US 11,939,097 B2
Method and device for attaching carrying handles to packaging means or groups of packaging means
Thomas Rütten, Kranenburg (DE); and Simon Uphues, Kleve (DE)
Assigned to KHS GmbH, Dortmund (DE)
Appl. No. 17/639,712
Filed by KHS GmbH, Dortmund (DE)
PCT Filed Sep. 9, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/075197
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 2, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/048205, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 18, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 102019124665.2 (DE), filed on Sep. 13, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0289417 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. B65B 61/06 (2006.01); B65B 17/02 (2006.01); B65B 21/00 (2006.01); B65B 41/18 (2006.01); B65B 59/00 (2006.01); B65B 61/14 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 61/14 (2013.01) [B65B 17/025 (2013.01); B65B 21/00 (2013.01); B65B 41/18 (2013.01); B65B 59/001 (2019.05)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for attaching handles to containers or bundles of containers that are conveyed on a transporter in a transport direction, said handles being self-adhering handles, wherein the apparatus comprises a base body, a handle applicator that is mounted above said transporter and is configured to be driven by a motor to rotate about a horizontal rotation axis that is transverse to said transport direction, said handle applicator comprising three arms that are radial to said rotation axis and that each extend along a longitudinal axis that intersects said rotation axis, a contact body that is mounted on said base body and is movable so as to interact with said handle applicator, said contact body being adjustable between a release position and a drawing position, wherein, in said contact body's release position, said handle applicator can be freely driven and wherein, in said contact body's drawing position, said contact body is brought into contact with an upper side of an endless band of material prior to said endless band being cut to form said handle, a contact-body driver configured to move said contact body along a continuum of positions between said release position and said drawing position based on actual position data indicative of actual positions of position markings on said handle, a controller that is configured to control said contact-body driver based at least in part on said actual position data, and a mark detector that detects said position markings and provides said data to said controller, wherein each of said arms comprises an engager and a cutter that cooperate to separate a handle from an endless band of material and to press self-adhesive portions at free ends of said handle onto said bundle to attach said handle to said bundle, each engager comprising a suction region that uses negative pressure to hold and to guide said band.