Device and method for packaging of flat objects

Abstract

A method for packaging flat objects ( 5 ) that includes the steps of completely wrapping successive flat objects ( 5 ) with a film wrapping ( 6 ) by means of a film wrapping unit ( 1 ), gripping the completely wrapped flat objects ( 5 ) each with a gripper ( 4 ) of a first conveying device ( 2 ), transporting the wrapped flat objects ( 5 ) by means of the first conveying device ( 2 ) to a shrinking unit ( 3 ), wherein the shrinking unit ( 3 ) is spatially separated from the film wrapping unit ( 1 ), and shrinking the film wrappings ( 6 ) onto the flat objects ( 5 ) by means of the shrinking unit ( 3 ).

1 . A method for the packaging of flat objects ( 5 ), in particular flat, bendable printed products, the method comprising the following steps:
 completely wrapping successive flat objects ( 5 ) with a film wrapping ( 6 ) by means of a film wrapping unit ( 1 );   gripping the completely wrapped flat objects ( 5 ) with one respective gripper ( 4 ) of a first conveying device ( 2 );   transporting the wrapped flat objects ( 5 ) by means of the first conveying device ( 2 ) to a shrinking unit ( 3 ), wherein the shrinking unit ( 3 ) is spatially separated from the film wrapping unit ( 1 );   shrinking the film wrappings ( 6 ) onto the flat objects ( 5 ) by means of the shrinking unit ( 3 ).   
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein when shrinking the film wrappings ( 6 ) onto the flat objects ( 5 ), the flat objects ( 5 ) are held and transported by the grippers ( 4 ), preferably in a vertically hanging position. 
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein before shrinking the film wrappings ( 6 ) the flat objects ( 5 ) are transferred to a second conveying device ( 7 ) and when shrinking the film wrappings ( 6 ) the flat objects ( 5 ) are transported by means of the second conveying device ( 7 ). 
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein after shrinking the flat objects ( 5 ) are transferred to the first conveying device ( 2 ) by means of the second conveying device ( 7 ). 
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the transfer of the flat objects ( 5 ) from the first conveying device ( 2 ) may be switched on and off selectively, wherein, when the transfer is switched on, the flat objects ( 5 ) are transferred to the second conveying device ( 7 ) and after shrinking again transferred to the first conveying device ( 2 ), and when the transfer is switched off, the flat objects ( 5 ) are transported onward by the first conveying device ( 2 ). 
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the second conveying device ( 7 ) comprises a conveying belt for transporting the flat objects ( 5 ) through the shrinking unit ( 3 ). 
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein an excess of the not-shrunk film wrapping ( 6 ) and the parameters of the shrinking are matched to each other such that a tensile stress in the film wrapping is substantially zero after shrinking. 
   
   
       8 . A device for the packaging of flat objects ( 5 ), in particular flat, bendable printed products, comprising
 a film wrapping unit ( 1 ) for complete wrapping of a sequence of flat objects ( 5 ) with a film wrapping ( 6 );   a first conveying device ( 2 ) for gripping completely wrapped flat objects ( 5 ) each with a gripper ( 4 ) and for transporting the completely wrapped flat objects ( 5 ) to a shrinking unit ( 3 ), wherein the shrinking unit ( 3 ) is spatially separated from the film wrapping unit ( 1 );   wherein the shrinking unit ( 3 ) is designed for shrinking of the film wrappings ( 6 ) onto the flat objects ( 5 ).   
   
   
       9 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein the conveying device ( 2 ) in at least one section between the film wrapping unit ( 1 ) and shrinking unit ( 3 ) runs on a course above head height and/or is fastened to a ceiling in a building. 
   
   
       10 . The device according to  claim 9 , wherein the shrinking unit ( 3 ) is arranged above head height and/or on a ceiling of a building. 
   
   
       11 . The device according to  claim 9 , wherein the shrinking unit ( 3 ) is arranged below head height and the first conveying device ( 2 ) or a second conveying device ( 7 ) conveys the flat objects ( 5 ) from above head height to below head height. 
   
   
       12 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein the first conveying device ( 2 ) transports the flat objects ( 5 ) with the grippers ( 4 ) through the region of the shrinking unit ( 3 ). 
   
   
       13 . The device according to  claim 8 , further comprising a second conveying device ( 7 ) for transporting the flat objects ( 5 ) through the region of the shrinking unit ( 3 ). 
   
   
       14 . The device according to  claim 13 , further comprising a transferring device ( 9 ), which can be switched on and off, for transferring the flat objects ( 5 ) from the first conveying device ( 2 ) to the second conveying device and a pick-up device ( 10 ) for picking up of the flat objects by means of the first conveying device ( 2 ) from the second conveying device ( 7 ). 
   
   
       15 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein the shrinking unit ( 3 ) for shrinking the film wrapping ( 6 ) is heated, by means of thermal radiation or by means of air heated by electric energy or gas or oil. 
   
   
       16 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein the shrinking unit ( 3 ) for shrinking the film wrapping ( 6 ) is heated, by means of thermal radiation or by means of air heated by electric energy or gas or oil, and wherein the shrinking unit ( 3 ) is designed to heat the flat objects ( 5 ) and the film wrapping ( 6 ) in the region of the gripper ( 4 ) to a lesser degree than in other regions of the flat objects ( 5 ) and the film wrapping ( 6 ) respectively. 
   
   
       17 . A shrinking unit ( 3 ) for use in a device according to  claim 8 , comprising a section of a conveying device ( 2 ) for transporting of flat objects ( 5 ) by retaining them in grippers ( 4 ) and means for heating these transported objects ( 5 ) in the region of the shrinking unit. 
   
   
       18 . The shrinking unit ( 13 ) according to  claim 17 , comprising additional retainers ( 4 ′) for intermittent holding of the flat objects ( 5 ) in a transport section in the shrinking unit ( 3 ), during an intermittent release of the flat objects ( 5 ) by the grippers ( 4 ).