Method for packaging products and packaging installation

Abstract

In a method for packaging products, the products are packaged with a packaging material on a packaging line. The packaging material is first of all drawn off a first packaging-material reel and fed to the packaging line. When the first packaging-material reel has been at least partially used up, an initial portion of a second packaging-material reel is made to overlap with a packaging-material portion already drawn off the first packaging-material reel and is joined to the latter packaging-material portion. After the two packaging-material portions have been joined together, the packaging material is drawn off from the second packaging-material reel and fed to the packaging line. The two above-mentioned packaging-material portions are joined together by a stamping operator of a stamping device. There is also described a packaging installation for carrying out the method.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for packaging products, the method comprising:
 drawing off packaging material from a first packaging material reel, and conveying the packaging material to a packaging line where the products are packaged with the packaging material;   when the first packaging material reel is at least partially used up, bringing an initial portion of packaging material of a second packaging material reel into congruent overlap with an already drawn off packaging material portion of the first packaging material reel; and   using a stamping device for joining the initial portion with the already drawn off packaging material portion in a stamping operation; and   subsequent to joining the two packaging material portions, drawing off the packaging material from the second packaging material reel and conveying the packaging material to the packaging line,   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the packaging material is paper. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the packaging material is a film material. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the packaging material is a shrink film. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the initial portion of the second packaging material reel is connected directly or substantially directly at a transverse edge thereof to the packaging material portion of the first packaging material reel. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 16 , which comprises, subsequent to the joining step, separating the packaging material portion of the first packaging material reel, which is joined to the initial portion of the second packaging material reel, from a part of the first packaging material reel which is still wound up, and, after the separation, replacing the first packaging material reel by a third packaging material reel. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the third packaging material reel is an unused material reel. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 16 , which comprises packing a product composition with the packaging material in the packaging line in such a way that the packaging which is formed for the product composition from the packaging material includes a joint at which the packaging material portions from the first and second packaging material reels are connected to one another. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , which comprises packing the product composition in such a way that, with the packaging formed from the packaging material, the initial portion of the second packaging material reel lies farther outside than the packaging material portion of the first packaging material reel which overlaps with the initial portion of the second packaging material reel. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the first packaging material reel is arranged on a first rotatably mounted mandrel, the second packaging material reel is arranged on a second rotatably mounted mandrel, and the method comprises: after joining of the packaging material portions, exchanging relative positions of the mandrels by a pivoting movement of the mandrels, to thereby bring the first mandrel into a previous position of the second mandrel and to bring the second mandrel into the previous position of the first mandrel. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 16 , which comprises, during the stamping operation, pressing the packaging material portions between a rotating stamping roller of the stamping device and a counter-surface of the stamping device. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , which comprises:
 before and/or after the stamping operation, transporting the packaging material in a region of the stamping device along a conveying direction; and   during the stamping operation, moving the stamping roller perpendicular to the conveying direction while the counter-surface remains stationary; or   providing the stamping roller with an axis which is aligned perpendicular to the conveying direction, and the counter-surface being a circumferential surface of a further rotating stamping roller, with an axis thereof aligned perpendicular to the conveying direction.   
     
     
         28 . In a packaging installation for packaging products at a packaging line with a packaging material from a supply device for supplying the packaging line with the packaging material, the supply device comprising:
 a first rotatably mounted mandrel for holding and unwinding a first packaging material reel;   a second rotatably mounted mandrel for holding and unwinding a second packaging material reel; and   a joining device for joining an initial portion of the second packaging material reel with a packaging material portion of the first packaging material reel, which has already been drawn off and overlaps with the initial portion of the second packaging material reel;   said joining device being a stamping device disposed and configured to join the packaging material portions of the first and second packaging material reels together by way of a stamping operation.   
     
     
         29 . The packaging installation according to  claim 28 , wherein said first and second mandrels are mounted to be changeable in position, with said mandrels being able to change positions with one another by way of a pivot movement of said mandrels. 
     
     
         30 . The packaging installation according to  claim 28 , wherein said stamping device comprises a rotatably mounted stamping roller and a counter-surface, and said stamping device is configured, during the stamping operation, to press the packaging material portions that are to be joined in between the stamping roller and the counter-surface. 
     
     
         31 . The packaging installation according to  claim 30 , wherein said supply device comprises a conveying device for conveying the packaging material in a region of said stamping device along a conveying direction, wherein said stamping roller of said stamping device is movably perpendicular to the conveying direction, and said stamping device is configured such that, during the stamping operation, the packaging material portions that are to be joined are pressed in between said stamping roller and the counter-surface, with the counter-surface being fixed in position. 
     
     
         32 . The packaging installation according to  claim 30 , wherein said stamping device comprises a further rotatably mounted stamping roller, said counter-surface is a circumferential surface of said further stamping roller, and said stamping rollers are movable relative to one another.