Magazine unit, packaging apparatus and method for combining article groupings

Abstract

The invention relates to a magazine unit ( 1 ) for consumable material ( 20 ), comprising at least two receiving units ( 2 ) for consumable material ( 20 ), at least one removal position (AP) and at least one filling position (BP), wherein the receiving units ( 2 ) are configured to be movable between the removal position (AP) and the filling position (BP). The invention also relates to a packaging apparatus ( 15 ) and to a method for combining article groupings ( 33 ) with a packaging means ( 21 ).

1 . A magazine unit ( 1 ) for consumable material ( 20 ), comprising:
 at least two receiving units ( 2 ) for consumable material ( 20 ),   at least one removal position (AP) and at least two filling positions (BP),   and wherein each of the at least two receiving units ( 2 ) is configured to be movable between the at least one removal position (AP) and at least one of the at least two filling positions (BP).   
     
     
         2 . The magazine unit ( 1 ) of  claim 1 , comprising two receiving units ( 2 ) for consumable material ( 20 ), a single removal position (AP) and two filling positions (BP), wherein the removal position (AP) is arranged between the two filling positions (BP). 
     
     
         3 . The magazine unit ( 1 ) of  claim 2 , wherein, in a first work mode (AM 1 ), a first receiving unit ( 2 ) is arranged in the first filling position (BP) and a second receiving unit ( 2 ) is arranged in the removal position (AP), and wherein, in a second work mode (AM 2 ), the first receiving unit ( 2 ) is arranged in the removal position (AP) and the second receiving unit ( 2 ) is arranged in the second filling position (BP). 
     
     
         4 . The magazine unit ( 1 ) of  claim 2 , wherein the removal position (AP) and the two filling positions (BP) are arranged in a straight line, wherein the receiving units ( 2 ) are configured to be movable together in the straight line. 
     
     
         5 . The magazine unit ( 1 )  claim 2 , wherein the two receiving units ( 2 ) are arranged on a carriage ( 3 ), which is assigned to a carriage guide ( 5 ), which carriage guide ( 5 ) extends over the removal position (AP) and both filling positions (BP). 
     
     
         6 . The magazine unit ( 1 ) of  claim 1 , wherein each receiving unit ( 2 ) is assigned a lifting device ( 13 ). 
     
     
         7 . The magazine unit ( 1 ) of  claim 1 , wherein at least one protective element ( 7 ) is arranged between the at least two receiving units ( 2 ). 
     
     
         8 . A packaging apparatus ( 15 ) comprising:
 a packaging module ( 19 ) for creating article groupings ( 33 ) with packaging ( 21 ), and   a magazine unit ( 1 ) storing the packaging ( 21 ) that is provided as consumable material ( 20 ), wherein the magazine unit ( 1 ) comprises at least two receiving units ( 2 ) for consumable material ( 20 ),   at least one removal position (AP) and at least two filling positions (BP),   wherein each of the at least two receiving units ( 2 ) is configured to be movable between the at least one removal position (AP) and one of the at least two filling positions (BP).   
     
     
         9 . The packaging apparatus ( 15 ) of  claim 8 , wherein the packaging module ( 19 ) further comprises a transport device ( 40 ) configured to move the article groupings ( 33 ) in a transport direction (TR), wherein the at least one removal position (AP) and the at least two filling positions (BP) are arranged in a straight line parallel to the transport device ( 40 ), wherein the receiving units ( 2 ) are configured to be movable in the straight line. 
     
     
         10 . The packaging apparatus ( 15 )  claim 9 , wherein the at least one removal position (AP) and the at least two filling positions (BP) are arranged parallel to the transport device ( 40 ). 
     
     
         11 . The packaging apparatus ( 15 ) wherein at least one protective device ( 36 ) is assigned to the at least one removal position (AP), wherein the protective device ( 36 ) is configured to prevent any manual intervention during ongoing production operation in the receiving unit ( 2 ) arranged in the removal position (AP). 
     
     
         12 . A method for combining article groupings ( 33 ) with packaging ( 21 ), the method comprising:
 providing packaging ( 21 ) a consumable material ( 20 ) in a magazine unit ( 1 ), wherein the magazine unit ( 1 ) comprises at least two receiving units ( 2 ) for consumable material ( 20 ), at least one removal position (AP) and at least two filling positions (BP),   configuring each of the at least two receiving units ( 2 ) to be movable between the at least one removal position (AP) and one of the at least two filling positions (BP),   removing the packaging ( 21 ) from one of the at least two receiving unit ( 2 ) arranged in the removal position (AP).   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising filling or refilling the magazine unit ( 1 ) by placing packaging ( 21 ) into one of the at least two receiving unit ( 2 ) when that receiving unit ( 2 ) is in a filling position (BP). 
     
     
         14 . The method  claim 13 , wherein the magazine unit ( 1 ) comprises two receiving units ( 2 ) for consumable material ( 20 ), a single removal position (AP) and two filling positions (BP), wherein the removal position (AP) is arranged between the two filling positions (BP), and wherein the magazine unit ( 1 ) can be moved back-and-forth between a first work mode (AM 1 ) and a second work mode (AM 2 ). 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein, in the first work mode (AM 1 ), a first receiving unit ( 2 ) is arranged in a first filling position (BP) and is being filled with consumable material ( 20 ), and wherein, in the second work mode (AM 2 ), a second receiving unit ( 2 ) is arranged in a second filling position (BP) and is being filled with consumable material ( 20 ).