METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY INSERTING ENCLOSURES INTO A RECEPTACLE AND A DEVICE FOR CARRYING OUT THE METHOD

Abstract

In a method for automatically inserting enclosures (15) into a receptacle (10) which is intended to accommodate a principal goods item (14) a high degree of speed and flexibility in the context of commissioning is thereby achieved in that the receptacle (10) is moved past a stationary inserting station in a transportation direction (13), and that on passing the inserting station at least one enclosure (15) is inserted from the inserting station into the open receptacle (10).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Swiss Patent Applications 00300/17, filed 13 Mar. 2017 and 01202/17, filed 2 Oct. 2017, the priority documents corresponding to this invention, to which a foreign priority benefit is claimed under Title 35, United States Code, Section 119, and their entire teachings are incorporated, by reference, into this specification.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to the field of the commissioning/order picking of goods.

Furthermore it concerns a device for executing this method.

Discussion of Related Art

As a result of the continuing expansion of e-commerce the automatic commissioning of goods and packages is gaining an ever increasing importance. In the context of automatic commissioning, if an order is received for particular goods or merchandise, the ordered goods are taken out of a warehouse or from another storage facility, brought together with orders of corresponding product groups, packaged ready for dispatch and then dispatched to go on their way to the purchaser/recipient.

In most cases enclosures which are also to be sent with the goods are added before the final packaging, and can comprise package inserts, operating instructions, product samples, prospectuses, flyers, CDs or the like.

In order to be able to automate the process of adding the enclosures within the commissioning process, methods and devices must be provided which make possible the addition of such enclosures to the principal goods item in an uncomplicated, flexible, quick and safe manner.

A plurality of suggestions have been made in the past as to how to insert enclosures into goods packaging.

DE 1586104 A1 reveals a device for placing prospectuses, collectors' cards or similar sheet-type contents in carton packaging, which device has pivotable suckers controlled about an axis and a stack containing the prospectuses, wherein the pivotable suckers are associated with a stationary guide rail located on the head of the passing carton, the lower edge of which guide rail only grips the narrow-side sealing tabs and runs parallel to the carton conveyor system and has an upward facing bow-shaped recess, which is mainly located in the pivot arc of the suckers.

DE 3835838 A1 reveals a packaging machine for cartons made from a prefabricated folded-flat blank which, whilst forming a cardboard sleeve which is polygonal, in particular square, in cross-section and open on two sides, is erected, filled and closed by folding over folding tabs, wherein a carton blank can be inserted into the open cardboard sleeve on at least one side, which can be removed from a magazine and inserted into the cardboard sleeve in an upright position by means of an insert dispenser.

DE 3118209 C2 discloses a device for feeding in prospectuses ahead of a product chain provided with product buckets which accommodate successively arranged products such as tubes, bottles, blister packaging or the like in receptacles such as cardboard boxes, to be inserted together with the prospectuses, wherein the prospectuses are delivered between conveyor belts and, before the insertion of the products, are held in front of the conveyor belts, mainly vertically, in prospectus pincers by means of a prospectus pincer chain arranged beneath the product chain, wherein the prospectus pincer chain operates in a prospectus pick-up area beside the product chain.

EP 0623516 A1 discloses a device for adding packaging enclosures such as prospectuses, package inserts or the like to packaged goods comprising contents such as tubes, bottles, piles of blister packaging or the like which are fed into a product chain of a packaging machine, which are inserted into packaging receptacles, in particular folding boxes, which are fed into a packaging receptacle chain of the packaging machine, with a packaging enclosure conveyor which transports the packaging enclosures, which are folded into a strip, between two continuous conveyor belts which run alongside each other along their transport path as far as a dispensing mouth at which the conveyor belts are deflected into opposite directions to one another by deflection rollers, and with a continuously revolving clamp-pincer chain with clamp pincers each gripping one of the packaging enclosure strips at the strip end and feeding them into the packaged goods chain, which clamp pincers run along a mainly vertical transfer plane when transferring the packaging enclosure strips, wherein, on being transferred, the packaging enclosure strips are orientated so that their strip surfaces are also parallel to the transfer plane and lie lengthways mainly across the direction of travel of the clamp pincers, wherein a collecting pocket is provided for each of the packaging enclosure strips leaving the dispensing mouth of the packaging enclosure conveyor which holds the packaging enclosure strip in position in the prescribed location for the transfer by the clamp pincer and which protrudes lengthways out of the packaging enclosure strip into the path of the clamp pincers with at least the strip end to be gripped by the clamp pincers which take the strip end with them in the opening of the pincer mouth which faces forwards in their direction of travel, and wherein furthermore the collecting pocket is open in the direction of travel of the clamp pincers for the release of the packaging enclosure strip gripped by the clamp pincers, and wherein the dispensing mouth of the packaging enclosure conveyor is located above this pocket opening, wherein the deflection rollers of its conveyor belts are arranged on the same side of the transfer plane at a distance from that plane which allows the packaging enclosure strips carried by the clamp pincers to pass by.

EP 1050472 A2 describes a packaging machine with a revolving prospectus delivery device which has a plurality of holders each for accommodating a prospectus and with which the prospectus can be positioned in front of a product bucket of a product chain, and with a supply device with which the prospectus can be inserted into the holder of the prospectus delivery device in a transfer area, wherein there is a stopper for aligning the prospectus in the transfer area, wherein the stopper is formed on a continuously revolving stopper belt which runs in the transfer area at a distance from and parallel to the prospectus delivery device.

WO 03091113 A1 discloses a device for feeding package inserts from a prospectus device into a packaged goods conveyor device (13), with a continuous conveyor chain on which gripper elements are arranged spaced at equal distances apart for the respective package inserts, wherein the conveyor chain runs parallel to the packaged goods conveyor device along one part of its conveying route and is driven in synchronization with the packaged goods conveyor device, and wherein the package inserts are supplied from the prospectus device to a transfer area which is arranged above and to the side of the packaged goods conveyor device, wherein the conveyor chain is a flexible conveyor chain which swivelled from the plane adjacent to the conveyor route of the packaged goods conveyor device in the direction of the transfer area and that the conveyor chain is directed all the way into the transfer area via a section extending from the level of the packaged goods conveyor device up to the height of the transfer area.

However, these well-known methods and devices are generally not very flexible, are mechanically complex and are limited in the achievable speeds.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus it is an aim of the invention to specify a method for automatically inserting enclosures into a receptacle which is provided for receiving a principal item of goods, which method makes possible a safe, quick and flexible insertion and is easily integrated into a goods commissioning system.

A further aim of the invention is to create a device for carrying out the method.

The aims will be achieved by the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are given in the dependent claims and in the present description and the figures.

The method according to the invention for automatically inserting enclosures into a receptacle which is provided for receiving a principal item of goods includes an open receptacle moved past a stationary inserting station in a transport direction and that, on passing the inserting station, at least one enclosure is inserted from the inserting station into the open receptacle.

Receptacle is understood to mean a container, in particular a cardboard box or a package. The receptacle can be a tub, a container or also a bag. The receptacle may be already formed so that after being filled it can be sealed and sent to the recipient as a package. However, the receptacle may also be a plastic container which is only used for the commissioning of the principal goods item and the enclosures, is emptied at a downstream dispatching station and later re-used and deployed for a new commissioning process. In contrast, a letter or envelope into which usually only very flat products and in particular printed products are inserted and which plays a role in the area of the postal service, is not to be considered a receptacle for the purposes of the invention.

The principal goods can be made up of an individual or a number of individual articles, e.g. books, articles of clothing, day-to-day articles, foodstuffs, medicine, technical equipment, household articles or similar merchandise.

An enclosure may be a flyer, a prospectus, a printed invoice or printed cover letter or operating instructions—flat printed products in general. However, it may also be a goods sample, a CD or some other assistance item which might or should be of interest to the recipient of the goods.

In one embodiment of the method according to the invention the at least one enclosure can be moved along with the receptacle whilst being inserted into the receptacle. Altogether, in this way a continuous process is achieved without the need for a complicated reciprocal motion and which is less mechanically burdensome. At the same time this form of method makes higher processing speeds possible.

If, in the process, the receptacle is moved past the inserting station at a pre-determined transport speed and, whilst being inserted, the at least one enclosure is moved with it at a speed matching that of the receptacle's transport speed, insertion performances, where the enclosure is a flat printed product of, for example, 2500 copies per hour are achievable.

It is particularly beneficial if the receptacle is moved past the inserting station on a transport plane, the receptacle is open at the top and the at least one enclosure is inserted into the receptacle from above. In this way the insertion process is further simplified and accelerated.

It is beneficial for the automatic commissioning of enclosures and principal goods if the insertion of the at least one enclosure is carried out from a predetermined insertion height, receptacles of different heights are successively filled with at least one enclosure, and if the respective predetermined insertion heights are automatically set to the height of the receptacle to he filled. In this way a very flexible commissioning process is achieved, since very different packages can be processed without further interventions.

In the process, the height of the receptacle to be filled can be determined before inserting the at least one enclosure. This can be done by a suitable sensor which measures the height and, where necessary, the lateral dimensions of the incoming receptacles in front of the inserting station and transmits the results to a controlled height-adjusting means. For example, vertical light barrier chains or distance sensors or cameras with appropriate image evaluation arranged above the transport path can be considered as sensors for this purpose.

The insertion of the at least one enclosure can be carried out, in particular, by means of an inserting body, wherein the setting of the insertion height is undertaken at the inserting body. A local height adjustment such as this is mechanically simple and safe and can react quickly to different receptacle heights.

It is particularly advantageous here if the inserting body is arranged above the transport plane in a pivotable manner relative to the transport plane and the setting of the insertion height is carried out by pivoting the inserting body. However, it is also possible to leave a (sloping) position of the inserting body unchanged and to carry out a height adjustment by a telescopic change to the length of the inserting body. In further embodiments a combined movement of the inserting body comprising a pivoting and a telescoping can be carried out in order to set the insertion height.

In one embodiment of the method the enclosure to be inserted is dispensed by a longitudinal dispensing tongue of the inserting body at a free end of the dispensing tongue, wherein the dispensing tongue is pivoted around a horizontal pivot axis in order to adjust the height of the free end.

In a further embodiment of the method the dispensing tongue pivoted and/or telescoped so that the height of the free end is adjusted along a vertical path. Thus a situation can preferably be achieved where the enclosures are consistently inserted into the open receptacle in the same place along the transport direction. For successive receptacles of different heights this offers the advantage of greater flexibility in the insertion of the enclosures. In this way in particular the distance between the successive receptacles can be reduced which has a beneficial effect on the delivery performance and delivery speed.

In one embodiment of the method the dispensing tongue has a first limb and a second limb which are connected by a joint which defines a second horizontal pivot axis. Here the free end is arranged on the second limb and is pivoted about the second horizontal pivot axis in order to adjust the height, wherein the joint is pivoted about the first horizontal pivot axis. The dispensing tongue or the first and second limbs can preferably carry out a combined pivoting motion, wherein the first limb can be pivoted about the first horizontal pivot axis and the second limb can be pivoted about the second horizontal axis by the joint and also, because of the connection to the first limb, about the first horizontal pivot axis.

The insertion of the at least one enclosure into the open receptacle preferably occurs diagonally downwards in the transport direction. In this way a “sliding” insertion is possible which allows high speeds.

In bringing together principal goods and the enclosure(s) it is possible that the receptacle is initially filled with the principal goods item and that the at least one enclosure is subsequently inserted into the open receptacle. Thus the at least one enclosure can be placed on the inserted principal goods item.

However, it is also conceivable that the at least one enclosure is initially inserted into the open receptacle and that subsequently the receptacle is filled with the principal goods item.

Furthermore, several (similar or different) enclosures may of course be inserted into the receptacle. Thus, for example, operating instructions, invoices, prospectuses and goods samples may be grouped together into an enclosure pack and enclosed.

Such several enclosures may be inserted into the receptacle one after the other at different inserting stations.

However, it is also conceivable that the enclosures are initially collected into an enclosure pack and that the enclosure pack is subsequently inserted into the receptacle at one inserting station.

The invented device for carrying out the method according to the invention includes a transportation device for transporting the open receptacles on a transport plane in a transport direction at a predetermined transport speed, on which transport device at least one inserting station is arranged which comprises an inserting body for inserting an enclosure in a receptacle which is moved past the inserting station on the transport device.

The inserting body can, in particular, comprise a longitudinal dispensing tongue arranged above the transport device which dispenses the enclosures to be inserted at a free end.

The dispensing tongue is preferably aligned parallel with the transport device and extends diagonally downwards in the transport direction in such a way that the free end of the dispensing tongue is located at the bottom. This configuration is particularly easily adapted to the variable heights of receptacles to be filled.

The free end of the dispensing tongue can then be designed as height adjustable.

In particular, the dispensing tongue can be pivoted about a first horizontal pivot axis in order to adjust the height of the free end. This makes possible a motorized adjustment which can be controlled according to the height of the respective receptacle.

In one embodiment the dispensing tongue can be pivoted and/or telescoped in such a way that the height of the free end can be adjusted along a vertical path. Thus a situation can preferably be achieved where the enclosures are consistently inserted into the open receptacle in the same place along the transport direction. For successive receptacles of different heights this offers the advantage of greater flexibility in the insertion of the enclosures.

The dispensing tongue can have pivotable and/or telescopic parts. In particular, the pivotable and/or telescopic parts can be set up in order to perform a combined motion of the free end of the dispensing tongue in order to adjust the insertion height.

In one embodiment the dispensing tongue has a first limb and a second limb which are connected by a joint which defines a second horizontal pivot axis. Thus the free end is arranged on the second limb and can be pivoted about the second horizontal pivot axis, wherein the joint can be pivoted about the first horizontal pivot axis.

The first limb is preferably arranged so that it can pivot about the first, preferably stationary, horizontal pivot axis. The dispensing tongue or the first and second limbs are preferably set up so as to perform a combined pivoting motion, wherein the first limb can be pivoted about the first horizontal pivot axis, and the second limb can be pivoted about the second horizontal pivot axis by the joint and also, because of the connection to the first limb, about the first horizontal pivot axis.

The joint offers the advantage of an extra degree of freedom in the movement of the dispensing tongue, which increases the flexibility of the inserting process. In particular the combined pivoting motion preferably makes it possible to achieve a situation where the height of the free end arranged on the second limb can be adjusted along a vertical path so that the enclosures can for the most part be inserted into the open receptacle in the same place along the transport direction. In this way in particular there can be a smaller distance between successive receptacles of different heights which has a positive effect on the delivery performance and delivery speed.

For example, where there is a rigid dispensing tongue which can only be pivoted about one axis and there are successive receptacles of different heights, minimum distances between the receptacles must normally be adhered to which take into account the pivot radius of the dispensing tongue. This is the case, for example, if a first receptacle with a first height is followed by a second receptacle of a smaller second height: because of the pivot radius of the dispensing tongue, the first receptacle generally has a “pivot shadow”, so that the second receptacle must be a minimum distance from the first receptacle which is bigger than the “pivot shadow”.

In one embodiment, the device has a guide in which the free end of the second limb is guided along the vertical path in order to adjust the height.

In one embodiment, the device has an inserting guide which is set up to control the first and the second limb so that the dispensing tongue performs a combined pivoting motion so that the height of the free end of the second limb is adjusted along a vertical path.

The first and the second limbs can comprise conveyor belts by means of which the enclosures can be conveyed. In one embodiment the first and/or the second limb can each have an upper and/or a lower conveyor, preferably comprising an upper and/or a lower conveyor belt, between which the enclosures can be conveyed. The enclosures can be conveyed between upper and lower conveyors by means of conveyor belts running counter to each other. The joint can have lower joints which connect the upper or lower conveyors of the first and the second limbs. The joints or the lower joints can comprise deflection rollers. The conveyor belts are preferably formed so as to run continuously over the joint or the lower joints. In a preferred embodiment a lower conveyor belt is continuously routed over the first and the second limb and/or an upper conveyor belt is continuously routed over the first and the second limb, so that the enclosures can be continuously conveyed between the lower and the upper conveyor belt.

In further embodiments the dispensing tongue has further limbs and joints which offers the advantage of increasing the degree of freedom of the inserting action.

In one embodiment, in order that the enclosures can be inserted into the receptacle individually and at high speed via the inserting body, there is a separator upstream of the inserting body which transfers individual enclosures into the inserting body.

There is preferably a bar feeder upstream of the separator which conveys enclosures for insertion to the separator. This type of bar feeder is known from the print finishing process and has proven itself where enclosures from a supply stack (bar) have to be transported to a separator. At the same time they form enclosure storage which only has to be filled with corresponding piles of enclosures at long intervals, so saving on personnel.

In particular the bar feeder can be arranged transversely to the transport direction. This configuration makes possible a space saving arrangement of a number of inserting stations one after the other.

A high level of speed and flexibility are achieved if a number of inserting stations are arranged one after another along the transport direction and if each inserting station has its own inserting body.

However, it is also conceivable in other application scenarios that a collecting device is assigned to the inserting station which device compiles an enclosure pack of a number of enclosures by a collection process and forwards this on to the inserting body.

In doing so, a number of placing stations for the enclosures can be associated with the collecting device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in more detail below by means of the exemplary embodiments together with the drawings.

FIG. 1(a) shows a schematic depiction in a first of a number of steps, (a) to (c), of an exemplary procedure for inserting an enclosure into a receptacle which already contains a principal goods item according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1(b) shows a schematic depiction in a second of a number of steps, (a) to (c), of an exemplary procedure for inserting an enclosure into a receptacle which already contains a principal goods item according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1(c) shows a schematic depiction in a third of a number of steps, (a) to (c), of an exemplary procedure for inserting an enclosure into a receptacle which already contains a principal goods item according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2(a) shows, analogously to FIG. 1, a schematic depiction in a first of a number of steps, (a) to (c), of an exemplary procedure for inserting an enclosure into a receptacle before a principal goods item is inserted according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2(b) shows, analogously to FIG. 1, a schematic depiction in a second of a number of steps, (a) to (c), of an exemplary procedure for inserting an enclosure into a receptacle before a principal goods item is inserted according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2(c) shows, analogously to FIG. 1, a schematic depiction in a third of a number of steps, (a) to (c), of an exemplary procedure for inserting an enclosure into a receptacle before a principal goods item is inserted according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a receptacle which in addition to the principal goods item is successively filled with a number of different enclosures according to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a receptacle which in addition to the principal goods item is filled with a number of different enclosures side-by-side according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 shows a receptacle which in addition to the principal goods item is filled with an enclosure pack according to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6(a) shows a three-dimensional representation of a simple exemplary embodiment of an inserting station according to the invention with a dispensing tongue which can be height-adjusted which is inserting enclosures one after another (a) to (c) into receptacles of different heights;

FIG. 6(b) shows a three-dimensional representation of a simple exemplary embodiment of an inserting station according to the invention with a dispensing tongue which can be height-adjusted which is inserting enclosures one after another (a) to (c) into receptacles of different heights;

FIG. 6(c) shows a three-dimensional representation of a simple exemplary embodiment of an inserting station according to the invention with a dispensing tongue which can be height-adjusted which is inserting enclosures one after another (a) to (c) into receptacles of different heights;

FIG. 7 shows the block diagram of an inserting system according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention for the commissioning of enclosures for corresponding principal goods items;

FIG. 8 shows a simplified inserting station working according to the invention on which a separator for the enclosures is arranged laterally and transversely to the transport direction;

FIG. 9 shows an inserting station based on FIG. 8 in which the enclosures are feed in by a lateral, transversely arranged bar feeder;

FIG. 10 shows an inserting plant working according to the invention with a number of independently working inserting stations arranged one after the other in the transport direction;

FIG. 11 shows an inserting plant working according to the invention with a collecting device for forming enclosure packs which are then inserted into the receptacles being conveyed past;

FIG. 12a shows a lateral view of a further exemplary embodiment of an inserting station with a dispensing tongue which has a first limb and a second limb which are connected by a joint; and

FIG. 12b shows a lateral view of the inserting station in FIG. 12a wherein the height of a free end of the dispensing tongue is adjusted because of a receptacle of a different height.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Before later addressing exemplary embodiments of the technical devices and installations which are suited and intended for realizing the invention, there first follows an explanation, using FIGS. 1 to 5, of the inserting process itself connected with the invention by means of simplified diagrams.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic depiction in a number of steps, (a) to (c), of an exemplary procedure for inserting an enclosure 15 into a receptacle which already contains a principal goods item 14 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. For simplicity the principal goods item 14 is depicted as a compact self-contained block, but can be made up of a number of similar or different articles. If the principal goods item 14 concerns clothing items for example, the principal goods item 14 can comprise shirts, trousers, skirts, jackets or similar.

The principal goods item 14 is put into a receptacle 10, which in this example is open, and can be a cardboard box, a tub, a container or also a bag. The receptacle 10 which is symbolized by a rectangle in the FIG. 1 can already be formed so that after being filled it is sealed and sent to the recipient as a package. The receptacle 10 can however also be a plastic container which is only used for the commissioning of the principal goods item 14 and enclosures 15, is emptied in a downstream dispatch station and is later re-used and re-deployed for a new commissioning process.

The receptacle 10 in FIG. 1(a) is already filled with the principal goods item 14 introduced into its interior space 11 when it is moved past an inserting station (not shown) on a transport plane 12 in a transport direction at a predetermined transport speed. Then, in FIG. 1(b), on the way past the inserting station an enclosure 15 is inserted into the receptacle 10 which is open at the top at a matching speed so that it can be placed on the main goods item 14 in the interior space 11 (FIG. 1(c)) of the receptacle 10. In doing so the insertion of the enclosure 15 preferably takes place diagonally from top to bottom in the transport direction 13 so that the flat enclosure 15 first makes contact with the principal goods item 14 with the lower downstream end, before it is fully laid down as in FIG. 1(c). The flat enclosure 15 in the example shown can be a flyer, a prospectus, a printed invoice or a printed cover letter. However, it can also be a goods sample, a CD or another enclosure which might or should be of interest to the recipient of the principal goods item 14.

The process of filling the receptacle 10 can however also take place in the reverse order as shown in FIG. 2. Here an enclosure 15 is first inserted into the empty receptacle 10 (FIG. 2(a) and FIG. 2(b)) before the principal goods item 14 is then put in (FIG. 2(c)). In this case, as a matter of course in accordance with FIG. 1, a further enclosure can subsequently be inserted and placed on top of the principal goods item 14 so that enclosures are placed below and above the principal goods item 14.

Whilst in FIG. 1 only one enclosure is inserted into the receptacle 10, according to FIG. 3 a number of (similar or) different enclosures 15 and 16 can be inserted. If this is done successively, a natural sequence results for the enclosures 15 and 16 placed on the principal goods item 14, in which the first enclosure 15 to be inserted ends up underneath the subsequently inserted enclosure 16.

However, if the enclosures 15, 16 are small in relation to the lateral dimensions of the receptacle 10, it is also conceivable (FIG. 4) that the enclosures 15, 16 may be placed on the principal goods item 14a separately from one another (or overlapping) in order for example to improve access to the individual enclosures.

However, instead of inserting different enclosures into the receptacle 10 one after the other, an enclosure pack can be formed prior to insertion from a number of enclosures 15, 16 by a separate collecting process, which enclosure pack can subsequently be inserted into the receptacle 10 in a single inserting operation (FIG. 5).

In a simplified three-dimensional view, FIG. 6 shows a simple exemplary embodiment of an inserting station 20 according to the invention with a height-adjustable dispensing tongue 21 which inserts enclosures one after another (a) to (c) in receptacles 10b, 10c, 10d of different heights. The inserting station 20 is arranged on a transportation device 17 which extends in a transport direction and forms a transport plane, in which the receptacles 10b to 10d are moved past the inserting station 20. The transportation device 17 can be for example a conveyor belt, or, as shown in FIG. 6, a roller conveyor which is either actively driven, or on which the receptacles move by themselves on a gradient by virtue of gravitational forces. An active drive system makes it significantly easier to coordinate the motion of the insertion process with the (matching) transport speed of the receptacles.

An important part of the inserting station 20 is the dispensing tongue 21 which forms the inserting body with which flat enclosures in particular can be conveyed diagonally downwards between an upper conveyor belt and a lower conveyor belt (21a and 21b in FIG. 7) towards the receptacle which is moving past and dispensed at the lower free end of the dispensing tongue 21 and inserted into the open receptacle. At the upper end the dispensing tongue 21 is pivotably mounted about a horizontal pivot axis which lies transversely to the transport direction, so that the free lower end of the dispensing tongue 21 can be moved up and down around this pivot axis.

A separator 19 is arranged at the upper end of the dispensing tongue 21, which dispenses the enclosures 15 to the dispensing tongue 21 individually and in time with the receptacles 10b-d as they move past, and from which they are conveyed diagonally downwards to and there inserted into the open receptacle. The separator 19 can be loaded with a stack of enclosures which are then separated and forwarded on.

In FIG. 6, the receptacles 20b-d which are moved past the inserting station 20 one after another, are (in order to fit the principal goods items 14 to be accommodated by them) of different sizes and above all of different heights. In order, nevertheless, to make possible a safe insertion of the receptacles, regardless of their size and height, the receptacles are on the one hand aligned with the fixedly arranged dispensing tongue 21 in their position on the transport plane. On the other hand, the height of the free end of the dispensing tongue 21 is aligned with the height of the next receptacle to be filled so that the free end of the dispensing tongue 21 is a sufficient distance from the top edge of the receptacle. However, in order to make possible a safe and controlled insertion, the distance must not be too great, in particular if the enclosure is just a printed page (invoice, operating instructions, etc.).

The orientation of the free end of the dispensing tongue 21 is controlled in accordance with a height measurement which is carried out in relation to the incoming receptacles before they reach the inserting station 20. A height sensor (27 in FIG. 7) is provided (but not shown in FIG. 6) for this purpose which, as a distance sensor or height sensitive light barrier, determines the position of the upper edge(s) of the incoming receptacle and, if necessary, initiates an appropriate pivoting action of the dispensing tongue 21 in a timely manner.

In FIG. 6(a) a very flat receptacle 10b is approaching the inserting station 20 and the dispensing tongue 21 is correspondingly pivoted downwards so that the enclosure 15 can be safely put into the receptacle 10b (FIG. 6(b)).

The next receptacle 20c is, in contrast, very large and tall. To match this the dispensing tongue 21 is pivoted upwards in order to ensure a safe inserting process (FIG. 6(c)). The process is then repeated for the next, medium-sized, receptacle 10d.

FIG. 7 shows the block diagram of an inserting system 30 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention for the commissioning of enclosures for corresponding principal goods items. The inserting system 30 depicted comprises a transportation device 17 with which an inserting body in the form of a dispensing tongue 21 works in cooperation. The diagonally downward oriented dispensing tongue 21 comprises an upper conveyor belt 21a and a lower conveyor belt 21b, between which the enclosures are conveyed to the transportation device 17. The enclosures are individually inserted into the dispensing tongue 21 by a separator 19. The separator 19 receives the enclosures from a bar feeder 25 (for e.g. in an overlapping arrangement). Alternatively, a printing station 26 can be deployed which prints out specific enclosures in the context of the order (invoices, covering letters etc.) and sends them to the separator 19.

At the same time a motorized pivoting device for the dispensing tongue 21 is arranged on the separator 19. The pivoting actions and conveying power of the dispensing tongue 21 are controlled by an insertion controller 24 which on the one hand receives data concerning the height of the receptacle to be filled from a height sensor 27 and on the other hand receives control commands from a commissioning system 22. The commissioning system 22 is coupled to a data memory 23 in which data (names, addresses etc.) relating to customers or recipients of the commissioned goods is saved in the form of a database. Orders for the commissioning are received at the order intake 28 of the commissioning system 22. The transportation device 17 can be directly controlled by the commissioning system 22, but also alternatively by the insertion controller 24.

FIG. 8 shows a simplified inserting station working according to the invention at which a separator 19 for the enclosures is arranged on a stand 31 laterally and transversely in relation to the transport direction of the transportation device 17. Here, the dispensing tongue 21 which is oriented parallel to the transport direction or transportation device 17 is connected to the separator 19 by a corner conveyor 29 which further conveys the transversely placed enclosures in the transport direction to the dispensing tongue 21.

The configuration shown in the FIG. 8 makes it possible, in accordance with FIG. 9, to feed the enclosures by means of a bar feeder 32, arranged transversely in relation to the transportation device 17, in a space-saving, overlapping stream or similar to the separator 19 and then individually via the corner conveyor 29 to the dispensing tongue 21 at an inserting station 33. In addition, if flat enclosures such as prospectuses, flyers or similar are involved, piles of the enclosures can, for example, be placed on the bar feeder 32 by operating personnel and then conveyed to the separator 19 in a coordinated manner.

In order either to automatically fill different receptacles 10 with differing enclosures or to successively insert different enclosures into a single receptacle or to insert similar enclosures repeatedly, a number of preferably similar inserting stations 33a-f can be arranged one after the other along the transportation device 17 in an inserting plant 34 in accordance with FIG. 10. Each of the inserting stations 33a-f has a dispensing tongue of its own which automatically sets its height to the height of the incoming receptacles 10 and which inserts the enclosures fed to it by the bar feeder into the receptacle provided for that purpose. FIG. 10 further shows that a number of conveyor branches 17a, 17b can be merged together into the transportation device 17 ahead of the inserting plant 34, in order to bring together receptacles which come from different warehouses or storage facilities for the insertion of the enclosures in the inserting plant 34.

However, it is also conceivable that, in accordance with FIG. 11, different enclosures can be assembled into enclosure packs via appropriate placing stations 36a,b, 37a,b, and 38a,b, in an inserting plant 40 before being inserted, in that they are transferred into a collecting device 39 and then inserted into a passing receptacle by a dispensing tongue 21 of the type already described above arranged at the output end of the collecting device 39. In the example shown, the collecting device 39 is formed as a conveyor belt, on which the enclosures to be collected are placed one after another. The transportation device 17 can, as indicated by the example in FIG. 11, lead, after the inserting plant 40, via a curve to devices which serve further processing.

FIG. 12a shows a lateral view of a further exemplary embodiment of an inserting station 41 with a dispensing tongue 42 which has a first limb 421 and a second limb 422 which are connected by a joint 423. The first limb 421 is pivotably connected about a first horizontal pivot axis H1 and via a corner conveyor 29 to a separator 19. The joint 423 defines a second horizontal pivot axis H2 about which the free end 424 of the dispensing tongue 42 or the second limb 422 can be pivoted. The joint 423 in turn can be pivoted about the first horizontal pivot axis H1. The first limb has an upper conveyor 421a and a lower conveyor 421b and the second limb has an upper conveyor 422a and a lower conveyor 422b between which the enclosures 15 are conveyed by means of conveyor belts 425, 426 moving counter to each other. The joint 423 has lower joints 423a, 423b with deflection rollers which connect the upper conveyor 421a, 422a or the lower conveyor 421b, 422b of the first and second limbs 421, 422. The conveyor belts 425, 426 are designed so that they run continuously over the lower joints 423a, 423b. FIG. 12a shows the dispensing tongue 42 in a configuration with an insertion height which is tailored to the height of the receptacle 10g which is being driven past the inserting station 41 by means of the transportation device 17. The receptacle 10g has a main goods item 14 with which or onto which the enclosure 15 should be placed.

FIG. 12b shows a lateral view of the inserting station 41 in FIG. 12a, wherein the height of the free end 424 of the dispensing tongue 42 has been adjusted because of the higher receptacle 10h. In comparison with the configuration in FIG. 12a, the dispensing tongue 42 is set up with a greater insertion height, wherein the height of the free end 424 of the dispensing tongue 42 arranged on the second limb 422 has been adjusted along the vertical path A by means of a combined pivoting motion of the first limb 421 and the second limb 422.

Claims

1. A method for automatically inserting enclosures (15, 16) into a receptacle (10; 10a-h) which is provided for accommodating a principal item of goods (14), the method comprising:

moving the open receptacle (10; 10a-h 10a-h) past a stationary inserting station (20, 33; 33a-f, 41) in a transport direction (13);

inserting at least one enclosure (15, 16) during that passing the inserting station (20, 33; 33a-f, 41) from the inserting station (20, 33; 33a-f, 41) into the open receptacle (10; 10a-h 10a-h).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein during insertion into the receptacle (10; 10a-h 10a-h), the at least one enclosure (15, 16) is moved along with the receptacle (10; 10a-h).

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising moving the receptacle (10; 10a-h) past the inserting station (20, 33; 33a-f, 41) at a predetermined transport speed, and that during insertion the at least one enclosure (15, 16) is moved at a speed matching that of the receptacle's (10; 10a-h) transport speed.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising moving the receptacle (10; 10a-h) past the inserting station (20, 33; 33a-f, 41) on a transport plane (12), while the receptacle (10; 10a-h) is open at the top, and inserting the at least one enclosure (15, 16) into the receptacle (10; 10a-h) from above.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the insertion of the at least one enclosure (15, 16) is carried out from a predetermined insertion height, that receptacles (10; 10a-h) of successively different heights are filled with at least one enclosure (15, 16), and that the respective predetermined insertion heights are automatically set to the height of the receptacle to be filled.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the height of the receptacle (10; 10a-h) to be filled is determined before the at least one enclosure (15, 16) is inserted.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the insertion of the at least one enclosure (15, 16) is done by means of an inserting body (21, 42) and that the setting of the insertion height is carried out at the inserting body (21, 42).

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the inserting body (21, 42) is arranged above the transport plane (12) in a pivotable manner relative to the transport plane (12), and that the setting of the insertion height is carried out by pivoting and/or telescoping the inserting body (21, 42).

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

arranging a longitudinal dispensing tongue (21, 42) of the inserting body above the transportation device (17) to dispense the enclosure (15) to be inserted at a free end (424), wherein the dispensing tongue (21, 42) is pivoted about a horizontal pivot axis (H1) in order to adjust the height of the free end (424).

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the dispensing tongue (42) is pivoted and/or telescoped in such a way that the height of the free end (424) is adjusted along a vertical path (A).

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the dispensing tongue (42) includes a first limb (421) and a second limb (422), which are connected by a joint (423) which defines a second horizontal pivot axis (H2), wherein the free end (424) is arranged on the second limb (422) and is pivoted about the second horizontal pivot axis (H2) in order to adjust the height, wherein the joint (423) is pivoted about the first horizontal pivot axis (H1).

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the insertion of the at least one enclosure (15, 16) into the open receptacle (10; 10a-h) occurs diagonally downwards in the transport direction (13).

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle (10; 10a-h) is initially filled with the principal goods item (14), and that the at least one enclosure (15, 16) is subsequently inserted into the open receptacle (10; 10a-h).

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the at least one enclosure (15, 16) is placed on the inserted principal goods item (14).

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one enclosure (15, 16) is initially inserted into the open receptacle (10; 10a-h), and that the receptacle (10; 10a-h) is subsequently filled with the principal goods item (14).

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein several enclosures (15, 16) are inserted into the receptacle (10; 10a-h).

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the enclosures (15, 16) are inserted into the receptacle (10; 10a-h) one after another at different inserting stations (20, 33; 33a-f, 41).

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the enclosures (15, 16) are initially put together in an enclosure pack, and that the enclosure pack is subsequently inserted into the receptacle (10; 10a-h) at an inserting station.

19. A device for carrying out the method according to claim 1, comprising a transportation device (17) for transporting the open receptacles (10; 10a-h) on a transport plane (12) in a transport direction (13) at a predetermined transport speed, on which transportation device (17) at least one inserting station (20, 33; 33a-f, 41) is arranged which comprises an inserting body (21, 42) for inserting an enclosure (15, 16) in a receptacle (10; 10a-h) which is moved past the inserting station (20, 33; 33a-f, 41) on the transportation device (17).

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the inserting body comprises a longitudinal dispensing tongue (21, 42) arranged above the transportation device (17) which dispenses the enclosures (15, 16) to be inserted at a free end (424).

21. The device according to claim 20, wherein the dispensing tongue (21, 42) is aligned parallel with the transport direction (13) and extends diagonally downwards in the transport direction in such a way that the free end (424) of the dispensing tongue (21, 42) is located at the bottom.

22. The device according to claim 20, wherein the free end (424) of the dispensing tongue (21, 42) is designed to be height adjustable.

23. The device according to claim 22, wherein the dispensing tongue (21, 42) can be pivoted about a first horizontal pivot axis (H1) in order to adjust the height of the free end (424).

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein the dispensing tongue (42) can be pivoted and/or telescoped in such a way that the height of the free end (424) can be adjusted along a vertical path (A).

25. The device according to claim 23, wherein the dispensing tongue (42) includes a first limb (421) and a second limb (422) which are connected by a joint (423) which defines a second horizontal pivot axis (H2), wherein the free end (424) is arranged on the second limb (422) and can be pivoted about the second horizontal pivot axis (H2), wherein the joint (423) can be pivoted about the first horizontal pivot axis (H1).

26. The device according to claim 19, further comprising a separator (19) upstream of the inserting body (21, 42) which transfers individual enclosures (15, 16) to the inserting body (21, 42).

27. The device according to claim 26, further comprising a bar feeder (25, 32) upstream of the separator (19) which delivers to the separator (19) enclosures (15, 16) to be inserted.

28. The device according to claim 19, further comprising a number of inserting stations (33a-f, 41) arranged one after another along the transportation device (17), and wherein each of the inserting stations (33a-f, 41) includes its own inserting body (21, 42).

29. The device according to claim 19, wherein the inserting station is associated with a collection device (39) which by collecting a number of enclosures forms an enclosure pack and forwards it to the inserting body (21, 42).

30. The device according to claim 29, wherein a number of placing stations (36a,b; 37a,b; 38a,b) for the enclosures (15, 16) are associated with the collection device (39).