in FIG. 3. Arranged above the web deflector (22) is the inlet (29) of the wrapping apparatus (10) with deflection rollers which acquire the web-like packaging material (8) from the front end of the guide arm (15). FIGS. 1 and 4 show this arrangement.

The wrapping apparatus (10) can likewise have controllable and driven conveying means (27) for the web-like packaging material (8). On the outlet side of the web store (23), in particular of the dancer (24), the packaging material (8) is guided in a loop to deflection rollers on a rear-side support arm and from there back again to an outlet (30) of the wrapping apparatus (10), at which the packaging material (8) emerges in the direction of the compressed bale (3) according to FIGS. 2 and 3. The outlet (10) can, according to FIG. 5, be movable transversely to the compressed bale (3) and have a carriage with upright guide rollers, said carriage being extendible in a controlled manner and driven for example by a cylinder.

As FIG. 3 illustrates, the wrapping apparatus (10) can tauten a film curtain (21) which extends transversely over the held compressed bale (3) and the rear end side thereof and which is subsequently laid in a U-shaped manner around the held compressed bale (3) during a traveling movement of the wrapping apparatus (10) and is closed to form a ring at the other, front end. To this end, the wrapping apparatus (10) has a cutting and welding apparatus (28) which is arranged at the movable outlet (30) or in the vicinity thereof. The cutting and welding apparatus (28) can be arranged in an advanceable manner with respect to the compressed bale (3), wherein it is located for example on the carriage of the outlet (30).

The cutting and welding apparatus (28) on the one hand closes the sleeve film (7), formed by means of the film curtain (21), at the end and in the process severs the sleeve film (7) from the fed packaging material (8). In the process, it connects, in particular welds, the ends of the sleeve film (7) together. At the same time, the free ends of the fed packaging material (8) that were produced during the cutting operation are also connected together, wherein a closed film curtain (21) is formed again. After the compressed bale (3) provided with the sleeve film (7) has been removed from the baling press (1), the wrapping apparatus can travel back again into a starting position shown in FIG. 1.

The wrapping apparatus (10) can be structurally embodied in various ways. It can in particular be configured in an integral or multipart manner.

In the embodiment shown, a multipart wrapping apparatus (10) has two feed devices (18, 19), which are arranged on either side of the compressed bale (3) and the baling press (1) and which in the case each have a separate transport means (20) configured for example as a trolley. The feed devices (18, 19) in this case each have the abovementioned configuration of the wrapping apparatus (10) with the web deflector (22), the web store (23) and the conveying means (27), wherein said film curtain (21) is tautened between the feed devices (18, 19), which are arranged opposite one another in a mirror-inverted manner and are moved synchronously. FIG. 3 shows this arrangement. The cutting and welding apparatus (28) can be assigned as a whole or in parts to one or both feed devices (18, 19).

The welding apparatus (28) is configured in any desired suitable manner. It can work at a relatively high temperature with heating beams or heating wires, which are suitable for example for PE films. For temperature-sensitive PP films, in particular what are referred to as ribbon films, the welding apparatus (28) can work with ultrasound. The cutting and welding apparatus (28) can be structurally configured and function in a manner corresponding to EP 0 294 820 B1 and/or EP 0 528 892 B1.

The two feed devices (18, 19) are also each connected to a separate supply device (9) of the above-described type, such that the packaging material (8) is fed on both sides of the compressed bale (3) or of the baling press (1).

In another variant (not illustrated) of the packaging device (2), a single and one-sided arrangement of a supply device (9) in conjunction with a single wrapping apparatus (10) can be provided, wherein only one web (8) of packaging material is fed on one bale side from the stationary supply device (9) of the wrapping apparatus (10). The latter can be configured in a multipart manner and for example in accordance with EP 0 528 892 B1, wherein a film feeder is arranged on one bale side and a transversely extendible film arm is arranged on the other, these each being located on a transport means (20).

Modifications of the embodiments shown and described are possible in various ways. This relates to the structural configuration and arrangement of the supply device(s) (9) and of the wrapping apparatus (10) and also of the baling press (1). In particular, the features of the above-described exemplary embodiments and the modifications thereof can also be combined with and even exchanged for one another as desired.

The bale packaging (5) or the compressed bale (3) provided with a sleeve film (7) can subsequently be supplemented by a stretch hood or some other packing means.

The baling press (1) can have some other structural configuration. It can be configured for example as a horizontal press and have vertically oriented press rams. The packaging device (2) is configured and arranged in a corresponding manner adapted thereto. In this case, the sleeve (7) is laid around horizontal and vertical free lateral faces (32) of the compressed bale (3). Furthermore, the baling press (1) can have locally and functionally separate preliminary and final pressing regions. It can be configured in particular as a press facility having a plurality of preliminary presses and a common final press. The packaging device (2) is in this case arranged on a possibly detached final press (1). The web-like packaging material (8) can be stored and provided in some other form than in rolls or coils, for example in a folded or laid manner and packaged in cardboard boxes or the like.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

Claims

1. A packaging device for highly compressed bales on a baling press, the packaging device comprising:

a supply device for supplying a film web packaging material;

a wrapping apparatus for applying an annular surrounding film sleeve, to free lateral faces of the compressed bale held between press rams;

a transport means for moving the wrapping apparatus; and

a web guide for feeding the packaging material, wherein:

the wrapping apparatus is arranged so as to be movable by way of the transport means relative to the compressed bale;

the supply device is arranged separated spatially and kinematically from the wrapping apparatus;

the supply device is arranged stationarily;

the supply device comprises a web supply receptacle for a coil web supply, and the web guide feeds the packaging material to the wrapping apparatus; and

the receptacle and the web supply are arranged at a gap distance from the held compressed bale, wherein the web guide bridges the gap distance.

2-4. (canceled)

5. The packaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supply device has at least one further receptacle for a replacement coil web supply.

6. The packaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receptacle and the web guide are arranged in a lying manner.

7. The packaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the web guide has a high guide arm for the packaging material, said high guide arm being arranged above the held compressed bale.

8. The packaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the web guide has a guide arm with a connection for fastening to a press column (17).

9. The packaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supply device has a controllable conveying means for conveying the packaging material.

10. The packaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wrapping apparatus has a variable web store for the packaging material.

11. The packaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the web store is configured as a controllable dancer having tensioning rollers, for the packaging material, that are adjustable relative to one another.

12. The packaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wrapping apparatus has a web deflector for the packaging material.

13. The packaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wrapping apparatus has a controllable conveying means for conveying the packaging material.

14. The packaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wrapping apparatus has a cutting and welding apparatus for the packaging material.

15. The packaging device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising another supply device wherein the packaging device (2) has two supply devices and the wrapping apparatus has two feed devices that are arranged on either side of the compressed bale on in each case one transport means and are each connected to a supply device.

16. The packaging device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the feed devices are provided and configured to tauten an upright web film curtain, between one another and to lay the latter laterally around the compressed bale.

17. The packaging device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the feed devices each have a web deflector, a web store, conveying means and a cutting and welding apparatus.

18. A baling press for highly compressed bales comprising a packaging device, the packaging device comprising:

a supply device for supplying a film web packaging material;

a wrapping apparatus for applying an annular surrounding film sleeve, to free lateral faces of the compressed bale held between press rams;

a transport means for moving the wrapping apparatus; and

a web guide for feeding the packaging material, wherein:

the wrapping apparatus is arranged so as to be movable by way of the transport means relative to the compressed bale;

the supply device is arranged separated spatially and kinematically from the wrapping apparatus;

the supply device is arranged stationarily;

the supply device comprises a web supply receptacle for a coil web supply, and the web guide feeds the packaging material to the wrapping apparatus; and

the receptacle and the web supply are arranged at a gap distance from the held compressed bale, wherein the web guide bridges the gap distance.

19. A method for packaging highly compressed bales on a baling press by means of a packaging device, the method comprising the steps of

moving a wrapping apparatus relative to the compressed bale by way of a transport means;

applying, with a wrapping apparatus, an annular sleeve, made of a film web packaging material, to the free lateral faces of the compressed bale held between press rams; and

feeding the web-like packaging material is fed to the wrapping apparatus from a supply device which is arranged in a manner separated spatially and kinematically from the wrapping apparatus.

20. The packaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the supply device is a single and one-sided arrangement cooperating with the wrapping apparatus as a single wrapping apparatus; and

the film web of packaging material is fed on only one bale side from the stationary supply device of the wrapping apparatus.