US 12,492,033 B2
Device and method for automatically removing a film wrapping from palletized stacks of products
Daniel Jarr, Offenbach (DE); and Max-Reinhard Lewandoske, Aschaffenburg (DE)
Assigned to Dematic GmbH, Heusenstamm (DE)
Filed by Dematic GmbH, Heusenstamm (DE)
Filed on Mar. 17, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/697,595.
Claims priority of application No. 102021107386.3 (DE), filed on Mar. 24, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0306332 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. B65B 69/00 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 69/0033 (2013.01) [B65B 2210/20 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for removing a film wrapping from a palletized stack of products, said device comprising:
a cutting head disposed on a support arm, said cutting head comprising,
a cutter for cutting through the film, wherein the cutter is disposed between at least two opposing contacts and is set back with respect to a film contact plane formed by the opposing contacts in order to form a cutting recess; and
a vacuum unit configured to generate suction between the at least two opposing contacts to suck a region of the film wrapping into the cutting recess and into contact with the cutter;
wherein the contacts comprise a pair of spaced apart rollers disposed laterally on either side of the cutter with respect to a cutting direction of the cutting head; and
wherein the support arm is moveable under operation of a controller to place the contacts of the cutting head against a vertically oriented surface of the film of the stack and move the cutting head there along to cut the film sucked by the vacuum unit into the cutting recess and into contact with the cutter, and further comprising a sensor configured to operably communicate with the controller for monitoring a force of the cutting head against the surface of the film for use in maintaining the cutting head in contact with the film during cutting, wherein the cutting head further comprises a housing, and wherein the cutter is disposed within the housing and the rollers are fastened to the housing.