AU654630B2

AU654630B2 - Machine for strapping packages

Info

Publication number: AU654630B2
Application number: AU48877/93A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Karl Schurig
Original assignee: Signode Bernpak GmbH
Current assignee: Signode Packaging Systems GmbH
Priority date: 1992-11-06
Filing date: 1993-10-08
Publication date: 1994-11-10
Anticipated expiration: 2013-10-08
Also published as: JP2548081B2; KR940011294A; TW248549B; EP0596303A1; DE4237437A1; EP0596303B1; DE59303563D1; AU4887793A; NZ250129A; KR970004743B1; JPH0776308A

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICA1

(ORIGINAL)

654630 Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art: s Name of Applicant: Signode Bernpak GmbH Actual Inventor(s): Karl Schurig Address for Service: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA r Invention Title: MACHINE FOR STRAPPING PACKAGES Our Ref 340430 POF Code: 88757/88773 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): -1- The invention concerns a machine to strap packages with a tape-shaped strapping medium.

Most tape strapping machines have a frame with a tape guiding channel, which frame is installed firmly on the machine stand, is basically rectangular, and pivots partially, ae-oordancc with BE 36 27 00 C2. The ends of the frame in the region below and inside of the support surface for the package on the side of the machine stand connect to a tape guide, which also contains the tape closing unit, and in this manner form a ring which surrounds the package. Therefore the package which is to be strapped must be transported at a right angle to the strapping plane defined by the frame.

SS.

In special cases it is desirable or even necessary, in particular in the case of very long packages like poles, shelves, beams or the like, to carry out the strapping in the direction perpendicular to its longitudinal extension. For such applications strapping machines with multi-part, erectable and Cismantleable frames are used.

In the case of a known machine of this kind the frame consists of two gallows-like half-frames each having a roughly L- or Cshaped form. To dismantle such a frame from its strapping position in the strapping plane of the machine to an idle position outside of the strapping plane, the half-frames are pivoted first in opposite directions at approx. 90" about an axis extending perpendicularly to the support surface for the package anid then lowered inwards of the support surface for the package behind and/or below it. If a packaging is positioned on the support surface for the package for the purpose of strapping, then the half-frames are erected correspondingly in a reverse movement sequence to form a functional frame, i.e.

brought from the idle position first with a translatory movement over the support surface for the package and then pivoted about the respective longitudinal axis of these translatory movements into their frame-forming final position, in which the strapping can be carried out.

Apart from the fact that the necessary driving means, like guide posts, pivoting and reciprocating drives, are very expensive and, above all, are very voluminous, both the erecting and dismantling of the frame require a considerable time, within which neither the package can be transported to or away nor can a strapping operation be carried out. Due to the fact that modern strapping machines of the type mentioned first, i.e. with fixed frames allow considerably longer cycles, this is a particularly serious shortcoming.

h es Consequently, an aim of the invention is to provide a strapping S machine which will ameliorate the above problems and not impair greatly the package nor its supply and removal on erection and o dismantling of the frame and therefore enable the machine to be operated in quick cycles.

*:so Accordingly, the present invention provides a device to strap packages located on a package support surface with a tape-shaped strapping medium introduced from a tape supply to a tape guide channel and through to a tape closing device, the o device including a frame incorporating the guide channel and being formed from two frame parts, the frame parts being movable from an idle position to a working position, wherein in the working position, the frame parts extend over the support S surface and define a strapping plane, and wherein on movement from the working position to the idle position, the frame parts are lowered with respect to the package support surface and are displaced in a direction transverse to the strapping plane.

With this arrangement, the half-frame parts are not swung first over a (large) angular path, before they are lowered or after they are advanced. Instead of this the opening movement now takes place with the lowering movement of the half-frames on the one hand as well as the advancing movement with the closing movement of the half-frames at each time simultaneously with a short-stroked transverse displacement which can be actuated before, after or chronologically superimposed.

While in the case of the state-of-the-art two very long-stroked movements are necessary for the erection and dismantling, according to the invention one of the necessary movements is an extremely short transverse movement. This can be carried out *6 6 6 6 Se* *66 6 6 666 6 65 66 6 quicker not only because of the short path, but also because now only lesser forces of mass acceleration will occur. The movement drives can be constructed correspondingly lighter and simpler. A further advantage will result from a short, compact construction of the entire device, as there is no space requirement for stowing upwards swung or folded frame parts next to the machine stand.

A. sievi ev e- R-Isolution as far as construction is concerned is that the half-frames are arranged pivotably about axes which extend essentially perpendicularly to the strapping plane, the longitudinal direction of which define the direction of the transverse displacement of the half-frames.1Thus will be achieved, that the half-frames of th machine according toAthe 15. invention open and close in a plane coincident with or parallel to the strapping plane, and that these processes can be fully superimposed chronologically. By pivoting in this plane, the half-frames can open or close, while they are lowered or advanced and there is already or still a package on the support surface for the package, on which surface they can move freely in a lateral direc.tion. However, according to the state-of-theart the chronological superimposition of the movement components provided there is not feasible to a considerable extent, therefore to lower the half-frames while they swing open or move them over the support surface for the package while they are closing. In this case they would either collide with the package, or could move, due to the construction, across the support surface for the package only when they are fully outward pivoted, as only in this position are they aligned with corresponding recesses provided in the support surface for the package.

ot pre-erreoi epbao-etn of Incidentally, according to a further feature ofAthe invention it is advantageous if each half-frame has an essentially partial oval shape of the type of a branch of a parabola, the apex of the parabola is situated ir. the separating plane of the half-frames and, if applicable, the pivoting arms engage those ends of the half-frames which are removed from the apex of the parabola. Half-frames constructed and hinged in this manner require a particularly small space for their movements.

The advantages explained so far and other ones become obvious -alse fronm the her cub -laim ac w.ll as- from the following description of the invention based on an embodiment illustrated in the drawings. Shown is in: Fig.l a schematic view of a tape strapping machine with both half-frames forming the strapping channel, the lowered position of which is shown in dotted lines, Fig.2 a top view on the machine of Fig.l, Fig.3 a schematic illustration of the half-frames closed into a frame, with its drive, Fig.4 a top view of Fig.3, Fig.5 an illustration corresponding to Fig.3, but showing the half-frames in.pared position, and

S

Fig.6 a top view of o A strapping machine, in particular a tape strapping machine for weldable plastic tape, designated in tot- by 10, has a drum 12 with a supply of strapping medium mounted on its machine stand 11. The strapping medium 13 is supplied to a strapping medium storage 14 by means of storage filling rollers 15 which are driven by friction or are forcibly coupled by other means, which storage accomodates at least the amount of strapping medium required for one strapping process. From there the strapping medium 13 is conveyed via a pair of transfer rollers 16, a strapping medium tightener 17 as well as a pair of threader rollers 18 to a tape closing unit 19, which is situated inside of the machine below a package support surface To enable the strapping of a package 21, indicated in two different sizes, which is placed on the package support surface a frame, designated in toto by 22, is required, by means of its tape guide contained therein the strapping medium can be placed around the package, as a matter of fact in such a manner, that the strapping medium 13 guided from the strapping medium supply 12 through the closing unit 19 runs through the frame 22 and with its front end is guided again into the closing unit 19, which joins both ends of the overlapping strapping medium and welds them together, in particular thermally. This is carried out after the strapping medium 13, first guided in the frame 22 around the package 21 is released from the frame 22, and, by pulling back the strapping medium 13 .ooo by means of the rollers 16, is tightened around the package 21.

.1 This basic construction, explained so far, is standard for tape strapping machines.

Furthermore a frame 22 is known, made of two part- or halfframes 23 and 24. The purpose of such segmentation of the frame 22 is to construct the frame 22 necessary for the strapping outside or above the package support surface 20, yet to lower its half-frames 23, 24 after a strapping process below or behind the package support surface 20. As this can be seen, the half-frames 23 and 24 are opened or closed with a pivoting movement to be described below in detail in the strapping plane designated in Fig.2 by 25 or in a plane parallel to it, and at the same time, therefore simultaneously, lowered in the position shown by the dotted line or moved from it over the package support surface 20, above which they form the frame 22 in the closed position (full line).

As this can be seen from Fig.l, and even more clearly from Fig.3, the half-frames 23 and 24 have a partially oval form, and like branches of a parabola, are curved (concave) relative to each other, while the apex of the parabola (designated by 26) is at the zenith of the frame and coincides with the separating gap 27 of the half-frames 23 and 24. In contrast to a circular or even rectangular shape this shape of the halfframes 23 and 24 allows its positioning by means of a pivoting movement about an axis which is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing into the idle position with the outmost saving of space, without the half-frames overlapping each other at this place (at 28).

Each half-frame 23, 24 is secured firmly on a pivoting arm 29 and 30, respectively, at their ends which are inside of the machine. The pivoting arm 29 is arranged displaceably about a pivoting axis 31 and the pivoting arm 30 about a pivoting axis, designated by 32. Both pivoting axes 31 and 32 are situated below the package support surface 20 and outside of the second half-frame situated opposite to the respective half-frame. In this manner very large pivoting radii are produced for both *e.e "15. half-frames 23 and 24. These large radii, in conjunction with a a a the parabola branch shape of each half-frame 23, 24 have the 0* S effect, that they can be opened and lowered or advanced and closed, respectively, therefore without moving laterally left or right, according to Figs.3 and As drive for the half-frames 23 and 24 a schematically illustrated motor 33 is used, the motor shaft 34 of which is 39- S firmly connected with a crank arm the free end of which is is engaged with a connecting rod 37 at position 36. This connecting rod 37 is engaged with its other end at position 38 with a pivoting mechanism 39, whose pivoting lever 41, mounted Sat 40, engages articulately the connecting rods 42, 43, which by means of the connecting levers 44, 45 transfer the pivoting movement to the pivoting arms 29 and 30 about the pivoting axes 31 and 32. 50 designates a tension spring 41 engaging the pivoting lever 41 of the pivoting mechanism 39, the other end of the spring being held firmly by the machine, its purpose being to place a load on both half-frames 23 and 24 in the frame-forming final position according to Fig.3, so that it would be closed. As during the opening of the half-frames 23 and 24 the spring 50 is additionally tensioned (cf. especially it serves additionally as an energy storage and supports the driving forces required to advance and close the half-frames 23 and 24 from the idle position of Fig.5 into the working position of Fig.3.

The half-frame drive with the aid of the described arrangement by means of the motor 33 with the crank arm 35 has the effect, that corresponding to the oscillation of the crank arm 35 the half-frames 23 and 24 will accelerate and decelerate corresponding to a sinus-curve with the advantage, that first they advance slowly from the idle position, then are partially closed very fast, while the movements in the final phase shortly before the closing of the frame of the half-frames 23 and 24 are carried out once again at a slow speed and very gently.

:40OO0 4444 The opening and closing movements of the half-frames, with which the lowering and advancing movements are carried out based on the pivoting mechanism explained, are carried out basically in the strapping plane 25. However, as in this movement path, in particular of the hal-frame 23, machine .2Q. parts like the roller system 16 as well as the strapping means 13 are provided, at least this part-frame 23 requires an additional displacement at right angle to the strapping plane, to enable the positioning in the idle position beside these units of the machine. For this purpose the invention foresees the construction of the pivoting axes 31 and 32 as connecting Srods mounted displaceably in plain bearings 51, while a tie bar 46 of the crank arm 47, connecting the connecting rods, is engaged by a second electric motor 48. In addition to their vertical and lateral movements both half-frames 23 and 24 are also displaced transversely, as a matter of fact (as can be seen in Fig.6) by the distance 49, in practice approx. 50 mm.

This transverse movement is carried out at the end of the advancing and closing movements of the half-frames 23 and 24 as in the reverse direction in the initial movement phase during opening and lowering. At the same time a chronological overlapping has shown itself as speedy and advantageous, wherein the lowering movement is introduced after having carried out half the stroke of the distance 49 and correspondingly the second half of the return stroke in the strapping position is carried out in the last phase of the advancing and closing of the half-frames 23 and 24.

As has already been explained, the ends of the half-frames 23 and 24 do not overlap at 28 inside the machine. However, as the pivoting arms 29 and 30 engage the corresponding half-frames while crossing each other, their overlapping cannot be prevented. So that these would not collide, each pivoting arm 29 is constructed with an L-shaped form with the base legs 29a and 30a having different lengths, so that the pivoting arm sections situated parallel to the strapping plane 25 are offset relative to each other.

.1 The machine is well suited to be used for so called ring e strappings. These are strappings of circular packages, like, S for example, coils of cable or similar, where the strapping medium has to be slung over the open core of the ring. Such a package is simply placed flat on the package support surface 2Q. and the core of the ring is brought to a position (somewhat to the left above the reference numeral 19 or somewhat to the right next to the reference numeral 13 in Fig.l) which can be penetrated by the movement path of one of the half-frames 23 or 24. When the respective part-frame is advanced, it consequently penetrates the core of the ring, so that the ring can be strapped without any problem. When the half-frame is lowered again, it automatically frees the strapped ring, to be strapped renewed in a rotated position or to be removed by the machine.

Claims

1. A device to strap packages located on a package support surface with a tape-shaped strapping medium introduced from a tape supply to a tape guide channel and through to a tape closing device, the device including a frame incorporating the guide channel and being formed from two frame parts, the frame parts being movable from an idle position to a working position, wherein in the working position, the frame parts extend over the support surface and define a strapping plane, and wherein on movement from the working position to the idle position, the frame parts are lowered with respect to the package support surface and are displaced in a direction transverse to the strapping plane.

2. A device as claimed in claim i, wherein on movement from the working position to the idle position, the transverse displacement of the frame parts occurs when the frame parts are located either near the working position or near the idle position.

3. A device as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein on movement of the frame parts from the idle i' position to the working position, the transverse displacement occurs when the frame parts are either located near the idle position or near the working position.

4. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding 0 claims, wherein each frame part is pivotal about an axis which extend substantially perpendicular to the strapping plane and the frame parts are caused to pivot about their respective axes on movement of the frame parts between the idle position and the working position.

A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the frame parts are connected by respecrtive pivot arms which are pivotal about the respective pivot axes, and wherein on *4*1l 84a4u4 th rcrnr rt~Lnj~~ne ~ynn Gt* !'tae aa;;rpnO movement of the frame from the working position to the idle position, the pivot arms cause the frame parts to move behind or below the package support surface.

6. A device as claimed in either claim 4 or 5, wherein the pivoting axes of the frame parts are located near the package support surface and outside of the movement path of the frame parts, each pivoting axis being located adjacent a respective frame part and wherein each pivoting arm has c first end connected to a respective axle rotatably about a respective pivoting axis and a second end connected to the frame part which is remote from the pivoting axis to which it is rotatable about. U

7. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each frame part is arcuate, and wherein in the working position, the frame parts are in contact with UU 00 each other such that the frame is parabolic in shape with the apex of the parabola being substantially at the point of contact between the two frame parts.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pivoting arms engage the ends of the frame parts which are remote from the apex of the parabola.

9. A device as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein both pivoting arms are coupled to each other and are able to be driven by a common crank drive.

A device according to any one of claims 6 to 9 when dependent on claim 6, wherein the frame parts are caused to move in a transverse direction to the strapping plane by a longitudinal displacement of the rotatable axles.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the rotatable axles are longitudinally displaced by a second crank drive.

12. A device as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 11, wherein one pivot arm is displaced from the other pivot arm in a direction substantially perpendicular to the strapping plane.

13. A device to strap packages substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED: SIGNODE BERNPAK GmbH By PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent Attorneys per: *o 6o 6504L S 11 1. Abstract A machine to strap packages particularly w tape-shaped strapping medium is illustrated and described, which is introduced from a tape supply to a tape guide channel and through it to a tape closing device, wherein the tape guide channel is provided in a frame, which can be constructed from to basically half-frame parts (half- frames), which are advanced from an idle position inwards the package support surface and are closed to form a frame in the strapping plane and are reopened after a strapping and lowered into the idle position. To enable to achieve quick cycles, the half-frames are closed with their advancing movement and lowered with their opening movement and are transversely displaced relative to the 15 strapping plane in such a manner, that their idle position is S beside the machine parts situated in the strapping plane. .5. Therefore the advancement and closing or the opening and lowering, respectively, of the part-frames can take place simultaneously. S 0