Packaging method, packaging apparatus and injection-molding installation having a packaging apparatus

Abstract

The invention relates to a packaging method by which plastic injection moldings designed in the form of pipette tips or medical reaction vessels are packaged in end packaging units. The invention provides that the K injection moldings are, prior to being distributed over the U sub-groups in the set-down plane, set down in a buffer store ( 12 ) by way of a second set-down apparatus ( 5 ) which is separate from the first set-down apparatus ( 18 ), in particular by way of a hose arrangement or by way of a gripper.

1 . Packaging method by means of which plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) which are designed in the form of pipette tips or medical reaction vessels are packaged in end packaging units ( 6 ,  20 ), comprising the following steps:
 simultaneously removing K injection moldings from K cavities,   simultaneously setting down the K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ), in a uniformly distributed state over U sub-groups ( 7 ) and in a set-down plane, with the aid of first set-down means ( 5 ) comprising a gripper,   removing K injection moldings from the K cavities, and uniformly distributing the K injection moldings over the U sub-groups ( 7 ), repeatedly until each sub-group ( 7 ) has L plastic injection moldings ( 8 ), wherein the number L of plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) of a sub-group ( 7 ) corresponds to the maximum number A of plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) which can be accommodated in an end packaging unit ( 6 ,  20 ) or to a whole-numbered divisor of A,   filling at least one end packaging unit with A plastic injection moldings ( 8 ),   
       wherein the K injection moldings are, prior to being distributed over the U sub-groups ( 7 ) in the set-down plane, set down in a buffer store ( 12 ) by way of second set-down means ( 5 ) which are separate from the first set-down means ( 18 ), by way of a hose arrangement or by way of a gripper. 
     
     
         2 . Packaging method according to  claim 1 , wherein the set-down plane is horizontal. 
     
     
         3 . Packaging method according to  claim 1 , wherein K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) are removed from the buffer store ( 12 ) and distributed over the U sub-groups ( 7 ) prior to said buffer store being refilled with K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ). 
     
     
         4 . Packaging method according to  claim 1 , wherein only one injection shot's worth of K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) is accommodated in the buffer store at any one time. 
     
     
         5 . Packaging method according to  claim 1 , wherein the K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ), together with the buffer store, are adjusted in rotational and/or translational fashion, between a loading position ( 13 ), in which the buffer store is loaded with exclusively K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ), and a removal position ( 14 ), in which the K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) are removed from the buffer store, with the aid of the first set-down means ( 5 ), in order for the K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) to be distributed over the U sub-groups ( 7 ), or wherein the buffer store ( 12 ) is arranged so as to be static and the K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) are removed from the buffer store ( 12 ) by way of the first set-down means ( 5 ) or by way of a transfer gripper. 
     
     
         6 . Packaging method according to  claim 1 , wherein the set-down plane is formed by an interim store ( 17 ) from which a single end packaging unit ( 6 ,  20 ) is loaded at any one time or from which multiple end packaging units ( 6 ,  20 ) are loaded simultaneously, and wherein, as interim store ( 17 ), use is made of an interim store ( 17 ) with a multiplicity of set-down positions arranged adjacent to one another in a set-down plane, and wherein K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) are removed from the K cavities and distributed uniformly over the U sub-groups ( 7 ) in the interim store ( 17 ) until each sub-group ( 7 ) has L plastic injection moldings, wherein the number L of plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) of a sub-group ( 7 ) corresponds to the maximum number A of plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) that can be loaded into an end packaging unit ( 6 ,  20 ) or to a whole-numbered divisor of A, or wherein the operation of distributing the K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) over the sub-groups ( 7 ) takes place in the at least one end packaging unit ( 6 ) exclusively during the operation of filling the end packaging unit, and wherein plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) are distributed over the sub-groups ( 7 ) until the at least one end packaging unit has been filled completely with A plastic injection moldings ( 8 ). 
     
     
         7 . Method according to  claim 5 , wherein the K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) are set down in the interim store ( 17 ) such that the number U of sub-groups ( 7 ) does not correspond, or corresponds, to the number V of end packaging units ( 6 ,  20 ) or to a whole-numbered multiple of V. 
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claim 5 , wherein as an interim store ( 17 ), use is made of a plate with a number of depressions or plug-on elements corresponding to the number of set-down positions. 
     
     
         9 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) of a certain cavity or from certain cavities is/are always set down in a certain sub-group ( 7 ) or in certain sub-groups ( 7 ). 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the V packaging units are loaded in each case with a single sub-group ( 7 ) or in each case with multiple sub-groups ( 7 ). 
     
     
         11 . Packaging method according to  claim 1 , wherein the end packaging unit(s) ( 6 ,  20 ) is/are designed such that it/they can be used in an analyzer, and/or wherein the end packaging unit(s) ( 6 ,  20 ) is/are packaged individually or in groups in external packaging, and/or wherein the end pack(s) ( 6 ,  20 ) has/have a carrier part having exclusively A accommodating sites for accommodating the A injection moldings. 
     
     
         12 . Packaging method according to  claim 1 , wherein each sub-group ( 7 ), during each set-down cycle, is always increased by the same number of plastic injection moldings ( 8 ). 
     
     
         13 . Packaging method according to  claim 1 , wherein the number A corresponds to a whole-numbered multiple of the number of cavities or does not correspond to a whole-numbered multiple of the number of cavities. 
     
     
         14 . Packaging apparatus by means of which plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) which are designed in the form of pipette tips or medical reaction vessels are packaged in end packaging units ( 6 ,  20 ) designed for implementing a packaging method according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 removal means ( 4 ) designed for simultaneously removing K injection moldings from K cavities,   first set-down means ( 5 ) comprising a gripper and designed for simultaneously setting down the K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ), in a uniformly distributed state over U sub-groups ( 7 ),   feeding means ( 22 ) for feeding end packaging units ( 6 ,  20 ), and discharging means ( 23 ) for discharging filled packaging units from the packaging apparatus ( 16 ),   means for filling at least one end packaging unit with A plastic injection moldings ( 8 ),   control means ( 9 ) for activating the removal means ( 4 ) and/or the first set-down means ( 18 ), the control means being designed to activate these such that K injection moldings can be removed from the K cavities, and can be distributed uniformly over the U sub-groups ( 7 ), repeatedly until each sub-group has L plastic injection moldings ( 8 ), wherein the number L of plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) of a sub-group ( 7 ) corresponds to the maximum number A of plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) which can be accommodated in an end packaging unit ( 6 ) or to a whole-numbered divisor of A, wherein in addition to the first set-down means ( 18 ), second set-down means ( 5 ) which are formed by the removal means ( 4 ) or which are separate from said removal means and which can be activated by the control means ( 9 ) are provided by which K plastic injection moldings, prior to their being distributed over the U sub-groups ( 7 ) in the set-down plane, are set down in a buffer store ( 12 ).   
     
     
         15 . Packaging apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the control means ( 9 ) are designed to activate a drive of the buffer store ( 12 ) such that exclusively K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ), together with the buffer store ( 12 ), are adjusted, in rotational and/or translational fashion, between a loading position ( 13 ), in which the buffer store ( 12 ) can be loaded with exclusively K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) from the second set-down means ( 5 ), and a removal position ( 14 ), in which the K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) are removed from the buffer store, with the aid of the first set-down means ( 18 ), in order for the exclusively K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) to be distributed over the U sub-groups ( 7 ), or wherein the buffer store is arranged so as to be static and the control means ( 9 ) are designed to activate the first set-down means ( 18 ) or a transfer gripper such that the K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) are removed from the buffer store by way of the first set-down means ( 18 ) or by way of a transfer gripper. 
     
     
         16 . Packaging apparatus according to  14 , wherein the set-down plane is formed by an interim store ( 17 ) from which the at least one end packaging unit ( 6 ,  20 ) can be loaded with the aid of the filling means, and wherein, as interim store ( 17 ), use is made of an interim store ( 17 ) with a multiplicity of set-down positions arranged adjacent to one another in a set-down plane, and wherein the control means ( 9 ) are designed to activate the removal means ( 4 ) and/or the first and/or second set-down means ( 5 ,  18 ) such that K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) can be removed from the K cavities and distributed uniformly over the U sub-groups ( 7 ) in the interim store ( 17 ) until each sub-group has L plastic injection moldings ( 8 ), wherein the number L of plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) of a sub-group ( 7 ) corresponds to the maximum number A of plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) that can be loaded into an end packaging unit ( 6 ,  20 ) or to a whole-numbered divisor of A, or wherein the control means ( 9 ) are designed to activate the removal means ( 4 ) and/or the first and/or second set-down means ( 5 ,  18 ) such that the operation of distributing the K plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) over the sub-groups ( 7 ) by the filling means that preferably form the first set-down means ( 18 ) takes place in the at least one end packaging unit exclusively during the operation of filling the at least one end packaging unit, and such that plastic injection moldings ( 8 ) are distributed over the sub-groups ( 7 ) until the at least one end packaging unit has been filled completely with A plastic injection moldings ( 8 ). 
     
     
         17 . Packaging apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the feeding means ( 22 ) and/or the discharging means ( 23 ) comprise a transporting belt and/or a rotatable table, by means of which the end packs ( 6 ,  20 ) can be conveyed in the empty state to a filling position, at which said end packs are loaded with the A plastic injection moldings ( 8 ), and/or by means of which the filled end packs and can be discharged from the packaging apparatus ( 16 ). 
     
     
         18 . Injection-molding installation having an injection-molding apparatus, with K cavities for simultaneously producing K as pipette tips or medical reaction vessels, and having a packaging apparatus ( 16 ) according to  claim 14 . 
     
     
         19 . Injection-molding installation according to  claim 18 , wherein the packaging apparatus ( 16 ) has arranged downstream of it an external-packaging apparatus, by means of which the end packs ( 6 ,  20 ) filled by means of the packaging apparatus ( 16 ) can be packaged individually or in groups in external packaging.